Golf Betting Sites

    Golf has long been a favourite pastime for many, however the sport has also become hugely prominent when it comes to betting too. The number of great golf betting sites popping up is steadily increasing every year. With action taking place on a weekly basis from around the world, whether it be from the PGA, European or LPGA Tours, more and more bookmakers are now offering betting on golf.

    The sport is now very popular in India, with a large number of golf betting websites catering for fans of the sport when it come to wagering on major events. However, finding the right platform to best suit your betting needs is not always an easy process, with a huge number of bookmakers to choose from. Our experts have put together some of the factors in which customers must take into consideration when selecting the best golf betting sites.

    How We Evaluate Golf Betting Sites

    golf betting sitesAll of the golf bookies discussed on out site are available to punters based in India, while they all come with their own positives and negatives. When evaluating different golf betting sites, it is important to take into consideration a range of factors, including the depth of markets, promotions, live betting and security.

    Be sure to check out our bookmaker reviews in order to fully understand how the top 100 betting sites are separated, with each performing better in some areas than others. In total, the following points are evaluated by our experts:

    Golf Bookmaker Criteria

    Let’s take a closer look at the criteria in which we used in order to select from the wide variety of online golf betting sites:

    ➡️ Reputation

    The best golf betting sites will generally have built good reputations thanks to their work in the industry, whether it be through their safety, odds or additional features.

    ➡️ Security

    All of the bookmakers discussed on our site are nothing but 100% secure, as well as being regulated by respected authorities within the industry. Betting sites use SSL encryptions to ensure that transactions are processed securely and personal details are kept secure, while a range of other measures are put in place too.

    ➡️ Promotions

    The majority of betting sites will offer customers some form of promotions and betting bonus offers in order to entice them into both registering and continued wagering. Welcome bonuses come in the form of free bets, matched deposits and enhanced odds offers, while there are normally a good amount of promotions available to existing customers also, with some being specific to golf markets.

    ➡️ Golf Markets

    For fans of golf, the variety and depth of markets on a betting site will be of huge importance, with tournaments taking place on a weekly basis during the season.  Whether it be majors including the Masters and the Open, action from the PGA or European Tours or events from the increasingly popular women’s game, the best golf betting sites will offer a range of options to their customers.

    ➡️ Bet Types

    Along with the range of markets, bookmakers nowadays also offer a large number of bet types when it comes to golf, which include both pre-tournament and in-play opportunities. Customers are able to bet on the individual winner of a specific event, as well as those who will finish inside the top five. Meanwhile, punters can sometimes bet on where the winning player will come from and margin of victory.

    ➡️ Live Streaming

    The ability to watch the action as it unfolds from golf tournaments around the world is not only enjoyable, it can also help customers to gain a much clearer understanding of how an event will end up. A small number of bookmakers now offer live streaming of golf events, with a small bet generally required in order to gain access. Live streaming also goes hand in hand with live sports betting, which are increasingly popular with golf fans. 

    All About Golf

    It is believed that the origins of golf date back to the 15th century in Scotland, with the sport not being as fast-paced as other disciplines. Players start by hitting their tee shot using their preferred choice of club, before attempting to work the ball into the hole in the fewest number of shots. A round of golf is played over 18 holes, with tournaments generally being made up of four rounds.

    Despite not seeming as exciting as other sports, golf attracts millions of spectators throughout the year, with the game being regulated by governing bodies including the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, the USPGA and the International Golf Federation. Golf has become hugely popular in India over recent years, with 22-year-old Shubhankar Sharma being the highest ranked male Indian player at present.

    Betting on Golf

    Whether you are new to golf or consider yourself to be something of a seasoned professional, it is important to ensure that you understand both how the game is played and the rules surrounding it. Let’s kick things off by taking a look at the basic gameplay of the sport:

    Having found the right betting site to meet your needs, it is now time to fully understand exactly how customers can be on golf. The following are some of the standout betting options when it comes to golf:

    ⛳ Lay, Back or Combo?

    As with a range of other sports, there are three options when it comes to betting on golf, which come in the form of back, lay or a combination of the two. The first option effectively allows customers to back a market such as Player X to win or Player Y to make an eagle on a particular hole. Meanwhile, lay betting involves punters opposing such a claim and betting on the opposite outcome.

    ⛳ Off-season or Pre-event Bets

    Betting on golf also depends a lot on timing, with punters being able to place long-term bets on an individual player to win a particular tournament during the off season. Closer to the start of a tournament, customers will have more options, whether it be betting on where the winner will come from our by how many strokes they will win by.

    ⛳ In-play Bets

    The completion of a golf tournament takes four days in general, with players having to complete a total of 72 holes across four rounds. As a result, it is easier for customers to gain an understanding of who will potentially have a chance of ultimately winning, with bets allowed to be placed right up until the final round. The prices associated with players will also change depending on their performance during competition.

    ⛳ Each-way

    Many bookmakers will also allow customers to place each-way bets when it comes to golf tournaments, with backing the outright winner being particularly difficult when there are over 100 participants in most cases. This means that bets will be successful if the selected player finishes in a placed position after four rounds, which is normally inside the top five.

    Golf Betting: Understanding the Rules

    Indian betting customers are now able to take advantage of a wide range of online bookmaker sites, however there are still some rules which must be understood when wagering on the sport.

    ➡️ The Game Rules

    Players are able to use up to 14 different clubs during their round, while they must also complete all 18 holes in order to be eligible to compete for the title. Any break of such rules will lead to some form of penalty. The par of a hole is the average number of strokes required in order to complete it, with those taking fewer shots recording an under-par score.

    ➡️ The Betting Rules

    In the unlikely event of a tournament being suspended due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances, bookmakers will all have their own rules when it comes to the distribution of winnings. Some will pay out cash if at least 36 holes have been completed, whilst others will void all bets.

    ➡️ Markets

    The most popular market when it comes to golf is the outright tournament winner option, which is followed by Top 5 Finish, Top 10 Finish, Victory Margin, First Round Leader, Top Nationality and 3-ball or 2-ball markets.

    Golf Betting Odds

    The odds offered on a golf tournament are sometimes difficult to understand, due to the fact that there are so many possible outcomes and markets. However, prices will provide a good indication as to the who will potentially fight for the biggest prize, which are based on factors such as world ranking, form and motivation. For each tournament, when American odds are displayed, the favourites will have a + sign before their price, such as +200. Meanwhile, rank outsiders will have a – sign, such as -100.

    Major Golf Events

    bookmaker golfIn both the men’s and women’s game, there are a whole host of standout events which help to make up the golf season. All attract a significant amount of bets, with the following being the standout tournaments to look out for.

    🇺🇸 US Masters

    The first major tournament of the year takes place at the famous Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia in April, with the event having first been established in 1934. The likes of Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth have won in recent times, while the tournament is known for its difficulty.

    🇺🇸 US PGA Championship

    Organised by the PGA, this tournament takes place in May in New York. American Brooks Koepka is the reigning champion, with US players having won for the last three years.

    🇺🇸 US Open

    The US Open is hosted by the USGA, with the third major of the season taking place in June. It has been held regularly since 1895 and is one of the longest-running tournaments in golf.

    🇬🇧 British Open

    The R&A of the United Kingdom organises what is known as one of the most historic tournaments in golf. Taking place in late July, the British Open is the final major of the season, with Italian player Francesco Molinari having won the men’s title in 2018.

    Golf’s Standout Players

    While golf is always difficult to predict, the following players are among those who are regularly backed by betting customers.

    🏌️ Rory McIlroy

    This guy currently stands at number 8 in global golf rankings set by OWGR. He has been consistent in his performance over the years. He had the good fortune of lifting the PGA trophy twice (2012 and 2014) and the WGC trophy twice (2014 and 2015). Besides, he finished first in the championships of Deutsche Bank, BMW and DP World Tour. He was also the number one player on the OWGR site for a total of 95 weeks!

    🏌️ Jon Rahm

    The Spanish golfer Jon Rahm is currently 6th in the world. He finished first recently in the Hero World Challenge of the USA tour. He has been showcasing his talent for the past few years and have really shone since 2017.

    🏌️ Justin Thomas

    Justin Thomas hails from the USA and has been one of the best performers in the last two years. He has managed to score among the topmost finishers in each of the last 10 games he participated in. The latest ones among them are Hero World Challenge, the CJ Cup, CIMB Classic, TOUR Championship and BMW Championship.

    🏌️ Jordan Spieth

    This is a young American golfer who is taking the world by storm by winning 14 titles including PGA Championship, PGA Tour Player of the Year, PGA Tour Rookie of the Year and the FedEx Cup Champion. Along with being the number one player on OWGR, he also appeared on Times as one of the 100 most influential people in 2016.

    Golf Betting Tips

    Before you place your opening bet on a golf event, spend some time learning everything that can potentially effect the outcome, which those who with experience of playing the sport will know can be plenty of factors. All in all, the following are among the most important things to consider before backing your favourite golfers:

    Golf Betting FAQ

    How does golf betting work?

    Golf betting works in a similar way to other sports gambling like tennis or soccer, however the most popular market is to back a particular player to win a tournament, rather than an individual game or match.

    What golf tournaments can I bet on?

    Customers are able to bet on a range of golf events, including all the major tournaments, the Masters, US Open, Open Championships. As well as this, competitions including the Ryder Cup, PGA and US PGA are on offer, along with events from the LPGA and the European Tour.

    Can I watch golf online?

    Yes. Many of the golf betting sites discussed on our site stream live coverage of the major tournaments and other events throughout the season, allowing punters to keep track of each and every shot as it is played.

    Arjun Jindal
    Arjun Jindal | Last Modified: August 10, 2022
    Arjun Jindal