Tee off the Right Way with the Best Golf Betting Sites
Betting on golf has never been more popular than it is now and to be perfectly honest with you, it is not difficult to see why. For anyone who has no interest in golf, it is easy to assume that it is a very boring game and best summed up by a statement by the one and only Mark Twain, ‘golf is a good walk spoiled’!
That may be true, but betting on golf is a different matter entirely because the number of betting markets that are available is not only wide and varied, but it also offers the astute punter many opportunities when deciding on how to bet on golf.
| Bookmaker | Golf Betting Options | Bonus | More | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Betway |
|
up to £30 Matched Free Bet + £30 Uber Eats Voucher if your first Acca loses | Visit Site Review | |
| #AD *New UK customers only. Min Stake: £5. Maximum Free Bet: £30. First bet on a Football, Horse Racing, Cricket, Tennis & Basketball multiple with 3+ selections. Overall odds: 3.00 (2/1) or higher. Free Bets available upon settlement of the qualifying bet, Uber Voucher credited within 72 hours of qualifying bet settlement. No wagering requirements on free spin winnings. Debit Card deposit only (exclusions apply). This offer is valid 7 days from the new account being registered. 18+ BeGambleAware.org. Bet the Responsible Way. Full Terms apply | ||||
Betrino |
|
Bet £25 Get £50 Free Bet | Visit Site Review | |
Bet365 |
|
£30 in Free Bets* | Visit Site Review | |
| #AD *Registration Required. 18+. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly, GambleAware.org | ||||
Betfred |
|
Bet £10 Get £50 in Bonuses | Visit Site Review | |
| New customers only. Register with BETFRED50. Deposit £10+ via Debit Card and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. Full T&Cs apply. #AD | ||||
10bet |
|
100% up to £50 bonus | Visit Site Review | |
| New bettors; Code SPORT; Wager deposit & bonus 8x; Max qualifying bet stake=initial bonus; Valid 60 days; Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply; T&C apply; 18+ #AD | ||||
Grosvenor |
|
Double The Odds | Visit Site Review | |
| New customers only. Deposit min £10 (exc. PayPal) for 50 Free Spins at 10p on selected games + 100% odds boost token (Max £10), Max win from spins £1000. *T&Cs apply. 18+ #AD | ||||
Casumo |
|
100% back as a Free Bet up to £30 | Visit Site Review | |
| #Ad 18+ New customers only. Registration required. Valid on your first combo bet (minimum 3 selections, minimum odds of 1.40 per selection, minimum bet of £5). If you lose, you receive a 100% refund up to £30 as Free Bet. Free bet valid for 7 days. The Free Bet can be used on a combo bet with at least 2 selections, minimum odds of 1.50 per selection and maximum odd of 5.00, Football only. Gambling can be addictive. Please play responsibly. BeGambleAware.org T&Cs apply | ||||
*T&C apply, 18+!
Find a Bookie That Meets Your Golf Betting Strategy
It should be noted that golf tournaments take place in both Europe and the US throughout the year and the various sportsbooks compete with each other regarding offers and various enticements to persuade you to bet with them.
When it comes to deciding what are the best golf betting sites, there are plenty to choose from but first, it would be a good idea to decide which golf betting system or type of bets that you enjoy placing, to do that we advise you to read our detailed betting guide.
Most tournaments start on a Thursday and run for four days so whilst some people are only interested in placing their bets before the tournament starts and giving them an interest over the course of the tournaments, other punters enjoy playing more of an active role and placing live bets whilst taking advantage of the sometimes-erratic price movements as the action unfolds.
Therefore, your priority when betting on golf would be to always make sure that your chosen sportsbook or sportsbooks is able to easily meet your requirements.
So, What Kind of a Golf Bettor Are You?
For someone who is wondering how to bet on golf before the tournaments start, their number-one priority would obviously be to obtain the very best possible prices as well as carefully studying the golf betting each-way rules which the sportsbooks put in place.
You will often see that when a major tournament takes place, betting sites will compete by offering extra places if an each-way bet is made on the outright winner market.
You will sometimes see sportsbooks offering golf betting each way rules on the first seven places (or even more) on tournaments like the ‘Masters’ but even for the smaller tournaments, it is sometimes possible to place an each-way bet and be offered extra places in return for a slightly shorter price.
When you take into consideration that many players are priced at 100/1 and higher, it is up to the punter to decide if they are willing to take a slightly lower price in return for a few extra places.
Each way bets usually pay out at 1/5 of the win odds so a placed 200/1 shot can still pay odds of 40/1, a price which, most punters will agree, is not to be sniffed at!
Another extremely popular market when betting on golf is known a ‘3-ball betting’ and many punters build their golf betting system around this market.
This is where a market is formed for three players who are taking part in the tournament and odds are given for which player will get the best score over the course of the tournament.
‘3 ball betting’ markets cover every player in the tournament so if you have an accurate golf punters guide, the astute person can often spot opportunities in which they can pit their wits against the odds compliers and try making money by betting on these markets.
Golf Betting Markets Explained
For a long time, we never had an interest in golf betting because we assumed that you had to enjoy playing golf to fully understand the golf betting markets. We couldn’t have been more wrong. As you are about to discover, betting on golf offers so many opportunities that you would be selling yourself short if you didn’t at least take a closer look at these hugely exciting golf betting markets.
The very fact that up to 156 players start each tournament with only one player classed as the favourite shows how many potentially lucrative betting opportunities there are, so with that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the most popular golf betting markets.
- Outright Winner – This is the headline market of all golf tournaments, and because of the size of the field, there are some attractive prices available on players who are outside of the top six in the betting. We have already spoken about the benefits of EW betting on the outright winner markets, and to give yourself an idea of the opportunities on offer, take a quick look at results from past tournaments; you will see players with very juicy odds often either win the tournament or finish in one of the EW places. As an example, the winner of the recent 3M Open was Jackson Koivun at 28/1 with Chandler Phillips and Denny McCarthy tied 4th at odds of 260/1 and 150/1 respectively.
- First Round Leader – Golf tournaments usually start on a Thursday and finish on a Sunday, so first round leader betting is basically placing a bet on who will be leading when play has been completed on the Thursday evening. There are some fantastic odds available in the first round leader betting, and this is where a bit of form study comes in useful as some players are renowned for making fast starts, especially those with an earlier tee time.
- Top 10 Finish Betting – Top 5, top 10 finish betting and top 20 betting are all popular golf betting markets, especially amongst punters who like to have a betting interest that is far more likely to last the whole tournament as opposed to backing a player to win the tournament only to see the bet fizzle out after a poor first day’s play. Even though the odds on Top 10 finish betting are far shorter than backing a player to win, due to the very nature of the golf betting markets, there are still some very generous odds to take advantage of.
- 2 Ball Betting – This market matches up two golfers against each other during a particular round of a tournament. You simply bet on which player will record the lower score, although the draw may also be available depending on the bookmaker’s rules. An example of 2-ball betting could be Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele paired together, with Scheffler priced at 4/5, Schauffele at 6/4 and the draw at 8/1. If you back Scheffler and he scores 68 and Schauffele scores 71, your bet wins.
- To Make or Miss the Cut – If you are unfamiliar with the rules of golf, make the cut betting is based on whether a player finishes in the top 65 after the first two days of play. Those who make the cut continue into the weekend, while the remaining players are eliminated from the tournament. For example, if Collin Morikawa finishes in 50th place after the opening two rounds, he makes the cut and continues into the weekend. If he finishes in 70th place, he misses the cut and his tournament is over.
- Speciality Bets – There are several examples of these kinds of bets, and they can differ from bookie to bookie. The highest finishing player from a particular country or region, such as the top American or top British golfer, is a popular market. As is the winning margin market where you bet on how many shots will separate the tournament winner from the runner-up, with options often including one shot, two shots, three shots or four or more.
A favourite of ours is the hole-in-one market where you bet on whether a hole-in-one will take place or not. Most punters will probably think that this is a rare event, but over the course of the 2025 PGA Tour season, 25 holes-in-one were recorded across 46 tournaments.
The number of available golf betting markets peaks during the four Majors, so let’s look at these big tournaments in more detail.
The Majors, the Ryder Cup and the Weekly Tours
The four Majors are the biggest events in the golfing calendar, starting with the Masters betting at Augusta in April, the PGA Championship follows in May, before the US Open betting in June and The British Open in July. It would be fair to say that there is a massive increase in activity for the Majors, including Masters and The Open betting, as punters who might not usually be interested in golf betting will start to get involved.
Bookies respond with some of their biggest golf promotion offers, including enhanced each-way terms and additional places on outright bets. Ante-post markets are available months before the tournaments begin. However, it is important to check whether your bookie applies non-runner, no-bet rules because players can lose form, suffer an injury or fail to qualify after you have placed your bet.
The Ryder Cup is golf’s most famous team event, bringing together the leading players from Europe and the United States every two years. If you have ever watched this event on TV, you will be aware of the hostility between the players and, more notably, the crowd! Ryder Cup betting offers several markets that you will not normally see at a standard tournament because you can bet on a wide range of team-based markets, such as the top overall points scorer and the leading points scorer for each team. Away from the Majors and Ryder Cup, professional golf provides a steady stream of tournaments throughout most of the year.
The PGA Tour and DP World Tour hold events almost every week from January to November, which means a fresh outright market will usually appear on a Monday and the tournaments begin on the following Thursday. PGA Tour betting covers tournaments across the United States and several other countries. At the same time, the DP World Tour visits courses throughout Europe and further afield. It is the bread and butter for golf punters as it gives them countless potentially lucrative opportunities throughout the course of the year.
Dead-Heat Rules, the Each-Way Trap Every Golf Bettor Must Understand
Before you even place your first bet, it is always worth taking a few minutes to get your head around the dead heat rules of golf. Don’t worry, it’s not at all complicated, so please let us explain.
Ties for the placed positions are common in golf, which makes understanding dead heat rules golf betting essential. A tournament may finish with several players tied for fifth, seventh or tenth place, so the place part of your stake is divided according to the number of players sharing the finishing position.
The best way to describe dead heat each-way betting is by giving an example: Tommy Fleetwood is priced at 40/1 to win The Open Championship and finishes in fifth position. You placed a £10 each-way bet on him, and the bookie is paying 5 places at ⅕ the odds. As it happens, two other players tie with Tommy for fifth place, so only one-third of your £10 place stake, £3.33, is settled at the each-way odds of 8/1. This produces winnings of £26.67 plus the £3.33 stake, giving you a total return of £30. The other £6.67 of the place stake is lost, as is the £10 win part of the bet.
Dead heat each way betting rules are part and parcel of the golf betting markets and another reason always to try and obtain the best odds before you place a bet.
When to Place Your Golf Bet, Monday to Thursday
Once you get into golf betting, you will find the studying of the form, or in our case, studying golf-related forums, quite addictive, so you are ready and waiting when the golf odds Monday are released.
We usually find that if you have a short list of players that you are interested in, and the early golf odds are better than you expected, it is worth jumping straight in and placing your bets. We have seen the odds on some players change literally in half over a very short time because a golfing tipster has recommended a selection to his followers.
There is a train of thought amongst some professional golf bettors that it is best to wait until Wednesday to place your golf bets, as you can take into account the latest weather forecasts, rumours of injuries or illness, the tee time draw and withdrawals. But for us, it is always a case of placing the bets on a Monday so we can get on with other things until the action starts on Thursday.
Whatever golf betting timing you prefer, it is always important that you try and get the best odds for your selections. Due to the nature of golf betting, the 156 players that take part in a tournament means that the variation in odds can be substantial.
For example, we have noted odds of 28/1, 33/1 and 66/1 for the same player in a PGA tournament, and that wasn’t a one-off, so imagine in that example if you had placed a £10 bet at 28/1, you would have received £380 less than if you had placed the same bet at 66/1!
What Happens If a Golfer Withdraws?
If a player withdraws before hitting a shot, most bookies will void an outright bet and return your stake; however, it is important to check the golfer withdraws bet rules, particularly when placing an ante-post wager several weeks or months before the tournament starts. Some of these markets are offered on an all-in, run-or-not basis, which means you will lose your stake if the player does not take part, and this is one of the main differences to look for when comparing early outright markets.
Once a player has teed off, the situation changes because should the player become injured, unwell or retire, an outright bet will normally stand and be settled as a loser. It does not matter if the golfer withdraws after one hole or during the final round, as there is generally no refund once the player has started. The same golf bet void rules obviously apply to both the win and place parts of an each-way bet.
A withdrawal can also affect 2-ball and 3-ball betting; if a player pulls out before the group tees off, the bookie will normally void the affected market or produce new odds for the remaining players. If the withdrawal happens after play begins, settlement depends on the individual bookies’ rules, with some voiding the matchup and others requiring players to complete a certain number of holes.
Ante-post and match betting terms can vary, so as always, check the bookies’ settlement rules before placing your bet.
Golf Betting Strategy, Reading Form, Courses and Weather
Our golf betting strategy always starts by deciding if a player’s game suits the course. We used to assume that a round of golf is just a round of golf until we started betting on the game; it soon became clear that some golfers played better at different courses. This was explained to us by a golf betting pro who used a horse racing analogy and Chester racecourse in particular. Chester is a very tight circular track, unique in British horse racing, so horses that have proven themselves at this course often perform better than supposedly superior horses.
The same is true with golfers; a big hitter, for example, can have an advantage on long courses with wide fairways, forgiving rough and par-five holes that can be reached in two shots. In contrast, that advantage could disappear on a course which favours accuracy and a reliable short game, so bear that in mind when looking at golf betting tips. We then like to look at current form in our golf betting strategy, but the game-changer for us was when we learned about strokes gained betting statistics.
Current form is important because if a player is in good form, this can often be carried over to the next tournament, provided the course suits their style of play, but strokes gained betting statistics add a deeper level to your research. In a nutshell, strokes gained statistics show how well a golfer has performed in different parts of the game compared with the rest of the field, helping you judge whether their recent finishing positions reflect how well they actually played. Sounds a bit complicated if you are new to golf betting, but please believe us when we say that it is worth looking at before you make a bet.
The weather and the draw are the next factors to take a quick look at. The weather can completely change between the time the first players tee off and the late afternoon starters step up, with strong winds being the main factor that you should look out for. We have found that bookies often don’t take the weather factor into account, so it is possible to get hold of some juicy odds if you look at the weather forecast.
Finally, when we are ready to place our bets, we always refer to our staking plan, which is important when betting on any sport but especially with golf, when winning bets are not as common due to the big fields and higher odds. For that reason, we would strongly recommend each-way betting, especially in the outright betting markets, as this can offer better expected value as part of a golf betting strategy
Multiples for the Big Payouts
You will sometimes see stories of massive golf betting wins on various Facebook groups as well as the national press and these are usually the result of a successful multiple bet. This is the aim of many golf betting enthusiasts and it is not difficult to realise how some of these multiple bets can prove to be so lucrative. Let’s take a quick look at an example.
Let’s say that you have a £5 double on the winner of the US and European golf tournaments that are taking place that particular week.
In this example we could say that the price for the winner of the US tournament is 150/1 and the price of the winner of the European tournament is 80/1.
If both of these selections win, the payout is £63,790.
Even if both players don’t win but are placed, the returns are still £2400.
From a £10 bet, that kind of return is very special in anyone’s book, so you can see why these bets are so popular.
Multiples on the ‘3-ball betting’ are also extremely popular, the odds are a lot smaller but the returns on a successful multiple bet of this type can also pay dividends so is definitely worth considering if you are aiming for a large payout.
The Roller Coaster of Live Golf Betting
You would have thought that the game of golf would not be able to provide the kind of edge of the seat entertainment which goes hand in hand with live betting, but the golf live betting markets offer just that.
It only takes a misplaced put for the live betting odds on a particular market to completely overreact and any live betting enthusiast will confirm that scenarios like this this throw up numerous opportunities to take advantage of and to make some very decent profits.
To make the most out of golf live betting you will need to be quick on the trigger and never has the term, ‘if you snooze, you lose’ been more appropriate.
If this type of golf betting system appeals to you, it is important that you choose a sportsbook which takes this type of betting seriously and is able to offer you a wide variety of live betting markets as well as a platform which is able to handle this kind of betting activity efficiently and without any buffering or downtime.
Cash Out and Modern Golf Betting Features
- Cash Out – Cash out golf betting works in the same way as cashing out bets in other sports, but we have always found this feature in golf betting has a far more relaxed feel to it as you have more time to decide whether to hit the cash out button or not. The cash out figure obviously changes throughout the tournament as your selection moves up or down the leaderboard, often changing after every hole, so don’t be surprised if the cash out figure drops if your selection misses an easy putt.
Always double-check the T&C’s with the bookie you are using regarding which type of bets are available for cash out; usually win bets only, but if a bookie does offer a cash out on EW bets, don’t be surprised if the figure is very low, especially if an EW place looks nailed on. - Shot Trackers and Live Leaderboards: There is no doubt that following the leaderboard when you have placed a golf bet can be slightly addictive, so the golf shot tracker betting that some of the bookie apps have in place is a Godsend. Golf shot tracker betting on a betting app basically gives you the live up to date scores on a golf tournament. We must say that we have found them very accurate and up to date, very convenient as well as you are logged into the betting app, you can react to any betting opportunities if they meet the rules of your betting strategy.
- Live Streaming – Our usual gripe with live streaming is that because of the time delay, you can’t rely on them when placing bets, but in the case of golf betting, we find them to be a very useful feature. Bookies have different rules in allowing customers to access live streaming; the most common rule is that you need to have a funded account to be able to watch the live stream, but check with your preferred bookie first.
As you can see, all of these features are very useful, so you may want to check which bookies have these features in place before you decide which one to do business with.
Tee off with Paddy Power
- £10 First Bet*
- Excellent live streaming
- Massive range of sports
- First class customer service
- Enticing Promotions
- Regulated by UKGC
*T&C apply; Visit bookmaker's website for details. #AD
Paddy Power are generating quite a name for themselves with their promotions on golf betting and if you are the type of punter who likes to place their bets before ‘tee off’, Paddy Power is one of the online golf betting sites which you definitely need in your portfolio.
They are usually the first to offer extra places for the each-way markets and their overall odds are up there with the best of them.
Something else which has to be mentioned about golf betting with Paddy power is that the user interface is extremely easy to navigate. They also have a feature which applies to all of their markets which is referred to as #WhatOddsPaddy. This basically means that they can be contacted through Twitter and account holders can ask for odds on any possible outcome in a particular golf tournament.
There is a list of odds on display that they have already been given out through #WhatOddsPaddy, so you may see something on there which takes your fancy and even though this feature is basically a marketing ploy from Paddy Power, it definitely offers punters with a dependable golf punters guide, various opportunities that they may be able to take advantage of.
Betfair Comes into Its Own!
- Bet £5 Get £20*
- Cash Out available for nearly every In Play event
- Bonus offerings for every taste
- Numerous Sports Betting Markets
- Betfair Mobile on any device
- Minimum deposit: £10
*New customer offer. Place a min £5 bet on the Sportsbook on odds of min 1/2 (1.5), get £20 in Free Bets. Rewards valid for 30 days. SMS verification required. Only deposits via cards will qualify. T&Cs apply. Please Gamble Responsibly. #AD
You can’t really talk about golf betting without mentioning Betfair because they are able to offer everything that a golf bettor will ever need. For this review, we will concentrate on the Betfair Exchange as opposed to the sportsbook and in particular, the live betting opportunities which are available when using this platform.
If you are not familiar with the exchange, it would be a good idea to spend a little time to get used to it as it as the layout is different to what you will have come accustomed to when placing bets at any of the other best golf betting sites.
The odds-on offer on every Betfair Exchange market are driven by the bettors as opposed to relying on oddsmakers to calculate the prices. The big advantage of golf betting on the Betfair Exchange is that you can lay a selection (bet against) which can obviously mean that the opportunities on offer are endless.
Let’s say that Scottie Scheffler is the favourite to win at Pebble Beach, but after looking at his recent performances, you think he may struggle against several players who have hit a rich run of form leading up to the event. Instead of trying to decide which of those players to back, you could simply lay Scottie Scheffler on a betting exchange and make a profit as long as he doesn’t win.
By betting in this way, you are in effect acting as the bookmaker and for that reason alone, Betfair is an account which you should consider opening if you have any interest in golf betting.
A Traditional Twist with William Hill
- Bet £10 get £30 Credited as 3 x £10 bets*
- Live Streaming
- Customary Design
- Thawte’s SSL encryption
- Live Betting
- Minimum deposit: £10
*18+. Play Safe. From 00:01 on 18.10.2022. £30 bonus. New customers only. Minimum £10 stake on odds of 1/2 (1.5) or greater on sportsbook (excluding Virtual markets). Further terms apply. #Ad
You will find that sportsbooks go through various phases in which they provide attractive offers for different types of bets. These offers can go on indefinitely, but some of them can be withdrawn without any notice so it is sometimes a case of making hay whilst the sun shines.
This is particularly true with William Hill because some of the promotional offers which they have in place can be used when betting on golf and the advantages of this should not be underestimated. As an example, they run a promotion which is called the ‘Bet Boost’ which basically increases the odds of an accumulator which contains a minimum of three selections. One ‘Bet Boost’ can be used each day up to a maximum bet of a £20 win accumulator or £10 EW.
We have already spoken about the popularity of accumulator bets in the golf betting markets so offers like this should always be taken advantage of, after all, it would be rude not to, don’t you think? Always keep your eye out for the different promotions offered by UK golf betting sites as they can greatly enhance your betting experience.
As an example, without their promotions, William Hill would not be a sportsbook which would be recommended for betting on golf but with their current offer it is a different story.
Always Look for the Best Odds!
It goes without saying that you should always try and avail yourself of the best odds when betting on golf because it can have a huge impact on the type of returns that you can expect from a winning bet.
It is always advisable that you open various sportsbook accounts in advance because there is nothing worse that have to scramble around just before a tournament starts and missing out on the better odds that are available.
If the accounts are already open, all you have to do is deposit some funds in them, place your bets and away you go. Make sure that the UK golf betting sites accounts that you open are able to cater for your needs and as you have read, some seem to specialize in certain types of betting more than others.
Also, don’t forget that sign up bonuses are now regarded as the norm when it comes to opening a new account, so this is something which you should also take advantage of in order to boost your betting bank.
How to Place a Golf Bet, Step by Step
If you are new to all of this and have wondered how to bet on golf, don’t worry because the whole process is extremely straightforward.
Once you have opened and deposited funds into an account with a UKGC-licensed bookie, follow these five simple steps:
- Open the Golf Section – Select golf from the bookie’s list of available sports; this will appear on the main menu or under the A-Z sports section.
- Choose a Tournament – Select the tournament you want to bet on, such as the Masters, The Open Championship or a weekly PGA Tour event.
- Select a Market – Open the market that interests you, such as the outright winner, first round leader or player to make the cut and click the odds for your selection; it will automatically be added to the betting slip.
- Choose Your Bet Type – For an outright bet, decide on whether to bet win only or each way. If betting each-way, check each way terms and number of paying places displayed on the bet slip before entering your stake and confirming the bet.
- Follow Your Bet – Track your selection’s progress through the live leaderboard, shot tracker or streaming service where available. You may also be offered the chance to cash out before the tournament has finished.
When anyone asks us how to bet on golf, our advice is always to choose a couple of players with high odds who, from your research, stand a decent chance of doing well, use small stakes, and hopefully they will make the cut and give you four days of solid entertainment.