Golf Betting - All you need to know!

Golf betting bible - Hitting it straight down the middle!

Golf today is a major sporting industry played the world over and recognised as an Olympic event. The PGA tour (and the newer DP World tour) are the main professional tours for men while women play on the LPGA tour.

Golf is played worldwide by a large group of professionals and amateurs with various qualification rules for each tournament on the tour. Three of the four majors are American based, being the US Open, The Masters and the PGA Championship with the oldest of the four, the British Open, played in Scotland.

The game is played outdoors on a course which has 18 holes, each hole varying in shape and length, starting with a tee off point at one end and a hole at the other end marked by a flag. Golf, has a very basic premise to hit your ball into a hole a varying distance from your starting point within the fewest possible strokes (hits of the ball)

Beyond this there are plenty of other rules concerning where your ball lands, handicapping of players, defining of amateur status, mulligans, how many clubs you can use etc however these are more subtle and don’t affect the overreaching ideal of the game which is the same as when it was first played and is written below as thus:

“Play the ball as it lies, play the course as you find it, and if you cannot do either, do what is fair.”

Each hole has a set amount of strokes that you are expected to have sunk the ball within, known as “par”. Shorter holes are 3 shots, 4 is standard and longer holes are 5 shots*

Sinking the ball in the required amount of shots is known as making par. In one shot under it’s a birdie, 2 shots under an eagle, 3 shots under an albatross and 4 shots under is a Condor**. Taking extra shots (eg 4 shots on a hole 3) is penalised as a bogey, double bogey and so on. The winner will be the player who has taken the least amount of shots to complete the 18 hole course.

In this article below we tell you all you need to know about betting on golf whether you are just starting out, or want some general tips on gambling on the game.

*Par 6 and 7 holes are possible though both extremely rare

** never yet achieved in professional golf

The history of Golf

The ancient origins of golf are actually much debated, with France, England, China, Persia and Rome all holding separate claims to various forms of it. However the modern game we know has it origins in Scotland, the first written reference to golf is actually James II of Scotland asking for it’s banning as an unwelcome distraction from the learning of archery in 1457.*

He lifted the ban when he became a golfer himself in 1502, and golf clubs and balls are recorded from 1503. The old course at St Andrews (established in 1574) is the game’s known oldest course. The 18 hole course we know today was created from the original 22 hole course created in 1764.

The oldest known rules were written in 1744 with the first tournament played in Scotland in 1860 and the game spread to America in 1888 (which is the main stronghold of todays game) Over time it has become one of the world's major sports and it has spread to virtually every corner of the globe from Iceland to North Korea with golf courses in some truly unexpected places.**

Nowadays with a new tournament starting every Thursday on the PGA, DP World, LIV Golf, LPGA and other smaller tours golf is played constantly and if you could bet on golf all year round.

*Many sports suffered from these bans as archery was vital for the army

**Such as the snow covered one in Greenland, a crocodile infested one in South Africa, one built on an Indonesian volcano, and the one in Idaho built on lake Couer D’Alene which you need a boat to go round

Women’s (Ladies) Golf

Women’s golf can also be traced back to Scotland with the infamous Mary Queen of Scots a keen lover of the game in the late 16th century. The first all ladies tournament was played in Scotland in 1811 and the ladies golf union was formed in 1895. With the first professional tournament played in 1900.

However despite a long history women haven’t had it easy with most courses not allowing them to play for many years, in fact the Old Course in Scotland only lifted it’s 260 year ban on ladies playing in 2014! There is still work to do in terms of inclusion with some courses still holding out, however the women’s tour the LPGA is now highly regarded with high prize money and representatives from across the world, 4 major championships in line with the mens and the Solheim Cup which mirrors the men’s Ryder cup.

The top Five Golf Betting Bookies in the UK

How many and what leagues and countries covered, is there live streaming of any? How many betting markets? Can you request a bet? What are the odds like? Any bonuses or promotions - relevant ones like 2up / odds boosts? Can you cash out / partial cash out? What are they good at?

BetFred

Betfred have been in the UK gambling market since the 1960’s and are secure and reliable as a well established operator. They aren’t always the best for easy to understand bonuses or banking but their long presence in the market means it’s worth holding an online account with them.

BetFred always release golf prices by Monday afternoons covering the PGA and DP World tour which they claim are world leading.They compile odds based on their own golf team which means that you should find some different value here to other sites.

Alongside all major tournaments they also cover obscure tournaments and a variety of markets and ante-post markets well in advance of the tee off.

They have a wide range of live streaming options and cashing out in-play bets. They have a golf focus on their mobile app as well.

Coral

When you have been in the gambling market since the 1920’s you should by now know what you are doing! With over 2,000 betting shops and a busy online service you have nothing to worry about with your money being secure and online support when needed

Coral have a dedicated golf section with coverage of all major and minor tournament events, and they pay out extra places 10 at least on not just the 4 annual majors but also smaller tournaments This makes it each way and smaller stake wagers friendly

Bet 365

Despite only being formed in the year 2000, Bet365 are the online market leaders of the betting world and are everywhere online

To be fair they back this reputation up and do everything well to be fair so they easily make the top 5 in this golf list. They pay extra places on Majors and high ranking tour events,They offer early odds, flexible betting options, live streaming, and a strong welcome offer which can be used on golf.

William Hill

With it’s origins in the 1930’s and with assets worth over 2 billion William HIll are another tried and tested bookmakers with a solid and secure setup that you can trust with your online funds

William hill offer coverage of major and most lesser known golf tournaments keeping you covered across the various golfing events that are ongoing year round. They allow a place your own bet with #yourodds and cover 5 places on all each way tournament placing bets

Paddy Power

Running since 1988 Paddy Power are now well established and with an aggressive marketing strategy first in Ireland then the UK they have quickly become a household name

Paddy Power alongside the other top 5 offer coverage of a wide range of markets and strong coverage of tournaments outside the 4 majors. However they also offer long term bets on markets such as next breakout star and long term winners of tournaments. You can also bet  on finishing positions in a tournament based on nationality. Odds are not as competitive as others at times, but the large amount of markets make them worth a look

The Best New Golf Betting Site

How many and what leagues and countries covered, is there live streaming of any? How many betting markets? Can you request a bet? What are the odds like? Any bonuses or promotions - relevant ones like 2up / odds boosts? Can you cash out / partial cash out? What are they good at?

BetMGM

Originally based only in the USA Bet MGM ported across to a UK based site in 2023. There are plenty of markets and competitions across all formats, including PGA, LPGA, LIV and DP World Tour. They have long covered the major tournament held at Augusta and have numerous promotions running on this. Furthermore they have a golf tailored loyalty scheme for regular golf punters

Is Golf betting in the UK legal

Betting on Golf is absolutely legal to do in the UK. All UK bookmakers are regulated by the UKGC who provide the licences and they ensure that all customers are over 18 to register for any account or place any bets and also that they are living in the UK. Of course you must also use your own money to gamble with and the UK differs from some other countries in that Crypto currency can not be used.

Some good news is that not only is gambling legal all winnings are tax free regardless of how much or how often you win.

Popular Golf Betting Markets

To win the tournament

This is also sometimes called the Outright winner market and as the name suggests you are simply betting on which player will win the tournament. There is a variation to this bet that can be used which is to bet E/W, and the place terms can vary but are usually paid at 1/2 the odds if your player makes the final.

To win the round

Each tournament consists of a set number of rounds (playing all 18 holes) you can bet on who will win an individual round within each tournament. You can also place this bet each way

Over / Under Total points

A bet based on whether a golf will score over or under so many over or under par. For instance par might be 72 for the 18 holes and you bet on them being within 5 under par

To Make the Cut

After 2 rounds players below a certain position are dumped out the tournament this is known as the cut. Players who don’t make the cut play no further part in the tournament, while the surviving field play on to find the winner (usually the top 50) .

You can bet solely on a player to make or not make the cut

Playoff to win Tournament

A simple bet on if the tournament is won via a playoff- this is when one or more players finish on the same score at the end of their rounds.

This is a bet that a playoff will be needed to decide the tournament not which players will partake in it

A hole in one to be scored?

A bet placed on any player in the tournament field to score a hole in one over the duration of the tournament

A hole in one is made when your first stroke goes into the hole, usually made on a par 3 and on rare occasions on a par 4. .

(If you win this bet you should do better financially than the player here, as tradition dictates that if you score a hole in one you should buy a round at the clubhouse!)

What are the most popular types of Golf bets

Match - Ups / Match Bets

Choose two, three, or even four golfers and put them head to head within the tournament. You need to then choose the player with the lowest score from the group to win the matchup.

Accas

An accumulator in golf is a bit rarer than other sports but there is a couple of ways to do it. The most usual in tournament  is to pick winners from the several match ups as per above that are ongoing and create an accumulator from these to increase your odds.

In team play events (notably the Ryder/Solheim/presidents cup) you can pick accas on who you think will win the different daily matches - So for instance;

Tiger Woods (US) vs Rory McIllory (Europe)

Scottie Scheffler (US) vs Viktor Hovland (Europe)

Xander Schauffele (US) vs Lee Westwood (Europe)

You simply pick the 3 players you think will win to create an accumulator

If you are really ambitious you can also select several tournaments and pick your winners though you will be looking at very high odds for this one! You could for instance pick the 4 major winners for the year, or the winners for a selection of 3 or 4 tournaments taking place over the month

What Golf Betting Sites Have the Best Odds

Which bookmakers offer the best in Play Golf betting?

As Golf tournaments last a few days over several rounds, include a cut and potentially a playoff a lot can happen between the original tournament tee off and the final decisive round of golf. This means it’s ideally suited for in-play betting as odds change and golfers show differing form, or can fall well out the running with a bad round.

Almost all bookmakers that offer betting on golf will offer in-play markets due to the nature of the sport- below is a rundown of the better ones out there

At Which Bookmakers can I Watch Live Streams of the tournaments and can I Make Bets on Those Matches?

What payment methods do they accept?

The exact payment methods each bookmaker accept will vary, and details are available either from our reviews or the betting site FAQ page.

Below are the various payment methods used across all of the UK online betting websites.

• Debit Cards (Visa / Mastercard)
• Pre Paid Cards (Paysafecard)
• E  -Wallets (Paypal, Skrill, Apple Pay, Google Pay)
• Bank Transfers

Golf Bonuses and Promotions

Describe what / how / why types etc in a para or two.

In general you will have to see what specials are offered at the major tournaments though sites will offer golf boosts all year round if you keep your eye out we will keep you updated with the best value ones. Also many of the general loyalty bonuses and boosts can be used in conjunction with golf bets check the terms and conditions of any promotion carefully before placing your bet though

The main bonuses you will find are enhanced odds boosts, or extra places paid on majors or tour tournaments.

What are the best Golf Betting existing user bonuses

There are a number of sites that offer ongoing promotions and boosts on golf during tour events.These can change regularly The below list will be kept up to date with the best ongoing promotions;

Bet MGM - Golf Loyalty Scheme.

Coral - Extra each way places paid on tour events as well as majors.

William Hill- Place Your own golf bet with #yourodds.

Netbet have a golfing special with a free bet if you predict the first round leader.

Paddy power have acca insurance which can be used on golf bets.

What are the best Golf betting Welcome Offers

You may have to wait for one of the major tournaments to find a decent welcome offer tailored direct to golf, you can usually find a welcome bonus that you can use a golf bet to claim. Always check the terms and conditions on the website that the bet you want to place will earn you the welcome offer bonus.

The ones below can be used on golfing bets, also check out our tournament previews for regular offers and welcome offers that are linked to big golfing tournaments.

You can use the bonuses below on Golf bets

Bet365 - Bet £10 get £30 in free bets

Livescore Bet - Bet £10 get £30 in free bets

QuinnBet - (On any sports market) Get 50% back up to £50 Free Bet & 50 Free Spins!

What are the best Golf Betting Apps

A betting app on your phone will usually offer the quickest way to access your chosen betting site and place bets while you are out and about. Considering the amount of time you probably spend on your mobile the easiest way to sign up and use most sites.

You will be encouraged to download the app and sometimes there are specific bonuses available only if you have done so.

Paddy Power

The app offers live streaming on the the go and a strong golf focus including in-play betting, They offer strong odds on each way outright markets and cover all major tours, plus occasionally the Japanese and Asian tours.

Bet365

Available on Android and IOS devices they offer a range of generous odds, markets, in-play betting, Shot Tracker and more. It’s one of the best betting apps for Android and iOS devices. They offer decent live-streaming and cash outs on the go. With the shot tracker feature also on the app you can research pre bet while you are out and about

William Hill

As long as you have a small wager on the tournament you can stream these live with wIlliam Hill and their app has quick cash out offers and one of the strongest collection of tournaments available. William Hill has put a lot of emphasis on it’s online and app offering in recent years and it’s noticeable

What are the major Golf events or tournaments popular for betting on in the UK

Ignoring the new DP tour as it still needs time to establish itself there are realistically 5 stand out tournaments that every golfer wants to compete in and ideally win!

The Ryder Cup is a bit different and special - but for a golfer with the ambition to be the best of all time it's the 4 majors that they need to concentrate on winning- 3 are based in the US and the one on a links course in Europe is the world’s oldest.

Winning all 4 is known as the career grand slam, it’s tough and only 5 players have ever completed the set, with Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Gary Player the only ones to have done so in the modern era

All the Singles tournaments follow the same format; 4 rounds of the full 18 holes followed by, a cut of the field after 2 rounds (36 holes) to leave only the top 50 players who play a further 36 holes to find the winner, the player who takes the least amount of strokes to complete all the holes. Entrance rules vary between the 4 majors with wildcards given to young players and former champs while amateurs are also allowed to play in the field which is 156 players at all championships

You will find offers abound on bookies when these tournaments are ongoing, including paying out on extra each way places and we will help keep you up to date with tournament previews of all them but a basic outline of each is below;

The Masters

If you win the masters you win yourself the world famous green jacket; the course was built in 1931 on an old plant nursery. The first tournament saw prize money of $1,500 a small fortune then and it soon became well established played every April and the only Major still ran by a private golf club this has a variety of traditions including the opening tee shot to always be made by a past winner or famous competitor.

PGA Championship

The PGA championship was set up as an elite tournament for the best on the tour and still reserves this status with it being the only major that doesn’t allow amateurs. To qualify to the field of 156 you must be a former master tournament winner or ranked on the current tour and this makes it the highest profile in terms of entrants The tournament moves around the USA and is played at various courses

US Open

The US Open is one that is the most egalitarian major and half the field is made up of amateurs, there is also special exemption for past champions as well and it gives it an FA Cup feel in the early rounds as previously unknown amateurs and nostalgic crowd favourites make a go of it. Tough to win regularly as it is played all over the USA this longest running US major is a great one to get some good value on in the early stages odds wise

British Open

The only major to be played outside the United States this is the worlds oldest golf tournament. This is always played on a links coastal course*. Tough courses to master and with UK weather to deal with this is always an exciting tournament that can throw up a few shocks. It’s played once every 5 years at the worlds oldest and most famous; Old Course St Andrews in Scotland. The winner receives the world famous claret Jug as a trophy.

65% of the field qualify due to their progress on tour or past majors performances, the rest have to make it through via one of the annual qualifying tournaments

*A golf course on a natural open layout, formed on sandy soil

Ryder Cup

The Ryder Cup originated as a competition idea by English Businessman Samuel Ryder (Who the trophy is named after) and based the best American talent against the best from Great Britain in a series of differing match ups. The games are played as foursomes, threesomes, doubles and singles with each match-up’s winners scoring a point for their respective teams (or half for a draw).

In 1979 the great britain team was expanded to include European players and the biennial event is now the major draw of the golfing calender. The US were traditionally dominant however in recent years the matches have become closer and there have been some tremendous final days play with all kinds of things going on from frenzied American supporters and players jumping into water bunkers.

The Ryder cups lesser cousin, The Presidents Cup started in 1994 which pits the USA against an International rest of the world team and takes place in the years when there is no Ryder cup

Solheim Cup

The female' version of the Ryder Cup has grown considerably over the last 10 years and the biennial match up between USA and Europe's top golfers is now a huge event for sponsors and TV channels in it’s own right. Bookmakers will also be keen to cash in on the popularity and we should see numerous offers and promotions when it returns in 2026. 2024’s was close all the way going to the last day with the USA just winning it so Europe will be keen to get revenge when they host it.

We will have a full event preview for you before tee off.

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