With legal sports betting increasing in the US, a variety of sports are drawing more interest, including golf. One area where golf betting does particularly well is live betting, with fans being able to place wagers shot by shot or hole by hole as the action plays out in real time.
Big-time events highlight professional golf, and that’s when the majority of bets come in. The major tournaments throughout the year — the Masters, US Open, PGA Championship and British Open, in addition to special events like The Match — will have wagers available nearly year-round as the appetite for golf betting continues to grow.
In this guide, we will take you through the basics of betting on golf, including the bets you can place, along with giving you some tips about betting on golf in Ohio.
Live golf odds for the latest PGA tournament
Why bet on golf?
Every sport, including golf, has its individual perks and quirks when it comes to betting. Here are some of the things that make golf betting online interesting:
- Events each weekend: While many sports go through a lengthy offseason without a whole lot going on, that’s not the way the professional golf season plays out. The PGA Tour has events just about every week of the year, meaning you can bet mostly whenever you want.
- So many betting options: Professional tournaments will have many competitors in the field, so bettors can dive into the numbers to find bets they like, from where a player might finish to how a player might perform on a certain hole. The amount of competition among sportsbooks also adds to your options.
- Information is everywhere: As media companies enter the sports betting industry, information that is crucial to golf betting is even more readily available. Oddsmakers have always had the top information, which is why they’re so good and sportsbooks continue to profit, but plenty of that insight is now leaking out into the public.
Popular golf bets
If you enjoy hitting your local golf course on the weekend, it’s possible you’ve dabbled in some friendly golf betting with those you are playing with. There are plenty of ways to wager on yourself while on the golf course, but that is different from the betting you’ll have available at sportsbooks. Now, odds are involved and there are a variety of betting options to choose from for anybody interested in wagering on the sport. Below are some of the basic golf bets you’ll find with sports betting in Ohio:
- To win: Predict the winner of an upcoming tournament. This is very difficult to do with so many options, which is why the payout is likely to be quite high if you can manage to win.
- The field: This was a more common discussion with a dominant golfer like Tiger Woods, but sportsbooks could offer odds for whether one or a small group of elite players will win the tournament or if the champion will be somebody else.
- Head-to-head: Sportsbooks could match up individual golfers against each other like Dustin Johnson Jordan Spieth in an upcoming tournament. Both golfers would have odds, and bettors can choose which will play better.
- Each way: Bet on a certain golfer and get paid if the golfer wins or finishes within a certain place, like inside the top five.
- First round leader: Instead of betting on the entire tournament, you can place a wager on who will be leading following the first round.
- Top 10, 20, etc.: Easier than predicting an outright winner, you can bet on a golfer to finish within a certain place.
- Group matchups: A sportsbook might put a small group of golfers together like Jon Rahm, Jordan Spieth, Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas and Bryson DeChambeau, and you can bet on which player will perform the best from that group.
- Nationality: Bet on who will perform the best within a certain nationality.
As you can see, there is no shortage when it comes to betting options for golf.
Beginner golf betting tips
Here are some golf betting systems and strategies that can readily be used to improve your chances of long term success:
- Do your homework: This goes for any sports bet you place, but there is so much information available to golf bettors. You will need to put in the time and research if you plan on making a profit in sports betting in the long term.
- Study course history: Golfers will often play some of the same courses every year, and after years in the PGA Tour, they develop a large sample of results. Taking into account how well certain competitors have previously performed at specific golf courses may give you a slight edge.
- Look at trending results: Just like other professional athletes, golfers go through moments when they operate at a high level, while some may hit a slump. Be sure to look at how well a golfer has played recently before putting your money down.
The four majors in golf
The PGA Tour season is highlighted by the four majors — the Masters, PGA Championship, US Open and British Open (aka The Open Championship). Below is an overview of each event:
The Masters
An important statistic to look at when betting on the Masters is the mathematical formula of strokes gained: approach-to-green, which emphasizes the importance of landing the ball on the green when given the opportunity.
- Date: April 3-9, 2023
- Location: Augusta, Georgia
- Course: Augusta National Golf Club
- Past five winners: Scottie Scheffler, Hideki Matsuyama, Dustin Johnson, Tiger Woods, Patrick Reed
PGA Championship
The PGA Championship had been the forgotten major, which is why the tournament moved from August to May in recent years. Strokes gained: around-the-green is the statistic to watch for the next event as the short game could help determine the next champion.
- Date: May 15-21, 2023
- Location: Rochester, New York
- Course: Oak Hill Country Club
- Past five winners: Cameron Smith, Phil Mickelson, Collin Morikawa, Brooks Koepka (2)
US Open
US Open courses are generally very similar and tricky to navigate, so take a look at the previous results at the event before placing a wager on the US Open.
- Date: June 12-18, 2023
- Location: Los Angeles, California
- Course: Los Angeles Country Club (North Course)
- Past five winners: Matt Fitzpatrick, Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Gary Woodland, Brooks Koepka (2)
British Open
The final major of the year is the British Open, also known as The Open Championship or just The Open, the only one of the four majors to take place outside of the US. One of the keys to success in recent British Open winners is scrambling percentage, which shows a player’s ability to make par or better after missing a green in regulation.
- Date: July 17-23, 2023
- Location: Hoylake, England
- Course: Royal Liverpool
- Past five winners: Cameron Smith, Collin Morikawa, Shane Lowry, Francesco Molinari, Jordan Spieth
Golf betting promos and boosts
As sportsbooks continue to compete against one another, expect to see them continue to battle for customers with a variety of benefits, especially closer to major tournaments. An example of some of the boosts available might be offering better odds on the favorite to win the event or giving a larger payout for wagering on whether a specific golfer will finish inside the top 10.
Some sportsbooks might offer new users a significant payout if they bet on one of the top golfers just to make the cut. Sportsbooks can sometimes be willing to take a short-term hit in order to lure bettors to their platforms.
PGA events
Below are some of the other important PGA Tour events throughout the 2023 season outside of the major tournaments:
- Jan 05 – 08: Sentry Tournament of Champions
- Jan 12 – 15: Sony Open in Hawaii
- Jan 19 – 22: The American Express
- Jan 25 – 28: Farmers Insurance Open
- Feb 02 – 05: AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
- Feb 09 – 12: WM Phoenix Open
- Feb 16 – 19: The Genesis Invitational
- Feb 23 – 26: The Honda Classic
- Mar 02 – 05: Puerto Rico Open
- Mar 02 – 05: Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard
- Mar 09 – 12: THE PLAYERS Championship
- Mar 16 – 19: Valspar Championship
- Mar 22 – 26: World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play
- Mar 23 – 26: Corales Puntacana Championship
- Mar 30 – Apr 02: Valero Texas Open
- Apr 06 – 09: Masters Tournament
- Apr 13 – 16: RBC Heritage
- Apr 20 – 23: Zurich Classic of New Orleans
- Apr 27 – 30: Mexico Open at Vidanta
- May 04 – 07: Wells Fargo Championship
- May 11 – 14: AT&T Byron Nelson
- May 18 – 21: PGA Championship
- May 25 – 28: Charles Schwab Challenge
- Jun 01 – 04: Memorial Tournament presented by Workday
- Jun 08 – 11: RBC Canadian Open
- Jun 15 – 18: U.S. Open
- Jun 22 – 25: Travelers Championship
- Jun 29 – Jul 02: Rocket Mortgage Classic
- Jul 06 – 09: John Deere Classic
- Jul 13 – 16: Barbasol Championship
- Jul 13 – 16: Genesis Scottish Open
- Jul 20 – 23: Barracuda Championship
- Jul 20 – 23: The Open Championship
- Jul 27 – 30: 3M Open
- Aug 03 – 06: Wyndham Championship
- Aug 10 – 13: FedEx St. Jude Championship
- Aug 17 – 20: BMW Championship
- Aug 24 – 27: TOUR Championship
Betting on the Ryder Cup/Presidents Cup
Some of the most entertaining golf can take place during the Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup, both team events involving the United States. In the Presidents Cup, US golfers take on a group of international players from places other than Europe. In the Ryder Cup, it’s the US vs. Europe.
Bettors can make plenty of wagers on these events as well, from basic options like which team will win and which player will score the most points to tournament props such as what the largest winning margin will be. See our page on Ryder Cup odds for more.
PGA events in Ohio
The lone PGA Tour event scheduled for the state of Ohio during the 2021-22 season will be the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday. The tournament will take place at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, from June 2-5 in 2022.
Betting on the LPGA
Depending on the sportsbook, you may find betting options on the LPGA, as well. Here are some of the most popular LPGA Tour events to bet on throughout the season:
- ANA Inspiration
- US Women’s Open
- Women’s PGA Championship
- Women’s British Open
- The Evian Championship
- Cognizant Founders Cup
- BMW Ladies Championship
- CME Group Tour Championship
Betting on live golf
Live betting changed the game for sports betting in a lot of ways, and golf is the perfect sport to bet on while a tournament is taking place. So much can happen in a long day of action, and live betting odds will move frequently based on the latest happenings and sportsbook algorithms.
The best way to participate in live betting is through your preferred sportsbook app because of how quick and easy it is to pull out your phone and place a bet while you’re watching the event unfold on TV.
Betting for or against momentum can be a tricky thing to do, but if you have a good feel for it, it can also be a lot of fun.
What to look for in a golf betting app
Finding the right sportsbook app for you is important, and while many of the legal options are similar in terms of what they offer for betting options and ease of use, it’s largely up to personal preference. The FanDuel Sportsbook app in Ohio will often have very attractive promotions. DraftKings Sportsbook is another leader in legal sports betting, and bettors can easily navigate to what they’re looking for on the app. Caesars Sportsbook is one of the top names in the sports betting industry, and its app is an efficient way to bet on golf online.
How to download a sportsbook app
Once you have decided which sportsbook or sportsbooks you intend to use, it’s time to download the app, if that’s the way you plan to bet. Most sportsbook apps will be available to iOS and Android users, and signing up is designed to be quick and easy, so it’s not an intimidating process.
A sportsbook will likely ask for some personal information like your name, address, phone number, email address, birthdate and the last four digits of your Social Security number. After you’ve created an account and downloaded the app, you can make a deposit and look around for bets you might want to place.