How To Bet On Golf & PGA Betting Strategies

Written by

Christopher Feery

Last updated:

Online golf betting options include various ways to wager on the PGA Tour and other events throughout the year. Betting interest tends to be the highest for the four golf majors and other signature tournaments, such as the FedEx Cup Championship events. Here’s a look at how to bet on golf and information on where you can legally and safely bet on every tournament.

How to bet on golf online

Many states where online sports betting is legal will have multiple golf betting sites where you can wager. The registration process at such sportsbooks is typically similar and should take just a few minutes to complete. To sign up, you’ll have to enter some basic information:

Although eligibility requirements may vary slightly depending on the state, they are mostly similar. For instance, you must be at least the minimum legal age in the state where you’re betting. While most states require bettors to be 21 or older, some only require bettors to be 18 or older.

Additionally, you have to be in the state where it’s legal to place sports bets. Online sportsbooks will use geolocation technology to determine where you are at the time of betting. All the top sportsbooks offer a variety of golf betting options, including wagering on all of the major championships and PGA tournaments, as well as other select golf events.

Basics of golf betting

Wagering on golf can be a little more complex for new bettors. The exact options may vary by sportsbook, but most books offer a solid selection of choices. Let’s break down the basic types of golf bets:

In advance of an upcoming tournament, odds on which golfers will win typically come out early, generally on Monday for events that begin on Thursday. As the week moves along, additional odds will become available well before the event tees off.

Golf futures

Golf futures are common at every regulated sportsbook in the US. Futures are generally available for the biggest tournaments on the calendar, such as the Masters, PGA Championship, US Open, and British Open. Some sportsbooks also offer futures on who will be crowned the season-long FedEx Cup champion. There will be odds for all of the expected competitors, ranging from favorites to long shots.

As with futures wagers in other sports, you place a bet on a certain golfer before the tournament begins with hopes that your pick will win in the end. For example, suppose Scottie Scheffler is the favorite to win the next PGA Championship at odds of +350. If you place a bet on that line, you lock in those odds, regardless of how they might change later. If he goes on to win, you can cash in your winning ticket once the event ends.  

Live golf betting

Live betting is one of the most popular ways to wager on all sports, including golf. Essentially, you can bet on the action as the tournament is taking place. Sportsbooks will allow you to bet on who will win the tournament at almost any time. They will continue to update their pre-round odds to reflect the play and scores already on the leaderboard.

Some books may offer other live odds for head-to-head player matchups and props like how a golfer will finish the next hole. As an example, if Tiger Woods is in contention at his next event, you can wager on how he’ll fare, such as par or better on his next hole or total birdies for the current round.

Golf prop betting

Besides the standard wagers, sportsbooks may also offer a variety of prop bets on various smaller aspects within a golf tournament. Here are some of the most common golf props:

The exact props may vary by sportsbook and event. Some sportsbooks will offer a host of props for each tournament, including allowing multiple props in a parlay bet. Others, meanwhile, may have limited offerings for regular events but many more options for the majors.

How to read golf lines

Many popular golf bets offer a range of names or options on which to wager. Golf bets in this category include the outright winner of a tournament, the best-performing golfer from a group of choices, and futures betting on major tournaments. There will be odds for all of the available selections, typically with the favorites on top.

From the above choices, Scheffler is the favorite at odds of +450. If you bet $100 at that line and he goes on to win, you’ll receive back a total of $550: your initial stake plus $450 in winnings. For a typical golf tournament, odds for a few of the favorites will be at +2000 or less, while the lines for long shots will reach +10000 and up.

A handful of golf bets will have two options, such as a simple yes-or-no prop bet on a hole-in-one during the tournament, over/under betting on the number of birdies for one of the participants, or the winner of a head-to-head matchup between two golfers. Odds for wagers in this category are similar to moneyline odds for other sports.

For bets with two choices, the odds will generally be negative for the favorite and positive for the underdog. The range between the numbers indicates the perceived closeness of the matchup. In this case, Schauffele is a slight favorite over Cantlay. For a head-to-head matchup with a clear favorite, the gap would be much larger, such as -220 for the favorite and +180 for the underdog.

When there are only two options, bettors can also quickly determine the potential payout. In the case of the favorite, the value of the odds indicates how much you would have to wager to win $100, such as $130 at -130. For underdogs, the number tells you how much you could win for a $100 bet, such as $110 at +110.

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PGA betting strategies

Golf betting presents unique challenges, as many tournaments include 100 or more golfers. Picking the winners and top performers can be quite challenging as a result, but there are some ways to quickly narrow down the field of potential contenders. Here’s a look at some of the most popular golf betting strategies.

Current world rankings

The Official World Golf Ranking provides fans and bettors with a snapshot view of the current hierarchy of the world’s best golfers. The rankings are updated weekly, with golfers earning points based on how they fare in scheduled events, and also indicate which golfers are on the rise or decline based on recent play. Many bettors use the rankings as a starting point for determining the best golfers in the field for the next event.

Course conditions

Golf tournaments will take place at a variety of venues and locations. Each course has its own distinct layout and size in terms of par scoring and total yards. For example, some courses may be shorter and play as a par 70, while others are longer and set at par 72. Beyond the layout of the course, bettors may also factor in the extended weather forecast with an eye toward things that can impact the event, such as heavy wind or rain.

Course history

While the locations vary for tournaments, the PGA Tour will typically hold events in the same places on an annual basis. Previous events can provide a trove of research data for bettors, including finishing places and final scores for previous editions. Researching the course history can help you quickly determine which golfers have the best track record at the event, as well as those who have struggled in previous visits.

Style and fit

In addition to size variances, courses may align better with specific styles of play. A golfer who excels at driving may thrive in certain spots and struggle at other venues, for example, and the same can hold true for those who thrive or come up short in other facets of the game. As part of the research process, bettors can dig into the stats to determine which golfers have the best style and fit for the venue at hand.

Where can I legally bet on golf online in the US?

Golf odds are available in a growing number of states where sports betting is legal. Here’s the current list: 

Several other states have legalized betting but only in person. Some also permit online betting (albeit with restrictions), while others have yet to pass online and mobile betting legislation. Click the individual state links below for complete details about betting on sports in these markets:  

Betting on golf majors

The four biggest tournaments of the year — aka the majors — are the most popular events from a betting, viewing, and general interest perspective:

Betting on the Masters

The Masters is one of the most famous golf tournaments in the world. Unlike the other three majors, the Masters never changes its location from year to year. Augusta National is one of the world’s most famous golf courses and hosts the world’s best golfers every spring. Scottie Scheffler won in 2024 with a final score of -11 to pick up his second Masters title.

Betting on the PGA Championship

The PGA Championship is the second major of the year. The 2024 edition of the tournament took place at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky. Xander Schauffele was the winner at -21. Bryson DeChambeau finished second at -20, followed by Viktor Hovland in third place with a score of -18.

Betting on the US Open

The US Open has a reputation as the most difficult of the four majors in terms of overall scoring. Bryson DeChambeau won in 2024 with a final score of -6. Rory McIlroy finished second at -5, with Patrick Cantlay third at -4. 

Betting on the British Open

The last of the four majors is the British Open, which bills itself as “The Open Championship.” It’s the only major golf tournament that occurs overseas, in England, Northern Ireland, or Scotland. Xander Schauffele paced the field in the most recent tournament at -9. 

Betting on PGA Tour events, other tours

While there are only four major tournaments, there are plenty of other betting options for golf fans. Outside of the four majors, the following are some of the most significant events on the PGA schedule:

In addition to the PGA Tour, some sportsbooks will offer odds for other tours, including the LPGA, LIV Golf, the European Tour, Japan Golf Tour, and Champions Tour.

Betting on the LPGA

The LPGA, the top women’s golf tour, also has a sizable schedule. Sportsbooks might not have an abundance of betting lines for the LPGA compared to the PGA, but they often will have the most popular odds available. Here are some of the top women’s events:

Betting on match play, the Ryder Cup

You can bet on international golf events throughout the year for both men and women. Some of these events consist of match play, as opposed to stroke play, which is what most tournaments use. 

The Ryder Cup, as well as several others, includes match play, which means players go up against a single opponent in each round. Instead of counting each golfer’s total number of strokes, the only thing that matters is which golfer wins the head-to-head contest. The main bets for these events are the outright winners and head-to-head matchups.

Golf live streaming

As you can bet on the go, you’re now able to watch golf on the go as well. Many tournaments are available to stream online through different outlets. Broadcast coverage will vary by event, but here are some of the potential options: 

The top sportsbooks will regularly update the odds as the action plays out on the course. As you watch the events in real time on television or your device, you can also keep on top of the latest sportsbook offerings via your web browser and mobile device.

How to watch the PGA Tour live

Beginning in 2022, ESPN+ became the exclusive home of PGA Tour Live, which provides extended and expanded coverage of tournaments. PGA Tour Live provides coverage of up to 35 tournaments per year, which is spread out over various feeds:

Each event on the schedule has a main broadcast home, which grants it exclusive windows of coverage. That’s typically on weekend afternoons, but it can be during all four days for the majors and other select events. 

Meanwhile, PGA Tour Live offers more extensive coverage and an all-day look at the action on the course for dozens of tournaments. It’s available with subscriptions to ESPN+, which is accessible via smart TVs and various other connected devices.

Betting on golf responsibly

Golf betting should be a form of entertainment. There are no guarantees when it comes to wagering on sports. You should only gamble with amounts that you can afford to lose. As a simple rule of thumb, always play with your head and never over it. If you have trouble doing so or find that betting is consuming far too much of your time or impacting your personal situation, there are responsible gambling resources to lean on. For example, the National Council on Problem Gambling has free and confidential help available via phone or chat at any time.