How to Bet on Golf: Odds, Bet Types and PGA Betting Strategy
Golf offers one of the deepest betting menus in sports. Most PGA Tour events feature fields of well over 100 players, and sportsbooks post odds on nearly every one of them, along with matchups, finishing-position markets and props that run from the first tee shot to the final putt. That variety gives bettors plenty of ways to find value, even when a heavy favorite sits at the top of the board.
Interest peaks during the four men’s majors: the Masters in April, the PGA Championship in May, the US Open in June and The Open Championship in July. But the action doesn’t stop there. The PGA Tour’s signature events, the FedEx Cup playoffs and team competitions like the Ryder Cup all draw big betting markets, and many books also offer odds on the LPGA, DP World Tour and LIV Golf.
This guide explains how golf betting works, from outright winners and head-to-head matchups to live betting and props. We also break down how to read golf odds, share strategies for narrowing down a large field and cover where you can legally bet on golf in the US.
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How to bet on golf online
Many states where online sports betting sites are 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:
- Name
- Date of birth
- Address
- Phone number
- Social Security number
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:
- To win: The most common way to bet on a golf tournament is to choose who you think will win the entire event.
- Versus the field: Wager on a specific golfer, typically a tournament favorite, and how that golfer will fare against another group of players.
- Head-to-head: Sportsbooks will offer lines for who will shoot a lower score between two golfers.
- Finishing positions: Bet on golfers to finish in the top five, 10, 20, etc.
- First-round leader: Bet on which golfer will have the lead after the first 18 holes of play.
- Group matchups: Choose the best-scoring golfer from a group of three or four.
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:
- Nationality of winning golfer
- Will there be a hole-in-one?
- Will a playoff be necessary to decide the winner?
- Range of scoring for a specific golfer
- Stroke lead for the tournament winner
- Best scoring golfer in a given round
- Golfer to make or miss the cut
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.
- To win the British Open:
- Scottie Scheffler +450
- Rory McIlroy +800
- Bryson DeChambeau +1200
- Xander Schauffele +1400
- Ludvig Aberg +1800
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.
- Head-to-head winner:
- Xander Schauffele -130
- Patrick Cantlay +110
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:
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Tennessee
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington, DC
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
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
No golf events draw more betting action than the four men’s majors. Sportsbooks open futures on each of them months in advance, and once tournament week arrives, the menu expands to include matchups, finishing-position markets, round leaders and a long list of props.
- Masters
- PGA Championship
- US Open
- British Open (The Open Championship)
Each major has its own personality, and understanding what a given week tends to reward can sharpen your betting decisions.
How to bet the Masters
The Masters kicks off the major season each spring and is the only one of the four played at the same course every year: Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia. That consistency makes course history especially useful for bettors. Augusta’s sloping greens and demanding approach shots tend to favor experienced players and elite ball strikers, and past performance there is often a better predictor than recent form elsewhere. The Masters also features one of the smallest fields of any major, which trims the list of realistic contenders.
How to bet the PGA Championship
The PGA Championship rotates among top courses across the US and typically follows the Masters as the season’s second major. Its setups usually allow for lower scoring than the US Open, so aggressive players who can make plenty of birdies often thrive. The field is also among the deepest of the majors, which can create value further down the odds board.
How to bet the US Open
The US Open has long carried a reputation as golf’s toughest test. Narrow fairways, thick rough and firm, fast greens keep winning scores close to par, and a single bad hole can derail a contender. Bettors often target accurate drivers, strong scramblers and players with a history of grinding through difficult conditions.
How to bet the British Open
The Open Championship, widely known in the US as the British Open, closes out the major season. It’s the only major staged outside the United States, rotating among links courses in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Wind, firm turf and unpredictable bounces can shake up the leaderboard quickly, which is why longshots and players with links experience draw extra attention from bettors. Weather can also create sharp differences between morning and afternoon tee times, a key factor for first-round leader bets.
Betting on other PGA Tour events and tours
The majors get the spotlight, but the PGA Tour schedule offers betting opportunities nearly every week from January into the fall. Some of the tour’s most popular non-major events include:
- The Players Championship
- The Genesis Invitational
- Arnold Palmer Invitational
- AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
- RBC Heritage
- The Memorial Tournament
- Travelers Championship
- FedEx Cup playoff events, ending with the Tour Championship
Many sportsbooks also post odds on other tours, including the DP World Tour, LIV Golf, the LPGA, the Japan Golf Tour and PGA Tour Champions. Coverage on those tours is usually thinner, so expect fewer prop and matchup options than you’ll see on a typical PGA Tour week.
Betting on the LPGA
As the premier women’s tour, the LPGA runs a full calendar of events and five majors of its own. Betting menus are generally smaller than for men’s events, but the most popular markets, such as outright winners and top finishes, are usually available. The women’s majors are:
- The Chevron Championship
- US Women’s Open
- KPMG Women’s PGA Championship
- The Evian Championship
- Women’s British Open
The CME Group Tour Championship, which closes the LPGA season, is another event that tends to draw solid betting interest.
Match play and Ryder Cup betting
Most professional tournaments use stroke play, where the lowest total score over four rounds wins. Match play works differently: golfers face one opponent at a time, and each hole is won, lost or halved. All that matters is who wins the head-to-head contest, not how many total strokes it takes.
The biggest match play events are the international team competitions. The Ryder Cup pits the US against Europe every two years, while the Presidents Cup matches the US against an International team in the alternating years. On the women’s side, the Solheim Cup brings together US and European players. Popular bets include the overall winner, the correct score, individual match results and top point scorers for each side.
Golf live streaming
Following the action while you bet is easier than ever, since most tournaments can be streamed on phones, tablets and smart TVs. Coverage depends on the event, but the main options include:
- CBS and Paramount+
- NBC, Peacock and Golf Channel
- ESPN and ESPN+
Odds update constantly during play, so watching live can help you spot opportunities as momentum shifts on the course.
Streaming the PGA Tour
Weekend network broadcasts typically cover the final groups and the leaderboard battle, while streaming fills in the rest. PGA Tour Live, available through ESPN+ under the tour’s current media agreement, offers extended coverage of many events across several feeds:
- Main feed
- Featured holes
- Marquee group
- Featured groups
Those extra feeds are especially useful for live bettors, since they let you track specific players and matchups instead of waiting for the main broadcast to cut to them.
Responsible golf betting
Treat wagering on golf as entertainment, and there’s no guaranteed outcome on any shot, round or tournament. Set a budget before you start, stick to it and only risk money you’re comfortable losing. If betting starts eating into your time, finances or relationships, help is available. Our responsible gambling resources page lists support options, and the National Council on Problem Gambling offers free, confidential help by phone, text or chat around the clock.