There are perhaps not many other sports that can be quiet as lucrative as golf for punters. The array of markets and the talent of the players on the show make it an attractive proposition for all punters that are looking to wager on the significant majors throughout the year. The biggest events of which are the US Open, British Open, The Master and the PGA Championship; each event being different from the last meaning that punters, no matter their experience of the sport, are provided to research each event thoroughly.
As a novice, your first instinct would be to place your wager on the players that you know the most about such as Tiger Woods or Rory McIlroy. However, there is so much more to the sport that you need to understand before placing a wager, and if then you still believe they are the right player; then, by all means, it is a smart bet. Before we learn about how we research these golf majors, we should explore more about the events that take place during the golfing calendar.
Most Popular Golf Events
Firstly, punters should be aware that there are two separate tours ongoing. The first of which is the PGA, which features most of the biggest names due to the prize money on offer and the majority of the events take place in the USA. The second of which is the European Tour, where players from the rest of Europe take part. To make things more confusing, the European Tour also ventures around Asia and South Africa through the calendar, which means punters should be aware of the local players that are coming into participate; this could be a lucrative opportunity since some of these regional players could be playing at these courses throughout the year.
The one thing that both of these tours have in common is the fact that they both end with a final series. The PGA Tour is ended with the Fed-Ex Cup, while the European season ends with competition in Dubai. The difference with both events is the number of cuts that are involved in the field throughout the tournament. For instance, the PGA event sees players cut from 125 to 30 over the course of the weekend, which means only the best players are left standing for the event on Sunday. Meanwhile, the European event consists of 60 players and no cuts.
You can see below the big events through the season in both the PGA and European tours:
| The Masters (PGA) | Major |
| US Open (PGA) | Major |
| The British Open (PGA) | Major |
| US PGA Championship (PGA) | Major |
| Ryder Cup | PGA vs Europe |
| BMW Championship | European Tour |
| DP World Tour | European Tour |
Source: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1415728-ranking-the-10-tournaments-every-hardcore-golf-fan-needs-to-attend
Types of Golf Betting
Much like other sports, there is an array of different ways in which you can make your bets. They don’t simply have to be single. You can include multiples to create an accumulator, which would ensure maximum returns. This can be done in a variety of ways. Bestbetsfree.com identified that the most common is the straight accumulator, which is where you can have a minimum of two results on the bet. You could have as many as you like included on this, but for the bet to be a winning one; everything that you have predicted has to happen.
Meanwhile, the lucky 15 option is the preferred choice since you can include four selections which contain 15 bets, which means £1 on a lucky 15 costs the punter £15. The popularity of this type of bet is because involved in the bet are doubles, trebles, and the four-fold meaning that it is a good way to ensure your bet if just one leg lets you down.
Golf Betting Markets
The popularity of online gambling has ensured that punters have a wide selection of markets to choose from when it comes to betting on golfing events nowadays, and we will take you through the most common ones.
Outright Betting
The most common way to be on any golf event is to put a stake on the golfer that you believe will win the event. This can either be done during the event or as an ante-post bet. The latter of which is when punters can lay a stake on a betting event before the competition or tournament takes place. This could be a week beforehand or a year before. The odds will change over time, so it is good to be wary of the market movers. If you lay a stake on a player to win then the bet will return the winnings should your choice win the chosen event. However, you can also opt to lay an each-way stake on the player, meaning that you can get returns if they come near the top of the leaderboard. However, this changes depending on the competition, with some bookmakers offering eight places on the Masters, while others have been known to offer ten places for the US Open.
First Round Leader
One of the most common markets that punters like to bet on is the first-round leader. This is because research can be done on starting times and players who tend to start competitions quickly before fading off towards the end. It could be incredibly lucrative if you find a player with this kind of record at high prices. The conditions of the green and the tee-times often play a huge role in the market leaders.
Hole in One
Even as a novice at betting on golf you will know what a hole in one is. It is one of the most commonly used phrases in sport and is simply when a player manages to get the ball in the hole straight from their drive. Betway offers an incredibly unique market in which you can bet on this happening at any stage of an event, and punters simply lay a stake on yes or no depending on what they feel. It is a great way to keep the entertainment level of the competition high regardless of whose winning.
