Golf Betting — Golf Betting Sites, Tips & Top Picks 2023

On this page, you will find the best golf betting sites, tips, and top picks for 2023. For context, we explain how we rate different websites before diving into the array of bets and the strategies to consider. Finally, we highlight the top golf tournaments for this year, looking at majors and other high-profile events on the PGA, LPGA, and DP World Tour. After reading this page, you will understand how golf gambling works, where to place a bet, and how to identify the best players for every event.

⌛ History of Golf Betting

The idea of gambling in golf is far from new. According to the famous writer John Steinbreder, history tells us it was first introduced in the 1680s in Scotland. Golf betting has evolved to entertain various types of bets, previously unimaginable in the professional game. It has grown steadily since, as it offers bettors the chance to bet a little and win handsomely.

Betting on golf encountered an accelerated transformation since 2017 when the PGA Tour commissioner overturned years of opposition to gambling in the sport. Since Monahan assumed office, the Tour has signed an agreement making DraftKings the official betting operator and fantasy league of the PGA, enabling golf fans to back a winner or a top 5 or 10 finishers. The initial pilot of PGA-bless golf betting paved the way for punters to place prop bets and back their preferred player in matchups. Golf betting accounted for $150 million in wagers in 2019.

How Has Golf Betting Changed Over Time?

Golf betting has undergone significant changes over time, particularly with the advent of online sports betting. Here are some ways that golf betting has evolved:

Legislation

Although Canada has permitted sports betting since 1986, they restricted your options to parlay bets. Online sports betting, including golf wagers, opened to the people of Ontario in April 2022, enabling bettors to place single-game wagers on various sports. The relaxation of online sports betting legislation follows the 2020 PGA Tour decision to make DraftKings their first official betting operator.

Online Bets

Before the convenience of online golf betting, you had to frequent your lottery facilities to place a parlay bet. However, golf betting sites now simplify the process by allowing you to place a wager from your mobile phone and link your bank or PayPal account to finance your bets. The advent of online golf betting ultimately saves bettors time, improves convenience, and saves them from having to leave home. In addition, this affords bettors the time to focus on research and analysis to become experts on golf and make better-informed decisions.

Types of Bets

Previously, golf betting required picking a single player in the field to win or finish within the top 5, 10, or 20 for the event. Today, we have a wealth of bets, including the top finisher from a specific country, or pick one player to score lower than another on a given day. Additionally, golf betting sites offer members the chance to place parlay wagers or prop bets. If you have done your analysis, you may consider the high-risk, high-reward strategy of a futures bet, for example, calling a player to win a Major at the start of the season. Bettors focused on short-term success can bet on whether a golfer will card a birdie or better on a specific hole. Given the specificity of the micro-market bet, you can expect low odds, especially for in-form golfers.

Access to Data

Bettors are blessed with a wealth of data sources to access player statistics, weather details, and golf course data. The PGA Tour has a robust set of parameters for each player, enabling users to view past results at different courses. In addition, it displays a selection of statistics ranging from strokes gained, distance, scrambling putting, and performances on par 3, 4, and 5 holes. The array of statistics enables punters to conduct an advanced analysis of each tour golfer, resulting in responsible gambling and better-informed decisions.

Regulated Gambling

The growing popularity of online golf betting has forced authorities to better police the industry to protect bettors in their respective locations. Given the importance of responsible betting on secure platforms, we only recommend placing wagers on sites licensed by your national or provincial gambling authority. Previously, the market was open and limited policing was done to ensure consumers were protected and betting operators acted ethically. The world has learned from previous challenging experiences to provide a safe and secure platform for sports bettors.

🔎 Types of Golf Bets: What Are The Different Types of Golf bets?

Golf betting has evolved from picking a single player at fixed odds and hoping they win or place in the event. Today, you can back a specific player to win a hole or a round. Alternatively, online golf betting allows you to predict players who may finish in the top 5, 10, and 20 for a specific tournament. We provide more detail on the different types of golf bets below to help you understand every approach to punting on golf tournaments.

Tournament Winner

Backing the tournament winner is one of the better bets to understand and place, but difficult to identify the best competition selections. For instance, if Sungjae Im is priced at 3000, or 30/1, to win the Genesis Invitational, I receive $30 back for every $1 I gamble. If Sungjae won the tournament and I placed $10 on him, my winnings equate to $300. Usually, the odds for a tournament winner are slightly better than you enjoy for hole prop bets, where you need not wait days to realize the outcome of your bet. Players with low odds of winning a tournament are typically in form or have performed well previously at that golf course.

Who Will Finish in the Top 5

Golf bettors who lack the confidence to pick a winner outright can always play it safe and back a player to finish in the top 5. If you have ever bet on horse racing, this is equivalent to making a place bet. In other words, you do not feel the golfer can win outright, but they can finish high and secure a top 5 position. Securing a top 5 finish is still a challenging feat. However, it is far easier than picking an outright winner. This is why the winnings are often less than if you had chosen the same player to win the event.

Who Will Finish in the Top 10

A safer strategy than betting on an outright winner or top 5 finishers is to pick a golfer to finish in the top 10. Once again, the odds are less favourable than picking an outright tournament winner. However, it does offer a lower risk and is attractive to some bettors.

Who Will Finish in the Top 20

Next, bettors can back golfers to finish in the top 20 of a tournament. Once again, the odds offered are lower than those for an outright winner or a top 5 or 10. However, it is a safer bet than picking a winner or a top 5 finisher. Depending on the site, a top-20 finish bet is sometimes the lowest-placing punt allowed.

Who Will Finish in the Top 40

The final standing bet available to golf bettors is a top 40, which brings low odds and limited returns. However, limited returns are warranted. Naturally, it is easier to pick a golfer to lose and finish in the top 40 than to win a tournament outright.

Golf Player Nationality

Another recent addition to golf betting is backing the top player from a specific nation. For example, Canadian Adam Svensson, Corey Conners, Mackenzie Hughes, and Adam Hadwin are pencilled in on the tee sheet for a tournament. Given his 2022 form, we could pick Svensson to end the weekend as the leading Canadian. Since Svensson is currently 12th on the FedEx Cup standings, his odds are lower than his counterparts Adam Hadwin and Corey Conners. These two players sit 59th and 86th on the table, highlighting their lacklustre form this season. However, they offer superior odds to top the Canadian players compared to Svensson or 15th places Hughes.

Matchup Winner

Matchup bets typically pit players from the same group together. Allowing you to back the winner of a round or hole between two or three players. For example, Matt Kuchar tees it up with Shane Lowry and Chris Kirk, leaving you with three players to select. These bets typically revolve around the best score on a particular holeor the lowest round in the group. So if I like Matt Kuchar’s chances against his peers, I can either back him to shoot lower on a specific hole than Lowry or Kirk or to deliver the lowest overall round. You can either pit Kuchar up against Lowry or Kirk. Alternatively, you can back Kuchar to shoot lower than Lowry and Kirk with a 3-ball matchup bet. The odds for a 2-ball matchup are lower than a 3-ball matchup because it is easier to pick a golfer to beat another player than two.

Additionally, there is the round six shooters matchup. This format combines six random players from a round, and you determine who will stroke the lowest total for those 18 holes. Let’s say Lowry, Kirk, and Kuchar are pooled with Rory Mcilroy, Tiger Woods, and Jordan Spieth. We must select the player who we think can shoot the lowest round. Given their tremendous form, Mcilroy and Spieth are hot favourites and have the lowest odds. On the other hand, Wood, Lowry, Kuchar, and Kirk carry a favourable price. Since you select one player from a group of six, the odds are often more flattering than in a 2 ball match.

Round Leaders

Every golfer in the field is assigned a price to card the lowest total for that round. The odds fluctuate during live play as a golfer shows promise or starts to implode. The better a golfer plays, the more bettors back them, and the lower prices go until it makes no sense to place the bet or the player carries an attractive price tag. Picking a round leader is a popular form of golf betting as it gives bettors something to play for every day of a four-day golf tournament rather than waiting for the overall results. The end of round leader is the player who sits at the top of the leaderboard after each round.

Live Betting

Live golf betting brings instant gratification to golf gambling by enabling bettors to get involved in the action on every hole. These bets are typically between players in the same group, encouraging 2 or 3 ball matchups. A 2-ball matchup sees you pick one player to win a hole or card a lower score than another. Conversely, a 3 ball matchup sees you pick one player in the group to dominate the rest.

For example, Aaron Wise is paired with Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler, and If I think the Texan will make the best score, I pick him to take the hole. Alternatively, I can bet on Rahm to make a par or worse or birdie or better on the next golf hole. The earlier you place your bet, the better the odds are, which is why it can benefit bettors to services of a golf betting site before a player tees off. For instance, if you backed Rahm to make a birdie or better, and he bombs his drive down the middle of the fairway on a par 5, the odds drop drastically in favour of him carding a birdie. However, some bettors prefer to wait to see where a player’s tee shot ended before making their bet. While this is an intelligent approach, it often leads to less-than-desirable odds.

Parlays

A parlay bet sees a punter bet on multiple outcomes between the 1st tee box and 72nd green on the Sunday. For example, you pick Rory McIlroy to beat Tiger Woods and Jon Rahm to defeat Max Homa in the British Open. To win your bet, McIlroy must defeat Woods, and Rahm repeats the feat against Homa. If McIlroy wins and Rahm loses, your parlay bet is unsuccessful, and you walk away empty-handed. Golf bettors across Canada should be familiar with parlay bets as it was the only form of sports punting permitted until April 2022.

Prop Bets

Prop bets refer to specific outcomes during a golf tournament and are typically structured on the lowest score on a hole between a 2 or 3-ball. Let’s use Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, and Rickie Fowler. The three tee off together, and bettors can call the lowest score on a hole between the group or determine what score each player will make. For example, I back Thomas to make birdie or better on the 7th hole, so I accept the odds and place the bet. In addition, I also feel that Thomas’ birdie will be better than what Spieth and Fowler make. As a result, I also back Thomas to win the 7th hole in his 3-ball.

Futures

Like commodities trading, futures golf bets allow you to make a prediction for something that may occur in months or years to come. Futures bets range from predicting a Major Tournament winner in a calendar year to finishing in the top 10 of every big tournament. Popular futures bets for 2023 include Collin Morikawa winning a major, where his average odds are 7/1. If you think those are tough odds, the bookies offer 1.50/1 for Jon Rahm to bag his second major title this year. There are superior odds available for riskier bets, like backing a player to finish in the top five of every major, a feat last achieved by Rickie Fowler in 2014. Alternatively, there is the option of a futures bet for a top-10 finish in all four majors, something Rory McIlroy managed in 2022.

⛳ Golf Events to Bet on in 2023

Golf betting sites give you access to multiple tournaments across the globe to maximize your chances every weekend. The four men’s Majors are the biggest weekends on the golf calendar, but every two years, we are treated to team events like the Ryder Cup for men and the Solheim Cup for women. Outside of major events, there are weekly tournaments on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour, and the PGA Tour Champions. Plus, there are occasional annual LIV Golf and Challenge Tour events for you to enjoy.

Major Golf Events

There are four annual Major golf tournaments on the calendar. The first event is the coveted Master’s tournament before moving on to challenging courses at the PGA Championship and US Open. The season now concludes with the historic Open Championship, which was previously the penultimate golf Major of the year up until 2019.

Masters Tournament

The Masters tee-off is on Thursday, April 6th, and concludes on Sunday, 9th of April featuring the smallest and most exclusive field of the big tournaments. Augusta is amongst the most famed golf courses on the planet, offering a challenging parkland design with large, rapid greens with excessive undulation. Factors to consider in the Alister Mackenzie design include accuracy off the tee, proximity to the hole, and strokes gained around the green. A final metric to add is the golfers putting stroke beyond 25 feet.

PGA Championship

In May, the Majors move north to Rochester, New York. Oak Hill Country Club hosts the PGA Championship from the 18th to the 21st of the month. Tiger Woods once labelled it the “toughest, fairest course he has played.” Although the course measures 200 yards shorter than Augusta, it features some mighty par 4 holes, which demand two solid, accurate strikes.

The rough on this course is thick, and accuracy off the tee will factor in. Plus, several greens are elevated and require exceptional driver and approach distance to get comfortable on. Strokes gained on approach shots and approach putt proximity are additional factors to watch.

US Open

The Major tournaments venture west for the penultimate showcase of 2023. The US Open begins on June 15th and concludes on Sunday, June 18th, at the Los Angeles Country Club, North Course. Its total yardage reads less than it plays as the course ascends, descends, and runs flat to offer a diverse challenge to the field. Like Augusta and Oak Hill, the North Course at LA Country Club demands accuracy off the tee and on approach. The parkland course features tree-lined fairways, thick rough, and greens protected by aggressive bunkers. Scrambling is another statistic to ponder, as there is restricted room to miss around the greens. When it happens, you want a strong scrambler who can get up and down unscathed.

The Open Championship

Finally, The Open Championship concludes the men’s Major golf season for 2023 as the game’s best flock to Royal Liverpool. The 151st edition of golf’s oldest Major gets underway on the 20th of July, and the winner will lift the claret jug on Sunday, the 23rd. Statistics to consider for the Open are players who handle windy conditions, exceptional putters over 25 feet, and the best scramblers. In addition, the daunting pot bunkers cannot be overlooked, which require impressive sand save percentage and proximity to the cup from the sand.

More Golf Events to Bet On

Besides the most lucrative events in golf, there are weekly, monthly, or bi-annual golf events, which offer plenty of betting action in the regular season.

• The PGA Tour hosts 47 weekly tournaments per year, including the regular season and FedEx Cup playoffs.
• The DPWorld Tour hosts 39 events
• The LPGA is on for 33 weeks per annum.

Other golf tours include the PGA Tour Champions, LIV Golf, and the Challenge Tour. Plus, 2023 is a notable year as it features the biggest tournament in golf, the Ryder Cup, and its sister event, the Solheim Cup.

PGA Tour

With 47 events throughout the year, the PGA Tour offers bettors a wealth of opportunities. However, depending on your preferred betting site, access to these events may vary. If you can only catch one Tour event in 2023, we recommend the Players Championship.

The Players Championship

The Players Championship is hosted annually at the TPC Players Stadium Course, with a total winner’s purse of $25 Million. The challenging Championship golf course features the iconic par 3 17th island green. Previous results have shown winners to gain superior strokes off the tee and an accurate long game from beyond 275 yards out.

LIV Golf

LIV Golf has beefed its schedule up to include 14 events in 2023, with the ultimate event concluding at the Royal Greens Golf & Country Club on the 5th of November. Our pick of events for the newly formed league is the penultimate event for the year at the Trump National Doral in Miami.

Trump National Doral in Miami

The penultimate LIV Golf tournament in 2023 is scheduled for the Trump National Doral in Miami from the 20th of October to the 22nd. This Championship golf course demands target play with accuracy from the tee and approach shots that end near the cup.

What Role Does Player Form Play in Golf Betting?

The first and most crucial factor to consider is the form of the player. Golf is a momentum sport. When a player is firing, they can keep that going for weeks. Jon Rahm recorded six consecutive top-10 finishes until the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March 2023. Conversely, when a player is struggling in a season, they are typically last on your list of possibilities.

What other Factors can Affect the Outcome of a Golf Bet?

Other factors influencing a golf bet include weather, time of day, fairway and green grass strains, and the course design. When it rains and is windy, it requires different tactics such as lower ball flight, more club, and precise distance control and accuracy. If your chosen player struggles in these conditions, it can lead to painful losses.

Understanding the Different Golf Tours

Different golf tours feature players of varying skill levels, with the PGA and LPGA Tours at the peak of men’s and women’s golf. Therefore, if a player enjoys a comfortable lead on these tours, there is always the chance of a quality opponent making a comeback, which means you may want to shop for some attractive outside odds. However, on circuits like the Challenge Tour, the rest of the field may struggle to fight back from a significant deficit. As a result, the odds of any impressive paydays are diminished.

Shop Different Odds?

A final feature to consider is shopping different odds because golf betting sites can offer varying odds for the same bet. Obviously, to maximize your winning potential, you want the best odds. If a golfer is 6/1 on one site and 7/1 on another, you want the site with the latter odds. Placing $10 on 7/1 odds gives you a shot at earning $70 over the $60 from the 6/1 odds.