The popularity of professional golf has grown exponentially in recent years and thanks to the progression of online gambling, so has the public’s desire to take part in betting on the PGA Tour.
The fact of the matter is that PGA Tour betting is unlike wagering on most other leagues, because of both the sport’s format and the types of markets. That is why we’re going to get into some free golf betting strategies to keep in mind when putting your money on the line before groups begin teeing off on Thursday.
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Golf is (mostly) played as an individual sport and events take place over the course of four rounds rather than four quarters, nine innings, two halves, three periods, or whatever other units of time we see in sports.
That means the betting options vary greatly from other sports, and so do the strategies, especially once you consider that the playing field changes every week.
Sports betting is already something you need a plan to be successful at, and pro golf is no different. In fact, golf betting strategy could be even more important than in other sports.
When it comes to deciding on which golfer(s) to back with your money, there are some factors to keep in mind, so check out these free golf betting strategies and tips for the next time you do some gambling on the PGA Tour:
This may be just the first of our golf betting strategies, but letting that week’s course be your guide may be the most important one out there. As
Every playing track is unique, and some golfers have a different playing style than others. Course layout can suit certain players more than others, so it is certainly one of the things that can set a golfer up for success (or lack thereof).
Long courses tend to favor players who hit the ball far while smaller courses or ones with many obstacles like sand and water may be more conducive to a player with great accuracy and finesse. Be sure to look into how a given golfer has performed in the past in that tournament and more importantly, at that golf course specifically.
This goes hand-in-hand with our last golf betting tip but you are indeed attempting to handicap a PGA Tour event four days ahead, there is something you can do to give yourself a better chance. While doing your pre-tournament research, look for multiple outright winners to stake your money on.
Each additional player selected increases the chances of one actually winning and earning that huge payout, and picking a winner will more than likely offset the losses from your other wager(s), still earning you some profit.
This market pays well and that allows bettors to absorb the loss of one wager in exchange for another raising the trophy. Since it’s far too easy for just one player to be out of contention, consider more than one if you’re committed to selecting a tournament winner.
Unlike other sports, golf odds pay extremely well up and down the board because the nature of golf betting allows players to be profitable even when picking the odds-on favorites.
With between 100 and 150 golfers in the field most weeks, events are difficult to win and selecting which player will do so four days in advance is the hardest thing a golf bettor will encounter. This explains why odds are so high, even for the players that are expected to wind up near the top.
While it can be unlikely for the betting favorite to win an entire tournament, don’t purposely avoid the names at the top of the board just because other options pay more. The golfers with the lowest odds can still earn you a juicy payout plus on most occasions, oddsmakers have certain players at the top for good reason.
Why select a golfer that hasn’t been playing well in recent tournaments? Being aware of the current form of players can be extremely useful when it comes to making golf picks.
When getting started, it would help to take into consideration which competitors are performing at the top of their game. Many golfers are streaky over the course of an entire season and momentum can be real when it comes to building confidence.
Picks should be made on players whose recent results would give you a reason to be confident heading into a given tournament. Part of this comes from past results, so be sure to check on how golfers have performed previously in the same event and at that specific course.
The 17th green at TPC Sawgrass, home of The PLAYERS Championship
It’s worth mentioning one more time that it’s so tough to pick outright winners and for that reason, going after finishing positions can be a more lucrative way to try and make money on golf.
Finishing position golf betting improves your chance to win and gives each player some margin for error since they don’t need to win the tournament. So rather than selecting a player to beat the entire 150-man field, consider betting on that golfer to finish top 10, 20, 30, or even 40 if your site allows it.
It’s also extremely easy for one particular golfer to be quickly eliminated from the very top of the leaderboard, so these wagers can also provide a rooting interest that may last all four days.
The lines on the upper-tier players may not be as robust but giving yourself the best opportunity to win, even for a reduced price, is still a worthwhile bet.
These markets are also particularly popular for taking a shot with one of the many lesser-known players, who probably have little chance to win the whole event but can wind up in a decent finishing position with generous odds.
If the payouts for the top players are good, imagine how lucrative things must be when you’re selecting underdogs? Because there are so many good golfers on tour and not every player fits every course, every week has big names on the board with massive payouts.
As mentioned above, oddsmakers list favorites as such for a reason. Whether it be past success at a specific tournament or a game that suits a particular course or both, there’s something that warrants those golfers having the lowest odds.
With that said, the depth of each field does allow for value to exist on golfers that aren’t at the very top of the odds board. One thing to balance on a week-to-week basis is how deep into the field to look for a winner. Just because we call them longshots doesn’t mean they are all no-name players because many of them have impressive resumes of their own.
For example, 2019 Masters betting odds at online sportsbooks had past major champions like Bubba Watson (+4000), Henrik Stenson (+6600) and Patrick Reed (+6600) as heavy underdogs with all three listed outside of the top 15 odds-on favorites. The lines for finishing positions this deep down the board aren’t quite as big but worth considering as well.
Every single tournament features players with odds that could pull in massive payouts with a win at and in these cases, should be worth a look even if they aren’t favored by oddsmakers.
It’s always safer to go players who possess ample experience, especially before the biggest events on tour such as majors or playoff events.
There are so many options before a tournament, why go with a player that’s never taken home a trophy before? Your run-of-the-mill tournaments feature new winners often, but not-so-often in the stacked fields of certain tournaments including majors and playoff events.
Sure, every player with a PGA Tour win had to get his first at some point, but chances are much better with a proven player the level of competition is at its highest point.
This goes back to the course and results playing a huge role as well. Some very important annual events such as THE PLAYERS Championship, the Masters, and the TOUR Championship are played at the same exact course every year.
In these instances, many of the best in the world have long enough resumes at these venues to judge whether they’re worth putting your money on that particular week.
When push comes to shove, take the player with a past to speak of, especially if they have performed well on that course and in that event before.
Most wagers are made because we have confidence in a given player or team, but golf betting strategy can alter a bit when it comes to head-to-head matchups.
It isn’t only about the golfer you choose because it’s also about the opponent, which is the only other person in the field you are concerned with when making this bet.
Sometimes, the easiest wins in head-to-head are made come by fading one golfer more than endorsing another. It can be very beneficial to figure out which golfers are in poor form as to know who is playing well going into a given tournament.
Things like the course, recent results, and history at the event could play a huge role in deciding when and where to strike with head-to-head golf picks, just as they do when you’re trying to pick winners or finishing positions.
Whatever method you use, look to bet against struggling just as you’d wager on players at the top of their game.