Ben Cain has always enjoyed the buzz of the casino, completing his croupier training at a relatively young age. After a lengthy career working at casinos on various cruise ships, he traded a life on the sea for a life as an editor in 2018. Now, he’s using the knowledge he picked up as a croupier to provide the best casino & betting strategy tips around.
It is essential to have a quick and reliable way to check the golf betting odds to look for the best golf odds to ensure you get the best golf odds for today, tomorrow and every tour and major tournament.
If you’re looking to place a wager on the latest golf major, obviously you’re going to want to do it at the best golf odds possible. Visiting each sportsbook from each operator separately can work, but will take time – and, by the time you’ve looked at them all, the best golf odds you saw earlier may have changed.
Compare golf betting odds to make sure you get the biggest profits from a winning wager
If you are new to golf betting and have never done a golf odds comparison, you might be asking yourself why do a Best Golf Odds comparison at all? Why would the golf odds today be different from the golf odds tomorrow?
In reality, the best sportsbooks odds change according to so many factors (more on that shortly) and a simple check of the operators with the best odds will vary before a tournament, in the days leading up to the start, and more markedly as players fail to make the cut. Knowing this can make a huge difference to your profits from a winning wager. For instance, getting the $25 bet you want at 5 in decimal odds (more on that later as well) instead of 4 means you end up with an extra $25 in your pocket.
This might not seem like much, but that is from just a single bet. If you do the same at a few of the tournaments each year, you will be a few hundred dollars better off than you would have been, just because you compared the best golf odds for exactly the same bet you would have made anyway.
If you are new to betting online, or in fact not placed a wager on golf before, there are some important reasons to place a wager using online betting sites for golf rather than visiting an offline betting outlet. The first one that springs to mind is that you would have to make a trip to the betting outlet which can take time out of your day, but more importantly, could restrict the wagers that you can place and the odds available.
If you choose the online option, however, things can be very different. Reliable and established operators will have developed apps you can use on your Android or Apple device once you have downloaded it, so you can place a wager on the move in just a couple of minutes. This will allow you to respond quickly to changes in the best golf odds today, and make the most of any offers that operators offer as an online exclusive.
Something else to consider is that if you have the apps from the recommended sportsbook operators on your mobile device, you have the pick of the offers and odds from across several sportsbooks. If you made the journey to an offline outlet, you would be restricted to solely what was in front of you when you got there.
The rise in golf betting and golf betting odds explained
The real rise in legal golf betting started in 2018 when the U.S. Supreme Court allowed legal sports betting. By 2019 22 states including Nevada permitted legal sports betting, with most of the rest having legislation progressed to some level. In the first 12 months, this saw legal gambling on golf double.
Despite this, golf betting is still relatively ‘small fry’ compared to the amounts wagered on the NFL, NBA and baseball each year. This might lead you to think that many sportsbooks see golf as an afterthought. However, this is not the case. Operators know, as do all golf bettors, that the number of players who enter a tournament and the number of twists and turns it can take means that the opportunities for the knowledgeable bettor with the best golf odds can make big profits from a successful wager.
Golf betting odds are displayed in three different formats, which you can usually switch between using a toggle on the top right-hand corner of an operator’s website. The three formats that most operators use for displaying their odds of all types of event including the best boxing odds, the best cricket betting odds, f1 betting odds and even political betting odds are displayed in are decimal, fractional and American.
How decimal odds work
Decimal odds are also known as European odds and you may see them called this on some sportsbooks. These are generally regarded as the simplest to work with, as they have a simple numerical value so it’s easy to spot a favorite or an underdog. The lower the number, the more likely a player is to win that particular tournament.
For example, in 2021 you would expect Dustin Johnson to have much lower decimals odds to win a tournament than Phil Mickelson, who in turn would have lower decimal odds than Ian Poulter.
The number displayed shows how much you’ll win for each dollar you wager on that particular outcome. The thing to remember here is it will show the total you will be paid out if you win, not how much profit you have made on that wager.
How fractional odds work
Fractional odds are also called traditional odds, and you may have seen these when looking to place a wager on a horse race. These are written in two different ways although the meaning is the same – i.e. 3/1 is the same as 3-1 – and you will see them written both ways on sportsbooks that use fractional odds.
At first glance, these seem simpler to understand than decimal odds. For instance, 3/1 would mean you’d win $3 for every $1 you bet on that outcome. However, when you see prices such as 15/8 it is not so quick to calculate which is why decimal odds are normally considered the easiest to understand at a glance.
How American odds work
American odds are probably the ones you will be most familiar with, as they are usually displayed by default on the majority of sportsbooks you will have visited before. Here again, the favorite is easy to spot as their odds will be preceded with a minus sign, and a number which is a simple representation of how much you would have to wager to win $100.
Underdogs, meanwhile, are usually represented by a + sign when team sports are involved. However, as mentioned above, with the number of players who enter a tournament, this is not so cut and dried in golf.
How the best golf odds are calculated
Calculating the best golf odds is a difficult task for that very reason. In general, you might expect the odds to be calculated in a similar way to which they might in another tournament event like tennis. To a certain extent, this is correct, as golf has so many additional things to consider, the defining factor is the operator’s expert knowledge of the sport in question.
A player’s initial odds of winning will depend on their standing in the world rankings, and how they have done in the last few tournaments. For example, if a player is top of the world rankings, and has won the last three tournaments by some distance, you would expect them to be the considerable favorite for the next one.
It is not quite that simple, however. The type, of course, the tournament is being played on, the conditions and how a particular player’s ‘game’ suits those factors will also strongly affect their initial odds.
The closer the tournament gets, and the factors such as the weather become known, the odds of a player can move quite quickly, especially if something is said to affect their game – for instance, Rory McIlroy in 2014 when he changed his clubs.
It is how different operators respond to these factors, or how quick they are on the uptake of a change, that causes the discrepancies in odds between different sportsbook operators. For savvy bettors, This presents an opportunity to place a ‘value’ bet, where the odds seem more favorable than is generally perceived by other operators.
Using golf betting odds in golf betting strategies
Two of the most popular betting strategies are arbitrage and matched betting. They are sometimes confused as the same thing but they are not. They both involve placing several bets to create a profit regardless of the outcome, but there the similarity ends. The matched betting strategy does not currently work in the US as it involves using a betting exchange which does not currently exist in the US
‘Arb’ betting takes advantage of the odds discrepancies detailed above to place value bets on separate outcomes of the same event, where a small percentage profit is inevitable. Because of the large number of players who enter a tournament, this strategy is very difficult to pull off in golf, until the later stages are reached and there are realistically only two frontrunners (although this would still not count as a genuine ‘arb’) or more accurately in a play-off scenario where you have the head-to-head strategy where ‘arbing’ works best for novices.
The most popular betting strategies are for bettors not to bet on just one player, but five or six who they think have a chance based on their analysis of ranking, form, course, conditions and any outside factors that could distract a player (such as a scandal or a messy divorce).
As there are a large number of players at any one tournament, the odds of even higher ranked players would sit between 8 and 14 at decimal odds. This means a $25 on 6 ‘possibles’ will still bring a profit if any of them win. Clearly the better golf betting odds you can get these wagers at, the greater your profit will be if the strategy proves successful.
Popular markets to use golf betting odds
Other strategies will depend on what markets are available. The large number of players who enter a tournament, with five or six of them having a good chance of winning, means that the place market also has its benefits. This means that a player does not have to win, but instead just be in the top places for you to receive a playout.
The odds will be a fraction of the win price (normally a quarter) but it can mean small profits from several players in one tournament. Another popular market is the ‘hole in one’ market, where odds are given for a player to hit a hole in one at any point in the tournament.
This price can vary massively due to several factors, including the number of holes on the course where a hole in one is realistically possible. For this reason, this market is seen more as ‘fun’ rather than one that gets too much consideration.
As with other sports, parlay bets are also possible for golf tournaments, but again the number of players and factors involved make these even more long shots that you might see in other sports.
Odds comparison FAQ – how to avoid the top five mistakes when looking for golf betting odds
Why shouldn’t I always bet with my usual operator?
Using the sportsbook with the best golf odds is crucial in making the best possible profit from a successful wager. Ideally, you should use a website that can point you in the direction of operators who consistently offer the best golf odds.
Having access to these operators via your desktop computer or the app available for your Apple or Android device, so you can bet on the move – is the surest way of making the most of the best odds and therefore the greatest profits should your bet win.
What are the differences between online and offline golf betting odds
When you place a bet offline, you may be limiting yourself to the bets available from that particular operator. If you are just betting on Dustin Johnson to win the US Open, for instance, you might not think this makes any difference.
However, by looking online and comparing all of the available golf odds today, you get to see all of the odds available from several sportsbooks at once and can place a bet at the one that offers the best value and therefore the best payout if Dustin Johnson wins.
Can I only find the best golf odds for moneyline bets?
While moneyline bets are very popular for golfing bets they are not the only markets available. When comparing odds you should look at all of the options available, and any special offers a sportsbook might happen to have or parlay bets that might fit exactly the wager you wanted to place.
As mentioned above, regardless of the market, there are value bets to be found when an operator does not respond to new factors quickly enough, which causes the discrepancies in odds and extra profit potential from placing exactly the same bet at a different operator.
Will picking the best golf odds guarantee a profit?
Even with value bets, a profit is not guaranteed. With the number of different players entering any given competition, the variations of possible outcomes are much greater than, for example, and NFL or NBA match where the winner can only be one of two teams.
However, by finding the best golf odds today, if your bet does win, you will possibly make more profit than if you just placed a wager with your normal operator or at an offline outlet.
Should I look for the best odds after the tournament has started?
Betting while the tournament is in progress is the ideal time to look for the best golf odds today. With progress on the course potentially changing the odds stroke by stroke, anybody with access to the best golf odds today can act quickly and take advantage of the constantly moving odds to place their preferred bet at the best possible price.
Comparing the best golf odds is crucial to making the most profit from your preferred wager
As mentioned before, golf stands apart from many other sports because of the number of entrants in any particular tournament, with the top[ five or six players having very little to choose between them. In a situation such as this, even the smallest factor can change the odds, so knowing where to find the best odds is absolutely crucial.
Firstly, knowing which sites usually have the best odds saves the time and energy you would spend looking through all of the different operators, comparing the various prices, and most likely missing the best ones. Secondly, narrowing down the number of operators will let you see the best golf odds today quickly, and act accordingly.
Lastly, having recommended and reliable operators means that you have no uncertainty if the price you found is legitimate, or if the operator will pay out if your bet wins.
Best Golf Odds FAQ
❔Which sportsbook has the best golf odds?
Many sportsbooks offer odds for golf tournaments in a number of markets. As a result, the number of different odds on offer would take too much time to compare by visiting each sportsbook individually. To find the best odds it is usually best to use a website that has done the research for you.
⛳ What are the most popular golf bets
In golf betting, savvy bettors do not often place a bet on just one player to win. The odds involved can normally mean that it is possible to place a bet on four or five of the top players and still come out with a profit. Also, for the same reasons, place bets are also popular.
🏌️ Where can I find the latest golf scores and results
The latest golf scores and rankings can easily be found on any news outlet, either online or on TV. However, the most up to date scores and statistics and how you can take advantage of them can be on a site that will also keep you updated with the best golf betting odds with our online gambling guides.
📖Where can I find the best golf betting tutorial
Golf betting can be quite simple if you are just placing straight moneyline bets with your usual sportsbook. However, by locating the best odds and using the popular strategy of placing bets on several players, you can increase your profits. You can find further tips on how to do this at sites that can also keep you updated with the best golf odds today
🏆Who will win the US Open 2021
You can find opinions on who is likely to win the US Open in 2021 or any other year by looking online or switching on a sports channel. However, you can see where the ‘smart money’ is going by looking at the odds, and where to find the best golf odds today
