Golf Review

Introduction to Golf Betting

A typical Golf tournament is played over four rounds of 18 holes so 72 holes in total. The two main tours are the PGA Tour in North America and the European Tour. The most common format is stroke play, and the winner is the player who completes 72 holes in the fewest shots. Match play tournaments are determined by the winner of most holes over one or two rounds. The objective in golf is to play a hole in the fewest shots. Each hole has a par based on its length, and the scoring is expressed as the number of shots in relation to par.

Betting Events

The core seasons in North America and Europe run from January to August, but there are other minor events during the rest of the year. There are golf tours in both Hemisphere, so it is virtually a 12-month sport. The most prestigious events are the four major championships: US masters in April; USPGA Championship in May; US Open in June; Open Championship in July. The second level of events are the World Golf Championship tournaments. Both main tours have a post-season playoff series which offer huge bonuses and identify the leading money-winner. There are several international team events played on a two-year cycle such as the Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup and Solheim Cup. These events bring together two teams of 12 players.

Betting Types

Golf is a sport that generates plenty of ante-post betting, especially on the major championships and the Ryder Cup. Fluctuations in form can cause changes in the odds and market moves for individual players. Bookmakers issue outright winner odds for regular tournaments at the start of the week for starts on Thursday. Bettors can place in-play bets over four days from the first round to the fourth and final round each Sunday.

Golf Markets

The most popular golf bet is the winner of a tournament. Bettors can place win and each-way wagers on named players. The each-way place terms are generally one quarter the odds for four places, but bookmakers often offer extra places. Indeed, some operators have settled each way bets down to 10 payout places. The other popular bets are 18- and 72-hole matches, the winning score and margin of victory. Customers can bet on players to make the cut or not in majors.