Wagers when betting golf can be one of the most challenging yet lucrative endeavors in sports betting. It’s important to know that betting golf is profitable. There are numerous golf betting stats to keep in mind.
With as many as 156 players participating in most tournaments, picking a winner can be difficult. But there are ways to narrow the field and make it more likely to make a winning bet.
There are three primary wagers on most golf tournaments, although the four majors generally offer more variety. The futures bet is on a player to win the event, and the odds generally begin at about +800.
ONLINE SPORTS BETTING – HOW TO BET ON GOLF TOURNAMENTS
Another wager is on matchups between players, giving head-to-head odds for the tournament. The odds are similar to those in team sports, with spread and moneyline wagers. These same types of bets are available for each round of the tournament.
What to Look For
Golf isn’t like team sports, where there are a finite number of teams in a league. Anywhere from between 150 and 200 players are eligible to play in PGA Tour events. That makes golf tournaments more unpredictable and difficult to handicap, but not impossible. It is very important to get the correct golf betting stats.
As with any sport, golf provides several statistics to review when deciding what player to lay money on. The best source for all of the raw data, as well as the latest player rankings, is PGATour.com. The smarter bettor will always find the best data and find their way through the important stats.
Golf Betting Stats
With the exception of three of the majors, tournaments are played on the same course every year. Players tend to perform well at certain events because they have an affinity for the layout. Past performance at a venue can be a good indicator of future success.
Every course is different, with varying skills rewarded differently. For instance, Harbour Town Golf Links has narrow fairways and small greens. Meanwhile, Waialae Country Club has wide fairways, light rough and large greens.
Total driving distance doesn’t mean nearly as much at Harbour Town as it does at Waialae. For Harbour Town, driving accuracy and strokes gained putting are better indicators than how far someone hits the ball.
Do Rankings Matter?
The Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) use performances from the prior two years to compile their ratings. Recent performances are weighted higher, so looking beyond the rankings is highly recommended.
The FedEx Cup point rankings are a good indication of current season performance on the PGA Tour. However, not all players are eligible for FedEx Cup points, especially those attempting to earn Tour entry through sponsors’ exemptions. These are two easy golf betting stats to follow.
What Really Works?
At the Masters, Bryson DeChambeau was all the rage, having won the U.S. Open. He was also hitting the ball a mile, putting to use physics and analytics. He was the betting favorite at top golf sportsbooks, ahead of Dustin Johnson.
However, Johnson was clearly the better bet based on recent tournaments and his Masters history. Relying on the odds and not on performance is a flawed strategy, shown by Johnson’s dominating victory.
Placing bets on a group of players that are playing well and have a solid history at a course is a sound strategy. If a player hasn’t previously been in the event, see that they have the right statistics for the layout.
Golf is fun and potentially lucrative to bet if it’s done right and using the proper information. After finding the best golf betting stats, you need to keep a close eye on them and win more bets.
