Not only is golf a great game to play and watch, it is also a fantastic game to bet on if you are the betting type. Sports betting has taken off on all fronts, but
golf has been helped out because it is being televised more and more often. Not only are the big golf championships aired on network television, but the small ones
are as well. For the real golf fanatics, there is even a dedicated golf channel. All of this exposure has given golf betting a real boost in the sheer number of
people that are interested in betting. Not only can golf betting be fun, it can be quite exciting as well, as well as lucrative!
First, you should understand the odds. When you become involved in golf betting you may be bombarded with odds that just don't seem to make sense. For instance, if a player is said to be 10/1 this means that if the player you bet on wins you get ten dollars for every dollar that you bet plus your original bet or stake back. If a player is said to be odds on or odds in then the odds are said to be 1/10. When we say 1/10 this means that you will win one dollar on every 10 dollars that you bet in addition to your original stake.
Now that we've made it clear what the odds mean, you can determine how you want to bet. If you want to bet what is known as "betting to win" you'll place your bet on a player that has the odds of 10/1. If the player that you bet on does well and does in fact win, then you will do quite well, depending on how much money you bet in the first place! If this type of betting is not for you, you aren't out of luck, you still have plenty of options to bet and even win with golf!
Next, you may want to consider betting on "place finish". What counts as a place and the proportion of the odds you receive varies from bookie to bookie, so you should be sure what the rules are with each bookkeeper. Place finishes can vary from the first three to the first six places in the tournament and it is the same proportion of odds if the player finishes 2nd or even 6th. If this seems to complicated or too sophisticated for you, you still have options!
You can consider "betting each way" which is a combination of both betting to win and betting on a place finish. You will pay the same stake for each part of the bet. For instance, if you stake one dollar each way for a player that has a winning of 10/1 it would mean that you would get ten dollars for the initial win plus 2.50 for the place finish. If for some reason the player does not win but does finish in the place you had predicted, you would lose the win bet, but you still win on the place bet. It really sounds more complicated than it is, but if you decide to bet each way and you accurately predict the outcome of the golf tournament or match you stand to win quite a bit of money.
You can also consider a match bet, which is a bet on whether one player will beat or even tie another over a stroke play tournament. A match bet can be made in conjunction with other bets; it's not an all or nothing deal. When bets are combined they are called a combination bet and payouts will vary according the to payouts associated with each type of bet and whether a bettor wins both or all of their combined bets. There are also two ball bets, where bettors can bet on whether one player will succeed in outscoring another player in one round. In addition there is a three ball bet, which is a bet placed that predicts one player will outscore two other players in just one round. There is also group betting, which is where the bookkeeper picks a group of players and gives them odds of beating the rest in the group and the bettors simply have to pick the winner.
Of course, there is always spread betting when it comes to golf. Spread betting is typically reserved for those that have quite a bit of experience betting on golf as well as experience with the game of golf. One has to truly understand the game that they are betting on for spread betting to work on because you are working with a predetermined outcome by a bookie and deciding if you think they are right on, or if the player will perform better than or worse than the prediction. The key here is to be as accurate or more accurate in predicting the performance of any given golfer so that you can win the difference between the prediction and the outcome multiplied by your stake. The reason that spread betting must be taken so seriously is that the amount you can win or lose is virtually unlimited, given the right circumstances. You can win large sums or you can lose more than you even staked originally. If you are going to become involved in spread betting, you must be sure that you can afford to lose as much as you'd like to win!
While some consider golf a simple or even boring game, betting on golf can be an intense experience. With each stroke of the golf club you'll be on the edge of your seat, whether you are in person or just watching a televised version of the tournament or match. The best way to get into golf betting is to ease in, reading information online or simply talking with those that have experience. Then, place bets as you feel comfortable and have a great time!
Still want more? Check out our Golf Betting Tips.
