As with any sport that has attained such international popularity, the market for golf betting is soaring. Many sports betting markets run alongside the sport’s popularity, correlating with the number of people who tune in to watch the top tournaments unfold. Soccer is the world’s most popular sport, with a global audience that is thought to be in the region of 3 billion – so, as you’d expect, this sports betting market sees the most activity.
While this number is much smaller for golf, sports analysts still put it in the 300 to 400 million range. It also means that golf betting markets are flourishing considering the rise of digital platforms and mobile betting apps, which have opened up an array of in-play markets for golf enthusiasts who like to supplement their viewing with a wager or two. Here are five things to account for when placing a golf bet.
#1 – Shop Around Before Choosing A Betting Platform
There’s no shortage of sports betting platforms in today’s market. As this market continues to expand due to more US states warming to the idea of legalized sports betting, it has become increasingly saturated. Now, this isn’t necessarily a negative, especially for those who know how to shop around and find platforms that offer the highest-rated services.
As more betting platforms have emerged, there’s been a sharp increase in demand for websites that objectively review sportsbooks. The experts at AskGamblers sportsbook review service rank sites that they believe operate a cut above the rest, judging them on variables such as:
- Quality of their sportsbook choices.
- Strength and depth of in-play betting markets.
- Mobile app quality.
- Reviews from other customers, social media comments, etc.
Expert review sites also look at sites that offer the best promotions for specific golf betting markets and incentivize sign-ups so that placing a golf bet becomes easier and those who sign up for the platform get slightly a bit more mileage out of their bet without having to deposit so much of their cash up front.
#2 – Set Time & Deposit Limits
Responsible gambling is essential to any gambling practice—beyond golf betting to the broader sports betting and casino gaming markets. One of the most effective ways to manage a budget and ensure that gambling remains within the proper limits is to use time and deposit limits effectively.
These tools keep betting budgets within a manageable range, ensuring bettors stay within the confines of financial losses they can afford. Setting time limits ensures bettors do not get carried away with the time spent on betting platforms.
Those who believe they might be exhibiting an issue, or if they think their friends or family might, should seek help from a problem gambling charity immediately so they can get more detailed advice on how to curb their issue.
#3 – Assessing Form
In solo sport, form can be a crucial indicator of potential performance in a big, upcoming tournament or game. Of course, this isn’t an exact science, and just because a player is going into a tournament in a rich vein of form doesn’t always mean they’re guaranteed to come out victorious.
If we’re playing golf with our friends, we can shrug off bad form and blame our equipment, even if we’ve shopped around and bought it based on reviews. However, the pros have access to all the best gear and training facilities.
Form plays a pivotal role in a player’s confidence going into the big tournaments, and it’s also a considerable factor betting companies weigh up before deciding on their odds for upcoming golf tournaments. While those at the top of the game might be quarreling regarding the sport’s future direction, prominent tournaments like the Ryder Cup, which generate substantial global viewing figures, will still bring the best talents together to battle it out.
#4 – Historical Performance On A Course
Golfers can be superstitious, and another factor that golf bettors consider before a big tournament is a player’s past performance on that course. Some players can have lucky courses, and if they’ve been able to find a rich vein of form in the past and perform well, this can do wonders for their confidence going into a tournament or game on the same course.
While this should be just one of many factors to consider about a player, the historical performance on a course is a variable that those placing a bet shouldn’t overlook. It shows the player is adept at the course and understands the nuance and some of the smaller angles that players playing there for the first time might miss.
Tiger Woods, for instance, has said that his favorite course is St Andrews because of its unique layout and the fact that it was initially designed to play backward, which played a factor following his teary goodbye there in 2022. Again, while it doesn’t guarantee a successful bet, it’s one of many things sports betting platforms factor in when they’re putting together their prices.
#5 – The Weather
Assessing the conditions on the day of a bet or throughout a tournament is arguably the most pivotal factor in golf betting. Ideally, the top names should be able to pull it out of the bag, regardless of the weather, but some players feel the impact more than others.
Some players, especially those from hotter climates, can struggle if they’re playing on European courses in colder conditions or dealing with extreme weather conditions that they’re not used to, with the most obvious example being heavy wind.
Final Thoughts
We’ve tried to cover a couple of points from each today, more generic advice about shopping around and setting up safe gambling limits, but we’ve fused it with golf-specific variables, such as understanding how a player performs in certain conditions or on a specific course.
However, the key takeaway should be responsible gambling; it should apply to any sports bet. Keeping all betting within a manageable limit is imperative, and combining this with a strong knowledge of the sport should help anyone looking to bet on golf to explore the markets and appreciate what they offer.
