All You Need to Know About Golf Odds
Have you ever wondered how to find the best golf odds online? Golf is more exciting than a lot of people think – and there are lots of interesting betting markets out there. But how do you read golf odds and find a sportsbook offering the best rates?
In this guide, we’ll take you through how to find the best live golf odds, how to read typical probabilities, and which sportsbooks are offering competitive deals and markets. By the end, you’ll be more than ready to tee off! Let’s dive in.
🔑 Key Takeaways
- Learn how to read golf odds.
- Discover the major tournaments taking place each year.
- Find a new sportsbook where you can bet on golf odds this week.
- Pick up some top golf betting tips.
Understanding Golf Odds
When you start getting into golf betting for the first time, you’ll see three main ways that golf odds are presented.
First, there are moneyline odds. This is where you’ll see figures represented with + and – symbols. A – denotes clear favorites to win, and a + suggest underdogs.
Decimal odds are somewhat rarer. Let’s say that your favorite golfer has odds of 2.50 to win a tournament. This means that for every $10 you bet on them, you get $25 back if they win.
Lastly, fractional odds tend to be most popular with most bookmakers and bettors alike. If you have Rory McIlroy at 5/1 to win the US Open on fractional odds, this means that you would get $1 back for every $5 staked.
Fact: Golf emerged in 15th-century Scotland to become one of the most widely played global sports, with 25 million US players taking part on the course.
How to Find the Best Golf Odds?
- Try looking at some of the most popular sportsbooks that are legal in your state, and see if there are differences in the money on offer.
- Consider looking into betting exchanges. These work a little like the stock exchange – it’s a different experience from what you’d expect from a bookmaker!
- Keep your ear to the ground through golfing forums – there are a few communities on Reddit that might give you an insight into where the best odds are to be found.
Our Pick of the Best Sportsbooks for Golf Odds
We’ve brought together five of the best sportsbooks for golf odds active in the US right now. Be sure to compare odds, welcome offers, and state legality before registering!
FanDuel
| Welcome Offer | Bet $5 and get $200 back in bonus bets |
| States Live In | AZ, CO, CT, DC, IL, IN, IA, KA, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MS, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, VT, WV, WY |
| Minimum Deposit | $5 |
FanDuel is a personal favorite of mine, and it has certainly caught on across the country. I like this sportsbook for golf odds simply because it goes deep into some of the bigger tournaments. In particular, you could get a good points spread on the PGA.
BetMGM
| Welcome Offer | Up to $1,500 in bonus bets paid back |
| States Live In | AZ, CO, DC, IL, IN, IA, KA, KY, LA, MD, MI, MS, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, WV, WY |
| Minimum Deposit | $10 |
Golf is one of BetMGM’s main sports attractions, and it does a great job of lining up some top ongoing world tours. For example, if I ever want to dip into the Presidents Cup and then add a few bets to my slip for the Masters, it only takes me a few clicks or taps. I’ve found this bookmaker’s odds to be seriously competitive.
BetRivers
| Welcome Offer | Up to $500 in bonus bets |
| States Live In | AZ, CO, DE, IN, IA, IL, LA, MD, MI, NJ, NY, OH, PA, VA, WV |
| Minimum Deposit | $10 |
I like the way that BetRivers arranges its golf odds – it’s easy to see which tournaments are ongoing right now and to check on a few futures odds alongside. You can also filter the odds into World Tour, Team, and Majors events. Again, the odds at BetRivers tend to be pretty reasonable.
DraftKings
| Welcome Offer | Get $200 in Bonus Bets on first deposit |
| States Live In | AZ, CO, CT, DC, IL, IN, IA, KA, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MN, MI, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, VT, WV, WY |
| Minimum Deposit | $5 |
What I enjoy most about DraftKings’ golf odds is the fact that there’s a focus on live betting. If, say, you think that Billy Horschel will beat Matteo Manassero to the PGA title based on his current play, you can take advantage of ever-changing odds and new prices.
Fanatics
| Welcome Offer | Up to $1,000 in bonus bets |
| States Live In | AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KA, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, VT, WV, WY |
| Minimum Deposit | $5 |
Fanatics competes well with the other sites we’ve listed in terms of usability and golf odds value. What I’d really like to see with this provider is a free preview, much like you get from DraftKings – but regardless, simply registering without depositing is good enough.
Key Factors That Influence Golf Odds
There’s plenty that goes on in golf to change the way that bookies see the future.
For example, weather is a huge factor in golf betting odds from play to play. A wet course or high winds could challenge even the best players in scoring albatrosses or even eagles.
That said, odds rely a lot on the individual play styles and performances of the players taking part. Bookmakers look closely at how invited players have performed at certain tournaments in the past.
If one player consistently finds the British Open fairly tricky, then their odds might be longer than, say, a links pro. What’s more, there’s also recent performance, or form, to keep in mind.
On top of all this, there may be injuries – golf might not be the highest-octane sport, but it still requires steady nerves and adequate fitness.
That said, odds will vary between sportsbooks – so make sure that you compare them for the best possible prices.
Major Golf Tournaments and Their Odds
The golfing calendar is typically packed with all kinds of major tournaments and team battles. Here are the main ones to look out for.
Masters Golf Odds
The US Masters is one of the world’s most prestigious golf tournaments. Usually, Masters Golf odds will center on who is likely to win outright, though you can also bet on top fives and top 10s.
Example: For the 2024 tournament, Scottie Scheffler was the outright favorite with an impressive minus spread. Fittingly, he went on to win.
Fact: Did you know that Scottie Scheffler was the most backed player for The Masters 2024, with Hideki Matsuyama and Rory Mcllroy following in second and third?
US Open Golf Odds
Individual players’ futures tend to be the most popular US Open odds golf fans look for. That said, you can also bet on hole-in-ones and other events that take place across this challenging circuit.
Example: Bryson DeChambeau, Rory McIlroy and Patrick Cantlay all led the odds for US Open golf on the spread ahead of 2024, with DeChambeau claiming a -150 to win with some sportsbooks. And, again, the bookies were right – DeChambeau claimed the win. US Open golf betting odds often get things correct!
PGA Golf Odds
When betting on PGA Tour golf, there can be some upsets. Again, golf markets here are fairly straightforward. Unless you want to bet on specific scores or which players will make it through to which stages, most odds are based on outright wins.
Example:, in 2023, the World Wide Technology Championship in Mexico, on the PGA docket, saw short odds on Ludvig Åberg to win, based on thousands of simulations. Yet, Åberg finished tied for 10th, with Erik van Rooyen winning.
British Open Golf Odds
The British Open isn’t easy to predict, which can make the odds a little tighter than you might expect, at least initially. Typical odds in this tournament will revolve around outright wins, top 20s, top 10s and top fives.
Example: Odds shortening toward the end of the 2024 tournament suggested that Xander Schauffele and Scottie Scheffler led the pack regarding win potential. Schauffele, indeed, won out – but Justin Rose tied with Billy Horschel for second.
Wells Fargo Odds
Wells Fargo is another tournament that turns plenty of bettors’ heads, and it inspires a lot of different prediction systems! Outright picks in the 2024 series saw Rory McIlroy lead the field with Xander Schauffele in second, and Wyndham Clark in third – despite Clark being the 2023 champion.
This time, the Wells Fargo golf odds called it – 2024 was a huge win for McIlroy, and Schauffele finished second. Clark finished further back – but he came out of nowhere to win in 2023!
Memorial Golf Tournament Odds
Again, odds to win the Memorial Golf Tournament mostly require knowledge of player form. 2024’s tournament was no different, with then-world number one Scottie Scheffler standing out at +360 via moneyline. Rory McIlroy followed in second, and Xander Schauffele in third.
Bettors wagering on Collin Morikawa or Adam Hadwin would have been smiling – as the pair came second and third behind Scheffler in the final results.
Live Golf Odds
Live golf betting adds a whole new dimension to wagering. With live golf odds, you’re placing bets on markets that change during play.
Example: Live odds for Justin Rose to come top 20 in the US Open might change if he misses a crucial putt on a par five.
Live golf odds let bettors take advantage of changing situations on the links. Instead of betting on longer odds on futures markets before tournaments begin, they could dip into a day’s action and see if odds change – and find some interesting new opportunities.
Odds in pre-match betting tend to be longer – because the future’s not as obvious from far away!
Our Top Tips for Using Golf Odds to Your Advantage
Personally, I find golf to be one of the most unpredictable sports to bet on. It requires incredible precision, and even the best players have bad tours.
One of the best pieces of advice I can give you is to keep track of the best players in the game. You never truly know when a dark horse will come from the back and have a fantastic few holes – but getting to know how the aces perform will help you learn more about their weaknesses.
Again, I also recommend looking at more than one sportsbook for odds and potential returns. You don’t have to be loyal! I have two or three open when the bigger tournaments roll around for a golf betting odds comparison.
Finally, don’t always listen to what pundits have to say! Commentary can be conjecture and big upsets have happened. So, keep track of live odds and trust your gut.
So, Ready to Find the Best Golf Odds?
With that, you should now be more clued in on where to find the best golf odds, and what markets to watch for in the biggest tournaments! Maybe you’re keen to look into the overall odds to win US Open golf, or want to start with a few individual holes.
Take a closer look at some of the sites we’ve listed and explore their deals and golf markets when you can. Meanwhile, learn more about sports betting odds in general with our complete guide.