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Types of Golf Bet

There are many types of golfing bets; some are fairly straightforward whilst others are more complicated. As with all sports, gambling is a strong feature of golf. The bet can be as large or as small as you want, and the type of golfing bet you choose will affect how much money you can receive. Because golf tournaments involve a large number of players, there are many types of bet and odds on offer. You can bet on the outright winner of any tournament, but there are also many other popular golf betting options.

Types of Golf Bet - The Win Bet (or the ‘straight out' bet)

This is the simplest type of golfing bet, as you are simply backing a player to win. For example, if you make a win bet (or “straight out” bet) on a player at 5/1 and the player wins, you receive £5 for every £1 that you bet, and your original stake will also be returned. Therefore if your stake was £1 you would receive a total of £6 back.

Types of Golf Bet - The Place bet

A place bet is related to a win bet except that you win when the player finishes within a specified number of places (the number can vary from bookmaker to bookmaker and also due to the number of players competing at an event). When you make a place bet you get the same odds regardless of which of these places the golfer finishes in. The odds for a place bet are calculated as fractions of the win odds (either 1/3, 1/4, or 1/5 of the win).

For example, If you make a £1 golf bet for a golfer to win at a "place" 40/1, then if the player achieves this place, you will win a proportion of the 40/1 odds plus your original bet. If the proportion is ¼, your place odds are 0.25 x 40/1 = 10/1 and you would get £11 (£10 win plus the return of your £1 stake).

In event of a tie for a place all payouts are reduced, depending on the number of ties. (Note that the proportion of the odds you receive varies from one bookmaker to the next, so make sure you are aware of the terms and conditions before placing your bet.)

Types of Golf Bet - The Each Way Bet

An each way bet allows you to bet on a player to win and/or be placed in a match. You pay the same stake for each part of the bet. The win odds are listed on the betting coupon, whilst the place odds are again fractions of the win bet odds.

Types of Golf Bet - Group Betting

Here the bookmaker selects a group of players, and determines the odds of each player beating each other. You bet on the player you expect to win.

Types of Golf Bet - Tournament Match-Betting (or 72 Hole Match Betting)

Here two players compete against each other and you are betting on who will have the best tournament over the entire 72 holes. This bet normally matches together players of similar ability. The player who completes the course in the least number of strokes is the winner.

Types of Golf Bet - Combination Golf Betting

This type of golf bet consists of a mixture of golfing bets – for example you might choose to bet on two different things in a golf tournament. Each bet has to be won for the combination golf bet to be a winner.

The value of the payout is equal to all the individual odds multiplied together. For example, if you bet a particular golfer to win the tournament at odds of 5/1 and another player to win a specific match at odds of 20/1 then the overall odds for the combination bet would be 100/1.

Types of Golf Bet - Two Ball Betting

This is one of the most popular types of golfing bet. In tournaments, players go out to play in groups of two, three of four. If they go out in groups of two, you can make a two-ball bet, in which you bet on one player to beat the player in a specified round.

Types of Golf Bet - Three Ball Betting

This is similar to a two-ball bet except that you bet that one player will beat the other two players on the course in a specified round.

Types of Golf Bet – Four Ball Betting

This is similar to two-ball and three-ball bets except that you bet that one player will beat the other three players on the course in a specified round.

The 3-ball and 2-ball betting market has become hugely competitive in recent years, so it would be wise to shop around to give yourself the best chance to win. You can see golfing odd from a range of bookmakers and betting exchanges in our Latest Odds section

Types of Golf Bet - Spread Betting

Unlike traditional fixed odds bets, with a spread-bet you 'Buy' and 'Sell' against a prediction made by a bookmaker about what will happen in a golfing event. You can back a golfer to do well or, if you don't fancy their chances, back them to lose.

The bookmaker quotes his prediction, or 'Spread', about how a player or team will perform in a golf tournament and you then place your bet according to whether or not you agree with the prediction. If you believe the quote is too low then you would "buy". Conversely, if you believe the quote is too high then you would "sell".

Profits and losses are made in proportion to the stake that you choose: the amount that you win or lose will be calculated by multiplying your stake by the difference between the spread and the final result.

You can make different types of spread bet – for example you could make a match spread bet or a two-ball spread bet. With spread betting you can also bet during play. You can also'close' a bet before the end of play,to take an early win or curb a loss.

Now that you are familiar with the various types of bets used when betting on golf matches – visit our Golf Betting Strategies page for some hints and tips.

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