Golf Betting Basics

The key to golf betting is differentiating the two main wagering options, so we're here to serve as your gambling caddy and give you helpful tips on how to understand PGA golf odds. With golf, you can either bet on an individual to win a tournament or take part in "Matchup Betting" which involves wagering on artificially created golf matchups set by oddsmakers specifically for betting purposes.

"Betting to Win" an outcome event like The Masters is the most common way to wager on golf. Since golf has multiple tournaments over the course of a year, "Betting to Win" obviously offers numerous wagering opportunities.

Keep in mind that not all the competitors in a PGA golf tournament may be individually listed to win, so another golf betting option is the "field" bet which includes all other competitors not listed.

The PGA golf odds on a "field" bet depend on how many golfers are listed and how likely it is for the top golfers to win. In other words, if the same five or six golfers seem to battle it out for the top spots atop the leaderboard from tournament to tournament, the odds on the "field" will be much higher since there is less likelihood that one of the longshots in the "field" will win. However, major upsets seem to occur much more often in golf than other sports, so a "field" bet is typically comparable to a bet on the favorite odds-wise in order to protect sportsbooks from taking a big hit. In exchange for a lesser payout, field bettors do gain the advantage of having more than one entrant that can win for them.

Here's an example:

Favorites or top golfers = 5/1 to 10/1
36 or so other well-known golfers listed individually = 10/1 to 200/1
Field (collection of 36 or more not listed) = 10/1

Some sportsbooks will also allow you to bet futures on the four major PGA tournaments, which is yet another way you can "Bet to Win" that can offer you appealing odds because you are betting far in advance of when the event takes place. For example, betting on the 2006 Masters golf tournament now might get you much better value on Tiger Woods, who may be 10/1 at this moment but dip to 6/1 closer to the event if he is on a roll.

"Matchup Betting" offers an alternative to simply betting on a golf tournament's winner. Artificial head-to-head matchups are created by oddsmakers and involve golfers who are all competing against each other to win the tourney, with the bet specifically focused upon how one golfer finishes compared to another golfer in the matchup. Group matchups are another "matchup betting" option particularly popular in golf and auto racing events like NASCAR, where you can select how one golfer will finish compared to other golfers in the group. Both head-to-head and group matchup golf odds are based on the money line.

If you like a particular golfer going into a tournament, your best move is to compare matchups across multiple online sportsbooks and bet a larger amount on the biggest mismatch in your estimation. Then you can also put down a small wager on your favorite golfer to win the tournament in case he does come through and win the tournament. By betting your golfer to win the tournament and a matchup, you'll have double the fun knowing you've got double the chances to win!

Here are a couple final important tips to consider before picking your golfer:

• It's advisable to stay away from betting the public's favorite golfers since you won't get much value there
• Research the golfer's history, especially how he performs on a particular course since tournaments are typically played on the same course each year and some courses definitely play to a golfer's strengths better than others

RJ Bell is the founder of Pregame.com - Where sports bettors get ready. RJ has been an expert contributor to Maxim Magazine, CNN.com, About.com, and ABC News - and has won 3 world handicapping championships! Located in Las Vegas, the Pregame.com team works at adding to your betting confidence with powerful game insights and sportsbook reviews. FreePicksByEmail.com, the biggest daily sports betting newsletter, delivers help from famous handicappers.

More Golf Resources

Perfect Golf Swing - find out the secrets to the perfect golf swing

Golf Fitness Training - Using advanced biomechanical golf specific fitness exercises

Golf Vacations - Your resource guide to planning your golfing tour or golf vacation

Best Selling Golf Equipment