Golf is one of the most popular sports types in the world and it enjoys a dedicated following all over the world. Though it is not like other sports such as basketball or football, it is no less exciting to its viewer base and the golf betting scene is alive and well.
As a result, many sports betting websites offer golf bets as part of their service and punters are quite happy with what they have available. If you are interested in placing bets on golf events read on. In this article, we will go over all important information that concerns online golf betting.
Odds Types
As any experienced punter will tell you, understanding the odds is crucial to succeeding in online sports betting. Odds indicate how much you stand to win from a successful bet and how likely your bet it is to win. As it happens, there multiple odds formats that you will encounter at online sportsbooks. Each of them is valid in their own way, but some will be more to your liking than others. Below, we will list some of the most popular odds types that you find on the Internet when placing bets on golf events.
Decimal Odds
Decimal odds are quite popular at bookmaker websites based on the European continent. They are the preferred odds format for a lot of punters and they are readily available at most sportsbooks. Decimal odds look like this:
- Player A: 1.5:1
- Player B: 2:1
There is a lot of information that we can take away from this. For starters, Player A is favored to win, based on the lower payout ratios. In terms of payout, decimal odds indicate the net status of your bankroll if you win the bet. For example, a successful bet of $100 on Team A will earn you $50 of profit, bringing your balance up to $150.
Fractional Odds
Fractional odds are mainly featured at UK and Irish sportsbooks, but many international bookmaker websites have begun to include them in their supported formats. They are written with a hyphen or a slash and look like this:
- Player A: 2/1 or 2-1
- Player B: 1.2/1 or 1.2-2
Unlike decimal odds, fractional odds only show the amount that you stand to win as profit. More specifically, a $100 bet on Player A will provide you with a profit of $200 and bring your net bankroll to $300. Similarly, the same bet on Player B will earn you a profit of $120 and a net balance of $220.
American Odds
American odds are mainly featured at retail bookmakers across the Atlantic Ocean, but online sportsbooks also offer them in case you prefer them. They are slightly different from the other two types, in the sense that they do not provide the same payout ratio format. American odds are presented as such:
- Player A: +250
- Player B: -150
There is a lot that we can draw from this. For starters, Player A is the underdog in this match, as indicated by the plus symbol, whereas Player B is expected to win, as shown by the minus symbol. Moreover, a $100 bet on Player A will earn you a profit of $250. However, to win $100 from betting on Player B, you have to wager $150. Similarly to fractional odds, American odds only include the profit margin and do not represent the net value of the bet.
Bet Types at Golf Betting Websites
There are many different bet types in the realm of online golf betting and it only makes sense that we give you some information on some of them. Typically, most online sportsbooks will feature some or all of these types, though we can never be certain.
Outcome Bet
An Outcome bet is perhaps the simplest wager there is in gold betting. Basically, you place a bet on which team or player will be the winner in a certain event. There is nothing complex about an Outcome bet and just about anyone can place one.
Versus the Field
A Versus the Field bet is not what you would normally expect. Typically, you would bet on the winner of a particular sporting event. However, the Versus the Field bet does not deal with the best players in the league, rather it includes those players who do not stand a realistic chance of winning by themselves. In a Versus the Field bet, the small collection of expected winners is pitted against the large selection of underdogs.
Head to Head
Head to Head is a bet where you wager on the performance of two players. The two players are usually chosen on a random basis, therefore there are no specific features that tie them together. In this type of bet, there is a clear underdog and expected winner and that is reflected in the payout ratios. As you would expect, a bet on the underdog will pay significantly more than on the expected winner.
Nassau
Nassau is a betting option, which combines three other bet types. More specifically, a low score on the front nine, a low score on the back nine and a low score over the full 18. This is one of the most popular bets among online punters who specialize in golf betting. It is relatively low risk and you can certainly make a pretty penny with this wager.
Futures
Futures bets are quite common, not only in golf but across all sports featured at online sportsbooks. A Futures bet is not clearly defined, as it can be on just about anything that you can come up with and the sportsbook is willing to accept. A Futures bet is a wager on something that will happen in the long-term. You can bet on which player will win a certain event, how many holes they will score, how the performance of a player will be throughout the course of an event, etc. There is very little that you cannot bet on, so let your imagination run wild.
Propositions
Proposition bets are specific bets tailored to your personal preference. This is the perfect bet type for creative punters as it allows for a wide range of factors to be taken into consideration. Proposition bets can include just about anything that you can consider, for example, who will be in the top 10 positions, who will be in the top 5, will there be a hole in one in an event. You can also bet on certain players winning or losing events, etc. Online sportsbooks will take just about anything as a bet, so you can make your predictions very specific.
Promotions at Golf Betting Websites
Promotions are a crucial part of any online sportsbook and they are one of the main factors to consider when choosing the right sports betting website for you. Promotional offers provide users with some sort of value and are a great way to build up a decent bankroll from the start. They come in many forms and you should take every opportunity to benefit from one.
Deposit Bonuses
Deposit bonuses are quite common in the online gambling industry and this type of promotion is likely the first that you will likely encounter when you open an account. The way it works is quite simple – when you deposit a certain amount of money, the sportsbook will match the size of your deposit up to a certain amount in bonus cash. As you can imagine this directly affects your bankroll and causes it to increase in value.
But there are certain rules that you must follow when you choose to accept the bonus. For one, you will have to fulfil a wagering requirement for the bonus money. Basically, you will have to place a certain amount in bets before you are allowed to withdraw the bonus sum. Moreover, the bets have to be at certain odds, indicated by the sportsbook in the terms and conditions.
Deposit bonuses are an excellent way for you to begin your journey in online sports betting and we recommend that you take advantage of such promotions.
Bet Refunds
Bet refunds are offered by online sportsbooks from time to time and they are mostly self-explanatory. When a bet refund promotion is running, there are two possible outcomes to the bets that you place. One is that you win the bet and you collect the winnings, while in the other scenario, you lose it and the sportsbook refunds the sum of the bet in bonus money.
Of course, this does not come without strings attached and you will have to fulfil a turnover requirement to cash in that money. Some may not be too fond of this, but the sportsbook is giving you the opportunity to win back your lost money at no cost to you, which is by no means a bad thing.
Free Bets
Free bets are also a popular promotion and online sportsbook offer them quite often. Customers are given the opportunity to place a bet on a certain sports game and they get to collect the winnings from that bet in bonus money if they win. The value of the free bet is predetermined and you have to abide by the rules of the promotion. Naturally, the bonus money is subjected to a turnover requirement, which you have to meet before attempting to cash in the sum.
Deposit Methods at Golf Betting Websites
As it is often the case, online punters have to resort to using online payment services in order to manage their sportsbook bankroll. Luckily, gambling websites try to make their services as accessible as possible and therefore, support a wide array of payment solutions, allowing punters from all over the world to participate.
Credit Cards
Credit cards are one of your best options when it comes to managing your online sportsbook bankroll. They are universally accepted in the online gambling industry and there are multiple advantages to using them. To begin with, any deposit made via credit card will be processed immediately and you can place bets on your favorite players as soon as you confirm the transaction.
Credit cards are among the most popular payment methods, mostly because they are easy to use and accessible. Many sportsbooks will also give you the option to cash in your balance to your credit card. This will normally take anywhere between 2 and 5 business days before the transaction clears. Most gambling websites support Visa and MasterCard.
Electronic Wallets
An excellent alternative to credit cards are the so-called eWallets, which enjoy the same levels of support and provide punters with a wide range of benefits. As any experienced gambler will tell you, deposits made via eWallet take only seconds to process and there are practically no wait times. Moreover, you also enjoy greater degrees of anonymity, since the eWallet service is not connected to your personal bank account in any way. This way the sportsbook does not receive any sensitive data about you.
Furthermore, withdrawals made via eWallets are unrivaled in terms of speed, taking only a few short hours after the sportsbook staff confirm the transaction. Popular eWallet services include Skrill, Neteller, ecoPayz, PayPal and others.
Prepaid Cards
Prepaid cards are an excellent alternative for anyone who does not wish to stick with any particular payment service. They are widely available and come in many different forms. Moreover, they are completely anonymous and will allow you to maintain your privacy on the Internet. Deposits made via prepaid card will be processed instantly, thereby allowing you to immediately start placing bets.
However, the downside is that withdrawals cannot be made in the same manner and you will have to rely on a bank transfer to cash in your winnings. Out of all the available prepaid services, we recommend that you use Paysafecard, as it is the most supported and the most widely available.
Online Banking
Online banking has recently started rising in popularity and there are many services that you can use for the purposes of gambling transactions. Online banking comes with several great perks that will be a great benefit to you. For starters, deposits take only a few seconds to process and the money will be in your sportsbook balance in the blink of an eye.
Moreover, online banking services provide punters with a lot of consumer protection, guaranteeing the safety of their funds. Withdrawals are much faster than a standard bank transfer, clearing in only a few business days. There are many online banking services that you can utilize at online sportsbooks, however, most of them a tied to a particular region or country. Therefore, we recommend that you inquire which services are available to you.
Mobile Support at Golf Betting Websites
In today’s day and age, smartphones and tablets are becoming an inseparable part of life and many gambling websites have capitalized on this fact. Nowadays, many gambling websites opt to include as many customers as possible to their user base, which means that they also accommodate those who wish to place bets on their mobile devices. As smartphones and tablets have expanded their capabilities in recent years, online sportsbooks have extended their services to mobile punters.
Accessing an online sportsbook through a smartphone or a tablet has never been easier. There are two possibilities where mobile betting is concerned. One is to directly access the sportsbook from the browser of the mobile device. This method requires very little on your part and you can do so in a matter of seconds. The alternative is to download a dedicated mobile application, typically available for iOS and Android devices. This method allows you to directly access the sportsbook from your home screen and immediately start placing bets.
There is very little difference between the two options in terms of functionality. In essence, both will give you access to the same features where betting options, promotions, banking, and customer support are concerned. Overall, it comes down to personal preference and it is up to you to decide which is the right solution for you.
FAQ
There are dedicated regulatory institutions that overlook online gambling websites, including sports betting ones. These institutions are set up by the governments of a given country and they license all gambling operations offering their services to that particular country. So far, regulatory institutions have done an excellent job in rooting out the illegitimate websites from the proper ones and you can trust any website licensed by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission, the Malta Gaming Authority, the Gibraltar Regulatory Commission and the Curacao Government.
Your personal and banking information will be completely safe when you submit it to an online sportsbook. Gambling websites are required by law to be able to protect user data, therefore you should be safe in the knowledge that you will not have to worry about your information becoming compromised. The way that gambling websites protect your data is by utilizing high-tech encryption systems.
This is one of the requirements imposed by the regulatory institutions that regulate gambling websites. This is done to prevent certain illegal activities that are typically easily enabled by the anonymity of the Internet, such as money laundering or underage gambling. As a result, gambling websites need you to submit some form of identification. They do not do this because they want to, rather because they have to.