With a PGA tournament playing out basically every weekend throughout the year, there are thousands of ways to bet on every swing, hole or errant drive.
“Live” or “in game” golf betting provides real-time odds you can bet on as the action happens on the course. Here are a few things to keep in mind if you’re live betting on golf.
How live golf betting works
As tee shots go off for the first group on the course, the betting action transitions from the standard pre-tourney wagers to live bets. Sportsbooks post updated odds and lines throughout each day of the tournament.
Things tend to move quickly, so a sportsbook app you can use on your phone or tablet will let you bet from anywhere, provided you’re in a state that allows sports betting.
As you watch and enjoy the tourney — sometimes via a live stream on the sportsbook app itself — you can follow all the key stats and find new bets to place on virtually every swing of the club.
Live golf betting options
As a golf tournament progresses, you can bet on new odds for many of the wagers that were available before everyone teed off, including the following:
- Bets on winners and finishers
- Groups and head-to-heads
- Round leaders
The odds at live golf betting sites will update based on what’s happening. For example, if one of the favorites gets off to a rough start, the odds on that golfer will drop. And the opposite might happen for dark horses who do well in the early going.
Betting on live golf also lets you bet on specific instances as they happen in real time:
- Betting per hole
- Best score on Hole 7 within the playing group.
- Betting for a range of holes
- Best score for Holes 4-6.
- Score per hole
- A specific golfer to score birdie or better on Hole 11 — yes/no?
- Scoring achievements
- Any golfer to eagle Hole 14 — yes/no?
Since this is live betting, the exact odds and available bets will vary as the tournament plays out, but you’ll generally find a solid number of options.
How should you approach live golf betting?
For starters, as mentioned, a sportsbook app that gives you access to all the live golf markets right from your phone can be helpful. You can log in and bet from wherever you’re watching the tourney as long as you’re in a state where sports betting is legal.
You’ll also be able to scope out the live betting odds at online sportsbooks and make bets quickly if the odds and situation call for it. Here are five more key ways to approach in play golf betting:
- Know the schedule and plan your time: Barring unforeseen weather delays or schedule changes, golf tournaments keep to a schedule. In order to release Farmers Insurance Open odds for example, the tournament sets tee times and releases them to the public in advance of each round. Make a note of when the golfers you want to bet on are set to tee off and plan accordingly. If you can only be available for live betting at certain times, preview who should be on the course during that time and know what lines you’re looking for.
- Scout out the weather and course layout: Weather can have a big impact on tournaments, and that goes beyond just heavy rain. The wind can change the trajectory of a shot, so make it a habit to check the forecast regularly so you can anticipate potential trouble spots. The same holds true for the course itself, as certain stretches may be particularly easy in some weather while others may be more daunting.
- Understand what you’re looking for: While the exact odds and bets can vary as the tournament plays out, you should have a plan of what you’re looking for. Do you like betting on specific holes or ranges? Are you trying to pinpoint golfers who could surge up the board before sportsbooks catch on? By knowing the type of bets that you’re most interested in, you give yourself a better chance to be ready if they pop up.
- Watch for momentum swings: When researching in advance of a tournament, it’s normal to feel a general sense of how things will play out. Once the tournament begins, though, things can break very differently from what you anticipated. Just like any other athlete, there are big momentum swings for golfers on the course, both positive and negative. If 2021 winner Jon Rahm starts slow out of the gate, the odds on the Genesis Invitational would shift heavily during the first round. If If you spot them quickly, you’ll be in a position to make more informed betting decisions.
- Have a strict budget in place: Live betting on golf can be exciting. It can enhance your enjoyment of a tournament, but you also have to be careful not to get too swept away. Before you start live betting, have a budget in place and stick to it no matter what. This can help keep you focused on making the best possible wagers as opposed to taking random shots.
A good part of the appeal of live betting is that you can log in and bet at any time while a tournament is playing out. While it’s awesome to have it at your disposal whenever you want, winging it rarely works out with any kind of sports betting. Use the above live golf betting tips to help get your own personal game plan in place so that you’re ready to go at any time.
Is live golf betting worth it?
There’s a lot to like about live golf betting. However, that doesn’t mean that it’s for everyone. Individual bettors need to decide what works best for them. If you like betting as the action happens with the chance to have your picks decided quickly, live betting may work well for you.
For those who prefer having more time to analyze, live betting may only work in a select few spots. Regardless of where you fall on the spectrum, it’s helpful to have a decent handle on how it all works before you begin.
Live betting can work well as a hedge for your initial tournament bets. If your wagers aren’t panning out, you can shift your focus over to the golfers who are performing well. On the other hand, if your initial picks are playing as well as you anticipated, you may have a chance to double down. That said, always remember the importance of sticking to a budget when betting on sports.
The ultimate worth of live betting will come down to your results and enjoyment level. Most importantly, live golf betting should keep you entertained and engaged.