Best Golf Betting Sites Australia 2024

A Closer Look at the Best Golf Betting Sites

If you’re interested in betting on golf, we would suggest signing up with multiple online bookmakers as there are a number of advantages to having betting accounts with a range of golf betting sites.

It's possible to compare odds across bookmakers and cherry-pick the biggest prices, while you can also find different markets with different bookies.

We've compared some of the leading golf betting sites below, so picking the sites that suit your preferences should be straightforward.

bet365

bet365 is one of the market leaders when it comes to golf betting. Before a tournament starts, this bookmaker generally takes a number of players from the outright market and offers price boosts on some of the fancied golfers. 

While bet365 doesn't always have the best each-way terms for events, there’s always the chance to bet on popular markets like first round leader, three-ball winner and 'to make the cut'.

Betfair

We always recommend having a Betfair account when it comes to golf betting. After all, they not only have a first-class sportsbook but also a leading exchange where you can back and lay on golf betting markets.

You can tell that Betfair takes golf extremely seriously by the attention devoted to the sport on the Betfair blog. 

This is a great resource for bettors, where you can find golf betting tips from experts along with handy betting guides and an each-way golf betting calculator.

The only slight drawback is that fees apply to deposits made using some payment methods. However, these are small (e.g. 2% for PayPal deposits) and there are no fees associated with withdrawals or with deposits using other more popular payment options.

How We Compare & Rank Golf Betting Sites

Here at Gambling.com, we leave no stone unturned when it comes to producing a definitive list of the best golf betting sites. 

There is a dedicated team of golf betting enthusiasts on board, with our experts analysing dozens of golf betting sites. 

We sign up with the best golf bookmakers and test them ourselves by placing a number of different bets to get a feel for the overall service.

We have a strict set of criteria which is used to determine the pecking order of the top golf betting sites:

• Safety & Licensing: As you can see from our list of leading golf betting sites, there is licensing and regulation in place from reputable authorities. Customer safety and security is absolutely paramount when betting online and we only recommend regulated sites that put your safety first.
• Banking Methods: We want to see a healthy range of payment options when it comes to each golf betting site. These include debit cards and popular e-wallet solutions such as PayPal, Skrill and Neteller.
• Golf Betting Odds: When you back a winner, you want to enjoy the biggest possible return. Therefore, our recommended golf betting sites should have competitive pricing. There should also be lots of extra places offered on each-way golf betting.
• Ease of Sign-Up: Customers should be able to get up and running straight away when they sign up with a new golf betting site. So we’re looking for a registration process that is simple and straightforward.
• Golf Betting Market Coverage: In addition to the outright tournament winner market, bettors should be able to enjoy a wide range of other golf betting options.
• Industry Reputation: While we always consider the best new betting sites when reviewing online golf bookmakers, we also take into account the industry reputation that each operator has. It’s important that a website is reliable and has a reputation for serving its customers.

How to Bet on Golf

If you’re new to golf betting and want an easy step-by-step guide for placing bets on this sport, then you’ve come to the right place.

As you can see from the below, it’s a fairly straightforward process which means you should be able to place a bet on golf online within a few minutes. In this example, we'll look at how to bet on the outright (tournament winner) market.

1. Head to your chosen golf betting site
2. Click on the 'register', 'sign up' or 'join now' button
3. Enter your personal details including name, date-of-birth and email address
4. Agree to the bookmaker terms and conditions
5. Make a first deposit into your online betting account using one of the available payment options
6. Once you have a funded account, you can then head to the 'golf' section of the bookmaker site
7. Choose the golf tournament you want to place a bet on
8. Choose the market on which you want to bet - e.g. 'tournament winner'
9. Tap on the player(s) that you want to back to win the competition
10. Choose whether you want to back 'win only' or 'each-way'
11. Nominate a stake for how much you want to place
12. Tap on 'place bet' and the bet should be processed
13. For any winning bets, you can visit your account section and request a withdrawal

Read More: Gambling.com's guide on how to fill in a betting slip online

Golf Betting Strategy & Tips

Like betting on any sport, there are no guarantees when it comes to making a profit on golf. However, there are people out there that are able to make money on a regular basis betting on the latest events on the PGA Tour and European Tour. Here are some useful tips to help with smart golf bets.

Don’t Pin Your Hopes on One Player

Finding the winner of a golf tournament can be tricky – so don’t make life even harder by only selecting one player against the field. You can choose a handful of players at varying odds and still stand to make a handsome profit if one of your chosen golfers triumphs after the four rounds.

For example, if your budget for a given tournament is A$20, you could split this into four A$5 bets on four golfers you fancy, rather than putting all your eggs in one basket.

Look For The Most Each-Way Places

Many golf bettors like to bet each-way, splitting their stake on a player to win and to place so they can land a profit if a selection finishes near the top of the leaderboard.

Bookies have different each-way terms and you would ideally want six, seven or even 8-12 places to give you the best chance of a return. 

Oppose Players With Three-Ball/Two-Ball Betting

Many punters like to bet on each individual round rather than the outright market. Betting on the three-balls in the first and second round of an event, or two-ball golf betting in the final two rounds, can be tremendous fun. It simply means that you are wagering on a player to beat his or her two playing partners over 18 holes.

These are smart golf bets to place when you have a solid reason to expect a player to perform badly. In these cases, look to oppose the golfer you don't expect to do well.

Set Aside Golf Betting Bankroll 

Some golf bettors don’t consider having a set bankroll or staking plan when it comes to each golf tournament. 

However, you should ideally set aside an amount that you’re happy to gamble over the four days and potentially split out the stakes so that you can wager a maximum amount on a daily basis.

The Cut Will Narrow Down The Field

Sometimes a customer will hold back from placing bets on the outright market until the first two rounds of a competition have been played.

After all, when the cut is made, you can not only get a reduced field to bet on but there is also two rounds of data that you can digest before deciding which players will kick on and produce a winning performance. It doesn’t always pay to go in early.

Popular Markets at Golf Betting Sites

There are dozens of different golf bets that can be placed on big events such as The Masters, Open Championship or Ryder Cup. It’s great to have so many angles of attack and we have outlined some of the more popular golf betting markets below.

• Outright Winner: The most popular market of all – which player will win the tournament? There is the chance to either bet win-only or place an each-way golf bet here.
• First Round Leader: Place a bet on which player will be the clubhouse leader after round one. You can bet each-way on this market and there’s often the chance to bet on second round and third round leader as well.
• Top 5/10/20 Finish: Predict a player to achieve a finish high up the leaderboard. This offers the advantage of not having to predict the actual winner, with customers able to profit simply if a player performs well over the four days, although the odds will be divided by four/five/six depending on the number of places being paid out.
• Three-Ball Betting: Bet on a player to outperform their two playing partners over 18 holes. It’s a three-way betting market which gives you a greater chance of backing a winner and you can put different selections in a multi bet.
• Six-Shooter: A number of bookmakers will group together six players ahead of a particular round and you can bet on which golfer will achieve the best 18-hole score.
• Top European/USA/Asian/ROW Player: If you fancy a particular player to perform well over the four days, consider whether they might outplay rivals from the same country or region. Also good if you’re looking to oppose a favourite in this market.
• Nationality of Winner: This is a great golf betting market if you have a strong view that there will be a winner from the USA or another country.
• Betting Without Favourites: Sometimes a golf betting site will give you the chance to bet on a market that doesn’t include some of the short-priced favourites lining up.
• Golf Match Bets (Player v Player): Whether this is an 18-hole or 72-hole match bet, it’s a chance to back Player A to beat Player B in terms of score and it’s another great acca option.
• Hole-in-One Betting: A simple case of betting on Yes (there will be a Hole in One) or No (there won’t be a Hole in One) for a particular event. You can also back specific players to make a hole-in-one in a tournament at long odds.

Each-Way Bet on Golf

If you are interested in placing bets on golf, you should strongly consider an each-way golf bet. This might initially sound complicated but it’s easy to understand and gives you the chance to secure a profit even if your golfer doesn’t win the tournament. Betting on golf each-way means that you can win if your player finishes near the top of the leaderboard when the markets are settled.

Ultimately, an each-way bet is two different bets in one. A A$20 each-way bet means you are staking A$10 on a player to win and A$10 on a player to place - a total stake of A$20.

The win stake means you need the player to finish top of the leaderboard. The place stake means that you need your player to finish in the frame.

As far as 'the frame' is concerned, it will depend on the bookmaker in question. It’s pretty standard for a golf bookie to offer five places to each-way bettors, although you can often find betting sites offering six, seven or even 8-12 places. Bookmakers will certainly add extra each-way places as a promotion for big events like the majors.

For a major such as the Open Championship, US Open or Masters, a bookie such as Betfair will offer lots of extra places for each-way bettors. Ladbrokes is another firm prepared to push the boat out in this regard.

Major Golf Tournaments

There are four major golf tournaments that take place during the calendar year. These are the most popular competitions from a betting point-of-view - along with the Ryder Cup - which takes place every two years and is comfortably the biggest team event in world golf.

You will find the biggest golf betting offers and promotions for these events, with the world’s best players competing for the biggest prizes.

The Open Championship

The Open Championship always takes place at a British links course, with world-leading players competing in difficult coastal conditions over four rounds. Open Championship betting is extremely popular and specials are common, especially among Australian bookies.

The Old Course at St Andrews, Royal Liverpool and Royal Troon are just some of the courses won the Open Championship rota. The famous Claret Jug is up for grabs and this is a tournament which tends to take place in mid-July, meaning it’s the final major of the year.

US Masters

The US Masters is the only major golf tournament which takes place at the same course every year. Augusta National is the most iconic golf course in the world, with a select group of invited players attending every April in the hope of securing the famous green jacket.

The Masters has a smaller field than the other majors and that means it’s theoretically easier to back the winner - especially as there’s often a shortlist of certain players, including course specialists, in with a chance. 

Betting on the first major of the year is always popular and the best golf betting sites pull out all of the stops when The Masters Tournament arrives every April, so check out the latest US Masters betting odds below. 

US Open

US Open betting is another big market and this is the major with the biggest prize money for players.

The tournament takes place at difficult, usually lengthy courses all over the USA, with Winged Foot, Pebble Beach and Shinnecock Hills among some of the recent venues to host the action.

This is often an event which rewards big-hitting players off the tee. American players have an outstanding recent record and are well worth worth considering with your US Open bets.

PGA Championship

Golf betting sites always expect a brisk level of business when it comes to PGA Championship betting.

This used to be the final major of the year to close out the summer - but in more recent times, the PGA Championship has been played in May on the weekend before Memorial Day. This is the only tournament which is exclusively for professional players, meaning that you won’t see any amateurs or rookies in the field.

The Ryder Cup

Ryder Cup betting has surged in popularity recently and this event has become a must-watch for golf fans, with the USA and Europe facing off in front of thousands of fans every two years.

The two teams of 12 players compete over three days, with fourballs and foursomes taking centre-stage before the drama of final day singles matches.

There are always lots of Ryder Cup special offers at the best golf betting sites. You can place fun accumulators on the outcome of various matches, while many punters also like to predict what the overall score will be at the end of the tournament.

The Solheim Cup

The Solheim Cup is the female equivalent of the Ryder Cup, with Europe and America battling it out over three days in a bid to secure major honours.

This event continues to grow in popularity and the bookies are keen to roll out a number of different betting markets for each day of the action. 

The Olympics

The Summer Olympics comes around once every four years and Olympic golf betting is becoming more popular. This sport is a recent addition to the Olympics, with some of the world’s leading male and female players representing their countries in the hopes of landing a medal.

The tournaments are played over four rounds and there are a vast array of betting markets created by the leading golf betting sites.

The Presidents Cup

When Team USA aren’t competing in the Ryder Cup, you can often find them battling it out against a Rest of the World Team in the Presidents Cup.

This is another biennial team event over three days, with punters usually backing the USA to land the cup due to their record of dominance in this competition.

Online Golf Betting Apps

Golf bettors want to bet as quickly and easily as possible and that is why the leading golf betting sites have handy golf betting apps available for Apple and Android users.

You can download a bookmaker’s golf betting app and log in using your account details to enjoy all the features of seamless mobile betting. Alternatively, a mobile-optimised version of the desktop site can be accessed and this will usually be easy to use as well.

The best golf betting apps take your security seriously and you can use touch ID or face ID in order to log into your betting account.

bet365 probably has the best golf betting app in the business, although high marks go to Betfair in this area as well. Both of these golf betting apps have a simple, intuitive interface that loads quickly.

Golf Betting Sites Payment Methods

If a golf betting site is going to be included among our recommendations, then it’s imperative that it offers popular payment methods to customers. Ideally, we want to see a wide range of safe and secure payment options, so that punters are able to select the one that suits them best. They should then be able to transfer funds quickly to and from their account.

Naturally, all the best golf betting sites facilitate debit card transactions, We also look for acceptance of e-wallet methods. Neteller, Skrill and PayPal are especially popular with customers who are looking to make a transfer through a third-party payment site, while Klara and Paysafecard are other great options.

We prioritise golf betting sites that facilitate transactions free of charge, although you should always check to ensure there are no withdrawal fees attached.

Best Golf Betting Sites – Final Verdict

All of the golf betting sites recommended on this page have spent years creating a first-class service. T

hey have successfully moved with the times and responded to customer demand, offering competitive odds and lots of markets on popular golf tournaments.