Best UK Golf Betting Sites

The Best Golf Betting Sites in the UK

Golf has long been among the top sports for betting and nowadays there are more ways to make money from gambling on the game than ever before, due to the rise of in-play wagers.

With golf leaderboards subject to change rapidly as players both drop and make up shots, this can make it very exciting for those who have backed a particular player to come out on top.

Betting exchanges also allow people to back and lay golfers but for most fans of the game who are interested in gambling on tournaments, they will just be trying to pick out an overall winner.

Naturally, ante-post betting markets for golf are widely available too. While the focus on betting sites in the UK will be on tournaments that are upcoming or ongoing, it is usually possible to put a bet on an event such as the Ryder Cup or The Masters well before the event gets underway.

Most golf tournaments are stroke play, which simply means the player who posts the lowest score over the course of the event claims the prize money and a trophy. But golf also has some other formats such as match play, where golfers face off against each other in a head-to-head.

This all means golf betting in the UK includes an awful lot of options and the good news is there are plenty of special golf betting bonuses, promotions, and deals to take advantage of as well.

To do that, people will need to identify which of the best golf betting sites in the UK they want to join. The choice here is almost endless, so let's have a look at the key factors that we look at when we are assessing leading UK online bookmakers and comparing all of their golf coverage.

How We Choose the Best Golf Betting Sites in the UK

To get a full picture of how golf betting sites in the UK compare to each other, there is a range of factors that we take into account. They fall broadly into around seven categories, as follows:

Legal and licenses: All golf betting sites in the UK need to make sure that they have the right license to operate so that they are fully legal to use. In the UK, these usually come from the Gambling Commission, which is the body responsible for overseeing the industry. We also look at the terms and conditions of each site to make sure no other legal issues are presented here.

Range of golf matches and markets: All online bookmakers cover golf to some degree, but the best of them will have a far greater array of golf matches and markets to pick from. As well as pre-event markets, online betting sites should also have live-in-play golf betting available. It is also important for a lot of golf fans to be able to access many ante-post golf markets in advance.

High golf odds: As with betting on any other sport online, most people want to make sure they get the best value from their wagers. In golf, with such large fields, the prices on offer can vary a lot from site to site. Of course, the value on offer also depends on factors such as the each-way terms that are up for grabs. As an example, sometimes a site might have more places on offer in their each-way market, but with a smaller percentage of the odds paid on that section of the bet. Ranking how online betting sites compare for their golf odds is a key factor that we assess.

Special promotions for golf: While new betting site users will be able to make the most out of a variety of welcome bonuses if they are signing up for a fresh account, they will also want to know whether or not there are any special promotions for golf on offer. These usually come up around the top events on the sport's calendar, such as The Open, Ryder Cup, or The Masters.

Golf live streaming: Golf fans do not just want to be able to bet on their favourite sport, they will also prefer to be able to tune into the live-action to see if their wager is a winner or not. Golf live streaming might not be as commonly available as for some sports such as football, so those golf betting sites in the UK that can offer live streams are likely to attract a lot more customers.

Payment methods: Most of the UK's leading online betting sites have much the same to offer when it comes to payment methods, with debit cards still the prevalent option. But there are some differences among golf betting sites, with some offering Bitcoin for example. We also assess key terms and conditions regarding payment methods, such as whether or not all of the options allow people to claim bonuses, or whether there are any fees for withdrawals.

Customer support: Last on our list of key factors when assessing the best golf betting sites in the UK is customer support. Most users of betting sites have needed to access customer support to resolve an issue with their account at some point. Ideally, help will be offered on a 24/7 basis so problems can be sorted out at any time of the day or night. Golf fans will also want to have a wide range of options for customer support, like live chat, telephone, email, or an FAQ.

Top 10 Golf Betting Sites in the UK

Plenty of the top online bookmakers in the UK have golf betting available, but users will want to know which of them are the best to sign up with. Here are our top 10 golf betting sites in the UK:

Bet365 - #1 Best Golf Betting Site

Always ranking highly among UK betting sites, Bet365 is a great choice for fans of golf. Bet365 has a massive range of golf markets and events to pick from, including women's tournaments as well as men's competitions.

Ante-post golf betting is an area where Bet365 certainly excels, allowing its customers to bet on the outcome of golf majors such as The Open and The Masters several months in advance, which could give users excellent value. As with most of its other major sports, the golf betting odds that are on offer at Bet365 are consistently very good as well.

Unibet - #2 Best Golf Betting Site

While not the biggest name in the industry, lots of golf fans enjoy using Unibet for their betting. This site offers golf betting opportunities from both sides of the Atlantic and around the world.

Unibet thrives when it comes to live in-play golf betting as there are a lot of markets to pick from and the site's interface is one of the cleanest and most intuitive in the business as well. Golf fans who opt for Unibet get access to the Uniboost offer, which allows them to increase the odds on offer for a handful of their bets every day.

William Hill - #3 Best Golf Betting Site

William Hill is one of the UK's oldest betting brands, but despite the traditional feel of the site, it has a modern edge that means many golf fans will enjoy using it to bet on their favourite sport.

At William Hill, site users get lots of golf betting markets including live in-play options. There are also often enhanced odds and price boosts for golf at William Hill, which helps to make sure that this UK betting site has some of the industry's best golf odds on a regular basis as a result.

Betfair - #4 Best Golf Betting Site

Golf fans might already be familiar with the Betfair exchange, which usually has the best golf betting odds around as users are betting against each other. But the Betfair sportsbook site is also excellent for golf lovers, with a huge range of ante-post betting markets to pick from here.

At Betfair, users get plenty of odds boosts as well, increasing the value on offer even more. There is no doubt Betfair is among the best UK betting sites for golf wagers thanks to this.

888Sport - #5 Best Golf Betting Site

Online casino players probably already know about 888, but its sportsbook enjoys a growing reputation among fans of sports such as golf as well, due to an excellent range of promotions.

Users who join 888Sport can bet on golf both pre-event and live in-play and the range of women's golf that is available to bet on here is better than most UK betting sites can offer too.

Few other sites had markets available for events like the Solheim Cup or Presidents Cup, meaning 888Sport could be a great option for those who do not just want to bet on majors.

BetVictor - #6 Best Golf Betting Site

Dozens of live in-play golf betting options can be found at BetVictor, making this UK betting site a top choice for fans of the sport who like to place their wagers while the action is ongoing.

Naturally, there are also lots of ante-post markets for big events like the Ryder Cup as well.

One of the good things about BetVictor is the site's trending bets section. This shows up the most popular golf betting selections at the current time. Those searching for a selection for any upcoming tournaments might therefore be inspired by some of the picks put forward here.

Paddy Power - #7 Best Golf Betting Site

Power Prices - which are the Paddy Power version of enhanced odds - are often available for golf, which is one of the reasons why the site ranks highly among UK golf betting sites right now.

Paddy Power's marketing antics usually make a splash but below the surface, this Irish online bookmaker is renowned for top golf odds, as well as a variety of great promotions as well.

Women's golf and seniors tournaments are included in the list of events covered here too, so there is certainly no shortage of golf betting options for those who opt to join Paddy Power.

Betfred - #8 Best Golf Betting Site

Another traditional UK betting brand to have successfully made the leap online is Betfred, where golf fans will be able to find an almost unparalleled selection of ante-post betting markets. Live in-play golf betting is also an area of strength for the Betfred betting brand as well.

Betfred users also have access to some of the best betting offers in the business right now. Some £30 in free bets can be earned just for signing up for an account. Golf lovers who pick a winner with these golf free bets at Betfred will be popping the champagne for sure.

Betway - #9 Best Golf Betting Site

Golf free bets are also offered at Betway, with £10 in wagers up for grabs every week as a result of this UK online betting site's Free Bets Club rewards deal.

Betway's golf betting covers all of the major tournaments fans of the sport would expect, from The Masters and The Open through to other events like the Ryder Cup and the Solheim Cup.

Various golf betting markets can be found here as well, including giving users the chance to bet on their chosen player finishing in either the top five or the top 10 on the final leaderboard.

Netbet - #10 Best Golf Betting Site

Not the biggest betting brand on our list of the top golf betting sites in the UK, Netbet packs a punch nevertheless with the sportsbook also home to a handy online casino section as well.

Popular Tournaments and Competitions for Betting on Golf

Golf events run all year round these days, so fans of the sport will almost always have a few different options to bet on. But here are some of the most popular tournaments and competitions for betting on golf in the UK, covering all of the major events on the sport's annual calendar:

The Masters: The first golf major of the year is The Masters and it is probably the sport's most famous event full stop. Held every year at the Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia and scheduled for the first full week of April, The Masters is renowned for its sense of tradition. Among the most successful players in Masters history are Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, and Arnold Palmer, with British winners including the surprise 2016 champion Danny Willett.

US Open: Unlike The Masters, the US Open - the United States Open Championship in full - is played on a different course every year, making it a different challenge for elite golfers. It is often one of the most difficult events of the year as courses are set up to make low-scoring tricky. The prize pool at the US Open is usually the biggest of the four majors, which helps to make the competition to win the trophy even more ferocious. Justin Rose is among the former winners.

The Open: The UK's only major, The Open also tours a range of courses like the US Open. Founded all the way back in 1860, it takes place in the middle of July each year, the peak of the British summer. Open winners get the Claret Jug with Tiger Woods and Ireland's Padraig Harrington is among the players in the modern era to have lifted the trophy on multiple occasions.

US PGA: Usually played in May on the weekend before Memorial Day, the US PGA follows on from The Masters and is the second major of the year on golf's annual calendar. PGA winners always get an automatic invitation to play in the other three majors, with courses that hold the event including Kiawah Island Golf Resort. Americans tend to dominate with Woods and Brooks Koepka among the players to have won the US PGA more than once, with Northern Ireland's superstar Rory McIlroy also having tasted victory on multiple occasions at the championships.

The Olympics: Golf might not be seen as a classic Olympic sport, but the fact the event only takes place every four years means it is a cherished prize for players to compete for. It also gives them a chance to represent their country on a global stage, which does not happen a lot in golf, while there are both men's and women's medals up for grabs in golf at the Olympics. Golf only returned to the Olympics in 2016, with Justin Rose taking gold for Great Britain in the men's event while the women's competition was won by South Korean golfer Inbee Park in Rio, Brazil.

Ryder Cup: Golf's premier team event is the Ryder Cup, which sees Europe take on the United States for bragging rights. The tournament takes place every two years with the hosting rights alternating. Europe has been the dominant force in recent Ryder Cup history with British players such as Ian Poulter becoming legends of the game thanks to their exploits at the event. Other golf team events that are popular to bet on in the UK include the Presidents Cup - which is the US against an international team representing the rest of the world with the exception of Europe - and the Solheim Cup, which is a version of the Ryder Cup contested by female players.

PGA Tour: As well as the majors detailed above, golf fans can bet on PGA Tour events throughout the year as well. The Players Championship is one of the top competitions on the PGA Tour, with World Golf Championships events also attracting the attention of golf fans. These four lucrative golf competitions are as follows: WGC-Workday Championship, WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, WGC-Fedex St. Jude Invitational, and WGC-HSBC Champions.

European Tour: On this side of the Atlantic is the European Tour, but despite the name, some of the leading events are now held in other countries around the world as well. British players tend to cut their teeth on the European Tour before switching to the PGA Tour. Top events on the European Tour include the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, the Scottish Open, the BMW PGA Championship, and the DP World Tour Championship, which always takes place in Dubai.

FedEx Cup: At the end of the season on the PGA Tour, the leading performers take each other on for the FedEx Cup, which is one of the biggest prizes up for grabs in the entire sport. The format of the event has been tweaked a number of times but, at the present time, it sees the top 125 players in the FedEx Cup standings the FedEx Cup Playoffs - which are three events. It starts with The Northern Trust - which is played at the Liberty National Golf Club, in Jersey City - before moving on to the BMW Championship at Medinah Country Club in Illinois. Golfers will be whittled down to 30 elite stars during these two tournaments and they go on to compete in The Tour Championship for a prize pool that totals millions of dollars. Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods have both won the FedEx Cup more than once, with interest in the event growing by the year.

Popular Golf Betting Markets

Many golf fans will only ever bet on players to win a tournament, but that market only scratches the surface of what is available. Here are some of the most popular golf betting markets:

Outright tournament winner: The most obvious and popular golf betting market in the UK is for the outright tournament winner. This is a simple one to explain, with betting site users just having to predict which player will win the event by recording the lowest score over four days. Ante-post outright tournament winner markets are offered for the biggest events in golf well in advance, which can be handy for those who want to back a preferred golfer who is in form before their odds come down. Outright tournament winner markets continue to run during an event too, with live in-play golf betting popular among fans of the sport who are tuning in.

Each-way betting: With more than a hundred golfers usually taking part in tournaments, picking a winner is obviously a lot harder than in some other sports where the field is much smaller. This is why each-way betting is so popular in golf betting in the UK. Here, the stake is divided with 50% going towards the outright tournament winner market while the rest of it goes on the places. The number of places offered for each-way golf betting depends on a variety of factors but for majors such as The Open, some top golf betting sites will offer as many as 12 places. This means that users can earn a profit from their golf bets even if their player does not win.

Group betting: Golfers usually play in a group of either two or three, with betting sites offering markets on which player in a group will get the best score. This is not just available for golfers who are paired up on the course. Sometimes, for example, a market might be offered for users to pick whether English golfers Lee Westwood or Justin Rose will get the lowest score as well.

First-round leader: An increasingly popular market in the world of golf betting is the first-round leader. This bet does exactly what the name suggests. Users have to guess which player will be at the top of the leaderboard at the end of the opening round of 18 holes. Some golfers are well known for being fast starters, which means they will be strong picks to be the first-round leader.

Top 5/10/20: Along with each-way golf betting, another way for fans of the sport to improve their chances of picking a winner is to browse the place markets. Many leading golf betting sites in the UK let their customers bet on a player finishing in the top 20 of an event, or the top 10. Other options include a top-five finish, with the markets offered depending on the size of the field. Of course, the odds for a top 10 finish will be a lot lower than if a player is backed to win an event.

Winning margin: Sometimes a player will be a strong favourite to win a golf tournament, perhaps because they have won a couple of other events in the lead-up to the competition. When this is the case, the winning margin market might become of interest. This market means users have to guess how many shots a player will win the tournament by. The winning margin markets at UK golf betting sites are often among those picked out for enhanced price boosts.

Tips and Strategies for Betting on Golf

Now that we know all about the top events for betting on golf and the markets that are available to fans of the sport in the UK, it is time to go over some top tips and strategies for betting on golf.

Picking winning wagers on outright markets is famously difficult in golf. Even if a player is in form and among the favourites, it only takes one bad drive off the tee to derail their chances of topping the leaderboard at the end of the weekend, lifting the trophy and banking a big cheque. This is why each-way golf betting is so important, as users only need their picks to land in the places to get a payout. Each-way golf betting gives people more chances to win and can result in big money if golfers offered at large odds are able to surprise the UK's top online bookmakers.

Research can pay off a lot when betting on golf more than on many other top sports. The course is obviously the main factor. Some players traditionally perform very well on certain courses and this is usually recognised in the odds that are offered. But the prices may not take into account the weather conditions. As golf can be played in poor weather conditions - unlike a sport such as cricket, for example - this is another element to take into account. While a lot of top golfers will perform to broadly the same standard regardless of the conditions, some do thrive in the rain. Golfers may tend to perform better in-home events or on courses where they grew up playing.

Tied into the weather forecast are the tee times, which come out a couple of days before the start of a tournament. If there is forecast to be no wind early in the morning, the stars who get up and running in the first few groups of the day may be at an advantage compared to other top players.

The form is vital in golf with even the best players in the world going through bad spells sometimes. As an example, at one point it seemed like Jordan Spieth was set to dominate the sport, but his form then fell off a cliff and it took him an awfully long time to turn his career back around. When browsing golf betting markets, it is crucial to know which players are in good and bad form. While form is never a guarantee of performance, those players whose recent results have been improving as of late are always going to be more appealing than those who are missing cuts.

Top UK online golf betting sites know all about form, of course, which can lead to players being overhyped when it comes to their odds. For example, if a player wins at a big price and upsets the odds, the chances are they will be a lot shorter in the betting odds the next time they play. Finding the right value is therefore key and it can pay to take a bit of time to shop around for the best prices on offer. Checking the terms of the each-way golf betting is also a must as some sites may offer more places, but with a smaller percentage on offer as part of the bet as well.

For live in-play golf betting, a good strategy is to be aware of how a player has performed on a hole in previous rounds. If they have hit birdies in three straight rounds on an event's 12th hole, it might be a great time to consider backing them when they next approach that part of the course. With many tournaments like The Masters played on the same golf course every year, historic data for how a player has performed is available online and can help users pick winning wagers.