Everybody has heard of golf, but few know that you can bet on it. Despite having a reputation as a sport for rich people, it is also very popular among amateurs and those who like to bet. So, what is the goal of this game and what should you know before betting on it? Read to find out.
How to play golf?
The idea of this game is quite simple – put the ball into the holes with clubs using fewer strokes than the opponent. This sport is always considered a sport for millionaires. Not everyone is capable of allowing themselves such entertainment, at an amateur or professional level. However, it is not only the “elite” who can earn money on golf – the sport is great for betting, and cappers use this opportunity.
Is it played all over the world?
Almost every region of the planet has its own professional tour – there are Asian, Australasian, Japanese, Canadian tours. For those starting to take an interest in this sport, of course, it is better to focus on the main series – the European Tour and the American PGA Tour.
Until 2016, four major competitions were considered the largest tournaments – Masters Tournament (USA), US Open (USA), The Open Championship (Scotland), PGA Championship (USA). At the Olympic Games in Rio, golf became an Olympic sport for the first time, and now there are five most significant tournaments in this discipline.
The geography of this game today is quite extensive – the sport is popular on all continents, and each continent has its own tournaments, which are lower in rank than the “majors”, but are considered a good step for players on the way to serious success. To understand the popularity of this sport, it is enough to remember that golfer Tiger Woods became the first athlete in history to earn a billion dollars, and in 2020 the legendary golfer was put on the 6th line in the ranking of the greatest athletes of the 21st century.
At first glance, the rules of the game are simple – a player needs to hit (or a series of hits) with a club in order to roll the ball into the hole. However, terminology, ball penetration and types of clubs need to be understood in more detail in order to make accurate bets.
Generally, a pro tournament lasts for four days and each athlete must overcome 72 holes. The competition is divided into four rounds and the winner is the golfer who did the fewest hits to pass all four rounds.
Pay attention to this, when bet on golf
There are no specific strategies for golf, so the capper chooses two paths – to be guided by existing strategies of a general orientation or to focus on analytics. It is necessary to analyze the following indicators:
- Player form. Regardless of previous merit, golfers can be in a variety of competitive forms. Look at the latest results of a golfer – if he “merged” several tournaments, then a good performance is hardly possible.
- Statistics for a specific field. Major tournaments are held on the same courses, so the capper is able to view the statistics of golfers’ performance on certain courses.
- Weather. Deteriorating weather conditions can cancel out the golfer’s claim to victory. On the tour, there are some fields where windy weather is possible – such conditions can also shake the players emotionally, so it is important to understand who is more psychologically stable.
- Golfers’ experience. Experience plays an important role in golf, which is why stable experienced golfers usually win tournaments, even if there are promising young players on the list.
Types of bets in golf
To win the tournament – which of the athletes will win the competition. It is difficult to predict, since the number of participants is 50-250 people.
For a duel – which of a pair of golfers will show the best result. It’s easier to analyze two people than fifty people.
To a certain place – who will take the specified place, whether the golfer will enter the TOP-3, TOP-5, etc.
For the best golfer of the conditional group – for example, which of the representatives of England will be the best in the tournament, or which of the American players will not take the first position.
Leadership after the round – who wins at the end of a certain stage. The favorites sometimes begin their performances in a relaxed manner. They reach the peak closer to the end of the competition.
Total strikes are odd or even, including for individual players.
Why can it be hard to bet on golf?
In European countries and America, golf is a popular sport with a particularly dense concentration of fans among wealthy people. In this regard, the golf betting market is well developed, and there are many people willing to risk large sums of money, betting on their favorite players.
On the other hand, there are a lot of countries where golf is still considered a game for super rich people, which does not make it attractive for a wide audience. That’s why, only few bookmakers offer bets on golf, and they aren’t profitable for those who bet. However, interest in golf betting has increased since the 2016 Olympics. Perhaps it is this push that will help popularize golf in the rest of the world where it is considered an elite sport.
Golf is a difficult sport to bet on. Sensations happen regularly, and there is not enough information about little-known athletes. This sport is not suitable for long-term betting. It is difficult for people who are far from this game to win, even if they have learned the rules and developed their own betting strategy. A person must play golf: regularly follow tournaments, read feature articles, study interviews and news.
Well, if you are truly passionate about golf betting, none of the above will be an obstacle for you. Carefully analyze the players as well as all the variable conditions in the game and this will help you win on golf bets.