The best golf betting sites

The best golf betting sites

Betting on golf in the UK has become very popular and FIRST are here to give you a conclusive breakdown of the best golf betting sites and how to bet on golf more efficiently.
By Bryan Nicholson, Golf Tipster

How to choose a golf betting site

How to choose a golf betting site

When our experts review the best betting sites, we are looking at a strict set of criteria. Let’s go through some of the key areas:

Fully licensed and regulated

This might seem like an obvious one but always make sure the golf betting site you’re betting on is fully licensed and regulated by a renowned governing body like the UK Gambling Commission.

Fully licensed and regulated
Bonuses and promotions

The promos and bonuses on offer around golf’s majors will play a big part in what golf betting sites I choose. Competitive odds and terms are a must. The more value for golf punters the better. VIP or loyalty reward programs are also a feature of several of the top golf betting sites.

Bonuses and promotions
User experience and user interface

Whether it’s on a desktop or the mobile app, the betting site must allow for easy navigation when browsing through the markets. An intuitive interface and a memorable user experience will mean the bettor returns. Ideally, the mobile app version, if available, will usually be compatible with both iOS and Android.

User experience and user interface
Variety of payment options

Newer payment methods include the likes of Apple Pay, Google Pay, certain e-wallets like Interac, Revolut, Neteller and Pay by phone bill.

Variety of payment options
Strong customer service

Strong customer support options available such as live chat, email support forms and a comprehensive FAQ section. A telephone number to call would be a bonus.

Strong customer service
Wide array of markets and bet types

Make sure all the popular golf markets are on the website. These include outright winner, place markets, first round leader, match betting and top nationality amongst others. More bet types, such as threeball bets into an accumulator, add to the user experience.

Wide array of markets and bet types
Safety and security

Most new betting sites will be backed by the latest in SSL encryption technology and firewalls protecting our data and funds while keeping our information safe. Other safety protocols like Two Factor Authentication (2FA) may be used, adding to our safety online.

Safety and security
Responsible gambling

Responsible gaming is a huge area of interest in online betting and betting sites must adhere to rules and regulations. Tools and resources are in place for setting deposit limits, time-outs, self-exclusion, or options to visit a helpline if needed.

Responsible gambling

The best golf betting sites, reviewed

The best golf bookmakers, compared

Sportsbook Welcome offer Breadth of competitions Features available Mobile/app compatibility

What golf betting bonuses can you claim in the UK?

There are several golf betting bonuses you can claim at UK bookmakers, and they can change throughout the golf betting season. Some bonuses and promos include:

  • No deposit bonuses

    This is a bonus you get for registering at a new betting site. You do not need to deposit first to be rewarded with a free bonus bet.

    No deposit bonuses
  • Bet builders

    With bet builders we can group selections into an accumulator. The selections will usually be correlated and from the same event so odds may not be great but sometimes we can find some hidden gems.

    Bet builders
  • Predictor games

    We’re likely to see predictor games for golf offered at some major tournaments. They will usually be free to play. We might get points for finishing positions, climb the leaderboard and win cash prizes.

    Predictor games
  • Deposit match

    A deposit match bonus is the most popular type of sign-up bonus. An example is deposit and wager ‘x’ amount and receive a 100% deposit match up to a certain value.

    Deposit match
  • Reload bonuses

    Reload bonuses are the same as deposit match bonuses except they are for existing players, and we might see 50% as opposed to 100% offered.

    Reload bonuses
  • Cashback

    Cashback is usually part of a rewards system where the more we stake over a week or a month we get back a percentage of our losses.

    Cashback
  • Exclusive events

    This is a common thing in golf betting, especially in the majors and bigger golf tournaments like The Masters. The most popular event-specific promos for golf are extra place terms like 1/5th each way 10 places or the odds boost on certain big name players.

    Exclusive events

What to watch out for when using golf betting bonuses

What to watch out for when using golf betting bonuses
First, make sure the market you are playing in qualifies for your specific bonus and that you are eligible for these bonuses.

Certain bonuses require minimum odds to bet to qualify and your bonus bets could be subject to a maximum payout.
In my opinion, the two most important T&Cs to check in respect of your golf betting bonuses are expiry dates and rollover requirements.
These terms will be different at various golf betting sites. Some bonus bets credited to your account might expire after seven days while some might last for a month.
Rollover requirements are when you must play through your bonus amount a certain number of times before any winnings from bonus money can be cashed out. Sometimes you’ll even have to rollover your deposit amount as well as your bonus amount.
Usually, the rollover requirements are low at online betting sites for the sports betting product so recreational golf bettors can bet on golf as normal and pick up any bonuses and free bets on offer.

Most popular golf tournaments to bet on

The Masters
The Masters

The Masters is the first major each year and is held at the iconic Augusta National. Take a drive down Magnolia Lane and experience the euphoria of the year’s first major. Over 70 of the world’s finest players will look to don the green jacket in the Butler Cabin on Sunday night but will they be able to battle their way through Amen Corner and Rae’s Creek? We’ll usually see plenty of golf betting promos for The Masters.

US Open
US Open

Now the third of the year’s major golf tournaments and renowned as the toughest test of the four, the US Open is played on a course rotation. For example, Oakmont rears its head again in 2025 and over par could be the winning score.

Open Championship
Open Championship

Played on a host of links courses usually over a five-year rotation, the players see some of the finest courses in the land en route to potentially picking up the Claret Jug. Royal Portrush hosts in 2025 while some of the other big-name courses include Hoylake, Royal Troon, Royal St. George’s and of course the iconic home of golf St. Andrews. Check the weather forecast if you’re betting on this one. Who will be next to lift the Claret Jug?

PGA Championship
PGA Championship

Arguably the easiest of the four majors, the PGA Championship also bounces from course to course. In 2025 it’s landing in Quail Hollow in Charlotte, N.C. Good news to the ears of Rory McIlroy who has won four times at Quail Hollow Country Club and will be looking to lift his third Wanamaker trophy. The PGA Champs is known for some low scoring. Justin Thomas won the tournament at Quail Hollow in 2017.

Ryder Cup
Ryder Cup

Every two years Europe’s elite golfers take on the best from the US in a team format. Teams of eight compete in foursomes, fourballs and singles matches to determine the overall winner. Next stop, Bethpage Black in 2025 where the US look to regain the trophy after losing to Europe in Rome.

Players’ Championship
Players’ Championship

The PGA Tour Headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach has been hosting the Players Championship since 1982 on the famous Stadium course at Sawgrass. Win this one and your stock in the game rises. A win will contribute heavily to the FedEx Cup tally too, not to mention the exemptions that go along with winning golf’s “fifth major”.

Memorial Tournament
Memorial Tournament

One of the hardest courses on the rotation, this major championship-style venue of Muirfield Village will separate the guys playing the best golf from the rest. With super fast greens, the key at Muirfield Village in this signature event is not to ‘short side’ yourself with approaches. Muirfield Village is known as a second-shot course.

Tour Championship
Tour Championship

At the end of the season, the 30 best players in the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup hit Atlanta and East Lake Golf Course for the Tour Championship. The season finale runs on a handicap system where the players at the top receive staggered starting strokes on the field. Scottie Scheffler had himself a $25m (£19.8m) payday for winning the FedEx Cup in 2024. Not too shabby.

Popular golf markets to bet on

Golf betting online brings with it some great opportunities with a myriad of markets to bet on. Let’s look at some of the most popular golf bet types.

Outright winner Outright winner
The outright winner market is simply making a win or each-way bet on a golfer to win the golf tournament. You can bet a single on the win at the odds of the player or if you choose to bet each way this means you are making two bets: a win bet and a place bet. Golf betting sites will offer different place terms. An example is the first five places or first seven places.
First round leader First round leader
Like the outright winner market but over just the first 18 holes. Again, you can bet to win, or you can bet each way. It’s a great market for taking advantage of some higher odds players using variables like the draw and weather conditions. Unfortunately, in recent years the market has caught up and the range of prices between the field is much tighter.
Place betting Place betting
How easy is it to find the winner when you’re betting on golf? Not easy at all. So why not ignore the winner market and look to the place markets. We can back a player to finish inside the top 5,10,20 or even top 40. Some golf betting sites pay out in full on ties. Backing the place prices themselves will give you worse odds than backing the place part in EW bets.
Match betting Match betting
Match betting is a type of golf bet loved by punters who want some shorter-priced, higher win probability wagers. There are new markets formed every day for live betting. We can play 18-hole matches, tournament match bets (TMBs) or even mythical matchups. We can also play in the three-ball betting match markets to make things a bit spicier.

Basic tips and strategies for golf betting

Basic tips and strategies for golf betting
Did you know that the odds of a tour pro making a hole-in-one on a par 3 are around 1900/1 on average?

Or did you know that for every extra one mile per hour of wind it makes the course play around 0.1 strokes per round harder? The lovely thing about golf betting is that with so many markets it’s easy to find value with just a little bit of math.

Keeping your own statistics and data is a great way to find an edge on the bookmaker who must price up every market. Golf bettors can pick and choose golf bets and can shop around the different golf betting sites to find the best prices.

Some variables to consider if you are doing this are current and progressive (trending) form, course fit, the draw and the weather. We can use the data and ‘strokes gained’ stats on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour sites to measure the strength of the players and the field.

Fields nowadays are so tightly packed in terms of strength and depth. On the PGA Tour if we take out the top two or three players, there’s less than one stroke per round in difference of quality between the next 100 guys.

In terms of golf betting strategy, attacking lower variance, higher edge events and staking carefully can allow bettors to realise equity in the long run. A good way to do this is to have smaller stakes on more golfers in each golf tournament. Golf betting is very much a long-term game.

Step-by-step guide for signing up to a golf betting site

It’s easy to sign up to a golf betting site. Simply do the following:


Please note if you are signing up on a betting app, hit the download button for either iOS or Android. Alternatively, you can go direct to the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store to install the app before you register.

Sign up
Sign up

Click the ‘register’ or ‘sign-up’ button on the online betting website to open the sign-up form.

Bonuses
Bonuses

Opt-in to any bonuses if required.

Fill the form
Fill the form

Fill in your personal information like your name, address, email and password.

Verification
Verification

Upload any documents needed for account verification purposes.

Betting
Betting

Fund your account and start betting on golf!

Popular payment and withdrawal methods

There are several payment methods on online betting sites, and more are being added to quicken things up and make the process seamless.

Online banking

Directly transfer money from your bank account to the online betting site. You can do this via your account number or IBAN. This may take more time than other methods. You can withdraw right back to your bank account.

Online banking
Visa debit

Like online banking, just pick the debit card deposit option, enter your number and your security code along with the expiry date of the card and the amount you want to transfer. Funds usually reach your account instantly.

Visa debit
Paypal

PayPal is a great way to top up your betting account. It’s quick and easy and it won’t show up on your bank statements. Sign up for a PayPal account, top it up and then transfer funds directly to the betting site. You can withdraw funds back to PayPal.

Paypal
eWallets

There are other eWallets similar to PayPal including Interac, Skrill and Neteller. These all work the same way as PayPal and are very safe, quick and efficient ways of transferring money between accounts.

eWallets
Prepaid cards

Just sign up for a prepaid card account and top up using a voucher. Choose the prepaid card option (Paysafe for example) on the betting site and fund your account.

Prepaid cards

How do we rate golf betting sites?

There are several factors our experts consider when we review the best online betting sites and golf betting sites.


See how FIRST rates the best golf betting sites on our dedicated page.

  • Licensing and regulation
    Licensing and regulation
  • Welcome bonus or welcome package
    Welcome bonus or welcome package
  • Ongoing bonuses and promos
    Ongoing bonuses and promos
  • Parent company or betting brand
    Parent company or betting brand
  • Speed of registration process
    Speed of registration process
  • Mobile app ratings and reviews
    Mobile app ratings and reviews
  • Loyalty program availability
    Loyalty program availability
  • Bet types available
    Bet types available
  • Number of golf betting markets
    Number of golf betting markets
  • Competitive odds and place terms
    Competitive odds and place terms
  • User experience and user interface
    User experience and user interface
  • Number and types of payment options
    Number and types of payment options
  • Safety, security, and fairness
    Safety, security, and fairness
  • Customer support
    Customer support
  • Responsible gambling tools
    Responsible gambling tools
Legal situation with gambling in the UK? Legal situation with gambling in the UK?

Betting in the UK is licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission and any site that we recommend will be covered by them.

They promote safer gambling by adhering to The Gambling Act 2005 (GA), which is the primary gambling regulation in the UK.

The legal age to bet in the UK is 18 years old.

Responsible gambling Responsible gambling

Betting is a recreational activity. It should be fun and you should always be in control.

All bookmakers will have responsible gambling tools available. These will likely include deposit limits, reality checks, time-outs, and self-exclusion. There will also be links to the likes of GamStop, BeGambleAware, and the Gambling Commission.

Use the basic tips and strategies for responsible gambling such as tracking profit and loss margins to keep on top of your finances.

You can find more information on FIRST’s responsible gambling in sports betting page. Below is a list of several responsible gambling organisations available:

  • GamCare
  • BeGambleAware
  • GamStop
  • Gamblers Anonymous
  • National Debtline
  • Gordon Moody - Tackling Gamblers Anonymous
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FAQs

  • With live betting and mobile applications on the rise, several of the best online betting sites like bet365 now offer live streaming.

  • There are several golf betting sites in the UK and the list is growing. With golf now a major sport to bet on, all reputable betting sites will have a golf betting product.

  • Yes, there are golf-specific promotions and bonuses such as extra place terms or enhanced odds on particular markets. When the majors and bigger events come around, we will also see extra ‘specials’ available.

  • Some betting sites will use in-house data and algorithms/models to set the odds for golf betting markets, while some will outsource to odds-making companies. Betting exchanges are often used as a guide by traders.

  • There are many golf bets that you can place. These include betting on the outright winner, top nationality, place betting, first-round leader betting, match betting, and group betting. Some more obscure novelty golf bets can include ‘hole-in-one’ betting, ‘to make the cut’ betting, or ‘score’ betting.

  • Yes, you can place accumulator bets when golf betting online but only if they are independent and not correlated bets. For example, you can’t place a top 20 acca unless it’s a premade bet builder-style special. You can place multiple bets such as each-way bets across different golf tournaments.