Golf odds are easy to come by heading into major tournaments but finding the right odds for you is the tricky part. Many punters like to stick with the straightforward ‘tournament winner’ odds and follow one player over four rounds.
Others prefer to delve into the details and bet on everything from head-to-heads to individual holes.
Paddy is here to help everyone bet on golf, which is why we’ve created this simple guide to golf odds to get you started. If you’re new to the game or the Paddy Power sportsbook then read on to learn about odds and what bets you can place.
Types of golf odds
There are three types of golf odds available in the Paddy Power sportsbook. All three show how much you stand to win relative to your stake. Generally, the higher the number, the larger your potential winnings. Of course, a higher number also means a greater risk.
The three golf odds types available at Paddy Power are:
- Decimal
- Fractional
- American
Here’s some more about each one and how they relate to golf betting:
Decimal odds are the most commonly used in golf and show how much money you get back from a £1 winning bet. For example, if you bet £1 on Brooks Koepka to win the US Open at odds of 8.00 then you’ll earn £7 profit + your £1 stake = £8.
Fractional odds are the oldest form of golf odds and show the ratio between your stake and your potential winnings. For example, if you bet on Hideki Matsuyama to win the Masters at odds of 22/1 then you will earn £22 in profit for every £1 you wager. If the bigger number is to the right – for example, odds of 1/4 – then you have to stake £4 just to earn £1 profit.
American odds work in two ways and are, of course, super-sized. Positive numbers show how much you win from a £100 bet. Negative numbers show how much you need to bet in order to win £100. So, if Rory McIlroy wins the Open at +900 then a successful £1 bet on the Northern Irishman will earn you £9 profit. Meanwhile, if Collin Morikawa is -250 to win a playoff then you’d need to bet £2.50 to earn £1 in profit.
Most popular golf odds
Now we know about the types of golf odds and how they work, it’s time to assess the golf betting markets that are available at Paddy Power. Below are the most common bet types in our sportsbook and examples of how they work.
Tournament Winner – This is a simple bet where you back a player to win a tournament. The odds start high a few weeks out from the competition because there’s always a chance the player could miss out through injury or not qualify. The live odds during tournaments can fluctuate wildly depending on how the player is progressing.
For example, you might bet on Billy Horschel to win the US PGA Championship at 40/1 (41.00 / +4000) before the tournament starts. His odds could then crash to 8/1 (9.00 / +800) if he records a low score in the opening round to lead the field.
Match betting – Match betting is where you pit two players against each other and bet on which one will shoot the lowest score. It’s often a better way to follow a tournament than trying to keep on top of all the action.
For example, Max Homa to beat Adam Scott at the Irish Open at odds of 2/1 (3.00 / +200). Homa doesn’t need to win the whole thing, so long as he finishes higher than Scott.
First Round Leader – The first round leader odds are a common destination for many bettors on Day One of a tournament. You’re betting on who will top the leaderboard once everyone has finished their day’s play. The odds here can be wild because rank outsiders can have a great round, lead the field, and then drop away later in the competition.
Top 20 Finish – Punters generally use the Top 20 Finish odds for two purposes. One is to back outsiders who carry huge odds and have no realistic chance of winning the tournament. They may still be in good form, though, so they’re worth backing to finish in the top 20.
The other option is to group loads of dead-certs into one big golf accumulator and back them all to finish in the top 20. Individually the odds won’t pay out much because they’ll be really small. However, combined in an acca means you could win far greater profits if all selections come good.
Top US Player – Paddy Power allows punters to bet on the nationality of the winner, as well as the top player from each nationality. This is particularly good when betting on Americans as they take up more than half of the field on PGA and LIV events.
It’s also sometimes better to back a player to beat their compatriots instead of betting on them to win the entire competition, because the title might not be a realistic outcome for them.
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