
Why Golf is a Popular Betting Sport
Why Golf is a Popular Betting Sport
By Matt Seban
The success of the online sports betting market cannot be denied. Sports fans seem to really love the idea of wagering on games from the comfort of their home, or on their way to work. Of course, as with any industry, certain markets stand out. When it comes to sports betting, many could probably guess what the most popular betting choices are.
Football/soccer is at the top, followed closely by basketball. Many might be surprised to learn that cricket is a big one as well. What will certainly surprise many is to learn that golf odds are actually among the top 10 most wagered on, at least online. The question then arises, why is golf such a popular betting sport?
General Popularity
The first reason is also the most obvious; golf betting is popular, because the sport itself is popular. As things stand right now, there are over a million people who follow the game passionately. With over a million fans, golf is more popular than volleyball, handball, water polo, and more. While it can't compete with the likes of basketball, cricket, and soccer, it is still one of the ten most watched sports in the world.
When a game is as popular as that, the betting enthusiasts will not be far behind. Popularity breeds betting, simply because there are more options. When more people wager, it creates opportunities for higher stakes, thus creating greater rewards. Of course, it is always important to remember that we should be betting responsibly, so never wager above your means.
Year-Round Opportunities
Unlike soccer, basketball, or cricket, golf is a year round sport. It shares a lot of traits in common with tennis, as there is a major golf tournament taking place at any point during a 12-month period. That means that betting fans have year-round opportunities to place a wager, unlike with the aforementioned games, where they can only bet during the season.
Naturally, the increased opportunities for betting drive up desire among sportsbook customers. Being able to wager whenever you want during the year, certainly beats having to wait months before your wager can pay off. On top of that, golf wagers are just as diverse as those for any other sports. This brings us to our next, and final point.
The Diversity of Choice
When it comes to golf, gamblers are spoiled for choice. The most popular type of wager, certainly, is the match bet. This entails placing a bet on the player that you think will win the tournament. However, it does not end there. Indeed, golf betting fans have a lot more options to pick from.
For example, they can make future bets. As the name suggests, these are wagers placed on events that will take place in the distant future. For example, you could make a wager on the tournament's outcome, months before the finale. The risk is high, but the rewards are as well.
Of course, there are also prop bets. Rather than wagering on the outcome of a tournament, players can bet on whether a certain thing will occur during a game. Such as "will a player get a hole-in-one?" or
"What will the most common type of club be in this game?"
Revised: 02/24/2025 - Article Viewed 666 Times