How to bet on golf: Tips and strategies to win in 2026 - ESPN

Golf betting is a slow-burn panic, like a 3-footer that suddenly feels twice as long. There are endless markets to play, but if your entire plan is spraying outright winners and praying, you're headed straight for the bunker.

The sharper approach is building a card with intention and direction. Think balance because balance gives you better odds to live on Sunday.

A PGA betting card starts with three pillars: course fit, current form and course history.

Course fit asks whether a course rewards what a player does best, whether that's power, precision or putting.

Current form is about trust. Solid ball striking and confidence across the bag beat name value every time.

Course history reflects familiarity. Some players simply see certain courses better, and comfort shows up on leaderboards.

The edge is in how you weigh these factors, not blindly chasing all three. Sometimes two are enough at the right price. That's where discipline replaces hope and your card starts to look like a plan.

That's the research. Next comes how to allocate your betting funds.

Golf betting is more than just picking a winner. There are plenty of ways to get action, some safer than others, and if you structure your bets correctly, you can still cash even if your outright pick implodes.

Here's a quick rundown of the most popular wagers:

Outright winner

This is the classic «Who's holding the trophy on Sunday?» bet. Because golf fields are massive, outright odds are juicy, but that also means they're tough to hit.

Top-5, top-10 and top-20 finishes

Think of these as more conservative wagers, with top 20-bets being the higher-probability plays. Instead of needing a golfer to win, they just have to finish inside a certain range. A top-20 bet at +120