Golf Betting Strategies
by Zman of Predictem.com
With the profusion of wagering opportunities, golf handicappers have a lot to choose from. They can bet on who will win a tournament, take a side in a one-on-one match-up, bet on the player they think will post the best score in a particular three-some, and so on. But the one thing all golf bettors want to do is cash winning tickets when the tournament is over. And how does one do that? Just as he does betting on anything else.
As in any other venture in which the goal is to predict the future, the most reliable way to do so is to study what has happened in the past. In team sports, handicappers look for teams that have been hot, and teams that have been not. They look for match-ups where one of each are going up against each other. They also look for the edges when studying two teams of nearly equal ability. Who’s the home team? What intangibles might have an effect, and on what side? What’s the recent history between the two teams?
Golf handicappers, even though they’re betting on individuals rather than teams, have to ascertain the answers to many of those same questions. What players have been scoring well recently? Which golfers have not? Is there any recent history between two players, as in match-play results? Does a player seem to have a kind of “comfort zone” on a particular course? The old racing adage “horses for courses” is a very apt description of the relationship some golfers have with certain golf courses.
This may sound simple, but certain golfers are listed as favorites to win particular tournaments for a reason; they’re perceived to be the best golfers at that tournament. And oftentimes, favorites are among the most popular players on tour. Both of these facts lead to certain golfers being listed at (relatively) short odds on a regular basis. So what does this mean to handicappers trying to make a little money?
One way for bettors to increase their chances of coming out ahead is to make a couple of wagers, spreading their action around a bit. For instance, a bettor could back one of the favorites with a bet at least equal to or higher than their standard bet, but put smaller amounts on a couple of longshots. This gives the bettor a couple of chances at decent payouts. Also, if a bettor likes a particular player, he can make several different wagers on that one player. He can bet on the player to win the tournament, to finish in the top five (or top 10), to beat another player in a one-on-one match-up, or even to post the best score in his three-some. The bettor, if getting the right odds, could come out ahead even if he wins just one of those propositions.
There are any number of winning wagers available on any given tournament. Simply put, the best way to ensure you get down on some of those winners is to do some homework; keep an eye out for good, hot and up-and-coming players. Manage your money wisely. And shop around at various sportsbooks, looking for the best price on your preferred wagers. PGATour.com has a wonderful statistics section, and PREDICTEM.COM will try to provide golf handicappers with everything else they need to know.
Winning money by betting golf is fun, and it can be done. We’ll try to act as your betting caddy, and help your score.
