Best Golf Betting Sites - How to Bet on Golf Online in Canada

Golf is a global sport enjoyed by people on every continent. Naturally, professional golf is also wildly popular, as the top golfers from around the world square off at the best courses for thrilling tournaments. There are few things bettors enjoy more than wagering on these tournaments on sports betting sites.

In this golf betting guide, we’re going to dive into everything you need to know about wagering on this sport. We’ll explore why golf betting in Canada is so popular, break down some important info and get you ready to win big on the next big major.

Golf provides a fantastic spectacle in some of the most incredible locations in America and abroad. From the Masters to the PGA Championship, it is a sport powered by exciting tournaments that are naturally a hotbed for wagering on sports betting apps and websites.

But if you are inexperienced with online golf betting, you'll probably want to learn the ropes so you can start laying big bets on the Ryder Cup or U.S. Open. That's where we come in.

This guide will provide an introduction and insights into the world of golf betting online. We’ll look at things like betting offers, bookmakers worth wagering with, golf betting advice, and the markets and events that define the sport.

Unlike NHL betting or NBA betting, golf betting has unique markets and is centered on different tours and tournaments. Sound complicated? It can be, but with this BettingTop10 guide, we’re going to give you the lowdown on golf betting Canada. Sound good? Then let’s get started.

At BettingTop10, we have built our brand on sportsbook reviews and being a trusted source for gamblers to find information. We take this responsibility seriously.

When we are looking over bookmakers to recommend for bettors interested in gambling on golf, there will be several factors that come into consideration. These are things we prioritize when recommending or not recommending an operator to bettors.

With golf betting, there are a set of parameters that we consider important in a sportsbook. Let’s look at some of the crucial factors that are important elements of how we rate online golf betting websites.

• Golf Event Coverage: Golf is a global sport with numerous tours and more tournaments than one could name. So for bettors to get the most out of a golf-centric sportsbook, having an array of golf events covered is important. While the PGA Majors should be a given, a great golf sportsbook will cover a lot more than just the biggest PGA events.
• Golf Markets: The more ways there are to bet on a golf event, the better. That is why markets are so crucial. Markets are the different outcomes a sportsbook has odds for, so having dozens of unique markets to wager on for a golf tournament will give a sportsbook good ratings from our experts.
• Golf Betting Offers: Betting offers are a staple of gambling. Promotions and bonuses give bettors extra winnings or reduced risk and can be a great way to enhance a gambling experience. When looking at a golf bookmaker, we see if they have offers that are geared toward golf fans that will specifically benefit their golf wagering.
• Fun Features for Golf Betting: Features are the embedded elements of a bookmaker that change how bettors can use the sportsbook. These are what set sportsbooks apart. So when we look over a website's features, we try to identify whether they will serve golf bettors and offer excitement, fun, and even better betting outcomes.
• User-Friendly Interface: A significant component of a fun gambling experience is the interface. Does the website look good? Is finding markets and golf betting odds easy? We look over the website’s interface, browse the golf section, and ensure it is smooth and efficient for bettors to use.

While we’ve discussed what we look for when rating a sports betting website, there are also important things you should look for in your golf betting online sites.

While what we look for is mostly specific to golf, there are important things that should be present in any betting site a bettor is using. These are characteristics that make a website safe and fun.

Before you open an account, it is always important to look into an operator. At BettingTop10, we only review safe betting sites, so you can trust we’ve done deep dives. Let’s look at some of the most important characteristics to consider with sportsbooks. 

• Security: Safety is incredibly important online, particularly on a website you are providing your personal and payment info to. That is why checking the cybersecurity details of any sportsbook you use is an absolute must.
• Legality: Legality is another important factor. If a sportsbook is an Ontario betting website but isn’t an Alberta betting site, knowing that information is important depending on where you live. Legality can be determined by the licensing a sportsbook has.
• Banking and Payout Speed: Banking and payout speeds are crucial factors in betting. What payment methods do they accept? Are they fast with their payouts, or can you expect an extended withdrawal time? Our reviews make sure to address this aspect of sports betting, as it is something bettors need to know.
• Customer support: If you are ever running into issues with a sportsbook, their support features will help you solve the issue. These features can include telephone lines, FAQ pages, or Live Chat message boxes.
• Mobile Options: Bettors love wagering via their phones. If mobile gambling is a priority, check if the sportsbook has a golf betting app or mobile-compatible wagering features.

Read more about Golf Betting:

• PGA Golf betting
• US Open Golf betting
• Golf live betting

For most bettors, one thing they’ll want to know about before placing any golf wagers on the many sports betting sites available on the internet is the legal status of betting in Canada. Questions about legal betting are normal and responsible.

In general, the legal status of betting depends on your location in the country. There are different rules currently governing Ontario, British Columbia, Manitoba, and Quebec.

If you are looking to golf bet legally in Canada, you can do so. In 2021, Bill C-218 was passed in Canada. This bill removed the federal prohibition on single-game sports betting and opened the floodgates to fully legalized betting in Canada, although it is now under the provinces' control.

Ontario has been the first to act, regulating and controlling gambling within the state. They now have companies like FanDuel, BetMGM, and more that fully operate within the province and are overseen by the government.

In other provinces, bettors can use the provincial sportsbooks associated with the lottery or bet on offshore betting sites. These are legal to use, although they are generally considered "gray market."

To address a complicated legal matter simply, yes, golf betting Canada is legal. Bettors can bet on different sportsbooks and wager on major golf events on licensed, regulated sites, free from security concerns or any legal repercussions.

Before we can dive into golf betting tips, there is a lot to learn. Before you can do anything with golf betting, you need to get your account up and running and fulfill the initial steps toward getting started.

Getting started with online golf betting should be straightforward and easy. Sportsbooks want to make it easy for bettors to use their websites because the easier it is, the longer bettors will stick around.

Still, we're here to help you navigate this process. The sooner you're started, the sooner you can start with your golf wagering. Below, we'll cover the basics of getting your golf betting career launched.

How to Bet on Golf Online?

1. Step One: Choose a Sportsbook. This is an important process. Browse the many online golf betting sites available, and find one that has the features and coverage that suit your unique preferences. Once you’ve done this, proceed to step two.
2. Step Two: Register Online. The registration process is straightforward and fast. We’ll explore it in more detail later on.
3. Step Three: Go Through the Banking Process. The banking process is how bettors fund their wagering. Bettors will need to select the payment method they want to deposit with, input their details, and enter how much they want to add to their betting account.
4. Step Four: Find the Event and Markets You Want to Wager On. The final step is finding the event and market you want to wager on. For golf fans, just click on the golf section of a sportsbook to see all their events available, and click on the event to see the markets.

How to Open an Account?

1. Step One: Visit the Sportsbook of Your Choosing. Once you've found a sportsbook you want to bet with, simply visit the website, and click on the Join Now tab, which should be in the upper right corner.
2. Step Two: Input Login Details. You'll need to input your login information. This includes things like a username or a primary email and then a password.
3. Step Three: Input Your Personal Information. This is the most important step. Sportsbooks require personal information, which will include your contact information, such as a phone and email, your name, age, and location. For some sportsbooks, you will need to be based in a certain location to use them, and they will often require the download of a geo tracker to verify your information.
4. Step Four: Agree to Terms and Get Started. Once you’ve input all your information, simply agree to the terms, and click on the get started tab, and you should be set.

Recommendations

• Browse Your Options: There are a lot of different sportsbooks out there. If you want to find the best fit for you, look around. Read up on the many old and new betting sites that are available online.
• Find a Good Welcome Package: The Welcome Package is a reward for new joining bettors. Find a website that offers a competitive welcome package that will enhance your experience.
• Make Sure You Can Trust the Operator: Always check the license and read up on the operator before signing up. Make sure they are safe and trustworthy.
• Don’t Be Afraid to Join Multiple Sportsbooks: Multiple sportsbooks mean multiple welcome offers! Don't be afraid to register on multiple betting sites.

Sports betting bonuses are a significant part of the online golf betting experience. These are offers that can enhance the value bettors get from using a website.

Every website has a different bonus betting page where bettors can find their offers, and there are several different types of promotional offers you can expect to see online.

Let’s look at some of the different offers you can expect to find on a typical golf betting system.

• Welcome Package: The Welcome Package is a bonus for registering and depositing with a website. Typically, it'll be a matched deposit, where a bettor's first deposit is matched up to a certain amount in bet credits.
• Boosted Odds: Boosted Odds are when a line is boosted to be more favorable to bettors. For example, Brooks Koepka winning the PGA Championship could be boosted from +850 to +950 for bettors.
• Parlay Boosts: Parlay Boosts are when parlay bet winnings are boosted by a certain percentage based on how many legs they have. Typically, the more legs it has, the bigger the boost.
• Free Bets: A Free Bet offer is when bettors receive risk-free bets, where they don't have to stake any of their own money but can keep winnings. An example of a Free Bet Offer would be: bet $20 on the Open and receive a $5 free golf bet.
• Reload Bonuses: Reload Bonuses are when bettors receive a reward, like a matched deposit or free bet, for depositing on a certain day.

Now that we’ve given introductions to most of the important details of golf betting, it is time to get serious.

Let’s dive into the nitty-gritty of everything you need to know, from golf betting tips to the top markets for golf bettors to explore.

Before you can start wagering on golf, you need to be familiar with how odds work and what markets/types of bets are. We're here to clear this up.

Odds

Odds are the lines that show bettors the projected probability of an outcome according to oddsmakers, as well as how much bettors would win if they wagered on something.

Odds are typically displayed in three different styles; let's look at what they are and how to read them.

• American: American odds show how much bettors would need to wager for a $100 profit or how much profit a $100 wager would have. For example, for a -200 bet, bettors would need to wager $200 to receive a $100 profit. For a +200 bet, a bet of $100 would receive a $200 profit.
• Decimal: Decimal odds show bettors how much revenue they'd get from a bet, which includes what they stake. If a bettor wagers $1 on 5.0 odds, the bettor will receive $4 profit plus the $1 they staked.
• Fractional: Fractional odds are like decimal odds, except they’re written as fractions, and they show profit rather than revenue. If a bettor wagers $1 on 3/1 odds, they’ll receive $3 profit if the bet cashes.

Markets and Types of Bets

Markets are the different outcomes within a match, tournament, or league that bettors are wagering on to either happen or not happen. Every golf betting online website will have different popular markets.

Types of bets are slightly different in that they're a way of betting that a sportsbook has enabled, but not a specific market.

Let’s look at some of the most popular markets and types of bets that you can expect to find on a great online golf betting sportsbook.

• To Win: This is the most simple form of golf betting. This market is wagering on a golfer to win a tournament outright.
• To Place: This bet is wagering on a player to place in a specific range. This can include top five, top ten, or top 20.
• Each Way: An Each Way bet splits a wager in half, partially on win and partially on place. This way, bettors can still receive a big payout but have a bigger range of outcomes than just a winning bet.
• Match Bets: Match Bets are when bookmakers pair different golfers together and create odds for who will have the lower score. Typically, the bookmaker selects top golfers for the matches.
• Two and Three Balls: Two and three balls are when bettors are wagering who will win in pairings. Because golfers are normally paired up during tournament rounds, with groups of three before the cut and groups of two after, bettors can wager on who will perform better in these groupings.
• First Round Leader: The First Round leader bet is exactly as it sounds. It is a wager on who will be leading the tournament after the first round.
• Props: Prop betting is when bettors wager on outcomes that aren’t necessarily tied to the final result of the tournament  Props cover a range of things, including whether there will be a hole-in-one, how many water hazards there will be, and so on.
• Parlays: Parlays are when bettors tie multiple different bets into a single bet. Each outcome within the parlay needs to hit for the parlay to cash.
• Live Betting: Live Betting is when bettors wager on an event that is already underway. The odds change and update as the event is played out live.

Features are the embedded aspects of an operator that a sportsbook has. We’ve mentioned features in our golf betting guide already, as they are incredibly important.

But now, it is time to look at the features that golf bettors should want when using a golf betting site. Below, we’re looking at some of the top features a golf sportsbook should provide.

• Live Betting: As we’ve mentioned, live betting is wagering on events that are already underway. Live betting sites are sportsbooks that accommodate this form of betting. Most operators have expansive live options.
• Boosted Odds: Boosted Odds are when a sportsbook takes certain odds and increases their payout to be better for bettors. For example, if you were golf betting on the Masters, and they boosted Max Homa’s odds to win from +950 to +1100.
• Bet Builder: The Bet Builder feature allows bettors to make parlays within a single event. They could, if they were U.S. Open golf betting, make a parlay bet of Rory McIlroy winning and Jordan Spieth placing top 5.
• Tournaments: Tournaments are when sportsbooks offer events for bettors to enter and compete against one another for prizes. Typically, bettors receive points for winning bets, and whoever has the most points receives cash prizes.
• Stats Page: A stats page is a page a sportsbook has that shows a variety of important stats. This can help bettors formulate a sound betting strategy.

Betting on golf is difficult, as it is unlike any other sport. Tennis betting is the closest, as, unlike NFL betting or Soccer betting, the sport is driven by tournaments played at different locations.

Whether you are PGA golf betting, LIV golf betting, or wagering on other professional tours, you will need a sound strategy to succeed.

Formulating a golf betting strategy is a crucial step toward long-term success. Let’s look at some golf betting tips that can help you develop a productive, impactful strategy that yields positive results. 

• Familiarize Yourself with the Course and Player History: Every golf tournament is played at a different course, so get to know that course. Look at which holes are the most challenging and get an understanding of what a player needs to succeed there. Then, look at if players have played there before and how they've performed in the past. This can provide helpful insights for the future.
• Look at the Player's Current Form: Along with the player’s history at a course, look into how a player is currently playing. Are they riding a hot streak, where they’ve placed highly several tournaments in a row, or are they bogged down by a lingering injury?
• Check Those Weather Reports: Golf is a sport where the weather is a major factor. If there are heavy winds or significant rain, that can create conditions that lead to chaos and level the playing field, where an unexpected golfer rises to the top.
• Explore Each Way Bets: Placing bets directly on a golfer to win is risky. While it pays out well, you can still get solid payouts when golf betting each way, but you have more of a margin to succeed if the bettor doesn’t win the tournament.

Golf Betting Trends:

Golf is a sport steeped in tradition, but there are some recent trends that it is important to be aware of.

Betting trends can clue you into important changes in the sport that can impact your betting success. Let’s look at some of the biggest betting trends to know right now to help you create an impactful golf betting system.

• Brooks Kopeka Shows Up in Majors: Koepka has a 39% top-five finish percentage in majors, ahead of even Tiger Woods.
• Bet on Scheffler: Scottie Scheffler is red-hot right now. Betting on Scheffler to come top-10 has succeeded in 73.3% of tournaments this year.
• Analyze Golfer’s Putt Percentages: Putting is the great differentiator in golf. Look at golfer’s putting percentages in recent tournaments to see how they might perform in the future.

Like every other sport, there are rules to wagering on golf. The different rules of golf betting can dictate whether a bet counts as a win or a loss, so they are important to know ahead of time.

While rules can differ according to the sportsbook, there are some consistent trends. Let’s explore some of the golf betting rules that are most significant to be aware of.

• Lowest Score Wins: In golf, whoever has the lowest number of strokes, wins. If the golfer you bet on finishes the tournament with the least number of strokes, they win, and your bet cashes.
• If Golfer Withdraws: Golfers will often withdraw from tournaments due to injury or performance. If they withdraw before any strokes, then the bet is voided, and your money returned. However, if they play at all, the bet counts.
• Weather Disruptions: Golf is an outdoor sport, so disruptions happen. Tournaments are rarely canceled or condensed, but they can be delayed. The bet is kept live even if the event is delayed and will be settled according to the official tournament result.
• Dead Heat: Dead Heat is when golfers tie. Typically, when players tie for positioning in top five, ten, or 20 bets, the bet is cut by how many players are tied for that position.

Golf is a unique sport because of how it functions. The world of professional golf is diverse and exciting, and it is composed of several tours that offer different tournaments for professionals and qualifying players.

For those inexperienced in the world of professional golf, keeping track of the different tours and tournaments can be incredibly difficult. But we are here to help. Below, we'll look at some of the top associations and events that everyone golf betting online should familiarize themselves with.

Important Golf Associations and Tours

• PGA: The PGA Tour is the American/North American tour that organizes most of the biggest golf tournaments in the world. This is the top golf tour on the planet, featuring the pros you know and love, like Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy. The PGA Tour hosts dozens of tournaments a year, with 44 FedExCup regular-season events scheduled for this golf season. Most players don't compete in all the events, with bigger tournaments bringing out the best field.
• PGA European Tour: While the PGA Tour goes across the United States and Canada, the European Tour travels across Europe. This tour plays at many of the most historic courses across Europe and is where many talented international golfers play. PGA Tour golfers will also compete on the European Tour, with golfers like Lee Westwood and Jon Rahm playing tournaments on both circuits. While it is less famous than the PGA Tour, it is a major golf association.
• LPGA: The PGA Tour and European Tour are for men, and the LPGA is for women. The LPGA features the top female golfers on the planet. While it has fewer tournaments, with only 32 official tournaments in the LPGA Tour this year, they are held across several nations and include substantial prize payouts. The LPGA tour is dominated by female athletes from around the world, and it makes for thrilling golf. The LPGA has events like the U.S. Women's Open and Women's British Championship.
• LIV: The latest disruptor to the world of golf is LIV. The Saudi-backed new tour was launched in 2022 and has attracted some of the biggest names in the sport, such as Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson, and Dustin Johnson, due to its massive payouts. LIV Golf has a different format, as it has fewer tournaments and is based on team performance.

Biggest Golf Tournaments

• The Masters: The Masters is arguably the most famous golf tournament in the world. It is an event on the PGA, European, and Japanese Tour. It is held at the Augusta National in Georgia. Masters golf betting is incredibly popular.
• PGA Championship: The PGA Championship is a PGA major event that is on the PGA, European, and Japanese Tours. It is held at different venues; most recently, it was at Oak Hill Country Club in New York. Golf betting PGA Championship tournaments is a national pastime in May when the tournament is held.
• U.S. Open: The U.S. Open is a major tournament held by the USGA that is an official event for the PGA and European Tour. It offers the largest purse of any major and is typically held at different courses. In 2023, it will be held at the Los Angeles Country Club in California. It is held in June, and you can find an array of U.S. Open golf betting odds online.
• The Open Championship: The Open Championship, which is often called the British Open, is a links golf major tournament that is a part of the European Tour, PGA Tour, and Japan Golf Tour. It is open to all qualifying golfers. The tournament is held at St. Andrews in Scotland, one of the most famed courses on the planet. The Open golf betting is popular around the world.

One of the things that many betting enthusiasts seek out when searching for a sportsbook is a strong mobile experience. Having mobile compatibility enables bettors to wager on their favorite sporting events from their phones, wherever they are.

The best form of mobile betting is through a downloadable mobile app. They are more accessible, can be downloaded onto your phone, and oftentimes even come with bonuses for bettors that use them. That is why many bettors prioritize a golf betting app when looking for a sportsbook.

Golf betting apps can be compatible with iOS, Android, or both. They typically come from established legal operators that have the money to fund them and can be found on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. A great app will be easy to use, have the same features as the desktop version, and look good on a mobile phone.

If a sportsbook doesn’t have a mobile app, there is an alternative. Nearly every sportsbook will provide a mobile-optimized website for bettors. A mobile website is a version of the sportsbook that can be accessed through a web browser. It is specifically designed to look and function on the phone.

While a mobile app is a superior option to a mobile website, a mobile site still brings the fun desktop experience straight to your phone.

Golf betting can be confusing for some, and if you have questions, we are here to help. Below, we’re addressing some of the most frequently asked questions about golf betting online.