Golf Betting – Complete guide for 2026

How Golf Betting Works

You’d discover that betting in golf is very simple once you understand how golf odds, markets, and payouts work. There are 3 types of odds you’ll find on a golf betting Ireland, and they include fractional, decimal, and American. They may appear different, but they’re saying the same thing.

If you see odds that’s displayed as “+200”, it’s American format, odds looking like “2/1” is what we refer to as fractional odds, while anything like “3.0” is decimal odds. Some bookmakers may even give you the option to change to the odds format you prefer, but no matter the format you choose, the result is still the same. To get the golf odds explained further, let’s take a look at an example.

If you’re interested in betting on golf markets in Ireland, then you should be familiar with the rules set by bookmakers and the Irish Revenue Commissioners. Some of what you need to know is:

• You may be required to verify your identity before large withdrawals are processed. We’re talking about withdrawals from €500 and above.
• You must be at least 18 years old to qualify to play. KYC is required to prove your age.

Types of Golf Bets

If you’re interested in betting on the golf market, then you must get familiar with the markets that are available. Let’s break them down for you:

Outright Winner

This is simply betting on who will win the entire tournament. It’s the most popular too.
Let’s say you back Lowry to win at odds of 20/1 with a €10 stake.

Return = €10 × 20 = €200 profit + €10 stake = €210 total.

Your return plus profit will be €210.

Each-Way (EW) Bet

Each-way golf betting splits your stake into 2. On one part, you’re betting on the golfer to win, and on the other, you're betting for them to place.
Let’s say you bet €5 EW on Lowry @ 25/1, 1/5 odds for Top 5

• Win: €5 at 25/1
• Place: €5 at (25/1 × 1/5 = 5/1)

If he places: €5 × 5 = €25 profit + €5 stake = €30 return on the place part.

Top Finishes (Top 5, Top 10, Top 20)

Top 10/20 golf bet is an alternative to an outright. The golfer you choose just needs to finish inside the chosen bracket. An example of this type of bet is: €10 on McIlroy Top 10 @ 1.90 returns €19.

Head-to-Head (H2H) Matchups

Here, you bet on which of the two golfers will finish with the better score in a tournament.
It’s usually like Example is you backing Lowry to beat Hatton in Round 1 @ 1.80 odds.

3-Ball & 2-Ball Matchups

This one is very common in Irish betting during Majors. You get to pick who will be the lowest scorer among a group paired together for the round.

Nationality Betting

This is predicting who will be the top performer from a country or region. It is most useful when outright odds feel too long.

Prop & Special Bets

Golf prop bets cover special tournament outcomes like “Will McIlroy make the cut?” “Total birdies,” “Top-10 finish,” “Leader after Round 1,” etc. Props betting is a bit more flexible. You can place lots of bets under this without needing to pick the actual winner.

Odds & Formats

As earlier stated, golf betting odds are the foundation of golf betting. If you understand them, you’ll be able to spot value easily. We’ve explained that golf odds are in three formats, namely: fractional, decimal, and American. All three represent how much you can win based on your stake. Here’s what they look like and their potential return.

Golf odds can be significantly different from one bookmaker to another. One bookmaker may price McIlroy at 10/1, while another offers 12/1 odds on the same match; here’s how this little difference affects.

• If you place €10 on the first bookmaker at odds of 10/1, your return will be €110
• If you use the other bookmaker that offers 12/1 odds, your return will be €130 if you stake the same amount.

You see that there’s a gap of €20 between these 2 bookmakers. This is a clear indication that bookmakers that offer higher odds will favour you in the long run.

Betting Strategies

What separates profitable golf bettors from unprofitable ones is their betting strategy. Golf betting strategies are structured systems that help you manage your risk, find value, and improve your long-term results. We’ll be teaching some betting strategies that have proven to work on golf.

80/20 Each-Way Strategy (Risk-Controlled Betting)

An 80/20 each-way strategy helps to protect you from losing everything if your golfer doesn’t win but still finishes well. The way it works is that you split your bet into 2 parts. You put 20% on your golfer to win and 80% on your golfer to place (Top 5 or Top 8 usually). From experience, we’ve seen that most golfers rarely win, but many of them finish in the top places. This strategy will give you a higher chance of getting money back.

1-3-2-6 Staking System (Structured Bankroll Growth)

This is the strategy that’ll help you avoid chasing losses. How it works is that you only increase your bet when you’re winning. If you lose at any step, you start again from 1 unit.

Value Betting (Finding Mispriced Lines)

In the value betting strategy, you don’t take the small odds you see. So this is how it works: Different Irish bookies offer different prices.

• One bookmaker gives McIlroy 10/1
• Another gives him 12/1 with better each-way terms

The second bookmaker is obviously a better value because you get more money for the same result. We advise you to always check 2 to 3 bookmakers' sites before placing a bet.

As you start betting, there are things you should avoid. These are:

• Don’t back favourites with odds below 2.0, unless you’re sure they rarely win in golf.
• Don’t increase your stake when you’re losing.
• Always check the place terms (Top 5, Top 7, etc.) before placing each-way bets.

Golf Betting Apps

Research shows that most golf punters place bets using golf betting mobile apps. This is why we’ve thought it reasonable to test all the apps we could find to find the best golf betting app Ireland. Here are the golf betting apps that top our list:

• 10Bet app: The 10Bet app has a very clean and intuitive UI/UX design. The app loads very fast, and it’s available for download on the Google Play Store and App Store. The app contains all of the features available on the mobile website, and it offers regular promos and adds extra value. 10 Bet is rated 3.3 on Google Play Store and 2.8 out of 5 stars on App Store.
• BetVictor app: One of the oldest bookmakers in Ireland. It also has a clean interface that closely mirrors the desktop version. The mobile live-betting section is very advanced. Some of the app's features are cash-out and bet builder options. BetVictor is rated 3.3 on Google Play Store and 4.7 out of 5 stars on App Store.
• QuinnBet app: It’s one of the apps we rate well in Ireland. It has a simple interface but modern designs. The app is very fast, user-friendly. It contains many advanced features and exclusive features like push notifications. QuinnBet Android app is rated 3.3 on Google Play Store and 4.6 out of 5 stars on App Store.

Free Bets & Promos

Most bookmakers have golf betting offers, but their rules can make them unattractive. We’ve tested many bookmakers, and these are still the bookmakers that we find their bonuses attractive and with reasonable requirements. All of these golf free bets are for 18+.

This offer is for new players who place their first bet. The first bet must be at least €10 on minimum odds of 2.00. The reward for the bonus is up to €60 in free bets once that bet settles. This bonus can be used on golf betting.

Visit

This bonus is for new users, and it’s up to €50 in free bets. All you need to do is to deposit at least €10 and place a bet of at least €10 on any sport of your choice, including golf, at odds of 2.0. Once the bet settles, you’ll receive 5 €10 free bets.

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10Bet gives new players a 100% match on their first deposit, and the bonus is up to €50. Though some deposit methods are restricted, the validity period is very reasonable. You have up to 60 days to use the bonus.

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Major Events

During major tournaments like The Masters golf betting, the Open, the US Open, and the Ryder Cup, there’s usually a larger number of bettors focused on betting on golf. It’s only natural that major events draw many tournaments because of the special promotions during that period. You’ll find offers like boosted odds and early ante-post opportunities that can give you extra value. Below are the tournaments scheduled for 2026 and their respective location.

Golf Majors Schedule 2026

These tournaments have many betting markets you can bet on. The markets you’ll find include outright, each-way, and prop markets. Other than the pre-match bets you can play, some Irish bookmakers allow you to bet live as the tournament is taking place. There are enormous opportunities in the live betting section.

🏌️ Ante-Post Betting
Ante-post betting has to do with placing a bet weeks or months before a tournament starts. The odds on these types of bets are usually higher. We’ve seen how those odds shorten as the tournament approaches. There was a time Rory McIlroy opened at 10/1 for The Masters, but after winning in Dubai, his odds shortened to 7/1. Ante-post bets are really good for backing longshots or up-and-coming Irish players because you can get better value before the market changes.

🏌️ In-Play Betting
This type of betting is loved by advanced players. They prefer to see the tournament start first before they jump in. In-play betting allows you to easily change your decision as the game takes a turn. You should try it in these tournaments.

Related Racing Events

If you’ve been just focused on golf betting, you’re probably missing out on many betting opportunities. Many golf lovers also enjoy horse racing, and guess what? The same strategies apply to horse racing. Horse racing major festivals like Cheltenham, Punchestown, and Royal Ascot are similar to golf Majors. They’re events with outright bets, each-way bets, and head-to-head matchups.

You see, night races like Leopardstown Winter Series or Dundalk Night Racing have quick, easy bets with live odds, it’s much like watching a golf tournament leaderboard.

Responsible Gambling

We always advise players like yourself to take gambling as a fun activity, rather than a way of making money. In Ireland, the Irish Gambling Regulation Bill and bodies like GamblingCare.ie, have the responsibility to provide you with guidance and support so you gamble within safe means.

Every bookmaker in Ireland has the responsibility to promote responsible gambling and offer tools to help you manage your gambling activity. There are 2 responsible gambling tools we recommend that every punter use, and they are:

• Deposit Limits: These betting limit tools allow you to set daily, weekly, or monthly limits on your account. It’s there to help you control your spending and avoid overspending.
• Timeout / Self-Exclusion: This is the tool that’ll help you temporarily pause or fully suspend your account if you need a break from betting. We recommend this if you need to stay away from gambling.

Even though bonuses or free bets are very enticing, we still recommend responsible gambling. Gambling Ireland laws mandate bookmakers to provide support organizations' links, so players struggling with gambling addiction can easily contact them. If you ever find yourself struggling with gambling addiction, then it’s time to make use of a support organization. One of the support organizations is GamblingCare.ie, and they’re open 24/7.