If you’re new to betting on sports, it can be difficult to know which way of betting to choose. With so many options available, how do I know which one is right for me?
There are three distinct styles of betting that you need to know about when choosing your golf betting strategy: Money Play, Matchup, and Combination. Let’s take a closer look at each one.
Money Play
This type of golf betting is all about making money. You’re backing a single golf tournament, usually a major or an annual one such as the Masters or the U.S. Open. You’re betting on the overall winner, not on any given scoring event. For example, you might place a bet on Tiger Woods to win the U.S. Open or on Phil Mickelson to win the Masters.
The advantage of this type of bet is that you don’t need to make very precise wagers. For instance, you might choose to wager $10 on Woods to win the U.S. Open or on Mickelson to win the Masters. Should either of those golfers win, you’ll gain $20. You’re not risking much money, if anything at all. Of course, these types of bets are highly correlated to your overall budget.
Matchup
This type of golf betting is typically done by individuals who have already established a rapport with the golfers they’re backing. For example, you might be playing online poker with your buddysporting buddy, and in the course of conversation, you establish that you both enjoy backing young, up-and-coming players. After some thought, you decide to put your money where your mouth is and place a bet on Jordan Spieth to win the 2015 U.S. Open. You’ll both be satisfied with the outcome of the bet, as you both made money.
The advantage of this type of bet is that you can limit the athletes you’re backing to those who you feel are most likely to win. If you’re trying to pick a Cinderella story and the odds are in favor of another golfer, it’s best to avoid betting on that specific individual. The disadvantage is that you need to commit to backing a single player, which can be difficult when you have so many golfers you enjoy playing against. In the Spieth example, if you’re not comfortable with backing just one player, it might be best to avoid betting at all.
Combination
This type of golf betting is all about having fun. You’re playing against the computer or with friends at a social table, and you establish that you’re all into competitive golf. After some light thinking, you decide that you’d like to try backing several golfers at once. So, in order to hedge your bets, you combine together two or more distinct styles of golf betting into one. For example, you might bet on Tiger Woods to win the U.S. Open, and on Phil Mickelson to win the Masters. If Woods wins the U.S. Open and Mickelson wins the Masters, you’ll gain $100, as you were initially backing two distinct golfers who both won their respective matches. This is also known as a hedged bet, or a covered bet.
The advantage of this type of bet is that you don’t need to think too hard. You just need to remember that you’re backing multiple golfers who are almost certainly going to win, given their pedigree and/or past performances. The disadvantage is that you need to keep an eye on the overall value of your combined wagers. If one of your golfers loses, you might want to consider dropping the other participants in your combination bet. Otherwise, you’re going to lose money. For example, should Woods lose the U.S. Open but win the Masters, it would be best to drop the Mickelson combination bet. The same concept goes for the reverse: should Mickelson win the U.S. Open but lose the Masters, it would be best to drop the Woods combination bet.
Now that you have a better understanding of what each type of golf betting is, let’s take a look at how to choose which one is right for you. Overall, it’s best to choose styles that you’re familiar with. For example, if you’re already used to placing money play bets on golf, it’s best not to try and switch to another style without proper training. There are exceptions to every rule, so if you have no experience with betting but are drawn to placing golf bets because of your affinity for the game, go for money play. If you’re looking for a new experience and want to try something different, matchup or combination bets might be the way to go. Either way, just make sure you do your homework and research the sports books and odds before placing any wagers.