Golf Betting Strategy

Golf Betting Strategy: Reducing Variance

One of the most common wagers that you'll see offered in golf betting deals with the "Outright Winner." This is a very easy bet to understand because you're merely picking who you think will win the tournament. But as simple as this concept is, it's just as difficult to win because there are usually around 140 players who start each tourney. So even if you're picking Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson to win, tabbing the champ is no easy task.

Taking all of this into account, you'll be facing a lot of variance in PGA betting. Sure some of the more experienced bettors don't mind this variance and can patiently wait for victories to come. But the average person wants to win now and sustain their bankroll. Assuming you fit into this broad category, here are a few tips for reducing the variance associated with wagering on golf.

1. Make a Few Outright Winner Bets on every Tournament

Betting on just one player to win a tourney isn't going to offer you a very good chance of winning. So what many people like to do is spread their action around to a few different Outright wagers.

Now how you go about this is all up to you. For example, some bettors target the top 3-4 golfers in a tournament, hoping that one of these favorites will come through for them. Others like to pick one top-notch professional like Justin Rose, then choose a couple of golfers with mid-range odds like Bubba Watson and/or Bill Haas. Mix and match them how you like, but the key is to select a few different players.

2. Consider making some Field Bets

If your goal is to reduce variance and win more often, why not make some higher-percentage wagers like the field bet? A field bet wins as long as your golfer places within the top three spots of a tournament. Sure this won't offer as big of a payout as Outright bets, but a winning field wager will boost your confidence.

Keep in mind that some sportsbooks also feature field bets where your golfer merely has to place in the top 5 or top 10 of a PGA tournament. Provided you do some research on the matter, this gives you a very realistic shot at winning money.

3. Stick with One-on-One Bets

The best possible way to reduce variance in golf betting is by making one-on-one bets. Of course, most people don't get into PGA betting solely to do this because they could just place these wagers in football, basketball, baseball or hockey. But it goes without saying that you can't do much better in regards to high-percentage golf bets than the one-on-one variety.

You can find a lot of these wagers in the Ryder Cup, which is all one-on-one matchups. There are also various types of bets that deal with who finishes higher in a tournament between two players. Once again, you're only picking one or the other player, which gives you an excellent opportunity to walk away with a win.

4. Check out Prop Bets

Aside from the main types of PGA bets that you'll see, there are also a fair number of prop bets. And some of these props give you an excellent chance to earn money because they deal with a small pool of players.

For example, there are "3-ball" bets, which ask you to pick the winner among three pros who are grouped together in a tournament. Likewise, "2-ball" wagers are available later in tourneys, as groups are narrowed down to just two golfers because more players have been cut. Whatever the case may be, just make sure to give golf prop bets a look.

5. Study Golf Betting Strategy

Not everything with regard to reducing PGA betting variance comes from the bets you make. It's also highly important to study golf betting tips and strategy whenever you get some free time.

Just as with any form of sports betting, the best-prepared and most knowledgeable bettors are going to win long-term money. And they're also going to win a larger percentage of the time, which is crucial towards building and sustaining a bankroll. When you combine a good command of strategy with choosing the right bets, you have an excellent shot at winning a lot of golf wagers!