To bet on golf, you pick a market (the outright winner, an each-way bet, a top-10 finish, a head-to-head or three-ball matchup, or a round score) and back a player in it. The next big dates are the Presidents Cup at Medinah from September 24 to 27, 2026, and the 2027 majors, which start with the Masters on April 8.
The golf bets you can make
Golf odds are almost always quoted against a full field, so the prices run long. If you are new to reading them, our guide to how betting odds work covers the conversion from American odds to payout.
- Outright: the player who wins the tournament. A $10 bet at +2000 returns $210 if he wins: $200 profit plus the stake.
- Each-way: two bets of equal size, one to win and one to place. The place part pays a fraction of the win odds if the player finishes inside a set number of places.
- Top finish: a top-5, top-10 or top-20 finish, priced shorter than the outright.
- Head-to-head: which of two players scores lower over a round or the tournament.
- Three-ball: which of the three players in a group scores lowest in a given round.
- First-round leader: who leads after 18 holes.
- Round score: over or under a line such as 70.5 for one player’s round. Under 70.5 means 70 or lower.
Outrights pay the most because they are the hardest to hit. Matchups and three-balls cut the field to two or three players, so the bet turns on two or three scorecards instead of the whole field.
Each-way terms, worked out
The place terms are set by the sportsbook for each event and printed on the market: how many places pay, and what fraction of the win odds they pay at. Read them before you bet, because they vary.
Here is an example with stated terms. A $10 each-way bet costs $20: $10 to win and $10 to place. Say the player is 40-1 and the terms are one-quarter odds for the top 5. If he finishes third, the win bet loses and the place bet pays at 10-1, so $110 comes back on $20 staked. If he wins, both halves pay: $410 on the win and $110 on the place. Our each-way golf betting guide covers the bet in more depth.
Matchups, three-balls and the first round
A three-ball is priced off the actual tee sheet, so it is the one market you can bet with the full round in front of you: the tee time, the wind forecast and the three players’ recent form. If two players tie for the lowest score, the book’s dead-heat rule decides the payout, so check it. Our three-ball betting guide has more on the market.
First-round-leader bets pay outright-sized prices on a single day. Tee times matter here more than anywhere, because morning and afternoon waves can get very different weather. The strategy is in our first-round leader guide.
How to find value in a golf market
Look at strokes gained before driving distance. Strokes gained measures a player’s shots against the field average in four areas: off the tee, approach, around the green and putting. A long hitter who loses strokes on approach is a weaker bet than his driving numbers suggest.
Then match the player to the course. Long, open layouts reward distance; tight courses with thick rough reward accuracy. A player’s record at the venue is worth checking too. Our seven tips for betting on golf goes further, and our golf picks apply it to each week’s event.
What is left on the 2026 schedule
Nine events remain on the PGA Tour’s 2026 calendar, plus Q-School from December 10 to 13. The FedExCup Fall events let players improve their priority ranking for the 2027 FedExCup season, which the PGA Tour says begins at The American Express on January 21, 2027.
| Event | Dates (2026) |
|---|---|
| Presidents Cup, Medinah Country Club (No. 3), Illinois | Sept. 24-27 |
| Bank of Utah Championship | Oct. 1-4 |
| Baycurrent Classic | Oct. 8-11 |
| Butterfield Bermuda Championship | Oct. 22-25 |
| VidantaWorld Mexico Open | Oct. 29-Nov. 1 |
| World Wide Technology Championship | Nov. 5-8 |
| Austin Championship | Nov. 12-15 |
| The RSM Classic | Nov. 19-22 |
| Hero World Challenge | Dec. 3-6 |
The Presidents Cup is a team match between the United States and an International side. Match-play markets work differently from stroke play: you bet on single matches, on each session, and on the overall result.
The 2026 majors, and who won them
| Major | Course | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masters, April 9-12 | Augusta National | Rory McIlroy | -12 |
| PGA Championship, May 14-17 | Aronimink | Aaron Rai | -9 |
| U.S. Open, June 18-21 | Shinnecock Hills | Wyndham Clark | -4 |
| The Open, July 16-19 | Royal Birkdale | Ryan Fox | -10 |
Four majors, four different winners. Scottie Scheffler finished second at the Masters and then won the TOUR Championship at East Lake at -16. Cameron Young won THE PLAYERS at -13 and was runner-up at The Open.
The 2027 majors and the Ryder Cup
| Event | Dates (2027) | Course |
|---|---|---|
| THE PLAYERS Championship | March 11-14 | TPC Sawgrass |
| Masters | April 8-11 | Augusta National |
| PGA Championship | May 20-23 | Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco, Texas |
| U.S. Open | June 17-20 | Pebble Beach Golf Links |
| The Open (155th) | July 15-18 | St Andrews, Old Course |
| TOUR Championship | Aug. 26-29 | East Lake Golf Club |
| Ryder Cup | Sept. 17-19 | Adare Manor, Ireland |
The Masters is at Augusta National again. The Open returns to St Andrews for the 155th edition, and the U.S. Open goes to Pebble Beach. Our guides to the Open Championship and the PGA Championship cover those markets in detail before each one.
Futures on the 2027 majors
The 2027 Masters starts on April 8, and sportsbooks post outright markets on majors months in advance. An early price can be longer than the one on the week of the event, and it can also die with an injury or a slump before the first tee shot. Our view: bet an early major future only at a price you would not expect to see again on tournament week, and leave the rest until the field is set.