Online sportsbooks are as common as the many professional golf tournaments that rumble on during a given season. While sports like horse racing and football generally take the main focus of online sportsbooks, it can leave other sports not quite as well represented.
So, the importance of finding a top site that covers golf in depth becomes clear. It will likely lead to a bigger, better online experience.
Growth of golf betting trends
The number of sports bettors online in Ireland is expected to break the 500k barrier in 2028. The trend out of that is naturally towards sports like football, racing, golf, tennis, rugby and GAA. Golf is one of the world’s major sports, with the bulk of the action from the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf. It’s not uncommon for more than one tournament to be played in the same week, so there are options aplenty to size up at golf betting sites Ireland.
Ranking a good site
A good online betting site will simply be like a caddy, providing a player with a large range of betting options, all from global, extensive tournament coverage. A good online sportsbook is made up of different components that all come together to work well.
Here are things to look out for:
Variety of golf events covered
If it is difficult to find the latest LIV Golf markets, or tournament prices aren’t listed until right before tee off, that can be a hindrance to betting strategy. Good sportsbooks will have enough information to price up all tournaments, even in those situations where there are two or three running in the same week.
Bet options
The end user should not feel limited by bet options. A tournament will naturally have the outright winner market posted, but what else? There should be a bank of other markets available, such as Top 5, Top 10 and Top 20 Finishes, First Round Leader, Winning Nationality and Head-to-Head, not only on the Majors but for all tournaments.
Competitive odds
The other factor that must be considered is the odds. Odds comparison is a great tool, helping to quickly pinpoint the operators that continuously provide strong odds. It’s worth testing markets frequently, and a pattern could emerge of golf betting sites that always outperform others.
Cross-platform ease
Navigation around a website and the speed at which it loads markets is a good thing to pay attention to when ranking the best golf betting sites in Ireland.
Anything more than just a couple of clicks to find a Top 3 Finish option for a player at the US Open A will lead to a frustrating experience. Markets should be accessible and legible, and selections should fly over to the bet slip quickly.
This is true of mobile action as well. Many high-quality sportsbooks have mobile apps. While access can also be gained through mobile browsers, mobile golf betting apps provide more functionality, are generally quicker and offer better navigation features.
In-play golf updates
One of the big driving forces of the popularity of golf betting in Ireland is the accessibility of mobile betting, and one of the biggest benefits of mobile betting is being able to keep an eye on in-play golf markets.
After the tee off at a tournament, the markets flip from pre-match to live. Odds are then updated on the fly and are a true representation of change and what is happening out on the course.
In-play golf odds allow a closer analysis of the state of play and can account for those unexpected times, like when a rank outsider suddenly surges into the top five at the Irish Open.
Security considerations at golf betting sites
With a little due diligence, it is easy to land at reputable, trustworthy golf betting sites. Licensing is one of the big keys to it all. Licensing means that the site is regulated by a governing body, which in Ireland is the Revenue Commissioners, and that in turn means that certain player protections are in place.
Security is not to be taken lightly. Regulations ensure that sportsbooks perform full ID and proof of address checks on customers, part of helping to ensure that money withdrawn goes to its intended destination.
Site encryption and good, easy access to customer support and responsible gambling tools all help keep players safe.
Welcome bonuses and ongoing golf promotions
Online betting sites will also have a good range of golf betting promotions, which are great to look out for. There is a huge variety of different types of offers:
Welcome bonus
A welcome bonuses is a highly-marketed, one-time incentive offered to new customers. It is usually in the form of free sports bets for making a qualifying first deposit and bets on the account. It’s a great way to receive a boost to tee off your golf betting.
Rewards club
For sticking with a particular betting site, rewards clubs come into play. Once a qualifying minimum amount of stake during a promotional week is reached, a free bet gets credited back to the account.
Money back specials
When the Majors swing into action, expect to see money back specials. These are exclusive offers that will refund a lost stake as a free bet if a particular outcome doesn’t happen. An example of a money back special would be a lost stake refund if an outright winner selection at the British Open finishes runner-up.
Enhanced odds
The simplest of all online promotions at golf betting sites is an enhanced odds deal. This is a situation where the bookmaker has given a boost on the odds – for example, to a selection like Rory McIlroy to win the PGA Championship.
Extra places
The extra places golf betting promotion is popular at golf betting sites. This covers each-way bets, just as in horse racing. The number of ‘places’ that are covered by partial payouts behind the winner – which is essentially something like a top-four finish in the field – gets extended to further spots for extra coverage.
Top three golf betting sites in Ireland
There are some excellent options to narrow in on when looking for a golf betting platform. Here is a small selection of some of the highest-ranked industry leaders:
BoyleSports
Ireland’s largest independent bookmaker, BoyleSports, welcomes new customers with a package of free bets. They have an extensive sportsbook on a user-friendly platform and are a great source for golf futures markets, those long-term selections on tournament winners. BoyleSports are also well-known for their wide range of promotions, like early payouts on events.
BetVictor
This is another top operator for golf betting in Ireland. New players can select from one of two welcome bonus offers for sports, before getting into their great golf betting. BetVictor’s mobile platform is one of the most highly rated around and provides fantastic access to live, in-play golf betting, plus cash-out options where an active bet can be settled early.
Bet365
Bet365 is one of the biggest, longstanding online betting sites for golf Launched around the turn of the century, Bet365 has always had a reputation for being a comprehensive sportsbook. For market options in golf, from the winner markets to in-play next-hole selections, they remain a strong force. Bet365 also has a good selection of bonus offers.
Holing out at the best golf betting sites
There is nothing wrong with visiting online sportsbooks and test-driving them. It’s good practice to poke around, do some odds comparisons and get a feel for a particular platform. Established promotions can be studied and market variety checked out. Entering with a checklist of features can help to pinpoint a personal experience and can paint a clear picture of overall quality.
