How to Make Golf Head-to-Head First-Round Bets
The rise in the popularity of the PGA Tour and simultaneous legalized sports betting has brought with it an unprecedented number of ways to bet on golf. One such method, the head-to-head first-round bet, is a new option that allows betters to get nearly even money in some cases.
Let’s take a closer look at what it is and some strategies for taking advantage.
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What are head-to-head first-round bets?
First off, what is a head-to-head bet in golf? A head-to-head bet pits two golfers against one another, with the winner being whoever finishes higher on the leaderboard.
While many think of the typical head-to-head bet being for the entire event, whether it be two or four rounds depending on whether the golfers make the cut, a new option is the ability to bet head-to-head on just the first round. Many times, the golfers involved will be in the same group (of 2-4 golfers) to take out the weather factor and different advantages players in the morning might have vs. those teeing off in the afternoon (and vice versa).
Creating an offering for head-to-head first-round bets and full tournament first-round bets creates one more market for sportsbooks to earn on (and bettors to try and exploit). It’s also worth noting that head-to-head first-round bets are often close to even money on both sides, as sportsbooks treat them like traditional Team A vs. Team B matchups as they do in other sports.
What is a good strategy to bet head-to-head first-round bets?
Like any market offered each week, bettors who do their research and get down early enough can undoubtedly have an edge in first-round betting. One strategy to consider is to dig deep into which golfers perform best early in tournaments.
Like you would check when betting in the outright market, also look at how bettors perform specifically or certain styles of courses or even specific courses. Given the PGA Tour visits mostly the same rotation of courses each season, there is plenty of data for those willing to dig deep enough on historical performances.
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