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US Open Golf Betting Tips
Written by: Daniel Collins
Last Updated:
Read Time: 5 minutes
The United States Open Championship, or US Open, is one of the four major golf tournaments on the PGA tour. It has traditionally been the second major golf tournament on the schedule, but it will be the third on the calendar this season.
Traditionally, the US Open is one of the hardest golf tournaments of the year, and golfers have to be extremely accurate in hitting the fairway to be successful. Just like with any major golf tournament, betting on the US Open is extremely popular, and bettors have a variety of ways to make some money.
The US Open dates back to 1895, making it one of the longest running golf tournaments. Horace Rawlins, a 21 year old Englishman, was the winner of the first tournament. The early years of the tournament were dominated by English golfers, but since 1950, Americans have dominated the tournament.
Four different players, including Bobby Jones and Jack Nicklaus, hold the record with four US Open titles.
How To Bet on the US Open
Head to Head: This type of bet is something that is unique to online sportsbooks, and it’s usually only available in the later rounds of the US Open. With this type of betting, a sportsbook will have odds for a pair golfers, giving the bettor a chance to pick between the pair. For example:
- Dustin Johnson -115
- Tiger Woods +125
You will simply place a bet on which golfer will have the better finish in the tournament and collect your winnings after the US Open has concluded.
Versus the Field: This is another type of bet that you won’t typically see until the night before the final round of the US Open. If a golfer has a significant lead over the rest of the field, a sportsbook will set a line on that golfer versus the rest of the field. This gives the bettor the chance to take “the field” and gives a better chance to win the bet.
Over/Under: There are really two types of bets that fall into the over/under or total score type of bet. A sportsbook will set a line for an over/under for each golfer for each round of the tournament, as well as a total score for the entire US Open. Here is an example using Rory McIlroy:
- Rory McIlroy Round 1: Over/Under 69.5 Over -115 Under +125
- Rory McIlroy US Open (4 Rounds): 276.5 Over +125 Under -115
Betting of this kind can be much easier for a bettor, and it gives you a chance to focus on just one golfer as opposed to the entire field.
Futures Bet (Pick the Winner): This is probably the simplest bet to understand, and it can be made way ahead of the start of the US Open. You simply look at the odds for each golfer to win the US Open and make a bet on the golfer of your choice. This type of bet is hard to hit on, but can offer a big payday if you select the right golfer with the right odds.
Finding the Right Sportsbook to bet on the Golf US Open
Before betting on the US Open, it is important to find the right sportsbook to place your bets on. There are several things to consider when choosing the right one, but these are four of the most important things to consider.
Live Betting Options: This is a feature that isn’t really necessary for everyone betting on sports, but the best sportsbooks will have this option available. Live betting is a relatively new concept, but it can be extremely fun and exciting. Find a sportsbook that has this option available and give it a try.
Mobile App: To go along with live betting, find a sportsbook that has a mobile app available to download. Logging on to a computer isn’t always feasible, and it is important to have a mobile option available. Most sportsbooks with a mobile app will allow you to reload/transfer funds right from your phone.
Prop Betting: This could have been in the “how to bet” section, but finding a sportsbook that offers prop bets is important, especially for an event like the US Open. Prop bets give bettors a unique way to make money on things that most golf fans won’t think about.
Customer Service Availability: The availability of customer service doesn’t affect the betting aspect, but it is extremely important when choosing the right sportsbook. Check out our sportsbooks reviews page to find a sportsbook that has great rating for customer service and ask them some questions before depositing your money.
US Open Betting Tips and Strategies
Golf is one of the hardest sports to bet on, and there is luck involved with every tournament. History shows that betting on an American golfer is the right play at the US Open, but even then there are several top American golfers to choose from. An avid golf fan has a better chance of correctly picking the winner, but even a first-time bettor has a chance to win some money.
Personally, looking at the entire field and trying to pick a winner just seems too difficult. The best golfers in the world will always have the best odds to win the tournament, but a longshot always seems to emerge near the top of the leaderboard. If you are going to make a futures bet, I would pick someone playing hot recently that has very low odds and hope that they find their way to the top.
The best way to make money on golf is to focus on one golfer and bet on the over/under. If you want to make several bets, then make an over/under bet on several different golfers. This will allow you to focus on one golfer at a time and bet on their total for each round or for the whole tournament. Since this tournament is being played at Pebble Beach, look at each golfer’s history at that golf course. No matter what way you choose to go, know that there is plenty of luck involved surrounding the US Open. Make some bets, enjoy the tournament, and good luck.
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