The List

Below is a small write-up on each of the books that are used for betting purposes on this site. They have been grouped according to the betting market and ranked in order of the number of times they have been cited for official plays since the start of the 2002 season. This should give a clear indication of which books are the best for golf betting.

BETTING EXCHANGES

1. Betfair
   When people talk of "The Exchanges" they're invariably talking about Betfair. Has far and away the largest turnover out of them all, probably several times all the rest put together, and the only benefit of the others seems to be that someone occasionally offers the odd decent price. Is open for business 24 hours a day and they cover an incredible amount of sports from all over the world. The main appeal of Betfair is that you often get better odds to back a selection than any of the traditional bookmakers are offering, and you can also choose to lay a selection you think will not do so well. Customers start off having to pay 5% commission on all their winning bets, an amount widely perceived to be too high, but to be honest it is worth it to be able to bet in this way.

SPREAD BETTING

1. Sporting Index / Bet HiLo
   Sporting Index are the biggest Spread Betting company and to be honest they do lead the way in Golf especially. They are usually first up with prices and have recently introduced a system whereby they put up a list of around 15-20 players and you can pick and choose your own selection(s) to back or oppose. Also the firm with the most novel markets when bigger events are being played. Full online trading available 24 hours a day and U.S. residents can have an account in U.S. dollars.
   
   Bet HiLo are a low risk option within the Sporting Index group whereby you can bet to much lower stakes. Excellent option for those who are unsure or do not have the funds to back to the minimum's required normally. Note that most bets advised with Sporting should normally be available at Bet HiLo.
    
2. Spreadex
   Smaller outfit but not shy in taking a big position financially. One advantage in backing with them and something we may use periodically is that if you place 3 bets with them you can have a fourth "spread free". That can sometimes be the difference between a trade ignored and one taken that we perceive as value. Online trading unavailable just now but is being looked at. You can access your account details online but you cannot trade.
    
3. Cantor Spreadfair
   Offshoot of the large financial institution, critics would say they don't give the sports arm of their business as much time as their financial and therefore are unlikely to go out on a limb against the other firms on a price. Having placed less bets with them than the other four during my time spread betting would suggest this is partly true. Online trading (like IG) is only available when the office is open.
   In June 2004, Cantor opened up Cantor Spreadfair, which is an exchange alternative to spread betting along the lines of Betfair being an alternative to traditional firms. A guide to Cantor Spreadfair is available in the "spread betting guide" in the tab to the left. Prices will almost always be better at Cantor Spreadfair than they are at Cantor Sport themselves due to the very nature of the product. If the price is also more competitive than the other 3 firms and there is sufficient liquidity then we will advise placing a bet here up to a break point, at which it will then become more value to place elsewhere.
    
4. SportsSpread
   Dublin based firm who offer full online trading when the office is closed. Do tend to price up golf markets a little differently, indices can have different scoring, for example. However, their major difference is that their 72H scoring system is different from the other four, but this will be highlighted as and when we advise a bet with them
   
   Update 18/05/04:- Today, SportsSpread closed my account as I was "winning too much". It is a compliment I suppose but this site always backs the advices given on here and we can therefore no longer advise plays at this bookmaker. It is of course not advisable to promote a firm that will close down winning accounts so for these reasons we will no longer advise any plays from them. (Andy)
    

OUTRIGHTS AND MATCHUPS

1. 5Dimes
   The best golf book for matchups by far. Has limited outright offers with win-only and top-5 markets for the PGA Tour (though the top-5 market does appear very late in the week), but just win-only for the European, Champions and LPGA Tours. However, it is terms of their 72-hole and 18-hole matchups that there is no equal. No other book provides either as many different matchups for each Tour event or matchups for as many different Tour events as Five Dimes. Highly recommended for match betting.
    
2. SkyBet
   Excellent outright offers (win-only, each-way and place-only to 5, 10 and 20 places, plus a range of other ante markets) for the PGA and European Tours each week, including live betting on both Tours. They are particularly notable for offering outright odds for the widest range of Tours of any book and that includes European events below Challenge Tour level and some amateur Tour events. A very impressive effort! Matchup odds are only offered for the PGA, European Tour and LPGA Tours, though.
    
3. Bet365
   Very good coverage of the four main Tours each week with outrights and matchups offered in each, plus top-5 and top-10 place markets for the European and PGA Tours as well as a range of other ante markets. They also consistently offer outright odds from some of the minor Tours such as the Web.com, Japan and European Challenge Tours so their overall golf coverage is certainly impressive.
    
4. Stan James
   Very good coverage of the main Tours each week, including the Champions and LPGA Tours, plus the Web.com Tour as a regular market since 2007. The terms are 5 places at 1/4 win odds for all the Tours, plus they offer top-5 and top-10 place betting and a range of other ante markets for the PGA and European Tours. Typically one of the first to price up events on the main Tours.
    
5. Pinnacle
   Only offer win-only odds in the outrights and for the PGA, European, Champions and LPGA Tours only, but they make up for this in terms of value in their matchups. They consistently offer unique tournament matchups for the PGA, European, Champions and LPGA Tours, which at 10-cent lines and no ties are the best on offer in the business. Unfortunately, they only offer 18-hole matchups for the PGA Tour.
    
6. Paddy Power
   Cover the four main Tours - PGA, European, Champions and LPGA - though largely only offer matchups for the PGA and European Tours. They were one of the first to offer a weekly 'top-10' betting market for the PGA and European Tours and they now also offer top-5 and top-20 markets as well as a range of other ante markets. They always offer six places in each-way betting in the Majors so, together with their frequent propositions such as 'all losing outright bets will be refunded if your selection finishes ahead of Tiger Woods', they are a useful golf out.
    
7. Unibet
   Full coverage of the PGA, European, Champions and LPGA Tour with win-only outrights, top-5 place markets, tournament and 18-hole matchups available. Few other books offer such comprehensive coverage of these four Tours. Sadly though, they no longer such outrights and matchup markets on the Web.com, European Challenge, European Senior and Ladies European Tour as they did until 2009.
    
8. Ladbrokes
   Standard offerings of outright and matchup betting for the PGA, European, LPGA and Champions Tour, plus a range of ante markets for the PGA and European Tours. Historically have had a reputation for being prepared to lay bigger bets than many online firms and holding their prices for longer.
    
9. BetVictor
   A good range of outright markets for the PGA and European Tours, with top-5, top-10 and a wide range of other ante markets plus matchups for these Tours. In terms of other Tours they offer only each-way outright markets for the Champions and LPGA Tours, but their golf coverage has certainly increased in recent years.
    
10. Expekt
    Cover the PGA, European, LPGA and Champions Tours with win-only and top-5 place odds. Always provide matchups at competitive odds (and with ties void) for these Tours and are particularly worthy of attention for these markets.
     
11. William Hill
    William Hill is one of the oldest bookies in the UK and global name in sports betting. They offer matchup and outright betting for the Champions and LPGA Tours as well as the PGA and European Tours where they also offer top-5, top-10 and a host of other ante markets. William Hill are also one of the few bookies to regularly offer match odds on the Champions Tour and they also offer these odds on the LPGA Tour on occasion.
     
12. Sportingbet
    Have reverted to merely a standard range of markets (each-way, matchups and a few ante markets) for the PGA and European Tours, but offer only each-way market for the LPGA Tour and none for the Champions Tours. Having covered these Tours more fully, plus others such as the Web.com Tour in the past, this is disappointing.
     
13. Coral
    Well-established High Street bookmaker in the U.K., but only offer the standard range of outright and matchups markets for the PGA and European Tour and outright markets only for the Champions and LPGA Tours.
     
14. Centrebet
    Good range of outright markets for the PGA and European Tours, with win-only, top-5, top-10 and top-25 markets plus other ante markets available. A more limited range of markets are available for the Champions and LPGA Tours, though they are unusual in only offering four places for the Champions Tours. Matchups are offered for all four Tours even though they are rather small in number.
     
15. ToteSport
    Standard offering of outrights, matchups and ante markets for the PGA and European Tours, though they do also offer top-5 and top-10 place markets on these Tours. In terms of other Tours, they have had particularly good and wide coverage in the past, however they now only offer an each-way market for the Champions Tour and nothing on the LPGA Tour.
     
16. BetInternet
    Standard offerings in terms of their outright markets for PGA and European Tours and their matchup prices are generally good, though few in number. They used to cover a larger number of Tours and offer far more ante markets on the PGA and European Tours, but in recent years.
     
17. The Greek
    Offer win-only and top-5 markets for the PGA Tour, as well as win-only markets for the European, Champions and LPGA Tour. However, there is much wider coverage in terms of matchups being available on all four Tours and these are more worthy of attention.
     
18. Boyle Sports
    Offer the standard format of outright, matchup, top-5 and other ante markets markets for the PGA and European Tours as well as outright markets for the Champions and LPGA Tour. Matchup prices tend to more unique than the outrights, though.
     
19. BetFred
    A good range of offerings of outrights, matchups, top-5 and other ante markets for the PGA and European Tours, plus outrights for the Champions and LPGA Tours. BetFred are distinctive for their regular bonuses and these can commonly be found in their PGA and European markets: losing outright bets refunded if the player "finishes 2nd to player x" or "misses the cut by one shot", etc.
     
20. BlueSq
    Offer the standard range of outright and matchup markets for the PGA and European Tours. However, they offer only outright odds on the Champions Tour on a regular basis and do not cover the LPGA Tour.
     
21. Carib
    Cover the PGA Tour with win-only outrights, plus a small selection of 72-hole matchups and 18-hole matchups each day. There are also win-only odds for the European Tour, but no other coverage for this or any other Tour.