If you’re someone that enjoys betting on golf then you might want to consider looking outside of the more straightforward wagers. Betting on the winner will always be a bet that people look towards, especially when there is a standout favourite for the tournament that you’re betting on. Sometimes, though, you might want to bet on a golfer that isn’t likely to win but you don’t particularly want to place an each-way wager and then hope that they come in the places. This is where top 5/10/20 betting comes in, asking your chosen golfer to finish in the necessary places for you to win your bet.
What the Bet Entails
Bookmakers will offer top 5/10/20 betting for golf tournaments because they know that punters want to be able to place a wager on a golfer who might not be able to win but could still do well. Each bookie will have their own version of the wager, but in essence you’re betting on your golfer to finish within the top 5 players, the top 10 players or the top 20 players, depending on which market you’ve opted for. Obviously if they manage to do this then you’ll win your bet, whilst if they don’t then you’ll lose it. It is that simple, albeit with the caveat of dead rules potentially applying if the person you’ve bet on is tied for a position.
Betting on the Opposite
Sometimes a market will be available which is essentially the reverse of the top position bet, meaning that you can you place a wager on a player to miss out on finishing in the top 5, top 10 or top 20. This is akin to betting on the golfer to miss the cut, insomuch as if you place a wager on a golfer to miss out on the top 5 and they finish sixth or worse then you will win your bet, whereas if they finish fifth or higher then you’ll lose it. The bets work in the same way as each other, in the sense that you will either win or lose your wager depending on what happens, but the difference is that dead-heat rules won’t be relevant to betting on a player missing out on a spot.
What to Think About
The really good thing about betting on golf tournaments is that there is a wealth of information out there to help you figure out what to bet on. There are golf tournaments being played almost all year round, so there is a heap of statistical information available to tell you not only how a player has done in the specific tournament that you’re betting on in the past, but also what kind of form they are in heading into this year’s version of the competition. In some cases the tournament will take place at the same golf course each time, whilst in others it will move around. Have a look at how your player has done on the course in the past.
If you’re looking at betting on a specific player, there is no point looking to the top 5/10/20 betting market if they’re one of the favourites to win because the odds on them doing so will be miniscule. At the same time, if you’re betting on a player who is very much considered to be an outsider for the win then this market will be a lot friendlier in terms of the odds on them. The odds on a player finishing in the top 20 will be shorter than them finishing in the top 10, which will be shorter than the odds on them finishing in the top 5. If your player doesn’t have much of a hope, this at least gives you more chance of winning the bet.
Thinking About Dead-Heat Rules
With this sort of betting, you need to make sure that you’ve considered the possibility of them being tied for a position because if they do then dead-heat rules will apply. If your player finishes tied third, say, then it is irrelevant to the Dead-Heat rules because they’re well within the top 5, presuming that’s what you bet on. It is the same thing with a player finishing seventh for a top 10 bet or 16th with a top 20 bet, for example. If, however, they finish tied for 5th, tied for 10th or tied for 20th then you’ll end up being paid out according to dead-heat rules, which sees your stake being cut according to the bookmakers’ rules.
A £10 bet on Jordan Spieth to finish the top 5 with odds of 5/1 when he ties with one other player would see your odds split in half, given two players tied for fifth. That would mean you’d get £5 x 5/1, making it £25 plus your £5 stake for a return of £30.