What is 3 Ball Betting in Golf? – The 3 Ball Golf Bet Explained

Golf has become an established favorite with bettors in the USA and among the countless ways to wager on the sport is the 3 ball golf bet, which provides a niche alternative to more traditional lines.

With 3 ball betting, the aim is to forecast which of three grouped golfers will achieve the lowest score in a particular round, allowing you to zero in on individual head-to-heads without worrying about the entire field at a tournament.

On this page, we’ll explain how this bet type works in detail, how it compares to other golf markets as well as its pros and cons.

How Does 3 Ball Betting Work?

The idea behind a 3 ball golf bet revolves around picking one player from a group of three to register the lowest score during a round of golf during a tournament.

Before competitions start, organizers group players into trios, especially in the first two rounds of PGA tour events or US Masters, where players often tee off in threesomes.

Sportsbooks open up lines for those triplets, listing them together in a group online and assigning betting odds for each based on their expected performance.

Bettors then place a wager on the golfer they believe will achieve the lowest gross or net score in that round, based on strokes only, with no points system involved.

When the round ends, the bet settles, making this a quick-resolution line, especially when compared to alternatives like outright tournament winner, where more time and patience are required to see the wager through.

Example of a 3 Ball Golf Bet

Take a look at the screenshot above. Here, we can see three sets of threesomes listed in three ball markets for a tournament, with each player within given individual win prices.

In the top set, Maximilian Kieffer is the favorite at 5/6 (+130 American odds), while the other two are underdogs at 11/5 (Green +220) and 15/8 (Pepperell +188) respectively.

The bettor has the option of backing any of the three with the bet settling at the end of the round.

If you bet $100 on Kieffer and he finishes the round with a 68, while Green shoots 70 and Pepperell 71, your bet wins, paying out $230 in total ($130 profit plus your original $100 stake).

Betting on the biggest underdog, Gavin Green at +220, could yield a bigger return if he manages to outperforms the other two, however. Upsets can happen in the early rounds outside of outright tournament winner markets, highlighting how 3 ball betting in golf can offer value in the right circumstances.

The market tends to work best in high-profile golf tournaments, where early-round pairings often create intriguing matchups. Unlike broader alternatives on the sportsbook, 3 ball lines, like the ones in golf betting picks, narrow the focus and allow wagers that hone in away from the chaos of larger fields.

3 Ball Golf Betting Rules

Before lining up any 3 ball golf bet, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the rules around the market. These rules can vary slightly depending on which offshore betting sites you use, however, most follow standard guidelines.

The core rule is that the match bet is on the lowest score in the group for a designated round (typically 18 holes). If a player withdraws from play or is disqualified before completing the round, most sportsbooks void the bet and refund your original stake.

Ties meanwhile, are usually handled in accordance with dead heat rules in a three-ball bet. This means that if two players tie for the lowest score (beating the remaining third player), your stake is halved. One half loses and the other wins at full odds.

Let’s lay that scenario out clearly with another example.  Say you place a $100 bet on a golfer at +200, though the player ties with another on the joint-lowest score in the round.

Here, your stake would be halved, returning $50 (win) with the other $50 logged as a losing bet. In the rare event that all three players tie, the bet usually voids.

The 3 ball betting rules exist to ensure fairness, though payouts can be reduced, so always make sure to give your chosen betting site’s terms a thorough read-through.

What is 3 Ball Betting in Golf Compared to 2 Ball?

Now, we’ll take a look at the differences between a 3 ball matchup golf bet and its 2 ball alternative. A 2 ball bet is a head-to-head matchup between just two players instead of three, often for a single round or a full golf tournament.

It’s a lighter option in terms of complexity, especially when viewing the lines on online sportsbooks, where you can see two players facing off instead of three.

Take a look at the screenshot above to see what we mean. In this example, you can see three sets of two players paired off in 2-ball markets.

With a 3 ball golf bet, you’re picking a player to beat two opponents, which usually means you have more plus-money odds to play with across the board, plus higher sportsbook vig (typically around 11%).

With 2 ball bets however, odds on each side are typically tighter. In the screenshot, Alex Noren and Jason Day both have prices of -110 for their face-off, for instance.

They also handle ties differently. Here, stakes are generally refunded on ties in two-way markets, or a separate tie option is offered with its own odds on occasion.

Overall, 3 ball wagering suits those seeking higher potential returns, while 2 ball offers bettors more of a straightforward match play bet appeal.

Pros & Cons of 3 Ball Golf Bet Explained

Like any other form of golf wagering, the 3 ball format has its own set of advantages and drawbacks. Next, we’ll take a closer look at both its pros and cons.

Effective Golf 3 Ball Betting Tips & Strategies

Now, we’ll turn our attention to sharing some of the strategies that you can adopt to maximize your success with golf 3 ball format. The advice below was provided by our expert writers at BetIdeas.

Research Player Form & Course History

When researching a 3 ball golf bet, it’s always a good idea to prioritize recent player performance over lifetime stats where possible. Look at the last five tournaments for metrics like greens in regulation stats and putting average fixtures. You can cross-reference those with golf course knowledge and specifics for even deeper insights.

Factor in Weather & Playing Conditions

Monitor the latest weather forecasts carefully, as wind or rain can impact play and favor certain playing styles. For example, accurate iron players might fare better than long drivers against strong gusts. In 3 ball wagers, it might be easier to spot value in a group with tee times with calmer morning conditions, where play could be more predictable.

Look for Value in Odds & Don’t Back Favorites Blindly

Don’t rush in to backing the shortest odds out of three. Do the work to calculate implied probabilities and look for mismatches where an underdog (+200 etc.) has a genuine shot at upsetting the odds based on head-to-head data. There is some value betting in 3-ball bets if you put the right amount of reasoning behind your decisions.

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