Best Ryder Cup Betting Offers

The Ryder Cup is one of professional golf's most prestigious and unique events. It is a biennial men’s team competition between Europe and the United States.

Who Participates?

Participants are Team USA, which includes the top American golfers, and Team Europe, which comprises the best golfers from European countries. Both teams are selected via player rankings and by team captains. The Ryder Cup captains do not play in the event but serve as team leaders, strategists, and public faces for their squads. 

Captains are responsible for selecting some team members and their vice-captains. They plan pairings and lineups, oversee logistics, and handle media appearances.

Who Gets Selected?

The PGA of America's Ryder Cup Committee selects Team USA's captain years in advance. The DP World Tour and Ryder Cup Europe create a panel to choose Team Europe's captain.

Six players automatically qualify for each team based on their performances in PGA or DP World Tour events. Captains select the other six for their respective teams.

There are several options when it comes to betting on one of golf's biggest competitions:

• Desktop: Using the desktop version of a Ryder Cup betting site is the default option for most golf bettors. You can sign up for an account with top online sites in seconds.
• Mobile: With the introduction of mobile gambling, you can now enjoy Ryder Cup betting anywhere and anytime during the competition. Most sites offer mobile apps to complement their desktop offerings. These apps are generally available for both Apple and Android devices.
• In-Play: In-play golf betting is becoming increasingly popular for the Ryder Cup. Live betting means you can place a bet at any time during the event, either on your desktop or mobile device.
• In person: Going into a sportsbook or bookmaker is the original way to bet on the Ryder Cup, and you'll often find odds and offers you won't get online. Here, you place a bet by writing down your bet and stake on a physical bet slip.

Ryder Cup betting stands apart from other golf events due to its points and match-play format. While most spectators will focus on who takes home the cup, bettors will be just as interested in the individuals as in the collective.

• Ryder Cup Winner: Sites offer odds on three outcomes—a European win, an American win, or a draw.
• Total Point Scorer (Overall): Bet on the individual golfer who will earn the most points throughout the event. Points are awarded based on the outcomes of the foursomes, fourballs, or singles.
• Top Rookie: Pick which first-time player will score the most points throughout the event. You can choose a player from either team.
• Top Captain’s Pick: Much like the Top Rookie bet, you're wagering on which player a team captain selected to score the most points during the event. Each captain can choose six players who did not automatically qualify for the Ryder Cup.
• Hole-in-One: The odds of a hole-in-one occurring at a standard tournament are 5/4, approximately 44% probability. If the Ryder Cup takes place on a course with many par 3s, the chances of a hole-in-one increase. Only six players have ever managed an ace in the tournament’s illustrious 90-year history (Peter Butler in 1973; Nick Falso in '93; Constantino Rocca and Howard Clark in '95; and Paul Casey and Scott Verplank in '06).

The Ryder Cup is unlike any other golf event on the calendar and has specific nuances that golf bettors need to know before placing a bet. Here are three Ryder Cup betting tips:

The Ryder Cup is formatted differently from other tournaments, such as the British Open, the US Open, or the Masters. It requires a different betting strategy. 

The Ryder Cup consists of 12 players on each side, led by their captain, who is usually a senior champion golfer or one who has recently retired. Over the course of three days, the best golfers in the US take on the best from Europe in a variety of formats.

Days 1 & 2: Foursomes & Fourballs

The first two days of the Ryder Cup each feature four matches of foursomes and four matches of fourballs.

• Foursomes: In this format, each two-player team takes turns playing just one ball per hole until the hole is complete.
• Fourballs: Each player of the two-man team plays his own ball, resulting in four balls being played. The lowest score on the hole for each team is compared against the opponents, and the lowest score wins the hole.

Each match is played over 18 holes unless one side gains an insurmountable lead that cannot be equalled or beaten over the remainder of the holes.

Day 3: Singles Matchplay

On day 3 of the Ryder Cup, each of the twelve players competes in individual 1v1 matches against players from the opposing team. The captain of each side tactically sends out his players in a pre-determined order.

Over the years, the Ryder Cup has been held at some stunning courses, with some proving more challenging than others. Regardless of location, the tournament consistently delivers an electric atmosphere for golf fans.

• Royal Birkdale, England: This course is situated on the golden links of the English coast in Southport and is one of the most magnificent in England. It hosted the first tie in Ryder Cup history. Jack Nicklaus infamously conceded a putt on the 18th hole to Tony Jacklin, causing some minor controversy.
• Pinehurst, USA: North Carolina has some great golf courses, but none much more picturesque than Pinehurst. The course has been deemed a National Landmark and has hosted numerous championships.
• The Belfry, England: The Belfry has hosted the Ryder Cup four times, the most of any venue, cementing its iconic status in the tournament's history. It's been a happy hunting ground for Europe, which won thrice at the track, most recently in 2002.
• Hazeltine, USA: A sprawling risk-reward course with punishing rough set in the surroundings of mature woodlands in a golf-obsessed region of the United States. This was the site of a raucous Ryder Cup win for the US in 2016 that ended Europe's winning streak.

Before the birth of what we now know as the Ryder Cup, there were two unofficial matches between English and American professionals, both of which were won by the Brits. The first Ryder Cup was held at Gleneagles in 1921, but the second, played at Wentworth in 1926, was undoubtedly the most significant, as it marked the attendance of Samuel Ryder himself.

Ryder fell in love with America and Great Britain facing off. After marveling at the Wentworth competition, he donated a gold trophy, known today as the Ryder Cup, to the spectacle. Thus, the foundation for the modern-day tournament was set.

In 1979, to revitalize the event and make it more competitive after decades of American dominance, players from continental Europe were invited to join the British and Irish team, ushering in the era of Team Europe as we know it today.