The PGA Tour just dropped a bombshell: Americans wagered 20% more money on golf in 2025 than the year before. That marks four straight years of double-digit growth, and the surge during the playoffs left everyone stunned.
August delivered the real fireworks. Betting handle on the three FedEx Cup Playoff events jumped 50% year-over-year. The season-ending Tour Championship at East Lake in Atlanta saw its wagering volume more than double.
Fans now bet billions on every putt, drive, and leaderboard shift. The shift shows golf has finally cracked the code on live sports betting excitement.
Partnerships Fuel the Fire
The PGA Tour wasted no time jumping into the action after the 2018 Supreme Court ruling killed PASPA. Today it works hand-in-hand with giants like DraftKings and FanDuel.
Real-time odds now pop up during broadcasts. PGA Tour Live Betcast streams on the ESPN app let fans place bets while watching alternate-shot coverage. The Tour calls it the perfect mix of sport and action.
What the Numbers Really Say
Here’s how fast golf betting has grown since states started legalizing sports wagering:
| Year | Year-over-Year Growth |
|---|---|
| 2022 | +18% |
| 2023 | +22% |
| 2024 | +15% |
| 2025 | +20% |
Four years running, the handle keeps climbing with no slowdown in sight.
Bigger Plans for 2026
The Tour already laid out the next move. Starting in 2026, the DraftKings-sponsored Betcast expands from six events to twelve. That includes The Players Championship and over 400 hours of live streaming packed with betting options.
More cameras, more data, more ways to bet on every shot. Golf fans who never touched a sportsbook five years ago now check live odds before the first tee shot.
The quiet country-club sport has turned into one of the hottest betting tickets in America. From weekend hackers to Wall Street traders, millions now have skin in the game every time a pro steps on the green. The PGA Tour just proved golf belongs in the same conversation as football and basketball when the money is on the line.
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