Golf is one of the most popular sports in the world. Millions of people follow the latest tournaments and games, and there are hundreds of thousands of punters wagering on the sport. The game has hundreds of millions of dollars poured into it through betting alone.
On the other hand, online casinos are also an incredibly popular phenomenon. Though they’ve been around since the 1990s, it wasn’t until recently that they popped off in popularity.
Not only do online casinos feature a ton of intriguing games, but they also offer some bonuses that gamblers like, they’ve ramped up safety and security, and they are now as legit as they’ve ever been.
The Connections Between Golf and Casinos
Some might think that golf and online casinos are two very different things. After all, what could the two possibly have in common? The truth is, that there are quite a few points of crossover between one of the world’s most popular sports, and gambling’s latest and possibly greatest innovation. But, what are these connections? Well, that is what we are here to discover.
After a good deal of research, we’ve come to find that there are several things that link golf and casinos together. The following list shows a few of the connections between the sport and gambling:
- Promotions & Sponsorships
- Sports Betting
- Themed Slot Games
Though some could argue that there are other points of crossover, we’ve come to determine that these three are the most commonly discussed and most obvious ways that golf and casinos are related. Now, let’s talk about that.
Promos & Sponsorships
Golf tournaments happen regularly throughout the year, and just like any sporting event, they often have partnership deals with notable organizations, companies, and businesses.
The companies fund the event, and in exchange, the golf event markets the company through banners, billboards, etc. This isn’t uncommon in sports, and football fans are quite used to seeing company symbols strewn across the football field.
The PGA Tour is golf’s most successful and prestigious event. Along the tour fans will, undoubtedly, see ads for Rolex, Titleist, Adidas, and Honda, who are some of the most active sponsors.
However, a decision in 2019 made it so the PGA Tour can now partner up with gambling companies and sportsbooks, and promote these businesses. Of course, all sponsorship with these companies must be approved by the Tour, but, we’ve certainly seen a rise in promos since 2019.
Sports Betting
A lot of people hear the term “iGaming,” and all they can think of is online casinos. While that is a fair assessment, iGaming encapsulates more than just casino games, like slots, or blackjack. Indeed, the term can also apply to sports betting. And, believe it or not, golf is one of the most popular sports to bet on, both online and offline.
Just by virtue of golf’s success, we can find a link between it and gambling. The sport is hugely popular to bet on, and betting is a form of gambling. But, it doesn’t just end there. If you think that golf is just a one-note betting sport, think again.
There are a ton of prop bets that online sportsbooks have come up with, in order to make golf betting just a tad bit more popular. Let us take a look at some of them.
- A Hole in One: will a player score a hole in one during any of their matches.
- Eagle: will a player get an eagle during a game?
- Number of Eagles or Birdies: how many eagles and birdies will we see during the game?
- Ball Backspin: will one of the players apply backspin to the ball?
- Round Scores: a bet on the exact score at the end of the round.
As you can see, there are quite a lot of prop bet options that we can discuss. The best part is that these are not nearly all of them. Not even half in fact. Betting on golf is an incredibly lucrative business, and it is all part of the same industry as online casinos. But, the connections don’t end there.
Online sportsbooks are often integrated into online casinos and vice versa. Because the industries are so similar, many bookies and casinos online have noticed a crossover between their fans. So, they’ve decided that integration is an excellent policy. So, you might find online casinos that double as bookies, or vice versa. And believe it or not, there are still more points of crossover between golf and online gambling.
Themed Slots
At online casinos (and in land-based ones) slots dominate the market. They are the most popular games, and for a reason. Slots are simple, they are easy, and they are fun. Anyone, even a player with absolutely no experience gambling, can walk into a casino or turn on a gambling website, and start playing without any prior experience.
However, slot games are also repetitive. There really is no major difference between one slot and the next. For that reason, online casinos have done their best to entice new players through aesthetic choices and differences. Slots that feature a thematic or aesthetic element are often called themed slots, and they take inspiration from all walks of life. Common themes in slots include the following:
- Fantasy: slots inspired by films like Lord of the Rings, or shows like Game of Thrones
- Science Fiction: slots inspired by Star Wars, Dune, and Cyberpunk
- Sports: slots inspired by sports, like golf, soccer, football, and more
These are just a few of the categories that slots take their inspiration from. However, our focus is on the final category of “sports.” Sports-themed slots are incredibly common, and the most popular slots with a sports theme tend to be those that take their inspiration from popular sports.
You can imagine then that slots inspired by soccer, basketball, and auto racing are the biggest ones. However, golf-themed slots are also quite popular. In other words, not only are there technical connections between the golf and gambling, but also an aesthetic one.