Is it legal to bet on PGA Championship? Guide to gambling on golf responsibly

Editor’s note: Birches Health is a leading national provider of Responsible Gaming resources and Problem Gambling treatment, offering clinical care covered by insurance and state government funding.

There's an abundance of compelling storylines surrounding the 2025 PGA Championship, which gets underway this week at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina. The defending champ is Xander Schauffele, who captured his first major title in this event last year at Valhalla but missed the first two months of the 2025 season while battling injury. Scottie Scheffler, a +400 betting favorite at FanDuel Sportsbook, appears to be back in top form after his most recent start, a wire-to-wire victory by eight shots at THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson. Just a tick behind Scheffler on the odds board is Rory McIlroy (+450), who already has three wins this year including his first Masters victory, and has won at Quail Hollow four times already in his career.

With so many in-form players capable of winning, there will be plenty of interest from bettors seeking value. So if you're wondering whether or not you can bet on the PGA Championship, that depends on which state you're in and how old you are. Let's run through all of those considerations, plus some reminders of how to do so responsibly if you decide to bet on the tournament this week.

Can I bet on the PGA Championship in North Carolina?

Yes, anyone who is physically located in North Carolina can bet on the PGA Championship as long as they are 21+ years old and not prohibited from doing so (due to their profession, affiliations or other preventative factors). North Carolina is a relatively new betting market, having launched sports wagering 14 months ago on March 11, 2024. During its first year, North Carolina bettors wagered more than $6.6 billion in paid and promotional bets, reflecting a strong sports betting interest in the state.

Betting on golf is regularly available on all major sportsbook platforms in North Carolina, and there are hundreds of wagering options available for this week's PGA Championship.

Who else can bet on golf in the United States?

Location considerations

• ONLINE/MOBILE SPORTS BETTING: North Carolina is one of 30 states across the country that have legalized online sports wagering, allowing bettors to place wagers from their computers and/or cellphones. The other locations include: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri (pending launch), Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington D.C., West Virginia and Wyoming.
• IN-PERSON RETAIL SPORTS BETTING: Some states only offer in-person betting at approved retail locations. Those include Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington and Wisconsin. Some of these states have not formally passed sports betting legislation, but tribes are permitted to offer retail options on their reservation lands.
• NO SPORTS BETTING PERMITTED: You cannot bet on the PGA Championship or any other sports legally if you’re located in Alabama, Alaska, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Minnesota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas or Utah.

Age minimums

Prospective bettors must follow the age rules set by the state in which they are located. Most states, including North Carolina, require a person to be 21+ years old to wager on sports. A handful of locations have a minimum age of 18, such as Kentucky, Montana, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Washington, D.C., and Wyoming.

Five tips for gambling responsibly on the PGA Championship

With the growing excitement ahead of this year’s second major championship, now is a good time to review some Responsible Gaming tips to ensure that sports betting remains a casual form of entertainment and does not impact your life in any negative ways. Here are a few tips that you should always keep in mind.

• Only risk what you can afford to lose completely. You should see sports betting as a form of paid entertainment, as you are statistically likely to lose money in the long term if gambling. Only bet what you would be willing to spend on other forms of enjoyment over a certain period of time, like going to movies and shows or attending sporting events.
• Set limits. This should take two forms: amount of money budgeted (your “bankroll”) and time spent betting. Most major sportsbooks nowadays allow you to set deposit and time limits yourself within their apps and sites.
• Learn your “unit” size and stick to it. A unit can be thought of as your standard bet amount, and a good rule of thumb is that this should generally be 1-4% of your total betting budget. Keeping this amount small relative to your bankroll will allow you to weather the storm of cold streaks, which all bettors should expect to happen at some points.
• Avoid gambling while stressed or under the effects of alcohol or drugs. These can alter your decision-making skills and impact risk evaluation abilities, which can lead to wagering more than you’d have intended with a clear mind.
• Never “chase” losses by betting more to try to win back what you lost. That can quickly result in blowing through your entire bankroll, as losses compound.

Gambling addiction help and treatment options

If you or someone you know may be struggling with a gambling problem, consider reaching out to Birches Health. Birches has a large team of specially trained clinicians who can assess the potential issue and recommend a personalized care plan. Plus, it can all be done from the comfort of your home, as assessments and treatment sessions are all done remotely thanks to Birches’ modern telehealth technology.

All communications are 100% confidential, so feel free to call (833) 483-3838 or email hello@bircheshealth.com to learn more by speaking with a Birches Health care specialist today.