Given the huge number of tournaments that the tennis calendar offers, it is no wonder that tennis is one of the most betted-on sports. Join us in looking at the most popular tennis markets and find out what to watch out for when betting on tennis.
Betting on Tennis
Tennis is one of the sports with the highest turnovers. Bookmakers list dozens to hundreds of matches to bet on daily (source: pixabay.com)
Tennis is one of the sports with the highest turnovers (betting money) across bookmakers worldwide. Unlike team sports where the individual does not play such a crucial role (except for the quarterback in American football, the pitcher in baseball, or Messi in football), tennis is entirely based on individual performance. However, current form is just one of many factors you must consider as a bettor. Equally important are the playing styles of the players, the surface on which they play, or, for example, their motivation. Read on and delve into the secrets of betting on tennis.
Factors affecting performance
The first thing that comes to mind is the surface. Generally, we can divide the surfaces into four basic types – clay, grass, hard court, and special carpet. Within each of them, we find additional differences that need to be taken into account – such as speed, grass height, hardness, or material. The biggest stars like Novak Djokovic can excel on any surface. However, there are generally more “specialists” than players with consistent performance regardless of the surface. The most noticeable differences can be seen in so-called clay court specialists, who do not perform as well on other surfaces as they do on clay. It is no coincidence that the clay court king Rafael Nadal has won 14 of his 22 Grand Slam titles at the French Open in Paris. Tennis players also have various strengths in their repertoire on which their game is built. Whether it’s serve power, baseline play, or net play, an experienced bettor must know these factors and consider them when choosing their bet. While a player’s style may be effective against one opponent, another opponent may easily handle it. The job of a tennis bettor involves carefully analyzing statistics (head-to-head records on different surfaces, serve success rate, etc.). An equally important aspect is the motivation of individual players. The tennis calendar is packed, and while players look forward to some tournaments because they have historically performed well there, their motivation may not be the same at other tournaments. Especially in lower categories (challengers and ITF), factors like home advantage can be decisive. Monitor a player’s history, their past and future tournaments, the prize money, the distance between tournaments they have to travel, whether they are playing doubles in the tournament, and other factors that might influence their effort to deliver a 100% performance.
Categories of tennis tournaments
The tennis calendar has four main tournaments (majors) every year, the so-called Grand Slams (Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and US Open). The prize pool for each of these tournaments is in the tens of millions of dollars. These are the peaks of the season. Anyone who wins a Grand Slam will be forever etched in tennis history. The additional motivation is the money that can be earned at a Grand Slam. In addition to the mentioned Grand Slams, male and female tennis players participate in ATP tournaments (men’s federation) and WTA tournaments (women’s federation) throughout the season. These organizations also compile their rankings. The highest-ranked players have the chance to play at the ATP Finals or WTA Finals at the end of the season. The lower categories are the so-called challengers and ITF tournaments. These tournaments are played most frequently during the calendar year. Typically, lower-ranked players and young hopefuls participate in these tournaments. These tournaments have much lower prize pools than the highest category tournaments, so it is rare to see top players there. However, these tournaments can sometimes serve players returning after a long injury or a significant drop in form. Besides these tournaments, you can also bet on team competitions like the Davis Cup and the Billie Jean King Cup (formerly Fed Cup). Moreover, tennis is part of the Summer Olympics, so every four years, you can find Olympic tournaments in the bookmakers’ offer.
Basic types of tennis bets
No one will be surprised that the most common bet in tennis matches is on the match winner. However, it would be a great shame to limit your selection to the main market only. Positive expected value can also be found in side markets. Often, this is an easier way. Recently, so-called statistical bets have become popular among tennis bettors. Bookmakers have started listing opportunities for aces or double faults, and in some cases, even for the duration of the match.
Money Line (1 – 2)
In the case of a tennis match, you simply bet on the match winner. In foreign bookmakers, the term Money Line is used for the bet on the winner. In sports that go into overtime, any potential overtime is included in the settlement. The Czech equivalent of this bet is the bet on the winner until a decision is made.
Asian handicap
Asian handicap has a solid place in tennis opportunities. Most often, you will encounter it when betting on sets and games. However, the bookmaker can also offer other handicap opportunities. Handicaps on aces or double faults are no exception. When betting on a handicap, one of the opponents is given an advantage, and the other a disadvantage in the form of a virtual lead. The bookmaker sets the handicap lines, and the bettor can choose from the listed lines. The virtual lead in the form of a handicap is added/subtracted to/from the actual score, and your bet is then settled.
Over/Under
Just like in the case of the handicap, over/under bets are most commonly used in relation to the total number of sets or games in a match. However, over/under lines are also offered for the already mentioned statistical bets such as aces or double faults. Bookmakers set the lines, and you bet on whether the result will be higher or lower. You can bet on the total number of sets (e.g., more or less than 2.5 sets), the total number of games in a match (e.g., more or less than 22.5 games), or partial opportunities, such as the number of games won by a player in the first set (e.g., more or less than 5.5 games).
Statistical bets
Some tennis bettors become statistics specialists. And given that bookmakers do not always set the line correctly, there is a great opportunity to find decent value in bets on aces and double faults. These markets are most often listed in the form of over/under or handicaps.
Bet on the tournament winner
For some larger tournaments, such as Grand Slams or ATP and WTA events, bets on the tournament winner are also listed. It is the same as in the case of the match winner bet, only with the difference that in this bet, you bet on the winner of the entire tournament. Besides that, you can also find odds for, for example, the finalist, semifinalist, or quarterfinalist of the tournament. If you plan to use these markets, make sure to study the tournament draw in detail.
Do you want to be successful in betting on tennis? Bet on value odds
Finally, we must mention that whether you are a big tennis fan and have a perfect overview of all possible statistics, you only have a prerequisite to be profitable. Your success will depend on whether you can bet on odds with positive expected value. This is the alpha and omega of success. Therefore, we recommend starting with our article Value betting – betting on odds with positive expected value.
Best bookmakers for tennis betting
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22BETBonus: €120 for the first deposit |
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20BETBonus: €100 for the first deposit |
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SportmarketBonus: €100 for the first deposit |
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RabonaBonus: €100 for the first deposit |
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MostBetBonus: €320 for the first deposit |
Frequently asked questions
1️⃣ Which bookmakers can I bet on tennis with?
Basically all of them. The tennis offer is one of the widest in the sport. Thousands of odds are available every day, and no bookmaker overlooks tennis because it is extremely popular among bettors.2️⃣ What is most important when betting on tennis?
The same as when betting on any other sport. Your success will depend on whether you can bet on odds with positive expected value.
3️⃣ Can I bet on opportunities other than the match winner?
Sure! It depends on the bookmaker you are betting with, but generally, the offer for tennis matches is very wide. It also, of course, depends on the prestige of the match, as more markets will obviously be listed for a Grand Slam final than for a challenger category qualifying match.
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Discussion, comments and your experiences
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