TENNIS BET INFO
Tennis betting is a growing market worldwide, with sportsbooks increasingly offering more odds and betting options — including live betting. With the U.S. Open coming up and plenty of big names playing, here’s everything you need to know about how to bet on tennis so you can turn a profit.
BETTING ON TENNIS EXPLAINED
While there are many ways to bet on tennis matches, the most popular wagering options are the moneyline, the spread, and the Over/Under. We will go in-depth on these popular tennis bets, as well as many other great tennis bets.
TENNIS MONEYLINE
The most popular way to bet on tennis is by betting on the moneyline, simply choosing the outright winner of a match. The favorite will have a negative sign (-) in front of their number, and in the following example, you would need to bet $185 on Djokovic to win $100 if he won the match.
The underdog will have a positive sign (+) in front of their odds, which means placing a $100 wager on Federer would result in a profit of $165 if he pulled off the upset. If both players have the same number, they have even odds of winning, and the match is considered a “pick ’em.”
TENNIS SPREAD
Like the point spread in basketball or football, oddsmakers will set handicaps on both sets and games to level the playing field.
In the following example of a game spread, Novak Djokovic is set at -4.5, which means that he needs to win five more games than Medvedev in the match to cover the spread. If Medvedev wins the match or loses by four or fewer games, he would cover the spread.
Set spreads in tennis are placed at -1.5, much like the run line in baseball. In the following example, if you bet on Djokovic at -1.5 sets and he wins in straight sets, you win the bet. If Medvedev wins a set, you will lose.
TENNIS OVER/UNDER
When betting the Over/Under in other sports, you bet on the total number of points scored. However, the Over/Under in tennis is based on the number of games a match will feature.
Keep in mind that tennis matches will be either best-of-three or best-of-five sets. A player must win six games by a margin of two games to win a set, and if the set is tied at 6-6, a seventh tie-breaking game is played.
In the following example, if the two players combine to play 39 or more games, taking the Over would payout at $100 for every $125 wagered. If the players combine to play 38 games or fewer, those betting the Under will earn $105 profit on a $100 bet.
You can also bet on the total or Over/Under of sets which will always be set at 2.5.
TENNIS MATCH BETTING
Match betting is where you bet on the winner of each individual match. This is the most common bet in tennis, with dozens of matches held every day. It’s a simple enough bet in that you need to choose the winner of the match, regardless of the score.
Odds will reflect the chance that each player has of winning. In tennis, there can be a lot of games where odds are heavily weighted in favor of one player over the other, especially in the early rounds, so you need to work hard to find value.
TENNIS SET BETTING
Set betting is where you need to predict the game’s final score in terms of sets and the correct result. For example, if you bet 2-1 in sets to Player A, the scoreline must be exact for the bet to win. If they lose the game or win by any other scoreline, the bet will lose.
This market offers more specific wagering options, allowing bettors to capitalize on their knowledge of players’ strengths, weaknesses, and performance in different sets. The odds for set betting are higher than match betting due to the increased complexity and accuracy required in predicting the specific set outcomes.
TENNIS IN-PLAY BETTING
In-play betting, also known as live betting, allows bettors to place wagers on matches while the game is in progress. It offers the flexibility to react to changing match dynamics and adjust strategies accordingly.
For example, during an in-play bet, you can bet on the next game-winner, the total number of games in a set, or even the outcome of the current point. In-play betting provides an interactive and dynamic experience, enabling bettors to analyze the flow of the match, player performance, and other factors to make informed betting decisions in real-time.
TENNIS FUTURES
Futures are wagers placed on long-term events that will be determined in the future, typically beyond the immediate tournament or match. These bets are commonly placed on outcomes such as tournament winners, Grand Slam champions, or year-end rankings.
Examples of futures markets in tennis betting include betting on the Wimbledon Men’s Singles champion before the tournament starts, predicting the year-end world number one ranked player, or wagering on which player will win the upcoming US Open. As an opportunity for significant payouts, futures bets require a longer-term investment as the outcomes are determined over an extended period.