Tennis Betting Guide – How to Bet On Tennis and Be Successful
Tennis is undoubtedly one of the most popular sports in the UK, with matches taking place up and down the country on a weekly basis, at a range of levels. However, for those who enjoy watching the action from the comfort of their own home and betting on their favourite players, an increasing number of bookmakers now cater for such punters. This guide provides readers with everything that there is to know about betting on tennis online today, including markets, odds and additional features, designed to give you a much clearer understanding of the sport, as well as how to wager upon it.
The Best Tennis Betting Site for Punters in the UK
- Best Odds Available
- Wide range of Betting Markets
- Best Odds Available
- Wide range of Betting Markets
- Excellent live betting platform
- Esports & virtual sports markets
- Variety of ongoing promotions
- Excellent live betting platform
- Esports & virtual sports markets
- Variety of ongoing promotions
- Two different Welcome offers
- New well-designed sportsbook
- Two different Welcome offers
- New well-designed sportsbook
- Excellent customer service package
- Good selection of sports and bets
- Top Winners section provides a fun element of competition
- Excellent customer service package
- Good selection of sports and bets
- Top Winners section provides a fun element of competition
- Odds are announced early
- Match predictions are reliable
- Neat and functional mobile app
- Odds are announced early
- Match predictions are reliable
- Neat and functional mobile app
While a whole host of bookmakers now offer markets surrounding tennis, there are a select few that standout from the crowd, with our favourite being Bet365. The leading bookmaker cover virtually all competitive tennis tournaments from around the world, including challengers involving those ranked outside the top 200 in the rankings.
As well as this, Bet365’s tennis odds are also among the most competitive around, meaning that there are some significant earnings to be made for those who are able to cleverly pick their bets. Bet365 also offer live streaming for a large proportion of the matches in which they cover, meaning that punters can follow the action as in unfolds using their desktop or mobile, ensuring that they gain a much clearer understanding of how games are playing out before bets are placed.
Which Tennis Tournaments Are Good to Bet On?
One of the good things about tennis is that it takes place throughout the year, with four Grand Slam tournaments helping to make up the calendar, along with hundreds of additional competitions across the globe. The Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open are undoubtedly the most anticipated events for fans and players alike, with bookmakers generally offering a huge number of markets when it comes to such competitions. Meanwhile, the ATP and WTA Tour’s mean that players travel around the world on a weekly basis, while those looking to make a name for themselves are likely to compete in the Challenger and Futures Series’.
Grand Slams including Wimbledon and the US Open are generally the best tournaments to bet on, with the leading players in the world regularly reaching the latter stages, whilst punters are able to take advantage of a huge amount of both pre-match and in-play markets. Let’s now take a closer look at the best tennis tournaments to bet on today:
Grand Slams
The Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open are the most coveted titles in tennis today, taking place on hard, clay and grass courts, meaning that different players are likely to favour particular events due to their playing style on different surfaces. Taking place in January, the Australian Open gets things underway in Melbourne, whilst Roland Garros in Paris is the stage for the French Open, taking place between May-June each year. Meanwhile, SW19 in London is where Wimbledon is staged between June-July, whilst the US Open is the final Grand Slam, taking place at Flushing Meadows in New York in August-September.
Masters Series
Aside from Grand Slams, Masters Series events have long been held in high regard by players, with such events taking place in major cities around the world throughout the year, including Indian Wells and Monte Carlo. The likes of Dominic Thiem, Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal have already won Masters Series events in 2019.
ATP/WTA Finals
The ATP and WTA Finals are the last tournament of the season for the leading players in both the men’s and women’s game. The ATP Finals currently take place in London, however the event will move to Italy from 2021, with Germany’s Alexander Zverev currently being the reigning champion. Meanwhile, the WTA Finals take place in Singapore, with the top eight female players in the world battling it out for the title.
Davis Cup/Fed Cup
The Davis Cup and Fed Cup pit together the leading players in tennis, however in this format, individuals compete for their country, with both singles and doubles matches helping to decide the winner.
The Odds in Tennis
When it comes to tennis odds, punters are able to easily locate the best prices around through comparison sites, while customers are able to take advantage of both short and long-term markets. So, whether it be betting on Roger Federer to win his upcoming match at Wimbledon or Serena Williams to win the US Open later in the year, the majority of leading bookmakers now cater for such demands.
Those looking to bet on the likes of Federer and Williams to win an individual match are unlikely to find great value, however backing them to win a particular tournament will often being about much more appealing prices. For those in the know about tennis, backing Rafa Nadal to win a clay-court event or Federer to come out on top on grass make such markets attractive to punters.
Tennis Betting Popular Bets
The following are among the most popular bet types available to punters when it comes to tennis:
Money Line Betting
Money line betting is when you bet on the winner of an individual match, with tennis being a sport in which a draw is not a possible outcome. As with the majority of other sports, this form of betting is the most popular when it comes to tennis.
Handicap Betting
Handicap betting involves one player being given a particular number of games or sets as an advantage, which they must overcome in order for bets to be successful. For example, Roger Federer may be given a -1 set handicap, meaning that he must win by two clear sets. Meanwhile, outsiders will also often receive a + handicap in order to accommodate for their lesser ability or experience.
Live Betting
Live betting is very popular when it comes to tennis, with the ability to bet on a player to come from a set down to win or for a leading player to continue their dominance over a lesser ranked player being hugely appealing and exciting. Odds change on a regular basis in accordance with events taking place on the court.
Totals
Totals markets means that instead of customers betting on the winner of a match, they instead bet on the number of games that will take place during it. Players will form their predictions based on the players involved, whether they see one player winning with ease or it being a close encounter. Bookmakers will sometimes make things easier by offering a range of options in this area.
Parlays
Parlays, or accumulators as they are also known, are when a betting customer backs a range of outcomes from different matches, as they try to enhance the odds on offer. Whether it be backing four players to win during a tournament or three players to win the first set of their individual match, such bets can often bring in some significant earnings.
Tennis Betting Markets
For those new to the world of tennis betting, it is important not to fall behind when it comes to the best available markets.
As a result, the following are some of the markets that are available with the majority of bookmakers at present:
Correct Score
When it comes to tennis, this market is only really an option for experts in the field. This is due to the fact that betting on the correct score from a tennis match is hugely difficult, with the odds offered by bookmakers being very high also.
Set Winner
This market is a lot clearer cut, with backing the winner of an individual set being far easier to predict. Punters can back their favourite in this area from all matches in both the men’s and women’s game, whether it be the first of last set of the match.
Tournament Winner
More of a long-term betting option, betting on your favourite to win a particular tournament is always a fun market to utilise, particularly when there is one standout option. With the majority of tournaments lasting one week, while Grand Slams last two, patience is a must here.
Winning Margin
Customers are also able to bet on the number of games needed to win a match, which is another market that is difficult to predict.
Tie Break
Some bookmakers also offer the opportunity to bet on the chance of there being a tie break during a match.
Live Betting/In-Play Betting in Tennis
Live betting has become increasingly popular for punters when it comes to tennis over recent years, with customers now having the option to see how a match is playing out, before backing their favourite to win. Whether it be backing Novak Djokovic to come back from a set down to win or Angelique Kerber to simply win the next point, the majority of bookmakers now cater well for fans of in-play tennis markets. Nowadays, punters are able to bet on the winner of the next point, game and set, as well as the overall match winner.
Odds are updated almost after each point, meaning that punters must often be quick in order to take advantage of appealing prices.
FAQ for Tennis Betting
Q. Is tennis a good sport to bet on?
A. Tennis is certainly a good sport to bet on, partly due to the fact that matches take place on a daily basis. As well as this, there are a huge number of both pre-match and in-play markets for punters to take advantage of, while a number of bookmakers now provide live streaming from tournaments around the world.
Q. Is there an opportunity to make a good profit within tennis?
A. Absolutely. While odds on the biggest players in tennis are unlikely to be so appealing, those who carry out sufficient research are likely to be in with a chance of earning some significant winnings.
Q. How do I best get started with betting on tennis?
A. In order to get started with betting on tennis, punters must first register with their preferred bookmaker, before focusing on a particular area of the sport and doing your research.
Q. Is tennis a safe and fair market to bet on?
A. Tennis is 100% safe and fair when it comes to betting, with all matches that take place being fully regulated by respected authorities.
The Stars in Tennis
The world of tennis is now packed full of star talent, however there are certainly some names that stand out from the crowd. The following players have dominated the sport over recent years, whilst they are still playing at the top of the game.
Roger Federer
Widely regarded as the best male player of all time, Roger Federer has 20 Grand Slam titles to his name, including a record eight successes at Wimbledon. The Swiss superstar is known for his fluid playing style, with his forehand being one of the best in the game, which has helped him in winning all four Grand Slams during his illustrious career.
Novak Djokovic
Djokovic is a 15-time Grand Slam winner himself, with the Serbian being known for his excellent ground strokes and fighting spirit. With a number of years still at the top, Djokovic could well have Federer’s Grand Slam record on his mind, having already won the Australian Open in 2019.
Rafael Nadal
Having been dubbed the “King of Clay”, Rafa Nadal’s playing style if unique in the men’s game, with this powerful forehand and top spin shots making him a nightmare to play on any surface.
Nadal has won the French Open a record 12 times, along with the Australian Open once, Wimbledon twice and the US Open on three occasions.
Serena Williams
In terms of the female game, Serena Williams has been the leading player over the last decade, with the American having won no fewer than 23 Grand Slam titles during his career to date.
Williams has also teamed up with sister Venus in order to win a number of Grand Slam doubles titles, including six Wimbledon titles.
Tennis Betting Conclusion
Tennis is now one of the most popular sports when it comes to betting online, with a huge number of options being available to punters, both in terms of markets and bet types. A variety of bookmakers now cater well for tennis fans, including the introduction of in-play markets, live streaming and attractive promotions. So, whether you have long been a tennis fanatic or are relatively new to the sport, be sure to use our guide before getting involved.