How To Bet On Tennis
If you’re looking for a comprehensive beginner’s guide about tennis betting, you’ve come to the right place. This guide will introduce you to the art of tennis betting and share the best betting practices in the world of tennis.
Tennis is a popular sport and has one of the largest fan followings in the world. Consequently, tennis betting is a huge market worldwide. This market is still expanding, with countless sportsbooks offering a wide variety of betting options and more odds, including live betting.
With the biggest worldwide tennis tournaments coming up, and plenty of top names playing, we will help you to better understand how to bet on tennis and the most important things to know to turn a profit.
If you didn’t know, betting enthusiasts are very keen on tennis betting. Tennis is one of the most popular sports among bettors worldwide. It’s the fourth most popular sport for sports betting in the world.
Read on to find out about how to bet on tennis and earn some cash on the side.
What is tennis betting?
Tennis betting is one of the largest, most popular, live betting markets online. Odds can change in the blink of an eye, and there are multiple betting options, strategies, and techniques for making money.
You can place a wager on the winner or choose some of the proven betting options, such as over/under betting, game or set betting (spreads), or match betting (moneyline). Tennis betting is just like any other form of sports betting. It gives you numerous options, including tennis prop bets, live or in-play betting, future bets, and more.
Every tennis match and tournament provides betting enthusiasts with multiple betting opportunities. From betting on individual matches to wagering on players to win the tournament, tennis offers enormous value for astute tennis bettors.
How does it work?
Tennis betting works like any other sports bet. There are three main types of bets to consider when starting to bet on tennis. These bets feature almost the same odds found in other sports bets.
These bets include:
- Win – the most basic bet that refers to the player who you think will win a tennis match. The margin of victory isn’t taken into consideration in this bet.
- Game spread – refers to how a player will win by several games.
- Game total – refers to the number of games that will take place in a single tennis match. This type of tennis betting places a wager on whether there will be more or fewer games than what the line shows.
There are two more types of tennis bets – set spread and set total. The set spread refers to betting on the player who will win the most sets in a single match. The set total involves wagering on whether a game will have more or less than a specific number of sets.
How do I place bets?
Placing a tennis bet has never been easier and involves completing a few simple steps. The first step is to choose a reputable betting site. Today, you have a range of sportsbook online betting sites available where you can wager on tennis.
These trustworthy, secure, and safe gambling sites meet all of the latest sports betting criteria. You’ll just need to sign up and create a profile to place your wager.
The registration process requires a valid email address to verify your personal information and provide access for you to placing wagers. Top-rated sportsbooks offer different bonuses and promotions for new bettors and loyal customers alike. Once you’ve completed your registration, you’re free to make a deposit.
Choose a preferred deposit method from a selection of payment methods, including e-wallets such as debit, Skrill, Neteller, and Paypal, and credit cards like AMEX, Mastercard, and Visa. Some sports betting sites accept cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum, Dash, Litecoin, and Bitcoin.
After making a deposit, you can place your bet by selecting the type of bet you wish to place on a tennis player, match, or tournament. Enter in the amount that you’d like to wager, and submit your tennis ticket.
Different types of tennis bets and how they work
There are too many tennis bet types to explain them all, so we’ll stick to the most popular wagering options: over/under, the spread, and the moneyline.
Moneyline
Considered the most popular tennis bet among avid bettors, a moneyline bet refers to choosing the outright winner of a tennis match. There are two sides to this bet – the underdog (+) and the favourite (-).
Both options have a sign in front of their odds that tells you the expected win if your bet passes. If both the underdog and favourite have the same number, both sides have even odds of winning. A match with even odds is known as a “pick ’em” bet.
Here’s an example from the 10bet betting sitefor one of the upcoming matches in the ATP Monte Carlo, Hubert Hurkacz against Pedro Martinez.
Once you find the match you wish to place a wager on and select it, the first thing you’ll see is the projected winner of the match. According to the sportsbooks, Hubert Hurkacz is the favourite and has better odds of winning. His odds are set to 1.48 as opposed to 2.65 for his opponent. A £20 wager will bring you a total of £29.75 if you win (1.48 odds x £20 wager). That’s £9.75 earned on your initial wager.
The odds of betting on Pedro Martinez are 2.65, meaning that you’ll earn £33 (£53 total) if you bet £20 (2.65 odds x £20 wager). If your option is to bet on the moneyline bet, placing a wager on the favourite makes more sense.
Tennis spread
Similar to the point spread in football and basketball, tennis spread betting refers to oddsmakers setting handicaps on both games and sets to level the playing field. Much like the run line in baseball, tennis set spreads are placed at -1.5.
Here’s another example from the 10bet sports betting site:
As you can see, the tennis spread bet on Hubert Hurkacz allows you to earn £40 on a £20 wager if you win (2.00 odds x £20 wager). That’s £20 earned on your initial wager.
Over/Under tennis betting
Over/under sports betting refers to placing wagers on the total number of points scored. However, over/under betting in tennis refers to wagering on the number of games that a match will feature. In tennis, matches will be either a best-of-three or a best-of-five game set.
A player must win six games in a row by a margin of two games to take a set. If the set is a tie at 6-6, there is a seventh tie-breaking game.
Here’s another example from the 10bet sports betting site:
A 20.5 over bet of £20 can bring you £16.66 in total returns (1.83 x £20).
Tools that help your tennis betting efforts
Knowing how to place your wager is just one side of the coin. One of the most important considerations is to decide where you’re going to place your wagers. The internet offers countless online sportsbooks, providing a variety of tennis betting options.
Websites with reliable tennis statistics
In sports betting, everything depends on having the latest, most accurate, and reliable tennis statistics. Thankfully, top sportsbooks sites usually have entire web pages dedicated to the most up-to-date tennis stats that you can tap into before placing your wager.
News sites tracking injuries, handicaps, and other factors
Successful sports betting requires access to the most recent insights on the best players, matches, tournaments, and more. That’s why knowing all of the determining factors can make or break your betting strategy.
If your favourite player recently suffered an injury, they are hardly going to win the next match. Look for the most reputable news sites tracking tennis injuries, handicaps, and other vital factors.
Reliable betting sites
Each country has a fine selection of the best, most reliable, and most popular betting sites. If you want to win big money from tennis betting, placing bets on reliable betting sites is vital to your success. We’ve created a list of the best UK betting sites with reviews and comparisons to help you get started.
Essential tennis betting statistics
Since tennis betting offers countless opportunities, the trick to scoring big is to tap into the immense potential of essential tennis betting statistics. Every tennis tournament is unique, and each one requires you to adjust your betting strategy to its specific traits to win. That’s where statistics can be extremely helpful. Here’s what you should pay attention to the most.
Statistics on the specific surfaces
Stats about specific surfaces are one of the most significant determining factors of success in tennis betting. These records tell you how a certain player performs on particular surfaces. They also offer insights into a player’s balance in terms of wins and losses, and a bigger picture of their overall performance in past tournaments played on the same type of surface.
If you’re planning to wager on a player playing a tournament on a specific type of court, knowing how they perform on that surface can help you to improve your odds of winning. The overall specific surface stats tell you what kind of performance you can expect so that you can evaluate the player’s current form.
Here’s an example from the 10bet sports betting site:
Head to head record
In tennis betting, H2H records give you the statistics about how the two players’ styles interact. H2H statistical analysis considers multiple factors, such as circumstances regarding age, to determine which encounters to pass and which to bet on. It also allows you to bet on comparable matches on the same surface and format.
Here’s an example from the 888sport betting site:
NET points statistics
NET points are another record to explore before placing a wager on a tennis match. NET points statistics show how often a player goes to the net in an attempt to finish by calculating the success rate when they do so. Players with good volleys are more prone to using this strategy than baseliners, who rarely visit the net.
NET points stats go hand in hand with the stats about specific surfaces. Always consider the surface when creating a betting strategy. Players who use the NET strategy often excel on grass but struggle on the slow red courts.
Here’s an example from the 888sport with stats about specific surfaces:
Record vs. Top 10
These stats can be handy when you’re interested in placing bets on favourite players who are on the brink of a large jump in the standings, or underdogs. This record can tell you everything you need to know about a player’s performance.
The record can show how an athlete performed against the best players in the world. You can use this statistic to determine if an athlete has consistently performed well against a specific type of player. If the numbers are positive, you have a better chance of winning a bet.
Aside from consistency in winning against the best of the world, this statistic can also tell you which players perform better on a specific surface. Certain players perform better on grass or clay, consistently beating top opponents on those surfaces. Record vs. top 10 can help you to identify the best underdogs to place your bets on.
Serve vs. Return statistics
Both serve and return stats cover more specific aspects of a player’s performance. You should consider the serving numbers in two scenarios. The first scenario is during live betting when you need to determine the serving performance of a player against his opponent in the current match.
The second scenario refers to situations where checking the most recent matches will help you to determine the best betting strategies for future bets. It enables you to analyse fixtures from the same competition to tell you all about the current serving form of a player.
Serve stats include:
- First serve percentage;
- First serve points won;
- Second serve points won;
- Aces and double faults; and
- Breakpoints saved.
Return stats tell you all about a player’s returning performance. They help you determine the chances to win by betting on particular tennis matches, either before the match has started or live.
Return stats include:
- Return games won;
- First serve return points won;
- Second serve return points won; and
- Break points converted.
Once you have analysed both serving and returning stats, you should have all of the information that you need to develop a solid tennis betting strategy and make the most out of your betting efforts.
Tennis betting FAQs
Is tennis easy to bet on?
Yes, tennis is easy to bet on once you understand the basic concepts. Tennis betting is all about understanding the odds and making smart wagers. When you know how to read the odds and place your bets accordingly, you'll be able to make money from tennis betting fairly easily. Just make sure to do your research and don't get too carried away with any match. Always remember that anything can happen in tennis!
Can you make a profit with tennis betting?
There's no easy answer as to whether or not you can make a profit with tennis betting. It depends on a lot of factors, including your knowledge of the sport, your ability to pick winners, and of course, a bit of luck.
That being said, it is possible for tennis betting to be profitable. Many people make a living doing it. However, it takes a significant amount of research to increase your chances of success. It’s key to learn as much as you can about tennis and understand the game inside and out. If you're not willing to put in the time and effort, then you're probably not going to be successful.
Does tennis offer live (in-play) betting?
Yes, tennis offers live (in-play) betting. This means that you can bet on a tennis match while it is in progress. This can be a great way to make money if you know what you are doing. There are many factors to consider when live betting on tennis, such as the players' current form, the surface they are playing on, and more. It is important to do your research before placing any bets. However, if you know what you are doing, live betting on tennis can be a great way to make money.
What is the best strategy in tennis betting?
There is no surefire strategy when it comes to betting on tennis matches. However, there are a few tips that can help you to make more informed decisions and offer you a better chance at winning some bets.
One thing you should do is to look at the odds for each match and try to identify mismatches. For example, if one player is a heavy favourite to win, the odds will be low and it may not be worth betting on them. Conversely, if the underdog is expected to lose, the odds will be high and there may be some value in betting on them.
You should also examine each player's form leading up to the match. How have they been playing recently? Are they in good shape?
Conclusion
Now that you have some basic knowledge about what tennis betting is and what it involves, it’s time to put that knowledge to good use and develop a winning betting strategy. Remember that winning most of the bets you place takes time, effort, patience, and a fair amount of resources.
However, if you use these tips and put your mind to it, nothing is impossible. Find the best, most reputable sports betting sites, know the odds, and get to know the players and the tournaments that you plan to bet on. If you really want to beat the books, you’ll need a smart combination of knowledge and skill to develop a unique betting strategy.
