Betting on tennis provides an entertaining way to watch titans like Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal battle it out on the court. What began in the 12th century as a thing the French did to pass the time – they didn’t have Instagram – has become a sport beloved by bettors all over the world.
Between the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), you can see the top players swing their rackets for most the year. Below, we’ll give you a list of sportsbooks and handicapping information so you can make smart tennis bets.
The Best Tennis Betting Sites
Whether you’re betting on Wimbledon tennis or the Davis Cup, you’ll need to use a trustworthy sportsbook. Any online betting websites for tennis worth their weight in rackets, will provide strong customer service, great lines and odds, and a user interface that works on your phone, tablet and desktop.
The sites we recommend above have been pre-vetted and feature odds on tennis events like the various Grand Slams.
After you’ve chosen one of the sportsbooks from our list, you’re ready to create an account. You’ll need your deposit info ready. Making a deposit at an online tennis betting site is fairly simple. You can use Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Bitcoin, e-wallets (PayPal, Skrill, Neteller) and debit.
Most sportsbooks offer bonuses to help serve your bankroll. Depending on the book, you may be entitled to a first-deposit bonus that will match your initial deposit up to a certain amount. You may also have access to a free bet, rewards and loyalty programs so make sure you take advantage of any offers that come your way.
Tennis Betting Online
There are four main tennis Open events that bettors love:
- Australian Open – mid-January
- French Open – end of May
- Wimbledon – beginning of July
- US Open – end of August
Your sportsbook of choice will have odds and lines for each event, along with the type of bets you can make.
Moneyline
As with other sports, a moneyline bet in tennis involves you picking who you think will win the match. Sometimes called a straight-up bet, this is one of the simpler wagers you can make.
Total Games
Often referred to as “OVER/UNDER”, this is a bet you can make on the number of sets you think will be played during a match. Oddsmakers will set the total number based on factors like court type and player experience. For instance, the total could be set at 2.5 for a match between Simona Halep and Sloane Stephens. If you believe there will be less than two sets then you would bet the UNDER. If you believe there will be more than two sets you would bet the OVER.
Handicap aka the Tennis Point Spread
Sometimes tennis matches are uneven with stronger players sharing the court with newbies or those with lesser talent. Like the point spread in football, in order to create an even betting field (or court in this case), handicaps will be placed on each player. For example, the weaker player will be given underdog status (-) and the stronger player will have favorite status (+). Handicap odds would look something like this:
Novak Djokovic -4.5
Alexander Zverev +4.5
Djokovic is the favorite (as denoted by the minus sign). Zverev is the underdog (as denoted by the plus sign). In this scenario the underdog is given an advantage of 4.5 games. Since Djokovic is the clear favorite to win, he is given the disadvantage of having 4.5 games subtracted from his score.
A winning bet on Djokovic would require him to win by 5 games. A winning bet on Zverev would require him not to lose by more than 4 games.
Correct Score
Let’s pretend that WTP mavens Naomi Osaka and Caroline Wozniacki, are playing doubles against ATP giants Roger Federer and John Isner. To make a correct score bet you would need to decide the number of sets won by each couple.
Live Betting
During major matches, the best tennis sportsbooks will offer live odds and lines. Live betting allows you to wager in real-time. Instead of simply betting on Wimbledon tennis before any match begins, you can place bets after two sets have been played. The same goes for US Open betting, and wagering on the French and British events. Odds for live betting will change after each outcome and point, keeping bettors on their toes.
What is the best Tennis Betting Strategy?
On the pro-circuit, tennis is played on four surfaces; clay, grass, hardcourt and carpet – not the shag carpet from your grandmother’s house that hasn’t been cleaned since 1976 – but, a textile surface of rubber, nylon or polymeric materials. These different surfaces affect the speed the player can move and how the ball can travel.
Another tool to help with your tennis betting strategy is a player’s stance and playing capabilities. Like in the real world, players are either right-handed (orthodox) or left-landed (southpaw). However, the type of play they’re known for is what will affect your bet. There are big-servers (players with serves so powerful they don’t have to rely on anything else), baseline players (keeping their action to the back of the court through groundstrokes), defensive players (when you rely on your opponent’s mistakes) and all-rounders (those who play close to the net).
Injuries can cause a star player to have subpar matches. Keeping up to date on injury reports can help your betting experience. For example, if John McEnroe is playing Billy Jean King, you’d look into their overall health. McEnroe might have smashed his racket against the ground in his previous match, causing his wrist to break. His serve against King might not be extraordinary since he’s dealing with an injury. Of course, this matchup will never happen because both are retired, but it’s safe to assume that McEnroe would smash his racket at every occasion.
