Tennis is fast-paced and things can change in an instant. When you have the best players in the world slugging it out on court, it’s always a fantastic spectacle. And tennis betting adds that extra layer of excitement.
If you’re new to tennis betting or want to brush up on your existing knowledge, check out our tennis betting guide. We’ve got the lowdown on the bets to make and the strategies to follow.
Types of Tennis Bets
View our tennis betting guide to understand the different types of bets you can make on a tennis match.
Moneyline Bet
A moneyline bet in tennis is the simplest tennis bet you can make. It is a bet on a player to win the match outright. It could be a bet on Novak Djokovic to win his first round Wimbledon match or Iga Swiatek to win the final of the French Open. Either way, you just back your chosen player, make your bet and wait to see if it comes in.
At Grosvenor Sport, you’ll see odds for each player to win the match for all the encounters across every tennis tournament in the calendar.
Spread Bets
Spread betting in tennis is all about giving the favourite a handicap and the underdog an advantage. Game spreads are usually set at 4.5 and set spreads at 1.5.
The game spread might look like this:
Favourite: -4.5
Underdog: +4.5
To cover the spread, the favourite needs to win 4.5 more games than the underdog.
Totals Over/Under
In tennis betting, a totals Over/Under bet is a bet on whether a match will feature over or under a certain number of games. The line may be set at 20.5 and you simply bet whether you think the number of games will be over or under this number.
Futures Bets
Futures bets are bets on outcomes in the future. The most popular futures bet in tennis is an outright bet on a player to win a tournament before it starts. Take Wimbledon for example. Before play starts on the grass courts at SW19, each player in the competition will have odds of winning. You simply select which player you think will triumph on Centre Court in the final and make your bet.
Proposition Bets
A proposition, or prop, bet is a side bet on a game that may or may not have an impact on the outcome of the match. Popular prop bets in tennis include:
– The total number of sets played
– Total number of games
– Games over/under
– The player to win the first set
– How many aces
– Whether or not there will be a tie-break
– How many sets a player will win
Tips for Successful Tennis Betting
Now you know the different types of tennis bets you can make, let’s look at some tips to make the most of your wagers.
Research the Players
Before a tournament or match, it’s important to look at the form of the players you’re backing. How have they fared in their recent matches? How have they performed previously in this tournament? It’s key to look at both, as even players who are struggling can find form on a favourite court in a tournament they’ve done well at in the past. Also look for any potential injuries or niggles as well as the previous head-to-head between these two players.
Know the Playing Surface and Conditions
The surface of tennis courts impacts players’ performance and so should always factor into your tennis betting. For example, hard courts favour big servers whilst clay is better for players who like to grind out results. Grass courts require players to tap into their all-round game.
Look for Value in the Odds
Sometimes the bookmakers don’t always get it right. Occasionally, they may view one player as the underdog and give them long odds to win. But that player may be coming off the back of an impressive win, their opponent may be switching to a new surface, or they may perform well in the heat.
Understanding the value in the odds is where you can use your tennis knowledge to see where the bookmakers could come unstuck. If you know tennis and really get tennis betting, you can potentially do well.
Bet on the Right Tournaments
When betting on tennis, it’s important to bet on the right tournament. For example, if you want to back one of the top seeds in the world to win a tournament, it’s better to go for one of the Grand Slams.
You know that their motivation will be up and they’ll be pushing their body and mind to triumph on the court. For smaller tournaments where they may just be finding their feet and getting into their form, they won’t be pushing themselves as hard.
Strategies for Tennis Betting
It’s time to get strategic. Let’s look at the strategies you can implement to make the most of your tennis bets.
Back Favourites in Grand Slams
As we’ve already mentioned, the top seeds will be pulling out all the stops when the Grand Slams roll around. The way the draw is set up means that they’ll be playing against lower seeds in the early rounds too, so the chance of an upset is fairly slim. Plus, with men’s Grand Slam tennis being played to five sets there’s plenty of opportunities for the big boys to turn around a slow start.
Just remember the odds for favourites winning their early Grand Slam rounds won’t do too much for your winnings, so it’s a good idea to use handicap betting at this stage to enhance your potential wins.
Fade Players Who are Changing Surfaces
The surface of the court plays a huge part in the outcome of tennis matches. Yes, some players have their favourite surfaces, but they can often struggle on them if they’ve just switched from another surface.
If a tennis player switches from playing on grass to clay, they may find it difficult in the early rounds of a competition even if clay is their favourite surface. Switching surfaces is never easy and every small detail counts in professional tennis. Look out for where players have just played and factor this into your tennis betting – you may need to adjust your bets to take into account surface conditions.
Check Relevant Statistics and Trends
Sport these days is packed with statistics, and tennis is no exception. You can find data and stats on every small aspect of the game. It can sometimes become easy to get bogged down in it with your tennis betting.
But that doesn’t mean you should ignore it either. A great stat to look at is a player’s serve. If a certain player is known for big serves, look at their last matches and check the percentage of first serves they’re getting in. If it’s high and they’re scoring plenty of aces, it suggests that the trend will continue into their next few matches.
Also look at the percentage of returns of serve from other players and factor this into your betting. Service is such an important part of the sport and it’s also the only shot in the game where there’s no interference from the opposing player. It’s a good stat to look at when it comes to tennis betting.
Understand Player Matchups
Just like any sport, tennis players have their bogey opponents or the players they just love to play against. If one player has been dominating against a certain opponent, it makes sense that this trend will continue. But just remember, it isn’t a guarantee. You should also look deeper into the player matchup data – check out how they perform against each other on particular surfaces. One may have the measure over the other on clay, but it could be the other way on grass.
Look for Particular Game Conditions
The conditions of the court – as well as the type of surface – can affect the outcome of a match. European players for example may struggle playing at altitude compared to their South American opponents.
Temperature and humidity can also play a part – it can change the way a ball moves through the air and bounces. Check to see if some players perform better at warm weather tournaments compared to others.
In-Play Betting Strategies
At Grosvenor Sport, you can also bet live In-Play on tennis encounters. The nature of tennis makes it great for live betting. A break of serve can quickly turn the tide in a set or a big service game can get a player’s confidence riding sky high. If you’re betting live In-Play on tennis, consider the following:
- Check the surface: Even if a player goes 15-40 on grass for example, don’t change your bet or bet against them too quickly. Grass is conducive to big serves – they can easily get back into the match with a few big first serves and aces.
- Don’t lose faith in your player too early: Even a break of serve early in a set doesn’t guarantee a win. If your player loses their serve, you may get better odds by holding out and seeing if they can claw their way back into the contest.
- But don’t hold out too long: If you do sense the tide is turning and you want to back one of the players, don’t wait too long. You’ll get better odds when they start to get on top rather than waiting until they’re completely dominating.
- Listen to the experts: If you’re betting live In-Play, keep your eyes on the experts’ opinions on social media. They can help inform your betting in the moment.
- Go with your gut: If you feel like something is going to happen, trust your gut – you never know when you’ll be right.
Bet on Tennis with Grosvenor Sport
At Grosvenor Sport, you’ll find tennis betting markets and tennis odds for all the top tournaments in the tennis calendar. We have live In-Play tennis betting and plenty of specials too.
Simply sign up for a Grosvenor Sport account – or log-in to your existing account – to make the most of our tennis betting. New customers enjoy a welcome bonus and we have a handy bet calculator to help you work out your potential winnings on any bets.