With tournaments taking place across the globe every week, tennis has evolved into a terrific sport for punters. We take a closer look at how to bet on tennis, and all the possible bet types and market options. Both the men’s and women’s circuits offer great betting opportunities with the season’s four Grand Slams among the calendar highlights.
Tennis explained
Dating back to the 19th century, tennis is a racket sport which can be played against a single opponent or in doubles. Players score points by striking the ball in a way that it lands within the court boundaries and cannot be returned by the opponent.
To win a match, a player must be the first to win the required number of sets. To win a set, a player must be the first to win at least six games and at least two more than their opponent. And to win a game, a player must win at least four points or at least two more than their opponent.
Players also alternate service during a match of tennis, meaning they take it in turns to serve the ball to their opponent. The best players in the world compete on the ATP tour (men’s) and the WTA tour (women’s), accumulating points from individual tournament performances.
Across the course of a season, players will play on different surfaces – hard courts, clay courts and grass courts. And the most iconic events on tour each year are known as Grand Slams, which include the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.
Types of tennis bets
Whether looking at pre-match, outright or in-play wagers, tennis is an excellent sport to bet on. The match winner market is the obvious place to start – this is betting on who will win the match.
However, there are often occasions where these bets offer little value when one player is expected to win a match comfortably. In this situation, punters can bet on the set betting market, which involves predicting how many sets each player will win. For example, in a best-of-three-sets encounter, a player could be backed to win 2-0.
There is also the option to bet on the games handicap market, which involves betting on a player’s performance rather than just the result. In this type of bet, the outsider in the match will have a positive handicap, giving them an advantage before the match has started, while the player expected to win will be given a negative handicap, putting them behind before the match has started. This is intended to level things between players with differing abilities.
Here are some other bets to consider:
Total sets – A bet on the match featuring over or under a certain number of sets.
Total games – A bet on the match featuring over or under a number of games.
1st set correct score – A bet on how many games each player wins in the first set of the match.
Tournament winner – A bet on a player to win an event. These bets can offer some of the best value.
What should I be looking for?
Like with every sport, form is an important factor in tennis. First and foremost, look for players who have recently strung together wins or are fresh from winning a tournament. But head-to-head records should also be considered. Even if a player is on a good run of form, they may have lost their last five matches against a specific opponent and that could sway a verdict.
Finally, do not underestimate the importance of the playing surface. Most players have preferred surfaces, for example the legendary Rafael Nadal was renowned as the ‘King of Clay’ and his chances of winning were always heightened when he took to the slower surface. Other players with big serves may prefer playing on the grass or hard courts.
By James Mason
Please note that the information provided in this article is for entertainment purposes only. We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information provided. Any action you take upon the information on this article is strictly at your own risk, and we will not be liable for any losses and damages in connection with the use of our article. We do not encourage gambling and remind you to gamble responsibly.
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