Best betting sites >> Tennis Betting Websites

Tennis Betting Markets Explained

Tennis is one of those sports betting markets where punters usually don’t realise what a lucrative type of betting it is. Until they have their first bet, and then it is as if the world is their oyster!

Mention tennis to most punters, and they automatically think of lazy summer days, sipping a glass of lemonade whilst watching Wimbledon on TV. Still, it may surprise you to know that tennis tournaments are played virtually all year round, with tournaments taking place across Europe, the US and other parts of the world. December is generally the quietest month, as the main ATP and WTA seasons briefly pause before restarting around the New Year.

Another surprise for punters on the subject of tennis betting markets explained is the variety of tennis betting markets that are available. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the type of tennis bets you can place.

• Match Winner – The most basic tennis bet, simply place a bet on a player who you think will win the match, so if you place a bet on a player who goes on to win the match at odds of 3/1 (4.0), you will make a profit of £30 to a £10 bet.
• Set Betting and Correct Score – This is another popular tennis betting market, with the correct score in set betting attracting a lot of business, especially in the Grand Slam matches. For example, in a tennis match consisting of 3 sets, a player could be backed to win by two sets to one or even three sets to nil if it was a strong bet.
• Total Games – Bookies will set a line regarding the number of total games played in a tennis match, and the punters will have the option of placing an under or over bet. As an example, let’s say the line was set at 22.5 games in a three-set match, if the match was completed in two sets with the following scores, 7-5, 6-4, that equates to 22 total games, so the unders bet would be a winner.
• Game and Set Betting Handicaps – Tennis handicap betting markets like this give one player an advantage or disadvantage. For example, a favourite backed at – 4.5 games must win by at least five total games, while a player backed at -1.5 sets in a best-of-three match must win 2-0. It sounds complicated, but once you take a closer look, it is a very straightforward and easy way to place tennis bets.
• Both Players to Win a Set Betting – This market is worth getting involved with if you think an outsider has a better chance than the bookie thinks. The outsider doesn’t have to win the match, just one set. So if the determined underdog is up for it, this bet can often pay dividends.
• Player Props – These bets are often unique to individual bookies so have their own rules, but an example would be backing a big server to record over 10.5 aces, a player to make under 3.5 double faults or the match to include a tie break.
• Outright Tennis Betting Markets – This is another popular bet that most punters will be familiar with, simply backing a player to win a tournament. A bet on a player who is priced up at 20/1 (21.0) to win a tournament will payout £200 if they go on to win.
  Each way (EW) options are also available with the usual terms of ½ the odds if the selection is beaten in the final, so in this case, an EW bet on the beaten finalist would pay out at odds of 10/1 (11.0). Bear in mind that, where available, each-way terms vary by bookmaker and tournament.
• Accumulators – This is a nice bet to get involved with at the beginning of a tournament, a bet on the winners of several different tennis matches in the form of an accumulator. For example, an accumulator bet on six matches with odds of 2/1, 2/1, evens, 3/1, 6/4 and evens to a £10 stake will return an impressive £3,600 (odds of 359/1).

Another type of tennis betting which is proving to be extremely popular with tennis bettors is live betting, so that we will take a closer look at that later.

Tennis Betting Strategy – Doing the Homework

As with all types of sports betting, it is always worth doing your homework before deciding on your tennis betting strategy.

We always divide our research into four parts and they are listed below.

• Current form – Many punters just concentrate on the player rankings when deciding on their selections, but in our opinion, this is where most tennis punters go wrong.

Current form is a far more accurate indicator of a player’s chances of winning. For instance, if a high-ranking player has been playing below par in his or her last few matches and they are up against a lower-ranked player who has been performing out of their skin, it is not hard to guess where our money is going.

• Playing surface – Some players gain most of their ranking points on one surface but look much less convincing on another.

For example, a clay court specialist may be available at tempting odds on grass, but that does not automatically make them a good bet because their movement, serve or style of play may be less effective on the faster surface.

Before placing a bet, check each player’s win record on the surface being used rather than relying solely on their overall ranking or current form.

• Fatigue – Scheduling and fatigue can also have a major effect on players’ overall performance.

Players sometimes compete in back-to-back tournaments, travel between continents and have very little time to recover or adjust to a different time zone.

The number of hours spent on court, recent injuries and the amount of rest between matches should all be considered. It is important to realise that not all players are affected in the same way.

Some players seem to take it all in their own stride whilst others struggle and a quick look through the overall form will reveal which players are affected most by the strenuous side of the game.

• Value Betting – In our opinion, every tennis betting strategy should be based on value betting. Some pundits or those that provide tennis betting tips try to make value betting more complicated than it actually is. Basically, it boils down to getting the best odds possible when placing your tennis bets.

So many punters, including us at times, are lazy when it comes to obtaining the best odds because it is easier just to use the same bookie that you usually use for tennis betting, but it’s always worth shopping around to get the best odds.

It’s not exactly rocket science, and as you can see from our Expected Value betting guide, this type of betting usually pays dividends over the long run.

Managing Your Bankroll

Bankroll management is so important with tennis betting, as it is with all forms of sports betting, so there are a couple of things that you should be aware of. Firstly, set aside some money that can be used for tennis betting only. It doesn’t have to be a large amount, in fact, it is better to start small as you are building your betting confidence.

Then, set up a staking plan, keep it simple by only staking a small percentage of your dedicated betting bank on each bet. As an example, if your betting bank is £200, use a 5% stake on each bet, ensuring that any winnings go back into your betting bank.

Reevaluate when your bank increases or decreases by £100, so if your bank gets up to £300, each bet will now be £15. If the bank decreases to £100, each bet will be £5. A very easy betting strategy which will reward winning runs and protect your bank should you experience a run of negative results.

It goes without saying that whatever betting strategy you use, always gamble responsibly and if you are experiencing any problems with your gambling, click on the Gamble Aware link at the bottom of this page.

Which Tournaments Can You Bet On?

When it comes to Grand Slam betting, the four biggest tournaments are the ones that attract the most interest from punters. The Australian Open gets the ball rolling in January, followed by the French Open, which is played on clay during the spring. Next comes Wimbledon, the famous grass-court tournament played in June, before the US Open takes place on hard courts in late summer.

These tournaments attract the best players in the world and also carry the biggest range of betting markets.

Wimbledon betting and the other Grand Slams are also very competitive from a bookie point of view, which means punters can take advantage of some lovely offers.

There is still plenty to bet on away from the four Grand Slams. ATP betting covers the main men’s tour, including the prestigious Masters 1000 tournaments and the ATP Finals, where the year’s leading players compete for the final major title of the season.

WTA betting follows a similar calendar for the leading women players, with tournaments held across Europe, the US and many other parts of the world.

Bookies also price up matches from the lower-level ATP Challenger Tour and ITF events where you can still find match winner bets and several other markets. However, the choice will usually be much smaller than it is for a Grand Slam or major ATP and WTA event.

We mentioned this earlier, but the big advantage for tennis bettors is that the game is played almost all year round, unlike football, where the main leagues take a summer break. There is nearly always a tennis betting opportunity to take advantage of throughout the year.

How to Bet on Tennis, a Step by Step Guide

You will be pleased to know that placing a tennis bet on whatever market you choose is a straightforward process which is more or less the same with every UK bookmaker.

If you want to bet on tennis, just follow these simple steps.

1. Find Tennis – Look for the tennis section on your chosen bookie, usually represented by a tennis racket symbol.
2. Pick a Match – Pick the tournament and tennis match that you would like to place a bet on.
3. Choose Odds – When you have made your choice, click on the odds, and the bet will automatically be placed in the betting slip.
4. Add Stake – Enter your desired stake and click on the “Place Bet” button.
5. Track or Cash Out – Follow the match and keep an eye on your betting slip, as the bookie may offer you the chance to cash out before the match has finished.

It is worth pointing out that when you are thinking about how to bet on tennis, the advice would have to be to keep it simple if you have never had a tennis bet before. For example, back the winner of the match. If you are feeling adventurous, pick the winner of a few matches and place an accumulator bet at small stakes.

Tennis Odds Explained with a Real Example

The best way to explain tennis betting odds is to give you an example. Imagine a match at Wimbledon between world number one Jannik Sinner and British player Arthur Fery, who reached this year’s semi-finals after entering as a wild card.

So for this example, Sinner is the favourite at odds of 1/5 (1.20), and Fery is the outsider at 7/2 (4.50). A £10 bet on Sinner at ⅕ (1.20) would return £12 if he won the match, which includes a profit of £2 plus the original £10 stake. A £10 bet on Fery at 7/2 (4.50) would return £45, made up of £35 profit plus the £10 stake.

The potential return is much higher because the bookie believes Fery has a lower chance of winning. However, his performance at Wimbledon proved that lower-ranked players should never be dismissed out of hand.

Hopefully, this example has made tennis odds explained in a straightforward way. You can learn more by reading our full guide to betting odds; we definitely recommend that.

Live Tennis Betting Comes into Its Own!

Live tennis betting offers the astute punter a very real betting opportunity, but a word of warning before we continue. The odds move very quickly and often overreact throughout the course of a tennis match. The best way to explain this is to give an example.

A run-of-the-mill ATP Tour match: the favourite starts the match at odds of 1.75. In the first game, he breaks his opponent’s serve, and the odds immediately shorten to 1.38. He then loses the next game in which he is serving, and the odds immediately go back to 1.75.

These odds swings usually continue throughout the match in one form or another, so the opportunities to make money are obvious. However, tennis live betting is not something that should be taken lightly. The odds can just as easily move against you, so concentration and small stakes are highly recommended.

Make Sure You Know the Rules

If you are planning on getting involved with in-play betting on the tennis markets, it is vitally important that you take the time to understand the rules of tennis and the scoring process in a tennis match.

When the scores are quoted as thirty love or deuce, it will only serve to confuse you if you don’t know what is going on, so take the time to read up, and you will be in a far better position when it comes to placing your bets.

It would also be a good idea to watch the price movements of a few games which have gone in-play so that you will at least get an idea of how quickly the markets can move, especially if something unexpected happens during the game.

All it takes is for the favourite to serve a double fault and the price can drift to such an extent that a quick profit can be made. That is just one example of what can happen to have an effect on the odds, so it would be fair to say betting on tennis can prove to be more successful the more experience a punter gets under his or her belt.

Something else to take into consideration regarding the tennis betting rules is what will happen if a player has to retire or a match is abandoned as this also forms part of the tennis betting retirement rules.

Different sportsbooks have different tennis betting rules in place for when something like this happens, so it is especially important to bear this in mind if you are ‘dutching’ your bets or laying them off with a betting exchange.

Retirement Rules, Walkovers and Void Bets

Tennis betting retirement rules are something that you should be aware of, but if you are just placing straightforward win bets, they are not something you should be overly concerned with.

If, however, you are laying your bets on a betting exchange or dutching with other selections, retirement rules are important because different bookies sometimes have different rules which could leave you with a loss.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at the following retirement scenarios in a little more detail.

• Walkover – This is usually when a player pulls out of a tennis match before it begins, perhaps because of an injury whilst warming up or if the player starts to feel ill. Walkover rules state that the bet on the player will be made void and the stake will be returned.
• Mid-match retirements – This is where it gets a little more complicated. If a player has to withdraw once the match has started, different bookies have different rules. Some bookies will void the bet, others will treat the other player as the winner whilst the remainder will insist that the first set has to be completed before the other player can be declared as the winner.
• Void bets – This is where the bookie basically cancels the bet and returns the stake for any of the reasons that we have just mentioned.

To sum up tennis betting retirement rules, if you are laying off your bets on a betting exchange or betting with large stakes – always read the tennis rules page. If you are unsure of anything, simply jump on to live chat and ask.

If you are just placing small tennis bets, we would have to say that tennis betting retirement rules, walkover bet rules and void bet tennis rules are not really worth worrying about.

The Grass Beneath Your Feet

A special mention must be made about the different playing surfaces which are used for the main tennis tournaments and whilst you may think that this is not important, it can have a big effect on a players’ performance.

The main playing surfaces are grass, clay and hardcourt with the two former surfaces being the most popular. Tournaments such as Wimbledon are played on grass, whilst the French Open is played on clay, and you don’t have to be a tennis expert to understand that those two surfaces are as different as chalk and cheese.

Whilst the top players excel at playing on both surfaces, other players who are not rated as highly can have a distinct preference on one surface over the other. This factor is just one that you should bear in mind when studying which players to back in certain tournaments and one which could very well pay dividends over the months and years ahead.

Men’s and Women’s Tennis, Why the Format Changes Your Bet

Something that you should be aware of in tennis betting is the ATP vs WTA betting and the number of sets played. For example, women’s singles matches consist of best of three sets at every tournament, whilst men also play best of three throughout the regular ATP Tour. The exception is the main draw at the four Grand Slams, where men’s singles matches are best of five betting.

There are a few tennis betting factors which result from these differences. For example, a strong favourite has more time to recover from a slow start in a five-set match, so losing the first set is less damaging when compared to a three-set match.

The best-of-five-set matches also push games and sets totals much higher, so punters should therefore avoid comparing a Grand Slam line directly with one from a regular ATP match. Sounds obvious, but this kind of thing is easily overlooked by punters who are new to betting on tennis.

Game handicaps also behave differently. An outsider can play well, win a set and still lose by a wide enough margin to miss the handicap if the favourite dominates the remaining sets. In a three-set match, this is not as much of an issue.

WTA matches may offer more value on upsets for the same reason: an outsider only needs to win two sets, leaving a short-priced favourite less time to recover from a poor start.

The Perfect Tennis Betting Website

It would not be an exaggeration to say that some tennis betting websites offer more than others but before you choose which ones to open accounts with, it would be a good idea to know exactly what is required when getting involved with the tennis betting markets.

Most punters will have their own opinions when it comes to how to win tennis betting but putting the obvious factors such as reliability and attractive odds to one side for a minute, one of the most important aspects of a tennis betting website is the ease of navigation, especially if you are intending to take advantage of in-play betting.

The reason for this is because each tennistournament will involve players that you have probably never heard of before and whose names you probably won’t even be able to pronounce properly. If you are looking for several of these players in the in-play betting markets, the last thing you want is a poorly designed website which makes finding your selections seem like an impossible task.

That has to be one of the most frustrating aspects of some of the best betting sites that are out there, so don’t fall into the trap of just opening any old account without making sure that it suits your requirements first.

Being able to easily and quickly navigate a tennis betting website will actually have a positive effect on your overall profit over the course of a tennis betting season, so if that is not a good reason to make sure that you take the time to choose the best tennis betting website, I don’t know what is.

Features Worth Having When Tennis Betting

There are a few features which the bookmakers offer with tennis betting that we should take a closer look at. See if they are actually worth taking advantage of or if they are nothing more than a gimmick.

• Cash Out – This is a good option to have. There can be quite dramatic price swings in a game of tennis, which can often be over reactive so if cash out is available on your bet, it may be worth considering. Bear in mind though, that it is usually more profitable to lay the bet off at a betting exchange compared to the cash out tennis option at the bookie.
• Live Streaming – This is an important feature for some punters, but we always use it for entertainment purposes only due to the time lag. This is why you should not rely on tennis live streaming when placing in-play bets.
• Bet Builders – You may be familiar with Bet Builders if you place football bets. It’s still early days for tennis Bet Builders and only a few bookies offer them. So if this kind of bet interests you, make sure you open an account with a bookie that offers them.

Your Maximum Bet Is How Much?

Another aspect of how to win at tennis betting websites that you should be aware of is that some of them will limit the size of bets which you can make if you have experienced a few wins. Some sportsbooks are renowned for this and what usually happens is that you will try and place a bet which will be refused and instead, a figure will be displayed which will tell you the maximum amount you will be able to bet. (which is usually far lower than your initial bet).

Any contact with the sportsbook support will advise you that it is a trader’s decision and no matter what you say, the decision to limit your bets will be final. If this does happen to you the thing to remember is not to take it personally.

Each sportsbook will have systems in place by which they will place limits on bets, but it can be extremely annoying if you don’t find out about this until you are just about to place a bet.

As you will soon discover though, some sportsbooks are more inclined not to restrict your bets, and these are the ones which you should consider opening accounts with for your tennis betting requirements.

So, taking into consideration the points that we have already spoken about, let’s take a look at some sportsbooks which meet all of the above criteria and will happily accommodate the latest tennis betting trends.

Bet as Big as You like with Betfair

Even though some sportsbooks will limit you more quickly than others, at the end of the day, they are running a business and if you keep on winning, they will either limit you, or close your account.

This is nothing new, in fact, it has been going on for years, and some punters take it more as a compliment than being offended because it shows that they are winning money over the long term as opposed to losing it.

With the Betfair Exchange though, you will never have to worry about being limited or having your account closed down because, with a betting exchange, you are betting against other people instead of the sportsbook themselves. Please note though, Betfair also have a sportsbook which will limit you if you experience a winning run.

The Betfair Exchange has a wide range of tennis betting markets, and by the nature of the beast, the exchange lends itself perfectly to those who are interested in placing bets in the live tennis betting markets.

It would actually be fair to say that if this is the type of betting that you are interested in, Betfair is the main betting platform that you should consider and one which the vast majority of professional tennis traders use to place their bets.

Paddy Power Strikes Again

It would seem that despite the constant controversies which follow Paddy Power around (usually due to their tongue in cheek advertising) they usually come up trumps for whatever sport you are interested in betting on.

Their tennis betting markets are no different, and you will usually find that their tennis betting odds are near the top of the odds comparison websites. The website is extremely easy to navigate, and you will have no trouble at all in finding your required selections.

One thing to note about Paddy Power is that they usually have various promotions which offer free bets etc. but if your only betting activities are to take advantage of these free bets, the offers will soon stop, and you will be restricted in the size of bets that you make.

This practice is actually quite common with most of the sportsbooks which are out there but more noticeable with Paddy Power due to the increased level of promotions which they seem to offer.

How About a Game with Fred?

Betfred is another sportsbook which should appeal to tennis bettors and as you would probably expect from a sportsbook which started off on the high streets of the UK, Betfred seems to have its finger firmly on the pulse when it comes to knowing exactly what tennis bettors require.

For anyone who is familiar with the Manchester area of the UK, Fred Done is a name that they will be familiar with and the name Betfred was used for their online business. Betfred are famous for offering odds which are not in line with most of the other sportsbooks if their compilers have a particular view on a certain event.

This can pay dividends if a tennis player is priced up differently to win a tournament and obviously if a punter actually fancies this player to do well. As a whole though, the all-around odds are fair, and the website is very easy to navigate.

The customer services are knowledgeable and friendly, so if you come across any problems, you will soon have them rectified.

Serve an Ace with 10bet

Even though 10bet have been in existence for quite a few years now, it is not a sportsbook which every tennis bettor has in their portfolio.

This would be a mistake because as far as tennis betting sportsbooks go, this one is up there with the best of them and they seem quite happy to carry on taking your bets if you have already taken a few pounds off them.

The website is extremely easy to navigate, and they also have a very well-designed app which is extremely robust and very easy to find exactly what you are looking for. As if that wasn’t enough, the tennis betting odds available for tennis matches are not only competitive but 10bet seem to hold them for long enough so that you can get your bets on. If only all sportsbooks were like this.

It would be a wise move to sign up with all three of the above sportsbooks, so you will be in a position to get involved with tennis betting when you spot some suitable opportunities, and you can rest assured that the sportsbooks we have mentioned will more than suit your requirements.

Always make sure that you are fully aware of the tennis betting retirement rules whichever sportsbook you bet with because as already mentioned, different sportsbooks have different rules.

Tennis Betting FAQ’s