Discover our tennis betting strategy guide

Sports betting has enjoyed new levels of popularity in the past decade and a half, with tennis lead-ing the way. Literally, millions of sports fans put their money where their mouth is each and every day, with reputable bookmakers like Mr Green providing a number of opportunities for them to make money on their favourite sport, whether it be how many tie-breakers will occur in a single match to the overall winner of the tournament. As with anything that proves to be popular, sooner or later, competition emerges and this is exactly the reason why you should be armed with strong tennis betting strategies before making your first bet.

General info

One of the reasons that tennis is particularly popular among punters is the fact the tournament cal-endar covers almost the entire year, so there’s no shortage of opportunities to have a bet. While certain events, such as Grand Slams, may steal most of the coverage, there are weekly ATP and WTA Tour events that tennis bettors can take advantage of.

Grand slams

With any of the four Grand Slam events, bookmakers are somewhat cautious when it comes to star players such as Roger Federer Naomi Osaka and give them very short odds, due to the weight of money from those who only bet on the sport now and again. This is good news for bettors as it means that they can typically find better value elsewhere. By keeping your eye on form and knowing when a top player is finding his or her feet, you can often find high enough prices to justify placing a bet.

Player ranking

Ranking a player works the same way in both the ATP and WTA tours. Any points that a player is awarded for his or her performance in one tournament are lost when that tournament begins again the following year. So a player who performs beyond expectations and is awarded a high points total based on that performance can see their ranking take a serious dive if they don’t meet their own high standard the following year. This is even more so the case when it comes to Grand Slam seeding. Supporting these players in hope that they are extra motivated to defend their points can be a winning strategy.

A player's preferences

Players at major tennis tournaments may be some of the best in the world at what they do but no-one is perfect. Many still excel at certain tournaments or on particular courts. That may simply be because the tournament is held in the city or country in which they were born, they have a history of successful performances there, or because the atmosphere brings out the best in them. When a player’s record suggests they have a preference for a particular tournament or two, take that into account when they are about to perform at that every event.

A long year

Today’s schedule is intense for the professional tennis player, and even the very best will view cer-tain tournaments as being inferior to others. As such, they may choose to either omit them from their own schedule or to put in less than 100%, either for psychological or physical reasons. This can especially be the case in the lead-up to a Grand Slam when their mind is firmly fixed on lifting the trophy at one of the four majors. This can affect the performance of any player performing in a minor tournament. Note any players who underperform at this kind of event and avoid betting on them at short odds.

Think twice about set betting

Set betting can appear to be an attractive betting market due to the big prices on offer. This is one market you shouldn’t jump into, however. Even the very best players don’t win every match in straight sets, and even those where you’d expect to can be forced to play the maximum number of sets. If you’re planning on betting in this market, tread carefully and invest some quality research time in looking at which players tend to struggle to maintain discipline throughout the match and drop sets unexpectedly.

Remember the handicap

If you aren’t bowled over by the odds on offer by the win markets, a more profitable approach might be to look at Mr Green’s handicap markets. You can bet on the underdog and come out on top thanks to the game handicap offered in these markets. One strategy would be to seek out those players with a serve that even the best players in the game have difficulty breaking. The underdog may not be adept in the return game but they hold their own when it comes to serving, and with a 2-4 game handicap advantage, can be profitable for you even if they should fail to win the match.

Tennis FAQ

What is the best strategy for tennis betting?

Tennis tournaments are popular throughout the year, and wagering on the tournaments provides the possibility of high payouts. The best strategy in tennis betting is to match the winner. For instance, you can back players on their favourite courts or surfaces. Some players prefer playing on clay or grass courts. Backing the underdogs is also a great strategy since the best players usually build their form during tennis matches without pushing themselves to the limit.

What does 1.5 mean in tennis betting?

Tennis handicap betting is a popular market similar to tennis betting spread. The strategy allows bettors to balance the chances of winning in the tennis bet. With handicap betting, one player in a tennis match has an advantage over the other. Set handicaps in tennis are used on a specific player to win the game. For instance, if you bet on player B with a set handicap of 1.5, you win the wager if player B wins. If player A wins, you will lose your bet.

How do I bet on tennis matches?

Every tennis match provides multiple wagering opportunities. For instance, you can bet on the players to win or on individual matches. Some of the betting options include Moneyline match betting. You can bet on the favourite player — or the underdog — and receive payouts based on the odds provided. Alternatively, wager on a match’s over/under outcomes. Over/under betting allows you to wager on the total number of games played or sets in a match. For instance, if you wager on the over, the match has to last at least 23 games for you to win the wager.

How do tennis bets work?

Tennis bets provide diverse bet outcomes, depending on the strategy used for betting. For instance, spread betting or handicap betting allows you to wager on your favourite player. The sportsbook creates a hypothetical set of games that a favourite should beat the other player to win. You can win by wagering on the underdog if the player wins or loses by one game. Wagering on favourites yields results when they win by two games.

What should I look for when betting on tennis?

When betting on tennis matches, you should read the statistics to establish the form of the players. Study a player’s background before determining whether they are a favourite or an underdog. Capitalize on pre-match drifters and changes in odds to make the right wager.