Tennis Betting
Tennis Betting
With Roger Federer now retired, Rafael Nadal on the back end of his career and Novak Djokovic closer to 40 than 30, the how to bet on tennis question might not seem as appealing as it once did. Fear not, we’ve been here before. Some 20 years ago the greats of the sport were slipping into retirement with fans of tennis wondering who would take over from the impeccable Pete Sampras or the much-loved Andre Agassi. They need not have worried, as the above names went on to compete in the greatest era the sport has ever known.
We’ve absolutely no doubt that the current crop of young stars, including our very own Felix Auger Aliassime, will usher in a new era of brilliance, and Bodog will be at the heart of the action on the court as ever.
Anyone with a fleeting interest in tennis will be aware of the four Grand Slam events:
- French Open
- US Open
- Australian Open
However, there are so many more tournaments for today’s stars to compete in, with events taking place on a weekly basis. The best players, both men and women, are often serving up a treat, with your tennis betting options showing no signs of letting up.
Tennis Moneyline Betting
Like so many other sports, moneyline betting is the most popular form of wagering on tennis. With moneyline betting the objective is simple, as you place a wager on which player will win a match, with the amount of your winnings determined by moneyline tennis odds.
Rafael Nadal -200
Novak Djokovic +160
In the example illustrated above, Nadal is listed as the betting favourite to defeat Djokovic with -200 odds. That means a successful $200 bet will win you $100. Conversely, Djokovic is pegged as a +160 underdog, which means a successful $100 bet on the Serbian star will win you $160.
Betting the Spread in Tennis
Betting the spread adds a layer of complexity to your tennis betting experience. As in other sports, most notably NFL football and NBA basketball, betting the spread enables you to wager on how many points a team will win or lose by. The same principle applies to tennis.
Nadal -3.5 (-135)
Djokovic +3.5 (+110)
In this example, Nadal is favored to win at least 3.5 more games in the match than Djokovic, with the spread supported by moneyline odds. That means if Nadal wins 16 games in the match, and Djokovic wins fewer than 13, a $135 wager on the Spanish superstar will win you $100. However, if Djokovic stays within three game wins of Nadal, a $100 bet on him will win you $110, even if he fails to win the match.
Totals Betting in Tennis
While moneyline betting and betting the spread are focused on the outcome of a match, totals betting is focused on the number of total games played over the course of a match. It doesn’t matter if you’re betting on Wimbledon odds or a smaller tournament – the rules remain the same.
Nadal O 23.5 (-130)
Djokovic U 23.5 (+100)
An example of a totals betting line is illustrated above, with the total number of games in the match set at 23.5. The O and U on the betting line denote OVER and UNDER, and moneyline odds determine the size of the payout on a winning bet.
In this case, if the total number of games played in the match is OVER 23.5, a successful $130 wager will win you $100. Conversely, should the match between Nadal and Djokovic feature UNDER 23.5 total games, then a $100 bet on even odds of +100 will win you $100.
Tennis Parlay Betting
Parlay betting enables you to combine multiple bets on a single wager, with the payout determined by enhanced moneyline odds. For example, you can combine a moneyline wager on Nadal to win his match with a bet on the total for another match. However, while a wide variety of combinations can be used to create parlay bets, limitations also exist. For example, with a parlay bet you cannot combine a moneyline bet and a totals bet from the same match on the same ticket.
Tennis Props Betting
With props betting, the power to wager on an array of additional aspects of a tennis match is at your disposal, with an emphasis on individual player performance. Here are a few examples of typical tennis prop bets:
Odd/even games betting enables you to wager on whether the total games played in a match will be an even number or an odd number, and moneyline odds determine the size of the payout to a winner. Player to win a set betting is just how it sounds, as you can bet on whether an individual player will win at least one set in a match, with moneyline odds once again determining the size of the payout.Tennis player totals betting props work on the same principle as totals betting discussed above, but instead of wagering on the total number of games played in a match, tennis player totals betting enables you to wager on whether a player will win OVER or UNDER the established total, with moneyline odds determining your payout.
Tennis Futures Betting
Futures betting has steadily gained in popularity among bettors in recent years. Unlike the array of wagering options discussed in this article that focus on a specific match, futures betting enables you to wager on which player will emerge as the winner of a tournament well in advance of the tournament taking place, and is extremely popular among bettors wagering on Grand Slam events such as Wimbledon and the US Open.
In fact, for bettors looking to get in on the Wimbledon odds and the US Open odds, futures betting is where they are likely to start.
Novak Djokovic +150
Rafael Nadal +350
Felix Auger Aliassime +550
Milos Raonic +1500
Richard Gasquet +20000
Illustrated above is an abbreviated example of what to expect when surveying the futures odds of an upcoming tournament. In this example, Novak Djokovic is listed as a +150 favourite to emerge as the Wimbledon men's champion. That means if the Serbian tennis legend goes on to win the annual event at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, a $100 bet will win you $150. Of course, the odds lengthen the further down the list you go. In this case, Nadal is a +350 second favourite, with the potential to pay out $350 in winnings on a $100 bet, while Canadian Milos Raonic is pegged at a lengthy +1500. Typically all players expected to compete in the tournament will be included on the futures, providing you with dozens of futures betting options, with the tournament longshots offering dramatically long odds. In this example, Richard Gasquet is pegged as a lengthy +20000 longshot, meaning a stunning Wimbledon victory from the French veteran would win you $20000 on a $100 bet.
Tennis Live Betting and Set Lines
Set line betting features moneyline betting and betting against the spread, but with an important difference. Instead of wagering on the results over the course of an entire match, set lines enable you to wager on the results of an individual set. And while set lines are usually published for the first set well ahead of when the match is played, set lines for subsequent sets are often available as part of a live betting option. With live betting, the spread and moneyline odds are dynamically updated while the match is being played, allowing you to bet on the fly during the match, and adding an additional layer of excitement to your tennis betting experience.
