How to Bet on Tennis

 

Tennis is among the most-followed sports by fans around the world. It means that thousands of sports bettors around the globe look for ways to bet on different matches across the tennis season. If you are new to the sport, it can be hard to understand various unique markets and analyse games

 

How Tennis Betting Works

 

Tennis betting is a little different from other ball games as there is no draw. A tennis match consists of playing 2 to 5 sets and is played on a rectangular court where either one or two players are placed on different sides of a net. Each side focuses on winning the game by earning more points than the opponent earns.
Betting on a men's or women's tennis game involves placing a bet on the player that one thinks would win the game. Other options include the first to hit a given number of points, margins and handicaps. If the prediction is correct, you win the potential win amount.
You will find tennis games arranged as per major tournaments or countries, so that you are able to find the preferred one with ease. All you are required to do is select the game and market before determining the bet amount and placing your bet.

 

Tennis Odds Explained

 

The odds determine how much money you are likely to win if your bet goes through. They vary widely from one sports betting market to another, depending on various variables in play. You need to read the odds clearly so that you can make an informed gaming decision.
Most bookmakers offer odds in the form of fractions or decimals. The decimal odds are pretty straightforward, where you get the expected win by multiplying the odds with your cash. However, fractional odds show the probability of the player winning. Here is an example; if a player has odds of 10/1, the player has ten in one chance of winning the game. He is how to calculate the odds. (The formula is B (A+B) = Win %) Therefore, the win probability is 1 (10+1) = 11%.

Players with higher probabilities in the Moneyline market are usually the favourites.

 

Most Common Tennis Betting Types Explained

 

You can pick various markets to bet on tennis games. It is important to understand each type of bet to pick the best market for your prediction. Here are some of the popular ones and how to bet on them.

 

Match Betting

 

A match bet is usually similar to Moneyline or outright bet. However, in this case, you are not choosing the winner of the entire tennis tournament. It’s only the individual match you are looking at. As said earlier, there is no draw in the options and you can only pick either of the players.
The odds for either side depends on the expected outcome. The favourites usually have lower odds than the underdogs. However, having lower odds does not mean that either side has the upper hand in winning. Here is an example. In a game between James Belt (2.35) and Wallace Watson (3.21), you decide who among them would win and place your bet. Match Betting is the most straightforward type of bet.

 

Set Betting

 

In set betting, you predict the winner of the tennis match and the result of the tennis sets. In essence, you are enhancing the odds by betting on two outcomes in a tennis set. Here is an example if Albert Montana is playing Santiago Giraldo, your set bets may look like this:
 •  Albert Montana to win 2-1
 •  Albert Montana to win 2-0
 •  Santiago Giraldo wins 2-1
 •  Santiago Giraldo wins 2-0
Bookmakers provide a line for any possible outcome in the two of the three best outcomes in a three-set match. This type of betting has better odds than betting for a win or the outcome of a set alone.

 

Scorecast

 

A Scorecast bet usually involves wagering on the exact score of a set along with the expected winner. However, since you are betting on two outcomes, the odds for the option are usually higher than in many of the markets in tennis. However, it also has a higher risk than other markets.
Scorecast markets usually list options for each set. Therefore, you have the chance of betting on one or more sets at once. Here is an example: Guido Pella is playing with Santiago Giraldo. These are the scorecast options, including exact scores and winners as follows.
 •  Santiago Giraldo 6-0 2.5         Guido Pella 6-1 3.04
 •  Santiago Giraldo 6-1 2.01        Guido Pella 6-2 3.45
 •  Santiago Giraldo 6-2 2.62       Guido Pella 6-3 4.01

 

Over/Under Betting

 

In most cases, the over/under betting involves a bet on the number of sets each match will take to complete. In this case, you are not picking a winner but rather the duration of the match. The popular market in this section is usually over/under 2.5.
If you believe that the tennis match will take two straight sets, you bet for under 2.5/ However, if you feel that the match will take more than the straight sets, you go for the over market. The odds for either selection are usually skewed and not even.

 

Handicap Betting

 

Handicap betting or spread betting usually improves the odds of the Outrights or Match betting. If you expect a player to win, such as when a strong player meets a weaker one, you can instead bet on the margin of the win or loss.
As the name suggests, in Handicap betting you are giving one player a handicap or boosting the odds of the weaker ones to provide them with a level playing field before the start of the match. Here is an example. The odds of a game may be:
 •  Player 1 +2.5
 •  Player 2 -2.5
In this case, you will be betting that player 1 will lose by three sets and player 2 wins by a similar number of sets. If player one loses by a single set, you lose the bet. Similarly, if the player wins by just two sets, it is a loss.

 

Tennis Accumulators

 

Tennis accumulators are multiple bets. You combine several bets to increase your odds and enjoy higher payouts. However, this also increases the risks. However, if you do a thorough analysis, you can still win reasonable amounts. Many players go for the match bets to include in their tennis accumulators, but you can pick any tennis market for your selections.
Accumulator bets are settled once all the games played on the betslip are concluded. A single loss means that you lose your entire stake. However, some bookmakers offer insurance promotions in the form of free bets or cashback options to refund a portion of the cash they lose in selected accumulator bets. Others give cash-out options to get your winnings before all the selections are concluded.

 

Long-Term and Special bets

 

You place long-term bets for games that will take a long period to be concluded. For example, you may bet on the winner of a tournament. This means that your bet will be settled after the last game of the tournament. In this case, the outcome of the individual matches does not affect the prediction, as long as your selected player makes it to the final game.
Other special bets do not rely on a player winning or losing in the game, but rather something happening. You bet on whether the said event would occur or not. Some available options include the total games to be played, the round a player will be eliminated in, and whether there will be a tiebreak.

 

How Does Live Betting on Tennis Work?

 

You have an option of betting on a tennis game before it starts and during the game. Betting during the game is called live betting. Once the game begins, bookmakers transfer it to the live or the in-play betting section of the sportsbook.
If you wish to bet on such a game, you will visit the live betting section, choose the game and then the preferred market. The markets that were in the pre-match are also available in the live betting section. However, some may disappear in the course of the game due to the performance or elapse of time. Bookmakers provide real-time results and event reporting to enable you to make informed decisions.