Introduction to Online Tennis Betting
| Updated: November 10, 2025
In its modern form, tennis is played by millions of people in clubs and schools around the world. The period of the most significant growth, both in terms of participants and viewers, was the 1960s and 1970s, when the big tournaments were opened not only to professional but also to amateur players, and television channels started to cover more matches from the expanding professional circuits. The rise of some well-known stars also dates back to that time. Their rivalries made the game even more attractive to viewers. Just mention Rod Laver (20 major titles) and Roy Emerson (28 major titles) and you will know what we mean. More recent times have also produced spectacular rivalries, the most notable being Pete Sampras vs. Andre Agassi and Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal.
Although tennis can be played by athletes of all skill levels, top competitions are a different story. Tournaments with impressive prize pools demand an outstanding ability to make accurate shots, apply tactical skills, and maintain physical endurance. The discipline has come a long way and is no longer a pastime for garden gatherings. Today, it includes physically exhausting matches in which players attack and defend from every corner of the court, exploit opponents’ technical weaknesses, and hit shots of various trajectories and power.
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What makes tennis a sought-after sport to bet on is the high volume of events conducted throughout the year. Some of the most prominent online sportsbooks confirm that tennis has surpassed almost all other sports in popularity, second only to football (in Europe). We believe this is because gambling enthusiasts can wager on a vast number of game elements that far exceed the usual winner, point spread, and prop betting markets. In fact, the variety is so great that even experienced online punters may not be familiar with all the specifics of tennis betting. Sportingpedia compiled this online tennis betting guide, which will benefit both novices and avid bettors who want to improve their knowledge. Let’s get started.
Basics of Online Tennis Betting
A high degree of competition is usually beneficial to consumers, and sports betting is no exception. The contest for the attention of the modern, demanding online punter is fierce, which leads to perks like sport-specific promotional offers and enhanced betting odds. If you think tennis betting is exciting and want to start wagering on this sport, it is essential to learn more about its intricacies, especially if your goal is long-term profit.
The advantage of betting on a popular sport like tennis is that you do not have to compromise on any element of the wagering process, as the Internet overflows with online sportsbooks. You should have no difficulty finding a platform that suits your needs. To feel comfortable when deciding what tennis bets to make, you must first get acquainted with the basics of this activity: odds formats, common bet types, and how tennis tournaments are organized. We will cover all this and add some useful tennis betting tips.
Tennis Betting Odds Explained
Online sportsbooks “speak” to punters through betting odds, efficiently communicating the amount they need to risk and the potential profit in case of a successful prediction. That is why it is vital to fully understand the concept of tennis betting odds and what the different formats tell you. Unlike some other disciplines where odds are predominantly displayed in one format, tennis odds often depend on the bettor’s location. We cannot favor decimal, fractional, or American odds, as each has a large user base, and the four Grand Slam tournaments are held in different regions of the globe.
Decimal odds are often referred to as the easiest format to understand and are popular mainly in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. To know the total payout, simply multiply the amount of your stake by the relevant odds. In other words, the decimal format shows how much you will get back for every $1 wagered. Let’s look at an example. At the time of writing, the most reputable online bookmakers provide the following averaged odds for the female winner of Wimbledon 2022:
| WTA Wimbledon Outright Winner | |
|---|---|
| Player | Betting Odds |
| Naomi Osaka | 6.99 |
| Iga Swiatek | 4.35 |
| Simona Halep | 12.58 |
| Serena Williams | 13.92 |
| Belinda Bencic | 22.44 |
If you think World No. 1 Iga Swiatek will continue her winning run in London and decide to back her with a $50 stake, a correct prediction will return $217.5 (50 x 4.35). For the net profit, just subtract your stake.
In essence, the fractional odds format does not differ much from the decimal one. Fractional betting odds are displayed with a slash and allow punters to calculate their profit rather than the total payout. The first number shows exactly how much you will win, and the second number indicates the amount you need to wager. If you prefer knowing the total payout, use the formula below:
Total Payout = (Stake x (Numerator/Denominator)) + Stake
For example, if Serena Williams is assigned odds of 19/1 to win the US Open, the calculation with a $50 wager will be (50 x (19/1)) + 50 = 950 + 50 = 1,000.
The third commonly used format is the American odds, shown as a positive or negative number. Odds with a plus sign are assigned to the underdog and show how much you will gain from a $100 bet. Conversely, a negative number indicates the amount bettors need to wager to secure a $100 profit. Of course, 100 is only a reference figure; you can place any amount, and the payout will be calculated using the same ratio.
Common Tennis Bet Types
Once you understand how tennis odds work, it is time to look at the main tennis betting markets available today. Although only two players are involved, the complex rules of the sport allow wagering on multiple aspects of a match or tournament. The range of bets offered by bookmakers is extremely wide, depending on the tournament level and the popularity of the players. Events from the Challenger series feature about 30 markets, while matches between top-ranked players offer 150 or more.
Outright Betting (Tournament Winner) is one of the simplest markets. Punters select the player they think is in the best shape and therefore has the greatest chance of winning the tournament. However, choosing a player is not always easy, especially in events like the Australian Open, where the main draw starts with the round of 1/64 finals.
The more likely a player is to win, the shorter the odds, and vice versa. The good news is that even the shortest tennis odds pay out pretty well. At the time of writing, Novak Djokovic is priced at 2.08 to win Wimbledon 2022, meaning a successful $100 bet will result in a $108 net profit. At the other extreme are odds on underdogs that can reach 250.0 or more. The theoretical possibility of a life-changing return should not mislead you, though; there is almost always a good reason for such long odds.
Picking an individual match winner resembles the outright market but is easier to predict since you choose between only two players rather than an entire draw. This is why most novice tennis punters begin with match betting. Odds depend directly on whether a player is seen as the favorite or the underdog. Underdog odds longer than 3.5 appear only in rare cases, usually early in a major tournament when a top-ranked player meets a qualifier. Match odds are dynamic and can be affected by the overall amounts wagered or by in-play developments, often creating unexpected value opportunities.
We continue with tennis handicap betting, which we recommend trying only after gaining experience with easier markets. Here, the subject is not who will win, but by how much. Handicaps show the margin by which a player is expected to win or lose. As with spreads in other sports, handicaps come with a minus or plus sign and often include .5 numbers to eliminate ties. If the bookmaker sets a handicap line of -2.5 for a player, he must win by at least three games for the bet to succeed. If he wins by only two games, those who backed him lose. Logically, a line of +2.5 shows the opponent is considered an underdog and can lose by up to two games for the bet to win.
The over/under market refers to the total number of games or sets played. Punters predict whether the number will be above or below a threshold set by the sportsbook. The winner’s name is irrelevant, as the bet concerns match length. For a best-of-three format, the set line is 2.5, while game lines often start at 18.5. Here is how over/under odds are typically presented:
| Kaia Kanepi Total Games | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Over 11.5 | 1.27 | Under 11.5 | 3.51 |
| Over 12.5 | 2.17 | Under 12.5 | 1.64 |
| Over 13.5 | 3.35 | Under 13.5 | 1.3 |
Exact score betting lets punters wager on precise outcomes, such as the exact score of a set or the number of sets each player wins. The high risk involved is balanced by a substantial payout. We checked first-set correct-score odds for a match between Victoria Azarenka and Viktorija Golubic. The lowest price was 5.76. A more lucrative payout would come if you backed Azarenka to win 6:0, as your stake would be multiplied by 20.63.
We conclude our review of common tennis bets with proposition bets. They are the most entertaining part of tennis wagering and can be lucrative with accurate predictions. Prop bets refer to the occurrence or nonoccurrence of specific events within a match or an entire tournament. The options depend on the bookmaker and can include which player will record the fastest serve, whether a match will go to a tiebreak, and many others.
How Tennis Tournaments Are Organized
Building the draw for a tennis tournament is quite complicated, especially at big events where the number of participants reaches 128. Organizers must arrange the schedule so that young and less-experienced players can play at least two or three matches, while current stars avoid each other in the opening rounds. In professional tournaments, the highest-ranked players go straight to the main draw, with the very best sometimes resting in the first round and starting in the second. A few players, either local favorites or those who have attracted the organizers’ attention, receive wild cards. The draw is complemented by a qualifying event for lower-ranked players; those who succeed join the main draw and have a chance to win the title.
Tournaments are divided into several categories, with a significant difference between the major Grand Slam and Masters events and smaller tournaments you may never have heard of. The former attract millions of viewers and feature million-dollar prize pools, so they naturally offer more betting markets. Each Grand Slam is held at a different time of the year, beginning with the Australian Open in January and ending with the US Open in September.
| Tournament | Period of the year | Surface |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Open | January – February | Hard |
| French Open | May – June | Clay |
| Wimbledon | June – July | Grass |
| US Open | August – September | Hard |
These tournaments are organized every year by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) in close collaboration with the respective national bodies: Tennis Australia; the French Tennis Federation; the United States Tennis Association; and a joint Committee of Management representing The All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club and the Lawn Tennis Association. To achieve a Grand Slam, a player must win the Australian Open, French Open (Roland-Garros), Wimbledon, and US Open in the same calendar year. Only a few have managed this remarkable feat:
- Men – Donald Budge (1938); Rod Laver (1962, 1968)
- Women – Maureen Connolly (1953); Margaret Court (1970); Steffi Graf (1988)
Regarding the ATP Masters 1000 tournaments, they comprise a series of nine events (Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid, Monte-Carlo, Rome, Canada, Cincinnati, Shanghai, and Paris) in which only top-ranked ATP players compete. Winning a Masters title is among the most prestigious achievements in tennis. The undisputed ruler of the ATP Masters 1000 is Novak Djokovic, who has completed the Career Golden Masters twice, the first and only athlete to do so.
Tips for Successful Tennis Betting
The large number of tennis tournaments each year, together with comprehensive coverage by online sportsbooks, creates plenty of opportunities to grow your bankroll. Several matches are played almost every day, so if you are serious about betting on tennis, building a solid wagering strategy is crucial. You will succeed in the long run if you patiently seek value bets and consistently make smart wagers, rather than backing long shots in hopes of a big win. While there are many approaches, some factors always deserve attention.
Court Surface
Tennis matches today are played on three types of surfaces: hard, clay, and grass, each with distinct characteristics that encourage different styles of play. Sometimes, no matter how talented and fit a player is, if his or her technique does not suit the surface, victory is far from certain. Rafael Nadal, for example, has won 22 Grand Slam titles, with only two of them on grass (Wimbledon 2008 and 2010).
Grass courts are the most labor-intensive to maintain, which is why few tournaments use them. The surface makes the ball bounce lower, so points are shorter. Therefore, when betting on Wimbledon, look for players with a strong serve and solid baseline play. The most common surface in modern tennis is hard courts, which are easy to maintain and dry quickly. Here, a powerful serve is helpful but not decisive; players also need accurate returns and excellent speed. Clay is probably the toughest surface because its characteristics change with the weather, often leading to unexpected developments. When clay gets wet, the court becomes slower and slippery, and mishaps can happen. Because of the reduced speed, points last longer, turning matches into true tests of endurance.
Ranking and Overall Abilities
To decide which player to back, you must learn how to evaluate current form and skills. Official ATP and WTA rankings are a mandatory reference but not the only one. Both rankings use a 52-week point-accumulation system covering 19 tournaments for men and 16 for women. The points awarded depend on the event level: a Grand Slam title earns 2,000 points, an ATP or WTA Final up to 1,500, and a WTA 1000 or ATP Masters 1000 event 1,000 points.
A player’s ranking reflects recent form but is not the sole factor. Plenty of free statistics let you check how many matches a player has won recently, first-serve success rates, break-point conversions, and more. Mental resilience also matters, especially for in-play betting. Knowing how players react under pressure is valuable, as losing a break point at a critical moment may frustrate some athletes and change the match entirely. Many talented players never reach the top because they cannot handle decisive moments.
Head-To-Head Matchups
Just as certain styles do not suit particular surfaces, some players struggle against specific opponents. Before you place a bet, spend a few minutes checking ATP or WTA data to see how previous head-to-head meetings ended. For example, until the end of 2021, Roger Federer had been No. 1 in the ATP rankings for 310 weeks, compared with Rafael Nadal’s 209 weeks. In direct matches, however, Nadal led the rivalry, winning 60% of their 40 meetings, including five straight victories between 2013 and 2014. While head-to-head stats are useful, never rely on them alone. Always consider surface, weather, and recent injuries.
Advantages of Betting on Tennis
Sports betting has long been part of everyday life, and modern online technologies make wagering easier than ever. Among the many sports offered by today’s sportsbooks, tennis is one of the few one-to-one disciplines, unlike soccer, American football, basketball, or cricket. Collecting and analyzing information about two players is far easier than doing so for entire teams.
During tennis matches, officials’ personal judgment has less impact on outcomes because modern technologies help ensure correct calls. This fair-play environment is a major advantage for viewers and bettors alike. In team sports, refereeing errors can directly affect the final score and your bet. In tennis, such situations are rare, and on clay courts the ball even leaves visible marks that clarify close calls.
From a punter’s perspective, betting on an individual sport like tennis carries less risk, as external factors have a smaller influence on the result. Team performance often depends on a few key athletes, so an injury to a star player can derail even the smartest bet. If a tennis player is injured and must withdraw, online bookmakers usually void all bets and return stakes.
Tennis’s popularity benefits bettors, who can choose from a wide range of reputable sportsbooks. New bookies appear almost daily, so operators use various promotional offers to attract and retain tennis fans. Besides welcome bonuses, cashback promotions, and loyalty programs, tennis punters sometimes enjoy enhanced odds on specific events. Keep an eye on these offers; the more trusted platforms you join, the better.
Another reason for tennis’s betting popularity is the vast selection of markets. Earlier in this guide we outlined the most common types, but the list is much longer, including Double Result, Set Handicap, Game Handicap, Player to Win a Set, Number of Aces, Most Aces, Any Set to Nil, and more. Better still, opportunities abound: in addition to the Grand Slams, both the ATP and WTA run 11-month calendars from January through November, and the Challenger series adds even more events.
Final Words
After covering so much about tennis, let’s summarize and move on to the next articles in our guide, which explore the four Grand Slam tournaments in detail. Tennis is ideally suited to online betting thanks to the large number of events held almost year-round and the fantastic range of markets available to both beginners and seasoned punters. The Internet is packed with up-to-date statistics to inform your wagers, and live streaming lets you follow the action and react quickly to unexpected events. One final tip is to narrow your focus, at least at first, while you learn the nuances of betting on the world’s most prestigious individual sport. With that in mind, we invite you to explore our dedicated sections on the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open.