How to Bet on Tennis

Keen to learn how to bet on tennis? In this tennis betting guide, we’ll run you through everything you need to know to get set up with a betting account and place your first wager. Read on to get the full scoop and check out our recommended tennis betting sites — when you’re ready, click through to sign up and get started.

Getting Started

Tennis is an exciting sport to watch and, by extension, an exciting sport to bet on. We’ll be discussing everything from the main tournaments you need to know about to the different types of bets you can place. 

Before that though, it’s important to have a grasp of how tennis odds work at American sportsbooks. Odds dictate the amount you stand to win and also express the likelihood of something happening. If you bet on a tennis player that’s the favorite, the payout will be smaller than if you bet on the underdog.

Most sportsbooks use American odds by default. Let’s say Aryna Sabalenka is the favorite in her next match and is priced at -125 to win. That means you’d need to bet $125 to win $100. If her opponent is priced at +110, that indicates that you’d need to bet $100 to win $110. If you want some more details on betting concepts like implied probability and bankroll management, head over to our comprehensive how to bet guide.

Once you’ve got your head around the basics, there are just a few more steps to cover before placing a bet. Use our site to compare sportsbooks and review whether sports betting is legal in your state. Then click through to a site to sign up and make a deposit. If you’d prefer to bet on mobile, we’d recommend downloading the app from the get-go too, if there is one available.

Selecting a Match

When you’re ready to select a match to bet on, you’re going to want to check out the biggest tournaments in the tennis calendar. Here’s a rundown of the most prestigious events.

• Australian Open – The first of the four majors, the tournament takes place in January each year in Melbourne.
• French Open – Also known as Roland-Garros after the host venue, the French Open is played on clay and is known as a physically demanding tournament.
• Wimbledon – Britain’s tennis tournament and one of the most prestigious in the world, Wimbledon is a grass event that dates back to 1877.
• US Open – Held annually in Queens, New York and founded in 1881, the US Open has been played on a hard outdoor court since 1978.
• ATP Tour – Top-tier men's tennis tour featuring the ATP Masters 1000, ATP 500, and ATP 250.
• WTA Tour – Women’s top-tier tennis tour featuring the year-ending WTA Finals.
• United Cup – International mixed-gender teams tournament played in Australia in the run up to the Open. The first edition took place in January 2023.
• Davis Cup – Run by the International Tennis Federation and the premier international teams event in men’s tennis.
• Billie Jean King Cup – Named after former world number one Billie Jean King, this tournament is the premier international teams competition in women’s tennis.

Top Tennis Players to Bet On

Having a decent knowledge of the top tennis players currently active on the circuit will ensure you make well-informed and sound bets. Here’s a look at some of the top men’s and women’s players to look out for.

Men’s Tennis

• Novak Djokovic – Ranked world number one for a total of 391 weeks in a record 12 different years, Djokovic is the only man to have achieved a triple Career Grand Slam and holds the all time record of most singles titles with 24. Having recently defeated Daniil Medvedev in the 2023 US Open final, the Serb has shown no signs of slowing down.
• Carlos Alcarez – 20-year-old Carlos Alcarez already has two Grand Slams to his name, having won the 2022 US Open and recently defeating none other than Novak Djokovic in the 2023 Wimbledon final.
• Danill Medvedev – Medvedev was previously world number one for a total of 16 weeks and currently has one Grand Slam title — the 2021 US Open where he defeated Djokovic in straight sets in the final and only lost one set in the whole tournament.
• Holger Rune – Holger Rune has won four ATP Tour singles titles and has a career-high ranking of fourth in the world. The 20-year-old has a bright future ahead and is certainly one to watch.

Women’s Tennis

• Aryna Sabalenka – Sabalenka reached the world number one ranking when she claimed her first major singles title at the 2023 Australian Open, defeating Elena Rybakina in the final.
• Iga Swiatek – Swiatek became the first Polish tennis player to win a major singles title when she triumphed at Roland-Garros in 2020. She went onto win the title again in 2022 and 2023, along with the US Open in 2022, which made her the first woman to win the French Open and US Open in the same season since Serena Williams in 2013.
• Coco Gauff – United States tennis star Coco Gauff won her first major title at the 2023 US Open, defeating Sabalenka in the final to become the first American teenager to win the title since Serena Williams in 1999.
• Elena Rybakina – Previously ranked third in the world, Elena Rybakina remains a force to be reckoned with in women’s tennis. She beat Ons Jabeur in the 2022 Wimbledon final and reached the final of the 2023 Australian Open.

Choosing a Bet Type

As you may have guessed, there’s more than one way to place a bet on a tennis match. Here’s a list of the most popular types of bets and some of the markets you might come across.

Moneyline

A moneyline bet is a straight up bet on which player will win the match. Tennis bettors can place a moneyline bet before a match begins or in-play, based on how the contest is progressing.

Spread

A tennis spread bet allows you to predict that a player will win by a certain number of games. For example, let’s say Rafael Nadal is taking on Novak Djokovic. Djokovic has a spread of -1.5 and Nadal has a spread of +2.5. If you bet on Djokovic, he’d need to have at least two more game wins to overcome the spread and for your bet to succeed. If you bet on Nadal, he can have two fewer game wins and still come up trumps.

Totals

With a totals bet, you’re predicting whether or not a tennis match will go over or under a certain number of games or sets. You can also place an over/under bet on individual player totals, like how many games they’ll win during the match or how many aces they’ll serve.

Set Betting

Here you’re simply betting on which player will win a particular set. Set betting is popular for betting in play — even if you think a player will lose the match, you might back them to win the current set if they’re playing well.

Parlays

Parlays are bets with two or more selections. For example, you might bet on Nadal and Alcaraz to win their respective matches, plus Sabalenka to win in straight sets. Parlays are high risk, high reward — you need each selection to come good for the bet to succeed, but the potential payout is typically much higher than a single bet. 

Futures

With a futures bet you’re thinking long term to try and predict the winner of an upcoming tennis tournament. While many sports bettors enjoy fast-paced in-play betting, others prefer to make a prediction before a tournament starts and enjoy rooting for their pick as the competition wears on.

Comparing Odds

The top online sportsbooks we feature on our site generally offer competitive odds for all the major tennis tournaments. However, some sites will have better prices than others on certain markets. This is where our odds comparison grids come in. Head to our main tennis betting page for the latest details — you can compare odds between different sites and click on them to head to the site with the best price.

Considering Picks and Tips

Need some inspiration? Here at BettingOdds we feature expert tennis recommendations on our picks page. Although you should never blindly follow tipsters’ picks, reading what they have to say is an important part of the research process and will help to build up your knowledge of tennis — helping you to make more well-informed bets in the process.

Responsible Gambling

We’ve run you through the logistics of how to bet on tennis, but it’s vital you do so safely and responsibly. Following healthy gambling practices ensures sports bettors can enjoy tennis betting as a fun and casual pastime. 

So, what can you do to bet on tennis responsibly?

• Set a budget – It’s helpful to put some money aside for betting activities that you can comfortably afford to lose. If you set a budget for a particular match or tournament and use up the funds, it’s time to stop.
• Don’t chase losses – Avoid increasing the size of your bets in an attempt to recoup losses. Losing is an inherent part of betting, so it’s important to stick to stakes you can afford to lose and don’t look at gambling as a way to make money.
• Use on-site limiters – Licensed sportsbooks offer a range of tools such as deposit limits, loss limits and reality checks. All of which can help you manage your time and spending on tennis betting sites.
• Seek help when needed – Gambling can be addictive. If you need help or support, get in touch with the National Council on Problem Gambling

Compare Sportsbooks, Sign Up, and Bet on Tennis

Now you’ve reached the end of our tennis betting guide, you can go ahead and start planning your first wager. Browse our list of sportsbooks to find a site and welcome bonus that appeals to you, then click through to register an account. With big tennis tournaments happening all throughout the year, there are plenty of opportunities to lay down some money on your favorites — good luck!

Frequently Asked Questions