How to Bet on Tennis

Thanks to the rise of in-play betting on mobile sportsbooks, and the fast-natured pace of the sport, tennis has become one of the most popular sports betting markets worldwide. Players enjoy betting on a calendar that is stacked full of events meaning there are always a few matches you can combine into a tennis parlay.

If you’re new to tennis betting or betting in general, this guide is designed to help you take your first steps into fun sports betting. The guide will explain the available betting types you will see on sportsbooks like tennis parlays, spreads, and moneylines. We will also explain how you can use a legal US sportsbook to bet on some of the biggest tennis events of the year. 

Tennis Betting Types

Moneyline 

Moneyline bets are the simplest form of tennis betting. You are trying to stake your wager on the victorious player when the umpire calls “game, set, and match.” You don’t need to worry about the margin of victory or other factors, just predicting the overall winner. 

When reading the odds for tennis moneylines on your US sportsbook, you will see one player with a (-) symbol to show they are the favorite. The underdog will have a (+) sign next to them. The numbers next to these symbols indicate how much a player will win based on $100. If you bet on the favorite, the number next to them will show how much money you need to wager to win $100. If you are betting on the underdog, the (+) symbol and its corresponding number will show how much you win when you stake $100.

Spreads 

Spread bets aren’t as prevalent in tennis betting as with other sports, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying them. In each match, spreads will be set across sets and games. Essentially the sportsbook will suggest they think one player will win by three games. If this is the case alongside your moneyline for the bet, you will see a “-2.5”. If you bet on this player, they must win by three games or more. Otherwise, your bet will not come through.

If a player is an underdog in the spread, then you may see the inverse of the number above,”+2.5”. In this case, if you bet on the underdog, you are betting that they will lose by less than three games. Therefore, your bet will come through if the player loses by one game or even wins the match.

In tennis, spreads can apply to both the number of games won and the number of sets won. Spread betting gives players a great chance to find excitement in matches where the winner is pretty much certain. 

Parlays  

Unsurprisingly from our team at TennisParlayCard.com, this is our favorite kind of tennis betting. Tennis parlays let players combine multiple bets into one single bet. You can combine moneylines and spreads across different matches.  The payouts from these bets are much higher than individual wagers because the risk is much higher. If a single part of your parlay bet doesn’t come through, your bet is unsuccessful. Given how many surprising results there are during tournament tennis, the risk is even higher, but the rewards from tennis parlays can be fantastic. 

How to Bet on the US Open

There are a lot of exciting tennis events to bet on throughout the calendar, but unsurprisingly, most US bettors pay attention to the home soil US Open. The event is a part of the Grand Slam tournaments and gives bettors the chance to place wagers on exciting games every year. Unlike with other big sporting events, there are a lot of matches going on at the same time, and this is where tennis parlay betting comes into its own. You can bet on the winners of men’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s singles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles by combining them into parlay bets. This is the best way to take advantage of the volume of matches happening at the US Open.

Legal Tennis Betting US

For those wanting to get involved with the fun of tennis betting in the US, you will need to check your local laws first. Since 2018 when the PASPA was struck down many states across the country have legalized online sports betting. That means if you are in a state where it’s legal and are of legal age, you can bet safely with a licensed sportsbook. Download a sportsbook app to your mobile and place tennis parlays on the US Open and other exciting tournaments.