In this comprehensive tennis betting guide, we’ll take an in-depth look at every aspect of this fascinating sport. We’ll start the guide with an introduction to tennis before explaining the fundamental rules of the sport. You’ll also discover the governing bodies in tennis, the biggest tennis events, and how to bet on tennis. Thereafter, we will dive into tennis betting strategies you can use to improve your chances of winning more often. Once you’ve read through this all-inclusive tennis betting guide, you’ll have everything you need confidently place bets on tennis. We even have a FAQ section at the end of this guide, answering some of the most common questions we regularly receive from our loyal readers at BettingPro.
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Tennis is an extremely popular sport that is played across the globe. It’s also becoming increasingly popular with Indian sports enthusiasts who enjoy placing wagers at the best betting sites. Tennis ranks within the top 5 most popular sports in India. Cricket is the most popular followed by Football, Field Hockey, and Badminton. Tennis also ranks high on the list when it comes to money generated at sports betting sites in India. There is a good reason for this as more and more punters want a piece of the action. Tennis is an intriguing game, offering an assortment of markets along with prestigious tournaments that take place throughout the year.
Introduction to Tennis
Before we can explain how tennis is played, we first need to understand where the sport takes place. Tennis is played on a rectangular court with two halves divided by a net running across the middle. Each half will have two sides, including the ad side (left) and the deuce side (right). You’ll also find a service box on each side, running from the net to just over halfway down the court. The edge of the court on either side is known as the baseline. When you serve the ball, you will aim to hit the ball in the service box of your opponent. You need to hit the ball over the net and ensure it lands diagonally across from where you are serving. You’ll also find alleys that run the length of the court. These alleys are in play during double matches but not in singles matches.
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Scoring System
Now that you understand the layout, it’s time to look at the scoring system. Each player will start the game at 0. However, this is not a regular zero like you’ll find in most sports. In tennis, it’s called ‘love’. When you win a point, you’ll go up to 15. When you score a second point, you’ll go up to 30. Winning the third point will take you up to 40. When you score a fourth point, you’ll win the game unless you are on deuce. The term Deuce is used when both players scored 40-40 in a game. When this happens, the next player to score a point will have an ‘advantage’. If the same player wins another point, they will win the game. However, if the same player loses a point, the score will return to deuce.
Each game is part of a ‘set’, and you need to play until you reach 6 or 7 games. To win a set, you need to win by two games. For instance, if you are up 6-5, you’ll have the opportunity to win the set 7-5. However, if both players have 6 games, the set will move to a tiebreaker. This is an additional game where you’ll need to play to 7 points. In a tiebreaker, you’ll also need to win by 2 points to take the set. Tennis matches will consist of 3 sets or 5 sets, depending on the tournament and competition.
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Game, Set, Match
When a tennis match is played, each player will stand on the opposite side of the net. The same goes for a doubles match where two players are located on either side of the net. A player will serve the ball to their opponent and will aim to land the ball in the service box. This needs to be done diagonally across from where the player is serving. The player who is serving, known as the server, will begin on the right side. A player receives two opportunities to successfully get the ball into play. Failure to get the ball in play will result in a fault. If a player can’t get the ball into play on their second serve, it will result in a double fault. When this occurs, the opponent receives the point.
Let’s assume that we are dealing with a fantastic server who can get the ball into their opponent’s service box on their first attempt. When this happens, both players will hit the ball back and forth. This will go on until one of the player’s hit a winner or when one of the player’s commit an error. The winner will receive a point while their opponent remains on 0. In other words, the scoreboard will read 15-0, or in tennis terms fifteen-love. Thereafter, the players will continue to play to win a game, then a set, and eventually the match.
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Fundamental Rules of Tennis
Now that we’ve covered the introduction, it’s time to dive a little deeper into the fundamentals of the sport. In this section of our guide, we will take a closer look at scoring and serving. We will also explain the gameplay in general and the officials that enforce the rules.
Scoring
By now, you should already have a pretty good idea of how the scoring system works. It might seem confusing at first, but once you get the hang of it, it’s straightforward. One point takes you to 15, a second point takes you to 30, and the third point to 40. You win the game when you win your fourth point. When the score is 40-40, you need to win two consecutive points to eventually win the game. There are 6 games in a set, and you need to lead by two games to win a set.
When both players are level at 6-6, a tiebreak will decide who wins the set. The tiebreak scoring system is different to a regular game. When you win a point, it simply goes from 1 through to 7. The player who received the serve in the previous game will serve first in the tiebreaker. The player will serve for the first point in the tiebreaker followed by their opponent serving twice. Thereafter, players will rotate serve after serving twice in each turn. The players will also switch sides after 6 points have been played. The first player to lead by 2 points, after reaching 6 points, will take the set.
Tennis matches are played over 3 sets or 5 sets. When it comes to women’s tennis, the format will always be best-of-three. The same format is used with men’s tennis in most ATP Tour events. However, best-of-five sets are used during Grand Slams.
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Serving
The serve is one of the most important weapons that a tennis player can have in his arsenal. It’s also vital that you learn about the serve because this is where play begins. There are a few things to remember when it comes to the serve.
- A coin-toss before the match will determine who serves first.
- A player will always serve from the right side (deuce side) first.
- Players will alternate from the right side to the left side after every point is played.
- The server needs to get the ball in play diagonally across from them while hitting the ball into the service box.
- The server is not allowed to touch the baseline with his feet while serving. This will result in a foot fault.
- When a server misses the first serve, it results in a fault. This happens when the ball goes outside the service box or into the net.
- When the ball clips the top of the net, it’s known as a ‘let’. Should the ball still land in the service box, the player will remain on the first serve. However, if the ball clips the net and lands outside the service box, it’s a fault and the player will be on the second serve.
- The receiver can stand in any position on the opposite side of the net. However, most players tend to stand diagonally across from the server on the baseline or just outside the baseline to return the ball.
When a serve goes into play, a rally follows, and play will only end when a player hits outside the court or into the net.
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General Play
Once play gets underway, there are a couple of basic regulations that need to be followed. Let’s take a look at general play for a better understanding.
- A player is not allowed to hit the ball twice.
- The ball can only bounce once before it needs to be returned.
- The ball needs to land within the boundaries of the court for the game to continue.
- When the ball lands on the line or clips part of the line, it’s still considered in.
- When a player touches the net with their racket or body, they lose the point.
- When the ball is hit into the net, the point will end.
Officials
In a tennis match, you’ll find two officials on the court who enforce the rules. This includes the chair umpire and the line umpires. There are usually up to 9 officials that work as line umpires on the court. They are solely responsible for calling when the ball is out. You’ll also find tennis matches where a computer determines the result. This is known as the Hawkeye line-calling system. The computer calculates the ball trajectory in real-time by using 6 or more cameras around the court. It essentially provides a 3D representation of the ball’s path.
The chair umpire is positioned on an elevated chair in line with the net to oversee the game. The chair umpire will always have the final say and can overrule the line umpires’ decisions. The chair umpire will keep score and is responsible for calling out the score after every point. The chair umpire also needs to ensure the players follow the rules and can hand out penalties. There are also off-court officials in tennis matches. This includes the tournament referee and the chief umpire. The tournament referee ensures the tournament follows the correct tennis rules. The chief umpire will appoint chair umpires and oversees the administrative duties of umpires.
The Governing Bodies of Tennis
The governing body of tennis and beach tennis is the International Tennis Federation. The ITF is affiliated with 6 regional associations and more than 200 national tennis associations. The governing body is in charge of the regulation and administration of the sport. The ITF also organizes international competitions while promoting and developing the sport. The ITF has a partnership with the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and the Association of Tennis Professional (ATP) to govern tennis on a professional level. Therefore, the ITF is responsible for organizing the biggest tennis tournaments. This includes Grand Slams, Olympics tennis, Davis Cup, Fed Cup, and Futures. Let’s take a closer look at the ATP and the WTA.
The ATP
The ATP was first established in the 1970s, protecting the rights of tennis players on a professional level. Since the 1990s, the ATP has been organizing the men’s tennis tour. It also manages the Seniors Tour. The ATP World Tour consists of the ATP World Tour 250 tournaments and ATP World Tour 500 tournaments. This also includes the ATP Tour Masters 1000 tournaments.
The ATP is also in charge of the ATP World Rankings. This is basically a merit-based system, determining the ranks of tennis players. The rankings system oversees both single players and doubles players. It’s also used to determine seedings and qualifications in tennis tournaments. The ATP is governed by seven ATP Board of Directors along with a Player Council consisting of 12 members. There is also a Tournament Council with 13 representatives.
The WTA
The Women’s Tennis Association, similar to the ATP, was also established in the 1970s. Over the years, it’s evolved into the main organizer when it comes to women’s tennis on a professional level. The WTA consists of the WTA 125k Series, International Tournaments, and Premier Tournaments. The WTA also has a ranking system that is merit-based over 52 weeks. The ranking system also ranks single players and doubles players in professional tennis. It’s also used to determine how players are seeded in tournaments and who qualifies for tennis events. The WTA is governed by a Player Council consisting of 8 members and a Board of Directors.
Biggest Events in Tennis
The best betting sites in India will give you coverage on all the biggest tennis tournaments throughout the year. In this section of our guide, we will walk you through the biggest events in tennis. This includes the four Grand Slams, Men’s tennis tournaments, and Women’s tennis tournaments. We will also take a look at the Davis Cup, the Fed Cup, and Olympic Tennis.
The Grand Slams
There are four grand slams in tennis throughout the year. This includes the U.S Open, Wimbledon, the French Open, and the Australian Open. The grand slams are considered the most prestigious tournaments in the sport of tennis. They provide the most ranking points and the most prize money. Each grand slam takes place over two weeks and offers five different categories. This includes the men’s and women’s singles, the men’s and women’s doubles, and mixed doubles. Tennis players can participate in several categories as well. Furthermore, you can also place bets on wheelchair championships and junior’s championships.
Australian Open
The opening grand slam of every year is the Australian Open. It’s played at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia on hard courts and takes place in mid-January. The very first Australian Open was held on grass and took place in 1905. It wasn’t until 1924 when the Australian Open was designated as a grand slam. Originally, it took place in five different cities across Australia and two cities in New Zealand. The tournament eventually settled in 1972 where it’s been played in Melbourne ever since. The Melbourne Park complex has been hosting the tournament since 1988. Retractable roofs were first used at the Australian Open due to extreme heat.
All the show courts at the Melbourne Park complex are fitted with retractable roofs. This includes the Hisense Arena, the Margaret Court Arena, and the Rod Laver Arena. In 2017, more than 728,000 people attended the Australian Open. This record was previously held by the U.S Open with an attendance of over 721,000 people. Novak Djokovic has the most grand slam titles at the Australian Open, leading the men’s singles field with 9. Margaret Court still holds the record for the most grand slams in women’s singles titles with 11.
French Open
The second grand slam of the year takes place in Paris, France. The tournament gets underway in May or early June and is known as the French Open or Roland Garros. The French Open takes place on clay courts, providing a unique challenge for the greatest players in the sport. Blistering groundstrokes and big serves is a recipe for success on hard courts and grass. However, clay courts produce higher bounces and a slower surface. This results in much longer rallies from behind the baseline.
The French Open was established in 1981 and has been played at the Stade Roland-Garros since 1928. The complex has 20 courts, including three stadium courts: Court 1, Court Suzanne Lenglen, and Court Philippe Chatrier. The grand slam offers less prize money than the other three grand slams. However, a prize pool of £2,100,000 is still a big deal in the world of tennis. Rafael Nadal is regarded as the King of Clay with a record 13 titles. Chris Evert leads the women’s singles with 7 French Open titles.
Wimbledon
Wimbledon is undoubtedly the most prestigious grand slam and also the oldest tennis tournament in the world. The tournament was established in 1877 and is the only grand slam that is still enjoyed on the grass. It’s held at the All-England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club situated in London, England. The tournament starts on the first Monday of July and has a total of 19 courts. The two show courts include Court One and Centre Court. There are loads of traditions at Wimbledon that make it a unique event. Players had to bow at the Royal family who was sitting in the Royal Box on Centre Court until 2003.
You’ll also notice that there are no women’s or men’s events at Wimbledon. Instead, it’s referred to as Ladies and Gentlemen’s events. Green and purple are the official colors of Wimbledon. However, don’t expect to find any colors on players during this event. Players are only allowed to wear white and there is no advertising on the courts at Wimbledon either. The only sponsorship you’ll find is Slazenger who has been advertising at Wimbledon since 1902. Roger Federer has the most men’s singles Wimbledon titles in the Open Era with 8. Martina Navratilova leads the women’s Wimbledon title count in the Open Area with 9.
US Open
The last grand slam of the year is the U.S Open, taking place in Flushing Meadows, New York. The event occurs at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center and starts on the last Monday of August. The tournament was first held in Newport, Rhode Island in 1881 before moving to the USTA National Tennis Center in 1978. It was first played on grass and clay before making the permanent switch to hard courts. The National Tennis Center comes with 22 courts, including four show courts, 13 field courts, and 5 practice courts. The four show courts include Court 17, Grandstand, Louis Armstrong Stadium, and Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The Arthur Ashe Stadium is the largest tennis venue in the world and can seat up to 22,547 spectators. The men’s and women’s single event winners each receive prize money worth $3.5 million. The Hawkeye line-calling system was first introduced at the U.S Open in 2006. It’s now used at all grand slams as well as other major tennis tournaments. You’ll also find tiebreakers in every set at the U.S Open. This is not the case at other grand slams as tiebreakers only occur in the final set. Roger Federer, Pete Sampras, and Jimmy Connors have each won 5 men’s singles titles at the U.S Open. Serena Williams and Chris Evert have both won 6 titles in the women’s singles category.
Tour Tennis
There is no denying that the four grand slams are the pinnacle of tennis. However, there are also loads of other tournaments throughout the year. Most notably is the Nitto ATP Finals that take place at the end of each season. The regular season on the WTA and ATP Tours are structured similarly. However, there are slight differences between the two. In this section of our guide, we are going to look at the regular season for both Men’s Tennis and Women’s Tennis.
Men’s Tennis
There are three levels in the main ATP Tour, including 250 series, 500 series, and Masters 1000. There is a total of 9 Masters 1000 events and culminates with the Nitto ATP Finals. The Nitto ATP Finals will feature 8 of the best-ranked players in the ATP Tour. The 9 Masters 1000 events include the Indian Wells Masters, the Miami Open, the Monte-Carlo Masters, and the Madrid Open. You can also place bets on the Italian Open, Canadian Open, Cincinnati Masters, Shanghai Masters, and Paris Masters.
There are 13 ATP 500 series events throughout the year and are considered the fourth highest tier of men’s tennis. While Masters 1000 events give you 1,000 points on the ATP Rankings, the ATP 500 Series only gives you 500 points if you win. The 250 Series offers 39 tournaments throughout the year and are considered the lowest tier of men’s professional tennis. Winning a 250 Series event will give you 250 points on the ATP Rankings. You’ll also find Challenger Tour events for players ranked lower than 80. There are even Futures Tour events where players can earn between $10,000 and $15,000 when winning a Futures event.
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Women’s Tennis
The most prestigious events on the women’s circuit are the Premier events. You’ll find four Premier event levels, including Premier 600, Premier 700, Premier 5, and Premier Mandatory. Similar to the ATP Tour, the women’s WTA Tour ends in a grand finale at the Premier WTA Tour Championships. This will see the top 8 singles players and the top 8 doubles players competing at the championships.
There are four Premier Mandatory events throughout the year that combine with the ATP Tour. They provide equal prize money and ranking points for both genders. The four events are held in Beijing, Madrid, Miami, and Indian Wells. You’ll also find five Premier 5 events that take place in Wuhan, Cincinnati, Toronto/Montreal, Rome, and Doha/Dubai. There is a total of 20 Premier events throughout the year along with 32 International Tour events. There are even the WTA 250k Series events with prize money ranging from $150,000 to $125,000.
Fed Cup and Davis Cup
Sports betting enthusiasts in India will also have the opportunity to bet on the Fed Cup and the David Cup. These tennis tournaments provide an international flavor to the schedule on an annual basis. The Davis Cup will see men compete against each other while representing their countries. The Fed Cup is similar to the David Cup but is designed for women to compete against each other. The two competitions can be seen as the World Cup of tennis.
Olympic Tennis
Tennis made its first appearance at the 1896 Summer Olympics. However, it only became a permanent fixture at the Games in 1988. There are 5 tennis events at the Olympics, including men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles, and mixed doubles. The event is mainly played on hard courts. However, this can change depending on the nation that hosts the Games. The tennis Olympics also form part of the Golden Slam achievement. This is when a player wins all four grand slams along with an Olympic gold medal.
How to Bet on Tennis
Tennis betting odds will be available on every single tennis match you can imagine. This will range from the four Grand Slams to the Future’s Tour. Due to the sport’s popularity, you’ll find betting markets at all the best tennis betting sites at BettingPro. Simply visit our bookmaker review section for more information. All our betting sites come equipped with the best odds and offer generous promotions and bonuses on your deposits. You’ll find five types of betting markets when it comes to placing bets on tennis. These include Outright Betting, Handicap Betting, Match Betting, Over/Under Betting, and Live/In-Play Betting.
Outright Betting
With an outright bet, you will need to select the player you think will win the tournament. Please keep in mind that this does not apply to just a single match. This means that the player needs to win up to 7 single matches. This will obviously depend on the tennis tournament you are betting on.
Match Betting
If you want to place a bet on a single match, you will need to use the match bet option. With this betting market, you simply need to predict who will win the match. This is the most simplistic and straightforward bet when it comes to betting on tennis.
Handicap Betting
If you place a lot of bets on American sports, you’ll be familiar with spread betting. Well, handicap betting in tennis is the equivalent of spread betting. You’ll find two areas when it comes to handicap betting in tennis, including game handicaps and set handicaps. Both of these handicap betting forms are easy to understand.
One player will receive several games or sets as a handicap. This is basically given to one player to level the playing field. You will then need to decide if Player A can win with their handicap advantage or if Player B can overcome their handicap disadvantage as still go on to win the game or set. For instance, let’s say Roger Federer is playing against Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon. The bookmaker gives Roger Federer a games handicap of -7 to defeat Rafael Nadal with a games handicap of +7.
Roger Federer ends up winning the match against Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-4, 7-6. The score of the game is 17-13 in Roger Federer’s favor. Even though Roger Federer won the match, you will still lose your bet if you backed Federer to overcome his handicap. This is because the games handicap difference is only 5 as opposed to 8. The same applies when it comes to set handicaps. However, the set handicap is calculated on the number of sets instead of the number of games.
Over/Under Betting
Similar to handicap betting, you will also look at the number of sets or games when it comes to over/under betting. This is also a two-way bet where you need to bet money on the number of sets or games. Your primary objective is to predict whether the number of sets or games will be less or more than the bookmaker predicted.
In this example, we’ll use sets instead of games. Let’s look at a WTA Tour match where players play the best of three sets. Serena Williams is facing Sofia Kenin and the sports betting site offers odds of Over 2.5 sets or Under 2.5 sets. You are confident that Williams will win the match in straight sets. Therefore, you will place a bet on Under 2.5 sets. If the match goes into a deciding third set, you will lose your bet. However, if Williams wins the match in two straight sets, you will win your bet.
Live/In-Play Betting
In-play betting or live tennis betting is extremely popular for Indian punters. You’ll find that most games can be over in minutes and matches can be completed in less than an hour. Therefore, most punters love to place bets as the action is unfolding. The best tennis betting sites at BettingPro offer in-play betting opportunities. This gives you the ability to use any of the above-mentioned betting markets in real-time. You can also enjoy live streaming while placing bets for added convenience.
Additional Tennis Betting Markets
If you don’t have the patience to wait until the tournament is over, you’ll be pleased to know that there are loads of other tennis betting markets to keep you entertained. For example, you can bet how far a player will make it in the tournament. You can also select a player who will make it halfway through a draw.
You can also enhance your match bet by selecting the number of sets you predict the match will last. Alternatively, you can also predict how many sets every player will win. This is referred to as set betting. You can also bet on the margin of victory. For instance, you’ll have six possible outcomes in a three-set match. You’ll also find a set winner market when it comes to tennis betting. This gives you the ability to bet on an underdog to take the first set but still loses the match.
Some of the best tennis betting sites will also feature a double result betting market. This will allow you to bet on two events in a single match. For instance, you can bet on Dominic Thiem to lose the first set but still go on to win the match. This basically combines two bets into one.
Tennis Betting Strategy
The tennis betting tips and strategies in this section of our guide will help you be more profitable. Always remember to look for value before placing any bets on tennis. You’ll come out on top over the long run by being consistent and patient. Rather make smart bets instead of backing long shots to hopefully receive a big payout. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to spot value. This is because the favorites tend to win more often than not. However, value doesn’t mean bigger returns and longer odds. It means spotting value where your research indicates that the odds play in your favor. It’s also vital to do your search before any tennis match. With that in mind, let’s look at various aspects of the game you can research before placing a bet.
Court Surface
Tennis is played on three different surfaces throughout the year, including grass, clay, and hard courts. Each of these surfaces require a different style of play at some players are better than others on a particular surface. Each player will have their preferred surface. For instance, Rafael Nadal is the king of clay but struggles on the grass at Wimbledon. Therefore, you will need to evaluate the player’s preferred surface. Look at previous results on the surface before placing your bets. Your player likely performs better on clay as opposed to grass.
Head-to-Head Statistics
Apart from the three surfaces, you will also need to look at head-to-head statistics. A player might play his best during a tournament but will fail against his arch-rival. For instance, Roger Federer has an amazing record in men’s tennis against other opponents. However, he has a 16-24 win record against Rafael Nadal who is his arch-rival. Make sure to look at head-to-head statistics and incorporate the surface for the best results. This is one of the best tennis betting tips we can give you in this guide.
Form
Always look at a player’s form and recent injuries. This is vital when it comes to placing bets on tennis. If your player struggled in the previous tournament, they are bound to perform to get the same results in the next tournament too. You also need to evaluate how a player performs on the three different surfaces. Your player might perform like a champion on hard courts but can’t deal with the high bounce on clay. You can also read the news articles at BettingPro to stay up-to-date with everything that happens in this sport.
