Study Odds as Part of Tennis Betting Strategy
So what are odds, and why should you care? Well, tennis betting revolves around the use of odds, and it's crucial that you become familiar with them.
If you browse your favourite sportsbooks, you'll notice the scheduled match-ups of tennis players. And the name of the player is listed with a number, often in decimal form. For example, in the women's game, N. Osaka is listed with 1.30 and V. Azarenka with 3.00. What does this mean, and why should you care as a tennis bettor?
Simply, tennis odds represent the likelihood that a particular event or outcome will happen. It's an implied probability that tells you about the chances of an outcome. So, if a tennis player is listed at 1.30 to win the match, it simply reflects that the sportsbook favour that player rather than the opponent.
Let's go back to our example, and we'll use the following formula:
Implied probability = 1/ listed decimal odds
If N. Osaka is listed with a 1.30 odds of winning her match, it follows that:
1/1.30 = 0.7692 or 76.92%
Using this information, we can say that N. Osaka has a 76% chance of winning the match. Odds will also tell you how much you can win if you're successful. You can compute your potential payout by using the formula below:
Potential Profit = (Wager * Odds) – Wager
Let's say that you wagered £10 on an Osaka win. Using the formula, (10 x 1.30) - £10
From this example, your payout is £13 with a profit of £3. But if you place your bet on the other player with odds of 3.00, your payout is £30 with a profit of £20. When it comes to odds comparison, many tennis bettors don't just place their money on the player with the lowest odds. Sometimes, putting the money on the player with higher odds is better.
However, you only need to use this strategy if you are certain about the player or her/his potential results. As you can see, betting odds are critical information that you should always check when staking on the sport.
Learn the Different Types of Tennis Betting Odds
At sportsbooks, odds are displayed in different formats. In our example, the decimal odds are used. Aside from this format, you also need to learn about fractional and American formats. Fractional odds are common in the United Kingdom, as you'll notice during Wimbledon, one of the four grand slams.
These odds are displayed as 7/2 or 10/1, and they show you the amount of profit that you'll get relative to your wager. For example, a bookmaker will list Roger Federer as the 7/2 favourite to win. It means that you win £7 for every £2 you have wagered.
In American odds, the numbers are expressed as either negative or positive numbers. A negative number tells you how much you should bet to win £100 in profit. A positive number, on the other hand, tells you how much you'll get for wagering £100.
Learn and Assess the Playing Surfaces
In tennis betting, it's important to learn the different types of playing surfaces and understand how these affect players' performances. There are four popular playing surfaces that are used in the sport- grass, clay, hard court, and artificial grass.
These popular playing surfaces represent the grand slam events in tennis. In the grand slams, understanding the surface and players' experience is critical if you want to improve your chances. Also, knowing which player plays best in a specific playing surface is a value bet in itself.
Let's take the case of the French Open that's played in Paris. Also called the Roland Garros tournament, the games are played in red clay. The clay surface tends to slow down the ball's bounce, thus creating longer rallies. Therefore, tennis players who rely on big serves and the serve-and-volley technique don't prosper in the tournament. Rafael Nadal is considered the clay-court specialist, and he has dominated the tournament in recent years. This is the only grand slam that has eluded and foiled many players such as Venus Williams, Boris Becker, and Lleyton Hewitt.
In women's professional tennis, Justine Henin is considered the best. In the men's and women's tennis association, there are players who found success in most surfaces, such as Roger Federer, Nadal, and Serena. So, knowing the surface can help you assess the match winner market or other markets.
Check out Players' Head to Head Records
Tennis betting is all about access to data and grand slams statistics. It may be categorised under gambling, but the right tennis betting strategy always involves having enough information and numbers.
One type of statistic that you should always check before betting is the head-to-head match-up between the player you want to support and the opponent. If they have played before (which is a certainty in the tour), you need to check how many times they've played, the results, the scores, and where it happened.
It's a helpful tool in tennis betting if you want to improve your odds of winning. For example, Gael Monfils and Federer are two colourful tennis professionals during the grass season. As of 2019, the Swiss Maestro leads the head-to-head 10-4. So, the next time they face major tournaments on grass, you know that the smart money is on Federer winning the match.
However, the smart punter should never take these match-ups at face value. It's the bettors' responsibility always to check the rivalry and the matches they've played. Let's say that we have two terrific players in the WTA tours, and let's call them Player A and B, who are in the French Open, the premier clay event. In the head-to-head match-up, Player A leads 15-10 and plays well on grass but struggles on clay and on a losing streak lately.
Player B, on the other hand, is a clay specialist and on an 85-match winning streak on clay. On the surface, the money is on Player A since he leads the match-up. But if you dig deeper and ask for the correct data, you'll know that the smart money is on Player B.
Know Tennis Players and Their
It's now easier to study the player's and typical characteristics on and off the court. You can check out the videos on YouTube, follow big events on Twitter, or visit our recommended top 100 betting sites for their tennis betting spreadsheet.
So, why is it important for bettors to learn the playing? Well, it provides you with an insight into their skills and behaviours, and it helps you see how your player matches up with others. With some videos, you can check out the player's service and return game, assess what type of player he is, or if he's a baseliner, a strong returner, or a clay or grass specialist.
You can use this information in building a more suitable head-to-head match-up against the other players. This is a helpful tool for many tennis tipsters, especially if you're unfamiliar with players.
Learn the Difference Between Pre-match and In-play Betting
In sports betting, there are two ways to place your bets: you have pre-match and in-play betting. All leading sportsbooks offer these two types of tennis betting arrangements, and they cover most matches of the International Tennis Federation.
When we say pre-match betting, bettors place their bets before the games are played. For example, Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka may be playing next week, and you may play a bet on Williams to win the match. Pre-match betting markets in most sportsbooks also include a bet on the outright tournament winner, handicap betting or even spread betting.
Live betting, on the other hand, requires placing a wager after the match hasd but before it has finished. It's in-play tennis betting before you're placing bets while the players are in action. The types of bets to play here are more into propositions and will best work for bettors who have a comprehensive understanding of women's and men's tennis. Here's are a few markets for in-play tennis betting:
- Will the first set go to a tiebreak?
- Will there be a breakpoint in the next game?
- Who will take the first or second set?
- Will the set go to a tie break?
- What are the total points in the next tiebreaker?
In live betting, you need access to the right tools and updated information. Most sportsbooks offer live scores and live streaming to help fans and bettors follow the game's progress. In in-play betting, the best odds are updated in real-time, so it's pretty easy to check the markets constantly.