Betting Strategy Guide
How to Bet on Tennis
Key takeaways
- Tennis has no draws, so the basic bet is the match winner: you pick the player who wins the match.
- A game spread is a handicap in games, so a player at -3.5 must win at least four more games than the opponent across the match.
- How a bet is settled when a player retires during a match varies by sportsbook and market, so check the house rules before you bet.
To bet on tennis, you choose a match and most often pick the winner, or bet on the set score, a game spread or the total number of games. Prices move with every break of serve, which makes tennis a popular sport for in-play betting.
The main tennis bets
| Market | What you bet on | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Match winner | The player who wins the match | Favorite -250, underdog +200 |
| Set betting | The exact score in sets | 2–0 or 2–1 |
| Game spread | The margin in games | Favorite -3.5 games |
| Total games | Games played in the match | Over/under 21.5 |
A worked example
With the favorite at -250, you risk $250 to win $100, and the price implies 250 ÷ 350 = 71.4%. A $100 bet on the underdog at +200 wins $200, an implied 100 ÷ 300 = 33.3%. Say the favorite wins 6–4, 6–3. That is 12 games to 7, so the favorite also covers -3.5 games, and 19 games in total means the under 21.5 wins. See how to read odds and the spread guide.
Sets and match length
Men's main-draw singles at the four Grand Slam tournaments are best of five sets; most other matches are best of three. That decides which set scores are possible and how high the total games line is. A set that ends in a tiebreak, 7–6, is usually counted as 13 games.
Surfaces
Tennis is played on hard courts, clay and grass. Clay slows the ball and tends to produce longer rallies; grass is fast and rewards a strong serve, so breaks of serve are rarer. A player's record on the surface of the match often says more than the overall ranking.
Retirements
If a player retires injured during a match, how each bet is settled varies by sportsbook and market. Read the house rules before you bet, especially on set betting, game spreads and totals.
Live betting
The server usually wins the game, so a single break of serve can move the match price sharply. Consider whether a break reflects a real shift, such as an injury, or a passing lapse. Availability varies by event; see the current lines on the tennis page.
Betting at Betcris Arizona
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is set betting in tennis?
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A bet on the exact score in sets, such as 2–0 or 2–1 in a best-of-three match. It pays more than the match winner because you also have to predict the margin.
What does -3.5 games mean in tennis?
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The player must win at least four more games than the opponent across the whole match. A 6–4, 6–3 win is 12 games to 7, a margin of five, so -3.5 wins.
What happens to a tennis bet if a player retires?
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It depends on the sportsbook and the market. Check the house rules for the exact settlement before you bet.
How do total games work in tennis?
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You bet whether the number of games played in the match finishes over or under the line. A 6–4, 6–3 match has 19 games, so the under 21.5 wins.
