Tennis Online Betting Guide

Understanding Tennis Betting Basics

If you know the basics behind placing tennis bets, then you’ll be in a good starting place. Below, we have highlighted some of these for you to take notice of and understand.

Different Types of Tennis Bets

Tennis games may be about producing a winner, but there are many wagers that you can place when betting on it. Extensive coverage of competitions all over the world helps with this. The games are filled with action most of the time, yet some of the most popular types of tennis bets include:

Match Winner

The title of this bet should explain it to you straight away. Match winner sees you placing a wager on the player you believe will win the match in question. So, if Novak Djokovic is set to play Stefanos Tsitsipas and you believe the former will win, you can place a match winner bet backing him.

Set Betting

If you want to be more specific about how a match will play out, you can get involved in set betting. The options usually include bets on a competitor to win 3-0, 3-1 or 3-2 for ATP matches, and 2-0 or 2-1 for WTA matches. An upcoming match involves Aslan Karatsev facing Taylor Fritz, and options for set betting include 2-0 and 2-1 for Karatsev or 2-0 and 2-1 for Taylor.

Total Games

You can also place the tennis version of an over/under bet in Total Games, too. This is similar to the over/under goals in soccer, which we have also explained on our site. Through it, you can bet on how many games you think there will be in a match.

An upcoming ATP game between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Richard Gasquet offers five Total Games markets. You can bet whether there will be over or under 20.5, 21.5, 22.5, 23.5 or 24.5 games in the match.

Handicaps

Handicaps are ideal if you believe a tennis match will be very one-sided. Backing the handicap odds can be a way of increasing your value. The handicap serves as a hypothetical number added or subtracted from the final score.

So, let’s say you back Serena Williams at a game handicap of -4.5. Williams needs to win by five clear games to be able to clear that handicap and thereby see you win your wager. Set handicap betting is also possible for Grand Slam events, which feature best-of-five sets.

Tennis Betting Odds

There is a variety of sportsbooks operational in South Africa, and each one that we recommend joining for tennis betting provides different odds formats. The tennis betting odds on display are helpful in allowing you figure out the payout you can expect from placing a wager. Yet it is vital to understand the formats before betting. Below, you can see the different odds formats at online sportsbooks.

American Odds

These tennis betting odds may be more common within the United States, as the name would suggest, but bettors in other countries also utilise them. Sites like Betway South Africa and BetWinner feature this variation of odds.

You will know American odds when you see them as they usually feature a + or – in front a number. Underdog odds have the minus, dictating how much you need to bet to win $100. Favourites have the plus sign, showing you how much profit you can get from a $100 bet.

For example, if Casper Ruud has betting odds of -150 in a match against Carlos Alcarez, who has betting odds of +200, the former is the underdog. If you place a bet of $30 on Alcarez winning, you multiply the odds of 200 by $30, then divide it by 100. So, 200 x $30/100 equates to a potential $60 payout.

Decimal Odds

Decimal odds are the most popular format around the world, except for the US and UK. They are easy to understand. An example of tennis betting odds in this format would be in a game between Daniil Medvedev and Novak Djokovic. Medvedev has decimal odds of 2.60 while Djokovic has odds of 1.56, making him the favourite to win.

To calculate potential payouts, you take your stake (which we’ll say is $30 again, for sake of argument) and then multiply it by the decimal odds. So, betting on Djokovic would be $30 x 1.56, which equals $46.80.

Fractional Odds

UK bettors utilises fractional odds more so than anywhere else, but they are also available in South Africa. When the numerator surpasses the denominator in fractional tennis betting odds, you can work out the favourites and underdogs. When the numerator is lower than the denominator, such as in 2/5, the player is a favourite. The opposite is true for the underdog.

As an example, in a game between Polina Kudermetova and Liudmila Samsonova, the former has odds of 17/4 and the latter 2/13. In this instance, Samsonova is the favourite. If you wagered $30 on Kudermetova, the payout is calculated with $30 x 17/4, which equals a potential payout of $127.50.

Researching Tennis Players and Matches

Before you set about with any wagers, you need to put proper research into tennis betting. Below, we will highlight the things to look out for when doing this to enhance your tennis wagering.

Analysing Player Performance and Statistics

You will need to incorporate a proper tennis betting strategy into your activity if you want to enhance your chances of being successful. This includes analysing the performance of each player involved in a game. This is exactly the same as you would do when betting on football, cricket, engaging in eSports betting or anything else. Look at the players’ record on specific tennis surfaces. Some players do better with grass surfaces than on clay, for example.

It’s also a good idea to look at the competitors’ head-to-head record. Previous meetings between two players can indicate how the styles of both interact with one another.

If you’re looking for underdogs or players who are on the brink of a huge jump in standings, see how they’ve done against the top players before. Those players who have managed to outdo greats like Djokovic or Murray are ones to watch out for in tournaments.

Understanding Different Playing Surfaces

Games of tennis play out on one of three different court surfaces. Those are hard court, clay and grass. Each of those surfaces is unique, bringing its own characteristics to a game. Each player also has their own favourite type of surface to play on too, with some doing better than others on hard court, grass, and so on. Find out more about these surfaces below.

• Hard Courts – Usually made of concrete or asphalt covered with an acrylic top, it offers a smooth surface with regular bounces. Speed on hard courts can vary, depending upon the amount of sand in the top layer. They offered medium to medium-fast paced gaming and are popular in US tennis. Novak Djokovic is a big fan of hard court tennis.
• Clay – Made from a top layer of fine crushed aggregate (brick, stone, or shale most commonly), below that layer is another thick layer of the same material. Such surface is popular in Europe and South America, being used for the Roland Garros most famously. Red clay and green clay are the two main types of court, with the latter offering faster gameplay. Rafael Nadal is an expert on clay courts.
• Grass – Offering the most traditional type of court, grass is not as often utilised today as it once was. It remains in play for competitors at Wimbledon, but it has a high maintenance cost. Grass courts provide quick tennis, as the ball slides when it bounces, so rallies can be very short. The ball also stays very close to the ground, making slices much more effective. Roger Federer and Pete Sampras both played well on grass courts.

Tennis Betting Strategies and Tips

It is vital to utilise top-quality strategies when placing your wagers. That’s why we have put together some tennis betting tips for you below. Learn these and keep them in mind when deciding to place stakes on tennis matches.

Bankroll Management

With any online sports betting, you need to manage your bankroll effectively. This ensures you are managing your money in the best way. When depositing at a site, make sure you aren’t transferring more money than you can afford. Try to always bet a consistent percentage of your bankroll, too. A good percentage could be anywhere between 1% and 3%, which has the advantage of allowing you to increase your bet size as your bankroll grows.

Some bettors utilise units for their management instead. Essentially, this sees you wager the same amount each time. Divide your bankroll up into proper units – if you have a limit of $100, then utilise units of 1 or 5, for example. Then, place bets of $1 or $5 each time.

Identifying Value Bets

To find value bets, which benefit you, it is common to combine a qualitative and quantitative approach. In the former of these, you assess all the information you know about an upcoming match. This is where the previously mentioned research comes into play.

The quantitative approach sees you assigning numbers to past performances and creating percentage chances for future events. Many tennis bettors create ratings for each player, providing a number that represents their ability at any point in time. There are websites online that also provide such rankings that you can utilise.

Live Betting in Tennis

You have the option of betting on a tennis match before it starts or while it is in-play. The latter of these is known as live betting. This can provide a much more in-the-moment experience, as the odds will change quickly, depending upon what is happening in the game.

Some of the pre-match markets will likely disappear from the live betting area at any time. Real-time results and event reporting are also usually present for you to view and place new bets based upon. Of course, this style of betting is a lot riskier due to the swiftly changing odds, but if you have done the proper research beforehand, you can capitalise on the match developments.

Choosing a Tennis Betting Platform

You will need to make sure you select an appropriate tennis betting site to get the best experience. That’s why there are a couple of factors to consider before joining one.

Researching and Comparing Betting Sites

Our site provides a selection of the very best betting sites available to South African players. Yet you need to research them yourself to ensure you’re joining the right one for you. Compare all the sites that stand out to you. See what each one provides. Make sure you look at the licensing status of the sportsbook and see what sort of reputation it has with bettors.

Look at the markets it is offering for tennis betting purposes. Check out the odds on these markets to make sure they are competitive. Plus, have a look at the available promotions for both newcomers and existing bettors.

Understanding Betting Site Features

You will also need to know about the features provided by an online betting site before signing up. Key features that should stand out to you include things like live betting and mobile gambling opportunities.

Most platforms include both, ensuring you can wager on tennis while matches are in-play, and that you can gamble from a smartphone or a tablet. Have a look and see if a site comes with a downloadable mobile app.

You may also want to check out the possibility of live streaming tennis matches. This is a common sport to have live streamed via online sportsbooks, giving you the opportunity to watch games you’re betting on.

Furthermore, if you are live betting, see if there is a cash out tool to use or check into if there are any bet builder options. These can provide extra assistance, making your experience much more enjoyable.

Conclusion

This guide was put together to provide an insight into online tennis betting in South Africa. Look at the sites we recommend joining for this, and always remember to engage in responsible gambling. Don’t throw your money away – start out small and build up your profit slowly.

Utilise the knowledge provided in this guide to conduct proper research, benefit from the sportsbooks’ inbuilt features and enjoy your time placing tennis bets.