Tennis betting is 12-month wagering option, with tournaments happening each and every week. While most bettors only pay attention to the tennis odds for the Grand Slam events – Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and U.S. Open – these tips and tactics for handicapping tennis work no matter the size of the tournament.
The false allure of rankings
Never use rankings as a gauge for wagering on tennis. Rankings are purely a reflection of consistency. Every player has different strengths and weaknesses, struggling on certain surfaces while thriving on others. Capping tennis successfully requires knowledge of the situation (e.g. smaller tournaments = lower motivation). Finding situational spots where oddsmakers don’t factor fatigue and momentum into the line can be very rewarding
Accepting bad beats
Bad beats happen every day in sports betting, but the individuality of tennis leads to far more heart-breaking scenarios. From No.1 - No. 1000, every player will choke at certain times in certain situations (e.g. tiebreaks, serving out the match, etc.) While these moments can cause bettors sleepless nights, the good news is that over the course of a season variance will apply, and maintaining a responsible bankroll management will ensure these tough moments can be forgotten about.
Watch tennis
Too many people try and make predictions purely on form. And while player confidence is a huge factor in individual sports, tennis bettors need to be aware of the game styles of each player. For example, players that like a higher bouncing ball and have a longer drawback on their groundstrokes will enjoy the clay courts, but may struggle on the grass (lower bouncing, less time to prepare shot).
Player and surface warmth
Players that advance through qualifying are always dangerous prospects in the early rounds of tournaments, especially lower level. They’ve already gained 2/3 match wins at the venue and their confidence is flowing.
Take Martin Klizan for example. His high-risk, high-reward game style resulted in three first-round exits to begin 2016, before racking up three wins to reach the semifinals in Sofia. He brought that momentum into the following week in Rotterdam, winning five straight matches en route to the title.
Again, knowledge of players and their habits is crucial. Some tennis players need time to settle into tournaments, leaving them vulnerable at the beginning of the week, but extremely dangerous towards the latter end.
Live betting/hedging
Not all online sportsbooks offer live/in-play betting, but for those who have access to one it can be very profitable. Tennis players are emotional individuals who make their feelings known on the court.
Watching matches and understanding the players’ mental states is crucial, and hedging your bet can be a wise decision if your player looks nervous trying to close out a match. Live betting also allows bettors to capitalise on certain player’s mental breakdowns during a match (losing a close set, arguments with umpire etc).
