There are many sports around the world on which to bet but one of the best is tennis. It seems as though tennis has been creating with betting in mind as the format of the game and statistics make it a pleasure on which to bet.
Tennis betting has existed for many years and some schools of thought suggest the current scoring system for tennis was created for betting purposes. Betting on tennis has got better over the years thanks to online betting and the introduction of live, in-play betting.
The question is, what are the biggest and best tennis tournaments to bet on? There are a few elements we must consider when answering this question, including:
- Men’s Tournaments
- Women’s Tournaments
- Popularity
- Live Coverage
- Betting Markets
Taking each of these into consideration, we can begin to form a list of the biggest and best tennis tournaments to bet on.
1. Wimbledon
Established : 1877
Surface : Grass
2019 Prize Money : $49 million
Date : First Two Weeks of July
City : London
Country : England
Wimbledon is arguably the most prestigious tennis tournament. It is one of the four Grand Slams and is the third Grand Slam tournament to be played each year. What makes Wimbledon unique is the grass court playing surface and the fact players still have to wear predominantly white.
You will find all the top male and female players compete in Wimbledon and this alone makes it a tempting event for tennis betting at betting sites. You not only have the betting markets for which player is going to win the tournament but also for which player is going to win their quarter and the stage of elimination for the major contenders.
One of the biggest tournaments in terms of participation, each individual match also presents a wealth of opportunity in terms of betting. The Match Winner, Game Winner, 1st Point Winner, Total Games, Total Game Points, Next Break of Serve, Set Betting and Match Handicap is just a small example of what you can expect to find when betting on Wimbledon.
The coverage of Wimbledon is also extensive and that makes it perfect for tennis betting at betting sites. Live streaming is available in many countries on bookmaker websites plus television coverage is widespread. This makes the tournament easy to follow in terms of betting.
Wimbledon takes place in the first two weeks of July at the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club, London.
- Most Prestigious Grand Slam
- Grass Courts
- All Top Players Present
- Great Live Coverage
- Huge Choice of Betting Markets
2. French Open
Established : 1925
Surface : Clay
2019 Prize Money : $48 million
Date : Last Week of May/First Week of June
City : Paris
Country : France
As with Wimbledon, the French Open is one of the four Grand Slam tournaments and this alone is enough to tempt gamblers.
Although Roger Federer has often chosen to miss this event over the years in a bid to focus on the grass court season, he returned to Roland Garros in 2019. The top male and female players compete in the French Open and the red clay courts make this a unique event in terms of the Grand Slam tournaments.
The French Open is without doubt one of the best tennis tournaments in men’s and women’s tennis. Played in French capital of Paris, it has a special allure which attracts fans from around the world.
It is great for betting on tennis at betting sites because the event the average tennis punter will know many of the players. This opens up betting opportunities for those who may never bet on lower ranked ATP and WTA Tour events. In addition, the choice of betting markets is fantastic at the French Open.
Tournament winner, quarter winner, the finalists, stage of elimination, match winner, first set winner, tie break in match and total sets are just some of the betting markets on offer for the French Open. That’s not including the live betting markets, where you can bet on a whole host of options including who will win the next game and even the next point.
Live streaming is commonly available at many of the top online bookmakers and betting sites making it an easy tournament to follow for betting purposes.
The French Open is contested annually between the end of May and beginning of June at Roland Garros in Paris.
- Unique Red Clay Surface
- Plenty of tournament coverage
- Live streaming
- All the top players involved
- Huge choice of betting markets
- Live betting
3. Australian Open
Established : 1905
Surface : Hard Court
2019 Prize Money : A$62.5 million
Date : Last Two Weeks of January
City : Melbourne
Country : Australia
The Australian Open holds a special place in the heats of tennis fans because it is the first Grand Slam of the year. With the Christmas and New Year celebrations complete for many around the globe, the Australia Open offers a glimmer of light in the sporting calendar.
There are not many sports which hold one of their major events in January and that’s just one of the reasons why the Australian Open is good for tennis betting. Australian Open is popular at betting sites.
All of the top players from the ATP and WTA Tour have enjoyed a break over the festive period from competitive action and are ready to begin their quest for the first major title of the season. From a tennis betting perspective, the Australian Open can be a tough one to predict as the players have little in the way of current form to bring to the tournament.
That means the betting can be open and only once between 1993 and 2019 have we seen the same two players meet in the men’s final. This is even better in the women’s game where only once between 1963 and 2019 have we seen them same final finalists two years in a row.
So, for those looking to make a good profit, betting on the finalists can often be lucrative, especially in the women’s singles at the Australian Open. However, you also have all the benefits a Grand Slam tournament brings which makes the Australian Open great for betting on tennis.
The wealth of betting markets matches that of any other tennis event on the planet and the live coverage is also extensive. The live betting opportunities are incredible, with several matches on each day throughout the first 10 days of the tournament, meaning a massive choice of in-play betting options at betting sites.
For those who have missed betting on a Grand Slam tennis event, the Australian Open is a dream come true. The Australian Open takes place in the last two weeks of January and is held at Melbourne Park.
- First Grand Slam of the Year
- Fresh Players
- Plenty of Excitement
- Wealth of Betting Options
- Extensive Live Coverage
4. US Open
Established : 1881
Surface : Hard Court
2019 Prize Money : $52 million
Date : Last Week of August/First Week of September
City : New York
Country : USA
The US Open is the final Grand Slam tournament of the year and is played on the hard court surface. This is a similar surface to that used at the Australian Open. It is interesting that the hard court Grand Slam tournaments are played as the first and final Grand Slam events every year.
Being the final Grand Slam of the year, the US Open presents the last chance for players to win a Grand Slam for that season. The brings with it plenty of scenarios and additional betting opportunities.
It could be that a player is looking to win all four Grand Slam titles in the same year or needs this Grand Slam to complete the full set. Whatever it may be, you will find many online bookmakers creating odds for special outcomes reliant on the results at the US Open.
In addition, you will find all the same betting options available at the US Open as you do for the other three Grand Slam tournaments. Being in New York, the US Open has a touch of glamour and this adds to the excitement of the event.
The US Open is also home to the Arthur Ashe Stadium, which is the biggest outdoor tennis arena in the world. It holds over 23,000 people and has a special atmosphere when full.
Again, you will find a wealth of betting options at betting sites for this tournament ranging from outright winner bets to the player who will win the next game in a specific match. Live streaming is available across many online betting websites and you will find bookmakers offering special promotions surrounding the event.
The US Open is the last chance of the year to bet on a Grand Slam and that alone is enough to tempt some punters. The tournament is played in the last week of August and into September at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, New York.
- Final Grand Slam of the Year
- Huge stadium
- Massive selection of betting markets
- Live Streaming Throughout
- The World’s Top Players
5. ATP World Tour Finals
Established : 1970
Surface : Hard Court
2019 Prize Money : $8.5 million
Date : November
City : London
Country : England
The final major event in the calendar year on the ATP Tour is the World Tour Finals. It is the last opportunity to see and bet on the best male players of that calendar year.
Aside from the fact the top players are on show, the ATP World Tour Finals offer something different from a betting perspective. The reason why this event is regarded as one of the best tournaments for tennis betting is the format.
While most ATP Tour events are played purely on a knockout format, the ATP World Tour Finals begins with a group stage. Players are split into two groups of four and play each man from the same group once. The top two players from each group go through to the semi-final and the winners of that contest the final.
Betting opportunities which present themselves include Group Winner and To Qualify from Group in addition to the many other betting markets associated with the Grand Slam tournaments highlighted above. For those looking for a different way to bet on tennis, the ATP World Tour Finals is a good choice.
The venue for this event changes and following the 2019 event which is in London, the tournament will move to Turin in Italy.
- Last Major ATP Event of the Year
- Different Format
- Group Stage Betting
- Plenty of Betting Markets
6. WTA Tour Championships
Established : 1972
Surface : Hard Court
2019 Prize Money : $7 million
Date : October
City : Shenzhen
Country : China
The WTA Tour Championships, also known as the WTA Finals, is the season-ending tournament for the top female players.
The format is much the same as the ATP Finals highlighted above. The top 8 players on the WTA Tour for the year qualify and are split into two groups of four. Having played each other once, the top two in each group progress to the semi-final and the winners of that match go on to the final.
This presents the chance for betting on who will win the groups or progress from the group to the semi-final. With the best players from the year in attendance, most are in good form and this makes for an intriguing event in terms of tennis betting.
The majority of betting markets used in the Grand Slams will also be available for the WTA Tour Championships.
- Last Major ATP Event of the Year
- Different Format
- Group Stage Betting
- Huge Selection of Betting Markets
7. ATP World Tour Series
Throughout the year there are many tournaments on the ATP Tour. These are staged across the globe and played on various surfaces including hard court, grass court and clay. The tournaments are categorized using a numbered system, with the top events labelled Masters 1000, through to the lower events called the 250 Series.
Some of these events are good for betting on tennis as they involve the top players but also because the coverage is good. You can often find live streaming of Masters 1000 tournaments and in-play betting is available.
Some of the top tournaments on the ATP World Series for tennis betting include:
- Rotterdam Open
- Dubai Tennis Championships
- Indian Wells Masters
- Miami Open
- Monte-Carlo Masters
- Madrid Open
- Italian Open
- Queen’s Club Championships
- German Open
- Washington Open
- Canadian Open
- Cincinnati Masters
- Japan Open
- Shanghai Masters
- Swiss Indoors
- Paris Masters
8. WTA Tour Events
Much like the ATP Tour, the WTA Tour is played throughout the calendar year and features some cracking events for tennis betting. The top players travel the world to play tennis and this means betting opportunities almost every week.
The categories of tournaments include WTA Premier Tournaments, WTA International Tournaments and the WTA 125 Series. Below you find some of the biggest tennis tournaments for betting.
- Brisbane International
- Shenzhen Open
- St. Petersburg Ladies’ Trophy
- Qatar Open
- Dubai Tennis Championships
- Indian Wells Open
- Miami Open
- Charleston Open
- Stuttgart Open
- Madrid Open
- Italian Open
- Birmingham Classic
- Eastbourne International
- Moscow River Cup
- Silicon Valley Classic
- Canadian Open
- Cincinnati Open
- Pan Pacific Open
- Wuhan Open
- China Open
- Kremlin Cup
9. Challenger Tour and ITF Women’s Circuit
The Challenger Tour, Futures Tour and ITF Women’s circuit do not get much of a mention on mainstream television coverage but they are good options for tennis betting at betting sites.
The players playing in these events may not be known to the casual tennis fan but for those wanting to make money betting on tennis, they can prove very lucrative. If you visit any major online bookmaker, you are likely to find a match from one of these tours on which to bet.
There can be several taking place at the same time across the world and in-play betting is usually available. The live betting may be more restricted to the point where you can only bet on the winner of the next set for example but we are talking about low ranking tournaments in the grand scheme of things.
The reason why some of these are regarded as being the best tennis tournaments for betting is because the odds are not always as accurate as the bookmakers would like them to be. If you analyse statistics or follow any of the Challenger, Future and ITF tours closely, you could gain the upper hand in terms of betting.
The betting options will always be more limited so you perhaps may not be able to put your knowledge and research to full use but these events still present a great betting opportunity.
- Value Bets
- Hundreds of Tournaments
- Research Required
10. Davis Cup and Fed Cup
The Davis Cup and Fed Cup are international events where the players represent their country. Matches are played throughout the year and the winners go on to play in the final.
These matches often draw large, noisy crowds as fans cheer on their players. Some fans do not get the opportunity to watch their best players in action often and the Davis and Fed Cup gives them that chance every year.
The venue and playing surface are selected by the home team and this can often lead to an advantage. The games are played between February and November, with the final usually taking place in the second week or final weekend of the latter.
Paying close attention to the make-up of the two teams and the playing surface can go a long way to making a good bet on the Davis and Fed Cup. The top players do not always turn out for their country so you need to do your research and see which players are likely to play.
Top betting sites will always have odds available for the country to win the Fed Cup and Davis Cup plus odds for the individual rounds and the matches played within those rounds. There are many angles you take when betting on the Davis and Fed Cup.
You can bet on the nation you think will win the whole thing, the nation you think will progress in a specific round, a player to win their individual match right the way down to who will win the next game in a set.
For many people, the international tournaments are the most exciting as players compete for their country and that’s what makes them special. But the betting options also add to the thrill.
- Great Atmosphere
- Several Different Betting Markets
- National Pride
- Various Venues and Surfaces
11. Olympic Games
Many people do not know tennis was part of the inaugural Olympic Games but was dropped in 1924. It made a return as a full medal sport at the 1992 Olympics and has remained ever since. The Olympics Games is different to other tournaments on the WTA and ATP Tours.
The player who wins receives a gold medal, there is no prize money like the other events. Therefore, players are participating to get their hands on the medal, nothing else.
The world’s best players have started to take the Olympic Games seriously and as it comes around only once every four years, the opportunity to win a gold medal is limited. However, it is not easy to predict who will enter and how they will perform and that makes the Olympic Games perhaps not as good an event for tennis betting as the others mentioned above.
If there appears to be one player who is desperate to win it because it is on home soil, like Andy Murray in 2012, there may be a betting angle. The 2020 Olympic Games is in Tokyo so all eyes will be on Kei Nishikori and Naomi Osaka.
The betting coverage will not be as detailed as the Grand Slam tournaments but there is plenty for gamblers to get their teeth into throughout the event. Betting on who will win gold, silver and bronze is always fun.
- Once Every Four Years
- Home Favourites
- Gold Medal at Stake
- Medal Betting
- Some Limited Betting Markets
So, now you know the best tennis tournaments for betting at betting sites. You can go away armed with this knowledge and decide which events on which you would like to bet. Don’t forget to always have fun and never bet more than you can afford to lose.
