Top Tennis Betting Strategies: How to Profit from the Unpredictability of the Court

The popularity of tennis predictions among bettors is largely due to the frequent upsets. The tennis world regularly witnesses shocking defeats of favorites or surprising wins by underdogs. These unexpected results are what make the sport so appealing for those looking to land a big payout, especially when working with trusted tennis bookies .

Key Types of Tennis Bets

Match Outcome
The classic bet – choosing the winner (Player 1 or Player 2). Since draws are not possible in tennis, this is a straightforward market. Matches can often last 3–4 hours before a winner is decided.

Total Games or Sets
Betting on sets is simpler: women’s matches have up to 3 sets, while some men’s matches can go up to 5. Games are trickier, and totals (over/under) require deep statistical analysis. Bettors can also wager on individual player totals.

Handicaps (Spreads)
If there’s a clear class difference between opponents, bettors often use positive or negative handicaps to balance the odds.

Correct Score
Unlike football, guessing the exact score in tennis is easier – especially in best-of-three matches, where there are only four possible outcomes.

To Qualify (Advance)
Popular in Grand Slam tournaments, these bets focus on which player will advance to the next round, regardless of the final score.

Best Tournaments for Tennis Betting

Men’s tournaments are governed by the ATP, while women’s tournaments are under the WTA. There are also ITF events, but these are minor competitions rarely involving top players – most pro bettors avoid them.

The most profitable tournaments for betting include the four Grand Slam (Roland Garros, Wimbledon, US Open, and Australian Open). Other high-profile events include the ATP Masters 1000 and WTA Premier Mandatory tournaments. Smaller events often lack big stars and attract mostly hardcore fans who know the players well.

Caution: Avoid betting on national team events like the Davis Cup or Billie Jean King Cup. Players often underperform here, treating them as formalities.

Most Effective Tennis Betting Strategies

1. Game Betting Strategy

This strategy is for experienced bettors. It’s a variation of the Martingale system and focuses on betting that the serving player wins their service game, especially when the server is an underdog but not vastly inferior. Avoid applying this when the gap is too large (e.g., a top-20 player vs. someone outside the top 200). Odds should be above 1.60. If the server is broken, you increase the bet according to the progression plan.

2. Momentum Swing (“Network”) Strategy

This is a live betting strategy. Choose evenly matched opponents, not based solely on rankings, but current form. Conditions:

• The pre-match odds difference is no greater than 0.60.

• One player wins the first set; their odds drop to 1.15–1.20.

• You then bet on the other player whose odds are now much higher.

• If the score ties 1–1 in sets, you place another bet (from a different account) on the original leader. This guarantees profit no matter the outcome.

3. Favorite Strategy

Here, you bet on a clear favorite with odds between 1.45 and 1.65. Often combined with the Martingale system to stay profitable even after initial losses.

4. 40–40 Game Strategy

You predict whether a game will reach a 40–40 (deuce) score. This is viable in live betting with certain matchups, especially when players are solid on serve.

5. First Point Strategy

You bet on which player will win the first point of a set. This requires knowledge of serving and receiving stats. It can be used alongside ladder or Martingale-style staking.

6. Accumulator (Parlay) Betting

You can combine multiple tennis bets in one slip to multiply the odds. This can involve:

• Match winner

• Handicap bets

• Totals (e.g., under a certain number of games)

These should only be placed after careful opponent analysis.

7. Correct Score Strategy

Two key situations:

• Clear favorite vs. underdog → bet on 2:0 or 3:0 score (odds must be over 1.50)

• If the underdog is likely to put up a fight → bet on 2:1 (only for best-of-three matches)
  Stake 3–5% of your bankroll.

8. “Throwing” Strategy (Match Fixing)

Some low-level tournaments (e.g., 250-point events) may involve suspicious patterns. A player wins the first set convincingly, odds drop drastically, then loses the second set. Such occurrences are rare but have led to disqualifications in the past.

9. Total Games Betting

One of the most popular bet types. Use stats to predict the number of games in a match.

• Best-of-3: average 22 games

• Best-of-5: average 36 games
  But some servers (e.g., Ivo Karlović, John Isner) can push totals beyond 39 games even in three sets. If both players are strong on serve, go for “over” totals, adjusting your threshold based on risk tolerance.