Betting on ATP and WTA Tennis
One of the biggest highlights on the yearly New York sports calendar is the US Open. The top men’s and women’s tennis pros descend on the Big Apple to decide one of the four Grand Slam crowns. Even casual fans perk up and pay attention to that, but there’s a whole lot more to see with tennis all year round.
There’s been a spike of interest in ATP and WTA tennis betting recently, and we don’t have to look all that far to find the biggest reason why. Sports betting is now legal in New York. Below find a quick guide to tennis betting in NY including key events on the ATP and WTA tour plus some essential tips for beginners.
Where to bet ATP and WTA, see the latest odds and boosts
How to bet on tennis in New York
Sports betting is legal in New York, and there are plenty of possibilities to explore with online sportsbooks and sportsbook apps. Here’s how you can get started with those options.
- Click one of our links to a sportsbook site to begin the registration process and claim any bonus offers.
- Enter a few basic details — name, address, etc. — and follow along to complete. Check off the terms and conditions and click submit.
- Your account gets created instantly. After looking around for a bit, download the app for your device right from the sportsbook website.
- Log in on mobile for the first time. Make a deposit or claim your bonus offer to be ready to start betting.
You can complete all of the above at home without issue. To actually place bets, you’ll need to be within the borders of the state. Sites verify location with geolocation tracking, so you won’t get a green light unless you’re there.
How tennis betting works
Just like with any other sport, there are plenty of choices when betting on tennis. You can pick the winners of tournaments, focus on head-to-head matchups or live bet as the matches play out. Here’s a quick run-through of the most popular tennis bets and how they work.
Tournaments
You can bet on the outright winner for each tournament on the docket. There will be odds for all players scheduled to compete, from favorites to long shots.
Example odds for winner of men’s Wimbledon final:
- Novak Djokovic +350
- Rafael Nadal +400
- Roger Federer +600
Matches
There will be odds for each match during a tournament. It works just like a moneyline bet in that you simply choose the winner, either the favorite or underdog.
- Victoria Azarenka +125
- Ashleigh Barty -115
Spread
Spread betting in tennis revolves around sets or games. How does the spread work? Oddsmakers set the bar for bettors to choose the favorite minus the spread or the underdog plus the number.
- Daniil Medvedev -4.5 games (-110)
- Stan Wawrinka +4.5 games (-110)
Totals
The over/under bet for tennis is also based on either sets or games. Sportsbooks set the number with odds on both sides of the equation.
- Over 5 sets (-110)
- Under 5 sets (-110)
Props
If you click on the listing for an individual match, you’ll find all of the available props, such as the number of tiebreakers needed.
Player to win the first set:
- Simona Halep +105
- Naomi Osaka -115
Live
Once the matches get underway, you can live bet with each serve and volley. This is a fast-moving market that plays out in real time with odds based on what’s happening.
Player to win this game:
- Sofia Kenin +125
- Serena Williams -135
Futures
The futures betting market for tennis mainly revolves around the winners of the four Grand Slam events. Odds for each will be released soon after the current edition is final.
- Australian Open
- Wimbledon
- French Open
- US Open
In many case you can also find odds for the winner of the next WTA or ATP Tour event as well. In short, you won’t be lacking for options to bet on tennis.
Bet on the ATP Tour
The Association of Tennis Professionals, known as the ATP for short, is the top tour for men’s tennis in the world. The tour is composed of numerous events throughout the year. Players earn points based on how they fare, with the amounts varying by the level of the event. ATP Masters awards 1,000 points to winners, while ATP 500 and ATP 250 award 500 and 250.
The points are tallied up along the way for the ATP rankings, and there’s a season-ending ATP Finals event. Here are some of the top players in the rankings.
- Novak Djokovic
- Rafael Nadal
- Daniil Medvedev
- Dominic Thiem
- Roger Federer
Bet on the WTA Tour
The top worldwide circuit on the women’s side is organized by the Women’s Tennis Association, more commonly referred to as the WTA. The tour is composed of what are known as premier events, some of which are mandatory, as well as international events. Just like the men, each tour stop awards points to top finishers.
The season-ending event is known as the WTA Tour Championship. Here are some of the top players in the rankings:
- Ashleigh Barty
- Naomi Osaka
- Simona Halep
- Sofia Kenin
- Elina Svitolina
What are the best tennis events to bet on?
The biggest attention grabbers for both the general public and bettors are the four Grand Slam events. The top pros on the men’s and women’s sides compete for the titles. Each of the four slams are gruelling events. A list of past winners would be filled with the names of the best players in tennis history.
The US Open takes place annually in New York, and it’s quite the hot ticket. We’ll take a closer look at that event shortly. For now, here’s what you need to know about the other three Grand Slam events.
Australian Open
The first slam of the year is also widely viewed as the sport’s official kickoff for the year.
- Location: Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Surface: GreenSet hard surface
- Inaugural event: 1905
French Open
Both circuits are in full swing by the time we get to the French Open. The clay courts make for quite the test for the world’s best pros.
- Played: May-June 6
- Location: Roland-Garros in Paris
- Surface: Clay court
- Inaugural event: 1891
Wimbledon
One of the most prestigious and iconic sporting events on the planet, Wimbledon is held annually in the UK.
- Next played: June/July
- Location: All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London
- Surface: Grass court
- Inaugural event: 1877
US Open tennis details
The US Open was first introduced in 1881. Naturally, the sport has evolved tremendously since that point. One of the most significant developments came in 1968. That was the year that the Grand Slam events allowed pros and amateurs to compete together. In the annals of tennis, 1968 and onward is referred to as the Open Era.
The next US Open Tennis Championships is slated for its usual late summer window in the heart of New York City. Here are some of the key details about the event.
US Open
- Dates: Aug/Sept.
- Location: USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City
- Surface: Hard court
All slams are chock full of history, but the US Open naturally holds particularly high importance for New York tennis fans. If we look to the record books, there’s a tie atop the leaderboard for men’s crowns in the Open Era: Jimmy Connors, Roger Federer and Pete Sampras have five wins apiece.
For the women, Chris Evert and Serena Williams have the most US Open titles over that span with six each.
ATP and WTA tour stops in NY
While the US Open is the top highlight for New York tennis fans, there have been other opportunities to catch the action in person in recent years.
New York Open
- Dates: February
- Location: Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, Long Island
- Category: ATP Tour 250
- Surface: Indoor hard court
- Prize pool: $719K
Western & Southern Open
- Dates: August
- Location: USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City
- Category: WTA Premier 5
- Surface: Outdoor hard court
- Prize pool: $1.9M
Other tennis events you can bet on
The ATP and WTA are the top circuits to focus on for betting. From the regular tour stops to the slam events, you’ll have something to bet on nearly all year round. You can also expand your horizons. Here are some of the additional markets for tennis betting online:
- ATP Challenger Tour
- WTA 125K Series
- ITF Men’s Circuit
- ITF Women’s Circuit
- Davis Cup
- Olympics
When you click on the tennis link at a sportsbook, all of the available upcoming matches will be listed. Trying out other segments of the sport can be a great way to enhance your knowledge, but research becomes a little more challenging the further you go down the scale.
Does Vegas have the best tennis odds?
There was a time when there was a really simple answer to this question. Las Vegas served as the first and last word on sports betting odds for decades. If you wanted a sense of the tennis betting market for upcoming matches and tournaments, then a simple glance at the odds out of Sin City did the trick.
Today, the numbers out of the desert continue to be held in high regard, and deservedly so. However, legal sportsbooks in New York and surrounding areas are doing a fantastic job on the odds front as well. In fact, a little comparison shopping will show you that they’re right in range with what comes out of Vegas.
Of course, you’re going to find differences in some cases, but that’s where the concept of line shopping comes in handy. You can compare the odds at books you play on for the best prices, and then glance at what Vegas has to say for an additional benchmark. If you do that exercise enough times, you’ll walk away feeling that the odds here at home do just fine.
Sports house rules for betting on tennis
All legal and regulated sportsbooks have standard rules in place. Beyond that, there are also detailed rules for each sport. Known as house rules, they cover what bettors need to know on the placement and settlement of bets, as well as circumstances that may impact either. For tennis, here’s the gist.
- All bets are live once the first ball is put into play. Sportsbooks will settle wagers according to the odds at time of placement, regardless of any movement from that point.
- Changes in venue or surface will not lead to the cancellation of match wagers. A match that’s slightly delayed due to weather can remain live, while an outright cancellation will lead to a sportsbook voiding and refunding bets. If a tournament is completely scrapped, then all bets will be considered void and refunded.
- A player pulling out in advance of a match, known as a walkover, generally results in a cancellation of all wagers.
On that last point, check the house rules at your books for specifics, as there may be some minor differences in certain spots. The same applies for player retirement during a match. At most books, at least one set has to be completed for a match to be graded. Be sure to take the time to review the house rules where you play to avoid any unwelcome surprises later on.
Simple guide to tennis handicap betting
As demonstrated by the increasing popularity at sportsbooks, tennis is a fantastic sport to focus on for betting. Beyond the potential for profits, tennis is a fun and entertaining sport to engage with. While there’s certainly a learning curve to deal with, you can be on your way to overcoming it by following this simple five-point plan.
- Lean on sources you trust: Lots of great resources are out there on the internet. When a tournament is on tap, you’ll find plenty of previews to lean on. For the daily matchups, many sites will break down the top highlights. There also are rankings systems for men and women. Take some time to do a little legwork and compile a list of resources you can use in your research.
- Study the odds and shop around: If you take a step back, the odds board is really one big free research tool that you can use to your advantage. Oddsmakers have tons of data at their disposal, and the odds they come up with provide a quick glimpse at the most likely outcomes. There’s much more work to do from there, but it’s a great starting point. Also, be sure to shop around and compare tennis betting lines and ATP odds to enhance your potential returns.
- Review head-to-head matchup history: ATP and WTA pros cross paths often. That means there’s plenty of head-to-head history to study, both for matchups at hand and as you study the draw for a tournament. While the past is no guarantee of the future, some players simply have an edge over others. If you’re not looking back at matchup history, then you’re doing it wrong and missing out on key information.
- Gauge surface and event history: While researching, you also have to know how the players you are interested in perform on the playing surface and at this particular event in general. For example, some players thrive on hard courts and struggle on clay, while some will crush it at one event and make an early exit at others. Once again, use history as a guide, but don’t assume it will automatically translate into what’s to come.
- Follow recent form: Athletes are human just like the rest of us. They’ll go through spurts where they can seemingly do no wrong, as well as stretches when things are more challenging. At a minimum, you’ll want to look back at recent play over the last five matches, while a deep dive approach calls for examining season-long performance. By doing this, you’ll have an indicator of what may be to come.
Once you have that simple process down, you can expand your repertoire even further. Perhaps you’ll decide that assorted advanced statistics are the ticket, for example. The most important thing is to build an approach that works for you and your available time, as well as one that ultimately leads to success with betting on tennis.