Once the highest-paying sport in the world, tennis has long been an international phenomenon, drawing in crowds by the millions, and giving rise to some of the biggest athletes the world has ever known.
From the local courts to the massive Wimbledon stadium, tennis sees some of the most popular tournaments in the sporting world, including such events as the French Open, the Barcelona Open, and many more, each different in its own way.
Unlike other international sports, tennis hasn’t seen much of a drop in popularity, with just as many people as ever flocking to the stadiums or to their televisions to see the latest matches as they happen.
Its popular stance has also meant a large betting scene, and while it hasn’t gained the same ground as football betting, for example, it’s still sizeable enough to draw in a fairly large crowd, especially in countries where sports betting is the norm, such as New Zealand or Australia. In fact, sports betting NZ has become such a favourite pastime for many that it has lead to an overall tourism increase in the country.
Like any sport, there are various types of bets to look out for when first wagering on the game. These are some of the most popular:
Common Types of Tennis Bets
Match Betting – the most common type of bet there is, this involves simply taking out a wager on a match, putting money down on who you believe will be the most likely to win the match,
Handicap Betting – Slightly more complicated than the previously mentioned, but a type of bet that has been gaining popularity over the years. This involves betting on certain scores that may culminate during the match.
Set Betting – Much more complicated, set betting involves wagering on the exact score at the end of the game. The odds here are much higher, but so is the risk.
First Set Winner – This kind of bet means punting on the player that will win the first set. Simple at first glance, but is deceptively difficult to get right due to the unpredictable nature of the game.
Tips For New Tennis Punters
- Always maintain a budget. This can especially important in tennis, where seasons can last months at a time. Betting it all on one match that doesn’t play well can mean a huge loss of money.
- Always keep up to date with what’s going on in the tennis world. If you put a wager down on a player without knowing the player had injured themselves, it might negatively affect the odds for your bet.
- Try and keep all betting to the online world – it means greater freedom overall, and often comes with several perks.
- Test the waters; losing a bet is inevitable, but learning from it and using that experience for future bets is invaluable. Improving personal betting is all about gaining experience through trial and error, which takes time and patience.