Guide to In-Play Tennis Betting
How to Bet on Live Tennis Matches and Win
One of the best ways to find real value at offshore sportsbooks is to bet live / in-play on tennis matches.
This page takes you through the strategy and pitfalls of in-play tennis betting.
While the majors get all the press coverage, there are a huge number of ATP and WTA events all-year round. With natural breaks in every game built in, tennis works well for live betting. You’ll have time to find opportunities; get your bet on and reassess any changes on the court that affect the bets already made.
In this guide I look at multiple aspects of in-play tennis betting. First, the preparation you’ll need before the match even starts and how to pick the best games is covered. The bulk of the article explains some of the factors you can pick up on when watching a live game. These include pivotal games, the weather effect, ends of sets and pressure.
Guide to In-Play Tennis Betting Preparation
It would be nice to think that you could simply switch on the TV and make a snap decision on a game, but to really make an impact you’ll need to prepare.
Take a quick look at each of the players will reveal profitable opportunities. Key pre-match information is recent form, whether they’ve had a busy week or month, how good they are on the surface and their head-to-head record.
I strongly recommend the stats found at both www.atpworldtour.com or www.wtatennis.com. You’ll quickly find these are invaluable resources.
One particularly important piece of info that will come in especially handy in in-play tennis betting is the tie-break record of each player. This provides an insight into how individuals perform under pressure.
Being armed with as much information about each player as possible before the game even starts will give you an edge.
In-Play Tennis Betting In-Game Factors
The tennis scoring system doesn’t always tell the whole story of the match. For example, a set could be level at 5 games all, despite one of the players winning many more points than another.
Keep an eye on how easily each player is holding their serve and tend to side with the player who is having an easier time in general. However, there is one time when this won’t apply. If you have a game, particularly near the end of a set, where there are several deuces and break points, this game can have a pivotal effect. Even if it ends up as simply a case of the server holding. The losing player may be frustrated at not winning the game and this can carry over into the next one. This will often be the case if a player is serving first directly after losing a tie-break. That frustration was carrying through into the next set.
Players ‘Giving Up’ on a Set
Don’t always assume that a particular pattern of play will continue into the next set. If a player is a break or two down in a set, mentally they might have given up already and are already focusing on the next. Don’t be surprised to see a ‘new’ player appear at the start of the next set.
One fact that is surprising to many is that if a player battles back from 2 sets down to level at 2 sets all they are more likely to lose a match than win. This highlights the ‘new’ player effect, in that in this situation you would immediately presume the player who has won the last two sets would be heavily favored.
A key statistic that has been proven to be a good guide to deciding a match is success on the second serve. If a player is giving up points easier on their second serve than their opponents, this must be a huge factor in your thinking.
Weather Conditions for Live / In-Play Tennis Betting
Keep an eye on the weather conditions and how they might affect the game.
A player with a high ball toss might be adversely affected by the wind. This can also affect a big hitting player who is continuously going for winners. Conversely, a player who is low on unforced errors might be at an advantage in the wind. Solid play and ensuring the ball is back in play is a great strategy in these conditions.
Psychology and Needing to Win
Look at the event and consider which player ‘needs’ the win more and then look at betting on the other player, especially if the match is close.
The player who ‘needs’ the win is much more likely to get nervous, while the player who doesn’t can play more freely. Knowing the mentality of the player can be a good help in this regard, as players like Lleyton Hewitt and Michael Chang can certainly thrive when the pressure is on, while others can visibly wilt under the pressure.
Fitness and Stamina Differences for In-Play Tennis Betting
If a match is going deep into a final set, keep an eye on the fitness levels of both players,
This is especially important when a player is coming off a busy schedule, or for anyone returning after an injury break. As a side note for injuries, don’t be too easily fooled by a player calling the trainer on. In many instances this can simply be a ploy to buy some time. It may even disrupt the rhythm of an opponent.
One thing you should look out for is cramp, as this isn’t allowed to be treated as it’s a fitness issue. If a player is cramping, you should certainly be wary and tend towards backing the other player.
Guide to In Play Tennis Betting Conclusion
In play tennis betting is one of the most interesting ways to get involved in gambling on the sport. Weighing up all the factors listed above effectively isn’t an easy thing to do, but the more you do it, the easier it will become and your in-play betting will quickly become more profitable.
Having put the preparation in and taken a position based upon what you are seeing, there is no more satisfying feeling than seeing that win fill up your sportsbook account.
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