Tennis Betting Online Glossary: Odds and bet terminology
Tennis betting online is easier than ever thanks to Paddy ultra-fast sportsbook, which delivers live odds in-play from tournaments around the world. But what use are great odds if you don’t know what they mean?
Tennis betting odds come in all shapes and sizes and they’re a little different from other sports like football, basketball or NFL. This is primarily an individual sport, so betting on tennis the becomes about wagering on individual personalities and their skill set.
Having a broad knowledge of the bets on offer, and understanding what each market means, is therefore crucial to nailing successful tennis bets. Here, we take you through the tennis betting terminology you might not be aware of.
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Tennis Betting Glossary
Bagel – A bagel in tennis is when a player wins a set 6-0. You can bet on a bagel but the Paddy Power sportsbook will show the market as a player winning a set to nil.
Correct Score – Bet on the correct score in sets over the course of a match. In most matches this will either be 2-0, 2-1, 1-2 or 0-2. However, remember that in men’s Grand Slam singles matches it’s best-of-five sets, not three. You can also bet on the correct score per set, like so, and even per game:
Correct Score Groups – Group a number of possible scores together and widen your chances of winning the bet. For example, you might bet on Player A to win the first set 6-0, 6-1 or 6-2 in a grouped bet.
Exact Games Winning Margin – Here, you can bet on how many games a player beat their opponent by. This is a tricky bet because in tennis you can win a match even if you win fewer games, because it’s all about sets when it comes to the final result.
Game Handicap/Alternative Game Handicap – Apply a handicap based on number of games won over a match, to level out the tennis odds. For example, you could bet on Player A to win with a -5.5 game handicap. Player A needs to win the match with six games advantage for you to win your bet. Paddy Power offers game handicaps at alternative lines too.
Match Winner – When betting on the tennis, match winner odds let you bet on who you think will win the match. There are no draws in tennis so, unlike football, this is an easy wager between two options.
Set Betting – Bet on the correct score for individual sets and take advantage of the live odds to tweak your picks as a match unfolds. In the ATP, the most common time in a set for a break is in the seventh game, which makes 6-3 and 6-4 scorelines a popular choice for bettors.
Set and Match Point – Bet on a player to get to either a set point in a set, or a match point at any time. This doesn’t mean you’re backing a player to win a set or a match, merely to reach set/match point.
Straight Sets – Bet on a player to win in straight sets. This will either be 2-0 for a three-set match, or 3-0 for a five-set match. Straight sets bets carry longer odds than match bets because the player you back cannot lose a set.
Score After X Games – Bet on what the score will be after a set number of games. This is a great bet for the opening set of matches.
Total Set Games Over/Under – Wager on how many games (over or under) there will be in a set. A typical 6-4 set features 10 games, so usually the line is around 9.5. You can bet for over that line, or under.
Total Match Games Over/Under – Just like with sets, you can bet on the total number of games in a match. The typical line for a three-set match is over/under 21.5 games.
Total Sets – Bet on whether there will be two, three, four or five sets in a match. You can either bet on the exact number or wager on over/under.
Total Tie Breaks – Bet over/under a set number of tie breaks to be featured across a match. This is a great wager when betting on even matches between players of equal quality and playing styles.
Tournament Winner/Places – Bet on the outrights market to back a tournament winner on ATP, WTA and Challenger Series tournaments throughout the year. Paddy’s outright markets feature the option to bet each way on players reaching the final, so you’re covered if they fall at the last hurdle. This is a bet tennis fans love because the pre-tournament odds are usually higher than during the competition.
Win First Service Game – A great bet to kick off a match, you can bet on players to win their first service game. The odds, especially in men’s singles matches, are low here as it’s uncommon to witness an early break. This is therefore a great wager to add to an accumulator.
