TENNIS BETTING

Bookmakers' odds compilers often perform poorly in pricing up certain tennis betting markets. Shrewd punters who can identify such pricing errors can make substantial profits from tennis betting.

BETTING IN MINOR TOURNAMENTS

One simple tennis betting system of backing against hot favourites in the lesser tournaments has realised handsome profits in past years. There are four major tournaments, the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open, collectively known as the "Grand Slams." The next level is the nine Tennis Masters tournaments throughout the calendar. All these events are too competitive for the purposes of this system, with all the top players trying their hardest to succeed. The top-ranked players tend to arrange their seasons around the top tournaments, endeavouring to arrive at these events in top form. As a result, they tend to use the smaller events as "warm-ups" for the major competitions. The recommended tennis betting strategy is to back against top-ranked male players early on in these smaller events. Their opponents will be a decent price, but the tennis betting odds can be enhanced by betting on the correct set score. In minor events, men's matches are played over just 3 sets. 2-0 is the score that will yield the best price.

Example

In a first round match in a minor tournament, Player A is favourite at 1/6, with Player B at 3/1. In order to win the match 2-0, player B must obviously win Set 1 and Set 2. The price for Player B to win Set 1 would be slightly longer than his outright match price, but were he to do so, his price to win Set 2 would be shorter than his outright price to win the match. An approximation of the odds on Player B winning both Set 1 and Set 2 can be achieved by using his outright match price for each set : 3/1 x 3/1 = 9/1 The actual price on offer for Player B is often 16/1 or 20/1, highlighting the value aspect of the system. Unquestionably, some bookmakers' tennis betting prices on correct set scores are often generous, and the shorter the favourite, the more generous they can be. In summary, 1.Bet only in minor tournaments, involving best of three set matches. 2. Focus on tournaments preceding major events. 3. Bet on first-round matches only. 4. Back the second favourite to win 2-0. At the prices involved, stakes can be small and it does not take much of a strike rate to realise a profit.

BETTING IN MAJOR TOURNAMENTS

Assume the same match was taking place in the second or third round of a more prestigious event. In this case, the favourite is likely to be at the top of his form and hence more likely to win. Value can still be obtained in tennis betting on correct set scores. Using the same principle as above, the approximate odds for Player A (the favourite) to win Set 1 and Set 2 is : 1/6 x 1/6 = 1/3 (approximately) In such circumstances, bookmakers generally offer odds in the region of 4/6 for Player A to win 2-0. Based on the above calculations, this price is far too generous (double what is should be!) and represents a value bet.