Tennis is one of the most popular sports among bettors, coming second only to football. The in-play action, where the momentum of the match swings back and forth constantly, offers some excellent gambling opportunities. Even though you can wager on the winner, handicaps and other specials, it’s the totals market that captures most players’ interest since it offers an array of options.
Here, we will examine how to bet on tennis over under in terms of games, sets, breaks, and other combo markets. How can the court surface and a player’s style help you make more informed decisions? What are the most common live betting mistakes you can make? Let’s have a look at how to bet on tennis and win.
What is Tennis Betting Over Under
Also known as totals, O/U wagers usually apply to games or sets within a match. As it happens with handicaps, and you can read in our tennis handicap betting section, bookmakers have pre-set lines and you have to predict if the final result will be over or under that line. For example, in the French Open final between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, the totals market for games throughout the match is set at 40.5.
⏩ If 41+ games take place, then the over market wins.
⏩ If fewer than 41 games occur, then the under market wins.
It is that simple. Of course, depending on the competition and type of wager, the tennis betting over under option will look different. After all, in some matches, there are more sets to be played, which means the lines will be higher.
Best Tennis Over Under Betting Sites
Although all bookies will provide this market, not all are equal. The best bookmakers for tennis rank well in all categories, including odds, live streaming, coverage, and in-play offering. In the list below, you can find our favorite ones.
Available markets for Over Under betting in tennis
There are various options to choose from. Along with different types of O/U markets, there can also be differing values set, depending on the bookie. Let’s look at some of the most common tennis betting markets you can expect to see.
- 1 Total Games: This is the most popular market among bookmakers. You are betting on the total number of games, either within the match or a specific set. A number is stated, and you have to bet on whether the total games surpass or not reach that figure. Keep in mind that the best sites will offer many alternatives in terms of game totals.
- 2 Total Sets: Even though there is not much room to wiggle, you can still bet on the number of sets in a match. Of course, this would be a better option in men’s Grand Slam tournaments where the format is best-of-five instead of best-of-three.
- 3 Player Games O/U: With this tennis betting over under market, you are wagering on how many games will be won by an individual player. You can pick this option if you think an underdog does well in specific terrain and will give a favourite a hard time.
- 4 Match result and total games: If, as above, an underdog is likely to make things competitive, combining the total games with the match result is a way to create extra value. Favorites can be too short a price to back, so you can boost their odds by also betting on the total games. For example, Djokovic beat Isner and Over 25.5 total games in the match.
- 5 Total breaks of serve: You are betting on whether there will be over or under a total amount of breaks of serve in a match or a set. When strong servers are in action, it could pay to go under, while a good return could make over a value bet. Remember that breaks of serve happen way more often in women’s games than men’s.
- 6 Total tie breaks: Tie breaks decide a set when it finishes 6-6. You can bet on how many tiebreaks there will be in a match.
Tips Before Betting On Over/Under Markets
There are all sorts of things to consider before you make your selections. Tennis is a sport with dozens of variables that can impact a player’s performance, including surface, playing style and form. Firstly, learn all the tennis betting rules and then read carefully below; we have gathered the top tips to ensure you create a successful tennis betting strategy.
Tennis total games betting tips
The line will vary depending on whether it’s a three-set or a five-set match. So for tennis total games betting on three-set matches, the line can be anything from 18.5 to 22.5, depending on how competitive the match is likely to be. With five-set matches, the line starts around 25.5 if the match is likely to be a 3-0 clean sweep, going up to 40.5 for matches that are expected to last longer. Here are some factors to keep in mind when betting on over-under games markets.
⏩ Unexpected Variables: A tennis player can be one of the best in the world, yet they are likely to struggle if they are carrying injuries or only just back and not fully fit. Serena Williams has been the greatest women’s player of the modern era. However, her career had periods where she was erratic and slipped down the rankings. Identifying such shifts can help you find value.
⏩ Advantages that point to value: It’s worth watching for underdogs that can make life tough for favorites. Perhaps they have a good record against the higher-ranked players or have hit a strong run of form. They might be lower ranked but are nevertheless involved in long, competitive matches.
⏩ Court surface: The terrain can significantly impact tennis betting over under markets. Rafa Nadal is the greatest clay court player of all time. This is why it is best to bet on the under market since he is usually expected to win the match quickly and easily. The venue can also have an impact, with partisan crowds siding with their favorite players, such as when Stefanos Tsitsipas was booed against Nick Kyrgios at Wimbledon.
⏩ Playing style: Playing style is something that can also be analyzed. A player like John Isner is an example. He’ll often be an underdog, yet with his dominant serve, he creates a lot of problems against even the best players worldwide. This is why it is common for matches to drag longer, thus pilling up more total games.
⏩ Properly warmed up: Another piece of advice is to pay attention to how warmed-up players are. If an underdog has been playing regularly on tour, they could well be much fitter than a high-ranked player that has not been playing for some time. For example, in many competitions, the top names do not enter until the 2nd or 3rd round.
Live over under betting in tennis
This is a sport where matches last a long time, which makes it perfect for in-play wagering. When live betting in tennis, it’s possible to find a lot of value, as odds can fluctuate wildly if the momentum of a match. Here are some things to consider.
Monitor matches: Keep an eye on the live odds during a match. If a player is winning easily, then the odds for overs in the over-under total games market will shoot up. Should it be competitive, then the price for those under will rise. Some markets are not available pre-match, such as second-set total games. You need to take advantage of all the opportunities that bookies provide.
Live betting mistakes: If you place a wager and things don’t go your way, there is a temptation to place more bets during a live match to recoup losses. This can backfire. An example would be the French Open final between Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas. If you’d bet on overs in the total games market, you might want to place more wagers to cancel it out when Tsitsipas went 2-0 up in sets. Ultimately, Djokovic recovered to 3-2, so the initial wager would have been a winner anyway. Don’t panic and overbet in live markets.
Choosing a good bookmaker: It’s important to have a good sportsbook that provides everything you need for live betting. This includes streaming, a fast bet acceptance, a wide number of markets and good value odds.
Which Bookmakers Offer Over/Under Bets
The totals market in tennis can certainly be profitable if you do your research and pick your spots. Even though bookies will provide a wide range of options, we recommend you stick to competitions and players you know. Otherwise, all your betting over under strategies and tips will be worthless. Follow the results, keep an archive and only make wagers when you feel confident. Picking the right site for your activity is also crucial. You need to select one of the live-streaming betting sites that offer great odds, as well as regular tennis betting offers on the top events. Below, you can find a full list of the top options online.
This will depend. You can place a wager on the O/U market of points in a set or a game. Most bookmakers will also allow you to pick the total number of points throughout the match, either for one player or both.
With total games, you are betting on the accumulated number of games in a match. So if a game finished 2-0 (6-3 6-4), there would be 19 games (6 + 3 + 6 + 4 = 19). In the case of total sets, you are wagering on the combined number of sets in a match. Obviously, the latter offers less room to wiggle.
Usually, online bookmakers will open additional markets once the game starts. For example, if a best-of-five match went to a final set, you would be able to bet on the total games or the total points within that fifth set.
This market asks you to predict whether there will be more than 20.5 games in a match. So if there are 20 games or fewer, the under will win, while 21 games or more would see the over win.
Sportsbooks will have a specific line (or lines) for the total amount of points, games or sets and you will need to pick if you think more or fewer will take place. It is one of the most straightforward tennis markets.
During Grand Slam events like the French Open or Wimbledon, there will be more offers, such as Free Bets and Cashbacks, than usual. These might not be specific for the O/U market, but you will still be able to use them. In addition, you can also find Enhanced Odds Offers. For example, bet on Over 25.5 games in the Djokovic vs. Nadal final and get an Odds Boost of 2.40.
Here, you will have to predict if the total number of sets at the end of the game will be higher or lower than 2.5. The over wins if 3 sets are played (2-1, 1-2). If only 2 sets are played (2-0, 0-2), then the under option prevails.