Written By: Dean Carr | Fact Checked By: Sarah Lunness
It isn't common knowledge that tennis is the 3rd most popular sport to bet on globally. This seems odd since only a tiny percentage of people actually play tennis. So what makes tennis betting so popular?
The answer is the incremental nature of the sport. Like NFL football and cricket, tennis is a stop-and-go game. The players set, the ball is engaged and play continues until the ball goes out of bounds or one player fails to return a volley. Every time the players reset a fresh set of variables enters the picture and each variable represents a potential betting market.
If you, the punter, are to take optimal advantage of the opportunities provided by tennis you'll need to open an account with one of the best tennis betting sites. Read on to find out which sites those are.
Best Tennis Betting Sites
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Bet365
bet365 scores highly in just about every metric used to measure the quality of an online betting site. They lead off our list of the top tennis bookmakers because of their outstanding array of tennis markets, including obscure markets like player to hold their first service. bet365 provides plenty of payment options, Live Streaming, In-Play Betting and more. And their Bet £10 Get £30 Welcome Offer is just the cherry on the cake.
William Hill
William Hill has been around since before the Second World War. Over the years they have learned the value of providing punters with plenty of tennis markets to bet on. They have also developed their own set of unique offerings such as live odds if a match heads to a tiebreaker. Unlike most other tennis betting sites they also provide real-time match updates on their tennis page. And do not forget their Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets Welcome Offer.
Betfred
Betfred earned a spot on this list of best tennis betting sites by virtue of their highly competitive odds, the sheer volume of tennis betting markets they provide as well as their emphasis on existing customer promos. It also helps that they have one of the top Welcome Offers of any tennis betting site whereby you receive £40 in Free Bets for an initial qualifying bet of just £10.
BetVictor
BetVictor makes a point to provide blanket coverage of ATP and WTA tennis events from around the world. To sweeten the pot they also offer daily price boosts on a variety of markets and Live Streaming of all significant tennis matches, regardless of setting. Their odds are also routinely competitive and their Bet £10 Get £40 in Free Bets Welcome Offer is one of the best out there.
Betway
Betway is known for providing a wealth of tennis betting opportunities all year round. That, combined with their generally outstanding odds, automatically earn them a spot on our list. They also provide state-of-the-art Live In-Play betting on a generous number of matches, while their Welcome Offer provides £30 in acca insurance. So if you place an acca and it does not pay off they will refund your stake up to £30.
BetUK
BetUK is a new betting site but one whose principles did their homework before hanging out their shingle. In this case, that means they understood the importance of tennis betting and came right out of the gate offering a sumptuous variety of betting markets on key tournaments all year round. They also have a surprisingly good (for a new site) Bet £10 Get £30 Welcome Offer.
Virgin Bet
Looking for non-stop ATP and WTA action? Look no further than Virgin Bet. They have every event on the ATP and WTA schedules covered with competitive tennis betting odds and lots of Live Streaming and In-Play Betting opportunities. And of course, they bring their same dedication to comprehensive coverage to the majors, which is what makes them one of the best tennis betting sites. All new customers at Virgin Bet can get £20 in free bets when they sign up and place a £10 qualifying bet.
LiveScore Bet
LiveScore Bet provides tennis action from all over the world. So when other sites seem to have gone on hiatus you always have a place to find first-class tennis betting at LiveScore Bet. As newbies, they have made a good early impression and have £20 in free bets on offer for new customers that sign up and place a £10 bet.
Mr.Play
Mr. Play is another new betting site that understands the importance of tennis betting to the average punter. Their tennis page is chock full of markets from around the world all year long, and their In-Play betting is top-notch. All new customers that create an account with Mr.Play can get a £10 free bet token in exchange for a £10 qualifying bet.
How to Join the Best Betting Sites for Tennis
Joining a tennis betting site is a simple and quick process that is essentially the same, with only minor variations, for all the major UK online sportsbooks. Here’s how to open an account with most new sports betting sites in the UK.
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Determine which of the best betting sites for tennis you want to join.
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Navigate to their homepage or download, install and open their mobile app.
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On the homepage tap the “Join” button at the top of the page.
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Enter all required information on the application form.
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Choose a username or password.
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If biometric login is available and something you want to do, simply follow the prompts.
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Accept the betting site’s T&Cs.
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Tap the “Join Now” (or equivalent) button.
That is it! You now have an account with a top tennis betting site. All that is left to do is to fund your account using one of the bookmaker’s accepted payment methods. Just be aware that if you want to take advantage of their Welcome Offer you will likely have to make your first deposit using a debit card.
Popular Tennis Bets
Tennis is such a popular sport with punters because its incremental nature opens up almost unlimited betting opportunities. The following are some of the most common tennis bets:
Match Winner
The simplest and most popular bet at tennis betting sites. Simply choose who you think is going to win the match and if they do, you cash in.
Correct Score
Tennis has one of the most unique scoring systems in all of sport, but once you get the hang of it it is easy to bet on. Correct score in this case is related to the final tally of games and sets. For instance, men's final matches are typically composed of a best of 5 sets with 6 games needed to secure a set. So a winning score might look like this: 6-1, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 for Nadal. In this case, Rafael Nadal won the 1st, 3rd and 4th sets (and lost the 2nd) to win the match 3 sets to 1.
Match Result and Total Games
Using the above example the Match Result would be Nadal winning the match, during which 35 Total Games were played. (7 in the 1st set, 8 in the 2nd, 10 in the 3rd, and 10 in the 4th.)
Over/Under Games
The Over/Under Games market is where you predict whether a given match will consist of more than X amount of games (over) or less than X amount of games (under). If you had bet Under 30 in the example match we described above you would have lost. Whereas if you had bet Over 30 you would have won.
Set Score
Set Score is a popular In-Play Betting market. Once the players have settled in a bit and you have a feel for how the match is unfolding you can make an In-Play bet on the outcome of the next set. Keep in mind though that while only 6 winning games are needed to secure a set, in many cases the set is not over unless and until 1 player wins by 2 games. As a result, a set could conceivably last indefinitely. And in 2010 at Wimbledon one almost did. A first-round match between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut lasted more than 11 hours with a final set score of 70-68!
Most Aces
An ace in tennis is a serve that is not returned by the opposing player. Most Aces typically refers to who has the most aces in a match. But with In-Play betting it may also refer to who has the most in a set or a game.
Bet Builder
A Bet Builder allows you to create your own composite bet composed of several different individual wagers. What separates the Bet Builder from the acca is that with a Bet Builder you are able to select markets that can have direct influence over other markets you select. These “related contingencies” aren't allowed with accumulator betting.
Tennis Bookmaker Bonuses
All the best tennis betting sites offer bonuses to new and existing customers to convince them to sign up or to reward them for their loyalty. Tennis betting bonuses take several forms, including:
Free Bets
Bet X Get Y in Free Bets has displaced deposit bonuses to become the most common type of Welcome Offer provided by tennis betting sites today. And why not? They are easy to understand, do not require people new to sports betting to make a large financial commitment right off the bat, and the Free Bets can typically be used on any market in the bookmaker's sportsbook. In some instances, the new customer can get 4 and even 5 times the amount of their initial deposit back in the form of Free Bets. That is a great deal no matter how you slice it.
Deposit Bonus
Deposit bonuses are no longer ubiquitous like they used to be but they are still used by some of the best betting sites for tennis to lure new customers into the fold. The deposit bonus is pretty straightforward. Typically the bookmaker will match a percentage of the new customer’s first deposit up to a given amount. That usually involves something like matching 50% of the customer’s deposit up to a maximum of £100. That’s a great deal if you are willing to make a first deposit of £200.
Enhanced Odds
Enhanced odds are usually associated with existing customer promos in tennis betting websites. Also called “Boosted Odds” this type of bonus is made possible because the bookmaker reduces their premium on a specific type of bet for a limited amount of time, thereby increasing the potential payout to the punter. In some cases, the bookmaker will limit the maximum stake on an Enhanced Odds offer to limit the possibility that they have to make a huge payout.
Acca Insurance
Accas, or accumulator bets, are popular with punters who enjoy betting on tennis. Accas must have a minimum of 4 legs and each leg must come in if the acca is to pay off. Often times a punter will hit on 3 of 4 legs on their acca, just missing out on that big payday. Acca insurance provides a bit of coverage in such cases. Typically if your acca only misses by one leg acca insurance will refund your stake in the form of site credits. It is another level of insurance added to your bets, on top of also having the cash out feature.
Bet X Get Y
As we mentioned a moment ago most of the best tennis betting sites provide Welcome Offers that leverage the popularity of the Bet X Get Y Free Bet bonus model. This type of bonus is incredibly popular these days for a couple of reasons. First, it is easy to understand: if you Bet X amount you will Get Y amount in Free Bets. And second, it does not require a huge financial commitment from the punter. Typically all they need to risk is 10 quid. Sometimes only 5.
Grand Slam Tennis Betting
There are 4 so-called “Grand Slam” events in tennis: Wimbledon, The US Open, The French Open and The Australian Open. These are considered the most important events on the tennis calendar as they have the longest history and tend to attract the highest quality players in the game. Each of the best tennis betting sites provides comprehensive coverage of tennis Grand Slam events.
Wimbledon
Wimbledon is the oldest tennis tournament in the world and the only tournament of significance still played on grass, the traditional tennis surface. The tournament was first held in 1877 and featured only a single men’s final match that was played in front of an estimated 200 spectators. Today, Wimbledon is considered by many to be the most prestigious event in tennis and all of the best tennis bookmakers provide comprehensive coverage, including Live Streaming and In-Play Betting.
US Open
The US Open is the last of the 4 major championships held each year taking place in early September at the USTA National Tennis Center in Queens, New York City. The tournament is the second oldest major in the sport having first been contested in 1881 just 4 years after the first Wimbledon Championship. It is the richest of the 4 tennis majors with prize money last year topping $60 million (£47 million). Tennis betting on the US Open each year extends into the hundreds of millions of pounds making it one of the most popular sporting events with punters.
French Open
Each of the tennis majors has some element to it that makes it a unique sporting event. In the case of the French Open, it is the fact that the tournament is played on the red clay at Roland Garros in Paris. Clay courts have been around for more than a century but the French Open is the only tennis major played on clay after the US Open switched from clay to hardcourt in the late 1970s. No one has had more success on the clay at Roland Garros than Rafael Nadal who can claim 14 French Open titles on his CV.
Australian Open
The Australian Open is the first tennis major on the calendar each year and is played in January to coincide with both the Australian summer and the Australia Day holiday. The tournament is held at the Melbourne Park Sports Venue in Melbourne Australia on an acrylic-based hardcourt surface known as GreenSet.
Tennis Live Streaming Betting Sites
The ubiquity of wireless broadband means that there is no longer any excuse for bookmakers to hold back offering Live Streams of major sporting events. That includes premium matchups at important tennis tournaments. Any site that accepts tennis bets should also provide their customers the option of viewing Live Streams and participating in In-Play betting. There are plenty of live streaming betting sites that specialise in high-quality tennis live streams.
Tennis Betting Apps
In order for a site to be considered a top tennis betting site the bookmaker needs to provide a free mobile app punters can download and install on their phone or tablet. Apps are quickly replacing browser-based sports betting because punters appreciate how fast they load, the fact that you do not need an ironclad internet connection to use them and that many tennis betting sites offer app-only promos. You will find high quality betting apps from all of the tennis betting sites listed above.
What to do if you have a gambling problem
We understand that gambling can be fun, but it is important to gamble responsibly. If you're struggling with a gambling problem, please do not hesitate to ask for help. There are people who can help you get on the road to recovery.
Here are some resources that can help you:
- National Gambling Helpline: 0808 8020 133
- GamCare: https://www.gamcare.org.uk/
- GambleAware: https://www.begambleaware.org/
Tennis Betting Sites FAQs
What is the Best Betting Site for Tennis?
Every tennis betting website on our list is regarded as one of the best. These trustworthy bookmakers cover every facet of the game and provide a wide range of markets for the biggest tennis matches on the schedule, so players never miss a moment of action.
Can you live stream Tennis with UK Betting Sites?
All of the tennis betting sites on our list are thought to be among the greatest. To ensure that players don't miss a second of action, these reliable bookies offer a large range of markets for the biggest tennis matches on the
Can you bet in-play on Tennis?
Yes, it is possible to wager on tennis in real time. This feature is not available for every match in every competition; it's usually restricted to premium matchups in elite competitions. I would not suggest in-play betting to beginners. But for those who are familiar with the key players and their habits, in-play betting may be very lucrative.
