Tennis Lines and Spreads

Betting on tennis is super popular right now, and most sports bettors turn their attention to the Grand Slam events. However, there are ATP and WTA events throughout the year, allowing you to bet on many matches and tournaments. If you’re just getting started with tennis betting, the best bets to place are moneyline and spread bets, which we explain in detail below. 

The Moneyline in Tennis

The easiest way to bet on tennis is to place a moneyline wager, also called a tennis line. All you need to do is pick the winner of the match, and you don’t need to worry about how many points are scored or how many games or sets a player wins. Here’s what a tennis line might look like: 

Casper Ruud (-140) vs. Frances Tiafoe (+160) 

In this tennis moneyline example, Ruud is the clear favorite to defeat Tiafoe, as he is given negative odds. At -140, the sportsbook shows that you would need to place a $140 wager to return a profit of $100 if Ruud wins the match. Conversely, if you think Tiafoe is capable of an upset, a $100 bet would return a profit of $160. 

When you’re just getting started with tennis betting, a moneyline wager is undoubtedly the easiest bet to place and is a great way to ease yourself into betting on the sport. 

Spread Betting in Tennis

You can place a tennis spread bet to make things slightly more interesting on your betting slip. In tennis, most spread bets refer to the number of games, but you can also bet on set spreads if you prefer. Here’s what a tennis spread bet might look like: 

Game spread

Alexander Zverev (-4.5) vs. Tommy Paul (+4.5) 

Set spread

Alexander Zverev (-1.5) vs. Tommy Paul (+1.5) 

In the game spread, Zverev begins the match with a 4.5-game handicap, which he will need to overcome for you to win your bet. In other words, he will need to win the match against Tommy Paul by five games for you to win your bet. Conversely, provided that Paul doesn’t lose by more than four games, you would win a bet on the American. 

The set spread in tennis is always set at 1.5, and the same logic applies. Zverev would need to win the match by two clear sets, while Tommy Paul could afford to lose by one set and still win you your spread bet. 

Recap: Lines and Spreads in Tennis

As you can see, moneyline and spread bets in tennis are really easy to understand and provide you with an excellent foundation for your tennis betting slip this season. For more information about tennis lines, spreads, and other bet types, check out our complete guide to betting on tennis to ensure you have all the information that you need to get started.