The Basics of Betting Outright on Tennis Tournaments

The Basics of Betting Outright on Tennis Tournaments

When you place a bet on a tennis tournament outright, this works differently to betting on an individual game. If you haven’t done it before then it is a great way to get involved in the full tournament, saving you from needing to bet every day, instead you can place your bets before the tournament begins and then sit back and watch the actin unfold.
When you place a bet on the outright tournament the main market to use is the market for who will win the game. On the very big events you may find other markets available but generally speaking there will only be one outright market and that is the one we will focus on here.
If you are looking to use this market, whether it is for the very first time or if you have used it before and want to do so again, then here is our guide, telling you what you need to know.

Each Way Betting

Although the market is known as the one where you pick who will win the tournament, you can bet each way on this market. Tennis each way terms are always on the first two players, so if you are betting each way then you need your player to either win the tournament or finish second. The each way terms will vary depending on the event and if any bookmakers have a special offer on but usually the terms will be 1/2 odds or 1/3 odds. For example, if you back a player each way at 10/1 and the terms are 1/2 odds then you will be paid out at 5/1 if you have a player who finished second on the each way part of your bet.
It is entirely up to you whether you bet each way and cover yourself, or you bet to win and hope that your player can do the business. Sometimes you will be better off by betting each way, if you player finishes second, but the bet you are placing will cost you double your stake when you bet each way so this is something to think about. Some tennis punters bet to win, some bet each way, decide what you want to do and the only advice to give would be to stick to one type of betting.

Check The Draw

When you are betting on the tournament winner you can check the draw to try and work out which players your player will have to face in each round to get to the final. You can only guess this of course, because you will be placing your bet before the first round begins, let alone the other rounds that will come later. However, you will be able to make a decision based on this, and you will see whether your player has a good draw, and you want to back him, or a bad draw, and you want to avoid him.
If you bet outright on other sports, it is unlikely you will get this advantage so make sure you use it and make your picks based on it. Players you should be looking out for are players who have nice draws and avoid the big guns, while if you are looking at a player who has a tough draw you should look to bypass those, as their chances of getting to the final are smaller because of the players they will need to beat.
The winner of an event is often a combination of the best player in the tournament and the one with the best path to the final. If a player has an easier opening to the tournament they can ease their way in and not have to be at their very best from the start. This will allow them to conserve energy for the later rounds and that could be the difference maker when two of the world’s best go head to head for the final.

Alternative Markets

Although not as common, there are other ways which you can bet outright on a tennis tournament. These will usually only appear for the majors and other big events, but it is important to know about them because you may be able to find a betting opportunity inside.

To reach the semi-final/To reach the final

This is the most common market, and something you should see for all the majors. On this market instead of backing someone to win the event outright, you are backing them to reach the final, regardless of whether they win or lose, or you are backing them to reach the semi-finals or better. This is a great market for those who like to study the draw, you may find value on someone to reach the semi-finals who you think has a nice draw, but a player who you don’t fancy to win outright.
This market is certainly one where you can find a betting opportunity if you look hard enough. Many punters will not even look at the markets like this, so be sure to know and understand them so you can be the one taking advantage.

Winning half or quarter of the draw

Another reason for looking at the draw is to see where the strong players are, and which players you fancy to come out on top. On the bigger events, some bookmakers will allow you to predict which half of the draw, or which quarter of the draw the winner will come from. You don’t have to name which player will win when you are doing this, you just need to say which part of the draw the winner will come from.
If you are looking for an alternative way to bet and you think you have read the draw and you see that some players have a huge advantage then this is certainly a market to look at. This is another market that many punters often leave, so make sure you are the one who can take advantage of it.