Tennis betting guide: Tips on bets, parlays, spreads, wagers

The Grand Slam stage is where tennis legends are made … and where savvy bettors can find unique opportunities. Betting on tennis majors requires strategy, discipline and a keen eye for value. Whether you’re chasing the thrill of an underdog story or riding the coattails of a dominant favorite, these tips will help you navigate the 2025 Australian Open and other major tournaments with confidence.

Four types of wagers to make

There’s more to betting on tennis than picking the eventual tournament winner. Here are four kinds of bets we recommend investigating to find which ones best suit your wagering style and risk tolerance.

1. Early-round two-favorites parlays
Strategically combining two favorites in a parlay is an effective way to reduce juice and create more favorable odds. This involves pairing a strong favorite (e.g., -350) with a slightly riskier favorite (e.g., -200) to balance the odds to somewhere near even, such as -105. By doing so, you essentially “pay” -105 for the higher-risk -200 play while incorporating the security of the strong -350 favorite. Limiting parlays to two players and including one high-confidence pick ensures balance. This strategy works well in early major rounds when top seeds typically face lower-ranked opponents.

2. Set spreads
In men’s Grand Slam tournaments, set spreads often provide better value than game totals or game spreads because of the best-of-five format. This longer format introduces more variance and comeback opportunities, making set spreads a strategic choice for optimizing returns. Backing a strong player at -1.5 sets, for example, typically offers better odds than a money-line bet while still maintaining a strong likelihood of success

Set spreads account for the dominance of elite players without requiring a complete sweep of the match. A favorite might win in four sets, covering a -1.5 spread, even if one set is tightly contested, which might not meet game spread requirements. This is particularly useful when favorites unexpectedly lose focus in a set or face resilient opponents.

For bettors confident in a player to dominate in straight sets, a -1.5 set spread offers an efficient option with extra legroom, especially when parlayed with another set spread or a money-line favorite. When betting set spreads, evaluate factors such as five-set match history,…