What’s the Most Popular Bet In Tennis?

The most popular bet in tennis is the straight moneyline ticket. In this market, bettors are simply picking which side they believe will win the match. There is no spread or other numbers to consider.

In a moneyline market, payouts for favorites are reduced based on how big a favorite the side is; conversely, payouts for underdogs are increased based on how big a dog the side is. 

As an example, a -200 moneyline favorite returns $100 for every $200 of principle. A +150 moneyline underdog would return $150 of profit for every $100 bet. You can read more about what the moneyline is in sports betting at the link there.

For more specific tennis betting market explanations, you can also consider some of my other tennis blog explanations:

• What Is Set Betting?
• How Does the Spread Work in Tennis Betting?
• What Is Deuce Betting In Tennis?
• Tennis Betting Guide

Example of Tennis Moneyline Bet

In the 2024 French Open men’s singles championship, Carlos Alcaraz advanced to play Alexander Zverev. 

At the BetMGM online sportsbook, Alcaraz received a small majority of the action as a -275 favorite. Zverev was a +225 underdog on Saturday before the final. 

Alcaraz ultimately won, 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2. A bettor who placed a $275 bet on Alcaraz -275 would have received $100 in return, plus their original $275 stake. 

A $100 bet would have returned approximately $36, plus the original $100 stake.

Zverev moneyline bettors lost their money. However, if Zverev had defeated Alcaraz, a $100 bet would have paid $225 in profit, plus the original $100 stake.