5 Things You Should Never Do When Betting on tennis

Betting on major tennis tournaments is a fun way to get more involved in the game, but making right predictions involves a lot more than just reviewing previous match results or recent performances.

Choosing a reliable betting platform is also important, and consulting resources like the ‘ Legalbet bookmakers rating‘, which covers various operators, can help you to pick a bookie offering the best options for tennis.

But even if you bet at the best sportsbook, nothing ruins the fun faster than losing your bet because you didn’t do your homework. Let’s have a look at five things that you should never do when making predictions and betting on tennis majors.

1. Never Ignore Surface Specialisation

Imagine you’re backing a top player like Daniil Medvedev at the French Open because, well, he’s ranked No 8 in the world. This may seem like a good choice, yes? But the surface doesn’t lie. Daniil Medvedev’s performance on clay is significantly weaker than on hard courts. In 2021, bettors who ignored this fact were surprised when he was defeated at the ATP Masters 1000 Madrid by Cristian Garin, an expert on clay court, even though Medvedev had been the strong favourite to win.

In a similar manner, Casper Ruud shows excellent performance on clay but has trouble playing well on grass. His impressive form at the French Open led many people who placed bets to anticipate good outcomes from him at Wimbledon. However, his inability to achieve success on grass resulted in less-than-satisfactory results. The message here is straightforward: players, such as Ruud, that specialise in one surface can perform drastically different when they change from one type of court to another.

2. Never Chase Hot Streaks Without Context

Many people often think that a “hot streak” will go on forever. After Emma Raducanu’s great victory at the 2021 US Open, there was much excitement worldwide about what she could do next. Bettors quickly went back to her in next tournaments, but felt let down when she struggled with bigger expectations and stronger opponents.

The lesson? Always question yourself: Who were their competitors during this successful run? How well does their playing style fit with potential competitors? It’s not just about winning many times in a row, but how they play against others that matters more.

3. Never Underestimate the Physical Loads

A tennis major is more like a marathon, not a sprint. The tough matches that can go up to five sets tire players out, especially in the final rounds. Players who play many hours on court at the start of a tournament usually feel very tired later, especially during their service games.

Stefanos Tsitsipas is a good example. People know him for his playing style and strong energy on the tennis court, but he is just a regular person like everyone else. Those supporting him in the last parts of matches after he got tired from earlier rounds have many times seen him struggle. In the French Open 2021 final, despite tough matches earlier, he could not keep his lead of two sets over Novak Djokovic.

If you want to bet on an athlete in the second week of an important competition, consider how much energy they used to get there. An athlete who wins easily and quickly is in a better situation than one who had many long and tough matches that lasted five sets.

4. Never Rely Solely on Head-to-Head Records

Comparing wins and losses might seem like a simple way to predict outcomes, but tennis is not that straightforward. For example, think about the famous rivalry between Djokovic and Roger Federer. The total wins and losses they have in regular tour events are very close, with Federer having 23 wins while Djokovic has 27.

But when looking at their matches during Grand Slam tournaments, which are more intense and important situations; Novak Djokovic clearly does better than Roger Federer by winning 11 times compared to only 6 victories for Federer. This difference shows an important thing in betting: direct records can be misleading if you do not research the context of those matches

5. Never Overlook Lesser-Known Tournament Results

Use the information from lesser-known ATP and WTA tournaments to gain an advantage in major betting. Often, people pay attention only to big events like Grand Slams but minor competitions can provide useful patterns too. For instance, Dan Evans showed great performance at Sydney International in the beginning of 2022 that supported him with good momentum into the Australian Open – where he reached the third round. In the same way, Alison Riske’s victory at Hobart International in 2020 brought about a remarkable play at the Australian Open where she made it to the fourth round. These lesser-known events usually provide athletes with chances to gain momentum or enhance their confidence outside of great public attention.