Guide to US Open Tennis Betting
If you’re interested in US Open tennis betting, you need to keep a few things in mind. You should always place informed wagers, backed by research of core statistics. Plus, you should brush up on hard-court tennis rankings and keep an eye on close matches.
In this guide to US Open tennis betting, we’ll take a look at what stats you should be using to place your bets, as well as some tips for maximizing profit.
US Open Tennis Odds
Understanding the US Open
The US Open is the fourth Grand Slam tennis tournament, marking the last major tournament of the season. It’s preceded by the French Open, Australian Open, and Wimbledon. The US Open takes place over two weeks, typically starting on the last Monday of August and ending on the second Sunday of September.
It’s held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Queens, New York City.
The competition includes men’s and women’s singles and doubles, mixed doubles, as well as singles and doubles brackets for wheelchair tennis and juniors.
The exact number of participants can vary slightly from year to year, but generally, there are 128 players in each of the men’s and women’s singles games and 64 teams for the doubles events.
Most players qualify for the US Open through their ranking in the ATP (Men) or WTA (Women) rankings. Players with lower rankings can qualify in a tournament one week prior to the Open, where 16 men and 16 women will be selected to join the main draw. The tournament organizers also have Wild Cards to hand out to special-case players.
How to Bet on US Open Tennis
Tennis doesn’t have as many wager types as other sports, but there are a few key bets you should use for betting on the US Open. These include:
- Match Outcome (Moneyline): This is the simplest bet, where you’re wagering one player or team to win over the other.
- Game Handicap (Game HCP): Sportsbooks will place a handicap on the game (usually 3.5), and you can wager on which player wins more games. If you bet a positive handicap on a match, your player is awarded the handicap value to their final score. This way, even if that player loses overall, and you cover the handicap, you can still win the wager.
- Set Spread: Similar to a point spread in other sports, the set spread allows you to wager on the margin of victory that a player will win by.
- Over/Under: You can wager on the total number of sets, games, and points in each match by betting on an over amount, or an under amount.
- Props: These wagers aren’t usually based on skill, and are focused on aspects of play that have nothing to do with the winner of the match. Prop wagers on aces or serves are popular.
Advanced Stats to Use for US Open Tennis Betting
Betting on the US Open can be challenging if you don’t know how to gauge the players’ performance. Looking at the overall win rate and other stats will only get you so far. Advanced bettors should be examining statistics like:
- Set win percentage
- Double fault rate
- Aces won rate
- First Serve Percentage
Set Win Percentage
Players who historically win a high percentage of first sets often carry momentum through the match. Look for these players favored to win the first set and consider a bet on them winning the match.
Conversely, players with a strong comeback record (high win percentage after losing the first set) might be undervalued by oddsmakers if they lose the first set. Look for these players as potential underdogs with a good chance of winning the match.
While set win percentage can be a useful metric, don’t look at it in a vacuum. Head-to-head records and past performance on specific surfaces (hard court in this case) can be more informative than just overall set win percentage. If a player historically struggles against a specific opponent, their high overall win percentage might be misleading.
Double Faults
Double faults are more common on faster surfaces like the US Open’s hard courts so looking at the double fault rate can give you some insight into how a player might perform.
Players prone to high double fault rates might struggle when facing crucial points. If a player with a shaky serve is facing a strong returner, consider betting on the opponent to win sets or even the match.
Players with a history of going stretches with few double faults can be good bets, especially if they’re facing a weaker opponent. A server in good form can rack up aces and free points, potentially dominating the match.
Aces Won
Players with a high aces per match average can be strong contenders, especially on fast surfaces like the US Open’s hard courts. Aces lead to free points and put pressure on opponents.
If a player known for aces is facing someone with a weak return game, it increases their chance of racking up aces and potentially winning the match.
However, aces are just one way to win points. Players with a high ace count might still struggle with other aspects of their game.
First Serve Percentage
First serve percentage is a strong stat to consider when making US Open wagers because it reflects a player’s serving consistency.
A strong first serve puts pressure on the opponent, making it harder for them to return effectively. This can lead to easy points or force weaker returns that the server can capitalize on. Players with a high first serve percentage tend to make fewer double faults and other serving errors, leading to more control over the point.
In general, players with a high first serve percentage, especially on hard courts like the US Open’s, have a better chance of winning service games and potentially the match. Players with a low first serve percentage might struggle to hold serve consistently, especially against strong returners. This can be an advantage for their opponent.
US Open Betting Tips
Some common tips you’ll be given as a bettor include “set a budget” or “don’t bet when you have a bias”, and while these are true, they don’t provide much value. If you’re a bettor who is hunting for value, abide by these tips for the US Open:
Examine Close Matches for Future Potential
The US Open is the fourth Grand Slam of the year, so it’s a make-or-break tournament for many tennis players. The US Open is known for its wild comebacks and determined underdogs, so watching close games can give you some insight into which players are giving their all.
Close matches often come down to a few key points. By examining close games, you might see if a player struggles with their serve when down or if their return game falters in high-pressure situations. These insights can help you predict potential vulnerabilities in future close matches.
It’s particularly helpful to watch close matches at the beginning of the tournament and identify players who can clutch games. They might be ranked as an underdog, but if they have a habit of leveling the playing field in later games, that might indicate betting value.
Follow Hard Court Champions
Players who consistently perform well in hard court tournaments leading up to the US Open are more likely to carry that momentum into the big event. Analyzing their win-loss records, deep runs in tournaments, and overall comfort level on hard courts can provide valuable insights for your betting strategy.
Understanding how a player performs on hard courts can also help you identify potential weaknesses in their upcoming opponent. If a player known for their dominant clay court game is facing a hard court specialist, the hard court specialist might be a strong underdog bet despite their ranking.
Players like Novak Djokovic, Ben Shelton, and Hamad Medjedovic all excel on hard, outdoor courts.
Use a Handicapping Service
Professional sports bettors spend more time reading stats than actually watching sports, and they publish their information and research for other bettors to see. Picks, predictions, and specific wagers are all great resources for US Open bettors.
Handicappers often charge a small fee for their services, but the data and picks they provide can boost your performance as a bettor. Even if you don’t agree with all the handicapper’s picks, you can still draw insight from the trends they’re following and the types of wagers they are making.
If you’re stuck in a betting rut, or just want to maximize profit, we’d recommend finding a handicapper you like and sticking with them. The key to successful sports betting is information, so having multiple sources of data and experience will make your life easier.
Score a Win With the Best US Open Betting Odds
The US Open is the last big tennis tournament of the year, so it’s the last chance for many lower-ranked players to move ahead. When betting on the US Open, it’s important to look at advanced statistics like double fault rate and aces won to help make more informed wagers.
We’d also recommend signing up to receive picks on the US Open, qualifying events, and other Grand Slam tournaments.
At Scores and Stats, our exceptional handicappers are hard at work edging out betting value, so you can sit back and enjoy the match. By using our premium service, you get access to thousands of data points, picks, and expert insights for US Open betting as well as a host of other sports.