Every sport usually has its signature event on the calendar every season. In the NFL, fans wait around for the Super Bowl, NASCAR fans get ready for the Daytona 500, golf fans like The Masters and the Kentucky Derby is the highlight of the horse racing season. For the sport of tennis, the most prestigious event on the sporting calendar is Wimbledon. The event is held at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London.
With the increase in the number of states legalizing sports betting, the biggest events will feature more and more betting volume because the betting public will be more interested in the sports’ premier events every year, way more than a regular event that can be seen just about every weekend. Also, sportsbooks are in high competition to fight for new users in a booming industry especially in a state like New York with a significant number of potential sports bettors. Because of that, several of them may offer different promotions through odds boosts and free bets for big events.
Tennis is already a popular sport to be betting on, and events like Wimbledon are likely to continue to grow in interest. In this article, you will learn the status of online sports betting in New York, some of the best betting sites, Wimbledon betting tips, the history of the event, and more.
Online sports betting in New York
Sports betting in the state of New York is currently legal, though wagers are only being accepted at physical locations. Individual states are allowed to set their own rules and regulations regarding sports betting due to the repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, and New York is set to launch online sports betting soon. The state is figuring out the logistics and legislation of mobile betting but once it is finalized, this will produce a significant amount of money wagered on sports moving forward inside the state.
Top tennis betting sites coming to New York
Once online sports betting does go live in New York, there will be several options available to sports bettors. Three of the main legal sportsbooks in the United States are DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM, and they figure to be key players in New York’s online sports betting launch, though there will be several suitors vying for this large sports betting market.
While betting at a physical sportsbook or through a computer can be a fine experience, none of it compares to the ease of use in utilizing the different sportsbook apps available, and there are several reasons why apps are going to provide a better user experience. First of all, just about everything can be done from a mobile device, and the convenience of being able to take your phone out of your pocket to place a quick wager on an event like Wimbledon makes for a much more efficient sports wagering experience.
At this point, a bet cannot be placed on sports through a mobile device inside of New York’s borders. However, several sports bettors who reside in the state will drive to a state like New Jersey, which is among several states that allows online sports wagering. Once the bettor is in New Jersey, he or she can use their preferred sportsbook app and place wagers on sports. It is legal to create an account and deposit money from New York, but the bettor must be in a state that offers legal sports betting to place a bet.
Finally, another reason to download a sportsbook app is due to the recent innovation of live betting, which is perfect for wagering on Wimbledon matches. Live betting can also be referred to as in-game betting, and now bettors can place wagers on events as they are happening. No longer do bettors need to place their bets before the start of a match, and it can be a fun way to get in on the action as you’re watching it unfold.
Betting lines for Wimbledon
There are several ways to bet on Wimbledon tennis and one of the popular ways people will wager is through futures betting. Some sportsbooks will offer futures odds all year round for the biggest events in tennis including Wimbledon. Odds will fluctuate as oddsmakers see fit, but bettors may place a bet on the winner of Wimbledon even months in advance if they would like.
Because there are so many competitors to choose from and so much can happen leading up to the event, the payout could be quite high if you choose the correct winner.
While futures betting on Wimbledon heavily favors the sportsbook like almost all wagers, there are ways to gain value on individual competitors. A good time to bet a Wimbledon winner could be after the athlete goes through a bad performance in a tournament leading up to the big event. The updated Wimbledon odds may reflect that, and you can find a buy-low opportunity in your futures bet. Another popular idea is to wait closer to the start of Wimbledon because there are fewer unknowns than there would be if you place the bet several months prior with your money tied up to that one bet for a long time.
In addition to futures betting, several betting types can be wagered during a single match during Wimbledon. Here’s a look at some of the main betting categories.
Outright match winner
The outright match winner can also be referred to as a moneyline bet where you are simply choosing which player will win the match. The odds will be set in a way that betting on the underdog would result in a higher payout if the bet was a winner than it would be betting the same amount on the favorite to win.
Game or set spreads
Much like a point spread in football or basketball, game spreads and set spreads are the oddsmakers’ way of evening the playing field by giving the underdog an advantage before the match starts. The underdog could be getting +1.5 sets on the spread, which would mean the underdog must either win outright or lose by less than 1.5 sets for the bet to be a winner. On the other side, a -1.5 set spread for the favorite would mean the favorite needs to win the match by more than 1.5 sets for a winning bet.
Over/under for games or sets
Oddsmakers will also set a number for how many games or sets will take place during a match. If the set total is listed at 2.5, the bettor can bet whether there will be more or less than 2.5 sets in the match.
No matter what type of wager, odds will fluctuate based on a variety of different factors including injuries, performances, and news. The lines may also change based on the action from the betting public. If there is a large percentage of money going to one player, the sportsbook could adjust the odds to protect themselves from a significant loss.
Live betting on Wimbledon
As mentioned earlier, live betting refers to wagers happening while the match is taking place. In this case, tennis is an incredibly popular sport to live bet, so there are a lot of bettors who will use this option during big events such as Wimbledon. Live betting is a fast-paced style of wagering as odds will fluctuate throughout the match, and they’ll be moving rapidly by the second. Bettors need to be quick to get their wager in to give themselves the optimal betting numbers.
There are several betting options to choose from when live betting including picking the outright winner. Tennis can be a sport with several runs with momentum switching sides quickly. This is a spot where many live bettors can identify value. Other betting options include betting on individual points like what will happen on the next serve, live betting on individual games or sets, and more. Also, there are other prop bets available like predicting the exact game score, whether a game will go to the deuce, the exact set score, and more.
Because bets are being placed on items like individual points, accuracy is incredibly important. Fortunately for tennis bettors, the camera angles and technology in Wimbledon make for a small number of incorrect judgments.
Wimbledon betting tips for beginners
Now that we’ve gone through some of the basics of betting on Wimbledon, let’s take a look at some of the betting tips for the event. No matter what you’re betting on, it’s important to do your research before making the wager to make the most informed decision possible.
1. Research performance on grass surfaces
Wimbledon is the only one of the four Majors that are played on a grass surface, so this is an area bettors can gain an edge through research. Some tennis players excel on clay courts or hard courts, while others play their best on a grass surface, which could be undervalued by the betting public.
2. Follow the smaller events
Wimbledon is thought to be the biggest event on the tennis calendar and because of that, many tennis bettors will only tune in for this tournament. To get an edge on the rest of the public, it might make sense to monitor the sport by following the lesser publicized events because you’d likely be a step ahead of the rest of the bettors who are likely only paying attention to Wimbledon.
3. Check for injuries
Before placing a bet on an individual tennis player, a quick Google search on that player should give you the latest information and news on the athlete, which may include a potential injury history and if they are currently battling some sort of ailment. This can be a big factor in winning or losing a bet.
Betting on Wimbledon doubles matches
In addition to the singles tournament at Wimbledon that gets much more attention, there are also doubles competitions held. There are a ton of similarities between singles and doubles play, but in doubles sometimes talent is somewhat less important than how well two individuals play together. Developing chemistry between the two players is crucial in a successful performance at Wimbledon.
When betting on doubles, be sure to research how long the two partners have been playing together. If they’re just starting, they might not have enough experience together to make a big run. Also, it might be worth researching the individual skill sets for each player to determine whether their strengths will complement each other well.
Wimbledon winners – Past 5 years
Several individuals have been able to hold up the Wimbledon Championship Trophy in the past five years. On the men’s side, the recent winners include Andy Murray (2016), Roger Federer (2017), and Novak Djokovic (2018 and 2019). In the women’s competition, recent champions include Serena Williams (2016), Garbine Muguruza (2017), Angelique Kerber (2018), and Simona Halep (2019).
The 2020 version of Wimbledon was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wimbledon Betting FAQ
Who is the favorite to win the 2021 Wimbledon?
Individual sportsbooks may differ on Wimbledon betting odds, but the men’s betting favorite to do it this year is Novak Djokovic, who has won each of the last two Wimbledon events. On the women’s side, Naomi Osaka is the betting favorite, and this would be her first Wimbledon championship.
When does Wimbledon start in 2021?
The 2021 version of Wimbledon will begin on Monday, June 28, and finish on Sunday, July 11.
Is tennis the best sport to bet on?
It comes down to the individual bettor’s preference, but tennis should see an increase in wagering especially with the innovation of live betting while matches are taking place.