Tennis Trading in 2022 – Complete Guide

Tennis trading guide from TheTrader

The basics of tennis trading. In this guide we’re answering these questions:

  • How to trade tennis?
  • How much money can you make?
  • Are there any secrets we can share?

Jump in and enjoy learning!

Harry TheTrader 8 minutes

Tennis is one of the most dynamic sports. Scores and odds can change dramatically in mere seconds, depending on the course of the match, making it an even more promising opportunity to earn money tennis trading.

If you utilise the right approach and considerable discipline, you can make a lot of money by watching the game and assessing the performance of the athletes.

How?

In this article, we’ll discover how to trade tennis to make money, as well as everything you need to look out for in order to become a successful tennis trader.

Chapter 1

What is Tennis Trading?

What is Tennis Trading?

Tennis trading explained in the simplest terms.

Check out our example and understand in no time!

Let’s jump in!

We’ll start at the beginning, so no one is left in doubt.

What is tennis trading?

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Tennis Trading is the activity of buying and selling betting odds during a match.

A tennis trader may BACK or LAY a bet in order to do the opposite later in the tournament and benefit from the price difference.

Back and Lay Odds on tennis match

For example, if we backed Hubert Hurkacz at odds of 1.60, we have two options.

We can cash out our bet with a decent profit because the odds to BACK H.Hurkacz are 1.20 right now, or we can place a LAY bet on Hubert Hurkacz to make a profit regardless of the outcome.

Chapter 2

What makes tennis odds change?

What makes tennis odds change?

In the following section, we answer the questions:

• What affects the behaviour of the odds?
• What is the difference between the behaviour of odds pre-match and in-play?
• Can we predict the movement of the odds?

Ready? Let’s go!

In this case, the situation depends on whether the event is live or pre-game.To help you better understand the factors influencing odds fluctuations, we will present them in the form of a table below.

So, what makes the odds fluctuate in tennis?

Pre-MatchIn-Play
TipstersEvery Point
Professional GamblersWinning a set
WeatherLosing a set
Public information about health problemsPlayer engagement

As you can see, numerous factors influence the odds in tennis, and that’s not all of them.

We have listed only those that have a significant impact, but of course, there will be factors that have a minor effect on price behaviour.

How to predict the fluctuation of tennis odds?

Unfortunately, we must disappoint you at the outset because we have to point out that there are no algorithms that predict the behaviour of tennis odds.

Everything you need should be in your head.

Hopefully, it’s obvious that you need to have the necessary knowledge of the sport to achieve positive results while trading.

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So don’t start trading a sport that you don’t have the slightest idea about!

Consider a pre-match favourite with a starting price on the betting exchange of 1.90.

If they manage to defeat their opponent spectacularly, we may expect their price to fall to approximately 1.45. If they were priced at 1.60, they would drop to 1.30.

If they were priced at 1.35, they would be priced at 1.18. The odds shown are approximate and may vary slightly from actual odds.

Pre-Match odds on favouriteOdds after breaking the opponent
1.901.45
1.601.30
1.351.18

So, after dropping to 1.45 after breaking their opponent, our player would revert to his original starting price of 1.90 if he lost his serve and conceded the break lead.

This is why knowledge and experience in a particular sport are an essential part of successful sports trading.

Chapter 3

How to trade tennis?

How to trade tennis?

• What does trading look like?
• What should we pay attention to?
• Pre-Match and In-Play trading explained

Ready to find out more?

Let’s get started!

Choose the right market

Finding the right market involves several important aspects.

Therefore, it’s worthwhile to familiarize yourself with them and keep them all in mind to maximize your profits.

The first one is the tournament in which you want to trade.

We should be aware of the conditions under which it is held so that nothing disappoints us during the match.

The biggest tennis championships

You’re probably wondering how the hell does choosing an event affect successful trading?

Well, let us explain.

The Australian and American tournaments are played on hard courts, while the French and Wimbledon are played on clay – and it is the court surface that makes the difference.

Most players are not experts on each of them, and this is where you have the opportunity to get ahead of less-experienced traders.

If you know that a player doesn’t perform well on one particular surface, why not take advantage of that when the odds aren’t quite right?

Another vital element is to become familiar with the players whose match we will be trading before we’re even thinking about trading. You might be wondering why!

Rafael Nadal is playing tennis

It’s similar to the situation in football.

For example, some teams pay more attention to matches in the Champions League or the Europa League than matches in the National Cup.

It is the same in tennis.

Some players pay more attention to the matches in the Australian Open than the French Open, and that’s completely understandable.

Maybe they just feel and perform much better on a hard surface.

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Can’t choose an exchange? Here is the list of the best betting exchanges for tennis trading.

Check liquidity

It may surprise you, but this aspect should be considered first.

After all, what can we do with proper preparation, knowledge, analysis, and correct odds estimation if our trade cannot be matched

The answer, of course, is nothing.

Liquidity on Betfair tennis market

Even if we were experts in tennis players like Irina Bara and Ekaterine Gorgodze, we wouldn’t get anything if only so much money was matched on the market.

You can see that only £45 has been traded in this market (1 or 2).

Admittedly, it is just the market for the winner of the match, but don’t expect much more liquidity in the other ones, such as the Set Winner Market.

Liquidity mainly depends on the event the tennis players are participating in and the players themselves. The more famous they are, or the bigger the event, the higher the liquidity will be.

Pre-Match

Pre-Match Tennis Trading is not one of the easiest ones precisely because of liquidity.

However, if you don’t have time to follow a live match or simply prefer pre-match trading, you should be patient.

In pre-match trading, your trade will rarely be matched on the spot unless you use odds and amounts that are already offered by other exchange users.

Pre-match tennis line on Betfair

You won’t have a problem with pre-match trading if you choose top-ranked events or just match between world-class players.

There’s no need to worry about liquidity there, and traders using a scalping trading strategy do a great job.

Here, we are mainly talking about the Betfair Exchange, where liquidity is astronomically high compared to its competitors.

The pre-match trading method itself has a lower risk compared to live trading.

Consequently, the profits are also smaller.

Nevertheless, it is important to consider whether it is worth guaranteeing yourself a smaller profit than risking it during the match.

The pre-match risk is also lower because the odds do not change as rapidly as they would in a live match.

And this is where you can prosper by utilizing your experience and knowledge to estimate the behaviour of the odds correctly.

As we mentioned earlier, the behaviour of pre-match odds is influenced by factors such as injuries, serious gamblers, those with so-called inside knowledge, and the player’s motivation for the tournament.

If you think you can predict the movement of odds correctly, don’t risk any real money straight away!

First, try Betfair’s free exchange simulator here: BETFAIR EXCHANGE SIMULATOR

In-Play

This is where the fun begins 😊

In-play tennis line on Betfair

You might ask why there is more fun and excitement during live tennis trading?

Well, here’s why:

  • More profits
  • Bigger odds fluctuations
  • Greater satisfaction
  • Better liquidity
  • But also higher risks

There is a lot of action during a live match, but in-play football trading is nothing compared to in-play tennis trading. The odds change a lot after every single point in tennis.

In contrast, in football, sometimes nothing can ultimately happen for the entire game.

Just take a look at the screenshot below.

price and volume at tennis market

The odds in this match for Madison Brengle to win ranged from 1.17 all the way up to 11! Imagine if you had placed a LAY bet on Madison Brengle at odds of 1.20 at the start of the match.

Then, only 30 minutes later, you could have closed the trade with a 300% profit of your liability!

Sound tempting? We know!

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But remember, it involves correctly predicting any part of the match, so if you think you have that ability, use the free Betfair exchange simulator linked in the section above.

Chapter 4

Profitable tennis trading strategies

Profitable tennis trading strategies

You will find strategies for both beginners and more experienced players below.

• What are the differences?
• What are the risks?

Check it out!

Low-risk tennis trading strategies for beginners

Before we enter our first trade, we need to know what risk really is.

It is not a suitable decision if the risk is too high compared to the potential profit.

We have to look for a situation where the potential loss is quite low, and the possible profit is great.

Never the other way around!

risk explained picture

Lay a player who serves to win a set or match

This is an elementary tactic that explains just about everything in its name. It all comes down to the pressure on the player to win the match or set, and that’s what we want to take advantage of.

This works well in the third set, with the set score at 1-1, as the potential shift in odds is huge if only the player gets broken.

However, if it doesn’t work out and the player holds his serve, just trade out with a small loss and try again.

Hey, wait a second! I just lost my trade and you want me to try again?

What if I lose again and again?

Some might say:

If that’s what you thought, that’s okay; it means you still have a lot to learn, and you’re just a novice trader.

The risk in lay betting on a winning player is trivially low, and that’s because the odds at which we place lay bets are, or should be, at a maximum of 1.30.

This means that even if we lose our first, second, and third trades, but win the fourth, we will still make a profit – a small profit, but a profit nonetheless.

So the lower the lay odds are, the less you risk, and therefore the more leeway you have.

Lay the Leader

The Lay the Leader technique is perhaps the most common tennis trading method used by both new and experienced tennis traders.

The technique is all about waiting for a player to break serve, then placing a lay bet on the player who made the break in the hope that the other player will break back.

Tennis traders use the Lay the Leader method most commonly in WTA events because the serves aren’t as powerful, and service breaks are more frequent.

Lay the Leader technique usage

If a break back occurs, you will be able to exit your trade with a profit.

You can also bet all of your money on one tennis player, for example, if you lay the underdog after they break in the first set of the match and the favourite immediately breaks again.

In this scenario, many traders will put all of their profit on the pre-match favourite and then let the bet run as a free bet.

If your chosen player does not break back, you have a few options.

You have the opportunity to exit your trade at the end of the set for a slight loss or wait to see if your player breaks first in the following set.

Best Tennis trading strategies for experienced players

The 15-40 tennis trading strategy

The 15-40 tennis method works as follows: if the server is down to 15-40, a lay bet is made if the favourite’s price is more than 1.40, with the expectation that the receiver will win one of the following two points and win the game. 

If this occurs, a green-up rule will be triggered at the start of the next game, locking in your profit.

The 15-40 tennis trading strategy example

If not, and the server manages to get the score back to 40-40, another green-up rule will be triggered, hedging up for a minuscule loss. 

The entire procedure will start over when one of your chosen players is serving and is 15-40 down.

The ONLY entrance points are 15-40 or 0-40. Don’t be tempted to play 30-40.

You will lose more frequently than you will win. Suppose the server pulls back to a 40-40 split, hedge for the loss, and wait for the next chance. 

If the set has gone to a tie break, wait until one player is two mini-breaks up.

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As a result, the technique works best against players who serve poorly and aren’t particularly good at saving strokes.

In-Play Tennis Trading

This method involves trading throughout a game and looking for rapid gains after a point or two.

Thus, it is riskier than the previous tennis techniques. Still, by employing software such as Geeks Toy or Bet Angel, you should be able to obtain matched bets the majority of the time.

In-game tennis line on Betfair Exchange

In-game trading is done by seeking appropriate entrance points, such as at specific scores when a strong server or strong returner is not performing well in a game.

For example, if the server is down 15–40 on their serve, the odds are stacked against them, and the majority of the market expects them to lose.

Using the statistics, you may wager on the good server to rally and win the set.

In contrast, if a weak server is leading 30–15, laying them might pay well if they lose.

As we mentioned, it is best to use trading software like Geeks Toy or Bet Angel.

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This is why this particular strategy is for experienced traders because the best results can be achieved with software.

Chapter 5

Tips from the expert: How to make money trading tennis?

Tips from the expert: How to make money trading tennis?

Are you looking for a way to make money trading?

Not sure what to look out for?

No problem – we’ll help you!

Check out the key aspects!

At the outset, it is worth reminding you that our interest is key.

Even if not necessarily in the sport, but certainly in the event, we’ll be trading and the players who’ll be involved in our bets.

To make a reasonable income from tennis trading, you must reach a level of activity where you trade just a few times each day but with high values.

However, you must always trade with stake values proportional to your bankroll, a maximum of 5% per trade, to prevent unnecessary danger.

Thus, you must increase your trading capital to an amount that allows you to employ big stakes.

Do not trade too much

We already wrote about this above, but it bears repeating.

Remember: Quality over quantity. If you’re just starting out in trading, you’ve probably dealt with situations where you couldn’t stop yourself after winning several trades or bets in a row.

And this is a huge mistake.

You should set goals, but achievable ones. Don’t expect to earn £1000 per month with a starting budget of £100. Trading is a psychologically demanding endeavor that requires intense concentration for up to an hour.

As a result, if you trade too many matches, you will become exhausted.

So take care of your mental health and give yourself a rest.

Start with money you can afford to lose

But before you even start trading, remember that you can use the BETFAIR EXCHANGE SIMULATOR.

Even if you practice, you won’t become an expert just like that. You have to take into account that you may lose your initial capital. Rome wasn’t built in a day.

But before you build up your capital again, analyse the mistakes you made.

This is a crucial point because a person learns from their mistakes, and if you do not, it will mean that you lost money for nothing.

Start your trading with the smallest amount possible. Since Betfair allows betting as low as £2, start with a maximum of £100.

Of course, you can bet a smaller amount on the exchange, but you’ll need to use trading software.

Consider just a few players or a few events

We can bet that your trading will go much better if you know the event you are trading in or the players involved.

By the way, you will see better results yourself.

Try to stick to the same strategy because jumping back and forth and failing to master one specialisation will not lead to anything good.

If you have chosen a WTA-related strategy, stick with it.

Analyse, try to correct your mistakes. To become an expert in something, you need to devote a lot of time to it, especially when it comes to trading and dealing with your own money.

Chapter 6

Tennis trading software

Tennis trading software

• Do we need to use special trading software?
• How does software help us?
• Which software is best?

Take a look!

Trading software can make your job a lot easier, especially if you want to use a swing trading or scalping strategy. They are mainly designed for this purpose.

Which ones should you consider?

geeks toy logotype

Without question, Geeks Toy and Bet Angel. These two giants dominate the trading software market – and with good reason!

Bet angel logotype

Geeks Toy and Bet Angel are third-party software tools that allow you to trade on the Betfair Exchange using features that aren’t available on the Betfair website.

One of the primary benefits of utilising software is the speed at which bets can be placed.

When it comes to tennis trading, time is of the essence, and fantastic trade opportunities can be missed in milliseconds.

We could write a lot about them, but we’ve already dedicated fantastic, in-depth articles to that, so be sure to check them out on our site!

Chapter 7

Mistakes to avoid

Mistakes to avoid

Crucial mistakes when trading tennis.

If you don’t make them, you’ll end up losing!

Learn what to be wary of!

Not using live-streaming

There are some tennis traders who earn a lot of money using livescore or flashscore, but these are experts who know what they’re doing.

When you first start out, you must follow the action on the livestream because you have to be able to read the match correctly.

Observing how effectively players serve, return points, and act in general can tell you which trade option to choose far more quickly than simply looking at statistics on the screen.

Chasing a loss

It never ends well. Never. The key in all of this is to set goals properly and also the maximum amount you can lose.

If we exceed it, then we are either addicted to gambling or unable to accept defeat.

Either way, both scenarios are very bad and lead to bankruptcy.

Make sure you manage your budget adequately, and if you have a bad streak, just stop trading and start again the next day or week with a clear head.

Maybe you were just unlucky or prepared poorly.

Either way, rest, take some time and analyse your mistakes because in trading, anything is possible, and you have to consider every scenario.

Taking on too many markets

While there are many markets to trade and trading opportunities available every day, having too many positions open may get you down.

In addition, monitoring too many positions may be confusing and risky unless you have software like Bet Angel or Geeks Toy.

Remember that the human brain can only handle a certain amount of information at one time.

And because each deal requires your full concentration, you only have so much time and energy to devote to it.

In summary, if you take too many positions at once without the right automated software to monitor them, some of those trades will most likely fail.

Therefore, it is advisable to concentrate on a few trades at first – enter and exit them – and then continue if new trading opportunities arise.

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