Entain: Tennis the second-most bet on in-play sport in the UK and US
FTSE 100 operator outlines its intentions to offer bettors more markets given the recent rise in interest, with tennis now fifth most popular for its global brands
Entain data has revealed that tennis is the operator’s second-most bet on sport within its UK and US markets when it comes to in-play.
The data from the London-listed business comes following the conclusion of the Australian Open, in which Jannik Sinner defend his 2024 title by defeating Alexander Zverev in the men’s final.
Madison Keys flew the flag for America in the women’s singles event, beating top-seeded players Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka in the process.
Entain’s report noted that while the Australian Open is still a popular event among punters given its Grand Slam status, time zone issues mean it is “less ideal” for Western European and American bettors.
In the US specifically, tennis has attracted more in-play bets than American football in each of the last three years, while the sport is the fifth-most popular across all of Entain’s global brands.
Tennis is also the second-most bet on in-play sport in the US behind basketball and takes second spot in the UK, with football out in front.
The operator also noted that Spain and Brazil are its other largest tennis markets.
The firm’s significant US customer base via its BetMGM JV means that the US Open ranks as the most popular tennis tournament for Entain overall.
Additionally, the French Open produces more engagement than Wimbledon, with clay court games tending to last longer than contests on grass, leading to more in-play betting opportunities.
Around 90% of all tennis bets placed with Entain are staked in-play, with the operator noting the sport is the dominant force when it comes to live bets.
Within that market, the three most popular bets come in the form of match betting, current game winner and set winner, making up nearly 85% of in-play bets, with match betting the most popular method.
Entain said: “While many players enjoy the quick settlement aspect, in-play is also hugely popular due to a phenomenon known as momentum swings, which those betting on tennis often love to try and predict and use to their advantage.”
Ahead of the Australian Open, Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz was the most-backed player to win the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup, but he fell at the quarter-final stage to Novak Djokovic.
The data revealed that 60% of all Entain’s tennis bets are placed on men’s tournaments, with men’s matches taking place within a best-of-five structure, as opposed to women’s best-of-three.
However, the operator reported a significant number of bets placed on the women’s side of the Australian Open due to a “deeper and more even field”.
The firm added that patriotic backing is also a considerable factor in tennis betting, with American customers following Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula in the women’s game and Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz in the men’s.
Despite this, eventual women’s champion Keys remained “relatively unbacked, even through the final”.
Entain has outlined its plans to develop more in-play options to keep pace with tennis’ rising popularity, citing bet builders as a potential future option.