When it comes to singles vs doubles tennis, bettors commonly make the mistake of assuming one format is just like the other. But they are very different in nature, starting with the size of the court, which greatly alters the angles and dynamics of play between the formats. Doubles partners also have to rely on and trust one another in a game of synergy, whereas singles players are on court battling alone.
Both formats are widely covered on betting sites. Tennis has a large fan base, and in some regulated markets it comes second to football in terms of the number of events and betting markets. Take Romania, for example, where tennis is a popular sport. Romanian sportsbooks listed in the rankings and reviews on specialist platforms like offer odds on dozens of singles and doubles matches.
Regardless, audiences and betting participation spike during Grand Slam tournaments, and for bettors, it’s worth spending time to get to grips with those differences and how they affect betting options.
Singles vs Doubles
As a bettor, you are placing your trust in a player’s fitness levels, ability to cover their baseline, and to hold their nerve better in a high-stakes, drawn-out Deuce. That player has no one on their side of the court to give them the boost of a team talk, all while playing on a smaller court, meaning higher accuracy is required when firing down serves, which is a key part of the singles game.
In the doubles game, the court is wider, and two players on each side provide more coverage of that space. More often than not, doubles points are typically won at the net, so technical players with good volley skills are key. There is far less physical load placed on doubles players than singles players, and doubles players are very much format specialists. Simply putting two high-ranking singles players together doesn’t make a good doubles team.
Tennis Betting Markets
A Grand Slam singles match can offer dozens of betting markets, and the biggest fixtures may have over 100 options. Bet options like Match Winner, Set 1 Score, Handicap, and prop bets like Total Aces and Break Points Won can be found.
Doubles markets have much leaner coverage in contrast, and often you’ll only find the Match Winner, Set Betting (Correct Score) and Total Games (Over/Under). That’s because bookmakers don’t attract as much action on doubles matches, and also because there’s a greater volume of data available for singles players, which helps operators set accurate lines.
The Scoring Format
Unlike in singles matches, doubles fixtures on the ATP and WTA, there is no “advantage” point in a deuce situation. There’s also a 10-point Match tie-break used if the match is at one set each, instead of playing a full third set. Having said that, at Grand Slams, teams still play a deciding set, with a 10-point tie-break only if that final set reaches 6–6. This affects betting, because you may want to lean on doubles players who have a bit more endurance to handle the Slams.
From a betting perspective, a tennis tie-breaker only counts as one game. So if you select Over 21.5 Total Games and the match score is 4-6, 6-4, the tiebreak (regardless of the score) would only count as one more game, for a total of 21, so the Over 21.5 bet would lose.
Aces
Singles matches are all about the serve and those precious Aces, where speed and power dominate. Looking at First Serve In % for singles players is important in doubles as well, but not necessarily the speed factor. Consistent accuracy is required off the serve in doubles, as players look for a “kicking” serve that bounces a little higher, as it then keeps the net player active and dangerous for poaching the return.
Player Stats
Always look at what player stats you can, like recent results, head-to-head form and everything from serve percentages and speed, to successful returns and unforced errors. But in doubles, note that individual talent is secondary to the chemistry and understanding of a well-established partnership.
Understanding the Differences
Doubles markets are likely to have far fewer active markets and bigger bookmaker margins due to lower liquidity than singles markets. So there will be a gap in the typical value as bookmakers have to sharpen the edge (and always will) on less-played markets.
While that can mean it’s harder for casual bettors to find value on the doubles market, people who are particularly invested in the circuit can probably spot trending partnerships and find value bets. But remember, just because you have a good betting strategy on the singles circuit, it doesn’t mean that it will naturally translate over into doubles action.