Wimbledon 2022: Smart Bets To Chase Ahead of the Big Grand Slam Event
Summer in England wouldn’t be complete without a spot of tennis at the All England Club, accompanied traditionally with strawberries and cream as well as more than just a few light showers to keep the spectators on their toes.
2022’s running of Wimbledon, one of the four Grand Slam events of the tennis calendar is sure to be a feast of tennis action, even though the ATP (the governing body of tennis) has decided the event is being run without the ranking points that would usually be applied to it due to the banning of Russian players from the tournament.
When it comes to sports betting markets, especially as they relate to the overall interest in tennis, Wimbledon is pretty much unrivalled in terms of the interest and betting activity that the event always leads to.
In the men’s singles, it’s not just the usual suspects who are likely to go long into the draw; with the likes of Novak Djokovic and Rafa Nadal sure to do well, you should also keep a close eye on the younger generation. Last year’s runner-up Matteo Berrettini is a natural on grass, and young Canadian Felix Auger-Aiassime could be worth a longshot bet, but we’ll get back to possible bets to place.
Sadly Roger Federer is out of the tournament for the first time since making his debut at the venue in 1999, but another legend of the game, Serena Williams, will be back and is a wildcard for the event and isn’t seeded, meaning she’ll be up against the very best in the game from the very first match of the tournament, that starts on Monday the 27th of June.
Local Hero
He may not exactly be local, but Scot Andy Murray will be taking part this year, but like Serena, he isn’t seeded, and that will make things very hard for the two-time winner in this year’s event. He’s a crowd favourite, and that support could make all the difference.
Murray first won Wimbledon back in 2013, becoming the first British man to win the event since Fred Perry did so back in 1936. It’s unlikely he’ll clinch a third title in 2022, but a flutter on such an outcome would certainly net you a lucrative sum.
The 35-year-old former world number one is currently ranked 51, and that kind of shows you how injuries have affected his career, which is clearly in the latter stages. That doesn’t mean he couldn’t pull off a massive shock.
Right now, you can get odds of as much as 66/1 on Murray taking away the famous trophy, and those kinds of odds make a little flutter very tempting.
Men’s Singles Outright Market
Croatian superstar Novak Djokovic, unsurprisingly, leads the odds when it comes to a bet on the outright winner of the tournament. After all, the 35-year-old has won the last three Wimbledon titles, taking place over the last four years as the 2020 tournament was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
He’s won the title a total of six times, and if you want to back him to make it seven, then you’ll find odds of around 4/5 are as good as you’ll get. In other words, it’s a bet you’d have to place a rather large sum on in order to achieve a worthwhile return.
An outside bet we feel is worth considering comes in the form of Aussie loudmouth Nick Kyrgios, who is a fan favourite due to his demeanour and the nature of his playing style. He draws a crowd wherever he plays, and he is a very talented player, and potential odds of 33/1 make such a bet worth considering.
The 27-year-old Australian made it to the quarters back in 2014 but is certainly capable of much more, especially on grass.
Ladies’ Singles Outright Market
In terms of the women’s game, the variety of winners of the Wimbledon title in recent years is a testament to how much depth there is in the market, making betting in this market an option worth considering.
Since 2010 there have been no fewer than seven different winners, and the current favourite with the bookmakers is Iga Swiatek, who is the current world number one and reigning French Open champion.
However, her 6/4 odds are less inviting when you consider she’s not been all that impressive in her previous visits to Wimbledon, where the 21-year-old has managed 1st, and 4th round exits previously.
Simona Halep can be backed at a tempting 18/1 with some online sportsbooks, and the 16th seed is a previous winner and strong on the surface.
So, how about Serena Williams? Well, right now, you can get 25/1 on the tennis legend, and that’s a bet worth chasing. The 40-year-old is a wildcard, but a player who has seven Wimbledon singles titles can not be ignored.
The last of those wins was back in 2016, but Serena did make it to the US Open final in 2021 and, as such, isn’t just there to make up the numbers.
A Magical Event
Wimbledon is one of those sporting events that transcends the usual barriers when it comes to the interest it generates. There are many who have absolutely no interest in tennis or sports betting at any other time of the year, but such is the gravitas of the occasion they will look to get into the spirit of things.
This means that betting on the event is enormous, and often wagers are placed with little or no knowledge of the market. If you are not overly knowledgeable about the tennis market, then be sure to be across the form and fitness of the key players and try to be reasoned in your approach.
Unlike team sports, betting at Wimbledon is all about personalities. The big players will attract more than the lion’s share of the action, and that means outside bets are often the intelligent route to take, not least because they can earn you a big win.
Also, try to stay on top of the live betting options. Betting in-play is a great way to make the event more fun and interesting. Betting in-play can be very exciting as tennis is a fast and flowing game, but be aware of your limits as bets can be won and lost in a split second, quite literally.