Are micromarkets outpacing match winner bets at Wimbledon?

With Wimbledon under way, Bettormetrics chief revenue officer Sabin Brooks and Pragmatic Play’s SVP of sports Gareth Crook explain how in-play and micromarkets drive gambling on tennis. 

Wimbledon began Monday, with the men’s and women’s single finals to be played on the weekend of 12-13 July. 

As the most-watched tennis tournament in the world, the event offers gambling companies a big opportunity to tap into growing betting interest on in-play and microbetting markets. 

Pragmatic Play’s Crook reveals over 75% of wagers on tennis are placed after matches begin, as opposed to sports such as football where pre-match betting still rules supreme. 

To achieve the most benefit, though, companies need games to last the maximum amount of time possible. During early rounds, that can prove unlikely as some of the sport’s best players often meet overmatched opponents. 

“In-play betting makes the ‘shelf life’ of a tennis match critical,” Crook says. “Longer, five-set matches not only generate more entertainment but also significantly more betting activity. 

“At the 2025 French Open, five-set matches in the first two rounds produced double the revenue and 50% more bets than straight-set matches.” 

Brooks explains there’s still value in the early rounds of tournaments despite seemingly one-sided games. 

“It’s not the presence of heavy favourites that reduces betting interest, but the shorter match duration that comes with one-sided contests,” Brooks explains. “In other words, punters aren’t deterred by pricing mismatches per se; they’re just less engaged in matches that wrap up quickly.” 

Micromarkets the key to keeping bettors engaged 

Particularly in the early rounds of tennis tournaments, Brooks emphasises the importance of micromarkets when bettors feel wagers on match winners don’t offer sufficient value. 

“While match winner markets may underperform in these early round blowouts, the action doesn’t vanish,” Brooks continues. “In fact, interest often shifts toward set, game, and points totals markets, where edge-hunting and volatility are still present.” 

Crook explains that at the recent 2025 French Open, 31% of the first 192 matches featured a strong favourite at odds of 1.3 or lower. 

“Despite this, punters remain engaged thanks to diverse markets like handicaps, total games, correct score and microbets – especially in matches involving top seeds,” Crook notes. 

“While match winner and total points remain the most popular markets, fast-paced micromarkets are gaining traction. Tennis, with its rapid-fire points and structured format, is ideal for in-play and microbetting.” 

Potential pitfalls of tennis gambling

While the format of tennis seems tailor-made for micromarkets, with a clear points system and natural pauses that provide for convenient wagering conditions, both Crook and Brooks note there are challenges involved. 

One of the most pressing of these is the hefty cost for official data and livestreaming, which is particularly important for tennis where accuracy, latency and pricing volatility are pivotal. 

“Without access to official data, many risk being priced out, which directly affects product quality,” Crook explains. “Accurate, instant settlement is crucial – delays frustrate users and undermine the appeal of these time-sensitive bets.  

“That’s why access to official data is essential. Our partnerships with official data rightsholders ensure reliable, real-time market creation and settlement, perfectly suited to the expectations of micromarket bettors.” 

Both Crook and Brooks also note difficulties behind pricing, especially during early rounds of tournaments where lesser-known players are more prevalent. 

However, Brooks points out this issue is often overstated, particularly for Grand Slam tournaments where the vast majority of players are ranked inside the sport’s top 200. 

“While limited information can, in theory, lead to riskier odds, especially around qualifiers or wildcards, that edge is usually squeezed out before the average punter sees a price,” Brooks explains. 

“Of course, errors and mispricings can and do happen, particularly in operational workflows, but they don’t occur any more frequently in Open tennis than in other sports.” 

Volatility can often crop up in-play, especially when assumptions made prior to matches getting under way – such as a player’s injury status or the condition of the playing surface – prove to be inaccurate. 

Therefore, Crook says: “Given tennis’s reliance on live betting, it’s crucial for traders to actively monitor and adjust models throughout the match using specialised tools and expertise.” 

Tennis at a crossroads 

Of the “Big Three” that dominated men’s tennis for two decades, only Novak Djokovic is still playing after the recent retirements of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. 

In the women’s game, the sister pair of Serena and Venus Williams are also either retired or inactive. 

This means tennis is in a transitional period, where emerging stars such as Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will be left to pick up the pieces of the legends that came before them. 

Brooks explains that like any sport, tennis’ growth is intrinsically linked to the popularity of the sport itself. 

That growth, and subsequent rise in betting activity, will require new stars that can at least somewhat emulate the success of the Big Three. 

“The sport must cultivate new personalities to maintain global engagement, particularly among the next generation of fans and spectators,” Crook adds. “Microbetting, with markets settled point-by-point, is one solution, but strong, visible ambassadors are equally vital.” 

Brooks explains retention is also hugely important for betting companies, with operators needing to keep bettors engaged with competitive pricing and live markets that stay open for as long as possible to capitalise on tennis’ frequent pauses for betting. 

Bright future for tennis gambling with micromarkets innovation

Despite the challenges, both Crook and Brooks are confident tennis will continue to play a key role in operators’ offerings going forward. 

“Tennis hits the sweet spot between betting tempo and audience size, making it arguably the benchmark sport for microbetting innovation,” Brooks says. 

Tennis’ 24/7 nature offers further benefits and means it consistently ranks in the top five for handle among global operators. 

As the sport continues to grow, Crook is confident tennis will continue to provide a big opportunity for betting companies to innovate their in-play offerings and tap into micromarkets. 

“Despite limited media coverage outside the Grand Slams, the volume, pace and structure of tennis make it an ideal in-play sport,” Crook concludes.  

“For that reason, tennis is well-positioned to remain a key revenue driver for sportsbooks well into the future.”