Entain, a leading gaming and sports betting group, has released a comprehensive report which reveals that tennis is the second most popular sport in terms of the quantity of in-play bets in the US and UK markets.
One of the biggest reasons for this popularity of tennis is due to momentum swings, which Entain explains “is about which player is in control at any point of the match”, further highlighting “the mentally draining aspect of the sport”
The report was released just after the end of the 2025 Australia Open where Jannik Sinner and Madison Keys emerged victorious and clinched their respective Grand Slam titles.
According to Entain, the Australian Open is still popular among bettors, albeit the different time zones have made the situation “less ideal” for US and Western European bettors.
What is particularly interesting is that tennis has been consistently outperforming American football (NFL) when it comes to in-play betting in the US for three years in a row.
The only sport with more in-play betting volume in the US is basketball, whereas in the UK the number one performing sport is football/soccer.
Speaking of the most popular tournaments to bet on tennis, the US Open reigns supreme, with the French Open and Wimbledon coming in second and third, respectively.
Entain also revealed that nearly 90% of all tennis bets placed on their platform are in-play, with the most popular betting markets being set winner, current game-winner, and match betting, accounting for almost 85% of all in-play bets.
Entain report states:
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.
What is particularly interesting is that 60% of total bets are placed on men’s Grand Slam tournaments featuring best-of-five sets, compared to women’s tournaments where it is played in best-of-three sets.
Lastly, Entain reveals that when it comes to betting on tennis, most countries display national pride betting, where they are usually betting on players from their country.
