If you’re considering placing a bet on the Australian Open, then you need to understand how it works. Launching this year’s event, the organizers have gone back to the drawing board to provide more options for bettors. Gone are the days of easily placed bets and small payouts; today’s Australian Open is putting a renewed focus on making the betting experience as good as possible. Here’s a closer look at how betting on the Australian Open works.
A Brief History of Australian Open Betting
The Australian Open is one of the four grand slams of tennis and it was created in 1967. Originally held in Victoria, it has since become an annual event and is now staged in Melbourne. The event was famously won by Margaret Court in 1974, making her the first-ever three-time champion. Since then, Australians have overwhelmingly supported their home-grown tennis stars, with the men’s winner accumulating 86 of the last 89 titles. The women’s tournament has been less successful, with the last seven titles going to non-Australians. If you’re looking to place a bet on the Australian Open, then you’ll need to look no further than these native Aussies to find the perfect horse to back.
What Is The Spread, Inflation, And Over/Under Bets?
As with any other sport, fans of the game will no doubt be keen to place a wager on the upcoming edition of the tennis grand slam, with the first practice session set to get underway on Tuesday, January 22. The excitement is building as the tournament inches closer, with ticket sales reaching an all-time high in advance of the start date. It would be a missed opportunity if you don’t know what to expect when you place a wager on the Australian Open. Here’s a quick rundown of what you need to know.
The spread is the amount of money that the favorite will win by at the end of the bet. For example, if you’re backing Boris Becker’s Australian Open preparation, then you’ll need to lay $2.50 to win $1. While you might find occasional payouts that are this size, you’re more likely to see larger payouts on long-shots or when there’s a big difference in price between the favorite and the underdog. The favorite is always displayed on the left and the opposite is located on the right when viewing a betting slip. (Think of a football or rugby league field when viewing odds.)
Inflation is a factor that calculates how much money you’ll need to wager to make a $1 bet. For example, if you want to make a $1 wager on the Australian Open but the spread is $2.50, then you’ll need to place an extra $2.50 with your credit card. After the match, your winnings will be adjusted accordingly.
How Do You Calculate The Over/Under?
The Australian Open is played over a fortnight, with the final match being held on the 28th. Like some of the other grand slams, the match schedule is designed so the final week features some blockbuster clashes. Every year, these matches end in a draw and there’s no set number of games for a championship-like match.
The over/under bets let you make a guess at the final score of the game, with the totals ranging from 1 to 11. If you’re lucky enough to back the right horse, then you could win big; if you’re betting against them, then you risk losing money. To keep things simple, if you’re thinking a team will score more points than the opposition, then you’d bet on the over. If you’re thinking the opposite, then you’d bet on the under.
As with any other sport, injuries can derail the betting strategies of long-time tennis fans. In March 2019, the 86-year-old Jim Courier announced that he was retiring from professional tennis at the end of the season. Like most sports enthusiasts, Courier loved a flutter on the tennis courts and continued to place bets after the Australian Open as a way of life. Unfortunately, he suffered two major injuries within a 12-month period that effectively ended his career. In April 2018, he broke his arm in two places while training for an exhibition match in New York (USA), with Courier later requiring surgery to repair his arm. Just three months later, he suffered a stress fracture in his other arm while playing for the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA (USA).
If you’re looking to place a bet on the upcoming Australian Open, then make sure you know what you’re getting into. As the home of some of the greatest players of all time, it’s natural for fans to want to back their heroes during a time of the year that sees them battle it out on the tennis courts. However, if you don’t know how betting in Australia works, then it’s all the more reason to research the options before laying down any money. The last thing you want to do is back the wrong horse or make the wrong wager and find yourself out of pocket. With the right information and some common-sense precautions, you’ll be able to enjoy the event as a savvy handicapper aware of the risks that go with betting, rather than a blind fan desperate for a win.