The Rising Influence of Gambling in Professional Tennis

During a tense second-round match at the WTA tournament in Montreal last month, Naomi Osaka, a two-time U.S. Open champion, faced Liudmila Samsonova. Despite being down two match points, Osaka managed to secure the victory.

Throughout the match, the DraftKings website displayed constantly updating odds, with numbers shifting rapidly to reflect the chances of each player winning. After Osaka’s win, the platform quickly shifted focus to upcoming matches, highlighting the continuous betting opportunities available as tennis matches unfold worldwide.

While betting on tennis is a longstanding practice, its presence has become far more pronounced as the U.S. Open, the final Grand Slam of the year, commences at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York. Opinions differ on whether this growing gambling trend benefits the sport.

Tommy Paul, currently ranked 14th in the world, expressed that increased attention and revenue generated from gambling could be advantageous for tennis over time. He noted, however, that other sports like football have been more successful in capitalizing financially on betting.

Similarly, Cameron Norrie, ranked 36th, highlighted that gambling maintains high levels of interest in tennis beyond just marquee events. Drawing from his personal experience with fantasy football, Norrie believes that betting keeps audiences engaged throughout the season.