What is Odd/Even Games Betting in Tennis?
This market lets you bet on whether the total number of games played in a match (or a set) will be an odd number (e.g., 9, 13, 21) or an even number (e.g., 10, 14, 20).
- Odd games = total ends with 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, etc.
- Even games = total ends with 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, etc.
The bet can apply to:
- The whole match (total games played).
- A specific set (e.g., “1st set total games odd/even”).
Example with a Player: Novak Djokovic
Imagine Djokovic is playing Carlos Alcaraz in a best-of-3 sets match.
- Suppose the final score is 6–4, 3–6, 6–3.
- Total games = 10 + 9 + 9 = 28 games (Even).
- If the score was 7–5, 4–6, 6–4:
- Total games = 12 + 10 + 10 = 32 games (Even).
- If Djokovic won 6–3, 6–4:
- Total games = 9 + 10 = 19 games ( Odd).
So, the outcome depends only on the total number of games played, not who wins.
Key Betting Tips for Odd/Even Games
- Statistical Coin Flip
- Odd/Even games betting is almost a 50/50 market. Bookmakers usually set odds around 1.85–1.95 for both options.
- Since there’s no big edge, it’s more for fun than serious strategy.
- Use Player Styles
- Big servers (e.g., John Isner, Reilly Opelka) often go to tiebreaks → higher chance of even totals (7–6, 6–7 type sets).
- Players with many breaks of serve (e.g., Djokovic, Nadal) create more variation, making odd totals more frequent.
- Best of 5 vs Best of 3
- Grand Slam men’s matches (best of 5) → more games played, more balance towards even outcomes.
- ATP/WTA tour matches (best of 3) → smaller sample, slightly more chance for odd totals.
- Look at Head-to-Head History
- Example: If Djokovic vs Medvedev have had mostly tight 3-setters with tiebreaks, betting even may hold more value.
- Live Betting Opportunity
- If the first set ends in an odd number of games (like 7–5 or 6–3), you might hedge with an even bet for the 2nd set since matches often balance out over multiple sets.
Example Bet
- Match: Djokovic vs Tsitsipas (best of 3)
- Bet: Total games odd
- Final Score: Djokovic wins 6–3, 6–4 (total = 19) → bet Wins.
In short: Odd/Even tennis betting is more about luck than skill, but by analyzing player style, surface, and H2H trends, you can improve your chances slightly.
Would you like me to also create a small chart of recent Djokovic matches showing whether they ended odd or even, so you see how this works in practice?