2023 French Open Tennis Betting Guide: Expert predictions, tips and best odds

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2023 French Open Tennis Betting Guide: Expert predictions, tips and best odds

Dive into our comprehensive French Open tennis betting guide, where our experts provide detailed predictions, valuable tips, and the latest odds for this prestigious tennis tournament at Roland Garros. Stay ahead of the game with our analysis, and increase your chances of winning your bets on this year’s French Open matches.

 

MORE: Check out our Pro Picks page for all 2023 French Open best bets

Introduction to French Open Tennis Betting

Overview of the French Open tournament:

The second major of the year is going to feel a little different in 2023, at least on the men’s side. Rafael Nadal, who has won 14 times at Roland Garros, will not be in the field this year. The 36-year-old is dealing with a hip injury that has been bothering him since the 2023 Australian Open, and he just hasn’t been able to get himself right. The Spaniard is hoping to get back to competitive tennis at some point in the near future, with an eye towards 2024 being his final season. However, another Spaniard, Carlos Alcaraz, is the favorite to win the tournament. The 20-year-old has already won two massive clay-court titles this year, and he’ll be hoping to win his first major on the dirt with Nadal on the sidelines. On the women’s side of things, Iga Swiatek is a heavy favorite to win this tournament. She’s only 21 years old, but she’s already a two-time French Open champion. 

Why the French Open is popular among bettors:

Bettors love tackling all four majors, but the French Open is a different breed. There’s just something about the red clay, which forces every player in the world to dig deep to try and come up with their best stuff. It’s also great to bet on two weeks of action. Most tournaments last 7-10 days, but this is a full two weeks. And the expanded fields at majors mean that there are matches on all day. 

Types of bets available for the French Open:

With Roland Garros, bettors will have the ability to bet straights, parlays and player props all throughout the tournament. There are also plenty of futures markets available, which gives you the chance to bet on things like the outright winner or the winner of a specific quarter. Live betting is also an option in tennis, and that’s one we’ll get into a bit more later. 

Expert Predictions and Match Analysis

Top seeds and their performance trends:

Two of the favorites on the men’s side are Alcaraz and 22-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic. Alcaraz comes into this event on the heels of one of the most embarrassing losses in tennis history. He lost to a qualifier at the Italian Open in Rome, even though the Spaniard had a 99.5% implied pre-match win probability. However, Alcaraz is still the best clay-court player in the world. And with no Nadal, he has to like his chances here. Meanwhile, Djokovic is a two-time champion at Roland Garros. But he has dealt with on-and-off injuries over the last few months, so he hasn’t quite been able to find a rhythm heading into the event. As for the women, the biggest threats to win are Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina. Swiatek is the best clay-court player of the bunch, but she got a little injured in Rome last week. The other two players have also made significant strides on this surface this season, with both winning big clay-court tournaments in 2023. 

Potential upsets and dark horses:

If you’re looking for some players with longer odds in this event, a few to consider are Casper Ruud, Alexander Zverev, Barbora Krejcikova and Marketa Vondrousova. Ruud was a finalist at the 2022 French Open and that proves that he has the game to make a run at Roland Garros. Also, after a slow start to the 2023 season, Ruud made it to the semifinals in Rome, where he really should have beaten Holger Rune to advance to the finals. As for Zverev, the talent is undeniably there. However, he has been unable to prove that he can win big matches in his return from a lengthy ankle injury. Still, all it takes is one big one to flip that confidence. And there aren’t five players better than Zverev on this surface when he’s at the peak of his powers. Moving over to the women, Krejcikova actually won this tournament in 2021. She’s probably the fourth-best player in the world, but she comes into this event after a rocky clay-court season. But it shouldn’t surprise anybody if she gets hot at the right time. And Vondrousova has just been a force this season. The Czech is 19-8 since the start of 2023, and she is a lot better than her ranking suggests she is. 

Impact of playing surface and conditions on match outcomes:

With clay, you just want to remember that this surface is extremely slow. So, it takes a very powerful player to be able to hit through the court for winners consistently. That makes it harder on some of the big servers on tour to win matches consistently. The surface really makes it harder to hold serve, and it also favors players that can move around the court. With that in mind, keep an eye out for some big wins out of players that know how to grind out points and defend. 

Best Betting Tips for French Open Success

Analyzing player form and head-to-head statistics:

With this tournament, it’s imperative that you dive into the stats a bit. Not everybody can just hop on the clay and win matches. Some players are considered clay-court specialists, and you shouldn’t be surprised if some of them make deep runs at this event. Also, remember what we said about being able to move and play the baseline. If a player has struggled in their head-to-head history against an opponent on another surface, it might not matter as much here. Winning on clay is a whole different ball game. With that said, you should also look at how players performed in the leadup to this tournament. There were some big events played in Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome, and those results can give you a good idea of who is playing well right now. 

Factors to consider when betting on specific match types (e.g. men’s singles, women’s singles, doubles):

One thing to make sure to remember early on is that this tournament follows a best-of-five format for the men, like every other major does. So, if you see higher totals and spreads than you’re used to, that’s the reason why. But it’s business as usual on the women’s side, as the WTA always sticks with the best-of-three format. Another thing to remember is that the final set in majors is now decided by a 10-point tiebreaker, if needed. 

Odds Comparison: Finding the Best French Open Betting Lines

Top sportsbooks offering French Open tennis odds:

All of the major sportsbooks, including DraftKings Sportsbook, are going to have lines available for the French Open. Make sure you sign up for as many of them as you can before betting on this event. 

Tips for comparing odds and finding value bets:

It’s just important to have as many options as possible with tennis. You’ll find different lines everywhere, so make sure you’re shopping around and getting the best price. Also, make sure you check out the different spread options. You can find the same player at -4.5 games in one spot and -3.5 games in another. The same goes for player props. Some sportsbooks have more options than others. Make sure you familiarize yourself with them, as betting on props can be a very profitable strategy in tennis. 

Live Betting on French Open Tennis Matches

Benefits of live betting during the French Open:

Live betting can be a great option during the French Open, as the best-of-five format on the men’s side gives you a lot of opportunities to get good prices on favorites. It’s hard to win in straight sets at the French Open, so you can potentially look at the board and wait to see if any higher seeds go down early. Then, you can pounce on them and trust in their ability to shine over the course of the long match. 

Key in-play betting strategies and tips:

One thing to remember when live betting on clay-court tournaments is that it’s a lot easier to break serve. So, if you see a good player lose their service game, their odds to win that set or match might skyrocket. But the best players will generally get that break back at some point, as long as they have a few shots at it. 

Factors to monitor during live betting (e.g. player momentum, fatigue, injury concerns):

The best players in the world tend to be in better shape than their opponents. That’s why you don’t see as many upsets on the men’s side of things during Grand Slams. It’s hard to find energy in the fourth and fifth sets, and that’s why you have such a good shot at making money with live betting at majors — and especially this major. 

Boost Your Betting Strategy with French Open Specials and Promotions

How to take advantage of special offers and boosts:

If you have any free bets to use, the French Open can be a great place to take advantage of them. Betting on futures is one of the best ways to utilize those free bets, as you can take a risk-free shot on a player with great odds. Backing one of the dark horses we called attention to earlier can be a great play here. All it would take is a deep run from one of them before you can start hedging later on for guaranteed profit.