French Open betting guide
The French Open remains one of the most exciting tennis tournaments on the sport’s calendar. Having been a staple of global tennis for almost a century, this clay court celebration of the world’s best players is also highly popular with the team here at LeoVegas.
In preparation for the French Open each year, we make sure to line up competitive French Open betting markets, odds and in-play opportunities. This year isn’t any different – and as the matches start approaching, we’ll have plenty of news to share with you.
If you’re keen to start betting on the French Open and aren’t sure where to get started, this guide gives you all the insight you need into the tournament before betting opens.
French Open betting: history of the tournament
The French Open is one of the most prestigious tennis tournaments taking place across the sport’s calendar. It’s part of the famous Grand Slam, meaning that it’s a pivotal event alongside the US Open, the Australian Open and, of course, Wimbledon.
The French Open is also known as Roland-Garros, sharing its name with the stadium in which its games unfold – Stade Roland-Garros. It has its roots in the original French national championship matches that took place in 1891, with the tournament opening up to professional players in the late 1960s.
What sets French Open betting apart from the pack is the fact that you’re always betting on clay court action. As any tennis fan will tell you, tennis balls bounce differently depending on the surface of the court. There’s a significant difference in bounce when you compare grass to clay, for example!
This means that you’re likely to see some tennis stars perform better than others as they prefer the bounce on clay. However, we’ve seen a variety of different champions take home the spoils from the French Open over the years, and we’ll run through the tournament’s biggest stars a little further on in our guide.
French Open betting: when and where is the French Open held?
The French Open typically takes place from May to June each year. There is usually a qualifying stage for men and women taking part toward the end of May, with draws for qualifying players taking place shortly afterwards.
Typically, the French Open runs until the second week of June – however, this can be subject to change. The provisional schedule for 2024, for example, claims that the finals are unfolding as of 8th and 9th June.
The French Open traditionally takes place at the Stade Roland-Garros, in Paris, France. It’s easily one of the biggest sporting events to take place in France across the year – meaning that it’s always likely to pull a local crowd!
If you’re looking for French Open betting tips, be certain to head to LeoVegas closer to May and June for all the updates we provide.
Who to watch when betting on the French Open
French Open betting markets and odds could change dramatically all the way up to the finals, which is why it’s a good idea to keep an eye out for changes through the LeoVegas sportsbook. However, there are a few big stars you’re going to want to look for when researching markets for the tournament this year.
Novak Djokovic is, of course, the name on most fans’ lips when it comes to the men’s singles. He’s chasing down some big records this time around. Interestingly, only Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have won the men’s tournament at Roland-Garros since 2016 – could this be a year of change?
Odds seem to suggest that it could – as Carlos Alcaraz seems to be leading the way for many bettors. That said, you shouldn’t count out Nadal, and Jannik Sinner certainly shouldn’t be ignored at this tournament.
In the women’s competition, Iga Świątek is looking to make it three French Opens in a row, though she also won the tournament back in 2020. Odds seem to be lining up nicely for Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff – and you never know what might happen between now and the start of June. There has also been some talk that Elena Rybakina might pull off an upset – we’ll be watching all the same!
Rounds taking place during French Open betting
The structure of the French Open can seem a little complex at first, but don’t worry – we’re here to help.
The tournament starts with four rounds of action that take place between 128 different players – that’s one set in the men’s, and another in the women’s. Qualifying players are split into seeded and ranking sections, along with ‘lucky losers’ from qualifying and ‘wild card’ picks.
64 players head from round one into round two, halving each time until eight players go to the quarter-finals, four to the semi-finals, and two to the final.
There are also doubles competitions to account for! A total of 64 doubles teams face off against each other in an elimination format, with four sections of 16 teams set up to determine who qualifies for the quarter-finals.
Essentially, for singles action at the French Open, you need to keep your eyes peeled for four main rounds, then the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final.
French Open betting tips: previous winners
Naturally, if you’re interested in French Open betting tips, you probably want to know who won the tournament in recent years.
On the men’s side, it has been a two-handed affair for some time. Novak Djokovic won in 2023, 2021 and 2016, and Rafael Nadal won in 2022, 2020, 2019, 2018 and 2017. The last time a man won the French Open who wasn’t Nadal or Djokovic was in 2015, when Stan Wawrinka took home the big prize! Nadal, in fact, won the Open five times in a row between 2010 and 2014!
In the women’s competition, as mentioned, Iga Świątek has been the most successful star in recent years. She took home the main prize in 2023, 2021 and 2020. Barbora Krejčíková broke Świątek’s run of wins in 2021, with Ashleigh Barty triumphing in 2019, and Simona Halep winning in 2018.
Men’s French Open betting markets
In the men’s tournament, LeoVegas will bring you outright winner markets for all the players qualifying for the finals of the French Open – but there will be a few other betting opportunities to look for.
Closer to the start of the French Open, and when matches are confirmed, you’ll get the chance to explore different markets and odds available through LeoVegas.
Women’s French Open betting markets
Again, we anticipate the main draw for the women’s French Open to be outright winner markets. That said, some bettors prefer to wait for in-play betting as there is a broader set of betting options.
As with the men’s draw, women’s French Open betting will also cover a range of different markets. We encourage you to visit our French Open betting guide closer to the tournament opening for more information.
Betting tips for French Open
In the run-up to the tournament, you’ll also get the opportunity to check out some exclusive LeoVegas French Open betting tips. Be sure to log back in and sign up for our emails to stay in the loop.
In the meantime, the best betting tips we can give for the French Open is simply to keep an open mind, to research the form of the best players in the line-up, and to bet responsibly.
LeoVegas cares deeply about its members – and we encourage you to set healthy limits when betting on tennis or indeed any sport in our online guides.
FAQs
How do I bet on the French Open?
You can bet on the French Open by opening a LeoVegas account, making a deposit, and heading to our special French Open betting guide. It’s here that we will share with you the latest odds on the biggest stars set to shine on the clay courts – and it’s also possible to bet in-play.
When does the French Open take place?
The French Open typically takes place across May and June, with the exact dates changing each year. In 2024, the French Open will start on 20th May and will end on 9th June. Across that period, hundreds of stars from the world of tennis will get the chance to play each other in a knockout format, leading towards the finals taking place on 8th and 9th June.
Who is the favourite to win the French Open?
The favourite to win the French Open will likely change between now and when the tournament takes place! However, Carlos Alcaraz is the favourite to win the men’s tournament, and Iga Świątek is the bookies’ favourite to take home the women’s spoils. Make sure to stick with LeoVegas for the latest news, markets and odds as and when they arise!