Online sports betting has become hugely popular in Ghana, with more than half of the country’s adult population estimated to be involved in betting-related activities.
Football remains the No. 1 sport amongst Ghanaian bettors, but tennis betting has been picking up pace in the last few years.
In fact, after football, tennis is the second most popular sport amongst Ghanaian bettors.
Many Ghanaians are now more comfortable betting on tennis Grand Slams like Wimbledon and Roland Garros, as well as weekly events on the ATP and WTA Tours.
Given the rise of tennis betting, many Ghanaian bookies have unsurprisingly bolstered their tennis sections, with the best betting sites in Ghana having great tennis markets.
But why has tennis betting become so popular in Ghana?
Ghana does not have any outstanding tennis player at the moment, with no Ghanaian man or woman ranked inside the top 1000 in the ATP or WTA tour.
We also do not have many top-level tennis tournaments in the country.
However, the sport has got plenty of exposure in recent years, with many cable TV channels broadcasting the biggest tennis tournaments in the world on a daily basis.
Ghanaians have become very familiar with top tennis stars like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Serena Williams.
Just as we have Manchester United and Arsenal fans, we now have Nadal and Federer fans. And Ghanaian bettors are more than willing to put their money where their mouths are!
It also helps that the tennis calendar runs for virtually the entire year. Hardly a day goes by without a tennis tournament being played in some part of the globe.
Even when the ATP and WTA go on a short recess in November, the matches keep rolling in on lesser tours like the ITF and Challengers.
Another reason why tennis betting has become so popular in Ghana is that the betting options and markets in the sport are so diverse and dynamic.
Bettors can bet on points, games, sets, and matches, as well as aces, double faults, and many other great options.
Tennis is also one of the best sports for in-play betting.
The score of a tennis match is constantly on the move, giving bettors numerous live betting options.
Social media tipsters have also aided the popularity of tennis betting in Ghana. In a bid to give their followers more markets, they have begun to explore other sports like basketball and tennis, providing tips on tournaments like the NBA (for Basketball) and the weekly tennis meets.
So, is tennis betting more profitable than football betting?
It is hard to say. In fact, the few bettors we spoke to suggested that tennis matches are more difficult to predict than football matches. There are generally more upsets in tennis than in football. The major reason for this is that tennis is a one-on-one sport, rather than a team sport.
If a player is having a bad day in the office, there is nothing anyone can do about it.
On the other hand, if a football player is having an off-day, the rest of the team can cover for him. Or better still, he can be substituted for another player. Tennis players do not have this option!
Despite this unpredictability, tennis betting continues to grow in Ghana. The chance to bet on something a little bit different from football and the exciting betting options in the sport has become such a big appeal for Ghanaian players.
