Tennis’s second Grand Slam tournament of the year will see two familiar names atop each of the men’s and women’s oddsboards, though the order and odds accompanying those names could be somewhat unusual.
On the men’s side, reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz (+105) and Jannik Sinner (+220) are easily the favorites to win the French Open, with three-time champion Novak Djokovic (+1100) a distant third on the board, according to ESPN BET odds. On the women’s side, Aryna Sabalenka (+230) is the favorite to capture her first Roland Garros title, with Iga Swiatek (+340), winner of four of the past five French Opens, a decently close second.
Swiatek’s history on the clay in Paris is about the only thing keeping her somewhat tight with Sabalenka: Since winning the tournament last June, Swiatek has not reached a Grand Slam final and has yet to win a singles title in 2025. At the Olympics, played at Roland Garros, the 23-year-old came home with a bronze medal.
Still, bettors are relying on her familiarity with the playing surface, rather than her recent form, to guide them to victory, as she has taken a leading 21.8% of handle to win the tournament at BetMGM. Swiatek’s price has drifted to the mid-300s following an unfavorable draw revealed this week, making her all that more appealing to the betting public.
“At that price they’re betting her,” DraftKings sportsbook director Johnny Avello told ESPN. “They don’t care about recent form; they just feel like she’s the horse for the course here. So she has been taking money, and I think she’ll continue to take money.”
Sabalenka is seeing some financial respect in her own right, attracting the most money at ESPN BET and the second-most wagers at BetMGM.
Alcaraz and Sinner are essentially alone atop the men’s odds and for good reason, as they have won all of the Grand Slam titles since the 2024 Australian Open. Bettors are following suit in backing them, as ESPN BET reports the pair combined garnering nearly 50% of all tournament winner wagers, with Alcaraz alone attracting an eye-popping 85.9% of the money.
The Spanish sensation’s odds to win the tournament shortened slightly upon the release of the men’s draw this week, while Sinner’s lengthened a bit given the potentially tough slate of matches, including a potential collision course with Djokovic in the semifinal.
Meanwhile, American bettors, always eager to support the hometown heroes, are throwing money behind Coco Gauff (+500) on the women’s side and Tommy Paul (+6600) on the men’s. BetMGM identifies both players as major liabilities, while Avello emphasized the DraftKings’ hazard on Paul in particular.
In general, tennis is one of sports betting’s more popular niches, with ESPN BET vice president of sportsbook strategy and growth Adam Landeka calling it “one of the most popular sports in terms of handle.” He and Avello both note that the French Open, in particular, is routinely the second-most-bet tennis tournament of the year, trailing only the US Open, which enjoys prime-time viewing in a slower time of the sports calendar.
