[EaglesPhan36]

Alright dudes. I'm not suggesting this is a bible or anything, but just a few tips that I have found useful over the years betting on Grand Slams. Everyone and their mother comes out of the betting jungle for these events, so thought I would share. Use it or don't, whatever's clever.

#1. WAIT FOR THE DRAWS TO COME OUT
I don't know how many times people start threads these last two weeks before Grand Slams about Player X having GREAT VALUE because they either just ran through a tournament and wound up winning or whatever the case might be. There is far less value if the draw is tougher than a mother f*cker IMO. Gauging the easier draws helps you get the best value out of your futures plays. This is where I start my homework. Until then, I don't really see the point of playing the guessing game.

#2. DON'T OVERLOOK PICKING PLAYERS TO WIN THEIR QUARTER
Most are going to shape up their futures plays with selections to win the Championship. Nothing wrong with that, but there are some excellent plays you can make on players to win their quarter of the draw and if you're going to go for an upset pick - these are really the best places to try bigger prices. This is especially useful I think on the men's side where the Big Four rule the roost for winning the title, but we often see one or two of them fail to make the semifinals. In two of the last three FOs, at least one of the Big Four has not made the semis. Last year was the first time in years that the top four men's seed all made the semis.

#3. WTA IS WHERE YOU GO FOR LONG SHOTS
Just look at the last four winners at Roland Garros on the ladies side. Li Na, Schiavone, Kuznetsova and Ivanovic. Only Ivanovic was a top seed [#2] when she won. The rest were at best the 7th seed when they won. So taking the top tier gals @ Roland Garros doesn't normally pay off. Will Azarenka or Sharapova make that different this year? Perhaps, but this is where I think it warrants taking some longer odds.

#4. DON'T BE AFRAID TO TAKE ONE OF THE BIG FOUR ON THE ATP SIDE
You're going to hear and see the term value so much in reference to any futures selection, it's going to make you sick. Bottom line is that one of these guys if not two are likely to be in the finals. So if you can map out the easiest draws of the Big Four and take two of them even at the shorter odds - you have a chance of a nice payoff and the price you take now will be worlds better than the price you'd have to pay if you simply took them in a one match scenario in a final.

#5. DO YOUR HOMEWORK ON WHO PLAYS WELL @ ROLAND GARROS
You can find exact stats for player records @ RG by looking at the ATP and WTA websites on the player pages. This is something I highly suggest for players you may not know much about. Players who have rolled up wins on clay in smaller tournaments in the build-up to the French Open may or may not have a good track record @ RG, making them a better or worse shot. Vice versa - you may find a great deal on a price for someone who has just so-so results in the weeks leading up to the French Open, but have a knack for turning it on @ RG.

[RoryMacdonald]

Epic thread. There is no use-by date here, this applies all over.

[maletaja]

#1. WAIT FOR THE DRAWS TO COME OUT

Its ok, but doesnt bookies alter their odds after draws are given?
I picked month ago Kerber to win RC 1 to 500. Whatever draw is given, such bet has lot of value

#5. DO YOUR HOMEWORK ON WHO PLAYS WELL @ ROLAND GARROS

What gives us statistic. Major tennisplayers are in her 20-s. They dont have stat, but they improve a lot during short time.

[BrianLaverty]

Always great info from you, ep... psyched about the next 4 months.

[EaglesPhan36]

Its ok, but doesnt bookies alter their odds after draws are given?
I picked month ago Kerber to win RC 1 to 500. Whatever draw is given, such bet has lot of value

I disagree, but that is my perspective. She could be 1,000,000:1 - but if she is in a quarter littered with solid players, she's a longer shot than her odds suggest. My own opinion is that it's better to lose a few bucks on the futures price waiting for the draws than to take the bigger price that has a poor chance of cashing if she is stuck in a tough draw. Also not that it will happen often, but there have been times when players have gotten injured in the last tournament prior to RG and have withdrawn from the tournament. Make sure you know your book's rules on whether or not you get your money back if they do.

Not sure I understand your comments about stats. All these players except for the extremely young ones have played the French Open several times most 4-5 times minimum even if they are in the mid 20s, so you can go back and look and see how they do there vs. how they do on clay in general. Again these are just things that I have used and have helped me. If they don't help you, do what you think works for you.

[beefcake]

Still trying to wrap my head around how Gaston Gaudio won this dam tourney in 2004.Funny thing is before Nadal took over, there were 10 different players that won this dam thing in 12 years.

[TheMetsSuck]

just bet nadal and hedge later if you feel the need

[EaglesPhan36]

That's a not a bad play since you're getting him at slightly better than even odds. Your hedges in that case would always be for plus money except maybe in a finals situation depending on who he plays. It's a simple play that has gotten better the last year with Djokovic's run in making Nadal's odds much better.

Can't wait for the draws.