Why do some tennis betting sharps prefer women's action in Grand Slam tournaments? Because the unexpected happens more often. Because there's big money to be made on underdogs like Franchesca Schiavone, who won the French Open. To put things in perspective, she just got ousted in the first round at Wimbledon. So who has the edge at the All England Club now?
As Hollywood aficionados keep and eye on Thomas Roberts and the Jake and Vienna breakup. Sorry, top handicappers are too busy winning to care if it's true than Vienna Giradi cheated in Jake Pavelka. Here is betting breakdowns hotter than Sandy Kane.
Serena Williams
SportsBook odds: 9 to 4
The world No. 1 is the favorite at Wimbledon as a three-time winner and the current defending champion. She was upset at the French Open but she and her sister rarely fare well at Roland Garros (Serena has one win there). Serena powered through her opening-road matchup Today, beating Michelle Larcher de Brito in straight sets, and is a virtual lock for a deep run at the tournament.
Venus Williams
Bodog odds: 10 to 3
Should Venus actually be the top favorite? She's traditionally the better Wimbledon player than her sister, having won the tournament five times (2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008). She may be distracting viewers and anyone making betting picks with her outfits this year but the truth is that she's dominant at Wimbledon and she cruised through the first round.
Kim Clijsters
Offshore odds: 6 to 1
Belgium's Clijsters is currently ranked eighth in the world. She's regularly in the mix at Grand Slam events but has never advanced further than the semifinal at Wimbledon. She owned her first-round match but Clijsters has too many strikes against her. She hasn't appeared at Wimbledon in four years; she took time off to become a mom. She also missed the French Open with a knee injury.
Justine Henin
Sportsbook odds: 7 to 1
Continuing her comeback after ending her retirement this season, Henin will draw plenty of support this week from bettors and fans alike as she attempts to win the only Grand Slam title that has eluded her. She does have some interesting momentum, having just won the Unicef Open. She captured that event in 2001 as well and rode her hot streak into the Wimbledon final that year.
Maria Sharapova
Vegas odds: 12 to 1
Always a tricky pick, Sharapova wavers between legit sports betting pick and money waster from tournament to tournament. That's because her celebrity distracts from her skill level, which varies wildly based on her health. She lost in the second round at the last two Wimbledons because of a painful rotator cuff injury. Now, the 2004 champ appears to be healthy again. She absolutely romped in her opening match, winning 6-1, 6-0 over Anastasia Pivovarova in just 54 minutes. Is she back at the top of her game? She's won two tournaments this season, so we have to consider her.
Today's free pick: Maria Sharapova. It's always risky to bet against the Williams sisters but Sharapova offers much better value. More importantly, she's absolutely worth a wager when the conditions are right – and, based on her health and recent play, they haven't been this good in years.
