Ultimate Guide to Wimbledon

How Does the Wimbledon Tournament Work?

Wimbledon takes place between June and July each year and consists of singles, doubles, and mixed doubles tournaments. There are also competitions for juniors and wheelchair competitors. Run in a knockout format, each singles event has seven rounds, and 128 players participate. 

In 2025, Wimbledon starts with the first round of Gentlemen’s and Ladies' Singles, getting underway on Monday, June 30th. The players will continue to battle it out to make it to the finals, which take place on Saturday, July 12th, for singles and Sunday, July 13th, for doubles. 

Early-round betting vs Final Stages

Knowing the format and schedule of the event is beneficial not only to prevent fans from missing out on any key matches but also for bettors!  The early rounds of Wimbledon in particular, can be beneficial to bettors.

These rounds can sometimes be the most unpredictable and is where the underdogs have often been the most successful, in particular when it comes to the women. It can help you to follow the progress of a potential winner from the start, claiming the most valuable odds throughout.

As the tournament heads towards the latter stages, things get more evenly matched, and it gets harder to predict, with odds often of lower value. Bettors can use the information obtained from the earlier rounds to place informed bets and help apply a strategy. Looking at the schedule can also help with this, reviewing when the rest days are for players, and so on.

Top Wimbledon Players to Watch

When you think of Wimbledon, so many players, past and present, come to mind. We have looked at some of the biggest and best below.

Past Wimbledon Legends

Sir Andy Murray

Retiring in August 2024, Sir Andy Murray is one of the legends associated with not only Wimbledon but British tennis as a whole. The Scotsman had a 19-year Wimbledon Career that saw him end the country's 77-year wait for a male champion.

Murray has won three grand slam titles in his career, two of which were won at Wimbledon in 2013 and 2016. He has also won two Olympic gold medals and 14 Masters 1000 series titles. Murray played his last Wimbledon in the summer of 2024, and it is fair to say that it was emotional.

Other past legends of the grand slam include eight-time winner Roger Federer, five-time champion Bjorn Borg, and Martina Navratilova, the most successful women’s singles player in Wimbledon history. 

Ones to Watch

Jack Draper

An exciting youngster coming up through the ranks is 23-year-old Jack Draper, the British number 1.

The left-hander from Surrey rose to his career-high world number 15 ranking in the singles in 2024. He has won two titles on the ATP Tour in Stuttgart on the grass and Vienna on indoor hard courts, as well as reaching the semi-finals of the 2024 US Open. 

Despite suffering some injuries that meant missing the United Cup, Draper played at the first grand slam of the year, The Australian Open, where despite three five-set match thrillers, had to retire against Carlos Alcaraz in the fourth round due to injury.

With many more to watch heading for Wimbledon in July, there is set to be more home representation from Cameron Norrie, Emma Raducanu, among others, as well as Arnya Sabalaneka, Coco Gauff, returning champion Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Novak Djokovic.

Wimbledon Betting Markets

There are many popular betting markets when it comes to betting on Wimbledon. Below, we have included some of the best for getting the most out of your betting. 

Outright Winner

One of the easiest ways to bet on Wimbledon, outright winner bets, simply involves selecting who you think will win the tournament outright in the men's or women’s single or doubles. In order for your bet to win, your selection must make it into the final and win the match, lifting the trophy.

Match Betting

Bettors who are after some more specific Wimbledon selections can get involved with match betting. These are odds with much more focus on less general bets such as win or lose. It can include odds on things such as a first round upset or if you are backing an underdog to cause an upset.

Set Betting

Another popular way to bet on tennis is betting on the match scoreline in sets. You can wager on a best of five sets with a player to win 3-0, 3-2, or 3-1. These odds can often be better priced than bets such as match bets and your usual win bets. There is also the ability to get involved with set correct score betting, where you bet on the correct score of certain sets, these are great if you think a player will start strongly and dominate early on.

In-play Betting

An entertaining way to get involved with betting on tennis is by placing in-play bets. This involves placing bets on the live action as it is happening and responding to changes in momentum in the game. It gives bettors the option to grab some exclusive offers and even opportunities to cash out if a selection does not look to go in their favour from the live action.

For more information on the best tennis betting sites in the UK, head over to our page here.

Where to Bet on Wimbledon in the UK

There are plenty of places where keen punters can place their bets on Wimbledon this summer! To help you identify the best bookmakers that come as recommended and are trusted, there are some key features to keep an eye out for. 

We recommend comparing odds between sites to ensure you are getting the best value before signing up for a site. bet365 is a strong option for providing some of the best odds, along with NetBet and Betano. It is also worth looking at the in-play betting features available. If you enjoy getting involved with placing in-play bets or watching the action alongside, check that a site offers these features, such as live streaming, before going ahead! Betting sites such as Betfred and BetVictor are often top choices amongst bettors for the in-play and live betting capabilities. Also, ensure any betting site you are using is licensed by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) so your information is protected. We would only ever recommend sites that are licensed and regulated.

If you're new to the world of online betting and need more info and tips on how to place bets online, click here.

Top Tips for Wimbledon Betting Success

If you are after some potential tips and tricks when it comes to betting on Wimbledon, check out some of ours below!

Research Player Form 

It is always worthwhile looking into the form of players before placing your bets. This will help you to see if a player is coming into Wimbledon off the back of a good run or a poor run of results. It is also worth looking at players' previous records at Wimbledon itself and whether it is a tournament they tend to do well at.  For example, the 2023 Wimbledon final saw Carlos Alcaraz up against Novak Djokovic, which saw the Spaniard win the tournament, the 2024 final was a repeat of the matchup and result. 

Analyse Head-to-Head Records

When looking at matchups at Wimbledon, see if the players have come up against each other before. Whether at Wimbledon or another tournament or grand slam, this could help you predict the winner or gauge how a game may go and how the momentum may shift. It will also help you know whether or not a match is a good one to bet on or whether a selection could be mispriced and of good value.

Understand Grass-court Dynamics

Wimbledon is the only grass court grand slam and therefore serves as more of a unique opportunity for players and punters to find some unexpected results. The grass court is soft and natural, known for creating a lower and irregular bounce. As a result, the surface will benefit different players' shots and serves. Understanding how the surface will impact the players can help to identify what to bet on, for example, players with big serves and flatter shots tend to benefit.

Unique Wimbledon Traditions

Away from the on-court action, there are some more unique traditions associated with the British summer tournament. 

Strawberries & Cream

Dating back to when the tournament first started, strawberries and cream have become an iconic Wimbledon tradition. This is because the tournament happens to coincide with the few weeks in the summer months when they are at their best! It quickly became the traditional way of enjoying the tennis at Wimbledon. In fact, it is estimated that over 28,000 kilos of fresh strawberries are consumed by tournament goers each year!

Dress Code: All White

A distinctive hallmark of Wimbledon is its strict player dress code. The tournament's official guidelines state that on the court, only one colour is accepted: white. The rule dates back to the late 1800s when white clothing was considered more appropriate for hiding sweat stains. The dress code does not bend for anyone, even one of the world’s greatest, Roger Federer, who in 2013 was reprimanded for wearing shoes with orange soles. 

The Royal Box

Used for friends and guests of Wimbledon since 1922, the Royal Box invites British and overseas Royal Families, as well as heads of government, people from the world of tennis, the British Armed Forces, prominent media organisations, supporters of British tennis and many others! The earliest royal attendance dates back to the early 20th century when King George V began the tradition of royal presenting the trophy to winners - now it is Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales.

Rufus the Hawk

Rufus plays a huge role in the upkeep of Wimbledon’s courts and patrols the skies keeping them clear during the tournament. Equipped with his own security pass, Rufus has been frightening away pigeons and other unwanted animals and guests for 16 years of the tournament. He even has an account on ‘X’ with over 10,000 followers!

How to Watch Wimbledon

If you are looking for a way to watch the action from Wimbledon, there are various options, whether on TV, online, or in person. 

As it is every year, the BBC will be the main broadcasters of the tournament. The coverage will be split between BBC One and BBC Two, with everything available on BBC iPlayer live and on catch-up! The BBC iPlayer app, which can be downloaded to mobile or tablet devices, will also be available. 

If you have been lucky enough to get a ticket to Wimbledon and attend in person, we recommend getting there in plenty of time to allow time to explore and find your way around. There is also the option to join the queue for tickets released each day. Around 500 are up for grabs, and sees hopeful spectators camping and queuing for hours and days. 

If you have a ground pass, there is also the option to watch on the big screens stationed at the iconic ‘Henman Hill’ just north of No.1 Court. Enjoy all of the action on the show courts along with many other tennis and Wimbledon fans.

You May Also Be Interested In...

If you're a fan of the big UK sporting events, you may like to read the following guides:

1. Guide to the Cheltenham Festival, including, what to expect, how to make the most of the 4-day festival and tips on betting on Cheltenham this year.

2. Guide to the Grand National, our expert insights and tips on how to make the most of one of the UK's biggest horse racing events.

Responsible Gambling

When it comes to placing bets online on events such as Wimbledon it is important to remain vigilant and keep on top of your gambling habits. There are various ways in which this can be monitored such as setting yourself budgets and keeping track of the time you spend at a site. There are also numerous responsible gambling tools available at betting sites to help support you further. These include setting yourself deposit limits preventing you from spending more than you can afford, and receiving time notifications to keep track of the amount of time you have spent at a site. There are also self exclusion tools if you wish to stop access for longer amounts of time. 

For further support and information, if you are concerned about your gambling habits, there are various responsible gambling helplines and sites that can provide more in the way of help getting back on track. This includes GamCare and GambleAware and these organisations can be reached via various betting sites contact us pages.