We are now entering one of the busiest times of the year for online tennis betting: The Australian Open. Qualifying rounds are already underway at this writing, and the official 2022 Australian Open will run from January 17 through January 30. And this year, much like in years past, there are plenty of contenders to watch in both the men's and women's brackets.
Of course, most 2022 Australian Open picks will be focusing on whether Novak Djokovic successfully defends his 2021 victory. A lot goes into parsing his chances in the men's bracket—including if he'll even get the chance to play. We'll tackle his championship stock as well as drop our official 2022 Australian Open predictions for both the men's and women's tournaments.
Let's begin by taking a look at the latest betting odds for the 2022 Australian Open in the men's bracket. Please note we've included only players laying 100-to-1 odds or better:
| Pick to Win |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Novak Djokovic | +130 | +150 | +130 |
| Daniil Medvedev | +165 | +155 | +175 |
| Alexander Zverev | +275 | +275 | +300 |
| Rafael Nadal | +700 | +700 | +750 |
| Stefanos Tsitsipas | +1400 | +1400 | +1500 |
| Jannik Sinner | +1400 | +1500 | +1500 |
| Carlos Alcaraz | +2500 | +2500 | +2500 |
| Matteo Berrettini | +4000 | +3500 | +5000 |
| Andrey Rublev | +4000 | +4000 | +5000 |
| Andy Murray | +4000 | +4000 | +5000 |
| Casper Ruud | +4000 | +4000 | +5000 |
| Hubert Hurkacz | +5000 | +5000 | +5000 |
| Denis Shapovalov | +5000 | +5000 | +8000 |
| Felix Auger Aliassime | +6600 | +6600 | +8000 |
| Roberto Bautista Agut | +6600 | +6600 | +8000 |
| Cameron Norrie | +8000 | +8000 | +8000 |
| Karen Khachanov | +8000 | +8000 | +8000 |
| Ugo Humbert | +8000 | +10000 | +8000 |
| Nick Kyrgios | +10000 | +10000 | +10000 |
These outright tennis betting odds are accurate as of Wednesday, January 12. If you're placing a wager anytime after—especially after the Australian Open is underway—you'll want to circle back to these tennis betting lines. Before the tournament starts, we also recommend checking out our reviews on all the top online sportsbooks so you can get a feel for which ones qualify as the best tennis betting sites.
Is Novak Djokovic a Good Bet to Win the Australian Open
Before diving into our official 2022 Australian Open predictions, we have to tackle the elephant in the room: reigning men's champion Novak Djokovic (+130).
Linemakers have clearly decided he's the favorite. That makes sense in a vacuum. Djokovic has won eight of the last 11 Australian, including each of the past four, and remains the world's overall No. 1.
However, all participants of the Australian Open are required to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. Djokovic has not publicly said whether he has any doses in his system. And though he was initially granted an exception because he recently had COVID-19, tennis officials are ultimately at the mercy of the Australian government, which has yet to decide whether it will deport Djokovic or allow him to play.
This uncertainty creates a prospective dilemma for bettors. Can you really invest in someone who may not even be allowed to partake in the 2022 Australian Open? Our answer is yes. Sportsbooks will undoubtedly refund your money if Djokovic isn't deported from Australia, and given how dominant he's been in Sydney through past years, the opportunity to snag him at better-than-even money is actually a good deal.
2022 Australian Open Men's Prediction
Many bettors will wind up gravitating away from Djokovic when making their predictions. We don't blame them, in large part because there is no shortage of options.
The court surfaces in Sydney are dreams for those looking to play short points—especially when it comes to service aces. Two options that stand out are Daniil Medvedev (+175) and Alexander Zverev (+300) thanks to the power they generate on their first attempts. They both rank in the top four of service aces over the past year.
Andy Murray (+5000) registers as a tantalizing dark horse for those with a high-risk tolerance. He has fallen to No. 135 in the world rankings but is effectively rebuilding his stock after an injury-riddled campaign. Rafael Nadal (+750) is always a good option himself, but he can be touch and go on harder surfaces these days. Nick Kyrgios (+10000) falls into the same boat. Many won't give him a look, but he's ninth on the tour this year in the percentage of first service points won.
Ultimately, we are drawn to Daniil Medvedev. He has really upped his consistency on his first serves and forehand winners, and we just don't have faith that Djokovic will play or be in the proper shape should he be granted a waiver.
OSB Prediction: Daniil Medvedev (+175)
2022 Australian Open Women's Prediction
Below you'll find all the latest 2022 Australian Open betting odds for the women's bracket:
Lots of money will be funneled toward Ashleigh Barty (+255). She is the No. 1 ranked player in the world and pays out better than 2.5-to-1. Naomi Osaka (+750) will be a popular pick, as well. She won the Australian Open last year and has a certain levity to her in pre-tournament interviews we haven't seen in quite some time.
Our favorite dark horse is Belinda Bencic (+2500). Though she can be maddeningly inconsistent, there isn't a player on the tour she can't beat when her power and precision are on point.
At this stage, however, we are most intrigued by Simona Halep (+1200). The 15th-ranked player in the world can be a little erratic with her first serve, but she's proven to be among the most effective decision-makers on breakpoints and is presently winning 75 percent of all her service games.
OSB Prediction: Simona Halep (+1200)
Take a look at this list of the best online sportsbooks so you can decide which one to use for all your tennis betting:
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