In tennis, whatever can be left up to chance is taken a gamble on. Be it a particular player, his performance, event, its conditions – everything is surrounded by dark clouds of betting today. Comparing the number from the time when it used to be illegal, modern technology has served advancements that have now made it easier to bet and gamble. But what effect do you think it has on the players involved?

Former professional tennis player and commentator Patrick McEnroe recently came forward to express concerns about the surge in the number of bettors. Directly highlighting the impact of prop betting within the sports world, particularly in tennis, he explained how it can cause a negative effect on the bettors, who are on the younger side.

“So many people go to Vegas but…it’s all online now and the problem is not so much who can bet on who wins or loses a particular game. But as you mentioned, the prop bets,” said McEnroe, in a recent interview with Elizabeth Vargas. He went on to take a deeper dive into the world of prop bets, which involve wagers on specific aspects of a game rather than the final outcome, posing a significant risk. “This is where I think the real danger lies for athletes because… with prop bets you can very easily manipulate an individual player.”

Vargas highlighted how betting in sports has lately become an issue, adding the example of MLB’s Shohei Ohtani and NBA’s Jontay Porter. While Ohtani was involved in a gambling scandal that reportedly had to do with his former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara, Porter has been under investigation for several instances of betting irregularities since January.

In the midst of this, McEnroe’s insights not only highlighted the growing concerns surrounding prop betting in tennis but also explained how players, who are the core element of the sport, urging stakeholders to address these issues to safeguard the integrity of the sport and protect the well-being of athletes.

Tennis agencies making consistent efforts to lower the effect

Along with the fans, the officials as well as the authorities are also aware of the magnitude of betting in the world of tennis. Besides just sitting and calculating the numbers, agencies like the ITIA (International Tennis Integrity Agency) have been consistently tracking necessary records to reduce the cases of betting and its promotion.

Recently, Peru’s Davis Cup captain Luis Horna had to go through the strict guidelines against betting and was fined an amount of $10,000 for being involved in betting promotions. Along with that, the accused was also imposed with a ban of six months. These measures not only maintain the decorum of the sport but also ensure that activities of such kind can be reduced.