Tennis Matches Can Last For Hours. Do I Have To Sit At The PC All Day?

One concern I often hear from people considering tennis trading is the amount of time they think they’ll need to spend in front of their computer.

A tennis match can easily last two or three hours. Some matches last considerably longer.

So does trading tennis mean sitting at your PC watching an entire match from the first serve until match point?

No.

One of the biggest misconceptions about tennis trading is that you need to trade the whole match.

You don’t.

All nighter
All nighter!

You’re Trading An Opportunity, Not The Entire Match

When I enter a tennis trade, I’m looking for a particular situation to develop.

Once I’ve entered the trade, I have an idea of what I expect to happen and where I’m looking to exit.

That opportunity might only involve a small part of a match. I might even get in and out in the same game!

The match could continue for another two hours after I’ve closed my position, but that doesn’t matter. My trade is finished.

You’re not being paid according to how long you watch the match.

Know What You’re Waiting For

This is another reason why having a trading plan is so important.

If you simply open a match on Betfair and wait for something interesting to happen, you could spend a lot of time staring at your screen without achieving very much.

I prefer to know what I’m looking for beforehand.

My pre-match research helps me identify potential trading opportunities and the circumstances I’m looking for before entering the market.

If those circumstances don’t occur, I don’t have to trade.

You Don’t Need To Trade Every Match

This becomes particularly important on busy days.

There can be a dozen or more ATP and WTA matches taking place, especially during the early rounds of Grand Slam tournaments.

Trying to follow all of them would be exhausting.

More importantly, it isn’t necessary.

I would much rather concentrate on a small number of good opportunities than try to trade everything that’s available.

Being selective doesn’t just reduce the amount of time you spend at your computer. It can also improve the quality of your trading decisions.

A Three-Hour Match Doesn’t Mean A Three-Hour Trade

Let’s say you’ve identified a match that you believe offers a potential trading opportunity.

You might watch the start of the match and wait for the situation you’re looking for.

The opportunity appears.

You enter your trade.

The market moves as expected and you exit.

Your involvement in that match could be relatively short even though the players remain on court for several more hours.

There’s no reason to continue trading simply because the match hasn’t finished.

What If The Opportunity Takes A Long Time To Appear?

Sometimes it will.

Not every match develops as expected.

This is where discipline becomes important.

You don’t have to sit watching a match indefinitely just because it was on your shortlist before play started.

If the situation you’re looking for doesn’t develop, you can move on.

There will always be another opportunity.

Patience required
Patience required

Trading Can Fit Around Your Available Time

You also don’t have to make tennis trading an all-day activity.

Some people have jobs.

Others have family commitments.

Many simply don’t want to spend their entire day watching tennis.

That’s fine.

You can concentrate on matches taking place when you’re available and ignore the rest.

There are professional tennis tournaments taking place throughout most of the year, so you don’t need to feel that you have to take every opportunity that appears.

Preparation Can Save You Time

This is something that’s easily overlooked.

Good preparation doesn’t just help you find better trading opportunities.

It can also save you a lot of time.

If you’ve already narrowed the day’s matches down to those that interest you and you know what you’re looking for, you don’t need to spend hours jumping randomly between matches hoping to find a trade.

You can focus your attention where it’s most useful.

Have a plan
Have a plan

Final Thoughts

Tennis matches can be long, but your trades don’t have to be.

You aren’t committing yourself to watching an entire match every time you open a position.

You’re looking for a trading opportunity.

Once that opportunity has played out and you’ve closed your trade, there’s no reason you can’t switch off the match and get on with the rest of your day.

Preparation and being selective can dramatically reduce the amount of time you need to spend at your computer.

My TradeShark Tennis Trading Course teaches the strategies I use to identify specific trading opportunities rather than simply trading matches from beginning to end. My daily Trading Tips Email also highlight the matches and situations I’m interested in, saving members from having to research the entire day’s schedule themselves.

FAQ articles

Can beginners learn Tennis Trading?

Why tennis trading is lower risk than betting

Why Trading Isn’t The Same As Betting

How To Manage Risk When Trading Tennis

What Makes A Good Tennis Trading Opportunity?

How Do I Know When To Exit A Trade?

When There Are Lots Of Matches, How Do I Choose Which One To Trade?

I’m Not A Great Fan Of Tennis. Is That A Problem?

Tennis Matches Can Last For Hours. Do I Have To Sit At The PC All Day? 1

Tennis Matches Can Last For Hours. Do I Have To Sit At The PC All Day? Read More »

Why Trading Isn’t The Same As Betting

One of the biggest misconceptions I come across is that trading and betting are basically the same thing.

When I tell people what I do for a living, they will say, “Oh, so you’re a professional gambler?”

While both involve sports markets, the way traders approach those markets is very different from the way most people place bets.

Understanding that difference is one of the most important steps a new trader can take.

The Traditional Betting Mindset

Most bettors start by asking a simple question:

“Who is going to win?”

They study the match, or just back their favourite team, make their prediction and place a bet.

If their prediction is correct, they win.

If their prediction is wrong, they lose.

The entire outcome depends on accurately predicting the final result.

Once the bet is placed, there is often very little involvement until the match ends.

Gambler
Gambler

The Trading Mindset

When I trade tennis, my first question is also:

“Who is going to win?”

After that, I am asking:

“How competitive is the other player likely to be?”

This is a subtlety different way of looking at a match.

A trader is interested in price movements during certain periods of the match, rather than simply predicting the winner.

The objective is to enter the market at one price and exit at another.

Trader
Trader

You Don’t Need To Predict The Final Winner

This is one of the biggest differences between trading and betting.

Many successful tennis trades are completed long before the match finishes.

For example, a trader may enter a position expecting a player’s price to shorten after a break of serve.

Once that price movement occurs, the trader can close the position and secure a profit.

The eventual winner of the match may become largely irrelevant.

The trade has already been completed.

Risk Can Be Managed Throughout The Trade

Another major difference is the ability to manage the trade and therefore manage the risk.

When betting, many people place a bet and simply hope the result goes their way.

Traders take a different approach.

If a trade is not developing as expected, it can often be closed for a controlled loss.

Likewise, profits can often be secured before the match is over.

This ability to actively manage positions is one of the reasons I prefer trading to traditional betting.

Trading Is About Consistency

Many bettors focus on finding the biggest winner.

Traders tend to focus on consistency.

The goal is not to find a miracle selection every week.

The goal is to repeatedly identify situations where the risk and reward are favourable.

Over time, a series of sensible decisions can produce much better results than constantly chasing large wins.

Emotions Play A Smaller Role

Every trader experiences emotions.

However, successful trading relies on following a plan rather than reacting emotionally.

Many bettors become attached to their selections.

They want, or even need, their player to win.

Traders are usually more concerned with what the market is doing.

If the market gives a reason to exit, the trade is closed.

There is no need to remain loyal to a particular player or opinion.

Why New Traders Often Struggle

One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is approaching trading with a betting mindset.

They focus entirely on predicting winners.

They ignore risk management.

They stay in losing positions for too long.

They become emotionally attached to trades.

In reality, successful trading often has far more in common with managing risk than predicting sporting outcomes.

New trader
New Trader

Final Thoughts

While trading and betting both involve sports markets, they are very different activities.

Betting is largely about predicting results.

Trading is about identifying opportunities, managing risk and taking advantage of price movements.

This shift in mindset is often the point where beginners start to see the market differently.

Once you stop thinking like a bettor and start thinking like a trader, the opportunities become much easier to recognise.

If you would like to learn more about my approach to tennis trading, take a look at the TradeShark Tennis Trading Course. I also provide daily ATP and WTA Trading Tips that highlight potential trading opportunities and explain the reasoning behind them.

Other FAQ Articles

Can beginners learn Tennis Trading?

Why tennis trading is lower risk than betting

How To Manage Risk When Trading Tennis

Why Trading Isn't The Same As Betting 2

Why Trading Isn’t The Same As Betting Read More »

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