Most tennis matches are best of three sets: the first player to two sets wins. Men’s singles at the four Grand Slams are best of five (first to three sets). A set goes to the first player to win six games by two; at 6-6 a tiebreak decides it 7-6, so every set has 6 to 13 games.
How Many Sets Are in a Tennis Match?
| Event | Format | Sets needed to win |
|---|---|---|
| ATP and WTA tour singles | Best of three | 2 |
| Grand Slam women’s singles | Best of three | 2 |
| Grand Slam men’s singles | Best of five | 3 |
| Most tour-level doubles | Two sets, then a 10-point match tiebreak instead of a third set | 2 (a match tiebreak counts as the deciding set) |
The match ends as soon as one player has enough sets, so a best-of-three match lasts two or three sets and a best-of-five match three, four or five.
How Many Games Are in a Set of Tennis?
You need six games to win a set, with a two-game lead. From 5-5 the set goes to 7-5 or 6-6, and at 6-6 most events play a tiebreak that counts as the 13th game.
| Set score | Games in the set |
|---|---|
| 6-0 | 6 |
| 6-4 | 10 |
| 7-5 | 12 |
| 7-6 (tiebreak) | 13 |
A best-of-three match therefore has 12 to 39 games and a best-of-five match 18 to 65. Before deciding-set tiebreaks reached every major, some final sets had no cap: John Isner beat Nicolas Mahut 70-68 in the fifth set at Wimbledon in 2010, a 183-game match.
How Many Points Are in a Game?
A game goes to the first player to win four points with a two-point lead, called 15, 30, 40 and game. At 40-40, or deuce, a player needs two points in a row. Some doubles formats use no-ad scoring, where the next point at deuce wins the game.
What Sets and Games Mean for Betting
- Total games: a 7-6, 6-4 win is 23 games, so over 22.5 cashes even in straight sets. A tiebreak counts as one game.
- Game handicap: a player at -3.5 games who wins 6-4, 6-3 won 12 games to 7, a five-game margin, and covers.
- Set betting: a best-of-three match can only finish 2-0 or 2-1 either way, and -1.5 sets means winning in straight sets. In best of five the results are 3-0, 3-1 or 3-2 either way.
- Format changes prices: best of five gives the stronger player more time to recover from a slow start, so the same favorite is usually shorter at a Slam than at a best-of-three event.
- Retirements: totals are usually void unless the line had already been passed. See tennis walkover and retirement rules.
To try it on a real total-games line, start from PropsBot’s tennis picks today.
Sets and Games FAQ
How many sets are in a tennis match?
Most matches are best of three sets, so the first player to two sets wins. Men’s singles at the Grand Slams are best of five, first to three sets.
How many sets do you need to win in tennis?
Two sets in a best-of-three match and three sets in a best-of-five match.
How many games are in a set of tennis?
A set is won at six games with a two-game lead, or 7-6 through a tiebreak at 6-6, so a set has between 6 and 13 games.
Do women play best of five sets at Grand Slams?
No. Women’s singles, including at the four Grand Slams, are best of three sets.
Does a tiebreak count as a game in total games betting?
Yes. Books typically count a tiebreak, including a 10-point match tiebreak, as one game for total games and game handicaps.
