The 2012 WTA Championship begins tomorrow in Istanbul. The tournament is the season ending event on the women’s tour and features the eight top female tennis players in the world. The tournament is played in a round robin format and the eight players have been split into two groups. This format is fantastic for tennis gambling and there are some good odds to be found at Online Sportsbooks. We will analyse both groups and find the best betting plays for the tournament. Red Group Victoria Azarenka
Victoria Azarenka has had an amazing 2012. She started the year by winning the Australian Open and became the first female player in a number of years to emphatically claim the world number one ranking. She has an excellent record against most of the leading players and has to be considered one of the top chances in this tournament. She is currently priced at +200 ($3) to win the tournament at Bovada. Serena Williams
Williams has dominated the second half of the 2012 season. She won Wimbledon and the US Open as well as topping her year off with two Olympic Gold medals. However, Williams has not played since the final of the US Open and she will go into this tournament severely lacking match practice. She has an excellent record against Azarenka but with the question marks hanging over her fitness she isn’t a good betting play in this tournament. Angelique Kerber
Angelique Kerber has been the most improved player on the WTA tour in 2012. The German has been incredibly consistent and won tournaments in Paris and Copenhagen. However, she has had problems stringing together wins against the top players so she may not be suited by the format of this tournament. Li Na
Li Na started the year well but has failed to fire in the second half of the season. She only narrowly qualified for this event and has nothing to lose. It is difficult to see Na stringing together the victories necessary to win this tournament so her current price of +2000 ($21) at Bovada isn’t great value. White Group Maria Sharapova
Maria Sharapova has had perhaps her best season on tour in 2012. She only won one Grand Slam (the French Open) but has performed well at all the major tournaments. She has a good record against all the other players in her group and should be able to qualify for the semifinals where she would likely face Azarenka or Williams. Sharapova is excellent value at her current price of +700 ($8) at Bovada. Agnieszka Radwanska
Radwanska comes into this tournament in good form and could be the dark horse to win the competition. She defeated Sharapova in the final of the Miami tournament and was unlucky to lose to Nadia Petrova in Tokyo. Radwanska is currently priced at +1500 ($16) and is the best rougie in the betting market at Bovada. Petra Kvitova
Kvitova is the reigning champion of this event but hasn’t been in great form in the second half of this season. She has been eliminated in the first round of two of her last three tournaments and would have to improve significantly to claim her second straight season ending championship. The Czech should be ignored from a gambling perspective. Sara Errani
Errani confirmed herself as one of the top players in the world with her surprise run in the French Open. She maintained that form until the US Open but appears to be suffering fatigue at the end of the long season. She is a deserved outsider with Online Sportsbooks. Best Betting Play
Maria Sharapova is the best bet to claim the season ending tournament. She is in good form and the question marks over both Azarenka and Williams make them a poor betting option. Radwanska is a chance to make a surprise run in this tournament and because of her long odds is well worth a bet at Online Sportsbooks.
You can bet on every game in the WTA Championship at Bovada.
