Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images. Pictured: Naomi Osaka
Naomi Osaka was one of the most popular bets at this year’s French Open, but without even losing a match she won’t cash in for bettors.
Osaka announced on Monday she was withdrawing from the tournament.
“I think now the best thing for the tournament, the other players and my well-being is that I withdraw so that everyone can get back to focusing on the tennis going on in Paris,” she wrote in a statement on Twitter.
The statement comes after she announced she would not be speaking to the press at the tournament.
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) May 31, 2021
From a sports betting perspective, this has a major impact on the tournament.
Osaka was one of the most popular bets at most sportsbooks, including the second-most bet player to win on the women’s side at PointsBet, where she had 29% of total dollars wagered. She had 13% of all bets at DraftKings and was the second-biggest liability at BetMGM.
Avoiding her in the bracket will be a massive advantage for others on her side of the bracket, including Serena Williams.
For bettors holding an Osaka ticket, the ruling is technically a loss, which is how William Hill is handling it.
“Osaka futures stand because she played a full match before withdrawing,” spokesman Michael Grodsky said.
While bettors won’t be able to hit the +1200 odds Osaka had at winning, some books will surely use this as a promotion. As an example, PointsBet is refunding all Osaka outright bets with free play.
All other futures bets on who will win the tournament stand.
At the time of publish, women’s futures were off the board.
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