Tennis parlay today: Our best parlay for Day 1 of the Australian Open 2026 (+503)

The first Grand Slam of the year has arrived. Day 1 of the Australian Open 2026 offers a massive slate of matches, and for tennis bettors, this volume creates parlay opportunities. While the public scrambles to bet on every favorite, we have isolated three specific tennis bets where the numbers point to significant value.

For our best parlay to kick off the tournament, we are targeting three spread plays—two from the Men's draw and one from the Ladies' draw. By combining these edges, we have constructed a tennis parlay that turns high-confidence data into a +503 play.

Here is the breakdown of our tennis best bets used to craft our parlay today.

Tennis parlay - Australian Open 2026

Leg 1: A. Zverev -5.5 Games (-126)

Matchup: A. Zverev vs. G. Diallo
Time: Jan 17, 8:40PM (ET)

We start our tennis parlay with one of the tour's heavy hitters, Alexander Zverev, facing Gabriel Diallo.

Zverev is known for his ability to dominate service games, which puts immense pressure on his opponents to hold. Against a player of Diallo's caliber, a 5.5-game spread feels generous given Zverev's form.

Our model identifies this as the biggest advantage on the board, assigning a massive 69.0% probability to Zverev covering the spread. This creates a staggering 13.3% edge against the -126 odds.

The Reasoning: When a top-tier server is dialed in, they can clear a spread like this with just one break per set. The data suggests the market is vastly underestimating Zverev's ability to separate himself on the scoreboard tonight.

Leg 2: C. Bucsa +5.5 Games (-120)

Matchup: E. Svitolina vs. C. Bucsa

Time: Jan 17, 9:30PM (ET)

For the second leg, we look to the Ladies' draw for a value play on the underdog. Elina Svitolina is the clear favorite, but Cristina Bucsa has the grit to keep this competitive. Getting 5.5 games in a best-of-three match is a significant cushion, especially in the early rounds of a Slam where nerves can play a factor.

We project Bucsa staying within the number 59.3% of the time, offering a solid 4.8% edge at -120.

The Reasoning: We aren't asking Bucsa to win; we just need her to avoid a blowout. In women's tennis, volatility often favors the underdog on the spread. This is one of our sharpest tennis bets of the day because the data indicates this match will be tighter than the odds imply.

Leg 3: C. Alcaraz -9.5 Games (-120)

Matchup: C. Alcaraz vs. A. Walton

Time: Jan 18, 4:10AM (ET)

To close out our best parlay, we back the phenom Carlos Alcaraz. Facing Adam Walton, Alcaraz is expected to cruise, but the line of -9.5 games is a high bar that scares off casual bettors. However, our model sees Alcaraz's relentless aggression overwhelming Walton completely.

We assign a 63.9% probability to Alcaraz covering this massive spread, resulting in a 9.3% edge.

The Reasoning: For Alcaraz to cover -9.5, he essentially needs a straight-sets victory with multiple breaks (e.g., 6-2, 6-3, 6-2). Against an opponent like Walton, that is not just possible; it is probable. We are trusting the talent gap to turn this into a rout.

Australian Open 2026 Parlay - Day 1

Leg 1: Zverev -5.5 (-126)

Leg 2: Bucsa +5.5 (-120)

Leg 3: Alcaraz -9.5 (-120)

Parlay odds: +503