Newport to New York: the US Open History & How to Bet on It

Late August in New York. The last Grand Slam of the season. The loudest crowds in tennis. The US Open is a different kind of major – faster, louder, arguably more unpredictablethan its counterparts - and it tends to produce the kind of drama that keeps the sport talking well into the autumn.

The 2026 edition runs from 23 August to 13 September at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, now in its 146th year.

Here's the full picture on what makes it special, and how to get involved at MONOPOLY Casino & Sports.

2026 US Open: the essentials

Dates: 23 August – 13 September 2026 (main draw starts 30 August)

Edition: 146th

Venue: USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, New York

Surface: Hard (Laykold acrylic)

Draw: 128 singles / 64 doubles

Total prize money: $90,000,000

What makes the US Open different

The US Open began in 1881 as the U.S. National Championships, held on the grass courts of Newport, Rhode Island, and open only to amateur players. Its journey from that modest starting point to the 14-day, 22-court spectacle it is today is one of tennis's most interesting stories.

The tournament moved to Forest Hills, Queens in 1915, where it spent more than six decades establishing itself as part of New York's late-summer calendar. Then in 1978, it relocated again, this time to Flushing Meadows and the hard courts that have defined it ever since.

The surface change wasn't cosmetic. Hard courts favour a different kind of player and a different pace of play, and the switch coincided with a period that made the US Open unmistakably its own thing.

Several elements set the US Open apart from the other three Grand Slams.

It was the first major to award equal prize money to men and women, a decision made in 1973 and championed by Billie Jean King – a moment that reshaped professional tennis long before the other Slams followed.

It was also the first Grand Slam to introduce a tiebreak in every set, a format choice that keeps matches tight and decisive in a way that suits the New York crowd's appetite for drama without extended delays.

The Open was also an early adopter of electronic line calling. Hawk-Eye challenges arrived in 2006, full electronic line calling followed in 2022, and by 2025 the US Open was among the most technologically current of the majors on that front. Small details, but they shape the feel of a tournament significantly.

What can't be replicated elsewhere, though, is the atmosphere. Arthur Ashe Stadium - the largest tennis arena in the world - hosts night sessions that routinely run past midnight, with a crowd that treats great tennis with the energy of a concert.

Players consistently describe it as unlike any other environment in the sport. The noise, the city, the late-summer heat and the knowledge that the season's final major is being decided: it adds up to something distinctive.

The tournament draws more than one million spectators across its two weeks and is broadcast in over 40 regions around the world. The cultural footprint extends well beyond tennis: the US Open has become as much a New York event as a sporting one, drawing a crowd that ranges from dedicated fans to those who come for the occasion as much as the matches.

Tennis betting at MONOPOLY Casino & Sports

MONOPOLY Casino & Sports carries tennis betting markets throughout the US Open, from pre-tournament outright markets through to in-play betting on individual matches. For a full walkthrough of how tennis betting works - including how to read odds and how to place your first bet - our tennis betting guide covers everything you need.

Here's a quick-start guide to the markets you'll find during the tournament.

Match winner

Back one player to win the match outright. The most straightforward tennis bet, where if your selection wins, regardless of how many sets it takes, the bet lands. Men's singles at the US Open is best of five sets; women's singles is best of three.

Set betting

Predict the exact set score of the match. In men's best-of-five singles: 3-0, 3-1 or 3-2. In women's best-of-three: 2-0 or 2-1. More specific than a match winner bet, with longer odds to reflect the precision required.

Total games

An over/under line on the combined number of games played across the full match. A useful market in matches where the winner is difficult to call but you have an opinion on how competitive the contest will be overall.

Set handicap

A virtual set advantage or disadvantage applied to one player. A -1.5 handicap on the favourite means they need to win by two clear sets. A +1.5 on the underdog means they can lose by one set and the bet still lands.

Tournament outrights

Back a player to win the US Open before the tournament begins, or as it progresses. Odds adjust after each round as the draw opens up. A longer-term market that runs the full two weeks of the tournament.

In-play betting

Live markets run throughout every match at the US Open, with odds updating in real time. A break of serve, a momentum shift, a player beginning to tire in a long fifth set – live tennis markets move with what's happening on court.

Tennis betting is settled on the result at the end of the match in normal play. The US Open uses a standard tiebreak in every set - including the deciding set - which keeps final sets crisp and avoids extended open-ended conclusions.

A few things worth knowing before you bet

The US Open's hard courts suit players with strong serves and flat, aggressive groundstrokes.

Surface form is always relevant in tennis. A player's overall ranking gives you a general idea of their skill, but their record on hard courts specifically, and at this tournament in particular, is worth considering too.

The US Open hard courts use a cushioned acrylic system called Laykold, which plays slightly differently to other hard-court surfaces on the tour.

The draw matters as well. At a Grand Slam, a favourable or unfavourable section can shape a player's route to the final significantly, and the draw is worth a look when it's released. Head-to-head records between players who could meet in the later rounds are part of that picture, though older records may involve different circumstances and should be read with that in mind.

The night sessions at Arthur Ashe Stadium are famously intense. The crowd, the heat retained in the stadium from the day, the late-summer New York humidity: all of it is part of what makes the US Open unpredictable in ways that the other majors aren't.

As always, no amount of context removes the chance element from any outcome, but knowing the conditions helps make sense of how a match might unfold.

Play responsibly

The US Open runs for two weeks, with multiple matches every day across the full draw. That's a lot of tennis, and a lot of markets.

Set a budget before the tournament begins, use the spend limit tools in your MONOPOLY Casino & Sports account and be selective about which matches you get involved with.

Betting on every match across a two-week Grand Slam is an easy way for a session budget to get away from you. Pick your moments, stay in control and keep it enjoyable.

If at any point gambling stops feeling fun, step away. Our responsible gambling tools - including spend limits, session reminders and self-exclusion - are available in your account settings.

US Open FAQs

How is the US Open different from the other Grand Slams?

Besides being the first to pay men and women equally, the US Open is the only Grand Slam to use a standard tiebreak in the deciding set. It’s also the only Slam to have been played on all three surfaces – grass, clay and hard court.

When does the US Open take place in 2026?

The 2026 US Open runs from 23 August to 13 September at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York. It’s the final Grand Slam of the season, following the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon.

What tennis betting markets are available at MONOPOLY Casino & Sports during the US Open?

Pre-match and in-play markets are available throughout the competition, including match winner, set betting, total games, set handicap, tournament outrights and more.

Make your move to the MONOPOLY Casino & Sports blog for more sporting history deep dives alongside betting guides and online casino highlights.

All offers mentioned correct at the time of writing but may be subject to change.