The 2026 Monte Carlo Masters is one of the premier events on the tennis schedule, and is the beginning of the clay court season for many of the world's best.

Read on for our preview of this year's upcoming event, which is scheduled to run from Saturday, April 4, to Sunday, April 12.

Quick Picks

• Our pick: Alcaraz to win
• Value bet: Sinner as an each-way bet
• Long shot: Musetti in the each-way 

Betting Preview

Taking place on clay courts at the Monte Carlo Country Club, it will see many of the world's top male players competing for a share of the AU$11,338,079.16 prize purse.

Although no breakdown has been revealed, last year's winner received AU$1,580,327.53.

That was Carlos Alcaraz, as he defeated Italy's Lorenzo Musetti 3-6, 6-1, 6-0 in the final.

He had to fight back from a set down to win the title, claiming his maiden title at this event after appearing in his first final.

Stefanos Tsitsipas has been in three finals, winning each of them.

This year's event will see Jannik Sinner return, after he missed last year's due to his doping suspension.

Alexander Zverev will also be challenging Alcaraz and Sinner for the title, with veterans Gael Monfils and Stan Wawrinka being handed a wildcard to compete.

For some, the bigger news regarding the upcoming 2026 Monte Carlo Masters is that numerous top players won't be involved.

Novak Djokovic is a two-time winner but will skip this year's edition.

While the USA number one, Taylor Fritz and the Great Britain number one, Jack Draper, have both pulled out.

Betting Markets to Watch

Sinner recently won the Miami Open, making him the one to beat on the ATP Tour.

He is within touching distance of regaining the #1 world's best player ranking from Alcaraz, and could overtake the Spaniard depending on how well the two play.

Sinner has one ATP clay title and notable deep runs like the 2025 Rome final (lost to Alcaraz) and Roland Garros final loss.

Over the last year, he is 11-2 on clay, having been suspended for last year's Monte Carlo Masters. Overall, he is 65-24 (a 73% win rate).

However, Alcaraz will be deemed the favourite in the betting.

He boasts over 100 ATP-level clay wins, the highest win percentage among active players with 100+ matches (surpassing Djokovic), and 8 clay titles, more than on any other surface.

In 24 clay tournaments, he's reached 17 quarterfinals, 15 semifinals, and 12 finals. Overall, he is 103-19, winning 84.4% of his matches.

If you're new to the sport, understanding how tennis scoring works can help you follow the action more closely.

Our Prediction

You can check out all of the latest tennis betting odds at Sportsbet!

We think Alcaraz is going to be the likely winner of this event. He's the defending champion and is exceptional on clay.

For punters looking to understand the nuances of different court types, our guide on tennis surfaces explained is worth a read.

Based on recent form, Sinner is worth value in the each-way to reach the final, despite missing last year's event.

A long shot is Lorenzo Musetti, with the Italian performing particularly well when on clay, evidenced by last year's run to the final and numerous semi-final appearances.

For those wanting to expand their tennis betting knowledge, check out our comprehensive guide on how to bet on tennis.