As the third round of WTA Miami winds down, LWOS has more best bets from six of the remaining eight matches. By removing the two largest outliers, we’ve focused our coverage on the matches most likely to receive betting attention. Paraphrasing what many of you have emailed me, nobody wants bets on an 11-1 underdog. It’s about being flexible with our coverage, so let us know what you think in the comments. Don’t be afraid to share your bets with us, either.     

WTA Miami
Jovic – Gibson: Time 08:30

H2H: 1-0     

Iva Jovic and Talia Gibson will clash for the second time in their careers. Jovic won the last match, a three-set quarterfinal affair at WTA Ilkley last year. This will be their first match on a hardcourt. While both women have only had six losses on the year, Gibson has 21 wins compared to Jovic’s 15. Gibson is far more experienced on a hardcourt and has been on a tear this year at both levels. She also faced nearly these same odds in the last round. Jovic has also been playing at an elite level and putting together deep tournament runs.     

Best Bet to Make

I didn’t give Gibson the benefit of the doubt in the last round, and many would argue she had earned it, especially against Osaka. Jovic is probably a different animal than Osaka, however. Osaka had played seven total matches before meeting a very confident Gibson. Jovic has played 21 games, winning 15 of them. If Gibson wins this one, I definitely won’t pick against her in the next round. Jovic straight up for 1.53 on bet365 is the safest bet to play.          

That being said, Jovic winning is a value bet for sure.

Value bet/the best odds: Jovic winning @.53 @bet365

Alexandrova – Cristian: Time 07:00

H2H: 1-1

Ekaterina Alexandrova and Jaqueline Cristian will meet for a career rubber match, all tied up at one each. Alexandrova beat Cristian in the WTA Tokyo round of 16 during October of last year; Cristian took their first-round WTA Adelaide match to kick off 2026. Both games were straight set finishes. Both players have seven losses this year, but Alexandrova has only five wins compared to Cristian’s ten. Alexandrova made the semifinals here back in 2024.

Best Bet to Make

Would anyone be shocked if Cristian beat Alexandrova for the second time this year? I honestly can’t say that I would, and it’s not just because she did. Alexandrova is not doing well this year. She had a four-match losing streak before WTA Miami. She’s 4-6 in her last ten matches. Cristian is 6-4 and sits as one of Alexandrova’s losses. At 2.79 on Betfair, Cristian has extraordinary value as an underdog. At minimum, Cristian returns 2.5 times your initial bet.

That being said, Cristian winning is a value bet for sure.

Value bet/the best odds: Cristian winning @2.79 @Betfair

Ostapenko – Paolini: Time 07:00

H2H: 2-2

Jelena Ostapenko vs Jasmine Paolini is another rivalry match, and the best match of the day. While Paolini and Ostapenko have split their last two matches, Ostapenko was victorious in two of the last three matches, all of which were at the WTA level. Paolini’s 2014 win came at the ITF level. Ostapenko’s victories came on a hardcourt, and Paolini’s were split between an ITF hardcourt win and a clay court win at the WTA level. One of Ostapenko’s victories came at the 2023 US Open.           

Best Bet to Make

The books have Paolini as the favorite in this match, and I’m not sure where I sit with it. The fact that Ostapenko has been too difficult for Paolini on hardcourt resonates with me, especially because both were in the last three years. There’s only a single loss separating these two in 2026, so this comes down to probabilities. Ostapenko is only 16-21 over the last two years on a hardcourt, but Paolini is 35-18. Paolini can also be had straight-up at 1.73 on William Hill.

That being said, Paolini winning is a value bet for sure.

Value bet/the best odds: Paolini winning @1.73 @Betway

Main Photo Credit: Cara Owsley–USA TODAY Sports