Online Cricket Betting Guide
Introduction to Cricket Betting - Cricket has experienced a rapid growth in popularity in recent years, largely down to the introduction of Twenty20 cricket and the emergence of the Indian Premier League (IPL). This traditional game has gained a whole new following among younger fans interested in these new, exciting formats.
Cricket betting sites have also become vastly more commonplace and cricket is fast becoming one of the popular sports to bet on across the world. All the top online bookmakers will take bets on major cricket matches and most will cover the lower profile games too.
Cricket betting is particularly appealing for a number of reasons. There are a variety of different bets that can be made on any given match, creating a host of opportunities for finding a value bet and winning some money. Cricket is also played pretty much throughout the year too so there are always plenty of games to bet on. Live betting, or in play betting, is a very popular way to bet on cricket and provides the chance to make bets as a game unfolds.
Where To Bet On Cricket Online
Formats And Variations of Cricket
Cricket is played in a variety of forms, both internationally and domestically. International test cricket is a traditional form of the game and remains very popular. It is largely considered the most challenging form of the sport. A test match is played over five days, with each of the two competing teams getting two innings. Most test matches are played as part of a series of four of five matches, usually spread over a couple of months. Test match cricket provides plenty of betting opportunities throughout a series.
Domestically, most cricket playing nations have leagues where club teams compete in a season of one day games. These games will usually see the teams have one limited overs innings each. Betting on domestic matches is particularly common in nations such as England where there is a rich history of the game.
One Day Internationals (ODI) provide more opportunities for betting on cricket. An ODI match will see two competing international teams play one innings of fifty overs each. Like test cricket, these are often played as part of a series between two nations or as an international tournament – such as the ICC World Cup.
Twenty20 cricket is a relatively new form of cricket but has proved phenomenally popular, at both club level and internationally. It is a much faster paced game, which each team getting just one innings of 20 overs. The recently introduced Indian Premier League is played in this format and the IPL has gained a worldwide following as probably the world’s most glamorous cricket tournament.
Types of Cricket Bets And Wagers
With all the different forms of cricket, and the high number of games played throughout the year, cricket is a great sport for betting on. There are plenty of different types of bets, the most common of which we’ve listed here.
- Match Betting (Fixed Odds) - Match betting can be done on any cricket match in any format. Quite simply, you select the team you think will win and place your bet on them. If your selection is correct, you will be paid out based on the odds at the time of betting. The odds will be presented in either a fraction format (for example 2/1, which means you would win $2.00 for every $1.00 bet, plus your stake back) or decimal format (for example 3.0, which means you would see a return of $3.00 for every $1.00 bet, including your stake).
- Moneyline Bet - This is essentially the same bet as the match bet, but presented in a different way. A bookmaker will see the moneyline according to the chances of each team winning. For example, Team A v Team B might see Team A at -600 and Team B at +400. This would mean Team A is the clear favourite. To win $1.00 on Team you would have to bet $6.00, whereas a $1.00 bet on Team B would return winning of $4.00.
- Top Run Scorer - The top run scorer is another particularly popular bet, because of its simplicity. You choose who you think is going to score the most runs and make your selection. In an individual match, there will usually be a market for the highest run scorer in the match, and a market for the highest run scorer in each team. In a series or tournament, you can bet on the highest run scorer throughout all the matches.
- Top Bowling Figures - This is very similar to the top run scorer bet, except you are betting on which bowler will take the most wickets. Again, you can bet on individual matches or across a tournament or series.
- Future Bets or Outright Bets - An example of a futures or outright bet in cricket would be betting on the winner of a particular tournament or series. For example, at the start of the ICC World Cup, you would choose which nation you believe will triumph in the tournament and make your selection accordingly.
- Over/Under Bets - These sorts of bets are very common on cricket and there are usually a number of markets open in most matches. In cricket an Over/Under bet might be on the combined number of runs both teams will score. A bookmaker will set an amount, for example 500 runs, and you must select whether the actual amount will be over or under that figure and place your bet accordingly. Over/Under bets can also be made on the number of wickets a specific bowler will take, the number of catches throughout the match, the total number of boundaries hit and many other outcomes.
- Specials/Prop Bets - Specials, or prop bets, are not as common in cricket as some other sports, but most bookmakers will offer some such bets on the major matches at least. Special bets could include markets such as whether the total number of runs is an odd or even number, who will score the most boundaries or who will hold the most catches. These wagers are generally considered a bit of a fun bet.
Online Cricket Betting Strategy
Unlike many sports, you don’t need to be a huge cricket fan to get involved in cricket betting. Having some knowledge about the game is useful of course, and the more you know the better your chances of successfully betting on the game. However, it is possible to be a winning cricket bettor without be an avid watcher of the game.
Cricket is a game which involves a lot of statistics – such as bowling figures and batting averages. Thanks to the internet, these statistics are readily available for you to access and provide a valuable insight into the form of both the individual players and the teams. When betting on markets such as top run scorer, a bit of time studying the form of the players involved can prove very useful. Jon has some cricket betting tips here to cover the basics.
Many cricket matches see two teams of a similar standard competing, with no major favourite or big underdog. If you are placing a match bet or moneyline bet on such a game, then knowing the form of the respective teams is invaluable and gives you a greater chance of picking the winning team.
We would still recommend that you follow the game as much as possible if you want to be truly successful at cricket betting. The game is well televised and reported upon so try and watch some games and read up on match reports.
Make sure you use a reputable online betting site that provides good odds for cricket and always practice good money management skills. You don’t need to bet on every cricket match that takes place so be selective and get your money on when you are confident of the right result.
Major Cricket Betting Markets
Below is a developing list of major cricket betting events and oppurtunities: