With 2.5 billion supporters worldwide, cricket is the second most popular sport, coming in second only to associate football. With such an incredible fan following in countries like Asia, Australia, the UK, Pakistan, and, of course, India, cricket betting is also exceedingly popular. While you might have indulged in some friendly betting between friends when the season is on, you can also dabble in the more advanced version–by signing up with the best online sportsbook. If you aren’t quite sure about the different kinds of cricket bets you can place, you’ve come to the right spot. Read ahead for a quick and easy beginner’s guide to this exciting activity.
Source: femalecricket.com
Contents
Placing General Bets
If you want to try your hand at cricket betting, you’re likely familiar with the game and a big fan. To start off, check out these basic betting options.
- Betting on a Series Winner: Depending on how well you know your players and can estimate outcomes, you might try betting on a series winner. These forms of cricket bets can be made when teams compete in a series of matches like the IPL or similar games. You do have the option to bet on each match individually, but try staking your money on a team that can win the entire series to make it more interesting.
- Betting on matches: These kinds of bets are the most common and likely to get you the best value. You’ll simply pick the side you think is more likely to win and bet on it. However, if you intend to bet on a test match, you should be prepared for the possibility of a draw. Make sure you check with the sportsbook about what happens to your wager if that happens.
- Betting on tied matches: This bet is often referred to as a “draw no bet.” While draws are quite common, a tie is a rare occurrence. If you go for a tied-match bet, you’re essentially betting on a draw.
- Betting on the Winner: These wagers are typically made during tournaments like the Cricket World Cup, World Twenty20, IPL, or similar such series. You’ll lay a futures bet where you wager on the winning team for the entire series. The stakes are higher, and while you can potentially make big wins, you could also lose money.
- Betting on a Double chance: If you’re confidently backing a winning team, you could opt for the wager that your team will win or draw.
Placing Proposition Bets
Proposition bets are when you bet on smaller events throughout the game. Some of your options include:
- Betting on the toss: You can bet on the coin toss before the match starts to determine which team elects to bat or field.
- Betting on the toss combination: You’ll not only estimate which team wins the toss but also if the captain opts to bat or field. If you’re able to estimate both events successfully, you’ll win the combination toss.
- Betting on the scores: When you bet on scores, you can estimate the total number of runs a particular team makes at the end of the innings or the match. Then there’s the option of betting on a specific number. You’ll win the stake if the final number exceeds or remains below a pre-determined total.
- Betting on sixes and fours: This one’s self-explanatory. You’ll bet on the estimated number of sixes and fours in the entire match.
- Betting on run-outs: You’ll bet on the possible number of run-outs in the entire match.
Source: cricketbetindia.com
Placing Bets on Players
These kinds of cricket bets are ultimately about how well you know each player and their expected performances in the match.
- Top Batsman to score the maximum runs
- Top Bowler to take the maximum wickets in a specific match or the entire series
- Expected Man of the Match
- Expected Player of the Series
- The player expected to score 50 runs
- Possibility of either team scoring a century or picking the team that can potentially score a century
- The player likely to score a total number of runs above or below a pre-determined number.
Common Cricket Betting Terms:
- Handicap: A handicap in cricket betting is a way to level the playing field between two teams of different strengths. It involves giving a virtual advantage or disadvantage to one team before the match starts. For example, a team may start with a -1.5 handicap, meaning they need to win by at least two runs or more for the bet to be successful.
- Draw No Bet: This is a type of betting market where the bettor gets their stake back if the match ends in a draw. It eliminates the possibility of losing the bet in case of a tied result.
- Accumulator/Parlay: An accumulator, also known as a parlay or combo bet, is a type of bet that combines multiple individual bets into one. The potential payout increases as each selection in the accumulator wins. However, if any of the selections lose, the entire bet is lost.
- Dead Heat: A dead heat occurs when two or more competitors finish a match or a specific event in an exact tie. In cricket betting, if a dead heat occurs for a specific betting market, the stake is divided by the number of winners, and the payout is calculated accordingly.
- Fractional Odds: Fractional odds, also known as traditional odds or UK odds, are a way of expressing the potential payout of a bet. They are presented as fractions, such as 5/1, where the numerator represents the potential profit, and the denominator represents the stake.
- Decimal Odds: Decimal odds are an alternative method of representing the potential payout in betting. They are presented as a decimal number, such as 6.50, and include the original stake in the potential return. For example, a winning bet of $10 at odds of 6.50 would return $65 ($10 x 6.50).
- Moneyline: Moneyline betting is prevalent in cricket, especially in limited-overs matches. It involves betting on the outright winner of the match, regardless of the margin of victory. The odds for each team are presented as positive or negative numbers, indicating the potential profit for a successful bet.
Source: siasat.com
As you continue dabbling in cricket betting, you’re sure to learn about the nuances of how wagering works. The list above is not comprehensive but is only designed to give you a quick overview of how exciting the world of cricket betting is. As you continue placing bets and winning, you’ll understand how betting platforms work. Of course, it is always advisable to pick out the right portals to place your bets and enjoy this global activity. If you know the game and your players well, you do stand a chance to win and walk away with substantial winnings.
