Dating back to 18th Century England, cricket is rich in history, with wagering on the outcome of matches going back many years. In recent times with the introduction of 50 over and 20 over matches, cricket betting has exploded. This popularity has led to the introduction of a number of different bet types and opportunities for savvy bettors.
Types of Cricket Matches
The way major cricket matches are played in the 21st century can easily be divided into two categories:
- Red Ball Cricket – Test Match Cricket is the oldest and most traditional style of the game. It is played between two countries within a five-day time frame. If neither team has won after five days, the game has declared a draw meaning that there are three results possible in each match, a win, a loss or a draw.
- White Ball Cricket – This is the term used to describe the shorter versions of the game, commonly 50 over and 20 over contests. The majority of these games are played in part at night time with a white cricket ball used, hence the moniker. White ball cricket has overtaken red-ball cricket in popularity as games are over in a shorter period of time, leading to more exciting action in a condensed time frame. There are only two possible sports betting outcomes in white-ball cricket, a win or a loss.
Cricket Bet Types
There are countless bet types and different proposition markets available in cricket betting. Some of these options are available pre-game while others are available during the match in “live betting”. Below are some of the more common bet types:
Match Betting – This is the simplest form of sports betting. Who will the match? If the team you placed a bet on wins, you do too! It’s that simple.
Innings Run – For this wager, you’ll try to correctly predict the number of runs that will be scored in the first innings of the match. Generally, this bet type is grouped into brackets (e.g. 160-180 runs) or in an over/under wager (e.g. +/-173.5) This is a popular bet type when the match is in progress with the odds fluctuating according to the on-field action.
Method of Dismissal – How will the next batsman be dismissed? Will the player be bowled, caught or LBW? This is another bet type that is very popular in live betting with some players getting out in similar ways in every match. Astute punters can make the most of their research and place successful bets in this market.
Top Bowler – Which bowler will take the most wickets in a particular inning or match? If you choose correctly, you will get a nice payout due to there being a number of possible winners.
Top Batsman – Who will score the most runs in an innings or match? Once again, the odds are generally good for this type of bet due to there being a number of “live” changes in the betting market.
Tournament Outright Winner – A lot of white-ball cricket is played in tournaments with multiple teams participating. This is a bet of who you think will lift the trophy at the end. The odds for this bet type will constantly fluctuate throughout the tournament up until the final is decided.
The Keys to Successful Cricket Betting
Do the form – Weather and pitch conditions play a big part in cricket. Matches played in Asia tend to help spin bowling while English conditions suit bowlers who can swing the ball. Some batsmen perform well when the bowling is fast but struggle when the ball spins. These are all important aspects to consider when online cricket betting.
Match-Ups – Which teams have better records against each other? Some bowlers appear to hold an edge over some batsmen and vice versa. Asian teams tend to struggle on the fast and bouncy pitches of South Africa and Australia, while New Zealand struggles against spin.
Conditions – The conditions that the teams encounter will also influence any bets. How will the wicket play? Is it easy to bat under lights when the dew makes the ball damp? Maybe the lights make batting difficult at night? Will rain reduce the time?
Team Line-ups – The loss of one or two players can make all the difference in the result of a match, especially in white-ball cricket. Teams are not announced until around 30 minutes prior to the commencement of play. Be wary of any odds that look “too good to be true”. They may be influenced by a team change that has not been widely publicised.
Twenty 20 Cricket (T20)
The popularity of T20 cricket globally has led to a number of annual tournaments being played. These tournaments have become very lucrative for players as well as being fantastic for the public. Games of T20 cricket take less than three hours to complete and are action-packed with big-hitting, crafty bowling and outstanding fielding,
The Indian Premier League (IPL) is by far the most popular T20 competition in the world. It runs for approximately eight weeks and features the world’s best players. With so many matches and readily available information, IPL betting can be particularly profitable with an abundance of markets.
Summary
Betting on cricket can be a fun pastime for those looking to add to the excitement of watching their favourite team play. It can also be much more. If you can be disciplined and come up with a solid strategy, there is an opportunity for good profits when sorting through a large number of online sports betting propositions.
