How To Bet On Cricket
Cricket betting is a multibillion-dollar global industry, with annual revenue exceeding $80 billion. In India alone, more than 140 million bettors place wagers on the sport, mostly on T20 leagues and international tournaments.
With formats ranging from five-day Test matches to explosive T20 fixtures, cricket offers diverse betting opportunities that appeal to both casual fans and serious punters.
In...
Cricket betting is a multibillion-dollar global industry, with annual revenue exceeding $80 billion. In India alone, more than 140 million bettors place wagers on the sport, mostly on T20 leagues and international tournaments.
With formats ranging from five-day Test matches to explosive T20 fixtures, cricket offers diverse betting opportunities that appeal to both casual fans and serious punters.
In this guide, we will explore the sport’s formats, explain all the basic terminology, and provide some info on the main and secondary markets. We will also highlight the competitions that generate the most wagers and provide expert tips on how to bet on cricket and increase your chances of winning. Let’s get started.
- 1. How Cricket Betting Works
- 2. What are the types of formats to bet on cricket?
- 3. Cricket betting terminology
- 4. How To Bet On Cricket Online Step-by-Step
- 5. What Are The Top Markets For Cricket Betting Online?
- 6. How To Form A Winning Cricket Betting Strategy
- 7. Is Cricket Betting Online Worth The Trouble?
How Cricket Betting Works
Cricket betting involves placing wagers on various outcomes of a certain match. Online betting sites have released odds on all potential selections, so you must predict events like the match winner, number of runs, specific player performances, and others.
The odds you will come across when you bet on cricket reflect the implied probability of a specific outcome. For example, if England pays 1.60 to beat Australia in the Ashes, and Australia pays 2.40, it means that England is far more likely to emerge victorious.
What are the types of formats to bet on cricket?
The sport is played on several different formats, each providing unique opportunities to turn a profit. Here are the major ones:
Test Cricket
It is the format with the highest duration since it lasts five days. You need to be careful because the weather conditions, which change constantly, create significant momentum shifts.
One Day Internationals (ODI)
It features 50 overs per side, which means the teams are more equally balanced. Cricket betting on ODIs depends considerably on batting and bowling strategies, which evolve as the action unfolds.
T20 Cricket
This is the fastest form of cricket and lasts around three hours, with just 20 overs per side. Major T20 leagues like the IPL and BBL attract the highest betting volumes globally.
Domestic Leagues
Apart from international events, you will find several domestic competitions. The most notable ones are IPL (India), BBL (Australia), SA20 (South Africa), PSL (Pakistan), and The Hundred (England).
Cricket betting terminology
Understanding all the primary and secondary terms is the first step towards winning a cricket bet. Among the ones you need to know are the following:
- Match Winner: The team that wins a cricket match.
- Top Batsman: The player with the highest number of runs in the match.
- Top Bowler: The player with the most wickets during the match.
- Total Runs: The total number of runs in the match after four or sixes occur.
- Wicket Method: The method of dismissing a batsman and the physical stumps at either end of the pitch. There are several types of dismissal in cricket betting.
- Highest Opening Partnership: The record for the most runs scored by the opening pair (the first two batsmen) in a single innings.
- Man of the Match: The most valuable player of the game. They are voted after the match has concluded.
- Most Sixes: The team or player that achieves the most sixes during the match.
- Next Man Out: The incoming batsman - the man who is waiting to take the place and bat.
- Runs at Fall of Next Wicket: The total number of runs a team will have scored by the time the next wicket falls.
- Toss Winner: The team that wins the coin toss at the start of the game.
- Cricket Odds: The price you will get for every market. The top cricket betting sites offer competitive odds across all selections.
- Stake: The amount of money placed on each wager.
- Payout: The money you will receive after a successful wager.
- In-play Betting (Live Betting): Placing a bet after a match has already started.
- Accumulator (Parlay): This is a bet that consists of multiple selections from various cricket events.
- Back-Lay Bets: Back and lay bets allow you to predict if an outcome will come through or not. You can only place such wagers in betting exchanges.
- Dead Heat: It refers to a match ending in a draw, which is extremely rare in cricket.
How To Bet On Cricket Online Step-by-Step
No matter which site you are playing on, placing a cricket bet is similar. If you are new to online gambling, you only need to follow the steps below:
Select a bookie
Choose any bookmaker from our designated lists. They are all thoroughly checked, are safe, and come with high odds and a wide range of markets for cricket. For more information, feel free to check our bookmaker reviews.
Complete your registration and first deposit
Click on the button that takes you to the bookie’s official website. Create a new account and fund your balance. Some of these sites have developed cricket betting apps you can download and install on your phone.
Choose your preferred cricket event
Navigate the sportsbook, find the cricket section, and choose the match or matches you want to place a wager on. Under the designated tab, you can see all the available competitions and matches for each one.
Place your bet
Add as many markets as you want to your coupon, enter your stake amount, and confirm your bet. Note that, in some bookmakers, you cannot combine certain options, so you need to be aware of this.
Track your bet and see results
That’s it. You can now track your wager’s progress under the ‘Placed Bets’ tab. It will be settled automatically once all matches have been concluded, and your winnings will be paid immediately.
What Are The Top Markets For Cricket Betting Online?
The most popular cricket betting markets revolve around the match results, the total number of runs, and the player performances. There are also some exotic options that gather a lot of attention. Here are the top selections:
Match Winner
This is the simplest market in cricket. You must bet correctly on which team you think will be the final winner. In certain formats, you can find an option for a draw as well, but this is quite rare.
Total Runs
You bet on the total number of runs scored during the match. There is a threshold where you need to predict whether it is over or under. In most bookies, you can find a wide range of alternative lines, as well as selections for each team or total for the game.
Top Batsman / Top Bowler
You must predict the batsman with the most runs and the bowler with the most wickets during the match. For example, you bet on Virat Kohli to be the top run‑scorer. Not...
You must predict the batsman with the most runs and the bowler with the most wickets during the match. For example, you bet on Virat Kohli to be the top run‑scorer. Note that the IPL betting sites are the ones with the most ample selection on player props, offering 100+ different options per game. You can find odds on a player to score a fifty or century, take a five‑wicket haul, or be named Man of the Match.
First Wicket Method
This is one of the first wagers settled during the match. You must predict if the opening wicket will fall, be caught, be bowled, or run out. Note that being caught is fa...
This is one of the first wagers settled during the match. You must predict if the opening wicket will fall, be caught, be bowled, or run out. Note that being caught is far more likely, so the odds will reflect each result’s probability.
Runs at Fall of Next Wicket
This is a live cricket betting selection where you wager on the number of runs until the next wicket falls. You can take advantage of a wide range of alternative lines.
Highest Opening Partnership
You must bet on whether the opening pair of batsmen will achieve the most runs before losing their first wicket. You can also wager on which the highest opening partnersh...
You must bet on whether the opening pair of batsmen will achieve the most runs before losing their first wicket. You can also wager on which the highest opening partnership will be during the whole match. Usually, teams that have great opening batsmen will win that battle.
Most Boundaries / Sixes
Here, you must predict if the number of fours and sixes during the match is going to be over or under a certain line. Online bookmakers come with multiple options, includ...
Here, you must predict if the number of fours and sixes during the match is going to be over or under a certain line. Online bookmakers come with multiple options, including team, player and innings markets. This selection is particularly popular in T20 matches, especially when batsmen play on flat pitches.
Toss Winner
That’s a fun market that greatly impacts the game. The team that wins the toss selects whether they will bat or bowl first. It is always a 50-50 chance to win the wager...
That’s a fun market that greatly impacts the game. The team that wins the toss selects whether they will bat or bowl first. It is always a 50-50 chance to win the wager, so do not stake a high amount on this type of market.
How To Form A Winning Cricket Betting Strategy
Forming a profitable cricket betting strategy is extremely challenging, as multiple factors affect the final result. To increase your chances of winning, make sure to check the player ratings, evaluate the weather conditions, wait for the coin toss, and watch for momentum shifts during the match.
Check batsman rating & bowler rankings
The first thing you need to do is examine the ICC player rankings and performance metrics. That way, you can gain an understanding of a player’s form and impact on the match. For example, Dawid Malan and Suryakumar Yadav are rated over 900 in T20S, which is elite.
All-rounders with an index over 300 are considered world-class. When it comes to cricket betting, backing the top-ranked batsmen to score the most runs is far more valuable than other generic markets.
Similar to bowlers, you must evaluate wickets taken, the quality of batsmen dismissed, match conditions, and volume bowled. A bowler who is ranked in the top 10 is a strong candidate for “most wickets” in that match.
Evaluate weather & pitch conditions
The weather and pitch conditions of a match not only affect the final result but also the odds. Cloud cover and humidity boost the batsmen’s swing. If the cloud cover is over 60% and the humidity is over 70%, bowlers’ average runs per wicket drop by ~10–15%.
Moist air helps bowlers move the ball laterally, while dry and sunny conditions also favour spin bowling. You must adjust your strategies based on each event and type of format.
For example, the Ashes betting calls for a thorough evaluation before each match. On the other hand, betting on the T20 World Cup is relatively easier since each match only lasts a few hours.
The coin toss impacts the game
It has been estimated that winning the coin toss tilts a team’s winning probability by almost 3%. For example, if the toss winner opts to bat on a flat pitch with sunshine, they often score 20–40% more runs than if bowling first.
Conversely, in harder conditions, the team choosing to bowl first sees a 10–15% higher chance of early wickets. Of course, the coin toss is more crucial at specific formats.
Cricket betting online is challenging as it is. If you are unsure which team to back, make note of the potential weather during the match, and place your wagers after the coin toss to increase your chances.
Watch for momental shifts live
Since a lot of matches take a long time, you can find dozens of live cricket betting opportunities on momentum shifts. A top-order wicket in the Powerplay can shift run-rate expectations. A team chasing 180 loses 25% momentum if two quick wickets fall inside six overs.
On the other hand, rain delays interrupt offensive momentum since bowlers thrive. In addition, fatigue plays a critical role. A bowler who has an amazing start in the match concedes, on average, 15-20% more after playing 10+ overs. Make sure you follow the trends and place your wagers accordingly.
OUR VERDICT Is Cricket Betting Online Worth The Trouble?
Now that you know all there is on how to bet on cricket, there is only one question remaining: Is it worth it? The answer is, yes. For years, online bookmakers considered cricket as a secondary sport and did not pay close attention to it. This has changed recently. Especially the best betting sites in India with hundreds of matches available from all cricket formats.
Each one will come with 100+ different markets, with a main focus on match results, totals, player performances, and exotic bets. To gain a better understanding and improve your chances of winning, it is best to follow all our detailed cricket betting guides before placing any wagers.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Match Winner is by far the most popular one. However, many bettors love placing wagers on additional selections such as Total Runs, Player Props, Total Innings, and Coin Toss.
To make sure you make the most out of your wagers, you must find operators that come with high odds across all cricket markets. Having said that, the best options at the moment are 20bet, Powbet, and Megapari.
To increase your chances of winning, you must always evaluate the batsman's rating and bowler rankings before placing any wagers. Note that the coin toss and the weather conditions also highly impact the result.
Cricket is popular in many countries around the world, including Pakistan, Australia, South Africa, and the UK. However, nothing comes close to the sport’s popularity in India.
Test cricket, One Day Internationals (ODI), and T20 cricket are the most common formats of the sport, each offering unique betting opportunities. You can also find markets in multiple domestic competitions.
Absolutely. Online bookmakers offer a wide range of alternatives for player performances. Among the most popular ones, you can bet on the top bowler, top batsman, a player to score a century, or the man of the match.
Scoring 100+ runs in a single inning is not an everyday occurrence. Stats suggest that approximately 3.16% of batsmen's knocks result in a score of 100 or more. This means that a century happens once every 30-32 innings.
Yes. Dead heats occur in cricket from time to time. However, they are very rare, and you cannot expect to see them very often.
