Popular Cricket Betting Markets: A Beginner's Guide

Cricket is the world’s second-most popular sport, coming only behind football in terms of global followership. Therefore, it is not surprising that the game draws a massive following from sports bettors as well. However, besides popularity, one major reason why cricket garners such huge betting action is its dynamic nature. The game has different playing formats, each providing unique and diverse betting opportunities.

That is, as a bettor just stepping into the world of cricket betting, you're truly spoilt for choice regarding what to bet on, and that's exciting! However, this can also feel overwhelming since you are new to the game and are unfamiliar with the nuances of each bet type. 

Therefore, this guide will walk you through some of the most popular cricket betting markets, offering insights into how they work and how to maximize your success. Let’s get into it!

Match Winner Bets

The match-winner bet is one of the most straightforward and popular cricket betting markets. As the name suggests, you simply predict which team will win the match. It doesn't matter how they win, whether by a huge margin or a last-minute strike; all that matters is the final result.

Here's how the match-winner bet works: you choose the team you believe will win, place your wager, and if your team comes out victorious, you win the bet. Sportsbooks assign odds to each team based on their perceived chances of winning. Often, the stronger team or favorite will be assigned lower odds, while the underdog will have higher odds. 

The match-winner market is perfect for beginner cricket bettors because it's simple. To increase your chances of winning, ensure you research and analyze factors like team lineup, current form, the match format (whether a Test, ODI, or T20), weather conditions, and pitch characteristics to help make informed decisions.

Totals Bets

With this market, you're not bothered about who wins or loses the match; instead, you're focused on the total number of runs scored. This could be the total runs by one team, by both teams combined, or even by an individual player. The sportsbook sets a line, which is their predicted number of runs, and you simply bet on whether the actual runs will be higher or lower than that number.

For example, the sportsbook might set the line at 280 runs in an ODI match between England and Australia. You then place your bet on whether you think the combined runs by both teams will go over or stay under 280. If you bet "over" and the match ends with maybe a score of 300 runs, you win. But if it falls short, say at 250, you lose.

Totals Bets are, however, not limited to overall runs. You can also bet on the total number of wickets, run-outs, or catches in a match. Some sportsbooks allow even more detailed wagers, such as the number of overs bowled or extras in the match. You can read more about exciting options in the cricket totals betting market here.

To place informed totals bets, consider factors like match format, the average score for the ground, recent team totals, playing styles, and how each team has performed in recent matches. Weather conditions and pitch reports can impact scoring, so keep these in mind before placing your bet.

Prop Bets

Prop bets allow you to focus on specific aspects of the game, including individual players, particular actions, or unique match moments. It's a very flexible and diverse betting market, as it covers a wide range of possibilities that do not directly depend on the overall outcome of the game. For example, you can predict who'll be named the Man of the Match, which player will score the most runs, which bowler will grab the most wickets, or even how a batsman will be dismissed.

It's, however, important to be familiar with the aspect of the game you're betting on if you want to make the most of prop bets. For instance, if you're backing a player to score the most runs, you'll want to be aware of that player's recent form, skill level, and even their past performance in similar conditions. Other factors, like the match format, weather, and other playing conditions, can also play a huge role in determining how well the player might perform.

Handicaps

The Handicap or spread betting market is designed to level the playing field when there's a clear favorite in a match. Here's how it works: the sportsbook typically gives a team a head start, which may be a specific number of runs or wickets that will account for the overall outcome. Consequently, the favorite team starts with a bit of a disadvantage.

For example, in a match where India is expected to win against Afghanistan easily, a sportsbook might give Afghanistan a "+50 runs" handicap. This means Afghanistan will start the game with an additional 50 runs in the context of the bet. This means that even if they lose, you will still win the bet as long as the loss margin is under 50 runs. On the flip side, if you're betting on India, they would need to win by more than 50 runs for your bet to be successful.

The Handicap market is a great way to get better odds when betting on their favorite team, as it adds a challenge for them to win by a certain margin. You can also use it to get higher odds on an underdog bet.

Outright Bets

This market allows you to predict the overall winner of a tournament or series rather than an individual match. This is why it's also called futures bets. Before or during the tournament, you can place your bet on the team you believe will win the entire competition. You could bet on the ICC Cricket World Cup, the Indian Premier League (IPL), or any domestic or international series.

Since outright bets are long-term and involve more uncertainty, they typically offer higher odds and bigger potential payouts than regular match bets. However, they also require a good understanding of the teams' overall strengths, players' forms, injury status, and even strategies, as these factors can influence a team's chances of winning a tournament.

Conclusion

With several bet types available at your disposal, cricket betting may seem overwhelming for beginners. However, by familiarizing yourself with the popular markets above, you can enhance your experience and make more informed decisions. Remember always to prioritize research and maintain a disciplined approach to increase your chances of success.