Cricket may seem like a fairly straightforward game on the face of things, however, with the number of different cricket bet types out there, you may be surprised as to how in-depth the sport can actually go.
Enjoyed all over the world and as one of the oldest sports played in history, betting types have evolved massively over the decades. This means that whether you prefer to take advantage of outright bets or more specific propositions, you can tailor your cricket betting slip your way.
Bookmakers are, however, getting savvier with regard to how things play out on the wicket, meaning you may want to swot up on those various types of bets and the form of various national and international sides before you start casting your money into the pot. Let’s take a quick look at what you can expect from session betting and more besides.
Types of Betting in Cricket
While you may well assume that outright bets rule the pitch, you’d be surprised to learn that punters are able to fine-tune their bets down to the nitty gritty thanks to a huge array of sportsbook options and bets available. There are also many cricket betting tipsters for you to check out before placing bets.
Some of the best types of betting include:
- Match bets
- Series bets
- Outright winners
- Tied match bets
And there are so much more. Have a read of this page for more details.
This sport largely takes place on a geographical basis, meaning that in the UK, for example, counties play against each other in a regular league – and there is also an international game which offers many of the same types of betting in cricket you can sample on the regional stage.
In any case, it’s worthwhile looking at cricket bet types so you know which markets to plump for the next time your team goes up to bat. You can bet live or beforehand – whichever suits your punting pattern the best.
Cricket Match Betting
Rates and odds on cricket match betting can and will vary, but it’s by far the most common market open to punters online and offline.
Who will win a given match? Place your bets. It really is as simple as that – though it’s worth bearing in mind that some bookmakers may place handicaps or market requirements in place to make things that little bit more interesting.
For example, a bookmaker may expect a match to have seen a specific number of overs in order for match bets to qualify. Therefore, don’t always assume that this type of bet is going to be a straightforward or done deal.
If you do wish to bet on the big events, it is a good idea to have a look at upcoming cricket events and the different types of bets you can place for these matches.
Series Betting
Series betting is where things start to get a little bit more interesting. A series, for those who may not know much about the sport, it is a run of matches between two teams in the name of winning a trophy.
Perhaps the most famous series is The Ashes, which is a series of five matches played by England and Australia. These types of bets can get a little more intense as you have, essentially, more cricket to watch and more tension to sit through.
Series betting is often only for the truly brave of betters, particularly as one or two bad matches could really put an often good side behind.
What’s more, in the case of The Ashes, both England and Australia have won their fair share of series between them. It varies year on year.
Outright Winner
Outright winner bets focus on who is likely to win out of a set tournament or league. This makes things even wider open than series bets and match bets as you’re hoping a favourite or rank outsider will go all the way to the final and bring home the goods.
Once again, this is a cricket bet type which is difficult to call unless you are really invested in the sport. Outright winner bets can pull in a stack of cash if you go for an inside chance, but if you’re feeling lucky, you could pull off the mother of all upsets.
Play it safe or try your luck – it’s up to you!
Tied Match Betting
Of all the betting types in cricket, you may assume that tied match betting has even slimmer opportunities than outright and series wins.
Not so – test matches can regularly see sides declared as joint winners, meaning that if you are going to take a wild punt on a tied match taking place, it’s worth holding out for the individual matches.
More so, it’s worth holding out for matches between seemingly similar teams – look at form, and make an educated decision, if you fancy wagering all-out on draws taking place.
Top Batsman in Cricket
This is another deceptively simple cricket bet type, but you shouldn’t ever assume the title of top batsman in cricket to ever be cut and dried.
Many international sides such as Australia and the West Indies have many incredible batsmen all playing for the same team – it can be hard to pick who’s likely to be the best out of a brilliant bunch.
It’s pure maths – the odds on this may be stacked against you, though it’ll depend who is playing on the day and whether or not you think they’ll score the most runs during any given match. A nice money-earner if you want to avoid the simplicity of outright wins.
Top Bowler
Similarly to top batsman, this bet will allow you to pick who you think will claim the most wickets during a particular period – be it a match, a series or otherwise – once again allowing for a nice, wide market and one only the brave are most confident with tackling outright.
There are a number of betting sites out there and you can place bets on your favourite bowler if you wish.
Method of Dismissal
Yes – you can even bet on how you think the next wicket is going to fall! Method of dismissal betting is popular during in-play bets, meaning that if you’re noticing a trend in leg before wicket, for example, it could pay off to put your money where your mouth is.
Live Cricket Betting
Live cricket betting is just as exciting as live sports elsewhere on the old sportsbook – flexible in-play markets offered by the likes of bet365 and Betfair offer a variety of live cricket bet types throughout the year.
