How to bet on Cricket: Match Winner, Match Runs and Player Markets
From Test cricket to The Hundred, there are various different formats in cricket that present betting opportunities.
Over recent years there has been more emphasis placed on the shorter format of the game and The Hundred, a 100-ball tournament, was recently set up in 2021 to try and help grow the sport.
The Indian Premier League, Big Bash, Pakistan Super League, SA20 and Bangladesh Premier League also provide limited-overs cricket from around the world, but that is not to say Test cricket is ignored and the longest format still has a strong fanbase.
For those new to betting on cricket or looking for a bit more understanding, this guide outlines the most popular markets and information on how to bet on them.
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How to bet on the match winner
The simplest way to bet on cricket is the match winner market, although there are some intricacies to know about this betting route.
In any format longer than T20, so one-day internationals, 50-over domestic matches, four-day County Championship fixtures and Test cricket, there is the option to back one of the two teams to win and also the tie.
However, Twenty20 games and any other shorter formats, there is only the option for Team A or Team B to win. If the scores are level, then the contest will be decided by a Super Over.
For example, if you staked £10 on England at 3/1 to beat Pakistan and the Three Lions came out on top, the wager would return £40 - £30 for the win with the £10 stake also returned.
How to bet on player market
Another approach in cricket is to look into the player markets, which can prove to be a valuable betting route to go down.
The simplest markets are the top batter and top bowler. These are where you can back a player to score the most runs or take the most wickets for his side in a game.
If you want a bet on a player, there are markets where you can back an individual to score over or under a certain number of runs, for example over 22.5 runs.
It is a similar scenario in the bowlers market, where you may choose to put a wager on a player to take under or over a certain amount of wickets in the contest.
When putting a bet on a Test match before it has started, the markets will be specific to the first innings. For example, you could back Joe Root to be England's top scorer in the 1st innings.
There is the option to back the top scorer, wicket-taker etc in the second innings in-play. These will be available when the Test has reached that stage.
How to bet on match runs
Another simple market to bet on is match runs. Depending on what markets are available, you could place wagers on the total runs in the match to be over or under a certain amount, while there is often the opportunity to do this specifically for the teams involved.
For example, you could back there to be over 332.5 runs in an ODI between England and Australia, while you could also back either of those two sides to score over a certain amount of runs in their innings.
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