Cricket is usually seen as a peaceful sport. However, at the elite professional level, a long way from village green and backyard cricket — the sport thrives with some thrilling tournaments covered by the best cricket betting sites.
There are some brilliant cricket betting sites out there and during this guide we will take you on a journey of what you can expect. From betting markets, welcome bonuses and live streaming, this page is your number one guide for betting on cricket.
All cricket betting sites are different, but there are some basics you should consider when choosing where to place your cricket bets.
Now, with the features we listed in mind, we suggest a few of the best cricket betting sites we have come across:
N1bet has an excellent sportsbook with some fantastic cricket features, including live-streaming of competitions like the Women’s Big Bash League. The coverage of live cricket markets is extensive on everything from the IPL to international T20 series, including in-depth statistics and results to back up competitive odds. An easy registration and features like in-play cash-out add to the experience.
Bet365 is one of the best betting sites for providing promotions for existing customers and they also have a good welcome bonus for new players. These promotions are perfect for exploring the ample sportsbook, which happens to look and work great on a desktop or mobile.
Still, Bet365 really stands out by delivering a quality cricket betting platform, with superb access to Bet Builders. That includes their Bet Builder+ feature for pre-match markets in limited-overs cricket. As well as being able to create a same-game cricket multi, the top feature allows you to combine options from Bet Builder markets across different events into one bet. The live in-play cricket markets are exceptional, and there are good statistics in the mix, too.
Betway too reps similar qualities like Bet365 and N1Bet. It competes with a well-designed site with great live in-play cricket betting and delivers immersive cricket odds.
The infographics and in-game statistics are delivered on an engaging platform, great for tracking the many live in-play markets Betway have, such as Team A 1st Innings Total Runs and Fall Of 2nd Wicket. The Betway mobile app is handy for those in-play betting and cash-out moments like Method of Dismissal.
Hand in hand with live action, the right features can boost the overall live cricket betting experience. Below are some of the leading features of the best cricket betting sites that we recommend for a full experience.
As a given, you can’t have live cricket betting without live streaming, which puts the current action right in front of your eyes. With live streams, you have the advantage of gaining a clear view of how a certain match is playing out and can assess player form.
In-play markets have changed the face of sports betting, and this is no different for cricket betting. A top cricket betting site will have an in-play betting platform with wide market coverage. It should also provide some great statistics from the live action, giving a clearer picture of the current status of the match.
You don’t necessarily have to wait for a bet to reach its natural conclusion. You can have one settled before the completion of an event, be that an individual match outcome or an outright winner pick on the next Cricket World Cup. Cash-out at cricket bookmakers lets you take the partial value of the bet and close it out early.
Always practice responsible gambling when using cricket betting sites, no matter what site you end up choosing. That means keeping your bankroll in check and being honest with yourself about your cricket betting habits. The priority when betting is always to have a safe, enjoyable experience. Here are some other cricket betting tips:
Don’t place bets just to take part in a promotion. If it focuses on a market you never bet on and don’t have working knowledge of, let it slide — after all, a Test batsman doesn’t attempt to score a run from every ball. Search for promotions at cricket bookmakers that will accentuate your regular betting picks.
As mentioned earlier, the weather has a huge influence on cricket betting that can’t be understated. The condition of the pitch and things like humidity, have a massive bearing on how a game may be played and can swing favour to batsmen or certain types of bowlers.
The toss of a coin in cricket is very important. Knowing who is batting first and what the weather conditions are like can influence how you place your bets. Backing a team to score less than 300 runs because you believe it will have a damp outfield, will count for nothing if the weather forecast was wrong and it’s a dry track and batsman-friendly.
Many leading betting sites have superb statics and results services that can be directly accessed from sportsbook listings. Such in-depth information can be leveraged for cricket betting opportunities.
Always make sure you know who is playing and who is returning from injury before you start placing player-related bets. For instance, Jofra Archer spent a lot of time out injured. If he was making his return, don’t just back him for a five-wicket haul because he would have done that three years ago. Be smart about. Think about how many overs he will bowl considering his time off, will he be thrown into the action immediately or will the captain wait until later in the innings? Things like this add up and could be crucial to your betting strategy.
In case you are just discovering cricket betting for the first time, let’s explore the types of cricket and some of the sport’s top competitions that are often accounted for on the best cricket betting sites. It is important to understand the different formats of the game because betting strategies on one may not work as well for another.
Here is a quick overview of the most common formats of the sport:
A First Class cricket test match can last either four or five days. At the international level, where the likes of England, Australia, and India compete, such matches are called Tests. Both teams get two innings to patiently bat and rack up the highest cumulative score.
A shorter format of cricket in which teams are limited to one 50 over innings. International one-day matches are commonly referred to as ODI. As the name suggests, unlike First Class Cricket matches, ODI matches are completed in one day.
A complete departure from the traditional Test format is Twenty20, or T20, as it’s commonly known. Teams only get twenty overs to score as many runs as they can. That makes it a heavy-hitting, explosive display of batting power as players play riskier shots to try and hit boundary scores.
There is one further format that has crept into the scene for coverage at cricket betting sites. That is The Hundred, which is only played in England. Each team gets an innings of 100 balls to score from. Rules are slightly different regarding bowling and power plays to other formats.
There is a lot of variety in cricket betting beyond formats, and cricket markets can be broken down into several categories. The main areas of focus for cricket betting are as follows:
The most obvious form of outright market for betting on cricket is the match-winner market. But the bet type also comes in the form of tournament winners and Series winners. Usually, international teams meet in a series of matches, like best of 3 or best of 5 matches.
In all forms of cricket, the toss of the coin determines who bats and fields first. It is a popular market for something so simple. The odds are not earth shattering, but it is a fun bet nonetheless.
This market is mainly popular in T20 matches, because the aim is to score as many runs as quickly as possible. This market will see you betting against two team-mates and you will be backing one of them to reach 10 runs before the other one.
The aim is to score as many runs as possible, so backing players to score the most runs is a fun way to get involved in cricket betting. All players from both teams will be on the list, it is up to you to back the one that you think will score the most runs.
This cricket market is almost identical to the runs-scoring one but with the bowlers in mind. Instead of wanting runs being scored, you are betting on a certain player to take the most wickets.
This market allows punters to bet on the number of boundaries – fours or sixes – that will be hit in the match. A number will be set and you just bet on whether you think it will be under or over that total.
Your two opening batsmen getting off to a strong start is crucial in a game of cricket – especially the red-ball format like a Test match. It’s not always the case, but a very good opening partnership can set a team on the road to victory. You can back which team you feel will have the best two openers batting together.
The majority of team sports have an award for player of the match at the end of each game. Cricket is no different. This market is open before the game starts and you can pick your selection just like you would if you were betting on the first goal scorer in a soccer match.
This market is perfect for in-play betting. A lot of markets will close or be suspended once the first ball of the day has been bowled. This market allows bettors to bet while the game is in progress and you can bet accordingly in terms of run scoring.
In cricket, if a T20 or 50-over match ends in a tie, then it goes to a Super Over. Both teams get to face six balls to score as many runs as possible. This market allows you to bet beforehand whether or not you believe the game will go to the Super Over. It doesn’t happen all the time, but it did happen in the 2019 World Cup Final when England beat New Zealand.
Cricket doesn’t usually hold the same appeal for domestic league action as soccer does. The longer formats of the sport are largely dominated by the international cricket scene, which produces some fantastic rivalries.
In the chart below, take a look at some of the most popular cricket competitions to bet on on the top cricket betting sites around the world, followed by some details on what to expect from select ones.
| Competition | Format | Where |
|---|---|---|
| The Ashes | Test Match Cricket | England, Australia |
| IPL | T20 | India |
| The Hundred | 100 balls | England |
| The Big Bash | T20 | Australia |
| T20 Blast | T20 | England |
| PSL | T20 | Pakistan |
| SA20 | T20 | South Africa |
| Cricket World Cup | ODI | Every 4 years |
| Twenty20 World Cup | T20 | Every 2 years |
| Asia Cup | ODI | Asia |
| Sheffield Shield | First Class | Australia |
| County Championship | First Class | England |
Although the majority of top UK bookmakers will entice new customers to sign up with a lucrative welcome offer, not a lot of them are aimed at cricket.
In terms of sports and betting markets, bookies are constantly adding more and more instead of concentrating on soccer and horse racing. Unfortunately, cricket and other sports have not been promoted to having their own welcome bonus.
If a welcome offer of “Bet £10 to get £10 in free bets” states that it can be used on all sports, then cricket bettors can bet on their favourite markets with the special offer. If it is for soccer or horse racing only, then you will be allowed to use it for cricket.
The only time an online bookmaker would issue a cricket only welcome offer would be if England reached the T20 World Cup Final of the ICC World Cup Final.
In the build-up to that game, bookies might give fans the opportunity to sign up as a new member and get a free bet to back England to win. You would need to check out the relevant sites closer to the time.
Cricket is an ideal sport for live betting. There are long natural pauses in the game, which allow for a less hectic in-play experience compared to, for example, soccer betting.
Delays between each ball being bowled, at the change of ends and innings are some of the natural in-game pauses. But there are also longer enforced breaks, particularly in First Class cricket, where lunch, tea, and drink breaks are taken.
Test match cricket is also great for betting because, at the end of each day, you can assess the state of play overnight. You can read stats from the day’s action, assess variables like bowler form, and even check the weather, which is a big factor in cricket.
From the fall of the next wicket to the top batsman, there is plenty of variety for cricket enthusiasts on live betting sites. Other popular options are the match winner, whether or not a wicket will be taken in the next over, or an under/over total on runs scored from the next six balls.
Gone are the days when you could only watch live sport in your own home on your television or in the pub with a big screen.
Live cricket and other sports can now be watched live from your mobile phone, meaning you can watch all the live action on the beach, in the countryside or even on the top deck of a bus.
When it comes to streaming live cricket matches, bookmaker Bet365 lead the way with a large number of cricket games streamed live every season.
The easiest way to find out if a cricket match is being streamed live or not, is to head over to the cricket betting markets and if there is a ‘play’ icon next to a game, then that game will be available to watch online.
To watch the selected cricket matches with Bet365, punters will need to log in, have a credited account or placed a bet within the previous 24 hours. If you have passed those requirements, then you will be able to watch all the cricket action live online.
We live in a world where everyone is on the go and people refuse to take a few minutes out to reflect. This is the case with the gambling world, it moves at such a fast pace that if you do not have your finger on the pulse then you will be left behind.
That can relate to bookmakers, betting trends and you as the bettor. Almost everyone has a mobile phone glued to their hand in everyday life. They might be in the supermarket, walking the dog or waiting for a bus – but you can guarantee they will have a phone in their hand.
Betting companies are well aware of this and that is why the best bookmakers on the market all have mobile phone apps avail;able to download.
Not all of them do, but the main ones will have some app that allows people to place their bets on the go. We mentioned having their finger on the pulse, really it means hand on their phone. You can access everything you need on a mobile betting app with the click of a button.
Whether you have an IOS phone or an Android one, you will be able to head to the relevant online store and download each live cricket betting app for free.
Whether it is the slow, patient building of a Test innings or the raucous boundary hitting of a T20 match, cricket betting sites cover all the angles with great pre-match and in-play market variety. From digging into the specifics of bowler performances to the wider picture of innings totals and match results, the latest cricket adventures can be backed up by top betting site features.
Be sure to choose your sites wisely keeping in mind the features that matter most to you, whether that’s live betting, cash out, bonuses or specific cricket markets. If it feels like too much to research, you always have our top favorites to start off with while you get a clearer picture of what sites are on offer.
It’s the same principle as any sports betting. Use a good sportsbook, do research and explore the markets for betting odds.
The match winner is the most popular cricket betting market as well as the outcome of a Series. The Top Batsman and Top Bowler are also big market contenders.
Yes. The best cricket betting sites will have live cricket markets open to explore, some with features like cash-out.
The Indian Premier League is the biggest franchise cricket league in the world. The IPL has been pioneering and has inspired other similar national tournaments.
Odds are presented in either decimal, fractional or American. Decimal is the easiest for beginners, as you multiply the odds by your stake to see the potential return.
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