Cricket Betting & Odds at NetBet Sport

Cricket is one of the most popular sports in the world, with a fanbase in the billions. Australia, England, India, Pakistan, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and the West Indies are viewed as the top cricket-playing nations. However, the sport is growing elsewhere, particularly in Ireland, Scotland, Netherlands and Italy.

With increasing popularity comes more opportunities for cricket betting and here at NetBet, we have an array of markets for this unique and exciting sport, all of them featuring the best cricket odds. Read on to learn a little bit more about The Gentlemen’s Game.

The Different Cricket Formats

There are three main formats of cricket to bet on and it is vitally important to understand the key differences between them.

Tests: The longest format of the game and often viewed as the pinnacle of the sport. Test cricket is played over the course of five days, with each team batting twice. This format paves the way for twists and turns, while allowing all players to show off their skill-sets.

One-Day Internationals (ODIs): The longest form of limited-overs cricket, each team is given a fixed number of 50 overs to bat. This format is perfect for power-hitting batsmen, although bowlers with exceptional discipline also thrive in this environment.

Twenty-20 (T20s): Founded only in 2003, this is the shortest and fastest-growing format of cricket, with sixes galore and bowlers often left pondering why they took up the sport in the first place. T20 cricket, which features 20-over innings rather than 50, has changed the cricketing landscape forever, with various franchise leagues popping up around the world to go with the international T20 tournaments.

Top Cricket Betting Competitions

ICC Cricket World Cup: Held every four years, this is the premier ODI tournament and is contested by the best cricketing nations in the world.

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup: The ICC’s flagship T20 tournament is held every two years and always features the finest fast-paced action in the sport.

Indian Premier League: The biggest T20 franchise league in the world, with the best overseas players partnering up with the finest talent from India. Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings are two of the league’s most famous teams.

The Ashes: A five-match test series between fierce rivals England and Australia, which is held every two years. First played in 1877, this is widely regarded as the biggest event in Test match cricket and the ICC World Test Championship.

ICC Champions Trophy: Another international tournament which uses the 50-over ODI format. The Champions Trophy features the top eight teams from the previous World Cup and like the World Cup, it is played every four years.

Top Cricket Betting Markets

Top Batter: Predict which batter will score the most runs in the match.

Top Bowler: Predict which bowler will take the most wickets in the match.

Draw No Bet: A handy market for betting on Test matches, where draws are quite common. If the game finishes as a draw, you will not lose any money.

Most Sixes: Predict which team will hit the most sixes in a match.

A Hundred to be Scored in the Match: Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ as to whether you think any batsman will score 100 runs in a single innings. In Test match cricket, it is quite rare for a match not to feature a single century, so the cricket odds here will be fairly short. But in T20 contests, hundreds are far less common due to the limited number of deliveries, so the cricket betting odds here will be fairly high.

Cricket Betting Tips

The importance of conditions: In cricket, conditions play a massive role in the match outcome. Different climates around the world mean each cricket pitch is unique. In the subcontinent, hot weather can dry out the pitches, which can be perfect for spin bowlers. But in places like England and New Zealand, pitches are often green with a bit of moisture and that plays into the hands of seam/swing bowlers. And then there are other pitches that are flat and a paradise for batters, with grounds in Pakistan renowned for producing these kinds of surfaces in recent times. So as you can see, it is vitally important to conduct thorough research on the venue and look at the pitch analysis before placing any cricket bets.

Weather forecast: Unlike football and rugby, cricket cannot be played in rainy conditions, as it is too dangerous for the players. As such, keeping an eye on the weather - particularly during a Test match - is of paramount importance, as it can alter a team’s tactics quite dramatically.

Become a team news guru: Keeping up to date with team news can really help with cricket betting decisions, particularly for pre-match bets. A team may opt to change their bowling lineup to suit certain conditions, or they may look to bolster their batting with the addition of all-rounders. And do not forget, the captain has an enormous role to play in any cricket team, as they set the field, choose who bowls and much more. As such, learn their strengths and weaknesses, because you may discover something that you can put to good use, particularly in live cricket betting markets - which are available at NetBet Sport!

Cricket Betting Glossary

The world of cricket features some rather unique terms. Here are some of the terms you will come across when looking to place cricket bets:

LBW: If the ball hits the batsman’s pad and it would have gone on to hit the stumps, he is given out by the umpire. This is known as ‘leg before wicket’.

DRS: The decision review system has changed the game of cricket for the better, as players can now challenge the umpire’s on-field call. Each team can review a certain number of decisions in an innings, a number which differs between Test matches and limited-overs cricket.

No Ball: A no ball is an illegal delivery from a bowler, which sees the batting side credited with one run (and in limited-over cricket, the follow up delivery is designated as a ‘free hit’). The most common reasons for a no ball are the bowler overstepping the popping crease or the ball being bowled above the batsman’s waist without bouncing, also known as a ‘full toss’

Slip Cordon: This is the group of fielders positioned behind the batsman, with the aim of catching deliveries which clip the edge of the bat. It is a field setting which is more common in Test matches, as batters take far less risks when compared to the boundary festivals seen in T20s.