Before moving on to the main topic of our article, for those who think cricket is an exotic game, we have prepared a brief reference about the history of its creation and the rules of the game, including the best cricket prediction tips.
Cricket has a large army of fans. It is a traditional British sport, the first competitions were held 6-7 centuries ago. Expanding their empire, the British brought entertainment to many Asian countries. Now cricket is a national sport in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka. Great popularity remains in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, England. And if the British are passionate about something, then bets are accepted on it. Therefore, the betting line on cricket at bookmakers is traditionally wide and diverse.
The key international tournaments are the World Cup and the World Championship, they are held among men’s and women’s teams. Cup competitions are held annually.
The most prestigious event is the World Championship held every four years. Everything is like in big football, only there are much fewer participants (10).
Features of the Rules of Cricket
The rules of cricket are quite complicated for beginners. There are many traditional moments in the game that negatively affect the entertainment. For example, the match time is unlimited, the game can even last several days.
Often the winner is determined not by points, but by additional parameters. Even in the final of the 2019 World Cup, a draw was recorded between the British and New Zealanders. And the championship title was awarded to the hosts according to additional characteristics.
It is difficult to understand all the subtleties of cricket rules, let’s highlight the key points:
- on an oval field with a track in the middle, two teams of eleven players face each other;
- the goal is to score more points than the opponent;
- scoring points are awarded for the “defections” (wounds) of the batting players;
- the goal of the throwing team is to knock 10 batting players out of the game.
Only after the members of the batting team are knocked outdoes the period end. It often drags on for 10-20 hours, and sometimes longer. Therefore, a daily cricket match is a common thing.
Batters are eliminated if the opposing team succeeds:
- catch a bounced ball on the fly;
- knock down the gate;
- touch the batter’s body with the ball that was flying into the wicket.
If a player of the batting team touches and destroys the wicket during the wound, he is also eliminated.
In turn, the batters get points for:
- running is one thing;
- the ball knocked out of the field is four;
- the knocked-out ball flies out without touching the lawn – six.
The match report keeps statistics for each athlete, in case of a draw on points, their indicators are taken into account.
What Betting Lines Are Given in the Betting Websites?
The bookmaker’s signature for different matches is very different. It all depends on the prestige of the game, its official status, and the tournament. Three main betting lines are usually given:
- P1, P2 — which of the rivals will win in the confrontation;
- handicaps on points;
- who will win the draw, in which the coefficients for both outcomes are equal?
In serious meetings, a general and individual total is added. It is also possible to bet on individual totals of runs in each individual over (a set of six innings of an individual player).
For major matches in which real cricket stars perform, specific bets are provided:
- who will be the best batsman – batter;
- best results of individual partnerships (batting players work in pairs);
- will the first wicket of the game be caught;
- will the best batsman score 50 or more points;
- who will make more run-outs and much more?
It makes sense to make special bets only if you know the rules well, and also perfectly understand the capabilities of each of the participants in the match.
Tips for Pre-match Analysis
To increase the chances of success of the prediction in cricket we will tell you the best cricket prediction strategies, but first of all, you should take into account such factors in the pre-match analysis:
- format – often a limited number of overs is included in the rules of a certain tournament, but it can also be assigned due to weather conditions;
- the venue is of particular importance for international tournaments, home teams feel more confident;
- team composition – success in the game largely depends on the presence of the strongest performers in the team, earning the most points;
- statistics of personal confrontations are an important factor in those cases. when teams with a long history of principled rivalry meet.
Professional cricket bettors constantly study numerous materials in the press and social networks, emerging news, and rumors about leading players. The motivation of key performers, their form, and their attitude are the main factors influencing the outcome.
Pros and Cons of Betting on Cricket
One of the key advantages of betting on cricket is the high level of competition of teams participating in various tournaments. Usually, there are no pronounced outsiders and underdogs. Therefore, betting on a plus head start can be very profitable. Especially in cases when fans are heavily overloading the market by placing numerous bets on their favorite team.
LIVE betting on cricket matches is very popular. This is not surprising, because if the game goes 20-30 hours, then you can always pick up an interesting and profitable bet in the process.
But there are also significant disadvantages in cricket betting:
Dependence on weather conditions. Not only can the match be postponed due to rain. Changes to the format and rules of the meeting are allowed. Often the weather changes already during the game, greatly adjusting the effectiveness.
Availability of match-fixing. If in England, Canada, Australia such a phenomenon is almost eradicated, then in Asian countries contractual arrangements are a common thing. The results may not match the strength of the opponents at all.
Significant differences in the regulations of different tournaments. This is a pitfall for beginners. You can rely on the statistics of a particular team, but do not take into account that the upcoming match will be held in a different format, for example, with a reduced number of overs.
The main conclusion is that you can start betting on cricket only after a detailed study of the rules and regulations of specific competitions. The profit on the bets will be only if you understand the strength of the clubs, the individual skill of the performers.
Best Cricket Prediction Strategies
It’s time to consider some of the best cricket betting strategies. There are not so many of them in the public domain on the web.
Betting Against a Draw in Test Matches
This strategy is suitable for classic “long” test matches. A draw is very common for them, as the teams simply do not have time to finish the inning. However, the number of X’s has been falling lately. For example, take the famous test series of Anthony De Mello (India – England). For all time, the teams have played 60 matches, 27 of them ended in a draw. However, in the last 13 matches of the series, the draw was only twice.
The number of draws in test matches is constantly falling:
- In the 80s, about 45% of the tests ended in a draw;
- In the 90s – about 35%;
- In the last 10 years – about 27%.
We suggest betting against a draw (bet 12) in meetings where there is no giant gap in the odds. For example, same India– England or Australia–India series. The optimal coefficient is 1.27-1.40.
Bet on an Outsider After a Coin Toss
The outcome of a cricket match strongly depends not only on skill, weather conditions but also on the usual coin toss. The team that hits first gets a big advantage. So at the 2019 One-day Cricket World Cup, the “batting” side won 65% of the time.
The strategy of betting on cricket live after the toss looks like this:
- Find a match with relatively dense coefficients. The coefficient for an outsider is not higher than 4.0;
- Wait for the coin toss;
- If the outsider is the first to hit, bet on him.
Betting Strategy on the Best Batsman in Cricket
Here we offer a fairly standard “Dutch” strategy. You need to select 3-4 players who are most likely to become the best batter. And make bets on them, the amount of which guarantees the highest profit regardless of the outcome. You can bet on both the best batter in the team and the best in the match.
Our recommendation is to play matches where there is a clear, but not overwhelming favorite to win. You need to bet on the best favorite player, the best outsider player, and 1-2 more favorite players.
Where to Bet on Cricket?
Now, having studied the best cricket strategies, you are ready to start betting on this sport yourself.
Most legal betting companies accept bets on cricket, offering excellent betting lines of popular championships and leagues. You will find the best odds in Parimatch, 888sport, 4rabet, Melbet, 1win. When choosing a bookmaker, you should pay attention to the currencies offered for mutual settlements, bonuses for the initial deposit, methods of entering and withdrawing money.