What will you find in this article?
- About cricket
- Major cricket tournaments
- Where to watch cricket
- Best Bookmakers for Cricket Betting
- Betting Markets
- Cricket Betting Tips
Cricket is the most popular sport in our country and continues to grow. As you might expect, with the proliferation of sportsbooks in India, cricket has become one of the favourite betting disciplines.
Cricket betting allows punters to place bets on their favourite sport all year round!
If you still don't know how to bet on cricket or if you already bet but would like to learn some tips to make your bets more successful, stay with us.
We'll tell you all about cricket in India, the best bookmakers, betting markets and unmissable cricket betting tips.
About cricket
Cricket is a game of British origin that has become a global phenomenon, attracting millions of fans around the world.
In India, cricket is the most popular sport and it is part of the country's culture. It was introduced during British rule and has since become linked to the country's history and tradition.
Many say that to understand India, you have to understand cricket. For in a country where Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Parsis and many other groups are sometimes divided, cricket is the only uniting force.
The first mention of cricket in India was made in 1721 by Clement Downing, an English sailor working for the East India Company. Clement wrote about his experiences playing cricket with other sailors. In 1792, the Calcutta Cricket Club is known to have been formed by British expatriates.
But it wasn't until 1848 that the first Indian community club was formed by the Parsis, the Oriental Cricket Club. This was the club that opened the door to the formation of other local cricket clubs. By the end of the 19th century, the sport was extremely popular throughout the subcontinent.
Today, everyone knows India as one of the world's biggest cricket powers, it's the sport most watched by Indians and millions of people play it recreationally.
The country's national cricket team has won some of the sport's most important trophies, including the 1983 Cricket World Cup, the 2007 ICC World Twenty20, the 2011 Cricket World Cup and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy.
Founded in 2008, the Indian Premier League (IPL) is currently the most followed cricket league in the world. Crowds fill the stadiums during international and IPL matches. Cricket isn't just the country's official sport - it's much more than that, it's part of every Indian's identity.
Cricket's origins
- How do you play cricket?
Cricket is a sport played between two teams of 11 players on a circular pitch with a rectangular area in the centre. In short, the game is based on scoring runs and taking wickets.
While one team bats, trying to score runs, the other team bowls and fields, trying to prevent runs and dismiss the batsmen.
To score runs, two batsmen have to be on the field. A batter scores a run by hitting the ball and running to the other side of the field:
- 1 run for each successful pass;
- 4 runs if the ball hits the ground and reaches the boundary;
- 6 runs if the ball is hit out of bounds without touching the ground.
The other team on the pitch eliminates the batters in various ways.
- Bowled - with the bowler hits the stumps (wooden sticks) with the ball;
- Caught - a fielder catches the ball before it touches the ground;
- Run Out - the fielders hit the stumps while the batters are running between ends of the pitch;
- LBW (Leg Before Wicket) - The batsman's leg prevents the ball from hitting the stumps.
The team with the most runs at the end of the game wins. If all the batsmen are dismissed or the overs come to an end, the innings ends and the teams' positions are reversed, the batsman becoming bowler and vice versa.
In cricket, an over is a sequence of 6 consecutive deliveries by the same player (the bowler). After these 6 deliveries, another player from the same team takes over as bowler.
Video explaining how cricket works
- Types of Cricket Matches
Within the sport of cricket, you have various types of cricket formats. Test cricket, which is played over five days, one-day cricket and Twenty20 (T20) cricket.
Test Cricket
Test Cricket is the longest and most traditional format, lasting a maximum of five days. Both teams have two innings each to score as many runs as possible.
One Day International (ODI)
In the One Day International, also known as Limited Overs Cricket, each team has up to 50 overs, with the aim of scoring more runs than the opposition.
T20
The shortest and fastest format, in which each team has around 20 overs. This format has gained huge popularity in recent years due to its fast and entertaining nature.
Major cricket tournaments
The Ashes is the oldest live Test cricket event in the world, in which Australia takes on England. The event takes place every two years and the host alternates between the two nations. Another famous Test cricket event is the Basil D'Oliveira Trophy, with England playing South Africa.
Indian fans, meanwhile, can enjoy the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, with India taking on Australia.
Some of the most important competitions in the world are the Sheffield Shield, played between six teams in Australia, and the four-day County Championship in the UK.
The Cricket World Cup, in the One-Day International (ODI) format, which is the most traditional and prestigious version of the tournament, takes place every four years. The T20 World Cup takes place every two years, in the shorter format of 20 overs per team.
ODI World Cup 2023 winners - Australia
In India, the most exciting and most accessible sport for spectators is Twenty 20 (T20), through the IPL (Indian Premier League). We also have the Ranji Trophy, a first-class cricket tournament played between teams representing different states and regional associations in India. It's a traditional and long-running competition, with matches lasting four days.
In our country, watching an IPL match is the equivalent of the excitement of an English Premier League football match or an NFL game in the United States. We'll talk about this league in more detail below.
- IPL
The Indian Premier League is one of the most popular T20 tournaments in the world, where international and Indian players play in franchise teams. This league usually takes place between March and May and is the most exciting and accessible sport for spectators. Matches usually last around three hours, unlike Test matches, which last four to five days. Crowds of fans fill the stadiums to cheer on their favourite players, who are worshipped almost like demi-gods.
The IPL was created in 2007 by the Board of Control for Cricket in India and its first season was in 2008. At first, there were only eight teams competing for the trophy. In the 2011 season, the number of teams increased to ten, before being reduced to nine in 2012. From 2022, there will again be ten teams involved in the Indian Premier League.
The IPL's inaugural season was won by Rajasthan Royals, while in IPL 2024, the most recent edition, Kolkata Knight Riders won the coveted trophy.
With five titles, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians have the most titles in the history of the tournament.
IPL 2024 champions
Where to watch cricket
- Star Sports Network
- Disney+ Hotstar
- Jio Cinema
- DD Sports
Cricket fans can watch the Indian Premier League (IPL) via the Star Sports Network, Disney+ Hotstar and via streaming on Jio Cinema.
The T20 Cricket World Cup matches are broadcast live on Star Sports, DD Sports and Disney+ Hotstar.
Star Sports currently holds the broadcasting rights to the Indian Premier League, ICC Events and the Nepal Premier League.
Best Bookmakers for Cricket Betting
- 1xBet
At 1xBet, you'll find the most important cricket leagues in the world. As well as the IPL, you can bet on the Big Bash League (Australia), Dream11 Trinidad (Trinidad and Tobago), Abu Dhabi T10 League and ICCA Arabian League (United Arab Emirates). And, as you'd expect, you also have bets on the World Cup, Test Series, Twenty20 Series and women's leagues.
In addition, this bookmaker has the fantastic IPL Betting App waiting for you, available for iOS and Android, where you can find upcoming matches in IPL or any other cricket league.
1xBet IPL Cricket Betting App
- Stake
Like the previous bookmaker, Stake also offers you the chance to bet on the main leagues and competitions.
Another interesting feature is access to live cricket betting and statistics updated in real time.
Real-time statistics at Stake
- Parimatch
At Parimatch you have the main cricket competitions and lots of betting opportunities on the India Premier League: long-term bets, match winner, over/under runs, top batsman and many others.
It also offers some of the best odds on the market, quick deposits and withdrawals with a wide selection of methods and customer support.
Use your computer or the Parimatch app for iOS or Android and bet on your favourite cricket team!
IPL betting at Parimatch
- Megapari
At Megapari, in addition to the main competitions, statistics and live betting, you also have live streaming of cricket events.
As you can see, you can watch several cricket matches simultaneously.
Megapari cricket betting
Betting Markets
There are several betting markets available in cricket, catering for different preferences and strategies.
If you're new to cricket sports betting, take a look at our list of markets and try to find the ones that seem most suitable for your bets.
If you're already an experienced punter, we'll probably have some markets you haven't tried yet.
Here are some of the most popular markets:
- Match Betting
The most common way to bet on crick is match betting. In this type of simple bet, you only have to choose between three different outcomes: home team win, away team win or draw. That's it!
Due to the simplicity of this type of bet, it is one of the most popular markets among punters.
- Over-under or Innings Runs
A bet on whether the total number of runs scored in the match will be higher or lower than a certain number.
- Top Batsman (Player prop)
Bet on which batsman you think will score the most runs during the game or series. Since this bet is more difficult to predict, it often has higher winnings.
- Team of Top Batsman
If you don't want to bet on the exact player who will be the best batsman, you can always go for another option that's a little easier to get right. Bet on the team with the best batsman.
- Top Bowler (Player prop)
Bet on the bowler you believe will take the most wickets during a match or series.
- Bowler Match Bets
In this type of bet, you're betting on pairs of bowlers. All you have to do is decide which of the two players will take the most wickets in the match or series.
- Batsman Match Bets
Here you also have two players to choose from. Simply select the player you think will score the most runs during the game to place this type of bet.
Examples of cricket markets on 1xBet
- Method of Dismissal (Player prop)
Predicts how a batsman will be dismissed (e.g. caught, bowled, leg before wicket, etc.).
All you have to do is choose the way you think the player will be eliminated and hope you've selected correctly.
- Man of the Match (Player prop)
Bet on the player who will be awarded the title of "Man of the Match".
- Completed Match
For one-day games, you can bet on whether the game will be completed that day or not. If you believe that an external factor, such as rain, could affect the game, then you can place a bet that the game will not be completed.
To place this type of bet, simply bet "yes" or "no" to the question "Will the match finish on the day it is scheduled to?".
- Tied Match
This is another type of simple bet on cricket matches, which consists of betting on tied games. Simply bet “yes” or “no” if you think the game will end in a draw.
- Tournament Outright Winner
If you're betting on a cricket tournament or competition, another interesting bet you can make is on the outright winner. In this case, you'll have to select the team you think will win the tournament.
Examples of cricket markets on Stake
- Series Winner
As you know, often in cricket, instead of playing just one game, several games are played in a row. Therefore, one of the possible bets is to bet on the winner of the series, i.e. which of the two teams you think will come out on top at the end of the series.
- Series Score
Another way to bet on a cricket series is to bet on the final result of the series. Bet on how many matches each team will win in a given series.
- Win Toss
Here, you simply choose which of the two teams you think will win the coin toss at the start of the game.
- Toss Combination
Bet on who you think will win the coin toss and also decide whether you think the winning team will choose to throw or bat first.
- Odd/Even Runs
In this type of bet, you decide whether you think a team's number of runs in a match will be even or odd. Please note that a score of 0 is considered an even number for this bet.
- Most Run Outs
Bet on the team with the most runs out in a game or series.
Cricket Betting Tips
Sports betting requires a combination of knowledge, research and luck. Cricket betting is no exception.
To increase your chances of success in cricket betting, it's vital to analyse the different variations that can affect a cricket match.
The most experienced cricket bettors analyse some of the factors that we'll give you below.
Take advantage of all the cricket betting tips and your cricket bets are sure to be a success!
- Team Form
You should take into account the teams' recent performances. Check factors such as home advantage and the results of head-to-head matches.
- Player Form
Investigate the players' fitness. The performance of each player can significantly affect the team's performance and, as a result, the outcome of the game.
Check, for example, how your favourite player has been performing or whether there are players with unique skills that cause opponents to make errors.
Virat Kohli, one of India's most beloved players
- Pitch
The pitch can affect the outcome of a game, as no two pitches are the same when it comes to the type of grass and soil.
Some pitches favour fast bowlers who bowl inline with stumps due to their hardness, leading to an increased pace and steep bounce.
Other, softer pitches slow down the speed of the ball, thus improving batting chances.
Analysing the history of the different pitches can give clues as to the possible outcome of the games, as there are venues considered to be "high" and "low" scoring.
It also analyses how the different types of pitch adapt to certain weather conditions. For example, there are pitches that start to crack after a short period of rain.
- Weather
Rain is the factor best known for affecting Test cricket matches, which usually last up to five days.
Analysing the weather forecasts can help you decide how to proceed with your bets on competitions taking place at a certain time and in certain weather conditions.
Before you place your bets, always check the weather forecast!
- Team Composition
It assesses the strengths and weaknesses of each team. It takes into account the balance between batsmen, bowlers, and all-rounders.
Know all the squads. This is Mumbai Indians Squad for IPL 2025.
- Specialise in a Particular Format
As you already know, there are several formats of cricket, each with its own characteristics. Therefore, for each format you should have a different betting approach. Specialise in one format in order to focus your research and develop a deeper understanding of specific strategies, thus increasing your chances of success.
- Research
Know the competitions you want to bet on. Study the India Premier League, if applicable. Check the statistics of previous matches, the pitch conditions and the strategies of each team.
- Stay Informed
Keep up to date with the latest news, player injuries and all the updates on the teams you want to bet on.
- Understand Betting Markets
Get to know the different betting markets available at the best bookmakers and choose the ones that interest you the most. There are several types of bets available, find the right fit for you so you don't waste energy on markets that don't interest you.
- Bankroll Management
Manage your bankroll well. There's no point betting all your chips on one bet! Set a balanced budget for your bets and avoid betting more than you can afford to lose.
- Consider Strategies
Taking into account the dynamics of each game, explore different betting strategies. How about trying live betting, for example?
- Stay Objective
Avoid emotional bets on your favourite team. Bet with your head and make decisions based on data and analysis.
Exclusive advantages for betting accounts opened with the Academy
If your account is opened at one of the best bookmakers with the Betting Academy links, you have access to more advantages:
- 100 Academy points that make you level up and unlock exclusive content (such as the Sports Betting and Trading Course with Paulo Rebelo).
✅ Which are the best bookmakers to bet on cricket in India?
✅ Where to watch the Indian Premier League?
✅ Which markets can I bet on in cricket?
✅ What is the advantage of opening a betting account through Betting Academy India?
