Cricket, for the longest time, has been captivating fans in Bangladesh and across the globe, making it one of the most popular sports in the world. The outcome of cricket matches depends on many factors, like team selection, player ability, pitch conditions, toss, etc. All these factors add a strategic edge to the game, making cricket a perfect betting sport where fans can put on their thinking caps and predict the different outcomes of a particular cricket match.
Thanks to its success and popularity, online sports betting websites like Babu88 offer excellent cricket odds. However, if you are someone who doesn’t know how cricket betting works and wants to learn the ropes, you are in the right place.
Read on as we provide a beginner guide to cricket betting, which can help you gain an edge the next time you feel like placing a bet on a cricket match.
Learn the Basics of Cricket
Before you can delve into the world of cricket betting, it’s crucial to understand the fundamentals of the game. These factors can impact the outcome of the cricket match, ultimately affecting your placed bets.
Cricket Formats
While local leagues like Dhaka Premier League is popular in Bangladesh, international cricket is dominated by three predominant formats: Test, One-Day International (ODI), and T20. Test cricket, the longest format, is played over five days. ODIs, as the name suggests, are one-day matches, with each team batting for 50 overs. Finally, T20 cricket is the shortest format, with each team batting for just 20 overs.
Playing styles differ significantly across these formats. For example, Test cricket is a slow and tactical format where players take a cautious approach. In contrast, T20 cricket is all about maximizing a total score. Both batsmen and bowlers aim to outplay their opponents in a fast-paced, high-intensity match.
ODI cricket strikes a balance between these two extremes. Players need to be aggressive, but they also need to build partnerships and put up a decent total. Understanding these factors lets you adjust your betting style and choose the most suitable betting markets for each format.
Pitch Analysis
Since most of the action in a cricket match revolves around the pitch, understanding it is vital for any cricket bettor. The pitch can massively assist either the batting or bowling side. For example, flat pitches allow for stroke play, favoring batsmen. In contrast, fast, bouncy pitches are ideal for fast bowlers, while slower decks tend to assist spin bowlers.
Some cricket pitches can flatten under the lights, creating excellent batting conditions. Others might deteriorate as the day progresses, aiding the bowling side later in the match. As a cricket betting enthusiast, you should know these nuances, which can help you make informed predictions during a match.
Player & Team Form
Cricket matches are often decided by individual player performances. An in-form batsman can score a century and take the game away from the opposition, or a lethal fast bowler can take multiple wickets to restrict the opposition to a measly total.
It is also necessary to monitor the team selection, head-to-head performance, player injury, etc. These small details can help you predict the outcome of the cricket match so that you can use this knowledge to make informed cricket bets.
Common Betting Markets
Having a basic understanding of cricket is just half of the equation. A successful cricket bettor must also know the betting side of things. At cricket betting websites like Babu88, you will come across multiple betting markets; having a proper understanding of these is vital for any potential cricket betting enthusiast. Let’s look at some of the most popular cricket betting markets available.
- Match Winner: This is the most common betting market where you can wager on which team you think will win the match.
- Best Batsman/Bowler: This particular betting market requires you to make predictions on who the standout player will be during the match. It can be based on runs scored by a batsman or wickets taken by a bowler.
- Total Bets: This type of bet is very popular in cricket, where you must predict the total runs scored by a team or an individual player. These are generally over/under bets where bookmakers set a number, and you must predict if the team or player will score over or under the set number.
- Toss Prediction: Predict which team will win the toss before the match.
Some other betting markets, like top-team (batsman or bowler), are based on the most runs scored or wickets taken by a player for each team. Most sixes or fours scored by a team or a particular batsman. Having a proper understanding of these betting markets will go a long way toward helping you make informed cricket bets.
Understanding Cricket Betting Odds
Before making your first cricket bet, learning how to read cricket odds is crucial. Bookmakers set based on team or player form, head-to-head results, pitch conditions, toss results, etc.
To better understand cricket odds, let us take the example of two teams from the popular Indian Premier League: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The odds for a match-winner bet between KKR and CSK will look like CSK +200 KKR -100. According to the bookmakers, the favorite team is always denoted by the (-) and the underdog by the (+) signs. Hence, as per this example, KKR are favorites to win against CSK, who are the underdogs.
So if you bet $100 on CSK and they win, you would get your $100 and an additional $200, making your total payout amount $300. Alternatively, if you were to bet $100 on KKR and they win, then your total payout would only amount to $200. Based on these numbers, punters can understand who is the bookmaker’s favourite or underdog, and the return on making particular bets.
How to Place a Cricket Bet?
Now that you have gone through the basics of cricket betting follow these steps to make your very first cricket bet:
- Visit a popular sports betting website that offers cricket betting, like Babu88.
- Sign up with Babu88 by clicking the register option and entering all the necessary details.
- Next, you must deposit by choosing one of the available options.
- Head over to the cricket betting section and select your preferred betting market.
- Place one or multiple bets and confirm.
Now, you can just wait for the outcome of the bet. If you win, you can head to the withdrawal section to claim your total winnings.
To Conclude
Cricket betting can be a great way to improve how you enjoy the gentleman’s game. You can transform from a mere fan into a meticulous strategist by understanding the game’s nuances, like various betting markets, odds, formats, player forms, etc.
However, you must always follow responsible gambling practices, like setting a budget, prioritizing entertainment over profit, and never chasing losses. With this strategic mindset and a healthy approach, cricket betting can add intrigue to your cricket-watching experience.
