From the purity of test cricket to the all-action IPL, there has never been a better time for betting on cricket. Use this cricket betting guide to learn about cricket odds, value bets, markets, and much more.
Our experienced team has handpicked the best cricket betting sites India for you. Enjoy the best cricket betting odds and top bonuses with these top-rated bookmakers.
How to Bet on Cricket in India?
With the lack of retail bet shops in India, cricket betting online is the only option for most Indian players. There are a plethora of perks for online betting such as cricket free bets that customers can snap up. Here’s an overview on how to get started.
Choose your bookmaker
There are dozens of cricket betting sites in India to choose from. While we’ve picked out the best in the market, the final decision on where to wager depends on you. Think about what components are the most essential, for example, do you want regular cricket free bets or would you prefer a platform that accepts Paytm deposits?
By assessing the features you want to utilise, you can then compare our bookmakers to find the best cricket betting online sites.
Create your account
Invariably, the best cricket betting bonus offers are reserved for new customers. Here are the steps which new customers need to take to register at a bookmaker:
- Choose a bookmaker from our table and click the link – you will then be redirected to their official website.
- Complete the sign-up form and enter any promo code (if required).
- Make your first deposit and claim your bonus.
- Start betting on cricket.
Claim your bonuses
As mentioned, you’ll be entitled to a cricket betting bonus when you create a new account at most sites. This could be a matched deposit offer or some cricket free bets. The betting company will explain how you claim the welcome offer. It could be that you must opt-in or place a qualifying bet first.
All cricket betting bonuses come with terms and conditions. Read these before accepting the offer so you understand how the bonus works and what you need to do to hopefully profit from it.
What Forms of Cricket Can You Bet On?
The International Cricket Council governs three formats of the game. These are Test Cricket, One Day Cricket and T20 Cricket. You’ll find all of these offered at our top-rated cricket betting India bookies.
What’s more, the majority of sites include pre-match and live stats coupled with expert cricket betting free tips. These can help you make informed decisions when you place your wagers. These are the different formats of the game explained in more detail.
Betting on Test Cricket
Generally, Test Cricket matches take place over the course of five days. It is seen by purists as the most important format of the game. As its name suggests, this form of cricket tests the mental and physical attributes of players. Conditions can be gruelling, particularly when playing in hot climates.
There are several variables to consider when you bet on test cricket. The weather is a major factor because overcast conditions tend to favour good swing bowlers. Furthermore, the condition of the pitch needs to be thought about. Most wickets deteriorate as the days pass, so it’s easier to score runs on the first day compared to the fifth (day).
Time of day could also be contributing factor because if bowlers have spent a long day in the field, they may be jaded after tea. Use this information to your advantage when choosing your cricket betting India bets. And naturally, don’t forget the new ball! Many wickets fall when a team takes the new ball.
Betting on One Day Cricket
One Day Cricket can be played as a one-off game or as part of a series. Indian customers have the option to bet on individual limited-overs games or outright markets.
To bet on this form of the game, it’s important to learn the rules as they can differ from Test Cricket. For example, fielding restrictions apply between the first ten and last ten overs of an innings. This can provide exciting betting opportunities, particularly if a heavy-hitting batsman is at the crease.
Betting on Twenty20 Cricket
Due to the Indian Premier League, Twenty20 cricket has exploded in popularity, and it’s now the most popular format for cricket betting online.
T20 is more of a long-winded than a test match, so a different approach when betting on Twenty20 cricket may be necessary. With each side only getting a maximum of 120 balls, the objective is to score as fast as possible. Batters will take more risks, which can limit the chances of a player making a century.
Things to look for are the line-ups – do the teams have in-form batters or bowlers? Also, how far are the boundaries? A small ground will help with big scores. Check the stats for previous scores on the ground to get an idea, it will help if you want to place over/under run total bets.
Best Cricket Betting Strategies
To improve your chances of success when you bet on cricket in India, we’ve listed several of our top cricket tips and strategies below.
Number one in our cricket betting free tips list is to never spend more than you can afford to lose. It can be tempting to place a bet without putting much thought into it. This is particularly true of cricket betting online. Research is the key to hopefully improving your win ratio.
Research Conditions
Conditions can play a huge part in dictating a game. For instance, the weather can vary considerably between a game played at Eden Gardens in Kolkata compared to New Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium. Understandably, these changes favour certain batters and bowlers more than others.
The climate also makes for different pitch conditions. A dry wicket tends to mean little movement with the ball for seamers, but if there are cracks, spinners can destroy their opponent’s top order.
Furthermore, the age of the pitch in Test Cricket is a critical factor with cricket betting in India. Regardless of the quality of the batsman, many will struggle on a well-worn pitch with uneven bounce and turn.
Check Player Stats
Another way of increasing your chances of picking the right bet is to study player statistics. For example, it is a good idea to look at average runs scored and strike rate on particular pitches.
Similarly, you can find player stats focusing on how well specific players have fared against seam bowlers and spin bowlers. For instance, if you want to bet on a batsman to score a 50, have they struggled against spin in recent games? Does the opposition possess an excellent spinner? Or, if a player is expected to face a barrage of seam bowling, it’s recommended to check out their previous record against the pacers.
Another important thing to check is a player’s recent form. If they’ve struggled for runs in the latest games, their lack of time at the crease suggests that they might have an issue.
Cricket betting tips can help you in this aspect too. The best cricket betting tips will analyse previous statistics to come up with a prediction. You do not need to follow this prediction, but reading the explanation can help you understand how seasoned Indian bettors approach their cricket betting online.
In-Play Value
In-play cricket betting can be a fantastic way of betting. However, it’s important to follow the play as it happens to choose your live bets wisely.
There are numerous aspects you can consider when you bet in-play. Has a batsman come in who is renowned for scoring quickly? If so, a bet on the number of runs scored in the next over might be worth considering.
Similarly, are wickets falling quickly? A couple of quick wickets with two new batsmen at the crease could spell danger for the batting side. Batters are at their most vulnerable when they first come out to bat. A bet on a wicket to be taken in the next over could be a good choice.
Find the Best Odds
Finding the best odds each time you bet is paramount and it’s worth comparing the odds available at the top cricket betting sites in India.
Of course, there isn’t a solitary bookmaker that always has the best prices. In this case, there are two options, you can join a few different cricket betting online bookies, or you can choose the site that has the best average odds across all its markets. More serious customers prefer the former as it gives better long-term value, which is the aim of betting.
Cricket Betting in India
Bookmakers know how much Indians love cricket, which is why they will offer exclusive cricket betting bonuses and other intriguing opportunities, including free bet clubs, in-play free bets, price boosts, and enhanced multiples. A lot of seasoned and new bettors would try their luck and enjoy the thrill of betting during big local and international cricket tournaments.
Cricket Events to Bet On
If you’re passionate about betting on cricket, there are thousands of matches every year to enjoy. These are some of the main events to mark on your calendar.
IPL
The Indian Premier League is arguably the most famous Twenty20 domestic tournament in the world. The best cricketers from across the globe ply their trade in this league. With two new teams set to join the IPL in 2022, it promises to be better than ever before. Customers can appreciate betting on more than 70 matches during this month-long cricket spectacular.
As there is such interest in Indian Premier League betting, bookmakers offer a plentiful selection of match markets, including match winner, total runs, team totals, player props and in-play betting, as well as outright winners for the entire tournament. Furthermore, there are cricket betting bonus offers to be redeemed.
Cricket World Cup
Having won the Cricket World Cup twice, India has a long and storied history with this competition. Also, Sachin Tendulkar holds individual records for the most runs in the Cricket World Cup, the most runs in a single world cup and the most hundreds.
Additionally, India is set to host the 2023 tournament and the home side will fancy their chances of getting their name on the trophy once more. Bettors will find loads of markets for this event. You can place ante-post wagers on the outright winner and which teams will make the final. Also, there are many exciting match markets when the tournament gets underway.
Twenty20 World Cup
It doesn’t make the headlines as much as its 50-over counterpart, but the Twenty20 World Cup is worth considering. In this format of the game, batters take many more risks at the crease. This can mean a huge number of runs scored in a short space of time or plenty of wickets falling.
Betting accurately on a Twenty20 World Cup is a difficult task. One market worth looking into is the Method of Wicket. Batters need to score, and score quickly. Attempts at hitting sixes are more common in this form of the game, but it also increases the risk of getting caught.
International Test Cricket
The Ashes, between England and Australia, is probably the most well-known test cricket series, but nothing matches the rivalry of India vs Pakistan. These sides have competed in 15 test series (plus a one-off test match as part of the Asian Test Championship).
Both sides have four series wins, with India claiming victory the last time these nations met in 2007-2008. But, Pakistan holds the record for the most individual test victories with twelve to India’s nine.
How We Selected our Bookmakers for Cricket Betting
Earlier, we provided our top bookmakers for cricket betting. To research cricket betting online use a checklist. Here are some of the criteria to follow:
- Betting Offers
- Odds
- Betting Markets
- In-Play Betting
- Live Streaming
Cricket Betting Odds Explained
Cricket odds might seem confusing at times, particularly those who are new to the betting scene. What do odds represent? How can you tell if odds offer value?
These are common questions with cricket bettors. However, there are ways in which we can work out the value of cricket betting odds ourselves. Doing so can help choose bets that offer value.
How To Understand Cricket Betting Odds
Cricket odds are a way of displaying the probability of a particular event occurring. Most Indian betting sites use the decimal odds format as their default setting, but customers can change this to fractional odds (popular in the UK) or American odds (used in the US).
Effectively, the bookmaker’s prices are what’s known as its implied probability. These are not necessarily true odds because the bookie adds in its own profit margin. This is where an Indian player’s research comes to the fore.
If a bookmaker offers odds of 2.0 on India winning, this is the same as saying the implied probability is 50%. Of course, if you believe India has a better than 50% chance of victory, this would be a good value bet.
How Do Cricket Betting Odds Work?
Let’s take our example a step further. We think we’ve found a value bet on the India vs England match winner market. So, if we’re correct, how much do we stand to win?
We place ₹1,000 on India at odds of 2.00 to win the test match. The payout for winnings bets is simply: stake multiplied by the decimal odds; therefore, ₹1,000 x 2.0 = ₹2,000 returns (₹1,000 stake back + ₹1,000 winnings).
When you enter your stake online, your potential returns will be displayed on your betting slip. However, it’s a good idea to get into the practice of calculating your odds.
Most Popular Cricket Markets and Bets
When looking for cricket betting tips, many are related to the match winner market. While this is still the most popular betting option, there are plenty more markets to choose from, such as:
Match Result
The match result, also known as the match winner, market attracts the most money. This is a 3-way market with the possible selections being the home team to win, the away team to win, or the match ending in a draw. Of course, draws are more frequent in test matches compared to T20, so factor this in before wagering your cricket betting online predictions.
Series/Tournament Winner
Outright markets are also a common form of cricket betting. Betting on the overall winner of a tournament or series can provide value, particularly if you place your bet before the competition has begun or if a side loses the first test, their odds will be much higher as they have to come from behind.
Top Batsman
Top Batsman betting is amongst the most popular individual match or series markets. The same can be said for the Top Wicket Taker market. Research which batsmen are in good form going into a game or series. It’s also a good idea to assess the styles of bowlers the opposition possesses. Check the stats for how well a particular batsman performs against different types of bowlers.
Handicap Betting
If you bet on other sports, you’re probably familiar with handicap betting. In cricket, this form of betting works slightly differently than a football Handicap.
The easiest way to explain handicap betting in cricket is to use a limited-overs example. Let’s say that India is playing Australia in a 50-over match.
A bookie could then add a handicap. We’ll say they give Australia a 50.5 run advantage and India a 50.5 run disadvantage. We place a bet on India at -50.5. If India wins the game by 51 runs or more, we win our bet.
How to bet on Cricket: Conclusion
Now that you know the ins and outs of online cricket betting in India, are you ready to place your first wager? Remember, our hand-picked bookmakers have a plethora of highly-rated bonuses and promotions waiting for new customers.
Review the brands on our list, compare the sites, and sign up with your favourite.
Betting on Cricket Online FAQ
If you’re still searching for information about cricket betting online use our FAQ to find additional intel about the best sites in India.
There are no guarantees with any form of betting, and that includes cricket. However, you can improve your chances of placing successful bets by thoroughly researching the match, teams and players before betting.
It’s straightforward if you want to place your cricket bets online. Firstly, you must choose a reputable betting site like the ones we have recommended. After creating an account and making a deposit, you’ll be able to place bets on cricket matches in India and all over the world.
Each Indian cricket bookmaker has its strengths and weaknesses. Some offer a larger welcome bonus, whereas others have slightly better odds or faster payouts. Therefore, the answer as to which is India’s best cricket betting site depends on features preference.