Cricket has a special place in the hearts of Indians. It is perhaps the oldest sport on the sub-continent, with the first match recorded in 1721. Today, hundreds of millions follow their favorite cricket teams religiously and have a deep love for the sport. Cricket matches are also attracting millions of wagers with sports fans placing a majority of the bets online. Mobile sportsbooks like Betway cricket are growing in popularity with millions of downloads of betting apps.
Is Sports Betting Legal in India?
India has very old laws on gambling. The Public Gambling Act of 1867 outlawed games of chance. All gambling on sports had been outlawed except horse racing. Sports betting fans in the past relied on street bookies who were not very transparent in the way they priced their odds.
Online betting sites have made sports betting to more people than ever before. Mobile betting apps have changed sports betting in a big way. There are several mobile sports betting sportsbooks that are operating in India, even as lawmakers look to legalize sports betting.
Sports betting apps have made sports betting more accessible even to people in remote areas. Mobile betting apps have come with huge advantages in convenience. Cricket fans can now access games happening across the world. It is possible to make live bets as cricket matches are happening.
What Cricket Betting Markets Are Available?
Cricket as a sport has one of the best betting markets. There are three main cricket betting markets: match bets, team proposition bets, and player proposition bets.
Match bets are the most popular. These are about the outcome of a game, series or tournament. These bets include:
- Match winner/loser bets – This is the simplest bet. You bet on the winner of the match depending on research you do on the teams, players, pitch and other factors playing into the game.
- Double chance – You bet a team will win or draw
- Draw No Bet – Tying in cricket is very rare, but it happens. In this bet, you bet that in case of a tie; the bet is void and your stake is returned
- Series winner – In this bet, you pick a team to win an event that has several matches, for example, the Ashes.
- Outright winner – This bet is on the winner of an event like the ICC Cricket World Cup
Team proposition bets are not directly related to the outcome of the match. The bookie makes a proposition, which you can agree with or not. Some of these team proposition bets include:
- Toss win – You bet on the team that will win the coin toss at the beginning of a match. A toss combination bet includes the decision of the captain to bat first or second.
- Match score – You bet on the score that a team will have at the end of a match. The scores are in ranges of five, for example, 250-255.
- Over/Under bets – You bet that a team’s score will be over or under a specific mark. Over/under bets can also be on the combined score
- Most Run Outs – You bet on the team that will have the most run outs
- Most Match Sixes – You bet on the team that will have the most sixes
Player proposition bets are on players. The bookmaker will make a proposition about players, which you can agree with or not. Some popular player proposition bets include:
- Top batsman
- Top bowler
- Man of the match
- Player of the series
- To score 50 runs
There are live bet markets, which you can place as the game develops. These bets include:
- Batsman runs
- Runs off delivery
- Method of dismissal
- Over/under totals
Cricket betting is fun, and the markets vary from one betting app to another. Sports betting is changing the way Indian cricket fans enjoy their favorite sport.