Cricket Betting

Cricket Betting Guide

Cricket is the sport most closely followed on Laser247, and it is also one of the easiest to understand once you know how a match is structured. A cricket fixture is not a single result: it is a sequence of overs, and different markets describe different parts of that sequence.

Before placing a selection, decide whether you are interested in the overall result of the match, the performance of a particular player, or something that happens within a specific period such as a session or an over. Each of these is a different market type with its own price.

If cricket is not the only sport you follow, kabaddi betting and our football guide are the closest comparisons, and the full list sits on the sports hub.

Understanding Cricket Markets

Match result markets

The match result market asks who will win the fixture. In limited-overs cricket a tie is possible, so some match result markets settle on the result including any tie or super over outcome. In Test cricket the result can be a win, a loss or a draw, which is why the draw option matters there.

Runs and wickets markets

Total runs markets ask how many runs a side will score across a whole innings or a whole match. Session runs markets cover a smaller block of overs instead of the full innings, so a session market settles much earlier than a total for the match.

Wicket markets ask how many wickets will fall. Because wickets usually come in clusters, a wicket market can move sharply over a short period, which is one reason some people prefer these markets live.

Player performance markets

Top batsman and top bowler markets ask which player will make the highest score or take the most wickets. These depend on one player's involvement rather than the overall result, so the role a player has in the order matters as much as team strength.

Toss and other event markets

The toss market asks which team will win the coin toss and settles before play begins. Boundary count and over markets cover how one part of the innings unfolds, such as how many boundaries fall in a set number of overs.

Pre-Match vs In-Play Cricket

A pre-match cricket selection is placed before the first ball and covers the entire fixture. The price does not change once the selection is accepted, which makes this the simpler option if you have already decided what you think will happen.

A live selection is placed after play has started, and its price reflects what has already happened. A side 80 for 2 in a chase is in a far stronger position than one at 80 for 5, so the match result price moves accordingly. Live cricket also carries markets on the next ball and the next over.

Live markets can pause briefly while the event state is reviewed, and a selection placed during a pause may not be accepted at the price you saw. Our in-play betting guide covers this in more detail.

Common Cricket Betting Terms

• Overs – the basic unit of cricket, six deliveries in total. Limited-overs matches are capped, Test matches are not.
• Innings – one side's full turn at the bat. Test matches have two per team, one-day and T20 matches have one.
• Session – a block of consecutive overs, usually sitting between powerplays. Session markets settle at the end of that block.
• Powerplay – a restricted period in limited-overs cricket when fielding restrictions apply.
• Run rate – runs scored per over, used to judge whether a chasing side is still on track.
• Duck – a batter dismissed without scoring.
• Super over – a short extra period used to settle a tied limited-overs match.
• Draw – the recorded result of a Test match that finishes with neither side reaching the target.

Related Cricket Guides

Cricket Betting Questions

What are the most common cricket markets?

Match result, top batsman, top bowler, total runs for the match or innings, and session runs are the most frequently listed cricket markets. Availability varies by fixture.

Is it better to bet pre-match or in-play on cricket?

Pre-match selections are simpler because the price is fixed and the full fixture is covered. Live selections give more options, such as the next ball or over, but the price moves as play continues and markets can pause.

What does a session mean in cricket betting?

A session is a block of overs, and a session market asks for a total within that block rather than across the whole match. Because it settles earlier, it gives an outcome sooner than a full-innings total.

How are tied cricket matches settled?

Where a tie is possible, the market rules state whether the result is decided by a super over or recorded as a tie. Market-level rules on the rules page explain how this is handled.

Which cricket formats can I follow?

T20, one-day international and Test cricket are all covered, subject to which fixtures are listed. T20 matches move fastest, which makes live cricket markets particularly active.

How do I control my cricket betting spend?

Set a deposit limit before you start and treat any winnings as separate from your next budget. The responsible gaming page explains the tools available.

Play Responsibly

Cricket markets settle quickly, particularly in T20, so it is easy to place more selections than you intended. Set a session limit in advance and stop when you reach it, whether or not results are going your way.

Never stake money earmarked for essentials, and take a break if betting is taking more time than you planned. See the responsible gaming information for details.