How to make money betting on cricket
Betting on cricket has never been more popular. And not always for the right reasons.
The use of cricket betting tips to make money… by punters (or by the players themselves!!) has been well publicised in recent times.
Clearly there has been much negative press surrounding the sport after several high-profile cricket match-fixing scandals. And as far as the betting public is concerned, this has undermined the appeal of the sport as a reliable betting medium.
However, there is a flipside…
News-grabbing cases like the Hansie Cronje affair, life bans for players like Danesh Kaneria, Ajay Sharma and the bans of the three Pakistani players (Mohammad Asif, Salman Butt and Mohammad Amir) for spot-fixing…
These cases have actually highlighted the previously unfashionable area of cricket betting.
Many punters simply weren’t interested in cricket tips… until they were shown just how widespread (and potentially profitable) it could be to bet on Test Match cricket, ODI’s or T20 matches.
And you can make some serious money from betting on cricket… if you’ve got the right information.
But if you’re not familiar with cricket betting odds and don’t know where to start when it comes to betting on this sport… here’s a few hints to get you started.
And after looking at these free cricket betting tips you still need some extra pointers, by all means drop me a line (using the contact box below).
For now though… time to strap on your pads and leave the pavilion!
1. Check recent results
Like any betting opportunity, it tends to make sense to back a player (or in this case a team) in good form.
In terms of cricket, because of the highly specialist nature of the sport, it comes down to two very distinct types of form.
The first is to do with the players themselves. So it’s a question of whether the batsmen are making runs… and are the bowlers taking wickets.
The second consideration is whether that form is being transfered onto the team’s overall win/loss record.
Individuals might be performing well… but, remember, you’re going to get paid out on the team result.
2. Never mind the form… what’s the format?
Cricket is peculiar in that it’s played in a variety of formats. Matches aren’t all the same.
There are Twenty20 games taking just a few hours to complete. There are one day matches, lasting longer, and finally four or even five day games… which go on forever!
Each type of match has it’s own characteristics… and each requires a different ability of the teams/players.
So those who are ideally suited to the 20 overs-a-side format, or the one day game, might not be best at the longer matches found in the County Championship (4 day) or at Test Match level (5 day).
So it’s all very well asking if your team are in good form… but are they playing well in the particular format in which the match will be played.
3. Assess the effect of the pitch.
You’ll find that cricket commentators and cricket tipsters will pay a lot of interest to the type of pitch (‘the wicket’) on which the match will be played.
Is it dry, flat and lacking in bounce… i.e. a pitch that’s tough on the bowlers and should produce a lot of runs for the batting side.
Is it covered in grass, full of cracks or prone to uneven bounce… i.e. a wicket that’s a nightmare for batsmen and should create a lot of chances for the bowlers.
The type of pitch can often effect the result of a match more than the players themselves… so it’s a constant concern that you’re backing the right kind of bet on the right ‘track’.
In the game the phrase is to do with it being a ‘result wicket’ and you’ve got to make sure you’re backing the right one!
4. What’s the starting XI going to be?
Players get injured, they get dropped, they’re often away on international duty (if they’re any good). They might be deemed superfluous to requirements e.g. an extra spin bowler on a wicket that is ideally suited to the ‘quicks’.
So at county level, you’ve got to keep a close eye on the teamsheet before any match… make sure the best players are present and the starting XI is as strong as it can be.
Same applies at international level… of course, all the best players should be available for selection but form and fitness are key considerations.
A team’s best bowler or star batsman can make all the difference if they’re on form… and similarly there can be an equally big impact on a side’s performance, if they aren’t playing.
Not always known well in advance, it’s a factor that sometimes can only be found out at the very last minute. Often right after the next point…
5. The toss. It’s more important than you think.
Yes, it’s that simple.
Much like statistics to do with certain grounds/wickets… there’s data connected to sides batting first or second in a match, and how this effects the result.
In the one day game, some teams are better at posting a target, whilst others are best when chasing down a total set by their opponents.
So winning, or losing, the toss can determine who bats first and who bats second. Sometimes who plays in the team, and who doesn’t.
Also, in day/night games (increasingly common these days) it’s often much harder to bat second as batting under floodlights is regarded as being more difficult… and atmospheric conditions (colder temperatures, dew on the ground) can make batting harder.
Longer matches also have important weather considerations. But the toss is often more to do with the pitch and when it’s best to bat/bowl on a wicket… winning, or losing, the match can almost be decided with that first call of ‘heads’ or ‘tails’ before the match even starts.
For those serious about cricket betting tips it’s often worth waiting until the toss has been made before getting involved in a match.
6. What about the weather?
If there’s one sport which is prone to the intervention of the elements it’s cricket. How often have you heard the expression ‘rain stopped play’.
The weather has two main effects.
Firstly, the atmospheric conditions can help the bowling side (overcast, cloudy conditions… which make the ball swing) or the batting side (no breeze, blue skies, warm temperatures… which make batting much easier).
Secondly, an accurate prediction of the weather can make results or non-results (i.e. a draw) an attractive betting option.
So it’s always worth keeping an eye on the sky when selecting your cricket tips as a few drops of rain, or the first sight of sunshine, can make a big difference.
7. Past head-to-head form.
This is probably more helpful at an international level… but the way the game is going these days, more and more emphasis is being put on top level cricket (whether one day or Test Match).
So do your homework on the two teams that are playing. Assess which team is the better as of today… but also see if that view is supported by previous performance data.
This can also be helpful when looking at a Test Match series or a set of One Day Internationals (ODI’s). Where result patterns, or specific scorelines, can be used to pinpoint the best betting opportunities.
And as we often see in other sports, it’s not always the best team that wins a match… sometimes a side will have the ‘indian sign’ over another (always finding a way to win, no matter what the match position), some just perform better in specific conditions or on certain types of pitches.
Always worth bearing this in mind before studying the cricket betting odds for any given match.
8. Think about when matches are played.
Not the time of day… but the time of the season, or the stage of an overseas tour.
It’s fair to say that domestic or international matches taking place in the early part of the season can produce strange results… those which go against the form.
The same can often be said for matches right at the very end of a busy schedule of matches, towards the back-end of a season or a trip abroad.
Therefore, it’s a sensible strategy when choosing your cricket bets to work out if your selected team are well-prepared.
It’s no surprise to see teams caught cold at the start of a season, or a tour, then play well for spell, and then tail off as the matches (fatigue/injuries) catch up with them.
On top of form, the weather, winning the toss, the pitch… this is just another small consideration in the whole bet selection process.
9. Are the players mentally, as well as physically, tired?
The mental side of sport is a big thing these days.
Every player, let alone every team, has some kind of psychologist examining their performance… and helping them to improve, to do better next time. So whilst the last point had to do with the player’s physical well-being, this factor concerns their mental state.
Are players worn out after a long season… are they not yet ‘tuned in’ at the start of a tour? Maybe they’ve won a series and are relaxed, the pressure’s off and they can play with confidence… maybe they’ve been well beaten, have nothing to play for and are already ‘on the plane home’.
A minor consideration, quite possibly. But another interesting point.
Because if the player’s take the mental side so seriously… shouldn’t those of us who bet on cricket do the same?
10. Beware of taking very short odds
Every sport has its shocks and surprises. And cricket is no different.
No victory is assured, no defeat is decided… until the last run is scored or the last wicket is taken. So when it comes to professional cricket betting tips, remember that however one-sided the match might appear, it’s not over… till it’s over.
The nature of cricket, unlike many other sports, is that individuals can excel in their own right and almost carry a team single-handed.
A bowler can take four wickets in an over… a batsman can ‘farm the strike’ with the tail-enders and add an extra 150 runs when it looked like the innings would end prematurely.
Yes, all sports have upsets…
But cricket has a peculiar style which almost lends itself to teams claiming victory from the jaws of defeat… and stumbling to losses when the win was there for the taking.
You have been warned!
So these are just a few free cricket betting tips.
Whether you simply like to have a few quid on the Twenty20, or you’re seriously into your Test Match and ODI betting information… these pointers should help you improve your cricket betting profits.
Because although for some the sport is either too slow, over-complicated or just plain boring…
There’s nothing dull about making money!
And profitable cricket betting information is available to those punters who take the trouble to look for it.
You might well have your own opinions, methods or cricket betting systems and, if so, I’d very much like to hear about them.
