Cricket Betting Markets Explained: Results, Players and Rain Rules

Cricket has one of the widest ranges of betting markets in British sport, from the result of a five-day Test to the number of runs scored in a single over of a T20 game. Knowing how the main markets are settled helps avoid surprises.

Match result

In limited-overs cricket the match result is usually a two-way market, because a tie is rare and often settled by a super over. Test matches are different: a draw is a common outcome, so the market has three options and the draw is frequently priced as favourite when bad weather is forecast.

Top batter and top bowler

These markets ask which player will score the most runs or take the most wickets for a team. Dead-heat rules apply when two players finish level, which means the stake is divided and the payout reduced accordingly.

Rain and abandoned games

Each bookmaker sets its own rules for matches shortened or abandoned because of weather. Many settle limited-overs bets on the official result if a result is declared under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method, while some markets are voided if a minimum number of overs is not bowled.