I grew up a short bus ride from Edgbaston, and cricket has been part of my summers for as long as I can remember. It is also a brilliant sport to bet on, with formats ranging from a five-day Test to a two-and-a-half-hour game of The Hundred, and markets on everything from the match result to the top batter. It has more unusual rules than most sports too, especially around rain, ties and draws. This guide covers the bookmakers that handle cricket well and the rules worth knowing. For our overall ratings, see the main guide to the best betting sites.
Before choosing, look at the competitions you follow most. If you mainly watch England internationals, any of these sites will cover them fully. If you follow your county through the Blast and the Championship, check each site's domestic coverage first.
Good bookmakers for cricket
| Bookmaker | Cricket strength | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| bet365 | Widest range of cricket markets, including domestic | Busy screens during live play |
| Betfair | Exchange prices on internationals | Thinner markets on county games |
| Sky Bet | Clear layout for international cricket | Fewer niche markets |
| Paddy Power | Regular cricket specials | Read the settlement rules on specials |
All four bookmakers are licensed by the Gambling Commission. The biggest differences between them are in domestic cricket coverage and in how they settle unusual results, such as ties and rain-affected matches.
Formats and why they matter
Cricket is really several sports in one, and the format changes how you should think about a bet.
Test cricket
Tests last up to five days and can end in a win for either side or a draw. Weather, pitch conditions and the toss all play a big part. Because draws are possible, match result markets usually have three outcomes.
One-day internationals
Fifty overs per side, played in a day. A result is expected, although rain can shorten or abandon the match.
T20 and The Hundred
The shortest formats, with twenty overs per side in T20 and one hundred balls per side in The Hundred. Matches are fast and unpredictable, and a single brilliant innings can decide them. The Vitality Blast is the main domestic T20 competition in England, while franchise leagues run around the world.
First-class county cricket
The County Championship is played over four days, and draws are common, particularly early in the season when weather interrupts play. Coverage by bookmakers is thinner than for internationals, and prices can move more once the teams and conditions are known.
Main cricket markets
Match result
Which side will win, plus the draw in Tests and first-class matches. The simplest cricket bet.
Top batter and top bowler
You pick which player will score the most runs, or take the most wickets, for their team in an innings or match. Openers and top-order batters are often favourites for top batter, because they have the most time at the crease.
Runs and totals
You can bet on the total runs a team scores, the runs in a particular period of play or whether a player will reach fifty or a hundred. These markets depend heavily on pitch and weather conditions.
Method of dismissal
A popular special where you bet on how the next wicket will fall, such as caught, bowled or leg before wicket. Margins on specials are usually higher than on main markets.
Series and tournament betting
As well as individual matches, you can bet on the result of a whole series, such as a five-Test summer series, or on the winner of a tournament like the Vitality Blast or The Hundred. Series markets often include the correct series score, and tournament markets usually allow each-way betting on some competitions.
Rain, ties and the rule book
Cricket settlement rules are more complicated than most sports, and they can differ between bookmakers. This is the section to read before your first bet.
Rain-shortened matches
In limited-overs cricket, rain often shortens a match, with targets adjusted using the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method. Most bookmakers settle match bets on the official result, whatever the adjustment. If there is no result at all, match bets are usually void and stakes returned.
Ties and super overs
If a limited-overs match finishes level, it may be decided by a super over. Some bookmakers settle on the winner of the super over, while others apply dead heat rules to the original match result. Check the terms.
Player markets
If a player you back in a top batter market does not bat, or does not play, rules vary. Some bookmakers void the bet if the player is not in the starting eleven. If two players tie for top batter, dead heat rules usually apply, and your stake is divided.
Check before you betEach bookmaker publishes cricket rules in its terms. A minute spent reading how rain, ties and non-playing selections are handled can save a lot of frustration.
Abandoned and postponed matches
If a match is abandoned without a result, or postponed to another day, bets on the match are usually void. Series bets may stand if the rest of the series is completed. Rules on rescheduled matches differ between bookmakers, so check the cricket section of the terms if a fixture is moved.
Pitch, weather and the toss
Few sports are shaped by conditions as much as cricket. A green, overcast morning at Headingley favours seam bowlers. A dry, cracked pitch late in a Test favours spinners. The toss decides which side gets the conditions first, and in some grounds that can be worth a great deal.
Checking the forecast and any pitch reports before you bet is one of the simplest ways to make better decisions. Prices on runs and totals markets in particular can move sharply once the toss is known and the teams are announced.
From my notebookFor totals markets in T20, I always check the ground's recent scores. Some grounds consistently produce high totals and others low ones, and the difference can be large.
Team news
Team announcements matter more in cricket than in many sports. A key bowler being rested or a batter returning from injury can change a match significantly. Many bettors wait until the teams are confirmed at the toss before betting on player markets.
In-play cricket betting
Cricket is well suited to in-play betting, because the state of the game changes steadily and visibly. A clatter of wickets or a big partnership can swing prices dramatically. In longer formats, you have time to watch conditions change before betting. In T20, prices move with almost every ball.
The pace of T20 in particular makes it easy to place more bets than you meant to. Decide on a limit for the match before it starts, including any in-play bets.
Sessions and overs
In-play markets often include runs in the next over or the next session of play. These can be enjoyable to follow ball by ball, but margins are high and results can hinge on a single shot. Keep stakes small.
If you enjoy in-play cricket, it helps to follow the match on a ball-by-ball scoreboard alongside any stream. Streams can run several seconds behind the live action, and prices on the exchange and at bookmakers often move before the picture catches up.
Cricket on the exchange
International cricket is one of the busier sports on the Betfair Exchange, and prices on major matches are often better than those of the fixed-odds bookmakers. Test matches can be especially interesting on the exchange, because the draw price changes a great deal as time runs out and weather intervenes. On domestic county cricket, liquidity is much thinner.
Exchange betting on Test matches can also help when the weather changes the picture. If you backed a team to win and heavy rain is forecast for the final day, laying them on the exchange can let you lock in part of your position before the draw becomes likely.
The cricket calendar
The English season runs from April to September, with the County Championship, the Vitality Blast, The Hundred and the summer's international series. Over the winter, England tour abroad, and franchise leagues such as the Indian Premier League, the Big Bash in Australia and others fill the calendar. There is rarely a week without cricket to follow.
For English bettors, the summer is the main event, with each ground bringing its own character. Edgbaston is known for its noise and atmosphere, Lord's for its history and slope, and The Oval for its reputation for good batting pitches later in the summer. Knowing a little about each ground helps with runs and totals markets.
Winter cricket can be tricky to follow from Britain, with matches played overnight in Australia or early in the morning in India. Betting while tired rarely leads to good decisions, so check results later rather than staying up for the final overs.
Integrity in cricket
Cricket has had well-publicised problems with corruption in the past, particularly around spot-fixing of specific events within a match. The International Cricket Council's Anti-Corruption Unit investigates suspicious activity, and licensed bookmakers report unusual betting patterns. For ordinary bettors, sticking to main markets on well-established competitions is sensible.
Finally, remember that cricket's long formats mean your money can be tied up for days on a single Test match bet. Keep track of your open bets, and include them when you work out how much of your monthly budget you have already used.
Enjoying cricket betting sensibly
Cricket rewards patience, and so does betting on it. Stick to formats and teams you follow, read the settlement rules and keep stakes small on specials and in-play markets. A deposit limit set at the start of the season, covering the months of cricket ahead, is an easy way to keep a long summer enjoyable.
Your questions answered
Which betting site is best for cricket?
bet365 has the widest range of cricket markets, including domestic competitions. Betfair often has the best prices on international matches.
What happens to my cricket bet if it rains?
If a match is shortened, most bookmakers settle on the official result. If there is no result at all, match bets are usually void.
Can you bet on a draw in cricket?
Yes, in Test matches and first-class cricket, where the match result market usually has three outcomes.
How do dead heat rules work in cricket?
If two players tie in a market such as top batter, your stake is usually divided by the number of tied players.
Priya Chauhan
Payments editor
Priya spent twelve years in payments operations at a UK high-street bank in Birmingham, handling card disputes, fraud reviews and the plumbing behind every transfer. She now tests how betting sites handle your money, and spends her summers at Edgbaston.