Cricket and betting are hand-in-gloves in India, especially during the IPL. Betting apps are flooding the market and people have been showing great interest in the game too.
But many people are still confused about how to make a bet. The most famous bets made in IPL are the highest run scorer of the match, the maximum wicket-taker of the match, the maximum number of boundaries, the hardest hitter in the match, etc. You are free to make these bets but if you want to be unconventional, we bring to you some different categories that you can bet in and make better gains.
- Toss
Interested people can bet on the outcome of the toss in today’s match. The toss is done half an hour before the match, i.e., for a 7.30 PM match, the toss will take place at 7.00 PM. The umpire tosses a coin in the air in the presence of the captains of either side. One of them is asked to have a call on whether it will be a head or a tail. Whichever captain is favored by luck gets to choose between batting and fielding first.
Toss is a highly unpredictable event in a cricket match. Hence, you can’t calculate the outcome of a toss beforehand. That is the reason why many people don’t wish to risk their money on a toss. However, if you are feeling adventurous today, go for a bet and listen only to your heart. Also, do not bet hefty amounts on something so unsure.
- What Will the Captain Choose?
Some people also like to bet on what the winning captain is going to choose. This is a fairly simple bet to make, probably the easiest out of all. All you need to do is browse the history of matches on the particular field and see what captains have chosen the maximum number of times in the past. In most cases, today as well the winning captain shall make the same decision.
You can also predict this by applying basic knowledge of the weather and pitch of the day. In day matches, the sun plays a crucial role as it helps in baking the pitch. So on a sunny day, winning captains are most likely to go for batting first. However, when there are predictions of rain, fielding first is a safer option.
- Innings Score
Another thing to bet on can be the innings score of the team batting first. An inning in an IPL refers to the 20 overs that each team gets to play. Boundaries of the ground of the day will help you in making good predictions about the expected innings score. Smaller boundaries mean higher scores as it gets easier for the ball to hit the boundary. The history of the matches played on the field will also give you a fair idea of what to expect from the innings. Team combination with respect to the weather conditions and the pitch conditions is a crucial factor that can help you predict the correct innings score.
If you are an amateur at betting and are still unsure of making the predictions at the beginning, wait for the first 6 over a match. The first 6 overs are dedicated to the powerplay of the match and they help in giving a base for the team to build their score. Team performance in the powerplay can be an important indicator of the expected innings score. And you can pretty much play your bet once the powerplay has ended as it will be a more assured bet.
- Powerplay and Death Overs
Powerplay is the name given to the first six overs of each inning in which only 2 players of the fielding side are allowed to be placed outside the 30 yards circle. The final 30 balls, i.e., overs sixteen to twenty, are referred to as the death overs. The names of these categories are so intimidating because these overs usually decide the course and the outcome of the match. These overs witness the hardest and farthest ball hitting as well the most number of wickets being taken. Hence, powerplay and death overs call for multiple bets.
During these two times, you can bet on the number of boundaries, the expected score at the end of over 6 and 20, the number of wickets a side is expected to lose, etc. These bets are interesting ones as events and outcomes take place successively, simultaneously, and quickly. In a few overs, the match takes a new shape and people either make a lot of money or lose some hefty amounts. You can fall in the first category provided you make informed attempts.
- The Second Innings
The second inning is usually a better time to make bets as you can do a comparative analysis of the match at that time. It is easier to predict who will win the match post the powerplay of the second inning. If a team has a good net run rate and is off to a great start without losing a single wicket, they have a higher chance of winning the match. If either of the openers stays on the ground till the tenth over, the second batters are more likely to win.
On the other hand, if both the openers are sent back to the pavilion right during the first 6 overs, the second batters will hardly have any chance of winning. Overs 10 to 15 are crucial overs for the match because if batsmen get that time on the pitch, they are likely to be explosive in the death overs. However, if the bowling side manages to get a couple of wickets during those overs, they are significantly ahead in the match.
Conclusion
Betting is an interesting activity to engage in but is also risky. No matter how informed one’s predictions and bets are, they can fail at any time. Hence, make smaller bets instead of putting all your money on a single event. Read about the weather, the pitch, the team performance, the match information, etc, before taking any decision.
