Cricket is one of the most popular sports worldwide and this is why it is also one of the most wagered sports out there. While watching cricket alone can be exciting, betting on the popular cricket leagues like the IPL, T20 Vitality Blas, and Cricket World Cup just make the sport more thrilling.
Football remains the most popularly wagered on sport, but punters are always interested to try out wagering on new events including cricket. If you haven’t tried cricket betting before, it’s a good time to start since the biggest annual cricket event has started on April 9. You can now start looking for IPL Live Matches Odds.
Cricket betting isn’t completely different from wagering on other sports. You shouldn’t have a hard time with it if you have bet on other sports previously. Still, you should know how cricket works and know the important details that could affect a team’s performance or a cricket match.
A Quick Look at Cricket’s Popularity
Cricket is now seen as the second most popular sport worldwide next to football. It’s an exciting team sport that anybody could enjoy and even play. It may be a surprise for some to know that cricket is almost as popular as football, but it just doesn’t get as much exposure that it should have.
When it comes to countries where it is extremely popular, it is in Australia, EU countries, Pakistan, and India. It is in India where this sport is extremely big, however. India’s national sport is hockey but many locals would rather play or watch cricket instead. This is why India hosts the most popular cricket league, the Indian Premier League.
Cricket is still not as popular as baseball, basketball, or football in the United States, but it is already starting to gain more followers in the country. ESPN estimates that this sport now was around 30 million US fans. It’s not like cricket was never popular in the US. Cricket was very popular here in the 1700s. At least until it was replaced by baseball, which was known as a patriotic sport during the Civil War.
Today, according to BARC India viewership data, the IPL was able to reach a cumulative number of 405 million viewers. Meanwhile, the ICC’s Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2019 had a global cumulative average audience of 1.6 billion for its live coverage.
Things to Consider Before Betting on Any Cricket Match
If you haven’t wagered on any sport before, then know that there are a few things to consider before you hop on to this activity. Cricket betting is still gambling and like any other gambling activity, it has its pros and cons. Betting has risks and when overdone, it could lead to addiction.
Still, responsible betting or gambling can be beneficial. Some people do this to earn extra money. For some, they bet on cricket to show their support. Others do so because this is how they want to enjoy a cricket match. It could be their stress-reliever or way of entertaining themselves.
When betting on any sport, especially cricket, doing research is a must. You should know very well how cricket works and you should also know the basics of sports betting. While cricket is named as one of the most popular sports out there, not all the biggest bookies would offer cricket odds for you to wager on.
Fortunately, bookie shopping is so easy today, especially if you choose to place your bets online. It only takes a few clicks or taps away to switch from one bookie to another. When looking for the right bookie, make sure it is licensed. Check on its reputation and then have a look at the odds that they offer.
Cricket betting isn’t just about predicting who will win or lose a certain match. Some of the types of cricket bets are match betting, tied match, series winner, and outright winner. You can also bet on cricket-related events like the winning toss, toss combination, first-inning score, match scores, and so on.
On Betting Responsibly
Know that in any gambling activity, it’s also your responsibility to take care of yourself. Only deal with legit casinos and bookies whether they are online or not. When signing up with an online casino or bookie, make sure that you always read the fine print to avoid having problems in the long run.
You should also check on the betting regulations in your location. Never bet with money that you do not own and always set a limit. If you think that you need help or assistance in gambling-related trouble, feel free to get the help you need.
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