Cricket Betting Rules - General and Format-Specific Guide

Read time 3 m.

Updated 15.04.2025

Knowing the betting rules in cricket is essential to following this sport. It is important to understand the conditions set by the bookmaker to see how the results are determined and what factors can void the bet. These are the basic rules you should know before you start betting on cricket.

General Cricket betting rules

The object of the game is to score more runs than the opposing team in a particular number of innings. This premise allows us to establish the general cricket betting rules:

Bets are calculated based on the result declared by the committee that is responsible for the match;
If the venue of the match becomes different, the bets that were made by bettors will remain valid as long as the teams remain “home” and “away.” If the teams are reversed, the original bets will be voided;
If the match is interrupted or does not finish due to external conditions, the bets on that match will be settled at odds of 1.00 (they are voided);
Suppose a match is canceled due to some circumstances. In that case, the bets will be voided if less than 80% of the overs have been played, except in cases where the result was identified at the time of the cancellation;
If the final outcome is a “Tie” and the option for “Tie – Yes” does not appear, another method may be used to identify who won, such as a bowl out or a super over.

Series Betting Rules

When you bet on a series, you’re picking who will win several matches. The bet is settled after the full series ends. If it ends in a draw and there is no “draw” option to bet on, your money is just returned. No win, no loss.If some matches are canceled, the rules can change. Bookmakers may need a certain number of them to be played for the bet to count. The rules of cricket betting state that if not enough matches happen, your bet might be voided and refunded.

How to Bet on Test Matches

Test matches are events that can last 4 or 5 days and are played by national cricket teams. For betting on this tournament, the following rules are utilized:

Total number of runs in the first [X] overs (Over/Under [Y]): The specified number of overs must be completed for the bets to be valid, except if a full team is dismissed or reaches the required number of runs in fewer overs;
Highest individual score / Player’s total runs or number of runs: Bets are settled based on the highest number of runs scored in a single inning. Runs from two innings are not combined;
If the test match ends in a draw, all bets on it will be voided;
If a three-way money line is offered, including the draw, bets on the draw will be paid to bettors in this betting market;
If a test match is interrupted due to external interference, the bets will be void.

Betting on One Day Internationals

The ODI cricket format is played between teams with international status. Each team faces 50 overs, and this results in some specificities of rules for bettors and bookmakers:

Cricket session betting rules state that Over/Under bets will be voided if the match does not reach the official number of overs;
If the match does not reach the official number of overs, the “Winner” bets will be settled based on the official announcement;
If a reserve day is used, the bets remain valid and are carried over to that day.

Information for bettors on Twenty20

In Twenty20 cricket matches, each team plays a single inning with a maximum of 20 overs. These matches are shorter and follow the general rules of the game:

The Over/Under bets will be voided if the match does not reach the official number of overs;
The “Winner” bets will be settled based on the official announcement in case the match does not reach the full number of overs.

Subtleties of Betting on Player or Team Performance

Each sports market has specific betting rules that define how outcomes are determined and how bets are settled. Refer to the table below for detailed explanations.

Sports Market	Betting Rules
Individual Player Props	According to the cricket betting rules in India, if a player is named in the starting XI but does not bat, they are considered to have scored zero runs. If they do not bowl, they are considered to have taken zero wickets.
Best Pitcher	The best bowler will be the player with the highest number of individual wickets in a single inning; Bets on players who do not bowl or do not participate in the match are considered lost; If two or more players finish the match with the same number of wickets, the player with the fewer runs conceded is considered; If no bowler takes a wicket, bets will be settled at odds of 1; If a player appears in the starting XI and is substituted, both that player and the one who replaces them count.
Most Boundaries/Fours/Sixes Hit	Only points scored from the start of the match are counted. The first ball must be bowled in the first innings of each team for the bets to be valid.
Top Bowler	The best bowler will be the bowler who takes the most wickets in the first innings; Bowlers have to bowl at least one ball for the bets to be valid; If two or more bowlers take the same number of wickets, the one who has allowed fewer runs wins.
Top Batsman	If the player is not in the starting XI, the bet will be void; Batsmen must face at least one ball for the bets to be valid; Runs scored in a super over do not count for this bet; If two or more players score the same number of runs, the technical tie rules will apply; If a batter retires due to injury and then returns to the field, the total number of runs scored by the batter in the inning is considered. If he does not return to the field, his total will be the number of runs he scored before retiring.
Most Team Sixes	The match must conclude naturally for the bets to be valid. In the event of a tie, the betting rules cricket for ties apply.
Batsman Number of 4’s	Only deliveries in which the batsman scored exactly 4 runs are considered (including All-run/Overthrows).
Make a Century (Yes/No)	When a batsman scores 100 runs or more in an innings, he is known as a century. For this betting market, these conditions apply: To make a century, bets are for the whole match; Bets placed on any player who is not in the initial XI will be void; Bets on players who are selected but do not bat are considered lost.