Online Cricket Betting - Best Cricket Betting Sites, Apps, and Tips

Cricket is yet another sport created by the British as a pastime that has risen to global popularity, being loved by millions of people across the globe. It may not be one of Ireland's most popular sports, but that's not to say there isn't still a deep-rooted interested in the game. In this cricket betting guide, I will take a look at everything from the different formats of play, from the longest version of test cricket down to shorter styles like T20, to top cricket betting sites, the different markets you can bet on, and cricket betting tips to help you make the most of your fun.

💯 Best Cricket Betting Sites by Category

There are many sports betting sites where Irish punters can open an account and place cricket bets, but you should be cautious about where you wager your hard-earned money. In the following table, I have broken down my list of top-seven sites, including links to reviews of bookmakers where you can find out more about each brand.

🏆 Overview of the Top Four Cricket Betting Sites in Ireland

Above I gave you some top sports betting websites, but I want to take a closer look at my favourite four from that mix, to give a few more details as to why they offer great value to new cricket-betting players.

LeoVegas: Best Mobile Cricket Betting Site

One of the big pluses for LeoVegas is that it is one of the best bookmakers when it comes to mobile gambling. Gambling on the go is all the rage nowadays, and LeoVegas has won a number of top awards for the mobile gambling experience that they offer punters. That means, for those that enjoy betting on cricket, you can access the same plethora of markets and competitive odds as you would be able to do from your laptop or other less portable device.

888sport: Best Free-Bet Offer

888sport came into being in 2008, and during their 15 years of existence, they have grown to being considered one of the best sports betting sites. One thing that attracts many Irish punters to register with 888sport is the fact that they have some of the best cricket betting offers on the market. If you register with them to bet on cricket, you can claim a Welcome Bonus of €30 of sports free bets and €10 to test out their online casino. With great options for markets and odds on top, you'll not be disappointed by what's on offer.

Betiton: Best New Cricket Betting Site

Betiton only came into being at the beginning of 2020, but they are already able to compete with the best when it comes to betting on cricket. Betiton comes with a variety of payment methods, cricket betting odds, cricket markets, bonuses, and more. If you decide that Betiton may be worth investigating, you will be able to receive a €10 free bet when you bet €15 for your first bet.

Betway: Best Betting Site for Cricket

When Betway first arrived on the gambling scene, they got a lot of stick for providing shoddy services. However, they took the criticism on board and came back stronger. What makes them a great place for cricket betting is the fact that they offer odds and markets for a wide variety of cricket events, so no matter the format you like, you should have everything you need to enjoy your cricket-betting experience. Those who decide to open an account with Betway can claim €30 worth of free bets that can be used on cricket.

• www.begambleaware.org

🔥 Cricket Betting Tips - How to Bet on Cricket

Relying purely on luck is never a good strategy, and when it comes to cricket betting, not knowing your wickets from your boundaries will leave you more often than not losing your bets. I am going to give you some top cricket betting tips to keep in mind when you are placing cricket bets.

Pay Close Attention to Form

Form is important in every sport, and cricket is no exception. When you want to bet on team to win a game, take time to look at their recent form to decide if they are likely to be up to the challenge on the day. Even if the team you are betting on is rated as the best team in the tournament, it may still not be wise to place a bet on them if they are not in form. Betting on reputation alone is one way to end up losing most of your bets.

The Pitch Makes a Difference

Not all cricket pitches are the same, and this variety is something that helps to make cricket entertaining. For instance, when it comes to countries such as England and New Zealand, the pitches assist swing bowlers, which makes it harder for batsmen to score runs. In locations such as the Caribbean, however, the pitches are flatter, thus making it a better environment for the batsmen. Before you place any bets, find out as much pitch information as you can. It may drastically benefit one side more than the other.

Know the Format

There are nuances of cricket that you can only pick up from studying and watching the game. Knowing the differences between the different formats - test, T20, and one-day cricket - is certainly a great place to start. Below is a summary of the three main formats:

• Test cricket: This is the ultimate format of cricket for many, as it sees two teams battle it out over the course of five days. Each team has two innings each in order to try and score as many runs as possible. This format thoroughly tests the skills and mentality of each player.
• One-day cricket: As it is evident from the name, a match in this format typically lasts a day. Each team only gets to bat once, and they have a total of 50 overs (300 balls) to score as many runs as they can. This format is good for those less interested in watching a full five days of cricket. There is also usually more excitement than in test cricket as teams tend to be more aggressive and proactive in their play.
• T20 cricket: This is the shortest format of the sport, outside of The Hundred, as a T20 cricket match is completed in around three hours. Each team gets just 20 overs (120 balls) to score as many runs as they can. It is a really popular format because batsmen try to smash every ball out of the stadium. If test cricket is a marathon, this format is definitely a sprint.

Players perform differently in the different formats, and it is vital to know about this when you are betting. For instance, when it comes to T20 and one-day cricket, England's Jos Buttler is one of the best in the world and should always be considered for the Top Batsman market when playing. However, he struggles when it comes to test cricket, so I would not recommend putting money on him over five days.

Consider the Weather

Conditions play a big role in a cricket match. If the sun is out and there is no cloud cover, it usually means that the conditions will be better for batting. However, if it is grey and overcast, then such conditions are usually conducive to swing bowling. Also, compared to rain in a football match where play continues, when it rains in cricket, the game has to come to a halt. If rain persists, the scores have to be recalculated using the Duckworth/Lewis system, which can dramatically change the game in one team's favour. Remember to check the weather forecast before placing any bet!

📲 Top Cricket Betting Apps in Ireland

Many online sports betting sites have taken the time to develop their own quality mobile apps. In this section of our guide, I am going to be looking at three top cricket betting apps that Irish punters can use for cricket bets.

LeoVegas

Irish sports fans that download the LeoVegas app for Android or iOS will quickly find out why it has won a number of awards. You are able to watch 1000s of live streaming events every year, and there are plenty of cricket options available too. The app is user-friendly and fast, so you should not have any issues having a flutter on a game or two.

Betway

Betway's app is different to many others available to Irish players as they opted to create two individual apps for their sports betting site and online casino. This is good, because if you have no interest in playing online casino games, you can avoid all of that by just downloading the sports betting app. It is available on both Android and iOS devices, and there are thousands of markets that you can choose from. It also offers live streams, custom bet builders, and a wide variety of promotions.

Unibet

Unibet has only started accepting Irish players recently, but they can still offer one of the best sports betting apps for those in the Emerald Isle. Like Betway, they have also separated out their apps, so if you are not interested in playing online casino games, you can completely forget about that kind of gambling. From the Unibet app, you can watch more than 40,000 live streams each year, and they have markets and odds for more than 40 sports - cricket being one of their key options. They also offer 24/7 customer support on the off chance there are any issues with your bets or your account.

🎫 Cricket Tournaments

There are many top cricket tournaments that you can watch and place bets on. Below, I am going to take a look at some of the most popular competitions.

ICC Cricket World Cup

The ICC Cricket World Cup is the biggest cricket event in the world. Just like the FIFA World Cup or the Rugby World Cup, it is played every four years, and is a trophy that every cricketer wants to get their hands on. It is one-day cricket tournament, which means that it has a great mixture of excitement and depth.

To date, only six teams have won it, with Australia being the most successful nation, having lifted the trophy no fewer than five times. England are the reigning champions, having won the 2019 edition. The 2023 version will take place in India between October and November, and England will be one of the favourites to go on to win.

ICC T20 Cricket World Cup

This is another Cricket World Cup, but in this event, each team only gets 20 overs per match to score as many runs as they can. In the shorter format of this sport, every ball is an event, so the T20 Cricket World Cup attracts millions of cricket fans when it is being played.

This event is usually played every two years, but after the 2016 version, there was a 5-year hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The last edition was played in 2022, and England were crowned the champions after beating Pakistan in the final. Both England and the West Indies have lifted this title twice. The next edition will take place in the West Indies and the United States in 2024.

The Ashes

If you happen to be an England or Australian cricket fan and you are asked to name a huge cricket event, there is a really good chance that you will think of The Ashes right away. There is a huge rivalry between these two nations in any sport, but when they meet on the cricket field, sparks of magic happen. Who can forget Flintoff's magical over to Ponting, Ponting being run out by a substitute fielder, or Broad picking up eight Aussie wickets for just 15 runs?

The Ashes series is said to have come into being when England lost to Australia at home in 1882, with a local newspaper claiming that English cricket was dead and that its ashes would be taken back to Australia. The following year, England went on a tour of Australia, and England's captain declared that they were on a quest to reclaim the ashes. Even if you are not a fan of England or Australia, this five-match series is always worth a watch.

Learn more about this tournament in our Ashes betting guide.

Indian Premier League

The Indian Premier League, also called the IPL, has become an important event in the cricketing calendar due to the bounty of riches that are on offer to those that take part in it. It only came into being in 2007, but it already has millions of fans, rakes in billions of dollars in revenue, and treats cricket fans to some of the best cricket in the world. All of the best T20 cricketers from around the world will come together for a period of six weeks to provide hours of entertainment. Any cricket betting site that is serious about what they do will have a variety of cricket betting markets for this competition.

⚡ Betting on Cricket - Types of Bets Offered by Online Betting Sites

The number of statistics available in a given cricket match is incredible, and most of the best cricket betting sites will let you place a wager on nearly all of them. I have outlined below a few of the key markets that you can bet on.

Match Bet

With this market, you are trying to predict the team that will come out on top. If you are betting on test cricket, there will also be the option for a draw. This option will not be available in the shorter formats, however, since it is very unlikely that a T20 or one-day cricket match will end in such a way.

Series Winner

International cricket teams have to fly all over the world to take on other nations, so it would make next to no sense for a team to fly halfway around the world to play just the one match. Due to this, there will usually be played two to five matches in the three different formats, which is known as a series. Any serious cricket bookmaker will allow you to bet on the team that you think will win the series.

Match Score

With this market, you have to predict the number of runs that one team will score in the match. Your bookmaker will provide you with a number, such as 330.5, and then you may decide whether you think your selected team will score 330 or fewer (under) or 331 runs or more (over).

Top Batsman

Top Batsman allows you to predict the player that will go on to score the most runs in a game. This is a tricky market to predict correctly because one tiny error could see the batsman start a lonely walk back to the dressing room. However, there will be good odds on offer due to the difficulty of the market.

Top Bowler

Similar to above, this market allows you to predict which bowler you think will pick up the most wickets for his team. The wickets taken is the important column here, as a bowler that picks up three wickets but concedes 100 runs will be rated higher than a bowler that picks up two wickets but only concedes 25 runs. The odds will usually be quite appealing for this market as well.

Player of the Match

When you bet on cricket, you will have the option of trying to predict the player that will win the Player of the Match award. With this kind of wager, you pick one player from 22, and if they win the trophy, you will win your wager. Since you are choosing between 22 players, you can expect some high odds.

Mode of Dismissal

You can also put your money on the way that the next batsman will be dismissed. In a game of cricket, a batsman can be dismissed in a number of different ways: leg before wicket, stumped, bowled, caught, run-out, and hit-wicket. The available odds will depend on the mode of dismissal that you select. For example, getting caught is a common method of dismissal, so this has the lowest odds. On the other hand, it is rare to see a player dismissed hit-wicket, so the odds will be higher.

Winner of the Coin Toss

If you are the type of gambler that likes a 50/50 wager, then you can also bet on the team that will win the coin toss. In cricket, a coin toss is done to determine which side will bat first and which side will bowl first - the captain that wins the coin toss will get to choose. It is an important part of the game as it can play a big part in who goes on to win.

• www.begambleaware.org

✅ How Do We Select the Best Betting Sites for Cricket?

Above, I gave you the names of sports betting sites that I think are the best for betting on cricket, but how did I come to that conclusion? Let me give you a brief look at some of the criteria that I looked at when analysing cricket betting sites.

Welcome Bonus and Free Bets

Many online bookmakers offer some sort of welcome bonus to new punters in order to try and entice them to open an account. These will usually come in the shape of a free bet or some sort of matched deposit. Sites that offer better cricket betting bonuses are obviously more appealing, so I always check out what is on offer and provide the most up-to-date advice on this. When it comes to bonuses, however, always remember to read the T&Cs that apply before accepting any promotional offer.

Cricket Betting Markets

The more cricket betting markets that are available, the better. Only being able to place a bet on a handful of outcomes can lead to boredom, so I like to make sure that any cricket betting sites that I recommend has plenty to keep bettors fully entertained.

Betting Odds

The odds are what determine the kind of return that you will land if you are successful. Before I recommend a sportsbook, I have a good look at the odds they are offering and compare them with their rivals. If I think that they are slacking when it comes to their odds, they will not make it onto my top list.

Live Cricket Betting

When sportsbooks arrived on the online gambling scene back in the 90s, it was not possible for bettors to place live bets. For those who are new to sports betting, a live bet is when you bet on an event that has already started. In test cricket, this used to mean that once the first ball was bowled, no further bets could be placed. With the development of technology, lots of bookies now offer new bets even for every ball bowled. All of the bookmakers I listed earlier come with quality live-betting options.

Live Streaming

When you place a bet on an event, more often than not you will want to watch the match live so that you can keep an eye on your wager. The top cricket betting sites are aware of this, which is why they offer live streams of matches. When big events such as the World Cup is being played, top sites such as Unibet, Ladbrokes, LeoVegas, and William Hill often offer live streams of the matches. A site that has a great live streaming service scores well with us.

Customer Support

Even if you are betting at one of the best sportsbooks in the world, there is no guarantee that a problem will not crop up at some point. Therefore, it is important that the sportsbook that you decide to open an account with has top customer support. Before we recommend any online bookmaker to you, we will test out their customer care team by sending them a mock issue. If they get back to us quickly and provide satisfactory solutions, then they will score well with us. They will also score well if they offer live chat, email, and telephone contact options and are available 24/7.

Security and Safety

Nowadays, there are so many cybercriminals out there that it is pretty easy to fall foul of some sort of scam and end up losing plenty of money that is pretty hard to get back. As a result, people are now very wary when it comes to spending money online, and we understand that. Therefore, before we recommend any sportsbook, we will make sure that it is a safe and secure place to bet at - we will check that they have been licensed and regulated by top gambling regulators such as the Malta Gaming Authority and the United Kingdom Gambling Commission. If we have any doubts over a site's security, then we will not recommend the bookmaker on our website.

Payment Methods

In order to place cricket bets, you obviously need to deposit funds in your account, and you will obviously want to withdraw any winnings that you are fortunate enough to land. We will always make sure that any site that we recommend offers a variety of payment methods as we are aware that not every gambler enjoys using the same banking method. If we think that a site is slacking in their banking options, then we will make our readers well aware of this fact.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions about Betting on Cricket

✒️ Sheldon Muchmore - iGaming and Sports Betting Enthusiast

This cricket betting page was written by Sheldon Muchmore.

Sheldon is a tipster and betting expert from the United Kingdom who has a passion for a whole range of sports, particularly football, rugby, and cricket. He is an avid Aston Villa fan, so feel free to feel a bit of pity for him. He has been involved in the online gambling industry for a number of years now and has written a large number of predictions for a variety of sports including GAA, so he has built up a lot of sporting expertise over the years.