Every sport’s world cup is usually considered the most prestigious award there is—athletes get to showcase their skills on a global stage and play for their country, solidifying their legacy
As a world cup brings together the best of the best in that specific sport, the intensity is fierce, and the competition is high. Coming away with a win warrants high praise and will instantly place that athlete among the elite.
While the FIFA World Cup is often the first tournament that tops the list of most watched world cups, the biennial T20 World Cup isn’t far behind as a contender, ranking in third place and attracting around 2.6 billion viewers. Its exciting tournament format and nontraditional, fast-paced game structure make it a thrill to watch, with the 2.45 million USD prize pool certainly raising the stakes. Given the stakes are so high for cricketers, why not raise them for yourself by placing a few bets on the T20 World Cup this year as well?
How Does the T20 World Cup Work?
The T20 World Cup follows a typical bracket format like most tournaments. It features 20 teams divided into four groups of five teams based on ranking and performance, which then compete in the initial group stages. To advance to the Super 8 stage, they must finish as the top two teams of their group. Then, the top four teams advance to the knockout stage to proceed to the finals.
Unlike several other world cup-level trophies that have been around for over a century, the T20 World Cup is a relatively new tournament that was inaugurated in 2007. We’ve got the Stanley Cup, dating back to 1893—the oldest pro sports trophy in the entirety of North America, as well as the Wimbledon Trophy, which has been around since 1877 and features an iconic yet mysterious tiny pineapple on top. But its lack of history is by no means a downside, as it sets up unique opportunities for both viewers and athletes.
As we’re still in the early stages of the T20 legacy, winning athletes are set to make their mark as pioneers and not just winners. This presents an unprecedented chance to shape the tournament’s future, which magnifies the pressure. For viewers, it also means that there may be interesting emerging trends in betting, evolving markets, and a curious case of limited historical data—which can prove intriguing.
Types of Bets in Cricket
If you’ve ever bet on a sport other than cricket, you might’ve seen classic bets like the moneyline, the spread, or even a couple of player propositions that piqued your interest. Cricket bets do have these bets too, but some concepts and sport-specific bets are vastly different. Let’s go over the most popular:
- Moneyline: The moneyline simply refers to the outright winner of the match. If the odds on India and the West Indies, for example, are -140 for India and +140 for the West Indies, India is set as the favourite with -, while the West Indies are the underdog with +. The combination of symbol and number indicates how much you need to wager or can win based on the odds.
- Spread: The spread typically involves betting on how many points a team will lose or win by. In cricket, it’s about how many runs the team is predicted to score, presented as a range. If you think England will score between 300–310 runs, you’ll win your bet if they do so, just like an over-under bet.
- Over/Under: Similarly, but in contrast to the spread, the actual over/under bet (or ‘total’) refers to a bet on how many total runs each team (or both combined) will score in a match. It’s presented as a single number rather than a range, just like baseball.
- Parlays: Parlays are fun yet potentially risky all-or-nothing bets. A parlay essentially refers to multiple bets under one wager, where you might put together a same-game parlay that includes player propositions and outright winners. To win, you have to hit all the bets in the list.
- Best Batter/Bowler: This bet is straightforward, where you pick who you think will come out on top as the best batter or best bowler.
Choosing the Right Betting Platform
Since the legality of online gambling and sports betting is so ambiguous in India, you can seamlessly find Bonus Buy slots to play or place a wager on practically any sport you want. So long as your state doesn’t have specific laws and regulations in place, you’re free to explore the many betting sites the country has to offer.
On the other hand, that means you’ll be spoiled for choice, so how do you make a decision? Well, there are a variety of factors to consider, such as whether they offer any bonuses, if they have the payment methods you frequently use, the types of markets they feature, whether their customer service is reliable, if the odds are competitive compared to other apps, and how the overall user experience is. Do some thorough research before committing to a sports betting platform with the help of user reviews and comparison sites.
Gambling Smartly and Safely
Sports betting is fun, mentally engaging, and adds an extra layer of nuance to the T20 World Cup, but knowing when to hit the pause button or lower your wagers will prevent you from crossing the line. Choosing to gamble wisely and safely will help you avoid potentially sinking into problem gambling or losing big on your hard-earned cash. For best results, always make use of the safeguards and wager limits on these betting platforms and check out sports news and statistics sites to inform your bets.