One of the oft-used markets in cricket betting is the tournament outrights market and in this article we will look at the intricacies involved in it.
Right from which are some of the top tournaments in the cricket world for outright betting to understanding the factors influencing your decision to bet on them and the markets involved in it will be covered in this one.
What is Tournament Outrights Betting in Cricket?
To give you a quick, one-line definition, tournament outright betting refers to placing bets on the overall outcome of a tournament rather than individual matches within the tournament.
Here’s a more precise definition of tournament outright cricket betting:
Tournament outright betting involves predicting the eventual winner or other specific outcomes related to the entire tournament, such as group winners, finalists, top run-scorers, or top wicket-takers.
It allows bettors to place bets on the overall performance and results of teams and players throughout the duration of the tournament.
For example, in cricket, if you bet on the outright winner of the Indian Premier League (betting tips here) or the ICC Cricket World Cup, you’re predicting which team will emerge victorious at the end of the tournament.
Similarly, betting on the top run-scorer or top wicket-taker of the tournament involves predicting which player will accumulate the most runs or take the most wickets throughout the entire competition.
Tournament outright betting provides an opportunity for bettors to make long-term predictions and investments in the outcome of a tournament, offering potentially higher payouts compared to individual match betting.
Understanding Cricket Tournaments
Cricket is a unique sport in that it has three different formats – Tests, ODIs and T20s – and each of them come with their own set of tournaments or competitions.
While Test match cricket has the ICC World Test Championships which is played over a two-year period, there is the ICC Champions Trophy and ICC World Cup among the most popular ODI tournaments in the world.
T20 cricket has a plethora of competitions at the domestic level which is topped by the ICC T20 World Cup that’s typically played every two years. Some of the domestic tournaments which have often caught the attention of the betting markets include the Indian Premier League, Big Bash League, Pakistan Super League, Caribbean Premier League and T20 Blast among others.
All these leagues from around the world are mentioned on our website here.
Cricket Tournament Outrights Betting Markets
Now that we know what tournament outrights betting in cricket consists of, we can look at the various betting markets involved in this. Bettors can explore quite a few of them as a bid to diversify their strategies.
Here are some of the key markets involved in tournament outrights betting:
Tournament Winner
Betting on the team expected to win the entire tournament. This is the most common outright bet in cricket tournaments.
For example, if you bet on Chennai Super Kings to lift this year’s IPL and you are offered 5/1 for that, it would mean that if CSK did win the tournament, your bet would be a winner too.
Group Winners/Team to Top the Table
Betting on the teams expected to finish at the top of their respective groups or pools in the tournament’s group stage. Continuing with the same example of the IPL mentioned above, you can pick both, the table-toppers or the winner of the tournament.
The team finishing at the top of the table in the IPL needs to be consistent over a period of the entire season while the team winning the competition could finish anywhere in the top four and yet, win two to three playoff matches to clinch the title.
Take the example of the 2024 T20 World Cup. In this, there are four groups (A, B, C and D) of five sides apiece and you can bet on which teams will finish on top of each of the groups.
Top Run Scorer
Betting on the player expected to score the most runs throughout the tournament. For instance, if you had bet on Virat Kohli finishing the 2023 World Cup with the highest number of run in the tournament, you would have stood to win with odds of 5/1.
Top Wicket Taker
Betting on the player expected to take the most wickets throughout the tournament.
Mohammad Shami, who missed the first couple of matches in the 2023 World Cup, finished the tournament with 24 wickets, the most in the competition, and he was 11/1 at one point to be the tournament’s top wicket-taker.
Finalists
Betting on the two teams expected to reach the final of the tournament. In this, you need to get both the teams correct.
Team to Reach the Final
Betting on whether a specific team will reach the final of the tournament or not. In this, if you think Australia will make it to the final of a World Cup, you bet on that and if they do you win your bet.
Team Performance
Betting on how well a specific team will perform in the tournament, such as reaching a certain stage (semifinals, playoffs, etc.).
Player Performances
Betting on specific player performances, such as the number of runs or wickets they will accumulate throughout the tournament.
These markets offer a wide range of options for bettors to explore based on their preferences, strategies, and knowledge of the game. Understanding these markets enables bettors to make informed decisions and potentially capitalize on favorable odds during cricket tournaments.
Factors Influencing Tournament Outrights
Now that we know what is tournament outright betting and the various markets associated with it, let’s look at the factors affecting the outright betting associated with tournament betting.
Outright betting in cricket is influenced by a variety of factors which are mentioned below.
Team Strength and Composition
The strength of a team and its composition play a significant role in outright betting. Factors such as the quality of players, team balance, recent form, and overall performance history are important considerations.
Analysing all of these factors is a must to find an edge when it comes to the odds on offer for outright betting but even more important, at times could be momentum.
In-Tournament Momentum and Confidence
Momentum and confidence can play a crucial role in cricket tournaments. Teams and players who perform well early in the tournament may gain momentum and confidence, which can positively impact their performance in subsequent matches.
Take the example of Australia at the 2023 World Cup in which they started off with two successive defeats. However, the ODI World Cup in 2023 allowed teams to make a comeback because of its format, what with every team playing nine matches in the group stage of the competition.
Australia came back well and coming into the business end of the group stage of the tournament, had the momentum and confidence going for them. It might have been a good time to put your money on them to win the title.
Player Form and Fitness
The form and fitness of key players can heavily influence a team’s chances of success in a tournament. Injuries to key players or a loss of form can significantly impact a team’s performance and their odds of winning the tournament.
India were affected majorly by injuries to key personnel in the 2019 World Cup as they lost their opener Shikhar Dhawan and then all-rounder Vijay Shankar to injuries. By the time they reached the semifinal, their team composition and batting order was different from what they had envisaged in the lead-up and they fell to New Zealand.
Tournament Format and Conditions
Different cricket tournaments have varying formats, such as T20, One-Day Internationals (ODIs), or Test matches, each with its own set of conditions and requirements.
Understanding how teams perform in different formats and conditions is essential for predicting tournament outcomes. Some teams do better in a long league format that allows them to start slow, find the right combination and then go hell for leather towards the end.
Chennai Super Kings and to a smaller extent even Mumbai Indians have made it a habit of making slow starts in the IPL and yet, have gone on to win the tournament on multiple occasions.
Historical Performance
Analyzing past performances of teams and players in similar tournaments can provide valuable insights into their potential performance in the current tournament. Historical data such as head-to-head records, previous tournament performances, and trends can help bettors make more informed decisions.
Pitch and Weather Conditions
The condition of the pitch and weather forecasts can have a significant impact on match outcomes and tournament results. Certain teams and players may perform better or worse under specific pitch and weather conditions, which should be considered when placing outright bets.
The prime example of this is when the 2009 Indian Premier League was shifted from India to South Africa at the 11th hour because of unavoidable circumstances.
A team like Chennai Super Kings had packed a squad full of players for the slow and low pitches of MA Chidambaram Stadium but instead they were left to fend off the bouncier, pacier South African surfaces and struggled throughout the competition.
Team Strategies and Tactics
Understanding the strategies and tactics adopted by teams in different situations can provide valuable insights into their approach to the tournament. Factors such as batting order, bowling rotations, and fielding strategies can influence a team’s overall performance and success in the tournament.
External Factors
External factors such as off-field controversies, coaching changes, and team dynamics can also influence tournament outcomes. Keeping abreast of relevant news and developments surrounding teams and players can help bettors anticipate potential impacts on tournament results.
By considering these factors and conducting thorough research, bettors can develop effective betting strategies for tournament outright betting in cricket, increasing their chances of making successful predictions and achieving profitable outcomes.
Final Words on Tournament Outright Betting
It’s important to understand that outright betting in cricket comes with its own challenges and while the reward associated with such a bet is quite high, it has a lot of risks associated with it too given the amount of research involved.
Our suggestion would be to avoid this market if you are just starting out in cricket betting and to take to it only if you are willing to risk some sum of money at a later stage.
Photo Credit: Yogendra Singh on Unsplash
