Cricket Betting and Handicap Markets: A Complete Guide

Cricket betting offers a wide variety of markets that cater to bettors of all experience levels. While many people are familiar with match-winner bets, one type of market that has grown in popularity is handicap betting. Platforms like 12Bet and Apbook offer diverse handicap markets, allowing bettors to place wagers that level the playing field, particularly when there is a clear favorite and an underdog. This guide will walk you through the basics of cricket handicap betting, how it works, and how you can use it to enhance your betting strategy.

1. What is Handicap Betting in Cricket?

Handicap betting is a form of betting designed to create a more balanced betting market when there is a clear favorite and a weaker opponent. In cricket, one team is often much stronger than the other, and the odds for the favorite may not offer much value. Handicap betting helps to even out the disparity by giving the weaker team a virtual advantage or by imposing a disadvantage on the stronger team.

In essence, a handicap bet applies a “handicap” in terms of runs or wickets to one of the teams, and the bettor places a wager based on how the teams perform with this added factor. For instance, the stronger team may be given a negative handicap, meaning they need to win by more than a certain margin to cover the handicap.

Both 12Bet and Apbook offer a range of handicap betting options, particularly for limited-overs formats like T20s and One Day Internationals (ODIs), where the margin of victory can be significant.

2. How Does Handicap Betting Work in Cricket?

In a standard cricket match, the stronger team is often given lower odds, while the underdog has higher odds. However, these odds might not always provide value. This is where handicap betting becomes useful, as it adjusts the terms of the bet to make the market more competitive.

There are two main types of handicap betting in cricket: Run Handicap and Wicket Handicap.

a) Run Handicap

In run handicap betting, a certain number of runs is added to or subtracted from one team’s final score. For example, if a team is given a -10.5 run handicap, they need to win the match by more than 10 runs for your bet to win. Conversely, if the underdog is given a +10.5 run handicap, they can either win the match outright or lose by fewer than 10 runs, and your bet will still win.

Run handicap betting is particularly popular in One Day Internationals and T20 matches, where large margins of victory are common. Platforms like 12Bet and Apbook provide various run handicap markets for different formats, making it easy for bettors to choose the right bet based on the expected margin of victory.

b) Wicket Handicap

In wicket handicap betting, the handicap is based on the number of wickets a team needs to win by or lose within. For example, a team may be given a -2.5 wicket handicap, meaning they need to win by at least 3 wickets for your bet to be successful. Similarly, if the underdog is given a +2.5 wicket advantage, they can win outright or lose by fewer than 3 wickets to win the bet.

Wicket handicaps are more common in Test matches, where the number of wickets taken can greatly affect the outcome of a bet. Both 12Bet and Apbook offer wicket handicap markets, providing bettors with more options to diversify their betting strategies.

3. Why Use Handicap Markets?

Handicap markets can offer better value than traditional match-winner bets, particularly when there is a significant gap in the quality of the teams. Here are a few reasons why you might want to consider using handicap markets in your cricket betting strategy:

• Better Odds: When a team is heavily favored to win, the odds on a straight match-winner bet might be too low to offer meaningful returns. Handicap betting adjusts the odds, making it more competitive and providing better potential payouts.
• More Betting Options: Handicap markets open up new ways to bet on cricket matches. Instead of simply choosing which team will win, you can bet on how well the teams will perform relative to the handicap.
• Balanced Markets: Handicap betting is designed to make mismatches more interesting. By giving the underdog an advantage or the favorite a disadvantage, the market becomes more balanced and challenging, which can lead to more strategic betting decisions.

4. Examples of Cricket Handicap Bets

To better understand how handicap betting works, let’s go through a couple of examples using run and wicket handicaps.

a) Run Handicap Example

Let’s say India is playing against Bangladesh in a T20 match, and India is the heavy favorite. In a regular betting market, India might have odds of 1.25 to win, which doesn’t offer great value. However, if you use a run handicap of -15.5 for India, the odds might improve to 1.80.

In this case, if you bet on India with a -15.5 handicap, they would need to win by at least 16 runs for your bet to succeed. On the other hand, if you bet on Bangladesh with a +15.5 handicap, Bangladesh can either win the match or lose by fewer than 16 runs for your bet to win.

b) Wicket Handicap Example

In a Test match between Australia and England, you might find a market offering a -2.5 wicket handicap for Australia. If you bet on Australia with this handicap, they would need to win by at least 3 wickets for the bet to win. If you bet on England with a +2.5 wicket handicap, they could win the match or lose by fewer than 3 wickets to win the bet.

5. Strategies for Handicap Betting in Cricket

Handicap betting requires a bit more strategy and understanding than traditional match-winner bets. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of handicap markets:

• Analyze Team Form: Always look at the recent form of both teams, paying close attention to how they have performed against similar opponents. A team’s performance in previous matches can help you decide whether to back them with or against the handicap.
• Consider Pitch and Weather Conditions: Certain pitch and weather conditions favor either batsmen or bowlers, which can greatly affect the margin of victory. For example, a bowler-friendly pitch might result in a low-scoring game, making a run handicap more challenging to cover.
• Track Key Player Availability: The absence or presence of star players can have a significant impact on a team’s performance. If a key player is missing, the favorite may struggle to cover the handicap.
• Use Live Betting: Handicap markets are also available for live betting, which allows you to place wagers as the match unfolds. Platforms like Apbook and 12Bet offer real-time updates and odds, giving you the flexibility to adjust your bets based on how the game is progressing.

Conclusion

Handicap betting in cricket provides an exciting and dynamic way to wager on matches, especially when there’s a clear favorite. By leveling the playing field, handicap markets offer better odds and more strategic betting opportunities for both beginners and experienced bettors. Platforms like 12Bet and Apbook provide a variety of handicap betting options, allowing you to tailor your bets to the specific conditions and dynamics of each game. Whether you’re betting on run handicaps or wicket handicaps, understanding how these markets work can significantly enhance your betting strategy and potential returns. Happy betting!