Beginner's Guide to IPL Betting

Cricket is a beloved sport around the world, and the Indian Premier League (IPL) is a premier T20 cricket league that draws fans from across the globe. With the rise of online betting, IPL betting has also become increasingly popular.

If you are new to IPL betting, it can be overwhelming to navigate the different types of bets and betting strategies. In this beginner's guide to IPL betting, we'll break down the basics and help you get started.

Understand the IPL Format

The IPL is a T20 league featuring eight teams from different cities in India. The teams play against each other twice in a round-robin format followed by a cricket tournament-style playoffs.

Here's a brief rundown of how the IPL is played:

  • Team Composition: Each team in the IPL has a squad of up to 25 players, with a maximum of eight overseas players.

  • League Stage: The eight teams play against each other in a round-robin format, with each team playing a total of 14 matches.

  • Playoffs: The top four teams in the league stage qualify for the playoffs. The first playoff match is between the teams that finished first and second in the league stage, with the winner going straight through to the final. The second playoff match is between the teams that finished third and fourth in the league stage, with the winner progressing to a qualifier match against the losing team from the first playoff match.

  • Final: The winner of the first playoff match and the winner of the qualifier match play each other in the final to determine the IPL champion.

Throughout the tournament, teams earn two points for a win, one point for a tie or no result, and zero points for a loss. The team with the most points at the end of the league stage finishes at the top of the table and is awarded the "League Winners" trophy.

The IPL is known for its fast-paced, high-scoring matches, and it attracts some of the best players from around the world, making it one of the most popular cricket leagues in the world.

Key Terms

  • T20 - Short for Twenty20, a form of cricket in which each team faces only 20 overs (120 balls) per innings.

  • Innings - The period of time during which one team bats. In T20 cricket, each team gets one innings.

  • Over - A set of six balls delivered by the same bowler. Each team gets to bowl 20 overs in a T20 match.

  • Wicket - The set of three stumps and two bails that the batsman tries to protect while batting. Getting the ball to hit the wicket is one way to get a batsman out.

  • Run - The unit of scoring in cricket. Runs are scored by the batsmen when they hit the ball and successfully run to the opposite wicket.

  • Boundary - The rope or line marking the edge of the playing area. If the ball is hit beyond the boundary, it is worth four runs (a "four") or six runs (a "six").

  • Out - When a batsman is dismissed, or "out," they must leave the field of play. There are many ways to get out in cricket, including being caught, bowled, or run out.

  • Duck - When a batsman is dismissed without scoring any runs, it is called a "duck."

  • Powerplay - The first six overs of each innings in a T20 match, during which only two fielders are allowed outside the 30-yard circle.

  • Super Over - A tie-breaker used in some T20 matches to determine the winner when the scores are tied after both teams have batted their allotted 20 overs. Each team faces one over, and the team with the highest score wins.

Types of IPL Bets

There are several types of IPL bets available, and it's essential to understand the differences between them to make informed decisions.

  • Match Result - This is the most straightforward bet, where you bet on the team you think will win the match.

  • Top Batsman - In this bet, you predict the player who will score the most runs in the match or the tournament.

  • Top Bowler - This bet is similar to the top batsman bet, except you predict the player who will take the most wickets.

  • Man of the Match - This is a popular bet where you predict the player who will be awarded the man of the match.

  • Toss Winner - This bet involves predicting which team will win the coin toss at the start of the match.

  • Innings Runs - In this bet, you predict the total number of runs that will be scored in an innings.

  • Outright Winner - This bet is placed before the tournament starts, and you predict the team that will win the IPL.

  • Live Betting - Live betting is betting on the match while it is in progress. This type of betting can be exciting, but it requires quick decision-making skills.

American Odds Explained

American betting odds are the most popular odds format in sports betting markets, and represent the odds in the form of positive or negative numbers.

Positive American odds represent the amount of profit you can make on a $100 bet, eg: +150 means you can win $150 for every $100 bet. Negative American odds represent the amount you need to bet to win $100, such as -200, which means you need to bet $200 to win $100.


Now that you understand the basics of betting on a cricket match, check out our comprehensive article for IPL betting tips, tricks and strategies to maximise your profits.

Once you feel ready to place your wagers, check out our odds comparison page where you can see all the live odds from cricket betting sites.