A Guide to Cricket and Sports Betting in India and Asia 2023

The popularity of cricket cannot be understated. Over 2 billion people worldwide follow the exploits of their favorite cricket players. Historians trace the sport's existence to the Middle Ages in England. However, as history progressed, English merchants and immigrants shared their love of the sport with India and the surrounding Asian countries.

Cricket remains the favorite sport in India today, and in this article, we would like to examine the culture surrounding cricket and sports betting in general in India and, more broadly, in Asia. So, without further ado, let us get into this guide to cricket and sports betting for 2023.

Cricket in India and Asia

Cricket has won the hearts and minds of many of India’s residents. What football is to the English, or American football is to Americans, cricket is to Indians. They follow and play the game from an early age. They are incredibly passionate about their local leagues. And they dominate the international scene. 

And the same is true for India’s neighboring countries. Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh are all countries where cricket dominates. So, how did cricket come to be such a huge phenomenon? Let’s find out.

History and Evolution of Cricket in India and Asia

As we said, cricket came about in England during the Middle Ages. It quickly became the country’s favorite pastime; today, it is their national sport. During the colonial age, the British Empire had a strong hold over India. 

During British rule, soldiers, merchants and immigrants would play cricket games for fun or sport, and the Indian population would watch from the sidelines. The game enamored the locals, and they soon began playing it themselves.

A key name in the early developments of Indian cricket was Colonel H. H. Shri Sir Ranjitsinhji Vibhaji II. More commonly known as Ranjitsinhji, or simply Ranji, the Indian prince studied at Cambridge University, where he showed off his incredible cricket skills. 

In doing so, he became the first Indian to play for an English cricket team, inspiring an entire nation to take up a cricket bat.

During the 19^th century, British influence in Asia grew much stronger. Neighboring countries like China also began playing cricket. Pretty soon, the sport dominated the popular culture of East and Southeast Asia. 

Today, cricket remains the most popular sport in the region. The Indian Premier League is undoubtedly one of the biggest cricket leagues in the world, and the Indian national team dominates the three major cricket formats in the world.

Popularity of Cricket in India and Asia

As we said, cricket is the dominant sport in India. If we look at the rankings, we will find that the Indian national team is consistently ranked within the top five. They are the absolute best in Twenty20 International cricket, ranked at the absolute top by the International Cricket Council. They also top the One Day International charts. In Test cricket, they are only surpassed by Australia, but they still hold the number two spot.

Not to mention all of the fantastic players from India and Asia. MS Dhoni is one of the most respected captains in the game, whose streak was only recently surpassed by Irish-English superstar Eoin Morgan. Outside India, we have fantastic players like Shahid Afridi, Babar Azam, Asghar Afghan, Dimuth Karunaratne, and many more.

Major Cricket Events in India and Asia

We briefly touched upon the Indian Premier League. However, in this section, we would like to emphasize this event. The IPL is certainly one of the most prominent and important events in cricket.

 A T20 franchise founded in 2008, the IPL gathers 10 of India’s top-tier teams and sees them compete for the championship. The most successful team is the Mumbai Indians, who have won five titles thus far. When talking about star players, we have to mention Virat Kohli, who many consider the greatest player active today.

But the IPL is not the only Asian cricket league worth it's salt. The Pakistani Twenty20 league is also incredibly popular and viewed, even outside Pakistan. The Pakistan Super League was first played in 2016 and has been going strong for six years. 

Six clubs compete for the championships. Lahore Qalandars are the current champions, with Babar Azam and Wahab Riaz being the two-star players with the most runs and wickets.

The Australian Big Bash League is the last one we are looking at in great detail. Australians love themselves some cricket. Understandably so, as the country comprises English immigrants who moved to the island continent in the 18^th and 19^th centuries. 

While not as popular as the IPL, the Big Bash League is undoubtedly extremely popular, having even reached European shores. If you check out websites like betnow EU, you will notice that they cover the Big Bash League and the IPL in great detail. The Perth Scorchers are the current champions and the best team in the BBL.

Cricket Betting Market in India and Asia

Betting laws in Asia vary. However, Indians will be happy to learn that there is no legislation against sports betting in their country. This means Indians can place bets to their heart's content. And, of course, cricket is the sport that most Indians bet on. 

Whether it be the Indian Premier League, which draws in huge crowds of punters from all over the country, and more broadly, the world, or international competitions, Indians love their cricket bets.

Australia and New Zealand also have quite a vibrant cricket betting market. The Big Bash League, as we already said, is incredibly popular both nationally and internationally. That, coupled with Australia’s and New Zealand’s international success, has led to the incredible rise of cricket betting in the two countries.

Types of Bets

The cricket betting market is quite varied in Asia. Not only are there many options to choose from, but there are also all sorts of different bets that punters can place. In this section, we will explore the different types of cricket bets popular in India, Asia, and the world.

1.      Match Bet

The simplest and most common type of cricket bet is the match bet. Simply put, punters wager on which team will win the upcoming match. Sportsbooks usually set up odds, name a favorite or underdog, and the bettor can then place a wager. If they get it right, they get a payout. If they succeed in the roll, they retain the cash.

2.      Tie Bets

Another relatively straightforward bet. Instead of betting on a winner, a punter might believe that the match will end in a draw. In that case, they wager on a tie, and if they predicted it correctly, they get the payout. If not, they lose the cash.

3.      Complete Match Bets

Usually popular in ODI games, a complete match bet involves players betting on whether or not the game will end on the designated day, or will continue into the next. The reasons for a matching delay could be numerous, from a close score to bad weather, so be sure to consider all of that if you want to put down a complete match bet.

4.      Player Bets

Punters may want to place wagers on the best players. You can put down a bet on who the best bowler will be, who will get the most wickets during the match, or even who will get a Player of the Year Award.

Sports Betting in India and Asia

There are all sorts of other bet types in cricket. However, these four are the most popular, especially regarding online betting. Now that you are fully familiar with the types of bets, let us look deeper into the betting culture and laws in India and Asia.

Legal Status of Sports Betting in India and Asia

We briefly touched on this topic before. However, it is worth repeating. In India, there is no legislation for online gambling or sports betting. In other words, Indians can place bets or play at online casinos as much as they want. In Australia and New Zealand, online gambling is legal as well. 

The Aussies especially love gambling and betting and have a vast betting culture. Unsurprisingly, the Big Bash League and the Indian Premier League are two of the most popular cricket leagues in the world and certainly the most popular in Asia.

In other regions of Asia, online gambling and sports betting tend to be illegal. However, laws usually prohibit owning and operating online casinos. So, many people can still get away with using Virtual Private Networks to access offshore betting websites or casinos. 

Still, in many countries, doing so is not encouraged, and in some, it is illegal. So we recommend that you explore your country’s laws before placing a wager.

Online Sports Betting in India and Asia

You will largely find that online sports betting is illegal in most of Asia. However, as we said, many residents can still access offshore websites using VPNs. The following is a list of Asian countries where online sports betting is legal:

•  Australia
•  China
• India
• New Zealand

Certain countries in Asia also allow specific types of online gambling. However, most online gambling in these countries is illegal. The countries where this is the case are Japan and South Korea. If you reside in these two nations, you will likely find some legal betting sites, though they will focus on the lottery and similar, luck-based games.

Match-fixing and Corruption in Sports in India and Asia

Corruption and match-fixing are a major problem within the sports community. Not only is it underhanded, but it also ends up with bettors being scammed out of their money. India has seen quite a few big controversies, especially in cricket. 

Long-time fans will be familiar with the Mohammad Azharuddin scandal of 2000. One of the most prolific players in the country’s career collapsed due to issues with match-fixing in collaboration with bookies.

More recently, three well-known Indian batsmen were arrested by Delhi police on spot-fixing charges. The incident happened in 2013. The three players were arrested, along with a dozen bookies, for participating in the scam. Naturally, all three of the batsmen were suspended.

But India is one of many places where match-fixing issues have emerged. Pakistan has seen its fair share of troubles, including the 2010 spot-fixing scandal. Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif, and Salman Butt were charged with spot-fixing and suspended by the International Cricket Council.

The latest big controversy, however, came in 2018. Australian cricketer Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera using sandpaper to harsh up one side of the ball, hoping it would swing in flight. The incident was dubbed Sandpaper Gate, and led to the Australian national team losing its captain, vice-captain, and coach. Cameron was banned from participating for 9 months, which some consider being too lenient of a punishment.

The Sandpaper Gate incident was not the last time ball-tampering accusations were levied. Just last year, Tim Paine alleged that the South African cricket team tampered with the ball during a match. Though evidence for this seems rather sparse.

Tips for Cricket and Sports Betting in India and Asia

In this last section, we will review a few tips and tricks for new punters. They will help you in making better decisions in the future and improve your betting game. We will review the factors you need to consider and how to manage your money better. So, without further ado, let’s get into it.

Factors to Consider when Betting on Cricket in India and Asia

As with any sport, the outcome of a cricket match consists of multiple factors. First and foremost are the lineups of each team. If one team is stacked with top players, and the other consists of the B-squad, then it is much more likely that the first will take the game.

Apart from the lineup, however, you must also pay attention to the home field. Usually, players who are away are playing at a disadvantage. Not only are they surrounded by fans of the opposing team, but they are also playing on an unfamiliar field. Which is certainly a factor worth considering.

Weather is another major factor. Certain players perform better, depending on the weather. Alternatively, if you place “complete match” bets, the weather is a major factor in whether the match will continue into the next day. 

So, when betting on cricket, you must pay close attention to the weather, pitch conditions, and players. However, these are all external factors. In the next segment, we will discuss some internal factors you can control and how you can leverage them to get better results from your betting.

Betting Limits and Bankroll Management

To become a successful bettor, you must learn to manage a bankroll. The best way is to determine how much money you can afford to lose. Take that sum, and then you have your bankroll. The next step is to set up betting limits. Most punters tell you that your betting limit should be your original bankroll. 

Never bet more than that original sum, whether you win, lose, or break even. Some punters even said you should halve your bankroll and set up that sum as your betting limit. However, this option might not appeal to you if you are a risk taker.

Once you’ve set up your bankroll and betting limits, the rest is easy. Separate your monthly bankroll into smaller sums for each week. If you do this successfully, you will become an expert in managing your bankroll in no time. Just remember, never exceed the original sum. 

If your financial situation changes, you will naturally have to re-evaluate the bankroll, for better or worse. Don’t be afraid to change; take the time once a month to reshape your strategy. If you follow these steps, your management skills will improve quickly.

Final Words

From the 18^th and 19^th centuries to 2023, cricket has certainly come a long way in India and Asia. Some of the world’s best players come from these countries, and many of them will go down in history as all-time greats. 

The biggest cricket leagues in the world are the IPL (India) and the BBL (Australia), and they have inspired many to pay close attention to the sport. It is likely these two leagues that have made cricket betting so incredibly popular.

 If you want to try it for yourself, you must pay attention to the laws, players, your finances, and many other factors that comprise the hobby. However, if you can master these things, you will become an excellent bettor in no time.