Published on: Jun 08, 2023
Based on the number of fans, cricket is one of the most popular sports in the world. In fact, in terms of fans only football has a bigger following than cricket, which has over 2.5 billion fans across the globe. Cricket is enjoyed in many countries and as with any top sport, there are plenty of cricket betting markets available but just how popular is sports betting on cricket globally?
Where Cricket is Loved
Unlike football or tennis, which have a strong following across many countries, there are a specific set of nations that love cricket. England, South Africa, Pakistan, India, Australia, New Zealand, and the West Indies are several of the countries where cricket is played and watched by millions of fans. Cricket is also big in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Zimbabwe and with easy access to online gambling websites and mobile apps, it is easy to see why cricket betting is popular globally. Cricket is like a religion in India and with the Indian Premier League one of the biggest tournaments in the world, millions of Indian cricket fans watch the competition.
Why Cricket Betting is Popular
Before we look at just how popular cricket betting is globally, it is important to understand the reasons why people like to bet on cricket. There are many cricket competitions taking place around the world every year and not a week seems to go by without a cricket match on which to bet. The consistency of professional cricket means those wanting to have a wager on the sport will always find something on which to bet at any time of year. The basic rules of cricket are easy to follow and because there are many statistics involved in the sport, it is makes it perfect for betting. Not only can you bet on the outcome of a match but there are many other betting opportunities within a game, including runs, wickets, catches, individual player performance, and even the toss of the coin at the beginning of the match. Live cricket betting markets are plentiful and short forms of the game, such as the IPL, mean it is possible to bet in-play on a match and see the outcome within just a few hours.
Cricket Betting Figures
It is believed over $3 billion is legally bet on cricket annually, which is an incredible amount and highlights just how popular cricket betting is globally. Taking India as an example, the online betting laws in the country are not clear but some studies suggest more than $150 billion is bet on cricket in India alone every year, which is a remarkable amount of money. This not only shows how popular cricket betting is India but also how people are willing to bet on the sport even if the legal situation is not 100% clear. The global popularity of cricket betting is only going to grow as more nations legalise online sports betting and live streaming brings cricket into the homes of sports fans around the world.
