Gambling Blog

Over the last couple of years we have seen some major issues in the world of cricket, from the death of Bob Woolmer under suspicious circumstances at the cricket world cup to the recent infighting during the ongoing India / Australia Test series.  So has cricket become more of a political event than sport?

If the truth be known there have always been an array of simmering rivalries in the game of cricket but the competition between teams has reached fever pitch of late.  We have seen various on field bust ups, deliberate flouting of the basic rules of cricket and more and more political back biting and pressure being applied to the Cricketing Authorities.  So is it time to draw a line under the rivalries and start again?

It would be perfect if the cricket teams and management teams could actually get back to playing the game rather than trying to influence different areas for their own means.  During the recent racism row regarding the Indian and Australian teams we saw decisions over ruled, bans lifted and pressure exerted to ensure that certain umpires were not able to do their jobs properly.  All this in the midst of what is a very finely balanced and interesting Test match series.

While the Australian / Indian fallout is only the latest in a long line of disagreements in the sport, it is one which has led to riots in the streets, calls of unfair decision making and even called into question the impartiality of cricket umpires – something which would never have even been contemplated only ten years ago.  So why are things changing so quickly?

While the rivalries have always been there we are probably looking at the pressure of increased sponsorship and prize money in the sport.  The fight for a larger share of the money pie seems to be behind much of the disputes.  Surely we can go back to the days when cricket was a gentleman’s sport?

The recent Twenty20 Cricket World Cup has proved a success both on and off the field with revenues up in almost every corner of the sport.  We have seen a massive increase in advertising revenues, viewing figures are on the way up and the players seem to be enjoying the challenge of this fast and furious sport.  But what about the gambling aspects?

The gambling markets have been one of the main beneficiaries of this new and exciting sport, where teams slog it out for just 20 overs to see who can put the most runs on the board.  Sound easy?

The game is as topsy turvy a sporting event as you will ever come across, with teams going for the big hits almost from the start.  There is no time to play yourself in, no time to find your line and length, just a swing of the bat and keep that run rate on the up and up. 

The game has also proved to be a major leveller between the big countries in the sport, with India taking the honours in the recent event.  Not among the favourites before the tournament started, they showed great strength in the field and their batting was amongst the best in the tournament - reaching a high of six 6s in one over against a struggling England team.

How do you gamble on the Twenty20 Cricket market?

This event is perhaps the most suitable to in-play gambling where the odds will change almost each over, when runs are scored and wickets fall.  There were many close calls in the last tournament, with many games going down to the last few balls - perfect for those gamblers looking to take a chance on some of the big odds!

Who would have thought cricket could be so explosive - what a difference to the 5 day test marathons we are used to seeing.