Cricket is among the most religiously followed sports, especially in India, Australia, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. It attracts massive spectatorship from all over the world. The number of those who bet on the sport is even higher. Interestingly, you can also play the game virtually from home. There are dozens of casino games, fantasy sports, and mobile games focusing on cricket. You get various options coupled with lucrative bonuses to increase your playtime. But what are these games? Where can you find them? Read more below!
Betting on Cricket
To familiarize yourself with how to bet on cricket, you need to understand how the game works. You can’t bet blindly and expect to win. The game involves two teams, each with 11 players. There is a bowler who kicks start the game by throwing the ball to the batter. The batter then tries to hit the ball from the fielders.
What about the rules? You will be dismissed if the bowler knocks the wicket or the batsman's body is on the way. Other rules worth noting are:
- Every bowler bowls up to 6 legal deliveries to call it an over
- The two teams (batting & bowling) change after every over
- Once the bowler kicks the batsman out, they must walk out of the field. A new batter will then come in.
- Scoring is done cumulatively to determine which cricket team wins.
For this, there are umpires who ensure that all the rules are followed.
On betting, the odds are based on 100, divided by the probability of the outcome. So, if the likelihood of the outcome is 80, the odds will be 100/80 to give 1.25. Some popular cricket matches have a format of T20, often found in major tournaments. Here, the odds are determined by ICC and team rankings.
If you are a close cricket follower, you know of events such as the World Cup, ICC Champions Trophy, and the T20 World Cup. Major sportsbooks provide betting markets on almost all these tournaments. Talking of sportsbooks, cricket betting odds will often vary from one bookmaker to another. This calls for more research if you want the best odds in the market. But that’s a topic for another day.
Best Cricket Games In Online Casinos
Casino games draw inspiration from a bunch of things. While some follow Egyptian mythology or popular sports like cricket, others display a theme of luxury, opulence and wealth. That’s why they come in different shapes and sizes.
Cricket-themed games aren’t an exception in regard to distinct features. While some have multipliers, others have bigger bonuses to fill your pockets. The game mechanics are also different. Like other casino games,cricket-inspired titles have their fine share of suspense and excitement. Play any of these and see for yourself.
Cricket Star
Powered by Microgaming, this slot game brings the cricket pitch to your table. Bet on the action that mimics real-life cricket as you spin the reels. There is an umpire, cricket fans, a bowler, a batsman and a wicketkeeper. The visuals are top-notch, and the gameplay is smooth.
Cricket Star has an unusual reward potential. Imagine getting a whopping 10 million coins in one spin. Besides, Cricket Star has an RTP of 96% which is quite decent. Its volatility is high, which explains the high win potential.
The unique in-game features are some of its selling points. They include:
- Rolling reels
- Wild symbol - represented by the cricket star
- Scatter - a white ball.
If you wish to play with your friends. It also has a tutorial through which you can learn how to play.
Lord’s Balcony
Next on the list, we have Lord’s Balcony. This slot has an RTP of 96.3% and a betting range of 0.5 to 100 coins. It displays a classic cricket match with cheering fans and impressive soundtracks. Visually, we have nothing to fault.
Probably, the most interesting thing about this game is the extra features. Players can buy stacked wild and free spins that will increase their playtime. But whatever the stake, the maximum win cannot exceed 420x.
To add to the fascinating gameplay, there are tumbling reels that help get multiple combinations. The wild feature substitutes all symbols apart from the scatter. As such, your winnings will propel you greatly.
Cricket Legends
Die-hard cricket fans will love this cricket game. It has five reels and resembles a cricket pitch. Its layout is clean, while the graphics remain mesmerizing. Jerseys, players, coaches and umpires lined up for the match.
Off to the technicals, there are 243 ways of winning, and players can bet anything from $0.50 to $100 per round. No clumsy math, by the way. All icons representing people are high-value symbols. Jerseys pay the least. The wild is the cricket ball and replaces other symbols.
Other than the expanding wild, there are tumbling reels. Here, all symbols forming a winning combo will disappear. New ones will come in, potentially forming another winning combination. Players can get huge payouts from new combinations after a tumble. There are free spins, too, triggered by the trophy symbol. Basically, Cricket Legends is the ideal game to play if you value bonus games.
Cricket Heroes
Endorphina is also not left behind in this cricket-games quest. They launched Cricket Heres, an attractive and captivating video slot with 5 reels and 3 rows. Like many cricket games, the wild is the cricket ball and can substitute other symbols. The prize cup is the scatter. Three or more of these will trigger the free spins bonus round.
The game was released in 2021 and bears a neat layout. Its graphics are brilliant and resemble a cricket field. This is further enhanced by the sound effects that incorporate fun from the crowd and announcers.
Cricket Heroes takes players on a wild ride as they can get a tidy sum of winnings. Nonetheless, the maximum possible win is x1500 of the stake. If you wish to play but have jitters about how it works, check out the demo version. It’s free!
Rush Cricket Live
This is one of the most in-demand virtual cricket games online. Inspired Gaming released it in 2017. Since then, it has been a mega-hit. The live-action makes the gameplay quite thrilling as you watch the game's outcome. It all starts with choosing teams. After that, bets are made on how much each player will win or the outcome.
Although the RTP is 94%, there are many interesting features. The bet size ranges from $0.1-$250, and you will get that authentic sports feeling. However, the game is considered highly volatile, so winning may not be frequent.
All in all, if you are looking for an amazing blend of sports in the casino world, this is it.
| Cricket-inspired game | RTP % | Min/Max bets |
| Cricket Star | 96 | $0.01 to $1 |
| Lord’s Balcony | 96.3 | $0.50 - $100 |
| Cricket Legends | 96.48 | $0.50 - $100 |
| Cricket Heroes | 96 | $0.01 – $210 |
| Rush Live Cricket | 94 | $0.1 - $250 |
Conclusion
Cricket is simply fun, just like other major sports. You can bet on the outcome of a real match or simply play it for fun. Thankfully, casino game developers have come up with dozens of cricket-themed games. You don’t have to play for real money, not for now. Play the demo version first to see how each game works. When ready to make some bucks, head over to a trusted online casino and try the five best cricket games discussed above.