Cricket: formats, rain rules and bonus deadlines
Cricket is huge in South Asia, Australia, England and the Caribbean. Before using bonus money on it, two things are worth knowing: match formats differ enormously in length, and some markets have rules that do not exist in other sports.
Formats
Test matches can last up to five days; one-day internationals about eight hours; Twenty20 about three. A seven-day bonus and a Test bet that settles after the deadline may not fit — check whether bets must settle within the deadline to count.
Rain and recalculated targets
Rain can shorten or abandon matches, and methods exist to recalculate targets. Each market's rules explain what happens to the bet. If it is voided, it does not count towards wagering.
Common markets
Match winner, top batsman, total runs. If you do not know the sport, market descriptions can be hard to read; in that case, keep bonus money for sports you follow.
Figures are an illustrative example, not a Dorado condition.
An example requirement in cricket
Imagine a 10 sports bonus with 7x wagering and minimum odds of 1.60 (illustrative example, not a Dorado condition). You would need to bet 70 on qualifying odds, not counting void bets or cash-outs. With a sport you do not know well, the risk is not just losing a bet but not understanding why it settled the way it did. If you want to try it, use small real-money stakes and keep the bonus for sports you follow.
- Note the minimum odds before opening the first match.
- Check whether accumulators need minimum odds per selection.
- Compare the bonus deadline with the fixture calendar.
Odd hours
Depending on where you live, many cricket matches are played overnight. Betting at odd hours, rushed by a bonus deadline, is a poor combination; it is better to let the deadline pass than to stay up placing bets you have not thought through.
Short formats and bonuses
If you do want to use a bonus on cricket, Twenty20 games settle in an evening and fit short deadlines far better than multi-day Tests.