Played in many countries around the world, including the UK, Australia, South Africa, and India, cricket is a popular sport well-covered by the media. A bat-and-ball game, cricket has a rich history dating back to 16th century southern England. By the late 17th century, cricket matches had begun to be staged as organized events, and even at this time, many cricket enthusiasts were already betting between themselves on the outcome of matches.
While bookmaker firms in their modern form came into existence barely a century ago, they were already taking pre-match bets well before kick-off. However, much has changed with the advent of internet technology when sports betting moved online. Today, anyone can choose an online sportsbook, go to the cricket live line section and place bets straight in the course of the matches.
For many years, cricket was considered the national sport in Great Britain. A number of professional cricket clubs were formed in the country under the sponsorship of wealthy Englishmen. The year 1963 marked a new era in cricket, as England’s county clubs adopted the system of restricted overs. Modern cricket uses the Twenty20 system and is perhaps most popular in India with the IPL one of the strongest leagues in the world.
Interesting Facts About the Indian Premier League
Founded in 2008, the Indian Premier League is one of the largest and most popular professional cricket Twenty20 leagues in the world. Despite its youth, it has brought together 8 major cricket clubs from various locations in the country including Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals, and Kings XI Punjab. So, here are a few facts about the IPL that every cricket enthusiast should know about:
- Each cricket club from the IPL is owned by some big company or corporation. Due to this, every team out of the 8 has enough funding to buy strong athletes.
- Starting in April every year, the IPL season lasts for about 8 weeks with the final match at the end of May. During the season, each club plays 14 matches in total. The four best teams qualify for the playoffs.
- The annual revenue of IPL is estimated to be more than 500 million dollars. According to experts, The Mumbai Indians, the most successful team in the league’s history, is worth about $120 million.
The Indian Premier League has some of the strongest athletes in the world, including big names like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, AB de Villiers, Chris Gayle, and David Warner.
IPL Popularity and Media Coverage
With broadcasts in more than 120 countries, the IPL is one of the most widely watched sporting events in the world. The total number of spectators at the opening match exceeds 200 million. The IPL has attracted major businessmen and celebrities from India and around the world. For instance, Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan is co-owner of Kolkata Knight Riders while actress Preity Zinta is co-owner of Kings XI Punjab.
Due to the frequent corruption and match-fixing scandals, IPL has also generated controversy over the years. The real scandal erupted in 2013 when several cricket players were accused of engaging in match-fixing. However, to minimize the level of corruption and make IPL more transparent, the BCCI has taken all necessary steps. Thanks to the use of advanced technology such as player tracking systems and slow-motion replays, IPL has been praised for its innovation.
Before betting on cricket matches, you need to be aware of a few things that set IPL apart from other leagues. For instance, the ‘strategic timeout’ rule is used here to allow teams to take a three-minute break during the innings to strategize and regroup. Notably, to increase interest in cricket and make it even more entertaining, there are cheerleaders performing dance routines to create a thrilling atmosphere in the stadiums.
