Look, I'm not going to sell you dreams of getting rich overnight through cricket betting tips. That's garbage. What I will tell you is what actually works after burning through money in my early days and finally figuring out this game.

I started betting on cricket in 2012 during the IPL. Lost my first three months of wages because I thought knowing cricket and betting on cricket were the same thing. They're not.

Why Most Bettors Lose Money

The bookies aren't stupid. They've got algorithms, they've got insider information, and they've set those odds to make money off you. The average punter bets with their heart—backing their favorite team, doubling down after losses, chasing that one big win. I did all of this.

Here's what changed for me: I stopped betting like a fan and started thinking like someone running a business.

The Pitch Report Nobody Actually Reads

Everyone talks about checking the pitch. Almost nobody does it properly. I'm not talking about glancing at some generic "looks dry" comment. I pull up the last six matches played at that exact venue. What were the scores? Did teams batting first win or lose? By how much?

Take the Wankhede Stadium. Batters love it, right? Sure, but check the evening games. Dew makes the ball wet, spinners can't grip it, and suddenly chasing 200 becomes easier than defending 220. I've made serious money just backing second-innings teams at Wankhede night matches when bookmakers haven't adjusted their lines properly.

The Gabba in Brisbane? Different story. That pitch has bounce and carry. If there's cloud cover, seam bowlers will destroy batting lineups. I saw Australia get bowled out for 152 there when the odds said they'd cruise. Why? The weather forecast showed overcast conditions, but casual bettors ignored it.

Player Form Is Everything—But You're Looking at It Wrong

Stats lie if you don't know what you're examining. Rohit Sharma averages 50 in ODIs—great. But what's his average in the last 10 innings? What about against left-arm pace specifically? What about in South Africa where the ball moves around?

I keep spreadsheets. Boring as hell, but profitable. When England toured India last year, I tracked every batsman's performance against quality spin bowling in Asian conditions over the previous 18 months. Ben Stokes hadn't faced serious spin on turning tracks for ages. The odds on him scoring under 30 in that series were generous because people remembered his name, not his recent form against spin.

Injuries are the biggest trap. Teams announce players "fit" all the time. Fit doesn't mean match-ready. Jasprit Bumrah coming back from injury? I'm waiting to see him bowl in an actual match before touching any betting markets involving him. I've been burned too many times by "declared fit" players who clearly weren't ready.

The Markets Bookmakers Don't Watch Closely

Match winner bets are a mug's game most of the time. Everyone's betting them, the odds are tight, the value's gone. I make money in the weird markets.

Total runs in overs 11-15 of a T20. Method of next dismissal. Highest opening partnership. These markets exist because bookmakers need to offer variety, but they can't possibly analyze every single one with the same depth they analyze match winners.

Here's a simple one I've used repeatedly: In ODI cricket, the first wicket falling between overs 5-10 when there's swing bowling. The odds are usually around 2.50 to 3.00, but historically it happens about 45% of the time in morning matches in England or New Zealand. That's value.

Stop Betting Like an Idiot—Bankroll Rules

I've got £5,000 set aside for cricket betting. That's money I can afford to lose. Every bet I place is between 2-3% of that total. That's £100-150 per bet, maximum.

Had a bad week? Still £100-150 per bet. Had a great week? Still £100-150 per bet. The moment you start chasing losses with bigger stakes, you're cooked. I've watched guys win £2,000 over a month and lose it all in two days because they got cocky and started dropping £500 on hunches.

Flat stakes keep you alive through the losing streaks. And there will be losing streaks. I had one stretch where I lost 11 bets out of 15. Stuck to my system, kept the stakes consistent, and those four wins plus the next run of good bets brought me back to profit.

When to Actually Place Your Bets

Team news comes out 90 minutes before toss usually. That's when odds move. If you've done your homework and you know a key player's injury changes everything, you can jump on the line movement.

I also bet early sometimes. If I think India will shorten from 1.80 to 1.60 by match time because everyone piles on them, I'll take 1.80 now. But I split my stakes—half early, half late after team news.

Check multiple bookies. Bet365 might have India at 1.75 while Betway has them at 1.82. Over hundreds of bets, that difference is thousands in profit.

What Actually Loses You Money

Betting on your own team regardless of form. I'm an India supporter but I've bet against India plenty when the matchup favors the opposition. Your team doesn't care if you bet on them. They're not playing harder because you've got money on it.

Parlays and accumulators look sexy—turn RS.10 into Rs. 500! Reality check: you need every single leg to hit. One upset ruins everything. I stick to single bets or occasionally two-leg accumulators with heavily correlated outcomes.

Listen, this isn't rocket science, but it requires discipline most people don't have. Track every bet you make. Be honest about what works and what doesn't. Treat it like investing, not gambling. That's the difference between being up money after a year versus being broke.