Glossary of Cricket Betting Terms

Accumulator bet - An accumulator bet is a single stake, betting on the outcome of four or more selections in different events, all of which must be correct in order to win the bet. The amount of money that you could win with an accumulator bet is substantial, but the odds of winning are low.

Ante-post - A bet that is made on a cricket event well before the date on which the event takes place. For example, if you wanted to bet on the outcome of the Cricket World Cup final twelve months before it happened, this would be classed as an ante-post bet.

Boundary - The perimeter of a cricket field, or when the batsman scores a 4 or 6.

Bowled - When the ball from the bowler directly hits the stumps, the batsman is out, bowled.

Bye - A run scored when the batsman does not touch the ball with either his bat or body.

Caught - The batsman hits the ball and a fielder catches the ball before it hits the ground and has gone over the boundary.

Declaration - When the batting side ends their innings before all of their players are out.

Duck - A score of 0.

Each Way bet - An each way bet is a bet on a cricket team to either win outright or be placed (e.g. to be one of the finalists). You can, for example, bet on a team to either win or be a finalist in the Cricket World Cup or ICC Champions Trophy.

Extras - Runs not scored by batsmen. There are four types - byes, leg byes, wides and no-balls.

Handled the ball - If the batsman deliberately touches the ball with his hands he can be given out.

Hit the ball twice - If a batsman deliberately strikes the ball twice to gain runs he can be given out.

Hit wicket - If some part of the batsman, including his bat, causes the bails to fall of the stumps when playing a ball then he can be given out, hit wicket.

King pair - When a batsman is out first ball for zero in both innings.

LBW - Leg before wicket. Where the ball hits the batsman on the leg in front of the stumps and the umpire deems that the ball would have gone to hit the wicket. The batsman is not out if ball pitches outside leg stump, or if the ball hits the batsman outside the line of the stumps unless the batsman has made no attempt to play the ball.

Leg-bye - When the ball deflects off the pad and the batsmen run. A shot must be offered to the ball.

Maiden - An over where no runs are scored which are attributable to the bowler.

No-ball - If the bowler has overstepped the front crease, then a no ball is called, an extra run is given to the batting side (in some formats it is two) and the ball has to be bowled again.

Obstructing the fielder - When the batsman willfully blocks or distracts a fielder to prevent a catch being made or a run-out being effected, then the batsman can be given out.

Odds - Betting odds tell you how much you will be paid if your bet wins. They are expressed as a ratio, for example 3:1. If the odds are 3:1 and you bet with a £10 stake, then you would win £30 and also have your stake returned.

Out - There are ten possible ways of being out: bowled, caught, hit wicket, lbw, stumped, timed out, handled the ball, obstructing the fielder, hit the ball twice, and run out.

Pair - When a batsman gets a duck in both innings.

Retired hurt - If the batman is injured then they can leave the pitch to receive treatment and are deemed retired hurt. They can resume the innings once a wicket has fallen and the batting side still has overs left to play

Run - A run is scored when the two batsmen have crossed over and reached the other end of the wicket, without the wicket being broken by the ball from the fielding side.

Run-rate - Of particular importance in a one-day game, this is the average number of runs scored per over, and is used as a guide to a team's progress.

Run out - If the batsman has not reached the crease when attempting to make the run, and the ball has hit the stumps and moved the bails so that they will fall, then the batsman is given run out.

Strike rate - For batsmen - the number of runs a batsman scores per 100 balls; For bowlers - the number of deliveries a bowler needs to take his wickets.

Stake - Your stake is the amount that you bet on an event. If your bet is successful, your bet is returned to you together with your winnings.

Stumped - If the batsman is outside the crease after facing a ball, and the wicket keeper hits the stumps with the ball in their gloves or hits directly from a throw, then the batsman is out, stumped.

Timed out - If the new batsman takes longer than 3 minutes (less in Twenty20 cricket) to get to the wicket after a batsman has been given out, then the fielding side can appeal for the batsman to be given out, timed out.

Ton - 100 runs by a single batsman in one innings.

Wicket - The 22 yards between the stumps; the stumps and the bails; when a batsman is dismissed.

Wide - A delivery that pitches too far away from the batsman and the umpire believes that the batsman would not be able to reach and score from the delivery. The umpire will signal an extra run to be added to the total and the ball to be bowled again.