The Ashes Betting Odds

The popularity of cricket betting in India only ever seems to increase and online sportsbooks have now opened up the sport to a wider audience than ever before.

Wagering on India’s most beloved sport is now incredibly accessible, and with cricket always expanding in terms of formats and competitions, it’s no surprise to see so many betting on it.

While newer shorter-form competitions such as the IPL and The Hundred have caught the imagination, it is the oldest contest in cricket that is perhaps the most revered.

The biennial Test series clash between England and Australia has been wowing cricket lovers for over a century, and it brings a veritable plethora of cricket betting markets with it too.  

The Ashes Betting Odds Explained

The Ashes is the oldest grudge match in cricket. It goes back to 1882 when Australia enjoyed their first-ever win on English soil.

Outraged that such a thing could be allowed to happen, the British newspaper The Sporting Times published a mock satirical obituary for English cricket, quipping: “The body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia.”

Later that year, the England captain at the time, Ivo Bligh, promised to “regain those ashes” when his side toured Australia – which they did.

A small ceremonial urn was presented to Bligh in Melbourne, and England and Australia have been battling for possession of a replica of it ever since.

The Ashes is contested as a Test series played at least once every two years, with each country generally taking it in turns to host.

For the two countries involved, it is the most important competition in the Test game and it is loved throughout the cricketing world for its spectacle too.

Since it is a Test series usually consisting of five matches, it can be drawn. In the modern era, the two teams have been very evenly matched and so the odds are quite even.

There is often a slight favouring of the home side though, as statistics show an Ashes series win for the touring team is relatively unusual.

For example, as of 2023, Australia have won the Ashes more than England but they have not won them in England for 22 years.

The Ashes Bet Market Overview

Along with perhaps unparalleled levels of passion and historical significance, the Ashes comes with a large number of markets to bet on.

Before the series even starts you can bet on who you think will win it and who will hold the urn after the final ball has been bowled (note if the series is drawn, then the Ashes are retained by the side that won the previous series).

There will be series-wide markets for the top run-scorers and wicket-takers as well.

The bulk of Ashes markets are contained within match-by-match betting, though. The Ashes is Test cricket’s most fiercely fought war.

Every Test match is a fresh battle within that war, and each day of each Test a fresh skirmish within the battle.

It is often said that no two days of Ashes cricket are the same and that’s a tough assertion against which to argue.

You can bet on the result of each Test and the top players within them.

Alongside those markets are smaller yet generally very fun ones such as toss winner, method of first dismissal of the day, and player of the match.

The Ashes Betting Rules

Strip away the history and intensity of the rivalry of the Ashes and you are essentially left with a Test series much like any other.

There are, however, a few important things to bear in mind.

Difference Between Winning & Retaining

Australia and England are scrapping it out for a small replica urn, but if you want it, you have to win it.

If the series is drawn, the team that started the series with the Ashes retains them because they will still be the last team to have won an Ashes series.

A drawn series has happened just seven times before, but two of them have come in the last three.

Expect Drama

Test cricket is usually played at a much more sedate pace than the limited-overs formats of the game, but this is rarely the case with the Ashes.

The intensity of the rivalry and the energy of the crowd always ramp up the drama and produce a real rollercoaster for the full duration.

Therefore, you may want to adjust your usual Test cricket betting strategies.

Home Advantage Counts For A Lot

Due to its slow pace, crowds can often be sparse and disengaged around the world for Test cricket, certainly in comparison to other formats of the game.

This can reduce the advantage the home team can enjoy, but the Ashes is very different.

A sell-out and hugely partisan home crowd is routine for every Test and they can help to swing a match in their team’s favour.

The Ashes Betting Strategy

Understanding the various markets and options will still only get you so far in cricket betting. It is important to have a strategy in mind too, especially when betting on the Ashes.

Here are some to consider.

See A Draw Coming

Draws happen in the Ashes as they do in all Test matches, but it’s a lot more likely to happen in England.

Nearly 70% of the 97 drawn Ashes Test matches to date have been in England. There is a very simple answer as to why: the English weather.

According to the statistics, there is a 15% chance of a drawn Ashes Test match in Australia, but that likelihood jumps to 39% in England.

So, make sure draws factor more into your Ashes betting strategy for series in England than Down Under.

Player Rivalries Matter

England and Australia play each other more than any other countries in the cricketing world and this has seen some fierce personal rivalries emerge.

Giving yourself knowledge of these rivalries will be an excellent strategy and could give you a real edge.

For example, few would back David Warner to get a big Ashes score against Stuart Broad, as he has dismissed him 17 times, the most of all the batsmen he has faced in his career.

Similarly, Australia’s Glenn McGrath sent England’s Michael Atherton back to the pavilion 19 times in just 34 innings.

England and Australia players get very familiar with each other’s games, more so than any other two Test-playing teams in the world, so do your research on who has whose number.

Know Your Balls

An Ashes series in England is going to be vastly different from one in Australia, largely because they use a different ball depending upon where the series is played.

Series played in Australia use the machine-stitched Kookaburra ball that produces greater pace and bounce.

Meanwhile, matches played in England use the hand-stitched Dukes ball that does more in the air and off the pitch in terms of swing and seam.

Therefore, knowing which attack is best suited to getting the most out of the ball will go a long way to helping you predict a match or series outcome.