Leading bookmaker adds live cricket in-play markets

11 November 2026

In-play betting during cricket matches, once a niche feature, has gone mainstream at leading UK bookmakers in 2024. Betway, Bet365 and other key operators now routinely offer bettors the chance to wager on cricket in real time, with odds that change as the match unfolds. Bet365, already renowned for extensive live cricket streaming, leads the pack in the depth and variety of in-play markets offered. But other major brands, from William Hill to Paddy Power, are matching Bet365's early lead, with dozens of live props available across Tests, One Day Internationals, T20s and the IPL.

Cricket lends itself particularly well to in-play betting, supporters say, because the ball-by-ball and over-by-over structure supports a rich array of markets. On the leading platforms, punters betting live on Test matches and major tournaments now find over 50 in-play props to choose from by the final sessions of the biggest games.

Routine in-play options include:

  • Runs in the next over
  • Next wicket
  • Next dismissals by delivery (boundary, run-out, caught, etc.)
  • Whether over 4 runs are scored in the over
  • Session lines for wickets or runs

The in-play markets build on pre-match betting lines, with match-winner odds and innings totals typically available live. Specialist reviews identify product features that define the “leading” platforms. Bet365 is typically praised for Live Streaming across IPL and major international matches, along with extensive props and “great live in-play mechanics like quick prop bets.” 50+ in-play markets per match are a benchmark cited for superiority in cricket betting.

At Betway, the presentation and user experience in live cricket is one of the reasons the operator is judged “Best Live Betting” by one top 2024 guide. “Pre-match options are robust, but it's the live in-play that shines,” with William Hill as “Best Overall”, showing live markets' centrality to defining "best" bookmakers in cricket.

In 2024, UK cricket fans and bookmakers recognize that in-play markets are interacting with live video and match trackers in new ways. The top platforms provide dynamic odds that update with each delivery, along with cash-out tools to settle a position early. Reviews of top cricket betting sites emphasize the importance of “live video streams” or “live trackers” to provide players with the “ball-by-ball” data they need to wager on upcoming balls or overs. Uninterrupted streaming alongside the ability to follow each delivery through a live tracker are widely seen as essential to supporting multiple live props per ball.

As more major bookmakers dive into live cricket in-play, cricket fans are likely to see an acceleration in not just the number of live markets, but the innovation behind those markets. Deeper customer behaviour data and game data will enable more personalized live betting promotions and a smarter presentation of live options, such as pre-selecting whose next wicket is a betting focus for each batsman into an over. Cricket punters, in other words, are set to see bookmakers investing more in obtaining and displaying live data to supply better in-play product at the margins.

Responsible gambling is a defining point of UK regulation and remains important as in-play options increase. Tools like self-exclusion and time-outs are delivered to the user in live cricket in-play through a commitment to UK Gaming Commission requirements. As with all betting, in-play cricket supporters emphasize the importance of games being pushed for fun, not for money, and that players have all the checks in place to stop any risk of gambling getting from pleasure to addiction.