The 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL), also known as IPL 17 and branded as TATA IPL 2024, marks the latest edition of this highly-anticipated franchise Twenty20 cricket league in India.
Organized by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the tournament showcases the skills and talents of ten teams competing from March 22 to May 26, 2024. The 2024 season commenced with an exciting opening match between the defending champions, Chennai Super Kings, and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
In this seventeenth edition of the tournament, we can expect at least 74 matches between the star-studded teams. The tournament format for IPL 2024 sees the ten teams divided into two groups: Group A and Group B.
In the IPL 2024, Group A is composed of five formidable teams: Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals, and Lucknow Super Giants.
On the other hand, Group B features the seasoned contenders Chennai Super Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Gujarat Titans, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Punjab Kings. Each team in these groups brings a unique blend of talent, strategy, and experience to the table, promising fans a series of electrifying matches throughout the season.
The defending champions, Chennai Super Kings, clinched their fifth title during the previous season by defeating Gujarat Titans. This victory places them on par with Mumbai Indians as the joint-most successful franchises in the tournament’s history.
Each team is set to play a total of 14 games, facing off against all teams in their group both home and away, and once against four teams from the opposite group, along with a double encounter against one team from the opposite group.
Following the group stage, the top four teams, determined by aggregate points, will advance to the playoffs. The IPL 2024 playoffs are structured around three pivotal matches that determine which teams will advance to the final showdown.
The first stage, Qualifier 1, sets the stage for an intense face-off between the top two teams of the tournament, vying for a direct ticket to the championship match. Following this, the Eliminator unfolds as a high-stakes clash between the third and fourth-ranked teams, with the victor keeping their championship dreams alive.
Lastly, Qualifier 2 offers a redemption opportunity for the team that faced defeat in Qualifier 1. They face off against the triumphant team from the Eliminator, competing fiercely for the coveted second spot in the grand finale.
The grand finale of IPL 2024 is set to take place on 26th May 2024 at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, marking its third time hosting an IPL final after 2011 and 2012. You can see the complete schedule of this year’s IPL on our dedicated page here.
Transfer Surprises
The anticipation for the 2024 IPL season began with ten franchises retaining a total of 173 players. Before the official auction, seven players were traded among teams, indicating early strategic moves.
The auction list unveiled by the IPL Council on 11 December comprised 333 players, with 214 Indian cricketers and 119 international players. Breaking tradition, the IPL auction was held outside India for the first time. The glitzy event unfolded at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, UAE, on 19 December 2023.
The auction witnessed frenzied bidding, with teams collectively spending Rs 230 crore on acquiring 72 players, including 30 from overseas. However, notable players like Steve Smith, Michael Bracewell, Josh Hazlewood, and Josh Inglis remained unsold, surprising many fans and experts alike.
The auction’s spotlight moment came when Mitchell Starc made history by becoming the IPL’s most expensive player ever. Kolkata Knight Riders secured the Australian speedster for a staggering ₹24.75 crore (US$3.1 million), overshadowing the previous records set by Pat Cummins and Sam Curran in previous seasons.
The team spared no expense this year. Gautam Gambhir, with his wealth of experience, joined the Kolkata Knight Riders as the team’s Mentor. Additionally, Shreyas Iyer reclaimed the captaincy from Nitish Rana, who was subsequently appointed as the vice-captain.
In a strategic move, Punjab Kings transitioned Sanjay Bangar to the position of Head of Cricket Development. This decision paved the way for Andy Flower to step into the role of Head Coach for the franchise.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru also underwent a change in leadership with Andy Flower taking over as Head Coach. This followed Sanjay Bangar’s tenure as the Head Coach of Punjab Kings. The same happened to Lucknow Super Giants as the team welcomed Justin Langer as their new Head Coach, succeeding Andy Flower in this pivotal role.
Sunrisers Hyderabad announced Pat Cummins as their new captain, taking over the reins from Aiden Markram. Concurrently, Daniel Vettori was introduced as the team’s new Head Coach, succeeding Brian Lara.
Mumbai Indians witnessed a change in leadership as Hardik Pandya succeeded Rohit Sharma as the team’s captain. Following Pandya’s trade to Mumbai Indians, Shubman Gill was appointed as the captain of the Gujarat Titans.
Delhi Capitals’ leadership saw Rishabh Pant returning to the helm after recuperating from injuries sustained in a car accident. He took over the captaincy from David Warner.
In a landmark transition for Chennai Super Kings, MS Dhoni relinquished the captaincy, passing it on to Ruturaj Gaikwad. With Dhoni’s legacy so far, this shift might mark the beginning of a new era for the franchise.
Cricket Popularity in India
The vibrant energy from Indian fans surrounding IPL 2024 is nothing new since cricket is very popular among Indians. The sport also holds significant cultural importance in India, with many babies named after cricket stars. It is no surprise since the love for cricket is instilled in Indians from a young age.
In India, there are also numerous cricket competitions held at the school level, allowing young athletes to develop and potentially go professional.
Data from the International Cricket Council (ICC) showed that the number of spectators who attended the World Cup last year reached 1.25 million, setting a new record.
Despite the T20 World Cup 2024 being held in June this year, discussions about the Indian squad have already begun. Another indication of cricket’s popularity is when Disney streamed the ICC World Cup, which had a record peak concurrent viewership of 518 million people, as reported by Reuters.
Citing data from the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), Disney said that on TV alone, 300 million people went to watch the World Cup finals. Sanjog Gupta, Head of Sports at Disney Star, mentioned that the ICC World Cup Finals 2023 had become the most-watched event on TV in India.
Another reason for the popularity of cricket betting in India is the emergence of online betting platforms. Given the widespread passion for cricket among Indians, whether it’s playing the sport or discussing it, many engage in lively discussions and analyses of cricket matches, both among friends and publicly.
Cricket fans enjoy using their knowledge of teams and the sport to make predictions, akin to fans of other sports. This can take the form of playing fantasy cricket games or participating in online betting platforms. Online betting platforms are even fighting for broadcasting rights to provide a better betting experience for their users. For instance, you can enjoy free live stream cricket at Stake.com.
Cricket Betting in India
The online gambling industry is growing in India. Combined with the immense popularity of cricket, this has led to tremendous growth in sports betting in the country.
According to a report published in October of last year by the economics think-tank Think Change Forum, the online betting industry in India was estimated to have a value of Rs 8,20,000 crore or US$98.4 billion, and cricket matches bettings contribute around 80 percent to 90 percent of this total value.
The modern sports betting industry in India started in the 1960s. In the early 1960s and 1970s, the sports betting industry in India grew as the number of betting shops increased. These betting shops were located across the country, making it easy for Indians to participate.
The emergence of online platforms pushed the sports betting industry to grow rapidly in the early 2000s. Thanks to these platforms, the barrier to entry for Indian bettors became lower, making gambling more accessible than ever. Not to mention, online platforms allow bettors to make bets from the convenience of their homes.
As internet coverage in India and the number of internet users increase, so does the number of people participating in sports betting in the country. There are many reasons why sports fans are interested in participating in betting.
First, it can be a fun way to bond with friends, and sports betting itself can be entertaining. For sports fans, betting can be their way to engage more with the sports they love. After all, sports betting has a unique ability to bring people together.
In this landscape, Stake.com distinguishes itself with a vast game library, a seamless account setup involving email verification and KYC, and the unique feature of accepting both cryptocurrencies and traditional currencies for deposits. Users can purchase or transfer crypto using PayPal, eWallets, or Moonpay, which supports various payment methods including credit/debit cards and digital wallets.
Stake advises users to understand betting odds, set limits, and provides a self-exclusion tool allowing account locking from six months to five years. The sports betting platform also offers free sports live-streaming, allowing users to watch and bet on events like cricket matches simultaneously.
For those aiming for VIP status, Stake.com’s tiered program offers escalating benefits based on wagering, starting with the Bronze tier for US$10,000 spenders. Advancing through tiers unlocks more perks, including bonuses and reloads.
Additionally, Stake.com regularly rewards users with bonuses. Sports fans can enjoy promotions like double winnings on select matches and up to US$100 for NBA bets on leading teams. The platform also features daily leaderboards with a US$100,000 prize and weekly raffles totaling US$75,000, incentivizing user engagement.
When it comes to cricket betting online, there are multiple types that you can try. If you are new to this, it is best to find a guide on how to bet on cricket from trusted sources.
As a start, the outright bet, where you wager on the winner of a match, is the most popular type among cricket fans.
Another popular type is the handicap, similar to an outright bet. In a handicap, you also wager on the team you think will win, but there is a handicap to overcome for your favourite team, as the name suggests.
If you choose to make a moneyline bet, you wager by picking the winning and losing teams and whether the match will end in a draw. Meanwhile, in a parlay, you can bet on multiple outcomes in the same betting slip. A prop bet is a wager that does not directly involve a match but focuses on variables of a match, like the top-scoring player.
Lastly, a spread bet is where you can place your bet as the match is live. In spread betting, the odds tend to fluctuate more than in pre-match bets, where the odds are fixed.
Latest Updates and What to Expect in IPL 2024
In their latest encounter on Thursday, March 28, 2024, Rajasthan Royals clinched a significant victory over Delhi Capitals by a margin of 12 runs at their home ground in Jaipur. This win marked the Royals’ second triumph in the IPL 2024 season.
The updated IPL 2024 points table, following the Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Mumbai Indians match, presents a competitive landscape.
Sunrisers Hyderabad currently holds the third position, having won one out of their two matches, amassing 2 points with a net run rate of +0.675. Meanwhile its opponent, MI stands at the bottom, having failed to register a win with net run rates of -0.925.
Chennai Super Kings maintained their dominant position at the top of the IPL leaderboard after securing a convincing win against Gujarat Titans. The team leads with two wins out of two matches, totaling 4 points and boasting an impressive net run rate of +1.979.
Despite both Rajasthan Royals and CSK accumulating four points each, the latter holds the top spot due to a superior net run rate. RR closely follows CSK with an identical record with a net run rate of +0.800.
Meanwhile, Kolkata Knight Riders occupy the fourth spot, having won their only match so far, securing 2 points with a net run rate of +0.200.
The middle of the table is closely contested, with teams like Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Gujarat Titans all having secured 2 points each but with varying net run rates.
On the other end of the spectrum, Delhi Capitals find themselves struggling at the bottom of the table. With two losses in as many matches, they currently occupy the eighth position, highlighting their early-season challenges. Also struggling, Lucknow Super Giants currently stands at 0 points with net run rates of -1.000.
With such close competition and thrilling matches already witnessed, the IPL 2024 season promises to be one of the most exciting editions yet. Stay tuned for more exhilarating action. You can enjoy this tournament by tuning in to Star Sports as the official TV broadcaster of the season and JioCinema as the official digital broadcaster. Alternatively, you can also stream the matches for free from platforms like Stake.com. On top of accepting INR and providing a crypto payment method, the platform prioritizes user security with Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) and promotes responsible gambling through educational resources on recognizing signs of problem gambling.
Sources:
https://medium.com/@diamond-247/why-is-betting-on-cricket-so-common-in-india-f435f85914ec
