The charge of the batsman, the sound of the nurdle, the whoosh of a paddle. Cricket is back, which means the Indian Premier League is back in action once again. And none too soon.
The pandemic wiped out the seasons of leagues across the globe, and there were many who were questioning if the IPL would be back on the pitch this year. Thankfully, they are, and it has garnered a lot of excitement in India, as fans are able to enjoy their favourite sport once again.
Getting in on the Action
With cricket back in play, fans are able to attend games, watch them on TV, and even place bets. This is an exciting and encouraging time in India, as it finally looks like the worst of this virus is in the rearview mirror.
For those who like to place wagers on contests, the news is a welcome sight. Fans have been looking for the opportunity to place bets on games, and now they are turning to very popular sites in India for online sports betting.
These sites recognize that fans are back into the action, as they are seeing a significant surge in wagers since the IPL restarted their season. It was expected that there was going to be a surge, but no one could have imagined how significant it has been.
The Driving Force in Sports Betting
The Indian Premier League had already had a significant impact on sports betting in India. Not only were fans placing a number of bets on these contests, but these sites quickly adapted, offering different types of wagers for fans to bet on. This included adding bets on fancy markets, a minimum requirement of bowled over, and the super over.
These sports betting sites quickly realized that they had a sophisticated group who were quite knowledgeable about the game and wanted to have other opportunities to place bets. They adjusted to accommodate users and it has helped them to become far more competitive.
Fantasy Sports Surging as Well
The return of the IPL has also dramatically impacted fantasy sports in India as well. In many areas where the legality of sports betting is still up for discussion, online fantasy sports is not illegal. This industry has been one of the fastest-growing in India and was already blossoming prior to the pandemic.
Now that the IPL has resumed play, fans from across India are able to participate in these fantasy leagues, often with the ability to earn prizes. With no legal hindrance standing in the way, it has enabled these fantasy sports leagues to thrive as the action resumed.
It Is Not All Good News
While fans are revelling in the opportunity to enjoy their favourite sport, there have also been some recent issues that have arisen that threatened to put a dampening on the cricket season. Already the IPL has launched an investigation, as a player from this year’s tournament which was held in the United Arab Emirates reported issues of possible corruption.
In a statement provided by Ajit Singh, head of the Anti-Corruption Unit of the Indian cricket board, he explained, “Yes a player has reported an approach. We are looking into it. No further details can be given at present.”
This news comes after it was recently reported that Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan was given a one-year suspension and a two-year ban by the International Cricket Council for his failure to report multiple instances where people had approached him in an attempt to influence matches.
This is not expected to have any kind of significant impact on fan enthusiasm, but it does bring into question the integrity of these matches. Players are called upon to report any instance where matches could be fixed, and it is essential that they do so to keep fans from doubting the integrity of the league and its matches.
Things Are Expected to Continue to Rise
The fortunate part is that these news items are not going to discourage enthusiasts from placing a bet on their favourite sport. The truth is that the return of the IPL is welcome news to fans throughout the country and will continue to be a great source of excitement after many months where people were locked down in their homes.
Even for those who will not be able to be one of the select group of people who can attend events, the league still offers fans an escape from the consequences of the pandemic and its lockdown. Now, not only are they able to enjoy watching the action, but they can get more involved by placing bets, and that is exactly what they have done.
The surge we are seeing now maybe only the tip of the iceberg. In another 3 to 6 months we could see those numbers blossom exponentially. It would not be surprising at all.
This article is auto-generated by Algorithm Source: cricketaddictor.com
