Sportsbook reader's deskCricket betting terms: a plain-language glossary
The words a cricket card uses, from prices and voids to the rules that decide a settlement, explained for a reader who has not bet on the sportsbook before.
- Prices
- Markets
- Voids
- Settlement
- Suspension
Reading this glossary
Terms are grouped from basic to advanced. Each definition gives the general meaning, but the settlement rule on the market you are looking at always decides how your bet ends. Use the definitions to read the card, then read the rule before you confirm.
Terms grouped by the question they answer
Each group below answers one question a bettor asks when reading a card: what the price means, what the market is, and when a bet is settled, voided or stopped. Start with the first group if the card is new to you.
What the price means
Odds, return, stake and the format used on the card. These decide how much a winning selection pays.
What the market is
Market, selection, total and line. They describe the question the bet answers.
When a bet ends differently
Void, abandonment, suspension and settlement. These depend on the market's rules rather than on the price.
Basic cricket betting terms
The terms that appear on almost every cricket card, in the order a new reader needs them.
What are decimal odds?
Decimal odds show the total return for each unit staked, stake included. A 2.00 price on a 10 unit stake returns 20 units in total.
What is a market?
A market is one betting question on a fixture, such as which side wins the match or how many runs an over produces.
What is a selection?
A selection is the outcome you back within a market. Each selection carries its own price on the card.
What is a stake?
The stake is the amount you risk on a selection. The total return is the stake multiplied by the price, so the profit is the total return minus the stake.
Terms that decide how a bet ends
The terms behind voids, suspensions and abandoned matches, which matter most when a result is unusual.
What is a void?
A void cancels a selection and returns the stake, usually because the rule for that market says the completion condition was not met.
What does suspension mean?
A suspended market stops taking new selections for a short time. It reopens once the moment passes or the market rules allow it.
What is an abandoned match?
An abandoned match is one that ends without a finished result. The market rule states whether the bet is voided, settled on a partial result or handled another way.
What is a line?
A line is a figure set by the market, such as a total of runs. A selection wins or loses depending on whether the final figure lands above or below the line.
Worked examples on a cricket card
The examples use neutral units and round figures. They show the arithmetic of a return and the way a rule changes a settlement, not the price on any live card.
A return example
A 3.00 price on a 100 unit stake returns 300 units, stake included, so the profit is 200 units if the selection wins.
A void example
If a selection is voided, the 100 unit stake comes back and no profit or loss is recorded on that bet.
A line example
On a total set at 300, a final figure of 312 is above the line. A selection on the over would win, and a selection on the under would lose.
Asking about a term
A term that appears on a card is best checked against the rule on that card first. If the rule is still unclear, email support@stake.com or use 24/7 live chat after you have logged in, and include the market name.
Read the card rule
The market's own rules are the reference for that bet. Read them before you write to support.
Email with the market name
Write to support@stake.com with the market name, the fixture and the time of the selection.
Live chat once logged in
Live chat is open 24 hours a day after sign-in. Have the market name ready when you open it.
Glossary questions
Quick answers to what readers ask about the words used on cricket cards.
Are the examples real prices?
No. The examples use round, neutral figures to show the arithmetic. They are not a current price on any card.
Do these definitions match the rules on every card?
Not always. The definitions give the general meaning, and the rule on the specific card decides how a bet settles.
Which term matters most?
The voiding and settlement rule matters most, because it decides how a bet ends when a match does not finish normally.
Can I skip to the advanced terms?
Yes, but the basic price terms are needed to read a card correctly, so start there if a card is new to you.