Entain Predicts Strong Year for Cricket in 2021 and Beyond

Interest in cricket betting is going to advance in leaps and bounds, predicts betting and gaming giant Entain which has huge hopes for the sport and how it will impact bottom-line results in 2021. With the Ashes Series and the Big Bash League in Australia getting underway, Entain is confident that the sport will prove a viable driver of sports betting interest from consumers who are both new to the game or have been following the sport with zealous dedication.

Cricket Sees Continued Growth in Terms of Betting

Entain’s own numbers reveal that cricket fans have placed 2.8 million bets so far in the year, with the group having access to 30 international regulated markets and numerous brands. December could see as many as 500,000 bets for a total of 3.3 million bets in the entire year across all of the group’s brands.

This will beat results in 2020 when the group’s brands collected 3.2 million bets, but Entain predicts that this momentum is going to stay intact and even improve. South Africa and Germany are getting involved, says Entain, citing new legislative moves and the general increase of interest towards cricket in those markets. Entain cricket trading leader Andrew Harriott explained:

“While the Ashes are an iconic international fixture, the rise of short form white-ball cricket events like the Big Bash or IPL have captured fans interest creating exciting events that have helped grow the interest in cricket and generates the majority of betting interest from fans.”

The Ashes Series are expected to generate engagement from Australian fans because of the time difference with other established markets such as Germany and the United Kingdom, although pre-game bets can still be placed from anywhere in the world. However, Entain will be able to reap the benefits of this as it would leverage its Ladbrokes brand in Australia and collect action on cricket games.

Entain Has Bases of Operation in Popular Cricket Markets

Ladbrokes is gearing up for Australia’s cricket boom through a new video with the English legend of the sport, Ben Stokes, who is a known face to Australian fans. Ladbrokes has been pushing its video advertisement in the country and has created 100 videos (not necessarily related to one sport) that have translated to 232 million views, Entain said in an official commentary on the state of cricket as part of its betting portfolio.

Entain has been particularly active insofar as video advertising goes, as it seeks to establish a bigger market share. Entain had a bit of an argument with Australian regulators after the company was found guilty of offering welcome bonuses in person. The group denied that any of its brands engaged in such behavior, but the fine went through anyway.

Meanwhile, Entain’s Ladbrokes and Coral brands returned to Oddschecker, an aggregator website that pools together odds from different sportsbooks, offering consumers the best possible betting conditions.