Test Match Betting Odds & Markets

Five days of cricket can come down to one delivery. A stubborn final-wicket partnership might save a draw, while a burst of swing bowling can overturn a match that appeared settled an hour earlier.

The talkSPORT BET online sports betting platform covers Test cricket played throughout the year. You can bet on individual matches, complete series, player performances and selected in-play markets once the action begins.

Test cricket moves at a different pace from one-day or Twenty20 formats. Conditions change across several sessions, creating new questions for players and bettors as the match develops.

Test cricket is the longest recognised international format of the game. A match is normally scheduled across five days, with both teams able to bat twice.

Each side has 11 players. The captains begin with a coin toss, and the winner chooses whether to bat or field first.

A batting team tries to score as many runs as possible before losing ten wickets or declaring its innings closed. Once an innings ends, the teams switch roles. The same process can then take place for their second innings.

There are several possible Test match results:

• Win by runs: The team batting last is bowled out before reaching its target.
• Win by wickets: The chasing team reaches its target with wickets remaining.
• Win by an innings: One team’s first-innings total exceeds the combined total of both opposition innings.
• Draw: The scheduled time expires before either team completes a win.
• Tie: The scores finish level after both sides complete their innings and the team batting last loses its final wicket.

A tied Test is extremely rare. A draw is far more common and can occur because of rain, slow scoring or determined defensive batting.

A Test is normally scheduled for five days, with 90 overs planned on each full day. Play is split into three sessions separated by lunch and tea.

The complete allocation is not always bowled. Rain, bad light, injuries and slow over rates can reduce the amount of play available.

A match can also finish early. If one team is dismissed cheaply in both innings, the result may arrive on the second or third day. At the other end of the scale, a side may need to survive the closing overs on day five to secure a draw.

Some women’s Tests and occasional specialist fixtures may use a four-day format. Always check the match details before placing a bet.

Understanding several Test-specific rules can make the markets easier to follow.

Declarations

A captain does not have to wait for all ten wickets to fall. They can declare the innings closed if they believe their team has enough runs and needs more time to dismiss the opposition.

The timing of a declaration can reshape a Test match. Batting for too long may leave insufficient time to win, while declaring early gives the opposition a more realistic target.

The Follow-On

In a five-day Test, the team batting first may enforce the follow-on if it holds a lead of at least 200 runs after both first innings have been completed.

The opposition is then asked to bat again immediately. Enforcing the follow-on creates more time to chase a victory, but it can also leave the fielding team’s bowlers tired.

The captain with the lead is not required to use it. They may choose to bat again and build a larger target instead.

The New Ball

The fielding side can take a new ball after 80 overs. A newer ball can offer more swing and bounce, particularly for fast bowlers.

Captains do not have to take it immediately. If the existing ball is reversing or helping a spinner, they may delay the decision.

Pitch Deterioration

The pitch can behave differently as a Test progresses. Early moisture may assist seam bowling, while cracks and footmarks can bring spin into the game during the final two days.

The toss, weather and condition of the surface can therefore influence Test match odds before and during play.

Follow these steps to place a Test match bet:

1. Sign in to your talkSPORT BET account or register if you are a new customer.
2. Make a deposit using an available payment method.
3. Visit the cricket betting section.
4. Select an upcoming Test match or series.
5. Open the fixture to view its available markets.
6. Tap the odds for your chosen selection.
7. Enter your stake and review the potential return.
8. Confirm the bet if you are happy to continue.

Prices may change between adding a selection and submitting the bet. Check every part of the completed slip before confirming.

Test cricket provides more time and statistical depth than shorter formats. The exact markets available will depend on the fixture and stage of the match.

Match Winner

Choose which team will win the Test or back the draw.

The draw is a separate outcome in the standard market. A bet on either team will therefore lose if the match ends without a winner.

Draw No Bet

This market removes the draw from the selection.

Back either team to win. If the Test is drawn, the stake is normally returned. A tie may be settled differently, so check the specific market rules.

Series Winner

Predict which team will win an entire Test series rather than one fixture.

Markets may include a drawn series, particularly when two closely matched teams meet across two, three or five Tests.

Correct Series Score

Back the exact final result of a Test series. In a five-match contest, possible selections could include 3-2, 4-1 or 2-2.

Drawn Tests affect the score, so every scheduled match can influence the outcome.

Top Batter

Choose the player you think will score the most runs for a team, innings, match or series.

Read the market title carefully. A top first-innings batter bet is different from backing someone to lead the scoring across both innings.

Top Bowler

Predict which player will take the most wickets during an innings, match or series.

If two bowlers finish level, dead-heat rules may apply. Check whether the market uses wickets alone or another statistic as a tie-breaker.

Batter Runs

Bet on whether a player will score more or fewer runs than the displayed line.

A batter listed at over 39.5 runs must reach at least 40. The under selection wins if they are dismissed for 39 or fewer, subject to participation rules.

Bowler Wickets

Predict whether a bowler will take more or fewer wickets than the stated figure.

The likely pitch conditions, opposition batting line-up and expected workload are useful considerations for this market.

First-Innings Lead

Back the team you think will hold the lead after both sides have completed their first innings.

This can provide a shorter-term alternative to the full match result, particularly when the weather forecast creates uncertainty over whether a result will be possible.

Opening Partnership

Opening partnership markets cover the number of runs scored before the first wicket falls.

You may be able to bet on which team will record the higher opening stand or whether a partnership will finish above or below a given total.

Innings Runs

Predict whether a team’s total will finish above or below the displayed line.

The line can move during the innings as wickets fall, partnerships grow and batting conditions change.

Five-day matches can swing several times. A team may dominate the morning before losing three wickets after lunch, while rain can rapidly shorten the time available for a result.

Depending on the fixture, in-play Test cricket markets may include:

• Live match winner
• Next wicket
• Method of next dismissal
• Batter runs
• Bowler wickets
• Innings total
• Next player dismissed
• Partnership runs
• Session winner
• Runs during a specified period

Markets can be suspended between deliveries or while an umpire reviews a decision. Live information may also be subject to a broadcast delay.

Available fixtures can be found through the talkSPORT BET live cricket betting page.

The ICC World Test Championship gives bilateral Test series a place within a wider league competition.

Nine nations participate during the 2025-27 cycle:

• Australia
• Bangladesh
• England
• India
• New Zealand
• Pakistan
• South Africa
• Sri Lanka
• West Indies

Each country plays six series during the cycle, with three at home and three away. Series do not all contain the same number of matches, so teams are ranked by the percentage of available points they have earned rather than their raw points total.

The points awarded for each Test are:

• Win: 12 points
• Tie: six points
• Draw: four points
• Defeat: zero points

Teams may also lose points for slow over rates. The top two sides in the final table progress to the World Test Championship Final.

South Africa are the defending champions after defeating Australia at Lord’s in 2025. The 2027 final will take place at The Oval in London from 9 to 13 June.

The first three editions produced three different champions. New Zealand won in 2021, Australia followed in 2023 and South Africa lifted the mace in 2025.

The Ashes is the most famous rivalry in Test cricket. England and Australia usually contest five matches, with each country taking turns to host the series.

The team that wins the series claims the urn. If the final score is level, the country already holding the Ashes retains them.

Ashes betting can include:

• Series winner
• Correct series score
• Top series batter
• Top series bowler
• Individual Test match winner
• Player performance markets
• Highest team innings
• To score a century
• To take five wickets in an innings

Our dedicated Ashes betting page provides further information and available markets ahead of the next series.

Test cricket demands more research than simply comparing the two teams’ rankings.

Pitch Conditions

Some surfaces favour fast bowling, while others become increasingly helpful to spin. A flat batting pitch may make the draw more likely unless the weather or a collapse changes the contest.

Weather Forecast

Rain removes overs from the match and can reduce the time available to take 20 wickets.

Cloud cover may also help swing bowlers, while hot conditions can dry the pitch and create more assistance for spin later in the Test.

Confirmed Teams

Check whether both sides have selected specialist batters, all-rounders, spinners or an extra fast bowler.

An injury to a leading bowler can have a much larger effect in a Test than in a short-format match because of the number of overs they were expected to deliver.

The Toss

The toss can matter greatly when conditions favour batting or bowling at a particular stage.

A team batting first may benefit from the best surface before deterioration begins. On an overcast morning, the captain may instead choose to bowl and attack with the new ball.

Recent Workload

Fast bowlers can be rotated during a long series. A player who has bowled heavily across consecutive Tests may be rested or operate below their usual pace.

Wait for confirmed line-ups when availability is uncertain.

Home Advantage

Conditions differ substantially between countries. Seam and swing may dominate in England, extra bounce can matter in Australia and spin can become decisive across the Indian subcontinent.

A strong overall team may still struggle when adapting to an unfamiliar surface.

Eligible customers can check the latest sports betting offers before placing a Test cricket wager.

Each promotion has separate eligibility requirements, qualifying odds and expiry dates. Read the full terms before opting in.

Test match betting should always be treated as entertainment. Decide how much you can afford beforehand and never chase a previous loss.