Welcome to your essential guide to the 2023 IPL, the biggest annual domestic T20 tournament on the cricket calendar for sports betting. After COVID-19 forced its suspension and eventual switch to the UAE in 2021, and the 2022 season was still played at bio-secure venues, the IPL returns to the home-and-away format that had previously been traditional.

Once again there are 10 teams, which are split into two groups, with each team playing 14 times in the group stages – home and away against teams not in the same group plus once against four teams in the same group. It means that despite being drawn in different groups, Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings – the two most successful teams in the IPL’s history with nine titles between them – will meet twice in the league stage, which will surely provide plenty of entertainment for people using their IPL betting sites.

There are a few new rule changes for this year’s tournament that you should be aware of before placing any bets. The first of which will see captains take two different teamsheets with them to the toss in each matchup. One will be a playing 11 if they bat first and another if they bowl first. Captains will also be able to review wide and no ball calls during a game.

Perhaps the biggest change is the introduction of the Impact Player rule. This is a substitute who can be introduced into the game by a team to bat or bowl. That player has to be Indian unless a team has selected fewer than the allotted four overseas players in their playing 11.

First held in 2008, the IPL – Indian Premier League – has become the most popular and successful of the world’s T20 cricket tournaments despite Pakistani players not being picked since its opening season. While it has created new specialist short-form cricketers, especially attacking batters, it has made the calendar even more packed with some players reluctant to give up their lucrative contracts to play in Tests or one-day internationals.

Any thoughts that the IPL would be a short-lived fad were quickly dispelled, and the league appears to be growing in popularity. Combine that with global television coverage, and it is no surprise that bookmakers are keen to get in on the action with a wide range of odds and markets on offer.

As far as the matches themselves, the first six overs of each innings are powerplays with just two fielders allowed outside the 30-yard fielding circle. That makes batters who can clear the infield of vital importance in the early stages. After that initial six-over period, teams can have a maximum of five fielders outside the fielding circle and each team has a strategic timeout in each innings to discuss tactics for the rest of the innings, providing plenty of chance to take advantage of odds from the leading cricket betting sites.

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Popular IPL Betting Markets

The fast pace of T20 cricket lends itself to a huge variety of markets, especially in-play, and many of the best betting sites will offer these. As well as the obvious match winner and top bowler and batter markets (the former decided by wickets with runs conceded usually the tiebreaker, although check the terms and conditions as this can vary depending on the bookmaker), you can bet on the number of runs scored in a specified period, and the number of runs the batting team will amass (usually an under/over market).

Other common in-play markets on India betting sites and other bookmakers around the world include method of next dismissal and next batter to depart. Offerings like number of boundaries will depend largely on the ground and even which pitch is being used as the position of the strip could make one boundary appetisingly short for big hitters. It is important to find out this information before getting involved.

With some sportsbooks, it is even possible to bet on the outcome of specific balls with the options covering the number of runs scored, whether it’s a wide, no-ball, bye, leg-bye or a wicket.

IPL Betting Odds

Chennai Super Kings

Coach: Stephen Fleming; Captain: MS Dhoni

Chennai Super Kings are among the most storied teams in the IPL's history, and many will have placed disappointing wagers on them at UK betting sites and further afield last season only to see them finish second-bottom of the league table. To make sure that didn't happen again, the Super Kings spent big bringing in England Test captain Ben Stokes to the team. While he is set to only feature as a batter in the early stages because of an ongoing knee complaint, he should provide further steel to the batting lineup.

What is perhaps the best thing that has happened for this ageing side in the offseason is the return to the home-and-away format, that will see the Super Kings once again attempt to make Cehpauk a fortress for the team's spin-heavy attack. With upwards of four spinners in their best lineup, expect them to once again be a formidable team at home. They will hope that Kyle Jamieson replacement Sisanda Magala can help improve their poor death bowling from last season, though he will be unavailable for the start of the tournament as part of South Africa's squad in their crucial ODIs against the Netherlands.

Pre-tournament odds: 8/1

Delhi Capitals

Coach: Ricky Ponting; Captain: David Warner

If you're looking to bet on runs in the opening six overs of innings during the tournament, the Delhi Capitals may be the team to look out for. While regular captain and India star Rishabh Pant will miss the tournament because of his recovery from a car accident, the Capitals have firepower in abundance. The likes of David Warner, Prithvi Shaw, Phil Salt, Rilee Rossouw and Mitchell Marsh will strike fear in any bowling attack.

Where the Capitals may fall down is in their bowling. South African speedsters Lungi Ngidi and Anrich Nortje will be missing for the first few games on international duty, and outside of that, they will be reliant on local talent to come good in large part. Can Khaleel Ahmed return to the form he showed with the Sunrisers three or four seasons ago that led to an India call-up? Can Axar Patel produce the goods as he has for India in the last 12 months?

Pre-tournament odds: 15/2

Gujarat Titans

Coach: Ashish Nehra; Captain: Hardik Pandya

The Gujarat Titans shocked the IPL last season by winning the tournament in their inaugural season under the enigmatic leadership of Hardik Pandya. They retained much of last year's core team and seemingly improved the backup options, to see them as deserved favorites to win it all with most US betting apps. The little-used Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Dominic Drakes, as well as New Zealand rocket-launcher Lockie Ferguson, have been replaced by Kiwi great Kane Williamson, Odean Smith and Ireland's Josh Little, who was a star of last season's Hundred.

With Shubman Gill finally making a name for himself in India colours in the last six months, his confidence should be sky-high at the top of the order. Pandya's bowling helps them load up with an extra batter if they want, and Rashid Khan continues to be brilliant in any tournament he turns up at around the world. The Titans appear the team to beat.

Pre-tournament odds: 11/2

Kolkata Knight Riders

Coach: Chandrakant Pandit; Captain: Nitish Rana

It's all change at the Kolkata Knight Riders as former head coach Brendon McCullum moved to pastures new to start the Bazball revolution with the England Test team. The whole coaching structure has been changed with Chandrakant Pandit taking over as the head honcho, to be backed up by Bharat Arun as the bowling coach and Ryan ten Doeschate as fielding coach. The Knight Riders will also have to do without regular captain Shreyas Iyer for at least the first half of the tournament, with Nitish Rana stepping up in his absence.

Can West Indian guns Andre Russell and Sunil Narine still produce the performances that made them such indispensable members of the title-winning teams? If they can't this could be a long season, particularly without their best batter in Iyer for a lengthy period. Shardul Thakur and Ferguson have been traded to the team in the offseason to bolster the bowling, but can they score enough runs to stay relevant?

Pre-tournament odds: 10/1

Lucknow Super Giants

Coach: Andy Flower; Captain: KL Rahul

The other debutant team last season was the Super Giants, and they managed to make the playoffs and should again be a strong contender in the regular season. They have power at the top of the order in the form of skipper KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock and all-rounders galore that should provide them with huge flexibility. Avesh Khan and Mark Wood bring the raw pace, however, last season's breakout star, Mohsin Khan is likely to miss most of the season with a shoulder injury.

The Super Giants went into the auction with a clear idea of what they wanted, and that was a finisher at the back end of the innings. They shelled out a lot of money on Nicholas Pooran, who has had an underwhelming couple of seasons with the Sunrisers. They may also bank on a return to the international fold doing wonders for Jaydev Unadkat, who has been a talismanic figure for his state side Saurashtra in the last couple of years.

Pre-tournament odds: 8/1

Mumbai Indians

Coach: Mark Boucher; Captain: Rohit Sharma

When the Mumbai Indians spent big at last year's auction on England star Jofra Archer, it was always with the 2023 season in mind. He was already ruled out with injury, but the thought of partnering Archer and Jasprit Bumrah was a mouth-watering prospect. Unfortunately, Bumrah has now been ruled out of the 2023 season, while Jhye Richardson has also been ruled out of the campaign, depleting their attack even further.

What they do have is firepower in their batting lineup. India skipper Rohit Sharma will likely open the batting alongside Ishan Kishan, who scored an ODI double-century earlier this season. The best T20 batter in the world Suryakumar Yadav will slot in at No. 3 and then there may be some decisions to make in order to get all of their overseas talent in the team. Choosing from the likes of Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis - owner of a T20-best 162 - Tim David and Cameron Green will be a difficult challenge. After finishing last in 2022, don't expect the same to happen again.

Pre-tournament odds: 13/2

Punjab Kings

Coach: Trevor Bayliss; Captain: Shikhar Dhawan

The 2022 Punjab Kings played a risk-and-reward game with their batting, going for fifth gear from the first ball. It worked sometimes and failed miserably on other occasions to lead them to sixth place. They have changed captain and coach this time around but have a similar setup in the team. Last season's top scorer Shikhar Dhawan can be relied on to score runs at the top, but they were dealt a blow when Jonny Bairstow was ruled out for the tournament as he still recovers from a broken leg.

They made T20 World Cup player of the tournament Sam Curran the most expensive buy in IPL history at the auction, and he figures to play a huge role at the death with both bat and ball. Liam Livingstone is expected the miss the first game but will be a certain starter when he returns to fitness. Kagisa Rabada is also sure to take plenty of wickets for a team that could outplay their odds with USA sports betting sites if everything goes right.

Pre-tournament odds: 11/1

Rajasthan Royals

Coach: Kumar Sangakkara; Captain: Sanju Samson

Last year's beaten finalists will look to go one further after making some shrewd moves in the auction. They have last year's player of the tournament Jos Buttler once again opening the batting for the team. They will look again to Indian Talent Sanju Samson, Yashavi Jaiswal and Devdutt Padikkal to score plenty of runs. The additions of Joe Root and Jason Holder look to bolster what was already a strong lineup. 

The bowling will again be led by R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal and Trent Boult, but whether they have enough firepower to blow away batting lineups remains to be seen. If Buttler is in the same form as last year then it may matter very little anyway. They will be a fun team to watch.

Pre-tournament odds: 7/1

Royal Challengers Bangalore

Coach: Sanjay Banger; Captain: Faf du Plessis

Ever the bridesmaid and never the bride, the Royal Challengers made the playoffs last season and won the first eliminator against the Super Giants before being beaten by the Rajasthan Royals in the second qualifier. Much of the team's core remains from last year, and they will be very happy with the seeming return to form of former captain Virat Kohli. Rising England star Will Jacks had been bought at the auction only to be ruled out with injury and replaced by Michael Bracewell. 

Glenn Maxwell looks to have returned from a broken leg at just the right time for the team. Josh Hazlewood was a big part of the team's bowling attack last year, but he is recovering from an Achilles injury at the moment, so they may look to Reece Topley as his replacement in the interim.

Pre-tournament odds: 7/1

Sunrisers Hyderabad

Coach: Brian Lara; Captain: Aiden Markram

It's all change at the Sunrisers Hyderabad as they look to secure a return to the top table after two seasons in the doldrums. Former captain Williamson was released, and he has been replaced as skipper by the new T20 captain of South Africa, Aiden Markram. West Indies legend Brian Lara has taken over from Tom Moody as head coach. Their replacement in the lineup for Williamson is Harry Brook, who has taken to international cricket like a duck to water. He has won the T20 World Cup with England and averaged over 80 in Test cricket in the last six months for England, so he should be full of confidence. 

The South African contingent of Markram, Heinrish Klaasen and Marco Jansen will be unavailable until April 3, meaning they will only have five overseas players to choose from for the opener. Tearaway quick Umran Malik will look to build on his breakout season last year, while Adil Rashid and Bhuvneshwar Kumar should ensure they keep batting lineups honest.

Pre-tournament odds: 10/1

Global Betting on the IPL

The IPL is big business in India and in other Asian countries where online gambling is permitted. The same goes for other cricketing nations. So UK bookmakers, as well as Australian bookmakers and South African online bookmakers can expect a lot of bets being placed. Even US betting sites and Canadian betting sites will see their share.

Cricket is less popular in mainland Europe, but UK-established bookmakers will have the same markets available for people there. Their betting apps can make wagering quicker, which is useful in such a fast-paced offering.

When to Bet on the IPL

Odds on the outright tournament winners are available pre-tournament and throughout, while early matches are already priced up including top batter and bowler markets. The tournament runs from March 31 to May 28, so there are plenty of chances to visit the best cricket betting sites But in-play is where the action is for IPL betting with a plethora of ever-changing markets from over/under partnerships to next method of dismissal.

IPL Free Bets

Look out for plenty of bonus offers, particularly at the start of the IPL. There might be free bet offers such as place X on a pre-match market and receive a free in-play bet of half that stake. Or deposit bonuses where you receive a free bet to half or even the whole value of your deposit. There might be a lull when the tournament gets going but expect more free bets or bonus offers for the knockout stages. As always, regularly check Bookies.com’s betting welcome offers page to find all the best bonuses available.

Previous Winners of the IPL

Two teams stand out in the 14-year history of the IPL, with Mumbai Indians claiming five titles and Chennai Super Kings four. All of Mumbai’s wins have come since 2013, with the Indians winning three of the last six tournaments and the Super Kings taking two of the others.

Kolkata Knight Riders (2012, 2014) are the only other multiple winners, with Rajasthan Royals winning the first title in 2008 but failing to reach the final since. Sunrisers Hyderabad won the title in 2016 and were the last team outside the big two to take the crown having taken the place of the only other champions (before 2022), 2009 winner Deccan Chargers, in Hyderabad. Last year saw a first-time winner in first-year team Gujarat Titans triumphing in the final against the Royals.