Eric Uribe
Believe it or not, we’re at the halfway point of the ICC World Cup. The last tournament wrapped up almost exactly two years ago. That means the next one is about another two years away itself. Can’t wait any longer? Welp, we have 2023 Cricket World Cup way-too-early predictions to keep you busy, and even get you thinking about wagering on the event.
Speaking of betting, let’s veer into how the gambling odds are shaping up. Per online sportsbooks, these six countries have the best chances of winning the 2023 World Cup:
| Driver |  |  |
| India | +240 | +240 |
| England | +300 | +300 |
| Australia | +400 | +400 |
| New Zealand | +700 | +700 |
| South Africa | +800 | +800 |
| Pakistan | +900 | +900 |
2023 Cricket World Cup Preview
Mark your calendars for October and November of 2023 because that’s when the highly-anticipated 10-team tournament goes down. This later-year timeframe is a departure from the usual summer- and spring-time events.
The cricket-crazed country of India will be the sole host of the World Cup for the first time ever. While they’ve shared hosting duties before, this will be its first solo attempt. Interestingly, it’s also the first time one country will host all games since England did so back in 1983. That’s the plan now, but secondary hosts could be included later on.
As is the norm, India earns an automatic bid to the World Cup. The top seven finishers of the ICC Super League also gain entrance to the tourney. That league is ongoing and wraps up play in early 2023, but England is dominating the Super League field — it has a 45-point lead in the first place ahead of Bangladesh. The last two World Cup spots will come down to a qualifying stage.
A lot can happen from now and until late 2023 when the World Cup goes down. But for fun, which countries are the best bets to make right now?
We preface this question by saying you shouldn’t go out to the sportsbook and “hammer” a bet quite yet. A freak injury could derail your bet before it even has a chance to payout. A small bet, however? That’s not a bad idea. Sure, you have to wait two-plus years to cash out (if you win), but as the saying goes, “the best things in life are worth waiting for.” If you fall into this latter category, think about these two teams when you visit your bookie:
India
Home-field advantage is a universal thing across all sports and that includes cricket. Get this, each of the past three World Cup winners shared host duties. One of those winners was even India themselves back in 2011. Coincidence? Probably not.
The fact that India, for now, will host every single game only makes this advantage bigger come 2023. They won’t have the same travel fatigue as fellow competitors. They’ll know the playing pitch better than anyone. But most of all, they’ll feed off a raucous home-town crowd every single game out. One of those benefits would be game-changing enough, little less all three simultaneously.
But let’s also not pretend India aren’t perennial contenders in this sport, whether they’re home or away. Here’s a country that’s advanced to at least the semi-finals in five of the last six World Cups. Given all this, you’d have to be crazy not to throw some money their way. Presently, there’s no safer spot to park your money at.
England
Stop us if you’ve heard this phrase before, “to be the man, you have to beat the men.” Welp, in this scenario, England is that “man.” We already told you about their ongoing Super League dominance, but of course, they are also reigning World Cup champions, having beaten New Zealand in a nail-biting finish at the 2019-hosted games.
But it’s not just that England is winning a lot of games recently, it’s how they’re winning. Look at the Super League matchups and it’s not uncommon for England to “run up the score” on foes. They are seemingly in a class of their own at the moment.
And yes, we know, siding with the two betting favorites isn’t exactly sexy. But hey, the key to winning in sports betting isn’t about being edgy, it’s about being smart. And believe us, the smart money is overwhelmingly on the hosts and reigning champions.
Looking for more cricket betting odds? You can find up-to-the-minute lines at one of the betting sites listed below. You’ll find them at both the international and domestic league levels. These bookmakers will be perfect spots to wager on the quickly approaching 2021 Men’s T20 World Cup at the end of the year.
But unbeatable prices on cricket games aren’t the only thing available at these bookies. There’s one more perk and it’s perhaps the best of all — sign-up bonuses! These promotions aimed at first-time bettors can earn you thousands of dollars in free play, at no cost to you!
The table below has several sign-up bonuses listed for different sites. To earn the bonus, click one of the deals below. From there, you’ll be sent to the bookmaker where you can create a new playing account. After registration, fund your account with your own money. Part of that deposit will be matched by the bookmaker in free play. That’s it and the free play is all yours, to wager on cricket or another sport of your choosing. See the table below to get started now!
