Betting Tips for the playoffs

With the playoffs of the 2019/20 edition of the Big Bash League set to kick off on January 30, we tell you which teams you should bet on to outrightly win the tournament.

YOWIE WOWIE! After 40 days of non-stop, enthralling, exhilarating action, we’re here! We’re finally here! We’ve arrived at the destination that we’ve been wanting to reach - the playoffs - and the tournament, which initially started off with 8 teams, has been reduced to just 5 teams. Oh, are you kinda bemused why there are FIVE teams in the playoffs? Well, in case you didn’t know, the new playoff format has a “Challenger” match to go along with the “Eliminator” and “Qualifier”, meaning not four, but FIVE teams get a chance to reach the final. Amusing, isn’t it? So, the teams we’re left with are Melbourne Stars, Sydney Sixers, Adelaide Strikers, Hobart Hurricanes and Sydney Thunder, and boy haven’t each and every one of them had a topsy turvy path to the knockout stages. So then, three more days until we get to the playoffs. What does that mean? It means that we utilize this window to analyze each and every team so that we have the best chance to win some BIG BUCKS heading into the last five matches of this season. Alright, before I tell you who and where to put your money on, I’m now going to try my best to describe the season of each and every one of these teams as short as I can, so that you get the gist of how they’ve performed and what you can expect from them heading into the knockouts.

Melbourne Stars

More than describing Melbourne Stars the team, I think i’d be better off just speaking about the superstar individuals in their team. Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell and Haris Rauf absolutely RAVAGED the group stages, slaughtering each and every opposition that came their way. I don’t think ANY team has individuals who are capable of single handedly changing the course of a match. Again, I’m going to try and keep this short. The Stars finished top of the table with 20 points to their name, even going on a 8-match winning streak in the middle. They did, however, lose their last 3 matches of the group stages (this will be important as we move on).

Sydney Sixers

I’m not one bit surprised that the Sixers have the same odds to win the BBL as the Stars. After somewhat of a shaky start to the season, Moises Henriques’ men pulled their socks up, got better as the season progressed and won their last 3 matches, including doing a double over table-toppers Stars, to finish 2nd on the table. From an individual standpoint, Tom Curran and Josh Philippe have been absolutely impeccable for them, you know what makes them the favorite to win the tournament? They now have the services of Steve Smith, who scored an unbeaten 66 in the last game to seal the Top 2 spot for the Pinks. Hmmm, quite a team.

Adelaide Strikers

Whatever I’m going to write about the Strikers, please take it with a pinch of (Phil) salt (pun absolutely intended). Honestly, they were one and off in the group stages: one day, they’d get bowled out for 100 and the next, they’d bowl their opponents out for 80 and then chase it under 8 overs. But with players like Rashid Khan, Alex Carey and the now best-finisher-in-the-country Jonathan Wells at their disposal, the Strikers would definitely be one of the dark horses to walk away with the title. Oh not to mention they now have Travis Head back too, so you know, in case he goes mad like he did back in 2016, it might do them a world of good.

Hobart Hurricanes

There are teams that come to the party early, ones that come to the party late and then there’s Hobart Hurricanes, who behaved like me during a weekday: kept sleeping and sleeping, ended up oversleeping but still got ready in a flash to reach the office on time. That’s what they’ve done, they’ve reached the playoffs JUST ON TIME. A lot of that has to attributed to their skipper Matthew Wade, who has been obliterating bowlers ever since he took charge a few weeks ago. You’d look at that number 13.00 and think there’s no way that they’re going to win it, but hey, write them off at your own risk.

I’M NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE SYDNEY THUNDER BECAUSE THEY HAVE ODDS OF 19.00 AND I HAVE NO HOPE OF THEM WINNING THE TOURNAMENT, SO LET’S IGNORE THEM ALTOGETHER..

Sorry for the capital letters, but now that they’ve got your attention, let me (finally) get to the point. I’ve now explained to you how each team has fared, so you might now be thinking what the hell you’re supposed to do with it? Right? It’s alright, don’t panic. I’m not that cruel a human being. I like to spoon-feed anyone and everyone who trusts me and my word, so I’ve jotted out TWO SCENARIOS where you invest money and get CRAZY RETURNS on them. Like CRAZY CRAZY CRAZY returns. I’m talking returns up to 26,000 bucks. YES, I’M NOT EVEN KIDDING. LET”S DO THIS, FOLKS!

Scenario one

Bet on Melbourne Stars and Sydney Sixers, win Rs 12,500

So here, you’re going to be betting on the Sydney Sixers and Melbourne Stars. Why? Because they are the two best teams in the competition, as simple as that. Thanks to these two teams finishing #1 and #2, the new play-off format means that ONE OF THEM IS GUARANTEED TO REACH THE FINAL. And you know what’s better? The loser will even get a SECOND CHANCE TO REACH THE FINAL.

Which teams should I bet on?

Melbourne Stars and Sydney Sixers

How much should I invest?

You invest a total of Rs 10,000, meaning Rs 5,000 on each team to win the tournament.

What will happen if one of these teams win the BBL?

Should one of these teams win the BBL, you will end up pocketing Rs 12,500, that translates to a Rs 2,500 profit.

Don’t get it? Let me break it down.

Both teams have outright odds of 2.50 to win the tournament. How much are we investing? Rs 5,000. So, should one of these two teams win, the return you will get is (5000 x 2.50), meaning a total of Rs 12,500. Since you’ve invested a total of Rs 10,000 (Rs 5,000 + Rs 5,000), you will end up with a profit of Rs 2,500 (Rs 12,500 you won - Rs 10,000 you invested).

Is there risk involved?

Yes and No. Yes, because should some other team win, you end up losing 10 freakin 1000, but since they are the two best teams in the tournament and given the fact that they have 2 chances to qualify for the final, the two of them clashing in the final is all but an inevitable outcome.

Scenario two

Bet on Sixers, Strikers AND Hurricanes and win up to Rs 26,000

So, you must have noticed something. Where the hell did Melbourne Stars go? Yeah, I have kicked them out on purpose. Firstly because both them and Sixers have the same odds, 2.50, meaning it’s pointless to bet on both TEAMS when you’re investing money on multiple teams. And secondly, because they are chokers. THERE I SAID IT! This is a team that has CHOKED twice in the final, and last year, bottled the final despite being 93/0 from 13 overs chasing a modest 146. Remember I told you that they lost their last three matches in the group stages? Yeah, that too. Champion teams hit their peak during the latter stages of the tournament and well, the Stars are NOT a champion team. Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk.

Anyway, now that I’m done with my Stars rant, let us get into the real business.

Which teams should I bet on?

Sydney Sixers, Adelaide Strikers and Hobart Hurricanes

How much should I invest?

Rs 5,000 on the Sixers and Rs 2,000 each on the Strikers and the Hurricanes.

What will happen if the Sixers win the BBL?

This is the second-best outcome. If the Sixers win the BBL, you will end up pocketing Rs 12,500, meaning you will endure a profit of Rs 3,500. Again, let me break it down.

Odds for the Sixers to win - 2.50
Money you have invested on them - Rs 5000
Money you have invested in total - Rs 9,000 (5,000 on them plus 2,000 each on the other two teams)

Returns you will get if Sixers win the BBL - Rs 12,500 ( 5000 x 2.50)

Total profit = Rs 12,500 (total money you won) - Rs 9,000 (total money you invested) = Rs 3,500.

What will happen if the Strikers win the BBL?

Should the Strikers end up winning the BBL, you will end up pocketing Rs 2,000. Let me break it down.

Odds for the Strikers to win the BBL - 5.50
Money you have invested on them - Rs 2000
Money you have invested in total - Rs 9,000 (2,000 on them plus 5,000 on Sixers and 2,000 on Hurricanes)

Returns you will get if Strikers win the BBL - Rs 11,000 ( 5.50 x 2000)

Total profit = Rs 11,000 (total money you won) - Rs 9,000 (total money you invested) = Rs 2,000

Ideally, Strikers winning the BBL is the least favourable outcome for you. In a moment, you will understand why.

What will happen if the Hurricanes win the BBL?

If the Hurricanes win the BBL, you can flip the bird to your boss, quit your job, and walk away, because that’s how rich you will become. Let me break it down.

Odds for the Hurricanes to win the BBL - 13.00

Money you have invested on them - Rs 2,000
Money you have invested in total - Rs 9,000 (2,000 on them plus 5,000 on the Sixers and 2,000 on the Strikers)
Returns you will get if the Hurricanes will the BBL - Rs 26,000 (YES I’M NOT KIDDING). (13.00 x 2,000)

Total profit = Rs 26,000 (total money you won) - Rs 9,000 (total money you invested) = Rs 17,000.

So, you make a profit of SEVENTEEN FREAKIN THOUSAND if the Hurricanes win.

In my opinion, both these scenarios are great. The first one is a more obvious one but if you’re a risk taker who is also a bit greedy, I’d advise you to bet on the second one. Trust me, one of these three teams is going to win the BBL. It sounds cliched, yes, but that’s what is going to happen. Perhaps I should leave my contact number somewhere over here, so that you can call me up and thank me for helping you win money once the BBL is eventually done.

So, I’m done then. This might be a lot of information for you to process, but I’ve tried my best to keep it as simple and straight as possible. Until next time, see ya!