Bob Willis Trophy Betting 2023

Bob Willis Trophy Betting Odds, Tips & Predictions 

The Bob Willis Trophy will bring with it a glut of betting options in the form of outright tournament betting options or singular match markets, from To Win the Competition and Top Tournament Batsman, to Top Opening Partnership and To Win the Toss. With so many markets available, both cricket betting veterans and newcomers will have their fair share of ways to bet.

Bob Willis Trophy Betting Odds 

The Bob Willis Trophy betting odds will be updated here as soon as they're made available!

Bob Willis Trophy Betting Tips & Predictions 

As the odds for the competition haven't been released yet, it's difficult to provide betting odds since we don't yet know which sides the bookmakers favour, and who provides good value. However, from their impressive displays in recent years on the County circuit, and the fact that they are the current holders of the Bob Willis Trophy, we feel confident backing Essex.

The team, led by the batting expertise of Alastair Cook, looked to be in great form last year. Despite technically not winning in the final – they won by virtue of the fact that they scored more first-innings runs than their opponents – they seemed to offer good value as trophy-winners. Of course, the fickle nature of cricket means that anything could happen, but many will struggle to look past the Essex side.

Bob Willis Trophy – Popular Bets

Just like any other big cricket competition, you can expect to see lots of different markets for the Bob Willis Trophy. Like the incredibly popular IPL betting, or any of the other top cricket tournaments, you'll be able to bet on an array of outright and single match betting markets.

These can be for the competition itself, right down to individual player bets, which makes cricket betting an incredibly diverse sport to wager on. While the sheer amount of betting options can be daunting for new bettors, it's worth noting that the range of markets allows both experienced players and novices to get their fill of cricket betting.

Outright Bob Willis Trophy Winner Betting 

This market will have you betting on who you think will win the competition. This can bring tremendous value depending on when you decide to place your bet.

If you're something of an early bird and you decide to bet before the competition, you'll likely be met with one or two favourites, along with a number of options that are seen as outsiders, which will carry better odds.

Even if you decide to back the favourite, unless you're wagering on a team that has consistently dominated in a sport, such as New Zealand in rugby union, you'll usually get some value. However, in the Bob Willis Trophy, the favourites are usually given odds that are longer than odds-on, making it worthwhile to back them early.

Of course, if you think that you can pick a potential winner from a side that is struggling after a few matches, there could be a lot of value available.

If you were to back Durham after an awful start that had seen them lose three in a row, you would likely be met with very generous odds. If they were to then completely turn their fortunes around, resulting in a run of victories that saw them lift the trophy, you would get far more value than if you'd backed them after they had picked up two wins.

Cricket competitions tend to see teams swaying in and out of form. The fact that the bowling, batting, and fielding units must work in harmony to secure victories means that if even one small part of the team is having an off day, it can result in surprising losses that snowball quickly.

The way the competition will work this year means we're not totally sure whether bookies will provide outright Bob Willis Trophy betting odds before the final has been announced, with the County Championship taking place with the two best teams from that competition battling in the Bob Willis Trophy final.

Best Bob Willis Trophy betting sites for Outright Winner: Betway, and 888sport

(Outright) Top Batsman Betting 

This market allows you to bet on both an outright market and the singular market. In the outright market, you'll be backing the player you believe will end the whole competition with the most runs. This can offer very good value as it's not always the big international names that do top score.

Indeed, while many players from England, Australia, and South Africa ply their trade in England, they're often whisked away on international duty over the summer, meaning they're unable to play for their county side. This means that backing a player like Joe Root to top score may not be the best idea, as he may only play three matches all summer before being called up to captain his country.

Instead, you're often better off backing a player that's on the fringes of their international side. This means that they're generally full of talent and promise, so will likely score runs, while it's less likely they'll be taken away from their County team.

Of course, this advice needs to be taken with a pinch of salt, as some players do take time away from their international teams to recharge their batteries, as they may have been travelling a lot or are struggling for form. The County circuit provides the perfect platform to boost their confidence and swell their run-scoring stats.

In the singular match market, you'll be looking to back one player you believe will top score across that particular game. For example, this could be Top Durham Batsman, which would see you wagering on which batsman from the Durham side will top score. This market provides more security, as you will only be betting on one player beating the other ten on his team.

On the other hand, Top Batsman will see you betting on which player in the match will top score from the 22 players that are playing. This market provides better value as there are more players that can see your bet lose.

Best Bob Willis Trophy betting site for Top Batsman: 888sport

(Outright) Top Wicket-Taker Betting 

Like the Top Batsman market, this one gives you the ability to bet in two separate ways. The outright top wicket-taker market will have you backing which player you think will take the most wickets across the entire competition. This can be difficult to call, although it often brings good value. You're generally better off trying to back a player that's been on the County circuit for some time, as they're not likely to be called up if they've been out of the international game for a spell, and they also know how to play on different pitches across the country.

For the singular match market, you're simply looking to back the player that will take the most wickets in the game. This market requires you to do some real research beforehand and/or utilising the best cricket predictions to enhance your chances of winning.

Take note of the tops the bowlers will be playing on, along with the bowlers themselves. If the pitch is grassy and the overhead conditions are overcast, a swing bowler will likely excel, while a faster bowler will have a field day if the conditions are hot and the pitch flat. This is why backing a bowler that knows their craft, along with how to play the conditions in the best way, should be your go-to.

Best Bob Willis Trophy betting sites for Top Wicket-Taker: Betway and Unibet 

To Score a Century Betting 

This market sees bettors backing a player they think will score a century in the match. A century is when a batsman scores 100 runs in an innings. This is a feat of perseverance and skill from a batsman, as they must battle against an array of different bowling options, whilst still looking to score runs.

While the “Yes” option in this market is usually odds-on, it's not always assured that a century will be scored. Indeed, backing the “No” option in this market is more likely to offer better value.

Of course, you should do your research before utilising any of the best cricket betting sites for this market. If neither of the sides that are playing have been posting hundreds, while the bowling attacks have been in fine wicket-taking form, then the stats will point to the batsmen struggling once again, especially if the pitch is giving the bowlers some assistance. Again, take this with a pinch of salt, as oftentimes, players battle through and post big scores against the odds.

Best Bob Willis Trophy betting sites for To Score a Century: NetBet, and Betway

Bob Willis Trophy – Tournament Structure

The Bob Willis Trophy was created as a result of the pandemic, which saw the County Championship's first cancellation since World War Two. Named after English fast bowler Bob Willis, the tournament will return in 2021 following the County Championship, where three groups will battle it out for supremacy.

The three groups will be seeded based on the team’s performances in the 2019 County Championship and in the 2020 Bob Willis Trophy. These groups are as follows:

Group 1: Essex, Warwickshire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Worcestershire, and Durham

Group 2: Somerset, Hampshire, Surrey, Gloucestershire, Middlesex, and Leicestershire

Group 3: Kent, Yorkshire, Lancashire, Northamptonshire, Glamorgan, and Sussex

The competition will work as follows:

• Each county side plays 10 four-day games in the group stage, with five home games and five away games.
• The top two sides in each group will progress to a second group stage called “Division One”.
• The six teams that progress to Division One play four matches, with the side that finishes top crowned 2021 County Championship winner. The top two teams in Division One will contest a five-day Bob Willis Trophy final at Lord’s.
• The other 12 sides that don't make it to Division One move into Division Two and Three, where teams will play a further four matches.

In 2019, points were awarded as follows:

Win: 16 points

Draw or tie: 8 points

Bonus points: A max of 5 batting and 3 bowling bonus points can be scored in the first 110 over of each side’s first innings.

Bob Willis Trophy – History

As previously mentioned, the Bob Willis Trophy was only created in 2020, meaning only one season has been played thus far, with Essex lifting the trophy despite the final ending in a draw. Essex were able to pip Somerset to the cup after building a lead in the first innings of the match.

Bob Willis Trophy – Past Winners 

Bob Willis Trophy – Key Stats 

• The first iteration of the Bob Willis Trophy saw Essex triumph, despite the final against Somerset ending in a draw.
• Essex’s Alastair Cook was the tournament’s top scorer in 2019 with 563 runs.
• The 38 wickets Simon Harmer picked up saw him end as the competition’s top wicket-taker.
• Neither Essex nor Somerset actually lost a game in the competition last year, with both winning four and drawing one in the group stages before drawing in the final.

Bob Willis Trophy Betting 2021 FAQs 

Which are the best betting site for Bob Willis Trophy betting? 

Much like any of the other top cricket tournaments around the world, there are generally one or two major bookmakers that do a great job of covering the tournament.

While we would recommend any of the bookmakers on-site, we were particularly impressed with Betway. The pair offered a great range of markets, competitive odds, and all of the top-quality features you come to expect from a world-class bookie.

Which is the best side in the Bob Willis Trophy betting?

This is a difficult question to answer as there has only been one iteration of the competition.

This year, the Bob Willis Trophy will serve as a one-game battle between the top two sides, instead of a whole competition. As it's just a single match at the end of the season, it's not always the best team that wins, meaning there could be good value in backing one of the sides.

Of course, as the holders, Essex will be among the favourites once again, but you should keep an eye on the early form and the odds to see if you can pick out a potentially big payout.

Can I watch the Bob Willis Trophy?

The Bob Willis Trophy will likely be shown on TV with the relevant subscriptions. If you don't have any of these subscriptions, you should check out these live cricket streaming services to see whether any of the top bookmakers on-site are live streaming the event.

CricketBettingAdvice Final Say 

The Bob Willis Trophy will once again provide cricket bettors with the ability to wager on a very exciting competition. This time around it is in a shorter format, but this will not mean that the excitement will be dampened. Some of the best players from the County circuit will be on show in this one meaning that runs, wickets and superb fielding will once again be on show. Betting with the likes of Betway will provide you with all you need as far as markets and competitive odds go, and if you utilise any of the best in-play betting sites available, then Bob Willis Trophy betting provides a lot of options.

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