From Lord's in London to the MCG in Melbourne, iconic sports stadiums aren’t the only places cricket action unfolds. Simulated Reality League (SRL) cricket is an exciting new addition to the sport and offers fans a chance to watch and bet on matches throughout the year. 

How does SRL cricket work?

Technology has transformed how fans enjoy sport. And we’re not just talking about the Hawkeye ball tracking used for Leg Before Wicket (LBW) disputes or technologies like Snickometer and Hotspot employed by match officials during Decision Review System (DRS) reviews. 

Simulated Reality League cricket is in a class of its own. The technology collects data from major cricket matches and uses it to create a virtual league. Instead of using official outcomes of matches, winners are determined using data from a series of hundreds of previous matches.

Once data has been generated, artificial intelligence and next-generation graphics are used to create a computer simulation of the game. Fans can place bets on the outcome of the match and watch the action unfold on digital screens.  

What outcomes does SRL use?

Now you know more about SRL, let’s get more specific. SRL matches are created using data from the 200 latest games played by each team. As well as match statistics, SRL draws on other factors like player transfers, loans and drafts. 

So, if a high-value player like Cheteshwar Pujara has been transferred to a different team during the last 200 games, this will be factored into SRL outcomes. His statistics will be transferred across to the new club and used to generate more accurate data. The most sophisticated SRL software takes things one step further and uses factors like team chemistry to finetune data. 

SRL vs statistics

It’s important to understand the difference between SRL cricket and statistics. Yes, SRL is based on stats. But ultimately every game is a simulation generated using a huge amount of data. The sheer volume of data used to generate SRL cricket matches is incredible. This makes it impossible to predict the outcome. Of course, bettors give it their best shot. But at the end of the day, even the smallest data deviations can completely transform the outcome of a match.

What is the purpose of SRL cricket?

Cricket is a wildly popular sport with a huge international fanbase. No matter how many Test matches are scheduled, fans just can’t get enough of the sport. Simulated Reality League cricket was created to offer year-round entertainment, regardless of the season. The virtual league gives fans and bettors the chance to lap up cricket action, even when the Ashes has wrapped up and the Big Bash League champions have been crowned. Basically, if you’re a cricket fan, you’ll love SRL. 

How can I bet on SRL cricket?

SRL isn’t just about entertainment. It also exists to offer cricket fans an opportunity to place bets throughout the year. Want to know more about how to bet on SRL cricket? Really, it’s not so different from betting on real time cricket matches. SRL is rapidly gaining traction in the online sports betting community and many platforms have embraced the trend. The best platforms accept a variety of bets, from simple match outcome wagers to complex bets focussing on scores and stats. Most players stick to the following three bet formats:

Match outcome bet

Easy and simply, a match outcome bet involves nothing more than picking a winning team. 

Tie bet

Similar to a match outcome bet, a tie bet is based on the final score of the game. The difference is that instead of picking a winner, you’re betting on whether the match ends in a draw.

Over/under (o/u)

An over/under bet is more advanced than both match outcome and tie bets. You’ll dive deeper into the match outcome and bet on whether the final score exceeds or stays beneath a predetermined number.

Can I use crypto to place SRL bets?

Absolutely. An increasing number of platforms are embracing cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin as a fast and easy way for fans to place bets. For example, when you bet on Simulated Reality League Cricket matches with Sportsbet.io, you can use well-established cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Tether (USDT) and more. Transactions are lightning-fast, which means you can make deposits and withdrawals virtually in real time.  

Now that you’re familiar with what SRL cricket is and how to bet on it, what are you waiting for? Take in your first game today.