2026 T20 World Cup Betting Odds & Favourites to Win - Bet on Cricket India Online

Cricket is one of the most-followed sports on the planet, and the T20 version of the game ramps up the excitement to a fever pitch. The next T20 World Cup will soon be upon us, and you can bet on the T20 World Cup action right here at Stake.com . The greatest limited-over teams in the world will battle it out in February-March 2026 as they compete to lift the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup trophy and win millions of dollars in prize money.

The 2024 T20 World Cup was full of drama and thrills as India eventually beat South Africa in the final. There were plenty of shock results and impressive performances that kept fans on the edge of their seats. In anticipation of the 2026 T20 World Cup, Stake Sportsbook has created this betting guide to help you form your cricket betting slip .

What is the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup?

The T20 World Cup is relatively new, but its reputation and prestige have developed enormously. The ICC founded the international competition in 2007, with South Africa hosting the inaugural event, which India won. So far, there have been nine ICC T20 Cricket World Cups, and the interest in the tournament and the number of teams involved are increasing.

The first event only had 12 teams; it wasn’t until the 2014 edition that 16 teams would enter. Now, four further nations have been added to the list of competing teams. Matches are limited to just 20 overs per side in T20 cricket, with each innings only expected to last around 80 minutes, with a 30-minute break between them. The action is fast, furious, and perfect for sports bettors looking to profit at Stake Sportsbook.

History of the T20 World Cup: Records

The great Indian batsman Virat Kohli has the most T20 World Cup runs ever, with 1,292 total. He also holds the record for most runs in a tournament, with 319 in 2014. In addition, he has the best batting average of 58.72.

Shakib Al Hasan is the most successful wicket-taker, collecting an impressive 50 altogether. India, England and the West Indies are the top-performing countries, with all three nations lifting the trophy twice. India are the current champions.

Sri Lanka boasts the highest runs total in a T20 World Cup match with a score of 260/6 against Kenya in 2007. South Africa’s AB de Villiers is statistically the best catching fielder in the tournament, with 23 catches over his professional career.

Format & Schedule of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup

The 2024 World Cup saw an expanded format, with twenty teams rather than sixteen split between four groups. The 2026 T20 World Cup will follow the same format, with four groups of five teams. Top performers from each group will then qualify for the Super 8.

The Super 8 features two groups of four teams, and the top two teams from each group will then advance to the knockout rounds. The semi-finals are a knockout format, with winning teams progressing to the final and the losing sides being sent home. It all comes down to one final game, with the victors crowned World Champions.

Selected teams that will take part include the hosts and the top seven teams from the previous tournament. Additionally, there are the top three teams in the T20I rankings not already qualified. The remaining teams are decided by regional qualifiers, with teams such as South Korea, Costa Rica and Saudi Arabia all having a chance to take one of the remaining eight spots.

In 2021, it was decided by the ICC that Sri Lanka and India will co-host the 2026 T20 world Cup. Although it’s the first time that both nations have hosted the tournament together, Sri Lanka and India were hosts in 2012 and 2016.

It’s unclear which country will host which games yet, but the full tournament schedule will be available closer to the date of the World Cup. In 2024, games were also split between two cohosts, with many of the group stage games taking place in the US and knockout games happening over the West Indies.

2024 T20 World Cup Results

India won the 2024 T20 World Cup, defeating South Africa in the final by seven runs. Going into the tournament, India were one of the favourites to win, according to many experts, including Ravi Shastri. The team proved their quality by winning all their group games and Super 8 games. While Kholi started off slow, fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah formed a formidable part of their bowling attack.

South Africa have never won the T20 trophy and came agonisingly close in 2024, narrowly losing out to India after a series of impressive performances over the course of the tournament. They definitely surprised many fans, with players like Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller and Kaigiso Rabada all playing effectively.

When is the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026?

The next edition of the T20 World Cup will start in February 2026.

Favourites to Win 2026 T20 World Cup

Based on the current odds, joint host team India are favourites to retain the World Cup in 2026. The champions ended a wait of more than ten years to win their second title and will be looking to add a third. However, they’ll have to do it without Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Both Indian players retired from T20 internationals after their recent World Cup win.

Meanwhile, Australia remain one of the top favourites, despite their shock defeat to Afghanistan in the Super 8 stage. After a great tournament in 2024, South Africa are one of the top favourites too and will be looking to improve on their performances in 2024. The England national team is undergoing a transitional phase but remain a favourite after their semi-final exit in 2024.

New Zealand have automatically qualified for the tournament due to being one of the top-ranked teams and are currently seventh favourites to win. Meanwhile, Afghanistan had a great tournament in 2024, but oddsmakers don’t expect them to repeat their success in this upcoming cricket tournament. Despite being co-hosts, Sri Lanka are among the biggest underdog teams among those that have qualified. Note that the odds for futures betting markets may change over time.

Outright Winner Odds

• India - 2.50

• Australia - 5.50

• South Africa - 5.50

• England - 6.50

• Pakistan - 11.00

• West Indies - 13.00

• New Zealand - 15.00

• Afghanistan - 31.00

• Sri Lanka - 66.00

How to Bet on ICC Men’s T20 World Cup & Cricket Bet Types

Stake.com is a licensed betting site offering many betting markets for every top cricket match. Not only is Stake a crypto-friendly online betting website, but we also offer a range of local currency betting options with easy deposits and withdrawals . Some of the most popular betting market choices in the T20 World Cup include:

• Moneyline/Winner (your prediction of who will win or lose)

• Which team will have the best-performing batsman or bowler?

• Total amount of fours scored in a match (Over/Under)

• Total amount of sixes scored in a game (Over/Under)

• Most individual or team fours and sixes

• Which team has the highest score when the first wicket falls?

• Parlays and same game multi-bet builders

Live Stream Cricket & Live Betting Markets

Live bets are also a big part of the T20 World Cup action. In-play betting markets change by the second and are a perfect way to place wagers if you watch a game live. Check out our live streaming fixtures at Stake to see if you can watch T20 World Cup cricket games live . Then, you can bet on a raft of in-play markets, using your skill and judgment as the game progresses.

T20 World Cup Betting Odds & Payouts

When you have a Stake.com sportsbook account, one of your first betting decisions is choosing which format your betting odds are displayed in. There are three common formats of odds for matches:

• Decimal odds reflect the potential return on your bet, including your original stake. So, decimal odds of 4.25 mean you collect a total of 4.25 for every 1 you bet.

• Fractional odds show how much profit you make in relation to your original stake. For example, 3/1 means you make 3 units of profit for each 1 you bet.

• American odds are more complicated for newer bettors to understand. The underdogs are represented by a (+) number, an amount that would be won from a bet of 100. The favourites have a (-) number, and the figure is how much you must bet to win 100.

T20 Cricket Betting Tips, Predictions & Strategies

The 2026 T20 World Cup is no different from other sports when it comes to successful online betting: research is key to finding valuable insights. You must understand the game's rules and be familiar with the countries most likely to perform well and those that will probably get beaten more often than not.

Form plays a big part in team performance, so read up on recent matches between competing countries, and also watch out for potential key player injuries that could move the odds.

If you’re new to sports betting, especially cricket betting, then it makes sense to bet on the moneyline, simply picking which of two head-to-head teams you think will win a match. Or you might try to predict the outright winner of the tournament.

The other important consideration is gambling responsibly and using only a small portion of your available betting account on any single bet. We introduce more about responsible gambling below.

For more betting tips and tricks, check out our guide on how to bet on cricket or our general sports betting guide over on our sports blog .

Bet Bonuses & Responsible Gambling Online

Whether you’re a Stake.com VIP member or not, numerous offers can add more value to your bets and boost your bankroll. To keep an eye out for what we have in store for the T20 World Cup 2026, check out our promotions page . Betting responsibly means taking time to consider whether you are still in control. If you believe your betting is at risk of becoming problematic, read through our guide to safer gambling .