T20 Vitality Blast Betting
The T20 Blast, currently known as the Vitality Blast due to sponsors, is the highest form of Twenty20 cricket competitions in the English first-class counties. You'll find that the competition goes by many names over the next ten years due to sponsors, but since 2018, the competition has been regularly known as the Vitality Blast.
The competition originated in 2003, when it was solely known as the Twenty20 Cup and after almost 20 years of the competition, you can find the very best Vitality Blast odds and betting markets on Bet UK. From the group stage to finals day, check out our online betting markets, for everything you'll need to place a bet on the competition.
Vitality Blast Structure
Taking place over the course of 40 days, teams will compete through group stages, with the aim of placing top and achieving the knockout rounds. Groups are split into North and South, with teams matching up against each other twice.
If successful in qualifying for the knockouts, the teams will play through the following rounds; Quarter-Finals, Semi-Final and the penultimate final.
For each match that is played throughout the tournament, you can find the latest Vitality Blast odds, including finals day matches.
Vitality Blast Group Stage Betting - North
For many years, when the tournament started, the North section struggled against Southern teams. In the modern day, the Northern section performs slightly better overall, despite the last two winners coming from the Southern conference. The most successful team from the Northern section is Leicestershire Foxes, who have won the competition three times. However, their last victory was in 2011 and they haven't made it beyond the Quarter Finals since that season. Ultimately, the competition is very unpredictable, and unlike in most sports, there hasn't been a consistently dominant team in its history. Typically, there are more teams to avoid than teams to follow. For example, these teams have never won the competition from the North section:
- Derbyshire Falcons
- Durham
- Yorkshire Vikings
Meanwhile, there are also three teams who have won the competition more than once. They are:
- Leicestershire Foxes
- Northamptonshire Steelbacks
- Nottinghamshire Outlaws
However, it is worth noting that Leicestershire hasn't made it beyond the Quarter Finals since 2011. Northamptonshire hasn't made it beyond the Quarter-Finals since 2016, but Nottinghamshire has only failed to make it out of the group twice since 2009.
Vitality Blast Group Stage Betting - South
After the teams in the South of the Vitality T20 Blast were widely successful in the competition's early years, it is clear that the divide between the two groups couldn't be smaller. The last two winners have come from the Southern Conference, so we could see the Southern side of the competition take control in future years. The most successful team from the South section of the competition is Hampshire Hawks, who have won the competition three times, including the 2022 competition. Out of the teams in the Southern section, these teams have never won the competition:
- Glamorgan
- Gloucestershire
What this tells us is that the Southern section has a wider variety of winners than the Northern section. Gloucestershire is the only team out of the two to make the final but lost out in 2007. Similarly, in the Northern section, Durham and Yorkshire had both made the final but lost out.
The teams that have won the competition more than once include:
- Hampshire Hawks
- Kent Spitfires
So, with the Southern section, we have fewer multiple-time winners but more winners in general, showing that the competition is extremely even across the board.
T20 Blast - Areas to note for betting
One of the main elements of the Vitality T20 Blast is the fact that it focuses on raising domestic players, preventing a focus on overseas players, similar to the Big Bash League in Australia. Counties can register up to three overseas players simultaneously, but only two can be fielded in a single-playing XI. So, for outright bets, you may find that the betting odds for bets on overseas players are higher than they are for domestic players such as Joe Root in the group stage. For sections such as the Semi-Finals and finals, it'll be significantly easier to select which players are going to play in these games due to their importance. Meanwhile, when playing other teams in the groups, teams may not need to win and may rest their players, meaning your bets may become void.
Remember, the format is Twenty20, meaning that if you're backing a batsman to score 100+ runs, it's a lot more unlikely in comparison to ODI's and test matches. With this in mind, you'll notice odds are significantly different depending on which format you bet on. This is the same for all Cricket betting, so you should always consider which format you're placing your bet on.
Vitality T20 Blast FAQs
Who won the 2022 Vitality Blast?
The winners of the 2022 competition were Hampshire Hawks, with Nathan Ellis bowling Richard Gleeson with the final bowl of the game or at least, that's what they thought! Umpire Graham Lloyd called a no ball, meaning that Lancashire Lightning needed 3 runs from the final ball of the game. They scored a two, meaning that Hampshire Hawks edged one of the most dramatic finals in sports history, winning by 1 run.
Which teams are in the Northern Section of the Vitality Blast?
Since moving to the two division format, there are nine teams in the Northern Section; they are:
- Birmingham Bears (Warwickshire)
- Derbyshire Falcons
- Durham
- Lancashire Lightning
- Leicestershire Foxes
- Northamptonshire Steelbacks
- Notts Outlaws (Nottinghamshire)
- Worcestershire Rapids
- Yorkshire Vikings
Which teams are in the Southern Section of the Vitality Blast?
Since moving to the two division format, there are nine teams in the Southern Section; they are:
- Essex Eagles
- Glamorgan
- Gloucestershire
- Hampshire Hawks
- Kent Spitfires
- Middlesex
- Somerset
- Surrey
- Sussex Sharks
How many runs do you get for a no-ball in T20 Blast?
If a 'no ball' is bowled, the batting team will receive two runs and a free hit for their next turn. If the batter scores from the no-ball, they will still receive the runs they make from the 'no ball'.
Who are the favourites to win the 2023 Vitality Blast?
There are currently no betting odds for the 2023 Vitality Blast as the teams haven't been confirmed. If you're looking to place a bet on the tournament, we recommend waiting until squad confirmation before placing any bets.
How likely are draws in the Vitality Blast?
Betting on a draw is often regarded as an extremely bad move in T20 cricket. Draws are only common if a match is expected to be impacted by bad weather. Last season there was only one draw in the entire tournament, where bizarrely, Lancashire Lightning and Yorkshire Vikings both scored 183 from 20 overs.
How many games are played in Vitality Blast?
With each team matching up against one another twice in the group stages, they will play a total of fourteen games.
If successful, they will play in the knockout rounds, which include three matches if they progress to the final.
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