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Session Betting & Fancy Markets in Cricket, Explained

If match odds ask "who wins?", session and fancy markets ask "how many runs?". Here is a plain-English guide to how these popular cricket markets work on 99exch — and how to read them without getting swept up in the pace.

30 Jul 2026•7 min read•99exch Team

Once you are comfortable with backing and laying on 99exch (the brand is also written as 99exchange), the next thing that catches most cricket fans' eye is a whole column of markets that have nothing to do with who wins the match. These are the session and fancy markets — bets on how many runs are scored in a slice of the innings rather than on the final result.

They are hugely popular for Indian cricket, especially during T20 and IPL games, because they keep every over interesting even when the match result already looks settled. But they also move faster than almost any other market, so it pays to understand the mechanics before you place a single bet. Nothing here is a prediction of profit — cricket is unpredictable and every bet carries risk — but a clear head about how the numbers work will help you make calmer decisions.

What is a session bet?

A session bet is a market on the number of runs scored in a defined block of the innings. Common examples include the runs in the first six overs (the powerplay), the runs at the fall of a certain wicket, or the total a team reaches by a set over. Instead of picking a winner, you are judging whether the actual runs will finish higher or lower than the figure the market is quoting.

The market shows you a number — say the quote for "runs in the first 6 overs" is sitting around a certain figure. You do not bet that the figure is exactly right; you bet on which side of it the real total will land. That is the whole idea in one sentence: higher or lower than the quote.

Fancy markets: the wider family

You will often see the words session and fancy used together, and there is a lot of overlap. In everyday use, fancy is the broader label for run-line and event markets, while session usually refers specifically to runs across a block of overs. Fancy markets can include things like:

  • A single batter's total runs in the innings.
  • A partnership total between two batters.
  • Runs in the powerplay or a nominated set of overs.
  • The total number of boundaries or other in-game events, where offered.

What ties them together is the format: each one is quoted as a number you either buy above or sell below. Get familiar with that pattern and every fancy market on the screen suddenly reads the same way.

Buy vs sell: the core decision

Session and fancy markets do not usually use the back/blue and lay/pink colours you met in our back vs lay guide. Instead they use two words:

ActionYou believe…You win when…
Buy (higher)the final figure will be above the quotethe actual runs finish higher than the quote
Sell (lower)the final figure will be below the quotethe actual runs finish lower than the quote

The important twist is that your result is not a simple win-or-lose flip. In most fancy markets your profit or loss scales with the run difference — the further the actual figure lands from the quote, the more the bet is worth to you, in whichever direction you chose. That is very different from a match-odds bet, where you simply collect at the odds you took.

Because the outcome scales with the run difference, a fancy bet can settle for more than you expected in either direction. Always check what one point of run difference is worth on your stake before you confirm, so a surprise over or a sudden collapse does not catch you out.

Why the numbers keep moving

Session and fancy quotes are live, so they change ball by ball. A couple of boundaries in an over pushes the quoted figure up because a bigger total now looks realistic; a wicket or a run of dot balls drags it back down. During the powerplay, when field restrictions encourage big hitting, these markets can swing quickly.

This constant motion is exactly why fancy markets feel exciting — and exactly why they can be a trap for anyone chasing a loss. The number you see is the market's best live guess, not a fixed target, and it will keep re-pricing right up until the session settles.

A worked example (illustrative only)

Imagine the "first 6 overs" market is quoting a figure, and you decide to buy because the pitch is flat and both openers are set. If the team then scores well above that figure, your buy bet settles in profit, and the size of that profit grows with how far above the quote they finished. If wickets fall early and they end below the quote, your buy bet loses, again scaled by the gap.

Flip it around and the logic is the mirror image: a sell wins if the runs come in below the quote and loses if they sail above it. The numbers in this paragraph are illustrations of the mechanics only — real quotes are set live by the market and are never a promise of any particular result.

Reading these markets responsibly

Session and fancy markets reward attention and punish autopilot. A few habits keep them enjoyable:

  • Understand the scaling first. Know what a single run of difference does to your stake before you bet, not after.
  • Start small. Because losses can grow with the run gap, modest stakes are the sensible way to learn the rhythm of these markets.
  • Watch a few settle. Follow two or three sessions without betting to see how the quote drifts through an over.
  • Practise on a demo. You can request a free demo ID and explore fancy markets before committing real funds.
  • Set a budget and honour it. Decide your limit before the toss and stop when you reach it — the fast pace makes this discipline more important, not less.

How session bets differ from match odds

It helps to hold the two side by side. Match odds ask a single yes/no question — will this team win? — and settle once, at the odds you took. Session and fancy markets ask "how many?", re-price on every ball, and settle with a result that scales with the run difference. Neither is better or worse; they simply suit different moods. Many users enjoy a calm match-odds position alongside the occasional small fancy bet when a session looks interesting.

A note on responsible play

Fast markets can make time and money slip away, so treat session and fancy betting with respect. Bet only with money you can afford to lose, never chase a losing session by staking more, and take a break if it stops being fun. Our responsible gaming page has tools and links if you ever need them. This platform is strictly for users aged 18 and above.

Want someone to walk you through a live session market on 99exch? Message our team on WhatsApp and we will explain the buy and sell columns over a real over, or set you up with a 99exch ID when you are ready.

Frequently asked questions

What is session betting in cricket? expand_more
Session betting is a market on how many runs are scored in a defined block of the innings — for example the runs in the first six overs, or a batter's total. Instead of picking a winner, you predict whether the actual figure will be higher or lower than the number the market is quoting.
What is the difference between buy and sell in a fancy market? expand_more
Buy means you think the final figure will be higher than the quoted number, so you take the higher side. Sell means you think it will be lower, so you take the lower side. Your profit or loss usually scales with how far the actual result lands from the quoted figure.
Are session and fancy markets the same thing? expand_more
They overlap. Session usually refers to runs in a block of overs, while fancy is a broader label for run-line and event markets such as a batter's runs, a partnership total, or runs in the powerplay. Both are quoted as a number you buy above or sell below.
Why do the numbers in a session market keep changing? expand_more
Fancy and session markets are live, so the quoted figure moves ball by ball as boundaries, wickets and dot balls change what a realistic total looks like. A quick burst of runs pushes the quote up; a wicket or a tight over pulls it down.
Are session and fancy markets suitable for beginners? expand_more
They move fast and your stake can multiply with the run difference, so beginners should start small and watch a few markets settle before staking real funds. You can request a free demo ID to practise first. This platform is for users aged 18 and above only.

Curious about a live session market?

Chat with the 99exch team on WhatsApp for a guided walkthrough of buy and sell — no pressure, no jargon.

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18+ • Play responsibly

Reading session and fancy markets like a scorer: formats, phases, settlement rules and a pre-bet checklist

The guide above explains what a session market is and how buy and sell work. This section is about the part that comes next: which session formats you will actually meet on a 99exch market screen, how each phase of an innings changes the way a quote behaves, what happens to your bet when an innings ends early or rain intervenes, and how to check exposure before you confirm. It is written for someone who has watched a few sessions settle and now wants to understand the details.

As with everything on this site: 99exch.in is an ID provider and authorised agent for 99exch (99exchange) IDs. We do not set the quotes, we do not settle the markets, and nothing here will tell you which side of a line to take. It will tell you what you are agreeing to when you take it.

The session formats you will meet

Session and fancy markets are grouped by what they measure. Knowing the family a market belongs to tells you how it settles and how quickly it moves.

Market typeWhat is measuredWhen it settlesPace
Overs session (e.g. 6, 10, 15, 20 overs)Team runs at the end of the stated overWhen that over is completed, or the innings ends firstFast; re-quoted every ball
Innings totalTeam's final score in the inningsEnd of the inningsModerate; large moves on wickets
Batter runsAn individual's score in the inningsWhen the batter is dismissed or the innings endsModerate; settles suddenly on dismissal
Partnership runsRuns added by the current pairWhen either batter is out or the innings endsModerate
Fall of wicketTeam score when a stated wicket falls (e.g. 3rd wicket)When that wicket falls, or the innings endsSlower; can stay open a long time
Event counts (boundaries, sixes, wides)Number of a specified event in a defined spanEnd of that spanVaries

Two markets that look similar can settle very differently. A "10 overs" market settles on the team score after ten overs regardless of wickets. A "fall of 3rd wicket" market settles the moment the third wicket falls, whether that is in the fourth over or the nineteenth, and if fewer than three wickets fall in the innings it settles on the final score under most rule sets. Read the market name in full before betting, and if the platform provides a rules link beside it, read that too.

How each phase of an innings moves the quote

The guide above says quotes move with boundaries and wickets. The more useful pattern is how the size of those moves changes through an innings, because it tells you when a market is calm enough to think and when it is not.

  • Powerplay (overs 1 to 6 in a T20). Field restrictions mean big overs are common, and a single wicket changes the outlook sharply. Quotes for short sessions swing by several runs per ball. This is the phase where new users most often over-stake.
  • Middle overs. Scoring settles into a rhythm, spinners often operate, and quotes drift rather than jump. Innings-total markets are at their most readable here, because the market has enough information to price the platform-building phase.
  • Death overs (roughly the last four or five). Runs per over rise, but so does the chance of a wicket. Innings-total quotes become very sensitive to whether a set batter is still in. Expect suspensions on almost every ball.
  • Second innings. The chase adds a second variable: the required rate. A team that needs ten an over behaves differently from one needing six, and innings-total quotes track the target as much as the batting. Fall-of-wicket and batter-runs markets in a chase often settle abruptly when a team either wins or collapses.

A sensible rule of thumb: the faster the quote is moving, the smaller your stake should be, and the more likely it is that the price you see will not be the price you get. During a powerplay, consider watching rather than betting until you have seen how the pitch is playing.

What happens when the innings ends early, or the weather intervenes

This is the part of session betting that produces the most support queries, and it comes down to reading the rules for each market. The patterns below are typical, but the market's own rules text is the authority, and your query, if you have one, goes to the exchange through our support.

  • All out before the session ends. An overs session (say 15 overs) where the team is bowled out in the 13th over usually settles on the all-out score, because the team cannot score more. Some rule sets void the market instead. Check before betting on a session late in an innings when wickets are tumbling.
  • Rain reduces the innings. If the match is shortened after the session has been completed, the completed session stands. If the interruption comes mid-session and the innings is cut short of the stated over, the market is commonly voided, but a DLS-adjusted target can affect second-innings markets. This is where rules differ most between platforms.
  • Batter retires hurt. A batter-runs market typically remains open if the batter may return, and settles on their final score if they do not. A retirement is not a dismissal.
  • Match abandoned. Sessions completed before abandonment usually stand; incomplete ones are usually voided with stakes returned.
  • Super over. Runs in a super over do not count toward innings or session markets for the main match unless a separate super-over market is offered.

The common thread is that a session settles on facts that have already happened and voids when the facts cannot happen. If you are ever unsure, ask before the bet rather than after the settlement.

Checking your exposure before you confirm

The guide above notes that profit or loss can scale with the run difference. Here is how to see the exact figures before the bet is live. Suppose the 10-over session for a team is quoted around 78, and you buy at 78 for a stake that the slip shows as a per-run amount of ₹50. Some platforms show this as a flat stake with a multiplier instead; the slip will make the format clear.

Score after 10 oversDifference from 78Result on a buy at ₹50 per run
70-8Loss of ₹400
75-3Loss of ₹150
780Stake returned
82+4Profit of ₹200
90+12Profit of ₹600

Notice that there is no fixed maximum loss shown in this format unless the platform caps it; a collapse to 60 would mean a loss of ₹900 on the same bet. That is why the exchange displays a worst-case exposure figure on the slip, and why you must read it. On platforms where the session is presented instead as a fixed-odds yes/no bet at a quoted rate, the loss is capped at the stake and the profit is the stake multiplied by the rate; the slip tells you which format you are in. Whichever format applies, the habit is the same: read the maximum loss figure on the slip and compare it with your unit before confirming.

Judging a quote: the questions to ask before buying or selling

The market's quote is the crowd's live estimate. To have an opinion about it that is worth a stake, you need a reason the crowd might be slightly wrong. These are the questions experienced session bettors run through in the seconds before a decision.

  1. What has this pitch done in the same phase in recent games at this venue? A ground where powerplay scores have been low all tournament will keep producing low powerplays more often than not.
  2. Who is bowling the next two overs? The quote prices the batting; a short session can hinge on whether a team's best bowler has overs left.
  3. Is a set batter at the crease, and is a new batter facing? A new batter's first few balls are typically slower scoring, which matters more for short sessions than long ones.
  4. Has the market just overreacted? After a six, quotes sometimes jump more than one ball justifies; after a wicket, they sometimes fall further than the loss of one batter warrants. Both can settle back within an over.
  5. What is the required rate, if this is a chase? A team that must score quickly will take risks, raising both the likely score and the likely wickets.
  6. What is my maximum loss on the slip, and is it within my unit? If not, the answer to every question above is irrelevant.

If you cannot answer at least the first three, watch the session instead of betting it. There will be another one in a few overs.

Recording session bets so you can learn from them

Session bets settle quickly and in volume, which makes them easy to forget and hard to learn from. A ledger line for a fancy bet needs a little more than a match-odds line. Record the market name in full, the quote you took, the side, the per-run stake or fixed stake, the maximum loss shown on the slip, the score at the time you bet, and the final settled figure. Once a week, look at three things:

  • How often the settled figure ended on your side of the quote. Around half the time is what you should expect from an honest market; consistently far below that means you are betting against information the market has and you do not.
  • Whether your losses cluster in a particular phase, most often the powerplay. If they do, stop betting that phase.
  • Whether your maximum loss figures were within your unit. If they crept above it during a session, that session was a chase, whatever the result.

Our blog has a bankroll guide that explains unit sizing; session markets are where it is tested hardest.

18+ only. Session and fancy markets move fast and losses can grow with the run difference. Bet only with money you can afford to lose, keep stakes small, set a stop for the day before the toss, and read our responsible gaming page if you find fast markets hard to walk away from.

Common session-market misunderstandings

AssumptionReality
"The 15-over market voids if the team is all out earlier"Usually it settles on the all-out score; some rule sets void. Read the market rules
"A batter-runs bet is lost when the batter retires hurt"A retirement is not a dismissal; the market normally stays open or settles on the final score
"My loss is limited to what I typed in the stake box"In per-run formats the loss scales with the run gap; the slip shows the maximum. In fixed yes/no formats it is capped at the stake
"The quote is a prediction by the exchange"It is the live balance of buyers and sellers, adjusted every ball
"Bets during a suspension will go through when the market reopens"They are rejected. Re-enter once the market is open and the quote has updated
"Super-over runs count toward the innings total"They do not, unless a specific super-over market is offered
"99exch.in can correct a settlement"Settlement is done by the exchange under its rules. We can raise a query for you but do not decide it

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a 10-over session and a fall-of-wicket market?

A 10-over session settles on the team score after ten overs regardless of wickets. A fall-of-wicket market settles on the team score at the moment the stated wicket falls, whenever that is, and on the final score if that wicket never falls.

What happens to a session bet if the team is all out early?

Most rule sets settle the session on the all-out score, because the team cannot add more runs. Some void it instead. Check the market's rules before betting late in an innings.

Does rain void my session bet?

A session completed before the interruption normally stands. A session cut short mid-way is commonly voided, and second-innings markets can be affected by a revised target. Rules differ between platforms, so read the market's rules text.

Is my loss on a fancy bet limited to my stake?

It depends on the format shown on the bet slip. In per-run formats the result scales with the run difference and the slip shows a maximum exposure figure. In fixed yes/no formats the loss is capped at the stake.

Which phase of the innings is hardest for session betting?

The powerplay, because field restrictions produce big overs and every wicket changes the outlook sharply. Many experienced users watch the first few overs rather than betting them.

Does a retired hurt batter end a batter-runs market?

No. A retirement is not a dismissal. The market normally stays open in case the batter returns and settles on their final score if they do not.

Do super-over runs count in innings-total markets?

No. Super-over runs are outside the main innings. They count only in a separate super-over market if one is offered.

How do I check exposure before confirming a session bet?

Read the maximum loss figure on the bet slip and compare it with your unit. If the slip shows a per-run amount, multiply it by a realistic worst-case run gap to see what a collapse would cost.

Why does the quote sometimes jump more than one ball justifies?

The quote is the live balance of buyers and sellers, and after a six or a wicket the crowd often overreacts for a ball or two before settling. Waiting one over rather than reacting instantly usually gives you a calmer price and a clearer view.

Can 99exch.in change a session settlement I disagree with?

No. 99exch.in is an ID provider and authorised agent. Settlement is carried out by the exchange under its market rules. We can help you find the rules text and raise a query, but the decision rests with the platform.

Session markets reward patience more than speed. Learn the formats, watch how quotes behave in each phase, read the maximum loss on every slip, and keep the ledger honest. If you want to see these markets without money at stake first, the 99exch demo ID page explains how, and the IPL betting ID page covers what changes during the tournament when session markets are busiest.