Open any live cricket match on R9EXCH and you'll see the same game priced three different ways. Match Odds shows something like 1.47 and 2.12. The Bookmaker market shows rates like 45 and 110. The Normal tab is full of run lines. Same match, same moment, three sets of numbers.
Most people pick whichever tab they opened first and stick with it. That's leaving value on the table. This post compares the three side by side, shows you how to convert between them, and gives you a clear rule of thumb for when each one is the better tool.
The three cricket markets at a glance
Before the detail, here's the comparison in one place.
| Feature | Match Odds | Bookmaker | Normal (session) |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you bet on | Match result | Match result | Run, wicket and player lines |
| Price format | Decimal odds, e.g. 1.47 | Rate per ₹100, e.g. 45 | Yes/No line with a rate |
| Who sets the price | Other users, matched peer to peer | Managed by the market operator | Managed line, moves ball by ball |
| Lay against other users? | Yes | No, prices are managed | No, you pick Yes or No |
| Price movement | Constant, can be jumpy | Smoother, steps in rates | Moves every delivery |
| Suspensions | Brief, around big moments | Often around key moments | Around most deliveries and wickets |
Match Odds: the pure exchange price
Where the price comes from
Match Odds is a straight exchange market. Every price is an offer from another user, waiting to be matched. You can back or lay, and the odds are decimal, so profit on a back is stake × (odds − 1). If that's unfamiliar, Back and Lay Betting Explained: Liability, Odds and Trading Out covers it in full.
When it's the better choice
Match Odds wins when you want flexibility. You can lay, you can trade out mid-match and, in a busy IPL game, the spread between back and lay is usually tight. The downside is that prices can be jumpy in thinner matches, a domestic one-dayer say, and you may only get part of your stake matched at the price you wanted.
How to read the Bookmaker market (and convert a rate)
The Bookmaker market shows rates rather than decimal odds. A rate of 45 means you win ₹45 for every ₹100 staked. To convert, divide by 100 and add 1: a rate of 45 is roughly decimal 1.45. A rate of 110 is roughly 2.10.
Let's compare like for like. Say the home side is 1.47 on Match Odds and 45 on the Bookmaker market, and you want to stake ₹5,000.
- Match Odds at 1.47: profit ₹5,000 × 0.47 = ₹2,350 before any commission.
- Bookmaker at 45: profit ₹5,000 × 0.45 = ₹2,250.
A ₹100 difference on one bet, on the same R9EXCH screen. Across a season, those small gaps add up, so always do the conversion before you assume one tab is better. Sometimes the Bookmaker market will be the better price; the point is to check, not to guess.
Normal markets: lines, not results
The R9EXCH Normal tab is a different animal. You aren't betting on who wins; you're betting on whether a number lands above or below a line, such as runs at the end of an over or a batter's score. The payout is fixed by the rate, not by how far the line is beaten. Our full breakdown is in Fancy and Session Bets in Cricket: How Normal Markets Work.
Why use it? Because sometimes your read is about the innings rather than the result. You might think a pitch at Eden Gardens is quicker than the first few overs suggest, without having any strong view on the winner. A run line expresses that view far more directly than Match Odds ever could.
Which market should you use, and when?
Before the toss
Match Odds is usually the most efficient pre-match market, and the only one where you can lay. If you have a view on the result, it's the natural starting point on R9EXCH.
During a steady phase of play
Compare Match Odds with the Bookmaker rate. If the Bookmaker price is equal or better after conversion, its steadier movement can be easier to work with.
When your view is about runs, not results
Go to Normal. Don't force an innings opinion into a result market, because too many other things (the second innings, the toss, the weather) get in the way.
Mistakes people make when choosing a market
- Comparing a Bookmaker rate of 45 with decimal odds of 1.45 and thinking 45 is "bigger".
- Trying to bet during a suspension and blaming the site when the price changes.
- Using Normal lines to bet on the result by proxy, which adds risk without adding insight.
- Spreading one opinion across all three tabs and tripling exposure without noticing.
That last one is the sneakiest. Your R9EXCH exposure figure shows the total across markets, so check it before adding another bet on the same match.
The short version
- Match Odds is peer-to-peer, decimal and lets you lay or trade out.
- Bookmaker rates convert to decimal by dividing by 100 and adding 1.
- Normal markets price runs and wickets, with fixed payouts set by the rate.
- Pick the market that matches the shape of your opinion, then compare prices.
Frequently asked questions
What does a rate of 45 mean in the Bookmaker market?
It means you win ₹45 for every ₹100 you stake if your selection wins, with the stake returned on top. In decimal odds that's roughly 1.45. To compare with Match Odds, divide the rate by 100 and add 1. A rate of 110 is about 2.10, and a rate of 80 is about 1.80.
Why is the Bookmaker market suspended so often?
Because it's a managed market, the price needs resetting when something big happens, such as a wicket, a review or a run of boundaries. Suspending briefly stops bets being placed at a price that's already out of date. Match Odds suspends too, but as a peer-to-peer market it generally reopens and reprices faster.
Can I bet on the same match in all three markets?
Yes. On R9EXCH each market is separate, and your exposure across all of them is added up for the match. That's useful if you're deliberately combining a result view with a session view, but it also makes it easy to over-commit. Check the total exposure before you add another position on the same game.
Sharpen your market choice
The best way to learn the differences is to watch all three tabs side by side during a live match and note how each one reacts to a wicket. Pick a game from the tournaments page and keep a notebook handy.
If you're still settling the basics, Back and Lay Betting Explained: Liability, Odds and Trading Out covers Match Odds maths, and Bankroll Management for Bettors: Staking Rules That Hold Up shows how to size stakes whichever market you use.