An insider's guide to cricket session betting: How to play 6-Over Runs without blowing the balance.

Poll any frequent punter and ask them the one thing that they find most draining on their bank balance when they are betting in an IPL match. It is practically never the winner of the game market. In 9 out of 10 cases it's a session bet.

Sessions have a “let's do it again” kind of factor. There is no need to wait for four hours to get the result. You choose a 6-over powerplay score, 10-over bracket or runs of a batsman and your wager is decided in 20 minutes. Quick action and immediate release of dopamine.

The downside? If you take snapshots then you're sending your bankroll on a one way ticket to the skies. This is how some of the veterans of the market play live season and never end up broke by the second innings.

No more “Yes” by default for Powerplay

The most popular one in the amateur game is getting a powerplay situation and taking the "Yes" (Over) for no other reason than two star openers walked out.

To have a successful cricket match the surface conditions are more important than big names. The powerplay in Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy with its short square boundary is 52 runs. In the red soil that grips and the spinners that open the bowling at Chennai's Chepauk, 44 can be seem like unattainable.

Before taking any early session lines, always take note of how dry the pitch is, how well the outfield is covered by grass and also the head to head situation between the first pair of bowlers and the first two batsmen.

Be aware of the "Panic Double-Down" After Maiden Over.

Let's go over a situation that every punter has been through at least once: You punt for an over of 46 runs. The first over goes for just two runs. Panic kicks in. The market moves to 39 runs and when it becomes clear that it is headed in the opposite direction to what the trader had hoped, they double their money on the lower number to "cover".

If by over 5, they're both getting two miscued edges for 6 and both tickets are losing.

If the over is starting off slowly, don't panic. Do not trade panicky. Every time you change your stake plan to get back a ball you've lost, the market has prevailed.

Why is it important to execute reliably in live sessions?

Live odds will be updated every six balls. Split-second execution is required along with a ledger that falls when the last ball goes over the rope.

There is nothing worse than finding yourself in the situation of winning a 15-over match only to have an unconfirmed local bookmaker pull your winning bet because of ‘odds transmission error. This is the reason that disciplined gamers control their IDs on recognized sites such as Balajibook. Legitimate exchange infrastructure provides real session liquidity, unbiased market rules and UPI payouts as soon as the match is finished with no post-match arguments.

Select Set Your Session Cap BEFORE you toss.

Live matches are a roller coaster of emotions. If you're going to make it through a long season, it is all about bankroll control:

• Do not exceed 2% to 3% of your balance per 6 over session.
• Limit on maximum bets per session of games to three.
• When you lose two in a row, close the app for the night.

Don't bet as if you were playing a lottery, but rather as if you're managing your risk. Be patient, use familiar counters and safeguard your money.