Sky Exchange Session Markets (Fancy Bets) Explained for Indian Bettors
Session markets — also called fancy bets — are unique to Indian cricket betting and are one of the most exciting features available on Sky Exchange. Unlike match winner or toss markets, session bets let you wager on specific segments of a match: how many runs will be scored in a set of overs, which batsman will score the most, how many sixes a team will hit, and much more.
This guide explains every type of session market available on Sky Exchange, how odds and lines are set, which strategies work best, and how Indian bettors can use fancy bets to find consistent value match after match. Whether you're betting on IPL, T20 Internationals, or ODIs, session markets offer more betting opportunities per game than any other market type — and Sky Exchange offers the widest range of session markets of any platform available to Indian bettors.
What Are Session Markets (Fancy Bets)?
A session market — or fancy bet — is a bet placed on a specific outcome within a defined period of a cricket match, rather than on the overall result. The most common session market is an innings runs line: Sky Exchange sets a number (say, 168 runs), and you decide whether the batting team will score over or under that total in their innings.
What makes session bets unique is their granularity. Instead of waiting for the entire match to settle, you can bet on what happens in a single over, the first six overs, a specific batting partnership, or even the next ball. This creates dozens of micro-markets inside every match — and because these markets require genuine cricket knowledge to trade profitably, the edge available to an informed bettor is significantly higher than in broad match markets.
Sky Exchange offers session markets exclusively for cricket — they are not available on global sportsbooks — making it the go-to platform for any Indian bettor who wants to bet deeper than just "who wins the match."
New to Sky Exchange? Get your Sky Exchange ID in under 2 minutes via WhatsApp and access India's widest range of session and fancy bet markets. Claim your ₹6,000 welcome bonus on your first deposit. Register Now
Types of Session Markets Available on Sky Exchange
Sky Exchange offers a wide range of session and fancy bet markets across all major cricket formats. Here is a breakdown of every market type you will find in the session section of any live match:
| Market | What You're Betting On | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Innings Runs | Total runs scored by a team in their innings | Pre-match + Live |
| Powerplay Runs (Ov 1–6) | Runs scored in the first 6 overs | Live only |
| Over-by-Over Runs | Runs scored in a specific single over | Live only |
| Top Batsman | Which player scores the most runs in the innings | Pre-match + Live |
| Highest Partnership | Highest runs scored by any batting pair | Pre-match + Live |
| Most Sixes | Total sixes hit by one team or in the full match | Pre-match + Live |
| Top Bowler | Which bowler takes the most wickets in the innings | Pre-match + Live |
| Match Winner (Fancy) | Which team wins — priced as a session-style line | Live only |
Each of these markets is available live during the match and updates in real time as the game progresses. You can bet, trade, and exit positions ball-by-ball across every session market listed above.
How Session Market Odds Work on Sky Exchange
Session markets on Sky Exchange use a runs line with back and lay odds, rather than a simple over/under price. Here's how to read them:
You will see a market like: Over 1–6 Runs: 52 | Back 1.95 / Lay 2.05. This means Sky Exchange is quoting the powerplay run total at 52 runs. If you back "over 52" at 1.95, you win if the team scores 53 or more in the powerplay. If you lay "over 52" at 2.05, you win if the team scores 52 or fewer.
The line (52 in this example) moves dynamically during the powerplay as wickets fall, the run rate changes, or weather conditions shift. Sky Exchange's session market engine reprices the line after every delivery, giving sharp bettors constant opportunities to find value as the match situation evolves.
Settlement: All session markets on Sky Exchange settle immediately at the end of the relevant period. Innings runs markets settle at the end of the innings. Over-specific markets settle at the end of that over. Winnings are credited to your Sky Exchange wallet instantly on settlement.
Best Session Market Strategies for Indian Bettors
Profitable session betting requires understanding how pitch, venue, team composition, and match situation affect scoring patterns. Here are the most effective strategies for Sky Exchange session markets:
Bet Overs at Batting-Friendly Venues
Venues like Wankhede (Mumbai), Chinnaswamy (Bangalore), and Holkar (Indore) consistently produce high-scoring innings. When IPL or T20I matches are played at these grounds, the innings runs line is frequently set conservatively by the market — backing 'over' on the total innings runs at these venues offers consistent value, especially when strong batting line-ups are in play.
Target Powerplay Session Markets After Ball 3
The powerplay (overs 1–6) is the most volatile session in T20 cricket. Wait until 3 overs are bowled before placing your powerplay session bet. By over 3, you can accurately project the final powerplay total based on the current run rate, wickets in hand, and the quality of the remaining batters. This eliminates the random uncertainty of the opening deliveries.
Use Top Batsman Markets as Accumulators
The Top Batsman market settles on which player scores the most runs in the innings. This market offers odds in the range of 2.5–6.0 for the favourite, depending on the batting line-up. Combining a Top Batsman bet with a session runs bet on the same player's likely contribution creates a compound position with high upside when a marquee batter is in form.
Lay the Over on Death Bowling Sessions
Death overs (17–20) are where most T20 totals are inflated — but they are also where wickets cluster. When the batting side has lost 4+ wickets by over 15, the death overs session market frequently overestimates the likely total. Laying 'over' on the overs 17–20 session in these scenarios offers consistent value against the tail.
Trade Highest Partnership After Early Wickets
The Highest Partnership market is typically priced before the innings begins. If the top order falls cheaply in the first 4 overs, the highest partnership line drops dramatically — often below what a middle-order partnership can realistically achieve. Backing 'over' on the revised Highest Partnership line after an early collapse is one of the highest-value in-play session trades on Sky Exchange.
Follow Toss and Pitch Reports for Spinner-Friendly Tracks
At venues like Chepauk (Chennai), Eden Gardens (Kolkata), and Arun Jaitley Stadium (Delhi), dry and turning pitches favour spin. On these tracks, total innings runs and powerplay totals are regularly 10–15 runs lower than at flat batting decks. Always factor in pitch reports before placing session bets — the innings runs line often does not fully account for spin-friendly conditions.
Most Sixes Market – A Fan Favourite on Sky Exchange
The Most Sixes market is one of the most popular session bets on Sky Exchange, particularly during IPL matches. Sky Exchange sets a line for the total number of sixes hit in the match (or by one team), and you bet over or under that number.
Venue is the single biggest factor in six markets. Chinnaswamy and Wankhede produce the highest six counts in the IPL — matches at these grounds average 20+ sixes. Chepauk and Eden Gardens, with their slower surfaces, average 12–15 sixes. Always compare the venue's average six count against the Sky Exchange line before placing this market.
The Most Sixes market also interacts with team composition. A team with Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, and Suryakumar Yadav in their batting line-up will produce significantly more sixes than a team relying on technically correct but lower-power batters. Research both batting line-ups before placing the market.
How to Bet on Session Markets on Sky Exchange
Accessing session and fancy bet markets on Sky Exchange is straightforward. Here's how to find and place your first session bet:
- Log in to your Sky Exchange account via the website or your registered WhatsApp ID
- Navigate to Cricket in the main menu and select the live or upcoming match
- Scroll below the match odds panel to find the Session / Fancy Bets section
- Select the market you want — innings runs, powerplay runs, top batsman, most sixes, etc.
- Click the Back (blue) side if you want to bet "over" or "yes", and the Lay (pink) side if you want to bet "under" or "no"
- Enter your stake, review your potential profit and liability, and confirm the bet
- Monitor your position live — session markets settle automatically at the end of the relevant period
Session markets are suspended briefly for each delivery and reopened within seconds, giving you constant opportunities to enter and exit positions throughout the innings. Winnings are credited to your Sky Exchange wallet instantly on settlement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a session market on Sky Exchange?
A session market (also called a fancy bet) is a bet on a specific outcome within a defined period of a cricket match — for example, how many runs will be scored in the powerplay, which batsman will score the most, or how many sixes will be hit. Session markets are unique to Indian cricket betting and are not available on global sportsbooks.
What is the difference between session bets and match odds on Sky Exchange?
Match odds bets settle on the overall result of the match — which team wins. Session bets settle on specific in-match events or totals within a defined period (an over, a powerplay, an innings, or a partnership). Session markets settle much faster than match odds and allow you to bet on micro-events throughout the game.
Are session markets available on all cricket formats on Sky Exchange?
Yes — Sky Exchange offers session markets across IPL, T20 Internationals, ODIs, and Test matches. The range of markets is widest for IPL matches, where you can find 20+ session markets per game. Test matches offer a smaller but highly detailed set of session markets including innings runs, session runs (per session of play), and individual player milestones.
How are session market lines set on Sky Exchange?
Session market lines are set by the Sky Exchange market-making system and update dynamically after every delivery based on the current match situation — run rate, wickets fallen, balls remaining, and pitch conditions. Lines are also influenced by the overall volume of bets being placed on each side of the market.
What is the minimum stake for session markets on Sky Exchange?
The minimum stake for session and fancy bet markets on Sky Exchange is ₹100 for most markets. Some specialist session markets may have a higher minimum — check the bet slip before confirming. There is no upper limit set by Sky Exchange for session markets, though very large positions may require liquidity from other bettors to be fully matched.
How quickly do session market bets settle on Sky Exchange?
Session markets settle automatically and immediately at the end of the relevant period. Powerplay bets settle after over 6. Innings bets settle when the innings ends. Winnings are credited to your Sky Exchange wallet within seconds of settlement — no manual review or delay.