The Ashes Betting Tips
The Ashes Betting Tips
The 2023 Ashes series is officially over. Australia have retained the Ashes by drawing 2-2 in England. However, you can still find the betting tips we created for the 2023 Ashes series below. If you're looking to bet on cricket, check out our sportsbook.
Outright Pre-Series Betting Tips
Outright Tip 1 - Australia to win the series
England are riding on the crest of a wave at present and the way they have approached Test cricket has been transformative.
Stokes' men will never take a backwards step whatever the situation - indeed, they are likely to come even harder at their opponents when under pressure.
And it's hard to argue that England's fearless new approach hasn't worked. They beat South Africa and a high-class India side on home soil last summer and became the first Test side to win three matches in a series in Pakistan over the winter.
However, Australia are a different beast entirely.
There are vulnerabilities in the Aussies' batting, especially in both openers, but their middle-order engine room is exceptional and looked in fine nick in the recent World Test Championship final, while their bowling unit is the best on the planet right now.
England's approach means they pay no heed to reputations but in captain Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc Australia have three phenomenal pace bowlers. Scott Boland offers supreme control and Nathan Lyon is the Aussies' best off-spinner of all time.
It's all well and good flogging Ireland's bowlers to all parts of Lord's as England did this summer, but there is a chance that taking such a gung-ho approach against an attack as skillful and streetwise as Australia's could see them dismissed for a low total on at least one occasion.
Australia haven't won a series in England since 2001 but that could be about to change.
Outright Tip 2 - Travis Head top Australia series runscorer
Steve Smith is a worthy favourite to top the Ashes runs chart given his exceptional record against England and in English conditions.
The former Australia captain warmed up for the series with a century against India in the World Test Championship final at The Oval - an ominous sign for England fans.
Smith wasn't Australia's only centurion in that match, however, with number five Travis Head compiling a first-innings 163 from 174 balls.
Head is a more dynamic batsman than Smith and his high-risk style, which is akin to that of the England batsmen, means he will offer up more chances. But he is becoming more and more at home in the Test arena and scored two centuries in the last Ashes series down under.
Head is 10/1 to be the top runscorer on either side but he is a better bet at 8/1 in the top Australia market.
Outright Tip 3 - Australia to win series 3-2
Draws seem an unlikely scenario in all five Ashes Tests given how England approach the five-day game these days, so it is sensible to expect a result in each match.
The 2019 series ended 2-2 but England were close to winning the only drawn Test at Lord's while Australia were only one wicket away from claiming victory in the sole stalemate of the last Ashes series.
With that in mind, backing the Aussies to secure a 3-2 series win appeals most in the correct series score market.
Ashes First Test Tips
First Test Tip 1 - England to win first Test @ 7/5
Edgbaston confirmed its place in Ashes folklore in 2005 when England defeated the Aussies by just two runs in a second-Test victory which would lay the platform for a first home series win since 1985.
England have hosted Australia there on three subsequent occasions, drawing in a rain-soaked contest in 2009, winning by eight wickets in 2015 and sinking to a 251-run loss in 2019.
Generally, though, this ground has favoured England, who have won seven of their last ten Tests in the West Midlands, including last summer's seven-wicket triumph over India where Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow's unbroken 269-run stand saw England home.
The Stokes-McCullum era has effectively changed the game but England have always been comfortable at Edgbaston and their aggressive approach is perhaps more likely to pay off there than at Lord's or Headingley in the second and third Tests.
The Three Lions will have to be wary of Australia's all-star bowling attack but, at odds of 7/5, they look a touch overpriced to start with a home win for the first time since the 2013 Ashes.
First Test Tip 2 - Joe Root top England first-innings run scorer @ 11/4
Australia's seamers will be hoping to breach England's defences early and while Stokes's team have been throwing caution to the wind, the heat of a first Ashes Test could call for the calm, experienced head of Joe Root.
While fellow middle-order operators Harry Brook and Ollie Pope have been magnificent over the last few months, Root remains the most accomplished batsman at England's disposal and he'll need to have a strong series if England are to regain the urn.
The 32-year-old averages 60.81 from 13 Test innings at Edgbaston and he was rock-solid in New Zealand in February, scoring 309 runs at an average of 106.33. He chipped in with 56 against Ireland at Lord's and could lead the way in the first innings.
First Test Tip 3 - Travis Head over 28.5 first-innings runs @ 10/11
Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith have tormented English bowlers in recent years but Travis Head is up to third in the ICC Test batting rankings and a first-innings run line of 28.5 looks too low.
Head cracked a brutal 163 against India in the Test Championship final. He averages 42.15 against England and scored 35 and 51 in the Aussies' 2019 Edgbaston win.
Undoubtedly a better player now, he can be expected to score at least 29 first-innings runs on a wicket which will probably favour batsmen over the first couple of days.
Ashes Third Test Tips
There are no betting tips available for the second test, please find our third test tips below.
Third Test Tip 1 - Australia Opening Partnership Over 28.5 @ 17/20
Australia openers David Warner and Usman Khawaja had underwhelming Test records in England before the start of this summer but they have coped well with the new ball in the first two Tests.
Despite facing some challenging conditions, the experienced left-handers shared stands of 29, 61, 73 and 63 in the wins at Edgbaston and Lord's and they should be backed to put on at least 29 in the first innings at Headingley.
Khawaja is in great form, scoring three centuries and two fifties in his last four Ashes Tests and Warner looks far more comfortable than he did in the 2019 series when he made just 95 runs in 10 innings.
His only score of note four years ago was a battling 61 in the first innings of the Leeds Test and England may struggle to land an early blow when the Aussies bat in Leeds.
Third Test Tip 2 - Harry Brook Top England Run Scorer @ 4/1
Local heroes Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow will get a warm reception at Headingley and another Yorkshire batter, Harry Brook, should be looking forward to his first Test appearance at his home ground.
Brook has failed to convert some decent starts in the first two games of the series, scoring 32 and 46 at Edgbaston and 50 off 68 balls, the second-highest score of England's first innings, at Lord's.
He had a stunning start to his Test career, racking up 809 runs in his first nine innings against South Africa, Pakistan and New Zealand, and the Yorkshire youngster could make a big impact in familiar surroundings in the third Test.
Third Test Tip 3 - Josh Hazlewood Top Australia Wicket Taker @ 11/4
The 2019 Ashes Test at Headingley is remembered for Stokes's sensational fourth-innings century which dragged England to a one-wicket win but Australia's bowlers had been in the ascendancy for the majority of the match.
The Aussies are missing injured spinner Nathan Lyon and could recall Scott Boland to freshen up their pace attack but they will be reluctant to leave out Josh Hazlewood after his efforts in Leeds on the last Ashes tour.
Hazlewood took 5-30 as England were rolled over for 67 in their first innings in 2019 and picked up another four wickets second time around.
He also ended Stokes's brilliant innings at Lord's on Sunday, finishing with five scalps in the match, and looks a tempting bet to be Australia's top first-innings wicket-taker in the third Test.
Ashes Fourth Test Tips
Fourth Test Tip 1 – England to win the fourth Test @ 5/4
England got over the line for a narrow but well-deserved victory in the third Test at Headingley and they can keep the series alive by ending their 42-year wait for an Ashes victory at Old Trafford.
All three Tests so far could have gone either way and England will feel a lot more confident after getting on the right side of the result at Leeds, where they responded a lot better to pressure situations.
Mark Wood and Chris Woakes made a massive impact and have rightly kept their places in the side while Jimmy Anderson has got the nod over Josh Tongue to replace Ollie Robinson, who is struggling with back spasms.
Tongue's extra pace could be missed but Anderson should be refreshed and has the added advantage of playing at his home ground.
England's batting personnel remains unchanged but Moeen Ali is expected to bat at number three and that would probably encourage Australia's new-ball attack to fancy their chances of making early inroads.
The Baggy Greens have bowled well throughout the series but there are question marks over their batting line up after they failed to pass 300 in both innings at Headingley.
Australia could argue that they have had the worst of the conditions but some of their batters seem to be getting sucked into an overly aggressive style of play and that may help England to chalk up another victory.
Fourth Test Tip 2 – Marnus Labuschagne top Australian runscorer @ 17/4
Steven Smith is a warm 5/2 favourite to top Australia's first innings run scoring but he is not having a great series and may be taking up too much of the market.
The 34-year-old had a decent game at Lord's, where he made a first-innings 110, but four of his six scores have been under 25 and it could make sense to look elsewhere by siding with Marnus Labuschagne at 17/4.
After making a poor start to the series, Labuschagne showed more positive signs at Headingley, making 21 and 33.
He appears to be coming into form and could produce a big score this week.
Fourth Test Tip 3 – Zak Crawley over 25.5 first innings runs @ 10/11
Zak Crawley has tested the patience of the England selectors in recent years but he is showing signs of progress and can make a reasonable score in the first innings at Old Trafford.
England are asking their batters to play with freedom but a solid defensive technique is also required and Crawley is getting nearer to striking the right balance.
He contributed useful knocks of 33 and 44 at Headingley and looks a solid bet to make 26 or more first innings runs in Manchester.
Ashes Fifth Test Tips
Ashes Fifth Test Tip 1 – England to win the fifth Test @ 6/5
England were in the driving seat when the rain came to Manchester, racking up a total of 592 in their first innings after bowling the visitors out for 317.
Australia were 214/5 in their second innings and looked tired at times following their gruelling away trip, which has seen them win the World Test Championship against India before this series.
Pat Cummins and the Aussie seam attack appeared out of ideas throughout much of the fourth Test as England racked up the score and the hosts could take advantage if the same is true at the Oval.
England will want to draw the series and give themselves the moral victory, so they are fancied for success in this final Test to level up the score at two apiece.
Ashes Fifth Test Tip 2 – Joe Root top English runscorer @ 11/4
Joe Root has long been thought of as one of the best batters in world cricket but seemed burdened by the captaincy as England struggled under his tutelage.
Now Stokes has taken the mantle, Root has been able to once again focus on his batting and has flourished again.
The Yorkshireman has played several extravagant shots throughout the series, including the ramp shot that has now become something of a trademark.
The 32-year-old has averaged 53 throughout this series and will want to end on a high, by showing why he is talked about in the same breath as Steve Smith, Virat Kohli and Kane Williamson.
Root is favourite to be top England batter in the series but he is well deserving of that title and can land the odds.
Ashes Fifth Test Tip 3 – Travis Head over 29.5 first innings runs @ 10/11
While the focus has been on some of the other Australian batters, Travis Head has quietly enjoyed an accomplished series despite being peppered with short stuff throughout.
The number five is averaging 40 across the series with three half-centuries and the line for his first innings runs total looks a little low at 29.5.
Take Head to overcome that and show why he may be one of the more underrated players of the series with a knock of at least 30 in the first innings of this Test.
*All Odds were correct at the time of writing.