The DLS method is the ICC's system for setting a revised target for the side batting second, or naming a winner, when rain or bad light cuts the overs in a one-day or T20 match. It treats overs left and wickets in hand as run-scoring resources, and the target follows the share each side had, always as a whole number.
DLS stands for Duckworth-Lewis-Stern: Frank Duckworth and Tony Lewis devised it, and the ICC uses its Stern Edition. Tests never use it, as cricket betting explains.
How DLS works: overs and wickets as resources
Ten wickets in hand let a side attack harder than six down, so wickets count as well as overs. The ICC's Standard Edition table, its fallback when the DLS software is unavailable, gives each combination as a share of a full 50-over innings:
| Overs left | Wickets lost | Resources left |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | 0 | 56.6% |
| 10 | 0 | 32.1% |
| 10 | 5 | 26.1% |
| 4 | 1 | 13.8% |
With less resource than the first side, target = first-innings score x (its resources / the first side's resources) + 1, rounded down. The par score, used when a chase cannot finish, is that sum without the extra run.
A worked DLS target in a T20 match
Example: Team A makes 150 in 20 overs. Rain cuts Team B's chase to 10 overs before it starts, then ends play with Team B on 1/52 after 6 overs. Illustrative scores on the Standard Edition table; the ICC's DLS software sets real targets.
| Step | Working | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Team A's resources | 20 overs left, none lost | 56.6% |
| Team B's resources | 10 overs left, none lost | 32.1% |
| DLS target | 150 x 32.1 / 56.6 + 1 = 86.07, rounded down | 86 |
| Plain run-rate target | 150 x 10 / 20 + 1 | 76 |
| Resources Team B used | 32.1 - 13.8 (4 overs left, 1 lost, when play ended) | 18.3% |
| Par score | 150 x 18.3 / 56.6 = 48.50, rounded down | 48 |
| Result | 52 against a par of 48 | Team B wins by 4 runs |
The target sits 10 runs above the run-rate figure because 10 overs with every wicket in hand are worth 32.1 / 56.6 = 56.7% of a 20-over innings, not 50%.
Why a DLS result decides match bets
A DLS result is the official result, so a head to head settles on it. Under the NSW Bookmaker Declared Betting Events Betting Rules, which cover NSW-authorised bookmakers, a shortened match keeps its declared result once 20 overs are completed in a one-day match, or 5 in a Twenty20 (clause 5.2.2.3(a)).
So an illustrative $30 on Team B at $2.30, placed before the first ball, returns 30 x 2.30 = $69, and $30 on Team A loses. Had rain come before Team B faced 5 overs, the match would be a no result and undecided bets refunded; cricket rain rules covers runs and player markets.
Where to find the official DLS table and calculator
Appendix A of the ICC's men's ODI and T20I playing conditions, effective October 2026, says the details of DLS "are set out on the ICC website", and clause 16.4 applies it. The ICC's Duckworth Lewis Stern page lists the methodology, the Standard Edition table, a FAQ and the calculator. T20 cricket betting covers what else a cut T20 changes.
Lining up head to head prices for a rain-threatened match
Check the bookmakers' minimum-overs rules first: where they differ, one shortened match can settle one bet and void another. Where a match is on the Terminal's sports board, each bookmaker pricing it has its own column. Prices are read on a repeating cycle, so confirm the price in your bookmaker account before you bet. A free account opens a limited view of the Terminal with live odds.
Risk: Betting involves risk. A revised target can turn a strong position into a loss, and a better price does not change that. See responsible gambling for limits and support.