In cricket, a no result is a one-day or T20 match that ends without a winner because rain, bad light or another stoppage left too few overs for a result. The ICC's men's playing conditions from October 2026 require each side to have had the chance to bat 20 overs in an ODI, or 5 in a T20 international (clause 16.1.2). A side bowled out, or a chase won, inside that mark still makes a result.
Minimum overs for a result
| Match | Both sides must have had the chance to face | Short of that |
|---|---|---|
| ODI | 20 overs | No result (ICC ODI clause 16.1.3) |
| T20 international | 5 overs | No result (ICC T20I clause 16.1.3) |
| BBL | 5 overs (Cricket Australia's 2024-25 conditions, clause 16.1.2); other leagues set their own | No result (clause 16.1.3 of the same conditions) |
| Test | No minimum | A match not won or tied is a draw |
Past the minimum, a chase that cannot resume is decided on the par score of the DLS method, so a T20 cut to 7 overs a side can still have a winner.
What happens to bets on a no result
Under the NSW Bookmaker Declared Betting Events Betting Rules for NSW-authorised bookmakers, a one-day match short of 20 completed overs, or a Twenty20 short of 5, voids every bet not decided when it ends (clause 5.2.2.3(a)). Bets already decided stand, and top batter and top bowler bets are void without an official result (clauses 5.2.2.3(b) to (e)).
Example: in an ODI, Team A makes 271 in 50 overs, and Team B is 2/96 after 18.3 overs when rain ends the match as a no result. Every bet was placed before the first ball. Illustrative prices, not a real match.
| Bet | Under the NSW rules | Return |
|---|---|---|
| $50 on Team A at $1.62, head to head | Not decided: refunded | $50.00 |
| $20 on Team B under 24.5 at its fall of first wicket, at $1.85, with the wicket down at 11 | Decided before the rain: wins | $37.00 |
| $10 on a Team A batter for top team batter, at $4.50 | No official result: void | $10.00 |
| $25 on Team B over 250.5 innings runs | Innings cut to a no result: void (clause 5.2.2.3(g)) | $25.00 |
The first-wicket bet stood because it was settled the moment the wicket fell, which is how fall of first wicket markets work. Online bookmakers write their own no result rules, so read yours.
No result vs abandoned vs draw
| Outcome | When it happens | Bets under the NSW rules |
|---|---|---|
| Abandoned without a ball | Play never starts | Every bet on the match void (clause 5.2.2.1(a)) |
| No result | A one-day or T20 match falls short of its minimum overs | Bets not yet decided void (clause 5.2.2.3(a)) |
| Postponed | Not rescheduled within three calendar days of its scheduled finish | Treated as abandoned and refunded (clause 5.1.6) |
| Draw | A Test not won or tied when time runs out | Draw bets win, team bets lose |
So a Test washed out after one ball is a draw, not a no result: the NSW rules void every bet on the match when no ball is bowled (clause 5.2.2.1(a)), and here one was. Abandoned and postponed matches compares these rules across sports, and cricket rain rules goes market by market.
Checking no result rules before you compare prices
No result rules can make two prices on one match different bets. Where a game is on the Terminal's sports board, each bookmaker's head to head, line and total prices sit in a column of their own. Confirm a price with your bookmaker before you rely on it, since the board reads prices on a cycle. A free account opens a limited view of the Terminal with live odds, and cricket betting covers the rest of the cricket card.
Risk: Betting involves risk. Rain can void a bet you were winning, and a refund hands back only the stake. See responsible gambling for limits and support.