IPL 2026 Tips, Predictions & Same Game Multi Picks

Expert cricket tips, predictions and best bets for the Indian Premier League.

Welcome to our IPL 2026 tips and predictions hub. The 19th edition of the Indian Premier League is now in its playoff stretch, with the league stage closing out on Monday 18 May and the playoffs running 26-31 May. Royal Challengers Bengaluru entered as defending champions after their maiden 2025 title, but the playoff race has gone right down to the final week. We cover the IPL with regular round-up tips through the league stage and dedicated previews for each of the four playoff matches (Q1, Eliminator, Q2, Final). For a full breakdown of IPL teams, betting markets, and tournament history, see our IPL hub page.

IPL 2026 Season Overview

The 2026 IPL is the 19th edition of the tournament and features the same 10-franchise setup introduced in 2022. The eight-week league stage closes on 18 May and the four playoff matches are crammed into the back end of the month, with the Final on 31 May. The playoff venues for IPL 2026 have been confirmed as Hyderabad (Q1, Eliminator) and Kolkata (Q2, Final).

Event	Date
League Stage	28 March – 18 May 2026
Qualifier 1 (1st v 2nd)	Tuesday 26 May 2026 (Hyderabad)
Eliminator (3rd v 4th)	Wednesday 27 May 2026 (Hyderabad)
Qualifier 2 (Q1 loser v Elim winner)	Friday 29 May 2026 (Kolkata)
Final	Sunday 31 May 2026 (Kolkata)
Broadcast (Australia)	Kayo Sports / Fox Cricket

Most matches are played in the evening Indian time, translating to approximately 8:00pm to midnight AEST for Australian viewers.

IPL 2026 Groups

The 10 franchises are split into two groups of five for the league stage. Each team plays 14 matches before the top two from each group advance to the playoffs.

Group A	Group B
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)	Mumbai Indians (MI)
Chennai Super Kings (CSK)	Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)	Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
Delhi Capitals (DC)	Gujarat Titans (GT)
Punjab Kings (PBKS)	Rajasthan Royals (RR)

Group A features the defending champions RCB alongside perennial contenders CSK, while Group B is headlined by five-time winners Mumbai Indians and 2024 champions KKR. The group format means each team faces their group rivals twice (home and away) and every team from the other group once, creating 14 league-stage matches per side before the top two from each group progress to the playoffs.

IPL 2026 Tips and Predictions

Our experts publish IPL tips throughout the 2026 season, covering match previews, player props, and tournament outrights. This section is updated regularly as the season progresses and form lines become clearer.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru enter the tournament as defending champions after breaking their long-standing title drought in 2025. The squad retains key pieces from that title-winning campaign, and Virat Kohli remains the talisman at the top of the order. RCB will be looking to become the first team to win back-to-back titles since CSK in 2010-2011.

Mumbai Indians are always among the pre-season favourites thanks to their unmatched pedigree of five titles. Jasprit Bumrah continues to be the most impactful fast bowler in T20 cricket, and MI’s auction strategy has consistently delivered balanced squads capable of deep playoff runs.

Chennai Super Kings remain a force with five championships of their own. MS Dhoni’s involvement continues to add a layer of tactical brilliance, while CSK’s ability to identify and develop uncapped Indian talent gives them depth that few can match.

Among the Australian contingent, Pat Cummins brings leadership and pace wherever he plays, Travis Head has established himself as one of the most destructive opening batsmen in T20 cricket, and Mitchell Starc offers raw speed that can turn matches in the powerplay.

As for the tournament winner prediction, the early money suggests Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings as the leading contenders based on squad depth and experience, though RCB’s confidence from their 2025 triumph makes them a genuine threat to go back-to-back.

IPL 2026 Playoff Stretch — How We Cover the Run-In

With the league stage entering its closing days, the playoff race has come down to roughly seven sides scrapping for the four spots. The IPL playoff format is a Page-McIntyre system: Qualifier 1 is 1st v 2nd (winner straight to Final), Eliminator is 3rd v 4th (loser knocked out), and Qualifier 2 sees the Q1 loser face the Eliminator winner for the second Final spot. It’s the toughest path in T20 cricket — finish 1st-2nd and you only need one win from two playoff matches; finish 3rd-4th and you need three on the bounce.

Our coverage approach for the playoff stretch:

• Final-week league round-ups: dedicated tips round-up for each of the closing match days, focusing on must-win games for sides on the bubble.
• Playoff bracket preview: published once the four qualifying sides are locked in (Mon 18 May), covering route-to-the-Final, head-to-head logic and outright value.
• Per-match playoff previews: Q1, Eliminator, Q2 and the Final each get a stand-alone tips article — these are the four matches where market liquidity is highest and where venue/conditions analysis pays off the most.
• Same Game Multi suggestions: baked into every playoff preview alongside the headline pick.

What to look for in IPL playoff matches

• Neutral venue effect: playoffs are at one or two host venues, removing the home-ground edge that league-stage form is built on. Read venue stats over team form.
• Spin v pace match-ups: Hyderabad surfaces tend to favour batters and pace; Kolkata’s Eden Gardens has trended toward spin in recent years. Tailor your over/unders to the deck.
• Big-game players: CSK and MI have historically had the most reliable playoff record in IPL history. RCB shed that “chokers” tag in 2025 and look more comfortable in knockouts now.
• Toss + chasing: in IPL playoffs, the side winning the toss has historically chosen to chase ~70% of the time at the major host venues. Worth pricing into late-window match winner positions.

Where the IPL 2026 outright sits heading into the final week

Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings remain the two biggest playoff names with the deepest squads on paper, and both are tracking inside the top four heading into the closing days. Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s title defence has been more uneven than the 2025 run, but they remain a live outright play given Kohli’s form and the squad’s playoff confidence. Punjab Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad are the value plays at $10+ in the outright market — both have shown enough mid-season to justify a small position if their playoff seeding falls right.

IPL 2026 Same Game Multi Tips

Same game multis are one of the most popular ways to bet on IPL matches in Australia. The T20 format lends itself perfectly to SGMs, with plenty of individual and team markets to combine within a single match. For a full breakdown of how SGMs work and where to place them, see our same game multi guide.

Here are some of the most popular SGM leg types for IPL matches:

• Match winner + top batsman: Combine the result with a specific player to top-score. Backing a team’s star batter to lead the way and their side to win is a logical combination.
• Player runs over/under: Set a runs line for a specific batsman (e.g. Virat Kohli over 29.5 runs). Pairs well with match totals and match winner legs.
• Total sixes in the match: T20 cricket delivers sixes regularly, and you can combine an over/under sixes line with individual player performance props.
• First wicket method: Caught is by far the most common dismissal in T20s, but combining a specific method with other legs can add value.
• Match winner + total runs over/under: A straightforward combo that links the result with the scoring pace of the match.

An example IPL SGM structure might look like: Mumbai Indians to win + Jasprit Bumrah 2+ wickets + total match sixes over 12.5. These kinds of combinations allow you to build a bet around a specific match scenario rather than just picking a winner.

When building IPL SGMs, pay attention to venue conditions. Smaller grounds like Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru tend to produce higher scores and more sixes, while venues like Chepauk in Chennai historically favour spin and lower totals. Tailoring your SGM legs to the venue can add an edge that the market often overlooks.

IPL 2026 Betting Tips by Round

The IPL season unfolds in distinct phases, and your betting approach should adapt accordingly. We publish tips for each phase of the tournament as the season progresses.

Early season (Weeks 1-3): The opening weeks are about identifying which teams have hit the ground running and which are still finding their combinations. Early-season form can be misleading in the IPL, as pitches vary significantly across venues and teams often rotate their overseas players. Look for value in teams that historically start slowly but peak at the right time.

Mid-season (Weeks 4-6): By mid-season, the league table starts to take shape and team form becomes a more reliable indicator. This is the time to identify value plays, particularly on teams fighting for a top-two spot in their group. Player form data becomes more meaningful with a larger sample size, making individual props more predictable.

Late season and playoffs (now → 31 May): The final league-stage matches feature must-win fixtures for the bubble teams alongside live-or-dead rubbers for sides already through. Focus your attention on matches with genuine playoff implications, where motivation is at its highest. For the four playoff matches (26-31 May), experience matters. Franchises with a history of performing under pressure — particularly CSK and MI — tend to deliver when it counts. The neutral playoff venues (Hyderabad and Kolkata) wipe out home-ground advantage too, so reassess any pre-tournament reads built on team-by-team home form before placing playoff bets.

IPL Tips FAQs

Who will win IPL 2026?

The top contenders for IPL 2026 are Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, who bring unmatched experience with five titles each. Royal Challengers Bengaluru are also in the mix as defending champions, riding the momentum of their breakthrough 2025 title. Kolkata Knight Riders, the 2024 champions, cannot be overlooked either. Our tournament winner predictions are updated throughout the season as form lines develop.

What are the best IPL betting markets?

The most popular IPL betting markets include match winner, top batsman, top bowler, and same game multis. For a full breakdown of every available IPL betting market, head to our IPL hub page which covers all market types in detail.

Where can I get IPL tips?

Right here. This page is your home for IPL 2026 tips and predictions, updated throughout the season with match previews, SGM suggestions, and tournament outright analysis. Bookmark this page and check back regularly for the latest picks.

What time are IPL matches in AEST?

Most IPL matches start between 8:00pm and midnight AEST. On double-header days, the first match begins around 4:30pm AEST. This makes the IPL one of the most accessible international cricket tournaments for Australian viewers looking to watch and bet in the evening.

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