What is Platinum Duck? Platinum Duck Explained in 2 minutes

A duck is the expression used when a batsman is bowled out during a game of cricket without having scored any runs.  The ‘duck’ in question echoes the phrase ‘out for a duck’s egg’ and is clearly a reference to the fact that the 0 which would be displayed on the scoreboard is unmistakably in the shape of an egg.

Although most batsmen would be keen to avoid being out for a duck, there are some things which are even worse. These are variations such as a golden duck, which is the name given when a batsman is out form their first ball,  a diamond duck, which is the extremely rare case of a batsman being out without having even faced a delivery and a platinum duck.

Also known as a royal duck, a platinum duck is the phrase used when a batsman is out for the very first ball of the first innings of a match. To learn more about cricket and how to bet it successfully have a look at our cricket betting strategy guide.

How is a Platinum Duck used in Sports Betting?

Betting on a platinum duck is an extremely risky proposition for two very good reasons. The first of these is the fact that the name given to a duck on the first ball of the first innings varies in different parts of the world. Anyone tempted to place a bet on the chances of a batsman being out for a platinum duck should first of all make 100% certain that the bookmaker they are betting with uses it to describe the same phenomenon.

The second factor counting against betting on a platinum duck is probably even more persuasive, and that’s the fact that they are extremely rare and difficult to predict. Those players with a habit of scoring golden ducks, such as Muttiah Muralitharan (14 golden ducks during the course of his career) would almost certainly, as in this case, be bowlers sent out to bat toward the tail end of the batting order. With so much to bet on during a match, such as the number of no balls, the next run out and the final result itself,  betting on a platinum duck is probably not a risk worth taking.

See Also:

Maiden Over

Hat Trick

Pair (Cricket)