What you can learn about betting on the Ashes

The Ashes, the Ashes... they started in unassuming enough fashion back in the late 19th century, originating from a satirical obituary relating to the 'death' of English cricket after Australia's 1882 Test win at The Oval. But the Ashes have since become one of the most prestigious events in the cricketing calendar, a once-every-four-years focal point for those following this most legendary of sporting rivalries.

But what needs to be known about the Ashes by those looking to make money from betting online? England's surprise victory in the most recent series by an innings and 78 runs on the morning of the third day of the Fourth Test certainly indicates that little can be taken for granted about this legendary coming-together of two of world cricket's titans, so here are some of our favourite things to learn.

Sometimes, even losing your best player isn't terminal

With Australia already favourites in the run-up to this year's Ashes series, few observers gave England much of a chance after the sacking of star man Kevin Pietersen. However, England ended up doing just fine without the South African-born batsman, with Joe Root, Alastair Cook and Moeen Ali all racking up the runs en route to victory.

New-coach bounce is a 'thing'

Another man who was the subject of much chatter and doubt as the 2015 Ashes loomed was new England head coach Trevor Bayliss. Notwithstanding his potentially controversial Australian nationality, many observers simply felt that he had been appointed too late to make any great impact on a flattering-to-deceive England team. It's fair to say that such low expectations were just about exceeded.

You need to keep an eye on the finest details

Particularly for those looking to make money online via in-play betting, it is vital to keep track of the ebb and flow of the match, and consider every factor. Who's in form, and who's out of form? What condition is the pitch in, and which team will that most favour? How is the ball behaving, and how are the players reacting? These elements can all make a big difference to your betting decisions.

Even the most brilliant sides can lose

Although the Australian side that faced England in the most recent Ashes wasn't quite on a par with the fabled sides featuring Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and the Waugh brothers, man-for-man, it still theoretically had the measure of any team in world cricket, thanks to such formidable talents as Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle and Chris Rogers.

Their loss against a far-from-vintage England squad really does suggest that nothing can be taken for granted by those making Ashes-related matched bets.