Bookies bet on MI

The finals may see bets of over Rs 3,000 crore

The negative publicity surrounding the third edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL-3) could be a blessing in disguise for the satta bazaar, or the illegal betting market. With Reliance Industries Ltd-owned Mumbai Indians (MI) and India Cements-promoted Chennai Super Kings (CSK) set to clash in the finals of the T-20 league tomorrow, bookies expect to see a turnover of more than Rs 3,000 crore.

“The final is special, partly due to the controversy and partly due to MI reaching the finals. Punters have a special liking for Mukesh Ambani,” said a bookie. “In IPL-3, every match has so far generated a turnover of over Rs 300 crore.”
 

FINAL COUNTDOWN ODDS FOR FINAL IPL MATCH ON SUNDAY
Team
Mumbai Indians	Rs 0.82*
Chennai Super Kings	Rs 1.17
(*Odds will rise if Sachin Tendulkar does not perform)

MI, the punters’ favourite to win the finals, has odds pegged at 82 paise per rupee. CSK, on the other hand, has odds of Rs 1.17 per rupee. Lower the odds, higher the chances of a team winning. Therefore, if CSK wins the finals, which most consider unlikely, gamblers supporting the team will earn more.

Bets are being accepted even from Pakistan and Dubai. The rates would vary as the match progresses and it could reverse if Sachin Tendulkar gets out cheaply, said sources in the grey market.

According to sources, if betting for the finals crosses the Rs 3,000-crore mark, it would be the biggest betting amount in an IPL final. The previous two IPL finals saw betting of over Rs 2,000 crore.

If figures revealed by bookies are anything to go by, this IPL season has generated a turnover of nearly Rs 20,000 crore. There were eight teams and 60 matches.

After bookie Chhote Miya died, others — including Shobhan, Ashok Royal, Virendra Borivalli, Metro, Natraj, Lakshmichand Thana and Jayanti Malad — have taken over and they would be operating from the outskirts of Mumbai. Settlement of bets is expected to be completed by Tuesday. Apart from Mumbai, some of the other major betting centers include Rajasthan, Indore, Gujarat, Delhi and Lucknow.

Sources said there were over 750 small and big bookies, accepting bets for the finals, out of which some 250 were in Mumbai. “All bookies have been advised to use rooming cards so that their calls cannot be traced. Small bookies are accepting a minimum amount of Rs 1,000, while some big bookmakers have set a minimum amount of Rs 5 lakh,” said a Mumbai-based bookie.