It’s a multi-crore game that is being played out in the city these days. And it’s not men in jerseys but professional punters who are manning the field here. With the fifth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 5) underway, these men have padded up to either make a few quick bucks or walk back to the pavilion with a duck on their scoreboards. Sources reveal that as many as 2,500 bookies are on the job across Hyderabad fixing bets to the tune of crores everyday. While Begum Bazaar is the hotbed of this off-the-ground match of moolah, other areas such as Himayathnagar, Basheerbagh, Banjara Hills and Ramkote too have doubled up as nesting zones for these punters, sources say.
The new season, apart from ‘beefier’ bets also has fresh favourites. Move over ‘mana’ Team Hyderabad and Team Chennai bookies are now showcasing the Sehwag-led Team Delhi as possible champions. The side has so far won seven of the nine games played. “The opening rate for Hyderabad to win is Rs 16 (for every rupee invested) as against Delhi’s 80 paise,” said a punter pleading anonymity. Delhi is closely followed by Kolkata and Punjab. But considering that the season is only halfway through (36 of the total 76 matches have been played until now) the equations could well change over the next weeks, the betting `kingpin’ claimed. On his list of ‘clients’ this year are not just businessmen and industrialists but also young professionals and students from wealthy families of Hyderabad.
Punters say it’s the April 12 Chennai-Bangalore match that saw maximum action in the local circuit. The nail-biting finish, thanks to Jadeja-Bravo’s 16-run partnership, was followed by bookies registering some whopping business. Chennai, chasing a total of 205, was 58 runs away from victory at the time of the 24th delivery. “In the last few balls alone people betted a few crores of rupees,” said another punter adding, “That was the biggest dealing of the season so far.” Team Chennai triumphed with four wickets remaining.
But while ball-to-ball bets are common place, it’s the ‘toss and win’ format that’s fast picking up this time around, reveal sources. There is huge betting on city streets for every coin tossed. “The hottest ‘toss’ bet right now is on the local side. It has been predicted that the team will win most of the tosses,” said a bookie. The side has won the toss six of the nine times it took to the field.
The police, however, maintain they have no such information. Tarun Joshi, DCP (central zone), which includes Basheerbagh, said that his department has not been informed of any such activity. “We are unaware of betting here. If we are informed about a certain case, we can raid the area and nab the miscreants,” he said.