Betting royale: Bookies hope to hit an IPL jackpot

BIG GAME: Bookies say they have put in 10 times more money than any other match series.

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Pune: As the Indian Premier League (IPL) draws to a close, bookies are hoping that Sunday will be the day to hit a jackpot.

Punters have been betting big money through the IPL series, and on the D-day betting rates indicate that the Rajasthan team is all set for the crowning glory. The bets on Rajasthan Royals is 65 paise while Chennai Super Kings stand at Rs 1.35.

Speaking on conditions of anonymity, a bookie in Pune said, “Rajasthan team is in form, new players are in the fray and we know that Shane Warne has also done wonders. While the Chennai team can only bank on Dhoni or Murli to win the game.”

Meanwhile, bookies have been operating with extreme caution. The bets are accepted only online, through certain websites and punters use confidential passwords that are changed after each match.

IPL's first series proved to be a big game for not just the players on field but also for players off field like bookies and punters who have put in money 10 times more than they would have in any other match series. And they claim that they have earned profits like never before.

“For bookies the IPL was very profitable more so because it was in India. We were involved right from the beginning. Bookies also made good money because we knew how Indians perform and so the chances of losing money is minimal,” a bookie explained.

Another reason for the good business, some bookies say, is the fact that IPL series so far, has not been the target of match-fixing allegations, and the reason is young players.

"You cannot get new players to get into such things. You cannot even make an offer to them because they are here to prove themselves and make a good beginning of their careers. Yes, there were older players, too, but the maximum number of matches were won by the newer lot,” a bookie said.

For Sunday's finals, too, all eyes will be on the performance of the young guns. Also, what’s keenly being watched is if Chennai would do a repeat of Saturday and pull off an unexpected win.

(With inputs from Toral Varia)