Sports Cricket World Cup semi-final: India are bookies favourite

Mumbai, March 29, 2011 (PPI): For the bookies, India is clearly the strong favourites for the crucial cricket semi-final tie between hosts India and arch-rivals Pakistan in the ICC World Cup (WC) to be played in Mohali on March 30.

If some of the punters are to be believed, a whopping Rs 20,000 crore is at stake in the satta (illegal betting) market in India for the pulsating tie. India is placed at 60 paisa, while Pakistan is at Rs1.50.

The odds are subject to change with each delivery bowled on the crucial day and other developments leading to the match.

The odds for the first semi-final between Sri Lanka and New Zealand stand at Rs0.35 for the favourites and Rs2.50 for Kiwis.

“It is for the first time that so much money is involved in the satta market for just one match,” a leading Mumbai-based bookie said.

The overall quantum of money involved in the illegal betting turnover in 2011 WC is about Rs 35,000 crore, as against Rs5,000 crore during the championship’s last edition, he said.

The odds, as of now, for winning the Cup are India Rs1.50, Sri Lanka 2.50, Pakistan 4-1 and New Zealand 8-1, according to bookies. About Rs 35,000 crore has come in favour of India, while Sri Lanka stand at Rs 10,000 crore.