The equivalent of at least US$1.3 billion in underground bets could be at stake during the semi-final today (Wednesday 30th March) of the cricket World Cup between long-standing regional rivals India and Pakistan.
India’s The Economic Times—quoting sources in the unofficial but massive sports bookmaking industry in one of the world’s poorest but most populated and most cricket-obsessed countries—said 6,000 crore could be staked on the one-day match on the Indian side of the border alone. A crore is 10 million Indian rupees, so 6,000 crore is 60 billion rupees.
“The ICC World Cup semi-final between the arch rivals will generate a turnover of Rs 6,000 crore, surpassing the previous best sum of Rs 2,600 crore,” suggested the newspaper, quoting bookmakers.
It added that local bookies calculate their bets by tracking prices in major betting centres including London, Dubai and Sharjah in the Middle East, and South Africa.
