Bookies make a killing

India’s loss has become bookies’ gain. The betting market has made a killing out of Friday’s results at the World Twenty20. Reliable sources in the market say the bookies have made a profit of at least Rs 500 crore from India’s defeat against the West Indies.

“India were placed at Rs 0.65 as against 10-1 for West Indies,” revealed a Mumbai-based bookie. “We in Mumbai reaped the most from the result while the bookies in Indore and New Delhi have also got good returns,” he said.

India’s defeat is being seen as a bigger upset than Australia’s exit from the championship. The bookies have also made good money from Friday’s other match. They have earned at least Rs 200 crore from Pakistan’s loss to Sri Lanka.

With India’s chance of making the semifinals becoming that much more difficult, South Africa are now the favourites followed by Sri Lanka and New Zealand, according to the bookie. The betting market is confident that India will beat England on Sunday but is sceptical about MS Dhoni’s team’s chances of retaining the title.