WC 2015: Facebook, WhatsApp are bookies’ best bet

Hyderabad: Cricket bookies have now taken to online booking. Organisers advertise themselves through secret Whats-App and Facebook groups to attract students and businessmen.

According to police, teams bookies keep swords and firearms in their dens to deal with punters who create trouble. Cyberabad police said the rackets use websites like Betfair.com and they play on behalf of the punters for a commission.

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“They get up to five per cent for each bet from punters. They talk to the punters over phone and record their conversation in order to avoid any dispute as the game progresses,” said Mr B. Pushpan Kumar, SOT inspector.

Cops say the rackets are migrating online as more betting options are available.

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In several colleges students have secret Whatsapp groups to get information about organisers. “There are also temporary closed FB groups which students can join in order to track the betting,” a student said.

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He is interested in investing money," said a 2nd year BTech student from a well known engineering college on the outskirts. There are several old offenders who are seasonal betting organisers in the city hiding from the cops. "We had made an attempt to track down the old bookies in Hyderabad. However, most of them have shifted their residences," said an official from the Commissioner's Task Force Hyderabad. These old offenders are also adopting new technology to make their activities covert.

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SOT additional DCP E. Ramachandra Reddy said that many college students who are active punters have even stolen money from their parents in order to invest in betting. He said that if parents give information police is ready to take action against these punters.

Police officials said there are several online betting sites anybody can access which organised bookies are using to make their fortune. Cops are helpless since only the government can ban these websites.