Punters exploiting technology to bet big on IPL to dodge police vigilance

HYDERABAD: The Indian Premier League (IPL) has turned out to be a blessing in disguise for betting organisers and punters in the city and suburbs who have been wagering lakhs of rupees on the IPL season.

Even before the announcement of the IPL at Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium (RGICS) in Uppal, organisers not only acquired new SIM cards on the names of other people but also opened bank accounts and linked them with UPI to facilitate cash transactions, according to sources.

For the last two years, the betting organisers have benefited from the city police's decision to allow spectators to bring their mobile phones into the RGICS. There are at least three organisers or punters for every 10 spectators in any stadium in India.

Mobile phones have proved to be a boon to the betting mafia, according to Preetam Singh, a former cricketer who now lives in Dubai and operates an organised betting mafia. He claims that cell phones were being misused and that the betting organisers have taken full advantage of the situation after the police allowed mobile phones to be carried into the RGICS.

Bookies in various cities, including Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi, have accepted bets from overseas betting cartels located in Dubai. They gave punters code numbers with which to place their bets, Preetam Singh revealed.

Betting on IPL matches has never been easier, regardless of one's location or time zone, thanks to the proliferation of online betting platforms and gaming websites. The online cricket betting mafia are using betting apps such as 1xBet , Fairplay, Bet365,  Dafabet  Parimatch, 10CRIC, BC, Game, CBO, DAFABET, Raja Bets, Fair Play, Sat Bet, exclusively for the 16th season of the IPL 2023 series and has been providing clients with a card with their code numbers depending on their deposits with the app cashier, according to reports.

According to a senior police official, bookies at the stadium where the match is being played place bets on everything from the coin toss to how many runs will be scored off each ball, top batsman, top bowler, total wickets, player performance, sixes, fours, run outs, catches, and so on. The betting mafia operated out of air-conditioned apartments on the outskirts of the city.

Beginners typically place single bets, while pros, organizers, and bettors covertly place numerous bets. The organiser will provide you with a slip, code number, and a credit limit based on the money you placed.

"It is very simple to bet on the IPL matches. When you download an all-in-one platform betting app, your local organiser will contact you. You can put your stakes individually or through an organiser; all you need to know is the cricket player's history to win," Radesham Tiwari, retired cricketer, explained.