Punters get active for IPL-IV; Rs.12,000 crore at stake

With the six-week long IPL tournament starting Friday, reliable sources say that bookies have again got busy, thanks partly to the funds generated by the just-ended World Cup.
A whopping Rs.12,000 crore is at stake on the different matches that will be played as well as on the eventual victor, the sources said.

The underground betting syndicates are aggressively investing for the IPL's 10 teams that will play a total of 74 matches during the fourth edition of the Twenty20 League, the sources told IANS.

The rates for the IPL-IV champion, according to the sources, are as follows:

* Mumbai Indians top the heap as the favourite at Rs.5, followed by Royal Challengers Bangalore at Rs.6.50.

* The third slot on the list is jointly occupied by Chennai Super Kings and Kolkatta Knight Riders at Rs.7.

* The new team, Sahara Pune Warriors comes a surprising fifth at Rs.9, followed by Deccan Chargers at Rs. 11.50.

* Following them are Delhi Daredevils at Rs.12.50 and Kochi Tuskers, the other new team, at Rs.13.

* The bottom rung is occupied by King XI Punjab at Rs.16 and Rajasthan Royals at Rs.19.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that in the recently-concluded ICC World Cup-2011, the final betting figures which stood at Rs.50,000 crore April 1, were in the range of around Rs.52,000 crore April 2, the day the epoch-making match was played.