Lone bookie turning Khammam into IPL betting hotspot

Many allege that a few government officials, who are in the know, aren’t doing anything to bring the betting ring down.
Image of betting used for representation. (Express Illustration)
Image of betting used for representation. (Express Illustration)

KHAMMAM: As the IPL fever sets in, the erstwhile Khammam district is turning into a hotspot for online cricket betting. Sources say that a bookie stationed in Khammam is running the show in most villages and towns of the district. He has been accepting bets ranging from Rs 1,00,000 to Rs 10,00,000 from businesspersons, employees, middle-class families and students.

Many allege that a few government officials, who are in the know, aren’t doing anything to bring the betting ring down. The bookie in question has been in the betting scene for a while now, said sources.
To bet on the winning team, one must contact the bookie and send money to him via PhonePay or GooglePay. Once they win the bet, the bookie would pay them their share after deducting his own commission.

Speaking to Express, G Rama Rao, a resident of Mustafanagar in Khammam, said that crores of rupees were being spent on IPL betting every year. “Youngsters and businesspersons participate in online betting. Some of them make a lot of money, while others end up losing all their savings,” he said. “It is people from the middle-class and employees who usually do the betting. They want to earn money the easy way,” Rama Rao added.

N Murali, a resident of Khammam town, said: “I have just won the bet once. All the other times, I have lost. It is like magic.” He warned the youth not to get too involved in online betting and appealed to the officials to take stringent action against the organisers.

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