Looks like Gujaratis are more interested in cricket than politics. Clashing dates of polls and Indian Premier League (IPL) matches has somewhat queered the pitch for bookies.
Usually, during elections there is heavy betting on parties and candidates. But, this time bookies are finding punters keener to risk their money on cricketers.
While the first round of polling on Thursday hardly sparked any interest among satta players, the first IPL match scheduled for Saturday has triggered quite a number of inquiries and booking of bets.
Gujarati punters would rather bet on Sachin Tendulkar and Mahendra Singh Dhoni than Sonia Gandhi or LK Advani.
According to a bookie, of the 200 bets placed on Thursday only 15 per cent were on the ongoing elections. "So far, only Rs 200 crore from Gujarat has been placed by punters on elections while Rs 1,200 crore is the IPL figure," he says.
Apparently, bets in Gujarat are only on individual candidates, their victory margins and whether they will lose their deposit. Or, number of seats each party will bag in the state. Only 10 per cent of bets are on who will be the next prime minister.
Another point of interest among punters is how many seats NDA will get in the state where Chief Minister Narendra Modi has campaigned.
Another bookie reveals that of the 50-odd calls he receives in a day, only five to seven inquire about election rates. There has been a decline in enthusiasm for polls in recent years. This year, the lack of issues has also contributed to the lukewarm response.
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