Champions Trophy betting: Despite ban, arrests, 'satta market' thrives with $57mn in play - Reports
Sports, India news: Delhi Police’s Crime Branch has already arrested five major bookies during the tournament, uncovering a vast network stretching from India to Dubai
The highly anticipated India-New Zealand clash in Sunday's Champions Trophy final has drawn not just passionate fans to Dubai but also major betting syndicates from around the world. According to Indian media reports, wagers totaling up to $57 million (₹5,000 crore) have been placed on the high-stakes showdown.
The international betting scene has been abuzz, with several bookies, many allegedly linked to the underworld, converging in Dubai. Sources indicate that underworld don Dawood Ibrahim’s notorious gang, ‘D Company,’ is among those involved in betting on major cricket matches.
Also Read: Billions spent for stadium revamp, empty stands: Pakistan’s Champions Trophy disaster
Authorities have been cracking down on these operations. Delhi Police’s Crime Branch has already arrested five major bookies during the tournament, uncovering a vast network stretching from India to Dubai. Two of the accused, Parveen Kochhar and Sanjay Kumar, were caught placing live bets during the India-Australia semi-final. Investigations revealed that Kochhar operated through a betting website, lucky.com, selling betting IDs to punters for a commission.
For offline betting, syndicates used phone calls and manual record-keeping to track wagers. Kochhar had been running his operation from a rented property in Delhi, making a profit of ₹40,000 per match day. His statements suggest that the entire network is controlled from Dubai.
As per law enforcement authorities, Several other key figures in the syndicate have been identified:
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- Chhotu Bansal: A West Delhi resident who developed a betting app in Canada and now operates from Dubai.
- Vinay: A Delhi native from Moti Nagar, providing betting insights directly from cricket grounds.
- Bobby, Golu, Nitin Jain, and Jitu: Based in Delhi, involved in facilitating bets.
Among those arrested in Delhi are Manish Sahani, Yogesh Kukeja, and Suraj, all linked to Dubai. Police recovered ₹2.2 million in cash from them. Sahani, the main operator, managed betting transactions directly, without middlemen, according to reports.
Interrogations have also revealed additional names connected to the betting syndicate, including Mannu Matka, Akshay Gehlot, Nishu, Rinku, and Aman Rajput. These individuals are said to have developed the ‘Satta’ betting app outside India.
With authorities tightening their grip, the shadowy world of illegal cricket betting continues to face scrutiny even as the ICC Champions Trophy final approaches.
Bookies favourite
India, having dominated the tournament with an unbeaten record and a semi-final victory over Australia, enters the final as the favorite. New Zealand, which lost to India in the group stage, secured its place in the title match with a dominating win over South Africa in Lahore.
Seeing the unbeaten run of the India team in the tournament, it comes as no surprise that India is the hot favourite for the bookies to place their bets on.
(With inputs from agencies)
