Bookies bet on cup for India and Yuvraj

The betting syndicate has tipped Yuvraj Singh, not Sachin Tendulkar, to take home the Man of the Tournament trophy in a final that bookies say will see India lifting the cup after beating Sri Lanka.

Bookies bet on cup for India and Yuvraj

The betting syndicate has tipped Yuvraj Singh, not Sachin Tendulkar, to take home the Man of the Tournament trophy in a final that bookies say will see India lifting the cup after beating Sri Lanka.u00a0

On Saturday, a top Mumbai bookie told SMD about a meeting between Delhi and Mumbai's top bookies at an Irani hotel in Delhi. According to the bookie, the odds for India winning the World Cup are 70 paisa (for a rupee's bet) as against Sri Lanka Rs 1.25. The chance of the two teams reaching the final is getting a rate of Rs 3. (The lower the odds, the higher are the perceived chances of a team winning.)

According to bookies, Yuvraj Singh is most likely to emerge as the man of the tournament. Singh is getting a rate of Rs 3 and Shahid Afridi, a rate of Rs 4. Sachin Tendulkar is third most likely to win the honour, with his rate at Rs 4.5. Lasith Malinga from Sri Lanka is getting a rate of Rs 6 and his captain Kumar Sangkkara, a rate of Rs 7.5.

Bookies have hired rooms in Mumbai and Delhi five-star hotels and will use laptops to work out of coffee shops and Irani hotels. According to them, more than Rs 25,000 crore will be bet on the final match.

For Wednesday's semi-final match between India and Pakistan, bookies will be opening their rate only on Sunday. A source claimed that India's rate is 60 paisa, as against Pakistan's Rs 1.50.

No favourites in Pak vs Lanka
If Pakistan beats India and faces Sri Lanka in the finals, neither team seems to be a favourite. "If Pakistan and Lanka play the final then the rate of both teams will be equal at 95 paisa," said a bookie. "There is a 99 per cent chance that India will play Sri Lanka at the final," he said.