RAWALPINDI: Islamabad United’s victory in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in Dubai on Tuesday brought bad news for Mohammad Akbar who had bet on Quetta Gladiators.

The 29-year-old resident of Dhoke Hassu said he had thought he would make some money and bet on Quetta Gladiators after seeing that their performance was outstanding throughout the PSL.

Better performance by Islamabad United had cost Mohammad his money. “It was just a few thousand rupees, but I really thought the team from Quetta will win,” he said.

Bookies set up temporary offices for PSL betting after police shut down shops they were operating from

A local of Dhoke Ratta Raja Ajmal told Dawn that at the start of the match when Quetta Gladiator’s Ahmed Shahzad and Kumar Sangakkara were playing, the rate for betting on Islamabad United was 70 paisas a bet.

However, when Islamabad United started batting, their rate went down from 70 to 60 paisas a bet then to 30 and finally to 20 paisas a bet.

“In the morning, Quetta Gladiators was the favourite team because of their past performance, but things changed later in the day,” he said.

Tuesday was a busy day for book keepers as many people bet on the PSL game. Though the police shut down the shops in Raja Bazaar where bets are accepted, book keepers set up temporary offices in homes and other venues in densely populated areas and in posh localities.

People in the city bet on everything, from horse racing to cricket matches, politics to international and domestic issues.

Now that they are done with PSL, book keepers are accepting bets on the elections for Rawalpindi Mayor and the election of the Rawalpindi District Council Chairman.

Ali Haider, a book keeper said: “People bet more on political issues and cricket matches and these are the events that excite book keepers as well.”

He explained the way bets are made. “If someone bets Rs100 he will get Rs130 if he wins the bet. Though it is an illegal activity, betting is carried out very honestly and the winner gets his money without any hassle,” he said.

Book keepers usually accept bets from people they know well he said. “Outsiders are not usually invited in case it leads to the police being involved,” he added.

Published in Dawn, February 25th, 2016