PESHAWAR, May 10: The general elections has overshadowed Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament in the local bookmaking market as an increase was registered in betting on candidates and political parties on Friday, a day before the people go to exercise their franchise.

Dawn has learnt that local bookies, who usually accept and pay off bets on cricket tournaments, including IPL event, have been focusing on the outcome of the May 11 elections, especially winning candidates, winning parties and seats to be secured by political parties.

“The NA-1, Peshawar constituency has replaced Chris Gayle, who is IPL hot favourite, in betting. A few days ago, the people were mostly wagering money on how many sixes he would hit in a match, but they are now betting on who will win this seat,” said a local bookie.

He said earlier, most bettors preferred Haji Ghulam Ahmad Bilour of Awami National Party to Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan, both contesting from the constituency, but after Mr Khan injured himself by falling from a forklift in Lahore on May 7, he was the favourite of more and more bettors.

The bookie said currently, the IPL tournament was in progress and the people had mostly been betting on its matches as during the elections, only the polling day was relevant to them.

He, however, said a rush of people wanting to wager money on the outcome of the elections was seen on Friday.

“As Saturday (May 11) is the most important day, I am expecting more people to turn up before the polling time ends,” he said.

The bookie said the people had been betting on the victory of Imran Khan, Haji Ghulam Bilour, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Asfandyar Wali Khan, Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao and other political leaders contesting elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He added that a large number of his customers had betted on that PTI and JUI-F would win more seats than other parties in the province.

The bookies operate in Saddar and parts of the city.

A resident of nearby Pabbi village said he had betted on different scenarios, including PTI would get more National Assembly seats than MQM, PTI would win more National Assembly seats than JUI-F, and Imran Khan would win from the NA-1, Peshawar constituency.

He declined to accept this kind of betting as gambling, saying he was doing it only for fun and had only put a few thousands rupees at stake.

“The people have mostly been taking interest in the elections, which were held after a gap of five years. As for betting, the Saturday’s elections eclipsed IPL tournament today (Friday),” he said.

Another gambler said there was a relationship of trust between bookies and their customers.

When asked how the betting system operated, he said normally, bookies had acquaintance with his customers and he made entries in a register regarding betting by his customers.

He said no receipt was issued to bettors and that everything about betting was written in that register.

“So much trust has developed between bookies and their clients that even entries of old customers are made over the telephone,” he said.

A bookmaker running a small shop in Saddar area said in the past, certain clients had not paid the outstanding money they had lost to some bookies and therefore, they were blacklisted by all local bookies.

He said betting was a habit and therefore, bettors had to reconcile with bookies by paying the outstanding money and fine imposed on him.