5 days ago
IPL 2025 Final: Phalodi Satta Market Bets Big On RCB To Lift Trophy
There is a buzz in the heritage market of Phalodi town, better known for its Satta Bazaar (Betting market). About 150km from Jodhpur, this Rajasthan town looks sleepy on the outside, but is famous for its sharp astute and often accurate predictions on all things that from elections to how the monsoon will pan out to the India's national passion - cricket. And, with the IPL 2025 final seeing a face off between the Royal challengers Bangalore and the Punjab Kings, the Phalodi heritage market has its own take on what the odds are.
RCB appear to be a favourite with the heritage market saying most people are willing to lay their earnings on RCB, in the range of 93 to 95 paise per wager. Conversely, Punjab Kings don't appear to do so well, commanding a higher price for which there are few takers at a wager of 1 rupee to 1 rupee 10 paise.
The Phalodi punters also say the scales can tilt when the toss is done and it depends which team wins the toss and elects to bat. Sentiments change according to the toss and the phalodi punters who have a keen sense of analysis say this match could go either way.
The town of phalodi over the years became famous for laying wagers on elections, monsoons and the fortunes of local and national political leader. They also came under the scrutiny of the police over allegations of gambling. The market association then approached the state government and asked that they be allowed to be called "a heritage marke" rather than a satta bazaar as laying wagers was a hobby here, not a profession.
When the NDTV team visited the heritage market in April 2024, traders at the market said
this hobby of laying wagers is something that is a tradition. Traders from here would migrate to the 'bazaars' of Bombay and work in the markets there alongwith working in the share market. When they returned home to phalodi, they brought back with them a sense of analysis debate and discussion, which became a talking point in the market square and then slowly this passion for laying wagers became a passion and also a side profession
From sweet shops to ration shop owners and even goldsmiths, all traders at the Phalodi satta market are willing to lay a bet. Lakshmi Narayan Vyas, a trader in Phalodi said, "The market is favouring RCB but after the toss lets see what happens as of now the bangalore team seems to be ahead."
As of now, the market square of phalodi is betting on the RCB, but perceptions can alter with the toss and Phalodi may or may not have the last word. And, it's not that they don't get it wrong. Very often the phalodi heritage market misses its mark. Like in the last Lok Sabha elections, when the satta bazaar predicted 20 to 23 seats for the BJP out of 25 in Rajasthan, the BJP got only 14, while the Congress and Allies did suprisingly well with 11 Lok Sabha seats.
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