Investigations by the Delhi Police Special Cell into the spot-fixing case have revealed that the bookies, apart from trying to influence the outcome of the number of runs in given overs, were getting bets placed on sessions or a span of seven overs in an Indian Premier League match and were trying to control the number of runs to be scored in that period.
If the total in that particular phase of the match is within the score predicted by the bookies, they would pocket huge amounts, said a police source. “For example, if the punters predict that 66 runs are to be scored in the first seven overs, there would be people who put their money in the opposite scenario of the score exceeding 66. By making a bowler give away a certain number of runs, those paying him tend to give punters a semblance of an idea that the score is on course to exceed the predicted figure and thus raise the stakes. The result is more bets and hence more money for the bookies. Depending on the match situations, these projections are periodically revised as well,” said the source.
The police are trying to ascertain whether the final score in some innings had also been fixed or not. Some matches, apart from the three which are being probed, are under the scanner.