Mumbai:
It's hardly the sort of door that suggests a gateway into an illicit world. But what appears to be a stockbroker's office offers a glimpse at spot-fixing, known in Mumbai as "fancy sauda."
The current scandal around three no-balls bowled during the last Pakistan vs England Test match at Lord's has hurtled Pakistani players into the centre of a new controversy. The bookie we meet has worked this business for years. "In spot-fixing, we select players and direct them to perform. We fix stuff like which ball is going to be a no ball, how many players will wear goggles, how many times will they take off the bails from wickets, who will bat at what position, who will get injured," he says.
The idea is not to impact the result of a match, but to make millions of rupees from bets placed on these details of play. The bookie tells us that spot-fixing exists in T-20 cricket "and it will get bigger now." Ten percent of all the money put into match-fixing goes into spot-fixing, he explains, "because players and bookies both gain." The teams that indulge in spot-fixing, he alleges, are Pakistan, West Indies and Bangladesh.
"This business is operated from London because online booking is legal there," he says.
Who's placed where for fielding, dropped catches, no balls - the bets involve small amounts, he elaborates, so the risks are lower, encouraging more people to bet, and ensuring higher profits.
Entire transcript - A bookie explains spot-fixing:
NDTV: What is 'spot-fixing?'
Bookie: By 'spot-fixing', we mean selecting a certain player and then asking him to do specific things.
NDTV: What kind of fixing is involved?
Bookie: We fix things like no-balls, how many players will wear goggles, how many times they will take off the bails, what will be the first bowling change.
NDTV: Can you elaborate?
Bookie: We fix things like who will bat at what position, who will get injured. Sometimes we decide in which over the wickets will fall and also when no-balls will be bowled.
NDTV: Does spot-fixing include fixing fielding positions?
Bookie: We call spot-fixing "fancy fixing". That is another name for spot-fixing.
NDTV: Why do you call it fancy fixing?
Bookie: We call it so because there are no deals when the match is on. We decide what is to be done after five overs or after 10 overs. We also decide when no-balls are to be bowled. Sometimes officers and umpires get involved too.
NDTV: Where did this term come from?
Bookie: This is a term that has been in use for a while.
NDTV: But why do you use this word? What is the meaning?
Bookie: We call it fancy fixing because the deals are not made ball to ball. The deals are made keeping in mind what will happen at the end of ten overs, what will happen at the end of fifteen overs, we decide on whether a player will make a century or will he get out?
NDTV: What difference does one or two no balls make in a match?
Bookie: In spot-fixing there is no deal for losing or winning. We decide on things like bowling a no-ball on the fourth and fifth ball of the fourth over. Deals are on things like that. We take bets on those things. There is no connection to winning or losing a game
NDTV: Why is it lucrative for bookies?
Bookie: It is lucrative for bookies because the gains are definite. We know when no-balls are going to be bowled and we put our money on those things. So bookies make a lot of money.
NDTV: So here the punters lose?
Bookie: Yes, here the punters lose
NDTV: Is spot fixing becoming a trend in formats like the T20?
Bookie: This has been on. It will only get bigger now.
NDTV: Which are the matches where spot-fixing is more popular?
Bookie: Mostly teams from Pakistan, West Indies and Bangladesh are involved in spot-fixing.
NDTV: And what is the percentage of matches where spot-fixing occurs?
Bookie: Spot-fixing occurs in almost all matches.
NDTV: What are the gains from spot-fixing?
Bookie: Both the player and the bookie gain from spot-fixing.
NDTV: Where is this operated from?
Bookie: This business is operated from London.
NDTV: Why?
Bookie: Because the online booking happens there. Officially counters are open there.
NDTV: In match-fixing, the deals run into crores... what is the percentage of money that goes into spot-fixing?
Bookie: 10 percent of money spent in match-fixing is spent on spot-fixing.
NDTV: Do you think after this controversy spot-fixing will subside?
Bookie: Betting will go on but fixing might become more difficult.
The current scandal around three no-balls bowled during the last Pakistan vs England Test match at Lord's has hurtled Pakistani players into the centre of a new controversy. The bookie we meet has worked this business for years. "In spot-fixing, we select players and direct them to perform. We fix stuff like which ball is going to be a no ball, how many players will wear goggles, how many times will they take off the bails from wickets, who will bat at what position, who will get injured," he says.
The idea is not to impact the result of a match, but to make millions of rupees from bets placed on these details of play. The bookie tells us that spot-fixing exists in T-20 cricket "and it will get bigger now." Ten percent of all the money put into match-fixing goes into spot-fixing, he explains, "because players and bookies both gain." The teams that indulge in spot-fixing, he alleges, are Pakistan, West Indies and Bangladesh.
"This business is operated from London because online booking is legal there," he says.
Who's placed where for fielding, dropped catches, no balls - the bets involve small amounts, he elaborates, so the risks are lower, encouraging more people to bet, and ensuring higher profits.
Entire transcript - A bookie explains spot-fixing:
NDTV: What is 'spot-fixing?'
Bookie: By 'spot-fixing', we mean selecting a certain player and then asking him to do specific things.
NDTV: What kind of fixing is involved?
Bookie: We fix things like no-balls, how many players will wear goggles, how many times they will take off the bails, what will be the first bowling change.
NDTV: Can you elaborate?
Bookie: We fix things like who will bat at what position, who will get injured. Sometimes we decide in which over the wickets will fall and also when no-balls will be bowled.
NDTV: Does spot-fixing include fixing fielding positions?
Bookie: We call spot-fixing "fancy fixing". That is another name for spot-fixing.
NDTV: Why do you call it fancy fixing?
Bookie: We call it so because there are no deals when the match is on. We decide what is to be done after five overs or after 10 overs. We also decide when no-balls are to be bowled. Sometimes officers and umpires get involved too.
NDTV: Where did this term come from?
Bookie: This is a term that has been in use for a while.
NDTV: But why do you use this word? What is the meaning?
Bookie: We call it fancy fixing because the deals are not made ball to ball. The deals are made keeping in mind what will happen at the end of ten overs, what will happen at the end of fifteen overs, we decide on whether a player will make a century or will he get out?
NDTV: What difference does one or two no balls make in a match?
Bookie: In spot-fixing there is no deal for losing or winning. We decide on things like bowling a no-ball on the fourth and fifth ball of the fourth over. Deals are on things like that. We take bets on those things. There is no connection to winning or losing a game
NDTV: Why is it lucrative for bookies?
Bookie: It is lucrative for bookies because the gains are definite. We know when no-balls are going to be bowled and we put our money on those things. So bookies make a lot of money.
NDTV: So here the punters lose?
Bookie: Yes, here the punters lose
NDTV: Is spot fixing becoming a trend in formats like the T20?
Bookie: This has been on. It will only get bigger now.
NDTV: Which are the matches where spot-fixing is more popular?
Bookie: Mostly teams from Pakistan, West Indies and Bangladesh are involved in spot-fixing.
NDTV: And what is the percentage of matches where spot-fixing occurs?
Bookie: Spot-fixing occurs in almost all matches.
NDTV: What are the gains from spot-fixing?
Bookie: Both the player and the bookie gain from spot-fixing.
NDTV: Where is this operated from?
Bookie: This business is operated from London.
NDTV: Why?
Bookie: Because the online booking happens there. Officially counters are open there.
NDTV: In match-fixing, the deals run into crores... what is the percentage of money that goes into spot-fixing?
Bookie: 10 percent of money spent in match-fixing is spent on spot-fixing.
NDTV: Do you think after this controversy spot-fixing will subside?
Bookie: Betting will go on but fixing might become more difficult.
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