If there is one feature of an IPL T-20 match that bookmakers simply love, it's the mid-innings, strategic time-out sessions that interrupt the play.

Strategic time-out benefits bookies

If there is one feature of an IPL T-20 match that bookmakers simply love, it's the mid-innings, strategic time-out sessions that interrupt the play.

The reason is not difficult to understand. The four two-and-half-minute breaks give the bookies a crucial breather not only to tally their accounts and balance books, but also to run a check that all their clients' betting is within the credit limits extended to them individually.

"In a fast-paced match like the T-20, our phones never stop ringing," said a prominent city bookmaker on the condition of anonymity, "bets are flying in with every ball and every run, and there is no time to take stock of the situation."

It should be noted that the bookies need to periodically monitor their profit/loss account to ensure they aren't going overboard with their payout liabilities; they also need to ensure that no client has bet recklessly beyond the limit set for him, a situation which could result in possible default.

"Almost all bookies now use computers and special software to log in bets, but we still need some quiet time to view the book status when no new bets are coming in," said another bookmaker, "the time-out gives us this vitally-needed break."

Interestingly, the way time-out breaks are designed ufffd between the sixth and eighth overs for the fielding side, and between the 11th and 16th over for the batting side ufffd makes it just perfect for bookmaking operations as they roughly divide an innings in three even intervals from the betting-flow point of view. With the breaks coming at convenient times, the bookies have every reason to thank the IPL.

The time-out feature was introduced in 2009, and quickly came in for criticism from prominent cricket experts who felt the break hampered the players' concentration and a team's momentum. Strangely, the practice was not discontinued this year. Instead, it was 'reviewed', and the time per side was reduced to five minutes from the seven-and-half-minutes.