Bored with cricket, bookies turn to Anna

Odds favour Annau00a0completing his 15-day fast; punters say they can't ignore 'nation's talking point'While Anna Hazare and his team have been happy with the global attention their protest has garnered as it helps highlight their cause, they will probably not be too amused to learn that their protest is now the centre of attention for bookies too.Un-Gandhian: We suspect Anna Hazare, seen in this picture at the Ramlila Grounds yesterday, would not be too happy about the bookies' ove. Pic /AFPFor, with the India-England test series throwing up no surprises, bookies were looking to make a killing from the next big thing and Anna's protest, they say, has given them an opportunity to do just that. So, starting with the Gandhian's arrest on August 16, bookies started accepting wagers on how long Anna will continue his fast. Those betting on him fasting for the entire 15-day period as sanctioned by the Delhi Police stand to gain 70 paise for every rupee and the stakes go up with differing number of days (see table).Established bookies say bets worth Rs 50 crore have already been placed and the value of bets may go up to a whopping Rs 200 crore or more as Anna's fast progresses.u00a0The nation's talking point has always been a major source of income for the Indian bookie. So, how can Anna's protest, which has shaken the entire nation and received global attention, be left untouched, especially when we got no returns from India's England tour, said a bookie from north Mumbai.Current betting rates are 70 paise for a 15-day fast by Anna Hazare, Rs 3 for a six-day fast and Rs 1.50 for a 9-day fast. The betting may go up to Rs 200 crore, he added. Bookies from the city said that Delhi and Jaipur are the main hubs for the betting as punters in Mumbai are lying low after the arrest of builder and alleged betting kingpin Vinod Asrani in the murder case of senior MiD DAY journalist J Dey. Many bookies from the city have left for these places to cash-in on the craze.With the nationwide publicity and the kind of support Anna has gathered, there is a strong possibility that the protest will continue for another 15 days. This is our way of showing solidarity with Anna and his cause, said another bookie.Reactionsu00a0 While India Against Corruption member B K Pathak sought to make light of the issue by saying Hamare 'aana' ki kimat croro mein ho gayi (Our 'aana' is worth crores now), lawyer-turned-activist YP Singh was much more caustic in his reaction.u00a0Bookies have sold their soul. They can't differentiate between Dawood Ibrahim and Anna Hazare. All they care about is their profit,u00a0said Singh.VoicesIt is outrageous that the bookies are looking to make money out of such a noble cause. They should donate all their earnings to India Against Corruption or a trust run by Anna Hazare so that it benefits the nation by helping Anna's endeavourSangita Lohat, student The bookies are doing nothing wrong per se. They are not engaging in corruption but are running a businessMahesh Jadhav, businessman. Mahesh Jadhav, businessman Duration of fast Returns (per Re) 15 days 70 paise 9 days Rs 1.50 6 days Rs 3