MYSURU: “It will be 1,500+ cases in Karnataka today,” predicted a middle-aged man standing in front of a tea shop.
The person conversing with him on the phone predicted 2,000+ cases and within no time, both placed a bet of Rs 500 and agreed that the loser has to make the bet amount via wallet payment, as soon as the health bulletin is released.
In the absence of cricketing action due to Covid-19, people are now placing bets and predicting the number of Covid cases reported every day in the state.
The IPL season, cricket action and election season would generally be a cash cow for the bettors across the State, but with everything coming to a halt due to the pandemic situation, bettors have turned to Covid-19 and placing bets on the number of cases.
‘How many Covid-19 cases will Karnataka report today?"
"Which district will top the Covid chart?" T
hese are some of the wagers some people find distasteful.
Though it is not happening on a large-scale, many people in the Old Mysuru region, Chamarajanagar and other places are trying their luck.
A source revealed that most people in the rural areas and youngsters who are home-bound due to Covid are trying their luck.
“The major advantage for the bettors is that this betting remains largely unknown to people. Since people bet as low as Rs 100, Rs 500 and make payments using online wallets, police too don’t get to know much,” said a source, who has witnessed it near tea shops in Mysuru.
A senior police officer attached to the crime branch said that he was not aware of any such betting happening.