Bookies see India as T20 World Cup winner?

**Preeto Maam** · 03-06-2009, 09:11 AM

Bookies see India as T20 World Cup winner?

India may have lost their warm up game to New Zealand, but they remain the favourites to win the Twenty20 World Cup.

Well, betting is legal in Britain and as the hype builds up with the tournament getting underway, the trend suggests that the odds clearly favour the defending champions. The warm up matches are also heating up the money riding on the World Cup Twenty20 teams.

The odds are in India's favour with Australia and South Africa close behind. At current rates, betting a pound on India will treble ones money while placing a pound on Pakistan will get one 10 pounds if Pakistan wins.

**Preeto Maam** · 03-06-2009, 09:12 AM

Sehwag seems the bookies' favourite as the leading run scorer of the tournament. Some say that there's a lot of online betting going on as that's where the main markets are. And believe it or not, India are the favourites for the bookies.

And who are some of the most astute and glamorous people in cricket putting their money on? On being asked, both Lalit Modi said, "India of course." Even Shilpa Shetty said she's betting on India as she thinks they are the best."

It is clear that India are the favourites at the beginning of the tournament, but cricket experts point out that fatigue and injuries as a result of an overkill of Twenty20 may prevent them from performing to their full potential.

However, for now, a case of patriotism winning over objectivity may not be such a bad idea.