Numerologists And Astro Pundits Betting For Soccer World Cup

With Delhiites betting big bucks in the satta market during the soccer World Cup, it is astrologers in the city who are laughing their way to the bank. Those gambling on football matches are approaching tarot card readers, numerologists and astro pundits for tips on who to bet on.

"I'm getting about 10 queries a day from people betting on matches," says tarot reader Gini Arora. "I charge Rs 1,000 for each." While youngsters see it as a way of earning pocket money, others are shelling serious moolah. "Since the start of the World Cup, my business has shot up by 20%. I get 5-10 queries a day. I charge Rs 1,100 to answer questions on the phone and Rs 2,200 in person," says Tarot card reader Seema Midha.

Some die-hard fans are flocking to astrologers just out of curiosity. "Fans curious to know whether their favourite team will win or not, want regular updates from me," says Arora. "Apart from those who pay for predictions, I get 50 FIFA related queries a day from youngsters asking how their favourite team or player will fare," says astrologer, Vikram Mehta.

Astro websites are also raking in. "We charge Rs 400-2,000 for a query and queries shot up by around 8% on the first day of FIFA itself," says Meena Kapor, CEO, Astroyogi.com.

That's not all. "Sports fans particularly believe in good luck charms. We advise them on what coloured clothes to wear so their favourite player scores a goal," says Arora.

Not everyone, however, is interested in encashing the opportunity. "I get queries to predict the outcome of matches, but I don't do it because it leads to gambling, which is a bad thing," says advanced numerologist Master Lok Deepak Bakshi.