Bookies don't lay any bets on Oscars

Despite being the most-awaited award ceremony, bookies and punters were not keen on laying bets for the Oscars.

Despite being the most-awaited award ceremony, bookies and punters were not keen on laying bets for the Oscars.

With Slumdog Millionaire emerging as the most likely winner in most categories, bookies refrained from betting on any of the categories.

"It was a case of pure instinct backed by research. A London-based website had predicted Slumdog Millionaire as the favourite to bag most awards. The prediction sounded so probable that nobody wanted to open the rates for betting,'' informed a bookie from Malad.

Another bookie from Sion said, "Some punters wanted to put their money on musical genius A R Rahman because they expected him to win at least two awards for best music and best original score but they didn't because nobody wanted to take chances." Strangely, nobody decided to put their money on lyricist Gulzar or sound designer Resul Pookutty on winning an Oscar.

Most of the bookies had fled to Surat, Vadodara, Ahmedabad and the Kutch region in Gujarat to avoid being caught by the Mumbai police. An insider informed that top bookies spent hours to educate themselves on the Oscars before laying bets.

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