The opening rates set by bookies this time are 90 paisa for a draw, Rs 2.25 for a Pakistan victory and Rs 4.50 for an India win, reported the Financial Express. This means, if you bet Rs 1,000 on an India win, you will get Rs 4,500 if India wins. And if India loses, you forfeit your thousand bucks.

The newspaper quoting sources familiar with the trade, said the betting turnover for the entire Indo-Pak series was expected to be a record Rs 750 crore. This time, bookies and punters from the Middle East, India, Pakistan, UK and Africa too are closely involved, the sources said.

In the Indian team, India's skipper Rahul Dravid was a favorite bet, followed by wicketkeeper and batting sensation Mahendra Dhoni. Curiously, India's Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar, who had recently set a world record by scoring 35 centuries in Test cricket, isn't getting enough attention from bookies and punters.

Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly, who has been in the news for the manner in which he was excluded and then reinducted, has gone virtually unnoticed by bookies and punters.

Under the current rotation policy Australia is first in line to host the 2007 event but the ICC is believed to be looking at changing this policy.