Commonwealth Games may leave you with a jackpot

Those sceptical about Delhi’s preparedness to host the Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2010 say its success is now pretty much a matter of chance. Unfazed, the organisers are moving in for the lucky draw.

The Delhi Commonwealth Secretariat has quietly launched a special online lottery series hoping to raise over Rs 500 crore to fund the Games. The lottery, or raffle series, launched last week in 12 states, will continue for the next 23 months, said a top official, requesting anonymity. The top prizes could include luxury cars such as Mercedes, gold coins and cash prizes.

Lottery is a state subject, and some states have banned the practice. The CWG panel has written to these states requesting them to make a one-time exception, said another official. “It’s for a good cause,” he said, asking not to be named.

In fact, Scotland, which would host the Games in 2014 at Glasgow, has already started working on a lottery draw. The Scottish government plans to raise £150 million, about 50% of the total expenditure. London, which is hosting the 2012 Olympics, is looking to raise £2.2 billion (out of total expenditure of £9.4 billion) through lotteries. For the Beijing Olympics, the China Olympics Sports Lottery raised $140 million.

The CWG New Delhi is expected to cost nearly Rs 1,300 crore and is to be funded by a variety of sources including government grants, sponsorships and broadcasting rights. “The idea of the Delhi Commonwealth Raffle took time to implement as several state governments have put a ban on lotteries. But these bans were mainly for paper lotteries of yesteryears. Online lotteries are safe and rigging-proof,” the CWG official said.

The government of Mizoram will conduct the raffle series across the country. Mizoram will conduct the lottery in tandem with gaming technology provider Bigstar G Services, a Chennai-based firm. The firm owns and operates lottery franchisees and is one of the lottery operators in the country.

“We have been appointed as an exclusive marketing agent by the Mizoram government to raise revenues for Commonwealth Games Delhi 2010,” an executive of the company, based in Mizoram, said requesting anonymity.