Hotels offer free liquor to add kick to soccer fever
An artist roots for Spain in Nagaon on the eve of the World Cup final. Picture by Eastern Projections
Shillong, July 11 : As Spain and the Netherlands fight it out for a place in history tomorrow night, Meghalaya will bet and party to mark the culmination of the Fifa World Cup.
That football fever has reached a high on the eve of the finals is evident from the giant screens being put up in various places in the state. Complimentary liquor being offered by top hotels here will surely add to the kick.
The stakes are high, especially in coal-rich Jaintia Hills and West Khasi Hills districts. “We have heard that the amount of betting had reached nearly Rs 1 crore in Jaintia Hills,” additional chief secretary Barkos Warjri said.
Betting for money ranges from Rs 100 to Rs 5,000 here. “I lost a handsome amount while betting on my favourite teams, Brazil and Argentina,” said, S. Thabah, a resident of the city. He will bet on Spain for tomorrow’s final.
Giant screens have been put up in various parts of the city and are expected to attract large crowds for the final match. A giant screen put up at Jaiaw Students Field here since the quarterfinals has been attracting large crowds during matches. The ground, which can accommodate at least 10,000 people, is quite a favourite with families who come from nearby localities as well to watch the matches. The organisers said the final match was likely to attract a large crowd.
Top hotels here have also put up big screens and are offering free liquor as well during the matches to woo customers. Many of them have also arranged for competitions among the viewers.
The sale of television sets has also been on the rise here this season, indicating the city’s soccer mania.
Deputy Speaker Sanbor Shullai, a football fan, had earlier released 5,000 brochures giving the timings and other details of the World Cup matches for the benefit of soccer lovers here.
The state secretariat is also in the grip of soccer mania ever since the World Cup began. Whenever there have been matches at 5pm, there has been thin attendance at this seat of governance.
On a lighter vein, Warjri, a former football player, told The Telegraph that it remained to be seen how many of the staff at the secretariat turned up for work in time on Monday morning after watching the finals that would kick off at midnight.
He feels Spain has a slight edge after its 1-0 win over Germany. “I have been watching all the games and Shillongites are anxiously waiting for the final match,” he added.
The excitement was palpable this evening as people animatedly discussed the two big matches — between Germany and Uruguay tonight for the third position and the final between Spain and the Netherlands tomorrow night — in living rooms, at market places and commercial centres.
“I will sleep early and wake up for the midnight matches on Saturday and Sunday,” Veronica, a student, said. Some others said they would rest during the day and watch the final at midnight.
However, East Khasi Hills superintendent of police A.R. Mawthoh said he would prefer to watch the finals as “there is not much thrill in watching who will secure the third place.” He also joked that there was not much crime in Shillong during the World Cup matches.
The football-crazy city, which shot to limelight for attracting the maximum crowd at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium for every I-League match, has certainly geared up for the World Cup final.