Satta Matka is one of the popular games of betting in India that emerged in the 1960s. Kalyanji Bhagat is the pioneer of this game, and then it was refined by Ratan Khatri. He added a new set of rules and some new variations. With time, it became famous as Satta King, and both men contributed to its emergence.
Who is Kalyanji Bhagat? The Man Behind Kalyan Matka
● Kalyanji Bhagat was an Indian farmer in the state of Gujarat who was attracted to the economic city Mumbai for spice business trading.
● It was in 1962 that Kalyan Worli Matka lottery-styled betting-when people will use it to predict their random number bets-was given by Bhagat. The odds used were fixed with Satta Matka, as developed by him and was on business seven days a week.
● It soon became highly popular among the working class, particularly the textile mill workers of Mumbai.
Who is Ratan Khatri? The Matka King
● Ratan Khatri perfected the game in the year 1964 and came up with Main Ratan Matka, which played with even strict rules.
● Unlike Kalyan Matka, his version played only five days a week, thus giving it an air of exclusiveness
● He brought in the "Open" and "Close" system, thus molding the game into something more structured
● Because of his influence and dominance in the bookies' business, he earned himself the title "Matka King".
The Rise and Fall of Satta Matka
● Satta Matka, in the 1970s and 1980s, was one of the biggest illegal betting games in India.
● Kalyanji Bhagat and Ratan Khatri earned huge profits and inspired a following.
● The popularity of the game, Satta Matka, started to dwindle by the 1990s mainly due to police raids and government prohibitions.
Satta Matka Today
● The mainstream Matka system might be dwindling. Digital versions and online betting platforms continue to keep the spirit of the game alive.
● Actually, most people still believe that Satta King was founded by Ratan Khatri and Kalyanji Bhagat, after whom they had learned the game.
