Shillong Teer a famous betting game played in the capital of Meghalaya. Some other names of the game are – Juwai Teer, Khanapara Teer. The literal meaning of “Teer” which is a Hindi word, is “arrow” in English.
History of Shillong Teer
The game has its connection to the Khasi tribe of Meghalaya. Archery has been a traditional sport of this tribal community for ages. The tribal community makes up to -50% of the population in the whole state. It is believed that the game ‘Shillong Teer’ somewhere started in the early 20th century, but was banned by the state government till the 1980s.
Legalization of the game Shillong Teer
The betting game was legalized in 1982 by the state government after they realized that the game can be a source of income for many people living in the state. After the legalization of the game, the betting game was under the control of the Meghalaya Amusements and Betting Tax (Amendment) Act 1982.
The game is similar to other betting games or the more common word to be used can be a lottery. But the difference is that this game is legalized in the state and includes Teer or arrow to determine the lucky numbers.
The Meghalaya Lottery Department organizes Shillong Teer under Meghalaya Amusements and Betting Tax (Amendment) Act 1982 from Monday to Saturday. There are two rounds every day which the Khasi hills Archery Sports Organization sets at the Polo Ground manner.
How to Play Shillong Teer Game?
Anyone wishing to bet in Shillong Teer will have to follow these simple steps-
- The interested participants first have to buy a ticket from no. 0 to 99 which costs from Rs. 300 to Rs. 500.
- Choosing a number depends on your luck. If your luck is on your side, then you’ll get to buy your lucky number.
- After this, the whole betting game is played very systematically and even at a fixed time.
- In two rounds, first and second, the arrow or Teer shots are to be guessed. The guess is about which number will the arrow hit.
- In these two rounds, 50 archers from Khasi Hills Archery Sports Association are selected. The archers have to shoot the arrows within the time limit of 5 minutes and they have to shoot a specific number of arrows.
- At 3:45 pm, each archer will be given 30 arrows to shoot. The archers shoot all the 30 arrows and the betters have to guess the numbers the archers will shoot.
- In the second round, things are more serious. The number of arrows is reduced by 10 and this round begins at 4:45 pm and shooters have to shoot 20 arrows in total.
With these steps, you might get confused about the final result so we have explained it more clearly here. In front of the shooters, all the numbers are placed which the buyers have bet on. For example, 8,9,88,99,67 and so on. The numbers are from0 to 99. Now, these rounds continue for one whole week until the whole betting process is over. The betters have to guess the final of arrows these shooters will shoot. Suppose in one whole week the archers have shot 1,349 arrows then the winning number at the end of the week will be 49, which is the last digit of the total number 1,349.
Payout
Now about the pay every better gets. So, in the first round held at 3:45 pm, the payout is up to Rs.80, and the payout for the second round is up to Rs.60. During the pay round, the better have to guess what number the archer will shoot which is called a forecast, and the amount wagered in this can also go up to Rs. 4000. The amount during the payout depends on how much the better are willing to bet. Usually, there are very few people who’ll bet less and the amount collected is usually large.
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Beware!
This lottery game is very famous among the people of Meghalaya. The game of Shillong Teer is played across the state with some differences in rules, but the above mentioned are the basic rules. If you ever visit Meghalaya, you’ll see a licensed operator of this betting game at every second shop. If you stop at a Momo vendor, it will be obvious that he/she will be selling these lottery tickets.
But, before buying tickets, check that the seller should be an authorized operator. Sometimes con men are also very well mixed in this crowd.
Now like we stated above, what number you’ll choose depends on your luck, but the case is a little twisted with civilians of Shillong or people living in the state of Meghalaya. They have come up with their theory of choosing the right numbers for them.
How to choose your lucky number?
They have coined the concept of “dream numbers”. Yes, you read that right. People choose numbers based on what kind of dream they dreamt last night. Suppose you dreamt an erotic dream; it means you should choose number 17. If you dreamt of something then the number 0 is for you. If you have dreamt of water then you should choose number 7 and you’ll be lucky enough. And if in any case, you don’t know this while you are in Shillong, then just describe your dream to the operator and he/she will suggest the right number for you.
How Shillong Teer has contributed to the Economy of Meghalaya?
Though you might think that people don’t make much of an income from this betting game. But you can be wrong in this case. This betting game has helped the whole state to develop enormously with additional taxation. A legal body regulates the game and this ensures that fair betting so there is no room for illegal practices to take place. Apart from being a source of income for Meghalaya’s citizens, it’s quite a good way to pass their time. All the visitors to the state must try out this game for once and who knows you can also earn some extra bucks!
