The history of satta matka traces back to the early 1950s when it was introduced as a way to bet on the prices of cotton. The term “Matka” itself means “earthen pot,” which was used to draw numbers—yes, quite literally, numbers were drawn from a pot. This traditional method made the game very local and raw.
Ratan Khatri, famously known as the "Matka King," revolutionized the game in the 1960s by creating a structured format where numbers were drawn twice a day, adding predictability and excitement. He was followed by another giant—Kalyanji Bhagat—who introduced the Kalyan Matka, offering games every day of the week, unlike Khatri’s which ran only five days a week.