Before organized matka, regional number games and local draws existed. These informal systems lacked standard charts and consistent recording.
At one point, opening and closing cotton rates from the New York Cotton Exchange were used as a base for results. When that stopped, local operators created the pot-based (matka) method.
As printing and later the internet arrived, charts moved from paper to digital. Today sites maintain archives, charts and searchable histories for educational purposes.
When did matka start?
Popularized in the 1960s in Mumbai.
Was cotton rate used?
Yes — early systems used external cotton rates.
Is the pot system used today?
No — today's activity is mostly informational and chart-based.