How to Deposit Money – UPI, PhonePe, GPay & Bank Steps

By Polar Loop editorial teamUpdated 2026-11-047 min read

To deposit into your ID, you ask your provider for current payment details in your WhatsApp chat, pay from an account in your own name by UPI or bank transfer, and send the screenshot with the UTR reference. Points are usually credited within minutes for UPI. This guide covers every method step by step, the timings to expect, and what to do when a deposit doesn’t show.

Before you deposit: three rules

Whether you fund an exchange ID for the IPL or a casino session, the same three rules apply to every payment.

• Get fresh details every time. Ask for the payment UPI ID or bank account in your own chat; providers rotate them, so last week’s details may not be valid.
• Pay from your own account. The name on the paying account should match the name you gave the provider. This also keeps withdrawals smooth.
• Never share an OTP or PIN. You enter your UPI PIN only inside your own payment app. Nobody legitimate will ask for it.

Also understand the legal position. The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 prohibits offering, advertising and facilitating payments for online money games in India, and bars banks and payment systems from processing them. Payments can be blocked or questioned by your bank. Read whether online betting is legal in India before you send money.

How to deposit by UPI (any app)

1. Message “I want to deposit ₹___ in ID username” in your WhatsApp chat.
2. Receive the UPI ID or QR code for this deposit.
3. Open your UPI app, enter or scan it, and check the payee name shown before you pay.
4. Enter the amount and your UPI PIN inside the app.
5. Screenshot the success screen and copy the 12-digit UPI reference number (UTR).
6. Send the screenshot and UTR in the chat. Refresh the panel once the provider confirms.

UPI works 24×7, including Sundays and bank holidays, which is why it is the most common way to fund an ID.

Two checks prevent most problems. First, compare the payee name your app shows with what the provider told you; if it’s unexpected, ask before paying. Second, make sure you are paying, not approving a collect request — a request that pops up asking for your PIN to “receive” money is always a trick.

PhonePe, Google Pay and Paytm: where to find the details

All three use UPI underneath, so the steps above apply. The only difference is where the reference number lives after you pay.

App menus change with updates, so if a label looks different, open the payment details screen — the 12-digit number is always there.

IMPS, NEFT and net banking deposits

For bigger amounts some users prefer a bank transfer. You’ll be given an account number, IFSC and account name in your chat.

1. Add the account as a beneficiary in your net banking or bank app. Some banks apply a cooling period before you can send larger amounts to a new beneficiary.
2. Choose IMPS for an instant transfer that works around the clock, or NEFT, which settles in half-hourly batches through the day.
3. Enter the amount and confirm with your bank’s OTP — that OTP stays on your phone and is never shared.
4. Note the UTR / reference number from the confirmation screen and send it with a screenshot.

RTGS is meant for high-value transfers and is rarely needed for an ID. Whatever method you use, send exactly the amount you mentioned in chat so it is easy to match.

Which deposit method should you use?

For most people, UPI is the simplest choice. Use bank transfer only when you have a reason to.

UPI limits vary by bank and app, so if a larger payment fails with a limit message, that’s your bank — not the provider. Split it or use IMPS, and tell your provider before you do.

Worked example: a ₹2,000 deposit from start to finish

Here is what a smooth deposit looks like in practice, timed in IST.

1. 7:10 pm — you message: “Deposit ₹2,000 in ID amit_kkr, paying by PhonePe.”
2. 7:11 pm — the provider replies with a UPI ID for this deposit. PhonePe shows the payee name before you confirm.
3. 7:12 pm — you pay ₹2,000, enter your UPI PIN inside PhonePe, and get a success screen.
4. 7:13 pm — you send the screenshot and the 12-digit UTR in the chat.
5. 7:18 pm — the provider confirms and 2,000 points appear in your ID. You check the account statement shows the credit.

If you only had ₹1,500 to spare, you would deposit ₹1,500 — never borrow to top up an ID. And if step 5 takes longer during a big IPL evening, that’s usually volume, not a problem; follow the steps in the next sections only if it stays missing.

What is a UTR and why does it matter?

UTR stands for Unique Transaction Reference. It is the number your bank or UPI network assigns to one payment. For UPI it is 12 digits; for NEFT and IMPS the format is different and can include letters.

Your provider receives many payments, often of identical amounts. A screenshot can be edited; a UTR can be checked against their bank statement. That is why crediting is fast when you send the UTR and slow when you don’t.

Example: you pay ₹1,500 at 8:40 pm IST and send “₹1,500, UTR 4xxxxxxxxxx7, ID rahul_22”. The provider searches that UTR, sees ₹1,500 received, and loads 1,500 points. Keep that UTR until your balance shows the deposit.

Tip: copy the UTR as text rather than typing it from the screenshot. One wrong digit sends the provider searching for a payment that doesn’t exist, and a deposit that should take five minutes can take an hour.

How long does a deposit take?

These are typical, not promised. Bank server downtime, peak match times and late-night maintenance can add delays. On our panels the minimum deposit is ₹100.

What if your deposit isn’t credited?

1. Check your bank app. Is the payment “Success”, “Pending” or “Failed”? Pending UPI payments often resolve within minutes; failed ones are normally reversed to your account by your bank.
2. Resend the UTR and screenshot in the same chat, with the amount, time and your username.
3. Confirm you paid the right details. If you used an old UPI ID, say so immediately.
4. Give bank transfers time. NEFT and first-time beneficiary transfers can take longer than UPI.
5. Don’t pay again to “fix” it. A second payment creates two problems instead of one.
6. Escalate politely if there’s no answer after a reasonable wait, and keep every screenshot.

Fraud red flags when depositing

• Payment details sent from a different number than your usual chat
• Someone asks for your OTP, UPI PIN or a “collect request” approval to “verify” you
• A QR code labelled “scan to receive money” — scanning a QR always means you are paying
• Pressure to deposit more to “unlock” a withdrawal or pay a “tax” first
• A payee name in your UPI app that has nothing to do with what you were told
• Promises of fixed matches or guaranteed returns

If you see any of these, stop and read our scam-avoidance guide.

Why a payment can be held, blocked or reversed

Sometimes a deposit fails for reasons that have nothing to do with the provider. Your bank or UPI app may decline a payment, put it on hold, or reverse it after a few minutes.

Common reasons include daily UPI or beneficiary limits, a new-payee cooling period, a bank server timeout, or the bank’s own risk checks. Because the 2025 online gaming law bars banks and payment systems from processing payments for online money games, payments linked to betting can also be blocked. If your money leaves your account and comes back, it was reversed — tell the provider, but don’t keep retrying with different apps.

If a payment is debited but neither credited nor reversed, raise it with your bank or UPI app using the UTR. That is the only reliable way to trace where the money went.

Common deposit mistakes

• Paying from a friend’s or parent’s account, then withdrawing to your own
• Not sending the UTR, or sending a cropped screenshot without it
• Depositing the whole month’s budget before testing a withdrawal
• Topping up repeatedly during a losing match — set a daily limit before the toss
• Assuming a bonus is free money — it usually comes with wagering rules that affect withdrawals

Once your points show, read how to withdraw so you know the rules before you need them. New here? Start at Get Your ID or practise first with a demo ID, and keep our responsible gaming tools in mind.