Like the man whose table was spread and the infernal harpies snatched the meal, Guyman, a gambling addict in Olodi Apapa, Lagos – he was known only by that alias, Guyman – lived his life making bets daily.
After years of losing, for which the wife constantly quarrelled with him, he eventually won N21 million one day. But he died mysteriously 14 days later.
Another gambler, a woman in Olodi Apapa, disclosed how she lives on the proceeds of gambling. The 35-year-old (name withheld) sticks to numbers for some days until the numbers click a winning.
These are two of the intriguing tales about Nigeria’s generation of gamblers who have turned the vice into a lifestyle.
From English football betting to Baba Ijebu
Conventional pools betting on English football lost its appeal in Nigeria, particularly the South West, with the advent of Premier Lotto.
Kessington Adebutu invented Premier Lotto, also known as Baba Ijebu, in 2001. Baba Ijebu derived its name from the Ijebu background of its founder and Chief Executive Officer.
But whatever gain in dislodging the football pools betting (English coupon) in this part of the world has created a generation of gamblers who accept it as a virtue of necessity.
Widespread gambling as lifestyle
In the 13 years of lotto, the company has spread like wild fire with over 1,000 principal agents supervising over 100,000 sub agents/sales representatives spread across the South West.
Baba Ijebu, with its widespread and unmistakable presence on every street of Lagos, and other states, as well as Abuja, has established a strong foothold as gambling industry leader. There could be as many as four gambling joints on a street.
Youths hook on for survival
Pools betting was once a significant way of showing unwavering interest in English football matches every weekend. Picking eight score draws fetch 24 points that win the jackpot.
Jackpots have been won over the years with betters making thousands of naira weekly.
But Baba Ijebu offers a more ambitious alternative; transforming gambling from weekly affair into an hourly game with slim chances of good fortune and high propensity to ruin. For millions of jobless Nigerians, it is a means of quick cash.
Yussuf Ayinde, 28, a sub agent at Mushin bus stop in Lagos, said his joblessness makes gambling handy.
After playing it for some years, he acquired enough experience to become a sub agent. To become one, Ayinde did not pay. All he needed was the experience and an attachment to an agent who gave him a terminal machine.
“If the gambler gets two sure numbers from five in every game, Baba Ijebu pays N1, 200 for N5; N12,000 for N50; and N120,000 for N100. To bet N1,000 and above is to target millions of naira.
“We play game because we have no other thing to do. If I ask you to lend me even N100, you may find it difficult to help me. Only Baba Ijebu can help,” Ayinde explained.
He can make between N50,000 and N5,000 a day, depending on the volume of sales. This is in addition to winnings he makes on some occasion.
Nonso, 33, another sub agent at Igbo-Elerin bus stop in the Okokomaiko area of Lagos, has over four gamblers’ kiosks.
He said he had no intention to do any other business because he is already a landlord through the proceeds of gambling and has made 10 residents of the area property owners.
He disclosed that a customer won about N6 million recently and area boys demanded N50,000 as bribe.
Nonso said Premier Lotto is like a stream flowing continuously. On daily basis, six different versions of the game are played one after another at hourly intervals.
The result (five winning numbers out of 90) follows shortly after each game is concluded and payment is almost instant.
Gamblers keep coming despite ruin chances
But there are sad tales of youths ruined by gambling. In the course of our investigation, a man staked N10,000 in one of the shops but broke down in tears after he realised that his earlier coupon did not click.
A couple of others came and stalked away hopelessly gnashing their teeth after their ‘sure two’ bets lost. One played ‘three direct’ with N5,000 but lost out. Only one or two out of about 20 gamblers who came to check the result left with a winning.
“I made the money from here. I can make more, or even lose all. But it will surely click one day,” one said when asked to explain why they keep coming despite very slim chances of winning.
