The Last Bet

(Photo Source: Kaushalmahajan Website)

“What did you do with the money?”

“I bet it all.”

“Are you trying to tell me that we have no money because of your addictive habits?”

“Yes.”

Betting has become a serious burden. The fact is most people who bet are usually trying to raise their luck and their standards of living. They go through extreme measures to ensure they win the jackpot. I have heard of stories about people who have borrowed bank loans and placed valuable things such as land, their house or school fees of the children as security. Richard’s story is one of them. It is important to note that betting should be a pass time activity, not a livelihood.

Richard was a motorcycle rider and he used it as a taxi, commonly known in Kenya as Bodaboda. He used to work for at least 14 hours a day, 6 am to 8 pm. He had a family, a loving wife Sara and two toddlers who were a handful.  Richard was the sole bread winner, as Sara was a stay at home wife. However she did side hustles like washing clothes and being a maid to add on to what Richard brought home.

Life was pretty hard. There were days they had to go without food because money was not forthcoming. What made it worse was that Richard was a drunk and would at times go to prostitutes. There were also the thugs who targeted motorcyclists like Richard. There was also the County council askaris and the police officers who squeezed out bribe money where they could. There were also customers who refused to pay or ran once they reached their destinations. On the road he was mistreated by the ‘big vehicles’ and he had to fight for parking space in customer hotspots. You would not blame him that he turned to betting to try and change his fortune.

He heard about it. He had heard of how people had won millions yet they were just as poor as he was. He knew of a neighbor who won and moved out. The man went to buy land around Nairobi, owns several buildings and drives a ‘huge car’. He wanted a piece of that action and started his betting spree.

He started off with 10 shillings. He won 50. He put 20 shillings, he won 70. He put 100 and lost it. He put 200 and won 12 shillings. He then put 1000 shillings and won 1500. He continued winning and losing. He used the money to supplement his business, or at least he was supposed to, but it all ended at the bar and on the prostitutes.

His wife consulted him and he gave an excuse that he was saving the money for future use and that betting was a hobby. He was growing more and more hooked. He could not stop. He was now getting fares and immediately placing them on bets. He won, he lost. There came a time when he felt he could play in the big leagues, so he decided to make the biggest decision of his life. He sold his motorcycle.

He placed everything. He did not leave a dime. The results were not so good. He lost everything.

He went back home where he was grilled on where his motorcycle was. He tried to play the “I left it at a friend’s place” but it would seem some canary sang and his wife knew what he had done.

“How could you sell your bike?” That is where we eat from. Now what are we going to do?”

“Survive. If I had won the jackpot you would not be speaking to me like this.”

“Well you didn’t win. What a useless man.”

She kept on patronizing him because now she was the sole bread winner. He tried looking for jobs in masonry, but as usual he placed them on bets. Months went by and his wife became tired and fled with the children. Richard fell into depression. He could not stop. His landlord came a calling, his Sacco wanted their motorcycle back, and he had to pay the loans he had been borrowing to survive and to bet.

Enough was enough, he had only one way to escape. On a fine morning a neighbor screamed as she met Richard hanging from the public toilet.