MOTUNRAYO JOEL writes that more women now participate in betting which was once considered a predominantly male game

Every day, Mrs. Kafiyat Oba, a mother of five, leaves her shade where she sells engine oil and sneaks into a green shanty structure on Agric Road, Lagos State, to play the popular sports lottery known as Baba Ijebu.

Premier Lotto Limited, commonly known as Baba Ijebu, is one of the most popular sports betting companies in the country.

Sports betting, which involves predicting the outcome of matches with correct bets rewarded with winnings, started gaining grounds in Nigeria, a football-loving country in 2007.

Oba, who is in her late 40s noted that she plays the lottery to augment the meagre money she makes from her oil sales.

“There is a lot of money in Baba Ijebu especially when one wins. I don’t think I am too old to play the game; no one is too old to make money. Everybody is in Lagos to make a living; we have to survive,” she said, adding that she has been playing the game for over seven years.

The engine oil seller crams her gaming numbers easily. It took her less than five seconds to spill out the numbers to the young, nursing mother manning the structure.

Daily she saves the sum of N50 or N100 to play the game. In a month, she spends an average sum of N2000 on betting.

“I like numbers 36 and 27; they are my lucky numbers; I once won N30, 000 with the numbers. Sometimes, I run into young men in the shop (lottery kiosk) who look at me strangely. I’ve made more than I’ve invested in betting.

“I always laugh in my mind when men look at us, women’ eyes have been open to the rewards in betting; there is enough money for everyone to win,” she said with a smile.

Even though she’s not intimidated by the men she meets at the betting kiosk, she fears the repercussion of her husband finding out that she is an active better.

She stated, “I didn’t tell my husband how I made the N30,000 I won last time. I’m afraid of his reaction.”

No longer a game for the men

Oba is one of the women who participate actively in the sports which used to be heavily male dominated. Speaking to SUNDAY PUNCH, operators of betting agencies said there has been a tremendous increase in the number of women who engage in betting.

The operators said the proportion of female to male bettors is now about 40 per cent for women and 60 per cent for men.

The Technical Director, Bet 365, Mr. Sebastian Ebonhor, told our correspondent that more women now see betting as a game for both sexes.

He said, “It didn’t use to be this way. In the past, it would be really surprising to see two women out of 10 people betting. Now, a lot of women are into betting.

“Between 2014 to 2016, I can safely say there has been a 70 per cent increase in female participation. Women are now about 40 per cent of our customers. ”

Similarly, a worker at Lovingbet, an online sports betting site, who identified himself only as Mr. Jumi, said he has witnessed an increase in the number of women betting.

“Between 2015 and 2016, there has been a major increase in the number of women betting and they include teenagers, housewives and the working class. Majority are however housewives.

“Women used to be ashamed of being seen in betting centres but not anymore. Betting has become a normal thing for females,” he said.

Another betting agent, who identified himself as Mr. Bolaji, agreed with Jumi.

Bolaji, who did not tell our correspondent his surname said, “When I began to work as an agent, women hardly came to bet. Now, things have changed, I get nothing less five women come to my shop to play Baba Ijebu daily. During weekends, the number increases.”

We bet to help our husbands — Women

A former Head, Department of Economics, Obafemi Awolowo University, Prof. Abayomi Adebayo, linked the increase in female bettors to the current economic situation.

The economic recession began to take its toll on Nigerians from the last quarter of 2015 till date. Since then, life has been hard for the average Nigerian.

The recession has adversely affected manufacturing firms, industries and banks. Last year, many banks and industries sacked thousands of workers in a bid to beat the recession.

At the parallel market, the prolonged scarcity of foreign exchange also forced the naira to an all-time-low of 420 against the United States dollar.

The situation has also affected food prices, which have increased by over 100 per cent, making them beyond the reach of the poor.

In the last one year, employers have been struggling to survive the economic recession. This has caused severe hardship for many families.

“Let us be honest with ourselves, the state of our economy is not favourable. Many people are turning to different ways to survive. When there is economic hardship, what one would not ordinarily do on a normal day, the person would then be forced to do it just to survive.

“Years ago, it was unusual to find women betting, but things have changed. This clearly shows that economic hardship is getting stronger. ”

Adebayo also linked the phenomenon to the inability of some men to meet their responsibilities at home.

“Why are women betting? It is because more men are not fulfilling their economic responsibilities. These women gamble to take care of their children. We all know that the cost of food items and prices of commodities have skyrocketed,” he said.

Similarly, an economist and former Vice-Chancellor, Crescent University, Abeokuta, Ogun state, Prof. Sheriffdeen Tella, told SUNDAY PUNCH that the current recession had forced more responsibilities on women.

“More women are looking for ways to get an extra income. They have a lot of responsibilities; some of these women have husbands who may have lost their jobs. It is really tough on them, they want quick money but despite the economic crunch, there are other ways to make an extra income,” he said.

The Country Manager, 360bet.ng, Mr. Ikenna Vincent, told our correspondent that a major reason why there are more female bettors is because more women are becoming bread winners of their families.

“To put a percentage to the number of women who now engage in betting compared to some years back, I would say there is a 60 per cent increase. A lot of them now bet to add to the income of their families,” he said.

Mrs. Toyin Ore, a mother of one, falls in the category of women who gamble to take care of their families.

Dressed in an off-white top with blue jeans outside her shop in the Abule-Egba area of Lagos, Ore, who held her 10-months baby girl in arms, said the need for extra income led her to gambling.

“I am in my late 30s; my husband does not make a lot of money. I need to support my husband; he can’t shoulder the burden alone. This (gambling) is a quick way to make money; I always advise my friends to play Baba Ijebu. I put in about N2,000 monthly and I once won N12,000; ever since then I told myself I won’t stop playing the game.

“How else can I make quick money? I have a husband. I can neither go into prostitution nor steal. With this game, there is nothing to lose; the highest amount I have lost is N120,” she said.

Another female bettor, Ms. Ireti Oluwande, said she was looking forward to winning N1m on Bet9ja. Oluwande, who is in her late 30s, recently won N16,000.

“I’m barely two months in the game. So far, I am enjoying myself. Apart from the N16,000 I won, I also won N11,000 recently. I usually play 10 games at a stretch which requires me to part with N1,000. So far I’ve spent N10,000 but I’ve made profit. On Wednesday, I played five games but I’m yet to check the results. I play the game almost every day, I want to speed up my chances of winning a million naira,” she said.

When asked what she does with her winnings, she disclosed that she gives a part of it to people who give her number codes while she spends the rest on her son.

Oluwande, who lives in Agege, said, “I have people who give me numbers; they are like my prophets. Whenever they give me a number and I win, I give them some part of the money. It is a way to say thank you to them. I then use the remaining money to buy things for my son. Imagine winning N15,000 without sweating and burning one’s energy; anyone would be happy and the most I spend monthly to bet is N1,500. ”

She added that she took to betting when she couldn’t get a job

She said, “There is a lot of money to win when playing Bet9ja. Last week, I almost won N3m; two games spoilt my chances. I was so sad; I can only imagine where I would have been by now if I had won the money. I do not have a job; I need to find a way to make money. Betting is the only sure way I can make quick money.”

Mrs. Bewaji Yusuf, is another woman who said she bets to earn more income for her family.

Yusuf said, “The highest amount I have won is N5,000. My husband is not financially buoyant to carry all the family responsibilities so I keep trying my luck hoping that I can win something big to support him.

“There is a lot of money to be won in the game. Patience is a key factor in this game. That you lost the first time you played doesn’t mean you would lose again. It is a game of luck; nothing good comes easy. However, one must be careful – play wisely. Most gaming agents are greedy.”

Addiction and greedy agents

Betting is indeed an addictive game and many have become paupers in their bid to get rich quick. Some betting agents told our correspondent that the more addictive the customer is to betting, the more lucrative the business is for them.

An agent for Baba Ijebu, Mr. Adeola, branded betting as a safe way of making quick money and advised people not to get greedy.

“People must play wisely; there are agents who don’t care about their customers. When I notice that someone has been playing consecutively and has not won any game, I advise the person to take a break. I must say that agents like players who are addicts,” he said.

A Nairabet agent, Mr. Michael Olabode, who said he receives more than 20 women every week at his centre, said he carefully monitors the progress of his customers.

“Being an agent is a full-time job; it involves a lot of hard work. I would not deny the fact that some agents are crooks, they derive joy in making their customers addicted to gambling. It is now left for the customer to use his head. If one becomes an addict, the person would end up spending his life savings. I tell my customers that betting is a fun game that comes with risks,” he said.

But Mrs. Lawal Kehinde, is one who doesn’t allow any agent talk her into excessive betting. According to her, she bets only when she is wants to do so.

“Every time a gambler or bettor wins an amount of money, the agent collects a percentage of the money. This is the reason why agents like those who are addicted to betting,” she said.

Dealing with addiction

A psychologist, Mr. Fagbongbe Oni, said apart from addiction, women’s love for betting may have a negative impact on their families.

Oni said, “Betting has a way of making people addicted even though the money earned from it is used to sustain some homes. Addiction is a big problem. For women, even when their husbands give them money to take care of the family, their mind is fixed on betting and they spend the money on the game.’’

He added that bettors often borrow money from friends and relatives to play because of the false belief that the betting they would soon hit jackpot.

To get out of betting addiction, Oni advised that one must not be in denial. He added that overcoming addiction would require the intervention of experts. He described it as a strong habit that cannot be overcome only with self-will.

“Many are in denial about their addiction to betting. One way to know that you are addicted to betting is when you feel like your life is incomplete with it. You give it attention even when there are indications that it won’t work.

“Addiction to betting can be compared to smoking; such habits cannot be easily overcome. When a habit has gotten to the level of addiction, the intervention of experts is required. Variables that instigated the behaviour in the first place would be dealt with by the experts, ” he said.

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