What began as a harmless ₦5,000 bet quickly spiraled into a nightmare that cost one man ₦35 million and the only inheritance his family had left. In a candid account, he recounts how a small win on Aviator and virtual betting games lured him into a dangerous cycle of addiction, denial and reckless decisions — including selling his family’s land — only to lose everything within two months.
How I lost ₦35,000,000 to gambling after selling my family’s land and lost everything within two months.
I didn’t plan to become a gambler.
It started small just ₦5k on Aviator. I watched the plane fly till all my money flew away before my eyes, the numbers climb, the adrenaline rush through my chest. 1.20x… 1.80x… 3.40x. I cashed out once and doubled my money. That was all it took.
Then came the virtual games on SportyBet. Fast results. No waiting. Just click, pray, win or lose in seconds. It felt like control. It felt like I had discovered a secret money machine.
But gambling doesn’t whisper when it’s destroying you. It cheers you on.
I started losing. Big.
Every loss felt temporary. “One more game.” “One big win will cover everything.” I wasn’t chasing profit anymore I was chasing recovery. And recovery is the most expensive lie a gambler believes.
I began borrowing.
Then lying.
Then hiding.
My family owns a small piece of land the only real inheritance we had. Generational sweat. My grandfather’s legacy. I convinced myself I was “investing” it. I told them I had a business deal.
I sold it.
₦35,000,000.
Twenty-five million naira.
In my head, I wasn’t gambling. I was planning a comeback.
I lost it all.
Not in one night. That would have been merciful. I lost it in pieces 2 million here, 5 million there. Watching balances drop. Depositing again. Heart racing. Hands shaking. Telling myself, “This next round is the one.”
It never was.
The day my family found out was the day I understood what shame feels like physically. My father didn’t shout. That was worse. My mother cried like someone had died.
In a way, someone had the version of me they trusted.
They reported me. Yes. My own family. I was arrested. Sitting in that cell, I didn’t feel angry at them. I felt empty. Because the truth is, I had already destroyed something bigger than money.
Trust.
Gambling didn’t just take ₦35 million.
It took my name. My peace. My family’s pride.
I stopped gambling not because I lost money but because I finally realized I was the one being played.
If you’re reading this and you think you’re “one win away” you’re not. That win is bait. The house doesn’t chase you. You chase it.
And it always runs faster.
I’m rebuilding now. Slowly. Without shortcuts. Without flashing screens. Just real work.
Some losses are financial.
Some are lessons.
Mine was both.
If you’re battling gambling right now, this is not me judging you.
Choose peace over adrenaline.
Choose slow money over fast losses.
Choose your family over a flashing screen.
The house always wins.
Unless you stop playing.
Written by @Sidney_sbm on X