Collins Odhiambo, 30, revealed that he received KSh 20,000 via M-Pesa but ended up spending KSh 19,200 on betting, leaving only KSh 800 for his family.
He recalled that those who lose on their first bet are lucky because winning at the beginning can easily trap someone into a dangerous cycle.
Raised by a single mother who worked on tea farms, Odhiambo dreamed of escaping poverty.
After completing his KCSE with a C grade, he could not pursue further education due to lack of school fees.
He turned to hustling, making bricks, selling charcoal, and later running a small nail-making business that helped him support his wife and child.
That progress was short-lived when he was introduced to betting.
A small win of KSh 400 from a KSh 30 stake pulled him into addiction.
At one point, he even misused money from a fundraiser he had been entrusted to manage.
Odhiambo admitted that betting had taken control of his life, forcing him t1o close his nail parlor as he became too lazy to serve clients, who eventually went elsewhere.
The addiction strained his marriage and left him guilty for failing his family.
Odhiambo said the breaking point came when his mother fell sick and he could not send her even KSh 1,000 for treatment.
Determined to quit, he marked his calendar each day he went without betting.
Though the first two weeks were tough, he eventually overcame the urge.
Today, Odhiambo says he has been free for months and hopes his story will inspire others to fight gambling addiction.
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