‘I have lost more than I have won’: sports betting and bettors experiences in Nigeria

ABSTRACTIn the midst of economic downturn about 60 million Nigerians have reportedly taken to betting for various reasons. However, despite growing literature on betting in Nigeria, scholars are yet to examine sports betting in relation to the lived experiences of bettors in Nigeria. Using qualitative method of data collection, this paper analyses the responses from bettors based on their lived experiences. Guided by the rational choice theory, findings show that bettors are guided by cost-benefit analysis in their decision processes from decision to bet to interpretation of betting outcomes (gains and loses). Betting was embraced to make extra money, for entertainment, as hobby and socialization. While winning from betting assisted in starting businesses and payment of utilities; loses was associated with negative outcomes such as depreciated health, strain in family relationships, and trust gaps.KEYWORDS: Sports bettinggamblingrational choice theoryyouthsNational Lottery Regulatory Commission Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Notes1. Vanguard Newspaper, October 3, 2022: How big is the sports betting market in Nigeria. www.vanguardngr.com/2022/10/how-big-is-the-sports-betting-market-in-nigeria/amp/2. The exchange rate used is $1 = 761.Additional informationNotes on contributorsOludayo TadeOludayo Tade teaches crime, deviance and social problems at Nigeria’s Premier University, University of Ibadan. A fellow of the Institute for Money, Technology and Financial Inclusion (IMTFI) at the University of California, Irvine, USA, Tade’s scholarly publications on Bokoharam terrorism, cybercrime/fraud, victims of crime, film piracy, child trafficking, transactional sex/prostitution, and rape have appeared in such journals as International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy (IJSSP), International Review of Victimology (IRV), Journal of Financial Crime (JFC), International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology (IJOTCC), Journal of Asian and African Studies (JAAS), Canadian Journal of African Studies (CJAS) and Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma (JAMT). Tade is on the Editorial Board of International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology (IJOTCC) Sage as Associate Editor and African criminology section editor. He can be reached at dotad2003@yahoo.com.Chinedu Ernest DinneChinedu Ernest Dinne holds a PhD in criminology from the Department of Sociology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria where he currently teaches. He specialises in the area of Criminology and Penology. His research interest includes: Police & Policing, Deviant Behaviour, Peace & Security Studies. He can be reached at: dchineduernest@yahoo.comOludare Ibikunle GeorgeOludare Ibikunle George bagged PhD in criminology from the Department of Sociology, University of Ibadan. His research interests span: social problems, victims of crime and deviant behaviour. He can be reach at: olugeorgeuisoc@yahoo.com