Imagine sitting at your desk on an ordinary workday, casually playing your favourite game, when someone starts sending you messages saying you’ve won a jackpot.
Would you believe them?
Olarenwanju Lawal didn't. They all don’t at first. In fact, he thought someone was trying to scam him. The Abuja-based tech professional was so unconvinced that he blocked the person trying to reach him.
A few messages, missed calls, and one very unexpected account notification later, he had a rather different story to tell.
Olarenwanju is BetKing's October Games Jackpot winner, and his story is a reminder that sometimes the biggest surprise arrives when you're least prepared for it.
Meet Olarenwanju, October's BetKing Games Jackpot winner
Originally from Lagos, Olarenwanju moved to Abuja in 2020 after getting a new job. He describes himself as laid-back, which makes the calmer pace of Abuja a good fit. He's also a tech professional who has spent more than 20 years writing code.
Outside work, his interests revolve around technology and sports. He's a Manchester United supporter, too, so he's no stranger to the emotional highs and lows of following a team. However, when it comes to casino games, there's one clear favourite for him: Aviator.
Olarenwanju says it's the only game he plays on the platform. He enjoys the anticipation, the interface, and the possibility of a big result. He also appreciates being able to view the history of previous rounds.
He's particularly drawn to the game's unpredictability. As he explained during the interview, familiar patterns don't necessarily produce familiar outcomes. Every round is different, and there's no guaranteed way to know what comes next.
The moment he discovered he'd won the jackpot
Here's where things get interesting.
Olarenwanju was at the office. It was a relatively quiet workday, and he was playing Aviator when messages started coming in from someone trying to inform him about his win.
He wasn't convinced.
The calls were coming through on his other phone, which he didn't have with him. When he saw the messages, his first thought was that someone was trying to scam him. He questioned the person contacting him and eventually blocked her.
Imagine blocking your helper? God abeg o!
She had mentioned that he would be credited by noon. When the time came, a notification appeared on his account. He opened it, checked his balance, and saw that the money was there. This wasn’t audio money. Not that "Lagos Life" money. Nah, this was real life money.
That was when it began to sink in. Naturally, his next move was to try to withdraw the money. But he couldn't do that immediately, so he had to return to WhatsApp, unblock the caller, and try to reach her again.
By then, she wasn't answering. For a moment, he worried that he might have somehow lost the opportunity. He even wondered whether the organisers had moved on to another winner.
Thankfully, that wasn't the case.
Why Aviator is his game of choice
For Olarenwanju, the Aviator game is about anticipation and the possibility of a big result.
The interface is easy to follow, and he likes being able to view the history of previous rounds. He also enjoys the adrenaline that comes with deciding when to cash out.
But he's quick to acknowledge that Aviator can be a brutal game. The potential may be exciting, but the outcomes are uncertain. Even someone who has spent considerable time playing cannot predict exactly what a round will do.
He has seen impressive results before, including a round on BetKing that he recalls reaching an impressive high of reaching a potential 7.6 million win. Still, he doesn't claim to have a formula that guarantees a win.
If you're curious about Aviator and other games available on BetKing, you can explore the casino lobby and check out exciting games like Score Ladder, where ₦75M is up for grabs, Skyward Storm, Chicken Keke, and more. Remember that game outcomes are unpredictable, and no previous round guarantees what happens next.
A ₦20 million jackpot, every month
Olarenwanju's win is part of BetKing's monthly Games Jackpot, which comes with a ₦20 million top prize. And the interesting part is, you don't need to place a huge bet to earn a ticket.
Every qualifying real-money bet of ₦100 or more earns one jackpot ticket, which is added automatically. A ₦100 bet earns the same one ticket as a ₦1,000 bet, and there's no limit to the total number of tickets you can collect throughout the month. Bonus bets and free bets don't count.
The jackpot is funded by BetKing, not taken from players' stakes. So, you don’t need to stake a lot to win. Tickets reset at the beginning of each new month, and winners receive SMS and in-app notifications when they win. Cash prize winners are called directly by BetKing to arrange their rewards.
So, if, like me, you're excited to start winning and have already started to search for “ how to play jackpot” games, start by checking the qualifying games and the full promotion terms. You can find the available options in the BetKing casino and check your ticket count by tapping the icon at the top right while playing.
What happens after winning?
Interestingly, Olarenwanju's first instinct wasn't to start spending.
After trying unsuccessfully to reach a few friends, he decided to keep the news to himself for a while. He's a private person, and he doesn't believe every major life event needs to become public knowledge.
His advice to himself after the win was simple: don't be too quick to make big decisions.
He spoke about resisting the urge to start a business immediately, spend extravagantly, or take on new financial responsibilities simply because money had arrived. His preference is to sit with the news, think things through, and make decisions with a clear head.
He also shared that he tries to separate his betting funds from money meant for everyday responsibilities. He calls this his betting bank: money he can afford to risk after taking care of his essential expenses.
It's a sensible distinction. A jackpot win can be exciting, but it shouldn't become a reason to take financial risks or make commitments without thinking them through.
Congratulations again to Olarenwanju Lawal, our October's Games Jackpot winner. And the next time someone calls with news that sounds too good to be true, perhaps don't press block just yet. Listen to them, because it might just be us.
There are still two months left in this year, which means two more chances for you to become a BetKing Games Jackpot winner. Start playing your favorite games, and maybe you too can be like Lanre.
Especially you, Man Utd fans. Judging by what you’ve been through these past few months, you deserve a shot at happiness.
18+ only. Play responsibly. Only stake what you can afford to lose.