By Eddah Waithaka
Nakuru-based accountant Bonnie Kamau has become Kenya’s biggest-ever betting winner after scooping Sh424.6 million in the SportPesa Mega Jackpot, an amount surpassing Nairobi County’s health upgrade budget Sh400 million and Sports Kenya’s annual allocation Sh402 million.
The Winning Moment
The 10-year betting veteran staked just Sh500 to correctly predict 17 out of 17 matches on Sunday, 3rd March 2025.
When SportPesa CEO Ronald Karauri called to deliver the life-changing news, Kamau remained remarkably calm. “I didn’t panic.
After about 90 minutes, I called my wife and casually asked what her dream car was without telling her about the win,” said the father of three, who manages a matatu company in OLKalou.
Plans for the Fortune
Kamau, who describes his background as “a comfortable family,” plans to drill a borehole to solve water shortages at home, take a luxury vacation before mapping out his career’s next steps, and continue betting—a pastime that previously earned him Sh171,000 at its peak.
“God has blessed us. I’ll use this to uplift my family,” he said, while warning others: “Never bet with school fees or essential money.”
SportPesa CEO’s Mixed Emotions
Karauri, celebrating the first Mega Jackpot win since 2019, admitted, “I was thrilled making that call, it’s been six years since Kenya had a jackpot winner.”
SportPesa CEO Ronald Karauri struck a cautious note amid celebrations, advising Kamau to “take time, vacation, then plan carefully” while highlighting the company’s self-exclusion tools for problem gamblers.
He warned that “driving betting underground creates illegal gambling” and emphasized “We never promote betting as a lifestyle or career.”
The historic win now tops Kenya’s jackpot history, surpassing previous record payouts to Samuel Abisai (Sh221.3M in 2017), Gordon Ogada (Sh230.7M in 2018) and Cosmas Korir (Sh208.7M in 2018), reigniting national debates about betting’s dual impact on Kenya’s economy and society.
