It’s December. That’s not the best time to put your hands in your pockets and all you get to feel is your thigh. That was my situation a few weeks ago until I met Chris. On a bus.
I didn't know whether to hug him or use a handshake. You understand how our greetings have changed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic!
So, we fist-bumped then punctuated it with a wild smile that was half-hidden behind our masks, but our foreheads did most of the smiling. That’s the only thing you get to see these days.
It was a chance meeting, and one I wished had happened earlier as I would later find out.
The two of us spoke about football, the weather, traffic, Corona and a Christmas that was not looking friendly.
My mind drifted, taking a forced tour back home.
“There won’t be as much for Christmas this year,” I remembered my mother had whispered to me earlier that week, transferring some of the burden on her shoulders.
Despite my “unbothered, discerning young cool adult” attitude, mother’s statement awakened some emotion in me, I was worried and anxious.
Our hotel was barely on its knees due to the Covid-19 pandemic and our cash reserves had been wiped clean.
Though mum was just notifying me of our current financial situation, her voice was laced with a cry for help. I didn’t immediately make out if she was worried about where we would get money or how to break the news to my siblings.
I felt challenged to help out, but my online writing work could do little to dent the humongous bill that stared at us. I decided to give myself time to figure out in what way I would chip in.
“I have done more research for my online gigs than I ever did in school, certainly I can find a way to make more money on the internet and if not, some creative ideas to celebrate Christmas on a budget,” I convinced myself.
Just two days ago, an advert bypassed my ad blocker and caught my eye. For a moment my mind wandered about the limitless possibilities. I imagined surprising my family with a bag full of gifts, or perhaps a much needed vacation.
“For a surprise of this grand scale, I need a much more dramatic arrival than just a ring of the doorbell and giving the news of my new found ‘fortune’
“What if I arrive in a box? Getting delivered home in a box would be the most unique, unconventional Christmas present in the history of our family,” I thought.
“Albert, what’s the matter?” Chris asked, inviting me back to reality.
“Sorry. My mind must have drifted,” I said, trying hard to hide my emotions.
You know that person you have known for so long but when someone asks you to describe them - you don’t know where to begin? It seems like an impossible task. That was Chris.
“Tell me. What’s it?” he asked me, wearing this concerned look.
I spent the next five minutes explaining to Chris how tough times had pushed me and my family up the wall. Our hotel business had taken a beating from the pandemic and money was scarce.
“Have you tried Pick 6?” he suddenly asked me.
Before I could answer, he fished his phone from his pocket and navigated to this BetLion betting site.
“Chris, I don’t even have that extra money to place a bet! It’s that bad,” I offered in an attempt to save him the trouble of having to explain to me how the Pick 6 jackpot works.
“You don’t need money to play Pick 6. All you need is your phone,” he said, obviously catching my full attention.
“Is that even possible?” I asked, perplexed.
“I will show you in a minute,” Chris explained, sounding so confident.
“BetLion have this interesting jackpot known as Pick 6, and all you have to do is predict the outcome of the 6 top games featured, and win the Ksh1 million jackpot or win Ksh 100,000 guaranteed bonus cash prize for the most correct predictions if someone doesn't win. Just like that. You don’t need to stake any money to play the jackpot, so it’s free & you can still win.” Explained Chris.
“Of course, six games is not much, I can easily predict the outcomes of such a small number of games - and win,” I thought to myself.
It was a very simple thing to do. Chris did not need to break it down into smaller parts for me to understand, but just to be certain, I fished out my phone and visited BetLion site. I placed my first free Pick 6 jackpot bet.
All I need to do is carry out my analysis of the games and correctly predict the outcome of the six Premier League matches on BetLion, and stand a chance of winning the Ksh1 million jackpot for all correct predictions or Ksh 100,000 guaranteed bonus cash prize for scoring the most correct predictions if someone doesn't win.
The best deal was that I did not have to stake any money, so I had nothing to lose and so much to win.
I realized only one thing...which was that six games...stood between me and my Christmas wishes, but not anymore.