Sports today has become part and parcel of our everyday living. Till today, many continue to live it and breathe it.
It's no surprise how different people across Nigeria and even the world at large tend to have certain experiences, either engaging in sports or even witnessing a rare event across a variety of sporting activities
Welcome to Pulse Sports Monkey Post Dairies, where individuals share their most interesting stories or most ridiculous stories concerning anything sports .
This week, 26-year-old Nigerian guy recounts how he lost his girlfriend via bet on FIFA 22, and how that bet exposed some secrets in his relationship.
So would you call that a fatal mistake?
Honestly, I don't know. Thinking about it now is even funny, but I certainly could have known better as a person than to use my babe as 'collateral'. But to be fair, I'm glad whatever happened, happened.
Why do you say so?
Well because it already helped me know exactly, the kind of people I had been parading as my friends or my guy or even my babe.
So tell us the story then?
El Oh El! Funny story sha. So one day, I'm with my guy normal, playing video games out of boredom. I think NEPA just decided to be generous with light that day (laughs). Like.....in short, Light just dey waste that day. I was even shocked coz I slept with light and normally - they'll take it the next morning and bring it back in the evening.
But that day, the light didn't even blink. So my guy came around....we were just chilling before he started to make mouth on FIFA again. I already gave him a thorough ass-whooping on FIFA 22 the previous week and he was obviously pained (laughs).
So sha, I wasn't in the mood to play actually. I just left him in the sitting room to call my girlfriend to come over and just spend time with me.
So after a while, I can't really remember what I was doing when I went into my room. I was waiting for her to arrive so I just left him there to play alone. He already knew how to set it up.
So after some time, I came out and I saw her bag on the sofa, but she wasn't in the living room. So I asked my guy where she was, he said she went to the kitchen. So I went there to see her and I was like surprised coz...she came and then didn't even call me or come to the room.
So i asked her if everything was fine and she said yes, then I went back to the sitting room and watched my guy mercilessly getting thrashed as usual on FIFA (laughs)
Lol, so how did the bet happen?
So all of a sudden he starts gingering me to play with him. Insinuating that I'm scared and bantering me in all sorts of ways. I didn't even listen. I was just sitting down and pressing my phone. Then my babe came out of the kitchen to join us and she was now like...Why don't you want to play with him?. So I told her he was unworthy (laughs) because actually, he wasn't. He was a terrible gamer with that his anti-football tactics, like this Atletico Madrid boss - Simeone. Like I would win as usual but it wasn't interesting.
So he kept ranting and bragging, and my babe kept urging me to just play with him so he can rest.
Was it the first time she watched you guys play?
No, not really. We've played a couple of times and I only lost once to him that time. But it was not even on my console. It was on his PC and the pad wasn't even good (laughs)
Oh Wow. So what next?
He continued whining, then babe came close to me and was like...just put him out of his misery(laughs). I don't know if it's that phrase or how she said it. But something in my head just reset and I was like you know what?... Game On!!
So I grabbed the second pad, we selected our teams and in the process of selecting our tactics, he said I could use any team except PSG. I was just laughing, so I chose Borussia Dortmund, he chose Manchester City.
So we played the first one, I won him 1-0. We played a re-match, then I lost 2-1.
So I then said we should bet - that in our next game, If he scores more than 1 goal, he should take whatever he wants in the house. Like anything at all, he touches.
Omo!
I was angry and I wanted to teach him a lesson. My babe was even cheering me up, so I was more than confident for sure.
So I changed my team and went for Liverpool, while he went for Real Madrid.
First half, I was already destroying him 2-0 (laughs). So what I planned to do was just defend the two goals and frustrate him in the second half. That his silly tactics he normally uses, I said I was going to use it against him. So he scored very early in the second half and then I sat up and told him, that was going to be his last goal.
But late in the second half, I think I made a substitution. I removed Trent and I brought in...I think Matip, because he had a corner and I just needed more center backs to defend it.
Omo! turned out to be a gamble (laughs). The big head scored and it was game over.
Wow, how did you feel when that goal came in?
I can't describe it actually but 'severe pains' may just sum up my feelings at the time.
My heart was already beating so fast. Already, the headed goal came in through Eder Militao. So the ball came off the post before it got in. And my controller was just vibrating in my hands at that instance. My palms were sweaty and my babe was just laughing.
My friend was just jubilating, shouting at the top of his voice, 'I told you!, I warned you!' I was just quiet coz my mind was already on the budget for another sound system as he always admired the one I had.
Why do you think that was what he wanted?
Do you know how many times this guy asked me the price of those speakers this year alone?
So what happened next?
I just dropped the pad and went to sit by my babe. She was just saying sorry, telling me it's just a game and all that. So it was time for him to choose.
I couldn't look at him going to touch the speakers, so I just picked up my phone to reply messages and the next thing....my babe busted out with this her very loud laughter. Like she only laughs like that when something big happens or she's super excited.
So I looked up and saw him shinning his dentition, holding my babe's hand.
How did you react?
I didn't really understand what was going on. I felt it was a joke, even though it was very expensive. So I told him to get serious and pick something jare. Omo...this guy didn't let go of her hand o. So I looked to my babe and was like..Is this playing? You too you're allowing him to hold your hand abi? and guess what she said to me - No be me send you make you bet
Ouch...that must have hurt?
I'm telling you at this point, my mood changed. So i just faced my babe and asked him to excuse us to talk.
And how did that go?
She seemed unbothered and awkwardly keen on upholding the bet. So I started feeling insecure really. Because okay, for one...my friend was obviously more good-looking than myself, in terms of physique and maybe facially as well. And sometimes, she looked like she had a crush on him. But times when I asked her about it, she kept denying it.
She was really going to leave my place with him that evening. I even had to kneel down and beg her not to agree. She just laughed it off and said I caused it, that next time I should be careful with the kind of bets I make.
Fair enough. So what happened next?
Next? It was done. It was over. I watched her turn her back on me and walk out of the room.
So I followed her outside and then called my friend to the balcony to reason with him.
He wasn't even paying attention to what I was saying. I offered him cash and the sound system which I knew he was still in need of. He said he's not greedy. Omo...I been wan slap am after that statement. I told him if he left my house with my girlfriend, we would cease to be friends. He just laughed it off like I was joking and started teasing me.
Like I insisted that I was serious and I walked out. I just angrily went to my room to lock myself in and think about if all that was happening was a dream or reality.
Wow. So they just left or?
Yeah pretty much. I already chatted with two of our mutuals on WhatsApp to give them the update. Everybody was thinking, he's pranking me. But when I came out of the room, I didn't see anybody in the house. My TV was still on, the game was still on. Everything was just on. They couldn't even text me or let me know they were leaving.
I was devastated actually.
But did it turn out to be a prank after all?
Hell No!. I called my girl that night and sent her tons of texts and voice messages. She never responded for up to two weeks. I had to step up my efforts by reaching out to her sister to help me contact her. Her sister kept promising that she'll call me. I waited for days, days turned to weeks, weeks to a month plus - I was still yet to hear from her. Eventually, she blocked me everywhere and it was until then that I knew I lost her.
And your friend, did you ever speak to him about it after that?
I had stopped seeing his status on WhatsApp, I figured he blocked me because I also tried to reason with him man to man. I deleted that one's number since. He's not a good friend.
Was he your best friend prior to that day?
Not really, but we were very close friends. I don't have a best friend.
So that was it?
Yeah, that was it o. I unintentionally got dumped due to a stupid bet. I felt like a fool then, like I was nearly depressed.
Interestingly, after the first month that we were out of touch. I got a call from my friend's sister, that he was dating my girl. The younger sister explained to me that she had been making trips to their house and spending time together without my knowledge.
She told me that bet was just a plan to just break things off through the easiest means possible. A means that I could never have imagined or suspected
Oh. And what did that experience change for you?
Like i said earlier, I've known better. It opened my eyes to know the truth and taught me some lessons. No matter how bitter it felt. Right under my nose, I was being deceived and I should have had foresight.
So what next for you, no more gaming?
Of course, I'll keep playing video games. It's the only thing that'll never betray me (laughs).
No, but seriously, I still play bets with some friends now and then but if it doesn't involve money count me out. Anything else, count me out (laughs)