Every weekend, many people are active in sports betting in Dakar. Whether online or in gaming agencies and kiosks, all means are good to be in tune with the matches. And obtain gains regardless of the risk taken. Between fears, hope and superstition, the punters speak with open hearts.
On this weekend day, the posters for European championship matches are tempting. To the great delight of punters. At Liberté 6, very close to the Penal Camp Detention and Correction Center, a blue kiosk intended for sports and urban mutual betting (Pmu) is well occupied by bettors. In this space, there are only men of different age groups who engage in a very lively discussion.
The matches of the Premier League, La Liga, French Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga are at the heart of the debates. These people discuss with passion, calling on the latest results of the teams that are on the agenda, to refine their bets. And for this, pens, smartphones and internet connection are essential tools to get started. From time to time, individuals who are not concerned by this lively discussion come to validate their combination with the kiosk manager. On the two lanes of Liberté 6, people move easily. Some do not hesitate to look indiscreetly at these football enthusiasts who chat without worrying about passers-by. The start time for the first meetings of the day is approaching.
It's time to definitively validate tickets for some. The hesitation is felt through their discussions. Doubt begins to creep into the reasoning of these punters. “I hesitate to validate my ticket, because I put a match in it which starts at 11 a.m. and I am afraid of losing my bet at the end of the first match,” confides MN, a young man, in his twenties, dressed in a white t-shirt matched with shorts. This man who was very enthusiastic during the debate is no longer too sure of his choices. “I took a risk on my bet. But I have no choice because I badly need money before the start of the week,” he concludes in a fearful tone. MN, is not the only person in this situation.
His Manchester United fan counterpart, wearing the jersey of his favorite club, is almost in the same situation. S. T, a slender man, a master's student at Ucad, fears that his favorite club will play a bad trick on him. “As a loyal Manchester United supporter, I doubt they will win against Brentford. However, I have confidence in them,” he emphasizes in a low voice. Apart from the distrust he has towards his club, ST also has superstitions about winning. The thirty-year-old avoids morning matches so as not to lose. “When I play a match that starts at 11 a.m. or 12 p.m., I never win. Since I made this remark, I have completely stopped putting these matches there. All my winning bets only concern matches that start after 2 p.m.,” he argues with great humor. After releasing these confessions, Mr. N and S. T head towards the kiosk to validate their combinations. Hoping that their bets will be victorious.
Bet at all costs
A stone's throw from Liberté 6, “Khar Yalla”, a peripheral district of the commune of Grand-Yoff. Very close to the Asc “Gaal Gui” training ground, there is a green and white sports betting agency. Inside, flat screens broadcasting the day's matches are visible. The programs for the meetings with the coasts are posted on the walls. The managers of the space closely monitor the behavior of punters, made up of middle-aged people and a significant number of adolescents. Discussions and consultations are springing up everywhere. A great day atmosphere reigns here. From one player to another, the methods used to find the right combination are different. The agency is noisy, but this does not seem to bother the occupants of the premises. At this location, punters combine online betting with physical betting. It depends on the nature of the bettors.
Next to the payment counter, a medium-sized man appears, hyper-focused on his smartphone. He is making his final adjustments, before validating his bet online, via an application popular in Senegal. After a moment of hesitation, he ended up explaining his enthusiasm for sports betting, under cover of anonymity. “As a football lover, I put my money to follow my passion. I bet large sums because it gives me pleasure, even if I sometimes lose,” confides the thirty-year-old. Entrances and exits multiply in this play area. During the weekends, there are always crowds. Some punters practice selecting matches, via the programs displayed throughout the agency.
The players who work there demonstrate concentration and deep analysis to find the right odds. Among them, FT, a worker by profession, dressed in his work clothes, oil-stained boots cover his feet. He explains the reasons for his excessive betting. “When I have money I automatically think about betting whatever the circumstance. I bet a lot, because I like to bet to obtain fairly substantial winnings,” he emphasizes, before continuing his selection diligently by consulting from time to time on his mobile phone the ranking of the clubs he has chosen. to put in your handset.
Bet at their own risk
Game points are scattered all over Grand Yoff. After “Khar Yalla”, Hlm, Patte-d'oie, another district of the commune of Grand Yoff hosts a convergence zone for punters, located very close to the Grand Yoff municipal stadium. This location is almost similar to “Khar Yalla”, but teenagers are not welcome. The guardian of the premises, dressed all in black, scrupulously monitors the nature of the people who access this place. There aren't many players here. But this doesn't affect the discussions. Some people discuss which clubs to avoid so as not to lose. While others focus on betting options to thwart the traps of bookmakers through the odds given.
Fear can be seen on the faces of some bettors when they choose matches. Some take the time necessary to calculate the odds by making comparisons. The clubs which host and which travel are also taken into account by the bettors, to have an idea on the bet to choose. T. F, found on the scene anxiously checking his already played coupons, expresses his emotion without embarrassment. “Currently, I have an obligation to win because I have to repay a debt that dates back 6 months. And if these bets made don't win, I risk going to prison. I played but I'm really afraid of losing,” he confesses thoughtfully. The man, dressed in a white shirt and beige khaki pants, adds: “I have no alternative, that’s why I resort to sports betting to solve my problems . It’s a huge risk that I’ve taken right now.”
Punters will do anything to win. Even if you have to make enormous sacrifices and bear the consequences. Another bettor is in a similar situation to that of TF Black T-shirt with the image of a wrestler, torn jeans cover his upper limbs, this young man aged 25 with a dejected expression confesses under the cover of anonymity. “I absolutely need money. Because I have to pay for my accommodation. Otherwise I risk being kicked out because I have already accumulated arrears. If today I don’t win, I risk experiencing great humiliation,” he explains, disappointed. This online betting enthusiast just hopes that luck will be on his side to get out of this impasse. “I'm not lucky these days, and I've lost a lot of money. I used up all my savings because of these bets. And I am condemned to win today to solve my problems,” he concludes with a look of hope, after consulting his latest bets.
By Elhadji Ibrahima DIALLO (Intern)
