Destiny Etiko vows to quit betting for good after losing ₦5m on World Cup Final outcome

Nollywood actress Destiny Etiko has come forward to share her disappointing experience with betting, revealing that she suffered a loss of ₦5 million after wagering on the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, an ordeal that has prompted her to abstain from gambling altogether.

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Etiko took to Instagram on Monday to express her frustration, stating that it was her first foray into betting and that the outcome has left her disheartened, as evident from her post: “First time betting and I lost, will never try it again, my 5M gone, in fact, I'm done watching football, anxiety almost killed me.”

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Although the specifics of her bet remain undisclosed, Etiko's social media activity during the final hinted that she was backing defending champions Argentina to emerge victorious against Spain, as she confidently declared before the match: “Argentina all the way, who can't wait?”

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As the game progressed, however, her enthusiasm gave way to frustration, prompting her to post: “This ball tough o, Argentina is pissing me off,” which underscored her growing discontent with the team's performance.

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Etiko did, however, praise Argentina's goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, acknowledging his crucial role in keeping his team in contention, as she wrote: “The goal keeper is the savior oo.”

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Spain ultimately secured a 1-0 victory over Argentina in extra time on Sunday, claiming their second World Cup title and their first since 2010, with substitute Ferran Torres scoring the decisive goal in the second half of extra time.

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The match saw Argentina finish with 10 men after midfielder Enzo Fernández was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence, which further compounded their woes.

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Etiko's significant loss is a testament to the widespread betting interest surrounding the World Cup final, with numerous football fans staking money on what turned out to be one of the tournament's most dramatic encounters.