Woman lands Sh31m SportPesa jackpot

Quinter Nimo (centre) is congratulated by her parents Vincent Shabatai and Joan Nimo when Sportpesa team visited their Masindet farm Kapsokwony in Bungoma County. (Photo: Peter Ochieng’/Standard)

All it took was a Sh100 bet for a 23-year-old college drop-out to kiss poverty goodbye.

Quinter Chemei Nimo from Masindet village, Mount Elgon in Bungoma County, is the lucky winner of a Sh31 million SportPesa jackpot.

And in Kericho County, Julius Kerich, a father-of-four, also won the same amount after correctly predicting the outcome of 16 matches in the Mega Jackpot Games.

Ms Nimo, who won the highest amount ever by a woman, said she started betting after a friend convinced her to try her luck.

“I went to visit my friend at Kapsokwony trading centre in Bungoma county and found him betting using a small piece of paper which he had copied from one of the daily newspapers. I asked him if he had ever won the game and after he replied yes, I was convinced to participate after he accepted to introduce me to the game,” she said.

Nimo said she could not believe it when last Saturday, while at home, she received a text message informing her that she had won the money.

“Imagine from January, I have been betting throughout, spending up to Sh100 a day but never winning anything. I did not give up because I wanted to go back to school and I knew my parents were unable to raise the fees,” said the first-born in a family of four children.

She added: “I thank one of my friends who insisted that we share the betting numbers. I managed to get Sh31 million while she got Sh1.7 million. The reason she failed to get the same amount is because she changed one game after we had finalised analysing the teams.”

The new millionaire said the money would enable her to complete her supply management certificate course at the Eldoret College of Professional Studies. Her parents, Joan and Vincent Nimo, praised their daughter, saying she had made the entire family proud and that the money would not only help her but also uplift the economy of Bungoma county at large.

“My daughter dropped out of college because I had used a lot of money treating her mother who fell ill. I am happy that she will be able to continue with her education,” Vincent said.

SportPesa assistant marketing manager in charge of public relations and advertising Esther Kang’ethe said the company would offer Nimo financial and legal advice so that she can invest her money wisely.