Six common terms you’ll never know if you don’t bet

There are some common terms used often by gamblers in Kenya [Courtesy]

Betting is a huge industry in Kenya. And like any ‘club’, the ‘members’ have coined words that they use when placing bets.

Understanding the coded language will can newbies get their footing and find their way through the betting labyrinth. Here are some of the words you should look out for:

Kuseti

You’ll hear this word mostly before matches. It’s frequently used in the mornings and afternoons. You must have heard guys saying, “Manze, time illiisha kabla sijaseti,” or “Sikuwa na pesa ningeseti.” It simply means, placing a bet.

Mhindi

Sounds like a Kiswahili word for a person of Indian descent? Yes, you’re right, but in betting, it has a whole different meaning. Bettors use it when referring to betting firms. So, the likes of SportPesa, BetIN, Betika, SportBet, OdiBets, betPawa, Premierbet and many other firms are ‘Mhindi’.

Don’t be shocked if you hear guys swearing that they want to vamia Mhindi, eti ‘Leo mhindi atajua hajui’.

Gamblers like using words like 'Mhindi and Kuseti' [Couyrtesy]

Kichwa

‘Hiyo weka kichwa’. That’s what is popular among bettors. Its literal meaning is ‘head’ but it is one of the market options in betting. It is when a person predicts a straight win for a team in a match. For example, when Manchester City plays Leicester City at Etihad, and bet that Manchester City will beat the visiting team. You shall have placed kichwa.

Over

Is a market option where a bettor can predict that a match will produce many goals. For example, you can predict that a match will end with two or more goals scored, regardless of who scores (that’s over 1.5), three or more goals scored (over 2.5), four or more goals scored (over 3.5) and so on.

Under

Is the exact opposite of ‘over,’ where you predict that a match will yield less goals, regardless of which team scores. The words should be followed by figures, for example over 2.5 or under 2.5. But bettors shorten them to simply over or under, depending on what they’re discussing, and it becomes a coded language.

GG

Is an abbreviation for Goal-Goal. In betting, this means that either team in a match scores. Bettors really like placing this bet because there is always a high chance of both teams scoring in a match. The don’t care about the final outcome of the match. All they are concerned with and will celebrate, are goals from both teams.