Zimbabwean Man Dies by Suicide After Losing $500 Sports Bet
A 34-year-old man from Kuwadzana, a suburb of Harare, Zimbabwe, has tragically taken his own life after losing a $500 sports bet — highlighting the growing toll of gambling addiction in the country.
The deceased, Taurai Manyepo, a father of two, had staked the borrowed money on Manchester City to defeat Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal in the FIFA Club World Cup. In a shocking twist, the English side lost 4-3 in extra time, leaving Manyepo devastated and unable to repay the debt.
The money, it was later revealed, had been borrowed under false pretenses. Lloyd Pikiri, who lent the funds, said Manyepo claimed he needed it urgently for his mother’s CT scan at Parirenyatwa Hospital.
“I feel like I killed a friend,” Pikiri said, visibly shaken. “He presented such a convincing story about his mother’s medical needs.”
Police have launched an investigation into the case. National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi urged families to report suicide cases promptly and expressed concern over the rising link between gambling and suicides in the country.
According to World Bank data, Zimbabwe’s suicide rate stands at 17.34%, with a noticeable rise in gambling-related incidents.
Manyepo’s death adds to a growing list of gambling tragedies. In 2019, a Chinhoyi man also died by suicide after losing $600. More recently, a Harare man collapsed after losing $724 on the Aviator game, and a bakery manager stole over $3,400 to fund his gambling habit.
Authorities and mental health advocates are now calling for greater awareness and stronger regulation of betting practices to curb the escalating crisis.
