Nollywood star vows never to gamble again after ₦5m World Cup loss

Popular Nollywood actress Destiny Etiko has sworn off football betting completely after losing a staggering ₦5 million on the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.

Sharing her distress on Instagram this Monday, the actress admitted that the intense anxiety of the match nearly overwhelmed her. “First time betting and I lost. Will never try it again. My 5M gone. In fact, I’m done watching football,” she posted shortly after the final whistle. While Etiko did not specify the exact nature of her wager, her social media updates throughout the game made it clear that her money was riding heavily on Argentina.

Before kick-off, a confident Etiko rallied behind the South American squad on her Instagram Story, asking fans, “Argentina all the way. Who can’t wait?”

However, her optimism quickly dissolved into frustration as Spain began to dominate the pitch. As the match stalled, she posted, “This ball tough o. Argentina is pissing me off,” later praising Argentinian goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez as the “saviour” for keeping the defending champions in the game.

Ultimately, her hopes and her ₦5 million were dashed when Spain defeated a 10-man Argentina 1-0 in extra time. Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernández was sent off after receiving a second yellow card, leaving his team vulnerable. Spain took full advantage of their numerical superiority, with substitute Ferran Torres netting the decisive goal in the second period of extra time to secure Spain’s second World Cup title, 16 years after their historic 2010 victory in South Africa.