Samuel Abisai receiving dummy cheque.
NAIROBI, Kenya, May 2 – “Prayer is the acid test of devotion”, those are the words of missionary Samuel Chadwick that reflect the Bible verse; Matthew 7:7 that says… “Ask, and it will be given to you seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.”
As some individuals would seek for God, witch doctors, charms and luck for intervention to attain a given goal, for 28-year-old Samuel Abisai sought the power of prayer for him to win an elusive betting jackpot.
Abisai’s elder sister Beatrice Atema, locked herself in the bedroom, knelt down held her rosary and prayed for her young brother to win the Sh221 Million Sportpesa jackpot on Sunday night.
Abisai made history by winning the biggest ever jackpot in Africa’s gaming history for correctly predicting the outcome of 17 matches.
After carefully following outcomes of 15 matches of the Mega Jackpot, Abisai said he started celebrating with friends as he had already reached the bonus payout bracket not knowing that he will eventually clinch the jackpot and that’s when he called his sister for divine intervention.
“It was around 9pm, my brother called and told me that he was only one match away which was Italian Serie A league fixture pitting Inter Milan against Napoli which was to start in the next 45 minutes to scoop the jackpot and was tensed,” narrated Beatrice.
“I told him to take heart and will remember him in prayers and urged him to have faith. I left all that I was doing in the living room and locked myself in the bedroom and prayed hard to God for a miracle,” she said.
Samuel Abisai was picked by Sportpesa CEO Ronald Karauri at his Roysambu home in Nairobi.
Jose Callejon struck the only goal of the game just before half time to guarantee Abisai the Mega Jackpot win as Napoli tightened their grip on Champions League qualification by beating Inter Milan 1-0 away at the San Siro.
Beatrice said shortly after midnight, Abisai called him and told her about his winning and thanked her for the prayers which had worked in his favour.
“I got excited, unable to contain my excitement and immediately thanked God for answering my prayers with a praise and worship session,” she said.
Beatrice who fellowships at Queen of Apostles Catholic Church along Thika Road in Nairobi said she will give her testimony in the church this coming Sunday (May 7th) as a manifestation with prayers and faith everything is possible in God’s name.
Samuel Abisai was picked from his Nairobi Roysambu home in luxurious cars.
The winner who is a sales man of Chinese company said he used Sh200 by placing two bets which resulted into winning a total of Sh221, 301, 602 million.
“When I was called by Sportpesa Chief Executive Officer Ronald Karauri in the middle of the night, I was standing outside a petrol station, I was so elated because it was a confirmation that I had won, I jumped and started dancing in jubilation with the boda boda operators around wondering what gotten into me,” he said.
Abisai said he will first take a holiday for soul searching before embarking on spending the money.
“I have not yet made up my mind on how I intend to ultilise the cash but am thinking of investing in real estate and supporting charity,” he said.
Abisai born in a family of 12 children said he will use part of the winnings into improve the welfare of siblings and parents.
Samuel Abisai was picked by a Limousine from his Roysambu home in Nairobi.
Sportpsea boss Ronald Karauri said the betting firm will offer Abisai a financial advisor to advise him on how he can make good use of his earnings through investing in viable ventures
The win enabled him to have a taste of the trappings of power by being treated as King by being driven in convoy of vehicles from his house to the designated venue for officially being unveiled as the Mega Jackpot winner and receive his winnings.
The convoy started from town to his residence in Nairobi’s Roysambu, where he was led by four heavily built security men and models into an awaiting Limousine.
The convoy left his residence, before entering Thika Road, then took Forest Road, Museum Hill, Uhuru Highway and turned at the Uhuru Highway Roundabout near Nyayo House to Valley Road, Mbagathi Way, Langata Road and finally Carnivore to red carpet welcome.
