By Aubrey Thom Vakhani
Contributor
Supa Pesa, one of the betting companies in the country, on Friday presented a symbolic cheque of K14, 544, 276 to Patricia Chirwa, after playing an aviator through Bet Yanga Online Sports Betting.
A resident of Mchengautuwa in Mzuzu City, Chirwa said she placed a K399 stake and scooped the big prize.
“One day, a Supa Pesa worker came to do marketing in Mzuzu. He found me at the market and I opened an account. I have all along been playing for fun and didn’t know that one day it would change my life and bring me joy and happiness,” Chirwa, a small-scale business lady said.
She added: “I used to play and win amounts in the ranges of K40,000 and K80,000 but this time I won a lot of money, which was surprising and brought me immense joy. I played the aviator game because I don’t follow football.”
She said with the money she won, she plans to buy a plot of land and build houses, and also invest in her grocery business.
“I will top up my business to make it grow,” she said, who was in the company of her mother and other family members” she said.
On her part, Jescar Mponda, Public Relations Manager at Supa Pesa, said the company is committed to following the policies of the Malawi Gaming and Lotteries Authority (MAGLA) and ensuring that its gaming systems are in line with the regulations.
“We adhere to the regulations set by the Malawi Gaming and Lotteries Authority and ensure that our games are fair and transparent,” she said.
When asked about the authenticity of the win, Mponda said that the winner’s willingness to show her face and share her story was a proof that the win was real.
“This is not a marketing tactic. As you have heard from the winner, she wasn’t even scared to show her face. So, that means it is real,” she said.
Mponda assured Chirwa that the company would transfer the prize money to her account within seven days.
“We are thrilled to have a big winner in Mzuzu. We introduced our services here in June this year, and it’s great to see that our customers are winning big,” Mponda said.
The betting market in Malawi is quite competitive, with numerous betting companies operating in the country, including newly introduced ones like Supa Pesa.
Mponda highlighted that this competition is beneficial, driving innovation and customer-centric services.
“They are different in a way that we have different things that we offer in our size. The games are the same, but we have some things that are slightly different that attract customers,” she said.
Mponda said this differentiation allows companies to cater to diverse customer preferences.
“Another customer might be attracted to Supa Pesa, and another one will prefer another betting company,” Mponda noted.
She added: “Ultimately, the goal is to provide an enjoyable experience for customers. We have slight changes that we put there for us to make our customers enjoy our services.”
She said this competitive landscape benefits customers, who can choose from a range of options that suit their needs and preferences.
Regarding market penetration, Mponda said that Supa Pesa’s recent introduction to Mzuzu has been successful, with the big win being a testament to the company’s acceptance in the region.
“Market penetration is good here. We are glad to have been accepted by the people here,” she said.
