S'porean man loses S$500,000 on 1 basketball game, girlfriend breaks up due to addiction

A Singaporean man who lost S$500,000 on a single basketball bet has shared how gambling nearly destroyed every aspect of his life, from his relationship to his freedom, before he finally sought help.

The man, along with another former addict, shared their stories with Lianhe Zaobao as part of a feature on recovering from gambling addiction.

Started during NS, spiralled later on

The man, who declined to be named, told Zaobao he first got into football betting during his national service.

Early wins kept him hooked. His gambling then expanded to betting websites and casinos.

He told Zaobao:

"All I could think about was placing the next bet, enjoying the thrill of winning, and trying to win back what I had lost."

Owed money to many people

To fund his habit, he borrowed from everyone around him, including friends and family.

He stole money from those around him, and eventually ended up out of the house. His girlfriend eventually broke up with him.

By 2020, he had accumulated over S$1 million in debt.

At his lowest point, he turned to Blessed Grace Social Services for help, per Zaobao.

The S$500,000 basketball bet

The first eight months of counselling went well. But, he soon relapsed.

This time, he struck it big, winning nearly S$600,000 through free credits on a gambling website. Instead of stopping, he used S$100,000 to purchase insurance and bet the remaining S$500,000 on a single basketball game.

He recalled that the team he had bet on led for most of the game, only to be overtaken in the final 30 seconds, wiping out his S$500,000 in an instant.

He admitted to falling back into the cycle of losing, borrowing, and gambling again.

Second session

Despite knowing his past, his current girlfriend gave their relationship a chance.

In 2025, he borrowed money from her family under false pretences.

She brought him back to Blessed Grace Social Services in July 2025 for a second round of counselling. His debts have since been cleared.

He said:

"Gambling turned my life upside down and hurt the people closest to me. I deeply regret it."