RismadarVoice Reporters, July 26, 2026
The founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo, has cautioned young Nigerians against relying on sports betting as a path to financial success, urging them to embrace hard work, patience and diligence instead.
Speaking during a sermon on Sunday, Oyedepo described sports betting as a distraction capable of destroying the future of young people, insisting that lasting prosperity is achieved through honest labour rather than gambling.
“Young people, betting is not the way to financial fortune. Stop wasting your destiny, stop wasting your time. I have never been once deceived. Stop!” he said.
The cleric acknowledged that success may not come immediately but maintained that those who remain committed to the right path would ultimately prosper.
“Things may be slow, but it is sure,” he added.
Oyedepo also shared a personal testimony, recalling how he presented a car to the woman who led him to Christ at the age of 15 as an expression of gratitude when he turned 60.
“My mother of faith led me to Christ at 15. When I turned 60, I got her a car that they took to her place in the U.S. She wept. You had better wake up,” he said.
The sermon comes amid growing concerns over the rising popularity of sports betting among young Nigerians, with religious leaders and social commentators continuing to warn about its financial and social consequences.
