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Sup fellow degens,
It’s the season of giving and maxing out credit cards to buy things people don't need.
It's that magical time of year when we are supposed to believe that good things happen to good people.
But while you’re sitting there complaining about getting socks from your aunt, let me tell you about a guy in India who tried to engineer his own Christmas miracle and got thrown in a cage by the real-life Grinch.
Today, we talk about when running an illegal gambling ring was the most Christ-like thing a man could do.
Meet Benny Thomas, the accidental Kingpin of Kerala.
All I Want for Christmas is Chemo
Benny is a 43-year-old guy who spent 35 years working abroad, tried to start a business back home, got wrecked by COVID, and then got the ultimate case of big bad luck: his wife was diagnosed with cancer.
He was drowning in debt (₹55 lakh, approximately $65k USD). The banks were coming for his house.
So, he tried selling his assets the normal way, but there were no buyers.
So, in the true spirit of holiday desperation, Benny did what any degen with a heart of gold would do: He tokenized his life.
He printed 10,000 lottery coupons at ₹1,500 ($18) each.
1st Prize: His House & Land (3,300 sq.ft).
2nd Prize: His SUV.
3rd Prize: His car.
4th Prize: His motorcycle.
This wasn't a scam. This was a desperate man liquidating everything he owned to save his wife. He sold 80% of the tickets. The draw was set for December 20th.
Dec. 20th was supposed to be their Christmas miracle. He would clear his debts and pay for his wife's life-saving treatment just in time for the holidays.
The Grinch Wears a Badge
Then, the "House" stepped in.
Kerala has a state-run monopoly on lotteries. They don't like competition, even if the competition is a guy trying to save his dying wife during the holiest month of the year.
On December 19th, one day before the draw and six days before Christmas, the police raided Benny’s house. They seized the coupons and arrested Santa.
Benny was really Santa. Look at this:
State Lottery: Takes money from poor people year-round, gives terrible odds, keeps the profit.
Benny’s Lottery: Takes money, gives a 1 in 10,000 shot at a HOUSE, and uses the profit to stop a woman from dying of cancer at Christmas.
Benny offered positive expected value (EV) on a moral level. The state charged him under the Lotteries (Regulation) Act. Because in the gambling world, the only crime worse than cheating is offering a better product than the government or the state monopoly.
Benny is All Of Us
We joke about risking it all, but Benny actually did. He put his house, his cars, and his freedom on the table for the person he loved.
Instead of a Christmas miracle, Benny got a jail cell; His wife still needs treatment; and the bank will probably take the house anyway.
It is the ultimate bad beat.
So today, as you complain about BTC being unstable or not getting bonus spins, spare a thought for Benny. He tried to be the Operator his family needed, and he got rugged by the state.
Hug your family, appreciate your freedom, and if you hit a big parlay today, maybe donate some of it to a cancer charity in Benny's honor.
TL;DR: Benny Thomas is broke and in debt ($65k), with a wife who has cancer. Since he couldn't sell his house in time, he "tokenized" his assets. He sold 10,000 lottery tickets at $18 each. Prizes included his house, land, SUV, and motorcycle.The Bad Beat: The State Government, which runs a lottery monopoly, hates competition. Police raided his house 24 hours before the draw and arrested him.
Stay degen,
Dima
Who is Menace Dima?
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