Rapper Lil Baby shared that he lost about $8 million in one day while gambling at a casino. He spent nearly 40 hours straight there. Shocked by how much money he lost, Lil Baby decided to quit gambling.
This all came out on Lil Yachty’s A Safe Place Podcast. There, 30-year-old Lil Baby talked about losing $8 million in roughly 40 hours.
In his podcast interview, Lil Baby clearly stated that he understood how damaging his gambling habits were. "I made myself stop gambling," he said. And after realizing how much he had lost, he took strong action to quit gambling.
Fanatics CEO Helping Lil Baby Quit Gambling
Lil Baby said he had to ask his friend, Fanatics CEO Mike Rubin, to help by banning him from all casinos.
To help him stop, Rubin assisted him in sending letters to all casinos, asking them to ban him. Lil Baby clearly said: "I don't gamble anymore.”
This bold decision shows that he fully recognized the impact of his actions and wanted to take responsibility for breaking the habit.
Who Is Lil Baby?
Lil Baby, whose real name is Dominique Armani Jones, is a rapper from Atlanta. His mixtape 'Too Hard' became his first project to hit the Billboard 200, reaching No. 80 in 2017.
His first studio album, 'Harder Than Ever,' climbed to No. 3 in 2018, with the lead single "Southside" reaching No. 79 on the Hot 100. His subsequent albums, 'My Turn' in 2020 and 'It’s Only Me' in 2022, both topped the Billboard 200 chart.
Lil Baby has achieved multiple top 10 hits on the Hot 100 through his songs and collaborations with artists like Drake, Gunna, Da Baby, Pop Smoke, Nicki Minaj, and J. Cole. In 2022, he won his first Grammy for best melodic rap performance with his contribution to Kanye West’s song “Hurricane.”
50 Cent Gives His 2 Cents on Lil Baby
50 Cent often embraces controversy, and his recent social media post aimed at fellow rapper Lil Baby stirred up a lot of attention. In the post, 50 Cent mocked Lil Baby for his financial troubles. He dubbed Lil Baby's actions "crazy," and wrote, "I’m just glad he didn’t kill nobody.”
50 Cent also compared Lil Baby's gambling to boxer Floyd Mayweather, saying, "I thought only Floyd [Mayweather] did stuff like that." The post has since been taken down.
Lil Baby’s Story Serves as a Warning
For Lil Baby, his recent steps to quit gambling show that he’s serious about turning his life around.
In the United States, and other places around the world, people can always turn to Gamblers Anonymous and the National Problem Gambling Helpline. In addition, Safer Gambling Week is held every November.
Lil Baby's story also serves as a warning about the risks of not practicing responsible gambling. Lil Baby found out just how fast gambling can become a problem, and how serious the consequences can be. Many people don't realize how bad it can get until it's too late.
Lil Baby's choice to leave gambling behind is a good move, but it's uncertain if he will get professional help to deal with his addiction in the future.
Responsible Gambling Tips
Those struggling with gambling addiction face a long and tough journey to recovery. They need to recognize the problem and take big steps to stop the behavior.
If you want to control your gambling, experts suggest trying these tips:
- Set deposit limits daily, weekly, or monthly, and adjust them as needed.
- Take breaks from gambling, ranging from 24 hours to 6 weeks.
- Set reality checks with prompts and time-outs to limit your playing time.
- Self-exclude for six months to five years to stop gambling completely.
- Track your gambling history by reviewing your transactions.
- Set stake and loss limits before playing, and pause if you win a jackpot to keep your winnings.
Online casino gaming is currently legal in Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Delaware. There are steps you can take on all major gambling sites to promote responsible gaming.
Good luck, and please play responsibly.
