Betting craze tops google August 2019 search trends

Written By: Claire Wanja/Release


Google Search trends indicate that the English Premier League (EPL) took the top position in the August search queries. The matches that were searched for include Liverpool vs Arsenal and Manchester United vs Chelsea .

The obsession with betting still ranks high amongst Kenyans as betting came in as the second most searched query despite government ban .

Some of the major betting sites were shut down after the government ordered the revoking of their licenses. This also led to the suspension of their Paybill and SMS shortcode numbers. In spite of this, Kenyans still went online to search for Bet 254, 22 Bet, Shabiki Power 17 and Odi Bet.

The death of popular benga musician John Ng’ang‘a De’Mathew on Sunday 18th August, was the third most searched query in August. The musician was involved in a fatal accident on Thika Superhighway after ramming into a truck.


Wendy Waeni, 11-year-old gymnast was the fourth searched query after she accused her former manager Joe Mwangi of denying her proceeds from her performances since 2014. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has since opened investigations against the manager.

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Brazillian defender David Luiz was the fifth searched item. This was after Arsenal finalized an £8million deal signing the player from Chelsea.

Sixth on the list was Billionaire and owner of African Spirits Limited, Humphrey Kariuki Ndegwa  after the DCI sought an international arrest warrant against him over a Sh14.5 billion tax evasion case.

The seventh search query was the Amazon fires in South America that intensified in August. The Amazon Rainforest produces more than 20% of the world’s oxygen and is referred to as the lungs of the Earth.

Kenyan gospel musician Jimmy Gait was the eighth trending searched item after he revealed that he had been misdiagnosed by Kenyan doctors and he would have lost his voice if he underwent a throat surgery as advised by Kenyan doctors before going to India.

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The ninth search query was the popular American musical fantasy film The Wizard of Oz as it celebrated 80 years. Google celebrated this anniversary with a hidden surprise on the search page and if you clicked on the red slippers on the far right side, the screen suddenly spinned and transformed into a black and white page.


In the ‘How to’ category, the most trending search query was how to pay tala loan, this came after the Google Play store banned apps that promote personal loans which require full repayment in 60 days or less from the date the loan is issued.

Followed by how to check fuliza limit; how to pay NHIF via Mpesa; how to track a lost phone; how to hack WiFi and how to make money online, a recurring query on the search trends showing that Kenyans are interested in improving their financial abilities.

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Seventh and eighth queries on list were  how to make pancakes and how to cook spaghetti recurring searches that show Kenyans are interested in improving and broadening their culinary skills.

Ninth on the list was how to play chess, while tenth query on the list was how to know he loves you possibly indicating that many women are searching for signs that show that their partners are true to them.

Top August General Searches

  1. EPL – English Premier League
  2. Betting
  3. John DeMatthew
  4. Wendy Waeni
  5. David Luiz
  6. Humphrey Kariuki
  7. Amazon Fires
  8. Jimmy Gait
  9. Wizard of Oz
  10. Joe Mwangi

Top “How to” Searches

  1. How to pay Tala loan
  2. How to check fuliza limit
  3. How to pay NHIF via Mpesa
  4. How to track a lost phone
  5. How to hack wifi
  6. How to make money online
  7. How to make pancakes
  8. How to cook spaghetti
  9. How to play chess
  10. How to know he loves you



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