Transgender beauty queen and social media personality Lars Pacheco recently revealed that she lost a staggering P5 million after becoming addicted to online gambling. In a heartfelt video titled “How I Lost 5 Million in Online Gambling,” posted on her Facebook account, Lars recounted her journey into gambling, which started in 2021.
“It started in 2021 with online cockfighting through a money app,” Lars shared, admitting that she was initially unaware of how to play. Out of curiosity, she tried her luck by betting on colors, only to fall deeper into the habit.
As her experience grew, so did her losses, with Lars confessing that in the first few months alone, she had already lost P600,000. When online cockfighting was removed from the platform, Lars shifted to other gambling apps, particularly becoming hooked on baccarat.
“I became a baccarat queen,” she admitted, explaining how this new form of gambling made it even harder for her to stop as it was linked to her bank account. The ease of cashing in via QR codes led to a cycle of non-stop deposits. “My transaction history was filled with red – the color of deposits.”
As her addiction worsened, she turned to friends for help, asking them to transfer money to her account when she hit her bank limit. “I’d return the money and add a bit more, but this became my routine.”
Eventually, Lars started lying to her friends about her financial situation, which became a turning point for her. “This is when I realized I had encountered evil in the form of gambling,” she said.
Lars urged others struggling with gambling addiction to stop while they can, acknowledging how difficult it can be to walk away from losses. “You need to accept that you won’t recover all that you’ve lost,” she advised.
Lars first gained prominence in 2018 as the second runner-up in Miss Q&A, a pageant on It’s Showtime, a popular Philippine television show.
