[Intro: 120 BPM; original three-note distorted bass hook; tight electronic breakbeat; muted jazz-guitar ninth chords; warm electric piano; eight seconds] [Verse 1: robotic male upper-baritone rap; grainy metallic tone; crisp paired rhymes; guitar answers every four lines] Game on Sunday, Cuz beside my chair, Said, “Put five on it. Make it interesting there.” I said, “Five ain’t nothing.” Downloaded the app, By the second quarter, had it open in my lap. First bet hit, felt slick, felt smart, Told myself I had a knack right from the start. Next one missed; I blamed the referee, Put another twenty down to get it back to me. Watched the little numbers, barely watched the game, Asked who scored, then checked the screen again. Cuz said, “You good?” I said, “Just down a bit.” He said, “Then close it.” I said, “After this hit.” [Hook: bright robotic chant; bass hook repeats; guitar answers] Chasing fifty, Down a hundred more. Said I’d quit When I got back to before. One more wager, One more try. Kept that promise Till the odds went by. [Turnaround: three-note bass hook twice; clipped synth stabs; descending electric-piano response] [Verse 2: darker robotic rap; tight sixteenths; sparse backbeat] Monday morning, checked the bank at eight, Moved the bill money, told myself, “It can wait.” Tuesday night, put a bet on overseas, Didn’t know the players, knew the advertised fees. Phone lit up: “We miss you. Here’s a deal.” Funny how a message makes an offer feel real. Took that little bonus, read the terms too late, Had to wager more before I touched the rebate. Wife said, “Why’s the card declined?” I said, “Some bank mistake.” Then heard the kind of lie I’d just been willing to make. She said, “Open the account.” I set it on the chair, No way to blame the bank with every payment sitting there. [Hook: bright robotic chant with low octave answers] Chasing fifty, Down a hundred more. Said I’d quit When I got back to before. One more wager, One more try. Kept that promise Till the odds went by. [Instrumental: eight bars; clean guitar develops three-note hook through octave shifts and bent thirds; electric piano answers; breakbeat stays steady] [Breakdown: drums reduce to clicks; close synthetic spoken rhythm] She asked, “How much?” I named the sum. She closed her eyes. My mouth went numb. “No more tonight.” I said, “I know.” Then reached for it. She said, “Let go.” [Verse 3: warmer robotic mid-tenor; more space between phrases] Called my brother, told him what I’d spent, He said, “First thing, we’ve got to sort the rent.” I said, “Don’t tell the family.” He said, “That’s your call, But I’m not helping you pretend there’s nothing wrong at all.” Closed the betting account, blocked the payment route, Still had that itch when the next game came about. Sat beside my wife, left the phone upstairs, Watched a whole first quarter without checking on the shares. Not a comeback story, still got bills to pay, She checks the balance with me at the end of every day. Cuz asked, “Who you backing?” I said, “Nobody, man.” He said, “Just watch it with me.” I said, “Yeah, I can.” [Final hook
