Manifest the Milli: Tim Naki on Risk, Reality & Going Viral

This week on Tee It Up, we sit down with Tim Naki for a wide-ranging chat on risk, content, and the reality behind going viral. Tim takes us inside the thinking behind Manifest the Milli, Ten and Ten, and the bet-per-follower concept that helped grow his audience to more than 1.1 million. He opens up about the highs and lows of punting — including the now-famous run where he turned $1,500 into $1 million in 84 days, before losing nearly half of it just as quickly. We talk honestly about luck versus skill, variance in gambling, and why transparency around losses has become a cornerstone of Tim’s brand. He’s clear about responsibility too — warning against blindly copying bets and stressing the emotional toll that comes with high-stakes decision-making. The conversation also shifts to golf. Growing up in Hawera around names like Michael Campbell, Tim shares how he got into the game, what he finds most challenging, and his favourite on-course experiences so far. We also dive into High Stakes Golf, his YouTube series blending pressure golf, elite courses and real money on the line. A thoughtful, open conversation about content creation, risk, golf and what happens when a wild idea actually works.