South African Sports Betting Sites & Odds in 2021
Sports betting is available in South Africa, and there are quite a few websites where bettors can place wagers. It can be challenging to decide which bookmaker is the best, but we are here to help. Betting Billy brings you comprehensive and objective reviews that can make your decision easier.
Our Test Categories for Sports Betting Sites
We have thoroughly tested different categories that can determine the quality of bookmakers' service. It's not questionable if sports betting is allowed in South Africa since it is 100% legal and safe. Let's skim over what you can expect to see in our reviews:
Betting Offer: It is one of the most important test categories because it determines the diversity in the offer that a bookmaker can provide. We take a dive into the number of sports, their coverage, and the number of betting markets available to bettors.
Live Betting: Nowadays, you cannot imagine a successful sportsbook that doesn't include live betting as a possibility. This test category relates to the coverage of live events and the variety of markets you can bet on. Additionally, we check if the live streaming feature is available.
Mobile Betting: Thanks to the technology improvements, a vast number of bettors prefer placing their wagers via a mobile device. Mobile betting is very popular, and we try out mobile apps, assess their usability, features, and compatibility with different operating systems.
Bonus Offers & Free Bets: Lots of punters seek the best bonuses on the market, and the sportsbooks compete to attract as many customers as possible. We don't explore only the bonus amounts, but the wagering requirements as well.
Customer Support: When you come into a problem while using the specific sportsbook interface, you need to have prompt support to help you resolve it quickly. We discover different channels of communication, response time, professionalism, and availability.
Payment Options: You need to put some money into your account to place your bets. Eventually, you would also like to withdraw your winnings. We assess different payment methods available to both kinds of transactions and the variety of options you can use.
Limits & Odds: Bettors should always search for good value odds, and we are here to compare them to the competitor sportsbooks. We also bring you valuable information about different kinds of limits related to deposits and maximum payouts.
Usability: Customers should enjoy their online sports betting experience, and the first step toward that goal is interface user-friendliness. We spent some time roaming through the website so that you can focus only on selecting the winner tips.
License & Security: Eventually, the sportsbook must handle your sensitive information in the right manner. We researched the different security measures and also checked which regulatory bodies licensed each sportsbook.
- Betting Offer
- Live Betting
- Mobile Betting
- Bonus Offers & Free Bets
- Customer Support
- Payment Options
- Limits & Odds
- Usability
- License and Security
Our Top 5 Sports Betting Bonuses
We compared all information related to the bonuses offered by each sportsbook. As a result, we made a list of the top five sports betting bonuses in South Africa. It doesn't necessarily need to be the one that brings you the highest bonus amount. Wagering requirements also play a significant role.
Our Top 5 Betting Apps
After trying out different sports betting apps, we picked the top five according to our preferences. Of course, our opinion shouldn't be taken for granted, and you should pick the app that fulfills most of your wagering needs. Don't forget to check if the app can be installed on your smartphone.
Sports Betting Sites: 5 Most played Betting Types
The betting market evolved so much, and nowadays, it offers a massive number of opportunities. You should find the most suitable ones for your wagering style to increase the chances of winning. Some betting types are more popular than others, and these are most famous among South African bettors.
- Both Teams to Score: BTTS market is probably the most popular one, and it's simplicity makes it so attractive to bettors. It mostly applies to football, and you should only pick if both teams are going to find the back of the net or not.
- Handicap betting: Although it is an alternative market, handicap betting is mostly used by more experienced bettors. Thanks to this betting type, you can get more generous odds when the bookmaker assigns a virtual advantage to an underdog.
- Live betting: Live betting is famous all around the world, and it provides you the opportunity to place bets after the event starts. According to the situation in the field, you can get good value and increase your winnings.
- Yankee bet: It's a type of an accumulator bet, and it consists of four selections. Unlike the straight acca, it covers 11 different wagers. To win a Yankee bet, you need just two correct picks.
- Draw no Bet: Draw no Bet is another popular market that excludes the prospect of a draw. It applies to football the best, as it increases the chances of winning from 33% to 50%. In case the game ends in a tie, you get your stake back.
Top 5 Sports to bet on at Sports Betting Sites
Bettors can enjoy an extensive offer provided by many bookmakers, but some sports stand out from the crowd. The most popular ones among the South African punters dominate the offer, and we are going to highlight the top five.
- Horse racing: It may be surprising for you, but horse racing is a very traditional sport in South Africa. Therefore, punters like to place a bunch of bets on all kinds of events, and the sportsbooks recognized this market as a very important one. If you want to try it out, you have the opportunity to pick from a vast number of meetings. Whether it takes place in South Africa, the UK, US, or Europe, you can pick your favorite event.
- Soccer: As the most famous sport in the world, soccer takes a special place in every sportsbook's offer. You can find the biggest number of markets for soccer matches, and sometimes, it can count over a hundred. Almost all leagues worldwide are covered, and there are tons of games daily. Every bettor can pick something from the soccer offering. Besides the pre-match markets, punters can also find dozens, even hundreds of soccer games every day, and enjoy in-play wagering.
- Rugby: Rugby also found its place among the top five sports, as it draws a lot of attention from South African sports fans and bettors. The offer covers every major tournament and provides quite a decent number of markets.
- Esports: Although it's not a traditional sport, esports' popularity is skyrocketing in South Africa as well. The fanbase is constantly growing, and sportsbooks entered a new market and opened new betting opportunities. South African bettors recognized those, and nowadays, every reputable bookmaker has a dedicated section on its website. Punters can place their wagers on different games and tournaments, and the offer includes some unique markets as well.
- Cricket: Cricket is another sport that is traditionally popular in South Africa. It is the third most popular sport in the country. Sportsbooks cover the domestic league, as well as the Indian Premier League and other reputable competitions in this sport.
Checklist: Registration
Every bettor needs to sign up for an online account before being eligible to place bets. Your account needs to be verified so that you can make transactions and eventually withdraw your winnings. However, you shouldn't just randomly pick a bookmaker and create an account. It would be best to make sure that the selected sportsbook satisfies your needs and provides the best value for your money. Let's mention several areas that you should consider before you register for an account:
- Sports and markets diversity
- Do the odds bring good value?
- Live betting capabilities
- Mobile betting application
- Wagering limitations
- The number of payment options available
- Welcome bonuses and existing customer promotions
- Quality of customer support
- Licensing and security
- Platform user experience
5 Tips for the Beginning
Every beginning is not easy, and betting online is no different. It may seem easy to select events, place wagers, and just collect the money. No matter how experienced you are as a bettor or an expert in a particular sport, setbacks can happen. Rookie bookers face similar problems, and instead of having a comfortable betting experience, it draws frustration. Before dipping into the sport betting waters, have in mind these tips that can help you have a good start.
- Money Management: Don't exceed the amount of money for one bet: It is essential to take money management seriously. If you do not stake your bets correctly, your bankroll can quickly vanish. If you don't balance your bankroll and neglect it, the chances of being successful are not so promising.
- Just play with the money you can lose: Never use the money needed for your livelihood! If you do, the possibility of getting into trouble is very strong. You should play only with the money you are ready to lose. This way, you won't feel very uncomfortable or pressured if you eventually run out of betting funds.
- Get on board of more than one operator to find the best odds: It is okay to have a preferred bookmaker but don't be shy and shop around for the best prices. Eventually, your money is on the stake, and you should explore every opportunity to boost your potential payouts.
- Invest in what you know: It would be best if you always focused on the sports and competitions you know the best. Occasionally, you won't find a value among them, but it doesn't mean you should try betting anything you crosses your mind.
- Use Free Bets to start: Free bets are an excellent way of getting into online betting. Of course, you cannot use them all the time, but they can help you test your start strategies. You will save your money and find the approach that suits you the most.
Sports betting is legal in South Africa, and the bettors should use licensed operators only. Nine provincial regulatory bodies monitor the market and issues the licenses. Therefore, placing a bet is not against the law.
When choosing a sportsbook, make sure that it is licensed by at least one of the nine regulatory bodies. These are Gauteng Gambling Board, Eastern Cape Gambling and Betting Board, Free State Gambling and Racing Board, KwaZulu-Natal Gambling and Racing Board, Limpopo Gambling Board, Mpumalanga Gambling Board, North West Gambling Board, Northern Cape Gambling Board, and Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board. Besides those, international licenses issued by Maltese Gaming Authority, the UK Gambling Commission, or Curacao Gambling Commission are highly rated as well.
You need to be at least 18 years old to be eligible for sports betting in South Africa. Also, you would not be able to create a valid account if you are under 18. Eventually, you wouldn’t be able to make any transactions.
There are a number of online betting sites in South Africa, both domestic and international ones. There is no correct answer to this question, and every bettor should pick the sportsbook according to his preferences. Bear in mind to bet only at the licensed bookmakers.
Yes, you are not restricted from signing up for an account at different sportsbooks. Eventually, it can be beneficial since you will be able to take the best prices and add extra value to your wagers.
If you bet for the sake of entertainment, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) won’t tax your winnings. You do not need to pay taxes unless you are a professional bettor, and betting in sports is your regular income source.
There is a responsible gambling association in South Africa that provides help for the high-risk bettors. Usually, every sportsbook has a link to the corresponding organization that can help fight gambling addiction problems. Additionally, you can also set limits yourself directly at the sportsbook’s page and keep your bankroll under control.
Free bets are one of the best ways to start, and the biggest convenience is that you don’t need to deposit your money. You can use them for testing your strategies and eventually winning some money without having to invest yours.
If you win a bet, it won’t take too much time before your account gets a payout. Usually, it takes just a couple of minutes after the game ends of the last match in your parlay wager finishes. There is no significant difference between bookmakers, but we would say that 1xBet provides the fastest payout.
You should place your bets on sports and leagues you are the most familiar with. Focus on what you know the best, and take advantage of your expertise and information that is at your disposal.
