Olimp Group has been around for over 15 years but also serves as one of the new kids on the block in the sports betting world, if we may say so. BetOlimp was founded in 2015 and garnered a fan base among sports bettors across the globe, as they keep pushing to expand to different markets worldwide. We now take a closer look in a detailed BetOlimp review to see what it has in store for players in South Africa and whether you should make an account there!
Betting Offer
To offer a quality service in general, sportsbooks have to attend to the needs of many bettors. As a general rule, this starts with the betting offer in place and that is where we usually start our operator reviews. BetOlimp South Africa is no different so let’s dig deeper into what’s actually on the table.
The offer includes many of the South African fan favorites and goes into great depth when it comes to events and markets.
These include the likes of Soccer, Rugby Union, Rugby League, Cricket as well as Tennis, Basketball, and Volleyball.
However, the list obviously doesn’t stop there, as there are many other leagues and individual events to go for. This is where the likes of e-Sports betting, MMA, Boxing, and Motorsports come off as popular picks in South Africa and elsewhere. One should take away nothing from Ice Hockey, American Football, Baseball, Golf, and Snooker.
The range of markets available is just too big to cover but let’s mention some of the favorites. These include Match winners, Totals, Half Time/Full Time, Winning Margin, Double chance Exact scores, Handicaps, Opening Partnerships, and many more.
Live Betting
Live betting section has become one of the most important parts of sports betting sites with the increased ability to watch many sports events and follow through with the stats. BetOlimp was no late to the party and quickly introduces a solid platform covering In-play events, which offers a great variety of sports.
BetOlimp live market is dominated by Soccer through most part of the year, but players can also find a fair share of Cricket, Rugby, Tennis, and Basketball events. Also, there’s a great number of American fan favorites making the list – with American Football, Baseball, and Basketball all heavily featured.
Interestingly, BetOlimp boasts its live betting opportunities with e-Sports, which many of the competitors lack. If you like following Counter-Strike and Dota tournaments, this could make for a perfect place to settle.
The live bet platform works well and we’ve seen no hiccups along the way. The odds are updating quickly and regularly, which adds to the thrills of in-play bets. However, they will often not provide the best you can get out there, which can snatch the competitive edge if you are playing big.
Mobile Betting
It has become just as important to offer viable mobile betting solutions to serve a big player pool, enabling use on a variety of devices. BetOlimp has done their bit and developed a native mobile app for both iOS and Android devices, while also running a mobile site you can use.
You can download both BetOlimp mobile apps from the homepage, by scrolling down to the bottom and clicking the respective links. However, the iOS app is also available on the App Store. Both offer a similar service and come very easy to use, with a nice overview and quick navigation – from switching between sports to find your favorite events. BetOlimp app also lets you fund your account and has all tools you might need, which makes the sportsbook great even if you don’t have access to a desktop PC.
If you want to have a look and see if you enjoy the mobile apps as much as we did, here’s how to get them:
- Enable downloads for unknown sources in Settings
- Visit the website and click Android at the bottom
- Install the BetOlimp apk you get manually
- You’re good to go!
- Tap Apple iOS button on the website or
- Search the App Store for BetOlimp – Sports Betting
- Install and allow the required permissions
- Log in and start betting!
Bonus Offers & Free Bets
One of the first things bettors notice and possibly the prime selling point for many sportsbooks, sports betting bonus can make a difference early on. Indeed, bonuses will at least let you check out the features and start off with less on your mind when it comes to risking your bankroll.
BetOlimp offers a 100% first deposit bonus of up to ZAR 3,000 for new sportsbook players, which you will need to claim via Live Chat within 14 days of registration. The minimum deposit to claim it is just ZAR 100. BetOlimp bonus is usually credited instantly but may take up to 24 hours, so it’s important to check before placing Qualifying bets.
Players need to complete a wagering requirement of 5x the bonus plus the deposit amount. This means to clear the full bonus, you would need to wager at least ZAR 16,000 before being able to withdraw funds from your account.
Only single bets with odds of 1.80 or higher will be counter towards the requirement. Bettors have seven days to complete it or the bonus funds are forfeited, while the cap on potential winnings from it are capped at ZAR 10,000.
Customer Support
Customer support is not available 24/7 but still offers quality support through most part of the day, where friendly staff is always at one’s fingerprints. Indeed, we’ve had no trouble getting to the bottom of issues we had and got a quick response whenever we needed extra details on promos, specific terms, or events.
The support is available 07:00 am – 01:00 am and players can get in touch via Live Chat or the Phones listed on the site. However, you can also shoot an e-mail whenever you need something, where the usual response time is anywhere between 24 and 48 hours. This is still the best way to report more serious issues you might encounter, as it gives you space to explain and lay out the issue in great detail.
BetOlimp does not feature classic Frequently Asked Questions, where you can get solutions to common issues through categories or search engine. However, most of the additional info and terms you might need is covered in the Help menu, where sections appear once you hover over it in the top bar. Still, this feels like a downside and the operator could save everyone time with a FAQ section.
Payment Options
Payments is probably one of the fields where BetOlimp reaps the most praise among bettors online, with instant deposit and usually very quick withdrawals. These are often completed well within the advertised timeframe or even better. This has been one of the sportsbook’s main selling points lately, beating most of the competitors at it.
However, it comes at a cost. First, the payment methods you can pick from are few. You can use VISA and MasterCard debit and credit cards to deposit, which is a great starting point. There’s obviously the standard bank transfer and then there’s SiD instant EFT, I-Pay, and ultimately I-Voucher. It’s important to note there is a 5% admin fee for credit card deposits, which are the most popular among the options available.
The withdrawals methods are the same aside for the Vouchers and there’s a 10% fee charged on the requests. You will need to withdraw at least ZAR 50, which makes it a bit pricy but the fact there are no exchange rates with accounts in ZAR will cushion it a bit.
Withdr.
Limits & Odds
Unlike some sportsbooks, BetOlimp is very clear when it comes to limits. The minimum deposit and withdrawal amounts are set at R50. It is important to note once again that there are fees charged for some deposits as well as withdrawals, which you can check out above.
The maximum bet you can place, on the other hand, is limited through potential winnings. Max winnings on sports bets are ZAR 80,000 while maximum odds for single and combined bets stand at 500:1. Lucky Numbers odds are limited at 100000:1 with winnings capped at ZAR 200,000.
You may want to set up limits of your own in your Account area. However, these are not as extensive as some sports betting sites offer, with a focus on depositing, spending, betting, and time spent on the site or apps. Ultimately, BetOlimp still needs to provide potential problem gamblers with such solutions.
Betting odds are a matter of players’ criticism to some degree, often rated short and below the industry standard. However, we found the sportsbook copes well with industry leaders when it comes to major leagues and individual events across sports.
Usability
Quite surprisingly, BetOlimp website feels a little outdated and while it offers very fast loading times, design and flashy looks are lacking. This takes away nothing from the overall quality of the betting experience but the site could be nicer on the eye – with some oversimplified and cramped letters obviously a downside.
Navigating the website is still rather easy, well-organized starting from the top where you can find Sportsbook, Live betting, Lucky Numbers, Bet Games, Promos, and Help. In-play games and upcoming events are featured below while you can also find an A-Z list of sports on the left-hand side. There you can also find Live scores and Stats, which can be a great tool. Trending sports betting events are listed on the right-hand side, below the Bet Slip and highlighted Promotions / Other important announcements.
Important links to Terms and Conditions, Policies, Rules, Contact forms, as well as Mobile apps and Social media accounts can be found at the bottom of the page. The only actual objection we had on usability was already discussed in the absence of a real FAQ section players can use.
License & Security
BetOlimp is highly devoted to providing service across different countries and holds a number of sports betting licenses in order to be able to do so. The sportsbook is licensed and regulated by the Malta Gaming Authority but also has a license from the Western Cape Betting and Racing Board, allowing it to provide services under the National Gambling Act.
As such, BetOlimp aims to provide a great service, where Security comes last but not least. It’s important to know the company you are dealing with works to protect the players from potential intrusions. This starts with Thawte data encryption, which ciphers the sensitive information you share before sending it. Additionally, BetOlimp uses secure servers to store the necessary info with firewalls and other industry-standard protection systems.
This tends to put players’ minds to ease but we have to suggest you keep your end of the connection as safe as possible too. This includes using up-to-date browsers, antivirus software and firewalls if applicable.
BetOlimp was founded back in 2004 and dwelled in online gaming for years before turning to sports betting in 2015. Battling with other European big guns, BetOlimp quickly turned attention to other markets and started expanding the business across the globe.
BetOlimp payment methods include a short but well-rounded list, starting with MasterCard and VISA cards, through bank transfers, and particularly popular in South Africa SiD instant EFT, I-Pay, and I-Vouchers. Deposits through credit cards are charged a fee of 5%.
You can claim the bonus by contacting customer support via Live chat within 14 days of creating your account. The 100% deposit bonus of up to ZAR 3,000 holds a 5x wagering requirement and can be cleared within seven days.
BetOlimp customer support is available 07:00am through 01:00am and players can get in touch via Live chat or Phone. However, you can send out an e-mail at any time of the day and get a rather quick response too. Live chat is available from the Help section in the top menu bar.
BetOlimp mobile apps are available on the website, where you’ll need to scroll down to the bottom of the page. You will have to install the Android app manually while you can find the iOS app in the App Store by searching for BetOlimp – Sports Betting.
BetOlimp has become a well-known place for sports bettors in South Africa. It offers a profound list of sports and events, with a solid in-play platform and many opportunities in general. Bonus hunters can grab a deposit bonus but make sure to read the terms, as it comes off quite restrictive. With all the ups and downs, the only thing left to do is check it out for yourself and see if it’s a good fit!
