The Ultimate Guide to Online Betting in South Africa
Our expert betting writers have completed unbiased reviews that cover all aspects of a bookie, all you need to do is read this page to make the best informed choice before joining an online betting site.
There are literally a hundred different online betting sites in South Africa and while we cannot review every single one of them, you can rest assured the sites we have reviewed are the best in the country. Here is a short list of sites that we have reviewed:
The only form of legalised gaIs Betting Legal in South Africa?
South Africa for many decades only allowed horse racing as the legal form of gambling. This all changed in 2008 when sports betting was legalised in the country. Online betting sites are also legal these days but they have to be licenced by one of the provincial gambling boards. You can rest assured that all the sites reviewed and mentioned on this page are legal as we have made certain that they all have a gambling licence number. It’s of vital importance to note that gambling on an illegal site carries many dangers like fraud and identity theft.
Top 5 Online Betting Sites in SA
WSB
It’s not difficult to see why we rank WSB so highly as they have all bases covered when it comes to a great betting site. They have the largest welcome bonus in South Africa which is an incredible first deposit match offer of up to R20 000. WSB also has the best odds on all major sports ensuring you get maximum returns on your winning bets. You can also live stream sport matches on their site. All the NBA basketball games are available on live stream which is awesome news.
Hollywoodbets is the largest betting site in the country with millions of registered members. They welcome players with a R25 sign up bonus and 50 Free which is not the highest bonus but it does not need the new player to make a deposit. The Hollywoodbets site is packed with loads of sports and casino promotions. What makes this bookie so popular is they are constantly evolving and offering new promotions that keeps your gambling adventure exciting.
Betway is another premier betting site on the local betting betting market. They are second in members only behind Hollywoodbets. Betway has grown their brand substantially since their inception, with excellent marketing and innovative features. They offer new players a choice of a R1000 sport welcome bonus or R2 000 casino bonus. Betway were one of the first bookies to launch a mobile app that was compatible on Android, iOS and Huawei devices. There is also a data free version of the app.
First Deposit match offer of up to R1000 for sports and up to R2000 for casino
Bet.co.za is among the older betting sites in South Africa and has built a solid reputation over the years. They are hugely popular with their welcome bonus of R5 000, one of their big attractions. Bet.co.za have multiple promotions on their site for both sports and casino punters so there’s something for everyone. Their betting markets on all the major sports are exceptional as there are hundreds of pre match and live betting available.
Sunbet is part of the Sun International Casino group which is one of the reasons that have arguably the widest range of live casino games.Their sport offerings are also exceptional with the highlight being they have promotions specific to each of the major sports in the country. Sunbet has a R1 000 welcome bonus that is super easy to claim and they have the fastest withdrawal times as well. All EFT withdrawals are paid out in under an hour even on weekends.
Before creating an account on a betting site, check what products it offers. Most sites have similar options but some may have factors that are suited for you. E.g. If you love betting on football, the site may offer boosted odds on football. It’s important to see what’s available and choose a site that suits your needs. Some sites focus on specific sports or leagues to stand out in the market.
💎 Betting Odds of the bookie
The single most important factor in deciding what are your returns on winning bets is the odds. That’s why new players should check which betting site offers the highest odds for the sport they want to bet on. We identified WSB as the site that constantly offers the best odds on major sports and horse racing. It’s also great that they have the most lucrative welcome bonus as well.
🎁 Betting site with best promotions
In South Africa, all the betting sites offer new players a welcome bonus. After you complete your registration, it opens you to a world of various promotions and bonuses. If you like the rest of all punters love promotions then consider focusing on sites that frequently provide such incentives. Always ensure you read the terms and conditions associated with any bonus or promotion. These often include wagering requirements that must be met before you can withdraw any winnings.
An example of these requirements is listed below:
Wagering requirement – When you use a bonus you often need to wager or turn over your bonus a number of times before you can claim your winnings
Minimum odds – Find out what the lowest acceptable odds are that you need to bet against
📱Mobile friendly sites
In an age where most players are using their electronic devices to bet, it is crucial that the betting site that you choose has either a betting app or a mobile version that is compatible with your device. It makes no sense to join a bookie that does not support iOS devices but you have an iPhone.
How to Betting?
Starting your betting journey should be fun and exciting therefore we have designed a step by step guide to help you start your adventure.
Find an ideal betting site: Find the bookie that best suits you and complete your registration.
1
Make first deposit: Make your first deposit and claim your welcome bonus where applicable.
2
Select your desired sport: Select the sport that you want to bet on.
3
Select your team/s: Select the teams you want to bet on.
4
Place your wager: Enter the amount you want to wager and place your bets.
5
Top New Betting Sites
There are constantly new betting sites coming into South Africa with some excellent while others not so good. We have identified three of the sports betting South Africa sites on the local betting scene.
Supersportbet
There has never been a new betting site that has created so much hype like Supersportbet. This site is backed by the sports broadcaster Supersport which brings all the live sport to South Africa. This new bookie gets excellent media coverage during live sporting events but it is their fantastic welcome bonus of R5 000 that has got punters flocking to their site. They also offer players an odds boost on all multi bets with three or more selections.
Easybet has only been on the South African betting scene since 2023 but have made giant strides thanks to their innovative features and excellent bonuses. New players are given a first deposit match offer up to 150% while existing players have a variety of other promotions like the 15% Weekly Cashback and up to 400% odds booster. The Easybet app is among the best with great speed and compatibility with Android and iOS devices.
Mzansibet is the latest betting site to launch in the country and as the name suggests, it is a truly South African own company. They currently have a welcome bonus of a R100 but they have an excellent selection of sports that you can bet on. The odds on the Mzansibet site are very competitive especially on football and cricket. They also offer players a Birthday Bonus and an Odds Booster up to an incredible 250% for multi bets with 40 or more selections.
Betting companies have realized to be successful in South Africa, they must have a wide range of bonuses and promotions on their site. Local punters are attracted by these offers. We have selected the bookies with the best bonus programs and listed some of their most popular bonuses as well as the terms and conditions of these bonuses.
World Sports Betting(WSB)
If you are looking for a betting site that always rewards their players with bonuses and promotions, then WSB is the site for you.
WSB R20 000 Welcome Bonus 🎁
The WSB welcome bonus is the market leader as they offer new players a first deposit match of up to R20 000.
‼️ These are the terms and conditions of the R20 000 welcome bonus
Players need to bet five times the bonus amount on Sports and thirty times the bonus amount on casino. Once this is met, they can make a withdrawal.
This is how it works: if the new player deposits R3 000, they will receive a R3 000 bonus. They will need to wager R15 000 on sports to be eligible for a withdrawal or the player will need to wager R45 000 on casino games to qualify for a withdrawal.
Horse racing bets don’t count to wagering requirements
Players must deposit at least R50 to qualify for the bonus.
Players must make bets with odds of 5/10 or greater to count towards the wagering.
R2 000 Birthday Bonus 🎁
Who doesn’t love a gift on their birthday? Well, WSB gives you a first deposit match offer of up to R2 000 on your special day.
‼️ Terms and conditions of the R2 000 birthday bonus
This offer is only for the first deposit on your birthday.
Players need to bet five times the bonus amount on Sports and thirty times the bonus amount on casino. Once this is met, they can make a withdrawal.
This is how it works: if the new player deposits R2 000, they will receive a R2 000 bonus. They will need to wager R10 000 on sports to be eligible for a withdrawal or the player will need to wager R60 000 on casino games to qualify for a withdrawal.
Horse racing bets don’t count to wagering requirements
Players must deposit at least R50 to qualify for the bonus.
Players must make bets with odds of 5/10 or greater to count towards the wagering requirements.
The minimum deposit for this bonus is R50 Only bets made with odds of 5/10 or greater will count towards wagering.
There is only one bonus/refund per person/household/IP-address allowed within the network.
If any player attempts to claim the bonus more than once a year,will have their account suspended.
Hollywoodbets
Hollywoodbets meteoric rise is mainly due to their excellent bonus program with multiple offers for sports and casino punters. We have selected two of the most popular bonuses on the Hollywoodbets site.
Welcome bonus 🎁
The reason for their welcome bonus being so popular despite not being the biggest is that it is a no deposit bonus( no deposit required). New players get a R25 sign up bonus plus 50 free spins which means you are basically playing with no risk and you can bet on sports and slots risk free.
‼️ These are the terms and conditions of the bonus
New players must open an online account to receive the bonus.
Only players 18 years or older can register.
No player is allowed more than one account.
The R25 bonus must be wagered at least once at minimum odds of 5/10.
FICA verification will be carried out to make certain the person meets the legal; age and their proof of residence is factual.Hollywoodbets has the right to request documents before processing the registration.
Players must use the bonus within hours or else the bonus will be void.
URC R60 000 Rugby competition 🎁
All you need to do to enter the competition is place a bet on R30 or more on any of the URC matches. The bet must be a pre match bet as live in play bets to qualify for the offer.
To participate in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship 2025 Online Competition, please note the following key details:
Eligibility: Participants must be over 18 years old.
Competition Period: Starts on 10 February 2025 and ends on 17 May 2025 at 20:34 PM.
How to Enter: Place a bet of R30 or more on any Vodacom United Rugby Championship fixture during the competition period. Ensure you opt-in on the Promotions page to validate your entry.
Prizes and Draw Dates:
Draw 1: 17 February 2025
2 winners: Hollywoodbets Sharks Captains Run experience
1 winner: R1,000 cash
Draw 2: 10 March 2025
2 winners: Hollywoodbets Sharks VIP match experience
1 winner: R1,000 cash
Draws 3 to 6: 31 March, 21 April, 12 May, and 26 May 2025
Each draw selects 4 winners, each receiving R1,000 cash
In total, 22 winners will be chosen across six draws.
Prize Details:
Captains Run Experience: Access to view a training session and a brief meet-and-greet with Hollywoodbets Sharks players. Note: Recording videos during the session is prohibited.
VIP Match Experience: VIP tickets to a Hollywoodbets Sharks match.
Winners will be selected randomly from all valid entries and announced on the specified draw dates. Once a participant wins, they are no longer eligible for subsequent draws in this competition.
Betway
Betway has been among the top three bookies in South Africa since their inception with their promotions and bonuses in particular being a standout. We will be looking at some of their most popular promotions currently available on the Betway site.
Welcome bonus 🎁
Betway has a unique welcome bonus in that players can choose to receive a R1 000 sports or a R2 000 casino. Players must choose the bonus they want to claim when completing their registration form.
‼️ Sports bonus terms and conditions
The Bonus funds will be credited to your Bonus wallet and not into your main account.
Sports Bonus credits are subject to 3x (three times) playthrough requirements at total odds of 1.5 or more (single or Multi Bets) before they can be withdrawn.
When you win on a sports bet using a Sports Bonus credit, the winnings of that bet will be returned to the Sports Bonus wallet.
When you choose to withdraw your cash balance, the Sports Bonus balance in the Sports Bonus wallet is automatically forfeited.
The minimum odds in order for a bet to qualify to utilise a Sports Bonus credit will be 1.50.
A Sports Bonus credit can only be used once on an event.
Mane Millions by Betway 🎁
The Mane Millions game gives players the opportunity to win a cool Million rands. Horse racing punters need to pick 7 winners and 1 place over 8 races to claim the grand prize. There is no entry fee to join the competition but there is a limit of entry per day. All entries close 5 minutes before the first of the eight races begin.
Bet.co.za
Bet.co.za is another of the local bookies that has a wealth of promotions and bonuses to keep new and existing players happy. Here are some of these excellent bonuses.
Welcome Bonus 🎁
The Bet.co.za welcome bonus is a R5 000 first deposit match offer. The reason for its popularity is the fact that it has some of the easiest wagering requirements on the local betting scene.
‼️ These are the terms and conditions of the bonus
The offer is for new customers only.
Your Email must be verified prior to participation.
A minimum deposit of R50 is required to qualify for the bonus.
Players are only permitted to win up to R5 000 with the bonus amount.
Your multibets must have odds of 12/10 or greater to satisfy the wagering requirements. Each leg of the multi bet must have odds of 2/10 or greater.
Multiple bets with cumulative odds of 12/10 (2.20) count towards wagering requirements. Each leg must have odds of 2/10 or greater.
Horse racing bets do not count towards the wagering requirements.
Please note, for every R1 wagered on Bet Vegas games, only 25c will be allocated to wagering requirements. Bets on any Roulette game will not contribute towards wagering.
Up to 50% Extra Bonus on Multi Bets 🎁
Get up to 50% extra on your multiple bets. You can include selections from any sport including all leagues, competitions and betting markets. Place your selections and the amount of extra cash you could win is shown instantly on the bet slip.
⁉️ Here’s how it works:
1. Your multi bet must consist of two or more selections with odds of 1.20 or higher. 2. The maximum boost you can get on your multi bet is 50%.
Number of selections- Extra cash bonus
5-10 legs – 10%
11-15 legs – 17%
16-24 legs – 25%
25+ legs – 50%
‼️ These are the terms and conditions of the bonus
Asian Handicap and Draw No Bet wagers fall outside the window of this promotion.
The Multi Bonus is only applicable to pre match wagers and does not include live in play bets. Horse racing wagers must be on fixed odds selections.
The Multi Bonus Promotion applies to settled Multiple Bet types as stipulated in these terms which include 2 or more settled legs composed only of the eligible bet types.
Bets like the system bet did not qualify for this Multi Bonus Promotion.
The Multiple Bonus is expressed as a percentage on top of the offered odds and shall be added as Extra Winnings to the total return of the Multiple bet placed.
The Extra Winnings shall be credited to your Sports Cash Account upon bet settlement as real money.
Each selection must be at odds of at least 2/10 (1.20)
In this digital age where you can perform almost any task from your mobile device, including betting on sports and live games. Betting sites have developed state of the art apps that transform your electronics into a 24/7 betshop. We have identified the best betting apps for you by testing each of them for factors like speed, usability and of course compatibility to various devices
These are our top 3 betting apps in South Africa.
The TOP 3 betting apps in South Africa are as follows:
Betway App
Betway has always been an innovator in the online betting market and showed this when they became the first bookie to launch a betting app that catered for Android, iOS and Huawei users. The app had exceptional speed and players could even live stream selected matches on app. The crowning glory for Betway was when they developed a data free version for players as this was the first of its kind on the local betting scene.
First Deposit match offer of up to R1000 for sports and up to R2000 for casino
WSB is another bookie that has a betting app that is among the best in the business. The app can be downloaded within minutes from the WSB site and is compatible with Android and iOS devices. The speed of the app allows you to make bets on live sport and all the online betting games like Roulette and Blackjack. WSB also has a data free version of the app although not all the features like live betting is available on this version.
10Bet is among the newbie betting sites but they quickly realized to be competitive in this market, they will need a betting app. They spared no cost in designing an app that ticks all the boxes when it comes to usability and speed. The 10Bet works perfectly on both Android and iOS devices. Players can access all the promotions and bonuses from the app as well as completing their registration if they are not already members.
Some bookies have decided not to have dedicated mobile apps but instead have mobile versions that are brilliant.
Payments, deposit and withdraw
One of the biggest areas of improvements with online betting South Africa has been the different payment options available to punters. When online betting first started there was only bank transfer and card payments available. Nowadays players are spoilt for choice as there are multiple methods with which you can fund your account. Here is a table of the most popular deposit methods available to players. Please note the minimum deposit amount differs between bookies.
Payment Method
Minimum Deposit
Speed
Card Transactions
R20
Immediate to 24 hours
Debit Cards
R20
Immediate to 24 hours
SID Payments
R20
Instant
OZOW
R10
Instant
OTT Vouchers
R5
Instant
Bidvest Pay
R20
Instant
1Voucher
R5
Instant
Checkers and Shoprite
R20
Instant
The days of punters being frustrated with withdrawals taking 1-2 days are over as the leading betting sites pay out winning within an hour. The Instant Cash options like FNB E-wallet and Standard Bank Instant Cash are available at most bookies with this being the fastest method of withdrawal. Here is a table of the most popular withdrawal options.
Withdrawal Method
Minimum Withdrawal
Speed
EFT
R50
Between 2-24 hours
FNB Ewallet
R100
Within an hour
STD Bank Instant Cash
R100
Within an hour
ABSA Cash Send
R100
Within an hour
Specific features of South African betting
South African punters differ remarkably to people that may be betting in the US or UK. In this country there is a lot of loyalty to sports teams which is not always the best route to follow when betting. There are millions of Kaizer Chiefs fans in the country who continue to bet on their team but have been losing most of the time as Chiefs have been in a constant decline. Some sports like rugby and cricket have massive betting interest locally while these sports are not really popular in some other countries.
Betting companies must see that they not only have in-depth betting markets for football but that they also have extensive betting options for rugby in particular. With the Springboks winning the last two World Cups, rugby betting is at an all time high.
Cricket is another sport that local punters are betting on as the T20 format gives them the opportunity to bet on each delivery. Live betting on cricket is now available at all the leading bookies which is great news for cricket bettors.
One of the distinctly local trends in betting is that punters are now more aware of some of the exotic bets in football first goal scorer or will a particular player be booked. The choice of bets available can be mind boggling therefore punters must understand each bet before placing a wager.
Here are some of the most common bets you can place across the different sports
Three-way bet: In traditional sports betting like football or rugby, a three-way bet (1X2) allows you to bet on one of three outcomes: a home win (1), a draw (X), or an away win (2). This means you have a 33.3% chance of winning your bet. To improve these odds, you can opt for a double chance bet which covers two of the three possible outcomes which increases your chances to 66.7%. The odds are naturally much lower on this type of bet.
Accumulator bet: An accumulator bet which is also known as a multi bet, combines multiple individual bets into one wager. This approach offers the potential for high returns from a fairly low stake. The more selection on your ticket the higher the odds. It’s important to note that for the accumulator to be successful, every individual selection must win. If any selection loses, the entire bet is a loss.
Both teams to score (BTTS): This is a football bet that punters love specially if the teams that are playing are renowned for scoring many goals and not having the best defence.
Over/Under Totals: In this type of bet the bookie comes up with a total for goals eg.2.5 goals and the punter must decide if the total goals scored in the match will be over or under 2.5 goals. In rugby the total match points will have odds attached to it and the punter must decide if the total points will be over or under the stipulated total.
Handicap betting: In handicap betting, bookies remove an advantage for a team or player over another by adding or reducing goals. The aim is to make the match tighter especially if a strong team is facing a weak team.
Bet Builder/ Build a Bet: This is a unique type of bet where a punter can make multiple bets on a single football match. This exotic bet is only available at the top betting sites like Hollywoodbets, Betway, Sunbet and WSB. The more selection the better the returns but also higher the risk.
Best Sport To Bet On
Deciding on which sport to bet on is of course your choice but there are a few sports that have the most in depth betting markets at all the top bookies. We will take a closer look at the most popular sports for betting in South Africa.
Football
Football is undoubtedly the sport that most punters bet on. The popularity of the beautiful game around the world makes it the number one sport for betting. The best betting sites have matches from over 60 different national leagues on their sites. Each match has hundreds of betting markets. Hollywoodbets is a leader in football betting as they have the best coverage and have exciting features like Bet Builder and an Odds Booster on all football multi bets.
Rugby is a true national gem with millions of punters betting on the sport every week. There are matches from all over the world for punters to bet on. Rugby does not have the number of betting markets like football but there are enough exciting bet types to keep you entertained. The best site for your rugby betting needs is WSB as they have the best coverage of the sport and most importantly they have the best odds.
Cricket has always had its fair share of followers locally but the advent of T20 cricket has seen betting on the sport reach new heights. The number of T20 leagues that have popped up worldwide has encouraged betting companies to extensively cover all these matches with in depth and live betting markets available for each match. The most popular T20 league is the SAT20 which is sponsored by Betway. This bookie has incredible cricket promotions and they live stream most matches on the Betway app.
Horse Racing
Horse Racing was for many decades the only form of legal gambling in the country so naturally there is a huge fraternity of racing punters. It is important to note that some betting sites do not offer horse racing so before you register, make certain to see if horse racing is on the selection of sports. Hollywoodbets is by far the leader when it comes to betting on horses as they have been involved with the sport since the 1990s.
Live betting
When live betting or in play betting was introduced to South African punters it was a real game changer as we were used to only placing pre-match bets. It meant that bettors could now place their bets as the match unfolded which was a novelty at first. In-play betting during the event takes away the requirement to study form and stats prior to a match and lets you decide what you think is worth punting on. Wherever you are able to place a bet, there will be odds which would have been determined prior to the start of the event.
These may change during the build-up depending on circumstances and other considerations and are likely to change right up until the beginning of the event. For example, Liverpool may go into a match as clear favourites but as the event begins, they concede a goal to the underdog team after just a couple of minutes. The odds will change in order to accommodate this and while Liverpool may still win the match, conceding a goal has reduced the chances of them ending victorious and will subsequently increase their odds.
The added excitement to live betting is the fact that punters can follow all the action on either live stream or a Match Tracker that is available at the top betting sites.
How to win
Online betting will also carry risks but there ways you can increase your chances of winning by following some of our helpful tips.
📋 Research the form of teams: This is probably the most important point as betting blindly can only lead to losses. Find out key aspects about the teams like if there are any injuries to a team. Eg if Mo Salah is injured for Liverpool, their odds of winning will be drastically reduced.
🧐 Bet with your head and not your heart: We all have our favourite sports team or sports person and would love to bet on them winning but it’s not possible for them to win all the time. If you feel like a traitor to bet against them, then simply don’t bet on matches involving them.
🕙 Avoid high risk bets: Betting on a rank underdog because the odds are high is a recipe for disaster. Rather stick to bets where the odds are even money at best as this will give you a better chance of winning.
❇️ Never chase your losses: Put aside a set amount of money that you are willing to bet and never exceed that amount. Chasing your losses is a recipe for disaster as it could lead to financial problems in the long run.
Mistakes that lead players to lose their money
There are many gamblers that make common mistakes that lead to losses. Here are some of these mistakes that we should avoid. We all have our favourite sports team but if our team is going through a bad patch, avoid betting on your team as it will likely lose you money. Betting on long shots is very profitable if you win but you are going to lose more often than you win so avoid the long shot bets. Another common mistake is not researching the teams and going with a “gut feeling”. This often ends with you losing your bet.
Gambling Addiction
The bottom line is that South Africans love to gamble, be it on sports, casino or horse racing. Millions of locals are trying their luck daily for that big win. The unfortunate problem is that many of these people view gambling as a source of income and can become addicted to it. Gambling should always be for fun, the moment it stops being fun, you should consider stopping. If you feel your gambling has become uncontrollable and you need help, contact the South African Responsible Gambling Foundation on the number 011 026 7323.
Conclusion
Gambling can be rewarding in many ways as it provides you with hours of fun and as a bonus you could win some cash. Before starting your gambling adventure, the key is choosing the right bookie as this could make or break your betting journey. It is important to note that some sites specialize in certain betting aspects of betting. Eg if you enjoy betting in Lucky Numbers then the Yesplay site is best for you as they have the most extensive Lotto Draw coverage. Choose the bookie that best suits your specific needs. All the bookies mentioned on this page are legal so you can be assured that you are dealing with the best betting sites in South Africa.
