Here is the list of betting sites in South Africa updated to 2023. There are many pretenders to the throne for the title of best betting site in South Africa with Betway leading the race as they are the largest and most popular betting site in the country. They are closely followed by Hollywoodbets and other sites like World Sports Betting and Sportingbet. We will now be taking a closer look at which betting sites make up our top 6 in South Africa.
1. Betway
Betway is known for their innovation in betting as they are constantly coming up with excellent promotions. They also have a fantastic welcome bonus of up to R1000 first deposit match for new players. Betway also have a betting app that is a replica of the main site with great speed and easy usability which makes it perfect for live betting and live casino games. They hold a licence from the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board ensuring they are a fully legal betting site.
2. Hollywoodbets
The leading online betting site in the country is Hollywoodbets as they receive a staggering 9 million visits to their site monthly. Hollywoodbets started their operations in 1990 when only horse racing was legal in South Africa and were one of the first online betting sites in the country when online betting was legalized in 2006. There are many reasons for their popularity as they have numerous promotions for new and existing players including bonuses for online casino gambling. Their sponsorships of sporting teams and events set them apart with several sporting venues also rebranded in their name. They are licensed by the Gauteng Gambling board, Western Cape Gambling board, Limpopo Gambling Board, Mpumalanga Economic Regulator and the KwaZulu Natal Gambling Board.
3. World Sports Betting (WSB)
WSB is a fantastic betting site that rewards new players with the largest welcome bonus in the country. They offer a whooping R15 000 first deposit match offer which is three times more than the nearest competitor. WSB are one of the older sport betting sites and their experience in the gambling industry shines through as they offer some market leading features like a Data Free version of their app. They are licensed with the Gauteng Gambling Board.
4. Sportingbet
Sportingbet has their origins in Europe but have created a South African site that is tailored for the local punter. They often boast about having the largest sportsbook in the country as they have over 40 different sports that you can bet on. They also have other great features like Edit My Bet where you can change a selection on a multibet ticket before all the events having have taken place. Their site is among the best especially their selection of casino and live Betgames. Sportingbet is licensed by the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board.
5. Betshezi
Betshezi started operating in 2022 and quickly made his way to be one of the best sport betting sites in South Africa. They offer a great welcome bonus along with excellent odds on the most popular sports like football and rugby. One of this bookies most impressive features is that they have promotions attached to each specific sport, so it whatever your favourite sport, you sure to enjoy a bonus. Betshezi is licensed by the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board.
6. Playabets
Playabets is another one of the South African bookies that started their operations in the 1990s with retail betting shops and later joined the online betting market. They have developed a site that is easy to use even if you are new to gambling. Playabets have an excellent weekly cash back bonus whereby you receive 5% of your previous week’s losses in free bets. They also have one of the quickest withdrawal times and are licensed by the KwaZulu Natal Gambling Board and also by the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board.
What is a bookmaker in South Africa?
In the years prior to 2006, the only legal form of gambling was horse racing with TAB outlets being the only retail betting shops. In 2006 sports betting was legalized which gave rise to bookmakers. A bookmaker or more commonly known as a bookie is a company that allows you to bet on sports. The advent of online bookies meant that you can also bet on live casino games online rather than going to physical casinos. The local betting market has since been flooded with overseas bookies that want a slice of the pie as South Africans love gambling on sports and casino games.
What is a Welcome Bonus?
In the highly competitive world of online betting, betting companies are offering welcome bonuses to new players in the hope of attracting more punters to their site. These bonuses come in the form of first deposit match offers, free bets and sign up bonuses. All of these welcome bonuses come with wagering requirements that have to be fulfilled before you can make a withdrawal. These will be a rollover attached to the bonus and qualifying bets that will have a minimum odds attached to it that will count towards the wagering requirements.
Top 3 Welcome bonuses in South Africa
We will look at the sites that offer the best welcome bonuses in South Africa along with their wagering requirements.
1. World Sports Betting – WSB offers new players an amazing first deposit match offer of up to R15 000. The bonus has a rollover of five (5) times the amount of the bonus before you can withdraw from your account. For example, if you deposit R1 000 and receive a R1 000 Betting Voucher, you will need to wager R5 000 (R1 000x 5) before you can withdraw from your balance. Only bets made with odds of 5/10 or greater will be regarded as qualifying bets.
2. Playabets – This bookie welcomes new players with a first deposit match up to R2 000 and the best part of the bonus is the relatively easy wagering requirements. The rollover is just 3 times the bonus amount bets with odds of 2 (1/1) or greater. Only bets placed on pre-match and in-play sports, Keno and Lucky Numbers and Horse Racing will count to the rollover requirements.
3. Gbets – Gbets are one of the few bookies that offer a double welcome bonus. New players receive a R30 sign up bonus along with a first deposit match up to R1 000. The rollover is six times the bonus amount at minimum odds of 0.70 (7/10)
The different types of Welcome bonuses
No deposit welcome bonus – There are very few betting sites with free registration bonus in South Africa as this type of bonuses has become rarer each year. One of the bookies that still offer this is Hollywoodbets as new players receive a R50 bonus and 50 free spins on slots upon completion of your registration and submission of your FICA documents.
Sign Up bonus- This bonus is credited to the new player on completion of their registration. The betting sites with sign up bonuses include Gbets, Supabets and Yesplay. This type of bonus ranges from R25 to R50.
Free bets welcome bonus– Some bookies give you a Free bet equivalent to your first deposit meaning that if you lose your first bet, your stake will be returned to you as a free bet.
New Betting Sites 2023
As mentioned earlier there are new betting sites entering the local betting scene at a rate of knots and one of these bookies is 10Bet. They only been operating in South Africa for a short while but began their operation way back in 2003 in Europe. They offer new players a first deposit match of up to R1 000 and they are licensed by the Mpumalanga Economic Regulator.
Best new betting sites for 2022/23 are: Playabets, YesPlay, Fafabet and Betshezi.
Betting Sites FAQ
Which online gambling site is best in South Africa?
The largest and most popular betting site in South Africa is undoubtedly Hollywoodbets as they have the most members.
Which betting sites give bonuses?
All the betting site offer different type of bonuses and your choice will depend on what your betting preferences are.
Which betting sites accept PayPal?
Unfortunately none of the South African betting sites accept PayPal as a deposit method.
Last updated: May 2023