Guide to Online Sports Betting in South Africa

There are dozens, sometimes hundreds of sporting events played worldwide every single day. Sports betting allows you to try to predict their results and put your money on the line based on that prediction. You can wager on things as simple as the outcome of a match - on whether the Sundowns or the Pirates will win an upcoming game - and a variety of other things related to the same game. 

Sports Betting Glossary

Part of being a punter is understanding the lingo. Sports betting has a series of specific terms - understanding them will help you find your way in the world of odds and ends.

Some terms are used in betting on specific sports:

What Sports Can I Bet On?

Bookmakers cover all the most popular sports in Mzansi - and in the world. In South Africa, these are (obviously) soccer, Rugga, and horse racing. Cricket is another popular sport here, which people love to bet on, and so is hockey. But bookmakers cover many other sports, covering everything from Formula 1 and NASCAR to darts and netball. The range of sports covered can vary from one bookmaker to another.

Betting Shops and Betting Sites

South Africa has many licensed and regulated betting companies. Most of them started out as street betting shops - these still have their network of branches at racecourses, and you may stumble upon them at street corners, too. 

Some of the top land-based betting brands include:

• Hollywoodbets

• Sunbet

• Topbet

• Interbets

• BetXChange

• World Sports Betting

Online sports betting sites have the advantage of flexibility and accessibility. You can use them from your home computer or your smartphone, through native apps or web browsers, and you can top up your account or place a bet quickly and easily. 

Some of the top South African online sports betting brands include:

• Hollywoodbets

• Betway

• Playa Bets

• YesPlay

• Betshezi

• GBets

How to Place a Sports Bet

Placing a bet is easy. Knowing what to bet on is the tricky part. But let’s take things slowly, shall we? First, let’s take a look at how you can place a sports bet online, step by step:

1. Visit your favourite online bookmaker

2. Register your account (or if you already have one, log in)

3. Make sure you have money in your account. If you don’t deposit some funds you won’t have anything to bet.

4. Choose a sport. Online bookmakers usually list the most interesting events on their homepage. The rest of the sports they cover are listed in their menu.

5. Choose an event. Once you have the sport - say, Rugby Union - you need to choose a match you can bet on - say, “South Sydney vs Melbourne” from the National Rugby League

6. Choose an outcome. Say, you can bet on the victory of South Sydney

7. Decide the stake. How much money do you want to bet on the match?

8. Review your bet slip. It will tell you which outcome of which match you bet on, how much money you put on the line, and how much you can expect to win.

9. Place your bet, sit back, and enjoy the game.

We’ve seen how you can place a bet - now let’s see what you can bet on. Some betting markets are the same for each sport, but the majority are adapted to fit the individual sport you bet on. Let’s see some of the most common betting markets you’ll encounter when you bet on sports:

• Result: sometimes marked as “1X2”. Which one of the teams wins the match? Or will there be a draw?

• Score: How many goals will be scored? Includes exact scores, over/under, and point spreads.

• Margin: By how many points or goals will one of the teams win?

Depending on the sport you bet on, specific betting markets can be available:

• Soccer betting usually includes markets like the half-time/full-time results, double chance, team to score first

• Rugby betting includes options like first try scorer, first scoring play, and total tries

• Cricket betting includes bets on the top batman, the top bowler, the most sixes, the first innings score, the team to win the toss, and many others.

Proposition Bets

Proposition bets are markets specific for an individual match. For example, it’s not soccer in general but a soccer match between the Mamelodi Sundowns and the Orlando Pirates. Here are some examples:

• Betting on Percy Tau scoring any time in the upcoming Sundowns-Pirates match

• Betting on the team to score first in the upcoming Chiefs-SuperSport game

• Betting on Siya Kolisi to score a try anytime during the match between South Africa and England.

• Betting on the method of the first dismissal in the match between the Proteas and India to be caught.

Betting Odds

The betting odds shown by bookmakers online have a double role: they show you how likely the bookie considers a certain outcome, and how much moola you can pocket if you bet on it and win. Most South African bookmakers use decimal odds so we’ll use them in our examples below.

If there’s exactly a 50% chance for an outcome, we can express it as odds of 1. If you bet on an event at odds of 1, you’ll get… nothing -  you’ll get your money back. You are unlikely to ever encounter odds of 1 at a bookmaker. After all, who would bet on a market with no winnings?

In general, the higher the odds shown the lower the likelihood of an outcome. At the same time, the potential reward is higher. For example:

• The odds of Morocco winning its Olympic soccer match against Spain are 3.25 - this is what we call long odds. If you bet R100 on this outcome and win, you’ll get R325 - your original R100 + R225 in winnings.

• France’s Olympic soccer team has every chance of beating Egypt. As a result, the odds of France winning are 1.37 - short odds. In this case, an R100 bet will pay R137 - your original R100 + R37 in winnings. But the chances of you winning this bet are high.

The shorter the odds, the lower the possible winnings - but the risk is also much lower. As the odds become longer, the risk is also higher - but so are the potential rewards. 

Different bookmakers can have slightly different odds so make sure you check out the competition. Sometimes, these differences can be quite significant, 

Value Bets

When the odds offered by a bookmaker are higher than the actual chances of an event happening, we call it a value bet. In a nutshell, it's when you believe an outcome is more likely to occur than the bookmaker's odds suggest.

Value bets are important because they give you an edge over the bookmaker. By finding these bets, you can increase your chances of making a profit in the long run. 

To find a value bet, you need to do your research on the teams, players, and conditions, and compare odds from different betting sites. If you believe an outcome is more likely than the odds indicate, you've found a value bet.

For example, imagine a soccer match where you think the Orlando Pirates is very likely to win, but the odds given are high. This mismatch is your value bet opportunity. 

Value betting is about making informed decisions and finding opportunities where the odds are in your favour.

Sports Betting Bonuses

Now let’s get to the fun part: sports betting bonuses. These are rewards that you get from online bookmakers for placing bets, topping up your account, and special occasions. These bonuses can give you the extra edge you’re looking for, and allow you to bet more - and win more. There are several kinds of bonuses you can redeem at South African online betting sites:

No-Deposit Free Bets

You know those welcome drinks you get when you arrive at a party? No-deposit free bets are just like those. They are a little something - usually around R25 or R50 - you get as a reward simply for registering an account. Truth be told, they usually ask you for a bit more, namely to verify your email address or your phone number. But you would do that anyway.

Welcome Bonuses

Your first deposit at a new sportsbook comes with mighty rewards: it can include:

• Deposit matches: when the bookmaker matches a certain percentage of your deposit

• Free bets that allow you to wager risk-free

• Free spins that let you explore the online slots and other casino games available

Boosted Odds

Sometimes, when there’s a very special event coming - like the FIFA World Cup or the Summer Olympics - bookmakers offer higher odds than normal. Also, when you place an accumulator bet, the bookie will increase the odds on the slip with every bet you add.

Risk-Free Bets

Another bonus you can get at bookmakers is a risk-free bet. This means that if you place qualifying bets and you lose, the bookmaker will return your bet amount (or part of it, depending on the bookie) as a free bet. You can then use the free bet and keep the profits for yourself - if you win, of course.

Cashbacks

If you have a losing streak, the bookmaker has your back! You can get back part of the money you lost during a period - a week, a month, depending on the bookie - as a free bet bonus. 

Responsible Betting

Online sports betting can be fun and heighten the enjoyment of sporting events. However, it’s important to do it responsibly. This way, you can make sure it is fun and it remains fun. Here are some things you should keep in mind before you dive into your betting adventure.

Set Limits

Decide in advance how much time you want to spend gambling each day or week. Be disciplined - stick to your limits and make sure betting doesn’t interfere with your everyday activities.

Also, set a budget - decide how much money you are willing to spend on betting. Only use money you can afford to lose - losing is always a possibility. 

• Never use money intended for essential expenses such as rent or bills to bet!

• Never use borrowed money to bet!

Never Chase Your Losses

Whenever you lose a bet, you may feel tempted to double up to recover the money you just lost. Well, don’t. Placing more bets to win back money you lost often leads to even bigger losses. 

Accept that losing is part of betting and never chase your losses!

Look Out For the Signs of Problem Gambling

Betting is fun until it isn’t anymore. Problem gambling has a few signs that you can look out for:

• Feeling anxious, irritable or depressed when you can’t bet or need to bet more to achieve the same thrill.

• Neglecting work, school, or your family only to bet. Lying about your betting habits.

• Borrowing money to bet. Selling possessions or accumulating debt due to betting.

Seek Help

If you know someone showing the signs of problem gambling or you discover the signs in yourself, it’s important to seek help. The National Responsible Gambling Program (NRGP) in South Africa offers support and resources, including counselling services and helplines. You can contact them at the toll-free number 0800 006 008 or the website responsiblegambling.org.za.

Use Responsible Gaming Tools and Features

Prevention is the best way to avoid gambling problems. Online sports betting sites offer you a variety of tools that you can use to keep your gambling in check:

• Deposit limits: you can set a daily, weekly or monthly limit for your deposits into your betting account.

• Time-out periods: take a break from betting by setting time periods when you can’t place bets

• Self-exclusion: use self-exclusion tools to take a break from betting for a longer period of time. 

Keep your Head Clear

Avoid betting under the influence of alcohol and other substances that can impair your judgment. 

Stay Informed

Stay educated about the risks of gambling and responsible gambling practices. Check out the websites of Gamblers Anonymous at gamblersanonymous.org.za and responsiblegambling.org.za for access to valuable resources and information.