As a sports bettor who is based in South Africa, there are so many sports betting sites you can use to wager on your favourite sports events. These sites differ from each other in terms of features, the events they cover, bonuses and promotions, payment options and more. The problem is, exactly how do you know which of them is best for you?

This guide digs deep into some of the best betting apps in South Africa, providing details about their unique features and everything you need to know about them. So, keep reading to find out more.

Betway is our top pick for the best betting site in South Africa due to its exclusive coverage of Springbok events. The site offers special bonuses for South African bettors on the notable adventures of the Springboks. In the next section, we’ll discuss Betway in detail and explain why it stands out among other online betting sites. We’ll also provide information on other top brands seeking to compete with Betway.

The following brands are our picks. We choose the best for South Africans based on criteria such as sports coverage, bonuses, user experience, and dependability.

1. Betway 

As mentioned, Betway tops our list of the best online betting sites in South Africa. Since its launch in 2006, the bookie has maintained a solid reputation globally and is licensed by the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board. Betway offers betting markets across over 26 sports, including soccer, basketball, tennis, and golf, with event options like the English Premier League and PGA Tour.

Betway enhances your betting experience with bonuses for new and existing users. As a new user, you get a 100% deposit bonus up to R1,000, while existing users can enjoy promotions like Springboks Xclusives, offering up to R7,000, and Win Boosts, increasing multi-bet wins by up to 300%.

The site features a user-friendly design with an appealing colour scheme and easy navigation for both beginners and seasoned bettors. However, it lacks a live chat feature on the desktop version, which we hope will be added soon. Also, some users have complained about the delay in customer support responses as well as a delay in withdrawals.

Overall, apart from being one of the sites offering the best odds, as well as leading the best betting sites in South Africa, Betway provides a quality betting experience featuring a wide range of sports, generous bonuses, and a user-friendly interface, making it a top choice for South African bettors. You can check out our Betway sportsbook review to learn more.

2. Sportingbet 

Sportingbet, established in 1998, is a British online gambling platform that has marked its presence in South Africa, among other countries. It secures the second spot on our list of top SA betting sites due to its robust sports market coverage. It holds a valid gambling licence from the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board and is safe for punters in South Africa.

Covering over 28 sports, Sportingbet includes not only popular sports but also more niche options like darts, cycling, pool, and ice hockey. Sadly, the live betting section is not currently that robust as it supports only nine sports.

Over nine payment options are available at Sportingbet, including PayPal, Neteller, ecoPayz, Visa, and Ozow i-Pay. As stated in our Sportingbet bookmaker review, new users are welcomed with a generous 225% deposit bonus up to R3,000, spread over three consecutive deposits, on an R50 minimum deposit. This includes a 100%, 50%, and 75% bonus on your first, second, and third deposits, respectively, with each bonus capped at R1,000. Sportingbet also offers existing users multiple promotions, such as the 2Up Early Payout and cashback offers.

We didn’t have a hard time navigating the sports betting and bonus sections of the site because the design is easy to use. The site features a cool blue colour with a simplified signup process that you can complete within two minutes.

3. 10bet

As a top-rated online sportsbook in South Africa, 10bet offers over 20 sports in its betting market. The site was launched in 2003 and is regulated in South Africa by the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board.

10bet covers sports like American football, tennis, cricket, soccer, and basketball. It also has a live betting section that covers nine sports, including soccer, table tennis, baseball, futsal, and ice hockey. Our 10bet sportsbook review digs further into other sports you can bet on.

The site supports payment options such as Ozow, Visa/MasterCard, 1ForYou, Zapper, and OTT vouchers. It also offers some bonuses to new and existing users, as well as featuring a loyalty club.

10bet offers you a 100% deposit bonus of up to R3,000 when you deposit a minimum of R20 or more. You can use the bonus on sports betting and live dealers. There is a 5x wagering requirement on this offer. Existing users are offered bonuses such as boosted odds, free bets, and soccer jackpots.

However, while the live chat support is not responsive, game categorisation buttons are placed visibly at the top of the site. Overall, we had a fairly good experience interacting with the platform. The account creation process was quick, even though you must verify your account before you start betting.

4. Easybet

If you’re seeking one of the best bookmakers with wide sports coverage, then Easybet should be a good option. It’s a new betting site in South Africa, launched in 2023 and quickly building an excellent reputation in this short period. So many Easybet reviews online have confirmed that the site assures a quality betting experience. Plus, the platform is licensed and regulated by the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board.

You can’t be bored on this site – it features over 28 sports, including top sports and more than 455 casino games, which comprise 277 slots and others. It was very easy for us to locate the sportsbook due to the strategic position of the button (at the top of the site).

Payment methods are convenient and inclusive, featuring options like Ozow, credit cards, vouchers, and Instant EFT, all with a minimum deposit requirement of R5. Instead of the usual deposit bonus, Easybet stands out by offering you a 100% matched-bet bonus of up to R1,000 on bets starting from R50. This means that the payout of your first bet on any sports event will be doubled by up to R1,000. Existing users enjoy perks such as 15% weekly cashback, bet insurance, and payday boosts, enhancing their betting experience.

While the site has a live chat feature placed at the lower right corner of the homepage, we couldn’t contact customer service directly because it functions as just a chatbot. Nonetheless, we were able to navigate easily to every section of the site. Even newbies in sports betting won't have any issues placing their first bet on Easybet. At the top of the landing page, you’ll find buttons for all the games available on the site.

5. Gbets

Gbets is operated by Dymanex PTY Ltd. and has been active since 2005. It is regulated and licensed by the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board. Most Gbets reviews we’ve found online are testimonies that the platform stands out as a trusted online betting site in South Africa.

The bookie offers an impressive sportsbook covering over 30 sports, including soccer, golf, Formula 1, basketball, American football, and boxing, with extensive coverage of international and local leagues. The platform supports various payment methods for convenient transactions, ensuring that deposits are instant and withdrawals typically processed from 24 hours to 3 days.

As a new customer, you’re welcomed with a 100% deposit bonus up to R1,000 and an R25 free bet bonus on your initial deposits, complemented by ongoing promotions like the Soccer 0-0 Boost and Multi Boost for existing users.

We had a very good experience accessing Gbets on a mobile device. However, the desktop version was less satisfactory, as some features and information were not as accessible as on mobile. Overall, the site loads quickly and the buttons are very responsive.

6. Fafabet

Even though Fafabet was only launched in 2021, it has quickly grown to become one of the most popular betting sites in South Africa. Our interactions with Fafabet reveal that you can get access to bet on over 26 sports, including soccer, basketball, golf, futsal, and cycling. You also get access to bet on events like League of Legends, cross country, and water polo.

The minimum deposit on Fafabet is R20, which is fairly low compared to other sites. You can deposit into your account using over 15 payment options, which include FBN Wallet, Ozow, ETF, and Standard Bank Instant Money. However, while some users have reported a delay in withdrawals on the site, deposits are processed instantly.

A new player on Fafabet can claim a 150% deposit bonus up to R5,000. Existing users enjoy bonuses like the Daily Free Bet, awarding R1,000 to ten winners daily, as well as the One Leg Out Soccer promo, which will refund your stake if one leg loses.

The Fafabet user interface is top-notch, but the account creation process can be complicated for rookies. Nonetheless, buttons for all available games are beautifully arranged at the top of the site. We found it very easy to create an account and there are more than enough payment options to choose from. To learn more about this site, you can check out our Fafabet bookmaker review.

Bookmakers in South Africa undergo thorough investigations from our impartial review team before ranking them. Some aspects of the sites we check before ranking are:

• Payment Options: Checking the number of payment options on a site is one of the ways we rank betting sites. Our team critically checks whether the site offers a wide range of payment options, as well as the security of those payment methods for flexibility and security of players’ finances and information.
• Sports Covered: All betting sites cover different numbers of sports. So, we check out all the sports available on a bookmaker as well as the betting options before ranking the sites we review.
• Site Usability: Sites with great usability on mobile and desktop get good ratings from us. Before we rank them, we test the sites on mobile and desktop devices to check how easy it is to use them.
• Bonuses and Promotions: Bonuses and promotions on betting sites also contribute to how high or low we rank a South African online betting site. Bookmakers with more bonuses, together with fair terms and conditions, are more likely to get higher ratings from us.

To ensure your safety, you should check out the following before betting with a sportsbook in South Africa:

1. Licensing

   You wouldn’t want to lose your money to an illegal sportsbook, so it’s very important to verify if a bookmaker is licensed by the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board before placing a bet. A licensed sportsbook is not only regulated but also ensures that users’ data and financial information are highly protected.

2. Depth of betting markets

   Look for platforms that cover a vast collection of sports and events, including popular and more niche sports, local and international leagues, as well as diverse betting options across all sports. Sites with a deeper range of betting markets provide you with a better opportunity to place personalised bets.

3. Generous welcome bonuses and free bets

   Generous welcome bonuses attract new users to betting sites and can offer you more betting opportunities for free. It will be nice to have some free perks handed over (of course, with terms) when you create an account at any South Africa betting site. So, it will help if you go for betting sites with free bonuses as well as fair bonus conditions.

4. Competitive betting odds

   Betting sites with competitive odds offer you the chance to win more with your bets. Compare the odds from key events of interest and ensure that you settle for a site with better odds than the rest.

5. Live betting experience

   Live betting gives you the chance to still wager on events that you missed pre-match. Settle for sites that cover more sports via live betting as they will offer better betting options to cover any live betting instincts.

6. Deposits and withdrawal options

   Check out the various deposit and withdrawal options available before choosing a betting site. Ensure that they support your preferred payment options. Also, look out for the withdrawal speed of the various options to be sure you are signing up at one of the fastest payout sportsbooks.

7. Effective customer service

   Effective customer service contributes positively to your overall betting experience. Look for sites with multiple and responsive communication channels (live chat, phone, and email support) with which you can reach out to customer support in case you run into any issues or have some enquiries to make.

The following section covers our top picks for major sports in South Africa.

Football betting sites

Finding the best football betting sites in South Africa depends on what you want. Betway covers local and international football leagues from over 43 countries, providing over 10 betting options and offering competitive odds.

On the other hand, Sportingbet takes this a bit higher, covering football leagues from over 35 countries worldwide. It also has an in-play betting section covering the major leagues, with more in-depth betting options. Sportingbet has a very easy-to-use football betting interface; you can find all the leagues it covers, as well as their countries of origin, on the left-hand side of the site.

Gbets is known for its extensive coverage of local and international football events, supported by a robust live soccer betting section. The bookie is sitting at the top of our list of the best football betting sites. It also offers you competitive odds, a variety of payment options, and promos tailored specifically for football bettors.

Rugby betting sites

When it comes to rugby betting sites in South Africa, Sportingbet occupies a space among the best rugby betting sites. It covers rugby leagues from over ten countries and offers competitive odds to its users. The rugby betting section is very easy to use, even with the numerous betting options available.

A visit to Gbet’s rugby section also reveals that it covers rugby in local and international leagues worldwide. However, the site is not that user-friendly compared to Sportingbet. Indeed, although rugby is such a popular sport in South Africa, it is not available in the site’s live betting section.

Overall, Betway is our favourite rugby betting site in South Africa. It covers a robust number of local and international rugby events. It also provides exclusive bonuses for Springboks matches, competitive odds, and a user-friendly interface. All these and more have earned it the spot at the top of our best rugby betting sites.

Cricket betting sites

You can wager on cricket events on all the sites covered in this review. However, let’s take a deeper look at a list of betting sites like 10bet, Easybet, and Betway. 10bet covers local leagues from four countries, including India and England. You can also wager on international cricket leagues like the ICC and T20 World Cup in the online betting market. While it is not that robust, the sports betting website offers cricket in its live betting section.

10bet also has an easy-to-use cricket live betting feature that is very convenient for many South African bettors. It also covers cricket leagues from about four countries but offers a better user experience for users than Easybet. However, we didn’t find any specific bonuses for cricket bettors on the two sites.

Nonetheless, if you’re interested in betting on cricket events in South Africa, there are no better options than Betway. The bookie offers competitive odds-wide coverage of cricket major and minor leagues worldwide. Betway is our top pick from the list of best cricket betting sites because it offers numerous betting options, such as Most Fours, Most Sixes, Over/Under Fours, and Winner.

Horse racing betting sites

Fafabet is our favourite bookmaker from the list of our best horse racing betting sites for South African players. It offers competitive odds on all the biggest races in South Africa and around the world. Whether it’s the Durban Golden Horseshoe or the Melbourne Cup, you’ll find great value in your bets.

You can also consider betting on horse racing using Betway. Its horse racing betting section is robust, covering leagues from countries such as Japan and England. You can bet with either fixed or tote odds on betting options that include Exacta, Duet, and Trifecta. Unfortunately, you cannot wager on horse racing via the live betting section of Betway.

Sportingbet is another great site where you can bet on horse racing events from South Africa, the USA, England, and Ireland. Apart from its user-friendly interface, Sportingbet also offers competitive odds on all the events it covers and includes different promotions on horse racing events.

UFC Betting Sites

As a fan of UFC in South Africa, some great sites where you can place a bet on your favourite events are Sportingbet, Easybet, and Gbets. Each of these sites covers a whole lot of UFC events, and they are some of the best UFC betting sites you can come across if you’re looking for the best odds.

Sportingbet covers UFC events with competitive odds and a user-friendly interface. Even though Sportingbet offers so many bonuses, there’s none exclusive to UFC betting. However, Easybet is our favourite pick of the three sites because it covers more UFC contests, as well as offering better odds and the best user experience.

Different bookmakers come with unique features that differentiate them from each other. We have, however, ranked some South African bookmakers based on their betting features below:

Best live betting site

Sportingbet is our favourite among the best live sports betting sites in South Africa. In addition to offering competitive odds, it covers more sporting events than the rest of the sites. Also, it has a live streaming feature where you can watch events as they proceed.

Online bookie with the best betting odds

Different sports betting sites come with diverse odds offerings. If you’re looking for the best betting sites with the highest odds in South Africa, Sportingbet should be your top choice. It is one of the betting companies known for offering consistently competitive odds across the 28 sports it covers.

Best cashout betting site

Betway stands out as our favourite cashout betting site. It is known for offering cashout on pre-match and live bets in selected sports events, including soccer, basketball, and table tennis. Cashout allows you to have total control of your bets and secure profits or minimise losses before the event ends.

Yes, online betting in South Africa is legal. The country has regulated online sports betting, and licences are issued to operators by the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board. In a nutshell, online sports betting with licensed operators is not illegal.