Guide: How to choose the best bookmaker in SA

Online betting has been dominating the South African online gambling market in recent years, with statistics by the National Gambling Board (NGB) showing that the largest percent of the revenue in 2022 was made by betting operators.

NGB’s latest report indicates that the statewide revenue of gambling reached almost R35 million, which is an increase of R12 million from the year before, and a slight increase from the pre-2020 figures. However, these stats don’t tell the whole story. What changed is how bettors engage in gambling. While casino gaming used to take up the largest part of CGR, the tide has shifted, and South Africans now prefer betting over casino gambling.

There are many reasons behind this, but one of them is most certainly the wide variety of betting sites in SA. In this guide, we’ll help you learn how to choose the best bookmakers in South Africa and make an informed choice while getting the best for your buck.

LOOK FOR A VALID LICENSE

South Africa is now a booming online gambling market, but it wasn’t until 1996 when the National Gambling Act was passed to allow for the operation of casinos and horse betting venues. The first official national lottery was launched, and it marked the legalization of gambling in South Africa.

However, modern times required modern solutions, especially after several rogue betting sites started getting popular in the mid-2000s. The government passed the National Gambling Act in 2008 with a specific reference to online gambling and betting. While online betting on sports and horse races is considered legal, casino gambling is not – which means that SA has unique gambling laws that open up a lot of opportunities for gambling sites – both legal and illegal.

That’s why looking for a valid license is crucial. Only bookmakers that hold valid licenses issued by the specific province gambling and racing board are allowed to operate in the country, and all other sites are considered rogue. Registering with a rogue bookie that operates without a valid SA license is both illegal and can be very risky for the user. That’s why we suggest only registering with valid and licensed sites that have stood the test of time and have proven their reliability.

A VARIETY OF BETTING MARKETS & SPORTS TO BET ON

The main reason why people engage in sports betting in the first place is to have fun and potentially win something. The win is even sweeter when you’ve placed a bet on your team, and they crushed the away game 1-3. But what if you register with a betting site, only to find out that you can’t bet on your team because the site doesn’t offer odds for that league or tournament?

The variety of betting markets and sports to bet on is another crucial aspect that shouldn’t be underlooked. Ideally, you should be looking for betting sites with more than 30 sports, including popular ones such as football, basketball, rugby, cricket, and tennis, to less popular sports such as cycling or table tennis. A great diversity never hurt anyone – and that’s especially true with betting sites.

Moreover, it’s not only about what sports you can bet on, but what types of bets you can place. A good sportsbook would cover all the major and minor leagues, tournaments, and competitions and provide odds for all the possible outcomes. For example, a good sportsbook would offer three-way money line odds for soccer, but also allow its punters to place prop bets, combine several bets into accumulators or parlay bets, narrow the margin with point spreads, or place a bet for the distant future.

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BONUS OFFERS MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER

Bonuses and promotions have become an inseparable part of online gambling – and that’s the case with betting in SA as well. All of the best bookmakers in South Africa offer some type of a bonus – be it a special deal for newcomers or boosted odds.

Not all bonuses are equally good, though. Ideally, you should be looking for bonuses with fair terms and conditions, as low as possible wagering requirements, and deals that provide great value.

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