BetLion Overview from Our Team
BetLion was launched in 2018 and is gaining popularity for providing punters with a great mobile betting experience. With their Android and iOS mobile apps, SMS and USSD betting, users can enjoy placing wagers on the go. As for betting options, with 19 sports and a variety of betting markets they ensure that everyone has numerous options to explore. In addition, the bookmaker supports two of the most popular mobile payment services (M-Pesa and Airtel Money) which are easy to process not to mention that their withdrawals are instant and free. If you’re looking for diverse bonuses and promotions, a wide range of markets, live support, and a great mobile betting experience, BetLion is your go-to bookmaker.
BetLion Basic Facts
Website
https://mobile.betlion.ke/ |
Game Types
Sports, Casino, Jackpots, Supersonic, Doh Pap |
Deposit Methods
M-Pesa, Airtel Money |
Withdrawal Methods
M-Pesa, Airtel Money |
Apps
iOS, Android |
Betting Functions
Live Betting, Cash Out, SMS Betting |
Owner
Zumandu Ltd |
Support
Live Chat, Email, Helpline, Social Media |
Headquarters
Nairobi, Kenya |
Founded Year
2018 |
BetLion Pros & Cons
- Wide range of markets. BetLion offers a variety of betting options on a number of sports. With 1200+ markets on top football events and at least 19 sports, bettors have numerous possibilities to wager on.
- Various bonus offers. Besides the risk-free bonus exclusive for new customers, BetLion offers several promotions and bonuses including loyalty bonus, second chance free Bet, Kes. 100 Referral bonus, a 4-tier VIP programme and the BetLion Daily Trivia. The offers have considerate wagering requirements so, they will be worth your while.
- Mobile betting apps. The bookmaker has both Android and iOS betting apps. The apps are available for free and require less storage. They work seamlessly and you can access all betting products and services including the Welcome bonus.
- Quick registration and live chat. The BetLion registration process is fast and straight-forward. You’re only required to have your active Airtel or Safaricom phone number and a 4-digit pin. Once you accept their terms and conditions and submit your request, you’ll have your account in a split second.
- Limited payment methods. Airtel Money and M-Pesa are the only payment methods accepted at BetLion. Even then, bettors are limited to using only one of these methods depending on the service provider they used when opening their accounts.
- No live streaming. Although the bookmaker offers In-Play betting, they do not provide live streams or a match tracker. Also, their In-Play section lacks match or team statistics which can be frustrating.
- No optimized desktop website. BetLion only has an optimized mobile site. Customers accessing the bookmaker using their desktops will have to access the site on a partial screen.
BetLion Review
BetLion is an online betting site that caters to a diverse range of sports betting enthusiasts. With around 20 sports to choose from, there’s something for everyone. Whether you’re a fan of football, tennis, basketball, or even niche sports like table tennis or Darts, BetLion has got you covered. The bookmaker offers an extensive selection of betting options for each sport, from traditional match outcomes to handicaps, Over/Under bets and player specific markets. The odds are also competitive.
The dedicated iOS and Android apps provide a seamless and user-friendly betting interface. Besides, the apps allow you to access all their betting services and functions including bonuses, and banking.
While the sports selection is wide, BetLion has limited payment methods. Currently, they only support M-Pesa and Airtel Money, which restricts other users who may prefer to use alternative methods. Regardless of whether you have access to both payment methods, you would have to choose only one.
The Cash Out option is another notable feature as it gives bettors control over their bets.
BetLion boasts of a responsive customer support team who are relatable and available 24/7. You can access their agents via live chat, Facebook, Twitter, email, and helpline. Should you need help with payments, navigating the platform or need clarity about betting and bonus rules, contact them or check out their FAQs section.
Furthermore, BetLion stands out with its diverse bonuses and promotions which include their risk-free Welcome bonus, loyalty rewards and other Free bets.
BetLion | Rating | Comment |
---|---|---|
A range of markets | 7/10 | 19 sports, 1200+ markets for popular football matches, middle-low margin on top football events (3-4%) |
Bonus offers | 7/10 | Risk-free first bet, Refer a friend, Loyalty bonus, Second chance |
Payment methods | 2/10 | M-Pesa, Airtel Money |
Apps | 10/10 | iOs and Android app |
Streaming | 0/10 | No video streaming |
Sign-up and support | 8/10 | Quick registration, live chat |
BetLion Screenshots
BetLion Betting Offers & Promotions
BetLion offers a variety of betting offers and promotions to both their new and existing customers. Their Welcome bonus is exclusive to their new clients but all customers are eligible for the rest of their offers. Their other promotions include the BetLion Daily Trivia, the Kes. 200000 daily jackpot, the second chance refund, the referral free bet, and the loyalty bonuses. Each offer comes with wagering requirements so be sure to understand them before participating.
When you register an account at BetLion, deposit and place your first bet, you get a full stake refund if your first bet with the bookmaker loses. So, how do you claim the offer?
Here’s the process:
- Register an account and login.
- Make a minimum deposit of Kes. 20.
- Navigate the sportsbook and pick an event with min odds of 2.00
- Place a minimum wager of Kes.2
- Wait for the outcome.
If your bet loses, BetLion will credit your Free bet account with your full stake up to Kes. 1000 within 24 hrs.
BetLion Risk-Free Bet T&Cs
- Each customer is eligible for the offer just once.
- You must be 18+ years old.
- The maximum Free Bet is Kes. 1000.
- Only the first single or Multiple bet is eligible. Subsequent bets do not count towards the offer. Jackpots, live bets virtuals and Casino bets are not acceptable.
- You must deposit at least Kes.20.
- The bonus is awarded by 4PM the following day after the qualifying bet gets settled.
- Free bets require a minimum bet of Kes. 20.
- You’ll have 7 days to use your Free Bet after which it expires.
Get your stake back if your 5+ multibet loses by 1. To qualify for the second chance offer you need to wager on a multibet with 5 or more football pre-match events. All your selections must have min odds of 1.40 and the maximum stake should be Kes. 1000. Once your bet gets settled, BetLion awards the bonus within 24 hours. Note that you can get this bonus for up to 3 times in one week and you can only use the Free Bet to wager on other football matches within 7 days.
Get a Free Bet worth Kes. 100 for every friend you refer to BetLion successfully. To receive the bonus your referred friends must sign-up, deposit and wager at least Kes. 200 on events with odds of 2.0 or greater. Once your friend’s qualifying bets gets settled, BetLion will credit your Free Bet account with Kes. 100 within 24 hours. All bets must be singles or multibets and you can refer as many friends as possible.
BetLion Odds
The quality of odds offered by a bookmaker determines the percentage of returns you make from successful bets. In short, high odds = low margins= high payouts. In this section we’ll be calculating margins for the 3 top sports at BetLion to evaluate the quality of their betting odds.
- Football: For the Champions League match Manchester City vs Inter Milan, BetLion 1×2 odds are (1.53, 4.33, 6.00). As such, the bookmaker has a commission of 4.87%.
- Basketball: BetLion odds for the 1×2 market for the NBA game Miami Heat vs Denver Nuggets are: 2.62 for Miami Heat to win, 12.00 for the teams to draw, and 1.61 for the Denver Nuggets to win. Thus, the bookmaker has a margin of 7.93%.
- Tennis: For the ATP Challenger Surbiton game Jason Kubler vs Andy Murray the odds are (1.11, 6.00). Therefore, the bookmaker’s margin is 6.33%.
In summary, BetLion odds are average for most of their sports. For top football tournaments they can go as low as 3%, 6% in some basketball markets and 6% for Tennis. While margins for some football and basketball events seem to go as high as 10%, most Tennis margins seem to be under 7%, making it one of the sports with the best odds in the Kenyan betting market.
Sport | Ligue | Date | Match | Margin for 1X2 | Margin for Over/Under |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Football | UEFA Nations League | 14/06/23 | Netherlands vs Croatia | 3.09% | 11.13% |
Football | Argentina Primera | 09/06/23 | Independiente vs Sarmiento | 6.15% | 10.95% |
Football | International Friendlies | 09/06/23 | Luxembourg vs Malta | 6.95% | 10.72% |
Basketball | International Friendly Women | 09/06/23 | Latvia Women vs South Korea Women | 7.30% | 7.53% |
Basketball | Spain ACB | 09/06/23 | FC Barcelona Regal vs Unicaja Malaga | 7.91% | 7.02% |
Basketball | US NBA | 10/06/23 | Miami Heat vs Denver Nuggets | 7.93% | 4.12% |
Tennis | Challenger, ATP Challenger Surbiton | 09/06/23 | Jason Kubler vs Andy Murray | 6.28% | 7.42% |
Tennis | WTA, French Open Women Singles | 10/06/23 | Iga Swiatek vs Karolina Muchova | 6.33% | 6.25% |
So, how do you calculate margins? We use this simple formula which you can also use:
Margin = (1/betting odds on Home Team to win + 1/betting odds on Draw + 1/betting odds on the Away Team to win – 1) * 100
Let’s use the above Champions League match Man City vs Inter milan as our example.
Margin= {( 1/ 1.44 + 1/ 4.33 + 1/ 6.00) – 1} x100 = 4.87%
BetLion Sports and Markets
BetLion offers odds for at least 19 sports and a wide variety of betting markets. Although the number of betting markets may vary based on event popularity and from one sport to the other, you’ll find the market types adequate, especially since BetLion covers the most popular market types for their sports. Here’s a list of all the sports covered by BetLion.
- Football
- Basketball
- Tennis
- American Football
- Australian Rules
- Baseball
- Boxing
- Cricket
- Cycling
- Darts
- Golf
- Handball
- Ice Hockey
- MMA
- Motor Sports
- Rugby League
- Rugby Union
- Snooker
- Volleyball
Football
BetLion football features events from over 70 countries. They include top leagues, international matches, and less popular leagues from different countries. The bookmaker covers leagues such as the CONCACAF nations League, CAF Champions League, the FIFA World Cup, Nigeria Premier league, Tunisia Ligue1, and Ethiopia Premier League among others. As for betting options, a top football tournament may have 200+ market types and 1200+ markets. Some of the football betting market types available at BetLion include Double chance, Over/Under, Handicap, 1×2, Halftime/Fulltime, Odd/Even, Match Result, Draw No Bet, and Outrights. Punters can either place their bets pre-match or live and enjoy features like the Cash Out.
Basketball
The bookmaker provides a variety of tournaments and betting markets. Popular tournaments available include the NBA, WNBA, BNXT League, NBL, Adriatic League, and France ProA & ProB LNB among others. Popular betting markets available on BetLion basketball include total points, Handicap, Match Results, 1st Quarter, Money line + Total Points, Team Total Points, Total Points 3 bands, and points Over/Under. Around 60 outcomes available for non-popular games. The sport is available for live and pre-game betting.
Tennis
BetLion tennis covers fewer tournaments and betting markets compared to top basketball and football, however, the sport has the most live events The bookmaker covers tournaments such as the ATP, WTA and Challengers. As for the market types, they offer Set Winner, Match Winner, Player to Win Set, any Set Won to Nil, Total Sets Played, Match Set Handicap, Match Correct Score, Match Total Games Over/Under, and Correct Score in Set. Even for niche games there are more than 80 betting options available, which is a pretty decent amount.
Bet hereBetLion Payment Methods
BetLion accepts payments from both Airtel Money and M-Pesa. However, you only get one option since the service provider of the phone number used during registration becomes your payment method by default. On the bright side, BetLion withdrawals are free and you can initiate transactions in different methods including via their website, paybill numbers (M-Pesa 212927 and Airtel Money 136680), USSD codes (Safaricom *418# and Airtel *222#), and SMS. Also, payments are instant and you’re welcome to call their support team should your transaction delay for more than 30 minutes. The maximum deposit and withdrawal amount per day is Kes. 140 000.
Payment method | Deposit amount | Withdrawal amount | Withdrawal time |
---|---|---|---|
M-Pesa | Min Kes. 1 – Max Kes. 70 000 | Min Kes. 50 – Max Kes. 70 000 | Instant |
Airtel Money | Min Kes. 1 – Max Kes. 70 000 | Min Kes. 50 – Max Kes. 70 000 | Instant |
How to Make a Deposit to BetLion
To make a deposit to BetLion from M-Pesa or Airtel Money via their website:
- Login
- Tap the “Deposit” button on the top-right corner of their home page.
- Select a value or enter the amount of your choice.
- Click “ Deposit” to submit the request.
- Enter your M-Pesa/ Airtel Money PIN number when BetLion sends a prompt to your mobile phone to complete the transaction.
To deposit via M-Pesa Paybill:
- Go to “My Safaricom/ M-Pesa” apps and select “ Lipa na M-Pesa”
- Select “Paybill”
- Enter BetLion M-Pesa Paybill number (212927)
- Enter your BetLion account number
- Enter the deposit amount and provide you M-Pesa PIN
- Confirm the transaction and submit the request.
To deposit via Airtel Money Paybill number:
- Go to Airtel Money and select “ Make Payments”
- Select “ Paybill” and go to “ Other”
- Enter BetLion’s Airtel Money Paybill number (136680) as your business account.
- Enter the deposit value and your Airtel Money PIN.
- Use “BetLion” as your Reference and confirm the transaction.
You can also use the SMS and USSD options to make deposits.
For SMS deposits send the text D#amount#your BetLion Pin to the code 40418 and provide details as prompted.For example, to deposit Kes. 500 send D#500# 0123 to 40418.
For USSD code deposits:
- Dial *418# and select “Deposit/withdraw”
- Go to “ Deposit”
- Enter the amount and press Ok.
- Provide your M-Pesa PIN and submit the request.
Note that you’ll need to recharge your credit to use the USSD option.
How to Withdraw from BetLion
To withdraw from BetLion via their website:
- Login
- Tap on the three lines next to the BetLion logo to access more information.
- Go to “ My Account” and select “ Withdraw”
- Enter the amount to withdraw.
- Click “ Withdraw” to submit and wait for the transaction to get processed.
For SMS withdrawal send WD#amount#PIN or Withdraw#amount#PIN to 40418. To withdraw Kes. 200 from BetLion send WD#200#0123 to 40418.
BetLion App
BetLion has betting apps for iOS and Android. The app download information for Android is available on the bookmakers homepage but you can download the iOS app directly from the App store. Both apps are free, easy-to-access, user-friendly and you can still access all services available via the mobile web.
Developer | Zumandu Ltd |
App size | Android 6.34 MB / iOS 12.2 MB |
Version | Android 1.0.0 / iOS 1.0.1 |
OS | Android 6.0 or later and iOS 11.0 or later |
Price | Free |
Availability in the official app store | App Store |
BetLion Security
The BetLion betting site has various security measures in place to keep you safe when enjoying their products. Their online connection is secured using a 256-bit SSL encryption. The bookmaker has a valid security certificate issued by Cloudflare. Inc, which is a reputable cybersecurity provider. In addition, BetLion employs a privacy policy when collecting, handling and disseminating your financial and personal information. They assure bettors to only share their private information with authorities in case there’s Fraud or suspicious activities. Also, the bookmaker advocates for responsible gambling by providing tips, a helpline, and self-exclusion options. Players can always use deposit limits or opt out in case they experience signs of gambling problems.
Bet hereBetLion Frequently Asked Questions
Is BetLion sportsbook legal and where?
Yes, BetLion is a legally registered bookmaker owned by Zumandu Ltd. They are licensed by the BCLB under the license number 0000440.
Does BetLion sportsbook have a mobile app?
Yes, BetLion has mobile apps for both iPhones and Androids. Use the link provided on their betting site to download the Android app or find the iOS app on the App Store.
How to use a BetLion Free bet?
Once BetLion credits your account with the Free bet, you can’t withdraw it but you can use it to wager on single and multi bets on sports. Navigate to the sports section, select events with competitive odds and wager a minimum of Kes. 20 on each bet. Be sure to use the Free bet within 7 days of receiving it.
What is the minimum and maximum bet on BetLion?
The minimum stake at BetLion Kenya is Kes. 2, and the maximum bet depends on the game status, for the top matches it is Kes. 100 000.