Soccer Betting Sites In South Africa
The growth in the number of legal online sports betting sites in South Africa (both local and major international bookmakers) is closely linked to the development of South African soccer after the fall of apartheid. South Africa burst onto the world soccer scene reaching the final stages of the FIFA World Cup in 1998 and 2002 , hosting the 2010 FIFA Women’s World Cup, while its domestic clubs have got into the play-offs of the continental cups.
In this review we tell you about soccer betting sites in South Africa, take a look at their pros and cons, examine welcome bonuses and offers and answer the most common questions about online soccer betting experience in South Africa.
The List of Soccer Betting Sites
How to Choose the Best Soccer Betting Site
There is a large number of soccer betting sites on the Internet these days. Choosing the appropriate one can be difficult. That is why the experts of Match.Center have reviewed some of the most popular sites to assist you. Here are some fundamental characteristics we have looked at when assessing South African online soccer betting sites:
- Odds. The best soccer betting sites always strive to provide great odds to stand out. The soccer betting odds are the most crucial factor in choosing a soccer betting site. The greater the odds, the more you can win.
- Markets. The number of soccer betting markets available is the second most important factor for punters like us. A wide range of betting markets gives you more chances to win, therefore it is important to look for a soccer betting site that offers a variety.
- Special options and features. We have looked for features that can be beneficial when placing bets, such as Cash Out, Odds boosts, BetBuilder, etc.
- Live betting and live streaming. With this feature, you can bet on matches while they are in the process, as well as watch the action live.
- Welcome bonus and other promotions. When you join a new betting site, you should be able to get a welcome bonus as well as other promotions related to soccer betting. The more generous the bonuses are, the more chances you have of winning.
- App. It’s common for people to place bets using their mobile devices, so a decent betting site should have a user-friendly app. It is good if there are apps for both Android and iPhone.
- Customer support service. The important thing to look at when choosing a soccer betting site is the quality of customer support service. We pay attention to the ways with the help of which the support team can be contacted and at what time.
- Withdrawal and deposit options. If you want to deposit and withdraw your winnings quickly and easily, choose one of the online sportsbooks that offer a variety of payment methods.
- Design and navigation. What is an intuitive interface for us? No unnecessary clicks, logic in the menu, and the event listings are sleek. All of this affects how easy it is to place a bet.
Types of Soccer Betting for South African Bettors
Match Result
Three main markets for a soccer match (home team to win, away team to win and a draw) are the first things a bettor finds on the page that contains betting options for a particular game. To make such a bet, sometimes it is enough to make only a superficial analysis of a match, and many players don’t do even that.
Only regular time is counted in case of such a bet. The result after extra time, for example, if you bet on a match of a playoff of a major tournament, is another distinctive market.
Correct Score
In the Republic of South Africa most online soccer betting sites offer their clients to guess an exact score of a match by setting attractive odds – often from 6 and above (corresponds to a 16% probability). To succeed in this market is overworking, unless you are an expert on microscopic leagues like Vietnamese championship, where above half of the games end with a score of 0:0, 1:0 or 1:1.
Half Time/Full Time
Making such a bet, you need to predict two outcomes: who will win the first half, and who will win the game after 90 minutes. If you guess only one thing correctly, the bet will not be successful, but still patterns may be found here in comparison to bets regarding some exact score.
On most soccer betting sites you can now find more composite options as “time-match” bet + total over/under 2.5.
Draw No Bet
Draw No Bet (DNB) is a bet on a team to win with some kind of insurance: in case of a draw, your bet will be a push in case of a draw. In other words, your mood will be broken only if your team’s opponent suddenly turns out to be stronger than you expected. This option is an analogue of a Handicap 0 bet.
Double Chance
Another type of betting on a result, just like DNB, is suitable for those who do not want to take risks. For this bet to win, your team just must not lose – you will get a win even for a draw. Such “double chances” are denoted as 1X (Team 1 to win or a draw), 2X (Team 2 to win or a draw) and 12 (no draw) among the markets offered by the soccer betting sites.
Sure, bookmakers do not set high odds for such an “easy” market, but if you stick to the strategy of playing versus overrated favourites, you will regularly find interesting options.
Example of a Double Chance bet
Let’s take the 2022/23 Champions League qualifying round match Ferencvaros – Slovan Bratislava as an example. The Hungarian club is the current champion and winner of the national cup, consistently scoring 2 goals per game at the end of the season. The opponent is certainly strong, but not enough so that the X2 option for “Slovan” was provided with the odds of 2.7. The team which has become the champion of Slovakia four times in a row, with an experienced coach and a strong line-up, strengthened during the off-season, is not an easy opponent. As a result, Slovan, losing 1-0, scored twice in the last ten minutes, and won contrary to many forecasts.
Total Goals (Under / Over)
Betting on totals is one of the most popular options for soccer matches. The point is to predict the number of goals scored at the end of the regular time — over or under relative to the value proposed by a bookmaker.
The half-total provides for two potential outcomes: win or lose. For example, a bet on total over 2.5 will be settled under the following circumstances:
- If 0, 1 or 2 goals are scored in a match, it is a loss;
- If 3 or above goals are scored in a match, it is a win.
Totals may be shared (goals scored by two teams in total are regarded) and individual (goals scored by only one of the teams are regarded).
Handicap
Handicap is a betting option provided by the soccer betting sites. In this case a player and a bookmaker agree before a match starts to settle the final result under specified advantage, or lag of one of the teams.
The handicap may be of two variants — plus and minus. A plus handicap means that for a reporting bet, a selected team starts a match with an advantage upon indicated number of goals scored, and a minus handicap — with a lag.
A handicap value may be specified as an integer (0, +1, -2, +3, etc.), or as a decimal fraction with an ending “,5” (-1.5, +2.5, -3.5, etc.).
For a handicap with an integer value, there are three possible outcomes as win, loss and tie. For example, when betting on a handicap (-1) on the first team, there are possible options as following:
- Lost for the first team, or a draw — the bet is lost;
- The win of the first team with a slot of one goal (1:0; 2:1; 3:2, etc.) — a bet is a push;
- The win of the first team with a slot of two or above goals (2:0; 3:1; 3:0; 4:2, etc.) — the bet wins.
If a handicap value has the half format, a tie is not possible. For example, with a handicap of the first team (-2.5), the result may be as follows:
- The first team loses, there’s a draw or the first team wins with a difference of 1 or 2 goals — the bet is lost;
- If a team wins by 3, 4 or above goals scored, the bet is won.
Both Teams to Score
“Both teams to score” is a betting option on whether both playing teams will be able to score at least a goal in a specified match or not. The bet has two variations:
- Both to score: yes. For such a bet to win, each of the teams must score at least one goal in a match. Herewith, the total number of goals isn’t important. No matter 1:1, or 5:3 – you win.
- Both to score: no. The bet will win, if at least one of the teams is to keep a clean sheet. The bet will also be successful if neither team manages to score.
An own goal is considered a full-fledged score and is counted upon the final settlement for the “Both teams to score” market.
Combined Bets
A combined bet is a bet that contains two different markets. This is a kind of accumulator of two events, but within the same match.
The most popular options for combined bets are as follows:
- A match result (half-time) and both to score;
- A match result (half-time) and total goals;
- Total goals and both to score.
Popular Soccer Leagues for Betting in South Africa
English Premier League
The English Premier League, as it was founded in 1991, is now clearly the most popular and most profitable of the national soccer leagues (annual profits of €6 billion). They also pay the most. And the superiority comes not from the top six clubs, who pay their players no more than Barcelona or PSG, but from all the other clubs, whose payrolls are way ahead of their competitors from other European leagues. At the end of the 2019-20 season, it was more profitable to play for the humble Everton than for Roma, Villarreal or Marseille.
However, people like the Premier League not because of the luxury but because of the constant competition, while the German, Spanish and French championships show one or two teams dominating over the years. In Germany, for example, Bayern Munich have won 10 seasons in a row.
The English clubs have now also improved in the UEFA Champions League, after a slight setback in the mid-2010s. In the last five editions of the tournament, four finals have involved English teams, in two of which both finalists were from the EPL. In the other two finals, Liverpool lost to Real Madrid.
The English Premier League is of course also a priority for bookmakers, which makes it a difficult field for betting, as errors in the lines are almost never to be found here.
La Liga
The second strongest league in UEFA’s 2022 rankings, after the English Premier League. The Spanish championship has traditionally attracted a lot of attention thanks to the long-running rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona. What adds to the heat is that this rivalry is not just about soccer – the cities themselves are not friends either. Barcelona is the capital of the autonomous region of Catalonia, which has been fighting for independence from Spain since the 19th century – even back then there were riots.
Derbies involving Real Madrid and Barcelona are called El Classico and they always earn much attention. Hardly any match in Europe attracts comparable interest. Recently, two of the best players in the world have played for these teams: Cristiano Ronaldo (who left Real Madrid in 2018) and Lionel Messi (who left Barcelona in 2021).
In the last few years, Atletico Madrid have intervened in the controversy between the two giants, becoming champions twice (including the 2020-21 season), runners-up twice and placing third six times between 2012 and 2022.
Bundesliga
The main league in Germany, in which 18 teams play and Bayern Munich always win. Nevertheless, the Bundesliga is one of Europe’s most popular leagues, and it’s perhaps underrated. German clubs play hard, attack a lot and score. Let’s take the 2020-21 season as an example in comparison with the Spanish league. Keep in mind that there are 38 games per season played in Spain and only 34 in Germany.
Champion’s goal difference. Real Madrid: 80-31; Bayern Munich: 97-37.
Goal difference for runner-up. Barcelona: 68-38; Borussia Dortmund: 85-52.
Goal difference for the 10th team. Osasuna: 37-51; Borussia Monchengladbach: 54-61.
Goal difference for the last team. Alaves: 31-65; Greuther Furth: impressive 28-82.
In the last round of the season in Germany, not even one of the 18 teams left the field without a goal. Meanwhile, there have been four goalless draws in the last round of the Spanish championship.
Serie A
Italy is known to the soccer world for inventing catenaccio, defensive soccer. For a long time, the country was perceived exclusively in this way. The Italian Fabio Cannavaro is the only defender to win the Ballon d’Or in the 21st century.
Nevertheless, in recent years the Italian championship has broken this stereotype by showing attacking and productive soccer. It becomes much more interesting to watch.
Some crucial rivalries in Italy provide the tournament with a lot of cool posters and public attention. These are the Inter vs Milan derby in Milan, the Roma vs Lazio derby in Rome; the Juventus vs Torino derby in Turin; and the Genoa vs Sampdoria derby in Genoa.
Betting on Serie A is exciting because there are many competitive clubs. Apart from the already mentioned top five (Juventus, Milan, Inter, Roma, Lazio), Fiorentina and, of course, Napoli often play well. The latter has been performing strongly in Serie A and in the European cups in recent years.
South African Premier Division
The Premiership of South Africa in its current form has existed relatively recently – since 1996. Before then, the country’s soccer leagues were divided according to apartheid policies.
There are 16 clubs in the championship, each playing 30 games per season. The most famous Premiership clubs are Kaizer Chiefs, Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates. The first two are the most titled teams in South Africa, if you consider their performances in the National Soccer League and National Professional Soccer League. Kaizer Chiefs have 13 league titles while Mamelodi Sundowns have 12. Sundowns won the 2021-22 season by a margin of 16 points from the 2nd place.
International Soccer Tournaments and Events
Champions League
Unlike the EPL, even those who do not follow soccer regularly can occasionally watch the Champions League. Television news and hundreds of websites cover the play-offs.
The Champions League was created in 1955 (then called the Champions Cup) and Real Madrid won the first five tournaments. More and more teams are playing in the Champions League. For example, in the 1991-92 season, which was won by Barcelona, there were 8 teams playing in the main group stage. In the 1996-1997 season, when Borussia Dortmund won, there were already 16 teams (4 groups). The 1998-99 season, which saw the Manchester United – Bayern Munich final, had 24 teams (6 groups). Now the group stage starts with 32 teams (8 groups).
The most popular Champions League finals have attracted 90,000-100,000 spectators in the stands and several hundred million TV viewers.
African Cup of Nations
The history of the Africa Cup of Nations begins in 1957 when Khartoum hosted the first tournament with just three teams: Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia. South Africa also planned to play in the cup, but it wanted to send either a black or a white team, and the CAF (Confederation of African Football) demanded a mixed team. Egypt won the tournament.
In 1996, Kenya refused to host the next Cup due to lack of money, so it was hosted by South Africa who won the tournament. In 1998, South Africa reached the final again but lost to Egypt 0-2.
The Africa Cup of Nations is now held in odd-numbered years (starting in 2013) to avoid overlap with the World Cup. There are 24 national teams taking part. The reigning champion is Senegal, who beat Egypt in the 2021 CAF final.
Make the Most of Soccer’s Biggest Event
2022 FIFA World Cup finals will feature 32 national teams. There will be eight groups of four teams in the preliminary stage. Play-offs will be held between the top two teams in each group. During the 1/8 finals, qualifiers begin.
Qatar will host eight stadiums across five cities for the World Cup finals. There are several reasons why this event will be unique:
- Middle East will host the World Cup for the first time.
- For the first time in the Northern Hemisphere, the tournament will be held between November 21 and December 18, 2022. The playoffs begin on March 12.
- There will be no more world competitions in which 32 national teams will face off in 2022. There will be 48 teams competing in the final from 2026 onwards.
- Lusail, which began construction in 2006, will host several games, including the finals.
- It will be the most expensive World Cup in history. Qatar’s World Cup will cost more than $200 billion to organize, according to preliminary estimates.
- The tournament will also be hosted by a newcomer for the first time in 88 years. Back in 1934, Italy played that role and won the title.
- The tournament will feature no European champions for the first time since 2006. Italy hasn’t managed to qualify for the World Cup after losing to North Macedonia in the play-offs.
- Such a big soccer tournament for the first time in the history will be hosted by a country that ban alcohol. There will be no beer available at the stadiums during the games.
South African soccer betting sites offer a standard set of soccer betting markets before the start of the World Cup. Almost all of the betting sites allow you to place a soccer bet on games of the first two rounds. Sportingbet even offers to bet on all the games of group stage.
Most of soccer betting sites offer a wide range of outright markets:
- a team to win the tournament (the favourites are Brazil, England, France, Spain, and Argentina)
- a team to win the group
- a team to reach a particular stage
- a team to advance to play-offs
- top scorer(the favourites are Harry Kane, Romelu Lukaku, Kylian Mbappé, Neymar, and Cristiano Ronaldo)
- and some other markets.
However, some soccer betting sites have their own way of posting the markets. Track & Ball doesn’t offer outright markets for now (summer 0f 2022), Luckybets doesn’t mention the World Cup at all.
We should notice that some small betting sites don’t try to get the maximum profit from the main soccer tournament of the year compared to the other soccer betting sites. You should carefully explore their websites to be able to find the World Cup.
Most soccer betting bonuses will appear later. It’s likely that the bookmakers will start to present their promos several days prior to the start of the tournament.
Top 3 Soccer Betting Sites in South Africa
Almost all legal bookmakers in South Africa accept bets on soccer. But the events list, odds, conditions and the list of available options in them have significant differences. Match.Center experts have prepared Top 3 soccer betting sites. The selection includes only bookmakers that are licensed in South Africa.
Betway
The international company Betway was founded in 2006. It specializes in betting and other types of gambling entertainment.
Betway accepts live and pre-match bets on soccer. The bookmaker’s catalogue contains both international competitions, such as World Cup 2022, Copa Libertadores, Europa League, and national tournaments, including English Premier League, Spanish La Liga, South African Premier League.
Enter youIn Betway, odds for the majority of events are average or below average. But the number of events for top matches is good enough, and up to 300-700 options are available for each match. Bets on the statistics of teams or individual players are also available. If desired, clients can build an accumulator from several markets of one event using the Bet Builder option. Outrights are offered for top tournaments.
The Cash Out option is available for most soccer betting options in Betway. It allows the client to get the payment in advance without waiting for the end of the event.
Betway has apps for Android and iOS. There the client can not only make a bet without launching a browser, but also receive notifications, and manage their balance and account.
For newcomers, Betway offers a 100% bonus on the first deposit. For active clients, the company has boosters and free bets.
Hollywoodbets
Hollywoodbets is a well-known South African bookmaker that also works in the UK, Ireland and other countries. The company accepts sports bets via the network of betting shops and on the website. The company does not release a mobile application.
The soccer events list in Hollywoodbets includes all the popular competitions: World Cup, Europa Nations League, African Nations League, England Premier League, and also many less popular tournaments, for example Venezuelan Primera Division or Ecuadorian LigaPro Primera A. In thr Live betting section soccer fans will also find plenty of matches to bet on.
In Hollywoodbets, the number of markets is not the widest one. For most soccer events, only 70-100 betting options are offered, and only for top matches there will be more of them. Nevertheless, for most bettors that will be enough. If desired, the client can build an accumulator using the Same Match Bet Builder option.
Soccer odds in Hollywoodbets are average. But at the same time the company regularly posts selections of bets with boosted odds. It also has welcome bonuses for newcomers. They can receive a R25 free bet for registration and verifying their details. Such a bonus can be spent on bets with odds of at least 5/10.
Playabets
Playabets is a South African bookmaker licensed by Kwa-Zulu Natal Gaming and Betting Board and the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board. It offers betting on over 25 sports as well as virtual sports. But the company pays special attention to soccer. So you can always place a soccer bet here.
Over 1300 soccer events are available in the Playabets catalogue. Among them you can find matches of both international level tournaments, for example, the World Cup and Euro Cup, and national leagues of England, Spain and other countries. The client can make live and pre-match bets.
The action line for soccer matches is excellent in Playabets. For most events in pre-match 700-800 or more markets are offered. For live betting on soccer matches about 150-200 options are offered. Odds are pretty average.
For smartphone users, Playabets has a mobile version of the website and an Android application. The bookmaker does not offer software for iOS yet.
There are no video broadcasts on the Playabets website and application. However, there is a separate section with results and statistics provided by SportRadar. Cash Out service is available for many matches.
All newcomers to Playabets are offered 100% Bonus for the First Deposit. The maximum amount is R10, 000. To obtain the bonus funds, after registration is completed you need to contact support by e-mail or WhatsApp. Before withdrawing, bonus funds must be wagered 4 times with bets at odds of 2 or higher. For already registered bettors, the company offers bonuses for invited friends, boosters and a loyalty program.
Bookmakers’ Apps for Soccer Betting
Betting online is also possible from a smartphone. Almost all online sportsbooks in South Africa take this into account and develop not only a standard desktop, but also a mobile version of the website. Some companies go further and release apps for Android and, less frequently, for iOS.
Advantages of betting in the app:
- Quick access to betting markets without launching the browser
- Opportunity to set up authentication by PIN, fingerprint or Face ID
- Push notifications about offers and ongoing promotions from the betting site
- Special bonuses for mobile app users
Match.Center experts have compiled a selection of the best soccer betting apps from legal betting sites of South Africa.
Please note: online sports betting sites apps from South African companies cannot be downloaded from the Google Play store. This is due to Google’s policy on gambling entertainment. If you have an Android, download the apk file from the bookmaker’s official website and install the app from there. Step-by-step instructions on how to install the app can usually be found on the download page.
Betway App
The Betway app allows you to easily bet on the results of all sorts of soccer matches in the pre-match and live betting mode. Betway also accepts long-term bets on the World Cup, England Premier League and other top events.
Users of the Betway Bettings App can watch streaming of top soccer matches directly in the app. There are also Cash Out and Build A Bet options available. The Betway App is available for both Android and iOS.
Playabets App
Playabets, like most soccer betting sites in South Africa, offers an Android-only app. Users of Apple devices are encouraged to bet on the mobile version of the site, which is not convenient for everyone.
The Soccer section allows users to bet on the Euro Cup, European Championship Women, UEFA Nations League, World Cup and many other competitions. Long-term bets on the tournament winners are also accepted. A Cash Out option is available to the betting site’s customers.
An interesting feature of the app is a Quick Bet option. It allows you to quickly place one of the popular soccer bets or bets on other sports.
World Sports Betting App
World Sports Betting offers an app only for Android for the time being. Unlike the betting site, it has a user-friendly and modern interface. Bets can be placed through the app in the pre-match and in-play betting modes.
The Soccer section includes competitions of various levels, from the Serbian Super League to the World Cup. For some bets there is a Cash Out option. There is also a separate section where you can find bets with enhanced odds (Boosters).
GBets App
The fully functional GBets App is only available to users of Android phones; users of iOS devices may only create a shortcut on their home screen for quick access to the mobile version of the bookmaker’s website.
In the section with soccer bets of the GBets App you can bet on top competitions, such as the World Cup or European Championships and other popular markets, as well as on exotic tournaments, such as the Armenian Premier League. Bets are accepted not only on the results of team matches, but also outright bets.
PalaceBet App
The PalaceBet App allows you to bet on various sporting events, politics and Esports. The app is available for both Android and iOS. Links to download it are available on the bookmaker’s official website.
For soccer fans, the PalaceBet App offers soccer betting markets on the results of the English Premier League, World Cup, European Championship and other top and not so top competitions. The app offers Real-Time Cash Outs and Bet Boosts as special features. Fingerprint log-in can be set up to protect your personal data.
Soccer Betting Sites with Live Streaming
Live streaming available on a website is one of key benefits of any online sportsbook when live betting. This innovation allows users to watch soccer matches for free and betting companies – to increase their profits when there are more and more live bets.
Matches that are available to watch in the Live are usually marked with a “TV” or “player” icon in the list. Although, for the inexperienced user, these can be difficult to see due to design faults on many soccer betting websites. Yes, and don’t be in a hurry to rejoice. As a rule, you won’t be able to just go to the soccer betting site and switch on the streaming. Basically, the online sportsbook may require:
- Register and verify your account.
- Make a deposit to your account with a minimum amount of money.
- Place a bet on a match.
Not every company is willing to spend a large sum of money to buy the broadcasting rights and rent powerful servers for uninterrupted operation. The conditions for visitors of an online betting website is a way for the bookmaker to cover its costs by increasing the profits from possible additional bets.
We have compiled the top of soccer betting sites in South Africa with live streaming.
Betway
Betway is an international bookmaker with a solid reputation. One of the company’s main guidelines is to offer its customers the best bets for soccer.
WSB Soccer
World Sports Betting is one of the leading betting sites in South Africa with over a hundred daily live bets on soccer betting markets.
Sportingbet
Another bookmaker with a solid reputation and an excellent range of bets for soccer. Although the site can be slow to load at times, deposits and withdrawals are quick.
How to Start Online Soccer Betting in South Africa
In this chapter we will show you how to start betting on South African online betting sites in pictures. The Gbets and SunBet websites shown on the screenshots were chosen at random, which does not mean that we recommend you to start betting there.
- Select a website you wish to start online betting on.
- Click on the Register button.
- Enter your personal details: name, phone number, passport number, e-mail. Enter your password.
- Accept the terms and conditions (it’s worth reading them to read them first), then click Submit.
- After registration click the Deposit button. Select the payment method and the amount you want to deposit.
- Make the transaction.
- Now you are ready to bet. Select a sport.
- Find the match you are interested in and click on it.
- All available bets will be shown. Choose your bet and click on the window with the betting odds.
- Enter the amount you want to bet and confirm the bet.
Soccer Betting Sites with the Best Features
When competing for each and every client, South African betting sites try their best to stand out in the market and add all sorts of features to their sites. Let’s take a look at the most popular betting extra options you can find on soccer betting sites.
Live streaming
One way to attract users to your company is to let them watch their favourite soccer matches for free. However, simply opening the website and switching on the broadcast immediately will not always work. After all, betting sites often impose restrictions on customers – like registering on the site and/or depositing a certain amount.
There are not many betting companies in South Africa where soccer live streaming is available. Betway and WSB are among the bookmakers which do it.
Cash Out
Cash Out is an option in betting, when the bookmaker offers to buy out the customer’s own bet before the event is over. With Cash Out, the user can either lock in his profit early or, conversely, cut his loss.
Example #1. You request Cash Out and make a profit.
Let’s assume, you place a bet of R100 on Barcelona winning at odds of 1.8 against Real Madrid. Your potential winnings are R180.
By the middle of the match, the Catalans are leading with a minimal score (2-1). The game itself is very tense with a lot of dangerous moments. You don’t want to lose money, so you decide to cash out your bet at odds of 1.3. You are happy because you are able to get back R130. However, it is still less than you originally expected to earn.
Example #2. You make Cash Out but take losses.Let’s go back to the previous example. After analyzing the match, you notice that two of Real Madrid’s key strikers, Karim Benzema and Rodrigo, will not be playing against Barcelona due to injuries. You know that with such a weak squad, the “merengues” are unlikely to score two or more goals against Barcelona. So you bet on Real Madrid individual total – ТМ 1.5 with odds of 1.5. The value of your bet is R1000.
Despite the fact that Real Madrid’s squad was weaker, Carlo Ancelotti’s charges were able to put up a serious fight and score one goal against Barcelona by the 20th minute. Having continued after the break, Real Madrid started to attack even stronger. Thinking about the fact that the “merengues” are full of energy to score a second goal, you decide not to take the risk and cash out your bet early at odds of 0.8. This time, you are out of luck. You have taken a loss of R200 (R1000 x 0.8), but you have potentially avoided a 100% loss, saving 80% of your stake.
There are three types of Cash Out in the soccer sports betting markets:
- Full. The user cashes out his bet in full.
- Partial. The customer cashes out only a part of his bet, leaving the remaining funds in the game.
- Automatic. The user sets a price for his bet, at which point the bookmaker must automatically settle your bet, even if the match is not yet over.
Legal betting sites in South Africa that offer this option include Betway, Sunbet, Supabets and Bet.co.za.
Enhanced odds
Enhanced Odds are one of the varieties of promotions that are run on soccer betting websites. Bonuses in this category are offered to both new and existing customers. The bookmaker increases the betting odds for a particular outcome of a sporting event in order to make the bet more attractive to users.
The betting companies that offer the Enhanced Odds promotion are Bet.co.za and Sunbet.
Multi bets
An accumulator is a combination of single bets placed in one bet slip. The minimum number of bets in an accumulator is two, the maximum is different for each bookmaker.
To get the total odds for an accumulator, multiply the odds for each single bet included. NB: if at least one bet in an accumulator loses, the entire accumulator is a loss. In case a return with odds of 1 is requested for bet, the accumulator is still valid.
Let’s assume you place an accumulator bet of R100 and select the following events:
- Bet No 1. Manchester United beats Arsenal, odds of 1.8.
- Bet No 2. PSG beats Monaco, odds of 1.7.
- Bet No 3. Milan wins over Lazio, odds of 2.1.
- Bet No 4. Barcelona will be stronger than Sevilla, odds of 1.9.
Thus, we have 1 accumulator consisting of 4 selections. Accumulated odds are 12.2. After another weekend you decide to check your results, and – oh, my god! – all bets are a win. The total winnings of the accumulator are (1.8 x 1.7 x 2.1 x 1.9) x R100 = R1220. The net profit is R1120 (R1220 – R100).
Accumulators are the most common option found at almost all bookmakers. For example, accumulators are definitely available at Betway, GBets, WSB, Sportingbet, Sunbet, Supabets and Bet.co.za.
Best Soccer Betting Strategies
Experienced soccer bettors have developed many strategies. The models to improve the betting effectiveness are suitable for beginners as well as for experienced soccer bettors. Below we will take a look at some popular strategies in soccer betting.
NB: No betting strategy guarantees you a win. Our tips can help diversify your betting activity on soccer betting sites, but you should not treat strategies as a way to make money.
Betting on the favourite strategy
One of the easiest strategies of betting on a soccer game is to bet on the favourite. As with many other betting strategies, careful match analysis is important. You have to be able to correctly estimate the current state of the team which is the favourite, its preliminary line-up, its motivation, and the strength of the opponent.
Another important thing to consider when betting on favourites is spreading the bankroll correctly. Because of the low odds, losing one bet means you have to make several good bets to win back.
Catch-up strategy
Sports bets by catch-up is a tactic whereby the betting amount is doubled if you lose the previous bet. The increase should be such, that if the user wins the bet, he will get his money back from the previous bets, so that he could make a profit.
Example: A user places his first bet of R100. The bet loses and, to get his money back, he places a bet of R200 on an event with odds greater than 1.50 (for example, 1.64). If the bet wins, the net profit for two bets will be $2.80 (R200 1.64 = R328; R300 were spent on two bets). If the second bet also loses, he doubles the betting amount and bets on the event with the odds of 1.80 or greater. R400 1.80 = R720 (R20 net profit of three bets).
With this kind of financial tactic you should also analyze the matches. In case of loss the user has to increase not only the stake amount, but also the odds.
Betting on a goal in the first half
The strategy of betting on a goal in the first half of the match requires a user to choose a game with the highest probability of such an event and bet on a total over 0.5 goals in a half. Such a scheme is suitable for soccer live betting mode. A correct selection of games is important for the success of the strategy. The easiest option is to choose from the highest-scoring tournaments. We advise to pay attention to the following championships with high average performance:
- Eredivisie – Dutch championships;
- Bundesliga – German Championships;
- Serie A – Italian championship;
- Super League – Swiss championship;
- Bundesliga – Austrian Championship.
After selecting the championships you have to look for a suitable match. Here are some important criteria:
- Odds on the total over 2.5 goals – no greater than 1.70;
- Odds on the favourite’s win are under 1.70;
- Odds on the goal in the first half– not less than 1.40.
Next, take a look at the statistics of the teams in play: the average number of goals scored by the favourite in the season and in the last five matches, and how many goals the outsider has conceded. All of these indicators should tend to 2.
In live betting during the selected match, wait for 20-25 minutes. If the score is not yet open, you can place a bet on a goal in the first half, the odds in this case will be at 1.60. If you combine the strategy of betting on a goal in the first half with the right financial tactics you can count on success.
Betting on the Draw Strategy
One variation of betting on the draw strategy is betting on the draw and on the odd total. The strategy is an incomplete merge of two bets:
- Draw in the main time of the match;
- Odd total of goals.
The betting scheme is suitable for games of the low-scoring teams – in matches with their participation the teams often score less than three goals. So, if the game ends 0-0, the bet on the draw wins, and with the narrow win of one of the teams the bet on the odd goal total wins.
With this strategy the user cannot secure himself from the loss – if one of the teams wins and the even total, both bets lose. For this to happen the match has to end 2-0, 3-1, 4-2 and so on. But in games between two low-scoring teams this outcome is unlikely.
The average odds for the draw are much greater than for the odd total. Thus, a strategy of betting on the draw and odd total can bring good winnings (if the bet in the draw wins) or minimize losses (if the bet in the odd total wins).
Soccer Betting Sites Bonuses and Promotions for South Africans
Betting sites in South Africa run promotions and provide bonuses on a regular basis to lure new users and increase interest in betting for registered customers. Promotions can include free bets, enhanced odds, loss insurance (risk free bets) and other perks. Each company determines the terms and conditions independently, but they are often similar.
The most popular bonus options in South Africa are:
Deposit Bonus
A free bet allows you to make a bet at the expense of the betting site. In South Africa, they are often given out as a welcome bonus for registering, depositing or for certain bets. Some bookmakers also offer them to regular customers as part of a loyalty programme or for participating in special promotions. Mbet has an interesting offer with a welcome free bet – all new users can get a R50 free bet after registering and making a first deposit of R25 or more. You can take advantage of the offer within 72 hours after creating your account. The deposit and free bet amount must be wagered 5 times with sports bets. Only bets with odds of 2 and greater count towards wagering.
Risk-Free Bet and Money Back
These are two very similar bonuses. In fact, these are bet insurance. The client is invited to place a bet that meets the terms of the promotion. If the bet wins, he gets paid in full, and if the loses, the betting site compensates him for all or half of the bet amount. The refund can come in free bet or cash, depending on the terms of the offer. This bonus is offered to both new and regular users. For example, in Sportingbet, a Risk-Free First Bet promotion is available to all newbies. According to it, a user is offered to make the first bet of R25 and, if it loses, receive a refund of the entire bet amount in the form of a free bet. The maximum amount of the bonus is R2000.
Enhanced Odds
These promotions are launched for new and regular customers. They involve an increased payout on bets of a certain type or on events specified by the betting site. The increase can reach 50-100%. For example, at Bet.co.za under the Multi Bonus promotion you can receive a bonus of up to 50% of the payout by making accumulator bets. The more selections are included in a bet, the bigger the bonus can be. For 2 selections it will be 3%, for 3 – 4%, 4 – 5%, 5-10 – 12%, 11-15 – 17%, 16-24 – 25% and for 25+ – 50%.
Fica Bonus
This is a no deposit bonus: free bets or other gifts for passing identification. You can only get this bonus once. For example, Playbet has an R50 Fica Bonus promotion. According to it, a client receives a bonus of R50 after confirming his identity, address and contact details. You need to wager these funds 3 times betting with odds of 2.3 or above.
Other bonuses
Other types of bonuses can also be found on different betting sites, such as bonuses for making bets in an app or bonuses for using a certain deposit method. Their main purpose is to attract new users and to encourage those already registered to bet more actively.
With the right approach, you can get some benefits from bonuses as well. The main thing is to read the terms and conditions carefully. It is important to pay attention not only to the amount and type of the bonus, but also to the rules of its use and wagering. Sometimes it is difficult to meet all the requirements for withdrawing the bonus, and it is better to know about it in advance.
Soccer Betting Sites – FAQ
Which soccer betting site is the best?
Match.Center carefully select the soccer betting sites which can be called the best in each licensed market, including South Africa. Among the criteria of our evaluation are a selection of sports events, bonus offers, live streaming, availability of mobile apps, customer support etc. In our opinion, the best betting sites in South Africa are Betway, Hollywoodbets and Playabets.
What types of soccer betting are available for South African users?
There is a wide range of soccer betting markets available to South African bettors. They can bet on local and international matches, as well as various special markets. The most popular type of soccer betting is money line, which simply requires you to choose the team you think will win the match. This can be done either pre-match or in-play.
You can also bet on other aspects of the game such as correct score, total goals, handicaps and so on.
What is the best soccer betting market for beginners?
For users who are just starting to get interested in betting and do not know where to look for different statistical information and how to use it correctly, the best option is to bet on outcomes. But not on clear wins or draws, but on wins with handicaps or “double odds”. The odds and winnings will be lower, but the risk is low.
Why is it better to bet on soccer online rather than at a local bookmaker’s office?
Betting online is quicker and easier, and people are lazy. Betting shops are not always near your home or on your way to work. Bad weather, feeling unwell, business trips, mother-in-law’s birthday don’t stop you from betting online.
What is the average payout time offered by soccer bookmakers?
The withdrawal time depends on the company chosen, the method of receiving funds and other parameters. On average, clients will receive their withdrawal payouts in 1-3 days. But sometimes you have to wait longer, if you withdraw at the weekend.
How much money can I make on soccer betting?
The most important thing is not the amount of money, but the amount of enjoyment you will get from betting. We recommend that you treat it as entertainment and not try to earn money with it. Control your excitement, and do not act impulsively.
Should you always bet on the favourite?
Of course, not. It is not uncommon for the soccer betting site to present one team as a favourite based on the results of the last or the current season, without taking into account the motivation of their rival, the tournament standing, the history of their personal confrontations and many other factors. Betting against favourites, backed up by careful analysis, is a strategy worth considering.
What is Asian Handicap betting?
This type of handicap bet where the amount of one bet is roughly divided in half and settled differently, is called the Asian Handicap. A handicap (-0.75), for example, is a combination of two European handicaps (-0.5) and (-1). So one half of the bet goes to the European (traditional) handicap value of 0.25 more, and the other half goes to the one that is 0.25 less. Then the handicap is settled according to the normal rules.
What is the best soccer league or tournament to bet on?
The best soccer league or tournament is always the one you have a good knowledge of. That means you watch the games and/or tour reviews, you follow transfers and changes of coaches, and you know where to look for information.