Best South Africa Betting Sites – Top 3 in 2023

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Last Updated on: 22.02.2023

South Africa is a country of lush forests, high mountains, 11 official languages, 59 million inhabitants and the Jabulani. South Africa's diversity helps the fact that many sports have a massive following – which is why sports betting is so popular in this country. When it comes to South African betting sites, which are best for this sporting nation? We answer this question – and more – in our in-depth guide.

Best South African Betting Sites

#1
Sportingbet
Sportingbet
  • Comprehensive coverage of sports
  • Good promotions
  • Competitive odds
T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY

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#2
Hollywood bets logo
Hollywoodbets
  • Great selection of betting markets
  • Fully licensed operator
  • Markets for a wide range of sports
T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY
#3
Supabets logo
Supabets
  • Run several exciting promotions
  • Extensive cricket markets
  • Solid iPhone app
T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY

We have listed the top 3 South Africa sports betting sites above. These bookmakers are highly regarded, and they will provide a great betting experience for South African residents or tourists.

Online Sports Betting in South Africa

Sports betting in South Africa has an interesting past. They were banned for a long time during the country's colonial period – with the democratic revolution of 1994, sports betting became legal in the country for the first time. Unlike horse racing and casinos, which had been legal since the 1970s.

After 1994, many new casinos came to South Africa, but there wasn't much interest in sports betting at that time. As there wasn't much support, there still aren't many brick and mortar sports betting outlets in South Africa, but nowadays online sports betting controls a large part of the market.

Today, about half of all gambling revenue is generated through online sports betting as more and more young people enter the exciting world of betting. The most popular sport in South Africa is Rugby Union, but surprisingly it's not the most popular sport to bet on, but it's football. South Africans mainly bet on the Premier League, LaLiga and other major European competitions.

With such a large population, there are other popular betting options for South African punters, some of the other most popular sports are cricket, horse racing and hockey.

South African hockey teams are particularly strong, with both the men's and women's national teams having won every single Hockey Africa Cup of Nations since 1993.

Is Online Sports Betting Legal in South Africa?

Sports betting in South Africa is legal, providing you gamble with a licensed operator.

In the past, sports betting in South Africa was frowned upon, and the government fostered a rather conservative attitude towards it. However, after repealing a blanket ban on all gambling-related activity in 1994, the National Gambling Act was passed two years later.

The National Gambling Act enabled provinces and states to license land-based casinos and sportsbooks. The laws were then further revised in the updated National Gambling Act of 2004 by the South African government.

Sports betting in South Africa became a murky subject, and gambling was dragged through the courts in 2010.

Currently, anyone with a South African IP address can only bet at a licensed sports betting site such as Sportingbet or Hollywoodbets; otherwise, it is an illegal form of activity. Casinos, meanwhile, face fines of up to 10 million Rand or 10 years in prison if they permit online gambling.

Betting Tax in South Africa

Figuring out if you need to pay tax on your winnings can be a tricky subject. The South African Revenue Services (SARS) consider two main types of punters – the first is a casual player who wins and loses money mostly for fun, and the second is a professional bettor who makes the majority of his income from betting.

In both cases, punters will have to declare their winnings and losses to the taxman - in the case of a casual punter, SARS treat winnings the same way as lottery and bingo wins and does not tax the funds. For professional punters - a tax is implemented depending on how much is won and lost.

Besides this, there is a 6% tax on all winnings made on any horse racing bets. Many companies will do this automatically once you’ve won.

Is Sports Betting Popular in South Africa?

Sports betting is massive in South Africa, and their diverse culture allows them to have many popular sports in the country. Here are a few of the most popular sports and what they enjoy betting on most.

Betting on Football
It may not be the most popular sport in South Africa, but it certainly is the most popular one to bet on. Thanks to the rapid globalization of football, African punters follow teams in Europe, particularly the Premier League and LaLiga.

Throw in the fact that many international bookies already have massive markets in elite leagues, and you’ve got yourself a perfect match for sports betting fans. The 2010 World Cup, held in South Africa, made a huge impact on this and football has been on the rise ever since.

Betting on Cricket
South Africa has a rich heritage when it comes to cricket. After being reinstated by the ICC in 1991, the Proteas have had mixed fortunes down the years. Recently, though, they have been trying to mount a comeback and work their way back to the top of the Test rankings.

If you are a big cricket fan, there are a plethora of great sports betting sites in South Africa serving up the game in all forms, whether it be Test, ODIs or T20s.

Alternatively, if you prefer to focus solely on something like the Indian Premier League, all the top bookies will be able to provide in depth betting markets.

Betting on Rugby Union
Rugby Union is held in high regard in South Africa, with the so-called Springboks widely acknowledged as one of the best teams on the planet. Their most recent World Cup triumph came in 2019, when they beat England 32-12 in the Final. The current world champions are placed as 4th favourites to win the tournament again this year in France.

When it comes to rugby union, there are some fabulous sites worth checking out. One of our favourites is Marshalls World of Sport. Here, you will be able to select ‘Moneyline’ markets for the English Premiership or even handicap and ‘First Team to Score’ markets for Australian Super rugby.

Popular South African Payment Methods

With VISA, Mastercard, PayPal, Skrill and NETELLER so ubiquitous nowadays, it is quite common to come across these payment methods at South African sports betting sites.

However, some sites may utilise localised payment providers such as Peach Payments – as well as other payment platforms such as Zapper – to process deposits and withdrawals. Usually, transactions are subject to verification procedures, and it can take up to 5 business days to process withdrawals.

On other sites that accept British pounds (GBP) as a currency, deposits are processed instantly. The minimum deposit amount can vary from one payment method to another, and will most likely be different across betting sites.

  • The Rand, which is South Africa’s currency, is widely accepted at most sports betting sites. Be aware that some sites may charge a deposit or withdrawal fee for using other currencies, so always make sure you read the terms and conditions in full first before proceeding.

All information regarding deposits and withdrawals will be found in the payments section of your chosen South African sports betting site.

Live Betting in South Africa

At the time of writing, live betting in South Africa works in the same way as it does in the United Kingdom. The live betting markets found on some of the South African sports betting sites we researched were very extensive.

Naturally, on some sites, there will be football markets (such as Over/Under Corners) that may be suspended in the second halves of games. However, other markets such as Correct Score, as well as Team to Score the Fourth Goal if there have been three goals in a game, will still be available.

South African sports betting sites are sticklers for attention to detail and keeping punters updated throughout games. Sites such as Sportingbet excel in this regard.

Live Streaming

Live Streaming is available with many South African betting sites. However, operators' offerings may vary wildly depending on several factors – not least of which is broadcasting rights. Some bookies may also focus on a particular sport meaning that they’ll offer live streaming on that rather than other sports.

We suggest doing some research on what your desired betting company offers with regards to live streaming a particular sport or event.

How to bet online in South Africa

Betting online in South Africa is just as simple as betting in the United Kingdom. First off, to start betting you’ll need to register an account – most bookies follow a similar procedure as to what you’ll likely be used to. Below is an example of SUPABETS’ registration process.

SUPABETS Registration Screenshot
(Source: SUPABETS)

If you’re planning on continuing to use your own personal account with a bookie who isn’t on this list, we suggest checking out if they are registered in South Africa, and it’s also wise to make sure that it is a VPN friendly betting site.

Other Country Betting Guides - Click Each Flag To Learn More

Click on the list of countries which we have provided reviews for to learn more about their individual sports betting regulations, and which bookies to go for.

Australia Australia
Brazil Brazil
Belgium Belgium
Canada Canada
Denmark Denmark
Finland Finland
France France
Germany Germany
Greece Greece
Hungary Hungary
Hong Kong Hong Kong
India India
Ireland Ireland
Italy Italy
Netherlands Netherlands
Nigeria Nigeria
Portugal Portugal
Spain Spain
Sweden Sweden
Ukraine Ukraine
UK UK
USA USA

Best South African Betting Sites FAQs

There are several great sports betting sites in South Africa, but Sportingbet, Hollywoodbets and SUPABETS are among the best.
Online sports betting is legal in South Africa, provided the bookmaker is fully licensed (all the ones provided here hold legitimate credentials and are safe for punters to register with).
Visa, PayPal and NETELLER are some of the most popular payment methods for online betting in South Africa.
While the South African Rand is accepted by most bookmakers, many of these sites are very flexible and accept other currencies.

ThePuntersPage Final Say

As we have seen, online sports betting in South Africa is extremely popular, and they bear similar hallmarks to their counterparts in the United Kingdom.

Keep what you have read in this guide at the forefront of your mind, as this will help you find a sportsbook that best suits your needs.