Sports Betting A-Z
Your guide to all things Sports Betting in South Africa! Our A-Z guide provides all the information and lingo you’ll need. Select a bookmaker from our list of best SA betting sites and read our detailed reviews.
1st Deposit bonus
up to R5000
-
The world’s biggest independent Bookmaker
-
Great bonuses & promotions
-
Fantastic service and fast payments
R25 free sign up bonus + 50 free spins
-
Massive brand, online since 2006
-
Excellent soccer odds & bet builder product
-
Great for horse racing
R50 free bet + Welcome Bonus Bundle up to R5000
-
Major SA operator with many stores in Gauteng & KZN.
-
1300+ betting markets and super fast payouts
-
Wide range of daily sports promotions
100% Deposit Bonus up to R3000
-
Excellent for football betting
-
Regular promotions on sports and slot games
-
Great betting apps on iOS and Android
100% up to R3000 sports bonus
-
Fantastic Live betting product & great odds.
-
10% weekly cashback up to R1000.
-
Massive Sports and Games bonus of 100% up to R3000
1st deposit match up to R2000 + 50 free spins
-
Many betting shops in KZN and the Western Cape
-
5% Weekly cashback
-
Over 1M sports betting opportunities every month!
1st Deposit Match up to R1000
-
One of the world’s biggest betting brands
-
Market leading mobile product
-
Extensive sports and market coverage
R50 risk free bonus + 150% deposit match up to R1500 bonus!
-
15% weekly cashback on sports.
-
Awesome multipbet bonus of up to 400%!
-
Play data free on the dedicated Android app.
A QUICK HISTORY OF SPORTS BETTING IN SOUTH AFRICA
The history of sports betting in South Africa is complex and has been influenced by various legal, social, and economic factors. South Africa has seen some key changes to its legal framework in the past 30 years which have seen regulations adapt to meet the needs of the market.
The growing popularity of online betting driven by technology and changes to consumer behaviour is a principal driver of these changes. It is inevitable that further developments to the industry will require additional legislation and regulation in the years ahead to manage the market and protect customers.
During the apartheid era, pre-1994, there were heavy restrictions on all gambling activity, with no consideration at the time for online betting and gaming. The only legal forms of gambling were horse racing (with bets permitted via licensed bookmakers at racecourses) and subsequently, the national lottery.
In 1994, the new democratic government began a gradual shift in the regulation of various industries, including gambling. It was at this point, as the government started to address gambling laws, that the gambling landscape in South Africa began to evolve. The National Gambling Act of 1996 was enacted, and this addressed some forms of gambling – including casinos. In 1996, online betting was in its infancy and as a result, it was not addressed within this legislation.
It was not until 2004, within the 2004 National Gambling Act Amendment, that provisions were first made for the regulation of online (interactive) gambling. This amendment really opened the door to online betting in South Africa and saw the first signs of the market beginning to form.
Following the 2004 amendment, a number of different online betting operators started to trade in South Africa. Each offered a range of online betting opportunities and a range of products to the South African market.
By 2010, the market was fully established and the 2010 World Cup, hosted in South Africa, drove further significant growth in the market. The tournament brought a surge of online bets, and the popularity of South African online betting sites was firmly established. Despite the growth and regulation of the online betting market in South Africa, there have been various changes and amendments since, based on the evolving market and the attempt to remove illegal market operators. In 2019, the National Gambling Amendment act was introduced which aimed to strengthen the regulations already in place. One of the primary areas of focus for this amendment was improving consumer protection.
Since 2019, there has been ongoing debate about the future of online gambling regulations in South Africa. Some believe that in the coming years, there will be restrictions placed on marketing and potentially further measures put in place to increase consumer protection. Some believe the market will open up further with more operators and higher rates of participation. Whatever the future holds, we always recommend only betting with licensed betting sites in South Africa, many of which are reviewed on our site.
In addition to a quick gambling history lesson, the team at Top Betting have put together an A-Z of online betting to help you get to terms with the lingo!
A
Accumulator, Account set up, American Odds
Accumulator: An accumulator is a bet made up of several selections (known as legs). All of these legs must win for the overall accumulator bet to win.
Account Set Up: The process of registering for an online betting account and entering the required information to begin betting online.
American Odds: A way of displaying betting odds which can either be represented by a plus or a minus sign. Plus, odds show how much profit you can make if you place a bet of $100. Minus odds show how much you need to bet to make $100 profit.
B
Bookmaker, Bet, Back
Bet: The amount of money that is bet on a specific outcome of an event.
Back: This term refers to betting on a specific outcome to win.
C
Cashout, Correct score, Chasing
Correct Score: A betting market in which you must predict the correct score at the end of the event.
Chasing: Trying to recover losses by betting more. This is a sign of compulsive gambling and if you find yourself chasing, it is time to take a break.
D
Deposit Bonus, Double Chance, Drift, Darts Betting
Deposit Bonus: the online bonus offered by some South African online betting sites to new and existing customers.
Double Chance: A type of bet where you include two possible outcomes. For example, in soccer betting, backing a win or a draw, reducing the overall risk.
Drift: In relation to odds, when the odds get longer on a specific outcome, which suggests that outcome is less likely.
Darts Betting: Online darts betting can take many forms – you can bet on who will win a match, who will win the set, or even who will score the most 180s during the match.
E
Each way, Exacta, E-wallet
Exacta: A horse racing bet in which you must predict the first place and second place horses in the correct order.
E- wallet: A payment method common in online betting which allows you to deposit and withdraw funds quickly from you online betting account.
F
Free Bet, Form, Fixed Odds
Form: The recent performance of a person or team, which helps to form an opinion on their chances of winning in their next event.
Fixed Odds: Odds which remain unchanged and are settled at the same price at the time of placing the bet.
G
Gambling Board, Goliath Bet
Goliath Bet: A large combination bet which includes doubles and up on eight selections. A total of 247 bets.
H
Handicap, Horse Racing Board, High Roller
Horse Racing Board: In South Africa, online horse racing betting is regulated by the National Horseracing Authority (NRA) who ensure compliance with regulations and industry standards.
High Roller: A customer who places large wagers.
I
In Play betting, Interval Betting
Interval Betting: Placing bets on very specific time intervals within a match.
J
Jockey, Jackpot Bet
Jackpot Bet: A bet that offers a big prize if you are able to correctly predict the correct outcome of several different events. This is often linked to a jackpot pool which is the total amount of money to be paid to the winner.
K
Knockout Bet, Know the rules
Know the rules: A crucial requirement in online betting! You should always understand the rules attached to your bet and the terms and conditions linked to any free bet or bonus that you receive.
L
Line Shopping, Licensed Operator
Licensed Operator: A South African online betting site which is licensed to operate.
M
Multiple Bet, Money Back offer, Mobile Betting
Money Back Offer: A betting promotion which usually involves a stake being returned if the bet does not win, often in the form of a free bet.
Mobile Betting: Betting via a cell phone, the most popular channel for online betting in South Africa.
N
Nap, No Risk Bet
No Risk Bet: An online betting promotion in which the original stake is returned if the bet does not win – i.e. there is no risk as losses are returned.
O
Odds, Online Gambling Act, Over/Under
Online Gambling Act: The law relating to online gambling in SA, which all licensed South African betting sites must be compliant with.
Over/Under: A bet type which requires you to predict if the total number of goals or points in an event will be over or under a given value.
P
Parlay, Pre-match betting, Punter
Pre-match betting: Any bets placed on an event or match before it has begun. As opposed to live betting or in play betting which takes place after the event has begun.
Punter: A casual term for a customer who places a bet on sport.
Q
Quinella, Qualifying Bet
Qualifying Bet: In relation to online free bets and promotions, a bet placed that meets the required conditions to qualify for the offer.
R
Reload Bonus, Risk free bet, Rule 4
Risk free bet: An online bet which is refunded to the customer if it does not win. I.e. there is no financial risk to the customer in placing the bet.
Rule 4: In horse racing betting, a rule four is when a horse is withdrawn from a race and a deduction is made to the winning pay out.
S
Stake, Single, Super Heinz
Single: A bet which is based on only one outcome or selection.
Super Heinz: A combination bet made up of seven selections. The bet is doubles and up and is composed of 120 bets in total.
T
Terms & Conditions, Treble
Treble: A be made up of three selections, in which all three must win for the overall bet to win.
U
Unsettled bet, Unit Stake
Unit stake: A consistent bet value placed by punters
V
Value bet, Virtual Sports, Verification
Virtual Sports: Virtual Sports Betting involved betting on computer generated simulated sports events. These virtual sports games are often broadcast in between live betting events, to provide betting opportunities to customers.
Verification: Customers are often required to verify their betting account by confirming their identity – to comply with local laws and anti-money laundering requirements.
W
Withdrawal, winner
Winner: In the context of online betting, a bet that is predicted correctly and is paid into your online betting account.
X
Xpress Bet, Xtremely careful
Xtremely careful: Be sure to choose the best online betting sites to place your bet! Licensed South African betting sites offer a regulated, safe option to a fun betting experience!
Y
Yankee, Yield
Yield: The percentage profit on your online betting.
Z
ZAR
Winner: In the context of online betting, a bet that is predicted correctly and is paid into your online betting account.
Online Betting Markets
A major appeal of online betting in South Africa is the vast range of betting markets available to cater to customers of every type. Markets cover all key sports- pre-match and in play and online betting bonuses are often available to offer you some additional value.
Online Soccer Betting Markets
There is a huge passion for soccer betting in South Africa and online bookmakers offer an extensive range of soccer betting markets. From match outcomes and goal scorers to corner kicks and halftime scores, there are soccer bets for every taste.
Online Rugby Betting Markets
Rugby is another highly popular betting sport, and a favourite of the team here at Top Betting. Betting markets for rugby offer opportunities to wager on match winners, total points scored, first try scorers, points difference, and even specific player performances. Again, pre-match and in play markets are available to cater to every taste!
Online Cricket Betting Markets
Cricket offers a diverse range of betting options across test match betting, one day international betting and 20/20 betting. You can try to predict match winners, top run-scorers, and even outcomes of specific overs. Cricket betting online is a great betting sport with so many markets available.
Online Horse Racing Betting Markets
Horse racing remains a classic and popular betting market in South Africa. A day at the races is a fun day out, or if you cannot make it to the track, bet online! You can predict the race winner or try more exotic bets like trifectas and exactas. There are an enormous range of wagering options for racing fans!