Best Betting Sites Africa: Online Bookmakers Ranked (2023)

According to statistics, about 4 in 10 Nigerians like to bet, and considering that Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, that number is a lot. So to say betting is popular in Nigeria is an understatement.

Football is the most popular sport in Nigeria, especially given the success of the Nigerian National tea (Super Eagles) in International football, such as Olympics ’96 in Atlanta. Football is followed closely by basketball as the national basketball team is also doing wonders on the international scene.

So the majority of bettors bet on football and basketball. So betting is at a high during the football season around August and July as most bettors want to make the most of the football season.

Best Betting Sites in Nigeria

Before the coming of international gambling sites in Nigeria, most Nigerians relied on local sites such as Nairabet, Naijabet, and the likes. But currently, with the influx of international sports betting sites and with their generous bonuses, Nigerian bettors have so many options. Some of the best betting sites in Nigeria include bet9ja, Betway, BetWinner, and Frapapa. Other online betting sites worthy of note include 22bet, 1xBet, Ogabet, Dafabet, Mozzart Bet, N1Bet, and Yangasport.

Payment Methods in Nigeria

One of the most important things in a betting site is the ability to deposit money and withdraw. So here are the most popular payments methods in Nigeria that accept the Nigerian Naira.

• Debit card – VISA, Mastercard, Verve
• Direct bank transfer
• GT Bank *737# short code
• MCash USSD 
• Direct bank deposit
• ATM transfer
• Paystack
• Flutterwave

While all the options above are available for making deposits, withdrawals are always direct to bank accounts linked to your account.

South Africa has the biggest betting industry in Africa, although Nigeria is on track to take that crown. Sports betting has a long history in South Africa, and the rise of the internet has made the industry one of the biggest if not the biggest in Africa.

The Springboks (South Africa Rugby team) is currently the best rugby team globally. They have tens of millions of fans in South Africa and hosted the Rugby World Cup in 1995. Football is also very popular in South Africa, and even the FIFA World Cup was held in South Africa in 2010. Cricket is also a sport that South Africa has excelled in. The country hosted the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2003 and the ICC World Cup Twenty20 in 2007. South Africa is part of a few countries to host and participate in the World Cups of 3 major sports.

Due to this deep love for sports and high internet penetration, South Africa has all the ingredients that any gambling site needs to develop. And since sports gambling was legalized in South Africa in 1994, there has been a huge growth in betting and, subsequently, online betting in South Africa.

Below, we analyze the payment methods and the country’s best betting sites.

Best Betting Sites in South Africa

As the conditions favorable for betting increased in South Africa, most indigenous betting companies started to cater to South African bettors. As more international bettors entered the country, some closed down, but some still operate and compete favorably with international betting sites. Some of the best betting sites in South Africa include bet.co.za, Hollywoodbets, Betway.

Payment Methods in South Africa

Due to the early entrance of online betting in South Africa, payment methods have continued to improve and increase. This has made it easy for South African bettors to deposit and withdraw money. Here are some payment methods in South Africa.

• Masterpass
• SID Instant EFT
• OTT Voucher
• Zapper
• Debit cards
• OZOW
• Direct bank transfers –  ABSA, FNB, Nedbank, Standard bank

All the above options can be used for deposits, but direct bank transfers will be the most reliable option for making withdrawals.

Kenya takes third place in the online betting industry in Africa. A record 60% of Kenyans have engaged in betting. The rise of betting in Kenya is influenced by SMS betting, which means that bettors with limited or no internet access can bet easily.

Kenyans excel in long-distance races, showing their prowess on the international stage in the Olympics and the dozen marathon races organized by different cities worldwide. However, football is very popular, and this reflects in the betting patterns of Kenyan bettors, with betting activities increasing during the football season (August to July). Other popular sports include basketball, volleyball, and netball.

Below are the payment methods and best betting sites in Kenya.

Best Betting Sites in Kenya

Kenya records the highest numbers of online betting sites as over 100 bookmakers are registered and licensed with the Betting Control and Licensing Board Kenya. Among this number are some indigenous operators and some foreign operators too. Some of the best betting sites in Kenya include Betway, Helabet, BetWinner and 22bet. 

Payments Methods in Kenya

Mobile money has gained a foothold in Kenya, with a particular company handling over 80% of the transactions that online bookmakers receive. We believe that this ease of depositing and withdrawing funds has helped improve Kenyan bettors’ betting experience. Here is a list of payment methods in Kenya.

• MPesa – the biggest and easiest payment platform in Kenya
• Airtel Money
• Debit cards
• Other popular options include Skrill, Neteller, and cryptocurrencies.

Betting in Ghana has been around for quite some time, but the country takes the back seat regarding online betting. The betting industry in Ghana received a boost when it was legalized in 2006 and the Ghana Gaming Commission. However, 16 years later, and despite the legal stature of gambling, we can still describe the betting industry in Ghana as nascent.

Football is the most popular sport in Ghana, followed closely by boxing and basketball. The Black Stars of Ghana (Ghanian National football team) are one of the dominant forces in African football and have also produced players that star in Europe and Asia. Ghanaians also love and support their local football league, which has influenced bookmakers to start offering betting opportunities for them.

Below are the payment methods and best betting sites in Ghana

Best Betting Sites in Ghana

Since the legalization of betting in the country, they have been a few indigenous companies in the betting space. However, recently, some international betting sites have entered, and they are part of the drive to shore up gambling in the country. Hopefully, this time around, they will be successful. Some of the best betting sites in Ghana are 1xBet, Betboro, Betway, and Premier Bet.

Payment Methods in Ghana

Mobile money payment is very popular in Ghana, and they top the list of deposit and withdrawal channels among bookmakers. Here are the payment methods popular among bettors in Ghana

• MTN mobile money
• Vodafone mobile money
• Airtel Tigo
• Debit and Credit cards

Online betting gained momentum in Uganda as the internet penetration in the country improved. Even though a good number of bettors still use shops and internet-enabled cafes. 

Ugandans are sports loving in nature, and the most popular sport there, as in most African countries, is football. This is followed by cricket, rugby, and boxing. However, most sports fans in Uganda are fans of European football and bet on matches from the top leagues in Europe.

Below are the payment methods and the best betting sites in Uganda.

Best Betting Sites in Uganda

Even though there are indigenous operators, most bettors prefer international bookmakers because of the features and huge welcome bonuses. Even though the government has paused on granting licenses, some international bookmakers were already in the country before the pause. Some of the best betting sites in Uganda include Sahara games, 1xBet, Betway, and 22bet.

Payment Methods in Uganda

Uganda is a country with a huge dependency on mobile money options due to the low internet penetration. Therefore, the payment options for Ugandan bettors are listed below.

• MTN mobile money
• Airtel mobile money

The bank transfer option is also available, but the two options above are the easiest and the fastest.

Gambling and sports betting in Tanzania have been legalized since 2003. But unlike other countries, there has been a growth in the number of betting sites in the country. Unlike other countries, the slow has been slower due to the lower internet penetration level in the country, but it is gradually picking up.

In addition to the above, Tanzanians are not the most dedicated sports fans. Their love for sports is not as deep as in other countries such as Nigeria, South Africa, and Ghana. Some of the popular sports in Tanzania include football, basketball, and cricket. The country also excels in long-distance running on the international stage. 

Here are some of the payment methods and best betting sites in Tanzania.

Best Betting Sites in Tanzania

Due to the slow adoption of internet betting, most of the operators in the country are international bookmakers. Most indigenous betting sites cannot match the superior welcome bonus and betting experience their international counterparts offer. Some of the best betting sites in Tanzania include 22bet, Betway, and Premier Bet.

Payment Methods in Tanzania

Here are some payment methods you can use to deposit and withdraw money from bookmakers in Tanzania.

• Tigo Pesa
• Vodacom mobile money
• Airtel mobile money
• Halo Pesa

Online betting in Zambia is very nascent due to the low internet penetration levels in the country. Also, the government just started regulating the industry in 2019. However, this doesn’t mean Zambians are not gambling, but not just online.

The most popular sports in Zambia are football, rugby, athletics, and volleyball.

Best Betting Sites in Zambia

Due to the lack of internet coverage in most parts of the country, online betting is a recent phenomenon. However, things are starting to look up as several international bettors have established a presence in Zambia and will drive the growth of betting in the country. Some of the best betting sites include Betway, 1xBet, Premier Bet. 

Payment Methods in Zambia

Here are some payment methods you can use to deposit and withdraw money from bookmakers in Zambia.

• Airtel
• MTN
• Zamtel
• Kazang

We can count Malawi when we talk about the countries that are still opening up to the online betting industry. For Malawi, the simple fact is that internet penetration is still very low at about 17.8% in 2021. 

Sports events that are popular in Malawi include football and netball. But this doesn’t affect the betting pattern so much as the love for sports in Malawi is not as strong as in other countries.

Below we have listed the payment methods and best betting sites in Malawi.

Best Betting Sites in Malawi

As betting is still picking up steam in the country, some local and regional bookmakers are operational. As internet penetration increases, more international bookmakers will soon establish a presence in Malawi. Currently, the most prominent betting site in Malawi is Premier Bet.

Payment Methods in Malawi

Here are some payment methods you can use to deposit and withdraw money from bookmakers in Malawi.

• Bank
• Airtel
• Voucher
• TNM
• FDH

Mozambique is one of the countries with many punters and sports lovers. Gambling and sports betting in Mozambique has been legal since 1994. And the gambling online has been legal since 2010.

So, since then, the country has seen a bit of a spike in the number of punters who prefer to bet online. There are a lot of different online sportsbooks available in Mozambique. But punters should be careful about which ones they visit.

Since sports betting was legalized, there have been a lot of unauthorized sportsbooks popping up. Any sportsbook, online or physical, operating in Mozambique should have the relevant licenses to operate.

Punters in Mozambique love betting on football. But one of the most interesting things about the sports betting scene in the jurisdiction is the popularity of virtual sports. There are a couple of sportsbooks which have a Mozambique license that offer virtual sports for punters in the region.

Best Betting Sites in Mozambique

Mozambique isn’t necessarily a country known for sports betting. But the iGaming industry is seeing more and more action in recent times.

And adding to this surge is the sportsbook 888bet. The brand offers both casino and sports betting. And it is one of the oldest brands operating in the world, since 1997.

888bet has licenses from all over the world. But most importantly, 888bet is licensed in Mozambique as well. The sportsbook offers a great pre-match section as well as an in-play betting section.

Punters can even live stream their favourite sports on the platform. And 888bet even offers a mobile version which requires less mobile data than the regular website. The pages on this version also load much faster.

Payment Methods in Mozambique

There are a lot of different ways punters can make payment to their account. The most popular payment methods in Mozambique are probably internet payments. But the most important thing about payments is security.

Whichever payment method you use should be transparent and secure. And you should ensure that you’ve provided the correct details to the sportsbook first.

Some of the most common payment methods you’ll find for sportsbooks in Mozambique are:

• Visa and Master Cards
• Skrill and NETELLER
• PayPal and PaySafeCard