Bettors in South Africa are some of the luckiest ones around since they have the option of choosing from plenty of bookies, with more of them opening for business on a regular basis.

Unfortunately, such can seem overwhelming, especially when new to online sports betting. But again, that doesn’t have to be that way. We at bettingsites24 have managed to put together an in-depth betting guide on how to start your journey here so that you make a good decision. Here is everything….

Step 1: Carry out a thorough research

When it comes to bookies, you need to be aware that there’s no one size fits all. What another punter finds to be a good betting site may be completely different for another player. An excellent place to begin is to find current top betting sites are our comprehensive reviews and bookie listings.

We take a consideration of some crucial criteria when reviewing betting sites and you require to assess these on your own in addition to finding a bookmaker that suits your preferences:

• Safe and fair betting

Online gambling calls for a high level of trust, and common question that players ask is whether a sports betting site is credible and undertaking its operations under fair terms.

Luckily, we’ve already covered this entire too important question for you since all the betting sites that we list operate under the law in South Africa.

Therefore, when choosing a bookmaker listed on bettingsites24, you have no reason to worry to play as they licensed, trustworthy, and reliable operator that values your privacy and safety.

Licensed bookies must comply with strict procedures and make sure that they use state-of-the-art encryption, along with data protection software in addition to fair gambling.

Tip: Always ensure that you are playing with a licensed operator!

• Bonus offers and available promotions

Almost all sports betting platforms offer new customers some sort of a welcome package. Such range from free-sign up bonuses/deposit match bonus on the initial deposit to welcome bonus packages.

Bonuses that bookies offer are a nice way to test the site in addition to its functionality. Additionally, bettors can increase their bankroll. As a player, you need to ensure that you go through the terms and conditions so that you are well aware to what you are about to sign up for.

There are certain bonuses whose validity is only on sportbets while others are valid on live games or Betgames. The right bonuses and the bookie therefore depends on what you can wager on.

Tip: Be clear on what you intend at wagering on first. Risk-free sign-up bonuses are one of the best ones for testing a bookie before you make a deposit. Also, make sure that you go through the terms and conditions.

• Range of markets, sports and games

Modern bookies feature a massive selection of sports, along with several markets for its customers. Bettors with accounts with them get to wager on hundreds of sporting events on a daily basis. But not all bookies have the same selection of sports.

Should you wish to wager on horse racing, you may want to ensure that betting on horse races is actually available. The same applies for other sports such as virtuals or esports. On Bet and Win, we at bettingsites24 have recommendations for bookies, especially for horse racing, soccer, cricket, rugby, lotto, and esports.

Besides standard betting options, there are bookmakers with other special features such as Cash as Out of Bet Builder, which happen to be additional enhancements.

Additionally, plenty of betting sites in business boost their betting offers with online lotto wagering and instant live matches. With a good variety of additional games, bookies can differentiate themselves perfectly.

Tip: If you are on the market for a particular game or sport to wager on, ensure that your choice is available before you go ahead and sign up.

• Mobile optimization

Today, plenty of South African bookmakers use responsive mobile platforms. There are those that have their own native apps found in app store that bettors can download and use it to place bets.

In fact, most of them have ensure that those who get these apps enjoy a seamless betting experience with the ability to perfectly fit across many tablets and smartphone screens. Regardless of whether you are playing on iOS, Windows, or Android devices, you can rest assured of the same experience.

But other bookies that appear mobile-friendly than others. Their apps comes with the ease-of-use feature, the ability to make payments using a variety of banking methods, in addition to bet data free. If you are wagering on a mobile device, make sure that you look at our best mobile betting sites.

Tip: There’s no harm in testing the available bookies directly from your mobile device.

• Customer Support

It comes a time when you’ll have some questions or any other issues that require immediate and professional answers. Luckily, enough, these days, support teams are always ready to offer the required assistance such as via live chat, phone calls, emails – mostly which work 24/7.

This way, you get your answers quickly without losing time.

Tip: Ensure that you are aware of the available support channels and if possible go ahead and test the available contact options to see if they are prompt and professional.

• Several payment options

Bookies offer a massive selection of banking options to their customers. For deposits and withdrawals, you may want to go for those that are fast and with low costs. Popular payment options that South Africans can use include:

• Credit and Debit Cards (Mastercard/VISA)
• EFT
• Direct Bank Transfers
• Vouchers, including 1 Voucher, OTT Voucher or Blu Voucher

Should you require more details regarding safe and convenient payment methods, you may want to check our detailed payment options guide. You need to be aware of the most convenient banking options for yourself.

You need to be aware that not all the payment options will be available for payouts. Most deposits tend to be quick, though payouts might take slightly longer. You need to be aware of other rules such as being FICA verified as betting sites must be aware that they are making payments to the right person. Some withdrawals have long processing times than the rest.

Tip: Make a decision of the payment method you intend to use and go for bookies that offer fast withdrawals.

We now believe that by the end of the first step, you’ve done good research and evaluated the options that you have, along with locating a betting site that offers what you want. Of course, there are more than a dozen bookies in operation. There’s no harm in testing some of them.

Step 2: Open your online sports betting account

Signing up for a free online sports betting account is the next step that follows before beginning to place bets on your favorite sports.

Register your bookmaker account

The initial step to begin wagering at a bookie of your choice is registering with them. Mostly, registration forms tend to easy to fill.

Here, all that bookies need is your name and a secure password. You may have to key in the correct details to use your account fully. This means that you sometimes have to verify your email, meaning that you need to have your email address correct. At times, you may have to submit your FICA documents.

Tip: For more information regarding FICA, make sure to check our FICA article.

Take advantage of the available freebies

Most online sports betting operators tend to rewards their customers with free bets or free bonuses upon sign up with no initial deposit required. It’s one great way of beginning sports betting without the need of using your money first.

But you may have to ensure that you understand the terms and conditions of such bonuses. Make some clarification with the support team should be in the dark about bonuses.

Tip: In our listings, we label bookies you can be sure to find bookmakers with ‘Free Bonuses’

Make a deposit and claim your welcome offer

Being a new player, you can usually take advantage of several welcome bonuses, along with the sign-up freebie. One of the most well-known welcome bonus happens to be the following:

• Initial/first welcome bonus: most bookies will match your initial welcome bonus up to a certain amount. A majority of them offer their customers a 100% first deposit match bonus up to R1000.
• Welcome bonus package: you get to receive the bonus on your initial deposits. You may find bookies such as Millionaires Gaming Sports Betting offering up to R3000 welcome bonus bundle on the initial two deposits.
• High roller bonus: should you wish to stake high, then you may want to ask for a special roller bonus. Mostly, if they are available, they may require additional security checks.

Tip: For news on the latest overview of best betting bonus offers, go through our list of such sites.

Step 3: Begin wagering and winning online

Have you tried your chosen bookie by taking advantage of the free-sign up bonus and made a deposit. Now, all the fun begins here. Other two important points that we wish to highlight are on the betting range and how to withdraw your winnings.

Betting range

The range of betting options that you can find online tend to be very versatile. Online bookmakers attempt to make everything easy for their customers and most of them go ahead to group what they put on the table into some of the best categories around. Highlighted briefly below are some of the most common ones:

• Live Betting: should the bookie have the option of live or in-game wagering, then mostly, the related events will be available via some special tab. On the other hand, the games that bettors can wager on after they’ve commenced will mostly have a ‘Live’ label.
• Sports: there are bookmakers who tend to concentrate on limited number of sporting events, meaning that they only feature the favorite ones in South Africa. But times have changed and you can wager on almost every other sporting event.
• Lucky Numbers and Lotto: here, rest assured of finding the entire national and international events that you can wager on.
• Betgames: live instant wins are fast becoming popular in South Africa.
• Virtual Games: these ones have witnessed an increased demand, especially when the COVID pandemic became a global disaster. Surprisingly, they are here to stay.
• Live Games: this is the closest that you’ll come to the experience that you can get from brick-and-mortar casinos. Examples of such games include Live Baccarat, Live Roulette, and Dreamcatcher to mention but a few.

Currently speaking, plenty of bookies tend to integrate many instant win games onto their sites due to the demand of bettors for more varied and fun offering. Mostly, there’s a search function to make it easy for mobile users to access it easily.

Tip: Examined closely, you’ll notice that a majority of bookmakers will allow you get access to Betgames and Live Games without having to participate. By just watching the live stream, you get a chance to see if you may like a certain game or familiarize yourself with its wagering options.

Fast and easy withdrawals

To be honest, we all play for entertainment. Though we play for some fun and entertainment, there’s that joy and feeling that comes with the chance of winning some funds while playing online.

When it comes to winning, what follows is the ability to withdraw winnings fast. There are those payment options that give room for such, and you may want to be associated with them. As mentioned earlier, security checks might be necessary, especially if withdrawing huge winnings.

Top tips for new online sports bettors

We at bettingsites24 hope that all the above information assists you on your journey to find a top online betting site that fits your preferences. Lastly, if you happen to be a newbie, here are top brief top betting tips concisely:

• Research, research, research: while our detailed review is a good place to begin, applying your individual research is also advisable.
• Explore the sports and game selection early enough to be sure of the availability of what you want to wager on.
• Don’t forget to read the terms and conditions
• Make a sober consideration of the entire promotional offering: check for promotions such as VIP programs.
• Review the available payment options and their processing times.
• Have a betting budget and stick to it. Wager with what you can afford to lose.

Now, everything is over to you. Find a betting site that you like, sign up and begin wagering. We hope you have fun and some entertainment, and winning too.