Nigerians now have access to more online bookmakers than ever before. Having a lot to choose from is brilliant, but once it comes down to finding the best betting site, it’s tricky to pick the right one. 

We’ve got you covered with the top 5 betting sites in Nigeria. Narrowing the field to the bookmakers with the highest standards and best-quality betting options means you can get straight to the good stuff. 

Sports betting has been a popular pastime in Nigeria for a while now. However, online sports bets have gained attention only in the last 15 years. The popularity of football and the spread of good quality internet with the appropriate bandwidth and speed has led to a flourishing online sports betting market.

Things have changed a lot since NairaBet launched in 2009. A growing interest in cryptocurrencies has brought crypto wagering to Nigerians. This addition of another convenient way to pay opened up more online sports betting opportunities.

According to a 2021 survey, around 78% of young Nigerians that responded to the survey had placed bets online. There are 47 sports betting companies licensed by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission. Plus, it’s estimated that 60 million Nigerians are contributing to a total of 730 billion nairas wagered each year.

More betting opportunities mean making an informed decision about where to wager is more important than ever. Read on to see our reviews of the top 5 betting sites in Nigeria and pick the one that works for you.

Top Pick: Bet9ja

Making it to the number one spot on our list of top 5 betting sites in Nigeria is Bet9ja. It’s a Nigerian site, offering a wide variety of sports bets to Nigerians. It’s run by KC Gaming Limited, a company that is licensed to operate across the country, including licences from the Lagos State Board and the State of Osun.

Payouts are fast, and withdrawals to your bank account are quick and easy. You’re in safe hands, thanks to the Thawte SSL encryption and Fortinet firewall used by the site. Let’s take a look at why Bet9ja is worthy of the title of top Nigerian sportsbook in 2023.

Bet9ja Welcome Bonus

Bet9ja provides new players with a welcome offer, setting a standard that most betting sites in Nigeria follow. It’s a 100% deposit match bonus up to ₦100,000. All you need to do is make a qualifying deposit of at least ₦100 and then wager that amount. Payment methods that can’t be used with this offer are Opay and inter-account transfers.

Once you’ve bet your deposit, either in one wager or several, and the bets are settled, you’ll receive your bonus. It’s a generous amount, but there are some other restrictions. You have 30 days to use it. A 20x wagering requirement applies, and only bets with odds of 3.00 or higher count. 

Bet9ja Promotions

One of the reasons that Bet9ja is number one on our top 5 betting sites in Nigeria list is its promotions. It gives sports fans lots of opportunities to wager and cash out early, which is an excellent way to reduce risks while still collecting winnings. We’re also impressed by the site’s reward scheme, where you earn points that get you cash bonuses simply by placing bets. 

Other offers you can find include the Cut 1 promo. When you create an accumulator with more than five events, you can choose to cut one, and still get a payout if one event doesn’t work out. Alternatively, put together an accumulator and get a boost of up to 170% on your winnings.

Bet9ja Sports And Markets

With live betting and around 10,000 different bets at any one time, Bet9ja guarantees good coverage of all major sporting events. You’ll gain access to markets on all domestic events, including the NPFL, and European leagues and world tournaments.

Among the top 5 betting sites in Nigeria, Bet9ja has some of the most competitive odds we’ve seen. The sportsbook is a master at helping you create combined bets, with selections like half-time and full-time correct scores, 1X2 and goal or no goal and double chance and over/under. When betting live, look out for the camera icon to catch live streams of the sporting action.

Second Pick: 1XBet

1XBet is an international sportsbook with a Nigerian version of the site run by Beaufort Bet Nigeria Limited. It’s licensed and overseen by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission. It has native apps for iOS and Android users and offers a secure betting experience, which is why the platform made it to the second spot on our list of the top 5 betting sites in Nigeria.

1XBet accepts naira via several payment methods, including e-wallets, prepaid cards and online payment systems. You can also deposit with over 20 different cryptocurrencies. Let’s explore what else the bookmaker delivers.

1XBet Welcome Bonus

1XBet has an attractive welcome bonus for players making their first deposit. After you register, you’ll get a match bonus that depends on the size of your deposit. The maximum amount is ₦145,600. Deposits up to ₦20,800 get a 200% match, ₦20,801 to ₦41,600 get a 250% match and ₦41,601 and over get a 300% match. 

It’s one of the largest welcome offers from betting sites in Nigeria. The minimum deposit is ₦400. One half is for sports betting and has a 5x wagering requirement. You can use the other half in the 1XBet casino.

1XBet Promotions

1XBet has the most promotions of just about any sportsbook we’ve seen. There’s a booster of up to 1,000% for accumulator bets with at least four events. There are monthly accumulator competitions, where you win points for your bets and anyone in the top 10 wins prizes, including gadgets.

The betting site also has sport-specific offers, such as leaderboards and prizes for Champions League wagers. Look out for prize draws linked to CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup matches, too. There are also no-risk bets for predicting the correct score on specific matches. Overall, it’s a wide selection, meaning there’s always a way to benefit.

1XBet Sports And Markets

1XBet could have a thousand or more live markets running during the week, and even more at weekends. Each event will have detailed statistics and many have live streaming, which adds to the excitement of the experience.

The well-organised live betting section is one of the reasons it made it into the top 5 betting sites in Nigeria.

It accepts bets across over 50 sports categories, including football, basketball and boxing. Most football matches have at least 200 markets, with bet types that include both teams to score and how a goal will be scored.

Third Pick: NairaBet

NairaBet is the original Nigerian betting site. It launched in 2009 and still impresses with its intuitive navigation and superb betting opportunities. It easily earns its place in the top 5 betting sites in Nigeria. The bookmaker provides customer support 24/7 via live chat, email and phone. 

NairaBet is a member of the Association of Nigerian Bookmakers and is licensed and regulated by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission. The list of payment methods the site accepts isn’t the longest. However, there are several convenient options, including Paystack, Xpress Pay, Flutterwave, Interswitch and Squad.

NairaBet Welcome Bonus

If there’s one aspect that nearly made NairaBet miss out on a spot in the list of top 5 betting sites in Nigeria, it’s the welcome bonus. During our review, the bookmaker wasn’t promoting any offers for new players.

We know that, in the past, the sportsbook has run first-bet bonuses, where you need to wager a certain amount to receive a matched bet back. It’s worth keeping an eye on social media for when these offers crop up, but otherwise, you’d best skip straight to the ongoing promotions.

NairaBet Promotions

NairaBet does reward players with changing promotions. It has a daily quiz with eight simple questions that gives you the chance to win a jackpot of ₦20,000,000 in cash. It’s no secret that Nigerian sports fans love an accumulator, which is why so many bonuses focus on them.

You’ll find a 500% win bonus with cash rewards for players that place accumulator bets. A bet with five events gets you a 5% boost, and 50 selections mean a 500% win bonus. There’s also a type of acca insurance. If one game cuts your ticket of 10 or more selections, you’ll still get a payout.

NairaBet Sports And Markets

NairaBet is heavily focused on football, like most betting sites in Nigeria. It’s the national sport, and you can place wagers on live events pre-match and on virtual games. You’ll find matches from international leagues in Europe, South America and closer to home. We’re impressed with the live game animations but would love to see streams available too.

Outside of football bets, you can wager on basketball, rugby, American football, tennis and many other sports. The markets aren’t as deep as football, where you can usually find 100 or more bet types. However, the odds are competitive. 

Fourth Pick: Melbet

Melbet takes spot number four on the list of top 5 betting sites in Nigeria. The international operator has a dedicated Nigerian site run by Otrada Hospitality Limited and licensed by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission. You can find pre-match, live, virtual and esport betting sections.

Melbet has apps for iOS and Android devices, so you can access the sportsbook from your smartphone. You’ll have access to the betting markets, bonuses and other great features. Another appealing aspect is that the bookmaker provides efficient customer support over the phone, via live chat and email.

Melbet Welcome Bonus

Melbet has a generous welcome bonus that compares favourably to the ones from other betting sites in Nigeria. It’s a 100% deposit match up to ₦45,000 on your first deposit. All you need to do to claim it is to register, deposit at least ₦4,500 and activate within seven days.

Once you’ve received the bonus, you’ll have 30 days to use it and meet the 5x wagering requirement. Multi-bets are the only wagers that contribute to the requirement, and they need to include at least three events with odds of 1.5 or higher. 

Melbet Promotions

Like the other entries on our list, Melbet focuses its promotions on accumulators, which the site calls multi-bets. There’s a percentage bonus scheme that increases the final odds, depending on the number of events added. Three events, with minimum odds of 1.5, get a 5% boost. You can get up to 35%, with a maximum of 10 events.

Melbet also runs a cashback offer across the pre-match, live and esports sections of the sportsbook. Bet at least ₦2,230 with three events in your bet slip and you’ll get 5% cashback on your losses. The maximum cashback you can get is 20% for a multi-bet with 10 events, making it a good way to cover some of the risk.

Melbet Sports And Markets

Melbet has around 45 different sports and categories for wagering, which makes it one of the most varied in our top 5 betting sites in Nigeria. Football has the most coverage, with thousands of events and hundreds of live matches available. Most popular matches have over 1,000 betting markets to explore.   

The betting site runs odds boosters for football, as well as other sports that it covers, such as basketball and ice hockey. You’ll also find a large selection of events for tennis, basketball, martial arts, volleyball, ice hockey, boxing and esports. There’s something for every taste and at all times of the day.

Fifth Pick: Merrybet

Merrybet clinches the final place in our list of the top 5 betting sites in Nigeria. It’s a secure and legal site. The operator is a member of the Association of Nigerian Bookmakers, and the sportsbook is licensed and regulated by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission. 

We found several advantages to using Merrybet, including the site’s design. It’s easy to use on desktop and mobile. Plus, the live chat, WhatsApp, phone and email support options mean your query will get answered quickly. There are plenty of safe ways to deposit and withdrawals are fast, getting you your money within 24 hours.

Merrybet Welcome Bonus

Unlike most other betting sites in Nigeria, Merrybet doesn’t offer new players a welcome bonus. While it’s not ideal, we do still recommend Merrybet, and suggest you head to the promotions section of the review to find out what you can claim.

Merrybet Promotions

Despite its lack of a welcome bonus, Merrybet still makes it into our top 5 betting sites in Nigeria, thanks to its fantastic range of promotions. For example, the Punters League gives out monthly, quarterly and season prizes to those at the top of the leaderboard. You earn points from successful football accumulator bets.

There’s also a pick 15 prize pool of ₦80,000,000 for 1×2 predictions on football and NBA games, with various syndicates. It’s also worth checking the blog for promotions like raffles and prize giveaways, including gadgets and cash. 

Merrybet Sports And Markets

Like the other top 5 betting sites in Nigeria, Merrybet focuses on football while also having a wide range of other options. It runs regular virtual events and accepts bets for eSoccer. The sportsbook has over 30 categories, including mainstream and niche sports and specials.

You’ll find opportunities to bet on domestic leagues, international events and world tournaments. There are usually at least 2,000 football events and then several more for the other sports. Most of those also have live betting action. 

Live matches have simulations and a few have live streaming too. Bet types include winner of the first half, most scoring half, and numerous under/over options. 

Why Are These The Top 5 Betting Sites in Nigeria This Year?

The top 5 betting sites in Nigeria each have their advantages and disadvantages. All of them, from our top choice Bet9ja to fifth place Merrybet, are licensed and accept Nigerian naira. Our number one pick has competitive odds, whereas our number five option is more about the jackpot prizes.

1XBet stands out thanks to its large choice of sports and betting markets, with Melbet following close behind in that category. Nairabet, the original Nigerian online betting site, doesn’t have a welcome bonus. However, the accumulator bonuses, excellent support and good range of payment methods almost make up for that. 

You’ve got all you need to make a choice. Now it’s your turn to pick the sportsbook that fits you so you can start betting.