Last updated on June 22nd, 2023
Online Sports Betting in Nigeria
Sports betting is a booming industry in Nigeria, with thousands of sporting events available daily. Bettors troop to popular sportsbooks to place wagers on their predictions. Here’s our brief but deep dive into legal sports betting in the country, including the best bookmakers and bonuses. We’ll also give our thoughts on strategies you can use and the systems in the industry.
Which are the Best Sports Betting Sites In Nigeria?
Getting the best sports betting sites is paramount to having fun-filled and rewarding moments. The peace and satisfaction that placing bets on a licensed and reputable sportsbook brings is something we cannot overlook. We have a few suggestions, but we’ll let you pick them yourself.
These sports betting websites have varying strengths that you may find helpful in different scenarios. Moreover, there are no restrictions on how many you can register with. Keep the number small and the quality high.
One common characteristic of these platforms is the operating license. They have authorization from local regulatory bodies to operate in the country. Hence, you are backed by the law to register and bet on matches.
These sports betting sites feature thousands of events between them weekly. They always have games for bettors to place bets on. Furthermore, they feature popular sports and lesser-known markets.
Soccer matches are available, featuring teams worldwide and covering various leagues and tournaments across the nations. Basketball, tennis, baseball, cricket, cycling, Formula 1, UFC, and Formula 1 are popular among these bookmakers. You’ll be satisfied with the markets they offer.
Speaking of which, they have the totals, over/under, handicap, outright winner, etc. Some take online sports betting to the next level by allowing live wagers and providing live streams of ongoing matches. Hence, you can follow the games and shape your bets to reflect the dynamics.
Bet9ja, N1bet, Paripesa, Confambet, and the rest mentioned above are suitable options if you need a new sportsbook. They’ll also work if you want to add one to your existing “collection.” Let’s move on to the bonuses and offers prevalent at these bookmakers.
Bonuses and Offers in Sports Betting
The excitement of taking sports betting online does not begin and end when you win wagers. Bookies often have their palms open with bonuses to spice up the adventure. They offer extra bets and sometimes offer risk-free betting to the bettors.
Sportsbooks can craft their bonuses and promotions as they deem fit. The idea is to foster healthy competition by offering more value and attracting bettors. Notwithstanding, we can point to a few as the industry benchmarks on which other offers are built. Here are the bonuses you’ll likely find at online bookmakers:
- Welcome bonus: This offer is more of a class than a type. That is because bookies can use any bonus as a welcome offer to their new users. So, the welcome bonus is available only to new bettors that sign up with the facilitating bookmaker. This offer is often based on specific conditions. It could be based on depositing a particular amount for the first time or signing up. Then, the bettor must fulfill the wagering requirement, which could be staking on specific odds or playing a minimum number of games. The value of welcome bonuses could be percentages of the deposits or a specific cash value. Either way, you’ll have extra funds to place wagers.
- Free bets: Sportsbooks can provide free bets to their users. These wagers come at no expense to you, and the winnings are yours.
- Comboboosts: These refer to special bookmaker odds provided to increase the potential payout. Bookmakers may require you to add a specific number of bets to the Express wager. Then, they’ll add unique odds that increase the payout that you would get.
- Cashback: Cashbacks provide a money-back guarantee when wagering. They often come as percentages smaller than the actual wager. Notwithstanding, you must place the bet before they become active.
Online Sports Betting & Apps Vs. Offline Shops in Nigeria
You can bet on your PC, using a mobile application, or by visiting a physical sports shop. Most online sportsbooks have offline betting shops in the country, giving their users an option if they don’t have an internet-enabled device. However, which is better?
Mobile sports betting is not necessarily better than visiting an offline shop or using a PC. Each form is essential, depending on the surrounding conditions. For example, you are better off with a mobile application if you are out and about with your daily routine.
The mobile app provides quick access to your sports betting account and is portable enough to follow you anywhere. Contrarily, the PC web version offers better screen estate and could be better when viewing sports betting odds and live events.
Physical shops are ideal if you are close to their locations. Also, they offer the simplicity of staking with physical cash, unlike apps that require digital money transfers.
How to Choose the Best Sports Betting Site?
The paradox of choice brings indecision when we have ample options. The same applies to sports betting sites, especially when you pay attention to the wrong things. It is easy to look at the fancy bonuses and forget other, more crucial aspects.
The bookmakers listed in the previous section were not picked at random. We paid attention to specific criteria before arriving at that list. So, here are the steps to take when choosing your next online bookie:
- Review the license: Any site without a license is unworthy of your attention, let alone your deposit. Playing on a licensed sportsbook keeps you in line with the law and provides guaranteed payments. That is because they are accountable to the regulatory bodies.
- Check the sports available: Obviously, your chosen platform should feature your favorite sports. Review the lobby and ensure it features popular games.
- Review the markets and odds: Your profits depend on the markets and odds. The better they are, the more money you’ll get for winning bets.
- Review the usability and customer support: These aspects can quickly drown the excitement of finding spectacular odds on upcoming events. Ensure the sportsbook is usable on any mobile phone or PC device.
Most Common Terms in Sports Betting
You may have noticed a few unfamiliar terms in this article if you are new to sports betting. Let’s have a look at the most common ones you’ll see:
- Sportsbook: The sportsbook is an online sports betting site that features matches to wager on. You can also call it a bookmaker.
- Odds: These are numbers that represent the potential of an event occurring and also give the multiplier for the profit. They can be in decimal or fractional format.
- Futures bet: This involves wagers on future events. An example would be wagering on the tournament winner.
- Underdog: An underdog is the least favored team to win a match. They often have more odds and carry more profits if they win.
- Live betting: This involves placing wagers on ongoing matches. The odds will vary as the game progresses.
- Bet slip: This section contains all your wagers. It will be printed if you use an offline shop. For online sites, you can refer to it for your selections.
- Moneyline: This wager picks the outcome of a sporting event. It often involves wagering on the outright winner of the game.
- Parlay: A parlay is a single wager that contains multiple selections (bets). Each bet must win to win the parlay.
Strategies and Systems of Sports Betting
Sports betting strategies differ from systems. However, both aim at reducing losses and increasing winning chances. Except you want something that gives an accurate prediction, no strategy or system is foolproof. Keeping them will be helpful, especially when excitement sets in. With that in mind, here are a few techniques you can use:
- Start small: Place small wagers in the beginning if you are new to sports betting. That will keep your bankroll from rapid depletion.
- Set a budget: Set the amount you want before placing wagers. Ensure the amount you set aside is what you can lose without any financial repercussions. However, it should not be so small that you don’t make significant gains with the winnings.
- Do your research: Study match statistics and previous patterns before placing wagers. You can also look up past team or player performances to know what to expect.
Strategies are helpful, but adding a few systems can go a long way. These include:
- Martingale system
- D’Alembert Theory
- Fibonacci system
- Insurance system
These systems will guide you on how to split your wagers. They are essentially bankroll management strategies. Moreover, the more stakes you can place, the better your chances are of landing a win.
FAQ for Sports Betting in Nigeria
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Is sports betting legal in Nigeria?
The law does not prohibit online sports betting, provided you do it at licensed sportsbooks. Always check for licenses before proceeding.
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Can I win real money from online bookmakers?
Real-money wagers will get you actual cash if you win. The sportsbook will send the money to your account via your preferred payment option.
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Is betting on an ongoing match possible?
Many sportsbooks allow live wagers on ongoing matches. However, the odds will vary as the game progresses.
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How can I place a wager?
Register with the bookmaker that features the sport. Find the event and place your stake based on the odds.