Are you a Nigerian who is contemplating a foray into the exciting world of sports betting? Maybe you are an experienced punter who wants to upgrade their bookmaker? Whatever your motivation, you have come to the right place.
We help Nigerian sports bettors find the best online betting sites and the best sports betting bonuses. Our experts scour the internet for online bookies and then we put them to the ultimate test. You can be confident that any online betting site we endorse meets our strict standards.
Sports betting has become all the rage in Nigeria. A recent survey found that over 50% of adults bet in Nigeria every day. There are a few reasons for this. For instance, wagering on sports was a popular Nigerian pastime long before the country gained independence. It also helps that Nigeria is home to an abundance of professional sports teams, leagues, and competitions. However, nothing impacted the sports betting scene as deeply as the introduction of online bookmakers and increased internet penetration.
These days, Nigerians can simply grab their mobile phones and start betting on sports. This level of convenience is unparalleled seeing how most Nigerians have a mobile device and easy access to the internet. If the thought of online betting piques your interest, we urge you to keep reading to find out all you need to know about sports betting in Nigeria. We’ll cover topics ranging from legality and licensing to the types of bets you can make and the bonuses you can cash in on.
The Best Bookmakers for Sports Betting
- Large number of games developed by leading software providers
- Easy to use website
- Nigerian Based Casino (Allows Naira)
- Combines Casino with Sportsbet offer
- Unique live casino games
- Option to bet live on a sporting event
- Lots of promotions for new and loyal users
- Plenty of available betting markets
- In-play betting on sporting events
- Lots of bonuses and VIP program
- Android and iOS applications
- Transactions with cryptocurrencies only
- The 6-level Vip program
- 24/7 available customer service
- In-play and live streaming of sporting events
- Adaptability to new and old mobile devices
- A large number of betting markets
- Great Sports betting and Live Casino
- Over 80 payment methods
- Nice bonuses for new and existing customers
- In-play betting is available
- Betting on virtual sports is offered as well
- The minimum deposit is only 100 NGN
- A full section of promotions and bonuses
- Frapapa licenced in Nigeria
- In-play wagering function
Features of the Best Bookmakers for Sports Betting
The crème de la crème of online bookmakers have a few key things in common. Sure, they are all licensed and they offer great odds on a massive selection of sports and events. But these sites also have some unique features that are guaranteed to enhance your profitability and overall experience. Some of these features include Quick Bets, same-game accumulators, and boosted odds. A few of these top bookies go so far as to accept custom bets that don’t appear on the site’s betting menu.
Perhaps the most sought-after feature at Nigerian-friendly online betting sites is live streaming. This is one feature that separates the very best from the rest. Of course, live streaming provides a lot of entertainment value. It is also a key element of the live betting experience. Being able to follow a match live allows punters to identify advantageous in-play betting situations and capitalize on them. While some online bookmakers offer animated real-time updates complete with stats, it simply doesn’t compare to the live streaming feature.
Another common must-have feature is the cash out option. This enables punters to settle their bets before the match they wagered on has ended. If you place a bet on a big underdog and they take an early lead, you can use cash out. This will ensure a profitable return. If your team is winning but they look like they are about to blow it, then you can cash out the bet. You can use cash out on accumulators and you can even use it on losing bets. If your wager is going down in flames and there’s little hope of salvaging it, you could trigger the cash out option to at least reclaim a small portion of your stake.
We should take this one step further. While most bookmakers support a cash out function, very few of them offer partial cash out. With partial cash out, you can cash out a portion of your stake and ride the rest of it out. The top Nigerian bookmakers give you the option.
Sports Betting in Nigeria
Like almost anywhere else on the planet, the history of sports betting in Nigeria goes way back. It wasn’t always considered socially acceptable and it wasn’t always legal, but lots of people did it nevertheless. When internet gambling took off in the mid-1990s, many Nigerians could not participate simply due to poor internet penetration. However, things have improved greatly over the past two decades and the Nigerian online sports betting scene is flourishing.
One of the key shifts came when the National Lottery Act was introduced in 2005. This essentially legalized online sports betting and opened up the market to online bookmakers. Only bookmakers with a license from the National Lottery Regulatory Commission are permitted to legally operate on Nigerian soil. As an aside, Nigeria does not license online casinos which means online casinos are not allowed to operate in the country. Instead, Nigerians can legally play at offshore sites.
If you are a Nigerian sports bettor in search of a reliable sportsbook, then we suggest you find a domestic one that is licensed by the NLRC. By doing this, you are afforded the highest levels of player protection. You can rest easy knowing that your funds are always safe and that you will be treated fairly. With that said, many of our top-rated Nigerian-friendly bookmakers have licenses from other highly-respectable authorities such as the United Kingdom Gambling Commission, Malta Gaming Authority, and Curacao eGaming. These are among the most prominent and strictest licensing bodies on earth.
What are Betting Promotions and Bonuses?
If you have ever visited an online sportsbook, then you have almost certainly seen a few attractive bonus offers. Every top bookmaker will give you a welcome bonus and access to interesting regular promotions.
You see, the online sports betting industry is extremely competitive. There are loads of Nigerian bookmakers out there and they are all fiercely fighting for your business. A generous welcome bonus is arguably the most effective way of getting your attention.
There are a few different types of bonuses that you can claim. Perhaps the most popular type is the no-deposit bonus. While these offers are relatively rare and generally small, they are easy enough to find and they can turn into a nice chunk of real money. In most cases, the operator will give it to you for simply opening a new account. This means that you don’t have to risk any of your own money to win money.
The vast majority of welcome bonuses require claimants to make a deposit. For instance, you can open a new account at one of our recommended bookmakers and then trigger your bonus when you make your first deposit. In most cases, the value of the bonus is directly tied to the amount of your deposit. Let’s take a 100% cash welcome bonus up to ₦100,000 as an example. If you deposit ₦100,000, then you will receive the maximum ₦100,000 in bonus cash. If you deposited ₦50,000, then you would receive an ₦50,000.
We need to stress the importance of reading and understanding a bonus’s terms and conditions. Two offers might appear to be identical on the surface, but a quick glance at the T&Cs will reveal a world of differences. Pay close attention to the wagering requirements. This refers to the number of times you must stake the full bonus amount. Obviously, it’s much easier to satisfy a 5X rollover than it is to meet a 40X rollover. In fact, you could easily lose money trying to stake your bonus 40 times.
One of the most common bonus types is the free bet. These typically work something like this: You open a new account, claim the bonus while making your first deposit, and then place one or more qualifying bets. Again, keep an eye on those T&Cs. You don’t want to find out that the bet you made didn’t qualify because it didn’t precisely meet the parameters. Anyway, after your qualifying wager settles, the bookmaker will automatically credit the free bet bonus to your account.
It should go without saying that there will likely be restrictions and limitations placed on the free bet. For instance, some free bets must only be used on single wagers while others are limited to accumulators. In either case, expect to have a minimum odds requirement in place. If your free bet wins, then you will probably have the money credited to your withdrawable funds. Your returns from winning free bets won’t include the free bet stake amount, so pick your free bet selection wisely.
Different Types of Odds Offered
One thing that you will notice when you visit different places to bet in Nigeria online is that the odds often differ from site to site. Sometimes the discrepancy is minute while other times it’s significant. There are a couple of reasons for this. If a bookmaker starts receiving a lot of money on one side of a wager, they will adjust the odds in an attempt to even out the action.
Another reason is that every time you place a bet in Nigeria, you pay a commission to the bookie. This is called the odds margin and is often referred to as juice or vig. Simply put, some bookies charge a higher commission than others. Paying a higher commission means less money in your pocket. We won’t get too technical with formulas and math, but it’s easy to calculate an odds margin. We suggest that you use one of the many free online odds margin calculators. You just plug in the odds and it will tell you what the commission on a certain wager is.
Why make such a fuss over the odds? Well, getting the best odds gives you the best chance of making a profit over the short and long term. Let’s say you are looking at the odds for a certain matchup at two competing bookmakers. The pick you want to make is priced at 2.35 at one site and 2.30 at the other. If you successfully wagered ₦10,000 at the first bookmaker at 2.35, then you would profit ₦13,500. If you made that same winning bet at 2.30, then you would earn a profit of ₦13,000. Now, ₦500 might not seem like such a big deal, but those small discrepancies can really add up over time.
While we are discussing odds, we should take a moment to explain how odds are displayed. The three most common odds formats in Nigeria are decimal odds, fractional odds, and American odds. While they look completely different, they are really the same. Let’s use even odds to illustrate. Using the decimal format, even odds are expressed as 2.00. Even odds would appear fractionally as 1/1 while American odds would be +100. The best places to bet in Nigeria allow customers to customize the way they see the odds displayed.
You should also know how to read the odds. The odds tell you which side is favored, how heavily they are favored, and how much you stand to win. If you see that your team is listed at 3.40 on the 2-way moneyline, then you know that they are a fairly big underdog. You also know that you stand to profit ₦24,000 on a ₦10,000 wager.
On the flip side, decimal odds of 1.20 tells you that the team is a significant favorite and you stand to profit just ₦2,000 from a ₦10,000 bet. With American odds, the team that is assigned the “-“ number is the favorite while the “+” sign denotes the underdog. Anything under 1/1 represents the favorite when you use fractional odds.
What are the Most Popular Markets to Bet On?
For the purposes of this Nigerian sports betting primer, we will define betting markets as the sports and competitions as well as the types of bets you can place. It shouldn’t come as a surprise to learn that football is the most popular sport in Nigeria. After all, it is the most widely followed and wagered on sports almost everywhere else.
Nigeria is home to several top-tier football leagues including the Nigeria Premier League and the Nigerian National League. As you would expect, the best Nigerian sports betting sites cover several Nigerian leagues as well as leagues and competitions from all corners of the globe. They also serve up a nice selection of football bonuses and promotions.
Basketball is another mainstream sport that has been long-embraced by Nigerians. While a lot of basketball fans who bet in Nigeria prefer wagering on the NBA, the top bookies offer odds on plenty of other leagues like Nigeria’s own Nigerian Premier Basketball League. You will be amazed by how many small-market leagues the best Nigerian bookies cover. You’ll also be pleasantly surprised by the variety of combat sports that top bookmakers offer odds on. Nigerians are passionate about combat sports like boxing and dambe. Other popular sports include:
Having a lot of sports on the menu is one thing, but the top online bookmakers make sure that those betting menus are deep. The days of being limited to betting sides and totals are far behind us now. A mainstream football match should present bettors with over 500 betting opportunities. Some of the most popular football wagers include:
- 1X2
- Alternative Spread/Totals
- Double Chance
- First Team to Score
- Correct Score
- Winning Margin
- Draw No Bet
- Both Teams to Score
In addition to these wagers, the best bookies also offer competitive odds on a wide range of player props, team props, and game props. You can wager on such things as how many cards will be handed out or how many corner kicks will occur. You can wager on a certain player to score a goal or for your team to produce a clean sheet. The possibilities are nearly endless. We should also add that a new bookmaker trend is seeing online sports betting sites offer customers the ability to propose custom wagers that don’t appear on the menu.
What to Think About Before Selecting the Best Sports Betting Site
There are several things to consider when you are searching for a new online bookmaker. We often hear punters ask “What is the best online bookmaker?”
This isn’t the right question to ask. Instead, you need to ask “What online bookmaker is the best for me?” Punters come in a variety of forms. Some like to bet big while others prefer small stakes. Some bettors like to play it safe and others like betting on long shots. The important thing is that the bookmaker has everything you want and more. One of the best things about having so many online bookies to choose from is that you can simply move on to the next site if your current bookie doesn’t 100% satisfy your unique requirements. Let’s look at a few of the most important considerations.
- Markets: You absolutely want to have access to the best selection of sports and betting markets. This gives you a lot more flexibility and allows you to find the most advantageous betting situations. This obviously applies to live betting menus and pre-match betting menus.
- Offers/Promotions: A generous welcome offer can get you off to a fast and profitable start to your sports betting adventure. Meanwhile, a steady flow of ongoing promotions ensures that you can always find added value in such things as free bets, cashback, and bonus cash. Just remember to check the terms and conditions so that you can accurately assess the offer’s true value.
- Odds: We can’t understate the importance of getting the best odds. Getting the best odds ensures that you gain the most from your winning bets. Even a small difference in price can have a huge impact on your bottom line over the long run. It can be the deciding factor in whether you make money or lose money.
- Usability/Design: Whether you use a desktop PC or a mobile device, the interface must be intuitive, user-friendly, and responsive. Such a well-designed interface makes it fast and easy to find your wagers, conduct deposits and withdrawals, and anything else you want to do. Even the newest of noobs should have no trouble navigating the best online bookmaker sites.
- Mobile: More and more Nigerians are placing their wagers while they are on the go. Because mobile betting has become the new way of doing things, online bookies have been forced to adapt. They now offer apps and mobile platforms that enable Nigerians to bet from pretty much anywhere. All you need is a mobile device and a connection to the internet.
- Live Betting: It wasn’t long ago that live betting was a mere novelty. These days, it is a standard offering at the best online betting sites. Top bookies give you the opportunity to wager on matches that are already in progress. This opens up a variety of hedging and doubling-down scenarios. It also gives punters a chance to simply get in on more exciting betting action.
- Legal: Only sites that are licensed by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission are allowed to operate in Nigeria. However, you can legally bet in Nigeria by using licensed offshore bookmakers too. The most important point here is that you never bet with an unlicensed bookie. There is little anyone can do to help you if you end up in a dispute or the site freezes your account and funds.
- Deposit and Withdrawal Methods: The best sports betting sites give Nigerian punters a great selection of popular and Nigerian-friendly payment options to choose from. Top sites support major credit cards, debit cards, online banking, eWallets, and even wire transfers. A lot of respected operators have embraced cryptocurrency too. You should be able to make instant deposits and fast withdrawals.
How We Rate Operators
Our experts look at all of the above factors when they are reviewing and rating places to bet in Nigeria. However, they also look at several other factors. For example, we like it when sites provide 24/7 customer support and can be reached by live chat, telephone, or both. We also really like to see an array of features including live streaming.
Sure, we give more weight to some things than we do for others. Still, it gives us a proven and steady method for providing readers with honest and unbiased opinions. In turn, this helps punters find the most suitable sports betting site for them.
Our Reviews are 100% Unbiased and Transparent
We are not here to shill for online bookmakers. Our main purpose is to make sure you find the best bookmaker for you. Our experts thoroughly examine online sports betting sites and then provide their thoughts.
We don’t filter them at all. If our experts feel that a bookie is second-rate, then we’ll tell you why they feel that way. You can count on us to provide you with straight dope on all aspects of the sites we review. If you disagree with any of our takes, then feel free to contact us and tell us about your experiences.
Free Betting Predictions and Analysis
Are you having trouble deciding on which team to bet on? If so, you should definitely make a point of checking out our free betting predictions and analysis. Even if you don’t make the recommended selection, you should still be able to glean some helpful information and maybe see an entirely different betting angle.
Want to Give yourself a Better Chance of Winning? Check Out Our Betting Guides
It only makes sense that punters need to know what they are doing when they stake real money. Unless, of course, they don’t care about recklessly losing money. This is the place to go if you want to give yourself the best chances of making informed wagers and winning them. We offer an assortment of helpful guides and tutorials that cover a vast range of topics.
Beginners should check out our betting guides which extensively cover the various types of wagers you can make. Not familiar with double chance betting or arbitrage? Well, we explain it in language you can understand. Not sure how bonuses and promotions work? You will when you read our tutorials on bonuses and promotions. Even experienced bettors can benefit from our insight. If you have any questions about how to bet in Nigeria, then we have the answers.
Looking for the Best Betting Strategies? We’ve got you Covered
One of the enjoyable aspects of sports betting is coming up with new strategies. Sometimes they are completely original and other times they are modeled after existing ones. For instance, did you know that there is a way to guarantee steady profits through sports betting? Well, there is and you can learn about it in our Sure Bets guide. We also cover and discuss a variety of other strategies that are designed to boost your bottom line and broaden your sports betting horizons.
FAQ: Sports Betting Nigeria
Provided you sign up and wager with one of our recommended online sports betting sites, you will be safe, treated fairly, and paid quickly. You are taking a huge risk by wagering at an unlicensed site.
In Nigeria, any money you win from online sports betting is considered taxable income. It is the bettor’s responsibility to declare a net gambling profit on their income tax form.
Only operators with a Nigerian license are allowed to legally operate in Nigeria. The National Lottery Regulatory Commission ensures that all licensed domestic online betting sites operate to high standards and treat customers fairly.
Due to the nature of gambling, there are no guarantees that you will win money. In fact, most punters lose money over the long haul. With that said, arbitrage betting and match betting are sure-fire ways to generate guaranteed profits.
Yes. The processes of depositing and withdrawals are virtually the same. The biggest difference is that deposits are instantly processed while withdrawals can take a bit of time. You can enjoy the fastest withdrawal times by using the right payment option at one of our preferred places to bet in Nigeria.
Sign up bonuses are easy to claim. In most cases, you either be prompted to claim the bonus when you’re registering your new account or when you are making your first deposit. Some welcome offers require claimants to enter a bonus code when prompted. You can find the latest bonus codes right here or by checking out the individual bonus’s T&Cs.
Absolutely not! If you do it right and have a bit of luck along the way, you can turn a small bankroll into something very impressive. The important thing is that your starting bankroll is in line with your financial capabilities. You never want to overextend yourself.
No. You can be old school and place online sports bets using a PC, but most Nigerian sports bettors prefer to use their mobile devices. It’s just more convenient that way.
Betting Tips
We will now turn our attention to some of the fundamentals of sports betting. These are some of the most common tips and tricks that experienced punters use to keep their sports betting safe and more profitable. In fact, these pointers apply to pretty much any other type of gambling.
One of the first things you need to do is figure out what your gambling budget is. Moreover, you need to stick to that budget. You never want to put yourself in a situation where a bad run of luck affects your ability to pay for life’s necessities like food and shelter. Don’t be discouraged if you can only afford a small bankroll. You can still turn it into something special. Make sure to protect your bankroll by coming up with a reasonable average stake amount. This way, you can endure those depressing cold streaks and live to bet another day.
It’s a good idea to record your betting history. Not only does this make it easier to track you progress, but it often allows you to identify where you are succeeding and where you are not doing so well. Let’s say that you made a ₦10,000 profit last month. When you break it down, you might find that you won ₦40,000 betting on moneylines but lost ₦30,000 on totals. This might prompt you to give up totals for a while and focus on moneylines.
Getting the most out of your sport betting adventures requires that you choose the best bookmaker for your needs. This will give you access to better odds, more features, and some great bonuses and promotions. Yes, this can be somewhat difficult and time-consuming, but our expert bookmaker reviews can help streamline the process. Just remember to consider all of the factors mentioned earlier in this Nigerian sports betting guide.
If you’ve found success with a certain sport or specific bet type, we suggest you stick with it. Focusing on a narrower range of sports and wagers gives you a degree of expertise that you can only gain through experience. If you are a novice bettor who religiously follows the EPL, then that’s a good place to start.
The most successful punters always do their homework. Sure, you could make your picks based on a coin toss or tea leaves, but you have a much better chance of winning if you handicap the matches you want to bet on. The thing about researching games is that you often come across betting angles that you hadn’t previously seen. The best Nigerian bookmakers provide customers with loads of stats, analysis, and expert opinion that can help them make informed wagers.
One of the biggest temptations you will be faced with is the urge to chase losses. A bad beat can put you into a strange headspace and make you do irrational things. Chasing losses is perhaps the most effective way of zeroing out your betting account. You have to keep a level head during these times. Of course, you must also avoid the temptation to needlessly raise the stakes when you are on a winning streak. Slow and steady wins the race.
If you are interested in trying your hand at live betting, you should know that you’ll need to be fast. Those live odds can move in the blink of an eye. This is why we prefer bookmakers that offer live streaming. This feature lets you follow the flow of a game and identify profitable situations. Again, you will be in a position to place informed bets.
Finally, don’t be afraid to experiment. This goes for the sports you bet on as well as the type of wagers you place. It’s quite easy to find free bet offers which give you a great opportunity to try something new without having to worry about your account taking a hit. We must once again remind you that we have all sorts of insightful guides that can help you expand your betting repertoire. After all, variety is the spice of life.
Deposit Methods
Nigerians have plenty of safe and secure payment options at their disposal. Perhaps the most popular and widely accepted method is the credit/debit card. Not only do a lot of Nigerians have at least one, but almost all online bookmakers accept them. Top bookmakers also support a nice selection of eWallets like Skrill and ecoPayz as well as online banking solutions. If you just have cash on hand, you can purchase a pre-paid card or voucher. You could also deposit at one of your online bookmaker’s retail outlets if they exist.
Another option is cryptocurrency. Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, and Tether are just a few of the many cryptos that more and more online bookmakers are supporting. Crypto is becoming such a popular and cheap method that many online bookmakers offer special bonuses to those who use it. Some crypto welcome bonuses are a lot more generous than those offered to fiat currency users.
Withdrawal Methods
Be aware that some payment options are only good for making deposits. For instance, most vouchers, prepaid cards, and many digital wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay only allow bookmaker deposits. That leaves users scrambling to find an alternative withdrawal method. This is why we recommend that you use a credit/debit card, eWallet, or online banking. These payment methods facilitate deposits and withdrawals meaning you only have to deal with one account.
If you demand the fastest withdrawal times, then we suggest you sign up at one of our fastest payout bookmakers. Those who use eWallets or cryptocurrency can get their hands on their winnings in under an hour. Some bookmakers process those withdrawals within a few minutes. Because card and online banking withdrawals go through the banking system, you can expect to wait 2 to 5 days to receive your withdrawals.
It’s also worth noting that the best bookies don’t charge fees for deposits and withdrawals. However, your payment provider will almost certainly ding you with some kind of transaction fee. Make sure to check with your payment provider to find out about their fees.
Responsible Gambling
As fun and thrilling as online sports betting is, there is also a dark side to it. Problem gambling has destroyed countless lives and it will destroy many more. It behooves you to take advantage of the responsible gambling tools that Nigerian bookmakers offer.
If you enter your account profile, you should see a “Responsible Gambling” tab or something similar. When you select it, you will find a variety of tools and resources to help keep your sports betting in check. It’s a good idea to visit this section as soon as you sign up so that you can set limits on the amount of time and money you spend. Set a daily limit, weekly limit, or a monthly limit. This will ensure that you don’t spend beyond your means.
These responsible gaming sections also give punters the ability to take a short time-out, or even enter into self-exclusion. If it has come to that point for you, then your bookie has contact information for various gambling support groups like Gamblers Anonymous. Help is free and it’s available 24/7/365. We urge you to heed a few basic tips to keep your gambling under control.
- Only bet what you can afford to lose: We have covered this theme earlier, but it’s worth saying it again. Never bet beyond your means. Nothing but trouble can come out of it.
- Keep a level head: You are going to experience the thrilling rush of winning as well as the crushing sadness of tough losses. You need to teach yourself how to maintain a level head through both scenarios.
- Take a Self-Assessment Test: The best bookmakers feature self-assessment tests that indicate how safe or dangerous your gambling is. These can help you identify red flags and avoid the pitfalls that come with problem gambling.
- Know when to walk away: The gambling gods can be extremely cruel and callous at times. When things aren’t going to plan, it’s a good idea to walk away for a bit and take a break. This allows you to shake off all that bad juju and get a fresh start.
- It’s only entertainment: A well-balanced sports bettor understands that gambling is nothing more than a form of entertainment. Sports betting is not a way to make a living. While a lot of punters have had massive amounts of success, most end up losing money at the end of the day.
Summary: Sports Betting in Nigeria
We sincerely hope you gained a bit of valuable insight into sports betting in Nigeria. If you got something out of it, then you should check out some of our other betting guides, bookmaker reviews, and our bonuses. Whether you are just discovering the joys of sports betting or you are experienced, we will always have something interesting for you right here.
