Where to Bet on Sports in Nigeria

While gambling has been part of Nigerian culture for a long time, it was a highly stigmatized activity with many grey areas regarding its legitimacy. However, digitalization and the fast-growing internet penetration rate in recent years have provided easy access and anonymity for Nigerians to wager and make extra cash on their favorite sports. This gave birth to the burgeoning growth of the sports betting sector in Nigeria. 

According to a 2020 report, about 60 million Nigerians wager on sports actively. Also, the country currently holds the spot as the second biggest online betting market in Africa in terms of revenue, coming only behind South Africa. 

These statistics reveal that Nigerian punters can never run out of online sportsbooks to place their wagers. In fact, a report shows that there are currently over 50 online betting sites available to Nigerians, both locally licensed and offshore.

While the wide range of betting site options is good news, it often confuses newbie punters looking to jump in on the action. This is because not all of these sites offer the best service. In fact, some of them are outright scams. Hence, the question of where to wager on sports in Nigeria often pops up. This article will answer this question by listing every essential factor to look out for before signing up and placing wagers at any betting site.

License and Security

No matter how good you are at sports wagering or how solid your bankroll management is, choosing the wrong sportsbook already sets you at a disadvantage. Before signing up with any sportsbook, the most important criteria to consider are its license and security. This not only saves you from the risk of breaking the law but also protects you from being defrauded of your money or having your data stolen. 

Some websites, like parimatch betting, are licensed in Nigeria by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLCR), while others are offshore sites with only international licenses. Whatever the case is, ensure you check the official website of your preferred sportsbook for a valid license number from a recognized body before parting with your money.

Also, ensure that the sportsbook you choose has been around for a while and has an excellent reputation. You can learn about them on trusted and unbiased review sites and also know what their past and current users have to say.

Betting Options and Markets

You don’t want to be stuck with limited options regarding the number of sports, events, and betting markets available when placing wagers. The more options you have, the higher the chances of winning your wagers. First, your preferred sportsbook must cover as many sports as possible. Then it must cover a wide range of leagues, tournaments, and events within each sport.

For instance, football is the most wagered-on sport in Nigeria, and you don’t want to wager on a sportsbook where you are limited to only two or three football leagues to wager on. If you are an esports fan, you should also ensure that your preferred sportsbook covers many esports titles.

Lastly, your preferred betting site must offer a wide range of bet types on various sports. Apart from conventional bet types like 1X2, over/under, correct score, etc., you must be able to wager on several unusual prop wagers. Access to a wide range of bet types increases your winning chances significantly.

Bonuses and Promos

We can’t talk about a good place to wager on sports without mentioning bonuses and promotions. Most sportsbooks use these offers to attract new customers to their websites while keeping existing ones. Types of bonuses and promos you can find on betting sites include:

• Welcome bonus
• Deposit bonus
• Free wagers
• Enhanced odds
• No deposit promo
• Money back bonus etc.

Ensure your preferred sportsbook offers rich bonuses and promo offers, as this helps minimize losses while maximizing wins. However, some sportsbooks set traps for newbie punters in the name of mouth-watering bonuses. These bonuses appear huge but have very difficult wagering requirements and extremely tight validity periods. In the end, most punters find it difficult to redeem these bonuses. Therefore, examining the wagering requirements accompanying the bonuses found on a betting site is necessary to determine if they are worth it.

Live Betting 

Due to its benefits, live or in-play betting has become a must-have feature for a reputable Nigerian online sportsbook. Unlike pre-match betting, live wagering allows punters to see how a match is shaping up before placing their wagers. This helps in better decision-making, resulting in more winning wagers. 

You must ensure that your preferred sportsbook allows live wagering on a wide range of sports, markets, and events. The sportsbook must offer competitive odds for these live wagers. You must also ensure the website user experience is excellent to allow you to place wagers and cash out quickly. 

Mobile Betting

Due to the rapid growth rate of digitalization in Nigeria, it has become mandatory for any good sportsbook in the country to feature mobile betting. Mobile apps provide punters with the flexibility and convenience they need to wager on the go. 

It, therefore, becomes important for your preferred sportsbook to have a fast and responsive mobile app with an excellent user experience. Also, the sportsbook’s website must be mobile-optimized for Android, iOS, and Windows devices for a seamless wagering experience.

Customer Support

Customer support is one of the essential criteria you must consider before choosing where to wager in Nigeria. This is because you can still face problems regardless of how excellent the service of any sportsbook is. Getting timely expert help from your sportsbook’s customer service can make all the difference in your betting journey.

Therefore, you must ensure the customer support at your preferred sportsbook is highly responsive. It is also important there is a wide range of channels to access the support, including, Telephone, email, live chat, social media, etc.

Conclusion

While there are almost endless options available to Nigerian punters regarding where to wager, you must take note of the above factors to ensure success in your wagering journey. Other extra features to look out for include payment options, live streaming, cashout option, odd range, etc. Don’t forget to visit Parimatch for a seamless sports betting experience.