Online sports betting has become an enormous global industry, worth billions of dollars, and over the last few decades has seen major leaps forward in developing regions, such as Africa. This is partly due to the widespread availability of affordable mobile technology (smartphone usage far outweighs that of computer usage on the continent), and ever-evolving infrastructure, bypassing the constraints of traditional infrastructure of landlines, bringing online entertainment to millions more Africans. It’s also due to the passion and zeal Africans have for sports in general.
With the African Cup of Nations concluding spectacularly, with hosts Ivory Coast coming back from a one-goal deficit to claim the title on home soil, you can guarantee that many new punters were drawn into fluttering on the game. But there are some things that online sports bettors should factor in, giving them peace of mind to enjoy wagering on their favourite teams and sports. Here are a few of the best practices.
Trusted Sites
The first, and most vitally important step, to have a rewarding online gambling experience is to choose a trustworthy place to place bets. You should conduct some research into the operator you wish to use, and that means checking out licences and other security measures, such as a valid SSL certification — this creates an encrypted environment that handles financial and other sensitive data, and where all transactions can take place. Certification should be prominently displayed on the site.
Other things to check out include the deposit and withdrawal systems. Sites that offer easy ways to deposit your funds, but make it more complicated to withdraw winnings should be viewed with some suspicion. Always check out the T&Cs on any site before registering. Once you’ve got peace of mind that your data is safe you can begin to enjoy sports betting online.
Check out Online Reviews and Comparisons
Another way to ascertain if an online sportsbook is worth your time and money is to check out online reviews. More developed African betting markets such as Nigeria and South Africa have extensive sportsbook review sites, where potential punters can compare and contrast user reviews and other details.
Not only that, these sites are often chock full of useful information about bonuses and promotions, and which operators offer the best odds. Online gambling is such a competitive marketplace that you’ll find sportsbooks with much more favourable odds than others, so it’s worth shopping around. But a quick search will show you just how crowded the marketplace is, making these sites even more useful for new punters.
Understand Betting
Online sports betting provides a vast array of bet types, ranging from simple moneyline bets to complex accumulators, so gaining a good understanding of the nuances of each bet type is essential to new bettors. You may wish to keep things simple at first — while accumulators can offer substantial payouts, they also come with higher risks. Once you understand the basics, incorporating a mix of bet types can be a rewarding strategy, focusing on those that align with your knowledge and risk tolerance.
It’s also important to start slowly, especially if you’re new to gambling. Don’t place huge wagers on what you think are ‘sure-fire’ results — do some research (we’ll cover that next).
Understand Sport
Everyone loves to have a flutter at some traditional events. In the UK, for example, many people bet on the beloved Grand National, including thousands who never wager on any other horse racing event on the calendar. Many select their steed based on its amusing name or the colour of the jockey’s livery, and don’t expect to win any cashback — which is all well and good, sports betting should be fun — but if you want a bit more success it’s important to do some research.
Betting on a sport you’re interested in is a good starting point. If you’re a football fan, it’s easier to keep abreast of the form of certain clubs, any injuries, changes in lineups, management, etc. If you know nothing about rugby, perhaps best to avoid wagering on the Six Nations. Also, while it’s tempting to bet on your favourite team, if they’re going to lose, don’t. If you feel like you’re betraying them by betting against them, well, don’t place the bet. Simple as that.
Sports betting is popular and fun, and spreading like wildfire across Africa. That means many new punters are entering the scene, and the most discerning would be best served to read some of these tips to get themselves up and running, enjoy the action, and hopefully win a bit of cash in the process.
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