South Africa's Best Betting Sites With Welcome Bonus April, 2025

Top Betting Sites with Welcome Bonus for ZA Players

Online sportsbooks have revolutionized how we approach sports betting, opening the way for many different perks and innovative features. However, the classic improvement we all know and love is the welcome bonus! A good welcome bonus will bring in new customers and help users start their journey with a bang. Let's look at some of the best welcome bonuses available at ZA betting sites and what makes a welcome bonus top of its class.

Betway 

Betway is one of the oldest betting brands in the world, and it continues to offer one of the top betting experiences to date. You’ll find all the major events, and it offers plenty of betting options. The Betway site is easy to browse and find what you’re looking for, even if its aesthetic is sometimes a little utilitarian. 

Bonuses and Promotions

Betway’s welcome bonus offers a classic deposit match bonus to double your initial deposit! But the deals don’t stop there, with the excellent ‘pick your promo’ deal offering a range of different offers every week! So you’ll never be wanting for bonuses with Betway.

Key Features

Betway includes a comprehensive live betting function available across all popular sports and live streaming on select events. You can access both only when you’re logged into your account. Betway also has a wide selection of virtuals and even tote bets if those are more up your alley - especially for those horse racing betting fans! And, of course, the regular promotions are always a boon!

Pros

• Generous bonuses both upon welcome and for existing customers

• Wide coverage of events

• Competitive odds

• Dedicated mobile apps for iOS and Android

Cons 

• Site design lacks style

Betfred ZA

Betfred is a well known betting brand that’s famous the world over for its reliable service. In particular, you’ll hear a lot about the fantastic promotional lineup at Betfred, offering many deals that will fit into anyone’s betting style. Betfred is also one of the best-looking sportsbooks available in South Africa, making it easy to find the bets you want. 

Bonuses and Promotions

Betfred is famous for its fantastic bonus lineup. While the welcome bonus isn’t much to write home about, with a basic free spins + deposit match that focuses much more on casino play than the sportsbook, Betfred really shines in the recurring deals. You’ll find enhanced odds, extra places, insurance deals, early cashouts and more on a weekly, sometimes even daily, basis. 

Key Features

Aside from the fantastic bonuses, Betfred offers a good range of sports events and competitive odds. The variety of sports is a little smaller than we see at other sportsbooks on this level, but Betfred chooses to work deep rather than wide, offering many offers and events within each sport rather than just trying to appeal to as many people as possible.

Pros

• Deep sports markets covering more events

• Competitive odds

• Dedicated betting apps

• Unparalleled bonus offerings

Cons 

Fewer sports markets

HollywoodBets ZA

While HollywoodBets hasn’t always been the most polished site, after a recent update, this sportsbook has received a massive glowup that has us abuzz! HollywoodBets' extensive sports markets are packaged in an easy-to-navigate and attractive sportsbook that offers excellent bonuses and strong customer service. 

Bonuses and Promotions

The Hollywoodbets welcome bonus is much smaller than many of its competitors, but on the flip side, it’s deposit-free! So you don’t have to put down any money to benefit! And the bonuses don’t end there, with HollywoodBets offering frequent prize draws, moneyback and insurance deals. 

Key Features

HollywoodBets was born and raised in South Africa and knows the importance of its home audience. It extensively covers local events and the larger international coverage we expect. This also means that all bonuses and conversions are based around ZAR, making managing your spending easier for South African punters.

Pros

• South African betting company

• New and improved website design!

• Exciting bonuses

• Mobile apps available

Cons

• A few website errors

Lulabet

Lulabet is a homegrown sportsbook that knows what the South African audience wants. It features popular betting markets, fantastic in-play betting and exciting promotions, all in an attractive package. You won’t find a lot to complain about at Lulabet.

Bonuses and Promotions

Lulabet’s welcome bonus offers R250 bonus funds when you make and wager your first deposit, and it doesn’t feature any wagering requirements! After that, you can find excellent bonuses to improve your day-to-day betting, including early cashouts, boosted odds, and multi-bet deals!

Key Features

We loved Lulabet’s intuitive bet builder, which makes the betting experience that much smoother. It’s especially useful for newer betters who need help keeping track of odds. We also love the tote betting option, which gives punters another way to approach larger-scale betting.

Pros

• South African betting site

• Helpful bet builder

• Great bonuses

• A variety of ways to bet

Cons 

• No dedicated mobile app

Supabets

Supabets is a familiar name in South Africa, offering a local betting experience since 2014! It supports more than two dozen betting markets and has some great bonuses to complement them. If you’re looking for a reliable, home-grown betting site, Supabets is right up your alley.

Bonuses and Promotions

Supabets has some of the best welcome bonuses available, allowing flexibility depending on your gambling preferences. The welcome bonuses extend past your first deposit into your second and third, offering even more goodies! Beyond that, you’ll also find weekly cashback, early cashouts, multi-bet bonuses, and more.

Key Features

The live betting features at Supabets are hard to beat, and it happily sits at the top of the pack among ZA sportsbooks. It covers all of your favourite sports, with especially good coverage for African events! 

Pros

• Attractive and reliable ZA sportsbook 

• Extensive local event coverage

• Excellent bonus lineup

• Fantastic in-play betting feature

Cons 

• Odds aren’t that competitive

Welcome Bonuses in South Africa Explained

When you sign up for a new sportsbook, you’ll probably receive a welcome bonus. This promotional offer is given exclusively to brand-new customers as a reward for signing up. The welcome bonus is usually the biggest and most generous bonus on a sportsbook as it’s also one of the website’s best tools for bringing in new customers. 

You’ll find welcome bonuses in all shapes and sizes, so you can find one that best suits the way you prefer to bet. Here’s a look at some of the most popular welcome bonuses you find offered at South African sportsbooks:

• Free Bets — the most common welcome bonus at online sportsbooks will offer you a fixed number of free bets, which you can claim after depositing and wagering a minimum amount of funds. These bets can then be used to make a wager without selling real money.

• Deposit Match Bonuses — this bonus will match your first deposit into a new account with a proportional amount of free betting tokens. These welcome bonuses are more flexible than alternatives, with fewer restrictions on how you can use your bonus.

• Cashback — a cashback bonus will return money lost on a bet as bonus funds. As a welcome bonus, it’s usually treated as a ‘second chance,’ returning the full amount of your first wager if it loses so you can try again.

Welcome bonuses are a standard feature of betting sites, and the right one can get you off to a great start! Receiving free bets out of the gate allows you to explore your new betting site without investing much money. And even if you already know you’ll be sticking around, it helps your initial deposit stretch further. The right welcome bonus can enhance your betting experience and ensure it stays good far into the future. 

How to Claim a Welcome Bonus in South Africa

Claiming a bonus at a South African betting site is super simple! For the most part, the betting site will guide you through the process. However, if you need a little helping hand, here is a basic step-by-step guide on how to claim a free bet offer at most top sportsbooks:

1. Choose your sportsbook and find the correct sign-up link — ensure you register using this link to activate the bonus. Some welcome offers will instead require a promo code, so note that if you have one.

2. Register your new account — you’ll need to submit sensitive details about yourself for this stage, including your name, date of birth and home address. 

3. Enter the promo code — if it wasn’t automatically applied to your account, make sure you activate your welcome bonus using a promo code (if it needs one! Confirm this in the T&Cs).

4. Make your first deposit — most bonuses require you to use a specific payment method for your qualifying deposit, and you’ll need to transfer enough to surpass the minimum requirement. 

5. Wager your first deposit and wait for it to settle — make a wager using the money you just deposited into your account. Ensure it’ll settle soon, as you can’t claim your free bets until it has. 

6. Claim your free bets — you can usually do this from the promotions tab in your sportsbook account. 

7. Use your free bets — make your free wager and wait for it to settle. Read the T&Cs for any requirements to use your bonus; otherwise, it could be confiscated.

8. If your bet wins, collect your winnings! — if your bonus bet wins, you can claim all the winnings over the stake! Withdraw it immediately, or put it forward to your next bet!

Types of Welcome Bonuses

We’ve touched on a few of the most popular welcome bonuses you can find, but let’s take a closer look at the various types you’ll encounter:

Deposit Bonuses

The deposit match bonus will add additional bonus funds proportionate to the value of your first deposit. For example, if you deposit R500 on a 50% match bonus, you’ll receive an additional R250 in bonus funds. This kind of bonus is much more common at online casinos than sportsbooks, but when you find them at sportsbooks, they are more flexible than their counterparts and can be used anywhere in whatever denominations you choose. However, as a trade-off, deposit match bonuses usually come with wagering requirements. As such, always check the T&Cs before you claim any bonus.

Free Bets

The most common type of bonus you’ll find at online sportsbooks is the free bet. These deals let you make bets (usually at fixed amounts) without having to wager any of your own money. If you win a wager with free bets, you get to keep all the winnings with the stake removed. This is a fantastic way to get to know a site before committing to it, and you might win some real cash while at it! While most free bets don’t have any wagering requirements attached, they can have strict time limits and may be restricted to certain events or have minimum odds. 

No-Deposit Bonuses

Welcome bonuses at sportsbooks usually require you to make a deposit before claiming them; some also want you to wager it before you can access your bonus funds. But no-deposit bonuses don’t bother with that, letting you claim the bonus without putting down any money! For a no-deposit welcome bonus, you must register a new account and find your bonus funds in the promos tab. Just be aware that the terms and conditions tend to be stricter in exchange for such generosity. 

Cashback Bonuses

While it can come under many different names, the cashback bonus is found in many sportsbooks. At their core, this bonus gives you a second chance if you lose a bet. A classic cashback welcome bonus will offer to refund your first wager up to a certain value if it loses. The returned money will be free betting tokens with a fixed value, but don’t require wagering. Cashback welcome bonuses can vary quite a bit, so shop for the best one if interested. 

Enhanced Odds Bonuses

Enhanced odds are common bonuses you’ll find across your time at sportsbooks, which tend to pop up constantly. As a welcome bonus, however, these bonuses tend to be centred around specific events and will increase your odds far more than the standard kind. If you want to get involved in sports betting just to bet on a specific match, this will be one of your best options! This type of welcome bonus is also much more flexible and won’t come with so many restrictions outside of the type of bet you can place. 

How to Choose the Best Welcome Bonus 

Choosing the best welcome bonus for you shouldn’t come down solely to what kind of bonus you want (although it is certainly important). We always recommend digging deeper into the nitty gritty with these bonuses before you commit to a choice. All bonuses come with terms and conditions that affect their true value, and understanding these will help you make a more informed decision. Here are the points we recommend looking at above others:

• Wagering Requirements — WR is the number of times you need to use a bonus’s value before you can withdraw any winnings you make with it. As such, it’s far better for you to find bonuses with the lowest wagering possible! So always look at the T&Cs and make sure that, if you don’t understand anything else, you know exactly what the WR are. 

• Minimum Deposit Amounts — While a bonus can look like a good deal, sometimes they want high initial buy-ins, requiring a hefty up-front deposit to claim them. While welcome bonuses with high deposit requirements can offer very generous bonuses, if you’re betting on a budget, aim for bonuses with low minimum deposits. Even better, shop around for no-deposit bonuses instead!

• Bonus Validity Period — A bonus doesn’t hang around forever, so ensure you find a bonus that allows you enough time to use it completely. This is especially true for bonuses with wagering requirements, as you’ll need the time to wager it.

• Betting Restrictions — Most welcome bonuses can’t be used freely, with limited sports and events they can use. Free bets, in particular, are likely to have event and odds restrictions attached to them. If you have a specific event you want to bet on with your shiny welcome bonus, ensure that the bonus you’re claiming can be used for that purpose.

• Reputation and Security of Site — Taking a step back from the T&Cs, always ensure you use a reputable site. A local gambling regulator must license betting sites in South Africa to operate legally. A gambling licence guarantees that the sportsbook operates free from criminal activity and will respect player rights (namely honouring payout requests). 

Special Bonuses for South African Sports

Many sportsbook bonuses are tailored towards different events and sports markets. This could be special promos for important events or deals that are only compatible with certain sports. Here’s a look at some of the best special bonuses available for South African betting.

• Rugby and Soccer Promotions — It’s unsurprising that the most popular sports in South Africa — soccer and rugby — have plenty of bonuses tailored specifically to them. When you sign up, you can deals that offer more free bets, which can only be used on specific sports. So, if you’re interested in betting on these sports, find a deal specifically for it instead of something more general. You’ll especially find these pushed around notable competitions like the Rugby World Cup and AFCON.

• Enhanced Odds on Local Matches — most South African betting sites know how important it is to cater to their home userbase, and will frequently offer enhanced odds on matches that matter more to the local sports scene, like the Premier Soccer League or the Currie Cup. Make sure to check back regularly too, as enhanced odds change a lot!

• Free Bets for Big Tournaments — during major tournaments like the ICC and Cricket World Cup, sportsbooks know that customers are likely to sign up purely to bet on them. So you’ll find plenty of dedicated bonuses (often much more generous than the standard ones) pop up around these times. 

Top Tips for Maximising Welcome Bonuses

Just claiming a bonus isn’t always enough; you must know how to use it effectively. Here are our best tips for both before and after you claim your welcome bonus:

Understand Bonus Terms Before Signing Up

While it’s boring, it’s always worth making sure you thoroughly understand the bonus terms and conditions for a bonus. You don’t need to read every word, but we recommend making sure you know the important parts. These are the wagering requirements, expiry limit, payment method restrictions, event and odds restrictions, and bonus value (how much you receive in exchange for your initial bonus. Never just assume the stated value on the advertisement is the realistic amount you’ll receive). If you understand at least those points, you shouldn’t have any problems using your funds. 

Set a Budget for Bonuses

When fulfilling bonus requirements, you must know when to cut your losses. In the long run, free funds could cost you while trying to meet wagering requirements. To avoid this, either aim for low-wagering (or no-wagering) free bets, or knowing when to give up on a bonus as lost. Set a budget and stick to it. 

Focus on Low-Risk Bets

If you’re trying to meet wagering requirements, your best bet isn’t to win a lot at once. It’s to make lots of small, low-risk bets to ensure as many returns as possible. You just need to reach the requirement, so consistently breaking even is enough! As such, focus on low-risk bets (within the odds restrictions) and take it as slowly as possible. 

Monitor Expiry Dates

In conjunction with the previous point, you must monitor your time before your bonus expires. Taking it slow is great until you run out of time and dash all of your progress. So, ensure that you both keep track of how much time you have left and have enough free time to work towards the wagering. 

Claim Bonuses Strategically

It can feel great to claim a bet and get the immediate rush of a free bet, but claiming deals willy-nilly isn’t a good idea in the long run. First, ensure you’re claiming a bet at a time that the above points are possible — when you have a lot of downtime, when there are lots of subsequent events to bet on in a short period of time, when you have a little extra cash to spend on the wagering requirements etc. But also, don’t overload yourself with bonuses, whether it’s multiple welcomes at multiple sites, or many on the same account (if that’s even allowed); you’ll quickly swamp yourself and likely end up losing everything.

Responsible Gambling

With all of this said, we must remember that all forms of gambling must be done responsibly. The first step to healthy gambling habits is to be self-aware and keep strict budgets so you don’t overspend — nothing will ruin a betting session quicker than realising you’ve lost more than you can afford. Then, be sure to monitor your general betting habits, check when you’re most likely to go overboard or do it more than you’re used to, and take appropriate action. 

All good betting sites will have responsible gambling tools available to control your betting habits and find help when needed. Some of the best tools at your disposal are the following:

• Time outs — stops you from using the betting site for a short period of time, from a few hours to a few weeks

• Self-exclusion — locks your betting account in the long term, usually 6 months minimum. 

• Deposit and loss limits — this puts a hard limit on how much money you can deposit into your account or lose over a set time.

• Helplines — these phone numbers are always available if you need advice or think you might be developing a nasty habit

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Are welcome bonuses free money?

Welcome bonuses are only free currency under a loose definition. Bonuses grant you free chances to win real money on betting sites. So, while you can’t withdraw any bonuses before you wager them, anything you win from them can be kept entirely for free.

Can I withdraw my welcome bonus immediately?

No, welcome bonuses must be wagered before they can be withdrawn from your withdrawable balance. You will only keep any winnings made above the initial stake. 

Do South African betting sites accept ZAR?

Yes, you can use ZAR at all licenced South African betting sites. Find some examples at the top of this article. 

How do I claim a welcome bonus on a betting site?

You can find step-by-step instructions in the terms and conditions of a bonus. Usually, you must create a new account using the correct link/promo code, then make and wager your first deposit. Once the wager has settled, you can claim your free bets. 

Do I need a bonus code to claim a welcome bonus?

Most bonuses just require registration using a specific link; however, some will still require a promo code. If your link doesn’t automatically apply the promo code, you can usually find it in the T&Cs of your welcome bonus.