Top Trends in African Sports Betting

African Sports Betting Trends In The Spotlight

It’s no secret that online sports betting is a rapidly growing industry in Africa, and in Ghana, Tanzania, Kenya and other regions it has gone far beyond just a hobby, and has become a money making opportunity for many. Local residents flock to online sportsbooks to place their bets on upcoming soccer matches, rugby games and just about any other event that is taking place.  

Of course, with any burgeoning industry there are always trends that emerge and that become prevalent, and with the year drawing to close many of these trends have been identified.

By identifying trends bookmakers can also readily see what areas they need to address, and where they can improve their offering, so this type of market research benefits both the bettors and the betting brands.

In Play Betting On The Rise

In play or live betting has grown exponentially in the last year, and this is largely due to increased Internet access for bettors across Africa. As live betting takes place as the game unfolds, a stable, reliable Internet connection is essential.

With increasing Internet penetration across Africa it is not to surprising that this trend is seeing an upswing, and bookmakers like Betway are fast capitalizing on this and offering an ever-increasingly range of In Play markets.

Mobile Betting Increase

With smartphone penetration across Africa also on the rise the fact that mobile betting is increasing also comes as no surprise. In 2019 a growing number of bettors in Africa used their smartphones to pace bets, with mobile access once again beating desktop as the primary way to wager online.

While betting apps are proving to be a popular option many bettors simply prefer the ease of access offered by mobile optimized betting sites, as there is no download required. Moving forward, sportsbooks that can offer a Lite version of their app may well corner the African betting market, as a Lite version would be tailored to the type of Internet access available to smartphone users in more rural areas.

Betting On Other Sports

In Africa, soccer is the most popular sport to bet on, and Tunis, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria and other Arab countries are just a few of the countries that host high level championships that attract a lot of attention. Overseas leagues also pull in huge number of bets, with the EPL and UEFA being favorites. And

But 2019 has shown an increase in interest in other sports, with the Rugby World Cup making a major impact. The fact that South Africa won the Cup may well have spurred on betting across Africa, and it will be interesting to see whether the interest in rugby remains.

While soccer may still be tops and always will be, bettors have show interest in other sports such as cricket, golf and tennis, and as more and more bookmakers offer great odds on these events, interest in them is sure to rise.

Payment Method Improvements

According to 2019 statistics, the most popular payment methods at online sports betting sites remain those connected to mobile services. Vodacom’s M-Pesa service is hugely popular, as is MTN Mobile Money and other similar eWallet services.

As far as trends go, these mobile first payment services look set to stay at the top for now, as they are well known, trusted and reputable. As the industry grows more services are sure to emerge, and improvements and updates to existing offerings are always in the works.

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