How to choose a betting site in Nigeria

Do you have an interest in betting?

Do you want to know the best betting sites?

Or do you want education on betting, betting markets, betting strategies and betting terminologies?

There are several ways you can gain this information. One of them is to spend hours on end, sifting through the many betting sites that operate in Nigeria. Another way is to visit several websites that review these betting sites and several more that provide betting education.

Whichever way you choose, you will find out that research is important.

Here are the things to know before carrying out that research.

Licences

It can be overwhelming to start researching the best betting websites there are.

Like that’s not stressful enough, there is almost a new betting website every year trying to convince punters that they are the best thing after fried rice and chicken.

When checking out a new betting website, the first thing every bettor – whether rookie or experienced – must find out is if that bookmaker has a license.

It doesn’t stop there.

Just like you can have a driver’s licence in Nigeria which is invalid in the UK, a betting platform can have a licence that is not valid in Nigeria.

It is important to visit review websites like topbets.com.ng because they have clear and accurate information on the licences of the betting platforms that operate in Nigeria.

Reputation

It is easy to lose money online.

Many bettors have fallen prey to scammers posing as betting agents or bookmakers.

Many have even patronised popular sportsbooks and ended up losing their money because of one weird rule or the other. Below are the most common complaints made by bettors about shady bookmakers:

1. Difficulty in withdrawing winnings
2. Fake odds which leads to inaccurate winnings
3. Debits from cards despite disabling cards
4. High minimum stakes

You can consult review websites such as topbets.com.ng to see if your preferred bookmaker has been flagged for any of the four issues listed above.

Also visit betting forums, chat rooms, and the comment sections of betting pages to see what complaints bettors make, and avoid sportsbooks that have been flagged for any of these issues.

What sports they cover

The biggest betting market in Nigeria is football, for obvious reasons. However, you may have an interest in a wide variety of sports.

Some other popular betting sports in Nigeria are basketball, tennis, ice hockey, hockey, athletics, American football and futsal. You can find these sports alongside football, Nigeria’s spiritual sport, in any sportsbook.

You may also be a casino person who wants to bet on games like poker, blackjack, baccarat or slots. Maybe video games or esports titles interest you, like League of Legends, or DOTA.

This information should influence your choice of a betting site.

After choosing the sports, eSports or casino games you want to bet on, evaluate the following before choosing a site:

1. Depth of coverage for individual leagues
2. Variety of markets
3. In-play (live betting) availability.

Odds

Knowledge of betting odds is the most important thing in a bettor’s arsenal. Odds are the key metric which determines your winnings.

Say you make a ₦2,000 stake on a selection with 2 odds. If your selection comes correct, it means you will be getting ₦4,000 as winnings.

Various bookmakers assign different odds to different markets. One sport can also have several markets offered by the bookmaker.

Before settling upon a website for your betting needs, make sure to do research using review sites to determine which site’s odds are favourable.

You would hate to find out that you lost an extra ₦2,000 in winnings if you settled for the site that offered 2 odds when there was another that offered 3 odds.

Bonuses and promotions

Because of the influx of sportsbooks into the betting niche online, many sites offer bonuses and promotions to new and existing users.

These can range from initial deposit bonuses to even birthday bonuses. With these bonuses, bettors can make stakes, win and withdraw their winnings.

These offers vary from one sportsbook to another. Always make sure to understand the terms of each sportsbook bonus or promotion offers before choosing. There is a lot of fine print that bettors tend to skip in choosing bonuses.

If your preferred site has bonuses you like, then you have most likely found your betting partner. Always visit chat rooms, betting expert forums, and review websites to compare all bonuses, promotions and offers that bookmakers provide.

Doing this helps you make the better bookmaker choice.

User experience and interface

Some betting websites are clunky, dull, too cramped or almost empty.

Some have so many colours, you feel like you’re staring directly at a rainbow.

Some make it difficult to find basic betting functions such as game selection, deposit and withdrawals.

Never select a sportsbook without navigating through the website.

If the user interface and experience is bad, the likelihood of the platform being fraudulent or troublesome to deal with is higher.

Always compare this using review websites, forums and chat rooms so that you can enjoy betting.

This is especially important if you use mobile gadgets for your betting.

Where the site cannot be easily navigated using your mobile device, I advise that you steer clear of it.

Always test the navigation on mobile and on a laptop screen.

Customer service

As long as you pay for something – a product or a service – you want someone from the organisation you trade with to be available to take your calls and answer your questions.

The same holds true for betting companies.

Where you cannot reach a bookmaker’s customer care representatives or customer help desk and get swift responses, please steer clear of that bookmaker for your next bet.

You can find out if a bookmaker’s customer service is active and swift by:

1. Asking questions before signing up
2. Checking out reviews from sites like topbets.com.ng.

Also consider the options available to reach out to their help desks. Do they operate on several channels? Which ones are swifter?

These are the key things you must find out while choosing a betting site.