Best Nigerian Sports Betting Sites 2023

Is it Safe to Bet Online in Nigeria?

More often, bettors, especially those who are new to online sports betting in Nigeria, want to know whether it’s safe for them to engage in online betting. Are all sports betting sites legal and safe to gamble with in Nigeria? Betting online in Nigeria is safe as long as you are doing so at a site that’s licensed either by the Lagos State Lottery Board or by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission. If you find any online betting site with a license from any of these two bodies, then it means that they are safe and legit. Once you’ve confirmed that the bookmaker of your choice is registered on these platforms, you can go ahead and enjoy the world of sports betting.

Top 10 Betting Sites in Nigeria Right Now – Why choose these sites for betting?

If you were to count the number of online sports betting sites currently available in Nigeria, you’ll notice that there are plenty of them in business. Some betting sites are good at what they do while others are just in business to make profits. Our experts found the following 10 to be the best betting sites in Nigeria right now:

1.

1xbet

1xbet

1xbet Nigeria is a betting platform known across Nigeria for their massive range of betting markets. With more than 2 dozen banking methods, it doesn’t come as a surprise as to why this bookmaker is today home to many Nigerian players.

200% Bonus up to ₦100,000

Visit Claim

A customer is entitled to only one bonus. The minimum required deposit to activate the bonus is 1 ₦. Switch to your bonus account and wager the bonus amount 5 times in accumulator bets. Each accumulator bet must include 3 or more events. At least 3 of events included in such bets must have odds of 1.40 or higher. The bonus is deemed to have been wagered only after all the bets for the specified amount have been settled.

2.

Betway

Betway

Betway is undoubtedly among the top online betting brands across the globe, with their betting site Nigeria being one of the top options for online sports betting fans across the country as well. GT Bank and Paystack are among top local payment options that Nigerian players can use here.

Visit Place a bet

3.

Melbet

Melbet

Having been in operation for around a decade, Melbet is one of the most experienced bookmakers across the online betting scene. Their Nigerian arm is one of the biggest brands in the country. This betting site offers a collection of more than 40 sports with players being able to wager from their decent mobile betting app.

Visit Place a bet

4.

22bet

22bet

With more than 30 different sporting events to wager on, Nigerian bettors are sure to find a good wager by choosing to be part of 22bet. Even though they are still fresh across the betting industry in Nigeria, nevertheless, they appear to tick all the right boxes in everything to do with sports betting. They are one of the best sports betting sites currently in Nigeria.

100% Bonus up to ₦50,000

Visit Claim

Only one 100% first deposit bonus per customer The minimum deposit required to get the bonus is 1 ₦. The maximum sports betting bonus is 50 000 ₦. The bonus will be credited to the customer's account automatically after the first deposit is made, unless the box "I do not want any bonuses" is ticked. Before making a deposit, the customer must select the bonus account where the bonus will be credited.

4.

Bet9ja

Bet9ja

Founded all the way back in 2013, Bet9ja is right up there with some of the most popular online betting websites doing business in Nigeria. As one of the oldest bookmakers in Nigeria, bettors are assured of their safety at Bet9ja.

Visit Place a bet

5.

Betking

Betking

Betking is a wonderful place to begin wagering as it ranks among the top 10 online betting sites in Nigeria. They offer decent betting odds, an impressive range of betting markets, and one of the largestselection of live betting events. In short, they are good for sports betting.

Visit Place a bet

6.

Sportybet

Sportybet

Opening for business in 2013, Sportybet quickly moved to establish itself as a top online bookmaker in Nigeria. The site is smooth and straightforward to use, and pleasantly appealing to Nigerian bettors in great measure.

Visit Place a bet

7.

Merrybet

Merrybet

Merrybet is among one of the biggest and the most popular online playing site in Nigeria. Even though the main offering here is football, you can be sure to find a wide range of other sports and leagues to punt on here.

Visit Place a bet

8.

Bet365

Bet365

No list of top 10 Nigerian betting sites would be complete without the inclusion of Bet365, which happens to be one of the largestonline betting companies in the world. Though based in the UK, many sports fans in Nigeria will immediately recognize this brand for its close association with Stoke City.

Visit Place a bet

9.

Nairabet

Nairabet

Nairabet is a highly reputable and licensed online betting site in Nigeria. Having gone live back in 2021, this bookmaker comes in as highly experienced and a decent place to wager on sporting events. It features among the best sports betting sites in Nigeria.

Visit Place a bet

Top Nigerian Betting Sites: A Comparative Look

Signing Up to Nigerian Betting Sites: How Fast is the Sign up Process?

Signing up to Nigerian bookmakers is a quick process that you can complete in just under 2 minutes! It gets even better since the sign process at all Nigerian betting sites follows almost the same procedure. So, how do you go about registering your Nigerian sports betting account? Here’s how to go about it:

Popular Payment Methods for Nigerian Customers

Nigerian bettors will be pleased to learn of several safe and secure payment methods that they can use to fund their accounts. A good number of top online sports betting sites in Nigeria support local payment methods such as GT Bank and Paystack, as well as payments via debit/credit cards, Diamond Bank, accepted e-wallets, and EFT (Bank Transfer).

Exclusive Bonus Offers from Nigeria's Top Betting Sites

As briefly mentioned earlier, many Nigerian bookmakers mostly rely on welcome bonus offers to attract new clientele. However, top betting sites in Nigeria go beyond the welcome bonus offers to offer exclusive bonus offers. Some of them include cashback bonuses, reload bonus offers, refer-a-friend bonus, enhanced odds and free bets.

Sports to Wagering in Nigeria – Which are the most popular sports to bet on in NG?

Nigerians love sports and bettors in the country are at an advantaged position since they can easily access plenty of good betting sites that accept Nigerian players. Even though most of them seem almost the same, examined closely, you’ll notice that each operator has its own unique aspects. Betting on sports in Nigeria is highly popular, and for that reason, bookmakers try to include as many options as possible. However, some sports are much more popular than others are. The following some of the most popular sports to bet on in Nigeria:

Football

The first option in our list of popular sports Nigerian bettors prefer to wager on won’t surprise many. Nigeria is a country known for their football prowess in Africa, which is why the sport is common for online sports bettors in the country. Some of the best Nigerian betting sites offer a decent coverage of both local and international football such as the Premier League and plenty of others inthe African continent as well.

Tennis

Wagering on tennis is another lucrative form of betting that plenty of Nigerian bettors are waking to the reality of trying it out. Tennis offers gambling enthusiasts in Nigeria a chance of placing their wagers on multiple betting markets and therefore stand a chance of winning some real money.

Basketball

Basketball, especially the NBA comes in as one of those trendy sports in many countries, Nigeria included. Lately, wagering on basketball seems to be on the rise in Nigeria with many Nigerian sports betting sites accepting basketball bets almost daily. Betting on basketball allows players in Nigeria to try out lucrative live betting options that are common in basketball.

American sports

American sports are largely popular and get a decent coverage at almost every other bookmaking site, those that accept Nigerian bettors being some of them. Apart from betting on local sports, Nigerian bettors also place bets on offshore events, American sports being one of them. You’ll find a sizeable number of Nigerian bettors placing bets on American sports such as American football, baseball, ice hockey, basketball, and football.

Horse Racing

Wagering on horses seems to be on the rise globally and picking up pace in Nigeria. Even though football is king in Nigeria in terms of betting, lately, there seems to be a growing number of betting websites and online betting fans who find interest in horse race betting.

eSports

In Nigeria, wagering on eSports seems to be growing fast, if not faster than the sport itself. With all the top Nigerian betting sites now going ahead to offer their customers a wide range of eSports markets, the future of eSports betting in Nigeria looks bright. Common eSports that you can find at top Nigerian betting sites include League of Legends, Dota 2, Overwatch and CS: GO.

Fantasy Sports Betting

Real-money fantasy sports sites are lately growing in popularity in Nigeria, especially in the last couple of years. The most popular sports in the globe are widely present in DFS sites in Nigeria too. Even though the biggest section is dedicated to football –no surprise there-, other sports that you can come across here include basketball, hockey, rugby and baseball.

Different Types of Sports Bets

One of the most interesting things about sports betting in Nigeria is that there are plenty of ways to wager on a given sporting event. Here, you just don’t have to wager on a team that will win the match. You can place bets on the margin of victory, the total number of goals to be scored as well as plenty of other bet types. While there are plenty of bet types to choose from, some of the top betting sites in Nigeria offer different types of bets such as the Moneyline, Point Spread, Totals (Over/Under), Parlays, Teasers, Props, and Futures among others.

Top in-play betting sites

Live betting has transformed the online sports betting industry significantly. Now, it’s possible to place bets after an event has started. Unlike before where the fun stopped when the games had commenced, such isn’t the case today. Now, almost every other sports betting site allows their customers to place live bets. In Nigeria, live betting is common among top online betting sites in the country such as Bet365, 1xbet, Betway, Bet9ja and Nairabet.

Betting Apps &Mobile Betting Sites – Which one is the best for you?

Gambling while on the move plays an important role for many online sportsbooks in Nigeria. Unlike a few decades back, today, many bettors have the privilege of owning smartphones, something that makes betting while on the move easy. In a bid aimed at ensuring that they don’t lose their customers, online sports betting sites now have their native mobile apps, along with a decent mobile website for players on the go.

But which one is ideal for gambling? Would you rather wager from the mobile site or via the app? While both of them have their share of merits and demerits, betting through mobile sites tend to have more fans. But why, you may ask. First, players can access their favorite site from any mobile browser. Additionally, the mobile site doesn’t care about the mobile version of your OS. Also, mobile sites usually offer exactly the same sports betting markets as the desktop site, and using a mobile site is highly convenient, especially for new players.

Choosing an Online Sports Betting Site

Finding ideal Nigerian betting sites can be a difficult task if you don’t know where to look or what to consider. But if you are here, you have no reason to worry. Below are some of the factors that you need to consider when choosing an ideal Nigerian bookie.

Legal, Licensed & Safe

There’s nothing riskier than gambling at an unlicensed bookmaker. If something goes wrong (such as failing to release your huge wins), you’ll have no one to blame. Always ensure that you wager at licensed sportsbooks only.

Sign Up Offers

The betting sites that you choose to sign up with should offer decent sign up offers to get your online sports betting up to a flying start. Again, these sign up offers shouldn’t come with difficult terms and conditions that would make it hard for you to enjoy them.

Nigerian Payment Methods

As a bettor, you need to be able to choose from a plethora of payment methods and use the one that you find safe and convenient. When looking for a betting site to register with in Nigeria, make sure that among other things, they offer an impressive range of Nigerian payment options for your convenience.

Design & Usability

How easy is it for you to navigate the site of your bookmaker? If you find that navigation is hard and finding what you want isn’t a breeze, you may want to head somewhere else. Top betting companies Nigeria are those whose websites are easy and quick to use.

Sports & Betting Markets

A limited number of available betting markets mean that your winnings will also be limited in some way. Go for betting companies or any other betting platforms that offer plenty of sports (both major and fringe sports) and betting markets, both local and international.

Highest Sports Betting Odds in Nigeria

Odds determine the amount of your winnings should your bet go ahead and win. When choosing an online sports betting site in Nigeria, as much as possible, go for those that offer decent odds since with such decent odds, you stand a chance of increasing your bankroll with winning bets.

Great Customer Service

Should you run into any problems with your account or anything else, you’d require some form of assistance. Again, you may want to go with sites that offer great customer service. Their support reps must be prompt, kind, friendly and professional in their engagements with customers.