- Home
- Betting guides
- Wagering requirements
Wagering requirements explained
A wagering requirement tells you how much you must bet before bonus money becomes cash you can withdraw. Here is how to work it out in rands, using real South African offers.
- Written for South African punters
- Independent reviews
- 18+ only
- Always check what the multiple applies to: the bonus only, your deposit plus the bonus, or only the winnings from free bets or spins.
- Minimum odds, time limits, winnings caps and singles-only rules can matter as much as the headline number.
- A quick estimate: your total required turnover multiplied by the bookmaker’s margin is roughly what clearing the bonus costs you on average.
- You do not have to claim a bonus. If you want the freedom to withdraw at any time, skipping it is often the better choice.
What a wagering requirement means
When a bookmaker gives you bonus money, it does not hand over cash you can withdraw straight away. Instead, it asks you to place a certain value of bets first. That value is the wagering requirement, also called a rollover or playthrough. It is written as a multiple, such as 6x or 8x, and the terms say what that multiple applies to.
Wagering is about turnover, not profit. If you must wager R3,000, you place R3,000 of qualifying bets, and a R100 bet that loses still counts as R100 wagered. Once you reach the target inside the time limit, the bonus balance, or what is left of it, becomes withdrawable cash, subject to any cap on winnings.
The three common bases, with worked examples
The key detail in any wagering line is what the multiple applies to. In South Africa you will mostly see three versions.
1. Bonus only
Only the bonus amount is multiplied. Betfred is a good example: its sports bonus funds carry 4x wagering on the bonus, singles only, with 7 days to complete it. Betfred states any odds are allowed, but bets below 1.50 are treated as manipulation, so in practice stay at 1.50 or above.
Betfred, 100% match on a R500 first deposit
Deposit: R500. Bonus at 100%: R500.
Wagering: 4 x R500 bonus = R2,000 in single bets.
Time: 7 days, so roughly R286 of singles a day if you spread it evenly.
Cap: up to R10,000 withdrawable per bonus wallet.
Variations exist. BetOlimp asks for 7x the bonus plus 1x the deposit, and Bettabets asks for 8x the bonus plus 1x the deposit. On a R500 deposit with a R500 bonus, that is (7 x R500) + R500 = R4,000 at BetOlimp and (8 x R500) + R500 = R4,500 at Bettabets.
2. Deposit plus bonus
This base catches people out: your own deposit is added to the bonus before the multiple is applied, doubling the target compared with a bonus-only offer.
10Bet offers 100% up to R5,000 with 8x wagering on the deposit plus the bonus for sports, at minimum odds of 2.00, within 30 days.
10Bet, 100% match on a R500 first deposit
Deposit: R500. Bonus: R500. Combined: R1,000.
Wagering: 8 x R1,000 = R8,000 on sports at odds of 2.00 or higher.
Time: 30 days, about R267 of bets a day. At 8x the bonus only, it would be R4,000.
YesPlay is another deposit plus bonus offer, and a tougher one: 7x the deposit plus the bonus, minimum odds of 3.10 on sports, 7 days, and a R30,000 cap on winnings.
YesPlay, 100% match on a R500 first deposit
Deposit plus bonus: R500 + R500 = R1,000.
Wagering: 7 x R1,000 = R7,000 at odds of 3.10 or higher.
Time: 7 days, so R1,000 of bets a day.
Odds of 3.10 imply about a one in three chance per bet (1 / 3.10 = 0.32), so expect long losing runs.
When the base is not spelled out
Sometimes the headline terms give a multiple without saying what it applies to. Playabets lists 6x for sports at minimum odds of 1.80, with 7 days to use the bonus and a R15,000 cap. Find the line in the full terms that names the base before you deposit.
Playabets, 100% match on a R500 first deposit
If 6x applies to the bonus only: 6 x R500 = R3,000.
If 6x applies to deposit plus bonus: 6 x R1,000 = R6,000.
Either way you have 7 days and every qualifying bet must be at 1.80 or more.
3. Winnings from free bets or free spins
With free bets and free spins, there is often no wagering on the stake itself. Instead, any winnings are credited as bonus money with their own requirement. Free bet stakes are also commonly not returned: Betway and GBets both state that the free bet stake is not paid back with a winning bet.
LulaBet gives a R250 free bet when you bet R250, with 1x wagering on the free bet winnings, minimum odds of 2.00 and 7 days to use it.
LulaBet R250 free bet, placed at odds of 2.50 and won
Total return: R250 x 2.50 = R625.
Less the free bet stake, if it is not returned: R625 minus R250 = R375 in winnings.
Wagering: 1 x R375 = R375 more in bets at 2.00 or higher before the winnings can be withdrawn.
Spin winnings tend to carry higher multiples. Lucky Fish asks for 10x on winnings from its sign-up bonus spins, within 48 hours, and caps what you can take from those spins at R240.
Lucky Fish bonus spins that pay R60
Wagering: 10 x R60 = R600 in bets within 48 hours.
Cap: even if the balance grows past R240 while you play through, R240 is the most you can take from the spins.
The other rules that change how hard an offer is
Minimum odds, per selection or in total
Bets below the minimum odds usually do not count. The higher the minimum, the more often you lose. Watch whether the minimum applies to the whole bet or to every leg of a multi.
- ReadySetBet sets 2.00 total odds, so a two-leg multi at 1.45 and 1.45 (combined 2.10) counts.
- Virgin Bet asks for 2.00, with multis needing 1.40 per leg.
- FirstBet asks for 1.9 overall, with legs of at least 1.5.
- WanejoBets is the strictest of these: 2.0 per leg on bets of 3 or more legs, so the smallest qualifying multi is roughly 8.00 (2 x 2 x 2).
Time limits
A short deadline forces bigger or more frequent bets. Deadlines run from 48 hours at WanejoBets and 72 hours at Scorebet, through 7 days at YesPlay and Playabets, to 60 days at Sportingbet and 3 months at Sunbet. Divide the turnover by the days available; if that daily amount is more than you normally bet, the offer is not for you.
Maximum bet while wagering
Some bookmakers limit how much bonus money you can put on one bet. BetOlimp caps bonus bets at R500 per selection, so you cannot clear the target with a few big bets.
Winnings caps
A cap limits what you can withdraw from bonus play: R2,000 at WanejoBets, R10,000 at BetOlimp and Bettabets, R15,000 at Playabets, R30,000 at YesPlay. Some caps scale with the bonus. Apex Bets caps at 3x the bonus, Play.co.za at 5x the bonus, and FirstBet at the lower of 5x the bonus and R30,000.
Game and market contributions
Many welcome offers can be used on sports or casino games, with very different multiples. 10Bet asks for 8x on sports but 40x on games. Sportingbet asks for 5x on sports or 20x on casino games. Playabets asks for 6x on sports and 35x on casino. Other offers limit which markets count: Bravobet free bets are only for multis of 4 or more legs at 1.40 per leg.
Singles versus multiples
Betfred’s 4x only counts singles, which are easier to win than accumulators. Where multis are allowed they reach high minimum odds faster, but each extra leg adds more bookmaker margin and another chance to lose.
Excluded payment methods
Bonus terms can also say which deposit methods qualify for the offer. Read that part of the terms before you deposit, and see our payment methods guide for how each method works.
How some real offers compare
Here are some contrasting sports offers side by side. “Deposit + bonus” means your deposit is added before the multiple is applied.
| Bookmaker | Match | Wagering | Minimum odds | Time | Winnings cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10Bet | 100% up to R5,000 | 8x deposit + bonus | 2.00 | 30 days | Not stated |
| Playabets | 100% up to R3,000 | 6x (sports) | 1.80 | 7 days | R15,000 |
| Betfred | Up to R7,000 per deposit, 3 deposits | 4x bonus, singles only | Any (below 1.50 treated as manipulation) | 7 days | R10,000 per bonus wallet |
| YesPlay | 100% up to R3,000 | 7x deposit + bonus | 3.10 | 7 days | R30,000 |
| Apex Bets | First deposit 100% up to R5,000 | 20x bonus (sports) | 3.0 | 7 days | 3x the bonus |
| Sportingbet | Up to R15,000 | 5x (sports) | 1.90 | 60 days | Not stated for the match |
| Sunbet | 100% up to R1,000 | 3x deposit + bonus | 1.5 | 3 months | Not stated |
| WanejoBets | 100% up to R1,000 | 5x bonus | 2.0 per leg, 3+ legs | 48 hours | R2,000 |
Want to line up more offers by the same measures? Use the comparison tool below, or browse every current deal on our bonuses page.
| Bookmaker | 8.7 | 8.6 | 8.6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sign-up offer | |||
| Sign-up offer | None | None | 200 free spins |
| Deposit match | |||
| Deposit match | 100% up to R5,000 | 100% up to R3,000 | 100% up to R20,000 |
| Minimum deposit | |||
| Minimum deposit | R50 | R50 | R50 |
| Wagering | |||
| Wagering | 8x deposit + bonus (sports), 40x (games) | 6x (sports), 35x (casino) | Not stated |
| Minimum odds | |||
| Minimum odds | 2.00 | 1.80 | Not stated |
| Time to use it | |||
| Time to use it | 30 days | 7 days | 7 days |
| Most you can win | |||
| Most you can win | Not stated | R15,000 | R10,000 to R50,000 |
| Visit 10Bet | Visit Playabets | Visit Playbet | |
Offer terms from each bookmaker’s own promotions page and terms. 18+ only. T&Cs apply.
How to estimate the real value of an offer
Every bet you place to clear a bonus carries the bookmaker’s built-in margin, so the more you must wager, the more of the bonus you give back on average. A rough estimate takes three steps.
- Work out total turnover. Multiply the wagering by the right base, as in the examples above.
- Estimate the margin on the bets you will place. Take a market’s odds, divide 1 by each price and add the results. Anything above 1 is the margin. On a two-way market priced 1.90 and 1.90, that is 0.526 + 0.526 = 1.052, so about 5%.
- Multiply turnover by the margin to get the average cost of clearing the bonus. Compare that with the bonus amount, then check the cap and time limit.
Same R500 deposit, two offers, assuming about a 5% margin
Sunbet: R500 + R500 = R1,000 x 3 = R3,000 turnover. Average cost: R3,000 x 5% = R150 against a R500 bonus, with 3 months to do it.
Apex Bets: 20 x R500 bonus = R10,000 turnover. Average cost: R10,000 x 5% = R500, the whole bonus, in 7 days at odds of 3.0 or more, with winnings capped at 3x the bonus (R1,500).
This is an average over many bets, not a forecast. Any single attempt can end with nothing left, especially at high minimum odds, and margins differ by market. Still, it shows why a low multiple on a long deadline is usually worth more than a big headline with heavy terms.
No bonus guarantees a profit. Treat bonus money as extra play on bets you would have made anyway, and never deposit more than you planned just to unlock a bigger match.
When to skip a bonus
You do not have to take a welcome offer. Look for an opt-in or opt-out choice when you sign up or deposit, and if you cannot find one, ask support before you place a bet. Turning a bonus down is often sensible when:
- You want flexibility to withdraw. With a deposit plus bonus base, your own deposit is tied into the wagering. Check the terms, because withdrawing before you finish can cost you the bonus and any winnings from it.
- The daily turnover is more than you normally bet. R1,000 a day for 7 days is a lot for a casual punter.
- The minimum odds do not suit you. If you mostly back favourites at 1.50, a 3.10 minimum pushes you into bets you would not choose.
- The cap is low. The turnover stays the same while the upside shrinks.
- You mainly want ongoing value. Some bookmakers offer something different, such as Mzansibet‘s R50 Extra Bet with no wagering on the winnings (capped at R50), or 15% weekly cashback at Playbet.
New to betting? Our guide to how sports betting works covers odds and bet types, and our rating method explains how bonus terms affect our scores.
Bet responsibly
Betting is for adults 18 and over. Wagering targets and deadlines can push you to bet more, faster, than you would otherwise. Set a deposit limit before you claim anything, never chase losses to finish a requirement, and never borrow money to bet. If betting stops being fun, the National Responsible Gambling Programme runs a toll-free helpline on 0800 006 008, and its counselling is free.
Frequently asked questions
Do losing bets count towards wagering?
Yes, as long as they meet the rules. A R200 bet at or above the minimum odds counts as R200 whether it wins or loses.
Is 8x deposit plus bonus the same as 8x bonus?
No. On a R500 deposit with a R500 bonus, 8x deposit plus bonus is 8 x R1,000 = R8,000, while 8x bonus is 8 x R500 = R4,000. Always find the base in the terms.
What happens if I do not finish wagering in time?
The bonus and anything won from it usually expire. Check your terms for exactly what is removed, and only take a bonus whose deadline fits how you bet.
Can I use a multi to reach the minimum odds?
It depends on the offer. ReadySetBet uses total odds of 2.00, so a multi counts if the combined price reaches 2.00. Virgin Bet and FirstBet also set a minimum per leg, and Betfred’s offer only counts singles.
Which offer has the easiest wagering?
Of the offers in our table, Betfred’s 4x bonus on singles (R4 of bets for every R1 of bonus) and Sunbet’s 3x deposit plus bonus at 1.5 over 3 months (R6 for every R1 of bonus on a full match) are among the lightest. Easy terms still do not guarantee a profit, so compare the full details on our bonuses page.
Keep reading
- Sports betting explainedWhat sports betting is, how decimal and fractional odds work, implied probability, the main bet types South Africans…Read more
- Payment methods for South African betting sitesHow to deposit and withdraw at licensed SA bookmakers: Instant EFT, Ozow, Capitec Pay, PayShap, cards, vouchers and…Read more
- Responsible gambling: staying in control and getting helpFree, confidential help for gambling problems in South Africa: warning signs, limits, self-exclusion, blocking apps…Read more