How paying in and out works

Licensed South African bookmakers keep things local. You deposit in rands from a bank account, card, voucher or phone wallet, and you withdraw to a bank account in your own name or, at many sites, as a cash voucher sent to your cellphone. Deposit with whatever is quickest and cheapest for you, but set up your bank account for withdrawals from the start, because nearly every bookmaker pays out that way.

Payment methods compared

Instant EFT, Ozow, Capitec Pay and PayShap

Instant EFT lets you pay straight from your bank account. With Ozow, the most widely listed provider, you choose your bank, log in and accept your bank’s authorisation request. Ozow says it does not charge the payer, although your bank’s normal transaction fee still applies. Some bookmakers list other instant EFT gateways, and Playabets also lists SiD.

Capitec Pay works without card details or banking logins: you start the payment with your cellphone number, ID number or account number and approve it in the Capitec app, according to Capitec. Capitec’s fee schedule lists Capitec Pay at R1 a transaction. Some bookmakers offer it through Ozow.

Scores out of 10 from our reviews. 18+ only. Always confirm the current terms on the bookmaker’s own site. How we rate

PayShap sends money between participating banks using a ShapID such as your cellphone number, and Standard Bank says funds arrive within minutes. Limits are set by each bank, so check yours in your banking app. Among the bookmakers we review, FirstBet, Shayabets, LuckyStake and Betshezi list PayShap.

Bank EFT

A normal EFT is a transfer from your banking app to the bookmaker’s account using your unique reference. It is cheap but slow between banks: Nedbank’s processing times show next-day arrival for payments made before 16:30 on a weekday, and longer over weekends. Bank EFT is also how most bookmakers pay you. Our EFT guide explains both directions.

Cards and phone wallets

Debit and credit cards are accepted at most of the bookmakers we review, and many name Mastercard in their cashier. Online card payments in South Africa go through 3D Secure, where your bank confirms it is you, usually with a one-time PIN, as the Payments Association of South Africa explains. Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Google Pay hold your bank card on your phone, so a wallet deposit is a card deposit. See our card guide.

Retail vouchers

If you pay in cash, buy a 1Voucher, OTT, Blu Voucher, EasyPay or Kazang voucher at a shop and type the PIN into the cashier. Minimums can be very low: 10Bet and FirstBet state R5 for vouchers. Vouchers only work one way, so plan how you will be paid. Our voucher guide covers where to buy each one.

Cash-send payouts

Many bookmakers can pay winnings to your cellphone as a bank cash-send voucher: Standard Bank Instant Money, FNB eWallet, Nedbank Send-iMali or Absa CashSend. You collect the cash at an ATM or a participating shop with the PIN sent by SMS, and you do not need an account at that bank. Standard Bank, for example, says Instant Money lets you pay someone who does not have a bank account.

Scores out of 10 from our reviews. 18+ only. Always confirm the current terms on the bookmaker’s own site. How we rate

PayPal, Skrill and crypto

None of the licensed bookmakers we review offers PayPal or Skrill, so our PayPal and Skrill pages explain the local alternatives instead. Crypto is rare: only a handful of the bookmakers we review list it, among them 10Bet and Betshezi. See our crypto page before you consider it.

FICA before your first withdrawal

Bookmakers are accountable institutions under the Financial Intelligence Centre Act, which lists businesses that offer gambling under the National Gambling Act, as the National Gambling Board notes. They must verify who you are, so upload your documents when you sign up, not when a win is waiting. Sunbet, for example, says FICA checks can take up to 48 business hours. Make sure the bank account you withdraw to is in the same name as your betting account.

Fees and minimums to watch

• Withdrawal fees: YesPlay charges R10 after two free withdrawals a week, and WanejoBets mentions a 6% fee on some EFT withdrawals.
• Minimum withdrawals: ZARbet sets R250, ReadySetBet R100 and Scorebet R60.
• Payout days: ZARbet pays on weekdays only, and Virgin Bet says bank payouts can take 3 working days after processing.
• Dormant accounts: 10Bet charges R100 a month on dormant accounts, so withdraw your balance if you stop playing.
• Bonus minimums: a welcome offer often needs more than the cashier minimum. See our bonus pages.
• Your bank’s fees: Ozow and the bookmaker may be free, but your bank can still charge for the payment.

Frequently asked questions