Betting has been very popular in Nigeria ever since the early 2000s. The Nigerian betting industry is a huge, although not that well-regulated market, that allows Nigerian bettors to wager at both local Nigerian websites and big international betting sites. Continue reading this page to find out about the best Nigeria betting sites, bonuses and betting markets for Nigerian bettors, as well as every other piece of necessary information you need to know before you start betting online.
Top 5 Nigerian Betting Sites
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Nigerian sports bettors have the advantage of deciding between both domestic and international sites. This allows them to pick and choose accordingly depending on their personal preferences. Not every international online betting site accepts sports bettors from Nigeria, but those that do offer Nigerian sports bettors great betting markets and generous offers they can enjoy if they sign up. Of course, since some of the biggest betting sites are allowed to operate in Nigeria, most of the top bookmakers for Nigerian bettors are off-shore sites. The ones listed above, are your best options without a doubt.
Out of this lot, we feel that three of them should especially be highlighted due to some of their specific and very valuable features.
Bet365 Sign-up Offer – Best Welcome Offer for Nigerian Bettors
Bet365 is known for having great promotions for its sports betting customers. Not to spoil too many details, this online betting site offers a very impressive bonus to all of its new bettors who decide to deposit after signing up with the bookie. What’s important to mention is that the welcome deals that Bet365 offers to its new customers come with specific T&Cs you should be aware of before signing up, for example, minimum deposit requirements, bonus eligible payment methods and other details. If you’re interested in finding out just how valuable this offer is, make sure to visit Bet365 and try their site out.
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Betway – Nigeria Betting Site with The Best User Interface
When it comes to usability and user-friendly betting sites, not many bookies can compare with Betway’s product. Despite offering a massive online betting platform, Betway manages to pack everything just perfectly into a very attractive and easy to navigate website. Although you can find a lot of content on every page of the website, Betway has organised everything into separate tabs, with quick links on every corner and a handy search function. The site never feels cluttered and incredibly intuitive, making Betway the best option if you’re looking for a website with the best user interface for Nigerian bettors.
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Is Online Betting Legal in Nigeria?
To say that the topic of online betting is a complicated one would be an understatement. The entire gambling and betting industry in Nigeria is not that well regulated, as there are laws and regulations set in place by the Nigerian government, though they are not that cut and dry when you dig a little deeper.
The Nigerian Criminal Code Act enacted in 1990 has tried to regulate the gambling industry by dividing games into two categories, those that are legal and those that aren’t. The legal games are land-based casino games, lottery and sports betting. On the other hand, roulette, dice games and non-skilled card games are illegal. With all of this being said, online gambling and betting aren’t mentioned anywhere by Nigerian law.
The internet space isn’t mentioned in general, which leaves much room to interpret the law as it suits the situation. This means that Nigerian sports bettors can sign up with a Nigerian betting site, but also with any off-shore betting site that accepts Nigerian customers, as there are no laws that prevent you from signing up.
Popular Betting Deposit Methods for Nigerian Customers
Sports bettors from Nigeria have a wide array of payment methods at their disposal when making deposits and withdrawals. This includes popular online betting payment methods such as:
- Visa
- MasterCard
- Maestro
- Neteller
- Skrill
- Bank Wire Transfer
- GT Bank (Only in domestic Nigeria-based betting sites)
- PayCom ( Only in local Nigeria-based betting sites)
Of course, you should take all of this information only as a basic guideline of what you can expect when you sign up with an online betting site that accepts Nigerian bettors, as the availability of some payment methods may vary from site to site. In addition to this, you will have trouble finding an international betting site that supports Nigerian Naira, so if you don’t want to wager in Euros or US Dollars, you would be better off betting at some of the Nigerian domestic betting sites available out there. That’s why it’s always a good idea to go through the specific betting site’s payment information to see all of the relevant details.
How to Bet Online with Visa and MasterCard from Nigeria
It’s safe to say that credit and debit cards, especially Visa and MasterCard, are one of the most commonly used payment methods in online betting sites. They’re straightforward to use, safe and are universally accepted in almost every betting site out there. Here’s a step by step guide on how to make deposits and claim betting bonuses using credit and debit cards:
- Sign up with one of the top Nigeria betting sites mentioned above
- Go to the Cashier section and select a preferred credit or debit card
- Enter the desired deposit amount and the required deposit details
- Click to process the transaction
- Complete the deposit process and the funds will instantly be added to your betting account
Live Betting in Nigeria
Since Nigerian sports bettors are allowed to bet on both domestic and international websites, you can choose between a massive selection of gambling sites that offer live betting options. Since international sites have more content and betting markets to offer compared to Nigerian-based bookies, we’ve picked out the three best international betting sites you should try out if you’re into live betting. Our top picks for the best live betting websites in Nigeria are:
- bet365
- 888Sport
- Betway
Which Bookmaker has the best Mobile Betting App?
The main goal of online betting is to be fun, enjoyable and convenient. With the rise of the mobile betting apps over the last few years, sports bettors have been given the option to bet on their favourite sport from wherever they are, whenever they want to. With that in line, Nigerian sports bettors can choose from a pool of high-quality mobile apps made available to them. To make this process a bit easier, we’ve selected the best mobile betting app for Nigerian sports bettors.
Based on multiple criteria, including user experience, betting options, banking and support, we recommend 888sport as the bookmaker with the best mobile app. There are no doubts about it, 888sport’s mobile betting platform features a variety of features, including live streaming options, so you don’t have to miss anything while on the go. Available for both Android and iOS users, 888sport’s mobile app is very easy to navigate and supports an extensive selection of payment options.
Bet on Football with Bet365
There are many things you should consider when betting on the most important unimportant thing in life. As the most popular sport in Nigeria and the entire world, football is also the favourite sport to bet on for a majority of sports bettors. The football betting market is very competitive and diverse, although a couple of names stand out from the rest of the competition. One bookie that offers an overwhelmingly varied and fantastic selection of football betting markets is Bet365.
Of course, the site provides comprehensive coverage of nearly all football leagues across the globe. In major European football leagues like the Premier League or the La Liga, you can find over 100 betting markets on just one single match. Moreover, the odds are great when compared to other bookies, and this betting site also offers football-oriented promotions that help to make the overall betting experience even better.
Bet on Basketball with Betfair
While more than a couple of the top Nigeria betting sites we’ve mentioned above offer an excellent basketball betting service, none can quite match what Betfair has to offer to those who like to bet on this popular sport. This online betting site offers very favourable basketball betting odds and provides its customers with many betting options to choose from, including in-play basketball betting markets.
Betfair covers a vast selection of basketball competitions in its sportsbook. Frontlined by the NBA and major international competitions, this betting site also covers a massive array of basketball leagues across all continents. This includes the Nigerian basketball Premier League, so if you like betting on the highest-ranked basketball competition in Nigeria, you will be well covered.
Bet on Boxing and MMA with 888Sport
While boxing has been around for a long time now, MMA is one sport that’s quickly rising in the ranks as one of the most popular for Nigerian bettors, with top fighters like Kamaru Usman and Israel Adesanya currently at the top of their game. When Kamaru Usman became the new Middleweight Champion by beating Tyrone Woodley, one of the betting sites that offered the best odds and most comprehensive coverage was 888Sport.
888Sport is excellent for all types of MMA and boxing bettors, as there are a number of betting markets to choose from. When it comes to MMA in particular, you can bet on who will win the fight, but also on the winning method and the round in which the fighter will come out on top. All of this is accompanied by comprehensive pre-fight and live stats, which provide a lot of useful information for MMA bettors.
Online Betting Outside Nigeria
If you’re reading this from outside Nigeria, we definitely recommend looking at one of the pages below. Our experts highlighted the best betting sites, payment methods, and more for each country:
Betting in Nigeria FAQs
Is betting legal in Nigeria? 
Yes, no laws currently regulate online betting in Nigeria. While land-based gambling establishments are forbidden by law, state-sanctioned and off-shore betting companies are allowed to operate in the country. So, while the government doesn’t regulate online sports betting, every Nigerian and international online betting site that adheres to the rules set for land-based bookies are allowed to offer its online betting services to Nigerian bettors. For more details, read our section on Nigeria’s online betting laws and regulations.
What is the best Nigeria betting site?
Nigerian bettors are spoilt for choice, as many of the best international bookmakers provide their products in Nigeria. This includes betting sites such as 888sport, Bet365 and Betway. Of course, if you prefer betting at one of the domestic online betting sites, there are quite a few options as well, though the bigger, international bookies can offer more betting content and often, better promotions. Consider taking a look at our list of top Nigeria betting sites before taking your pick.
an I place in-play bets at Nigeria Betting Sites?
Yes, most online betting sites offer you to place in-play bets on live matches and games. There are many options Nigerian sports bettors can choose from. Some of the better live betting sites for Nigerian bettors are Bet365, Betway, and 888sport. If you’re not sure which live betting sites are safe or provide good value, read more in our section on live betting sites in Nigeria.