Esports is growing increasingly popular in Nigeria and betting on the various professional video game leagues around the world is
Wagering on sports in Nigeria is incredibly popular despite the lack of a licensed sports betting industry. This sees players punting at offshore sites which are based around the world. While this provides a convenient way to place football, basketball and other sporting bets you need to ensure player security comes first.
Football is considered to be the most popular sport in Nigeria, with the English Premier League claiming the top title, but players can punt on the outcome of games all around the world at offshore sportsbooks.
Offshore bookmakers which you choose to bet at should be licensed and regulated and this should take priority over the best odds or sites accepting the Nigerian naira. We have found some of the most secure bookies which offer above average odds for Nigerian players.
Nigerian sports betting sites
There’s a number of secure betting sites around the globe, with many regulated by advanced gambling jurisdictions. Nigerian gamblers can punt on the latest sporting markets with ease and you can enjoy comprehensive coverage on football, as well as cricket, basketball and more from these sites.
The sites detailed in the table below, all accept punters from Nigeria – click the links to sign up in just a few minutes with an array of promotional offers available to clim. You may find you will have to place your bets in another currency other than the Nigerian naira, but you will be getting great odds and peace of mind from the advanced betting regulators in exchange.
Best NIGERIAN bookmakers
#1
GGBet Bonus Code ESL |
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| 18+ Gamble responsibly. Min deposit after code activation for freebet is €10. 1x turnover requirement. 14 days expiry. Max funds transferred to real balance is €5. | ||
#2
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Fast Payouts BetOnline50% matched deposit up to USD $5,000
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Visit BetOnline BetOnline Review |
#3
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#1 Sports, eSport, & Casino Betting Betway€30 Welcome Free Bet
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Visit Betway Betway Review |
| New UK & Ireland customers only. Min Deposit: £10. First deposit matched up to £30. 1 x wagering at odds of 1.75+ to unlock Free Bet. Debit Card & PayPal deposits only. This offer is valid for 7 days from your new account being registered. T&Cs Apply | ||
#4
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Best Sports Betting Odds 888 Sportsbook€30 free bet
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Visit 888 Sports 888 Sportsbook Review |
| Minimum deposit of €10 using deposit code 30F - A qualifying bet is a ‘real money’ stake of at least €10 placed on any sports market - Minimum odds of 1/2 (1.5) - Free bets credited upon qualifying bet settlement and expire after 7 days - Free bet stakes not included in returns - Casino Bonus must be claimed within 7 days • To withdraw bonus/related wins, wager bonus amount x40 within 14 days • Wagering req. vary by game • Withdrawal restrictions apply. Full Terms & Conditions Apply. | ||
#5
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Discover more ways to play William HillDeposit £10, get £30 free
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Visit William Hill William Hill Review |
| Full terms | ||
#6
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King of Mobile! Leo Vegas100% up to €100 + 50 free spins
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Visit Leo Vegas Sports Leo Vegas Review |
| Full Terms. | ||
#7
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All about the odds! BetssonDeposit €75, bet with €150
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Visit Betsson Betsson Review |
#8
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By Players, For Players UniBetGet your money back up to €25
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Join Unibet UniBet Review |
| New customers only. 18+. Located in UK. Min bet 2/5 or more. Each leg of multi must be over 2/5 for bet to qualify. 3x wagering requirement before withdrawing. | ||
#9
Bet365 Signup Code GETON |
Never Ordinary Bet365Never Ordinary
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Visit Bet365 Bet365 Review |
| GETON is not a bonus code and does not grant access to additional offers. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. New customers only. #ad Full T's and C's. |
You can add to your bet slip on your laptop, desktop or mobile device allowing you to play in the comfort of your own home or on the go.
Free or bonus bets with Nigerian naira wagers
It’s ultimately quite beneficial Nigerian players don’t have widespread access to land-based betting machines to make a punt on their favourite sports, as they’d miss out on the promotional offers both new and regular punters get at online bookmakers.
New players can sign up and score a set amount of free cash to place bonus bets with each bookmaker. For example, William Hill accepts Nigerian players and you can double your money here when you sign up. You will have to play in Euros as the Nigerian naira isn’t available – there’s other currencies available too so do your research to find the best conversion rates.
Bookmaker CBN Naira deposits and withdrawals
As we mentioned above, the Nigerian naira isn’t widely available at bookies. But you can deposit in Euros, US dollars, or another currency provided you note the conversion fees.
PayPal is accepted at many UK based bookies, as well as sites licensed around the world, but Skrill and Neteller are better alternatives due to the lower currency conversion fees in comparison. Skrill and Neteller adds a fee of 3.99%, when dealing with currency conversions. This is compared to PayPal’s 3.9% with a fixed fee. Additionally, Neteller allows users to deposit in CBN and then be charged the conversion fee when depositing at the online casino.
You can also use Visa or MasterCard to make a deposit and confirm your bets this way.
Mobile and app betting in Nigeria
Nigerians can gamble on their smartphone or tablet at the mobile versions of the sites detailed above. These types of devices are becoming more and more popular in this part of Africa and you can tap to join, deposit, make a punt and potentially win big.
Some sites even offer native apps you can install on your device so you don’t have to keep tapping in the URL.
Nigerian sports betting laws
The Nigerian government has legalised and regulated national lotteries, some casino gaming and sports betting.
Gambling in Nigeria is regulated by the Criminal Code Act 1990, where roulette, dice games except backgammon, non-skill based card games, chacha and cowries games, and any other games of chance are illegal. Betting businesses and racing totes as provided at the sites detailed above are legal as per the Act.
Land-based casinos are also legal, where slot machines are offered, but for everyone else the Gaming Machines (Prohibition) Act of 1977 makes it illegal to import or own a gaming machine. You will find sports betting facilities at the three land-based casinos in the country only, or head to offshore online bookmakers as detailed above.
History of gambling in Nigeria
Nigeria didn’t gain independence until 1960, and the current constitution wasn’t established until 1999. This was the year the Nigerian casino industry was established too, and there’s around three licensed land-based casinos now. You can place sports bets at the land-based casinos, but it is legal to place a punt online.
There’s also ‘viewing centres’ which have become increasingly popular over the years where live football matches, as well as other sports are aired, and you can go to to see the outcome of your bet you placed online online.
While online gambling isn’t regulated, sports betting is legal which is why Nairagames and Superiorbet opened a casino and bookmaker online in 2013. Due to financial difficulties they both closed down after a year. There are plenty of local betting companies but punters are urged to beware with many reports of scams originating in this country.