The Coronavirus, also known as COVID19, has caused havoc for major sporting events, with most big leagues postponed until the virus is under control. This is a major headache for sports bettors as some of the most popular leagues to bet on have been called off, including the English Premier League, NBA, PSL and more.
In fact on simply needs to visit a live score site or turn on the TV to see that there is not much sport on, and what’s there will likely be postponed too. In this post we are going to be looking a few betting options that you can enjoy regardless of all the Coronavirus madness, ranging from eSports to Live games.
Betgames
Betgames are fast becoming one of South Africa’s favorite pastimes, thanks to their fast and rewarding games. These games should be largely unaffected by the Coronavirus as the game hosts stream the draws live 24/7 from the Betgames.tv studio. There are several different Betgames to enjoy, with the most popular ones being Lucky 7, Wheel of Fortune and Betgames Dice Dual.
Most bookmakers will offer a variant of Betgames and there are more than enough betting options to keep any punter engaged. Some Betgames have up to 100 different markets, all with different odds and returns to enjoy. Perfect for when there is no sport on! They run great on your mobile or via a betting app, and there’s even a poker game that’s not too far away from the real thing! For more information head over to our dedicated Betgames section.
Where to bet on Betgames
Horse Racing
Horse racing has been affected by the outbreak but not as badly as other sports around the World. Gold Circle (the folks responsible for horse racing in South Africa) have released a media statement saying that horse racing will continue behind closed doors.
Press Release : Horse Racing and the Coronavirus
In light of the guidelines and restrictions regarding public gatherings as announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday 15 March to limit the spread of the coronavirus, Phumelela Gaming and Leisure, Kenilworth Racing, Gold Circle, the Racing Association, the National Horseracing Authority and The Thoroughbred Horseracing Trust have unanimously agreed to implement the following Protocols and Procedures with immediate effect:
1. Racing to continue, but with no public attendance on course
From Tuesday 17 March, all race meetings will be closed to the public until further notice. Consequently, the Joburg Prawn Festival at Turffontein scheduled for 4 April and the Klawervlei raceday scheduled for Durbanville on Saturday 28 March are cancelled, although the race meetings at which they were scheduled will take place.
This is great news for those looking to have a bet on the ponies, however it also means that spectators are no longer welcome at the track until the Coronavirus pandemic passes. For now we can still enjoy betting on our favourite horses from the comfort and safety of our home.
Where to bet on Horse Racing
ESports
ESports is a form of competitive video gaming. In professional eSports, teams compete in popular video games that also have betting available. Thanks to streaming services like Twitch and YouTube punters can now watch and bet on various Esports live, with some bookmakers even streaming games too.
The ESports industry is starting to gather pace in South Africa with some stars earning more than R3.7 million in 2018. As the sport grows, South African teams like Bravado, White Rabbit Gaming and Energy esports are looking to challenge some of the best teams in Europe and Asia.
The betting markets are similar to that of other sports and you’ll be able to bet on winner, over / unders and more, infact there are usually 10 or more markets to choose from, depending on the game.There are several South African bookmakers that offer betting on ESports, and the matches should be mostly unaffected by the Coronavirus, however it’s likely that major tournaments will be called off.
If you’d like to have bet on available matches then we suggest sticking to the popular games like Call of Duty, Counter Strike, Dota 2 and League of Legends. Visit our ESports betting guide for more information on how to get started with ESports betting.
Where to bet on eSports
Live Casino Games / Live Games
Live Casino games, also known as live games are available at several bookmakers and are set to run uninterrupted during the Coronavirus shutdown. While the live games on offer are no real substitute for sports, there are a few which can be as entertaining and profitable.
These games are fully legal in South Africa, with each bookmaker that offers them licensed by their respective province to offer live games. We’ll be running through a few of the most popular live games you can enjoy on your mobile or PC;
Dream Catcher
One of the most popular live games to have a go at is Dream Catcher, which is a lucky wheel game streamed live and with a few decent betting options. One of the main attractions of Dream Catcher is the high odds on offer, in two spins you could potentially win 280x your initial stake back!
Monopoly Live
Monopoly live is similar to Dream Catcher but offers the chance of winning even bigger thanks to the built in Monopoly Multiplier game. To win on Monopoly live all you need to do is predict where the wheel will stop, if you’ve backed it to stop on one of the bonus games you could be in for a huge payout, we’ve personally seen over R800k won in a single round! You can read more on where and how to play in our official Monopoly Live Guide.
Deal or No Deal
Deal or No Deal is based on the popular TV show, punters need to qualify for the game show round first by placing bets to qualify. Once you’ve qualfied for the bonus round you are able to increase your bet on a number to be the last drawn. As the suitcases are revealed the deal or no deal amount will increase or decrease, depending on the remaining suitcases. This game is one of our favourites and has a pretty good return once you’ve qualified for the game show section.
Where to bet on live games
When will sports be back?
It’s hard to predict when sports will return to our betting screens, once the Coronavirus is under control we should see a return to normal. For the moment most leagues are closed until April 2020, but we suspect the postponements will be extended until around May as everyone does their part. Remember to do your part by keeping your hands clean and a safe distance from others!
Staying safe and doing your part
Best Sports Betting would like to remind punters and readers that they too should do their part in curbing the spread of Coronavirus, the faster we get it under control the sooner we’ll have quality sports back on our screen. Remember to follow Governments guidelines, wash your hands and isolate yourself if you suspect you are infected.
I’m surprised more bookmakers aren’t jumping on the eSports options at the moment…some business must surely be better than no business at this times
They are some decent options but many bookies just don’t quite understand ESports in our opinion. They haven’t done much to educate punters on how the sports work which is a shame as it’s a golden opportunity to grow the market. Hopefully they’ll catch on soon, before they have no choice.