The Vаn dеr Vyvеr family brings mоrе thаn 65 years in the South Аfrican gаmbling industry to Playabets. While this local bookmaker has had an online presence since 2014, Playabets was founded way back in 1990 as a retail betting operation in KZN and has many shops located far and wide across South Africa. Despite their fairly recent expansion online, Playabets is already a household name among South African punters.
With a growth mindset geared towards satisfying their customers, Playabets continues to strengthen its foothold in the market as more punters embrace their refreshing and unique take on sports and casino games.
With a whopping R10 000 Welcome Bonus for new customers, promotions galore, customer-centric service and more soccer betting markets than you can shake a stick at, it’s no surprise Playabets has made a name for itself among South African punters. But it’s not only punters who like to play sports and virtuals that Playabets cater to—casino and numbers players won’t be disappointed either.
On the easy-to-use yet sophisticated BetTech-powered site, you can also take your pick from hundreds of international lottery draws, Keno BSM, BetGames and a whole host of exciting Live Games from Evolution and Ezugi.
Our Playa Bets Review
Keep reading to find out why Playabets is a hit among South African punters in our detailed review. You’ll hear about their massive welcome bonus, ongoing promotions, fantastic soccer odds and legendary service. Because we strive to give you fair and honest bookie reviews, we’ll also point out some areas where there’s still room for improvement on the Playabets site.
Legality & Player Security
Playabets holds licenses with the KZN Gaming and Betting Board, Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board as well as the Eastern Cape Gambling and Betting Board. They are a 100% legal operator which is industry-regulated to ensure a fair and safe betting experience for their customers.
How To Sign Up With Playabets
- Visit the Playabets site from either your desktop or mobile. Otherwise, type “Playabets” into Google and click through to their online betting site from your browser.
- Click the pink Login/Register button at the top right of your screen.
- On the Playabets registration form, enter your first name, last name, date of birth, mobile number, email address, physical address, account password, ID number, passport number. The details you provide must match the FICA documents (ID and utility bill) that you’ll have to submit when requesting a withdrawal.
- To complete the Playabets online registration process, confirm that you are over 18 years and accept the Terms and Conditions. Click Register and then follow the link in your email inbox to verify your Playabets account.
- Once your Playabets account is successfully verified, you’re ready to claim the R10 000 Welcome Bonus!
Playabets R10 000 Welcome Bonus
Register for an online betting account at Playabets to qualify for a 100% First Deposit Welcome Bonus up to R10 000. This is the biggest sign up offer available at any online bookmaker in South Africa and gives punters a great opportunity to grow their bankroll and win loads of real money. Plus, if you place your first bet on any sports event and it loses, Playabets will credit your account with 100% of your stake up to R50 as bonus cash! To meet the playthrough requirements of the Playabets Welcome Bonus deposit anything between R10 and R2000. Initial deposit needs to be rolled over x3 (times) before bonus can we claimed.
- Minimum odds 2.0 (Even money)
Read the Playabets Welcome Bonus Terms and Conditions
How To Claim Your Playabets Welcome Bonus
- Sign up for a Playabets account
- Make your first deposit of at least R20
- Rollover your first deposit 5x (times) on sports bets at odds of 7/10 or greater. For example: If you deposit R500, you’ll need to place sports bets to the value of R2 500 (5 x R500) at qualifying odds.
- After meeting the playthrough requirements, you’ll immediately receive a bonus equal to 100% of your first deposit.
Playabets Promotions
The generosity at Playabets doesn’t end with their staggering R 10 000 Welcome Bonus. As a special thank you for taking the trouble to FICA your betting account, you’ll also get R100 in bonus cash upon successful verification. But whether you’ve just signed up with Playabets or have been a long-standing customer, there’s plenty more money back specials, odds boosts and bonuses to keep you incentivised.
Here’s a list of customer promotions currently available at Playabets:
- Happy Hour 15% Deposit Bonus: Get 15% back in bonus money on all deposits made during Happy Hour.
- Multiple Bet Bonus: Get up to 30% extra when you win your multibet.
- One Out Money Back: Get up to 10x your stake back in bonus cash if only one leg loses in your multibet.
- Playa + Rewards: Get 5% of your money back as a bonus every Tuesday if you are not in the plus.
- Live In-play Boost: Get enhanced odds at minutes 20’, 40’, 60’ and 80’ on in-play soccer.
- Public Holiday Bonus: Get 15% extra in bonus money with your first deposit on public holidays.
- Safety Zone: Get your entire stake back on qualifying soccer bets if the match ends 0-0.
- Refer-a-Friend: Earn R50 for every friend that signs up with Playabets, makes a deposit and bets at least R50.
PlayaBets Desktop Site
The Playabets site is well designed and easy to navigate. In terms of content, it’s rather busy when compared to some other platforms, but the logical layout helps to alleviate any potential confusion for users. The neon-green and grey interface is very eye-catching and cannot be mistaken for any other sports betting brand. The carefully considered site design also lends itself to simple navigation and punters are easily able to sign up, deposit and place bets regardless of the device they’re using.
There are handy links at the top of the Playabets homepage to Pre-match and Live Sports, Lucky Numbers, Promotions, BetGames and Live Casino Games with the main sports menu situated down the left-hand side. Below the main horizontal menus, there is a prominent promotions carousel which features customers offers and betting features punters should know about. The centre of the homepage includes recommended and top live events as well as highlights for upcoming fixtures. A betting slip is located on the right-hand side of the screen, with quick bet options for easy staking and useful information about multibet bonuses.
PlayaBets Mobile
Playabets has a fully responsive mobile site which functions seamlessly no matter which phone or tablet you have. Playabets mobile includes everything you can find on the desktop site and navigation also works in much the same way. To take your mobile betting experience even further, you can download the Playabets Mobile App for Android which is ideal for betting on the go.
It offers all the pre-match and live betting markets as well as BSM Keno and lots more. On the App, you can also use the Empty Bet feature to create your own bets and get odds for them. There’s even a customisation feature on the Playabets App where you can choose your favourite sports and adapt the navigation to fit your style of play.
Sports Betting Odds and Markets
Playabets provides punters with a huge variety of sports betting markets which also includes over 12 000 in-play betting opportunities every month. Furthermore, they have one of the most comprehensive soccer betting services around with over 1 000 markets for every EPL game!
Soccer aside, there are plenty of other sports available like cricket, rugby, tennis, golf, hockey, American football, Aussie rules, baseball, basketball, boxing, cycling, darts, martial arts, snooker, surfing, volleyball, esports and much more. On top of all the pre-match and in-play betting markets available, Playabets also offers up to 200 Outrights each season on soccer alone.
Playabets Sports Betting Features
- Cash Out: Close out your multibet early and take a payout before all the events are settled.
- Empty Bet: Create your own sports bet unavailable on the Playabets site and bet at the given odds (pre-match or in-play).
- Live Score Centre: Track all the current live sports action from around the world. You can keep an eye on multiple events at once or click on an individual match for a more in-depth look at the game stats.
- Live Streaming: Playabets offers live streaming on selected sports, including soccer. You must log into your account and place a qualifying bet to view the live stream on your desktop or mobile.
Casino, Virtual and Lucky Numbers games on offer
Playabets BetGames
Playabets has the full portfolio of games which includes all 10 titles by BetGames TV. On the site, punters can play lottery-style games like Lucky 7 as well as table casino games like Poker and Baccarat. These fast-paced betting games are hosted live in-studio by presenters and offer hundreds of different markets at varied odds. Betting starts from just R1!
Live Casino Games
Playabets has a big selection of Live Casino Games and popular Game Shows from Evolution Gaming and Ezugi. These games are all hosted live in-studio by charming presenters and dealers who interact with the players.
The Playabets range of Evolution Games includes table games such as Poker, Roulette and Craps as well as exciting game shows with multiplier bonus rounds like Crazy Time. In the Ezugi Games portfolio, there are games where you can play Live Roulette in three different casino locations. Also from Ezugi, Bet on Numbers involves a simple lottery-style draw where six balls are randomly selected and punters must predict which numbers will come up in the draw.
Playabets Lucky Numbers
At Playabets you can bet on hundreds of lottery draws from around the world, including UK 49s and Mega Millions in the US. Instead of buying a ticket for the actual draw, with Lucky Numbers you can place bets on the outcome and receive a payout if you land a winning combination.
Choose as many different bet types as you like and increase your chances of winning by selecting fewer numbers. The best part about playing Lucky Numbers is that your cash prize is nearly always bigger than playing the Lotto because you never have to share it with any other winners!
Playabets BSM Keno
BSM Keno is a lottery-type game where 20 out of 80 numbered balls are drawn in each round. In Playabets Keno, there are a variety of betting options available. You can pick between 1 and 10 different numbers to appear in the draw or bet on the First Number Odd/Even, Last Number Over/Under 40.5 and many more markets.
Jika Sports
Jika Sports is a virtual sports betting platform available at Playabets. You can bet 24/7 on Virtual Soccer, Horse Racing, Steeplechase and Motor Racing across a variety of simulated venues with realistic commentary and crowd noise. There are plenty of betting markets to choose from for each game—and once your bets are in, sit back and watch the action on your mobile or desktop. What makes Jika Sports on Playabets great too is that you can bet as little as R1 and win up to R2 million from a single bet!
FICA Requirements
After signing up with Playabets, email your FICA documents (copy of ID and proof of address) to support@playabets.co.za. Once your identity has been successfully verified you can make withdrawals from your Playabets account.
Playabets Banking Options
Deposits and Withdrawals
Punters have many options available to fund their Playabets account with a minimum of R20. Card deposits are always quick and easy but you can also top up via instant EFT, direct bank deposit or using a prepaid voucher. Processing times depend on the payment method but deposits are generally credited instantly and withdrawals take 2-3 business days.
Use any of the following methods to make a deposit:
- Visa
- Mastercard
- Instant EFT
- Direct bank deposit
- 1ForYou Voucher
- OTT Voucher
- Zapper
Betting and Win Limits
The minimum bet size for any games at Playabets is R1 and they offer a reasonably high maximum payout of R200 000.
Playabets Customer Support
The jewel in Playabets’ crown is undoubtedly their customer service, which extends beyond an awesome selection of promotions and also includes prompt and helpful live support. Whether you want to reach out by live chat, phone, email or Whatsapp, somebody will usually point you in the right direction to get help. The Playabets support team is friendly, knowledgeable and efficient. In our experience, agents are always ready to go out of their way to assist customers.
- Email: support@playabets.co.za
- Tel: 087 354 6333
- Whatsapp: 0743102305
Social Media and Betting Content
Playabets is one of the most active online bookmakers on social media, regularly engaging with and entertaining their punters across these platforms:
Follow Playabets on
Playabets also have a blog where you can read previews for upcoming matches, keep up with promotions and hear about special events.
Responsible Gaming and Self Exclusion
Playabets take responsible gaming seriously. They like to ensure customers enjoy their betting experience and only spend within their means. Read more about their stance on Responsible Gaming and find out what to do if you think you have a gambling problem.
Our Verdict on Playabets
As a family-managed business with many decades of experience in the South African betting industry, Playa Bets is undoubtedly a brand you can trust. There are lots of positives working in their favour, starting with an extremely generous R10 000 Welcome Bonus and a huge selection of regular cross-sport promotions.
What’s more—their comprehensive soccer betting is unrivalled in South Africa in terms of both market depth and odds. Last but certainly not least, customer service is something which Playabets prides themselves on with no player ever left behind. The Playabets site is in a constant state of evolution as management continually improves the platform, all to make things easier for punters.
Pros
? Biggest Welcome Bonus in South Africa (R10 000)
? Intuitive site with easy navigation from both desktop and mobile
? Excellent range of soccer markets at highly competitive odds
? Numerous sports promotions for all kinds of punters
? Virtual soccer, horse racing, steeplechase and motor racing
? Lucky Numbers, Live Games and Keno offered
? Multiple deposit options including cards, e-wallets and vouchers
Cons
? Amount of content can be overwhelming for new users
? Labelling of betting markets can be confusing at times
? No horse racing available
? Live customer support not available 24/7
Have you signed up with Playabets yet? There’s a R10 000 Welcome Bonus waiting for you, so register a new Playabets account now and start betting with house money!
Why not join the conversation and tell us what you think of Playabets? Whether you’re a first-time player or loyal customer, we’d love to hear about your experience in the comments below.
I don’t qualify for bonus imagine all the verify drama not my cup of tea I can see uselessness and struggles
Today when I call on playabet number they refuse to help I have proof n I have recording where she said she can’t able to open my account n I ask wat about my money 38000.she said she don’t know. I ask who will help me to solve this matter she said she don’t know anything.wat is this guys this online sportsook dont trust them specialy playabet
Playabet when u loose they r happy wen u won keep in my they won’t pay u I have all proof where I request them to check but they said we will cm back to u .n then I call them they said they dont know when account will b open n it’s already 20 days .it’s mean playbet can do wat they want n they can keep block ur account for no reason .
I chat with nicollete n Roman Sam mimi many times they don’t assist me .it’s more then 20 days .n my money is inside my account .they keep saying ur account is on audit nw today wen I call their Manger she she won’t open .n wen I ask I have 38000 in my account she said she don’t know. I ask how to solve this matter she said she don’t know she can’t able to open my account .n I request her many times
Don’t trust playabet I won the money n wen I request withdrawal they disabled my account I call many times n I chat with them today I call n their manager she said to me we block ur account n they don’t want to pay .when I ask the reason she don’t know.very bad service
I was trying to register I got stuck when I was asked for a promo number, how do i get It? Thanks.
Hi
Please explain why you have been offline the entire weekend and do Not answer your calls. I just want to know why I cannot login. If you have software issues that’s fine however let your punters know. It’s a pity I could not punt on the super rugby this weekend with playabets forced me into betting with a functioning opposition. Good luck to you.
Hi Jason,
Kindly note that we are not Playabets, we are a 3rd party website that has playabets information on it. We have however passed your complaint along to Playabets.
Playabets are awesome. Quick withdrawals, website is easy to navigate, their support is staff is readily available and they respond timeously. I can’t say anything bad about them.
What is the actual fica and deposit bonus as I see ads with 50 /100 / 500 / 1000 etc etc some clarity would be appreciated.
Hi Anu,
We run different amounts and it depends on the advertisement at the time. The standard deposit bonus is capped at R500 but you can claim the R1000 by mentioning BSB.
Random question, I know I can do it with Hollywoodbets. Can I withdraw winnings from my Playabets account at a Playabets branch? Look forward to your reply.
Hi George, we honestly aren’t sure about that one. You’d have to contact Playabets support and hopefully they’ll have an answer for you.
Hi George, yes you can withdraw from any Playa Bets Branch:
https://help.playabets.co.za/en/category/697/page/3925
Is the offer still 1x playthrough? Thank you in advance. Kurt
Hi Kurt,
Yes, all the details are on the Playabets website under promotions.
They not too bad, like the site.
Why do playabets not have a fica bonus? they are missing out on my friends registering.
FICA Bonus here: https://promo.playabets.co.za/en/category/98/page/827
Playabets is that best ever
Glad you are having a good time at Playabets Robert. We quite like them ourselves.
They are a top bookie in my eyes, always improving and updating. Just wish I could get more bonuses from them.
They also have an app now but I have not tried it yet. Love Playabets and they must keep up the good work.