How we chose the top welcome bonuses in South Africa
You must be wondering what criteria we used to rank the welcome bonuses offered by the best betting sites in South Africa. We evaluated each new customer offer by 3 main factors: wagering requirements, bonus amount and the ease of availing the bonus.
Wagering requirements
The wagering requirement is the single most important factor when choosing betting sites with welcome bonus. The amount of the bonus is important but if the wagering requirements are difficult to fulfil then the bonus may not be easy to obtain.
An example is if a betting site offers a R10 000 welcome bonus but you need to bet 5 times the first deposit amount before receiving the bonus. That means the new player must place bets of R50 000 before the bonus is received which is not feasible at all.
Amount of the bonus
All punters are attracted by a large welcome bonus but here again it is important to analyse the bonus. Is it a Free bet bonus or is it a deposit match offer?
The Free bet offer generally requires the player to rollover their first deposit X number of times before receiving the Free bets. The deposit match offer is better in that the new player receives the bonus immediately after making their first deposit without having to make any qualifying bets.
Accessibility of the welcome bonus
This is crucial to note as some welcome bonuses can be difficult to access. What I mean by this is, a betting site may require the new player to make bets equal to their first deposit before receiving the bonus.
The WSB bonus for example is excellent in that the bonus is immediately credited to your account after the first deposit.
What types of bonuses are there and how to claim them?
These are a host of different types of welcome bonus and it is vitally important to know what each bonus actually offers the new player. We have listed and explained the most popular type of welcome bonuses available in South Africa.
Free Bets Bonuses
The Free Bet bonuses require the new player to make bets equal or more than their first deposit to unlock the Free Bet. Let’s take Betway as an example: Betway has a R1 000 free bet offer but the punter must bet three times their first deposit at minimum odds of 3.00 before receiving the Free Bets. Once the wagering requirements are met, the Free Bets are credited to the player.
Matches Bets/Deposits Bonus
This is the most straightforward of the welcome bonuses. Players will make a first deposit and the bookie will match that deposit up to a stipulated amount.
For example, WSB offers a deposit match of up to R20 000 on your first deposit. Once you make your deposit, simply contact WSB with proof of deposit and your account will be credited with the bonus.
No Deposit Welcome Bonuses
This is the bonus that all punters love as no deposit is required to receive the bonus. The Hollywoodbets welcome offer is the best No deposit welcome bonus as you receive a R25 free bet and 50 Free Spins. They also permit players to withdraw any winnings from the bonus without making a deposit.
Combo Offer Welcome Bonuses
The combo welcome bonus is becoming increasingly more popular among betting sites with welcome bonus South Africa as more bookies offer a bonus a sports and casino offer. Supabets has a R5 000 deposit match offer, a R50 sign up bonus and 100 Free Spins in their Welcome package. The popularity of this bonus is because most punters wager on sports and casino games.
I have personally tried all of the above mentioned bonuses and my favourite type of bonuses is the deposit match and combo offers. The deposit match is easy to access and has no complications although there are wagering requirements.
I enjoy betting on both sports and live games therefore I also fancy the Combo Offer welcome bonuses. I am not a huge fan of the The Free bets welcome offer as the process to get the Free Bets often means I need to wager a large amount of bets before I get the free bets.
Final advice from our expert
Welcome bonuses are great but players need to be wary of the various terms and conditions of the bonus. I have researched and tried all the welcome bonuses in this guide which has allowed me to rank them accordingly.
Do not always believe the largest bonus is the best bonus. You need to choose a bonus that suits your affordability and avoid chasing a bonus that needs an outlay of R10 000 to receive R2