Sports Betting in Kenya
This is actually within the range of 30-50 percent of people’s expenditure on online sports betting. But how did it come this way? Kenya’s sports betting has been one of the most impactful sectors in the economy of the country. It has moved from physically going to place bets to the current phase of online gambling. Betting can be regarded as far dating back the 1950s when the white settlers used to gamble on horses at race clubs. But a key turning point was in 1966 when the Lotteries and Betting Act was enacted. This paved the way for the framework that is now used to govern sports betting.
The prevalence of gambling vice in the country got even worse when the economy liberalized in the 1990s. This saw a significant rise in foreign-based operators that were present in the country.
However, the significant change was not experienced until the internet reached all levels such that anyone with a smartphone could easily access gambling services from wherever they are. In this time, various companies online such as Dafabet have millions of their customers utilizing their services of betting on a number of sports.
Top Sports that Kenyans Bet On
Kenyans have not been left behind in the rubbles of obnoxious betting on sports. In which sporting activities do Kenyans place their bets? This section highlights the top three online sports betting options that most Kenyan gamblers opt for when placing their bets online.
Football
There is no doubt that a majority of Kenyans would rather place bets on football than on any other event. There is a reason however as to why this is the case with Kenyans placing bets on football more than any other sport.
Because of the constant growth of technology, there have been numerous innovations that make the betting process simple and very enjoyable. For example, live betting, cash out, live betting, and virtual betting. In addition to that, the fact that one can be able to put a bet in any place using a mobile device is an added advantage.
When it comes to placing bets on football, the main component that drives each and every event is the sheer intensity, excitement, and desire that each match ports.
Horse Racing
Have you ever been to the Ngong Racecourse along the Ngong Road? If you’ve ever been there, you’ll realise that betting on horse races isn’t just a fade but a thing many participate in. In the 1960s, when it was an exclusive pastime for the white settlers, sports betting on horses was restricted to wagering on the race’s outcome, i.e., who would win the race. However, better markets such as forecasts and each-ways bets have made wagering on horas races more exciting and rewarding.
Basketball Betting
Basketball is the second most watched and played sport in Kenya. Besides following the popular NBA tournament, Kenyans are also drawn to local matches, which are usually played at the primary level, all the way to universities. In secondary school games, the team that wins the basketball competition is ranked higher than the team that performs best in academics.
Therefore, it is not surprising that many Kenyans wager on this sporting event. You can bet on many matches and accompanying markets every day. Like football, in-play and live-streaming features have made wagering on basketball more appealing.
Best Sports Betting Sites in Kenya
If you are in a dilemma of where to place your wager, you should consider signing up with Dafabet. As one of the best sports betting sites in Kenya, Dafabet has many advantages as described below:
Sports Betting Events Covered
Unlike many sports betting sites in Kenya, Dafabet focuses more on football betting than any other sport. It has many events from top leagues worldwide, like the EPL, Serie A, Bundesliga, La Liga, and many more. Additionally, Dafabet also covers basketball, tennis, cricket, and rugby betting. If you are into niche sporting events, you can wager on darts, futsal, Gaelic sports, and ice hockey.
Betting Markets
Like some of the best sports betting sites in Kenya, there are many markets that accompany the wide range of sports betting events. Top events come with an average of about 150 markets, while niche events come with an average of about 50-100 markets. This range is above industry standards, as many sites offer less than 100 markets for top events and below 50 for niche events.
Odds
Football odds at Dafabet are above what the industry offers. This is especially true for those looking to wager on the Champions League, English Premier League, and the Spanish La Liga. The margins might be as small as +0.021, but when you place an accumulator bet, these could be the difference between odds of 1.9 and 2.1.
Licensed And Regulated
Dafabet is an international betting site headquartered in Makati, Philippines. It holds multiple licenses that allow it to operate in different jurisdictions. In Kenya, it holds a license issued by the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB). This means it operates within the bounds of the law.
Dafabet Mobile App
One more aspect that factors in Dafabet as one of the top rated sport betting websites in Kenya is its mobile application, which is well designed and well developed. The Dafabet mobile app works for Android devices only. IOS users only have the option of downloading a bookmark for the site to their home screen.
The Dafabet mobile app is pretty straightforward and easy to use. It is quite fast in terms of loading and navigation is not an issue at all. Players are able to navigate easily and perform searches due to the combination of the choice of color used for the background and main buttons.
While quite a number of the online sports betting sites in Kenya that are rated top have mobile apps that understandably compromise your device performance, it is fair to say that this one is light and easy to handle regardless of the gadget you are using it on.
When betting online you can lose some or even all your money, on every occasion. Nonetheless, this does not preclude one from winning more often than not. It is possible, with the right strategy and proper bookmakers, to be successful in predicting the outcomes of not only football matches but horse races, tennis or basketball games as well.
Sports Betting Tips for Kenyan Bettors
You are not guaranteed to win every time you place a bet online. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t win more often. With a proper strategy and useful sports betting tips, you can make successful football, horse racing, tennis, and basketball predictions more often. Here are a few tips to help you get off to winning ways when betting online:
Analyze the Odds
There are thousands of sports betting sites on the internet, each using a unique algorithm to set odds. As a rule of thumb, sign up with the site that offers the best odds. You can use odds comparison sites to find a platform with the best odds.
Bet on a Sport You Are Familiar With
In fact, one of the fastest ways to lose your bankroll is betting on sports you are not familiar with. By doing this, it will be like shooting in the dark. However, by betting on a sport you know the rules, and you will be engaging in familiar territories.
Subscribe to a Sports Betting Tips Website
There are reliable punters who share daily sports betting tips with their followers. If you can’t rely on your choices, you can subscribe to one of the many tipsters on the internet. Ensure the tipster has a record for positing sports betting tips that win before you can pay for any premium service.
Use In-Play Betting
This is the opposite of in-play betting and allows you to capitalize on a change of odds to place your bet. In pre-match sports betting, the odds are fixed. In live betting, the odds shift depending on how events unfold while betting. By placing your bets via in-play betting, you get to explore value bets.
For instance, a match between Barcelona with odds of 1.25 to win and a team ranked in the third division at odds of 14.27 to win. After the 15th minute, the team scores two quick goals. However, they have one of the weakest defense lines, averaging 3 goals per match.
After the second goal, the odds of Barcelona winning are 1.87, and a Draw No Bet is 1.34. The odds of over 4.5 match goals have shifted to 2.47. Over 6 match corners, the odds are 1.57. These are all options one can pick, but the best would be a Draw No Bet for Barcelona.
Practice Value Betting
Value betting is a practice few people have mastered, but it is one of the most profitable ways of wagering online. Whether you are looking to make football, eSports, basketball, or tennis predictions, you should always strive to look for value when betting.
Basically, value betting is a way of finding markets where the odds are not in phase. Take for example a match between Bayer Leverkusen and a relegation-threatened FC Schalke 04. Leverkusen are the outsiders and have odds of 3.6. FC Schalke 04 have betting odds of 1.84 to win the match although they have only won one out and lost four of their last five matches. In contrast, Bayer Leverkusen has only drew one out of ten, winning the rest.
Don’t Bet With Your Heart
One of the biggest mistakes Kenyans make while wagering is putting their emotions first when placing their bets. In reality, any form of sports betting doesn’t require the involvement of emotions. On the contrary, look at things with facts and hope to get the best outcome from it.
For example, if you are looking to make a football prediction on a match between Arsenal and Manchester United, analyze the statistics before wagering. Look at the head-to-head number of goals scored in the past H2H matches, games played, cards, and recent form. This can help you make a more informed decision on the best market to back.
How to Choose the Best Sports Betting Sites in Kenya
The first betting platform was launched back in 1994. Ever since, thousands more have popped up on the internet, serving the needs of millions of bettors worldwide. In Kenya, punters are privileged to access thousands of these sites. But with this sheer variety comes a big problem: picking the best online sports betting platform to suit your needs. These tips should help you cherry-pick the best sports betting site in Kenya. They include factors such as:
- Trustworthiness and reliability
- All-in-one gambling platform
- Speedy payouts
- Transparent and fair services
Trustworthiness and Reliability
The website is legitimate because there is a credible licensing body under which it is operated. It is expected to possess a valid license from the BCLB or sometimes other licensing bodies like the Malta gaming authority, government of curacao or UK gambling commission.
For a credible website, the gambling bookmaker must ensure prompt payments through reasonable pay-out times, responsiveness for mobile customers, and maintaining a good reputation with the gamblers.
Complete Gambling Hub
Besides the sports betting aspects, the bookmaker should be able to combine sports with casino, poker, and live dealer betting all within the same site. This way all your gambling activities are taken care of without creating several accounts with different bookies.
Speedy Payouts
Speedy payouts should not be something you compromise on. With the best sports betting sites paying out punters their winnings in under one hour, you should not accept signing up with a bookmaker that takes more than 24 hours to release your funds. Moreover, it should have many payment methods tailored to the Kenyan market.
Transparent and Fair Services
Transparency extends beyond the licensing and regulatory aspects of the casino. The best sports betting sites ensure their terms and conditions, privacy policies, and bonus terms are transparent and easy to understand.
The Future of Sports Betting in Kenya
It is pretty evident that the huge advancement of technology is changing how punters wager online. At the center of this revolution are virtual reality, cryptocurrency gambling, data analytics, and machine learning. In the Kenyan market, these technological advancements are yet to be fully embraced but are slowly catching up within the industry.
VR and Cryptocurrency Gambling
Virtual Reality and Cryptocurrency gambling are creeping into the online sports betting industry. While some NBA teams are already putting bettors at the center of the action using VR technology, bookmakers like Dafabet and other top brands could leverage this technology allowing punters to place micro bets on different markets. This allows for a more immersive betting experience.
With the extra layer of security added by Blockchain technology, cryptocurrencies could become the most preferred way of making payments in online sports betting.
Data Analytics and Machine Learning
Machine learning and data analytics are emerging as powerful and vital tools that are revolutionizing how punters execute their sports betting strategies. With massive amounts of data available online, Kenyans are already leveraging the power of data analytics and machine learning to place bets based on more informed decisions.
Growth of eSports Betting
The increased popularity of eSports gaming within the country is something to watch out for. Not only are the youth playing more eSports games, but most are also wagering on popular competitions. As betting sites continue incorporating eSports betting on their websites, so will the exposure of this form of betting to punters locally.
The Future Of Kenyan Gambling Laws
As far as the Kenyan gambling laws are concerned, there’s The Kenya Gambling Control Bill 2023, which aims to replace the Betting, Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) with the Gambling Regulatory Authority. The new body will have more power to regulate the industry, including deciding how much tax operators will pay.
Conclusion
Sports betting in Kenya – both online and offline – is legal. While there are many local bookmakers in Kenya, many punters seem to be drawn to international betting sites such as Dafabet. These allow punters to wager on many sporting events, such as football, horse racing, and basketball. These seem to be the main focus/priority for Kenyan punters. There are plenty more options to pick from, including tennis, greyhound racing, cricket, and 30 more.
The most important aspect/factor you must remember is you must familiarise yourself with the landscape before you venture into it. Learn how to pick the best betting site, markets you can wager on, and sporting events with extensive coverage, among other things.