Bettors who backed the Boks bagged over R2 million in winnings

Mail & Guardian
 
Bettors who backed the Boks bagged over R2 million in winnings

The 2023 Rugby World Cup will go down as one of the best in history, and if you are a South African, the celebrations will last well into the new year. The Springboks, South Africa’s beloved rugby team, capped off a historic World Cup by lifting the iconic Webb Ellis Cup for a record-setting fourth time. Their triumph is not just a sports victory but a symbol of national pride and unity. The Boks were truly deserving winners, showcasing their never-say-die attitude throughout the knockout stages and are now celebrated as they embark on their nationwide parade across Mzansi.

“For me, betting on the Boks was more than just a wager — it was a show of faith in our team. And when they won, it felt like we all won,” says Kamo, a local rugby fan and bettor.

The 2023 Rugby World Cup was not only a win for the Boks; sports betting fanatics also celebrated getting one over the bookmakers in South Africa. Now that the dust has settled and the figures have been tallied, an astonishing R2+ million was paid out by the top South African sports betting sites on the Springboks winning their fourth Rugby World Cup. 

Leading up to the World Cup, most South African bookmakers ran promotions during the tournament, and some of the best offers came from renowned sportsbooks like Betway, Sportingbet and Betfred, as seen below.

  • Betway’s R1 000 risk-free bet for Springboks to win the World Cup
  • Sportingbet: Get 20% net losses back up to R1 000 on all the World Cup group stage action
  • Betfred: Back the Boks and get a FULL refund if they lose up to R2000 + R5000 First Deposit Match

MDC (Minimum Deposit Casinos) is an iGaming platform that played a key role in the sports betting scene during the World Cup. It actively promoted established sportsbooks like Betway, Sportingbet, and Betfred to offer engaging promotions, and brought the deals to the people. 

All these promotions provided South Africans — both bettors and novices who wanted a patriotic punt — to have a bet on the Boks’ victory.  

Thanks to MDC and our South African bookmakers, thousands of local bettors woke up on Sunday morning after the World Cup with their own winning feeling as they managed to get one over the bookies. With bookmakers paying out well over R2 million on the Boks winning, the event was an unforgettable tournament for Boks players and management, the citizens of Mzansi and all South African sports betting enthusiasts. 

Global casino and sportsbook resource portal Minimum Deposit Casinos (MDC) actively promoted the 2023 Rugby World Cup promotions and offers on its site. There were helpful links for South African bettors to access the offers from South African bookmakers. Through the links provided by MDC, many South African bettors prospered and earned huge winnings as the Springboks brought home the trophy. Over R2 million was won by thousands of South African bettors during the 2023 Rugby World, and most winnings were paid out by Betway and Lulabet, two standout sportsbooks in Mzansi.

  • Betway Total Winnings: R1 130 000
  • Lulabet Total Winnings: R1 317 481
  • BoyleSports Total Winnings: R40 000
  • Sportingbet Total Winnings: R20 000
  • Betfred Total Winnings: R5 450

If you want to join the ranks of the lucky few who struck gold by backing the Boks, your chance is just around the corner. 

Perhaps the most hotly contested debate leading up to the 2023 Rugby World Cup was the Pool stage draw and the potential two mouthwatering Quarter finals, which was to feature South Africa, France, Ireland and New Zealand. The event had plenty of iconic and history-breaking moments. For some nations, these moments will be remembered for years to come — the underdogs Fiji showcased their speed and strength to knock out Australia and reach the knockout stages. Portugal won the hearts of many due to their passion and resilience. However, for others, the 2023 Rugby World Cup was a disaster that many Australians will soon hope to forget. 

The Springboks’ road to World Champions was filled with several roadblocks, and plenty of potholes were encountered. The Boks were placed in Pool B and faced a daunting group with two of the top five nations in the world — Ireland and Scotland. Considered the hardest Pool of the World Cup and dubbed the “Pool of Death”, the Boks started their defence of the Webb Ellis Cup with a hard-fought win against Scotland in Marseille. 

The match against Ireland, the number one team in the world at the time, was an amazing spectacle as two of the leading nations in rugby left everything on the field for 80 minutes. Ultimately, the Irish were deserving winners and claimed the top spot in Pool B. The Boks had to settle for second spot, resulting in a tough Quarterfinal against home nation and favourite France. 

The knockout stages of the World Cup proved a heart-stopping experience for many South Africans, with the Boks winning all three knockout games by a solitary point. First up were the hosts, France, in Stade de France, where the Boks came back to win 29-28. Against a hostile home crowd, the Boks showcased their nerves of steel and came out with everything, both mentally and physically, on the pitch for the entire 80 minutes. 

In the Semifinal, England were out for revenge because of their Final loss to the Springboks in the 2019 Rugby World Cup. At 15-6 down after 68 minutes, the hopes and dreams of all South Africans were on the brink of being shattered, but an astonishing final 12 minutes saw the Boks come back from the dead and break the hearts of the English with a 16-15 win. 

October 28 2023, is the night that will live in the memories of all South Africans, young and old. Two heavyweights of the Rugby world, South Africa and New Zealand were both chasing history. Their fourth Rugby World Cup crown in the 2023 Rugby World Cup Final was one for the books. In the end, after a physical and painstaking 80 minutes of hard hits and fluctuating emotions, the pride, joy and voice of all South Africans roared as the Boks triumphed 12-11. 

It was a historic World Cup for the Springboks, which saw them placed in the hardest Pool, facing the top six teams in one tournament and beating the host nation in their backyard. They won their Quarterfinal, Semifinal and Final each by only one point, finally ending with Siya Kolisi and the team lifting the Webb Ellis Cup for a record-setting fourth time.

The impact of this win has sent shockwaves throughout the world of rugby, with many still airing their displeasure at the tactics of the Boks. CHowever, for everyday South Africans who walk the long roads in the country, the Boks’ win resembles hope for its citizens, something that has been severely lacking in South Africa over the years.

The 2023 Rugby World Cup was simply scrumptious for South Africans, which resulted in a rolling maul of winnings for many South African bettors. Sports betting gives sports fans an excellent way to follow their team and have a patriotic bet. There is nothing wrong with placing a bet, provided you play responsibly and only bet with what you can afford to lose. Many South African bettors followed this way of betting perfectly for the 2023 Rugby World Cup and came out on top. The next time a global sporting event takes place, and a South African national team is participating, take advantage of similar bonuses and promotions which the bookmakers will be offering. 

Who knows, you may be a future winner who walks away with a share of over R2 million in winnings.