BOKKE BEAT THE BOOKIES: Saffers paid out millions after Boks’ triumph

Bookmakers paid out millions to South Africans on Monday. The lucky winners were steadfast in their belief that the Springboks would bring home the Webb Ellis Trophy. SunBet CEO Simon Gregory said that during the Rugby World Cup, punters could bet on as many as 200 different markets per game. These included match scores, the number of tries scored in a match or for the tournament, and who would score tries. They could bet before and during live games. Not only did the Springboks make Rugby World Cup history, so did their fans who bet on their countrymen to bring home the spoils.

The world of online betting sees people from all walks of life taking a chance on the outcomes of rugby and soccer matches, or even political races. To the well-versed, or well-clicked, there are even bets on third-division Bolivian soccer matches, Asian Handball games and Eastern European Table Tennis matches. In fact, any sport is there for the betting. “There are so many variables. A single match can have hundreds of varying bets. As betting goes, South Africa does not differ much from the rest of the world. Sports betting makes up about 20% of our business, with online games such as blackjack, roulette and slot machines making up the rest,” Gregory said.

SunBet’s data can also track a punter's behaviour and there are many systems in place to prevent fraud. The odd phone call to a high-risk punter is also not unheard of. “We can see if a person’s behaviour is problematic. We take the gambling risks very seriously. We know our customers and we understand their profiles. But I can say that people are quite responsible, for most, this is entertainment and fun,” he said.

SunBet is part of the Sun International Group, which has 11 casinos around the country.

“You can bet on the lotto winning numbers, from many countries like the UK, the USA, Russia and Italy. Players generally prefer bets on games that result in the next five minutes, shorter bets equals quicker wins. We have also noticed that online betting is more popular with the younger tech-savvy crowd,” Gregory said.

Statistics show that men are more into sports betting but online betting, in general, is split 50/50 between men and women.

Punters can also bet on the Survivor reality TV series, the international singing contest, Eurovision and Love Island.

SunBet recently secured the services of former soccer great Michael Owen, who is now its brand ambassador and a regular soccer pundit on the platform. “Owen provides clients with weekly predictions. He offers his opinion and makes score predictions. We have the Nedbank Golf Challenge coming up. That’s always a favourite for the punters and Michael will be attending this year,” Gregory said.

The company has plans to venture into the African market – countries such as Ghana, Zambia and Kenya.