Betway vs Hollywoodbets – Which is the Best Bookie in South Africa?

Welcome Bonus

R1,000

Bonus Percentage

100%

Minimum Deposit

-

Turnover

3x

Bonus Code

-

Rating

9.5

Maximum Profit

€500000

Minimum Bet Amount

€0.2

Founded

2006

License

South Africa

Languages

English, Zulu, Sesotho, Xhosa

Global Traffic Rank

4956

Live Betting

Live Streaming

Cashout

Apps

Features

• Live Betting
• Cashout
• Casino
• Live Casino
• Bet Builder
• Boosted Odds
• Lottery
• Aviator

Sports

American Football, Badminton, Basketball, Biathlon, Boxing, Cricket, Cycling, Darts, Football, Golf, Handball, Ice Hockey, MMA, Motor Sports, Netball, Rugby, Show all, Snooker, Tennis, Volleyball, Baseball, Table Tennis, Bandy, Winter Sports, Athletics, Aussie Rules, Beach Volleyball, Bowls, eSports, Field Hockey, Floorball, Formula 1, Futsal, GAA Football, Olympic Games, Pesapallo, Politics, Pool, Squash, Trotting, TV Shows and Movies, Water Polo,

Deposit Methods

Withdrawal Methods

Currency

ZAR

Responsible Gambling Tools

Session Limit, Self-Exclusion, Permanent Account Closure, Cool-Off Period, Self-Assesment Test, National Responsible Gambling Programme

Visit Betway.co.za

18+ T&C apply | Play Responsibly

Welcome Bonus

R25 + 50 FS

Bonus Percentage

-

Minimum Deposit

-

Turnover

1x

Bonus Code

-

Rating

9.5

Maximum Profit

€0

Minimum Bet Amount

€0.2

Founded

1999

License

South Africa

Languages

English

Global Traffic Rank

17359

Live Betting

Live Streaming

Cashout

Apps

Features

• Cashout
• Casino
• Live Casino
• Virtual Sports
• Live Betting
• E-Sports
• Live Streaming
• Bet Builder
• Boosted Odds
• Lottery
• Early Payout
• Partial Cash out
• Book a Bet
• Aviator

Sports

American Football, Baseball, Basketball, Boxing, Darts, eSports, Football, Handball, Ice Hockey, MMA, Motor Sports, Rugby, Snooker, Table Tennis, Tennis, Volleyball, Show all, Cricket, Formula 1, Beach Volleyball, Chess, Cycling, Futsal, Golf, Politics, Water Polo, Horse Racing,

Deposit Methods

Withdrawal Methods

Currency

ZAR

Responsible Gambling Tools

Self-Exclusion, Cool-Off Period, Permanent Account Closure, National Responsible Gambling Programme

Visit HollywoodBets

18+ T&C apply | Play Responsibly

Having carried out comprehensive research into these two well-regarded sportsbooks, we have concluded our Betway vs Hollywoodbets comparison – head to head. The Silentbet team has come to the unanimous conclusion that Betway offers punters a superior online betting experience.

Please read our expert comparison review to discover why we were impressed by both brands and the unexpected reason why Betway was first past the post.

Welcome Bonuses – Betway or Hollywoodbets

In the hugely competitive South African online betting industry, the overall quality of the welcome bonus can often prove to be the deciding factor as to whether someone opens an account or not so with that in mind, let’s take a closer look at exactly what these two operators have on offer.

Betway Bonuses

The welcome offer for the sportsbook is a 100% matched bonus up to R1000 which is credited to the players account in the form of a free bet.

Unlike some of their competitors, the wagering requirements that are attached to this welcome bonus is a very reasonable 3x with a minimum odds stipulation of 3.0.

So, as an example, if you open a new Betway account and deposit R1000, you will need to place bets to the value of R3000 (3x the initial deposit) at minimum odds of 3.0.

The R1000 free bet will then be added to your Betway bonus SA account and it should be noted that any bets placed with the free bet will be in the form of SNR (stake not returned).

The only other term that you should be aware of is that the wagering requirements for the welcome bonus must be completed within the first 30 days of opening a new Betway account.

Hollywoodbets Bonuses

To be perfectly honest with you, even though HollywoodBets bonus does allow a welcome no deposit free bet for sorts, it doesn’t really compare to the top sportsbooks on the market.

All they have on offer at the time of writing is a FICA bonus which is awarded when a new customer provides the necessary documentation to prove that they are who they say they are and that they are at least 18 years of age.

Once the relevant documentation has been provided and checked by Hollywoodbets, a free bet of R25 + 50 FS is credited to the players account.

There is a rather strict requirement that once the bonus has been credited to a new customer’s account, it must be used within 24 hours or it will be removed.

There is a minimum odds requirement of 5/10 (0.5) and don’t think that if you have opened a Hollywoodbets account and received the free bet without having submitted the necessary documentation that you have got away with it because should your free bet win, you won’t be able to make a withdrawal of your winnings until the proof of age and identity has been approved.

Our Verdict

Betway beats Hoolywoodbets hands down when it comes to the welcome bonus but to be fair, any bookie would struggle to match such a generous welcome bonus that is free of complicated terms and conditions.

The Quality of the Sportsbook – Betway or Hollywoodbets

This could be a tricky one, Betway is obviously one of the leading betting brands but Hollywoodbets are certainly no slouches with a number of retail operations as well as their online sportsbook.

Betway.co.za Sportsbook

Few people would argue with the fact that Betway is an excellent sportsbook with 1000+ daily events.

A quick look at the list of sports in the index on the right hand side of the website shows that no matter what your sporting preferences, the chances are that Betway will be able to accommodate your requirements.

Hollywoodbets.co.za Sportsbook

On first sight, the Hollywoodbets sportsbook looks the part but on closer inspection, it again falls short when compared with Betway.

It is not just the fact that there aren’t as many sports as Betway (approximately 300+ a day) to bet on on but when you drill down into a particular sport such as football, the selection of betting markets seems to be pretty restricted which will be a big turn off for punters who are looking to gain that particular edge over the bookie.

Our Verdict

Betway comes up trumps again, far more sports to bet on along with a greater range of betting markets within the most popular sports such as football.

Casino Games & Live Dealers: Betway vs Hollywoodbets

Games

Slots, Roulette, Games Shows, Blackjack, Baccarat a& Sicbo, Poker, Variety, Aviator, Betgames

Games

Slots, Live Games, Jackpots

The quality of an online casino is usually dependent on the software developers they have partnered with so let’s investigate if these two operators are offering a good selection of games to their customers.

Betway Casino

Most people think that Betway is primarily a Apricot casino but a closer look at the available games shows that this casino offers far more than Apricot titles with games from the likes of NetEnt and Pragmatic Play also being on offer.

Hollywoodbets Casino

These guys have partnered with a good selection of software developers such as Pragmatic, PariPlay and Netent, as well as Evolution for the live gaming options and overall, the casino is of a high standard.

Our Verdict

To be fair, when it comes to the casino and live dealer games at both of these online casinos, they are pretty much even stevens.

Both are of a reasonably high quality and we can see no reason why punters will not be happy with their online gaming experience at bothe casinos.

Lucky Numbers: Hollywoodbets vs Betway

Whilst most serious punters won’t give Lucky Number games the time of day, there is nevertheless a market for punters who like these lotto type games.

Betway Lotto

Lucky numbers lovers will be more than happy with the Lucky Numbers games available at Betway which includes Powerball, Lotto as well as numerous other games.

We think if you’ve played one Lucky Numbers game, you’ve played them all but it could be argued that we have a somewhat narrow minded view on the subject.

Hollywoodbets Lotto

Again, a good selection of Lucky Numbers games for punters to get stuck into and who will no doubt be impressed by what is available.

Our Verdict

It is difficult to separate Betway and Hollywoodbets when it comes to these types of games so we will have to declare it a tie.

Mobile Betting: Which Operator Comes on Top

The mark of a good bookie/casino is the quality of their mobile site, afterall, so many punters prefer betting on the move so it makes sense that a top drawer mobile experience is available.

Betway App

Very good, both the sportsbook and casino are easy to navigate on a mobile device via the Betway app SA so it doesn’t matter if you have ‘fat fingers’, everything is easy to find so you won’t end up being frustrated. Plus there is the Data Free app (more info) you can get as well for South Africa. Thus allowing you to bet without data.

Hollywoodbets App

The mobile offering is a little bit overcrowded for both the sportsbook and casino in our opinion which can result in the user feeling a little confused when trying to find the required bet. Still, there is a Hollywoodbet Datafree app to download and start playing – read our download guide here.

Our Verdict

Apps

iOS

iOS 12.0+

Android

OS 6.1+

Apps

iOS

iOS 6.0+

Android

OS 4.0+

Hollywoodbets seems like they have tried a little too hard in order to offer everything on their mobile site which has resulted in it looking cluttered and overcrowded.

Betway have just about got it right with a clean and uncluttered layout.

Customer Support – Betway & Hollywoodbets

Еmail

support@betway.co.za

Contact Number

0861 787 250

Live Chat

✅

Еmail

helpdesk@Hollywoodbets.net

Contact Number

087 353 7634

Live Chat

✅

In our opinion, an often overlooked aspect of any sportsbook and casino so let’s see how the support options at Betway and Hollywoodbets shape up.

Betway – Email, telephone, Whatsapp and live chat are the methods in which support can be contacted and from our experience, the operators are friendly and know exactly what they are talking about.

Hollywoodbets – The same contact methods as Betway with friendly operators but we found them to be a little less knowledgeable and queries often had to be referred to a manager before they could be resolved.

Our Verdict

We would say both operators have a decent customer support system in place but Betway are slightly superior due to their more knowledgeable staff.

Interface – Betway or Hollywood Bets

Is the interface of these operators easy on the eye and a breeze to navigate or could they be described as something of a nightmare, let’s find out.

Betway – A nice clean interface, thes different options are well laid out and easy to navigate.

Hollywoodbets – A gimmick looking site, looks like it is aimed at the kind of punter who enjoys playing Lucky Ball games, flashing banners and not very easy on the eye.

Our Verdict

Betway comes on top without a doubt, the interface experience is as different as chalk and cheese.

Payment Methods: Betway or Hollywood Bets

Both operators offer a good selection of payment methods for deposits and withdrawals so punters should be able to find a payment solution no matter what their financial circumstances.

• Deposit Methods
• Withdrawal Methods

Payment Method	Deposit Minimum	Deposit Maximum	Time for Deposit
Visa	ZAR 10	ZAR 1 000 000	Instant
MasterCard	ZAR 10	ZAR 1 000 000	Instant
Ozow	ZAR 10	ZAR 1 000 000	Instant
1VOUCHER	ZAR 5	ZAR 1500	Instant
OTT Vouchers	ZAR 10	ZAR 5000	Instant
Kazang	ZAR 5	ZAR 1000	Instant
EasyLoad	ZAR 5	ZAR 1000	Instant
Blu Voucher	ZAR 2	ZAR 1000	Instant
SID	ZAR 10	ZAR 1 000 000	Instant
MTN	ZAR 1	ZAR 3500	Instant
Shoprite	ZAR 20	ZAR 3000	Instant
First Bank	ZAR 50	ZAR 1 000 000	1-3 days
Absa Bank	ZAR 50	ZAR 1 000 000	1-3 days
Nedbank	ZAR 50	ZAR 1 000 000	1-3 days
USSD	ZAR 5	ZAR 5000	Instant
EasyEFT	ZAR 10	ZAR 1 000 000	Instant
FNB eWallet	ZAR 50	ZAR 1 000 000	Instant

Payment Method	Withdrawal Minimum	Withdrawal Maximum	Time for Withdrawal
Visa	N/A	N/A	N/A
MasterCard	N/A	N/A	N/A
Ozow	N/A	N/A	N/A
1VOUCHER	ZAR 300	ZAR 25 000	3-5 days
OTT Vouchers	N/A	N/A	N/A
Kazang	N/A	N/A	N/A
EasyLoad	N/A	N/A	N/A
Blu Voucher	N/A	N/A	N/A
SID	N/A	N/A	N/A
MTN	N/A	N/A	N/A
Shoprite	N/A	N/A	N/A
First Bank	ZAR 300	ZAR 25 000	3-5 days
Absa Bank	ZAR 300	ZAR 3000	3-5 days
Nedbank	ZAR 300	ZAR 25 000	3-5 days
USSD	N/A	N/A	N/A
EasyEFT	ZAR 50	ZAR 1 000 000	1-2 Days
FNB eWallet	ZAR 300	ZAR 25 000	Instant

Our Verdict

Nothing to separate these guys regarding payment methods so definitely a tie.

Security & Fica: Betway / HollywoodBets Comparison

License

Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board

License

Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board

Obviously an important aspect of any operator and it is sometimes easy to forget that these measures are put in place to protect punters more than anything else.

Betway and Hollywoodbets are both fully regulated and have a flawless FICA procedure which means that all documents are verified and processed very quickly with Hollywoodbets having the edge on that score.

All FICA rules and docs are for new players only. So first you will need to learn how to register hollywoodbets account for South Africe, for instance, before going through the FICA procedure.

Our Verdict

No complaints regarding either operator and both should be applauded regarding the manner in which they both run this aspect of their operation.

Is Betway and Hollywoodbets the Same?

No, they are different companies. The two sites have nothing in common. They are NOT sister sites. They do not have the same owners. Their address is different and so overall, they are neither similar nor the same bookmaker.

Pros and Cons

Both of these operators have their good and bad points so let’s take a look at those in a little more detail.

Betway Hits & Misses

Hollywoodbets Hits & Misses

Best Overall: Betway (Winner for 2024)

With a total score of 41 compared to 32, Betway is our unanimous winner. In our opinion, this is well deserved as this is a world class operator who has everything on point to fulfil the requirements of their customers. Hollywoodbets is still a first class operator but cannot match the high standards which have been put in place by the worldwide brand which is Betway.

FAQs