YesPlay vs Hollywoodbets

Who should pick which

Choose YesPlay if you:

• Want a deposit match bonus with wagering you can realistically clear.
• Play Lucky Numbers often and want ongoing cashback and free bets on draws.
• Like slots from many studios: YesPlay works with about ten providers, including Pragmatic Play, NetEnt, Red Tiger, Nolimit City, Habanero and Big Time Gaming.
• Enjoy casino tournaments and leaderboards.

Choose Hollywoodbets if you:

• Want to try a site with no deposit at all.
• Bet on horse racing.
• Want the quickest payouts and the lowest deposits.
• Like Spina Zonke and the option of walking into a branch.

Bonuses and their terms

YesPlay’s welcome offer is a 100% first deposit bonus up to R3,000 for sport, BetGames and Lucky Numbers. According to its terms, you need to wager the deposit plus bonus 7 times at odds of 1.9 or higher within 7 days, with a minimum deposit of R20. Slots count only 10% and live casino 3%, so it’s really a betting bonus. Winnings from it are capped at R3,000.

YesPlay

SA licensed

7.6/10

Welcome bonus · sports

100% up toR3,000

Wagering

7x

Min deposit

R20

Expiry

7 days

Max cashout

R3,000

Min odds

1.9

18+New players · T&Cs apply

Claim bonus

On top of that, YesPlay runs 10% weekly Lucky Numbers cashback, free bets for Powerball and UK 49s players, and casino tournaments such as the Champions Cup on Evolution live tables and Tuesday Habanero challenges.

Hollywoodbets keeps it simpler: R25 free bet on sign-up (no deposit) and 50 free spins on sign-up (Spina Zonke), both without a deposit. They’re small and expire fast (spins after 1 day), but they cost you nothing.

Hollywoodbets

SA licensed

8.2/10

Sign-up bonus · sports

Free betR25

Wagering

1x

Min deposit

No deposit

Expiry

1 day

Max cashout

R1,200

Min odds

1.5

18+New players · T&Cs apply

Claim bonus

Verdict on bonuses: YesPlay for value if you plan to deposit; Hollywoodbets if you want a free look first. Our guide to wagering requirements shows how to work out what each one costs.

Payments and withdrawals

YesPlay accepts Ozow, Capitec Pay, SID Instant EFT, EFT, 1Voucher, OTT, Blu Voucher, Kazang, Shoprite and Checkers Money Market and Instant Money. Our data lists withdrawals at 24 hours.

Hollywoodbets accepts a similar range plus 1ForYou, Payfast, cards and cash deposits, and pays out through EFT and cash-send services such as FNB eWallet. Its withdrawals are listed at 1-4 hours, among the fastest in South Africa.

Verdict on payments: Hollywoodbets for speed; YesPlay’s Capitec Pay support is handy for Capitec customers. See the fastest withdrawal methods for tips.

The product

Sports and Lucky Numbers

Both cover the PSL, Nedbank Cup, Carling Knockout, international football, rugby, cricket and combat sports. Hollywoodbets adds deeper horse racing and specials like Irish Objection; YesPlay is a little lighter on racing. Our data lists 21 market groups at YesPlay and 25 at Hollywoodbets. For Lucky Numbers, both are strong, with YesPlay’s promotions giving regular players more back.

Casino

YesPlay’s casino is larger, with about 1000 games against Hollywoodbets’ 500, and includes Evolution and Ezugi live dealers. Hollywoodbets’ Spina Zonke lobby is smaller but has the local favourites. Both carry Aviator.

Mobile and support

Both have apps for Android and iOS; YesPlay is also on Huawei AppGallery, and Hollywoodbets offers USSD betting and a data-free site. YesPlay’s support is live chat only in our data, while Hollywoodbets adds phone and email, and retail branches.

Lucky Numbers at both sites

Lucky Numbers is a big part of both brands, so it’s worth a closer look. Lucky Numbers are fixed-odds bets on the results of lottery draws, such as picking whether one or more numbers will be drawn in SA Powerball, Daily Lotto or the UK 49s. They’re licensed as betting, not as a lottery, so they’re legal at provincially licensed bookmakers.

• YesPlay covers a wide range of draws (SA Powerball, Daily Lotto, UK 49s, Gosloto and Keno among them) and adds promotions for regular players: weekly cashback on Lucky Numbers, a free bet when you bet on Powerball and free bets on UK 49s Lunch.
• Hollywoodbets is one of the original Lucky Numbers brands in South Africa, with draws throughout the day and the option to bet in branches. Its sign-up free bet can be used on Lucky Numbers as well as sport.

Remember that Lucky Numbers odds are set well below the true chance of each outcome, so the margin is high. Treat it as a bit of fun, not a system. Our guide to how betting odds work shows how to check a price.

Licence and trust

YesPlay is licensed by the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board. Hollywoodbets lists licences from Mpumalanga Economic Regulator, Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board, Gauteng Gambling Board, Limpopo Gambling Board, KwaZulu-Natal Gaming and Betting Board. Both follow South African rules, so you’re protected by FICA, responsible gambling requirements and a board you can complain to.

Our pick

If you’ll deposit anyway and like Lucky Numbers or a wide slot range, YesPlay gives more back. If you want a free start, horse racing and quick payouts, Hollywoodbets. Read the full YesPlay and Hollywoodbets reviews, or see Hollywoodbets vs Betway.

Set a deposit limit at whichever you choose, and if betting stops being fun, call the NRGP on 0800 006 008.