FNB eWallet betting sites

What FNB eWallet is

FNB eWallet is First National Bank’s send-money service for cellphones. Money is sent to a phone number rather than a bank account, and the receiver can spend it, buy airtime with it, or withdraw it as cash at an FNB ATM using a temporary PIN. You don’t need to be an FNB client to receive one, which is why South African bookmakers adopted it as a cash payout route years ago.

For a punter it works like this: you ask your bookmaker to pay out to eWallet, the money lands on your cellphone number, and you go to an FNB ATM and draw it. No card, no account, no EFT clearing time.

Bookmakers that pay out to FNB eWallet

In our data Betway, Hollywoodbets, PantherBet, Bet.co.za and Sportingbet all list FNB eWallet as a withdrawal option. Lulabet reaches it through its OTT payout. Every one of these is a provincially licensed South African bookmaker. Offshore casinos, including 1Win, don’t offer eWallet payouts, because they aren’t set up with a local bank.

Hollywoodbets publishes the most detail: eWallet payouts are processed in one to 24 hours and capped at R3,000 per day. Other bookmakers set similar limits.

How to withdraw to FNB eWallet

1. Verify your account. Upload your ID and proof of address in the FICA section. Payouts are blocked until this is approved.
2. Choose FNB eWallet on the withdrawal page.
3. Enter the amount and your cellphone number. Use the number registered on your betting account.
4. Wait for the SMS. It comes from FNB once the bookmaker has paid out.
5. Get your ATM PIN. Dial 120277#, choose the option to get cash, and FNB sends a temporary ATM PIN. You need a little airtime for the USSD session.
6. Draw the cash at an FNB ATM using the cardless “eWallet” option, your cellphone number and the PIN.

The temporary PIN expires after a short time, so only request it when you’re at or near an ATM.

Fees, limits and speed

• Fees: receiving an eWallet is free. FNB charges the sender, and the bookmakers we track don’t pass that on. Your only cost is a few cents of airtime for the USSD code.
• Limits: Hollywoodbets caps eWallet payouts at R3,000 a day. FNB’s own send-money page lists R3,000 per send from the banking app, so expect a similar ceiling elsewhere.
• Speed: approval takes one to 24 hours in the data we hold. Once sent, the money is available within minutes.

Who it suits

FNB eWallet is a good fit if you bet small to medium amounts with cash and live near an FNB ATM. It’s also handy if you want winnings separate from your main bank account.

It fits less well if you regularly win more than a few thousand Rand, because daily caps will slow you down. A bank EFT, or an instant payout method such as Ozow or Capitec Pay at the sites that pay out to them, avoids the limit.

Pros and cons

Pros

• No bank account or card needed.
• Cash in hand within minutes once the bookmaker pays.
• Free for the player apart from a little airtime.
• Offered by large licensed bookmakers, including Betway and Hollywoodbets.

Cons

• Withdrawals only; you need another way to deposit.
• Daily caps of about R3,000.
• FNB ATMs only for cardless cash-out.
• If someone gets your phone and PIN, they can draw the money.

FNB eWallet or the other cash-send options?

All four bank cash-send services do the same job. Pick the one whose ATMs are closest to you:

• Standard Bank Instant Money (Standard Bank) also pays out at supermarket tills, which is the widest network.
• Absa CashSend works at Absa ATMs and some Pick n Pay and Boxer tills.
• Nedbank Send-iMali works at Nedbank ATMs.

Hollywoodbets offers all four. To deposit with cash in the first place, see 1Voucher, OTT Voucher or Blu Voucher, or browse every method on our payments page.

Whatever you withdraw, treat it as entertainment money rather than income. Set deposit limits in your betting account, and if you need help, the NRGP helpline is free on 0800 006 008.