Shoprite and Checkers Money Market betting deposits

What the Money Market counter is

Every Shoprite, Checkers and Usave store has a Money Market counter, usually near the entrance. It’s where people pay accounts, buy electricity and airtime, send money and buy vouchers. Several bookmakers have arranged for their accounts to be paid there too, so you can hand over cash and see it in your betting balance without a bank card or a voucher PIN.

This is different from the Shoprite Money Market account, a separate app-based account Shoprite launched in 2020. You don’t need that account to deposit at a bookmaker over the counter, though account holders can also pay from it.

Where you can deposit this way

In our data three bookmakers accept cash at Shoprite and Checkers Money Market counters:

• Betway: your cellphone number is your account reference; reported as instant.
• Hollywoodbets: R100 minimum, R3,000 maximum, one to 24 hours to reflect.
• YesPlay: reported as instant.

All three are licensed by South African provincial boards. Offshore casinos, including 1Win, don’t offer Money Market deposits.

How to deposit at a Money Market counter

1. Know your reference. At Betway it’s the cellphone number on your account. Other bookmakers show the reference on their deposit page.
2. Go to the Money Market counter at any Shoprite, Checkers or Usave.
3. Tell the cashier which bookmaker you’re paying and give your reference.
4. Pay the cash and check that the name and amount on the slip are correct.
5. Keep the slip until the money shows in your betting balance.

If a deposit hasn’t reflected within a day, contact the bookmaker’s support with a photo of the slip.

Withdrawals

Money Market counters don’t pay out betting winnings directly. If you want cash at Shoprite, ask your bookmaker for a Standard Bank Instant Money payout: Standard Bank’s Instant Money vouchers can be collected at Shoprite and Checkers tills. Betway and Hollywoodbets both offer it, alongside FNB eWallet, Absa CashSend and Nedbank Send-iMali.

Get your FICA documents approved first.

Fees, limits and speed

• Fees: the bookmakers in our data don’t charge for Money Market deposits. Ask at the counter whether the store adds a fee.
• Limits: R100 to R3,000 per deposit at Hollywoodbets. The Shoprite Money Market account itself has a R5,000 daily cash deposit limit.
• Speed: instant at Betway and YesPlay according to the guides we found; one to 24 hours at Hollywoodbets.

Who it suits

This suits punters who already shop at Shoprite or Checkers and prefer to bet with cash. There’s no PIN to lose and nothing to scratch off: the counter pays your account directly.

It’s less handy for small, frequent bets. Hollywoodbets’ R100 minimum is higher than most vouchers, and you have to queue. For small amounts, buy a 1Voucher or Blu Voucher at the same till instead.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Cash straight into your betting account, no PIN.
• Thousands of Shoprite, Checkers and Usave stores.
• Free at the bookmakers in our data.
• Betway uses your cellphone number as the reference.

Cons

• Only three bookmakers in our data.
• R100 minimum at Hollywoodbets.
• Can take up to a day to reflect.
• Deposit only.

Alternatives

The Money Market counter also sells 1Voucher, OTT Voucher and Blu Voucher, which work at many more bookmakers and reflect instantly. For a large cash amount, a Cash deposit at a bank branch / ATM at a branch is another option at 10bet and Hollywoodbets. If you can bank online, Ozow or Capitec Pay saves you the trip. See every method on our payments page.

Set a budget before you go to the counter. Your betting account lets you set deposit limits, and the NRGP is on 0800 006 008 if you need to talk to someone.