There are numerous sports betting sites opening their doors to the African market these days. However, not all of them can promise as much as SportPesa Kenya does. Sports betting fans have, from its founding, earned amazing rewards by choosing to place their bets on the bookmaker’s platform.
That’s through the various jackpot prizes created for the different sports matches and tournaments taking place at any given time. To date, SportPesa Kenya has made quite a few millionaires. In early 2018, the bookmaker’s highest jackpot payout of Sh230 million was won by Gordon Ogada, a Kibera resident.
SportPesa Kenya was founded in 2014 by casino owner Guerassim Nikolov, the biggest shareholder, among other Bulgarian, US, and Kenyan investors. The company has, since its inception, made impressive strides toward creating a reputation its clients can trust. It started as a small company, having only ten employees. From there, it continuously grew to become the current market leader it is, with over 800 employees on its payroll.
Currently, SportPesa runs its betting services from a total of six countries. These include Tanzania, Isle of Man, the UK, Italy, and South Africa. In Kenya, it’s owned and operated by Pevans East Africa which is based in Nairobi’s Nyaku House, along Argwings Kodhek Road in Hurlingham. It’s betting activities are licensed by Kenya’s Betting Control and Licensing Board.
This is one bookmaker that ensures they know what clients seek from their platform. Kenyans are known for their love of all things Football. Therefore, a bookmaker looking to make a reputation within the country must have this sport as a headliner. That’s why you’ll find leading football matches featured among the betting markets on the site.
You can get a glimpse of these whenever you load the platform’s homepage. In case you prefer a mobile experience with your sports betting, there’s also the SportPesa Kenya app. The mobile platform seamlessly offers the same markets as the desktop version for you to place your bets. This bookmaker also continues to show its love for Football by sponsoring some of the leading pro football sports clubs.
These include Kenya’s Harambee Stars, South Africa’s Cape Town City FC, and Tanzania’s Yanga SC, to list a few. Other international partnerships are with renowned clubs such as Italy’s Torino F.C., as well as England’s Hull City AFC and Everton F.C.
Unfortunately, in 2019, SportPesa was forced to officially take a break from offering its services to the Kenyan market. The company had its betting license revoked after a revision of Kenya’s taxation laws regarding betting companies.
The change increased the taxation rate on earnings from betting firms up to 20%, something that the firm saw as being too steep. In addition to having their license revoked, they also had their payment processing channels for Kenyan players suspended. Therefore, players had no way of funding their accounts or making withdrawals.
However, rumours have it that the sports betting platform may resume its operations in the country very soon. Ronald Karauri, the SportPesa CEO for Kenyan operations, released a statement saying that the company had already applied for a license, and were simply awaiting feedback from the Betting Control and Licensing Board.
In addition to that declaration, the bookmaker’s platform has also gone back to allowing access to its platform by Kenyan fans. Therefore, keep your eyes peeled for advancements that confirm the firm is back in business.
SportPesa Login
The majority of online bookmakers allow betting enthusiasts to view their site’s various services without necessarily having to log in to their accounts all the time. It’s an excellent way for you to get a glimpse of what they have to offer for the games you’re following so that you can place bets as soon as different markets open up.
However, for you to use the platform’s services for your wagering, you would need to log in to your player account. No bets can be placed otherwise since the platform ties all your dealings on the site to your specific user account. The reason for this is so that you have online records of all bets and transactions made, in case you may later need to refer to them for any reason.
To gain access to your online betting account is easy. First, load the bookmaker’s website on your computer, laptop, or mobile device’s browser. You’ll then find the SportPesa Kenya login fields towards the top-right edge of the screen. You will be requested to input your chosen username and password. Once you’ve done that, click the ‘Login’ button to confirm your details and open your online account.
In case you’ve forgotten your username or password, don’t fret. Directly below the SportPesa login Kenya button, you’ll find the ‘Forgot username or password’ options. To retrieve your username:
- Click on ‘Username’
- Input your country code, your registered mobile number, and your date of birth
- Click ‘Get username’ to receive your registered username via a text message to the inputted phone number
To retrieve your password:
- Click on ‘Password’
- Input your username and registered PIN
- Click ‘Get reset code’ to receive the password reset code
A new dialogue box will appear to help you change your password. Start by inputting your username and reset code before typing your new password. Click ‘Reset password’ to have the new password saved. You can then login to your account with the new credentials.
SportPesa Registration
If you’re new to the sports betting arena, the first thing you need to do is to open your online sports betting account. Having an online account means you can place and monitor your bets with ease. It also offers you a place to store your winnings for future bets. The SportPesa registration Kenya process is short, enabling you to get started in no time at all.
- Visit SportPesa.com
- Click on the ‘register now’ option at the top right corner of the page. You can also click on the ‘join us’ button at the bottom of the games’ selection to the left of the homepage
- Key in your unique username, email address, country code and mobile number, the country you reside in and your secure password
- Click ‘Next step’ once you’re satisfied with the details you’ve provided
You will then be required to provide personal details such as your first, middle, and last names, as well as your date of birth and residential city or town. Click ‘get verification code’ to receive a code via SMS. Input your phone number and the sent code into their respective slots before clicking on the ‘Finish Registration’ button.
You’ll then get a confirmation message on your phone. Once that comes, it is an indication that your account has already been set up. Log in, make a deposit, and proceed to start making bets.
Alternatively, you can also register for your SportPesa account via SMS.
- Type ‘ACCEPT’ and send it to 79079
- A confirmation message will come requesting you to submit your username, PIN and web password
Once you send those in, your online SportPesa account will be created. Fund it before proceeding to check the available games to bet on.
SportPesa Mobile App Review
Nowadays, almost everything can be done online. That’s in part because nearly everyone owns a smartphone. Therefore, even entities such as online bookmakers go as far as creating mobile apps to enable you to make bets while you’re on the move.
Although you will use the SportPesa app directly from your device’s browser, the SportPesa app Kenya offers a more tailormade experience directly on your portable device. That’s because the platform is built to fit onto smaller screens such as those that tablets or smartphones have, as opposed to the broader laptop and PC screen sizes. The design is user friendly, enabling you to get where you need to, whether it’s to the games or your account, with ease.
Simply ensure your device has an updated OS to support the app. If it meets the necessary specifications, visit your app store to get the SportPesa app download Kenya. The app is available for both Android and iOS users and is free of charge.
Once the download is completed, log in using the username and password you provided during the registration process. If you don’t have an account, you can still sign up on the app by giving the same details requested on the browser version of the platform. The app is also data-efficient, using very little data so that to help you get your bets placed.
How to Bet on SportPesa
Placing wagers at an online bookmaker isn’t a complicated process. You only need to have a look at the upcoming markets, choose the events you’d like to wager on, then confirm the stakes as you wait for the games to play out.
The same applies to you placing bets on the SportPesa Kenya platform. The operators wanted to allow a significant number of people to make use of the platform, whether or not they had a smartphone or laptop. As a result, you can place bets through your mobile phone or on the bookmaker’s website.
If using your mobile phone:
- Send a text with the Game ID, your prediction, and the amount you’re betting to 79079 for single bets. For multiple bets, send the same format, including all game IDs, predictions, and bet amounts to 79079. Ensure all fields are separated with a # to show they are different fields. Your prediction should be indicated as either ‘X’ for a draw, ‘1’ for a home win or ‘2’ for an away win
- Await a confirmation message of your bet
- Once confirmed, wait for the match to play out and determine whether you won
If betting online:
- Select the game you’re betting on. For Multi bets, you can select more than one game
- Choose your prediction. The first team represents home, away is represented by the second team. There’s also the draw option
- Confirm your prediction and a bet slip will appear to the right of the screen
- You can add more markets to your bet by clicking on the match teams. A table will appear with different menus. Click on ‘Other Markets’ to add more markets on that bet
- Select the amount you’d like to wager using the + and – signs
- Click ‘Place bet’ to confirm your bet
- A pop-up window will request you to ‘Confirm or ‘Cancel’ your bet. Click ‘Confirm’ if you’re comfortable with your bet. If not, click ‘Cancel’ and you’ll return to the bet slip so that you can make adjustments to it
SportPesa Kenya Payment Methods
For you to place any bet at an online sportsbook, the bookmaker needs to have partnered with various payment service providers to facilitate the process. Sportsbooks work by enabling players to fund their accounts, place bets and, later, have winnings credited directly to their online accounts, awaiting either a withdrawal or another bet. SportPesa Kenya is no different.
The operators of this sports betting platform have availed a few mobile payment options to enable you to send and receive money to and from your SportPesa online account. These include:
- Airtel Money
- YU Cash
- Mpesa Paybill
- Orange Money
The method available to you will depend on the mobile service provider that your registered phone number is linked to. All these methods enable players to deposit a minimum of Sh49 and a maximum of KSH. 70,000 per transaction. It’s worth noting that even though SportPesa Kenya doesn’t charge for any deposits, the service providers impose a 2.9% transaction fee on all amounts.
How to deposit to SportPesa
Deposit & Withdraw
- M-Pesa
- Airtel Money
- YU Cash
- Orange Money and more
If you’re using Airtel Money:
- Open the Airtel Money Menu on your device
- Click the ‘Make Payment’ option
- Click on ‘Paybill’ then on ‘Other’
- Enter ‘SPORTPESA’ as your business number
- Key in the amount you’d like to deposit into your online account
- Input your PIN and wait for the transaction to process.
If you’re using YU Cash:
- Open the YU Cash menu
- Select ‘Paybill’ then click on ‘other’
- Key in the Paybill number 107079
- Enter ‘SPORTPESA’ as the business number
- Input the amount you’ll deposit
- Key in your PIN and await a confirmation
If you’re using Mpesa:
- Open the Mpesa menu and click ‘Lipa na Mpesa’
- Choose the ‘Payment services’ option
- Click on ‘Paybill’ and enter 955100 as the paybill number
- Type ‘SPORTPESA’ when the account number is requested
- Enter the amount you’d like to deposit into your account
- Type in your PIN and await the confirmation message
If you’re using Orange Money:
- Open the Orange Money menu
- Choose ‘Paybill’ then click on ‘other’
- Type in 079079 when prompted for the paybill number
- Enter the desired amount you will be depositing
- Type your PIN and await a confirmation message
How to cash out in SportPesa Kenya
Sometimes, based on how a game is playing out, you may want to cash out before the final score. In such a case, that is referred to as a Cash-Out. In case you’re wondering how to cash out in SportPesa Kenya, then wonder no more. You’ll have two options whenever you’d like to cash out. The first is to withdraw all your winnings.
You’ll, therefore, be able to eject your entire wager, especially if the game is not playing out as you had predicted. This eliminates loss on your full bet at the end of the game. Alternatively, if the game keeps changing, you could use a slider to cash out. With this option, only a portion of your bet will be refunded.
The rest will wait until the outcome is announced. This is a great option for when a game is too close to call. That way, even if you lose, you will still have the portion of your funds that you had cashed out. On the flip side, if your bet wins, then you’ll still have won something.
SportPesa Sports
A sportsbook can only live up to its name if it has various sports for people to select their favored bets from. As such, you’ll come across sportsbooks boasting over ten different games. That may seem like very little. However, each sport comes with its different leagues and tournaments. All of these are within the platform for betting enthusiasts to revel in.
SportPesa hasn’t been left behind in this regard. The platform offers a total of eight sports for players to make their selections. These include:
- Football
- MMA
- Tennis
- Ice Hockey
- Rugby Union
- Volleyball
- Boxing
- Basketball
Therefore, depending on which sport you’re looking forward to, you can choose from the listed categories above. If you’d like to see which markets SportPesa offers for these sports, simply click the ‘+’ sign that’s next to the game you’re curious about. You’ll find the available matches for the region under each sport you select.
- It shouldn’t come as a shock that Football offers the highest number of leagues for players to follow up. These are made up of the various leagues within England, Ukraine, Switzerland, Germany Amateur, Croatia, Armenia, Israel, Greece, Syrian Arab Republic, Czech Republic, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Serbia, Hungary, Romania, Latvia, Turkey, Austria, Germany, South Korea, Estonia, Russia, Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, Italy, Turkmenistan, Slovakia, Montenegro, Faroe Islands, Bulgaria, Finland, Vietnam, Palestine, Iceland, Norway, and Slovenia. There are also Electronic Leagues such as the ESports Battles, the Liga Pro, and the Germany Cyber Stars League.
- For MMA fans, there are the UFC tournaments for the UFC Fight Nights in Las Vegas.
- Tennis fans can look forward to making bets on the Russia Liga Pro.
- For the Rugby Union followers, bets on the Super Rugby Aotearoa Tournament awaits them.
- Ice Hockey enthusiasts can look forward to Russia’s Comet Division League.
- Volleyball fans can make bets on Russia’s various volleyball leagues. These include the Ural Volleyball Championships, the Women’s Liberty League, and the Pro League
- For those that love Boxing, there are the International Matchups, as well as the International Women Match-ups.
- Basketball fans have leagues within Germany, Spain, and Chinese Taipei. There are also Electronic Leagues which include the NBA Cyber Leagues as well as the NBA2K League.
Bonuses and Offers
Every online sportsbook tends to have bonus promotions to help its clients bet more without spending more. This is something that came with the wave of online gaming. These promotions may require you to make deposits to earn a little extra bump in your bankroll while some will require you to perform certain activities on the platform to receive them. The former type of offers is referred to as deposit bonuses, while the other promotions are known as no deposit offers.
SportPesa tends to revamp its promotion schemes every so often. Therefore, an offer you claim this month may not feature next month. However, in general, the platform always has promotions for newly joining players, also referred to as the Welcome Bonus.
Therefore, as you sign up, be sure to claim it as that’s the only time you can. Existing players can take advantage of the other offers advertised to the right of the SportPesa page, alongside the Welcome offer.
SportPesa Premier League
The majority of bookmakers out there are always looking for opportunities to help boost different sports. In the case of SportPesa Kenya, this bookmaker sought to bring more recognition to the Kenyan football leagues.
As such they chose to sponsor the Kenya Premier League. In mid-2015, this bookmaker took the Kenyan league under its belt, dubbing it Kenya – SportPesa Premier League. The deal was a four-and-a-half-year engagement that even saw a new trophy created for the league.
SportPesa Kenya Contacts
Sometimes, you may encounter issues while on the platform. When that occurs, the SportPesa Kenya contacts will come in handy as you’ll be able to receive assistance from the trained support staff. The official SportPesa contacts Kenya include:
- The support email [email protected]
- The hotline 0709 079 079
- The SportPesa Kenya Facebook and Twitter social media accounts
The hotline number will offer you an immediate response once you reach a customer support representative. As for the email and social media accounts, you may have to wait a short while for them to assess your query before sending back detailed feedback.
FAQ
-
When was SportPesa launched in Kenya?
-
Who owns SportPesa company in Kenya?
-
Can I bet using the Kenyan Shilling?
-
Where can I find bonus code?