More People in Egypt Turn to Online Betting
Sports betting used to be a specialty of wealthy Egyptians. They would often bet at sportsbooks based in the UK through the phone. But ever since the Internet spread throughout the North African nation, betting is no longer for rich Egyptians.
Anyone can wager on sports in Egypt. But they must be cautious not to break their country’s laws. Egypt prohibits sports betting and doesn’t license sportsbooks. However, it doesn’t ban anyone from betting at overseas betting websites.
Continue reading to discover how online betting is gaining traction in Egypt.
Plenty of Betting Sites
Egyptians might not bet at home-based casinos. But they have numerous options for betting online. The options are offshore casinos licensed in Malta, Curacao, Panama, Isle of Man and Gibraltar.
These websites in Egypt, where locals can bet, provide hundreds of betting products daily. You can bet on football, tennis, squash, handball, volleyball—nearly every major sport and tournament. Some bookmakers also provide betting on TV shows, the weather and video game competitions.
Over 50% of sports punters in Egypt bet on football. Many people bet on the Egyptian Premier League, The English Premier League, Laliga, Bundesliga, Serie A, League One, the UCL and International competitions like CAF tournaments and the World Cup.
In addition to football, Egyptians love to bet on tennis, handball, volleyball, Squash and basketball. As mentioned, though, bookmakers in Egypt support hundreds of betting markets, including minor sports like table tennis.
A Growing Access to the Internet
In the 1990s and early 2000s, there was little access to the Internet in Egypt. Fast forward to 2021 and 59.19M Egyptians use the Internet—datareportal.com. Like many African countries, 80% of Egyptians browse the Internet through mobile devices.
That’s alright. Today’s betting websites operate on mobile devices stress-free. You don’t even require an app. They provide betting services through websites that can run on mobile browsers.
Increased Internet connectivity aside, Egypt’s middle-class is soaring. And that means there are more people with a disposable income they can use to bet on sports. The best part is that income distribution is evenly spread across the country although the large cities like Cairo and Alexandria host the country’s wealthiest people.
Safe Deposits and Withdrawals
A decade ago, one of the biggest challenges for gamblers in Egypt was to find safe ways to deposit and withdraw their money from betting sites. Back then, major e-wallets and credit cards didn’t support payments to gambling companies.
Now, you can deposit and withdraw money from a betting site using tons of payment options. So, you love Bitcoin? Look for a crypto betting site. If you love the speed and low fees of PayPal, find a PayPal sportsbook.
Besides finding a bookie that offers payments through your favorite payment company, look for a sportsbook with friendly payment terms. For example, you can deposit and withdraw from $10 to $10,000 or more if you’re a high roller.
Free Bets and Bonuses
Egyptians love betting bonuses. Scratch that. Every sports punter looks forward to free bets. It’s money you can use to bet on Liverpool versus Manchester United risk free (or any other game). And if Salah scores a hat trick to lift the reds to victory, you can cashout your profits.
Well, there’s no such thing as a free lunch. There are rules for claiming free bets. At many betting sites, you need to create an account and make a deposit to claim a bonus. Then you have to bet on specific sports and under certain odds.
As if that’s not enough, there are rules on how to withdraw bonus profits. Precisely, you need to playthrough your bonus amount 2x, 5x or 10x. Choose betting bonuses only after reading their terms and conditions.
If you think a betting site has punitive bonus terms, skip it. Look for a better bonus deal or wager without a bonus.
Easy Access to betting Data
Most people can’t bet without looking at sports data. You need to check the top teams in the Egyptian Premier League. Next, you want to see a team’s past and present performance, its players and coach, playing style and schedule.
Egyptians have easy access to betting data thanks to the Internet. A few minutes is all you need to determine whether you should bet on a game or not. However, it takes more time to analyze two opponents before you decide where to place your bet.
For clarity, there are numerous ways to bet besides backing one team to win:
- Totals
- Props
- Handicaps
- Accumulators
- Correct Scores
Some of the bet types mentioned above attract better odds than match winners. But on the downside, they’re riskier, so you need to be an expert punter before you can wager on them.
Convenience
Convenience is arguably the main reason people bet on sports online. In Egypt, it’s more or less the only option. All the same, sports betting is pretty convenient. You can wager on football at the comfort of your house.
And guess what? Government authorities won’t come banging your door to arrest you. Compare that to betting at a local pub. You can get arrested at any time. And even if betting were legal in Egypt, you would have to leave your house to go place a bet.
In this age of mobile bet options, you don’t even need a laptop to be a sports gambler. A cheap android phone with fast Internet is all you need to bet. Of course, choose an efficient device that doesn’t hang or overheat when you need it.
Summary
Like many Arab countries, Egypt prohibits sports betting to its citizens. A handful of local casinos are allowed to provide gambling services to foreigners. But for the locals, the only alternative is to wager through offshore betting sites.
Sports betting is skyrocketing in Egypt, and for great reasons. There are numerous, safe betting sites in Egypt. They support popular sports like football and tennis. Some are generous with bonuses, work on mobile devices and offer efficient services all-round.
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