SportPesa is a technology and entertainment company specialising in the growth of popular sports engagement. It is fast becoming a globally recognised brand, but it has its roots in local success and commitment to community grassroots, sports development. It was first launched in Kenya, which as a country has earned a reputation for one of the most innovative, developing economies of the 21st Century. By leapfrog adoption of technology, quick and deep penetration of mobile communication networks many innovations have created opportunities and much improved and enhanced the quality of life for people of all walks of life. The name SportPesa is a blend of the English word “Sport” and the Kiswahili word for “Money”, which traces its roots in the Sanskrit word for Wealth and Riches. As one of the newest entrants in the UK Sports Gaming market, SportPesa is excited to deliver the familiar local touch to the market that their brand has been known for and execute on their commitment for global growth.
Starting Soon at SportPesa
5 games of MLB are set at SportPesa over the next stretch. Bookmark these: New York Mets vs. Philadelphia Phillies on Thu Jul 16 at 11:10 PM UTC, Tampa Bay Rays vs. Boston Red Sox on Fri Jul 17 at 5:35 PM UTC, Los Angeles Dodgers vs. New York Yankees on Fri Jul 17 at 11:05 PM UTC, Tampa Bay Rays vs. Boston Red Sox on Fri Jul 17 at 11:10 PM UTC, and Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Cleveland Guardians on Fri Jul 17 at 11:10 PM UTC. MLB odds at SportPesa land closer to game time, with hourly updates.
Big week of WNBA at SportPesa — 5 games on the board. Bookmark these: Washington Mystics vs. Toronto Tempo on Tue Jul 14 at 11:00 PM UTC, Seattle Storm vs. Chicago Sky on Wed Jul 15 at 4:00 PM UTC, Los Angeles Sparks vs. Minnesota Lynx on Wed Jul 15 at 5:00 PM UTC, Golden State Valkyries vs. Indiana Fever on Thu Jul 16 at 12:00 AM UTC, and Portland Fire vs. Washington Mystics on Thu Jul 16 at 11:00 PM UTC. Stay tuned — WNBA odds at SportPesa post closer to start and refresh hourly.
Heading to SportPesa for Boxing? 5 games are queued up. Bookmark these: Noakes, Sean vs. Molloy, Kieran on Sat Jul 18 at 10:00 PM UTC, Papot, David vs. Eubank, Harlem on Sat Jul 18 at 11:00 PM UTC, Williams, Glen vs. Atang, Leo on Sun Jul 19 at 12:00 AM UTC, Rios Jr, Bruno Mario vs. Sanchez, Saul on Sun Jul 19 at 1:05 AM UTC, and Alameda Lopez, Aaron vs. Gonzalez, Albert on Sun Jul 19 at 3:00 AM UTC. Watch for Boxing prices to drop at SportPesa as the games get closer.
Big week of MMA at SportPesa — 5 games on the board. Highlights include Rabah, Mohamed Younes vs. Lessei, Luke on Sat Jul 18 at 1:00 AM UTC, Irvine, Stephen vs. Tor Pran49, Suablack on Sat Jul 18 at 1:00 AM UTC, Nikolakakos, Anastasia vs. Radzuan, Jihin on Sat Jul 18 at 1:00 AM UTC, Climaco, Sean vs. Panther, Black on Sat Jul 18 at 1:00 AM UTC, and Kovtun, Dmitrii vs. Sor Jor Tongprajin, Suakim on Sat Jul 18 at 1:00 AM UTC. Stay tuned — MMA odds at SportPesa post closer to start and refresh hourly.
5 games of Soccer are set at SportPesa over the next stretch. Don't miss Mushuc Runa SC vs. CSD Macara on Tue Jul 14 at 9:30 PM UTC, Always Ready vs. Cdt Real Oruro on Tue Jul 14 at 10:00 PM UTC, CSD San Martin vs. CA Ituzaingo on Tue Jul 14 at 10:00 PM UTC, Real Pilar FC vs. Deportivo Merlo on Tue Jul 14 at 10:00 PM UTC, and Villa Dalmine vs. Club Comunicaciones on Tue Jul 14 at 10:00 PM UTC. Soccer odds at SportPesa land closer to game time, with hourly updates.
Plenty of Tennis on tap at SportPesa, including 5 games worth watching. Bookmark these: Spencer, Katie vs. Manning, Aya on Tue Jul 14 at 9:30 PM UTC, Velasquez, Juan David vs. Rusher, Azariah on Tue Jul 14 at 9:30 PM UTC, Thornton, Maeve vs. Oak, Isabelle on Tue Jul 14 at 9:30 PM UTC, Marjorie Souza vs. Giovana Schincariol Delatorre Barbosa on Tue Jul 14 at 9:30 PM UTC, and Rice, Keegan vs. Rozin, Alexander on Tue Jul 14 at 9:30 PM UTC. Stay tuned — Tennis odds at SportPesa post closer to start and refresh hourly.
Big week of Rugby at SportPesa — 5 games on the board. On the board are Brisbane Broncos vs. Penrith Panthers on Thu Jul 16 at 9:50 AM UTC, Wakefield Trinity vs. Bradford Bulls on Thu Jul 16 at 7:00 PM UTC, Melbourne Storm Reserve vs. Sydney Roosters Reserves on Fri Jul 17 at 7:30 AM UTC, Newcastle Knights vs. Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks on Fri Jul 17 at 8:00 AM UTC, and Melbourne Storm vs. Sydney Roosters on Fri Jul 17 at 10:00 AM UTC. Stay tuned — Rugby odds at SportPesa post closer to start and refresh hourly.
SportPesa is rolling out 5 games of Cricket over the next few days. Top of the list: Amo Sharks vs. Speen Ghar Tigers on Wed Jul 15 at 5:00 AM UTC, West Indies vs. Ireland on Wed Jul 15 at 9:45 AM UTC, Bangladesh vs. Zimbabwe on Wed Jul 15 at 10:30 AM UTC, Lahore Zebras vs. Khyber Bulls on Wed Jul 15 at 12:00 PM UTC, and Villianur Mohit Kings vs. Mahe Megalo Strikers on Wed Jul 15 at 12:30 PM UTC. SportPesa posts Cricket lines closer to kickoff; check back as games near.
SportPesa is locked in on Golf — 5 games coming through. Highlights include JJ Spaun vs. Aaron Rai on Thu Jul 16 at 5:35 AM UTC, Tom Kim vs. Alex Fitzpatrick on Thu Jul 16 at 5:35 AM UTC, David Puig vs. Angel Ayora on Thu Jul 16 at 5:35 AM UTC, Jordan Spieth vs. Bryson DeChambeau on Thu Jul 16 at 5:35 AM UTC, and Hideki Matsuyama vs. Brooks Koepka on Thu Jul 16 at 5:35 AM UTC. Golf odds at SportPesa land closer to game time, with hourly updates.
Heading to SportPesa for Darts? 5 games are queued up. Top of the list: Minnie, Mitch vs. Hamilton, Andy on Wed Jul 15 at 8:40 AM UTC, Fox, Shaun vs. Evetts, Ted on Wed Jul 15 at 9:00 AM UTC, Williams, Alex vs. Deklerck, Stijn on Wed Jul 15 at 9:15 AM UTC, Evetts, Ted vs. Minnie, Mitch on Wed Jul 15 at 9:35 AM UTC, and Hamilton, Andy vs. Williams, Alex on Wed Jul 15 at 9:50 AM UTC. Watch for Darts prices to drop at SportPesa as the games get closer.
Sports Betting Services
- Sportsbook
- Esports
- Live (In-Play) Sports Betting
- Racebook
- Virtual Sports
Additional Gambling Services
- Live Dealer Casino
- Poker
Player Location
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- American Samoa
- Angola
- Armenia
- Australia
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Bosnia Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Burundi
- Cayman Islands
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- China
- Congo
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Egypt
- Eritrea
- Estonia
- Ethiopia
- France
- Georgia
- Greece
- Guam
- Guernsey
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Ireland
- Israel
- Ivory Coast
- Kosovo
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Latvia
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Lithuania
- Macau
- Macedonia
- Mali
- Montenegro
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Nepal
- Netherlands
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Palestine
- Panama
- Papua New Guinea
- Philippines
- Poland
- Portugal
- Puerto Rico
- Romania
- Russia
- San Marino
- Sao Tome Principe
- Saudi Arabia
- Serbia
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Spain
- Sudan
- Swaziland
- Switzerland
- Syria
- Taiwan
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Togo
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Uganda
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
- Zimbabwe
Currencies
- Euros
- Pounds Sterling
- United States Dollars
Supported Languages
- English
Payment Methods
- Maestro
- MasterCard
- NETELLER
- Skrill
- Visa
- Visa Debit
- Visa Electron
SportPesa General Information
SportPesa (Swahili for sports money) launched in Kenya in 2014, hit regulatory turbulence in 2019, and roared back on a fresh BCLB licence in 2021. While U.K. and Italian forays have since wound down, the operator still trades actively in Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Zambia, the Isle of Man, and a handful of Latin-American jurisdictions.
Three pillars define the brand:
- Mobile-Money First – Instant deposits/withdrawals via M-Pesa, Airtel Money, Tigo Pesa, Ozow, etc.
- Mega Jackpot – Weekly 17-leg football pool that routinely tops KSh 200 million (≈US $1.5 m).
- Community Investment – Shirt sponsorships (Everton, Torino), grassroots kits, and the SportPesa Super 8 grassroots league in Nairobi.
In short, SportPesa isn’t just a bookie; it’s a cultural fixture across East Africa.
Sportsbook Review
SportPesa catapulted from a Nairobi start-up to a pan-continental heavyweight in under a decade by doing two things better than anyone else on the continent: integrating mobile money and dangling headline-grabbing jackpots. In this report, Data Drive Sports breaks down every layer of the modern SportPesa offering, licensing, markets, mobile UX, payouts, promos, pros, and pitfalls, so value-hunters and casual punters alike can decide if it deserves a slot on their handset.
Licensing & Trust – Where Is SportPesa Legal in 2025?
| Region | Local Entity | Regulator/Licence | Status |
| Kenya | Milestone Games Ltd. | BCLB | Active |
| Tanzania | SportPesa Ltd. | Gaming Board of Tanzania | Active |
| South Africa | SportPesa Pty. | Western Cape Gambling Board | Active |
| Isle of Man / ROW | SPS Sportsoft PLC | IOM Gambling Supervision | Active |
| U.K. | TGP Europe Ltd. | UKGC | Closed 2020 |
| Italy | RCS Gaming Limited | ADM | Exited 2021 |
| U.S. | — | — | Not available |
Bettors outside licensed zones will geo-block at sign-up; always use the regional domain (*.co.ke, *.tz, .net) to avoid impostor clones.
Sports & Markets – From EPL to KPL on a Lightweight Menu
Football Front and Centre
Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, UEFA competitions, CAF Champions League, and the Kenyan Premier League headline each weekend. A marquee EPL fixture lists roughly 150 markets, plenty for casuals, if shy of the 400+ found at European mega-books. Common options:
- 1X2, Draw No Bet, Double Chance
- Asian & European Handicaps
- Over/Under Goals 0.5–5.5
- Both Teams to Score, Correct Score
- First/Anytime Goalscorer (star matches only)
Other Sports
Basketball (NBA, EuroLeague, BAL), rugby union & league, cricket (international + IPL/SA20), tennis (ATP/WTA), boxing/MMA, Formula 1, NASCAR, cycling, golf, and darts round out a 25-sport lobby. Esports make cameo appearances for majors like LoL Worlds or CS:GO Majors, but depth is thin.
The SportPesa Jackpot Suite – Life-Changing Pools for Pocket-Change Stakes
| Jackpot | Matches | Stake | Typical Prize Pool | Notes |
| Mega Jackpot | 17 | KSh 100 | KSh 100 m–250 m | Rolls over until 17/17 correct |
| Mid-Week Jackpot | 13 | KSh 99 | KSh 10 m–30 m | Pays smaller tiers 12/13, 11/13 |
| Daily Jackpot (SA) | 10 | R5 | R100 000+ | Localised fixtures |
Pools are pari-mutuel: prizes split among winners for each correct-pick tier. Even 12/17 correct can net six-figure shilling sums, fuelling viral winner stories that double as free marketing.
Live Betting – Stripped-Down but Stable on 3G
- Sports Covered: Football, tennis, basketball, cricket, rugby.
- Visuals: Minimalist scoreboard, possession bars, and live odds grid; no video streams.
- Wager Types: Match result, next goal, next point, game totals, limited player props on big matches.
- Speed: Sports betting odds refresh every 3–4 s. Test bets confirmed in ≈2.2 s on 4G, ≈3 s on 3G Lite, good enough for East-African data realities.
Partial or full Cash Out is available on most live markets, but not on jackpot selections.
Mobile Integration – SMS, USSD & App Workflows
M-Pesa SMS Flow (Kenya)
- Register: Text GAME to 79079.
- Deposit: Send amount to Paybill 521212, account SportPesa.
- Bet: SMS 12345#1X2 (match ID + prediction).
- Withdrawal: SMS W#amount; funds land in wallet within seconds.
Mobile Web & Android App
- 400 KB page weight for home screen; loads in under 2 s on EDGE.
- One-tap tabs: Today, Live, Jackpots, Promos, My Bets.
- Fingerprint login, dark mode toggle, push notifications for results & cash-out triggers.
No iOS app yet; Safari users get PWA prompts instead.
Bonuses & Promotions – Low Volume, High Relevance
| Offer | Region | Details |
| First Deposit Match 100 % up to KSh 2 000 | Kenya | 3× rollover @1.5+ within 30 days |
| FreeBet R25 | South Africa | Bet R50 single @1.8+ to unlock |
| Odds Boost (EPL Saturdays) | Global | 5–10 % enhanced odds on selected trebles |
| Birthday Bonus | Kenya/TZ | KSh 500 free bet auto-credited on DOB |
| Refer-a-Friend | All | Both parties receive 20 % of friend’s first stake (max KSh 500) as free bet |
Promos rotate, but jackpots remain the evergreen hook.
Payment Methods – Hyper-Local & Instant
| Country | Deposit Options | Withdrawal Speed |
| Kenya | M-Pesa, Airtel Money | Instant–15 min |
| Tanzania | Tigo Pesa, Vodacom MPesa, Airtel Money | ≤30 min |
| South Africa | Ozow EFT, VISA/Mastercard, SID Instant EFT | 2 h–24 h |
| Isle of Man / ROW | VISA/Mastercard, Skrill, Neteller, Bank Wire | 2 h–3 bd |
SportPesa charges no internal fees; mobile wallets levy network charges (~KSh 11 per M-Pesa transfer).
Customer Support & Community Engagement
- Live Chat: 08:00–22:00 local (24/7 during AFCON, EPL final day, etc.)
- Phone: Toll-free helplines per territory.
- Email & Twitter (@SportPesaCare): Responses within four hours.
- CSR: Investment in youth leagues, boxing gyms, and wildlife conservation creates goodwill and keeps the brand front-page in local press.
Responsible Gambling Tools
- Deposit & stake limits via SMS keyword or app toggle.
- 24-hour timeout and 6-month self-exclusion.
- Reality-check SMS after cumulative daily stakes exceed preset threshold.
- Partnerships with Kenyatta National Hospital’s addiction unit and Safaricom’s Jipange program.
SportPesa Verdict
For punters in Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa, SportPesa remains the benchmark for friction-free mobile betting. Lightning-quick wallet transfers, a jackpot culture that turns headlines into hope, and a clean interface tailored to low-bandwidth networks outshine the absence of flashy extras. International bettors accustomed to deep prop menus or HD streams might feel under-served, but SportPesa was never built for that crowd. If you value convenience, community clout, and the possibility of life-changing jackpots from a KSh 100 ticket, SportPesa still deserves pride of place on your home screen.
Pros and Cons for SportPesa Sportsbook
Pros & Cons – Snapshot for 2025
| Pros |
| Seamless M-Pesa/Airtel cash flow; near-instant payouts |
| Mega Jackpot creates unmatched excitement & viral buzz |
| Mobile-first site loads fast on 2G/3G |
| Competitive football odds, especially on EPL |
| Community sponsorships boost trust |
| Cons |
| No live video streams |
| Fewer prop bets than Euro books |
| Intermittent regional shutdowns hurt continuity |
| iOS users rely on browser; no native app |
| High-rollers may hit stake ceilings |
FAQs
Is SportPesa legal in my country?
Only if SportPesa advertises a local licence; e.g., BCLB in Kenya, Tanzania Gaming Board, Western Cape in SA, or Isle of Man for “.net” users. Outside licensed zones registration is blocked.
How big can the Mega Jackpot get?
There’s no upper cap; it has surpassed KSh 230 million (~US $1.7 m). Pool resets after a full-house winner.
What’s the minimum stake?
Regular single bets: KSh 20 (≈US $0.14). Jackpot entries: KSh 100. South African singles start at R1.
Can I cash out Jackpot tickets?
No. Cash-out applies to pre-match and live singles/multiples only.
How fast are withdrawals?
Mobile-money requests usually land within five minutes; Ozow and cards in SA within a day; Skrill/Neteller within hours.
Does SportPesa offer same-game parlays?
Not yet. You can combine different matches or sports, but intra-match Bet Builder isn’t live as of August 2025.
What happens if a jackpot match is voided?
It’s settled per official SportPesa rules, usually scored as correct for all entries, or pool adjusted if too many legs cancel.