Launched in 2020 and owned by Betafriend Ltd, Playabet is an online bookmaker licensed by the BCLB. They offer a diverse range of game types including sports, virtual sports number games, and instant games. The bookmaker provides punters with advanced features such as Cash Out and Bet Builder. The risk-free Welcome bonus provides a great opportunity to new customers to explore their platform. With 24/7 customer support via live chat, Playabet ensures that you receive prompt and reliable assistance throughout your gaming adventure. As for mobile betting, they will need to do better than USSD and SMS betting. We hope they’ll soon provide iOS and Android apps but for now you can use their optimised mobile website.
Playabet Pros & Cons
- Risk-free first bet
- Responsive support
- Quick Registration
- Cash Out and Bet Builder
- No live streaming
- No apps
- Limited banking options
Editorial Rating
Playabet Betting Offers & Promotions
100% Stake Back Up To 1 000 000 KES
Playabet Security
The BCLB licence is evidence that the bookmaker has met the provisions outlined in the Betting, Lotteries, and Gaming Act of Kenya, ensuring punters of security and fair game play. The Playabet website is encrypted to protect your financial and personal information from fraudsters and other third parties. Besides, the bookmaker has a privacy policy available to all customers which clearly indicates how they collect, process, store, and disclose your information. As for responsible gambling, they allow self-exclusion and offer support for customers suffering from problem gambling.
Playabet Sports and Markets
Football. Playabet provides odds for numerous events both popular and minor from at least 38 countries. You can find odds on International matches, club friendlies, U20 World Cup and African tournaments. They cover popular tournaments such as the EPL, LaLiga and Bundesliga. You can also access bets for other leagues including the UEFA Nations League, Champions League, Egypt Premier League, Swedish Superettan, Brazil Championship, Italian Serie B, and Algeria Ligue 1 among others. You can wager on pre-match or In-Play bets and enjoy features like the Bet Builder and the Cash Out. As for market types, Playabet offers Double Chance, Goal scorer, multi bet Exact Score, Last Player to Score, Over/Under, Odd/Even, Clean Sheet, Both Teams to Score, and Total Goal-Bands among others. There are more than 1200 betting markets on top matches.
Basketball. The bookmaker provides odds of numerous tournaments including the NBA, WNBA, France ProA & ProB LNB, BNXT, Spain ACB, Portugal LPB, and Italy A2 Gold among others. As for market types, Playabet has at least 100 outcomes for popular events, which is less compared to popular football events. Luckily, common market types such as Match Result, Over/Under, Handicap, Total Points, Money line + Total Points, and 1st Quarter Points are available. Betting odds for the sport are average and vary depending on the market types and how popular the events are.
Tennis. Playabet covers less tennis tournaments and offers few market types as well. The available market types include Match Winner, Set Winner, Total Games, Correct Score In Set, Total Games In Set, Match Correct Score, and Player Total Games. As for tournaments, you’ll find ATP, WTA, and Challenger. Over 90 betting markets are available for Grand Slam games.
Playabet Payment Methods
M-Pesa is the only payment method available at Playabet, so it doubles as a withdrawal and deposit method. Luckily, you can initiate transaction via SMS (29663), a USSD code (*474#), M-Pesa paybill number, or instantly via the web.
| Payment method | Withdrawal time | Deposit amount, Kes | Withdrawal amount, Kes |
|---|---|---|---|
| M-Pesa | Instant | 1–1 Million | 100–150000 |
| M-Pesa USSD | Instant | 1–50000 | 100–150 000 |
| M-Pesa SMS | Instant | 5–50000 | 100–150000 |
How to Make a Deposit to Playabet
Here’s the guide on how to deposit to Playabet via the web:
- Login to your Playabet account.
- Tap the green “Deposit” button on the top-right corner.
- Select one of the values provided or enter any amount from Kes. 10.
- Click “Deposit” and wait for a prompt on your mobile.
- Enter your M-Pesa PIN on the interface that appears on your phone and submit.
- Wait for the confirmation text from M-Pesa.
Alternatively, you can make a deposit directly from your M-Pesa app. Here’s how:
- Go to your M-Pesa App or “My Safaricom” app and select Lipa na M-Pesa.
- Select “Paybill”and enter the Playabet paybill number 296630.
- Enter “Playabet” as your account number.
- Enter the amount you’d like to deposit.
- Provide your M-Pesa PIN and submit.
For SMS deposits, send D+amount to the short code 29663 and follow instructions when prompted. To deposit Kes. 200 for instance, send D200 to 29663.
You can also use the USSD code *474# to make deposits or withdraw. Just dial the code on your phone and follow the instructions. Contrary to the other methods, the deposit limits when using the USSD are Min Kes. 1 and max Kes. 50000.
How to Withdraw from Playabet
To withdraw your winnings from Playabet:
- Login to Playabet.
- Tap on the three lines on the top-left corner to access “My Account”.
- Go to “Withdraw”.
- Enter a value above Kes. 100 or select those provided.
- Click “Withdraw” to submit your withdrawal request.
To withdraw from Playabet via SMS send W amount to 29663.
You can also use the USSD for withdrawal. Dial *474# go to “withdraw” , enter the amount, and submit the request.
Playabet Odds
Betting odds are crucial as they determine how much bookmakers and bettors make from wagers. To establish the quality of odds at any bookmaker, we calculate bookmakers margin which determines the percentage payout you get from placing a bet on a particular betting market. In this section, we will calculate odds for 2 popular market types (1×2 and Over/Under) for Tennis, Football and Basketball.
- Football. For the upcoming Champions League match Man City vs Inter Milan, Playabet odds for the 1×2 market are (Home 1.44, Draw 4.50, and Away 6.50). The bookmaker, therefore makes a commission of 6.59%.
- Basketball. Playabet odds for the US NBA Miami Heat vs Denver Nuggets match are (Home 2.30, Draw 13.00, and Away 1.75). Thus, the bookmaker’s margin is 7.68%.
- Tennis. For the WTA, French Open Women Singles Iga Swiatek vs Coco Gauff game, Playabet odds are as follows: (Iga wins 1.08 and Coco wins 7.50). Therefore, the bookmaker’s commission is 5.59%.
In conclusion, Playabet odds are average compared to what other sportsbooks in Kenya are offering but we have seen better. As for football, the margin for popular tournaments is 6-7%, which is high. It’s fair to say that Playabet Tennis odds are the best since the margins for most markets and events range between 5-6%.
Live Betting at Playabet
This betting site offers plenty of sports regarding In-Play stakes. However, the functionality and features tend to leave a lot to be desired. The match tabs are plain, with barely any information. For instance, tennis games are only represented with up-to-date information on the current score and game points. The navigation is also poor, with the dropdown menu being the only way to choose the leagues and competitions.
Punters can Cash Out wagers early, adding another layer to live betting. The lack of functionality to watch and monitor the events is a big downside and cuts the ability to withdraw bets efficiently. Such crucial ones as text commentary, live broadcasts and key moments highlighting were unavailable during our research. That could probably change for the top-tier events.
There’s also a convenient tool called Odds Range. It allows you to exclude unwanted outcomes with prices that are too low and too high, only leaving the ones that fall into your desired margin. This lets you clear the matches from many invaluable and risky markets.
Playabet App
Playabet did not have any mobile betting apps. As such, bettors are restricted to accessing their betting services via their mobile-optimised website or their desktop site. Also, for those who enjoy mobile betting, the bookmaker provides SMS and USSD betting options.
Conclusion
This Kenyan bookmaker offers plenty of promotions to their players, including a welcome bonus and one-leg lost protection. Tools such as the Cash Out and Odds Range provide more flexibility while making bets both pre-match and In-Play. Bet Builder is present, making single-match betting more comprehensive. The site is minimalistic; however, that’s for the better. No annoying banners or ads disturb the game, and the web pages load quickly. On top of that, low data is used when using the site.
The odds are competitive despite the margin being above average at over 6%. The lack of functionalities such as text commentary and graphical representation of action for live matches is a big hit on the quality of the product, though these are easily addable upon the will of the sportsbook. The biggest downfall comes in the payment section, where M-Pesa is the sole option for deposits and withdrawals.
Playabet Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playabet sportsbook legal and where?
Yes. Playabet is legal in Kenya and is licensed under the licence number BK0000427 by the BCLB.
Does Playabet sportsbook have a mobile app?
No, the bookmaker has yet to provide mobile betting apps for both iOS and Android users.
How to use a Playabet Free bet?
Once you receive the Playabet Free bet, you have to use it within 7 days after reception to place either single or multiple bets on any sports at maximum odds of 2.0.
What is the minimum and maximum bet on Playabet?
The minimum stake at Playabet is Kes. 10 and the maximum is Kes. 50600.
