Nigeria has a very active online sports betting market. However, the reality is that most of the world's premier betting brands have not opened locally licensed versions of their brands, and they have decided to stop serving Nigerian players from their international gaming jurisdictions based in Europe. Although Nigeria is not short on local sports betting brands, very few of them actually offer top-level betting platforms toward a premier experience. If you want superior betting platforms that are highly intuitive, responsive and feature-rich with better odds, you need see the two OddsJet.com brands that still serve Nigeria: bet365 and MarathonBet.

Established in the year 2000, bet365 offers an extremely intuitive, easy-to-use experience.  With so many betting markets available, online sportsbooks can have convoluted interfaces.  We found bet365 to be very easy to navigate and were able to find what we wanted when we wanted it on both mobile and desktop platforms.  Banking was also an extremely simple process with many options available in our desired currency.  As of February 12, 2026, bet365 payment methods for Nigeria included, debit and credit cards, Skrill, Neteller, Payz, Paysafecard, Astropay and bank transfers, but visit bet365 for the latest information.  

MarathonBet was established in 1997 and is regulated by the highly reputable gaming commission of Curacao.  MarathonBet currently has over 2 million customers in over 200 countries. They are also licensed in highly regulated markets like Spain, Denmark and Italy.  In 2018, it became an official partner of Manchester City.  Although they maintain several team sponsorships, they aim to offer highly competitive odds.  MarathonBet operates in 26 languages and offers accounts in over 40 different currencies which are supported by numerous banking methods.   Uniquely, MarathonBet ‘AdvanceBets’ allow players to unlock the value of their unsettled bets to place new bets.  If these bets are lost, the stake amounts need not be paid back.  

Nigeria sports betting bonuses for new players

Both our recommended bookie brands for Nigeria have account open offers. One bonus offer is spelled out for you in terms of the value, the other operator prefers that you visit their site before you see any details of the offer.

open account offer               

Open an account with bet365 today and bet on a huge range of markets with the world’s favourite online sports betting company. Registration required.

Visit Site

100% bonus up to $250         

(250 USD or currency equivalent) 18+. T&C apply. Get margins as low as 1.5% at MarathonBet.

Visit Site

What are the legal Nigeria betting sites?

The answer is not simple and straight-forward. The regulatory environment for sports betting licenses is done at the state level in Nigeria. Not all Nigerian sports betting brands hold licenses in all states, so it actually depends on the state you are in. The legal brands in various Nigerian states include those like Bet9ja. However the numerous local brands tend not to operate outside of Nigeria.

Does bet365 serve Nigeria? Is bet365 licensed in Nigeria? 

Yes, bet365 serves Nigeria, but they are not locally licensed. From Nigeria, you would play on bet365's platform as based in Gibraltar, their international jurisdiction which serves numerous national markets. bet365 is regulated in most of the local European markets and is essentially the world's foremost betting brand.

What are the most popular bookie payment methods for Nigeria?

Visa and Mastercard debit and credit cards remain the most widely available. E-wallets like Skrill, Neteller and Payz also work from Nigeria. Pre-paid options like Astropay and paysafecard allow you to get your cash online and into the betting site through their voucher codes. Lastly, traditional bank wire transfers may be available, and often can facilitate the largest individual transactions.

Does Unibet serve Nigeria?

No. Unibet has essentially moved away from serving nations that would need to be served from an "international" gaming jurisdiction like Malta. Unibet now almost exclusively serves locally regulated European markets.

Does 1XBET serve Nigeria?

Yes, but you would do well to avoid what is a very shady brand. Their reputation shows that they will take any opportunity to cancel winnings if you are a successful bettor.