Sports
What Are The Most Popular Sports To Bet On In Nigeria
When you think of sports in Nigeria, the first thought that comes to mind is probably football. Jay-Jay Okocha, John Obi Mikel, and Obafemi Martins are just some of the most famous footballers that have worn the Super Eagles jersey, but Nigeria is not only about football.
Nigerians are crazy about sports, and they love to watch sporting events just as much as they want to participate in them. In fact, doing outdoor sports is the favorite pastime activity for the majority of Nigerians, but another hobby has been gaining popularity in the 21st century as well – sports betting.
Although Nigerians have been betting on football ever since the 1920s, it wasn’t a full-grown industry until the early 2000s, when the first official sports lottery was established. It wasn’t long before the first bookies in Nigeria started operating as well, and there are now dozens of bookmakers that operate legally in the country – both online and via betting parlors.
In this article, we’ll discuss the most popular sports in Nigeria among bettors, both in popularity and revenue, and talk about how the betting patterns of Nigerians might change in the future.
Football
It’s undoubtedly the most popular in Nigeria, both for bettors and participants. It’s also the sport with the most professional athletes, with over 100,000 registered professional footballers – out of which more than 500 are playing abroad.
Some Nigerian football players have been leading their teams to great success, particularly in the English Premier League, which, coincidentally or not, is also the most popular league when it comes to sports betting. All bookies in Nigeria offer odds for EPL games, and that doesn’t only include simple bets such as moneylines, parlays, and totals. Most bookmakers offer unique prop bets for all EPL matches, including player props, futures, and team props.
The EPL is not the only league where Nigerians can place bets, of course. Most bookmakers offer odds for all the major and minor leagues and competitions as well, including the UEFA Champions League, Spanish La Liga, French League 1, Italian Serie A, and more.
Moreover, Nigerians breathe football when the Super Eagles are playing – and that’s especially true when a big competition such as the World Cup is under way. Up to 85% of the population has been watching the most recent World Cup, and over 60% of them have placed at least one bet during the tournament.
Basketball
Although basketball has never been as popular as football, there have been some major NBA stars that have worn the green and white jersey. Every basketball fan remembers Hakeem Olajuwon’s dominance under the rim, but there have been several Nigerian players in the NBA in recent years as well, including Josh Okogie and Precious Achiuwa.
Basketball has become a popular sport for bettors, and most bets are placed on NBA matches. Bookies offer a wide variety of betting markets for NBA games, and the representation is even more diverse during the playoffs, when some interesting bets emerge such as player props and team props.
Tennis
Sports betting is a year-long hobby, and Northern hemisphere summer months are usually times where most leagues have their summer break. That’s not the case for tennis, though, as some of the biggest tournaments are being played in June, July, and August. Coincidentally, that’s when most Nigerians bettors turn to tennis betting.
It has become a popular sport to bet on, and with a wide variety of betting markets every day – it provides some interesting betting opportunities, especially when the more popular sports are not as widely represented.
Athletics
Nigeria has a rich history when it comes to athletics and track & field – and when a sport is enjoyed by a large population in a country, it generally means that it’s attractive for bettors too. Most bookmakers offer odds for big competitions such as the Olympics, but Nigerian bettors can find odds for other competitions as well, such as the Diamond League and the World Athletics Championships.
Nigeria’s Super Falcons will look to secure their place in the quarter-finals when they face Egypt in their final Group C match on Wednesday at 9:00 pm at the ongoing WAFCON 2026 in Morocco.
The defending champions bounced back from their disappointing 3-2 defeat to Malawi with a crucial 1-0 victory over Zambia and will now be aiming to finish the group stage strongly. All the matches of the tournament air live on SuperSport via DStv and GOtv.
The final matchday of Group A saw hosts Morocco play out a goalless draw with Senegal, a result that was enough to send Morocco through to the quarter-finals in first position in their group. Algeria also secured their place in the knockout stages after a 2-0 victory over Kenya, bringing their group-stage campaign to a strong close.
Tuesday, Group B will conclude with Burkina Faso facing South Africa before Tanzania takes on Ivory Coast. South Africa and Ivory Coast played out a 2-2 draw in their previous match, while Burkina Faso bounced back from their opening defeat with a 2-1 victory over Tanzania. With the group still to be decided, the final results will determine which teams join the quarter-final line-up.
All eyes will then turn to Group C on Wednesday, where Egypt will face Nigeria, and Malawi will take on Zambia, with both matches kicking off at 9:00 pm. The Super Falcons will be hoping to build on their victory over Zambia and secure the result they need to advance to the knockout stages, while Egypt will be looking to end their campaign on a positive note after suffering a 3-1 defeat to Malawi in their previous game.
Nigeria’s final group match comes after a difficult start to their title defence. The Super Falcons were stunned 3-2 by Malawi in their opening game but responded with a 1-0 victory over Zambia to revive their campaign. The ten-time champions will now need to complete the job against Egypt as they look to keep their hopes of retaining the continental crown alive.
The final group-stage fixtures on Thursday will see Ghana take on Mali, and Cape Verde face Cameroon on Thursday, with both matches also scheduled for 9:00 pm. Ghana suffered a 1-0 defeat to Cameroon in their previous outing, while Mali secured a 3-2 victory over Cape Verde. The final results will determine which teams progress to the knockout stages from Group D.
Matchday 3 Fixtures
Tuesday, August 4
Burkina Faso vs South Africa – 9:00 pm
Tanzania vs Ivory Coast – 9:00 pm
Wednesday, August 5
Egypt vs Nigeria – 9:00 pm
Malawi vs Zambia – 9:00 pm
Thursday, August 6
Cape Verde vs Cameroon – 9:00 pm
Mali vs Ghana – 9:00 pm
SuperSport Brings All the Live Action
Catch every match of WAFCON Morocco 2026 live on SS Football (Ch. 202, GOtv Ch. 61) and SS Football Plus (DStv Ch. 202) on DStv and GOtv. Fans can also stream every match live on DStv Stream from ₦6,000, with no decoder or dish required.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
At least for the next four seasons, DStv and GOtv subscribers are guaranteed access to all UEFA men’s club matches on SuperSport.
This is because CANAL+, the parent company of MultiChoice, which owns DStv and GOtv, has secured the exclusive broadcast rights to all UEFA men’s club competitions across Sub-Saharan Africa through 2031, ensuring SuperSport will continue to broadcast the UEFA Champions, Europa and Conference Leagues live to DStv and GOtv subscribers.
The four-season agreement, which begins with the 2027/28 campaign, covers more than 40 countries across the region and includes exclusive rights to the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League.
In English- and Portuguese-speaking Africa, SuperSport will continue as the exclusive broadcaster of UEFA club competitions, bringing the continent’s biggest European club matches to DStv and GOtv subscribers. The agreement also restores full UEFA Champions League coverage on CANAL+ Sport channels in French-speaking Africa, alongside the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League.
The rights deal further strengthens CANAL+’s sports portfolio, which already includes major football competitions such as the Premier League, LALIGA EA SPORTS, Ligue 1, the Betway Premiership and the ongoing TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026.
The agreement ensures football fans across Sub-Saharan Africa will continue to enjoy live coverage of Europe’s premier club competitions on SuperSport when the new rights cycle begins in 2027.
“We are very proud of this new partnership, which gives us exclusive rights to all UEFA Men’s Club competitions across more than 40 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
“For four seasons, until 2031, our subscribers will enjoy the thrill of the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League’s biggest matches. Today, CANAL+ offers the most attractive sports line-up across Sub-Saharan Africa, and the acquisition of these rights is a perfect illustration of that.
“We would like to extend our sincere thanks to UC3 and to the teams at Relevent for once again placing their trust in CANAL+, following our recent agreements in France, Switzerland, Belgium, Poland and Austria,” the chief executive of CANAL+, Mr Maxime Saada, stated.
The start of a football season always tricks people a little. Everything looks fresh. New shirts, new signings, clean tables, confident managers, fans talking themselves into hope again. Then the first few matches arrive, and half the predictions start wobbling. That is what makes early-season betting interesting. It is not tidy yet. Manchester City may still be Manchester City, but that does not mean they are sharp from the first whistle. Arsenal might look strong on paper and still need time to settle. Chelsea can have another summer full of noise and still leave bettors guessing. Real Madrid might have the stars, but even stars need minutes together. The first weeks are not about certainty. They are about spotting who is ready before the market fully catches up.
New Signings Need Time
Transfer excitement can make people rush. A new striker arrives at Arsenal and suddenly every goals market feels tempting. Manchester United sign a defender and people start talking about clean sheets. Chelsea add another expensive player and the same old question comes back: does this actually fix the team, or just add another name? Sometimes a signing changes everything quickly. More often, there is an awkward stage first. A forward needs to learn where the passes come from. A midfielder needs to understand the press. A centre-back needs to build trust with the goalkeeper and full-backs. That is why early-season betting after the Betway app download should not treat a new signing like a finished answer. The name matters, but the fit matters more.
World Cup Legs Will Matter
This season also carries the weight of the World Cup. Some players will come back flying. Some will come back flat. Some may start the season with managed minutes because their clubs cannot afford to burn them out early. That can change player markets fast. A bettor looking through the betway app before a weekend card should not only check the famous names in the lineup. Look at who played deep into the World Cup, who missed pre-season, who came back late, and who is being protected by the manager. A star on the pitch is not always a star at full speed.
Early Tables Can Lie
The first league table always looks more dramatic than it is. One big club drops points, and everyone starts asking if there is a crisis. One promoted side wins at home, and suddenly people talk about momentum. A striker scores twice, and the golden boot conversations begin before anyone has really learned anything. That noise can be useful, but only if bettors do not get swallowed by it. Early results need context. Did the team actually play well, or just finish two chances? Did they control the game, or survive pressure? Was the opponent missing key players? Did the manager rotate because of fitness?
Patience Beats The Big Prediction
The new season will settle. The strong teams will usually rise, the weaker squads will get exposed, and the table will start to make more sense. But the opening weeks are different. They are full of strange fitness levels, overhyped signings, tired stars and teams that are still trying to remember what they are meant to be. That is why betting on the upcoming season should start slowly. Do not fall in love with last season’s form. Do not trust every transfer story. Do not assume every World Cup star is ready to carry club football straight away. The value is often hiding in the messy part, before everyone else agrees what the season really looks like.
