Western Cape Gambling & Racing Board
ZAR Bets
R2,000 200% match, min deposit R20
- Score: 76/100
- Payments: Card, EFT or bank-transfer options as listed in the cashier, Voucher or cash channels as listed in the cashier
18+
Sportsbook head to head
ZAR Bets vs ApexBets
Both ZAR Bets and ApexBets carry recently issued WCGRB bookmaker licences, and both are licensed bookmakers. ZAR Bets has the longer track record (licence issued 28 March 2024) and a casino-aligned welcome; ApexBets has the freshest WCGRB licence (issued 26 November 2025) and a casino-landing affiliate route.
Measured, not claimed
Which one actually pays more
Across the prices we have recorded from both, ApexBets was best or tied on 24.8% of the outcomes it priced, against 21.3% for ZAR Bets. That is measured over 3 802 586 and 3 506 364 comparable prices respectively, not sampled and not supplied by either bookmaker.
Being best is not the whole picture, because a book that is rarely best can still be close. When it was not top, ApexBets paid on average 5.8% below the best price on the board and ZAR Bets 6.1%. Read the two numbers together rather than either alone: how often a book is best decides how often it saves you anything, and the shortfall decides what it costs you the rest of the time.
Both figures come from the same board, read on the same cycles, so they are directly comparable. They describe the outcomes we could compare, which is every market where enough bookmakers priced the same thing at the same time, and they say nothing about the bet you are about to place: check the live board for that.
The offers, side by side
Western Cape Gambling & Racing Board
ApexBets
R30,000 five deposit matches: 100%, 75%, 125%, 50%, 100%
- Score: 70/100
- Payments: Card, Instant EFT, Voucher methods as listed
18+
Asked and answered
ZAR Bets and ApexBets, the common questions
The questions people actually type about this pair, answered from the licence registers and from prices we read ourselves. Nothing here ranks one licensed bookmaker above the other; the facts are the answer.
Are ZAR Bets and ApexBets the same company?
No. ZAR Bets is licensed to Apollo Gaming (Pty) Ltd, registration number 2024/307627/07, and ApexBets is licensed to Letsbet (Pty) Ltd trading as Apex Bets. They are separate companies holding separate provincial bookmaker licences, which is why an account with one gives you nothing at the other.
What is the difference between ZAR Bets and ApexBets?
On the prices we have read from both, ApexBets held the best or joint-best price on 25% of the outcomes where the two were priced side by side, against 21% for ZAR Bets. Neither is best on everything: the gap moves by market and by day, so the difference that matters is the price on the specific bet you want.
Are both ZAR Bets and ApexBets licensed in South Africa?
Both do hold provincial bookmaker licences, which is the only form of legal sports betting licence in South Africa: there is no national or online-only permit. ZAR Bets has 2 licence records on file with us and ApexBets has 1, each with the number, the issuing board and the date we read it, set out on our licence register so you can check them against the board rather than against us.
Worked out
Which bonus pays more at your deposit?
A bigger ceiling is not a bigger bonus. This is what each offer actually pays across realistic first deposits.
ZAR Bets pays more on smaller deposits. From about R5,000, ApexBets pays more.
| First deposit | ZAR Bets | ApexBets | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| R100 | R200 | R100 | ZAR Bets |
| R250 | R500 | R250 | ZAR Bets |
| R500 | R1,000 | R500 | ZAR Bets |
| R1,000 | R2,000 | R1,000 | ZAR Bets |
| R2,000 | R2,000 | R2,000 | Equal |
| R5,000 | R2,000 | R5,000 | ApexBets |
Pick by need
Which one fits what you want?
| If you want | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Longer track record under WCGRB | ZAR Bets | WCGRB licence 10010581-030 was first issued 28 March 2024. |
| Most recent WCGRB licence issue | ApexBets | WCGRB licence 10194002-002 was issued 26 November 2025. |
| Casino-aligned welcome offer | ZAR Bets | 125% match up to R3,750 + 25 Free Spins on the Casino welcome landing. |
Licence check
Both licences, in full
ZAR Bets
- Entity: Apollo Gaming (Pty) Ltd, registration number 2024/307627/07
- Regulator: Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board
- Licence: WCGRB Bookmaker Licence No. 10010581-030 (National Gambling Board register, read 1 September 2026) · WCGRB Bookmaker Licence No. 10010581-031 (operator footer, first issued 28 March 2024, read 1 September 2026)
- Checked: 2026-08-10
ApexBets
- Entity: Letsbet (Pty) Ltd trading as Apex Bets
- Regulator: Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board
- Licence: WCGRB Bookmaker Licence 10194002-002 (issued 26 November 2025)
- Checked: 2026-08-10
Before you deposit
Use this as a shortlist, not a decision. Confirm the current licence wording, the offer terms, identity checks and withdrawal rules on the bookmaker's own site before you fund an account. Gambling can be addictive. Only bet what you can afford to lose.
Sources checked
- Zarbet official footer licence text
- Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board
- ZAR Bets welcome offer via zarpartners affiliate route
- ApexBets official footer
- National Gambling Board FAQ
- National Gambling Board verified operators portal
- National Gambling Board enforcement guide
- National Gambling Board Annual Report 2023/24
- Advertising Regulatory Board Gambling Appendix
- National Responsible Gambling Programme
- Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board licence holders register