Measured 21 August 2026

What Playabets charges

Playabets took 8.12% across the 1623 markets we read on 21 August 2026, a payout of 91.88%. That ranks 1 of 7 in the index.

The numbers

Playabets in figures

8.12%Their cut

91.88%Payout

2.81–10.82%Range across markets

1623Markets read

An 8.12% margin removes about 7.51% of everything you stake, not 8.12%, because the margin is quoted against a base that already includes it. On R20 000 of turnover across a season that is roughly R1 502 to the bookmaker.

What they are good at

Cheapest margin of every book we measured, on both the overall board and the shared-fixture comparison
Tight and consistent pricing across the English league slate
Clean market presentation, with 1X2 and totals clearly separated

What to watch for

Front page defaults to major European leagues, so South African competitions take more clicks
Smaller domestic fixture list than Hollywoodbets

Stated plainly

The verdict, and how we are paid

On the numbers we measured, the best value in the field. If you bet European football, this is the price to beat.

Licence

Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board, bookmaker licence 10141335-018; also Mpumalanga Economic Regulator 9-2-1-09689

How we read them

Prices render in the public football page; read once per week from a single request

The full method →

We can open this one

Opening Playabets through this link costs you nothing and pays us a commission. Their position in the index was computed before that was considered.

Go to Playabets

Sponsored · 18+ · Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board · gamble responsibly, 0800 006 008. How we make money.

Compare them against the field

One book's number means little on its own. The weekly index puts every book we read side by side. This week's index →

In context

Where they sit this week

SA Bookmaker Margin Index

Measured 21 AUG 2026 · 20939 MATCH MARKETS · 7 BOOKS

South African bookmaker margins, cheapest first
Pos	Bookmaker	Their cut	Payout	Markets	Open an account
1	Playabets Cheapest	8.12%	91.88%	1623	Best value
2	Betway	8.37%	91.63%	1255	Open
3	BetBus No partnership	9.06%	90.94%	314	Open
4	Hollywoodbets No partnership	9.98%	90.02%	671	Open
5	Lucky Fish No partnership	9.98%	90.02%	694	Open
6	ZARbet No partnership	10.01%	89.99%	982	No partnership
7	10bet No partnership	10.27%	89.73%	1643	No partnership

Each figure is that book's own average across its own three-way board, measured 21 August 2026. Cheapest comparable book: Playabets at 8.12%. Dearest: 10bet at 10.27%.

Straight answers

Playabets questions

What margin does Playabets charge?

On the 1623 three-way markets we read on 21 August 2026, Playabets averaged 8.12%, ranging from 2.81% to 10.82%. That is a payout of 91.88%, so roughly 7.51% of everything staked goes to the bookmaker before any result is known.

Is Playabets good value?

On this week's measurement they were the cheapest comparable book in our index. That can change week to week, which is why we measure it every week rather than writing a verdict once.

How do you work out Playabets's margin?

We read their own published prices, convert each price to an implied probability, add them up, and subtract 100%. The excess is the fee. Prices render in the public football page; read once per week from a single request. Nothing is estimated and no price is supplied by a third party.

Do you get paid by Playabets?

Yes, if you open an account through a link on this site they may pay us a commission. It costs you nothing and it does not affect their position: the ranking is computed from measured margin before any commercial consideration, and books we earn nothing from are published the same way.