Hands down the most popular sport in the country, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that cricket dominates Pakistan’s sports culture. In this blog, we will take you through the nitty-gritty of online betting in Pakistan, along with some other key points that will help you bet safely and confidently.
The Top 10 Pakistani Bookies
- Quick and secure online transactions
- Provides some of the best sports odds
- Accepts bets via BitcoinS
- Provides an intuitive sportsbook experience
- Secure and hassle-free transactions
- Sleek mobile app
- Offers 100% deposit bonus
- Provides free bets for every losing bet
- Designed a customer help-guide
Is Online Betting in Pakistan Legal?
There is a history of long discussions about the scope of online betting under Pakistani law. Like most Islamic countries, Pakistan has some strict views on any form of gambling. The country has outlawed betting activities through the Prevention of Gambling Act (1977). However, there hasn’t been any active mention of general online betting in Pakistan.
Sure, you won’t find any offline legal betting operations in Pakistan. However, most betting sites are hosted internationally, providing an opportunity for Pakistani players to participate and score great rewards.
Pakistan actually has a thriving culture that encourages players to bet on cricket online. As long as you keep away from offline betting activities and stick to trusted betting sites, you shouldn’t face any problems. The websites that we’ve suggested in our article are governed by regulators like the UK Gambling Commission and Curaçao Gaming authorities.
Popular Betting Sports in Pakistan
- Cricket – Cricket is without a doubt the most popular and loved sport in Pakistan. Not only do they have an international cricket team, but you’ll also find a variety of domestic and franchise tournaments played in Pakistan throughout the year.
- Football – With the establishment of the Pakistan Premier League and their women’s football team, you can’t deny that Pakistanis love football. Though not as widespread as cricket, football has gained steady popularity in the country over the years.
Fun fact: Pakistan is the official manufacturer of the FIFA World Cup ball. - Hockey – Field hockey is considered Pakistan's national sport, and its fame here could very well be the result of their national team winning various accolades in international championships, including the Olympics.
- Horse racing – Pakistanis enjoy Equestrian sports so much that they host elite racing events like The Pakistan Derby and The Karachi Derby. Horse racing also attracts a surprising number of online punters from Pakistan.
- Tennis– Though Pakistani tennis has seen some success in tournaments like the Davis Cup, it has seen a decline in visibility over the years. But it does have a loyal audience that loves online betting on active tennis plays.
Popularity of Cricket Betting in Pakistan
Though Pakistan considers hockey as their national sport, cricket receives more love from the natives. This sport has commercial backing along with public support.
Compared to the other popular sports in Pakistan, cricket tournaments are more frequent and provide increased betting opportunities. Add to that, the availability of reliable odds and tournament-specific promos makes online cricket betting worth investing in.
If you’ve decided to start your cricket betting journey, what you need to know is how to find the perfect betting site for you. Below, we have listed down some essential points that you must keep in mind while shortlisting sites.
How To Select the Best Sites for Online Betting in Pakistan
With the presence of many cricket betting sites in Pakistan, you may get confused when trying to pick a site to register with. If you’re a betting novice, you can’t simply sign up for a service and go with the flow. You have to look for booking sites that not only offer you security but also provide prompt support when you need it.
These are a few things that you must check before you register on a betting site:
1. Credibility – Before placing online bets, opting for secure and registered sites should be your number one priority. Visit the official betting websites and check if they are associated with a legitimate gambling association. You can rely on sites regulated by authorities like the UK Gambling Commission, Egaming Curaçao or Malta Gaming Authority.
You can even check the validity of licences and registrations online.
2. Bookmaker Margins: Margins are basically the profit percentage that bookmakers deduct from your bets. Bookies do not mention the percentage upfront but you can find it on online review sites or by chatting with your fellow bettors.
Always go with bookmakers charging a lower margin – the lower the margin, the better. However, never compromise on the security features in search of bookmakers charging lower margins.
3. Active Promotions or Bonuses – Though not essential, discounts and bonuses are a great way to get started with your betting journey. Some websites offer you free bets as a welcome bonus, while others offer early payouts. Make sure to read the terms before you place a bet through a promo.
4. Customer Support – Whether you are an ace bettor or just starting out, opting for betting sites with 24/7 call, email or chat support is always a good idea. You might experience betting queries or run into some unexpected tech concerns at any stage of betting. Getting immediate access to customer support during such times can help solve your concerns fast and make the betting process smoother.
Punters can also find additional features like free sports streaming or mobile applications. Browse through a website’s online reviews and check the site interface for your convenience.
Key Points to Ace Online Cricket Betting
To master betting from the get-go, you’ll require expert insights and some betting tips in hand. Prepare to win by having a strategy in place before you start betting.
Here are a few essential pointers that will assist you in acing your betting game:
1. Check Past Records
Sure, matches can be unpredictable at times, but when you’re placing bets, you need some reliable stats to begin with. Don’t just browse through the odds on a website; review a team’s past performance thoroughly.
These records will give you a better understanding of winning probabilities and the best performers in a match. After your research, you can create a concrete plan and be better equipped to place bets confidently. Also, if you’re unsure about a particular bet, go for a booking site that allows you to edit your bets during live matches.
2. Use Multiple Bookmakers
We suggest signing up for more than one sportsbook. as with multiple bookies, you can access several top odds at once. In case of any tech fall-backs on one site, you can still score your chance on another.
Registrations for these sites are free and the initial deposits are quite inexpensive. So don’t miss out on a good bet simply because you were hooked to one potential odd.
3. Set a Limit
Include this step in your strategy before you even start placing bets. Betting is supposed to be fun, so, if you're constantly anxious about losing out more than winning, you must set betting limits beforehand.
A lot of betting sites allow punters to set betting limits on their accounts to receive alerts. So, decide how much you can spend without breaking the bank, set betting limits and refrain from overspending.
4. Pitch Analysis
Just like you track a team’s past stats, you must also look for the pitch analysis when betting online on cricket matches. The general rule is find an assessment of the soil moisture, grass coverage, hardness and cracks on the pitch.
The weather conditions should also be taken into consideration. If you’re a novice, you can look for expert pitch reports for further reference.
5. Make a List of Pre-match and Live Bets
Save time by preparing live and pre-match betting lists. Check the bookmakers’ websites and create a solid plan with your preferred betting type.
6. Track Your Performance
Betting is typically not a one-off activity, which is why it’s essential to bet right. It will take research and efforts on your part to invest in worthy bets. Track your past bets and find if there’s any scope to refine your betting skills. Also, be prepared to experiment until you find the market that fits your betting style.
Best Payment Methods in Pakistan
(Screenshot taken on 01.11.2021 at 1428 Hrs)
With the gambling laws in place, Pakistani punters may not get the option of funding their betting through local banks. However, they do have a multitude of deposit and withdrawal choices for online gambling. Let’s take a look at some popular payment methods:
Deposit Methods
Credit or debit cards (Visa and Mastercard) along with prepaid cards (Maestro and Entropay) are widely used for online betting in Pakistan. Always check if there are any interest charges applicable to your credit card. With debit cards in particular, there won’t be any interest incurred.
E-wallets are an excellent variable for transferring betting funds online. You simply have to register for a digital wallet, verify it and activate money transfer. Skrill and NETELLER remain front-runners, as they are secure and provide ease of use. They also have special promos for online sports betting. Along with e-wallets, cryptos are also becoming increasingly popular in the betting circles.
ecoPayz and paysafecard offer digital wallets and cards with top-notch security and large transaction limits. The e-wallets benefit you with quicker withdrawals (within 48 hours for most) and mobile access.
Withdrawal Methods
The withdrawal options don’t differ much from the deposits. Most sites default your deposit method as your withdrawal option.
In case you cannot access your deposit method, then the bookmakers can initiate withdrawal through a wire transfer. Bank wire transactions have comparatively longer processing times, so try to deposit funds from the payment options that you’d prefer to withdraw from.
Also, note that some bookmakers offer direct PKR transactions while others may require conversions. E-wallets are a great way to convert your PKR into an accepted currency with minimal processing cost.
Mobile Betting Apps in Pakistan
Booking sites understand that mobile use for browsing has increased drastically. That’s why almost every site offers free app downloads for various Android and iOS devices.
Bettors prefer mobile apps over browsers as they provide notable benefits, namely quick navigation, tailored notifications and the same feature set as the official site.
How Are Mobile Betting Apps Beneficial?
Here are some features that make mobile betting applications stand out:
- Betting Ease – Mobile applications make online betting in Pakistan effortless for punters. You get access to all the web betting tools right on your phone or tablet, allowing you to place bets while you’re commuting to work or vacationing. Not only that, the user interface is beginner-friendly and making payments is easier too.
- Live Sports Broadcast – You can stream live HD matches and scroll through live statistics with a single application. If you enjoy in-play or live betting, this feature becomes all the more important. Besides, most applications allow you to edit your bets during a game as well.
- Get Notified – Punters can receive real-time notifications and reminders for their preferred matches. This way, you won’t miss out on any lucrative betting opportunities as you would with non-mobile betting.
- Additional Features – Some betting sites offer extra perks for simply downloading their applications. For example, Sportsbet.io gives a free bet to users who install and bet through their SB Live application.
Bettors can gain extra bonuses, enjoy free games on their phones and access sports news. You can also find multiple language options and access to customer support through mobile applications.
We’ll suggest downloading the applications through the original website as there are a lot of proxy applications that allow you to access these booking sites but aren’t safe to use.
Online Betting in Pakistan FAQs
How can I start online betting in Pakistan if it’s considered illegal?
As discussed in the blog, the online betting sites are hosted outside of Pakistan. Therefore, Pakistani bettors can place bets online through secure and reputed scorebooks like the ones mentioned on our list. These global sites offer various payment options to suit bettors across the world.
What type of rewards do betting sites offer?
Novice punters can expect welcome bonuses when they register with a bookmaker. Regardless of your tenure, you can claim free bets or early payouts, as well as cashbacks, weekly bonuses or wins through free online games. Bookmakers are also quite generous with promos for big-league tournaments.
Which are some of the best betting sites in Pakistan?
While we have already covered the best cricket betting sites, if we were to further narrow down the list, then Betway, Parimatch, and bet365, would be on top.
What do I need to get started with online sports betting?
We suggest browsing through some tips and researching bookmaker sites before you sign up for anything. Design a betting strategy and set limits on your funds, so you don’t go overboard. Additionally, reviewing past team performances and current stats is always great for your sports betting game plan.
Which betting sites have a mobile application?
Most of the bookmaker sites that we listed in this article have developed Android and iOS mobile applications. You can download them from their website.
CricketBettingAdvice Final Say
There you have it! With all the information to get started with online betting in Pakistan, you can get going on your betting voyage worry-free.
Don’t forget to invest in multiple bookmakers and review the stats to make the best bets!
The Cricket Betting Advice team of writers are all defined by one goal: to provide you with the best online cricket betting content on the web.