Almost every morning, the blue minibuses in Durban come alive with soccer talk that’s even louder than the engines. As phones are balancing on people’s knees, everyone is checking and re-checking data, all with one goal: to turn a small bet into a fat stack of weekend money.
In the Taxi
Driver: “Chiefs at two-one odds, you taking it?”
Back-seat uncle: “Only if Pirates keep leaking goals, bru.”
Conductor: “Check form first, there’s the site.”
A quick tap on the YesPlay app will show you leagues sorted by kick-off time, with the odds updated every time a player gets injured. Before anyone places a bet, they always scroll through soccer results to spot clean sheets and shaky back lines. Stats from yesterday’s scores seem to be more trustworthy than the opinions of radio hosts because numbers never lie.
Live markets are really exciting to watch. When one of the full-backs gets injured, you’ll see the total goals number going higher, as everyone is trying to refresh the app as quickly as possible in order to see the new price.
Cheat Sheet
YesPlay lists over 800 betting options on big fixtures, but most players usually stick to just a few of the classics. First comes 1X2, which lets you bet on which team will win, or if the game is going to end in a draw. Then comes Handicap: betting that Arsenal will win by 0.5 goals or more will reward you handsomely, while betting that Bournemouth wins plus 0.5 goals is the safer bet. Lastly, there’s Both Teams Score, which will keep you at the edge of your seat even when watching a dull game since each team only needs to score one goal for you to win.
Timing is also important. Keep an eye on live odds and refresh the page often, as they tend to change very fast when the final line-ups drop. Also, check the weather forecasts as wind alerts can also drastically affect how the game plays out. For more in-depth info, YesPlay also offers soccer betting stats, including cards, first scorer and even throw-ins.