The Facebook page “Sportybet Nígeria” claims the betting company is “giving 30,000 each to all our members both old and new”.
In a 21 November 2020 post, complete with a photo of France and Manchester United football star Paul Pogba, the page asks those keen on the offer to “send us a message”. The post has attracted more than 1,400 comments so far, with most users doing just that.
A similar post from 4 November pulled in more than 850 reactions.
SportyBet also operates in Kenya and Ghana. Online sports betting, especially on football, has been on the rise in Africa, Nigeria included. According to (registration required) research firm Statista, betting accounted for 39% of the global gambling market in 2019.
But is the offer genuine?
A clue that not all may be what it seems is that the page was created on 4 November, the day it made its first offer. It has just 150 or so followers.
In contrast, the real SportyBet Nigeria Facebook page has more than 109,000 followers and was created in January 2018. None of the page’s public postings on 4 and 21 November include the offer.
SportyBet Nigeria’s website says it is licensed by the Lagos State Lotteries Board and the National Lottery Regulatory Commission. It has well known brand ambassadors that include former Nigerian international player Nwankwo Kanu.
The firm told Africa Check that “we do not have any such promotion”. It also warned users about clicking links that do not directly lead to its website.
This is an example of engagement bait – posts that ask people to interact by liking, commenting and sharing. The more people do this, the greater the Facebook page’s reach.
To avoid falling for Facebook scams, read our guide on how to spot them. – Africa Check
In a 21 November 2020 post, complete with a photo of France and Manchester United football star Paul Pogba, the page asks those keen on the offer to “send us a message”. The post has attracted more than 1,400 comments so far, with most users doing just that.
A similar post from 4 November pulled in more than 850 reactions.
SportyBet also operates in Kenya and Ghana. Online sports betting, especially on football, has been on the rise in Africa, Nigeria included. According to (registration required) research firm Statista, betting accounted for 39% of the global gambling market in 2019.
But is the offer genuine?
Page new, with few followers
A clue that not all may be what it seems is that the page was created on 4 November, the day it made its first offer. It has just 150 or so followers.
In contrast, the real SportyBet Nigeria Facebook page has more than 109,000 followers and was created in January 2018. None of the page’s public postings on 4 and 21 November include the offer.
SportyBet Nigeria’s website says it is licensed by the Lagos State Lotteries Board and the National Lottery Regulatory Commission. It has well known brand ambassadors that include former Nigerian international player Nwankwo Kanu.
The firm told Africa Check that “we do not have any such promotion”. It also warned users about clicking links that do not directly lead to its website.
This is an example of engagement bait – posts that ask people to interact by liking, commenting and sharing. The more people do this, the greater the Facebook page’s reach.
To avoid falling for Facebook scams, read our guide on how to spot them. – Africa Check
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