Gambling, and especially sports betting, is almost an ancient tradition in Hungary. Since the end of the 19th century, Hungarians have been able to play in a domestic environment in exchange for cash prizes – to be precise, the start of the domestic gambling industry dates back to the 1880s. At that time, it was still possible to bet on sports, matches, and events in various traffickers and lotteries.
Of course, everything took place in a slightly different form, since there were no smartphones or even the Internet at that time. They still printed the industry on a paper basis. The gambling tradition is still alive today, especially online. Here are the best sports betting sites in Hungary for 2023 and how to use them.
The foundations of modern Hungarian sports betting were laid by the XXXIV of 1991 law. This regulated the organization of gambling. This law was in place until 2017 when the Hungarian government was forced to change it under pressure from the European Union, as it proved to be contrary to the foundations of the EU.
Free market competition was limited by that law, as it ensured the monopoly position of the gambling industry for the state at the state level. Szerencsejáték Zrt enjoyed this advantage for many years, whose monopoly position at that time still affects the Hungarian gambling industry – but this is only natural.
However, in the 2010s, the European Union forced the Hungarian parliament to review it as a result of multiple notifications. The fact that, although there are no restrictions within the European Union, foreign gambling providers could not set foot in Hungary went against the foundations of the EU.
Only Szerencsejáték Zrt could operate its games within a legal framework, and this proved to be an untenable situation. Thanks to this, Hungary’s gambling laws have been amended several times. CXXXIX of 2015 first law amended its predecessor so that it adapts to EU requirements. Thanks to this, all gambling providers accepted by EU countries can now legally provide their online gambling services in Hungary as well. It is thanks to this law that the Hungarian gambling market has suddenly grown enormously.
A large number of foreign casinos and bookmakers have appeared in Hungary. Today, Hungarian players can choose from more than just the products of Szerencsejáték Zrt. Almost all of the world’s biggest gambling sites are available here.
Online sports betting is completely legal in Hungary. Today, at least. Obviously, this was not always the case, but fortunately, legal bookmakers are waiting for Hungarian players. Bettors can enjoy the offers and services of the best online gambling and sports betting sites within a legal framework.
Hungarian-language sports betting sites can operate thanks to the rules of the European Union. A site that has a valid online gambling license can also offer its services to Hungarian players.
It is worth knowing that winnings from legal bookmakers are tax-free, but this only applies to betting sites that are on the NAV list. And this is a very limited list, so although there are legal bookmakers in the country, the winnings are mostly taxable. Of course, this only applies to foreign bookmakers. There are many bookmakers that provide Hungarian players with better betting options, but also take into account the tax liability. Certain conditions apply if we want to pursue our sports betting career in the long term without paying taxes.
Is Online Sports Betting Legal in Hungary?
Sports betting is legal in Hungary and bettors can place bets both online and at land-based bookmakers.
Choosing the best Hungarian bookmaker is not an easy task. In the following few paragraphs, the really important aspects by which we consider bookmakers will be presented.
The first thing you should look at at your sports betting site in Hungary is, of course, the list of available sports. Why would you want to register on a sports betting site where you can’t bet on your favorite sport? That wouldn’t make any sense.
Clarify exactly what sports you are interested in. Decide for yourself which sports you know enough to make money from. Watch this match and get inspired.
It is very important that you only register on authentic, reliable and fair sites. You are entrusting your online sports betting site in Hungary with your personal and financial data, so look carefully at whom you entrust so much.
Make sure that the site has a valid gambling license. Furthermore, from a data protection point of view, it is important what encryption system the site uses. The most common are SSL (Secure Socket Layer) based systems, which provide absolute security, no one can hack your data. It is not worth registering on a site that does not have this.
Choose a site where you can usually find the best odds for matches of your favorite sport. This is important because the higher odds you bet on, the more money you can win. It doesn’t matter whether you bet on a given event at odds of 1.30 or 1.50. Those who specifically look for this can find surprisingly large differences between the offers of Hungarian bookmakers!
Today, live betting is becoming more and more popular. This is not the only reason, of course, but the popularity of mobile betting is also partly due to this – since we can bet on live events even faster, simpler and more conveniently from mobile.
Hungarian players can already download sports betting applications from most betting sites. If this is not available, then at least the site is optimized for mobile, i.e. all important functions of the site can be perfectly accessed from mobile.
The apps are also very easy to manage, anyone can do it. In some cases, the game also comes with a separate mobile bonus. Cash out, i.e. payment, is also easy, convenient and fast using a mobile phone. Of course, certain conditions apply, but today you can play on almost any mobile phone.
There is simply no such thing as managing our finances without problems, playing games, having fun and everything going smoothly. Something bad will happen for sure.
It may happen, for example, that your live bet is not saved by the system, or your payment is delayed, or the payment sends an error message instead of money. Or the bonuses don’t arrive. Anything can happen in any given situation.
In such cases, however, there is no need to despair – as long as the sports betting site in Hungary is legal and the sports betting site you registered with is reliable. And if so, there will also be great customer service, who will hopefully be available via online chat, or by email.
Naturally, the first step to take is to choose a sports betting site in Hungary. You can either choose one from the list, or, if you don’t like any, you can use the guide provided above to find your own favorite site. Then click on the Registration button, enter your personal data and continue. After that, enter your address and the currency you want to use. Accept the bonus and the general terms and conditions and register!
After that comes the money top-up. To do this, log in to your new account and click on the Deposit button. Possible payment methods are displayed in further text. Choose the most convenient for you, enter your details, and then enter how much money you want to transfer to your betting account. After that, confirm the payment, and if you entered the correct information, the money will appear in your account. You can start playing with this.
Now it’s really up to us to make our bets. To do this, you first have to choose what sport you want to bet on. So let’s go to the sports section in the main menu, then select our favorite sport from the left menu column. Let’s say football for example, find it in the list and click on it.
The upcoming matches will then be displayed. Choose the one you want to bet on. By default, we can see the 1X2 market, so that the match ends with a win for the home team, the away team, or a draw. We can change this, and by clicking on the arrow next to the match, all the betting markets will be visible. For larger matches, we can choose from hundreds of betting offers.
If there are still hours or even days left until the match, we can place a bet before the match. If the match has already started, we can even bet live in the same way. For long-term bets, click on the “Final bets” button in the menu bar above, here you will find the available offers.
If you have chosen what you want to bet on, click on the markets that suit you. Your betting slip will then appear in the lower right corner. Click on additional multipliers if you want to place a combined or multiple bet with other events. Enter your bet amount and click “Bet”. Confirm it, and you have already successfully submitted your slip. And if you win, it will be automatically credited to your account within moments!
Some punters spend a lot of time and energy studying different sports and leagues. The main reason for this is that various sports are extremely popular in Hungary. The interest in sports often goes hand in hand with the fact that the fans bet a small amount on the outcome of the matches.
Adapting to the needs of the fans, the best bookmakers actively follow world trends. Their goal is to provide the best possible offers to those who actively bet, and preferably with as wide a range as possible. Let’s also see which sports are the most popular at the moment and which most people in Hungary choose to bet on.
Betting on football is very popular all over the world and provides one of the biggest markets for bookmakers. Football betting is popular, whether on a casual or professional level, as evidenced by the constantly appearing sports betting sites for Hungarian players. The world of football betting has become really successful in the age of the Internet. Another factor that has contributed to the emergence of football betting is the remarkably large number of people who are passionate about the sport.
There is almost no betting site that does not cover the most important international championships and matches. What's more, you can find a wide range of domestic matches on every right side. Be it pre-match or live betting, you can be sure that a wide range of betting markets will be available.
Next to football, tennis is the next most popular sport in the world of betting. Thanks to the expansion of online gambling, the turnover of tennis betting has grown to billions annually across Europe. Tennis betting is one of the most entertaining and popular sports in the world. To get started, the bettor must know the rules of the sport and understand the different styles of play that can affect the outcome of the match. In addition, it does not hurt to be aware of what tennis betting strategies exist. This can greatly increase the rate of successful bets.
As one of the most widespread and watched sports in the world, betting on basketball is extremely popular in Hungary. As the game is a fast-paced match, it provides an incredibly enjoyable and profitable betting experience for sports bettors. Like football and tennis, there are many different leagues and organizations that offer different thrills to fans and sports bettors alike.
One of the most popular is the National Basketball Association (NBA) and in the United States the National Collegiate Athletic Association Basketball (NCAA), also known as the college basketball league. But of course, you can also bet on Hungarian basketball matches and championships on all better sports betting sites. Betting on basketball is also one of the simplest forms of sports betting and is great for beginners to get started and for professional bettors to play more serious bets.
Although few people would think it, horse racing is also one of the most popular sports that you can bet on in Hungary. Not many things can replace the excitement you feel during the competition. Whether you bet on the favorite or are looking for a surprise, you're sure to have plenty of excitement. Although horse racing betting is a bit more complicated, with a lot of rules, if you get to know the details, you can be sure that you will have countless exciting minutes when betting and following the races.
Boxing has always been very popular, but it seems to be experiencing a renaissance, at least when it comes to betting in Hungary. This sport has many fans worldwide, including in Hungary. Boxing matches are full of adrenaline and you can concentrate on watching them for a long time. Many people think that these matches are easy to predict, so it is very easy to bet on them. It is also true that it is easier to prepare for each match since you do not have to take into account the statistics and current state of an entire team, but it is enough to focus only on the two opponents. In this respect, it can be ideal for beginners, which is probably also related to the popularity of sports betting. Along these lines, UFC is also a popular betting option.
The offer of online sports betting sites in Hungary is quite large, with many types of bets. Here are presented most of them, so you have the opportunity to find out what they mean. Each bookmaker uses different Hungarian wording, which is worth paying attention to!
Which side will win the match or it will be a draw – essentially this is what the two numbers and the letter x cover. Many bookmakers in Hungary use this type of marking, where 1 always means the home team wins, X means a draw, and 2 means the away team’s success.
In the standard handicap bet, one side is given a theoretical advantage of one or more goals at the beginning of the match, which is added to the final result. For example, PSV plays Estoril in the Europa League and Estoril gets a one-goal lead. In such cases, we can bet that the Dutch will still win, for example, PSV (-1). We also have the option to bet on a draw, which you can find as follows: Draw – Estoril (+1). This bet is a winner if PSV wins by one goal, so it overcomes the theoretical one-goal deficit. The third option, in this case, is Estoril (+1), so in reality, the Portuguese team will at least draw or win.
A self-explanatory, two-outcome bet (Yes/No). If we bet that both teams will score (Yes option), our bet is won if both sides score during the match. At larger offices, we have the option to take part in half-terms.
We can bet on the player who will score in the match. In many cases, we have the opportunity to see an improved version of this, when some players are selected from the teams, and we can bet on them scoring at least 2 or even 3 goals. At some sports betting sites in Hungary, we have the opportunity to play the No-score option for some players.
Two types of bets in which we can bet on the player who we think will score the first or last goal in the match.
Bookmakers are not non-profit organizations, so they are primarily driven to make as much profit as possible to minimize their losses. We will examine how the odds for each event are determined, but we will also cover why it is worthwhile for bookmakers to create different bonuses and promotions.
The bookmakers’ odds are created by so-called odds masters, whose task is getting more and more serious. While in the past it was enough to “just” understand the specific sport, today they have a lot of things in their hands. They have to pay attention to the form of a particular team/player/horse, what they have played in the previous 3,5 or 10 matches/competition, who is unable to participate in the clash, how important their performance is etc.
This is the kind of profession that you can’t trust a computer to calculate for you with mathematical formulas. Because quite simply, the human factor is essential here. Odds masters also have to analyze the financial risks of things, and compare their own with the odds of other bookmakers in Hungary and adjust their own to them. However, there can’t be too much of a difference, since the bettors also aim to maximize profit, so if they find a better multiplier, they will certainly go there.
Margin – it essentially determines the profit of bookmakers. So the main goal of bookmakers is to make a profit, so far this is a clear line. They include their own benefit in their odds, so no matter the outcome of a match, they will win. At least that’s the basic idea.
If the chances of an event were determined at 100%, the sports betting site in Hungary would have nothing left. If you play heads or tails with a friend, one of you will win. Let’s say that you bet on the head for HUF 1,000, and your friend bets the same amount on the book. Depending on the result, one of you will win HUF 2,000. And not a single penny is left in the bookie’s pocket.
That is why the odds are determined in such a way that we do not receive a fair amount for our bet, but a part of it. A 50% probability is worth twice the odds based on the math. And we have exactly that much chance of winning heads or letters “match”.
However, the bookmaker says that the head is not worth double odds from now on, but only 1.90. By risking HUF 1,000, you can only win HUF 900, and the remaining HUF 100 remains with the bookmaker. It’s that simple. This is called the betting margin.
The amount of the betting margin is decided by the service provider itself, there are no separate regulations for this. The bigger the margin, the smaller the multiplier, so the less we can win. Thus, it is worth calculating which office uses which margin. We can easily calculate this ourselves, and we have provided two examples for this.
Let’s say there is an event where five horses and their jockeys are trying to get the best possible place. The bookmaker then determines the odds according to the method mentioned above and publishes them. For the sake of simplicity, the list contains fictitious names, do not look for these guys at any bookmaker:
We can calculate the betting margin using the following formula:
Down to the language of numbers conversely:
After a little math, we get the result:
So the bookmaker works with a margin of 11.69% on this one event.
Sports betting bonuses are one of the most exciting promotions in sports betting. Many sports betting sites in Hungary offer their players plenty of bonuses to motivate them to place more bets. However, it is important to note that sports betting bonuses and bets do not directly lead us to victory, as luck is fickle. When betting on sports, we rely not only on luck but also on strategy. Be that as it may, sports betting bonuses are a great way to improve your chances of winnings, and these are the most popular ones in Hungary:
Among the types of sports betting bonuses in Hungary, welcome bonuses are the most common first deposit offers a player will encounter. You can see these offers in all sports betting sites in Hungary and even on TV and social media ads. The way they work is simple. Make your first deposit and the offer will increase it up to 200% (depending on the betting site). New players receive a welcome deposit bonus as the initial deposit is significantly increased. You can also place a certain amount of bets without risking your money with the betting welcome bonus.
However, the wagering requirements may be stricter. For example, it might be just once, or you might have to roll over your first deposit 10 times before paying out your winnings. So there is a chance that you can lose your balance at any time until you reach the turnover requirements. An additional requirement may be the odds you can accept.
The term expiration date indicates how long you have to fulfill the bonus conditions. Many sports betting offers have an expiry date of 14-30 days, although this varies quite a bit. The minimum odds tells you how much minimum odds you have to choose, as indicated above, to meet the conditions. For example, an offer may state that all bets must be at odds of 1.5 or higher. Bets placed on odds of less than this will not be counted or applied.
A slightly less common betting signup offer is the no deposit bonus. This is an offer in which an online bookmaker can give a few thousand forints for a few free bets or only one bet. Here you do not have to deposit with this betting bonus. All you have to do is register an account. No deposit offers aren’t nearly as big as the best sportsbook signup bonuses, and they tend to have stricter terms, at least when it comes to paying out your winnings.
If you are interested in sports betting without depositing a bonus, then free bets are usually options where you can place a bet on a match up to a certain amount without any risk. For example, you get HUF 2,000 for the Chelsea – Liverpool match and you can bet on any market. If your tip doesn’t work, you get HUF 2,000 back. In fact, many times these are bets that are not even deducted from your balance, but you only see a change when the tip comes in and the net profit is credited to your account.
In the case of certain competitions and championships, sports betting sites in Hungary offer extra betting opportunities for certain matches to their existing players. This gives you the opportunity to make a special bet. For example, a live betting offer on the Ferencváros – Újpest match worth HUF 1,500, which if you fail, you will not lose anything.
Refunds usually apply to different bets. In such cases, the bookmaker will refund a certain percentage of your lost money to your balance.
A general bonus option when you have already fired the welcome bonus offer, but you still want to deposit it into your account later. Even in such cases, the betting offices can give additional credits up to certain percentages for being a loyal bettor.
Depending on the payment type you choose for your deposits, the bookmaker may offer extra offers to promote certain payment methods. In such cases, if you can, it is worth using such a payment, because you can gain great advantages.
The essence of this is that if you have an active bet, regardless of whether it is a single bet or a fixed bet, you can access part of your winnings during the matches before waiting for the final results. Of course, this requires that things go well. But even if the results do not turn out as you guessed, you still have the opportunity to minimize your losses and get out of a bet in time.
The name shows that bonus offers are also given specifically for live matches. This requires that you place a bet when the match has already started. In such cases, however, you have to wait for the given bet to be evaluated, you cannot use the cash out function.
A promotion specifically created for mobile or application users, the essence of which is that you can only claim and validate the given bonus from a mobile device. This could be, for example, a free bet or a betting offer for a specific match, which you must use from your mobile phone.
Many online gambling sites offer referral programs. Every program is different, but the bottom line is that the site gives you a bonus or other incentive for every friend you refer who deposits and bets real money. Most sites also offer casino games and/or poker, and if your friend plays one of those, you’ll still get the bonus. And this is it includes the most common betting bonuses and promotions offered by online sports betting sites.
The main details of how online sports sites use loyalty bonuses to reward their best customers are pretty straightforward. The more bets a customer makes at the sportsbook, the more they are entitled to prizes or the more rewards they receive in return. Those who bet most often and/or bet the most get the best benefits. Websites approach how they encourage loyalty differently. One of the basic systems you’ll see on many websites is rewards based on loyalty points.
There are traditional payment methods that are mainly used by people on mobile, in this case crypto wallets or e-wallets. But there are other payment methods that you can use with online sports betting sites in Hungary.
Here are the most popular payment methods on sports betting sites in Hungary:
✅ Neteller and Skrill – Basically, most e-wallet solutions can be good. The reason why these two stand out among them is wide support, the minimum annual fee, the speed and the fact that today there is no bookmaker that does not accept them, which cannot be said about all e-wallets.
✅ PaySafeCard – We can pay at almost all bookmakers with the most popular prepaid card payment method. This is similar to the bank card payment method, but here only a certain amount will be on our card, which we loaded earlier. The payment is extremely fast, there will be no direct connection between our bank card and the bookmaker, and it is also a very well-known and reliable service provider.
✅ Cryptocurrencies – Mainly Bitcoin and Ethereum – these are the two largest cryptocurrencies in the world, which also ensure anonymity, freeness, and speed when making payments.
We can only achieve the fastest payouts if we use appropriate payment methods. These are usually:
E-wallets like Neteller or Skrill. These payments are also processed within 1-15 minutes, processing within 1 hour is very rare. With the help of cryptocurrencies, we can also receive our payment immediately, but regardless of the congestion of the given blockchain, the processing cannot take longer than 1-2 hours. By definition, the payment methods by bank card or bank transfer are the slowest, they will certainly take 2-3 days, and depending on the bank, we also have to pay for the transactions.
What Is the Best Payment Option for Hungarian Players?
When placing sports bets and national betting sites, credit cards seem like a great option. They are fast, secure, and widespread. With foreign betting sites, e-wallets offer the best service - they are like credit cards but internationally accepted.
Almost all forms of gambling are legal in Hungary, including sports betting and casino gambling.
Finding a safe and reliable gaming house in Hungary will lead to a safe gambling experience. Always check if the gaming house has a gambling license.
There are many sports betting sites in Hungary, both national and foreign ones, that can be accessed. Finding a reputable and licensed bookmaker will ensure safe sports betting.
There are no limits set by the state, therefore, all the deposit and withdrawal limits will be set by the bookmaker. Check them out before joining a casino site.
It is worth knowing that winnings from legal bookmakers are tax-free, but this only applies to betting sites that are on the NAV list. And this is a very limited list, so although there are legal bookmakers in the country, the winnings are mostly taxable. Of course, this only applies to foreign bookmakers.
Certain withdrawal methods are faster than others. For example, cryptocurrencies are the fastest (a few hours), e-wallets are next (up to one day), credit and debit cards on average take 2-3 days, while bank transfers take around a week.
As there are numerous sports betting sites in Hungary, both national and foreign ones, it can be tricky to choose the best one. Instead, go for a bookmaker that offers services based on your needs.
All sports are present in Hungary, such as football, basketball, tennis, martial arts, moto races, esports, etc.
Football is the most popular sport among Hungarian bettors, followed by tennis, water polo, and basketball.
Bookmakers will show chances of an outcome of a sporting match happening in decimal odds. The lower the number, the higher chances of an outcome happening. Multiply the odds with the stake and the final winnings will be calculated.
While there are not many sports betting sites in Hungary that will offer free bets, bettors can still find some free bet offers. Such offers are often valuable and should be collected whenever possible.
Welcome, or sign-up bonuses can be claimed after registration. Sometimes it might be necessary to deposit some funds first, but sometimes this might not be necessary at all. Check the terms of claiming the welcome bonus first before joining a casino site in Hungary.
Luckily, gamblers from Hungary are incredibly responsible, therefore, there hasn’t been much need for serious interventions so far. And while there aren’t many institutions that will help with gambling addiction, there are always local psychotherapists that will help with utmost professionalism.
🔎 Looking for casino sites? Here are the best casino sites in Hungary.
