📶 What is a USSD deposit?

USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) is the menu system that opens when you dial a code starting with * and ending with #. Unlike an app, it runs over your mobile network’s signalling channel, so it works on a basic phone and without mobile data. For betting, that means you can fund your account in a few seconds even if your data runs out or you’re using a feature phone.

There are three common kinds of USSD deposit in Africa:

👍 Pros and cons of depositing by USSD

📋 Before your first USSD deposit

1. Check the bookmaker’s licence in your country (see each country section below).
2. Register your phone number with your bank (Nigeria) or open a mobile money wallet (elsewhere). Kuda notes that USSD banking won’t work if your phone number isn’t linked to your bank account.
3. Create your USSD or wallet PIN and never share it.
4. Use the same phone number on your betting account and your wallet. Several bookmakers pay withdrawals only to the number you deposited from.
5. Keep some airtime in Nigeria, where USSD session charges come from airtime.
6. Set a deposit limit on your betting account before you start.

🇳🇬 Nigeria: depositing with bank USSD codes

In Nigeria, a USSD deposit almost always means paying from your bank account. Every major bank has a USSD code. Kuda’s October 2025 guide lists these:

Source: Kuda (17 October 2025). Heritage Bank’s licence was revoked by the Central Bank of Nigeria on 3 June 2024, so it’s not on this list.

Fintech wallets have USSD menus too: OPay uses *955# and PalmPay launched *861# in September 2024. At bookmakers, though, OPay and PalmPay are usually paid through their apps or a bank transfer rather than USSD.

Step by step: a USSD deposit through the bookmaker’s cashier

This is the most common method, described by Goal for GTBank deposits and by Paystack for its USSD checkout:

1. Log in to a Lagos-licensed bookmaker and open Deposit.
2. Choose USSD (it may be labelled “USSD”, “USSD Paystack” or “USSD Flutterwave”).
3. Select your bank and enter the amount.
4. Copy the code shown. It’s a one-time code that already includes the payment reference, in a format like *737*33*4*18791# (Paystack’s documentation example).
5. Dial the code from the phone number registered with your bank.
6. Confirm with your USSD PIN (or, for GTBank, the last four digits of your card).
7. Wait for the SMS from your bank, then check your betting balance.

Paystack says its USSD codes expire after six hours. Its documentation lists GTBank (737), UBA (919), Sterling (822) and Zenith (966) as supported banks. If your bank isn’t offered in the cashier, use a bank transfer to the bookmaker’s virtual account or a wallet instead.

Paying a bookmaker directly from your bank’s menu

Some bookmakers let you pay from your bank’s own USSD menu, usually through a “pay merchant” or “betting” option where you enter the bookmaker’s merchant code and your account ID. GTBank lists *737*35*Amount*Merchant Code# as its checkout code, free of bank charges. Only use a merchant code that appears on the bookmaker’s own deposit page.

💸 Nigeria: USSD fees and limits

Why the airtime charge matters: the ₦6.98 session fee is small, but it applies per session, not per naira. Ten ₦100 deposits cost ₦69.80 in session fees, about 7% of what you deposited. One ₦1,000 deposit costs ₦6.98, under 1%. If you deposit often, fewer, larger deposits within your budget are cheaper. The ICIR reported that customers approve each charge before it’s taken from airtime.

Tax: Lagos-licensed bookmakers deduct 5% withholding tax from net winnings and remit it to the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service. There’s no tax on the deposit itself.

✅ Nigeria: Lagos-licensed bookmakers with USSD

Since the Supreme Court’s November 2024 ruling, gambling is regulated by the states. Lagos requires online operators accessible in Lagos to hold an LSLGA licence, and the LSLGA has said that being reachable through a payment channel or telecom service doesn’t remove that need. In July 2026, it also began certifying payment gateways used by betting operators.

Bet9ja

LSLGA licence to 2 October 2027 (KC Gaming Networks). USSD deposits from ₦100 with no Bet9ja fee; Goal lists Bet9ja among sites taking GTBank USSD directly. Bank transfer, OPay, PalmPay and USDT are also available.

Visit Bet9ja 18+ | T&Cs apply | Gamble responsibly

Betano Nigeria

LSLGA licence to 22 September 2027 (Kaizen Gaming). Goal lists Betano among the bookmakers taking GTBank USSD through Paystack.

Visit Betano 18+ | T&Cs apply | Gamble responsibly

1xBet Nigeria

LSLGA licence to 5 August 2027 (Beauforbet Nigeria). Goal lists 1xBet among the bookmakers taking GTBank USSD through Paystack, with deposits from ₦100.

Visit 1xBet 18+ | T&Cs apply | Gamble responsibly

The methods offered in each cashier change over time. If USSD isn’t shown for your bank, use a bank transfer or wallet. BetKing (Lagos licence ended 24 October 2026, no renewal listed by 2 November), Betway (Lagos licence starts 29 November 2026) and MSport (from 18 December 2026) aren’t linked for now.

🇬🇭 Ghana: mobile money USSD deposits

In Ghana, betting deposits are almost all made by mobile money. The main wallets and their USSD menus are:

Sources: Goldchest (Telecel Cash, March 2026); AfricaSoccer bookmaker deposit guides (July 2026); BetRank Ghana.

Step by step: depositing with a MoMo prompt

1. Log in to a GCG-licensed bookmaker and open Deposit.
2. Choose your wallet: MTN MoMo, Telecel Cash or AT Money.
3. Enter the amount and the wallet number registered to your betting account.
4. Approve the prompt that appears on your phone by entering your wallet PIN.
5. Wait for the SMS confirming the payment; most deposits arrive within a minute.

No prompt? Approve it from *170#

MTN Ghana introduced manual approvals for merchant payments in 2018. If the prompt doesn’t appear, dial *170#, open My Wallet, then My Approvals, enter your PIN and approve the pending payment, according to Web4Africa’s guide. Menu numbers can change, so follow the labels rather than the numbers. AfricaSoccer’s betPawa Ghana guide suggests waiting five minutes, checking your *170# balance, and contacting support if the deposit still hasn’t appeared after 10 minutes.

Bookmakers’ own USSD codes in Ghana

• Betano Ghana: lists a USSD payment option, *714*2655#, alongside MoMo, cards and bank transfer (BetRank Ghana).
• Betika Ghana: has run a USSD betting service on *263# since 2023, for players without data (BetRank Ghana).

📊 Ghana: limits, fees and tax

To raise your limit, ask MTN to upgrade your MoMo KYC level. If a deposit fails without explanation, check that it wouldn’t take you over your daily limit.

✅ Ghana: licensed bookmakers that take mobile money

All three are on the Gaming Commission of Ghana’s 2026 register. Ghanaian licences are annual, running to 31 December 2026.

⚽betPawa

betPawa Ghana

MTN MoMo and AT Money from GHS 1 up to GHS 25,000, usually in under a minute, with no fee (AfricaSoccer). Doesn’t accept Telecel Cash.

Visit betPawa 18+ | T&Cs apply | Gamble responsibly

Betano Ghana

GCG licence GCCA26T1311K. Deposits from GHS 10 by MTN MoMo, Telecel Cash, AT Money, card, bank transfer or USSD *714*2655#.

Visit Betano 18+ | T&Cs apply | Gamble responsibly

🎯Betika

Betika Ghana

MTN MoMo, Telecel Cash and AT Money from GHS 1, up to GHS 5,000 a day, with no fee, plus USSD betting on *263# (BetRank Ghana).

Visit Betika 18+ | T&Cs apply | Gamble responsibly

🇰🇪 Kenya: Paybill deposits with *334#

Kenyan bettors deposit through Lipa na M-Pesa Pay Bill. You can do it from the M-Pesa menu in your SIM toolkit, the M-Pesa app, or USSD on *334#, which Paybillke lists as Safaricom’s personal M-Pesa menu (verified 30 August 2026).

Step by step: M-Pesa Paybill deposit on *334#

1. Dial *334# on your Safaricom line.
2. Select Lipa na M-Pesa (option 4 in Paybillke’s guide).
3. Select Pay Bill.
4. Enter the bookmaker’s Paybill number, taken from its own website.
5. Enter the account number the bookmaker asks for, usually your registered phone number or the brand name.
6. Enter the amount and your M-Pesa PIN. Check that the business name on the confirmation matches the bookmaker before you confirm.

Paybillke notes that USSD sessions time out after about 30 seconds of inactivity, so have the Paybill number ready before you dial. Dialling is free; any transaction fee applies at PIN confirmation.

Airtel Money in Kenya

Airtel Money also uses *334#. Choose the Paybill payment option, enter the bookmaker’s Paybill, your account number and the amount, then your Airtel Money PIN. Paybillke lists cross-network fees of KES 7 to KES 108 depending on the amount when you pay an M-Pesa Paybill from Airtel (August 2026). Some bookmakers have their own Airtel Paybills; Pepeta, for example, launched 779900 for Airtel users.

Paybills used by well-known Kenyan bookmakers

These are for information only. We don’t link to Kenyan bookmakers until the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) publishes its 2026 register. Always confirm a Paybill on the bookmaker’s own site; scammers use near-identical numbers.

Sources: Paybillke bookmaker guides (2026); ChampsBase (Odibets). The recipient name on the M-Pesa confirmation should match the bookmaker, for example “BETIKA KENYA” or “ODIBETS”.

📊 Kenya: limits, taxes and rules

What the 5% excise means: if you send KES 1,000 to a bookmaker’s Paybill, KES 50 goes in excise duty, so expect about KES 950 to reach your betting balance. Bookmakers show the deduction differently, so check your account history.

Reversals: if you pay the wrong Paybill, forward the M-Pesa confirmation SMS to 456 to request a reversal, as Paybillke describes. Act quickly, before the recipient withdraws the money.

🇺🇬 Uganda: MTN *165# and Airtel *185# deposits

Ugandan bookmakers take MTN Mobile Money and Airtel Money. Most deposits use a payment prompt from the cashier, but you can also pay from the USSD menu: MTN’s is *165# and Airtel’s is *185#. Every betting payment in Uganda passes through a licensed payment gateway that reports to the Uganda Revenue Authority, so a deposit may take a little longer to show than in Ghana.

Option 1: the payment prompt

1. Log in to an NLGRB-licensed bookmaker and open Deposit.
2. Choose MTN Mobile Money or Airtel Money and enter the amount.
3. Approve the prompt on your phone with your PIN.
4. Wait for the SMS and check your balance.

22Bet’s Uganda guide warns against approving a second prompt too soon: both payments can end up pending, or you can be charged twice. It also says to contact support if a deposit is still pending after 30 minutes.

Option 2: paying from the USSD menu

LiveScore’s Uganda guide (updated 2 November 2026) gives GSB as an example:

• MTN: dial *165#, choose the online deposit option under Lotto & Sport Betting, enter your GSB user ID and the amount, and approve with your PIN.
• Airtel: dial *185*5*3*6#, enter your user ID and amount, and approve with your PIN.
• For GSB, you then enter the deposit code from the SMS in the USSD section of its deposit page.

Other bookmakers use a merchant code instead. ChampsBase reports that betPawa Uganda uses the merchant code BETPAWA on MTN. Each bookmaker’s menu path is different, so follow the instructions on its own deposit page, and never pay a merchant code someone sends you by SMS or WhatsApp.

📊 Uganda: limits, fees and taxes

Small deposits cost the most in percentage terms: a UGX 110 fee on a UGX 1,000 deposit is 11%. If you deposit regularly, fewer larger deposits within your budget keep fees down.

✅ Uganda: licensed bookmakers that take MTN and Airtel

📱 Tips for basic-phone users

USSD is the easiest way to fund a betting account from a feature phone, but you still need the right codes and a way to place bets. Here’s how to make it work:

• Write down your codes: keep your bank or wallet code, and your bookmaker’s Paybill or merchant code from its official site, somewhere safe, so you don’t search for them in a hurry.
• Use bookmaker USSD or SMS services where they exist: Betika Ghana’s *263# service and SportPesa’s SMS service on 79079 in Kenya let you bet or move money without a browser.
• Prepare before dialling: sessions time out quickly, about 30 seconds of inactivity on M-Pesa’s menu, according to Paybillke.
• Read every confirmation screen: check the amount and recipient name before entering your PIN, because USSD screens are small and easy to rush.
• Save the SMS receipts: on a basic phone, delete other messages before your inbox fills, so you keep the transaction references you may need for support.

⚖️ USSD vs app vs bank transfer

🛠️ When a USSD deposit goes wrong

Apex Network’s Bet9ja guide recommends checking that the amount was debited if a deposit hasn’t arrived after 15 minutes, then contacting support with the transaction reference, and not making a second deposit until the first is resolved. That’s good advice at any bookmaker.

🚨 USSD scams to watch for

• Lookalike Paybills: Odibets’ Paybill is 290680, but scam numbers such as 290681 and 290608 have circulated. Always copy the number from the bookmaker’s site and check the recipient name.
• Fake merchant codes: in Uganda and Ghana, never pay a merchant code that arrives by SMS, WhatsApp or Telegram.
• “Reversal” requests: fake messages claim money was sent to you by mistake and ask you to send it back. Check your actual balance first.
• PIN requests: no bank, network or bookmaker will ask for your PIN by phone or message.
• SIM swap: if your phone suddenly loses network for no reason, call your network at once; scammers use swapped SIMs to drain USSD-linked accounts.
• “Sure odds” sellers: people selling fixed matches or booking codes for a deposit are scammers.

🔒 Keep your USSD deposits safe

1. Never share your PIN, OTP or the last digits of your card.
2. Lock your phone with a PIN or fingerprint, since USSD works on an unlocked phone without an app login.
3. Check the recipient name before you confirm any payment.
4. Keep SMS receipts until your balance updates.
5. Block your USSD banking through your bank’s deactivation code or customer service if you lose your phone.
6. Deposit only at licensed bookmakers, so you have a regulator to complain to.

🧮 What small, frequent deposits really cost

USSD makes depositing so easy that it’s tempting to top up many times a day. Small fees add up, and so does the spending. Here’s what ten small deposits cost compared with one larger deposit of the same total, using the figures above:

In Kenya, splitting deposits doesn’t change the 5% excise, but any network fees per transaction still add up. The bigger cost of frequent deposits is usually not the fees but the extra betting. If you find yourself topping up again and again in one session, that’s a signal to stop.

💳 Can you withdraw by USSD?

Usually you request a withdrawal on the bookmaker’s site or app, and the money is sent to your bank account or mobile wallet. USSD then helps you check that it arrived:

• Nigeria: withdrawals go to a bank account in your name. Bet9ja’s minimum is ₦1,000. Check the credit on your bank’s USSD balance menu.
• Ghana: withdrawals go to the MoMo number on your account; check it on *170#.
• Kenya: withdrawals arrive as an M-Pesa credit, after 5% withholding tax. SportPesa also lets you withdraw by SMS.
• Uganda: withdrawals go to your MTN or Airtel number, after 15% tax on net winnings. Cashing out at an agent adds 0.5% excise.

Withdraw to the same number or bank account you deposited from, and verify your identity early to avoid delays.

🎯 Which USSD method should you use?

📖 Glossary

• USSD: the short-code menu system you open by dialling * … #. It works without data.
• USSD PIN: the PIN you set for your bank’s USSD service in Nigeria.
• Payment gateway: the company that processes your payment for the bookmaker, such as Paystack or Flutterwave in Nigeria.
• One-time USSD code: a code generated for a single payment, which includes the reference.
• Payment prompt: a pop-up request on your phone that you approve with your wallet PIN.
• Paybill: an M-Pesa business number used for bill and betting payments in Kenya.
• Merchant code: a business number you pay through the mobile money menu in Uganda or Ghana.
• KYC tier: your wallet’s verification level, which sets your limits.
• Excise duty: a tax on a transaction, such as Kenya’s 5% on betting deposits.
• Withholding tax: tax the bookmaker deducts from winnings or withdrawals before paying you.

🔍 How we researched this guide

We checked bank codes against Kuda’s October 2025 list, GTBank’s *737# FAQ and Paystack’s USSD documentation, and Kenya’s M-Pesa codes against Paybillke’s guide verified on 30 August 2026. Fees and taxes come from the ICIR (Nigeria’s USSD charge), Graphic Online (Ghana’s MoMo limits and E-Levy), Afriwise (Kenya’s Finance Act 2026) and LiveScore Uganda (taxes and USSD steps). We checked licences on the LSLGA register (October and November 2026), the Gaming Commission of Ghana’s 2026 register and the NLGRB’s 2026 list. Bookmaker-specific details come from each brand’s own guide or recent reviews, which we name next to the figure. We didn’t make our own funded deposits for this guide. Where sources disagree, we show both versions or leave the detail out.

✅ USSD deposit checklist

1. Licensed bookmaker in your country?
2. Same phone number on your wallet or bank and your betting account?
3. Code or Paybill copied from the bookmaker’s own site?
4. Amount within your budget and your daily limit?
5. Airtime available (Nigeria)?
6. Recipient name checked before you enter your PIN?
7. SMS receipt kept until your balance updates?
8. No second payment if the first one seems stuck?