TAB Betting Shops in Cape Town

TAB Betting Shops in Cape Town: Locations, How TAB Works, and Where to Bet on Horses (2026)

The TAB, South Africa’s totalisator agency board system, operates differently across the country’s regions, and understanding the structure is essential before you go looking for a TAB shop in Cape Town. Most South Africans know the TAB as the place you go to bet on horses in a pool betting format, but the operator running the Cape Town TAB is not the same one running the Johannesburg or Durban TAB. Getting this wrong is a common information gap that even betting regulars sometimes trip over.

This guide untangles the structure, covers where to find TAB-type horse racing betting in Cape Town, lists the Hollywoodbets branches serving the Western Cape betting community, explains how to place a tote bet from start to finish, and covers the Cape Town racing scene’s two major fixtures: Hollywoodbets Kenilworth and Hollywoodbets Durbanville.

Who Runs the TAB in Cape Town?

Cape Racing (Race Coast Western Cape)

The TAB for the Western Cape is operated by Cape Racing, now trading as Race Coast Western Cape (Pty) Ltd. The company’s totalisator registration number is 2011/008903/07 and it holds Gambling Licence Number 10010875-029, issued by the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board (WCGRB). Cape Racing was formerly known as Kenilworth Racing (Pty) Ltd, the name under which it became synonymous with Western Cape horse racing.

Cape Racing operates two racecourses:

• Hollywoodbets Kenilworth Racecourse (also referred to as Cape Racing Kenilworth), the prestige venue in the southern suburbs and home of the Cape Town Met
• Hollywoodbets Durbanville Racecourse, the midweek and alternate Saturday venue north of Cape Town

Hollywoodbets is the naming rights sponsor for both racecourses under a multi-year deal. When you see odds or tips for “Kenilworth” or “Durbanville” racing, these are Cape Racing meetings.

This is different to the rest of the country:

• 4Racing (formerly Phumelela) operates the TAB in Gauteng, with racecourses at Turffontein (Johannesburg), the Vaal, and Fairview (Gqeberha). 4Racing was granted its Gauteng Gambling Board licence in November 2021 after Phumelela went into business rescue in May 2020. The national TAB website for 4Racing is tab.co.za.
• Race Coast KZN (formerly Gold Circle) operates the TAB in KwaZulu-Natal, with racecourses at Hollywoodbets Greyville (Durban) and Hollywoodbets Scottsville (Pietermaritzburg). See our horse racing betting houses Durban article for the full KZN picture. The KZN tote website is tote.co.za.

For Cape Town bettors wanting to place tote bets on horse racing, the relevant operator is Cape Racing. Their website is caperacing.co.za.

Hollywoodbets Kenilworth Racecourse

The racecourse is located in the southern suburb of Kenilworth, in Cape Town’s southern suburbs corridor that runs from Claremont through Kenilworth to Wynberg along the Main Road axis. Kenilworth Racecourse is accessed from Kenilworth Avenue or Rosmead Avenue, in the leafy residential and commercial suburb between Claremont and Wynberg.

What to expect at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth: The racecourse grandstand has a full betting hall with TAB tote windows, Hollywoodbets fixed-odds counters, self-service betting terminals, and the Hollywoodbets Punters’ Challenge sign-up facility for raceday competitions. On-course tote pools are among the most active in South Africa, particularly on classic race days.

The Durban View Restaurant on the first floor of the grandstand overlooks the winning post. Private suites and boxes are available for corporate and large-group attendance.

The Cape Town Met: The WSB Cape Town Met is held at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on the last Saturday in January each year. The 2026 edition, held on 31 January, drew over 50,000 spectators and carried the “Symphony of Style” fashion and lifestyle theme. The Met has been run since 1883, initially as the Metropolitan Mile, making it one of the oldest and most prestigious races in the Southern Hemisphere. Ticket sales are through Computicket. Ante-post betting on the Met is available from December with Hollywoodbets carrying the widest market range.

Hollywoodbets Durbanville Racecourse

Durbanville Racecourse is located in the northern suburb of Durbanville, approximately 25km north of the Cape Town city centre via the N1 highway. Durbanville is a family-friendly racecourse in a picturesque setting with views toward Paarl and the Boland mountains. It hosts regular mid-week and alternate Saturday meetings throughout the Cape Racing season.

TAB Outlets in Cape Town: Where to Place a Tote Bet Off-Course

Cape Racing operates a network of off-course TAB outlets across the Western Cape. These are retail betting shops equipped with tote terminals, TV screens broadcasting live racing, and counter staff who process pool bets on Cape Racing, KZN, and Gauteng meetings.

Confirmed Cape Town area TAB/licensed bookmaker outlets:

From the South African Bookmakers’ Association Western Cape outlet directory:

• Strand Street, Cape Town: Shop 42, Matador Centre, 62 Strand Street, Cape Town. Tel: 087 354 6333
• Claremont: 106 Heritage House, Claremont, Cape Town 7708. Tel: 012 565 0777

Hollywoodbets Western Cape branches (these carry horse racing betting, fixed-odds, and sports betting and access Cape Racing, KZN, and Gauteng meetings on screen):

• Hollywoodbets Beacon Valley — 1 Charlie Street, Beacon Valley, Mitchells Plain, Cape Town. Tel: +27 21 376 0586
• Hollywoodbets Bellville — 40 Charl Malan Street, Bellville. Tel: +27 21 945 3543
• Hollywoodbets Bothasig — 11 Village Centre, Vryburger Road, Bothasig, Cape Town. Tel: +27 21 558 1098
• Hollywoodbets Dunoon — Shop 1, Roma Centre, Winning Way, Dunoon, Western Cape. Tel: +27 21 556 9457
• Hollywoodbets Montague Gardens — 15 Montague Drive, Montague Gardens (Rockerfellows), Cape Town. Tel: +27 21 552 6183
• Hollywoodbets Parow — 129 King Edward Street, Parow. Tel: contact via +27 21 945 3543 or main line
• Hollywoodbets Paarl — 41 Lady Grey Street, Paarl. Tel: +27 21 872 7285
• Hollywoodbets Malmesbury — Shop 5, Swartland Hotel, Voortrekker Road, Malmesbury. Tel: +27 22 482 4091
• Hollywoodbets George — 11 Hibernia Street, George. Tel: +27 44 873 2321
• Hollywoodbets Mossel Bay — 3 Crook Street, Mossel Bay. Tel: +27 44 691 3832

For the Garden Route branches (George, Mossel Bay), access Cape Racing meetings and national racing on the branch screens with full fixed-odds and tote betting.

Branch opening hours: Hollywoodbets Western Cape branches generally open between 06:30 and 07:30 and close between 21:00 and 22:00. Some smaller branches open later (09:00) and close earlier. Call your specific branch to confirm before visiting for an early-morning race.

How to Place a Tote Bet at a Cape Town TAB Outlet

The tote (totalisator) is pool betting: all money staked on a particular outcome goes into a pool, the operator deducts its percentage, and the remainder is divided among winning tickets. Unlike fixed-odds betting where your payout is determined when you place your bet, tote payouts are only known after the race when the pool is divided. This is the fundamental difference, and it matters for strategy.

Step 1: Collect the race card. Race cards are available at the counter in most TAB outlets. The race card lists the day’s meetings, each race, the runners and their saddle cloth numbers, weights, jockeys, trainers, and form guides. Bring a pen. You will need it.

Step 2: Choose your bet type. South African horse racing tote bet types:

• Win: your horse finishes first. Highest payout, lowest probability.
• Place: your horse finishes first or second (or third in larger fields). Lower payout, better chance.
• Each Way: half your stake on Win, half on Place.
• Exacta: pick the first and second horse in the correct order.
• Trifecta: pick the first, second, and third in correct order.
• Quartet: first four horses in correct order. Pool can run into tens of thousands of rand.
• Pick 6: select the winner of six nominated races. The jackpot pool.
• Double: pick the winner of two nominated races.
• Swinger: pick two horses that finish in the first three (in any order).
• Soccer 6, Soccer 10, Soccer 13: Hollywoodbets and TAB both offer pool betting on football match outcomes, structured the same way as the tote.

Step 3: Complete a betting slip or use the terminal. Tote betting slips are paper forms at the counter. Mark the meeting, race number, horse number, bet type, and stake. Hand the completed slip and cash to the teller. The teller enters the bet and returns a printed receipt. Keep it.

Step 4: Watch the race. TAB outlet screens broadcast live racing from Cape Racing (Kenilworth and Durbanville), Race Coast KZN (Greyville and Scottsville), 4Racing (Turffontein and Vaal), and international meetings. The dividend (payout) per rand staked is displayed on screen after each race.

Step 5: Collect your payout. Present your winning ticket at the counter. The teller calculates your payout based on the dividend and your stake. Cash payment on the spot.

Online TAB Betting from Cape Town

All three TAB operators offer online access:

• Hollywoodbets (hollywoodbets.net): covers all South African meetings plus international racing. Fixed-odds and tote available.
• 4Racing TAB (tab.co.za): focused on Gauteng and Mpumalanga racing.
• Tote KZN (tote.co.za, operated by Race Coast KZN): KZN-focused tote pools, soccer pools (Soccer 6, Soccer 10, Soccer 13), and fixed-odds.
• Cape Racing (caperacing.co.za): Western Cape racing news and resources, with betting via the tab.co.za and tote.co.za links.

For match predictions and our South Africa football tips to combine with your Cape Town racing interest, visit the South Africa predictions hub. For our full betting sites comparison for Western Cape bettors, see best betting sites South Africa.

Responsible gambling: 18+ only. Cape Racing is licensed by the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board. Responsible Gambling toll-free helpline: 0800 006 008. WhatsApp “HELP” to 076 675 0710.