Best Australian online betting sites

Australians have many different online betting sites they can wager with in 2024, with many of these betting sites among the biggest wagering brands in the world. Australian betting sites must be licensed by a state or territory government and abide by a strict set of regulations. AU betting sites will feature wagering on all of the most popular sports including the AFL, NRL and horse racing, with it even possible to watch these events via bookmaker sites. You can navigate our guide to the best sports betting sites in Australia or jump right into the world of online betting:

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Top online betting sites for Australians in 2024

Australians have a plethora of betting sites available to them in 2024, with these including operators like Sportsbet and Bet365, which would be some of the most advertised brands in Australia. In this section of our guide to the top AU betting sites we will examine the top betting sites in Australia and run you through some of the more boutique wagering operators down under:

Sportsbet

Undoubtedly the no.1 betting site in Australia, Sportsbet is a behemoth with their annual turnover even topping that of the TAB. Sportsbet’s depth in markets, ongoing promotions surrounding key AU sports like AFL, NRL and horse racing and their market-leading apps make them a force in the Australian betting industry. Sportsbet review.

Bet365

A global brand that boasts it accepts bettors from over 200 countries, Bet365.com.au only features sports betting in Australia, which is the main reason it operates off a local URL. Bet365 covers sports from all over the globe, but a few of their features include extensive esports betting and arguably the best coverage of international horse racing.

TopSport

TopSport is an emerging Australian betting site, that has a long history down under. Founded by prominent NSW bookmaking family the Merlehans, TopSport has emerged as a digital force in the last 18 months, including boasting an outstanding horse racing offering. Is probably the best of the newer betting sites available to Australians. Read our TopSport review for more information.

Unibet

Another global betting site that has an Australian facing URL and an outstanding array of domestic and overseas sports. Unibet is definitely one of the best football betting sites in Australia, with their European influence clearly on display for all to see. Unibet Australia sits comfortably among the top online betting sites for Australians. Unibet review.

Ladbrokes

Ladbrokes.com.au is exceptionally popular in the northern states in Australia, which is probably a leftover from when they were the easily the best racing betting site down under. While other brands have caught up to Ladbrokes now, they are still among the best AU betting sites in 2024. Ladbrokes review.

Neds

Neds is one of the newer betting operators in Australia and they definitely don’t disappoint, with Neds.com.au having an outstanding product called the ToolBox, which gives new customers a swag of cool promotions and features. Neds has a strong coverage of both Australian sports betting markets and events from overseas, with racing definitely a big part of their business plan. Neds review.

PointsBet

An Australian-founded company, PointsBet has focused on things like moneylines in a bid to differentiate themselves from other sports betting sites in Australia. PointsBet has also pushed aggressively into the regulated American betting industry and has licenses in several states. We regard PointsBet as one of the up and coming betting sites in Australia and one serious punters should have an account with. Pointsbet review.

Palmerbet

Backed by the NSW Bookies Co-Op, Palmerbet is owned by the Palmer family and is probably one of the smaller bookies we promote on the World Gambling List. Having said this, Palmerbet has got a great horse racing betting offering and some nice promotions surrounding the thoroughbreds. Palmerbet is definitely worth having an account with, even if it is just for their great odds during the Melbourne Spring Carnival. Palmerbet review.

BlueBet

BlueBet is another online betting site that has recently been founded, and Aussie punters should bet here with confidence, safe in the knowledge bookmaking legend Michael Sullivan is the owner and brain child. With a good reputation for taking on the big punters, BlueBet will be aggressive in taking on fixed odds markets, including taking on favourites in Australian horse racing.

SportsBetting.com.au

An Australian-owned brand Sportsbetting.com.au has a good reputation for taking on runners with the best price for most codes of racing, while they also have a decent selection of international sports betting markets. While we think their orange colour can be hard on the eye, they set themselves apart with great customer interactions and personalized service.

Playup Australia

PlayUp betting is probably the newest online betting site in Australia, having been formed from the Ashes of Topbetta, ClassicBet and Mad Bookie. Australian owned, PlayUp differentiates itself from other betting sites with its black theme and increased lines. Is part of the same group that DraftStars is owned by, meaning you can use the fantasy sports betting with the same account. PlayUp review.

BetRight

BetRight is one of the new bookmakers we promote, with this wagering company making a good impression in its first months of business. BetRight.com.au is licensed by the NT Government, has got an IOS app and very competitive horse racing markets. BetRight, unlike a lot of other bookmaker reviews, has come out relatively unscathed in the criticism department so far, but we would like to see more dept in International soccer matches. BetRight review.

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Sports betting sites in Australia

Australian sports betting sites are among the best in the world and include wagering on both domestic sports and international events. Obviously major AU sports such as AFL and NRL are always prominent, but it’s more the depth in the betting markets on local events that is different to other places in the world. For instance you can bet on everything from the winner of Masterchef, right through to who will win the Brownlow Medal.

Some of the more prominent sports at Australian betting sites include:

• Basketball: Australians love basketball with the NBA probably the most popular league to wager, although there has been renewed interest in the local National Basketball League, with some of the USA’s best young talent playing in it in recent times in a bid to avoid the college system. The best basketball betting sites for Australians feature live streaming and odds on every league from around the world.
• Cricket: Australia is a world power when it comes to cricket and the people love wagering on it. The most popular cricket to bet on includes Test cricket, which is front and centre during the summer months, the Big Bash League, the Indian Premier League (which features many Aussies) and pretty much any International games.
• Football/soccer: The world game has its biggest fan base in Europe, but pretty much every country in the world has some interest in football. Known as soccer in Australia, the A-League is the top flight competition and features teams from all round the country. The next FIFA World Cup is due in 2022 in Qatar, a contentious host for Australians given they lost out to their bid. The Women’s game is also expanding quickly, with the World Cup played in France drawing unprecedented betting interest in 2019.
• Rugby union: While rugby is not as popular as it once was, it still has its rusted-on followers across the globe. The sport has largely been dominated by New Zealand in modern times, though South Africa rose to the occasion at the 2019 World Cup. Other popular rugby events include the Super Rugby competition, played between the best club teams in the southern hemisphere; the Bledisloe Cup, played between Australia and New Zealand; and the Six Nations championship in Europe. The Australian national rugby team is known as the Wallabies.
• Rugby League: The other code of rugby is popular in Australia, England, France and New Zealand. In terms of betting, at last check all of the betting sites promoted on this page have markets for various rugby league competitions around the world. Rugby League at club level is probably at its strongest in Australia, where the NRL takes pride of place.
• Tennis: Spearheaded by the four grand slams, tennis betting is popular all year round, particularly in countries with legal live betting. Other popular betting events on the tennis circuit include The Masters series and Davis Cup, which pits country against country. Tennis is also part of the Olympics. Our guide to tennis betting can help you begin your wagering journey. Some of Australia’s top players include world no.1 Ash Barty in the women’s and tennis badboy Nick Kyrgios, who is regarded as one of the most entertaining players in the ATP.
  

  Baseball: While predominantly popular in the USA, baseball has many fans right around the world. Most focus is on Major League Baseball, the top-flight US league. Baseball, with its stats-driven approach, is very popular with professional punters. The Australian Baseball League is the professional competition down under with eight teams slugging it out from November to February each year.
• Ice hockey: Ice hockey betting is mainly done in Canada, the USA and many colder European countries. There are generally futures markets on popular leagues available, plus match-day markets a day or two out from most pro games. Our betting on ice hockey guide is a good starting point if you’re looking to learn. All of the betting sites advertised on this page have extensive odds on ice hockey competitions from around the globe. The Australian Ice Hockey League is the best ice hockey league in Australia, with betting features at many of the best online betting sites.
• eSports: While we are dubious about the merits of eSports being a true sport (yep, we’re picturing heavy-set kids on Nintendos), the numbers don’t lie, with billions of people around the globe watching games such as World of Warcraft, Call of Duty, Dota 2 and League of Legends. These numbers are starting to result in more bets being placed. There are even dedicated esports betting sites springing up all the time.
• Golf: The gentleman’s game is a great one for those who like betting, with plenty of lucrative opportunities out there. The majors especially attract significant betting interest. The World Gambling List has one of the leading authorities on golf betting among its staff. We love betting on golf. The three biggest tournaments in Australian golf are probably the Australian Masters, the Australian PGA Championship and the Australian Open.
• Table tennis: One of the most popular sports in the world, courtesy of its insane popularity in China and other Asian countries. Some of the big table tennis events on the world stage include the Olympics and World Championships. Table tennis betting is available at all of the top international sports betting sites. Top Australian players include Heming Hu, Chris Yan and David Powell, while in the ladies Min Hyung Jee and Jian Fang Lay are the top players.
• Swimming: We have always felt swimming would be a great betting sport, with its short races and 1, 2, 3 finishes, just like horse racing and car racing. While it has not taken off as a punting pursuit, we think the emergence of the International Swimming League (ISL) and other new FINA-backed events could breathe new life into the sport. How about actually getting swimming back on television for starters? Australia has a long and proud history as one of the top nations for swimming, with athletes like Shane Gould and Kieran Perkins paving the way.

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Live betting sites

Australians are unable to bet live or use in-play betting functionality at online betting sites, with this outlawed under the updated IGA. Lawmakers say live betting is a factor in problem gambling, with punters like to chase losses if they can bet in-play on every aspect of sports events.

While you won’t be able to place your bets on in-play events online, you can still browse live odds at some Australian betting sites and then place the bet via the telephone. Some betting sites (like Sportsbet) allow you to organise your bets like would if you were placing it online, before giving you a code to give your telephone operator which will place the bet for you.

So in summary, live betting is possible to do in Australia as long as you do it via the telephone, with click to bet features not available at AU online betting sites.

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Best mobile sports betting sites

GUIDE: Top Australian betting apps

Mobile sports betting is big business in 2021 with several Australian online betting sites telling us that they take more bets via smartphones and tablets than they do via their desktop site.

The two main areas online betting sites focus on in mobile betting are their Android and Apple iOS apps, with these the two most popular operating systems for handheld devices.

The best Australian mobile betting sites include the big players in the industry like Sportsbet, Bet365 and Unibet, with other operators such as PlayUp and and Ladbrokes also providing outstanding wagering services to mobile punters.

The mobile betting experience is very streamlined in 2021 and is no harder than betting via betting sites websites, with all of the deposit options, betting markets and customer service available across all platforms.

Often mobile betting sites will have a promotion running where you will receive a perk if you sign up and download their app, although these have been reduced in frequency following the ban on bonus bets.

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AUD betting sites payments

Funding your online betting account can be confusing, but the good news for Australians is that there are plenty of common ways that you can deposit to online bookmakers. Some of the more common ways Aussies fund their betting sites include credit and debit card, bank transfers, web wallets and even payment processors.

Most popular payment methods at betting sites are instant, with these including credit and debit cards, with it as simple as visiting the cashier or banking section of your online betting site and choosing your payment method. You then follow the prompts to finalise your bookie payment.

Bank transfers are one of the most common ways to fund online betting sites, but as a general rule they are not instant, and will take anywhere from overnight to a few days to facilitate. The good thing about bank transfers at online betting sites is that there is generally no cap on how much you can deposit, making it an ideal payment method for big punters.

Some of the best ways to fund AUD betting sites are:

• Visa
• Mastercard
• Credit Card
• Debit Card
• Paypal
• POLi
• Bank transfer
• Cash-in

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Withdrawing Aussie dollars at online betting sites

Often you will see upwards of 20 different ways to fund your Australian betting account, but many of these methods are unable to be used to cash out or withdraw any winnings. For instance often you can deposit to a betting site with a Visa card, but wont’ be able to withdraw back to the card.

The most common ways you can withdraw AUD from betting sites is using a bank transfer, moving money back to the card you deposited with, with web wallets and Visa or Mastercard cash cards issued by the bookmakers. For instance Sportsbet has its own Visa card that acts like a debit card in shops and ATMs.

Fees associated with betting sites withdrawals vary depending on the method you use, with it generally a small flat fee to do a local bank transfer all in AUD. Other betting site withdrawals might attract larger fees, with Neteller one such brand that can cost a lot more than you expect to use.

Here is a table of AUD withdrawal times for Australian betting sites:

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Australian betting sites laws

Australian online betting sites are governed by the Interactive Gambling Act of 2001, which was originally enacted by the Howard government in June 2001. The IGA makes it illegal for real money online gambling to take place in Australia, effectively banning online casinos and poker, but this was not really enforced until 2017 when the laws were updated.

There are several exceptions under the IGA which allow state and territory governments to regulate online sports betting sites, lottery betting sites, DFS and retail wagering, although TAB has a monopoly on retail betting in Australia. While it’s illegal for offshore online betting sites to target Australians, Australians can legally bet with licensed bookmakers as long as they are 18 years old.

Online betting with legal operators is allowed as long as you wager before the start of the event, with the IGA outlawing in-play betting unless it is done via the telephone, with this directive one of the few laws that applies nationally. The other laws that apply to all Australians are that you must be 18 to bet on sports online and you must be able to approve your identity.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority are charged with keeping tabs on online wagering, with one of their primary roles being to inform which betting sites are legal operators in Australia. They also keep a list of illegal operators that have specifically been banned in Australia, with the measures including blocking their websites to Australians and using payment blocking, which is enacted by the banks and stop people from using credit and debit cards to fund offshore betting accounts.

While these changes to Australian online betting laws have stamped out some offshore betting, there are still a number of unlicensed online betting sites that target locals.

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Popular bet types at AU betting sites

It’s no secret that Australians love to bet and we have some of the most outrageous bet types available in the world, with it possible to even bet on pre-filmed shows like Survivor and Masterchef. In this section we’ll highlight some of the most popular bet types punters place at online betting sites:

• Win bet: This is when you bet on a team or player to come away victorious outright, with team sports, horse racing and head to to head events all being common for the win bet.
• Place bet: This is when you are betting on a team or player to finish in the money, or in the top handful. For instance you can bet on a horse to finish in the placings, or the top three for beginners.
• Multibets: This is when you combine several bets onto the one ticket, which greatly increases the odds and can be a great way for small bettors to win big. Some bookmakers allow you to place “same game multis” on things like the AFL and NRL.
• Quadrella: This is essentially a racing only bet type at Australian betting sites. Horse racing meetings will have four races nominated as the “quaddie legs” which punters can then have a crack at tipping the winners for. Pick all four and you should be in for a good payday.

This is just a small sample of the bet types available at online betting sites, with many more variations available in 2024. You can learn more about horse racing bet types here or delve into our sports betting guide for more information/

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Sports betting sites Q and A

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Defunct betting sites in Australia

There are many betting sites that have come and gone in Australia, for various reasons. Often betting sites down under have rolled into another brand, because of a buyout, or a simple consolidation of a companies interest down under. Betting sites that no longer exist in Australia include:

BetEasy

BetEasy, which was formerly known as Crownbet, was rolled into the Sportsbet brand in 2020. BetEasy.com.au had been one of the most visible brands in Australia, with big budget advertising campaigns and an outstanding service for both sports and racing bettors. The BetEasy website and apps were among the best offerings down under and put them clearly in the top handful of betting sites. This popularity meant Sportsbet, which was also founded by Matthew Tripp before a high-priced sale, was keen to buy the brand.