TopSport review 2024

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Willing to take on the big Punters!

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SUMMARY

Website: TopSport.com.au
Founded: 2007

In this TopSport review we will examine the Australia-based bookmaker which offers extensive wagering on both local and international sports and horse racing. TopSport.com.au has a strong reputation among punters and particularly appeals to the WGL team because they are not owned by overseas interests. While TopSport are not yet as prominent as some other corporate bookmakers in Australia, they are a promising brand that has well-known and trustworthy people behind it. Delving into the background of TopSport we quickly realised why they are respected among bigger punters: their big selling point is their pledge to take on punters and not impose too many limits. Some other bookies will limit or exclude punters as soon as they show an aptitude for winning. They also have a unique offering on jockey challenges and box challenges which we will go into in detail below. But in short, if you favour betting on jockey challenges (and this type of bet is massive in Hong Kong), then having an account with TopSport is a must. In our TopSport review we will highlight all aspects of the company. Use our quick navigation to explore the TopSport review.

 

TopSport Quick Navigation

TopSport introduction 2024

TopSport is one of the boutique bookmakers in Australia that is making a splash.

The Merlehan name has long been associated with bookmaking in Australia, with the NSW-based family having a long history as rails bookies. The operation is run by licensed bookies Lloyd and Tristan Merlehan. TopSport is their so far successful attempt to push into the digital arena. Their offering includes both Android and iOS apps, which are two of the main mediums through which Australians bet in 2024.

The newly re-launched TopSport website is easy on the eye and avoids much of the clutter that has become an affliction at so many modern betting sites. The quality website and easy navigation are also surprising given TopSport is not a household name like dominant AU-facing betting sites Sportsbet and bet365.

TopSport is licensed in Australia by the NSW government and regulated by Greyhound Racing NSW, although this does not stop residents of other states betting with them. The NSW regulator is regarded as the most stringent in Australia, with its actions one of the key reasons new account incentives were banned.

Overall, after checking out TopSport for our betting review, we think we have unearthed another quality option for Australian punters. Read on for the facts and our opinion of the betting operator.


TopSport login & URL

TopSport login

TopSport Login: Login
TopSport URL: https://topsport.com.au/

TopSport’s login is at the same address on both desktop and mobile, with this betting company now boasting a state-of-the-art website after a relaunch in 2020.

This means you can access your account across a range of different platforms, including both computer and mobile. Basically if you can access an internet browser you are able to log in to TopSport after you have created a new account.

From a navigation perspective TopSport’s website is similar to the old BetEasy brand, which was swallowed up by Sportsbet. This is a positive for TopSport as BetEasy was one of the most successful sites in Australian betting history.


TopSport sports betting review

TopSport odds

My immediate reaction when browsing the website to write our TopSport review is that it is user friendly, as a quality sports betting option should be.

But what we really care about when betting are the depth of markets, odds and whether we can be a successful punter and manage to keep our account open — all of which TopSport.com.au seem to excel at.

Firstly, the depth of markets is typical of a top-flight bookie Down Under, with all of the major and not-so-major domestic events covered extensively by TopSport. This includes all of the summer sports such as cricket (Big Bash League and international matches), soccer (A-League) and even futures on popular football leagues such as the AFL and NRL.

International events are also covered extensively by TopSports, with NBA and other American sports seemingly given special attention. This US coverage also includes college basketball and American football.

Another cool feature of TopSport is “Player Bets” which allow you to create multis based off players’ statistics across a range of sports. For instance you could create a multi that certain players would score more than 10 points in an NBA game, combined with others grabbing 10 or five rebounds, and TopSport will give us odds on this.

During several weeks of testing for our TopSport betting review we found their odds to be competitive and stack up well against other bigger-name bookmakers. For instance, we checked several BBL games at TopSport and one of the bigger guys and they either broke even or came out ahead of their competitors.

While the jury is still out in terms of TopSport cutting off successful punters, one of their main selling points is that they say they will not. This is a distinct point of difference to other bookies such as bet365 and Unibet, which have both cut off or limited this scribe at times.

What sports does TopSport bet on?

TopSport has the full suite odds available to sports bettors, including all of the popular and not-so-popular local sports. On top of this, they will offer markets on pretty much any international sport you can think of, including all major football competitions, cricket, US sports (NFL and NBA) and many more. You can view the full list of sports odds available at TopSports directly below this paragraph.

TopSport is an approved betting partner of the AFL, NRL, Cricket Australia, Basketball Australia and Tennis Australia, which covers the majority of the biggest codes Down Under.

Here is a list of some of the sports on which TopSport offers multiple markets:


TopSport horse racing review

Topsport horse racing review
This bookie is renowned for having an outstanding horse racing section, with our TopSport review glowing in our endorsement.

TopSport offers betting on all horse racing, harness racing and greyhound meetings in Australia as well as betting on racing and harness racing from the major jurisdictions around the world, including racing mecca Hong Kong. They also offer betting on greyhound racing from New Zealand and some other jurisdictions.

On the major Australian thoroughbred meetings, TopSport offers a choice of fixed price betting, best tote or SP (starting price), and even best fluctuation, to make sure you don’t miss out if your horse blows out in the betting.

TopSport horse racing has a good reputation among punters, with one of their main selling points being they won’t cut off winners. That is important and why TopSport has become a favourite book for serious horse players.

From our limited exposure we found TopSport settled all bets quickly and they also provide Protest Payout, a feature now offered by almost every major corporate bookie. This means if your horse is first past the post but loses a race on protest it does not matter and you will still be paid as a winner. This is offered for all Australian thoroughbred and harness races.

TopSport jockey challenge betting

Most Australian bookmakers offer betting on the various jockey challenges, but TopSport has taken it to a whole new level. Forget about backing a jockey or box number at the start of the meeting and just seeing how it goes. Not only do they offer jockey challenges on Australian and Hong Kong meetings, but they keep it open for roughly half the races on the card. This means you can jump in when many of the points have already been won and can also lay off if your chosen jockey is doing well. The odds update rapidly as new markets are set and it’s a fantastic bet to have to give you an interest in all races for the day. You can place all bets via the website, without having to phone in.

As far as we are aware no other Australian bookie offers live betting on the jockey challenge any more. Please let us know if there are others. The TAB used to offer something similar but even then they were a lot slower to provide the updated markets. TopSport provide updates within a couple of minutes of a race being run and won. The HK tote offers something similar on Hong Kong racing and the jockey challenge is an enormously popular form of wagering in that jurisdiction.

TopSport also offer many variations on the jockey challenge bet, such as jockey challenge exacta, quinella, exact winning score, winning score over/under, and more. We enjoy the longevity of these jockey challenge bets and TopSport is the best we have seen for this option.

TopSport racing promotions

Like most of the other major players in the Australian market, TopSport has a rewarding set of promotions when betting on horse racing. But they really do hang their hat on the fact that they are genuine bookmakers and will let punters get set for whatever amount they want. That is the focus of their offering. They offer enough to keep you happy but if you are a punter who simply likes to only play promotional offers, other bookies will offer more of that fare.

Some of the top TopSport promotions for Australian horse racing include:


Protest payout: As mentioned earlier, this is something that most Australian-facing corporates offer these days. If your horse is first past the post (in Australian thoroughbred and harness races), you will be paid even if your horse loses the race on protest.
Bonus for owners/trainers: Best premium or tote odds for officially listed owners and trainers.
Loyalty rewards program: Earn points for each cash bet you make and then redeem the points for bonus bets when you accrue enough.

Ts and Cs: Offers for eligible existing customers in Australia only. These offers are not available for South Australia-based customers; TopSport reserves the right to cancel, reclaim or refuse these product features at any time. See TopSport website for full terms and conditions.


Live streaming options at TopSport

If there is one downfall with wagering with TopSport it is that they don’t feature any live streaming, which is a popular service at other betting sites in Australia. We do no envisage this will change anytime soon.


Live betting at TopSport

TopSport does allow live or in-play betting, although you must do it via a phone call, in accordance with Australian laws which ban online betting on in-play events.

TopSport, unlike some of its competitors, does not have thousands of markets on each event that is under way, with these usually restricted to just head-to-head odds and one additional market.

It’s probably fair to say that if live betting is your potion, you are better off betting with one of the bigger betting sites such as Sportsbet or Ladbrokes, that invest significantly more time and money into in-play betting.


TopSport mobile review

TopSport has a great mobile site that basically has the same functionality as the desktop version. Our TopSport mobile review was done via an iPhone 12 and Samsung Galaxy phone, both on data connections, and we had no trouble using their facilities.

The TopSport mobile website lands you on horse racing, but there is a clear tab indicating you can switch over to sports. This makes switching between sports and racing a breeze and takes out some of the main frustrations of some of the other bookies

Basically, you will not have any trouble using TopSport via their mobile website, although if you are looking for an even better experience it might be worth trying their apps.

The sports section on TopSport mobile is broken into four categories: Upcoming, Live, Featured and All Sports, which are as they
sound. In Upcoming events, it will list all the sports that are close to starting in descending order; Featured will show all the big events that will appeal to Australians; Live betting will let you view markets on events that have started, although you will have to place the bets via a phone call, in accordance with Australian laws.


TopSport apps

TopSport apps are a popular way to bet

While the TopSport mobile website is perfectly functional from your smartphone or tablet, many punters prefer to have downloadable software, which gives you quick, password-less and safe access to bookmakers.

Like all betting brands, TopSport Australia has focused on two specific app types, with these being Android and iOS (the Apple operating system).

These are basically downloadable versions of their website, that once downloaded, will create less drain on your data connection. We strongly recommend downloading the correct app for your smartphone if you plan on using the TopSports app frequently.

TopSport iOS app

After you have created a TopSport.com.au account using our referral code WGL500, head to the Apple app store to download the iOS app. This process could not be simpler and should take less than a minute.

TopSport Android app

Android gambling apps must be downloaded direct from a bookmaker’s website, not from the Google Play Store. This is because the Google Play Store does not allow betting apps.

To download the TopSport Android app, firstly create a new account, then follow the prompts or click the Android symbol in the footer of the website.


Cashier and banking at TopSport

TopSport has a good array of deposit options available to customers, including popular debit and credit cards, which are an instant payment type. Uniquely Australian bookie payment options, such as BPAY and POLi are also available, which essentially allow you to pay via your online banking. Paysafecard is also an option for TopSport deposits, while those looking to fund their account with large sums can send over a bank transfer. Bank transfers have a larger upper limit than other payment options but it’s important to remember they are not instant.

TopSport deposit options include but are not limited to:

  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • BPay
  • Paysafecard
  • POLi
  • Bank Transfer

Withdrawals or cashing out at TopSport can be done in the following ways:

There are fewer withdrawal options at TopSport than there are payment types, but this is normal, with some simply not supporting this type of transaction. You will, however, be able to have your money sent to you via a bank transfer or cheque, while you should be able to cash out back to your card.

Withdrawal times at TopSport are variable, but standard with other corporate bookies in Australia, which means most withdrawals are completed in an overnight time frame, although if you request a cheque it could take up to five business days. If you require help or more information about your specific TopSport withdrawal speak to customer service, which is available around the clock.

  • Bank transfer
  • Cheque

How to open an account at TopSport

Opening a new account with TopSport is a simple procedure. Follow these steps to begin your TopSport betting journey:

  1. Visit the TopSport website

    Visit the TopSport website via any of the links on this page and hit the join button, located in the top right-hand side of the desktop layout and in a similar location on mobile.

  2. Fill in your personal details

    The next stage of signing up at TopSport.com.au is to enter your personal details, including things like your name, address, date of birth and email address.

  3. Enter in WGL500 to be tagged as a WorldGamblingList player

    In the next stage of the sign-up process at TopSport you can enter in our exclusive promo code WGL500 (Learn more about the TopSport bonus code) TopSport takes curbing problem gambling seriously and you will also be able to nominate a deposit limit at a weekly or monthly level at this step. This essentially allow you to make sure you don’t overspend at TopSport.

  4. Review your details and submit TopSport application

    Check that you have entered in all the correct details, including apply our exclusive WGL500 promo code. Submit your application and check your email to confirm.

  5. Funding your TopSport account

    Now you are free to make a deposit into your new TopSport account, with the methods including credit and debit cards, Paysafecard and POLI. You can read more about TopSport banking on this page.

  6. Placing bets at TopSport

    Now you have a funded account you can bet on all of TopSport.com.au’s market. There is no massive difference between betting with TopSport and most other bookies, in terms of process, and they have an outstanding customer service department to help you along the way.


How to verify your TopSport account

Once you are registered for an account, TopSport will attempt to electronically verify your personal details against official databases. This basically takes the information that you gave over during the TopSport sign-up process and checks that you are who you say you are.

If you do not have a significant digital footprint, there is every chance you will have to provide documents to prove your identity. This is not unusual at online bookmakers; it is a licensing condition of most Australian regulators.

Some of the documents that could be required for the TopSport verification process include:

  • Driver’s licence
  • Passport
  • Utility bill
  • Birth certificate

TopSport customer service and help

TopSport prides itself on customer support and has several different ways they can be contacted. These include telephone, email and even snail mail. If you are looking for the quickest response, the best way to reach TopSport customer service is via telephone. Here are the details for customer service at TopSport.com.au.

Phone: Australian toll free: 1800 TOPSPORT (1800 867 7768). Within Australia: (07) 5599 2244. Outside Australia: +61 7 5599 2244.
Fax: Within Australia: (07) 5599 3855. Outside Australia: +61 7 5599 3855
Email: Banking inquiries: accounts@topsport.com.au. General inquiries: support@topsport.com.au
Twitter: @TopSport_com_au

Postal address: PO Box 455, Miami, Queensland 4220 Australia


TopSport history – Merlehan Bookmaking

TopSport might only be blossoming as an online bookmaker in recent years, but remarkably this brand has been online since around 1998. Founded and still owned and operated by the Merlehan family, TopSport has grown in popularity in Australia in recent times, as other bookies are bought out by overseas raiders.

The Merlehan family are longstanding bookmakers in NSW, with directors Lloyd and Tristan Merlehan boasting more than 30 years experience in the industry. The roots of the business date back even further, with Lloyd Merlehan in the early 1990s one of the first bookmakers to offer punters on-course sports betting.

Overall TopSport has a strong reputation and abides by the Australian Bookmakers Association Code of Practice. They are also partners of several of Australia’s biggest sporting codes, including the AFL, NRL, Basketball Australia, which runs the popular NBL competition, and Cricket Australia, which manages everything from the Big Bash to international fixtures.

TopSport is based at Wharf Central in Tweed Heads, NSW, at the southern end of the Gold Coast.


TopSport review verdict

This bookmaker immediately grabbed our attention putting together our TopSport review, largely because they promise not to cut off successful punters. While we can’t lay claim to always being successful punters, at this bookie at least, TopSport did impress us and from all reports they are willing to take sizeable bets on everything from the Big Bash League to the daily thoroughbred meetings that take place all over the world. The Topsport.com.au website, mobile site and apps are all exceptionally user-friendly, even if they don’t have the shine of bigger brands like Sportsbet. We expect TopSport to continue to grow as more punters enjoy the services and spread the word that there is a good Australian-owned and operated bookmaker available.