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The top betting sites in Australia offer competitive odds across all your favourite sports. They even have some great bonuses to boost your bankroll.
Whether you enjoy betting on the footy, cricket or rugby, you want to join a bookie that treats you fairly and pays out fast. With so many choices, let’s drill down and discover the best Australian betting sites.
Top Betting Sites in Australia
How We Rate the Top Australian Betting Sites
There’s a lot more to a bookie than meets the eye. We make sure the cream rises to the top by using strict criteria to rank how good a platform is and whether it’s worthy of your time.
Here are the top things we look for, and if we can’t find them, we don’t recommend the site to you.
Sports Covered
As a sports fan, you should take a keen interest in lots of different sports. So, it’s only natural that you want to place a bet on more than just the next footy, rugby league or soccer action.
That’s why we look for bookies with odds on dozens of sports. If you want to bet on UK horse racing, you should be able to. And if American Football is your thing, you should get the latest odds on the NFL and college games.
The beauty of sports betting is finding profitable opportunities, and you’re more likely to spot those at bookies with hundreds of markets across dozens of sports.
Tailored Bonuses
Bonuses and special offers are an important part of your betting arsenal. Use them wisely, and you can improve your results, perhaps making the difference between winning and losing.
The top Australian bookmakers won’t just offer headline-grabbing bonuses; they’ll be meaningful promotions that reflect your sporting interests and betting history.
After all, what’s the point in getting an odds boost on ice hockey if you know nothing about the sport?
Fast Payouts
Every bookie takes your deposit money fast enough, but not all of them are so quick to payout when it’s time to cash out any winnings.
There’s really no excuse for delaying your payouts, especially with cryptocurrency payments built for speed. Even traditional bank cards and eWallets should payout at most in a day or so.
If a bookie states it pays out slower or customer reviews complain about slow payment times, we strike it off our list.
Safety and Security
You must trust who you send money to whenever you place it online. Is your money safe? Is your personal and financial data secure? You would ask these questions anywhere else, so your bookmaker should be no different.
We’ve investigated the lot to save you reading up about every potential new bookie site. And if they don’t come up to scratch, we don’t recommend them. We look for:
- An international licence to see if an authority like Curacao regulates the bookie.
- Independent testing to determine if any promo games and financial processes are safe.
- Good customer service so that you get queries answered fast on live chat, email, or phone
- KYC and privacy policies to show that the platform is serious about protecting you.
Intuitive Layout
Even if a bookie ticks all the boxes so far, we won’t approve it if it’s poorly designed and difficult to navigate.
We look for sites that make it easy to find what you want quickly. If you always bet on cricket, finding the latest matches and their markets should be easy.
The betting slip should be simple and make your potential risk and reward clear, whether you’re betting on a single outcome or putting together a multi-bet.
Finding what you need fast is even more important if you’re keen on in-play betting.
Bonuses and Promotions at the Best Betting Sites
Everyone loves a bonus, but you should only care if it helps you by giving you additional betting funds or improving your odds.
On top of that, every promotion has terms and conditions, and some are fairer than others. So, we trawl through the small print to check if the bonuses give you the value they claim. Any tricky business, and we won’t be back.
Here are the top bonus types that should matter to you.
Welcome Bonus
The package you get for signing up with a bookie will be your first, and probably biggest.
You might get a match bonus, where your first deposit is matched by a percentage, commonly 100%, in bonus cash. You can then place bets with this bonus money.
Check what’s under the bonnet to see the Ts & Cs. You can expect some restrictions on how much you bet and the minimum odds. You must bet with your bonus cash multiple times before withdrawing any winnings.
Reload Bonus
A reload bonus is similar to the welcome match bonus, but not quite so generous.
Even so, when you want to top up your balance, you can often grab a match bonus to boost your funds.
Reload bonuses often come in at around 25% to 50% of your deposit size, up to a few hundred bucks.
You might also get a free bet or two as part of a reload bonus, but as usual, take note of the terms and conditions.
Cashback
Cashback returns a percentage of your net losses over a week or a month.
It’s a welcome safety net if you’ve had a losing streak, and means you’ll get money straight back into your account – a second chance to make some cash, which is always a good thing.
Not all bookies in Australia offer cashback, and those that do offer it in different ways.
Some sites will only offer cashback on horse racing bets, not the whole sports section. But others will provide a cashback bonus across any sports bet.
It’s sometimes a flat rate, say 10% of your losses back, but some bookies offer increasing percentages of cashback depending on how loyal a customer you are.
Free Bets
The best bookies in Australia sometimes offer free bets to existing customers. They might do this if you’ve previously placed bets on a certain sport or event, or to pique your interest before a big match or horse race.
Big international events are always a favourite for free bets. Many sites will offer free bets for the AFL Grand Final, or the Ashes against you know who. They reason you’ll spend more on the platform as a result, but you should see it as a free shot.
Note that any free bets will be restricted. So, if you got a $5 free bet on the First Test against the Poms, you’ll probably have to place it at odds of around 1.9 or more to count, and use it within a certain time.
Finally, you may get wagering requirements before you can cash out a winning free bet.
Odds Boosts
Odds boosts are when a bookie gives you more generous odds for a particular sporting event.
Let’s say it’s a high-profile footy clash between the Sydney Swans and the Brisbane Lions. The Lions are favourites at 1.75 to win, but the bookie might give you an odds boost, where your odds on the Lions mauling the Swans roar to 2.25.
The best betting sites in Australia will understand your betting history and offer odds boosts on some of the fixtures you care about.
VIP/Loyalty Scheme
Speaking of loyalty, VIP reward programmes at bookies give you more and better perks the higher you are.
Most programmes consist of levels, or tiers, and as you rise through them, you might get additional free bets, improved match bonus terms, faster payouts, merch and sports tickets, and a personal host.
Not all VIP programs are built the same, and we check on all the bookies to ensure you get a fair crack of the whip.
Tip: You don’t have to wait until your balance tanks to claim a reload bonus. Sometimes it’s worth topping up just to get some additional bonus funds.
Banking Options for Australian Betting Sites
Easy deposits and fast payouts should be a given for any bookie you’re considering joining. Here’s a table comparing some of the most common payment methods:
| Payment Method | Deposit Speed | Payout Speed | Fees | Privacy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crypto | Some, depending on the card processor | Minutes to hours | Tiny network fee | No personal details needed |
| Debit/Credit Cards | Instant | 1-3 days | Some, depending on card processor | Your name and bank details are stored |
| eWallets like PayPal | Instant (assuming your wallet is funded first) | 1-3 days | Small percentage, depending on the wallet | Your name and eWallet address are stored |
You might find some other payment methods at Australian bookmakers. Still, services like Apple Pay or Google Pay are rare, and international sites do not use local favourites like PayID.
Advantages of Using Crypto for Betting Sites in Australia
More Aussie punters than ever use crypto to fund their sports betting. If you’re considering joining them, you’ve got good reason.
Crypto payments are rapid. Not only are deposits instant, but you can cash out winnings in minutes. Compare that to bank cards or eWallets, which often take up to three days to reach your account.
There are wafer-thin fees for using your chosen crypto network to cash out, but these are negligible compared to PayPal, for example, which can be 2.9% plus a 0.30 AUD fixed fee.
Are there downsides to using crypto? Well, setting up your crypto wallet and using it for the first time is easy enough and will soon be second nature. And if you’re worried about the cryptocurrency fluctuating wildly and affecting the real-terms value of your bookie account balance, there is a solution: deposit using Tether, which is tied 1:1 to the price of USD.
Popular Australian Sports
The best betting sites in Australia offer markets on all your favourite sports. As a sport-loving nation, that list is quite long.
Here’s a rundown of what sports you can expect, and the markets you can place wagers on:
Footy
Aussie Rules football is the biggest game for our nation, and massive for punters. Back the winner of a game, place outrights on the Premiership winner, place goalscorer or total goals bets in a match, or the player with the most disposals. Creating a multi adds several single bets onto the same slip.
Rugby League
What a game! And it’s perfect for placing bets on outrights in Australia’s National Rugby League. Bet on head-to-head, the winning margin (maybe you think the Canberra Raiders will beat Melbourne Storm by 10 points or more?). You can also place exotic bets like first tryscorer, anytime tryscorer, or even last tryscorer.
Soccer
Soccer is one of the most-played sports in Australia, so it’s no surprise you can bet on the top action worldwide. It’s not just UK betting sites that offer odds on international tournaments to top European leagues like the Premier League or La Liga, and, of course, the A-League here.
Cricket
Even if the team isn’t doing well, you can still cash in on Australia’s cricketing fortunes. Bet on international tests, one-dayers and limited-over cricket, forecasting match results, run scorers, wicket takers, and competition winners.
Tennis
Bet on Alex de Minaur at Grand Slam events, or back your hunch for winners at top tennis tournaments worldwide. The Australian Open is massive, and you can back the tournament victor, individual match winners, or drill down to predict the set scores.
Golf
Golf is interesting to sports bettors as you place outright bets on tournament winners, but you can also bet on individual rounds. Place a bet on a player like Scottie Scheffler finishing in the top six, or select Rory McIlroy to card a better score than Adam Scott on Day Two.
Netball
This is the most popular women’s sport in Australia, so it’s only right and proper that you can bet on the top matches worldwide, like at the Netball World Cup. At home, you can bet on Suncorp Super Netball League fixtures. Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard is always a good bet for the top point scorer.
Horse Racing
Being known as the Sport of Kings might rile some Aussies, but top meets like the Melbourne Cup are perfect for sports bettors. Pick the race winner or a horse to place. Add several races to the same slip for a thrilling multi. It’s your choice.
Australian Betting Site Markets
There’s so much more to sports betting than just backing the winner of an event. While placing bets is serious, it should also be fun as you test your knowledge against the bookies.
For that reason, betting sites in Australia offer a heap of betting markets. This makes things interesting and gives you a good chance of unearthing some serious value.
Here’s the lowdown of what to expect:
- Head-to-Head – The easiest wager of all. Simply pick one team or one player to beat another in a fixture. It’s a straightforward bet that you’d make on footy, soccer, tennis, or cricket. In soccer, the result after 90 minutes stands, so if it’s a draw, and the match goes to penalties or extra time, the tie result is what counts.
- Line Betting (handicap) – If one side is a huge favourite, there’s not much value if you want to bet on them outright. So a handicap bet gives the other team a points or goals head start to balance out the market and make backing one side more attractive. You back the favourite and hope they win by more than the margin – or back the underdog and hope they hold out to lose by less than the margin (or win!).
- Over/Under (Totals) – In this bet, you predict that the total goals or points scored in an event will be over or under the expected total from the bookie. This form of bet is more popular in high-scoring games like rugby or netball. Perhaps you think the Wallabies and New Zealand will fight it out in a high-scoring rugby international, so you might predict the total points scored will be over 35.
- Margin Betting – If you’re so confident about a team winning, you can bet on the margin of victory. Perhaps you think the Geelong Cats will win by 15+ points in the AFL?
- Multi Bets – Known elsewhere as a parlay or accumulator, we Aussies call it a multi. Place multiple bets on one bet slip, and if they all win, the odds multiply together for your payout. But be aware, it only takes one bet to lose, and your whole multi falls over.
- Player Props – These are bets that focus on an individual player in a match, rather than the team. It could be the highest runscorer in a cricket match, first goalscorer in soccer, or top pointscorer in footy.
- Novelty Bets – The types of bets are not as common as they once were. They usually focus on something outside of the actual game, like the result of the toss in cricket, or whether the safety car will come out in a Formula One race. In soccer, you might find markets on the number of corners or when the first throw-in will be awarded.
- In-Play Bets – In-play or live betting lets you bet on the action as it happens. It’s particularly popular in soccer and tennis. Bet on the next game or set result in tennis, or take advantage of the ever-changing odds during the course of a soccer match. In-play betting needs a stable connection and a bookie that has easy navigation. You need to act fast!
Are Australian Bookies Legal?
There are strict licensing laws for any gambling website wanting to operate from within Australia. That’s why many Aussie punters prefer to place their bets on international bookmaker sites, where the bonuses are better and using crypto is beneficial.
These sites are not authorised in Australia, but don’t worry, you won’t get prosecuted for using them. Just be sure you’re confident about safety and security.
There are many overseas operators, also known as offshore betting sites, that are licensed internationally. You can be sure of their credibility if they’re licensed by trusted regulatory authorities like Curacao.
Expert Tips for Choosing an Australian Betting Site
As we’ve discussed, there’s a lot of choice, but let’s boil it down to four things you should look for when signing up with the best betting sites.
- Sports Choice and Markets – The best bookies cover just about any event you want to bet on. If you have good knowledge of a particular team or player, you want to use that to your advantage.
- Credible Bonuses – Don’t fall for big, enticing numbers alone. That huge welcome offer might look tempting, but check the wagering and time requirements to give you the best shot of redeeming your bonus cash.
- Usability – Join a site that makes it easy to move around and find what you want. If you take part in live betting, this is especially important. Make sure the layout of all markets and your bet slip is clear.
- Fast payouts – Don’t be that punter who’s left waiting for their payout to arrive. The best betting sites in Australia will pay out fast and not leave you hanging.
- Responsible Gambling – We support responsible gambling, and any platform that doesn’t do the same should be avoided. Responsible gambling messaging is critical to keeping your betting as a form of entertainment. Any profit should be a happy result, not an expectation.
FAQs – Best Betting Sites in Australia FAQs
There are some excellent bookies for Aussie punters, but also some ropey ones. By following our recommendations or by reading up on player reviews, you’ll get a good idea of which sites to consider and which ones you should kick into touch.
You’ll start with a decent welcome offer, which perhaps matches your deposit with bonus cash. Free bets are also popular, as are odds boosts on headline tournaments and match-ups. It’s also worth considering if the bookie has a VIP loyalty programme, which pays out increasing perks as you progress.
Sites that are licensed internationally are regulated, and so you can be confident they offer lots of markets with good odds on all the sports that interest you. Our top-rated Aussie bookies have licenses and a good rep for presenting plenty of opportunities for betting value.
The most common forms of payment are debit and credit cards, including Visa and Mastercard. But increasingly, Aussies are turning to crypto payments, which offer total privacy, are lightning fast, and have tiny fees attached. eWallets are available at some sites, with PayPal being the most common.
All the top betting sites in Australia work well on mobile, given that punters prefer using their iPhone or Android to place sports wagers. The sportsbook tech is designed to adjust to any screen size, which is vital for choosing your bets and adding them to your bet slip. Any site we recommend is mobile-friendly
Yes, live betting is a rich part of the sports betting experience. It makes watching a fixture on TV great fun, as you can see how the game is developing and place your bets accordingly. Take advantage of the shifting odds and profit from being quick off the mark.
References
- Sports Betting in Australia (Australian Institute of Family Studies)
- Australian Gambling Revenue (Statista)
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