Australian betting sites 2023

Australians can legally and safely gamble with online betting sites regulated in Australia in 2023. This means we can access 1000s of sport and racing markets on events both at home and overseas. Never before has sports wagering had such global appeal with Aussies betting on everything from the AFL to the NBA at the top sports betting sites. It’s a truly 24/7 industry and BettingSite.com.au is dedicated to helping you walk through the sports betting minefield and make the correct decisions when gambling on the Internet, including finding you the best Australian online betting sites.

This is my table

#1	Fast Payouts BetOnline 50% matched deposit up to USD $5,000	Visit BetOnline BetOnline Review
#2	Live Betting Odds Bovada Claim a 50% deposit bonus up to the value of USD $250	Visit Bovada Bovada Review

All bookmakers

• Best Australian betting sites

  BettingSite is 100% independent and Australian-owned. Our staff punt at the same betting sites they write about and are passionate about working in this industry and intent on giving something back to our readers. If they don’t like a bookie, or we have received oil that a betting site is doing the dodgy we won’t hesitate to inform and steer you clear of them. We are aiming to create a community surrounding sports betting sites in Australia, where you can contribute via our bookmaker review pages, either with positive or negative feedback or by emailing us any issues you may have.

  Our reviews of Australian sports betting sites include details about things like their current promotions and news, reputation, deposit options and of course downloadable betting apps. Sports betting sites apps are critical in modern wagering, with many Australian doing their online betting via this method. It essentially means you have instant access to betting sites, via clicking on a desktop shortcut. Betting sites apps usually load quicker and have added features, in comparison to the web-based mobile betting sites.

  Our top Australian online betting sites for 2023 include:

  • Sportsbet
    Sportsbet, the biggest Australian betting site, has been operating down under since 1993. The company was bought by Ireland’s biggest bookmaker, Paddy Power, in December 2010 and has continued to grow. Dominates the market share in NSW and provides many features to loyal punters. Sportsbet review.
  • Bet365
    Bet365 is one of the largest online betting and gaming companies across the globe with more than 14 million customers from 200 countries. The UK-based company is also licensed in the Northern Territory, the most respected licensing jurisdiction in Australia. Bet365 review.
  • PalmerBet
    PalmerBet was established by brothers Grant and Andrew Palmer, with the online betting site service operating under the regulation of Racing NSW, while in respect to sports betting it is also regulated by the NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing. Palmerbet review.
  • Playup
    The newest Australian sports betting site, Playup has made quite a splash since entering the race as an amalgamation between Classic Bet, Topbetta and Madbookie. Playup’s website and apps are cutting edge, putting them firmly on the radar of bettors, particularly those that enjoy AFL, NRL and horse racing. Read our Playup review.
  • Unibet
    A respected gambling destination that has great markets for football right across the globe. The bookies is licensed to operate by the Northern Territory Racing Commission and has a good reputation for taking larger wagers. Unibet review.
  • Centrebet
    This bookie is one older Aussies will know well, but it was only late 2016 it was relaunched by William Hill. They market themselves as having better odds, no gimmicks, no bonuses and a complete Fixed Odds service. We must say we have been super-impressed with the odds on offer on Australian and New Zealand racing. Centrebet review.
  • Neds
    Offers Australian and New Zealand horse and greyhound racing, as well as international horse racing and harness markets. There’s also a dedicated Melbourne Cup section. Sports range from Australian rules, tennis, American football, esports, and much more. Neds.com.au review.
  • Ladbrokes
    A global brand that has made a big impact in Australia since landing here a few years back. Has great horse racing market including several promising promotions. Ladbrokes is definitely worth being a member of. Ladbrokes review.

  For more details on each of our recommended bookmakers, read our comprehensive page on online bookmakers in Australia.

• Sport and racing in Australia

  The best betting sites in Australia all have one thing in common – they will offer wagering on the three major codes of racing. It is the biggest money-spinner for bookies which means they get very competitive when it comes to securing your business.

  One of the biggest growth areas in wagering and particularly online is sports betting with more and more Australians taking an interest in the daily offering from around the globe. Sports betting sites are now a 24/7 service, with it possible to bet on events from all around the world, with the two biggest sports globally being basketball and football, although we are partial to horse racing.

  What is BettingSite.com.au’s role in this landscape? We are intent on giving a service to secure your patronage. We want to cover the sports and racing events Australians care about. We aim to listen to our readership and continue to improve our coverage of the big events and the Australian betting sites that offer markets on them.

  • American football
    While the key event in the NFL is the Super Bowl, Australians have a growing fascination with the entire season. Other prominent Australians to have played in the NFL include Darren Bennett and Saverio Rocca, who both started their careers in Aussie rules before becoming kickers.
  • AFL
    The no.1 football code in the country is a huge betting sport. West Coast defeated Collingwood in the 2018 AFL grand final. The previous year Richmond ended a long Premiership hoodoo, with it mirroring the Western Bulldogs 2016 win after they broke a 61-year premiership hiatus. Prior to this Hawthorn had won three flags in a row to make them the most successful, alongside Brisbane, modern team. Australian betting sites cater extensively to the AFL, with match-day markets available from about the time the teams drop for the game until the first bounce. AFL futures are also a popular way to bet, with many punters betting on markets like the Brownlow Medal Winner, Rising Star winner, Norm Smith winner and of course the Premiership itself.
  • Baseball
    Another sport based in the USA, that has a big following with punters on our shores. As a wagering sport it has many dedicated fans. There are competitions based all around the world that you can bet on, but without a doubt the Major League in the USA is the no.1 drawcard.
  • Basketball
    The NBL is growing and growing in popularity in recent years and the talent leaving Australia for the NBA and European League is staggering. Australians also wager on the NBA and European leagues with it usually on during daytime hours in AEST time.
  • Boxing/UFC
    The UFC has stolen the mantle as the most popular fighting code in the world and the punters love it. Most Aussie bookies will have extensive markets on both boxing and MMA.
  • Cricket
    Australia is set to host the old enemy, England, in a five Test series in the 2017-18 summer. The Big Bash will also take centre stage over a six week period. Cricket is also one of the most popular sports to bet on in the world with huge interest coming from the sub continent. BettingSite.com.au will cover Test match cricket, T20s and One Day Internationals from a gambling perspective.
  • Esports
    Competition video games are very popular in many countries in the world, with more than one professional league getting around. This has made it one of the growing niches in sports betting with many of the major bookies and dedicated esports wagering sites taking bets on it.
  • Cycling
    While it’s not as popular in Australia as other places, cycling wagering is readily available at Australian bookmakers. Many of our best cyclists compete in European events like the Tour de France and various other events.
  • Golf
    Australia has long held a love affair with golf, with many of us growing up with Greg Norman the best player in the world. Not that much has changed with the Aussies still at the top of world golf with names like Jason Day and Adam Scott some of the best in the world. The best Aussie betting sites cater extensively to all the golf tournaments held around the world.
  • Horse racing
    The gallops in Australia are no.1 and the bookies are all over both regional and metropolitan meetings. The crowning race in Australia is the Melbourne Cup but races like the Caulfield Cup, the Golden Slipper and the Cox Plate draw international attention.
  • Greyhound racing
    Greyhound racing is a popular racing code in Australia that has gone through some troubled times over the last few years with its ban and reinstatement in NSW. The sport was also banned in the ACT at tail end of 2017.
  • Harness racing
    It might not have the pulling power it did 30 years ago but harness racing, or the trots, is still a popular sport to wager on. It is held in major cities and in regional centres. All decent bookies will have extensive harness racing odds and bet types.
  • NRL
    The major rugby code in Australia features teams from both here and in New Zealand. It’s also regarded as the strongest domestic rugby comp in the world and a breeding ground for many of the best players. Betting wise, much like the AFL, there are 100s of different markets, including futures available at the top Australian sports betting sites.
  • Soccer/Football
    The A League is the premier soccer competition in Australia with it seemingly growing in popularity each year. Household names to have played in the A League include Harry Kewell, Archie Thompson and Kevin Muscat. Aussies also love punting on the English Premier League and various other European leagues. Every Australian betting site of note has 1000s of markets available on football at any given time.

• Finding the best odds with online bookmakers

  While most Australian betting sites offer betting on the similar racing and sporting events, there can often be considerable differences in the odds advertised. For this reason, we suggest opening an account with each of our recommended betting sites so you can compare and examine the markets for each event you wish to bet on, to ensure you are getting the best possible value and return for your dollar.

  All of the top betting sites in Australia unique promotions for sporting events, such as refunds for missing one leg of a multi-bet, justice bets and fair go refunds if something out of the ordinary occurs which forces a losing wager, and bonus deals in the lead-up to major tournaments and events.

  If you are a racing fan our odds comparison service features racing from every major hub in the world, including Australia, New Zealand, USA, Chile, South Africa, Hong Kong Japan and many more.

• Mobile and tablet betting

  Gambling on our smartphones and tablets wi-fi or 4G connections is more common-place than using our telephone accounts or betting via our desktop computers. The stats back this up with over 50% of real money bets placed via a mobile device in the last 18 months.

  This means bookies pour money into developing their mobile websites and betting apps and the end result is a better product for the punter. You won’t find an Aussie bookie without a full-fledged mobile website and most of them also have apps available from the iOS and Android stores.

  Mobile operating systems compatible with on-the-go betting include:

  • Android
  • Apple iOS
  • Windows
  • BlackBerry
  • Symbian
  • Older WAP and data-enabled devices

• Are betting sites safe?

  The point of having regulatory bodies like the Northern Territory Gambling Commission overseeing Australian betting sites is to keep them in check. They make sure the punter is not being ripped off by providing guidelines for the bookie to operate by, while also giving the punter a channel of communication if anything goes wrong.

  Where you can get yourself in trouble is if you wager with offshore betting sites. It’s still unlikely you will be compromised by the bookie with plenty of good ones operating out of other countries, but we hear plenty of stories about people who have had their winnings taken or have not been able to cash out.

  While BettingSite.com.au firmly believes you should wager with betting sites licensed in Australia, if you insist on betting offshore make sure you do your homework by reading reviews and about other peoples experiences at the chosen website. Online casinos and online poker are both banned in Australia, with any offshore gambling sites operating down under doing so illegally.

  With Australian bookies you are guaranteed a level of privacy, including the knowledge your banking transactions are secured by SSL technology, which is the same safeguard big banks in Australia use to keep their clients money safe.

• Betting Sites Banking

  There are a variety of banking options at Australian betting sites punters can select from, and each of our betting sites, details a complete list of the ways we can deposit and withdraw AUD funds to and from our gambling accounts. Some of the most common transaction methods at online betting sites include:

  • Credit and debit card bookie deposits
  • Online bookie direct bank transfers
  • Neteller betting sites online
  • Skrill betting sites
  • POLi betting sites
  • iDebit
  • Ukash
  • Entropay
  • Paypal betting sites
  • Cheque

  In most cases, funds will appear in your betting account immediately, and depending on the withdrawal method you choose, requesting your funds to be taken out can take a couple of business days to be processed.

• Commonly asked betting questions

  Online betting websites can often be confusing, particularly for those who are new to wagering — they have many questions they want answered. The team at BettingSite has spent years around the sports betting and gambling landscape in Australia and has seen it all before. Here are some of the commonly asked questions we face on a daily basis:

  Betting sites bonus questions answered

  • Why have bonus bets been banned?
    Bonus bets or new account incentives are due to be banned on May 26, 2019 across Australia. This follows on from NSW’s partial ban on bonus bets in 2018, which saw online racing websites the only ones allowed to offer incentives to NSW residents. While there has been very little in the way of information released about the ban on bonus bets and sign up offers, we are keeping our finger on the pulse and will provide updates in the lead-up to the ban. As for the reason why bonus bets have been banned, it’s basically a decision to help.
  • What are wagering requirements at betting sites
    The term wagering requirements is usually talking about the bonus on offer and what you have to do, to withdraw it into cold hard cash. For instance you might need to turn a deposit bonus over 2x before you can wager it. This means you just have to bet the bonus amount twice (possibly at odds greater than a set amount) before it is real money.

  Bookmaker banking questions answered

  • Can i deposit at Aussie betting sites with bitcoin?
    Unfortunately Australian betting sites do not allow cryptocurrency deposits, although Neds did have a brief dalliance with a global facing bitcoin betting website. BettingSite.com.au has contacted various Australian gambling regulators in the past and they have indicated that there are currently no plans to implement any framework surrounding bitcoin betting deposits.
  • How long do withdrawals take from online betting sites?
    This will vary depending on the method you are using to withdraw money from your betting account. For instance a cash-out at Sportsbet can be instant if you are using their cash card, while on average a bank transfer from a bookie to your bank account, or Visa, take between 24-72 hours.
  • Are there fees for depositing at Australian betting sites?
    There will be a small fee for depositing with some methods, including Visa and Mastercard, although the amount is negligible. Some web wallets at overseas equivalents have began processing instant withdrawals, through mobile banking solutions, however this technology has not been rolled out in Australia yet.

  Betting accounts questions answered

  • How do you verify a betting site account?
    If you are in Australia, verifying your betting account is a straight-forward, usually automatic process where you validate your identity. Some betting sites have an online process you can follow, where you punch in details of your license or passport, and if you’re eligible it verifies you automatically. Other betting sites, or when there is a problem with your online verification, will request you fax or email in documents to prove your identity. The documents will generally be an update to date utilities bill and a scan of a valid photo ID. Talk to customer service — they all have 24/7 support — if you are concerned about verifying your account.
  • What ID do i need to sign up?
    During the initial stage of signing up at a betting site, you don’t need anything, but rest assured during the verification process you will have to prove your identity. See the question about this one to find out more about verifying your betting account.
  • Can you hold more than one bookie account?
    Yes, there are no restrictions on how many accounts you can hold, in-fact it is smart to hold accounts at all the best Australian betting sites, so you can get the best odds on each event.
  • What are the best new online bookmaker sites?
    Australians have many options when it comes to online betting sites, with new betting sites constantly being launched. Read our handy guide, linked to in the last sentence for an overview of all the latest betting companies entering Australia.

  General betting questions and answers

  • What bookie sites have the best odds?
    This really does depend on the event that you are betting on and could be different each time it is held. In our experience leading bookies like Sportsbet and BetEasy are not far off the mark, when it comes finding the best odds at betting sites.
  • What are the top betting sites for freebets?
    Unfortunately the top online betting sites in Australia are able to market freebets because of local laws, stopping new account incentives. It does however pay to hold accounts at multiple betting sites.

• AU Sports betting laws

  Australia has a fully regulated sports betting industry, with both land-based TAB outlets and licensed online betting sites accepting bets. Most Australian online bookies are licensed by the Northern Territory Gambling Commission, which was a trailblazer in the online realm. The top betting sites online have to abide by both the strict regulations set out by their licensee and each state and territory’s gambling regulatory body.

  The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is a great source of information for laws surrounding online betting, with this body also playing a big role in policing and restricting all forms of gambling advertising.

  The Australian online sports betting industry falls under legislation known as the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, with this receiving a significant update in 2016, that officially banned online poker and offshore online online gambling sites.

  Sports betting sites in Australia a long list of laws they must abide by, with these even changing from one state to the next. The best betting sites have a long history in Australian bookmaking, with these including brands like TopSport, that had previously cut their teeth as rails bookies in Sydney.

• Contact and support

  Each of the Australian online betting sites we endorse has dedicated customer support services to help with inquiries (via phone, email, and live Web chat). If you would like to get in contact with the team at BettingSite.com.au, send us an email at [email protected] or via our contact us page, and we will happily answer your queries. Happy punting!

  Follow us on Social Media

  • Twitter: https://twitter.com/bookies_online
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LateMail/

  BettingSite.com.au encourages responsible gambling

  

We encourage responsible gambling. If you feel like betting is becoming an issue for you, there are a range of gambling support services you can turn to, including Lifeline and Gambling Help Online.