Best New Betting Sites Australia – Compare Sport Betting Apps

Find the best online bookmakers offering top odds, specials, sports markets, bonuses and more. Our comprehensive reviews make you a vet before you bet!
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Top Best Sports Betting Sites in Australia of 2023

  • All
  • Enhanced Odds
  • Live Streaming
  • New!
  • Cash Out
  • Harness racing
  • PayPal
  • Each Way
#1 Rated Australian Bookmaker
06/05/22

Offers protest payouts

Offers protest payouts

  • Live chat, email, and phone support
  • Good choice of racing bet types
  • Founder Michael Sullivan is highly respected
9.8
5 Stars
NO CODE REQUIRED
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6
T&Cs apply
22/06/22

Top Sportsbook for Gallops, Harness & Dogs

Top Sportsbook for Gallops, Harness & Dogs

  • Wide selection of sports with emphasis on racing
  • More than 60 years experience of on-track bookmaking experience
  • NRL, AFL + American sports
9.7
5 Stars
NO CODE REQUIRED
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2
T&Cs apply
19/08/21

Best Bookie for beginners

Best Bookie for beginners

  • User-friendly layout
  • Very good mobile apps
  • Good customer support hours
9.7
5 Stars
NO CODE REQUIRED
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4
T&Cs apply
18/09/23

Personalised tips based on your betting

Personalised tips based on your betting

  • Widest Range of Racing markets covering the globe
  • Daily specials on sports and racing
  • Colossal IQ - industry first personalised tips built in to your app
9.7
5 Stars
NO CODE REQUIRED
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0
09/06/21

Offers Live streaming of local races

Offers Live streaming of local races

  • Some of the best odds around
  • Massive range of betting markets
  • Speedy payout
9.6
5 Stars
NO CODE REQUIRED
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6
T&Cs apply
09/06/21

A trusted & local bookie

A trusted & local bookie

  • Weekly cricket promos
  • Good selection of payment options
  • Same-race multiples are easy to place
9.6
5 Stars
NO CODE REQUIRED
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6
T&Cs apply
23/06/21

Superb customer service

Superb customer service

  • Live greyhound streaming
  • Virtual greyhound betting
  • Regular specials
9.6
5 Stars
NO CODE REQUIRED
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6
T&Cs apply
25/05/21

Lowest minimum wagers

Lowest minimum wagers

  • Fast payments via PayPal
  • Live streaming
  • Dedicated mobile betting app
9.5
4.5 Stars
NO CODE REQUIRED
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4
T&Cs apply
09/06/21

Designed for Android & iOS

Designed for Android & iOS

  • Useful mobile features
  • Strong horse racing section
  • Powerful partnership with Ladbrokes
9.5
4.5 Stars
NO CODE REQUIRED
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5
T&Cs apply
09/06/21

Fast withdrawals

Fast withdrawals

  • Focus on spread betting
  • Helpful customer service
  • Straightforward user interface
9.4
4.5 Stars
NO CODE REQUIRED
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7
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Why Trust SafeBettingSites?

Let’s get straight to the point – you are here because you like to place wagers on sporting events. Safe Betting Sites is a new initiative launched in 2020 that’s designed to help you find the best Australia licensed betting sites, and to make sure your online betting experience is 100 percent secure. It’s our job to keep you protected, and to inform you of the best betting offers, provide with unbiased bookmaker reviews and online betting guides.
  • Cash out available on all single and combination bets
  • Excellent bookies for live streaming
  • Excellent bookies for live streaming
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How We Rank The Best Australian Betting Sites

When it comes to bookmakers, Australian punters don’t have quite the same level of choice as their pommie pals in the UK. The cupboard isn’t exactly bare, though. There are still plenty of good Australian betting sites out there, and we’ve curated some of the very best. To give you a little more insight, here’s a look at the most important factors we based our rankings on.

Core Selection for Betting Sites:

Ease of Use

You should never have to fight against the interface on a sportsbook. Instead, a good betting platform should be intuitive from the start. You should be able to find whatever you’re looking for quickly and easily, whether it’s the account management section or a specific betting market. Pages should also load quickly, and crashes should be kept to a minimum. BlueBet is an aussie sportsbook that’s very easy to use.

Customer Safety

When your money is on the line, you naturally want to know that it’ll be safe. The best Australian betting sites should give you peace of mind in this respect, courtesy of a few security measures. These should include firewalls, encryption, and KYC checks at the very least. We also like to see some separation between customer and company funds. In terms of security Ladbrokes is the most secure site we’ve encountered.

Fees

Fees have largely been abolished from sportsbooks in many countries. That applies to deposits, withdrawals, and so on. Australian betting sites with fees haven’t automatically been disqualified from our rankings. After all, even where fees are in place, they’re normally pretty minimal. We’ve certainly given the edge to online bookmakers which have no such annoying charges, though, such as Sportsbet and Betfair.

Odds

It doesn’t matter how many features or promotions a bookie has. If their odds are routinely higher than the competition’s, they’re simply not worth using. We’ve compared odds on a range of the most popular sports markets, to ensure the prices on our recommended Australian sports betting sites are competitive. It’s our opinion that Palmerbet is among the sites that offer the best betting odds.

But What About the Jurisdiction?

Aussies love sport as much as they love their beer, and they love betting on sport almost as much! True, betting regulations in Oz are stricter than many other jurisdictions – for instance operators cannot advertise welcome bonuses or free bets. But the important thing is that pumping Aussie dollars via your Visa card into any bookmaker listed here and then placing a punt on the Melbourne Cup or The Big Bash is perfectly legal!

And by legal we mean betting at ACT licensed online bookies that are safe and secure. At Safe Betting Sites Australia we’ve unearthed a host of new Australian betting sites with popular payment methods like Poli and Paypal, and great promotions like early pay out and racing refunds. Read on to find out more!

Best Betting Sites – A Closer Look at the Australian Top Sites

Right-o, so you now know which are the best Australian sports betting apps according to our research, but even a top 100 list is pretty useless if you don’t know why the sites towards the top of our list have been assigned the podium places. What makes them the best, better than all the rest? Why should you wager your dinkum dollars at the online bookies on our say so?

Well, we stand by our selections but just so you know why we think the top sites for betting on sports deserve to be on our list, we are going to go into a little extra depth about what we think makes them special, so very special. Here is a dingo’s whisker of info about the top betting websites that sit proudly atop our list, and some pretty pictures too.

1. BlueBet - The best of betting agencies Australia has to offer

One of the best online bookmakers Australia provides to the world is BlueBet. Certainly not here to “mess around with” spiders, they are billing themselves as the “true blue Aussie bookie” on the homepage is far from an idle boast. With weekly promotions aplenty once you log in, the key sporting events have pride of place atop the main menu on the left-hand side. BlueBet have developed a reputation as one of the leading sports betting agencies in the region, because they have their fingers on the pulse. Racing and general sports tabs let you toggle between the horses and other popular events Down Under like AFL and NRL.

BlueBet new betting sites Australia

Main Focus

BlueBet are a big deal and took their public profile to new heights in 2021 when they began sponsoring NRL franchise Penrith Panthers and leant the brand name to their stadium. Few online betting agencies around the world can boast such a partnership. As online bookmakers Australia has to offer go, this brand is publicly listed. The Rapid Multi function allows you to place such bets quickly and easily. With all they have to offer, BlueBet give any of the new betting sites Australia has seen launched in the region recently a run for their money.

right logoWhat we like:

  • Publicly listed Australian betting agency
  • Protest Payouts promotion really handy
  • Rapid Multi function catches the eye
  • Great range of customer support options
  • Big variety of AU and global sports odds

fa shield close 1 What we don’t:

  • Lack of live streaming is a shame
  • eSports betting markets missing
2. TexBet - Australian bookie with roots in NSW

With all the runaround you get when peeking into the Australian gambling legislation, it is not often you find bookies from overseas – which makes this find a fun treat. TexBet is was founded in 2020 by Terry O’Shea and operated under O’Shea Bookmaking but has since of August 2022 switched ownership to BetR.

TexBet - Australian betting at its best

Main Focus

TexBet was launched in 2020, but that is only the online part. The know-how comes from Terry O’Shea with an established presence on the bookie market since 1973.

The main focus of TexBet is their deep markets in racing with customized promotions that is very much in line with Australian events. They offer quite the choice selection with exotic markets with first four, quaddies and and quinella to mention a few. Overall, this is quite a good sportsbook, the one thing that might be slightly lacking is a presence of individual markets in the sporting events.

right logoWhat we like:

  • Roots in Australia
  • Focus on racing
  • Decent coverage of US sports
  • Horse and harness racing bets available
  • App available

fa shield close 1What we don’t:

  • Comparatively few live betting options
3. PlayUp - The leading Australian-owned sports betting site

Australian legislation around gambling and sports betting can be complex and many companies are put off by some unique rules, such as the ban on advertising welcome bonuses and free bets, plus the complete ban on online live betting. Lots of offshore companies offers the sports betting experience, more than Oz-based brands. One successful Aussie-based brand though is PlayUp, created by entrepreneur Daniel Simic.

PlayUp

Main Focus

PlayUp was formed in 2019 by the merger of two other sportsbooks, ClassicBet and Mad Bookie, and in 2020 absorbed another online bookie – TopBetta. As well as being a successful Australian-based sportsbook, PlayUp is the ideal online bookie to use if you are new to sports betting. This is mainly because of the minimalist interface and the concentration upon the major sports markets of the sports betting universe.

right logoWhat we like:

  • Proud to be Australian
  • Live betting available (phone only)
  • Great coverage of US sports
  • Horse and harness racing bets available
  • Compete in betting tournaments

fa shield close 1What we don’t:

  • Could have more markets available
  • Site can be hard to navigate
4. Sportsbet - Leading Australian betting site for horse racing

Horse racing is the third-most attended sport in Australia, behind Aussie rules and rugby league. As many as two million people per annum attend races at one of the country’s 300+ official racecourse every year. Betting on horses is extremely popular too, generating AU$7 million in revenue. Plenty of Australian sportsbooks have dedicated horse racing sections, and we consider Sportsbet to be the best.

sportsbet

Main Focus

Just head to the Sportsbet site whenever you need to place a horse racing bet and you’ll immediately find the meeting you want to bet on. As an added bookmaker bonus, the site will tell you where the leading meetings are being televised. It’s not just horse racing at Sportsbet though, and there are plenty of other sports from Aussie rules to US sports that have countless market options available.

right logoWhat we like:

  • Ideal site for horse racing fans
  • Live streaming of Aus and NZ races
  • Good coverage of other markets
  • App for iOS and Android
  • Decent array of payment options

fa shield close 1What we don’t:

  • Customer support could be better
  • Bugs reported with app
5. PalmerBet - The best sports betting site in Australia for multibets

Australians have a ‘vegemite’ feeling about multibetting – they either love it or they don’t have anything to do with it. The positive factor of multibets (or accumulators or parlay bets as they are also known) is that potential winnings are much bigger than with straight-up betting. The negative factor is that all legs of a multibet have to be winning ones, or else the entire bet becomes a loser.

PalmerBet

Main Focus

If your love affair with multibets is one you feel positive about, then you really ought to head to PalmerBets. This Aussie-owned site will enhance your multibet life with multiple promotions and countless other benefits. The focus is on horse racing but most other sports can be wagered upon and therefore linked to create multibet mayhem. You might also appreciate the minimalist design concept too.

right logoWhat we like:

  • Best site if you like multibets
  • Lots of interesting info on site
  • Odds are competitive
  • 100% Aussie owned
  • Apps available for all platforms

fa shield close 1What we don’t:

  • Not as many markets as some
  • Insipid design
6. Neds - The best new betting site in Australia for the horses

Horse racing is so popular in Australia that it is no surprise that two sites in our Aussie top list are horse racing specialists. We’ve already recommended Sportsbet as a top site in Oz for all your racetrack wagering, and now we are going to recommend to you a newer site – Neds. This site has all the leading information about every horse and greyhound race available all over the world. The site also updates itself automatically every thirty seconds or so, which is very impressive!

Main Focus

Neds has been around since 2017, created by the former boss of Ladbrokes in Australia, Dean Shannon. This Aussie-based and Aussie-owned company is licensed in the Northern Territory and South Australia, and offers the best dedicated coverage of Australian horse racing. It also has global horse racing coverage. It’s not just for the horses though – other sports available include Aussie Rules, rugby, soccer, basketball and eSports. It also has a live events section but as is the norm with live betting in Australia, you have to telephone the site to place any live bets.

right logoWhat we like:

  • Aussie owned brand
  • Amazing coverage of horse racing
  • All major sporting events covered too
  • Excellent live betting section
  • Automatic updates at least once per minute

fa shield close 1What we don’t:

  • Northern Territory and South Australia only
  • You have to phone in your live bets

Key Features of the Best Online Betting Sites Australia

Thanks to our mini reviews you now know about the key aspects available at betting companies Australia has to offer, but which sites have such features, and which do not? Below you’ll find a list of the top sites available to sports bettors in Australia and some key features, and an indication of each as to whether that particular site offers that feature. This should help you with your comparison of Australian online bookmakers.

Sportsbook In-Play Betting* Live Streaming eSports Betting Minimum Deposit
BlueBet right logo fa shield close 1 fa shield close 1 AU$10
TexBet right logo right logo fa shield close 1 AU$10
PlayUp right logo fa shield close 1 right logo AU$10
SportsBet right logo right logo right logo AU$5
PalmerBet right logo fa shield close 1 right logo AU$1
Ladbrokes right logo right logo right logo AU$10
Unibet right logo right logo right logo AU$10
BetStar right logo fa shield close 1 right logo AU$5
PointsBet right logo right logo right logo AU$10
SportsChamps right logo fa shield close 1 fa shield close 1 AU$10

*in-play betting in Australia can only be done via phone, not over the internet. This is different to sports betting online in other countries. Some sites offer in-play betting but only on the final outcome of in-play matches, not on live elements such as the next goalscorer.

Top Betting Agencies in Australia Per Category

While we’re concerned with the best new betting sites Australia has to offer here, you may have also heard bookmakers referred to as online betting agencies in the region. This may confuse some newbies who are looking to gamble for the first time. Should you use sports betting agencies or one of the leading online bookmakers Australia has operating within it? Worry not. The fact is they are just different terms for the same thing.

Both the betting agencies Australia has in the region and online bookmakers provide identical services. They are two sides of the same coin. There is more below on the best new betting sites Australia has for you, but first there’s a comprehensive list of all Australian betting agencies so you know about the whole picture:

🏆 Best Overall Betting Agency BlueBet
📊 Best New Sportsbook PlayUp
💰 Best Special Offers Ladbrokes
📺 Top for Racing TexBet
⭐ Strongest Security Ladbrokes
📱 Best Betting App Unibet
🧩 Top Special Features PalmerBet
💰 Range of Payment Methods SportsBet
🔁 Best Value Odds Neds
⚽ Top for eSports Betting Unibet

All Sports Betting Sites in Australia – March 2024

List of all betting sites operating in Australia
  1. BlueBet – Australian owned bookie
  2. TexBet – Great site with local expertise
  3. PlayUp – Up and coming contender on the Australian market
  4. SportsBet – Live stream local Australian races
  5. PalmerBet – Handy Australian betting offers
  6. Ladbrokes – Leading horse racing betting app
  7. Unibet – Best known for soccer streaming
  8. Betstar – Mobile friendly Australian bookie
  9. PointsBet – Best for withdrawing winnings fast
  10. SportChamps – The social element of betting
  11. Neds – Specialises in horse racing
  12. Bookmaker.com.au – Pick your own odds
  13. TABtouch – Live streams and betting apps
  14. Draftstars – Top fantasy sports bookie

The Best New Betting Sites Australia Has Today

Thanks to a slight relaxing in some Australian gambling regulations, the number of new betting sites available to sports bettors in Australia is increasing month-on-month. Such new bookmakers – like Neds – may offer interesting features so that they can get themselves noticed above the more established sites. They may also have an alluring deal or two to add a little extra benefit, so make sure you check out any new betting sites Australia has to offer that we alert you to and give them a thorough going over.

Specialises in horse racing

19/05/23

Specialises in horse racing

  • Ownership has plenty of pedigree
  • Low minimum deposit
  • Attractive, modern website
9.1
4.5 Stars
NO CODE REQUIRED
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Betting Tips – Get the Most from Your Sports Betting

All Aussies love betting tips – not so much the inside info on individual events, but betting tips likely to improve the betting experience and the chance of making a steady return. Below we share some of the best betting tips that you can put into practice at sites such as TexBet and any other of the best betting sites in Australia.

Stick to what you know – and the more niche the better

As the saying goes, an expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less. If you can concentrate your sports betting on one particular element that you really like and know plenty about, then you’re more likely to make a success of it. Keep away from sports you know little about – for example, there’s no point betting on baseball if you’ve no idea what abbreviations like ERA, RISP and RBI mean.

Manage your bankroll

Many sports bettors come unstuck because they have zero bankroll management skills. They simply place bets as they feel. Often, a run of losing bets means they increase the size of their bets – known as ‘chasing losses’.

Your bankroll is the amount of available cash you have to bet, per month, and the golden rule is your bets should never be greater than 2 percent of that. So, if you are managing a AU$200 bankroll, that means you cannot place a bet bigger than AU$4.

Data is your friend

Another major downfall with failed sports bettors is that they bet with their hearts, and not their heads. You should never bet because you have a ‘gut feeling’ – it might just be indigestion after eating too may ribs at last night’s barbie, after all.

Do your homework, analyse in depth and only make bets that make logical sense. You might even want to consider using AI sports betting prediction sites. Remember, no matter the odds, the better team wins a sporting match-up around 70 percent of the time.

If it stops being fun – stop

Sports betting is not for everyone. You may find the idea of winning bucks via your love of rugby enticing, but if you maintain a steady loss over a period of weeks, then you’re going to have to face facts that you just ain’t got what it takes. It’s better to walk away than to have to explain to the missus that you’ve spent that month’s mortgage payment on North Melbourne winning the AFL.

How to Get the Best Betting Odds

The sports betting odds are what make any bet. The odds determine the ratio between risk and return. If a side is 1/100 to win, is there any point wagering AU$100 to win a single buck, especially if an upset could be on the cards?

Here’s how to determine whether you’re getting decent odds from for your wagers on big and small betting sites Australia has to offer.

Fixed odds betting

Fixed odds are sports betting odds available on most existing and new betting sites Australia has to offer, and determined by the bookmaker. They are what the bookie is willing to risk to pay out if punters want to take a punt. Odds may change as an event draws close, but you retain the odds at which you placed your bet. PalmerBet has some of the fairest fixed odds available in Australia.

Exchange betting

Exchange betting is different to fixed odds betting as the odds are determined by the punters, and not the sportsbook. The odds are the ratio of punters backing each competitor. For example, if seven people think Team A will win, and four think team B will win, then the odds are 11/7 for Team A and 11/4 for Team B (although in reality it’s a little more complicated than that).

Horse racing betting

In the dim past horse racing odds were not set by online bookmakers, but actually at the course where the races were being run. Now, risk analysis experts set the odds, and with little variation across different bookies. You can still get favorable thoroughbred, harness and greyhound racing odds at many sites, such as Sportsbet.

AFL betting odds

The AFL is the most popular team participation sporting competition for sporting betting in Oz, and if you are interested in betting on the AFL, then we recommend that you get the best odds available. We’d like to recommend BlueBet to you for the best AFL betting odds.

NRL betting odds

In terms of oddly-shaped balls, the NRL is the second most popular ‘bet upon’ league in Australia, even though more people play and watch rugby league than football. Again, getting the best odds for your NRL bets is important, and we suggest you head to Bluebet for decent NRL betting odds.

Cricket betting odds

Aussies won’t admit it, but the dominance of the Australian cricket team over the cricketing world is definitely a thing of the past. That doesn’t stop punters from placing bets on the jaffer-tossing game, and we think Palmerbet is a decent site for good cricket odds.

How to Place a Bet Through Online Bookmakers Australia

Once you have opened your sportsbook account at one of our recommended new betting sites Australia has, it’s time for you to place your first bet. Just in case this process is new to you, we’re going to be bonzer and walk you through it. Here – as an example – is how to place your first sports betting wager.

Step 1:

You of course need to have money in your account in order to place a bet, so make sure you go and sort that out first. For our example, we are going to place a AU$10 bet on an AFL game. Navigate your way to the site and click on the ‘Sports’ tab, and then the ‘Australian Rules‘ menu item, and finally the ‘AFL’ sub-menu item.

Step 2:

We are going to bet on the Geelong Cats beating the Essendon Bombers. The price for this to happen is 1.21, so, to make our bet we click on the price, as indicated.

Step 3:

Clicking the price will add the bet to your betslip. You can then set the amount you wish to wager. You can repeat the process for as many bets as you want to place, or you can just confirm the bet then and there. Once you’ve completed what you want to do, click ‘Place Bet’. This will confirm your wager – be careful because once your bet is accepted, you cannot withdraw it if you change your mind.

Live Betting at Australian Betting Websites

live bettingOf all the many innovations in online sports betting over the past couple of decades, live betting might be the most important of the bunch. It has been an absolute game-changer, giving punters an unprecedented range of new betting options.

We’re pleased to say that Australian punters can also benefit from this excellent feature – in a certain way. Live betting over the internet is actually illegal in the country, much to the annoyance of both sports betting fans and the Australian sports betting websites themselves. If you are in Oz and you want to enjoy the kind of live betting experience you’ve encountered in other jurisdictions, then … tough …

Some sites, do offer a way around the legislation, and a perfectly legal one too. You can place live bets in Australia, but not over the internet – you can do it over the phone. Head to any site that offers live betting and you’ll see the relevant phone number. Give them a call with your live bet information to place your in-play punt.

Available Markets at Australian Online Betting Sites

While Australian bookmakers lag behind their global counterparts in certain areas like UFC betting, we’re pleased to say that the typical number of markets available isn’t one of them. The selection of betting markets might be slightly smaller, but all the big hitters tend to be present and correct.

At our top Australian betting agencies – like BlueBet, TexBet, and PalmerBet- these include:

  • Soccer
  • Aussie Rules
  • Rugby League
  • Rugby Union
  • Cricket
  • Thoroughbred racing
  • Harness racing
  • Greyhounds
  • Golf
  • Tennis
  • American football
  • Basketball
  • Baseball
  • Ice Hockey
  • Motorsports
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • eSports

Most, if not all of these will also be available at our lesser-known recommended betting websites. Not only are these sports present, but both the breadth and depth of their markets tend to be excellent too.

Horse Racing and Football

Horse racing and betting online have their specialized sportsbooks

In addition to the most prestigious competitions – the Champions League (UCL) and Premier League (EPL) for soccer, the Big Bash for cricket, and so on – you’ll also find a good selection of ‘lower league’ markets. Just as importantly, the range of betting types also tends to be impressive. Rarely will you be limited to simply ‘1X2’ wagers on these sportsbooks. Instead, you should be able to make pretty specific predictions, whether they’re score bets, player props, and so on.

Last, but by no means least, we have horse racing. Australian betting sites tend to be massively geared towards racing (thoroughbred racing, harness racing and greyhounds). Some – like TexBet – even seem to be horse racing online betting sites Australia, rather than general sportsbooks! Racing will tend to be the focus of both promotions and special features, with ‘Same-Race Multi’ being a common example. The top bookies will cover not just every race in Australia and New Zealand, but also the major contests from countries like the UK, France, the US, and South Africa.

Best Bookmakers for Betting on Horse Racing 

When betting on sports in Australia and indeed worldwide, there are few pastimes more popular than horse racing. They call it the sport of kings with a thriving global industry supporting it. Top betting sites know this, so need to provide a service to match. In Australia, it’s not just fixed odds bookmakers either. The horse racing sports betting online includes access to the state supported Tote – a kind of parimutuel betting where the prices are determined by the popularity of certain horses from the pool of people gambling. Whether you wager on the Tote and/or betting companies with a fixed odds service, these are our top 3 recommended bookies:

  1. BetStar – Leading horse racing odds
  2. TexBet – Local expertise since 1973 in horse racing
  3. PalmerBet – Got horse racing covered

Best Bookmakers for AFL Betting

aflBetting agencies in Australia naturally do all they can to promote Australian Rules football. After all, this particular sport was invented in the country. That explains its huge popularity even compared to betting on sports with wider international interest. Aussie Rules has its own premier competition, the AFL, where the best players compete with the ultimate aim of Grand Final glory. It’s an integral part of the annual Australian sports calendar. The top player receives the Brownlow Medal, but Aussie Rules is very much a team game. When it comes to AFL betting websites, these are five of the best out there:

  1. Betstar – Ongoing AFL promotions available
  2. Ladbrokes – AFL markets months in advance
  3. PointsBet – Men’s and women’s AFL covered

Best Bookmakers for NRL Betting

nrlRugby in general could hardly be more popular in the sports mad nation of Australia, but the NRL takes that passion to new heights. Full coverage of this rugby league competition is a must for any betting site that want to be the best. Climbing the ladder as the regular season progresses is the only way for teams to book their place in the NRL Grand Final. That is a real highlight of the year in Australia. Betting on sports around this date in springtime is generally a busy period. The NRL winners even test themselves against the victors of the Northern Hemisphere equivalent, the Super League, in the World Club Challenge, on an annual basis. Any sports betting online of rugby league in Australia must provide futures betting and odds for every single top level game. These are the five best NRL betting sites that our experts recommend:

  1. TABtouch– Regular NRL price boosts
  2. Bluebet – Great coverage of the NRL
  3. PalmerBet – Most competitive NRL odds

Best Sports Betting Apps Australia 2024

The best and safest bookmakers in Australia all have one thing in common – they provide amazing top betting apps for phones powered by Apple’s iOS or Google’s Android. These convenient Australian betting apps allow you to place bets when you want, and wherever you may happen to be.

The mobile betting apps provided by betting sites such as SportsBet, Unibet and PalmerBet will really super-charge your gambling experience. With options such as POLi and ApplePay available, it’s never been so easy to get your Aussie dollars on your favoured teams and competitors. We’ve selected our best and safest betting apps, so read on to learn more.

  • All
  • Cash Out
  • Each Way
  • Harness racing
  • PayPal
  • Enhanced Odds
  • Live Streaming
  • More Filters

Lowest minimum wagers

17/05/21

Lowest minimum wagers

  • Fast payments via PayPal
  • Live streaming
  • Dedicated mobile betting app
9.5
4.5 Stars
NO CODE REQUIRED
Play Now
0
T&Cs apply

Leading AFL odds

09/06/21

Leading AFL odds

  • Regularly updated sports blog
  • AFL & AFLW markets available
  • Apps are easy to use
9.5
4.5 Stars
NO CODE REQUIRED
Play Now
0

Exceptionally fast payouts

09/06/21

Exceptionally fast payouts

  • Excellent odds
  • Wide range of eSports markets
  • Apps are fast to load
9.2
4.5 Stars
NO CODE REQUIRED
Play Now
0

Excellent coverage of eSports

19/05/23

Excellent coverage of eSports

  • Ownership has plenty of pedigree
  • Low minimum deposit
  • Attractive, modern website
9.1
4.5 Stars
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New Betting Apps In Australia ranked

For a quick snapshot of the best betting apps Australia has to offer including some new betting apps, here is a complete list of our recommended options:

  1. BetStar – Number one mobile betting platform for largest selection of Australian sports and leagues
  2. Unibet – Best mobile betting platform for user-friendliness
  3. Palmerbet – Best betting app for its longevity
  4. Sportsbet – Best betting app for multi bet builder and live betting options
  5. Ladbrokes – Best betting app for security and accessibility

Key Features of the Best Betting Apps Australia Provides Today

You may be wondering what we consider to be the key aspects of the top free sports betting apps for Android and iOS for folk in Australia? If you would care to take a gander at the table below, we’ve picked out four essential attributes of the best Australian betting apps so you can get the instant info about them.

Sportsbook In-Play Betting
Live Streaming Enhanced Odds
Minimum Deposit
BlueBet right logo fa shield close 1 right logo AU$10
TexBet right logo right logo fa shield close 1 AU$10
PlayUp right logo fa shield close 1 right logo AU$10
SportsBet right logo right logo fa shield close 1 AU$5
PalmerBet right logo fa shield close 1 right logo AU$1
Ladbrokes right logo right logo right logo AU$10
Unibet right logo right logo right logo AU$10
BetStar right logo fa shield close 1 fa shield close 1 AU$1
PointsBet right logo right logo right logo AU$10

With new betting apps launching all the time in Australia, it is useful to know what the best are. Following on from our handy table, here are the top betting apps Australia has to offer for Android and iOS devices. We also have the best Australian betting apps for two of the region’s most popular sports, horse racing and cricket.

Our Top 3 Section

There are some sportsbooks that truly excel in one area, and to highlight that we made our own top 3 section.

Sports Betting Apps for Android

  • BlueBet – Top among Australian sports betting apps for Android
  • Unibet – Best market coverage in Australia
  • Betfair – Exchange and sportsbook together

iPhone Betting Apps in Australia

  • Texbet – Number one among iPhone betting apps in Australia
  • BetStar – Excellent Australian owned betting app
  • Unibet – All the mobile odds you want

Horse Racing Betting Apps Australia Has

  • Ladbrokes – Market leader of horse racing betting apps in Australia
  • SportsBet – Fast payouts for horse racing
  • Neds – Horse racing form on mobile

Cricket Betting Apps for Australians

  • BetStar – Best of cricket betting apps Australia has
  • Betfair – Global betting exchange and sportsbook
  • Neds – Cleanest of online betting apps to look at

AU Betting Apps Live Streaming

Live streaming via apps is possible for nearly all secure and regulated bookmakers

Live streaming of sports events is something that many Aussie bettors enjoy. Even though this is the case, not all bookmakers provide this service to their players. Live betting and live streaming are therefore highly sought out. This is even more so the case when it comes to a mobile app. If such an app has live streaming, bettors are more likely to use it. Our favoured bookmaker for providing live streams of events is the Unibet brand.

Not only does it provide high-definition streaming of these events, but it allows you to have access to around 30,000 of them every year. That is a massive number of sports to be able to watch, with football, tennis, basketball, American football, eSports, ice hockey and darts all being covered by such. Live streaming is outrightly accessible from your desktop computer or through the Unibet app. All you need to do is be sure that your account holds a balance of at least $1 or that you have placed a bet within the past 24 hours to access live streams.

In-Play Mobile Betting Via Apps In Australia

Regardless of whether you are looking at horse racing betting apps, online betting apps, sports betting apps Android users can download or anything else, in-play betting is much appreciated by many Aussies. This allows you to partake in placing wagers on events that are currently in action. Despite the fact that some Australian apps are restricted from providing live betting, there are a few that stand out for their inclusion of this. Our top recommended one of these is TexBet.

This brand is well-known throughout Australia already anyway, but the fact that it provides such intriguing in-play betting options makes it even better. Then again, it is the country’s largest bookmaker, so why would it not stand out in this area? And the fact that it is available on both Android and iOS devices helps, too. With sports betting and racing markets aplenty, you will definitely enjoy live betting at BlueBet. Where the best sports betting apps for Android and iOS are concerned, this is a winner.

Choosing Between the Best Australian Bookies

As noted above, you do have a respectable range of options when it comes to choosing between Australian betting sites. The hard part, of course, is actually picking one. We’ve already made life a little easier for you here, by narrowing your options down for betting on sports to 20, but that’s as far as we can go. Only you can decide on which Australian bookmakers are best-suited to your own personal needs.

That said, we can offer you a little more advice on getting to this stage. These are four of the most important things you should look at when making your choice.

  • The Interface

Any respectable sportsbook review will touch on that platform’s interface. It’s impossible to know whether that interface will actually be right for you, however, without trying it yourself. The same goes for online betting apps and desktop browsing.

Fortunately, doing so is extremely easy. You can head to a sportsbook’s website and browse the layout for yourself whenever you like, without needing to actually register with that brand. Try PalmerBet for a simple, easy-to-use layout.

  • The Markets

It’s all well and good for a bookie to have thousands of markets on offer. If they don’t include the markets you actually want to bet on, though, then what’s the point?!

There are two things you should check here. Firstly, are the sports and specific competitions you want to bet on in place? Secondly, does the sportsbook support the bet types you like to use?

  • Mobile Features

If you prefer on-the-go betting to using a computer, mobile betting apps and features will obviously be crucially important for you. Most Australian betting websites will let you try both their app and the mobile device version of the main website without needing to register.

You should test not only the interface, but also gauge the general speed and reliability of sports betting apps or mobile sites. Betfair is an excellent example of a site with one of Australia’s best betting apps of 2024 for iOS and Android phones and tablets.

  • Payment Methods

As with betting markets, it doesn’t necessarily matter how many payment methods a bookmaker has. What matters is that they have the methods you want to use.

If you’re content to simply use a debit card, this shouldn’t be a problem. If you want to use something like PayPal though, be sure to find a site which supports eWallets too.

Available Payment Methods for Australian Bettors

Australian betting sites paymentsLet’s make something clear up front. As in other countries, there is significant variety in the number of payment methods you’ll be offered between different Australian online betting sites. The biggest names around will offer you plenty of choice, for both depositing and withdrawing. Below we outline some of the most commonly accepted payment methods for sports betting online in Australia.

Debit cards and credit cards

Most sites will accept payments by debit and credit cards … at the moment. Many other jurisdictions have now banned the use of credit cards at gambling sites, and it’s likely that Australia will eventually follow suit. You can use your plastic freely for the moment, and it’s unlikely that payment by debit card will ever be outlawed.

POLi

Most Aussies will be familiar with POLi, as it’s used in most walks of life in the online realm. POLi is of course a simple interface that links your banking acccount to an online merchant. There are similiar services – Trustly, iDeal and Sofort for example – available in other countries across the globe.

Direct banking

As an alternative to POLi, some banks will allow you to make direct payments from your account to the sportsbook you are wagering at. This varies from site to site, but the banks that allow you to do this via SportsBet include ANZ, Commonwealth Bank, Westpac, NAB, BankSA, BankWest, Bank of Queensland, Bendigo Bank, CUA, People’s Choice Credit Union, St. George Bank, Suncorp Bank, Newcastle Permanent, Bank of Melbourne, IMB, Citibank and ME Bank.

eWallets

The use of eWallets at Aussie sportsbooks is a little lacking when compared to other jurisdictions, but Oz online bookies are catching up. PayPal is the number one accepted eWallet across the betting board, with Skrill and Neteller also available at a reasonable number of sites.

Cryptocurrencies

If security and privacy are primary concerns when it comes to your sports betting then you ought to consider operating an cryptocurrency account. Sadly, at the moment hardly any existing or new betting sites Australia has accept cryptocurrencies right now.

Sportsbook Debit/Credit Cards
POLi Direct Banking
PayPal
Cryptocurrencies
BlueBet right logo right logo right logo fa shield close 1 fa shield close 1
TexBet right logo right logo right logo fa shield close 1 fa shield close 1
PlayUp right logo right logo right logo fa shield close 1 fa shield close 1
SportsBet right logo right logo right logo right logo right logo
PalmerBet right logo right logo right logo right logo right logo

Online Gambling Laws in Australia

betting sites in australiaIn most countries where betting is legal, welcome offers are incredibly important. They’re one of the main reasons why punters pick one bookie over another, and form the foundation of several popular wagering strategies, including risk-free matched betting.

Unfortunately, Australian punters are dealt a bad hand here. In 2019, the government actually banned sportsbooks from providing welcome offers for new customers. The intentions behind this policy were admirable. It was done to avoid tempting those with potential gambling problems. For those without such issues though, it’s obviously a major blow.

Aside from that, there aren’t too many legal restrictions on sports betting. Naturally the sector is regulated – in this case by the Australian Communications and Media Authority – but wagering is allowed to carry on as normal. This also includes fantasy sports betting (the type which you find on sites like DraftKings, or – in Australia – Draftstars).

Australia actually has much tougher laws on other forms of gambling than those that apply to betting websites today. Online casino games like roulette and video slots, have been outlawed since 2001. In fact, even online poker is currently banned, although this may change in the near future.

Australian Licensed Sites v Offshore Sites

Sites without Australian license’s are still able to accept Australian players even though, technically, it is illegal for them to do so. As with many other jurisdictions around the world, it’s a legal grey area. If someone in Australia is using a site based in Cyprus to bet, it is almost impossible for legal entities to successfully charge the individual or the site. Millionaires keep their fortunes in offshore accounts to avoid tax for the very same reason!

The question is of course should you use an Australian licensed site over an offshore site? The answer is, really, it’s your responsibility, and your decision. If you want to be 100 percent legal (which we, of course, recommend) then use an Australian licensed site. If you want to act unlawfully but with little fear of prosecution, then use offshore sites.

The main kicker though should be if things go wrong. If you deposit $1,000 at an offshore site and that money disappears, then you have no legal way of getting that money back. If you use a fully licensed site, then your deposits are protected by law so you can take legal action if you feel you need to do so.

Online Gambling Laws in New South Wales

Online gambling in New South Wales is overseen by the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing (OLGR), and the Electronic Betting Agency (EBA). Sites that wish to operate in NSW must apply for a separate Racing NSW licence for all forms of horse racing. Just like all of Australia, sportbooks in NSW are banned from advertising welcome bonuses and other sign-up incentives.

Currently Licensed Online Bookmakers in New South Wales*:

  • ActionBet (operating under a licence issued to Bbet (Behrmann) Pty Ltd)
  • PalmerBet
  • TAB Limited
  • EliteBet
  • GoldBet
  • Puntondogs
  • Bbet (operating under a licence issued to Bbet (Behrmann) Pty Ltd)
  • Bossbet
  • Midasbet
  • Thunderbet (operating under a licence issued to Patton Price Bookmaking Pty Ltd)
  • TopSport
  • Ultrabet
  • UPCOZ
  • Zbet

*List taken from acma.gov.au 2023/08/24

Online Gambling Laws in Victoria

In Victoria online gambling is controlled by the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation. Online casinos, casino-style games, pokies (slots), in-play sports betting, scratch cards (scratchies) and lottery betting are all banned in Victoria. Legal sports betting sites Aus in Victoria must have a recognised Australian licence.

Licensed Online Bookmakers in Victoria*

  • BetEstate
  • BetGalaxy (operating under a licence issued to Track Pursuits Pty Ltd)
  • BetProfessor (operating under a licence issued to GiantBet Pty Ltd)
  • Foxcatcher Betting
  • HAVABET
  • JuicyBet (operating under a licence issued to JuicyBet Pty Ltd)
  • Let’s Bet (operating under a licence issued to Let’s Bet Pty Ltd)
  • PuntNow
  • QuestBet
  • SwiftBet
  • Tabcorp Wagering (Vic)
  • Tradiebet (operating under a licence issued to Bonus Kingdom Pty Ltd)
  • Vinbet
  • VolcanoBet
  • WellBet
  • WinnersBet
  • Zbet

*List taken from acma.gov.au 2023/08/24

Available Promotions Types At Betting Sites in Australia

As you might have noticed, even the best Australian sports betting sites don’t show welcome offers, and that is for legal reasons. Most of them still provide a welcome offer, though, and in fact, have quite a few ongoing promotions available for existing customers, particularly from the more prominent brands. They are, however, only permitted to show these once you are logged in. To view the offers, you must create an account and log in.

  • Racing Refund

As noted, horse racing is the most popular sport among the top betting sites in Australia. It’s no surprise; that racing also gets the most special offers.
The most common is ‘Racing Refund’, sometimes referred to as ‘Money Back’, ‘Bonus Back’, or similar. To qualify for these offers, you must place a winner bet on an eligible horse race. If your chosen runner fails to win the race but finishes within a specific range (usually second or third), your can get your entire refunded, typically as a free bet. SportsBet often offers racing refund promos.

  • Double Your Winnings

Here we have another example of a common horse racing offer on top existing and new betting sites Australia has to offer. Again, it will only apply to certain meets, with this particular promotion usually reserved for prestigious races at courses like Randwick and Flemington.

This offer is pretty simple, and its value is equally clear. You simply bet on a horse to win at fixed odds, and – if it does so – your original winnings will automatically be doubled. These extra winnings will sometimes come as a free bet token, rather than cash. Still, with no additional effort or money required on your part to enter, this is a very attractive promotion either way. PointsBet is a great site for double your winnings deals.

  • Early Payout

This promotion type is a little more flexible, in terms of the sports it applies to. Technically it could be offered on any sport in which you bet on a player or team to win, but in Australia it’s commonly reserved for football or rugby. Lookout for these on new betting apps in Australia, as well as established sportsbooks you can access on your computer.

To kick things off, you wager on one side as normal. There are actually two ways to win your bet, though. The first is obviously for that side to win the matchup. The second is for them to take a lead of a certain size. In soccer, this might be two goals. In rugby, it might be 30pts at the high end, or as low as 14pts. If your chosen team hits this checkmark, your bet will automatically pay out as a winner, regardless of what happens in the rest of the match. PointsBet is our recommended site for early payout offers.

  • Odds Boosts

These are an extremely popular form of betting bonuses in the UK, and some Australian betting sites have made the smart choice to implement them too. In Australia they might be called ‘Price Boosts’ or even ‘Power Plays’, but they work in the same way. You simply find a bet you like, and add it to your betslip. If you have an Odds Boost available, you then activate it and watch the price increase accordingly.

Different bookies give out Odds Boosts in different ways and in the best cases, you simply get one each day, without needing to fulfill other requirements. Sometimes though, they’ll be given out as rewards for activating other promotions instead. Sportsbet (again) is a good site to check out for odds boosts.

  • Deposit Bonus

A deposit bonus is simple to explain, and is one of the most common types of betting offers. You make a minimum deposit at a site, and the sports betting site giving you this betting offer will match it with bonus money, up to a specific limit.

Deposit bonuses are a good way to get a little bit extra out of a site. You cannot withdraw betting bonus cash, but you can use it to place wagers. If your bonus bets are winners, then you will receive your winnings, but not your stake. Betting bonus money can never be withdrawn.

  • Free Bets

Free bets are not actually free, but you can use them at sites that offer them. There is usually some kind of deal with free bet offers – you make a specific bet using your own money, and you receive a ‘free bet’ no matter if that bet wins or loses. Like deposit bonuses, free bet offers are only available to established customers in Australia.

Common free bet offers are along the lines of ‘bet AU$10, get AU$10 free bet’. Minimum odds are usually involved too, preventing you from placing a ‘dead cert’ bet with minimum risk to your own cash.

  • Bonus Bets

Bonus bets can cover both deposit bonuses and free bet offers, but some bonus bets need a category all of their own. You could receive a bonus bet as a specific promotion for an upcoming, important event, or as a reward for placing a specific number of qualifying bets. Some betting site users are given bonus bets as part of a rewards or VIP scheme.

You should always check out sports betting sites that give away a large amount of bonus betting offers, as it means they are generous when it comes to their existing customers.

On-Course Bookmakers Online in Australia

Anyone can apply to be an on-course bookmakers in Australia. They are usually individuals who run their own book (hence ‘book maker’) on the course on the days of meetings. If you at the course, then you can visit them and compare the odds given across the board (as all the on-course bookmakers in Australia will be located close to each other). You can also compare the odds given by the on-course bookmakers to your favorited licensed online bookies, using your phone or tablet at the course.

The current numbers of on-course bookmakers in Australia are as follows: New South Wales (26), Queensland (7), South Australia (5), Victoria (41), and Western Australia (18). The Northern Territory and Tasmania does not have any on-course bookmakers officially licensed by the Australian Communications and Media Authority. The former only has two racecourses in Alice Springs and Darwin, while the latter has only three (Devonport, Elwick and Mowbray)

Top Australian Betting Companies: Final Thoughts

Sports betting sites aren’t as dominant in Australia as it is in other jurisdictions, with stricter regulations being a big reason for this. With that said, it’s certainly an increasingly successful industry. If you’re looking to start betting in Australia yourself – you’ve got a solid selection of options. These are headlined by well-known international brands like Betfair and Unibet, but also include plenty of home-grown choices and new betting sites Australia has to offer today.

The only real drawback with online bookmakers in Australia is the lack of welcome offers. Obviously that’s not the fault of the bookies, who are simply obeying the government’s laws, but it’s still frustrating for the bettor. Aside from that though, you’ll find a thoroughly modern betting experience from the Australian betting sites we’ve recommended. There are thousands of live and pre-match betting opportunities waiting for you, housed within thoroughly professional desktop and mobile platforms such as sports betting apps available in Australia.

We hope our online betting sites comparison features have introduced you to the best betting companies in Australia. The best sports betting sites Aus are ready for your wagers!

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FAQ

Is online betting legal in Australia?

Yes - Australian online betting companies are completely legal, including fantasy sports top betting websites (as offered by DraftKings in other countries). Poker however along with casino games and slots are banned.

What are the best new betting sites Australia has to offer?

Ladbrokes and Unibet all have excellent track records elsewhere, and their Australian betting companies are also outstanding. Native brands like Palmerbet, Neds, and Sportsbet are also very good, Draftstars are one of the best sports betting sites for fantasy sports betting, and new Australian betting sites are being launched with some regularity.

What are the deposit limits for Australian bettors?

The min deposit amount varies, depending on both the sportsbook and the payment method. For the likes of credit card, debit card, and PayPal though, it should be $10 or $20. For bank transfers, it will often be significantly higher.

What are the most popular Australian betting markets?

Horse racing is clearly the dominant betting market among the top Australian betting sites. You’ll also find excellent coverage of cricket, rugby, tennis, and both types of football (Aussie rules and soccer).

What payment methods can I use on Australian bookmakers?

There’s a lot of variety from bookie to bookie. That said, the likes of credit or debit cards (like Visa and Mastercard) should always be available. PayPal and bank transfer are other common alternatives, and some of the best sports betting sites let you use prepaid cards - like Paysafecard - to fund your betting account.

Are there betting bonuses in Australia?

For legal reasons both established and new Australian betting sites cannot offer Welcome bonuses to its customers. However the existing customers are spoilt for choice of enticing player promotions such as Odds Boosts, Racing Refunds, Early Payouts and more.

Are sports betting agencies and online bookmakers Australia the same thing?

Yes, it is just a matter of how they are referred to. Online betting agencies is just another way of saying bookies. When referring to betting agencies Australia has to offer, what people mean is the online bookmakers in the region.

Peter Addison

A vastly experienced sports betting specialist, Peter joined SafeBettingSites in 2021 as a sports editor. Peter has been focusing on the iGaming realm since 2013, and had written millions of words on all aspects of online casino play and sports betting since then. His articles have been featured in numerous high-profile online publications. When not writing, Peter can be found playing his electric guitar. He is such a talented guitarist that his next-door neighbours often join in, adding percussion by banging loudly on the walls.