How to choose the best betting sites in Australia
When it comes to betting on your favorite sports, you’ll find plenty of options through the
new betting sites Australia
provides, which means that it can get a little bit overwhelming. Should you just pick the most popular site? Should you pick the one that comes up first in your Google search? Even though there’s no wrong way to pick a betting site, there are a few things that you should consider.
When it comes to choosing a good betting site, this will largely come down to what’s important to you. So, before you dive straight into a site, I would like you to take a moment to think about what it is that you want and need from an online betting site. Do you want a sportsbook that offers a huge range of sports? Do you enjoy betting more on international leagues or do you prefer to focus on domestic leagues? It’s also important to take into account what stage you are in your betting journey. For example, if you’re new to sports betting, then you may want to choose a site that’s beginner-friendly, whereas if you’re a more experienced bettor looking to change it up a little bit, then you may want to branch out into a site that offers more opportunities for strategic betting.
I think it’s safe to say that when it comes to sports coverage and betting markets, not all online sportsbooks are made the same. Some will offer hundreds of markets on a wide range of sports, including major leagues and more niche options, whereas others will offer a more limited coverage that’s tailored to popular sports in a specific region. Again, there’s no right or wrong way to go here; it’s all about what you need and how you want to bet. If you love the thrill that comes with live betting, then it’s likely that you’re looking for a site that offers an array of in-play betting options - and good news, many of them do! Just remember, though, that online
live betting Australia
is illegal; however, you can place live wagers over the phone. To help you make the right choice for you, I’m going to go into detail about the sports and betting markets offered by our top five betting sites available to Australian bettors. So, without further ado, let’s get into it.
Our top five picks for Australian betting sites
To be perfectly honest, narrowing this review down to just five online sportsbooks was hard because there are so many sites that we love. There are new sportsbooks popping up left and right, with almost 200 betting sites now licensed in Australia. This ever-growing number of online sportsbooks is a good thing, as on the one hand, it gives bettors plenty of choice, but on the other hand, it can make choosing where to bet quite difficult. But that’s where we come in! We’ve reviewed the biggest and most popular betting sites in Australia and come up with our top five that we think you’ll just love.
| Betting site | Aimed towards… | Standout features |
| PlayUp | Horse racing fans | Extensive coverage of national and international racing markets |
| bet365 | Fans of all sports | In-play betting with live feeds and commentary |
| BetR | Users who want to bet on the go | Dedicated mobile app for both iOS and Android devices |
| Draftstars | DFS fans | Largest range of DFS contests and biggest prize pools |
Here we go! Let’s dive into each of our top five betting sites in Australia so that you can decide which one is right for you.
PlayUp: A racing fan’s dream
PlayUp has fast become one of the top betting sites in Australia, largely due to its offering betting markets on pretty much every sport that you could think of (which, if you’re like me, is quite a lot of sports!). PlayUp covers all Australian and International Racing markets alongside all major Australian sports, too, like AFL, NRL, rugby, soccer, and tennis. The homepage is actually split into racing and other sports, which you can easily toggle between with just a click or tap of a button. Users who enjoy betting on horse racing may enjoy this feature, as it makes finding today’s racing and upcoming events very easy. PlayUp definitely knows who its audience is as they also have a tracker at the top of the homepage that tracks live horse races, and if you click on any one, a new page will load up with key race stats, speed, and betting odds.
If you prefer to bet on other sports, then don’t worry, PlayUp has got you covered here too. If you toggle to the sports side of the homepage, you'll see a horizontal menu where you can quickly navigate to major leagues like the NBA, NRL, AFL, MLB, and NHL. To the left, you’ll also find a quick links menu to current and upcoming matches, including the French Open - both men's and women's - NBA finals, AFL matches, G3 Stanley Cup, MLB matches, UEFA Nations League and many more. All of these create an incredibly user-friendly site that will appeal to most bettors, regardless of whether you’ve never placed a bet before or you're placing wagers weekly. PlayUp also offers some of the most competitive odds, and in even better news, the platform also offers a downloadable app for both iOS and Android devices.
If there are any esports fans out there, then you’re definitely going to want to listen to this. Picklebet is one of the most popular betting sites in Australia and globally for esports betting. This platform offers some of the most competitive odds on hundreds of markets, with a particular focus on esports. You can place wagers across 10 esports, including eSoccer, Dota 2, CSGO, Call of Duty, Valorant, and League of Legends. This is probably the most comprehensive range of esports markets I’ve seen recently, with options to place wagers on line/spread, handicap, total maps, game props, player props, and more. The layout of Pickebet is very simple and straightforward - down the left-hand side, you’ll find four icons that represent the site’s main sports categories: racing, all sports, esports, and pick’em. When you hover over these icons, you’ll unlock a second menu that contains quick links for all available sports within that category. I found the visuals of the site to be quite appealing and for anyone who feels that betting sites in Australia can be complicated or overwhelming, this may be the site for you, as it delivers a lot of market depth in a very easy-to-digest format.
Okay, so we know that Picklebet offers some pretty impressive sports and betting markets, but what about mobile betting? Well, there is a dedicated Picklebet app that’s available to download on both iOS and Android devices. The overall design reflects the simplicity that can be found on the desktop site, and more than that, the app offers daily news as well as betting predictions, which users find to be very helpful. However, the one downside of the app is that horse racing isn’t available, so if this is your main sport of choice, then you may want to either stick with the desktop version or load Picklebet in your mobile browser.
bet365: The most comprehensive sportsbook
bet365 is by far one of the most globally recognised betting brands there is, and also the most popular, largely due to the sheer depth of available sports and betting markets. Although it was originally launched in the UK, all of the popular Australian sports are here, including horse racing, both national and international races, Aussie Rules, rugby, cricket, basketball, and
soccer betting
options. As soon as you load up the homepage, you’ll be greeted with bet365’s iconic yellow, white, and green color scheme, which really pops against the dark background. Colorful icons representing the most commonly bet on sports and major leagues all feature in a horizontal menu bar, which makes navigating to your top choice super easy. To the left-hand side, you’ll find a list of trending sports among other bettors, which currently include the UEFA Nations League, French Open Final, Weekend Soccer, PGA Tour, Next Races, T20 Blast, and NBA Finals, to name but a few.
Betr: A great all-rounder
Betr is an exciting betting site in Australia that only recently launched back in 2022, making it the newest platform included in this review. Since being acquired by BlueBet last year, Betr’s interface has improved massively. Similar to PlayUp, Betr’s homepage is split into racing and other sports, so you can easily switch between the two. Underneath, you’ll find current odds for the latest races and matches, and if you can’t find the sport you’re looking for here, then just take a quick look to your left and you’ll find a full menu of available sports. Betr offers a great mobile app so that you can place wagers on the go, no matter where you are. You’ll find all the features of the website inside the app, as it’s well-designed and very intuitive to use. And even more good news, the app is available to download from both the Apple store and the Google Play store, which I’m always pleased to see as it means that the app can be accessed by all bettors from any device.
Final thoughts on betting sites in Australia
There you have it, my top five betting sites in Australia! No matter whether you’re looking for an online sportsbook that’s focused on horse racing markets or popular Australian sports, has a wide range of sports and betting markets, a comprehensive mobile app, in-play betting options, or even the largest range of DFS contests, there’s a site here for you. You can choose one and click on the banners to sign up.
The bookies you'll want to know
Australia betting sites - FAQs
To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by
Nick Slade
as part of our fact-checking process.
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