Horse Betting in Australia
Australians are absolutely crazy about horse betting. The 2015 survey data tells us that more than 1 million Aussies regularly place bets on races. Moreover, the latest studies show that on average players spend around 1300$ per year on racing (horse & dogs). These numbers are huge and show the preferences of the average punter in Australia. Online bookmakers also play a big role in it. They cover every big horse racing event in Australia, and also offer races from the UK, USA. Moreover, they add additional value to their horse betting section.
The best thing about the competition between betting brands is that they are constantly improving their quality, adding new features. And the biggest winner of this process is a punter. Here you can find the best brands for online horse racing betting, as well as our recommendations and tips.
Horse race betting in Australia
According to recent research, about 65% of all bets in Australia in 2021 were placed on racing. With horse racing being the absolute leader. Moreover, the overall racing betting volume is bigger than the amount of money placed on other sports combined. All those numbers just show us how big is horse betting in Australia. Its fair to say that its an integral part of gambling culture in the country.
Some Australians do bet because they want to earn money. But there is also a huge group of recreational bettors. They bet on horses for fun, and for some people, its like a routine. Its a usual thing for Australian celebrities to make big bets on horse racing and maybe even attend some of the biggest events.
Some punters are so passionate about racing, that they even bet on horse betting games on Android & iOS. It may sound strange for some, but many Australians really bet on those virtual races, especially when there are no ongoing real events. You can download racing mobile apps on AppStore or Google Play Market and play for fun.
All this craziness and obsession over racing in Australia is not a surprise. As our country hosts numerous big racing events every year. Some people still use an old-school style of betting and attending those events. But as of now online betting surpassed in-house gambling. Here is the list of the biggest and most popular racing events in Australia:
- The Melbourne Cup;
- Gold Coast Magic Millions;
- WS Cox Plate;
- TJ Smith Stakes;
- Queen Elizabeth Stakes;
- Caulfield Cup and others.
Victoria and New South Wales states host the most Group 1 races. But there are also some big events in Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide. And besides prestigious Group 1 races, there are tons of smaller events. And bookmakers gladly add them into their pre-match and in-play sections.
| Win | The horse will come running first |
| Place | The horse will come running at least second |
| Show | The horse will come running at least the third |
| Across the Board | Bet simultaneously on 1-2-3 place |
| Exacta | Сhoice of two horses that will come running 1st and 2nd places. |
| Trifecta | Сhoice of three horses that will come running 1st, 2nd and 3rd. |
| Superfecta | Сhoice of four horses who will run 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th. |
| Super 5 | Five horses will run to the finish line 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th. |
Best horse betting websites
For Australian online bookmakers, horse racing is the most important market. Every legal brand tries to cover as many events as possible. And on top of that, they offer some special features and options. For example, many bookmakers do have an autonomous race betting section. Its understandable since many players bet solely on racing events.
On this page, you will find the list of the best horse racing bookmakers in Australia. We update it frequently based on players reviews and our own experience, so the rankings are dynamic and can change with time. Irrespective of that list, here are our recommendations of bookmakers. Those are proven bookies with history, reputation, and high-quality horse betting section:
- Bet365. One of the best bookmakers in the world and a well-known racing expert. Bet365 has a long history of sponsorships of big events in the UK and Australia. But its not only marketing. At Bet365 you will find the best horse bets today, as a bookie has impressive coverage and high odds. The operator also provides its clients with live streams and voice streams. Bet365 is very popular among punters because of their special offers like Odds Drift Protector, Top Fluctuation, Protest payouts, Fixed Prices. Its like the friendliest bookmaker when something goes wrong in the market.
- Unibet. Another famous betting brand is very good at horses. Unibet comes up with a fast and easy-to-use platform. They created a separate section called “Racing”, where punters feel like fish to water. You will find a schedule of upcoming events, results section, guides, and small previews of races. Unibet offers fixed-odds betting, Top Fluctuation, SPG betting. You can also find horse race bet games (Virtuals) on their website. Players with funds on balance can also watch live streams.
- Betfair. Unique platform with unique features. On Betfair, you can place a bet on a sportsbook, as well as on exchange. This is easily the biggest horse betting exchange in the world. Betfair will impress with great coverage of events in Australia, the UK, and all over the world. Another thing of note is their set of tools for exchange: data science rating, In-Play tool, education videos. The operator also offers OddsBoost coupons with better payouts and a virtual horse racing section.
- Sportsbet. Its living proof of how horse betting agencies Australia is so huge. On the main Sportsbet website, you will find the list of upcoming races and even picks from experts. This bookmaker also offers the best free horse racing tips. Just click on “Tips” to watch the picks of sportsbook experts. Sportsbet is probably the best bookie when it comes in-Play horse betting, as they add hundreds of streams every day. Bookmaker also offers special bets and outright markets with good odds.
- Palmerbet. This bookmaker might not be as famous as other brands on the list. But it deserves to be mentioned. Palmelbet mostly focuses on horse racing betting, offering punters great coverage of events and some interesting features. For example, you can make the same race multi bets, check the weather at the venue, look at speed maps. You can also find useful information about participants of races on the bookmakers website. Palmerbet is also a very good option for fans of outright betting.
As you see, there are many good online websites for horse betting in Australia. And every punter can choose the best option for himself from the list.
| Handicapping Tools | Live Streaming | Racing promotions | Applications |
| ✓ Assessment tools | ✓ Online broadcasts of horse racing | ✓ Special bonus offers | ✓ Applications for gadgets |
Horse betting apps in Australia
The betting market changed drastically in the last few decades. About 20 years ago players mostly placed bets on racetracks or by coupons on betting shops. Nowadays, everyone can have a “racetrack” or “betting shop” in his pocket. Its become possible because of mobile betting apps. Almost every big bookmaker has mobile software for iOS and Android. And their functionality and efficiency are comparable to desktop websites.
You can download the mobile betting apps of Sportsbet, Bet365, Neds, and other brands from AppStore or Google Play Market. Applications support all important functions, including transactions, live streams, multi bets. Here are some bits of advice to improve your experience from using a racing app in Australia:
- Use notifications for different events and markets, so you wont miss anything important;
- If you are into live betting, then the quick bet option might be your saviour;
- Watch live streams or listen to reports from races if they are available;
- Add the most interesting events, horses into favorites.
We also recommend checking the Promo sections of top bookmakers on mobile apps. Some betting brands have special offers for mobile users.
| The convenience of mobile betting apps | |
| Ease of use: | Easy and clear application navigation makes it even more pleasant to place bets on your phone |
| Security: | Secure connection and complete data protection |
| Making a bet: | Easy and fast betting in a couple of clicks |
How to bet and win in horse betting?
Probably every Australian punter asked the question “how to bet on horses and win?” at least once during his lifetime. There is no universal recipe or instruction to win in horse race betting. But some habits and pieces of advice can improve your game drastically. Here is our list of recommendations:
- Have accounts in numerous bookies. Youll be able to compare odds between different bookmakers and choose the best option. Moreover, it will be possible to bet more money on the same outcome.
- Use different types of bets. The best option for new punters is single bets on fixed odds: winner, place, show bets. But with more experience you should try multi bets and come specific types of bets like Quinella, Trifecta, Double (back-to-back race winners, Pick N.
- Check all the important info. Always check the list of participants, current weather, track, and distance. There is a big difference between 1000 m and 2500 m races. Short distances are more prone to unexpected results, while longer are better for In-Play betting.
- Learn the history of horses and tracks. Check the last results of a horse, especially on the current racetrack. Try to analyze how many upsets were on a particular track in the past. Also do not ignore recent results.
- Read free tips. By “read” we dont mean simply copying picks of tipsters. We mean reading analysis and gathering some useful info. Its absolutely OK to disagree even with the best horse racing tipster in Australia. Analysis and observations matter the most.
- Take advantage of bookies promotions. Almost every bookmaker offers some promotions betting strictly for the horse racing section. It could be Odds boosters, insurances, protest payouts, a guarantee of the best odds. Your aim is to take advantage of it.
- At first bet only on Group 1 races. For new bettors, we strongly recommend starting from bigger events. Youll be able to find much more information, tips, and stats and actually learn how to analyze races.
- Choose the bankroll management strategy and stick to it. If you really want to win on the long run, then its very important to follow financial rules. And sticking to a bankroll management system (flat, units, percentage) is a must.
We are hoping our advice will be helpful for you.
Frequently asked Questions
Author: Vadim Rotar
