If you’re an occasional gambler and you want to make quick and easy bets, then only the best betting apps will do. From the high-rollers through to the occasional punter, betting on various sporting events brings with it an adrenaline rush, unlike most others. We all like to have more money in our bank accounts, and if the odds are in our favour, we can increase them significantly.
While there are still physical bookmakers you can visit to place your bets and watch the various sporting events on which you’ve placed money, more and more people are increasingly turning their attention to punting and betting apps and betting websites.
A far more convenient way to gamble your money, betting apps and websites offer instant odds among other features such as multi-builders and accumulators, which can see your potential winnings skyrocket. But the app industry is far from a monopoly, and as such, there are several options for you to choose from.
Some betting apps are geared more towards certain sporting events than others, such as horse racing for example, but all should offer a relatively seamless experience, with the sole aim of providing you with the easiest route to placing your bets.
With Australia being a nation that provides multiple avenues to gambling – think pokies, TAB or Keno, not to mention casinos – combined with a serious love of sport, whether it be AFL, NRL, NBA, soccer, tennis, horse racing, golf or practically any other sport you can think of, it should come as no surprise to learn there are a huge number of betting apps just begging to be downloaded to your phone.
So, whether you want to have a punt on the Melbourne Cup or you fancy your chances with the NRL or EPL, these are the best betting apps in Australia. All are available for both iOS and Android devices, and wBet e’ve also included some of the best betting websites in Australia, for those who like to do their gambling at home.
In this sports betting apps story…
MidasBet
MidasBet is the new kid on the Australian betting scene, having only been launched in July 2022. The 100% Australian-owned betting website has already proven itself to be a champion when it comes to horse racing, offering markets on all Australian gallops, complete with Best Tote odds.
Odds are offered for a range of other local and international sport, including AFL, NRL, NBA and NFL and, while the selection may be a little lacking compared to some other betting apps and websites on this list, you have to remember it’s only a few months old. We only expect the selection to grow as the months roll past.
What we love in particular about MidasBet is the incredibly strong level of customer service. If you ever have any questions, MidasBet offers a 24/7 Live Chat feature, so you’re only ever a click away from having your query resolved. And, while it is just a betting website (there is currently no betting app) it’s incredibly simple to use, being quick and responsive, making deposits and placing bets an absolute breeze.
WinnersBet
WinnersBet is a 100 percent Australian-owned betting website and independent bookmaker based in Melbourne. It’s relatively new to the Australian betting scene, having only launched in 2020, but considering it was founded by industry veteran Da He, you can be assured of a seamless and rewarding betting experience.
WinnersBet is a must-visit betting website if you enjoy betting on horse racing as markets are offered for all Australian races including gallops, harness and greyhound races. International horse races are catered to as well, and a number of other sports betting markets are available, including AFL, NRL, soccer, tennis and boxing to name a few.
The bookmaker offers Best Tote odds on all Australian gallops, along with Protest Payouts to increase your chances of winning and getting paid, and all winning bets are secured since founder Da He is a member of the Victorian Bookmakers Association. An account with WinnersBet is practically a necessity since customers who sign in can benefit from exclusive offers too.
The biggest draw to WinnersBet is its ease of use. While it currently only operates a betting website, it’s incredibly easy to navigate and signing up and making deposits couldn’t be simpler. WinnersBet is also committed to providing exceptional customer service and will respond to any questions or queries you may have as quickly as possible.
Sportsbet
One of the biggest sports betting bookmakers in Australia is Sportsbet. With over one million customers on its books as of the end of 2019 (expect this number to have increased since then), Sportsbet has long been the bookmaker favoured by Australians nationwide. Keen to uphold this reputation, Sportsbet’s mobile betting app allows for quick and easy access to pretty much any sporting event you can think of worldwide – horse racing is given particularly heavy attention – all with live odds. Notable features include Bet With Mates, which allows you to create a group of friends, where you can see each others’ bets and react to them with emojis.
You’re also able to watch live horse racing via Sky Racing, directly within the Sportsbet app and partake of Sport Multi Builder and Racing Multi Builder, which allow you to add multiple bets to one slip, creating a new set of odds. This can help you to increase your winnings from relatively smaller bets, or go for broke and win big. Sportsbet also offers expert tips on select races and events to help give you an upper hand.
As for an app experience itself, everything on Sportsbet is clearly laid out, easy to navigate and even includes other features such as built-in live chat, should you need to speak to customer service immediately.
Neds
Founded only a few years ago by former Ladbrokes Australia CEO Dean Shannon, Neds app has quickly become one of the go-to sports betting sites for Australian punters. Shannon’s former employer clearly noticed the impact it was having on the Australian market, and acquired Neds in 2018. If you’re into horse racing in particular, you definitely need to check out what Neds has to offer, as you have access to pretty much any race, anywhere, and it gives you full form guides, detailed track information, live streaming, same-race multis and heaps of other useful and easy-to-use features.
Neds also has a feature called Punter’s Toolbox, which gives insights and tips to help you make the most well-informed bets. Unfortunately, you can’t watch racing live within the app like you can with some others, but we wouldn’t exactly say this is a dealbreaker.
BlueBet
BlueBet is another 100% Australian-owned betting website, complete with a betting app, that Australian punters will do well to check out. This is because BlueBet places the majority of its attention on Australian sport and, perhaps unsurprisingly, horse racing.
Yes, if horses are your thing and you don’t fancy any of the other betting websites or apps on this list, BlueBet is the destination for you. You can take advantage of Best Tote odds for all Australian thoroughbred races, along with a comprehensive selection of fixed odds and same race multis.
You get a healthy selection of other sports betting markets too, including AFL, boxing, golf, motorsport and American football. The markets within each sport don’t offer the greatest with regards to selection, but there is still plenty to keep the regular Australian punter interested.
Another big draw for BlueBet is its customer support service, which through various means, is available 24/7. The BlueBet betting website itself is slick and easy to use, and the companion betting app has had a huge overhaul, making it ones of the easiest to navigate too.
Ladbrokes
While it might not have been founded in Australia, because Ladbrokes occupies a spot on the list of world’s biggest bookmakers, it was only a matter of time before it could also call down under its home. Like some other bookmakers and betting apps, Ladbrokes places a strong focus on horse racing, so if this is your primary interest, you definitely need to check it out. That’s not to say other sports aren’t catered to, because they are, but Ladbrokes’ promotions (which can be great) often revolve around all things horses.
Navigating your way around the app is incredibly easy (thanks to a much-needed overhaul) and depositing money and withdrawing winnings can both be done in seconds. Ladbrokes Australia also has a rather unique feature of offering a accompanying Visa card, which you can withdraw your winnings to, and then use it to spend in stores or withdraw cash from ATMs. You can watch live horse racing taking place in Victoria and South Australia directly within the app, which are accompanied by an Infohub, revealing information about racing form, which can help with your bets. You’re also able to watch NBA within the app, and place Multi Maker bets – Ladbroke’s version of a multi builder.
Bet365
Online gambling company Bet365, like other betting sites and bookmakers in Australia, gives access to a huge range of sports upon which you can place bets. Again, there is a strong focus on horse racing, and live odds on races is the first page you’re shown when you open the app. One of the standout features of Bet365 is ‘Bet365 Best’, which applies to horse racing. With this feature, you stand to receive the best possible odds, even if they differ from the ones Bet365 offers.
And, because it’s a UK-based company, you get access to an incredible selection of worldwide sports, including such markets as UK soccer and the Premier League, and perhaps best of all, you’re able to stream any event you’ve placed a bet on. Their betting app is incredibly simple use, offering quick loading times and easy navigation between sports and markets, and your bet slips can be accessed without any stress, and again, you get to live stream sporting events.
BoomBet
BoomBet is the new, improved and rebranded version of Sportsbetting.com.au, with the name change only occurring in 2021. BoomBet is also 100% Australian-owned and is registered in the Northern Territory. It has now been operating in Australia since 1998 (albeit under the former name).
Much of what made Sportsbetting.com.au so appealing has been carried over the BoomBet, including an extensive selection of racing markets with best-priced runners in all races, and this includes greyhound and harness races, something that not all other betting websites on this list can compete with.
However, similar to some of the other smaller bookmakers, BoomBet does lack when it comes to markets for other sports. While you can places bets on sports including AFL, basketball, MMA, golf and cricket, the available odds within each is limited.
We’re particularly pleased with the colourful upgrade the BoomBet website and app have received. Navigation has also been made much slicker, and an upcoming race ticker along the top of the website homepage makes it quick and easy to place your bets.
Unibet
Unibet is yet another Australian online betting provider with access to pretty much any sport and market you can think of. There’s less of a focus on horse racing compared to others, but instead, you’re free to navigate around the app to find the sport you’re looking for. That’s not to say Unibet doesn’t cater to horse racing, as it most certainly does, with access to virtually all horse races both in Australia and overseas.
The app allows you to watch live streams and replays of most sporting events around the world, and in fact, Unibet was one of the first to introduce this feature, so you can be sure it’s going to be an incredibly slick operation. Other features include a regularly updated blog, which pulls in expert analysis of upcoming events, along with Tweets which can help remind you of any sporting events you might be interested in. The Smart Punter feature gives detailed information around the risks of gambling, to help ensure you don’t end up in any financial trouble.
PlayUp
If you want to keep your online gambling habits closer to home, PlayUp is a relatively new service that is 100% Australian owned. While it’s fair to say PlayUp is a lesser-known name compared to the giants such as SportsBet and Ladbrokes, it is slowly but surely becoming increasingly popular. As with most other bookies, PlayUp puts horse racing front and centre, offering fixed-odds racing on both the horses and greyhounds.
But if horses aren’t your thing, PlayUp is the largest and most recognised Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) provider in Australia, thanks to its acquisition of Draftstars, which, if you’re into it, has the potential for you to win big. Other sports such as NRL, AFL and soccer are catered to as well, although admittedly, the overall selection of other sporting events isn’t quite as impressive as some of the others on this list.
As for the app experience, there aren’t many complaints to be made. It’s smooth, easy to navigate and will have you depositing and placing bets in a matter of seconds.
TAB
TAB is one of Australia’s largest betting agencies, thanks to its longstanding history (it was founded in Victoria in 1964) as well as its prominence in venues throughout the country by way of dedicated TAB betting machines. This commitment to the Australian betting market has meant TAB offers punters one of the largest market selections in the country (with only SportsBet and Bet365 being worthwhile contenders). Basically, if there’s a sport you want to bet on, TAB will most likely oblige.
TAB is possibly the best bookmaker to go with if you want to bet on horse racing, since it owns Sky Racing. While other bookmakers on this list pay for the rights to stream Sky Racing’s horse racing coverage, TAB users need only have an account in order to access live video and audio of races.
As for the TAB betting app itself, it’s one of the best and smoothest operators in the business. Users are able to place bets quickly and efficiently, and are highly unlikely to come across any glitches. Just like the TAB website, the TAB betting app offers account holders odds multipliers. A predetermined number of odds multipliers are allocated to account holders on a daily basis, and these can be used to increase the potential winnings of any bets placed.
Put simply, if betting is your game, you need to check out the TAB betting app.
Palmerbet
If you’re a regular at the races in Sydney, and have been for many years, there’s a high chance you’ll know the name Palmer. Having been involved with the betting ring in Sydney for some 50 years, the Palmer name is one to trust, and Palmerbet is the online offering for those looking to place bets on a range of markets.
Horse racing steals the show here, much like many other betting apps on this list, but with some 30 different domestic and international sports to place bets on, and around 100 markets within each, there are plenty of ways for you to try and make a quick buck.
The Palmerbet betting app itself is incredibly easy to use, and thanks to a rather simple colour scheme, you’ll find you’ll be navigating your way around and placing bets in a matter of seconds.
Buddybet
Buddybet offers a new way to gamble in the form of social betting. This means you can bet on practically anything you wish, and challenge your friends or even other Buddybet users in the process. And, if you don’t want to face potential ridicule by losing money to your friends, you can partake in a handshake bet, which removes any monetary value.
Betfair does also offer a peer-to-peer betting model, and it is more developed than Buddybet’s offering at present.
However, where Buddybet differs is in the fact you can create your own bets that get published to the platform, that others can accept. Because of this model, it opens up betting for literally anything you can think of. This means all sports broadcast in Australia – including NRL and Formula One – and internationally, as well as others such as who is going to win a reality TV series.
Buddybet is still a relatively new service, remember, so the app may still have a few teething issues. But, it is completely safe to use and is licensed in Australia by the Northern Territory Racing Commission.
Betnation
Betnation offers Australian punters yet another avenue to try their hand at winning some extra cash. Betnation doesn’t have the largest number of betting markets compared to some others on this list – you can only bet on who will be the winner of the next Formula 1 Grand Prix, for example – the Betnation app and website are easy to use and should provide little hassle when depositing funds and placing bets.
Like the majority of other bettings apps and website on this list, horse racing is placed front and centre. So if you fancy a flutter on the horses, it’s well worth checking out.
Picklebet
If you’re a fan of esports and you like the occasional gamble, then you need to know about Picklebet. Picklebet was launched in 2017 and is one of the world’s premier betting apps for all things esports-related. If it can be played online then there’s a good chance you can be on it with Picklebet. Esports including CS:GO, Rainbow Six and FIFA are all available to bet on, along with other titles such as Overwatch and Dota 2.
The Picklebet betting app for Android and iOS is a breeze to use, but if you’d rather use a desktop computer then you can still place your bets using the Picklebet website.
And remember when it comes to the best betting apps, always gamble responsibly.