Welcome to Bookmaker.net.au – home to all the sports and racing betting information you can get your hands on, for Australian punters across the land.
One of Australia’s favourite pastimes, sports betting has entrenched itself in our culture, with a history dating back to the early 1800s, when horse racing was in its infancy Down Under.
Since then, Australia has become renowned for its betting culture, and in 2007, between 70 and 80 per cent of the adult population participated in some form of gambling – the highest rate of gambling in the world.
Sports betting bookmakers and totalisators in Australia
Sports and horse racing wagering began as a small business through independent bookmakers taking bets and offering fixed odds. It quickly expanded into a public and much larger industry, thereafter.
Parimutuel betting was first introduced around the 1860s, where the total amount wagered on specific racing events would be calculated (the pool) to work out the payout odds, and then the pool would be distributed respectively among the winning bets (with a certain operating percentage removed, so the operators of the system could never lose money).
Unlike fixed betting, where the punter knows exactly what the odds are for the event that is being bet on, parimutuel betting calculates the approximate odds (based on the wagers received), and such odds can change after one has placed his or her bet, up until no more bets are accepted.
The constantly updated odds attached to this type of wagering would be displayed on large manual totalisators (commonly referred to as tote boards), typically at race tracks inside large buildings. The manual totalisator system forced delays in calculations of payouts and so in the early 1900s, the mechanical/automated totalisator was developed.
It was first introduced in Australia at the Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand in 1913. It was then introduced for the 1931 Melbourne Cup.
In the early 1960s, government-owned Totalisator Agency Board (shortened to TAB) organisations became the chief proprietors of sports betting in Australia, permitting wagers to be placed on an array of sporting events, such as horse racing, harness racing, greyhound racing, motor racing, Australian Rules Football, rugby, cricket, soccer, tennis, basketball and more. TAB outlets would now allow for off-course betting (betting away from the live events).
The privatisation of Victorian TAB outlets, by the newly founded TabCorp Holdings Limited company (now one of the world’s largest publicly listed gaming companies), occurred in 1994, and led to further shifts from government-owned agencies to privately-owned companies, across the country.
It also paved the way for the establishment of additional privately-owned sports and racing betting bookmakers.
And when the Internet grew to become a global phenomenon, this would usher in a new era of sports betting, providing an opportunity for more private companies to offer instantaneous, interactive and cyber sports and racing wagering, over the World Wide Web.
Online betting agencies
Today, Australians are spoiled for choice when it comes to wagering on sporting and racing events. By far the most convenient and profitable way to bet is via the Internet, with online wagering companies offering better odds and a significantly larger variety of events and bets than the few remaining TABs and other sports and racing wagering outlets across the country.
Below are some of the most esteemed licensed and regulated bookmakers for Australians to legally bet with, all of which deal with AUD currency and offer secure and globally trusted banking methods for online deposits and withdrawals:
- Sportsbet
- CrownBet
- William Hill
- LuxBet
- Bet 365
- Palmerbet
Aussies aged 18 years and older can sign up to become members (free of charge) by filling out all the regular registration details such as username, password, full name, date of birth, email address, country of residence, preferred currency, contact number, et cetera.
Once registered, you are entitled to claim a new member welcome bonus/free bet (usually upon your first deposit). Check with each bookmaker as to what welcome promotion is being offered, and ensure you make the most of these promos by registering accounts with at least a couple of different betting websites. By signing up with at least couple of these online bookies, you will also be able to compare odds and choose which site is marketing the highest paying odds for specific events.
Sports wagering has expanded to cover a wide range of events, and that doesn’t include just sport, anymore. Online bookies have extended their catalogue to include odds for political, entertainment and other worldly events. Below is a detailed list of some of the most popular betting markets on offer to Australians.
Racing:
- Horse Racing
- Harness Racing
- Greyhound Racing
Sports:
- American Football
- Athletics
- Australian Rules Football
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Boxing
- Chess
- Cricket
- Cycling
- Darts
- e-Sports
- Gaelic Football
- Golf
- Handball
- Hockey
- Hurling
- Ice Hockey
- MMA – UFC
- Motor Racing
- Olympics
- Rugby League
- Rugby Union
- Sailing
- Snooker
- Soccer
- Surfing
- Tennis
- Volleyball
- Water-polo
Other events/novelties:
- Current Affairs
- Entertainment
- Financial
- Hollywood
- Music
- Novelty Bets (such as the ‘first country to have contact with an extra-terrestrial beings’)
- Politics
And if your bookmaker doesn’t happen to be marketing a unique event that you’d like to bet on, give them a call and they should be able to offer you a market on what you are looking for.
Bookie free bets, promotions, specials, bonuses, competitions and tournaments
Sign up with any of our endorsed bookies, and you’ll gain access to a host of constantly updated and quality bonuses and specials.
Some of the most commonly offered rewards include:
- Free bets
- Matched deposit bonus bets
- Refer a friend bonus bets
- Cash back offers/refunds on certain markets
- Double the odds on certain markets
- Early payouts
- Protest payouts
- The option to cash out your wagers
- Multi boosters (multi bet odds increased by certain percentage)
- Free entry into tournaments and competition with cash and other prizes
And a heap more. Ensure you have registered with a live email address so you are informed of all the latest promos and freebies.
AUD secure banking methods
When it comes to making payments over the Internet, you want to be assured that your money is going to the right place and your personal details are protected. All our endorsed sports betting sites utilise the latest secure socket layer (SSL) digital encryption technology to ensure all financial transactions and personal information is safeguarded. Below is a list of the deposit and withdrawal methods available at our recommended bookie sites:
- Credit and debit cards
- PayPal
- POLi
- Skrill
- BPAY
- Direct bank/wire transfer
- Cash card (convenient EFTPOS card offered by certain bookies that allows for direct transfers to and from the card, withdrawals from any ATM and can be used at any location that accepts EFTPOS)
As a first time depositor, you will be required to set up you chosen method of banking before funding your account. You will also need to provide a copy of some form of identification to verify your account and so you can make subsequent withdrawals.
Live betting and other important information
Our endorsed bookmakers all offer live (in-play) wagering, where you can bet on events while they are taking place. You can either call up and speak directly with a staff member who will take your wager, or place a live bet via the automated mobile betting system (phone numbers provided on site) .
Our site will guide you through all of the info you need to ensure you are a confident and well informed bettor. We will also provide in depth reviews of each of the online bookies we promote, including all of their advantages and short comings.
You can also view additional important information such as frequently asked questions, licensing and regulation details and more, at each of our recommended betting platforms. And remember to always gamble responsibly.