Sportsbet.com.au
Year established: 1993
Mobile compatible: Yes
Jurisdiction: Australia
Overall rating: A-
Recommended: For recreational players
Sportsbet Australia Review
Licensed in the Northern Territory (NTRC) Sportsbet.com.au is an online bookmaker based in Australia, an increasingly congested market. It began life in Darwin in 1993 earning a place in history as the country’s first licensed bookmaker, but was on the verge of going under in 2005 when it was bought out by Matthew Tripp.
It’s gone from strength to strength since and in 2009 Paddy Power acquired a 51% stake in the company. This eventually led to the Irish bookmaker taking over the remainder of the shares and a full acquisition was completed by March 2011.
It has over 117,000 Twitter followers and posts a lot of memes and ‘viral content’ alongside betting promotions and sports news. It runs a Facebook and Youtube presence too. Sportsbet is very famous and a recognised brand in Australia where it often features on TV. In 2009 it made the headlines by paying out on Roger Federer to win Wimbledon before the tournament had even started (he ended up winning).
In 2016 the National Rugby League (NRL) signed a sponsorship deal extension with Sportsbet which’ll take the partnership into 2020. Other Sportsbet sponsorships include being the official betting partner of AFL club Collingwood FC.
Betting Markets
As one of Australia’s largest sports and racing betting providers Sportsbet offers an enormous number of different sports, from Aussie Rules (no surprise there), soccer and American sports to niche sports such as Alpine Skiing and Sailing. All those it offers odds on are listed here.
They are: American Football, Aussie Rules, Baseball Basketball, Boxing, Cricket, Cycling, Darts, Esports, Golf, Ice Hockey, MMA/UFC, Motor Racing, Netball, Olympics, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Soccer, Tennis, Alpine Skiing, Biatholon, Chess, Gaelic Football, Hurling, Handball, Sailing, Snooker, Surfing and Volleyball.
In addition to all these sports, if this somehow isn’t enough options or you’re just not a sports bettor, Sportsbet.com.au caters to you too. It offers Politics markets and novelty options as well.
In-play betting
In-play betting is banned digitally in Australia but rather oddly it is allowed over the phone.
As such Sportsbet allows live betting over the phone and operates call centres for the purpose. This means you can still bet on the go but it may not be something favoured by the masses due to the lack of convenience.
Usability of the site
The Sportsbet site is kept simple with a focus on betting as opposed to look-at-me graphics. This is favourable in the opinion of this writer and the most recent promotions are still accessible it’s just that they’re packaged and organised on the right hand side as opposed to being thrust in your face.
You find the sports markets available down the left hand side and it’s simple to get the hang of navigating around the site.
It’s been recreated for mobile too so you can bet on the go with ease and a smile at Sportsbet.com.au. Customer support is available and although it’s not 24/7, there’s the big three of live chat, email and phone support.
Conclusion
For Australian customers Sportsbet.com.au is an excellent betting option, there are great promotions, a huge range of sports and a solid and reliable brand.
Customer support is solid enough, and the site’s usability scores top marks. This is a reliable brand, Australia’s first and if you’re a citizen you need look no further to make your bets.
Advantages:
- Top Australian online sportsbook;
- One of the most established online betting sites;
- Good range of sports markets and betting selections;
- Largest range of betting options in Australia;
- Frequent betting promotions and free to enter competitions;
- Fantastic welcome bonus offer;
- Hundreds of promotions to take advantage of year round, such as Cash Back Offers;
- Unique services such as The Predictor Hub, Sportsbet Blog and Betting Tools;
- The biggest and best racing and sports promotions we have seen anywhere online;
- Nice quick website with no flash graphics to slow down page loading;
- Comprehensive help section with a search feature;
- Strong support for multi betting;
- Excellent mobile betting service;
- Great customer service.
- Easy to deposit and withdraw.
Disadvantages:
- The focus on all things Australian will put off many overseas customers;
- Live online betting is not available to Australian residents (due to Australian law);
- Have been known to suspend or limit the accounts of successful punters.
Payments:
Visa/Mastercard, Skrill (Moneybookers), Bank Transfer, BPay, Credit/Debit Card, PayPal, POLi
*Keep in mind to double check information. Be prepared for changes to restricted countries, bonuses, currencies, deposit and payment options, languages, contact info.
Join Sportsbet Australia now >>>