The first decision when starting out in sports betting is to select a betting agency. Agencies generally fall into two categories: bookmakers and exchanges. Bookmakers are agencies that set the odds for you and you bet against the agency. With exchanges the betting odds are determined by fellow users within a marketplace, so you bet against fellow users. I recommend bookmakers for beginners, while exchange memberships are a must have for serious enthusiasts.
Casual punters usually join one or two agencies. Serious betters typically have memberships with a wide range of agencies because this enables them to get the best odds for each event. It also enables them to take advantage of arbitrage opportunities as a result of disparate odds between agencies.
Bookmakers that are suitable for Australians
Below is a list of betting agencies that are available to Australian sports betters. Some are based in Australia, while others are international agencies that support Australian customers. I am aware of numerous other agencies, but have listed the ones that I can recommend with confidence to Australian punters. Below this list is a summary table that provides a concise overview of the different agencies.
Other international bookmakers
Click here to view leading international bookmakers. Many of the services support Australian customers, but unlike the services listed on this page, they do not support Australian dollar accounts.
Summary Table
Because the entire table can’t fit on the page, the agencies are grouped into pairs by alphabetical order. Click on each pair below to view the corresponding summary details. This table is updated periodically to keep the details up to date.
- bet365 & Betfair
- Canbet & Centrebet
- IASbet & Luxbet
- SportingBet Australia & Sports Alive
- SportsBet & TAB Sportsbet
Notes and explanations of terms
- Deposit/withdrawal options – the options stated are for Australian residents. Residents of other countries may have more or less options.
- POLi – enables you to make online bank transfers that are acknowledged immediately by the bookmaker. This feature is only available for Australian bank accounts.
- Turnover requirements – 3x means that for a $50 deposit, you would have to make $150 worth of bets before you can withdraw your funds
- Agency type – ‘Bookmaker’ means the betting agency sets the odds and ‘Market’ or ‘Exchange’ means that the betting odds are determined by the users within a marketplace.
- My rating – my personal rating of the agency on a score of 1 to 10. I would recommend any service with a rating of 7 or more. I am aware of numerous other bookmakers, but I have only listed those that I can recommend with confidence.
- Review – contains a link to a review I have made of the agency, where available
