Horse racing betting in Australia

Betting on horse racing is one of the most popular forms of wagering in Australia with events held at the hundreds of tracks almost every day of the year. Finding the best online bookmaker sites with horse betting is no easy task in 2019. There are more decisions that need to be made and options chosen than ever before when betting on horse racing but that should not deter you.

Our guide will run you through the best betting sites for horse racing, plus guide you through the different bet types you can place and give you an overview of the thoroughbred industry down under and the impact the global racing scene has on Australia.

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Horse racing introduction

Horse racing is a massive industry in Australia. Horses sell for millions of dollars as yearlings who might not even make the track. There are hundreds of trainers based everywhere from Flemington, the home of the Melbourne Cup, to Corowa, more known for being a border town on the Murray river than for its racing exports.

The three racing codes, gallops, harness racing and greyhounds, from right around Australia are covered around the clock on Sky Racing. Thoroughbred racing’s biggest days are covered exclusively by Channel 7 and broadcast nationally with millions of people tuning into the quality group racing held almost every weekend of the year.

You get the picture. Horse racing in Australia is big business. BettingSite.com.au is aiming to present all the information you will need to successfully begin betting on horse racing. You can bet via your computers, on your mobile phones, tablet devices and via your phone accounts.

How to bet on Australian horse racing

Just understanding the lingo surrounding horse racing in Australia can be challenging. Would you know how to answer if someone started talking to you about early quaddies? or whether or not the Melbourne Cup is a stayers race? Or what an exacta is?

This section will walk you through the bet types available at online bookies, what the best bookies are for wagering on the sport of kings and give you tips on how to successfully dip your toe into horse racing betting for the first time.

Horse racing bet types

There are any number of bets available when you want to have a punt on the horses. Here are some of the most popular.

Win: This one speaks for itself. This bet is for you horse to win outright. If it comes second you lose. If it comes third, you lose. Because a win can be more difficult to predict, the odds are often quite lucrative.

Place: Odds on place betting aren’t as generous as “win” bets because you’re covering second and third position with your bet. The plus side to this is that your bet has a greater chance of winning as your horse only has to finish in the top three, not first.

Each Way: An each way bet is a combination of a win and a place. If your horse wins you will receive a winning dividend for both the win and the place, while if they finish second or third you will only receive the place payout.

Quinella and Exacta: A quinella requires you to pick the first two horses past the post and will pay regardless of which order they place. An exacta, however, requires you to pick the first two horses past the post in the exact order they finish.

Trifecta: A trifecta is the holy trinity of the punting world. This bet requires you to pick the first three runners past the post in the correct order. Obviously, depending on the win/place odds of the three horses the return on a successful trifecta bet can be mind blowing. There are many variations of the trifecta at online betting sites, including boxed and stand-out bets.

If you aren’t confident about of picking the first three runners in the exact places they run, you can also “box” your trifecta. A boxed trifecta means it doesn’t matter which order your three picks come as long as they are the first three past the post. Sadly the odds on a boxed trifecta are a little less than your classic trifecta, but a “boxy” can still pay off very handsomely.

First Four: Much like a trifecta, a first four bet requires you to pick the first four horses across the line. You can either box your first four or have it as a standout, requiring you to pick the first four in their correct finishing order. Odds for first fours are usually even more enticing than a trifecta, but is obviously a lot harder to pick, so keep that in mind.

Tips for betting on horse racing

One of the first tips we always give new punters or those looking to improve their horse racing betting skills is to always find the best odds. This might mean holding multiple accounts at online horse betting sites or simply being informed enough to know when you need to open a new account to find the best odds.

Choosing smart staking plans is also essential to turning a profit when wagering on the horses. You don’t want to wager all of your bankroll within the first few races — you want to have the funds to keep betting all day — the big win might be just around the corner. There are far too many variables when betting on horse racing not to play it smart with your money. These are all things you should consider before placing a bet on horse racing:

Who is the trainer of the horse?
Who is the jockey?
What is the horse’s history over this races distance?
What is your horse’s recent history? Have they won recently? Have they placed recently?
How many runners are in the race?
What is the weather and track like?

As always, a little research can go a long way when you are on the punt. Once you get the skinny on all of these details you are ready to have a well informed wager.

Best 5 AU horse racing betting sites

The best online betting sites for racing, if you are based in Australia, is definitely subjective with many of the options offering very similar products. The biggest of the betting sites in Australia — Sportsbet, BetEasy and Bet365 — all offer a great experience when betting on horse racing but that is not to say newcomer Neds, or locally-owned Palmerbet don’t. This section will give you our thoughts on the best five Australian bookmakers

Finding the best horse racing bookmaker is nigh on impossible. The answer is something along the lines of: “how long is a piece of string”. There could be a different best bookmaker each Saturday for a month. This means we recommend having multiple bookie accounts. This section will run you through what to look for in a bookie and make recommendations based on our experiences.

Bettingsite.com.au has a number of recommended online bookmakers which can cater to all of your horse racing needs.

These online bookies have built a reputation for integrity and customer protection over the years, with each one a licensed bookmaker in Australia, boasting their own mobile sites and betting apps for wagering on the go.

One important thing to keep in mind is that the majority of sign-up bonuses are not available to residents of Victoria, Western Australia, New South Wales and South Australia due to state legislation.

Sportsbet.com.au

Sportsbet.com.au began in the Northern Territory in 1993 as a small bookmaker specialising in horse racing. In 2005 it was taken over by Matt Trip and expanded rapidly.

Since then it has become one of the most iconic names in online gambling, with sponsorship deals with TV stations to promote their odds on specific sporting events like the NRL.

Sportsbet sits on the fence by offering the middle price on horse racing.

BetEasy.com.au

BetEasy.com.au started life in 2014 as the brainchild of Matt Tripp, former CEO of Sportsbet. It then became CrownBet in partnership with Crown Resorts before reverting to the BetEasy brand in 2018.

BetEasy does a roaring trade in bonus offers, bet specials and loyalty rewards. Things like top tote on races, refunds on specific losing bets and Saturday specials are hard to look past both for new customers looking for a casual flutter as well as the hardcore punters.

Bet365.com.au

Bet365.com.au is one of the most widely known, internationally recognised online betting sites and has exploded on the Australian online betting scene.

Bet365 was founded in 2000 and hasn’t looked back, with over 18 million customers worldwide.

For Aussie customers they offer the best tote from the top three Australian TAB’s as well as starting price and fixed odds.

Bonus bets in your state

Bookmakers in Australia are competing heavily for our punting dollar. This means they run promotions aimed at getting you to wager with them. You can claim sign-up bonuses, boosted odds, cash back offers and many other dreamt up schemes.

Each state in Australia has different laws surrounding enticements and signing up at bookies. NSW, Victoria and South Australia residents are technically forbidden from receiving welcome packages, but don’t stress, there is a way you can still claim bonuses at online bookies.

Nothing stops you from signing up at a bookmaker and waiting for them to make these same offers other states get. Generally they will send out an email in the days or weeks after you sign up with a similar or better bonus bet offer. This same method of communication will hold you in good stead when looking for other promotions.

Deposit options at AU bookies

With the online betting world booming, bookmakers have ensured that there is a safe and efficient way for everybody to place a bet.

The deposit and withdrawal methods on offer through our recommended bookies are all secure, ensuring your cash and financial details are protected at all times.

Some of the common ways of depositing and withdrawing money to and from your online betting accounts are as follows:

Credit/Debit Card: This method is probably the most common, giving punters the ability to deposit funds straight away by using their credit card in the same way as they would normally use it to make an online purchase.

Bank Transfer: Bank transfers enable your money to go directly from your bank account into your betting account, however it can take around three business days to be processed. This is the most common withdrawal method, allowing punters to take out large amounts of winnings at the one time.

E-wallets: Companies such as Paypal, Skrill and Neteller are popular e-Wallets for online punters, giving them the opportunity to deposit funds into their e-Wallet account which is then transferred into your betting account. For those who are hesitant about handing over their personal information, this method ensures that the bookies never have access to your banking details

POLi: POLi, short for Pay OnLine is another secure method for punters from Australia and New Zealand, using a real time debit system to transfer money into your betting account instantaneously. POLi is a confidential service, operating from within your financial institution’s website, ensuring your baking details are not shared with the online bookmakers or POLi itself.

Pre-paid vouchers and credit cards: Brands such as Ukash and Entropay offer a pre-paid service, enabling punters to purchase vouchers and/or credit cards which can then be used to fund your online betting account.