Best eSports and Regular Sports Betting Sites in Australia
Sports betting Down Under has been big business for quite some time now. Meanwhile, eSports has more recently managed to conquer the sports betting industry in Australia and elsewhere around the world. Various future models even say that eSports bets will establish themselves as the big number two behind football bets, even before widely-loved traditional sports like tennis or basketball!
This is one reason why the best online bookmakers have already given eSports a significant place in their existing betting programs.
Some of the best eSports bettings sites in Australia offer access to both sports and eSports odds. Top operators include:
- BET365
- UNIBET
- BETFAIR
- SPORTSBET
Best eSports Games to Bet on in Australia
First, let's take a closer look at eSports specifically. Right now, there are countless major eSports titles played in Australia but no console or platform is as in-depth as desktop games are.
The keyboard and mouse combination allows you to play at various game genres, including single-player shooters and multiplayer online battle arenas, as well as real-time strategy, and fighting games.
You have a whole section on eSports betting guides to improve your game strategies - based on each specific game!
League of Legends
You probably heard of League of Legends before - it is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game that has been popular for nearly a decade now. Two teams of 5 vs. 5 will face off in Summoner's Rift to destroy the opposing team's nexus and protect their stronghold.
The League of Legends World Championship has quickly become the most-watched and most anticipated eSports event today in Australia. With more than 200 million spectators worldwide, recent tournaments are more popular than the Super Bowl and other major sporting events.
Starcraft II
If you're feeling something from Terran, Protoss, or Zerg, chances are you've played a StarCraft game once or twice before.
StarCraft has long been regarded as the best of all online real-time strategy games, and that recognition continues as StarCraft II follows in the footsteps of its pre-2010 counterparts.
This game, which is especially popular in Australia, is held almost every week worldwide for the StarCraft II World Championship Series banner.
HearthStone
No one could have imagined that Hearthstone, a card-based game that has penetrated a relative niche in the online gaming world, would enjoy such astronomical popularity. Launched in 2014, Hearthstone is now enjoyed by over 100 million players worldwide, including in Australia.
Two players compete head-to-head and play strategically to defeat the opponent with their unique cards and abilities.
Hearthstone remains one of the fastest-growing eSports in the online gaming genre, captivating both the competitive scene and casual players.
CS: GO
Of course, the famous Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO), the fourth edition of the Counter-Strike series, was released in 2012 and maintains its reputation as one of the most popular objective-based shooters today.
Terrorist teams fight against counter-terrorist teams on classic maps (such as Dust II) and new maps. The goal is to place the bomb at the bomb site before the counter-terrorist team can stop it.
Notable competitions in Australia include the CS: GO Major Championship, but thousands of games are played every week worldwide.
Dota 2
Like League of Legends, Dota 2 is a game in which two teams of five players each fight against each other, intending to destroy an enemy base known as the "Ancient" while simultaneously defending their base.
Dota 2's eSports scene is among the best in the world. Although three or four famous tournaments are being played, "The International" maintains its status as the world's best tournament with a total prize pool of over $25,000,000.
In addition, the TI10 prize pool is currently standing at just over $40,000,000. You may want to consider becoming a Dota 2 player if you’re not one already.
Call of Duty
Call of Duty is a top-rated first-person shooter video game franchise that penetrated mainstream gaming customers between 2006 and 2008.
At the beginning of 2003, the Call of Duty franchise was focused on World War II. Still, since then, it has expanded into new areas by including games based on the modern era, Cold War, and futuristic environments.
The release of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare in 2006 proved that the game moved Call of Duty into the eSports realm.
Overwatch
Overwatch is a team-based, multiplayer first-person shooter better known as "Hero Shooter." In Overwatch, two teams of six heroes battle each other to reclaim a point on the map or escort cargo to a target location within a time limit.
Over 25 heroes, each with unique abilities, can be grouped according to their roles, such as supporters or damage dealers.
Fortnite
Each Fortnite game goes on either alone or in small teams of up to 100 players until only one surviving player or group is left. Then, players drop off a floating "battle bus" onto a small map searching for weapons and armor to use there.
As the game progresses, the play area shrinks and requires more action until only one player or team is left.
Check out our latest strategy guides!
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Best Traditional Sports Games to Bet on in Australia
Now let's review old-school sports. Australians have access to all kinds of local and global sports markets, from cricket and baseball to rugby league and Australian football.
Top-ranking bookies will usually allow you to place all manner of different kinds bets on popular sports events, so long as you're betting ahead of time before the event takes place. The best operators might even offer downloadable apps on iOS and Android that allow you to enjoying placing bets from your mobile, too.
You can enjoy betting on the following sports (and more) with several amazing bookmakers in Australia.
Cricket
Lovers of cricket can enjoy placing a wonderful range of different bets on their favourite sport. From basic bets on match results or first ball/first over outcomes, to the predicted number of runs a single player might score, the world is really your oyster here.
The best online sportsbooks allow you to customise your online betting slips in myriad ways, including by adding additional bets to your slip right up until the minute the big game begins.
Basketball
Fans of the NBA can take advantage of basketball betting with virtually all the sports betting sites we recommend. You can enjoy money line bets, point spread bets or simply betting on your favourite players.
Rugby League
It's relatively easy to find and enjoy competitive rugby league odds with the best sports betting sites in Australia. Top bookies frequently promote extra-special odds on these kinds of games, so you can enjoy huge potential on fast-paced rugby league games.
Soccer
Whether you're an occasional follower of the World Cup and UEFA Champions League, or you enjoy routine betting on the UK Premier League or LaLiga, all top Aussie betting sites offer access to the biggest and best soccer tournaments and events worldwide.
Keep an eye out for operators offering access to endlessly customisable parlay bets and betting slips to get more out of soccer betting Down Under.
Aussie rules football is one of the most popular sports Down Under, watched and enjoyed by millions annually. Bet on AFL and more over the home-and-away and finals periods.
Tennis
Top sports betting sites will offer access to men's and women's tennis tournaments and events. From the Australian Open to Wimbledon and beyond, you can place bets on points, margins, handicaps and much more.
Netball
Seemingly growing in popularity across Australia year-on-year, netball is absolutely huge right now. Unsurprisingly, several Aussie bookies are now offering competitive odds on the Netball Superleague, Netball World Cup and other prominent competitions.
Golf
Whether you're a PGA Championship fan or you're more into the US Open, golf is growing in prominence among sports betting sites these days, too. Expect to be able to put down all kinds of bets, accumulators and more on all your favourite events.
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Payment methods in Australian Sports and eSports betting
We at Strafe.com understand how the deposit or withdrawal method of a bookmaker can affect the eSports betting experience. That is why the sports and eSports betting sites we recommend to Australian punters have a broad range of payment methods that enable you to deposit funds and withdraw potential winnings securely.
Debit & Credit Cards
All the major Australian sports and eSports betting sites support the use of MasterCard, Maestro, and Visa debit or credit cards. It is one of the fastest ways to fund your betting account and withdraw your potential winnings back to your bank account.
Unfortunately, most Australian bookies do not accept American Express.
Direct Bank Transfer
Several betting sites in Australia allow players to deposit funds directly from their bank account using this popular online banking platform. In addition, every bank in the country, including Commonwealth, NAB, ANZ, and Westpac, supports direct bank transfer to all licensed sports and eSports bookmakers in Australia.
We would like to let you know that transactions using this option usually take between 1-10 business days. Therefore, it would be best to remember to consider this processing time when using the option for deposit or withdrawals.
E-Wallets
Most online bookies for sports and eSports betting support digital payment e-wallet options (also known as web wallets) such as Skrill and Neteller. Although they usually have additional payment processing fees, which most Aussies find pretty unfavorable.
The e-wallet option is suitable for people who seek additional privacy and don’t want to associate their online betting activities with their bank accounts or debit/credit card.
Online Payment Services
One of the most popular payment services worldwide is PayPal, and it is supported as a payment option by the vast majority of sports and eSports bookies operating in Australia. We guess this is good news for all you fans of this secure and fast payment method.
The POLi enthusiasts are not left out either. This is another online payment popular among eSports betting sites in Australia. As an Australian-run payment service that is an alternative to PayPal, Aussies can easily use POLi on most online bookies where it is supported.
Digital Services & Pre-paid Cards
Almost all Australian sports and eSports betting sites also support payment services such as Entropay, Paysafecard, and virtual prepaid cards. These services can be used by punters to place bets on anything from tennis to League of Legends.
Depositing funds into your sports or eSports betting account using the payment methods we listed here is very easy and secure. Although every betting site has its unique interface and user experience, depositing or withdrawing funds is quite the same process:
- First, sign up for a sports or eSports betting account using our links.
- Verify your identity and other personal details.
- Visit the ‘cashier’ or ‘banking’ section after logging in.
- Choose from the list of payment methods to make your first deposit and get started!
Also, you can easily withdraw your winnings after a successful wager. However, you may need to provide specific documentation with your preferred bookie, such as DOB, contact address, personal ID, etc. This is usually done before the first withdrawal only.
Are Sports and eSports betting Legal in Australia?
Even with the fact that 80% of adult Aussies are considered to be involved in gambling, the land Down Under still has some pretty stern rules regarding online gambling. The Australian Interactive Gambling Act 2001 renders it illegal to use any gambling site that is deemed to be ‘interactive.’ Hence, casino games like poker are not allowed.
However, the Interactive Gambling Act is not against online sports betting. You can visit the website of any licensed bookmaker in Australia and wager on your favorite sports or eSports. These sites offer a myriad of markets, from homegrown Australian football to international rugby and top-ranking eSports like Call of Duty.
As part of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, we would not forget to mention that live betting is prohibited in Australia. This implies that you cannot bet on any sports or eSports after the competition has kicked off. Your wagers have to be placed pre-event.
Unfortunately, this is a stumbling block for Sports and eSports betting in Australia. Many such sites worldwide are doing well because they offer their bettors the opportunity to place bets even while a sports event or eSports game is ongoing. Unfortunately, Australian punters are missing out on this part of the fun.
Irrespective of this minor setback, if you want to place real money pre-match wager on anything from NHL or NBA to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, then you should find a fully licensed betting site in Australia that can give you some fair and competitive odds across all of the markets it covers.
What Kinds of Traditional Sports bets in Australia are most popular?
Australian bettors can enjoy putting down all kinds of different bets on local and international sports. Some of the most popular sports bet types in Australia, include:
Money line Bets
Putting down a classic money line bet basically just means betting on a specific team involved in the sport to win. For example, betting on the Aussies to win Ashes Tests in cricket requires you to bet on Australia's "moneyline".
Point Spread
Betting on a point spread is all about putting your money on a sports team's margin of victory, as opposed to simply whether your team will win or lose. Most Aussie sports betting sites will use a minus symbol to indicate "the favourite", and a plus sign to denote an underdog.
Parlays
Parlay bets involve betting on multiple outcomes to win. In other words, each "leg" or bet in your parlay needs to come up lucky for you to be deemed to have won. You can add as many legs to your parlay as you wish, but if even one comes up short, your parlay will be marked as a loss.
Prop bets
These are bets that aren't directly affiliated with the outcome of the sports game you're betting on. For example, you could place a player prop bet on your favourite Aussie football star to be the first goal-scorer in an upcoming match.
What Kinds of eSports bets do Aussies love most?
Just as it is with eSports betting Canada, there are various ways you can wager on eSports in Australia. Bookmakers usually have several markets you can bet on, but here are some of the popular eSports betting types in Australia:
Match or Round Winner
This is one of the most common bet types for all eSports betting markets, and it's essentially the same as a money line bet. You will find out that these are usually the odds displayed first on all eSports betting sites in Australia. Here, you will pick the team you predict will win the match or round.
Handicap
Here, you select the team that you think will win with a handicap applied. With the handicap applied, the underdog gets an advantage over the favorite, thereby making the odds quite similar and the possibility of one team winning over the other less predictable.
Maps
In this type of bet, you select what team you think will win a specific map. Several eSports games are played over several various maps, which can favor different teams.
Total over/under
This is a prevalent betting type among Aussies. Here, you pick whether the total figure of specific statistics will be over or under a certain standard set by the eSports site. Examples of these statistics include the total number of headshots, kills, and combined scores.
Outrights
This bet type is also popular among Australian bettors. It involves picking the winner of an eSports tournament. Sometimes you could wager on whether a team will finish in the top 3 or not.
First Blood
This bet type relates to games such as CS: GO and LoL. Here you select the team to score the first kill of a match.
Some Tips & Tricks For Sports and eSports Betting in Australia
Strategising is hugely important when it comes to betting on sports and Esports in Oz. There are always things you can do to push your bets a little further. Here are a couple of tips you can take advantage of next time you play:
- Bankroll management is something you should have firmly in mind whenever placing bets on old-school sports. Don't forget that no matter how careful you are with bets that you deem to be good value or "a sure thing", the risk of losing your entire betting budget is real if you don't keep a close eye on your bankroll.
- One popular approach to betting on cricket, tennis and other popular sporting events is to split your bankroll into individual units ranging from 1 to 3%. What we mean by this is never betting more than these set amounts to diversify your risk when putting down handicap bets.
- Remember to keep some extra cash to one side, too - as you never know when you might spot a superb opportunity just around the corner.
- Some eSports games arguably offer more potential opportunities to bettors than others. For example, CS: GO, with its turn-based gameplay, is an ideal game for placing bets on underdogs. This is especially true if you are familiar with the maps, the tactics, and the strengths of the respective teams.
- Basically, the best teams at CS: GO are very much on an equal footing, and the form of the day often decides. This is precisely what makes it attractive to bet on underdogs. The bookmakers often estimate the differences between the teams to be substantial - the odds are accordingly good if you know your way around.
- Watch out for the Pistol Rounds. The bookmakers tend to see the overall result more often. But if you check the strengths of the teams in the pistol rounds and only bet on these rounds, you often have a good chance of winning.
What to look for in Sports and eSports Operators
All sports and esports betting sites in Australia ought to tick the following boxes:
Trusted licensing
- Strafe.com will only ever recommend licensed and legit sites.
Competitive odds
- You should compare odds between operators to ensure you're getting the best deal.
Range of payment options
- Top sports and eSports betting sites should accept multiple payment options.
Diverse market access
- Look for sites that offer access to all your favourite sports and eSports games. Dependable customer support Many of the sites we recommend offer 24/7 customer support and live chat.
Popular eSports Game Modes
Below are some of the most common eSports game formats in Australia:
- Combat/Fighting: Two players go head-to-head with blows and/or shots with their respective virtual characters.
- RTS (Real-Time Strategy): the contending teams play simultaneously, pursuing an objective continuously without game turns.
- Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA): all players have their character and work together to destroy the buildings of the rival team and its members.
- Sports: football, motorsports, or basketball.
- First-person shooter: each player has a character who fights with a pistol or other weapon to annihilate his enemies.
Sports and eSports Betting - Australia in a nutshell!
Traditional sports betting is an Aussie institution and eSports betting in Australia appears to be here to stay, too, with Australia having more fans than many other world countries. Esports is a modality that only knows one trend: continuous growth at a geometric rate. Meanwhile, betting old school sports is a cornerstone of sports fans' social lives.
Bookmakers licensed to operate in Australia have put all the work in to ensure punters have the best betting experiences. From easy-to-use payment methods to exciting international sports and eSports betting markets and types, you have everything at your disposal to make money while having fun.
We recommend you visit the best bookmakers in Australia that will grant you access to both traditional sports and eSports betting odds, such as the ones listed above, and start the betting adventure from a more technical perspective.
Know the strategies, get familiar with the teams, the types of bets, and choose your favorite games (ours are tennis and League of Legends). And above all else, don't forget to have fun!
You can also learn more about eSports in India if you intend to explore further betting markets in other parts of the world.
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Sports and eSports Betting Australia FAQ
🎮 What are eSports?
ESports is an exceptionally dynamic and rapidly growing global phenomenon of game culture and a movement of millions of people in the digital age. In eSports, competition occurs between two or more people using computers and video games under set rules. Computer and video games must be played competitively against human players to be suitable as eSports titles in principle. In addition, all participants have the same conditions; the gameplay must not intervene in the game through preprogrammed, random mechanics. A synonymous term is "competitive gaming." There are sub-genres, for example, "SimRacing" in racing games.
💰 How do I deposit funds at Australian online sports and eSports betting sites?
It doesn't matter whether you're betting on traditional sports or eSports, this all depends entirely on the bookmaker with whom you want to bet and their unique rules. The typical payment methods in use are PayPal, debit/credit card, or common e-wallets such as Skrill and Neteller.
🎲 How is eSports different from gaming?
If the computer and video games can be played competitively against human players, they are suitable as eSports titles. Not every gamer engages in eSports when a game is played online or locally against other players. Gaming only becomes an esport with participation in leagues or other competitions under normal conditions.
🔞 Are there any sports or eSports betting providers in Australia where age verification is not required?
No, there are no sports or eSports betting providers in Australia without the required age verification.
Age verification is essential and required by law to ensure that children and young people cannot place bets in this way. Therefore, any online betting company that does not do age verification is illegal. In addition, some sports and esports bookmakers will allow deposits to be made before the user's age is verified, and the amount deposited will likely not be returned if the user is underage.
🎉 Which sites are best for sports and eSports betting in Australia?
This all boils down to your preferred sports markets or games. It also depends on which payment methods are offered by different sports and eSports betting sites. With most providers recommended by us, you will undoubtedly find an excellent selection of different sports markets and eSports gaming odds on offer.
