Australia is not known as a haven for horse racing. Founded as a convict settlement, Australia soon developed a passion for horse racing that helped shape both the culture and sporting heritage of this nation.
Racebook betting in Australia covers a wide area, with markets dedicated to flat tracks, harness racing and jumps racing. Most Australians are sports bettors, and the races are so popular that the evening news often broadcasts live from the track for updates.
Research shows that by 2015, nearly one million people living in Australia were betting on horse races. But what about all the other horse-loving countries around the world that want to check out the market?
The list below provides an overview of the Australian horse racing betting sites that are the most reliable, informative and entertaining.
| Rank | VA Betting Site | Sign Up Bonus | Get Started |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 |
 BetUS
|
100% up to $2,500 | Visit Site |
| #2 |
 MyBookie
|
50% up to $1,000 | Visit Site |
| #3 |
 BetNow
|
100% up to $1,000 | Visit Site |
| #4 |
 Bovada
|
50% bonus up to $250 | Visit Site |
| #5 |
 BetOnline
|
50% up to $1,000 | Visit Site |
What Makes a Good Racebook Betting Site
Books that deal with horses are a bit different from regular sports books in that almost all of the betting odds for a horse race are determined purely by the public's bets. The "house" can do things to protect itself - like pulling an odds board for an upcoming race if the managers see something happening with the horses or the betting that looks unfavorable to the casino. Sometimes quick action is needed.
However, if a sluggish or unseasoned horse builds up a large enough betting pool, the payoffs will drop, even if it defies common sense. When you place a bet on a horse race in Australia or anywhere else, you're not trying to outsmart the house...just the other bettors.
If the establishment has a self-defense mechanism, such as lowering futures odds a few days before a sweepstakes, it is better to expect it and bet in time to mitigate the hit. Planning is half the battle.
Sign-ups and Rollovers
Typically, a sign up bonus is given for opening an account. Sign-up bonuses are tricky, however, and racebooks have figured this out. New players are asked to wager their entire first deposit before any of it can be withdrawn. If this weren't the case, smart users could simply sign up, take the bonus, and then make a withdrawal before placing any bets.
Some cleverly designed books also include a rollover clause tied to the bonus. A 4x rollover means that 4 times the deposit must be wagered before any withdrawals can be made, and an 8x rollover means that 8 times the deposit must be wagered before any withdrawals can be made.
The house takes a small cut of each bet placed. So it works against the racebook when bettors get busted and are forced to bet multiple times to try to win back their initial losses.
Find a place where you can easily decline any welcome offer. If it's not easy, use the phone number provided to get through to a human being. Most places that accept your bets are more than happy to welcome you as a new customer, and you should have no trouble talking to someone who will let you know how to avoid the rollover and restrictions.
If a sign-up bonus looks too tempting to resist, read the entire contract carefully and try to secure the most lenient rollover clause allowed by law.
Style Is Important – Honesty Is Tops
Examine each site carefully and find one that suits your betting style. For those who visit the flat tracks on a daily basis, a racebook that is constantly updated with the next day's races is a must. But until then, can these sites even be considered, let alone compared to those that are good for betting on big events well in advance? If they do offer odds on the annual race and fashion gala, they're likely to show up with a day or two to go, just like the smaller races.
Fortunately, there are alternative platforms that focus on major Thoroughbred events and provide wagering lines on the Victoria and other major terminals weeks or months in advance.
Using an honest site that always pays on winning bets is very important. The most trustworthy Australian horse racing betting sites are known for reliable payouts and easy withdrawals.
Reputable Australian racebooks also make sure the gambler’s personal information is secure and safe.
If a gambling site makes its players wait an eternity for their payouts, online betting forums are bound to gossip about it. So go ahead - scour the World Wide Web and make sure the site or sites you're doing business with aren't pulling a fast one on you.
Things to Consider When Betting on Horse Races
Many betting tips are available online. Legit Gambling Sites does not care which principles our readers choose to follow, but we do want to present some of the most reliable, age-old betting tips.
Don’t Delay
Understand how quickly the numbers can change when action drives them. There may be a lovely 10-1 betting market on a horse that is recommended by both bloggers and serious handicappers. But the moment the horse starts to get some excitement, those odds are likely to change, and change quickly.
It is not advisable to go to work, check the betting board, and then spend the weekend in the outback contemplating whether or not to make the bet. If there is something delicious on offer, seize the moment and take advantage.
Be a Skeptical Consumer
Don't heed the advice or predictions offered by betting sites. No, they're not necessarily traps designed to lure gamblers into making the wrong bet. Most racebook bloggers are quite knowledgeable and love the sport. But they're too self-interested to print truly hot picks based on inside information and buzz from trainers and fans.
Imagine for a moment that a brilliant handicapper writes a prediction column for a betting site. If bettors actually read it, the sports book would take such a hit. And yet...
Don’t Pay for Picks
It is a bad idea to pay people for selections when betting online. If you look closely, you won't see too many legitimate race tracks, sportsbooks or betting exchanges associated with these clowns - not even in betting crazy Australia.
Gambling establishments want their patrons to gamble in one place. So they're not too happy about being directed to places where people named Tom, Dick, and Harry pretend to have choices worth the price.
Organize Your Thoughts First
For the inexperienced player, it's important to write down a set of goals and objectives for what you hope to gain from the activity. This will not only help you to develop a strategy that will avoid unfathomable losses, but it will also make a difference in the types of games that appeal to you.
For example, if you want to enjoy the fun of chasing the jackpot, betting on long-shot sleepers can sometimes be an exhilarating experience. But if your horse doesn't even make it to the starting gate or the final turn, the loss feels like just another one to pile on top of all the other losses. If you're worried about the bottom falling out of your bankroll, try backing a few more sure-fire favorites and co-favorites.
Ignore the “Lottery”
Trifecta and superfecta markets get big, splashy headlines. There's always a story about how some lady in Melbourne won $200,000 by picking horses with hatpins. But what do these stories remind you of? In fact, playing the trifecta and superfecta markets is like playing the lottery.
The lure of such big, beautiful payoffs gives the house much better odds of coming out ahead. We have been taught by mathematicians that the odds of 2 or 3 things happening as they should are long (for good reason) compared to the short odds of one thing happening as it should.
Use common sense along with a healthy dose of realism. The most cost-effective bets are still placed on a single horse to win, place or show. Dull and unsophisticated? Sure. But effective.
Horse Racing Betting Strategy
Australia has many other handy hints that can help you with your horse betting. For one, take a chance on Winx, if not for her unblemished record, then for her hashtag: #GoWinx.
For more, visit the following links:
About Horse Racing in Australia
Today, it is estimated that nearly 20,000 competitions take place annually in Australia. These are not contests of intellect, but of horse speed and endurance. Nearly 40,000 horses are trained by approximately 3,000 trainers to run in these races. Nearly 500 bookmakers facilitate the betting that takes place during the spectacle. The amount won and lost during the betting undoubtedly runs into billions.
Siring great distaff horses like Black Caviar and Winx is something Australian breeders have mastered. Each horse won 25 races in a row, and as of this writing, Winx's reign of racing perfection continues.
Winx is recognized as an exceptionally adaptable racehorse. She has triumphed at every major racecourse of every distance in Australia, including two of the most famous, Caulfield and Flemington in Melbourne and Rosehill in Sydney.
We will see if her owners emulate those who raised Black Caviar and take their magnificent mare to England or America for shows.
It is widely believed that Australia has more racecourses than any other nation in the world. It could also be said that Australia has the most balanced horse racing market of any country. The United States is preoccupied with flat track racing, epitomized by the Kentucky Derby.
Steeplechases, such as the annual Grand National at Aintree, occupy England. In most of continental Europe, the main interest is in the trotter. Horse racing in Australia caters to all types of fans. There are dirt tracks, there are hurdles, and there is harness racing. That means plenty of pulse-pounding action for bettors of all stripes.
To learn more about Aussie horse racing, check out the following articles.
Below are some of the most noteworthy races in the land down under.
Melbourne Cup
The Kentucky Derby of Australia might be a fair title for the Melbourne Cup. The Cup is a perennial favorite when it comes to betting on horse racing, yet it provides a challenging test for even the most accomplished equine athletes. Pace makes the race, but the slower horses are given a head start by kind and knowledgeable handicappers. Then the two miles (3290 meters) test the endurance of man and beast.
Inter Dominion
Since 1936, Australia and New Zealand have hosted the Inter Dominion, the most prestigious harness racing event in the southern hemisphere. The two-week spectacle unfolds in stages at up to six different racecourses. In its early years, the Inter Dominion staked its claim on more than one nation; over time, it became an event that truly belonged to both Australia and New Zealand.
Victoria Derby
The pinnacle of Australian tradition and ceremony takes place when the thoroughbred race known as the Melbourne Cup is run on a turf track. Each season, the carnival kicks off with the Victoria Derby, a race of no small importance. Derby Day is almost as much a holiday for fashionistas (and a photo op) as it is for racing fans.
Golden Slipper Stakes
The Golden Slipper Stakes is a turf race for young Thoroughbreds, officially called Juvenile Racehorses. Because of the set weights for the race, it is not a fully handicapped event. However, there is a slight advantage for all the fillies that compete; these young fillies race at an equivalent weight of 2 kilograms less than the 2-year-old males.
The sweepstakes has a multi-million dollar purse, which is the richest purse in the world for young Thoroughbreds.
The Great Eastern Steeplechase
Australia's premier steeplechase is held annually at Oakbank Racecourse in South Australia on the Saturday and Monday of Easter as part of the Oakbank Easter Racing Carnival. The Great Eastern Steeplechase is Occidental's longest steeplechase at nearly 5,000 meters and a true test of endurance.
The jump known as the "fallen log" at Oakbank is a real log about 1 meter high. Many of the jumps on the course have been lowered to reduce the risk of injury if a horse were to fall or if a horse and rider were to separate.
More Information on Horse Racing
This is a very basic introduction to Australian horse racing and the best websites to follow the odds and results. If you want to go deeper, check out the links below.
Best Horse Races of All Time*
Track Surfaces Differences*
The Future of Horse Racing*