
It’s not exactly a secret that Australians love to gamble and put some money down on just about anything. Our love affair with lotto and buying scratch-it tickets are a testament to that, as is the nation’s obsession with poker machines and various forms of casino gaming, both online and offline.
And then there is sport’s betting. Not only do Aussies love their sport in general, but we also love to place some bets down on our favorite sports and teams, even if to make things a little more interesting. It’s kind of hard to nail down which sports you should bet on and which ones we stand the best chance of actually making money on. Each sport is a little different, and the options for sports betting in Australia are huge. There seems to be an almost endless array of betting options for each sport, so much so that it can get confusing rather than making it clear what the best deal is. Let’s look at just a select few of the popular sports in Australia and see how they fare when it comes to wagering and your chances of walking away with a win.
Cricket
If you love your cricket, you’re not just limited to placing various bets on matches that take place in Australia but all over the world.
There are those simple bets, like who will win the match. You can also wager on who will be crowned Man of the Match, the highest run-scorer, highest wicket-taker, first wicket-taker, and many more options.
Cricket can be hard to predict, especially on an individual player level, and if you’re betting on a 5-day test match, anything could happen.
If you’re a knowledgeable cricket fanatic, you might do well, but cricket is possibly one of the harder ones to get right out of most sports. There are so many variables in this sport.
Horse Racing
The thoroughbred horse racing industry is one of the first sports betting types ever to occur in Australia. People were punting on the ponies long before they could place bets on their favorite football code. The most popular race by far is the Melbourne Cup, with more money bet on the Melbourne Cup horses than any other race on the Australian racing calendar. Just like with many other sports, when it comes to placing a bet of a horse race, these days, you have so many options, and for as little as $1, there is the potential for a handsome payout. Is it easier to win on the ponies? That really depends on your knowledge of the racing industry.
Rugby League
More punters likely bet on the annual State of Origin series than any other games in the National Rugby League, except for maybe the Grand Final. You cannot predict who will win a game; you stand a chance of scoring more cash if you can also pick the margin correctly. Other common bets are first tried scorer, first points scorer, leading at halftime, Man of the Match, and lots more. Although nothing is guaranteed, picking winners, margins, and so on in the NRL is likely easier to get right than placing your money down on a cricket match.
AFL
The betting options for Australian Rules football can be similar to the NRL, except there are no try-scorers. Some “experts” encourage punters to shy away from AFL multi-bets, as they claim the odds and payouts aren’t worth it and not viable if you want to make a profit. The mail is on placing your money down online bets, H2s, and totals, as these pay the fairest odds. The more exotic bets – like goals or possessions – tend to have the odds heavily slanted in the bookies’ favor and not yours.
The Wrap
The great thing about sport’s betting is you’ve got the form and other logical indicators to go by when making a wager. These are not games of chance like the lotto or a spin of the roulette wheel. Sports betting definitely gives you an edge and a better chance of winning.