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Esports Betting in Australia
Written by:Lisa ChebanContent writer
Biography
Lisa is an esteemed expert in the field of iGaming. With her extensive experience in writing iGaming content, she possesses the knowledge and skills to provide you with the most informative and engaging insights into the world of gambling.
Reviewed by:Simon YoungEditor
Biography
Simon Young, a former national news editor and journalist, once held the prestigious position of Lead Editor at PokerStars before focusing his editorial talents on Betsquare. His illustrious career journey seamlessly bridges the realms of journalism and online gambling, crafting a unique narrative of expertise and innovation.
Updated on:
Sep 24, 2024, 4:38 pm
Introduction:
Over the past five years, Esports has become increasingly prominent and is moving into the mainstream. It is a genre that attracts a diverse audience. It caters to fans and players who don’t necessarily gravitate towards traditional sports but have an avid interest in competitive online gaming.
The term ‘Esports’ refers to video games that are played in highly competitive environments. These games are played professionally, and many of the best players earn large sums of money for winning competitions.
Not all online sports can be considered Esports. Generally, when we talk about Esports, we think of games such as League Of Legends, Counter-Strike, Dota 2, Valorant, Fortnite, and Apex Legends. However, Esports versions of traditional sports are also very successful online. For example, you can play FIFA, Madden NFL, and Grand Turismo Sport.
The genre has become so popular that sportsbooks have offered markets on these games for years. In this article, we’ll review our top five options for Esports betting in Australia. Our team of experts at Betsquare will give you all the information you need to find the best sites.
How we Chose the Best Esports Betting Sites in Australia
Here at Betsquare, we’ve watched the Epsorts market grow internationally and right here in Australia. Our team includes many gaming fans, so we’re always comparing the odds offered by different Esports betting Australia sites on our favourite competitions.
When we review sites, we adhere to a strict list of criteria so that we can evaluate them fairly and unbiasedly. Our team has reviewed many online sportsbooks, so we know what to look for.
Our aim is to provide you with all the information you need to make a balanced judgement about which sportsbook is right for you. We don’t just point out the positives. We’ll also tell you about any weaknesses that we find.
Here are the top six factors that we assess in our reviews:
- Safety and security
- Betting options
- Deposit and withdrawal options
- Promotions and bonuses
- Customer service
- Ease of use
Let’s take a closer look at these factors so you know exactly what we look for.
Best Esports Betting Sites in Australia: Quick Overview
There are over 100 online sportsbooks in Australia, many offering a range of Esports betting options. So, how do you decide which one is best for you? Well, you’ve taken the right first step by reading our expert guide. We’ve done a lot of the hard work for you, and our team has looked at the whole market.
Our team has applied the criteria outlined above to find the best Esports betting in Australia. We first surveyed the whole market and whittled it down to our top 10. Then, we cast an even more critical eye over the 10 and got it down to 5.
We feel that these 5 sportsbooks have all the features that make them stand out. In the section below, we will give you a detailed breakdown of each one. We’ll cover their key features, bonuses, odds, markets, safety, and security.
Here’s a summary of our key findings:
| sportsbook | Logo | Review on Betsqaure | Rating | Esports | Signup Bonus | Unique features |
| Picklebet | Pickletbet | 9/10 | eSoccer, NBA2K, CounterStrike, Dota 2, LoL, Valorant, Rainbow Six, Rocket League, Starcraft 2, Overwatch, Kings Of Glory, | There is no Sign-up bonus, but there are promotions on Dota 2 and two on CounterStrike.
Dota 2 promotion: Xtreme Gaming, Team Liquid & Gaimin Gladiators all to get first blood (Map 1): $6.00, max bet $30
|
Many Esports and Esport promotions. | |
| bet365 | bet365 | 7/10 | CounterStrike 2, LoL, Dota 2, Honor Of Kings, Starcraft, Valororant, Rainbow Six, Esoccer, Ebasketball | Footy Multi-bet offer: Earn up to 65% on AFL, NRL, and Rugby Pacific Multi Bets | In-Play betting for some Esports matches | |
| BlueBet | BlueBet | 6/10 | No Esports offered, but full range of other sports, including Australian Rules, Boxing, and Cricket | AFL 12 Points Up Early Payout: BlueBet will payout if your team is 12 points or more ahead at half time, win or lose | Statwars – multi product that allows you to make head-to-head player multis | |
| PlayUp | PlayUp | 5.5/10 | No Epsorts, but over 20 other sports, including ice hockey, surfing, and soccer | You need to log in to see this site’s most up-to-date promotions and bonuses. | Offers 24/7 customer support, both over the phone and using live chat | |
| betr | betr | 5/10 | No Epsorts but over 15 other sports, such as tennis, motorsports and mixed martial arts | AFL / Round 11 H2H Mega Multi Special: Place 3+ leg, 5+ leg, 7+ leg, Head-to-head Multi across round 11 AFL games; if the maximum of 1, 2, or 3 legs fail, get Bonus Cash back up to $50 | Clean, easy-to-use site and app with minimal clutter |
01
Picklebet
Key Features
Picklebet started as a dedicated Esports betting Australia site. Three Esports fans decided that a site that only offered Esports would be great. So Nicholas Heaney, Damon Oudejans, and Jordan Oudejans launched Picklebet in 2020.
The site became so successful that it entered the conventional sports market. It now offers an extensive range of sports betting, horse racing, and Esports. Picklebet has apps for Android and iOS, and the sportsbook works well on all platforms.
Bonuses, promotions, and benefits
Picklebet does have bonuses and promotions designed for Esports fans. At the time of review, the site had two Esports promotions available: Dota 2 promotion: Xtreme Gaming, Team Liquid & Gaimin Gladiators, and a CounterStrike wager on the CCT Season 1 Global Finals.
However, the sportsbook offers bonuses and promotions on Esports as well as traditional sports. For example, there’s an NBA 4+ Same Game Multi Bonus Back Up of up to $50.
Deposit and Withdrawal options
Picklebet has worked hard to offer its players fast, secure deposit and withdrawal methods. In Australia, it accepts the following methods:
- Visa, Mastercard
- PayID (bank transfer)
- Apple Pay
- GooglePay
The sportsbook offers fast withdrawals. However, your account must be fully verified before you can withdraw.
Betting markets and odds
Picklebet’s biggest strength is still in the Esports market and compares well to other sportsbooks. You’ll find markets on all of the top Esports, including Dota 2, Valorant, CounterStrike, and League of Legends. When we looked at League of Legends, we found 74 markets, including GLL 2024 Summer and LVP SL 2024 Summer.
Its traditional sports betting markets are also impressive. You can wager on baseball, tennis, soccer, and basketball. When we compared Picklebet’s odds on the top sports, such as Australian Rules, we found that they matched well with the competition.
Safety and security
Picklebet is licensed and regulated by Australia’s Northern Territory Government. In Southern Australia, Picklebet is governed by a Code Of Practice. This means the sportsbook operates legally in Australia and is regularly audited and monitored.
The sportsbook continually updates its safety and security measures. To safeguard players’ data, it uses the latest SSL encryption technologies. The sportsbook also monitors and updates its software and hardware regularly.
02
Bet365
Key Features
Bet365 is a leading global sportsbook licensed in multiple jurisdictions. Denise Coates launched it in 2001 from a portable building in Stoke-On-Trent, UK. She managed to grow the company from its humble beginnings into the international giant that it is today.
Bet365 has become such a huge success partly because it offers a massive range of sports, competitive odds, fantastic live streaming, and results tracking.
Bonuses, promotions, and benefits
Bet365 has so many bonuses and promotions that it has had to divide them into eight categories: Special Offers, Horse Racing, Greyhounds, Harness Racing, Soccer, Other Sports, UK and Ireland Horse Racing, UK and Ireland Greyhounds.
Each category has a number of different offers. For example, in Horse Racing, we found offers like 365 Top Tote + and 365 International.
Deposit and Withdrawal options
In Australia, bet365 offers its own Mastercard and accepts a range of other payment methods. bet365 accepts the following deposit methods:
- Visa
- Maestro
- Mastercard
- Bet365 Mastercard
- Apple Pay
- PayPal
- GooglePay
- PayID
- PaySafeCard
- Flexepin
- Click To Pay
There are no fees for making deposits or withdrawals from bet365 Australia. Most of these methods offer instant deposits; however, this depends on the provider.
Bet365 accepts the following withdrawal methods:
- Visa
- Maestro
- Mastercard
- Bet365 Mastercard
- Apple Pay
- PayPal
- PayID
Your account has to be fully verified before you can make a withdrawal.
Betting markets and odds
This sportsbook offers one of the largest ranges of traditional sports markets. At the time of review, we counted over 30 traditional sports available to Aussies. You can wager on skiing, speedway, netball, golf, and other sports.
The sportsbook also offers eight Esports betting Australia options, including League of Legends, Dota 2, Honor Of Kings, and a wide selection of eSoccer games. You’ll find markets on League Of Legends LEC Summer, Dota 2 Dreamleague, and Valorant – VCT Masters Shanghai.
Safety and security
Bet365 is licensed in Australia by the Northern Territory Government. Therefore, it has to abide by the rules and regulations of the Government.
As part of its license, the sportsbook must ensure that players’ data is adequately protected. To do this, bet365 employs the latest security technologies, including SSL encryption.
03
BlueBet
Key Features
Michael Sullivan launched Bluebet in 2015. You might have heard of Michael, as he’s been an important figure in online betting in Australia for over 30 years. When he started Bluebet, he already had over 30 years of experience in online betting, having started Sportsbet many years previously.
Since its launch, the sportsbook has gone from strength to strength. BlueBet offers an extensive range of sports and markets. However, it doesn’t provide Esports betting in Australia. It also gives players the unique Statwars feature, where they can place head-to-head players multis using player props markets.
Bonuses, promotions, and benefits
Bluebet’s site offers a large selection of bonuses and promotions. At the time of our review, we found over 20 bonuses. One is a First Ever Deposit offer, a 100% match deposit bonus of up to $100.
If you enjoy wagering on the AFL, you’ll find 3 bonuses for the season, including one that allows you to combine NRL and AFL multis, called the Footy Multi Bonus.
Deposit and Withdrawal options
There’s a good selection of payment methods for Epsorts betting Australia at BlueBet. It only works with internationally recognised, secure payment providers.
BlueBet accepts the following deposit methods. However, the ones available to you will vary depending on your location and account details.
- BPAY
- bank EFT
- Apple Pay
- PayPal
- Visa
- Google Pay
- Mastercard
- PayID
Making withdrawals from BlueBet is straightforward. Like all sportsbooks in Australia, BlueBet will need to verify your account before you can withdraw. You can withdraw using EFT, PayPal, or International Funds Transfer.
Betting markets and odds
The sportsbook offers an extensive range of sports to bet on. When our Betsquare team reviewed the site, we found over 20 sports available. The site offers various sports, including Australian rules, rugby league, boxing, and ice hockey.
The odds offered on Bluebet markets are very competitive. We checked the odds on the up-and-coming AFL games and found they were in keeping with the odds offered at bet365 and PickleBet.
Safety and security
BlubeBet is licensed and regulated by the Northern Territory Racing Commission. For players in Southern Australia, it is regulated by the Southern Australia Gambling Codes Of Practice.
The company is committed to creating a safe playing environment. It monitors and updates its hardware and software and uses TLS encryption protocols.
04
PlayUp
Key Features
PlayUp develops its betting technologies in-house to enhance player experience. Its scalable, robust online betting platform offers fixed-odds sports betting and fixed-odds racing. It also provides Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) through its Draftstars platform.
The platform, launched in 2014, has a loyal following among Australian players. PlayUp offers a good range of sports and markets.
Bonuses, promotions, and benefits
PlayUP offers various bonuses and promotions on its site. Its bonuses are focused on traditional sports, such as Soccer, AFL, and NRL. However, it doesn’t have any bonuses for Esports betting Australia.
Deposit and Withdrawal options
You can use a variety of payment methods at PlayUp. Here are the methods PlayUp accepts:
- Visa debit or credit
- Mastercard debit or credit
- Apple Pay
- PayID
- Direct deposit
- BPAY
- CashUp
The minimum deposit for all these methods is $0.10, and the maximum deposit for all except CashUp is $100,000.00. CashUp’s maximum deposit limit is $8,000. You can make withdrawals by using direct debit or PayID.
Betting markets and odds
PlayUp offers wagering on over 20 sports, but we didn’t find any Epsorts betting Australia options at the time of review. There’s a good choice of markets for most top sports. When we checked the markets for the Indian Premier League, there were 51 markets, including Head-to-Head, Top Run Scorer, and Highest Opening Partnership.
Safety and security
PlayUp is governed by the Southern Australian Gambling Code of Practice for Southern Australian residents. In the Northern Territory, it’s regulated by the Australia Northern Territory Racing Commission.
It continually monitors and updates its systems to keep up with technological changes and maintain players’ data security.
05
betr
Key Features
The betr sportsbook launched in Australia in 2022. Its founder, Matthew Tripp, has been responsible for a great deal of market consolidation in Australia. He has spearheaded the acquisition of sportsbooks, merged them together, and sold them. For example, he acquired Sportsbet in 2005 and sold it to PaddyPower in 2011.
Betr offers an extensive selection of sports, including AFL, NRL, cricket, and boxing. However, at the time of review, we didn’t find any Esports betting in Australia. One of betr’s best features is its excellent Tips and Stats section, where you can get expert opinions from Ben Dixon, Josh Morris, Jason Dunstall, and others.
Bonuses, promotions, and benefits
When we reviewed Betr, we found 13 bonuses. There are offers for horse racing, AFL, greyhound racing, and NRL. You can place 2 Same Game Multis and add them together, which can really increase the odds.
Deposit and Withdrawal options
The deposit methods are limited at betr, compared to the other Esports betting Australia sites. betr accepts the following deposit methods:
- Visa
- Mastercard
- PayID
- Bank transfer
The only withdrawal method available to us was Bank transfer. However, other methods may be available, as they vary according to your account details and location.
Betting markets and odds
When we carried out our review, we found 18 sports available for wagering. There’s a good selection, including mixed martial arts, motorsports, racing specials, and volleyball.
We looked at the markets available for the NBL game between Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers and found over 20. You can bet on Player Blocks, Player Steals, handicaps, total points, and more.
The odds at betr compare well with the other sportsbooks. Of course, you need to look at each event individually, but overall, the odds aligned with the others.
Safety and security
Like other sportsbooks, betr is regulated by the Northern Territory Racing Commission and the Southern Australian Gambling Code Of Practice.
The sportsbook uses the latest encryption technologies and regularly updates its software. betr encourages players to gamble responsibly at all times and provides a range of tools and information to assist them.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, Australia has a great variety of excellent sportsbooks. For esports betting in Australia, PickleBet and Bet365 have to be our top picks.
Both sportsbooks offer an impressive selection of Esports games and competitions. They also have the added advantage of providing plenty of traditional sports, with a wide choice of markets and competitive odds.
However, PickleBet comes out on top because of its Esports bonuses. So, if you’re looking to wager on the next round of League of Legends, CounterStrike, Dota 2, or any of the other fantastic Esports games, it’s worth checking out PickleBet.
Our Review Process
At Betsquare.com, as a leading online casino affiliate website, we maintain robust sourcing standards. Our insights are derived from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and authoritative industry associations. We steer clear of tertiary references, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of our content. For a deeper understanding of our content verification processes, explore our editorial policy.
Our team of experts diligently monitors the online casino industry, ensuring our articles remain current and relevant by promptly incorporating the latest available information.
Current Version
Dec 7, 2022
Written By
Lisa Cheban
Factchecked By
Simon Young
