Popular culture is full of myths and clichés about Australia and its people – from endless barbies on the beach to every living creature being on a mission to kill you. Some of these are somewhat exaggerated, but there’s one Australian characteristic that is borne out by hard mathematics. The Australians love having a wager more than any other nationality.
Everyone’s a gambler
The UK is often considered the traditional home of gambling. That’s probably due to its long history of casinos and sports betting shops. But while around 60 percent of British adults gamble regularly, that number goes up to 83 percent in Australia. That’s a higher rate of gamblers than any other country on the planet.
Australians bet big
When we talk about “regular gamblers” in most places, the majority are spending a couple of dollars a week on a lotto ticket. Now Australians love their lotto, but that is only the start of it. Industry statistics show that the average Australian wagers $1,200 every year. That doesn’t only make them the biggest spenders in the world – they spend about the same as the second and third biggest spenders put together! In case you’re curious, the Republic of Ireland comes in second at just over $600 per year.
Online gambling is booming
In 2021 the number of Australians gambling online increased by 50 percent, with more than one in ten using online casinos or sports betting sites. The best online casinos in Australia offer thousands of real money pokies and other casino games, as well as a variety of convenient payment options. Crypto payments are a popular choice among Australian online gamblers due to local restrictions that can restrict conventional bank transfers and card payments.
Pokies rule the roost
Americans call them slots, the British call them fruit machines, but in Australia, you play the pokies. They are not just seen online and in Australia’s 1,800 plus casinos. Pokies are also part of the landscape in pubs, cafes, truck stops and just about anywhere else you can think of. Around 50 percent of all gambling revenue is generated by pokies – so that’s as much as Australians wager on other casino games, poker, sports betting, lotto tickets and scratch cards all put together!
Sports betting has an international edge
A passion for sport is another of those clichéd Australian characteristics that is absolutely true. As well as participating, Australian love to bet on it. While typical Australian sports like Aussie rules football and cricket are popular among sports bettors, they are eclipsed by the most popular sport in the world. Australia proved at the World Cup that they are a growing force in soccer, making the final 16 where they put up a real fight against eventual winners Argentina. From a betting perspective, however, Australians follow the distant European leagues such as the EPL and Bundesliga. Horse racing, Formula One, golf and boxing are also popular sports to bet on.