It's horse-racing season in Australia but cost-of-living pressures have contributed to a shrinking betting market for the sport. While wagers on big events like the Melbourne Cup remain popular, bookmakers are competing hard for punters across the rest of the season.  

So which brands are winning the race right now? 

Which betting companies do Australian horse-racing fans prefer? 

The first thing to note is that, compared to the general Australian population, horseracing fans are more likely to consider every betting company we asked about. That’s probably no surprise given that fan interest in the sport is typically driven by gambling activity.  

But it’s Sportsbet and TAB that beat the field when it comes the most considered betting brands among racing fans – and by some considerable distance.  

Just over half this segment (56%) would most consider Sportsbet the next time they are in the market for a flutter, while exactly half say the same of TAB.  

These two brands are similarly popular with the average Australian and it’s only lower down the list that bigger differences between the views of the general public and horseracing fans emerge.  

Bet365, for example, is almost twice as popular among fans of racing as it among the general population (27% vs. 15%), while Neds and Dabble show bigger differences still between the two groups, albeit from a position of lower popularity (consideration runs 15% vs 6% and 11% vs 5% respectively).  

Ladbrokes is the fourth most popular brand among race watchers when it comes to consideration, with one in four (25%) saying they would consider the company when next in the market.  

While the market for betting on horseracing remains soft, the industry is optimistic about growth in other sports this year. GSIQ data also reveals insights about betting habits in other sports too (TAB is most popular among union fans, for example). Get in touch if you want to find out more.  

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