There’s an old joke that if two flies are crawling up a wall in Australia, they will soon attract onlookers betting on which will be first to the top. Placing a wager is an established part of Australian culture. In this age of online casinos and sports betting sites, doing so is easier than ever – even in these uncertain times.
The online age has also increased the choice of events and games on which to wager, although none of them seem to be covering Fly Racing Live from Sydney, at least not yet. Here, we take a look at the most popular games and events to bet on Down Under.
Pokies
To most of the world, they are slot games, but Australians call them pokies, and they have been the most popular type of gambling game in Australia for decades. They are not just in casinos, you also find them in pubs, cafes and truck stops across the country. Of course, these days, there are dozens of platforms offering online pokies too – take a look at https://www.australiancasinosites.com/ to see some of the choices available.
Horse racing
Australians love their sport, and the most popular one to bet on is horse racing. Even those who have little interest in the sport will lay down a dollar or two on iconic races like the Melbourne Cup, which is run every November at Melbourne’s historic Flemington racecourse. Online bookies also give today’s Australians easy access to betting on other horse races all over the world, from the Grand National in the UK to America’s Kentucky Derby.
Blackjack
One of the oldest card games in the world that is still commonly played, blackjack is hugely popular in Australia’s land-based casinos, and can also be played online. The key to its popularity is that it is a simple game that we all know how to play, but it rewards strategic play unlike, for example, pokies or the roulette wheel, where all you can do is place your bet, watch, and hope.
Football
Back to the sports betting, and in a close second behind horse racing comes football. In Australia, that means Aussie Rules as opposed to soccer, although the latter is popular among punters, too. The biggest event of the year from a gambling perspective is the AFL Grand Final, which concludes the season and is played every October. Last year’s winners were the Richmond Tigers, who beat the Geelong Cats at the Gabba stadium in Brisbane.
Video poker
Here’s the game that coined the nickname “pokies.” While that term has come to be more associated with slots, video poker itself still has a strong following. It’s the most straightforward form of poker to play, so it’s ideal for those who are new to the game. Once they get to grips with the basics, it often serves as a launchpad to trying out more complex variations of poker like Texas Holdem and Omaha.