Bookmakers and their digital paths to punters

Sportsbet continues to dominate Australia’s online wagering market in terms of website traffic, but digital intelligence suggests the country’s biggest bookmakers are increasingly differentiating themselves through customer acquisition, engagement, and retention strategies rather than simply competing on size.

Data from digital analytics platform Similarweb shows Sportsbet attracted an estimated 15.29 million website visits between March and May, comfortably ahead of TAB (11 million) and bet365 (7.94 million), reinforcing its position as Australia’s largest online bookmaker.

Collectively, the eight major operators analysed generated more than 42.6 million website visits during the three‑month period, with Sportsbet, TAB and bet365 accounting for more than 80 per cent of that traffic.

*The figures measure website activity only and do not include mobile app usage, which represents a significant proportion of digital wagering in Australia.

Growth story differs from market leadership 

Sportsbet remained the clear traffic leader, but it was not the fastest‑growing operator over the period.

Ladbrokes recorded the strongest month‑on‑month increase in website traffic at almost 29 per cent, significantly outpacing PointsBet (13.4 per cent), TAB (9.5 per cent) and Sportsbet (6.3 per cent). This could be partially attributed to seasonality with the football seasons moving into full swing.

The figures point to operators pursuing increasingly different digital strategies, with some prioritising customer acquisition while others appear focused on retaining existing clients.

Engagement tells another story 

Traffic volume is only one measure of online performance.

Among the major bookmakers, Neds produced the longest average website session at just over 25 minutes, more than twice the average visit recorded by Sportsbet.

Betfair also ranked highly for engagement, with visitors spending an average of more than 13 minutes on the site while viewing almost 12 pages per visit, reflecting the behaviour of exchange bettors who typically spend more time analysing markets.

Sportsbet, despite attracting by far the largest audience, recorded shorter average sessions and fewer page views than several competitors, consistent with a broader mainstream customer base.

Different paths to customers 

The marketing data highlights markedly different approaches to customer acquisition.

Sportsbet generated almost three‑quarters of its traffic directly, while, according to the Similarweb data, paid search accounted for less than one per cent of visits, reflecting the strength of its brand and established customer base.

TAB displayed a similar profile according to the data, relying heavily on direct traffic and organic search rather than paid digital advertising.

Ladbrokes, by contrast, generated more than six per cent of its traffic from paid search, the highest proportion among the major operators, indicating a greater emphasis on attracting new customers through digital marketing.

With its global brand, Bet365 stood apart again, with more than 15 per cent of its traffic arriving via social media, around four times Sportsbet’s level and comfortably the highest among the bookmakers analysed.

Mobile and desktop audiences diverge 

The data also reveals significant differences in how punters access bookmaker websites.

Neds generated more than 73 per cent of its traffic from mobile browsers, making it the most mobile‑oriented operator in the comparison, while TAB and Ladbrokes also attracted around two‑thirds of their website traffic via mobile devices.

By contrast, according to the data, Betfair and PointsBet remained heavily desktop‑based, accounting for around two‑thirds of visits, reflecting their appeal to more active and analytical bettors.

Sportsbet’s audience was almost evenly split between desktop and mobile users, underscoring its broad appeal across customer segments.

A market becoming more specialised 

Taken together, the data suggests Australia’s online wagering market is becoming increasingly segmented.

Sportsbet continues to dominate through scale and brand recognition, while TAB has maintained a loyal audience despite fierce competition from its corporate rivals.

Ladbrokes appears to be investing in customer acquisition, Neds has built unusually strong engagement with existing customers, bet365 continues to leverage a diversified digital marketing strategy, and Betfair and PointsBet remain focused on specialist audiences.

Although website traffic represents only part of the digital wagering landscape, the figures provide a compelling snapshot of how Australia’s leading bookmakers are positioning themselves as competition intensifies.

Summary

While Australia’s online wagering market remains highly competitive, the traffic data suggests it is becoming increasingly concentrated around a handful of established operators.

Across the eight bookmakers analysed, Sportsbet, TAB and bet365 generated a combined 34.2 million website visits between March and May, representing just over 80 per cent of all traffic measured.

The figures reinforce the scale advantage enjoyed by the industry’s three largest brands, leaving Ladbrokes to head a second tier of operators that includes its sister brand Neds as well as Betfair, PointsBet and Betr.

Yet the data also shows success is no longer defined solely by audience size.

Ladbrokes recorded the strongest growth in website traffic during the period, Neds attracted the most engaged customers by average session duration, bet365 generated the highest proportion of traffic from social media and affiliate channels, while Betfair and PointsBet continued to attract a more desktop‑oriented audience consistent with experienced and analytical punters.

Those differences suggest Australia’s wagering operators are increasingly competing through distinct digital strategies rather than pursuing the same customer in the same way.

For Sportsbet, scale and brand recognition continue to deliver market leadership.

TAB retains the strength of an established domestic customer base, while rivals are increasingly seeking competitive advantage through targeted acquisition campaigns, customer engagement or specialist product offerings.

Although website traffic represents only one measure of digital performance and excludes mobile app activity, the Similarweb figures provide one of the clearest publicly available snapshots of how Australia’s online bookmakers are competing for customers in an increasingly mature market.