- Racing Multibets Max pay-out of $500k on racing
- Max pay-out of $500k on sports or sports/racing combined multi bets
- Max pay-out of $500k on any bet subject to Betstar terms and conditions
- Stake limit of $10k on ‘Pick Your Own Odds’ wagers
- Max pay-out of $25k on ‘Pick Your Own Odds’ wagers
Okay, so you are either looking for a new betting agency, or you are considering signing up with one for the first time. If you are looking for up to date and accurate information on Betstar, then you are in the right place.
However, we’re not going to recommend BetStar, simply because they underperformed on our tests. Instead, we suggest you take a look at our in-depth review of bet365 and see why we think they are currently the best betting site in Australia. Bet365 offers not only a massive selection of sports and markets but also live streaming and a range of exciting promotions.
Jump straight to:
- A wide range of markets available on horse racing, sports and novelty betting
- Betstar card allows instant access to winnings
- Odds could be a bit more aggressive
- Less betting specials than Ladbrokes
Betstar Information And Facts
Back in 2007, a pair of father and son owned independent bookies merged to form Betstar. Michael and Alan Eskander’s new venture snowballed, and by 2009 it was one of the best Australian betting companies. In April 2014 European giants Ladbrokes Coral paid $22 million for Betstar as they looked to expand into new international markets.
Betstar is one of three online betting companies in Australia run by the British company now, along with Ladbrokes Australia and Bookmaker.com.au. The current chairman of Ladbrokes Australia (and Betstar) is Jason Scott.
Betstar History
Home-grown and home-raised, this bookie is an expanding firm that came into being around 2007. Initially a family business, it now supports over forty staff, divided between their offices. With annual revenues of $275 million per year, it certainly started as no small fish in the bookmaker’s ocean.
This bookmaking firm is located and was started within Darwin and Melbourne. Father and son bookmakers, Michael and Alan Eskander, had both been operating as separate bookmakers when they decided to merge their two businesses.
By October 2009, the Business Review Weekly Fast 100 Company – which ranks companies according to their average annual turnover expansion over three years – announced Betstar as a BRW Fast 100 company. In 2014, the conglomerate giant Ladbrokes bought over the firm and the rest, as they say, is history!
In-Play Betting
Online in-play betting is outlawed in Australia due to the Interactive Gaming Act, but bookmakers can still display in running odds. Although you cannot take those prices on your desktop or mobile device, all you have to do is pick up the phone to bet in-play with Betstar. You can call Betstar on 1300 238 722, and you can place your wager that way (minimum stake $20).
However, keep in mind that BetStar lacks some advanced live betting markets that are usually available at other top betting sites, such as bet365. If you want to enjoy a better range of in-play bets, we suggest switching to another betting site.
How To Bet In-Play With Betstar?
- Open a Betstar account
- Head to the ‘Live Betting’ section of the website/mobile app
- Find the bet that you wish to make and the odds you want to take
- Call 1300 238 722 to place your bet (minimum stake $20)
How Good Are Betstar Odds?
When it comes to value and generosity of odds, Betstar has room for improvement. Their prices are usually the same as, or similar to, their sister companies Ladbrokes and Bookmakers.com.au. This is the case for the vast majority of sports, and we will go into more detail on the odds they offer on horse racing later on.
To illustrate the pretty significant difference between the odds on offer from Betstar and some of their industry rivals, we looked at the odds for a recent A-League match between Melbourne Victory and Brisbane Roar. Betstar’s book on the match had an over round of 107.36%, whereas Bet365 Australia’s over round was 105.1%. That is a difference of over 2.2%, and it demonstrates that Betstar likes to stack the odds in their favour.
If you’re searching for bookmakers that offer great odds, we suggest you skip BetStar and take a look at some of the sites below. Our tests show that they consistently offer some of the highest prices in Australia.
Betting Sites with the Best Odds
Betstar Horse Racing Betting
Horse racing is one of the nation’s favourite sports and Betstar take their racing betting very seriously. Betstar offer prices on all the best domestic action, including Australia’s biggest race The Melbourne Cup. They also cover all local, European and International meetings. Similar to their sports betting odds, their racing odds are below average in comparison to their competitors.
No matter what sort of wagers you want to place, Betstar more than likely has you covered. Whether your preference is to keep it simple with win, place, full fluc or each-way bets, or if you prefer to mix it up with quinellas, exactas, trifectas, quadrellas or First Four wagers, Betstar caters to all your betting needs. Some payout and bet limits apply when betting on horse racing with Betstar and we examine those in more detail below.
Betstar Horse Racing Odds Comparison
As you can see from the table below, BetStar holds its ground when it comes to the odds on horse racing. In this test, they came second behind Neds by a slight margin of just 1.1%, while being better than third-placed bet365. Always run these kinds of odds comparison test before you start betting because it’s the easiest way to be sure that you got the highest odds possible.
BetStar Horse Racing Odds Comparison
| Elle A Walking | 3.90 | 3.80 | 3.90 |
| Aloof’s Turf | 3.60 | 3.80 | 3.60 |
| Given Time | 3.30 | 3.20 | 3.40 |
| Love Me Ruby | 3.40 | 3.20 | 3.50 |
| Good Catch | 13.00 | 13.00 | 12.00 |
| Magic Belinda | 16.00 | 16.00 | 16.00 |
| Gunga Galunga | 51.00 | 61.00 | 51.00 |
| Danz The Man | 51.00 | 61.00 | 51.00 |
| Overround | 131% | 132.4% | 129.9% |
Betstar Mobile And Web App Betting
These days, the ability to bet on the move is a key consideration when you are trying to find your ideal bookie. No matter what your device you can bet on the go with Betstar via their mobile site and apps.
Their android app can be downloaded directly from the Betstar site, and it works on all new Android phones/tablets. Those with Blackberry, Nokia or Windows devices can use the Betstars web app by visiting the site on their device.
How To Download The Betstar Android App
- Open a Betstar account by clicking here
- Visit the Betstar Site where you will find links to download the free mobile app
- Click on the link and the App will download to your android device
- Install, log in and start betting
If you use an iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch head to the App Store and you can download the Betstar Mobile App for free. For iPhone/iPad/iPod touch users IOS 8.0 or later is required to run the Betstar App. You must be at least 17 years old to download this App from the App Store.
How To Download The Betstar iPhone/iPad App
- Follow this link to open an account with Betstar
- Go to the App Store and search for ‘Betstar’
- Download the free Betstar App (IOS 8.0 or later)
- Install, log in and bet on the go
Betstar Deposit And Withdrawal Methods
- Instant Deposit/Withdrawal Methods: Credit Card, Ladbrokes Card, PayPal, POLi, Flexepin
- Non-Instant Deposit /Withdrawal Methods: BPAY, Bank Transfer
- Minimum Deposit/Withdrawal: $10
Banking Facilities should be another important consideration when you are deciding which is the best bookmaker for you. Betstar has a solid range of options for either depositing or withdrawing your winnings. The instant deposit methods include Credit Cards, Betstar Card, POLi and Flexepin. Note that PayPal betting is available as well! Non-instant methods include bank transfers and BPAY.
When withdrawing money from your account, most of the above methods can be used except for credit cards. There is only one way you can instantly access your winnings, and that is by using the Betstar Visa Card. Withdrawals via bank transfer and PayPal usually take between 2/3 days. You must verify your account before making any withdrawals, and to find out how to do that just read below.
Betstar Bet Limits And Payouts
Betstar, just like most other bookies, protects themselves from losing it all by imposing strict win limits on racing and sports. It can get quite confusing with horse racing, especially, as there are different win limits across different jurisdictions. Hopefully, our guide to Betstar’s win limits below will help you to see things a bit more clearly.
Betstar Horse Racing/Sports Bet Limits And Payouts
Betstar Regional Horse Racing Win Limits
Win limits for racing can vary massively with Betstar. At the time of writing the below figures were the correct Betstar win limits on racing.
Win Limits Table
| Australian Metropolitan Thoroughbred | $100,000 | $50,000 | $50,000 | $50,000 | $75,000 | $100,000 | $300,000 |
| NZ and Australian Provincial Thoroughbred | $50,000 | $25,000 | $25,000 | $25,000 | $50,000 | $50,000 | $100,000 |
| Australian Country Thoroughbred | $50,000 | $25,000 | $25,000 | $25,000 | $50,000 | $50,000 | $50,000 |
| Hong Kong | $25,000 | $12,500 | $12,500 | $12,500 | $25,000 | $25,000 | $50,000 |
| Singapore | $25,000 | $12,500 | $12,500 | $12,500 | $25,000 | $25,000 | $50,000 |
| Great Britain | $25,000 | $12,500 | $12,500 | $12,500 | $25,000 | $25,000 | $50,000 |
| Australian Metropolitan Harness | $50,000 | $25,000 | $25,000 | $25,000 | $50,000 | $50,000 | $50,000 |
| NZ and Australian Non-Metropolitan Harness | $25,000 | $12,500 | $12,500 | $12,500 | $25,000 | $25,000 | $50,000 |
| Australian Metropolitan Greyhound | $30,000 | $15,000 | $10,000 | $10,000 | $15,000 | $15,000 | $50,000 |
| NZ and Australian Non-Metropolitan Greyhound | $15,000 | $10,000 | $5,000 | $5,000 | $10,000 | $10,000 | $50,000 |
| All other Non-Australian Thoroughbred | $15,000 | $10,000 | $5,000 | $5,000 | $10,000 | $10,000 | $50,000 |
| All Other | $10,000 | $5,000 | $3,000 | $3,000 | $5,000 | $5,000 | $5,000 |
Betstar Customer Service
The importance of providing swift and courteous customer service cannot be underestimated. There are several ways customers can get in touch with Betstar, including via all the usual avenues like email, telephone or post. If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you can escalate matters via the Betstar dispute resolution process. If you want to get in touch with Betstar, you will find all the important numbers and addresses below.
- Telephone: 1300 238 782 (AUS)/ +61 7 3350 0782 (INT) (7 days 8am-11pm QLD time)
- Address: 461-473 Lutwyche Road, Lutwyche, QLD, 4030
- Email: [email protected] (aim to reply within 48 hours)
How To Verify Your Betstar Account?
- Open a Betstar account
- Go to the ‘My Account’ section and select ‘Verification Centre’
- You will be asked to provide an official ID document
- These include Passport or Driving Licence
- Another document is required for proof of address (e.g. Medicare)
- If your details check out, your Betstar account will be fully activated
Is Betstar A Bookmaker You Can Trust?
When you sign up with a betting company, you have to part with a lot of sensitive personal information. For peace of mind, it helps to know that you can trust your chosen betting agency with the info, and also with your hard-earned dollars. Ladbrokes Coral owns Betstar, and they have decades of online experience behind them. They take a plethora of measures to ensure your money and data is kept safe, and we list some of the most important ones below.
- Betstar will store data securely, and it won’t be kept longer than is necessary
- Password protected databases and systems
- Tightly restricted physical access to offices
- Databases and firewalls to keep personal information secure from misuse, loss or unauthorised use
- Secure servers using high-level encryption minimise the risk of illegal use of information
Betstar Company Info
Owner
GVC Australia Pty Ltd
Founded in
2007
CEO
Alan Eskander
Revenue
$275.94 million
Headquarters
Melbourne & Darwin, Australia
Speciality
Horse racing
Responsible Gambling
Betstar wants customers to enjoy themselves, but they try to ensure that punters play responsibly. It is always refreshing to see a bookmaker proactively promoting responsible gambling, and Betstar does just that.
Sometimes gambling can get out of hand, and Betstar has many tools that can be used to help you if you feel your betting habits are harming your life. The fact that you can set a deposit limit on the sign-up form shows that Betstar takes responsible gambling seriously. Below are just some of Betstar’s policies to ensure you gamble responsibly.
- Allowing customers to set a pre-commitment or deposit limit
- Allowing customers to self-exclude (either temporarily or permanently)
- Providing Responsible Gambling information and messages
- Training staff about Responsible Gambling at induction and at least every two years
- Referring customers who are at risk of problem gambling to gambling-related support services
Betstar – Conclusion
Betstar comes with more than a few major downsides. For us, the areas in which Betstar could improve are in customer service (improve response times), and the inherited from Ladbrokes underwhelming betting odds.
However, the Betstar Card (instant access to winnings), their ‘Pick Your Own Odds’ facility, their generous maximum pay-outs and admirable approach to responsible gambling are just some of the notable positives. But if you want to bet at a site that offers all of the perks, it would be better to check out one of our featured bookmakers instead.
After doing this review, we realised that there are several much better betting sites than Betstar. Take a look at what we think are the best Betstar alternatives.
List of top online betting sites
BetStar FAQs
Who owns Betstar?
Betstar is a corporate betting company that caters to the needs of Australian punters. The company is owned by Michael and Alan Eskander, father and son. They have been acquired by Ladbrokes in 2014.
When was Betstar established?
Betstar was established in 2007 by Michael Eskander and his son Alan Eskander. The company is based in Melbourne and Darwin. It is one of the most popular bookies in Australia.
What payment methods are accepted at Betstar Australia?
You can deposit using a variety of deposit methods, such as PayPal, POLi, VISA, MasterCard, BPAY, Flexepin and the proprietary Betstar Card. Transaction periods depend on the method you decide to deposit/withdraw with.
Is Betstar safe?
Yes, Betstar is a well-known Australian bookie with a great track record. They are owned by Ladbrokes, which is one of the largest European online betting sites. Both Betstar and Ladbrokes have all the necessary licences, so you don’t have to worry about safety.
