Here at AussieBet, you will find all the information you need about all the biggest and best Australian betting companies. This time TAB Sportsbet is put under the spotlight, and if you are thinking about becoming a member, you are in the right place. It’s important to know all the downsides of TAB, such as subpar odds and often disappointing selection of markets.
Since these aren’t exactly minor flaws, we strongly suggest you take a look at other options. So far, bet365 sportsbooks have proven to be the best in the business. From live streaming to betting specials, they are the number one!
- Access to live streaming of horse racing and NBA
- Cover all Australian racing plus a large number of international sports
- Depth of markets for sports are disappointing
- Odds are usually beneath the industry average
Information And Facts
TAB Sportsbet is part of Tabcorp holdings, an ASX listed company since 1994. The TAB brand was first unveiled all the way back in 1964, and they are licensed in both NSW and VIC. They have over 2500 retail units in both territories, and TAB Sportsbet gives punters a chance to bet on horse racing and sports online.
It is against the law for Aussie bookies to offer online in-play betting due to the Interactive Gambling Act. However, TAB Sportsbet advertises in-play odds on their site, and you can place in-running wagers over the phone.
If you bet mainly on horse racing, then TAB Sportsbet is well worth checking out. Members can access Sky Racing 1, Sky Racing 2 and Sky Thoroughbred Central for free via the TAB Sportsbet site. This allows members to bet and watch the best international and domestic horse racing action.
Blog
Sometimes it is nice to have a helping hand when trying to pick out those elusive winners. Well, with the TAB Sportsbet Blog, you can access a wealth of information on a wide range of sports. TAB Sportsbet’s experts analyse all the biggest Aussie and International racing and sporting events. It’s not the best one available though, since the Unibet Blog still offers much more in-depth info and stats.
The TAB Sportsbet blog is easily accessed via a link on the drop-down menu on the left-hand side of the home page. You will find regularly updated articles on racing, NRL, AFL, soccer and NBA punting.
Live Betting
As we outlined earlier, the Interactive Gambling Act outlawed online in-play betting in Australia. However, most bookies still display in-play odds, and with TAB Sportsbet you dial 1300 408 773 to place your in-play wager.
Live betting is available across a wide range of sports with TAB Sportsbet, including basketball, soccer, golf, rugby, tennis, baseball, netball, volleyball and for the Commonwealth Games. However, our research shows that they still lag behind bet365 when it comes to the selection of in-play markets.
If you want to find out how to bet in-play with TAB Sportsbet check our guide below.
How To Bet In-Play at TAB?
- Open a TAB Sportsbet account
- Make a deposit
- Click on the ‘Live Betting’ button on the left-hand side of the main drop-down menu
- Find your odds and call 1300 408 773
- Place your in-play bet
Live Streaming
One area where TAB Sportsbet really stands out is through their live streaming service. If you open an account with TAB Sportsbet, you will instantly have access to Sky Racing 1 & 2 as well as Sky Thoroughbred Central. This means you can watch all the biggest and best-racing events in Australia and around the world. All you need to do is log in to your account and click on the ‘Video’ button in the top right-hand corner.
On the other hand, TAB falls behind competitors when it comes to the spots live streaming. Both bet365 and Unibet offer much more comprehensive live sports coverage, which includes everything from NBA and NFL to EPL and cricket. Take a look at Unibet or bet365 review to learn more.
TAB Mobile App And Web App Betting
Betting on the move has rocketed in popularity with Aussie punters in recent years. It is imperative that bookmakers provide bet apps and TAB Sportsbet have Apps for all devices. You can stream live racing to your device via the TAB Sportsbet mobile and web app and all the usual markets on sports and horse racing are available.
If you use an Apple iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch, you can download the TAB Sportsbet App from the App Store. It is 58.2 MB in size, it requires iOS 9.0 or later and location and age restrictions apply. The Android App can be downloaded directly from the TAB Sportsbet website. If you use a Blackberry, Nokia or Windows Phone, you can bet on the move by simply visiting TAB Sportsbet on your device. You will be automatically redirected to the Web App.
How Good Are TAB’s Odds?
Perhaps the most important thing to consider when opening an account with a bookie is the quality of odds and range of markets on offer. We had a look at the odds on offer from TAB Sportsbet, bet365 and Palmerbet for a recent AFL contest between Newcastle Knights and Brisbane Broncos.
When it came to the quality of odds, there wasn’t much difference between them. TAB Sportsbet had an over round of 110.1% in the head to head market, but Centrebet (109.47%) and Palmerbet (109.84%) had slightly better odds.
When it came to the number of markets for the above-mentioned match TAB lagged behind with just 56. Centrebet had 110 and Palmerbet were the next best with a total of 102 markets. So, when it comes to the generosity of odds and depth of markets, TAB Sportsbet has plenty of room for improvement.
TAB Horse Racing Odds Comparison
Unfortunately, TAB also doesn’t have a lot to offer when it comes to racing odds. As you can see from the table below, they came last, behind both bet365 and Palmerbet. If you want the best racing odds available, we suggest visiting one of those two bookies.
Hichaux | 5.00 | 5.00 | 4.80 |
Joyfull Prince | 71.00 | 71.00 | 51.00 |
Pharaoh’S Way | 61.00 | 61.00 | 51.00 |
Rossgo | 6.50 | 7.00 | 6.00 |
Vlamingh | 34.00 | 34.00 | 31.00 |
Yulong Captain | 1.45 | 1.50 | 1.45 |
Palace Raider | 81.00 | 81.00 | 67.00 |
Colonnade | 5.00 | 5.00 | 4.60 |
Overround | 131.6% | 128.2% | 136.9% |
TAB Sportsbet Horse Racing Betting
TAB Sportsbet are well known for their extensive horse racing betting suite. It is well laid out and very easy to navigate. Weight and Sky Rating are displayed for each race, and you can get the resident TAB expert view by clicking on the ‘Preview Show’ button.
All the usual betting options are available, including Win, Place, Trifecta, Quinella, Exacta, Duet, First 4, Quaddie, Daily Double and Running Double bets are offered. TAB Tote is offered for all events and TAB fixed odds are offered for most events. Fixed odds are available earlier than a lot of their rivals, and perhaps the best feature of all is that you can bet on horse racing and watch your selection run live via TAB Sportsbet live streaming.
Deposit And Withdrawal Methods
- Instant Deposit Methods: Credit/Debit Card, TAB Retail Outlets
- Non-Instant Deposit Methods: BPAY, Bank EFT
- Withdrawal Methods: Bank EFT, International Transfer, PayPal, Skrill, BPAY
Unfortunately, POLi Payments are no longer accepted at TAB Sportsbet, following the update of their webpage. No need to worry, though, if that’s your payment method of choice, check out our other POLi betting sites.
TAB Sportsbet has a limited range of banking facilities available as you can see above. Minimum deposit/withdrawal is $20. Before you make any withdrawals, you must verify your account and find out how just check our guide below.
Account Verification
- Log in to your TAB Sportsbet account
- Click on ‘Menu’ then click on ‘Pending Actions’
- Verify details of identification (driver’s license/passport, etc.) via desktop/mobile site
- If an account is not verified within 90 days, it will be suspended
Limits And Payouts
It is very common for bookies to protect their interests by imposing strict win limits for horse racing, sports and multi wagers. Most Australian bookmakers outline clearly in their terms and conditions what the win limits are, but that is not the case with TAB Sportsbet.
They are very vague on what their win limits are, simply stating that they will impose win limits at their own discretion. We think it is much better to know exactly how much you are allowed to win, and this has to be viewed as a major negative for TAB Sportsbet customers.
TAB Customer Service
As the old saying goes, the customer must always come first, and it is imperative that any business, no matter what the industry, provides quality customer service. TAB Sportsbet says the best way to contact them is via the help centre where you can fill out a query form. There are other ways to get in touch with TAB Sportsbet, and you will find the relevant contact details below.
Contact Details
- Telephone: Customer Service: 131 802
- Email: Via the‘ Contact Us’ section of the website. (same-day response time)
- Post: NSW: 680 George St, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia; VIC: Tower 2, 727 Collins St, Docklands VIC 3008, Australia
Is TAB A Bookmaker You Can Trust?
It is never easy to divulge sensitive personal information over the internet, especially your bank/credit card details. You need to know that your info will be stored safely and securely in a responsible manner and TAB Sportsbet do exactly that. We list some of the main ways in which they protect your sensitive information below.
- All personal details are stored on a secure server
- Protection of passwords using industry-standard encryption
- Measures to preserve system security and restrict unauthorised access
- Back-up systems to reduce the risk of accidental or malicious loss of data
- Credit cards may need to be verified as an added security measure
Responsible Gambling
Here at Aussiebet, we take the promotion of responsible gambling very seriously. We are glad to report that TAB Sportsbet share the same outlook. Some people get carried away with gambling, and it should always be enjoyable. If you think your gambling habit might be getting out of hand, you can use some of the resources and tools listed below.
- To help individuals who are experiencing trouble in managing their gambling, Tabcorp provides a Self-Exclusion program called BetCare
- Easily keep track of profits/losses by easily keeping track of transactions
- Pre-Commitment Limits: Set daily, weekly or monthly deposit limits on your account
- Self-Exclusion: Temporary or permanent self-exclusion available
- Links to and contact details for relevant gambling help services
Final Verdict
Overall, we weren’t too impressed with TAB sportsbook. There are some obvious negatives, including less than generous odds for sports, poor selection of markets in comparison to some of their rivals and limited banking facilities. The lack of defined win limits is another slight downside. Because of all this, it would be best to look at other options.
TAB FAQs
What does the acronym TAB stands for in the name of the bookamaker TAB?
TAB stands for Totalisator Agency Board, which was once a government owned organisation. It was the sole provider of betting services in Australia. Each territory had its own TAB. Take a look at the full review for more info about this bookie.
Is TAB available internationally?
No, TAB is available only on Australian soil, and not across all territories. That is, each territory was governing its own TAB, by issuing laws and rules. For what it’s worth, Aussie licensed bookmakers can operate in Australia only.
Does TAB have mobile betting and mobile apps?
TAB gives you the opportunity to bet on the go with its mobile betting apps on both iOS and Android devices. Visit the Google Play Store or the App Store to download TAB sports apps for free.
Does TAB offer live streaming?
Yes, TAB offers a live streaming feature. You can stream a broad range of horse racing events on their site and bet at the same time. However, their offer is a bit weaker when it comes to sports streaming.