Australian Gambling Facts That You Didn't Know

Gambling is a popular activity for many folks the world over. Betting and several other forms of gambling go back hundreds of years in different cultures. Australia is one country that has a rich history of this pastime, which has been passed down from generation to generation. Today, Aussies have taken gambling to a whole new level - playing table games and pokies to placing bets on pretty much everything; from sports to family members. You read that right!

In the year 2000, Peter Edwards, a Welshman, placed a bet on his grandson, who was an infant at that time. He said that when he grew up, he would represent Australia in soccer. Surprisingly, this chap ended up taking home a whopping $240,000 in 2013 when his grandson, Harry Wilson, made his soccer unveiling in Wales. Keep reading to discover more Australian gambling facts.

What is Gambling in Australia Like?

As it is, gambling comes in various forms, both online as well as offline. The popular forms around these parts include pokies, casino games such as roulette, poker, lotteries, scratchies, and online wagering, particularly sports and racing.

According to an official study done in 2013, Aussies are the biggest gamblers on the globe - 80% of the adult population takes part in the activity in various forms. Statistically, these folks wager more money per capita than any other country in poker, sports betting, online casinos and land-based casinos. Collectively, they spend approximately $18 billion per annum.

Explained below are some very interesting Australian gambling facts.

Australian Gambling Facts - Aussies are Big Losers

There are both big bettors and big losers; on average, most gamblers in this country lose between $350 and $12,000 every year. However, they play more than most countries; therefore, they're far from being the biggest when it comes to losing. This losers' trophy is held by Americans, who make more losses than any other country worldwide.

Home to Hundreds of Thousands of Gaming Machines

Australia harbors 20% of all electronic gaming machines on the globe, with at least 200,000 slot machines in this country. 100,300 of these are found in New South Wales, a state well-known for all forms of betting.

The Largest Poker Win Went to an American

The history's major poker win went to one, Antonio Esfandiari, from the USA, who took home over $23 million in AU dollars. This took place during the 2012 World Series of Poker, in a charity tourney called 'The Big One for One Drop'. The entry fee was $1 million for the game alone. Antonio's win doubled the former world Australian champion's lifetime earnings, Joe Hachem.

Online Casinos Have Been Around for More Than Two Decades

The first online betting establishment went live in 1994. Barbuda and Antigua issued the first licenses for online wagering. Since then, Australian game sites have been operating under the Caribbean government's laws.

Australian Casino Pubs Have Caps on Jackpots

This is yet another one of the interesting Australian gambling facts. Typically, the highest jackpot amount that you can win in a casino pub here is $10,000. The payout percentage of any slot machine in Australia falls under 100%; put simply, it means that the longer you play, the more money you lose.