# Betfair vs bet365: which is better for betting on events?

> They tie at 8.5 in our ranking, but suit different punters. Choose Betfair if you want to trade outcomes as on a prediction market: back or lay against other punters, at prices they set, for a published commission on net winnings (6% on sport). Choose bet365 for the most detailed Australian election markets we found, withdrawals quoted at 1 to 4 hours and chat and phone support around the clock, at fixed odds with a margin we found no published figure for.

- URL: https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/betfair-vs-bet365/
- Markdown version: https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/betfair-vs-bet365/index.html.md
- Last updated: 2026-10-25 (re-checked when an operator changes its terms or a regulator or court acts)
- Author: SafeBet.ai Research Team (SafeBet.ai)
- Betfair: #1 of 5 in [Best event betting sites in Australia](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/), 8.5/10 — review: https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/betfair-review/
- bet365: #2 of 5 in [Best event betting sites in Australia](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/), 8.5/10 — review: https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/bet365-review/
- Notice: Advertising. SafeBet.ai may be paid by the operators shown when you register through our links. We only link to betting services on ACMA’s register of licensed providers. 18+ only. Online casinos and prediction markets aren’t legal in Australia, and we don’t link to any.
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## Who should choose which

| Need | Better choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| How you bet | Betfair | On Betfair you back or lay outcomes at prices other punters set, and can ask for your own odds. At bet365 you take the bookmaker's fixed odds, and can't lay. |
| Price transparency | Betfair | Betfair publishes its commission: 6% of net winnings on sport since March 25, 2025, and nothing on a market you lose. bet365 builds its margin into the odds, and we found no published figure for it. |
| Australian election markets | bet365 | bet365's rules cover seat totals, two-party preferred vote share, seat handicaps settled on the AEC's Declaration of Poll, individual seats and a hung parliament. Betfair's hub has covered Victorian and NSW state elections, but the politics rules we could read are for the 2024 US election. |
| Withdrawals | bet365 | bet365 quotes 1 to 4 hours for bank transfer, debit card, PayPal and PayID, with no daily maximum. Betfair pays PayPal withdrawals within 24 hours and bank transfers in 1 to 3 working days. |
| Support | bet365 | bet365 answers by live chat and phone 24 hours a day. Betfair has a phone helpdesk and email, and we found no published hours for them. |
| Regulatory record | Betfair | Betfair was fined $24,174 twice in June 2024 for missing problem-gambling red flags. bet365 was fined $13,430 in April 2025, and AUSTRAC has published an enforceable undertaking under which bet365 is overhauling its anti-money-laundering systems. |
| Apps | bet365 | bet365 is rated 4.65 from 67,603 ratings on the Australian App Store and 4.6 on Google Play; Betfair 4.54 from 6,491 and 4.24 from 1,201. |

## Scores (SafeBet.ai ratings, 0–10)

| Criterion (weight) | Betfair | bet365 |
|---|---|---|
| Licensing & safety (25%) | 8.5 | 8.0 |
| Event markets (25%) | 9.5 | 9.0 |
| Commission & pricing (15%) | 9.0 | 6.0 |
| Payments & payouts (10%) | 7.0 | 9.0 |
| App & experience (15%) | 8.0 | 9.5 |
| Support & responsible gambling (10%) | 7.0 | 10.0 |
| **Overall** | **8.5** | **8.5** |

## Key facts

| | Betfair | bet365 |
|---|---|---|
| Licence | Betfair Pty Ltd, NT betting exchange licence | Hillside (Australia New Media) Pty Ltd, NT |
| Type | Betting exchange: back or lay against other punters | Bookmaker (fixed odds) |
| Event markets | Elections and politics, awards, sport and racing | Australian, UK and US elections; Eurovision, weather and TV specials |
| Commission or margin | Commission on net winnings: 6% on sport (politics rate not published) | Margin built into the odds (not published) |
| Payments | Debit card ($10), PayPal ($15), Osko/PayID ($30) | Debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay ($5), PayID, PayPal; withdrawals 1–4 hours |
| Apps | iOS 4.5 · Android 4.2 | iOS 4.7 · Android 4.6 |

## Pros and cons

### Betfair

- Pro: The only licensed betting exchange in Australia: you bet against other punters, at prices they set
- Pro: A published commission on net winnings instead of a built-in margin, and nothing to pay on a market you lose
- Pro: Deep politics markets, from US election winners to state races and electoral college handicaps
- Pro: You can lay an outcome, betting that it won't happen, which a bookmaker doesn't offer
- Pro: Free deposits and withdrawals
- Con: Commission rose to 6% on sport on March 25, 2025, and Betfair doesn't publish a separate rate for politics markets
- Con: Two NT fines in June 2024 for missing problem-gambling red flags
- Con: In-play sports bets are by phone only, with a $50 minimum
- Con: Osko/PayID deposits start at $30, and Australian cards can't be used for withdrawals

### bet365

- Pro: The most detailed Australian election rules we found, from seat totals to a hung parliament
- Pro: Specials beyond politics: Eurovision, weather and reality TV
- Pro: Chat and phone support 24 hours a day
- Pro: Withdrawals quoted at 1 to 4 hours, with no daily maximum
- Pro: Apps rated 4.65 on iOS and 4.6 on Google Play
- Con: A bookmaker: you bet at its odds, with an unpublished margin, and can't lay an outcome
- Con: Election bets are singles only
- Con: An AUSTRAC enforceable undertaking on its anti-money-laundering systems
- Con: A $5 monthly fee on accounts left inactive for more than a year

## The key differences

Betfair and bet365 share first place in [our ranking of the legal alternatives to prediction markets in Australia](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/), both licensed by the Northern Territory, but they work differently. Betfair is an exchange: you bet against other punters. bet365 is a bookmaker: you bet against bet365.

| | Betfair | bet365 |
|---|---|---|
| Licence holder | Betfair Pty Ltd (NT betting exchange licence) | Hillside (Australia New Media) Pty Ltd (NT) |
| How you bet | Back or lay against other punters | Fixed odds from the bookmaker |
| Price of a bet | 6% of net winnings on sport; politics rate not published | Margin built into the odds; no published figure |
| Election markets | US presidential markets from the winner to state races and the popular vote; Victorian and NSW elections covered on its hub | Australian federal, state and territory: outright, seat totals, two-party preferred, seat handicap, seat winner, hung parliament; UK and US elections |
| Minimum deposit | $10 by debit card | $5 by debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay |
| Withdrawals | PayPal within 24 hours; bank transfer 1–3 working days | 1–4 hours |
| Support | Phone helpdesk and email | Live chat and phone, 24/7 |
| NT fines since 2024 | $24,174 twice (June 2024) | $13,430 (April 2025) |
| iOS app | 4.54 (6,491 ratings) | 4.65 (67,603 ratings) |
| Google Play | 4.24 (1,201 ratings) | 4.6 (266,626 ratings, a listing used in several countries) |

## What a bet costs

On Betfair, the commission is the price: a winning $100 back bet at 3.0 makes $188 after 6% commission instead of $200, the same as odds of 2.88 at a bookmaker, and you pay nothing on a market you lose. So for the same outcome, bet365's odds are only better if they're higher than Betfair's price after commission. bet365 charges no commission, but its margin is in every price, and it doesn't publish a figure for it that we found. Our [Betfair commission calculator](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/commission-calculator/) works out any bet.

Betfair also lets you lay, betting that something won't happen, which can cost you several times what you stand to win: lay $10 at 5.0 and you lose $40 if the outcome happens. Election bets at bet365 are singles only.

## Which should you choose?

- **Choose Betfair** if you want the closest thing to a prediction market Australia allows: your own prices, the option to lay, and a published commission. Read our [Betfair review](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/betfair-review/).
- **Choose bet365** if you follow Australian elections closely and want seat and vote-share markets, fast withdrawals and help at any hour. Read our [bet365 review](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/bet365-review/).

Either way, set a deposit limit before your first bet. Free, confidential help is available from the National Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858, 24/7.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is Betfair or bet365 better for election betting?

They tie at 8.5 in our ranking. Betfair is better if you want to set your own price, lay an outcome or pay a published commission instead of a margin; bet365 is better for detailed Australian election markets, fast withdrawals and 24/7 support.

### Which is cheaper, Betfair or bet365?

It depends on the prices on the day. Betfair takes 6% of your net winnings on sport, so a back bet at 3.0 pays like odds of 2.88 after commission; bet365's odds already include its margin. Compare a Betfair price after commission with bet365's odds: our [Betfair commission calculator](https://safebet.ai/au/prediction-markets/commission-calculator/) does it for you.

### Can I lay a bet at bet365?

No. Laying, betting that something won't happen against another punter's back bet, is only possible on a betting exchange, and Betfair is the only licensed one in Australia.

### Are Betfair and bet365 licensed in Australia?

Yes. Both are licensed by the Northern Territory, Betfair Pty Ltd as a betting exchange and Hillside (Australia New Media) Pty Ltd, which runs bet365, as a bookmaker, and both are on ACMA's register of licensed interactive gambling providers.

## Sources

1. [Commission and charges](https://www.betfair.com.au/hub/help/commissions-charges/) — Betfair Australia, updated 2025-03-25; accessed 2026-10-23
2. [Betfair FAQ](https://www.betfair.com.au/hub/faq/) — Betfair Australia, updated 2023-03-02; accessed 2026-10-23
3. [Deposits and withdrawals](https://www.betfair.com.au/hub/help/deposits-and-withdrawals/) — Betfair Australia, updated 2025-06-16; accessed 2026-10-23
4. [Help centre](https://www.betfair.com.au/hub/help/) — Betfair Australia, updated 2025-01-15; accessed 2026-10-23
5. [Market rules information for settled US Presidential Election 2024 markets](https://www.betfair.com.au/hub/sports/politics/market-rules-us-election/) — Betfair Australia, 2024-08-02, updated 2025-03-26
6. [Investigation into Betfair Pty Ltd dealings with Mr A](https://dth.nt.gov.au/media/docs/boards-and-committees/racing-commission/racing-commission-decisions/prior-to-2019/2024/investigation-into-betfair-pty-ltd-dealings-with-mr-a.pdf) — NT Racing Commission, 2024-06-24
7. [Sports rules: Politics](https://help.bet365.com.au/s/en-au/sportsrules/politics) — bet365, accessed 2026-10-23
8. [Deposit methods](https://help.bet365.com.au/s/en-au/payments/deposit-methods) — bet365, accessed 2026-10-23
9. [Withdrawal methods](https://help.bet365.com.au/s/en-au/payments/withdrawal-methods) — bet365, accessed 2026-10-23
10. [Contact us](https://help.bet365.com.au/s/en-au/contact-us) — bet365, accessed 2026-10-23
11. [Mr G v Hillside (Australia New Media) Pty Ltd](https://dth.nt.gov.au/media/docs/boards-and-committees/racing-commission/racing-commission-decisions/2019-onwards/1-july-2024/decision-notice-mr-g-v-bet365.pdf) — NT Racing and Wagering Commission, 2025-04-09
12. [AUSTRAC media release: bet365 AML systems overhaul under an enforceable undertaking](https://www.austrac.gov.au/news-and-media/media-release/bet365-overhaul-aml-systems-under-austrac-enforceable-undertaking) — AUSTRAC, Internet Archive capture of 2026-10-02; title only
13. [Check if a gambling operator is legal (register of licensed interactive gambling providers)](https://www.acma.gov.au/check-if-gambling-operator-legal) — ACMA, last updated 2026-10-21; accessed 2026-10-25
14. [Betfair - Online Betting App (App Store listing)](https://apps.apple.com/au/app/betfair-online-betting-app/id1504026333) — Apple App Store (Australia), accessed 2026-10-23
15. [bet365 Sports Betting (App Store listing)](https://apps.apple.com/au/app/bet365-sports-betting/id519684662) — Apple App Store (Australia), accessed 2026-10-23