Australia leads the way in sports betting spend per head with $940 followed by US
Although sports betting growth has slowed since the 2021 and 2022 peak, the industry is still thriving. In 2025, sports fans worldwide are expected to wager a jaw-dropping $77.8bn on online bets, or nine per cent more than last year.
Nearly half of that value will come from only five countries, home to the largest number of bettors. But which nation spends the most on betting apps? According to data presented by Betideas.com, Australians top the list, with an average of $940 per bettor in 2025, while Americans come in second at $630. Here’s how other countries stack up in the global betting race.
The legalization of online betting, combined with cutting-edge technology, has triggered a surge in online sports betting, with the industry drawing millions of new users and generating more revenue than ever. Since 2020, over 80m people have joined online betting platforms, pushing the global user base to nearly 182m this year. However, not all nations wager equally, with huge differences between the countries, even among the biggest markets.
According to Statista Market Insights survey, the global sports betting industry is expected to gross $77.8bn in 2025, with an average spend of $426 per user. Nearly half of that value will come from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, and Japan, the top five betting nations. However, no nation is even close to Australians when it comes to average spending per user.
Easy access to online betting platforms combined with loose regulations, and high disposable income have fueled the betting culture in Australia, turning the country into the world’s biggest betting nation per capita. In 2025, Aussies wager an average of $940 per person, more than twice the global average of $426. Americans will also remain well above the global benchmark, with $630 per user.
Despite having a lion`s share in global sports betting revenue, European nations lag behind. For Instance, Britons will spend $451 per user in 2025, slightly above the global average. Italians, Germans, and Spaniards follow with $383, $370, and $315, respectively.
The Statista survey revealed another interesting trend. While most leading sports betting markets have seen a rise in average spending per user, Australia’s has declined. In 2020, Aussies were spending a jaw-dropping $1,044 on online sports bets, the highest in market history. Since then, that figure has dropped by 10 per cent. On the other hand, Americans have seen a significant 60 per cent increase in spending, with the UK and Germany following closely behind, growing by 23 per cent and 10 per cent respectively.
Innovation around user experience, like in-play betting, AI predictions, and digital sportsbooks, has been one of the biggest drivers of sports betting’s growth. While the growth rate has slowed over the past few years, this trend remains strong. Statista expects another 24m users to join betting apps and platforms in the next four years, pushing the total user count to nearly 207m. Moreover, this massive use base will spend even more on wagers.
By 2029, Americans are projected to spend an average of $688 on sports bets, nine per cent more than this year, bringing them closer to Australians. Meanwhile, Aussie spending is expected to decline by two per cent, dropping to $914 per user. Just like Americans, Britons and Germans will continue to increase their spending, reaching $491 and $375 per user, respectively.
With both the number of bettors and per capita spending on the rise, the global sports betting market is set to grow by 22 per cent, reaching a $95bn value by the end of the decade.
Image by Marc Dalmulder from Hamlyn Terrace, Australia – Sydney Cricket Ground, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47281000
