Ladbrokes vs TAB

Head-to-head verdict on the numbers

Our odds ratings put Ladbrokes at 7.6 and TAB at 7.2, a difference driven entirely by best-price frequency and margin.

The best-price share figures come from different sample sizes — 258 sampled markets for Ladbrokes and 59 for TAB — so treat the TAB figure as directional rather than definitive. Even allowing for that, the direction is consistent: Ladbrokes returns the top price more often across the markets we monitor.

Margin is the cleaner comparison. Ladbrokes' 5.82% average overround versus TAB's 6.05% means Ladbrokes is, on average, holding back marginally less of the market's implied value. Over a season of volume, roughly 23 basis points of margin compounds into a measurable return difference for a bettor who consistently takes the shorter overround.

Editorial read: if odds value is your single priority, Ladbrokes is the stronger of the two on current data. TAB remains close on the ratings that matter for most bettors — payments (8.4 vs 8.3), app (8.4 vs 8.4) and support (8.1 vs 8.0).

Side-by-side comparison

• Best-price share: Ladbrokes 54.7% | TAB 27.1%
• Average margin: Ladbrokes 5.82% | TAB 6.05%
• Odds sample size: Ladbrokes 258 markets | TAB 59 markets
• Odds rating: Ladbrokes 7.6 | TAB 7.2
• Market coverage: Ladbrokes 8.4 | TAB 8.1
• Sports depth: Ladbrokes 8.5 | TAB 8.4
• Live capability: Ladbrokes 8.1 | TAB 7.8
• Bet Builder: Ladbrokes 7.8 | TAB 7.6
• Licence & safety: Ladbrokes 9.2 | TAB 9.1
• Payments: Ladbrokes 8.3 | TAB 8.4
• Withdrawals: Ladbrokes 8.1 | TAB 8.2
• App: Ladbrokes 8.4 | TAB 8.4
• Features: Ladbrokes 8.2 | TAB 8.0
• Support: Ladbrokes 8.0 | TAB 8.1
• Founded: Ladbrokes 1886 | TAB 1964
• Minimum deposit: both $10
• Withdrawal time: both 0–24h

Odds and margin: where the value sits

Best-price share and margin are the two figures that decide long-run returns, and both favour Ladbrokes.

A 5.82% average margin sits within the competitive band for Australian sports and racing markets. TAB's 6.05% is not far off, but the higher overround means TAB's prices, on average, imply a slightly larger house edge before you place a bet.

The 54.7% best-price share tells you that, on the markets we sample, Ladbrokes is the line-setter or price-matcher on the majority of selections. TAB topping the price on 27.1% still means it beats Ladbrokes on more than a quarter of markets — enough that a value bettor holding accounts at both can shop the line rather than commit to one book.

Practical takeaway: for the sharpest single-book price on our data, Ladbrokes ranks ahead. But the responsible move on any given market is to compare the two prices at the time you bet, because neither book leads every category. Our live betting odds pages track these movements market by market.

Market coverage and sports depth

Coverage and depth are close: Ladbrokes 8.4 / 8.5 versus TAB 8.1 / 8.4. Both books cover the full Australian core — horse racing, AFL, NRL, cricket and tennis — plus international football and basketball.

For domestic markets that draw the most Australian turnover, expect both to price the AFL, the NRL, the Big Bash and Test cricket in depth. On football, Premier League, A-League, Champions League and World Cup markets are staples at each book, with Serie A, Ligue 1 and Europa League also covered.

Basketball bettors following the NBA and EuroLeague, and tennis punters on the ATP Tour and WTA Tour, will find comparable market lists. Ladbrokes' marginally higher coverage and depth ratings reflect a slightly wider set of secondary and props markets rather than a gap on the headline lines.

TAB's heritage is racing — it operated the totalisator pools for decades — and its horse racing product remains a genuine strength. If pool betting and racing depth are your priority, TAB is the more natural fit despite the odds gap on fixed-price sports.

Live betting, Cash Out and Bet Builder

Both books support live betting and cash out. Ladbrokes rates 8.1 on live capability against TAB's 7.8, and also lists live streaming among its features — TAB does not carry live streaming in the feature set we hold.

Ladbrokes lists a Bet Builder (rated 7.8); TAB's Bet Builder rating is 7.6. For same-game multi construction on AFL, NRL and Premier League fixtures, Ladbrokes has the slight edge on both the feature and the rating.

Cash Out is available at both, letting you settle a bet early on eligible markets. If in-play video and same-game building matter to how you bet, Ladbrokes is the more complete package on the features we record. TAB's live product remains solid but sits a notch behind on live capability.

Payments, withdrawals and apps

This is where the two books are effectively level. Both accept PayID, Visa and Mastercard, both set a $10 minimum deposit, and both quote 0–24h withdrawals.

PayID is the fastest of the shared options for account funding. On withdrawals, TAB rates marginally higher (8.2 vs 8.1) and TAB also edges the payments rating (8.4 vs 8.3) — small margins, but the direction favours TAB on cash handling.

Apps are tied at 8.4. Both operators offer native iOS and Android apps covering live betting and cash out. For app-first bettors, there is no meaningful difference on our ratings; the decision comes back to odds value, where Ladbrokes leads.

See our PayID betting sites and Apple Pay betting sites pages for how these operators sit against the wider Australian market on deposit methods.

Licensing and safety

Both operators are licensed in Australia. Ladbrokes is licensed through the Northern Territory Racing Commission (NTRC); TAB operates under state and territory racing and wagering authorities. Licence and safety ratings are near-identical — Ladbrokes 9.2, TAB 9.1.

All wagering in Australia is regulated by state and territory racing and wagering authorities, with a minimum betting age of 18. Both books fall inside that framework, which is why both sit at the top of our safety scale.

For the full list of compliant operators, see our legal betting sites Australia page.

Which should you choose?

Choose Ladbrokes if odds value is your priority. It holds the best price on 54.7% of sampled markets, runs a tighter 5.82% average margin, and rates higher on live capability, Bet Builder and market coverage. It also carries live streaming in its feature set.

Choose TAB if racing depth and pool betting heritage matter most, or if you value its marginally stronger payments and withdrawals ratings. TAB still tops the price on more than a quarter of markets, so it remains a worthwhile second account for line shopping.

The strongest position for a value-focused bettor is to hold both and compare the two prices at the moment of the bet — neither book leads every market, and the margin between them is narrow enough that shopping the line matters. Read the full Ladbrokes review and TAB review for the complete breakdowns.