Major sports all over the world can be quite lucrative both for the participants and the spectators. Australia is host to many sporting events both local and international in origin and some of these sports are big earners. Here is a list of some of the sports that are played or held in Australia that see the money raking in.
Golf
A lot of world-class golfers have come out of Australia including Greg Norman, known as The Shark, who was a huge champion of the sport in the 80s and 90s spending 331 weeks ranked as number 1 in the world. He has amassed a fortune of $400,000,000, with him branching out to entrepreneurial exploits. One of the greatest golfers to ever play the game, American, Tiger Woods, has a fortune estimated at over $800,000,000. The prize money for whoever wins the PGA Cup in Australia is currently $1,500,000, with the latest winner being Adam Scott from Australia. Even the caddies make a large sum of money with top earners making over $500,000 per annum. The game itself generates annual revenue of around $45,000,000.
Formula 1
The Australian Formula 1, which is held at Albert Park Lake in Melbourne every April, brings a lot of money to the local economy, as it draws hundreds of thousands of people every year and sponsors pay big money to advertise their products or services. The drivers also make a pretty penny. Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo from team McLaren earns $15,000,000 a year, while Lewis Hamilton from team Mercedes rakes in a whopping $30,000,000. If you’ve got the chops for motor racing, it might be worth delving into the sport and seeing if you can become a champion too, as the payoffs are lucrative to say the least.
Horse Racing
This sport is one of the richest sports in the world, with champion racehorses potentially able to make their owners, trainers, and jockeys quite a lot of money. For example, the richest turf race in the world is The Everest which is run at the Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney and has a total prize purse of $15,000,000. Australia’s most popular race is the esteemed Melbourne Cup which is a Group 1 thoroughbred race held at Flemington Racecourse and offers an $8,000,000 prize. Other races in Australia are often worth $1,000,000 or more, such as the Doncaster Mile which is held in Sydney at the Royal Randwick Racecourse. Doncaster Mile betting tips are a must to increase your chances of backing a winner for that prestigious event. The Queen Elizabeth Stakes which is held during the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival boasts a total prize purse of $4,000,000 and is a favourite among racegoers during this season.
Australian Rules Football
The average AFL player earns around $260,000 each year but some of the most sought-after players can earn upwards of $900,000. The sport also brings in a lot of revenue from spectators who pack the stadiums all over the country. The biggest match is the AFL Grand Final which is played at the MCG in Melbourne every September. 2021 was different though, and the match was held at the Optus Stadium in Perth for the first time and generated a revenue of over $40,000,000 in ticket sales, corporate hospitality, and catering revenue.
Though these figures may be surprising to some, there is most definitely money to be made in becoming a professional sportsperson.