How Sports Bars Can Increase Patron Spend with Digital Tipping Competitions
The Problem: Sports Tipping Was Stuck
For years, the Australian Venue Co. ran sports tipping competitions via the traditional way.
On paper, it sounded like a good idea: bring in sports fans, create some banter, maybe sell a few extra drinks. But the reality was very different:
- Handwritten cards that got lost or hard to read
- Manual scoring, dispute resolution that ate into staff hours
- Flat participation — averaging 20 people each week
And most importantly?
How to encourage patrons to stay longer and spend more. The comp wasn’t driving the kind of results venues need in a tough hospitality market.
The Solution: SportsPick’s In-Venue Sports Engagement Platform
The group decided to make a change. Dan Hope, Group Marketing Manager at Australia Venue Co, stated that by introducing SportsPick, a digital tipping and sports engagement platform designed for pubs, clubs, and sports bars, he was able to see the shift from manual to seamless - with a few call outs like:
- Easy entry: patrons could tip via in-venue kiosks or the mobile app.
- Live leaderboards: results updated instantly on screens, creating a buzz in the bar.
- National prize pools & promos: campaigns like Beat the Boss gave players something extra to compete for.
- Compliance handled: peace of mind for venue operators.
It wasn’t just about technology being implemented, the focus was on creating an experience patrons wanted to come back for.
The Results: Numbers That Speak for Themselves
Within weeks of rolling out SportsPick, the difference was clear for AVC. They saw that:
- Participation tripled: one venue grew from 20 punters a week to 70+ regulars.
- Revenue increased: food and beverage sales on Saturdays lifted by 20%.
- Staff workload dropped: no more chasing tips or manually scoring.
- Venue atmosphere lifted: leaderboards and in-venue competition created excitement patrons could feel.
“SportsPick makes our venues feel alive on game day.
Customers trust it, staff love it, and the numbers back it up.”
Dan Hope, Group Marketing Manager, AVC

Why This Matters for Sports Bars and Pubs
Every venue operator faces the same questions:
- How do I get more patrons into my pub on game day?
- What’s the best way to keep sports fans engaged week after week?
- How can I increase Saturday sales without adding more staff costs?
SportsPick gives venues a clear answer. By turning sports tipping into a seamless, exciting, and scalable in-venue experience, venues can:
- Attract more patrons on game days
- Increase dwell time and average spend
- Build repeat visitation and loyalty
- Free up staff to focus on service, not admin
It’s not seen as just a tipping comp anymore. It’s a growth tool for sports bars.
Key Takeaways for Venue Operators
- Paper-based tipping comps are broken. They waste staff time and don’t scale.
- SportsPick makes tipping digital, transparent, and fun.
- Venues that adopt it see measurable results i.e. more players, more sales, and a better customer experience.
- Sports engagement is no longer optional if you want to compete as a sports bar.









