---
title: How Sports Bars Can Increase Patron Spend with Digital Tipping Competitions
description: Discover how SportsPick transforms traditional sports tipping into a dynamic, engaging experience that boosts patron spending and venue atmosphere.
image: https://www.fullhousevenues.com.au/hubfs/dan-hope-casual-pic-1920w.webp
---
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# How Sports Bars Can Increase Patron Spend with Digital Tipping Competitions
Mitchell Nunis
September 24, 2025
### 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.
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## Keep reading
### [ SportsPick How to Finalise Your SportsPick Competition](https://www.fullhousevenues.com.au/news/how-to-finalise-your-sportspick-competition)
### [ From Paper to Profit and Filling Seats: Why Sports Bars Are Switching to SportsPick](https://www.fullhousevenues.com.au/news/from-paper-to-profit-and-filling-seats-why-sports-bars-are-switching-to-sportspick)
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