---
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.
---

<https://www.fullhousevenues.com.au/news>

# [How Sports Bars Can Increase Patron Spend with Digital Tipping Competitions](https://www.fullhousevenues.com.au/news/how-sports-bars-can-increase-patron-spend-with-digital-tipping-competitions)

 Written by [Mitchell Nunis](https://www.fullhousevenues.com.au/news/author/mitchell-nunis) | Sep 24, 2025, 4:00:00 AM

### 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.

 

[View full post](https://www.fullhousevenues.com.au/news/how-sports-bars-can-increase-patron-spend-with-digital-tipping-competitions)

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