Best Wagering Venue
JUDGING (100% ANONYMOUS SITE INSPECTION)
*ELIGIBLE FOR ENTRY INTO THE AHA NATIONAL AWARDS
OVERVIEW
This category is open to any venue that has a strong focus on racing and sports wagering.
GENERAL CRITERIA
- Décor and design characteristics
- Condition of furniture, fittings and electrical
- Vision accessibility from any seat in the wagering area
- Popularity of wagering area and venue
CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT
- Tipping competitions
- Punters Clubs (size, frequency, etc)
- Customer loyalty programs for wagering zone
- Utilisation of the wagering zone throughout the week to maximise patronage e.g., other entertainment
MARKETING
- Engaging customer experiences or promotional concepts for major racing & sports events. i.e Melbourne Cup, The Everest, Superbowl, etc, relative to the patronage and location of the venue
- Website – ease of search, use and finding information
- Engagement with locals and community
- Marketing and promotion of racing as a reason to visit the venue, with scalability of space to maximise peak trading periods
SPORTS / RACING ENVIRONMENT
- Focused areas for sports and racing, with commitment to sound and big vision
- Innovative vision, sound and ambience solutions to creating a destination for punters
- Big vision, information services to provide deeper analysis of racing & sports
Categories
Experience Awards
- Best Family Friendly
- Best Regional Local
- Best Metropolitan Local
- Best Outdoor Experience (including rooftop bars)
- Best Late-Night Venue
- Best Sporting Entertainment Venue
- Best Wagering Venue
- Best Retail Liquor Outlet
- Best Draught Beer Quality
- Best Wine List
- Best Cocktail List
- Best Regional Gaming Venue
- Best Metropolitan Gaming Venue
- Best Unique Bar Experience (Including small, cocktail, lounge or themed bars)
The following category is judged 25% by written submission WRITTEN SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS, 25% by interview and 50% by anonymous site inspection.
The following categories are judged 100% by written submission WRITTEN SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS.
- Heart of the Community
- Best Environmental/Sustainability Practices
- Best Bush Pub
- Best Marketed Hotel
- Best Social Media Campaign
Property Awards
The following categories are judged 75% by written submission WRITTEN SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS and 25% by guided site inspection.
Food Awards
- Best Steak
- Best Parmi
- Best Steak Sandwich
- Best Burger
- Best Sunday Roast
- Best Cheap Eat Meal (under $20)
- Best Chip
- Best Regional Casual Dining (Northern, Southern, Western)
- Best Metropolitan Casual Dining (CBD & Eastern, Northern, Southern, Western)
- Best Restaurant
People Awards
The following categories are judged 30% by WRITTEN SUBMISSION and 70% by INTERVIEW.
The following categories are judged 100% by practical interview.
NOTE: Entries are limited to ONE nomination per venue in each category
Overall Hotel Awards - nominations are not required
- Individual Hotel Operator of the Year
Note: All finalists in the 2026 Awards are eligible to win this award - Group Hotel Operator of the Year
Note: All finalists in the 2026 Awards are eligible to win this award - Regional & Metropolitan Hotel of the Year
Note: All finalists in the 2026 Awards are eligible to win this award - People’s Choice Award
Note: Every AHA NSW member venue is eligible to win this award
