While rugby and cricket are the most popular sports in Australia, several of the country’s sports stars have been making a name for themselves in other disciplines.
Their efforts have helped them amass sizeable fortunes, highlighting the benefit of entering into sports not traditionally favoured by Aussies.
With that in mind, read on as we look at four Australian sports stars who raked in eye-watering earnings over the previous 12 months.
Ben Simmons – Basketball
Brooklyn Nets point guard Ben Simmons tops the list of highest-paid Australian athletes after another year of sitting on one of the most lucrative contracts in the NBA.
Once rated as one of the most promising stars in the NBA, Simmons initially had a five-year deal worth around $40 million per annum with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Simmons continued on the same behemoth contract when he joined the Brooklyn Nets as part of the James Harden trade, but things have not gone smoothly for him.
Critics have labelled his deal as one of the worst-value contracts in the NBA. The 2018 Rookie of the Year is now entering the final year of that deal, and no team is willing to offer him anything close to those numbers after playing a bit-part role for the Nets due to persistent back injuries.
As the Nets rebuild and focus on developing younger talent, Simmons faces a crucial season to prove his worth and negotiate a less exorbitant but more team-friendly deal.
Jordan Mailata – American Football
Jordan Mailata’s journey from a rugby league hopeful to an American Football star could be spun into an Academy award-winning picture.
Mailata broke out through the International Player Pathway Program and was drafted by the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles in 2018. At the time of his arrival, he barely knew the rules of the sport, and coaches got frustrated trying to bring him up to speed.
Fast forward to today and he is one of the best offensive tackles in the game, commanding a massive salary to match his importance to the Eagles. Mailata recently signed a new $66m three-year contract, which includes $46m in guarantees and a $20m signing bonus
The figures cement his status as one of the highest-paid Aussie athletes and will ensure he remains a cornerstone of the Eagles’ offensive line until 2028.
Mailata has helped make American Football more popular in Australia. The Eagles have garnered tons of fans and are hugely popular with sports bettors on the back of Mailata’s exploits.
The best betting sites in Australia are generally inundated with punters backing Mailata and his team to succeed anytime they take to the field.
Oscar Piastri – Motorsport
Oscar Piastri enjoyed a fantastic 2024 breakout season, claiming two Grand Prix wins, eight podium finishes and a fourth place in the overall standings.
Piastri played a pivotal role as McLaren won their first Constructors’ Championship since 1998, and pocketed a whopping $7.8m salary.
Even though this base wage places him outside the top 10 highest-paid drivers, he accrued an additional $26.7m in performance bonuses.
His teammate Lando Norris finished just behind eventual winner Max Verstappen, but motorsports fans in his homeland see the Aussie star as the main man.
McLaren has prioritised Norris ahead of Piastri, but the Brit has not shown the cut-throat approach needed to clinch a world title. Piastri could beat him to the punch this year.
Cameron Smith – Golf
Cameron Smith was already one of the best in the business and earning a handsome salary, but his move to LIV Golf in 2022 catapulted his wages into another stratosphere.
Saudi Arabia wants to establish itself as a top player in the sport and has shelled out billions of dollars into its golf ambitions. They paid $140m to attract the Brisbane-born star to their roster.
The 31-year-old 2022 Players Championship winner earned around $9.9m in winnings last year, but his potential bonuses have been kept under tight wraps. This sum is still enough to earn him a spot among Australia’s top-earning athletes.
Smith will bag even more money next year despite a torrid 2024 in which he failed to clinch a single tournament victory. He did come close at two big events in Australia.
It was the first year since 2019 that he did not secure a single tournament win and he will be desperate to flip the script this season.