The first hotel on this site began as the Winton Hotel in 1882. In 1886 the name was changed to Tattersall's Hotel, which lasted for the next 94 years. For a brief period from 1980, it was called the Combo Hotel, but then reverted to Tattersall's.

The existing ground floor was built in 1885, and by 1914 a second storey had been added, having been transported from the goldfields of Charters Towers to Winton. In December 1898 the Gregory News reported "Tattersall's Hotel was illuminated last night acetylene gas, presenting quite a brilliant appearance. Tonight Mr T J Noonan intends giving a dance to honour the event. Mr G McCall has had all to do with the fittings."

Numerous publications have held the licence over the years. One of the longer serving licencees was Annie Bella Wall who held the Tatts licence from 1939 to 1955. The Wall family bred and raced the famous racehorse auction, a crack sprinter who won many Brisbane races.

A tale of riotous behaviour from the 1920's involved Tom Healy, of The Charge of Beersheba fame. He used to drink at the Tatts from then on, and the bullet holes were reputed to be in the ceiling for years.