Find great odds at some of the best sports betting sites in New Zealand. Our shortlisted sites offer bettors everything from a wide range of sports and markets, to top promotions and generous odds. Each NZ betting site has been assessed by our team of expert reviewers – we’re here to help you get the best sports betting experience.
Some betting sites in New Zealand simply aren’t up to scratch. While we’re all about directing you to the best places to gamble, it’s also worth knowing which sportsbooks to avoid. There may be numerous reasons for this – poor customer service, bad odds on offer or lack of a license from a regulatory body. Our blacklist highlights which bookmakers to steer clear of.
Sports betting is a form of gambling where bettors place wagers on sporting events. Typically, a bettor is backing a particular outcome, so a team to win a match or a player to score a certain amount of points. A company that provides a sports betting service is commonly referred to as a sportsbook – and we’ve reviewed some of the best online sportsbooks in New Zealand.
When it comes to the best sports to bet on, New Zealand bettors have always had their favourites. Here’s just a few that punters come back to again and again.
Whether you’re more league or union, rugby is a hugely popular sport to bet on. International and national rugby events dominate the sports betting calendar, and any match that the All Blacks play always gain a lot of betting interest.
It’s safe to say cricket betting fever grips the nation anytime the Black Caps play against Australia or England. Away from the international scene, New Zealand's own domestic cricket is also competitively played and to a very high standard.
When it comes to football, bettors look to the New Zealand Football League as well as international leagues like the English premier league. Not forgetting there’s usually a buzz around the national team playing in the FIFA World Cup.
Basketball has seen a huge surge of popularity in recent years. For sports betting, the NBA always comes out on top. Basketball fans are also big on the NBL and ANBL, with a lot of support behind the New Zealand Breakers.
Horse racing is also big business in New Zealand. With a huge number of operating racetracks, punters will always find something to bet on. Favourites include the Melbourne Cup, the Auckland Cup and the New Zealand Derby.
In recent years, betting on esports in New Zealand has become very popular. So much so, that there is now a dedicated sporting body called The New Zealand Esports Federation. In this market, you can bet on professional-level gamers playing titles such as CS:GO, Call of Duty and League of Legends.
New Zealand has a huge gambling industry with a variety of international sportsbooks to choose from. If you’re new to the game, you can expect to come across some of the perks below from an online sports betting site.
Picking the best betting sites for New Zealand bettors involves an in-depth review process. We know there’s a wide range of sports betting sites to choose from, and we want to help you find the best of the best. That’s why we have six key categories for assessment – a high score in all of them makes for a top bookmaker.
Any good sportsbook will have a wide range of sports and markets for bettors to place wagers on. By the same token, sportsbooks should also be offering more than just outright results on matches and events. When it comes to rating, we’ll be awarding the highest scores for betting sites that have both an impressive selection of sports, wide range of markets and an array of bet types.
Nowadays there’s lots of sports betting sites to choose from, so we’ll be looking out for those that are offering the best odds. We’ll also be looking out for anything extra that makes for a great user experience – things like live streaming, statistics on sports events and early cash out options are a great start.
Catering for both new and existing customers in a variety of ways is the hallmark of a top betting site. The sign-up bonus given as a welcome to the sportsbook is just as important as rewarding the loyalty of regular, long-standing bettors. Offers for all types of players is the way to earn a high score here.
You can rest assured that only fully licensed bookmakers for New Zealand or the international market appear on our site. Without regulatory approval, they’ll be on the blacklist. Security and customer support are key issues for customers and we only approve of those with the best and safest service.
One area that can really let a site down is the payment options available. It’s not enough these days just to accept deposits from traditional methods like credit and debit cards. We’ll be on the lookout for e-wallet services as well as sites that cater to cryptocurrencies for deposits and withdrawals.
More and more bettors are using mobile devices – so it’s important that a sportsbook site caters to this. We’ll be looking for sites that are fully optimised for mobile, and extra points will go to those that already have user-friendly apps to download.
Before you get started with sports betting sites in NZ, it’s good to know the betting basics – like how odds work. In New Zealand you’ll come across decimal odds mostly, but you might also see fractions and US moneyline style prices as standard. Whichever you prefer, it’s good to have an understanding of all three options.
Decimal odds come in the form of straight numbers. Unlike fractions, decimal odds are the total return of your bet including the stake. For example, if you gamble $5 at 4.00, then you’ll receive $20 back (or a $15 profit). Sometimes these can be called continental odds or European odds.
Fractional odds are always a fractional number, with the figure on the left-hand side showing you how many times your stake will be multiplied by. Your stake would be on the right. For example, if you were to place $5 on a 3/1 bet, you’d make a $15 profit, plus the stake returned. this format is most prominent in the UK. It holds a place within the Canadian sports betting market as well.
Moneyline odds (also called American odds) are either positive or negative numbers, often with currency symbols attached. Moneyline odds let you bet on teams to win a game by seeing who is the favourite. The favourite has minus sign (-), the underdog will have a plus sign (+). Like fractions, these again deal with units, so remember to add your stakes on. American football and other US sports are expressed in moneyline terms.
The types of sports bets and markets you’ll find in New Zealand are easy to get to grips with. Generally, there’s a lot of overlap with Australia given its proximity. Before you start betting for real money though, here’s a quick rundown of some of the most popular bets and markets you might come across.
Simply put, a single bet is one bet placed on one selection. In order to get a return, your selection needs to be successful – so a certain horse would need to win a race, or a team win a match. If you’re new to sports betting, this is the easiest bet type to understand and get to grips with on an online sportsbook.
Match result is probably one of the best-known betting options and one you’ll come across most often. In its simplest form, match betting is where you make a bet on the outcome of a particular game. For example, you could bet on which team you think will win at the end of a match.
NZ betting sites are hugely popular nationwide, with many gamblers participating. Learn some interesting stats about New Zealand bettors by checking out the facts below.
77%
NZ have a win record for test match rugby
18
Legal gambling age
95%
of New Zealanders have gambled at least once
80%
of New Zealanders gamble regularly
Betting on a winner is what everybody wants. Whether you’re in New Zealand or any other part of the world, it’s good to be able to work out what you stand to gain from a wager. We’re going to work through some examples to show you how:
To work out the winnings for a single wager, you simply multiply your stake by the odds. For example, if you placed a $10 bet with 4.3 odds, then you’d get $43 back in winnings – this total would include your original stake. For reference, your total stake is represented as 1.00 in decimals.
When it comes to calculating the pay-out for a double wager, it’s a pretty similar process. To start, you work out the winnings of your first wager, then multiply that number by the odds of your second bet. For example, if you place a $10 bet with odds of 4.5 and 2, then the total pay-out would be $90.
Promotions exist in all sportsbooks. Whether it’s a welcome bonus for signing up, a general free bet offer, money back promotion, cash out incentive or loyalty bonus – it’s good to know what each entails. For more on the promotions you can expect, check out our handy table with further details.
| Bonus | Bonus Description | Find this bonus at |
|---|---|---|
Welcome Bonus | For new customers only, welcome bonuses or sign-up offers reward you for registering with a sportsbook. A deposit and qualifying bet are likely to be required. | Free bet up to $200 with your first deposit |
Free Bets | Any number of different sports betting promotions include free bets for new and existing customers. These can be additional bonuses on top of winnings, or can be designed to mitigate loss. | Free sports bet up to $60 |
Cashback/Money Back | More cautious bettors who like to minimise the impact of a loss will be attracted by cashback offers. Money back promotions may sometimes also be replaced by free bet tokens. | Cashback promotions offered |
Loyalty Bonus | Also known as a VIP or Free Bet club, a loyalty bonus will reward customers who regularly place bets on a sportsbook, usually a certain number per week, with free bet tokens or other perks. | Collect points when you place a bet |
T&Cs apply to all offers – please check at the relevant sportsbook website.
A bit of friendly advice where sports betting is concerned never goes amiss. New Zealand bettors who are just starting out with sports betting can certainly benefit from finding a good strategy – we think the below are all good places to start.
Get a Welcome Bonus
The best online sports betting bonuses shouldn’t be too hard to find. Most sportsbooks offer a sign-up offer as the minimum to help you make the most of your bet. There will be terms and conditions attached of course, so make sure you give those a read before you start betting with any bonuses you receive.
Stick to your Betting Budget
Successful bettors never wager more than they can afford to lose. The whole point of sports betting is to have fun and cheer on the horse, team or sportsperson of your choice. Once you’ve laid down a budget for your betting, stick to it no matter how tempting it is to wager more.
Get Your Bets on Early
If you have a strong gut feeling on a sporting event, then back your hunch as soon as the odds become available. Many sportsbooks have a cheeky tendency to shorten their prices, particularly on favourites, just before the action gets underway. However, if you’ve gone in early, you’ll have a chance of getting better odds.
Sign Up to Other Sportsbooks
You are under no obligation to stay resolutely loyal to one sports betting site. If a rival has a great-looking offer or attractive prices on a sporting event, then nothing is stopping you from joining a second, third or fourth sportsbook and beyond. Never be scared to shop around.
Gone are the days when betting involved going to a bookmaker and waiting in a line. With the introduction of mobile betting apps, all you need to place a wager is a smartphone. The perks of betting online mean that you have 24/7 access to your favourite sportsbook as well as a wide variety of sporting events and games. When reviewing each sports betting site, we’ll be looking out for sites that are well optimised for mobile as well as the presence of a great sports betting app.
Now that you know the basics of sports betting, it’s time to recap some of the best sports betting sites for New Zealand. Here’s a summary of the sites that we think really hit the mark – head to any of them today to start betting.
For both mobile and tablet players, we recommend the following sports betting apps in New Zealand:
| Sportsbook app | Android app | iOS app |
|---|---|---|
Betway Sports | ||
888 Sport | ||
Unibet | ||
22bet | ||
Mansion Bet |
Some more recently established sites, or those which have recently started accepting NZ bettors, are listed below.
Yes. Many New Zealanders extend their passion for sport by wagering on their favourite teams and events. The popularity of sport means that there are plenty of options online when it comes to finding a sports betting site in New Zealand.
There’s no definite answer here, but the easiest sports to bet on are the ones you know best and have a great knowledge of. However, popular sports to bet on in New Zealand include rugby, cricket, football and basketball to name just a few.
Across the board, the process for placing a bet is pretty similar. Once you’ve found the sportsbook for you, create an account and make your first deposit – this can usually be done through the ‘My Account’ section. Then, use the menu to find your chosen sport and market, enter your stake and then add the bet to your ‘bet slip’. Once you’ve confirmed, you’ll have placed your bet!
Yes, you can get a bonus when placing bets in New Zealand. Most of the available sports betting sites provide multiple promotions and bonuses to new and existing players.
A ‘handicap’ is a type of bet that means a bookmaker has given another team a virtual advantage or disadvantage. Typically, this is done by adding points onto the side deemed to be the underdog, to help even the field. Handicap betting is popular among points-based sports like football, rugby and basketball.
In betting, an ‘over’ is a type of wager where you bet on the sportbook’s own predictions. The term can be explained like so:
- a bookmaker first sets a prediction for a certain match outcome (usually the game point total)
- you bet whether the total points or goals scored is either over or under the bookmaker’s prediction
- if you think the team are going to score more points than the total, you’re betting over
- if you think the opposite (that the team are going to score less points than the total), you’re betting under
It is known as totals betting or over/under betting, depending on the country
In wagers, 3-way betting is placing a bet which has three possible outcomes. An example would be football, with the three outcomes being:
1. Win the match
2. Lose the match
3. Draw (equal points)
One reason that 3-way bets are a popular choice, is that they often have higher odds in comparison to 2-way bets alone.
Yes, beyond sports betting there are plenty of other ways to bet online in New Zealand. In particular, online casinos at international sites are a popular gambling method.
The easiest sports to bet on to win money are point-based game without too many complicated rules, such as rugby, tennis or football. You can place bets as simple as ‘lose’ or ‘win’, you don’t even need to guess the specific score.
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