Sports Betting in New Zealand - a 5 Step Guide for New Punters

Sports betting in New Zealand is unique. Punters can choose the good old TAB to place their bets but they also have a bunch of other great sports betting sites that are owned by overseas companies.

You may have heard of some of them, like Bet365, Betway and 888sport.

But newbies, and regular punters who are used to the TAB, often have many questions. Is sports betting in New Zealand legal? Are these alternative betting sites as good as the TAB? And how do you even use sports betting sites in New Zealand?

This article aims to answer these questions about sports betting in New Zealand by taking you through the process of choosing a NZ sports betting site and placing bets.

You can jump to a section of this article by clicking on the links below or you can continue reading to learn everything about sports betting in New Zealand - in the order that we think makes the most sense.

Sports Betting New Zealand - How do you do it?

1. Choose a bookie
2. Get your Bonus
3. Do the Research
4. Find a Bet
5. Keep it Fun

Sports betting in New Zealand allows you to wager money on the outcome of a sports event. There are hundreds of outcomes (betting markets) to choose from like the winner of the match, the try scorers or goal scorers, the full time score or even the number of yellow cards.

If your bet is correct then you will get you bet stake back, plus your winnings (winnings are calculated by multiplying your bet stake by the betting odds).

You can do sports betting in New Zealand at physical TAB stores, or online at any of the sports betting websites that accept Kiwi players.

The first step for any Kiwi who wants to start sports betting in New Zealand is to find a bookie.

A lot of Kiwis use the TAB NZ because they know the name and because they trust them, but we actually recommend using international sports betting operators because they almost always have better odds, bigger bonuses and more features like live streaming.

Our favourite sports betting New Zealand websites are listed below and you can read our in-depth reviews by clicking on any of the bookmaker names.

We've also listed the sports betting sign up bonuses that you'll get at each betting site - but more on those below.

The best NZ sports betting website for every punter is different. Keep in mind what's most important to you before signing up - this could be their betting app, their payment options, their odds, their customer support team or the size of their bonuses. You'll find more information about these things in our betting site reviews.

As you can see from the list above, when you sign up to do some sports betting in New Zealand bookmakers will give you a bonus.

But not all sports betting bonuses are the same. Some sites like Betiton only give you $10 while other sites like 22bet give you $250. Another thing to watch out for are the wagering requirements. Some NZ sports betting sites like LeoVegas will let you withdraw your bonus after betting it once while other sites like Mr Play make you re-bet your bonus up to 9 times.

Check our reviews or the Ts & Cs for specific NZ sports betting bonus requirements.

Also know that in order to get your bonus, you will need to make a first deposit and place a bet.

For example at 888sport you need to 'Bet $10 to Get $30' in bonuses. At Bet365 you can bet anywhere between $10 and $100 and your bonus will match the value of this first bet.

So you've found a NZ sports betting website that suits you and you know how to claim their bonus. You may already have a match or market in mind or you be wondering where to place your bet.

The key to finding good sports bets is to look for value - i.e. look for odds that are high compared how likely you think an outcome is to happening.

You may not know if a bet is valuable right away but that's why it's important to do your research. Many sports betting sites have blogs, stats and information that can help to inform your bets.

You'll also want to ask yourself questions like - Who is the home and away team? How has each team been playing recently? How do the two teams compare? Who are the star players and are they healthy?

This step goes hand-in-hand with doing the research but finding a good bet is what its all about. Not only do you want your bet to be informed by your research but the odds that you accept should also be the best you can find.

You can check through the different sports betting sites on this page to make sure your odds are the highest.

In terms of actually finding the bet you want - you can often search for the sport, league or match that you want to bet on with the search bar on your chosen NZ sports betting site. Otherwise you can use the menu to navigate to your desired event.

After finding the match, select the odds to open your bet slip and then within your bet slip enter your bet stake and select 'Place Bet'.

At the end of the day sports betting should be fun. That means that you should never bet more than you're willing to lose, set yourself limits before you start and never chase your losses.

If you're just starting out, finding value and making a little extra money might be tough but like anything, with practice and patience it can be a great way to enjoy watching your favourite sports teams and making a little extra cash on the side!