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

28 December 2020

New to sports betting in New Zealand? Using the TAB but looking for an alternative sports betting site? Read this 5 step guide to sports betting in NZ before you get started!

Sports Betting in New Zealand

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.

Sports Betting New Zealand Websites

  1. 100% up to $100 in Bet Credits

    Open an account with bet365 today and bet on a huge range of markets with the world’s favourite online sports betting company

  2. $150 matched Free Bet

  3. 100% up to $250 First Deposit Bonus

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
Betway Sports Betting NZ

Betway is a popular NZ sports betting site for NRL, Super Rugby, Football and Esports

Sports Betting New Zealand Overview

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.

    Sports Betting New Zealand Legality

    Before we get started its important to note that sports betting is 100% legal in New Zealand.

    As long as you're 18+, sports betting in New Zealand is legal when you use the TAB, when you use an overseas betting site and even when you use sports betting apps.

    That's because the New Zealand Gambling Act 2003 only requires the New Zealand sports betting companies that are based within Aotearoa to have licences. Any sports betting website that is located outside of New Zealand does not need a gambling licence.

    The TAB NZ is only legal sports betting agency to operate within New Zealand but there are plenty of internationally based sports betting websites that also offer wagering to Kiwis.

    All of these betting companies have their own licences in the countries where they originate.

    1. Sports Betting NZ - Choose a Bookie

    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.

    Sports Betting NZ Sites

    1. $150 matched Free Bet

    2. 100% up to $100 in Bet Credits

      Open an account with bet365 today and bet on a huge range of markets with the world’s favourite online sports betting company

    3. $50 matched Free Bet

    4. 100% up to $250 in Bet Credits

    5. 150% matched Free Bet up to $150

    6. 100% up to $200 First Deposit Bonus

    7. 100% up to $200 First Deposit Bonus

    8. 100% up to $150 First Deposit Bonus

    9. 100% up to $250 First Deposit Bonus

    10. 200% up to $50
      + $10 Free Bet

    11. 100% up to $100 in Bet Credits

    12. Bonus Cannot Be Displayed

      Due to Australian betting regulations, sign-up offers and other bonuses for existing players cannot be displayed online

    13. Bonus Cannot Be Displayed

      Due to Australian betting regulations, sign-up offers and other bonuses for existing players cannot be displayed online

    14. 100% up to $150 First Deposit Bonus

    15. Bonus Cannot Be Displayed

      Due to Australian betting regulations, sign-up offers and other bonuses for existing players cannot be displayed online

    16. Bet $40 get a $20 Free Bet

    17. Bet $15 get a $10 Free Bet

    18. 100% up to $1200 in Casino Credits

    Bet365 Sports Betting NZ

    Bet365 may not be the most beautiful betting site in the world but its high odds and live streaming options are the best in New Zealand

    2. Sports Betting NZ - Get Your Bonus

    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.

    888sport NZ free bet bonus offer

    The 888sport betting bonus is great because you get triple your first $10 bet with $30 in free bets and there's no wagering requirement!

    3. Sports Betting NZ - Do the Research

    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.

    How to calculate probability from the betting odds?
    Mason Kelliher

    Mason Kelliher

    There's an easy way to calculate the probability of an event occurring from the betting odds - simply take 100 and divide it by the decimal odds.

    For example, if the Crusaders are playing the Hurricanes and the Hurricanes are paying 2.05 to win the match we can calculate the probability of their win according to the bookmaker by dividing 100 by 2.05.

    100/Betting Odds = Probability

    100/2.05 = 48.8

    Therefore, the bookmaker believes that the Hurricanes have a 48.8% chance of winning the game. If you think they have a better chance of winning then this is a good bet.

    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?

    4. Sports Betting NZ - Find a Bet

    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'.

    Bet365 sports betting NZ betslip

    Here's an example of the Bet365 Betslip for two football bets - the white boxes show my bet stakes, the numbers to the left are the odds and the total bet stake and potential returns are at the bottom

    5. Sports Betting NZ - Keep it Fun

    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!

    Sports Betting New Zealand FAQs

    How does sports betting work?

    New Zealand sports betting works like sports betting in any other country. When you place a sports bet you are wagering money on an outcome, hoping that that outcome happens.

    If the outcomes happens (say a rugby team winning a match) then you get the amount you wagered back plus your winnings. If the outcome does not happen then the sports betting site that you use keeps your wager.

    Potential winnings are automatically shown on sports betting sites but they can also be calculated by multiplying your betting odds by your wagered amount.

    Odds x Wager = Winnings

    Let's say the odds for the Hurricanes to beat the Crusaders are 2.05.

    If you place a $10 bet on the Hurricanes your potential winnings are:

    2.05 x $10 = $20.05

    How do sports betting odds work?

    Odds can be displayed in a variety of different formats including decimal (common in NZ), fractional and American. They all represent the winnings that you will receive. Winnings can be calculated by multiplying your betting odds by your wagered amount.

    Winnings = Odds x Wager

    Thus, the higher the odds, the more you can win.

    However, be aware that high odds also mean that the bookmaker thinks the outcome is less likely to happen.

    You can calculate the implied probability of an outcome happening by taking 100 and dividing it by the decimal odds.

    Implied Probability = 100/Odds

    Let's say the odds for the Hurricanes to beat the Crusaders are 2.05 and the odds for the Crusaders to beat the Hurricanes are 2.40.

    If you place a $10 bet on the Hurricanes your potential winnings are:

    2.05 x $10 = $20.05

    The implied probability of a Hurricanes win is:

    100/2.05 = 48.8%

    If you place a $10 bet on the Crusaders to win your potential winnings are:

    2.60 x $10 = $24.00

    However, the implied probability of a Crusaders win is:

    100/2.40 = 41.6%

    Where can you do sports betting in New Zealand?

    You can do sports betting at any of the best NZ sports betting sites.

    New Zealand sports betting sites include:

    1. Bet365 Best sports odds in New Zealand
    2. Betway Awesome daily boosts and promotions
    3. 888Sport Top live betting site
    4. LeoVegas Best mobile app
    5. 22bet The most payment methods in New Zealand
    6. Rabona Fixed & Tote racing odds
    7. FansBet Weekly free bets & promos
    8. Guts Unique, refreshing web-design
    9. Mr Play Heaps of additional betting features

      Who can do sports betting in New Zealand?

      Anyone who is over 18 and a resident of New Zealand can do sports betting.

      What New Zealand sports betting sites are legal?

      All of the sports betting sites on MyBettingSites New Zealand are legal and safe to use. They are all licensed in the countries where they are based, they all use SSL bit encryption technology and there are are thousands of Kiwis already using them.

      How do you make money from sports betting?

      You can make money from sports betting in New Zealand if you win more than you lose. This might be an obvious answer but its the truth. If you want to be a successful punter then always do your research, find the best odds and never bet more than you are willing to lose.

      Professional bettors always look for value when placing sports bets. In other words, they only place bets when they think a betting site has priced an outcome too high.