Best NZ Sports Betting Sites 2024
Last Updated:
15 Jan 2024 The best sports betting NZ sites reviewed, ranked and compared by our online betting experts. Find our updated rankings of New Zealand’s best licensed bookmakers below
Best Rugby Betting Site: BetVictor
Best Features: BetVictor has a range of unique and valuable rugby league and union offers for Kiwi punters. There are some particularly good All Blacks promos for the World Cup, Rugby Championship and other major rugby tournaments.
Biggest Negatives: Rugby sports betting NZ bonuses expire in seven days.
Alternative: Betway
Our View: This top rugby betting site has fantastic value for punters in New Zealand. We particularly like the All Blacks rugby specials as well as the strong market coverage for fans of both league and union.
Established 1946
18+, Opt In, bet up to $100 (max $100) on any sports market at odds 3.0 or greater. Get a 150% Matched Free Bet on selected sports markets. Bonuses expire in 7 days. Card payments only. Click for full T&Cs. gamcare.org. Please Gamble Responsibly.
Best Horse Racing Betting Site: bet365
Best Features: The bet365 Top Tote + deal compares the final declared Win or Place dividends over the three national Totes when betting on Australian racing – and pays you out at whichever is greatest. There are also regular bet boosts, money-back specials, racing live streams and extra each-way place payouts.
Biggest Negatives: Navigating the mobile site is much more complex than the app.
Alternative: 888sport
Our View: bet365 is a solid horse racing betting option for Kiwi punters who value market-leading racing coverage, extra payouts and valuable racing promotions. Most importantly. we found great prices for our selections at this popular bookie.
Established 2001
18+. New players only. Gamble responsibly. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. T&Cs, time limits & exclusions apply.
Best Soccer Betting Site: TonyBet
Best Features: We really enjoyed soccer promotions from TonyBet, like the European Football Nights bonus, which rewards customers who wager at least $25 with weekly free bets worth between $5 and $40.
Biggest Negatives: No live streaming.
Alternative: LeoVegas Sport
Our View: With over 850 soccer betting markets available and great value to be found in the range of available soccer promos, TonyBet is one of the best football betting sites in the game. We are big fans of the VIP program, which rewards regular punters with a range of free bets.
Established 2020
18+ T&Cs Apply
Best Betting Site For Free Bets: 20Bet
Best Features: 20Bet's 100% up to $150 matched deposit bonus is one of the most generous new customer offers we've come across. Existing customers are rewarded with a regular bettors tournament and a loyalty program free bets.
Biggest Negatives: 20Bet doesn't have a betting app in NZ.
Alternative: Greatwin
Our View: 20Bet stands out from other new betting sites thanks to its broad selection of free bet bonuses. We especially like their weekend sports reload deal, which allows regular bettors to claim a 100% matched free bet up to $100.
Established 2020
18+. T&C Apply
Best Betting Site For Odds Boosts: William Hill
Best Features: William Hill customers in New Zealand can claim between 5% and 300% extra through this bookie's #YourOdds soccer multi-boosts and racing bet boosts.
Biggest Negatives: William Hill's busy website layout can take some getting used to.
Alternative: LeoVegas Sport
Our View: It's great to see William Hill expand its selection of enhanced odds and boosted payout offers in New Zealand. There are some great sport-specific deals for rugby and soccer games that can make a huge difference to your payouts.
Established 2008
18+. T&C Apply
Meet Our Team of NZ Betting Experts
Our bookmaker review team is made up of active bettors, former betting industry employees and experienced sports betting writers. Get to know our team members a bit better below:
Kevin Taylor - Author
Kevin Taylor is a respected sports betting writer with almost a decade of experience writing about betting for publications like The Sun, The Mirror and now Gambling.com. Here's what he had to say when we asked him for his #1 online sports betting site:
My Favourite Bookmaker: bet365
💬 "There's a reason why bet365 is recognised as one of the industry's very best betting sites. Market-leading live streaming and some of the best odds and offers in the game make bet365 my favourite sports betting site"
Colm Phelan - Fact-Checker
Colm Phelan is an eagle-eyed football and horse racing betting expert who brings a wealth of experience to our betting sites review team. He has fact-checked sports stories for leading news outlets and now brings that attention-to-detail to Gambling.com, having joined the company in 2019. His current favourite betting site is:
My Favourite Bookmaker: BetVictor
💬 "BetVictor has become my go-to bookmaker recently thanks to its selection of betting offers. Price boosts and a free bet loyalty club make BetVictor a one-stop-shop for serious punters."
How we Rank NZ Betting Sites
We take a range of factors into account when ranking and reviewing the best sports betting NZ sites. Team members personally test online gambling sites and rate them according to the following criteria:
Welcome Offers
The best sports betting sites offer a generous welcome bonus with transparent and fair terms and conditions for new customers. We look for the best new customer deals from NZ betting sites you can trust.
Licensing & Security
All of the best sports betting sites we recommend are licensed and regulated by official bodies like the Malta Gaming Authority and each one is legal to bet with in New Zealand.
Ongoing Promotions
The best bookies provide ongoing promotions to reward existing customers for their loyalty. These rewards include money-back specials, loyalty bonuses, random free bets, enhanced odds and special promotions for major sports events.
Mobile Experience
Top sports betting NZ sites should deliver a flawless mobile betting experience. We test every bookie's in-browser experience on smartphone and tablet devices. We strongly favour NZ betting sites that have mobile betting apps for Android and iOS punters.
Betting Market Variety
Picking a sports betting site with a wide choice of betting markets is crucial. We only recommend sites that offer punters a large selection of markets.
Competitive Betting Odds
We expect the leading NZ sports betting sites to provide exceptional betting odds. When we test different bookmakers, we compare the odds, allowing us to separate the betting sites with the best value from the rest.
Payment Methods & Payout Speed
We favour sports betting sites that accommodate a range of payment options. We expect to see Visa and Mastercard supported, along with popular e-wallets such as PayPal, Trustly, Skrill, Neteller, Apple Pay and ecoPayz.
Quality of Customer Support
The more available customer support channels, the better. Live chat, email and toll-free phone number details should all be provided while the best betting sites also help out customers through their social media channels.
User Interface & Design
A well-designed betting site with an intuitive user interface is crucial. It should be easy to navigate, aesthetically pleasing and responsive, to ensure a good all-round user experience.
Explaining Sports Betting Odds
Most Kiwi bookies punters display odds in decimal format: For example, 1.50 or 2.00. Decimal odds are relatively easy to understand as they represent a number.
Let's look at a sports selection with decimal odds of 2.50: If you place a $100 wager and it wins, the bookie will payout $100 x 2.50 = $250. This payout figure includes the initial $100 stake and the $150 profit.
The two other popular types of betting odds at online sportsbooks are American and Fractional. American odds are displayed in + or – format, indicating the amount of money that can be won betting one unit.
For example, odds of +140 indicate a $1.40 payout for each $1 wagered. While a -140 selection requires a $1.40 stake to receive a $1 payout.
Fractional odds are similar and detail the stake and win amount. A bet with 10/1 odds implies a $10 win for every $1 bet. The left side of the fraction displays the payout, while the right side is the stake amount.
NZ Sports Betting Tips & Strategies
We love helping our readers improve their sports betting knowledge and our experienced betting experts have a wealth of betting tips to share. Here are some general betting strategies to consider when you visit an NZ betting site.
Compare Odds & Bonuses For The Best Value
Comparing bonus offers and odds from NZ bookmakers is essential to find the best value
Bear in mind that there’s nothing to stop you from signing up with multiple bookies to squeeze the most out of your betting. By betting with a bookmaker that offers higher payouts, you can guarantee more profits with each winning bet.
Our in-depth sports betting site reviews will give you an insight into how competitive the odds are from each licensed bookmaker available in New Zealand. We strongly advise favouring sites that have the best prices for the sports you like to bet on. Even a small difference in odds can really add up over time.
The same goes for promotions - favour the sites that have free bets and odds boosts for the sports and markets you like. If you’re an avid horse racing fan, for example, you might choose to bet with 888sport for its extra each-way place deals.
Research Your Sports Betting Selections
When using a betting site in New Zealand, it's essential to properly research your selections before placing a bet.
Sites such as Flashscore and Sofascore have a wealth of data on players, teams and leagues, including past head-to-head matchups, recent performances and team lineups.
News sites like the NZ Herald are also great resources for researching sports bets. They feature updated sports coverage, including the latest injury news and updates. This data can help you develop betting strategies based on facts and place more educated bets.
Take Advantage of Live Betting
Sports betting in New Zealand has come a long way from old-fashioned bookies accepting manual bets. Now, New Zealanders have access to the most advanced online sports betting apps with options to place future, multi, pre-match and live sports bets.
The best in-play betting sites like bet365 feature live HD streams and match trackers that display statistics in real-time. This functionality allows you to compare team stats, watch as the odds fluctuate and jump on live betting opportunities as they appear.
Established 2001
18+. New players only. Gamble responsibly. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. T&Cs, time limits & exclusions apply.
Best NZ Free Bets & Betting Offers
Both new and existing betting customers in New Zealand can benefit from free bets and promotions. Some of the most popular are:
- Deposit Match: Typically available as a welcome offer, these promotions give new sign-ups a free bet bonus of the same value as their first deposit. A 100% up to $100 bonus, for example, gives you a $100 free bet bonus when you deposit $100.
- Enhanced Odds: The best New Zealand betting sites have improved odds for the best sporting events. These value-packed deals allow punters to score extra payouts on popular sports.
- Insurance: Some betting sites provide insurance promotions that allow punters to claim cash back as a free bet if their selection loses. These promotions are usually offered to punters combining selections in a multiple or accumulator bet, or backing a selection in the same field as a heavy favourite.
- Multi Boosts: Some NZ betting sites, like 888sport, give you profit boosts on successful multi (accumulator) bets. With these promotions, the size of the boost will correlate with how many selections you include.
Established 1997
$10 min deposit using promo code 250BONUS • The bonus will be applied once the full deposit amount has been wagered at least twice with cumulative odds of 1.50 or greater • To withdraw any winnings from your bonus, you must wager the bonus amount at least 5 times • All deposit and bonus wagering requirements must be completed within 60 days • This offer may not be combined with any other offer • Wagering limit of $50 per bet Applies • Restrictions apply to withdrawals, payment methods and countries & full T&Cs apply..
The Best NZ Sports Betting Apps
The majority of bookies make their platforms accessible by web browser on smartphones. However, we favour bookmakers that have dedicated betting apps on both Android and iOS.
The best betting apps pack all the site's features into a compact and user-friendly application. The best betting apps are designed with users in mind, making it easy to deposit, bet and withdraw funds.
Online Sports Betting v Offline Sports Betting
The TAB (Totalisator Agency Board) dominates offline sports betting in New Zealand. The body has a monopoly on sports betting here in NZ - with over 550 TAB stores across the islands.
The TAB has traditionally been the only choice for Kiwis - however the brand is slowly losing hold of the market with the rise of online sports betting sites.
Offline betting agencies in New Zealand must pay for local licensing, land and buildings, rotating staff, security, hospitality etc. These costs add up and they tend to make revenue back by offering lower odds than online betting sites.
Online bookies have a clear advantage over the TAB thanks to the lower associated running costs. Online betting customers in NZ benefit from higher odds, faster payouts and bonuses that the local TAB can't match.
Established 2008
18+. T&C Apply
How to Fund Your NZ Sports Betting Account
Some of the leading payment options at NZ betting sites are:
- Mastercard Debit & Credit
- ApplePay
- PayPal
- Skrill
- Neteller
- Paysafecard
- EcoPayz
Is Sports Betting Legal in NZ?
Under current New Zealand sports betting law, it's legal for offshore licensed sportsbooks to offer services to customers in the country.
The Gambling Act of 2003 prohibited New Zealand companies from providing online gambling services to domestic customers. It opened the doors for local punters to sign up at sites licensed in other regions.
The NZ Gambling Commission and Racing Board handle official licensing in the country. However, the current landscape is dominated by large-scale companies such as TAB.
They operate 550+ betting shops and an online site for NZ punters. It's up to customers to choose licensed local or international betting sites, as both are perfectly safe and legal.
Established 2012
18+. T&C Apply
How to Gamble Responsibly
The best betting sites must take responsible gambling seriously. Remember, for the vast majority of us, betting is entertainment rather than a source of reliable income. Here are a few tips to help you bet safely and responsibly at Kiwi sports betting sites:
- Stick to a Betting Budget: Ensure that you bet within your means by sticking to a budget. Have a set amount of money that you can afford to bet with on a weekly or monthly basis and don't go over this limit.
- Don't Chase Losses: Bet with your head and not your heart. Chasing losses is never a good idea, so never bet emotionally as you could incur greater losses if you are unsuccessful.
- Use Tools to Stay in Control: The online bookmakers we recommend have tools to help keep betting fun and under control. If you need to take some time out or set some betting limits, make use of the tools they provide.
The Final Word From Our Sports Betting Experts
This comprehensive sports betting NZ guide aims to help Kiwi punters find the most reliable and value-packed betting sites available in 2024.
Our experts test each bookmaker to find the leading internationally licensed platforms. They feature a huge selection of sporting events, including cricket, football, horses and rugby betting.
Each site has a range of sports betting markets and promotions such as welcome offers, free bets and enhanced odds. If you want the best online betting experience from New Zealand, pick a site and sign up for an account with one of our recommended bookies today.
FAQ
Many betting sites will offer a free sports bet or matched bonus as part of the sign-up process. Be sure to follow the link provided on our site to ensure you receive the offer presented, as it may be exclusive to Gambling.com. Additional promotions will be made available to regular bettors.
Many of the bonuses detailed are exclusive to Gambling.com. Be sure to use the promo code we provide if applicable and go directly from the link on our site to ensure you will be able to claim the advertised promotion. For match bonuses, you will need to make a deposit for the sports betting site to match.
Sign up to one of the safe sports betting sites recommended on this page. After depositing and claiming your bonus, you can then proceed to choose a sporting event and betting market. You'll find a range of betting options available at any of the sites listed here.
New Zealand has relaxed gambling laws for most areas, including sports betting. In NZ, the sports betting market is monopolized by the TAB, with no other locally licensed options available. However, under the Gambling Act 2003, it's perfectly legal for New Zealand residents to access offshore licensed international online sports betting sites.
A sports betting line is a number the bookie creates to provide different payouts for matches. The line number changes the betting odds. For example, if the line is -1 in football, a bet wins if the team wins by at least two goals. Say it has 3.00 odds, higher line, such as -2, may pay 6.00.