Football Betting Sites

In this article, we are going to review the best online football betting sites in New Zealand, highlight their advantages, features and unique tricks. We will also tell you about the mobile football bookmakers apps available for local punters.

Sport in New Zealand is part of the country's colonial heritage - the archipelago was a British colony for nearly 66 years. New Zealand's football team has won the Oceania Nations Cup five times and participated in two World Cups. Not as cool as rugby, but they know how to play football too.

List of Football Betting Sites in New Zealand 

Last updated: -/-/-

  • Regular enhanced odds
  • Multi Builder & Cash Out
  • Weekly Free bet promotions

To qualify for the free bet you must place bets totalling the value of your first deposit (up to €/$30). Single bets must be placed at odds of 1.75 (3/4) or greater. In each-way bets the place part of the bet must be placed at odds of 1.40 (2/5) or greater. In system bets each selection must have odds of 1.40 (2/5) or greater. There are no wagering requirements for your free bets.

  • Cash Out and Edit Bet features
  • A large range of markets to bet on
  • Great In Play mode with a lot of video streams

Register an account, make a deposit of $10 (or currency equivalent) or more and you will be entitled to a 15% bonus on your qualifying deposit up to a maximum of $100 (or currency equivalent). To bet with your bonus, simply turn over the amount of your deposit once on the sports and markets of your choice. You must have settled bets to the value of twelve times your deposit and bonus prior to making a withdrawal.

  • Bet Builder
  • Focus on football
  • Lots of promotions and bonuses

Deposit at least $10 using the bonus code 30FB. Place a bet of at least $10 at odds of 1.5 or greater. $30 in free bet credits plus additional $10 in casino credits will be deposited to your account. They must be used within 7 days. The free bets will be credited as three $10 free bets. Your free bet stake will not be included in any winnings.

Online Football Betting Sites Regulation in New Zealand 

The betting market in New Zealand has been monopolised since 1950. TAB NZ is the only legal bookmaker in the country. However, New Zealand law allows locals to bet with international bookmakers. So we will consider the big international brands (like Betway or Bet365) in our review. These are reliable bookmakers, market leaders in terms of product, and it is legal to bet there.


However, it is worth remembering that foreign operators are not responsible under New Zealand law. So in case of a conflict, you will not be able to file a complaint to the local authorities.

How We Rate Football Betting Sites

Licence

Our rating only includes football betting sites that are officially licenced, though not in New Zealand. We verify the validity of a licence by checking the regulator’s website. We also take note of whether licencing information is easily accessible and visible on the site.

We evaluate a bookmaker's personal data processing rules, responsible gambling policy, and other official documents to ensure your safety and security when betting.

Variety of tournaments and markets

There are 2 criteria that help evaluate a betting site's rating:

  • The number of sports available. It’s an important factor to consider when picking a bookmaker. The more options a bookmaker has to offer, the easier it is for a customer to find a sports bet that suits their needs. On average, bookmakers offer 20-25 types of sports. If there are less sports, the online sportsbook loses points. The top football betting sites offer up to 40 sports to bet on.
  • The number and variety of markets offered for top football events is one way that bookmakers show their advantages over other companies. Every bookmaker accepts bets on this sport. However, the range of football betting markets offered can vary significantly. Some sports betting sites may only offer bets on the most popular markets, while others will offer many more options, such as bets on the number of corners or yellow cards in a game.

Odds

A good bookmaker offers great odds due to low margins. The bookmaker's margin is the percentage of fee that the company charges when presenting the markets. The bookmaker never pays 100% of the bet, the usual payout is between 90% and 95%. The higher the payout, the higher the potential winnings from the bet. Our ranking shows the companies with the best odds for betting on football matches.

Bonuses and promotions

Almost all betting sites try to attract new users with some exciting bonus offers. There are loyalty programmes for existing customers, where the bettor can also take part in various promotions and receive rewards. These can be either Free bets, cash prizes and valuable gifts.

In Play betting and live streaming

The level of a bookmaker is also determined by the quality of the In Play service. The best football betting sites offer fast betting and payouts, instant Cash Out and great live odds. In addition, football bookmakers with quality service allow you to follow the events on the football field via live streaming or infographics.

Statistics

When ranking the best bookmakers for betting on football, we paid attention to the statistics provided on the football betting site and in the apps. The best bookmakers offer to check the position of teams in various tournaments, the results of recent home and away matches, the list of goalscorers and other statistical information directly on their website. In this case the bettors always have the necessary statistics at their fingertips.

Payment methods

The number of deposit and withdrawal methods is the main criterion in this case. The best online sports betting sites in New Zealand have many options, so their customers can choose the one they like best.

Most UK customers usually stick to just a couple of payment methods that they're comfortable with. However, if a bookmaker were to integrate many payment systems, it would show that the company cares about the clients and their needs. Therefore, UK betting sites that offer a wide range of payment methods have an advantage.

Customer support service

At some point, every customer may have an issue with their bookmaker. In these cases, it's important to have a customer support service that is responsive and helpful.

We highlight the advantage of bookmakers with support teams available for 24 hours a day and in several ways: telephone, email, live chat.

Mobile apps

This factor is becoming more significant every year. Research suggests that by the end of 2022, around 92% of New Zealanders will be using smartphones. And the apps are getting better and better.

Of course, if you don't have an app, you can use the mobile version of the website in your browser. But, in our experience, if you bet often, it starts to get exhausting. It is much more comfortable to bet with a mobile app. Often we use mobile betting even when we have a computer at hand.

Ease of navigation

A good bookmaker should have an easily navigable and visually appealing website. Our team uses the following criteria when ranking and listing betting sites:

  • Speed and convenience of selecting tournaments and markets.
  • User-friendly interface.
  • Quick access to important tabs (e.g. live or deposit).
  • Good T&Cs structure for bonuses.

To place a bet quicker (or place more sports bets), you can use helpful options. If they are available, you have a modern bookmaker that is on trend.

  • One-click betting for quick betting. This feature is particularly relevant for the In Play betting. The user sets up a fixed amount, after which bets are placed with a single click on the desired odds, without any additional confirmations.
  • Setting "automatically confirm the bet when the odds increase". Allows you to not have to re-enter your bet when the odds change, as long as they have not decreased.
  • Fixed amounts setting. The sports betting sites offer to set the standard betting amounts and place bets quicker.
  • Cash Out. Possibility to sell the bet to the bookmaker before the end of the event, taking a part of the winnings or limiting the losses.

Top 5 Football Betting Sites in New Zealand

The only legal betting site in New Zealand is TAB NZ. You can, however, register with international bookmakers if you wish to find higher odds and generous bonuses. Below we will take a closer look at the top football betting sites that are targeted at New Zealand users. 

Bet365

Bet365 is a betting company that operates exclusively online. It is headquartered in the UK, but also accepts bets in New Zealand and many other countries around the world. One of the world's most popular online bookmakers was founded by businesswoman Denise Coates in 2000. The betting site is known for the live streaming service, which is available to registered customers with a deposit. The bookmaker allows you to cash out your bet fully or partially, you can also set up an automatic Cash Out. There are several settings for self-control.

The football section contains over 110 tournaments at different levels: European and American leagues, international club tournaments, world championships and continental competitions. The Rest of the World section has 24 tournaments from less popular countries.

Bet365 has a good selection of football betting on a good level with over a thousand football betting options. As well as the main types of football betting, Bet365 allows you to bet on Asian handicaps, half time results/total goals, half time/full time, correct score and other combined options. The bookmaker provides a wide range of markets on various statistics - shots on/off target, number of fouls, individual performance of players, and many more. For many popular football matches the company offers boosted odds - you will find them in the Popular section, there is also a Bet Builder option - up to 12 independent betting markets per match.

Pros:

  • A large range of markets to bet on
  • Great In Play betting mode with a lot of live streams
  • Cash Out and Edit Bet features

Cons:

  • Live chat difficult to access
  • No 24/7 customer support service
  • Deposit methods do not include PayPal

Betway

Betway was founded in Malta in 2006. The company is geared towards European users, with many European languages available in the settings. It is worth noting the wide variety of events available for betting: sports, showbiz, politics, culture and Esports. There are also casino and live casino sections.

The bookmaker offers betting on more than 85 world football tournaments. More than 50 countries are represented in the betting line. Exotic tournaments include Nepal, South Korea, Japan and other lower divisions. Betway focuses on the top 5 European championships, European cups and international tournaments. There is also a wide range of tournaments for Australia, Japan, Norway and others.

Betway can offer over 500 betting markets for a major match. Apart from basic markets, betting on totals and handicaps, there are many betting options for statistical indicators (corner kicks, yellow cards), time periods, goalscorers, individual player statistics (goals, shots on/off target, assists, and other combinations). In addition, users can create their own combined bet for a match using the Bet Builder option. 

Pros:

  • Regular enhanced odds
  • Multi Builder & Cash Out
  • Weekly Free bet promotions

Cons:

  • Live chat difficult to access

888sport

888sport was founded in 2008. It is a part of 888 Holdings, which integrates the casino and online poker platforms. The bookmaker prioritises football, horse racing, basketball and virtual sports - they are listed separately in the menu. There are streams on horse and greyhound racing.

There are over 100 football tournaments from more than 50 countries: national championships and European top 5 cups, championships of Egypt, Faroe Islands, Tanzania, Venezuela, and other countries from all continents. The main focus has traditionally been on European cups, the biggest international tournaments - World Cup, European Championship, Champions League, Nations League, UEFA Euro U-21, and the top 5 European leagues. There is also a wide selection of tournaments for Australia, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway.

On the top football match pages on the 888sports website, users can choose from over 530 betting options. These include Over/Under, handicaps, corners and yellow cards statistics, personal goals and fouls, hat-tricks, half-time bets, and combined markets. Users can also create their own unique bet via the Bet Builder.

Pros:

  • Lots of promotions and bonuses
  • Focus on football
  • Bet Builder

Cons:

  • No live streaming for most sports
  • Low odds in the In Play section

22Bet

The 22bet.com website is managed by TechSolutions Group N.V, a Cypriot company operating under Curaçao licence 8048/JAZ. The bookmaker offers betting in more than 35 sections. There are bets on unusual disciplines such as boat racing, kabaddi and keirin, as well as bets on politics, TV games and the weather. The futures - betting on winners of national and international championships in many sports - are placed in a separate section.

The football section includes more than a hundred tournaments at different levels from all over the world. You can choose from bets on World Cup, European Championship, Champions League, international youth and junior national teams, friendly matches, several levels of leagues and cup competitions of European, South American, Asian, African countries, MLS, USL and other tournaments.

At 22Bet, the range of markets for the top football matches is the most detailed - up to 1500 options and even more. There are plenty of niche bets such as Asian Over/Under and handicaps, a lot of combined bets (result + Over/Under, half time/full time), goals by intervals, goalscorers, corners, yellow cards, shots on target, offsides, fouls and other options.

Pros:

  • Big welcome bonus
  • A great selection of events (35 sections for betting)
  • A large range of markets to bet on (up to 1500 markets)

Cons:

  • Few live streams
  • Overloaded and confusing desktop site

Rabona

Rabona has been operating since 2019 and is owned by the Tranello Group of gambling companies. The company was founded in Cyprus and operates under a Curaçao licence. The sports betting section offers nine of the most popular disciplines - football, basketball, tennis, hockey, volleyball, handball, baseball, American football and cricket.

Rabona is a very football orientated bookmaker. As well as a great selection of popular football competitions, there are bets on E-football and virtual football. The latter is more of a roulette game than football, though, as the course of the game is completely simulated by a computer. On Rabona's site you can bet on football tournaments in over 60 countries, as well as international competitions. The number of leagues is pretty solid.

Examples:

  • Wales -2 leagues
  • Turkey - 3 leagues
  • Scotland - 4 leagues and cup
  • England, Spain, Germany, Italy - from 6 leagues and more, including women and youth.

In top football leagues you will find over 1000 markets, and in less known tournaments, like championship of Burundi, around 50 markets can be found. Less popular leagues, like the Danish Super League, have more than 900 markets per game.

It seems really great. But there is a disadvantage: among all this gigantic number of markets there is almost nothing really unusual. Basically all of these bets are about when and how each team will score goals. It's a long way off from 22bet. Not even the common betting on statistics (cards, corners, throw-ins) is represented.

You can bet on: 

  • A team to win or a draw
  • Over/Under
  • Handicaps
  • Result of first half/match
  • Individual team totals
  • Exact number of goals of the match
  • A team to win by a certain goal difference (1, 2, 3 goals)

Additionally, Rabona customers can take advantage of the Bet Builder, fast markets and player specials (bets on which player will score the goal).

Pros:

  • Over 1000 markets for top matches
  • "Zero margin" promotions
  • Bet Builder
  • Special Bets

Cons:

  • Margin is just above average
  • Live streaming for Esports only

Football Bookmakers: How To Bet on Football

Let's take a step-by-step look at how to bet on a football match in New Zealand.

Choose an online betting site or app

To start with, choose a football betting site for yourself. We have already explained in this article how to evaluate football betting sites. If you don't want to do the analysis on your own, pick a football bookie from our selection. Please visit Match.Center for a more complete list of all bookmakers with football betting for New Zealanders. 

Register an account

The second step is to register with the bookmaker you like most. This process is not complicated and takes a couple of minutes at most.

Instructions on how to register:

  • Go to the official betting site.
  • Click on the "Register" button. 

  • Fill in the form: enter your full name, date of birth, nickname, choose a password.
  • Click on the "Create account" button.

Verify your identity

To be honest, it is not really necessary. You can bet without verification of your account. But here's the thing. Without verification, the bookmaker will not allow you to withdraw your winnings and participate in the promotions. If you can, go through this procedure straight away and forget about it. All you need to do is send an email to the bookmaker with a copy of your passport and proof of residency in New Zealand. For example, a local bank statement or a utility receipt with your name on it.

Make a deposit

There are usually no problems with making a deposit. You can easily make a deposit, even without verification. 

  • Go to your personal account.
  • Go to the "Deposits" section. 
  • Choose your preferred payment system. 
  • Enter the deposit amount.
  • Confirm the transaction.

Depending on the payment method, the period of getting money to your betting account will be different. But in most cases it is instant. Commonly used payment systems at international bookmakers include debit cards (Visa/Mastercard), Skrill, Neteller and PayPal.

Choose a match and place a bet

All that remains is to find a great football match, select the football market and place your bet. If you have never placed a bet before, the process is as follows:

  • Open the homepage of the betting site
  • Go to the football section

  • Find a desired match
  • Select the market
  • Open a bet slip
  • Enter the bet amount
  • Check your potential winnings
  • Confirm the bet

All of the big international bookmakers (Betway, Bet365, 888sports, etc.) have different levels of football events. The most famous leagues (La Liga, Premier League, Serie A, Ligue 1) as well as minor leagues (Swedish, Japanese, South Korean championships, etc.) are available. There are also bets on international tournaments (UEFA Champions League, Europa League, Copa Libertadores, World Cup, Nations League, etc.).

If you choose the market, you can bet on 1/X/2, Over/Under goals of the match or a separate half, handicaps, correct score, odd/even, who will score, correct score of each half, etc. There are even bets on the team statistics - corners, offsides, shots on target, etc. In general, there's plenty to choose from!

Football Online Betting Sites: Types of Bets 

The most common types of bets that can be found in the football betting markets of international bookmakers.

Final result

A bet on the final result is a sports bet on one of three markets: Team 1 to win (1), a draw (X) or Team 2 to win (2). This bet involves the result of a game after the regular time is up. For example, a 2-2 draw in a match after 90 minutes. Even if the teams need to play extra time or a penalty shoot-out to decide the winner, the tie is still considered to be the winning bet. Although sometimes the terms and conditions may specify an outcome including extra time.

Correct score

The client must guess the exact score of the match. For example 1:0, 2:1, 1:3 etc. In general, such bets are always a lottery. The chance that such a bet will be successful is low. And guessing the correct score of matches on a regular basis is almost impossible. That is why bookmakers offer competitive odds on such bets. 

Half Time/Match

This is a combined bet. Two outcomes must be guessed simultaneously: the result of the first half and the match. In such bets, a win for the first team is 1 and a second team is 2. A draw is X. Therefore in the bookmaker's markets you will most often see the following: 1/1, 2/X, 1/2, etc. The value before the fraction is the result of the first half, after the fraction is the result of the match. For example, 1/X means team 1 will win the first half and the game will end in a draw.

Over/Under

The task of the punter is to predict the number of goals in relation to a certain value of total.

The total of goals scored is indicated as Over and Under, with the value of the total next to it. Fractional total clearly separates won or lost bets, there are no refunds. For example, the total over 2,5 (Over 2,5) means that at least three goals will be scored in the game. Only in this case the client will receive the winnings. If 2 goals or less are scored, the bet is lost.

On the other hand, a whole goal total implies the possibility of a push. For example, if a player bets on Over 3 or Under 3 and both teams manage to score exactly 3 goals at the end of the match, the bet will be settled as a push. 

Both Teams to Score

Betting on this market you need each team to score at least one goal in a game. The bet has two options - "Yes" and "No". If both teams score, the bet on "Both Teams to Score - Yes"wins. If one of the opponents fails to score or the match ends 0-0, the bet "Both Teams to Score - No" wins.

Who will score

This bet requires the bettor to guess who is likely to score in the match. Usually, the bettor indicates the names of the players who can appear in the starting line-up and potentially score in the match.

Over/Under corners

This is a type of betting on statistics. Many online bookies offer this type of bet to the locals. It can be number of corners per game, number of corners per team, victory by number of corners with a certain handicap, odd and even number of corners in a match, etc. 

Handicap

Handicap is a conditional advantage of one team over the opponent. A handicap can be negative (on the favourite), positive (on the underdog) or zero.


For example, with a handicap (+1.5) the underdog team must win, draw or lose by one goal difference. Correspondingly, the bet loses if the underdog loses by a margin of two or more goals.

If a customer bets with a handicap (-1.5) on the favourite, this team must win the match by a margin of two goals or more. A one-goal win, a draw or any defeat means losing the entire bet.

A zero handicap is a bet on a team winning by any score. In the case of a draw, the bet will be a push. The only way to lose a bet is if your team loses.

Football Odds: Important Information

In this section we will explain how to find competitive odds on football and earn more if your bets win. When setting betting odds, the bookmaker focuses on the statistical probability of each of the events offered, and then adds the margin. This causes the football odds to be lower than they "should be", or, as it is sometimes said, below "fair odds".

Example: how bookmaker's margin works

Let's take a typical bet with two possible outcomes - Over/Under. Total over 2.5 goals works of at least three goals will be scored in a match total under 2.5 goals works in case no more than 2 goals will be scored in a match. Suppose we have a game where there is statistically a 50% probability of both. Then the fair odds should be 2.0 for each market. But you'll never see such bets, because then the bookmakers won't make any money: they'll just give the money of those who lost to those who won.

To make money, the bookmaker lowers the odds - that's the margin. Let's say the bookmaker's margin is about 4%, which is often used by good bookmakers in betting on major football tournaments. With such a margin, we will not get the odds of 2.0 on Over/Under, but the odds of 1.92. If we bet equally on each outcome, the payout will be 96%. The bookmaker will get 4% for himself, no matter how many goals are scored.

That's how it works. Bookmakers doesn't care if you win or lose a particular bet. Odds below fair guarantee them a profit in the long term.

Different bookmakers put different percentages of margin into the same odds. On one football betting site you'll see the odds of 1.94, while on another you'll see the football odds of 1.90 on the same Over/Under bet. Does that mean that the first online betting site is better than the second? Sometimes yes, but not necessarily. Below we'll explain point by point what things to look out for so that you always pick the best odds. 

How to choose a bookmaker with good odds

The margin doesn't matter if you are looking for odds to place a particular bet. For example, you're hoping that teams will score at least 3 goals and you are just looking for which bookmaker will offer the best football odds. But if you know which bookmaker usually has the higher payouts, you won't have to check 10 bookmakers. Maybe it will be 2 or 3 sports betting sites with good odds, and you will already have the accounts there. And you can devote the time you save to analysing events.

So, how do you choose a bookmaker with good odds? We consider 4 factors.

Calculate the margin for your championships

For top events like the English Premier League, the football odds should be great and the margin should not exceed 5%. However, if you are betting on Turkish championship, it is important to estimate margin there. It will definitely be higher. Most importantly, it should be a moderate increase, and the payout should be at the same level for all games of a matchday.

Why does the margin depend on the match status? It is a question of mathematics and the bookmaker's profits. There are a lot of people betting on the matches of well-known tournaments and a lot of amateurs who are sure to lose in the long term. The bookmaker has a lot of information about the championship and the bets on it, so a small margin is enough to make a good profit.

It is the fans who more often bet on the third league football games. The number of bets placed is lower, the qualification of bettors is higher. At the same time the bookmakers have much less information to understand what odds they should fairly set. Therefore, to cover themselves, they increase the margin.

Pay attention to bonuses

Many bookmakers run promotions, e.g. football free bets, by sacrificing the margin: enhanced odds, boosted odds, bet boost or zero margin. The idea is the same: the bookmaker sets better odds on a particular event. If your bet wins, you will get more.

There are two important points to evaluate the benefits of such promotion:

  • What can you bet on? Often boost is only applicable for basic markets: Team 1 to win/Draw/Team 2 to win.
  • Are the boosted odds really that high? Some bookmakers have such low odds from the start, that bet boost just makes them competitive rather than best.

Calculate the odds for LIVE betting separately

If you place an In Play bet, compare the odds there separately. Live betting odds are harder for the bookmaker to calculate, and the margin will always be bigger. Fortunately, the comparison in this case takes a few seconds: open the match page on several NZ football betting sites and see which bookmaker has the better odds right now.

Separately, pay attention to the number of blocked bets. This is an extra insurance for the bookmakers: when an event occurs on the field that significantly changes the probabilities, they block the bets and re-calculates the odds. The quicker the betting resumes, the better the quality of the In Play service.

Calculate the benefits for accumulators

Odds are even more important if you like to place accumulators.

  • Some bookmakers have a separate promotion to boost odds for accumulators. Make sure you know about that and take advantage. "Add 3% for the accumulator of 3 selections" doesn't sound particularly impressive. But only until you read the second paragraph.
  • Accumulators make the differences in odds more noticeable. Suppose you decide to place an accumulator of 3 selections. Let's compare the two online bookies. 

Bookmaker A:

  • Market 1 - 1.50
  • Market 2 - 2.10
  • Market 3 - 1.80

The final odds of the accumulator will be (1.50 X 2.10 X 1.80) = 5.67.

Bookmaker B:

  • Market 1 - 1.52
  • Market 2 - 2.15
  • Market 3 - 1.83

And here the final odds will be (1.52 X 2.15 X 1.83) = 5.98.

A small difference in the odds for a single bet gives (or subtracts) 0.3 in an accumulator. If you bet on all these events separately and all three win, the difference would only be 0.1.

Should I choose a bookmaker based on the odds alone?

Not always. It depends on your area of interest in betting. If you bet on big markets (on one team to win or total goals in a match), there are two factors you can use to rank bookmakers:

  • Odds
  • Bonuses

But if you're looking for unusual bets, you'll be more interested in betting on a football betting site where the range of football markets is as wide as possible. Like, for example, on the football online betting sites 888sport and 22bet.

If you want to watch live streams of matches on the betting platform, you'll have to deal with poor odds for live betting.

Our main advice is simple: if you're betting, make sure you have an account with more than one bookmaker. That way you'll get more bonuses and more choice - including when you're looking for great odds.

Football Betting Websites: Welcome Bonuses 

Here we will cover the main types of welcome bonuses that bookmakers offer. Remember that New Zealanders place bets on the websites of international betting companies. It is very important to clarify if you are eligible for a bonus that you like. Often, the bookmaker will only provide welcome bonuses to citizens of certain countries. It is important that New Zealand is on the list.

First deposit bonus

The first deposit bonus is a welcome offer from the bookmaker. New customers receive bonus funds for betting after making a deposit of a certain amount. The deposit bonus is often the same as the deposit amount, thus equal to 100% of it. Sometimes it also happens that the deposit bonus is credited at double the amount of the deposit (200%).

Getting a first deposit bonus is easy.

  • Register on the football betting site (enter all your personal details, login and password).
  • Verify your account (send a copy of your passport and a document proving that you live in New Zealand, e.g. a bank statement or a utility bill with your name).

  • Top up your account with the required amount.
  • Get your welcome bonus.

In most cases, bookmakers set limits on how much of a bonus you can get. For example, 100% of the deposit amount, but no more than 100 NZD. In this case a bettor can deposit a larger amount as well, but the bookmaker will only credit the customer a maximum of 100 NZD as a bonus.

Like any other welcome bonus, the first deposit bonus requires wagering. The conditions can be completely different. For example, place the full bonus on an accumulator of at least 3 events at minimum odds of 1.90 for each match.

No deposit bonus

A no deposit bonus is a bet without any risk. Because the customer is betting with the bookmaker's money. Almost none of the bookmakers today offer such a promotion. If you have found a no deposit bonus, you can consider yourself very lucky. In such a case, you can try to raise your bankroll, test your own betting strategy in practice, etc. without investing your own money.

The size of a no deposit bonus is usually small. Some bookmakers provide 5 NZD or 10 NZD to new customers.

How to get the no deposit bonus?

  • Open a betting site, which has such a promotion.
  • Click on the "Sign up" button.

  • Enter all your personal data (name, date of birth, place of residence, etc.).
  • Click on the "Create account" button.
  • Verify your account (send to customer support a copy of your passport and proof of residency in New Zealand - bank statement or utility bill in your name). 
  • Wait for your documents to be verified.
  • Get your no deposit bonus.

No deposit bonus is virtual money which in theory can be converted into real money and cashed out. But in order to do so you need to wager the no deposit bonus. Each bookmaker has its own specific terms and conditions for wagering the bonus. Here are the key parameters, which must be specified in the wagering requirements of the no deposit bonus:

  • Wager. This is a requirement to place a mandatory amount of bets for the bonus wagering. For example, the size of the no deposit bonus is 20 NZD. The wager is 10x. So the bettor must wager a total of 200 NZD.
  • Validity period. It is very important to find information about this. Firstly, free bets valid for a certain number of days from the moment of registration on the betting site. Secondly, the football Free bets expire after a while. So make sure you take advantage of it.
  • Parameters of the bet. As a rule, the bookmaker describes in details in the terms and conditions on what sport and at what minimum odds the bonus should be placed. Besides, sometimes you can use the Free bets only for pre-match betting or only for live betting.

Important point. If you successfully wagered the no deposit bonus, you will not be able to withdraw it immediately. Since no payment system is activated. You can solve this problem very easily. Just top up your betting account for a minimum amount. Yes, you will have to deposit your own money to your betting balance, so that you can withdraw the bonus later. There is no other way!

Risk-free bet

Another welcome bonus for newcomers. If a new user's first bet loses, the bookmaker returns part or all of the betting amount to the client's account. The refund may be in the form of a Free bet or real money.

Step-by-step instructions on how to get your first risk-free bet:

  • Register with the bookmaker.
  • Verify your account.

  • Place your first bet according to the conditions of the promotion.
  • Get the refund if your bet loses.

Risk-free bet is valid only for bets made under this promotion. For example, place a 50 NZD accumulator bet of 5 events at odds of 2 for each selection. If any of these three conditions is not met, the betting insurance will not be valid.

Tips for Online Football Betting

In football betting, as in any other sport, there are universal tips that never lose their value over the years. Let's take a look at the basics to help you save your bankroll from losing it completely, as well as the common mistakes that prevent newcomers from winning more or less consistently. 

  • Learn how to manage your bankroll. It is very foolish to set aside 100 NZD to bet, top up your betting account and place a bet for the entire amount. Yes, sometimes you will get lucky and actually win. But in the long term such a strategy is doomed to fail. It is better to spend small amounts on betting: you should not spend more than 1 - 5% of the total amount on your account for one bet. That way, you won't lose your entire bankroll in a couple of days.
  • Do not bet in a heat of passion. After a big loss, many punters lose control over themselves, forget about bankroll management and place even bigger bets in the hope of an instant recoup. It is good if the money is not pressing on a person and they can afford to spend it on bets. Worse is when the bettor goes into debt (takes a loan, borrows from friends, and etc.) for the sake of gambling. The best thing to do after a loss is to take a break from betting. 
  • Carefully analyse the football match. Find out the current form of the teams, their standings and head-to-heads. Also think about who is more likely to win the upcoming match. Don't forget to check out the preliminary line-up of the teams. It is possible that the leader of one of the teams will miss the match for whatever reason. Correspondingly, the balance of forces on the field will change, and so on. In general, a detailed analysis will allow you to choose the most reasonable bet.
  • Do not bet on football leagues you are not familiar with. If you know New Zealand football very well, would it make sense for you to pick a Uganda Football League match you've never heard of? Only bet on leagues that you know well and can back up your confidence with some quality match analysis.

Football Bookmakers: Deposits and Withdrawals in New Zealand 

The major betting sites have a large list of payment systems: debit cards, electronic services, bank transfers, etc. Let's explore these payment methods and the companies that represent them in more detail.

visa + mc

Debit card (Visa/Mastercard)

Both payment systems operate worldwide, including New Zealand. Basically, they differ only in the orientation of the transactions. Visa conducts more transfers in dollars, Mastercard in euros. But since New Zealand has a completely different currency (New Zealand dollar, NZD), there is no difference for local punters. Visa and Mastercard work closely with international bookmakers and provide customers with the ability to make deposits and withdraw their funds to these cards.

Skrill

Skrill

The English payment system. It has been working with bookmakers all over the world for many years. On the payments market, the company stands out for its support of multiple deposit methods, low fees and ease of navigation both on the website and in the mobile app. A physical debit card can also be issued to a Skrill account.

Neteller

Neteller

This e-wallet is second only to Skrill in popularity. The company has been in operation for more than 20 years and during this time has managed to earn the absolute trust of the users. Extensive deposit and withdrawal methods, a high level of security and extremely low transfer fees are what make this service one of the best in the world.

PayPal

PayPal

The largest debit payment system. The service operates in more than 200 countries, including New Zealand. Additionally, it is worth mentioning that the company does not disclose any personal data of the client, sticking to a policy of complete confidentiality.

Top 3 Football Betting APPS in New Zealand

Bet365 icon

Bet365

One of the leading bookmakers in the world, operating in a huge number of countries. Of course, we couldn't help but include it in both the top 3 bookmakers for betting on football in general, and also in the top 3 mobile apps. Although some users have questions about the design of the site, Bet365's betting product itself is always top-notch. 

Pros:

  • A large range of markets to bet on football
  • Great live betting mode with a lot of live streams
  • Cash Out and Edit Bet features

Cons:

  • Live chat difficult to access
  • No 24/7 customer support service
  • Deposit methods do not include PayPal

In the football betting section you will find over 110 tournaments on all continents, as well as international tournaments for clubs and national teams.

The range of betting markets on major football events exceeds 1,000 options. And it's not just a bunch of correct score options or dozens of handicaps. At Bet365, you can place not just basic bets on wins and totals, but also on markets such as:

  • Asian handicaps
  • Combined bets (half time result/total goals)
  • Shots on/off target
  • Number of fouls
  • Player's individual statistics - goals, assists, fouls, etc.

Many of the popular football games are accompanied by boosted odds promotions. You will find them in the Popular section. Besides, there is a Bet Builder option - the possibility to build up to 12 markets of one match, which are independent of each other.

The bookmaker's margin is medium-high: 6-8% for top matches, the same for In Play bets.

image-64119d34daf3d-22bet-logo

22 bet 

This app is exactly the same as the well-known international brand 1Xbet. And it has the same pros and cons. 

Pros:

  • The largest selection of football tournaments
  • A large range of markets: 1500+ options for top football
  • Live streaming
  • Statistics

Cons:

  • Odds could be better
  • The app takes a long time to load

Also note the controversial design. It's not a pure disadvantage, but the app probably won't be suitable for everyone. When you first select a sport it will immediately take the customer to the live matches. If you come to evaluate the pre-match betting, you will have to select the sport from the full list one more time.

Let's move to the pros.

The range of sports betting markets couldn't be wider: you can bet on leagues from 70 countries, including the lower leagues, and plenty of international competitions including friendlies, youth and junior matches. Even in countries where football isn't that popular, there's more than 1 league represented. Examples: 

  • Belarus - 2 classic football leagues and one more 4x4 football league.
  • Algeria: 2 leagues and youth league (under 21).
  • Panama: 2 leagues.

If football is a bit popular in the country, you're likely to find anything you like.

Examples:

  • Slovakia: 4 leagues.
  • South Korea: 3 leagues.
  • Romania: 3 leagues.
  • Mexico: Men's, Women's and Youth (under 20).

In the Europe big four (England, Spain, Germany, Italy) there are at least 5 tournaments in each country.

Now let's have a look at the markets available for the top games like Arsenal vs Tottenham in the English Premier League. We probably won't even count the exact number of markets, because there are a dizzying number of them. At least 1,000 options, that's for sure. There are not a lot of statistical bets such as corners and cards, but there is plenty of room for imagination.

The basic markets we are used to seeing everywhere:

  • One of the teams to win or a draw;
  • Over/Under (total number of goals over or under a certain number);
  • Which team will win with a handicap;
  • Which team will win (or a draw) in a particular half;
  • Both teams to score or not.

And more.

The most exciting thing is the markets, which you won't find at every bookmaker:

  • Someone will hit the post or the crossbar (yes/no)
  • There will be a missed penalty
  • An own goal
  • Hat-trick (by any player)
  • Scoring a goal in the additional time
  • Goalkeeper will be sent off (at odds of 30.0)
  • A header will be scored
  • Foot goal (or even "yes" for a foot goal at odds of 1.12)
  • All goals are scored in the same half (not necessarily by the same team)
  • Team 1 (or 2) will lose by 2 goals over the course of the match and come back (yes (16.0) / no (1.01))
  • A few bets on whether there will be penalties and sending offs, both, penalties without sending off, sending off without penalties.

Of course, some of these inventive bets are impossible to predict in any way. How can you predict that someone will hit the post or that all goals will be physically scored in the same gate?

We always say that betting is primarily entertainment. And that is exactly what 22bet does!

In total, 22bet has over 50 sports, including betting on Esports and politics. 

Betway icon

Betway

Betway offers a good selection of bets on football events and a complete app for iOS and Android.

Pros:

  • Regular boosted odds on football
  • Multi builder football bets
  • Weekly Free bet promotions

Cons:

  • Few football live streams

In the Betway app you can choose from dozens of football competitions. There are more than 50 countries from all over the world on the bookmaker's list. The biggest focus is on the top 5 European championships, European cups and international competitions. However, even for the not popular national championships there is a big choice: Scotland (7 leagues), Japan (4 leagues), Mexico (3 leagues), Turkey (3 leagues).

On the Betway football page you can choose from over 500 options. Here are the niche bets the bookmaker offers:

  • Statistics, e.g. corners, yellow cards;
  • Events in a certain time period; 
  • Goalscorers;
  • Individual statistics - goals, shots on/off target, assists, combinations.

If you are not satisfied with these, you can create your own combined bet for a match by using the Bet Builder option.

The odds for Betway football betting are about average. In the major national leagues (English Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga, Serie A) the bookmaker's margin is between 5.10% and 5.35%.

FAQ

Is Football Betting Profitable?

Statistically, only about 5-10% of all sports bettors make a profit. The rest of them lose! Football is even harder to make money on, because the bookmakers' analysts pay the most attention to the main sport.

We can't claim that football betting brings only losses or only profits. But it is more likely that you will lose. This is the main reason why we urge you to consider betting as entertainment.

Is Betting on Football Online Legal?

The laws of New Zealand allow you to bet within the country. However, there is only one legal betting site operating in the country, TAB NZ. If you want to find better odds or a wider range of football markets, there is no law that prevents you from registering with international bookmakers

What Is the Best Bet for Football?

There are innumerable different types of bets in football markets (1/X/2, O/U goals for a match or a single half, handicaps, correct score, odd/even, which player will score a goal, statistics on corners, offsides, etc.). What would be considered as the best bet? If you are looking for profit, it will probably be small markets from niche championships: by setting the odds on fouls or corner kicks, the bookmaker might make a mistake due to lack of information. And if you're looking for entertainment, the most popular bet will help, i.e. total over. Firstly, every goal is a celebration. Secondly, teams can score three goals even in the final minutes of an absolutely dull game when you have mentally parted with the money. And you'll remember it for a long time.

Which League is Best to Bet on?

It is best to bet on a football league that you are familiar with. In this case you know the teams, their line-ups and follow transfers in that market. Some people prefer New Zealand football, others focus more on the big leagues such as the Premier League, La Liga, Ligue 1 and Serie A.

What is the Best Football Betting Site?

You can't name the best bookmaker for football betting. Based on our experience we have identified the top 3 bookmakers with a well-known brand name, an excellent choice of football betting and good bonuses: Bet365, Betway and 888sports.

How do Bookmakers Calculate Football Betting Odds?

To calculate the odds, football betting websites take the following factors into account:

  • Statistics of recent games and head-to-head matches between the teams.
  • The players' form.
  • Venue of the game.
  • Position.
  • The players' motivation, etc.

The bookmakers' staff estimate the probability of the match result in percentages and then translate it into odds.  Of course, they do not calculate the odds by hand but with the help of computers. In this way, the bookmaker can update hundreds of odds literally every minute.

Can I Use a Free Bet on an Accumulator?

Yes, of course. Moreover, it is not uncommon for Welcome Bonus promotions to specify that you can only place an accumulator with a certain number of events. Always remember that Free bets expire in a pretty short period of time.

What are the Best Live Football Betting Tips?

If you're betting live, check out a strategy based on waves. It's a universal principle, but not a mathematical one. It's important to watch the match and follow what's happening on the pitch.

Logic dictates (and our experience too) that teams cannot keep a high tempo and create chances continuously, earning shots on goal, corners or fouls. Often, after a period of activity, the bookmaker tends to revise the odds: the odds on the total over will decrease and the odds on total under will increase. But just here the pace can drop.

Conversely, this principle also works: if both teams are motivated, but there is a quiet period on the pitch, don't expect it to be like this for the whole 90 minutes.

VALENTIN AXANI

webSite Manager