What Are The Most Popular Sports To Bet On In New Zealand?

Sports betting in New Zealand is big business and with the government’s proposal to bring sports betting into the digital world next year, it’s set to skyrocket! In 2025 alone, sports betting revenue is set to reach over $500m1. Below, we look at some of the most popular sports to bet on in New Zealand and at some of the markets within those sports that are bet on the most.

Sports Betting in New Zealand

New Zealanders simply love their sports! To be quite honest, they’re pretty good at them, too. From cricket and rugby through to hockey and netball, New Zealand has claimed its sporting successes over the years. As a result, it’s only natural that many New Zealanders would choose to bet on some of these sports. Here are some of the most popular sports to bet on in New Zealand, along with the most bet on markets within them.

#1 Rugby Union

It’s easy to see why New Zealanders love betting on Rugby Union, as betting on the All Blacks tends to pay dividends. They are the most successful international rugby team in the world, with a win rate of over 75%! That means every three out of four bets is likely to land when betting on them. Sure, their odds are not often very generous, but does it matter when you’re winning so often? They’ve won the Rugby World Cup three times, so placing a futures bet will generally give you a run for your money.

However, it’s not only international play they like to bet on. The Super Rugby competition is one of the most competitive rugby tournaments in the world, and New Zealanders can’t resist a wager here and there on it. There are five Super Rugby teams from New Zealand, including the Blues, Chiefs, Hurricanes, Crusaders, and Highlanders.

Super Rugby games are generally high-scoring affairs, which means the totals market is usually one of the most wagered on. A total bet means that you are betting on the total number of points scored in a game. The bookmaker will set a target number of points, and then you place a bet on whether the final score will finish above or below that number.

Sports betting tip – When betting on rugby, always check the weather before placing a bet. If it’s raining, it will likely mean that the ball will be wet and slippery, leading to more handling errors. This generally means fewer points in the totals market and a closer game if you’re looking at the spread.

#2 Cricket

New Zealanders don’t like cricket… they love it! New Zealand has a rich history when it comes to cricket, as they’ve been playing it for almost 200 years. There are many different competitions that the locals like to bet on. With New Zealand cricket flourishing at present, why wouldn’t they? The men’s international team recently dominated Pakistan in their white ball series, and despite losing a nail-biting ICC Champions Trophy final 4 to India, there is plenty to cheer about.

On the domestic front, you have the Super Smash and Plunket Shield competitions to bet on, which usually throw up plenty of big sixes and breathtaking catches. The Central Stags dominated the Super Smash tournament this year, picking up their fourth championship. You can bet your bottom dollar that there will be a few New Zealanders placing some money on them to continue their dominance next year.

Sports betting tip – Cricket is very much a statistical game, so you have greater access to information than in many other sports. Use it! For example, you might see that Kane Williamson is averaging 49 runs per game in one-day cricket. In his upcoming match, your bookmaker has set the run line at 39.5 runs. You can then place an educated bet on him to score more than 39.5 runs, as you know he’s averaging more than that per game.

#3 Rugby League

Back to rugby now, but this time we’re switching codes to Rugby League. Despite New Zealand only having one representative in the National Rugby League, as it is predominantly an Australian competition, it’s still one of the most popular sports to bet on.

This high-octane game, which has very few stops or breaks, makes it perfect for placing in-play bets. The spread bet is also a popular bet as bookmakers can even the playing field by offering one of the teams a points advantage. Bettors can either choose to back the team with the advantage or back the opposing team to cover the handicap.

Sports betting tip – Check where each team is in the standings, evaluate their form over their previous five games, then check their home and away records, and lastly, the head-to-head data.

#4 Football (soccer)

Football is the biggest sport in the world. It is played by and watched by more people in the world, so it’s easy to see why it’s the most popular sport to bet on globally. Although New Zealand is hardly renowned for its football exploits and the domestic leagues aren’t overly impressive, New Zealanders still like nothing more than getting up in the early hours of the morning to place a bet on competitions like the English Premier League (EPL).

That’s the best part about not having a great domestic league: you tend to focus more on the best leagues from around the world. The leagues that are bet on the most are the EPL, La Liga, and Serie A. Popular bets include both teams to score over 2.5 goals, the match winner, and the first goalscorer market.

Sports betting tip – Check the teams’ official websites, as they will report player injuries faster than many other websites. This can keep you ahead of the game while also offering up some value before the odds change if a key player is missing.

#5 Tennis

Tennis is another hugely popular sport in New Zealand, and locals regularly make the trip over to Australia each year for the Australian Open. There is plenty of tennis action in New Zealand itself, with the ATP and WTA Tour events taking place in Auckland and Wellington.

New Zealand bookmakers witness plenty of action in the futures market as bettors love nothing more than picking an outright tournament winner. Other popular markets include the total games market as well as the set betting ones. Set betting involves predicting the score of the match as opposed to just who will win. It’s harder to win, but the odds are much better than the match winner odds. Tennis is also one of the most popular sports for accumulator or parlay bets.

Sports betting tip – Some players tend to have the advantage over others, no matter how they’re playing at present. Make sure you check the player’s head-to-head records before placing a bet.

#6 Golf

Almost last on the list but by no means any less popular, we have golf. New Zealanders and generally most bettors around the world love to place a golf bet, as you can win big with small stakes. Who can forget Shaun Micheel winning the PGA Championship at odds of 250/1!

There are also lots of quirky bets that New Zealanders like to place, such as who will be the top Australasian golfer in a tournament.

Sports betting tip – Check the course form before placing any bets. Course form indicates how a player has performed at a particular course. Some players simply love some courses and loathe others. It isn’t always reflected in the odds, so you can sometimes get some good value. Most bookmakers tend to focus on how a golfer is performing at present. While that is still something to keep in mind, a player who has been playing poorly can suddenly perform well if the next tournament is being played on a course they have done well at in the past.

#7 Netball

Netball is the most popular sport among females in New Zealand, with the women’s national team currently ranked second in the world. The ANZ Premiership is also one of the best domestic leagues you will come across around the globe. With so much exposure and TV time, it’s easy to see why New Zealanders love to bet on the game. The fast-paced action and the ebb and flow of the game make it fascinating to bet on in-play.

Sports betting tip – Momentum is everything in netball. If you see a team dominating the play early on, place a wager on them to win, even if they’re not the favorites.

Final Thoughts on New Zealand’s Favorite Sports for Betting

There you have it, some of the most popular sports to bet on in New Zealand, along with which markets bettors are wagering on. We have even thrown in some basic betting tips that every shrewd bettor should know. Always remember to keep your gambling sessions fun and gamble responsibly.