Football Betting Sites

Football betting appeals to numerous sports fans in New Zealand, who closely follow both local and international leagues. If you’re interested in learning more about football betting or getting some tips for improving your betting strategy, read on. Our article not only covers all of the basics such as common bet types and strategies, but will also help you avoid common betting mistakes and find the best bookmakers on the market.

1. Sportsbet.io

Sportsbet.io is a sports platform founded in 2016 by mBet Solutions NV and licenced and regulated by the government of Curaçao with licence number 1668/JAZ. Sportsbet.io offers football betting on soccer and American football. In terms of payment methods, besides more traditional methods, you can use several popular cryptocurrencies.

2. Mr Play Sports

Mr Play was founded in 2017 by Aspire Global International and is licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority under the designation MGA/CRP/148/2007. A sports section was added in 2019, offering a huge range of football betting options, from popular competitions like the Champions League to more niche national leagues. For new players, there is a 100% matched deposit welcome bonus up to NZ$100.We have rated this site with an average of 4.2 stars out of 5.

3. Luckster Sports

Luckster is another platform founded by Aspire Global International Ltd and features a similar aesthetic to Mr Play but with green tones instead of predominantly blue of the former. The site began operation in 2021 and is licensed through the Remote Gaming Regulations of Malta MGA/CRP/148/2007. The site’s sportsbook offer includes betting on soccer and American football, with plenty of leagues and tournaments to choose from. The current welcome offer gives players a 100% deposit bonus of up to NZ$100.

4. ZetBet

Zetbet Sports was founded in 2022 by Aspire Global International Ltd. and operates under a Malta Gambling Authority license MGA/CRP/148/2007. ZetBet Sports offers a wide range of sports markets including numerous football leagues and tournaments such as the Premier League and European and World Championship betting. For new players, ZetBet Sports offers a more generous welcome bonus than Sportsbet.io and Mr Play Sports, with a 100% match-up bonus of up to NZ$200.

5. Betway Sports

Betway is a veteran of the sportsbook and casino markets. Its owner, Betway Group has been around since 2006, and as a big international company owns numerous licenses including those from the major gambling authorities such as the MGA and the UKGC. In addition to a massive selection of football and other sports betting markets, NZ players can expect up to $60 in free bets and 20 bonus free spins at the Betway Casino when signing up.

How Does Football Betting Work?

Whether it’s the Champions League or the FA Cup, betting on football is straightforward – all you have to do is accurately predict whether a specific situation will happen throughout a match. If you get it right, you’ll receive a payout based on your stake and the odds established by the bookmaker.

Football betting is highly diversified, with bookies offering players a chance to place bets on hundreds of markets for each match. If you can think of a hypothetical game situation, there are likely odds available for it. But what exactly are odds and how are they calculated? That’s what we’ll look into in the section below.

Football Betting Odds Explained

Odds are nothing more than the probability of a specific outcome during a sports event. But instead of being presented as a percentage, odds are expressed as a number. The higher the number, the lower the likelihood of the corresponding outcome.

On top of showing you how likely an outcome is, odds also represent how much you’ll win if you get your prediction right. As an example, let’s consider the odds of 1.12, which correspond to a probability of 89.3%. For instance, if you placed an NZ$100 wager, you’d win NZ$112 (100 x 1.12). The higher the odds of something happening, the lower the payout and vice versa, and the biggest wins are reserved for managing to predict the most unlikely events (i.e. Man. City losing to a regional league English team in the FA Cup).

Most Common Football Betting Types Explained

One aspect that makes football betting so interesting and popular is the variety of bets available. Bookmakers in New Zealand typically offer hundreds of markets that you can bet on, ranging from simple wagers to complex multi-event-spanning ones. Our football betting guide compiles a few of the most common bets you can find at NZ bookies. Let’s take a look:

Match Result

This is the easiest and most common type of bet you’ll find at online bookmakers, making it perfect for beginners. Match result bets are also known as 1×2 bets because they only have three outcomes – home team to win (1), draw (x), or away team to win (2).

Correct Score

Correct score bets are incredibly popular for their high odds, although they’re extremely hard to win. Why, you may ask? Because you have to guess the exact score at the final whistle, which is a tough bet in most games.

For instance, if you bet on Liverpool to win 3-0 versus Chelsea, the Reds must score exactly three goals and keep a clean sheet. It’s also possible to bet on the correct score at half-time or in the second half. Remember, though, the payouts are best when the result you are predicting looks the least likely, so don’t expect big wins on correctly guessing a game will end in a 0-0 draw if you did so a few minutes before the final whistle.

Handicap

Handicap bets level the playing field for matches where there’s a huge difference between the teams. Essentially, the team you’re betting on can start with an advantage or disadvantage, depending on whether they are considered the favourite or the underdog.

Let’s say you wanted to bet on Manchester United to win against Norwich in the FA Cup, but the payout was pretty low because the odds are at 1.10. Instead, you can place a bet as if Norwich had a two-goal lead. The Red Devils would have to score three goals for you to win your bet, but if they do, you’d get a fair bit more out of it.

Asian Handicap

Asian handicap is one of the most complex forms of betting that originated in Indonesia, hence the name. This type of bet takes draws out of the equation, as you can either receive a refund, win 50% of your bet or lose 50% of your stake if the game finishes in a draw.

Asian handicap bets vary in quarters between -2.0 and +2.0. Depending on the outcome, you can draw on an even amount, such as 0, 1 and 2, win or lose on 0.5, and lose or win 50% of your bet on 0.25 and 0.75.

This wouldn’t be a good football betting guide if we didn’t provide information to help you understand how this works. As an example, let’s consider a match between England and France. Now, imagine you bet on France with a -0.75 handicap. You’ll win your bet if France wins by two or more, get half your bet if it wins by one, and lose if it draws or loses.

Over/Under

Many punters enjoy over/under bets because of how versatile they are. To win this bet, you’ll have to guess whether a specific situation will happen over or under the number of times set by the bookmaker. This can include goals scored, fouls committed, corners conceded, and more.

Imagine if a bookmaker set a base value of 7.5 corners for a match between Chelsea and Liverpool. Since it’s impossible to match the bet (as football doesn’t feature half-corners, fouls, or goals) you’ll either win or lose the bet. If eight or more corners happen during the match, your bet will go through, otherwise – you lose.

Double Chance

Double chance is a type of 1×2 bet that covers two outcomes. It’s a great way to reduce the risk of losing your bet, but you’ll also have lower winnings. There are three outcomes that you can bet on using double chance:

• 1X – The home team wins or draws
• 2X – The away team wins or draws
• 1 or 2 – One of the teams wins the match

Prop Bets

Proposition bets, also known as props or prop bets, are a type of football bet that isn’t directly related to the outcome of a match. Props are usually centred around the performance of certain players and are typically posed as a question. For instance: “Will Erling Haaland score against Manchester United?” There are also team prop bets and various other interesting variants, depending on how creative the sportsbook is.

Futures

Unlike other bets, futures don’t apply to a single match. Instead, they apply to a series of events, like a tournament or a league. To win a futures bet, you’ll have to correctly predict which team will win a competition. Futures can also apply to performance awards, including who will win the Ballon d’Or or the Golden Boot, for instance.

Accumulators

Accumulators, or accas, aren’t a type of betting market available. Instead, the term is related to the number of legs, or matches, in your betting slip. One important detail about accas is that you’ll have to get all predictions correct to win your bet. The odds for acca bets are multiplied instead of summed, which leads to much higher winnings. For example, you bet the winners of four matches and all of those teams have to win for you to win the bet, but because of the multiplication you’ve now given yourself a chance to win big even when all four teams are clear favourites who’d otherwise have very meagre payouts.

An acca is a risk/reward bet, as the more legs (bets) you have on one ticket the harder it is to win but the higher the payout will be. Many online sportsbooks will offer acca insurance, which guarantees you some sort of reward even if you don’t get every prediction right.

Most Common Football Betting Mistakes

There’s no denying it – we’ve all made mistakes when it comes to football betting. However, mistakes are a powerful source of knowledge that allows you to understand what you’re doing wrong and how to improve it. Check out the most common football betting mistakes and what you can learn from them:

Placing Too Many Accumulator Bets

Accumulators are one of the most popular types of bets in football betting. However, they’re harder to win as all the selections must be guessed correctly. This makes them one of the riskiest bets to place.

Even though the payouts of accumulators can be very rewarding if you win, it’s better to stick to less complex wagers, such as single bets. If you really enjoy accumulator bets, consider betting using an acca insurance bonus or other promotions.

Betting on Your Favourite Team

Many punters like betting on their favourite teams. The logic is simple: not only will you be happy if your team wins, but you may also make some money while you’re at it. Unfortunately, the opposite situation is quite common too, and such loses can be doubly devastating.

Betting on your favourite team can affect your judgement, which then leads to careless decisions and riskier bets. This is especially true if your team isn’t in the best shape at the moment, as you’ll always believe the next game is the start of their comeback. Remember, though: bet with your head, not with your heart!

Placing Bets Without Researching

Even though it requires skill, football betting has a component of chance. One way to improve your odds of winning is by researching the teams before placing your bet. Every football betting strategy guide will tell you that research is key when it comes to long-term success in sports betting.

Researching a game before includes looking into the teams, the players, potential injuries, and past matches, for instance. Avoid betting blindly and you’ll be better off than most football betting enthusiasts. Researching a bet is called handicapping a bet and the more you handicap a match the more of a chance your wager will be a winning one.

Chasing LLosses

Calling it a day can be difficult when you’re down some money. However, it’s always the best thing to do, as chasing losses usually leads to further losses, creating a negative feedback loop.

Luckily, there’s an easy way to prevent this – by predetermining how much you’re willing to spend on a specific day. Alternatively, you can determine how many bets you’d like to make per day. Either way, avoid going past your limits, even if you lose. Set a bankroll and the number of bets stick to them.

Not Using the Cash-Out Feature

Cash-out is one of the most commonly used features at online bookmakers. Coincidentally, it’s also one of the most overlooked betting features, especially by beginners. When done right, it can be extremely helpful. To use this feature at its maximum potential, you’ll have to pay close attention to the odds so you can cash out once they’re at their best. This can help you cut your losses when you’re losing or secure better winnings if you guessed correctly.

How Does Live Betting Work?

Live betting, also called in-play betting, is an innovative feature available at many bookmakers in New Zealand. You can use it to place bets on thousands of football matches after they’ve started.

Most of the pre-match bets you can find at a bookmaker are also available on live betting. The difference with live betting is that the odds are updated quickly in response to what’s happening during the match. Even though it’s riskier, live betting is a great way to hedge your bets, i.e. betting against your initial bet to cover it in case you lose.

How To Place a Bet

There are many nuances and levels of complexity regarding football betting. However, placing most bets is a pretty simple process. Here’s a step-by-step rundown:

1. Visit an online bookmaker of your choice and sign up for an account.
2. Claim a welcome bonus, if there’s one available.
3. Add funds to your account.
4. Look through the football section and choose an event of your liking.
5. Browse the markets available and select one.
6. Confirm your betting slip.

Football Betting Tips & Strategies

Even though there’s an element of chance to sports betting, playing with tips and strategies in mind can give you an advantage. Not only will you be able to stay in control of your budget, but you’ll also improve your knowledge and potentially increase your odds of succeeding in the long run. Here are a few sports betting tips free our team has compiled just for you:

Choose a Reputable Football Betting Site

There are a few characteristics all reputable bookmakers have, including operating under a gambling licence issued by a recognized gaming body, having clear terms and conditions documents, and offering bonuses with fair and beatable requirements.

A good place to start is looking at one of our recommended bookmakers. All the bookies we feature are proven industry names with excellent football betting markets, fair odds, good security measures, and well-designed betting interfaces.

Compare the Odds Between Different Bookmakers

The sports betting industry is highly competitive, meaning that bookies are constantly adjusting their odds to ensure they have an edge over their competitors. You can use this to your advantage by researching which bookmakers offer the best odds. The difference in the odds will add up in the long run. The odds will not usually differ too much, but every little bit helps.

Use Betting Calculators to Your Advantage

Betting calculators are a set of innovative tools that you can use to ensure you’re getting the best bang for your buck. They allow you to quickly calculate the odds of your accumulators, verify if your bets have value, or check how much you’ll have to bet to hedge your bets.

Keep Up With the Latest News

Reading the news brings you up to speed with what’s happening in the world of football, whether it’s last-minute injuries, transfers, or other events that may affect the outcome of your bets. This allows you to adjust your bets accordingly and have the highest chance of winning.

Look Into Value Betting

Value betting is a complex betting strategy that involves calculating the probabilities of an outcome and comparing the odds offered by a bookmaker. If a bookie’s odds are higher than your estimated probability, it means your bet has value. If the opposite occurs, it’s best to avoid placing that wager.

Avoid Important Matches or Derbies

This may seem counterintuitive, but it’ll make a ton of sense once we get into it. As you know, important matches are where punters bet the most. Therefore, bookmakers will spend more time adjusting the odds and ensuring they’re correct. This means it’s less likely to find bets with value. Instead, go for matches that the bookies will care less about, and thus have less accurate odds.

Always Set a Budget

Creating a budget is helpful because it prevents you from betting more money than you intended. You can get started by establishing an amount which you’re willing to lose if your bets don’t work out. You should only wager between 1 and 3% of your bankroll on each bet. The golden rule of gambling, and not just betting on football, is to never bet with more than you can afford to lose.

Keep a Record of Your Bets

Creating a record of your bets has several advantages not many punters know about. You can use your records to calculate your profits and percentage of successful bets, but also to find out where you might be making mistakes consistently. Your records should include the markets you bet on, the odds, the stake, and, of course, your wins and losses.

🔥Lucius’ Hot Take on Football Bets

“I believe the common strategy of focusing on high-profile leagues and matches is misguided. While major competitions like the Premier League or La Liga attract the most attention, they are also where bookies have the most accurate odds due to extensive data and analysis. Kiwi punters can find better value and opportunities in lower-tier leagues and lesser-known competitions, where bookies often have less information and thus offer less accurate odds. By expanding their focus beyond the mainstream, you can leverage your knowledge and research to find more profitable betting opportunities.”

Summary About Football Betting Sites

Getting started on football betting can be challenging considering the sheer number of betting markets and odds available. By understanding how odds work, which bets you can place, and what mistakes you should avoid you’ll be ahead of most punters. In addition, following our tips and strategies will help you improve your football betting knowledge and increase your odds of making successful bets. Now all that’s left is finding a new online betting home and putting those skills to good use! Just remember: play responsibly, set betting limits, and never go chasing your losses!

Why Is Betkiwi the Best Online Resource for Football Betting Sites?

1. In-Depth Reviews: Our team spends over 12 hours on each review, covering every topic of interest to New Zealand players.
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8. Regular Review Updates: We strive to keep our readers up-to-date, regularly updating our reviews with the latest information.
9. Responsible Gambling Pledge: Our reviews offer guidance on playing responsibly and we give bonus points to casinos and sportsbooks that share our responsible gambling vision.
10. Educational Resources: We have a dedicated Learning Hub and numerous guides and tutorials aimed at helping our players learn more about the world of online gambling and sports betting.

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Each year we receive thousands of emails from prospective partners asking for collaboration and to have their casino or sportsbook reviewed on our website. Despite this, we only feature the handful that passes our strict rating criteria, as we want only the best operators and games on the market for our fellow Kiwi players.

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10. Educational Resources

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Further Reading

Football

Sports Betting

Premier League

Champions League

Fifa World Cup

New Zealand Gambling Commission

NZ Department of Internal Affairs

Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand

Safer Gambling Aotearoa

GambleAware