Horse Racing Betting Online in New Zealand
Horse racing has been popular in New Zealand for well over a century, and is one of the most bet on sports on the islands. More and more punters have discovered the convenience of placing their bets online.
They do this by signing up at online bookmakers. There, they can find a range of markets that allow for different types of bets on thoroughbred and harness racing.
Betting at licensed bookmakers that protect punters by securing their banking services with data encryption technology is safe, so punters need not worry about fraudulent activity.
New Zealand’s History of Horse Racing
Punters have been betting on horse racing ever since the sport was introduced to the islands. Some of the very first thoroughbred races took place as far back as 1864.
It didn’t take long for the Kiwis to make a name for themselves in the sport, either. Horses bred in New Zealand began winning Melbourne Cups in 1882, and show no sign of slowing down. More than 40 cups and other races have been won by Kiwi-bred horses since that momentous year.
The thoroughbred side of it is overseen by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Incorporated. The sport’s main club is the Auckland Racing Club, which uses Ellerslie Racecourse for its races.
The first harness racing or trotting events for Standardbred horses were also held in 1864, although the first race on a proper racecourse took place several years later, in 1875. The sport continued to gain momentum through the 1880s, although it should be noted that, at first, some Kiwi bookmakers and punters were actually opposed to the idea of harness racing.
Notable New Zealand Horse Races
New Zealand boasts a large number of races. This is obviously good news for punters, as they can access racing betting opportunities throughout the year.
A few of the popular races include the Auckland Cup, the Championship Stakes, the Desert Gold Stakes, the Easter Handicap, the Great Northern Derby, the Karaka Million, the Wellington Cup, the Windsor Park Plate, the Air New Zealand Stakes, the New Zealand Trotting Cup, the Auckland Trotting Cup, and the Noel J Taylor Memorial Mile.
Kiwi-bred horses also run in some of the world’s most prestigious races, which are offered as markets to punters. Some of the international racing events on which punters can bet are the Dubai World Cup, the Epsom Derby, the Melbourne Cup, and the Victoria Derby, all offering great horse betting games online.
Types of Horse Racing Bets Found Online
Betting on horse racing at online bookmakers provides punters with all the familiar bet types. To place their bets, punters need to log in to their bookmaker accounts, select their preferred market, and then choose from the bet types displayed.
They can place Straight bets on particular horses to win certain races, and they can bet on multiple finishers and multiple races. Exotic bets are also a feature of New Zealand’s top online bookmakers.
Before Punters Place Online Racing Bets
If punters are new or inexperienced with betting on horse racing, there is a risk that they might not place the most sensible of bets. One way of improving their betting is by reading not only tips offered by New Zealand online bookmakers, but betting guides as well.
They can find horses’ and jockeys’ track records, track conditions, weather reports, and other information that could prove invaluable.