Best Horse Racing Betting Sites in New Zealand (2024)

How We Decide the Best Horse Racing Bookies

Of course, a list like the above will always be subjective as many factors ultimately come down to personal preference. However, when we put together the list, we decided to focus on what we believe are the most important factors when placing bets on horse racing. All in an attempt to guide you towards a better experience.

Although we have touched on most of these factors above, we will break them down once again below and explain why they are so important for horse racing betting.

Horse Racing Strategy & Tips

While we’ve attempted to highlight key areas to make your horse-race betting enjoyable and safe, we emphasise that there aren’t any hard-and-fast strategies or tips.

Different bookies, conditions, gamblers, horses, and other such factors make it a complex exercise to put in a nutshell. Some racegoers out to have an entertaining time will pick a winner based on the name of a horse or jockey that appeals to them or opt for eye-catching silks (costume colours jockeys wear).

Nevertheless, New Zealand bettors who want to profit from their flutters must do their homework before backing their instincts. A plan they plot for one horse at some venue may not work at another. A change of jockeys from one race to another can have an impact on an outcome, too.

On that note, here is a list some of our broad suggestions on variables that may have a bearing on a strategy (in alphabetical order):

• Form: We consider this to be the most important, no matter what the breed of a horse. Children are awarded scholarships based on their class reports. Racehorses are no different. That said, there’s little money to be made on favourites. That’s where your class comes through as a punter. If a horse has had three top-four finishes in its past six outings, is it due for a win in the next one? Your call based on its form and statistics sportsbooks provide on their sites.
• Gear: What accessories a horse wears is in the hands of the trainer working in collaboration with the jockey. Should they use blinkers and cheek plates to cut out the mount’s distractions? Will they make the horse focus or throw it off its stride? Eventually, you’ll have to be the judge, based on the horse’s temperament.
• Jockey: Like horses, some riders perform better than others. The good ones are able to bring the best out in their mounts. Unfortunately, some jockeys use the whip too often and, as intelligent animals, horses work them out. Riders’ records speak volumes. It’s not just about who claims the most winners. Astute punters are able to differentiate between talented riders and those who bank on sheer determination and grit.
• Track character: In 2008, NZTR had adopted an 11-scale track rating system after a six-month trial and public feedback. All of that means Kiwi bettors should be making more educated decisions from one venue to another, based on how any horse finds traction compared with its performances. A fast track starts at No.1 and takes in the good, dead, slow, surfaces before ending with heavy ones at No.11.
• Trainer: Akin to jockeys, trainers also have philosophies in preparing their mounts when an owner brings them for mentoring. Sure, some trainers have the Midas touch, and their records speak for themselves. However, good Kiwi punters do their research on what methods they employ. How they are able to match a jockey with a mount in a short turnaround time from one meeting to another. Do trainers give their top performers a spell after a big season with lucrative purses beckoning? Overall, it’s always a collaboration with punters joining in the party. An integral component of any successful strategy is the ability of gamblers to latch on to any tips they can find from horse racing-savvy players in the industry. Whether it’s from a reliable source or how a mount behaves in the lead up to a race, they all add up to creating a sound strategy.

Here is a list of tips we recommend to Kiwi bettors (in alphabetical order):

• Birdcage watch: Keep a hawk eye on how the horses are behaving as the handlers walk them around in the birdcage with or without the jockey in the saddle before the race starts. Are they calm and perky or yanking their bridle in discomfort?
• Don’t push your luck: Keep your horse-racing betting in perspective, especially if you’re new to the game. Place your wager on the odds-on favourite even though the profit margin is slim. Going straight out for a rank outsider can hit your pocket and well-being hard. Do that when your confidence and knowledge are high.
• Expert advice: No matter how good anyone is at anything in life, they have picked up lessons from listening and watching other professionals in a chosen industry. In the horse-racing domain, identify commentators and scribes who have a proven record from track reports to previews to race reviews.
• Fun factor: Always wager on account of entertaining yourself because that’ll determine how clear a head you’ll have in making rational decisions. Those who lose the plot also lose their money. If gambling is an addiction then seek help from Safer Gambling Aotearoa for an 0800 helpline, free text number, and free support services near you.
• Gauge odds: That’s usually a smart starting point at a sportsbook but be mindful that bookmakers have many other variables to consider in trying to work out if you’re backing the right horses. Don’t be shy to compare bookmakers’ odds across different sites.