As the country’s national summer sport, cricket is very popular in New Zealand. It’s considered to be the second most popular one overall, just behind rugby. It’s no surprise then that there’s also betting involved in cricket, in line with its interest in gambling. The online gambling market in the country is expected to grow at almost 5% every year over the next five years.  

Sports betting in New Zealand

Sports betting has become easier than ever before. Even from the luxury of one’s own home, a player can place a bet either online or on the mobile phone. It could even take place through online casinos, which are growing in their reach. As more internet connectivity and smartphones are seen around the world, online casinos are growing popular too. On their part, they are attracting potential gamers with options like a casino bonus  or a no deposit bonus as well as offering sports themed video slots games to attract sporting fans. Sports themes like golf , football, cricket and tennis are common video games.

In New Zealand, there are five key sports that attract most sports bets. At the top is football, which is popular around the world. It’s estimated that some 70% of all the sports bets globally are on football matches. A multi-billion-dollar industry in the US, American Football comes second.

Next, is cricket. The betting doesn’t just involve guessing which team will win and which will lose. Bets could also be placed on more granular aspects like the wickets or runs taken. Cricket betting goes so deep, that the gamers could place bets on specific overs of a match too. Tennis and horse racing are the other two sports where betting is popular.

Top match dates for 2025

From February to April of 2025, there are a number of key matches scheduled for the New Zealand team that could invite betting. The standout thread among these is the number of games it plays with Pakistan during this time. Of the 13 matches scheduled, the country’s official cricket team, Blackcaps, plays 10 with South Asia’s Pakistan. Besides Pakistan, it also plays with the other South Asian countries of India and Bangladesh. The only other one is with South Africa. Some of the key matches are as below:

  • Men’s Tri Series: It starts the next month with the Men’s Tri Series, hosted by its rival country on February 8. It’s a one-day international match. In the same series, it then plays with South Africa on February 10.
  • ICC Champions Trophy: On February 19, it plays for the ICC Champions Trophy, also in Pakistan and with Pakistan. Two more matches are scheduled as of now for New Zealand as part of this series, with Bangladesh and India on February 24 and March 2 respectively. The match with India is played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, reflecting a change of location.
  • Twenty20 International:  Hosting the Twenty20 International from March onwards, New Zealand has a series of matches lined up here as well. All of these matches are against Pakistan. They start on March 16 and the set of five matches goes on up till March 26.
  • One day internationals: The Pakistan tour of New Zealand  begins from March 29 onwards, when a number of One Day International matches are played. A set of three matches are played which go on until April 5.

Much more sports betting to come

With a packed schedule  for the first quarter of 2025, spilling into the second quarter, sports bettors can have a field day. New Zealand is set to play against a number of countries, the most prominent of which is Pakistan during this time.

Cricket is already a hugely popular sport in New Zealand. And its also increasingly one that’s attracting the attention of sports bettors. Multiple reasons are resulting in sports betting. Technology is supportive in a way it has never been before, and online sports betting sites and casinos do their part in attracting gamers. Sports like football, American football, tennis and horse racing have piqued the interest of the country’s sports bettors. Besides cricket, of course.

With cricket in specific, the bets can be from the odds of a team to win to its performance during overs. The online world has made it easy to place even such intricate bets. It remains clear then, that with the depth of bets possible and ease of placing them can increase interest in sports betting. Additionally, the overall interest in the sport helps.

The sport might still not see runaway growth in betting, though. Online casinos are expected to grow, but only see moderate growth during the next five years. Responsible gambling can hold potential bettors back. Online betting sites may also alert them to the potential dangers of getting carried away with it. That said, done in a temperate way, betting on cricket could well add to the enjoyment of the game.