Online Betting

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1. 22bet
100% up to $250

Reviewed & verified by our team

"22bet offers punters hundreds of match markets on soccer matches and other global sports events; and competitive odds across the board."
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New Customer Offer Only one 100% first deposit bonus per customer. The minimum deposit required to get the bonus is 10 NZD. The maximum sports betting bonus is 250 NZD. All types of bonuses are disabled for cryptocurrency accounts. The bonus must be wagered within 7 days. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly.
2. 888 Sport
100% up to $100

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"Snap up a host of offers to enhance your punting pleasure and bet on rugby, cricket, and dozens of other sports on your mobile or PC with 888sport. "
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New Customer Offer $10 min deposit - The bonus will be applied once the full deposit amount has been wagered at least once with cumulative odds of 1.5 or greater. Wagering must be cleared within 90 days. This offer may not be combined with any other offer. Deposit methods, Withdrawal restrictions 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly.
3. Bet Regal
Bet $10, Get $10 Freebet

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"Promising new betting operator looking to make its mark in New Zealand - brings a wide range of sports and betting options, plus top prices of major events."
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New Customer Offer Max $10 free bet. Qualifying bets must be placed at odds of, or greater than, 2.00. Paid as bonus token with min 1.80 odds required. Skrill, Neteller, Paypal deposits not eligible 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly.
4. Leo Vegas
Get up to $50 Bonus

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"Jump from the first-class casino over to LeoVegas Sports for a mobile-first betting experience. Grab your Leo Boosts and enhance your payouts on your winning punts. "
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New Customer Offer To be eligible for the 100% Matched Free Bet, new customers must first place a qualifying bet within seven (7) days of making their first deposit. A qualifying bet is a bet of $10 or more at odds of 1.8 (4/5) or higher. The first qualifying bet to settle will be 100% matched with a Free Bet up to a value of $50. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly.
5. Spin Sports
Get up to $200 Free Bet

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"International sportsbook design for the modern bettor. Offers a range of features, tools and promotions to add more value to your betting."
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New Customer Offer 1st Deposit - Free Bet up to NZ$200 • New customers only • Min deposit NZ$10 • 5x wagering at odds of 1.3+ to unlock free bet 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly.
6. Unibet
$25 Risk Free Bet

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"One of the best bookies for local and international horse racing, Unibet is a favoutire site for many punters. "
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New Customer Offer To withdraw your refunded stake, you need to simply wager your bonus money 3 times. So, for e.g. if your first bet of €10 loses, we will credit you €10 instantly as bonus money. You need to place three subsequent bets of €10 to make your original stake and all associated winnings withdrawable. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly.
8. Betway Sports
Get up to $60 bonus

Reviewed & verified by our team

"Betway is among the top online betting companies out there. It offers 1000s of markets and some mouth-watering promotions, including its popular free bet club."
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New Customer Offer Min Deposit: 20 NZD. First deposit matched up to 60 NZD. 1 x wagering at odds of 1.75+ to unlock Free Bet. Credit Card and Debit Card deposits only. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly.

Online betting is not only a wonderful form of entertainment but also an excellent opportunity for in-the-know punters and complete novices alike to make huge profits from top sports like football, tennis and horse racing. Whether it’s a simple prediction such as the match result or correctly predicting the first scorer in a basketball game, the list of ways to win is seemingly endless. Not sure where to start? Our beginner’s guide will take you through everything you need to know before you start placing your wagers at a top online betting site.

Beginner’s guide to online betting

 

Why bet online?

There’s nothing stopping you from heading out onto the high street and placing your bets with a land-based bookie, but the advantages of betting online simply can’t be ignored. There’s the obvious – being able to bet anytime, any place frees you from the confines of the local betting shop, thanks to mobile-friendly betting sites as well as native mobile betting apps. Plus, many of the best online betting sites allow you to bet in-play on a huge number of sports, while you watch the action unfold on high definition live streams. As if that wasn’t enough, the ability to cash-out online puts full control in the hands of the punter, allowing you to cut your losses early on or claim a win before things take a turn for the worst.

Find the best value

Sure, betting on sport is fun, but we’re all looking for a nice return when putting our hard-earned money on the line. It goes without saying – every bettor is after the best prices available. When comparing, you’ll probably find that most prices on major sports are quite similar, but there are a few features that set the contenders apart from the pretenders. Can you get a bonus on your accumulator? Are there any money back specials or price boosts on offer? There are usually great ways of measuring which betting site offers the best value for punters.

Betting Odds

When comparing prices, the way they’re presented might make them tough to decipher for complete newcomers. Markets aren’t priced like items at a supermarket, but are instead assigned betting odds. Betting odds simply indicate the payout you’ll receive from the bookmakers if your bet is a winner. These odds are usually presented in one of three formats:

  • Fractional – Here, your potential winnings are given as a fraction of your stake. For example, odds of 1/1 means that if you place a £5 wager, you’ll receive £5 in winnings and have your original stake returned for a total of £10.
  • Decimal – This is simply the multiple of your stake that you’ll receive for a winning bet. So if you place a £10 wager on a market with decimal odds of 2.5, you can expect a £25 return.
  • American – American odds are a completely different ball game. The bookies’ favourites come with a – or + symbol attached for favourites and underdogs, respectively. The higher the value, the larger the underdog. For instance, a -500 favourite has a better chance of winning than a -200 favourite, while a +100 underdog has a better chance of winning than a +600 underdog.

Online betting markets

The best online betting sites deliver a stellar choice of betting markets for punters. Betting markets are the outcomes available for betting on any given match. We aren’t just talking the number of different sports available to bet on, but also the choice of betting markets within each match, such as the match result, handicap and winning margin markets. While there’s often little to choose between the biggest brands when it comes to major sports like football, you’ll find a fair amount of variation in market coverage from bookie to bookie when looking to bet on more obscure sports and competitions.

In-play betting

You can be forgiven for thinking you’re limited to pre-match markets at the top online betting sites. Whilst this used to be the case, live betting is now one of the most important features to consider when choosing a top online betting site. Placing bets during a live game can present more favourable opportunities and odds for punters, depending on how a game is unfolding.

Compare welcome bonuses

If the prices and market depth on offer aren’t enough to filter the list down to just one, the welcome bonus offered to new customers is a great way to make your decision a little easier. Bookies offer a number of first bet bonuses to attract new punters, including free bets, first bet insurance and matched first deposits. Here, it’s not all about choosing the biggest bonus, but instead, choosing wisely to find a bonus that suits your betting style. Reading the terms and conditions for a specific new customer bonus offer and keeping an eye out for any wagering requirements is a great way of figuring out if a welcome bonus is really as enticing as advertised.

Ready to place your bets?

Now we’ve shown you the ropes, you’re sure to have a better idea of what to look out for before signing up at an online bookmaker. Check out our carefully curated list for the premier selection of the best betting sites available today. With plenty of sports for you to bet on, from American Football to UFC, we’ve got you covered. Once you’ve picked out one that ticks all your boxes, simply sign up, claim your exclusive welcome bonus and start betting online today!

Your Questions Answered

What should I be looking for when choosing a bookmaker?

There are a number of things to consider. Many people automatically think about free bets and bonuses – and with good reason. You’ll often find offers like ‘bet £5 get £10 free’, or deposit match bonuses such as ‘100% up to £50’. While they will usually have a number of terms and restrictions applied, they certainly boost the incentive for getting started with one bookie over another. You’ll also want to think about the range of markets, availability of live betting, bonus features like cashout or live streaming, and mobile friendliness – all of which are covered in our in-depth betting site reviews.

How do I deposit funds to my betting account?

It’s pretty simple, really. Once you’ve signed up to an account at your chosen bookmaker, head to the banking, payments or cashier section. Most punters will deposit with a debit card or bank transfer – which simply requires entering your details into a form. If you’d rather use an eWallet like PayPal, it’s a s simple as signing in and depositing your chosen amount.

What is an accumulator?

An accumulator is a fancy word for when you combine multiple bets together. For example, if you bet on Arsenal, West Ham and Leicester to win as part of an accumulator, the odds are multiplied together. This makes the potential payout much higher than if you bet on just a single game. Another way to think about it is this: the winnings from each part of the accumulator are automatically bet on the next match – and so on. The only downside is that, unless you have a very reliable crystal ball, the odds of you winning are pretty low! Still, accumulators remain a popular bet and many punters place a weekly accumulator in the hope of one day hitting the big time.

Should I cash out or not?

Ah yes, the eternal dilemma! A growing number of bookmakers offer a ‘cashout’ feature, which allows you to cash out early and take a reduced win in exchange for guaranteed profit. The alternative is to stay in the game and ride it out. If the result remains the same, you’ll win more. But if the outcome changes, you’ll be left wishing you cashed out when you had the chance. Whether you should do it or not? That mainly depends if you fancy holding on for the ride or the certainty of a guaranteed outcome. It’s like making a bet within a bet. the choice is yours!

Do all bookies have mobile apps?

Most of them do. Usually these specific mobile apps downloaded from an app store will be faster and more reliable then a regular mobile website. However that’s not always the case – and some people prefer to play from their mobile web browser than taking up space on their phone with another app. You can browse our top mobile betting apps here.

How do I make sure I get the best odds?

Our reviews include spot checks of various odds on a range of popular markets. This gives us a fair idea of how good the odds are at various bookies, and you can find that in each review we provide. However the smartest thing to do is to compare specific odds for the market you’re interested in, on the day you want to place the bet. This will help you know exactly which odds are available on the market, and where your potential returns are maximised.

What are enhanced offers?

These offers, also known as ‘price boosts’, are a way of attracting new customers by raising the odds on a specific market. For example, Man Utd might be events to beat Bournemouth at home, but an enhanced odds offer might boost that to 5/1. Please note there are usually limits and terms applied to these kinds of offers, so they aren’t usually as lucrative as they first seem!

The people behind this page

Compare.bet's online gambling content experts helped write, edit and check the content on this page:

Daniel is the editor-in-chief at Compare.bet. He has half a decade of experience writing on topics including sports betting, online casino and the NBA. Daniel also covers Premier League football for The Warm-Up and has interviewed Louis Saha, Richard Dunne and Gary Pallister. In his spare time, Daniel enjoys film photography and making Spotify playlists.
Noel is a writer for Compare.bet with over a decade of experience writing on topics including online casino and sports betting.