One of the most popular betting markets in New Zealand is horseracing, and few online sportsbooks exclude it from among their offerings. Punters on the islands have bet on horses for well over a century, and new punters join in the wagering on an almost daily basis.
When most punters start out, they tend to favour placing standard win horse bets. While there are always exceptions, the majority of punters wait some time before placing exotic bets.
This may be because they are still building a working knowledge of horses, jockeys, and tracks, or it may be because the often vast array of exotic bets available at most sportsbooks can be downright confusing.
Explained here are some of the exotic bets more popular among punters in New Zealand.
Exacta Horse Bets
Exacta horse bets are a favourite among punters who have just begun to expand beyond standard Win bets. When placing an Exacta bet, the punter chooses two horses, one to win, and one to place second.
The horses need to finish the race in the exact order for the punter to win the bet. Such bets usually offer sizeable payoffs.
Banker Horse Bets
Some online sportsbooks offer Banker horse bets to punters in New Zealand. When placing the bet, the punter needs to select one horse to win, as well as a number of others to place in the top three or four in horse betting online.
Such bets are generally seen as the province of seasoned punters who have a broad knowledge of horseracing.
Trifecta Horse Bets
Trifecta bets pick up where Exacta bets leave off. To place a Trifecta bet, the punter needs to bet on three horses to finish first, second, and third.
The punter wins the bet if the horses finish in that exact order.
Superfecta Horse Bets
New Zealand’s online sportsbooks also offer Superfecta bets among their Exotic horse bets. They are notoriously difficult, as the punter placing the bet needs to bet on four different horses to place in the top positions in order.
The horses must place exactly as predicted for the punter to win the bet.
Quinella Horse Bets
Like Exacta bets, Quinella horse bets popular with punters who want to increase their betting options. Such bets are also placed on two horses running in a race.
However, unlike Exacta bets, the horses to not need to finish in order for the bet to win. The chosen horses simply need to place in the top two positions.
Rolling Double Horse Bets
Rolling Double horse bets, while usually classes as Exotic bets by online sportsbooks and punters in New Zealand, are really just an expanded form of standard Win bets.
When placing a Rolling Double bet, the punter needs to bet on horses to win consecutive races. Such bets were previously limited to the first two races of the day.
Events for Online Horse Bets
New Zealand has a number of racing events that attract a large number of Exotic horse bets. Among the most popular are the Auckland Cup, the Great Northern Derby, the Wellington Cup, the Easter Handicap, and the Championship Stakes.
Many online sportsbooks also offer international horseracing event markets such the Epsom Derby, the Victoria Derby, the Melbourne Cup, and the Dubai World Cup.