Best Esports Betting Sites in New Zealand (2025)
Esports betting is booming, and Kiwis – as with many things in life – find themselves right in the thick of it! Whether you’re into CS2 clutches, LoL macro, or Valorant aim battles, today’s guide is designed to help you bet smarter – not harder.
Today, we’re going to be showing you the best eSports betting sites, the main bet types – and some of the most common mistakes to avoid. We’ll also be looking at some popular teams and players, and finish with a look at how to best manage your bankroll to avoid spending more than you can afford.
Top Esports Betting Sites in New Zealand
| Esports Betting Site | Welcome Offer | Payout Speed | Bet Online |
| Betway | Up to NZ$1,000 across first four deposits for sport or esports welcome option. | 2-24 hours | Bet Online |
| Unibet | 100% match bonus up to NZ$25 | 0-12 hours | Bet Online |
| Bet365 | 100% up to NZ$100 in bet credits | 0-12 hours | Bet Online |
| MarathonBet | 100% up to NZ$250 | 0-24 hours | Bet Online |
| 22Bet | 100% up to NZ$250 | 1-3 days | Bet Online |
Esports Betting Guide: Esports Odds Explained
If you’re new to eSports betting – but already have experience with sports betting – you’ll be happy to learn that there are also no differences. Today, most NZ sportsbooks use decimal odds (e.g., 2.40).
However, with eSports betting, the actual odds can be slightly more confusing. In this market, for example, prices reflect more than just team strength. They also account for patch and meta shifts, map veto dynamics, series format, side choice, and whether there have been any recent role or roster changes.
You’ll most commonly see markets like Match Winner, Map or Round Handicaps, Totals (on maps/rounds), Outrights for tournament winners or finalists) and then Player/Team Props – including First Blood, Most Kills, Pistol Rounds Winner, Total Dragons, or Spike Plants.
Types of Esports Bets
In the section above we already looked at some of the main eSports bets – and here, we’re going to look at these in more detail.
- Match Winner: This is usually the simplest bet to place – and you simply need to choose which player or team wins the series.
- Map Handicaps: This allows you to back a favourite to win by a margin; for example, 1.5 maps.
- Totals (Over/Under): Here, you predict whether the total number of maps, rounds, or kills will go over or under a set figure – similar to the Over/Under bet in football betting.
- Correct Score: This market is ideal for bettors wanting higher odds – as it’s much harder to predict. This bet requires you to accurately predict the exact result – like 2-1.
- Outrights: This bet type covers tournament positions – like winner, or the top-four finishers – and it’s best places before a disruptive patch, or when you manage to spot a favourable bracket.
- Player/Team Props: This is a more specialised bet – not advised for beginners – and it allows you to get into micro-edges like tempo, objective control and role matchups.
- Accumulators/Multis: This, like in traditional sports betting, allows you to combine selections for a much higher potential return – of course, with much more risk involved!
You’ll also find that most NZ online sportsbooks offer game-specific markets, too. For example, some bet types that would be possible in Legends, wouldn’t be workable in CS2.
Esports Betting Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
One of the most common mistakes in Esports betting is ignoring patch notes and meta shifts. In games like League of Legends, CS2, and Valorant, champions, agents, weapons, and utility get buffed or nerfed constantly – and this can end up flipping the competitive balance a lot. To avoid getting into trouble with this, try to stay on top of patch summaries – and watch at least a match or two post-match to give you an early edge before a market begins to adjust.
Another common mistake is treating best-of-one (Bo1) matches the same as best-of-three (Bo3) series. Bo1 formats generally produce more upsets due to the smaller sample size – and the lack of depth found within the maps. As a result, it’s generally recommended to lower your stakes, and prioritize more stable outcomes in longer series.
Here at DashTickets, we also see a lot of bettors skipping over really important map pool data and format details. Vetoes, comfort picks, and even side selection can dramatically impact the flow of a series – and by taking some time to actually check the recent map win rates – and the typical ban/pick trends for each team can uncover some pretty invaluable edges!
Finally, we’d really recommend doing “price shopping” – as even small decimal differences in odds can make a huge difference over time. This becomes even more important for high-rollers, or those placing regular bets. Always compare lines across sportsbooks before placing a bet – and try to avoid going in blind on roster moves: stand-ins, last-minute role swaps, or new in-game leaders can massively change a team’s structure!
Popular Esports Teams & Players
Esports is home to some of the world’s most passionate fanbases – and much of it comes down to iconic teams and superstar players. Names like FaZe Clan, Team Vitality, and G2 Esports are known for their success across multiple titles, from CS2 to Valorant to Call of Duty.
What makes eSports interesting is that, like some of the world’s biggest sports teams, these aren’t just competitive teams; they’re brands, with millions of followers, insanely large sponsorships – and rosters stacked with the world’s best!
In CS2, for example, Natus Vincere (Na’Vi) and Team Spirit are known for producing world-class fraggers, while in Valorant, Sentinels, Paper Rex, and LOUD are known as the league’s top performers. League of Legends, meanwhile, is ruled by legendary names like T1 – home to the GOAT, Faker – alongside other notable names like Gen.G, JD Gaming, and G2.
Below, we’ll show you some of the most popular esports teams and players.
| Game | Top Teams | Top Players |
| League of Legends | T1, Gen.G, G2 Esports, Cloud9 | Faker, Caps, Chovy |
| Counter-Strike 2 | Vitality, FaZe, NaVi, G2 Esports | ZywOo, s1mple, NiKo |
| Dota 2 | Team Spirit, LGD, Team Liquid, OG | Yatoro, Ame, Nisha |
| Valorant | Paper Rex, Fnatic, LOUD, Sentinels | Jinggg, Derke, aspas |
| Overwatch 2 | Dallas Fuel, Seoul Dynasty, Houston Outlaws | Proper, Fearless, Lip |
| PUBG / PUBG Mobile | FaZe Clan, Natus Vincere, 4AM, Stalwart Esports | Order, Top, Paraboy |
| Apex Legends | TSM, DarkZero, Fnatic, Alliance | ImperialHal, Genburten, Effect |
| Rainbow Six Siege | Team BDS, G2 Esports, FaZe Clan | Shaiiko, Virtue, Astro |
| Mobile Legends: Bang Bang | ONIC Esports, Blacklist International, RRQ | Kairi, Oheb, Alberttt |
| Fortnite | Team SoloMid, 100 Thieves, NRG | Bugha, Clix, Mero |
| Rocket League | Team Vitality, Karmine Corp, Gen.G Mobil1 | Zen, Firstkiller, ApparentlyJack |
Money Management
As always, when you’re betting – no matter whether it’s on eSports or traditional sports markets – you should always treat your bankroll as a separate pot of money you can afford to lose – and size your stakes consistently. Many bettors stick to 0.5–2% of their total bankroll per bet, at a maximum – as this helps you to ride out variance.
If you’re a serious bettor, you should always try to keep records of every bet, including odds taken, closing line movement, and results by title and market; this helps you spot where you actually have an edge.
Also – expect volatility. Bo1s, eco rounds, and swingy maps create natural downswings, so you should always try to plan for these in advance – rather than simply reacting emotionally (and potentially losing more money when they happen!)
Above all else, set clear limits – and don’t forget to take advantage of responsible gambling tools like deposit limits to prevent yourself from spending more than you can afford!
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