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Find out more. - [The Backbone of New Zealand Horse Racing Success: Breeding and Bloodlines](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/the-backbone-of-new-zealand-horse-racing-success-breeding-and-bloodlines/): Find out more about New Zealand horse breeding and how important it is globally. We look at key bloodlines and their impact, case studies, and more. - [End of an Era: Peter and Paul Snowden Part Ways in Training Partnership](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/end-of-an-era-peter-and-paul-snowden-part-ways-in-training-partnership/): At the end of July, the successful partnership between Peter and Paul Snowden will reach its conclusion. Read on for details and reasons for the split. - [The Everest: Unravelling Australia's Premier Horse Racing Event](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/everest-horse-racing-event/): Find out more about The Everest horse race in Australia. We look at a race overview and format, notable horses and jockeys, its impact, and more. - [Top 4 Wealthiest Golf Players of All Time](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/richest-golfers-on-earth/): We discuss the top 4 most wealthy golf players in the history of the game. Find out who’s making money hand-over-fist when they’re out on the green. - [Tiger Woods: A Betting Perspective on His Future in Golf](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/tiger-woods-betting-future-golf/): While many hoped for a stellar comeback from golf legend Tiger Woods, reality is settling in. The star may simply be at the end of his incredible career. - [The Future Of Sports Betting](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/future-of-sports-betting/): The future of sports betting involves great games, quick bets, and a dose of virtual reality. Betting trends include mobile wagers, VR, and social betting. - [What’s Behind the Meteoric Rise of eSports Betting in 2024?](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/esport/rise-of-esports-bets/): It has become clear that activities like esports betting have had a massive impact on the online casino industry. Tastes converge as options multiply. - [Sunil Gavaskar Weighs In On Punjab Kings](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/sunil-gavaskar-weighs-in-on-punjab-kings/): Indian pundit Sunil Gavaskar says he doubts 2022 will mean an IPL title for the Punjab Kings. Gavaskar said this is due to the lack of an impact player. - [RCB Sign Uncapped Afghan Leg-Spinner](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/rcb-sign-uncapped-afghan-leg-spinner/): The Royal Challengers Bangalore have signed Afghan cricketer Izharulhaq Naveed as a net bowler for 2022. This marks a huge opportunity for the young star. - [Excitement Ahead Of F1 Opening Weekend](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/excitement-ahead-of-f1-opening-weekend/): The 2022 Formula One season gets underway on the weekend in Bahrain. Fans have much to look forward to as the best of the best take to the track. - [LA Ram Andrew Whitworth Retires](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/la-ram-andrew-whitworth-retires/): LA Rams left tackle Andrew Whitworth has called time on his 16-year career in the NFL. Whitworth, 40, said his body is no longer up to the challenge. - [PSL Chair Reveals Huge Change For League](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/psl-chair-reveals-huge-change-for-league/): PSL chair Ramiz Raja has revealed a proposal in order to make the league more attractive. Raja said the aim is to compete with the Indian Premier League. - [ICEC Says Cricket Is In A Bad Way](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/icec-says-cricket-is-in-a-bad-way/): The world of cricket is in a bad way, said ICEC chair Cindy Butts this week. Butts said the sport faces a time of reckoning over racism and discrimination. - [Tiger Woods Inducted Into Golf Hall Of Fame](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/tiger-woods-inducted-into-golf-hall-of-fame/): Tiger Woods has been inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. The legendary golfer accepted the induction during an emotional ceremony on Wednesday. - [Gymnast Faces Ban Over Offensive Symbol](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/gymnast-faces-ban-over-offensive-symbol/): Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak faces a potentially lengthy ban over the wearing of a symbol in support of Putin and the war. He may also lose his medal. - [IPL Announces Quarantine Rules For 2022](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/ipl-announces-quarantine-rules-for-2022/): Players competing in this year’s IPL will be expected to spend 3 days in quarantine before entering the bubble. Negative tests will also have to be given. - [Outrage Over IPC’s Decision Re Russia](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/paralympics/outrage-over-ipcs-decision-re-russia/): The IPC’s decision to allow Russian athletes to compete in Beijing has been met with vehement international outrage. The decision was made on Wednesday. - [Sportsbet Fined $3.7 Million For Spam](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/sportsbet-fined-3-7-million-for-spam/): Bookmaking giant Sportsbet has been fined a whopping $3.7 million for unwanted spam messages. The size of the fine marks a new record in Australia. - [Zverev Says He Regrets Umpire Incident](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/zverev-says-he-regrets-umpire-incident/): Alexander Zverev has said he regrets the umpire incident that saw him withdrawn from the Mexican Open. He has also apologised to the umpire in question. - [Lewis Hamilton Says F1 Stewards Are Bias](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/lewis-hamilton-says-f1-stewards-are-bias/): F1 has a problem of bias among its race stewards, Lewis Hamilton said this week. The Mercedes driver was seen back on the track in action in Barcelona. - [UK Sport Chair Weighs In On Future Funding](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/uk-sport-chair-weighs-in-on-future-funding/): Winter Games medals won’t be the only deciding for future funding, UK sport chair Katherine Grainger has said. Instead, the bigger picture will matter. - [SA Six Nations Plan Could Spark Bidding War](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/sa-six-nations-plan-could-spark-bidding-war/): A bidding war could ensue should South Africa pursue its plan of joining the Six Nations after 2025. The Lions tour is a lucrative prospect for many. - [Sala Under Huge Pressure Before Plane Crash](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/sala-under-huge-pressure-before-plane-crash/): Footballer Emiliano Sala had been under pressure from clubs during the time leading up to his death, a court has heard. Sala passed away in a plane crash. - [Surprise No-Sells At IPL 2022 Auction](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/surprise-no-sells-at-ipl-2022-auction/): The 2022 Indian Premier League auction was as action-packed as anybody could have hoped. But several players surprised by failing to attract bidders. - [F1 Says It’s Time For Anti-Racism Action](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/f1-says-its-time-for-anti-racism-action/): F1 boss Stefano Domenicali says the time has arrived for actual anti-racism action in sport. He said gestures alone are no longer sufficient enough. - [Peng Shuai’s Real Status Still In Question](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/peng-shuais-real-status-still-in-question/): L’Equipe journalist Marc Ventouillac says his interview with Peng Shuai seemed “controlled”. Uncertainty prevails over whether she’s able to speak freely. - [Marc Overmars Quits Dutch Club Ajax](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/marc-overmars-quits-dutch-club-ajax/): Marc Overmars has resigned from his role of director of football at Dutch club Ajax. Overmars has been accused of inappropriate texts sent to colleagues. - [Pakistan Star Bowler Hasnain Suspended](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/pakistan-star-bowler-hasnain-suspended/): Pakistan bowler Mohammed Hasnain has been suspended from international cricket. Hasnain’s bowling has been shown to be far outside ICC perimeters. - [Tom Brady To Retire At 44](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/tom-brady-to-retire-at-44/): The end of an era has come for the NFL: QB Tom Brady has officially announced his retirement. Brady, 44, enjoyed a remarkable career in the league. - [NFL Asked To Stop Exploiting SB Dancers](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/nfl-asked-to-stop-exploiting-sb-dancers/): The NFL may have to start paying the hundreds of volunteer dancers performing at the Super Bowl’s annual half-time show. Most of the dancers are unpaid. - [CONMEBOL Boss Says Biennial WC Won’t Happen](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/conmebol-boss-says-biennial-wc-wont-happen/): FIFA’s push for a biennial World Cup is a waste of time, says CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominquez. He said it would mean the end of Copa America. - [Olympic Rower Hamish Bond Retires](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rowing/olympic-rower-hamish-bond-retires/): NZ Olympian and gold-medalist rower Hamish Bond has announced his retirement from the sport. Bond said this week he now wants to focus on his family. - [Joshua Denies Talk Of Usyk Opt-Out Deal](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/joshua-denies-talk-of-usyk-opt-out-deal/): Anthony Joshua has rubbished rumours of an opt-out deal for his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk. The Brit said fans should not be swayed by false claims. - [New Study Shows Male Sexism In Football](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/new-study-shows-male-sexism-in-football/): Misogynism remains a prevailing attitude in sport, a new study has found. The study focused on male hostility toward female participation in sport. - [Swimming Aus Ordered To Rethink Coaching](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/swimming/swimming-aus-ordered-to-rethink-coaching/): Swimming Australia should rethink its coaching approach with women and girls. This according to a report highlighting the issues within the organization. - [Ben Stokes Likely To Miss Out On IPL 2022](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/ben-stokes-likely-to-miss-out-on-ipl-2022/): England all-rounder Ben Stokes is unlikely to make himself available for this year’s IPL tournament. Players come under the hammer on Feb. 12 & 13. - [Labor Lashes Out At Gov Over Djokovic Delay](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/labor-lashes-out-at-gov-over-djokovic-delay/): Australia’s labour party has called on PM Scott Morrison to reach a decision regarding Novak Djokovic. They are accusing Morrison of a hidden agenda. - [IPL 2022 Could Be Played In South Africa](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/ipl-2022-could-be-played-in-south-africa/): The BCCI is considering moving this year’s IPL either to South Africa or Sri Lanka. A rising wave of infections in India is threatening to force the move. - [Officials Looking Into Djokovic Declaration](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/officials-looking-into-djokovic-declaration/): Aus border officials are investigating the travel declaration submitted by Novak Djokovic prior to his arrival. Some of the info appears to be misleading. - [New York Times To Buy Athletic For $550M](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/new-york-times-to-buy-athletic-for-550m/): The New York Times is set to become the new owner of digital sports page the Athletic. The newspaper said it hopes to attract more digital subscribers. - [NFL To Fine For Interrogation Tactics](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/nfl-to-fine-for-interrogation-tactics/): The NFL will in future impose fines on teams found guilty of poor behaviour during draft picks interviews. Interrogation will no longer be tolerated. - [RLPA Eager To Discuss CBA After Cash Boost](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/rlpa-eager-to-discuss-cba-after-cash-boost/): A massive cash-rich broadcasting deal is about to boost the NRL for the next 5 years. This has left the RLPA pushing hard for a new bargaining agreement. - [WTA Insists On Peng Shuai Investigation](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/wta-insists-on-peng-shuai-investigation/): The WTA is continuing to push for an investigation into the well-being of Peng Shuai. The organisation appears doubtful about the Chinese star’s safety. - [Barca To Buy Ferran Torres For $62 Million+](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/barca-to-buy-ferran-torres-for-62-million/): La Liga’s Barcelona has reportedly tabled a big-money offer to acquire former City star Ferran Torres. The club is expected to make an announcement soon. - [Fast5 Netball World Series To Return To NZ](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/netball/fast5-netball-world-series-to-return-to-nz/): The Fast5 Netball World Series is coming to New Zealand. The country has secured the rights to host the event for the next three years – starting 2022. - [Latifi Reveals Death Threats After Abu Dhabi](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/latifi-reveals-death-threats-after-abu-dhabi/): F1 driver Nicholas Latifi has revealed that he received death threats after the final in Abu Dhabi. Latifi is being blamed for the controversial finale. - [Kawa Leauma Dies After Freak Accident](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/kawa-leauma-dies-after-freak-accident/): Kiwi lock and Spain rugby star Kawa Leauma has died. Leauma died after falling eight stories from a multi-story building in Amsterdam in the Netherlands. - [Kawa Leauma Suffers Serious Head Injuries](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/kawa-leauma-suffers-serious-head-injuries/): New Zealand rugby star Kawa Leauma is reportedly fighting for his life in hospital. The player suffered an 8-metre fall while in Amsterdam with Spain. - [NFL Updates Protocols For Quicker Returns](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/nfl-updates-protocols-for-quicker-returns/): Quicker returns may soon be possible for NFL players and staff returning positive test results. The NFL have announced updated health and safety protocols. - [SA Cricketing Greats Named In Racism Report](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/sa-cricketing-greats-named-in-racism-report/): Racism is at the heart of cricketing conversations again. Three SA cricketing greats are being implicated in a new report mandated by Cricket South Africa. - [Sergio Aguero To Announce Early Retirement](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/sergio-aguero-to-announce-early-retirement/): A heart condition is reportedly pushing Barcelona striker Sergio Aguero into an early retirement. The star is expected to announce his exit on Wednesday. - [What To Expect Of Aus Tennis Early 2022](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/what-to-expect-of-aus-tennis-early-2022/): There’s much to look forward to as the world of tennis prepares for a new season. This is what fans can expect to see in the run-up to the Australian Open. - [Serena Williams Withdraws From AO](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/serena-williams-withdraws-from-ao/): Serena Williams has announced that she will not be competing in the 2022 Australian Open. The star has cited fitness issues as the reason for her decision. - [US To Boycott Beijing Winter Olympics](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/us-to-boycott-beijing-winter-olympics/): The US has announced that it will not be sending officials to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. The decision is in response to China’s human rights crimes. - [Quade Cooper May Soon Call Australia Home](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/quade-cooper-may-soon-call-australia-home/): Wallabies star Quade Cooper may soon realise his dream of calling Australia home. Thanks to a change in the rules, he’ll likely pass the test. - [Rory Mcllroy Says Saudi Should Be An Option](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/rory-mcllroy-says-saudi-should-be-an-option/): Rory Mcllroy says pro golfers should get to decide for themselves where to play and where not. He said this should include countries like Saudi Arabia. - [The Legendary Sir Frank Williams Has Died](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/the-legendary-sir-frank-williams-has-died/): Sad news this week is that F1 legend Sir Frank Williams has died. Williams founded the namesake racing team, alongside which he enjoyed incredible success. - [Cycling New Zealand To Face More High Profile Resignations](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/cycling-new-zealand-to-face-more-high-profile-resignations/): Following the suicide of Athlete Olivia Podmore, more resignations at Cycling NZ are expected. Martin Barras and Rene Wolff are the latest to resign. - [New Zealand Staring Down Battle With Indian Challengers](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/new-zealand-staring-down-battle-with-indian-challengers/): The Black Caps are preparing to battle India in the World Test Championship. This comes following recent losses that have the team low on morale. - [Hamilton To Switch To New Engine In Saudi](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/hamilton-to-switch-to-new-engine-in-saudi/): Mercedes has announced that Lewis Hamilton’s car will be fitted with a new engine for the race in Saudi Arabia. The Brit now trails Verstappen by 8 points. - [Rafiq Apologises After Own Racism Revealed](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/rafiq-apologises-after-own-racism-revealed/): Azeem Rafiq has issued an apology after he got called out for anti-Semitic messages sent a decade ago. Rafiq is at the heart of the Yorkshire debacle. - [World Rugby Says About Dementia](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/world-rugby-says-about-dementia/): World Rugby has launched an awareness campaign focused on the general health of players. It recently made a controversial statement about dementia. - [Eoin Morgan Says Loss To NZ Hard To Accept](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/eoin-morgan-says-loss-to-nz-hard-to-accept/): England’s semi-final loss to New Zealand has been a bitter pill to swallow, captain Eoin Morgan has said. New Zealand will face Australia in the final. - [Legendary Midfielder Formiga To Retire](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/legendary-midfielder-formiga-to-retire/): The legendary Formiga has announced that she’ll be retiring later his month after a friendly against India. She’s her country’s most capped player. - [Jones Under Fire For Raducanu Comments](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/jones-under-fire-for-raducanu-comments/): England coach Eddie Jones is in the twang after certain comments made about British tennis star Emma Raducanu. Jones said Raducanu seems distracted. - [Pirelli On Target For New F1 Tyres](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/pirelli-on-target-for-new-f1-tyres/): Pirelli says it’s on target for rolling out improved tyres ahead of F1’s 2022 season. Drivers who have tested the new tyres are reportedly happy. - [Gary Ballance Admits To Racial Slurring](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/gary-ballance-admits-to-racial-slurring/): Ex-England batsman Gary Balance has admitted having used racist language to Azeem Rafiq. This is the latest in the scandal surrounding Yorkshire. - [India Fail With Bat And Ball Against NZ](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/india-fail-with-bat-and-ball-against-nz/): It had been a listless Indian side taking on New Zealand during Saturday’s World Cup stand-off. India appeared devoid of all ambition and drive. - [Rafiq Unhappy With Yorkshire Decision](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/rafiq-unhappy-with-yorkshire-decision/): Ex-club cricketer Azeem Rafiq is accusing Yorkshire of greenlighting racist behaviour. This after the club refused to take action against its employees. - [Toto Wolff Says No Cause For Panic](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/toto-wolff-says-no-cause-for-panic/): Mercedes boss Toto Wolff is trying his best to keep a positive outlook on the rest of the season. He said now is not the time to panic or lose hope. - [Fans Storm Barclays In Support Of Irving](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nba/fans-storm-barclays-in-support-of-irving/): Fans supporting Kyrie Irving on Sunday broke through the barricades at Barclays Centre. Irving remains resolute in his decision not to vaccinate. - [UK Athletics Plagued By Huge Resignations](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/uk-athletics-plagued-by-huge-resignations/): UK Athletics have announced the resignation of both Jo Coates and Sara Symington. Athletes have long been disgruntled with their management style. - [Morgan Says He’ll Drop Himself For Bad Form](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/morgan-says-hell-drop-himself-for-bad-form/): T20’s Eoin Morgan says he only wants best for England and their T20 World Cup chances. He said he’ll step away if it means a win for the national side. - [Hamilton About More Than Motorsports](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/hamilton-about-more-than-motorsports/): British F1 champion Lewis Hamilton says he’s about much more than just motorsports. He says his main goal is to make an impact on the lives of others. - [Raducanu Withdraws From Kremlin Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/raducanu-withdraws-from-kremlin-cup/): Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from Russia’s Kremlin Cup which will be played later this month. The star has blamed a change to her schedule for the decision. - [Williams Sets The Pace For Climate Change](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/williams-sets-the-pace-for-climate-change/): F1-team Williams Racing this week announced having signed up for the UN’s Climate Change Action Framework. They’re the first team to have done so. - [Jon Gruden Resigns Over Racist Emails](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/jon-gruden-resigns-over-racist-emails/): The Las Vegas Raiders are without coach Jon Gruden after his resignation this week. Gruden resigned over homophobic and racist emails sent by him. - [Ben Stokes Not Likely To Play Ashes](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/ben-stokes-not-likely-to-play-ashes/): Fans aren’t likely to see Ben Stokes star in the coming Ashes tour. The star all-rounder remains in recovery from an injury to his left index finger. - [Purdue Cynical After Tokyo Non-Selection](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/running/purdue-cynical-after-tokyo-non-selection/): British athlete Charlotte Purdue says not being selected for the Tokyo Games had been a huge knock for her. She said her non-selection had been unfair. - [Jürgen Klopp Says Anti-Vaxxers Risk Lives](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/jurgen-klopp-says-anti-vaxxers-risk-lives/): Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp says anti-vaxxers are no more responsible than drunk drivers. He says they should be held accountable for making others ill. - [Football’s Pelé Discharged From Hospital](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/footballs-pele-discharged-from-hospital/): Legendary ex-football player Pelé has reportedly been discharged from hospital and is recovering well. He underwent surgery for the removal of a tumour. - [Emma Raducanu Separates From US Open Coach](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/emma-raducanu-separates-from-us-open-coach/): Emma Raducanu has separated from coach Andrew Richardson. She says she’s now looking for a coach with more experience at the sport’s highest levels. - [World Rugby Announces New Contact Guidelines](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/world-rugby-announces-new-contact-guidelines/): World Rugby has announced a new set of guidelines aimed at reducing contact training. The hope is that this will bring about a reduction in injuries. - [Verstappen Not Bothered By Hamilton](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/verstappen-not-bothered-by-hamilton/): Dutchman Max Verstappen says Lewis Hamilton doesn’t at all know him. He says he’s completely unphased by Hamilton’s comments about his inexperience. - [NZ Cycling Bosses Say About Inquiry And NDAs](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/nz-cycling-bosses-say-about-inquiry-and-ndas/): Athletes say they won’t be able to speak freely because of NDAs restricting them from doing so. This relates to an inquiry by New Zealand Cycling. - [Raducanu Says No Pressure After US Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/raducanu-says-no-pressure-after-us-open/): She might be famous but that doesn’t mean she’s about to change or succumb to pressure. So says British US Open champion tennis star Emma Raducanu. - [New Annual Women’s Footy Tourney For England](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/new-annual-womens-footy-tourney-for-england/): 2022 will see the start of a new women’s football international tournament to be hosted by England. The tournament will run for at least three years. - [UN Experts Call On Afghanistan Ban](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/un-experts-call-on-afghanistan-ban/): Human rights experts are calling on world sporting authorities to ban Afghanistan from participating. The country holds a controversial view on women. - [Shannon Frizell Assault Charges Dropped](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/shannon-frizell-assault-charges-dropped/): All assault charges against All Blacks and Highlanders player Shannon Frizell have been dropped. This after he completed a police diversion this week. - [Valtteri Bottas To Leave Merc For Alfa Romeo](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/valtteri-bottas-to-leave-merc-for-alfa-romeo/): Valtteri Bottas will be leaving the ranks of Mercedes at the end of this season. He’ll be joining Alfa Romeo for a multi-year deal recently signed. - [UEFA Unhappy With FIFA Over WC Plans](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/uefa-unhappy-with-fifa-over-wc-plans/): UEFA has expressed its unhappiness with the way in which FIFA goes about deciding on important issues. The latest issue in play is the World Cup. - [Naomi Osaka’s Future In Tennis Uncertain](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/naomi-osakas-future-in-tennis-uncertain/): Former world No. 1 and hardcourt star Naomi Osaka says she’s uncertain about when she’ll be playing tennis again. She appeared emotional at the US Open. - [Verstappen Warns Hamilton Over Booing Crowds](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/verstappen-warns-hamilton-over-booing-crowds/): Max Verstappen says booing is a part of sports and should be expected by Lewis Hamilton on the weekend. This weekend sees F1 return to the Netherlands. - [NRL Blasted For NZ Players Stranded In Australia](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/nrl-blasted-for-nz-players-stranded-in-australia/): The NRL is under fire over eight women’s players currently stranded in Australia. The players are unable to return to NZ since the borders are closed. - [Need For Change Is Clear After Belgian GP](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/need-for-change-is-clear-after-belgian-gp/): The weekend’s Belgian GP has once again driven home the need for change as far as F1 rules are concerned. The race took place in treacherous weather. - [Leading Jockey Suspended Over Safety Breach](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/leading-jockey-suspended-over-safety-breach/): Melbourne champion Jamie Kah will not be riding for the next 3 months. The leading jockey was suspended after a health and safety protocol breach. - [Update On Schumacher Ahead Of Netflix Doccie](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/update-on-schumacher-ahead-of-netflix-doccie/): F1 champion Michael Schumacher's wife Corrinne has released a rare update on her famous husband. This ahead of a new Netflix documentary coming in Sept. - [Ash Barty Riding High At Cincinnati Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/ash-barty-riding-high-at-cincinnati-open/): Ash Barty has won the Cincinnati Open. She'll next attempt to do the same at the final big championship event in tennis for the year: the US Open. - [Jack Morris Suspended Over Racist Accent](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/baseball/jack-morris-suspended-over-racist-accent/): MLB Hall of Famer and commentator Jim Morris has been suspended from broadcasting for the Detroit Tigers. This following a racial mockery incident. - [Justin Langer’s Future Remains Unsure](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/justin-langers-future-remains-unsure/): There’s been no word yet from Cricket Australia about the future of current national men’s side head coach Justin Langer. His contract expires next year. - [Joe Root Stakes Claim To India Loss](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/joe-root-stakes-claim-to-india-loss/): Joe Root says his lack of leadership’s to blame for England’s second Test loss against India. England play their 3rd Test against India starting August 25. - [Biggest-Ever NZ Medal Tally at Tokyo Olympics](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/biggest-ever-nz-medal-tally-at-tokyo-olympics/): With 20 medals and a new Most Decorated Olympic Athlete in Carrington, New Zealand had a good run at the Tokyo Olympics. Water Sports remain our forte. - [Ian Foster Open To Manu Code-Switch](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/ian-foster-open-to-manu-code-switch/): Ian Foster is clearly aware of the many talents of Roosters star Joseph Manu. The All Blacks coach said he’s even open to a possible switch in future. - [Jane Watson Out For Rest Of 2021](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/netball/jane-watson-out-for-rest-of-2021/): Silver Fern and star defender Jane Watson is out for the count for the remainder of the year. Watson recently underwent a medical cleanup of her ankle. - [Sheryl Wigg Admits To Substance-Charge](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/sheryl-wigg-admits-to-substance-charge/): Amateur Kiwi harness driver Sheryl Wigg has admitted to having administered substances to horses on race day. She however claims the substances were legal. - [Lydia Ko Still An Olympic Force](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/lydia-ko-still-an-olympic-force/): Lydia Ko remains in contention for a place on the podium despite 2 bogeys placed during the second round of the women’s event. Ko is a former world No. 1. - [NRL To Be Asked To Allow Fainu To Play](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/nrl-to-be-asked-to-allow-fainu-to-play/): Manase Fainu will lodge a request with the NRL to be allowed to resume play. This after police recently unearthed new evidence and a twist of plot. - [Pressure Mounting Over Erasmus’ Unhappiness](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/pressure-mounting-over-erasmus-unhappiness/): World Rugby is under mounting pressure to react to World Cup-winning coach Rassie Erasmus’ unhappiness with the Lions. Play continues on the weekend. - [Red Bull Calls On FIA Review Of British GP](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/red-bull-calls-on-fia-review-of-british-gp/): Hamilton's 10-second penalty at Silverstone is now under review for having been too lenient. This following his on-track clash with Max Verstappen. - [Relief As Bledisloe Cup Set To Continue](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/relief-as-bledisloe-cup-set-to-continue/): The upcoming Bledisloe Cup between NZ and Australia is set to continue as planned. This following a travel exemption granted to the Wallabies by government. - [Zach Riley Is A Man On A Mission](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/zach-riley-is-a-man-on-a-mission/): Auckland Huskies in the final four thanks to secret weapon Zach Riley. The in-demand player is in demand, but cannot do everything, unfortunately. - [Positive Tests Threaten Olympic Games](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/positive-tests-threaten-olympic-games/): Fears of the Games being cancelled remain a cause for concern. This comes after several athletes have tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of the games. - [Ian Foster Happy To Welcome TJ Perenara Back](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/ian-foster-happy-to-welcome-tj-perenara-back/): TJ Perenara has returned to the All Blacks after spending time in Japan. Ian Foster is thrilled to have him back, although the drawn-out process upset him. - [Dallin Watene-Zelezniak to Miss The Birth Of His Child Due To Relocation](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/dallin-watene-zelezniak-to-miss-the-birth-of-his-child-due-to-relocation/): As the pandemic forces more and more teams to relocate, the real toll of it all is becoming clear. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak will miss the birth of his child. - [World Rugby Testing Laws Aimed At Reducing Injuries](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/world-rugby-testing-laws-aimed-at-reducing-injuries/): New laws are being tested to help prevent injuries during rugby games. This is based on its Law Review Group and High-Performance Committee recommendation. - [New Zealand Announces 211 Athlete Olympic Squad](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/new-zealand-announces-211-athlete-olympic-squad/): The world is preparing for the Tokyo Olympics. New Zealand has announced that it will be sending a team of 211 athletes to compete. - [Michael Boxall’s Availability Has OlyWhites In Suspense](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/michael-boxalls-availability-has-olywhites-in-suspense/): As the Tokyo Olympics draw closer, the OlyWhites have become more concerned about Michael Boxall availability. This is a result of his recent injury. - [Warriors’ Losses Continue To Pile Up](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/warriors-losses-continue-to-pile-up/): Assistant coach Justin Morgan has begun to question the team’s decisions as losses continue to pile up. Is there hope for the Warriors’ this season? - [Max Verstappen Celebrates The Fifth Win Of F1 Season.](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/max-verstappen-celebrates-the-fifth-win-of-f1-season/): Max Verstappen clinches fifth win of the season at the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday. He has even begun to showcase a dominant driving style like Hamilton. - [Tour de France Mystery Fan Finally Behind Bars](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/tour-de-france-mystery-fan-finally-behind-bars/): The mystery fan that caused the great Tour de France crash of 2021 has finally been arrested. This follows an in-depth investigation into her whereabouts. - [Will Ross Taylor Be Retiring?](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/will-ross-taylor-be-retiring/): The World Test Championship final victory has become a turning point for Ross Taylor. He reached his goal but still believes he has something to offer the team. - [Optimistic Recruits Ready To Turn Things Around For Warriors](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/optimistic-recruits-ready-to-turn-things-around-for-warriors/): Mid-season recruits Chad Townsend and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak are optimistic about the remainder of the season. They are determined to make it to the playoffs. - [New Zealand Wins Cricket World Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/new-zealand-wins-cricket-world-cup/): 21 years after Stephen Fleming led the Kiwis to victory in the 2000 ICC Knockout Trophy, the team has finally emerged victorious. They have won the World Cup. - [Sarah Hirini And Hamish Bond Selected As Flag Bearers](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/sarah-hirini-and-hamish-bond-selected-as-flag-bearers/): With the Olympic games fast approaching, team flag bears have been chosen for the opening. Sarah Hirini and Hamish Bond have been selected. - [India Leads The Way In ICC World Test Championship](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/india-leads-the-way-in-icc-world-test-championship/): Following a rocky start with cloud cover and even a washed-out the first day, India was able to secure its victory. This led to an impressive 146-3 win. - [Otere Black Has Recovered And Is Back In Business](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/otere-black-has-recovered-and-is-back-in-business/): Otere Black has finally recovered from his leg injury and has been named as part of the Blues team ahead of Saturday’s game. - [Barbora Krejcikova Dedicates French Open Win To Former Coach](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/barbora-krejcikova-dedicates-french-open-win-to-former-coach/): Barbora Krejcikova has won her first Grand Slam title at the French Open. She has dedicated the win to her former coach. - [New Zealand Beats England In Second Test](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/new-zealand-beats-england-in-second-test/): For the first time since, 1999, New Zealand has secured a victory against England. This has pushed the team into the number one spot in ICC Test rankings. - [Ardie Savea’s Rugby Future Called Into Question](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/ardie-saveas-rugby-future-called-into-question/): Now that Ardie Savea is off-contract, the world of rugby wants to know what the future holds. What we do know, is that he is currently undecided. - [George Gregan Accused Of Chilling Business Tactics](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/george-gregan-accused-of-chilling-business-tactics/): The Wallabies George Gregan is undergoing a difficult court battle as he is believed to have been part of a secret coup to out his business partner. - [Lydia Ko Sent Tumbling In US Open 3rd Round](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/lydia-ko-sent-tumbling-in-us-open-3rd-round/): The third round of the US Open had been anything but ideal for Kiwi golfer Lydia Ko. The New Zealander took a massive tumble ahead of the final round. - [Peter V’landys Apologises For Poor Comms](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/peter-vlandys-apologises-for-poor-comms/): ARLC chairman Peter V’landys says he’s sorry for his poor communication over NRL rules. This after players complained about not being kept in the loop. - [Susan Devoy Understands Osaka’s Decision](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/susan-devoy-understands-osakas-decision/): Naomi Osaka’s refusal to address the press is something she can relate to, says Dame Susan Devoy. She too, experienced the press as bad for mental health. - [Tim Seifert Opens Up About India Ordeal](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/tim-seifert-opens-up-about-india-ordeal/): Tim Siefert has for the first time opened up about his post-IPL struggle in India. Siefert recently got the go-ahead to return back home to New Zealand. - [Marcus Daniell Unhappy About French Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/marcus-daniell-unhappy-about-french-open/): New Zealander Marcus Daniell is everything but happy about Roland Garros. His unhappiness stems from prize-cuts and living conditions for doubles players. - [Only Armageddon Will Stop Olympic Games](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/only-armageddon-will-stop-olympic-games/): Senior official Dick Pound says only “Armageddon” will call off this year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo. This amid ever-rising concerns over infections. - [Warriors’ Reece Walsh To Wear No. 1 Jersey Against Cowboys](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/warriors-reece-walsh-to-wear-no-1-jersey-against-cowboys/): Reece Walsh, the Warriors’ wonder kid, is set to wear the no. 1 jersey. The player will wear it for the first time when the team faces the Cowboys. - [Martin Devlin Apologises For Bad Behaviour](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/martin-devlin-apologises-for-bad-behaviour/): Controversial commentator Martin Devlin has apologised for punching a young journalist and colleague. Devlin has now described his behaviour as shameful. - [Rafa Nadal Adds His Voice To Tokyo Doubters](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/rafa-nadal-adds-his-voice-to-tokyo-doubters/): Top seed Rafael Nadal says he’s not yet able to give an answer about Tokyo. The star said he’s calendar has not yet been decided for travelling to Japan. - [Federer Calls On Certainty Over Tokyo Games](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/federer-calls-on-certainty-over-tokyo-games/): Roger Federer has called on the need for certainty for athletes regarding this year’s Olympic Games. The tennis giant has added his voice to several others. - [MPI Investigating 2 Cases Of Animal Drugging](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/mpi-investigating-2-cases-of-animal-drugging/): The Ministry for Primary Industries is launching two investigations into doping racehorses and dogs. These investigations could be a game changer. - [Club Says 5-Week Suspension Too Soft](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/club-says-5-week-suspension-too-soft/): Five weeks is not enough of a suspension period for booting an opponent in the head. So says clearly annoyed Johnsonville Rugby Club Chair Blair Hannah. - [Former All Blacks Wing George Skudder Dies](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/former-all-blacks-wing-george-skudder-dies/): Legendary rugby union player and former All Blacks winger George Skudder has died. Skudder was 73 and passed away on Tuesday at his home in Te Puke. - [Tony Brown Expresses Confidence In Successor](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/tony-brown-expresses-confidence-in-successor/): Tony Brown says he’s fully confident in Clarke Dermody’s ability to take over the reins. Dermody will be leading the Highlanders in Brown’s absence. - [Manu Vatuvei Reveals Class A Meth Charges](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/manu-vatuvei-reveals-class-a-meth-charges/): Manu Vatuvei has ousted himself as the sportsman charged with Class A charges related to methamphetamine. He stressed his innocence during the reveal. - [American Investors In Talks To Buy All Blacks](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/american-investors-in-talks-to-buy-all-blacks/): Following a difficult financial year in 2020, New Zealand Rugby is looking to secure financial sustainability. This involves selling the All Blacks. - [Wellington Phoenix Finally Coming Back Home](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/wellington-phoenix-finally-coming-back-home/): The Wellington Phoenix are coming back home after more than a year away. They’ll be returning to New Zealand soon for two games set to be played in May. - [Pro-Surfer Says Pay Inequality Is Sickening](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/surfing/pro-surfer-says-pay-inequality-is-sickening/): Pay inequality is once again under the spotlight after surfer Lucy Small recently expressed her disdain. Small bemoaned the inequality at a public event. - [Novak Djokovic Suffers Shock Defeat At Home](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/novak-djokovic-suffers-shock-defeat-at-home/): World No. 1 Novak Djokovic seems to be struggling to hold his own on the clay. He recently suffered an embarrassing loss at his home arena in Belgrave. - [Two Men Arrested Over Social Media Racism](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/two-men-arrested-over-social-media-racism/): Two men have been charged over racist messages sent to Latrell Mitchell via social media. The men are both out on bail and due to appear in court in May. - [Voice Of Carisbrook Iain Gallaway Dies](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/voice-of-carisbrook-iain-gallaway-dies/): The iconic voice of Carisbrook, lifetime sports commentator Iain Gallaway has died aged 98. Gallaway dedicated his life to rugby and cricket commentating. - [Lydia Ko Wins 1st LPGA Tour In Nearly 3 Years](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/lydia-ko-wins-1st-lpga-tour-in-nearly-3-years/): New Zealander Lydia Ko has broken free from a drought spanning nearly 3 years. Ko on Sunday made a convincing return on the LPGA tour with a grand triumph. - [NZ Wrestling Legend John Da Silva Dies](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/wrestling/nz-wrestling-legend-john-da-silva-dies/): One of New Zealand’s greatest heavyweight boxing champions has died. John Da Silva died of health complications at his home on April 8. He was 86. - [Yet Another Pre-Tokyo Retirement For NZ](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rowing/yet-another-pre-tokyo-retirement-for-nz/): Ex-world champion rower John Storey has withdrawn from selection for the Tokyo Olympics. Storey said he will instead support his daughter and family. - [Lydia Ko Rediscovers Her Magic](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/lydia-ko-rediscovers-her-magic/): Instead of chasing down golfing greatness, Kiwi star Lydia Ko says she’ll simply make the best of every opportunity. Her journey is what counts, says Ko. - [Worry Among NZ Players Over India Ban](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/worry-among-nz-players-over-india-ban/): Black Caps competing in this year’s Indian Premier League are concerned over government’s ban on incoming flights from India. The IPL kicks off on April 9. - [Tiger Woods Was Speeding Says Sheriff](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/tiger-woods-was-speeding-says-sheriff/): Golfing giant Tiger Woods was reportedly driving at nearly twice the speed limit on the day of his single-vehicle crash. So confirmed a sheriff this week. - [Kiwi Lydia Ko Grabs 2nd Place At ANA Int.](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/kiwi-lydia-ko-grabs-2nd-place-at-ana-int/): Kiwi prize golfer Lydia Ko has officially gotten her swing back. The New Zealander finished 2nd at the recently competed ANA International in California. - [New Zealand Rugby Salvaging Silver Lake Deal](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/new-zealand-rugby-salvaging-silver-lake-deal/): A lucrative deal between New Zealand Rugby and tech company Silver Lake received mixed responses. A lot has changed since the initial announcement. - [McCaw Considering Legal Steps Over CBD Scam](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/mccaw-considering-legal-steps-over-cbd-scam/): All Blacks legend Richie McCaw will take legal action against a company illegally using his name for endorsement. The product is a brand of CBD Gummies. - [Kiwi Liam Lawson Ranked 2nd In Formula Two](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/auto-racing/kiwi-liam-lawson-ranked-2nd-in-formula-two/): New Zealander Liam Lawson is making waves in the world of Formula 2 motorsport racing. The Kiwi ranks No. 2 after his stellar performance in Bahrain. - [Jo Aleh Says She’s Stronger Now She Eats](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sailing/jo-aleh-says-shes-stronger-now-she-eats/): Olympic sailor Jo Aleh recently opened up about her weight loss struggles while competing in Rio and London. She says she’s stronger now that she’s eating. - [NHL Ref Tim Peel Fired After Hot-Mic Blunder](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/hockey/nhl-ref-tim-peel-fired-after-hot-mic-blunder/): A regrettable hot-mic mishap has led to the permanent end of NHL-ref Tim Peel’s career. Peel was heard planning imposing an early penalty on Nashville. - [Zoe McBride Announces Shock Early Retirement](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rowing/zoe-mcbride-announces-shock-early-retirement/): Kiwi Olympic lightweight rower Zoe McBride, 25, has announced early retirement in a shock announcement. McBride was headed for the Tokyo Games this summer. - [Tom Curry Could Be The Next Richie McCaw](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/tom-curry-could-be-the-next-richie-mccaw/): Tom Curry could very well become “rugby’s the next Richie McCaw”. England coach Matt Proudfoot says it’s only a matter of time and disciplined training. - [NZ Olympic Team Waiting On Vaccine Approvals](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/nz-olympic-team-waiting-on-vaccine-approvals/): New Zealand’s Olympic send-off are waiting to hear on the available of vaccines for travelling to Tokyo in July. Government will have the final say. - [Murray Walker, Voice Of F1, Dies Aged 97](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/murray-walker-voice-of-f1-dies-aged-97/): Britain’s long-time “Voice of Formula One”, Murray Walker, has died. The legendary F1 broadcaster was 97 and is survived by his spouse, Elizabeth. - [Jason Holland Extends Hurricanes Contract](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/jason-holland-extends-hurricanes-contract/): Jason Holland will remain in charge of the Hurricanes for another two years. Holland recently extended his existing contract with the rugby franchise. - [Tiger Woods May “Go Home Soon” Says Mcllroy](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/tiger-woods-may-go-home-soon-says-mcllroy/): Rory Mcllroy has revealed that Tiger Woods may be able to return home to his family as early as this week. Woods is in hospital following a car crash. - [Women’s Cricket Gets A Third Big Tournament](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/womens-cricket-gets-a-third-big-tournament/): The ICC has announced that it will be adding a 3rd big tournament to women’s cricket come 2027. The Twenty20 Champions Cup will mean a major global boost. - [Rebekah Stott Diagnosed With Stage 3 Cancer](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/rebekah-stott-diagnosed-with-stage-3-cancer/): Kiwi and women’s football star Rebekah Stott has revealed that she’s been diagnosed with Stage 3 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. She says she remains positive. - [Trentham Racecourse Disrupter Charged](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/trentham-racecourse-disrupter-charged/): Justin Bergman, the man who walked mid-race onto a racetrack in January, has been charged. Bergman endangered horses as well as riders with his actions. - [Tiger Woods May Have Slept While Driving](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/tiger-woods-may-have-slept-while-driving/): Tiger Woods may have been sleeping while driving his SUV at the time of his Los Angeles crash last week. This according to a team of forensic experts. - [Lydia Ko Wants To Enjoy Golf For The Game](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/lydia-ko-wants-to-enjoy-golf-for-the-game/): Kiwi champion Lydia Ko says she’s excited to get to play golf for the sake of the game once more. Ko recently had surgery to repair a deviated septum. - [Tiger Woods Hospitalised After Car Crash](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/tiger-woods-hospitalised-after-car-crash/): Pro-golfer Tiger Woods is currently recovering post-surgery in hospital after crashing his SUV in Los Angeles. Woods’ was the only vehicle involved. - [Conway Helps NZ Defeat Oz in Monday’s Twenty20](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/conway-helps-nz-defeat-oz-in-mondays-twenty20/): SA-born Devon Conway took his New Zealand team to a thrilling victory in Monday’s Christchurch Twenty20 series opener. The final score was 184-5. - [Jelena Dokic Hits Back At Body Critics](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/jelena-dokic-hits-back-at-body-critics/): Former world No. 4 and Australian Open analyst Jelena Dokic says she’s fed up with body shamers. Dokic recently spoke out against her critics on Instagram. - [Sonny Bill Williams Set To Fight Barry Hall](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/sonny-bill-williams-set-to-fight-barry-hall/): Dual-code sports star Sonny Bill Williams will have his day in the ring with Barry Hall. And the big fight could take place as soon as April this year. - [The NZ Cricketers In This Year’s IPL Auction](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/the-nz-cricketers-in-this-years-ipl-auction/): New Zealanders will be dominating this year’s IPL if they’re at all to have their way. 20 Kiwis have made themselves available for the 2021 IPL auction. - [Kiwi Sam Tanner Qualifies For Tokyo Olympics](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/running/kiwi-sam-tanner-qualifies-for-tokyo-olympics/): Sam Tanner is New Zealand’s newest 1500m indoor record-holder. He also during the same New York race qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. - [Top Harness Drivers Benched For Alcohol Use](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/top-harness-drivers-benched-for-alcohol-use/): Top harness drivers Robert Blunt and Blair Orange have been suspended by the sport’s authorities. Both tested over the legal alcohol limit at a Jan. event. - [Neil Barnes Appointed Taranaki Bulls Coach](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/neil-barnes-appointed-taranaki-bulls-coach/): Former Taranaki lock Neil Barnes has been appointed the new head coach of the Yarrows Taranaki Bulls rugby team. Barnes has agreed to a two-year deal. - [Surgery Likely To Sideline Rising Young Star](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/surgery-likely-to-sideline-rising-young-star/): Rising young cricket star Rachin Ravindra may have to sit out an entire season due to surgery. Ravindra recently sustained a shoulder dislocation injury. - [Wellington Cup Disturber Appears In Court](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/wellington-cup-disturber-appears-in-court/): The man who jumped the fence and entered onto the track mid-race at the Wellington Cup has appeared in a Hut Valley Court. He faces up to a year in prison. - [Warriors Settling For Another Season In Aus](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/warriors-settling-for-another-season-in-aus/): With the hope of a bubble crippled by a local transmission, the Warriors say they’re preparing for another season in Aus. They haven’t been home since 2019. - [Kiwi Olympian Says Tokyo Games Must Proceed](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/kiwi-olympian-says-tokyo-games-must-proceed/): Olympian Barbara Kendall has said proceeding with this year’s Games would be the right thing to do. Kendall said this would ensure the survival of sport. - [Taurua Disappointed By Players’ Fitness Fail](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/netball/taurua-disappointed-by-players-fitness-fail/): Netball’s Dame Noeline Taurua has sent 5 of the national side’s players packing after they failed a Yo-Yo fitness test. The players have not been named. - [Michael Venus May Have To Miss Australian Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/michael-venus-may-have-to-miss-australian-open/): Australian Michael Venus may have to sit out of this year’s Australian Open. Venus faces running late for the tournament owing to new travel restrictions. - [NZOC Says Tokyo Still On Course For 2021](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/nzoc-says-tokyo-still-on-course-for-2021/): The NZ Olympic Committee says it has not received any indication of a cancellation from Tokyo organisers or from the IOC. Tokyo has been declared hotspot. - [End Of An Era Coming For New Zealand Rugby](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/end-of-an-era-coming-for-new-zealand-rugby/): New Zealand Rugby chairman Brent Impey has announced his plans to step down from the role in the coming months. A successor has not yet been named. - [UFC Star Arrested For Attempted Murder](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/ufc/ufc-star-arrested-for-attempted-murder/): The UFC star arrested for stabbing his two sisters says a higher power made him do it. Irwin Rivera is currently in police custody without bond. - [Japanese Top Season Pushed Out To Mid-Feb](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/japanese-top-season-pushed-out-to-mid-feb/): The Japanese Top League season has been pushed out to mid-Feb due to 62 positive tests by players and staff. Several Kiwis are playing for Japanese clubs. - [Waqar Younis Blames Test Losses On Isolation](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/waqar-younis-blames-test-losses-on-isolation/): Bowling coach Waqar Younis has blamed Pakistan’s recent poor Test stunts on managed isolation. Pakistan lost the Test series 2-0 against the Black Caps. - [Private Equity Firm Wants to Buy the All Blacks](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/private-equity-firm-wants-to-buy-the-all-blacks/): Advanced discussions are taking place over the purchase of a stake of the All Blacks. The interested party is Silver Lake, founded in California in 1999. - [Man City Great Colin Bell Dies Aged 74](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/man-city-great-colin-bell-dies-aged-74/): England footballing great Colin Bell has died aged 74. Bell is considered one of the greatest players ever to have played for English club Manchester City. - [Mitch Pearce Traumatised By Text Scandal](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/mitch-pearce-traumatised-by-text-scandal/): Knights star Mitch Pearce says he’s lived through much trauma following the recent text scandal. Pearce this week announced his stepping down as captain. - [Tasman Rugby Union CEO Heads Back to Oz](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/tasman-rugby-union-ceo-heads-back-to-oz/): Tasman’s Rugby Union CEO Tony Lewis will be replacing Mark Evans as the chief of the Western Force team. Lewis is thrilled with the new position. - [New Zealand Beats Pakistan in First Test](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/new-zealand-beats-pakistan-in-first-test/): The Black Caps’ chances of winning the World Test Cricket Championships have received a big boost. They beat Pakistan in the first Mount Maunganui Test. - [Tim Southee is Officially a Legend](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/tim-southee-is-officially-a-legend/): Tim Southee’s name is now on the very small list of Cricket players who have managed to capture 300 wickets. The Whangarei-born athlete is overjoyed. - [Neil Wagner Plays With Fractured Toe](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/neil-wagner-plays-with-fractured-toe/): Neil Wagner has managed to deliver yet another fantastic performance for the New Zealand Cricket team against Pakistan. And with a fractured toe, no less! - [Study Reveals Shocking Details About Concussion](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/study-reveals-shocking-details-about-concussion/): A neuropathologist at Glasgow University has called upon rugby bosses to start taking head injuries seriously. This after the release of a damning report. - [Wilson Re-Joins Black Sticks After 4 Years](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/hockey/wilson-re-joins-black-sticks-after-4-years/): Olympian Nick Wilson has after four years away made his return to playing for New Zealand’s men’s hockey side. Wilson will wear the black in Tokyo. - [NZ Powerlifter Suspended For Doping](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/weightlifting/nz-powerlifter-suspended-for-doping/): Kiwi champion powerlifter Sean Withers has been suspended for 2 years following a guilty charge of doping. The ban will be backdated to July 19, 2020. - [Russia’s Olympic Ban A Waste Of Good Paper](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/russias-olympic-ban-a-waste-of-good-paper/): Several industry stalwarts have referred to Russia’s Olympic ban as being not worth the paper it’s printed on. The ban has now been halved to two years. - [Lockie Ferguson Injury–The Good And The Bad](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/lockie-ferguson-injury-the-good-and-the-bad/): Black Caps quick Lockie Ferguson is facing six months on the sidelines due to a partial fracture. He may be able to make a return by the end of the season. - [Paddler Forfeits Olympics Over Safety Fears](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rowing/paddler-forfeits-olympics-over-safety-fears/): Paddler Aimee Fisher has declared herself unavailable for Olympic selection over safety fears regarding training. Canoe Racing NZ has not yet responded. - [Tennis Legend Alex Olmedo Dies Aged 84](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/tennis-legend-alex-olmedo-dies-aged-84/): Davis Cup hero and former Wimbledon and US Open champion Alex Olmedo has died, aged 84. Olmedo’s family has confirmed brain cancer as the cause of death. - [Voice Of Golf Peter Alliss Dies Aged 89](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/voice-of-golf-peter-alliss-dies-aged-89/): The man fondly known as the “Voice of Golf”, Peter Alliss, has died aged 89. His family earlier this week confirmed his death via a BBC statement. - [Isaac Moses Loses NRL Deregistration Appeal](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/isaac-moses-loses-nrl-deregistration-appeal/): Defunct NRL agent Isaac Moses has lost his deregistration appeal lodged with the league. He has now applied for the imposition of a lesser sanction. - [NZ Warriors To Spend 2021 NRL Season In Australia](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/nz-warriors-to-spend-2021-nrl-season-in-australia/): The Warriors will be spending the start of the ‘21 NRL season in Australia. This following government’s refusal to allow players to travel to NZ. - [Joy As Michael Venus Signs Up For Te Anau](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/joy-as-michael-venus-signs-up-for-te-anau/): This year’s Te Anau Tennis Invitational has just turned super star-studded. Former French Open doubles winner Michael Venus has joined the lineup. - [Tennis Auckland To Dip Into Reserves In 2021](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/tennis-auckland-to-dip-into-reserves-in-2021/): The cancellation of January 2021’s ASB Classic sees Tennis Auckland at least $1 million out of pocket. The region will now be relying mainly on reserves. - [Kiwi Conquers The Treacherous Cook Straight](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/swimming/kiwi-conquers-the-treacherous-cook-straight/): New Zealand’s treacherous Cook Straight has been conquered for the 131st time. The champion swimmer is Brett Richardson from Titahi Bay Surf Club. - [New Betting Record For 2020 U.S. Election](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/election/new-betting-record-for-2020-u-s-election/): More bets were placed on this year’s US Presidential election than any other in history. UK bettors alone wagered more than £600 million in election bets. - [Portia Woodman Dreaming Big Ahead Of 2021](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/portia-woodman-dreaming-big-ahead-of-2021/): Black Ferns try-scorer Portia Woodman says she’s dreaming of a double-gold 2021. The star has her sights on Tokyo as well as on the XVs Tournament. - [Young Canterbury Gun Diagnosed With Cancer](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/young-canterbury-gun-diagnosed-with-cancer/): Young Canterbury bowler Andrew Hazeldine will have to sit the rest of the season out to undergo cancer treatment. Hazeldine was diagnosed in September. - [Everything On Track For Tokyo Says NZOC Boss](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/everything-on-track-for-tokyo-says-nzoc-boss/): New Zealand remains on track to make history at next year’s Olympic Games. A group of 200+ Kiwi athletes will be making their way to Tokyo in July. - [Suzie Bates May Miss Summer Due To Injury](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/suzie-bates-may-miss-summer-due-to-injury/): White Ferns all-rounder Suzie Bates looks likely to spend her entire summer supporting from the sidelines. Injury is forcing Bates to undergo surgery. - [Smith Dismisses Talk Of Early Return To NZ](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/smith-dismisses-talk-of-early-return-to-nz/): All Blacks halfback Aaron Smith has dismissed all talk of an early homecoming. He says he regards this to be a disservice to the national jersey. - [Diego Maradona Stable Following Surgery](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/diego-maradona-stable-following-surgery/): Soccer legend Diego Maradona is stable and recovering in a private clinic following surgery. Maradona now needs rest and support; his doctor has said. - [Fa Without Sparring Partner Ahead Of Parker](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/fa-without-sparring-partner-ahead-of-parker/): Kiwi Junior Fa has been denied his sparring partner ahead of his fight against Joseph Parker. Adesanya is unable to leave the U.S. because of restrictions. - [NZ Drivers Unhappy About New Whip Rule](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/nz-drivers-unhappy-about-new-whip-rule/): A group of New Zealand harness drivers have reportedly expressed unhappiness about a new rule reducing whipping force. The rule came into force on Oct. 1. - [NZR Boss Says All Blacks Must Tighten Belt](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/nzr-boss-says-all-blacks-must-tighten-belt/): Money is tight, says New Zealand Rugby boss Mark Robinson. And if the All Blacks are to survive, then their belts will have to be tightened as well. - [Ryan Giggs Arrested On Suspicions Of Assault](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/ryan-giggs-arrested-on-suspicions-of-assault/): Football boss Ryan Giggs has been arrested following allegations of assault reported by his girlfriend. The Wales manager has since been released on bail. - [Taurua Says Team Was “Timid” Against England](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/netball/taurua-says-team-was-timid-against-england/): New Zealand’s Silver Ferns have been accused of having played a timid game against the England Roses. Coach Noeline Taurua says she expects improvement. - [Steve Hansen Wants To Lead Bulldogs To Glory](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/steve-hansen-wants-to-lead-bulldogs-to-glory/): New Canterbury consultant Steve Hansen has vowed to see to it that the club lives up to its former reputation. Hansen will be supporting Trent Barrett. - [Wellington Phoenix To Set Up Base In NSW](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/wellington-phoenix-to-set-up-base-in-nsw/): They’ll be relocating their home base to New South Wales for the A-League season, say the Wellington Phoenix. The team shared their plans on Tuesday. - [Rosie Myers Out Of Coma And On The Mend](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/rosie-myers-out-of-coma-and-on-the-mend/): New Zealand jockey Rosie Myers has been confirmed out of her induced coma and on the mend following surgery. Myers on Oct. 6 fell from her horse at Foxton. - [Silver Ferns Power Through Slug To NZ-A Win](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/netball/silver-ferns-power-through-slug-to-nz-a-win/): New Zealand’s Silver Ferns posted a convincing win against NZ-A in the first game of the Cadbury Series. This despite a hesitant and sluggish first half. - [Rugby Franchises Owed $341k By Ticket Seller](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/rugby-franchises-owed-341k-by-ticket-seller/): The Crusaders and Hurricanes have entered into legal action opposite defunct ticket seller Ticket Rocket. The retailer owes the clubs a combined $341k. - [Wellington Phoenix To Spend Christmas In Australia](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/wellington-phoenix-to-spend-christmas-in-australia/): Christmas spent in Australia is starting to look like a given for the Wellington Phoenix. This following the recent A-League calendar reveal by the FFA. - [NZ Cricketing Great John Reid Has Died](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/nz-cricketing-great-john-reid-has-died/): New Zealand’s oldest surviving Test cricketer has died aged 92. John Reid played 58 phenomenal test caps for the Kiwis and is regarded a sporting great. - [Slain Kiwi Nominated For Award By Rugby Club](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/slain-kiwi-nominated-for-award-by-rugby-club/): A British Rugby Club has nominated their late head coach for a prominent BBC award. Matt Ratana, a Kiwi-born policeman, was shot and killed on duty. - [Jockey Rosie Myers In Coma After Fall](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/jockey-rosie-myers-in-coma-after-fall/): Central districts star jockey Rosie Myers is in a coma in Wellington hospital. The Kiwi suffered a bad fall while competing in Tuesday’s Foxton trials. - [Rafa Through To 13th French Open Semi-Final](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/rafa-through-to-13th-french-open-semi-final/): World Number 2 Rafael Nadal has secured an incredible 13th French Open semi-final at Roland Garros. He’s fast approaching Roger Federer’s men’s record. - [NZR Elated About Eden Park Keeping Bledisloe](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/nzr-elated-about-eden-park-keeping-bledisloe/): NZR has welcomed government’s decision to bump Auckland to Alert Level 1. This means a second Bledisloe Cup played in front of fans at Eden Park. - [Drummond Says He’s Open To A Tasman Future](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/drummond-says-hes-open-to-a-tasman-future/): Halfback Mitchell Drummond says he loves playing for Canterbury. But he would at the same time enjoy maybe one day playing for Tasman back home. - [Kiwi Coaches Bristol To Brink Of Playoffs](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/kiwi-coaches-bristol-to-brink-of-playoffs/): Former Samoa coach and Kiwi Pat Lam is the man behind Bristol’s run for the English Rugby Premiership playoffs. Monday’s game will reveal everything. - [Black Fern Says Mental Health Upped Her Game](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/black-fern-says-mental-health-upped-her-game/): A renewed focus on her state of mental health has helped her to get through a tough year and improve her game. So says Black Fern Kendra Cocksedge. - [Tonga Rugby Union Facing Financial Ruin](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/tonga-rugby-union-facing-financial-ruin/): The Tonga Rugby Union is facing financial devastation. The only way out of ruin is to sign an agreement alongside Tonga’s government and World Rugby. - [Premier League At War With UK Government](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/premier-league-at-war-with-uk-government/): Government’s call on the U.K.’s top flight league to fund the country’s football bill has ignited a war of words. And it bodes no good for smaller clubs. - [Tour De France Team Investigated For Doping](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/tour-de-france-team-investigated-for-doping/): Tour de France team Arkea-Samsic is reportedly under investigation following allegations of doping. French authorities are overseeing the inquiry. - [NZ Sport Agency Reacts To Fisher Departure](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/nz-sport-agency-reacts-to-fisher-departure/): New allegations recently made must be instantly attended to by Canoe Racing, High Performance Sport NZ has said. Allegations of misconduct have been rife. - [Warriors Deserved More From 2020 Says Lock](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/warriors-deserved-more-from-2020-says-lock/): They’ve this year emerged one of the most tenacious rugby squads yet. Which is why lock Jazz Tevaga says the Warriors deserved a place in the finals. - [Okunbor Says He’ll Return Bulldogs’ Faith](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/okunbor-says-hell-return-bulldogs-faith/): Fresh out the dog-box Bulldogs winger Jayden Okunbor has apologised to his team and teammates for the damages he caused. He now wants to rebuild trust. - [Tony Brown Primed For Highlanders Head Coach](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/tony-brown-primed-for-highlanders-head-coach/): Highlanders CEO Roger Clark isn’t making any secret of his preference of Tony Brown for head coach. He said not to consider Brown would be silly. - [Tod Payten Says Warriors Treated Unfairly](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/tod-payten-says-warriors-treated-unfairly/): The NRL isn’t completely fair in its overall treatment of the Warriors, says interim coach Tod Payten. A separate set of rules appears to apply. - [Nathan Brown Says Auckland Move Unlikely](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/nathan-brown-says-auckland-move-unlikely/): He’s looking forward to moving his family to Auckland, says incoming Warriors coach Nathan Brown. But also that it probably won’t happen in 2021. - [Yorkshire Launches Investigation Into Racism](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/yorkshire-launches-investigation-into-racism/): Comments made by Azeem Rafiq have led to the launch of an investigation into institutional racism at Yorkshire club. Racism is at its peak, alleged Rafiq. - [Highlanders Show Aaron Mauger The Door](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/highlanders-show-aaron-mauger-the-door/): Despite a reasonable recovery by the Highlanders, the franchise has decided to dump head coach Aaron Mauger. A new coach has not yet been earmarked. - [Payten Will Be Missed Says Warriors Star](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/payten-will-be-missed-says-warriors-star/): Warriors interim-coach Todd Payten’s upcoming departure will not go unnoticed, says Chanel Harris-Tavita. Payten has accepted a role with the Cowboys. - [New Zealand Ushers In New Era Of Horse Racing With TAB](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/new-zealand-ushers-in-new-era-of-horse-racing-with-tab/): TAB New Zealand has taken charge of country’s horse racing industry. This ends a 13-month period of transition as New Zealand reforms the horse racing sector. - [Jeff Probyn Says Hartley Memoire Is A Sham](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/jeff-probyn-says-hartley-memoire-is-a-sham/): Dylan Hartley isn’t the “hard” player put forward in his autobiography, says ex-England test prop Jeff Probyn. Instead, he’s a man who resorts to violence. - [US Golfer Hits Super Unique Hole-In-One](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/us-golfer-hits-super-unique-hole-in-one/): When golfer Allison Koehnke swung in the direction of the 16th hole on an Oregon golf course, the last thing she expected was a hole-in-one. With a putter. - [Sports Broadcaster Booted Over Anti-Gay Slur](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/sports-broadcaster-booted-over-anti-gay-slur/): Veteran baseball broadcaster Thom Brenneman has been suspended by the Reds over an anti-gay comment made on-air. Brenneman has since apologised. - [Johnson Reneges On Proctor Biting Claim](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/johnson-reneges-on-proctor-biting-claim/): No longer convinced that he was actually bitten by Kevin Proctor during a recent game, Shaun Johnson has withdrawn his complaint. He refuses to apologise. - [White Says McGregor Won’t Fight This Year](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/ufc/white-says-mcgregor-wont-fight-this-year/): Conor McGregor may want to return to the octagon sometime this year, but according to Dana White, this won’t be happening. At least not in 2020. - [Scrapping ANZ Final Round Is Right Decision](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/netball/scrapping-anz-final-round-is-right-decision/): The decision to cancel the final round of the ANZ is being hailed the best decision for the players and the game. The final is scheduled for 23 August. - [Tony Brown Lauds Super Rugby Aotearoa Format](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/tony-brown-lauds-super-rugby-aotearoa-format/): There isn’t any place for “diluted” rugby to be played in Super Rugby Aotearoa. This according to format-supporting Highlanders coach Tony Brown. - [FIFA’s Gianni Infantino Criminally Charged](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/fifas-gianni-infantino-criminally-charged/): FIFA’s Gianni Infantino is facing criminal charges resulting from meetings held with Michael Lauber in 2017. The charges include abuse of public office. - [Sport NZ CEO Peter Miskimmin Resigns](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/sport-nz-ceo-peter-miskimmin-resigns/): Peter Miskimmin has handed his resignation in. The manager and CEO of Sport New Zealand has extended his stay due to COVID-19 and now leaves in December. - [Savea Hoping For A 2021 Super Rugby Deal](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/savea-hoping-for-a-2021-super-rugby-deal/): Canes fan-favourite Julian Savea is back where he wants to be, which is training with his beloved team. He now hopes to secure a 2021 Super Rugby contract. - [Petition Signed To Save Rugby Grandstand](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/petition-signed-to-save-rugby-grandstand/): Taihape’s Memorial Park Grandstand is a sports stand of historical value and one deserving of preservation. So say members of the Taihape Heritage Group. - [Possible Ray Of Hope For Banned Warriors](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/possible-ray-of-hope-for-banned-warriors/): The Warriors players told not to return to NZ after the NRL season may be allowed back into the country yet. PM Jacinda Ardern is considering the options. - [Disabled Crusaders Fan Meets His Heroes](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/disabled-crusaders-fan-meets-his-heroes/): A group of kind individuals made a disabled Crusaders fan’s ultimate dream come true this past weekend. Levi Aplin finally got to watch his heroes play. - [Meg Lanning Worried About Prep-Opportunities](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/meg-lanning-worried-about-prep-opportunities/): Aussie women’s cricket skipper Meg Lanning says she’s worried that not all teams will have equal opportunity to prepare for next year’s Cricket World Cup. - [Callum McCowatt Makes Glory Goal Happen](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/callum-mccowatt-makes-glory-goal-happen/): Midfielder Callum McCowatt may be young, but that certainly doesn’t mean he isn’t able to make it rain. McCowatt made a star assist against Glory. - [Smith Says Rugby Poorer Without Springboks](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/smith-says-rugby-poorer-without-springboks/): Aaron Smith says while he realises the importance of a Pacific Islands inclusion in rugby’s new competition, it won’t be the same without South Africa. - [Eddie Jones Says Pay Cut Is No Grand Gesture](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/eddie-jones-says-pay-cut-is-no-grand-gesture/): England rugby coach Eddie Jones says his having agreed to a pay cut is nothing out of the ordinary. Many others have made bigger sacrifices, says Jones. - [NZ Poised To Host 2020 Rugby Competition](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/nz-poised-to-host-2020-rugby-competition/): NZ is Sanzaar’s preferred host-country for a 2020 Rugby Championship. The sports governing body is impressed by the country’s ability to crisis-control. - [Richard Kahui Signed By The Western Force](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/richard-kahui-signed-by-the-western-force/): Former All Blacks midfielder and World Cup player Richard Kahui has been signed by the Western Force. Kahui played for Japanese club Toshiba for 7 years. - [Warriors Ready To Pick Their New Head Coach](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/warriors-ready-to-pick-their-new-head-coach/): The Warriors have now progressed as far as having shortened their list of possible head coaches to 5. Interim coach Todd Payten is one of the 5 options. - [NZ Women’s Sport Leads The Way](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/nz-womens-sport-leads-the-way/): NZ’s pro women athletes are leading the global sports community toward recovery. New Zealand women have shown themselves tenacious and resolved to succeed. - [Pro-Cricket’s Fate Possibly Decided Soon](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/pro-crickets-fate-possibly-decided-soon/): The ICC will likely over the course of next week meet to decide the fate of this year’s men’s Twenty2020 Cricket WC. Chances are it won’t remain in Aus. - [Hurricanes Spent Time Away Reflecting](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/hurricanes-spent-time-away-reflecting/): The Hurricanes may not have had the best of restarts, but they’re determined to show their new resolve. A good look in the mirror is of great value. - [Sevens Series Cancellations Means NZ Wins](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/sevens-series-cancellations-means-nz-wins/): As tragic as the news of the World Sevens Series being cancelled is, there is a silver lining. It means New Zealand gets the Men’s and Women’s titles! - [Feel the Rush Joining Maher/Eustace Stable](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/feel-the-rush-joining-maher-eustace-stable/): Kelvin Tyler may have seen one of his finest three-year-olds sent to Australia, but he’s thrilled about the outlook of another. Get all the details. - [Upcoming All Blacks Vs Kangaroos Blockbuster Game](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/upcoming-all-blacks-vs-kangaroos-blockbuster-game/): Rugby unions are in talks, discussing the possibility of a hybrid game to be played later this year. The number of players and the rules remain unclear. - [NFL and NFLPA Agree to Training Camp Start Date](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/nfl-and-nflpa-agree-to-training-camp-start-date/): The National Football League and its Player’s Association have agreed to a date for starting training camps. A shortened preseason will be in place. - [Several NFL Teams Want a 2020 Season Delay](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/several-nfl-teams-want-a-2020-season-delay/): With infection rates by the novel coronavirus COVID-19 skyrocketing across the US, many NFL teams want the season deferred. Read on for more information. - [NFL Players Hit by COVID-19](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/nfl-players-hit-by-covid-19/): Large-scale testing has revealed that multiple players are testing positive for the novel coronavirus COVID-19. Testing will be done multiple times a week. - [The NFL Wants Colin Kaepernick Back](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/the-nfl-wants-colin-kaepernick-back/): Although Kaepernick’s been on the sidelines since 2016 for his protests against racial injustice, the NRL’s ready to forgive. Teams want him back in play. - [Tuipulotu Back in the New Zealand Rugby Fold](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/tuipulotu-back-in-the-new-zealand-rugby-fold/): Tuipulotu has given New Zealand a much-needed silver lining for the dark cloud that was the 2019 World Cup semifinal. That defeat means he’s back with NZR. - [NFL’s Virtual Offseason Extended Until 26 June](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/nfls-virtual-offseason-extended-until-26-june/): The National Football League in America recently announced that virtual work will be allowed to continue for a while yet. June 26 2020 is the cut-off date. - [The NFL Considering a Shorter Preseason](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/the-nfl-considering-a-shorter-preseason/): The National Football League could reduce preseason games from four to two this year. This is to allow for a longer ramp-up period between teams. - [New Zealand is Ready to Welcome Back Sports Fans](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/new-zealand-is-ready-to-welcome-back-sports-fans/): New Zealand Rugby has confirmed that there is no limit for the crowd at Super Rugby Aotearoa. This is in the wake of the news we’re COVID-19-free. - [Potter Calls Funding Snub a Kick in the Guts](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/potter-calls-funding-snub-a-kick-in-the-guts/): Potter, boss of Basketball New Zealand, is losing sleep over the fact that his league won’t benefit from the Financial Relief Package. Read more about it. - [NZ Cricket Executive Crummy Resigns](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/nz-cricket-executive-crummy-resigns/): Australian Anthony Crummy, Deputy CEO of New Zealand Cricket, has tendered his resignation. This is in light of the 15% workforce cut in the sector. - [Fans Hope for Early Super Rugby Aotearoa Return](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/fans-hope-for-early-super-rugby-aotearoa-return/): Rugby fans hold thumbs that they may be able to attend Super Rugby Aotearoa’s opening round of games. Minister Ardern says we could be at Level 1 by then. - [Queenstown Wants to Host the Next Parker Fight](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/queenstown-wants-to-host-the-next-parker-fight/): Queenstown may be the site for the next Boxing match featuring Joseph Parker. It’s one of the few places a fight would be allowed in the wake of COVID-19. - [NZ Cricket to Cut Down on Staff](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/nz-cricket-to-cut-down-on-staff/): The NZ Cricket Board is trying to find a way to manage the rest of 2020. In the wake of the COVID-19 lockdown, the drop in revenue means job losses. - [NZ Delighted to Be Hosting the Premier League](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/nz-delighted-to-be-hosting-the-premier-league/): NZ is about to become the first country in the southern hemisphere to stage a professional sports event. Auckland hosts the Premier League from June 3rd. - [NZCPA CEO Mills Criticizes NZ School Sport](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/nzcpa-ceo-mills-criticizes-nz-school-sport/): NZCPA Chief Executive Officer Mills is concerned about the mercenary school sports system creating unbalanced players. He wants this issue to be addressed. - [NZ Cricket Says Williams’ Captaincy Secure](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/nz-cricket-says-williams-captaincy-secure/): NZ Cricket says that the reports about Kane Williamson’s position as All Blacks Captain being shaky are rubbish. A team spokesman says this is fake news. - [Some Good News At Last for Cricket Clubs](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/some-good-news-at-last-for-cricket-clubs/): The battle to contain the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic has hit the sports world hard. But NZ Cricket clubs are getting help from ANZ Bank. - [Super Rugby Players Face Strict Measures](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/super-rugby-players-face-strict-measures/): It’s not just Super Rugby Players who have to be on watch, their families have to obey strict orders too. Steps are stringent ahead of the season resuming. - [Alert Level 2 Sees Sports Return to Waikato Region](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/alert-level-2-sees-sports-return-to-waikato-region/): Hundreds of players in a number of different sports are thrilled to be able to get back to training. This is thanks to certain sports returning to Waikato. - [Super Rugby Domestic Series Set for June 13](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/super-rugby-domestic-series-set-for-june-13/): The Super Rugby Series will start at the beginning of June. We are the first Rugby nation to announce its restart in competitions since the pandemic. - [New Zealand To Resume Domestic Sports Soon](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/new-zealand-to-resume-domestic-sports-soon/): It has been announced that New Zealand will be allowed to resume domestic sports soon. All that remains is for the current alert level to be dropped. - [Sport NZ Provides $25m Boost for Kiwis](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/sport-nz-provides-25m-boost-for-kiwis/): Sport NZ is extending sport in this country a helping hand worth $25 million. This is to help the industry keep its head above water through COVID-19. - [NZ Cyclist Fisher-Black Crowdfunds to Save Career](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/nz-cyclist-fisher-black-crowdfunds-to-save-career/): After sponsors withdrew because of the effects of lockdown on their business, an NZ cyclist is crowdfunding. Can Fisher-Black save her career? - [Ross Taylor Gets Sir Richard Hadlee Medal Again](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/ross-taylor-gets-sir-richard-hadlee-medal-again/): Taylor, veteran of the Black Caps, received top honours on the last day of the 2020 NZ Cricket Awards. He took home the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal once more. - [NZ Rugby Reports Over $7m Loss for 2019](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/nz-rugby-reports-over-7m-loss-for-2019/): Sport has suffered terribly in the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, as New Zealand Rugby will be happy to tell you. Losses extend into the millions. - [Transformation Ahead for Super Rugby](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/transformation-ahead-for-super-rugby/): NZ’s 5 Super Rugby Clubs are reviewing ways to increase relevance and sustainability going forward. The global pandemic has highlighted the need for this. - [Bring Back the North Vs South Island Derby Says Whitelock](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/bring-back-the-north-vs-south-island-derby-says-whitelock/): Sam Whitelock, lock for the All Blacks, has indicated that the North versus South Island Derby could be rekindled. Find out what he thinks we should do. - [More Cricket On New Zealand’s TV Sets](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/more-cricket-on-new-zealands-tv-sets/): NZ Cricket and Spark Sport have entered into a deal that will put more Cricket than ever before on New Zealand TV screens. Get all the information here. - [Stairmand Urges Fellow Surfers to Hold Fast](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/surfing/stairmand-urges-fellow-surfers-to-hold-fast/): Billy Stairmand, the 7-time National Surfing Champion, is pleading with his counterparts to hold on until Level 4 ends. He says it’s the only way forward. - [Rugby Great Marshall’s Making Boomfa Beer](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/rugby-great-marshalls-making-boomfa-beer/): Justin Marshall wants to share his homemade Boomfa beer with New Zealand’s essential workers. The former player’s been busy brewing during lockdown. - [Warriors TV Offers Fans Behind-the-Scenes Info](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/warriors-tv-offers-fans-behind-the-scenes-info/): Always wondered what happens behind the scenes at one of the top NZ Rugby Leagues? You’re in for a treat. Warriors TV will give you all the answers. - [Sarpreet Singh Remains 100% Committed to Family](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/sarpreet-singh-remains-100-committed-to-family/): Showing commitment that amazes his superstar teammates, coming home is very important to Sarpreet Singh. Find out more about how the Kiwi’s faring. - [Parker Vs Fa Talks Cancelled Due to Pay-Demands](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/parker-vs-fa-talks-cancelled-due-to-pay-demands/): The talks between Joseph Parker and Junior Fa have officially been called off. Get the details on Parker’s manager calling Fa’s fee demands stratospheric. - [The Standing of Sailing in New Zealand](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sailing/the-standing-of-sailing-in-new-zealand/): Yachting NZ CEO David Abercrombie has provided an update on the sport’s status within the country. His main line is that the rules need to be obeyed. - [Warriors Claim Almost Half a Million Dollars](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/warriors-claim-almost-half-a-million-dollars/): NZ sports bodies have received millions under a wage subsidy scheme extended by the government. The Warriors Rugby League FC got almost NZ$500 000. - [Tennis and the Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/tennis-and-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic/): Like sports the world over, Tennis has come to a halt in the wake of the spread of coronavirus COVID-19. Social media outlets are helping players cope. - [New Zealand Rugby Slashes Salaries](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/new-zealand-rugby-slashes-salaries/): In the wake of the havoc being wreaked on the sports world by the COVID-19 pandemic, New Zealand Rugby is making pay cuts. This is due to a revenue decline. - [New Isolation Nation Rugby Series Debuts](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/new-isolation-nation-rugby-series-debuts/): Rugby players from New Zealand have banded together to create a new series. Isolation Nation, as it’s been named, will screen twice a week on Sky Sport. - [Sky Offers Customers Sport Package Holidays](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/sky-offers-customers-sport-package-holidays/): Sky won’t charge for Sports packages until July 1. This suggests that the broadcaster has given up hope that there’ll be anything to show until then. - [Adesanya Encourages Strength During Lockdown](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/ufc/adesanya-encourages-strength-during-lockdown/): Israel Adesanya has made a plea to his fellow Kiwis to be supportive of one another in these uncertain times on Instagram. He says it’s make or break. - [Saints Owner Fears Homelessness](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/saints-owner-fears-homelessness/): Nick Mills, owner of the Saints Basketball team, says that COVID-19 could cost him his house. Without governmental help, he says, he could lose everything. - [Netball Delay Marks Top-Level NZ Sport Shutdown](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/netball/netball-delay-marks-top-level-nz-sport-shutdown/): New Zealand’s biggest sports events have now all been postponed or cancelled. The deferral of the Domestic Netball Championship was the final straw. - [Which Sports Will Go Ahead Despite COVID-19?](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/which-sports-will-go-ahead-despite-covid-19/): Certain New Zealand sports will go ahead as planned, despite the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. The list includes Netball, NRL, A-League, and Horse Racing. - [No ODI for the Baggy Greens and the Black Caps](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/no-odi-for-the-baggy-greens-and-the-black-caps/): The ODI between AU and NZ has been abandoned and more sports events also look likely to be called off. Rugby will also be affected by coronavirus measures. - [Piha Pro Surfing Event Postponed](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/surfing/piha-pro-surfing-event-postponed/): The Piha Pro Surfing competition is the first big New Zealand sporting event to feel the effects of the coronavirus outbreak. They’re hoping to reschedule. - [Women's Cricket World Cup Important for NZ](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/womens-cricket-world-cup-important-for-nz/): White Ferns Captain Devine says having the WCWC here will showcase talent from the country to the country. It’s a platform to promote women in sport. - [Kiwi Boxing Supports Can Access DAZN from May](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/kiwi-boxing-supports-can-access-dazn-from-may/): Global streaming service DAZN will be available to Boxing fans in New Zealand from May this year. Joseph Parker is the likely reason behind this. - [The FCB’s Kiwi Star Representing South Asians](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/the-fcbs-kiwi-star-representing-south-asians/): Born in Auckland to Indian parents, Sarpreet Singh has realised his Football dreams by playing for Bayern Munich. He says he hopes to be a role model. - [Wiki May Come Out of Retirement for the Warriors](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/wiki-may-come-out-of-retirement-for-the-warriors/): Warriors’ George wants to coax Wiki out of retirement for a League comeback. It’s all for a good cause, to raise money for Tenterfield in New South Wales. - [Payne Trusts NZ Football's Decision on Coronavirus Threat](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/payne-trusts-nz-footballs-decision-on-coronavirus-threat/): The coronavirus hazard hangs heavily over the upcoming All Whites matches in the Middle East. But Payne has faith NZ Football will make the right decision. - [Will Savea Move Over to the NRL?](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/will-savea-move-over-to-the-nrl/): When Ardie Savea said that he’s considering switching from the All Blacks to the NRL, shockwaves were felt all over NZ. He might make the move next year. - [NZ Football Hopeful as FIFA Finishes WWC Venue Inspection](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/nz-football-hopeful-as-fifa-finishes-wwc-venue-inspection/): FIFA has completed its venue appraisal for the 2023 Women’s World Cup. New Zealand and Australia’s joint bid was reviewed and now the waiting begins. - [Coronavirus’ Impact on NZ Boxing Olympic Qualifiers](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/coronavirus-impact-on-nz-boxing-olympic-qualifiers/): An unexpected outlay has caused an upset for the NZPBA as it tries to get fighters to the Olympic Qualifiers. They are seeking urgent financial assistance. - [Tim Perry Is Stepping Out of the Limelight](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/tim-perry-is-stepping-out-of-the-limelight/): As prop for the All Blacks and Crusaders, Tim Perry has enjoyed a distinguished walk of life. But he has decided his time on the field has come to an end. - [NZ Warriors Hit by Afoa’s ACL Injury](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/nz-warriors-hit-by-afoas-acl-injury/): Bunty Afoa’s recent ACL tear has delivered a huge blow to the New Zealand Warriors. They will have to do without the player for the whole season. - [Walsh Fired Up Over Breakers’ ANBL Playoff Elimination](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/walsh-fired-up-over-breakers-anbl-playoff-elimination/): The owner of the NZ Breakers is livid about his team’s elimination from the ANBL due to point percentage. He says no other country in the world uses it. - [Sportsman of the Year Adesanya Makes Strong Speech at Halbergs](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/ufc/sportsman-of-the-year-adesanya-makes-strong-speech-at-halbergs/): UFC champion Israel Adesanya stole the show with a riveting speech at the Halbergs. Named Sportsman of the Year, he spoke out against Tall Poppy culture. - [Hockey Stars Launch Fundraiser for Coach Brad Conza’s Family](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/hockey/hockey-stars-launch-fundraiser-for-coach-brad-conzas-family/): Black Sticks Coach Conza recently passed away due to chronic respiratory failure. In the wake of this sad event, players are raising money for his family. - [Surfing Legend Kelly Slater is Coming to New Zealand](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/surfing/surfing-legend-kelly-slater-is-coming-to-new-zealand/): For the first time since 1993, Kelly Slater will be returning to New Zealand. He will take part in the Piha Pro which will run from March 16 to March 22. - [Super League Won’t Allow Controversial Signings Anymore](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/super-league-wont-allow-controversial-signings-anymore/): The Super League has voted to prevent any more problematic signings in the wake of Folau’s move to Catalans. Of the 11 out 12 clubs present, 11 agreed. - [Winston Reid to Join MLS Expansion Team](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/winston-reid-to-join-mls-expansion-team/): Winston Reid, All Whites Captain and West Ham Defender, will soon be a member of the Nashville SC squad. He’s getting loaned out to the MLS Expansion team. - [Why The Black Caps Wore Pink Face Paint](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/why-the-black-caps-wore-pink-face-paint/): While the decimation of the Black Caps by the Men in Blue is a talking point, people want to know why the NZ team’s faces were pink. Find out why. - [New Zealand Triumphs at Hamilton Sevens](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/new-zealand-triumphs-at-hamilton-sevens/): New Zealand’s men's and women’s teams came out on top at the Hamilton Round of the World Sevens team on Sunday. Both are going through to the final four. - [Former All Whites Moss Announces His Retirement](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/former-all-whites-moss-announces-his-retirement/): Glen Moss, formerly of the All Whites and current Newcastle Jets goalkeeper, is stepping down. He will bow out of the game when the A-League season ends. - [Hale is a Young New Zealander of the Year Finalist](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/hale-is-a-young-new-zealander-of-the-year-finalist/): Hale is far more than just a backrower for the Kiwi Ferns. Find out more about her accomplishments across four sports and various community initiatives. - [Kohli Says Revenge Isn’t on the Cricketing Agenda](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/kohli-says-revenge-isnt-on-the-cricketing-agenda/): Indian Skipper Virat Kohli says there’s no desire for retribution from his side of the Cricket pitch. He spoke instead of the quality of the Kiwi players. - [Williams Has a Point to Prove as He Returns to Rugby League](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/williams-has-a-point-to-prove-as-he-returns-to-rugby-league/): Sonny Boy Williams is ready to get back onto the Rugby field. Next month he’ll be playing his first game after a five-year break and he’s fired up. - [Cook Islands’ Rugby League Team Has No Fear](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/cook-islands-rugby-league-team-has-no-fear/): Cook Islands’ Rugby team isn’t afraid of the champions they will be facing off against. Read about how they feel about playing some remarkable squads. - [Sky Sports In Hot Water for Shots of Players' Underwear](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/sky-sports-in-hot-water-for-shots-of-players-underwear/): Find out what people have had to say about the image Sky Sports chose to promote the ASB Classic. The repeated screenings of women’s underwear are sexist. - [NZ Cricketers Are Collecting All the Awards](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/nz-cricketers-are-collecting-all-the-awards/): Cricketers from New Zealand are being recognised for their incredible work on the pitch and then some. Read all about how they are being acknowledged. - [Williams Wins Auckland Classic Final Against Pegula](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/uncategorized/williams-wins-auckland-classic-final-against-pegula/): Serena Williams won her first title since the 2017 Australian Open here in New Zealand. The star spoke of how good it feels after beating Jessica Pegula. - [Ricky May Talks About Dying on Live TV](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/ricky-may-talks-about-dying-on-live-tv/): In one of the most shocking incidents in the history of Champion Harness Racing, Ricky May died last week. A horsewoman stepped in to save his life. - [Mrs Fatialofa Asks Fans to Pray for Michael](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/mrs-fatialofa-asks-fans-to-pray-for-michael/): Kiwi Rugby player Fatialofa’s condition remains serious but stable after his operation. His wife has asked for good thoughts and prayers via Instagram. - [Taylor Becomes NZ's Best-Ever Test Runscorer](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/taylor-becomes-nzs-best-ever-test-runscorer/): Ross Taylor, the batsman for the Black Caps, has a new record to add to his collection. He has become the top Test runscorer in New Zealand’s history. - [The Fate of the Goodhue Mullet Is Up To You](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/the-fate-of-the-goodhue-mullet-is-up-to-you/): Even Jacinda Ardern has commented on All Black Goodhue’s hairstyle, and now the public gets to say whether he’ll keep it or not. It’s all for a good cause. - [Warne Shrill About Being Misquoted Regarding Lyon](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/warne-shrill-about-being-misquoted-regarding-lyon/): Warne has taken to social media to declare his comments about Lyon being rested were taken out of context. He says he’s disappointed but not surprised. - [Blundell's Historic Century Was for Little Hollie Beattie](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/blundells-historic-century-was-for-little-hollie-beattie/): Players Sports is selling multi-coloured batting grips to raise money for a 6-year old girl fighting cancer. Tom Blundell used it in his Melbourne game. - [Rebellion's a Possibility if World Rugby Changes Sevens Format](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/rebellions-a-possibility-if-world-rugby-changes-sevens-format/): Drastic changes to the Sevens tournament format by World Rugby are making some people very unhappy. This is due to it affecting the Olympic draw. - [Dr Mayhew Tells of Lomu’s Final Years](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/dr-mayhew-tells-of-lomus-final-years/): Dr John Mayhew has gone public with the challenges Jonah Lomu faced before he passed away. He spoke of the 1995 Rugby World Cup being a real challenge. - [NZ’s Top 5 in Sports for 2019](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/nzs-top-5-in-sports-for-2019/): Find out who made the biggest difference in New Zealand’s sporting arena this year. Our athletes all do us proud, but these few are the cream of the crop. - [NZ Warriors Interested in Fa'asuamaleaui](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/nz-warriors-interested-in-faasuamaleaui/): Although the Warriors have said they are interested in the Storm forward Fa'asuamaleaui, it’s not yet a done deal. This is despite what reports are saying. - [ASB Classic Wants To Go Green](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/asb-classic-wants-to-go-green/): Tennis is a global sport enjoying the support of millions of fans. Which is why the news that the ASB Classic is going green is a very good tiding indeed. - [Tiger Woods And USA Win Presidents Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/tiger-woods-and-usa-win-presidents-cup/): Tiger Woods and his US team were able to claim victory at the Presidents Cup. It marked the first time a team was able to win from a previous deficit. - [James Lentjes Named As Highlanders Captain](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/james-lentjes-named-as-highlanders-captain/): The Highlanders have confirmed that flanker James Lentjes will be taking over as new captain. Lentjes will take over from Ben Smith and Luke Whitelock. - [Internationals Lead in Presidents Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/internationals-lead-in-presidents-cup/): The Internationals currently hold a 4-1 lead over the US team for the Presidents Cup in Australia. Tiger Woods and Justin Thomas scored the US’s only point. - [Esther Henseleit Wins First LET Order of Merit](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/esther-henseleit-wins-first-let-order-of-merit/): Germany’s Esther Henseleit has claimed the European Ladies Tour Order of Merit title. This follows on from her also winning the Magical Kenya Ladies Open. - [New Zealand Win Gold in Cambridge](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/new-zealand-win-gold-in-cambridge/): The women’s pursuit team from New Zealand have earned gold for the UCI Track Cycling World Cup. The team beat main rivals Australia by 1.5 seconds. - [More Players Expected For ASB Classic](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/more-players-expected-for-asb-classic/): It’s expected that more players will be following Fabio Fognini to the ASB Classic in Auckland. The event will be following on directly from the ATP Cup. - [Anne Van Dam Wins Andalucía Costa del Sol Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/anne-van-dam-wins-andalucia-costa-del-sol-open/): Netherlands’ Anne van Dam successfully defended her title at the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open. Her win comes after beating Denmark’s Nanna Koerstz Madsen. - [Dan Hooker To Headline In Auckland](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/ufc/dan-hooker-to-headline-in-auckland/): Auckland local Dan Hooker set to fight Paul Felder in home country. The clash between the two fighters has been anticipated for the last two years. - [Lydia Ko Loses Pace At LPGA](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/lydia-ko-loses-pace-at-lpga/): New Zealand’s Lydia Ko has fallen behind to 40th place at the Tour Championship in Florida. The 2019 season has proven to be her worst year so far. - [Coco Gauff Heading To NZ](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/coco-gauff-heading-to-nz/): 15-year-old sensation Coco Gauff will be heading to Auckland next year for the ASB Classic. This follows her latest WTA Title win, her first major victory. - [Jared Waerea-Hargreaves Signs On With Roosters](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/jared-waerea-hargreaves-signs-on-with-roosters/): Prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves has extended his contract with the Roosters. The new deal sees the player remaining with the club until the end of 2023. - [Sam Lisone To Stay With Warriors](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/sam-lisone-to-stay-with-warriors/): Warriors prop Sam Lisone will be remaining with the club for the next season. This follows rumours that the player would be leaving for Warrington Wolves. - [Bid For Host Of Upcoming FIFA World Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/bid-for-host-of-upcoming-fifa-world-cup/): New Zealand and Australia have requested a joint bid to host events for the Women’s World Cup. The bid comes as the event has been extended to 32 countries. - [Sam Jones Wins NZ Amateur Championship](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/sam-jones-wins-nz-amateur-championship/): Sam Jones has become the first person from Taranaki to win the NZ Amateur Championship. Jones won the event after finishing his financial degree. - [Gerben Thijssen In Intensive Care](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/gerben-thijssen-in-intensive-care/): Belgium’s Gerben Thijssen is currently in intensive care after a crash during Ghent Day Six. The crash saw Thijssen collide with Oliver Frederiksen. - [Scott Barrett To Be Crusaders Captain](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/scott-barrett-to-be-crusaders-captain/): Crusaders lock Scott Barrett has been named captain of the squad for next year’s season. He will be taking over the new position from Sam Whitelock. - [Louis Fenton’s Battles More Injuries](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/louis-fentons-battles-more-injuries/): Louis Fenton of Wellington Phoenix has been diagnosed with another dislocated shoulder. This comes not long after his latest defeat to Melbourne City. - [Kiwi’s Mourn Loss of Coach Ed Dolejs](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/softball/kiwis-mourn-loss-of-coach-ed-dolejs/): Famous New Zealand softball coach Ed Dolejs has passed away at the age of 90. Former players and associates have expressed their grief at his passing. - [England Collapses Against New Zealand in T20](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/england-collapses-against-new-zealand-in-t20/): England has collapsed in their third Twenty20 against New Zealand in Nelson. The team started off chasing 180 but eventually lost by a total of 14 runs. - [Claudia Bunge Receives First Call Up](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/claudia-bunge-receives-first-call-up/): Northern Lights defender Claudia Bunge has been given a call up to join the Football Ferns. She will join five other new players for their games in China. - [England Faces Fine For Haka Crossing](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/england-faces-fine-for-haka-crossing/): England has received a fine for crossing over the halfway line during New Zealand’s haka. The English team’s fine will amount to a total of 2000 Pounds. - [Nelson Riders See Victory For Aorere Enduro](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/nelson-riders-see-victory-for-aorere-enduro/): The Aorere Enduro event has proven to be a success, with many local Nelson riders claiming victory. The event saw competitors from around the world. - [NZ Sports Coverage is Changing Radically](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/nz-sports-coverage-is-changing-radically/): Spark is challenging Sky for NZ sports coverage, and Sky’s not taking it lying down. Their battle for dominance is changing the broadcasting landscape. - [Why Kiwi Athletes Dominate World Sports](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/why-kiwi-athletes-dominate-world-sports/): CNN is investigating how an island at the bottom of the world is so successful in so many sports. They spoke to several professionals to find out. - [Jones Says the Lions Can Beat the All Blacks](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/jones-says-the-lions-can-beat-the-all-blacks/): Although he says New Zealand’s All Blacks are the best team in sports history, Eddie Jones said they’re not invincible. He says England can make the final. - [Nelson Asofa-Solomona Banned From Kiwi Tests](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/nelson-asofa-solomona-banned-from-kiwi-tests/): Storms player Nelson Asofa-Solomona has received a three test international ban. The ban was issued due to a fight the forward was caught taking part in. - [Olympic Marathons To Be Moved](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/running/olympic-marathons-to-be-moved/): The Olympic Games marathon events are set to be moved north to Japan’s Sapporo. This is being done in order to avoid Tokyo’s predicted high temperatures. - [Nigel Owens To Referee Quarter Final](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/nigel-owens-to-referee-quarter-final/): Welshman Nigel Owens will be refereeing the quarter final game that sees New Zealand face Ireland. The referee was carefully chosen by World Rugby. - [New Zealand To Invest $7 Million In Disabled Sports](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/new-zealand-to-invest-7-million-in-disabled-sports/): The New Zealand government will be investing $7 million into disabled sporting activities. The hope is that more disabled NZ people will take part. - [Aorere Enduro Back on Track](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/aorere-enduro-back-on-track/): The Aorere Enduro event will be taking place in Nelson at the end of October. The event is part of the international Enduro World Asia-Pacific Series. - [Marc Marquez Wins Sixth MotoGP Title](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/marc-marquez-wins-sixth-motogp-title/): Spanish rider Marc Marquez has earned his sixth MotoGP title after winning in Thailand. Marquez came in ahead of Fabio Quartararo and Andrea Dovizioso. - [Juan Correa Goes Public About F2 Collision](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/auto-racing/juan-correa-goes-public-about-f2-collision/): F2 driver Juan Manuel Correa has spoken to the public about his collision with Anthoine Hubert. The driver is set to be in recovery for another year. - [New Zealand Thrashes Canada in Rugby World Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/new-zealand-thrashes-canada-in-rugby-world-cup/): New Zealand beat Canada 63-0 in one of their best victories of all time. The win came in part thanks to the Barrett brothers, where all three took part. - [Flanker Ardie Savea To Wear Protective Goggles](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/flanker-ardie-savea-to-wear-protective-goggles/): All Blacks flanker Ardie Savea will be wearing goggles for their game against Canada. This comes after the player revealed his left eye is damaged. - [Arthur Lydiard To Receive IAAF Recognition](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/arthur-lydiard-to-receive-iaaf-recognition/): Famous running coach Arthur Lydiard will be receiving a posthumous IAAF plaque. The award is being given in recognition of his 50 years of service. - [Wellington To Host Fed Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/wellington-to-host-fed-cup/): Wellington has been chosen to host the Fed Cup for a total of six days. The competition will involve teams participating from the Asia-Oceanic regions. - [Danny Willett Wins PGA Championship](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/danny-willett-wins-pga-championship/): Danny Willet has won the PGA Championship with a three shot lead. The win is all the more impressive due to his 462nd rank in the international roster. - [The New Vitality Newball Nations Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/netball/the-new-vitality-newball-nations-cup/): The England Roses are set to face New Zealand, Jamaica, and South Africa in new competition. The Vitality Netball Nations Cup will take place in England. - [Fiji Place Radradra To The Wing](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/fiji-place-radradra-to-the-wing/): Former NRL player Semi Radradra has been chosen to play with the Flying Fijis. Their first game will see them play against Australia in the World Cup. - [Europe Wins Solheim Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/europe-wins-solheim-cup/): Europe claimed an impressive win at the Solheim Cup over the United States. The win came in part thanks to a birdie from Norwegian Suzann Pettersen. - [Top All Blacks Players Set For Hall of Fame](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/top-all-blacks-players-set-for-hall-of-fame/): Sir Graham Henry and Richie McCaw will be inducted in the World Rugby Hall of Fame. The induction will be taking place at the beginning of November. - [US Lose To Europe in FIBA World Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/us-lose-to-europe-in-fiba-world-cup/): The United States have lost out on gold at the FIBA World Cup and have returned home. It’s the first time that the US has lost in a major event since 2006. - [Rafael Nadal Wins 19th Grand Slam Title](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/rafael-nadal-wins-19th-grand-slam-title/): Rafael Nadal has claimed his 19th Grand Slam win after beating Daniil Medvedev at the US Open. The almost 5 hour game saw Nadal reduced to tears. - [St George Illawarra Brings in Phil Gould](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/st-george-illawarra-brings-in-phil-gould/): St George Illawarra Dragons to bring in Phil Gould for club-wide assessment. This is being done after an extremely disappointing season for the club. - [NZ Boats Revealed For America’s Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sailing/nz-boats-revealed-for-americas-cup/): America Cup winners New Zealand have recently unveiled their latest boats. The new designs are being given a public release in preparation for Auckland. - [Anthoine Hubert Dies During Belgian GP](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/anthoine-hubert-dies-during-belgian-gp/): Formula 2 driver Anthoine Hubert has died during a collision at the Belgian Grand Prix. The driver was involved in the crash at the famous Eau Rouge corner. - [Lucy Bronze Named UEFA Woman Of The Year](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/lucy-bronze-named-uefa-woman-of-the-year/): British Lucy Bronze has been given the UEFA Women’s Player of The Year award. She earns the award alongside Virgin Van Djik, winner of the men’s prize. - [All Blacks Drop Owen Franks From Squad](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/all-blacks-drop-owen-franks-from-squad/): All Blacks veteran Frank Owens has been officially removed from the team ahead of their Japanese games. Laumape and Squire have also been removed. - [NZ Has Best Batting Averages in World Cricket](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/nz-has-best-batting-averages-in-world-cricket/): The Black Caps are among not just the best cricket players in New Zealand, but also in the world. The ICC test cricket rankings speak for themselves. - [Concerns Over World Cup Viewing in New Zealand](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/concerns-over-world-cup-viewing-in-new-zealand/): Rural New Zealanders throughout the country have raised concerns over accessibility to the World Cup. This is due to low internet access in many areas. - [New Gender Neutral Rugby World Cup Announced](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/new-gender-neutral-rugby-world-cup-announced/): The 2021 Women’s Rugby World Cup will have ‘women’s’ removed from its title. This is being done to promote gender equality in global sporting events. - [Paul Pogba Receives Racist Threats After Missed Penalty](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/paul-pogba-receives-racist-threats-after-missed-penalty/): Manchester United’s Paul Pogba is the latest player to receive racial abuse. The abuse started after the player to miss a penalty in his latest match. - [Great Britain Claim 2nd EuroBasket Win](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/great-britain-claim-2nd-eurobasket-win/): Great Britain’s men managed to beat Luxembourg in Manchester for the EuroBasket pre-qualifier game. The win means they can play in the qualifying rounds. - [Liverpool Wins Super Cup For Fourth Time](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/liverpool-wins-super-cup-for-fourth-time/): Liverpool has earned their Super Cup for the fourth time in their history. The club managed to edge out Chelsea on penalties following a 2-2 draw. - [Judd Trump Wins International Championship](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/snooker/judd-trump-wins-international-championship/): Judd Trump is the new darts world champion after winning the International Championship. His victory comes after beating latest contender Shaun Murphy. - [Gerwyn Price Has Fine Halved](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/darts/gerwyn-price-has-fine-halved/): Darts champion Gerwyn Price has seen his £20,000 fine halved. The player was issued the fine over his aggressive behaviour in his latest tournament. - [Chris Mears Announced Retirement](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/swimming/chris-mears-announced-retirement/): Chris Mears, former Olympic swimming champion, has officially retired from the sport. Mears will now continue to pursue a career in the music industry. - [Bjorg Lembrecht Died In Tour de Pologne](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/bjorg-lembrecht-died-in-tour-de-pologne/): Belgian Bjorg Lembrecht died in hospital following a fatal crash in the third stage of the Tour de Pologne. The cyclist’s crashed 60 miles from the end - [2022 Commonwealth Games Defend Shooting Exclusion](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/2022-commonwealth-games-defend-shooting-exclusion/): Officials of the 2022 Commonwealth Games have defended their decision to exclude shooting. The move has been met with major controversy from India. - [Roaring Lion Undergoes Second Operation](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/roaring-lion-undergoes-second-operation/): 2018 horse of the year Roaring Lion underwent emergency surgery after fighting with colic. The horse is currently staying at the Cambridge Equine Hospital. - [South Africa Draw With New Zealand in Rugby Championship](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/south-africa-draw-with-new-zealand-in-rugby-championship/): The Springboks held their nerve as they drew with the All Blacks in the latest Rugby Championship match. The South African team are one game from winning - [Algeria Biggest Climbers In FIFA Roster](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/algeria-biggest-climbers-in-fifa-roster/): Recent winners of the African Cup of Nations, Algeria, are the fastest climbers in the FIFA listings. They have advanced to 40th place in the world - [Tokyo Reveals 2020 Medal Design](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/tokyo-reveals-2020-medal-design/): Japan has unveiled the series of medals that will be given at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. All the medals are made from recycled consumer devices - [Team GB Medal Count to Drop For Tokyo](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/team-gb-medal-count-to-drop-for-tokyo/): It has been forecasted that team Great Britain will bring home fewer medals at next year’s Games. The United States is expected to lead the medal roster - [Ben Stokes Nominated For New Zealander Of The Year](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/ben-stokes-nominated-for-new-zealander-of-the-year/): English all-rounder Ben Stokes has been nominated for the New Zealander of the year award. The nomination was given despite Stokes being a British citizen. - [Chris Froome Awarded 2011 Vuelta a Espana](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/chris-froome-awarded-2011-vuelta-a-espana/): Chris Froome has been given the number one spot for the 2011 Vuelta a Espana. This comes after original winner Juan Jose Cobo faces doping accusations - [Great Britain To Include Both Men And Women For Tokyo Olympic 7s](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/great-britain-to-include-both-men-and-women-for-tokyo-olympic-7s/): Great Britain has confirmed that both their men and women’s teams will head to Tokyo next year. This comes after both teams won their qualifying events - [Afghanistan Bowler Given One-Year Suspension](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/afghanistan-bowler-given-one-year-suspension/): Afghanistan fast bowler Aftab Alam has received a one-year suspension from professional cricket. This comes after the player violated the code of conduct. - [Twell and Crippa Claim 10000m Titles](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/running/twell-and-crippa-claim-10000m-titles/): Steph Twell claimed first place for her 10000m race at the European 10000m Cup in London. Her victory was mirrored by Crippa who won the men’s race - [Noah Lyles Fourth Fastest 200m Runner](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/running/noah-lyles-fourth-fastest-200m-runner/): American Noah Lyles has come first in the 200m for the Diamond League, beating Michael Rodgers. The win marks him as the fourth fastest 200m runner ever - [Huddersfield End Winless Run](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/huddersfield-end-winless-run/): The Huddersfield Giants claimed victory over the Salford Red Devils in a stunning 36-18 win. It marks the first game the Giants have won since late May - [All Blacks Names New Caps](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/all-blacks-names-new-caps/): As part of their preparations to face Fiji, the Maori All Blacks team has named four new caps. The team will be heading out to face Fiji later on this month - [Alice Barns and Ben Swift Earn Maiden Titles](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/alice-barns-and-ben-swift-earn-maiden-titles/): Ben Swift earned his first national race title after coming first in the British Championships in Norwich. Alice Barnes won in the women’s race. - [Italy To Host 2026 Paralympic Games](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/paralympics/italy-to-host-2026-paralympic-games/): Milan and Cortina have been named as the new hosts for the 2026 Winter Olympics. The cities will also be hosting the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games. - [Hayley Simmonds Wins Bronze In Time Trial](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/hayley-simmonds-wins-bronze-in-time-trial/): Britain’s Hayley Simmonds has won bronze during the time trials for the European Games. The cyclist narrowly beat Alice Barnes to take a spot on the podium. - [Premiership Club Leicester Tigers Put Up For Sale](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/premiership-club-leicester-tigers-put-up-for-sale/): Premiership rugby club Leicester Tigers have issued their club for sale to investors. This comes after the successful investment from the CVC group - [The Commonwealth Games To Add New Sports](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/the-commonwealth-games-to-add-new-sports/): The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games is set to add three new sports to its roster. These include women’s cricket, beach volleyball, and Para-table tennis. - [Scrum Doctor Leaving All Blacks](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/scrum-doctor-leaving-all-blacks/): Mike Cron, also known as the scrum doctor, will be leaving his role as scrum coach of the All Blacks. His leaving will take place after the 2019 World Cup. - [Korea Beat Ireland in FIH Final](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/hockey/korea-beat-ireland-in-fih-final/): Korea has beaten Ireland 3-1 for the final of the FIH that was hosted by the losing team. Despite a close first half, Korea gained traction in the second. - [Ferrari To Not Appeal Penalty](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/ferrari-to-not-appeal-penalty/): Team Ferrari has stated that they will no longer seek to appeal Vettel’s penalty. The 5-second penalty was issued to Vettel following an unsafe return. - [Brodie Retallick Taking Break From All Blacks](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/brodie-retallick-taking-break-from-all-blacks/): Brodie Retallick of the All Blacks has announced an extended sabbatical from New Zealand rugby. The player will continue to play until after the World Cup. - [Spain Beat Sweden 3-0 in Euro 2020 Qualifier](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/spain-beat-sweden-3-0-in-euro-2020-qualifier/): Spain has claimed victory over Sweden for a Euro 2020 qualifying match. The win came thanks to Sergio Ramos, who is on target for a new Spanish record. - [New Zealand Hot Spot To Make Debut](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/new-zealand-hot-spot-to-make-debut/): The Bay Oval at New Zealand's Mt Maunganui will be the new debut hosting spot for next year’s test games. The English team will be the first to compete. - [Neymar To Miss Copa America](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/neymar-to-miss-copa-america/): Paris St-Germain forward Neymar is set to miss the Copa America after an ankle injury. The player was taken off of the field during their latest game. - [Andy Murray to Return To Doubles in Queen’s Club](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/andy-murray-to-return-to-doubles-in-queens-club/): British Andy Murray is set on playing doubles at this year’s Fever-Tree Championship at the Queen’s Club. Murray will be missing all singles events. - [Justin Thomas To Compete in Scottish Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/justin-thomas-to-compete-in-scottish-open/): American Justin Thomas has confirmed that he will be participating in the upcoming Scottish Open. The player hopes it will prepare him for The Open. - [Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal Into French Open Third Round](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/roger-federer-rafael-nadal-into-french-open-third-round/): Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have moved to the third round of the French Open. Their advancement comes after they both won their latest matches. - [Bronte Law Claims First LPGA Tour Title](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/bronte-law-claims-first-lpga-tour-title/): England’s Bronte Law claimed her first LPGA Tour title after winning at the Pure Silk Championship. She was followed by Sagstrom, Henderson and Hataoka. - [The Transat Moves From Plymouth for France](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sailing/the-transat-moves-from-plymouth-for-france/): Official organisers of the famous Transat sailing race have moved the starting point to Brest, France. The move has disappointed Plymouth officials. - [Danny Cipriani Named Premier Player of the Season](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/danny-cipriani-named-premier-player-of-the-season/): Danny Cipriani of Gloucester has been named Premiership Player of The Season. This comes after the player won Rugby Players Association's annual award. - [Jofra Archer, Liam Dawson, Tom Curran in World Cup Squad](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/jofra-archer-liam-dawson-tom-curran-in-world-cup-squad/): Jofra Archer, Tom Curran and Liam Dawson have been chosen for England’s World Cup 15-man squad. They will be taking over from Joe Denly and David Willey. - [Johanna Konta Reaches Italian Open Quarter Finals](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/johanna-konta-reaches-italian-open-quarter-finals/): British number one Johanna Konta has moved to the quarterfinals of the Italian Open. This comes after she beat an injured 50th ranked Venus Williams. - [Great Britain Win 4×100m Bronze At World Relay Championships](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/great-britain-win-4x100m-bronze-at-world-relay-championships/): Great Britain has earned another trophy at the World Relay Championships, claiming bronze. The win came after the men’s side won the 4×100m event. - [Marcus Kinhult Wins British Masters Title](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/marcus-kinhult-wins-british-masters-title/): Marcus Kinhult edged out Englishman Matt Wallace to win the British Masters. His newest victory marks his first European Tour title of his career. - [Rain Ends England v Pakistan First Day One](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/rain-ends-england-v-pakistan-first-day-one/): The one-day international game between England and Pakistan came to a short end due to rain. The Pakistan team claimed 80-2 before the game was called off. - [Kvitova, Halep, Osaka Into Madrid Quarter Finals](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/kvitova-halep-osaka-into-madrid-quarter-finals/): Simona Halep, Petra Kvitova, and Naomi Osaka have all moved to the quarter finals of the Madrid Open. It will be the first Madrid final eight for Osaka. - [Chris Lawless Wins Tour de Yorkshire 2019](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/chris-lawless-wins-tour-de-yorkshire-2019/): Chris Lawless is the first rider for Britain to the win the men’s part of the Tour de Yorkshire. Lawless won overall, while Greg van Avermaet won the stage. - [Jesper Asselman Wins Stage One of Tour de Yorkshire](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/jesper-asselman-wins-stage-one-of-tour-de-yorkshire/): Jesper Asselman has won the first stage of the Tour de Yorkshire, beating Filippo Fortin. He also saw victory against Chris Froome and Mark Cavendish. - [Leona Maguire Leads in Dubai Moonlight Classic](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/leona-maguire-leads-in-dubai-moonlight-classic/): Leona Maguire finished the Dubai Moonlight Classic opening rounds in lead position. She is followed by Olivia Crown in 2nd, and Nuria Iturrios in 3rd. - [Rafael Nadal Loses To Dominic Thiem](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/rafael-nadal-loses-to-dominic-thiem/): 11-time Barcelona Open champion Rafael Nadal has lost the semi final to Dominic Thiem. Despite the loss, Nadal has stated that he remains confident. - [Tao Geoghegan Wins Stage Four For Second Time](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/tao-geoghegan-wins-stage-four-for-second-time/): British Team Sky rider Tao Geoghegan has won the fourth stage of the Tour of The Alps. The rider beat out contender Vincenzo Nibali in the final climb. - [Anna can der Breggen Wins with Julian Alaphilippe](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/anna-can-der-breggen-wins-with-julian-alaphilippe/): Dutch athlete Anna van der Breggen has taken first place at Le Fleche Wallonne Feminine. Men’s rider Julian Alaphilippe defends title in Belgium. - [CT Pans Wins First PGA Tour Title](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/ct-pans-wins-first-pga-tour-title/): CT Pan has earned the first PGA Tour title win of his career at RBC Heritage. He is followed by Shane Lowry, Dustin Johnson, Ian Poulter and Matt Kuchar. - [2020 Tokyo – New Zealand Seeking Gold](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/2020-tokyo-new-zealand-seeking-gold/): As the Tokyo 2020 Games’ schedule has been released, NZ athletes have announced their goal for gold. The nation is hoping to claim four golds in one day. - [Geraint Thomas Preparing To Defend Tour de France Title](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/geraint-thomas-preparing-to-defend-tour-de-france-title/): Geraint Thomas is preparing for this year’s Tour de France. Thomas won last year’s event, and is hoping to take the title again as he ramps up training. - [Tiger Woods Wins 2019 Masters](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/tiger-woods-wins-2019-masters/): Tiger Woods capped off his resurgence with a 15th major title after victory at the 2019 Masters in Augusta. The player was beaming with pride at the 18th. - [Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka Share Lead](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/bryson-dechambeau-and-brooks-koepka-share-lead/): Brooks Koepka and Bryce DeChambeau currently share lead for the 83rd Masters opener. The two are head of Mickelson, Woods, Poulter, Johnson, and Rahm. - [Great Britain Announce No Team Changes For World Group II](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/great-britain-announce-no-team-changes-for-world-group-ii/): As more teams are being announced for the World Group II play-offs, Great Britain has made no changes. The team will be playing against Kazakhstan. - [Alberto Bettiol Earns First Professional Win](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/alberto-bettiol-earns-first-professional-win/): Alberto Bettiol pulled off a shock win at the men’s Tour of Flanders in Belgium. The first time winner pulled ahead of the group toward the later half. - [Israel Dagg Retires At 30](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/israel-dagg-retires-at-30/): New Zealander and former All Blacks favourite Israel Dagg has announced his retirement at age 30. The player retires after not recovering from an injury. - [Tokyo Olympic Men’s Singles Reduced To Sets Of Three](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/tokyo-olympic-mens-singles-reduced-to-sets-of-three/): The men’s tennis singles final for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will see a reduction of five sets to three. The new rule change was announced by the ITF. - [Kevin Kisner Claims Victory Over Matt Kuchar In Match Play Final Games](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/kevin-kisner-claims-victory-over-matt-kuchar-in-match-play-final-games/): American Kevin Kisner has taken the top podium spot at the Match Play Final. His victory comes after beating fellow Matt Kuchar in a strong performance. - [Andy Murray To Be Official Starter](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/andy-murray-to-be-official-starter/): Wimbledon champion Andy Murray named as official starter for the 2019 London Marathon. Murray will be returning to the spotlight after hip surgery. - [Poulter, Woods, Mcllroy Make Winning Start](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/poulter-woods-mcllroy-make-winning-start/): Ian Poulter saw victory at the WGC Match Play after he birdied in the two final holes. He is followed by Tiger Woods, Rory Mcllroy, and Paul Casey. - [Simona Halep And Petra Kvitova Reach Quarter Finals](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/simona-halep-and-petra-kvitova-reach-quarter-finals/): Petra Kvitova and Simona Halep have advanced to the quarterfinals of the Miami Open. Both players are currently in line to take top seeded rank from Osaka. - [Krishna's Late Dismissal Questioned](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/krishnas-late-dismissal-questioned/): Roy Krishna received 2 yellow cards during Sunday’s game against the Sydney Wanderers. Find out more about what his teammates had to say about the matter. - [A Possible Name Change for the Crusaders](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/a-possible-name-change-for-the-crusaders/): The Crusaders are considering a name-change after the twin-mosque attack by an unnamed gunman. The NZ Sports Ministers has welcomed discussions on this. - [Rory Mcllroy Wins Players Championship At Sawgrass](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/rory-mcllroy-wins-players-championship-at-sawgrass/): Rory Mcllroy took the lead at the Players Championship, beating his opponents for the win. Mcllroy has had a strong year, and aims for a Masters win. - [Yates Twins See Double Success](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/yates-twins-see-double-success/): Simon Yates has won his first ever time trial at stage five of the Paris-Nice event. His twin brother Adam Yates finished in fifth for Tirreno-Adriatico. - [Tiger Woods Preparing For Masters Despite Injury](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/tiger-woods-preparing-for-masters-despite-injury/): 15 time major champion Tiger Woods is preparing to take part in the upcoming Masters. This is despite neck issues he has had from spinal surgery. - [Francesco Molinari Takes Bay Hill Win](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/francesco-molinari-takes-bay-hill-win/): Italian Francesco Molinari finished off in lead at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Behind him was Matthew Fitzpatrick, followed by Rory Mcllroy. - [Chelsea Beat Dynamo Kiev in Europa League](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/chelsea-beat-dynamo-kiev-in-europa-league/): The Blues dominated their match against Dynamo Kiev in their latest home game. Callum Hudson-Odol pushed the team to victory in a one-sided game. - [Williams Chief Technical Office Paddy Lowe Departs Team](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/williams-chief-technical-office-paddy-lowe-departs-team/): Chief technical officer of Williams, Paddy Lowe, leaves as pre-season testing ends. This marks another blow for a team that saw disaster during testing. - [Muir and Oskan-Clarke Win Gold For Britain](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/running/muir-and-oskan-clarke-win-gold-for-britain/): Great Britain has come second behind Poland at the European Indoors with 12 medals in total. The win comes thanks to Laura Muir and Shelayna Oskan-Clarke. - [British Cameron Norrie and Johanna Konta In Final Eight](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/british-cameron-norrie-and-johanna-konta-in-final-eight/): British Norrie and Konta have moved up to the quarterfinals of the Mexican Open. This comes as Norrie prepares to face Mackenzie Donald in Acapulco. - [Roger Federer Earns 50th Win In Dubai](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/roger-federer-earns-50th-win-in-dubai/): Roger Federer has edged closer to his 100th ATP Singles title after his 50th win at the Dubai Tennis Championships. The player beat Fernando Verdasco. - [Dustin Johnson Wins 20th PGA Tour Title](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/dustin-johnson-wins-20th-pga-tour-title/): Dustin Johnson has claimed his 20th PGA Tour win during the WGC-Mexico Championships. He was followed by Rory Mcllroy, Paul Casey and Ian Poulter. - [Mercedes Under Pressure in F1 Testing](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/mercedes-under-pressure-in-f1-testing/): Mercedes is feeling the pressure after Ferrari posted extremely impressive results for pre-season testing. Ferrari showed consistent start and run times. - [F1 Pre-Season Testing](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/f1-pre-season-testing/): F1 team Williams has stated their embarrassment after not making the first few days of pre-season testing. The team stated they fell behind unexpectedly. - [Nelly Korda Wins Women’s Australian Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/nelly-korda-wins-womens-australian-open/): Nelly Korda has followed in her family’s successes after winning at the Women’s Australian Open in Adelaide. It marks Korda’s first Grand Slam title. - [Great Britain To Face Kazakhstan In Davis Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/great-britain-to-face-kazakhstan-in-davis-cup/): Great Britain is preparing to face Kazakhstan for the final rounds of the Davis Cup. The two teams will be facing each other later this year in Madrid. - [Race to Dubai Biggest Top Prize in Golf](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/race-to-dubai-biggest-top-prize-in-golf/): The Race to Dubai has recently had its first prize increased significantly to $3 million. The top prize is part of a strategy to attract high class players. - [Romania Beat Czech Republic To Reach Semi Final](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/romania-beat-czech-republic-to-reach-semi-final/): Simona Halep of Romania has beaten former number one Karolina Pliskova at the Fed Cup. The win means Romania is now on track to winning the event. - [Susannah Gill Wins After Seven Continent Marathon](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/running/susannah-gill-wins-after-seven-continent-marathon/): Susannah Gills of Great Britain won the recent 777 challenge, running over seven continents in seven days. Gills claimed a world record due to her time. - [Rickie Fowler Claims Win at Phoenix Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/rickie-fowler-claims-win-at-phoenix-open/): Rickie Fowler has come first place at the Phoenix Open despite having to take two drop shots. The player was followed by South African Branden Grace. - [Brendan Hartley Joins Ferrari Team](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/brendan-hartley-joins-ferrari-team/): Brendan Hartley returns to F1 for 2019 with Ferrari, after being dumped by Toro Rosso. Team Ferrari is likely to win its first title in 10 years. - [Justin Rose Off of Lead in Saudi International](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/justin-rose-off-of-lead-in-saudi-international/): World number one Justin Rose is seven shots behind the lead at the opening of the Saudi International. Belgium's Thomas Pieters currently leads the group. - [Reade Wins National Track Championship](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/reade-wins-national-track-championship/): Shazane Reade has claimed victory at her first National Track Championship. Alongside her is Jason Kenny, who won despite making a serious error. - [Chelsea Draw Manchester United For FA Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/chelsea-draw-manchester-united-for-fa-cup/): Chelsea are set to take on 12-time winners Manchester United for the fifth round of the FA Cup. The game is set to take place at Stamford Bridge. - [Rafael Nadal Heads To Australian Open Final](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/rafael-nadal-heads-to-australian-open-final/): Rafael Nadal will be playing in the Australian Open final after beating Stefanos Tsitsipas. The Spanish player will now face either Djokovic or Pouille. - [Petra Kvitova Reaches Final Of Australian Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/petra-kvitova-reaches-final-of-australian-open/): Czech player Petra Kvitova is now primed for the final after beating Danielle Collins. This marks the first Grand Slam final for the 28-year-old player. - [Stefanos Tsitsipas Reaches Semi-Finals](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/stefanos-tsitsipas-reaches-semi-finals/): Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas has advanced to the final four of the Australian Open in Melbourne. This comes after he beat Spanish Roberto Bautista Agut. - [Maria Sharapova Beats Caroline Wozniacki](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/maria-sharapova-beats-caroline-wozniacki/): Defending Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki loses to Maria Sharapova. The shocking game saw 30th seeded Sharapova claim 37 winners in Melbourne. - [Kei Nishikori Beats Ivo Karlovic To Progress Forward](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/kei-nishikori-beats-ivo-karlovic-to-progress-forward/): Japanese Nishikori has beaten Ivo Karlovic in the second round of the Australian Open. Nishikori is now set to take on either Sausa or Kohtschrieber. - [Manchester City beat Wolverhampton Wanderers](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/manchester-city-beat-wolverhampton-wanderers/): Adding another victory to their winning streak, Manchester City has beaten the Wolves 3-0. The team dominated the match thanks to player Gabriel Jesus. - [Liverpool to Face Bayern Munich](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/liverpool-to-face-bayern-munich/): Liverpool will be facing Bayern Munich for the Champions League last 16 series. This comes as Manchester United draws to play against Paris St-Germain. - [John Isner Beaten By Taylor Fritz In Auckland Tournament](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/john-isner-beaten-by-taylor-fritz-in-auckland-tournament/): Top seed John Isner has lost the second round of the Auckland Classic to Taylor Fritz. Fritz is now set to take on Cameron Norrie for the quarterfinal. - [Xander Schauffele Wins Tournament of Champions](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/xander-schauffele-wins-tournament-of-champions/): American golf player Xander Schauffele has won the Tournament of Champions. After starting in second place, Schauffele pushed through to the podium win. - [Bangladesh Levels T20 Against West Indies](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/bangladesh-levels-t20-against-west-indies/): Despite their first loss in the Twenty20 series, Bangladesh has made a comeback to beat the West Indies. Captain Shakib Al Hasan was the star of the match. - [BMW’s Da Costa Wins Formula E Opener](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/bmws-da-costa-wins-formula-e-opener/): Da Costa of BMW took the chequered flag at the season opener of the Saudi Arabian Formula E. Da Costa managed to take the lead from Jean-Eric Vergne. - [Van Barneveld and Dobromyslova Out of PDC Darts](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/darts/van-barneveld-and-dobromyslova-out-of-pdc-darts/): Dobromyslova is out of the PDC World Darts Championships after losing to Ryan Joyce. Van Barneveld followed suit after his own loss to Labanauskas. - [Josh Warrington vs. Carl Frampton](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/josh-warrington-vs-carl-frampton/): Josh Warrington is set to defend his IBF featherweight title against Carl Frampton. The announcement comes as defender Warrington defeats Luke Jackson. - [Rocky Fielding vs. Saul Alvarez](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/rocky-fielding-vs-saul-alvarez/): Saul Canelo Alvarez is getting ready to fight Rocky Fielding his his WBA super-middleweight title. The match will take place at Madison Square Garden. - [England And French Matches Reach Quarter-Finals](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/hockey/england-and-french-matches-reach-quarter-finals/): The English have reached the quarter-finals along the French at the Men’s Hockey World Cup. England is now set to take on world number one Australia. - [Pakistan Suffers In Men’s Hockey World Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/hockey/pakistan-suffers-in-mens-hockey-world-cup/): Pakistan has recently suffered two blows in the form of Muhammad Rizwan Sr and Ammad Butt. Rizwan suffered injuries while Butt has been issued a ban. - [The 2019 Formula One Calendar](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/the-2019-formula-one-calendar/): Formula One has announced the new calendar for next year’s season, including a number of rule changes. The opening race will take place in Melbourne. - [Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury Match Ends in Split Draw](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/deontay-wilder-vs-tyson-fury-match-ends-in-split-draw/): Audience members were stunned as the two heavyweight boxers fight to an ultimate split draw. The fight saw Tyson Fury get up from two knockdowns. - [Deontay Wilder Versus Tyson Fury](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/deontay-wilder-versus-tyson-fury/): Deontay Wilder is set to to take on Tyson Fury as Wilder defends his WBC heavyweight title. The match is expected to be the most memorable of the year. - [Shaun Murphy Out of UK Championships](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/snooker/shaun-murphy-out-of-uk-championships/): Former UK Champion Shaun Murphy out of tournament in shock loss to Chinese Chen Feilong. This was mirrored by a similar loss by world no. 12 Ryan Day. - [All Blacks Beat Italy in Rome](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/all-blacks-beat-italy-in-rome/): In a stunning victory against Italy 66-3, the All Blacks have made a return after their loss to Ireland. The New Zealand team is now bound for home. - [Patel To Keep Pressuring Pakistan](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/patel-to-keep-pressuring-pakistan/): Indian-born Ajaz Patel hopes to keep the pressure on Pakistan ahead of their upcoming match in Dubai. The spinner has had a strong start to his Test career. - [All Blacks Team Changes For Italy Game](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/all-blacks-team-changes-for-italy-game/): Coach Steve Hansen has announced the starting XV squad that will be taking on Italy. Hansen has made 11 changes to the team that lost to Ireland in Dublin. - [Danny Willet Wins DP World Tour Championship](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/danny-willet-wins-dp-world-tour-championship/): After a difficult season for Willet, the player has claimed the DP World Tour Championship title. This comes as Francesco Molinari wins Race to Dubai. - [Aaron Smith Most Capped All Black](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/aaron-smith-most-capped-all-black/): Aaron Smith, scrumhalf for the All Blacks, will be setting a new cap record for his position in his game against Ireland. He will overtake Justin Marshall. - [Fleetwood Getting Ready For Dubai Race](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/fleetwood-getting-ready-for-dubai-race/): Tommy Fleetwood has stated his excitement for the Race to Dubai challenge. This is despite his current one million point trail behind Francesco Molinari. - [Djokovic Beats Isner In ATP Finals Opener](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/djokovic-beats-isner-in-atp-finals-opener/): Newly appointed world ranked number 1 Novak Djokovic has beaten John Isner at the ATP Finals Opener. Djokovic has little trouble besting Isner 6-4 6-3. - [English Coach Eddie Jones on Twickenham Game](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/english-coach-eddie-jones-on-twickenham-game/): After their very narrow loss against New Zealand, coach Eddie Jones feels the English side was stronger. The team will now be taking on Japan at Twickenham. - [England Beats New Zealand In Rugby League Series](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/england-beats-new-zealand-in-rugby-league-series/): England bested New Zealand in the latest Rugby League match, and took a 2-0 lead for the three-match season. Despite a strong defence, NZ lost 20-14. - [Lelisa Desisa and Mary Keitany Win TCS new York City Marathon](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/running/lelisa-desisa-and-mary-keitany-win-tcs-new-york-city-marathon/): Lelisa Desisa and Mary Keitany have won the New York City Marathon for their respective Divisions. Keitany has claimed the second fastest time since 2003. - [Steve Hansen Praises Dane Coles](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/steve-hansen-praises-dane-coles/): Dane Coles has received praise from All Blacks coach Steve Hansen as part of his return. Coles is set to integrate into the second-string side for Japan. - [Pakistan 2-Run Win Over New Zealand](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/pakistan-2-run-win-over-new-zealand/): New Zealand has lost the opening game of the T20 series against Pakistan. The world number 1 beat their guests by 2 runs during their batting stage. - [Max Verstappen Wins Mexican Grand Prix](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/max-verstappen-wins-mexican-grand-prix/): Max Verstappen of Team Red Bull has won the Mexican Grand Prix, beating out Hamilton and Vettel. The race also saw Hamilton win his fifth drivers title. - [Haas Unsure of Grosjean Replacement](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/haas-unsure-of-grosjean-replacement/): Haas driver Romain Grosjean is now two penalty points away from receiving an automatic ban. The Haas team has not yet confirmed a replacement driver. - [Sri Lanka Wins Final ODI Against England](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/sri-lanka-wins-final-odi-against-england/): Despite losing the five-match ODI series, Sri Lanka dominated the final game against the English team. The two teams are set to face off again in Twenty20. - [Lewis Hamilton Claims Pole Position at US Grand Prix](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/lewis-hamilton-claims-pole-position-at-us-grand-prix/): Lewis Hamilton, who is one win away from the world title, has claimed pole position at the US Grand Prix. The driver is now eight points ahead of Vettel. - [The All Blacks Head To Japan For Bledisloe Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/the-all-blacks-head-to-japan-for-bledisloe-cup/): The third part of the Bledisloe Cup will see the All Blacks heading for Japan. The team hopes to use the event as preparation for 2019’s Rugby World Cup. - [France Beats Germany in Latest Nations League Game](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/france-beats-germany-in-latest-nations-league-game/): France has earned victory over Germany in the latest UEFA Nations League match. Despite Germany’s strong lead, France stole the game toward the end. - [All Blacks Name 51-Man Squad For Upcoming Tests](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/all-blacks-name-51-man-squad-for-upcoming-tests/): In a first for the team, the All Blacks have invited a Japanese-based player into their new squad line-up. The current squad will be heading to Europe soon. - [All Blacks Props Named For Comebacks](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/all-blacks-props-named-for-comebacks/): After long recovery times from multiple injuries, Laulala and Moody have been named for comebacks. They will play their first provincial game in years. - [Croatia v England: The Closed Doors Game](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/croatia-v-england-the-closed-doors-game/): There has been a major outcry from fans as the Croatia vs England game has been closed to spectators. This is part of UEFA’s sanctions against Croatia. - [England Looking For World Cup Boost](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/england-looking-for-world-cup-boost/): Current world favourites England are hoping to improve their form as they head to take on Sri Lanka. It’s the first ODI for the team without Alastair Cook. - [Kieran Read Returns To All Blacks](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/kieran-read-returns-to-all-blacks/): With the All Blacks gearing up to take on the Springboks in Pretoria, changes have been made. This includes Kieran Read being added to the starting XV. - [Sebastian Vettel Needs Win at Japanese Grand Prix](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/sebastian-vettel-needs-win-at-japanese-grand-prix/): After an otherwise disappointing season for Ferrari, lead driver Vettel hopes for victory in Japan. The driver is currently 50 points behind Hamilton. - [Delhi Most Likely To Host Davis Cup Tie](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/delhi-most-likely-to-host-davis-cup-tie/): The Davis Cup qualifier rounds are set to take place next year, with 24 teams attending. Delhi, who are set to take on Italy, will likely host the event. - [Madrid To Host New Davis Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/madrid-to-host-new-davis-cup/): As part of a revamp to the international Davis Cup, Madrid has been chosen as 2019’s hosts. Led by Gerard Pique, the event will undergo major changes. - [All Blacks Team Changes For Pumas Game](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/all-blacks-team-changes-for-pumas-game/): As the All Blacks prepare to take on Argentina, coach Hansen has announced the line-up for the team. This is the first game after their defeat at Wellington. - [All Blacks Stuck In Buenos Aires Strikes](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/all-blacks-stuck-in-buenos-aires-strikes/): A regional strike within the city of Buenos Aires has caused transportation problems for the NZ team. The strikes now coincide with street protests. - [Akira and Rieko Re-sign With New Zealand](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/akira-and-rieko-re-sign-with-new-zealand/): The Ioane brothers are set to extend their current contracts with New Zealand rugby. The two are set to have their contracts well into the early 2020s. - [Croatia Beats United States At Davis Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/croatia-beats-united-states-at-davis-cup/): Croatia will be heading to the finals of the Davis Cup final after they managed a 3-2 win over the U.S. side. They will face defending champions France. - [Scott Dixon Comes Second At Indycar Championship](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/auto-racing/scott-dixon-comes-second-at-indycar-championship/): Scott Dixon earns second place at Indycar Championships season finale. The Kiwi bested long-time rival Alexander Rossi, who made an early mistake. - [FEI World Equestrian Games Off To Rainy Start](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/fei-world-equestrian-games-off-to-rainy-start/): With Hurricane Florence threatening to close down the event, young rider Cade McCutcheon put on an incredible show. McCutcheon now sits as world number 1. - [Yasemin Anagoz Joining Samsun Roster](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/archery/yasemin-anagoz-joining-samsun-roster/): The World Archery Cup, which is being hosted by Turkey this year, will have a roster of medallists. This includes Yasemin Anagoz and No 1 Yesmin Bostan. - [US Open Champion Naomi Osaka](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/us-open-champion-naomi-osaka/): It was one of the most memorable finals in the US Open as Williams and Osaka battled for the title. Osaka’s win is the fourth time she’s beaten Williams. - [Pumas Change Up Ahead of All Blacks Game](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/pumas-change-up-ahead-of-all-blacks-game/): After a brilliant victory over South Africa, the Pumas are getting ready to take on the All Blacks. This includes changes to the team line-up and reserves. - [Plovdiv 2018 Eights Preview](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rowing/plovdiv-2018-eights-preview/): A preview look at the Eights for the 2018 Rowing World Championships in Plovdiv. The roster includes Canada, Romania, the USA, Great Britain, and Germany. - [Roger Federer Upset In Round 16](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/roger-federer-upset-in-round-16/): US Open second-seeded Roger Federer lost a chance at another Grand Slam title against John Millman. Millman’s surprise victory came in the fourth set. - [Wozniacki’s Loses Second Round](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/wozniackis-loses-second-round/): No 2 seeded Wozniacki followed in the footsteps of Simona Halep by losing in the Louis Armstrong Stadium. The loss comes after a disappointing season. - [Tickets Remain Ahead of All Blacks Test](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/tickets-remain-ahead-of-all-blacks-test/): Ahead of the All Blacks vs. Argentina match in Trafalgar Park, organisers still have tickets available. The tickets are for the East, West, and North stands. - [World Rugby Rankings – All Blacks Pushing Ahead](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/world-rugby-rankings-all-blacks-pushing-ahead/): The World Rugby Rankings have been made available and it’s proving to be a tough year for some. As the All Blacks pull ahead, others are losing out. - [Wallabies and All Blacks Post-Match Peace](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/wallabies-and-all-blacks-post-match-peace/): After weeks of increasing tension between the two teams, an olive branch has been extended. The Wallabies will be joining the All Blacks for a beer. - [Jordie Barrett Starting Against Australia](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/jordie-barrett-starting-against-australia/): A victory over the Wallabies has the All Blacks expecting a big response. Jordie Barrett moves to fullback as the Rugby Championship comes underway. - [Sea King’s Victory At Grand National](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/sea-kings-victory-at-grand-national/): Riding hard against opponent Wells, Sea King pulled ahead in the home stretch and claimed victory. The race was the last for the accomplished athlete. - [Aaron Kuru Confirmed For Kiwi Jumps](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/aaron-kuru-confirmed-for-kiwi-jumps/): Kuru, along with fellow jockeys Gordon, Phelan, and Pateman, will be all be jumping for the Grand National. Victory means up to $350,000 in prize winnings. - [Harry Taylor Set To Play Sixth Game](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/harry-taylor-set-to-play-sixth-game/): As the AFL season draws closer to the finals, Harry Taylor will be back on the field for his sixth game. The Cat’s player has returned to face the Dockers. - [New Zealand Duo Close To Record Bid](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/new-zealand-duo-close-to-record-bid/): Three-time Grand National winner Wells is looking for another win, but will have to contend with the NZ duo. The event will be the fourth for Sea King. - [Verstappen Support Key To Ricciardo’s Departure](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/verstappen-support-key-to-ricciardos-departure/): The departure of Daniel Ricciardo from Red Bull to Renault stunned many. But Red Bull boss Christian Horner believes it was due to Ricciardo’s support role. - [Billy Joe Saunders Vs Demetrius Andrade](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/billy-joe-saunders-vs-demetrius-andrade/): A mandatory set for Billy Joe Saunders and Demetrius Andrade is set to take place in the TD Arena in Boston. The fight sees Saunders defending his title. - [The Central American Games Declared Closed](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/the-central-american-games-declared-closed/): The Central American and Caribbean Games have been closed with an impressive ceremony. The event was declared as one of the most successful in history. - [China-Taiwan Tension Expected At Gay Games](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/china-taiwan-tension-expected-at-gay-games/): As the Gay Games are set to start, there has been some tension over the flying of the Taiwanese flag. China has reportedly attempted to ban the flag. - [India To Headline New Zealand Summer Tour](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/india-to-headline-new-zealand-summer-tour/): New Zealand are gearing up to host a series of summer games to take place between December and March. India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka are set to play. - [Black Sticks Out of Hockey World Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/hockey/black-sticks-out-of-hockey-world-cup/): The Black Sticks have been pushed out of Hockey World Cup after a difficult game against Argentina. The team saw failure during the second half of the game. - [New Zealand Black Ferns Defend Title](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/new-zealand-black-ferns-defend-title/): New Zealand’s women’s World Cup team saw victory against France at the final match in San Francisco. Michaela Blyde was named player of the year. - [Praise As Harbinger Sees Victory At King George Stakes](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/praise-as-harbinger-sees-victory-at-king-george-stakes/): Harbinger set a new track record at the Ascot after winning by 11 lengths. The underdog horse managed to claim victory over other seasoned veterans. - [Athletes Achieve Gold At X Games](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/athletes-achieve-gold-at-x-games/): The 2018 Summer X Games saw a trio of athletes earning gold for the first time in their careers. Return athlete, Chad Kerley, won gold for the second time. - [Rugby World Cup Squads Announced](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/rugby-world-cup-squads-announced/): The Rugby World Cup Sevens is to be played in San Francisco this year. Officials have confirmed that attendance of all 40 teams that are expected to play. - [Serena Williams Loses Wimbledon Final](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/serena-williams-loses-wimbledon-final/): After her long fight to reach the finals of the Wimbledon, Williams lost to Germany’s Angelique Kerber. The match saw Kerber easily overpower her opponent. - [Team Sky To Decide On Tour de France Leader](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/team-sky-to-decide-on-tour-de-france-leader/): Team Sky has announced their intention to make a decision for a new leader after stage 12. The current contenders are Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas. - [Dan Martin Wins Tour de France Sixth Stage](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/dan-martin-wins-tour-de-france-sixth-stage/): Dan Martin of team UAE, earned a win at the sixth stage of the Tour de France. The rider managed to best big contenders, such as defender Chris Froome. - [England Sent Home In Heartbreaking Loss](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/england-sent-home-in-heartbreaking-loss/): With both teams holding on a tie for most of the match, it looked like it would end in a stalemate. Mario Mandzukic scored the winning point in overtime. - [Red Bull Weakness Exposed At Silverstone](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/red-bull-weakness-exposed-at-silverstone/): Red Bull suffered a major blow to their standing in the British Grand Prix. Star driver Verstappen has blamed the performance of the Renaults they used. - [France and Brazil Both Eyeing World Cup Semi-Finals](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/france-and-brazil-both-eyeing-world-cup-semi-finals/): As the World Cup moves closer to the semi-finals, both France and Brazil have their eyes set on the winning title. Brazil is set to play Belgium beforehand. - [Salouen Headed For King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/salouen-headed-for-king-george-vi-and-queen-elizabeth-stakes/): Salouen trainer, Sylvester Kirk, has confirmed the horse’s participation in the King George Stakes. Salouen recently saw victory at the Coronation Cup. - [Serena Williams to Query Drug Test Frequency](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/serena-williams-to-query-drug-test-frequency/): Williams, who recently saw victory at the start of Wimbledon, will query drug tests. It was revealed that the player had undergone more tests than others. - [Tommy Byrne Making Comeback at British Grand Prix](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/tommy-byrne-making-comeback-at-british-grand-prix/): The 60 year old former F1 driver has announced that he will be driving at the British Grand Prix. It will be Byrne’s first time at Silverstone since 1984. - [Greg Inglis Opens Up About Depression After Loss In State of Origin](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/greg-inglis-opens-up-about-depression-after-loss-in-state-of-origin/): After losing against NSW in State of Origin, Greg Inglis admitted he needed to contact his therapist. The loss saw him dealing with depression soon after. - [Andy Murray Will Only Participate If He Is Ready](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/andy-murray-will-only-participate-if-he-is-ready/): Andy Murray has returned to the scene after an 11 month absence due to hip surgery. The player is undecided if he will play in Wimbledon just yet. - [Jackie Steward To Lead Grand Prix Parade](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/jackie-steward-to-lead-grand-prix-parade/): A commemorative parade is taking place to start the 2018 British Grand Prix. The parade will see over 70 years worth of historic race cars being driven. - [Roger Federer Makes Rafael Nadal Admission Ahead of Wimbledon](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/roger-federer-makes-rafael-nadal-admission-ahead-of-wimbledon/): Roger Federer is currently the world’s ranked No 1 player, and has been explaining how he feels about Rafael Nadal. The two could clash at Wimbledon. - [Masar Set To Be Absent From Irish Derby](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/masar-set-to-be-absent-from-irish-derby/): Masar, who has done extremely well at Epsom, looks to miss the Irish Derby, according to trainer. The horse may yet see more victory at the Coral Eclipse. - [Why Pros Are Wearing White Ribbons At US Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/why-pros-are-wearing-white-ribbons-at-us-open/): Many of the pros currently engaged in the US Open have been spotted wearing white ribbons. The mystery behind the ribbons has been revealed recently. - [New Zealand’s Loss To France At Under-20s](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/new-zealands-loss-to-france-at-under-20s/): Six-time winner of the under-20s World Cup, New Zealand last their chance for another title against France. The French have been moved up to face England. - [Junior Wallabies Miss Chance At Rugby World Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/junior-wallabies-miss-chance-at-rugby-world-cup/): Thanks to some mistakes on the field, the Junior Wallabies will not be taking place in the World Cup semi-finals. New Zealand moves on to the semi-finals. - [Windies And Sri Lanka Continue Their Battle In Day 2](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/windies-and-sri-lanka-continue-their-battle-in-day-2/): The second day of the Test started and ended in rain, but not before Dowrich claimed a century score. The Windies finished the match with 414-8 in total. - [Shane Dowrich Windies Recovery](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/shane-dowrich-windies-recovery/): The first day of the Test that saw Sri Lanka dominate the first half of the game was saved by Shane Dowrich. Dowrich held out to the end of the game. - [Florida State Moves To Final](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/softball/florida-state-moves-to-final/): In a first for the Pac-12, Florida State’s recent wins see it gearing up for the final of the Women’s College World series. A first for Pac-12 since 2011. - [Rafael Nadal Wins Another Game French Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/rafael-nadal-wins-another-game-french-open/): Rafael Nadal has held his number one rank once again after winning against Guido Pella. Nadal will see his next challenger in the form of Richard Gasquet. - [Oregon’s Ducks Feel Defeat Against Kentucky In Women’s College World Series](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/softball/oregons-ducks-feel-defeat-against-kentucky-in-womens-college-world-series/): The Oregon Ducks didn’t see success at NCAA Super Region series to start with, losing Game 1. They have since rebound after ‘gut wretch’ match vs Kentucky. - [Nadal’s Attempt At An 11th Win At French Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/nadals-attempt-at-an-11th-win-at-french-open/): Having played an almost spotless season so far, Nadal has his eyes set on another win at the French Open. The player has only lost one match this season. - [Fresh Debate Due To Serena Williams’ Seed Denial](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/fresh-debate-due-to-serena-williams-seed-denial/): Serena Williams has returned to her career thanks to a protected ranking. But her denial of a seeding has caused concern about French Open policies. - [Liverpool Fan Complaints Taken To Top UEFA Officials](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/liverpool-fan-complaints-taken-to-top-uefa-officials/): As the Champions League final is set to be played in Kiev, many Liverpool fans have voiced their complaints. This is due to Kiev’s current infrastructure. - [Jamie McDonnell Not Threatened By Title Defence](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/jamie-mcdonnell-not-threatened-by-title-defence/): In his seventh defence fight for his current title, James McDonnell maintains he is not concerned. His match will be against Naoya Inoue, a rising boxer. - [Jonny Gray says Warriors Fans Can inspire Team To Go All The Way](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/jonny-gray-says-warriors-fans-can-inspire-team-to-go-all-the-way/): The Glasgow Warriors are set to fight it out with rivals the Scarlets at the Scotstoun Stadium. Warriors’ player Gray maintains the fans will see them win. - [Equal Pay Men and Women In New Zealand Team](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/equal-pay-men-and-women-in-new-zealand-team/): For the first time in New Zealand’s history, women will be offered the same amount of pay as men. National women’s teams will begin signing pro contracts. - [New Zealand Government Looking Into Pacific Super Side](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/new-zealand-government-looking-into-pacific-super-side/): There has been worry as Chinese sports continue to grow in the Pacific. The New Zealand government has conducted a study into a new Pacific Super Side. - [Karl Murray Banned For Eight Years](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/karl-murray-banned-for-eight-years/): Murray, who has had previous bans from drug use, has been issued another eight-year ban from cycling. Tests revealed he had been using clenbuterol. - [Bolivia’s Representatives In The South American Games](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/bolivias-representatives-in-the-south-american-games/): Bolivia has announced the 60 athletes that will represent the country in the South American Games. The group is made up of 35 men and 25 women in total. - [Rafael Nadal On His Refusal To Support Madrid Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/rafael-nadal-on-his-refusal-to-support-madrid-open/): As the Madrid Open is gearing up to start, five time winner Nadal has not lent his support to the tournament. He has remained uncertain on the topic. - [Super Rugby Looking To Expand To United States](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/super-rugby-looking-to-expand-to-united-states/): Super Rugby has retained its format of 18-man teams for the better part of 30 years. But a recently leaked paper might change the current format. - [Real Madrid To Play in Champions League Final](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/real-madrid-to-play-in-champions-league-final/): Real Madrid is once again on their way for a chance at winning their potential third Champions League trophy. This comes after their defeat of Munich. - [Great Britain To Take Part In Hockey Championships Next Year](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/hockey/great-britain-to-take-part-in-hockey-championships-next-year/): The British fell out of the IIHF World Championships 25 years ago after coming dead last. They have now earned the chance to play once again in 2019. - [Tony Bellew Believes David Haye Will Not Last Eight Rounds](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/tony-bellew-believes-david-haye-will-not-last-eight-rounds/): A rematch involving Tony Bellew and David Haye is taking place in early May. Bellew has claimed that he will take down Hayes before the eight round. - [The Top 10 Things To Know About The Kentucky Derby Before It starts](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/the-top-10-things-to-know-about-the-kentucky-derby-before-it-starts/): With the Kentucky Derby around the corner, fans might want to learn what it’s all about and why it’s famous. These are some unique facts about the Derby. - [Barcelona Fights Manchester To Stunning Victory](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/barcelona-fights-manchester-to-stunning-victory/): Barcelona celebrates another win after their clash against Manchester City. The Spanish team is set to move on to their next match against Chelsea soon. - [Warnings Issued For London Marathon Temperatures](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/running/warnings-issued-for-london-marathon-temperatures/): This year’s London Marathon is forecast to be the hottest on record. Officials have sent out warnings to those taking part, setting down important rules. - [Fight Preview of Frampton vs Donaire](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/fight-preview-of-frampton-vs-donaire/): April looks to be an exciting month for the boxing world. Two seasoned fighters, Frampton and Donaire, are set to have a memorable upcoming match. - [Winx Adds To Her Legendary Status](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/winx-adds-to-her-legendary-status/): Racehorse Winx is quickly being hailed as one of the all time best racehorses. She will very likely break the record for consecutive wins later in the year. - [A Match Overview Of The Giants vs Fremantle](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/a-match-overview-of-the-giants-vs-fremantle/): In latest AFL news, the Greater Western Sydney Giants snagged a win against opponents Fremantle. The game was close, with the Giants just pulling ahead. - [Kenyans Set To Win The Upcoming Paris Marathon](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/running/kenyans-set-to-win-the-upcoming-paris-marathon/): The Paris Marathon has long been a popular competition, drawing in participants internationally. Kenyans have dominated the race in recent years. - [The Thompsons Are At It Again](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/the-thompsons-are-at-it-again/): It’s done them well before, and the Thompsons are the proud new owners of Seeyouatmidnight! This purchase comes just ahead of the Grand National on Saturday. - [Error in Commonwealth Games Program](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/error-in-commonwealth-games-program/): A minor mistake in a Commonwealth Games programme has caused England to be named as an African nation. Find out how the simple error has turned heads. - [Fiji Chases 4th Consecutive Hong Kong Sevens Win](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/fiji-chases-4th-consecutive-hong-kong-sevens-win/): Fiji is desperately keen for a 4 in a row Hong Kong Sevens win. The team is hoping to beat all others to a spot at the top, and are looking forward to the competition. - [The NZ Women's 7s Team Hit by Mumps](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/the-nz-womens-7s-team-hit-by-mumps/): A mumps outbreak for the New Zealand Women’s 7s team means they could be out of the Commonwealth Games completely. April 8 is D-Day for the ladies. - [Smallest Masters Field in 21 Years](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/smallest-masters-field-in-21-years/): This year’s Masters will feature the smallest field in over 2 decades. Only 87 players will tee off on the 5th of April and Wood’s is the favourite. - [Povetkin vs. Price This Saturday](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/povetkin-vs-price-this-saturday/): Povetkin emerging as the victor in his bout with Price set for Saturday is a no-brainer. Povetkin failing to secure a win would be a massive upset! - [Jones' Training Camps are Taking Their Toll](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/jones-training-camps-are-taking-their-toll/): The exhausting training sessions Eddie Jones built a reputation on are taking their toll on players. The burden of injuries has more than doubled! - [Severino to Start Opening Day](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/baseball/severino-to-start-opening-day/): Aaron Boone announced on Saturday that Luis Severino will be starting the Yankees’ season opener this year. Masahiro Tanaka will begin the second game. - [Slater Won't be at Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/surfing/slater-wont-be-at-rip-curl-pro-bells-beach/): The broken foot that Slater suffered in Jeffrey’s Bay will see him miss Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach. Michael February from South Africa will replace him. - [WGC-Dell Technology Match Play Pods Drawn on Monday](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/wgc-dell-technology-match-play-pods-drawn-on-monday/): The 64 best golfers in the world have been divided into pods for the WGC-Dell Technology Match Play. Johnson tees off on Wednesday against Wiesberger. - [Browne Wants the 2018 World Title Fight](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/browne-wants-the-2018-world-title-fight/): Lucas Browne believes that if he can beat Dillian Whyte hew will be able to get hold of another World Heavyweight title. He is the WBC’s No.1 contender. - [PyeongChang 2018 Paralympics Enjoys Growth](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/pyeongchang-2018-paralympics-enjoys-growth/): The PyeongChang Paralympic Games have already been a huge success. The growth of this competition has been highlighted in so many ways. - [Will Chautauqua Race the William Reid Stakes?](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/will-chautauqua-race-the-william-reid-stakes/): Unless Chautauqua can perform twice to stewards’ satisfaction, he won’t be able to take part in the William Reid Stakes. Team Hawkes remains hopeful. - [Rhys Jacks Looking for a Canada Sevens Spot](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/rhys-jacks-looking-for-a-canada-sevens-spot/): Rhys Jacks is spending some time with the Canadian Sevens team in the hope of securing a spot. The Wolfpack player is keen to make the move to Canadian soil. - [Can Golf Star Shubhankar Sharma Win the Hero Indian Open?](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/can-golf-star-shubhankar-sharma-win-the-hero-indian-open/): Shubhankar Sharma is India’s latest rising golfing star. The 21 year old has high hopes for his performance in the currently unfolding Hero Indian Open. - [The Upcoming ACC Basketball Tournament](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/the-upcoming-acc-basketball-tournament/): The ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament will run from the 6th to the 10th of March. Virginia hold the number 1 seed followed by the Duke Blue Devils. - [What To Expect At The BNP Paribas Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/expect-bnp-paribas-open/): The 2018 BNP Paribas tennis tournament has begun. We take a look at the tournament’s history, what the schedule is like and who is pipped to win? - [How Rugby Sevens Changed Rugby](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/rugby-sevens-changed-rugby/): If it had not been for Rugby Sevens, rugby would most probably not have been re-included in the Olympic Games after a prolonged absence of 92 years. - [Formula E Racing: A New Point Of View](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/auto-racing/formula-e-racing-new-point-view/): Formula E racing is no longer considered to be the loathed bastard-child of Formula 1 racing, and not really a thing. It’s changing the motor-racing dynamic. - [The Upcoming Pennzoil 400 NASCAR Race](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/auto-racing/upcoming-pennzoil-400-nascar-race/): The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series moves to Las Vegas for the Pennzoil 400 on the 4th of March. We take a look at the standings and what to expect? - [The FIA Formula E Championship Mexico](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/fia-formula-e-championship-mexico/): The ABB FIA Formula E Championship heads to Mexico on the 3rd of March. While Techeetah have the point lead at the moment, it’s all up for grabs. - [Las Vegas Sevens Rugby Tournament](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/las-vegas-sevens-rugby-tournament/): On the 2nd of March, the HSBC World Sevens Rugby Tournament head to Las Vegas in the USA. We take a look at how the teams stack up going in? - [News And Updates On The Qatar MotoGp](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/news-updates-qatar-motogp/): The Qatar MotoGp will get underway on the 1st of March. Kicking off the 2018 season, the Losail race will showcase the team’s new hardware and tactics. - [All About The WGC Mexico Championship](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/wgc-mexico-championship/): The WGC Mexico Championship gets underway on the 1st of March. This field currently stands at 64 contenders including former winner Dustin Johnson. - [New Zealand Pick Up 2 Medals In PyeongChang](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/new-zealand-pick-2-medals-pyeongchang/): After 26 of waiting, New Zealand has ended their medal drought at the Winter Olympics. Two bronze medals went to a pair of NZ teenagers in PyeongChang. - [Superbikes: Phillip Island Facts](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/superbikes-phillip-island-facts/): Kiwi Superbike fans enjoy World Championships action on the Phillip Island circuit. Here’s a trivia round-up of some quirky facts about the island. - [Big Ten Basketball Conference Ready to Go](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/big-ten-basketball-conference-ready-go/): College basketball will see one of its major events kick off in a few days. The Big Ten will be held at the legendary Madison Square Garden this year. - [Australia Crowned T20 Tri-Series Champs](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/australia-crowned-t20-tri-series-champs/): Australia has defeated New Zealand in the T20 Tri-Series final. Chasing 151 runs, the Australian innings was rained out while the D/W awarded them the win. - [A Recap Of The FA Cup 5th Round Action](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/recap-fa-cup-5th-round-action/): The 5th round of the FA Cup is done and dusted. Man United are on track for a record 13th win while Manchester City fell at the hands of Wigan Athletic. - [George Groves Defeats Chris Eubank Jr](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/george-groves-defeats-chris-eubank-jr/): George Groves is through to the World Boxing Super Series Final. The 29-year-old defeated Christ Eubank Jr with a commanding point win performance. - [Melbourne Storm Defeat Leeds Rhinos 38-4](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/melbourne-storm-defeat-leeds-rhinos-38-4/): The Melbourne Storm have picked up their 4th World Club Title after defeating the Leeds Rhinos 38-4. Leeds scored first but is was one-way from then on. - [Olympic Yin and Yang in South Korea](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/olympic-yin-yang-south-korea/): Forget the athletes! Winter Olympics visitors in PyeongChang have been abuzz on two subjects: a plethora of penises, and monstrously regimented women. - [Barty Leads Aussies to Fed Cup Win](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/barty-leads-aussies-fed-cup-win/): Australia beat Ukraine in the World Group II first round of the Fed Cup on Sunday. The team now has a shot at their first World Group return since 2015. - [Champions League Last-16: First Leg](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/champions-league-last-16-first-leg/): The first leg of the Champions League last-16 round kicked off on Tuesday. We take a look which of the 8 teams managed to create something special? - [Six Nations Catch-Up From Round 2](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/six-nations-catch-round-2/): Round 2 of the Six Nations rugby championship brought plenty of action and drama. Scotland defeated France while Ireland dominated Italy 56-19 - [A Look At The Winter Olympic Medals So Far](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/look-winter-olympic-medals-far/): The Winter Olympics is well under way and Germany are dominating the tables. Australia picked up their first medal while NZ just missed out. - [A Look At The Fed Cup First Round Action](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/look-fed-cup-first-round-action/): The Fed Cup first round is over and while team NZ crashed out, Australia, Great Britain, France and the US all triumphed in an action-packed weekend. - [Australia Cruise Through To Tri-Series Final](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/australia-cruise-tri-series-final/): Australia made short work of the meagre total posted by England in their T20 tri-series match. Chasing 137, Australia closed out the match with 33 to spare. - [Basketball Now The 3rd Most-Played Sport At NZ Schools](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/basketball-now-3rd-played-sport-nz-schools/): Basketball has overtaken football to become the third most played sport in New Zealand schools, with over 25,600 student participants in the latest census. - [Hansen Wants To Present A United Front Over Rugby Camps](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/hansen-wants-present-united-front-rugby-camps/): People aren’t happy about the rugby camps Steve Hansen is saying the All Blacks need before playing France. He hopes that everyone can work together. - [Team NZ Take Top Honours At Halberg awards](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/team-nz-take-top-honours-halberg-awards/): Emirates Team NZ walked away with the Prestige Award at the annual Halberg Awards. Lisa Carrington was also honoured with sportswoman of the year. - [NZ Decimated By Australia In First T20](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/nz-decimated-australia-first-t20/): The first T20 of the tri-series went the way of Australia. The Black Caps struggled to gain momentum and were completely outplayed by the hosts. - [Popular Winter Olympic Sports By Country](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/popular-winter-olympic-sports-country/): The 2018 Winter Olympics is just around the corner. We take a look at the most popular Winter Olympic sports around the world, from NZ to Mongolia. - [Aaron Ramsey Scores Hat-Trick For Arsenal](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/aaron-ramsey-scores-hat-trick-arsenal/): Aaron Ramsey scored his first career hat-trick as he led Arsenal to a 5-1 win over Everton. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang also scored on his first day out. - [Eagles Defeat Patriots To Win Super Bowl](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/eagles-defeat-patriots-win-super-bowl/): Nick Foles guided the Philadelphia Eagles to their first ever Super Bowl title with a win over the New England Patriots. Foles received the MVP award. - [Unhappiness After Doping Bans Uplifted](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/unhappiness-doping-bans-uplifted/): Life-long doping bans imposed on 28 Russian athletes were uplifted by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, with the official reason cited a lack of evidence. - [England Vs. Australia: The first of the T20’s](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/england-vs-australia-first-t20s/): On the 7th of Feb, England will take on Australia in the 1st of 2 T20 matches. Having recently won the ODI series, England will look to dominate the hosts. - [WBBL: Perth Scorchers Through To Final](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/wbbl-perth-scorchers-final/): The Perth Scorchers blasted their way through into the WBBL final by beating the Sydney Thunder by a solid 27 runs at the Optus Stadium on Thursday. - [Super Bowl LII – How The Teams Stack Up](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/super-bowl-lii-teams-stack/): The Super Bowl LII kicks off on the 4th of February with the New England Patriots taking on the Philadelphia Eagles. Find out how the teams stack up? - [The upcoming Six Nations Championships](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/upcoming-six-nations-championships/): On the 3rd of February, Six Nations Championships rugby will kick off its annual campaign. Wales will take on Scotland and France will host Ireland. - [Davis Cup – What To Expect In The First Round](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/davis-cup-expect-first-round/): The Davis Cup first round kicks off on the 2nd of Feb. We take a look at the tournament format and what to expect when Australia take on Germany. - [Pakistan Defeat Black Caps And Win Series](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/pakistan-defeat-black-caps-win-series/): The Black Caps have lost the final T20 to Pakistan in Mt Maunganui. The defeat means NZ have lost the series and their number one world T20 status. - [NZ: End Of U19 World Cup Dreams](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/nz-end-u19-world-cup-dreams/): New Zealand is officially out of the U19 Cricket World Cup, after having lost to unlikely champions Afghanistan by a smashing landslide total of 202 runs. - [The Upcoming BBL Cup Finals](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/upcoming-bbl-cup-finals/): The highlight of the British Basketball season is here. The BBL Cup finals will see the Worcester Wolves take on the Cheshire Phoenix on the 28th of Jan. - [Football: Man City Buys Laporte](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/football-man-city-buys-laporte/): As they head into the FA Cup Fourth Round, Manchester City has acquired centre-back Aymeric Laporte. They may have put one over on rivals Liverpool. - [All About The 2018 Pro Bowl NFL Game](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/2018-pro-bowl-nfl-game/): The 2018 NFL Pro Bowl kicks off on the 28th of January. We take a look at the history of this famous game, the rules and why the game is so exciting? - [The 2018 Pegasus World Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/2018-pegasus-world-cup/): The 2018 Pegasus World Cup will take place on the 27th of January 2018. Find out all about the world’s richest race and who will be competing this year. - [All About The 2018 Winter X Games](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/2018-winter-x-games/): The 2018 Aspen X Games gets underway on the 25th of Jan. We take a look at the event line-up for Aspen as well as events that will make their debut. - [Carabao Cup: The Semi-Final Second Leg](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/carabao-cup-semi-final-second-leg/): The second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-finals takes place on the 23rd and 24th of Jan. We take a look at how the teams got to where they are now. - [Red Bull Holden’s 2018 car revealed](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/auto-racing/red-bull-holdens-2018-car-revealed/): Red Bull Holden are the third team to unveil their new look car for the 2018 season. the Holden ZB Commodore Supercar is now a hatchback. - [Muguruza Out of Australian Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/muguruza-australian-open/): The biggest Australian Open scalp collected by the end of Round 2 was Garbine Muguruza’s. The Spanish third seed lost to Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-Wei in straight sets. - [eLeague Major Boston: Latest](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/esport/eleague-major-boston-latest/): Upstart team 100 Thieves withdrew from the eLeague Major Boston last week. Brazilian players’ visa issues forced them out in the New Challengers stage. - [Another Win For The OKC Thunder](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nba/another-win-okc-thunder/): Oklahoma City have recorded their third straight win. Bolstered by another great performance by Steve Adams, the Thunder beat the LA Lakers 114-90. - [30 New NZ Cricketers Sign Up For IPL Auction](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/30-new-nz-cricketers-sign-ipl-auction/): The IPL auction is coming up at the end of January. This year, 30 New Zealand cricketers have put their names down for the big franchise auction. - [US women struggle at the Australian Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/us-women-struggle-australian-open/): Day one of the Australian Open saw the loss of nine American Woman. Of the 10 that stepped onto court, only Nicole Gibbs progressed to round 2. - [Liverpool Defeat Man City 4-3 At Anfield](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/liverpool-defeat-man-city-4-3-anfield/): Liverpool have officially ended Manchester City’s undefeated run at the Premier League. Playing at Anfield the hosts downed the log leaders 4 goals to 3. - [News And Updates On The Florida Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/news-updates-florida-cup/): The 2018 Florida Cup kicked off on the 10th of January. We take a look at the football tournament details, the teams and what has happened so far. - [Euro Men's Handball Champs Start](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/handball/euro-mens-handball-champs-start/): Croatia hosts the 2018 EHF European Men's Handball Championship from January 12-28. The Swedes are after a fifth title, while Spain are chasing their first. - [Eight Big Clubs in 2018 Florida Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/eight-big-clubs-2018-florida-cup/): Soccer fans can enjoy volatile punting action on the 2018 Florida Cup from January 10-20. Three clubs from Europe and five from South America feature. - [The Upcoming African Nations Championship](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/upcoming-african-nations-championship/): The 2018 African Nations Championship kicks off on the 13th of Jan. We take a look at the tournament setup and the 16 qualifying teams for the event. - [All about the U19 Cricket World Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/u19-cricket-world-cup/): The Under-19 Cricket World Cup gets underway on the 13th of January. New Zealand is hosting and will look to take the tile from the West Indies. - [The 2018 Men’s Euro Handball Champs](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/handball/2018-mens-euro-handball-champs/): The men’s Euro Handball Champs is set to kick off on the 12th of Jan. Croatia are the hosts this time around, but France are the favourite to win the event - [Sweden Defeats Germany In Hopman Cup Final](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/sweden-defeats-germany-hopman-cup-final/): The powerful duo of Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic has given Sweden their third Hopeman Cup Victory. In Brisbane, Nick Kyrgios won on home soil. - [British Darts Organisation Needs To Smarten Up](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/darts/british-darts-organisation-needs-smarten/): Many feel that the disfavour which darts has fallen into is due to a lack of effort on the part of the BDO. The game’s decline in popularity is undeniable. - [Serena Williams will not be playing the Australian Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/serena-williams-will-not-playing-australian-open/): After the birth of Williams’ daughter in September, a match in December revealed she is not ready to play. She has withdrawn from the Australian Open. - [Murray Out Of Aus Open Due To Injury](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/murray-aus-open-due-injury/): Andy Murray is the latest star to pull out of the Australian Open. Along with Kei Nishikori, Murray joins many top-seeded players who will not be playing. - [A Clean Sweep For NZ Against The West Indies](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/clean-sweep-nz-west-indies/): Impressive batting and a rocketing century took New Zealand to their second successive T20 win over the West Indies. Munro topped the batting on 104. - [Refs Get Fit for 2018 UEFA Futsal](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/refs-get-fit-2018-uefa-futsal/): The 2018 UEFA Futsal Championship runs from January 30 to February 10 in Slovenia. The country recently hosted potential officials in a training camp. - [Harris & Kenny at BDO World Darts Championships](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/darts/harris-kenny-bdo-world-darts-championships/): Chris Harry, at 39-years old, will be making his debut at the Lakeside BDO World Darts Championships. Gwent will be represented by him and Nick Kenny. - [Oscar De La Hoya Wants Shot At Conor McGregor](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/oscar-de-la-hoya-wants-shot-conor-mcgregor/): De La Hoya apparently no longer feels McGregor’s boxing forays farcical. He has recently issued a call out to the UFC star, and is confident he could win. - [Manny Pacquiao Taunting McGregor](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/manny-pacquiao-taunting-mcgregor/): Manny Pacquiao may well see the worlds of boxing and MMA clash once more! His Thanksgiving tease of Conor McGregor may well work to give us another fight. - [Bellew Fight Has Been Postponed](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/bellew-fight-postponed/): David Haye has suffered an injury and his rematch against Tony Bellew will only take place next year. The fighter released a statement apologising to all. - [MTG Secures Media Rights For Futsal EURO 2018](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/mtg-secures-media-rights-futsal-euro-2018/): MTG will be offering the Nordic region live coverage of next year’s UEFA Futsal EURO. Spain will be defending its crown against worthy contenders. - [Bannon Does Ireland Proud at the WAKO Championships](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/kickboxing/bannon-ireland-proud-wako-championships/): Shauna Bannon came home with two gold medals and the best female fighter award. She credits the support of her family for her continuing success. - [The Joe Parker team held a bizarre press conference](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/joe-parker-team-held-bizarre-press-conference/): The Parker team pulled out all the stops, and held the weirdest press conference ever. It is all in the name of their Joshua unification bout campaign! - [Conlan Brothers Remain Gracious In Face Of Loss](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/conlan-brothers-remain-gracious-face-loss/): Michael Conlan watched helplessly as his brother was defeated by Jerwin Ancajas, but sent out a touching tweet afterwards. He congratulated the winner, too. - [Gulf Cup of Nations Back in Kuwait](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/gulf-cup-nations-back-kuwait/): A crisis in the 2017 Gulf Cup of Nations was averted when FIFA lifted Kuwait’s suspension. The tournament returns to its original host, avoiding Qatar. - [Canucks Reign in Ice Hockey Prelim](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/hockey/canucks-reign-ice-hockey-prelim/): Canada juniors just got a big morale boost ahead of the 2018 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. They beat Czech Republic 9-0 on Wednesday in Ontario. - [Australia Outpaces England](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/australia-outpaces-england/): England might not want to hear any of it after the Ashes, but Australia are miles ahead of the Brits when it comes to the promotion of women in sport. - [Adams Returns From Injury With Win Over Utah](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nba/adams-returns-injury-win-utah/): Kiwi NBA star Steve Adams made a triumphant return from injury to help the Thunder defeat the Utah Jazz 107-79. Westbrook led the scoring on 24. - [Sydney Thunder pip the Sixers in BBL Opener](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/sydney-thunder-pip-sixers-bbl-opener/): Shane Watson scored 77 runs from 46 balls to guide the Sydney Thunder to victory against the Sydney Sixers in opening game of the Big Bash League. - [Australia Have Taken Back The Ashes](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/australia-taken-back-ashes/): Australia thrashed England by an innings and 41 runs to win the third test and reclaim the Ashes. The next test will kick off on Boxing day at the MCG. - [Saunders Defeats Lemieux: Retains Title](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/saunders-defeats-lemieux-retains-title/): Britain’s Billy Joe Saunders has defeated home favourite David Lemieux in Canada. Saunders ran circles around the Canadian, winning by unanimous decision. - [Big Bash League – How The Teams Stack Up](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/big-bash-league-teams-stack/): The Big Bash League is just around the corner. We take a look at what each team brings to the table, their strengths, weaknesses and 2017 imports. - [Jeff Horn Defends His Title In Brisbane](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/jeff-horn-defends-title-brisbane/): Jeff Horn has successfully defended his WBO welterweight title against challenger Gary Corcoran. The fight was stopped one minute into round 11. - [BBC Snub Least of Froome’s Worries](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/bbc-snub-least-froomes-worries/): Chris Froome looks like he’s out of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards. But that might be the least serious spin-off of his latest scandal. - [Chong Wei Eyes Malaysian Masters](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/badminton/chong-wei-eyes-malaysian-masters/): Malaysian badminton star Lee Chong Wei has a busy time ahead. After the BWF Super Series Masters Finals this week, he’s at the Malaysian Masters next month. - [Time Warp Takes The Win At Hong Kong Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/time-warp-takes-win-hong-kong-cup/): Former Sir Mark Prescott trained Time Warp cruised to victory at the 2017 Hong Kong Cup. Local favourite Werther had to settle for second place. - [Christmas Comes Early For Boxing Fans](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/christmas-comes-early-boxing-fans/): Boxing fans from across the globe have a great deal of excitement to look forward to over the Christmas holidays. The Bellew/Haye fight has been postponed. - [New Zealand Take The Win In Cape Town](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/new-zealand-take-win-cape-town/): New Zealand have won their first Rugby Sevens Series tournament in over 21 months. The new-look side defeated Argentina in the finals in Cape Town. - [Guillermo Rigondeaux Retires After 6th Round](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/guillermo-rigondeaux-retires-6th-round/): Vasyl Lomachenko successfully defended his super-featherweight world title fight after Guillermo Rigondeaux retired at the end of the sixth round. - [Auckland City Out Of FIFA Club World Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/auckland-city-fifa-club-world-cup/): Auckland City has been knocked out of the FIFA Club World Cup by Al Jazira. The New Zealand side dominated by could not find an equaliser to go through. - [Phil Taylor To Make Final Appearance](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/darts/phil-taylor-make-final-appearance/): The prestigious 2017 William Hill World Darts Championships commences once again on December 14th and will run all the way through to January 1st, 2018. - [China Welcomes Youth Sailing](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sailing/china-welcomes-youth-sailing/): The 2017 Youth Sailing World Championships are on in Sanya, Hainan. It’s a great opportunity for sailing enthusiasts to learn more about “China’s Florida”. - [The Grand Prix of Figure Skating Finals](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/grand-prix-figure-skating-finals/): After six competitions across 3 continents, the best skaters from around the world arrive in Japan to compete in the Grand Prix of Figure Skating finals. - [Ben Stokes Cleans Up On The Golf Course](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/ben-stokes-cleans-golf-course/): England allrounder Ben Stokes has at last found success, this time on the golf course. Stokes carded a 78 at Harewood Golf Course in Christchurch. - [First at the IWF World Weightlifting Champs](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/weightlifting/first-iwf-world-weightlifting-champs/): The 2017 IWF World Weightlifting Championships proved to be an exciting event with multiple first-time wins. We take a look at the surprise results. - [Man United defeat Arsenal 3-1 at Emirates](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/man-united-defeat-arsenal-3-1-emirates/): Manchester United have closed the gap a bit on Man City with a brilliant win over Arsenal at the Emirates. Untied are now just 5 points behind the leaders. - [N.Korea World Weightlifting No-Show](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/weightlifting/n-korea-world-weightlifting-no-show/): Competitors at the IWF World Weightlifting Championships have better odds without North Korea. With other nations banned for doping, Iran’s looking strong. - [Tiger Woods Hits Sub 70 Opening Round](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/tiger-woods-hits-sub-70-opening-round/): Tiger Woods has carded an impressive 69 at the opening round of the Hero World Challenge. The former champ is three shots off the leader Tommy Fleetwood. - [End Of RLWC Road For New Zealand’s Kiwis](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/end-rlwc-road-new-zealands-kiwis/): If New Zealand’s Kiwis were harbouring any dreams of making headway in this year’s Rugby League World Cup, it certainly did not last very long at all. - [Gastelum Knocks Out Bisping at UFC Shanghai](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/ufc/gastelum-knocks-bisping-ufc-shanghai/): Michael Bisping has suffered his second TKO at the hands of Kelvin Gastelum. The fight ended in less 3 minutes and now Bisping faces a 60-day suspension. - [Valtteri Bottas claims final win of F1 season](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/valtteri-bottas-claims-final-win-f1-season/): Valtteri Bottas has finished off the Formula One season with a win at Abu Dhabi. Hamilton came home in second while Sebastian Vettel took third. - [Great Shot wins the Group 1 Railways Stakes](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/great-shot-wins-group-1-railways-stakes/): Starting at $31, Great Shot upstaged Scales of Justice and Tom Melbourne to win the Group 1 Railway Stakes at Ascot Racecourse this past weekend. - [SK Gaming Wins Inaugural BLAST Pro Series](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/esport/sk-gaming-wins-inaugural-blast-pro-series/): SK Gaming has defeated home side Astralis at the inaugural BLAST Pro Series. The finals saw the two teams at map each with the final map going to SK. - [De Bruyne: Manchester City Golden Boy](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/de-bruyne-manchester-city-golden-boy/): Belgian player Kevin De Bruyne is the name on the lips of every Manchester City fan, for good reason. De Bruyne is nothing short of a football wonder-boy. - [Chelsea Goes Through To The Final 16](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/chelsea-goes-final-16/): A 4-0 win over Qarabag has ensured that Chelsea go through to the final 16 of the UEFA Champions League. They join Manchester City and Tottenham. - [Railway Stakes Draw Complications](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/railway-stakes-draw-complications/): The Railway Stakes is the first Group 1 of Perth’s summer at Ascot on 25 November. Handicaps and barrier draws complicate Kiwi punters’ betting choices. - [Todd Kelly Hangs Up The Helmet For Good](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/todd-kelly-hangs-helmet-good/): Tod Kelly has announced his retirement from Supercar racing. The 38-year old is still co-owner of the team and will be involved behind the scenes. - [Vince Issues Warning To Australia](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/vince-issues-warning-australia/): Australia needs to put their money where their mouths are. This is James Vince’s stern warning to the Aussies ahead of the upcoming Ashes series. - [Dimitrov Beats Goffin in ATP Finals](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/dimitrov-beats-goffin-atp-finals/): Grigor Dimitrov has won the ATP Finals in London, becoming the first player in 19 years to do so on his debut appearance. He beat Goffin 7-5 4-6 and 6-3. - [Latest update on the Premier League action](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/latest-update-premier-league-action/): The Premier League is heating up: Man City defeat Leicester while Tottenham go down to Arsenal. Manchester United welcome back Paul Pogba. - [Surprise, Surprise Ahead Of Ashes Series](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/surprise-surprise-ahead-ashes-series/): The selectors’ have cast their die and fans are reeling with surprise and shock. This of course the proposed squad announcement for the Ashes test. - [eSports News: Perfect World Masters](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/esport/esports-news-perfect-world-masters/): Betting fans can get eSports action at the Perfect World Masters from 19-26 November. Shanghai hosts the fourth of this season’s Dota Pro Circuit minors. - [Carolina Panthers Defeat Dolphins 45-21](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/carolina-panthers-defeat-dolphins-45-21/): The Carolina Panthers have improved their season with a solid win against the Miami Dolphins. Six touchdowns and 5 possessions took the final score to 45-21 - [Sheffield Shield Produces New Ashes](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/sheffield-shield-produces-new-ashes/): The latest round of the Sheffield Shield was a treat for the bowlers. However, some impressive batting performances could lead to Ashes inclusion. - [Patriots Destroy Broncos 41-16 in Denver](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/patriots-destroy-broncos-41-16-denver/): The New England Patriots have defeated their rivals, the Denver Broncos, 41-16 in Colorado. This makes 12 consecutive road wins for the Patriots. - [Marc Marquez Wins The 2017 MotoGP Title](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/marc-marquez-wins-2017-motogp-title/): Marc Marquez finished in third place at the Valencia MotoGP to claim his fourth title in five years. Meanwhile Andrea Dovizioso crashed out for Ducati. - [Silverstream Wins The Lee-Steere Stakes](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/silverstream-wins-lee-steere-stakes/): Coming from the back of the pack, Silverstream ($5) stormed home to beat out Great Shot and favourite Scales of Justice at the Group 2 Lee-Steere Stakes. - [Tops Seeds in Taipei WTA Challenger](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/tops-seeds-taipei-wta-challenger/): Fans can watch more women’s tennis action in the OEC Taipei WTA Challenger. Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus is likely to be the top seed in the tournament. - [Man City Premiership League updates](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/man-city-premiership-league-updates/): Manchester City have continued their winning streak with a convincing 3-1 over Arsenal. Meanwhile Chelsea recorded their first Premiership win. - [Rekindling Wins Melbourne Cup Glory](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/rekindling-wins-melbourne-cup-glory/): Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup delivered some surprises. Rekindling smoked the favourites to win at $9.00, and Irish trainers had a field day in the Top 3. - [Jack Sock Takes The Win At Paris Masters](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/jack-sock-takes-win-paris-masters/): Jack Sock has defeated Filip Krajinovic to win his first ATP World Masters 1000 Tournament. Sock beat Krajinovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 to win the Paris Masters. - [Double Hat-Trick For Starc In Shield Match](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/double-hat-trick-starc-shield-match/): Mitchell Starc has picked up a double hat trick in a Sheffield Shield match against Western Australia. Starc is the first player to do this in over 40 years - [Samsung Galaxy Crowned LoL World Champs](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/esport/samsung-galaxy-crowned-lol-world-champs/): Samsung Galaxy executed a perfect win at the League of Legends World Champs. The Koreans wiped out SK Telekom T1 3-0 to claim the Championship. - [Melbourne Cup Opens Big Racing Week](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/melbourne-cup-opens-big-racing-week/): Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup headlines the first of three Flemington meetings this week. Then there’s VRC Oaks Day on Friday and Emirates Stakes Day on Saturday. - [Nadal takes world No 1 Spot playing in Paris](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/nadal-takes-world-no-1-spot-playing-paris/): A second-round win at the Paris Masters is all Nadal needed to land the world no 1 spot. He is now 1460 points clear of Federer and on track for another win - [McLaughlin to Challenge in Auckland](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/auto-racing/mclaughlin-challenge-auckland/): There are four races left in the 2017 Virgin Supercars Championship. Scott McLaughlin is sure to get a home-crowd boost at the Auckland SuperSprint. - [ESG v Alternate Attax: ESL eSports](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/esport/esg-v-alternate-attax-esl-esports/): Major eSports outfit ESL hosts another round of Germany’s ESL Winter Championship on 4 November. Euronics Gaming faces up to Alternate Attax in Krefeld. - [Supercars: Jack Perkins to Replace Rullo](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/auto-racing/supercars-jack-perkins-replace-rullo/): 17-year-old Supercar driver Alex Rullo has split from LDM on the eve of the ITM Auckland SuperSprint. Jack Perkins is the man replacing him this weekend. - [How Premiership Teams Have Upped Their Game](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/premiership-teams-upped-game/): Since 2012, not a single Premiership team has come close to winning the Champions League. With five teams topping the logs, this year could be different. - [The Prince of Wales and Asian Beau Stakes](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/prince-wales-asian-beau-stakes/): This coming weekend, the Prince of Wales and Asian Beau Stakes will take place at Ascot racehorse in Perth. Find out more about these two races. - [Lewis Hamilton Crowned World Champion Again](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/lewis-hamilton-crowned-world-champion-again/): Lewis Hamilton finished in ninth position at the Mexican Grand Prix, winning his fourth Formula One Driver’s World Championship title for his efforts. - [Astros Win Levels World Series](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/baseball/astros-win-levels-world-series/): The Houston Astros beat the LA Dodgers on Wednesday to tie the 2017 World Series. Punters might see the full 7 games played in this year’s NBA championship. - [World Rally Championship Heads to Wales](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/auto-racing/world-rally-championship-heads-to-wales/): The penultimate round of the World Rally Championship heads to Wales for the Dayinsure Wales Rally. 21 stages and over 300km of epic racing await the crews. - [Winx Has Her Sights On Yet Another Cox Plate](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/winx-sights-yet-another-cox-plate/): Chris Waller-trained and two-times Cox Plate champion and supermare Winx is the decided favourite to win her third Cox Plate title this coming Saturday. - [Eagles Go 6-1 With A Win Over Redskins](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/eagles-go-6-1-win-redskins/): The Philadelphia eagles have defeated the Washington Redskins by 34 points to 24. They now go 6-1 for the season, holding the best record in the NFL. - [New England Patriots Crush Falcons 23-7](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/new-england-patriots-crush-falcons-23-7/): The New England Patriots have executed a clinical game win over the Atlanta Falcons in Foxborough. Tom Brady led the charge, winning by 23 points to 7. - [Hamilton Takes The Win At US Grand Prix](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/hamilton-takes-win-us-grand-prix/): Lewis Hamilton has won the US Grand Prix. At 66 points ahead, all Hamilton needs is to place in the top five in the next race to claim the championship. - [Boom Time Wins Caulfield Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/boom-time-wins-caulfield-cup/): Boom Time has caused a major upset at the $3 million Group One Caulfield Cup. The David Hayes trained horse edged out Single Gaze to take the win. - [Arsenal Record Their Third Straight Win](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/arsenal-record-third-straight-win/): Arsenal have defeated Red Star Belgrade and go straight to the top of Group H in the Europa League. The only goal came from Giroud late in the game. - [Formality Wins Blue Diamond Stakes](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/formality-wins-blue-diamond-stakes/): Darren Hayes-trained filly Formality beat Jukebox by a neck to win Wednesday’s Blue Sapphire Stakes. The two were the race favourites at Caulfield. - [Raiders Stun Chiefs in NFL Week 7](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/raiders-stun-chiefs-nfl-week-7/): Kansas City Chiefs suffered only their second defeat in 2017-18 NFL on Thursday night. Oakland Raiders’ nail-biting 31-30 victory was a big surprise. - [A Close NBA Opener For The Warriors](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nba/close-nba-opener-warriors/): The Warriors suffered a NBA opener loss to the Houston Rockets. Nick Young set a franchise debut record and Durant missed out on a beauty after the buzzer. - [Moto2: Alex Marquez Takes The Win In Motegi](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/auto-racing/moto2-alex-marquez-takes-win-motegi/): The Motegi Moto2 race was shortened due to the weather. This did nothing to dampen the excitement with Alex Marquez claiming his second victory this season. - [Redzel Powers Home To Win The TAB Everest](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/redzel-powers-home-win-tab-everest/): The inaugural TAB Everest lived up to its hype and more. Snowden trained Redzel powered into the lead at the turn and claimed the win over Vega Magic. - [Andrea Dovizioso Closes Gap On Marc Marquez](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/auto-racing/andrea-dovizioso-closes-gap-marc-marquez/): Andrea Dovizioso has closed point gap on Marc Marquez after winning the Japanese Moto GP. Dovizioso took the lead in the final lap to win by 0.249 seconds. - [Changes Afoot Once More At Toro Rosso](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/auto-racing/changes-afoot-toro-rosso/): Red Bull owned Formula 1 team Toro Rosso will most probably have to improvise ahead of the US Grand Prix as a result of yet another change of drivers. - [Ben Smith Remembers Difficult Days](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/ben-smith-remembers-difficult-days/): Newcastle Trainer Ben Smith has had to put his high hopes for star mare In Her Time to rest ahead of The Everest after the much coveted slot was missed. - [European Champions Hockey Action](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/hockey/european-champions-hockey-action/): This week sees the final group-stage games of 2017-18 European Champions Hockey League. The Nottingham Panthers, for the first time, have made the playoffs. - [Update on the Monster Energy Cup Series](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/auto-racing/update-monster-energy-cup-series/): After a nail-biting race in Charlotte, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to Talladega. Charlotte winner Marin Truex Jr is through to round 3. - [Russia Draws Football Friendly Against Iran](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/russia-draws-football-friendly-iran/): With no need to qualify for the World Cup, hosts Russia have been playing a series of friendlies. Going up against Iran, the game ended in a 1-all draw. - [Warriors Sign More Kiwi Internationals](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/warriors-sign-kiwi-internationals/): The Warriors have confirmed the signing of Kiwi back rower Peta Hiku and Matiu Love-Henry. Hiku will join the side on a three-year contract in 2018. - [Update on LOL World Championship](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/esport/update-lol-world-championship/): The group stages of the 2017 League of Legends World Championships is well under way. We take a look at how the top teams are measuring up so far? - [Australia Win Constellation Cup Opener](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/netball/australia-win-constellation-cup-opener/): The Silver Ferns have lost their opening match of the Constellation Cup to the Australian Diamonds. They are now 1-0 down with three to play. - [NFL: Learning To Expect The Unexpected](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/nfl-learning-expect-unexpected/): It’s taken but the start of a season for us to realise that we would have to re-evaluate everything that we once thought to be true about football. - [Spring Champion Stakes Favourites](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/spring-champion-stakes-favourites/): Royal Randwick hosts Spring Champions Stakes Day on Saturday. It has some exciting options that punters can add to their Sydney Spring Carnival betting. - [Animosity And Contempt Ahead Of MMA Weekend](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/ufc/animosity-contempt-ahead-mma-weekend/): This weekend will play host to the biggest MMA fight of the year as Tony Ferguson takes on Kevin Lee at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday. - [Underdog Springboks v All Blacks](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/underdog-springboks-v-blacks/): South Africa and New Zealand play their final Rugby Championship match on Saturday. The odds-on All Blacks face a Springbok side fighting for second place. - [Chiefs Go 4 and 0 in 2017-18 NFL](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/chiefs-go-4-0-2017-18-nfl/): Atlanta Falcons lost to Buffalo Bills in NFL Week 4, leaving only the Kansas City Chiefs still unbeaten. The Chiefs remain at the top of the AFC ladder. - [Red Bull Triumphant At Malaysian Grand Prix](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/red-bull-triumphant-malaysian-grand-prix/): Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has claimed his second win of his F1 career, beating out Lewis Hamilton to take first place at the Malaysian Grand Prix. - [All Blacks Go 5-Up With Win Over Argentina](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/blacks-go-5-win-argentina/): The New Zealand All Blacks have won their fifth Rugby Championship test, defeating Argentina by 37 points to 10 in Buenos Aires this past weekend. - [US Holds Early Lead At 2017 Presidents Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/us-holds-early-lead-2017-presidents-cup/): The US has racked up a 3.5 to 1.5 lead after the first day of the Presidents Cup. The Americans won three out of five matches, splitting the last. - [Cowboys’ Dream Comeback for NRL GF](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/cowboys-dream-comeback-nrl-gf/): North Queensland Cowboys’ fans are hoping for another unlikely result. After scraping into the 2017 NRL Top 8, the Cowboys have a Grand Final. - [Royal Randwick’s Best Spring Racing](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/royal-randwicks-best-spring-racing/): This weeked sees several top races at Randwick’s Epsom Handicap Day. There’s more betting action to be had on the Craven Plate in a fortnight, too. - [Arsenal Rise To 7th With Win Over West Brom](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/arsenal-rise-7th-win-west-brom/): Arsenal has continued their winning streak with a convincing 2-0 win over West Brom. Alexandre Lacazette added another two goals to his growing tally. - [NFL Recaps: Redskins And Cowboys Take The Win](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/nfl-recaps-redskins-cowboys-take-win/): Two big games, two big results. The Washington Redskins beat the Oakland Raiders and the Dallas Cowboys make their comeback after last week’s drumming. - [Billy Joe Saunders defeats Willie Monroe Jr](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/billy-joe-saunders-defeats-willie-monroe-jr/): The battle for the WBO Middleweight title is over. Billie Joe Saunders successfully defended his title although the match was slow and uneventful. - [Atlanta Falcons defeat the Packers by 19 points](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/atlanta-falcons-defeat-packers-19-points/): The Atlanta Falcons have defeated the Green Bay Packers by 34 points to 23. The Falcons racked up a huge lead but the Packers put on a late surge. - [Bookies Back Boks over Wallabies](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/bookies-back-boks-wallabies/): South Africa are odds-on for next Saturday’s Rugby Championship match in Bloemfontein. But Australia will be taking heart from the Boks’ disaster last week. - [Aussies Crash at Davis Cup 2017 SF](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/aussies-crash-davis-cup-2017-sf/): Australia’s tennis fans are grieving the national team’s dismissal from the 2017 Davis Cup. One more win against Belgium would have got them to the finals. - [WBSS Next: Dorticos v Kudryashov](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/wbss-next-dorticos-v-kudryashov/): World Boxing Super Series action will entertain Kiwi punters again this Saturday. Yunier Dorticos fights Dmitry Kudryashov in the USA’s first WBSS bout. - [League of Legends Action Continues](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/esport/league-legends-action-continues/): eSports present betting opportunities many Kiwi punters are only just discovering. Here’s the low-down on the League of Legends World Championship. - [Callum Smith Defeats Erik Skoglund](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/callum-smith-defeats-erik-skoglund/): Callum Smith has beaten Erik Skoglund in the World Boxing Super Series. Smith dropped the Swede in the 11th round to progress to the semi-finals. - [Australia Defeat The Pumas In Canberra](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/australia-defeat-pumas-canberra/): Australia has finally tasted victory after beating Argentina 45-20 in Canberra. The Wallabies started off slow but accelerated in the second half. - [All Blacks Dominate The Springboks With Huge Win](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/blacks-dominate-springboks-huge-win/): New Zealand have recorded a massive 57-0 win over their traditional South African rivals. This was the second successive 50+ win for the All Blacks. - [Valterri Bottas signs with Mercedes for 2018](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/valterri-bottas-signs-mercedes-2018/): 28-year-old Valterri Bottas will be partnering with Lewis Hamilton for the 2018 season. The Finn’s F1 contract has been extended for another year. - [Stopping Taumalolo Priority No. 1 For Eels](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/stopping-taumalolo-priority-no-1-eels/): If the Parramatta Eels had any hopes of thrashing the North Queensland Cowboys on Saturday, they first had to stop Jason Taumalolo in his tracks. - [Improved Springboks To Face NZ On Saturday](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/improved-springboks-face-nz-saturday/): There’s no denying it: the Boks have been steadily improving and may very well give the All Blacks a run for their money during this Saturday’s game. - [Presidents Cup – Can The Internationals Win?](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/presidents-cup-can-internationals-win/): The Presidents Cup is just two weeks away. While some may feel the event is predictable, we take a look at if the Internationals have a chance this year. - [Battle For The WBO Middleweight Crown](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/battle-wbo-middleweight-crown/): Billy Joe Saunders will be in the ring next week, defending his WBO middleweight title. He is up against Willie Monroe Jnr in a must-win situation. - [Highlights of Sunday Night’s NFL Season Opener](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/highlights-sunday-nights-nfl-season-opener/): The NFL season is officially underway with the Giants and the Cowboys kicking off the first Sunday Night opener. We take a look at the highlights. - [Nothing Like A Good Old-Fashioned Face-Off](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/election/nothing-like-good-old-fashioned-face-off/): Thursday saw yet another stand-off taking place between the leader of the National Party and the leader of the Labour Party – the third out of four debates. - [Latest Poll Puts Labour Further Ahead](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/election/latest-poll-puts-labour-ahead/): A new poll by Colmar Brunton has shown that Labour has risen even further while labour has dropped below 40%. With 2 weeks to go, anything can happen. - [Mickelson in Presidents Cup Again](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/mickelson-presidents-cup/): With the captains’ picks named for both golf teams in the Presidents Cup, the field is complete. Phil Mickelson’s spell in the USA side remains unbroken. - [Valencia v Atletico: La Liga Pick](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/valencia-v-atletico-la-liga-pick/): The pick of this week’s La Liga matches should be the Valencia vs. Atletico Madrid match. It’s a fairly even contest expected to deliver a close result. - [No Easy Road For The Socceroos This Time](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/no-easy-road-socceroos-time/): The Socceroos were on the verge of qualifying for Russia 2018. All they needed was a win or draw from the Japan/Saudi Arabia game, but it was not to be. - [General Election Latest Predictions](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/election/general-election-latest-predictions/): The New Zealand general election is only a few weeks away. We look at the latest shift in poles and predictions now that Jacinda Ardern has taken over. - [Maria Sharapova Crashes Out of US Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/maria-sharapova-crashes-us-open/): Maria Sharapova has lost her fourth-round match to 16th seed Anastasija Sevastova. This is the third time over four matches Sharapova lost in the third set. - [Lewis Hamilton Takes The Win In Monza](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/lewis-hamilton-takes-win-monza/): Lewis Hamilton has taken the F1 Championship lead after an impressive win at the Italian Grand Prix. He now leads Sebastian Vettel by three points. - [2017 US Open In Full Swing](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/2017-us-open-full-swing/): The US Open has just started its first round and has delivered already. Many shock triumphs and defeats have occurred on the courts to the delight of fans. - [Upcoming La Liga matches](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/upcoming-la-liga-matches/): There are some great matches as part of the Spanish La Liga tournament next weekend. Matchups include Leganes v newcomers Getafe and Barcelona facing Espanyol. - [Italian Grand Prix Predictions For Monza](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/italian-grand-prix-predictions-monza/): The Italian Formula 1 Grand Prix gets underway this weekend. We take a look at past results, predictions and interesting facts about the Monza race. - [Week 1 of AVIVA Premiership](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/week-1-aviva-premiership/): This week sees the opening matches of the AVIVA Premiership Rugby tournament. The teams are rearing to go with the Chiefs defending their championship. - [NRL Round 26 This Weekend](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/nrl-round-26-weekend/): This weekend sees the Penrith Panthers face the Sea Eagles. The St George Dragons will also be facing a tough challenge against the Canterbury Bulldogs. - [The AFL Enters Week 1 of Finals](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/afl-enters-week-1-finals/): We are entering the final stages to crown this season’s AFL top team. The matches this weekend sees the team’s claw their way to a semi final spot. - [Nine-Leg Multi Pays Out $100,000](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/nine-leg-multi-pays-100000/): One lucky punter has pulled in a massive $100,000 payout after the roosters qualified for the finals. The nine-leg multi was place in Feb this year. - [Hamilton Looks To Close Gap At Singapore](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/hamilton-looks-close-gap-singapore/): Lewis Hamilton feels that Mercedes has a lot of work to do to going into the Singapore Grand Prix. Despite his recent win, he feels Ferrari is faster. - [The AVIVA Premiership Is Here](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/the-aviva-premiership-is-here/): On Friday we see the start of the AVIVA Rugby Premiership. Exeter will be out to defend their title after the claimed it by a very narrow margin from the Wasps. - [New NFL Season Around The Corner](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/new-nfl-season-around-corner/): This year the NFL season will be at least as exciting as last season. Most teams will be keeping their composition and are even hungrier than before. - [White Ferns Win Rugby World Cup in Belfast](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/white-ferns-win-rugby-world-cup-belfast/): The New Zealand women’s rugby team have claimed their fifth rugby World Cup title. After a slow start the While Ferns came back hard to win 41-32. - [Chris Wood debuts for Burnley](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/chris-wood-debuts-burnley/): Chris Wood has made a memorable start to the English Premier League playing for Burnley. The NZ striker scored an equaliser against Tottenham at Wembley. - [Johnson Heading to Eurobasket](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/johnson-heading-eurobasket/): Kyle Johnson currently playing professionally in Canada will join the Great Britain side. Johnson will add a great long-range attack for the struggling side. - [Mayweather 50 -0 After McGregor](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/mayweather-50-0-mcgregor/): This weekend saw McGregor and Mayweather finally face off and the match did not disappoint. Mayweather won the fight after a 10th round stoppage by the ref. - [India Strong at Badminton Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/india-strong-badminton-cup/): The 2017 Badminton World Championships have been great for India. The team has posted many great wins despite a doubles defeat and poor posture by Praneeth. - [Emirates Newest Official Partner Of Ryder Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/emirates-newest-official-partner-ryder-cup/): Emirates Airline is the newest official sponsor of Golf’s Ryder Cup – this after the airline renewed its European Tour agreement for four more years. - [Fillies take stage - Breeders Crown](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/fillies-take-stage-breeders-crown/): The 2017 Breeders Crown for 3yo fillies kicks off this weekend. It is a great field this year with driver Laura Triton making her welcome return to the fold. - [Spring Carnival Races Hot Up](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/spring-carnival-races-hot/): The Spring Carnival is in full swing. The upcoming Memsie Stakes, Cockram Stakes, Heath 1100 and the HD McNeil Stakes hold great action for bettors and fans. - [The Breeders Crown This Weekend](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/breeders-crown-weekend/): The 2017 Breeders Crown for 3yo Geldings and Colts takes place this weekend. The More The Bettor is one of the favourites for this weekend’s racing action. - [Women’s World Cup Final Weekend](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/womens-world-cup-final-weekend/): The 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup finals are taking place the weekend with England Facing New Zealand. It is set to be a very even matchup for the two sides. - [AFL Round 23 This Weekend](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/afl-round-23-weekend/): Round 23 of the AFL will be taking place this weekend. Highlights include Hawks v Bulldogs and the strongly contested Geelong v GWS Giants match up. - [Spring Carnival Races This Weekend](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/spring-carnival-races-weekend/): The San Domenico Stake and the Ming Dynasty Quality will be run this weekend. Pariah and Addictive Nature are the favourites for the respective events. - [Belgian GP Kicks Off This Weekend](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/belgian-gp-kicks-off-weekend/): The F1 season is ready to start again after the mid season break comes to an end. The teams meet at the Spa-Francorchamps this weekend for the Belgian GP. - [Greece set for FIBA EuroBasket](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/greece-set-fiba-eurobasket/): After a noteworthy series of warm up games ahead of the FIBA EuroBasket, Greece has shown their strength. They have defeated Great Britain twice so far. - [Mayweather Nervous About McGregor](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/mayweather-nervous-about-mcgregor/): Floyd Mayweather has commented on Conor McGregor’s sparring videos. Mayweather called out what he saw as illegal moves and branded McGregor a dirty fighter. - [Nadal No1 for US Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/nadal-no1-us-open/): Rafael Nadal is back at Number One, taking over Andy Murrays spot. The tennis star is looking forward to the US Open, and hopes to emerge as the winner. - [Kick-off of US Open 2017](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/kick-off-us-open-2017/): The 2017 US Tennis Open start at the end of August. It will feature 5 championship events with the best in tennis including Roger Federer and Angelique Kerber. - [Expansion Options For The NRL Going Forward](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/expansion-options-nrl-going-forward/): With the closure of the Western Force, the NRL chief is looking for NRL expansion possibilities. Will it be Perth, Queensland or a second New Zealand side? - [Teams in Prep for FIBA Eurobasket](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/teams-prep-fiba-eurobasket/): With 4 host nations, the 2017 FIBA Eurobasket will be a notable event. France is one of the favourites to take home the title with their consistent performances. - [The 2017/2018 Premier League](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/20172018-premier-league/): The Premier League this year features 3 news teams. The defending champs are Chelsea but Manchester City is the favourites to take home the trophy this year. - [Badminton WC Seeds Announced](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/badminton-wc-seeds-announced/): The Badminton World Championships kicks off in Glasgow at the end of the month. The updated world rankings have been released with the event’s top seeds. - [Intro to the 2017 Moto GP](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/intro-2017-moto-gp/): The British Moto GP is one of the most prestigious racing events on the calendar. It will be at Silverstone this year and offers fantastic racing action. - [A Look At The Final Field For The Warwick Stakes](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/look-final-field-warwick-stakes/): The 2017 Warwick stakes takes place this Saturday at Randwick Racecourse. Winx will be looking for her 18th straight win in the $250,000 feature race. - [The Latest on the 2017 Solheim Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/latest-2017-solheim-cup/): The 2017 Solheim Cup has been running this week at the Des Moines Golf and Country Club. The US will be looking to make it two in a row after a win in 2015. - [Weekend AFL Action for the 18th- New Zealand Sports News](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/weekend-afl-action-18th-new-zealand-sports-news/): This weekend sees the Crows face the Swans in a close match. Fremantle v Richmond should also be a momentous game as it is the last match for Domain Stadium. - [Belgian Grand Prix - New Zealand Sports News](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/belgian-grand-prix-new-zealand-sports-news/): The Belgian Grand Prix kicks off the 27th of August. Honda is planning to upgrade their engines ahead of or during the event but they may face stiff penalties. - [Mayweather Losing Confidence](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/mayweather-losing-confidence/): From a recent interview it seems that Floyd Mayweather is losing his faith in himself. He revealed the reasons why McGregor can beat him. - [Caulfield PB Lawrence Stakes Day](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/caulfield-pb-lawrence-stakes-day/): This weekend the PB Lawrence Stakes is being held at Caulfield and James Cumming’s Hartnell is a favourite to win it. He makes his return after a break. - [Exciting Silver Stakes Action](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/exciting-silver-stakes-action/): This weekend sees the Silver Shadow Stakes kick off with a great field of competitors. There are many top fillies to watch out for including Seannie and Alizee. - [Vuelta a España: What to Expect in 2017](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/vuelta-espana-expect-2017/): The Vuelta a España Grand Tour kicks off in a few days’ time. We take a look at the top contenders and what you can expect from the race this year. - [Crawford Clashes With Indongo](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/crawford-clashes-indongo/): Fight fans are in for a treat when Terence Crawford boxes Julius Indongo. The fight will be a unification bout combining the WBC, IBF, WBO and WBA titles. - [Tall Blacks Through To Asia Cup Quarterfinals](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/tall-blacks-asia-cup-quarterfinals/): The New Zealand men’s basketball team have qualified for the quarterfinals of the Asia cup to of the log. The Tall blacks will likely face Iraq or Jordan. - [Tall Blacks Win Opening Game Of Asia Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/tall-blacks-win-opening-game-asia-cup/): The New Zealand men’s basketball team have won their opening match at the Asia Cup. The Tall Blacks defeated Kazakhstan by 70 points to 49 in Beirut. - [The Dota 2 International Kicks Off](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/esport/dota-2-international-kicks-off/): The 2017 International Dota 2 World Championships is currently underway. There have been some surprise upsets with Evil Geniuses losing their first match. - [Contador To Retire After Spain](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/contador-retire-spain/): Alberto Contador has announced that he will be retiring from professional cycling. The legend will be taking part in his last Vuelta A Espana this year. - [Day Confident Of USPGA Goals](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/day-confident-uspga-goals/): Jason Day looks ready to tackle the 2017 USPGA Championship. The golfer has had a tough year so far and has a lot to prove to both fans and himself. - [Lowndes To Prove At Red Rooster](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/lowndes-prove-red-rooster/): Craig Lowndes saw a return to form last week at Ipswich. Fans will be waiting to see if he continues his great racing at the Red Rooster SuperSprint in Sydney. - [Vain Stakes to Feature Lone Eagle](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/vain-stakes-feature-lone-eagle/): The 3 year old sprinter, Lone Eagle, will be making an appearance at the Vain Stakes. He has had a few promising runs since trainer Mick Price bought him. - [Red Bull Ready For Belgian GP](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/red-bull-ready-belgian-gp/): We are heading closer to the Belgium Formula 1 Grand Prix. The event is already nearly sold out with 260 000 fans set to attend the exciting weekend. - [Upcoming AFL Action](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/upcoming-afl-action/): This weekend sees AFL clashes as we edge closer to the top 8. The sides are really battling as injuries and frustration mount as the season heads to a close. - [Why the Crusaders Need A New Stadium](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/crusaders-need-new-stadium/): With a record eighth title in the bag, the Crusaders coach has turned his attention to where the team should call home. A new stadium is a must. - [High Stakes At USPGA Championships](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/high-stakes-uspga-championships/): The USPGA Championships are around the corner and players are getting their head in the game. McIlroy, Spieth and Walker have much at stake at the event. - [McGregor Sparring Partner Quits](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/mcgregor-sparring-partner-quits/): Paul Malignaggi, former boxing champ and professional fighter quit the McGregor camp last week. Tensions between the two came to a boiling point last week. - [Fillies Favourites At Quezette](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/fillies-favourites-quezette/): A Great Group of fillies will be competing at the Quezette Stakes. Top trainers have staked their reputations on notable new comers and fresh starts. - [Lydia Ko Makes The Cut At British Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/lydia-ko-makes-cut-british-open/): New Zealand’s Lydia Ko has made the cut at the Woman’s British Open. Ko carded a 2-under par 70 to make the cut by a single stroke with plenty of work to do - [The 2017 CrossFit Games Results](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/2017-crossfit-games-results/): Mat Fraser and Tia Toomey are the two crowned champs of the 2017 CrossFit games. The two athletes’ positions were hard won, with only Fraser dominating fully. - [Vuelta A Espana to Feature Aru](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/vuelta-espana-feature-aru/): Fabio Aru has been confirmed as the team lead for Astana. They are heading to Vuelta A Espana trials mid August to improve on their Tour De France showing. - [Robert Kubica Tests Renault F1 car in Hungary](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/robert-kubica-tests-renault-f1-car-hungary/): Robert Kubica could be making his return to Formula 1. The Polish driver tested the Renault 2017 car in Hungary, six years after his last race. - [Wellington Phoenix Defeated by Western Sydney](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/wellington-phoenix-defeated-western-sydney/): Wellington Phoenix have lost their round of 32 match against the Western Sydney Wonderers. The wonderers scored with just seconds’ left on the clock. - [Yankee Rose to Race at Memsie Stakes](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/yankee-rose-race-memsie-stakes/): Trainer David Vandyke has enjoyed huge success at trials in the Sunshine Coast. Vandyke aims to take his winners to the rack with Yankee Rose leading. - [Controversy for Super Rugby Final](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/controversy-super-rugby-final/): Fans are criticising the decision to appoint a South African referee for the Super Rugby Finals. Fans feel this creates a bias in the Crusaders and Lions match. - [The Missile Stakes at Randwick](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/missile-stakes-randwick/): Saturday sees the start of Australia’s black type season at Randwick. New Zealand punters will be keen on the sprinters in the Group 2 Missile Stakes. - [Lions V Crusaders in Rugby Finals](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/lions-v-crusaders-rugby-finals/): This weekend sees the Super Rugby Finals in South Africa. The Lions could stand the chance of an upset victory against the favourites, the Crusaders. - [This Week’s NRL Matches](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/weeks-nrl-matches/): This week sees a great selection of NRL games. Highlights include Penrith Panthers v Wests Tigers and St. George Illawarra Dragons v South Sydney Rabbitohs. - [Aurie’s Star Handicap Day](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/auries-star-handicap-day/): I Am A Star is set to compete at the Aurie’s Star Handicap this weekend. Nichols has high hopes after her great start in this year and her 2 weeks of rest. - [The AFL Action This Weekend](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/afl-action-weekend/): Another weekend and another round of great AFL action. The highlight this weekend is The Crows facing off against Port Adelaide for a very equal matchup. - [Super Rugby Final Head To Johannesburg](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/super-rugby-final-head-johannesburg/): The collapse of the Hurricanes to the Lions means that the Crusaders will now have to travel to Johannesburg to face the Lions at home for the final. - [Sebastian Vettel Extends Lead Over Hamilton](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/sebastian-vettel-extends-lead-hamilton/): Sebastian Vettel has extended his lead over Lewis Hamilton after taking first place in the Hungarian Grand Prix. Vettel placed third and Bottas fourth. - [The McGregor v Mayweather Update](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/mcgregor-v-mayweather-update/): The latest news on Floyd Mayweather Jr vs Conor MGgregor coming up in August. It seems the two fighters may be becoming friends after their world tour together. - [DOTA 2 – The International](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/esport/dota-2-international/): The DOTA 2 World Championship starts on the 2nd of August. It will feature both the Evil Geniuses and Virtus Pro amongst 14 other world class teams and players. - [McIlroy Finds New Ground at USPGA](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/mcilroy-finds-new-ground-uspga/): Despite winning previous championships at Quail Hollow, McIlroy may not recognise the course he holds a record on. Changes have been made to the layout. - [Psychological War Between McGregor and Mayweather](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/psychological-war-mcgregor-mayweather/): Another week closer to the Mayweather vs. McGregor fight and more drama and revelation follows. McGregor opened old Mayweather wounds on social media. - [Tall Blacks Team Named for Asia Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/tall-blacks-team-named-asia-cup/): The New Zealand men’s basketball team has been whittled down to a young 12-man squad for the upcoming Asia Cup. The squad includes five debutant players. - [The Vuelta a Espana Cycle Tour](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/vuelta-espana-cycle-tour/): Known in English as the Tour of Spain, the annual Valta a Espana kicks off on the 19th of August. It will feature many faces from the Tour De France. - [Langer Still Tour Money No 1](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/langer-still-tour-money-no-1/): Bernard Langer is still fending off accusations of cheating. Some players do not agree with his putting technique but he is still money leader on tour. - [Mikey Garcia v Adrien Broner](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/mikey-garcia-v-adrien-broner/): After a 2 year hiatus, Garcia has returned in style to add to two more wins for his record. Broner has recently dropped weight classes and has more to prove. - [NRL Round 21 Kicks Off The Weekend](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/nrl-round-21-kicks-off-weekend/): This weekend sees the commencement of round 21 of the NRL and the teams are battling for finals positions. Roosters v Cowboys will be the game to watch. - [SuperSprint Kicks Off This Weekend](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/supersprint-kicks-off-weekend/): This weekend is the run of the Supercars Ipswich SuperSprint. Lowndes will be returning to defend his record here and Randle will be joining the field. - [Kiwi Rider Toughs It Out At Tour de](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/kiwi-rider-toughs-tour-de/): New Zealand cyclist Patrick Bevin may not have won the Tour de France but he is being hailed as a hero. Bevin completed the race with a broken foot. - [Frampton v Gutierrez this Saturday](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/frampton-v-gutierrez-saturday/): This weekend sees Carl “The Jackal” Frampton v Andres Gutierrez. Frampton is eying up IBF champ Lee Selby and a win here could give him a shot at gold. - [Crusaders Crush Highlanders In Christchurch](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/crusaders-crush-highlanders-christchurch/): The Crusaders have proven they are the ultimate wet weather team after. They easily defeated the Highlanders 17-0 a rain soaked Christchurch pitch. - [The Weekend’s AFL Action](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/weekends-afl-action-2/): Round 23 of the AFL Premiership takes place this weekend. The competition is heading into crunch time as the teams battle to earn spots in the finals. - [Powerful Spieth Starts Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/powerful-spieth-starts-open/): Jordan Spieth lived up to expectations at the start of the 146th Open at Royal Birkdale. The golfer ended the day in the top position in the rankings. - [Bletchingly Competitors Get Ready](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/bletchingly-competitors-get-ready/): This weekend sees the run of the Bletchingly Stakes. The return of Lankan Rupee, Lord of the Sky, Supido and Ability will make it a hotly contested race. - [Ryan Fox Ready For Second British Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/ryan-fox-ready-second-british-open/): Kiwi golfer Ryan Fox is ready for a second crack at the British Open. Fox feels he will much calmer and able to enjoy the experience this time around. - [Murray’s Top Spot Under Threat](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/murrays-top-spot-threat/): After a lacklustre Wimbledon performance, Andy Murray will have many challengers to his no1 ranking. Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are right at his heels. - [Barguil Wins Stage 18 Of Tour](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/barguil-wins-stage-18-tour/): Warren Barguil from Sunweb finished first in stage 18 of the Tour De France. He was followed in a close second place finish by an exhausted Romain Bardet. - [Davison Supercars Future Uncertain](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/davison-supercars-future-uncertain/): William Davison has yet to sign to a team for the 2018 season. He is confident that he will continue to race, but not too sure for whom yet! - [$21 Million eSport Tourney](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/esport/21-million-esport-tourney/): The annual Dota 2 tournament this year features a record breaking prize pool. The International as it is known will offer players $21 million in prizes. - [Crusaders Take On Highlanders In Playoffs](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/crusaders-take-highlanders-playoffs/): The Crusaders will square off against their southern rivals the Highlanders in Saturday’s quarterfinal. Another tight tussle is expected in Christchurch. - [Christian Lealiifano Returns to Super Rugby](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/christian-lealiifano-returns-super-rugby/): Christian Lealiifano is set to make his return to super rugby after being diagnosed with leukaemia. Lealiifano is set to play in the quarterfinal. - [Los Angeles Sparks Defeated Indiana Fever](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/los-angeles-sparks-defeated-indiana-fever/): The Los Angeles Sparks handed Indiana Fever another loss in this weeks game, triumphing with a final score of 84 – 62. Jantel Lavender shone. - [Los Angeles Lakers Beat Portland Trail Blazers](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/los-angeles-lakers-beat-portland-trail-blazers/): Monday night’s Las Vegas Summer League Championship game saw the Lakers defeat the Trail Blazers. The team from Portland finishes the League 5 – 3. - [AFL heads into Round 18 weekend](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/afl-heads-round-18-weekend/): This weekend sees Adelaide facing Geelong on their home ground. If the Crows pull together they stand a chance to break a 5 game losing streak against Geelong. - [Mayweather vs. McGregor Verbal Sparring](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/mayweather-vs-mcgregor-verbal-sparring/): There were over 5000 Irish fans in attendance at Friday night’s press conference for Mayweather v McGregor. The two fighters traded insults as tensions build. - [Lees Prepping for Memsie Stakes](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/lees-prepping-memsie-stakes/): Trainer Kris Lees is hoping his horse Le Romain has what it takes for the Memsie Stakes. The two are currently in training for the race in a few weeks time. - [Sunwolves Win Over Blues A Historical Marvel](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/sunwolves-win-blues-historical-marvel/): The Blues 48-21 Super Rugby defeat at the hands of the Sunwolves has created quite a stir. The loss goes down in history as the biggest upset in 17 years. - [Final Week For Tour De France](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/final-week-tour-de-france/): As the Tour De France heads into its final stages, the pressure is mounting. Froome is still the race leader with 18 seconds on his closest rival, Fabio Aru. - [Garbine Muguruza Wins Wimbledon Title](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/garbine-muguruza-wins-wimbledon-title/): 23-year-old Spanish tennis star, Garbine Muguruza has won her maiden Wimbledon singles Title. Muguruza defeated Venus Williams in straight sets 7-5, 6-0. - [NRL Injuries Mount in Round 19](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/nrl-injuries-mount-round-19/): Round 19 has been a pretty hard one for the NRL sides. Many injuries have been reported , not least of which was a season ending knee injury for Shaun Johnson - [105th Supercars win for Whincup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/105th-supercars-win-whincup/): Jamie Whincup made a record equalling finish in Townsville. He claimed his 105th Supercars victory, equalling team mate Craig Lowndes’s record. - [Melbourne Spring Carnival to Change](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/melbourne-spring-carnival-change/): The Melbourne Spring Carnival will be undergoing some changes. The organisers wish to make the event work better with the rest of the year’s events - [White Ferns Still Have A Crack At Semi-Finals](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/white-ferns-still-crack-semi-finals/): The White Ferns have lost their match against England at the World Cup. They now face India for their last round-robin to qualify for the semi-finals - [Murt Contender for Monash Stakes](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/murt-contender-monash-stakes/): Trainer Brendan McCarthy has high hopes for Murt The Flirt. The horse has been having a great year so far ahead of his run at the Sir John Monash Stakes. - [The 2017 Champions Tour Top Earners](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/2017-champions-tour-top-earners/): Bernard Langer, Kenny Perry and Fred Couples are the top money earners on the Champions Tour. Couples however has just withdrawn due to injury. - [A Great Line Up For The 146th Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/great-line-146th-open/): The 146th Open at Birkdale is almost underway. There are a few more open slots that will be filled by 3 players from the Irish Open leg at Dundonald Links. - [Wimbledon Ladies Final Betting Odds](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/wimbledon-ladies-final-betting-odds/): The latest betting odds for the ladies Wimbledon final. We take a look at each player, their betting odds and why they could win the title on Saturday. - [Blues Crushed at State of Origin 3](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/blues-crushed-state-origin-3/): The favourites for the State of Origins game 3, the NSW Blues, were upset by a focused and determined Queensland Maroons. They defeated the Blues 22-6. - [The Weekend’s AFL Action](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/weekends-afl-action/): There is some great AFL action heading your way this weekend. Things are hotting up in the league as we get closer towards the top 8 teams aiming for the finals. - [Calmejane Wins Tour De France leg](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/calmejane-wins-tour-de-france-leg/): Stage 8 of the Tour De France concluded this weekend. It was won by Frenchman Lillian Calmejan who sprinted ahead of the pack 4km near the finish line. - [Blues to Dominate Game 3](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/blues-dominate-game-3/): The NSW Blues are going in strong for the State of Origins game 3. The Maroons will be facing them without key players in the team that may cost them a victory. - [Mayweather vs McGregor US Tour](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/ufc/mayweather-vs-mcgregor-us-tour/): The Floyd Mayweather Jr vs Conor McGregor media tour has arrived in the US. The two fighters did not disappoint at all with an entertaining press showdown. - [Angelique Kerber Crashes Out of Wimbledon](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/angelique-kerber-crashes-wimbledon/): Angelique Kerber has lost her No1 ranking and is out of Wimbledon. Kerber was defeated by Garbiñe Muguruza who was a close match for the German. - [Bottas Takes The Honours in Austria](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/bottas-takes-honours-austria/): Valterri Bottas got a great start from pole position to win the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday. Vettel finished in second and Ricciardo in third. - [Messi Agrees To Contract With Barca](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/messi-agrees-contract-barca/): Lionel Messi has agreed to a contact with FC Barcelona. The new contract will see Messi stay with Barca until the end of the 2021 football season. - [Porte crash leads to end of Tour](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/porte-crash-leads-end-tour/): Following a shocking crash, Richard Porte has been eliminated from the Tour de France. Porte’s dreams of a yellow jersey came crashing down unexpectedly. - [Gagne To Honour Hayden at Laguna](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/gagne-honour-hayden-laguna/): Jake Gagne will be joining Team Red Bull at the Superbike Championship event in Laguna Seca. He will be standing in for Nicky Hayden who passed away recently. - [Mayweather Trying New Training](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/ufc/mayweather-trying-new-training/): Mayweather is facing Connor McGregor in two months and tensions are rising. Mayweather is using new training techniques to prepare his body for the fighter. - [McCarthy heading to 146th Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/mccarthy-heading-146th-open/): Ryan McCarthy from Burnie in Tasmania is heading to the 146th Open. He qualified through a playoff match in Scotland after work shopping his swing. - [Ryan Fox Finishes in Top 10 at French Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/ryan-fox-finishes-top-10-french-open/): Ryan Fox, the New Zealand pro golfer has recorded his best finish on the European Tour this season. Fox finished in 6th at seven under par. - [Improved Red Bull for Austrian GP](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/improved-red-bull-austrian-gp/): Red Bull is heading full steam into the Austrian Grand Prix on their home track. They have received engine upgrades from Renault just in time for the event. - [This Weekend’s AFL games](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/weekends-afl-games/): The 16th round of the AFL takes place this weekend. There will be some fantastic matchups coming with some very close matches expected to take place. - [Penske Leading Supercars Ranking](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/penske-leading-supercars-ranking/): Fabian Coulthard and Scott McLaughlin are at the front of the Supercars rankings. Team Penske have decided not to issue team orders at Townsville. - [Sagan Wins Tour De France Stage 3](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/sagan-wins-tour-de-france-stage-3/): Peter Sagan managed to power his way through a 1.6km uphill sprint to take the victory at the 3rd stage of the Tour De France. This despite a technical glitch. - [Black Ferns Ready Themselves for World Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/black-ferns-ready-world-cup/): After suffering a home defeat to England last month, the Black Ferns are going full out with preparations for the upcoming Rugby World Cup in Ireland. - [Wimbledon Loves Federer](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/wimbledon-loves-federer/): Roger Federer has been in stunning form this year and is well rested heading into Wimbledon. He will receive little challenge from an injured Andy Murray. - [Erakovic Loses First Round Wimbledon Match](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/erakovic-loses-first-round-wimbledon-match/): Maria Erakovic, the New Zealand number 1 has lost her opening round match to second seed Simona Halep. Simona won in straight sets 6-4, 6-1. - [Taylor v Davies Set for 8th July](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/taylor-v-davies-set-8th-july/): Tensions are running high between the two camps facing each other in Glasgow this weekend. Taylor v Davies is set to be an amazing bout between two young stars. - [Warriors Lose Lead And Match To Sea Eagles](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/warriors-lose-lead-match-sea-eagles/): The Warriors have squandered a 16-point lead against the Manly Sea Eagles and lost out on another NRL win. The team blames a lack of concentration. - [Germany Grab 2nd Stage of Tour](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/germany-grab-2nd-stage-tour/): German cyclist, Marcel Kittel won the 2nd stage of the Tour De France. He was visibly very emotional and was followed by Andre Greipel and Arnaud Demare. - [Rahm May Not Attend Ryder Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/rahm-may-not-attend-ryder-cup/): Due to Scheduling conflicts, young professional golfer Jon Rahm may encounter scheduling conflicts. The golfer has sponsorship exemption obligations to meet. - [Fowler Competing at Senior Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/fowler-competing-senior-open/): The US Senior Open features Peter Fowler flying the Australian flag high. He has not been on fantastic form this season but hopes are high for the player. - [Rider lost for Trek - Tour De France](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/rider-lost-trek-tour-de-france/): Team Trek has lost one of their riders after a failed blood test. Andre Cardoso has been suspended and replaced by veteran Spanish cyclist, Haimar Zubeldia. - [Toyota Ready for Poland Rally](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rally/toyota-ready-poland-rally/): Toyota are rearing to go on the 74th annual Poland Rally, part of the World Rally Championships. They have entered 3 Yaris cars after their great performance. - [England Attack at HNA Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/england-attack-hna-open/): The HNA Open de France is underway and so far English players are dominating the top 6 spots. At the top of the pack sits Paul Waring with an impressive 64. - [Albert Vete Soon To Be Off Contract in NRL](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/albert-vete-soon-off-contract-nrl/): Warriors prop, Albert Vete is playing for a contract with the Warriors. With no deal on the cards, Vete must play to impress in the months ahead. - [It’s Make-Or-Break Time For The Lions](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/make-break-time-lions/): The Lions have no more mid-week tests or deciding games in the series. Saturday’s final is their last chance to bring out the best they have to offer. - [Pacquiao to Face Young Horn](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/pacquiao-face-young-horn/): Manny Pacquiao, the WBO Champion, senator and deadly force in the ring, will be facing the young fighter Jeff Horn. The two meet ion Sunday in Australia. - [There Is Still Some Hope For All Whites](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/still-hope-whites/): The All Whites might have crashed out of the Confederations Cup but they still believe they have what it takes to qualify for the World Cup. - [Djokovic Grand Slam in Sight](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/djokovic-grand-slam-sight/): Novak Djokovic will be attempting to grab his 8th Wimbledon title. The player has had a lacklustre year and will be looking to recapture the no 1 spot. - [Daniel Ricciardo Wins The Azerbaijan Grand Prix](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/daniel-ricciardo-wins-azerbaijan-grand-prix/): Daniel Ricciardo has won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in a stop-start race that saw Sebastian Vettel extend his championship lead over rival Lewis Hamilton. - [Controversial UFC Fight Night 112](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/ufc/controversial-ufc-fight-night-112/): UFC Fight Night 112 ended in much controversy. Michael Chiesa lost the main title card fight after a referee apparently misread his hand gestures. - [What we learned from the All Whites defeat?](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/learned-whites-defeat/): The All Whites are officially out of the Confederation Cup. We take a look at a few lessons from the New Zealand versus Portugal game where they lost 4-0. - [Mayweather vs. McGregor Builds Hype](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/ufc/mayweather-vs-mcgregor-builds-hype/): August 26th has been scheduled for the meeting of two fighting legends. The undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather will be facing MMA star Connor McGregor. - [England The Victors At T20 Clash](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/england-victors-t20-clash/): England completely dominated South Africa in cricket. The two teams met in a T20 matchup this week that England won by a very impressive 9 wickets. - [Quintana Aiming for Tour De France](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/quintana-aiming-tour-de-france/): Nairo Quintana from Columbia may very well take the Tour De France this year. He already is a household name in South America for his performance so far. - [State of Origin Loss for Blues](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/state-origin-loss-blues/): The 2017 State of Origin match between New South Wales and Queensland ended in favour of the Maroons. They won with a very closely fought score of 18-16. - [Wimbledon Grand Slam Action Preview](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/wimbledon-grand-slam-action-preview/): It’s almost time for Wimbledon Grand Slam entertainment again. Kiwi tennis fans are watching contenders closely, as they play their prep tournaments. - [McLaren Dreading The Azerbaijan GP](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/mclaren-dreading-azerbaijan-gp/): After a pointless season so far, McLaren have accepted their fate. They will most likely start last this weekend at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix due to penalties. - [Blues Stay Confident for State of Origin](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/blues-stay-confident-for-state-of-origin/): Despite losing Game II to Queensland, the Blues remain confident that they will win the State of Origin decider after learning from their mistakes. - [Highlights From Game II State Of Origin](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/highlights-game-ii-state-origin/): Queensland have bounced back with a stunning win over the Blues in the State of Origin game II. We take a look at the highlights of the thrilling match. - [Results from the Ricoh Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/results-ricoh-open/): The Ricoh Open concluded this weekend with great results. Giles Muller claimed the men’s title while Annette Kontaveit took home the women’s singles title. - [Champions Trophy Could Be Replaced By T20](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/champions-trophy-replaced-t20/): The Champions Trophy cricket tournament could be axed in favour of a second T20 world tournament. The ICC is considering expanding T20 in years to come. - [Strong German FIFA Cup Start](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/strong-german-fifa-cup-start/): Germany have easily beat Australia in their first FIFA Confederations Cup matchup. They beat Australia 3-2 in a great opening round match in Russia. - [Kiwi Drivers Win Big at 24 Hours of Le Mans](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/kiwi-drivers-win-big-24-hours-le-mans/): New Zealand racing drivers Earl Bamber and Brendon Hartley have won the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans race along with German teammate Timo Bernhard. - [Mercedes Cup Tennis Results](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/mercedes-cup-tennis-results/): The Mercedes Cup finals concluded this weekend. The singles was won by Lucas Pouille and the doubles was won by the duo of James Murray and Bruno Soares. - [NZ Lose To Russia In Confederations Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/nz-lose-russia-confederations-cup/): The All Whites have lost their opening Confederation Cup match against Russia. The host nation outplayed New Zealand to win by 2 goals to zero. - [Austrian GP Waits for Red Bull](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/austrian-gp-waits-red-bull/): Team Red Bull is in very low spirits ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix. The team has had an engine upgrade setback, which will cost them in the current season. - [Kiwis vs. Russia -Confederations Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/kiwis-vs-russia-confederations-cup/): New Zealand will be facing Russia in the opening match of the FIFA Confederations Cup. It has been an uphill battle to get here and New Zealand is hungry. - [Parker and Fury title fight deal almost done](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/parker-fury-title-fight-deal-almost-done/): Joseph Parker and his team are just days away from signing a title fight deal with Hughie Fury. Parker is also scheduled for more fights in the UK. - [Diverse Field for US Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/diverse-field-us-open/): US Open Championship competitors this year make up an unpredictable and diverse field. Dustin Jonson and Rory McIllroy are the favourites for the event. - [Holm Set for UFC Fight Night 111](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/ufc/holm-set-ufc-fight-night-111/): After a 3 fight losing streak, Holm will be facing a career make or break at UFC Fight Night 111. Her opponent Bethe Correia is eyeing a dominating performance. - [Vegas Title Fights This Weekend](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/vegas-title-fights-weekend/): This weekend sees Vegas host two much anticipated title fights. Tyron Zeuge vs Paul Smith takes place on the 17th & Andre Ward v Sergey Kovalev on the 18th. - [2nd West Indies vs. Afghanistan ODI](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/2nd-west-indies-vs-afghanistan-odi/): The West Indies faced Afghanistan in their 2nd ODI and finally clawed back a victory. They had a stunning 63 run defeat in their first face off last week. - [Manu Samoa Squad Announced For Friday](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/manu-samoa-squad-announced-friday/): Manu Samoa has announced their 23-man squad for Friday’s big match against the All Blacks. The new squad will see eight debutants in the line-up. - [Aussies Dreading Confederations Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/aussies-dreading-confederations-cup/): Australia suffered a heavy defeat against Brazil. The team took a 4-0 defeat in front of their home crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Grounds on Tuesday. - [Golden State Warriors Win NBA Championship](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nba/golden-state-warriors-win-nba-championship/): The Golden State Warriors have taken back the NBA Championship with a 4-1 series win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Kevin Durant picked up the MVP award. - [Toyota clean sweep at Le Mans](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/toyota-clean-sweep-le-mans/): After the initial pre race testing round for the 24 Hours Le Mans it looks like Toyota will be dominating. They beat out Porsche by 3 seconds in the TS050. - [Richie Porte Sees The Bright Side Of His Defeat](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/richie-porte-sees-bright-side-defeat/): Australian rider Richie Porte has admitted that losing the Criterium du Dauphine was a bitter pill to swallow. However, he has learnt an important lesson. - [Johnson Defends at US Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/johnson-defends-us-open/): Dustin Johnson may well join the celebrated ranks of players who have successfully defended a major. He will be defending his US open title this week. - [Michael Venus Victorious At French Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/michael-venus-victorious-french-open/): New Zealander Michael Venus and his American doubles partner Ryan Harrison have won the French Open in a match that took over two hours to complete. - [Major Changes to Maroon’s State of Origin Team](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/major-changes-maroons-state-origin-team/): The Maroon’s State of Origin Series II team has undergone some major changes. Find out more about Walter’s surprising coaching decisions now. - [Italian Victory At Group 1 FIVB](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/volleyball/italian-victory-group-1-fivb/): The Italian men’s volleyball team faced Iran in the FIVB Group 1 match pool. They won all 3 sets against a strong on court performance from the Iranian team. - [Deportivo Moron Promoted](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/deportivo-moron-promoted/): Reserve League team, Deportivo Moron have exited the group and snatched a position in Primera B. This follows a stunning season for the much loved team. - [Kazakhstan League Crown New Champs](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/kazakhstan-league-crown-new-champs/): Kazakhstan has crowned new Premier League champs, Kairat. The team is heading full steam into the new 2017 season after their hard fought win last month. - [GSSE Volleyball Fails To Impress](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/volleyball/gsse-volleyball-fails-impress/): Malta made a disappointing showing in the GSSE women’s volleyball events. This despite their hard prep work and the momentous return of the team to the games. - [Slovenia in Euro Basket Bid](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/slovenia-euro-basket-bid/): The preliminary 29 man team for the Euro Basket has been announced by Slovenia. The team features fantastic players who are ready to do the country proud. - [Yarmolenko Does Ukraine Proud](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/yarmolenko-ukraine-proud/): Andriy Yarmolenko took home the player of the season for the Ukraine Vyscha league for the second time in a row. He is much loved by fans and critics alike. - [Jelena Ostapenko Causes Upset at French Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/jelena-ostapenko-causes-upset-french-open/): 19-year-old Jelena Ostapenko has defeated Caroline Wozniacki in the French Open quarterfinals. She will now face France’s Timea Bacsinszky in the semis. - [Hesson Signs With Nanterre 92](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/hesson-signs-nanterre-92/): British basketball player, Myles Hesson has signed with FIBA champs, Nanterre 92. He is currently recovering from a fractured Tibia sustained in February. - [Vixens Heading To Giants Clash](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/netball/vixens-heading-giants-clash/): The Melbourne Vixens are facing the Giants this Saturday. The Vixens are at the top of the League but the Giants are currently a force to be reckoned with. - [Cleveland Cruise Through To NBA Finals](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nba/cleveland-cruise-nba-finals/): The Cleveland Cavaliers have defeated the Boston Celtics 135-102 in the NBA Eastern Conference finals. They will meet the Warriors in the NBA finals. - [Real Madrid Win 12th Champions League Title](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/real-madrid-win-12th-champions-league-title/): Real Madrid has defeated Juventus in the Champions League final 4 goals to 1. A pair of goals by Ronaldo helped the Spaniards to their 12th title. - [Challengers Closer To AFC Finals](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/challengers-closer-afc-finals/): Two more competitors make it one step closer to 2017 AFC Cup glory. Home United and Air Force Club rose to the challenge of their respective matches last week. - [Real Madrid’s European Cup Win Breaks Records](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/real-madrids-european-cup-win-breaks-records/): The city of Madrid turned out to celebrate their soccer team’s win en masse. The Cibeles Square was packed to capacity as fans honoured their players. - [Michael Venus into French Open third round](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/michael-venus-french-open-third-round/): New Zealander Michael Venus and American Ryan Harrison are through to the third round of the French Open with a convincing win over 4th seed players. - [Van Avermaet in Tour De France Prep](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/van-avermaet-tour-de-france-prep/): Belgian world number 1, Greg Avermaet, is looking to the Tour De Luxemburg as his prep for the Tour De France. He is a favourite to take home the title. - [June Raceday Upgrade Plans for 2018](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/june-raceday-upgrade-plans-2018/): The prestigious June Raceday held annually at Flemington will see an overhaul in 2018. The VRC have announced plans to upgrade the historic racing venue. - [Awaiting the Provincial and Country Raceday](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/awaiting-provincial-country-raceday/): The annual Provincial and Country Raceday is set to take off in a few weeks. The day offers great betting opportunities on young up and comers in the industry. - [The NFL Teams To Keep An Eye On](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/nfl-teams-keep-eye/): Heading into the 2017 season, it’s good to recap the top NFL teams. The New England Patriots, The Greenbay Packers and the Oakland Raiders are powerful teams. - [Black Caps Win Warm-up Against Sri Lanka](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/black-caps-win-warm-sri-lanka/): A century from Martin Guptill helped the Black Caps to another convincing win in their final Champions Trophy warm-up game against Sri Lanka in Edgbaston. - [Michael Hendry Makes British Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/michael-hendry-makes-british-open/): Kiwi golfer and fan favourite Michael Hendry has made his dream of entering the British Open a reality. He came in second at the Mizuno qualifying tournament. - [NSW Go One-Up In State of Origin Opener](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/nsw-go-one-state-origin-opener/): New South Wales have taken an early lead in the State of Origin competition. The Blues demolished an understrength Queensland side with a 28-4 win. - [Girl Guide Faces John Monash Stakes](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/girl-guide-faces-john-monash-stakes/): The John Monash Stakes will be the third outing for Girl Guide under her new trainer, Claron Maher. Girl Guide has shown much promise in her racing so far. - [Marina Erakovic Fails At French Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/marina-erakovic-fails-french-open/): Marina Erakovic has been knocked out of the French Open. The 29-year-old New Zealand tennis star lost her first-round match to American Shelby Rogers. - [Schooling To Make Record Attempt](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/swimming/schooling-make-record-attempt/): Joseph Schooling, the Singaporean star will be trying to break the 100m world record set my Michael Phelps. He is competing at the FINA World Swimming Masters. - [Tom Dumoulin Victorious In The Giro d'Italia](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/tom-dumoulin-victorious-giro-ditalia/): Tom Dumoulin has made history by becoming the first Dutch rider to win the Giro d'Italia. He finished 31 seconds ahead of Colombian Nario Quintana. - [No Insults Hurled Between Blues & Maroons](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/no-insults-hurled-blues-maroons/): Cordner reveals he is not the type to sling mud in the pre-match build-up between the Blues and Maroons. He spoke of having respect for the opposing team. - [Vettel Takes The Win At Monaco Grand Prix](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/vettel-takes-win-monaco-grand-prix/): Sebastian Vettel claimed his third win of the F1 season at the 85th Monaco Grand Prix. Kimi Raikkonen lost the lead, losing time in the pit stop. - [Jose Gutierrez Joins DragonSpeed for Le Mans](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/jose-gutierrez-joins-dragonspeed-le-mans/): Jose Gutierrez, the young Mexican WeatherTech driver has been picked up by G-Drive Racing by DragonSpeed for the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in June. - [Soldiers Aim For Selection In Invictus Games](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/soldiers-aim-selection-invictus-games/): More than 70 Afghan service members attended volleyball and weightlifting competitions in the hopes of being selected for the 2017 Invictus Games. - [27 Players Earn Exemption Into The U.S Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/27-players-earn-exemption-u-s-open/): A total of 78 players have earned exemption into Next Month’s U.S Open Golf championship. The list includes 27 players who qualified this last week. - [Manchester United Claim Europa League Title](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/manchester-united-claim-europa-league-title/): Manchester United have defeated Ajax in the final of the Europa League. The team dedicated their impressive win to the victims of the terror attack. - [Predators Cruised Into The Stanley Cup Final](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/hockey/predators-cruised-stanley-cup-final/): The Nashville Predators defied expectations, downing the Anaheim ducks in game 6 of the NHL playoffs, clinching a spot in the Stanley Cup Finals. - [Arsenal’s Champions League Flop](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/arsenals-champions-league-flop/): Despite winning their match against Everton, Arsenal missed out on a spot in the UEFA Champions League for the first time in over twenty years. - [McLaren’s Monaco Grand Prix Upgrade](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/mclarens-monaco-grand-prix-upgrade/): McLaren plan on implementing the second part of their upgrade at this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix. The upgrade relates to their performance in Spain. - [Manny Pacquiao in Poor Form Ahead Of Big Fight](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/manny-pacquiao-poor-form-ahead-big-fight/): Manny Pacquiao is in the worst form of his career according to his trainer Freddie Roach. Pacquiao is just weeks away from the Suncorp Jeff Horn fight. - [Bob Jungles Wins Stage 15 of the Giro d'Italia](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/bob-jungles-wins-stage-15-giro-ditalia/): Bob Jungles claimed a brilliant victory for his team, winning the 15th stage of the Giro d'Italia. His win moves him up to 8th in the overall classification - [Black Caps look for clean sweep in Ireland](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/black-caps-look-clean-sweep-ireland/): New Zealand have won the tri-series with a resounding victory over Ireland. Now they are looking for a clean sweep ahead of the Bangladesh match. - [Are Celtics better Without Isaiah Thomas?](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nba/celtics-better-without-isaiah-thomas/): The Boston Celtics pulled one back against the Cavaliers in Game 3 of the NBA Western Conference finals. But are they better without Isaiah Thomas? - [Mumbai Indians Claim Victory In The IPL Final](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/mumbai-indians-claim-victory-ipl-final/): The Mumbai Indians have defeated the Rising Pune Supergiant in a sensational Indian Premier League final. The intense match came down to the last ball. - [Hall of Fame Race Day Results](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/hall-fame-race-day-results/): Saturday saw Flemington host the VRC’s 2017 Hall of Fame Race Day. The latest Hall of Fame inductees were celebrated with races named in their honour. - [Vega Magic Picks Up The Win at Goodwood](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/vega-magic-picks-win-goodwood/): Vega Magic showed punter that he has plenty of potential when he charged down the straight to pick up the win at the Group 1 Darley Goodwood race. - [Saints Complete Another Flawless NBL Weekend](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/saints-complete-another-flawless-nbl-weekend/): The Wellington Saints defeated the Supercity Rangers as well as the Taranaki Mountainairs to hold onto their perfect NBL season with just for games to go. - [Old Rivals At Doomben Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/old-rivals-doomben-cup/): Old rivals will be facing each other again at the Doomben Cup this year. Trainers and horses will be settling old scores this weekend after a tumultuous start. - [The Summer X Games At New Venue](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/summer-x-games-new-venue/): This year the Summer X Games will take place in Minneapolis with the first wave of athletes competing already announced. Expectations are riding high. - [India on Fire Ahead of ODI Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/india-fire-ahead-odi-cup/): India’s women’s cricket team is on track for a fantastic showing at the ODI World Cup for Women month in England. They have had a record breaking year so far. - [Captain Announced for Invictus](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/captain-announced-invictus/): The American team for the Invictus games has announced their captain. Christy Wise will lead the team with her 11 medal legacy and experience in the games. - [Black Caps Defeat Bangladesh in Dublin ODI](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/black-caps-defeat-bangladesh-dublin-odi/): New Zealand defeated Bangladesh with 15 balls to spare in their ODI warmup to the Champions Trophy. Tom Latham steadied the innings with 52 from 64. - [The Goodwood Challenges Weir](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/goodwood-challenges-weir/): The pride of Darren Weir’s stable, Black Heart Bart will be defending his Good wood title this year. Weir and the fans are in high spirits at his odds. - [British Punter wins £71,000 on Premier League](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/general/british-punter-wins-71000-premier-league/): One lucky British punter walked away with £71,000 ($133,000) after placing a £10 accumulator bet on six football titles including the Premier League. - [Scott Gunning For US Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/scott-gunning-us-open/): Australian golfer Adam Scott will be entering 2 tournaments in preparation for the US open. Scott faces strong competition from golf newcomers this Open. - [Boston Celtics into Eastern Conference Finals](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nba/boston-celtics-eastern-conference-finals/): The Boston Celtics have defeated the Washington Wizards in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semis. They play the Cavaliers in game 1 of the Finals. - [Hall of Fame Honours Legends](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/hall-fame-honours-legends/): The National Hall Of Fame once again will be honouring legends of the industry this year. It will also feature nine racing events and live entertainment. - [Le Mans Announces Drivers](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/le-mans-announces-drivers/): The 85th 24 Hours Of Le Mans kicks off soon and the teams have announced their drivers. This year will also feature two hybrid vehicles from Porsche and Toyota. - [All Blacks Sevens Finish Third in Paris](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/blacks-sevens-finish-third-paris/): The All Blacks Sevens had a return to form in the Paris leg of the World Series. The New Zealand team pipped France and England to claim the Bronze. - [Sergio Garcia Makes A Comeback at the Masters](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/sergio-garcia-makes-comeback-masters/): Sergio Garcia dug himself out of trouble with a good result on the back nine at the Masters. The Spaniard also managed to hit a hole-in-one on the 17th. - [The Latest On The Flemington Finals Race Day](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/latest-flemington-finals-race-day/): On the 8th of July, Flemington Racecourse will host the Flemington Finals Race Day. Punters and race fans can enjoy a full list of nine race finals. - [Christy Wise will captain the US at Invictus Games](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/christy-wise-will-captain-us-invictus-games/): Christy Wise has been chosen as the captain of the United States team for the 2017 Invictus games. Wise competed in the Wounded Warrior Games in 2015. - [New Zealand Ready for Confederations Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/new-zealand-ready-confederations-cup/): The Confederations Cup is scheduled to kick off on the 17th of June. The All Whites prepare for their campaign with three lead-up matches in June. - [Padraig Harrington Returns to the British Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/padraig-harrington-returns-british-open/): Two-time Open Championship winner Padraig Harrington has his eyes set on a third British Open title. Royal Birkdale will host the event on July 16th. - [Béla Fábián Gears Up For FINA World Masters](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/swimming/bela-fabian-gears-fina-world-masters/): 80-year-old Béla Fábián will represent Hungary at the 2017 FINA World Swimming Masters Championship. Fábián is looking to add to his medal tally. - [Racing action at the National Hall of Fame Race Day](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/racing-action-national-hall-fame-race-day/): Flemington Racecourse will hold the annual National Hall of Fame Race day on the 20th of March. Punters can look forward to a total of nine races. - [Bay Hawks Miss Out On NBL Playoff Opportunity](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/bay-hawks-miss-nbl-playoff-opportunity/): The Bay Hawks gave away a 19-point lead and playoff contention, losing to the Southland Sharks in the NBL. The match ended 86-81 to the Sharks. - [Real Madrid Go One Up In Champions League](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/real-madrid-go-one-champions-league/): A hat-trick from Cristiano Ronaldo saw Real Madrid defeat arch reveals Atletico Madrid to go one up in their first semi-final match on home ground. - [Juventus Through to Champions League Final](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/juventus-champions-league-final/): Juventus have booked their spot in the Champions League final after defeating Monaco 2-1. The Italians will likely face off against Real Madrid. - [Chelsea One Win Away From Premiership Title](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/chelsea-one-win-away-premiership-title/): Chelsea are one win away from claiming the English Premiership title. The Blues move six points ahead of Tottenham after defeating Middlesbrough 3-0. - [Bromwich and Proctor Axed From Rugby World Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/bromwich-proctor-axed-rugby-world-cup/): Kiwi duo Kevin Proctor and Jesse Bromwich have been axed from the Rugby League World Cup following allegations of cocaine use late on Friday night. - [Champions League Second Leg](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/champions-league-second-leg/): With the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals underway, Real Madrid has one foot in the final. We look at predictions for the second leg. - [Secret Agenda Causes Upset at Robert Sangster Stakes](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/secret-agenda-causes-upset-robert-sangster-stakes/): Mick Price trained Secret Agenda claimed an upset victory at the 2017 Robert Sangster Stakes. The four-year-old beat out the in-form Vidorra on the turn. - [World Rugby Sevens Update on Twickenham](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/world-rugby-sevens-update-twickenham/): With just one leg to go before Twickenham, the World Rugby Sevens series is all but wrapped up. South Africa hold the lead with Fiji trailing in second. - [Gonzalo Higuain Gets A Double for Juventus](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/gonzalo-higuain-gets-double-juventus/): Juventus defeated Monaco in their Champions League first-leg semi-final. Gonzalo Higuain scored both goals to give the Italians a commanding lead. - [All Change for 2017 BTC Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/change-2017-btc-cup/): The BTC Cup offers South Australian winter sprint action to New Zealand’s racing punters. This year’s race sees the name, date, venue and distance change. - [Jenson Button Back for McLaren in Monaco](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/jenson-button-back-mclaren-monaco/): Jenson Button will make a once-off return to Formula 1 at the Monaco Grand Prix. Button replaces Fernando Alonso who will be competing in the Indi 500. - [New Prize Category Added to Giro d’Italia](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/new-prize-category-added-giro-ditalia/): The 2017 Giro d'Italia will see a new prize category added to the race. The Pirelli Premio Miglior Discesista will award a prize for race descenders. - [NBA Conference Semi-finals Updates](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nba/nba-conference-semi-finals-updates/): The latest news on the NBA Conference semi-finals. The Golden State Warriors defeat the Jazz and the Boston Celtics dispatch the Washington Wizards. - [Latest Update On The Qipco 2000](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/latest-update-qipco-2000/): With just 12 colts lining up for the Qipco 2000 Guineas, the race sees the smallest field since 1995. Churchill leads the odds with Al Wukair in second. - [Table Tennis World Champs](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/table-tennis/table-tennis-world-champs/): The 2017 World Table Tennis Championships start in Dusseldorf, Germany on 29 May. New Zealand punters have 613 athletes from 108 countries to choose from. - [Anthony Mundine Aims to Return to rugby](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/anthony-mundine-aims-return-rugby/): Australian boxer and former rugby league player, Anthony Mundine wants to hang up his boxing gloves and become the oldest player in rugby league. - [The Latest on the 2017 Spanish Grand Prix](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/latest-2017-spanish-grand-prix/): The 2017 Spanish Grand Prix will take place on Sunday the 14th of May. We take a look at the drivers’ standings and what to expect in Barcelona. - [Schweppes Australasian Oaks Ahead](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/schweppes-australasian-oaks-ahead/): Saturday, 6 May sees the Schweppes Australasian Oaks run at Morphettville in Adelaide. New Zealand punters will be looking for a filly with staying power. - [Dahntay Jones Picks Up $US6000 NBA Fine](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nba/dahntay-jones-picks-us6000-nba-fine/): NBA postseason star Dahntay Jones has picked up a $US6000 fine after committing two technical fouls. Teammate LeBron James is picking up the tab. - [Crusaders Show Their Might Against the Cheetahs](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/crusaders-show-might-cheetahs/): The Crusaders have extended their lead to four points over the Chiefs after racking up a seven-try win against a fired-up Cheetahs team in Bloemfontein. - [Robert Sangster Stakes on 6 May](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/robert-sangster-stakes-6-may/): New Zealand racing fans expect a prime South Australia sprint with the Robert Sangster Stakes on 6 May. It could also reveal options for the Goodwood later. - [Parker Finds Fury Replacement](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/parker-finds-fury-replacement/): Joe Parker’s team have found a replacement contender after Hughie Fury pulled out of their upcoming match. A recurring back injury was cited as the reason. - [Rundown On The 2017 Doomben 10000](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/rundown-2017-doomben-10000/): The 2017 Doomben 10000 is scheduled to take place on the 13th of May 2017. We take a look at the history of the race, past winners and leadup races. - [Lydia Ko Has Another New Caddy](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/lydia-ko-another-new-caddy/): Lydia Ko will be starting her latest matches with a new caddie in tow. He will replace Gary Matthews who only lasted 9 matches with the women’s golf pro. - [All About The Group 1 Goodwood Horserace](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/group-1-goodwood-horserace/): The Goodwood is a Group 1, 1200m thoroughbred horserace forming part of the Adelaide autumn racing carnival. We take a look at what to expect in 2017. - [Hayne Contemplates Titan Departure](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/hayne-contemplates-titan-departure/): Jarryd Hayne from the Titans has publically stated he is considering leaving the team. It seems internal unrest has forced his hand to leave the team early. - [Woman’s Cricket World Cup Practice Schedule](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/womans-cricket-world-cup-practice-schedule/): The ICC has announced the practice schedule for the upcoming Woman’s Cricket World Cup. New Zealand will face off against India on the 19th of June. - [Gearing Up for Stanley Cup Finals](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/hockey/gearing-stanley-cup-finals/): New Zealand ice hockey punters have the Stanley Cup Finals ahead in June. Until then, the Play-Offs will continue to provide exciting betting through May. - [All About The Upcoming 2017 Summer X Games](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/upcoming-2017-summer-x-games/): The Summer X Games is scheduled to be held from the 13th to the 16th of July 2017. We take a look at the various sports and betting opportunities. - [Teen Ponga to Play in Oz](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/teen-ponga-play-oz/): Kalyn Ponga, the current North Queensland teen star will be making the move to Australia. He is joining the Newcastle Knights in the 2018 rugby season. - [85th 24 Hours of Le Mans Driver Updates](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/85th-24-hours-le-mans-driver-updates/): With the race grid announced in February, teams are slowly revealing their drivers for the upcoming 85th 24 Hour of Le Mans scheduled for June 17th. - [Wellington Saints Defeat Nelson Giants 110-84](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/wellington-saints-defeat-nelson-giants-110-84/): The Wellington Saints have continued their NBL winning streak. They defeated the Nelson Giants to take their total to 10 straight wins for the season. - [Carney Suspended Until Tribunal](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/carney-suspended-tribunal/): James Carney was sent off with a red card in a match between the Red Devils and the Wolfpack. Carney allegedly used racial slurs on an opposing player. - [Black Ferns Emerge Victorious in Japan](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/black-ferns-emerge-victorious-japan/): The Black Ferns Sevens side overpowered Canada to claim their third Cup Final victory in four events. The win puts them 10 points ahead in the series. - [McClenaghan and Milne Back In The ODI Squad](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/mcclenaghan-milne-back-odi-squad/): Adam Milne and Mitch McClenaghan will re-join the Black Caps ODI squad for the upcoming 2017 Champions Trophy. They bring huge experience to the side. - [What to Expect At The Group 1 Doomben Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/expect-group-1-doomben-cup/): The Doomben Cup is Brisbane’s most prestigious staying races of the season. We take a look at the history of the race and what to expect in 2017. - [The Upcoming U.S Open Golf Championship](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/upcoming-u-s-open-golf-championship/): The 2017 U.S Open Golf Championship is scheduled to kick off on the 15th of June. We take a look at the field and what to expect this time around. - [Aaron Hernandez Suicide Rocks NFL](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/aaron-hernandez-suicide-rocks-nfl/): The suicide of former New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez in prison shocked NFL fans. His death may also have legal repercussions down the line. - [Washington Wizards Take 2-0 lead in](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nba/washington-wizards-take-2-0-lead/): The Washington Wizards have beaten the Atlanta Hawks 109-101 in their second playoff game. They now lead the series 2-0 in the first-round series. - [Update on the F1 Season and the Spanish Grand Prix](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/update-f1-season-spanish-grand-prix/): The Spanish F1 Grand Prix is just one race away. We take a look at the current standings, what happened in Bahrain and what to expect in Barcelona. - [Racing Stakes Get A Huge Boost From NZRB](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/racing-stakes-get-huge-boost-nzrb/): The New Zealand Racing Board has informed code chiefs that up to $24 million will be fed back into the racing industry in the form of racing stakes. - [Champions League QF: Bayern Robbed](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/champions-league-qf-bayern-robbed/): This week, New Zealand punters saw the final ties of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. Bayern Munich fans were gutted by the loss to Real Madrid. - [Serena Williams to Welcome Her First Child](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/serena-williams-welcome-first-child/): Serena Williams has followed news of her engagement with that of her first pregnancy. The superstar will not play in 2017, but hopes to return next year. - [Bahrain Grand Prix Goes to Vettel](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/bahrain-grand-prix-goes-vettel/): The Bahrain Grand Prix proved that Sebastian Vettel is serious contender in 2017 Formula 1. New Zealand punters can expect a major Ferrari/Mercedes battle. - [Champions League Semi-Finals First And Second Round](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/champions-league-semi-finals-first-second-round/): With the quarterfinals well underway, we look at what to expect for the Champion League semi-final ties. The draw takes place on the 21st April. - [Sharks Retain Top-4 Spot With Win Over Panthers](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/sharks-retain-top-4-spot-win-panthers/): The Cronulla Sharks have kept their hopes alive of a premiership title after convincingly defeating the Penrith Panthers 28 points to 2 on the weekend - [Lydia Ko Records Best Finish In Nine Months](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/lydia-ko-records-best-finish-nine-months/): Lydia Ko has retained her World number 1 ranking after placing second in the LPGA Lotte Championship. This was her best finish in over nine months. - [Crusaders’ Super Rugby Run Intact](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/crusaders-super-rugby-run-intact/): Week 8 of Super Rugby 2017 kept New Zealand punters happy. The Crusaders stay unbeaten atop the ladder, the Chiefs and Hurricanes hot on their heels. - [Canada Upset in Singapore Sevens](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/canada-upset-singapore-sevens/): The Singapore Sevens saw Canada take the cup in a massive surprise. New Zealand punters also got a win over South Africa to revive their spirits. - [Fiji Aim For Rugby Sevens Title In Twickenham](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/fiji-aim-rugby-sevens-title-twickenham/): After picking up a win in Hong Kong, Fiji are confident they have what it takes to win the World Rugby Sevens Series title in Twickenham on May 21st. - [Ojo Onaolapo on the Table Tennis World Champs](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/table-tennis/ojo-onaolapo-table-tennis-world-champs/): The 2017 table tennis World Championships is set to kick off on the 29th of May. Nigerian medal winner Ojo Onaolapo is all set to build in his success. - [A New Contender For The Qipco 2000 Guineas](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/new-contender-qipco-2000-guineas/): After an impressive performance at the Prix Djebel, Al Wukair has emerged as a major contender for the upcoming Qipco 2000 Guineas race at Newmarket. - [Update on the 2017 Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/update-2017-monaco-formula-1-grand-prix/): The Monaco Grand Prix is set to take place on the 25th of May 2017. With vehicle performance increases, Monaco could separate the men from the boys. - [Fabio Aru out of the Giro d’Italia Due To Injury](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/fabio-aru-giro-ditalia-due-injury/): Italian rider, Fabio Aru will not start the 2017 Giro d’Italia. After crashing during training, Aru picked up a knee injury, which will rule him out. - [Arsenal lose 3-0 to Crystal Palace in Premier League](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/arsenal-lose-3-0-crystal-palace-premier-league/): Another dismal performance from Arsenal saw them go down 3-0 to Crystal Palace in the Premier League. Palace now finds themselves clear of relegation. - [Champions League Update Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/champions-league-update-real-madrid-vs-bayern-munich/): Cristiano Ronaldo scored his record 100th goal in a momentous Champions League quarterfinal where Real Madrid defeated Bayern Munich 2 goals to 1. - [Afghanistan Team Gears Up For Invictus Games](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/afghanistan-team-gears-invictus-games/): The CEO of the 2017 Invictus Games visited Kabul too meet with the Afghani team and view their preparations for the competition later this year. - [A New Favourite For The 2017 All Aged Stakes](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/new-favourite-2017-aged-stakes/): Trainer Darren Weir has confirmed that All Aged Stakes favourite Black Heart Bart has pulled out of Saturday’s race. The new favourite is Le Romain. - [Anderlecht face Manchester United in Europa League](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/anderlecht-face-manchester-united-europa-league/): The quarterfinal draw of the Europa league has Anderlecht taking on favourites Manchester United. The Belgians feel they can pull off an upset though. - [Sharks Defeat Storm 11-2 In Very Wet Conditions](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/sharks-defeat-storm-11-2-wet-conditions/): The Cronulla Sharks defeated the Melbourne Storm in a tense rematch of the 2016 Grand Final. The Sharks now move up to 3rd place on the NRL ladder. - [Le Romain Wants To Win All Aged Stakes](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/le-romain-wants-win-aged-stakes/): Kris Lees is hopeful about the All Aged Stakes. The track’s length is perfect for Le Romain, who has already shown his strengths in the Canterbury Stakes. - [Bonneval Claims Huge Australian Oaks Day Win](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/bonneval-claims-huge-australian-oaks-day-win/): New Zealand trained Bonneval came from behind to win the Australian Oaks Day race. Bowman timed his race perfectly, pipping Perfect Rhyme at the end. - [Foxplay’s Late Charge Claims Queen of the Turf Stakes](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/foxplays-late-charge-claims-queen-turf-stakes/): A brilliant late charge from Foxplay saw the three-year-old claim the Queen of the Turf Stakes. Zanbagh claimed 2nd with Dixie Blossoms in 3rd. - [Wet Track A Problem For Runners at All Aged Stakes](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/wet-track-problem-runners-aged-stakes/): Sydney’s rainy weather has already caused race favourite Black Heart Bart to pull out of the All Aged Stakes. Will Redkirk Warrior be next to go? - [Sydney Cup Called A No-Race After Incident On Field](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/sydney-cup-called-no-race-incident-field/): The Sydney Cup was controversially called a no-race by the stewards after Almoonqith broke down. It is unsure whether the race will be rescheduled. - [Winx Makes It 17-In-A-Row At Queen Elizabeth Stakes](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/winx-makes-17-row-queen-elizabeth-stakes/): Winx continued her two-year winning streak as she raced home to claim the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes. This makes it 17 in a row for the super mare. - [NZ Face Off Against Korea In Davis Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/nz-face-off-against-korea-in-davis-cup/): The New Zealand Davis Cup team faced Korea in their Group 1 tie on Friday. NZ were looking for revenge after losing in 2016 and want to settle the score. - [Fringe Players Join In Black Caps ODI Squad](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/fringe-players-join-black-caps-odi-squad/): The upcoming Champions Trophy will see a host of fringe cricketers joining the Black Caps Squad. The IPL has forced selectors to test out new talent. - [Ferrari’s Chinese Grand Prix Quest](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/ferraris-chinese-grand-prix-quest/): Sunday’s Chinese Grand Prix is Ferrari’s shot at their first repeat win since 2010. New Zealand Formula 1 fans can expect a titanic battle with Mercedes. - [NZ Eye Hong Kong Sevens Turnaround](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/nz-eye-hong-kong-sevens-turnaround/): The All Blacks Sevens squad is back at full strength for the Hong Kong Sevens this weekend. Dare New Zealand punters back them to finish better than third? - [English Premier League Top Tussle](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/english-premier-league-top-tussle/): Four teams are battling for supremacy at the top of the English Premier League. The next seven weeks offer New Zealand football fans many betting options. - [UEFA Champions League QF Betting](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/uefa-champions-league-qf-betting/): Tuesday and Wednesday bring the first legs of the 2017 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. New Zealand football fans have prime betting options online. - [Winx Aims for Win at Queen Elizabeth Stakes](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/winx-aims-win-queen-elizabeth-stakes/): Winx goes into Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes with the shortest odds in recent history. Winx sits at odds of $1.10 looking for her 17th straight win. - [Big Duke a Good Shot for Sydney Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/big-duke-good-shot-sydney-cup/): After winning the Chairman’s handicap last Saturday, Big Duke has been installed as a short-odd favourite for Saturday’s 2017 Sydney Cup at Randwick. - [Australian Oaks Day in Sydney](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/australian-oaks-day-sydney/): Saturday sees four top races run in Sydney’s Autumn Carnival on Australian Oaks Day. New Zealand punters will have an eye on the Royal Randwick betting. - [Randwick: Queen of the Turf Stakes](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/randwick-queen-turf-stakes/): The Queen of the Turf stakes caps a great day’s racing at Sydney’s Royal Randwick this Saturday. New Zealand betting fans have exciting Group 1 options. - [Bye Week Could Unseat Crusaders](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/bye-week-unseat-crusaders/): As we get into Week 7 of 2017 Super Rugby, the unbeaten Crusaders have a bye. However, they will be watching the action as avidly as New Zealand punters. - [NHL Will Not Take Part In The Winter Olympics](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/hockey/nhl-will-not-take-part-winter-olympics/): The NHL has released a statement saying that it will not be taking part in the 2018 Winter Olympics. The decision has a major impact the hockey world. - [Harlow Gold To Be Tested at Australian Oaks](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/harlow-gold-tested-australian-oaks/): This weekends Australian Oaks could test Harlow Gold, as rain is predicted. Trainer David Hayes says that a wet track could adversely affect performance. - [Randwick Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/randwick-queen-elizabeth-stakes-day/): With a $4-million purse, the name race on Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day attracts a good field. Kiwi punters may think Saturday’s race is sewn up, though. - [First Seal May Struggle at Queen of the Turf Stakes](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/first-seal-may-struggle-queen-turf-stakes/): Hopefully Randwick can provide a drier track by Saturday, says John Thompson, First Seal trainer. The mare needs conditions to improve to do her best. - [Sydney Cup Racing Action Saturday](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/sydney-cup-racing-action-saturday/): The best betting action at Randwick this Saturday will probably be the Sydney Cup. The Queen Elizabeth Stakes, bookies reckon, is going to a dead cert. - [Wellington Saints Continue Their NBL Winning Streak](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/wellington-saints-continue-nbl-winning-streak/): The Wellington Saints have managed to continue their NBL opening season winning streak. They defeated the Bay Hawks 102-91 to stay top of the ladder. - [The Rugby World Seven Series Twickenham](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/rugby-world-seven-series-twickenham/): The World Rugby Sevens Series has four legs remaining, closing off in Twickenham in London. South Africa lead the medals tables with England in 2nd. - [Golf Majors Start: 2017 Masters](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/golf-majors-start-2017-masters/): New Zealand online betting fans are set for the 2017 Masters at Augusta from 6-9 April. It’s the first of golf’s four majors, with stars aplenty to punt on. - [Team New Zealand to America’s Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sailing/team-new-zealand-americas-cup/): Team New Zealand head to the America’s Cup qualifiers in mid-April. New Zealand sailing punters will watch their final month of testing in Bermuda closely. - [Gearing Up For The 2017 Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/gearing-2017-formula-1-monaco-grand-prix/): The 2017 Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix gets underway on the 25th of May. The race stands out as a true test of driver’s skill, experience and bravery. - [The 2017 Table Tennis World Championships](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/table-tennis/2017-table-tennis-world-championships/): The 2017 table Tennis World Championships will take place on the 29th of May 2017. The tournament will showcase the best players from around the World. - [Kiwi Soccer Teams Road to Russia](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/kiwi-soccer-teams-road-russia/): The All Whites could well be on their way to Russia in 2018. Find out how the NZ national soccer team is working their way through the competition. - [TJ Faiane To Make Super Rugby Appearance For Blues](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/tj-faiane-make-super-rugby-appearance-blues/): Saturday’s match against the Force will see the Blues making two changes. TJ Faiane will make his debut while Murphy Taramai replaces Blake Gibson. - [Crusaders Defend Super Rugby Lead](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/crusaders-defend-super-rugby-lead/): Week Six of Super Rugby 2017 will be a testing one for the Crusaders. New Zealand punters might see the team’s dominance on the points table challenged. - [Dropping Shaun Johnson Won’t Help Warriors](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/dropping-shaun-johnson-wont-help-warriors/): Calls for the Warriors to drop Shaun Johnson are growing. However, dropping the halfback is unlikely to make a difference to the team’s NRL fortunes. - [Australian Grand Prix: Vettel Wins](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/australian-grand-prix-vettel-wins/): Sebastian Vettel’s nine-second win in the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday delighted many punters. The Ferrari team looks set to challenge Mercedes this year. - [Rain Ruins Black Caps Chances Of Test Match Win](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/rain-ruins-black-caps-chances-test-match-win/): Rain has washed away the Black Caps chances of claiming a notable test victory against the Proteas. The rainout gave South Africa the series win. - [All Whites Eye 2018 FIFA World Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/whites-eye-2018-fifa-world-cup/): For the first time since 2010, New Zealand might qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The All Whites have made the OFC Finals after two wins against Fiji. - [Free to Air Bill Doesn’t Have The Numbers](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/free-air-bill-doesnt-numbers/): Clayton Mitchell’s free to air sports bill has failed on the first hurdle. Without any serious backing, the bill doesn’t have the numbers to succeed. - [England vs. All Blacks will have to wait until 2018](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/england-vs-blacks-will-wait-2018/): England’s hopes of facing off against the All Blacks have been dashed. This comes after an announcement that New Zealand will face the Barbarians. - [Canterbury Rams Defeat Nelson Giants 114/80](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/canterbury-rams-defeat-nelson-giants-11480/): The Canterbury Rams have improved their NBL season figures after thrashing the Nelson Giants 114 point to 80. They now sit at 4th position on the log. - [Team Wellington into Stirling Premiership Final](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/team-wellington-stirling-premiership-final/): Team Wellington have booked their spot in the Stirling Sports Premiership final after defeating Waitakere United in a bizarre goal frenzied game. - [Mark Hutson takes early lead at Stroke Play Champs](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/mark-hutson-takes-early-lead-stroke-play-champs/): Mark Hutson has taken an early lead at the New Zealand men’s Stroke Play Championships. Hutson carded a seven-under 65, two shots clear of the pack. - [New Zealand NBL Season Kicks Off](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/new-zealand-nbl-season-kicks-off/): The New Zealand NBL basketball season officially kicks off this week. Seven teams will battle it out with all the games streamed and broadcast live. - [Phil Gould Speaks Out Against NRL’s New Fine Rules](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/phil-gould-speaks-nrls-new-fine-rules/): Phil Gould has spoken out against the fine handed to Sam Thaiday for contrary conduct. Gould believes that the new NRL fine rules are a problem. - [100th Giro d’Italia in May](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/100th-giro-ditalia-may/): The Giro d’Italia, from 5-28 May, promises entertaining betting for New Zealand’s cycling fans. This year, the Corsa Rosa will be held for the 100th time. - [UEFA Champions League QFs Draw](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/uefa-champions-league-qfs-draw/): New Zealand football punters are weighing their bets for the 2016-17 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. Top sides compete in the final eight in April. - [Europa League QF Match-Ups](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/europa-league-qf-match-ups/): With the Round of 16 over, the 2016-17 Europa League quarter-finalists have been decided. New Zealand betting fans can weigh up their performances so far. - [Road to NBA Conference Semi-Finals](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nba/road-nba-conference-semi-finals/): There’s lots of basketball action before the NBA Conference Semi-Finals on 1 May. New Zealand betting fans have many options until the NBA Finals in June. - [Phoenix Still Have Hope Of Making A-League Playoffs](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/phoenix-still-hope-making-league-playoffs/): The Wellington Phoenix has gone down 3-1 to the Western Sydney wonderers in the A-League. But there is still hope that they can reach the playoffs. - [Cronulla Sharks Claim James Segeyaro](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/cronulla-sharks-claim-james-segeyaro/): James Segeyaro has officially been released from his UK club. The veteran NRL star will join the Cronulla Sharks after the team negotiated his release. - [Road to UEFA Champions League QFs](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/road-uefa-champions-league-qfs/): The quarter-finals draw for the 2016-17 UEFA Champions League has been announced. New Zealand punters should consider Round of 16 form when weighing bets. - [Twickenham Hosts WR Sevens Finale](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/twickenham-hosts-wr-sevens-finale/): There are four tournaments left in the 2016-17 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series entertaining New Zealand punters. It all winds up in London at Twickenham. - [No Changes For The Black Caps Final Test In Hamilton](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/no-changes-black-caps-final-test-hamilton/): New Zealand selectors have named an unchanged squad ahead of the final test against South Africa. The team must win the test to square the series. - [New Study Shows Lasting Effect Of Concussions](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/new-study-shows-lasting-effect-concussions/): Repeated concussions to NRL players could have lasting effects on the brain. A new study has shown that former NRL players have impaired responses. - [Daniel Pearce wins Queensland PGA Championship](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/daniel-pearce-wins-queensland-pga-championship/): New Zealand golfer Daniel Pierce has won the Queensland PGA Championship. The 28-year old faced off against Australian Mathew Millar in a playoff. - [Jason Taumalolo given a two-week NRL ban](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/jason-taumalolo-given-two-week-nrl-ban/): Jason Taumalolo has been found guilty of a shoulder charge against Matt Scott. Taumalolo has been handed a two week ban and docked 6 Dally M points. - [Sharks Crush Nelson Giants in NBL Season Opener](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/sharks-crush-nelson-giants-nbl-season-opener/): The Southland Sharks have won their NBL season opening game against the Nelson Giants. The sharks decimated the Giants with a 96-58 point thrashing. - [All Blacks Tawera Kerr-Barlow Heads to Europe](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/blacks-tawera-kerr-barlow-heads-europe/): All Blacks halfback Tawera Kerr-Barlow will be leaving New Zealand rugby. Kerr-Barlow has signed a three-year contract with French team La Rochelle. - [Table Tennis World Champs: Germany](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/table-tennis/table-tennis-world-champs-germany/): The ITTF World Championships run from 29 May to 5 June in Dusseldorf, Germany. New Zealand betting fans have several options to back among the top seeds. - [Champions League Second Leg Result](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/champions-league-second-leg-result/): The UEFA Champions League quarterfinals start on 11 April. New Zealand betting fans just enjoyed two weeks of surprising Round of 16 second-leg action. - [May Formula 1: Monaco Grand Prix](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/may-formula-1-monaco-grand-prix/): The Monaco Grand Prix is sure to be a Formula 1 highlight in May. New Zealand betting fans will be watching the first five races of 2017 with interest. - [Chenille Coasts Home To Win the Auckland Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/chenille-coasts-home-win-auckland-cup/): Tony Pike strained to control his emotions after Chenille charged home to win the 2017 Auckland Cup. Pike’s thoughts were with his family in Hamilton. - [Spanish Grand Prix in May](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/spanish-grand-prix-may/): New Zealand Formula 1 punters will want to see the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona. The fourth race in the 2017 F1 Championship, it will be held on 14 May. - [Trent Boult ruled out of second test against Proteas](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/trent-boult-ruled-second-test-proteas/): Trent Boult has suffered an injury to his leg and will sit out the second test against South Africa. Tim Southee looks to be the man to replace him. - [Invictus Games: Wounded Warriors](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/invictus-games-wounded-warriors/): New Zealand will once again send a team to the Invictus Games. The 2017 event, to be held in Toronto in September, honours wounded military personnel. - [Manu Vatuvei returns to NRL for the Warriors](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/manu-vatuvei-returns-nrl-warriors/): Manu Vatuvei will make his return to the NRL when he joins the Warriors starting XIII. The beast returns in Dunedin on Friday against the Bulldogs. - [2000 Guineas: Newmarket Racing](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/2000-guineas-newmarket-racing/): Newmarket’s 2000 Guineas is the first leg of British horseracing’s Triple Crown. New Zealand punters are already considering the form for the May event. - [Arsenal and Man City qualify for FA Cup Semis](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/arsenal-man-city-qualify-fa-cup-semis/): Arsenal secured their FA cup semi-final place after crushing Lincoln City 5-0 while Man City booked their place with a 2-0 win over Middlesbrough. - [Michael Hendry Breaks 14-Year Golfing Drought](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/michael-hendry-breaks-14-year-golfing-drought/): Michael Hendry has broken a 14-year-old Kiwi drought by becoming the first local player to win the New Zealand Open Brodie Breeze trophy since 2003. - [NZ boxer Joseph Parker ready for heavyweight challenge](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/nz-boxer-joseph-parker-ready-heavyweight-challenge/): Local boxer Joseph Parker has expressed interest in facing off with US WBC champ Deontay Wilder. Parker is also keen on a matchup with Tony Bellow. - [Warrior’s Kevin Durant Injures Left Knee](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nba/warriors-kevin-durant-injures-left-knee/): In an unfortunate turn of events Golden State Warriors Kevin Durant injured his left knee. What contingency plan will the Warriors put into action? - [Cocaine Rugby Scandal in France](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/cocaine-rugby-scandal-france/): Ali Williams and James O’Connor have been arrested in Paris for Possession of cocaine. The event highlights what some say is a known drug problem in rugby. - [Stoinis Replaces Marsh in India](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/stoinis-replaces-marsh-india/): New Zealand cricket fans betting on the Australia/India Tests must assess a new factor. Marcus Stoinis replaces injured Mitchell Marsh in the Baggy Greens. - [Black Ferns’ Las Vegas Sevens Champs](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/black-ferns-las-vegas-sevens-champs/): The New Zealand Rugby Sevens Women’s side took their second win in three rounds at Las Vegas Sevens. A fourth championship may be round the corner. - [Two UEFA Champions League Shocks](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/two-uefa-champions-league-shocks/): New Zealand football fans were stunned by the latest UEFA Champions League results. Both Arsenal vs Bayern Munich and Barca vs PSG saw unusually big scores. - [A Tough Opening Day For The Black Caps in Dunedin](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/tough-opening-day-black-caps-dunedin/): Day 1 of the first test against South Africa saw the visitors at 22 for 3. However, a tough day in the field saw the Proteas climb to 229 for 4. - [New Zealand 4th: Las Vegas Sevens](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/new-zealand-4th-las-vegas-sevens/): New Zealand made the semis in the Las Vegas Sevens last weekend. But for the third time this World Rugby Sevens season, they failed to make the final. - [Marcus Daniell joins the field at the Wellington Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/marcus-daniell-joins-field-wellington-open/): After narrowly missing out on fourth ATP doubles title, Marcus Daniell has confirmed his participation in the much-anticipated Wellington Open. - [Sharapova: French Open Uncertain](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/sharapova-french-open-uncertain/): Tennis fans in New Zealand are sizing up the French Open betting options in May. Russian star Maria Sharapova might not be granted a wild card entry. - [Pressure Dogs Black Caps’ ODI Loss](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/pressure-dogs-black-caps-odi-loss/): The New Zealand cricket team needs to cope with tight spots better in June’s Champions Trophy. So says the coach, after an ODI Series loss to South Africa. - [NZ Super Rugby Triumphs Continue](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/nz-super-rugby-triumphs-continue/): It’s early days, but 2017 Super Rugby looks like it is going to delight New Zealand betting fans. Two rounds in, three New Zealand sides remain undefeated. - [All Blacks Sevens Take Fourth Place in Las Vegas](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/blacks-sevens-take-fourth-place-las-vegas/): The New Zealand Sevens rugby team picked up fourth place in the Las Vegas leg of the competition. The All Blacks were outdone by a powerful USA team. - [Murray Wins Dubai Championship](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/murray-wins-dubai-championship/): New Zealand tennis fans watched the final of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Saturday. Andy Murray won his first men’s singles title this year. - [Gingernuts’ New Zealand Derby Win](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/gingernuts-new-zealand-derby-win/): Promising colt Gingernuts added another race to his winning record on Saturday. The Te Akau gelding stormed home to win the New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie. - [St Jean Out of Auckland Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/st-jean-auckland-cup/): The ante-post favourite for Saturday’s Auckland Cup at Ellerslie is 5-year-old mare Chenille. Promising entire St Jean was withdrawn with a tendon injury. - [Must See Racing Action In March](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/must-see-racing-action-march/): The William Reid Stakes promises to be another tight turning affair come 24th March 2017. Punters look forward to this race can get their bets in now. - [Look Back at the New Zealand Derby 2016](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/look-back-new-zealand-derby-2016/): New Zealand Derby 2016 was held in March with a number of races happening on the same day. It is one of the biggest horse races on the NZ calendar. - [Last FA Cup QF Berth to Man City](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/last-fa-cup-qf-berth-man-city/): Manchester City is through to the last quarterfinals spot of the 2017 FA Cup. New Zealand football fans will have noted their 5-1 win against Huddersfield. - [Western Force Finally Claim Super Rugby Home Win](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/western-force-finally-claim-super-rugby-home-win/): The Western Force have put an end to their 10-game Super Rugby losing streak. Set up against a powerful Reds team, the Force won by 26 points to 19. - [Racehorse Valley Girl Retires](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/racehorse-valley-girl-retires/): Filly Valley Girl has been retired after an injury. She was a winning New Zealand racehorse both in Australia and in New Zealand in Group One races. - [Stephenstihls in with a chance at NZ Derby](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/stephenstihls-chance-nz-derby/): Trainer Mike Breslin has high hopes Stephenstihls at this year’s New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie. Breslin feels his $60 horse is completely undervalued. - [Fury’s Drug Hearing Jeopardises Parker Fight](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/furys-drug-hearing-jeopardises-parker-fight/): With an upcoming hearing for banned substance abuse, Hughie Fury may receive a ban. Who will Joseph Parker face if Fury is unable to step into the ring? - [Watching William Reid Stakes Form](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/watching-william-reid-stakes-form/): Autumn racing at Moonee Valley closes with the William Reid Stakes. New Zealand punters should see how their favourites do in two earlier Australian races. - [Federer in Fine Form at the 2017 Dubai Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/federer-fine-form-2017-dubai-open/): Roger Federer is back in action at the Dubai Open. Searching for his eighth Dubai title, he breezed past Frenchman Benoit Paire in straight sets. - [White Ferns Primed For ODI Series Win Against Aussies](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/white-ferns-primed-odi-series-win-aussies/): The White Ferns pulled off a five-wicket win against Australia to go one-up in the Rosebowl series. The team is poised win the series after 18 years. - [Kiwi Sailor Completes Epic Round The World Race](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/kiwi-sailor-completes-epic-round-world-race/): NZ sailor Conrad Colman has finished the gruelling Vendee Globe yacht race. Colman became the first Kiwi to compete the solo round the world race. - [Scottish Cup Quarter-Finals Football News](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/scottish-cup-quarter-finals-football-news/): New Zealand punters are enjoying the final weeks of European football in 2016-17. The Scottish Cup Quarter-Finals herald the climax of a thrilling season. - [AFL 2017 Toyota Premiership Report](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/afl-2017-toyota-premiership-report/): New Zealanders awaiting the AFL 2017 Toyota Premiership already have footie to bet on. The pre-season games and AFL Women’s Competition are action-packed. - [World Track Championship Hopes](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/world-track-championship-hopes/): The 2017 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Hong Kong await the New Zealand team in April. The on-going World Cup gives betting fans a handy preview. - [Man City Footballer apologises to German Punter](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/man-city-footballer-apologises-german-punter/): Man City footballer Leroy Sane has apologised to a German punter after he ruined his chances of cashing in on a NZ$ 50 000 bet by scoring a 5th goal. - [Auckland to Host Davis Cup Tie](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/auckland-host-davis-cup-tie/): New Zealand’s national tennis team will be in Davis Cup action in Auckland, come April. Online punters wonder if they can stay in Group 1 of their Zone. - [Grand National Withdrawal Shock](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/grand-national-withdrawal-shock/): Irish owner Michael O’Leary has withdrawn all three of his horses from the 2017 Grand National. New Zealand punters will have to rethink their April bets. - [ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier 2017 Result](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/icc-womens-world-cup-qualifier-2017-result/): New Zealand online betting fans saw top women’s cricket at the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier 2017. The India/South Africa final was a last-ball thriller. - [Honda Classic First Round Update](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/honda-classic-first-round-update/): The Honda Classic in Florida promises new Zealand fans a bumper weekend of golf. Thursday’s Round 1 delivered some great shots and a few surprises. - [Top Blues/Rebels Super Rugby Start](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/top-bluesrebels-super-rugby-start/): The Blues crushed the Rebels in Thursday’s first match of the 2017 SANZAAR Super Rugby tournament. There’s a full weekend of top rugby union ahead. - [NZ Under-17 Football Team Qualifies For World Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/nz-17-football-team-qualifies-world-cup/): The men’s under-17 football team have officially qualified for the World Cup in October this year. They beat Papua New Guinea 2-1 to book their place. - [Checking Auckland Cup Week Field](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/checking-auckland-cup-week-field/): Saturday saw the last meeting at Ellerlie before Auckland Cup Week. New Zealand racing punters got to study the form of their Auckland Cup Week favourites. - [Ferns Captain Abby Erceg Quits NZ football](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/ferns-captain-abby-erceg-quits-nz-football/): Abby Erceg, the dynamic Ferns Captain has shocked the country by announcing that she is quitting and has hit out at NZ football for the decision. - [Spotting Kentucky Derby Winners](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/spotting-kentucky-derby-winners/): The Kentucky Derby on May 06 should attract lots of keen New Zealand betting fans. Several upcoming races can help punters evaluate the Derby field’s form. - [Lincoln City Eyes FA Cup Final](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/lincoln-city-eyes-fa-cup-final/): New Zealand football fans are sure to want a punt on the FA Cup Final at Wembley on May 27. Lincoln City’s historic season makes them dangerous underdogs. - [Trent Boult sells for over a Million at IPL auction](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/trent-boult-sells-million-ipl-auction/): New Zealand fast bowler Trent Boult has become cricket’s latest millionaire after selling for $NZ1.04 to Kolkata at the Indian Premier League Auction. - [Warriors Back On Track With 4 Try Win Over Titans](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/warriors-back-track-4-try-win-titans/): The Warriors have shown their performance on the field is getting better. The team crushed the Gold Coast Titans 26 points to 6 at Palmerston North. - [Blue Diamond Stakes Day Highlights](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/blue-diamond-stakes-day-highlights/): Caulfield, Melbourne hosts Australia’s Blue Diamond Stakes, Futurity Stakes and Oakleigh Plate on February 25. A field update for New Zealand punters. - [Honda Classic: Woods, McIlroy Out](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/honda-classic-woods-mcilroy/): New Zealand golf fans will be glued to the PGA Honda Classic next week. Despite the absence of Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, it boasts a competitive field. - [Fed Cup First Round Results](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/fed-cup-first-round-results/): There was tennis action and controversy aplenty during the first round of the 2017 Fed Cup last week. Germany, USA and Great Britain dominated the news. - [Team NZ Unveils Their Boat For Americas Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/team-nz-unveils-boat-americas-cup/): Emirates team New Zealand have officially launched their 50-foot race boat for the Americas Cup. The crew hope to reclaim the cup in Bermuda this year. - [Lightning Stakes Field Announced](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/lightning-stakes-field-announced/): There are 13 horses in the field for Melbourne’s Lightning Stakes. We rate some of the Flemington options New Zealand punters can consider. - [AFL 2017 Toyota Premiership News](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/afl-2017-toyota-premiership-news/): The AFL 2017 Toyota Premiership starts next month, with the Women’s season already underway. The pre-season JLT Community Series also starts this week. - [Auckland Cup Week News Update](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/auckland-cup-week-news-update/): Auckland Cup Week presents New Zealand racing fans with two iconic autumn races. A look at some early contenders in the New Zealand Derby and Auckland Cup. - [Barcelona Go Down 4-0 to Paris Saint-Germain](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/barcelona-go-4-0-paris-saint-germain/): Five-time European Champions Barcelona, have lost their Champions League knockout match to PSG. The French side destroyed Barcelona 4 goals to 0. - [Ecuador, Sofia, Sud de France Open Results](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/ecuador-sofia-sud-de-france-open-results/): Last week, New Zealand punters enjoyed three ATP tournaments at once. Here are the results for the Ecuador Open, Sofia Open and Sud de France Open. - [New Zealand Cricket Players Set For IPL Auction](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/new-zealand-cricket-players-set-ipl-auction/): A total of 19 New Zealand cricket hopefuls will hope to strike it rich at this year’s IPL Auction. Trent Boult and Martin Guptill head up the list. - [William Reid Stakes Tips](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/william-reid-stakes-tips/): The March 22 William Reid Stakes is a great finale to Melbourne’s autumn night races. We spot contenders New Zealand racing punters should be watching. - [Luke Ronchi re-joins the Black Caps ODI squad](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/luke-ronchi-re-joins-black-caps-odi-squad/): New Zealand wicket keeper Luke Ronchi will join the Black Caps ODI squad for the upcoming series against South Africa, replacing batsman Colin Munro. - [ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier Latest](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/icc-womens-world-cup-qualifier-latest/): The ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier in 2017 is entering the Super Six stage. India and South Africa, topping their groups, may interest New Zealand punters. - [Sione Lauaki Mourned by Rugby](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/sione-lauaki-mourned-rugby/): Rugby union fans worldwide were saddened by the death of Sione Lauaki. The former All Black passed a week after South Africa lost Joost van der Westhuizen. - [Oakleigh Plate Betting Prospects](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/oakleigh-plate-betting-prospects/): The Oakleigh Plate on Blue Diamond Stakes Day in Melbourne attracts lots of bets from New Zealand. We took a look at some of the possible contenders. - [ATP Tour Hits Europe and Ecuador](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/atp-tour-hits-europe-ecuador/): It is almost time for the Ecuador Open, Sofia Open and the Sud De France Open. The list of players has been revealed for this year’s ATP tennis events. - [New Zealand Black Socks Too Good for Japan](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/softball/new-zealand-black-socks-good-japan/): The New Zealand men’s softball team have defeated Japan in their opening game of the softball Challenge Cup. The Black Sox cruised to a 10-5 victory. - [Fed Cup: No Williams Sisters](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/fed-cup-no-williams-sisters/): This years Fed Cup saw some of the biggest tennis stars sit out. Find out why Venus and Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber gave it a miss. - [2017 ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/2017-icc-womens-world-cup-qualifier/): Colombo, Sri Lanka hosts the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier from February 07-21. New Zealand fans will be keen to assess the competition for June/July. - [Taiwan Open: Both Chinas Win](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/taiwan-open-chinas-win/): Last week’s Taiwan Open at the Taipei Arena pitted the small island nation against its giant mainland neighbour. Both sides came away with victories. - [Lisa Carrington Named Sportswoman Of The Year](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/general/lisa-carrington-named-sportswoman-year/): Lisa Carrington has officially been named sportswoman of the year for 2016. Lisa also claimed the supreme Halberg at the 54th Halberg award ceremony. - [Top Talent in Qatar Total Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/top-talent-qatar-total-open/): Women’s tennis proceeds apace in 2017, with the first round of the Fed Cup followed by the Qatar Total Open. The Doha contest has attracted Top 10 stars. - [Lightning Stakes is Ready To Strike](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/lightning-stakes-ready-strike/): The Lightning Stakes is all set to go in February with great horses and riders confirmed to take part. The event will not feature defending champ Chautauqua. - [Black Caps extend their winning record at home](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/black-caps-extend-winning-record-home/): After taking back the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy from Australia, the New Zealand Black Caps have completed an epic run of 26 wins from 30 home ODI’s. - [Silver Ferns Outclass The Proteas In London](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/netball/silver-ferns-outclass-proteas-london/): The New Zealand woman’s netball side has pulled off one of the biggest wins in the quad series. The Silver ferns beat South Africa 79 points to 39. - [Auckland Nines: Two Surprise Wins](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/auckland-nines-two-surprise-wins/): The annual Auckland Nines produced two new rugby league champions last weekend. Sadly for New Zealand fans, however, both the winners are Australian. - [Weir Places Hopes In Trinity](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/weir-places-hopes-trinity/): This year’s Oakleigh plate is set to feature great horses by trainer Darren Weir but we may miss out on Flamberge returning to the Oakleigh Plate. - [New England Patriots Win 2017 Super Bowl Final](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/new-england-patriots-win-2017-super-bowl-final/): The New England Patriots pulled off the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history to beat the Atlanta Falcons 34 points to 28 in the 2017 Super Bowl Final - [Trainers and Fans Await William Reid](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/trainers-fans-await-william-reid/): The William Reid Stakes will feature top competitors from Darren Weir as well as Peter Gelagotis. Fans are in for an exciting and great event this year. - [Lightning Stakes to Draw Punters](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/lightning-stakes-draw-punters/): New Zealand’s horseracing fans shouldn’t miss the Lightning Stakes in Melbourne on February 18. Australia’s top sprint now comes with extra diversity. - [Thomas to Take Part in Classic](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/thomas-take-part-classic/): Golfer Justin Thomas has announced that he will be competing at the Honda Classic. He will be joined by Tiger Woods, Adam Scott and many others. - [Yearling Sales Attract Thousands](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/yearling-sales-attract-thousands/): This year’s Bloodstock yearling sales that lead into the Auckland Cup Week was a massive success. Fantastic breeders showcase the best on offer in racing. - [Ireland Women’s Cricket Team ICC Ready](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/ireland-womens-cricket-team-icc-ready/): Ireland captain, Laura Delany knows that the squad is ready. She thinks the team can make it past the qualifier in Sri Lanka if they focus on their strengths. - [Chicago Bulls crush Oklahoma City Thunder](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nba/chicago-bulls-crush-oklahoma-city-thunder/): The Chicago Bulls have pulled off an impressive win against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Bulls crushed the Thunder 128 points to 100 on Wednesday. - [Stars Ready for Qatar Total Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/stars-ready-qatar-total-open/): With day one just around the corner, the Qatar Total Open is ready to receive its 32 single players and its 16 doubles teams. Angelique Kerber is the no1 seed. - [Local Punter wins $197 000 on Pick Six at Trentham](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/general/local-punter-wins-197-000-pick-six-trentham/): One lucky New Zealand punter walked away with almost $200 000 after holding the only ticket to pay out the Pick Six dividend at Trentham on Saturday. - [AFL 2017 Toyota Premiership Top TV](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/afl-2017-toyota-premiership-top-tv/): The AFL 2017 Toyota Premiership promises prime-time action on Thursday and Friday nights. Here are some highlights punters can expect in the first round. - [ABN AMRO World Tennis and Memphis Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/abn-amro-world-tennis-memphis-open/): The ABN AMRO World Tennis and Memphis Open continue the tennis action in February. New Zealand betting fans have two indoor tournaments to choose from. - [Johnathan Thurston to join Cowboys for NRL Nines](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/johnathan-thurston-join-cowboys-nrl-nines/): Johnathan Thurston has been offered the captaincy of the North Queensland Cowboys for the Auckland Nines tournament. He makes his debut this weekend. - [Black Caps Claim Epic Win With A Superb Runout](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/black-caps-claim-epic-win-superb-runout/): The New Zealand cricket team overcame amazing odds and a thrilling Marcus Stoinis knock to claim the Chappell-Hadlee series opener against Australia. - [Super Bowl LI: Patriots vs Falcons](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/super-bowl-li-patriots-vs-falcons/): At last, New Zealand gridiron fans know who will play in the 2017 Super Bowl. Punters must now choose between the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots. - [Federer and Serena triumph at Australian Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/federer-serena-triumph-australian-open/): Roger Federer and Serena Williams are the 2017 Australian Open Champions. Federer beat Nadal in an epic five set game while Serena cruised to victory. - [Taiwan Open Top Seeds Previewed](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/taiwan-open-top-seeds-previewed/): The Taiwan Open runs in Taipei from January 30 to February 05. We take a look at the top players entered, on behalf of New Zealand’s betting enthusiasts. - [Auckland Cup Week Opener Build-Up](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/auckland-cup-week-opener-build/): Auckland Cup Week at Ellerslie starts on Derby Day with the million-dollar New Zealand Derby. Punters will be watching three favourites closely until March. - [Czech Fed Cup Team Announced](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/czech-fed-cup-team-announced/): New Zealand punters are delighted with Fed Cup top seed Czech Republic’s 2017 team. Germany, sadly, will be without World No. 1 Angelique Kerber in Round 1. - [Wiki Back for 2017 Auckland Nines](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/wiki-back-2017-auckland-nines/): The 2017 NRL Auckland Nines has lured a legend back to Eden Park. Former Kiwis captain Ruben Wiki comes out of retirement to delight New Zealand punters. - [Oakleigh Plate Field Still Not Finalised](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/oakleigh-plate-field-still-not-finalised/): The field for the 2017 Oakleigh Plate on February 25 is still quite nebulous. However, New Zealand betting fans can consider some horses likely to run. - [Honda Classic Punters Await Woods](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/honda-classic-punters-await-woods/): The PGA Honda Classic starts in Florida on February 23. New Zealand betting aficionados are keen to see the return of Tiger Woods after a two-year break. - [White Ferns Squad Named for Australian series](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/white-ferns-squad-named-australian-series/): The T20 and ODI White Ferns squad has been named for the upcoming Australia series. Leigh Kasperek re-joins the team fully recovered from her injury. - [Kiwi boxer to fight for boxing world title](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/kiwi-boxer-fight-boxing-world-title/): Local Kiwi boxer Robert Berridge will head to Russia next month to fight for the WBA light heavyweight world title against the Russian Dmytry Bivol. - [Indian Team announced for qualifier](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/indian-team-announced-qualifier/): The women’s team to represents India at the ICC World Cup qualifier was announced. The team remains basically unchanged from the 2016 season’s squad. - [Ecuador, Sofia, Sud de France Open Next Up](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/ecuador-sofia-sud-de-france-open-next/): After defeats in the Australian Open, top tennis stars are even hungrier. The Ecuador Open, Sofia Open and Sud de France Open will see good betting action. - [Is the Big Bash League Heading to New Zealand?](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/big-bash-league-heading-new-zealand/): A recent NSW cricket proposal could see the expansion of the Australian Big Bash T20 League heading for China, Singapore, Hong Kong and New Zealand. - [23 Players Announced For Taiwan Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/23-players-announced-taiwan-open/): The 23 player roster to compete in the Taiwan Open has been announced. Local favourite Lee Ya-hsuan was added as the wild card draw for this year’s event. - [New England Patriots Through to Super Bowl](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/new-england-patriots-super-bowl/): The New England Patriots have beaten the Pittsburgh Steelers to claim their spot in the NFL Super Bowl. The Patriots face the Falcons in the final. - [Wellington Cup Day Favourites Upset](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/wellington-cup-day-favourites-upset/): New Zealand punters saw surprise results in two top races at Trentham on Wellington Cup Day. Outsiders won both the Telegraph and the Wellington Cup. - [Elder Statesman Freeney A Benefit](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/elder-statesman-freeney-benefit/): 37 year old defensive end Dwight Freeney brings much experience to his younger team. He has won a previous Super Bowl title And Player Of The Year awards. - [Great Britain in Fed Cup Draw](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/great-britain-fed-cup-draw/): This year, Great Britain will be competing in Pool C of the Fed Cup. They are placed with Portugal, Turkey and Latvia in this first round match up event. - [Honda Classic Almost Ready For Fans](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/honda-classic-almost-ready-fans/): This year’s Honda classic will be an exciting world class event. Already Tiger Woods and many other greats have confirmed their attendance at the classic. - [2017 is 55th Year of Fed Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/2017-55th-year-fed-cup/): The annual Fed Cup is celebrating its 55th year in 2017. 2016’s performances have set up an exciting tournament this year with Monica Puig defending her title. - [ATP Set For Great Start in 2017](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/atp-set-great-start-2017/): This year’s ATP tennis tour start in February with great hard court events. The Ecuador Open, Sofia Open and the Sud De France are first up on the tour. - [The Memphis and Rotterdam Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/memphis-rotterdam-open/): Kei Nishikori and John Isner will be joining this year’s Memphis Open. The ABN AMRO Open will feature Steven Wawrinka, Rafael Nadal along with Jo Tsonga. - [Wiki Returns To Rugby at Nines](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/wiki-returns-rugby-nines/): Former All Black, Ruben Wiki will be returning to professional Rugby. He will be taking part in this year’s Auckland Nines after an 8 year absence from Rugby. - [Auckland Cup Week Top Picks](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/auckland-cup-week-top-picks/): Auckland Cup Week 2017 is still weeks away, but already features on New Zealand racing punters’ radar. Here are some horses to keep an eye on until March. - [Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/wallaceville-estate-wellington-cup-day-5/): Catch up on the 2025 Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day. Aimpoint clinches victory in the $200,000 feature race. Full results & highlights. - [ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier 2017](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/icc-womens-world-cup-qualifier-2017-2/): The ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier in 2017 starts in Colombo, Sri Lanka on February 07. Ten teams are vying for four places in the World Cup in June. - [Kerber Set for Qatar Total Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/kerber-set-qatar-total-open/): WTA Number 1 Angelique Kerber heads directly to the 2017 Qatar Total Open after the Australian Open. It’s a blow to the German Fed Cup Team in Hawaii. - [Australian Open Round 1, Day 1](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/australian-open-round-1-day-1/): The opening day of the Australian Open saw some tight singles matches. New Zealand punters backing top seeds Murray and Kerber are still smiling, though. - [AFL 2017 Toyota Premiership Looms](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/afl-2017-toyota-premiership-looms/): With the pre-season four weeks away, the AFL 2017 Toyota Premiership’s March kick-off doesn’t seem so far off. Here’s what New Zealand punters can expect. - [Sock Takes ASB Classic Final](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/sock-takes-asb-classic-final/): Tennis fans saw a thrilling ASB Classic Final on Saturday. Despite missing a winning opportunity in the second set, Jack Sock triumphed over Joao Sousa. - [Wellington Cup Carnival Under Way](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/wellington-cup-carnival-way/): Trentham’s Classic Day, AKA Super Saturday, got the 2017 Wellington Cup Carnival going. Three feature races offered punters online some rewarding bets. - [Qatar Total Open Set for February](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/qatar-total-open-set-february/): The annual Qatar Total Open will be taking place in February. This world-class professional woman’s tournament has featured some of the top names in tennis. - [Even field for Auckland Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/even-field-auckland-cup/): This year with the loss of some top competitors, the Auckland Cup seems to have an even playing field. The event takes place on the 11th of March this year. - [2017 ATP 250 Series Heating Up](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/2017-atp-250-series-heating/): The ATP 250 series is starting the year off right with 3 scheduled opens. The Ecuador Open, Sofia Open and Sud De France Open is set to provide great action. - [Mourinho Set To Steal William Reid](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/mourinho-set-steal-william-reid/): This year Flamberge will be defending his title from racer Mourinho. The 10 year old is set to return to competition after a great racing performance last year. - [Warriors Await 2017 Auckland Nines](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/warriors-await-2017-auckland-nines/): The New Zealand Warriors are the only Kiwi team in the NRL. Sports betting fans are hoping the fourth Auckland Nines tournament brings an elusive victory. - [Taiwan Open Draws Players and Fans](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/taiwan-open-draws-players-fans/): The second Taiwan Open starts at the end of January, and this year’s field is even stronger. New Zealand betting fans have lots to look forward to. - [Top Horses Go For Gold at Melbourne](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/top-horses-go-gold-melbourne/): The Blue Diamond stakes, Oakleigh Plate and Futurity Stakes will feature some great competitors form the world of horse racing. This includes Turn Me Loose. - [ASB Classic Statham Sadly Out](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/asb-classic-statham-sadly/): Rubin Statham’s valiant challenge for a quarterfinal spot at the ASB Classic just didn’t have the legs. The New Zealand tennis hopeful lost to Jiri Vesely. - [2017 Super Bowl Playoffs Preview](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/2017-super-bowl-playoffs-preview/): The New England Patriots are favourites to win Super Bowl LI. But New Zealand punters still want to see the playoffs action before betting on the big one. - [Australian Open About to Begin](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/australian-open-begin/): The Australian Open marks the first tournament on the 2017 tennis calendar. High profile players are waiting to hit the court on the 16th of January. - [Woods to Join Honda Classic](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/woods-join-honda-classic/): The 2017 Honda Classic golf tournament is set for a great start with the confirmation of Tiger Woods joining the tournament this year, after an absence. - [ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier in 2017](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/icc-womens-world-cup-qualifier-2017/): This year’s ICC Women’s World Cup qualifier will be hosted in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Reigning champions this year Australia who have a commanding ranking lead. - [Chautauqua to confirm BC Stakes](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/chautauqua-confirm-bc-stakes/): Last year’s Black Caviar Lightning Stakes winner, Chautauqua , is yet to be confirmed for this years event. The 5 year old gelding has had a busy 2016 schedule. - [5 Great Kiwi Sports Stars](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/general/5-great-kiwi-sports-stars/): New Zealand produces some of the finest athletes in all sports disciplines. It is always a good thing to look back on the past year and see who has stood out. - [2017 AFL Toyota Premiership](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/2017-afl-toyota-premiership/): New Zealand’s footie fans are impatient for the 2017 AFL Toyota Premiership to start in March. But there are diversions available to punters before then. - [High security for Serena in ASB](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/high-security-serena-asb/): Serena Williams has received an unprecedented level of security for her ASB appearance. Highly trained staff has been shadowing her 24/7 during the event. - [5 of our Best Athletes of 2016](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/general/5-best-athletes-2016/): 2016 has been a great year for New Zealand’s athletes. They continue to do the great Kiwi sporting culture proud on both a local and international stage. - [Ecuador, Sofia, Sud de France Open Stars](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/ecuador-sofia-sud-de-france-open-stars/): In February, New Zealand tennis punters can lay bets on multiple tournaments at once. Updates on top seeds in the Ecuador, Sofia and Sud de France Opens. - [Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day Odds](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/wallaceville-estate-wellington-cup-day-odds/): Punters are keenly awaiting the Wellington Cup on January 21. Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day ties Trentham Racecourse to the surrounding community. - [Frustration at New Liquor Laws](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/frustration-new-liquor-laws/): Kumara Racing Club have faced delays due to new liquor licence laws. It has caused stress and concern with regards to their annual horse racing event. - [Payne to Return As Jockey-Trainer](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/payne-return-jockey-trainer/): After a horrible fall, female jockey Michelle Payne plans to return in 2017. She hopes to win one more Melbourne Cup before her official retirement from racing. - [Wellington Cup Carnival’s Comeback](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/wellington-cup-carnivals-comeback/): The Wellington Cup, showpiece of WRC’s Wellington Cup Carnival, was downgraded to Group III last year. But a boosted purse should see it as popular as ever. - [2017 Australian Open Top Seeds](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/2017-australian-open-top-seeds/): The Australian Open, starting January 16 at Melbourne Park, will be full of top tennis action. We look at some seeds to watch in the men’s tournament. - [Super Bowl 2017 News Update](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/super-bowl-2017-news-update/): The playoffs for Super Bowl LI, highlight of the 2016-17 NFL, are almost upon us. We look at the teams topping the tables and spots still to be decided. - [Ross Taylor Unlucky over T20 Spot](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/ross-taylor-unlucky-t20-spot/): Wellington veteran of NZ cricket Ross Taylor has been dropped for the T20 series against Bangladesh. He was unlucky to be up against some brilliant talent. - [Safarova Wins ASB 1st Round Easily](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/safarova-wins-asb-1st-round-easily/): Czech Lucie Safarova sailed through her first-round ASB Classic match against countrywoman Denisa Allertova. The Auckland tennis tournament started Monday. - [Tom Bruce’s Black Caps T20 Debut](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/tom-bruces-black-caps-t20-debut/): Tom Bruce has high hopes of a call-up to bat for the New Zealand Test cricket side soon. He’s in the Black Caps T20 squad playing Bangladesh Tuesday night. - [Ronaldo Says No To Chinese Offer](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/ronaldo-says-no-chinese-offer/): Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has turned down a multi-million dollar deal with an unnamed Chinese football club. He will be staying with Madrid. - [FIFA to Expand With Oceania Plans](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/fifa-expand-oceania-plans/): Football New Zealand is looking to join an expanded FIFA roster of more than 32 teams. FIFA management appear to be on board with expansion plans for the Cup. - [Sutton Invokes Kiwis in Inquiry](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/sutton-invokes-kiwis-inquiry/): A Recent parliamentary inquiry into the use of banned substances in British cycling grilled cycling officials. Shane Sutton was under fire for his conduct. - [Nicola Adams To Receive OBE](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/nicola-adams-receive-obe/): Acclaimed British flyweight boxer Nicola Adams will be receiving the OBE in the New Year. This is in recognition of her second Olympic gold medal in boxing. - [Jeetan Patel joins ODI Matches](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/jeetan-patel-joins-odi-matches/): Offspinner and county cricketer Jeetan Patel has joined the New Zealand cricket team for their ODI matches. They are playing Bangladesh at the Saxton Oval. - [New Zealand Showcase Batting](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/new-zealand-showcase-batting/): The New Zealand cricket team has had a great year. There have been highs and lows but the team appears stronger than ever heading into the new cricketing year. - [Chad Robinson Found In Car Wreck](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/chad-robinson-found-car-wreck/): Former NRL player, Char Robinson was found 3 weeks after he was reported missing. He was found in his Subaru at the bottom of a cliff face last week. - [Taylor Returns After Surgery](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/taylor-returns-surgery/): After removing a benign growth from his eye at the beginning of the month, Ross Taylor returns. In a stunning display he helped defeat the Auckland Aces - [Foran’s Future with Warriors Uncertain](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/forans-future-warriors-uncertain/): Kieran Foran is to find out his future with the NRL in 2017. The star is recovering from a season ending shoulder injury that brings into question his fitness. - [Player Loss Concerning for NRL](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/player-loss-concerning-nrl/): The loss of top tier players in the NRL is causing some concern for fans and stakeholders. The future composition of the New Zealand squad is still uncertain. - [Fed Cup: Germany vs. USA, Maui 2017](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/fed-cup-germany-vs-usa-maui-2017/): Known as the World Cup of women’s tennis, the Fed Cup starts in February. In the World Group, the German team will take on the USA in idyllic Hawaii. - [2017 Taiwan Open Update](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/2017-taiwan-open-update/): The Taiwan Open, now in its second year, will entertain tennis fans in January/February 2017. We look at the players New Zealand punters may want to back. - [New Scoring System for Six Nations](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/new-scoring-system-six-nations/): It has been decided that there will be a new scoring system introduced to the Six Nations. The system has seen success in other Rugby competitions. - [Knights Defeated Kings in Smash](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/knights-defeated-kings-smash/): The Northern Knights won a hard fought victory against the Canterbury Kings. The match ended with the Knights achieving a 64 run win over the Canterbury Kings. - [Wilder in February Title Defence](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/wilder-february-title-defence/): WBC champion Deontay Wilder will be facing Polish challenger Andrzej Wawrzyk in February. It will be a title defence match in Birmingham, Alabama. - [Second NZ ODI Victory](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/second-nz-odi-victory/): New Zealand has secured a second ODI victory against Bangladesh. New Zealand won the game thanks to Broom and Williamson’s great performances in the match. - [Broady Heading to ASB Quarterfinal](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/broady-heading-asb-quarterfinal/): With the sudden departure of two top competitors, British tennis player Naomi Broady is heading to the quarterfinals. She hopes to make it to the finals. - [Owen Franks Pledged To New Zealand](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/owen-franks-pledged-new-zealand/): Star prop Owen Franks has resigned to New Zealand until his tenure until the 2019 world cup. Franks has quelled concerns amongst fans of his departure. - [All Blacks Ready for World Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/blacks-ready-world-cup/): With the securing of prop Owen Franks and general assurance that most key players will stay on, NZR is ready for the next Cup victory in 2019. - [Sharks To Fight For NRL Defence](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/sharks-fight-nrl-defence/): After a stunning victory for the NRL cup, Cronulla will have all eyes on them. They are hoping to successfully defend the title at next year’s final. - [NFL Playoffs Just Around The Corner](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/nfl-playoffs-just-around-corner/): This year’s NFL playoffs are certainly hotting up. With the final stretch ahead for the best teams, it is a nail biting drive to the finish and the final. - [Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/wallaceville-estate-wellington-cup-day-4/): Catch up on the 2024 Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day 4. Aimpoint secures a thrilling win in the $200,000 feature race. Full results & highlights. - [Broom Ready For ODI Matches](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/broom-ready-odi-matches/): New Zealand has welcomed Neil Broom back into the team. This versatile player will be replacing Taylor who is currently recovering from eye surgery. - [Rocket’s Onuaku Stuns Crowd](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/rockets-onuaku-stuns-crowd/): Houston’ new player Chinanu Onuaku made a splash in their match against the Phoenix Suns. His unique pair of free throws clinched the game for the Rockets. - [Kane Williamson Breaking Records](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/kane-williamson-breaking-records/): New Zealand’s cricket team is facing a great year. Newly instated captain Kane Williamson has what it takes to keep the team on the top of cricket. - [Wellington Cup Super Saturday](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/wellington-cup-super-saturday/): Trentham’s Classic Day on January 14, Super Saturday, gets the Wellington Cup Carnival started. Here’s a preview of what New Zealand punters can expect. - [2017 Brisbane International Tennis](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/2017-brisbane-international-tennis/): Men’s and women’s tennis kicks off the 2017 sporting year with the Brisbane International. New Zealand punters are keen to see their favourites do well. - [Gearing Up for the Taiwan Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/gearing-taiwan-open/): Take a look at what’s in store for the 2017 Taiwan Open. Find out about the inaugural tournament held in 2016, and what’s coming up in 2017. - [2017 AFL Toyota Premiership Update](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/2017-afl-toyota-premiership-update/): The 2017 AFL Toyota Premiership is one of the most anticipated sporting events in New Zealand. Learn more about the fixtures and what’s in store. - [Breakers Shooting Guard Arrested](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/breakers-shooting-guard-arrested/): New Zealand Breakers shooting guard, Corey Webster was arrested this week following an incident at a nightclub. The player is due to appear in court next week. - [AFC North title secure by Steelers](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/afc-north-title-secure-steelers/): The Baltimore Ravens suffered a narrow defeat against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers having secured their second AFC title move into the finals. - [The Cowboys Crush Rival Lions](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/cowboys-crush-rival-lions/): The Dallas Cowboys have defeated the Lions in a crushing 42-21 match. The Lions will go on to face the Green Bay Packers on Monday for the AFC title. - [2016 Melbourne Cup Roundup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/2016-melbourne-cup-roundup/): The Melbourne Cup is known as the race that stops a nation, but now it stops two. It’s run each year in November, and attracts a huge number of Kiwi fans. - [Jewels Day 2016 Upset](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/jewels-day-2016-upset/): A racehorse bred in Kaikoura won the New Zealand Harness Jewels in Cambridge, despite not being the favourite. Local Murray Boyd bred the filly. - [Breakers Import US Player](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/breakers-import-us-player/): The New Zealand Breakers have imported Paul Carter after a spate of injuries saw players benched. Its hoped Carter can hep the team recover somewhat. - [Kiwi Horse takes a Swipe at Usain Bolt](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/kiwi-horse-takes-swipe-usain-bolt/): Usain Bolt nearly had his career prematurely ended by a New Zealand thoroughbred at the races. The filly lashed out, narrowly missing the star. - [Sofia Rosa Bloodstock Filly Of the Year](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/sofia-rosa-bloodstock-filly-year/): Sofia Rosa won the NZ Bloodstock filly of the Year award as well as being a finalist for the champion 3yr old category. She is by Mafki out of Bislieri. - [Former NRL Star Chad Robinson Dead](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/former-nrl-star-chad-robinson-dead/): The body of one-time Australian Rugby League great Chad Robinson has been found in a Sydney suburb. The 36-year-old disappeared almost a month ago. - [Picking Joseph Parker’s Next Fight](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/picking-joseph-parkers-next-fight/): New Zealand boxing punters get their money’s worth out of Joseph Parker, now undefeated in 22 bouts. Who will the WBO heavyweight champion fight in April? - [Williamson in 2016 ICC Test Team](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/williamson-2016-icc-test-team/): Black Caps skipper Kane Williamson has been listed in the annual ICC Test Team again. It’s a welcome award, despite New Zealand’s uneven cricket season. - [Turn Me Loose Wins Awards](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/turn-loose-wins-awards/): Turn Me Loose is a bay thoroughbred who won champion sprinter and stayer of the year 2016 in New Zealand. He is by Iffraaj out of the dam Indomitable. - [Sea King Wins 2016 Jump Racing Award](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/sea-king-wins-2016-jump-racing-award/): Sea King is New Zealand’s Jump Racing horse of the year 2016. He won the 2016 Mosstrooper race at Bendigo, as well as a number of other Steeplechases. - [Fall At Randwick 2016](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/fall-randwick-2016/): In April 2016 there was a non-tragic fall at Randwick Racecourse. One horse and rider went down on the straight, luckily both without any serious injuries. - [NZ Jockey McDonald to Appeal Ban](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/nz-jockey-mcdonald-appeal-ban/): A bet of A$1,000 on his own mount cost New Zealand rider James McDonald an 18-month ban, ending his lucrative Godolphin contract. He says he will appeal. - [Owen Franks an All Black till 2019](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/owen-franks-black-till-2019/): Rugby union prop Owen Franks would be an asset to any team worldwide. Happily for New Zealand punters, he’s renewed his All Blacks and Crusaders contracts. - [Volkstok’n’barrell Loses Out On Awards](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/volkstoknbarrell-loses-awards/): Volkstok’n’barrell was a champion New Zealand horse in 2016. He lost out on Horse of the Year to Xtravagant and champion three year old to Turn Me Loose. - [Bagalollies Broodmare Of The Year 2016](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/bagalollies-broodmare-year-2016/): Bagalollies is the New Zealand Broodmare of 2016. She has foaled the likes of Werther who won a number of group one races including the Hong Kong Derby. - [Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/wallaceville-estate-wellington-cup-day-3/): New Zealand racing fans are eagerly looking forward to the Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day on January 21. We take an early look at possible winners. - [January Means ASB Classic Tennis](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/january-means-asb-classic-tennis/): Starting on January 02, the 2017 ASB Classic kicks off the year with a New Zealand tennis highlight. We looked back at the 2016 results punters enjoyed. - [Wellington Cup Carnival Super Saturday](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/wellington-cup-carnival-super-saturday/): The Wellington Cup Carnival Super Saturday on January 21 combines race-betting action with family fun. We preview the event for New Zealand racing fans. - [Australian Open Action Preview](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/australian-open-action-preview/): An early look at the top Australian Open 2017 contenders. New Zealand punters can enjoy some exciting bets on Australia’s premier tennis tournament. - [A Tribute to Bill Skelton](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/tribute-bill-skelton/): 2016 will be remembered as the year champion jockey Bill Skelton passed away. He was 85 at the time of his passing and rode more than 2000 winners. - [Ecuador Open, Sofia Open, Sud De France Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/ecuador-open-sofia-open-sud-de-france-open/): Three tournaments kick off the ATP World Tour 2017: the Ecuador Open, Sofia Open and Sud de France Open. We preview them for New Zealand tennis fans. - [A Look at Hong Kong Cup Winners](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/look-hong-kong-cup-winners/): The Hong Kong Cup is a 2000 meter group one horse race which is run in Hong Kong. Find out more about the winners of this prestigious race now. - [TABtouch Perth Cup Day Update](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/tabtouch-perth-cup-day-update/): One of the most well-loved Ascot Racecourse events, TABtouch Perth Cup Day, falls on New Year’s Eve this year. We look at the form, for New Zealand punters. - [Super Bowl LI: Best Betting Odds](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/super-bowl-li-best-betting-odds/): New Zealand’s gridiron fans are already gearing up for a cracking 2017 Super Bowl. We take a look at the early odds for sports betting enthusiasts. - [Betting Options for 2017 Taiwan Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/betting-options-2017-taiwan-open/): The second Taiwan Open will be held in Taipei in January/February 2017. We take a look at some of the top contenders of interest to New Zealand punters. - [Jumps Racing Under The Spotlight](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/jumps-racing-spotlight/): Jump racing has come under the spotlight in 2016 due to a number of equine deaths on the track. At least 3 horses have lost their lives over the past year. - [2016 Tennis Finals to Remember](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/2016-tennis-finals-remember/): Tennis is well supported in New Zealand, with thousands of punters following local and international tournaments. We review the 2016 tennis calendar. - [Jockey’s Tragic Death Rock NZ](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/jockeys-tragic-death-rock-nz/): Rebecca Black, a respected Kiwi jockey, lost her life in a tragic horseracing incident. Black’s skill was legendary and she’ll be fondly remembered. - [Mongolian Khan for Stayer of the Year](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/mongolian-khan-stayer-year/): Mongolian Khan is an Australian thoroughbred that is in the running for Stayer of the Year 2016. He is from the famous Danehill Danzig bloodline via his sire. - [Results Of The 2016 Fed Cup Tennis Tournament](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/results-2016-fed-cup-tennis-tournament/): The Federation Cup (Fed Cup) is one of the largest team tournaments in woman’s tennis. We take a look back at the qualifiers and the winners of 2016. - [Piri Weepu Wins French Club Rugby Case](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/piri-weepu-wins-french-club-rugby-case/): Piri Weepu sued French rugby club Oyonnax after his contract was abruptly terminated after 6 months. He has just been awarded $171,000 in damages. - [The 2017 Ecuador, Sofia and Sud De France Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/2017-ecuador-sofia-sud-de-france-open/): In the ATP World Tour 250 series, the Ecuador Open, Sofia Open and Sud De France Open offer punters huge opportunities for online tennis betting. - [2016 Hong Kong Cup Reviewed](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/2016-hong-kong-cup-reviewed/): The Hong Kong Cup is run each year in December ate the Shat Tin racecourse in Hong Kong. It forms part of the International Race Day at Sha Tin. - [New Zealand Cricket’s Painful Year](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/new-zealand-crickets-painful-year/): 2016 has been a year of misery on many fronts – for New Zealand punters, that includes cricket. We look back over a season that many will yearn to forget. - [NBA 2015-16 Delighted Punters](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nba/nba-2015-16-delighted-punters/): There are thousands of NBA enthusiasts in New Zealand, and betting fans saw some great action in 2015-16. There’s even more to come in the 2016-17 season. - [NFL Saw Unique 2016 Super Bowl](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/nfl-saw-unique-2016-super-bowl/): Super Bowl 50 was both a golden anniversary and the final game for an NFL icon. It was a special day for New Zealand punters who follow American football. - [New Zealand Cycling 2016 Review](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/new-zealand-cycling-2016-review/): 2016 saw plenty of cycling action in New Zealand, plus international options for sports punters. We review some of New Zealand’s prominent cycling events. - [NRL Punters Had a Tight 2016 Final](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/nrl-punters-tight-2016-final/): New Zealanders enjoy a punt on Australia’s NRL as much as they do on local Rugby League, both regional and national. We review the 2016 NRL highlights. - [A Look Back at the 2016 Wellington Day Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/look-back-2016-wellington-day-cup/): The Wallaceville Estate Wellington Day Cup race is one of the most anticipated horse races of the year. We take a look back at what happened in 2016. - [Memorable 2016 Soccer Moments](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/memorable-2016-soccer-moments/): Thousands of New Zealand sports fans and betting enthusiasts follow international soccer. Here’s our look back at the moments we loved most in 2016. - [Some Top 2016 Boxing Moments](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/top-2016-boxing-moments/): Punters in New Zealand saw some top-notch boxing and enjoyed a few surprise results in 2016. We take a look at the year’s memorable moments in the ring. - [Touching Story about a Mini Messi Fan](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/touching-story-mini-messi-fan/): After a picture of little Ahmadi wearing a Messi shirt made out of a plastic bag, the big-hearted footballer player made plans to send him the real one. - [Looking Back on 2016’s Golf Action](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/looking-back-2016s-golf-action/): New Zealand punters saw a lot of world-class golf throughout 2016 – and one or two disasters, too. We round up the highlights and lowlights of the year. - [The Breakers will be replacing Corey Webster for the NBL](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/breakers-will-replacing-corey-webster-nbl/): Coach Henare has stated that the assault charges Webster faces had nothing to do with the decision to replace him. Physical injuries are the key factor. - [All About The 2017 Taiwan Open Tennis Tournament](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/2017-taiwan-open-tennis-tournament/): The 2017 Taiwan Open will kick off on the 28th of January and run through to the 5th of February. We take a look at the details of the competition. - [All the Best 2016 Rugby Action](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/best-2016-rugby-action/): New Zealand punters have every reason to love national rugby at the moment. 2106 saw some intense action, with the All Blacks still the team to beat. - [Round up of 2016 Greyhound Races](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/greyhound/round-2016-greyhound-races/): One issue dominates any round up of 2016 greyhound races– the battle of the ban. Expect reforms across the whole industry in the coming year. - [2016’s Cycling moments that took your breath away](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/2016s-cycling-moments-took-breath-away/): Among 2016’s cycling moments that took your breath away, three crashes in particular stood out for us. One had a much happier ending than the others. - [City or Sydney for the A-League?](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/city-sydney-league/): Both Sydney FC and Melbourne City have a shot at the A-League title this season. With only six points between them, who will the smart money be on? - [Three Shock 2016 Boxing Moments](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/three-shock-2016-boxing-moments/): There were plenty of shock 2016 boxing moments, as there are in most years. We take a look at three that made headlines, each for different reasons. - [Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/wallaceville-estate-wellington-cup-day-2/): Catch up on the 2024 Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day. Aimpoint clinches victory in the $200,000 feature race. Full results & highlights. - [Our Top 2016 AFL Highlights](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/top-2016-afl-highlights/): The 2016 footie season included one stand-out performance throughout, and some spectacular individual moments. Let’s take a look at the 2016 AFL highlights. - [NFL Highlights of 2016](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/nfl-highlights-2016/): We take a quick look at some of the NFL highlights of 2016 so far. We also clue punters in to a few of the most exciting games coming up in the season. - [No Kiwi Coach for Springboks](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/no-kiwi-coach-springboks/): New Zealand coaches aren’t crazy, and that’s why South Africa will have to do without a rugby coach from us. The team has slipped in world-rankings. - [Cristiano Ronaldo Wins Ballon d’Or](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/cristiano-ronaldo-wins-ballon-dor/): The world famous forward for Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo, has won his fourth Ballon d’Or in 2016. He now stands at one award behind leader Messi. - [Erakovic to Play in ASB Classic Main Draw](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/erakovic-play-asb-classic-main-draw/): 28-year old Erakovic will be playing at the 32nd women’s ASB Classic next year. The New Zealand native has stated that playing at home will be special. - [Marina Erakovic To Make Top 50 Comeback](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/marina-erakovic-make-top-50-comeback/): Tennis player Marina Erakovic is determined to claw her way back onto the Top 50 World Tennis Association rankings. She remains confident and determined. - [Wellington Cup Carnival Race Winners in 2016](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/wellington-cup-carnival-race-winners-2016/): The Wellington Cup Carnival is one of the most anticipated racing events in New Zealand. We take a look back at the various race winners for 2016. - [The 2016 Brisbane International Tennis In Review](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/2016-brisbane-international-tennis-review/): With the 2017 Brisbane International tennis tournament just around the corner, we look back at what happened in the 2016 ATP World Tour tournament. - [A Look Back at the 2016 Toyota AFL Premiership](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/look-back-2016-toyota-afl-premiership/): The 2017 Toyota AFL Premiership will get underway with preseason games early in the year. We take a look back at what happened in the 2016 season. - [2016 Australian Open Winners and Finalists](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/2016-australian-open-winners-finalists/): The 2017 Australian Open will kick off on the 16th of January. We take a look at the 2016 winners of one of the most prestigious events of the year. - [2016 ASB Classic Tennis Tournament](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/2016-asb-classic-tennis-tournament/): The Auckland Open or ASB Classic will take place in January 2017. We take a look back at what happened in 2016 and who walked away with the title. - [AFL Players Demand A Better Deal](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/afl-players-demand-better-deal/): Aussie Rules football players are wrangling with the Australian Football League for a bigger slice of the pie. Will they go as far as strike action? - [Illicit Drug Use Tests In NZ Rugby](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/illicit-drug-use-tests-nz-rugby/): It’s not just players who need to stay drug free: coaches and administrators will be tested too. Out-of-competition testing for illicit drugs will be begun. - [All Blacks to Rake In Big Bucks](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/blacks-rake-big-bucks/): The All Blacks are set to see the fruits of their labour thanks the boost in their salaries recently decided on. Kieran set to enjoy a $1 million salary. - [Tiger Woods for 2017 Genesis Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/tiger-woods-2017-genesis-open/): Tiger Woods’ 2017 comeback is set to tee off at the Genesis Open in 2017. It is full circle for Woods, as the PGA was also his first-ever at 16 years old. - [New Zealand Spending Big Bucks On Players](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/new-zealand-spending-big-bucks-players/): The new CBA deal that New Zealand has just announced will help ensure that country holds on to its top players. Retention and reward are the keywords. - [Hong Kong Cup’s NZ Ties](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/hong-kong-cups-nz-ties/): The Hong King Cup has attracted a number of horses from New Zealand in the past. The race forms a part of the Hong Kong International Race Day at Sha Tin. - [Sydney FC and Melbourne City Draw](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/sydney-fc-melbourne-city-draw/): The second clash between Sydney FC and Melbourne City in 10 days proved volatile. A penalty equaliser while a man down let Sydney keep the top A-League spot - [Reiffel’s Knock Cause to Rethink](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/reiffels-knock-cause-rethink/): Australian umpire Paul Reiffel took a ball to the head on day one of the England/India Test that knocked him out of the match. Should umpires wear helmets? - [Scott Robertson’s New Plan for the Crusaders](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/scott-robertsons-new-plan-crusaders/): Scott Robertson plans to draw on his own experience to drag the Crusaders out of their title drought. Robertson feels the time is right for the team. - [New Law Could Mean Good Things For Sports Fans](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/new-law-mean-good-things-sports-fans/): A proposed new law could mean that almost all rugby and netball games of national significance will be screened free-to-air, including All Blacks rugby - [Famous NZ Race Horses](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/famous-nz-race-horses/): There are two famous New Zealand racehorses that have earned legendary status. The mighty Phar Lap and Gloaming have both had races named after them. - [Extreme Choice a Horse to Watch](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/extreme-choice-horse-watch/): Extreme Choice is another contender for two year old champion 2016. The chestnut colt has had seven starts so far, five of which have been firsts. - [Arsenal FC Hires Ceri Evans](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/arsenal-fc-hires-ceri-evans/): British Premier League Football Club, Arsenal has signed Kiwi Ceri Evans as a mental skills advisor. Evans has been instrumental in coaching champions. - [Kiwi Breaks Golf World Record](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/kiwi-breaks-golf-world-record/): Brad Luiten has earned himself a spot in the Guinness Book of Word Records, again! Find out about this Kiwi’s impressive new golfing record now! - [NRL Player Injured at Party](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/nrl-player-injured-party/): Dylan Napa was injured after a charity party held at Theo Chambers’s mansion. The NRL player has since been released from hospital and is on the mend. - [Auckland City Knocked Out Of The Club World Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/auckland-city-knocked-club-world-cup/): A FIFA World Cup playoff between the Kashima Antlers and Auckland City FC ended in disappointment for the New Zealand side losing 2-1 in Yokohama. - [Batting the Problem for the Black Caps](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/batting-problem-black-caps/): After slumping to a 3-0 defeat in the Chappell Hadlee series, the Black Caps have admitted that it was the batting that let them down at the end. - [Sevens Rugby Series Roundup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/sevens-rugby-series-roundup/): After being ranked 8th in the standings, a strong performance at the Cape Town Sevens series has put New Zealand back on track with a bronze medal. - [Parker Wins WBO Fight](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/parker-wins-wbo-fight/): Joseph Parker has made history to become the first New Zealand born boxer to win the WBO Heavyweight Champion of the World title. Find out about his win now! - [Kiwis Win Bronze in Rugby Sevens](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/kiwis-win-bronze-rugby-sevens/): The New Zealand Rugby Sevens won bronze in Cape Town, and were beaten by the Scots. The game was tense, the action exciting and the results well deserved. - [Dinner Raises Funds For Jonah Lomu’s Children](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/dinner-raises-funds-for-jonah-lomus-children/): A fundraiser held in London is thought to have raised over $177,600 for the children of Jonah Lomu. The funds will go towards supporting his two sons - [Bradly Knipe Gets Ready For Cycling Champs](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/bradly-knipe-gets-ready-cycling-champs/): Bradly Knipe, the local New Zealand track cyclist is honing his skills on and off the bike for the Oceania track cycling championships in Melbourne. - [Rob Quiney Speaks Out Against Glenn Maxwell](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/rob-quiney-speaks-glenn-maxwell/): Both Rob Quiney and former skipper Darren Berry have spoken out against teammate Glenn Maxwell following his publicized dig at skipper Mathew Wade. - [Black Caps Hopeful for ODI Win](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/black-caps-hopeful-odi-win/): Although the Black Caps generally do not fare well against Australia on that team’s home ground, they remain hopeful. Opener Tom Latham remains confident. - [Wellington Phoenix Football Club Faces More Woes](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/wellington-phoenix-football-club-faces-woes/): Hill, the Australian-based football writer, has hinted at more trouble brewing for Wellington Phoenix Football Club. Merrick’s departure was just the start. - [Samoa Games Revived](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/samoa-games-revived/): Officials are hopeful that more sporting federations will get involved with the Samoa Games down the road. Scheduling conflicts remain an issue. - [All The Details On The 2017 NFL Super Bowl](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/details-2017-nfl-super-bowl/): On the 5th of February 2017, the NFL will hold the biggest game of the season, the Super Bowl. For local punters, it offers huge betting opportunities - [Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/wallaceville-estate-wellington-cup-day/): The 2017 Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day will be held on Saturday the 21st of January. It is considered to be one of New Zealand’s biggest races. - [Keeping an Eye on Top Race Horses](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/keeping-eye-top-race-horses/): Capitalist is a 2013 chestnut colt that has just started his racing career as a two year old. He had been nominated for champion two year old 2016. - [Taipans Beat Breakers by 11 Points](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/taipans-beat-breakers-by-11-points/): The Breakers are doing badly, as their game against the Taipans has proven. They are far too loose in possession, and are paying the price of sloppy play. - [Chad Robinson Still Missing](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/chad-robinson-still-missing/): Chad Robinson, former NRL forward, has simply vanished. Although clearly taking strain, his family is desperately searching for him, and refuses to give up hope. - [All Blacks May Get Bitten by the Lions](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/blacks-may-get-bitten-lions/): Definitely one of the strongest rugby teams in the world, the All Blacks should beware the threat the Lions pose. There are great players on both sides. - [Ref Graham Eddy Dies on Duty](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/ref-graham-eddy-dies-duty/): The tragic death of a popular referee has plunged a community into mourning. Graham Eddy fell to a fatal heart attack midway through Friday’s Karaka game. - [Yang Yong-eun Yang in the New Zealand Open](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/yang-yong-eun-yang-new-zealand-open/): Tiger Killer Y.E. Yang will be returning to New Zealand for the Open in March next year. He spent time practicing here before he turned pro in 1996. - [Wellington Phoenix Hopes For A New Coach](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/wellington-phoenix-hopes-new-coach/): Rob Morrison, Chairman for Wellington Phoenix, has indicated that it is likely that Ernie Merrick’s replacement will be named by the 25th of December. - [Black Sticks Coach Resigns](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/hockey/black-stitch-coach-resigns/): Batch’s good friend Merrick announced Batch’s resignation for him at a press conference dealing with his own departure. Batch is headed for Australia. - [Cycling Director Mark Elliott Resigns](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/cycling-director-mark-elliott-resigns/): Mark Elliott will no longer be the director for Cycling High Performance in New Zealand. His huge contributions will not be forgotten states Matheson. - [New Zealand’s Ryan Fox ties for 3rd place in Australian PGA.](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/new-zealands-ryan-fox-ties-3rd-place-australian-pga/): 29-year old Ryan Fox from New Zealand is in a tie for third place in the Australian PGA Championship. The competition takes place in Queensland, Australia. - [The 2017 ASB Classic Auckland Tennis Tournament](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/2017-asb-classic-auckland-tennis-tournament/): The 2017 ASB Classic Auckland Open tennis tournament will take place from the 2nd to the 14th of January 2017. We take a look at the final field. - [The 2017 Australian Open Tennis Tournament](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/2017-australian-open-tennis-tournament/): The 2017 Australian Open will get under way on the 16th of January. The competition offers two weeks of tennis action and huge betting opportunities. - [The Brisbane International Tennis Tournament](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/brisbane-international-tennis-tournament/): The 2017 Brisbane International will take place from the 1st to 8th of January 2017. We take a look at the field in for the ATP and WTA competitions. - [The 2017 AFL Toyota Premiership News and Fixtures](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/2017-afl-toyota-premiership-news-fixtures/): The 2017 Toyota AFL Premiership season kicks off on the 23rd of March 2017. We take a look at some of the fixtures and local news for the upcoming season. - [Your Guide to the 2017 Wellington Cup Carnival](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/guide-2017-wellington-cup-carnival/): The 2017 Wellington Cup Carnival kicks off on the 14th of January. We take a look at the three-day event that includes the group 1 Levin Classic race. - [Top NZ Rugby Players Wooed by Europe](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/top-nz-rugby-players-wooed-europe/): Dagg; Smith and Cruden are all likely headed overseas. With contracts ending in 2017, the NZ trio is on the list of players being wooed by overseas clubs. - [Dallas Cowboys Enjoy Winning Streak](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/dallas-cowboys-enjoy-winning-streak/): The Dallas Cowboys have managed to extend their winning streak over 11 games. The final tally for their game against the Minnesota Vikings was 17 to 5. - [The Black Caps Looking Good for ODI Wins](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/black-caps-looking-good-odi-wins/): There are a many reasons New Zealand’s Black Caps stand a chance of beating Australia in future ODIs. Their team is strong in a number of different areas. - [Van Gisbergen Posts Fastest Time](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/van-gisbergen-posts-fastest-time/): Van Gisbergen posted the fastest time in practice and needs a place in the top 5 to secure his maiden title. 5 places within Whincup’s rankings will do it. - [Auckland City Football Club ready for Club World Cup](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/auckland-city-football-club-ready-club-world-cup/): White is confident of the Auckland City Football Club’s chances against Japan’s Soccer Club Sagamihara. 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He went on to say that it made him think of a return to this country’s glory days. - [Pakistan Vs. New Zealand Test](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/pakistan-vs-new-zealand-test/): Rain-soaked weather conditions marred much of the Pakistan vs. New Zealand Test match. Players stepped up to the challenge, however, and gave a good game. - [The Black Ferns dominate Canada](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/black-ferns-dominate-canada/): Winiata is definitely the star of the Wednesday game that saw the Black Ferns beat Canada by 10 points. NZ are now enjoying a winning streak of 12 games. - [Holmes & Taumololo Scouted for NFL](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/holmes-taumololo-scouted-nfl/): Scouts representing 14 NFL teams were impressed by the performances of Holmes and Taumololo. 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This race has seen some incredible horses cross the finish line over the years. - [Robert Whittaker headlines UFC Fight Night](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/ufc/robert-whittaker-headlines-ufc-fight-night/): Robert Whittaker was born in New Zealand, raised in Australia, and happily flies the flag for both countries. His opponent is the American Derek Brunson. - [RLC Showdown With NRL Clubs](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/rlc-showdown-nrl-clubs/): John Grant, chairman for the Australian RLC is ready for the NRL club confrontation that awaits him. It’s all about grassroots funding he says. - [Kiwis Dominate at World Cup Golf](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/kiwis-dominate-world-cup-golf/): New Zealand’s Ryan Fox and Danny Lee saw a round of 10 birdies and 2 bogies. This resulted in the team rising 12 spots up on the World Cup Golf leaderboard. - [Dane Coles for Player of the Year?](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/dane-coles-player-year/): Dane Coles’ playing this season has set the team’s standard of excellent play. The All Black Player of the Year award should be handed to this hooker. - [Bustling Bill Skelton Passes Away](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/bustling-bill-skelton-passes-away/): Celebrated Kiwi jockey Bustling Bill Skelton, who earned his nickname thanks to riding style, passed away. Skelton set a record number of career wins. - [Peters Investments-Kingston Town Classic](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/peters-investments-kingston-town-classic/): The Peters Investments-Kingston Town Classic rounds off the Group One races for 2016. This race promises to be exciting and attract plenty of attention. - [TABtouch Perth Cup Day Approaches](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/tabtouch-perth-cup-day-approaches/): Western Australia celebrates the TABtouch Perth Cup Day at the beginning of every year. In 2016 this huge social festival will be held on the 31st December. - [Crown Perth Winterbottom Stakes Day](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/crown-perth-winterbottom-stakes-day/): Get the low down on Crown Perth Winterbottom Stakes Day. Find out more about the event, the favourite to win and who made it to the final field now. - [NZ Loose World #1 Ranking to AU](https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/nz-loose-world-1-ranking-au/): New Zealand lost the Four Nations and their World Rugby League number one ranking to Australia. 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If you want to enjoy a superior online pokies NZ experience, you need not look any further pokies we have all the best games just waiting for you! --- > Unleash big online betting wins with our guide to The Everest 2025 horse race. Get expert insights, odds & betting strategies in New Zealand. - Published: 2024-10-01 - Modified: 2024-10-01 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/horse/the-everest-race/ The Everest 2025 – What NZ Bettors Need to Know The Everest, the world's richest turf race, returns on October 14th, 2025! Its unique slot-holder format draws elite horses globally, creating an exciting spectacle. For NZ punters, this year's edition promises an unmatched sports betting opportunity. This is a one-of-a-kind race that you don’t want to miss out on, so keep reading to find out how to make the most of the upcoming event. Horses to Watch in The Everest 2025 I Wish I Win The reigning champion, I Wish I Win, returns to defend his title in The Everest 2025. His victory in last year's edition was a testament to his exceptional speed and tenacity. Recent form, including a win in the TJ Smith Stakes earlier this year, suggests he's still at the peak of his powers. Trained by Peter Moody and with Luke Nolen likely to be back in the saddle, I Wish I Win is the horse to beat. Giga Kick The 2022 Everest champion, Giga Kick, aims to reclaim his crown. A brilliant sprinter with an electrifying turn of foot, he’s repeatedly proven his mettle. Recent victories in The Shorts (2023) and the Challenge Stakes (2025) underline his exceptional form. With Clayton Douglas at the helm and Craig Williams in the saddle, Giga Kick is formidable. Think About It Think About It's rapid rise through the ranks has been nothing short of remarkable. Trained by Joe Pride and with Sam Clipperton likely to retain the ride, Think About It is a horse on the rise. Unbeaten in his last seven starts, including a dominant win in the Stradbroke Handicap, this gelding is a force to be reckoned with. Bella Nipotina A consistent performer at the top level, Bella Nipotina has shown she can mix it with the best. Her recent second-place finish in the Moir Stakes was a strong effort, and she boasts a solid record at Royal Randwick. Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace and with a likely booking for Ben Melham, Bella Nipotina is a genuine contender. Current Odds and Market Movements The horse betting market for The Everest 2025 is a dynamic reflection of this year's fiercely competitive field. As of September 26th, the reigning champion, I Wish I Win, leads the market at approximately $5. 00, a slight drift from his initial price. Close behind is Giga Kick, the 2022 winner, currently priced at $9. 00. Think About It, an emerging star, is capturing considerable attention and is currently valued at around $13. 00. Espiona and Bella Nipotina, two talented mares, are considered outside chances at approximately $26. 00 and $7, respectively. In terms of significant market shifts, Think About It has experienced the most notable change, with his odds plummeting due to his string of dominant wins. Conversely, I Wish I Win's price has drifted slightly, possibly indicating concerns about his ability to repeat last year's triumph. The final barrier draw, track conditions, and any breaking news or trackwork performances can significantly influence the odds. A favourable barrier draw could substantially enhance a horse's prospects, leading to a reduction in their odds. If the track is affected by rain, horses with a proven track record on wet ground may also see their odds decrease. Start Betting On The Everest At Betway Betting Strategies for The Everest 2025 For NZ bettors gearing up for The Everest, informed decisions are paramount. Randwick's track condition on race day will make all the difference. A dry, fast track favours speedsters, while a wet track can benefit those with stamina and a strong finishing kick. Stay updated on weather forecasts and track reports closer to the race. Check out various bet types to maximise your potential returns. A simple 'win' bet is straightforward. However, 'place' bets offer a safety net if your horse finishes in the top few. For the adventurous, exotic bets like Quinellas, Exactas, or Trifectas offer bigger payouts. However, these require predicting multiple placings accurately. Enjoy The Everest Betting At Betway When it comes to finding the best odds, the TAB is a reliable option for NZ bettors. Don't hesitate to compare odds with international bookmakers. They often offer better value or special promotions for The Everest. How The Everest 2025 Impacts the NZ Racing Scene While an Australian spectacle, the Everest reverberates through the NZ racing scene. With several Kiwi-bred or owned horses potentially in the running, including the likes of I Wish I Win and Imperatriz, national pride is at stake. A strong showing from these contenders could ignite betting interest in local NZ events. This would encourage more punters to follow these horses and their connections in future races. The Everest often features prominent NZ jockeys like James McDonald and Opie Bosson, further strengthening the trans-Tasman racing connection. Register & Bet On The Everest At Betway A Horse Betting Extravaganza The Everest 2025 promises to be a contest like no other. Stay up to date with the latest odds, horses' performances, jockey updates, and race-day conditions. Informed bets are the key to success. So, Kiwi punters, saddle up and join the excitement of one of the year's most exhilarating horse races! --- > Learn all about Olympic betting for New Zealand bettors. Our guide tells you everything about wagering on the Olympic games and how to find value. - Published: 2024-08-09 - Modified: 2024-08-09 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/olympics/ Introduction to Betting on the Olympics Kia ora, Kiwi punters! The Olympic Games are one of the world's most popular betting events, and they always stir up an online betting frenzy here in Aotearoa. With a diverse range of wagering markets and unpredictable outcomes, Olympic betting offers a unique thrill. Or at least one that comes around every four years. With so many unique betting options and diverse markets, a smart betting strategy is key to success. We’re going to help you place the best bets on Olympic sports to ensure maximum returns. Get ready to discover the exciting world of Olympic betting! Popular Betting Markets for the Olympics The Olympic Games boast a diverse range of bettor markets, each with its own appeal and potential for profit. Here's a look at some of the most popular options: Outright Winners: This is an extremely easy bet where you predict the overall winner of an event. For example, in athletics, you could bet on who will win the men's sprint or the women's marathon. It's a great option for casual punters who want to back their favourite athletes. Medal Counts: This market involves predicting which countries will secure the most medals overall or in specific sports like swimming or gymnastics. This is a good choice for those with a broader knowledge of different nations' strengths and weaknesses. Place Olympics Bets At Betway Individual Event Winners: Beyond the overall winners, you can bet on specific events within a sport. For example, you could predict the winner of a particular swimming heat, a gymnastics routine, or a judo match. This market offers more granular betting opportunities for those with deeper knowledge of specific disciplines. To find value in Olympics betting, start by researching past results, current form guides, and expert opinions. This helps identify potential underdogs or emerging talents with better odds than established favourites. Also, consider external factors like weather conditions, injuries, and home-crowd advantage, as they can significantly influence outcomes. Finally, compare odds across different bookmakers to ensure you're getting the best possible value for your bets. We’ve found that Betway NZ offers some of the best action and odds for NZ punters. Key Sports and Events for NZ Bettors The Olympic Games offer a prime opportunity for New Zealand bettors to showcase their knowledge and passion for Kiwi sports. With a legacy of success in several disciplines, there are always exciting events to wager on. Rowing: A Kiwi Powerhouse New Zealand consistently produces world-class rowing crews, with multiple Olympic gold medals and podium finishes throughout history. Events like the eights, pairs, and double sculls always draw significant attention. Key Factors: Wind conditions, lane assignments, and crew cohesion are crucial in rowing. Look for teams with strong chemistry and a history of performing well under pressure. Rugby Sevens: The Fast and Furious Favourite Rugby Sevens holds a special place in New Zealand's sporting heart. Both the men's and women's teams are perennial contenders on the world stage, known for their skill, athleticism, and never-say-die attitude. Key Factors: Matchups, player form, and overall team momentum are essential in rugby sevens. Look for teams with a balanced attack and defense, and those who have shown resilience in tight matches. Track Cycling: Pedalling for Gold New Zealand boasts a rich tradition in track cycling, having produced numerous Olympic champions. The team pursuit squads and individual riders in events like the omnium and keirin are always worth watching. Key Factors: Track conditions, qualifying times, and tactical decisions during races are crucial in track cycling. Look for riders who have consistently performed well in recent competitions and have a strong understanding of race strategy. While rowing, rugby sevens, and track cycling are often in the spotlight, New Zealand also fields talented athletes in other sports like sailing, equestrian, and canoeing. These events offer unique betting opportunities and the chance to discover hidden gems that could surprise the world with their performances. Take Part in Olympics Betting At Betway Effective Betting Strategies for The Olympics Good strategy is vital to winning with Olympics betting. To up your chances of success, start by diving deep into research. Don't just rely on big names – look at athletes' and teams' past Olympic performances and recent form. For instance, a rower who's consistently placed in the top three in recent World Cups is a safer bet than one who hasn’t placed previously. Remember, athletes are human. Injuries can happen, and form can fluctuate. A sprinter who recently pulled a hamstring is unlikely to perform at their peak. Keep an eye on news and updates to stay informed about any developments that could affect an athlete's performance. Managing your bankroll is crucial. Start by setting a specific budget and trying to stick to it as much as possible. Sometimes, it can be easier to compartmentalise your bankroll into smaller and more manageable numbers. Explore Olympics Betting At Betway Finally, don't underestimate the impact of external factors. Weather can be a game-changer in outdoor sports like sailing and athletics. A sudden downpour could disrupt a tennis match or make a cycling course more treacherous. Similarly, venue conditions can play a role – a fast track could favour certain runners, while a pool's temperature might affect swimmers' performance. Stay informed about these factors to make more accurate predictions. By following these strategies, you'll be well on your way to becoming a more informed and successful Olympic bettor. Remember, it's all about making smart choices based on solid research and a clear understanding of the factors that influence the games. The Evolution of Olympic Betting: New Sports, New Markets, New Opportunities The Olympic Games are constantly evolving, not just in athletic achievements but also in the world of sports betting. Each edition brings new sports, fresh faces, and innovative betting markets, creating a dynamic landscape for both seasoned punters and newcomers. Avid bettors are already keen to see how the Olympics 2028 will continue to provide new and interesting betting opportunities. In recent years, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has embraced emerging Olympic sports to attract a younger audience and reflect changing global trends. Sports like skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing made their debut in Tokyo 2020, instantly captivating viewers and bettors alike. In 2025, breaking - or breakdancing - entered the arena. These new sports bring with them unique betting opportunities. For instance, skateboarding introduces markets like "best trick" or "highest air," while sport climbing might offer wagers on "fastest time" or "highest reached hold. "Bettors who follow these sports closely or have an understanding of their nuances can gain a significant edge. The rise of live betting and prop bets has also revolutionised Olympic wagering. Live betting allows for in-play wagers, reacting to the unfolding action and shifting odds. Prop bets, meanwhile, offer wagers on specific occurrences within an event, like who will score the first goal in a hockey match or which gymnast will achieve the highest score on a particular apparatus. These options add a layer of excitement and strategic depth to Olympic betting. Legal and Responsible Betting in NZ In New Zealand, the TAB (Totalisator Agency Board) holds a monopoly on domestic sports betting. However, Kiwis are free to bet with licensed offshore operators, many of which offer a wider range of Olympic sports markets and competitive odds. Enjoy Olympics Betting At Betway Responsible Olympics betting is paramount. Set a budget, avoid chasing losses, and only gamble with money you can afford to lose. Remember, betting should be an enjoyable pastime, not a source of stress. If you're concerned about your gambling habits, resources like the Gambling Helpline and ChoiceNotChance are available to offer support and guidance. Enjoy Olympic Betting Online The Olympic Games offer a wealth of betting opportunities for Kiwi punters. By researching, understanding the markets, and betting responsibly, you can make the most of this exciting global event. Stay informed, make smart choices, and enjoy the thrill of Olympics betting. The Olympics may only come around every four years, but there is plenty of value in the wagers you can place online! --- > Our Top Sports Betting Guide covers popular NZ sports, online betting’s advantages, facts about NZ sports betting, how to calculate bet winnings, and more. - Published: 2024-06-13 - Modified: 2025-06-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/sports-guide/popular-sports-to-bet-on/ Popular Sports To Bet On In New Zealand In 2025 Online sports betting is rapidly gaining popularity in New Zealand. To help you get in on the action, this guide covers top betting sites like Betway, Palmerbet, and Picklebet. Our aim is to help readers understand the best options available and how to get started with online sports betting. Popular Sports in New Zealand Several sports in New Zealand attract bettors due to their rich history, widespread popularity, and frequent high-stakes matches. Rugby Rugby is the premier sport in New Zealand, with events like Super Rugby and the Rugby Championship drawing massive audiences. Betway offers extensive markets on rugby matches, providing odds on everything from match winners to individual player performances. Horse Racing Horse racing is a traditional betting favourite, with events like the New Zealand Cup and the Karaka Million being major highlights. The thrill of betting on horse races, with its diverse range of betting options and expert horse racing tips on hand, continues to captivate enthusiasts. All the mentioned betting sites, particularly PalmerBet, offer extensive horse racing markets. Cricket Cricket is another favourite, especially during major events like the ICC Cricket World Cup and domestic competitions such as the Super Smash. Palmerbet and Betway cater to cricket enthusiasts with comprehensive coverage and competitive odds. Football Football's global reach extends to New Zealand, with the A-League and international tournaments like the FIFA World Cup being particularly popular. Betway and Picklebet provide extensive football betting options. Netball Netball has a strong following, especially with events like the ANZ Premiership. Bettors enjoy netball for its fast-paced nature and clear betting opportunities on match outcomes and player performances. Betway offers dedicated netball betting markets. The Advantages of Online Betting Online betting offers unparalleled convenience and accessibility compared to traditional methods. Instead of visiting physical betting shops, bettors can place wagers from the comfort of their homes or on the go. Betway, Palmerbet, and Picklebet enhance this experience with user-friendly features such as live betting and mobile apps. Live betting allows users to place bets in real-time as the action unfolds, adding an exciting dynamic to the experience. Mobile apps from these platforms ensure that bettors can access their accounts and place bets anytime, anywhere. In addition to convenience, these platforms offer attractive bonuses and promotions, such as welcome bonuses, free bets, and loyalty rewards, which provide extra value to users. Security is another significant advantage, as these sites operate on regulated platforms that ensure safe transactions and protect user data with advanced encryption technologies. Get Betting At Betway The variety of betting options available online is extensive, covering a wide range of sports and events. From major leagues like the Super Rugby and ICC Cricket World Cup to niche markets, there's something for every bettor. Competitive odds further enhance the appeal, often offering better value than traditional betting shops. Online betting through platforms like Betway, Palmerbet, and Picklebet provides a secure, convenient, and diverse betting experience, making it the preferred choice for many bettors in New Zealand. New Zealand Sports Betting Facts In New Zealand, sports betting is a thriving industry, with thousands of bettors participating regularly. In fact, Statista tells us that revenue is set to reach NZ$469. 44 million this year! Sports betting has a long history in New Zealand, with the introduction of TAB (Totalisator Agency Board) in the 1950s. Today, sports betting is legal and regulated by the New Zealand Racing Board. One unique aspect of New Zealand's betting culture is its strong affinity for international sports, such as rugby and cricket, alongside domestic events. While local sports leagues like the Super Rugby and ANZ Premiership are popular, international tournaments like the Rugby World Cup and ICC Cricket World Cup also attract substantial betting activity. Overall, sports betting plays a prominent role in New Zealand's sporting culture, providing entertainment and excitement to both casual and dedicated bettors alike. How to Calculate Your Winnings from a Wager Calculating potential winnings from a wager involves multiplying your stake by the odds. In New Zealand, odds are typically presented in decimal, fractional, or moneyline formats. For decimal odds, multiply your stake by the decimal number. For fractional odds, divide the numerator by the denominator and multiply by your stake. Moneyline odds indicate how much you need to bet to win $100 (negative) or how much you'll win from a $100 bet (positive). For example, if you bet $50 on odds of 2. 50: If you use the decimal format at Palmerbet or Betway: Potential winnings = $50 x 2. 50 = $125 Using the fractional format at Palmerbet: Potential winnings = ($50 x 5/2) = $125 If you’ve opted for the moneyline format at Betway: Potential winnings = $50 x (+150/100) = $75 Understanding odds and potential payouts helps manage expectations and make informed betting decisions. Start Betting with Picklebet Unlock Your Betting Potential Today In this sports betting guide, we've explored the world of online sports betting in New Zealand, covering popular sports, the advantages of online betting, and how to calculate winnings. Explore Betway, Palmerbet, and PickleBet to start your betting journey responsibly today. Remember to bet responsibly and seek help if needed. --- > This is a complete betting where you can’t lose guide that explains risk-free betting. Discover matched betting, betting promotions, tips, and more. - Published: 2024-06-05 - Modified: 2025-06-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/sports-guide/betting-where-you-cant-lose/ Betting Where You Can't Lose - Is It Possible? Our Betting Where You Can't Lose Guide explores strategies to ensure a win or minimise losses. This will make your sports betting both enjoyable and less risky. In this article, we will cover various New Zealand sports betting tips and techniques tailored to the local market. It will help you navigate betting and succeed with confidence. Understanding Risk-Free Betting Risk-free betting is where you place a wager without the risk of losing your money. If the bet loses, the sportsbook refunds the amount, typically as a free bet rather than cash. Unlike traditional betting where a loss means forfeiting the stake, risk-free betting ensures a chance to recoup losses and bet again. This strategy maximises potential returns with minimal financial risk, making it a popular choice for cautious bettors. Traditional betting involves placing a wager with the risk of losing the initial stake if the bet is unsuccessful. Conversely, risk-free betting eliminates this risk by offering a refund, usually in the form of a free bet. This refund provides an opportunity to place another bet without additional out-of-pocket expense, making it a safer option for beginners and experienced bettors alike. Incorporating no-risk betting strategies, such as using free bets on longshot wagers to improve potential returns, can significantly enhance your betting experience. Register At Betway Stay in the know: Get Sports Betting News Now Matched Betting Explained Matched betting is a strategy where bettors leverage betting promotions in New Zealand to guarantee a profit. By strategically placing bets on all possible outcomes of an event, bettors can ensure they win regardless of the event's outcome. This approach relies heavily on using free bets and other betting bonuses in New Zealand. To execute matched betting, a bettor places an initial bet with a bookmaker offering a bonus. Then, they place a counter bet (lay bet) on a betting exchange. This way, no matter the outcome, the bettor covers all possibilities. When done correctly, matched betting eliminates the risk typically associated with gambling, making it a popular method for those seeking no-risk betting strategies. In New Zealand, matched betting is legal and considered safe as it doesn't involve deceit or fraud. However, bettors should always read the terms and conditions of the betting promotions in New Zealand to ensure compliance with the rules set by bookmakers. Finding the Best Betting Promotions in New Zealand To find the best betting promotions in New Zealand, start by researching reputable online betting sites in New Zealand. Websites like Betway, Palmerbet, and Picklebet frequently offer attractive promotions and betting bonuses in New Zealand. The first step to accomplish betting where you can't lose is to visit these sites and check their promotions page. Look for welcome bonuses, free bets, and matched deposit offers. Compare the terms and conditions of each promotion to understand the wagering requirements and eligibility criteria. Additionally, sign up for newsletters from these online betting sites in New Zealand. They often send exclusive promotions directly to subscribers. Follow these sites on social media for real-time updates on new betting promotions in New Zealand. Using these strategies, you can maximise your betting budget and take advantage of the best betting bonuses in New Zealand. Remember to always gamble responsibly and read all terms and conditions carefully. RELATED: Get the Best Horse Racing Betting Tips Online Tips for Successful Risk-Free Betting To excel in no-risk betting strategies, start with sound bankroll management. Allocate a portion of funds for each bet, ensuring you don't overspend. Once you’ve created a betting budget for risk-free betting, follow these New Zealand sports betting tips as well: Stay organised by tracking bets and outcomes meticulously, especially when you’re using matched betting to minimise your risks. Use spreadsheets or betting apps for easy monitoring. Capitalise on betting promotions in New Zealand, free bets, and enhanced odds to maximise returns. Explore no-risk betting strategies like matched betting, where you offset potential losses with opposing bets. Always conduct thorough research before you visit online betting sites in New Zealand and place a wager. Analyse team statistics, player performances, and historical data to make informed decisions for risk-free betting. By following these tips diligently, you can enhance your chances of success in no-risk betting while enjoying the excitement of sports wagering. Register At Betway Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them When you’re trying to implement no-risk betting strategies, avoid common pitfalls like not understanding the sport you’re betting on. Chasing losses is another no-no, which is where your betting budget comes in. Don’t ever exceed the limits you’ve set yourself. Additionally, gambling under the influence is another huge mistake. You should always have a clear head when you’re placing real money bets. Lastly, neglecting to capitalise on betting promotions in New Zealand hinders potential profits. Stay updated on risk-free betting offers for enhanced returns. No-Risk Betting Strategies Employing betting where you can't lose tactics requires diligence and strategy. By following our New Zealand sports betting tips, managing your bankroll, staying organised, and leveraging promotions, you can enhance your chances of success and enjoy a more secure and potentially profitable betting experience. --- > Get ready for the Auckland Cup 2025! Find betting odds, expert tips, race previews & top NZ betting sites for the biggest horse race of the year. - Published: 2024-02-28 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/auckland-cup/ Auckland Cup 2025 – Betting Guide & Race Day Tips Horse racing betting action in New Zealand reaches one of its most intense periods around the prestigious Auckland Cup. Find out everything you need to know about this Group 2 event to be run at Ellerslie Racecourse, Auckland, on 9 March 2025, from Auckland Cup ticket options and live streaming to horse racing tips, how to bet on the race, and much more. Let's get your started with our guide to online betting for The Auckland Cup. Best Auckland Cup Online Gambling Sites New Zealand in 2025 TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review The Auckland Cup: An Overview The Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup Day is an Open Handicap for thoroughbred racehorses competed over 3,200 metres on the flat turf at Ellerslie Racecourse. A popular choice for horse racing betting in New Zealand and further afield, the race was initially graded as a Group One (G1) event but has been a Group 2 event since 2022. This highly anticipated annual race is held by the Auckland Racing Club (ARC) and boasts a NZ$500,000 total prize pool. Attending the Auckland Cup The Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup Day offers more than just intense horse racing betting. The event’s also famous for its incredible atmosphere, glamorous fashion, excellent food and beverages, and fun-filled afterparties. If you would like to attend this prestigious event on 9 March 2025, make your way to Ellerslie Racecourse, 100 Ascot Avenue, Remuera, Auckland. The venue is less than 7km from Auckland City’s Queen Street and is conveniently close to major bus routes, train stations, and motorway on/off ramps. The gates open at 11:00am, with the first race scheduled to start at 12. 30pm. Claim hefty bonuses and enjoy more online horse betting action at top New Zealand online bookmakers. Auckland Cup Tickets Auckland Cup tickets are essential if you would like to enjoy this day at the races with friends, family, colleagues, or business associates. The available options include: Cuvée: NZ$385pp. This option includes a gourmet food and beverage package and seating in a covered contemporary outdoor space with a fantastic view of the birdcage and the winning post – it’s the perfect spot if you’re also going to be doing some horse racing betting on the day. Purchase your Cuvée tickets here. The Enclosure: NZ$99pp or $890 for a group of ten. The Enclosure is located on the Barrett Lawn and offers sweeping views of the track. You can enjoy a drink on arrival, enjoy delicious food from the pop-up food truck, and mingle with mates on the Grand Tour Bar’s viewing deck. This is a great spot to view the action if you’ve indulged in some horse racing betting. Get your Enclosure tickets here. Guineas: NZ$600 for a table of 10. Enjoy uninterrupted views of the racecourse from Guineas on the top floor of the Ellerslie Stand. Take advantage of excellent Auckland Cup odds online and then keep an eye on your favourite horses from your own reserved indoor table, the covered grandstand, or your preferred general admission area. Buy Guineas tickets here. General Admission: 4 for NZ$80, NZ$25pp or NZ$30pp on the day. Laidback and relaxed, the general admission areas offer covered outdoor seating in the Ellerslie Stand, lawn space neighbouring the home straight, and lawn space next to the stabling complex behind the stand. You can bring a picnic basket, chairs, and picnic rugs, and you can find a range of tasty food and beverage options at the Newmarket Room. This is a great way to decide where to keep up with the action to intensify your horse racing betting. Purchase general admission tickets here. Get started with horse betting at the top Kiwi online bookmakers. Parking at the Auckland Cup If you’re driving to Ellerslie Racecourse for the 2025 Auckland Cup, you don’t need to worry about struggling to find parking. You can park on-site for free on race day. Access the racecourse’s parking area through Derby Downs Place. Calculate Auckland Cup Betting Odds Jockeys and Trainers Involved In the Auckland Cup This year’s Auckland Cup gives you the chance to bet on horses to be ridden by some of New Zealand’s elite jockeys and trained by the best trainers. Find horse racing odds on the likes of: Dark Destroyer trained by Darryn Weatherley Prise De Fer trained by Mark Walker Terra Mitica trained by Lance Noble Dionysus trained by Roger James and Robert Wellwood Mark Twain trained by Roger James and Robert Wellwood Asterix trained by Lance O'Sullivan and Andrew Scott Imperatriz trained by Mark Walker Where to Live Stream the Auckland Cup Take the excitement of horse racing betting to the next level by watching a live stream broadcast of the Auckland Cup in the comfort of your home. Live stream the race at top Kiwi online bookmakers such as Betway. Sign up for an account at the site, log in to your account, and select the live stream option on the day of the race. How to Bet On the Auckland Cup 2025 Enjoy intense horse racing betting on the Auckland Cup at the best online betting sites for punters in New Zealand. Use our reviews and recommendations to find an online bookmaker that offers competitive Auckland Cup odds, live streaming, a variety of bet types, secure banking, and much more. Sign up to create an account at your preferred site, browse the horse betting options, place your bets, and wait for the action to unfold. Place Auckland Cup Bets Auckland Cup Odds Auckland Cup odds for the 2025 event aren’t available yet. Be sure to check our recommended New Zealand online bookmakers for odds closer to the time. This allows you to get in on some of the country’s most intense horse racing betting action. Recommended Kiwi Online Bookmakers The Auckland Cup attracts interest from horse betting aficionados in New Zealand and around the world. Given the popularity of what’s one of the biggest days on the local racing calendar, the best online bookmakers offer fixed odds wins and place markets when the field is confirmed. Turn to our expert reviews and recommendations if you aren’t sure which online bookmaker to choose for horse racing betting. We carefully vet the sites we recommend. This ensures they’re licensed, secure, and powered by quality software. It also ensures they offer an array of racing and other markets and run promotions that add to the experience. Place Auckland Cup Bets Types of Horse Racing Bets If you’re new to horse racing betting, you might find it a little tricky to decipher its unique language when you explore the Auckland Cup odds at our recommended online bookmakers. Find out more about some of the most popular horse betting options below. Win: Place a Win bet on the horse you think will come first in the race. Place: Place a Place bet on the horse you think will come first, second, or third. Each Way: Place an Each Way bet on a horse to win or to come in first, second, or third place. Quinella: Place a Quinella bet on two horses you think will come first and second – the order isn’t important when it comes to this horse racing betting option. Exacta: Place an Exacta bet on the horse you think will come first and on another horse that you think will place second, ensuring you choose the horses in the right order. Trifecta: Place a Trifecta bet on the horses you think will come first, second, and third, ensuring you choose the horses in the right order. First 4: Place a First 4 bet on the horses you think will come first, second, third, and fourth, in order. Register at our recommended online bookmakers and bet with the best Auckland Cup odds. RELATED: Learn to Bet on the Melbourne Cup. Horse Racing Tips For the Auckland Cup Use these horse racing tips to make the most of the Auckland Cup betting opportunities you can enjoy at top Kiwi online bookmakers: 1. Take note of track conditions Track conditions play an important role in the outcomes of races. For example, heavy rain can affect how horses run. This could lead to a favourite not doing as well as expected. Track conditions aren’t only linked to the weather, as some horses may be used to a specific type of track. If the track at Ellerslie Racecourse isn’t what a specific horse is used to, it may not perform as well as it would on a different track. 2. Take Note of the Form The ‘form’ is the horse’s overall performance on the track, which can indicate whether it will win, place, or lose. Use the resources available at our recommended online bookmakers and other sporting sites. In doing so, you can learn more about specific horse forms before enjoying horse racing betting. 3. Keep an Eye on the Market If you look at horse racing odds on a variety of events, you’ll find that the market is never static. Follow the market regularly and take note of patterns, which can help to give you an edge. Use the insights you gain through following the market to decide which Auckland Cup odds to choose when betting. Unlock a world of horse betting action at the top NZ online bookmakers. RELATED: Get More Horse Racing Tips from Experts Now. Auckland Cup Horse Racing Betting FAQ How do I figure out which horse will perform best at the Auckland Cup? Use our horse tips above to learn about the different factors to consider when choosing the horse that you think will win the Auckland Cup. Our horse racing betting tips cover track conditions, form, and the market. Which bet type offers the most winnings in horse betting? You can choose from an array of horse betting options. Don’t choose a bet because of the potential winnings. It’s better to base your horse racing betting choices on your bankroll and your betting style. If you’re new to choosing Auckland Cup odds, consider placing simple Win or Place bets. If you’re more experienced, consider placing Trifecta, Quinella, or other bets. Which bet is best for horse racing betting newcomers? Win or Place bets are best if you’re new to horse racing betting. Place a Win bet on the horse you think will cross the finish line first. Or, put a Place bet on a horse you think will finish in first or second place. --- > The New Zealand Derby kicks off the Auckland Cup Week. Find out everything you need to know about the event and the horse racing betting it offers. - Published: 2024-02-27 - Modified: 2024-02-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/new-zealand-derby/ Horse Racing Betting And The New Zealand Derby Kiwi horse racing betting reaches fever pitch with the Trackside New Zealand Derby, the opening day of the country’s richest racing carnival. Find out everything you need to know about this Group 1 race held at Auckland’s Ellerslie Racecourse on 2 March 2025. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review Introduction to the New Zealand Derby The New Zealand Derby as we know it today began when two races were amalgamated in 1973. The original races were the New Zealand Derby run at Riccarton, Christchurch, from 1860. As well as the Great Northern Derby, run at Ellerslie Racecourse, Auckland, since 1875. Riccarton got two 1,600m races for three-year-olds to make up for the loss of its derby. Namely the New Zealand 1000 Guineas and the New Zealand 2000 Guineas. Initially run in May, the New Zealand Derby was moved to New Year’s Day and then to 26 December (Boxing Day), a date that became a high point in the social calendar and among fans of horse racing betting. In 2006, the event was moved to the first day of the Auckland Cup Week in March. That year saw Wahid, a horse from Allan Sharrock’s stable, win the event. Today, this prestigious 2,400m race is run under set-weight conditions for three-year-old horses. It boasts a total prize pool of NZ$1 million. Unlock first-class online horse betting, great promotions, and horse racing tips at the best NZ$ online bookmakers. Calculate New Zealand Derby Betting Odds Attending the New Zealand Derby The $1m Trackside New Zealand Derby kicks off the Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup Week, making it one of the racing calendar’s not-to-be-missed events. Attend the event in person for heightened horse racing betting action that comes with watching some of the country’s top horses and jockeys vying for glory on the racecourse. The action on the track is supplemented with the national fashions in the field final, the Ned Prix de Fashion, and superb hospitality options. There’s also free children’s entertainment, live music and DJs. Of course, the excitement all begins with taking advantage of unbeatable horse racing odds at the online bookmakers we recommend for Kiwi players. As mentioned, the New Zealand Derby takes place at Ellerslie Racecourse, 100 Ascot Avenue, Remuera, Auckland, on 2 March 2025. Enjoy horse betting on the other races to be run on the day, including the Group 3 Haunui Farm King's Plate, Group 3 Stella Artois Mufhasa Stakes, and Group 3 McKee Family Sunline Vase. The gates open at 11:00am and the first race starts at 12:30pm. Register at top Kiwi online bookmakers for excellent horse racing odds. Register At Betway New Zealand Derby Tickets Make sure you purchase a ticket if you want to attend the New Zealand Derby and see the outcomes of your horse racing betting in person. You can choose from several different options when buying your tickets online, including: Cuvée: NZ$385pp. Gain entry to a contemporary covered outdoor location that offers fantastic views of the winning post, the neighbouring birdcage, and the super screen. Enjoy a gourmet food and beverage package. Buy Cuvée tickets here. The Grove in association with Leefield Station: NZ$235pp or NZ$2500 for a reserved table of 10. Use your mobile device to access the best New Zealand Derby odds from a trackside location inspired by a chic yet laid-back Marlborough winery. The ticket includes a range of beverages, including a Leefield Station selection, and food throughout the day. There’s also a resident DJ and great views of the track. Get The Grove in association with Leefield Station tickets here. Silks: NZ$185pp. Watch the event that inspires a flurry of horse betting action from a comfortable lounge. The lounge features floor-to-ceiling glass frontages, tables with flat-screen TVs, and a seasonal menu specially designed by Executive Chef Paul Barrett. Get Silks tickets here. The Enclosure: NZ$99pp or NZ$890 for a group of ten. Enjoy sweeping views of the action of the New Zealand Derby from The Enclosure on the Barrett Lawn. Settle in with a drink on arrival and watch the races in comfortable surroundings. Satisfy your hunger with delicious food from the pop-up food truck, and make your way to The Grand Tour Bar’s stunning viewing deck. Buy The Enclosure tickets here. Guineas: $600 for a table of 10. Indulge in horse racing betting and then take in the action of the Auckland Cup’s opening event from the Guineas precinct on the top floor of the Ellerslie Stand. This air-conditioned space offers uninterrupted views of the racecourse. Plus, it provides easy access to the covered grandstand and to all general admission areas on the course. Purchase Guineas tickets here. General Admission: 4 for NZ$80, NZ$25pp or NZ$30pp on the day. Enjoy a more laid-back New Zealand Derby horse racing betting experience in the general admission areas. Watch the races from the Ellerslie Stand’s covered outdoor seating or from the lawn space neighbouring the home straight or behind the stand. You can bring a picnic lunch, chairs, and rugs, or choose from the food and beverages available at the Newmarket Room. Buy general admission tickets here. Get horse tips, unbeatable odds, and more at world-class online bookmakers. RELATED: Harness Racing is Super Popular - Learn More and Place Bets Now New Zealand Derby Parking If you’re planning to drive to Ellerslie Racecourse for the New Zealand Derby, you can park on-site for free. Access the secure parking area via Derby Downs Place before making your way to the heart of the horse racing betting action. Claim bonuses and enjoy more horse betting at top NZ$ online bookmakers. New Zealand Derby Jockeys and Trainers Watch some of the finest jockeys ride horses trained by some of the best trainers at the 2025 New Zealand Derby. Among those that might contribute to the horse racing betting thrills on the day are: Testwin trained by Guy Lowry and Leah Zydenbos Lord Weyburn trained by Chad Ormsby Interlinked trained by Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young Live Stream the New Zealand Derby You don’t need to travel all the way to Ellerslie Racecourse for the New Zealand Derby. Live stream the event at an online bookmaker such as Betway if you want to see how the horses fare after taking your pick of the competitive horse racing odds. Register at these top online betting sites for horse racing betting and other sports markets. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review How to Bet On the 2025 New Zealand Derby Bet on the 2025 New Zealand Derby by signing up at one of the best online bookmakers for Kiwi punters. Find the best brand for your needs by reading our reviews and recommendations. Choose a brand and sign up to create an account. Then, make your first deposit and navigate to the event using the search function. Finally, choose from attractive New Zealand Derby odds to enjoy first-rate horse racing betting. Place New Zealand Derby Bets New Zealand Derby Odds New Zealand Derby odds for the 2025 event are not available yet. Keep an eye on our recommended online bookmakers for their horse racing odds closer to the time. Register for an account at recommended bookmakers online to ensure you don’t miss out on competitive odds and horse racing tips. Recommended Online Bookmakers For Horse Betting Find the best online bookmakers like Betway for action-packed horse betting on the New Zealand Derby, Auckland Cup, and other events with us. Use our reviews and recommendations to learn more about bookmakers that offer fixed odds wins and place markets when the field is confirmed. The horse racing betting sites we recommend are licensed and regulated, powered by award-winning software, offer fantastic horse racing odds as well as other markets, run exciting promotions, and boast secure banking and reliable customer support services. RELATED: Understand How to Win When You Bet On The Melbourne Cup Horse Racing Bets Explained Learn more about some of the most popular New Zealand Derby horse racing betting options below. Win: You can place a Win bet on the horse you think will win the race. Place: You can place a Place bet on a horse you think will finish in first, second, or third place. Each Way: Place an Each Way bet on a horse you think will win or finish in first, second, or third place. Quinella: You can place a Quinella bet on two horses you think will finish the New Zealand Derby in first and second place (in any order). Exacta: Place an Exacta bet on a horse you think will win and on a horse that you think will finish in second place (in order). Trifecta: You can place a Trifecta bet on horses that you think will finish in first, second, and third place (in order). First Four: Place a First Four bet on horses that you think will finish in first, second, third, and four place (in order). Unlock New Zealand’s finest horse racing betting at our recommended online bookmakers. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review New Zealand Derby Horse Racing Betting FAQ How can I find an online bookmaker that offers New Zealand Derby horse racing betting? Use our honest reviews to find a trustworthy online bookmaker that offers competitive New Zealand Derby horse racing betting. How can I figure out which horse will win the New Zealand Derby? There’s no sure way to predict the New Zealand Derby winner. We recommend that you pay attention to horses’ form (their overall performance on the track). As well as track conditions (such as how it’s affected by the weather and what type of track horses are used to) when deciding which horses to bet on. Which horse betting options are best for beginners? Consider placing Win or Place bets if you are a horse betting beginner. Place a Win bet on a horse you think will win the race. Or a Place bet on a horse you think will finish in first or second place. When you’ve gained more experience, you can consider advanced horse racing betting options such as Trifecta, Quinella, or Exacta. --- > We take reviewing sports betting sites in New Zealand very seriously. This is how we meticulously review the most reputable sportsbooks in NZ (2025). - Published: 2023-06-29 - Modified: 2023-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/how-we-review-betting-sites/ How We Review Sports Betting Sites Reviewing online sports betting sites accurately and without favour is a big part of our philosophy. We use a strict set of standards for every review and want to share those standards with you here. Read on to get a better understanding of our review process. We want you to be confident that when you sign up with a site we suggest, you only get the best of the best. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review Review Process Overview For every sports betting site review, we do a thorough investigation. We sign up for an account and make use of the offered services. For each section of the site, we apply our strict set of usability, reliability, and versatility standards. If you want to get started with sports betting, you can trust that our reviews will steer you right no matter which sports you prefer. Sports Coverage When we review a sports betting site, we don’t just stick to the mainstream market. We explore all avenues, including lesser-known and niche sports. When you join a betting site, you’ll have your preferences, and we want to be sure that we’ve explored those preferences on your behalf. Betting Markets The same goes for betting markets. It’s important that sports betting is broad, inclusive, and versatile. After all, who knows when you’ll discover a new market that you enjoy? Register with a sportsbook we suggest like Betway, and you can be assured of having the biggest and most expansive betting markets at your fingertips. Sports Betting Odds and Payouts It can’t be overlooked how big a role sports betting odds play at a sportsbook. Contrary to popular belief, odds vary dramatically between sites. We pay careful attention to the sports betting odds at every site, making notes as to which sites are the most competitive. More to the point, we’re also very critical of how long it takes for a site to make payouts. We check odds and put down bets at every site. If the site has great odds and pays out fast, we’ll let you know. Register at our highest-rated sites for great sports betting odds and reliable payouts. Register At Betway Bonuses and Promotions Bonuses, promotions, and special offers are the grease that keeps the sports betting world wheels turning. We’re passionate about finding the best promotions in the sports betting world and keeping track of where the fairest and highest quality deals can be found. But we pay attention to more than just Welcome Bonuses. In our view, a site needs to keep the promotions coming, long after you’ve signed up. If you want to register, get a great deal, then enjoy the fruits of a strong loyalty program, check out our recommendations. User Experience What good is a great set of promotions when a site is awful to navigate? Sports betting works best when it’s accompanied by a good user interface and smooth user experience. We visit dozens of sites, explore each thoroughly, and as such know what a good user interface is. Plus, we pay special attention to how easy it is to sign-up, up and how long a sign-up takes. Yes, of course, we also visit each betting site on mobile and desktop computers. If you want your sign-up and user experience to be smooth, regardless of which platform you choose, take a look at our hottest recommendations. Banking Options The most overlooked part of every sports betting site is the banking options. You love the promotions and are excited about the sports coverage, but completely forget to check if the site even supports your preferred banking option. Big mistake. Nothing kills the enjoyment of sports betting like having to sign up for an unfamiliar banking method. The best sites support as many banking options as possible, for obvious reasons. Unlock true sports betting freedom by checking our reviews before you commit to a site. We’ll list all supported banking methods on your behalf, so you’re not stuck having to use a system you don’t like. Customer Support Sometimes you’re going to run into a problem at a site. But our criteria for a site isn’t so much if you do run into a problem, these things happen, but rather how quickly customer support fixes the problem. Customer support at online sportsbooks is enormously important, including the speed of each response and the professionalism of the team. We test the customer support at every site we review, putting the interaction up to a very high set of standards. If you register at a site we’ve recommended you can be certain that the customer support is top-notch. Safety and Security Let’s face it, security is still a problem in the online world. We are acutely aware of what makes a site secure and understand that it’s about much more than just verbal assurances. In our view regulated and licensed sports betting sites must have a minimum of a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) in place. Two-factor authentication (2FA) should also be available, as well as a focus on privacy. We understand that when you sign up at a site, you don’t want to be constantly worried about security. We’ll make sure a site is regulated and licensed so that you can put your mind at ease. Enjoy NZ Sports Betting At Betway Reputation and Trustworthiness We look into every site’s reputation, taking into account reviews and testimonials. If we get a sense that a site is treating users unfairly, you can bet it will go into our review. Our trust rating is based on extensive research, hours of personal experience, and the cumulative experiences of other users. Sports betting only works, after all, if it is based on a foundation of trust and fairness. If we say a site isn’t safe, you can bet that it isn’t. On the other hand, you can sign up with confidence at any site where we’ve given the thumbs up. Conclusion Sports coverage, betting markets, user experience, banking options, sports betting odds, safety and security, and trustworthiness. It all needs to be taken into account before you decide to make a deposit at a sports betting site. We pay special attention to all of these points, look into everything thoroughly, and take our review process seriously. If you aren’t sure about something, you can also contact us for more information. You can get started now, take a look at our reviews, and engage in online sports betting with confidence. Summary of the Factors We Consider when Reviewing Sportsbooks: Sports coverage Betting markets User experience & Available Platforms Banking options Sports betting odds Safety and security Trustworthiness Sports Betting Site FAQ Which betting sites give you a free bet? Many sports betting sites offer free bets as a promotion. We’ll mention in our review if you can expect free bet promotions. How long does it take to open an online betting account? Signing up with an online sportsbook shouldn’t take more than a few minutes. Just be sure to have the required information close at hand. Are betting sites legal in New Zealand? Yes, online sports betting sites are legal in New Zealand. Just be sure that you’re playing at a site that is regulated and licensed. We always check licensing on your behalf. Can I get a betting bonus in New Zealand? Of course. Most of the sites we review offer excellent bonuses and promotions. You’ll likely get an excellent welcome bonus with an impressive reward. Loyalty programs also provide rewards. --- > The US Masters is the top golfing event of the year. We’ve put together the ultimate US Masters betting guide to help you better your chances. - Published: 2023-02-08 - Modified: 2025-06-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/golf/us-masters/ A Guide to US Masters Golf Betting Sports fans all over New Zealand enjoy online betting on golf and watching the sport as the action unfolds. Golf is an engaging and exciting game, and the annual US Masters attracts millions of sports betting enthusiasts each year. This year’s tournament is scheduled to tee off at Augusta National Golf Club, Georgia, on April 6 and our US Masters betting guide tells you all about who to watch, who to wager on, and why. How The US Masters Plays Out Each year, the US Masters tees off with a practice round. The total number of rounds played is four, which means this year’s tournament will conclude on April 9. Every round is made up of 18 holes, and the idea is to finish each round in as few strokes as possible, or to remain as far under par as you can. Once the second round has been played, the ranking process begins and the golf betting field narrows. Only the top 50 players get to advance to the third and fourth rounds. Masters Betting Odds 2025 This year’s outright favourite to win is Rory Mllroy. Notable is that the US Masters is the one major trophy not yet won by the Irishman. More early Masters picks and favourites include Cameron Smith (AUS), Jon Rahm (Spain), Jordan Spieth (US), Scottie Scheffler (US), Justin Thomas (US), Xander Schauffele (US), and Brooks Koepka (US). Many major sportsbooks doing Masters tipping have Mllroy at odds of around +900 to win the US Masters 2025. Sportsbooks have also published the following golf odds: Jon Rahm +1100 Cameron Smith +1300 Scottie Scheffler +1400 Justin Thomas +1600 Jordan Spieth +2000 Dustin Johnson +2900 Will Zalatoris +2200 Colin Morikawa +2200 Xander Schauffele +2200 Patrick Cantlay +2200 Brooks Koepka +3500 Popular Golf Betting Markets The US Masters is home to a variety of popular golf betting markets. Below are some all-time favourite golf bets: Outright Winner for the US Masters. Simple and popular, the outright winner golf bet means putting your money on the golfer you think is going to win the tournament in its entirety. US Masters Winner’s Nationality. This wager predicts what the nationality of the tournament winner will be. To Make the Cut. As mentioned previously, only the top 50 golfers will advance to rounds three and four of the competition. This type of golf bet predicts whether a player will contend well enough to “make the cut” of 50. Three-Ball Betting. During the first two days of the US Masters, players are divided into groups of threes. Bettors get to place money on who they think is best-out-of-three. each sports book offers a unique combination of odds, tips and offers. Make sure you check out all the key sportsbook available in New Zealand, including Betway, Palmerbet NZ, Picklebet NZ to name but a few! FAQ What is the best golf betting site? You can’t go wrong with any of the Kiwi friendly sportsbooks we rate tops. What does +1800 mean in golf betting? If a player is +1800, this means that a $100 bet will see you win $1,800. What does +1200 mean in golf odds? If a player is +1200, a $100 wager will see you bag a cool $1,200. What are the betting odds on the Masters? You’ll find all the best Masters betting odds at New Zealand’s top sportsbooks. Can you place a bet on the Masters? Yes. How does betting on the Masters work? Golf bets can be placed in person or online. Who is the biggest underdog to win the Masters? Bernhard Langer. What is the lowest payout at the Masters? The lowest payout at the US Masters is $37,800. Who is favoured to win the Masters? Irishman Rory Mllroy. Who has the best odds to win the Masters in 2025? Rory Mllroy. --- > The Cricket World Cup betting season is near & fans are making predictions. Check out this guide for a breakdown of Cricket World Cup betting. - Published: 2023-02-08 - Modified: 2025-06-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/cricket/cricket-world-cup/ A Complete Guide To Cricket World Cup Betting Cricket is the second most watched sport in the world, with an estimated 2. 5 billion fans globally. Online betting on cricket is also extremely popular, particularly in India, South Africa, Australia, and of course, New Zealand. It is, of course, during the Cricket World Cup and T20 World Cup that betting reaches its regular peak. Millions of bets are staked over the course of the tournaments, equating to hundreds of millions of dollars in terms of overall betting volume. Kiwi fans interested in Cricket World Cup betting can take a look at the following guide. We will cover cricket betting tips, cricket betting odds, and so much more. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review What Is The ICC? The International Cricket Council (ICC) is the organisation responsible for arranging and governing the world’s biggest cricket tournaments. The most notable tournaments run by the ICC are the Cricket World Cup and the T20 World Cup. The ICC was established in 1909, with Australia, England and South Africa being the founding members. The organisation was renamed to the International Cricket Conference in 1965, then to the current name in 1987. Today, the ICC has 108 members, including 12 full members. ICC World Cup Betting Guide We have a number of comprehensive sports betting guides, and below you'll find tips and tricks unique to betting on world cup cricket. Any Kiwi punter that wants to bet on cricket needs to first understand odds and betting options. It is also a very good idea to learn a few simple tips, and perhaps even adopt a betting strategy. Cricket World Cup Odds All betting, Cricket World Cup betting or otherwise, is based around odds. A team is assigned odds based on how likely the sportsbook thinks that team is to succeed, for that given match. It is also important to understand that betting uses a risk versus reward principal. The more likely the betting option, the lower the payout, and vice versa. Cricket betting odds are otherwise in-line with all other sports, though how odds are displayed can differ. Each sportsbook has unique odds based on their offers and how the calculate these based on data. We've found that Betway offers some of the best cricket World Cup betting odds to players in New Zealand. Cricket World Cup odds generally use the United Kingdom decimal system. As an example, odds of 1/2 indicate a very likely to succeed bet. If $10 were staked, $15 would be paid out. On the other hand, 1/10 odds are much riskier. Though, if $10 were staked $110 would be paid out. 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It may seem clear which team will win, but it often isn’t so simple. Thankfully many sportsbooks make their own predictions, giving insight into what the most likely outcome will be. Even the most seasoned pros and knowledgeable professionals can make inaccurate predictions. The lack of certainty is, however, exactly what makes placing Cricket World Cup bets so entertaining. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review Cricket Betting Tips And Strategies Before making any bets it’s a good idea to check out these Cricket World Cup tips. After all, making bets for entertainment is fun, but well-thought-out bets have a much higher likelihood of succeeding. History And Performance The first, and most obvious factor to consider is the recent performance history of each team. If a team has been performing well, chances are good that they will continue to do so. The same can be said for a team that has been lagging behind. Also, are all the star players of each team in peak condition? A favoured team can suddenly slip if their best batsman has an injury, for example. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review Home Team Advantage And More Other important Cricket World Cup tips include the home team advantage, weather, and going the distance. The home team advantage is often overlooked, though it can play an enormous role in how a match turns out. It is well known that teams play significantly better if they are on their home ground. Weather is also an extremely important factor. Veterans in ICC betting report that weather can drastically alter the course of a match, especially if certain teams are more used to weather conditions than others. Lastly, it is very important to understand which teams can go the distance. Which is to say, certain teams may perform well at the start of a tournament, only to lose steam towards the end. As fatigue sets in the team performs gradually worse. This is an important factor to keep in mind as the tournament reaches its finals. Cricket World Cup Betting Strategies General strategies are also important in order to bet on cricket effectively. Simple strategies include diversification, betting with logic, and keeping track of the latest news. As far as diversification is concerned, it is a good idea to spread out multiple smaller bets between different teams. Therefore if a single bet fails there is still a chance the others will succeed. It is also important that serious bettors remember to not only bet on a favourite team. Just because a team is favoured, it doesn’t mean that team will do well. Lastly, latest news should be followed closely throughout the tournament. Small details could give important information on how teams will perform in upcoming matches. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review Cricket World Cup Betting FAQ When is the Cricket World Cup 2025? The Cricket World Cup will take place between October and November in 2025. A total of 48 matches are scheduled for the tournament. Where is the Cricket World Cup 2025 being held? India is the host of the Cricket World cup in 2025. Can I bet on the Cricket World Cup 2025? Of course. There are numerous reputable, respected online sportsbooks that fully support all types of ICC betting. Who is the favourite to win the Cricket World Cup 2025? Australia is the favourite to win the tournament, though upsets do also happen frequently. --- > Discover the Best live dealer Online Casinos in NZ 2025 - Find the best live gambling sites for New Zealand players - Published: 2022-05-04 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/live-dealer/ Best live Dealer casinos site in New Zealand 2025 Live Dealer - There is no denying that RNG software works very well. It has been a part of online casino games for decades now, and most are happy with the results. But there are some New Zealanders - perhaps you included - that demand authenticity. After all, RNG software may work well, but it simply isn’t the real thing. 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As would be expected, it is classics like live Poker, live Baccarat, live Blackjack, and live Roulette that get the most attention. This only makes sense, given that these are the games in land-based establishments that enjoy the strongest atmosphere. But a new wave of live games has also been making a splash. Fun, quirky games like Crazy Time and Dream Catcher aren’t traditional by any means, utilising entirely new rules. But based on the idea that you can participate in a Game Show as it happens, this new form of gambling entertainment is quickly becoming a global favourite. It is up to you if you want to try out what is essentially a whole new way to gamble online, but there certainly isn’t any harm in checking it out first hand. Where Are The Best Live Dealer Casinos? Every New Zealander knows that to find the best deal you have to do a little searching. But New Zealanders also know that when it comes to gambling online, searching before playing isn’t particularly fun. 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You can put down bets, and get real money payouts, as the action unfolds. Do live casino games work on Android and iOS? Yes. Although live games are certainly technologically impressive, all that they require to operate properly is a strong internet connection. Are there bonuses for live dealer games? Of course. Some online casinos have promotional deals that are specifically for live dealer entertainment. Though Bonus Cash promotions may also apply, given that you can normally use Bonus Cash on whatever game you want. { "@context": "https://schema. org", "@type": "FAQPage", "@id": "sp-ea-schema-636-685f9ae12f1ba", "mainEntity": } --- > Enjoy Copa America betting in NZ with the top soccer betting sites. We review and rates the best Copa America bets for soccer punters in New Zealand today! - Published: 2019-04-25 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/copa-america/ Tip for Copa América Betting 2024 Are you looking for a new football tournament to start betting on, or are you brand new to the betting world and want something to give it a try for the first time? You’re in luck, because 2025 is the year of the Copa América, one of the best international football tournaments of all time. Started in 1916, the Copa América has been home to some of the most memorable moments in football over the last century, and this year’s event looks to be no different. Top Copa America Betting Odds TOP Copa América betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review Being hosted by Brazil, this will be the last year that the Copa América takes place on a year that ends in an odd number, and due to the fact that both Arabic and Japanese nations will be participating for the first time, there’s never been a better opportunity to break into the fast-paced and thrilling world of sports betting. Closer Look At The Copa América The Copa América, also known as CONMEBOL Copa América, is the world’s oldest international continental football association that takes place in South America. It hosts national teams from around the world, made up of 12 CONMEBOL teams and two from countries outside of South America. This year’s event will be held in Brazil, and will see two-time defending champions Chile returning to once again fight for the title they earned both in 2015 and 2016. We have been following the Copa América for years, and using our experience and guidance, your foray into betting on the tournament should prove both smooth and endlessly fun. Choosing The Right Sportsbook Finding the right bet starts with finding the right sportsbook, and finding the right sportsbook is something we can help you with. With years of experience in both betting and sportsbook, we are experts in helping newcomers find their way around with only the best bookmakers the market has to offer. With a little guidance and a choice from our recommendations of the best sportsbook on offer, you can start wagering on the Copa América right away. What Kind of Copa America Bets Are Available? Before you can start putting any money down, you might want to take a few minutes and learn about the different bets that our recommended local and international sportsbooks offer. These bets are perfect for first-timers, and will give you an idea of what to expect in the world of sports betting: The Outright Market This type of bet has proven to be the most popular for first time New Zealand punters, and also the very easiest to learn and put into action. Here, you wager money on the team that you believe that will claim victory of the entire event. If the team you bet on wins, the bookie will pay out. If the team loses, the bet fails. It’s extremely simple, and the recommended choice for those trying their luck for the firs time. Top Goalscorer Top scorer odds are always a favourite among punters, and see you wagering on the player that you believe will score the most goals throughout the event. Like the outright bet, it’s about as straightforward as they come, and gives you ample opportunity to spend a little time reading up on the different star players that will be out on the field. Match Betting Match betting gives you the chance to place money on individual matches rather than the tournament as a whole. It comes with slightly more risk, as you will need some basic knowledge of the team and its players, but it’s a classic for a reason, and offered by just about every sportsbook under the sun, both in New Zealand and around the world. Soccer news NZ --- > Join the new generation of eSports betting sites in NZ that are making video games betting the fastest growing market. We rate the best esports betting sites for New Zealand punters wanting to place bets on Dota 2, League of Legends & CSGO for massive wins with the best eSports betting odds available! - Published: 2018-02-27 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/esports/ Guide to eSports Betting In New Zealand 2025 While we’ve grown accustomed to betting on more physical sports like football and rugby, there’s a new contender on the scene that has been taking the world by storm: eSports betting. Here, instead of playing on an open field, competitors instead fight for supremacy on a digital battleground, where timing, skill, and split-second decisions can make all the difference for everyone playing. LOL betting, CS: GO betting, and Dota 2 betting are currently leading the world in eSports, and we’ve seen a bigger growth in this industry in the last few years than most other sports. Not only are they incredibly entertaining to play, but we also have a chance to watch them and see how the professional-level players function in a game. Betting on eSports has also never been easier, and while once it was based more in a niche community like AFL betting groups, games like Dota 2 have brought eSports into the public eye, making them bigger than ever. With the power of the Internet at your fingertips, eSports betting New Zealand is now possible at any time of the year, and thanks to the many tournaments that happen annually, there’s never a need to wait for a new game to start to begin betting. The Best NZ eSports Betting Sites TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review Finding good eSports betting sites doesn’t have to be a problem any longer, as there are dozens to choose from, and each one offers their punters something different. These sites not only cover a range of different games and championships, but they also do so in real time, meaning that punters have the chance to watch the games and their bets live. Most eSports betting sites support Dota 2 betting, making this one of the best games for beginners to get started with. eSports Betting Frequently Asked Questions What is eSports Betting? You can now place real money wagers on competitive video game tournaments daily much like you've been able to bet on the horses online. How Big Is eSports Betting? The eSports betting industry is exploding in 2019 with over $12 Billion NZD in wages expected to be placed internationally and it being a great time to join in. What eSports Bets Can be Placed? Right now, players are making eSports bets on Dota 2, CSGO, Overwatch & Starcraft amongst others & winning big. Is eSports Betting Legal? Provided you're of legal age, eSports betting is 100% legal with our partners at Betway, Picklebet & PalmerBet all of which offer great welcome bonuses. Dota 2 is currently the reigning champions when it comes to eSports, and thanks to an enthusiast fan-base and millions of dollars worth of winnings every year, Dota 2 has seen massive success. Behind it is League of Legends, which boasts the biggest amount of players in the world, but hasn’t quite managed to reach Dota 2’s level in terms of winnings and tournaments. For the FPS genre, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is the one to follow, but Call of Duty is not far behind, and both make for exhilarating eSports action. Esports Bets There are a lot of similarities between e-sports and normal sports betting in NZ, so much so that many of the bets remain the same. The win bet is the most popular form, where a punter wagers a certain amount of money on a specific team of player winning a game or championship. There are also more complex bets, such as accumulative and point spread bets, each different in its own way, and each perfect for different levels of punting experience. Much like eSports, the way odds works is much the same, and you can expect to find handicaps, favourites, and underdogs, depending on the game and the teams playing. Overall, eSports is new, fun, and endlessly entertaining to bet on, and a popular choice among punters both new and seasoned. --- > Discover the best Bitcoin casinos for NZ players. Play safely with crypto, fast withdrawals & top bonuses. Reviewed & updated for 2025. - Published: 2017-12-21 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/bitcoin/ Top NZ Bitcoin Casinos 2025 – Gamble with Crypto Safely There is no red tape, and you don't need to part with any personal information when enjoying bitcoin gambling. What’s more, some sportsbooks are infamous for how much time it takes to process withdrawals. This doesn’t mean that the sites are fraudulent, but it often takes more than a month for cheques and bank wires to be processed; however, this is not the case with bitcoin online gambling. Also, you will generally need to provide some kind of documentation before you can withdraw your winnings - a driver’s license, a utility bill, or the front and back of the credit card you used to deposit your money, which Bitcoin sports betting doesn’t require. This is a lot of data to give an offshore gambling site... but there is no need for any of this when you indulge in the bitcoin betting NZ provides! No matter how above board the bookmaker is, you need to divulge a lot of data to start punting, and the reason so many punters are turning to bitcoin online betting is that it allows them to stay anonymous. Best Bitcoin Gambling NZ in 2025 TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review The first thing you will notice when you start betting on bitcoin sports is that transactions are usually completed in a matter of minutes. This ranks alongside e-wallet options, but, once again, you can stay anonymous whenever you place a bet, and that kind of safety is not available with e-wallets. Additionally, there are absolutely no charges attached, and when the bookmaker pays less, the savings are passed on to punters. Enjoy Bigger Promotions for Bitcoin Gambling Although punters do not directly pay for the fees attached to the various traditional methods of depositing and withdrawing, these costs do not simply vanish. Bookmakers cover them, which cuts into their profits, and although they still provide promotions and giveaways, these will take their expenses into account. You will see the difference when you start participating in the bitcoin betting NZ has to offer - the VIG is decreased, and punters see their profits increase. Bet on all the Sports with Bitcoin If you are aware of bitcoin online betting in any way, shape, or form, you will know that this industry is exploding. In just the last 12 months, sites offering bitcoin sports betting have doubled in number, and you have a variety of choices nowadays. Of course, we have sifted through them all and provided the best options for you right here, but you are by no means as limited as you may imagine. The markets available for punters who are interested in the bitcoin gambling NZ has to offer are now comparable to some of the finest traditional bookmakers in the world, and many offer far more expansive odds. Whether you get absorbed in American sports like baseball or football, succumb to soccer, or go mad for MMA, you will be able to find what you are looking for with bitcoin online betting. From politics to races, and even handball and volleyball, you can be sure your bets are possible, and live betting is provided for as well. Nab an excellent offer for the NFL or NBA, or set your sights on a soccer league like the Spanish Primera division -bitcoin sports betting is here to stay, and we have the best of what is available laid out for you! --- > Place bets on the best fantasy sports betting leagues. We bring you the top online fantasy betting sites. Get a 100% Match Bonus up to $250. - Published: 2017-11-15 - Modified: 2017-11-15 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/fantasy-sports-betting/ Fantasy Sports League Betting 2025 New Zealand is known for a lot of things, and anyone who lives in the country or who has visited will agree that the local’s just love betting on sports. Sports betting is an important part of the local culture, and has been around since the first New Zealanders landed in the country. Betting on sports can become a little tedious after a while, however, and watching every single game day in and day out can be a bore, which is why fantasy sports betting was first created. 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Top NZ Fantasy Sports Betting To understand how fantasy sports betting works, we first need to go back and learn the dynamics of all the various sports players in New Zealand and around the world. Each player is different, and each one players differently on the field, which is the basis for how fantasy sports works. In essence, fantasy sports entails a punter choosing through a selection of real players, using the stats of the chosen players, and creating their own virtual player. With this information, you can create your very own team, and use that team to play against other virtual teams. Betting comes in where more than one opponent will add their bet to a total pool, which can be for just one match, or for an entire season. From there, you and your opponent will then keep track of how the real players are performing in whatever events you based your fantasy sports betting on. If one of your players scores a point in a game, then you win that point, and it’s added to your total score. It goes on like this until the event ends, and whoever has the highest score at the end wins the fantasy sports game and the total pool. Fantasy sports betting has often been compared to eSports betting since it has an element of gamification in that teams are often made up of players across the league, who have never and may never play on the same teams. And therein lies the fantasy, similar to how gaming offers us an escape from real life! In Comparison To Real Sports Betting Many may wonder why fantasy sports betting is worth getting into when it’s easy to simply bet on a real player or team. The fact of the matter is that fantasy sports betting tends to much more personal and tied to individuals as opposed to being managed by a big bookmaker. Bookmakers are businesses, and therefore they prefer to work with cold numbers and nothing more, which can turn away many punters, and can keep the odds low. But the best and most reputable bookies offer great odds for players, while providing a realistic analysis of the odds for each league, each tournament, and each game. We've found that Betway offers some of the best odds for punters no matter the sport, market or league. In fantasy sports betting, each punter has a say in how much is bet, and because it’s often between friends, it tends to be a lot more fun, giving you the same thrill of enjoying betting on a sport minus all the calculation and research. Fantasy Sports Betting in Conclusion There are a lot of benefits to fantasy sports betting and learning how fantasy sports betting works. It continues to be an extremely enjoyable way of betting in New Zealand, and definitely something you should look in to if you want to start something new and exciting. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Place your Rugby League Bets for the World Cup with confidence with New Zealand's leading Rugby League Sports betting sites. Enjoy RLWC 2025 Betting Bonuses today! Our experts bring you top rugby league betting tips & odds to give Kiwi punters the edge when placing bets online on mobile or desktop. - Published: 2017-11-08 - Modified: 2017-11-08 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/rugby/rugby-league-world-cup/ Rugby League World Cup Betting 2025 We are just a month away from one of the biggest sporting events of the year, the Rugby League World Cup. Even though this is one of the oldest international tournaments still played, it has been altered so many times over the years that many may not know exactly how the tournament works, and what kind of format it follows. This applies to both those that just want to watch the game, and to the Rugby League betting crowd, who are just as keen to keep up with exactly what’s going on with the event. Rugby League World Cup betting has become more popular than ever before in recent years, and with more fans and a bigger appeal, there are plenty of punters that are new to the scene. Anyone who has followed the RLWC for any amount of time knows that it has changed drastically since it was first created in the early 1950s. For this reason, and to help those that are taking part in RLWC 2025 betting, here is a brief summary of how the tournament is going to work this year. Best Rugby League World Cup Bookies TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review The Rugby League World Cup has been famously inconsistent over the years, and has only recently adopted a format that suits everyone involved. In fact, it was during the 2013 event that the organisers decided to keep that format, and it has remained that way since. As far as Rugby League betting is concerned, it has not had too much of an impact, but it has made it a little more difficult to keep track of some of the teams for those that were used to the older formats. Qualification Qualification requirements changed in 2013, and made it much easier for countries to qualify to play in the tournament, which is good news for anyone interested in RLWC2025 betting. Any country that hosts the event is automatically qualified to take part. Additionally, those teams that reached a certain point in the previous World Cup are also given an automatic qualification into this year’s Cup. This is broken up into European/African/American qualifying groups. Rugby League Bets on The Finale The 14 teams that potential qualify for the semi-finals are split into four different groups. The ones that performed better are added to group A and group B, and everyone else is assigned to Group C and D. Three winning teams are chosen from the first two groups, and they are given access to the semi-finals. Only one team is allowed from the other two groups, which means the competition is much more fierce, with one winner eventually being victorious. This new format is one of the reasons that the odds found in Rugby League World Cup betting are so high for some teams, and some bookies have already released odds for the teams, with the United States assigned the highest odds of 1500/1. Enjoy the top Rugby League Bets Today! The 2025 tournament is looking to be successful on every front, and anyone that has become involved in Rugby League betting will not be disappointed, even if the same teams win again. --- > Explore & learn about fixed odds betting in NZ and how it applies to your favourite sports bets online. We rate the top fixed odds betting sites for Kiwi punters. Discover the top fixed odds financial betting sites online today, selected based on secure payment methods, fast payouts & big bonuses! - Published: 2017-10-03 - Modified: 2017-10-03 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/fixed-odds-bets/ Finding the Best Fixed Odds for Sports Bets Sports betting has taken the online betting scene by storm and this is currently a booming industry that is still growing every day. There are various ways of betting on sport events, but the fixed odds online betting method is the most popular method thus far. With the fixed sports betting NZ standards, the pay out you see at the time of placing the bet, is the payout you will receive if you win the bet, regardless of the shift in payout after your bet has officially been placed. Line betting is also a betting technique used in sports betting. The substantial difference between fixed odds online betting and line betting is the fact that a handicap can be set by the bookmaker, which then effectively equals out the game and presents punters with 2 possible outcomes, other than fixed odds betting that has 3 possible outcomes. Top Fixed Odds Sports Betting Sites Some fixed betting NZ sites offers a margin betting option as an alternative to fixed odds betting. The number of available outcomes is broken up by the bookie when he adds a margin to it. Fixed betting NZ punters can try out this betting technique, but in order to be successful with this, you have to choose or predict the correct outcome as well as the corresponding margin as prescribed by the bookie. A negative version of fixed odds online betting is a technique called lay betting. This type of bet allows the player to bet on a negative outcome. If you predict that a certain golfer will lose and it turns out to be true, you will have won the bet. On the fixed Betting NZ scene another popular betting technique that is not becoming more common is the live betting method. This process allows punters to make bets during the sport event, however as with some fixed odds betting methods at certain online sportsbooks, the bookmaker can change the odds according to the way the game progress for esports betting. This is not a complete list of betting options, as some online sportsbooks still offer other less common betting techniques, however, the techniques mentioned here is the most popular and most used ones. Know the Fixed Odds Before You Play Punters need to keep an open mind when it comes to placing bets online. Before you pursue fixed odds online betting, take the necessary time and effort to understand how this betting method works. Talk to other punters and get their advice regarding fixed odds betting. There are various online sites that you can visit to gain an understanding of this method and its yield. Punters need to keep in mind that they also have to make an informed decision regarding the sport event they are betting on be it for Caulfield or Melbourne Cup betting. Put in the effort, get the groundwork done. This way you better your chances of winning the bet based on a set of information rather than a gut feeling. --- > Get answers to your questions about Breeders Cup Betting in our helpful guide. We offer an overview of the Breeders’ Cup, odds, horses, jockeys, and much more. - Published: 2017-09-27 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/horse/breeders-cup/ Breeders Cup Betting Guide New Zealand 2025 The Breeders' Cup is a premier international horse racing event that attracts significant worldwide interest. In New Zealand, there is also a burgeoning enthusiasm for Breeders’ Cup betting, with many sports bettors eager to back a winner. Unlock the action of this race and Breeders’ Cup odds in our guide! Overview of the Breeders' Cup The Breeders' Cup is a cornerstone in the global horse racing calendar, renowned for its high stakes and unparalleled prestige. Since its inception in 1984, the Cup has evolved into a coveted event, attracting the finest thoroughbreds, trainers, and jockeys from around the world. Initially created to crown year-end champions across various divisions, the event has significantly enhanced its influence within the sport. Historically, the Breeders' Cup has played a pivotal role in defining excellence in horse racing and horse racing betting. Its rich tradition and the allure of substantial purses have elevated it to a position of great esteem. Over the years, the event has grown in stature, solidifying its reputation as a pinnacle of racing achievement and a key date on the global racing calendar. The event showcases a diverse range of challenges, from sprints to long-distance races and across both turf and dirt tracks. Notable races include the Breeders' Cup Classic, Breeders' Cup Turf, and Breeders' Cup Mile, each boasting its unique prestige and allure. Place Bets At Betway What is the Breeders’ Cup? The reason we give out such great Breeders’ Cup tips is that this race is the biggest horse racing competition in the world. People are placing Breeders’ Cup bets on thoroughbreds flown in from across the globe to compete in California and Kent. One of our Breeders’ Cup betting tips is to remember that there are 14 races that make up this competition. This two-day festival takes centre stage annually when Breeders’ Cup betting odds become available with races like the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, to name just two. As we go into the Breeders’ Cup 2025, it can be fun to look back at notable events and Breeders Cup horses from previous races. Zenyatta holds the world record for most earnings in a lifetime from the Breeders’ Cup, a staggering total of US$4,680,000. She also won the Distaff in 2008 and 2009. Join one of our recommended bookmakers today to bet on Breeders’ Cup horses! Betting on Breeders’ Cup Races When it comes to North American horse betting on the Breeders’ Cup field, the 3 most common ways to bet are on win, place, and show bets. The win asks you to predict which horse will come first in the Breeders’ Cup result, the place needs you to nominate the Breeders Cup horse to come in either 1st or 2nd, and a show has the horse you named finishing 1st, 2nd, or 3rd. Whether you avidly take part in horse racing betting frequently or just test the waters, you could also add exotic bets to your card. Register At Betway Horse racing odds are displayed in numerous ways. But at bookmakers offering Breeders Cup betting odds on an American race, you’ll usually see two numbers, like 5-2 and 7-4. The first number tells you how much you could win betting on the Breeders’ Cup, and the second tells you how much you’ll need to bet. So, when it comes to Breeders’ Cup betting in these examples, you’ll need to bet $2 or $4 to win $5 and $7, respectively. Key Races in the Breeders' Cup The Breeders' Cup features several key races that stand out due to their prestige, high stakes, and the calibre of participants. Among these, three races are particularly notable: Breeders' Cup Classic Regarded as the crown jewel of the Breeders' Cup, this race is often acclaimed as the most prestigious in North America. Spanning a distance of 1¼ miles on dirt, it draws top horses aged three years and older. Among its notable past winners is American Pharoah, who achieved the unprecedented "Grand Slam" of American horse racing by clinching the Triple Crown and the Breeders' Cup Classic in 2015. Breeders' Cup Turf This race, which spans 1½ miles, stands as the premier turf event of the Breeders' Cup. It attracts top turf horses globally, particularly from Europe, where turf racing holds sway. Among its illustrious winners is High Chaparral, who secured victories in 2002 and 2003. Breeders' Cup Juvenile This race, held over 1⅙ miles on dirt, is a prominent platform for showcasing the best two-year-olds. It frequently acts as an early gauge of future stars, exemplified by past victors such as Nyquist (2015), who later triumphed in the Kentucky Derby, and Street Sense (2006), who achieved the same feat the following year. Bettors find the Juvenile compelling for its insight into potential future champions and its provision of early Breeders' Cup tips for subsequent classic races. Sign Up With Betway These races underscore the diversity and international appeal of the Breeders' Cup and provide exclusive opportunities for bettors to participate in some of the most exhilarating and high-stakes events in horse racing. Breeders’ Cup Betting Odds Explained Fractional Breeders’ Cup odds were previously mentioned, and you can remember them by committing to memory the formula, how much you will win/how much you need to stake. In the horse betting example of 10/1, you need to bet $1 to get $10. When you are betting on Breeders’ Cup horses, decimal odds can be easier to understand. If you need to quickly determine which was the biggest price, 9/5 or 7/4, it may take you a minute. But it takes no time at all to determine the bigger number between 2. 80 and 2. 75. So, another one of our Breeders’ Cup tips for you is to try and find decimal odds if you can. When you are placing Breeders’ Cup bets with decimal odds, remember that the formula is stake x odds. So, to work out how much you would win on a $10 bet at Breeders Cup betting odds of 4. 5, just multiply them together, and you will get $45. Remembering this easy formula is another one of our Breeders’ Cup betting tips. With decimal odds, the amount you staked is automatically included in the return solution, making for a solution that is much easier to calculate Begin comparing Breeders’ Cup betting odds today for a big win at top bookies like Betway. Check Out Breeders Cup Odds At Betway Handicapping the Breeders’ Cup Handicapping the Breeders’ Cup race contenders and analysing their form is vital if you want to win your bet. One of the most important factors to keep in mind when you’re handicapping the Breeders’ Cup field is class. This refers to the level of competition a horse has been competing in. High-level races have a higher class than lower-level ones do. Studying form simply means looking at previous performances, particularly in the Breeders’ Cup results. When you’re horse racing betting, you’ll also need to look at track conditions. These range from firm, dry, hard track through to good, soft, and heavy, where the track is wet and getting squelchy. One of our horse racing tips is to investigate how your chosen horse does on the track as it will be on racing day. The relationship between jockeys, trainers, and horses also has a huge impact on horse betting results, so be sure to explore that. Another one of our horse tips is to create a modern handicapping system. Pick a horse based on the horse racing odds available for it, justify why you like it and think it will win, and then bet on it to do that. If it doesn’t do well in the Breeders’ Cup, go back and figure out why. Apply what you learn to the next race you’re betting on and see the difference it makes. Claim your bonus for the Breeders’ Cup 2025 and start betting now. Top Breeders’ Cup Contenders There are a maximum of 14 contenders in each of the competition’s races, except for the Dirt Mile, which has 12. This means you have only this many horses for Breeders’ Cup betting. Contenders for Breeders’ Cup odds and race participation are chosen by criteria like Challenge Races or Win and You’re In. Top Breeders’ Cup horses include Arcangelo and Geaux Rocket Ride. Arcangelo’s jockey is Javier Castellano, and his trainer is Jena Antonucci. From 6 starts, Arcangelo has had 4 wins, coming in first 67% of the time. Another one of our Breeders’ Cup tips is to watch Geaux Rocket Ride closely. With Mike Smith as his jockey and Richard Mandella as his trainer, he has had 3 wins from 5 starts, coming in first 60% of the time. Sign up for Breeders’ Cup betting at a recommended sportsbook today! Register At Betway Breeders’ Cup Betting Strategies Placing Breeders’ Cup bets requires a lot of knowledge and strategic thinking if you want to make a long-term profit. As such, having a strategy is vital: Try these suggested betting strategies for the Breeders Cup: Early betting Opening lines have the best Breeders’ Cup betting odds, and one of the best ways to bet on sports in general is to put your money down when the lines first get released. Early betting can provide you with an advantage, but remember to keep an eye on line movements and be ready to adjust your bets if you spot any significant changes. Exotic bets As we near the Breeders’ Cup 2025, don’t put exotic bets out of your mind. Many Kiwis ignore them to their own detriment. Although they’re riskier than straight bets, they also have the potential for much higher payouts. Exotic bets, such as exactas and trifectas, can add excitement to your Breeders’ Cup wagers, but consider diversifying your selections to increase your chances of hitting a big payout. Here’s a horse racing tip for exotic bets: An exacta asks you to pick the 1st and 2nd place finishers in the correct order. The trifecta horse betting option asks you to predict the first 3 horses to finish in order. And our last exotic horse tip is that the superfecta needs you to predict the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place finishers in the correct order. Hedging Depending on how the race is unfolding, hedging your Breeders’ Cup race bet may be a great idea. You may be able to guarantee a profit doing this, or, at the very least, reduce or even eliminate potential losses entirely. Hedging your bets during the Breeders’ Cup can be a savvy move, but ensure you do it strategically, analysing the race dynamics and potential outcomes carefully before making any hedging decisions. Bankroll Management One of our most important Breeders’ Cup betting tips is that you manage your bankroll properly. Figure out how much money you can safely afford to lose and divide this up between the various races you want to bet on. Effective bankroll management is crucial for long-term success in Breeders’ Cup betting; consider setting aside a specific amount for each race and avoid chasing losses by sticking to your budget. Enjoy Breeder’s Cup Betting At Betway Race Conditions Keep track and weather conditions in mind for the Breeders’ Cup race. These can greatly influence a horse’s performance and your horse betting strategy. In addition to race conditions, pay attention to track bias and recent performance trends of the horses, as these factors can also play a significant role in shaping your Breeders’ Cup betting strategy. Focus on Specific Races Concentrate on a few key races, like the Breeders' Cup Classic or Breeders' Cup Turf, where you can delve deeper into the contenders' form, trainer stats, and jockey performance. Diversify Bet Types Mix simple bets (win, place, show) with more complex ones (exacta, trifecta) to balance risk and potential rewards. This sports betting strategy can increase your chances of winning while still possibly securing significant payouts. Follow Expert... --- > FIFA World Cup Betting is wildly popular in New Zealand. Place your FIFA Football World Cup 2026 bets with NZ's leading online betting sites. - Published: 2017-09-20 - Modified: 2017-09-20 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/soccer/fifa-world-cup/ 2026 FIFA World Cup Betting New Zealand 2026 Seems far away, but it will be here in the blink of an eye. As we get closer to the next FIFA World Cup, excitement among eager football fans around the world will continue to grow. The FIFA Football World Cup is one of the biggest and most anticipated events in the world. Run every four years, the World Cup is hosted by different countries from around the world, which are chosen by FIFA at the end of the previous cup. For the events taking place in 2026, Canada; Mexico and the United States will act as the host, providing the stadiums for the games to take place, but also creating the facilities to accommodate all the players, workers, coaches, training teams and fans that will be attending the World Cup in 2026. Every hosted event provides sporting entertainment to billions all over the world, but one industry that truly booms during this time is the online betting world, and FIFA World Cup betting becomes one of the hottest ventures for people all over the world, including in New Zealand. It may be years off, but bookmakers continue to collect data on the upcoming event, and will in time put together a full range of bets that will be available. In the coming years, FIFA World Cup betting odds will be available for punters to have a look at, giving punters a chance to decide on the teams they want to invest in once the Cup is up and running. Football World Cup Betting Odds There are a lot of international teams taking part in the World Cup, and each one already has a set of odds that have been released by bookies. Some of the favourites to do well in the most popular bet, the outright match odds, include Germany, Brazil, and France. These are some of the Football World Cup betting odds that punters can expect: Odds to Win World Cup 2026 by Country Please note that these are general odds and not specific. Each bookmaker will provide unique odds based on their own data, and the odds may change as the tournament approaches. France +500 Brazil +550 England +750 Spain +900 Germany +900 Argentina +1000 Portugal +1200 Netherlands +1600 Italy +1600 USA +2500 Football World Cup Betting Types Not only have the bookies released the odds that will be available, but punters can even begin checking out what kind of bets will be on offer during the event. 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Online sites were quick to accept credit cards of every shape and size, as they knew it meant that players could enjoy their favourite games without having to empty their bank accounts. Today, there are countless credit card casinos that make use of credit cards from all over the world,, especially in New Zealand. Accepted Credit Cards at Casinos One of the most important factors when deciding on a new casino is understanding what kind of casino banking methods they offer, and many will turn down a site that does not allow credit card banking. To this end, it is also important to learn what kinds of cards casinos accept, and which are the easiest for credit card gambling in general. Possibly the most common type of credit card in the world is the Visa. Visa is a North American financial institution that offers credit to people from all over the globe, and is fully available to New Zealanders. Almost any casino worth its reputation will accept Visa cards. Following close behind is MasterCard casino banking method, which is also an American company. While there are not as many sites that will accept MasterCard when compared to Visa, there are still more than enough. There are other cards, such as Discovery, American Express, and more, that most credit card casinos will rarely accept. Top Casinos For Credit Cards in NZ TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 3 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 4 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 5 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review Managing A Credit Card Credit card gambling is not encouraged for everyone to use, as credit can build up incredibly quickly, and many advise using a debit card or Skrill for casino deposits instead. This is not necessary, however, as it is always about learning to manage funds so that you can enjoy your games of choice without having to spend every last cent of your money. The easiest way to accomplish this is by getting a card that has a manageable limit. You should also only use that card for credit card gambling. Credit Card Casino Withdrawals and Deposits An online gambling credit card facility will most often not accept withdrawals of any type. This is because the withdrawals will first need to be done with the casino, processed by the credit company, and then added to the bank, which can be extremely long and arduous. For those that want to withdraw with their credit card, it can take up to 7 business days and incurs a heavy fee. Deposits on the other hand are incredibly fast and simple, and for most credit card casinos, it is instant. The player simply needs to choose the banking method that suits them, in this case, credit cards, and then deposit the amount they wish. Credit Card Casinos You Can Trust While there are certainly easier ways to withdraw money from a casino, the fact that many credit cards have a high limit and instant depositing makes them a favourite for many players. They continue to be the most used method of deposit in New Zealand. At the top rated casinos we suggest you can us your credit card to play for real money. Doing so is safe and there are no issues or concerns. --- > Learn the full range of online casino gambling terms in our glossary. Know the difference betweens pokes & slots here. - Published: 2017-08-30 - Modified: 2025-02-04 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/guide/glossary/ A Helpful Glossary of Casino Terms The world of online casinos is a big place. Over the last century since casinos first saw prominence, there have been a lot of terms and phrases added to the various games and the rules attached to those games. This did not change with online casinos, and today, there are dozens and dozens of different terms that may seem alien to new players and even to some experienced players. The easiest way to remedy this is to learn all these terms through our glossary. This makes it easier to enjoy your favourite games without getting lost or confused. A Advantaged Player: This applies to a player that has some kind of advantage over the house that they are playing against, most often associated with card games like blackjack. Ante: A term used to describe a pool or bet that the player needs to add to before the game can start. B Banker: Another word used when referring to the house or dealer. Bankroll: This is the sum of funds that the player has available when playing games online. Bonus: A special reward often attached to games that a casino will offer. C Cash Out: This is when a player decides to withdraw their money from the casino. Casino Advantage: When the house has some type of advantage over the player. More commonly referred to as the house edge. Cold Steak: When a player has a string of bad luck with whichever game they are playing, it is known as a cold streak. Comp Points: Most casinos will offer their players special points that they can earn through a variety of methods. These points can then be used to make use of other services that the casino may offer. D Dealer: The person that manages the cards. While most often found with a land-based casino, many online sites offer players live dealers during the games. Deposit: This is the act of adding money to your online casino account. Download Client: This is a type of online casino that can be downloaded to a mobile device or casino. E Edge: The advantage that a casino or player will have in a game. G G: Gambler’s Fallacy: The belief that the future outcome of certain events can be altered by events that happened previously. H High Roller: Players that play for extremely high stakes. Hot Streak: A string of successful casino game wins. House Rules: The rules and regulations that a casino puts in place over their services and games. I Instant Casino: An online casino that loads in your web browser without downloading. J Jackpot: The biggest win in a game like slots. L Layout: The presentation of a gaming table. Lobby: A hub for many players at a time to enjoy online games like bingo. Loyalty Bonus: Rewards for players who remain loyal to a casino. M Marker: A type of credit used by players at an online casino. P Payout percentage: The percentage amount that the player will receive in returns if they win at a game. Progressive Jackpot: This is similar to a normal jackpot, except it links to multiple games and builds up over time. S Sign-up Bonus: A unique reward players can receive for signing up with a new casino. Stake: The amount of money bet on the outcome of a game. 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Paying With A MasterCard Deposits: Making a deposit into a casino is one of the easiest things in the world, and part of the reason that Master Card is such a popular tool for moving money. Deposits are almost always instant, and the amount you decide to deposit is instantly reflected in your casino account. When signing up with a new casino, there will be a series of banking methods that the player can choose from. Many sites will offer an online casino MasterCard method. After adding your card details to the account – such as the account holder's name, card number, and CCV - you can deposit money as you see fit. Withdrawals: Withdrawals are a completely different story, and many tend to try and avoid using their credit card when making a deposit. With your online casino MasterCard information added to your account, you can decide to withdraw your money back into your account. But unlike Neteller deposits, this method can take much longer. Once you have chosen the amount that you want to withdraw, you can apply to have it withdrawn through your MasterCard. The amount is processed through MasterCard before being reflected in your bank account. This process can take up to one full week, translating to 1 to 5 business days. On top of this, a heavy fee is often attached. This fee may reach as much as $50 for United States citizens. Visa casinos have always allowed withdrawals with their cards. MasterCard, on the other hand, has withdrawn more and more from withdrawals in recent years, which can be problematic for players. How To Use This is something players might wonder, and the answer is not always so obvious. The first thing to do when joining a new casino is to check out the banking methods they offer for New Zealand players. A casino Master Card option means that you will be able to deposit easily. 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While some casinos will provide Visa usage for no transaction fees, you usually pay a small fee for each transaction, which varies from site to site. Although deposits to a casino are instant, the time that it takes to balance in your bank account at home can take up to 5 business days. Using Visa for Withdrawals Withdrawing money from your Visa casino into your bank account is done in very much the same way that deposits are done. However, it is essentially the process in reverse. After adding your card details and the amount you wish to withdraw, the transaction will process, and the money will first go through Visa before reflecting in your bank account. Visa withdrawals are not possible at every casino. Some casinos don't allow them, often due to the region in which the casino is situated. If this is the case, the player needs to find a different way to withdraw money, such as using an e-wallet like a Neteller casino account and then withdrawing from the e-wallet using Visa. 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Plus, they offer the most enjoyable playing experience on offer in online entertainment today. --- > Enjoy the Geelong Cup 2025 horse racing bets with the leading NZ betting sites online. We offer the best Geelong Cup betting odds with welcome bonus offers! - Published: 2017-08-11 - Modified: 2017-08-11 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/geelong-cup/ Guide to Geelong Cup Betting in 2025 The Geelong Cup, held in Geelong, Australia, is a highly anticipated horse racing event. Known to bring the Geelong area to a standstill, and held on a convenient Geelong public holiday, Australian horse racing enthusiastic head to the area, or to the local pub, to watch the thrilling races unfold. Geelong Cup betting is extremely popular, with tens of thousands of bets placed on the races. When Australian and New Zealand punters are looking to get action during the Geelong Cup, we make sure we list all the best, and most reliable, online bookmakers. 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Remember to browse a variety of tips from a number of different professional tip givers, and make your final betting decision based on what seems the most logical. After all, even professionals can be wrong from time to time. Placing Geelong Cup Bets Online There is no longer any need to drive down to the local bookmaker offices. Geelong Cup bets can now be placed quickly and easily online, using any internet capable device you happen to have at hand. Geelong Cup bets can be placed via smart phone, tablet, or home computer, simply by surfing to the bookmaker website, and selecting the appropriate betting option. Navigate to us first, and we’ll help with lists of all the best online bookmakers, offering the best possible deals. Simply bookmark our page, and return every time you’d like to place a bet, be it a Geelong Cup bet or otherwise. Start Geelong Cup Betting Now The Geelong Cup is held in late October, so be sure to do your research, and pick your favourite horse well in advance. Start visiting our top listed bookmaker websites now, and get an idea of how the Geelong Cup odds are stacking up. Don’t forget to check back regularly, as odds are sure to fluctuate as race day draws near. Good luck, and don’t forget that the Melbourne Cup is soon after the Geelong Cup. If a horse did well in one race, chances are it will be a winner in the other. We’ll be ready and waiting for the Melbourne Cup as well, which is where punters turn their attention next, after the results of Geelong Cup bets are in. We’ll see you then, and have our lists updated and ready for your convenience. --- > Place Geelong Cup bets in NZ for one of the biggest horse racing betting events of the season! Enjoy Geelong Cup Betting at NZ bookies today. Our experts present the top horse racing betting sites covering top events to give you the edge in your Geelong Cup betting online. Play today & win big! - Published: 2017-08-04 - Modified: 2017-08-04 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/horse/geelong-cup/ Guide to Geelong Cup 2025 Betting Introduction To The Geelong Cup The Geelong Cup is among the most exciting Australian horse races on the calendar. It’s held each October at the Geelong Racecourse in Victoria, Australia. For New Zealand bettors eyeing the Melbourne Cup, the Geelong is a race to watch closely. This 2400-metre race is an unmissable lead-up to the Melbourne Cup. The winner is guaranteed a spot, making it a prime opportunity to assess the form of potential Melbourne Cup contenders. Since 1872, the Geelong Cup has showcased top-quality thoroughbreds, adding to its historical significance and prestige. The Geelong Cup race is an Australian horse racing event held 13 days before the Melbourne Cup every year, which is also a public holiday within the town of Geelong. The Geelong Cup race is a thoroughbred race held over 2400 metres, and has a prize of up to A$500,000. While not quite as big an event as the Melbourne Cup, the Geelong Cup is still considered by many to be an unmissable race every year, and one of the hottest events for New Zealand punters. Don't miss this chance to witness equine excellence and unlock valuable insights for Geelong Cup betting! Best Geelong Cup Betting Odds 2025 TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review Types of Geelong Cup Bets Every year, punters have their go at betting on the Geelong Cup, and like with most of these types of races, there are a number of different bets to choose from. Some of the most popular Geelong Cup bets available include the following: Win: This is the most common type of bet. The punter merely puts money down on the horse they believe will win the race. Place: A bet aimed more toward seasoned bettors, a place bet is where a punter wagers on where the horse will finish in the lineout. This takes slightly more experience and requires some knowledge of the horses and jockeys taking part in the race. Eachway: An eachway is a popular choice when it comes to Geelong Cup betting. This is a combination of win and place bets. Punters will collect winnings for the win and place bet if their chosen horse comes in first. If their horse instead comes in second or third, they will only receive the place payout. These are just some of the more common types of bets that punters will most likely come across when browsing through sportsbooks covering Geelong Cup betting. The more advanced the bet, the more the punter risks, which also means a higher payout. Sportsbooks also give punters a breakdown of the Geelong Cup betting odds, helping them find a bet that suits them the best. Make Geelong Cup Bets At Betway Key Contenders and Horses to Watch Buckaroo This Chris Waller-trained gelding is in top form, having recently won at Caulfield and finishing a close second in the G1 Turnbull Stakes clearly making him a force to be reckoned with. Although Buckaroo doesn't have extensive experience over 2400m, his recent performances suggest he'll handle the Geelong Cup distance well. Buckaroo is definitely on the Melbourne Cup radar, and a strong showing in the Geelong Cup would solidify his credentials. Sayedaty Sadaty Sayedaty Sadaty is a European import who brings strong form lines, including a third in the G3 Gordon Stakes and a fifth in the Epsom Derby. Now under the care of Ciaron Mahe and owned by Australian Bloodstock (the team behind Gold Trip), he has a strong support system. With a featherweight of 50kg, Sayedaty Sadaty could be a dangerous lightweight contender in both the Geelong Cup and the Melbourne Cup. Land Legend Another Chris Waller-trained runner showed his staying prowess with a win at Randwick. He's proven his ability to fight hard for victory, which is a valuable trait in staying races. The Geelong track could suit his racing style, and he's one to watch if he lines up for the race. Eliyass Trained by Waterhouse & Bott-trained, Eliyass boasts an impressive record, with nine wins from 12 starts. He tasted defeat for the first time in Australia in the Turnbull Stakes, but he still managed a very credible third. The 2400m of the Geelong Cup will be his longest race to date, so it will be interesting to see how he handles the extra distance. Trainer and Jockey Insights Considering the historical success of certain trainers and jockeys can provide valuable clues for NZ bettors. Chris Waller, a dominant force in Australian racing with a knack for preparing stayers, and bettors often see a Waller-trained horse in the Geelong Cup as a strong contender, especially if it has proven stamina and good lead-up form. Another trainer to watch is Ciaron Maher, who now trains in partnership with David Eustace. The duo has a strong record in major staying races, including the Melbourne Cup. Their meticulous approach to training and ability to target specific races make their Geelong Cup runners worth wagering on. Horses like Sayedaty Sadaty, with a strong European background, could thrive under their leadership. Let's not forget Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, who are known for their success with both sprinters and stayers. On the jockey front, Jamie Kah is a name that stands out. One of Australia's leading jockeys, Kah has a reputation for her tactical riding and ability to get the best out of her mounts, and her booking for The Map in this year's Geelong Cup adds to his appeal. Trainer and jockey insights are just one piece of the puzzle; always conduct thorough research and consider all relevant factors before placing any bets. Sign Up At Betway Past Winners and Trends Past Geelong Cup winners reveal intriguing trends and highlight the race's significance as a Melbourne Cup preview. While not a guarantee of Melbourne Cup success, the Geelong Cup often provides valuable insights into a horse's staying potential. For instance, Emissary's victory in the 2022 Geelong Cup preceded his respectable 12th place finish in the Melbourne Cup, demonstrating the race's ability to identify potential stayers. Recent winners haven't replicated the success of horses like Americain (2010) or Dunaden (2011), who both won the Geelong Cup and Melbourne Cup in their respective years, the Geelong Cup remains a crucial test for those with Melbourne Cup aspirations. Looking at the historical data, a few trends emerge. While horses of various ages have won, those between 5 and 7 years old seem to have a slight edge, likely because this age range often represents a horse in its prime. Weight also plays a factor, with horses carrying between 54kg and 57kg generally performing well in recent years, which suggests a balance between class and manageable weight is crucial. Interestingly, the Geelong Cup has seen an increase in international contenders, particularly from Europe, showcasing the race's growing global appeal. Based on early information, three horses warrant close attention in the 2025 Geelong Cup. Buckaroo, with his strong form lines, including a dominant win in the G1 Underwood Stakes, is a top contender, provided he handles the 2400m distance. Sayedaty Sadaty, the lightly weighted European import now trained by Ciaron Maher, also has the potential to make a big impact, especially given his promising international form. And let's not forget The Map, who is generating interest with Jamie Kah booked to ride. His recent performances suggest he's in good form, and Kah's tactical acumen could be a significant advantage. Geelong Cup Tips Many New Zealand punters would agree that the key to winning at horse betting is through experience. The more time you spend betting, whether it’s winning or losing, the more you learn and the better equipped you are for the next season. With this in mind, there are some Geelong Cup tips that new players can learn to help give them an advantage for the coming event. Maintain a budget. This rule applies to every corner of gambling, and it’s possibly the most important of them all. Writing up a budget and sticking to it as closely as possible can help save money. Research. Learning the different races, how they work, the horses as well as the jockeys is the best way to gain an advantage. Always try and keep emotions aside when punting. The Geelong Cup remains one of the best punting events in the world, and perfect for those new to the scene. Join Geelong Cup Betting At Betway Betting Markets and Strategies There’s a range of Geelong Cup betting options for both seasoned punters and casual fans. Beyond the standard Win and Place bets, exotic bets like Exacta, Quinella, Trifecta, and First Four add another layer of excitement and potential reward. Given the unique nature of the Geelong Cup as a Melbourne Cup lead-up race, some specific strategies can be employed. The Geelong Cup often features horses aiming to qualify for the Melbourne Cup, which can present value opportunities for longshots. So, look for horses with proven staying potential but who may be overlooked in the betting due to a lack of recent winning form. It’s worth paying close attention to the form of horses in lead-up races like the Caulfield Cup and Turnbull Stakes, as horses that perform well in these races often carry that form into the Geelong Cup. Past Geelong Cup results help identify trends that might influence the outcome. For example, horses carrying a specific weight range or drawn in certain barrier positions may have historically performed better. Punters can also use the Geelong Cup as a guide to find potential Melbourne Cup contenders. If a longshot performs well in the Geelong Cup, consider placing a futures bet on them for the Melbourne Cup at potentially higher odds. Search for horses showing signs of improvement leading into the Geelong Cup. An each-way bet can provide a safety net if the horse runs a strong race but doesn't win. Geelong Cup 2025 Odds Several bookmakers have released early markets, offering a sneak peek at potential favourites and enticing opportunities for eager bettors. Horses like Buckaroo, with his impressive recent form, including a dominant win in the G1 Underwood Stakes, are attracting significant attention and are likely to be among the favourites. Similarly, Sayedaty Sadaty, the lightly-weighted European import, has generated buzz, and his odds could shorten further as the race approaches. The Map, with Jamie Kah in the saddle, is another horse that could feature prominently in the betting. New Zealand bettors can find competitive odds for the Geelong Cup at several reputable bookmakers. TAB NZ offers a wide range of betting options and often provides special promotions for major races. Sportsbet, known for its competitive odds and user-friendly interface, is a popular choice for racing enthusiasts. And Bet365, another major player in the online betting world, offers a comprehensive selection of markets and often provides live streaming of races. How to Watch and Follow the Geelong Cup For Kiwi punters keen to experience the Geelong Cup live, there are a couple of options available to them. Trackside TV provides comprehensive coverage of New Zealand and Australian racing, so check their schedule for live broadcast details. Many online bookmakers, such as Bet365 and Sportsbet, also offer live streaming of races for their customers, providing a convenient way to watch and bet simultaneously. To stay updated throughout the day, websites like Racing. com and Just Horse Racing provide live updates, race results, and expert commentary, and many also offer mobile apps for easy access on the go. Social media is another great resource; follow racing journalists, tipsters, and official racing accounts on Twitter and Facebook for real-time updates and insights. With these options,... --- > Find out more about harness racing betting in New Zealand with our helpful guide. We cover key events, top tips for bettors to consider, and more. - Published: 2017-08-04 - Modified: 2025-06-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/horse/harness-racing/ Harness Racing Betting Online Guide for New Zealanders Harness racing, a popular form of horse racing where horses pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, has a rich history in New Zealand. Known for its thrilling pace and strategic depth, it has captivated sports bettors across the nation. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review The growing interest in harness racing betting can be attributed to its accessibility, frequent race events, and the potential for high returns. New Zealand sports bettors are increasingly drawn to this dynamic sport, exploring various betting options and strategies, making harness racing a vibrant and integral part of the country's betting landscape. Understanding Harness Racing Harness racing stands out from other forms of horse racing and horse racing betting, due to its distinctive format, where horses pull a two-wheeled cart known as a sulky with a driver steering them. Unlike thoroughbred racing, where jockeys ride on the horse's back, harness racing involves a unique combination of speed, strategy, and teamwork between the horse and driver. Harness racing primarily involves two types of gaits: trotting and pacing. Trotters move their legs in a diagonal pattern, meaning the right front leg moves simultaneously with the left hind leg and vice versa. This gait requires a natural rhythm and balance, making it a test of both the horse's and the driver's skills. On the other hand, pacers move their legs laterally, starting with the right front leg and right hind leg, then the left front leg and left hind leg. Pacing is generally faster and more common in harness racing, accounting for about 80% of races. START HARNESS RACING BETTING AT BETWAY Key terminologies in harness racing include: Sulky: The lightweight, two-wheeled cart that the horse pulls during the race. Driver: The person seated in the sulky who controls and steers the horse. Gait: The specific way in which the horse moves its legs, crucial for determining the type of race (trotters or pacers). Harness racing offers a unique betting experience, with its emphasis on the horse's gait and skillful navigation by the driver in the sulky. The sport's complexity and variety provide an exciting alternative to traditional thoroughbred racing. Key Harness Racing Events in NZ New Zealand is home to several major harness racing events that draw significant attention from both enthusiasts and bettors. Key events include: Harness Jewels Held in late May or early June at alternating venues such as Cambridge Raceway or Ashburton Raceway, the Harness Jewels showcase the best two, three, and four-year-old horses. The event features nine Group 1 races, offering a day of top-tier racing and significant betting interest. New Zealand Trotting Cup Held annually on the second Tuesday of November at Addington Raceway in Christchurch, this prestigious race is the pinnacle of the New Zealand harness racing calendar. With a long history and substantial prize money, it attracts top competitors and offers a thrilling spectacle for bettors. Auckland Cup This race takes place at Alexandra Park in Auckland, usually in December. Known for its competitive field and significant purse, the Auckland Cup is a major highlight of the harness racing season, providing numerous betting opportunities. These events are significant for bettors due to the high-quality fields, competitive nature, and substantial prize pools. The prestige and history associated with these races add to their allure, making them prime opportunities for strategic betting and potential high returns. SIGN UP & BET AT BETWAY How to Bet on Harness Racing Betting on harness racing offers a variety of options, each with its own unique strategy and potential payout: Win Betting on a horse to finish first. So, if you bet $10 on Horse A to win and it finishes first, you win. Place Betting on a horse to finish in the top two or three, depending on the number of runners. A $10 place bet on Horse B means you win if Horse B finishes first, second, or (in larger fields) third. Each-Way A combination of a win and a place bet. For example, a $10 each-way bet on Horse C costs $20. If Horse C wins, you collect both the win and place payouts. If it places, you collect only the place payout. Quinella Betting on two horses to finish first and second in any order. For instance, if you pick Horse D and Horse E, you win if they finish first and second in any order. Trifecta Betting on three horses to finish first, second, and third in exact order. If you predict that Horse F, Horse G, and Horse H will finish in that order, you win if they do. When choosing the right bet in harness racing, it's crucial to assess various factors. Start by examining the race conditions, including the track surface and distance, to determine if they align with the horse's strengths, as some horses perform better on specific surfaces or over certain distances. Make Harness Racing Bets at Betway Additionally, review the horse's recent form by looking at its performance in past races, focusing on wins, places, and overall consistency, since a horse in good form is more likely to perform well. Don't overlook the driver and trainer's track record, as successful partnerships often indicate a higher probability of winning. Lastly, consider the field size; in larger fields, exotic bets like trifectas and quinellas can offer higher payouts due to the increased difficulty of predicting the exact outcomes. Factors to Consider When Betting When betting on harness racing, several key factors can enhance your chances of making successful wagers. Studying horse form and past performances is crucial, as it provides insight into a horse's current condition, consistency, and ability to compete under similar conditions. Analysing recent wins, places, and overall performance trends helps bettors gauge which horses are likely to perform well in upcoming races. The driver’s experience and track record are equally important. A skilled and experienced driver can significantly impact a horse’s performance, especially in tightly contested races. Familiarity with the horse, strategic race navigation, and a history of successful finishes can indicate a higher probability of winning. Enjoy Harness Racing With Betway Track conditions also play a pivotal role in race outcomes. Different horses have varying preferences and capabilities on different track surfaces and conditions, such as firm, soft, or wet tracks. Understanding how a horse performs under specific track conditions can inform your betting strategy, as some horses excel in particular environments while others may struggle. Betting odds are another vital component to consider. They represent the likelihood that a horse will win, according to the betting public and bookmakers. Shorter odds indicate favourites, while longer odds suggest underdogs. While betting on favourites may offer safer returns, exploring longer odds can yield higher payouts if an underdog performs unexpectedly well. Comparing odds across different bookmakers can also help identify value bets where the potential returns outweigh the perceived risks. Top Tips for Successful Betting For successful betting in harness racing, consider these practical tips: Research Thoroughly Knowledge is power. Study horse form, driver performance, and race conditions before placing bets. Use Betting Tools Utilise resources like bookmaker’s apps that provide real-time odds, tips, and race updates. Racing forums and social media groups can also offer valuable insights from experienced bettors. Diversify Bets Mix different types of bets, such as win, place, and exotic bets like trifectas and quinellas, to balance risk and reward. Monitor Track Conditions Stay informed about current track conditions and how they might affect race outcomes. Stay Disciplined Set a budget for betting and stick to it. Avoid chasing losses, and never bet more than you can afford to lose. Responsible gambling is crucial for maintaining a healthy betting experience. Stay Updated Keep up with the latest news and developments in the harness racing world. 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Picklebet A newer platform gaining popularity, Picklebet offers innovative features like social betting and a focus on esports alongside traditional sports. Its modern interface and interactive features are appealing to both newcomers to the betting world and experienced bettors alike. Palmerbet Known for its competitive odds and extensive betting markets, Palmerbet provides a solid platform with regular promotions and bonuses. Its straightforward interface and reliable customer service make it a reliable choice for harness racing enthusiasts. These platforms offer various benefits, including attractive bonuses, user-friendly interfaces, and excellent customer support, making them popular choices for harness racing betting in New Zealand. Enjoy Harness Racing Betting Online Now Harness racing betting in New Zealand offers diverse betting options, strategic insights, and major events like the New Zealand Trotting Cup. By studying horse form, driver experience, track conditions, and using reliable platforms, bettors can enhance their success. Apply these tips for a rewarding betting experience. --- > Bet on the AFL Grand Final at NZ online betting sites with fantastic AFL Premiership Final odds and bonuses for first time NZ players. Enjoy AFL Final bets! Get access to all the top afl grand final betting odds and tips in one place so you can maintain the edge when placing your bets online every day! - Published: 2017-07-20 - Modified: 2017-07-20 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/afl/grand-final/ How To Bet on the AFL Grand Final 2025 Betting on the AFL continues to grow and with the introduction of online betting placing bets on the AFL and the AFL grand final has been made so much easier and more accessible to sports bettors. With advancements in technology betting on the AFL final has never been easier or safer. Setting up an account at one of the more reliable and established sports betting sites is a simple process and once that is done bettors no longer have to put up with long queues while trying to place a bet on the AFL premiership final. Bettors should always look around for the best odds as well as a range of different bets. Betting on the AFL is constantly changing. Head-to-head bets were the popular bets and was one of the few bets on offer to New Zealand bettors. This type of bet is simply picking the team to win a round or the AFL Grand Final. Another popular bet was the winning margin of a particular game. Now New Zealand bettors have access to many more types of bets and these include placing bets on individual players, margins of games, individual awards such as which player will win the Brownlow or Coleman Medal or which team will win the AFL Grand Final in Melbourne. Placing these bets online gives bettors up to the minute odds which means that the betting information is accurate at all times. Top AFL Grand Final Betting Sites TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review Futures betting is another popular betting option and bettors can place bets at the start of the season and try to predict who the winner of the AFL grand final will be. Other futures bets include the players who are picked as favourites to win the medals. These bets carry more risk as there are many factors involved in AFL and things can change very quickly. Sports betting sites will put out lists of players and their odds of winning certain aspects of the game, but these will also continually be changing. These types of bets do have excellent rewards though if bettors predict the winner. Tips for Placing AFL Premiership Final Bets New Zealand AFL bettors should remember that the finals which are played in September usually require players to up their game which means the games become more physical and their style of play becomes more demanding. During the AFL final it would seem the umpires don’t blow the whistle as quickly and that a strong team will definitely have the upper hand. It is also important for bettors to remember that because a team is winning it is not necessarily an indication they have the AFL premiership final in the bag. Here are a few tips to help bettors with AFL betting. Bettors should always place bets with their heads and not their hearts. Bettors should look at placing line or margins bets and not just head-to-head bets. Weather plays an important role in the AFL final as some teams play better in certain conditions. Bettors should take the time to learn about the teams that are in the running for the AFL premiership final and also keep up to date with any injuries or suspended players as this may affect the outcome of a game. The AFL grand final is the highlight of the AFL betting season and is a great way for New Zealand bettors to back their favourite teams with the chance of some good rewards. --- > Explore expert tips, odds, and betting strategies for the 2025 Caulfield Cup. Stay updated with the latest news and make informed bets on this iconic race. - Published: 2016-08-22 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/caulfield-cup/ Caulfield Cup Betting 2025 - Odds & Tips Welcome to the exciting world of Caulfield Cup betting, an eagerly anticipated annual event that now attracts a growing number of enthusiastic bettors from New Zealand. Our recommended online betting bookmakers bring you the latest and best Caulfield Cup odds. As the Melbourne Racing Club meticulously orchestrates the arrangements for this prestigious event, it naturally becomes the highlight of the city's vibrant Spring Carnival celebrations. Join us as we unpack the heat of Caulfield Cup betting. Best Caulfield Cup Betting Sites TOP Caulfield Cup betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review Caulfield Cup Betting Tips and Strategies The most important Caulfield Cup betting tip is that you research the race thoroughly. This is so that you can make informed decisions: Analysing Horse Form Make sure to take a look at the Caulfield Cup form guide for the horses taking part. In the racing card, it’s generally arranged as a line of numbers. This denotes their finishing position. The oldest racers are on the left, and the most recent on the right. The position 1 to 9 in the Caulfield Cup race guide indicates the position that the horse finished in the race. The number 0 tells Kiwis interested in horse racing betting that the horse finished outside the first 9. Our final Caulfield Cup tip in this category is that the – symbol separates horse racing seasons. Jockey and Trainer Influence This is a horse racing tip that applies to all races, not just the Caulfield Cup. It’s that you should not overlook the impact of jockeys and trainers when it comes to betting outcomes. Jockeys’ performances have a real impact on horse performances. This means that they also impact the outcome of the race. Similarly, in horse betting, there is the influence of the trainer’s preparation methods and strategy. This obviously dictates the horse’s performance and their chances of winning. And now for another horse tip when you’re evaluating jockeys’ and trainers’ impact on your betting outcome. Always consider their past performance and statistics. Impact of Track Conditions Don’t just look at horse racing odds when you’re ready to bet on the Caulfield Cup. Weather and track conditions can have a severe impact on horse safety and speed. From gusty winds to wet turf, these factors play a crucial role in race outcomes. Maybe the horse you chose for Caulfield Cup betting is running slower fractions in their current race than in their past races. This could be, for example, because the track is deep. This will significantly affect the horses’ performance. Recent Performance Trends Recent performance is a very important factor to consider. Horses that have performed well consistently will have lower Caulfield Cup odds. We urge you to review the results of previous races. This will help you to identify trends and patterns that could affect the outcome of your bet. Another one of our Caulfield Cup betting tips is that you should look for horses that have been performing well. Analyse finishing positions and margins of victory. It’s also a handy Caulfield Cup tip to look at the classes that horses have taken part in. Examine whether horses are moving up or down in their categories. Get the best odds when you study the Caulfield Cup form guide. Understanding Caulfield Cup Odds At the heart of any Caulfield Cup race guide is the concept of odds. These reflect the probability of a certain outcome occurring. Horse racing betting odds are presented in different formats, namely fractional, moneyline, and decimal. While each format gives us the same information, it does so differently. Each one caters to varying bettor preferences: Fractional Odds These horse racing odds display how much profit you stand to make relative to your bet. If the odds are 10/1, for example, a NZ$1 bet would yield a profit of NZ$10. Moneyline Odds American bettors have a great preference for moneyline odds. These can be positive or negative. Positive odds display the profit of a NZ$100 bet, and negative odds show you the amount you need to bet to win NZ$100. Decimal Odds Decimal horse racing odds display the total payout you can expect per unit bet, including the initial amount you bet. For example, if a horse had odds of 4. 50, an NZ$10 bet would yield a total return of NZ$40. 50, including your initial NZ$10. Caulfield Cup odds get assigned to the horses running after bookmakers have examined their general form and recent performances. Our next horse racing tip covers Futures markets. These are the horse racing odds open nearly all year long. Generous All-In prices get offered for stayers who look likely to be part of the line-up in the Caulfield Cup field the year following the last race. If you take advantage of these, you’re likely to get a great deal. But remember, the line-up usually shifts in the weeks leading up to the race. Check Out Caulfield Cup Odds The first Caulfield Cup odds open at our recommended New Zealand bookmakers the moment the previous year’s results get announced. Sportsbooks then have very short prices on the stayers that performed the best in the previous year’s trifecta or top 3. Join one of our recommended bookmakers for top horse betting action. Caulfield Cup Betting Odds Popular Betting Types for Caulfield Cup Our next horse tip is that you should educate yourself about the types of bets, or markets, that are available for races. Although horse racing can be as simple as putting NZ$10 on your favourite horse, there are other options for bettors to enjoy. Here are a few of the most popular bets you can place on the Caulfield Cup: Win Bet One of the most popular Caulfield Cup betting options, here you’re predicting which horse will win the race. It’s probably the easiest bet you can make, but be sure and pay attention to the Caulfield Cup odds for this one, as they’ll significantly impact your return. Place Bet One of our top horse racing tips is to consider a Place bet if you’re a beginner. It means you’re guessing that a horse will appear in one of the first 4 spots. The odds here will be a fraction of those to win, but you’re more likely to collect with this bet. Quinella Bet Another one of our Caulfield Cup tips is that the Quinella can be a good option. For this to win, you’ll need to choose the horses to finish in 1st and 2nd place, but you don’t need to get the order right. Just name 2 horses to finish in the 2 top spots. Exacta Bet Here, you’ll be trying to predict which horses will end up in the 1st and 2nd positions as well, but in order this time. This is a great betting option if you like 2 horses for the race but can’t decide which 1 will win. Trifecta Bet Study Caulfield Cup form guides for the Trifecta. You will need to guess which horses will finish in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in the right order. Having a look at the previous year’s winners will give you a better indication of who’s going to finish in the top 3 this year. You can back as many horses as you want to. First 4 Bet Spending some time with a Caulfield Cup race guide is also a good idea for a First 4 bet. It’s exactly what its name implies. You’ll be choosing the first 4 horses to cross the finish line in the correct order. This is one of the most difficult bets of all, but it pays out very healthy dividends if you’re right! Start exploring bet types for the Caulfield Cup now! Factors Influencing Caulfield Cup Betting When it comes to horse racing betting, the lead-up to the Caulfield Cup is important. Every prep race run by horses eligible for taking part is closely scrutinised. The odds will fluctuate based on several factors, including: Horse Pedigree and Bloodlines Another important one of our horse racing tips is not to discount horse pedigree when you’re trying to decide on a Caulfield Cup winner. A horse’s bloodline will tell you a lot about what it can do on the racetrack. The success of a horse’s sire, or father, and dam, or mother, will give you clues as to what their foal will do. And don't forget to take a look at the horse’s extended family, either. Its siblings can give you insight as well. You’ll be able to find basic leading sire lists online with ease. Previous Race Performances If you’re not willing to settle for betting on what everyone else is betting on, analysing previous race performances is the way to go. Doing this as regards Caulfield Cup betting will help you see what other bettors can’t. You’ll be able to read between the lines or spot whatever small edge there is and see a possibly hefty return. When you’re looking at past performance, evaluate the class levels and analyse the performance of the trainer and jockey as well. This way, you’ll be able to spot the best Caulfield Cup odds available in no time. Barrier Draw and Its Importance Next up in our list of Caulfield Cup betting tips is that statistics say that it’s better for horses to be closer to the rails than not. Race percentages indicate that most get won by horses coming in from the 10th gate inwards. Study this information, but bear in mind that it will be helpful only up to a certain point. Each race is its own ball game, featuring different horses with dissimilar abilities and paces. Weight Allocation and Its Effects Each horse gets allocated weight in a handicap race. Another important Caulfield Cup tip is that you understand that this allocated weight is based on the horse’s past performance. It’s meant to give each horse a fairer chance of winning. The added weight will impact a horse’s speed over certain distances. The better the horse, the more weight it will get allocated. But if handicappers were always right, all horses would finish at the same time! Take this information in along with the other factors for a more accurate prediction of what a horse is going to do. Begin your Caulfield Cup research now to prepare for betting! Caulfield Cup Betting Strategies for New Zealand Punters There are many horse racing betting strategies for NZ bettors to follow after they’ve brushed up on the Caulfield Cup form guide. Read on to find out more about the most popular ones: Box Betting for Exotic Bets After studying their Caulfield Cup race guides, many NZ bettors will box exotic bets like Exactas, Superfectas, and Trifectas. Boxing the bet just means that you will be playing all of the possible combinations of the horses you chose. This means you’ll win no matter what order they come in. If you make an Exacta bet on horses 3 and 5 for the 1st and 2nd positions, you’ll only win if they come in in that order. If you’ve boxed the Exacta, you’ll win no matter who comes in first. Boxing exotic bets does cost a bit more, but it can be worth the extra money. Top Jockeys and Trainers When horse racing betting, remember it isn’t just about the horse’s abilities. Its success also relies heavily on the team guiding it. A skilled jockey, for example, can make all the difference in a close race. Make sure you know all about the jockey’s win percentage and their experience in races similar to the Caulfield Cup. Trainers are also important, so consider their records as well. In terms of horse racing tips, remember that trainers are in charge of preparing the horses. This means that their methods and success rates do matter. Use Historical Data and Trends Anyone with any experience in horse... --- > Find top 2025 Cox Plate betting sites in New Zealand to enjoy horse racing betting. We have the top odds, insights & tips for NZ punters. - Published: 2016-08-22 - Modified: 2025-06-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/cox-plate/ Betting Guide & Tips for 2025 Cox Plate Horse racing is Australia's pride and joy, attracting thousands of spectators annually to events like the Cox Plate. It is widely regarded as Australasia’s premier weight-for-age championship. Of all the races held throughout the year, the races of the Melbourne Spring Carnival are some of the well-attended. The W. S. Cox Plate offers some exciting online betting opportunities of its own, especially for New Zealand bettors. Our recommended betting sites here at onlinegambling. net. nz have been chosen specifically to bring you the best odds and Cox Plate bets around. The Cox Plate has gained so much interest internationally that it has become a Group 1 race, which means the most elite competitors and the best online bets for you! The Cox Plate is Australia’s richest weight-for-age horse racing event. The race is held at the Moonee Valley Racecourse by the Moonee Valley Racing Club every year. The Cox Plate was named for the founder of the racing club, William Samuel Cox, and has been held every year since as far back as 1922! The historical race is run over a unique distance of 2,040 metres, and offers a massive AU$3 million in prize money for the first place runner. This prize is the second largest of any racing event in Australia, second only to the Melbourne Cup with a prize purse of AU$6 million. Although the race itself is held in October, Cox Plate betting is available around the year at the best online sportsbooks, so you’ll never have to wait a whole year in order to place your bets. How Odds Work in Cox Plate Betting In Cox Plate betting, odds represent the probability of different outcomes. For instance, if a horse has odds of 5/1, it means that for every $1 bet, the payout would be $5 plus the original stake. Fixed odds are set by bookmakers and remain unchanged after a bet is placed. For example, if you place a bet at 5/1, you’ll receive that payout regardless of any subsequent changes. Tote odds, on the other hand, are determined by the total amount of money bet on each outcome in a pool system, and payouts are calculated after the betting closes. Tote odds can fluctuate significantly as more bets are placed. Cox Plate odds can change based on factors like horse form, jockey changes, and track conditions. For example, if a top jockey takes over or if a horse performs exceptionally in training, the odds might shorten. Conversely, adverse weather affecting track conditions could lengthen the odds. To gauge the value of a bet, you should compare the implied probability of the odds with your own assessment of the horse’s chances. Value is found when the odds suggest a lower probability than what you believe to be true. Thus, understanding and analysing odds can lead to more informed and potentially profitable betting decisions. Register At Betway Cox Plate betting odds are shaped by a variety of factors, and understanding these can significantly enhance your chances of placing successful bets. Typically, odds reflect the likelihood of a horse winning based on its form, past performance, and competition. Consequently, horses with a strong track record or recent standout performances tend to attract lower odds, indicating high confidence from both bookmakers and bettors. In 2025, the Cox Plate includes several key contenders such as Mr Brightside, Via Sistina, and Broadsiding. Mr Brightside, renowned for his impressive recent trial runs, may see his odds improve as the race nears. Similarly, Via Sistina is praised for her consistent and strong performances this season, making her a favorite. On the other hand, horses like Broadsiding, although not front-runners early on, might offer value bets if they continue improving in the lead-up to the event. Get Cox Plate Betting At Betway Additionally, track conditions play a crucial role in influencing Cox Plate odds. Horses that excel on specific track types - whether firm, soft, or rain-affected - can see significant odds fluctuations based on the weather forecast. For example, if rain is expected, horses that perform well on softer ground could see their odds shorten as bettors adjust their strategies accordingly. In particular, weather and track conditions can dramatically shift odds right up until race morning. Cox Plate Betting Odds Betting Strategies for Different Bet Types Horse racing betting offers various bet types, each with distinct strategies and risk management approaches. Understanding these can enhance betting effectiveness and profitability. Bet Types and Strategies: Win Bet: Wager on a horse to finish first. Strategy: Focus on favourites or horses with strong recent form and suitable track conditions. Risk Management: Bet smaller amounts to mitigate risks, especially when the odds are short. Place Bet: Wager on a horse to finish first, second, or third (depending on the number of runners). Strategy: Bet on consistent performers who frequently finish in the top three. Risk Management: Diversify bets across multiple horses to spread risk. Each-Way Bet: Combines a win bet and a place bet on the same horse. Strategy: Ideal for horses with a strong chance of placing but also a good chance of winning. Risk Management: Ensure the place portion covers the total stake to minimise potential losses. Trifecta: Bet on the first three finishers in exact order. Strategy: Use combinations of favourites and potential outsiders to cover various scenarios. Risk Management: Limit the number of combinations to control the cost. Examples of successful strategies include Winx’s wins. Bettors who consistently placed win bets on Winx during her Cox Plate streak capitalised on her dominance. LLys Gracieux (2019) is another example of successful place bets on international runners with proven track records in similar conditions. Bet On Cox Plate At Betway Understanding Cox Plate Betting Markets In the context of the Cox Plate, betting markets refer to the different types of bets that can be placed on the race. These markets include win, place, each-way, quinella, trifecta, and more. Each market offers different ways to bet on the outcome, allowing you to choose based on your risk tolerance and strategy. In the win market, you bet on the horse you believe will finish first. The place market allows bets on a horse to finish in one of the top positions (usually first, second, or third). An each-way bet combines these two, betting on both the win and place markets simultaneously. More complex markets include the quinella, where you pick the first two horses in any order, and the trifecta, which involves selecting the first three horses in the correct order. These markets typically offer higher payouts but come with increased risk due to the difficulty of predicting multiple outcomes. You should consider factors like the horse’s past performance, jockey and trainer statistics, and track conditions when choosing a market. For example, you might prefer the place market if a horse consistently finishes in the top three but rarely wins, reducing risk while offering a potential return. Guide to Understanding Form Guides and Statistics A form guide is an essential tool in horse racing, providing detailed information about each horse in a race. Therefore, it is crucial that you understand and interpret these guides properly in order to make informed betting decisions. Form guides compile data on horses' past performances, helping you predict future outcomes. They include statistics on race history, conditions, jockey and trainer details, and more, allowing you to evaluate each horse's strengths and weaknesses. Sign Up At Betway Key elements of a form guide include: Past Performance: This includes finishing positions in recent races providing insight into a horse's current form and consistency. Track Conditions: This indicates how a horse performs on different surfaces (e. g. , good, soft, or heavy), which is crucial for assessing suitability to current race conditions Distances: This shows a horse's performance over various distances, helping to determine its stamina and speed for the race length. Jockey and Trainer Information: This lists the jockey and trainer whose experience and past success can influence a horse's performance. Weight Carried: This details the weight assigned to the horse, impacting its speed and endurance. Barrier Draw: This indicates the horse's starting position, affecting its chances based on track layout and race dynamics. In terms of how to interpret statistics and use them to assess a horse's chances, you need to focus on several factors: Consistency: Horses with consistent top-three finishes are generally strong contenders. Track and Distance Records: Prior success on the current track and over the same distance is a strong indicator of potential performance. Class of Race: Performance in similar class races provides a benchmark for assessing competitiveness. Recent Form: Horses showing improvement or maintaining peak performance are favourable. Start Cox Plate Betting At Betway Key indicators of a strong contender include: Animals in top form that have had prior success on the current track and over the same distance. Horses with advantageous starting positions often do better in races. Successful jockey/trainer matchups with strong records in similar races. Horses carrying a weight within their winning range also perform better. By thoroughly analysing form guides and statistics, you can identify strong contenders and make more informed betting decisions, thereby enhancing your chances of success. In-Depth Analysis of Past Winners and Trends The Cox Plate offers valuable insights from its winners over the past decade, which can significantly inform current betting strategies. Common Traits and Statistics for Winning Horses Include: Age: The prime age for winners is typically four to six years, balancing maturity and peak condition. Starting Position: Middle-barrier draws have proven to be advantageous. Trainer/Jockey Success Rates: Trainers like Chris Waller and Darren Weir and jockeys such as Hugh Bowman and Damien Oliver have consistently seen success. For instance, Bowman notably rode Winx to four consecutive victories from 2015 to 2018. Favourite Winnings: Winx's dominance serves as an example of how frequently favourites win, highlighting the dependability of top-tier horses in this race. See Cox Plate Odds At Betway Observable Trends from the Past Decade Include: Favourites Dominance: The strong record of favourites, especially dominant ones like Winx, underscores the importance of form. Track Conditions: Versatility in track conditions, particularly the ability to handle both good and soft tracks, is crucial. International Entrants: The increasing success of international horses reflects the race’s global appeal. How These Insights Inform Current Betting Decisions: Proven Performers: Bet on horses within the prime age range with consistent form in similar high-stakes races. Barrier Draw: Focus on the middle barriers for better race outcomes. Trainer and Jockey: Prioritise horses from successful trainers and jockeys with a strong Cox Plate record for a tactical advantage. Overall, these historical patterns and trends can guide bettors in making more informed and strategic decisions when placing their bets on the Cox Plate. Place Cox Plate Bets At Betway Expert Predictions and Insights Combining expert opinions with personal research is vital in horse racing betting. Experts offer valuable insights based on experience and extensive analysis, while personal research allows you to tailor decisions to your preferences and risk tolerance. Expert opinions provide a foundation of knowledge, highlighting key horses, track conditions, and race strategies. However, personal research enables you to validate these insights, identify overlooked factors, and make more nuanced decisions. This combination ensures a well-rounded approach, increasing the likelihood of successful bets. Notable Horses Notable horses from recent years include Romantic Warrior, the 2023 winner, and Anamoe, who secured victory in 2022, dominating Australia’s weight-for-age racing scene. Additionally, Winx stands as the most successful horse in Cox Plate history, with an incredible four consecutive wins from 2015 to 2018. Make Cox Plate Bets At Betway This table underscores the diversity of the Cox Plate, as both local and international competitors have made their mark. In particular, the repeated success of jockeys like Hugh Bowman, who rode Winx to victory, demonstrates the significant role of experience and strong horse-rider chemistry in such a prestigious event. Similarly, the range of winning trainers further highlights how both Australian and overseas stables contribute... --- > Get expert insights, odds, and betting tips for the 2025 Melbourne Cup. Stay updated with the latest news and make informed bets on this iconic race. - Published: 2016-08-22 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/melbourne-cup/ Melbourne Cup Betting Guide Welcome to our comprehensive guide to the Melbourne Cup, famously known as the race that stops a nation. This article will cover everything from its cultural significance and history to fashion, festivities, dining options, betting strategies, race day tips, and how to bet on the Melbourne Cup. Overview Horse racing is very popular in Australia and New Zealand. Some people feel that Melbourne Cup betting is the best of all. The Melbourne Cup is Australia’s biggest race. It unfolds on the first Tuesday in November at Flemington Racecourse. It’s the highlight of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival because it attracts Group 1 turf stars from all over the world. The Melbourne Cup offers AU$7. 43 million in prizes, making it one of the richest handicap races on earth. Read on to find out more about Melbourne Cup odds and online betting options, of which there are many. Unlock all the action with our Melbourne Cup tips when you bet! Best Melbourne Cup Betting Sites 2025 TOP Melbourne Cup betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review Melbourne Cup Bets Explained: Types of Bets Flemington Racecourse is pear-shaped. It boasts a 6-furlong, or 1,200 metres, known as The Straight 6. It has a circumference of 2. 312 kilometres and a final straight of 450 metres. The Melbourne Cup field has a capacity for 24 horses. Start Melbourne Cup Betting At Betway There is a range of horse betting options on the Melbourne Cup for New Zealand punters. For those interested in viewing Melbourne Cup tips and placing a bet, we recommend you study each one: Box Trifecta Here, bettors choose any number of horses, from 3 to the field limit. They then cover every Trifecta combination for the Melbourne Cup result. Each-Way This bet is a combination of Place and Win bets on particular horses; usually Melbourne Cup favourites, with both bets being of equal value. This is a great option for bettors who don’t want to take too much of a risk. Place You could use our Melbourne Cup betting tips to make a Place bet too. To win, your horse will have to come in the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd position. Quinella If the Melbourne Cup betting odds of a Quinella suit you, you’ll need to guess the top 2 winners of the race in any order. Although the top 2 favourites are also popular for this bet, there are many combinations that would work. Trifecta For this one, NZ bettors will need to choose the first 3 finishers from the Melbourne Cup field in order. This is quite the feat, so most bettors opt for the Box Trifecta instead. Check out our Melbourne Cup tips for a trifecta for some help with this bet. Win This is the most common bet. Bettors use our Melbourne Cup 2022 horses tips to predict who the overall winner will be. For more information on where you can bet on the Melbourne Cup race, check out our list of recommended NZ bookmakers like Betway. We have scoured the internet to find sites with the most generous promotions and bonuses. We also ensure that these sites offer competitive odds and different bet types for Melbourne Cup horse racing. Register At Betway Sign up at one of our recommended Melbourne Cup bookmakers today! Start betting at a top online NZ bookmaker for horse racing tips to win! Historical Replays and Analysis The Melbourne Cup event has witnessed many memorable moments in its history. One of the most unforgettable victories was in 2002 when Media Puzzle won. This occurred just days after jockey Damien Oliver's brother passed away. This emotional triumph showcased the spirit and resilience of the participants. Another standout moment came in 2015 when Prince of Penzance won the Cup, ridden by Michelle Payne. She became the first female jockey to win, defying the odds at 100:1. These moments highlight the unpredictability and drama that make the Melbourne Cup so captivating. Analysing races from the past decade uncovers valuable trends. These insights are crucial for betting on the Melbourne Cup. For instance, winners often excel in endurance races over 2400 meters, demonstrating stamina and endurance. Horses with strong lead-up form, especially in races like the Caulfield Cup, often excel in the Melbourne Cup. International horses, like Rekindling (2017) and Cross Counter (2018), have increasingly dominated the event, showcasing global competitiveness. Understanding these patterns, along with track conditions and jockey experience, is key to making informed betting choices. These insights are crucial for navigating this thrilling and prestigious race. Explore Melbourne Cup Bets At Betway Researching Horses and Jockeys It’s important you understand more than just who the Melbourne Cup favourites are for your betting to be successful. You’ll also need to look at how both the horses and their jockeys have performed in the past. Look at the past wins and losses for both and consider their reputations as well. Remember, experienced riders usually fare better than those who are newer to the scene. You’ll be able to find a wealth of information available online and may even be able to view past races before you decide on your Melbourne Cup horse betting. Don’t neglect to do this, as it could mean the difference between a winning bet and a losing one. Along with these factors, check out Melbourne Cup betting tips as they pertain to other factors. These include the type of race, the track conditions, and even the weather. You should also pay as much attention to the horse’s family tree as you do to the Melbourne Cup betting odds! If they come from a long line of winners, this will necessarily affect how they’re likely to do in the Cup. You should also stay up-to-date with Melbourne Cup news and expert opinions. These can provide valuable insights into a horse’s chances of winning. And breaking news as it affects jockeys and horses may well affect the Melbourne Cup results. Experts could be aware of factors that aren’t generally known. But no opinion is foolproof. Remember this as you research the Melbourne Cup field. Begin your Melbourne horse racing journey with top NZ bookmakers! Analysing Form and Statistics One of the best pieces of advice we’ve got as far as Melbourne Cup tips for a trifecta or any other bet go is that you should analyse form and statistics. Keep the following factors in mind: Class: Official Handicap Mark Experienced handicappers give each horse taking part in the Melbourne Cup race a mark. This takes all aspects of a horse’s performance into account and is a vital aspect of your research into Melbourne Cup horse racing. Distance One of the most important aspects of any Melbourne Cup form is how well a horse does over specific distances. The Melbourne Cup is 3,200 metres, and your pick will need to be able to handle that. Jockey/Horse Relationship Search your Melbourne Cup form for information on the relationship between the horse and the jockey. Without a rider performing at their best potential, even great horses can falter. Recent Form When reviewing Melbourne Cup form guides, the horse’s recent form is a vital aspect. It will give you an idea of how the horse is doing and offer insight into its fitness. Good performances resulting in Wins and Places are what to look for. Track Condition Melbourne Cup 2022 horses tips include taking Flemington Racecourse’s conditions into account. How has your horse done on similar tracks? Place Melbourne Cup Bets At Betway Finding a good Melbourne Cup form guide is easy with our help. Check at one of the bookmakers we’ve ended up recommending for NZ bettors. And don’t ignore trends and patterns that could influence your betting decisions. Your Melbourne Cup Betting Checklist: Trainer’s win and loss records Jockey’s win and loss records Horse Win and Place records Most common weight range or age group of the Melbourne Cup lineup that wins the race. What sort of form is the horse bringing into the race? How long has the horse had a break before running in a race? Sign up for a real bettors account for horse betting access on all devices! 2025 Melbourne Cup Odds When it comes to Melbourne horse racing, the odds show how much money you’ll win if your bet is right. The higher the odds, the more you’ll make. Favourites from the Melbourne Cup lineup get created by bookmakers based on statistics, horse racing form, how popular a horse will be, and the actual amount of money bet on the selection. See Melbourne Cup Odds At Betway Current Top 10 2025 Melbourne Cup 3200m (All In) odds According to Betway Our Melbourne Cup guide creators feel it’s important that you understand the various weights for the race. You’ll need to take different horse factors into account, including: Age Sex Previous career performance Nominations close September 3, 2025. 2025 Melbourne Cup First Declarations: Close on Tuesday, October 1, 2025. The odds for Melbourne Cup horse racing betting will be displayed differently from bookmaker to bookmaker, but the formula for calculating them remains the same. The horse racing odds formula takes into account: How much money has been bet on a race? The amount bet on each horse The percentage of money the track keeps Bookmakers are in charge of determining the odds for the Melbourne Cup and other horse races. Our horse racing tips include comparing all the odds you come across to find the best. Sports events don’t have controlled certainty, so the odds change before they start. New information on horses and jockeys can affect the horse racing odds, as can injuries. Get Melbourne Cup Betting At Betway When reading odds, the negative, -, odds tell you what you have to bet on the favourite to win NZ$100. The + sign tells you how much you’ll win for every $100 you bet on the underdog. The best time to book is a matter of opinion, but most bettors agree that you should do so at least three hours before the Melbourne Cup begins for the best odds. Get started with the Melbourne Cup with our horse tips! Melbourne Cup Tips Some of the information and statistics getting released as we get closer to the day of the big race can be difficult for casual bettors to understand. But there are also several proven, timeless Melbourne Cup betting tips that can help you out: Analyse Lead-Up Races Don’t Underestimate the Importance of the Lead-Up Races. This item was also on our list of Melbourne Cup 2022 horses tips. Pay attention to important events before the Cup, including The Mackinnon Stakes The Lexus Stakes The Moonee Valley Cup The Cox Plate The Caulfield Cup Check the Favourites Don’t Overestimate the Importance of the Favourites. This is another vital one of our horse racing tips. As good as statistics on favourites may be, you don’t have to follow the crowd in 2025. Outside chances often do very well at the Melbourne Cup. Weigh this information against the good history of the favourites, who have won 35 of 150 races, or 23%. Experiment With Exotics Don’t be hesitant about using Melbourne Cup tips for a trifecta, exacta, quinella, or superfacta. These bets can be a lot of fun and very profitable, too. We advise you to consider them if there is an overwhelming favourite in the Melbourne Cup field. Plus, if you get your bet right, you’ll have bragging rights forever! Following these horse tips may well see you get higher returns on your bets. Check out our recommended sites for the best Melbourne Cup tips going forward. Collect your Betting Bonus and start Melbourne Cup betting today! Make Melbourne Cup Bets At Betway Strategies for Melbourne Cup Betting When it comes to Melbourne Cup betting, there are several strategies that can prove very successful in maximising your chances of success: Considering Longshot Options Once... --- > Bet on AFL matches with the best NZ sportsbooks. Get expert tips, live odds, and top bonuses for Aussie Rules betting. Trusted AFL guide for 2025. - Published: 2015-01-18 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/afl/ Guide To AFL Betting in New Zealand 2025 AFL betting has gained popularity in New Zealand, with an increasing number of sports fans drawn to the excitement of the Australian Football League. As interest in AFL Premiership odds grows, so does the demand for expert guidance. This guide aims to help you navigate AFL betting odds and enhance your betting experience. Australian Rules football is one of the favourite sports for punters in New Zealand to bet on. It is not only an exciting game to watch, but also a great one to participate in. Since its inception in 1859, its popularity has been steadily rising, and the widespread following it now enjoys is undeniable. The organisation that holds the games is the Australian Football League, abbreviated as AFL, which denotes this version of football, as well as the betting that accompanies it. AFL betting guarantees punters a good time and some exciting AFL football online gambling NZ options. Best AFL Online Gambling Sites New Zealand in 2025 TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review Understanding the Basics of AFL Betting AFL betting offers a variety of markets that appeal to both seasoned bettors and newcomers. The most common bet is match winner, where you predict which team will win a particular game. Line betting involves a handicap applied to level the playing field, making the outcome more exciting. Another popular option is total points betting, where you wager on the combined score of both teams, either over or under a number set by the bookmaker. When you explore AFL betting odds, you’ll generally encounter decimal odds, which are widely used in New Zealand. These odds represent the amount you’ll win for every dollar wagered, including your initial stake. For example, odds of 2. 50 mean a $10 bet would return $25 if successful. Before placing your bets, consider key factors such as team form, recent performances, and any winning or losing streaks that may influence the outcome. Injuries to key players can also heavily impact a game’s outcome, so it’s essential to stay updated on team news. Additionally, weather conditions can influence playing styles and scores, making it necessary to account for potential wind, rain, or heat when assessing the AFL Premiership odds. Understanding these basics will help you make more informed decisions and improve your overall betting strategy. Check Out AFL Odds at BETWAY Reading AFL Odds for Betting Every punter has a different idea on who the winner of any one match will be, and this is why the odds differ so widely. You can try to keep your emotions and loyalties out of the equation when choosing a team to win. However, although these payouts can sometimes be huge if the odds are against you, more often than not, the team that is favoured to win does do so. This is why AFL betting favours individuals who do not have a strong emotional tie to any one team, as they can read the statistics and odds unemotionally and make bets with their heads, not their hearts. Bookmaker odds, statistics and reports from reporters and sports websites should all go into factoring who you are going to bet on in AFL football, as well as how much money you would like to wager. The most reputable online bookmakers, such as Betway New Zealand, offer great odds, excellent bonuses, and reliable data to help you make an informed decision when betting on the AFL. DATE TIME MATCH VENUE 5-Sep 12:40 Port Adelaide VS Geelong Cats Adelaide Oval 6-Sep 12:40 Western Bulldogs VS Hawthorn MCG 7-Sep 08:20 Sydney Swans VS GWS GIANTS SCG 7-Sep 12:30 Brisbane Lions VS Carlton Gabba Popular AFL Betting Markets When you’re AFL betting, there are several popular markets to explore: Head-to-Head Betting In this AFL betting option, you place a bet on which team will win a specific match, making this the simplest and most popular market. The team that secures the win outright will result in a successful bet, regardless of the margin. Handicap Betting Also known as line betting, this market levels the playing field when there’s a clear favourite by applying a points handicap to each team. You bet on whether a team will outperform the adjusted margin. For example, if -10. 5 points favour one team, they must win by 11 points or more for your bet to pay off. This is a popular way to engage with AFL betting odds, especially in lopsided matchups. Over/Under Betting In this market, you bet on whether the total points scored by both teams in a match will go over or under a set number. This market is perfect for those who prefer not to predict the winner but instead focus on how high or low the score will be. It’s a key feature of AFL Premiership odds, providing flexibility in wagering. First Goal Scorer In this fun and dynamic market, you bet on which player will kick the first goal of the match. It’s especially popular among those who closely follow the performances of individual players. Knowing team line-ups, player form, and positional changes can give you an edge when assessing AFL betting odds for first goal scorer markets. Batch Bets Multiple batch bets are also available at specific points during the year, as well as bracket bets. Here, you will be asked to choose a winner for the entire tournament, and these wagers can offer winners substantial payouts. Long-term bets are also available, allowing punters to predict which team will score the most points in a season, and winnings on these AFL bets are paid out as the season comes to a close. AFL Betting Tips And Strategies for Success Successful AFL betting hinges on thorough research and analysis. Staying informed about team form, player injuries, and recent performances is crucial for making informed betting decisions. Regularly updating your knowledge of AFL Premiership odds and other relevant statistics ensures you’re making decisions based on the latest data, which can significantly impact your betting outcomes. Effective money management is another key aspect of successful betting. Setting a budget and sticking to it helps avoid unnecessary losses. Allocating a specific amount for AFL betting and betting only what you can afford to lose ensures a more disciplined approach. This practice prevents emotional betting and helps maintain long-term profitability. Sign Up & Bet At Betway Leveraging live betting can improve your AFL betting strategy. Betting during live matches allows you to take advantage of changing odds and in-game developments. Monitoring the match’s progress and making timely bets based on current dynamics can yield better returns. Keep an eye on the fluctuating AFL Premiership odds to capitalise on the most favourable conditions. Finally, avoiding common pitfalls in AFL betting is essential. Steer clear of betting with your heart rather than your head, and don’t let recent losses dictate your decisions. Instead, focus on data-driven insights and make informed choices based on the latest AFL betting odds. Avoid placing bets based on hunches or incomplete information to strengthen your chances of success. Betting on the AFL Premiership Final The AFL Premiership Final is the pinnacle of the Australian Football League season, attracting enormous attention from both fans and bettors alike. For those involved in AFL betting, the Premiership Final offers exciting opportunities to engage with some of the most competitive AFL betting odds of the year. Given the importance of the event, the stakes are higher, and bettors often find greater value in the markets. Popular markets during the AFL Premiership Final include betting on the winner, where you predict which team will claim the championship title, and the margin of victory, where you wager on how many points the winning team will win by. These markets are widely favoured due to their simplicity and alignment with AFL Premiership odds. Key strategies for betting on the final include a thorough analysis of both teams' form leading up to the big game. Evaluating recent performances, head-to-head matchups, and key player availability is crucial. Additionally, examining historical performance in previous finals can offer valuable insights, as some teams thrive under pressure while others falter. Keeping an eye on external factors like weather conditions and ground familiarity can also help you make more informed bets when navigating AFL betting markets during the Premiership Final. EXPLORE AFL BETTING AT BETWAY Detailed Analysis of the Top AFL Teams and Their Betting Performance Selection of Teams In the 2025 AFL season, several teams have emerged as top contenders, including the Western Bulldogs, Brisbane, Hawthorn, and Port Adelaide, and this is reflected in up-to-date AFL betting odds. These teams have consistently shown strong performance throughout the season, establishing themselves at the upper echelons of the AFL ladder. The Western Bulldogs continue to dominate with their solid midfield and resilience in high-pressure games. At the same time, Brisbane has become a force driven by a talented forward line and effective defence. Hawthorn, after a period of rebuilding, is showcasing a mix of veteran leadership and young talent. Port Adelaide remains a formidable presence, thanks to their aggressive play and ability to score heavily. Their positions in the standings and frequent appearances in the finals over recent seasons make them solid options for bettors engaging with AFL Premiership odds. Team Overview Western Bulldogs With a strong win-loss record, the Bulldogs maintain a competitive edge. Their home performances remain exceptional, though they can be unpredictable away from home, as their AFL Premiership odds reflect. Brisbane Known for their consistent scoring and solid defensive structures, Brisbane is effective both at home and on the road, which makes them a strong option in AFL betting odds across various markets. Hawthorn Although still improving, Hawthorn’s recent resurgence has led to a rise in wins. This is important if you’re considering AFL betting on this team. Port Adelaide Port Adelaide boasts one of the highest average points scored per game and a dynamic attacking style, making them a compelling choice in the AFL Premiership odds. Strengths and Weaknesses Western Bulldogs Their strength in AFL betting lies in their midfield control, featuring elite ball movement and consistent scoring. However, their reliance on key players, particularly in the midfield, can be a vulnerability if injuries occur, which may impact their performance and AFL betting odds. Brisbane Their strong defence and ability to score heavily make them a favourite in the AFL Premiership odds. However, a tendency to struggle in tight games against top-four opponents remains a concern. Hawthorn The Hawks have shown improvement in home performances, particularly through structured defence and the emergence of key young players. However, their away record remains a weakness, making them a riskier bet in AFL betting on the road. Port Adelaide Their offensive power is a standout feature, regularly leading to high-scoring matches. Yet, against top competition, their defensive vulnerabilities can be exposed, and this should be taken into account when considering AFL Premiership odds. The Best AFL Betting Sites for NZ Bettors For New Zealand bettors looking to engage in AFL betting, several trusted sites stand out, including Betway, Palmerbet, and Picklebet. These platforms are renowned for their competitive AFL betting odds and a range of extra features. Key features to look for include competitive odds, live streaming of matches, and mobile compatibility for betting on the go. Additionally, they offer valuable promotions, user-friendly interfaces, and efficient customer support. It’s crucial to choose a licensed and regulated bookmaker to ensure a safe and secure betting environment. By selecting reputable sites, bettors can enjoy reliable services, fair play, and a comprehensive range of betting options, including excellent AFL Premiership odds, all of which contribute to a more enjoyable and trustworthy betting experience. Betting Smarter Understanding the basics and strategies of AFL betting is crucial for making informed decisions and improving your chances of success. Remember to bet responsibly, stay informed, and enjoy the process. With the right approach, you can upgrade your betting... --- > Explore the best boxing betting sites in New Zealand. Get top odds, generous bonuses, and expert tips for major bouts and live fights. Bet now! - Published: 2015-01-18 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/boxing/ Top Boxing Betting Sites in NZ 2025 Boxing is just one of those sports that people have, and always will, support. The fascination with it is entirely understandable, as it is one of the most unpredictable sports on the planet. The game could change at any moment, which is precisely what makes the idea of boxing betting so very appealing. Over the years, numerous variations on this combative sport have emerged, but few have successfully formed a suitable replacement for boxing. This is evident throughout New Zealand, with punters from all over the country placing online bets on boxing fights time after time. Timeless and enthralling, the sport's avid supporters show no signs of slowing down. One of the biggest challenges when it comes to boxing betting isn't deciding on who to place your bets on, it's sifting through the multitude of matches to support. There are often an overwhelming number of options when it comes to figuring out who to support and when. Due to the sport's global popularity, online punters in New Zealand are often spoiled for choice, as there are numerous boxing matches taking place anywhere in the world at any given time. Finding what you are looking for in terms of the boxing match itself, as well as the boxers to possibly back, can be a challenge, but it is often a worthwhile one. Part of the thrill is finding that one match and that one spectacular boxer to place your boxing bets on. Best Boxing Betting Sites TOP boxing betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review There are options for boxing betting that extend far beyond simply picking a boxer with favourable odds and betting your money on them. New Zealand's punters are quickly waking up to this fact and discovering the betting potential that manifests from it. There is, of course, the classic betting structure, where punters place bets on who will win and who will lose. However, there are variations on this that extend to placing bets on which boxer will win which round of the match. Sure, it's a bit more of a challenge, but it certainly places a new spin on boxing betting in New Zealand and makes it that much more exciting. On the other hand, another level of challenge is the type of boxing betting that occurs with numerous boxing events happening simultaneously. Bookmakers then give punters the option of choosing multiple winners for the day, a factor that can reap very generous payouts, even if the punter only puts a little bit of money down to begin with. The Best NZ Boxing Betting Online The art of boxing dates back many decades. New Zealand has seen its fair share of boxing fanatics, and this is evident in the growth and popularity of boxing betting across the country. This trend shows no sign of slowing down, with new mobile betting numbers increasing, which comes as no surprise, considering the fun and intrigue, coupled with the possibility of a generous reward that accompanies it. Find all the best online bookmakers that facilitate boxing betting on our site and make your predictions on who will be knocked out and who’ll make it through the round. LATEST BOXING NEWS --- > Find the best racing betting sites in New Zealand with the best odds & markets for horse, greyhound, motorsports racing & more all in one place. - Published: 2015-01-18 - Modified: 2015-01-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/racing/ Guide to Racing Betting in NZ Racing betting is the top online pastime for punters from New Zealand, and these types of events include horse, dog, motorsports and harness racing. While attending the events in person is always an enjoyable experience, it is not always possible in today’s busy world and online sportsbooks are stepping in to make sure punters can still make a profit from the events as they take place in real time. New Zealand’s online racing betting sites are making sure that everyone can place a horsebet whenever they want to from wherever they happen to be, and offer opportunities to both high rollers to those who indulge in the pastime infrequently. Types of Betting Racing Horse Racing Betting Horse racing betting has been a popular pastime in New Zealand from colonial times, and there are 69 thoroughbred clubs that hold licenses here. Racecourses can be found at 59 locations throughout the country, and the export of horses internationally generates a colossal amount of money. The competitions are incredibly exciting ones, with odds changing as the race takes place at the incredible speeds they do, and there are a wide variety of racing betting options for punters to choose from. Win, place, and each way horse bets are the most popular, but interested punters can also explore the more complex wagers like quinella, first four, trifecta and double. This type of or racing betting is also remarkably popular here, with pacers and trotters providing punters with great options on matchups. There are 51 harness clubs licensed to operate in New Zealand, and along with the horse bets like win, each way and place, you can try other horse racing bets like the first four, wherein you will try to predict which horses will take the first four places of the race, in the correct order. Similar to the trifecta, which requires you to place the first three in the correct order, this wager can be a very exciting one. Greyhound Racing Betting Greyhound racing betting is also extraordinarily popular in New Zealand, thanks to the quick pace the sport takes. Payouts are made quicker for this sport than any other, and there is always the possibility that one of the hasty hounds will actually manage to catch the lure that drives them forward, creating havoc on the track. Motorsports Racing Betting New Zealanders love betting on the top motorsports around the world, which includes, F1 betting, Formula E betting, Nascar betting, MotoGP betting and more. This type of racing betting is adding another level of fun to an already very enjoyable sport to watch, and New Zealand bettors are not limited to races in this country. Enjoy car races from as far afield as America, as online sports betting in NZ knows no boundaries. There are a wide variety of racing betting options available for all the categories and markets in New Zealand and, with so many different types of races available there is sure to be something that everyone will enjoy. Different race events happen all year round all over the world, and there will always be something to keep New Zealand punters interested whenever they decide to log on and take a look at what is on. --- > We deliver the best rugby odds & betting sites in New Zealand with secure payment methods, fast payouts, & top odds for a great rugby betting experience. - Published: 2015-01-18 - Modified: 2025-06-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/rugby/ Guide to Rugby Betting in New Zealand 2025 Few sports games have managed to yield the same kind of global fascination that rugby has. Throughout the years, the people of New Zealand have proven their love of the game time and time again. Bookmakers have capitalized on this fact, resulting in a number of betting sites that include rugby betting as one of their main attractions. When it comes to rugby, fans of the game can get extremely passionate, resulting in fueled debates about which team is better. Rugby fans are almost always willing to put money down on their favourite teams, which is exactly why rugby betting has become as much of a phenomenon as it is. This, coupled with the fact that rugby bets can be placed from almost any device that has an internet connection, is sure to only increase the popularity of the hobby. Because of the game's international appeal, games are broadcast all over the world and are not necessarily area-specific. In other words, fans of the sport in New Zealand will very gladly watch a match that does not involve their home team. Whatever the case may be, when it comes down to it, rugby betting centres around the teams with the best odds, as these are often the ones that give you the greatest chance of a big win. It is so incredibly important to ensure that as a punter, you know which team that is. Your favourite team may not be the team with the highest chance of winning, so placing large rugby bets on them would not be the best idea. However, placing a bigger bet on a team with promising odds is likely to prove to be far more beneficial for you. Here at Onlinegambling. net. nz we offer reviews of the top bookies with the best odds for NRL betting, Rugby League World Cup Betting and all kinds of rugby betting online. How to Find the Best Rugby Betting Sites While deciding which team or individual to place your bet on is, of course, of utmost importance, finding the right site from which to place your rugby bets is equally so. We can help you do so. Here, you will find comparisons of the best rugby betting sites available to players in New Zealand, giving you the power to make an informed decision about where to place your rugby bets and how. We'll make life much easier for you, and provide you with a number of options to suit your online betting needs. Top Rugby Bets NZ When it comes to rugby betting, multiple options are available to punters, particularly when it comes to tournaments like the Rugby World Cup, the more options that present themselves, the better. Unlike other sports' betting structures, rugby betting gives you more than just the option to predict the outcome of one specific game. With rugby betting, punters can also select and place money on individual players, making the game even more exciting. If there is a tournament on the horizon, or currently one in play, punters are, of course, encouraged to predict the outcome of the overall competition. This adds an extra flare to the rugby bets being placed, giving it an extra edge over other forms of betting. --- > Find the best cycling betting sites online for NZ punters to place cycling bets. Our bookies offer great cycling betting odds & insights major cycling events. - Published: 2015-01-18 - Modified: 2015-01-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/cycling/ Top Cycling Betting Sites in NZ 2025 Online betting sites are amongst the most popular in the world these days. This popularity has resulted in a plethora of great sites from which punters across New Zealand can place bets. However, finding an online betting site that suits your specific needs as a punter can be especially challenging for a number of reasons, but mainly due to the fact that there are just so many of them to sift through. However, that is exactly why we are here. We sift through the sites for you and find an assortment of the best ones to present to you. Whatever your needs may be, you will find a site to suit them right here. Sports betting in NZ has become remarkably popular in recent years, and this is due to a number of factors. These include the fact that our schedules have become far too busy to allow for many of us to go out and watch a sports match or actually place a bet anywhere away from any of the devices that we have become so reliant on. While there is a considerable selection of sports to back, one that is quickly growing in popularity is that of cycling betting. Over the years, this has become the online sports betting sphere to watch in New Zealand as it has grown tremendously from where it once started. Cycling Betting Explained Cycling betting is a form of betting that for many years has remained under the radar but now is quickly coming to the forefront as a new trend amongst New Zealand punters. One of the main reasons that it has become so popular so quickly is because of the convenience that it brings. On the other hand, cycling betting cannot be mentioned without the inclusion of the plenty of cycling events that happen around the world much like Melbourne Cup betting is associated with horse racing. As these grew in popularity and became televised on multiple news channels, the need for this kind of cycling betting became increasingly apparent in New Zealand. With online sports betting sites, the ultimate convenience is achieved. Punters can place their bets on these esteemed cycling events from wherever they may be and whatever device they may be using. It is an easy, convenient, reliable method of indulging in an extremely thrilling and rewarding pastime. Find the Support You Need While you may always have been a bit of a cycling fundi and know a thing or two about the sport, cycling betting is an entirely different ballgame. In essence, there are multiple factors that need to be considered before any bets are placed. These include the experience level of the cyclist, the kind of equipment that he or she is using, the route that is being cycled and whether or not they have placed favourably in previous races. With this in mind, finding the best cycling betting site that suits your needs will only help you in your cause, as the site will provide you with all the support you need being a punter in New Zealand with a special interest in cycling. --- > Explore the best football betting odds & sites in New Zealand. Access top football tips from experts and get a 100% Match Bonus up to $250 today. - Published: 2015-01-18 - Modified: 2015-01-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/soccer/ Football Betting in New Zealand 2025 When it comes to sport, people from all over the world are united in their love for football. New Zealand is no different. Because the global population has a general love for the game, a number of fantastic opportunities have emerged from this love, including that of football betting. The popularity of the sport has resulted in a demand for games to be broadcast across numerous platforms, no matter where in the world the game is being played or which specific teams are playing. However, one thing is certain, and that is the fact that so many football enthusiasts are keen to put money down on their favourite team's success. With this in mind, a number of online sports betting sites are available to punters in New Zealand. Here, you will find comparisons of the best ones, enabling you to make appropriate decisions about which football betting sites will work best for you. Every single football fan has that one team they will support until the end of time. However, not every football team is created equal, which is exactly why football betting is such an exciting pastime. When it comes to placing bets, one needs to make informed decisions about where to place their money. While it is, of course, always fine to place a small bet on your favourite team, you need to think a little bit further when it comes to placing larger football bets. If your team is a bit of an underdog or hasn't been performing as well as they could have been in their past few games, is it really wise to place a large bet on them? Studying the facts and the statistics will help you ensure that you are making the best possible bet for the best possible team, thus increasing your chances of winning big. With all of the possible thrills that come with this pastime, it's no wonder that punters all over New Zealand love it so much. Best Football Betting Sites When it comes to football betting, the key is to keep each bet as simple as possible. There are a number of different kinds of bets available, but when you are first starting out, it is best to keep things basic. As you gain more confidence and learn more about the teams and their odds, it is only natural to then start exploring the more complicated aspects of the hobby. Some of New Zealand's most prominent punters began their betting careers this way, and most are in agreement that this method of learning is a fantastic one with a controlled, limited risk factor. When it comes to online sports betting on football there are so many different options to bet on and this makes it even more exciting. Punters can be on individual players, on the outcome of a match or of a whole tournament or on how many goals will be scored. Some of the more commonly placed bets include picking a winner of the game, football betting on the half or full time score, determining the number of goals scored or who will score, and which half will see the most goals scored by a single team. There are multiple other football betting opportunities on offer too, and there’s no shortage of wagers that can be placed. Football betting has for long been an extremely popular pastime in New Zealand, and it certainly shows no sign of slowing down now that betting on mobile is possible as well, so people can bet on the go wherever they go. --- > Access top tennis betting sites in New Zealand. Place tennis bets on Wimbledon, the Australian & US Open & more. Get a 100% Match Bonus up to $250. - Published: 2015-01-18 - Modified: 2015-01-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/tennis/ Top Tennis Betting Sites in New Zealand 2025 Tennis is the kind of sport that instantly connects people, no matter what their experience level of the game may be. It is fast paced and high energy, making it the kind of game that spurns tournaments and numerous games. Naturally, this has led to online betting on tennis, a hobby that is seeing punters from all over New Zealand beam with glee. As a whole, the rules of tennis are straight-forward and easy to understand. However, online sports betting brings an entirely new dimension to it, as there are so many new factors to consider when it comes to placing your bets. Over and above that, however, is still finding the right tennis betting site, something that many people underestimate the value of. Finding a site that you, as a punter, feel comfortable with is of utmost importance, as it will directly affect every online sports betting experience you have. Enjoy tennis betting online on Computers as well as betting on mobile devices. Tennis is one of the few sports that actually lend itself to having multiple categories within one sport. For example, almost every tennis tournament sees events like “Singles”, “Doubles”, “Men” and “Women”, all as separate categories. While the sport has been this way traditionally, the factor greatly benefits punters who are enthusiasts of tennis betting online. Essentially, what this means is that they have more chance to bet across numerous platforms, thus increasing their chances of winning considerably larger prizes than other forms of online sports betting can bring. Within New Zealand in recent years, tennis bets has become increasingly popular, and we can't say we are even a little bit surprised by this. Best Tennis Betting Sites Of course, there are more than a few world famous tennis tournaments that take place every year. These times are always exciting for tennis betting online, with a lot of punters spending a little more time concentrating on who they should put their money on. However, while placing tennis bets during the championship tournaments is always fun, punters in New Zealand are certainly making definite strides towards ensuring that bets placed on tennis matches stay active throughout the year. This way, when the time for tournaments and trophies come again, punters have a fairly good grasp of the players in the lead up to major competitions, making it easier for them to place their tennis bets on someone they feel fully confident about. Different Kinds of Tennis Bets Make It Exciting When it comes to tennis betting online, punters in New Zealand are able to enjoy the fact that there are so many different kinds of tennis bets available to keep it exciting. These variations include outright bets, which allow punters the chance to place a bet on which two players they think will be in the final of any specific events. Furthermore, this kind of betting also allows for the more traditional match tennis bets, which lets punters try to determine the winners of each match. If you are looking for a site to place tennis bets on matches and tournaments from, look no further than right here. We find and compare the best online sports betting sites in New Zealand, making it easier for you to find a site that you love. --- > Don't hesitate! Place bets at the best cricket betting sites in New Zealand. Top-rated betting sites offer great odds & a 100% Match Bonus up to $250. - Published: 2015-01-18 - Modified: 2015-01-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/cricket/ 2025 Best Cricket Betting Guide in New Zealand Cricket is one of those sports that you either love or hate. Those that fall into the former category have been known to become intensely passionate about online betting for cricket, and this community is a considerably large one that penetrates international borders. New Zealand as a nation is one that is known for being extremely dedicated to the sport, probably owing largely to the fact that the game itself is unpredictable. Such games are the most exciting, as there is no telling what could possibly happen next. By nature, cricket is the definition of unpredictable, as some games can last for a few hours while others can go on for days on end. Either way, there is no denying that the sport is a well-supported one, making it the perfect platform for bookmakers and punters to meet on. This has resulted in online cricket bets, a phenomenon that has taken New Zealand by storm. Not many people even know that there is more than one kind of cricket match. However, knowing the possible differences is of utmost importance to punters, as it will no doubt help them make informed decisions about their cricket betting online. For example, a test match can generally last four to five days. Within this time frame, anything can happen, with the leader board changing at any given point. Knowing this when it comes to cricket bets is extremely important as it will help you make important decisions in terms of placing your cricket bet online. On the other hand, New Zealand's punters generally like to place their cricket bets on one day matches, as these have a faster turnaround time that can yield comparatively instant results to those winnings gotten from horse racing betting tips. Top Cricket Betting Sites for New Zealanders As one of the oldest sports in the world, cricket has attracted numerous versions of cricket betting in its lifetime. The sport has deep roots that run a long way back, and the traditions that come with them are just as timeless. Born from the British, cricket has become extremely popular in countries that were previously colonised by that country. New Zealand is one such country, and the traditional aspect of the game still flows quite deeply through the nation. Considering the modern world that we live in, online cricket betting serves as the perfect symbol of fusion, combining the tradition and elegance of a timeless sport with hi tech internet based wagering. The Top NZ Cricket Betting Odds and where to make them! When it comes to finding a cricket betting site, however, things can get a little bit complicated. There are several sites out there, and finding the right one to suit your needs is a lot easier said than done. That is why we are here. We sift through them sorting the intricacies of cricket vs esports betting returns, source and compare the best sites to place cricket bets on in New Zealand. Here, you will find all the information you need in order to make an informed decision about where and how to place your cricket bet online using PC, Android, iPhone, mobile sports betting apps according to the needs you have as a punter. --- > Explore top sportsbooks with Pari Mutuel Betting & Tote Betting in New Zealand. Place Quadpot, Placepot & Swinger tote bets on horse racing in NZ. - Published: 2015-01-18 - Modified: 2015-01-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/best-totes/ NZ Pari Mutuel, Tote or Pool Betting 2025 Online New Zealand betting of all kinds is becoming more popular, and one of the favourite areas is horse racing betting. There is a plethora of exciting tote bets to place on thoroughbred performances, which are best for different situations. Selecting the right one at the right time is important, and one of the biggest skills to master is how to pick the best online Totes betting. Totes are also called Pari-Mutuel or Pool Bets, and as these names suggest are composed of many wagers placed by many players. All tote bets placed on a race are pooled together, and the winnings are shared among successful punters according to the final odds. Because these odds are determined by the size of the pool, so they change right up until betting closes. A long shot usually pays out more than a sure thing because more people will wager on the latter than the former. One of the exciting aspects of Totes is this sense of uncertainty until the last minute, and long shots are often the best online Totes betting available to you. Explore the top sportsbooks in New Zealand offering the best Pari Mutuel bets for Kiwi punters today. Types of Pari Mutuel Tote Bets Different kinds of Totes betting are more beneficial for different betting amounts and for different kinds of races. As you spend time on the New Zealand online betting sites that we review here you will get better at making astute decisions and will make more winnings more often. To start off on the right foot, consider our list of the best online Totes betting below. Wins & Places The simplest tote bets you can place are Wins and Places, and are excellent for beginners. For a Win, you name the horse you think will win, and for a Place you select the horse that you thing will place second or third. In an Each Way bet the two are combined, and you bet on who will win the first three places. Exacta & Trifecta Bets In Exacta and Trifecta bets, you specify the exact winners of the first two places and the first three places in a race respectively. Quadpot Bet Quadpot bets are very popular because they are inexpensive to place and can be very rewarding. They require you to choose horses to place or win in the third to sixth spot in four races on one day. The Placepot is a variation of this, requiring you to pick horses for six races on a given day in the same way. Tote Jackpot In the Jackpot, you must also select horses for each race, but they must all place first. The challenge is huge, but so are the rewards. It is always a good idea to put a small Tote Jackpot bet in with your other wagers, because small amounts are low risk but can still yield large returns. Scoop 6 Bet A Scoop 6 is an exotic version of the Placepot and Jackpot bets. You must name every winner in every race on a given day. It is very high risk and high reward – one mistake and you will lose everything, but successful wagers are amply paid out. Swinger Bet The Swinger is the most exotic Tote, where you need to name two horses that will place somewhere in the top three spots. If both names do, you will win and gain a huge payout. One-two finishes usually give the best returns. Evolve Your Pari Mutuel & Pool Betting Style The more you place tote bets, the more you will get to know your own style and find the best online Totes betting for your personal punting. Read our reviews to find the best sites for you to practice and perfect your own savvy staking style. --- > Find the top darts betting sites online in NZ with great odds on darts bets for Kiwi Punters. Our darts bookies offer the best Darts World Championship betting odds online! Our experts have compiled the top darts betting sites with fast payouts, secure payment methods & big bonuses. Play now & win big! - Published: 2015-01-18 - Modified: 2015-01-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/darts/ Guide to Darts Betting in NZ 2025 Finding New Zealand's best darts betting site is just as, if not even more, important as deciding who to place your bets on. It's a fickle business, trying to figure out where to place your online bets as there are a number of factors to consider. Perhaps the most important of all these factors is finding an online sports betting site that you feel most comfortable with. There are so many options out there that you may find it surprisingly overwhelming to try and navigate through all of them and find one that you love and feel comfortable with. That's where we come in. We swift through all of the best online sports betting sites out there, then we review and compare them before presenting them to you right here. We can help you find exactly what it is you are looking for in terms of darts betting, ensuring that each time you place a bet, you have a pleasant experience. We often take the internet for granted. It has become so ingrained in our everyday lives that we forget that a few years ago, the internet was a luxury in many parts of the world. However, now because almost everyone has internet access, it plays a prominent role in connecting people. This is evident in darts betting in New Zealand, where so many online sports punters come together in and amongst the several communities that they have inadvertently set up for themselves. These communities have, of course, spurned some competition amongst bookmakers, which has resulted in punters benefiting from the competitive nature each one has as they try to one-up each other. This makes things more fun and exciting in the world of darts betting, with punters from all over New Zealand revelling in the experiences that come with it. Best Darts Betting Sites There are so many things that can often stand in our way of all of our favourite hobbies. For punters who enjoy darts betting, finding the time to actually go out and place a bet can be remarkably difficult or inconvenient. However, online sports’ betting has changed the face of betting throughout New Zealand. Punters can now place their bets wherever they are, from almost any device like Android or iPhone betting apps. This kind of convenience has revolutionised the way that betting works these days, as bets can be placed in little more than a few minutes, making the whole process much easier and much more enjoyable. Find the Best Darts Betting in NZ In recent years, New Zealand has certainly experienced a considerable shift in betting patterns. Online betting sites now have a stronger focus on darts betting and the benefits that come with this are endless for punters who are interested in this particular sport. If you are looking for a site from which to place your online sports bets, look no further. We can help you find exactly what you are looking for, and make each one of your dart betting experiences worthwhile. From betting on the World Championships to wagering on Premier League or local games, we bring you the sites that offer the best odds, offer you information on the latest scores and provide you with valuable tips on whether you should wager on an outright win, correct score or alternate handicap. --- > Find the top free betting sites in New Zealand. Place free bets online for horse racing, NRL, AFL & more. Find the safest sites with the top odds now. - Published: 2015-01-18 - Modified: 2015-01-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/free/ Best Free Betting Sites in New Zealand All of the online betting sites that we review here are excellent, but they are also all competing with each other for your valuable business. To this end, they offer fantastic deals that can really increase your winnings if used wisely. One of the main ways they do this is with free bets. These are usually offered as rewards when you sign up to a site, and later on specific offers. 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Punters can bet on international sports betting markets such as rugby, soccer, cricket, tennis, NBA, NFL, golf, cycling and much more, and local league options such as Aussie Rules and snooker and darts are also open to punting. We also have some of the best horse racing tips NZ punters will find! No matter how obscure the market is, we can assure you that at least one of our highly recommended sportsbooks will offer a fantastic range of wagers with incredibly competitive odds. Avid sports fans aren’t the only ones onlinegambling. net. nz caters for; you’ll also find election betting options and financial and entertainment betting at our recommended sites. These NZ sports betting opportunities are fast becoming some of the hottest online. New Zealanders are catching on to the trend of financial betting on the markets or current event betting. 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Customer service is an area of the online sports betting industry that is often overlooked, but this is not the case with us, and many of our top-recommended online sportsbooks offer top-notch support 24/7. Safety, security and reliable banking are also a priority, and we only recommend sports betting sites that have been licensed and have the credentials to make them a legal entity within New Zealand. To assist you in getting the most out of your online punting, we also provide articles that tell you more about the different types of NZ online betting, such as betting on your mobile and free bets. We'll also provide insight into the seasonal significant events, like giving advice and tips on the Melbourne Cup betting odds. We also look over every online betting site we promote in-depth, and you can read all about a site before selecting the one that works best for you. Choose Mobile Betting Apps Many of our top recommended online sportsbooks have also been fully optimised for mobile use, so you can enjoy betting on the go, anytime, anywhere. Whether you’re keen on checking the odds on an upcoming match you’re interested in while you’re commuting to or from work or placing a wager on cricket betting while you’re on your lunch break, you will have full access to your favourite sportsbook, thanks to the joys of mobile technology. Whether using a Windows, Android or Apple phone or tablet, you can enjoy the complete sports betting experience with an active internet connection. Many punters may not realise the importance of using an online sportsbook review and recommendation site, but we are here to tell you that it’s imperative. We put each online betting site through a stringent testing process to ensure that everything is operating as it should be, and we do all the hard work so you don’t have to! 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There are short- and long- term bets available, with different financial betting odds even on the same stock and you need to make the selection that will benefit you most. Next, you need to choose between making a floating odds or fixed bet. Floating odds bets depend on how many people have made the wager, while fixed bets give superior set financial odds. These are also more or less rewarding in different circumstances, and once again you need to decide what works best for your current situation. The more you enjoy wagering and investigating this exciting realm of financial betting, the more you will be able to make these decisions astutely. Favourite Financial Betting Sites As a way to research and expand your understanding of the stock markets with minimal risk, financial betting is hard to beat. You lose none of the flexibility of the markets, and you can choose the stock, how it will more and how long to wait. The more you play, the more you will want to keep playing. --- > Read the best horse racing betting tips in New Zealand at top Sportsbooks. Access the best odds, tips & insights from horse racing punting experts. - Published: 2015-01-18 - Modified: 2025-06-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/horse-racing-tips/ Horse Racing Tips For NZ 2025 Horse race betting is the most popular activity in the land-based and online betting shops in New Zealand and horse racing tips are valued by enthusiastic punters. These horse betting tips are offered by most of the reputable sites we review here, and many online forums and chatrooms provide even more useful information. This can help you maximise your wagering potential and winnings, but you need to know you can trust them and you need to properly apply them. To about this, reading our New Zealand horse racing tips below is a great place to start. A basic, essential piece of advice is to understand the available wagers available. If you have a firm grasp of these options, you can combine this with the horse racing betting tips you have learnt and make informed decisions that will yield the best rewards. We have outlined the main NZ online betting options below. Types of Horse Racing Betting Wagers in New Zealand In Win and Place bets, you name the horse that will come first or, in the case of Place bets, second or third in a race. Based on these basic wagers, several other bets can be made. Keep your eyes open for tips that will help you decide which horses are most likely to place in the top three positions, and decide which punts will be most beneficial to your situation. Besides the straight bets mentioned above, there are also many exotic bets such as First Four wagers, Exactas, Trifectas, Quadrellas and Quinellas. You can run a series of wagers across several races at a time in multi bets that include Parlays, Doubles and Trebles. In addition to these standard bets, unique bets are occasionally run on specific events and can be very lucrative if played right. Top Horse Racing Betting Tips Sites Knowing the facts will always help to make a decision, and you should try to get as much statistical information as possible to consider alongside the horse racing betting tips you have received. Try to find out as much as possible on the win/loss percentages, name and number of the horse and the jockey, their winning or losing streaks and anything else that seems pertinent. Horse and rider function as a team in the race and influence each other, so you need to check the statistics of both and check how they work together. You should also factor in the condition of the track being run, as certain steeds perform better on certain tracks like checking the odds for Caulfield Cup betting. Once you know as many statistical facts as possible you can consider the kind of information that you get from NZ horse racing tips, such as the kind of track being run which can really influence an animal’s performance. Combining all the information at your disposal is a key skill to develop in wagering. Find the Best Horse Betting Tips & Odds Along with statistics and horse betting tips, the odds should always be considered when you are trying to maximise your winnings; picking the right races when using sports betting apps does not guarantee big jackpots. For example, if you bet on a long shot the odds of winning are much less but the successful wagers do pay out much more. If you receive reliable horse racing betting tips on long shots, you can use these to cannily play the odds and gain large windfalls. NZ Horse Racing Tips Although you should never conduct horse racing betting based on emotions, you should also always listen to yourself. As you punt more you will become shrewder at combining horse racing tips and the other information at your disposal and making betting decisions that are most beneficial to you. The more you wager, the better you wager. Best Tips for Horse Racing Betting New Zealand (2025) If you’re looking for the hottest horse racing tips to help you place winning bets, look no further. We’ve got the top tips that will help you to back a winning horse time after time. The more you know about horse racing, the more successful you can be, as online betting requires skill and know-how. Use these horse racing betting tips to place wagers that have a better chance of winning. Bet on the biggest races in NZ and the rest of the world now! Study The Form The “form” refers to the overall performance of the horse on the track. It’s vital to get to know the form of the horse and how it might indicate whether it will win or lose. You can find out about a horse’s form on sportsbooks and other sporting resources, and it will give you a much better idea of whether you should begin betting on a horse or not. Studying form is also among the best horse racing betting tips. It will give you the edge that you need to really make the most of your betting money! Track Conditions The next aspect worth keeping in mind is the condition of the track. For instance, if it starts to rain hard, a lot of horses won’t do as well, and it will quickly make or break a bet, sometimes even instantly. This is why it’s a good idea to keep a close eye on the local weather of the track. If it looks like there is a storm front coming in, it’s worth reconsidering any bets you want to make. But track conditions also refer to the type of track in question. Keep in mind that a horse may be used to one type of track and that it will battle when having to run on a different kind of track. Just like tennis players, horses have their favourite surfaces. Get Horse Race Betting At Betway Watch The Market The betting market is always in a state of flux. But if you follow it long enough, you will notice patterns. These patterns are what the pros use to gain an edge, which is why you want to keep a very close eye on the market and how it goes up and down. This info will make you a stronger bettor overall, and you’ll be able to use other horse racing tips in conjunction to pick a winner. Managing Your Bankroll Your bankroll is the money that you use for betting. One of the most common mistakes bettors make is not using their bankrolls properly, so it doesn’t take long for them to run out of necessary betting funds. We recommend that you take the time to learn about betting bankrolls and how they function. Bankrolls give you the power to take your betting to a whole new level. Bankroll management is one of those horse racing tips that allow you to go from average to pro in a short amount of time. Make sure your bankroll management is up to standard, and it won’t take long before you’re winning big on the fastest horses! Ready to bet? Sign up at a top NZ online sportsbook like Betway and more today! Horse Racing Tips FAQ How do I determine which NZ horse will do the best? Using the horse racing tips on this page will give you the tools that you need to pick a winner. What kind of bet gives you the most winnings in horse racing betting? There are many different bets to choose from. Look for one that will suit your style of betting and your bankroll the best. If you’re a beginner, a simple win/place bet is best, but if you have experience, you can go for a trifecta, quinella, or other more complex wagers. How do you pick a winning horse? Look at form, past races, the track conditions, the weather, the jockey and the trainer to pick a winner. What is the best bet for beginners? A simple win or place bet is best. A win means the horse must win, a place means it must finish in first or second place. The Best Horse Racing Events --- > Find the leading internet betting sites online in NZ for Kiwis to place sports bets. Make Internet bets on horses, cycling, rugby and soccer with great internet betting odds & tips in one place. Our experts explore the top internet betting options available to Kiwi punters o desktop & mobile devices. - Published: 2015-01-18 - Modified: 2015-01-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/internet/ Guide to Internet Betting in NZ Watching sports matches is always enjoyable, and as many New Zealand betting enthusiasts can attest, when you have money riding on the outcome it becomes very exciting as well. Today’s technological advances mean that world-class wagers are available to a much wider audience, on a much wider range of events, than ever before. You can enjoy all the traditional favourites like boxing, football, cricket, rugby, soccer, tennis betting, golf and more, as well as more unusual sporting events and entertainment events, political outcomes and financial markets. With the wide reach of remote betting, these events are available to you no matter where in the world they are happening. The immediate access of the internet also means that you can conduct in-depth research more easily and can get results almost instantly. With mobile betting, you can even merge your punting activities with your daily life. In fact, internet betting has come such a long way that it is equal if not better than land-based wagering from every possible viewpoint. No matter what kind of device you are using, whether traditional or mobile, remote betting is very smooth and simple. Bookmakers want to make it easy for you to bet money, so they aim to make their sites as straightforward as possible. The New Zealand internet betting sites that we review here are easily navigated and if you should run into difficulties their extensive Customer Support Agents will be able to efficiently deal with any arising issues. You can start or get back to your punting as quickly and seamlessly as possible. Online bookmakers are far more accessible than their land-based counterparts, making visits to them more cost-effective in many ways. You don’t incur any travel costs or incidental expenses such as buying drinks and snacks. In addition, because the betting sites of New Zealand are all vying with each other for your patronage, they strive to outdo each other with fantastic bonuses and superior odds. Take some time to investigate the sites we review and choose the ones that will personally benefit you most. Best Internet Betting Sites Card fraud and identity theft are unfortunate realities of today, and have made people very wart of digital transactions or of sharing any details online. This is completely understandable, and most online bookmakers in New Zealand have gone out of their way to institute sound security measures. While there are some unsavoury sites around, all of those that we review here are licensed and regulated by respected authorities and are regularly audited to make sure they are complying with regulations. Knowing that your funds are completely safe and that your betting is completely fair allows you to relax and focus on your punts. Internet Betting & Immersive Online Entertainment The benefits to internet betting are numerous, but at the end of the day it is simply immersive, engaging and hugely entertaining. Weekend and career punters alike will relish the wide range of event and betting varieties. Everything that was lacking in your land-based wagering experiences is amply delivered in the online betting of New Zealand. --- > Explore top golf betting sites in New Zealand. Enjoy online golf betting odds & tips on all the best golf tournaments & events online and place golf bets with exciting bonus offers. Our experts have compiled the top golf betting tips & insights for Kiwi punters to get the edge online in any game. - Published: 2015-01-18 - Modified: 2015-01-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/golf/ Guide to Golf Betting in 2025 While the exact origins of the game of golf remain obscure, people have almost definitely been partaking in golf betting since the game started being played. Thanks to the wonders of internet, punters from New Zealand can now do so far more conveniently. While side golf bets were rarely placed when the game began, betting more frequently being made by the players themselves, that is a thing of the past, and now there are many people around the globe who enjoy hazarding a guess on the outcome of a match. The world’s finest professional players are taking part in tournaments throughout the year, and punters can place golf bets in New Zealand, thanks to the internet, no matter where in the world the games are being played. The majority of betting sites online will offer punters the opportunity to place golf bets on games, and punters can expect access to not only the world famous tournaments everybody watches, but less well known competitions as well. The key to finding a good golf betting site is to find out how many of the lesser tournaments they make available, including the women’s golf games, pro-am events and the second tier tournaments happening worldwide all year round. Don’t join up to a website that only features major events like the Masters tournament, as you will be narrowing your golf betting app opportunities considerably. Bookmakers generally make two types of golf bets available to punters, namely the tournament win bet and those made on the outcome of matchups between two competitors selected by your bookie. Best Golf Betting Sites If you are new to the world of golf betting, take a look at the tournament win golf bets, one that works particularly well when a golfer is especially successful over a longer period of time than is usual, as in the case of Tiger Woods. While there hasn’t been a golfer that has reached the kind of streak that Tiger Woods enjoyed in a while, take a close look at each individual player’s standings and ability and you may well find that you have chosen a winner as the contest comes to a close. Golf Bets NZ Selections made on a match between two players can also be very profitable. Bookies select the matchups, and post the details on their websites, allowing punters to choose which individual they think will prove triumphant. Punters need only try to predict which individual will place higher in the standings at the tournament’s end, something considerably easier to do than trying to predict an overall winner for the competition. When golf betting on two star players, a thorough knowledge of their history and the course they are competing on can often make picking a winner relatively easy. Golf Betting Odds NZ Younger players joining the ranks of more seasoned professionals and the increase in access to the better golf courses is helping to raise the popularity stakes of golf betting odds for bettors from New Zealand. The fact that one wrong move in an otherwise faultless game can dramatically change the outcome of the competition means that golf betting is an exciting pastime, with a favourable outcome possible in even the last moments of a golf betting game. --- > Online Sports Betting Guides 2025 - Get latest Sports Betting tips to win online. Access top online betting guides for New Zealand punters. Our experts have compiled the top online sports betting guides on horse racing, tennis, soccer & cricket betting to help you get the edge while betting. - Published: 2015-01-18 - Modified: 2015-01-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/sports-guide/ Sports Betting Guide for Newbies in NZ The options for online betting are improving all the time, and deciding where and how to bet can be overwhelming for any player, whether a seasoned punter or a brand-new visitor to online New Zealand bookmakers. A comprehensive sports betting guide can go a long way towards helping you make these vital decisions, and provide specific tips and guidance. If you are serious about punting and winning online, you need a solid betting guide. Our guidelines are very helpful to all players, and for novices we explain all bets including those that are specific to certain sports. As you become more experienced, our sports betting guide will continue to support you with the different factors affecting an event’s outcome, including playing conditions and previous wins and losses, all clearly laid out. You will be able to use all this information to understand the odds, place more complex wagers and increase your winnings. With us, all of this is at your fingertips at all times. As mentioned above, our sports betting guide not only explains wagers but will give you in-depth pointers for punting on whatever sporting activities you are interested in. To whet your appetite and prove we know what we are talking about, we’ve outlined some basic pointers on the best-loved and most wagered on sports in New Zealand. Online Sports Betting NZ For bets on Rugby matches, be sure to check the odds, the ladder and the draw. Check injury reports, odds and ladder standings every time you wager on a Football game. For a Cricket match bet, find out what the batting and bowling stats and the test match straight up odds are. One of the best-researched digital sports betting areas is boxing, and you can check a multitude of factors that will influence the fight including a player’s height, age, reach, win/loss ratio, trainer and much more. This is a good place to begin wagering, as there is so much you can find out and apply. Check the guide and to see who the favourite is when you wager on a Tennis or Golf tourney. Horse racing is still one of the most popular activities to bet on in the online sportsbooks in New Zealand. As you play, you will learn about the various bets that are specific to the sport as well as speciality bets. You can also learn more about the horse and the jockey, which helps you to consider how they will work as a team and affect each other. Mobile Sports Betting Guide NZ With our sports betting guide, we aim to give you all the information you need to make astute betting decisions and to learn from your mistakes. You may find one site that meets all your requirements, or may prefer to use a few of the bookies we review for different games or different types of bets. However you want to use the online betting sites in New Zealand, check the advice in our guidelines first. --- > Find out about greyhound racing in our comprehensive guide. We cover how it works, understanding betting odds, greyhound betting types, and more. - Published: 2015-01-18 - Modified: 2025-06-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/greyhound/ Greyhound Racing Betting Guide Greyhound racing is a popular sport in which greyhounds race around a track chasing a mechanical lure. It's particularly popular among bettors in Australia and New Zealand. Greyhound racing originated in the early 20th century, evolving from coursing. The sport grew rapidly, with the first Australian race held in 1927. The first greyhound club in New Zealand was established in 1876 in Southland. Today, Australia and New Zealand host numerous greyhound racing events weekly. Australia has 58 tracks and millions in betting turnover annually, while New Zealand has a smaller but dedicated racing community with eight greyhound racing clubs. How Greyhound Racing Works Greyhound racing involves several key participants, including the greyhounds, trainers, owners, and race officials. Greyhounds, bred for speed and agility, are the stars of the show. Trainers play a crucial role and are responsible for the dogs' health, training, and race preparation. Owners, often enthusiasts or investors, may have one or multiple greyhounds in their care. Race officials ensure the smooth running of events, maintaining fairness and adherence to regulations. Place Greyhound Racing Bets At Betway A typical race begins with the dogs placed in starting boxes behind an automatic gate on the greyhound fields. When the race starts, the gate opens, and a mechanical lure speeds around the track to entice the dogs to chase it. The dogs sprint after the lure, and the first to cross the finish line wins. Races are conducted on oval tracks, usually made of sand or loam, which provide a safe running surface for the dogs. There are various types of dog racing events, each categorised by distance. Sprint races are the shortest, typically ranging from 250 to 450 metres. Middle-distance races cover 450 to 600 metres, offering a blend of speed and endurance. Staying races are the longest, extending beyond 600 metres and testing the greyhounds' stamina. Understanding Betting Odds Comparing odds from different bookmakers is crucial for bettors seeking the best value for their wagers. Bookmakers may offer varying odds for the same Victoria greyhound racing event, for example, due to differences in risk assessments and market perceptions. There are three main types of greyhound betting odds: decimal, fractional, and moneyline. Decimal odds represent the total payout, including the original stake, per unit bet. For example, decimal odds of 2. 50 mean a $10 bet would return $25 ($15 profit plus the original $10 stake). Review Greyhound Racing Tips At Betway Fractional odds show the profit relative to the stake. For instance, fractional odds of 5/2 indicate that for every $2 wagered, the bettor will earn a $5 profit plus the original stake. Moneyline odds use positive and negative numbers to reflect the amount won on a $100 bet or the amount needed to bet to win $100. Positive moneyline odds (+150) mean a $100 bet wins $150, while negative odds (-200) mean a $200 bet is needed to win $100. To read and understand dog racing betting odds, identify the type of odds used. For decimal odds, simply multiply your stake by the decimal number to calculate the total payout. When it comes to fractional odds, divide the first number by the second to determine the profit per unit stake, then add the stake to find the total payout. For moneyline odds, remember that positive numbers indicate potential profit on a $100 bet, while negative numbers indicate the amount needed to wager to win $100. Types of Greyhound Bets When you’re dog race betting online, duet bets involve selecting two greyhounds to place in the top three positions, regardless of the exact order. Each-way bets combine a win bet and a place bet. This means that if your selected greyhound wins, you collect both the win and place payouts. If the greyhound finishes in a place position (usually second or third), you still receive the place payout. At greyhound betting sites in New Zealand, exotic bets, such as Quinella, Trifecta, and Superfecta, offer higher rewards but are more challenging to win. A Quinella bet involves selecting two greyhounds to finish first and second in any order. A Trifecta bet requires picking the top three finishers in exact order, while a Superfecta bet demands predicting the first four finishers in exact sequence. Enjoy Greyhound Betting At Betway First Four bets focus on predicting the first four greyhounds to cross the finish line in exact order and are a great idea for when you’re live greyhound betting. Place bets involve wagering on a greyhound to finish in one of the top positions (usually second or third). Same Race Multi bets allow bettors to place multiple bets within the same race, combining different outcomes for a higher return. For example, you might bet on one greyhound to win and another to place, creating a multi-leg wager within a single event when you’re online greyhound betting. Win bets are the most straightforward when you’re dog betting, involving a wager on a greyhound to finish first. If the selected greyhound wins the race, the bet pays out. This type is simple and popular among beginners due to its straightforward nature. Tips for Choosing Bets Analyse Trainer and Kennel Performance Trainers and kennels play a vital role in a greyhound's success. Investigate the track record of trainers and kennels when you’re online sports betting, as some consistently produce top-performing greyhounds. Compare Odds Across Bookmakers Always compare odds from multiple bookmakers before placing a bet. Different bookmakers may offer varying odds for the same race, affecting your potential returns. By shopping around and choosing the most favourable odds, you can maximise your potential profits and ensure you get the best value for your wagers when you’re betting on the greyhound fields. Consider Box Draw The starting box position can influence a greyhound's chances. Certain positions, such as the inside or outside boxes, may favour different running styles. Greyhounds with early speed often benefit from inside boxes, while those with strong finishes may prefer outside boxes. Assess how a greyhound's style matches its box draw when you’re betting on greyhound racing. Research Greyhound Form and Track Conditions Understanding the recent performance of greyhounds is crucial when you’re sports betting. Check past race results, noting their finishes, times, and the conditions in which they performed best in. Track conditions can significantly impact performance, as some greyhounds may excel on dry tracks while others perform better in wet or softer conditions. Check Out Greyhound Betting Tips At Betway Key Factors Influencing Greyhound Races The starting box position, or box draw, significantly impacts greyhound racing outcomes. Each track has its own characteristics, with certain boxes being more advantageous. The box draw can determine early positioning in the race, affecting a greyhound's chance to avoid interference and maintain a clear run. A greyhound's recent form and fitness are critical indicators of its potential performance in dog racing events. Regularly analysing past race results helps in understanding a greyhound's current condition and consistency. Factors such as recent finishes, times, and the quality of competition faced can provide insights into its form. Fitness levels, which are impacted by training intensity and recovery from injuries, also play a crucial role. A fit and in-form greyhound is more likely to perform at its peak, making this an essential aspect of race analysis. Race distance is another vital factor in events like Victoria greyhound racing, as different greyhounds excel at varying lengths. Sprint races (250-450 metres) require explosive speed and quick starts, favouring greyhounds with a strong early pace. Middle-distance races (450-600 metres) demand a balance of speed and stamina. Staying races (over 600 metres) test endurance and the ability to sustain speed over longer periods. Understanding a greyhound's strengths and its preferred distance can help in selecting the right bets. When you’re greyhound betting, remember that track conditions, such as the surface type and weather, can significantly affect race outcomes. Some greyhounds perform better on dry, firm tracks, while others may excel in wet or muddy conditions. Analysing how a greyhound has performed under similar conditions in the past can provide valuable insights into its likely performance. The influence of trainers and kennels on dog racing betting outcomes also cannot be underestimated. Experienced trainers with a successful track record often have better-prepared greyhounds. The quality of care, training techniques, and overall management provided by top kennels contribute to a greyhound's performance. Researching trainers and their kennels, along with their recent successes, can guide bettors towards more promising selections. Register & Bet At Betway Recommendations and Strategies for Betting on Greyhound Races Avoid Common Mistakes One common mistake in greyhound racing betting is placing wagers based solely on the greyhound's name or your favourite colours, which lacks any strategic basis. Another pitfall is betting on every race; this approach increases the likelihood of losses. Instead, focus on selected greyhound fields where you have done thorough research. Additionally, avoid the temptation of chasing losses. It's essential to bet with a clear mind and stick to your strategy rather than trying to recover losses through impulsive bets. Practice Bankroll Management Effective bankroll management is crucial for sustainable dog racing betting. Set a budget specifically for Victoria greyhound racing and other greyhound betting activities, and never exceed it. Divide your bankroll into smaller units and avoid wagering more than a small percentage on a single race. This approach helps mitigate risks and prevent significant losses. Consistent staking plans, such as the flat-betting system where you bet the same amount on each race, can also help manage your funds prudently. Using Betting Systems Various betting systems can enhance your dog race betting online experience. The Martingale system, where you double your stake after a loss, aims to recover losses quickly, but it requires a substantial bankroll and carries significant risk. The Kelly Criterion, a more sophisticated system, calculates the optimal bet size based on the perceived edge and bankroll size, promoting long-term profitability. The Dutching system involves spreading your stake across multiple selections to guarantee a profit if any of them win. Experiment with these systems to find what works best for your betting style. Do Your Research Thorough research is the cornerstone of successful greyhound racing betting. Analyse the greyhounds' past performances, paying attention to their form, fitness, and how they fare under specific track conditions. Explore Greyhound Racing Betting At Betway Popular Greyhound Racing Events in Australia Australia hosts some of the most prestigious greyhound racing events in the world, drawing significant attention from bettors both locally and internationally. The Melbourne Cup is one of the pinnacle events. It boasts a rich history and offers one of the largest prize pools in the sport, making it a key event for greyhound betting and horse racing betting. Another major event is the Australian Cup, held at The Meadows in Melbourne This race is renowned for its competitive fields and significant prize money, attracting top-tier greyhounds from across the country. The greyhound racing year is packed with major events, ensuring a steady flow of excitement for dog race betting online. Kicking off the year, the Paws of Thunder takes place in January at Wentworth Park. February features the Australian Cup, while March brings the Perth Cup at Cannington. April’s standout event is the Golden Easter Egg. In July, the focus shifts to Queensland with the Brisbane Cup. The Hobart Thousand in December, which concludes the year with fierce competition and high stakes, is a significant highlight following the Melbourne Cup in November. New Zealanders are avid participants in greyhound racing betting, taking advantage of the extensive offerings from greyhound betting sites and live greyhound betting platforms. The time zone proximity and shared passion for dog racing make it convenient for New Zealanders to follow and wager on these high-profile events. The exciting calendar ensures that there's always a thrilling race on the horizon for enthusiasts of online greyhound betting. Sign Up At Betway Online Betting Platforms Online platforms for dog racing betting often provide a variety of bonuses and promotions to attract you initially... --- > Find the top horse betting sites & tips online for NZ punters who want to place bets on today's races! We review the top new horse racing betting sites offering live horse betting on current races for New Zealand players. Explore a range of horse betting apps & sites & place your bets today! - Published: 2015-01-18 - Modified: 2015-01-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/horse/ Horse Betting Online in NZ Horse racing betting has long been one of the world's favourite pastimes. This has, of course, filtered down to New Zealand, where we see so many punters researching the horse betting odds online and betting on the horses that yield the best ones. This is, of course, not just a fun activity for thrill seekers to participate in. It's much more than that, as the time and dedication that goes into narrowing down the search for the best horses to bet on yields great rewards, with many of the punters who turn to horse racing betting online as a hobby reaping great rewards. And while going down to the racetrack and watching the horses live in action always promises to be a good time, it is not always a feasible option. Bookmakers understand the demands of the modern lifestyle, which is why they have made it much easier for punters to bet. These days, horse racing bets can be placed from any device that connects to the internet like iPhone, iPad, Android betting apps. It's easy, convenient and thoroughly entertaining! Before you place any horse racing bets, there are a number of factors to consider first. Horse betting tips can prove to be a very fickle thing, with favourites falling behind and changing every so often. However, it is this aspect of the hobby that keeps it so remarkably exciting. Before placing any bet on any horse, however, there are three key points to look at before making your decision. For one, the horse itself should, of course, form a big part of your decision on where to place your money. Consider the horse's age, track record and established odds and you're sure to get a fairly thorough understanding of the majestic animal you may or may not bet on. Best Horse Racing Betting Sites The second and third factors to consider go hand in hand. While learning details of the horse before you place horse racing bets on it may seem like the most obvious thing in the world, many punters tend to skim past the details of the jockey and track. Much like cycling bets, knowing the jockey's record is extremely important. In horse racing betting, the jockey and the animal become a team, and they each have the ability to affect each other's performance, so the importance of a compatible pairing cannot be stressed enough. Check out past race results and if either have been injured recently, or whether they run better together on a specific type of track. The horse and the jockey are an integral part of betting on horse racing online, and are all part of studying form. The more you know, the better your chances are of making a correct prediction, so we suggest you always do your research thoroughly. Horse betting isn’t always about luck; it’s also about knowing what’s what! Guide to Horse Betting Odds - Familiarise Yourself Finally, knowing the racetrack beforehand is equally as important as the two aforementioned factors. While not all of the horse racing that we bet on takes place in New Zealand, there are multiple resources that will allow you to find out as much information as you need about the track. Certain horses are affected by their surroundings, so knowing how your favourite horse usually performs on the track concerned can generally contribute to you making well-informed horse racing bets. New Zealand's horse racing community is a fairly big one, which is precisely why you need a site like ours. Here, you will find comparisons of leading sites from which punters can place their horse racing bets, something which can only help you make the right choice when it comes to finding horse racing betting sites and horse betting apps to suit your needs when you enjoy sports betting in NZ. Horse Betting with the Best Tips Online Being an informed horse racing bettor gives you the edge and it helps ensure that you place solid, sound bets on races held both locally and internationally. The beauty of the horse racing betting sites that we recommend is that you can bet on local race days, those taking place Down Under, and all across the globe. There’s a race just about very weekend, and the big events always pull in the crowds. We’ve made it easier for you to place bets online or on the go, and we bring you al the information you need to enjoy a smooth horse betting experience. If you are new to the world of online betting or if you are experienced, we’re the only online wagering informational hub you’ll ever need. We suggest that you start off win easy bets, such as Win or Place, and then as you gain more experience you try the more exotic options like the Trifecta’s, Quinella’s or Accumulators. There are so many exciting ways to punt on the ponies and to enjoy cricket betting, and horse betting sites that welcome Kiwi punters make it easier and more enjoyable than ever. If you’re looking for the best odds, the biggest selection of markets and the safest, most reliable online horse betting experience in New Zealand, look no further. We’ve got you covered and will help you work your way to a big win. Horse Racing Betting Frequently Asked Questions Are Horse Racing Bets Legal? In New Zealand, not only is horse racing betitng legal but its it's a major player in sports entertainment! Many people enjoy horse bets for entertainment & excitement and also win money legally. What does SP Mean in Horse Racing Betting? The SP is the Starting Price of the odds for your chosen horse for on-course fixed-odds betting at the start of the race. How To Win with Horse Racing Betting? Much like any sports betting, anything can happen on race day but many punters will study previous race results, horse & jockey form and look for the latest tips for an edge. The Best Horse Racing Events --- > Bet on NBA games with top NZ sportsbooks. Get the latest odds, expert betting tips, and big bonuses. Slam dunk your bets with our 2025 NBA guide! - Published: 2015-01-18 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/nba/ NBA Betting NZ 2025 – Odds, Tips & Best Sites Online The great National Basketball Association (NBA) of America has maintained high sporting and fairness standards in the sport for years, allowing spectators to enjoy it and allowing punters to bet on it with confidence. In the technological age of today the games that are watched Stateside are available to enthusiasts all over the world, and so are the NBA betting opportunities. To make the most of these, follow our guide below. It’s impossible to absolutely determine the outcome of a game, but you do have quite a lot of information at your disposal when deciding who to back. Firstly, consider the team performance against the spread. At the start of the season, you will have to look at the past year’s statistics, but as the season progresses you will be able to use more recent data. You should measure individual players in the same way, and consider how they will play together. There are many statistical tools and online applications you can use to decide who to back, but the most important piece of advice to remember is to not let your emotions influence your decisions. You should always consider all facts in light of your own instincts, but take care not to place wagers out of loyalty or affection. This is often not rewarded. Best NBA Online Gambling Sites New Zealand in 2025 TOP nba betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review One of the most exciting aspects of NBA betting is the huge variation of bets you can choose from. The more you get to know them, the more you will know which ones work best in different situations. For example, if you place a Total bet, also known as an Over/Under bet, you bet on whether the bookmaker’s prediction of the sum of both teams’ final scores will be over or under what it actually was. This estimation seems easier in basketball than in other sports, so it is often a good wager to include. The common team wagers in NBA betting are Money Line bets, also called Head-to-Head bets, and playing Against the Spread. In the former, the two teams go head to head without any handicap and in the latter the field is equalised by each side getting a handicap which must be exceeded before you are paid out. Consider how each factor could affect what you are paid out before you make your punt. Finally, you can also make Player Props, or wagers that are placed on single players going under or over a fixed total in a statistical category. Get all the information you can on assists, rebounds and other categories before making predictions before placing bets using tablets or on betting apps. In fact, mobile betting in New Zealand is more popular than ever since most punters love to place a bet on the go no matter where they are. Place NBA Bets at Betway Types of NBA Bets Betting on NBA games offers a variety of options, each with its own appeal and strategies: Moneyline Bets The simplest form of betting where you simply pick the team you believe will win the game outright. If the Los Angeles Lakers are playing the Golden State Warriors, for example, the odds might be listed as Lakers -150 and Warriors +130. Negative odds indicate the favourite. A bet of $150 on the Lakers would win $100 if they won. Positive odds indicate the underdog. A $100 bet on the Warriors would win $130 if they won. To calculate your potential winnings, use the following sums: For the Lakers (-150): Bet amount / absolute value of odds * 100 = $150 / 150 * 100 = $100. For the Warriors (+130): Bet amount * Odds / 100 = $100 * 130 / 100 = $130 Point Spread Bets Point spread bets involve betting on the margin of victory. The favourite must win by more than the specified points, while the underdog must either win outright or lose by less than the specified points. If, for example, the point spread is: Lakers: -5. 5 and Warriors: +5. 5, and you’re betting on the Lakers, they must win by at least 6 points. If you’re betting on the Warriors, they can either win or lose by no more than 5 points. Over/Under Bets (Totals) Over/under bets are wagers on the total number of points scored by both teams in a game, either over or under a set line. If, for example, the total points line is set at 220. 5 points and you were betting the over, you’d win if the combined score of both teams is 221 points or more. If you were betting the under, you’d win if the combined score is 220 points or less. Prop Bets These are wagers on specific events within a game, not necessarily related to the final outcome. You could, for example, be betting on whether LeBron James will score over or under 30. 5 points. Futures Bets Futures bets are long-term wagers on outcomes that will be decided in the future, such as the end of the season. You could, for example, bet on the Lakers to win the NBA Championship. Register At Betway for NBA Betting Money Line Bets for NBA Playoffs After you have made your backing and sports betting NZ decisions, you need to consider your bankroll management. This needs careful administration if you want to play the long game. The most sensible recommendation is to wager only two or three per cent of the original bankroll each time. If you see a great opportunity, even a while into playing, you will usually have enough resources to take it. How to Bet on the NBA Here’s a guide to help you through the process: Setting Up an Account Choose a Reputable Betting Site In New Zealand, some popular and trustworthy betting sites include Betway, Palmerbet, and Picklebet. These platforms offer comprehensive NBA betting options. Create an Account Visit the betting site of your choice and click on the Sign Up or Register button. Fill in the required fields with your personal information, such as your name, date of birth, address, and email. Verify Your Identity Most sites require identity verification to comply with regulations. This typically involves uploading a copy of your ID (passport or driver's licence) and proof of address (utility bill or bank statement). Ensure that the site uses SSL encryption to protect your personal and financial information. Depositing Funds Choose a Deposit Method Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted, and options like PayPal, Skrill, and Neteller offer quick transactions too. Direct transfers from your bank account can also be used but may take longer to process. Additionally, some sites accept prepaid cards, like paysafecard. Make a Deposit Log in to your account and go to the Deposit or Banking section. Choose your preferred deposit method and follow the on-screen instructions. Input the amount you wish to deposit and confirm the transaction. Funds should be available almost immediately for most methods. Placing Bets Navigate to NBA Betting: Go to the sports section and select "Basketball," then choose "NBA. " Select a Game: Browse the list of upcoming games and select the one you want to bet on. Choose a Bet Type Moneyline: betting on which team will win. Point Spread: betting on a team to win by a certain margin. Over/Under: betting on the total points scored in the game. Place Your Bet: Click on the odds of your chosen bet, enter your stake, and confirm the bet. You also need to understand betting limits and bankroll management. Set up a budget, stick to it, and make sure you know what the site’s betting limits are. Sign Up for NBA Sports Betting At Betway Withdrawing Winnings Initiate a withdrawal by navigating to the Withdrawal or Banking section of your account. Select a withdrawal method of your choice. Common methods include bank transfers, e-wallets, and credit/debit cards. Follow the instructions and when you’re ready, enter the amount you wish to withdraw and confirm the transaction. E-wallet withdrawals are usually processed within 24 hours, while bank transfers and card withdrawals may take several business days. Be aware of any fees that either the betting site or your bank might impose. NBA Betting - Practice until Perfect The NBA betting options available with the online New Zealand bookies that we review here are superb, and should not be squandered or taken lightly. We know for a fact that Betway offers some of the best odds around. The more time you spend researching and betting, the more empowered you will be to take advantage of every opportunity available to you in this exciting betting market today! Explore other great bookies offer amazing odds for NBA betting online today. Check Out NBA Odds at Betway Finding the Best NBA Odds In New Zealand, NBA betting odds are commonly presented in three formats: decimal, fractional, and American. Decimal Odds: Popular in New Zealand, decimal odds show the total payout, including your stake. Fractional Odds: Common in the UK, fractional odds show the profit relative to the stake. American Odds: Mostly used in the US, these odds are positive or negative numbers indicating how much profit you'd make on a $100 bet (+150) or how much you need to bet to win $100 (-150). Online tools and websites such as OddsChecker compare odds across various bookmakers. These tools are straightforward to use: simply enter the NBA game or bet type, and the tool will display the odds from different betting sites. Betting sites often offer promotions and bonuses to attract customers, such as enhanced odds, free bets, or deposit bonuses. Enhanced odds provide better-than-usual payouts for specific bets, while free bets allow you to place a wager without risking your own money. Deposit bonuses match a percentage of your deposit with bonus funds. To maximise potential returns, keep an eye on these promotions and use them strategically. For instance, use enhanced odds for bets you are confident about or free bets for riskier wagers. Always read the terms and conditions to understand any wagering requirements or restrictions. Parlays and Accumulators Parlay bets involve combining multiple individual bets into one bet. To win the parlay, all individual bets (legs) must win. An example would be combining multiple bets, like a moneyline on the Lakers to win, a point spread of +5. 5 on the Warriors, and over 220. 5 points in another NBA game. The payout for parlays is higher because the risk is greater. The winnings from each individual bet are rolled over to the next, multiplying the potential payout. The calculation for this example on a $50 parlay bet, would be according to the $50 * 2. 5 * 2. 5 * 2. 5 = $781. 25 sum. Register At Betway Today NBA Betting Tips Factor in these hints and strategies the next time you’re betting on an NBA game: Research and Analysis Research is the foundation of successful NBA betting. It’s crucial to analyse teams, players, and recent performance trends to make informed betting decisions. Look into key statistics such as player averages, team offensive and defensive ratings, and head-to-head matchups. Utilise expert analysis and predictions to gain additional insights. Bankroll Management Effective bankroll management is essential to ensuring long-term success in betting. Start by setting a budget for your betting activities and sticking to it. Divide your bankroll into smaller units, typically 1-2% of your total budget per bet. This strategy helps mitigate the risk of significant losses. Shopping for the Best Lines To maximise your potential returns, it’s important to shop around for the best lines. Odds can vary between different betting sites, so comparing them can help you find the best value for your bets. Having accounts with multiple bookmakers allows you to take advantage of the most favorable odds available.... --- > Explore NFL betting with our handy guide. We take a look at betting markets, top betting sites, the NFL season structure and events within it, and more. - Published: 2015-01-18 - Modified: 2025-06-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/nfl/ Guide to NFL Betting in New Zealand 2025 NFL betting has seen a surge in popularity among New Zealand bettors, driven by the growing fascination with American football. With more fans following the games, understanding online betting on the NFL is crucial for those looking to make successful wagers. Key concepts like NFL MVP odds, NFL odds, and NFL lines are essential to grasp before placing bets. Are you looking to bet on NFL games or seeking football betting tips? Then, having a solid understanding of these elements will greatly enhance your betting strategy. As the Super Bowl betting season approaches, staying informed makes all the difference. Understanding NFL Betting Markets NFL betting offers a variety of markets that cater to different types of punters. The most popular markets include the point spread, moneyline, and totals. The point spread is a handicap given to level the playing field between two teams. It allows bettors to back a favourite or underdog with a points advantage. The moneyline is a straightforward bet on which team will win the game, regardless of the margin. Totals, also known as over/under, involve betting on the combined score of both teams. You need to predict whether it will be higher or lower than a set number. For those looking to explore beyond the basics, NFL betting also offers exotic bets like parlays, teasers, and prop bets. Parlays involve combining multiple bets into one, offering higher potential payouts but also increased risk. Teasers allow bettors to adjust the NFL lines in their favour by moving the point spread. Prop bets focus on specific outcomes within a game, such as who will score the first touchdown. Looking at NFL MVP odds can be helpful in this market. Start NFL Betting at Betway Customising your betting strategy is key to making the most of these markets. Do you prefer to bet on NFL games with simple wagers, or are you interested in more complex exotic bets? Then, understanding the different markets can help you align your strategy with your risk tolerance and betting style. If you are seeking football betting tips or gearing up for Super Bowl betting, your approach must be tailored. Top NFL Betting Sites for NZ Bettors For New Zealand punters looking to bet on NFL games, selecting the right betting site is crucial. Some of the top NFL betting sites are Betway, Palmerbet, and Picklebet, all of which offer NZ-friendly features. Betway is renowned for its competitive NFL odds and extensive markets, including NFL lines and NFL MVP odds. Betway stands out for its generous bonuses, making it an excellent choice for those new to Super Bowl betting. Palmerbet offers a user-friendly mobile experience, ensuring you can place bets on the go. It also provides a wide range of football betting tips, helping you make informed decisions. Picklebet is ideal for those interested in exotic bets like parlays and teasers. This site has a strong focus on innovative betting options. These bookmakers also excel at offering convenient payment options. The list includes credit cards, e-wallets, and even cryptocurrencies, catering to the diverse needs of NZ bettors. Additionally, mobile compatibility is a priority, with intuitive apps and responsive websites that make NFL betting seamless on any device. Betway, Palmerbet, and Picklebet provide a comprehensive betting experience. This is true whether you're interested in traditional markets or Super Bowl betting. Their bonuses, payment flexibility, and mobile optimisation make them top choices for New Zealand NFL enthusiasts. Register At Betway for NFL Betting NFL Season Structure and Key Events The NFL season is a highly anticipated event for football fans and bettors alike. It begins with the regular season, which runs from September to January. During this time, each of the 32 teams plays 17 games over 18 weeks, vying for a spot in the playoffs. This phase is crucial for NFL betting, as it sets the stage for NFL odds and NFL lines that will impact your ability to bet on NFL games. Following the regular season, the playoffs begin in early January. The top seven teams from each conference (AFC and NFC) compete in a knockout format, leading up to the conference championships. This is when the stakes are highest, and football betting tips become invaluable for bettors looking to navigate the competitive NFL betting landscape. Playoff games often feature tighter NFL MVP odds and more dynamic betting markets, making this an exciting period for NZ bettors. The season culminates in the Super Bowl, the most significant event in American sports, held on the first Sunday of February. Super Bowl betting is immensely popular, offering a wide range of markets, from traditional bets to exotic options like prop bets and parlays. Key dates for those interested in NFL betting to watch include the start of the regular season in September, the playoffs in January, and, of course, the Super Bowl in February. Keeping these dates in mind and understanding the season's structure will help you make informed and timely wagers throughout the NFL season. Strategies for Betting on NFL Games Betting on NFL games requires a well-thought-out approach, especially for New Zealand bettors navigating the complexities of NFL betting. One of the most critical aspects of successful NFL betting is thorough analysis. Start by exploring team stats, as these provide insights into overall performance, offensive and defensive strengths, and weaknesses. For instance, a team with a strong rushing offence may have an advantage against a weaker run defence. Additionally, player form is crucial; tracking key players' recent performances, injuries, and fitness levels can significantly impact the outcome of a game and influence NFL odds. Another essential factor is head-to-head records. These can reveal trends and psychological advantages that certain teams have over others. For example, if a team consistently performs well against a particular opponent, this historical data could guide your decision when placing a bet on NFL games. Incorporating these insights into your betting strategy can give you an edge, especially in high-stakes situations like Super Bowl betting. Managing your bankroll is another key strategy. Set a budget for your bets and stick to it, ensuring you only wager what you can afford to lose. To maximise profits, consider using multi-bets, also known as parlays. While riskier, they offer higher payouts by combining multiple bets into one. When using parlays, be selective and focus on games where you have a strong read on the NFL lines. Successful NFL betting involves a combination of careful analysis, disciplined bankroll management, and strategic use of betting markets like multi-bets. Whether you're following NFL MVP odds or looking for football betting tips, these strategies will help you navigate the season and make the most of your wagers. Explore NFL Bets At Betway Live Betting on NFL Games Live betting on NFL games offers a dynamic and engaging way for punters to stay involved throughout the game. One of the main benefits of NFL betting live is the ability to respond to real-time events, such as changes in team momentum or player injuries, which can create new opportunities to find value in NFL odds. This immediacy allows you to make more informed decisions as the game unfolds. For New Zealand bettors, taking advantage of in-play betting features is key. Our recommended online sportsbooks offer a variety of live markets, including updated NFL lines, player props, and quarter-by-quarter betting. By closely following the game and using these features, you can capitalise on shifting odds and maximise your potential returns. Whether you're looking to place a quick bet on NFL games or adjust your strategy mid-game, live betting provides flexibility and excitement that traditional pre-game bets can't match. Latest NFL Betting Trends The NFL betting landscape is constantly evolving, with new trends shaping how bettors approach their wagers. One current trend is the growing popularity of player prop bets, driven by increased data availability and the focus on individual performances. This has opened up new opportunities for NZ bettors to find value in NFL betting, particularly in markets like NFL MVP odds and specific player statistics. Another significant trend is the rise of live betting, which allows you to place wagers as games unfold. This has led to more dynamic NFL odds, with sharp movements reflecting real-time events on the field. For New Zealand bettors, staying informed about these trends can help identify value bets, particularly when lines shift in response to in-game developments. To capitalise on these trends, focus on thorough research and analysis. Look for mismatches between a player’s recent form and the odds offered, or track in-game momentum that might lead to favourable live betting opportunities. Additionally, consider combining these insights with strategic multi-bets or parlays to increase potential returns. By staying attuned to the latest NFL lines and market movements, you can enhance your chances of success and make the most of their Super Bowl betting strategies. Strategies for Betting on the NFL MVP Betting on the NFL MVPs is a popular market, and finding value bets requires a strategic approach. The NFL MVP odds reflect a player's perceived chances of winning, often influenced by their team's success, individual performance, and media attention. Identifying value bets means looking beyond the favourites and considering players who might emerge as contenders as the season progresses. Timing is crucial when analysing NFL MVP odds. Preseason bets can offer higher odds for players who are undervalued early on, but midseason bets allow you to assess form and team performance. As the season unfolds, injuries or changes in team dynamics can significantly impact a player’s MVP chances, making midseason a more informed time to wager. Closely following player news and injury reports is essential, as these can quickly alter NFL MVP odds. Staying updated enables you to spot opportunities and adjust your strategy accordingly, maximising your chances of success in the MVP market. Maximising Your NFL Betting Success Successful NFL betting requires thorough analysis, strategic timing, and staying informed. By understanding key markets, trends, and player dynamics, you can make smarter wagers. Keep up with the latest NFL news and football betting tips to stay ahead and maximise your betting potential. --- > Enjoy NRL betting at the best online betting sites in New Zealand. Get top NRL betting tips and a 100% match bonus up to $250 when you sign up now. - Published: 2015-01-18 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/nrl/ Top Sites for NRL Betting in NZ Rugby is one of the most popular sports in the world, and watching Rugby games is one of the favourite national pastimes across New Zealand. With the growth in online New Zealand bookmakers, the remote punting opportunities for Rugby are better than they have ever been before. The Australian NRL, or National Rugby League, holds exciting tourneys throughout the year and now all the action is only a few clicks away. If you are interested in exploring the exciting world of NRL betting, our guidelines below are an excellent place to start. With a sport as beloved as Rugby it is easy to get caught up in emotion and base your decisions on the words of your heart rather than those of your head, especially if you are a novice punter. While you should always listen to your instincts, it is highly recommended that you base most NRL betting decisions on the wealth of factual information you can obtain. Online or offline, check each team’s odds with a national betting company to give odds that have been averaged across the country rather than a local bookie who has to give odds according to local NRL bets. You can also use the winning statistics of all involved players and teams and recent playing history to help you make your decision. The longer you spend analysing this kind of data, the more astute you will become at applying it. Best NRL Betting Sites The NRL betting options at different sites do vary, but the full range of standard NRL bets is offered by most. This includes the basic Sing Match Wins and the performance of a specific player in a specific match, as well as exciting live NRL betting options like Asian handicaps. In the biannual NRL tournaments, wagering is taken to thrilling new heights with the options becoming very complex and involved. Bracketed bets, allowing you to punt on which team will win each match and the one who will take the tourney, are common. Such exotic bets as these usually feature long odds, but the payouts are just as sizeable. You will soon come to know which NRL bets you do best with, as well as the ones you should abstain from. Start NRL Betting At Betway The Importance of Choosing Reputable Betting Sites If you’re looking for a safe, enjoyable experience, reputable betting sites Betway, Palmerbet, and Picklebet are the only way to go. Trustworthy sites like these ensure that you get your winnings promptly and hassle-free. Secure transactions are another priority, as reputable sites use advanced encryption to protect your personal and financial information, safeguarding you from fraud. Additionally, strong customer support like they provide is invaluable, offering quick and effective solutions to any issues that may arise. By opting for a reputable site like those reviewed and rated highly by our experts, you ensure a smooth, secure, and satisfying betting experience. Rugby is so popular and lucrative for the online sports betting sites in New Zealand, that almost every remote bookie offers NRL betting on the sport. Each site uses an odds making system of its own, and these vary considerably among online bet shops. The more reputable sites, such as those reviewed here, will guarantee paying out the best odds for specific games and NRL bets and you should always be sure to bet at a site that does so. Many sites promote NRL betting with promotions such as bonus bets which can boost your winnings even more, so be sure to look out for these as well. Make NRL Bets Online At Betway NRL Betting on Mobile Betting on the NRL via mobile apps offers unmatched convenience, allowing you to place bets anytime, anywhere. Whether on the go or watching a game at home, mobile betting ensures you never miss an opportunity to wager. Mobile apps are packed with features that enhance the betting experience. Live streaming lets you watch matches directly within the app, while in-play betting lets you react to the game’s dynamics in real-time. Additionally, notifications keep you updated on match results, betting opportunities, and special promotions, ensuring you’re always in the loop. The user experience on mobile is designed to be smooth and intuitive. With easy navigation, quick loading times, and secure payment options, mobile betting apps simplify managing your account and placing bets effortlessly. This seamless experience makes mobile betting a convenient option and an enjoyable way to engage with the NRL. For professional punters, wagering on Rugby at the online betting sites of New Zealand is profitable and enjoyable, while for others it is a way to formalise the debates and assertions they would be having with their friends while watching the game anyway. Whatever the case may be, the immersive process of research and choosing punts makes NRL betting hugely pleasurable for every player. Once you’ve tried it for yourself, you’ll see what all the fuss is about. Best NRL Betting Tips in New Zealand 2025 NRL betting is immensely popular in New Zealand, with hundreds of thousands taking part on a regular basis. Stick with us, and we’ll discuss important tips and strategies to improve your chances of a successful bet. Whether you’re into State of Origin Betting, Rugby League World Cup Betting or more, we’ve got all the tips you need for a successful betting run. When betting on the NRL, developing a solid strategy is key to increasing your chances of success. Research is key Before placing any bets, it’s essential to research teams, players, and upcoming matches thoroughly. This includes staying updated on team news, injuries, and form, as these factors significantly influence game outcomes. If you’re engaging in NRL betting by simply throwing down bets on your favourite teams, you’re doing it wrong. Research is immensely important as far as betting is concerned, with just a few hours of research making all the difference. Look into teams, investigate NRL odds, and get a better idea of what you’re betting on. Start taking NRL betting seriously and watch the odds potentially swing in your favour. Consider Team Dynamics How are the teams performing? Does a team operate like a well-oiled machine, or is there tension among the players? Many online betting enthusiasts tend to forget that a team that did well last season isn’t necessarily the same team going into this season. NRL odds also often don’t accurately represent how well a team is going to perform. A team's performance is often shaped by factors like player morale, coaching strategies, and even home-ground advantage. Observing how these elements interact can give you valuable insights into potential match results. Unlock true betting potential by researching each team before you put down any money. Study Head-To-Head Records How have these teams performed against one another in the past? NRL betting pros will spend hours studying head-to-head records, and for very good reason. Although the past isn’t a perfect indication of what will happen today, it can give important clues. Historical matchups between teams can reveal patterns, such as a particular team consistently performing well against certain opponents. This information can help you make more informed betting choices. Utilise Statistical Analysis A quick bit of research into statistics will reveal what the professionals are predicting for a match. There is always a statistical chance of how a match will turn out, and you should know this information if you want to make a smart bet. Statistics don’t always give flawless information but are a big clue as to how a match will turn out. Further enhance your betting decision-making, by analysing key statistics such as points scored, defensive records and individual player performances. This can provide a data-driven edge in predicting outcomes. Be Cautious With Favourites While it’s tempting to back your favourite team, objective decisions based on research and analysis are more likely to lead to successful bets. Keeping emotions in check and focusing on the facts will help you make smarter, more profitable bets. Get serious, start putting in the time, and take your brain to the sportsbook, not your heart. The most reputable sportsbooks like Betway offer great insights; it’s your job to stay calm, observe the data and make an informed decision when placing your NRL bets online. Enjoy NRL Betting At Betway Upcoming NRL Fixtures and Key Dates The NRL season is heating up with several exciting fixtures on the horizon. Key upcoming matches include the Eels facing off against the Dragons on August 31, 2025. Then, the Knights take on the Titans on September 1st, 2025. After the regular season draws to a close, attention shifts to the finals. This will kick off on September 8, 2025. At this point, the top two teams of the season will battle it out for the ultimate prize. This will occur in the highly anticipated NRL Grand Final on October 6, 2025. As the NRL season progresses, these fixtures will be pivotal in shaping the final standings. Every game will carry significant weight for teams vying for a spot in the playoffs. Fans and bettors alike should keep a close eye on these matchups. They will be key in determining the momentum going into the finals. Join The NRL Betting Action At Betway Strategies for NRL Grand Final Betting When betting on the NRL Grand Final, research and analysis are crucial. Start by examining team form, player performance, and head-to-head records. Understanding how teams have fared against each other and other top competitors can provide valuable insights into potential outcomes. Team form is particularly important in the lead-up to the Grand Final. Teams that have shown strong, consistent performances in the weeks prior often carry that momentum into the final game. This makes them more reliable bets. Player injuries can significantly influence the game’s dynamics. The absence of key players or the return of previously injured ones can shift a team’s chances. Always check the latest injury reports before placing your bets. Finally, consider the weather conditions on game day. Rain, wind, or extreme temperatures can alter gameplay, giving an advantage to teams better equipped for those conditions. Factoring in the weather can help refine your betting strategy for the Grand Final. NRL Betting FAQ: Is NRL betting legal in New Zealand? Yes, you can legally bet on NRL games in New Zealand. Though you must be older than 18 to participate. How do I choose a reputable NRL betting site? You must only ever bet on legal sites that operate under a license. Investigate a sportsbook’s reputation before you bet. Can I bet on NRL games live? Yes, you can bet at an online sportsbook while a game is still in progress. Just sign up at a sportsbook and bet as you prefer. Who is the leading try-scorer in NRL history? Ken Irvine is the lead scorer in history with an incredible 212. Billy Slater is second with 190. LATEST NRL News --- > Find the best political betting sites to place election bets in New Zealand. We review top political betting odds at the best NZ sportsbooks online in 2025. - Published: 2015-01-18 - Modified: 2015-01-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/election/ Election And Political Betting In New Zealand Political betting is a type of online betting that has gained enormous popularity in New Zealand. The premise of political betting is simple – the bettor puts money down on different political figures winning an election. While it seems like a straightforward premise, there is a wide range of different and complex bets to choose from. Let’s dive in deeper and take a look at political betting within New Zealand. Best Election Betting Sites Learn How to Understand Political Betting Thankfully, political betting is much easier to understand than the actual politics they are based on. For anyone who has wagered on sports in the past, it’s much the same. Instead of putting money down on a favoured sports team, however, you instead wager on a political figure that you believe will win an upcoming election. It’s difficult to truly predict which way an election will swing. This uncertainty adds an entirely new level of excitement to the world of political betting. On top of this, you also gain access to great opportunities offered by bookmakers. Bookies are widely accessible within New Zealand, and you should keep an eye out for bookies that offer the following: A wide range of different political betting options to choose from. The latest and greatest banking methods to give you total freedom when moving money around. Tight security and adherence to the latest online security protocols. Fair and regulated gaming, which is easy to find when you live in New Zealand. Election betting in New Zealand means having an understanding of the country’s political systems. New Zealand maintains a democracy that’s overseen by a parliament. King Charles III is technically at the top of the hierarchy and acts as the head of state of the entire country. The prime minister is next in charge and is tasked with managing the day-to-day running of New Zealand. The largest and oldest parties in New Zealand politics consist of: The New Zealand National Party The New Zealand Labour Party While there are also smaller parties that are a part of the overall government, these two parties are the most popular. This is why you will often see election betting that’s mainly focused on either of these two parties. Enjoy political betting 24/7 online at top sportsbooks offering all the best horse betting markets, football markets and of course novelty bets like political betting too. Types Of New Zealand Elections Political betting enthusiasts will want to have an understanding of New Zealand’s election structure. For instance, when a new set of government is set to have a chance at taking over, this is known as a general election. Other types of elections also exist, including local elections. Here, New Zealanders instead vote on who they would like to be running their local areas. Knowing as much as possible about New Zealand’s elections will give you the edge you need to win! Take part in betting on the next New Zealand General Elections happening on the 14th of October 2024. Place Your General Elections Bets At Betway International Election Betting International election betting is quickly becoming popular among Kiwi bettors. It’s an exciting way to place bets on global political events, much like traditional sports betting. You’ll notice that odds shift as debates, campaigns, and polling develop, giving you more chances to make informed bets. New Zealand sportsbooks have recognised this growing interest, offering a variety of global election markets for you to explore. By diving into political betting, you can add a new dimension to your betting experience. Sign up at one of our recommended sportsbooks today to explore international political markets and enjoy this unique betting opportunity! Sportsbooks Offering International Election Betting If you’re interested in international election betting, several top New Zealand sportsbooks provide excellent options. Betway is a trusted platform offering competitive odds on major political events worldwide. You can confidently place your bets here, knowing you’ll get great value on international elections. Picklebet brings a fresh, innovative approach, with political betting included in its wide range of markets. If you’re looking for something a little different, Picklebet will appeal to your modern betting style. Palmerbet is a reliable choice, offering straightforward betting options on key international elections. Whether you’re a seasoned bettor or just starting with political betting, Palmerbet’s user-friendly interface makes it easy for you to navigate. Get started on one of these platforms today and explore the world of political betting! Spotlight on the Upcoming US Election The 2024 US Presidential Election ranks as one of the most anticipated events in political betting, and you can get involved right away. As a Kiwi bettor, you have the chance to place early bets on this major global event. Popular markets include betting on candidates like Kamala Harris or Donald Trump, party outcomes, and even the results in key swing states. You’ll find a variety of options to suit your betting style. The odds will continue to shift as the election approaches, reflecting the latest polling, debates, and campaign developments. This makes the US election ideal for long-term bettors like you, who enjoy tracking events and adjusting their bets over time. By staying informed and following the election closely, you’ll have the opportunity to make well-timed wagers as the odds fluctuate. Political betting offers an exciting way to combine your interest in global events with the thrill of betting. Unlock the potential of political betting today by following the 2024 US Presidential Election and staying ahead of the odds! Popular Political Betting Markets Now it’s time to look at political betting and the kinds of bets that you will come across. Knowing the most prominent political betting wagers will help you diversify your betting portfolio the next time an election takes place. Check out these political betting markets to gain a better idea of the kinds of bets that you can expect: Prediction Markets Prediction markets are exactly what they sound like. Reputable online bookies like Betway provide a range of political & election betting choices for New Zealand punters to peruse through. They put money down on the political figure that they believe will win the election. Supply and demand will have a big impact on the odds for these kinds of bets. Traders will buy either “yes” or “no” shares that are related to the propositions on offer. This is an important decision that can have a big impact on how much a punter can expect in returns. Party Vote Bets Another type of political betting New Zealanders may enjoy is party vote betting. This is the perfect kind of wager to take up as the New Zealand party elections are coming up. Make sure to do your research on all parties that are taking part in order to maximise your chances of winning! The nature of odds in political betting is another aspect worth being aware of. As an election event is gaining traction, bookmakers are already working hard calculating odds for the different wagers. These gambling sites use many factors to determine how the odds are eventually formed. Odds are based on a number of factors, and will determine both how much a bet costs to buy in as well as how you can make if you pull off a good bet. You’re now so much more well-equipped to take on the political betting world, so dive in today and start winning on the latest New Zealand politics! Explore Election Betting At Betway Factors Influencing Political Betting When it comes to political betting, there’s a ton of information out there that NZ bettors can use to their advantage. We’re going to break down the information sources that you’re going to need to take a look at in order to make the most of political betting and everything that it has to offer. Some of the factors that you need to keep in mind when making election bets include the following. Polling Data As we move toward an election, lots of data are released to the public, including polling data. Various agencies, both private and governmental, will run polls among the people of New Zealand and then make this data available. It’s not an exact science and isn’t quite a sure thing, but it does provide a foundation to start betting from. Candidate Performance Another aspect to do some research on is how a particular candidate is doing. There will always be information available as to how well-liked a particular candidate is. Their beliefs and their political agendas can also influence how they perform during an election in New Zealand. Campaigns Each party or individual will run an election campaign working up to the proper election. They will use these campaigns to push their ideas and what they believe should be the norm within the country. Keeping up to date with these campaigns is important to your overall success. Global events can also have an impact on political betting. A bettor who wants to win will know what’s happening with global politics in general. Tips For Successful Political Betting Political betting can be successful in the long run for the devoted bettor. We have compiled a list of helpful tips to ensure that you begin finding success on a more frequent basis. Use A Reliable Bookie This is something that can’t be stressed enough in political betting. It’s vital to use a bookmaking service that provides a safe and fair election betting experience. Not all betting sites are going to provide political betting, so look for the ones that do. Diversify Your Betting Range Political betting gives you access to many different betting markets, and you will want to take advantage of as many of them as your budget allows. The greater the overall diversity of bets, the more likely it is that one of them will lead you to success. Manage Your Money It’s all too common for a bettor to lose track of their betting money and ultimately fall behind because of it. Instead of letting this happen, rather put together a decent “bankroll” system that will give you the cash flow that you need to maintain your betting standards. Bet Immediately The political betting world never sleeps, as there is always an election happening somewhere. If things are quiet in New Zealand, it might be worth seeing what the international betting markets are up to. Betting markets will also open up on the best betting sites as soon as a new election is announced. Discover the best betting sites online. Bet With PalmerBet Legal And Responsible Betting It’s vital that all political betting be enjoyed in a legal and safe way. Fortunately, New Zealand maintains some of the best betting laws in the world. What that means for you is that you have access to many tools to help you bet responsibly. It’s important to maintain healthy betting habits when engaging in political betting. For instance, you should never spend more than you can afford. Rather only use money that would otherwise not be needed elsewhere. Using reliable and licenced bookmakers can also make a difference. The right licensing ensures that there has been governmental oversight and that there are support avenues available for players that need assistance. Lastly, New Zealanders need to be at least 18 years old in order to enjoy political betting, but the wait is worth it. Enjoy everything that the political betting world has to offer at online gambling sites, and make sure that you bet responsibly. In light of transparency, learn more about how we review online sportsbooks in New Zealand. Notable Past New Zealand Betting Events The New Zealand political system is fairly straightforward and well-organised, and the country is considered a bastion of democracy. What that means is that elections are much easier to keep track of as they are taking place. An example would be the 2022 New Zealand local elections. Here, 36 percent of voters went out and cast their votes.... --- > Place bets at the best sports betting sites with big bonuses, secure payments & fast payouts in New Zealand. Get a 100% Match Bonus up to $250 now. - Published: 2015-01-18 - Modified: 2015-01-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/sports/ Guide to Online Sports Betting in NZ As anyone who has ever wagered on any sports event will attest, watching the game is much more exciting when you have money riding on its outcome. Savvy players in New Zealand have always known this, and punting on matches and tourneys has been a national pastime for many years. Now you can conduct your online sports betting, which is beneficial in many different ways. More remote bookmakers are opening across the country, offering more and more advantages to punters. Online wagering offers several great benefits, and it growing more popular all the time. You have no geographical limits to your sports bets, and can bet as locally or as internationally as you would like. Any game in the world is at your fingertips. Tracking them from any device is also simple and easy, and it is usually possible to find out the results much more quickly than in offline sports betting sites. Much more research can be done before you lay down any money, so you can wager with true confidence. Betting online on mobile is also very easy, simple and enjoyable. Remote bookmakers want you to place wagers so they make it as easy as possible and their sports betting sites are usually navigable and user-friendly. Typically, you will register for an online account and make your initial deposit and are then ready to begin placing wagers. You must be of legal age and must provide proof of identification when withdrawing funds. With remote betting, you have always been able to punt anytime of the day or night from your own home, and now mobile sites make your life even more convenient. Everyday life and savvy wagering merge seamlessly and you can take your online sports betting and winning with you wherever you go. For the dynamic punters across New Zealand who have used this method, it quickly becomes less of a luxury and more of a necessity. Best Sports Betting Sites You can really wager on any sport in the sports betting sites in New Zealand. The perennial favourites such as boxing, gold, soccer, horse racing, rugby betting and football are all represented well, and those that are more unusual or more popular in other parts of the world offer more temptation. The more you explore, the more sports bets types and opportunities you will find ant the more skilled you will become at placing them. In particular, the exciting American sports games of baseball, football and basketball offer great rewards, with Stateside tourneys and games across the rest of the globe. With so many sports bets opportunities, it is easy to diversify and maximise your personal punting power and winning wagers. Everyone can be a Sports Bets Winner Online sports betting can take your punting adventures and rewards to new levels at top bookies like Betway, whether you are a seasoned high roller or a novice player. You can research as much as you wish, and until you feel really confident in the wagers that you place. Every player can reap the benefits of visiting sports betting sites in New Zealand, and the sooner you start the sooner you will be too. --- > Get top online Android betting apps in NZ available for download on mobile devices! We review the top sports betting apps for Android NZ punters looking to win with Android sports bets! Get access to the best sports betting app Android has to offer. Play & win big today with big bonuses & top offers. - Published: 2015-01-18 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/android/ Guide to Android Betting Apps in NZ 2025 Find all the information you need on Android betting and the best bookmakers in New Zealand today from this website. All the best sites for your device have been rated and reviewed for your convenience, and are guaranteed to offer you the finest odds, markets and prices available anywhere. Whether you prefer sports or racing betting, you can now do it all on your Android device at any time, in a completely safe and secure environment. Punters are no longer limited to placing bets only when they have unhampered access to a laptop or a personal computer, or can do it in person. Android betting apps for all your favourite betting pastimes have been tailored to suit the specifications of your device, and you can take part in Android betting whenever the desire strikes you. Download the Android betting apps of your choice to your device, and you will be able to bet on racing and sports events anywhere, as well as deposit money into your account, and access extra information as you need it. If you wish to conserve space on your device, navigate to the betting website you want to patronise through the browser already installed, and do it all directly. You can navigate to a mobile website that offers you Android betting access, register for an account if you have not done so already, and find the Android betting apps for you. Once it has been installed on your device, you will be able to begin betting as you wish and can stay up to date on all the odds, prices, and market information you require. Gambling on the go offers punters unparalleled convenience, and betting has never been easier. The most significant benefit of Android betting is that you never have to wait to bet again. Your device offers you entry into the biggest horse and greyhound races, as well as cricket betting, rugby and football matches any time of day or night. Discovering NZ Android Betting Apps & Sites Explore the links available on this website and compare the odds, prices, and markets offered here, where you can find the best options available. All the options have been vetted, so you can be sure you're browsing the best of the best. Should you not wish to download an Android betting app to your device, because of space restrictions or any other reason, you will be able to navigate to the website you have selected and gather the information you need to place the bets you would like to from there. The great thing about Android betting is that it's entirely up to you how you wish to approach it. Download tailor-made Android betting apps and enjoy them like that, or use the browser already installed on your device to place your bets. --- > Discover the best mobile betting apps for New Zealand players. Enjoy pokies, blackjack, roulette, and live dealer games on iOS & Android. - Published: 2015-01-18 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/apps/ Find the Top Mobile Betting Apps NZ With the massive surge in popularity of betting apps for mobile devices, there is certainly no dearth of online sportsbooks providing access for New Zealand’s punters who prefer mobile betting. The sheer amount of mobile betting apps available can be intimidating for bettors, but we have selected the best of all those on offer and gathered them under one virtual roof. You will be able to find applications for all the sports and racing events you love to bet on, and receive all the information on the events in question at once. Odds, markets, prices, and all the latest information are now just a click away. Real Time Mobile Betting Apps on the move Enjoy a host of banking options in a safe and secure environment, and all the convenience of gambling on the go whenever you feel like it. No more lengthy commutes to and from the race tracks or sporting events you love, or expensive food and accommodation to see you through once you arrive. Just use your mobile device to access a wide array of mobile apps for horse racing betting whenever you feel like it, and enjoy all the action and excitement as it unfolds in real time. You will be kept up to date with all the outcomes as they happen, and can make deposits and withdrawals using these betting apps as well. Take advantage of the best odds, markets, and prices, from wherever you happen to be as you go about your day. At work, at home, or in between, any time you have enough battery life, a secure internet connection, and a few moments to spare, you can use one of these mobile betting apps to lay your wager. You don’t need to be anywhere near the event taking place to get involved in betting on its outcome anymore, and this will open up a wide variety of racing and sporting events for you to bet on. Biggest Betting Markets on the Go AFL, cricket, NFL, rugby and golf games are all available for you, as are all the best greyhound, horse and harness races. Whatever your device, there will be betting apps tailored to suit its specifications. Blackberry, iPad, iPhone, Samsung, Android or any of the other great smartphones and tablets available worldwide today have an application to suit. The applications have been optimised to take full advantage of the extra features your device boasts, are easy to use and run very smoothly. Graphics are slightly toned down to avoid incurring high data usage costs at the end of the month, but this does not affect the process at all. Every aspect of these mobile betting apps has been carefully fine-tuned to ensure punters have the best possible online betting experience. The Best NZ Betting Apps Take your time and compare the applications available from the sportsbooks here, find one that suits the way you like to lay your wagers, and start enjoying the sports and race events happening all around the world every day straight from your mobile device. Touchscreen Devices are Tailor-Made for Betting The touchscreen capability that smartphones and tablets have these days renders them tailor-made for the optimised betting apps being created. These mobile betting apps are of such high quality that, even if you are totally new to the world of online betting, you will have no problems whatsoever finding the information you require to make winning wagers. The best betting apps will be easy to use, keep you totally safe, and can be installed in seconds to enjoy greyhound racing betting. These sports betting apps work in very much the same way that the ones for other products you have been using until now do, and provide total support for the real money transactions you will necessarily be making online. How Bettors from NZ are Using Betting Apps The tablet or smartphone that you have become so used to lugging around with you every day is your gateway to winning, thanks to the top-of-the-line mobile betting apps we provide access to right here. Not only can you lay wagers thanks to the best betting apps, you can also quickly and easily access all of the information you need on the sports or racing event you are looking for! A Huge Array of Markets to Enjoy You will be able to take your pick from a variety of mobile betting apps that have been tailored to suit the specifications of your handheld. The best betting apps are all right here, and provide great deals, generous special offers, and plentiful promotions to punters from New Zealand. We offer access to NZ online Gambling sites that ensure you keep coming back by offering rewards for doing so, and you can look forward to receiving the sports betting apps’ information as and when you need it, as you go about your day. Whether you go mad for motorcycle racing, get hot and heavy for harness or horse racing, or go gaga for the greyhounds, there are betting apps that have been created to give you exactly what you need! Although there is no magic formula when it comes to picking a winner, you will soon find that betting more frequently leads to more frequent wins, as your gut-feel gets fine-tuned and your instinctive reactions become more accurate every time you place a wager. Get winning with the best betting apps today! LATEST Gambling News --- > Enjoy the top iPad betting sites in New Zealand in 2025. Now you can place bets on horse racing, cycling, cricket, boxing & other sports online using your iPad. Explore the latest online iPad betting apps & sites and access the best odds, tips & insights when placing your bets on your mobile device. - Published: 2015-01-18 - Modified: 2015-01-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/ipad/ Top iPad Betting Apps in NZ iPad betting options are ever widening for the New Zealand punters lucky enough to own one of these extraordinary Apple devices. New Zealand’s finest online betting websites now all feature areas specially adapted for mobile betting, and punters are able to access apps that have been customized specifically for the gadgets they use, with all extraneous features removed so that your iPad can process the information offered by them smoothly, and without leaving you with an sky high data bill at the end of the month. The big screen this gadget features, combined with its great touch screen ability, makes you feel like you are right in the stands of whatever race or sporting event you may have chosen to bet on, and brings the election betting action right to you wherever you are. iPad betting offers punters mobile betting at its best, combining all the greatest features of gambling on the go with all of the conveniences of Apple to make your experience a good one. Easy iPad Games & Betting New Zealand’s reputable online bookmakers like Betway and others will provide you with free apps for your iPad betting, and using them is incredibly easy, as well as fun to do. They have been tailor made to suit the iPad’s specs, and this means they integrate with your device incredibly easily and you are not hampered by slow access to any of the information you require. We have a wide range of betting sites and applications listed on this website for your convenience, and you can explore these at your own pace until you find the ones you prefer. You will be presented with graphics that are slightly simpler and with less unnecessary features, to curb your data usage, as well as a wide range of odds, markets, and prices to choose from. Punters from New Zealand Enjoy the Perks of iPad Betting You don’t have to worry that you will miss out on any of the free offers, bonuses and promotions bettors from other platforms enjoy when you start iPad betting. Everything these players enjoy will be on hand for you as well, and the convenience of mobile betting is just an added extra. There is no real difference between betting online from other devices or from your iPad, except that you are able to do so in a far greater amount of places, and at any time of the day or night. Make deposits into your online account, access all the information you need to make your bet and browse events taking place all over the world straight from your device. Big Betting Opportunities AFL, NFL, horse racing, cricket, greyhound racing, cycling and more are all on offer for you when you start iPad betting. Find an application suited to your iPad, or navigate to the website you are interested in by means of the internet browser already installed on your device and start enjoying the freedoms of gambling on the go whenever you like. Online bookmakers are competing for your patronage, and you will be certain to enjoy the best odds and prices available, as well as all the latest information from all around the world. Use your iPad to access one of the top rated NZ betting sites and discover just how enjoyable and rewarding this type of wagering can be. --- > The best Apple betting apps on iPhone in New Zealand. Place online bets on your Apple iPhone on elections, UFC, horse racing, AFL, NRL & more online. - Published: 2015-01-18 - Modified: 2015-01-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/iphone/ Guide to iPhone Apple Betting in New Zealand The majority of the top New Zealand sportsbooks available online at the moment give punters mobile betting access. Reputable betting sites offer iPhone betting apps or iPhone optimized betting sites for Apple users. These sites and apps have been stripped of extraneous features in order to make sure that the device can handle the information without incurring outrageous data charges or sputtering and screeching to a halt because the volume of information is too high for it to handle. iPhone betting is a very convenient mobile option for New Zealand bettors, allowing them to place wagers from anywhere they are at any time of night or day, and the large screen and touchscreen capability it sports is great in terms of ease of use, making it an incredibly simple process that even the most inexperienced bettor will quickly be able to master and enjoy. iPhone Betting Apps NZ New Zealand’s sportsbooks provide bettors with the best online betting options on Apple iPhone that connect them to their favourite sports and racing events free of charge, and the iPhone betting apps have been tailor made for the iPhone’s specifications. Punters can expect streamlined sites that do not include unnecessary features or images, simplified in order to allow punters to peruse a number of markets, prices and betting options easily and quickly. Thanks to the leaps and bounds with which mobile technology is growing, mobile betting and iPhone betting specifically is more frequently the first choice of many bettors. The experience is very similar to the one you have been enjoying from other platforms, but you will be able to enjoy the great mobility iPhone betting apps offers you. You can access all the latest information, markets, prices and odds from wherever you happen to be, and place your wager on the go. This method of betting transforms your smartphone from a talking, texting tool to one that grants you access to all the amazing betting opportunities out there. Watch the events unfold in real time, and stay in the loop as to the changing odds as the drama and action take place at your favourite event. iPhone Online Betting NZ Whichever events you are most interested in, you will now be able to get the information you need to make a bet that is more likely to be a winning one when you start iPhone betting. New Zealand’s best sports betting venues are making it their business to make sure that the average punter has access to all the bets he or she may be interested in, from sports like AFL, cricket and rugby games, to races like harness, horse, greyhound and auto. You could even take part in some online election iPhone betting if you wanted to, with the ability to receive all the news and other relevant information by means of your device. Open an online account at a sportsbook found on this website today and start enjoying the ease of iPhone betting. The device is a remarkable one, famous for the vast amount of services it offers users, and provides a very enjoyable betting experience for punters too. --- > Explore NZ Mobile Betting in 2025. Access the top betting apps now on your mobile device. Download apps on your mobile and lay your mobile bets online for racing and more. Our experts explore the top mobile betting sites with fast payouts, secure payment methods & big bonuses on offer to Kiwi punters! - Published: 2015-01-18 - Modified: 2015-01-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/mobile/ Guide to Mobile Betting Sites in NZ New Zealand’s punters are now taking full advantage of the improvements in technology that allows them to make their sports, racing and other bets by means of mobile optimised online sportsbooks. Touch screen capability for many smartphones and the streamlined applications tailor made for them ensure that even punters completely new to the world of betting on mobile are quickly able to understand how to access the information they need to make a winning bet. The applications are easy to use, safe, and are installed in seconds, working much the same as the ones for other products you have been using until now, and providing full support for the real money online transactions you will be making. How NZ Bettors are Betting on Mobile The smartphone or tablet that you have become so used to carting about with you everywhere each day of the week is your gateway to mobile betting. Not only is it possible to lay your wagers by means of your device, you can also access all the information you require on the sports or racing event of your choice. Information on odds, players, statistics, markets, and prices are all just the click of a finger away, and you can easily get in on any event you are interested in, no matter where in the world it is taking place. Cycling, cricket, rugby, AFL, and online elections, among others are all available for betting on mobile anytime you are. All punters need to do is download the applications for whatever they intend to bet on, and compare sportsbooks to make sure they have found the best offer. Take a look at the variety of venues on offer when betting on mobile and take your pick. You will be able to find an application tailored to suit your device’s specifications, be it Android, iPhone, Samsung, Google or Blackberry, and will soon be enjoying the best odds available online anywhere in New Zealand. Registering for an account is very easy, and, once you make your first deposit into your account, you will be able to start laying your bets. NZ Punters Enjoy Great Offers Betting on Mobile You will be able to choose from a wide array of sports, racing and other mobile betting opportunities, and will further be able to select an application that has been customised to suit your iOS, Android or other device. The New Zealand mobile betting sites featured here often provide deals and special offers and promotions to punters, in order to incentivise bettors to keep checking in at their website, and this is great news for anyone interested in this great pastime. Punters will be spoilt for choice, and can rely on receiving all the relevant information they need whenever they may need it. Whether it is auto racing betting you enjoy or harness, horse or greyhound betting, mobile betting has an application for you to start making use of today. While there is no magic formula that can help you pick a winner, finding out as much as you can about the type of race and individuals or teams taking part in it can go a long way, and all of this information is easily accessible from your smartphone or device when you start betting on mobile right here. --- --- ## Posts > The land based casino has long ruled the betting world. Learn how these casinos have used tricks to draw in players. - Published: 2025-06-26 - Modified: 2025-06-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/uncategorized/tricks-land-based-casinos-use/ Casinos are no doubt one of the most popular activities in the world, and today there are hundreds of thousands of land based casinos across the globe. Casinos are definitely not new, and in just New Zealand alone, there is at least one in every major city, and each one has been around for a few decades now. This means that casinos have had the time to learn exactly how to manipulate their visitors into staying and playing. These different tricks have been designed to give casinos a better land based casino edge, while simultaneously being the answer to why are online casinos better. What Is The House Edge? The land based casino edge, also known as the house edge, is an important factor in why physical casinos have become so predatory over the years. The edge is essentially how these casinos make their money, using methods to ensure that every time a player invests money in a game or machine, the chance is that most of that money goes straight to the house. This edge is what has made casinos rich. This is also why these tricks that casinos use on their players have become so prevalent in New Zealand. These are some of the tricks that some of these establishments use to give themselves a better land based casino edge. The house edge is not as big a factor with online casinos, and part of the reason why online casinos are better overall. Land Based Casino Tricks No Clocks: Next time you visit a land based casino, look around at the walls – you will notice there are no clocks. They do this on purpose so that players can’t keep track of the time. No Windows: This applies again, if you’re at a casino, you may notice that there are no windows showing the outside world. This is also so that players lose track of time, and can’t see the light changing. Alcohol: Alcohol is served at just about any land based casino, and this is done to try and make their players more susceptible to the draw of the games. Navigation: Physical casinos are designed to be difficult to navigate, and are built to be like a maze. This makes it difficult for players to lose, and increases the chances that they will become stuck and simply play more games. Near Wins: Many games in casinos have been altered to give players the feeling that they are close to winning. Whether it’s one card of one more 7 on a slot machine, everything is built to give you the impression that you were that close to winning big. Why Are Online Casinos Better? The first and foremost reason as to why online casinos are better is the sheer convenience of enjoying your favourite casino games online from the comfort of your own home. This also means avoiding all the tricks that casinos employ to keep you playing, as you can simply switch off your game whenever you choose to, while not losing money to the land based casino edge. Online casinos continue to become more and more popular in New Zealand, and they are starting to eclipse land based casinos as more players stay at home to play their games every day making many understand why online casinos in New Zealand are better. --- > Gambling online is becoming a favourite among NZ players. Learn some online gambling tips to help you get started. - Published: 2025-06-26 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/uncategorized/online-gambling-beginners-guide/ There are a lot of different pastimes available in New Zealand, and each one is suited to a particular crowd of people. Among those pastimes, one has seen a massive surge in popularity in recent years: online gambling. Online gambling covers a field of different activities, from betting on your favourite New Zealand sports team, or putting down some money on a card game. Whatever the case may be, online gambling is a go-to for fans throughout the country, and the perfect way to pass some time while also having a chance of winning real money. If you’re new to the online gambling scene, then there are probably a few things that you want to know. It’s a big industry that has grown over two decades, and with all the choice available online, it can quickly become overwhelming to newcomers. Fortunately, it does not have to be a difficult affair, and with these easy tips, you can start enjoying all the online gambling that New Zealand has to offer. Managing The Money This is rule number one for online gambling, and something that you need to keep in the back of your head at all times. Money is key to playing just about any of the games worth investing time in, but if you don’t learn to budget and manage your money, it can quickly dry up. An important rule to remember when creating a gambling budget is to only spend money that you can afford to lose. Losing money that is necessary for every day life can be detrimental in many ways, so ensuring that the money you need is separate from the money you’re willing to gamble can end up saving you in the long run. Find a Reliable Casino There are thousands of casinos online, and each one is different to the last. Finding one can be a chore, but putting in the effort is worth it. The casino you decide to start investing money in needs to be reliable, offer solid customer support, and must have a good reputation among other players. Reading reviews is a good place to start, and making sure the potential casino does everything by the book is the next step to take. Try Free Games Game developers have put in a lot of effort over the years in digitizing the more popular casino games out there, and before you start betting real money, it’s a good idea to check out the free versions. While this may not apply to slots as much, many games are quite different online as compared to their physical counterparts, and free versions of those games can help you get a feel of how it plays before you invest your money. Watch Out for Bonuses New Zealand casino bonuses have become an important part of the industry, and keeping an eye out for a good bonus can help you save some money. Bonuses offered by casinos come in many forms, but the ones that are offered at no cost to you are generally the best ones to watch for, even if they tend to be rarer than others at JackpotCity Casino. Enjoy Yourself With these tips in mind, you can start enjoying any game of your choice without being completely overwhelmed by the industry. Find a casino that you agree with, and start playing the games that you want to play. --- > We've reviewed land vs online casinos in NZ. Get to the bottom of this debate of online casinos vs land-based casinos. - Published: 2025-06-26 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/uncategorized/online-casinos-versus-land-based-casinos/ Comparing Online Casinos to Land-Based Casinos Since the beginning of the 20th century, land based casinos have been an extremely popular part of Western culture. Even with the modest beginnings that most casinos had during the early part of the century, they quickly came to dominate many cities within North America, and spread across the world. Today there are thousands of casinos all over the world, each with its own style, offering its own version of casino games, and each just as popular as ever. On the other side of the spectrum, we have the online casino, which only began gaining prominence after its introduction in 1996 alongside the growth of modern day internet. Digitizing the casino into the online world turned out to be an extremely smart move, as its now one of the biggest industries in the world, netting billions each year and being enjoyed by millions of players all around the globe. New Zealand casino enthusiasts will know how much fun it can be logging into your favourite online casino and playing some of the latest pokies. The question many may wonder, however, is which exactly is better: land based or online casinos? Modern Casino Games The most important part of any casino is, of course, is its range of games available to play. The more games a casino offers, the wider its audience will be. While land based casinos have usually only offered players through a select library of games, such as the ever-popular pokies, card, and table games; when it comes to the online scene, casinos can offer just about any game players can think of. Despite this, some still prefer going to a land based casino and playing the floor machines. The games are, without a doubt, the best way to decide which is better. Pokies. The pokie machine has not evolved much since its first inception many decades ago, and while pokies have become more advanced and complex, the basic premise of the game extends both over old, traditional machines and modern, online systems. Most would agree that because of the sheer amount of pokies available online, including their exciting bonus games and access to global progressive jackpots, online pokies are the preferred choice. Blackjack. A card game of chance, many believed that blackjack would not be able to work well on a computer or mobile device. The opposite is true, however, and online blackjack offers some of the slickest card action in the industry. Poker. Like blackjack, poker was one of the first card games to become digitized not long after pokies. This has been met with incredible success, and its one of the most popular games found online. Baccarat. Another popular card game that has been reintroduced online, baccarat remains alongside poker and blackjack as one of the most enjoyed games the online industry has to offer. The Differences of Casinos There are many advantages and disadvantages to both land based and online casinos, and at the end of the day it is up to the player to decide which they prefer. Having said this, online casinos tend to be the more popular choice in the modern age. Casinos in Conclusion While land based casinos offer players the unique experience and social events, online casinos, like the Lucky Nugget Casino, are far more convenient, provide much cheaper gameplay, and allow players to make use of the games no matter where they are in the world. --- > Ex footballer Ronaldinho has been released from detainment in Paraguay. This after he and his brother pled guilty to the possession of false passports. - Published: 2025-06-26 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/ronaldinho-released-from-paraguay-detainment/ Retired beloved Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho has been released from house arrest – this after the star spent a total of 5 mines detained in Paraguay for having entered the country by trying to make use of a false travel document. Ronaldinho and his brother, Roberto de Assis Moreira, were both arrested in March when they were discovered by Paraguay border officials to be in possession of false Paraguay passports. The brothers were at the time reportedly attempting to enter the country in order to conduct “business”. Both were found to be in possession of false travel documents. The football star and his brother were on Tuesday (New Zealand time) released from mentioned detainment after they were handed a two-years suspended sentence by Paraguayan Judge Gustavo Amarilla. Each of the brothers were furthermore ordered to pay a fine of $100,000 – making $200,000 in total fines payable in return for their conditional freedom. According to attorneys Tarek Tuma and Alcides Caceres, their two high-profile clients will now return to Brazil and settle in capital city Rio de Janeiro. As for the reasons behind the shortened legal process and sentence, Paraguay prosecutor Marcelo Pecci has revealed that mercy was shown to the two men because of their having admitted to having attempted to enter the country with falsified legal documents. Had the brothers not received a shortened sentence they could have faced spending up to five years behind Paraguay prison bars. Ronaldinho turned 40 during his time spent in detention in the South American country. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The lowdown on the Melbourne Cup 2024 New Zealand Horses. Find tips, tricks, and expert recommendations on our favourite Kiwi contenders this year. - Published: 2024-11-02 - Modified: 2024-11-02 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/kiwi-edge-2024-melbourne-cup/ There are three prominent Melbourne Cup 2024 New Zealand horses set to compete. The three Kiwi contenders—Sharp 'N' Smart, Positivity, and Trust In You—are set to take on the Flemington track. This adds a trans-Tasman rivalry to our favourite nation-stopping race. With this betting guide for New Zealand horses at hand, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge to make the best wagering choices possible during Melbourne Cup Day. Overview of New Zealand’s Representation in the Melbourne Cup New Zealand's presence in the 2024 Melbourne Cup is more than just a few horses crossing the Tasman. It's a continuation of a proud racing legacy. NZ horses in Melbourne Cup history are renowned for shaking up the event, with iconic victories etched in racing folklore. Who could forget Kiwi's thrilling win in 1983, defying the odds and etching his name in history? Or Empire Rose's dominant performance in 1988, a testament to New Zealand's breeding prowess? Bet Now At Betway More recently, Prince of Penzance, ridden by Michelle Payne, stormed to victory in 2015. He captured the hearts of a nation and showcased the strength of New Zealand-bred horses. This year’s NZ Melbourne Cup contenders, Sharp 'N' Smart, Positivity, and Trust In You, carry the hopes of New Zealand. They’re aiming to add another chapter to this remarkable trans-Tasman sporting rivalry. Analysis of Each New Zealand Entry Analysing the New Zealand entries in the Melbourne Cup 2024 reveals a diverse group of contenders. These are the New Zealand horses vying for the win: Sharp 'N' Smart: This talented four-year-old, trained by Graeme and Deborah Rogerson, has already made a name for himself with impressive wins in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes and the Group 1 Herbie Dyke Stakes. Sharp 'N' Smart boasts a strong finishing burst and a preference for softer tracks. This could prove advantageous if Melbourne experiences its typical spring showers. His recent form in weight-for-age races suggests he can handle the challenge of the Melbourne Cup distance. Expert commentators have raised concerns about his inexperience in such a large field. However, he’s still among the Melbourne Cup expert picks. With a proven track record in big races, Jockey Michael Dee will be astride Sharp 'N' Smart, giving him a strong hand in the saddle. Positivity: Trained by Andrew Forsman, Positivity enters the Melbourne Cup with a consistent record, including a notable victory in the Group 3 Counties Cup. This five-year-old gelding demonstrates versatility in track conditions and has proven his stamina over longer distances. While he may not possess the same explosive turn of foot as some of his rivals, Positivity's strength lies in his staying power and his ability to grind out a result. His recent form suggests he's peaking at the right time. With experienced jockey Winona Costin in the saddle, Positivity could be a surprise package at enticing odds. Trust In You: Trained by Bruce Wallace and Grant Cooksley, Trust In You is a six-year-old gelding with a solid record in staying races. He has consistently proven his ability over longer distances. He notably secured a commendable fourth-place finish in the ATC St Leger in Sydney, a challenging 2600m race. He also showcased his class by winning the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, demonstrating his ability to compete at a high level. While he may be considered an outsider in this competitive race, Trust In You has shown a liking for the longer distances and could outrun his odds. His trainers believe he has the potential to add to the list of Melbourne Cup 2024 New Zealand horses that have claimed victory. Betting Tips for Kiwi Horses These Kiwi contenders offer exciting prospects. But it’s worth remembering that the Melbourne Cup is a notoriously unpredictable race. Before placing your wagers, these are Melbourne Cup betting tips NZ punters need to know: Final Odds: When assessing Kiwi horse's Melbourne Cup odds, keep a close eye on the odds leading up to the race. Shifts can occur based on track conditions, jockey changes, or late scratches, offering potential value. Recent Performances: Analyse each horse's recent form. Pay attention to their finishing positions, the type of races they've competed in, and their overall consistency. Barrier Draw: The barrier draw can notably impact a horse's chances. A favourable draw can give a horse a tactical advantage. A wide barrier can make it harder to position themselves well in the race. Sign Up At Betway Final Takeaways for Kiwi Bettors 2024’s Melbourne Cup holds a special significance for Kiwi bettors, with three strong contenders flying the flag for New Zealand. Stay informed about their latest news and odds to make the most strategic wagers. Knowing how Kiwi horses perform in Melbourne Cup races gives you an important edge and also sets you up for success in the future! --- > UFC 308 betting guide for Kiwi punters. Find the latest & greatest New Zealand odds & expert tips for the upcoming Topuria vs Holloway UFC battle. - Published: 2024-10-16 - Modified: 2024-10-16 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/ufc/ufc-308-bettingg-outlook/ UFC 308 betting is heating up, and New Zealand punters won't want to miss this epic event! Set to take place on October 21st, UFC 308 features a featherweight showdown between rising star Ilia Topuria and fan favourite Max Holloway. This high-stakes matchup has major title implications, with the winner potentially securing a shot at the featherweight championship. UFC betting in New Zealand is gaining massive popularity, and UFC 308 is poised to be one of the most exciting events of the year. Holloway, a global MMA icon, is looking to reclaim his spot at the top, while Topuria aims to solidify his status as a future champion! Fighter Profiles: Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway – What Kiwi Bettors Need to Know UFC 308 betting presents a fascinating clash of styles in the main event, and New Zealand fight fans are in for a treat. Ilia Topuria (15-0-0): The Undefeated Bull Basic Stats: Age: 26 Reach: 69" HT/WT: 5'7", 144 lbs Stance: Orthodox Fighting Style: Aggressive pressure fighter with knockout power and elite-level grappling. Record: W-L-D: 15-0-0 (T)KO: 5-0 SUB: 8-0 Ilia Topuria, undefeated and explosive, is a rising force in the featherweight division. Known for his aggressive striking and powerful grappling, Topuria has finished his last four opponents by knockout, making him an enticing option for NZ bettors seeking value in the "Method of Victory" market. Remember his dominant performance against Bryce Mitchell at UFC 282? That fight showcased Topuria's ability to control the pace and dictate where the fight goes, a crucial factor for "Round Betting" enthusiasts looking to win big on his finishing power. Max Holloway (24-7-0): The Blessed Express Basic Stats: Age: 31 Reach: 69" HT/WT: 5'11", 155 lbs Stance: Orthodox Fighting Style: Volume striker with incredible cardio and a granite chin. Record: W-L-D: 26-7-0 (T)KO: 12-0 SUB: 2-1 But don't count out Max Holloway! "Blessed” with incredible cardio and volume striking, Holloway is a veteran who can push the pace for all five rounds. Kiwi fans will recall his legendary battles with Alexander Volkanovski, where Holloway's resilience and ability to absorb damage were on full display. This makes him a prime candidate for "Over/Under" round bets and a potential upset pick on the moneyline, especially for those who believe experience will prevail. While Holloway's striking can be overwhelming, Topuria's takedown defence and counter-punching ability could pose problems for the Hawaiian. Bet at Betway Now Odds Analysis and Betting Markets for UFC 308 The latest UFC 308 odds are dynamic and offer a range of opportunities for Kiwi punters. Currently, Ilia Topuria is the favourite, with TAB NZ listing him at around -230, while Max Holloway sits at +190. This means a $230 bet on Topuria would return a $100 profit if he wins, while a $100 bet on Holloway would yield $190 if he pulls off the upset. Bet365 NZ offers similar odds, so it's worth comparing across platforms to snag the best value. Beyond the moneyline, "Method of Victory" bets are popular for UFC 308. Given Topuria's knockout power, a Topuria KO/TKO could be an attractive proposition. On the other hand, Holloway's durability and tendency for decisions make options like "Holloway by Decision" or "Fight to Go the Distance" worth considering. "Round Betting" adds another layer of excitement, allowing punters to predict the exact round or group of rounds in which the fight will end. Keep in mind that these UFC 308 odds can shift dramatically as the fight approaches. Factors like pre-fight press conferences, weigh-in results, and any news about injuries can influence how the odds move. Sign up at Betway Now Expert Betting Tips: Strategies for Kiwi Punters New Zealand UFC 308 betting is your chance to win big! Here's how Kiwi punters can start earning by utilising the best tips around. Topuria's aggressive style screams "early finish. " A "Topuria by KO/TKO" bet could be worth it, or even a "Topuria to win in Round 1 or 2" for a higher payout. He's finished his last four opponents early, and Holloway, despite his chin, has been susceptible to powerful strikers in the past. Holloway's a veteran for a reason. "Blessed" with incredible cardio, he often drags opponents into deep waters and outlasts them. "Holloway by Decision" or "Fight to Go the Distance" are solid options if you believe Holloway can weather the early storm and take over in the later rounds. Maximise your potential winnings with promotions from NZ bookmakers! TAB NZ and Bet365 NZ often offer bonus bets or enhanced odds for big UFC events. Check their websites for UFC 308 specials and boost your sports betting power. Fight Night Details for New Zealand Viewers Get ready, New Zealand. UFC 308 goes down on Sunday, October 27th, with the main card action kicking off at 7:00 AM NZDT. You can catch all the action live on Sky Arena (Channel 065). Sky Box customers can book the pay-per-view event through their My Sky account. If you don't have a Sky Box, no worries! You can stream UFC 308 through Sky Sports Now. Just purchase the event on their website or app, and you're good to go. Don't miss out on this epic featherweight showdown! Set your alarms, grab your coffee, and prepare for an unforgettable morning of fights. UFC 308 FAQs What date is UFC 308? Friday 26 October, 2024 but if you’re in New Zealand, the event starts at 7AM on Saturday 27 October 2024. What Time is the Fight between Topuria and Holloway? The main card starts at 12:00 PM NZT (New Zealand Standard Time). Where is UFC 308 Taking Place? Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. How Can I watch UFC 308? Watch live on ESPN+ Pay-Per-View. Make sure to check your local listings and streaming options for preliminary card coverage. Get Great Odds at PalmerBet Making the Most of UFC 308 Betting UFC 308 is a can't-miss event for New Zealand bettors! With enticing odds, diverse betting markets, and potential upsets, this fight card offers something for everyone. Don't miss out on this opportunity – place your bets, claim those bonuses, and enjoy the action! Stay tuned for any updates and get ready for an epic night of fights. --- > Who are the top contenders for this year's Cox Plate Horse Racing Event in Australia? Explore who the leaders are & unlock valuable strategies & tips. - Published: 2024-10-14 - Modified: 2024-10-14 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/cox-plate-2024-top-contenders-to-watch/ Online sports betting on the 2024 Cox Plate is heating up as the event takes place on Saturday 26th October 2024 in Victoria, Australia. Several promising New Zealand-bred horses are potentially heading to Moonee Valley to compete in the race. One standout is Sharp 'N' Smart, trained by the renowned Graeme and Deborah Rogerson. This talented galloper has already proven himself in Australia. He’s had victories in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes and Group 1 Herbie Dyke Stakes. His recent form suggests he's a genuine contender for the Cox Plate. Plus, his New Zealand breeding adds a special appeal for local fans. Unlock your winning potential by exploring the latest odds on Sharp 'N' Smart and see how he stacks up against the competition. Another potential runner is Mr Brightside, trained by the Hayes brothers. While he fell short of victory in the 2023 Cox Plate, his consistent performances in top-tier races cannot be ignored. With a strong New Zealand pedigree and a proven track record in Australia, Mr Brightside could be a smart pick for Cox Plate betting in New Zealand. Keep an eye on emerging New Zealand horses Cox Plate contenders as the race approaches. Examine their form in lead-up races, especially those with international experience. The Cox Plate often features a strong contingent of New Zealand-bred talent, offering exciting opportunities for local punters. Join the excitement and place your bets now! Form Analysis: Key Performances to Watch Horse betting on the 2024 Cox Plate requires a keen understanding of recent form, especially in Group 1 races leading up to the main event. Focus on racers consistently placing or winning in weight-for-age races, an important indicator of Cox Plate success. Sharp 'N' Smart, for instance, boasts impressive wins in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes and Group 1 Herbie Dyke Stakes. These victories demonstrate his ability to compete at the highest level against top-class fields. This makes him a compelling prospect for Cox Plate NZ enthusiasts looking for a winner to back. Place Cox Plate Bets At Betway Performances at Moonee Valley can also give an idea of what to expect. Horses with a history of running well at this unique track have a distinct advantage. Reviewing past Cox Plate results to note any contenders who have previously excelled at Moonee Valley is among the best Cox Plate Moonee Valley tips punters can adopt. For those unfamiliar with Australian racing, interpreting form guides may seem daunting. Look for recent finishing positions, weight carried, and the quality of the field. Cox Plate form analysis NZ resources can help you understand these factors. You can claim your edge by familiarising yourself with the form of the leading contenders. Take the time to learn the key performances and understand form guides. Cox Plate 2024 betting NZ quickly becomes a more informed and potentially rewarding experience. Track Conditions and How They Affect Betting Understanding track conditions is one of the best horse racing tips you should never take for granted. Betting on the Cox Plate involves more than horse form; track conditions must also be considered. A "Good" track is generally ideal, offering fair conditions for all runners. However, New Zealand horses often excel on rain-affected tracks. If the forecast predicts showers, consider contenders with a good track record on "Soft" or "Heavy" going. Historical data shows that many Kiwi horses thrive in these conditions, demonstrating their adaptability and stamina. Explore Cox Plate Betting At Betway Track conditions significantly influence betting odds. For example, a shift towards a "Heavy" track may see odds lengthen for horses unproven in wet conditions, while those with a strong record on soft ground might shorten. Stay informed about weather updates and observe how the odds fluctuate in response to changing conditions. Jockey and Trainer Impact on Betting Outcomes Jockey and trainer combinations are an overlooked part of finding success in the Cox Plate. The synergy between these two figures can significantly impact a horse's performance, especially in a high-pressure race like the Cox Plate. New Zealand-trained horses paired with top-tier jockeys usually have an edge. Think back to successful partnerships like James McDonald and Verry Elleegant in the 2020 Cox Plate. Consider the experience of NZ trainers Cox Plate entrants have Another vital factor is a trainer's experience in weight-for-age events. Trainers like Chris Waller, with a proven track record in the Cox Plate, understand the specific demands of this race. Their expertise in preparing horses for weight-for-age conditions can provide a significant wagering edge. Unlock your winning potential by scrutinising the trainers' past performances in similar races and identifying those with a history of success. Make Cox Plate Bets At Betway Underdogs and Value Bets for Kiwi Punters While the favourites often dominate the headlines, the Cox Plate offers opportunities to find value in underdogs. Choosing horses with solid recent form, especially on tracks similar to Moonee Valley, might be overlooked in the betting market. However, these hidden gems could provide a significant return for savvy Kiwi punters. Start your underdog search by analysing past race results and identifying horses that consistently exceed expectations to see if you can predict a winner. --- > Without A Fight, the 2023 winner of the race is no longer vying for the Melbourne Cup due to injury. Let’s explore other contenders as well as the newest betting opportunities. - Published: 2024-10-14 - Modified: 2024-10-14 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/without-a-fight-melbourne-cup-out/ Without A Fight’s Melbourne Cup 2024 campaign has ended abruptly. The reigning champion has been withdrawn from the 2024 Melbourne Cup due to a tendon injury. This devastating news will undoubtedly shake up Melbourne Cup bettors. Many New Zealand punters were likely eyeing Without A Fight for another historic win. His absence leaves a significant gap in the 2024 Melbourne Cup contenders list but opens new pathways for winning. Impact on 2024 Melbourne Cup Betting Markets Without A Fight's withdrawal sends shockwaves through the 2024 Melbourne Cup betting markets. It left NZ punters to revise their Melbourne Cup betting market options. The race is wide open with the defending champion out of the picture. It’s safe to say that the Melbourne Cup odds for 2024 are in flux. Horses like Vauban (FR), already a strong contender, could surge to the forefront and become the new favourite. Last year's runner-up, Gold Trip (FR), with his proven staying power, might also see increased attention from NZ punters. His leaving not only changes the odds but also the entire complexion of the race. Removing such a dominant force allows other horses to step up and creates a more unpredictable Melbourne Cup. Now is the time to reassess the Melbourne Cup betting tips NZ punters rely on and look for value bets. While the new favourites will attract attention, don't overlook horses with good form and improving odds that might be overshadowed. Join the action and unlock the potential for bigger wins by exploring the updated Melbourne Cup odds 2024 and changing your sports betting strategy. Key Contenders to Watch in Without A Fight’s Absence As Without A Fight withdraws from the 2024 Melbourne Cup, the race for the coveted trophy has become an open contest. NZ punters should revise their horse racing tips and take a closer look at upcoming contenders. Vauban is a Willie Mullins-trained runner who has steadily risen in the ranks and is now a top contender for the Cup. With an impressive victory in the Copper Horse Handicap at Royal Ascot and a strong showing in the Irish St. Leger, Vauban has demonstrated his staying power and versatility. His renowned trainer, Willie Mullins, has a knack for preparing horses for big races. Jockey Ryan Moore's experience in the Melbourne Cup will also be invaluable. Get the Best Odds for Melbourne Cup At Betway Don't discount last year's runner-up! Gold Trip has already proven he can handle the gruelling Melbourne Cup distance and conditions. Trainer Ciaron Maher and David Eustace have a strong record in the Melbourne Cup. Plus, jockey Mark Zahra knows how to get the best out of this horse. Alenquer is an intriguing contender from the UK who brings a unique profile to the Melbourne Cup. Trained by Michael Moroney, Alenquer has previously proven his class with victories in Group races. While he may not have the same level of experience over the two-mile distance as some others, his strong form and pedigree suggest he could be a real threat. NZ punters will want to factor in the recent form of potential horses, jockey experience, trainer expertise, and how they might perform over the Melbourne Cup distance. Form Analysis: Betting Strategies for NZ Punters Without A Fight's absence throws a wrench into many NZ punters' Melbourne Cup betting strategies. But don't despair! This unexpected turn of events presents new 2024 horse racing betting NZ opportunities. With the reigning champion out, the playing field is levelled. Don't just blindly shift your bet to the new favourite. Look into the form of other contenders. Focus on horses performing consistently well in recent races and those who might thrive in a less competitive field. Pay closer attention to the results of crucial lead-up races like the Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate, and Turnbull Stakes. These races provide valuable insights into the form and stamina of Melbourne Cup hopefuls. Claim your advantage and start analysing the updated Melbourne Cup odds for 2024. Without A Fight's withdrawal presents a unique opportunity for NZ punters to find value and potentially uncover a hidden gem in this year's Melbourne Cup. Place Your Melbourne Cup Bet At Betway Trainer and Jockey Analysis: The Ripple Effect Without A Fight's withdrawal removes a champion contender and leaves a void in the Melbourne Cup for his accomplished connections. Trainer Anthony and Sam Freedman, who masterminded his 2023 victory, will now be watching from the sidelines. Similarly, jockey Mark Zahra, who rode Without A Fight to victory last year, will miss the opportunity to defend their title. Zahra's experience and understanding of the Melbourne Cup's unique demands were invaluable assets. Begin your Melbourne Cup betting journey by exploring how the absence of these key figures might impact the race and create new opportunities for savvy punters. Review Melbourne Cup Odds At Betway Looking Ahead: Long-Term Implications for NZ Bettors The Without A Fight's withdrawal opens up the 2024 race and may pave the way for emerging stayers to step into the spotlight in the coming years. This could lead to a more dynamic and unpredictable Melbourne Cup landscape, where new champions emerge and the competitive balance shifts. NZ punters are advised to keep an eye on promising young horses who might seize this opportunity and become future Melbourne Cup contenders. --- > The Geelong Cup is finally upon us and it’s time to start making wagers. Keep reading to find out why the Geelong Cup is perfect for New Zealand bettors. - Published: 2024-10-04 - Modified: 2024-10-04 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/geelong-cup-2024-race-tips/ The Geelong Cup is one of Australia’s most well-known races and takes place on Wednesday 23 October 2024 at the Geelong Racing Club (GRC) in Victoria, Australia. . This year, it’ll be taking place on the 23rd of October. It’s considered an important event in the lead-up to the Melbourne Cup and is a favourite among enthusiasts and bettors. The race takes place over 2400m and offers a chance to see which contenders may find success at the Melbourne Cup. Why the Geelong Cup Appeals to NZ Racing Fans The Geelong Cup holds a special appeal for New Zealand racing fans, offering a chance to witness potential Melbourne Cup champions in action. This one-of-a-kind event has a strong connection to New Zealand, with Kiwi-bred horses making their mark in the past. Tralee Rose, bred in NZ, stormed to victory in the 2021 Geelong Cup, igniting hopes for another Kiwi triumph. Beyond the excitement of seeing horses with NZ connections compete, the Geelong Cup provides valuable insights for those keen on Melbourne Cup betting. Observing how horses perform in this challenging 2400m contest can help New Zealand punters better understand their form and potential heading into the "race that stops a nation. " The Geelong Cup serves as a useful form guide. It allows Kiwis to assess contenders' stamina and staying power, ultimately informing their Melbourne Cup wagering strategies. Hospitality & Social Atmosphere The Geelong Cup offers a fantastic social atmosphere. There’s a choice of premium hospitality options perfect for both casual racegoers and those seeking a touch of luxury. The Jack Rabbit Marquee provides a stylish and sophisticated setting. Guests can enjoy gourmet food and a selection of Jack Rabbit wines, all while enjoying prime views of the racing action. For a more relaxed vibe, the Terrace Pavilion offers a vibrant atmosphere with live entertainment, delicious food stalls, and a wide selection of beverages. It's the perfect spot for groups of friends or colleagues to soak up the day's excitement. Enjoy Geelong Cup Betting At Betway No matter whether you're looking for a premium experience or a fun day out with friends, the Geelong Cup caters to all tastes. With its combination of thrilling racing, delicious food and wine, and lively entertainment, it's an event that will leave a lasting impression on NZ visitors. The Ladbrokes Mounting Yard Bar: A True Punters Paradise The Ladbrokes Mounting Yard Bar is the ultimate destination for serious punters seeking an immersive Geelong Cup betting experience. Positioned right next to the mounting yard, this premium space offers unparalleled views of the horses and jockeys as they prepare for the race. But it's not just about the prime location. The Ladbrokes Mounting Yard Bar provides a true punter's paradise with exclusive insights and expert advice. Legendary jockey Damien Oliver and renowned racing analyst Adam Hamilton will be making guest appearances throughout the day. They’ll share their tips, insights, and captivating stories from their careers. Imagine gaining valuable knowledge from these racing icons while enjoying the electric atmosphere of the mounting yard. With its combination of premium viewing, expert advice, and a vibrant atmosphere, the Ladbrokes Mounting Yard Bar offers an unparalleled Geelong Cup experience for those serious about racing and horse betting. Bet On Geelong Cup At Betway Off-track Experiences: More Than Just Racing The Geelong Cup boasts a vibrant and festive atmosphere that extends far beyond the racetrack. This makes it an ideal day out for social groups and families. Fashions on the Field is a highlight, with stylish racegoers showcasing their creativity and elegance, competing for fabulous prizes. Live music performances create a lively backdrop throughout the day, while various food trucks offer delicious culinary delights to satisfy all tastes. Even those less interested in the racing action can find plenty to enjoy. Roving entertainment, family-friendly activities, and a bustling atmosphere create a carnival-like experience for everyone. Soak up the sunshine, enjoy the social buzz, and indulge in delicious food and drinks. The Geelong Cup truly provides a memorable day out for all, regardless of your level of racing enthusiasm. Start Geelong Cup Betting At Betway Betting from New Zealand: Tips & Options For New Zealand punters eager to have a flutter with Geelong Cup 2024 betting, online betting sites provide easy access to the action. Look for reputable and well-known sites that offer a secure wagering environment. To maximise your chances, compare Geelong Cup odds across different platforms and look for special promotions or bonus offers. Factors like each horse's form, the jockey's track record, and the predicted track conditions on race day are worth keeping in mind. With a bit of research and a keen eye for value, you can make informed bets and enjoy the Geelong Cup 2024 betting from the comfort of your home. Don’t Miss Out on Geelong’s Biggest Day Whether you're planning a trip to Geelong or placing bets from afar, don't miss out on this riveting race day. With top-class events, exciting New Zealand horse racing betting opportunities, and a vibrant social scene, the Geelong Cup is a must for any racing enthusiast. Mark your calendars for October 23rd, and get ready for a memorable experience! --- > Read our 2024 Melbourne Cup betting guide to find out how 2023’s best performing horses will impact the race in 2024. It will help your betting strategy. - Published: 2024-10-04 - Modified: 2024-10-04 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/2024-melbourne-cup-betting-outlook/ The Melbourne Cup betting 2024 season offers an exciting opportunity for New Zealand bettors. As Australasia’s most prestigious horse race, it draws global attention. In 2023, key horses like Without A Fight, Soulcombe, and Sheraz shaped Melbourne Cup betting trends. This article will compare their 2023 performances to help you refine your sports betting strategies for the 2024 horse racing season. Recap of the 2023 Melbourne Cup Top 3 Finishers In the 2023 Melbourne Cup, Without A Fight emerged as the winner under the guidance of Anthony Freedman, trainer for the Melbourne Cup, with jockey M. Zahra paying $8. 00. This victory met many bettors' expectations, given the Without A Fight Melbourne Cup odds were among the favourites. Finishing second was Soulcombe with jockey J. Moreira, trailing by 2 ¼ lengths. Pre-race Soulcombe Melbourne Cup odds hinted at a strong finish, so the runner-up spot wasn’t a huge surprise. Sign Up At Betway To Bet In third place, Sheraz, ridden by B. Mertens, exceeded expectations by finishing just ½ length behind. As a Sheraz Melbourne Cup longshot, this result impressed many bettors who saw value in riskier odds. These results set the stage for exciting horse betting on the Melbourne Cup in 2024, as bettors eagerly anticipate the 2024 race. The form shown by these horses will influence 2024 Melbourne Cup odds and betting strategies going forward. Without A Fight - Ruled out of the 2024 Melbourne Cup Without A Fight showcased a commanding performance in the 2023 Melbourne Cup, fully capitalising on ideal track conditions. Thanks to jockey M. Zahra’s top-tier skill, the horse enjoyed a smooth ride, maintaining pace and stamina throughout the race. Consequently, this effort resulted in a well-deserved victory, with Without A Fight Melbourne Cup odds paying out at $8. 00, aligning perfectly with many bettors’ expectations. Place Melbourne Bets At Betway Under Anthony Freedman trainer, success at the Melbourne Cup is certainly not new. Freedman’s solid reputation for preparing elite contenders positions him as a key figure in Without A Fight’s 2024 campaign. His training techniques emphasise stamina and mental sharpness, both of which are essential for achieving Melbourne Cup success. Additionally, his extensive experience instills confidence in the horse’s chances of repeating its triumph. As of this week, it has been confirmed that Without a Fight is not competing in this year’s Melbourne Cup. This winning horse’s exclusion from this year’s race will significantly change the odds for the 2024 race. Soulcombe - A Close Runner-Up with Strong Potential Soulcombe gave a strong performance in the 2023 Melbourne Cup, finishing just 2 ¼ lengths behind Without A Fight. If you were watching closely, you saw how he nearly overtook the winner, showing impressive stamina in the final stretch. This close finish has bettors eyeing Soulcombe Melbourne Cup odds for 2024. Jockey J. Moreira played a key role in Soulcombe’s success. His tactical approach kept the horse positioned well throughout the race. If Moreira rides again in the 2024 Melbourne Cup, his experience and strategy will likely influence your betting choices. Known for his aggressive style and sharp judgement, Moreira’s involvement adds significant weight to Soulcombe’s chances. Enjoy Melbourne Cup Betting At Betway Heading into 2024, Soulcombe offers strong betting potential. His runner-up finish and solid form leading up to the event will affect 2024 Melbourne Cup odds, making him a compelling option for bettors looking beyond the favourite. With the right conditions and Moreira’s expertise, Soulcombe could offer real value in Melbourne Cup betting in 2024. Sheraz - The Underdog That Could Surprise Again Sheraz surprised many with his impressive underdog performance in the 2023 Melbourne Cup, finishing 3rd, just ½ length behind Soulcombe. If you were following closely, you saw how Sheraz Melbourne Cup longshot odds paid off for risk-takers. His ability to stay competitive throughout the race proved he has real potential. Jockey B. Mertens played a crucial role in Sheraz’s podium finish. His calm yet strategic approach kept Sheraz well-positioned in a tough field. This jockey-trainer combination could influence Melbourne Cup betting trends in 2024, as Mertens and the team may look to replicate their success. Their collaboration gives bettors insight into how Sheraz might perform this year. Looking ahead, Sheraz could again be a valuable dark horse in Melbourne Cup betting in 2024. With last year’s strong finish and promising form, bettors eyeing longshot opportunities should consider Sheraz. His 2024 Melbourne Cup odds might offer excellent value for those willing to take a calculated risk. Make Melbourne Cup Bets At Betway Key Contenders for the 2024 Melbourne Cup In Melbourne Cup betting 2024, several new contenders are expected to challenge the 2023 podium finishers, Soulcombe, and Sheraz. Horses from top stables like Godolphin and Ciaron Maher often bring serious competition. Among them, Vauban from Willie Mullins’ yard is a notable entrant with strong form leading into the race. International entries, a staple of the Melbourne Cup, may disrupt the local field. Expect high-quality European and Japanese horses to challenge the 2024 Melbourne Cup odds. As history has shown, international competitors can often cause surprises as they’re less familiar to the local betting community. For bettors, evaluating the horses’ form and trainers' reputations, such as Anthony Freedman, trainer for the Melbourne Cup, is crucial. Track conditions and jockey assignments will play a huge role. Keeping an eye on emerging Melbourne Cup betting trends is vital for making informed decisions. Betting Trends and Strategies for the 2024 Melbourne Cup In Melbourne Cup betting 2024, last year’s results, especially Soulcombe’s runner-up finish, heavily influence 2024 Melbourne Cup odds. Emerging Melbourne Cup betting trends show increased interest in form races and the fitness of contenders. For bettors, watching early-form races and paying attention to track conditions is key. Jockey changes, like whether J. Moreira rides Soulcombe again, can significantly impact a horse’s performance. Always review recent performance and fitness levels to make more informed bets. Keeping track of longshot opportunities like the Sheraz Melbourne Cup longshot could yield high-value returns. A Must-Watch for Bettors Who Want to Win For bettors wanting to win with Melbourne Cup betting in 2024, last year’s top 3 finishers offer valuable insights. These performances can guide your betting strategy. Stay updated on the latest news and 2024 Melbourne Cup odds to ensure informed betting decisions as the race approaches. --- > The latest UFC 307 betting guides and tips to help Kiwi bettors win big. Uncover the odds, predictions, and key factors that could sway this upcoming clash. - Published: 2024-10-01 - Modified: 2024-10-01 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/ufc/ufc-307-betting-outlook/ Get ready, Kiwi fight fans! UFC 307 is set to deliver an unforgettable night of MMA action. The main event features an action-packed light heavyweight showdown between Alex Pereira and Khalil Rountree Jr. This clash of styles presents a unique sports betting opportunity for New Zealanders looking to potentially win big on the excitement using the latest UFC 307 betting tips. Fighter Profiles Alex Pereira, the reigning light heavyweight champion, enters the Octagon with a 7-2 MMA record and a fearsome reputation as a former two-division Glory kickboxing champion. His striking power and precision are unmatched, as evidenced by his recent knockout victories over Jiří Procházka and Jamahal Hill. Questions remain, however, about his ground game and ability to defend takedowns. Khalil Rountree Jr. , on a two-fight knockout streak, brings explosive power and unwavering confidence to the cage. His striking has evolved significantly, making him a dangerous opponent for anyone in the division. However, his takedown defence and cardio have been exposed in the past, which could be vulnerabilities against a well-rounded champion like Pereira. Pereira's technical striking and potential grappling advantage give him the edge on paper. Rountree Jr. 's knockout power and recent momentum cannot be ignored. This matchup promises to be a thrilling clash of styles, with both fighters capable of delivering a highlight-reel finish. Betting Trends & Odds Alex Pereira remains the clear favourite with New Zealand sportsbooks. Keep in mind, however, that the odds have tightened slightly, with Pereira now ranging from -300 to -450, implying a 75% to 81. 82% chance of victory. This suggests that some bettors are seeing potential in Rountree Jr. 's underdog status, whose odds have shifted from +250 to +400, representing a 20% to 28. 57% chance of an upset. Explore UFC Betting Odds At Betway Popular UFC betting markets to make the most of the latest Pereira vs. Rountree Jr. odds included: Moneyline: Straightforward bet on the winner of the fight. Method of Victory: Predict how the fight will end (KO/TKO, Submission, Decision). Round Betting: Wager on the specific round in which the fight will conclude. Historical betting data reveals that Pereira has consistently been favoured in his UFC fights, while Rountree Jr. has often been the underdog. It may be different this time due to Rountree Jr. 's recent knockout streak. For NZ bettors, key considerations include: Pereira's Knockout Power: His devastating strikes could lead to an early finish. Rountree Jr. 's Explosiveness: He possesses the power to end the fight with a single blow, making him an attractive underdog pick. Fight Duration: If the fight goes into later rounds, Pereira's superior cardio might become a factor. Key Factors That Could Influence the Fight Fighter Strategy: Expect Pereira to utilise his technical striking, mixing kicks and punches to keep Rountree Jr. at bay. He might also look to clinch or attempt takedowns to test Rountree Jr. 's grappling defence. Rountree Jr. will likely rely on his explosive power and seek to land a knockout blow early. Avoiding the clinch and maintaining distance will be crucial for him. Physical & Mental Condition: Both fighters seem to be in peak physical condition, with no reported injuries. Pereira's recent title defences suggest he's mentally prepared for the challenge. Rountree Jr. 's confidence is soaring after his recent wins, which could be a significant advantage. Place UFC Bets At Betway Fighting Style Matchup: This fight is likely to stay on the feet, favouring both fighters' strengths. Pereira might have a slight edge if he can take the fight to the ground, but Rountree Jr. 's strength could make takedowns difficult. If the fight goes into later rounds, Pereira's superior cardio could become a deciding factor. X-Factor: Close rounds could be swayed by subjective judging criteria. Any unforeseen disruptions in either fighter's training camp may impact their performance. These factors are worth keeping in mind, giving New Zealand bettors a deeper understanding of the potential fight dynamics and making the most of the NZ UFC betting trends. Expert Betting Tips & Predictions The Pereira vs. Rountree Jr. matchup leans heavily towards a knockout finish, given both fighters' striking prowess. Pereira's technical precision and Rountree Jr. 's explosive power make an early stoppage likely. The following UFC 307 betting tips can help you make smart decisions: Pereira to win by KO/TKO: While his odds are less attractive, his striking and experience make this a solid bet. Rountree Jr. to win by KO/TKO: If you believe in an upset, this prop bet offers significant returns. Under 2. 5 Rounds: A reasonable bet considering both fighters' finishing abilities. Rountree Jr. to win in Round 1 or 2: A high-reward bet if you think Rountree Jr. can catch Pereira early. Pereira to win by Decision: If you anticipate a more tactical fight, Pereira's superior cardio could lead to a decision victory. Sign Up & Bet At Betway Bet On A UFC Winner Pereira vs. Rountree Jr. promises a one-of-a-kind match and exciting UFC betting opportunities. Consider the odds, fighters' styles, and potential fight scenarios before placing your bets. Remember, odds can fluctuate, so stay updated closer to fight night. Most importantly, bet responsibly and enjoy the action! --- > Katy Perry has been booked to perform and rock the 2024 AFL Grand Final this weekend Sat, 28 Sept 2024. Learn more here. - Published: 2024-09-23 - Modified: 2024-09-23 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/katy-perry-2024-afl-grand-final/ Katy Perry’s global star power will electrify the AFL Grand Final 2024 and create a thrilling blend of music and sport. Her performance is one of the premier events in both AFL entertainment and online sports betting. It could influence AFL Grand Final 2024 betting trends significantly. NZ bettors should be aware that major entertainment acts, like Perry, often impact betting markets. These performances can shift odds significantly. They also add excitement to the game. Understanding this connection is crucial for making informed betting decisions. Understanding the Katy Perry performance impact on betting markets can give NZ bettors a unique edge come game day. Katy Perry’s AFL Grand Final Performance: What to Expect Katy Perry’s upcoming AFL Grand Final 2024 performance follows her iconic Super Bowl halftime show, which captivated millions. Perry is known for hits like Roar and Firework and her new release, Woman’s World. Her setlist will likely feature high-energy songs that will match the excitement of the AFL entertainment and betting atmosphere. With her history of performing at major sports events, Perry’s involvement enhances the overall game-day experience. NZ bettors should consider the Katy Perry performance impact on AFL betting markets. Her show will likely add to the unpredictability of AFL Grand Final 2024 betting trends. This makes it a must-watch event for bettors. The Impact of Pre-Game Entertainment on AFL Grand Final Betting Pre-game entertainment, like Katy Perry’s AFL Grand Final 2024 performance, can significantly affect the atmosphere. This, in turn, influences AFL Grand Final 2024 betting trends. Historically, high-profile performances have boosted excitement. Events like the Super Bowl halftime show add extra energy to the audience and betting markets. In 2020, pre-game entertainment created a surge in live betting. Fans rode the heightened emotions of the day, leading to increased betting activity. Such moments show how entertainment can impact the overall betting landscape, making it essential for NZ bettors to pay attention. Bet On The AFL Grand Final At Betway When major acts like Perry perform, it can elevate the overall game experience. This creates a thrilling environment for fans and bettors alike. NZ bettors should be mindful of how AFL entertainment and betting become intertwined. Performances often influence betting patterns significantly. The Katy Perry performance impact on betting markets may lead to shifts in live betting. Her show intensifies the energy surrounding the game. The excitement generated by entertainment spectacles can push bettors towards riskier decisions. Conversely, some may opt for more cautious bets based on their heightened emotions. For NZ bettors, understanding these shifts is crucial. It helps predict how entertainment will shape AFL Grand Final 2024 betting opportunities. 2024 AFL Grand Final Betting Markets and Entertainment Entertainment like Katy Perry’s performance at the AFL Grand Final 2024 can have a direct impact on key betting markets. When major acts take the stage, the heightened atmosphere often energises the crowd, which may influence prop bets such as First Goal Scorer or Margin of Victory. For example, after a high-energy performance, bettors might feel more confident placing riskier bets, anticipating that the game will start with similar intensity. This connection between AFL entertainment and betting creates a unique dynamic for NZ bettors to think about. Looking at trends from previous high-profile events, entertainment has been shown to shift AFL Grand Final 2024 betting trends, especially in live betting markets. When the crowd is hyped-up post-performance, you might see increased activity in markets like live odds, where bettors react to the excitement on the field. This makes markets like Next Goal Scorer or Total Points more volatile and responsive to the electric atmosphere. For NZ bettors, understanding the Katy Perry performance impact on betting markets could provide a competitive edge. Bettors should watch how the crowd reacts and consider how the emotional high from her performance might influence both the players and the flow of the game, affecting live betting strategies. Register To Bet At Betway How the AFL Grand Final Atmosphere Impacts Bettors The atmosphere at the AFL Grand Final 2024, amplified by Katy Perry’s performance, can significantly affect bettor sentiment, creating a more unpredictable betting landscape. Excitement from high-energy entertainment often leads to impulsive betting decisions, as the crowd’s emotions spill into AFL Grand Final 2024 betting trends and live odds. Previous Grand Finals with major pre-game shows have seen spikes in live betting due to the elevated crowd energy, influencing prop bets and other markets. For NZ bettors, it's crucial to stay focused and not let the spectacle sway decisions. Keeping a clear, strategic mindset while understanding Katy Perry’s performance impact on betting markets will help you make smarter, more calculated moves, maximising opportunities even during intense game-day excitement. Make AFL Bets At Betway The Best Blend of Betting & Entertainment Katy Perry’s performance at the AFL Grand Final 2024 promises to be a unique element, enhancing both the spectacle and betting excitement. Entertainment like this can shift AFL Grand Final 2024 betting trends, creating dynamic opportunities. Stay informed on game-day developments to make smarter bets. --- > Master the art of NRL futures betting with this comprehensive guide. Learn about premiership odds, long-term bets, and futures strategies for success. - Published: 2024-09-19 - Modified: 2024-09-19 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/nrl-futures-betting/ NRL futures betting, or long-term betting, allows Kiwi fans to wager on outcomes that will be determined over the entire NRL season rather than single matches. The most popular futures bet is predicting the Premiership winner. Here, you try to pick which team will lift the trophy at the Grand Final. Unlike regular match betting, futures betting requires a longer-term perspective and strategic thinking. The odds can fluctuate dramatically throughout the season, making timing and informed decision-making crucial. Understanding Premiership Odds In NRL betting, premiership odds represent the bookmakers' assessment of each team's probability of winning the Grand Final. The favourites typically have lower odds, indicating a higher perceived chance of victory. In contrast, underdogs have higher odds, reflecting a lower probability. As of mid-September 2024, early in the NRL season, the Melbourne Storm and Penrith Panthers share the favouritism to win the premiership, both with odds around 2. 40. This translates to a roughly 41. 7% implied probability of winning for each team. Meanwhile, a team like the Cronulla Sharks, considered underdogs, might have odds of 16. 00, suggesting a much lower probability of around 6. 25%. These odds are not static; they fluctuate throughout the season in response to various factors. A team's performance is the primary driver – a string of wins will shorten their odds, while losses will lengthen them. Player injuries, transfers, and coaching changes can also cause significant shifts. Public perception plays a role, too. If a lot of money is placed on a particular team, their odds might shorten even without a corresponding change in their actual performance. Savvy bettors look for value bets, where they believe the odds underestimate a team's true chances of winning. Bet On The NRL At Betway Types of Long-term Bets in NRL The futures market offers several other exciting options for Kiwi punters. Top 4 Finish involves predicting which four teams will finish at the top of the ladder at the end of the regular season. It's a good option for those who believe a team has the potential to go deep into the finals but might not have the outright strength to win it all. The Wooden Spoon is a popular wager on the team predicted to finish last on the ladder. It can be a challenging bet, as a team's fortunes can change drastically throughout the season, but it offers high odds for those who correctly predict the struggling side. Register To Bet At Betway Top Try Scorer/Point Scorer focus on individual player performance. You wager on which player will score the most tries or points throughout the season. They require careful consideration of player form, injury history, and the team's overall attacking strategy. Dally M Medal Winner is on the player predicted to win the prestigious Dally M Medal, awarded to the NRL's best and fairest player. It also means assessing individual player performance and consistency throughout the season. These various long-term bets can be used strategically to enhance your overall online sports betting experience. You could combine outright winner bets with top 4 finishes to hedge your risk or use player performance bets to add extra excitement to individual games. Strategies for Betting on NRL Futures Timing is important when betting on NRL futures. Pre-season offers potentially higher odds on underdogs, but it also comes with greater uncertainty. Mid-season bets allow you to assess team form and player fitness, but the odds on favourites might have shortened significantly. Diversification is another important strategy, so don't put all your eggs in one basket. Spread your bets across different teams or types of futures to manage your risk. This might mean backing a favourite for the outright win while also placing smaller bets on a couple of potential dark horses for a top-four finish. Higher odds mean higher potential rewards, but they also come with increased risk. Factors like team form, player injuries, and historical performance should always be kept in mind. Lastly, stay informed. Follow NRL news closely, analyse team and player statistics, and be aware of any factors that might influence the odds. The more knowledge you have, the better equipped you'll be to make strategic bets. Make NRL Bets At Betway Use Expert Advice To Place Winning NRL Bets NRL futures betting offers a riveting way to engage with the entire season. By understanding the odds, exploring diverse bet types, and applying strategic timing and diversification, Kiwi bettors can enhance their chances of success. Stay informed, analyse the data, and most importantly, enjoy the ride! Now, check the latest odds and start planning your NRL futures bets! --- > Take a peek at what Caulfield Cup betting has to offer. We look at trainer and jockey insights, the importance of the event, historical trends, and more. - Published: 2024-09-13 - Modified: 2024-09-13 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/caulfeld-cup-2024-outlook/ The Caulfield Cup is a pivotal event in the Spring Carnival, and it draws significant attention from New Zealand bettors. As one of the leading races of the horse racing season, 2024 Caulfield Cup betting will be vital if you're looking to gain insights into future Melbourne Cup markets. The race often acts as a form guide, highlighting key horses to watch in upcoming events, which in turn influences horse racing odds. If you’re looking for horse racing betting tips, analysing the results of the Caulfield Cup is essential for refining your betting strategies for the rest of the season. Jockey and Trainer Analysis When it comes to Caulfield Cup betting, understanding the role of both trainers and jockeys is important. Several top trainers, particularly those with connections to New Zealand, have had repeated success in the Caulfield Cup. Trainers like Chris Waller, who has strong ties to New Zealand, often influence horse racing odds with their strategic race preparation. These trainers meticulously plan their horses’ fitness and tactics, which NZ bettors should consider when evaluating 2024 Caulfield Cup contenders. Jockey performance is equally important in shaping horse betting strategies and tips. Jockeys with a proven track record at both Caulfield and Flemington bring valuable experience, influencing the race's outcome. Any changes in jockeys, especially with seasoned riders, can impact betting odds significantly. When you’re eyeing the Caulfield Cup markets, analysing both trainer and jockey insights is essential for informed betting strategies. Track Conditions and Historical Trends For those engaging in Caulfield Cup betting, track conditions play a significant role in shaping betting strategies. In 2024, the track at Caulfield is expected to present a good to soft surface, typical of the Spring Carnival. Horses that prefer softer ground may have an edge, while those favouring firmer conditions could struggle. This is crucial for NZ bettors assessing horse racing odds and New Zealand betting tips. Learn more about fixed odds betting now, and get ready to place your bets! Register To Bet At Betway Historically, the Caulfield Cup has favoured certain types of horses. Frontrunners often perform well on firmer tracks, where early speed can secure an advantage, while closers tend to excel in softer conditions, where stamina becomes more critical. Reviewing past winners, you’ll see that middle-distance stayers with solid form in prior lead-up races often perform best, serving as an ideal form guide for future races. For 2024 Caulfield Cup bettors, adjusting strategies based on track conditions is key. If the track is softer, look for horses with proven endurance, particularly those who finish strong. In contrast, a firmer track may benefit those with speedier bursts, making frontrunners more attractive. By understanding these nuances, you can refine your bets for better outcomes. Key Horses to Watch for NZ Punters In the 2024 Caulfield Cup, key horses like Gold Trip and Soulcombe are currently favoured based on their strong 2023 campaigns. Gold Trip, a Melbourne Cup champion, continues to impress with his consistent performances in major staying races, making him a top contender for this year’s event. Soulcombe, with his strong form in Australian Group 1 races, also stands out for his proven staying ability. Enjoy Horse Racing Betting At Betway For New Zealand bettors, Sharp ‘N’ Smart, a New Zealand-bred nomination, offers excitement. With a stellar 2023 season that included wins in major Australian races, his current form points to strong chances in 2024. Historically, New Zealand-bred horses have fared well in the Caulfield Cup, with Ethereal’s 2001 victory being a standout, reinforcing the importance of this race for Kiwi punters. For value bets, horses like West Wind Blows, with solid international form, could be overlooked by the broader market but present strong credentials. Additionally, keeping an eye on New Zealand-bred horses that tend to perform well over longer distances can offer strategic betting opportunities. With the right form and preparation, they could deliver significant returns. Final Thoughts and Betting Tips For 2024 Caulfield Cup betting, you should closely monitor horse racing odds, track conditions, and any key jockey or trainer changes leading up to race day. A well-rounded betting strategy involves analysing horse form, the influence of experienced jockeys, and trainer tactics, especially for those with a history of success in the Caulfield Cup. Historical trends can also provide insights into which horses may perform best. Consider value bets on horses that show strong form in lead-up races and adjust based on track conditions for potential standout picks. Click here to explore more horse betting news online today! More Great Horse Racing events to Bet On --- > Find out about Cox Plate 2024 betting with our guide. We cover key horses, jockeys and their impact on the race, and trainer insights and strategies. - Published: 2024-09-10 - Modified: 2024-09-10 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/cox-plate-2024-outlook/ Key Horses to Watch This Year As 2024 Cox Plate betting intensifies, a few standout contenders are drawing significant attention. Via Sistina, the current favourite, has demonstrated impressive consistency in her Group 1 performances. Her ability to maintain speed over longer distances is impressive. This makes her a strong candidate for the 2040 m Cox Plate. She is positioned as a top pick in Cox Plate odds. Another leading contender is Mr. Brightside. His consistent form across various track conditions has earned him a solid reputation among bettors. His adaptability and recent strong finishes in high-profile races make him a formidable competitor for the Cox Plate 2024. Prognosis, priced at $8. 00, is another horse to watch. His recent standout performances have boosted his profile. Plus, his ability to compete at the highest level could see his odds shorten as race day approaches. Additionally, Pride of Jenni and Broadsiding are emerging as dark horses. Their strong finishing ability in recent races makes them potential upset contenders. This is important for those looking to improve their horse betting strategy and maximise their wins. Keep an eye on how their form develops leading up to the race. Jockeys and Their Impact on the Race In Cox Plate 2024 betting, the role of jockeys cannot be overlooked, as their skill and experience can significantly influence the race outcome. Hugh Bowman, with four Cox Plate victories, is known for his impeccable timing and ability to navigate Moonee Valley’s unique track. His experience in high-pressure races gives any horse he rides a strong chance of success. Another jockey to watch is James McDonald, regarded as one of the best in the world. His tactical riding and deep understanding of race dynamics make him a key player in the 2024 Cox Plate. McDonald’s partnership with top contenders could heavily sway Cox Plate odds as race day approaches. Craig Williams, a seasoned jockey with multiple Group 1 victories, also brings an aggressive style that suits Moonee Valley. His ability to position horses for a late surge makes him a notable factor in Cox Plate 2024. Bettors should keep an eye on these jockeys and their horse pairings for an edge in their betting strategies. Explore more horse racing betting tips online as well to stay in the loop with all major events taking place globally. Trainer Insights and Strategies In the lead-up to the 2024 Cox Plate, several top trainers are making headlines with their innovative approaches. Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, renowned for their strategic race planning, often focus on tailoring each horse's preparation to specific conditions, which could play a pivotal role in the unpredictable Cox Plate. Their success in similar Group 1 races makes them key contenders when it comes to Cox Plate odds. James Cummings, another standout, relies on a meticulous balance between stamina-building and speed work. His training style emphasises a gradual peak in form, aiming for horses to hit their stride on race day. George Boughey has quickly gained recognition in the Cox Plate for his adaptability and unique insights, establishing himself as a rising star. His strategic use of jockeys and race placement could surprise bettors. For those exploring online betting on the 2024 Cox Plate, keeping an eye on these trainers' methods and Cox Plate odds will be essential for crafting informed betting strategies. Recent Cox Plate Race Winners Analysing the Odds: What Bettors Need to Know When analysing Cox Plate 2024 betting, odds like $4. 00 for Via Sistina to win suggest she’s the current favourite. Bettors should note that shorter odds reflect both the horse’s form and public confidence. In contrast, horses like Prognosis at $8. 00 to win or Pride of Jenni, Mr Brightside, and Broadsiding at $10. 00 to win offer slightly longer odds, indicating decent potential but with more uncertainty surrounding their performance. As race day approaches, Cox Plate odds can shift based on factors like track conditions, late-breaking news on jockey changes, or impressive workouts. For instance, a strong trial performance by Mr Brightside might shorten his odds, signalling increased confidence from bookmakers and bettors alike. When crafting betting strategies for the Cox Plate, bettors should look for value in horses with longer odds that may outperform expectations. Horses like Broadsiding could present an opportunity for higher returns if they show improvement closer to race day. Potential Betting Strategies To Give You The Edge For Cox Plate 2024 betting, a win/place bet on favourites like Via Sistina offers lower risk, while trifectas or exotic bets combining horses like Prognosis and Mr Brightside could deliver higher returns. Savvy bettors should analyse Cox Plate odds, jockey form, and trainer insights to identify value opportunities for more strategic wagers. --- > Uncover the winning strategies of top NRL coaches and how they shape champions. Learn how to leverage these insights to gain an important betting edge. - Published: 2024-09-10 - Modified: 2024-09-10 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/coaches-shape-nrl-champions/ Coaching strategies are the bedrock of success in the high-stakes world of the NRL. Understanding these strategies isn't just for aspiring coaches – it's also crucial for NRL betting enthusiasts seeking an edge in predicting match outcomes. Let's delve into the playbooks of triumphant NRL coaches and uncover their winning formulas. Case Study 1: Tactical Masterclass Craig Bellamy, the mastermind behind the Melbourne Storm's dynasty, is synonymous with tactical innovation. His meticulous game plans, centred around relentless defence and structured attack, have consistently yielded results. The Storm's ability to adapt to various opponents, often dictating the flow of the game, is a testament to Bellamy's tactical prowess. Bellamy's influence extends beyond the field. His emphasis on discipline and a strong team culture creates a cohesive unit that performs at a high level. This translates into a reliable sports betting option, as the Storm rarely succumbs to complacency or individual errors. Their structured play results in predictable patterns, making them favourites in many matchups. However, astute bettors also recognize the potential for upsets when opponents successfully disrupt the Storm's rhythm, offering lucrative odds. Teams that can force errors, break down their defensive line, or exploit any weaknesses in their structured play have a chance to cause an upset, creating enticing opportunities for those willing to bet against the odds. Understanding Bellamy's tactical approach and the Storm's potential vulnerabilities can help bettors make more informed decisions and capitalise on favourable odds. Bet On NRL At Betway Case Study 2: Defensive Prowess Wayne Bennett, often called the 'master coach,' has built his legacy on defensive resilience. His teams are notoriously difficult to break down, often grinding out low-scoring victories. This defensive focus significantly impacts betting markets, with unders frequently hitting in games involving Bennett's sides. Bennett's philosophy prioritises minimising errors and controlling the tempo of the game. His teams are well-drilled in defensive structures, making it challenging for opponents to find space and create scoring opportunities. This often leads to frustrating, low-scoring encounters, particularly against teams that rely on free-flowing attack. While this cautious approach might not always produce flashy scorelines, it fosters a culture of discipline and consistency. Bennett's teams are known for their mental toughness and ability to stay in games even when trailing. Over the course of a season, this resilience can lead to a deep playoff run, as Bennett's teams are rarely blown out and always remain in contention. For bettors, recognizing this defensive prowess can lead to profitable opportunities in specific markets. Under bets and tight handicap lines are often favourable options when Bennett's teams are involved. Explore NRL Betting At Betway In-Game Adjustments and Their Impact Top NRL coaches possess an exceptional ability to read the game. They make crucial in-game adjustments that can dramatically change the game's course. This could involve switching tactics, altering player positions, or capitalising on an opponent's weakness. A prime example is the 2019 NRL Grand Final between the Sydney Roosters and the Canberra Raiders. At halftime, the Roosters held a slim 8-6 lead. However, coach Trent Robinson's astute adjustments in the second half, which included a greater focus on ball control and defensive pressure, stifled the Raiders' momentum. The Roosters scored a decisive try early in the second half and held on for a 14-8 victory. This tactical shift likely impacted live betting odds, as the Roosters' second-half dominance would have swung the momentum in their favour. This famous example illustrates the profound influence in-game coaching decisions can have on both the outcome of a match and the associated betting markets. Betting Implications of Coaching Strategies Understanding coaching strategies can give bettors a significant edge. It’s important to recognise a coach's tendencies, such as a propensity for defensive play or aggressive attacking styles, which can help predict game flow and potential outcomes. Bettors will want to pay attention to patterns like teams known for strong second-half performances under certain coaches or those prone to low-scoring games. Keeping a close eye on in-game adjustments and their impact on live odds is also crucial for making informed betting decisions. Good Coaching Strategies Lead To Success Coaching strategies are a driving force behind NRL success. Their influence on game outcomes is undeniable, making them invaluable for bettors seeking an advantage. By understanding these strategies, bettors can make more informed predictions and increase their chances of winning. Click here to Stay Up to Date with the Latest NRL Betting News --- > Discover the top Australian races to bet on this September. Gain a New Zealand perspective on the horses, jockeys, and betting strategies that matter. - Published: 2024-09-07 - Modified: 2024-09-07 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/september-aussie-horse-races/ September marks an action-packed chapter in Australian horse racing, particularly for keen New Zealand bettors. With deep ties between the two nations' racing scenes, these events offer a glimpse into the form leading into the Spring Racing Carnival. Get ready to place your bets and experience the excitement as top horses and jockeys compete on the Australian turf! Get ready for the best horse racing tips online now! Moir Stakes - Sep 7, 2024 (Moonee Valley) The Moir Stakes kicks off September's racing action at Moonee Valley. This 1000m Group 1 sprint with a $750,000 prize attracts top sprinters from Australia and New Zealand. For Kiwi bettors, this race offers vital clues for the upcoming Spring Carnival. It showcases early-season form and how horses handle the unique Moonee Valley track. It’s worth your time to keep a close eye on defending champion Imperatriz from New Zealand, aiming for back-to-back wins. Australian stars Giga Kick and Coolangatta pose serious threats with their explosive speed and tactical brilliance. New Zealand's Roch 'N' Horse, a proven Group 1 performer, adds trans-Tasman spice to the mix. Established jockeys like James McDonald, Opie Bosson, and Jamie Kah will be in the saddle, adding another layer of excitement. Consider track conditions, horses with NZ connections or experience against Kiwi competition, and the track records of trainers and jockeys in trans-Tasman races when placing your bets. The Moir Stakes is an enormously popular event. It’s also a crucial indicator of the Spring Carnival. Watch these top horses and jockeys closely as they set the stage for an unforgettable racing season. Bet At Betway Makybe Diva Stakes - Sep 14, 2024 (Flemington) The Makybe Diva Stakes, a prestigious 1600m Group 1 race held at Flemington on September 14th, carries a $750,000 prize pool and serves as a crucial stepping stone for horses targeting the major Spring Carnival races. Flemington's expansive track, renowned for its long straight, favours horses with stamina and a strong finishing kick, a key consideration for New Zealand horse betting enthusiasts. Among the potential stars, keep an eye on the New Zealand-bred Mr Brightside, ridden by Craig Williams. This pair shows immense potential over the mile distance and could thrive at Flemington. Proven Group 1 winner Alligator Blood’s tactical speed and fighting spirit make him a formidable contender on any track. Other promising contenders are also expected to step up and challenge for the title. Top jockeys like Damien Oliver will be vying for the ride in this prestigious race. Their experience and understanding of Flemington's unique challenges are a potential deciding factor. Odds shifts and betting trends for those horses with strong mile form can make a huge difference to the outcome of your wagers. These insights can provide valuable opportunities for Kiwi punters. The Makybe Diva Stakes is more than just a thrilling race; it's a window into the future of the Spring Carnival. Register & Bet At Betway Underwood Stakes - Sep 21, 2024 (Caulfield) A pivotal 1800m Group 1 race set to be held at Caulfield on September 21st, the Underwood Stakes offers a $750,000 prize. It serves as a crucial test for middle-distance horses aiming for Spring Carnival glory. Caulfield's track, known for its tight turns and challenging home straight, often favours horses with tactical speed and the ability to handle pressure. New Zealand bettors should consider how horses have performed on similar tracks and whether they possess the tenacity to navigate Caulfield's unique layout. Potential contenders like Mr Brightside, fresh off his Makybe Diva Stakes run, and the consistent performer Alligator Blood could thrive in these conditions. Don't discount international raiders like Dubai Honour, who boasts strong middle-distance form overseas. Jamie Kah, Blake Shinn, and Craig Williams, who have had success in the past at Caulfield, will be sought after. Their expertise navigating the tight turns and timing their runs to perfection can significantly impact race outcomes. Sports betting enthusiasts from New Zealand, analysing the form of horses crossing the Tasman is essential. Look for those who have performed well against strong Australian competition or displayed a liking for tracks with similar characteristics to Caulfield. Consider factors like recent form, distance suitability, and any notable jockey changes. Enjoy Horse Racing Betting At Betway Manikato Stakes - Sep 27, 2024 (Moonee Valley) This is the premier night racing spectacle and will be held at Moonee Valley on September 27th. The Manikato Stakes boasts a massive $2,000,000 prize pool, attracting top-tier sprinters from across Australia and New Zealand. This 1200m Group 1 event under the lights adds a unique dimension to the Spring Carnival, demanding both speed and adaptability from competing horses. For New Zealand bettors, the night racing element might require some adjustment. Horses can react differently to the atmosphere and cooler temperatures, so consider their past performances under similar conditions. Focus on those with proven sprint form, especially those who've faced tough competition from New Zealand, showcasing their ability to handle pressure at the highest level. Trainers and jockeys with a successful record under lights, especially at Moonee Valley, will likely have an advantage. Past Manikato Stakes winners like Ciaron Maher, David Eustace, and Mark Walker (with Imperatriz in 2023) demonstrate a knack for preparing horses for this unique challenge. Keep a keen eye on betting patterns and market movements as the race approaches. Pay attention to any significant odds shifts, especially for horses with New Zealand connections or strong sprint form. Fluctuations like these can offer valuable insights into the chances of various contenders, and knowing how every rider and horse may perform on the track will give punters the edge that they need to find big success. Explore Horse Betting At Betway Horse Betting Opportunities Heat Up In September September's Australian races offer exciting betting opportunities and invaluable insights for New Zealand punters ahead of the Spring Racing Carnival. Track conditions, horse form, and the expertise of trainers and jockeys all play crucial roles. Watch for trans-Tasman betting opportunities, emerging contenders, and any market movements to place well-informed wagers and enjoy the excitement of these key events. --- > Discover the top 2024 AFL draft picks and how they could shape their teams. Learn how these rising stars could influence betting odds and your AFL strategy. - Published: 2024-09-04 - Modified: 2024-09-04 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/2024-afl-draft-picks/ The AFL Draft is a pivotal moment in the Australian Football League calendar. It's where young talent is injected into the league, shaping the future of clubs for years to come. The strategic selection of draft picks can significantly influence a team's performance, affecting not only their on-field success but also the betting odds associated with their games. This article delves into the prospective impact of the 2024 AFL Draft picks and how they might shake up the upcoming season. Key 2024 AFL Draft Picks to Watch Harley Reid: A dynamic midfielder with explosive speed and elite ball-winning ability. Reid's agility and evasiveness make him a nightmare for opponents, and his pinpoint disposal creates scoring opportunities. He's expected to inject pace and class into his new team's midfield. Elijah Tsatas: A composed and skillful midfielder with excellent decision-making and disposal. Tsatas' football intelligence and technical proficiency set him apart. He has all the makings of becoming a key playmaker, providing creativity and drive through the middle of the ground. George Wardlaw: A powerful and hard-working midfielder who thrives in the contest. Wardlaw's strength and determination make him a force to be reckoned with at stoppages. His tenacity and work ethic could add a tough edge to his new team's on-ball brigade. Impact on Team Dynamics and Performance The addition of these key draft picks has the potential to significantly impact the overall team dynamics and performance. Teams securing top talents like Reid, Tsatas, or Wardlaw could see an immediate boost in their midfield strength, leading to improved ball movement and scoring opportunities. These new additions might also address existing weaknesses within a team, such as a lack of speed or contested ball winners. Overall, these improvements may lead to a shift in the team’s strategy, making them more competitive and impacting AFL betting odds and game outcomes for the 2025 season. Betting Insights: How Draft Picks Influence Odds The inclusion of highly touted draft picks can significantly shift betting odds for the upcoming AFL season. Teams acquiring top talents are often perceived as having improved their chances of success, leading bookmakers to adjust their odds accordingly. Past examples, such as the results of Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson for Gold Coast in 2020, demonstrate how draft picks can instantly elevate a team's performance and affect betting markets. For NZ bettors, it's important to stay informed about the draft and what it could mean for them. Consider the effect of key draft picks on team strengths and weaknesses when making your betting decisions. By staying ahead of the curve, you can identify value bets and potentially capitalise on the market's reaction to the draft. Sign Up At Betway Betting Tips To Get In On The Action The 2024 AFL Draft has the potential to reshape the league's landscape, with top picks like Reid, Tsatas, and Wardlaw capable of making a fast impact. For bettors, it's essential to consider the influence of these new additions on team performance and odds. Stay informed, analyse the draft's implications, and identify potential value bets for the exciting 2025 AFL season. --- > UFC 306 makes history at the Sphere in Las Vegas. Get the inside scoop on O'Malley's rise, Grasso's rematch, Ortega’s return, and top betting opportunities. - Published: 2024-09-03 - Modified: 2024-09-03 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/ufc/ufc-306-betting-outlook/ UFC 306 makes history as the first-ever UFC event at the dazzling new Sphere in Las Vegas. Coinciding with Mexican Independence Day, the event is aptly branded "Riyadh Season Noche UFC," promising an electrifying atmosphere. With a mix of established headliners and rising stars on the undercard, UFC 306 is poised to deliver action and excitement for fight fans around the world. The Sphere – An Iconic New Venue The Sphere is set to revolutionise the live event experience. Its spherical exterior, covered in an array of programmable LEDs, is a sight to behold, while the interior boasts cutting-edge technology designed to immerse fans in the action. With high-resolution displays, 3D audio, and haptic feedback, the Sphere promises to elevate UFC 306 to a new level of spectacle, creating an unforgettable experience for both those in attendance and watching from home. Headliner Hype – Sean O'Malley’s Rising Stardom Sean O'Malley's meteoric rise through the UFC ranks has been nothing short of spectacular. His unorthodox striking style, coupled with his flamboyant personality and massive online following, has made him one of the promotion's most captivating stars. O'Malley's showdown against Merab Dvalishvili is a clash of styles that has fight fans buzzing. Dvalishvili's relentless grappling and pressure-heavy approach present a unique challenge for O'Malley, who thrives in striking exchanges. This stylistic contrast has made the fight difficult to predict, leading to intriguing online betting odds and heated debates among fans and analysts. A win over Dvalishvili would be a defining moment in O'Malley's career, solidifying his status as a legitimate contender and potentially opening doors for a title shot. The outcome of this fight could significantly shape the bantamweight landscape and further elevate O'Malley's stardom in the UFC. Undercard Spotlight – Rising Stars and Potential Upsets While the main event commands the spotlight, UFC 306's undercard boasts several fights that could steal the show and offer lucrative betting opportunities. Keep an eye on rising star Ian Machado Garry, who is riding a wave of momentum with four straight UFC wins. He faces a tough test in veteran Neil Magny, but Garry's confidence and striking prowess make him a live underdog. Get Betting On UFC At Betway Alexa Grasso will look to defend her flyweight title against former champion Valentina Shevchenko in a highly anticipated rematch. While Shevchenko is the betting favourite, Grasso's previous upset victory demonstrates her ability to surprise, making this fight a potential value bet for those backing the underdog. Brian Ortega, returning from injury, faces a dangerous opponent in Diego Lopes. Though Lopes is a newcomer to the UFC, his aggressive style and submission skills could pose problems for Ortega, making this a fight to watch for potential upsets. Click Here To Explore More UFC Betting News Now Betting Angles – Smart Picks and Potential Payouts UFC 306 offers a range of intriguing betting opportunities, both for seasoned bettors and casual fans. The following are the best Value Picks for the upcoming fights: Alexa Grasso: Despite being the reigning champion, Grasso is a slight underdog in her rematch against Valentina Shevchenko. Given her recent victory and Shevchenko's potential decline, Grasso represents a solid value bet with a potential high payout. Enjoy UFC Betting At Betway Ian Machado Garry: Garry's momentum and striking prowess make him an attractive underdog pick against Neil Magny. If Garry can maintain his aggressive style and avoid Magny's grappling, he could pull off an upset. Brian Ortega: While Ortega is returning from injury, his experience and well-rounded skills make him a slight favourite against Diego Lopes. If Ortega can shake off any ring rust, he offers a decent return for a relatively low-risk bet. Betting Strategies & Tips: Parlays: Combine multiple underdog picks, like Grasso and Garry, into a parlay for a potentially massive payout. Prop Bets: Consider prop bets on specific fight outcomes, such as method of victory or round totals. These bets can offer attractive odds and add excitement to your viewing experience. Analyse fighter styles, recent performances, and any relevant news before placing your bets. Create a bankroll by setting a budget for your bets and stick to it, regardless of wins or losses. Comeback Stories – Fighters Returning to the Octagon UFC 306 marks the return of several fighters after extended layoffs, adding another layer of intrigue to the event. Brian Ortega, for instance, steps back into the Octagon after a significant injury. While ring rust is a concern, his experience and skillset could still prevail. Bettors should consider factors like the nature of the injury, the fighter's training regimen during their time off, and their opponent's style when assessing these comeback fights. Register For UFC Betting At Betway Rivalries and Rematches – Grasso vs. Shevchenko The rivalry between Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko is one of the most compelling in the women's flyweight division. Grasso's stunning upset victory over Shevchenko in their first encounter sent shockwaves through the MMA world, ending Shevchenko's dominant reign. Their rematch at UFC 306 is a chance for Shevchenko to reclaim her throne and avenge her loss, while Grasso aims to prove her victory was no fluke. The outcome of this trilogy fight will have significant implications for the flyweight division. A Shevchenko win could solidify her status as one of the greatest female fighters of all time, while a Grasso victory would further establish her as a dominant champion. The betting markets reflect the closeness of this matchup, with odds swinging back and forth as fight night approaches. The Global Impact – Saudi Sponsorship and UFC’s Expansion The UFC's partnership with Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority signifies the promotion's continued global expansion. This sponsorship could pave the way for more international events, particularly in the Middle East, broadening the UFC's reach and potentially opening new betting markets worldwide. This strategic move could reshape the landscape of UFC betting and general MMA betting in the years to come. A Fight Night To Remember UFC 306 at the Sphere is shaping up to be a historic event, with thrilling fights and potential upsets across the card. From the O'Malley vs. Dvalishvili clash to the Grasso vs. Shevchenko rematch, this event is packed with betting opportunities for fans and seasoned bettors. Explore your options, make your picks, and get ready for an unforgettable night of fights at the Sphere. --- > Find out more about the NRL Round 26 game in which the Bulldogs and the Sea Eagles will clash. We cover the predicted outcome, give betting tips, and more. - Published: 2024-09-03 - Modified: 2024-09-03 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/bulldogs-vs-sea-eagles-round-26/ The Canterbury Bulldogs will face the Manly Sea Eagles on Friday, 30 August 2024, at 6:00 p. m. AEST at Stadium Australia. This match is critical for both teams. The Bulldogs aim to solidify their playoff spot. They boast a strong home record. The team has won seven out of their last eight home games. Meanwhile, the Sea Eagles aim to regain form after a mixed season. Despite their struggles, they have historically dominated the Bulldogs. The Sea Eagles have won nine of their last ten encounters against the Bulldogs. Bettors should note the high stakes and potential for an intense showdown in this crucial Round 26 clash. Predicted Outcome Based on Data Stats Insider’s prediction model, powered by 10,000 machine learning simulations, anticipates a highly competitive match between the Bulldogs and Sea Eagles in Round 26. The simulations forecast a final score of Bulldogs 25-Sea Eagles 21, giving the Bulldogs a 61% chance of winning. This model factors in recent team performance, individual player metrics, and historical matchups, offering you a comprehensive analytical edge. If you’re interested in betting this game, these data-driven insights are invaluable, offering a deeper understanding of potential outcomes. While the Bulldogs are favoured, the Sea Eagles’ resilience makes this an intriguing contest with significant betting opportunities across multiple markets, including point margins, player performance, and halftime results. Current Betting Odds and Tips For the Bulldogs vs. Sea Eagles match, the current betting odds offer several opportunities for bettors: Head-to-Head The Bulldogs are favoured at $1. 62, while the Sea Eagles are listed at $2. 30. Given the Bulldogs' 61% win probability from Stats Insider’s simulations, this makes the Bulldogs a strong bet in the head-to-head market. Line Betting The line is set at Bulldogs -3. 5 ($1. 91) and Sea Eagles +3. 5 ($1. 91). With the predicted final score of 25-21 in favour of the Bulldogs, taking the Bulldogs to cover the -3. 5 line offers value, reflecting the expected margin of victory. Total Points The over/under is set at 45. 5 points, with both options priced at $1. 91. Given the predicted high-scoring nature of the game and recent form, betting on Over 45. 5 points seems like a smart play, especially considering both teams' offensive capabilities. The data-driven predictions suggest focusing on the Bulldogs to win and cover the -3. 5 line, while the Over 45. 5 points also presents a strong opportunity, backed by recent trends and statistical projections. Bettors might also consider multi-bet combinations involving these options to maximise potential returns. Register & Bet At Betway Key Considerations for Bettors Before placing bets on the Bulldogs vs. Sea Eagles match, you should consider several critical factors: Injuries and Player Form Check for any recent injuries or changes in player form, particularly in key players like the Bulldogs' halfback, Blake Taaffe, and the Sea Eagles' fullback, Thomas Peter Trbojevic. Any last-minute injuries could significantly alter the dynamics of the game. Weather Conditions Consider the weather forecast for game day, as adverse conditions like rain could impact scoring potential and favour teams with a strong forward pack or kicking game. Wet conditions might lead to a lower-scoring game, affecting total points markets. Historical Performance Review the historical head-to-head performance between these teams, particularly in similar high-stakes matches. The Sea Eagles have historically dominated this matchup, which could influence their mindset and strategy. Explore NRL Betting At Betway Bulldogs or Eagles? Remember To Bet Smart As you place your bets, remember the Bulldogs are the favoured team this season. Keep an eye on any last-minute changes, such as updated odds and team news, to make informed decisions. Most importantly, bet responsibly and enjoy the game! --- > Dive into the world of Melbourne Cup betting. Discover the stories behind record payouts, memorable moments, and the strategies that led to huge wins. - Published: 2024-08-30 - Modified: 2024-08-30 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/biggest-melbourne-cup-bet/ The Melbourne Cup, often referred to as the 'Race That Stops a Nation,' lives up to its name with its immense potential for punters. Every year, millions in Australia place bets on the Cup, hoping to win big. The average punter spends around $8. 50 per event, with the possibility of a massive payout. The average Melbourne Cup win is around $1500. The enticement of these incredible wins, coupled with the thrill of the race itself, makes the Melbourne Cup a betting phenomenon. Historic Melbourne Cup Trifecta Payout (1993) The 1993 Melbourne Cup will be remembered for its historic trifecta payout, a staggering $61,867. 90. This record still stands today. The remarkable windfall resulted from an unlikely trifecta. Vintage Crop, an Irish horse, won at odds of 14-1. Vintage Crop was followed by Te Akau Nick and Mercator, both long shots at 160-1 and 125-1, respectively. Vintage Crop's victory was monumental, being the first European horse to win the Cup. This, coupled with the unexpected placings of the other two horses, made the trifecta an extremely rare occurrence. The enormous payout underscored the inherent risk and reward of betting on the Melbourne Cup. It showcases how a perfectly predicted trifecta could yield a life-changing sum, even with a relatively small stake. Enjoy Melbourne Cup Betting At Betway 2019 Melbourne Cup Protest Win The 2019 Melbourne Cup witnessed a dramatic turn of events when a protest was lodged against the runner-up, Master Of Reality, for interference in the final stretch. The stewards upheld the protest, relegating Master Of Reality to fourth place and elevating Prince Of Arran and Il Paradiso to second and third, respectively. This decision ignited controversy among racing fans and experts, with some believing the interference was minor and shouldn't have impacted the result. However, the protest proved to be a life-changer for one lucky punter. After the protest, they placed a $10 first-four bet with the correct finishing order, and they walked away with a staggering $793,000 payout. This incident highlighted the unpredictable nature of the Melbourne Cup. It shows how even a post-race decision can dramatically alter fortunes, making it one of the most memorable moments in recent Cup history. Bet On The Melbourne Cup At Betway Record-Breaking 2020 Melbourne Cup Payout in New Zealand In 2020, a retired man from Christchurch etched his name in New Zealand racing history by securing the largest-ever Melbourne Cup payout in the country. His modest $112 bet at the Bishopdale TAB outlet turned into a life-changing AUD$1. 09 million windfall. The winning bet was a "Pick 6" wager, where punters must correctly predict the winners of six consecutive races. TAB executive chair Dean McKenzie described it as "a truly extraordinary result, and we're thrilled for our lucky Christchurch customer. " This extraordinary win showcases the potential for massive returns even from relatively small bets, adding another layer of excitement to the allure of the Melbourne Cup. Learn More About Horse Betting Online Now Analysis of High-Risk, High-Reward Betting Strategies The historic wins highlighted, particularly the Trifecta and First 4 bets, exemplify high-risk, high-reward betting strategies. These bets require predicting multiple race outcomes correctly. This makes it significantly harder for them to win than simpler bets like win or place bets. However, the potential payouts are exponentially higher, offering enormous sums for a relatively small stake. While conservative options like win or place bets offer more frequent, albeit smaller, wins, they lack the thrill and potential for massive returns that draw many to the Melbourne Cup. This balance of risk and reward makes exotic bets like Trifectas and First 4 so alluring, contributing to the Melbourne Cup's reputation as a race of dreams. Register & Bet At Betway Get In On The Action Of The Race That Stops A Nation The Melbourne Cup's rich history is filled with extraordinary betting tales, showcasing the race's potential for life-changing wins. From record-breaking payouts to controversial protests, the Cup never fails to deliver excitement and drama. This unique blend of thrill, potential reward, and the enduring spirit of competition keeps punters captivated, ensuring the Melbourne Cup remains the race that stops a nation, year after year. Read More Horse Racing Betting Tips Here --- > Discover the top underdog teams to watch in the 2024 NRL season. Explore how the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Parramatta Eels, and others could defy the odds. - Published: 2024-08-28 - Modified: 2024-08-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/underdog-teams-nrl-2024/ The Appeal of Betting on Underdogs Betting on underdog teams in the NRL can be both thrilling and rewarding. These teams often come with higher odds, offering the potential for greater returns if they outperform expectations. The unpredictable nature of underdogs makes them an exciting option for NRL betting enthusiasts looking to maximise their winnings. In the 2024 season, several teams could surprise. The South Sydney Rabbitohs, Parramatta Eels, Wests Tigers, Gold Coast Titans, and Bulldogs all have the potential to defy the odds and make a significant impact. This article explores these underdog teams and their chances of shaking up the NRL standings. Key Underdog Teams to Watch in 2024 The South Sydney Rabbitohs are traditionally strong but are being overlooked this season. Their offseason has been marked by significant changes, including the addition of key players and the return of veterans from injury. They ended the previous season with a strong finish, showcasing a solid defensive strategy and a dynamic attack. The Parramatta Eels are another team flying under the radar. The Eels have strengthened their squad with key signings, especially in the forward pack, which has improved their overall performance. Their resilience and ability to compete against top teams were evident last season, and they have carried that form into 2024. The Wests Tigers have shown considerable promise this season. They have been active in the offseason, focussing on both recruitment and player development. Their improvement in team cohesion and game strategy has been notable. The Tigers finished the previous season with several strong performances and have continued that momentum into 2024. The Gold Coast Titans are arguably the most surprising team of the season. Their recruitment strategy has brought in young, dynamic players who have quickly made a mark. They ended the previous season on a high note and have started 2024 with impressive performances. The Titans’ improved squad depth and emerging talent suggest they could outperform expectations. The Bulldogs have been underperformers in recent seasons but are showing signs of revival. Their offseason changes, including strategic signings and a focus on player development, have contributed to their improved form. The Bulldogs have demonstrated stronger performances and a more cohesive team strategy this season. Sign Up At Betway How Underdog Performances Affect Betting Odds Underdog performances can significantly impact betting odds, often leading to higher payouts. When underdog teams start performing better than expected, their odds typically shorten, reflecting their improved chances. This can offer bettors substantial returns, especially if they place bets early when odds are still high. However, online betting on underdogs comes with volatility and risks. These teams can be unpredictable, and their success is not guaranteed, which means potential losses are also a factor. The key to successful betting on underdogs is timing and research. Bettors should monitor team form, player injuries, and other factors that could influence performance. Placing bets when the odds are still favourable and the team shows consistent improvement can enhance the chances of a profitable outcome. Strategic betting involves balancing risk with potential rewards, keeping an eye on team trends, and being prepared for the inherent uncertainty in underdog betting. Make NRL Bets At Betway Expert Betting Tips: Capitalising on Underdog Teams Betting on underdog teams can be particularly advantageous in matchups where they face top teams coming off tough fixtures or injuries. Look for scenarios where the underdog has shown recent improvement or is playing at home, as these factors can boost their chances. For instance, if an underdog has a strong record against a specific opponent or has made strategic enhancements, these can be indicators of potential success. To capitalise on these opportunities, place bets when the odds are still high and monitor any pre-game developments, such as player injuries or lineup changes. Balancing your bets across different markets, like point spreads or individual player performances, can also help manage risks. While the potential rewards are significant, it's crucial to stay informed and bet within your limits to mitigate the inherent risks of wagering on underdogs. Stay Ahead with Smart Underdog Bets Betting on underdog teams at trusted sportsbooks like Betway NZ and can be highly rewarding with the right strategy. By focussing on favourable matchups, monitoring team improvements, and managing risks, bettors can take advantage of higher odds and potential payouts. Keep these insights in mind to refine your betting strategy and stay ahead in the 2024 NRL season. --- > Discover NRL betting promotions like free bets, boosted odds, and more. Learn expert tips to enhance your betting strategy and increase your winnings. - Published: 2024-08-28 - Modified: 2024-08-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/maximise-nrl-bet-winnings/ Betting promotions are special offers from bookmakers designed to enhance your sports betting experience by offering extra value on your wagers. For NRL bettors, these promotions are particularly valuable, offering opportunities to boost your winnings or minimise losses during the 2024 season. As the competition heats up, understanding how to make the most of these promotions can significantly impact your betting success. This guide will provide you with key strategies to maximise your winnings this NRL season. Overview of Popular 2024 NRL Betting Promotions The 2024 NRL season brings with it a variety of betting promotions designed to give you more bang for your buck: Free Bets Free bets are a common promotion where bookmakers offer a risk-free wager. Typically, you place a bet with your own money, and if it loses, the bookie refunds your stake as a free bet. This promotion appeals to New Zealand bettors looking to reduce risk while exploring new betting strategies. Boosted Odds Boosted odds promotions enhance the payout odds on selected NRL matches or markets, giving you the chance to win more for the same stake. This is particularly inviting during big NRL games or when backing an underdog. Always check the maximum bet amount allowed for boosted odds and any restrictions on cashing out early. Multi-Bet Offers Multi-bet promotions reward you with bonuses for placing accumulator bets on multiple NRL games. New Zealand bettors who enjoy the excitement of predicting multiple outcomes will find this offer enticing. However, be mindful of the increased risk and ensure you understand the conditions, such as minimum odds and the number of legs required for the bonus. Before taking advantage of these promotions, always read the terms and conditions carefully to avoid potential pitfalls and ensure you’re making the most of the offers. Each bookmaker offers unique rewards and betting options, and we highly recommend Betway NZ as a leading sportsbook for Kiwi punters, bringing you the best odds and amazing betting action. Sign Up At Betway To Start Betting Expert Tips on Maximising Promotions To get the most out of NRL betting promotions, start by comparing offers across different betting sites. Some bookmakers may provide better odds, more generous free bets, or higher multi-bet bonuses, so it pays to shop around. Always read the fine print to understand any restrictions, such as wagering requirements or bet limits, to avoid unexpected surprises. Timing is crucial—align your bets with high-value promotions, like boosted odds or special event offers, to enhance your potential returns. Managing your bankroll effectively is also key; don’t be tempted to overspend just because a promotion seems lucrative. Stick to a budget, use free bets strategically, and avoid chasing losses. By combining these strategies, you can maximise the value of your betting promotions and increase your chances of a profitable NRL season. Bet Responsibly & Back A Winning Team While betting promotions can enhance your NRL experience, it’s vital to gamble responsibly. Always read the terms and conditions carefully, and never bet more than you can afford to lose. Remember, promotions should be used to add value, not to encourage reckless spending. With a disciplined approach and a clear understanding of the offers, 2024 NRL betting promotions can significantly boost your enjoyment and potential winnings throughout the season. --- > There are four new sports for Kiwi betting fans to bet on at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Find out about betting on skateboarding, surfing, climbing, and breaking. - Published: 2024-08-09 - Modified: 2024-08-09 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/new-olympic-sports/ The 2024 Olympics in Paris has introduced breaking (breakdancing), skateboarding, surfing, and sport climbing to the roster. These additions not only enhance the diversity of the Olympics but also open up new avenues for sports bettors to explore. With new events come new opportunities, making this an exciting time for both New Zealand sports enthusiasts and bettors alike. Explore other popular sports to bet on now. Breaking Down the 4 New Sports With the first medal event taking place on August 9, breakdancing fans cannot wait for the action to kick off. This dynamic sport combines elements of dance, athleticism, and creativity, showcasing competitors' skills in a battle format. At the Olympics, the competitions will feature one-on-one battles and dancers will be judged on criteria such as technique, originality, and musicality. Notable athletes to watch in 2024 include B-Boy Hong 10 from South Korea and B-Girl Kastet from Russia. If you want to bet on the action, the best markets will be win, battle outcomes, and scores based on judging criteria. Start Betting At Betway Skateboarding returns for its second Olympic appearance after a successful debut in Tokyo in 2020. This sport includes two main events: park and street. In park events, skaters perform tricks in a dome-shaped course with steep drops. In street events, skaters skate in urban environments, doing tricks on stairs, rails, and other obstacles. Find this epic sport at betting sites like Betway NZ and more online today. The USA has won 2 medals so far, Japan 7, and Brazil a whopping 16. For Kiwi skating fans, betting opportunities include event winners, scores for individual tricks, and overall performance rankings. The surfing competitions in 2024 are being held 9,000 miles away from Paris in Teahupo'o in Tahiti. The competitions are based on shortboard surfing but have gotten off to a rough start. Several rounds were called off due to a lack of waves. Surfers are judged on their maneuvers, wave selection, and overall performance. When the surf is up, key names to watch include Carissa Moore from the USA and Gabriel Medina from Brazil. Bettors can place wagers on heat winners, wave scores, and overall event champions. Sport climbing is another returning sport, with speed climbing, bouldering, and lead climbing all included in the Olympics. In speed climbing, climbers race up a standard wall. In bouldering, they solve short but challenging problems on low walls. In lead climbing, competitors climb as high as possible on a wall within a time limit. Climbers like Emma Hunt, Janja Garnbret from Slovenia, and Adam Ondra from the Czech Republic are the ones to watch in 2024. The best sports betting markets include event winners, times and scores, and performance in the three specific climbing disciplines. Register & Bet At Betway Betting Strategies for New Olympic Sports When betting on these new Olympic sports, it’s crucial to research athletes and their past performances. Competing at the Olympics is very different from competing generally. There’s far less data to analyse as the events only take place every four years. This can lead to higher-value bets with bigger returns. It’s also important to understand the specific formats and judging criteria of each sport. This ensures you have a better chance of backing a winner. Embracing The Appeal of Placing Bets On New Olympic Sports The inclusion of breakdancing, skateboarding, surfing, and sport climbing in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics brings a fresh wave of excitement and opportunities for Kiwi sports bettors. These sports offer unique betting prospects and could well net you a once in every four years win. Explore more sports betting news from around the web, curated by our experts. --- > ESPN is changing the game with its new OTT platform. It will allow for betting access, making it easy for Kiwis to wager on their best-loved sports. - Published: 2024-08-01 - Modified: 2024-08-01 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/general/espn-new-ott-platform/ ESPN's new over-the-top (OTT) product, which integrates betting access, is a groundbreaking development for New Zealand sports bettors. This innovative platform offers a seamless blend of live sports streaming and betting opportunities. It will enhance the overall viewing experience by providing fans with a new way to engage with their sports. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review Overview of ESPN's OTT Product ESPN's OTT product is an advanced sports streaming service. It was designed to deliver live coverage of sports events worldwide. This platform includes unique features such as multi-camera angles, in-depth analysis, and exclusive interviews, enhancing the overall viewing experience. A standout aspect of ESPN's offering is its integrated betting access. This will allow users to place bets directly within the streaming interface. This integration enables fans to engage with live action in real-time, making predictions and placing wagers as the events unfold. Register & Bet At Betway Unlike existing sports streaming services, which typically require separate sports betting apps or platforms for betting, ESPN's product offers a unified experience. It will combine the excitement of live sports with the convenience and thrill of betting. This comprehensive approach not only caters to sports fans but also appeals to bettors looking for an all-in-one solution. Impact on NZ Sports Bettors For New Zealand sports bettors, ESPN's new OTT product offers several significant benefits. The platform provides easy access to a wide range of sports events and betting markets including AFL betting, NRL betting, horse racing betting and so much more, all in one place. This convenience allows bettors to seamlessly switch between watching live events and placing bets, enhancing the overall betting experience. The integration of betting into the viewing experience keeps users engaged, as they can make real-time predictions and wagers based on the unfolding action. This interactive feature not only increases the excitement but also provides bettors with valuable insights, potentially leading to more informed betting decisions. Overall, ESPN's OTT product offers a more immersive and enjoyable experience for NZ sports bettors. Start Sports Betting At Betway Expert Insights Disney CEO Bob Iger envisions integrating sports betting into ESPN's OTT product to create a seamless experience for sports enthusiasts. He stated, "There’s a significant opportunity to increase fan engagement through betting," and emphasised the potential revenue boost for Disney's streaming services. Analyst Eric Handler of MKM Partners agrees, noting that sports betting can enhance viewer retention and attract new subscribers to ESPN+. This strategic move aims to position ESPN as a leader in the evolving sports entertainment landscape, blending traditional broadcasting with modern betting opportunities. Comparison with Other Platforms ESPN's new OTT product stands out among sports streaming and betting platforms available to New Zealand users. Unlike FuboTV, which offers extensive sports coverage but lacks key networks like TBS and TNT, ESPN's app integrates sports betting directly. This enhances the viewer experience by combining live sports and betting in one place. It's a unique feature not found on DAZN or Hulu + Live TV. Place Bets At Betway ESPN's Betting Integration: Revolutionising Sports Streaming for NZ Bettors ESPN's new OTT product integrates sports betting, enhancing viewer engagement and providing a seamless experience. Unlike other platforms, ESPN offers live sports and betting in one app, setting it apart from competitors. Explore more online sports betting news from New Zealand and around the globe right now. This innovation promises to transform sports viewing and betting for New Zealand sports enthusiasts. Stay tuned for the future of sports entertainment with ESPN. --- > Find out more about the 2024 Melbourne Cup. We look at why Kiwis love this event, the prospects for this year, and how you can get the most out of it. - Published: 2024-07-25 - Modified: 2024-07-25 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/what-to-look-forward-to-melbourne-cup/ The Melbourne Cup is just around the corner, and excitement is reaching fever pitch! Whether you're a seasoned bettor or a passionate spectator, this iconic horse racing event promises thrilling action. This is accompanied by unforgettable moments and a touch of glamour. Our article will give you a sneak peek into what to expect this year. We’re highlighting the best ways to enjoy the Melbourne Cup and ensuring you’re fully prepared for a spectacular day. Why Kiwis Love the Melbourne Cup Due to a historical connection and love of horse racing, New Zealanders have a long-standing romance with the Melbourne Cup. New Zealand horses and jockeys have often left an indelible mark on this race. Memorable moments include Kiwi's stunning 1983 victory, when the horse came from last place to win. The excitement around the Cup in New Zealand is palpable, with community events and a surge in online betting activity. Race day is celebrated with enthusiasm, making it a major highlight of the Kiwi sporting calendar. It brings together fans from all walks of life to share in the thrill of the race. Bet On Melbourne Cup At Betway Exciting Prospects for 2024 The 2024 Melbourne Cup is set to be more exhilarating than ever, with exciting changes and new features enhancing the race day experience. This year, expect improved spectator facilities and advanced technology for a more immersive viewing experience. Horse racing betting enthusiasts will also find a wealth of thrilling opportunities, with expanded betting markets and innovative online betting platforms offering a chance at potentially big wins. On the 2nd of November, the 2024 Melbourne Cup Field will be announced at around 4. 30 pm, and this is when excitement will reach fever pitch. Whether you're wagering on the favourites or taking a chance on the underdogs, the 2024 Melbourne Cup promises a day of high stakes and heart-pounding action, making it a must-watch event for seasoned bettors and casual fans alike. Make Melbourne Cup Bets At Betway Get Ready for Top Tier Horse Racing Action With the Melbourne Cup approaching, it's time to prepare for your bets. You can stay updated with the latest news and odds through dedicated horse racing websites and sports news channels. Plus, you can explore our recommended online betting platforms to find the best Melbourne Cup betting options to maximise your potential wins. The communal and festive atmosphere surrounding the event makes it even more exciting, whether you're joining the crowd at Flemington Racecourse or enjoying the race from home. Embrace the spirit of the Melbourne Cup and get ready for a thrilling day of horse racing betting and sports betting action! --- > Betting on the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight can legally proceed with permission from the Texas Department of Licencing and Regulation. Find out more. - Published: 2024-07-24 - Modified: 2024-07-24 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/jake-paul-vs-mike-tyson-fight/ The Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight is set for November 15th at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Not only will fans be able to watch the action on the Netflix boxing stream, but they’ll also be able to bet on it legally now. The Texas Department of Licencing and Regulation has approved the event, giving bettors the opportunity to back whoever they think will emerge the winner. Regulatory Approval With the amount of attention the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight has attracted, regulatory approval from the Texas Department of Licencing and Regulation is a major bonus. The Department is responsible for ensuring that the event adheres to strict boxing match regulations, which is done by providing independent judges and conducting thorough drug testing. Additionally, both fighters undergo comprehensive physical and mental screenings to guarantee their fitness for the bout. This oversight by the Texas Department of Licencing and Regulation enhances the credibility and safety of the match, making it one everyone can wager on with confidence. Register For MMA Betting At Betway Impact on Betting Without regulatory oversight, state gaming regulators typically prohibit betting on exhibition fights. However, when the Texas Department of Licencing and Regulation regulates a fight, it allows legal sportsbooks to offer odds on the event. This ensures that bettors can bet legally at sites that are secure, rather than having to place illicit wagers on the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight at non-regulated, unlicensed sportsbooks. Terms and Conditions The Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight has sparked controversy and questions about how a YouTuber will fare against one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. Because of this, both boxers have agreed to specific conditions: they will wear 14-ounce gloves, each round will last two minutes, and the overall fight length is set for eight rounds. The Texas Department of Licencing and Regulation has established rules regarding in-fight conduct, ensuring a fair and professional boxing match. These regulations include no intentional fouling, adhering to the referee's instructions, and maintaining sportsmanship throughout the bout. With these conditions in place, the Department aims to provide a safe and competitive environment for the fight of the year, if not the decade. Place MMA Bets At Betway Public and Betting Market Reaction Initial MMA betting odds for the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight favoured Paul, but then, bettor sentiment shifted. Despite his age and long hiatus from professional boxing, there’s now strong public support for Tyson. This has shifted the odds and made wagering more exciting and potentially rewarding. Sportsbooks now face challenges balancing the action due to Tyson's overwhelming popularity, making it a dynamic market for bettors looking for their own win. Start Betting on the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson Fight By getting regulatory approval, the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight maintains integrity, enhancing the credibility of the sports betting NZ markets. This means bettors can back the boxer they think will emerge victorious with complete peace of mind and that the odds and markets will be fair and transparent, no matter what happens in the ring. Don’t miss this historic showdown, available as a Netflix boxing stream. Get your bets on whether Iron Mike will defeat Jake Paul or if we’ll see one of the biggest shocks of the sporting world to date. --- > Find out more about New Zealand horse breeding and how important it is globally. We look at key bloodlines and their impact, case studies, and more. - Published: 2024-07-09 - Modified: 2024-07-09 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/the-backbone-of-new-zealand-horse-racing-success-breeding-and-bloodlines/ Breeding and bloodlines are crucial in horse racing, determining a horse's speed, stamina, and overall performance. New Zealand's horse breeding programs are renowned for producing high-quality racehorses. Overview of New Zealand Breeding Programs New Zealand boasts several highly successful breeding programs, including the Cambridge Stud, Waikato Stud, and Te Akau Stud. Established in 1976, Cambridge Stud has produced numerous champions, gaining international acclaim for its outstanding horse racing bloodlines. Founded in 1967, Waikato Stud has produced Group 1 winners and champion sires, including Savabeel. Te Akau Stud, with its extensive history, has also contributed significantly to the industry by breeding and training top-tier racehorses. Key Bloodlines and Their Impact New Zealand's horse breeding programs produce exceptional horse racing bloodlines that significantly enhance racing performance. Notable bloodlines include Sir Tristram, Zabeel, and Savabeel. Sir Tristram was imported to Cambridge Stud in the 1970s. He became a legendary sire, known for passing on speed, stamina, and an excellent temperament. His progeny, such as the Melbourne Cup winner Saintly, have excelled on the racetrack. Zabeel, a son of Sir Tristram, continued this legacy. He sired over 40 Group 1 winners, including Octagonal and Might And Power, who dominated in major races. Bet On Horse Racing At Betway Savabeel, standing at Waikato Stud, has also become a leading sire. He’s produced versatile and resilient racehorses thanks to his successful breeding program. Like Probabeel and Sangster, his progeny have achieved notable success on Australian and New Zealand racing circuits. Case Studies of Successful Horses Sunline: A mare bred from Desert Sun and Songline. Her horse racing performance includes winning 32 of her 48 races, with two Cox Plates on this list. Her stamina and speed were hallmarks of her lineage. Bonecrusher: A Pag-Asa-sired horse out of Imitation and one of the most famous New Zealand racehorses, Bonecrusher won the 1986 Cox Plate. He also took first place in numerous other Group 1 races, demonstrating the strength and endurance in his bloodline. Makybe Diva: Bred from Desert King and Tugela, top bloodlines in racing, Makybe Diva became a legend with three Melbourne Cup victories. These illustrated the blend of resilience and agility in her lineage. Make Horse Racing Bets at Beway Future Trends in Breeding Emerging trends in horse breeding in New Zealand include the use of genetic testing to identify superior traits. The integration of international horse racing bloodlines to enhance genetic diversity is also on the list. Techniques like embryo transfer and artificial insemination are gaining popularity, with new horse racing bloodlines making significant impacts. The Importance of New Zealand Horse Breeding Programs Breeding and bloodlines are crucial for sustaining New Zealand's horse racing success. Stay informed on successful breeding program developments to witness the future champions shaping the racing industry. --- > At the end of July, the successful partnership between Peter and Paul Snowden will reach its conclusion. Read on for details and reasons for the split. - Published: 2024-07-09 - Modified: 2024-07-09 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/end-of-an-era-peter-and-paul-snowden-part-ways-in-training-partnership/ In the latest horse racing news, renowned Australian horse racing duo Peter and Paul Snowden have decided to end their highly successful training partnership. After over a decade of the father and son working together and achieving significant success, they have mutually agreed to part ways. Thus, this decision marks the end of an era for Snowden Racing. Details of the Partnership Paul and Peter Snowden's training partnership spanned over a decade. During this time, they established themselves as leading trainers in Australian horse racing. They achieved remarkable success, securing numerous Group 1 victories. Notably, they trained standout horses like Redzel, who famously won consecutive Everest titles, and Capitalist, the 2016 Golden Slipper winner. Their collaboration brought immense prestige to Snowden Racing, cementing their legacy in the sport with a total of over 600 wins, including multiple major race victories. Reasons for the Split Peter and Paul Snowden cited personal reasons for their training partnership split. Specifically, Peter expressed a desire to spend more time with his family. Paul stated, "It’s been an incredible journey with my father, but we’ve decided it’s time to pursue different paths. " Both emphasised that the split was amicable and focused on their individual futures while reflecting on their successful collaboration. Sign Up At Betway Reactions and Impact The community reacted with surprise and respect to the horse racing news of Paul and Peter Snowden's split, recognising their contributions to the sport. Industry experts praised their achievements and expressed confidence in their individual capabilities. The split is expected to impact Australian horse racing and NZ betting significantly. Both trainers will likely continue their success independently. Peter’s departure may influence the dynamics of major races, while Paul’s future endeavours could bring new strategies to the forefront. Indeed, Snowden Racing's dissolution marks a shift. However, both trainers are poised to maintain their influential presence in the industry. Register At Betway Future Plans Post-split, Peter Snowden plans to retire and spend more time with his family. He will step back from the intense demands of horse training. On the other hand, Paul Snowden will continue his career independently. He aims to build on the legacy they created together. Paul plans to establish his own training operation, focusing on developing new talent and maintaining a competitive presence in Australian horse racing despite the training partnership split. Australian Horse Racing Will Never Be the Same Peter and Paul Snowden’s collaboration brought significant success, including major wins. Personal reasons and a desire for family time led to their amicable split. The horse racing community reacted with respect and anticipation for their future endeavours. Peter will retire, while Paul will continue training independently. This development signals a shift in the industry, heralding new opportunities and changes for the future of Australian horse racing. --- > Find out more about The Everest horse race in Australia. We look at a race overview and format, notable horses and jockeys, its impact, and more. - Published: 2024-06-27 - Modified: 2024-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/everest-horse-racing-event/ The Everest is Australia's richest horse race and it’s quickly become an important occasion on the global horse racing calendar. The race attracts top horses and fans from all over the world thanks to its huge prizes and unique slot-holder system. It also offers amazing opportunities for sports betting enthusiasts. Read on to find out everything you need to know to prepare for this race. Race Overview and Format This high-stakes event covers a distance of 1200 metres, making it ideal for showcasing the speed, stamina, and agility of some of the world's finest thoroughbreds. The end result is an exhilarating and unforgettable spectacle that offers the best odds and outcomes for horse betting lovers. The race's prize money is a staggering AUD $20 million as of 2024, making it one of the most lucrative horse races globally. The substantial purse not only attracts top-tier horses and jockeys, but it also elevates the prestige and competitive nature of the event. A distinctive feature of The Everest is its innovative slot-holder system. Unlike traditional races, where horses qualify based on performance in preceding races, The Everest employs a market-driven approach. There are 12 slots available for the race, each costing around AUD $600,000. Stakeholders, such as owners, trainers, and syndicates, purchase these slots. They then have the option to enter a horse in the race. Slot-holders do not have to own the horse they enter. They can negotiate with other horse owners to secure a top contender for their slot. This leads to strategic alliances and competitive bidding. This system adds a layer of strategy and financial planning to the race, as slot-holders aim to secure the best possible horse to maximise their chances of winning the lucrative prize money. The slot-holder system allows for a diverse range of horses. They’re selected not just based on past performances but also on strategic decisions made by slot-holders. This dynamic creates an intriguing blend of sportsmanship and business acumen. This makes The Everest a standout event in the horse racing calendar. It’s a unique approach in which all factors are constantly changing, reflecting the dynamic nature of the sport. Bet On The Everest At Betway Notable Horses and Jockeys The race, held at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, has seen numerous memorable performances since its inception in 2017. One of the most notable horses in The Everest's history is Redzel, who won the first two editions in 2017 and 2018. Redzel set a high standard for upcoming competitors under the guidance of Peter and Paul Snowden and Kerrin McEvoy. Craig Williams and Clayton Douglas's trained horse, Giga Kick, won the race in 2022. This three-year-old gelding shocked many with his win, highlighting the unpredictable and thrilling nature of The Everest. Think About It, which Sam Clipperton rode and Joseph Pride trained, won the 2023 competition. Think About It's victory added to his impressive record, making him one of the most talked-about horses leading into the 2024 event. As we look ahead to the upcoming race, several notable horses are expected to make a significant impact. One of the top contenders is I Wish I Win, which Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman ride and train. Another strong contender is Private Eye, also trained by Joseph Pride, with Nash Rawiller as the jockey. Jockeys play a crucial role in the success of their mounts in The Everest. Kerrin McEvoy, who has won the race three times (twice with Redzel and once with Classique Legend), is a jockey to watch. James McDonald, another top jockey with a win on Nature Strip, continues to be a significant presence in the race. The Everest keeps attracting the best in the world of horse racing, and the 2024 edition promises to deliver another exciting chapter in its history. The combination of elite horses and first-rate jockeys ensures that fans can expect a thrilling and unpredictable race. Make Bets On The Everest At Betway Cultural and Social Impact The Everest has transcended the realm of horse racing to become a significant cultural and social event in Australia. As the richest race in the country, it has cemented its place in the nation's sporting landscape, attracting not only horse racing enthusiasts but also a broader audience. The Everest has enriched Australia's sporting culture by introducing an innovative racing format that captures public interest and boosts participation in horse racing. The excitement surrounding the event, with its high stakes and competitive nature, draws significant media coverage and public attention, comparable to other major sporting events in Australia, like the Australian Open, the AFL, the State of Origin, the Melbourne Cup, and the Australian Grand Prix. The event's timing in October aligns with Sydney's spring, making it a major draw for tourists. It significantly boosts the local tourism and hospitality industries, with visitors flocking to the city for the race and related festivities. Hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues benefit from the influx of spectators, contributing to the local economy. The Everest has also become a fashion spectacle, with racegoers donning elaborate outfits, making it a key event in the social calendar. The race day is known for its vibrant atmosphere, complete with entertainment and social gatherings that extend beyond the racecourse to various venues across Sydney. --- > We discuss the top 4 most wealthy golf players in the history of the game. Find out who’s making money hand-over-fist when they’re out on the green. - Published: 2024-05-28 - Modified: 2024-05-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/richest-golfers-on-earth/ Enter the world of golf's elite as we delve into the staggering wealth amassed by professional players. Discover the allure of wealth rankings in golf and how they intersect with sports betting. Tiger Woods: The Undisputed Champion What Tiger Woods has done in his career is nothing short of amazing. He has set a new standard for greatness in golf with his 82 PGA Tour wins. This list includes famous wins at the Masters, the Open Championship, and the US Open. Forbes estimated that he was worth an amazing $1. 3 billion in 2024. This shows how much he is worth outside of sports. Woods' marketing deals with Nike, Rolex, and Bridgestone Golf have not only made him richer. They have also made him a worldwide star. In the world of sports betting, Tiger Woods has had a huge effect. When he's in a game, there are usually more bets on him. Both fans and professionals are eager to see how he does. If Woods has a good performance, the odds can change a lot. This shows how confident people are in his ability to compete for the win. Tiger Woods is still a major figure in the world of sports betting. With every swing of his club, he entertains fans and changes betting markets. Phil Mickelson: A Wealth of Talent Phil Mickelson's career is a testament to his enduring talent and charisma. With over 4 decades of professional play, Mickelson's achievements extend far beyond his impressive trophy collection. His magnetic personality and left-handed finesse have made him a fan favourite, while his aggressive playing style has earned him the nickname Lefty. Mickelson's success isn't confined to the golf course; his business ventures and endorsement deals, including partnerships with KPMG and ExxonMobil, have bolstered his wealth and influence. In the realm of sports betting, Mickelson's performances, especially in major tournaments like the Masters and the Open Championship, command attention, shaping betting trends and market dynamics with each swing of his club. READ OUR REVIEW OF BETWAY NOW Arnold Palmer: The Pioneer of Golf Marketing Arnold Palmer's legacy extends beyond the fairways, cementing him as a pioneer in both professional golf and marketing. His charismatic persona and swashbuckling style captivated audiences worldwide, laying the groundwork for modern golf marketing. Palmer's entrepreneurial ventures, including his eponymous beverage, paved the way for athletes to transcend sports and become global brands. The enduring popularity of the Arnold Palmer brand continues to influence the sports betting industry, with his name synonymous with excellence and nostalgia, driving enjoyment in the game and betting activity. Jack Nicklaus: A Golden Legacy A record 18 major championships and countless other victories have marked Jack Nicklaus' illustrious career, which spans decades. Beyond the greens, his savvy business ventures, including golf course design and apparel lines, have bolstered his wealth and legacy. Nicklaus's enduring influence extends to sports betting, especially during marquee events like the Masters. His celebrated rivalry with Arnold Palmer and consistent performance in Majors tournaments have made him a perennial favourite among bettors, shaping odds and wagering ventures. Place Golf Bets at Betway Other Notable Players Greg Norman, known as the Great White Shark, amassed significant wealth through his golfing career and entrepreneurial ventures. Norman's estimated net worth is $400 million, thanks to businesses like Greg Norman Design and his over 90 professional victories. His global appeal has also attracted lucrative endorsements, making him a prominent figure in sports betting discussions. Gary Player, a nine-time major champion, has left an indelible mark on golf and business. His estimated net worth of $250 million stems from his successful golfing career and ventures in golf course design and apparel. The player's influence extends to sports betting, where his performances in Majors tournaments continue to garner attention. Rory McIlroy, with 18 PGA Tour wins, is a modern golfing sensation. His endorsements with Nike and TaylorMade contribute to his estimated net worth of $150 million. McIlroy's performances in major tournaments, including the Masters, significantly impact sports betting markets, driving interest and betting. Impact on Sports Betting Rich players have a lot of power over the markets and odds for sports betting, and bets are often based on how they play. People who keep an eye on golf closely watch the wealth, career accomplishments, and present form of the best golfers to help them make their bets. For New Zealanders who bet on sports, some strategies include looking into players' past performances in depth, understanding how their money and endorsements might affect their drive and performance, and looking at betting patterns before big tournaments. Bettors can make smarter bets and improve their chances of winning in the fast-paced world of golf betting by learning about the past and current standings of rich golfers. Enjoy Golf Betting at Betway Holes in One The success and wealth of golf's biggest players show how much of an impact they have on the sports betting markets. For New Zealand fans, knowing about these players' pasts and current play is important for making smart bets. Bettors can make smart decisions that increase their chances of winning by learning about the wealth and accomplishments of players. If you’re ready to bet on golf, get the best odds at top bookies like Betway today and start placing your bets to win big! --- > While many hoped for a stellar comeback from golf legend Tiger Woods, reality is settling in. The star may simply be at the end of his incredible career. - Published: 2024-05-24 - Modified: 2024-05-24 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/tiger-woods-betting-future-golf/ Tiger Woods' recent performance at the 2024 Masters, where he finished last, has sparked discussions about his future in golf. With the upcoming US Open and PGA Championship on the horizon, there's much to analyse about his potential comeback. For New Zealand sports bettors, these events offer exciting opportunities to engage in online betting and predictions. Tiger Woods at the Masters 2024: An Analysis Woods' unexpected dismal performance at the 2024 Masters, culminating in a last-place finish, has raised concerns about his future in professional golf. According to Golf Digest, Woods struggled significantly at Augusta, indicating that his ongoing battle with injuries and the physical demands of the sport may be taking a toll on his performance. The Masters highlighted some glaring issues in Woods' game, particularly his inability to maintain consistency across the rounds. His short game, usually a strength, was uncharacteristically poor, and his driving accuracy suffered. These factors combined to place him at the bottom of the leaderboard. Bet on US Open at Betway This disappointing finish has sparked discussions about his viability in future tournaments, such as the upcoming US Open and PGA Championship. Analysts are questioning whether Woods can regain his former glory or if age and injuries are now insurmountable barriers. For Woods, these upcoming majors will be critical in proving whether he can still compete at the highest level. PGA Championship Odds and Projections Woods' projected performance at the upcoming 2024 PGA Championship is a topic of significant interest. He is considered a longshot, with odds of +12,500. Despite his historical success at Valhalla Golf Club, where he won the PGA Championship in 2000, his current form raises concerns. Woods made the cut at the 2024 Masters but finished last among those who made it through the weekend, reflecting ongoing struggles with his physical condition and consistency. GET THE LATEST SPORTS BETTING NEWS HERE For sports betting enthusiasts in New Zealand, these projections offer valuable insights. While Woods remains a crowd favourite, his current odds suggest limited potential for a top finish. As a result, it’s vital to consider other, more favourable bets. The CBS Sports model, known for accurately predicting outcomes in recent major tournaments, highlights several other golfers with better odds and form. These include Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka, who are among the top contenders. This information can help bettors make more informed decisions when placing their wagers. RELATED - 2022: Tiger Woods Inducted Into Golf Hall Of Fame US Open Championship: Tiger Woods' Prospects Woods' prospects at the upcoming US Open Championship are mixed. While his historical success in the tournament—having won three times—highlights his potential, his recent form and physical condition pose challenges. Woods’ performance indicates his ongoing battle with maintaining peak physical condition over four rounds of Major Championship golf. Register At Betway for US Open Betting These insights are crucial for sports bettors in New Zealand. Betting on Woods purely based on his legendary status might not be wise, given his current form and the demanding nature of the US Open course. Instead, bettors should weigh the odds carefully, considering other strong contenders who are in better form. Woods' special exemption to participate in the US Open adds an element of unpredictability. So, it's essential to manage expectations and diversify bets accordingly. Conclusion and Betting Recommendations Woods' participation in the US Open carries historical prestige, but his recent form presents challenges. His performance at the 2024 Masters and ongoing physical struggles suggest caution. Golf betting enthusiasts in New Zealand should consider focusing on other strong contenders and using Woods’ odds to diversify their bets. Carefully assess his condition and current form before putting money down. --- > The future of sports betting involves great games, quick bets, and a dose of virtual reality. Betting trends include mobile wagers, VR, and social betting. - Published: 2024-04-26 - Modified: 2024-04-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/future-of-sports-betting/ When it comes to the future of sports betting, things are changing quickly. This is thanks to new technologies and changing customer habits. People are betting on sports in novel and different ways because of mobile apps, virtual reality, and social platforms. This shows that people want more convenient and engaging gambling experiences. Mobile Betting Apps The rise of mobile betting apps has changed sports betting trends. These apps are the most convenient way to bet because they let users do it whenever and wherever they want. Bettors stay engaged and up to date with real-time chances and personalised alerts. The smooth user experience of top mobile apps makes them easier to access, which brings more people to sports betting. This betting trend is part of a larger change in the gambling industry toward digital platforms and personalized experiences. It's changing how people use and interact with sports betting services. Virtual Reality A big step forward for the future of the business is the addition of virtual reality (VR) technology to sports betting. VR makes engagement stronger by letting users see games virtually and interact with betting trends in new ways. This new technology changes the way people bet on sports. VR also offers levels of involvement and interaction that have never been seen before. As it keeps getting better, it's clear that it has the potential to change the future of sports betting. It does this by offering more engaging experiences. This could completely change how people interact with and enjoy betting on sports. Social Betting Platforms The rise of social betting platforms is a clear sign of a sports betting trend that values community and friendship among bettors. These platforms make it easier for people to connect with each other, compete in fun games, and bet on things together, which creates a sense of community and shared excitement. Social betting sites add to the excitement of sports events by getting people more involved and helping them connect with each other. This trend shows how the future of sports betting is changing. More and more, people value the social part, which opens up new ways for fans to connect and share experiences. Sports Betting Industry Changes Afoot To sum up, changes in betting trends and new technologies will have a big impact on the future of sports betting. Mobile apps, VR, and social platforms are changing the business world, which makes it even more important to be open to new ideas in order to stay competitive. In the ever-changing world of sports betting, it's important to keep up with these betting trends. --- > It has become clear that activities like esports betting have had a massive impact on the online casino industry. Tastes converge as options multiply. - Published: 2024-04-26 - Modified: 2024-04-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/esport/rise-of-esports-bets/ The rise of eSports betting in online casinos is similar to the increase in popularity of game competitions. Both traditional sports bettors and gamers alike are now enjoying activities like CS:GO betting, and esports in general has become a very profitable business. Understanding eSports Betting eSports betting is different from regular sports betting. It includes betting on competitive video game events. Dota 2 betting, wagering on League of Legends, and placing bets on Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Dota 2 are all examples of esports events and game activities. A large and varied group of fans from all over the world makes esports betting more appealing and increases its market potential. Unlike traditional sports betting, eSports betting is based on events in virtual reality settings. This creates a unique and changing environment for fans to bet on and interact with. Integration into Online Casinos Online casinos are taking advantage of the growing market for esports betting as a way to make money. They have esports betting tools that work well with their websites and give players a full betting experience. Fans can now bet on League of Legends, for example, and play standard casino games at the same time. This gives them more choices and makes the experience more fun overall. This integration takes advantage of the rising interest in eSports. In turn, this will attract different types of players. By adding e-sports betting to their regular games and online betting options, online casinos can attract more people and stay competitive in a rapidly changing market. Appeal to a New Generation of Bettors eSports betting is very popular with younger bettors because it is so immersive. The game community is also a very loyal one. Millennials and Gen Z players are drawn to the lively eSports scene because they want to have fun and make friends. The best esports betting sites give them a way to interact with their favourite events. This makes them feel like they belong to a community while fueling their love for competitive gaming. Looking To The Future There is a huge amount of room for growth in the future of eSports betting in online casinos. The expected growth of eSports betting markets, along with ongoing technical progress, will lead to new ideas. To take advantage of this new market and stay successful and relevant in the ever-changing world of online gaming, it’s important for casinos to keep up with changing trends. --- > Indian pundit Sunil Gavaskar says he doubts 2022 will mean an IPL title for the Punjab Kings. Gavaskar said this is due to the lack of an impact player. - Published: 2022-03-25 - Modified: 2022-03-25 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/sunil-gavaskar-weighs-in-on-punjab-kings/ India cricketing great Sunil Gavaskar has insisted that 2022 won’t be the year to see Punjab Kings ending their IPL title drought. He said despite the team having a solid set of players on paper, they don’t have even a single “impact” player on their roster. The 2022 Indian Premier League gets underway on March 26, with the current reigning champions the Chennai Super Kings going up against the Kolkata Knight Riders in Mumbai, India. This highly anticipated season has garnered significant attention from sports betting NZ enthusiasts, particularly those involved in online betting, who are eager to place their wagers on the outcomes of the matches. Over the course of two days at the IPL auction, Punjab Kings bought several top players – including Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Shikhar Dhawan, Jonny Bairstow, and Liam Livingstone. They also managed to hold on to bowler Arshdeep Singh and star opener Mayank Agarwal. But Gavaskar this week seemed convinced regarding his doubts about the team’s ability to take the title this year. He did however add that the lack of an impact player could actually end up benefiting a side. With low expectations comes less pressure, said the leading cricket pundit. Himself a former Indian cricketer, Sunil Gavaskar added that any team hoping to win an IPL title had to get into a consistent rotation of winning in the sport’s shortest format. He said that this was the main reason he doubted PBKS’ ability to turn the tables of destiny around during this year’s edition of the cash-richest tournament on the planet. The Punjab Kings will begin their 2022 campaign against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on March 27. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Royal Challengers Bangalore have signed Afghan cricketer Izharulhaq Naveed as a net bowler for 2022. This marks a huge opportunity for the young star. - Published: 2022-03-23 - Modified: 2022-03-23 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/rcb-sign-uncapped-afghan-leg-spinner/ Its official: the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have signed uncapped Afghan leg-spinner Izharulhaq Naveed as a net bowler for this year’s Indian Premier League competition. The 18-year-old spinner confirmed the news on social media on Monday. Naveed was a member of Afghanistan’s U-19 World Cup squad for 2022. The youngster had put on an impressive performance during the tournament from four wickets taken in six games. The fact that he’ll now get to bowl against cricket players like Virat Kohli, Glen Maxwell, and South Africa’s Faf du Plessis promises to be an incredibly valuable learning opportunity for the up-and-coming young player. What’s more, this is precisely the sort of opportunity that could see Naveed securing an IPL deal in coming years. Royal Challengers Bangalore are set to don an exciting new look this season. Following the stepping down of Virat Kohli at the end of last season, Faf du Plessis will captain the team as they head into the latest edition of the cash-rich tournament. With RCB still in search of their maiden IPL title, du Plessis will undoubtedly have his work cut out for him. But with the likes of Josh Hazlewood and Dinesh Karthik by his side, du Plessis has all the help in the world needed to make 2022 count in big ways for his team. Following the recent expansion of the competition, this year’s IPL will feature 10 teams instead of 8. The 2022 edition of the event is scheduled to get underway on March 26. This new lineup has generated significant excitement, with sports betting enthusiasts eagerly placing their wagers on the potential outcomes of the matches. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2022 Formula One season gets underway on the weekend in Bahrain. Fans have much to look forward to as the best of the best take to the track. - Published: 2022-03-21 - Modified: 2022-03-21 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/excitement-ahead-of-f1-opening-weekend/ According to an exciting announcement by Sky Sports, fans will this year for the first time ever, get to view the 2022 Formula 1 action in High Dynamic Range (HDR). The broadcaster says it will bring bolder imagery, and sharper viewing pleasures to the sport than in previous years. The announcement marks their latest step in a move to make HDR technology the new standard. According to Sky Sports MD Jonathan Licht, HDR tech will treat viewers and sports bettors alike to a more “impactful” experience than what had ever been possible in the past. Sky Sports is the official home to Formula 1 in Ireland as well as in the UK. Broadcasting live from Bahrain this weekend will be Sky F1 pundits Damon Hill, Ted Kravitz, David Croft, Martin Brundle, Natalie Pinkham, and Simon Lazenby. Max Verstappen, meanwhile, this week denied the notion that Formula One is in need of “healing” after last season’s controversial final in Abu Dhabi. Verstappen told a leading British news broadcaster that dramatic moments are a natural part of any sport. Formula 1 is undoubtedly a sport filled with drama, rivalries, and major shake-ups. One driver at the center of much drama right now is Russia’s Nikita Mazepin. Following Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine, team Haas cut all ties with title sponsor Uralkali, as well as with Mazepin. Verstappen sympathised with Mazepin over how he had lost his place on the 2022 grid and said the Russian had shown himself to have the necessary talent to make his mark in the world of F1. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > LA Rams left tackle Andrew Whitworth has called time on his 16-year career in the NFL. Whitworth, 40, said his body is no longer up to the challenge. - Published: 2022-03-18 - Modified: 2022-03-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/la-ram-andrew-whitworth-retires/ Los Angeles Rams playmaker and champion left tackle Andrew Whitworth has called time on his career after 16 seasons in the NFL. The 40-year-old announced his decision in an Instagram post on Wednesday. Whitworth in his video announcement explained how the “warrior” in him wants to continue playing, but that his body just isn’t up to the challenge any longer. The star said the final month of the season had been a particularly tough time for him. His illustrious résumé includes four Pro Bowl selections and two first-team All-Pro selections. He’s also the first 40-year-old to have started at left tackle in the history of the league. Whitworth turned 40 in December. During his five seasons starring for the LA Rams, he started 71 NFL games. In 2021, he was named the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year. Whitworth also spent 11 seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, during which run he started 168 games for the team. Of his time with the Bengals, Whitworth had a great deal of emotionally charged things to say, including how he had given his heart and his soul to the team and its surrounding community. He said he had helped the Bengals create a culture of winning, which isn’t at all different to his time with the LA Rams. The Rams made Whitworth one of their very first free-agent additions under McVay. They signed him to a three-year, $33. 75 million contract in 2017, followed by three years more in 2020. Online betting in New Zealand saw a surge in wagers placed on Rams games during Whitworth's tenure, reflecting his impact on the field and popularity among fans. Whitworth's retirement marks the end of an era, but fans should stay tuned for the upcoming NFL season, which promises more excitement and new talents emerging on the field. 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The launch of the IPL back in 2008 ushered in a revolutionary time for the game of cricket. Suddenly, T20 leagues became the absolute talk of the town all over the world – all of which prompted global sporting leaders to launch their own T20 leagues and franchises. This surge in popularity also had a significant impact on NZ sports betting, as fans began placing more wagers on T20 matches and leagues, reflecting their growing interest in the fast-paced format. Born from all of that include Australia’s Big Bash League, the Windies’ Caribbean Premier League, England’s The Hundred, and, of course, the Pakistan Super League. But despite the birth of so many T20 leagues all over the world, the IPL has managed to retain its particular charm and big-money allure. Each year, the tournament attracts some of the biggest names in cricket to display their talent on a global stage. The PSL, however, seems to be intent on upstaging the IPL, with Raja recently heard proposing a fundamental and far-reaching rule change meant to upset the apple cart and help it compete with the rival league. According to Raja, in an attempt to attract the world’s best players, the plan is to change from a draft system to a player auction (bidding) system. He said this week that he intends to propose that a bidding system be implemented from next year. Raja said T20 cricket is a game of money and one that should be fully capitalised on by more leagues than just one. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The world of cricket is in a bad way, said ICEC chair Cindy Butts this week. Butts said the sport faces a time of reckoning over racism and discrimination. - Published: 2022-03-14 - Modified: 2022-03-14 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/icec-says-cricket-is-in-a-bad-way/ The chair of the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC), Cindy Butts, this week issued a stern word of warning to the world of cricket. Butts said the sport continues to face a time of “reckoning” because of the Azeem Rafiq drama, and that the time has come to take an honest look at discrimination in the game. Butts this week asked for written evidence for completing her independent report, which is due to be released in the autumn. According to Butts, the ICEC had received a confounding response to an online survey conducted on discrimination in the sport, with more than 4,000 respondents providing details of their experiences. The chair said she was not yet in a position to provide any details regarding the outcome of the survey due to the ongoing process, but that it has become glaringly obvious that all isn’t as it should be in the game of cricket. The mandate given to the ICEC is to identify those actions that will have to be undertaken by the England and Wales Cricket Board in order to effectively tackle discrimination issues. Butts on Wednesday commended Rafiq for his incredible bravery in speaking out about his own experience of racial discrimination. She said his bravery had spurred others on to talk about issues of race in the sport. The commission was formed in November 2020 and now seeks written evidence from people affected by discrimination in cricket. Those wanting to contribute have been invited to do so by April 20. This initiative has even drawn the attention of NZ betting sites, which have started to consider the impact of such investigations on the sport's integrity and betting markets. 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Speaking about difficult times faced alongside her dad, the 14-year-old referred to her father’s accident in February last year, saying the family did not know what to expect and whether or not Woods would be coming home with both legs intact. She said it was a proud moment that Woods was accepting the award while standing on both his feet. NZ sports betting enthusiasts keenly follow Tiger Woods' career, often placing bets on his tournament performances. Tiger Woods has come a long way since first waddling onto the stage of The Mike Douglas Show as a 2-year-old some 44 years ago and hitting a couple of putts for hosts Jimmy Stewart and Bob Hope. Also inducted on Wednesday were three-time U. S. Women’s Open champion Susie Maxwell Berning and former PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem. Inducted posthumously was American golfer and visionary Marion Hollins. During her acceptance speech, Berning, now 80, paid tribute to Woods and said she had won all her awards before he was born. This drew a massive smile from the golfing champion. Golf betting fans have had plenty to discuss with Woods' storied career and recent accomplishments, making his Hall of Fame induction a highly anticipated event. Those in attendance included PGA Tour players Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Tony Finau, Tom Hoge, Mackenzie Hughes, Jack Johnson, Keegan Bradley, and Billy Horschel. Several existing members of the World Golf Hall of Fame attended the occasion too, including Sandy Lyle, Ben Crenshaw, and Nancy Lopez Russell. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak faces a potentially lengthy ban over the wearing of a symbol in support of Putin and the war. He may also lose his medal. - Published: 2022-03-09 - Modified: 2022-03-09 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/gymnast-faces-ban-over-offensive-symbol/ The behaviour of Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak, who openly wore a symbol in support of his country’s invasion of the Ukraine while on the medal podium at the Apparatus World Cup in Doha, has been described as “shocking” by the gymnastics’ governing body. Kuliak now faces a ban for wearing a “Z” symbol in support of Russia. The gymnast reportedly taped the symbol to the front of his outfit after winning bronze in the parallel bars final event. He had been standing next to Ukrainian gold medalist Illia Kovtun for the singing of the national anthems. NZ betting sites have taken notice of the controversy, leading to discussions on the potential impacts on gymnastics betting odds. The symbol is regarded as offensive as it has been seen embossed on Russian tanks invading the Ukraine. The “Z” has become a symbol of support for Putin and his war on the neighbouring country. Kuliak now faces disciplinary proceedings by the Gymnastics Ethics Foundation for his conduct. Possible sanctions now faced by the Russian include his being stripped of his bronze medal and a potentially lengthy ban from all international and FIG events. But Kuliak isn’t the first Russian to have shown public support for Putin and his war with the Ukraine. Former Olympic medalist Svetlana Khorkina last week shared the symbol online, while adding that the post had been for all those not ashamed of being Russian. Boxing betting enthusiasts have similarly seen instances where political stances have influenced the sports world, sparking debates and affecting betting dynamics. Yet another recent ban involves that of former world chess champion Sergey Karjakin, who made several recent comments regarding his brazen backing of Vladimir Putin’s military invasion of the Ukraine. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Players competing in this year’s IPL will be expected to spend 3 days in quarantine before entering the bubble. Negative tests will also have to be given. - Published: 2022-03-07 - Modified: 2022-03-07 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/ipl-announces-quarantine-rules-for-2022/ The Indian Premier League on Thursday revealed its quarantine protocol to franchises for the upcoming tournament. Players will reportedly be expected to spend three days in hard quarantine in their hotel rooms before entering the IPL bubble. A negative test will also have to be returned on the fourth day for final clearance. Tests will also be performed all throughout the 3-day period, tournament organisers have said. These will be done 24 hours apart, and participants will furthermore be expected to undergo daily tests for a total of six days. Online betting NZ enthusiasts are keenly monitoring these protocols, as they could impact team performance and betting odds. The only exception to the quarantine rule will be for those players and staff entering the IPL bubble directly from another bubble. Included in this provision will be preparatory camps, national camps, domestic tournaments, and bilateral series, organisers have said. In order to qualify for this exception, commuters will have to travel either by charter flight or by road. A large number of players are expected to join the IPL bubble directly from other bio-bubbled series, including Australia’s tour of Pakistan, India’s tour of Sri Lanka, England’s tour of the West Indies, and Bangladesh’s tour of South Africa. In an event where a player has for whatever reason broken out from a previous bubble, such player will still have to pass through the 3-day quarantine and testing period, the IPL has said. Teams are now in full mode for entering their own bubbles as preparation camps commence. Most camps will be held in Mumbai, where most of the league games of this year’s competition will be played. Cricket betting has surged in popularity with the IPL, as fans eagerly place bets on their favorite teams and players while tracking the latest developments. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The IPC’s decision to allow Russian athletes to compete in Beijing has been met with vehement international outrage. The decision was made on Wednesday. - Published: 2022-03-04 - Modified: 2022-03-04 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/paralympics/outrage-over-ipcs-decision-re-russia/ The International Paralympic Committee’s (IPC) decision to allow Russian athletes co compete at the Winter Games has been met with a massive global outcry. The IPC met on Wednesday, during which meeting it was determined that 72 Russian Paralympic athletes would be permitted to compete in Beijing – but on condition that they take part as “neutral” participants. This decision has been criticised by the UK government and Paralympics Great Britain. The controversy has also sparked discussions in the sports online betting community, where the inclusion of Russian athletes as neutrals could impact betting odds and strategies. Those athletes set to compete in Beijing will be doing so under the banner of the IPC and the Russian Paralympic Committee, which are two sanctions that were already passed as a penalty for the recent Russian doping scandal. The latest sanction now passed provisions that the results of Russian athletes will not be added to the medal table. This sanction will also apply to competitors from Belarus. Wednesday’s ruling, however, wasn’t expected. The decision is however compliant with those directions issued by the International Olympic Committee earlier this week. According to IPC president Andrew Parsons, given current IPC rules, said sanctions are in fact the harshest possible punishment that can be handed down. He also confirmed that another meeting will be held following the Games for deciding whether a chance to the committee’s rules would be in order. The group “Athletes of Ukraine” suggested this week that the IPC had chosen profits and the shedding of blood over good reason and stakeholders. The British government, too, has spoken out in heavy criticism against the IPC’s decision to allow Russian athletes to compete. For fans of horse racing bets, this decision parallels concerns about the integrity and fairness in sports, highlighting the importance of strict regulatory standards. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Bookmaking giant Sportsbet has been fined a whopping $3.7 million for unwanted spam messages. The size of the fine marks a new record in Australia. - Published: 2022-03-02 - Modified: 2022-03-02 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/sportsbet-fined-3-7-million-for-spam/ Australian authorities have slapped online bookmaker Sportsbet with $3. 7 million in fines for sending unwanted (spam) gambling ads to users. The bookie reportedly sent more than 150,000 promotional emails and text messages to customers who had attempted to unsubscribe from the service. NZ betting sites have been closely monitoring this case, as it underscores the importance of compliance with anti-spam regulations in the online gambling industry. The fines and penalties include the biggest penalty imposed on any entity to date for contravening Australian spam laws, namely $2. 5 million. The balance of the fine constitutes refunds payable to customers who proceeded to place wagers after receiving the advertising messages. The fine comes in the wake of urgent calls by financial counsellors and suicide prevention specialists worried about the effects of gambling marketing on vulnerable persons. It was confirmed this week at the promotional texts and emails had been sent to over 37,000 registered Sportsbet customers, and between January 2020 and March 2021. The messages contained either incentives to bet, or information about upcoming promos, said the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). Prominent betting companies like Betway are also under scrutiny to ensure they adhere to strict marketing and communication guidelines to avoid similar penalties. According to ACMA, Sportsbet, a subsidiary of betting and gambling giant Flutter Entertainment, had furthermore sent out at least 3,000 marketing texts that included no way to opt out of future messages of a similar nature. ACMA chair Nerida O’Loughlin furthermore confirmed that Sportsbet had in fact continued to send out the unwanted spam messages even after the watchdog organisation had made contact with the bookmaker. The bookmaker has reportedly now agreed to appoint an independent auditor to oversee its compliance with anti-spam regulations. Refunds to customers will also be monitored in this way. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Alexander Zverev has said he regrets the umpire incident that saw him withdrawn from the Mexican Open. He has also apologised to the umpire in question. - Published: 2022-02-28 - Modified: 2022-02-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/zverev-says-he-regrets-umpire-incident/ Alexander Zverev says he deeply regrets the attack he launched on the umpire’s chair at the Mexican Open in Acapulco. After taking issue with a line call on Tuesday night, Zverev was slapped with a code violation for unsportsmanlike behaviour following his screaming of several insults at the chair umpire. Among other things, he called umpire Alessandro Germani an “idiot”. The disgruntled German also rounded on Germani, smashed his chair a couple of nears, and ended up nearly striking the umpire’s foot while shouting insults at him. He then proceeded to take a seat, but got up again before hitting the chair once more. Such incidents can influence sports betting odds, as bettors reassess the player's temperament and future performance potential. Zverev had been playing alongside partner and friend Marcelo Melo, who said nothing throughout the angry tantrum. The pair lost 6-2, 4-6, 10-6 to Harri Heliovaara and Lloyd Glasspool on Tuesday night. Two hours after the incident on Tuesday, the ATP announced that Zverev had been withdrawn from the tournament. The ATP said this had been the result of unsportsmanlike behaviour. Tennis betting enthusiasts are particularly affected by these events, as unexpected withdrawals can disrupt betting strategies and outcomes. Zverev on Wednesday morning release a statement of his own and explained that he very much regretted his behaviour during as well as after the doubles match in question. He said he had also apologised to the chair umpire in person, and that he is very much disappointed in himself as a person and a professional tennis player. According to ATP rules, the German will lose all his prize money and points as a result of his default. The ATP will also be at liberty to decide to impose further penalties in the form of a fine and/or suspension. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > F1 has a problem of bias among its race stewards, Lewis Hamilton said this week. The Mercedes driver was seen back on the track in action in Barcelona. - Published: 2022-02-25 - Modified: 2022-02-25 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/lewis-hamilton-says-f1-stewards-are-bias/ Lewis Hamilton on Tuesday opened up for the first time about his feelings regarding everything that’s happened in F1 since last year’s controversial final in Abu Dhabi. Speaking while back at the track for the first day of testing in Barcelona earlier this week. Hamilton accused Formula One stewards of being biased – and added that some stewards were friends with “certain individuals”. Hamilton returned to testing nearly two months after he was denied an eighth world title by Max Verstappen and F1’s impromptu racing rules – a feat that would have seen him break Michael Schumacher’s record. Other recent developments have included last week’s sacking of race director Michael Masi. The Australian had been the one to bend the rules when he allowed Max Verstappen to clinch the win with the help of a last-minute safety car rule change. Sports betting has also added to the intensity of the F1 season, with fans and bettors closely following every race and decision. According to Hamilton, who clearly continues to harbour strong feelings over the event, the FIA must take a hard and long look at its stewards. Every Grand Prix race is stewarded and overseen by four race officials who help take control of the event as well as make important decisions about incidents on the track. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, however, this week distanced himself from Hamilton’s stance and accusations of bias. He said since track stewards are typically intelligent people, he could not see how there could be “conscious” bias. Wolff added that the only thing he believed needed working on was the level of professionalism in the stewards’ room. The growing interest in Grand Prix betting further underscores the need for transparency and fairness in the sport. 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Grainger’s comments came in the wake of Great Britain’s departure from the Winter Olympics with only two medals. Grainger furthermore emphasised the importance of making UK sports as wide, varied, and diverse as possible. She said funding came down to the fact that public money should be applied for the benefit of the British public. Both medals won by Team Great Britain were secured during the final days of the event, with a gold and silver medal won by the curling teams led by Bruce Mouat and Eve Muirhead. NZ sports betting has shown a growing interest in winter sports, reflecting the increasing popularity and participation at grassroots levels. Grainger said while curling certainly lifted the spirits of the athletes who competed in the Winter Games, many left Beijing under a cloud of disappointment with their own performances in the Games. She said the following weeks and months will be a time of reflection and review for the various sports competed in in Beijing. The plan right now is for significant investment decisions regarding funding to be made around whatever happens in the summer, Grainger explained. The focus will be not only on whatever transpired at the Games, but also the last four years, she said. This will provide a marked idea as to what worked and what didn’t, as well as for identifying areas requiring improvement, concluded Grainger. This comprehensive review will also consider the impact of various betting markets, including the rise of AFL betting, which has influenced the funding and promotion of diverse sports. 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The Lions are scheduled to travel to Australia in 2025, but no further agreements have been signed for future events after their tour deal came top and end following their New Zealand drawn series in 2017. For now, the All Blacks still seem likely to host the Lions in 2029. However, with the Springboks looking likely to join the Six Nations after 2025, the tour destination in 2033 is looking a lot less certain. The evolving dynamics of international rugby tours have captured the attention of sports betting NZ enthusiasts, who are keen to place bets on potential outcomes and host countries. According to Lions’ managing director Ben Calveley, all future deals will be handled on a tour-by-tour basis. He said since no long-term commitment had been made to any particular country, any future deal will depend on whatever conditions happen to apply on the end of the Lions. Calveley also said the Lions weren’t interested in deviating from the current model of rotating the tour between South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia. Even so, he said the prospect of South Africa joining the Six Nations now makes of the country a “less attractive” option. For the US, who are the current frontrunners to host the 2031 World Cup, hosting the Lions tour would be a big step in their progression in world rugby. The Lions have never before used a bidding process but now appear more open to the idea, potentially impacting rugby betting markets as fans speculate on future tour locations and matchups. 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According to Sala’s mother, Mercedes Taffarel, the weeks leading up to the plane crash had been a very intense time for the player as he prepared to travel from Nantes in France to join Cardiff City. Cardiff had put a great deal of pressure on Sala to complete the deal in record-time. Meanwhile, Nantes had been pushing for more money, which had left Sala feeling as if he were stuck in the middle of the demands, explained Taffarel. She also said that Sala had experienced doubts about whether or not to ahead with the transfer. This high-pressure situation surrounding Sala's transfer was closely followed by NZ betting sites, where fans often place bets on player transfers and team performance. Argentina-born Sala was set to join Cardiff City as part of a £15 million deal. According to the Dorset coroner’s office, the 28-year-old striker died when the plane fell close to Guernsey, on January 21, 2019. The pilot of the plane, David Ibbotson, was never found. Taffarel explained in a written statement how her son’s goals-scoring prowess in France had been the element to lead to calls for him to be selected as part of Argentina’s national team. She said he had an enormous appreciation for the Nantes club and all its fans. Soccer betting markets were also significantly impacted by the tragic loss of Sala, as fans and bettors alike reevaluated the potential outcomes for both Nantes and Cardiff City. After the offer in terms of the move to Cardiff had been made in December of 2018, Sala had according to Taffarel felt that the time had been right to make a significant move. 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The Mumbai Indians emerged the lucky buyers after they shelled out a massive Rs 15. 25 crore for the champion wicketkeeper. While a total of 204 players were purchased for a collective Rs 551. 70 crore by the ten franchises, several big names remained unsold. One such surprise had been left-hander Suresh Raina. Fourth on the list of all-time run scorers in the Indian Premier League, Raina has scored 5,528 runs in 205 matches played – placing him behind only Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Shikhar Dhawan. Online betting NZ has seen a surge in activity around the IPL, with fans eager to place bets on their favorite teams and players. The fact that Raina scored a very mediocre 160 runs in 12 matches during the 2021 season might be to blame for his failure to sell for the set base price of Rs 2 crore. Another gobsmacker would have been that of England white-ball captain Eoin Morgan’s failure to go successfully under the hammer. This is after all the man who led the Kolkata Knight Riders to the 2021 IPL final. Morgan’s personal paltry performance with the bat is likely to blame for teams refusing to fork out his base price of Rs 1. 50 crore. But the shocker of the day would have been that of South African spinner Tabraiz Shamsi. At a base going rate of only Rs 1 crore, Shamsi, who ranks second on the T20I format bowling list, would have been literally free for the taking. The popularity of tennis betting also continues to rise, with fans keen on wagering during major tournaments, reflecting a broader trend in sports betting. This year’s IPL is set to get underway on April 2 in India. 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Domenicali however this week confirmed that the sport will be changing its stance – and while drivers will still be welcome to take a knee should they want to, this sort of formality will no longer form part of pre-race ceremonies. The F1 president and CEO said while the gesture of taking the knee has certainly been an important one, the time has arrived for the sport to move on and take more decisive action against racism and exclusion based on race. He also added that the need has arisen for Formula 1 to show more of an intention around things that matter not only to the sport, but also to the world. Sports betting markets have been closely monitoring these developments, noting the potential impact on the sport's global appeal. He described F1’s latest push for diversity, which includes a welcome extension to its engineering scholarship plan, as being the first step to the taking of effective action. Domenicali spoke to the media only days after Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton broke his long public silence following last year’s controversial season finale in Abu Dhabi. The F1 boss said Hamilton remains an important asset to the sport as well the world. He also expressed confidence in Hamilton’s dedication to securing a record eighth Formula 1 world championship title, which has significantly influenced F1 betting odds this season. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > L’Equipe journalist Marc Ventouillac says his interview with Peng Shuai seemed “controlled”. Uncertainty prevails over whether she’s able to speak freely. - Published: 2022-02-11 - Modified: 2022-02-11 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/peng-shuais-real-status-still-in-question/ Uncertainty continues to prevail over whether or not Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai is actually safe and able to speak freely. According to a journalist who conducted a recent first sit-down interview with the star, the conversation with Shuai left a strong impression that her opinions were being closely monitored, and even controlled. The presence of a Chinese Olympic official and translator reportedly left L’Equipe journalist Marc Ventouillac with the distinct sensation that Peng is still not able to speak openly about the allegations of sexual abuse made against a former top-ranked Communist Party leader. Shuai last November took to social media platform Weibo to reveal how former political official Zhang Gaoli had forced her into having sex during their relationship. Her social media post was deleted shortly after. NZ betting sites have been closely following the developments around Peng Shuai, reflecting global concern over her well-being. During the interview with Ventouillac, however, Shuai once again reiterated that the real meaning of her post had been lost in translation, and that she had not accused Gaoli of any wrongdoing. Shuai also said that the controversial post had led to a major misunderstanding. According to the journalist, the real message behind the interview was that of Chinese officials hoping to put the issue to bed. He said he suspected everything discussed during the interview to have been nothing more than propaganda on the part of the Chinese Olympic Committee. Ventouillac also said that while Shuai answered every question posed to her, he has no way of knowing whether she was able to answer freely. The questions asked during the interview were submitted to the star well ahead of time. The situation has also drawn attention from those placing tennis bets, as they track the star's safety and potential return to the sport. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Marc Overmars has resigned from his role of director of football at Dutch club Ajax. Overmars has been accused of inappropriate texts sent to colleagues. - Published: 2022-02-09 - Modified: 2022-02-09 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/marc-overmars-quits-dutch-club-ajax/ Ajax director of football Marc Overmars has quit after nearly 10 years. The former Arsenal, Ajax, and Barcelona winger has been accused by his club of having sent inappropriate text messages to female colleagues. Overmars reportedly made the decision to step down of his own accord after lengthy talks with the board and CEO Edwin van der Sar. According to Overmars, he feels ashamed by how his behaviour has been interpreted by others. He said he at no point realised that he had crossed a line, but that he sees no other option but to quit the club. Overmars recently had his contract officially extended until the end of the 2025-26 season. Sports betting New Zealand enthusiasts were also shocked by the news, reflecting the widespread impact of the scandal. According to Ajax board chairman Leen Meijaard, the situation is a dramatic and embarrassing one for everybody involved in the saga. He added that while Overmars is undoubtedly the best football director ever appointed by Ajax, continuing in the role wasn’t an option due to the devastating impact his behaviour has had on the many women affected. The situation surrounding Overmars is reportedly a major bombshell in the world of sports in the Netherlands right now. According to Dutch football journalist Marcel van der Kraan, since Overmars had been the one to see the club to four league titles, the news of his inappropriate behaviour has come as a particular shock to many. Horse racing betting, another popular activity, has also seen its fair share of controversies, emphasizing the need for integrity across all sports. Overmars played four years for Barcelona after moving to the club in 2000. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Pakistan bowler Mohammed Hasnain has been suspended from international cricket. Hasnain’s bowling has been shown to be far outside ICC perimeters. - Published: 2022-02-07 - Modified: 2025-06-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/pakistan-star-bowler-hasnain-suspended/ Pakistan fast-bowler Mohammed Hasnain has been temporarily suspended from bowling in international games. According to a statement released by Cricket Australia (CA) on Friday, the reason behind the suspension is that of illegal bowling action. This term refers to when a player is throwing rather than bowling the ball. In such an event, such a player’s elbow will typically extend by more than 15 degrees when the distance between the arm reaching a horizontal position, and the point of release, is measured. In the event that match officials suspect a player may be bowling illegally, they will then submit a report for further assessment. In the case of Hasnain, that report was submitted by umpire Gerard Abood after the Big Bash League match between the Adelaide Strikers and Sydney Thunder (Jan. 2). Sports betting markets have reacted swiftly to the news, with many adjusting their odds in light of Hasnain's suspension. Hasnain was initially meant to be tested in Australia on Jan. 19, but since he had to return sooner to Pakistan, he was tested at the ICC’s testing facility in Lahore. According to CA’s statement, the testing process found the speedster’s bowling to be illegal in terms of the ICC’s regulations. The testing laboratory’s report was later reviewed and verified by an independent expert mandated by Cricket Australia, the organisation confirmed. Following his debut with Pakistan in 2019, Hasnain has competed in 8 ODIs and 18 T20 International matches, making a significant impact on cricket betting odds whenever he played. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) also issued a statement this week, confirming that a bowling consultant will now be appointed to work with Hasnain in an attempt to rectify his bowling action. --- > The end of an era has come for the NFL: QB Tom Brady has officially announced his retirement. Brady, 44, enjoyed a remarkable career in the league. - Published: 2022-02-04 - Modified: 2022-02-04 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/tom-brady-to-retire-at-44/ It’s official: Tom Brady has called time on his career. The 44-year-old QB announced his retirement after 22 seasons in the NFL on Instagram on Tuesday. Rumours about Brady’s retirement already started circulating on the weekend. The Buccaneers however at the time said they had not been informed of any future plans by Brady. The star quarterback, who is a remarkable seven-time champion, steps down after the Bucs were crashed out of the NFL Playoffs by the Los Angeles Rams. At 27-27, the Rams kicked a game-securing field goal to advance to the Super Bowl opposite the Cincinnati Bengals. NZ betting sites have been buzzing with activity following Brady's announcement, as fans and bettors adjust their predictions for the upcoming season. Retiring as the player with the most Super Bowls completed in the history of the NFL, Brady is assured of a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He’s due to become eligible for inclusion in 2027. Unlike most other players nearing his current age, Brady exits the NFL without a decline in his quality of play. This season, he led the league in TDs, yards, completions and attempts. He’ll also likely finish a top MVP nominee alongside Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Should Brady walk away with the award, he’ll be completing his stellar career as a four-time MVP player. Other accolades include finishing his career as the league’s all-time leader in quarterback wins (regular as well as post-season), Super Bowl victories (7), Super Bowl appearances (10), passing yards, and passing touchdowns. Tom Brady said at the time of his announcement that he now looks forward to spending more time with his family, a sentiment that has been echoed across NFL betting discussions. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The NFL may have to start paying the hundreds of volunteer dancers performing at the Super Bowl’s annual half-time show. Most of the dancers are unpaid. - Published: 2022-02-02 - Modified: 2022-02-02 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/nfl-asked-to-stop-exploiting-sb-dancers/ Threatening the tradition of half-time entertainment at this year’s Super Bowl is a call by a prominent artist on the NFL to stop exploiting the mostly Black dancers by not paying them for their contributions. The fans cheering on the half-time performer at each year’s Super Bowl are in reality volunteer dancers who participate in up to two weeks of rehearsals ahead of the event. According to professional dancer and artist Taja Riley, while the dancers are treated as volunteers, they’re expected to rehearse for up to nine-hours a day. This year’s volunteers are represented by Bloc, the same agency representing Super Bowl choreographer Fatima Robinson. Riley said she was surprised by Robinson and the decision to recruiting dancers as unpaid volunteers. Online betting NZ platforms have been abuzz with discussions about the controversy surrounding the half-time show and its potential impact on the event's popularity. Robinson, in turn, has defended the half-time show by saying this year’s 115 dancers will be receiving payment for their services. She added that the only thing required of the half-time “volunteers” is that they be able to simultaneously “walk and chew gum”. But Riley insists people should be both trained and compensated in full. According to Sag Aftra and Roc Nation, some sort of an agreement has been reached between the union and the production company since Riley spoke out. Around 100 dancers are reportedly being paid for their contribution to this year’s event. It’s however still not clear whether any payment will be forthcoming to the remaining nearly 300 volunteer dancers who aren’t members of the union in question. This issue has also sparked conversations among NFL betting enthusiasts, who are keenly observing how the controversy might influence the overall atmosphere and outcomes of the game. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > FIFA’s push for a biennial World Cup is a waste of time, says CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominquez. He said it would mean the end of Copa America. - Published: 2022-01-31 - Modified: 2022-01-31 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/conmebol-boss-says-biennial-wc-wont-happen/ According to CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez, it would be nothing more than a waste of time for FIFA boss Gianni Infantino to continue pushing for a biennial World Cup. Dominguez warned this week that teams from the South American soccer confederation would not take likely to such a move, and would boycott FIFA’s plans in such an event. CONMEBOL will not play a World Cup every two years, insisted Dominquez. He also explained that Infantino’s plan was practically born dead, which he said had been made clear to the FIFA president since right from the start. Infantino has been pushing the idea in an attempt to create more revenue from the event. But Dominguez has warned that without the participation of European and South American teams, there won’t be much revenue to speak of in the first place. These teams have won every edition of the World Cup since 1930, after all. Online betting NZ platforms have been abuzz with discussions about the potential impact of a biennial World Cup on betting markets. Also openly opposing Infantino’s plan has been UEFA president Alexander Ceferin. On a visit to CONMEBOL’s headquarters two weeks ago, the European and South American governing bodies seemed closer in mind and spirit than ever before. While Ceferin had visited CONMEBOL to attend a celebration for Dominguez’ sixth year in office, the latter has insisted that there is no such thing as a personal “beef” with the FIFA boss. Dominguez said that instead of a beef with Infantino, the resistance comes from the realisation that a biennial World Cup would mean the end of Copa America, significantly affecting FIFA World Cup betting dynamics. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > NZ Olympian and gold-medalist rower Hamish Bond has announced his retirement from the sport. Bond said this week he now wants to focus on his family. - Published: 2022-01-28 - Modified: 2022-01-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rowing/olympic-rower-hamish-bond-retires/ Hamish Bond has announced his retirement from the world of competitive rowing. A three-time gold medallist, Bond is widely regarded as one of New Zealand’s greatest Olympians of all time. Bond announced his retirement on Thursday. The 35-year-old teamed up with Eric Murray and won gold medals in the coxless pair event in the 2012 Games in London and the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Murray retired after the 2016 Olympic Games, after which Bond joined the NZ men’s eight. He won his third and final Olympic Gold medal in Tokyo last year. Tokyo marked the first time the country’s men’s eight had won a gold medal since 1972. Bond’s final win saw him crowned the first New Zealand rower to win three successive gold medals in a row. During Thursday’s announcement, Bond explained how he had known for a while that the time had arrived for him to retire. He said while it felt a strange announcement to make, he took heart in the fact that he’s bowing out while at the top of his game. He also said while rowing has made him into the person he is today, now feels like the right timing to be focusing on his family and other priorities. New Zealand betting sites have been reflecting on Bond's illustrious career, with many commemorating his achievements in the sport. He said he could never in his wildest dreams have imagined the sort of journey that would follow when he first began rowing aged only 13 while a student at Otago Boys’ High School. Golf betting odds are also a hot topic among sports enthusiasts, but many are taking a moment to appreciate Bond's remarkable contributions to New Zealand's sporting legacy. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Anthony Joshua has rubbished rumours of an opt-out deal for his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk. The Brit said fans should not be swayed by false claims. - Published: 2022-01-26 - Modified: 2022-01-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/joshua-denies-talk-of-usyk-opt-out-deal/ Boxer Anthony Joshua has denied rumours suggesting he had agreed to a £15 million deal in an effort to avoid a rematch with Oleksandr Usyk. According to reports, Joshua had been in support of Usyk fighting Tyson Fury for the heavyweight title instead. Commenting via a video recently posted on Twitter, Joshua said what maddened him the most was seeing quotes from supposed interviews that had never even happened. He said he wanted to make it clear that no contract for avoiding any fight had been signed by him. Joshua in September forfeited his heavyweight world titles to Usyk purely on points. Fury, meanwhile, reigned victorious over Deontay Wilder when he successfully defended his WBC Crown the month after. New Zealand sports betting markets have been abuzz with speculation over these high-profile boxing matches. According to another report, Fury’s promoters have been pushing for mandatory WBC belt challenger Dillian Whyte to step aside from that particular fight. Promotors Frank Warren and Bob Arum are reportedly also currently holding talks with Joshua and team. While on social media, Joshua insisted that he was able to make his own decisions and that this was because he was smart and in control of his destiny. He said fans should not be listening to rumours and outside sources. According to a report by a prominent British newspaper, however, Joshua had been close to accepting the avoid-deal, which would have cleared the way for Fury to fight Usyk in a massive undisputed bout in April. To date, negotiations between Joshua and Usyk have proved mostly problematic, significantly influencing boxing betting odds. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Misogynism remains a prevailing attitude in sport, a new study has found. The study focused on male hostility toward female participation in sport. - Published: 2022-01-24 - Modified: 2022-01-24 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/new-study-shows-male-sexism-in-football/ An insightful new study claims more than 70% of male football fans have misogynistic attitudes and hostile feelings toward female players and athletes. This revelation has sparked discussions on platforms dedicated to online betting NZ, where many sports enthusiasts engage in lively debates about various aspects of sports culture. The study was conducted by researchers at Durham University and surveyed over 2,000 male football fans. According to the researchers, the study clearly showed sexism regardless of age. This, they say, clearly suggests a backsliding in advances thought to have been made in gender equality efforts. The study was led by Dr. Stacy Pope, who is an associate profession at the university’s department of sport and exercise sciences. According to Pope, the study is the first of its kind used to try and determine the attitudes held by men’s football fans in relation to women in sport. She said the study’s findings are telling of a society that remains to be heavily patriarchal. The study furthermore included a sub-group of 507 respondents. This group was further divided into three categories: those men harbouring openly misogynistic views, those doing so in a more covert way, and a third group of men displaying gender-progressive attitudes. The most worrying of the three groups had obviously been the covertly misogynistic group, with 68% of those surveyed indicating women should not play sports at all – or if they did, then certainly not a “male” sport such as football. The study's findings are also pertinent to soccer betting trends, as they reflect underlying biases that could influence betting behaviors and perceptions of female athletes' performances. The smallest group was the covertly sexist one. These fans said they typically expressed progressive views when out in public, but more hostile opinions in their private lives. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Swimming Australia should rethink its coaching approach with women and girls. This according to a report highlighting the issues within the organization. - Published: 2022-01-21 - Modified: 2022-01-21 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/swimming/swimming-aus-ordered-to-rethink-coaching/ Swimming Australia has been ordered to reconsider its approach to coaching of girls and women. This follows an internal review recently concluded into the organisation’s treatment of female swimmers. This issue has garnered attention in various sports communities, including NZ sports betting forums, where fans discuss the implications of such findings on athlete performance and sports integrity A total of 46 recommendations were made as part of the review’s report. One such recommendation involves the dropping of so-called skinfold tests, and another that the term “physique” be abolished because of its harmful connotations. The report also recommends a quota be adopted for female coaches. Many of the recommendations detailed in the report revolve around body weight and shape and its relation to performance. Training should be humanising and free of the objectification of the body, recommends the report. Also addressed is Swimming Australia’s complaints process. The recommendation to this end is that a character test be adopted whenever coaches and support staff are selected. Whenever appointments are about to be made, previous complaint information should be taken into account, suggests the report. The report was mandated in June 2021 following several accusations of sexual misconduct and abuse against within the organisation. Last year, Rio Olympics silver medalist Madeline Groves withdrew from Tokyo as a message to what she referred to as misogynistic perverts and their enablers. Groves said the time was up for pervert executives to shame young women and girls into competing for them in order for such executives to keep pocketing their annual bonuses. According to a later allegation made by Groves, she had been sexually abused by someone who is still working within the sport. Groves said the abuse had started when she was only 13. The review's recommendations aim to humanize training and eliminate harmful practices, a shift that also resonates with enthusiasts of cycling betting, who are increasingly mindful of ethical considerations in sports. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > England all-rounder Ben Stokes is unlikely to make himself available for this year’s IPL tournament. Players come under the hammer on Feb. 12 & 13. - Published: 2022-01-19 - Modified: 2022-01-19 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/ben-stokes-likely-to-miss-out-on-ipl-2022/ New Zealand-born England all-rounder Ben Stokes is expected to make himself unavailable for this year’s Indian Premier League auction. Stokes has featured in the last for seasons of the cash-rich competition, with three of those seasons playing for the Rajasthan Royals. While the all-rounder was released by the Royals after missing most of last season due to injury, he had been expected to attract quite a bit of interest at this year’s auction on 12 and 13 February. But following a time-crunching schedule complicated even further by an ongoing global crisis, not to mention a massive defeat as part of the English side in the recent Ashes tournament, Stokes is understood not to have dropped his name in the hat for 2022. This development has sparked numerous discussions on sports online betting platforms, where fans speculate on how his absence might affect team strategies and betting odds. As far as England goes, chances are Stokes won’t be the only big name to sit out of this year’s IPL. A disastrous Ashes tournament means England will be likely to limit the availability of its players this year. Also, this year’s final is set for June 3rd, which is a day after England’s home Test series opposite New Zealand is due to begin. This timing has also influenced cricket betting enthusiasts, who are adjusting their wagers in anticipation of a potentially weakened English squad. In lieu of this year’s competition, teams were allowed to retain up to 4 players for carrying over – with a maximum cap of 3 on Indian players and 2 on overseas players. Of the 27 players retained in total, 8 are overseas players, and 4 are uncapped Indians. The BCCI, meanwhile, has successfully added two more franchises to the IPL lineup. This means the IPL 2022 season will comprise ten teams and 74 matches. 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This controversy has even sparked discussions on NZ betting sites, with many speculating on the possible outcomes of the saga. Independent senator Jacqui Lambie on Friday added her voice to the drama by accusing government and Immigration Minister Alex Hawke of a “shambles” in their approach to and handling of the issue of the Serbian’s visa. But government is clearly hesitant to pull the trigger because of the possibility of yet another court overthrow, which could see the saga dragged out into next week, affecting tennis betting odds as fans and bettors await the final decision. Djokovic’s visa, which was granted on November 18, was cancelled on the basis that a recent infection isn’t sufficient for a vaccination exemption according to Australia’s strict health and safety protocols. While PM Scott Morrison refused to comment on the case on Thursday, he once again made reference to authorities being expected to enforce vaccination requirements for all non-citizens of the country. This is being interpreted as a clear message of a new cancellation of Djokovic’s visa being imminent. Labor leader Anthony Albanese on Thursday demanded that government explain how a visa could have been granted in the first place to someone clearly ineligible because of a failure to fully vaccinate. Djokovic’s visa had reportedly been granted after an exemption from vaccination had been approved by Tennis Australia’s chief medical officer as well as an independent Victorian government expert panel. Albanese said the debacle should never have been allowed to drag out this long. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The BCCI is considering moving this year’s IPL either to South Africa or Sri Lanka. A rising wave of infections in India is threatening to force the move. - Published: 2022-01-14 - Modified: 2022-01-14 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/ipl-2022-could-be-played-in-south-africa/ With the number of infections in India rising rapidly, the BCCI is now considering a “Plan B” for the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, and one that might see the competition head to either South Africa or Sri Lanka. This potential shift has sparked interest on various NZ betting sites, as fans and bettors alike anticipate changes in the tournament's dynamics and outcomes. The contingency plan will depend on whether the current surge declines by April. South Africa is a favourite alternative because of the country’s successful hosting of the T20 league in 2009. According to a BCCI official, who said the organisers of the event are keen to explore alternatives outside of the Gulf, South Africa’s time difference also works out well for everybody involved in the flagship competition, which could also influence cricket betting odds as teams adjust to new venues. Another point in favour of South Africa in terms of hosting this year’s IPL has been the country’s handling of the India A series. Thanks to a proactive approach to health and safety, the Tour has gone ahead without any major disruptions. India’s time zone places it 3 hours and 30 minutes ahead of South Africa. This means IPL games wouldn’t have to be played late at night, which had been the case in the UAE. Should television broadcasters stick to the preferred 7:30 pm (IST) timeslot for bowling the first ball, games in South Africa would start around 4:00 pm. Players have in the past regularly complained about matches finishing after midnight. Erratic schedules coupled with regular air travel has proved problematic for payers unable to rest and recover between playing and training sessions. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Aus border officials are investigating the travel declaration submitted by Novak Djokovic prior to his arrival. Some of the info appears to be misleading. - Published: 2022-01-12 - Modified: 2022-01-12 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/officials-looking-into-djokovic-declaration/ Australian border officials are reportedly investigating whether tennis world No. 1 Novak Djokovic had indeed been honest when he declared he had not travelled for two weeks prior to his flight to Australia. While an agent for Djokovic completed the declaration of “no-travel” on his behalf, social media posts apparently show the Serb to have visited Belgrave on Christmas Day – mere days before travelling to Australia via Spain on Jan. 4. This controversy has generated significant buzz in the sports betting New Zealand community, where many are keenly watching the developments for potential impacts on betting markets. Despite Djokovic’s recent win in court, his fate now lies in the hands of Australian Immigration Minister Alex Hawke, who could very well decide to cancel the star’s visa and deport him yet. Such a ruling will likely be answered with a fresh legal challenge from Djokovic-and-team, which in turn could influence tennis betting odds as bettors assess the likelihood of Djokovic participating in upcoming tournaments. Such a ruling will likely be answered with a fresh legal challenge from Djokovic-and-team. The declaration attested to by the Serb is joined by a warning cautioning about misleading information being a punishable offence by civil fines and/or other penalties. In a statement filed by the Serb at Australia’s federal circuit court, the star confirms that he had on Jan. 1 authorised his appointed agent to sign said declaration on his behalf, and with the information as provided. Djokovic confirmed on Jan. 6 that the information provided in his declaration had been based on his medical exemption which had been approved by Tennis Australia. Casting doubt on the situation had been a Twitter post by Portuguese sports journalist Jose Morgado. The post places the Serbian in Belgrade on Christmas Day while posing with handball athlete Petar Djordjic. A second post shows Djokovic playing tennis in the streets of Belgrade on Boxing Day. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The New York Times is set to become the new owner of digital sports page the Athletic. The newspaper said it hopes to attract more digital subscribers. - Published: 2022-01-10 - Modified: 2022-01-10 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/new-york-times-to-buy-athletic-for-550m/ The New York Times has confirmed that it has indeed tabled an offer to acquire the subscription-based online sports site the Athletic. The agreed purchase price has apparently been pegged at $550 million in cash. This move is generating considerable buzz on sports betting New Zealand platforms, where fans are speculating about how the acquisition might influence sports coverage and betting insights. The New York Times, which is this year 170 years in existence, is eager to add more digital content to its offering in a push to attract more business. This strategy is similar to how major events like the Melbourne Cup drive significant interest and activity in Melbourne Cup betting, attracting large audiences and substantial wagering. The Athletic, which was founded in 2016, enjoys the patronage of more than 1. 2 million subscribers. It provides news coverage of more than 200 clubs and teams both in the US as well the rest of the world. Commenting on the deal on Thursday had been New York Times CEO Meredith Kopit Levien. According to Levien, the big-money acquisition positions the New York Times to become a world-wide leader in the world of sports journalism and reporting. The newspaper is banking on becoming a subscription-first model, which it hopes will help mitigate the steep declines in readership currently experienced. Subscription-first models have become a growing trend in the world of media and newspaper-based advertising. According to a recent report, the New York Times has over the past three years boosted its readership by more than 8 million digital subscribers newly signed on. Levien said the goal is for the Athletic deal to help boost this figure to 10 million subscribers. The Athletic will continue to operate as a separate business unit. It’s founders, Adam Hansmann and Alex Mather, will be employed by the New York Times following the finalisation of the acquisition. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The NFL will in future impose fines on teams found guilty of poor behaviour during draft picks interviews. Interrogation will no longer be tolerated. - Published: 2022-01-07 - Modified: 2022-01-07 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/nfl-to-fine-for-interrogation-tactics/ NFL teams notorious for asking draft prospects questions aimed at throwing them off balance have received a strong word of warning from the league. This has been a topic of interest on various betting NZ platforms, where fans and bettors alike are discussing the potential impacts on team dynamics and draft outcomes. The league said this week teams now face not only losing draft picks, but also significant fines, in the event it is shown that they have conducted themselves in an unprofessional manner during interviews. According to a memo leaked to the press, disrespectful and/or inappropriate behaviour will carry a penalty of a minimum fine of $150,000. Fines may also be imposed on individual employees found guilty of unprofessional behaviour. This change in policy could also influence NFL betting trends, as team conduct and management practices become a factor in betting decisions. In 2010, ex-Miami Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland admitted that he had asked first-round draft pick Dez Bryant whether his mother was a prostitute. Then in 2016, ex-Atlanta Falcons coach Dan Quinn was made to apologise to Eli Apple because of questions posed by one of his coaches regarding the star cornerback’s sexual preference. According to former NFL player Benjamin Watson, who competed across 16 seasons between 2004 and 2020, the interview process for draft picks isn’t unlike an interrogation. Watson last year revealed to the press how he had been made to sit in a dark room fitted with a massive spotlight. He said the interview had made him feel as though he had committed a crime – complete with an interrogator who had grabbed him by the wrist to feel his pulse and determine whether he was lying. According to executive VP of football operations Troy Vincent, the league has realised the need for the draft process to be conducted in a more respectful and comfortable manner. Humiliation should not be part of the process, he explained. 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This has prompted a response from the Rugby League Players Association, with the association hoping to sign off on a new collective bargaining agreement reflecting the uptick in financial vitality. The news has generated significant interest on NZ online betting platforms, with fans eagerly anticipating the impact on future games and player performance. According to NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo, now that financial security has been obtained, the next step will indeed be to engage with the RLPA and players over a renewed CBA. This agreement is also expected to influence rugby betting trends, as the financial boost could lead to more competitive matches and attract more wagers. The current CBA expires in 2022. The renewal of the CBA is a topic high on the RLPA chief executive Clint Newton’s list of priorities right now. Speaking recently in Hunter Valley, Newton said a new deal will likely be decided in record time. He said the only thing required right now is for the league and its clubs to come to the negotiations table in the “right frame of mind”. A key area bound to be tabled for greater input is the issue of rule changes. While the NRL has agreed to re-consider changes to the controversial six-again rule, Newton said he believes players need to form part of any dialogue in this regard. He said having players present around the negotiations table is crucial – and especially so when those players are expected to not only play the game, but also promote it. Another important issue for discussion is that of a CBA for the NRLW, which is set to expand to six teams in 2022. 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The situation has garnered significant attention on online betting platforms, where many are closely following developments. Shuai claimed during her first public appearance that her accusation of sexual assault made against former Chinese vice-premier Zhang Gaoli had been “misunderstood”. She said she never accused anyone of sexual assault. The star made the claim at a skiing event in Shanghai, which has also influenced the latest tennis odds as bettors speculate on her future participation in the sport. The 35-year-old also spoke of being free from surveillance, and said that her post had been intended as a private matter. She stopped short of mentioning Gaoli, who has not commented on the initial accusation made by Shuai. In response, the WTA has said it remains “steadfast” in its call for a full and uncensored investigation into Shuai’s allegation of sexual assault. The fact that Shuai disappeared from the public eye for nearly three months after the post on Chinese social media Weibo, sparked further concerns about the true state of affairs. In Shuai’s latest address she also makes mention of the email message she had supposedly sent to WTA chief Steve Simon, in which she denies all sexual assault allegations. This is the same email Simon said he had had a hard time believing. The WTA announced in December that it had decided to suspend all tournaments in China over concerns not only for Shuai, but also for all of its players. 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This high-profile transfer is already generating significant buzz in sports betting circles, with many speculating on how Torres' addition will impact Barcelona's performance. The expectation is for the club to offer Torres, who hails from Spain, a money-spinning contract spanning five years, despite Barca’s widely reported financial debts. Torres is anticipated to travel to Spain in the next day or two to finalise the deal and undergo a medical. The club is rumoured to already be working on a statement for announcing the big signing. Fans and punters alike are eagerly watching the soccer betting markets for shifts in odds following this major signing. The star forward hasn’t played since September after suffering a foot injury while on international duty for Spain. Even so, he’d been in outstanding form before the stoppage, scoring 7 goals in 11 matches for Barca and country. Owing to the early retirement of Sergio Aguero, who managed to play only 339 minutes for the club before suffering chest pains in October, Torres is regarded a high-profile target for Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez. Barcelona are currently ranked seventh in Lia Liga, which is only two points off a top-four position. The club’s outlook has improved in recent times following the disastrous summer that saw Lionel Messi leaving largely because of financial issues. Pep Guardiola has been outspoken about how much he valued Torres’ contributions at City this season. Even so, the fee on the table is viewed as a decent return for a player that cost the club only $30 million in August last year. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Fast5 Netball World Series is coming to New Zealand. The country has secured the rights to host the event for the next three years – starting 2022. - Published: 2021-12-29 - Modified: 2021-12-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/netball/fast5-netball-world-series-to-return-to-nz/ Great news for Kiwi netball fans is that much more international netball is about to come to New Zealand. This following the news that the Fast5 Netball World Series is about to return to New Zealand for the first time in 8 years. Netball New Zealand recently announced that they’ve secured the rights for hosting the Fast5 Netball World Series for the next three years – beginning in 2022. The last time the fast-paced game had been played in the country and at international level was all the way back in 2014. The popular event will be hosted by Christchurch Arena in 2022 and 2023. Next year’s edition of the tournament will be played in November, and about a week before Canterbury Cup week. About to be invited to participate in the event will be the world’s top six ranked national Netball teams. For now, New Zealand remains the defending champions. The tournament hasn’t been played since due to the global health crisis. Excited about New Zealand’s newly-acquired rights to host the event is Netball NZ chief executive Jennie Wyllie. She said she could not fathom a better way to celebrate the return of Fast5 athletes than by welcoming the best Netball players from the world over to New Zealand’s shores. The fast-paced Fast5 format is a modified and abbreviated version of the sport. It features multiple point shots, shortened quarters, and only 5 players to a side. New Zealand Netball are seven-time Fast5 title holders. The country won the debut edition of the Fast5 Netball World Series in 2009. Fans eager to engage with the tournament can anticipate heightened excitement, with many likely to explore NBA bets alongside their netball fervor, given the overlap in seasons between the two sports. New Zealand sports betting sites offer a wide range of options for those looking to place bets on various sports events, catering to the diverse preferences of sports enthusiasts nationwide. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > F1 driver Nicholas Latifi has revealed that he received death threats after the final in Abu Dhabi. Latifi is being blamed for the controversial finale. - Published: 2021-12-27 - Modified: 2021-12-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/latifi-reveals-death-threats-after-abu-dhabi/ F1’s team Williams driver Nicholas Latifi has revealed how he had received death threats after his crash in Abu Dhabi led to a controversial end to the race and season. Latifi, who hails from Canada, crashed with only five laps remaining of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. His crash led to the bringing out of the safety car that ultimately helped Max Verstappen beat Lewis Hamilton to the 2021 Formula 1 title. The incident became a major topic of discussion in sports betting New Zealand circles, where fans and bettors were keenly watching the race's outcome. Latifi said he received an entire torrent of abuse and death threats on social media and that the tone of hate had shocked him no end. For those placing Formula One bets, the dramatic turn of events underscored the unpredictable nature of the sport and its impact on betting outcomes. At the time of Latifi’s crash, Hamilton had been in a 12-second lead over Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. While Hamilton decided to stay on the track, Verstappen opted to pit for fresh tyres. Even though race director Michael Masi initially said lapped drivers would not be permitted to pass the safety car, he changed his mind with only a lap remaining. Verstappen’s final lap win denied Hamilton a record eighth world title. This means he remains tied with Michael Schumacher at seven. The Canadian has apologised for playing such a deciding part in the outcome of the Dec. 12 race. He however added that he intends to keep on competing until the checkered flag – regardless of his position. Latifi said while he understood there would continue to be differing opinions on the topic, using those opinions to abuse others with threats of violence is a clear indication of not being a true fan of F1. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Kiwi lock and Spain rugby star Kawa Leauma has died. Leauma died after falling eight stories from a multi-story building in Amsterdam in the Netherlands. - Published: 2021-12-24 - Modified: 2021-12-24 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/kawa-leauma-dies-after-freak-accident/ Tragic news confirmed on Wednesday is that New Zealand lock Kawa Leauma has died of the head injuries sustained during an accident in Amsterdam in the Netherlands. The Spanish Rugby Federation, who paid tribute to the 32-year-old following his death, described the cause to have been a “freak accident”. According to Spanish media reports, Leauma fell eight metres from a multi-story building in Amsterdam. The Spanish Rugby Federation said on Wednesday though his condition had shown improvement on Sunday following emergency surgery, it had deteriorated severely only a day later. In its tribute to the star player, the federation said World Rugby and Spanish Rugby are in mourning. The federation said it wished to thank Leauma for his commitment to and love for the game and for his club, AMPO Ordizia. The Kiwi played for the club in the country’s Basque Country, and had travelled to the Netherlands with the club for the Rugby Europe Championship. This tragic event has resonated deeply within the online sports betting community, where many fans followed Leauma’s career closely. According to the federation, the accident happened mere hours after Spain triumphed 52-7 over the Netherlands. The match also acted as a qualifier event for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France. While Leauma had travelled to the Netherlands to play, he was scratched last-minute from the playing roster because of doubts over his eligibility to play for Spain. Fans placing rugby bets had anticipated his impact on the game, highlighting his significance on and off the field. The Kiwi had been hoping on eligibility after three years of residency in Spain. The Spanish Rugby Federation said the New Zealander’s memory would be honoured by Spain’s attempt to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1999. --- > New Zealand rugby star Kawa Leauma is reportedly fighting for his life in hospital. The player suffered an 8-metre fall while in Amsterdam with Spain. - Published: 2021-12-22 - Modified: 2021-12-22 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/kawa-leauma-suffers-serious-head-injuries/ New Zealand rugby player Kawa Leauma is reportedly in a critical condition in hospital after falling eight metres. Leauma, who is undergoing treatment in a hospital in Amsterdam, is said to have sustained life-threatening injuries to the head. The incident happened in Amsterdam, where Leauma had been playing as part of Spain’s national team in a Six Nations B match against the Netherlands. The accident reportedly took place only hours after Spain beat their opponents 52-7. The Kiwi was rushed to hospital via ambulance directly after the accident. Leauma’s unfortunate situation has garnered significant attention, especially among those interested in online betting, as such incidents can impact team dynamics and betting odds. According to recent media reports, the New Zealander had been scratched last-minute from Spain’s roster after doubts emerged whether or not he had been eligible to play for Spain. Leauma currently plays for Ordizia. The club posted early on Tuesday how the latest report regarding the Kiwi’s progress “isn’t positive”, and that he may be operated on again throughout the course of the day. It’s currently not clear precisely how the accident occurred. Neither Ordizia nor the Spanish Rugby Federation have revealed any details other than the fact that he fell eight metres far from a building. The Spanish Rugby Federation has requested that any news regarding Leauma be handled in a calm and discreet manner. The federation said this request was out of respect for the player’s family. Leauma’s wife is expected to arrive in Amsterdam shortly. This tragic event has also affected those involved in rugby betting, as players' health and availability are crucial for placing informed bets. Leauma previously starred in Samoa’s Under 20’s side, as well a stint playing sevens rugby for Auckland. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Quicker returns may soon be possible for NFL players and staff returning positive test results. The NFL have announced updated health and safety protocols. - Published: 2021-12-20 - Modified: 2021-12-20 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/nfl-updates-protocols-for-quicker-returns/ Potentially good news for NFL fans and teams alike is the announcement that the league has now updated its health and safety protocols in response to an increased number of positive rest results. While the league’s plans involve increased restrictions in terms of the wearing of masks and vaccination mandates, as well as an end to in-person meals and other facility-based activities, the updated protocols will mean asymptomatic players might make a sooner return to playing than before. This development has sparked discussions among fans who follow sports betting NZ, as the availability of key players can significantly impact betting odds and strategies. According to a statement issued by the NFL this week, all of the proposed changes are firmly grounded in a medical science-based approach – with safety still the No. 1 goal for players, staff, and fans alike. The statement furthermore confirmed that the updated rules and regulations will apply through Week 15 games – and with the likelihood of a further continuance even after that particular point. The league’s chief medical officer, Dr. Allen Sills, said the new variant requires of the league to address the rise of infections as if they were produced by an all-new disease. According to Sills, Omicron is to blame for the sudden and significant increase in positive test results. In the past, the requirement had been for a vaccinated person to return two negative PCR results 24 hours apart before receiving the all-clear for a return. But since the new protocols allow for either two PCR negatives or two Mesa negatives, the logistics could make for a much faster return. But since the new protocols allow for either two PCR negatives or two Mesa negatives, the logistics could make for a much faster return, which is crucial for those interested in NFL betting as player availability can influence game outcomes and betting lines. Sills said the need has now arisen for the world of sport to think differently about how to approach the global health crisis. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Racism is at the heart of cricketing conversations again. Three SA cricketing greats are being implicated in a new report mandated by Cricket South Africa. - Published: 2021-12-17 - Modified: 2021-12-17 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/sa-cricketing-greats-named-in-racism-report/ At least three South African cricketing greats are being accused of “historical” racism in a damning new report filed and compiled by South Africa’s Social Justice and National Building Commission. Those named include AB de Villiers, Mark Boucher, and Graeme Smith. According to the findings of the 252-page report, the three have all been guilty of some form of racially-driven behaviour, including the discriminatory treatment of Black players by non-selection based on race. The report followed a mandate issued by Cricket South Africa (CSA), and was produced based on testimonies and affidavits accumulated over 35 days of hearings. The controversy has drawn significant attention from the public, with discussions even spilling over into online betting forums where fans are divided on the issue. According to Boucher, who is South Africa’s national head coach, to his mind, South African players were completely unprepared for the realities they would have to face within the context of cricket in post-Apartheid. Boucher is one of the former players accused of racially-charged language used towards former SA leg-spinner Paul Adams. The accusations against Boucher, Smith, and others, including the singing of a “victory song” containing racial slurs directed specifically at Adams. The famous leg-spinner was the only Black player playing for the national side in post-Apartheid 1995. During the hearings, he called on “greater education” so as to ensure better respect for players of all races going forward. Adams also testified that he felt as if he had been left out of the squad to make space for Pay Symcox, who is white. He said this had left him with feelings of being “hidden away”. The ongoing debate has even influenced how people place cricket bets, with some questioning their support for certain players or teams. CSA has not yet taken any action following the release of the report. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > A heart condition is reportedly pushing Barcelona striker Sergio Aguero into an early retirement. The star is expected to announce his exit on Wednesday. - Published: 2021-12-15 - Modified: 2021-12-15 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/sergio-aguero-to-announce-early-retirement/ Former top Manchester City goal scorer Sergio Aguero, who recently joined Barcelona as free agent, is expected to announce his retirement from professional football on Wednesday. The super striker is reportedly suffering from a heart condition. Aguero experienced severe chest pains and breathing difficulties during Barcelona’s 1-1 draw with Alaves on Oct. 30. The star scorer fell to the turf while holding onto his chest at Camp Nou. A medical team could be seen treating him for several minutes on the field before Aguero had been able to make his way off unaided. The former City star was reportedly shortly after admitted to a local hospital where several cardiological tests had been performed. Barcelona later released a statement voicing the expectation that Aguero would be away from the game for at least three months in order to allow for the diagnostic and treatment process to run its course. Sadly, however, as a result of his heart condition, Aguero will not be able to continue his prestigious 18-year-career. His football journey began at Independiente, where his inclusion saw him becoming Argentina’s youngest ever top-flight addition. After only three years with Independiente, he would move on to Atletico Madrid in 2006. He ended up signing with Manchester City in 2011. Aguero’s biggest moment of his career came when at the end of his first season with City, his 94th-minute goal snatched the top spot away from Man-U – and gave his team its first title since 1968. Fans can explore soccer bets to engage more deeply with the sport. Additionally, various online betting sports platforms offer opportunities to bet on numerous other games and events. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > There’s much to look forward to as the world of tennis prepares for a new season. This is what fans can expect to see in the run-up to the Australian Open. - Published: 2021-12-13 - Modified: 2021-12-13 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/what-to-expect-of-aus-tennis-early-2022/ The latest news in the world of tennis is that Australia’s Ash Barty will commence her 2022 season at January’s Adelaide International Australian Open warm-up ahead of the Australian Open. Barty, who won the warm-up in its inaugural 2020 edition, hasn’t played professional tennis since September’s US Open at Flushing Meadows. The WTA Player of the Year will be joined by defending champ Iga Swiatek – as well as Karolina Pliskova and Garbine Muguruza. About to headline the “Melbourne Summer Set” at Melbourne Park are AO champion Naomi Osaka and British youngster Emma Raducanu. The two Melbourne events will prove invaluable for the British teen as she seeks to acclimatise to conditions in Australia ahead of the first Grand Slam tournament of 2022. As for Osaka, who now ranks as the world No. 13th, her return will also mark her first since her early exit from Flushing Meadows. For Osaka, 2021 had been a demanding year that saw her withdraw also from the French Open and Wimbledon as a result of mental health issues and challenges involving the press. In men’s tennis, Melbourne’s ATP 250 tournament beginning January 4 will be headlined by none other than a returning Rafael Nadal. And while world No. 1 Novak Djokovic has been listed as part of Serbia’s draw for the ATP Cup, his participation in the Australian Open remains uncertain due to vaccine mandates. GOAT Roger Federer has in the meantime confirmed that he will not be playing in Australia due to his ongoing recovery from knee surgeries. Tennis enthusiasts can keep track of the action and explore betting options on various betting sites, with a particular focus on tennis betting odds to predict the outcomes of matches during these exciting tournaments. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Serena Williams has announced that she will not be competing in the 2022 Australian Open. The star has cited fitness issues as the reason for her decision. - Published: 2021-12-10 - Modified: 2021-12-10 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/serena-williams-withdraws-from-ao/ American superstar Serena Williams has withdrawn from next month’s Australian Open. According to the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, the decision has been taken on advice of her medical team over insufficient fitness levels. Due to a long recovery period from injuries, Williams has not played since her first-round exit at Wimbledon in June. Australian Open tournament organiser Craig Tiley announced as recently as only last month that Williams would indeed by competing at Melbourne Park in January. The star is currently seeking a record 24th Grand Slam title and won the most recent of her seven AO titles in 2017. Williams confirmed her withdrawal on Twitter on Wednesday morning. She said while the decision had not been an easy one to take, the reality she has had to face is one of not being fit enough to compete. She also added that playing in Melbourne was something she looked forward to doing every year and that she would greatly miss seeing her fans. Williams’ name is now the most obvious omission from the Australian Open field. Also absent will be 20-time Grand Slam title holder and GOAT Roger Federer, as well as 3-time AO champion Stan Wawrinka. While men’s world No. 1 Novak Djokovic’s name has been added to the official list of entries for 2022, he continues to refuse answering questions about his vaccination status. All players, support staff, and officials participating in the tournament will need to provide proof of full vaccination. Fans looking to stay engaged with the Australian Open action can explore various betting options on NZ betting sites, with a particular focus on tennis bets to follow the outcomes of the matches closely. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The US has announced that it will not be sending officials to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. The decision is in response to China’s human rights crimes. - Published: 2021-12-08 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/us-to-boycott-beijing-winter-olympics/ US To Boycott Beijing Winter Olympics US president Joe Biden and the White House have confirmed that a diplomatic boycott will be staged of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. The decision has been defended as America’s response to China’s crimes against humanity. According to an announcement on Monday by press secretary Jen Psaki, no diplomatic or official representation will be sent to either the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics or the Paralympic Games. Despite the boycott, athletes from the US are still expected to compete in Beijing. The boycott has been a topic of significant discussion on online betting platforms, where bettors are eager to see how this political stance might impact the performance and participation of US athletes. Psaki emphasised that while the Biden administration will not be participating in the “fanfare” of the Olympic Games, the country will remain behind its competing athletes while cheering them from back home. This situation is reminiscent of the discussions seen in horse racing betting, where external factors often influence betting odds and public interest. The last time the US staged an Olympic boycott had been under the administration of US president Jimmy Carter during the cold war in 1980. Carter and country at the time boycott the Moscow Summer Games. According to Psaki, local officials had informed China of the boycott before the formal announcement had been made. She said the US feels a clear and necessary message had been sent. China has in the meantime responded to the decision by accusing the US of putting a “stain” on the spirit of the Olympic Games. Zhao Lijian, who is China’s foreign ministry spokesperson, on Monday accused the White House of being behind a boycott hype without even having been invited to the Games it proposes to miss. Lijian also said any boycott on the part of the US would be met with “countermeasures”. --- > Wallabies star Quade Cooper may soon realise his dream of calling Australia home. Thanks to a change in the rules, he’ll likely pass the test. - Published: 2021-12-06 - Modified: 2021-12-06 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/quade-cooper-may-soon-call-australia-home/ Wallabies star Quade Cooper told the media this week that he will be taking another citizenship test– a test that will hopefully allow him to finally call Australia his home. Born in New Zealand, the 33-year-old has played 75 Tests for Australia. Cooper has been outspoken about his unhappiness about four previous failed citizenship applications. Those rejections had been because of the many difficulties faced as an international sportsman trying to meet the requirements of citizenship. Cooper however now has a new shot at becoming a citizen – this after the Australian government recently changed its eligibility rules so as to provide for individuals who qualify under the provision of “distinguished applicants”. The news has been closely followed by fans and bettors alike on online betting NZ platforms, where Cooper's journey has generated significant interest. Cooper’s test on Friday will be taken in Japan, where he is currently a member of the Hanazono Kintentsu Liners. In a tweet on Thursday, Cooper thanked his fans and everybody else who had supported him during his journey. He said he’s forever grateful to finally have a real chance of calling Australia home. His performance continues to be a popular topic in rugby betting circles, with many speculating on his future contributions to the Wallabies. The change that put Cooper back in the running for citizenship came in September when immigration minister Alex Hawke announced that there would be more flexibility for qualifying applications such as professional athletes, artists, scientists, and top businesspeople contributing to the country’s economy. Hawke said exceptional people should not be punished because of the demands of precisely those things that make them exceptional. Cooper qualifies to play for the Wallabies through residency. Born in Auckland, he moved to Australia with his family at the age of 13. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Rory Mcllroy says pro golfers should get to decide for themselves where to play and where not. He said this should include countries like Saudi Arabia. - Published: 2021-12-03 - Modified: 2021-12-03 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/rory-mcllroy-says-saudi-should-be-an-option/ Golfer Rory Mcllroy says whoever wishes to compete in February’s Saudi International should be at liberty to do so. He said the PGA and European tours should not have the right to stop anybody from playing. Several prominent golfers have reportedly expressed an interest in playing – including Phil Michelson, Bryson DeChambeau, Lee Westwood, and Ian Poulter. The controversial state has encountered great resistance from the European and PGA tours in response to its desire to make an inroad into professional golf. The issue of players being permitted to compete in Jeddah in Feb. will reportedly be tabled for discussion at board level by the European Tour over the coming days. This has also sparked considerable debate within the sports betting community, with odds being closely monitored for potential participants. Mcllroy said this week while he himself isn’t interested in competing on Saudi soil, he firmly believes that those who do should have the right to decide for themselves whether or not to accept Saudi money. He said he views all players as independently operating contractors and as such, people should be able to make a personal call on where they want to compete. Complicating matters even further is the fact that some players have already signed multi-year contracts to compete in Saudi Arabia. This, said Mcllroy, makes it only all the more urgent for players who are playing a professional game to know exactly where they stand in relation to golf’s overseeing entities. As the controversy continues, fans are also keeping a close eye on golf betting odds to see how these developments might influence the upcoming tournaments. For Mcllroy, the golfing year draws to a close at the weekend’s Hero World Challenge. The world No. 8 said he considered his year to have been a mixed bag of performances. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Sad news this week is that F1 legend Sir Frank Williams has died. Williams founded the namesake racing team, alongside which he enjoyed incredible success. - Published: 2021-12-01 - Modified: 2021-12-01 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/the-legendary-sir-frank-williams-has-died/ Sir Frank Williams, who founded the Williams F1 racing team, has died. He was 79. Tributes have been streaming in for the legend ever since he died on Sunday. The famous Williams-founder enjoyed incredible success in Formula One – including seven drivers’ titles and nine constructors’ championships. Under the leadership and tutelage of Sir Frank Williams, the team bearing his name emerged a dominant force in the 1980s and 90s. There would be no slowing them down ever since they won their first Grand Prix championship in 1979. Drivers who had sealed championships for team Williams include Nelson Piquet, Keke Rosberg, Alain Prost, Damon Hill, Jacques Villeneuve, and the legendary Nigel Mansell. His impact on the sport has been so profound that NZ sports betting sites often feature odds on various aspects of the Williams F1 team’s performance. Williams and co-founder Patrick Head oversaw the establishment of a team that would go on to compete at the highest level of the sport for several decades. During their championship run, they would run circles around the likes of Ferrari. But Williams also overcame on a much more personal level when he was paralysed from the neck down in a car accident in 1986. But even while confined to a wheelchair, he would go on to lead team Williams with the very same passion and tenacity as ever before. The influence of Williams extended to many facets of the sport, including how fans approach F1 betting odds, considering the team’s storied history and competitive edge. Paying tribute to Williams this week had been three-time world champion Sir Jackie Stewart. The F1 legend paid homage to the significant role Williams had played in the world of motorcar racing. Stewart described William as a massive figure in British motor sport and said he would be missed “always”. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Following the suicide of Athlete Olivia Podmore, more resignations at Cycling NZ are expected. Martin Barras and Rene Wolff are the latest to resign. - Published: 2021-11-29 - Modified: 2021-11-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/cycling-new-zealand-to-face-more-high-profile-resignations/ Cycling New Zealand has announced that another two of its senior staff will be resigning soon in the midst of an inquiry after the death of cyclist Olivia Podmore. It’s believed that Martin Barras, director of High Performance, along with sprint coach Rene Wolff will be departing from the sporting organisation. The leaving of these two latest staff follows the most recent resignation of chief executive Jacques Landry. The departures follow on three months after the incident, in which it’s suspected that Podmore committed suicide. The Rio Olympian’s death has caused a huge stir among the culture that’s been built up around achieving high performance within Cycling New Zealand, as well as the lack of focus on the overall welfare of the athletes that are part of the organisation. This tragic event has also attracted attention from those involved in online betting, as the performance and well-being of athletes can significantly impact betting odds and outcomes. Martin Barras, who has worked for Cycling NZ since 2018 after previously being a senior track coach for Cycling Australia, has been responsible for the high performance operations that been organised by the New Zealand sporting branch. Barras also held her own, important role in terms of the selections of the major events that athletes would take part in, including the Olympic games. Concerns regarding the selection process had already been raised during August of 2020 by Cycling New Zealand's Athlete Voice Committee. This came at a time when many of the athletes were disputing decisions made by the national body over selections for the Tokyo Olympic Games. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Black Caps are preparing to battle India in the World Test Championship. This comes following recent losses that have the team low on morale. - Published: 2021-11-26 - Modified: 2021-11-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/new-zealand-staring-down-battle-with-indian-challengers/ New Zealand recently opened their defence against India in the World Test Championship after coming home from a long road trip, as well as a disappointing failure at the T20 World Cup. After losing at 3-0 against India during the T20 series, not too far from their final defeat by Australia at the World Cup. Morale among the Black Caps is at new lows as they prepare for their first test against India, to be played in Kanpur. This has also affected the sports betting NZ markets, with many now re-evaluating the Black Caps' odds. The blow is especially hard as it comes not too many months after the team won the inaugural WTC trophy earlier this year in June, but it has been something of a downward spiral since then. Part of their current difficulties is missing players, which include Colin de Grandhomme and Trent Boult, both of whom offered incredible skill to the team during their matches in June. Head coach Gary Stead explained to reporters that the team was really feeling the pressure of the challenge that they are facing down. Stead added that India has some of the best spinners in the world, and that it would be difficult to keep morale high, especially considering that the Black Caps have not won a test series against India since their 1988/89 tour. This context makes cricket bets particularly interesting, as bettors weigh New Zealand's recent struggles against their past performances. Before the start of the event, New Zealand will be having two training sessions as a full team, with their T20 players re-joining the squad after their recent loss in Kolkata. 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This development has stirred excitement among fans and analysts, particularly those involved in sports betting New Zealand, who are eager to see how this strategic move will impact the odds With the championship hanging in a fine and close points-balance following Hamilton’s victory over Max Verstappen in Qatar, the newest engine could very well mean the difference between losing and winning for Mercedes. Hamilton’s big win in Qatar did much for closing the gap between Mercedes and Red Bull. Verstappen now leads Hamilton by just eight points. Even so, Verstappen’s current advantage, not to mention his incredible performance this season, could very well secure him the title in Saudi Arabia on Dec. 5. Should Verstappen wins, Hamilton will have to finish higher than seventh to even remain in contention for the title this year. This means there’s no moving room for error whatsoever. The most likely eventuality is that Hamilton and Verstappen will go wheel-to-wheel for the title at the Abu Dhabi season finale on Dec. 12. With a new engine about to be introduced into the mix, Mercedes will have a lot of speed and power to unleash in the next round in Saudi Arabia. The engine they’ll be sporting is the same one Hamilton used to power his way from 10th to victory in the Brazilian Grand Prix. According to Mercedes director of engineering Andrew Shovlin, the new engine is a perfect fit for the track conditions in Saudi Arabia. This anticipation has also increased interest in motor racing betting, as fans speculate on the outcome of this critical stage of the season. 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Rafiq has been at the heart of the Yorkshire racism scandal and a praised whistleblower for calling out discrimination in cricket. He this week appeared before a parliamentary committee as he spoke about the hurtful experiences he had suffered during his days playing for Headingley. The 30-year-old saw the committee turn its attentions to him personally on Thursday when he was made to admit to his own racially-driven shortcomings in the past. This came after a prominent news page unearthed a compromising conversation with Leicestershire player Ateeq Javid. According to the report, Rafiq had exchanged a message with Javid in which he accused a third player of having been loath to help pay for a team dinner because of his Jewish heritage. He also added that the player in question would likely “go after” his second helping of food because that’s what Jewish people did. The timing of the revelation could not have been worse for the Asian player, who shortly after he had been made aware of the messages wrote on Twitter how he had been sent a picture of the 2011-exchange, and that he had immediately gone back to delete the message for fear that it would cause further offense. He added that the messages had indeed been sent by him and that he had no excuse for his actions. The incident has sparked a broader conversation about accountability and the impact of such actions on the cricket community and betting markets, particularly for those who engage in cricket bets. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > World Rugby has launched an awareness campaign focused on the general health of players. It recently made a controversial statement about dementia. - Published: 2021-11-19 - Modified: 2021-11-19 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/world-rugby-says-about-dementia/ World Rugby has reportedly now told players that head impacts and concussions aren’t the only factors known to contribute to the early onset of dementia. The organisation allegedly said this week other factors include the excessive use of alcohol, depression, and unhealthy eating habits. These revelations have also led to increased discussions within online betting communities about the potential impacts on player performance and overall game outcomes. The statement comes after concerns over player welfare prompted a legal case against World Rugby, the Welsh Rugby Union, and the Rugby Football Union. It also forms part of a campaign recently launched at the World Rugby medical commission conference, which aims to educate players concerned about their well-being. Support is also being offered via consultations with brain health experts and clinical assessors. This has also raised questions among fans and bettors alike regarding the future of rugby betting, as the health and performance of players are crucial factors in making informed wagers. The complication in proving the actual cause of dementia within the context of the game is that mostly the root of any degenerative brain condition can only be proved exclusively by means of a post-mortem. According to Professor Willie Stewart, who is a consultant neuropathologist at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, what World Rugby is doing right now is exceptionally important work. He said the effort will benefit not only rugby as a global game, but also all sorts of sport in general. Stewart also added that it remains important that the state of health of former players isn’t overlooked in the process of working out the best way forward. Among those that have now instituted legal action against rugby’s governing bodies count former hooker Steve Thompson and flanker Alix Popham. The group is being represented by lawyer Richard Boardman of Rylands Law. 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The hard-hitting batsman, who played a swashbuckling game at No. 6, sent off three sixes on his way to an impressive 27 runs off 11 balls. This dramatic turn of events has sparked much discussion among fans and analysts alike, especially within sports betting circles, where the outcome significantly impacted the odds. This was the first time Neesham had played such a hard and decisive game, said Morgan after the match, which he said took England by surprise. Morgan said the hardest thing about the match had been to end up on the wrong side of an intensely close final score. He said England were probably ahead in the game before Neesham stepped up to the wicket. Aside from Neesham, proving an extreme challenge for the English squad had been the nature of the pitch. Morgan said while the hitting ability within the squad remained as strong as ever before, the ball simply wasn’t coming on to the bat in the way it should have. This unexpected twist had a noticeable impact on cricket betting odds, leaving many bettors reevaluating their strategies for future matches. Commenting on the disappointing loss on Wednesday, England head coach Chris Silverwood said it sometimes becomes necessary to make peace with the fact that somewhere along the line, someone is going to “get you”. For England, that’s precisely what Neesham had managed to do in flawless fashion. The Black Caps T20 squad will next face the winner of the game between Australia and Pakistan when they head into the final on Sunday. 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Born Miraildes Maciel Mota, Formiga made her debut for Brazil as a young 17-year-old in the 1995 World Cup. She then went on to compete in every Olympic Games since women’s football was declared an Olympic sport in 1996. Her participation in July’s Tokyo Games meant she became the first female player ever to compete in 7 Olympic Games. Her participation also made of her the oldest player to play at the Women’s Olympic Football tournament. Formiga played her last World Cup in 2019, when Brazil lost to France in the round of 16. She also formed part of the Brazil squad that lost to Germany in the World Cup final of 2007. Formiga hails from the northeastern city of Salvador. At the time of her birth in 1978, it was illegal for women to play football in Brazil. The sport was at the time considered “incompatible” with the “female nature”. The archaic 1941 law was finally repealed in 1979. The formidable player played in the World Cups of 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, and 2019. In addition to her Olympic Games record, Formiga also holds the accolade for being the oldest goal-scorer in a World Cup tournament. Her career has not only been marked by longevity but also by breaking barriers and setting new standards in women's football. Formiga's retirement is a significant moment in the world of football and for online betting sites and soccer World Cup betting, her legacy will continue to influence the sport and inspire future generations of players. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > England coach Eddie Jones is in the twang after certain comments made about British tennis star Emma Raducanu. Jones said Raducanu seems distracted. - Published: 2021-11-10 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/jones-under-fire-for-raducanu-comments/ Jones Under Fire For Raducanu Comments England rugby coach Eddie Jones isn’t the sporting world’s most favourite person right now after claiming that British tennis star Emma Raducanu has been on the receiving end of several performance-affecting distractions. Jones used Raducanu as an admonitory example while addressing the media after England’s victory over Tonga on Saturday. The England coach said the main challenge for upcoming young players is to remain focused and free from distractions. He added that there was a reason why this year’s US Open winner hadn’t managed to continue to do well after her fairy-tale win. While Jones never named Raducanu by name, he made it clear who he was referring to. He also added that appearing on flashy fashion magazines wearing designer outfits did not help her cause to remain focused. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review Jones’ comments prompted an outcry on social media, including a voice of criticism on the part of BBC Sports presenter Gabby Logan. The prominent presenter said Jones’ comments had been totally unfair, a point of view later on backed up by leading tennis coach Judy Murray. Also weighing in on the situation this week was former British No. 1 JO Durie, who took the drama one step further by referring to Jones’ comments as “sexist”. According to Durie, Jones’ reference to “the girl who won the US Open” had been completely out of line. Raducanu is an eighteen-year old woman, said Durie, and not a young girl. With sports betting in New Zealand growing in popularity, comments and controversies like these can impact tennis betting odds and the way fans engage with the sport. Raducanu will next be seen in action at the Linz Open. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Pirelli says it’s on target for rolling out improved tyres ahead of F1’s 2022 season. Drivers who have tested the new tyres are reportedly happy. - Published: 2021-11-08 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/pirelli-on-target-for-new-f1-tyres/ Pirelli On Target For New F1 Tyres Formula 1 tyres manufacturer Pirellis says it expects to be in a position to deliver on a request by F1 for more durable tyres by as early as next season. According to an announcement by Pirelli boss Mario Isola this week, the company expects to deliver the goods on target. He also confirmed that drivers who had tested the new tyres, which are planned to be rolled out in 2022, have reported satisfaction with their raceability. While the Italian manufacturer has been supplying the world of F1 with tyres since 2011, it has traditionally not been able to come up with a product able to withstand more than a small number of laps when pushed to maximum endurance. According to an anonymous statement made by a leading F1 driver, the tyres set to be released by Pirelli in 2022 did seem to signal a huge step forward in terms of performance and heat-resistance. The driver said pushing harder for much longer shouldn’t be a problem come next year. The development has caught the attention of betting sites, as more durable tyres could significantly impact race outcomes and strategies, thus influencing F1 betting odds for the upcoming season. F1 had set a number of targets for Pirelli for tyres to be fitted next year. These included: Higher heat thresholds so as to prevent overheating A wider temperature range. This should solve issues experienced with reaching the right temperature as well as reducing with greater ease in the event of nearing the point of overheating A reduction in thermal degradation Isola said what drivers appreciated most about the new tyres was the smaller sidewall that makes them a great deal more reactive. 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Ballance said he had no other option but to make this admission as several leaks to the press have threatened to sketch a misleading impression of him and his involvement with Rafiq. He added that he deeply regrets the sort of language uttered by him in the folly of his youth. The former England Under-19s captain has now indicated himself ready to name actual names of those he claims had made racial remarks towards him during his time at the club. This decision comes during a time of escalating anger towards Yorkshire by lead sponsors of the club and MPs alike over its supposed failure to properly address the many issues facing it right now. The controversy has garnered significant attention in the betting NZ community, with many bettors closely watching how the scandal might impact the club's future performance and the associated cricket betting markets. While Yorkshire has yet to release the full report following its own internal investigation, with only a summary released up until now, the complete picture of the racial scandal may soon be revealed as parties step forward to speak at parliamentary level without fear of consequence. According to information revealed by Rafiq to a British newspaper, he intends on giving evidence and actual name-and-shame details as he seeks closure to a saga he says has left him emotionally as well as mentally drained. He first made the racial allegations against the club during an interview in August 2020. 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While victory would not have meant a semi-final appearance guarantee, their losing tally of 110 means that goal is practically now out of reach. This turn of events has had a significant impact on sports betting, with many bettors re-evaluating their cricket world cup betting strategies. According to T20 giant and captain Virat Kohli, it had been a losing battle right from the start. Kohli, who this year plays his final year as T20 captain for India, said even India’s body language created an advantage for New Zealand. Kohli said the team weren’t brave enough either with the bat or the ball, which according to him, had really been quite bizarre. While New Zealand’s bowlers certainly deserve recognition for restricting their opponents to 110, India’s lack of ambition had been glaringly obvious. So much so, that at one point in the match, they’d gone 71 balls without hitting even a single boundary, which is very much the opposite of their usual style. Pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah put India’s poor performance down to bubble fatigue. He said sometimes doing the same thing over and over again can lead to mental fatigue and a lack of drive. India will next take on Afghanistan on November 3, followed by a clash against Scotland on November 5. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Ex-club cricketer Azeem Rafiq is accusing Yorkshire of greenlighting racist behaviour. This after the club refused to take action against its employees. - Published: 2021-11-01 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/rafiq-unhappy-with-yorkshire-decision/ Rafiq Unhappy With Yorkshire Decision Azeem Rafiq is once again having it out with Yorkshire. The former club cricketer is now accusing the county of “giving a green light” to racism by refusing to take disciplinary action against its employees and players. Rafiq became angered after the club announced on Thursday that it had concluded its internal investigation into the allegations, and that no reason for disciplinary action could be found. While the club released a summarised version of their report on September 10, Rafiq on Thursday bemoaned the fact that he still hasn’t been furnished with a copy of the full report. Rafiq played two spells with Yorkshire between 2008 and 2018. This ongoing controversy has also drawn significant attention from those involved in sports betting, as the reputations and outcomes of such clubs often influence betting trends. According to a statement issued by a spokesperson of the former Yorkshire cricketer this week, particular issue is being taken with the fact that the club will not be taking any disciplinary action despite its former admission that Rafiz had indeed suffered bullying and racial harassment during his time there. The statement furthermore called for action on the part of board members. Yorkshire’s own statement claims that the club is left with much to be learnt from the report, and notwithstanding the particular findings. A spokesperson said it remained important for players like Rafiq to raise issues if and when they arise as this allows Yorkshire to draw guidance from the recommendation of its internal panel of advisors. This controversy has even impacted cricket bets, with some bettors factoring in the club’s internal turmoil when placing their wagers. Also involved is the England and Wales Cricket Board. When asked for a full copy of the report back in August, the board responded by saying the report will form part also of its own regulatory processes and that those are anticipated to take time. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Mercedes boss Toto Wolff is trying his best to keep a positive outlook on the rest of the season. He said now is not the time to panic or lose hope. - Published: 2021-10-29 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/toto-wolff-says-no-cause-for-panic/ Toto Wolff Says No Cause For Panic Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff says there’s no need for panic after Max Verstappen’s victory over Lewis Hamilton in the US Grand Prix in Texas. Wolff said swinging between mania and depression is not the ideal way to go for anybody supporting or working for Mercedes. Verstappen pipped Lewis Hamilton to a stunning win on Sunday, and it’s a victory that now sees him leading the title race by 12 points. Likely to worry Mercedes right now, Wolff’s apparent positivity aside, is that the next two races will be competed in Mexico and Brazil. Both of these are tracks where Red Bull is expected to enjoy a competitive edge over their opponents. While Hamilton has reigned victorious an incredible five times in Houston, Sunday’s win had been Verstappen’s first at the famous Circuit of the Americas. The Dutchman delivered a mature and collected performance on race-day, which is a far cry from the attitude he displayed during practice last Friday. Team Red Bull definitely performed a great deal better than what most would have expected at the Texas track. And with Hamilton and Verstappen each having two victories to speak of in Mexico City, Valtteri Bottas said he reckoned the next stand-off between the two rivals is going to be anything but easy. This situation has sparked considerable interest among fans looking at betting sites for odds on the upcoming races. Wolff said this week while there isn’t any specific strategy in place for going forward, the only thing left remaining now will be to push hard for the championship title until the very last race of the year. With the championship battle heating up, Formula 1 betting is expected to see a surge in activity as fans place their bets on who will ultimately take the title. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Fans supporting Kyrie Irving on Sunday broke through the barricades at Barclays Centre. Irving remains resolute in his decision not to vaccinate. - Published: 2021-10-27 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nba/fans-storm-barclays-in-support-of-irving/ Kyrie Irving’s fans badly want him to play – with or without the jab. A large group of fans gathered outside of the Barclays Center ahead of Sunday’s Brooklyn Nets home-opener. Some of the pro-Irving protestors even managed to break through the barriers and make their way to the front entrance of the building. Irving’s stance of refusing to be vaccinated has left him off the Nets roster. This is the result of a New York vaccination mandate requiring all professional athletes wanting to compete in the city’s public venues to get the jab. While the Nets would have been a liberty to allow Irving to join in on games played on the road, they’ve opted instead to leave him off the team altogether. It isn’t clear whether the several empty seats in the arena had been the result of the commotion created by the protestors. According to one of the protestors, Curtis Orwell, the protest was meant to be a fight for the rights of players to choose for themselves what happens to their bodies. He himself not vaccinated, Orwell said he even knew of people who had lost their jobs because of their refusal to get the jab. He said their decisions need to be respected. Kyrie Irving, in the meantime, has been sticking to his story of his doing what’s best for him personally. He says he’s willing to be judged for his decision and would not change his stance on the matter. This situation has sparked considerable debate among fans and those interested in sports betting, as Irving's absence could significantly impact the Nets' performance and betting odds. For those focused on NBA betting, Irving's situation adds another layer of complexity to predicting outcomes for the Brooklyn Nets this season. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > UK Athletics have announced the resignation of both Jo Coates and Sara Symington. Athletes have long been disgruntled with their management style. - Published: 2021-10-25 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/uk-athletics-plagued-by-huge-resignations/ UK Athletics Plagued By Huge Resignations After one of Britain’s worst Olympic Games performances to date, the plot thickened further on Thursday after both Jo Coates and Sara Symington announced their exit from their roles at UK Athletics. Coates, now the former chief executive of the sports governing body, had a reign plagued by infighting and conflict almost right from the start. Her exit comes after only 19 months in the role. But that’s still longer than that of Symington, who after only a year as performance director, has announced she’ll be making a move to British Cycling. The recent drama started when a number of top track athletes told World Athletics president Sebastian Cole how they had reached “breaking point” with the current regime after the most disappointing Olympic run since 1996. Several athletes had expressed a major loss of confidence in both Symington and Coates, while insisting that a dramatic and urgent change was needed. It all reached boiling point on Wednesday night during the first board meeting chaired by new UK Athletics chairman Ian Beattie. Several heated exchanges had apparently preceded the pair’s decision to hand in their resignations. British Cycling announced only a day later that Symington had been appointed as the new Head of Olympic and Paralympic Cycling for the country’s national cycling team. Symington, herself a former Olympic road cyclist, will reportedly settle into her new job with immediate effect. The most recent is only the latest of several huge setbacks for the struggling organisation. Fans exploring betting sites have been closely following these developments, looking for any potential impact on future athletic performances. Additionally, those interested in UFC betting might find parallels in the unpredictability and high stakes of organizational changes affecting athletic outcomes. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > T20’s Eoin Morgan says he only wants best for England and their T20 World Cup chances. He said he’ll step away if it means a win for the national side. - Published: 2021-10-22 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/morgan-says-hell-drop-himself-for-bad-form/ Morgan Says He’ll Drop Himself For Bad Form Eoin Morgan has pledged to drop himself from his English side rather than harm his country’s chances of success in the T20 World Cup. Morgan lived a forgettable time in the recently concluded Indian Premier League while putting up a top performance of only 13 runs (not out) on the scoreboard for the Kolkata Knight Riders. But while the KKR captain’s form has been sluggish for quite some time now, Morgan said he’s well aware of the fact and that given the enormous run-scoring potential currently in England’s possession, it may very well come down to him leaving himself out of the team altogether. Morgan said he certainly won’t be standing in the way of a World Cup-winning side. During a recent interview, Morgan said while he may have been short on runs in recent games, feels as though there’s been nothing amiss with his ability to captain and lead the way. Keeping his own batting performance on the pitch separate from his expertise as a skipper has been something both necessary and a trait he’s grown to be exceptionally good at, he said. Also despite his many challenges of late, he’s always come out standing on the other side of every obstacle. Morgan also added that it’s the nature of T20 cricket to have to go all-in on high-risk options at times, and that those risks sometimes need to be taken. He said the World Cup and England’s chances is however not a risk he’s willing to toy with. Fans following sports betting NZ are eagerly watching Morgan's decisions, hoping they align with favorable outcomes for their cricket bets. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > British F1 champion Lewis Hamilton says he’s about much more than just motorsports. He says his main goal is to make an impact on the lives of others. - Published: 2021-10-20 - Modified: 2021-10-20 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/hamilton-about-more-than-motorsports/ F1 racing driver Lewis Hamilton, who has been named one of 29 “Future Figures” selected by Radio 1Xtra for celebration Black History Month, says his desire has never been that of being remembered solely for his achievements in the world of motorsport. Instead, said Hamilton in a recent interview, he would want to be remembered for how much of an impact he has had on the lives of others. Helping people is what he’s really passionate about, said the British champion. Hamilton has been a constant figure for Black upliftment and social equality. His endeavours have included bringing Black fashion designers with him to the Met Gala in order to raise awareness about their work, as well as the founding of the “Hamilton Commission” for tackling inequality in the world of motorsport. The efforts of prominent figures like Hamilton also resonate with the broader community, including those engaged in NZ betting sites, where fans often discuss and support the social causes championed by their favorite athletes. The driving force behind the commission has been the Black community, explained Hamilton, with the focus on finding out exactly what it is that hinders the world of F1 from looking more like the world outside. The Black community is close to his heart, he said. His advocacy extends beyond the track, influencing a wide range of audiences, including those involved in F1 betting, who admire his dedication both to the sport and to social justice. Another issue Hamilton says he would like to tackle is that of Black employment within the motorsport industry. Of the 40,000 jobs now operating within the industry, only 1% are filled by people from Black backgrounds. Changing this in such a way that better equality is created is something the seven-time World Championship driver says he holds very dear. The Radio 1Xtra series aims to highlight those persons and organisations making Black History “now”. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from Russia’s Kremlin Cup which will be played later this month. The star has blamed a change to her schedule for the decision. - Published: 2021-10-18 - Modified: 2021-10-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/raducanu-withdraws-from-kremlin-cup/ US Open champion Emma Raducanu appears to be holding out for a coach. The youngster announced this week that she won’t be competing in this month’s Kremlin Cup in Russia, after all. While the British star cited a sudden change in tournament schedule as the official reason for her withdrawal, many are left speculating about the real reason, and especially so since she’s not played again after her early exit from Indian Wells. Her second-round defeat at the BNP Paribas Open marked her first appearance since her fairy-tale win in New York. Up until very recently, Raducanu breathed no word about the possibility of not competing in Russia between 18 and 24 October. The young Brit added that while she wouldn’t be playing in the event this year, she was greatly looking forward to playing in front of Russian fans next year. Raducanu has emerged a seemingly hesitant figure since her defeat at Indian Wells, but said she’s looking forward to making her return to the WTA tour within the next couple of weeks. She did however add that she feels its important to cut herself some slack after her incredible run at Flushing Meadows and that she’s not yet used to the level of the pressure on her to perform now that she’s won her first Grand Slam title. Raducanu has appeared desperate in her search for a new coach. After parting ways with Andrew Richardson, the man who helped her to a phenomenal Grand Slam title, she announced she now required the services of someone more experienced. Fans discussing NZ sports betting have shown significant interest in Raducanu's next moves, as her performance impacts betting odds. Additionally, those who place tennis bets will be keenly watching Raducanu's return to the WTA tour, anticipating how her choice of a new coach might influence her future matches and overall career trajectory. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > F1-team Williams Racing this week announced having signed up for the UN’s Climate Change Action Framework. They’re the first team to have done so. - Published: 2021-10-15 - Modified: 2021-10-15 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/williams-sets-the-pace-for-climate-change/ Formula One’s Williams this week became the first team to commit themselves to the United Nations’ Sports for Climate Action Framework. In doing so, the team have now committed to becoming “climate positive” by the year 2030. The term “climate positive” refers to more removal of carbon than the depositing thereof to earth’s atmosphere. According to the team’s announcement his week, Williams could even be looking at the development of new technology for helping it to meet its goal. CEO Jost Capito said the idea is to become a leader in environmental sustainability from a motor sport perspective and to thereby set the pace for others to follow. Williams will now start to focus on the reduction of carbon emissions at its factory. It will also endeavour to generate its own energy and carbon-capture technology. The brand is no newcomer to environmental issues, with Williams’ advanced engineering business already behind technology that makes possible a reduction in the energy consumed by supermarket fridges. It developed this technology with the help of the same aerodynamic theory it applies to motor racing. This is just more proof of F1 having the power and the platform to inspire people all over the world to make use of better and cleaner technology, explained Capito. With F1’s advanced focus on technology, the sport has the capacity to help solve not only its own challenges, but also those of the planet, he said. F1 previously said it’s working on a strategy to introduce earth-friendly fuels by 2026. Enthusiasts who enjoy betting on Formula One will likely find Williams' commitment to sustainability intriguing, as it could influence the team's long-term performance and innovation. This development is also significant for those who engage in betting, as advancements in technology and sustainability may play a crucial role in the evolution of the sport and its competitive dynamics. 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He also thanked the staff, players, and fans for their support during his time as head coach and added that he had never meant to offend or hurt anybody. The career-singing emails were all sent during Gruden’s time as ESPN analyst. One such email, which was recently revealed by the New York Times, has Gruden referring to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell as a “faggot” and a stupid football “pussy”. He also at the time claimed that Goodell had been intent on choosing mostly queers when St. Louis coach Jeff Fisher selected Michael Sam for the 2014 NFL draft. Fisher, who is gay, wasn’t openly so at the time. In another disastrous email, Gruden reportedly said Eric Reid should be fired for having become one of the first players to kneel in a protest against police brutality during the singing of the national anthem. Before this week’s emails entered the public domain, Raiders fans remained largely supportive of Gruden, who has coached the team since 2018. Many appear to be of the opinion that people tend to grow and change over the course of a decade. The team announced on Monday that Rich Bisaccia has been appointed as interim coach. Fans of sports betting are now closely watching the Raiders' odds for the rest of the season, given the coaching change. Additionally, those who follow NFL betting might consider how the leadership transition will impact the team's performance and betting lines in upcoming games. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Fans aren’t likely to see Ben Stokes star in the coming Ashes tour. The star all-rounder remains in recovery from an injury to his left index finger. - Published: 2021-10-11 - Modified: 2021-10-11 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/ben-stokes-not-likely-to-play-ashes/ While star all-rounder Ben Stokes has now undergone a second operation on his injured finger, he’s unlikely to compete for England in the upcoming Ashes tour. Stokes first fractured his left index finger during the 1st leg of the Indian Premier League in April. While Stokes made an initial comeback in July for captaining England against Pakistan, he experienced a great deal of pain which required several injections. He shortly after England’s 3-0 ODI victory against Pakistan admitted to struggling with issues not only on the field, but also away from it. This ultimately prompted England to exclude the New Zealand-born all-rounder for the remainder of the summer – including this year’s T20 World Cup campaign in the UAE. According to a local British newspaper, this week’s operation involved the removal of screws and scar tissue form the injured finger. But while the operation was determined a huge success, England has reportedly decided to allow Stokes sufficient time for working through his personal issues. This situation has sparked interest in sports betting NZ, as fans speculate on England's performance without Stokes. But Stokes’ anticipated absence isn’t the only uncertainty plaguing England right now. Scheduled for Friday evening is a meeting by the England and Wales Cricket Board for deciding the final logistics for the upcoming Ashes tour. The expectation is for the board to finally give the green light after positive talks were this week held with the Australian government as well as Cricket Australia. Fans of cricket betting are closely following these developments, anticipating how they might impact the odds for the Ashes series. Players previously faced a great deal of uncertainly regarding quarantine requirements to be expected in Australia. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > British athlete Charlotte Purdue says not being selected for the Tokyo Games had been a huge knock for her. She said her non-selection had been unfair. - Published: 2021-10-08 - Modified: 2021-10-08 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/running/purdue-cynical-after-tokyo-non-selection/ One of Britain’s top elite marathon runners, Charlotte Purdue, says she no longer feels the same passion for representing her country on the international stage after she was left out of this year’s Tokyo Olympics. The expectation all along was for the 30-year-old to be named one of two discretionary picks after she received a medical exemption over a recovery from injury to skip the Olympic time trials in March. According to Purdue, she was left out of contention by UK Athletics’ selection panel after incorrect information about the amount of time she trained each day had been received from a doctor. While Purdue said the issue had been raised with UK Athletics CEO Jo Coates, nothing constructive had come from the process. Purdue said while it remained an enormous honour to run for Great Britain, the entire experience around Japan has tainted her desire for representing her country. She said the situation had “gutted” her because of how long she had been thinking about and looking forward to the Tokyo Games. While she’s practically guaranteed a spot in next year’s World Championships in Eugene, she says the situation around Tokyo has taught her to take nothing as a given. Paying attention to selection policies is a futile exercise as those policies don’t actually mean anything concrete, she said. UK Athletics selectors will select who they want despite times and performances, explained the pro-athlete. Charlotte Purdue said she still believes she fully deserved a place on the Tokyo team. This sentiment mirrors the unpredictability often seen on betting sites, where outcomes can be affected by various unforeseen factors. In a sport as dynamic as horse racing, where betting enthusiasts place horse racing betting on their chosen champions, such unexpected twists and decisions are commonplace. Purdue's experience highlights the uncertainty and emotional toll that can come with high-stakes competition, whether on the track or in the selection process. 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While several Premier League clubs are rumoured to not yet be at a point of getting half their players jabbed, Klopp said he’s had no trouble at all with Liverpool’s crew. He said 99 per cent of the club is now fully vaccinated and that he’s not once had to have a personal conversation with any member of staff or player about the importance of vaccination. Klopp last week called for a larger and more prominent openness about vaccination laws in the interests of public safety. He said not being able to ask someone whether they’re vaccinated, but at the same time being permitted to ask taxi driver whether they’ve had a beer or two, doesn’t make sense. He said considering vaccination to be a limitation of freedom necessarily means not being allowed to drink and drive to be the same limitation also. This perspective on personal responsibility aligns with the careful considerations players and fans alike must take when engaging in online betting, ensuring they understand the implications and risks involved. It was announced on Friday that Premier League players will only be permitted to travel to countries on Britain’s “red list” in the event they’re fully vaccinated. Those even short of a single jab will not be permitted to sign up for international duty. This new regulation will undoubtedly impact football betting, as fans and bettors will need to account for these restrictions when placing their bets on international matches. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Legendary ex-football player Pelé has reportedly been discharged from hospital and is recovering well. He underwent surgery for the removal of a tumour. - Published: 2021-10-04 - Modified: 2025-06-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/footballs-pele-discharged-from-hospital/ It has now been confirmed that living football legend Pelé has been discharged from a month-long stay in hospital where he’s been receiving treatment following the removal of a tumour from his colon on September 4. The Brazilian great is reportedly recovering at a steady pace. According to an announcement by Sao Paulo’s Albert Einstein Hospital, the 80-year-old is in a stable condition but will now continue with chemotherapy treatment. Pelé this week expressed joy and happiness at being discharged via social media. He said that while he’s no longer able to jump, he’s been punching the air with gratitude and happiness about being back home. The football great has been publishing several photos and videos of his recovery process on Instagram. The tumour was discovered during a routine medical checkup in August this year, and treatment commenced shortly after. Pelé also this week thanked the medical staff at Albert Einstein Hospital, saying he’d been treated with humanity and compassion and had been made to feel very welcome and comfortable during his extended stay. This news has been a point of interest for many fans engaging in NZ sports betting, as Pelé's recovery brings back fond memories and inspires confidence in the sport's legacy. While retired for quite some time, the 80-year-old is still considered to be one of the greatest football players of all time. After bursting onto the global football scene at only 17 years old in 1958, he scored a phenomenal six times when Brazil won their very first soccer World Cup. He would eventually go on to help his country to a stunning 3 World Cup titles, making him a significant figure for soccer betting enthusiasts worldwide. --- > Emma Raducanu has separated from coach Andrew Richardson. She says she’s now looking for a coach with more experience at the sport’s highest levels. - Published: 2021-10-01 - Modified: 2021-10-01 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/emma-raducanu-separates-from-us-open-coach/ US Open champion Emma Raducanu has separated from her coach and the man who helped her win the event at Flushing Meadows. Raducanu announced the split this week, saying that while Andrew Richardson had coached her for two years at youth level before linking up with her on a short-term contract ahead of the US Open, she now needed someone more experienced with the WTA Tour’s “bigger” events. The Briton said that while she’d learnt a lot from Richardson, she would now be looking for a coach who has competed at the highest levels of the sport, and as such, understood the pressures and requirements for achieving success. This decision has sparked much discussion on various sports betting sites, with many fans speculating on Raducanu’s future performance under new coaching guidance. According to the young star, she could never have dreamt of winning the US Open – let alone now being ranked 22nd on the tennis world rankings. And while she said she did not presently have anybody in particular in mind for replacing Richardson, she doesn’t anticipated making a final decision before the end of the current season. Britain’s new No. 1 is back in training after some time off following her incredible run at Flushing Meadows. Her next big decision is now whether to compete in this year’s BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, which gets underway on Oct. 6. She said a decision would be reached by herself and her team over the next couple of days, while adding that she would be careful not to jump into too many big things too soon. Tennis betting enthusiasts are closely watching her upcoming decisions, anticipating how her performance might influence betting odds in future tournaments. Raducanu on Friday played together with Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, at a homecoming event at the National Tennis Centre outside of London. 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This move comes as a response to growing concerns about player safety and has been closely followed by the online betting community, particularly those placing bets on the Rugby World Cup, as changes in training regimens can impact team performance and player availability. The new guidelines, which have been summarised by World Rugby in association with the players’ representative body International Rugby Players (IRP) into a six-point checklist, recommend weekly reductions in full-contact as well as controlled contact training. The recommendation for full-contact training is for a reduction to only 15 minutes per week, while controlled contact training is being recommended at 40 minutes with the help of tackle shields and protective body pads. The current time-frame for full-contact training is around 19 minutes at elite level and 21 minutes for professional teams. The general consensus from a global survey involving 600 players is that this should be reduced even more, said World Rugby Director of Rugby, Joe Schmidt, this week. World Rugby has come under immense recent pressure from player lobbyist groups. Last year’s landmark legal case against World Rugby drew attention once again to the risk of dementia at the top levels of the sport. The case was brought by former Lions and England hooker Steve Thompson after he himself was diagnosed with an early onset of the illness. But according to World Rugby, the game is today already played in a much safer environment than what would have been the case when Thompson was playing. And the new guidelines will lower the risk of recurring concussions by even more. The changes are likely to affect how online betting odds are set for future matches, as the reduced risk of injury could mean more consistent player performance and fewer unexpected absences. 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The Dutchman seemed everything but impressed by Hamilton’s comments about him before the weekend’s Russian Grand Prix. Hamilton’s had appeared to suggest that Verstappen was starting to feel the pressure of his maiden Formula One world championship fight, which was met by only deadpan sarcasm by the Red Bull driver. The tension between the two men is undoubtedly largely down to the closely contested fight for the title, with Verstappen leading the race by 5 points. Also not helping the situation is the recent collision between the two at Monza, for which Verstappen has been ruled has having been largely to blame. Hamilton earlier on suggested that Verstappen appears to be experiencing the same pressure as what he himself had to live through during his own first title fight in 2007 at the age of only 22. Verstappen, who turns 23 this year, is now for the first time in the mix to win a maiden F1 title. According to Hamilton, he could clearly see the same inexperience he himself had felt all those years ago shine through in an inexperienced Verstappen as the two fought wheel-to-wheel. Hamilton suggested that Verstappen's current situation mirrors his own early career experiences, noting the pressure and inexperience that come with a first championship fight. However, Verstappen has countered these claims by stating that Hamilton does not truly understand him, emphasizing that his focus remains on the excitement of competing rather than any perceived pressure. This intense rivalry and the ongoing verbal sparring between Verstappen and Hamilton add another layer of intrigue for fans and bettors alike, particularly those involved in online betting and racing betting. As the championship battle heats up, the performances and interactions of these two drivers will be closely watched, with potential implications for betting odds and outcomes in the races ahead. 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This approach contrasts sharply with the stringent controls often seen in the world of NZ sports betting, where regulations and oversight are meticulously enforced to maintain integrity. According to Landry, several athletes have expressed fears over divulging information to the inquiry panel due to their being party to non-disclosure and/or confidentiality agreements. He said the organisation had communicated to athletes and coaches that speaking out would be handled in a confidential manner. This confidentiality is as crucial in cycling betting, where inside information could unfairly influence the outcome and affect the fairness of the sport. Even so, Landry’s message appears to be in direct conflict with a letter received by athletes on Tuesday. The letter reportedly invites athletes to give input, but only in those cases where that input relates to matters not covered by non-disclosure agreements. According to ex-Olympic cyclist Eddie Dawkins, all non-disclosure agreements should rightly be voided if athletes are to be allowed to speak freely without a fear of consequences or repercussions. He said confidentiality agreements and the like in a case such as this create a foundation for people not being in a position to speak out. Dawkins also said this will be the only way for High Performance Sport and Cycling New Zealand to make an actual and significant change to how the sport’s affairs are managed in future. If the investigation is going to yield a different result to 2018’s Heron review, concluded Dawkins, then everybody should be made comfortable in sharing information. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > She might be famous but that doesn’t mean she’s about to change or succumb to pressure. So says British US Open champion tennis star Emma Raducanu. - Published: 2021-09-22 - Modified: 2021-09-22 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/raducanu-says-no-pressure-after-us-open/ British star and US Open champion Emma Raducanu, 18, says she’s absolutely loving life, and has vowed to retain her care-free spirit and relaxed approach to life. Raducanu on 11 Sept. became the first British woman to win a Grand Slam singles title in 44 years. Virginia Wade was the last to do so back in 1977. The Brit, while commenting on a dream come true over the weekend, said she’s been dreaming about winning a Grand Slam title ever since she was just a little girl. She added that the biggest driving force for had always been those visions imagined about winning a big title, the celebrations after, and the belief that winning was an actual possibility. Even so, she now says the full realisation of what happened at the US Open has yet to sink in. It’s positively unbelievable, explained the young star. Raducanu’s meteoric rise has made her a popular choice among those placing tennis bets, with betting sites seeing a surge in interest in her future matches. But while Raducanu was mere months ago completing her A-levels, the teenager answered questions from the press in cool and collected manner. Concerning her incredible new-found fame, Raducanu said that while she’s been swimming in messages of congratulations since her big win – including one from the Queen – she’s yet to check her phone. What matters right now is to enjoy the victory together with her team, explained the young Brit, because according to Raducanu, winning the US Open had been a team effort. Her team includes her parents, Renee, and Ian. The youngster explained that one of her proudest moments about winning her first Grand Slam had been to impress dad Ian, who has always been her greatest supporter, but also a tough one to please. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > 2022 will see the start of a new women’s football international tournament to be hosted by England. The tournament will run for at least three years. - Published: 2021-09-20 - Modified: 2021-09-20 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/new-annual-womens-footy-tourney-for-england/ England on Thursday announced an all-new annual women’s international football tournament set to run for at least the next three years. The four-team tournament will be handled on an invitational basis and will commence in February next year. The format will be round robin, with the tournament set to consist of three double-headers taking place across a total of seven days. According to the announcement, which was made by Baroness Sue Campbell, the director of women’s football at the Football Association, further details surrounding venues, ticket, and other information will be released over the course of the next few weeks. The first edition of the new tournament will be joined by Spain, Germany, and a third nation still to be announced. The annual competition is expected to greatly boost England’s international women’s football calendar, said Campbell this week. But it will serve another purpose also, which is to ensure the new manager of England women’s football, Sarina Wiegman, is placed in a position that will allow her to rest her players more regularly against A-class players on the global international stage. The tournament will also seek to create interest from fans. This will be achieved by giving English fans the opportunity to regularly see their team play against some of the world’s best opponents, explained Campbell. It will furthermore serve as a training ground for providing the country’s women’s football team with the best possible chance of competing in major tournaments over the coming years. Soccer betting odds will likely see a surge in interest as fans anticipate matchups against top-tier international teams. New Zealand betting enthusiasts might find the format and competition particularly intriguing, as the invitational nature could potentially see New Zealand teams participating in future editions. 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Published this week was a firmly worded statement condemning certain comments recently made by a top Taliban official concerning women and cricket. The statement followed a similarly worded one issued last week by Cricket Australia regarding the impending cancellation of the country’s men’s cricket Test against Afghanistan set to be competed later this year. Afghanistan cricket officials are however denying having received any directive from the Taliban that prevents women from participating in sport. Said officials are now calling on Cricket Australia to allow the match to be played as planned. The human rights experts responsible for the strongly worded letter have in the meantime called on other countries to join Australia in its backing of women in sport. According to Ahmed Shaheed, Karima Bennoune, Elizabeth Broderick, Meskerem Geset, Melissa Upreti, Dorothy Estrada-Tanck, and Ivana Radavic, just in the same way as what racial apartheid has been banned in international sporting law, so too must gender apartheid be outlawed. Online betting sites are closely monitoring the situation as it may impact the upcoming matches and cricket bets placed by enthusiasts around the world. Afghanistan Cricketing Board CEO Hamid Shinwari has in the meantime told the BBC the country’s 25 professionally contracted players were still being fully compensated. The ICC is expected to make a decision regarding Afghanistan’s membership within the next couple of weeks. 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A first-time offender, Frizell opted to accept a diversion offered by police and as such, did not enter any plea during his first appearance in July. Police confirmed on Tuesday morning that Frizell had completed the diversion and that the charges had subsequently been dismissed. Frizell right after his first appearance delivered a public apology outside of court by telling the media that he was sorry for his reproachable behaviour during the unsavoury incident back in May. He said at the time he wished to issue a special apology to the two people he had harmed outside the club, and that going forward he would be doing everything in his power to restore the faith that others had put in him. He furthermore confirmed a plan that had been put into place with counsellors for addressing those areas in his life he believed required working on. While Frizell remained a member of the All Blacks squad throughout the entire ordeal, he was sidelined for a test match after his initial appearance at court. He was also not selected to go on tour to Australia for the Rugby Championship. Currently in New Zealand, Frizell will be working through various visa requirements before re-joining the touring All Blacks camp. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Valtteri Bottas will be leaving the ranks of Mercedes at the end of this season. He’ll be joining Alfa Romeo for a multi-year deal recently signed. - Published: 2021-09-13 - Modified: 2021-09-13 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/valtteri-bottas-to-leave-merc-for-alfa-romeo/ The end of the current Formula One season will also mark the end of an era for Valtteri Bottas, with the F1 driver set to leave Mercedes for Alpha Romeo next year. He will be replacing Kimi Raikkonen, who announced his upcoming retirement earlier this month. Alpha Romeo confirmed the news earlier this week, saying Bottas had signed a multi-year deal set to make way for George Russell to join Mercedes. Bottas’ parting with Mercedes marks a bitter-sweet time for the driving ace, whose career with the brand never really got off to any sort of start since joining the team back in 2017. While he replaced former world champion Nico Rosberg, he never managed to completely step into his predecessor’s shoes. He last year September claimed the last of a total of nine career victories when he won the Russian GP – thereby finally ending an exhausting 20-race losing streak. The Fin is now nearly 100 points behind teammate Lewis Hamilton after 13 races competed, and has said he’s looking forward to the opportunity of joining Alfa Romeo while hoping to help the team make its way up the grid. As for his relationship with F1 champion Lewis Hamilton, Bottas said it has been only a privilege to work alongside the Brit. This is of course a stance worlds apart from the awry relationship Hamilton shared with previous teammate Nico Rosberg. The latter’s departure drew a collective sigh of relief from team and fans alike after the pair made their feud public for all of two seasons. 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According to Ceferin, who voiced his unhappiness with FIFA’s push in his response to a letter from “Football Supporters Europe”, UEFA as a body has many reservations and concerns of a serious nature concerning reports currently circulating about the football governing body’s plans. Ceferin’s main issue with the plans appears to be FIFA’s handling of the all-new campaign – being without any formal communication with leagues, associations, coaches, clubs, players, and the football community at large. FIFA’s failure to consult on its plans is made all the more astonishing by the fact that they would need to be voted into force by its congress – which is made up of the 211 national football associations and federations. A FIFA spokesperson has now explained the move by saying that a feasibility study on the impact of what the chance would mean for the world of football was already announced in May – and that the necessary consultation processes are ongoing. The spokesperson said consultations will be held with all major stakeholders in the coming months. NZ sports betting markets are abuzz with the latest developments, reflecting the global anticipation and speculation regarding the proposal's impact on football betting odds and outcomes. While several federations have voiced their support in favour of the proposal, mainly because of the increased revenue that this would generate for the sport on a global level, organisations such as UEFA remain opposed to the idea because of what such a change may mean for an already cramped match calendar. The welfare of players remains a major concern for especially UEFA and European clubs and leagues. 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The four-time Grand Slam winner, and arguably the best hard-court player in the world right now by quite the distance, seemed miles short of solid composure while serving for the match on Friday night. After falling completely apart during the point of tie-break, the Japanese star just couldn’t regain form as she made her way toward a 5-7, 6-7, 6-4 loss. The lack of composure continued after the match during a highly emotional session with the press. Commenting on the disappointing loss, Osaka spoke about how winning no longer made her feel happy. Instead of feeling like celebrating a win, Osaka said in recent times she’d only felt a sense of relief over not losing. And losing, in turn, created in her a sense of immense sadness – something she said she didn’t consider to be normal. While the briefing’s moderator tried to end the conference at this point, the former world No. 1 insisted on finishing what she had come to say while obviously fighting hard to hold back the tears. Osaka continued by saying that she did not know when she’d be playing her next match, but that the plan right now was to take a break from playing. NZ betting markets have reacted swiftly to Osaka's announcement, with tennis betting odds fluctuating as fans and punters speculate on her next move. Osaka earlier this year withdrew from the French Open at Roland Garros after admitting to depression created by interacting with the press. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Max Verstappen says booing is a part of sports and should be expected by Lewis Hamilton on the weekend. This weekend sees F1 return to the Netherlands. - Published: 2021-09-06 - Modified: 2021-09-06 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/verstappen-warns-hamilton-over-booing-crowds/ Max Verstappen has warned F1 world No. 1 Lewis Hamilton to expect a hostile reception at the upcoming Dutch Grand Prix. Hamilton and Verstappen are currently embroiled in a heated fight for the title – with Hamilton leading the way by only 3 points. But the Dutch GP won’t be the only event to see Hamilton booed – with the Brit jeered by the crowds at both the Belgian and Hungarian Grands Prix. The weekend sees Formula 1 return to the Netherlands for the first time in nearly 36 years – with up to 70,000 fans expected to attend the big Verstappen homecoming race. Interesting to note is that Verstappen has stopped short of requesting his fans from refraining to direct their vocal dislike of Hamilton at the Brit. Verstappen explained this week that even when attending something like a football match, fans can be expected to boo opposing sides at some point – and that there’s no reason F1 should be any exception. He added that it wasn’t up to him to tell people what to do at sporting events. Sports betting sites are already buzzing with activity as fans place their bets on the anticipated showdown between Verstappen and Hamilton. Racing betting odds are heavily influenced by the intense rivalry and the expected reception Hamilton will face. While Hamilton has on a previous occasion claimed not to be bothered by opposing fans, and instead even being spurred on to win, he recently referred to booing crowds as people having “hate” towards him in their hearts. He also referred to British fans refraining from this sort of behaviour while speaking at Zandpoort, saying everybody’s just interested in having fun and enjoying their weekends when attending the races. 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While the new season was originally scheduled to start in August, it has now been pushed back to be played only at the beginning of next year. WPAG has in the meantime made an urgent call on the NRL to hasten the repatriation of Charlotte Scanlan, Maitua Feterika, Katelyn Vaha’akolo, Ngatokotoru Arakua, Autumn-Rain Stephens-Daly, and Annetta Nu’uasala. According to a statement made by WPAG, the body is committed to ensuring the NRL acts in the best interests of all players. Those stranded in Australia made a commitment to Women’s Rugby League and to playing in the NRLW, and do not deserve to be stranded without any indication on when they might be able to return home, said WPAG this week. The NRL is in the meantime working in partnership with the players as well as the relevant government authorities in an attempt to resolve the situation as quickly as possible. Two factors currently however hampering progress are a severe shortage of quarantine locations back home in New Zealand, and the sudden shut-down of the trans-Tasman bubble. The main issue in contention appears to be that of poor communication on the part of the NRL. A lack of feedback appears to be the biggest problem for the affected players right now, many of whom have taken time of work to compete in the NRLW season. The situation has sparked significant debate on sports betting New Zealand platforms, with fans closely monitoring any updates that might affect NRL betting odds and the overall dynamics of the upcoming season. 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The event has since been criticized as a farce by some, including British race car driver Lewis Hamilton, who insinuated that the event had been driven by financial considerations on the part of F1. The organisation has since denied the allegations. McLaren CEO Zak Brown, too, added his voice of unhappiness to the party after the weekend’s proceedings, saying three laps behind a safety car in hazardous weather should not qualify as a race – and that a more appropriate solution should be implemented to avoid a similar situation in future. FIA race director Michael Masi said on Monday F1’s governing body had merely followed the applicable safety regulations given the conditions on the track. The laps spent behind the safety car had apparently been permitted to continue to “wait and see” what the conditions were and would be like. Masi did however add that the applicable regulations would be reviewed ahead of next year’s start of season. F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has in the meantime rejected Hamilton’s claim that the race was only completed in the way that it had been to get the maximum value from broadcasting deals and ticket sales. With the controversy stirring up discussions across various betting sites, it's clear that fans and punters alike are keenly watching for any changes that might affect F1 betting odds in the future. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Melbourne champion Jamie Kah will not be riding for the next 3 months. The leading jockey was suspended after a health and safety protocol breach. - Published: 2021-08-30 - Modified: 2021-08-30 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/leading-jockey-suspended-over-safety-breach/ What started out as fun and games at a house party at a local Airbnb on Wednesday evening has now led to a suspension of champion jockey Jamie Kah and fellow-rider Ben Melham for the entire Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival. The pair was suspended by horse racing authorities after it emerged that they had not followed health and safety protocols. Kah recently became the first woman in horse racing to win Melbourne’s premium jockey event. The current Melbourne champion, Melham, former Golden Slipper apprentice Ethan Brown, and current apprentice Celine Gaudray have all been suspended for three months following an inquiry completed early Friday morning. Kah issued an apology on Twitter on Friday morning, explaining to fans that she’s embarrassed by her non-compliance with protocol – not to mention disappointed with her own actions. While Racing Victoria has in the meantime confirmed the suspension, as well as that each of the four wrongdoers have been fined over $5k by local law enforcement authorities, Victoria police issued a statement on Friday morning detailing how six people have been fined $5,452 each for breaking with local health and safety protocols in the region. According to Racing Victoria chief steward Robert Cram, the harsh nature of the penalty imposed on the foursome intends to drive home the seriousness of the offense – and hopefully act as a deterrent to others. The suspension came into force at midnight on Aug. 26 and will reportedly last through midnight on November 25, impacting sports betting and horse racing betting odds as punters adjust to the absence of these key jockeys during the carnival. 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A statement recently issued by the 52-year-old's wife, Corrine, is the first since an update issued for the star's 50th birthday in 2019. In the latest update, Corrine Schumacher describes her husband as being mentally exceptionally strong and someone who shows that strength to her every day. The statement also once again refers to the fact that everything medically possible is being done in order to support the former race car driver. While this week is the 30-year anniversary of Michael Schumacher's maiden Formula One appearance in Belgium, it is also about to mark his son Mick's debut stunt at the famous circuit on the weekend. Schumacher Jr. spoke this week about the excitement in the run up to his big appearance on the weekend. Being able to drive around the same iconic track as his famous father is a super special moment both for him personally, as well as for the rest of the family, said the younger Schumacher earlier this week. The Netflix documentary, simply titled "Schumacher" features several interviews with the F1 legend's family and friends. His state of health however remains very much under wraps, as has been the case for the past 6 years. The upcoming documentary has already generated significant interest on NZ sports betting sites, as fans and punters eagerly anticipate insights into Schumacher's life and legacy. This renewed interest in Schumacher also has a potential impact on formula 1 betting, with Mick Schumacher's debut adding an emotional layer to the race. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Ash Barty has won the Cincinnati Open. She'll next attempt to do the same at the final big championship event in tennis for the year: the US Open. - Published: 2021-08-25 - Modified: 2021-08-25 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/ash-barty-riding-high-at-cincinnati-open/ Ash Barty on Sunday won her fifth title for the year when she beat Swiss player Jil Teichmann 6-3, 6-1 in the final of the glamorous Cincinnati Open. Her fifth and most recent title puts the Australian in a strong position for the US Open, which would be the last and final gong sounding the closing of a truly all-conquering season. This impressive performance has generated a lot of buzz on betting sites, particularly those offering tennis betting, as Barty continues to solidify her dominance on the court. After a week that saw the Wimbledon champion drop not as much as a single set, Barty appeared at the top of her game against her opponent on Sunday. She ultimately put the day's play to bed by taking the 13th title of her career in only 72 minutes. Speaking to the press after the match, the Aussie said the week leading up to the final had been nothing short of awesome, while adding that with each additional game played, she felt as if certain parts of her game had gotten progressively better and better still. For world No. 76 Teichmann, Sunday's loss will have been a disappointing affair, especially considering her own run-up in terms of the preceding week. Coming into the final as the lowest-ranked Cincinnati Open finalised in an incredible 13 years, Teichmann walked all over several elite players on her way to the final round – including world No. 2 Naomi Osaka, Olympian Belinda Bencic, and Wimbledon stage-maker Karolina Pliskova. The match would ultimately prove Barty's for the taking – and all with the backing of 8 aces, which took the sterling total for the week all the way up to an incredible 42. 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In response to Matt Shepard’s question about what strategy Morris would advise pitchers take when facing Japanese player Shohei Otani, the Hall of Famer responded by saying, “Be very, very careful” in a mock-Asian accent. He has apologised for the incident, saying he had not meant to offend anybody. Broadcaster Bally Sports Detroit has in the meantime issued a statement apologising to the Asian community for Morris’ remarks, adding that the commentator has been suspended indefinitely from the broadcaster’s channels. He will reportedly also be expected to attend training that will educate him on the impact of jeering commentary while serving a racially diverse sports community. Morris has been broadcasting and analysing MLB games since 2013. Named MLB Hall of Famer in 2018, he won 254 games over the course of his 18-year career. He’s been covering Tigers games ever since 2015. Fans and viewers have delivered a mixed response to Morris’ remark – with many demanding that he be fired instead of merely suspended. The latest incident isn’t the first of its kind involving the Tigers Hall of Famer. He during his final season with the team was made to apologise for a sexist remark made towards Detroit Free Press reporter Jennifer Frey. This incident has not only stirred controversy in the sports community but has also sparked discussions on various online sports betting platforms, particularly those offering MLB betting. Fans are closely watching how the situation unfolds, which may influence their betting decisions and perceptions of the sport's inclusivity. NBA betting enthusiasts have also weighed in on the controversy, with discussions on social media platforms and forums expressing various opinions on the suspension of Jack Morris and its implications for sports broadcasting ethics. 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While Cricket Australia (CA) has remained defensive about the squad’s performance under Langer’s watch, the organisation recently issued a statement that makes no mention at all of Langer’s current contract – not to mention the likelihood of an extension beyond next year. Langer is currently at the receiving end of a hot spate of backlash following the national side’s below-average string of recent performances. And it’s an unhappiness that reportedly extends right into the dressing rooms – with Langer’s mood swings and dictatorship style of management again a hot topic of contention among players. The national coach’s behaviour made controversial news headlines once again last week. This after he allegedly became involved in a confrontation with a digital member of staff at CA. Langer was reportedly unhappy about a video of Bangladesh’s victory song that had been posted on social media as well as on Cricket Australia’s official website. Many have however remained in support of Langer, despite his clearly abrasive personal style. According to CA chief executive Nick Hockley, he’s performed an impressive task of raising the very culture of the men’s side since taking over the role as national coach. While steering clear of any comment regarding Langer’s possible future within the organisation, Hockley appeared full of praise for the controversial coach. Hockley said Langer and the team have important roles to play as Australia heads into what will hopefully emerge a successful summer. Fans of betting sites are closely watching the developments. The uncertainty surrounding Langer's future has sparked interest among those who follow cricket odds. Hockley said Langer and the team have important roles to play as Australia heads into what will hopefully emerge a successful summer. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Joe Root says his lack of leadership’s to blame for England’s second Test loss against India. England play their 3rd Test against India starting August 25. - Published: 2021-08-18 - Modified: 2021-08-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/joe-root-stakes-claim-to-india-loss/ England captain Joe Root has taken full responsibility for his side’s 151-run Test loss to India. He says his leadership involvement has been tried and found seriously wanting. Root clobbered an unbeaten 180 during the first innings – thereby keeping England alive in the second Test at Lord’s. He however failed at keeping India from gaining their stellar winning momentum. And it’s been momentum to include a right turn-around from a previously tail-ending duo made up of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami. According to the England skipper, he had been anything but in prime leadership form during India’s majestic fightback. Instead, he said he’d been ordering nonsensical placings on the field and a general failure o the discipline end of things for his side’s bowling onslaught. It seems to have been a largely tactical fail for Root against India, and by his own admission too. Making matters even worse is the fact that he’s now sulking it up at a losing streak of seven games in a row as captain of England’s national side. Fans of online sports betting were closely watching the match, analyzing cricket betting odds and strategies. It seems to have been a largely tactical fail for Root against India, and by his own admission too. Making matters even worse is the fact that he’s now sulking it up at a losing streak of seven games in a row as captain of England’s national side. Even though at several points it seemed as if England might have been able to make a come-back, it all proved too much for the home side in the end. And it’s a loss that’s seeped all the way into putting poor records on the scoreboard too – with the number of ducks by English Test batsmen for the year now at a very uncool 39. The third Test between India and England gets underway on August 25. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > With 20 medals and a new Most Decorated Olympic Athlete in Carrington, New Zealand had a good run at the Tokyo Olympics. Water Sports remain our forte. - Published: 2021-08-16 - Modified: 2021-08-16 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/biggest-ever-nz-medal-tally-at-tokyo-olympics/ New Zealand is justifiably proud of its athletes’ performance at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Departing Japan with a total of 20 medals, seven Bronze, six Silver, and seven Gold, and a new champion. Flatwater Canoeist Lisa Carrington MNZM is officially the country’s most decorated Olympian, at just 32-years old. The 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games tally of 18 was surpassed this year, with athletes taking medals home across 11 sports and more than half of these being won by female contenders. New Zealand placed at 13th overall rank on the medal table, coming in just after Brazil. Kiwis’ strength is in Water Sports, with Rowing established as the Olympic sport we’re best at. After that it’s Athletics, then Sailing, and Canoeing. Minister of Sport and Recreation Grant Robertson spoke of his great pride in NZ athletes recently. He commended them for rising so gloriously above the devastating effects of the Coronavirus COVID-19 restrictions on training and competition cycles. Competing without the support of friends and families on the sidelines made an already enormous challenge that much more difficult, said Robertson. But he praised ground staff for filling this space as best they could. New Zealand's performance at the Olympics also generated a lot of excitement for NZ betting enthusiasts, who were keen to place horse racing bets on the outcome of various events. Competing without the support of friends and families on the sidelines made an already enormous challenge that much more difficult, said Robertson. But he praised ground staff for filling this space as best they could. Rob Waddell, Chef de Mission for the Kiwi team, added his praise for the medallists to Robertson’s. He also made mention of all the athletes who took part in this year’s Games and managed to set a new personal best. Waddell said that he was delighted by every member of the team. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Ian Foster is clearly aware of the many talents of Roosters star Joseph Manu. The All Blacks coach said he’s even open to a possible switch in future. - Published: 2021-08-13 - Modified: 2021-08-13 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/ian-foster-open-to-manu-code-switch/ All Blacks coach Ian Foster says he’s open to talks with Roosters star Joseph Manu about a possible switch from the NRL to rugby. According to reports in Australia, the star centre is keen on playing for the All Blacks once his current NRL contract draws to a close at the end of 2022. However, also eager to sign him are the Broncos, Titans, and Warriors – with the Roosters all the while extremely desperate to hold on to his talents themselves. The Warriors, for one, are apparently willing to offer a cool $1 million a season for Manu to join their ranks at the end of next year – money the Roosters won’t be able to match by even the longest of shots. Fans of rugby betting are closely watching these developments, as Manu's potential switch could significantly impact the betting landscape. Foster, who commented on a possible switching of codes by Manu on Tuesday, seemed eager for the player to make the change – and apparently not only because both men are from Tokoroa. Manu has been playing for the Roosters from a very young age. He got selected by the club after he was spotted while playing for the Tokoroa High School League team. It’s however no secret that he’s dreamt of playing for New Zealand’s national rugby side since he was a young boy. For fans interested in NZ sports betting, Manu's potential transition from NRL to rugby adds an exciting dimension to the betting scene, as his incredible talents as a sportsman could influence game outcomes and betting odds. While Foster’s focus is on a code of 15 men to a side, he’s not at all ignorant of Manu’s incredible talents as a sportsman. He on Tuesday made repeated reference to Manu being a high-quality player. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Silver Fern and star defender Jane Watson is out for the count for the remainder of the year. Watson recently underwent a medical cleanup of her ankle. - Published: 2021-08-11 - Modified: 2021-08-11 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/netball/jane-watson-out-for-rest-of-2021/ New Zealand’s Silver Ferns will have to make do without the power-play of star defender Jane Watson for the remainder of the year. This after Watson underwent a cleanout and stabilisation of the ankle on Wednesday week. Despite Watson having been named as part of the 2021-2022 official squad on Tuesday, she won’t be appearing on the court again this year Watson’s anticipated absence is a big blow for the Kiwis’ hopes for the upcoming Constellation Cup series between New Zealand and Australia. The series gets underway on October 13, in Brisbane. Watson is considered the best defender in the world by many a fan and opponent. The formidable Watson skippered the Tactix in their decider on Monday, after which she underwent the procedure on her left ankle. She will now remain in a cast for the next couple of weeks and will likely be in recovery for the rest of the year. For fans of sport betting, Watson's absence might influence the odds and strategies for the Constellation Cup series. While fans are understandably disappointed, the procedure has according to dame Noeline Taurua, been a long-time part of the bigger plan. Now is a good time for the defender to catch a break, explained Taurua earlier this week. What with two huge competitions approaching – the Commonwealth Games in July next year, as well as the Netball World Cup in 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa, the team will want their star defender at her best performance starting 2022. Watson’s temporary absence means the Ferns will be relying more heavily than usual on their remaining three defenders. In other sports news, NBA betting is heating up as the season progresses, with fans closely following their favorite teams and players. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Amateur Kiwi harness driver Sheryl Wigg has admitted to having administered substances to horses on race day. She however claims the substances were legal. - Published: 2021-08-09 - Modified: 2021-08-09 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/sheryl-wigg-admits-to-substance-charge/ Well-known amateur harness racing driver, Sheryl Wigg, has reportedly admitted to administering a substance to a horse on race day. According to the rules of harness racing, horses aren’t allowed to be given any substance on race day itself. Wigg in July had a total of three horses banned from their respective races at Alexandra Park’s Auckland Trotting Club. Investigators of the sport’s Racing Integrity Unit had apparently on race day witnessed Wigg administering a substance to one of the horses. Wigg later admitted to having administered a mixture of glucose, turmeric, and water, to one of the horses via a large syringe. She claimed that two more horses had ingested the same solution from a drinking bucket. While the solution did not constitute a banned substance, Wigg remains in the wrong. The Racing Integrity Unit furthermore expressed concerns over the driver’s ongoing involvement in the industry while the issues surrounding the administration of substances on race day were being investigated. A recommendation was also made that Harness Racing New Zealand suspend Wigg’s licence with immediate effect. For those engaged in horse racing betting, this incident has certainly caught the attention of many enthusiasts on NZ betting online platforms. Wigg has in the meantime expressed disappointment over rumours tarnishing her good name on social media. She explains in a statement how the ordeal has “rocked” her and her family’s lives, while even leading her to question why she had become involved in harness racing as a sport in the first place. Sheryll Wigg is the first amateur harness racing driver to reach 50 career wins in New Zealand. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Lydia Ko remains in contention for a place on the podium despite 2 bogeys placed during the second round of the women’s event. Ko is a former world No. 1. - Published: 2021-08-06 - Modified: 2021-08-06 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/lydia-ko-still-an-olympic-force/ Kiwi and former world No. 1 golfer Lydia Ko remains in the running for a medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games – despite two late bogeys placed during the second round of the women’s event. While Ko remains in the running for a place on the podium, she’ll have to put in the work if she’s to beat her own personal best achieved in Rio five years ago. Not only is she up against her own bar, but also against that of the challenging pace set by American opponent Nelly Korda. The latter has been running at it full throttle, shooting her way to four shots clear of the “next best” to 13-under for the tournament. Her stellar performance meant an unbelievable nine-under 62 – a performance once again emphasising her position as best women’s golfer in the world this year. Following Korda’s opening with four pars, she managed to fly high off an eagle and four birdies. She then added five more birdies – thereby setting herself up for a six-shot lead by the time she reached the 18th tee. Even so, the second round of the event hasn’t been all bad for Kiwi Lydia Ko. After having started the day’s play sharing the 16th, she’s now tied for 9th at five-under-par halfway. All in all, the New Zealander is now four shots off second place. Jointly holding the position right now are Aditi Ashok (India), Emily Pedersen (Denmark), and Nanna Koerstz (also Denmark). For those following the tournament and interested in golf betting, Ko’s performance continues to be a focal point on NZ betting sites as she strives for a medal. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Manase Fainu will lodge a request with the NRL to be allowed to resume play. This after police recently unearthed new evidence and a twist of plot. - Published: 2021-08-04 - Modified: 2021-08-04 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/nrl-to-be-asked-to-allow-fainu-to-play/ The NRL will soon receive a formal request to officially reconsider the suspension handed down to Sea Eagles star hooker Manase Fainu. The Manly star stands accused of having stabbed someone at a Wattle Grove-based Mormon church dance back in 2019. Police investigating the matter will however now have to re-consider Fainu’s role in the incident – this after two witnesses recently came forward indicating the player to be innocent of the crime. Police will furthermore now consider one of their own witnesses to be the man actually responsible for the stabbing – this after the man in question initially confessed to the crime before backpedalling on his statement. Fainu has since being first charged with the crime vehemently denied any involvement. His trial, which was scheduled to be heard in July this year, was postponed for a period of 12 months due to the knock-on effect of the global health crisis. The star hooker’s bail conditions were on Monday amended in such a way that he will only be expected to check in with law enforcement authorities three times a week – instead of daily. According to attorney Paul McGirr, the victim of the stabbing isn’t able to say precisely what happened during the alleged incident. This leaves it up to two other witnesses who have not yet been interviewed by police, explained McGirr, who says he’s 100% sure of the NRL star’s innocence. Fainu’s manager, Mario Tartak, has now urged the NRL to reconsider the star’s right to play given the new info that recently came to light. This development has also sparked discussions among fans interested in New Zealand sports betting, as the outcome of the case could have significant implications for NRL betting and team dynamics. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > World Rugby is under mounting pressure to react to World Cup-winning coach Rassie Erasmus’ unhappiness with the Lions. Play continues on the weekend. - Published: 2021-08-02 - Modified: 2021-08-02 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/pressure-mounting-over-erasmus-unhappiness/ Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus has now offered to “step down” from the remaining two Tests between South Africa and the British and Irish Lions if his stepping aside means fairer treatment and refereeing for his side during Saturday’s second Test. Erasmus has made no secret of his unhappiness with how the first Test between the two sides had been referred while going as far as suggesting that several crucial mistakes had been made by Aussie referee Nic Berry. According to the South African coach, the alleged mistakes had negatively influenced his side during their 22-17 defeat by the Lions. He’s also expressed unhappiness about the measure of respect he says South African captain Siya Kolisi had been shown during the game when compared to how Lions skipper Alun Wyn Jones had been treated. Erasmus’ comments and allegations has now put World Rugby under immense pressure to intervene. The world sporting governing body has said in a statement that Erasmus’ comments and concerns will be raised with SA Rugby and that no further comments will be released at this present time. The South African coach has furthermore minced no words about his unhappiness with Lions coach Warren Gatland’s public questioning of whether South African Marius Jonker should have been appointed TMO for the series between the two sides. Jonker is a good friend of Erasmus, and according to the South African World Cup-winning coach, a man of irreproachable integrity. For those placing rugby betting wagers, the outcome of this controversy and potential changes in refereeing or coaching staff could significantly influence betting odds and predictions for the remaining Tests. Lions skipper Jones has in the meantime attempted to come to the defense of the match officials under fire by Erasmus, saying their decisions are being more closely scrutinised now than ever before in the history of the series. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Hamilton's 10-second penalty at Silverstone is now under review for having been too lenient. This following his on-track clash with Max Verstappen. - Published: 2021-07-30 - Modified: 2021-07-30 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/red-bull-calls-on-fia-review-of-british-gp/ It now appears the controversy over the Hamilton-Verstappen clash earlier this month during the British Grand Prix at Silverstone is far from over. This after team Red Bull recently requested a review of the incident by F1's official governing body, namely the FIA. Team Red Bull has expressed its dissatisfaction over the decision taken at Silverstone and is now insisting on a review of the matter by the stewards in charge. Hamilton during the British GP at Silverstone attempted to pass Verstappen during the opening lap of the race. His car however touched that of his Red Bull opponent's, which sent Verstappen careening into the barriers at the dizzying speed of 180mph, thereby also ending the Red Bull champion's race. For fans of Formula 1 and those interested in Formula 1 betting, this incident has sparked considerable debate and could potentially influence NZ betting odds and strategies for future races. While Hamilton got slapped with a 10-second penalty he still went on the win the race – a feat many consider helped greatly by the absence of Verstappen. The Red Bull driver has in the meantime accused Hamilton of unsportsmanlike conduct and reckless and dangerous behaviour on the track. Also turning up the heat on the Mercedes driver has been Red Bull principal Christian Horner, who is accusing Hamilton of desperate and reckless conduct as well as the putting at risk of a fellow driver's life. Red Bull has now expressed the opinion that the penalty imposed on Hamilton is in its opinion too lenient - given the particular circumstances surrounding the incident as well as the drivers' individual rankings at the time. The next step will be for both teams to present their respective cases before the sport's governing body for adjudication. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The upcoming Bledisloe Cup between NZ and Australia is set to continue as planned. This following a travel exemption granted to the Wallabies by government. - Published: 2021-07-28 - Modified: 2021-07-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/relief-as-bledisloe-cup-set-to-continue/ An economically critical Bledisloe Cup is now set to continue as planned after New Zealand earlier this week granted a special travel exemption to the Wallabies, who will now be in a position to enter the country. The NZ sports betting community eagerly anticipates this high-stakes event, as it promises significant engagement and excitement. The fate of the match was dumped into uncertainty when NZ last week pressed pause on freedom from quarantine requirements between the two countries following a sudden outbreak of infections in Australia. All Kiwis were at the time ordered to return home or stay put while allowed only a seven-day window to do so – which order cast a heavy shadow over the likelihood of the Cup. Relief came on Monday when acting minister Ayesha Verrall announced the mentioned Wallabies exemption, describing the Bledisloe Cup as an economically critical event for New Zealand at this time. Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson added his voice to the announcement by saying the decision to grant exemption to the Australian players and support staff had not been one taken lightly in any way. According to estimations, a single Test match is worth around $20 million for local New Zealand host regions, with Bledisloe Cup broadcasting rights worth millions more in income for the sport itself. Rugby betting enthusiasts are also gearing up for what promises to be an intense and thrilling series. Robertson explained earlier this week how Test rugby between the All Blacks and the Wallabies is of the best supported among New Zealand sports fans. Robertson furthermore stressed that the Australians have been in a bio-bubble of their own for quite some time now, and that all travel will happen via a closed and chartered flight. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Auckland Huskies in the final four thanks to secret weapon Zach Riley. The in-demand player is in demand, but cannot do everything, unfortunately. - Published: 2021-07-26 - Modified: 2021-07-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/zach-riley-is-a-man-on-a-mission/ 18-year-old Zach Riley has been making headlines after proving himself a force to be reckoned with. More recently, his talent has helped to push the Auckland Huskies to the final four of the NBL finals. He currently has an average of 10. 6 points, 2. 2 assists, 1. 3 steals and 4. 5 rebounds all while shooting 50% from the floor and 39% from the arc. While he is a force worth having on the team, he cannot do everything which has led to him turning down the callup to try out for the Tall Blacks. This decision was not taken lightly, especially since it has made his dream of following in dad Brad Riley’s footsteps and playing for the team. He has had to take time to focus on his schoolwork as making the team would mean he would have to miss six weeks of school. He is disappointed and hopes to get another opportunity to join the team. He’s already juggling so much. As it is, he will be ending the school holidays playing for the Huskies in the NBL semi-finals against Wellington Saints in Porirua. The team are the underdogs and have even lost their secret weapon - ex-NBA centre Chris Johnson. But the team is hopeful that they’ll win, and even if they don’t, it’s a great experience for the team to get out there, work hard and perform. Fans looking to place wagers on the game can find numerous NZ sports betting sites offering odds on the NBL finals. With the rise in popularity of NBA betting, local basketball games are seeing increased interest and engagement from bettors. Another young player has also helped drive the team’s success. 16-year-old Dontae Russo-Nance joins Riley in the backcourt with an average of 11. 6 points, 2. 9 assists, 1. 5 steals and 3. 3 boards. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Fears of the Games being cancelled remain a cause for concern. This comes after several athletes have tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of the games. - Published: 2021-07-23 - Modified: 2021-07-23 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/positive-tests-threaten-olympic-games/ With the Olympic Games days away, the possibility of the Games being cancelled still exists. This comes after 71 confirmed cases of COVID-19 amongst some of the athletes. Officials have warned that cancelling the Games is still an option. The opening ceremony is scheduled for Friday, but that does not mean that it is too late to cancel, says Toshiro Muto, the head of the Tokyo Olympics organising committee. He made the announcement after being warned that the bubble system in place at the athlete’s village, home to 11,000 participants from all over the world, had already pooped. Amongst those that tested positive were a Czech beach volleyball player and an American gymnast. Organisers will be keeping an eye on the infection rate and make a decision based on that. Given the unpredictable nature of the virus, Muto has mentioned that talks will resume on the topic again soon. As the situation changes, they will continue to discuss what needs to be done. In the last 24 hours, 10 new cases were reported amongst the athletes. Looking at the bigger picture, Tokyo is behind when it comes to vaccinations and had reported 1387 new positive cases on Tuesday. With the “bubble” popping, there are concerns that clusters of infections will begin to arise not only in the athlete village but in the interaction amongst people as a result of the Games. In light of these uncertainties, many fans are turning to online betting to keep their excitement levels high. Popular platforms are seeing increased activity, with darts betting and other niche sports gaining traction as fans look for alternatives. President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, has stated that cancelling the games a second time would have been the easy way out. It was never an option as they do not believe in abandoning their athletes. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > TJ Perenara has returned to the All Blacks after spending time in Japan. Ian Foster is thrilled to have him back, although the drawn-out process upset him. - Published: 2021-07-21 - Modified: 2021-07-21 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/ian-foster-happy-to-welcome-tj-perenara-back/ TJ Perenara had been playing around with the idea of switching to NRL with the Sydney Roosters earlier this year before announcing his return to the All Blacks. While Ian Foster is thrilled to have him back in the team, he is not impressed with how the player’s decision was publicised during this time. Perenara was not allowed to play for the first three tests of the year as a result of contractual obligations. However, on Monday, he was named as part of the All-Blacks team set to compete in the Rugby Championship. He had previously been playing for Japan and turned down an offer to play in the NRL for the Roosters. Fosters has told reporters that he is not happy about how things played out and how widely publicized it all was. He assumes it was part of the negotiation tactics but is happy to have him back on the squad. He is impressed with how played for the NTT Red Hurricanes, although he does think more training is needed before their first game on 7 August. He adds that he thinks Perenara is a good defender, confrontational nine, ultra-competitive and good over the ball. The sports betting community has been abuzz with Perenara’s decision, impacting odds and speculation around both the All Blacks and potential NRL betting markets. Since his return from Japan, Perenara has been playing club rugby for Porirua. Foster hopes that he will also have a chance to play for Wellington in an attempt to get him up to speed. This has indirectly hinted at him not playing against the Wallabies next month. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > As the pandemic forces more and more teams to relocate, the real toll of it all is becoming clear. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak will miss the birth of his child. - Published: 2021-07-19 - Modified: 2021-07-19 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/dallin-watene-zelezniak-to-miss-the-birth-of-his-child-due-to-relocation/ Warriors player Dallin Watene-Zelezniak is making an enormous sacrifice to stay with the team as they relocate to Queensland to continue competing in the NRL. He will be missing the birth of his child as a result of the move brought on by the recent COVID-19 outbreak in the Greater Sydney Area. The 25-year-old player and his partner are expecting their third child in the next few weeks, but due to the outbreak and NRL competition, he will be relocating to continue playing. Making sacrifices like this has become a huge part of the rugby world since the COVID-19 pandemic first took over the world. Players have had to leave families behind as they relocate for the sake of the game. Stints in isolation as a result of travelling have also become a regular occurrence in recent times. Head coach Nathan Brown admits that there was a chance that Watene-Zelezniak would stay behind. Watene-Zelezniak has since made the decision to join his team, and even though the baby is due in a few weeks, the isolation that would be imposed would wreak havoc if he were to try and travel between the two locations. The team supports his decision and had not expected him to come. Regardless of what he would have done, the team would have supported his decision either way. The New Zealand betting scene is keeping a close eye on these developments, as player relocations and personal sacrifices can significantly influence game outcomes and betting odds. Halfback Kodi Nikorima is another father to be in the team, however, his partner is looking into joining him in Queensland and will give birth there. With rugby betting becoming increasingly popular, fans are eager to see how these changes will impact the Warriors' performance. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New laws are being tested to help prevent injuries during rugby games. This is based on its Law Review Group and High-Performance Committee recommendation. - Published: 2021-07-16 - Modified: 2021-07-16 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/world-rugby-testing-laws-aimed-at-reducing-injuries/ The governing body has approved the testing of five new law amendments aimed at reducing injuries during global competitions. These laws will be in place from August and have been implemented based on the recommendation of the Law Review Group and High-Performance Committee. Medical officials, coaches, players, and other competition organisers were consulted about these regulations. The laws of rugby play an important part in ensuring that the game is accessible, safe, and appealing. These laws need to be carefully thought out to ensure the wellness of all playing the game. By reviewing these laws, we want to reaffirm that we always have our players and their welfare at heart. The biggest threat during rugby games is the risk of concussion and finding ways to reduce this is important. Four of the five changes feature an underlying focus on welfare advancements across the game. Two of the five have been operational in trial environments with goal-line dropout and the 50:22 rule for kicks already being used in Super Rugby competitions. The two above mentioned amendments seek to reduce the speed of the defensive line speed while increasing the space in the line. Three of the amendments are focused on reducing the risk of injury at the breakdown. The first of these amendments look to impose sanctions on clear-outs that target the lower body. The second outlaws the formation of pre-bound pods consisting of three or more players while the third defines what is allowed when it comes to “latching. ” These changes have caught the attention of the online betting NZ community, as they can significantly impact game dynamics and outcomes, making rugby bets more intriguing. If these laws are successful, they will be included in rugby’s law book from May 2022. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The world is preparing for the Tokyo Olympics. New Zealand has announced that it will be sending a team of 211 athletes to compete. - Published: 2021-07-14 - Modified: 2021-07-14 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/new-zealand-announces-211-athlete-olympic-squad/ New Zealand has confirmed that they will be sending a team of 211 athletes to compete in the Tokyo Olympics later this month. This is the largest-ever team for the event. The team has been finalised and is made up of 101 females and 110 males with 33 of the athletes being of Maori descent. That will compete in 22 sports across 700 competition sessions. This includes athletes competing in the newly included disciplines of surfing and karate. This narrowly eclipses the 100 female team that they had sent to compete in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Erika Fairweather is the youngest team member at 17 years old and will be swimming for the country. Bruce Goodin, in contrast, is the oldest team member at 51 years old and will be competing as an equestrian jumping athlete. Adding to the impressive nature of the New Zealand team is the fact that two athletes will be carrying the New Zealand flag during the opening ceremony, two-time Olympic champion Hamish Bond and Black Ferns Sevens Captain Sarah Hirini. Most of the Olympic team will be coming from Auckland – 52 athletes to be exact, while Bay of Plenty is home to 25 of the athletes. Coming in third is Canterbury with 23 athletes while Wellington and Waikato each have 19 athletes joining the team. Out of the 211 team members, 118 will be competing in their first Olympic games while the other 93 had previously competed. For fans looking to engage with the event through sports betting, NZ betting sites are offering a variety of options. The rugby betting odds, in particular, have seen significant interest, with many eager to see how the New Zealand rugby sevens teams will perform. NZOC Chef de Mission Rob Waddell thanks the athletes for their dedication during this time and is proud of the team that will be representing the country. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > As the Tokyo Olympics draw closer, the OlyWhites have become more concerned about Michael Boxall availability. This is a result of his recent injury. - Published: 2021-07-12 - Modified: 2021-07-12 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/michael-boxalls-availability-has-olywhites-in-suspense/ Michael Boxall’s recent injury has sent the OlyWhites into a tizz as they wait to find out if he will be able to join the team at the Tokyo Olympics later this month. The club’s coach has expressed his doubts about whether Boxall will be able to join the team. NZ Football has, however, stated that they will not be able to replace him. The centre back is one of three overage players in the All-Whites that had been announced for the tournament, which is usually an under-24 event. While playing for Minnesota United, his American club, he suffered a thigh injury. The media has since spotted him jogging during training, but he was not on the field when the team played on Thursday. His coach Adrian Heath told reporters that he has got a problem and will more than likely not be heading to the Olympics. While Boxall was ready to leave for Japan after Thursday’s match, but a NZ Football spokesperson has said that they are monitoring the situation and has not yet indicated if he will be playing against South Korea in two weeks. Unfortunately, the players for the Olympics are already locked in and as such means that the team will not be able to replace Boxall. The cautious use of certain terms by officials involved hints at the fact that his involvement with the team is still under discussion. The extent of his leg injury is another topic that remains under wraps during this time. If he does not play, George Stanger and Nando Pijnaker will more than likely be asked to step up. Gianni Stensness also has the necessary experience to assist the club. As the Olympic football tournament approaches, online sports betting platforms are seeing increased activity, with fans eager to place bets on the OlyWhites' performance. NFL betting has also surged recently, reflecting a broader trend in online sports betting where major international events draw significant interest. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Assistant coach Justin Morgan has begun to question the team’s decisions as losses continue to pile up. Is there hope for the Warriors’ this season? - Published: 2021-07-09 - Modified: 2021-07-09 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/warriors-losses-continue-to-pile-up/ As the losses continue to grow, Warriors assistant coach Justin Morgan has begun to question the team’s decision-making abilities. He believes that the team has somehow found the worst possible way of trying to get things done. The team’s latest loss against the St George Illawarra Dragons is the latest addition to the team’s losing streak. Out of the 15 matches played this season, the Warriors have only won five, and out of the 10 losses, six were because of six points or fewer. Currently, the team is two points out of the top eight, even with their shocking record. Morgan believes that better game management and executions would have made the world of difference in the games played this season. He admits that it has been a learning experience and they are addressing the issues identified throughout the season to ensure that the losing streak ends. He adds that some of the lessons have been tough, with some key players not making the right calls during the game. Inconsistent gameplay has been identified as many as one of the Warriors’ biggest issues, but they hope that this week’s game against the Cronulla Sharks will prove that it is a thing of the past. Morgan hopes that if the team keeps working hard and using each game as a learning experience that they’ll come out on the right side of the ledger. The sports betting NZ community has been closely watching the Warriors' performance, with rugby bets being influenced by the team's inconsistent gameplay. While it was hoped that former Sharks player Chad Townsend would be able to give the team an edge in this week’s game, a shoulder injury has him out for at least three weeks. The team will have to find a way around this if they are to emerge victoriously. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Max Verstappen clinches fifth win of the season at the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday. He has even begun to showcase a dominant driving style like Hamilton. - Published: 2021-07-07 - Modified: 2021-07-07 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/max-verstappen-celebrates-the-fifth-win-of-f1-season/ Max Verstappen has won the Austrian Grand Prix and secured his fifth win of the season. Many have begun to note a change in his driving style and mannerisms as he becomes more like Lewis Hamilton. He went into the weekend as a favourite to win, and although the pressure mounted, he was able to secure a win, surpassing Hamilton and leading the defending champion with 5-3 for wins and 5-2 in pole positions. While he is enjoying the victory, he is still focused on the rest of the season. Hamilton found himself in fourth place after rolling over a curb and damaging his car. Not only did this affect his points, but also added frustration to the day’s events. He has not secured a win in the last two months since the Spanish GP. Hamilton's teammate Valtteri Bottas finished second, followed by McLaren's Lando Norris in third place. Norris is currently the most consistent driver having been the only one to score points in each race thus far. He would have secured second place but received a five-second time penalty in lap one. While he missed it this time, he is hopeful that he will be able to keep up his performance in the next race. Verstappen’s fifteenth career win is yet another success for the Red Bull team and he even received an extra point for having the fastest lap. Hamilton on the other hand is working towards his F1 win and hopes that the British GP in Silverstone will deliver the victory he seeks. For fans interested in F1 racing betting, Verstappen's dominance has made him a popular pick on NZ betting platforms. His fifteenth career win is yet another success for the Red Bull team, and he even received an extra point for having the fastest lap. Hamilton, on the other hand, is working towards his F1 win and hopes that the British GP in Silverstone will deliver the victory he seeks. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The mystery fan that caused the great Tour de France crash of 2021 has finally been arrested. This follows an in-depth investigation into her whereabouts. - Published: 2021-07-05 - Modified: 2021-07-05 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/tour-de-france-mystery-fan-finally-behind-bars/ Following the massive crash that saw the Tour de France making headlines for all the wrong reasons, French law enforcement officials have finally tracked down the sign wielding bandit. After standing in the road with a sign and causing an obstruction in the road for cyclists, the mystery woman appeared to have vanished from the face of the Earth. She had been holding a sign in support of her grandparents that are assumed to have been part of the race. Understandably, causing an international incident like that on live TV would have anyone hiding from the world. Of course, fans next to the road with signs is a given for any major race, however, this should be done in a manner that is safe to all involved. The woman had a cardboard sign of support, and in an attempt of getting some time on international TV, decided to step into the road and bring almost the entire peloton to a standstill. Unfortunately, she was facing a camera and not the riders, causing quite the commotion. Tour de France riders and spectators alike have taken to social media to voice their frustrations. Since the incident, an investigation was launched to find the woman. Police interviewed dozens of people that had been close to the scene in an attempt to narrow down the search. Witnesses were called to step forward as well. In addition to local law enforcement seeking to take action, race organisers will also be suing for damages. This incident has had a notable impact on cycling betting markets, with online betting enthusiasts closely following the developments. The crash has created an unpredictable environment for bettors, adding an extra layer of complexity to their strategies. Online betting platforms have seen increased activity as fans place bets on the outcomes of the affected stages and overall race standings. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The World Test Championship final victory has become a turning point for Ross Taylor. He reached his goal but still believes he has something to offer the team. - Published: 2021-07-02 - Modified: 2021-07-02 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/will-ross-taylor-be-retiring/ This is the million-dollar question, isn’t it? Following the Black Caps World Test Championship win, Ross Taylor has been contemplating whether or not he should be retiring. While he had previously mentioned that retiring after the recent win was an option, and the world of cricket has been spinning ever since. Taylor had hit the winning run that resulted in New Zealand winning the tournament and recovering from the 2019 debacle that had come before. Based on Taylor’s own terms, he does not seem to be too interested in retiring anytime soon. When asked about it, he mentioned spending time with friends and family before deciding. The 37-year-old’s age has also been called into question after receiving criticism for his technique during a two-match series against England. Critics had stated that they felt he was “playing too much across the line” and that his head position was offside. This is a problem that Taylor believes he has had his entire career and that it is not something new. Taylor has commented on this saying that even if you do things exactly the same as a few years before, you are suddenly doing it wrong because you’re older. He adds that batting at Lord’s can be quite tricky, something few people will understand. While he does want to continue playing and believes that he still has a lot to give the team, he will be discussing his future with New Zealand Cricket soon. He is, however, content with whatever happens in the next few months. For fans who enjoy cricket betting, Taylor’s decision could influence betting odds and strategies. Many NZ betting sites have been buzzing with speculation about his future. Regardless of his final decision, Taylor’s next move will surely be a significant event for bettors and cricket enthusiasts alike. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Mid-season recruits Chad Townsend and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak are optimistic about the remainder of the season. They are determined to make it to the playoffs. - Published: 2021-06-30 - Modified: 2021-06-30 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/optimistic-recruits-ready-to-turn-things-around-for-warriors/ While they may have been unwanted by their previous clubs, the Warriors have snapped up Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Chad Townsend. Even though Townend kicked a winning goal for his former team the Sharks, he was discarded but claims to have no hard feelings about it, although he was surprised by the decision. Watene-Zelezniak seems to have the same approach to his recent dismissal from the Bulldogs. Townsend has previously played for the Warriors during the 2014/15 season. His Warriors jersey hangs proudly in his home, and he believes that his past experience with the club will make the transition a whole lot easier. He also stated that everything thing happened quickly. His manager told him that there was interest from the team and the next day Nathan Brown phoned him. A few days later, it was a done deal. It was an easy decision for the midfielder, mostly as a result of his previous experience with the club and the emotional connection that exists. He believes that it is an exciting opportunity and if they play their cards right, they could sneak into the eight. Watene-Zelezniak on the other hand finally has the opportunity to play for a team that represents his birth nation and believes that he will be able to assist the team in winning a premiership during his 3. 5-year contract. Townsend shares this sentiment and believes that their experience could see the club competing in the 2021 playoffs. For fans involved in NRL betting, the addition of these players has created an intriguing dynamic for the Warriors' odds. Many NZ betting enthusiasts are closely monitoring the team's performance, hoping these new acquisitions will boost their chances. Watene-Zelezniak is excited to show his family his home, and although the Bulldogs' rejection stung, playing for the Warriors is a great opportunity that he will be making the most of. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > 21 years after Stephen Fleming led the Kiwis to victory in the 2000 ICC Knockout Trophy, the team has finally emerged victorious. They have won the World Cup. - Published: 2021-06-28 - Modified: 2021-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/new-zealand-wins-cricket-world-cup/ Following an impressive season, New Zealand has won the World Test Championship final against India. This is the team’s first international victory since Stephen Fleming led the Kiwis to victory in the 2000 ICC Knockout Trophy. This has ended 21 years of heartbreak, as some have dubbed it. Luteru Ross Poutoa Lote Taylor, or Luteru Taylor as he would like to be known, clubbed a four to secure the win. He has reverted to this name to be true to his Samoan heritage. He had been called Ross in school after having teachers and classmates battle to pronounce Luteru. This without a doubt one of the greatest highlights of his career, especially considering that he thought that he lost his chance of winning a final following the loss of the 2019 World Cup. He has mentioned that if they had won back then, he would have most likely retired. Luckily, persistence has paid off and his dream has now become a reality. The final also celebrated another milestone for the player, 18000 runs in international cricket, and made the list of top 10 Test catchers by making his 158th catch. While the team’s success comes about as a collective effort from so many skillful players, Taylor has cemented his name in history by shutting the door on India. Of course, there was a point in the game where the odds were in India’s favour, however, that quickly changed in the 54th over as Taylor took a single. For those interested in cricket betting and online sports betting, Taylor's performance and the New Zealand team's victory have certainly stirred interest in future matches and tournaments. While Samoa may not have an established cricket history or team, that did not stop Taylor from achieving his dreams of competing in international cricket. 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New Zealand rower Hamish Bond and Black Ferns Sevens captain Sarah Hirini are the first dual flag bearers for the country and were officially announced in Auckland yesterday, although Hirini received her cloak prior to this as her team needed to fly out to Townsville for a pre-Olympics tournament this week. Hirini’s emotional speech shared how much this opportunity means to her and that she feels honoured to be able to represent her team as well as the country at the opening ceremony. Bond also shared his pride in being chosen to take part in this special moment in history. Flag bearers represent the country, and it truly is an honour to have two incredibly talented athletes take part in the opening ceremony. They were chosen for the honour as they encompass the culture and values of their home country and are true role models. Each of them has represented their country before and is the perfect choice according to team management. All of the past New Zealand flag bearers have excelled in the previous games, one of which being the late Peter Snell who had the honour of doing so in 1964 in Tokyo. They will be following in the footsteps of so many great sports people as they represent the New Zealand team on 23 July during the opening ceremony. For those interested in NRL betting odds and sports betting, the selection of athletes like Hirini and Bond highlights the level of talent and dedication in New Zealand's sports community. As they take on their roles as flag bearers, they also become symbols of inspiration and excellence for both fans and bettors looking forward to the Olympics and other sporting events. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Following a rocky start with cloud cover and even a washed-out the first day, India was able to secure its victory. This led to an impressive 146-3 win. - Published: 2021-06-23 - Modified: 2021-06-23 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/india-leads-the-way-in-icc-world-test-championship/ New Zealand and India battled it out following a washed-out start to the first day, India managed to take the lead with the guidance of Ajinkya Rahane and Virat Kohli. The powerful duo set out to lead the team to victory, starting with an unbroken partnership of 58. For three hours, the Indian captain defended his undefeated 44 with Rahane right by his side on 29. This pushed their side to 146-3 during the disrupted play. Kane Williamson had chosen to bowl after winning the toss, which seems like the smart choice following the rather shocking weather conditions. The New Zealand team had set out for a full-blown attack on their opposition, but their attempts proved to be futile as Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma joined forces to put together an opening stand of 62. Rohit appeared to start off strong and beat off Tim Southee for two boundaries. All of this while Gill took to finding his rhythm while scoring freely alongside Rohit. Kyle Jamieson conceded 14 in the same number of overs and gave Southee and Trent Boult the consistency needed for the flow of runs. Pujara received a ball to the head that sent a piece of the helmet flying. Thankfully, he was unhurt by the blow to the head however, a blow to the leg shortly thereafter had him sent to the locker room. Nonetheless, Kohli embraced the pressure of the difficult two days and managed to lead his team to victory. For those interested in ICC betting and using NZ sports betting sites, the intense competition and strategic plays in matches like these provide a thrilling betting experience. The unpredictable nature of the game and the standout performances from players like Kohli and Rahane make it an exciting event for sports bettors. As the series progresses, bettors will be keenly watching player form, weather conditions, and team strategies to make informed wagers. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Otere Black has finally recovered from his leg injury and has been named as part of the Blues team ahead of Saturday’s game. - Published: 2021-06-21 - Modified: 2021-06-21 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/otere-black-has-recovered-and-is-back-in-business/ Otere Black has made his triumphant return to rugby just in time for the finals against the Highlanders on Saturday. This is their first shot at the Super Rugby title since their 2003 win against the Crusaders. This news means that Tom Robinson who had played an important part in leading the team to victory during Black’s absence will not be able to play in the finals. This is in addition to the head injury sustained by last week’s match against the Force. He will be replaced by Akira Ioane. Ofa Tuungafasi was another player who did not make the cut due to an injury and will be going in for surgery ahead of the Rugby Championship. Head coach Leon MacDonald was incredibly happy to have Black back on the team and in his customary position. While Black did sustain a minor leg injury on Tuesday, he made it through a full training session and has made a remarkable recovery with the help of the team’s medical staff. The addition of Akira Ioane further adds to the Blues' edge as they prepare for the finals. The team is heartbroken that Robinson will not be playing in the finals after playing such an important role in getting the team to this point. His contagious energy will be missed, and MacDonald will be challenging the team to play the way that Robinson would. The final is expected to be a high-energy, adrenaline-packed game that will have supporters across the globe on the edge of their seats. For those interested in rugby betting, the return of Otere Black adds a significant dynamic to consider. NZ betting sites are likely to see a surge in activity as fans place their bets on the upcoming Super Rugby final. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Barbora Krejcikova has won her first Grand Slam title at the French Open. She has dedicated the win to her former coach. - Published: 2021-06-18 - Modified: 2021-06-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/barbora-krejcikova-dedicates-french-open-win-to-former-coach/ In the French Open final, Barbora Krejcikova has defeated Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to win her first Grand Slam title. She is the third unseeded women's champion since 2017. Her goal is now to become the first woman since Mary Pierce in 2000 to win French Open singles and doubles titles in the same year. She has dedicated the win to her former coach and former Wimbledon champion Jana Novotna who died of cancer in 2017. Her final words to her prodigy were to go out there and win a Grand Slam. Krejcikova beat Pavlyuchenkova 6-1, 2-6, 6-4 during the final at Roland Garros to win the title. This was her fifth major tournament as a singles player. There were no hard feelings after the game as Krejcikova met Pavlyuchenkova for a hug at the net. This was Pavlyuchenkova’s first Grand Slam final in her career of 52 tournaments that she has played. Krejcikova believes that during the last few weeks, Novotna had been looking out for her. She was an inspirational coach and Krejcikova hopes that she is just as happy as her given the recent victory. She had been overwhelmed by the prospect of facing off against more experienced players but has taken it all in her stride to reach this point. While it was clear that she has some pregame jitters before the final but managed to snap out of it. Martina Navratilova handed over the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen to her at the end of the game. A special moment Krejcikova will treasure forever. For fans interested in tennis betting, Krejcikova's rise to prominence offers a compelling narrative to follow in future tournaments. Her success in the French Open is likely to influence odds. Discussions on sports betting platforms worldwide will be shaped by her impressive performance on the grand stage of Roland Garros. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > For the first time since, 1999, New Zealand has secured a victory against England. This has pushed the team into the number one spot in ICC Test rankings. - Published: 2021-06-16 - Modified: 2021-06-16 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/new-zealand-beats-england-in-second-test/ As the World Test Championship final comes closer and closer, cricket fans find themselves debating who will walk away with the championship title. After having played two Tests in England – and beating England in the second Test – New Zealand seems to be the crowd favourite to win. Having not beaten the English team since 1999, their recent victory with a margin of eight wickets was a welcomed surprise. This has pushed the team into the number one spot in ICC Test rankings. And, when paired with the experience of playing in the host country’s trying conditions as well as the Duke ball, all provide the perfect backdrop for the New Zealand team to emerge victoriously. Adding to New Zealand’s competitive edge and sports betting advantage, is that they will have time to rest up and practice with the additional 1. 5 days leading up to the final on 18 June 2021. The use of two left-armers as bowlers also provides a challenge for their opposition as they can swing the ball in both directions. The strength of the team is further amplified by their strong team of batsmen who are well adept at playing spin. New Zealand appears to have everything going for them as they prepare to face off against India. With the World Test Championship (WTC) final fast approaching, India will need to step up and prepare themselves for the upcoming game if they are to beat the new crowd favourites. Fans will be ready to place their cricket bets on this tournament. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Now that Ardie Savea is off-contract, the world of rugby wants to know what the future holds. What we do know, is that he is currently undecided. - Published: 2021-06-14 - Modified: 2025-06-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/ardie-saveas-rugby-future-called-into-question/ Ardie Savea’s Rugby Future Called Into Question Ardie Savea, Hurricanes’ stalwart and All Blacks lose forward, will be off-contract with New Zealand Rugby at the end of this year and is yet to disclose what his plans for the future are. The question on everybody’s lips is, will he stick around or take his talent elsewhere? He is still recovering from a medial collateral ligament injury on his left knee and is still working on improving his return to the game. This is a core focus for the 27-year-old rugby star, which further explains why he is yet to announce plans for the future. Currently, he is still very much focused on leading his team to victory against the Reds. He wants to stay present at the moment and give his team the attention they deserve. He has, however, mentioned that he will be making a decision about his career in the coming weeks. Savea has mentioned previously that he wants to test his skill elsewhere and has even toyed with the idea of NRL. He’s also joked about a contract in Europe; however, nothing has been confirmed yet. The common theme in everything that he has said to date about his future indicates that he wants to take his talent to the international stage. The only question now is, will he make the move or stick it out locally for the time being? In the meantime, New Zealand rugby fans can still watch him play his heart out until the end of the season. For rugby bets enthusiasts, Savea's future plans will be closely monitored as they could impact team dynamics and game strategies. New Zealand rugby fans can still watch him play his heart out until the end of the season, eagerly awaiting his decision. Those following betting sites discussions will likely engage in speculation about Savea's next move and how it could affect his career trajectory and team dynamics. 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It is alleged that Gregan was part of a coup, that included Matt Dixon, that conspired to oust his former business partner Goldberg from their Sydney-based PTP Fitness. Goldberg believes that he was wrongfully terminated and will see the matter go to court in the next week to prove that his claims are indeed valid. Dixon and Gregan have launched a crossclaim stating that Goldberg had breached his statutory and fiduciary duties as head of the company. This led to his contract being terminated. Of course, Goldberg disputes these claims. The plot thickens as Goldberg’s barrister claims that Gregan and Dixon failed to comply with a discovery order and deleted WhatsApp and iMessage communications related to the matter. It is believed that these messages were deleted around the same time it is alleged that the two plotted to oust Goldberg. Part of their alleged tactics involved declining to pay dividends and diluting his shareholding capital. With the current rate of accusations and allegations, one cannot help but wonder what more will be revealed in the coming days as the court date nears. NZ sports betting enthusiasts might be watching this case closely as it unfolds, considering its potential impact on Gregan’s reputation and legal standing within the business community. Those involved in rugby betting might speculate on how Gregan's legal troubles could distract him or affect his involvement in the sport, given his status as a rugby legend and former Wallabies captain. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The third round of the US Open had been anything but ideal for Kiwi golfer Lydia Ko. The New Zealander took a massive tumble ahead of the final round. - Published: 2021-06-09 - Modified: 2021-06-09 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/lydia-ko-sent-tumbling-in-us-open-3rd-round/ A terrible back nine on Sunday sent Kiwi golfer Lydia Ko plummeting down the leaderboard standings during the third round of the US Open. After having started out the day tied for 36th place, Ko emerged unable to make significant headway as she played her round to a score of five-over 76 and a tie in 49th place ahead of the final round on Monday (Sunday US time). Making the tumble all the more disappointing will have been the world No. 8’s strong start in pursuit of what could have been her first Major title in five years, and her third overall. Part of the Kiwi’s early push had been birdies on the fourth, sixth, and seventh holes on a foggy opening day at the Olympic Club venue in San Francisco. But that was all before things had started to unravel disastrously in the space of four holes on Saturday. By the time Ko had played out the final four holes to par on Sunday, the damage had already been done leading up to the 41 recorded for the back nine. Before heading to Monday’s final round, Ko finished the day at 16 shots behind the leader, Lexi Thompson of the US. NZ sports betting enthusiasts will be keeping a close eye on Ko’s performance, hoping for a strong finish. Golf betting fans, in particular, might find exciting opportunities as the tournament concludes. The Kiwi pro-golfer won her first LPGA tournament in three years when she earlier this year in April won the Lotte Championship in Hawaii, a victory that saw her making her long-anticipated return to the world’s top 10 champion women’s golfers. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > ARLC chairman Peter V’landys says he’s sorry for his poor communication over NRL rules. This after players complained about not being kept in the loop. - Published: 2021-06-07 - Modified: 2021-06-07 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/peter-vlandys-apologises-for-poor-comms/ ARLC chairman Peter V’landys has now admitted that leaving NRL players out of the loop in terms of crackdowns implemented on head-high contact was a mistake on his part. V’landys added that now, with the benefit of hindsight, he’s realised that he could have followed a better approach. V’landys’ apology comes after players from all 16 NRL clubs addressed a joint letter to the league expressing their frustration over the lack of consultation regarding what they consider to be key issues. The letter was drafted after a Zoom meeting between the Rugby League Players’ Association and its player-delegates on Wednesday evening. The letter reportedly contains signatures by all 11 members of the NRL’s player advisory group, including Moses Mbye, Wade Graham, Alex Glenn, Dale Copley, Damien Cook, and Michael Morgan. V’landys said this week he welcomed the letter and that he remained fully committed to building and maintaining a solid relationship between the NRL’s head office and players, while proclaiming hindsight to be a “valuable tool”. NZ betting enthusiasts are closely following these developments, especially as they place their NRL bets. He furthermore confirmed having attended meetings with both Clint Newton and Daly Cherry-Evans, saying he greatly looked forward to working in close association with them. V’landys added during his statement that the situation is ironic because of the immense respect players enjoy from the NRL. The crack-down on head-high contact was implemented for the very reason of wanting to protect players from harm and injury, he explained. Newton commented on Wednesday night’s meeting saying the Zoom meeting was public knowledge and that the everybody involved only had the best interests of players at heart. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Naomi Osaka’s refusal to address the press is something she can relate to, says Dame Susan Devoy. She too, experienced the press as bad for mental health. - Published: 2021-06-04 - Modified: 2021-06-04 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/susan-devoy-understands-osakas-decision/ Dame Susan Devoy says she can absolutely relate to Naomi Osaka’s reasons for her controversial decision to no longer address members of the media at tennis press conferences and related events. Osaka recently stunned Grand slam organisers and fellow-players alike when she announced that she would not only no longer address the media in post-event press gatherings, but also that she’d withdrawn from this year’s French Open at Roland Garros. The current world No. 2 announced her official withdrawal after she was fined $15,000 by the organisers of the Grand Slam event for her refusal to address members of the media. Grand Slam tournament officials have in the meantime promised to consider the reasons behind Osaka’s controversial decision, with an undertaking to bring about “change”. Osaka cited her mental well-being as the main reason behind her decision. Former world squash champion Dame Susan Devoy this week told a prominent news broadcaster that she experienced the same negative effects from press conferences – and that the experience remains fresh in her mind even though it’s now been over 40 years since she last played the sport. Devoy told of how she had absolutely dreaded press conferences, and as such, has immense sympathy with players like Osaka. Betting sites are now abuzz with discussions on how Osaka's decision might influence tennis betting trends. Devoy said the challenge of competing had always involved 80% mental preparation and tenacity, and only 20% actual physical preparation. She also added that she herself had wagered an ongoing battle with nerves and anxiety for going on 10 years during her professional career as a high-profile squash player. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Tim Siefert has for the first time opened up about his post-IPL struggle in India. Siefert recently got the go-ahead to return back home to New Zealand. - Published: 2021-06-02 - Modified: 2021-06-02 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/tim-seifert-opens-up-about-india-ordeal/ An emotional Tim Seifert recently opened up for the very first time about his ordeal with returning a positive test result while playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL in India. Seifert spoke to the media via a Zoom call on Tuesday, revealing some of what he had experienced following the postponement of the IPL. The Black Caps wicketkeeper had been packed and ready to return home together with his fellow New Zealand players when he returned a positive test result from a pre-flight test taken on May 7. He said the result took him completely by surprise, as he had put down his “tiny cough” to nothing more than a mild bout of asthma. Seifert said he had the distinct sensation of the world stopping just a little bit upon receiving the news from the team manager of the Chennai Super Kings. He said he could not help but fear that all the bad things he’d been hearing about were about to happen to him too. But Siefert said the reality really set in when he was the only overseas IPL player left behind in India. He could only bid his fellow New Zealanders goodbye from the window of his hotel room, not knowing if or when he’d be able to see them again. Sports betting enthusiasts are keenly analyzing Seifert's experience and how it might impact cricket betting odds. Fortunately for the 26-year-old New Zealander, he never developed more than mild symptoms, and said he felt thankful for still having had the energy to get up and out of bed, when so many others didn’t. 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Daniell has added his voice to those of several other players who have expressed dissatisfaction with the living conditions and quality of food they’ll be living with while inside their bio-bubble for the duration of the tournament. Several players have furthermore expressed their dissatisfaction over the slashing of prize money for this year’s doubles events – this while the prize money to be earned by singles players during the early rounds has reportedly remained the same. Daniell said doubles players already earned less than singles players on average and that there’s this year only so much more to content with at Roland Garros from a financial point of view. Also recently heard lashing out about the prize money cuts had been Jamie Murray, who is the older brother of singles star Andy Murray. The younger Murray voiced his discontent about the cutting of the prize fund for doubles players, saying he did not believe the organisers of the event to be in any way mindful of the effects that this will have on participants. But prize money has been slashed across the board by an average of 10. 53%. Still, and quite understandably so, double players are clearly unhappy that they’re the ones having to bear the brunt of the reduction. New Zealand sports betting fans are keeping an eye on Daniell's performance and how these changes might affect tennis betting. Since Daniell is a member of the ATP Players’ Council’s board, he’s been receiving complaints from all sides from doubles players unhappy about the unexpected changes. 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Dick Pound’s comment came in the wake of widespread concern about the likelihood of the Games continuing as several Japanese newspapers, including the country’s largest, continue to press for a cancellation over the threat of rising numbers of infections overwhelming the country’s health systems and resources. Pound, a long-serving member of the Olympic Committee and founding member of WADA, explained his bold remark by saying time has now officially run out for a possible cancellation of the Games, which are set to commence on July 23. He backed up this statement by saying organisers have now switched gears and are in full operation-mode in preparation of the event. According to local economists, Japan would stand to lose a massive £11. 3 billion in the event of a cancellation of the Olympic Games. Even so, according to lead economist Takahide Kiuchi, this amount would be but a drop in the bucket compared to what would follow if the Games were to become a super-spreader event. Polls have in the meantime indicated a Japanese public vehemently opposed to the Games going ahead as planned – this amid fears of a super rise in infections and America’s travel caution to Japan recently issued. Tokyo 2020 chief executive Tushiro Moto however on Wednesday added his voice of resolution to that of Pound by announcing that “things” were being carefully and properly managed. NZ betting sites are already buzzing with odds on various Olympic events, including darts betting which has seen a surge in popularity. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Reece Walsh, the Warriors’ wonder kid, is set to wear the no. 1 jersey. The player will wear it for the first time when the team faces the Cowboys. - Published: 2021-05-26 - Modified: 2021-05-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/warriors-reece-walsh-to-wear-no-1-jersey-against-cowboys/ Nathan Brown, the coach of the Warriors, has announced that teenager Reece Walsh, the team’s wonder kid, will wear the no. 1 jersey for the first time when facing the North Queensland Cowboys. The game will take place on Friday night. Rocco Berry will return from a head injury suffered during the team’s match against the Parramata Eels two weeks ago. The 18-year-old played with no. 17 on his back following a late call up from the bench during last Friday’s match with the West Tigers. The team won the game with 30 points to 26. For the most part, Coach Brown has been very vocal about sheltering Walsh from the weekly rigours of the game. However, his hand has now been forced considering Walsh’s excellent showing against the Tigers coupled with teammate Maumalo’s injury. It seems that Walsh will no longer be starting games from the bench. Ever since facing off against the Tigers, the teenage player has been one of the NRL’s biggest talking points in the competition. He joined the Warriors in April of this year and ever since then, has been one of the league’s most impressive players. Online betting enthusiasts are eagerly watching Walsh's progress, making rugby league betting more exciting than ever. The Cowboys have been coached by Todd Payten, last year’s interim Warriors coach. For their match against the warriors, the team will be playing without Jason Maumalolo and Lachlan Burr. Both the middle forward and the former Warriors prop have been handed one-match bans for high tackles. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Controversial commentator Martin Devlin has apologised for punching a young journalist and colleague. Devlin has now described his behaviour as shameful. - Published: 2021-05-24 - Modified: 2021-05-24 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/martin-devlin-apologises-for-bad-behaviour/ Veteran sports commentator Martin Devlin says he’s “ashamed” for having thrown a punch at a young colleague and for the sending of inappropriate messages to several more colleagues in the workplace. The controversial sports reporter made the comment following a long and unexplained absence from his Newstalk ZB programme, The Devlin Radio Show. He’s been missing in action from the show since May 10. It was reportedly during that particular shift that Devlin threw his shameful punch at a young sports journalist in the newsroom of NZME. The large open-plan office is shared by journalists from News Talk ZB and its sister newspaper company, the New Zealand Herald. The young journalist, whose identity has not been made public in the interest of their future career prospects, apparently wanted to break a new news story via Devlin’s show. The situation turned sour when the young journalist refused to reveal to Devlin beforehand what the story was all about, reportedly blaming his secrecy and refusal on the controversial Devlin being something of a “blabbermouth”. Devlin reportedly reacted angrily to this statement before first verbally abusing the young journalist and then climbing into the fight with his fists. While Devlin had not responded to any requests for comments by several news publications, he responded with a lengthy statement of apology shortly after the incident became public. Devlin explains in his statement that he’d lost his cool at a “radio colleague”. NZ betting online communities have been abuzz with discussions about the incident, especially as golf betting events draw near. He said that his time away from the station had been appropriate given the investigation that followed, and that the agency was merely trying to determine what had happened in an effort to ensure the safety of its employees. He described his behaviour as “inappropriate”. 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When asked whether he would play at the rescheduled Olympic Games, Nadal said he’s not able to give a clear answer because he doesn’t yet know his “calendar”. He added that under normal circumstances, he’d know his schedule for the year inside out, but that this year is no ordinary year, and as such, required flexibility and a willingness to adapt to everything that’s been happening. The Spaniard, who is currently preparing to push for a 14th French Open title, is only the latest in a growing line of top tennis places to express uncertainty about the upcoming Olympic Games in Tokyo. Another to have expressed doubts about competing this year is Serena Williams. The four-time champion said she’ll be willing to travel to Tokyo only if Japan’s health and safety protocols allow her to bring along her 3-year-old daughter. Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka, too, appears uncertain about what the future holds. Osaka said this week that even though as an athlete the Olympic Games is the ultimate event and something every athlete waits for their entire life, there are issues of much higher importance to consider right now. Online betting sites have already adjusted their tennis betting odds in light of these uncertainties. Meanwhile, although public opinion in Japan continues to oppose the staging of Games in the country this year, Japanese organisers as well as the IOC continue to insist the event will go ahead come July 23. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Roger Federer has called on the need for certainty for athletes regarding this year’s Olympic Games. The tennis giant has added his voice to several others. - Published: 2021-05-19 - Modified: 2021-05-19 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/federer-calls-on-certainty-over-tokyo-games/ 20-times Grand Slam winner Roger Federer says athletes need urgent certainty about whether or not this year’s Olympic Games will in fact continue. The Swiss tennis goat late last week called on Olympic organisers to put an end to the uncertainty around Tokyo, saying he himself was still very much in “two minds” about whether to confirm his attendance. Set to run from July 23 until August 8 after being postponed in March of last year over the uncertainties created by the global health crisis, the likelihood of the Games continuing as planned this year continues to decline as the number of positive cases continues to surge in host country Japan. Federer on Friday told a Swiss news station that he’s unsure about what to think about Tokyo. He said that while playing in the Olympics and potentially returning home with another medal for Switzerland would make him exceptionally proud, he would be first in line to understand if the event were to be called off. The Swiss great however stressed the need for athletes to receive certainly and a final answer from the and from IOC Japan Olympic organisers. He said that while the impression right now is that the Games will happen, there appears to be a common sentiment that the situation remains exceptionally fluid and volatile. Fans of NZ sports betting are keeping a close eye on these developments, especially as they consider their tennis betting options for the upcoming Olympic Games. A petition for the cancellation of the Games was submitted to Olympic organisers on Friday, with the 350,000 signatures garnered now raising new doubts about whether the event will actually go ahead as planned. 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The first relates to disgraced harness racing trainer Jesse Alford, who was recently banned for a period of seven years following evidence of his involvement in an under-cover sting operation that saw two horses doped with a forbidden substance on race day. Fans of NZ sports betting and horse racing betting have expressed concern over the integrity of the sport following these revelations. The second relates to Foxton greyhound trainer Angela Turnwald’s fine and disqualification for a period of four months. Turnwald’s dog Zipping Sarah tested positive for methamphetamine after a contest in Christchurch on November 12 last year. The Foxton trainer became the third culprit in a dog doping case across the span of only six months. Concerning for many is that Álford’s charges only came after animal rights advocacy group SAFE called on the closer involvement of the MPI, and also on the pushing of criminal charges under the provisions of the Animal Welfare Act. A spokesperson for SAFE has in the meantime lashed out at the apparent despondency of the MPI, saying that the organisation should not be leaving the racing industry to its own devices in terms of self-policing. SAFE said the mistreatment of animals is a serious and cruel act of misconduct, and that the MPI should be acting a great deal more pro-actively in the pursuing of criminal charges. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Five weeks is not enough of a suspension period for booting an opponent in the head. So says clearly annoyed Johnsonville Rugby Club Chair Blair Hannah. - Published: 2021-05-14 - Modified: 2021-05-14 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/club-says-5-week-suspension-too-soft/ A five-week suspension for kicking a fellow-player in the head isn’t nearly strong enough a message to be sending out. In fact, at least according to Johnsonville rugby club chair Blair Hannah, such a punishment qualifies as an “absolute fiasco”. The incident relates to a Wellington lock who recently faced a judicial hearing after he gave a player from Johnsonville a massive boot to the head during a premier 2 men’s match on Sunday. The panel, which was led by a leading lawyer, decided that a five-week suspension as an appropriate punishment and period of time way for Wednesday night’s incident. Fans of online betting and rugby betting have been closely following the disciplinary actions taken in this case. The issue appears to be with the same punishment enforced on a Johnsonville player who during the same game threw a couple of punches in the direction of a second player from the opponents’ side. Both players involved in the altercation were also sidelined for the same period of time. Hannah furthermore also took issue with the fact that the judicial proceedings relating to the four players were held separately. He said this way of doing things made no sense at all given that the transgressions were so closely related. He also hampered on about the fact that the hearings were conducted in an isolated manner behind closed doors – meaning Johnsonville had not been invited into the loop when it came to decision time. Stokes Valley Chair Graham Hardie has in the meantime held back from commenting on the outcome of the initial judicial hearing. He did however say he considered the process to have been fair and reasonable for everybody involved. 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Fans of betting sites NZ and rugby odds have been paying tribute to the legendary player's career. Skudder was but a 23-year-old college student when he was first picked for his sole test against a touring Welsch side back in 1969 at Eden Park. The legendary player was picked as replacement for an injured Graham Thorne and made an immediate impact on selectors when he crashed through an attempted tackle by JPR Williams before scoring his side’s first try in their 33-12 victory. The majority of Skudder’s career as a rugby player would sadly been hampered by injury during the years that were to follow. He did however still manage to absolutely shine for New Zealand Maori and Waikato before going on to being selected for the 1972-73 All Blacks Tour of Britain and Canada. He competed in 13 matches over the course of that significant tour. Skudder over the course of his illustrious career as a player scored an impressive 38 tries across 67 matches played for Waikato, New Zealand, and New Zealand Maori. He spent a total of four years as part of the New Zealand national side – between 1969 and 1973. Skudder was the uncle of three All Blacks stars – with his nephews Nehe Milner-Skudder, Ben Atiga, and Tanerau Latimer having all worn the black for New Zealand. --- > Tony Brown says he’s fully confident in Clarke Dermody’s ability to take over the reins. Dermody will be leading the Highlanders in Brown’s absence. - Published: 2021-05-10 - Modified: 2021-05-10 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/tony-brown-expresses-confidence-in-successor/ Highlanders coach Tony Brown has revealed he’ll be perfectly happy to give up his position as head coach come 2022 – on condition that former rugby union player and interim coach Clarke Dermody shows himself to be a coach with a “master’s touch” during the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman competition. Brown is set to miss all the action against the five Australian Super Rugby sides. This after he recently announced that he’ll be heading to Japan on Wednesday to help prepare the Brave Blossoms for their upcoming test against the British and Irish Lions in June. Fans of NZ betting and rugby bets are watching closely to see how Dermody handles the new responsibility. Brown’s departure isn’t exactly good news for an already plagued by injury Highlanders squad. But even so, the head coach appears fully confident in the Dermody’s ability to lead the way in his absence. Brown said this week he will always be interested first in doing whatever’s best for the team – even if that means permanently handing over the coaching helm to his potential successor come next year. Although physically away in Japan, Brown will continue to play a key role with the Highlanders. While he’s handed over the day-to-day coaching responsibilities to Dermody, he’ll put together the game plans as well as review reports for the upcoming Trans-Tasman contest. The circumstances around Brown’s departure while remaining involved with the Highlanders highlights yet again the head coach’s unique status with the squad from a contractual point of view. Unlike other Super Rugby coaches, he is employed by the Highlanders and by the Japanese Rugby Football Union, and not by New Zealand Rugby. 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Fans of online sports betting and rugby betting have been following the legal proceedings with keen interest. Vatuvei recently, only days before his name-suppression was about to lapse, took to social media to reveal himself as the high-profile athlete previously rumoured to have been involved in an action to keep his identity concealed in relation to drug charges. He told his fans and followers about the allegations in a video on Instagram, saying he had wanted to get something off his chest for a while now, and that this “something” had been weighing heavily on him for quite some time. According to Vatuvei, the charges laid against him are all merely accusations and that he plans to fight to prove his innocence by way of a court appeals process. He also added that he’s well aware of the fact that there will be a lot of questions begging to be answered, but that he had been advised by his legal team about what to reveal at this early stage. He also asked for privacy for his family and himself while working through the legal process. The former Warriors star was once the pride and joy of New Zealand rugby, having played a staggering 226 games for the Warriors and 29 test matches for the Kiwis. If convicted of the charges laid against him, Vatuvei could face a lifetime sentence behind bars. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Following a difficult financial year in 2020, New Zealand Rugby is looking to secure financial sustainability. This involves selling the All Blacks. - Published: 2021-05-05 - Modified: 2021-05-05 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/american-investors-in-talks-to-buy-all-blacks/ New Zealand Rugby has been given a rather unique opportunity to ensure financial stability for the All-Blacks’ future, selling the team to American investors. This debate is set to commence this week at the New Zealand Rugby annual meeting taking place later this week with 26 provincial unions. With the growing interest in NZ sports betting, fans are eagerly anticipating the potential changes this sale might bring. The All Blacks have won the Rugby World Cup on three occasions and were runners up in the 1995 World Cup. In an attempt to recover from the financial blow brought on by the pandemic, NZR will be looking at selling a 12. 5 percent stake of the All-Blacks commercial value to Silver Lake Partners for $279 million. Should this sale take place, it will be the first time in over 115 years that the All Blacks is not fully owned by New Zealand. NRL betting is expected to see significant shifts if the financial landscape of NZ sports continues to evolve. Silver Lake Partners focuses on technology investments, with holdings in Twitter, Dell Technologies, and Airbnb. It currently also holds a stake in City Football Group, the owners of Manchester City. To try and get the support and backing needed for the sale to become a reality, NZR has taken on a nationwide roadshow to sell the deal to provincial leaders. Many players have pushed back against this, voicing concerns about the preservation of traditional and cultural symbols such as the haka – it is not for sale. It has also been mentioned that Silver Lake will push for high value overseas matches in a bid to increase the value of their investment. This will assist the All Blacks in growing their fan base will increasing revenue streams – something that will be quite beneficial for the cash-strapped NZR. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Wellington Phoenix are coming back home after more than a year away. They’ll be returning to New Zealand soon for two games set to be played in May. - Published: 2021-05-03 - Modified: 2021-05-03 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/wellington-phoenix-finally-coming-back-home/ Phenomenal news this week is that the Wellington Phoenix will, more than 400 days after they last played a game on home soil, be returning for two games in New Zealand. The goal is now to attract a massive crowd as the squad returns back home for the games, which will both be played next month, the A-league has said of the big upcoming return to Wellington. NZ betting markets are anticipating a significant uptick in activity with the Phoenix's return. Happening next month will be a game hosted by the Phoenix against Western United at the Sky Stadium, as well as a more of the same against at Perth Glory at Eden Park. General Manager David Dome said on Friday that the first of the two games will be Wellington’s first match back home in New Zealand in 14 months. He said fans back home across Auckland and Wellington truly deserve to see their team play after the long and harrowing hiatus. As for crowd-attendance, Dome said the target is to attract at least 15,000 fans across the two games. This number, if realised, will officially exceed that witnessed at the Sydney Derby when Western Sydney Wanderers competed against Sydney FC in January. AFL betting fans are also looking forward to similar exciting returns and events as sports normalize post-pandemic. Such a giant attendance will obviously mean a massive cash injection and recovery for Phoenix after huge sums of money had to be spent on relocating the entire outfit to Australia for several months on end. Dome said there’s officially no club in the league that has had to go to the horrendous type of expenses that the Phoenix has. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Pay inequality is once again under the spotlight after surfer Lucy Small recently expressed her disdain. Small bemoaned the inequality at a public event. - Published: 2021-04-30 - Modified: 2021-04-30 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/surfing/pro-surfer-says-pay-inequality-is-sickening/ So fed up has premier surfing champion Lucy Small become with the prevailing pay inequality present in women’s sports, and specifically in a Sydney longboard competition for which she received the Curly Maljam award on Saturday, that she called out the inequality in her acceptance speech. Sports betting NZ enthusiasts have also started to take notice of how these issues might impact betting markets. Small in her speech thanked the event’s sponsors for the prize money but added that her victory had been a bittersweet experience knowing that women’s surfing is clearly considered as being worth exactly half of men’s surfing. Small received an amount of NZ$1,610 in prize money, while the winner of the men’s leg of the competition walked away with double that amount. The sportswoman, Lucy Small, pointed out during her speech that the cost of competing, travelling, and related expenses, were exactly the same for women as for men, and that perhaps “next time” round, this should be considered by the organisers of the event. Small has in the meantime uploaded a video of her acceptance speech to her own personal social media account, while calling on comments from the public to be directed at the organisers of the event, the Curl Curl Longboarders Club. Soccer betting in NZ is facing similar scrutiny regarding gender pay disparities, leading to broader discussions in the sports community. Club secretary Phil Nicol shortly after the video went live defended the gap in prize money, saying the organisers of the competition had done nothing wrong or out of the ordinary, and that the men’s competition had been punted by the larger sum of prize money for the purpose of attracting “big names” to the sport. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > World No. 1 Novak Djokovic seems to be struggling to hold his own on the clay. He recently suffered an embarrassing loss at his home arena in Belgrave. - Published: 2021-04-28 - Modified: 2021-04-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/novak-djokovic-suffers-shock-defeat-at-home/ Tennis world No. 1 Novak Djokovic hasn’t exactly had the best of runs following his convincing defeat of rival and world No. 4 Daniil Medvedev during February’s Australian Open final. Djokovic during this past weekend’s Serbian Open semi-final crashed out of his own tournament at home after suffering a surprise defeat against Russian and world No. 28 Aslan Karatsev. Tennis betting enthusiasts are re-evaluating their strategies after these unexpected outcomes. Karatsev saved an incredible 23 out of a total of 28 break points in a stellar run that saw Djokovic left lagging seriously behind at 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, with the Russian thereby avenging his AO semi-final defeat in the most powerful of ways. The Serbian Open is played at Djokovic’s own tennis centre in Belgrade. No doubt making matters worse for the Serbian and world No. 1 is that the weekend’s shock defeat had been his second loss in quick succession on the red clay. His latest massive defeat came after he was previously beaten by Dan Evans during the third round of this year’s Monte Carlo Masters only last week. Djokovic said following the loss to Karatsev at Belgrade that it’s never a good experience losing to anyone while playing at home. He said its in fact a disappointing and painful experience, adding that he didn’t feel too great about anything. He did however congratulate his Russian opponent, saying Karatsev had played “bravely”. He closed off by saying that the Russian had timed all his best shots in perfect fashion, and that he’d put up an awesome performance. Betting sites are adjusting their odds in response to these surprising results, making it an intriguing time for bettors. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Two men have been charged over racist messages sent to Latrell Mitchell via social media. The men are both out on bail and due to appear in court in May. - Published: 2021-04-26 - Modified: 2021-04-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/two-men-arrested-over-social-media-racism/ Police have confirmed that two men have been charged after allegedly badgering Rabbitoh’s star Latrell Mitchell with racially charged abusive messages. NZ sports betting forums have been abuzz with discussions regarding the implications of such incidents on the integrity of the game. An investigation was reportedly this week opened by detectives from the Fixated Persons Investigation Unit. This after the NRL Integrity Unit reported the incident and messages to law enforcement authorities. The messages were allegedly sent to Mitchell via social media channels, and were described as offensive and threatening, as well as with racially charged undertones. Following inquiries made by detectives, the men were then arrested in Taree and Lake Munmorah respectively. The men are apparently 22 and 25 years of age and were both arrested at their homes. After both men were taken in by law enforcement authorities to their local police stations, both were eventually released under strict bail conditions. The 22-year-old man has been ordered to appear at the Taree Local Court on May 18, and with the older man due to appear at Wyong Local Court on May 12. According to a responding statement issued by the Rabbitohs on Friday, Mitchell will on Monday comment on the alleged racial abuse and messages during an official team press conference. The statement confirms that the South Sydney Rabbitohs have pledged their full support to the player, whom the team says appears to have been racially vilified. Rugby betting enthusiasts are keenly watching how these developments might affect team dynamics and player performance. According to NRL boss Andrew Abdo, the messages were reported to the integrity unit last weekend, after which the unit reported the complaint to NSW Police with immediate effect. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The iconic voice of Carisbrook, lifetime sports commentator Iain Gallaway has died aged 98. Gallaway dedicated his life to rugby and cricket commentating. - Published: 2021-04-23 - Modified: 2021-04-23 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/voice-of-carisbrook-iain-gallaway-dies/ Iain Gallaway, the “Voice of Carisbrook”, has died. Born in Dunedin in 1922, and educated at Christ’s College and Otago University, the beloved rugby and cricket commentator died of natural causes aged 98. The sports commenting stalwart commented on cricket for an incredible 40 years, and on rugby for 26, before finally signing off for the very last time in 1992. Cricket betting enthusiasts often remember his detailed commentary that brought the game to life. After starting out his working career as a cadet reporter on the Otago Daily Times, Gallaway would proudly tell of how he had for as long as he could remember wanted to be a journalist. Life however had other plans for him, at least initially, and following his service in the Second World War, he switched to law. After distinguishing himself in the field of law, Gallaway served as an officer in both the New Zealand and Otago Law Societies. A keen cricketer himself, he played three A-class matches for Otago as right-handed batsman and wicketkeeper between 1946 and 1948. But it wasn’t until 1953 that the doors finally swung open for him to become a sports broadcaster. It would ultimately be an unexpected short-notice invitation that would launch his 40-year sports commentating career, thereby also introducing to the world for the very first time the voice that would become synonymous with Dunedin’s Carisbrook sports grounds. Gallaway would famously tell of how he had seen every rugby test match played at Carisbrook since 1930 – every test bar one. The test missed was in 1999. By then President of New Zealand Cricket, Gallaway said he was during that particular match proudly occupying the President’s Box at Lords while watching New Zealand beat England – for what would be the first and also the only time. Gallaway in 1997 published his autobiography, Not A Cloud In The Sky. His legacy continues to inspire commentators and fans alike, with his insights still resonating on many NZ betting sites. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealander Lydia Ko has broken free from a drought spanning nearly 3 years. Ko on Sunday made a convincing return on the LPGA tour with a grand triumph. - Published: 2021-04-21 - Modified: 2021-04-21 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/lydia-ko-wins-1st-lpga-tour-in-nearly-3-years/ She’s just put on her first truly dominating performance in very close to three years (1084 days, to be precise), leading even Kiwi golfer Lydia Ko to a new realisation that she’s capable of winning another golf tournament, after all. The New Zealander put to bed all doubts about her golfing career being over when on Sunday (NZ time) she won her first title on the LPGA tour in a very long time. Her thrilling performance at the LOTTE Championship at Honolulu’s Kapolei Golf Club saw her bowing out with a final round stunner of seven-under-par 65 and a seven-shot win. This victory has certainly piqued interest in golf betting markets. Ko on Sunday dismissed not only the doubts of her fans and countrymen, but also her self-admitted own. She during the post-tour greenside interview said that there were times she had seriously doubted whether she’d ever again step back into the winners’ circle. She added that after all that’s happened, she still believed that she was exactly where she was supposed to be in her life and in her career – win or lose. By the time it came to teeing off for the final round, the Kiwi enjoyed a single-shot lead over playing partner Nelly Korda (US). She not once looked about to surrender that lead, at one stage even threatening Sei-Young Kim’s 31-under-set 72-hole record put up in 2018. Ko again paid tribute to swing coach Sean Foley, who seems to be having a positive impact on the mental health and agility of the 23-year-old. The Kiwi said even though she knew Sunday was going to be no walk in the park, she slept just fine the previous evening. She knew that her fate was already laid out before her, said the clearly at-peace New Zealander. Her resurgence has also stirred excitement among NZ sports betting enthusiasts. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > One of New Zealand’s greatest heavyweight boxing champions has died. John Da Silva died of health complications at his home on April 8. He was 86. - Published: 2021-04-19 - Modified: 2021-04-19 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/wrestling/nz-wrestling-legend-john-da-silva-dies/ Wrestling legend John da Silva has died. The New Zealand sporting great was 86 and according to a statement released by his family, died at his home on Great Barrier Island on April 8. His family also confirmed that the boxing great’s health had rapidly deteriorated over the course of recent months and that he had passed away of complications created by pneumonia. Da Silva enjoyed a phenomenal career boxing for New Zealand. He was a heavyweight fighter and represented the country at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne. His legacy lives on, influencing modern sports betting sites. After turning pro in 1958, he began appearing on the international sporting scene across a host of countries – including Scotland, Ireland, Canada, the US, Hawaii, Singapore, India, France, Germany, and Singapore. He eventually retired from the professional ring in 1977. The star Kiwi in 1963 received a personal invitation from the recently passed Prince Phillip to appear at the Royal Albert Hall in London that year. Da Silva was considered a cult personality in the Pacific and classed in the same class as Robert Bruce and Steve Rickard. Following his retirement, the New Zealander dedicated his life to helping at-risk youth find their own way. He focused on rehabilitation of the youth, and helping young people steer clear from a life of crime. For his incredible work in this area, Da Silva was in 1994 awarded the Queen’s Service Medal. Wrestler, John Da Silva also played a huge role in the sporting career of his son, Garth da Silva, who also went on to become one of the country’s top heavyweight champion boxers. His story continues to inspire fans of UFC betting. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Ex-world champion rower John Storey has withdrawn from selection for the Tokyo Olympics. Storey said he will instead support his daughter and family. - Published: 2021-04-16 - Modified: 2021-04-16 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rowing/yet-another-pre-tokyo-retirement-for-nz/ Yet another champion rower has withdrawn from possible selection ahead of the upcoming Tokyo Olympics. Former world champion John Storey’s reason for the sudden withdrawal is however of a personal nature. Storey has opted to withdraw from trial s to compete as part of the elite New Zealand men’s team in order to spend time with and focus on his family. The star rower’s daughter, Ava, was earlier this year diagnosed with a rare chromosomal disorder. Storey’s last significant win was in the men’s double sculls at the 2017 World Championships when he and fellow doubles rower Chris Harris won gold for New Zealand in Florida. They did so despite numerous injury-related challenges. The pair also went on to bring back the bronze medal from the following year’s world championships, that year hosted by Bulgaria. His decision has sparked conversations in the New Zealand sports betting community. Speaking on the challenge that now lies ahead of his family, Storey said that the plan had always been to gun for selection for Tokyo and retire shortly after. He is currently at the very peak of his performance and career, he explained, and despite the decision to retire early, remains filled with gratitude for having had the wonderful opportunity of representing New Zealand for the past 10 years. He thanked his teammates, NZ staff, and coaches for their support – support and relationships he said made his career immensely enjoyable. Fans of cycling betting will be keenly watching his future endeavors. Storey is a mechanical engineer by trade and now plans on completing his doctorate with Auckland University and Fisher & Paykel Healthcare. The star rower said he hoped to achieve this over the next few months. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Instead of chasing down golfing greatness, Kiwi star Lydia Ko says she’ll simply make the best of every opportunity. Her journey is what counts, says Ko. - Published: 2021-04-14 - Modified: 2021-04-14 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/lydia-ko-rediscovers-her-magic/ Instead of relentlessly chasing down titles such as world’s best golfer in her class, Kiwi Lydia Ko says she’ll instead take each day of every competition as it comes while believing in a bigger plan and making the best of whatever comes her way. Ko’s recent stellar performance at the ANA Inspiration, the closest she’s come to winning a Major in five years, was according to the New Zealander the result of her new-found realisation and truth. And while being off on a unique and personal journey may sound like New Age-babble to some, the Kiwi has clearly regained much of her former magic. Even if that means that success will be had from everything but constantly chasing down titles in the hopes of becoming the next big force in the world of golfing. This transformation has certainly impacted her golf betting odds positively. Obvious too is that swing “guru” and coach Sean Foley has had an even bigger impact on the 23-year-old’s mental tenacity than on her actual physical performance. Under Foley’s guiding hand, Ko has climbed golf’s world rankings from 55 in August last year, to a stunning 11th place ranking last week. Hers has been a personal path back to self-discovery involving three words to live (and play) by: patience, gratitude, and acceptance. Due to the tricky nature of the game, said Ko after her top-notch ANA performance, it’s impossible to know exactly what awaits on any given day. Instead, she’s decided to control that which happens to be within her power to control while playing with full commitment and absolute confidence. Fans looking to engage in NZ betting online will surely keep an eye on her future performances. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Black Caps competing in this year’s Indian Premier League are concerned over government’s ban on incoming flights from India. The IPL kicks off on April 9. - Published: 2021-04-12 - Modified: 2021-04-12 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/worry-among-nz-players-over-india-ban/ Black Caps players competing in this year’s Indian Premier League in India have expressed grave concern over a government ban on flights incoming into the country from India. This as the global health crisis appears to be worsening in the IPL host-country. The 14th edition of the cash-rich competition gets underway on April 9 in Chennai. First up will be Royal Challengers Bangalore taking on defending champions the Mumbai Indians. Included in the Royal Challengers Bangalore squad are several New Zealand players – including Kyle Jamieson and Finn Allen. A total of 10 Black Caps players as well as seven New Zealand coaches are involved in this year’s IPL – which competition will be played across 56 matches spanning six cities across six weeks. The finals series bats off in Ahmedabad from May 26-31. These developments are closely monitored by those involved in cricket betting and betting online. Concerns recently escalated after a local India newspaper headlined a story with “Dark Covid cloud hangs over India”. The IPL will once again this year be played in closed and spectator-less stands as new daily local cases in India increase to more than 100,000. Following the emergence of 17 new positive cases in managed isolation, NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Thursday announced the ban from all flights incoming from India between April 11 and 28. The announcement has created even more worry among players currently isolating in a bio-bubble as they prepare to compete in this year’s competition. According to NZ Cricket Players’ Association CEO Heath Mills, players are mainly concerned about when they will be permitted to return back home given the latest ban. 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The golfer will reportedly not face any citations over the latest road accident incident – his third collision in eleven years. Villanueva has in the meantime raised the opinion that Woods’ high-speed driving will have been the primary factor behind the single-vehicle crash. Driving over the speed limit is according to the law enforcement official particularly unsafe given the conditions present on the stretch of road the golfer had been travelling on. The road is furthermore notorious for drivers driving at high speeds and subsequent collisions and wrecks. So steep is the section of the road that Woods had been driving on, that a runaway truck lane has been made available just beyond the scene of Woods’ collision, Villanueva told a local news broadcaster. The fact that investigators found no brake marks present on the road is believed to be the result of Woods having mistakenly stepped on the accelerator instead of the brakes in the heat of the moment of panic. The pro-golfer was apparently wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. Neither alcohol nor medication was in any way involved in the incident, law enforcement authorities have confirmed. The possibility of Woods having fallen asleep behind the wheel has not been ruled out. This incident has been a topic of interest among NZ sports betting and golf betting enthusiasts. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Kiwi prize golfer Lydia Ko has officially gotten her swing back. The New Zealander finished 2nd at the recently competed ANA International in California. - Published: 2021-04-07 - Modified: 2021-04-07 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/kiwi-lydia-ko-grabs-2nd-place-at-ana-int/ Kiwi champion golfer Lydia Ko on Monday (NZ time) completed what had to have been the best round of her professional career to date as she made her way to a stunning 2nd place finish at the ANA Inspiration. Ko shot a nearly unheard of 10-under on the final day of the first major of the women’s golfing year – a performance that saw her tie the course record as well as prompt Danish golfing great Thomas Bjorn to exclaim that the New Zealander could very well have just played the all-time best final round of a major golf tournament. The Kiwi’s performance and 2nd place finish was Ko’s best feat successfully pulled off yet at a major championship since she finished in the runner up position at the Women’s PGA Championship back in 2016. That year’s PGA was the first tournament in a row where the New Zealander finished among the top three – a victory spree that included two major tournament wins: one at The Evian Championship in 2015 and the other at the ANA Inspiration in 2016. Ko after her stunning performance on Monday told a prominent golf broadcaster/publication that she didn’t think that she would have at any point been able to pinpoint an exact moment of knowing that the round she was playing was going to mean a strong finish. Instead, especially with a course such as the one at the Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, every shot until the final hole could have shifted the outcome, she explained. Ko’s next major looks set to be a berth at the US Women’s Open at the beginning of June. Ko’s next major looks set to be a berth at the US Women’s Open at the beginning of June. Her recent success has generated significant interest among golf bets enthusiasts and NZ betting sites. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > A lucrative deal between New Zealand Rugby and tech company Silver Lake received mixed responses. A lot has changed since the initial announcement. - Published: 2021-04-05 - Modified: 2021-04-05 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/new-zealand-rugby-salvaging-silver-lake-deal/ In January, New Zealand Rugby announced a $465 million deal with United States tech company Silver Lake. Men's captain Sam Cane along with senior All Blacks and Black Ferns voiced their concerns about the deal in a signed letter. This significant deal has created a buzz in the rugby bets communities. The $465 million deal includes a 15 percent stake in commercial rights, and although it received mixed responses, New Zealand Rugby's chief executive, Mark Robinson, believed he can still salvage the deal as a lot has changed in the last few months. He will be discussing the deal with key stakeholder at next month’s annual general meeting and believes that he will get the backing required to proceed with the deal. More information on the proposed deal has been made available by Silver Lake as well as their partners in the last two months. Robinson has shared this with a few senior All Blacks and they are open-minded about it at this stage. The deal needs to be beneficial to all involved and be in the best interest of New Zealand rugby teams, an important factor that has been highlight by both Robinson and the various teams involved. For the deal to be approved, New Zealand Rugby requires approval from the players’ association. Robinson hopes that the new information available will help to get their approval at the AGM. With the last year being incredibly taxing on all sports, a deal worth this much is invaluable, and it could well be the lifeline needed to keep local rugby afloat. However, not everyone would agree that it was worth it, sparking debates in New Zealand sports betting circles. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > All Blacks legend Richie McCaw will take legal action against a company illegally using his name for endorsement. The product is a brand of CBD Gummies. - Published: 2021-04-02 - Modified: 2021-04-02 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/mccaw-considering-legal-steps-over-cbd-scam/ Ex-All Blacks captain Richie McCaw says he’s considering taking legal action against a company that has apparently without his permission been using his name for endorsing a CBD product. This issue has caught the attention of many in the rugby betting and sports betting communities. McCaw’s wife, Gemma McCaw, recently shared an image of the “Richie McCaw CBD Gummies” to her social media account on Instagram, warning people not to purchase the product as the All Black great had not endorsed it as falsely advertised and claimed. Gemma McCaw furthermore said as part of her post that it has come to the couple’s attention that husband Richie’s image and branding has been used to sell the product to New Zealanders, and this had been done without the couple’s endorsement or permission. She said the couple vehemently opposed the company “taking money” from people in New Zealand and prompted people to share her post in the event that they happened to know someone who had already purchased the product. McCaw’s agent, Dean Hagan, has in the meantime confirmed that the former All Blacks skipper is indeed wanting to take legal action against the culprits. Hagan said that the website advertising the CBD product was however an overseas site, and that the task of identifying a responsible contact had been daunting thus far. Hagan also explained that he hoped that people would perform their own due diligence before purchasing the product. If they did, they would immediately realise that McCaw had actually put his name behind it, he explained. McCaw was recently named sportsman of the decade at Auckland’s Halberg Awards. 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The 19-year-old New Zealander is now 11 points behind Zhou as the competition heads into the next round in Monte Carlo come May 20. Lawson said at the close of the weekend’s proceedings that the entire experience has been incredible, and even more so since one of the most exciting parts of his weekend while driving Formula 3 last year had been to watch the F2 race. He said he had learnt a lot and that he would continue to learn a lot more in future. Performing well on the weekend also had been fellow-Kiwi Marcus Armstrong, who currently ranks 10th in the standings. Armstrong put up quite the performance by progressing from a starting position of 14th before making his way to a fifth-place finish in the weekend’s feature race. Formula Two is a crucial stepping stone to progressing to single-seater racing, Formula One. Last year’s F2 championship was won by none other than Mick Schumacher, who this year races for Haas in F1. The young New Zealander won his first FIA Formula 3 title in Austria mid-last year. He was at the time driving for team Red Bull Junior and famously dedicated his first victory to one of his key supporters, late Christchurch businessman John Fairhall. Lawson’s achievements have been a hot topic among racing betting and online sports betting enthusiasts. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Olympic sailor Jo Aleh recently opened up about her weight loss struggles while competing in Rio and London. She says she’s stronger now that she’s eating. - Published: 2021-03-29 - Modified: 2021-03-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sailing/jo-aleh-says-shes-stronger-now-she-eats/ Former Olympic sailor Jo Aleh, now sailing coach, says she can relate to lightweight rower Zoe McBride’s decision to retire early over fears for her own mental and physical well-being. Aleh, an Olympic gold medallist, says she too had experienced the same challenges with the pressures of losing weight and having insufficient energy to meet the physical challenges of high performance sport. During the four years between winning gold at the 2012 London Olympics and silver at the 2016 Rio Games, the champion sailor constantly suffered from stomach pains and discomfort, sinus infections, and once, even a stress fracture sustained in her ankle. Various invasive surgeries and tests failed to discover that Aleh simply wasn’t eating enough to sustain the high energy levels required to perform as a pro-athlete. This, says Aleh, she only about a year ago discovered to have been the cause of the majority of her problems. What Aleh had actually been suffering from was severe malnutrition. The 34-year-old Kiwi five years ago gave up competing professionally, and says she’s stronger now than what she had been during her final Olympic run as a competitor. And it’s all because she’s actually eating well. Significant also is that Aleh says there had been no valid reason for her to have been so light, but that she had in her own mind convinced herself that this was necessary in order to compete at optimal capacity. She also points out that no one had ever questioned her about her poor eating habits. The now-Olympic coach this week commended High Performance Sport NZ’s 2024 strategy to focus on improving the overall physical and mental well-being of New Zealand’s elite-level athletes and coaches. Her experiences resonate with fans of rugby bets and NZ betting. 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His career is over after his voice was detected by a TV microphone in an embarrassing hot-mic incident that revealed him saying how he wanted to call an early penalty against the Nashville Predators. The league has since announced that Peel will no longer refereeing NHL games – not now or at any point in the future. NHL vice president of hockey operations, Colin Campbell, on Wednesday issued a formal statement confirming the now-disgraced Peel’s fate, explaining that the referee’s conduct had been the exact opposite of what the league expected from its officials – and of everybody else associated with the game. Campbell said there was no justification for what Peel had said, no matter his actual intentions or the context in which he had made the controversial comment. The game that Peel and fellow-ref Kelly Sutherland had been working at the time resulted in the Predators being called for a total of four penalties as opposed to the Detroit Red Wings’ three. What made the entire incident even more bizarre, is that Peel’s comment was clearly made to Nashville’s Filip Forsberg, as later admitted to by him (Peel). What Peel had done is considered a “make-up call”, and something many regard to be a regular part of many NHL referees’ thinking process regarding the fair calling of a game. But calling a game fairly should not have to involve doing anything of the sort, said Edmonton’s Adam Larsson in response to Peel’s dismissal. This incident has reverberated through the AFL betting and online betting communities. 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The champion sculler, in partnership with double sculls crew member Jackie Kiddle, was counted among the star favourites to win gold for New Zealand in Tokyo. While McBride, a two-time lightweight women’s double scull world champion, and a two-time gold medallist in lightweight women’s single scull, has cited the challenges of mental well-being vs. competing at sport at an elite level, as a motivating factor behind her unexpected decision. She said that instead of competing, she hoped to in the near future offer support to younger athletes. McBride added that representing New Zealand had been an enormous honour, and that the decision to retire, albeit not easy, has allowed her to reflect on everything that learnt and everything achieved. McBride and Kiddle won gold in the women’s lightweight double sculls at the 2017 rowing world championships, and after a disappointing 6th place finish in 2018, were back to claim more gold in 2019. As for what the future holds for the young rower, McBride has confirmed that she will pursue a career in marketing, and with a specialised focus on women’s health. McBride and Kiddle were earlier this year named as New Zealand’s lightweight double women’s sculls crew set to represent the country in Tokyo. Her retirement has sparked discussions in sports betting and cycling betting circles. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Tom Curry could very well become “rugby’s the next Richie McCaw”. England coach Matt Proudfoot says it’s only a matter of time and disciplined training. - Published: 2021-03-22 - Modified: 2021-03-22 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/tom-curry-could-be-the-next-richie-mccaw/ Tom Curry could turn out to be every bit as good as Richie McCaw. So predicts England forwards coach Matt Proudfoot. Curry starred in England’s 19-7 win over New Zealand when the two-time defending champions were knocked of the 2019 World Cup’s Yokohama-run. According to what Proudfoot recently told British broadcaster the BBC, the 22-year-old Curry is a very special player. Proudfoot told BBC Sport that Curry had the perfect mindset in terms of growth and the realisation of the need for constant improvement. He also followed a relentless training regime, added the forwards coach, asks the correct questions for the right scenarios, and makes double sure he’s constantly adding the right sort of changes to his own personal game. The England coach said it was easy to spot greatness in a player, and that once spotted, there is a realisation that such a player had the potential of going a very long way. Proudfoot said that judging by the way Curry had improved over the past four years, he would in another four years’ time be the next Richie McCaw. The former All Blacks skipper played more Super Rugby Tests than any other New Zealander before him, living a career that saw him ultimately captain the national side to two World Cup wins. He’s widely regarded as the greatest loose forward in rugby, a feat that saw him take home an incredible three Player of the Year awards over the course of his stellar career, a career closely followed by those invested in rugby bets and NZ betting. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand’s Olympic send-off are waiting to hear on the available of vaccines for travelling to Tokyo in July. Government will have the final say. - Published: 2021-03-19 - Modified: 2021-03-19 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/nz-olympic-team-waiting-on-vaccine-approvals/ NZ Olympic team chef de mission Rob Waddell says he and the team are waiting on Government’s approval of the 500-600 vaccinations required for competing in the upcoming delayed Tokyo Olympic Games. This critical update has been a major talking point among darts betting and sports betting enthusiasts. Without vaccines, the team will not be permitted to travel to Japan ahead of July 23. Without vaccines, the team will not be permitted to travel to Japan ahead of July 23. According to Waddell, even though the vaccine consultation process with government remains ongoing, the team are forging full steam ahead because of the Games being now fewer than 130 days away. The New Zealand chef de mission revealed that even though exemptions were being made for athletes and support staff representing the country at the Tokyo Olympics, the standard remains competing at a “very high bar”. Waddell did however admit that the size of the team hoping to travel to Tokyo might emerge an issue for Cabinet. The hope is that since Government has been investing in New Zealand’s Olympic athletes, the relevant decision-making authorities will realise the importance of sending the country’s athletes to Tokyo this year. But although the Olympic Games are scheduled to start on July 23, there remains uncertainly over the event actually going ahead as Japan continues to battle to get the spread of infections under control. Also boding no good is that Olympic organisers have been under increased pressure from the Japanese public to cancel the Games amid concerns over Tokyo’s ongoing state of emergency. The state of emergency was extended earlier this month over concerns about the strain on the city’s medical systems and personnel. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Britain’s long-time “Voice of Formula One”, Murray Walker, has died. The legendary F1 broadcaster was 97 and is survived by his spouse, Elizabeth. - Published: 2021-03-17 - Modified: 2021-03-17 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/murray-walker-voice-of-f1-dies-aged-97/ Murray Walker, to many a British Formula 1 fan the undisputable “voice of F1”, has died, aged 97. Walker entered the Formula 1 broadcasting scene full-time back in 1978, commentating on the sport for England’s national news broadcaster, the BBC. Famously referred to by Clive James as a man in the habit of talking as if his pants were on fire, Walker’s passion was widely known be the result of a true passion and love for the sport, not to mention a genuine desire to convey that passion to fans all over the world. Walker, following a time spent serving in the British Army during the second world war, started a phenomenal career in broadcasting and advertising. During this time with the BBC, he interviewed countless F1 sporting greats, including Michael Schumacher, Ayrton Senna, Juan Manuel Fangio, and Enzo Ferrari. The voice of F1 had a particular knack for commentating on a sport often bewildering and complex, especially to newcomers, and in a way that would grip the attention even of the completely uninitiated viewer. More than just a broadcaster, Walker counted himself – and certainly was – a true entertainer. Since F1 could be experienced as complex and even bordering on the obscure, Walker would famously translate the technical ins and outs of what was happening on the tarmac in a way that would excite the ordinary fan not really interested in diameters and rapid reaction. Walker, who retired in 2001 at the age of 77, is survived by his wife, Elizabeth. His legacy continues to influence formula 1 betting and sports betting communities worldwide. 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He however stepped into the head coach vacancy left by John Plumtree in 2020. Also signed for an extended two-year period is assistant Hurricanes coach Chris Gibbes. According to Hurricanes chief executive Avan Lee, the fact that both men had agreed on two-year extensions is good news for the franchise. Lee said the pair had formed a powerful and fantastic relationship ever since starting to coach the Hurricanes together. Gibbes, who joined the club in 2020 following a super successful run as head coach of the Wellington Lions, said he was very much looking forward to spending his first season coaching Super Rugby. What he enjoys most about Super Rugby Aotearoa is the fact that it’s such a challenging competition to be involved in, said Gibbes following the extension announcement. He also added that Holland’s leadership style and vision for the team had made the decision a natural and easy one. Holland does indeed have a great vision for the group heading into 2021, and said he was expecting great things from the talented club for this year as well as beyond. He said he felt privileged at having been offered the opportunity to spend two more years with the team, a sentiment echoed by those tracking NZ betting sites. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Rory Mcllroy has revealed that Tiger Woods may be able to return home to his family as early as this week. Woods is in hospital following a car crash. - Published: 2021-03-12 - Modified: 2025-06-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/tiger-woods-may-go-home-soon-says-mcllroy/ Golfing legend Tiger Woods is making great progress as he continues to recover from a life-threatening car crash and could even be home and with his family within the next week or two. This according to fellow golfing great Rory Mcllroy, who recently revealed on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon that Woods is making steady progress in recovering from his injuries and subsequent surgery. According to Mcllroy, Woods is in fact in such good spirits, that he’s sent a lighthearted text teasingly razzing his (Mcllroy’s) slow and disappointing final round at the recent Arnold Palmer Invitational. Mcllroy told host Jimmy Fallon that even from a hospital bed, Woods still could not resist giving his fellow golfer a bit of heat. Mcllroy earlier this month joined several top players in showing support for the golfing legend and his successful recovery as they sported Woods’ signature black pants and red shirt in the final round of the World Golf Championship event at The Concession. Woods had apparently contacted Mcllroy after the event to thank him for the special gesture. Getting to go home and be with his family and his kids will be a wonderful thing for Woods, Mcllroy told the show. The golfing great sustained serious injuries to his right leg when he crashed his car in Los Angeles County in Feb. His car had reportedly veered across two lanes before hitting a curb and ploughing into a tree. It then finally came to a standstill after rolling onto its side. The steady progress of Woods' recovery continues to be a focal point for those following golf betting and New Zealand betting. --- > The ICC has announced that it will be adding a 3rd big tournament to women’s cricket come 2027. The Twenty20 Champions Cup will mean a major global boost. - Published: 2021-03-10 - Modified: 2021-03-10 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/womens-cricket-gets-a-third-big-tournament/ Great news for women’s cricket is that a third major tournament has just been added to the international programme. The inaugural instalment of the new Twenty20 Champions Cup will be contested in 2027, while the remaining two major women’s cricket competitions have also had their fields expanded. Announced by International Cricket Council chief executive Manu Sawhney earlier this week, the revised formats will mean more teams being in a position to compete in the qualification tournaments across the T20 World Cup, ODI World Cup, and T20 Champions Cup. The idea behind the increased field is to create more international opportunities for women’s players, explained Sawhney, as well as to give more member countries the opportunity to show their strengths on a global platform. The ultimate goal is for the ICC to reach its goal of creating more strength and depth in women’s cricket across the international board, said Sawhney on Tuesday. As for what the revamped tournaments will look like: The World Cup: 10 teams playing 48 matches in 2029 – up from 8 teams playing 31 matches until 2025 The T20 World Cup: 12 teams contesting a total of 33 matches from 2026 – up from 10 teams playing 23 matches until 2024 The new women’s T20 Champions Cup: scheduled for 2027, and with 6 teams playing a total of 16 matches New Zealand’s women’s side, the White Ferns, have one the one-day World Cup only once before, which was in 2000. They finished twice in the runner-up position in the T20 World Cup, which was in 2009 and 2010. This new tournament structure is expected to provide a significant boost to women's cricket, sparking enthusiasm among cricket betting and online sports betting fans. 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The 27-year-old said though she realised the journey will be a challenge, and difficult, it was at the same time important to her to meet every obstacle head-on, and with a positive mindset, so as to help inspire others living with the disease. Stott, who helped Melbourne City win the 2020 W-League grand final before departing to join Brighton, had spent time playing for Brighton and Hove Albion, but recently decided to return back home to Australia for medical reasons. She received her diagnosis while in quarantine. She said that she had been glad to know exactly what had been going on after she previously discovered two growing lumps on her neck. But although Stott says going through the motions of first the discovery and then the biopsy and results had been stressful, she was at the same time also grateful for all the support she had around her. The young star, who made her Football Ferns debut in 2012, also confirmed that her lymphoma had progressed below her diaphragm, which meant it was now regarded Stage 3 cancer. She said she’d now require intense chemotherapy that would involve four months of a 21-day chemo cycle. Stoll said she believed that while she would probably end up feeling gravely ill, she was relying on being an athlete and being fit and physically strong, to help her deal with the chemo treatment programme that now lies ahead, a sentiment that resonates with fans of football betting and online NZ betting. 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Justin Bergman, 24, claimed to be an animal rights activist who took issue with the horse racing industry, but was accused of having attempted to “spook” the horses by his “drunken mad” behaviour by the judge instead. Judge Craig Thompson in Thursday convicted and discharged Bergman on one count of disrupting a public meeting, and convicted and charged him with committing a criminal nuisance. Thompson ruled that what Bergman had done could only be explained as a moment of madness fuelled by alcohol. According to a police summary of the events that took place at Trentham on January 30th, 2021, the 24-year-old had been consuming alcohol all throughout the day before leaving the stands at around 4pm on the day. After gaining access to a private zone where horses are assembled pre-race, he reportedly started yelling at the horses to try and scare them. His spook-tactics also involved him perching on a barrier and making loud “growling” noises, heard the court. The minute race eight began, Bergman reportedly leapt over three fences before walking nonchalantly onto the track. Many of the 18 jockeys had to swerve in order to avoid a collision with either Bergman or each other. According to a police investigator’s testimony, Bergman at the end of his stunt lifted his arms towards the crowd as if celebrating a victorious moment. Thompson on Thursday ordered Bergman to attend counselling, as well as to pay $8,800 in reparations. He’ll also be spending 100 hours doing community service, a resolution that has been closely followed by sports betting enthusiasts. 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S. forensic experts are now speculating about the possibility of Woods having possibly fallen asleep behind the wheel of his vehicle. And according to Jonathan Cherney, a forensic consultant who provides car accident analysis in an expert capacity in court, and who following last week’s accident paid a visit to the scene of the crash, what he found at the site was indeed in line with someone falling asleep while driving a motor vehicle. 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Authorities have all throughout the investigation remained adamant that no alcohol or drugs were suspected of having played a part in the accident. Woods was however never tested for any substances. This ongoing story continues to be a point of interest for those invested in NZ betting. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Kiwi champion Lydia Ko says she’s excited to get to play golf for the sake of the game once more. Ko recently had surgery to repair a deviated septum. - Published: 2021-03-01 - Modified: 2021-03-01 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/lydia-ko-wants-to-enjoy-golf-for-the-game/ Kiwi and former world No. 1 Lydia Ko is all set for an eighth season on the LPGA Tour. The 23-year-old appears excited and upbeat about returning to form after surgery to her nose for a deviated septum early last month. Ko’s eighth season tees off at her home course, Florida’s Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando, on Friday. This coming April marks a disappointing three years since Ko last won a tournament at the LPGA Mediheal Championship, leaving the young star wishing for a time when she’ll once again get to enjoy competing for the sake of playing, rather than constantly being worried about performance and results. Ko recently told a prominent golf publication that she believes the surgery would make a big difference to her game and overall performance. She said she can now, for the first time in many years, breathe out of her left nostril. The young golfer remains hopeful of getting to compete in the Tokyo Olympics later this year. She took silver at the 2016 Rio Olympics and said it had been a major thrill and exciting experience to attend a global event such as the Olympic Games. While winning a silver Olympic medal was amazing, said Ko after the impressive feat, her proudest moment had still been to represent New Zealand in the “most global” stage possible for any athlete or player. Across a total of 12 tournaments played after the resumption of the LPGA season last July, Ko had posted an impressive nine top-20 finishes, a performance that has energized the golf betting and sports betting communities. 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Woods on Monday sustained serious injuries to his lower limbs after crashing his SUV on a rough stretch of road in the coastal suburbs of Los Angeles. Police have in the meantime confirmed that Woods is lucky to have escaped with his life. The golfer sustained serious injuries to his right leg – requiring the insertion of rods and screws during what surgeons described as a protracted surgical procedure at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, where he was taken for treatment following the single-car accident. According to Chief Medical Officer Anish Mahajan, Tiger Woods shattered his tibia as well as fibula bones on his right leg, and on multiple locations. The fractures have all been set by a rod inserted into the tibia. Several injuries to Woods’ ankle were apparently also stabilised with the aid of rods and screws. A statement tweeted to his Twitter account confirms that the golfing superstar is awake and recovering. The crash is but the latest major setback for Woods. The former world champion previously underwent at least four major back surgeries, all of which had kept him from competing for the biggest part of two years. Bettors are speculating on how this injury might affect his career and future tournaments. Woods' resilience and determination have been a source of inspiration, and his potential comeback remains a significant point of interest in the world of golf betting. Police have confirmed that no charges have been filed against Woods, and that there had been no evidence of any sort of impairment. His was the only vehicle involved in the crash. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > SA-born Devon Conway took his New Zealand team to a thrilling victory in Monday’s Christchurch Twenty20 series opener. The final score was 184-5. - Published: 2021-02-24 - Modified: 2021-02-24 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/conway-helps-nz-defeat-oz-in-mondays-twenty20/ The series opener on Monday the 22nd of February marked the first international Cricket game played under the Hagley Oval lights. And it only commenced after a minute of silence was observed, marking the 10-year anniversary of the earthquake in Christchurch that took the lives of 185 people. This event has drawn significant attention from those placing cricket bets and engaging in online betting. Devon Conway, the South African player who now features as a left-hander for New Zealand, smashed an unbeaten 99 in the first of 5 upcoming Twenty20 series matches against Australia on Monday. This feat rescued the Kiwis after a relatively insecure start and helped them power through to defeat Australia by 53 runs. Showing up to bat 11-2, Conway delivered ten 4s and three 6s during his 59-ball knock. This saw his team reaching 184-5 in their 20 overs after Aaron Finch, Australia’s captain, won the coin toss and chose to bowl first. The best Australian batsmen fell short of counteracting the pace twosome Tim Southee of Trent Boult made as they lowered the chase to 19-4. Conway stole the limelight once more thanks to his 2 catches. And while Mitchell Marsh offered up some resistance with his 33-ball 45, it was too little too late for the touring side. They got hustled out for 131 as Ish Sodhi cleaned up the lower order with 4-28. Conway’s positive outlook and focus on playing his best cricket have made him a player to watch. His performance has significantly influenced betting odds and predictions, making him a key figure in the ongoing series. As the matches progress, cricket betting enthusiasts are keenly analyzing each game for potential betting opportunities. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Former world No. 4 and Australian Open analyst Jelena Dokic says she’s fed up with body shamers. Dokic recently spoke out against her critics on Instagram. - Published: 2021-02-22 - Modified: 2021-02-22 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/jelena-dokic-hits-back-at-body-critics/ Former tennis world No. 4 and Australian Open commentator and analyst Jelena Dokic has given body critics a piece of her mind, saying she’s been at the receiving end of unnecessary and cruel comments about her physical appearance. The former star posted a lengthy retort about her recent weight gain on social media platform Instagram. Dokic revealed comments made about her weight were nothing short of sexist and had caused feelings of anxiety and depression to resurface. She added that the weight she had recently gained had been the result of gruelling periods of isolation amid Melbourne’s stay-at-home orders. She also went on to reprimand those who had only negative things to say to her, and reminded body shamers of the fact that weight does not determine an individual’s worth. The former star lost a remarkable amount of weight in 2018-19. She shed nearly 40kg during her weight-loss campaign after reaching an all-time high of 120kg. She revealed in her 2018 biography “Unbreakable” how she had battled a losing fight with maintaining a healthy weight after retiring from an intense physical regime as a professional tennis player. Her autobiography also revealed how she had twice survived life as a refugee, and how she had survived what she referred to as a “tennis dad from hell” in her father, Damir Dokic. Her candidness has resonated with fans and those involved in NZ sports betting, highlighting the personal challenges athletes endure. Dokic, now 37, is an integral part of Nine’s coverage of this year's Australian Open, and her experiences have brought a new dimension to her commentary. The tennis betting community is paying close attention to her insights, given her extensive experience and personal journey. Her resilience and openness continue to inspire many, and her presence in the sport remains impactful. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Dual-code sports star Sonny Bill Williams will have his day in the ring with Barry Hall. And the big fight could take place as soon as April this year. - Published: 2021-02-19 - Modified: 2021-02-19 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/sonny-bill-williams-set-to-fight-barry-hall/ Dual-code sporting strongman Sonny Bill Williams is set to return to the ring for his first meaningful fight since 2015, when he defeated Chauncy Welliver in Sydney. This announcement has generated significant excitement in AFL betting communities, as fans anticipate Williams' performance in the ring. Williams will finally get into the same ring as former AFL star Barry Hall, but before the two meet, they'll first be entered into a "double-header" warm-up event against other opponents. Williams' return to the ring will most likely take place sometime in April. This upcoming fight is being closely followed by those engaged in online betting NZ, as it promises to be a major sporting event. Plans for the staging of the big fight between Williams and Hall were earlier this year pushed back in order to give Williams ample time to recover from neck surgery. The pair's promoters, Khoder Hasser and Danny Green, have however reiterated once again their determination to making the fight happen. The warm-up fight will help the fighters get back into the swing of the ring and is obviously also a fantastic treat from a viewership perspective. That Williams is yet again entering another code is bound to create a great deal of hype and noise because he's such a steamroller, said Green about the upcoming stand-off. Hall has only ever been involved in a single professional fight – which ended in a controversial draw with Paul Gallen. Hall has however now proved himself in a professional fight setup, which is bound to make the dance in the same ring as Williams all the more exciting. He's shown himself to have the "stuff", explained Green. Sonny William "Bill" Williams is an All Black, professional rugby league player, and former heavyweight boxer. 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Fifteen of the twenty New Zealanders have reportedly set their holding price at NZ$95,000 – including Adam Milne, Glenn Phillips, Martin Guptill, Jimmy Neesham, Colin Munro, Neil Wagner, and Ish Sodhi. Entered at the minimum price alongside Allen is uncapped Central Stages hitter Josh Clarkson. A total of ten internationals have reportedly entered their names at the maximum reserve price of NZ$380,000 – including Kedar Jadhav and Harbhajan Singh (both from India), Australians Steve Smith and Glen Maxwell, Englishmen Mark Wood and Jason Roy, Sam Billings, Shakib Al Hasan, Liam Plunkett, and Moeen Ali. The involvement of such high-profile players will certainly be a major talking point in cricket betting forums. Five Black Caps were retained by their individual IPL sides. They are: Lockie Ferguson, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert, Trent Boult, and Kane Williamson. Seifert and Ferguson are both with the Brendon McCullum-coached Kolkata Knight Riders, while Santner players for Chennai Super Kings, which squad is also coached by a former Black Caps skipper, Stephen Fleming. Williamson plays for Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Trent Boult for the Mumbai Indians. This retention news has been a hot topic among New Zealand sports betting enthusiasts, who are closely monitoring the retained players' performances. Friday saw the list of 1097 cricketers reduced down to 292 IPL hopefuls. There are only 61 available slots remaining to be filled by the 8 Indian Premier League franchises – including only 22 overseas players. As for New Zealand inclusions, the majority of the interest is bound to revolve around 2020 rookie Kyle Jamieson, who last year had a dream start in test cricket. He’s announced himself as a power hitting allrounder for inclusion. 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Tanner on Sunday (NZT) evening finished the race at an impressive 3 min 34. 72 sec, finishing third overall – beating Willis' previous NZ indoors record of 3:35. 80, set in 2010 in Birmingham. He trumped the Olympic qualifying time of 3 min 35 seconds with several seconds to spare. This performance has also been highlighted in New Zealand betting discussions as a significant milestone for the athlete. Tanner spoke to a local broadcaster from New York after Saturday's meet, saying he was over the moon with happiness at his performance, especially since he'd worked extremely hard at qualifying for the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games. Tanner and Australian Oliver Hoare on Saturday became the first Oceania runners ever to pip the 3:35-mark. The Australian finished the winner of Saturday's meet. The young Kiwi, a sophomore at Washington University, said finishing the race alongside mentor and hero Nick Willis had made his achievement only all the more special on a personal note. He said since he's now beaten his hero twice while running in the same race as Willis, he assumed the key to beating all his (Willis') times was simply to keep his mentor running. Willis, a two-time Olympic medallist, finished seventh in the weekend's race. The 37-year-old tweeted his excitement about Tanner after the race, saying he believed New Zealand's middle distance future to be in superb hands indeed. Racing betting forums are abuzz with speculation about Tanner's potential at the upcoming Olympics. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Top harness drivers Robert Blunt and Blair Orange have been suspended by the sport’s authorities. Both tested over the legal alcohol limit at a Jan. event. - Published: 2021-02-12 - Modified: 2021-02-12 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/top-harness-drivers-benched-for-alcohol-use/ A pair of top and prominent harness racing drivers have been suspended from competing for eight weeks after failing pre-race alcohol tests earlier this year. This development has stirred conversations among horse racing betting enthusiasts, who are keenly observing the implications of such disciplinary actions. Robert Butt and Blair Orange were both discovered to be over the permissible limit at a January 24 Banks Peninsula Trotting Club meet. The meet took place at the Motukarara Raceway, which is situated just outside of Christchurch. Both men were set to drive in several races planned for the day, but were stood down and replaced with alternative drivers. Charges have since been filed with the sport’s Judicial Control Authority (JCA). This incident has also caught the attention of those involved in online betting, as they consider the potential impact on future race outcomes. This will have been the second time Butt, who is also a harness racing trainer, was found to be over the legal alcohol limit as prescribed by the sport. He reacted to the outcome of the test by telling investigators that he had attended a social get-together the night before, but that he had made sure to finish drinking at midnight. His first run-in with a similar transgression happened in 2016. According to the JCA’s verdict, Butt had shown himself to have a definite problem with the use of alcohol, and this despite his own belief that he understood its effects. The decision also indicated that Butt had agreed to undergo counselling. He will not be permitted to race again until the end of racing on March 28. While Orange’s JCA decision has not yet been published, Harness Racing New Zealand has confirmed that his term of suspension will extend up to and including April 5. Both men have been ordered to pay fines to the JCA. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Former Taranaki lock Neil Barnes has been appointed the new head coach of the Yarrows Taranaki Bulls rugby team. Barnes has agreed to a two-year deal. - Published: 2021-02-10 - Modified: 2021-02-10 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/neil-barnes-appointed-taranaki-bulls-coach/ Former lock and player Neil Barnes has been appointed new head coach of the Yarrows Taranaki Bulls rugby team. Barnes currently coaches the Gallagher Chiefs, but spent time with the Yarrows as assistant coach in 2020. The also played for the region back in 1986, and will be replacing former head coach Willie Rickards, who completed a three-year contract with the team last December. This news has already started generating buzz among rugby betting enthusiasts who are eager to see how Barnes will impact the team's performance. Barnes has signed a two-year deal with the team, and in a recent statement to the press expressed his gratitude at having been afforded the opportunity to return to serve his home province as coach. He said he was exceptionally excited by the chance to be involved with the team in his new capacity. He’s an experienced coach and has eight years international coaching experience with both Canada and Fiji’s national sides. The team, too, have in the meantime released a statement of their own to the press, expressing their excitement about having signed Barnes to the new role. This appointment is generating buzz in the New Zealand betting online communities. Taranaki Rugby CEO Laurence Corlett said the team was exceptionally fortunate to have secured the services of such a high-quality coach and leader as Barnes. His is a sentiment shared by chairman Andrew Thompson, who said he believed Barnes’ impressive last 10 years of coaching experience will truly serve his new outfit. A dairy farmer by trade, Barnes will be returning home to coach Taranaki after completing his stunt alongside Gallagher and the team’s Super Rugby Aotearoa campaign. A new team of selectors and managers will in the coming weeks be appointed, the Bulls have confirmed. 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The young gun injured his right shoulder to the point of dislocation during a dive for the ball against Canterbury on Jan. 25. The injury that called early time on his Twenty20 Super Smash campaign is now threatening his time on the field for months on end. The dislocated shoulder is in need of an operation, but this diagnosis is apparently subject to a further assessment by a surgeon. Making matters worse is that Ravindra’s right shoulder is the same shoulder that underwent intrusive nuts-and-bolts surgery when the 21-year-old star suffered a similar injury while at school. Depending on how extensive the surgery turns out to be, said coach Glenn Pocknall, Ravindra could be away from the field for anything between six weeks and nine whole months. The disappointment has been significant for the young star, added Pocknall, especially given the central role the upcoming all-rounder has been playing for the Firebirds this season so far. Not being able to compete so early in one’s sporting career can be mentally taxing on a young cricketer, said the Firebirds coach, which is why the team plans on supporting Ravindra as far as possible as he makes his way back to the field. Ravindra is a former Under-19 national cricketer, and caught New Zealand selectors’ eyes for NZ A against West Indies A in December. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The man who jumped the fence and entered onto the track mid-race at the Wellington Cup has appeared in a Hut Valley Court. He faces up to a year in prison. - Published: 2021-02-05 - Modified: 2021-02-05 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/wellington-cup-disturber-appears-in-court/ A 24-year-old man accused of running onto the track at the Trentham Racecourse while the race was already in motion on Wellington Cup Day, has been charged and has appeared in court. Justin Bergman is being charged with committing a criminal act of nuisance and endangering the public after he jumped the fence and ran onto the track area, causing jockeys to have to swerve around him so as to avoid a collision. Bergman is also being charged with disrupting an official meeting in a public place. If convicted, he could face a maximum term of one year behind bars, as well as a $200 fine. This incident has raised questions about security measures at such events, which could influence NZ betting behavior for future races. A registrar at the Hutt Valley District Court on Thursday morning remanded the wrongdoer on bail without plea. Bergman is due to reappear at the same court on March 4. According to horse racing broadcaster Aiden Rodley, sirens could be heard sounding after race eight after Bergman rain onto the track and then proceeded to stand still as the field of jockeys and horses swerved and raced around him. He then proceeded to try and leave the premises by jumping back over the fence, but was stopped by police and taken into custody. While no one was injured as a result of Bergman’s irresponsible actions, he now faces not only time behind bars, but also a lifetime ban from tracks around New Zealand. According to New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing legal counsel James Dunne, such a ban would come into effect just as soon as all court processes were finished. This disruption has also led to discussions about the safety of horse racing betting online NZ, especially for those who prefer wagering on live events. Dunne said Bergman endangered not only his own life. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > With the hope of a bubble crippled by a local transmission, the Warriors say they’re preparing for another season in Aus. They haven’t been home since 2019. - Published: 2021-02-03 - Modified: 2021-02-03 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/warriors-settling-for-another-season-in-aus/ The New Zealand Warriors are hoping for the best but planning for the worst – another year based in Australia. Even though ARL Commission Chairman Peter V’landys says he’s confident Australian and New Zealand will soon agree on a two-way travel bubble, in which event the Warriors would be able to return home at some point in the season, Warriors chief executive Cameron George says he isn’t holding his breath, as the situation is long past the point of frustration. The team left home early in May last year, at which time they were told the borders would likely reopen by the end of that month, said George, but what with that still not having turned reality, the Warriors have decided that instead of hoping on something unlikely to happen, they’ll rather bank on having to stay and viewing anything other than that as a bonus. A recent local transmission of infection is threatening the NRL’s resolve to make at least some games played at home a priority for the team, who spent more than 150 days of the 2020 season based in Terrigal. As fans continue to follow the Warriors' journey, NRL betting is expected to gain momentum, with odds reflecting the uncertainty of the season. The only certainty at this stage is that a planned Pacific bubble will in all likelihood face further delays. The reality is that the team wants to return home, having not played at Mt Smart Stadium even once since August 2019, said George, but even though everyone has been praying for it, nobody can afford to sit around hoping for positive news all day and every day. This situation has also sparked increased interest in sports betting, as punters try to anticipate how these challenges might impact the Warriors' performance. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Olympian Barbara Kendall has said proceeding with this year’s Games would be the right thing to do. Kendall said this would ensure the survival of sport. - Published: 2021-02-01 - Modified: 2021-02-01 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/kiwi-olympian-says-tokyo-games-must-proceed/ Decorated Kiwi sportswoman and former champion New Zealand Olympic board sailor Barbara Kendall has added her voice in support of the joint decision taken by the Japanese government and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to push ahead with this year’s Games in Tokyo. The event has been an on-again, off-again topic of debate after Tokyo was declared an infectious disease hotspot. Japan continues to battle a daily rise in infections, which recently led to the biggest part of the country being declared a state of emergency after a third wave of infections hit. Worrying too was the fact that it had ultimately become clear that more than 80 per cent of Japan’s residents did not want the Olympic Games to be held in Tokyo in 2021. Many bettors have already begun speculating on how this uncertainty could impact rugby betting opportunities, given the global interest in the sport. Kendall is however convinced that rumours regarding a possible cancellation of the event had been nothing more than the typical drama surrounding the annual Games. Kendall during a recent appearance on a popular New Zealand sports insert explained that even though this year’s Games will definitely look a lot different to previous years because of unique and unusual circumstances, the organisers of the event have put into place every conceivable system and safeguard in order to protect everybody involved. Kendall also said that although nobody could deny the risks involved in hosting the Games this year, Tokyo 2021 is critical for the survival of sport worldwide. This has led to a surge in online betting, as enthusiasts look to back their favorite teams and athletes despite the uncertainty. She also added that if she were to put herself in the position of an Olympic athlete, she would understandably want to compete. 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Although Taurua stopped short of singling out the “unfit” players, she did add that their identities would obviously become known when excluded from the getup due to play against Australia. The Ferns’ 12 to play Aus will be named on February 24. A worrying suspicion is that the Kiwis are likely to emerge a bit light in the end of the defense when they take on the Diamonds – and mainly so due to the players who failed to reach the 16. 3 minimum Yo-Yo endurance and fitness test standard. Taurua has treated fitness as a non-negotiable ever since she took over the helm of the national side from Janine Southby back in 2018. With the stakes so high, sports betting online NZ is expected to see a surge, as fans place bets on the outcome of the matches. Taurua said she was disappointed that some of the players were still struggling with fitness issues – even after fitness emerged a critical factor in their 2019 Netball World Cup title win. Taurua also said that it was an athlete’s job to be fit, and especially so when that athlete is contracted to New Zealand’s national netball side. As the Silver Ferns prepare for the Constellation Cup, interest in NBA betting is also growing among New Zealand sports fans, creating a dynamic betting environment. The unforgiving coach has in the past repeatedly voiced her own personal view on the standard as one that isn’t very taxing. She has also said that if she were to have her way, the standard would be raised from 16. 3 to 17. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Australian Michael Venus may have to sit out of this year’s Australian Open. Venus faces running late for the tournament owing to new travel restrictions. - Published: 2021-01-27 - Modified: 2021-01-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/michael-venus-may-have-to-miss-australian-open/ Recent new border restrictions rolled out by the Australian government are threatening to derail top Kiwi doubles player Michael Venus’ hopes of competing in this year’s Australian Open. After having spent the summer in Auckland, Venus was scheduled to travel to Melbourne on the weekend. If, however, Australia’s 72-hour pause on permitting New Zealanders to make their way across the Tasman without the need for isolation is in any way extended, the doubles star will be left with no other option but to forfeit his chances of appearing in the first Grand Slam of 2021. The latest developments came after the emergence of a positive case in Northland, which on Monday night led to the putting on hold by government of the one-way travel bubble previously put into place between Australia and New Zealand. This uncertainty has led to a significant impact on tennis betting, as fans are unsure of which players will make it to the tournament. The Australian Open gets underway on February 8. This means that barring an imminent return to the travel bubble, Venus will not be left remaining with sufficient time for spending the required two weeks in isolation. The former French Open winner revealed the latest developments to a Kiwi sports page, saying he’d been in contact with ATP tournament officials about his precarious situation. The New Zealand doubles star faced a similar situation towards the end of last year, when it seemed as if he faced having to choose between London’s ATP finals or competing in this year’s Australian Open due to preparation and quarantine times. If the Kiwi does end up getting lucky a second time round, he’ll be teaming up with countryman Marcus Daniell for the upcoming AO. As the situation unfolds, interest in NZ betting is expected to rise, particularly among those hoping for a Kiwi victory in Melbourne. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The NZ Olympic Committee says it has not received any indication of a cancellation from Tokyo organisers or from the IOC. Tokyo has been declared hotspot. - Published: 2021-01-25 - Modified: 2021-01-25 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/nzoc-says-tokyo-still-on-course-for-2021/ IOC President Thomas Bach is reportedly putting out fires by trying to calm down a worried Japan following increasing fears over the possibility that the Tokyo Olympic Games will not be in a position to go ahead as planned starting July. New Zealand Olympic sporting officials have however claimed to have received no indication from the Olympic Committee that the Games will not be held in Tokyo this year. According to a leading London news and actuality giant, the Japanese government has already covertly concluded that the Games would have to be cancelled after Japan began witnessing hotspot outbreaks. The uncertainty surrounding the Tokyo Olympics has created a dynamic landscape for Olympics betting, as bettors seek to navigate the ever-changing circumstances of the event. The focus is full-speed-ahead on preparing for the Games as if they are indeed going ahead as scheduled, a spokesperson for the New Zealand Olympic Committee has reportedly said. The spokesperson confirmed that not the IOC, the organisers of the games, or the Japanese Government has to date given any indication that the Games are going to be doing anything other than go ahead. In fact, according to the spokesperson, the exact opposite has been true, with both government as well as the IOC having earlier in the week “strongly” reaffirmed their commitment to the July/August Olympic Games schedule for Tokyo, Japan. For fans of sports betting, the Tokyo Olympics are shaping up to be a unique opportunity to explore various markets, especially with the ongoing debates and decisions influencing the event's outlook. Tokyo recently declared a state of emergency due to a massive resurgence in positive cases, leading IOC member Dick Pound to say that the surging number of infections have become the “ongoing” elephant in the room that everybody is current dancing around and willing to go away on its own. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand Rugby chairman Brent Impey has announced his plans to step down from the role in the coming months. A successor has not yet been named. - Published: 2021-01-22 - Modified: 2021-01-22 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/end-of-an-era-coming-for-new-zealand-rugby/ Long-time New Zealand Rugby chairman Brent Impey will soon be stepping down from the role he has held since 2014. Impey recently confirmed his intentions to relinquish the role he has embodied for the last seven years, saying he in December last year informed NZ Rugby of his intentions to step down and begin focusing on an official succession plan. NZ betting markets are likely to see some shifts as speculation on Impey's successor grows. He explained that he would be stepping down over the course of the coming months, during which time the announcement will be made official and a successor named. His departure is considered by the rugby world to be the end of an era for New Zealand Rugby, and an exit that will see the organisation lose a wealth of top-of-institution knowledge and experience. Impey has served on the board of NZ Ruby since 2012, and his departure might influence rugby bets in upcoming seasons. But although Impey says he only confirmed his intentions to the board in December last year, speculation about his role has been escalating since November, during which month he officially stepped down as chairman of Sanzaar. Not only has Impey had to steer the organisation through one of the toughest eras in sport as the global health crisis hit, but the rugby stalwart also received chemotherapy for cancer last year. New Zealand Rugby has in the meantime started to advertise two separate board roles, one being for an appointed position selected by the board itself, and the other for a nominated position that requires prospective candidates to be put forward by provincial unions. 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A prominent news broadcaster has however in the meantime revealed that an incident report indicates that the 31-year-old has in actual fact been charged with two counts of attempted murder. The shocking news of Rivera's arrest has sent ripples through the UFC betting community, as online sports betting enthusiasts reconsider their strategies in light of the fighter's sudden and serious legal troubles. Said report confirms that two women, aged 33 and 22, were both found alive suffering from multiple stab wounds. Both women are alive and recovering in hospital. The 22-year-old woman suffered head wounds, as well as stab wounds to her back and arm. The older woman sustained stab wounds to her face, hands, back, and both arms. According to police reports, Irwin initially fled the scene of the crime, but upon apprehension by police, reportedly confessed to having tried to kill his two sisters. The martial arts athlete is said to have used a “brass knuckle” knife, and apparently told local authorities that he had been prompted to the acts by a supernatural “higher” power. For those engaged in online sports betting, Rivera's situation may lead to shifts in UFC betting odds and decisions as bettors evaluate the future of his career. A statement issued by the UFC confirms that Irwin will not be offered any further fights, and that the organisation has been informed by the athlete’s management that he (Irwin) has been displaying behaviour indicating the presence of severe mental health issues. The statement reportedly also confirms the internal investigation by the UFC to be ongoing. 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The delay in the Japanese Top League season has caught the attention of rugby odds enthusiasts, as the postponement could influence NZ sports betting markets related to international rugby. Of the 62 positive cases, 13 are from Toyota Verblitz, 7 are at Suntory Sungoliath (Barret’s club), and 24 are at the Canon Eagles. Since confirmation of the initial test results were received earlier this week, 5 more positive cases were reported by the Toshiba Brave, 10 by the Kobe Kobelco Steelers, and the remaining three by club NEC Green Rockets. Several All Blacks and Kiwis are scattered across Japanese clubs, currently including Ben Smith and Aaron Cruden, who both play for the Kobe Kobelco Steelers. Another former All Black and also former Crusader, Matt Todd, is one of several New Zealanders playing for Toshiba, and former Highlander Rob Thompson, and former Chiefs players Michael Allardice and Tiaan Falcon are both currently playing for Toyota. For those analyzing NZ sports betting, the spread of COVID-19 among rugby teams adds an element of unpredictability to upcoming matches, potentially affecting rugby odds for New Zealand players abroad. Former All Blacks coach Sir Steve Hansen is of course a lead advisor for Toyota Verblitz. As for Barrett, who this year took a sabbatical from the Blues, but is due to return in time for the All Blacks’ 2021 test programme, will probably still get the opportunity complete a full season on Japanese soil. Since the plans for the season’s ending on May 23 remains on track despite the push-out, Barret will likely get to finish his stunt away on a high note before making his return to New Zealand. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Bowling coach Waqar Younis has blamed Pakistan’s recent poor Test stunts on managed isolation. Pakistan lost the Test series 2-0 against the Black Caps. - Published: 2021-01-15 - Modified: 2021-01-15 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/waqar-younis-blames-test-losses-on-isolation/ Pakistan bowling coach Waqar Younis has blamed his side’s recent 2-0 Test series loss to New Zealand on managed isolation which involved players spending 14 days isolated in the rooms of their hotel. Pakistan also lost their Twenty20 encounters 2-1 against the Black Caps. For those following cricket betting, the challenges faced by the Pakistan team during isolation have added an intriguing dimension to online betting strategies, as bettors analyze how external factors can influence match outcomes. Although his side consists of top athletes, said Younis, it has in the past supposedly been proven medically that being stuck in a closed room for one day will lead to the loss of two days’ worth of muscle. Younis steered strategically clear of the fact that his side were during the same stint given a final warning after several members of the squad were seen breaking the rules of isolation during their time staying at the Chateau on the Park Hotel in Christchurch. The team also had their training privileges revoked shortly after the final warning was issued. For fans of cricket betting, these developments highlight the importance of considering team preparation and external challenges when placing bets, especially in uncertain circumstances like these. Pakistan’s fast bowlers struggled in their Tests against the Black Caps, leading the side to lose both matches by significant margins. It soon became clear Pakistani pacemen Shaheen Affridi and Naseem Shah would not be able to put up the same quality of performance as Kiwis Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson. The bowling coach did concede that there were several incidents of no-balls and dropped catches that could have and should have been handled in a different way. The side did not perform as well as what it would have wanted, explained Younis. Both Younis and head coach Misbah-ul-Haq were on Tuesday summoned by the Pakistan Cricket Board to explain the team’s lack of results. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Advanced discussions are taking place over the purchase of a stake of the All Blacks. The interested party is Silver Lake, founded in California in 1999. - Published: 2021-01-13 - Modified: 2021-01-13 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/private-equity-firm-wants-to-buy-the-all-blacks/ Although Silver Lake is a brand is primarily focused on making investments in the technology sector, the California-based company is interested in acquiring a stake in New Zealand’s national Rugby team, the All Blacks. They already stand as a part-owner of the Manchester City Football Club, so it makes sense than another iconic name in the sports field has captured their interest. The potential involvement of Silver Lake in New Zealand Rugby is generating buzz among rugby betting enthusiasts, as this move could significantly impact the landscape of sports betting NZ. Rumour has it that the business could be announcing the deal that will see it securing a minority holding in the commercial rights arm of the New Zealand Rugby arm as soon as this month. If confirmed, the purchase would see NZR collecting just over NZ$2 billion in return for a 15% stake. For those interested in sports betting NZ, the partnership between Silver Lake and New Zealand Rugby could open up new betting opportunities and strategies, particularly in digital and media rights. If the deal goes through, Silver Lake becoming involved with the All Blacks and NZR would become the latest and arguably most important example of major sports rights owners fundraising. After the devastations wrought in this market by the novel coronavirus COVID-19, companies are doing everything they can to get back on track. It is understood that Silver Lake is in competition with a number of other private equity investment organisations to see the deal go through. The process is being run by Jefferies, a diversified financial services company and investment bank. The equity enterprise’s partnership with the All Blacks will, in all likelihood, build up the team’s digital and media rights strategy. This is the approach the venture took when they bought into Manchester United F. C. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > England footballing great Colin Bell has died aged 74. Bell is considered one of the greatest players ever to have played for English club Manchester City. - Published: 2021-01-11 - Modified: 2021-01-11 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/man-city-great-colin-bell-dies-aged-74/ England mid-fielder great and Manchester City legend Colin Bell has died. He was 74, and died after a short illness. His passing could also stir emotions in soccer betting circles, as fans remember his contributions to the game. Bell is considered one of Manchester City’s greatest players of all time – if not the greatest of all. His name will continue to live on in Etihad Stadium’s “Colin Bell Stand” which has been named after him. Man City Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak on Wednesday confirmed the news of Bell’s passing by way of a formal team press release, saying that the former player will forever be hailed one of the club’s greatest and most memorable members. Bell’s sudden passing will affect everyone connected to the club, added al Mubarak. Online betting sites may see increased activity as fans place wagers in Bell’s memory during upcoming matches. Once famously compared to a racehorse by coach Malcolm Allison owing to his exceptional and almost super-human stamina, Bell was a key driver of the club’s immense success in the 1960s and 70s. He throughout the course of his career playing for the club spanning 13 seasons, scored 152 goals. He also won 48 caps for England, netting a total of 9 times. Bell was born in northeast England on February 26, 1946 and is a native of Hesleden. Following the passing of his mother at a very young age, Bell was raised by his father and remaining family. He first started his career playing for Bury in the greater Manchester area. He however soon attracted the attention of several of the bigger football clubs before accepting a position with City. Colin Bell is survived by his wife Marie, and children Jon and Dawn. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Knights star Mitch Pearce says he’s lived through much trauma following the recent text scandal. Pearce this week announced his stepping down as captain. - Published: 2021-01-08 - Modified: 2021-01-08 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/mitch-pearce-traumatised-by-text-scandal/ Newcastle Knights star Mitchell Pearce has described the events leading up to his decision to step down as captain as traumatic and regrettable. This incident could also influence NRL betting odds for upcoming games, given the uncertainty surrounding the team. Pearce during a press conference earlier this week clearly struggled to control his emotions as he announced his decision to step down. He during an emotional address attempted to provide clarity regarding the text message scandal that has now not only caused his wedding to fiancée Kristin Scott to be called off, but has also cost him his captaincy and reputation. Pearce described the saga to have been the result of his own actions and decisions – actions he now says have impacted the team as well as the people closest to him, being his fiancée and his family. Speaking about how much he loved the Knights and all it represented to him as well as to fans, Pearce reiterated once again his commitment to working hard at becoming the best man and player he can possibly be – both on as well as away from the field. He also added that he would greatly appreciate the necessary respect and time and space required for him to get back to training. The scandal has also drawn significant attention from online betting communities, speculating on how the team dynamics will shift moving forward. The emotional former Knights captain didn’t take any questions from the media following the reading of the prepared statement. Coach Adam O’Brien however explained the decision to step down from captaincy of the club to have been Pearce’s own, adding that the club’s leadership had been declared subject to review already prior to the texting scandal. Although a new captain has yet to be announced, the expectation at present is that either Blake Green or David Klemmer will be asked to step up to the plate. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Tasman’s Rugby Union CEO Tony Lewis will be replacing Mark Evans as the chief of the Western Force team. Lewis is thrilled with the new position. - Published: 2021-01-06 - Modified: 2021-01-06 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/tasman-rugby-union-ceo-heads-back-to-oz/ After spending the past seven seasons raising the bar of the Tasman Rugby Union, its Chief Executive Officer, Tony Lewis, is packing his backs for Australia. He has just been appointed as the new head of the Western Force, replacing Mark Evans at the Super Rugby franchise headquartered in Perth. His appointment is being viewed by his new employers as an important element in Australian businessman and owner Andrew Forrest’s plan to ensure the team becomes more powerful. Rugby betting markets are likely to see a shift as the Western Force gains new leadership. Commenting on this, Lewis lauded Forrest’s vision and said he is thrilled that he’s going to be a part of it. Adding that he’s a little bit nervous about the next stage of his journey, Lewis said that he’s had a wonderful time with Tasman. So much so that he wasn’t on the lookout for a new job. But when he received the call he felt it was good an opportunity to miss. The move could have implications for sports betting as well, with potential changes in team performance under his guidance Lewis represented West Australian Rugby back in the ‘80s, just before he transitioned into his now 30-year career as a sporting administrator. This career path included time spent as the Sydney Randwick Rugby Club General Manager and the same position with the New South Wales Blues Cricket team. Talking about his imminent move, Lewis has said that he intends to establish Rugby as a stronghold in Western Australia. He said that he aims to end up with a team that is consistently winning and will follow the steps he took in Tasman, by building it from the bottom up. 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The Black Caps will come out on top of the rankings if they manage to win this series. The Black Cap bowlers are the ones to thank for the surge in the late final session that ended the match with a 101-run victory. They’re the reasons the team is still in the running to reach the World Test Championship final in 2021. Pakistan was chasing a 372-run victory target but got dismissed for 271. There were 4. 3 overs left when the win was declared. Sports betting sites are already adjusting their cricket odds to reflect the Black Caps' rising dominance. NZ Captain Kane Williamson said that the game was brilliant. He stated that both teams did their level best and described Pakistan’s second innings as incredibly resilient. Mohammad Rizwan let it be known that the Shaheens were not overly disappointed with the game’s outcome, saying that that’s the nature of the game. He said that although the game was lost, his team is still firmly in the series. The second, and final, game in the two-Test series will be held at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch from January 3, 2021. And the pressure is on. New Zealand needs to win this game as well if they want any chance of making it to the Test Championship final. Bettors are closely watching the cricket bets available on sports betting sites, with many eager to see if the Black Caps can secure their place in the final. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Tim Southee’s name is now on the very small list of Cricket players who have managed to capture 300 wickets. The Whangarei-born athlete is overjoyed. - Published: 2021-01-01 - Modified: 2021-01-01 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/tim-southee-is-officially-a-legend/ When Neil Wagner rushed over to Tim Southee to embrace him in a celebratory bear hug to congratulate Southee on reaching 300, he was jumping the gun. But just a little while later the dream came to fruition and then the athlete also known as TNT joined the incredibly exclusive club of legendary New Zealand players to reach this milestone. Haris Sohail was his unfortunate usher, caught by Mitchell Santner at short cover for nine. Commenting on the fabulous event, Southee said it was a special moment. He said that this was because very few players have managed it and the two that have rank among New Zealand’s finest-ever cricketers. He called being in the same bracket as Daniel Vettori and Sir Richard Hadlee, with 362 and 431 respectively, an honour. Cricket odds for New Zealand matches are often influenced by the performances of key players like Southee, making it crucial for bettors to stay updated on their form. Southee said that his lifelong dream has always been playing Cricket for his country and that he’s very proud of the fact that he’s managed to get this far. Hailing from Maungakaramea, in Whanganui, exploded onto the Cricket scene in 2008 with an awesome outswing and a strong slog. He’s gone on to become one of the premier swing bowlers in the world. For bettors on NZ betting sites, Southee's consistent performances often translate into favorable cricket odds. Pakistan began their second innings on 298 wickets and Southee made short work of Masood, removing him for a duck before catching Ross Taylor at first slip. After that, Trent Bolt, who’s been Southee’s wingman for the longest part of his professional career, took a wicket on his second ball. 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On even the most unruffled wicket, with no assistance from anyone else, Wagner does his level best each time, bowling with a hostility that is magical. For those involved in cricket betting, Wagner’s consistent performance makes him a key player to watch in any upcoming matches. Most recently, at Mount Maunganui’s Bay Oval, he bowled 21 overs in the blazing heat and ended up taking two wickets for 50 runs. And he did it with so much aplomb that not one of the millions of spectators had the vaguest idea he was doing it all with a painful fractured toe! A photograph of the destroyed digit was displayed on New Zealand Cricket’s official Twitter handle and it’s a sight to behold. Occurring from a toe-hit from Shaheen Afridi when Wagner was batting in the first innings, the player decided to grin and bear it over the course of what he describes as an incredibly challenging day of Test Cricket. Wagner’s determination underlines why he’s such a reliable option in NZ betting markets, especially for those placing cricket bets on New Zealand matches. Wagner commented on his feat, saying he is proud of the fact that he kept his head, and fractured toe, in the game. He said that he always puts his team first and if there’s a way he can contribute, he will. He stated that he couldn’t face sitting on the side-lines with his foot up watching his fellows do all the work so he got through it as best he could! TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > A neuropathologist at Glasgow University has called upon rugby bosses to start taking head injuries seriously. This after the release of a damning report. - Published: 2020-12-28 - Modified: 2020-12-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/study-reveals-shocking-details-about-concussion/ Over 20 per cent of English Rugby Premiership players suffered concussion during the 2019-20 season. The recently published results of England’s Professional Rugby Injury Surveillance and Prevention Project has led a prominent doctor to call on rugby authorities to admit that there is obviously a very big problem. The survey also revealed that head knocks are the number one cause of injury in rugby for the 8th season in a row. For sports betting enthusiasts, this data highlights the unpredictability and risks involved in wagering on rugby matches. Official findings furthermore revealed that each match concussion ultimately resulted in the player missing on average 22 days of training and/or playing. A total of 166 match concussions and 38 training concussions for the season in question, and at least a dozen players were sidelined by head injury for a period exceeding 84 days. Of the 9 players who were forced to quit and medically retire during the 2018-19 season, five were forced to do so as a result of head injuries. This alarming trend has a significant impact on rugby betting odds, making it crucial for bettors to stay informed about player conditions. According to Dr Willie Stewart, the neuropathologist heading up the University of Glasgow-based research group into brain injury, the data should be cause for concern for rugby bosses and players alike. There is obviously a major problem with how the sport is being played at present, said Stewart at the time of the publication of the team’s findings. One of the players to have joined the legal action against rugby authorities after recently being diagnosed with an early onset of dementia, is World Cup-winning stalwart Steve Thompson. Despite having played every match in the lead-up to England’s inaugural 2003 Rugby World Cup win, Thompson has said that he has been unable to recall any of the games played during that particular competition. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Olympian Nick Wilson has after four years away made his return to playing for New Zealand’s men’s hockey side. Wilson will wear the black in Tokyo. - Published: 2020-12-25 - Modified: 2020-12-25 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/hockey/wilson-re-joins-black-sticks-after-4-years/ Nick Wilson is returning to the Black Sticks after a 4-year hiatus. The two-time Olympian last played in black at the 2016 Rio Olympics. His return could have interesting implications for sports betting markets. The 30-year-old was on Wednesday named part of the 25-man Kiwi hockey squad, with his comeback expected to go a long way towards offsetting a loss of more than 550 caps of international experience. Cory Bennett (110 caps), Marcus Child (171), and Arun Panchia (287) have all retired. Although the Black Sticks haven’t competed since March, the hope is that they will be in a position to return to the field in an Oceana Cup scheduled for next year. The details of the event have yet to be confirmed. Olympics betting enthusiasts will be watching closely as the Black Sticks prepare for their return. The team’s inability to play has been a chance to take stock and re-set the Black Sticks’ program, as well as to connect with up and coming young talent, coach Darren Smith has said. The time off also give the players the opportunity to look at aspects of their lives away from the field, and to consider all that is important from a personal point of view as the team heads into 2021, said Smith in a recent team statement. The squad headed for Tokyo will likely take the team even beyond the 2020 Olympic Games. The 2021 men’s Black Sticks squad has been confirmed as follows: Sam Lane, Dane Lett, David Brydon, Dom Dixon, Sean Findlay, Steve Edwards, George Enersen, Hugo Inglis, Leon Hayward, Stephen Jenness, Oliver MacIntyre, George Muir, Shea McAleese, Brad Read, Dominic Newman, Kane Russell, Nick Ross, Jacob Smith, Dylan Thomas, Nic Woods, Nick Wilson, Aiden Sarikaya, Brad Read, Jared Panchia, and Sam Hiha. 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According to a statement issued by Drug Free Sport NZ, Winters failed a dope test following an event at this year’s Auckland Powerlifting Championships in July. The star pro-lifter tested positive for octodrine and its metabolite heptaminol, which is a performance-enhancing stimulant. Though Withers claimed to have unwittingly used a supplement contaminated with octodrine, he was unable to provide the necessary evidence to back up his explanation. Octodrine and heptaminol act on the body’s central nervous system. The stimulant is only legally obtainable via a medical prescription in New Zealand and is banned in all competitive sports. Though supplements are accepted and known to be extensively and widely used within sport, Drug Free Sport NZ Chief Executive Nick Paterson said it remains the responsibility of individual athletes to ensure that whatever supplements they decide to take are free of illegal and/or prohibited substances. Olympics betting markets could be impacted by such rulings, as doping controversies continue to influence public opinion and wagering trends. Supplements present a higher risk for athletes, said Paterson, and especially so since it isn’t always clear which substances have been added to their formula. He said that it is for this reason recommended that all athletes make use of the organisation’s “Supplement Decision Making Guide” for obtaining the correct information in order for them to make a responsible and informed decision regarding what it is they are about to ingest. Since the incident in question relates to an event competed on July 19, 2020, Withers’ suspension has been backdated accordingly. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Several industry stalwarts have referred to Russia’s Olympic ban as being not worth the paper it’s printed on. The ban has now been halved to two years. - Published: 2020-12-21 - Modified: 2020-12-21 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/russias-olympic-ban-a-waste-of-good-paper/ The Court of Arbitration for Sport’s decision on Friday (NZ-time) to halve what would have been a four-year ban on the repeat-offending doping Russian Federation has many prominent sports writers declaring the country’s Olympic ban to be not worth the rag it’s been printed on. NZ sports betting experts have also expressed concerns over how this ruling might affect betting fairness at the upcoming Games. Russia in 2016 got caught red-handed running the biggest government-sponsored doping operation in the history of the modern Olympic Games. However, despite having been busted twice since then, Russia’s participation in the Olympics has never actually been shut down. Olympics betting markets may see a shift as bettors react to the ongoing controversy. Russia in 2018 caught the attention of the International Olympic Committee when an anti-doping lab belonging to the Russian team got discovered and ousted. The punishment was however no more than Russia being ordered to keep their flag and anthem out of that year’s Winter Games in PyeongChang. Russian athletes were however still permitted to compete. Then, not too long after the 2018 Winter Games, yet another Russian anti-doping lab got busted – this time round for tampering with the very evidence that was supposed to prove that Russia had flipped over a new (clean) leaf. Even though the court ruled that Russia had been guilty on all counts of data-tampering, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) yet again responded with something very near a mere slap on the wrist. Even more shocking is that the original order issued by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which ruling ordered individual Russian athletes to prove their innocence in the state-sponsored doping debacle, has been amended to the effect that WADA has now been burdened with proving their guilt. The only victory the court seems to have achieved was to make it easy for the offenders to be spotted at next year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo. Russian athletes will next year be sporting jerseys with Neutral Athlete pasted across the front. 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Since the injury isn’t a complete fracture, Ferguson will need nothing more than a period of rest and rehabilitation, confirmed Stead on Wednesday, which means he has a good chance of making a successful return in time for Australia’s Twenty20 tour towards the end of February. He’s however likely to miss the Auckland Aces’ T20 Super Smash campaign. Should Ferguson’s rehab go as planned, there’s a definite chance for him to be playing again by the end of the season, explained Stead. Cricket betting fans might be adjusting their strategies given Ferguson’s injury, as his return could significantly impact match outcomes. Many betting sites NZ are closely monitoring his recovery, which might affect odds and betting predictions for upcoming matches. Ferguson acted a key figure in New Zealand’s national side’s run to the Cricket World Cup final of 2019. His temporary absence is a massive loss for the national side, added Stead on Wednesday. He’s had a massive impact in many of his matches recently played, and according to the national coach, his pace and accuracy add a strong and reliable support to the Black Caps’ bowling collective. Though Ferguson’s temporary absence will undoubtedly lead to several challenges for the side over the coming months, Stead said the main focus point right now the big picture before the team, which is the Twenty20 World Cup and the several build-up matches leading up to the big event – matches Stead said will hopefully have the quick back and firing in no time at all. 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Fisher has allegedly spent the past seven months trying to get the national sporting body to take her concerns about the training environment seriously. According to information received from reliable sources, Canoe Racing NZ imposed a December 7 deadline on the star paddler – before which deadline she would have to have rejoined the national squad in order to become eligible for Olympic selection. Fisher quit Gordon Walker’s centralised programme in May and has been training with a group of “rebel” paddlers ever since. Fisher’s decision became apparent when she recently failed to pitch up to take part in squad trials in Auckland. NZ online betting enthusiasts have been closely following Fisher’s career, and her absence from the Olympic lineup could affect betting trends leading up to the Tokyo Games. The change in the team’s composition might impact the odds and the strategies for those involved in Olympics betting. Fisher in August 2020 became the sixth high-performance woman’s paddler to quit the national team in a matter of only 18 months. Fisher’s departure did end up prompting supposedly positive change, with Walker shortly after enlisting the services of high performance accelerator coach Christian Penny in an attempt to rebuild culture within the national paddling squad. However, it now appears as if Canoe Racing NZ have largely failed at successfully addressing Fisher’s particular concerns. Neither High Performance Sport NZ nor Canoe Racing NZ CEO Tom Ashley have commented on the situation as of yet. 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During his time here, he won singles as well as doubles NCAA tennis championships in 1956 and 1958. Olmedo in 1958 led the United States team also to the Davis Cup trophy, and during that same year paired with Ham Richardson to win the US National Championships – the tournament that would later be renamed the US Open. For those interested in online betting NZ, Olmedo's remarkable career offers a fascinating backdrop for placing tennis bets on today's champions. By 1959, Olmedo was living the prime of his career. Not only did he that year win the tournament now known as the Australian Open, but he also made the final at the US National Championships (US Open), and won the Wimbledon final against the legendary Rod Laver. Alejandro “Alex” Olmedo was a terrific player and nothing short of a Davis Cup hero, said Stan Smith, president of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, following the news of the Peruvian’s death. His was a story of having come from humble beginnings, working hard and making extreme sacrifices, and ultimately seeing those sacrifices pay off by becoming a tennis giant and a Hall of Famer, Smith said. As fans remember Olmedo's achievements, tennis bets on current tournaments gain a deeper historical significance, connecting past and present. Following his retirement from professional tennis, Olmedo went on to teach the sport for more than 25 years, with celebrities such as Robert Duvall and Chevy Chase counting among his students. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The man fondly known as the “Voice of Golf”, Peter Alliss, has died aged 89. His family earlier this week confirmed his death via a BBC statement. - Published: 2020-12-11 - Modified: 2020-12-11 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/voice-of-golf-peter-alliss-dies-aged-89/ Peter Alliss, legendary commentator and the man who became famously known as the “Voice of Golf”, has died. He was 89. According to Alliss’ family, who announced his passing via an official BBC statement, his death was unexpected but peaceful. The family did not reveal the cause of death. Golf betting enthusiasts will fondly remember Alliss for his in-depth knowledge of the sport, which made him a favourite among punters. Before turning British television golf commentator, Alliss won an incredible 23 tournaments worldwide as a professional golf player. He competed in an impressive 8 Ryder Cups, and was named Europe’s best golfer in 1964 as well as 1966. His first Ryder Cup was played for Britain and Ireland in 1953. He then went on to compete in every Ryder Cup between 1957 and 1969, and represented England a total of 10 times in the World Cup. He was eventually named a golf Hall of Famer in 2012. Alliss, apart from his impressive career as a player, will be most fondly remembered for his warm and humorous broadcasting style and antics. He made his broadcasting debut with the BBC in 1961 and by 1978 had become the channel’s main and most popular golf broadcaster. The legendary broadcaster also wrote several books and designed the lay-out of more than 50 golf courses throughout the course of his illustrious career. One of his many famous golf course designs was that of the famous Belfry – which hosted Ryder Cup tournaments in 1985, 1989, 1993, and 2002. Many NZ betting sites are offering special tributes to the legendary commentator, celebrating his contributions to the world of golf. Alliss truly did know the game from the inside out – and back in again. He lived his life by example and was – and is – adored by many. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Defunct NRL agent Isaac Moses has lost his deregistration appeal lodged with the league. He has now applied for the imposition of a lesser sanction. - Published: 2020-12-09 - Modified: 2020-12-09 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/isaac-moses-loses-nrl-deregistration-appeal/ Isaac Moses, the powerful rugby league agent found guilty of having assisted ex-Eels prop Tim Mannah with providing the NRL with misleading and false evidence, has lost his appeal against deregistration. Moses allegedly in 2017 assisted Mannah with the giving of false and intentionally misleading evidence in an investigation conducted at the time by the NRL Integrity & Compliance Unit. Following the failure of his deregistration appeal, Moses is now seeking a lesser punishment other than the cancellation of his accreditation. He will be permitted to continue trading in his capacity of agent until such time as the NRL has handed down a final ruling. Rugby betting followers are closely watching the outcome of Moses' case, which could have significant implications for player transfers. The disgraced agent has more than 50 top NRL players on his books – including Cameron Smith, Josh Hodgson, Felise Kaufusi, Jordan McLean, Jesse Bromwich, and Tenvita Pangai. He also represents several former and current rugby league coaches, including big industry names such as Todd Payten, Anthony Seibold, and Adam O’Brien. The next step will now be for the NRL Appeals Committee to hear submissions from both parties in support of whether the punishment imposed on Moses should stand, or whether it should be downgraded to a less severe sanction. Moses has engaged the services of senior legal counsel and experienced silk Arthur Moses SC. The top advocate is a former president of the New South Whales Bar Association and the Law Council of Australia. He is an experienced litigator and counsel in high-profile rugby league cases. The case has also sparked discussions on NZ online betting forums, with many speculating on the impact this will have on the NRL landscape. The case is in the meantime being closely monitored by rival NRL agents interested in claiming their share of Moses’ high-profile client base. 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The decision was made in response to Government’s declining of the club’s request to have their Australian-based players travel across the border into New Zealand to begin training in managed isolation, George said. Fans of sports betting online will find plenty of opportunities to back the Warriors as they navigate their 2021 NRL season. Pre-season training has already commenced in two separate camps – one camp in Auckland and another in Kiama, New South Wales. The hope was however that Australia-based Warriors would be permitted to travel to Auckland at the beginning of January – much in the same way as what the Wallabies had done ahead of the 2020 Bledisloe Cup Tests. The benefit of training back home would have been two-fold for the club. Since players had spent the entire 2020 campaign across the Tasman, a concession from government would have allowed players based in Auckland to spend time at home before heading back to Australia for what could be months on end. The second benefit would have been that of allowing the seven new players added to the squad the opportunity to connect with their new NRL home. With the NRL season set to kick off, NRL betting markets are already buzzing with predictions for the Warriors' upcoming matches. The squad will initially be based in Tamworth, after which they will return to their basecamp in Terrigal, New South Wales. The first two rounds will be played against the Titans and Knights at Central Coast Stadium. The club will remain in Australia until at least the end of the fourth round. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > This year’s Te Anau Tennis Invitational has just turned super star-studded. Former French Open doubles winner Michael Venus has joined the lineup. - Published: 2020-12-04 - Modified: 2020-12-04 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/joy-as-michael-venus-signs-up-for-te-anau/ Top New Zealand tennis player and former French Open doubles winner Michael Venus has informed the organisers of the Te Anau Tennis Invitational of his interest in competing in this year’s tournament. Tennis betting enthusiasts will have their eyes on Michael Venus as he competes, adding an extra layer of excitement to the tournament. Venus’ interest in playing in the event is considered a major win in terms of landing a world-class Kiwi player for the event. A total of eight leading New Zealand tennis players will be featured in the competition. Though Venus has been participating in the ATF Finals in London, England, he will reportedly be out of managed isolation by the time the event gets underway on December 28. The New Zealander will be joined in Te Anau by wife Sally and daughter Lila. The family will be making a 6-night holiday out of Venus’ participation in the competition, the tennis star has said. Though Venus has previously competed in the Te Anau Invitational, Club President Greg Sheppard has reportedly expressed shock and surprise at the top player’s interest in playing in this year’s edition. Said Sheppard, though Venus is every year invited as a traditional gesture, nobody expected the now top-stock player to actually accept this year’s invitation. Venus’ value as a player has increased ten-fold since his 2017 French Open doubles title. For those interested in online betting, the Te Anau Invitational presents a unique opportunity to wager on top Kiwi talent. The hope, said Sheppard, is that Michael Venus will help organisers of the Distinction Hotels Te Anau Invitation fill the stands come December. He will be joined by Finn Tearney, Isaac Becroft, Alex Klitcharov, Oliver Staham, Rubin Statham, and Macsen Sisam. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The cancellation of January 2021’s ASB Classic sees Tennis Auckland at least $1 million out of pocket. The region will now be relying mainly on reserves. - Published: 2020-12-02 - Modified: 2020-12-02 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/tennis-auckland-to-dip-into-reserves-in-2021/ Tennis Auckland has reportedly had to dip into its economic reserves as a result of the cancellation of the ASB Classic. At least $1 million is estimated to have been lost as a direct result of the cancellation. Tennis bets were significantly impacted by the cancellation of the ASB Classic, leading to a financial loss of over $1 million for Tennis Auckland. Chairman Simon Vannini has however said that he feels confident in the region’s ability to make it through the year without too much of an upset. Tennis Auckland relies on the annual WTA and ATP tournaments. The January tournaments make of Auckland the most powerful tennis region out of a possible six in New Zealand. Since the region has sufficient reserves at its disposal, none of the existing programs or activities run by Tennis Auckland will be cancelled in the near future, said Vannini. The plan is to continue with the running of those initiatives focused on the boosting of participation in the sport, he explained. The Love Tennis initiative, which was part-driven by Tennis New Zealand, enjoyed phenomenal levels of success across the region. The ultimate hope is for a successful 2022 tournament, said the Tennis Auckland chair. The potential for future sports betting opportunities remains high as Tennis Auckland plans for a successful 2022 tournament, despite the current financial strain. The region will in the meantime continue to be prudent about expenses so as to ensure sufficient resources remaining available for the support annually offered to clubs and tennis activities in Auckland. Even so, running tennis facilities the size of the Tennis Auckland owned Scarbro Tennis Centre, which is one of the largest tennis venues in the country, remains a costly affair. Vannini said the region has for this reason tried to stick to appropriate pricing for the use of its facilities. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand’s treacherous Cook Straight has been conquered for the 131st time. The champion swimmer is Brett Richardson from Titahi Bay Surf Club. - Published: 2020-11-30 - Modified: 2020-11-30 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/swimming/kiwi-conquers-the-treacherous-cook-straight/ The rituals performed by the Indigenous Maori before crossing the treacherous waters of New Zealand’s Cook Straight have been well documented. Separating the North and South islands of New Zealand, Cook Strait connects the Tasman Sea with the South Pacific Ocean while running alongside the capital city, Wellington. Its waters are considered some of the most dangerous in the world. But Cook Straight is also one of the ultimate challenges for marathon swimmers like 54-year-old Titahi Bay Surf Club swimmer Brett Richardson, who on Tuesday (New Zealand time) became only the 131st person to conquer the hypothermia-inducing conditions of the mighty mass of water. The endurance displayed by Brett Richardson as he crossed the Cook Strait could inspire discussions on Olympics betting among enthusiasts. Proudly sporting the green speedos of the Titahi Bay Surf Club, a shivering and severely hypothermic Richardson was eventually dragged out of the water after 10 hours and 20 minutes of making his way across the strait in below-zero temperatures created by a “nasty” Wellington southerly the previous week. Richardson began his journey by setting off from Wellington’s Ohau Point at 9:46 a. m. on Tuesday morning. He emerged loads of luck and weather playing in his favour later on the other side of his biggest challenge conquered to date. His remarkable achievement has caught the attention of many on NZ betting sites, highlighting the challenge and excitement of such extreme sports feats. Crossing the famous straight has been a dream of his ever since he was a boy back in 1978. He recalls how the dream first settled in him upon hearing how a schoolgirl named Meda McKenzie, only 15 years old at the time, had during that year achieved the nearly impossible feat. He says that as a boy, he could not even imagine how that could be possible. But it was. And now he knows how. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > More bets were placed on this year’s US Presidential election than any other in history. UK bettors alone wagered more than £600 million in election bets. - Published: 2020-11-28 - Modified: 2020-11-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/election/new-betting-record-for-2020-u-s-election/ Bookmakers have posted record-smashing volumes of wagers placed by bettors on the recently finalised 2020 U. S. Presidential election. So much so, that this year’s election has emerged the biggest political betting event in the history of the U. S. elections. The 2020 U. S. Presidential election set a new record for election betting, with unprecedented volumes of wagers placed. Since betting on political outcomes is illegal across the United States, the focus was this year once again on betting enthusiasts situated in the U. K. as well as in several other parts of regulated Europe. Global betting giant Betfair confirmed having accepted a whopping £600 million in wagers placed ahead of the elections. 3 million individual wagers were placed ahead of the 2020 elections. Betfair furthermore confirmed having taken a giant-sized £1 million (US$1. 32 million) bet on Biden being voted the new president. The lucky punter gets to bank an incredible £1. 54 million (US$2 million) in betting returns following their successful prediction of the outcome. The majority of bookies across regulated Europe as well as the U. K. wasted no time moving their money-lines in favour of a Joe Biden-win. Betfair, for one, emerged spot-on in its prediction of 290 electoral points in favour of Joe Biden – a prediction that ultimately proved only 6 points more than the actual outcome of 284. Sports betting sites around the world saw a surge in activity as punters eagerly followed the political developments, particularly in the U. K. and Europe. Another on-the-money prediction posted was that of Nate Silver’s FiveThirtyEight – pegging a Biden win at a likelihood of 88%, while the Economist magazine emerged even closer to the hottest of spots with their 96% prediction in favour of Biden being elected the 46th President of the United States. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Black Ferns try-scorer Portia Woodman says she’s dreaming of a double-gold 2021. The star has her sights on Tokyo as well as on the XVs Tournament. - Published: 2020-11-25 - Modified: 2020-11-25 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/portia-woodman-dreaming-big-ahead-of-2021/ Black Ferns star Portia Woodman says she’s dreaming about a golden 2021. In fact, since she’ll be competing in the Tokyo Olympic Games as well as in the Women’s World Cup XVs Tournament back home shortly after, she may just get to dream about a double gold year ahead. Portia Woodman’s ambitious goals for 2021, including the Tokyo Olympics and the Women’s World Cup XVs, have sparked interest in New Zealand sports betting markets. Woodman during a recent interview spoke about how she believes in the power of visualisation. For her, visualising success means imagining herself running around the sideline. She was however quick to add that it was at the same time also important not to get too far ahead of one’s self. Participating in both events may require of Woodman to get buy-ins on the idea from national sevens coaches Allan Bunting and Cory Sweeney, as well as the thumbs-up from XVs Tournament boss Glenn Moore. Chances are that everybody’s already on board and eager to make it all happen for the try-scoring machine though. What helps her cause is that the schedule is more than workable too – what with the Olympics ending on July 31 and the XVs World Cup only kicking off in Auckland and Whangarei on September 18. Her potential double-gold year could be a focal point for Olympics betting, with bettors eager to back her success on NZ betting sites. As for what the future holds beyond 2021, Woodman says she’s yet to completely make up her mind. On the one hand there’s the prospect of the women’s NRL, which she says is enticing, but other hand there’s Japan and all the promise in terms of women’s athletics and more. For the moment though, Woodman says her focus is on next year, and on the possibility of a double-gold. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Young Canterbury bowler Andrew Hazeldine will have to sit the rest of the season out to undergo cancer treatment. Hazeldine was diagnosed in September. - Published: 2020-11-23 - Modified: 2020-11-23 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/young-canterbury-gun-diagnosed-with-cancer/ 26-year-old Canterbury bowler Andrew Hazeldine will not be participating in the remainder of the cricketing season following a Hodgkin’s Lymphoma diagnosis received in September. Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is a type of caner affecting mainly the body’s immune system, and if not detected early, can be fatal. Andrew Hazeldine’s unfortunate diagnosis has not only affected his cricketing season but also the cricket betting landscape, as fans reconsider their wagers. Hazeldine’s case was thankfully detected very early and he is now undergoing the prescribed treatment, Canterbury Cricket has confirmed. Owing to the early diagnosis, Hazeldine is reportedly already focusing on a 2021 professional return. Even so, said Canterbury Cricket High-Performance Manager Marty Croy via an official team statement recently issued, the situation remains upsetting and worrying to the young player and his family. Cory also said that the team’s thoughts were with Hazeldine and his family during this particularly difficult time. The young Hazeldine played his debut match for Canterbury in 2018 – and has since taken an impressive 35 wickets in a total of 15 red-ball matches played for the side. Hazeldine is originally from Portsmouth in the U. K. , and put in his last appearance for Canterbury in March, during which time the team competed against Otago in a Plunket Shield match. Jackson Latham, who has in the meantime been selected to replace Hazeldine, has expressed gratitude at having been granted the opportunity to play professional cricket. He added that he considered the circumstances around his selection to have been unfortunate given Hazeldine’s situation. As Hazeldine focuses on his recovery, online betting platforms will keep an eye on his expected return in 2021, which could influence future bets. Canterbury are the current Plunket Shield points leaders. England’s domestic season officially moves into OD-mode at the end of the month. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand remains on track to make history at next year’s Olympic Games. A group of 200+ Kiwi athletes will be making their way to Tokyo in July. - Published: 2020-11-20 - Modified: 2020-11-20 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/everything-on-track-for-tokyo-says-nzoc-boss/ New Zealand Olympic Committee boss Kereyn Smith says everything remains on track for the country’s participation in next year’s Games in Tokyo. Despite several challenges posed not only by the actual postponement of the event, but also a re-jigging of qualification events across all sports and formats, Smith says the sending of New Zealand’s biggest-ever team to Tokyo remains on the agenda. Should everything indeed end up going ahead as planned, New Zealand will next year for the first time ever reach a double-hundred mission – with between 200 and 220 athletes anticipated to make the trip to Tokyo. Those athletes already awarded a spot can rest assured in the knowledge that their berths are signed and sealed, said Smith, who labelled the situation around qualification opportunities a complex scenario. This assurance could stabilize Olympic betting odds as bettors on NZ betting sites gain confidence in New Zealand's representation. New Zealand’s Olympic track cyclists have been very fortunate in that their Olympic team set to compete in Tokyo has already been named. This was only made possible by the fact that no international competitions or events have been scheduled for the months remaining between now and next year July. Smith said she sympathised with the plight of those athletes who have not been so fortunate. Smith also ventured a guess regarding what the living conditions in Tokyo can be expected to look like for those athletes arriving from New Zealand. She said that the only really important thing to have in place would be a facility suitable for training as well as for managing the mental and physical health of the athletes. This focus on preparation is expected to bolster New Zealand's prospects in Tokyo, further influencing Olympic betting activities. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > White Ferns all-rounder Suzie Bates looks likely to spend her entire summer supporting from the sidelines. Injury is forcing Bates to undergo surgery. - Published: 2020-11-18 - Modified: 2020-11-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/suzie-bates-may-miss-summer-due-to-injury/ New Zealand White Ferns star all-rounder Suzie Bates may have to wave the summer goodbye owing to a niggly shoulder injury now confirmed as requiring surgery. Bates re-injured her already embattled shoulder while playing for the Adelaide Strikers in the currently in-progress Women’s Big Bash League. Now officially preparing for a premature departure back home from Australia, Bates will be required to spend the mandated time in isolation before being cleared to undergo surgery in New Zealand. This situation could shift cricket betting odds as fans on sports betting online platforms reassess the team's prospects without her. New Zealand Cricket Medical Manager Dayle Shackel has however confirmed that the time spent in managed separation isn’t expected to have any adverse effects on the successful healing of the cricketer’s shoulder. The nature of the injury, said Shackel, is such that it needs surgery as well as resting time in order to heal. The prospect of missing out on an entire summer and an extended period of time spent on the sidelines is obviously disappointing from the cricketer’s point of view. Even so, Bates told the media earlier this week, the plan right now is to proceed one step at a time – with a successful surgery followed by rehabilitation the only real focus right now. Only after rehabilitation will she be able to start working on making her return to the pitch, explained the Kiwi all-rounder. This focus on recovery might influence sports betting online bettors who are factoring her future performance into their cricket betting decisions. Bates says she experienced discomfort following a return-throw of the ball from the outfield in her appearance as part of the playing eleven for the Strikers during last week’s stand-off against the Melbourne Stars in Sydney. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > All Blacks halfback Aaron Smith has dismissed all talk of an early homecoming. He says he regards this to be a disservice to the national jersey. - Published: 2020-11-16 - Modified: 2020-11-16 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/smith-dismisses-talk-of-early-return-to-nz/ Star halfback Aaron Smith has dismissed rumours over a possible early return back home to New Zealand. The veteran player added that even considering such a move would to him personally represent a grave “disservice” to the national team jersey. His decision is likely to impact rugby betting odds and the activity on online NZ betting sites. Talk about a possible early return started circulating following his resting from last weekend’s game against the Wallabies that saw New Zealand suffer an excruciating defeat at the hands of the Australian national side. Speculation over a potential early return surfaced after Smith was rested from last weekend’s game against the Wallabies, which saw New Zealand suffer a crushing defeat. The rumors intensified when All Blacks coach Ian Foster revealed plans to return players unlikely to play any further role in the Tri-Nations back to New Zealand, potentially influencing rugby betting enthusiasts' decisions on online NZ betting sites. 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Thinking about who gets to go home early and who gets to play is to his mind no different from failing to “do your job”, said Smith. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Soccer legend Diego Maradona is stable and recovering in a private clinic following surgery. Maradona now needs rest and support; his doctor has said. - Published: 2020-11-13 - Modified: 2020-11-13 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/diego-maradona-stable-following-surgery/ Former soccer star Diego Maradona is according to his doctor in a stable condition following surgery performed on him last week. The Argentine soccer hero underwent surgery in order to correct a problem causing the accumulation of blood between the brain and a membrane (subdural hematoma). According to Maradona’s neurologist, Dr. Leopoldo Luque, the event was most likely caused by an accident involving a hard knock to the head. Maradona has however been unable to recall such an event. His recovery progress will likely be a topic of interest on New Zealand sports betting platforms. Diego Diaz, the psychologist taking care of the former international sports star during his stay at the Olivos private clinic in northern Buenos Aires, on Tuesday commented on Diego Maradona’s condition by saying that the former soccer star, not unlike everyone else suffering from a similar health issue, now needs his doctors, therapy, and the support of his family. Bettors involved in soccer betting may consider these factors when speculating on his future involvement in the sport. Maradona (60), said Diaz, though a national sporting hero, is subject to the very same advantages and limitations as everyone else. He now also needs what anyone in else in his position would – proper pharmacological assistance and management, sufficient food, and sufficient rest. According to information provided by neurologist Leopoldo Luque during a radio interview on Wednesday (New Zealand-time), the sporting legend will following his discharge from the medical facility where he is currently in recovery be transferred to a house located close to the Buenos Aires homes of his two eldest daughters. Luque during the same interview referred to Maradona as a “patient” who favours living life to the extreme and a man convinced of the need to keep working. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Kiwi Junior Fa has been denied his sparring partner ahead of his fight against Joseph Parker. Adesanya is unable to leave the U.S. because of restrictions. - Published: 2020-11-11 - Modified: 2020-11-11 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/fa-without-sparring-partner-ahead-of-parker/ New Zealand pro-boxer Junior Fa will have to make do without the benefit of the sparring services of Nigerian boxer and middleweight champion Israel Adesanya as he prepares for the upcoming heavyweight bout opposite Joseph Parker on December 12. Adesanya and teammates Carlos Ulberg and Brad Riddell, who were all due to arrive back in New Zealand from Las Vegas on Monday, have due to a recently introduced managed isolation voucher system been left stranded in the U. S. And since they’ve not been able to secure a space in quarantine until December 15, chances are very good they’ll be spending Christmas day in separation in Vegas. This unexpected turn of events could affect sports betting online markets as bettors reassess Fa's training situation. Even though City Kickboxing lead trainer Eugene Bareman – who stayed behind in Auckland in order to continue to work with Fa – said he’s main concern was obviously with the health and well-being of those fighters stranded in a country plagued by a daily rise in new infections. Despite this, Bareman admitted the volatile nature of the situation now facing Fa and his training camp, which could sway opinions on boxing betting odds. Since both Ulberg and Adesanya were set to fulfil an important sparring function in helping Fa prepare for the fight against Parker, the Vegas isolation dilemma represents a double blow. Even so, Bareman said the plan was to forge ahead at the best of the team’s abilities given the new set of challenges facing the New Zealander. Bareman added that though the team truly feels for everyone affected by the ongoing crisis, they could not help but consider the entire debacle to have been the result of poor communication and planning. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > A group of New Zealand harness drivers have reportedly expressed unhappiness about a new rule reducing whipping force. The rule came into force on Oct. 1. - Published: 2020-11-09 - Modified: 2020-11-09 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/nz-drivers-unhappy-about-new-whip-rule/ A group of New Zealand harness racing drivers have expressed their dissatisfaction over the sport’s new rule regarding the severe limiting of the use of the force of the whip during races. The shift has also drawn attention from NZ online betting platforms as they adjust to the new dynamics of the sport. The new rule no longer permits the harness driver to remove their odds completely off the reins for any reason – least of all for the cracking of the whip. The only whip-motion that will be allowed going forward, will be a that of a motion by the driver’s wrist. Officially passed on October 1, the new rule will be in force during next weekend’s New Zealand Trotting Cup headed for Addington. The reasoning behind the new rule is a combination of improving overall safety and a reduction in the force with which the whip has traditionally been cracked. Bettors focusing on horse racing betting are keen to see how this will impact race outcomes and betting odds. Those unhappy with the new rule, says New Zealand Harness Racing Trainer and Drivers Association head Ken Barron, are mainly feeling the way that they are because of the common assumption that the previous style of managing the whip had in actual fact been good for the image of the sport. Some people deal better with change than some others, said Barron. Barron also said that he could sympathise with those drivers unhappy about the new rule as it could be likened to a right-handed golfer suddenly made to compete using only his left hand. The new rule basically asks of the driver to refrain from grabbing hold of the reigns with one hand when making use of the whip with the other. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Money is tight, says New Zealand Rugby boss Mark Robinson. And if the All Blacks are to survive, then their belts will have to be tightened as well. - Published: 2020-11-06 - Modified: 2020-11-06 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/nzr-boss-says-all-blacks-must-tighten-belt/ New Zealand Rugby boss Mark Robinson has issued a stern warning along the lines of “adapt or die”. This warning has also resonated across various New Zealand betting sites as bettors anticipate changes in the sport. Robinson in an interview with a popular sports news broadcaster confirmed a projected loss well in excess of $40 million for the current year. The amount anticipated in losses represents nearly half of the organisation’s disposable cash resources, confirmed the CEO. In order to survive the onslaught of a crisis of global proportions, some significant changes will have to be made to the very fabric of the national sport, said Robinson. A whole new landscape has started to take shape at franchise as well as at international level, explained the chief executive. Fans engaging in rugby betting are particularly interested in how these financial challenges might influence future matches and odds. Robinson also commented briefly on Sanzaar’s message of “unity” delivered earlier this week. Every message received from South Africa in recent times, said Robinson, only served to confirm the theme of Sanzaar’s own approach and call to action. Sanzaar’s message revolved around a new spirit of unity needed regarding the flagship southern hemisphere competition, the Rugby Championship. As far as NZR’s finances are concerned, “challenging” appears to be the word that comes to mind, said Robinson. And its according to the rugby boss a challenge threatening the very survival of the game at every conceivable level. Not unlike everyone else in world rugby, the All Blacks too, will be required to tighten their belts, explained the CEO. The focus right now will be the formulation of a short-term financial model focused on interim survival until such time as opportunities for long-term growth become available, said Robinson. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Football boss Ryan Giggs has been arrested following allegations of assault reported by his girlfriend. The Wales manager has since been released on bail. - Published: 2020-11-04 - Modified: 2020-11-04 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/ryan-giggs-arrested-on-suspicions-of-assault/ Wales football boss Ryan Giggs has been arrested following allegations of assault made by his girlfriend. This development has created ripples in the NZ betting online community, as fans speculate on how it might affect his future. Police questioned Giggs after they on Sunday evening around 10:05 p. m. got called out to his property in Manchester. The call reportedly came from someone living in the vicinity of Giggs’ home in Worsley who had phoned in to report a “disturbance”. Upon their arrival at the football manager’s home, police were met by a woman in her 30s displaying minor injuries but not requiring medical treatment. This according to a confirmation received from a spokesperson with the Greater Manchester Police Department, who furthermore confirmed that a 46-year-old man had been arrested at the scene of the call-out. The man was reportedly arrested on suspicion of Section 47 Assault and Section 39 Common Assault. As news spread, football betting enthusiasts began reassessing their strategies for upcoming matches involving teams Giggs might be associated with. Giggs was released on bail on the following Monday and could be seen leaving the Pendleton police station that same afternoon. The incident in question happened only days after the Wales boss opened up to a local news publication about a series of challenging experiences suffered as a result of his coming from mixed-race parents. Giggs’ father, Danny Wilson, who is a former rugby union player, is black, and his mother Lynne, white. Ryan Giggs during the interview spoke of how he had never even noticed being different before moving with his family from Cardiff to Manchester. But despite the difficulties faced because of race, Giggs described himself to be immensely proud of his heritage. He and his staff recently took a knee ahead of several Wales matches in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand’s Silver Ferns have been accused of having played a timid game against the England Roses. Coach Noeline Taurua says she expects improvement. - Published: 2020-11-03 - Modified: 2020-11-03 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/netball/taurua-says-team-was-timid-against-england/ Silver Ferns coach Noeline Taurua says her side played an extremely “timid” game against England’s national side – and that their performance marks a solid step backwards from the steely show that saw them trumping New Zealand’s men in the recent Cadbury Series. This even despite the fact that the Silver Ferns are celebrating a comfortable 58-45 win against the England Roses. Meanwhile, fans placing NBA bets might find similarities in team dynamics and performance pressures. Taurua will obviously be looking at more than what ends up being displayed on the points-board. The fact that the English side lacked several of its star players because of alternative commitments in Australia, would definitely have been factored in by the Silver Ferns coach. But despite a sub-par performance, the English side still managed to show a whole lot of fight and grit in the game against the New Zealand women. Their being fresh out of a seven month-long hiatus probably did not help their performance against a Silver Ferns side fresh off a super victory against the country’s men’s side scored recently in Palmerston North. The trends seen in sports betting sites suggest that bettors are keeping a close eye on such performances when placing their bets. The Silver Ferns coach did however point out – and perhaps in the defense of her side – that the players as well as the coaching staff have been “going hard” over the course of recent weeks following a return to “normality”. Physical as well as mental fatigue, conceded Taura, could very well have been factors playing a role in the performance opposite the Roses. Taurua added that she’s now fully expecting to see an improvement in approach as well as performance from this point on out. 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The club on Wednesday announced the successful signing of the World Cup-winning Kiwi. Hansen will according to a statement by the Bulldogs serve the club in the capacity of high-performance operations consultant, providing advice and help in whichever area it may be needed. His move has sparked discussions among rugby betting fans about the potential outcomes of his strategies. Hansen’s association with Bulldogs head coach Trent Barrett started out as a result of a friendship struck following a period of time the Canterbury coach spent with the New Zealand national side. This was during Barrett’s term coaching Manly. Hansen reportedly on Thursday told a local newspaper of his excitement at the prospect of the Canterbury challenge, describing his willingness to sign with the Bulldogs as the result of his having “a lot of time” for Barrett – along with his wanting to help out his mate. The role Hansen says he intends to fulfill is mainly that of an experienced sounding board to Trent Barrett. The young coach has a mammoth task ahead of him, said Hansen of Barrett coaching the Bulldogs. And it’s a task, said the rugby veteran, that will require of the young coach to lead a huge club with a rich national heritage back to a position of former glory. Hansen also touched briefly on his intentions within the context of his ongoing coaching stint with Japanese club Toyota Verblitz. He said he has no intention of “cherry-picking” New Zealand’s best sporting talent for the benefit of the foreign side. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > They’ll be relocating their home base to New South Wales for the A-League season, say the Wellington Phoenix. The team shared their plans on Tuesday. - Published: 2020-10-28 - Modified: 2020-10-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/wellington-phoenix-to-set-up-base-in-nsw/ Barring a significant relaxation of New Zealand travel restrictions, the Wellington Phoenix will relocate to New South Wales for the purpose of competing in the coming A-League season. This will also mean playing all of their home games in either Wollongong, Canberra, Gosford, or Tamworth, the Phoenix confirmed on Tuesday morning. Pre-season training in preparation of the December 27 start of the new season will commence as early as next week. Current preparations are focused on the expectation of the club spending the entire season in Australia, said Phoenix General Manager David Dome during Tuesday’s announcement. This will obviously mean an at least seven-month spell away from Wellington – for both players and support staff alike. It’s a huge ask, said Dome, but the team’s only option at this present moment. Dome also mentioned several home-base options, but pointed out that the final decision has not yet been made and will only be announced following the necessary consultations with local NSW authorities. Wollongong is at this stage rumoured to be the most likely outcome. If the decision were to be made in favour of Wollongong, the Phoenix will have to decide on a venue for the playing of home games in the city. Possible options include WIN Stadium, Scully Park, Central Coast Stadium, and GIO Stadium. The ultimate decision will have to benefit the club as a whole, stressed Dome. Players as well as staff will have the option of bringing along their families should they desire to do so. Relocation costs will be part-funded by the club. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand jockey Rosie Myers has been confirmed out of her induced coma and on the mend following surgery. Myers on Oct. 6 fell from her horse at Foxton. - Published: 2020-10-26 - Modified: 2020-10-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/rosie-myers-out-of-coma-and-on-the-mend/ Rosie Myers, the New Zealand jockey injured during a fall at Foxton a couple of weeks ago, has been brought out of her induced coma and has undergone surgery, husband William Fell has reportedly confirmed. Myers’ surgery involved the fixing of facial fractures. She has also now been moved out of the hospital’s intensive care unit and though Fell said her face remains swollen and sore, the champion central districts jockey is according to all indications, positively on the mend. Myers was at the time of the fall competing at Foxton, on October 6. Her injuries were sustained after she fell from her horse. Her horse is believed to have been kicked by another horse trailing behind her in the trials event. She was immediately transported by air to Wellington Hospital. Support has since the incident been streaming in from all over the racing industry. Myers’ illustrious career includes her having ridden 650 winners ever since she first began competing at top levels during the 2006-07 horse racing season. This was after she had started out as but an amateur rider. The celebrated jockey furthermore comes from a family of strong riders and prominent horse racing people. Her sister Kelly enjoyed a successful jockey career, and uncle, Kevin Meyers, is one of New Zealand’s best-known trainers. The injuries at Foxton will not have been the first sustained by the celebrated rider. Myers in 2017 broke her leg in an incident that took place at the starting gates during that year’s Wanganui jump-outs. 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The first half initially seemed to set the stage for a convincing New Zealand A win, but lucky for the national side, a fantastic third quarter paved the way for the eventual 59-44 victory in the opening game of the series played on Wednesday in Palmerston North. The series features the Silver Ferns, New Zealand A, the New Zealand Men, and also the New Zealand under-21 side – serving as a warmer-upper for the national side before taking on England in Hamilton next week. The stand-off against England will be decided by a three-test series format. The Ferns will without a doubt want to focus on correcting their slow start played in Wednesday night’s game against New Zealand ahead of the test against England. Initial hit-outs were very much a mixed bag of performances too – not to mention a general lack of teamwork and cohesiveness seen prevailing all throughout the first 30 minutes of the game. The Kiwi A side were obviously determined to make their mark – especially since their coach made a big deal out of emphasising the England selection door for next week’s series being far from shuttered. They certainly made a good go of it too, with New Zealand A leading from the front during the initial stages of the game. Both teams regularly rotated their players in view of the effective management of workloads spaced out across four games being played within as many days. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Crusaders and Hurricanes have entered into legal action opposite defunct ticket seller Ticket Rocket. The retailer owes the clubs a combined $341k. - Published: 2020-10-21 - Modified: 2020-10-21 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/rugby-franchises-owed-341k-by-ticket-seller/ New Zealand rugby clubs the Crusaders and the Hurricanes say they are owed a combined total of $341,000 in ticket sales by collapsed ticket seller Ticket Rocket. The clubs are now embroiled in separate legal battles with the defunct ticket retailer and have filed their respective claims at the High Court in Dunedin. The Crusaders are claiming an amount of $155,000 in unpaid sales earnings, and the Crusaders say they’re $186,000 in the ticket-sales red as a result of Ticket Rocket. The struggling Dunedin-based company, formerly known as TicketDirect, is being sued alongside parent company Fortress Information Systems Ltd. The Crusaders served their claim on Ticket Rocket earlier this year on June 26. The demand from the franchise is that the debt be repaid – failing which the club intends to proceed with an application to have the embattled ticket retailer declared liquidated. The initial agreements between the clubs and the retailer involved money generated from the sale of tickets to be held in a Trust account registered in the name of Ticket Rocket, before ultimately becoming due for forward payment to the franchises. The company not only failed to forward transmit the money due to the clubs but has in the meantime also declared itself unable to pay its outstanding debts. The company is a result of its failure and/or inability to pay now regarded insolvent. Since both claims are due to be heard by the High Court at Dunedin later this week, the franchises have as a result of legal restrictions not yet been at liberty to issue any comments to the media and public. 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The current understanding is that Phoenix are planning to complete the bulk of their preparations for the upcoming season in Australia. The recently announced relaxed cross-border restrictions will allow the squad to travel unhindered to New South Wales without having to spend any time bio-bubbled in isolation. They will however have to remain in New South Wales until such time as a two-way travel bubble is announced. The upcoming season will run for a period spanning 23 weeks, the FFA announced on Thursday. And since the final series is only expected to conclude in June, the Phoenix could face spending time away from home for more than six months. A particularly challenging prospect is the uncertainty surrounding the anticipated time frame regarding a trans-Tasman travel-bubble. And since flights, accommodation and even stadia will have to be booked well in advance, the Phoenix won’t likely be in a position to take advantage of the bubble any time soon after it does become operational. The likelihood of the Phoenix spending Christmas in Australia isn’t the worst of their problems, either. A series of player departures off the back of their loss to Perth Glory in the first round of the finals roughly eight weeks ago has left the team with a total of only 12 players contracted for next season. The minimum number of required players is 20. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand’s oldest surviving Test cricketer has died aged 92. John Reid played 58 phenomenal test caps for the Kiwis and is regarded a sporting great. - Published: 2020-10-16 - Modified: 2020-10-16 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/nz-cricketing-great-john-reid-has-died/ One of New Zealand’s finest cricket players ever to have played in the country’s history participating in the sport at international level, has died. New Zealand allrounder and the country’s oldest surviving Test cricketer, John Reid, died on Wednesday at his Auckland home. He was 92. His family did not disclose the cause of his death. A strong and forceful middle order batsman and a solid and dominating fast-medium bowler, Reid even excelled at keeping the wicket. In an era New Zealand shed much tears and blood trying to make its mark in the international arena, Reid soon emerged one of only a handful of world-class Kiwi Test players. Having risen to the top of his own domestic game very soon after the country first began playing tests, Reid would ultimately go on to dominate the domestic scene for very close to two decades. All throughout an impressive 58 test caps played for his country, he missed not even a single test before eventually stepping down from professional cricket in 1965. As skipper of the New Zealand national side, he led the country on an impressive total of 34 occasions. Reid’s only fault had been that of playing Test cricket for his country in the wrong era. Had his fate been to instead play for the national side in the era of One Day Internationals in the 1980s, he would have ranked among the likes of all-time cricketing greats Martin Crowe and Richard Hadlee. Born in Auckland and raised in Wellington, Reid will be laid to rest following a private memorial service to be held at Wellington’s Basin Reserve. 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Ratana, who worked and served as a Sergeant in Britain’s Police Force, coached the East Grinstead Rugby Club before the fatal shooting. He served as head coach of the club and has been doing so for the past 3 years. Ratana winning the award would represent to them a “fitting” tribute to the man they called their coach, the club has said of their nomination. Ratana’s impression on all who knew him had been enormous, said player Max Crawly-Moore following the BBC award-nomination. The impact he had on those around him was a combination of how players played and what was ultimately required of them in terms of progressing through the ranks – both mentally as well as physically, explained Crawly-Moore. The East Grinstead player added that the hope was that by receiving the BBC award, though posthumously, Ratana’s legacy would be made to live on in such a way as to benefit future generations of players passing through the club. The club has nominated their dearly departed coach for the Unsung Hero award, which award recognises those efforts made by volunteers making a difference to the quality of life of those hailing their own local resident communities. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Central districts star jockey Rosie Myers is in a coma in Wellington hospital. The Kiwi suffered a bad fall while competing in Tuesday’s Foxton trials. - Published: 2020-10-12 - Modified: 2020-10-12 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/jockey-rosie-myers-in-coma-after-fall/ A top central district racing jockey has been admitted to Wellington hospital and put in an induced coma after having suffered a bad fall in Foxton. Jockey Rosie Myers during Tuesday’s Foxton trials fell from her horse after it won an event. The fall is believed to have been caused by a blow sustained from a kick by a horse behind her. She was immediately following the incident airlifted to Wellington Hospital. According to Myers’ husband, William Fell, the horse ridden by his wife appeared to have become startled by something present on the track. The incident caused Myers to fall from the horse, and be trodden on the head by another horse that had come from behind and failed to swerve on time. According to Fell, though still in an induced coma, his wife appears to be stable and is currently undergoing the necessary and usual procedures following an event of this nature. According to Racing Integrity Unit General Manager Mike Godber, an inquiry has since been done and the report completed and handed to WorkSafe. A WorkSafe spokesperson has confirmed receipt of the report and said that the relevant people were now working on determining which steps will have to be followed next. Myers commenced her jockeying career back in 2006 and has since then ridden an impressive 650 winners. She has won several Group I events and is a three-time winner of the prestigious Thorndon Mile at Trentham. In 2018, she won the $1 million Karaka 3YO Classic. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > World Number 2 Rafael Nadal has secured an incredible 13th French Open semi-final at Roland Garros. He’s fast approaching Roger Federer’s men’s record. - Published: 2020-10-09 - Modified: 2020-10-09 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/rafa-through-to-13th-french-open-semi-final/ Well-loved tennis star Rafael Nadal has powered his way into a 13th semi-final to be played at Roland Garros as part of the French Open. This after the tennis super star successfully warded off an onslaught from 19-year-old Italian player Jannik Sinner in Wednesday’s quarter-final. Nadal didn’t seem too bothered with the fact that the match only finished far past midnight due to the weather conditions currently at play at the famous tennis court. The precarious current conditions are being created by the use of artificial lights allowing matches to be played well into the night. This year is the first year artificial lights are being used at the Grand Slam clay-court tournament. The star did however add that the cold conditions are in no way ideal and actually pose several risks to the human body. The quarter-final played between Nadal and Sinner only got underway at around 10:30 p. m. on Tuesday evening. The game was the last match scheduled for a day packed with matches to be played. The full schedule had been the result of the addition of a contest carried over from the previous day. The carried-over event could not continue as originally planned because of heavy rain. World Number 2 top seed Nadal has yet to lose a set in the French Open tournament. If Nadal does prove successful at reaching his goal of winning a 13th French Open and 20th Grand Slam title, he will have equalled Roger Federer’s current record for men’s tennis. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > NZR has welcomed government’s decision to bump Auckland to Alert Level 1. This means a second Bledisloe Cup played in front of fans at Eden Park. - Published: 2020-10-07 - Modified: 2020-10-07 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/nzr-elated-about-eden-park-keeping-bledisloe/ Government’s announcement that Auckland will graduate to Alert Level 1 this week has been a decision welcomed with open arms by New Zealand Rugby. Auckland moving to Alert Level 1 means the second Bledisloe Cup Test will next weekend by played at Eden Park. Had Auckland remained stuck at Alert Level 2, the upcoming Test would necessarily have had to be moved to Dunedin. Fans will be allowed to attend the second Bledisloe Cup Test now that it’s been secured for Eden Park. This, more than anything, is where the good news is at, said New Zealand Rugby General Manager Professional Rugby and Performance, Chris Lendrum, following the welcome announcement by government. A return to supporting in-person Test match rugby will be received as exceptionally positive news by supporters, pointed out Lendrum, and especially so since Auckland fans have missed out not only on last month’s game between the North and the South, but also on the match played between the Blues and the Crusaders. There now remain only two opportunities for fans to see their beloved All Blacks play at home for the remainder of this year. And since both matches will be played on Sunday afternoons, Lendrum said NZR feels sure that fans will greatly enjoy both events. Tickets for the second Bledisloe Cup Test are already on pre-sale, and according to Lendrum, are expected to sell out fast. New Zealand Rugby is encouraging fans eager to attend to get in fast in order to secure a place, urged the rugby GM. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Halfback Mitchell Drummond says he loves playing for Canterbury. But he would at the same time enjoy maybe one day playing for Tasman back home. - Published: 2020-10-05 - Modified: 2020-10-05 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/drummond-says-hes-open-to-a-tasman-future/ Mitchell Drummond may not be secretly harbouring plans to leave Canterbury any time soon, but that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t like to eventually return home to represent Tasman. The 26-year-old says even though he loves playing for Canterbury, he considers there to be time enough remaining in his career for returning home and playing back home in due course. The star halfback is now scheduled to earn his second blazer from Canterbury following 62 caps played for the club. Canterbury – unlike many other provincial rugby unions – award to players their first blazer after 12 matches, and their second only 50 matches after the first one earned. For this reason, being awarded for having played 62 matches is typically more meaningful to Canterbury players than to many others. Even though achieving milestones isn’t why he plays, says the world-class finishing halfback of his second blazer award, reaching certain goals in pro-rugby does to him symbolise something special – and mostly so because of the phenomenal teams he’s managed to be involved with since he first moved to Christchurch in 2013. Drummond has over the course of his 7 years playing for the union club won four titles. The player is however quick to add that the position Canterbury currently happens to find itself in is in no way ideal or what the players would have wanted. Currently ranked fifth in the premiership, the club runs a real risk of ending up lagging way behind for the second year in a row. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Former Samoa coach and Kiwi Pat Lam is the man behind Bristol’s run for the English Rugby Premiership playoffs. Monday’s game will reveal everything. - Published: 2020-10-02 - Modified: 2020-10-02 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/kiwi-coaches-bristol-to-brink-of-playoffs/ Kiwi Pat Lam has coached his Bristol Bears team right to the edge of a place in the English Rugby Premiership playoffs. The side’s 40-3 victory over the Leicester Tigers at their Ashton Gate home-field on Thursday (New Zealand time) sees them on points-par with Sale going into the upcoming final round. The six-try win over the tigers also had the helping hand of former All Black Steven Luatua in the captain’s position. But despite the stunning performance on Thursday, Lam says he’s convinced his squad will have to “be better” if they’re to reign victorious over London Irish on Monday. The job may be done in terms of the necessary points scored, explained the former All Blacks and Samoa player, but it’s far from over as far as raw and ruthless playing go. A good performance “here and there” simply won’t cut the mustard opposite London, said Lam. A definite challenge facing Bristol on Monday will be to properly control the tempo of the game. And it’s exactly this that seems to worry the Kiwi coach most of all. He didn’t seem at all impressed with the five passes dropped and nine balls lost in contact during Thursday’s stand-off and said that a stop-start style of play nearly always turns out bad when it’s Bristol making all the errors. Pat Lam joined the Bristol Bears in 2017 – shortly after coaching Connacht to a PRO12 title victory in 2016. Before that, the former Samoa head coach coached the Blues for a period of 3 years between 2009 and 2012. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > A renewed focus on her state of mental health has helped her to get through a tough year and improve her game. So says Black Fern Kendra Cocksedge. - Published: 2020-09-30 - Modified: 2020-09-30 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/black-fern-says-mental-health-upped-her-game/ Black Fern and world champion Kendra Cocksedge has credited a focus on mental health as the number one catalyst behind her improved performance on the field. A tough year, said Cocksedge, has made her even stronger than before. In addition to being a world class rugby player, Cocksedge is also a women’s rugby development manager for New Zealand Rugby – which is basically how she goes about earning her daily bread and butter. All of which meant that the uncertainty caused by the organisation’s recent restructure and the laying off of at least 25 per cent of its workforce created even more personal pressure for the star player. The 32-year-old during Mental Health Awareness week in New Zealand spoke of how she had initially assumed her job to be one of those on the line, and the stress resulting from that worry alongside her having to continue to meet her financial responsibilities. But since she was fortunate enough to have a gym set up at her home, Cocksedge said she ultimately channeled her stress about the future into keeping physically and mentally fit. Exercise, says the Black Fern, is what ultimately saved the day for her. Exercise and learning how to cope with not always having one’s ducks neatly lined up in a single row. Staying mentally fit, said Cocksedge, is every bit as important as staying physically fit – a truth she says she only recently experienced first-hand. Which she says has in turn led her to believe in the importance of balance and of putting one’s self first from time to time. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Tonga Rugby Union is facing financial devastation. The only way out of ruin is to sign an agreement alongside Tonga’s government and World Rugby. - Published: 2020-09-28 - Modified: 2020-09-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/tonga-rugby-union-facing-financial-ruin/ The Tonga Rugby Union is reportedly staring financial bankruptcy in the face. This following a World Rugby ultimatum the organisation is yet to adhere to by signing a tripartite agreement to work toward the same goals as the Tonga government and the global rugby governing body. If signed, the agreement will authorise an interim management group step in and take charge of the organisation until such time as the Union’s ongoing governance issues are resolved. And it’s a deadline that, if missed, will not have been missed for the first time either, said Pacific Rugby Players Chairman Hale T. Pole of the most recent agreement currently still left unsigned. Two similar deadlines were recently missed by the Union, explained Pole. When (or if) eventually signed by all parties, the agreement will constitute a tripartite agreement signed by the Tonga government, World Rugby, and the Tonga Rugby Union. The hope is that it will finally put an end to long-time internal governance disputes that have started to have a negative effect on local players, said Poke, who is a former ‘Ikale Tahi international. One of the biggest issues causing a divide with the organisation is the vice presidency of interim CEO Fe’ao Vunipola. The former test hooker was earlier this year accused of having prevented several members of attending the Union’s AGM by restricting physical access to the premises where the meeting had been about to take place. This allegedly in a sly attempt to ensure the voting in of his personally preferred candidate. 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And to make matters even worse than what they already are, inside government sources have now confirmed an unwillingness on the part of government to extend sport rescue funding to the country’s professional football sector. Instead, top flight now seems likely to have to foot the football bill. But the Premier League even before catching wind of government’s non-funding plans began criticizing the decision to renege on the allowing of fans at stadiums come early October – claiming that such a move will have dire and devastating consequences on clubs and communities. Especially lower league clubs now face going financially bust and even completely out of business. Several leading sports organisations have in the meantime called on government to step in and provide a much-needed lifeline to the industry, including Jockey Club chief executive Nevin Truesdale, who has reportedly pointed out that the industry asking for help is the same industry usually contributing up to £4 billion to the country’s economy each year. The problem with football aid is the fact that several clubs have this summer alone spent transfer market investments of up to £200 million in an attempt to procure the services of high-value players. This will not have gone unnoticed by government. And when all is said and done, the Premier League’s controversial insistence that clubs can accommodate crowds of spectators in a safe and responsible way, probably won’t be warming government decision-makers’ hearts. 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The two riders in custody for questioning have in the meantime been part-identified as a former Giro d’Italia champion and a Vuelta a Espana champion. Cycling body the UCI has now confirmed that it has been in contact with OCLAESP, which is a special public health unit set to work alongside the investigation currently underway by French judicial authorities. Arkea-Samsic team manager Emmanuel Hubert has in response to a wave of questions following the going public of the existence of the investigation said that the raid involved only a few riders and their immediate entourage – members of entourage apparently not employed by the cycling team. He did however add that even though the team fully supported its individual riders, it had no intention of tolerating any doping practices and will, if necessary, take the necessary measures needed to sever all links with parties found to have been guilty as charged. Marseille prosecutor Dominique Laurens was earlier this week quoted by members of the French press as having confirmed the discovery of several “health products”, which products reportedly included medicine stashed away in personal belongings. Of primary concern was reportedly the discovery of a “method” that could potentially qualify as being somehow connected to doping. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New allegations recently made must be instantly attended to by Canoe Racing, High Performance Sport NZ has said. Allegations of misconduct have been rife. - Published: 2020-09-21 - Modified: 2020-09-21 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/nz-sport-agency-reacts-to-fisher-departure/ Canoe Racing New Zealand has been top-ordered to make immediate work of addressing new allegations of a culture of mistreatment being at play within the organisation’s elite women’s squad. The order to investigate and address came directly from government agency and sports authority High Performance Sport NZ, which agency reportedly very recently met with out-bound national squad member Aimee Fisher regarding the reasons behind her decision to quit. High Performance Sport NZ boss Michael Scott wasted no time writing to Canoe Racing NZ CEO Tom Ashley, during which correspondence he apparently not only provided a detailed outline of the agency’s concerns over the information provided by Fisher and others, but also a list of clear expectations regarding how the various issues must be dealt with now as well as going forward. Scott’s sense of urgency and dissatisfaction should come as no surprise – especially given that Fisher is officially the sixth female athlete to leave the squad in a space of only eighteen months. All 6 women have cited bullying, manipulation, and even brazen intimidation as part of their reasons for leaving the Gordon Walker-headed squad. But despite the fact that the agency has all throughout been involved in all 5 previous departures, Scott has apparently described his meeting with Fisher as a revelation of facts “new to senior leadership”. Asley has in the meantime responded to concerns raised over the steps his organisation planned on taking in order to effectively comply with the government agency’s request, by pointing to the existence of Sport New Zealand’s Independent Complaints Mechanism. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > They’ve this year emerged one of the most tenacious rugby squads yet. Which is why lock Jazz Tevaga says the Warriors deserved a place in the finals. - Published: 2020-09-18 - Modified: 2020-09-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/warriors-deserved-more-from-2020-says-lock/ His team deserved a whole lot more from the season that what they ultimately ended up with, says homebound Warriors lock Jazz Tevaga. And certainly, in the very least a finals appearance. A 22-14 loss against the Sharks on the weekend was made all the more disappointing not only by all hopes of playing finals footy now flushed down the drain, but even more so by their improved performance over the past two months. Though happy to be preparing to return home, Tevaga’s disappointment over how the season played out for the Warriors is understandable – especially given the amount of time and effort put in by the club in turning a disappointing first half of season around into a comparatively strong finish. After all the team has been through, Tevaga said the hope had been to at least “sneak” into the remaining eight. But Tevaga says though disappointed, he’s at the same time also proud of how the players have held themselves together through some exceptionally trying circumstances. The current Warriors squad is an altogether different team to that at the beginning of the season, said the lock, and the end-result is that of the Warriors having come out stronger on the other end of what would otherwise have been a season practically wasted. As for Tevaga on a more personal level, 2020 has been a season that saw him establish himself as a first-choice lock for the Warriors. By now grown into a fearless defender, Tevaga has become the club’s No. 1 enforcer on the field. 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Okunbor, who played his first game back since the scandal during Canterbury’s Friday night loss against the Sea Eagles, says he feels true remorse over what had happened, and even blames himself for the Bulldogs’ poor start to the season as well as a $2 million club sponsorship loss. He says he’s now more keen than ever before to repay the franchise’s faith invested in him and to rebuild his tarnished reputation. Jayden Okunbor and former Canterbury teammate Corey Harawira-Naera were given the NRL boot mere days before the start of this year’s rugby season. This after they admitted to having had consensual sex with schoolgirls whilst staying at the team-hotel in Port Macquarie. While teammate Harawira-Naera has in the meantime been signed by the Raiders, Okunbor says he only ever wanted to return to play for Canterbury. He also admitted to having during the darkest of days decided for himself not to return to playing league rugby, even if he were to be permitted to return. Even so, said Okunbor, the minute the club said they wanted him to come back, he couldn’t help but jump at the opportunity. The appeal case that saw both players’ NRL de-registrations uplifted is considered to be the highest-profile legal win in an NRL appeals case to date. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Highlanders CEO Roger Clark isn’t making any secret of his preference of Tony Brown for head coach. He said not to consider Brown would be silly. - Published: 2020-09-14 - Modified: 2020-09-14 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/tony-brown-primed-for-highlanders-head-coach/ Highlanders chief executive Roger Clark says it would be “silly” for the team not to consider approaching Tony Brown to assume the role of new head coach. And since the number one priority now is to rope in the expertise of a world-class defense coach, there’s hardly a man better suited to replacing Aaron Mauger than Brown. Clark was quick to add that appointing Brown as possible returning head coach, along with support in the form of Clarke Dermody, is at this stage of the game no more than something he and the franchise are “talking” about. And since the Highlanders employ Brown, and not New Zealand Rugby, he would still be free to assist Jamie Joseph in Japan. Coaches employed directly by New Zealand Rugby aren’t permitted to coach another country’s national team – with Warren Gatland being the lone exception. But the team’s obvious interest in Brown aside, Clark said there doesn’t appear to be a lack of interest in the position at all. Since New Zealand is hard to beat in terms of being just about the safest place to live right now, Clark says he won’t have any trouble bringing back any of a number of Kiwi coaches scattered the world over. Even just Nathan Brown’s mere presence at the club has according to Clark been a recruitment drive all on its own – with Crusaders star Billy Harmon already signed to the squad from next year. And it’s all as simple as players finding it particularly reassuring when Tony Brown is the one talking to them. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The NRL isn’t completely fair in its overall treatment of the Warriors, says interim coach Tod Payten. A separate set of rules appears to apply. - Published: 2020-09-11 - Modified: 2020-09-11 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/tod-payten-says-warriors-treated-unfairly/ Outbound Warriors coach Tod Payten says he’s unhappy about how the club is treated by the NRL as opposed to how just about every other super league club is treated by the organisation. One rule applies to the Warriors, and an altogether different rule applies to the NRL’s Sydney clubs, said a clearly disgusted Payten earlier on this week. Payten’s frustration vent followed the sin-binning of Warriors player Jazz Tevaga during last weekend’s game against the Eels. Had Tevaga not been sin-binned, the club’s playoffs prospects would not now have been hanging by a threateningly thin threat. And that Payten would feel the way he says he does about the Tevaga debacle is understandable too – especially since NRL head of football Graham Annesley on Monday declared sin-binned Tevaga undeserving of having been ordered off the field. The importance of the Tevaga call within the context of the importance of the Warriors’ game against the Eels, said Payten on Wednesday, is what had since the weekend been the real cause behind his (Payten’s) frustration with the NRL. Had the same thing happened to a Sydney club, said the Warriors coach, a much “bigger deal” would have been made of the incident in the media. Which is precisely why Paten says he gets the distinct feeling that since the unfortunate call had been made at the expense of the Warriors, it also proved a great deal easier to shake off and simply forget. Though unsure of what a solution to the problem would look like, Payten said he believed a good starting point would be that of holding match officials accountable for the repeated making of mistakes. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > He’s looking forward to moving his family to Auckland, says incoming Warriors coach Nathan Brown. But also that it probably won’t happen in 2021. - Published: 2020-09-09 - Modified: 2020-09-09 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/nathan-brown-says-auckland-move-unlikely/ Newly appointed Warriors coach Nathan Brown says he’s very much looking forward to relocating to Auckland. But also, that he’s doubtful of whether this will prove practical as far as the 2021 season is concerned. At this particular point in time the Warriors appear poised to stay put on the NSW Central Coast – a temporary home the team has been occupying since the delayed start of the current season. Such an eventuality will become a definite reality in the event of current trans-Tasman travel restrictions remaining in place. At this stage of the proceedings, nothing at all appears to be completely off the table, said Brown of the possibilities currently being weighed up by the franchise. The current indication appears to be that of the team being off to New Zealand, said the recently signed Brown, but nothing is for sure as of yet. Even so, concluded the former Newcastle coach, and all things taken into consideration, the ultimate goal is for him to eventually move his family to Auckland. Brown previously spent terms coaching Super League clubs Huddersfield and St. Helens, as well as St. George Illawarra. His most recent stint was with Newcastle. Initially led into coaching by a life-threatening neck injury back in 2001, the incoming Warriors coach recently opened up about the incident that nearly ended his ability to walk – let alone play or coach rugby. Brown describes the memory of for at least 5 minutes following the incident having been completely unable to move, as the stuff of which nightmares are made. The fact that he was eventually able to walk again, said Brown, is according to a top Australian neurosurgeon, nothing short of a miracle. 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When asked during an interview with a major sports broadcaster whether he considered institutional racism to be alive and thriving at the Yorkshire club, Rafiq responded by saying that not only is it alive, but in actual fact, worse that what it’s ever been. Made to feel like an outsider because of his faith and nationality, Rafiq says he “knows” how close he had come to committing suicide during his time playing for the controversial English club. Rafiq played for Yorkshire from 2009 up until 2017. According to Yorkshire chairman Roger Hutton, who confirmed the information as such via an official team statement, the club has now taken the decision to engage in a formal investigation of those allegations made by Rafiq during the damning interview. Once the basic outline of the course of procession the investigation is about to take has been finalised, said Hutton, investigators will proceed by approaching “impartial” and “external” parties to testify and provide input – this so as to ensure a completely transparent and unbiased outcome. England skipper Eoin Morgan has however responded to Rafiq’s on-air allegations by declaring himself surprised by the former cricketers account of the events. His surprise, said Morgan, is in particular the result of the diverse variety of players he led to last year’s Cricket World Cup win. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Despite a reasonable recovery by the Highlanders, the franchise has decided to dump head coach Aaron Mauger. A new coach has not yet been earmarked. - Published: 2020-09-04 - Modified: 2020-09-04 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/highlanders-show-aaron-mauger-the-door/ Departing head coach Aaron Mauger’s recently confirmed Highlanders marching order is probably a case of too little, too late. Despite the franchise having gotten off to a pretty slow 2020 start, they did manage to improve quite significantly by the time they headed into Super Rugby Aotearoa. Even so, as Mauger himself so eloquently puts it in his exit-statement, quality always shows in results – also known as the proof being in the pudding. There remains a bit of time left on the clock for a final decision to be made regarding a revamped 2021 coaching structure, responded Highlanders CEO Roger Clark to questions surrounding the search for a new head coach. And it’s not as if the squad is being left hanging out to dry by the decision to show Mauger the way out. They still have the likes of contracted coaches Toney Brown, Riki Flutey, and Clarke Dermody to rely on in the meantime. The immediate order of business will now be a process of reviewing the club’s current coaching structure, said Clark. Alluding to the fact that more than one coaching addition may be in the offing, Clark said that the “who” and the “how many” of the matter will all depend on the team’s “desire” to get its future coaching group right. Clark also thanked the departing head coach for his efforts in terms of progress made with the development and overall improvement of the players. He (Aaron Mauger) can be proud of all he has achieved during his 3 years coaching the club, said the chief executive. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Warriors interim-coach Todd Payten’s upcoming departure will not go unnoticed, says Chanel Harris-Tavita. Payten has accepted a role with the Cowboys. - Published: 2020-09-02 - Modified: 2020-09-02 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/payten-will-be-missed-says-warriors-star/ Warriors halfback Chanel Harris-Tavita, on the topic of Todd Payten’s planned end-of-season departure, says it will be a sad day for him to see the back of the interim coach. And given the impact that Payten has nearly singlehandedly had on the team’s morale and performance, Harris Tavita most likely speaks not only for himself but also on behalf of the rest of the squad. But a loss for camp Warriors will no doubt be a win for the Cowboys, who are expected to be imminently announced as being on the receiving end of the Payten-deal. Even though Payten is officially under a Warriors contract for the duration of 2021, the franchise isn’t expected to hold him to the terms of the initial deal. Ever since Payten last month announced his having turned down a job offered to him by the franchise, his name has been one to repeatedly come up in coaches-high-in-demand circles. And coupled with the fact that he has since then led the Warriors to four wins out of a total of five games played, the 3-year offer from the Cowboys really didn’t take anyone by surprise – least of all his current team But even though sad to see Payten head out at the end of the current season, Harris Tavita said they’re all very happy for Toddy. He deserves a successful and happy future, said the star halfback, and even more so when considering his having performed a super and tremendous job for the boys ever since he first assumed the role of team coach. 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RITA was established to manage the transition of the country’s horse racing industry to a new governance model. The transition period occurred in two stages. The first stage of the legislative process was implemented on the 1st of July 2019 saw the Racing Reform Act implemented and RITA established as the successor for NZRB. At this point a new consumption tax was also set up to be levied on offshore bookmakers. In December 2019 the second phase, which included the filing of the Racing Industry Bill, was actioned and the new legislature was passed in July of this year. Although this was supposed to happen in June, the process was delayed by a month due to the ongoing worldwide pandemic. The new bill finally dissolved RITA, allowing TAB New Zealand to step in as the sole licensed gaming operator in New Zealand. The racing bill reforms were led by Racing Minister Winston Peters. TAB New Zealand is responsible for maximising profits of the island nation’s horse racing industry. The body will also be held accountable for the fair running of the sport and for preventing underage gambling and reducing problem betting. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Dylan Hartley isn’t the “hard” player put forward in his autobiography, says ex-England test prop Jeff Probyn. Instead, he’s a man who resorts to violence. - Published: 2020-08-28 - Modified: 2020-08-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/jeff-probyn-says-hartley-memoire-is-a-sham/ Contrary to popular opinion, so says ex-England test prop Jeff Probyn, New Zealand-born Dylan Hartley wasn’t a true hard player while playing for the British side, but instead, a man who often resorted to committing acts of violence in an attempt to dominate and overrun rival players. Hartley, who previously played hooker for England, recently released his autobiography – a memoire now described by Probyn as being nothing more than a sham. Hartley’s autobiography, “The Hurt”, may have some interesting views, but at the same time also reveals nothing not already widely known, writes Probyn in a recent article for a prominent rugby publication. What Hartley is trying to do by publishing a book, so opines the former England test prop, is to justify a career prematurely terminated by injuries and suspensions. Probyn, who previously helped suspend Hartley following an eye-gouging incident, during his own career won an impressive total of 37 England caps over the course of the 6 years he played for the national side. There isn’t anything “hard” about committing vicious and deliberate acts of violence to players unable to defend themselves while in a maul or other compromised position, explained Probyn. And the fact that even Hartley’s own colleagues had following the mentioned eye-gauging incident called for a lengthy ban, said Probyn, should be indication enough of what even his fellow players thought of his character. Hartley at the age of only 15 left New Zealand for England, where he would eventually go on to finish his schooling before launching his professional rugby career playing for Worcester in 2005. 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Since golfers only ever consider resorting to putters when near on or in immediate visual range of the green, 36-year-old Koehnke would not even have considered trying to play the hole with anything else other than an iron. But since Oregon caddie Graham Banks had noticed some hesitance about the demeanor of his young rookie golfer-for-the-day, he made an impromptu suggestion that Koehnke try using her putter instead – reasoning that keeping the ball slow and low by using her putter, would be preferable to going in fast and hard with one of her irons. And all the more a good idea since the hole-in-one sunk by the rookie was to be landed on prestigious Oregon golf course Sheep Ranch’s par-3 16th hole – one that just so happens to be located right at the edge of a plummeting coast-side cliff. Koehnke during an interview with golf’s number one global digest magazine refused to accept all of the credit for the shot, saying that it had been a team effort. Caddie Graham Banks was after all the mastermind behind the genius shot, pointed out a still-stunned Allison Koehnke. Best of all is that the entire performance was captured on video by Koehnke’s husband Drew. And so, for a welcome change, everyone can be sure that this particular unusual variety of fish was an actual catch of the day! TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Veteran baseball broadcaster Thom Brenneman has been suspended by the Reds over an anti-gay comment made on-air. Brenneman has since apologised. - Published: 2020-08-21 - Modified: 2020-08-21 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/sports-broadcaster-booted-over-anti-gay-slur/ Veteran Fox Sports and Cincinnati Reds sports broadcaster and baseball enthusiast Thom Brennaman has been suspended by his team for having on Thursday (New Zealand time) used a homophonic slur during a live on-air broadcast. It now appears as if Brennaman had been unaware that Fox Sports Ohio had already come out of a commercial break when he was heard uttering an on-air comment along the lines of Kansas City being one of the f_ _ capitals of the world. He immediately after launched head-on into reading a promotion for a Fox Sports pre-game sure, apparently none the wiser that his comment had just been live broadcast to hundreds of thousands of listeners and local fans. The Cincinnati Reds have in the meantime issued a formal apology to the LGBTQ+ community all across Kansas, Cincinnati, and the U. S. , describing the franchise to be mortified by the horrific nature of Brennaman’s careless remark. The team added that it embraced a zero-tolerance policy regarding discriminatory or biased actions and words of any kind and confirmed that Brenneman has been effectively suspended from doing any further Reds broadcasts. Brenneman later on Thursday evening issued an on-air apology of his own, saying how sorry he was having made such a careless remark – especially since according to the veteran broadcaster, he regarded himself to be a “man of faith”. The 56-year-old veteran broadcaster was immediately following the remark pulled from air and will by his own admission probably not be returning to take up a Reds headset any time soon. 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He then quickly added that he desired that no penalty be imposed on Proctor. A debate quickly ensued around whether or not the Titans captain had actually sunk his teeth into Shaun Johnson’s arm, or whether it had merely been a case of Johnson’s arm having pressed down into Proctor’s mouth because of a physical struggle. And it’s a debate that’s been raging ever since the incident – with Johnson all throughout refusing to comment any further. The first time Johnson saw any use in clearing up the confusion around the supposed bite was on Tuesday - mere hours before Proctor was to face a hearing following the incident. He did so by posting a short statement to his Instagram account, during which he made sure to emphasise the fact that what he had written should not be confused with his having issued any form of apology. The only clarity provided by Johnson’s post is an indication of either his dishonesty in an attempt to cost his team-mate and opposing team the match, or a peculiar uncertainty over whether or not he was actually bitten. If found guilty of biting during the mentioned hearing, Kevin Proctor could face a ban of up to eight weeks, which ban would of course end his current NRL season. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Conor McGregor may want to return to the octagon sometime this year, but according to Dana White, this won’t be happening. At least not in 2020. - Published: 2020-08-17 - Modified: 2020-08-17 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/ufc/white-says-mcgregor-wont-fight-this-year/ Irish MMA megastar and beloved UFC bad-boy Conor McGregor won’t be emerging out of his supposed retirement any time soon – at least not in 2020. This according to UFC president Dana White in response to McGregor’s recent hinting at returning to the octagon for a potential stand-off with boxing legend Manny Pacquiao. McGregor in January made 40 seconds’ worth of quick-fire work knocking out Donald Cerrone and announced his retirement from the ring shortly after. And it’s a retirement “decision” that will be fully honoured, said White, at least as far as 2020 is concerned. White recently on a popular sports opinion podcast discussed rumours of a possible coming out of retirement for McGregor, and though open to the possibility of the Irishman returning to the octagon to fight in 2021, he seemed determined to keep the MMA star from even getting remotely close for the remainder of the current year. In addition to his having hinted heavily and shamelessly at being granted a go at challenging Pacquiao, McGregor obviously has his sites set firmly on dethroning the likes of Nate Diaz too. The hot-headed Irish fighter’s future has been everything but organised ever since he landed a multi-million payday as a result of his money-fight opposite Floyd Mayweather back in 2017. No longer hard-pressed to do whatever necessary to carve out a comfortable living, McGregor seems to be under the impression that he now gets to call the shots at White’s UFC – even to the point of his having previously pulled a few stunts trying to manipulate White into offering him shares. 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The organisation is reportedly now awaiting further guidance regarding how to proceed with finals day. Netball NZ recently ordered all six competing teams to cease training with immediate effect. This as a result of Auckland-based sides having had to call a halt on all training sessions and assemblies under the Wednesday-implemented Level 3 restrictions. The remaining matches, which would have been played over the course of a week, were scheduled for Wellington, Auckland, and Dunedin. And since the last and final round would have had no bearing at all on the placings for the finals series scheduled to take place on August 23, the finals event should be in a position to go ahead as planned. New Zealand Netball’s decision to draw a line through the 5 remaining matches is according to the outgoing Pulse coach the reflection of an organisation desiring to be fair and just towards all of its players. The team, stressed McCausland-Durie, shouldn’t have any real issues adapting to the sudden change of plan, since they’re according to the coach by now quite used to having to deal with unexpected turns of events. The focus for now, concluded McCausland-Durie, will simply be on helping players stay motivated in their own personal conditioning to be done in their own personal space. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > There isn’t any place for “diluted” rugby to be played in Super Rugby Aotearoa. This according to format-supporting Highlanders coach Tony Brown. - Published: 2020-08-12 - Modified: 2020-08-12 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/tony-brown-lauds-super-rugby-aotearoa-format/ Highlanders coach Tony Brown, who is widely regarded as being one of the best coaches in the world of Super Rugby today, has warned against what he refers to as teams falling into the habit of playing diluted rugby. Brown issued his stern warning as part of his commentary delivered regarding Super Rugby Aotearoa having provided a template of sorts for New Zealand Rugby as it sets a new course for the 2021 season and beyond. While hesitant to refer to anything in particular, the Highlanders coach made mention of the tough format and progression of Super Rugby Aotearoa, saying that the fact that it often takes players several days to “recover” from a single game played, doesn’t seem to deter the overall enthusiasm. Also, added Brown, the popularity of the competition very much reflects New Zealanders’ appetite for an intense and close sort of contest. And Brown’s is very much a point of view shared by a man who, if anyone, would be well within his rights to complain about the physical severity of the competition. Highlanders flanker Dillon Hunt does after all lead the competition stats for most tackles successfully made. And yet, according to the star flanker from North Harbour, even though this year’s matches have been more physically demanding than those played in previous years, with matches closely resembling the typical strain of a test match, the load has been right. This, according to Hunt, comes down to a balancing act between getting things right during the week, and performing well on weekends. Which is, if anything, a Super Rugby recipe for success. 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Lauber, appointed in the position of Swiss Attorney General in 2012, offered to resign from his post roughly two weeks ago after a Swiss court ruled that he had tried to cover up a covert meeting held with Infantino in June 2017. The court furthermore found that he had lied to supervisors and investigators regarding probes conducted into allegations of corruption brought against FIFA during that same year. Lauber, now 54, is vehemently denying all allegations pertaining to his having lied about meetings held with Infantino. FIFA has on its part pledged its full cooperation with the re-opened investigation, with Infantino having joined the organisation in its promise to assist authorities in investigating the “wrongdoings” of the past. Infantino now faces criminal charges based on special prosecutor Keller’s findings. The entire drama revolves around a trilogy of meetings held between the now-resigned former Swiss AG and the FIFA president. Keller, who also serves as a regional court judge, has confirmed having unearthed certain elements indicating reprehensible behaviour. Possible infractions named by Keller include the abuse of public office, a breach of secrecy, the offering of assistance to (criminal) offenders, and being an accomplice and/or incitement to criminal activities. If found guilty and convicted, Infantino could face spending up to an average of anywhere between 3 and 5 years per charge behind Swiss federal prison bars. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Peter Miskimmin has handed his resignation in. The manager and CEO of Sport New Zealand has extended his stay due to COVID-19 and now leaves in December. - Published: 2020-08-07 - Modified: 2020-08-07 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/sport-nz-ceo-peter-miskimmin-resigns/ Veteran manager and long-time CEO of Sport New Zealand Peter Miskimmin has resigned. Miskimmin, who first stepped into the role of CEO of Sport New Zealand back in 2008, has explained his decision to step down in December, instead of earlier on in the Spring, as a sense of responsibility to the country and to sport during a particularly trying time for sport the entire world over. The exiting CEO during the announcement spoke of how proud he is of all that Sport NZ has managed to achieve in the 12 years since he first sat down in the executive hot seat. Not only is New Zealand playing a leading role piloting rugby’s global response to the ongoing health crisis, said Miskimmin, but the country – with Sport NZ at the forefront of everything that has been happening in sport – is also effectively addressing the worrying decline in young-player participation numbers. Miskimmin continued by saying that on a personal and professional level, he is absolutely indebted to the people and to the government of New Zealand. And it’s this very show of unfailing support that Miskimmin says he believes will be the driver behind New Zealand continuing to play the number one leading role in rebuilding sport and rebuilding the sector. Sport New Zealand chair Bill Moran has in the meantime confirmed that the organisation will soon begin the search for a replacement for Miskimmin. The recruitment process will be conducted locally as well as internationally, said Moran. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Canes fan-favourite Julian Savea is back where he wants to be, which is training with his beloved team. He now hopes to secure a 2021 Super Rugby contract. - Published: 2020-08-05 - Modified: 2020-08-05 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/savea-hoping-for-a-2021-super-rugby-deal/ Hurricanes star Julian Savea says he has every intention of pocketing a Super Rugby contract for 2021. The fan-favourite was recently welcomed back into camp Hurricanes after a two-year-run playing for Toulon in France. Savea rejoined his beloved team at training camp at Rugby League Park in Wellington on Monday. Even so, said the popular player of his hope of a 2021 return, since the decision isn’t in his own hands, it now remains a game of wait-and-see. The best thing to be done right now, said Savea, is to simply put his best food forward while showing his coaches everything left remaining in him in terms of potential. Right now, Savea says he’s relishing being back with his “brothers”, including real-life brother Ardie Savea. The former All Blacks player made his return to camp Hurricanes in the form of a late addition to the current season prompted by the departure of winger Ben Lam. But failing to play for the Hurricanes in 2021, Savea says he’s at least able to look forward to playing at club level. He’s eager to get stuck back into training and playing, said Savea, no matter whether for the Hurricanes or for a local New Zealand club. Savea already made contact with his former team’s management some three months ago, which would have been immediately following his return from France. But it would be Lam’s departure that would eventually see him rejoin the Canes. The Hurricanes is the franchise that first launched Julian Savea’s professional rugby career, and so it should come as no surprise that the player keeps on gravitating back “home”. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Taihape’s Memorial Park Grandstand is a sports stand of historical value and one deserving of preservation. So say members of the Taihape Heritage Group. - Published: 2020-08-03 - Modified: 2020-08-03 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/petition-signed-to-save-rugby-grandstand/ Sport, and certainly also in particular the 96-year-old Taihape Memorial grandstand, means a great deal to members of the Taihape community. Which is why Taihape’s Heritage Group on Thursday brought a petition before the local Rangitikei District Council, requesting that the grandstand be restored to full functionality. New and upgraded facilities planned for the beloved grandstand include a single-story restroom, including a shower, toilet, and changing block. These are according to existing plans to be erected near the southern end of the age-old rugby field. The petition however argues that to erect a separate modern ablution block away from the grandstand will only leave the historical building to wane away completely. The heritage group is requesting that the new facilities be erected under the original seating area of the stand instead. Since there clearly aren’t funds sufficient enough to renovate the grandstand and build a new separate ablution block, the best possible way forward would be to incorporate the two, says Taihape Heritage Group representative Geoff Duncan. Since the grounds are regularly used all throughout the year for matches as well as middle of the week practice sessions, Duncan and the group believe grandstand to be deserving of restoration. The existing structure in its current format can easily accommodate a large shower are, at least six changing rooms and toilets, ample space for storage, a catering area, and a couple of medical rooms. Not only does the old stand provide to local people a sense of community around sport, but the building is also regarded to be of key historical value. 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Katoa, who is from Tonga, and Ravutaumada, a Fiji national, have been informed that since neither of them are citizens of New Zealand, they will according to the latest global health crisis guidelines instituted by local government, not be permitted to re-enter the country due to rising public health concerns. Barring a handful of exceptions, only permanent residents of New Zealand are currently permitted to pass through the country’s borders. Ardern explained the predicament inasmuch as it relates to the two players as that of anyone travelling on a visa no longer being automatically permitted to travel in and out of the country, unless said cross-border travel can be linked directly to the “wider well-being” of the country and its permanent citizens. This pretty much constitutes the type of logic followed with the America’s Cup. The American and British teams were both granted the freedom of movement in order to come to New Zealand to compete, since the event holds multiple financial benefits for the country. The expectation is that the same leeway will be granted to Italy. Both players attended school in New Zealand and have been living in the country from a relatively young age. The PM has in the meantime referred to the issue now surrounding the two as unfortunate, unusual and complex. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > A group of kind individuals made a disabled Crusaders fan’s ultimate dream come true this past weekend. Levi Aplin finally got to watch his heroes play. - Published: 2020-07-29 - Modified: 2020-07-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/disabled-crusaders-fan-meets-his-heroes/ A young disabled Crusaders fan is thanks to the generosity of his community experiencing his biggest dream come true. 14-year-old Levi Aplin may live in Hurricanes-country, but that doesn’t mean he’s any less passionate about his ultimate team, the Crusaders. And thanks to the generosity of others, young Levi last weekend lived his own personal aspiration when he got to watch his beloved Crusaders play on their home turf. Levi does not know how much time he has left in the land of the living, but he surely forgot about all of his personal challenges when he finally got to see his heroes play. The young boy’s dream came true thanks to the good work of several organisations and individuals in Wairarapa, who had joint hands and resources in order to create the trip for Levi and his siblings to visit the South Island to watch his favourite team take on the Hurricanes in their mind-blowing Super Rugby Aotearoa match. Levi is disabled from having been born with the rare life-shortening genetic disorder Coffin-Siris syndrome. His condition presents the young boy with several challenges, including dwarfism, abnormalities of the heart, and autism. To make matters even more difficult for the young super-fan, he was recently also diagnosed with end-state kidney disease. Now requiring daily dialysis in order to stay alive, Levi Aplin battles a daily fight between life and death. The road trip to Christchurch may not have saved his physical life, but it certainly did warm the young fan’s heart no end. Not only did Levi get to see his heroes play on the actual field, but he also got to enjoy a special meet-and-greet organised by a Crusaders member of staff. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Aussie women’s cricket skipper Meg Lanning says she’s worried that not all teams will have equal opportunity to prepare for next year’s Cricket World Cup. - Published: 2020-07-27 - Modified: 2020-07-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/meg-lanning-worried-about-prep-opportunities/ Aussie women’s cricket captain Meg Lanning says she’s concerned about the trajectory and momentum noticeable around the preparation of teams in view of next year’s 2021 Women’s World Cup. Although a final call has not yet been made on the matter, the event is currently still scheduled to go ahead as planned according to the original calendar as announced by the ICC. Lanning has however repeatedly expressed feeling seriously concerned over not enough women’s cricket being played in the face of a World Cup inching ever closer and closer still. Whether or not every team about to compete in the competition will by next year have had equal opportunity to adequately prepare is according to Lanning something the ICC will have to seriously consider and weigh up against the bigger World Cup picture. There even at this late stage of the proceedings remain several teams yet to go through the official qualifying process – all of which doesn’t bode well in relation to Lanning’s concerns. As things stand at the moment, there presently remain 3 spots open and up for the taking. The battle for the 3 open spots will be fought between Ireland, Pakistan, the West Indies, Thailand, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, the USA, Netherlands, and Papa New Guinea. The only women’s cricket currently available on the calendar are India’s tour of Australia in January, and Australia and New Zealand’s upcoming showdown towards the end of September. Lanning’s concerns over whether full equality and fairness will reign next year, are therefore more than reasonable. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Midfielder Callum McCowatt may be young, but that certainly doesn’t mean he isn’t able to make it rain. McCowatt made a star assist against Glory. - Published: 2020-07-24 - Modified: 2020-07-24 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/callum-mccowatt-makes-glory-goal-happen/ Phoenix midfielder Callum McCowatt is the reason why Wellington Phoenix is well on track for a top-two finish for the season. Callum recently almost single-handedly set up the opening goal scored by Gary Hooper in the game opposite Perth Glory. The impressive bounce-back saw a stunning and break-out performance by the young Kiwi midfielder, and one likely to get him noticed all over again. The Wednesday-night 2-1 victory at Bankwest Stadium in Parramatta saw Phoenix climb all the way to a single-point separator between it and current second-place occupant Melbourne City – which is a definite one-up when compared to the club’s previously-stated goal of finishing among the top 6 for the season. And pushing for “that second spot”, says Phoenix coach Ufuk Talay, is exactly what the team will from now on out be focusing on. Phoenix should, if anything, be commended for what turned out to be a superior-style systematic and composed approach on Wednesday night. And it’s an approach that paid off in the best way possible when McCowatt and Hooper in the 32nd minute of the game joined forces and made the game’s opening game happen in favour of Phoenix. What made McCowatt’s part played in the magnificent goal all the more noteworthy is that he himself could very well have taken a chance on gunning for a spot on the scoresheet himself. He however put his short somewhat at risk after a poor response to a cut-back pass from Liberato Cacace. Even so, he had held nothing back in passing on the glory to his fellow team-mate. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Aaron Smith says while he realises the importance of a Pacific Islands inclusion in rugby’s new competition, it won’t be the same without South Africa. - Published: 2020-07-22 - Modified: 2020-07-22 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/smith-says-rugby-poorer-without-springboks/ Star All Blacks player Aaron Smith has described a “new competition” without South Africa’s Springboks to be a bittersweet moment in the offing. The All Blacks and Highlanders halfback described South Africa being left out of the competition as sweet because of the country’s exclusion leaving open a potential spot for a team from the Pacific Islands. But he also says that the moment is essentially bitter because of his regard for South Africa as a strength-inducing country to tour when playing world rugby. Smith spoke about his love for touring South Africa right ahead of New Zealand Rugby’s Friday-announcement regarding its intentions of setting up a competition tournament without the legendary Boks in the format equation. Playing in South Africa, said Smith, was a special experience and something to be treasured each and every time the team toured the beautiful country. A huge part of why Smith finds South Africa to be so special is the country’s role played in introducing him, a “small town kid”, to animals such as lions and elephants. There’s a certain “tightness” to be had from touring South Africa, said Smith. Aside from teaching him about the beauty of South Africa’s animal life, Smith says the Republic is a country that knows just how to do rugby “right”. A combination of huge stadiums, playing a dry ball, and even playing at a time of day that sees players finishing up a game with the light of day only just turning dark, is according the star All Black all reasons for why he fell in love with South Africa and South African rugby. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > England rugby coach Eddie Jones says his having agreed to a pay cut is nothing out of the ordinary. Many others have made bigger sacrifices, says Jones. - Published: 2020-07-20 - Modified: 2020-07-20 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/eddie-jones-says-pay-cut-is-no-grand-gesture/ Ever a study in gentlemanly modesty and perfect decency, English rugby head coach Eddie Jones has dismissed words of praise following his having agreed to take a 25% pay cut to his annual $1. 34 million pay parcel. It was no “grand gesture”, said a slightly embarrassed Jones as he tried to play down the gesture of selfless goodwill during an interview with RugbyPass. What he had agreed to do was completely in line with what so many others had done and remain willing to do for the sport and for society, said Jones. He dismissed the notion of his having made any sort of grand sacrifice, saying that many others had done a great deal more than he; had sacrificed much more than he. Making sacrifices is sometimes necessary, said Jones. Jones also killed off speculations about whether he had been willing to agree to a massive pay cut because of his intention to work in the NRL, which would effectively mean his leaving England behind. He had no intentions of applying for the Bulldogs job, said Jones. Instead, his focus is 100% on England until 2023 – i. e. the next Rugby World Cup. Jones does however describe himself to be a “mad-keen” rugby league fan even today, having grown up alongside the Ella brothers while closely following the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Not to mention that player agent Matt Desira has revealed having held discussions over a possible future with Jones coaching the Bulldogs. Some of Jones’ friends have even described rugby league as an “itch” Jones is positively dying to “scratch”. 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The official reason provided was that of New Zealand having proved ultra-successful at containing within its own borders the ongoing global health crisis. Government officials have in the meantime alluded strongly to government being in support of the suggestion made by Sanzaar. The officials in question did however stress the fact that in order for a New Zealand-competition to come full circle, government and Sanzaar would first have to agree on specific safety precautions so as to avoid an influx of outside-infections. Facilities large and capable enough to safely host scores of players at any given time would have to first be identified and made available, said Sport and Recreation minister Grant Robertson. Health Minister Chris Hipkins has in the meantime added his voice to the mix by making it clear that the country will not be footing any bills related to the costs of foreign teams being in quarantine in the country for extended periods of time. Each team would have to pay its own quarantine-way, said Hipkins. It isn’t yet clear whether Australia would qualify as a backup alternative to host the competition should New Zealand for whatever reason become unable to do so. Full crowds have however been permitted to attend at Super Rugby Aotearoa matches – and without even as much as a single hiccup. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Former All Blacks midfielder and World Cup player Richard Kahui has been signed by the Western Force. Kahui played for Japanese club Toshiba for 7 years. - Published: 2020-07-15 - Modified: 2020-07-15 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/richard-kahui-signed-by-the-western-force/ Former All Blacks player Richard Kahui has been signed by the Western Force to play in the Aussie edition of an overhauled Super Rugby competition. The 35-year-old midfielder and World Cup star will return to Super Rugby from the latter end of having spent 7 years playing for Japanese Top League club Toshiba and is considered a strong contender for the sport yet. The former All Blacks midfielder spent 18 tests playing for New Zealand’s national team, which time included representing his country in the 2011 Rugby World Cup, which was of course the year New Zealand secured a final in over the French in Auckland. Kahui also played for the Chiefs during their 2012 Super Rugby star-victory campaign. Kahui is to Western Force worth his weight in gold in terms of sheer experience and is considered by Western Force Head of Rugby Matt Hodgson, to be a bringer of a “wealth” of experience to the club. Hodgson referred specifically to Kahui’s professional demeanour and abilities on the defence, saying that the team is excited about the prospect of seeing the newest signee running on the field in the blue and black. But the former midfielder is worth even more tot the team than his abilities on the field, said Hodgson. He has a professionalism and winning mentality about him that is according to the Western Forces boss, exceptionally hard to find. Kahui comes stocked with 68 Super Rugby caps and several international and domestic credits to his name. 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They are Wayne Bennett (Rabbitohs), Nathan Brown (formerly with the Knights), Storm assistant Jason Ryles, Shaun Wane (former England coach), and last but by no means least, current interim Warriors head coach Todd Payten. The panel in charge of the selection process is made up of Warriors chief executive officer Cameron George, Warriors franchise team owner Mark Robinson, chairman Rob Croot, and long-time club associate Simon Mannering. Brown is a firm favourite in the books of many; not only because of his intense involvement with the team this year, but also, and perhaps more prominently so, because of the fact that the very same Nathan Brown had been the coach to lead the Dragons to no fewer than four National Rugby League finals. Wayne Bennett is obviously the only other active NRL name on the head coaches shortlist. But according to another report ran by the Daily Telegraph not too long ago, Bennett told the Daily he harboured no hopes in terms of being picked, and if approached at all, that he would not accept the invitation. In fact, Bennett was quoted as saying that he’s answer would be nothing less resolute than a “straight no”. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > NZ’s pro women athletes are leading the global sports community toward recovery. New Zealand women have shown themselves tenacious and resolved to succeed. - Published: 2020-07-10 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/nz-womens-sport-leads-the-way/ NZ Women’s Sport Leads The Way While it’s certainly true that all sports have been hard hit by a global health crisis the likes of which the modern world hasn’t yet seen, women’s sport has been made to deal with a particularly raw end of the deal. But surprisingly enough, it’s also women’s sport – and in particular women’s sport in New Zealand - that can be seen stepping up to the challenge of leading the way ahead of the rest of the world. Barely 10 weeks back in play, the country’s winter codes have fully resumed play at club level. Also, several elite women’s competitions are either currently underway, or officially calendar booked. This, says Rachel Froggatt, CEO of Women in Sport Aotearoa, is what makes of New Zealand a “unique outlier” in global women’s sport. Another interesting dynamic, and one according to Froggatt absolutely unique to New Zealand, is that men’s sport is purposefully creating a space in which women’s sport is able to recover, be restored, and even grow. What this means is that New Zealand’s sports women are now perfectly positioned to walk ahead of the rest of world and lead others in a spirit of leadership. All eyes are already on New Zealand women’s sport as it is, continued Froggatt. This should come as no surprise, as a stunning total of three World Cups will be hosted in New Zealand over the coming three years. What’s more, the International Working Group on Women and Sport will be based in New Zealand until 2022. All of this positions the country in such a way that it’s now able to inspire others to champion their own way back to success by leading by example. --- > The ICC will likely over the course of next week meet to decide the fate of this year’s men’s Twenty2020 Cricket WC. Chances are it won’t remain in Aus. - Published: 2020-07-08 - Modified: 2020-07-08 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/pro-crickets-fate-possibly-decided-soon/ The future of one of the two upcoming high-profile cricket events will soon be put to the discussion board for important decisions to be made. The ICC (International Cricket Council) has confirmed its plans to meet next week regarding the immediate future of world cricket and upcoming high-profile meets. Future tours will supposedly enjoy precedence at said meet, with the two main meets on the agenda being the 2020 Twenty20 Men’s World Cup in Australia, and the ODI Women’s World Cup in New Zealand. Provisionally scheduled to be played in October/November, the men’s Twenty20 World Cup (Aus) is has proved a difficult timetable conundrum to solve. Prevailing uncertainty over travel restrictions, health and safety limitations, and a general restriction of cross-border movement and how it all plays on finances and broadcasting partnerships have caused uncertainty at the ICC’s four most recent meetings. To date, a definite decision regarding either postponement or outright cancellation has not yet been reached. The most recent meeting was held in June. The precarious nature of the ongoing global health crisis, along with an increase in cases in Victoria, will in all likelihood stop the final short from being hosted at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. There even exists a possibility of the final not being played in Australia at all. The women’s ODI World Cup, which is scheduled to be played in New Zealand next year in Feb-March, an event potentially bringing about the final swansong to some of cricket’s outgoing pro female cricketers, will hopefully be in a position to continue undisturbed. But only time will tell exactly how and when the final curtain will drop for those players drawing near the end of their respective careers. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Hurricanes may not have had the best of restarts, but they’re determined to show their new resolve. A good look in the mirror is of great value. - Published: 2020-07-06 - Modified: 2020-07-06 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/hurricanes-spent-time-away-reflecting/ The Hurricanes say that instead of lazing about waiting for better days, they’ve made good use of their time away from the field by taking stock of where they currently are vs. where they’d really like to be. Before the current Super Rugby Season was interrupted , the Hurricanes hadn’t exactly prospered at even as much as winning their matches, let alone rank a favourite. But now that the players have had some time to reflect and, in the words of halfback Aaron Smith, take a good look in the mirror, the team is more focused on what they’d really like to achieve than in a very long time. Coach Aaron Mauger says he believes the new resolve to be the result of management having thrown the ball of responsibility back into the hands of the actual players, as it were. That a major shift in attitude and general feel had taken place was according to Mauger quite palpable upon the players’ return to camp. But according to Smith, it’s also resolve born from more than just reflecting on failures and half-baked performances alone. Of immense value to him personally, says the star halfback, was to think back on a time in his own early career; a time that stood out as a really successful Hurricanes run; and to bring that time back to the table by emulating all the team had done right back then. Jordie Barrett has in the meantime had his own concerns about his recently-healed shoulder injury put completely to rest. A smiling Barrett this week informed the media of his shoulder having passed a test-run against hard-hitters Dane Coles and Ben May. Barrett last month hurt his shoulder tackling a tackle bag at training. 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The Black Ferns took first place in four of the five completed Women’s rounds and the Hong Kong, Langford, and Paris legs have been abandoned. The English team finished in fifth place in the Men’s standing and took eighth place in the Women’s. Ireland came 10th, followed by the Scots in 11th place and the Welsh at 15th, and the Irish Women’s team took the 10th position too. Japan won the first of the Men’s Challenger Series titles, topping the rankings when the two completed events ended, and they’ll join the World Sevens Series next year as the 16th core team. There’ll be no promotion to the Women’s Series in 2020, as the initial Challenger Series was originally supposed to take place in March in Stellenbosch, South Africa, but didn’t due to COVID-19. Sir Bill Beaumont, Chairman of World Rugby, called Rugby Sevens a key driver of the sport’s growth globally, especially in emerging nations. He said that it remains a major priority for the organisation and that prospects in 2021 look bright, thanks in part to the Tokyo Olympic Games. Seeding for these games will now be modified to reflect results from next year’s World Sevens Series. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Kelvin Tyler may have seen one of his finest three-year-olds sent to Australia, but he’s thrilled about the outlook of another. Get all the details. - Published: 2020-07-01 - Modified: 2020-07-01 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/feel-the-rush-joining-maher-eustace-stable/ Feel the Rush, the Group One New Zealand Oaks placegetter has joined the Highclere Stable with Ciaron Maher and David Eustace. But as sad as Kelvin Tyler may be about losing one of his luminary three-year-olds to the Australians, he is exhilarated about the prospects of another. And Tyler’s brother, Allan, and sister-in-law, Marie, have kept a half-share in the up-and-coming filly. Tyler, who has a training partner in his daughter, Aimee, explained that his brother was Feel the Rush’s actual owner and the fact that he’s keeping a half-share works out perfectly. He said that Allan already has a horse at Ballarat with Ciaron, so the family knew a little about him and Allan was eager for Feel the Rush to join the stable. Proisir’s daughter has enjoyed three wins before her most recent NZ Oaks placing, and Tyler is very confident about her talent in terms of competing in Australia. He revealed that he fielded a number of offers for the filly as well as for her stablemate, the dual Stakes-winning Lightning Jack. Per Incanto’s son won the 1 335-metre Listed Gore Guineas and the 1 600-metre Listed Southland Guineas before coming in third in the 1 400-metre Group Two Wellington Guineas. His connections have fielded more than a few offers for the promising four-year-old. Tyler said that Lightning Jack is an exciting animal, a great horse that could easily have crossed the Tasman too. He said that he’s also owned by Allan and Marie. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Rugby unions are in talks, discussing the possibility of a hybrid game to be played later this year. The number of players and the rules remain unclear. - Published: 2020-06-29 - Modified: 2020-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/upcoming-all-blacks-vs-kangaroos-blockbuster-game/ New Zealand Rugby has confirmed that talks are taking place regarding staging a cross-code game between our All Blacks and the Kangaroos from Australia. Chief Executive of NZR Mark Robinson has substantiated reports that a historically significant hybrid game could well happen later on in 2020, as part of a money-making effort to offset the massive losses the industry has undergone. It would bring two of the very best international teams from Rugby Union and Rugby League together in a thrilling match-up. Robinson stated that the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic has compelled all sports codes to start thinking outside the box as they try to recover from the massive deficit they’ve had to absorb. He added that he feels it’s important to clarify that NZR’s priority is for the All Blacks to keep playing International Rugby for the rest of the year, and discussions are being held around the uncertainty about this being possible. He said that this option has been put to NZR about this hybrid game against the Kangaroos and it’s one of several options they’re considering in a year as unique, to put it mildly, as this one is. Robinson added that everything is possible as they try to generate revenue production for the last six months of the year. Early reports suggest that the match would be made of 14 players on each side, but other details are thin on the ground. The game may take place in December. 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Although newcomers are traditionally the first to arrive at camp, it sounds like everyone will be coming together at the same time this year. Negotiations are still underway about what exactly camp will look like and how protocols are going to be handled, however. Additional reports indicate that a shortened preseason will be going ahead and a current schedule is available right now, but these details could change. The NFL has already made it clear that teams are to remain at their own facilities for this offseason rather than travelling to other locales, like the Dallas Cowboys in Oxnard, in California. Teams are also not permitted to engage in joint practices with fellow franchises. Medical Director for the NFLPA Dr Thomas Mayer has recently advised players not to get together for practice at all during the ongoing novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. The league is looking at more ways to keep its players as safe as possible, including a prototype N95 facemask. NFLPA President JC Tretter let it be known as early as May that keeping athletes protected is the no. 1 priority. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > With infection rates by the novel coronavirus COVID-19 skyrocketing across the US, many NFL teams want the season deferred. Read on for more information. - Published: 2020-06-24 - Modified: 2020-06-24 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/several-nfl-teams-want-a-2020-season-delay/ As the United States of America continues to see a sharp increase in the number of novel coronavirus COVID-19 infections, and an outbreak starting in the National Football League itself, concerns for this year’s season are growing. And, as determined as the League seems to be in terms of sticking to its new schedule, multiple teams are starting to think twice about it. With roughly a month to go before players are supposed to report for training camp, the NRL has seen a noteworthy increase in COVID-19 cases. At this point, nearly 1/3 of the 32 teams are reporting at least one positive test. It’s also being revealed how quickly it spreads, with several concerns reporting numerous cases. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have confirmed several cases, the Denver Broncos have at least two, and the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans each report numerous players having contracted COVID-19. While there were already several voices in the NFL pushing for a delayed start to the regular season, the first Monday in September, the 1st, this is growing to a chorus. As recently as April, support was seen for a delay for the 2020 season, and with states like Arizona, Florida, and Texas reporting record-highs in terms of COVID-19 cases every day, the likelihood of an on-time start is receding daily. The league has accounted for this, however, and has the flexibility to move the first four weeks of the regular season into January next year. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Large-scale testing has revealed that multiple players are testing positive for the novel coronavirus COVID-19. Testing will be done multiple times a week. - Published: 2020-06-22 - Modified: 2020-06-22 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/nfl-players-hit-by-covid-19/ Kareem Jackson of the Denver Broncos has recently revealed that he’s tested positive for the novel coronavirus COVID-19. He let it be known that he’d been training in Houston, Texas when he noticed flu-like symptoms appearing, including chills and congestion. Jackson is the second Bronco to test positive, following Super Bowl 50 Most Valuable Player Von Miller, who contracted it in mid-April. He’s subsequently tested negative for it, announcing the happy news on April 30. Jackson has so far recorded two interceptions in 13 games for his team during 2019, his first season in Denver. He joins the ranks of a host of other players to be dealing with the illness, including Pro Bowl running back Ezekiel Elliot. None of the players affected are believed to have done so in their team facilities, and the teams are all reporting that proper health protocols are being followed religiously. While Elliot’s agent has let it be known that his player is feeling good, the team has released a statement saying that it could not provide any more information on the situation. The Cowboys’ statement detailed that federal and local privacy laws forbids them from offering information on their employees’ personal health. Players testing positive is a development that Dr Allen Sills, the Chief Medical Officer for the NFL, predicted would happen back in May. In a recent call with agents, the Medical Director of the NFL Players’ Association said that the current plan of action is to test players three times a week and isolate those who test positive. 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That was when he had the temerity to kennel during the national anthem to protest against police brutality and race relations in the United States during a game he was playing for the San Francisco 49ers. He became a free agent when the season ended, and no one’s wanted him since. POTUS Donald Trump advised NFL team owners to fire players who protested in this manner in 2017, but in the wake of the Black Lives Matter campaign Goodell has let it be known that he wants Kaepernick to start playing again. Goodell said that while the final decision was one that only a full team could make, he wants to let it be known that he supports Kaepernick’s re-signing wholeheartedly. Pete Carroll, Seattle Seahawks coach, said that another team called last week about Kaepernick. Carroll of course brought the previously disgraced players in for a workout in 2017 and had another planned in 2018 but the latter got cancelled. Goodell set up try outs for Kaepernick in Atlanta in 2019 for all 32 NFL teams to attend but it fell apart at the last moment. This was because of a dearth of media access and what the player’s representatives saw as an out of the ordinary liability waiver. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Tuipulotu has given New Zealand a much-needed silver lining for the dark cloud that was the 2019 World Cup semifinal. That defeat means he’s back with NZR. - Published: 2020-06-17 - Modified: 2020-06-17 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/tuipulotu-back-in-the-new-zealand-rugby-fold/ There was no upside for Kiwi Rugby fans when the All Blacks got trounced at the Yokohama Stadium Rugby World Cup last year. Trying to find the positive side of being knocked out at the semifinal stage would have been a pointless task but something good has come out of it nonetheless. Patrick Tuipulotu, captain for the Auckland-based Blues, has revealed that were it not for that 17-9 loss to England, he would now be announcing his departure from New Zealand. The defeat served to change the trajectory of his journey, albeit in conjunction with the magnificent revival of his team. This comeback saw them come out on top at the New Zealand Conference before the novel coronavirus COVID-19 lockdown pushed Tuipulotu a little further down the path of remaining. And then the impact of the pandemic confirmed things. And thanks to this perfect storm, the Blues’ head honcho will now be staying with us until 2023, at least. Tuipulotu said that he was entertaining thoughts of heading overseas, but how harshly the pandemic impacted his possible destinations, including Japan, was sobering. He said that he and his partner are considering starting a family and New Zealand being the best option for this means his long-term plans now include playing for his home country for a while yet. And something has happened with Tuipulotu in the course of the last 12 months, changing him from a talented but inconsistent performer into a Lock of an international standard who genuinely dominates. He now plays for all three pro teams here, the All Blacks, the Blues, and Auckland. 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The regular season is then going to be opening on time, with the Super Bowl Champions Kansas City Chiefs hosting a game in which they’ll be facing off against the Houston Texans on September 10 2020. The NFL has prolonged virtual offseason programmes for teams through to the 26th of June, but cannot extend any further than this. While team facilities are up and running for coaches, key personnel, and players currently rehabilitating from injuries, healthy athletes have been barred. This is, of course, due to the fallout from the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. Remote programmes have taken the place of on-site work, but certain teams have already started announcing that these are starting to be shut down. Brain McCarthy, spokesman for the League, said that they would continue working with the National Football League Players’ Association to conclude the last protocols. He added that finalising the arrangement for training camps to safely be opened next month is also on the agenda. They have, mostly, been scheduled to start up in late July, with several options being provided. Several options are open to the bodies, including opening earlier to allow for physical exams and face-to-face meetings, pushing back the preseason, and reducing it by hosting fewer games. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The National Football League could reduce preseason games from four to two this year. This is to allow for a longer ramp-up period between teams. - Published: 2020-06-12 - Modified: 2020-06-12 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/the-nfl-considering-a-shorter-preseason/ The National Football League will be reducing the preseason form four games once the new mutual agreement talks take place. But the League and the Players’ Association are also talking about cutting the preseason one year early, for this year’s upcoming season. Tom Pelissero, reporter for the NFL network and site, has revealed that several team executives have been told that it may be two games instead of four in 2020. A shorter season will permit a lengthier ramp-up period for the squads, even if players have to report to training camp a couple of weeks early. With an extra fortnight to develop protocols for game day in the wake of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, the League would benefit from a condensed preseason. CBS Sports’ Senior NFL reporter and insider Jonathan Jones announced earlier on this week that the Hall of Fame game is still set to unfold, with fans in attendance, on August the 6th. The game is sold out, with 20 000 tickets purchased, but this game can be pushed if the preseason gets reduced. The Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony can also take place a few weeks later. They’re shortening the preseason next year because the League has just added a 17th match to the regular season. Quads are now going to play three preseason games instead of four, with the fourth week becoming a bye. If both sides approve of the cut, we’ll get a glimpse of the shorter preseason soon, a direct result of a highly irregular offseason. 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Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern recently revealed that we would be moving to Level One Restrictions from midnight on the 8th of June after no new COVID-19 cases have been recorded for 17 days. This means that there will be zero restrictions on mass gatherings ahead of the Super Rugby Aotearoa’s tournament’s kick-off this weekend. NZR confirmed shortly after PM Ardern’s announcement that there will be no restrictions on crowd numbers during the opening vistures. Mark Robinson, Chief Executive Officer for the body, stated that it’s a testament to all Kiwis that this lift is possible and it’s a huge boost for Investec Super Rugby Aotearoa. Robinson went on to say that his team is very proud, and profoundly grateful, to be the first professional sporting competition in the world to be able to allow fans to watch their favourite teams play again. He said the competition is going to be special and unique and that it’s fitting that New Zealanders can now be a proper part of it. New Zealand and Australia have announced plans for Super Rugby tournaments to be held countrywide, with our version opening with a skirmish between the Chiefs and the Highlanders on the 13th of June at Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Potter, boss of Basketball New Zealand, is losing sleep over the fact that his league won’t benefit from the Financial Relief Package. Read more about it. - Published: 2020-06-08 - Modified: 2020-06-08 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/potter-calls-funding-snub-a-kick-in-the-guts/ Chief Executive Officer of Basketball New Zealand is very upset about not being included in the COVID-19 Financial Relief Package. He says the organisation is guilty of historical and institutional bias and that this decision is an insult to everyone involved in this code. Potter, who is also a Chairman of the National Basketball League Board, said that he’s struggling to sleep because he’s so angry. He simply can’t believe that the League is being overlooked so utterly regarding the assistance that almost NZ$5 million would be able to render. This funding round is the first release of capital from the Sports Recovery Package that got announced in May. It’s part of Budget 2020 and has been created to assist desperate Kiwi professional sports bodies. Three professional or semi-professional domestic sports leagues are restarting this month in the wake of the lockdown necessitated by the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown. They are Basketball’s Sal’s NBL, Netball’s ANZ Premiership, and Super Rugby Aotearoa. Netball got just over NZ$2 million and Rugby just over NZ$1 million. But Basketball, the fastest-growing and second-most popular sport amongst high school students in this country, got nothing at all. Potter is astonished that his sport has been left out in the cold after a valid case for support had been made. Potter said that this sends out a very dangerous message as to the sports overall value and says that Basketball obviously doesn’t feature in the space where decisions are made. 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Anthony Crummy hails from Australia and had been in charge of Kiwi operations for the Cricket World Cup in 2015 before he joined NZC. He said his goodbyes in the Auckland Head Office recently, and more vacant desks are going to follow. An additional 12 of the 80 NZC employees in Auckland and Lincoln have been cut from the payroll too. Chief Executive Officer David White confirmed the cuts recently, explaining that they’ve been made in an effort to find NZ$6 million in the budget. White did not comment on how many people would be let go from each office or comment on which specific roles had been deemed as non-vital. But, interestingly, Crummy was not one of those staff members being shown the door, and insists that his departure is mere coincidence. Crummy weighed in, saying that he understands why people have been making the connection, but he’s actually been thinking about what’s up next for him for some time now. He explained that, although he’s loved NZC, he’s been there for five years now and feels that the big projects he’s been involved in have been enough. He commented that upon finishing the last one, pre-COVID-19, he’s decided to make a move. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Rugby fans hold thumbs that they may be able to attend Super Rugby Aotearoa’s opening round of games. Minister Ardern says we could be at Level 1 by then. - Published: 2020-06-03 - Modified: 2020-06-03 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/fans-hope-for-early-super-rugby-aotearoa-return/ Devoted Kiwi Rugby fans may well be permitted to watch the opening rounds of the Super Rugby Aotearoa Games as early on as June 13th. Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, has declared that the country may be able to move to Alert Level 1 as early as June 10th. This means that there is the chance that sports fans may be allowed to actually attend Rugby matches, if the new guidelines permit it. Ardern recently said that the Cabinet Meeting scheduled for Monday 8 June could see a decision being made to move to Level 1 within 48 hours! New Zealand Rugby and the five Super Rugby Clubs who have committed to a new Domestic Competition to extend over 10 weeks, welcome any governmental move that eases restrictions and allows the public back in to attend fixtures and cheer players on. We’ve hit our 10th straight day of our tests finding no new novel coronavirus COVID-19 cases. There remains just a single active case within our borders. The Dunedin Highlanders have been scheduled to host the Hamilton Chiefs in the first Super Rugby Aotearoa game on June 13. The Auckland Blues will meet the Wellington Hurricanes the next day. Stadium bosses and New Zealand Rugby are considering a range of scenarios in terms of spectators for the opening weekend. Cory Jane, former All Blacks wing and current Hurricanes assistant coach said that players are as excited about the prospect as fans are. 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Parker visited the Lake Wakatipu town recently and spent his time taking in the extraordinary sites while his management team met with local officials. David Higgins, the Boxing Promoter and Manager and Event Planner. said that although no decision has been made yet, Queenstown would be wonderful. Higgins stated that Eddie Hearn, Parker’s Promoter in Britain, has authorised the young man to fight in New Zealand. It’s one of the very few places a match would be allowed because of the pandemic, and Wellington, Rotorua, and Auckland are all possibilities as well. But Queenstown Lakes Mayor Jim Boult is sure that his town has a very strong case and said that he’s hoping to use money from the Government Tourism Recovery Package to stage the event. He stated that discussions are ongoing and that he thinks it’s a great opportunity and something his district needs to see more of. If it goes ahead, the bout will most likely unfold in late August or early September, and Parker’s opponent has not yet been named. Whether or not he’s even an option, Parker has previously said that he’d love to tackle Dillian Whyte again. He said their match was a close one and Whyte was the better man that day, but he’d love to try again. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The NZ Cricket Board is trying to find a way to manage the rest of 2020. In the wake of the COVID-19 lockdown, the drop in revenue means job losses. - Published: 2020-05-29 - Modified: 2020-05-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/nz-cricket-to-cut-down-on-staff/ New Zealand Cricket has announced that it plans to cut as much as 15% of its staff back as it looks to lessen operating costs by at least NZ$6 million. This is part of the plan to restructure as it processes the new situation in the wake of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown instituted to contain it. Chief Executive David White recently went public about the planned cutbacks and explained that this measure will allow the Board to keep funding Provincial- and District-level games. He said that it is the only way to keep finances steady enough to honour their sponsorship commitments without shrinking the Domestic Schedule. He said that priorities for this year have been set, decisions have been made as to where the Board will be investing, and no compromises will be made. The staff make up just NZ$1. 5 million of the required NZ$6 million savings. Black Caps and White Ferns players and staff won’t be affected by the upcoming measures and athletes’ annual retainers will stay the same for the coming season. NZ Cricket anticipates an appreciable reduction in income for the current financial year. Travel restrictions and ongoing border controls have thrown the International Schedule into doubt as well, which has been factored in. White likened NZC’s current situation to the one facing most of the country’s businesses. He described it as incredibly challenging, but said that it must nevertheless be navigated. He stated that the current focus is ensuring the game’s ongoing viability. 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The Premier League Tennis Tournament in Auckland will be the first professional competition in the southern hemisphere in the wake of the worldwide lockdown in an attempt to contain the novel coronavirus COVID-19. New Zealand has been done well in containing the virus, recording 1 500 cases and 21 deaths so far. A strict lockdown lasting two months reduced new cases to a trickle and authorities have recently started easing social restrictions, including those on pro sports. The contest is based on men’s teams and will run for three weeks from June 3rd, giving Tennis-starved fans and desperate sports fundi’s something to look forward to. It’s something to be celebrated, especially because the pinnacle Association of Tennis Professionals and Women’s Tennis Association Tours are still in suspension and have been from the beginning of March. All of the 122 matches are to be staged with no spectators in the terraces, but the games are going to be broadcast live on Sky Sports Next, Sky Sports’ YouTube Channel. Gareth Archer, Commercial Manager of Tennis New Zealand, is pleased as punch about the fact that it’s come in before Rugby Union starts again on June 13. He stated that having a week or two on that sport is a good thing for Tennis! TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > NZCPA Chief Executive Officer Mills is concerned about the mercenary school sports system creating unbalanced players. He wants this issue to be addressed. - Published: 2020-05-25 - Modified: 2020-05-25 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/nzcpa-ceo-mills-criticizes-nz-school-sport/ How profit-orientated school sport is becoming is creating mental health issues and unbalanced young players. And the professional game is having to deal with the consequences, says New Zealand Cricket Players Association Chief Executive Officer Heath Mills. Mills has been worried about the state of the school sports system for some years now and the issue recently came to a head. It was reported that the Auckland 1A 1st XV players were thinking about repeating a year just to see if they could rouse a scout’s interest. Mills said that the game has seen professionalisation slowly creeping into school organisations for some time now, with professional coaches and teams being spotted around Under-18s. He mentioned the broadcasting of matches, too, which invariably leads to critical assessments of children’s performances. He said that this is causing the kinds of issues that are being dealt with at the professional sports level by pro athletes getting transferred down to kids as young as 15. Mills explained that being in the public domain and constantly getting your performance assessed is tough even for hardened All Blacks, Black Caps, and All Whites, let alone someone still underage. Mills said that dealing with the fallout from these circumstances is difficult and that the NZCPA spends a lot of time trying to help players overcome it, and these are athletes who started experiencing it at 18- or 19-years old. As damning an indictment as this is, Mills is going public with his message because he wants to start a national conversation about what’s going on. 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Questions started doing the rounds about whether Williamson was carrying too much of a load across all three game formats. James McOnie, broadcaster for The Crowd Goes Wild, says that Coach Gary Stead is considering making Tom Latham Test Captain and that a change may be in the works. A tweet by McOnie alerted his subscribers to a possible coup. A spokesperson for the Black Caps roundly denounced this suggestion, however, saying there is absolutely no truth to what McOnie claims to know. And, if the truth be told, Williamson doesn’t seem particularly concerned over paranoid suggestions about his leadership. When he returned from the admittedly humbling Australian Tour he brushed talks about his being fired off. He explained that his job was intact and said that he remains grateful to be part of such a wonderful team of players with a shared passion to move the squad forward. He went on to say that he loves his job and appreciates how much he’s learned about himself and his team so far. He added that challenges are part of the journey and that his work is helping his team to keep moving in the right direction. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The battle to contain the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic has hit the sports world hard. But NZ Cricket clubs are getting help from ANZ Bank. - Published: 2020-05-20 - Modified: 2020-05-20 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/some-good-news-at-last-for-cricket-clubs/ Cricket clubs across New Zealand may finally be able to take a deep breath in in the wake of the lockdown to contain the novel coronavirus COVID-19. A fund is being made available by ANZ Bank New Zealand to help them recover from the enforced hiatus. David White, Chief Executive Officer for NZ Cricket, called the ANZ Good Sports Grant, which has pledged NZ$1 million to support the comeback of grassroots Cricket and Netball, hugely generous. He said this much-need offer of support will serve as a hefty shot in the arm for community games. White added that this format is a priority for his organisation and that this open-handedness will make a massive difference to clubs and their cricketers countrywide. White continued, saying that it’s hard to overstate the point that grassroots games represent the lifeblood of the gentlemen’s game and its good health is critical to the future of the sport. He said that this includes the sport at all levels, including that of the White Ferns and the Black Caps. White said that ANZ Bank NZ has long been a huge supporter of sports in general and Cricket in particular, and the latest programme has simply emphasised their munificence. He says it will go a long way towards ensuring that local teams and up-and-coming players can get back out onto the field in the 2020-21 season. He ended by saying that CNZ is profoundly grateful for this assistance. He stated that everyone is aware of how tough it’s been for clubs and families, and this money will make an immediate and noteworthy difference. 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Teams will additionally be operating inside a very strict bubble that will see them avoiding interactions with even their own front-office staff! Nobody’s taking any chances ahead of what’s being seen as a critical juncture for the sport in the wake of the global pandemic. New Zealand Rugby’s message to the five franchises who will be coming together again as the first top-level professional competition resumes after the shutdown is crystal-clear. Extreme measures are being taken to avoid a positive test for the virus since this would destabilise resumption plans and push the date back even further. Franchises have been instructed to leave no stone unturned on the safety and hygiene front as the month-long buildup to the season’s resumption begins. This will be taking the form of a two-round, NZ-only, Aotearoa League unfolding over 10 weeks. Teams are scheduled to start on-field training today, with the whole of last week spent finalising plans and bringing players to the cities hosting games from their boltholes during lockdown. They’ve also been planning the scene-sets via Zoom meetings. The message is clear, that the world they’re re-entering looks nothing like the one they left behind in mid-March. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Hundreds of players in a number of different sports are thrilled to be able to get back to training. This is thanks to certain sports returning to Waikato. - Published: 2020-05-15 - Modified: 2020-05-15 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/alert-level-2-sees-sports-return-to-waikato-region/ Football, Netball, and other sports codes are going to be returning to the Waikato region. This means that hundreds of players are going to be able to get back to training as they prepare for the return of the different leagues. Football and Netball are two of the major codes whose seasons were either put on hold in the opening round or just before they could begin. Unfortunately, this good news comes too late for one of New Zealand’s most promising young Football players. Mark Stamenic has been forced to put his dreams of playing in Europe on hold due to the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. The Under-17 International Midfielder made the flight over to Denmark for a trial supposed to extend over three weeks with FC Copenhagen, the Danish Superliga powerhouse, in March. But the test had to be abandoned two weeks in when Kiwis were ordered home before the country went into lockdown. Although the 13-time Champions of Denmark are eager to have Stamenic return, the former student of St Patrick’s College in Silverstream says it’s still unclear when he would be able to fly because of the current restrictions on travel. These are still in place worldwide, for the most part. A 10-week Premiership ANZ season will resume on June 19th, to be played at a single location, the Auckland Netball Centre. This is to meet guidelines set down by the New Zealand Ministry of Health that calls for the provision of a consistent, controlled venue. 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The Alert Level coming down from 3 to 2 means that professional sports can start up again, as long as everything takes place behind closed doors. This move will make New Zealand the first major Rugby nation to announce that competitions will be restarted after everything worldwide ground to a halt during the pandemic. Chief Executive of New Zealand Rugby Mark Robinson was understandably elated, calling the news fantastic for everyone in the country involved in the game. He said the past while has been an incredibly challenging one for us all and he hopes that this good news serves up some much-needed hope and inspiration to Kiwis. He added that he is proud that our country is coming to the foreground in terms of emerging from the mass shutdown, too, saying that we need to do everything right. Our five teams, the Blues, Chiefs, Crusaders, Highlanders, and Hurricanes will face off against one another over 10 weeks, with 2 games every weekend in the Super Rugby Aotearoa Tournament. Players will use chartered planes on match days and will all be checked daily for COVID-19 symptoms. The bigger Super Rugby Tournament, which includes squads from Argentina, Australia, Japan, and South Africa, got suspended in March and there are not yet any plans for it to resume. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > It has been announced that New Zealand will be allowed to resume domestic sports soon. All that remains is for the current alert level to be dropped. - Published: 2020-05-11 - Modified: 2020-05-11 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/new-zealand-to-resume-domestic-sports-soon/ The New Zealand Sports and Recreation Minister, Grant Robertson, has announced that the country’s professional sporting industry could soon be allowed to resume. Though, he was quick to stress, the decision was based squarely around the current alert level. As it stands Level 3 measures are applicable, but upon the country being dropped to Level 2, sporting events would again be allowed to take place. Robertson elaborated that under Alert 2 most sports and recreational activities would again be given the green light. This included professional events such as rugby. Though Robertson was quick to add; the biggest concern was not getting player back on the field, but ensuring that health risks were properly being taken into consideration. New Zealand Rugby (NZR) was quick to announce that it was thrilled with the prospect of returning players to the field, and revealed that it already had plans for 10 domestic games in the pipelines. These games would involve 5 Super Rugby teams, a spokesperson announced. Chief executive for NZR, Mark Robinson, elaborated. He explained that plans were for the 5 teams to engage in both home and away matched over the course of 10 weeks, with 2 matches scheduled for every weekend. Robinson added that the games have the full backing of the SANZAAR, the Super Rugby governing body. This body includes union representatives from Argentina, South Africa, and Australia. However, it was concluded that the scheduled hosting of tests against Wales and Scotland, due for July, had not yet been decided on. 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This will offer hard-hit Clubs as much as $1 000 and regional bodies up to $40 000. Chief Executive Officer of Sport New Zealand Peter Miskimmin said that applications will be accepted from groups attached to National Sporting Organisations from Monday 11 April on the basis of monetary hardship. He voiced the association’s concerns about the clubs and regions that have been hardest hit by the global epidemic. Miskimmin said that they’ve been uprooted by a disruption in membership revenue as well as pokie money which equals $170 million per annum. He said that this means that between $14 million and $15 million a month is usually going out to clubs and regions! Many of these are managed by volunteers and people with day jobs and their own concerns and Miskimmin said that hopefully, this will see them through the next short period until lower Alert Levels are happening and sports are starting to be played once more. Applications can be made via the Regional Sports Trust Network, of which there are 14. They work at understanding communities through sport and recreation and its at their websites that individuals will be able to access the criteria for applying and the forms with which to do so. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > After sponsors withdrew because of the effects of lockdown on their business, an NZ cyclist is crowdfunding. Can Fisher-Black save her career? - Published: 2020-05-06 - Modified: 2020-05-06 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/nz-cyclist-fisher-black-crowdfunds-to-save-career/ A champion cyclist from New Zealand, Niamh Fisher-Black, has been forced to turn to crowdfunding to save her professional career after she fled from the Italian red zone. 2020 was supposed to be the year that Fisher-Black, who hails from Nelson, became a professional cyclist after she signed with the Bigla-Katusha Women’s WorldTour team. But the Swiss squad’s future is in grave danger after two of its title sponsors withdrew their funding. This is thanks to the effect that the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic has had on their business. Fisher-Black survives on a salary below minimum wage in New Zealand to cover her expenses and said that this latest bad news came as a huge shock. She said it was a massive blow, especially in terms of her future, adding that everything is already uncertain, but this latest news has made it far worse. She said that they would already have been scraping through to get enough money together to get back to racing if and when the season starts up again. Fisher-Black called hearing that your team is unstable and not knowing if they will make it through this devastating. The 19-year old moved to Italy in February this year, catching a flight there mere hours after she won the women’s road race at the NZ Championships. But it wasn’t long before Fisher-Black had to escape back home just before the country went into lockdown and all her upcoming races got cancelled. 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It additionally saw Kim Cotton, the Canterbury umpire, rising sharply through officiating ranks as she was recognised with the NZ Cricket Umpire of the Year Award, and Tim Southee got judged as the International Test Player of the Year. It’s been a season of milestones for Taylor as he helped take his One-Day International team to a second successive Cricket World Cup Final, bested Stephen Fleming’s All-Time Test Runs scoring record for us, and also became the first player to be involved in 100 International Games in each of the three formats. The gifted 36-year old player amassed an astonishing total of 1 389 runs across One-Day Internationals, Test Matches, and Twenty20 formats. It was an incredibly busy season for him, seeing him appear in all but one of the 32 Internationals the Black Caps played. The virtual presentation of the award via video link with Hadlee was a meaningful one, with New Zealand’s greatest Cricket player talking about following Taylor’s career since it began back in 2006. Hadlee stated that Taylor’s progress since then has been extraordinary and he congratulated Taylor on a job well done. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Sport has suffered terribly in the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, as New Zealand Rugby will be happy to tell you. Losses extend into the millions. - Published: 2020-05-01 - Modified: 2020-05-01 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/nz-rugby-reports-over-7m-loss-for-2019/ New Zealand Rugby has reported a loss in 2019 of $7. 9 million as it laid bare the massive economic challenges currently being faced by everyone involved in the sport. Although this number actually represents a 37% improvement on the budget, NZR Financial Officer Nicki Nicol has warned of the harsh impact of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. In the recent Annual General Meeting, Nicol stated that NZR is forecasting a decline of as much as 70% in revenue and the cost base had to be adjusted accordingly. She added that it’s known that the impact has been felt across all areas of the game, from players, teams, and competitions through to programmes and partnerships with provincial unions, Super Clubs, and more. She ended up saying that it also had a huge effect on New Zealand Rugby staff and she wanted to formally call attention to their excellent work as the organisation tries to steer through these troubled waters. NZR has also let it be known that they’ve had to absorb an unrealised loss of almost $4 million from the original $19. 4 million investments on the 5% shares that were acquired in the new Sky Television broadcast deal. Shares in the company have dropped from 89c to just 71c since 1 November 2019. As per the agreement, NZR will have to hold on to these shares for a minimum of two years. But the news isn’t all grim, and NZR can report healthy cash reserves which registered at $93 million on December 31 2019. 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Chief Executive Officer for the sport in New Zealand Mark Robinson has stated that the review will be looking at a range of options. He said that as long as they’re beneficial to New Zealand while remaining committed to the Super Rugby governing body SANZAAR and its broadcast partners for the next five years, they will be considered. The competition is 25-years old and currently involves 15 teams from five countries. It has faced heavy criticism of late regarding its tendency to be difficult to manage and how often its format is getting changed. Robinson stated that a recent study has discovered several areas of opportunity for Super Rugby cost and revenue issues specifically. He added that the impact of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic is also being taken into consideration, prompting a renewed look at a range of possible scenarios for both the Clubs and the competitions itself. The review has been named Aratipu, the Māori word for Growth, and will be conducted by representatives of our five clubs and their stakeholders. The ongoing suspension in light of the sickness’ spread has given us the chance to reshape the Kiwi Super Rugby scene, throwing its most vulnerable aspects into the limelight. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Sam Whitelock, lock for the All Blacks, has indicated that the North versus South Island Derby could be rekindled. Find out what he thinks we should do. - Published: 2020-04-27 - Modified: 2020-04-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/bring-back-the-north-vs-south-island-derby-says-whitelock/ Sam Whitelock, the 31-year old, 6. 6” All Blacks lock has raised the possibility of reintroducing the historic New Zealand North Island versus South Island Derby if the 2020 Test schedule gets cancelled. Whitelock says he’s been chatting to New Zealand Rugby, the Players’ Association, and senior members of the Super Rugby team about restarting this old fixture when the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic restrictions relax. But he said that right now there are numerous variables to consider, including the ban on international travel. This veto looks likely to prevent the All Blacks from playing home Tests against Scotland and Wales in July and the Rugby Championship may get cancelled as well. Whitelock explained that this is why the discussion around bringing back the North Island vs South Island Derby came up in the first place. Whitelock said that he’s never taken part in one of these games but has heard incredible stories about how it used to be the grudge match of the year and that he would love to get involved. The fixture was first played in 1897 and was not just one of the most anticipated matches on the NZ Rugby calendar but one of the most bitterly contested too. The bad blood has died down in recent times, however, and it’s only been played twice since 1985. SANZAAR is also considering starting Domestic Super Rugby competitions soon. This would feature New Zealand’s five teams playing against one another until international travel is possible again. 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David White, the Chief Executive Officer of New Zealand Cricket, and his Head of Spark Sport counterpart Jeff Latch recently made the announcement via Zoom, the videotelephony and online chat service. It comes in the wake of an agreement the two parties reached late last year regarding broadcasting rights to the game. Audiences will be able to start watching new interviews with both current and former members of the Black Caps and the White Ferns, along with the best-ever matches that have taken place on Kiwi soil over the last 20 years across all three Cricket formats. Latch added that his company is also going to be making a concerted effort to bring more women into view, pointing out that this element of Cricket has been sorely lacking over the last two decades. He stated that there is a deliberate strategy in place that ensures that more women’s sport will be viewable on the streaming platform, promising to cover all White Ferns matches live. He said that Women’s Cricket will complement the other female centred sports already being offered on Sky Sport, including the Women’s Tennis Association games and Pro-Series Hockey matches. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Billy Stairmand, the 7-time National Surfing Champion, is pleading with his counterparts to hold on until Level 4 ends. He says it’s the only way forward. - Published: 2020-04-22 - Modified: 2020-04-22 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/surfing/stairmand-urges-fellow-surfers-to-hold-fast/ Surfers are the latest group of sportsmen and women to benefit from professional-level coaching tips to survive lockdown in the new Sky Sports Next, the NZ Sport Collective, and Stuff video series. The most recent snippet comes courtesy of Billy Stairmand. Stairmand hit the Surfing scene with a vengeance back in 2011 when he beat Kelly Slater in a heat at the distinguished Telstra Drug Aware Pro World Surf League in Western Australia’s Margaret River. He has gone on to become a National Champion seven times since then, ranks at No. 36 in World League Qualifying Series and got provisionally qualified for the 2020 Olympic Games. Talking about not being able to do what he loves most, Stairmand says he knows how surfers around NZ are feeling. He mentioned several injuries, commenting that he is currently coming back from hurting his knee, but is beseeching players to remain on dry land until the Level 4 Lockdown comes to an end. Stairmand has been hard at work in rehabilitation over the last while for his knee and is very excited about getting back into the water. He says Surfing is more than just another sport to him, as is the case with most of his counterparts, and explained that it contributes hugely to not just his physical health but his mental wellbeing as well. He is reminding everyone to be patient, however, asking that we stay the course and don’t surf until New Zealand shifts down to Level 3. 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Like many of us, Marshall, who currently works as a Sky Sports Rugby commentator, has seen insecurity springing up around his job, in his case due to the global shutdown of this sector due to the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. But he’s turned the downtime into an opportunity, hunkering down in his garage to brew his own brand of beer, named Boomfa, after the commentary call he made famous. Marshall and Aaron O’Donnell, his business partner, registered the trademark for Boomfa early in 2019. O’Donnell suggested that the beer be mainstream instead of craft. Marshall has reported that, besides trying to stay fit by going running during lockdown, he’s been spending all his time getting his new beer brand up and running. Confessing that keeping trim has taken a backseat as a result, he says he has occasional pangs of guilt because he’s creating alcohol while others try to stay in shape! He commented that lockdown has given him the space and time he needed to focus on this business. He’s working with Williams Warn, what he calls an excellent brewery, and says that he’s actually been busy most nights as well, wearing a headlamp and tinkering with his recipes. The 46-year old former halfback has stated that he wants to share his products with essential workers, asking that people contact him on social media so he can share some joy. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Always wondered what happens behind the scenes at one of the top NZ Rugby Leagues? You’re in for a treat. Warriors TV will give you all the answers. - Published: 2020-04-17 - Modified: 2020-04-17 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/warriors-tv-offers-fans-behind-the-scenes-info/ Have you always wanted to know what makes Roger the Pin tick, how superstar players cope with being left off the team, or why Blake Ayshford insists on wearing nothing but a badly-fitting wrestling singlet when he’s training? Well, thanks to Sky Sports and NZHerald. Co. NZ, you can get answers to all these questions and more when Warrior TV kicks off! Filming for the show started well before the novel coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak led to the National Rugby League postponing all competitions and it promises an unadulterated look at what goes on behind the scenes at Auckland's Mount Smart Stadium. In a recently released statement, Sky Sports described the series as a first of its kind for a Kiwi sports team and promised that former players who still have close ties to the club, like Francis Leger and Ayshford, would reveal stories never told before. Sky Sports mentioned rare glimpses of the sheds post-match, unique lockdown features, and insight into how injured players and their families and friends deal with the stress of the professional scene. They promise to reveal team politics, what motivates the various members, and to update fans on how their favourite former players are doing. In short, says Sky Sports, every aspect of being one of the Warriors will be put out there for all to see. Chief Executive Officer for the team, Cameron George, has given the series his full support and said that filming will remain unfettered to give fans the full story. 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Our very own Sarpreet Singh, current attacking midfielder for the team, was telling Lewandowski about his plans to travel all the way from Munich to Auckland during the team’s Christmas break before meeting them one more at a Middle East training camp. Lewandowski, who’s scored an incredible 25 goals in his 23 appearances for the League, was headed home to Poland himself but thought Singh had to be pulling his leg. It’s just less than six hours from Munich to Warsaw, but, not including stopovers and waiting time, flying to Auckland takes 22 hours and 45 minutes. But Singh said that he did it every time he could, even for very short windows, and that he used to do it in Economy class as well. He said his teammates find the idea of him covering these enormous distances hilarious. Being teased by Football royalty is the new normal for the young player from Auckland after he joined the German giants in a dream transfer from the Wellington Phoenix in 2019. And although he still plays with Bayern on FIFA 20, Singh is also fast coming to terms with the status that Bundesliga players enjoy, after making his competitive debut in the recent 6 - 1 trouncing of Werder Bremen. He got mobbed at a shopping mall when he was here for Christmas, unable to go for longer than five minutes without being stopped by someone wanting a photo or a chat! TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The talks between Joseph Parker and Junior Fa have officially been called off. Get the details on Parker’s manager calling Fa’s fee demands stratospheric. - Published: 2020-04-13 - Modified: 2020-04-13 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/parker-vs-fa-talks-cancelled-due-to-pay-demands/ Negotiations around the eagerly anticipated Domestic Heavyweight Boxing event in New Zealand featuring Joseph Parker and Junior Fa have broken down completely. And David Higgins, Parker’s manager, is laying the blame squarely at Fa’s door, saying that the fighter’s fee demands got stratospheric. Higgins let rip, calling out the boxer and Lou Dibella, his promoter, for making ridiculous salary demands. He said that they want 10X or 20X the fighter’s biggest-ever purse to date, and made sure to mention that Parker would have been willing to get into the ring for a lot less. He described it as pricing yourself out and feels that Fa is asking for too much money considering where he’s at. Higgins has decided to view it as a mark of respect for Parker, however, musing that DiBella and Fa are worried about what would unfold if the fight went forward. He said that they’re all talk and no action since the payment being offered is by no means inconsiderable. The two camps have been talking about scheduling a match mid-2020 in Auckland for a while now and public interest saw the event starting to vie with the Fight of the Century between David Tua and Shane Cameron back in 2009. Parker, a New Zealander of Samoan descent, is a former World Boxing Organisation champion and Fa, a Kiwi with Tongan blood, remains unbeaten in his professional capacity. The pair have faced off four times before, as amateurs, for a record of 2-2. 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He said that, along with the rest of us, he’s very encouraged by the progress we’re making in tackling the novel coronavirus, but was quick to add that our attempts to contain it should by no means lessen. He stated that once we’ve gained control again, we can start thinking about returning to something like normal, but for now the task remains to stick to the rules, no exceptions. Abercrombie continued, acknowledging that many people will be wondering when they’ll be able to get back into the water and when Clubs can resume operations, even if it’s in a reduced capacity. He let it be known that it’s an issue he’s dealing with, working alongside the government, the Ministry of Health, and Sports New Zealand and that he hopes to have clarity around this issue by the 18th of April. He mentioned the Four-Stage Alert Level System and said that this is what will be driving indicators as to what needs to be happening before yachters can get back in the water. He explained that he fully expects these guidelines to start altering once the country emerges from lockdown but, for now, thinks that activities can begin again when it’s okay for schools to start up once more. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > NZ sports bodies have received millions under a wage subsidy scheme extended by the government. The Warriors Rugby League FC got almost NZ$500 000. - Published: 2020-04-08 - Modified: 2020-04-08 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/warriors-claim-almost-half-a-million-dollars/ The New Zealand Warriors, the professional Rugby League Football Club, has received almost half a million dollars from our government as national sports bodies receive a lifeline in the form of a wage subsidy scheme. The team got NZ$485 524. 80 for its 90 members of staff, according to the Work and Income COVID-19 Wage Subsidy website. This plan has been initiated to support businesses hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the globe. This amount means each employee will get NZ$5 392. 72. Two New Zealand Super Rugby Franchises have also applied for and received wage subsidies. The Hamilton-based Chiefs got NZ$150 000 and the Highlanders from Dunedin received NZ$126 532. 80 for its 18-strong workforce. Chief Executive Officer for the Warriors, Cameron George, stated that, when compared to other League Clubs’ counts, the Warriors’ is low. He said that three teams fall under their banner, the NRL team, the Under-18s, and the Canterbury Cup, all of which have support staff. That’s not to mention the commercial team that oversees corporates, memberships, and sponsorship. He promised to assist everyone involved with the team with the subsidy grant, adding that he would be handling the situation as any other business would. The Warriors’ application for the Wage Subsidy came on the heels of the postponement of the National Rugby League competition. A 15-a-side Men’s contest, without the Warriors, has been proposed for May 2020, but NRL bosses are also thinking about introducing a two-conference system which this team would take part in. 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Like nearly all the other sports around the world, Tennis has come to a complete stop as of March 2020, with a long list of postponed and cancelled Major tournaments after an order was issued to stop all professional tour events. The situation very quickly enveloped the Community Tennis scene in our country when organised sport was paused as part of the national response to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. As we all adjust to a new world, the confirmation that the most prestigious tournament in the world, Wimbledon, has been cancelled in 2020 comes as no real surprise. But it’s a scenario that no one on earth would have thought feasible just a few short weeks ago. A cessation of Tennis means a stop in income and activity for professional players everywhere, and keeping fit and maintaining skill-levels for the sport’s eventual return has become a real priority. Many players are facing the longest period away from the court that they have in their entire careers. With so much free time on their hands, many players have turned to various social media networks as an outlet. Highlights include videos of Roger Federer hitting trick shots in the snow and Stan Wawrinka’s brilliant Instagram feed featuring clips bearing his #stayfitstan tag. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > In the wake of the havoc being wreaked on the sports world by the COVID-19 pandemic, New Zealand Rugby is making pay cuts. This is due to a revenue decline. - Published: 2020-04-03 - Modified: 2020-04-03 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/new-zealand-rugby-slashes-salaries/ New Zealand Rugby has cut salaries for all its staff members and warned that as much as NZ$100 million will be lost in revenue. Leading governing bodies can be said to be scrambling to try and absorb the blow to income caused by the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, to say the least. These emergency measures have been put into place after Wales, Scotland, and England all cut pay for their top officials and follow Rugby Australia’s decision to lay off, albeit temporarily, three-quarters of its staff. NZR Chief Executive Officer Mark Robinson has said that the worst-case scenario would see the All Blacks and all five Super Rugby teams not playing again in 2020. He added that cash outflow needs desperately to be staunched and that staff has agreed to a 40% pay cut for the next three months. Talks with players are underway. Robinson described these times as very challenging, saying that there are people involved with Rugby all over New Zealand desperately trying to deal with very difficult financial circumstances. Super Rugby has been suspended in the southern hemisphere and July Internationals are in doubt as the rapidly spreading COVID-19 strain of coronavirus necessitates strict containment measures and a curb in all forms of international travel. Robinson has let it be known that he has been in contact with World Rugby, the global governing body, about possibly getting financial support for NZR. The yearly Rugby Championship, which features Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa is supposed to start in August. 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The show is a result of the combined efforts of New Zealand Rugby, the NZ Players’ Association, and the five Investec Super Rugby teams, and it will debut on the 1st of April 2020. Former Rugby Union player and 2011 World Cup All Black winner Israel Dagg and journalist and presenter Kirstie Stanway are set to host Isolation Nation. It will be screened on Sky Sport 1 and the company’s social media channels on Wednesdays and Sundays at 19:30. Each episode will see sports fans invited into the homes and private lives of the stars of the New Zealand Rugby scene as we all try to cope with the new normal being impressed on us by the COVID-19 lockdown. Hosts will include players from the Blues, the Chiefs, the Crusaders, and the Highlanders teams, as well as members of the Black Ferns, the Black Ferns Sevens, and the All Black Sevens squads. You’ll be able to find out more about the players’ hobbies, whatever hidden talents they may possess, and how they plan to keep their kids entertained, along with information on their exercise and diet regimes and special training tips. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Sky won’t charge for Sports packages until July 1. This suggests that the broadcaster has given up hope that there’ll be anything to show until then. - Published: 2020-03-30 - Modified: 2020-03-30 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/sky-offers-customers-sport-package-holidays/ Sky is giving some of its customers a holiday when it comes to paying for Sports packages, letting them coast until July 1, which suggests that the broadcaster has accepted that there will not be any live sport to show over the next three months. The offer has not been advertised but was rather extended to a customer who queried the possibility of cancelling services. It is no doubt in part down to Sky trying to prevent its current customers from cutting the cord totally during the coronavirus COVID-19 lockdown. Sky Movies are currently being offered free of charge to sports fans, with the company using this kind of entertainment content to hold on to their subscribers during the upcoming live sports drought. Chris Major, a spokesman for the broadcaster, revealed recently that the company has offered all its Sky Sports customers a courtesy upgrade to entertainment content, acknowledging that live sports have basically shut down and will remain so for the next while. Major says that feedback has been very positive, but that his company understands that certain people want or need more than that. He stated that these individuals are being encouraged to contact Sky so that a deal can be hashed out for them. Major said that a very small number of people have opted to simply pause their subscription to Sky Sports, but, for the most part, their users have remained in place as they round up their entertainment possibilities during the lockdown. 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Adesanya said that this attempt to contain the pandemic will change people’s lives and asked that everyone support each other on a video released on his Instagram account. It opened with him promising to keep things short and sweet and saying that the next month is going to make some people and break others. He said that certain people will be coming out the other side with drinking and drug problems, domestic violence issues, and possibly even divorce, but that better relationships and making peace is also an option. He said that the next four weeks could be spent learning to cook, exercising our brains and bodies, and more before saying he is no guru, just someone with a few ideas. The Last Stylebender, as he’s known, who recently defended his Middleweight title against Yoel Romero from Cuba nicknamed Soldier of God, said that his status as a UFC Champion sometimes means that his words carry weight. He urged people to draw on their inner strength to come out of this a little better than they were before. Globally, COVID-19 has now killed 21 297 people, albeit none in New Zealand as yet. With a world total of 471 820 infected, the good news is that 114 703 people have made a recovery and our country has only 256 active cases. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Nick Mills, owner of the Saints Basketball team, says that COVID-19 could cost him his house. Without governmental help, he says, he could lose everything. - Published: 2020-03-25 - Modified: 2020-03-25 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/saints-owner-fears-homelessness/ Nick Mills, the retailer who owns the Wellington Saints Basketball team, among other things, is anxious that he may lose his home due to the coronavirus pandemic. His other businesses, which include the Spruce Goose Café in Port Townsend, are being hit as hard by COVID-19, and he’s said that without significant help from the New Zealand Government he stands to lose all of it. He has stated that he’s simply going to have to lay certain staff members off, something he’s absolutely dreading. He’s said that his employees are as stressed out as he is, with bills to pay, university fees to settle up, mortgages to see to, and children to feed. And while Mills stands to see a massive drop in income, he agrees with the Government’s raised COVID-19 status. This will see schools and other non-essential services across the country shutting down for at least the next four weeks, with the country being put into a nationwide shutdown to try and contain the coronavirus. Leaving your home over the next month is discouraged, but not forbidden, so you’ll be allowed to take a walk to get some fresh air and exercise, but people are being cautioned to do this alone. The most recent announcement saw the powers that be revealing that they are almost doubling expenditure on the wage subsidy scheme that’s been put in place and frozen rent increases. Finance Minister Grant Robertson has explained that most New Zealanders will not be able to work during this lockdown period and providing some kind of income for those affected like this has been prioritised. 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The games’ opening rounds were completed and the second and third ones will be put back into place after the new governmental edict banning mass indoor gatherings of 100+ people gets rescinded. Now every single top-level sport in New Zealand has had its events cancelled outright or postponed, along with almost all community sports. All Six Nations games have been postponed and Super Rugby events have also all been called off. There is no indication as to when they’ll return. But NZ Rugby is hoping to create a competition limited to domestic teams only for its five Super Rugby squads to fill the void left by the main competition being suspended indefinitely. In related news, the NZ Warriors and Wellington Phoenix are currently basing themselves in Australia to stay in the NRL and A-League contests, respectively. The NZ National Basketball League has made it compulsory for all players and members of team management to self-isolate for two weeks after arriving from overseas, and the final two One Day Internationals that the Black Caps had scheduled in Australia were cancelled, along with the Australian Twenty20 Series set to unfold here later this month. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Certain New Zealand sports will go ahead as planned, despite the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. The list includes Netball, NRL, A-League, and Horse Racing. - Published: 2020-03-20 - Modified: 2020-03-20 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/which-sports-will-go-ahead-despite-covid-19/ The COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic is forcing sports to shut down the world over, which means we’re losing the immense power it has to distract us and foster a sense of community in an environment which is becoming increasingly uncertain. Super Rugby has been adjourned for the foreseeable future and the Plunket Shield Championship was called off with two weeks in the competition remaining, but some sports have been able to continue for the time being, albeit mostly just on our screens. The opening round of the ANZ Premiership Netball League took place as planned but was played in an empty stadium since it’s now illegal for more than 500 people to gather anywhere out of doors. As things currently stand, Round Two is still going ahead. The New Zealand Warriors are currently holed up in a Kingscliff, New South Wales camp. They’ve committed to competing in the NRL after travel restrictions in both Australia and New Zealand went into effect. Round Two will continue for now. The Wellington Phoenix and Melbourne Victory are in self-isolation, but other A-League matches have been brought forward. It’s being said that the remaining 31 season matches will play out in a condensed version of the draw, but remain subject to the volatile situation’s demands. When they emerge from quarantine they’ll be playing six games in less than three weeks. Horse Racing codes will keep broadcasting on the TAB website and Trackside TV but the former will limit operations to courses to include minimum broadcast services, and no on-course sportsbooks or tote services will be available. 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The trans-Tasman Cricket clash kicked off on Friday the 13th, with Australia emerging the victors in the first match of the three-game series which was played in an empty Sydney Cricket Ground. The National Rugby League, Super Rugby, and A-League Soccer seasons are on the verge of being shut down as well following the New Zealand government’s new border restrictions being implemented to try to control the coronavirus outbreak. There are several Kiwi teams involved in these competitions and international arrivals in New Zealand are being forced into isolation for the recommended two-week period. New Zealanders, in general, have also been counselled to call off any non-essential travel. When the measures were announced, the NZ Warriors were playing the Newcastle Knights for the opening NRL match in Newcastle and were defeated in a 20-0 game that went to the latter. A proposition is likely to be made for the Warriors to remain in Australia and play all their games there until border restrictions are loosened. The Club will probably refrain from committing until more information is available on what the restrictions entail, however, and player opinion will be canvassed. Many of them have young families waiting for them in Auckland and odds are that they will be reluctant to remain offshore for an indefinite period. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Piha Pro Surfing competition is the first big New Zealand sporting event to feel the effects of the coronavirus outbreak. They’re hoping to reschedule. - Published: 2020-03-16 - Modified: 2020-03-16 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/surfing/piha-pro-surfing-event-postponed/ The Piha Pro Surfing competition, which was supposed to kick off today, the 16th of March 2020 and then extend through until Sunday the 22nd at Piha Beach in West Auckland, has been postponed due to fears around the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak. The event was scheduled to feature some of the finest surfers in the world, including 11-time World Champion Kelly Slater and would have kicked off today with the finals happening over the coming weekend. The announcement was made as part of the World Surf League’s decision to either cancel or postpone all scheduled events this month, which means the first Championship Tour Season event, the Corona Open Gold Coast at Snapper Rocks, has been affected as well. The WSL has had some successful events in Australia over the last week which is why the Piha Pro decision has come as such a surprise. There’s been no indication of trouble this serious so far. The WSL has gone on to postpone a total of 10 events, including stops scheduled in Barbados, Israel, Indonesia, Japan, and Portugal. A further three events were cancelled outright, one in Tahiti and two in Australia. In a statement released by the WSL said that, due to the rapidly evolving situation with COVID-19 and their concern over the health and safety of athletes, fans, and staff, all events yet to commence at tour levels have been cancelled. This includes the 2020 Championship Tour on Australia’s Gold Coast and the Piha Pro Open Tahiti. 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She said that the upcoming International Cricket Council Women’s World Cup tournament is about letting everyone know how talented New Zealand is! There are good signs for the popularity of Women’s Cricket already, with 86 000+ spectators showing up for the recent T20 World Cup Final. Devine said that it’s vital that word is spread across the country about what we have to offer as a nation and that getting in front of as many Kiwis as possible is a priority for her and her teammates. She said that she knows well the standards of Women’s Cricket because she’s been playing for almost 15 years but she wants to reveal it to the rest of the world, too. President of New Zealand Cricket Debbie Hockley appeared in a total five World Cups, retiring after winning the only NZ title in Lincoln two decades ago. She said that, obviously, the dream is to win it, since this will secure attendance further on down the line, increase support for the women’s game overall, and provide a legacy for the young girl cricketers of tomorrow. The White Ferns will have the full support of our government too, as Sports Minister Grant Robertson said they will be getting more financial help than normal as they enter the race for the silverware. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Global streaming service DAZN will be available to Boxing fans in New Zealand from May this year. Joseph Parker is the likely reason behind this. - Published: 2020-03-11 - Modified: 2020-03-11 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/kiwi-boxing-supports-can-access-dazn-from-may/ DAZN, pronounced Da Zone, will be shaking up the New Zealand sports broadcasting market, and Joseph Dennis Parker, who held the WBO Heavyweight title from 2016 to 2018, is the most likely target. Fight fans will be able to access the global streaming service from May this year, but where Parker’s upcoming bouts will be screened has not yet been determined. DAZN has only been available in nine countries until now, including Austria, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, and the USA, but is set to expand to cover 200+, including New Zealand, in May. Although it has rights to broadcast multiple sports in other countries, only Boxing will be available here initially. This is big news for Parker’s fans because he’s been with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing for his recent fights and they’re eager to extend his contract. Matchroom Boxing signed a four-year deal with DAZN in May 2018, with an option for four more, which sees a broadcast of 40 Boxing cards annually, of which 16 must take place in the USA. Parker’s fights under the banner of Matchroom have been broadcast via DAZN in the other countries that it’s available in, but on Sky Arena here, given that the streaming service was not available in New Zealand. With it primed now to enter our market, negotiations with Parker’s management team will need to be effected. The talks will no doubt include his manager, David Higgins, and will detail the broadcasting of fights he’s involved in because rights to do so have been retained in New Zealand and Samoa. 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His return saw him not only enjoying a place as one of New Zealand’s major new sporting stars, but also as a shining example of the fact that South Asians really can break down the barriers they still face in the established world of professional Football. 21-year-old Singh’s rise can be said to have begun when the German sports club plucked him out of the relative obscurity of his role as attacking midfielder for Wellington Phoenix, signing him last summer. They saw him playing for New Zealand at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup and initially brought him in as one for the future. But his progress has gone far better than expected and Singh has already made his first-team debut. Speaking of his journey to the Bundesliga Club, Singh said that this kind of thing doesn’t happen to New Zealanders with an Indian background very often. He said that, when he played for the NZ national team, many people described him as an underdog, but he never let this view affect him. He said his approach was one of perspective, and that he believes that, in the end, it comes down to how much work you do and how well you do it. After all, he pointed out, one day he was playing in Wellington and the next he was on the field for Bayern Munich. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Warriors’ George wants to coax Wiki out of retirement for a League comeback. It’s all for a good cause, to raise money for Tenterfield in New South Wales. - Published: 2020-03-06 - Modified: 2020-03-06 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/wiki-may-come-out-of-retirement-for-the-warriors/ Cameron George, Chief Executive Officer for the Vodafone Warriors, wants to coax legendary New Zealand International representative centre-turned-prop forward Ruben Wiki out retirement. The 47-year old ex-player retired with the record for Most International Experiences of a Rugby League player in history back in 2006. But it’s not the NRL that George wants the former hero of the Canberra Raiders and Warriors to return to, it’s for a League comeback to raise money for Tenterfield in New South Wales! In December 2019 the Warriors announced that they’d adopted the town for the next 12 months after it got hit hard by effects from the recent bushfires and drought, and part of this initiative will be them putting on a game to raise funds for the town. George reported that talks are being held with the Tenterfield Tigers as everyone waits for their draw to come out about having a game and that both Wiki and Ben Henry are very interested. The CEO said that the plan is to have a weekend in Tenterfield, playing a game and doing community work. He said that the team does lots of work around the country and if there’s a way they could help a few schools in this region it would be great. George said that nothing is confirmed as yet but the possibility of Wiki coming out onto the field one more time along with a fundraising dinner for the town’s sports clubs are all subjects of discussion. 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The team has been scheduled to play Bahrain and Oman at the end of March but the growing threat of the frightening disease in the Middle East has put both matches’ likelihood of happening in doubt. Bahrain’s March 21st match against the Malaysians has already been cancelled and Gianni Infantino, the current FIFA president, has declined to rule out that more changes will be made to the international calendar. The abandonment of the Friendly between Bahrain and Malaysia came as a result of the sovereign Persian Gulf state imposing strict checks on visitors from certain countries, including Iran and Malaysia. But Payne has said that he will gladly accept the call-up if NZ Football deems that it’s safe to travel. He’s stated that if the governing body declares that it’s safe then he has no reason to doubt their judgement and called it a situation out of the squad's control. Payne stated that nothing has been heard as yet but reiterated that he’s certain that NZ Football is taking the precautions they need to and accessing all available research to ensure players and staff are kept as safe as possible. He said that he’s confident that the right decision will be made and he’s happy to do whatever he is told to when the time comes. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > When Ardie Savea said that he’s considering switching from the All Blacks to the NRL, shockwaves were felt all over NZ. He might make the move next year. - Published: 2020-03-02 - Modified: 2020-03-02 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/will-savea-move-over-to-the-nrl/ Ardie Savea, star flanker for the All Blacks, recently made a startling admission, saying that he is very interested in playing Rugby League. New Zealand Rugby was stunned, to say the least, but it looks like he’s seriously considering making the move. But, sadly for the NZ Warriors, that’s not the only club Savea is thinking of joining. The player has said that he would only be interested in becoming part of a dominant squad and went on to mention the Melbourne Storm and Sydney Roosters as examples of this. The 44-Test Wellington Hurricanes principle is under contract with NZ Rugby until the end of 2021 but has admitted that he’s been quietly thinking about making the change next year. He mentioned dual-code international Sonny Bill Williams, who shot to fame with the Canterbury Bulldogs before switching codes to join the Toronto Wolfpack, as inspiring his current train of thought. He explained that the reason he’s interested in playing Rugby League is that the players do a lot more off-the-field and he’s ready for a new challenge. Savea said that learning to play an entirely new game and seeing if he can hold his own in it excites him and evidence that it is possible, as Williams proved, is a thrilling prospect and inspiration for a possible change for his future plans. Recent career highlights for Savea include him playing in four of the five warm-up matches for New Zealand before the 2019 World Cup. 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After that, they’ll be sitting down to complete their official report on the bid evaluations which will play a huge role in determining which country gets the games. The final decision will be made by the 37-member FIFA Council at the beginning of June 2020, just slightly over three years before the tournament will take place. Andrew Pragnell, Chief Executive of New Zealand Football, said that the bid had shown both Australia and New Zealand in the most positive light possible. He stated that the cities, stadiums, and training sites were showcased thoroughly to give the inspectors the chance to make an informed decision about what we have to offer. Pragnell said that one thing going for us is that hosting is a lifestyle choice in Australia and New Zealand, so everyone was prepared and knew exactly what needed to be done. He reported that the visit went very well but, thanks to the FIFA staff’s professional manner, it’s difficult to tell which way they’re leaning. They started in Australia, then travelled across the Tasman to review Wellington before turning north to Hamilton and Auckland, where they wrapped things up with dinner on the waterfront. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > An unexpected outlay has caused an upset for the NZPBA as it tries to get fighters to the Olympic Qualifiers. They are seeking urgent financial assistance. - Published: 2020-02-26 - Modified: 2020-02-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/coronavirus-impact-on-nz-boxing-olympic-qualifiers/ The disruption caused by the coronavirus has led to New Zealand Boxing experiencing major problems as they seek funding to see our fighters get to the Olympic Qualifiers. Keith Walker, President of the New Zealand Professional Boxing Association, has admitted that the turmoil caused by the current coronavirus epidemic may well hamper our fighters’ hopes of attending the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan this summer. At the time of writing 2 500+ people have died from the virus. A qualifying event set to unfold in Wuhan, China, was cancelled just four days before the New Zealand boxing team was scheduled to travel there from a training camp located in Thailand. Walker has now spoken about the trouble this caused due to the NZPBA’s lack of finding, saying that this repeal caused big problems. Fighters had to be flown home without going through China, so the Association had to purchase their tickets for them. This unexpected cost to get boxers back from Thailand and then to the reorganised qualifiers may well leave the governing body bankrupt. Walker has said that this outlay has left them without money to spend on anything else this year and they will need to start looking for outside sponsorship and support. He said that the new flights had to be booked with Qantas Airways Limited which doubled the price that they had anticipated. Qualifiers will now be taking place in Jordan from March 3 to March 11 2020. 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While he could easily have looked for, and found, a more-than-generous paycheque playing overseas, this is simply not Perry’s style says Tasman Chief Executive Officer Tony Lewis. His quiet retreat is perfectly in line with his personality. Lewis is reported as saying that Perry loathes fanfare and fuss and this exit has been effected exactly as he wanted it. Lewis described the player as an intelligent man with a wide range of interests outside of Rugby who’s simply found the right time to start creating a new life. His 6 Tests played out in 2018 when he made his debut against the Wallabies in a Sydney match and then went on to the field twice against the Argentinians and the South Africans. He then played what turned out to be his last Test against Japan in November last year. Perry was a strong contender for the All Blacks’ World Cup team in 2019 but he’d already decided that that was going to be his last year. He then broke his arm in the Crusaders’ season-opening game and so missed most of the Super Rugby season, which affected his eligibility for the Cup squad. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Bunty Afoa’s recent ACL tear has delivered a huge blow to the New Zealand Warriors. They will have to do without the player for the whole season. - Published: 2020-02-21 - Modified: 2020-02-21 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/nz-warriors-hit-by-afoas-acl-injury/ The New Zealand Warriors have received very bad news for their National Rugby League season, with prop Iulio Afoa, commonly known as Bunty, being ruled out for its duration. Their hopes for 2020 have been hit hard with the loss of one of the most talented forwards in the team. Afoa was ruled out for the season after suffering a tear of the anterior cruciate ligament, ACL, during a contact training session recently. The 23-year old player was supposed to part of the Nines team but didn’t make the trip and it’s been ruled highly unlikely that he will be able to return to the field before the NRL campaign comes to an end. He’s scheduled to undergo an operation to treat the injury soon. Not only is he one of the most formidable runners in the squad with a ball in his hands, Afoa, at 1. 83 metres tall and weighing 111 kilograms, also somehow packs this size and bulk into a lightweight performance on the pitch. His absence is going to add pressure on Agnatius Paasi and Leeson Ah Mau, as they’ll have to share the load, and may also mean that Sam Lisone gets back in the running. Lisone played 11 times in 2019 but was never viewed as a regular player and there was even speculation that he might depart in the off-season, with rumours that certain Super League clubs were interested in using the 25-year old. But Afoa’s terrible setback means a new opportunity for him. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The owner of the NZ Breakers is livid about his team’s elimination from the ANBL due to point percentage. He says no other country in the world uses it. - Published: 2020-02-19 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/walsh-fired-up-over-breakers-anbl-playoff-elimination/ The New Zealand Breakers have been eliminated from the Australian National Basketball League playoff race and owner Matt Walsh intends to talk to league organisers about how this happened. They were expected to last a lot longer, or at least until the South East Melbourne Phoenix beat Melbourne United to qualify for the playoffs. But the Brisbane Bullets, who needed a win by at least 33 points over the Cairns Taipans, ended their season. They claimed an extraordinary triumph with a score of 128 - 88 that gave them a better points percentage than the Breakers and it’s this fact that has Walsh seeing red. Walsh fumed that there’s nowhere else in the world that this kind of points system is used. He said that it’s ridiculous that a game featuring Brisbane starters playing Cairns development players determined the Breakers’ fate in the playoffs. He insisted that, far from being a case of sour grapes, this kind of ruling is something that detracts from the league itself. He called it a black eye on the association as a whole. Regardless of whether or not this process is a good idea, the Breakers will not be featuring in the 2020 playoffs, thanks in part to a poor start to the season which, at one point, left them with a record of 2 - 8. They brought this up, however, to 15 - 13 after a number of key players returned from injury, including Finn Delaney and Robert Loe. --- > UFC champion Israel Adesanya stole the show with a riveting speech at the Halbergs. Named Sportsman of the Year, he spoke out against Tall Poppy culture. - Published: 2020-02-17 - Modified: 2020-02-17 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/ufc/sportsman-of-the-year-adesanya-makes-strong-speech-at-halbergs/ When Ultimate Fighting Championship superstar Israel Adesanya was named Sportsman of the Year at the Halberg Awards, his powerful acceptance speech calling for inclusivity stole the show. The Nigerian-New Zealand Professional Mixed Martial Arts fighter’s win marked the first Combat Sports athlete’s triumph in this category since 1953, and his acceptance speech was fiery as he called to cancel Tall Poppy culture in this country and to take motivating up-and-coming athletes more seriously. Adesanya beat out Shot Put athlete Tom Walsh, Professional Racing Driver Scott McLaughlin, and Cricketer Kane Williamson to scoop the award, with McLaughlin probably the next favourite for the honour after his fantastic feats in the Supercars arena recently. The MMA fighter said that his award was not really his and rather belonged to the next generation of contenders who can now see someone they can relate to being recognised. He said he was proud that a Combat athlete like himself is finally being seen in the same category as teams like the Rugby All Blacks, Basketball’s Tall Blacks, and Cricket’s Black Caps. He then spoke of New Zealand’s Tall Poppy syndrome, denouncing it, and explaining how when an athlete started making good the public wants to tear him down. He said that this is justified as keeping athletes humble but that it is anything but. He asked the audience to instead support athletes and teams who are doing well because every win they achieve belongs to the whole country. 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The news of his untimely death broke after Gemma McCaw, née Flynn, Black Sticks Hockey star, posted a poignant tribute on Instagram saying the team had lost a very special man. One of McCaw’s former Black Sticks teammates, Katie Glynn, has since gone on to create a Givealittle crowdfunding page to help Chloe Conza, Brad’s eight-year-old daughter, and his wider family deal with their enormous loss. At the time of writing over NZ$15 000+ had been collected. Glynn has revealed that she knew Conza, or B-rad as he’s more affectionately known, for more than 10 years. She said he was her team’s trainer when she was an athlete and she then worked with him as part of the management staff. In the Givealittle page tribute, Glynn said that Conza had dedicated his life to working as a Strength and Conditioning Coach for many elite athletes at High Performance Sport New Zealand. The list includes New Zealand Swimming, the Football Ferns, and the Black Sticks Women’s Hockey team. She mentioned further that Conza was also a beloved brother, father, and son and that he was particularly dedicated to his daughter Chloe. She made mention of the passion and optimism he brought to the job being evident in his athletes’ subsequent performances and said that he provided enormous levels of support and fostered long-standing relationships with many players. He will be sorely missed. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > For the first time since 1993, Kelly Slater will be returning to New Zealand. He will take part in the Piha Pro which will run from March 16 to March 22. - Published: 2020-02-12 - Modified: 2020-02-12 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/surfing/surfing-legend-kelly-slater-is-coming-to-new-zealand/ Robert Kelly Slater is a professional Surfer from the United States of America. While he has also done work as an actor, author, businessman, innovator, and model, he is best known for winning the World Surfing Championship an unprecedented 11 times. He’s regarded by many to be the greatest professional surfer of all time and is competing in New Zealand this year. Slater will be kicking off his 2020 season with the Piha Pro event scheduled for March. Slater is currently 47-years old and holds world records for being both the youngest and the oldest World Champion in the Male Surfing category. He won his first World title when he was 20-years old, in 1992, and his last at 39-years old. The Piha Pro will be the first time that Slater has set foot in New Zealand since 1993. It is one stop on the recently announced WSL Challenger Series and will see 100+ Surfers chasing to qualify for 2021’s elite Championship Tour. Piha Pro Event Director Chris Simpson has said that Kelly’s attendance is a coup for the event and that having someone of this merit taking part in their first-ever event proves how well regarded the seaside village has become as a Surfing destination. Simpson said that it proves their credibility and that he’s sure that the hype around this sector of the New Zealand sporting community will be impacted. Kelly has said he’s very excited to be returning to New Zealand and can’t wait for the March 16 to March 22 event to get started. 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Other clubs specifically requested Gausch’s presence, who has been criticised for the recruitment of former star of the Wallabies for the Dragons Catalans. The action went against the express wishes of the Super and Rugby Football Leagues and also angered most of the clubs. Hull Kingston Rovers chairman Neil Hudgell actually went so far as to send Catalans a letter warning them of possible legal action being implemented against them if sponsoring fell through because of Folau’s appointment. Super League CEO Robert Elstone said in a statement that their position on the player has been clear and consistent and that the time has come to separate what’s going on in the field with what’s going on outside it. He said that the Board accepts the legalities around RFL’s decision to register Folau and has voted as one to ensure that this kind of thing doesn’t happen again. He spoke of the sport’s impressive track record regarding diversity, equality, and inclusion and said that this work will continue. Folau recently arrived in Perpignan from Australia to start training after not playing Rugby since April 2019. The team, however, needs outside backs due to player injuries. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Winston Reid, All Whites Captain and West Ham Defender, will soon be a member of the Nashville SC squad. He’s getting loaned out to the MLS Expansion team. - Published: 2020-02-07 - Modified: 2020-02-07 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/winston-reid-to-join-mls-expansion-team/ Winston Reid, a formidable player in both the All Whites and West Ham teams, is going to be joining the MLS Expansion team Nashville Soccer Club in an upcoming loan deal. David Moyes, Manager at West Ham, recently confirmed that the Central Defender will soon be heading over to the USA, although details on when exactly remain unclear. Nashville Soccer Club will be joining the Major League Soccer level this season, alongside Inter Miami, the franchise based in Florida partly owned by David Beckham. This will see the competition getting expanded to include 26 teams. It is believed that the load deal will initially extend across six months and will theoretically allow for Reid to return to London to play in pre-season games with the Hammers as he tries to regain his first-team status. His main focus at this point will no doubt be on racking up game time. Reid has not appeared in a competitive match for West Ham, besides in an Under-23 game in November 2019, for almost two years now. This is thanks to a freak knee injury he sustained in a match against Swansea in March 2018, where he was knocked unconscious and suffered ligament damage. He had been a consistent, fairly durable player until then, averaging 33 matches in the previous three seasons before his campaign over 2017 and 2018 was cut short. This was in spite of a catalogue of persistent injuries he was sustaining over that period, including issues with his abductor, calf, hamstring, groin, and quadriceps. 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Rohit Sharma went hard against the hosts but was retired hurt, restricting India to 163/3 in their 20 overs. With just 57 runs needed off their last 54 deliveries, it seemed that the Black Caps would have their way after all. But they choked, giving India a victory of 7 runs and wrapping up the 5-match Series with a final score of 4-0. Apart from this collapse, the Black Caps’ pink faces are what made the headlines. Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited, the official sponsors of New Zealand Cricket, asked fans to collect the free zinc at their branches or via the Supporter filter on Facebook. This was the first step in the promotion of the White Ferns’ World Cup T20 campaign. In contrast to their male counterparts, the White Ferns claimed a nine-wicket win over South Africa in their first Bay Oval T20 match. Sophie Devine, the captain, scored an unbeaten 54 in just 32 balls, including three fours and four sixes as her teammates comfortably achieved their target of 117 in the 13th over. Rachel Priest, wicketkeeper, also did excellently, scoring 37 off 28 balls when she was at-bat. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand’s men's and women’s teams came out on top at the Hamilton Round of the World Sevens team on Sunday. Both are going through to the final four. - Published: 2020-02-03 - Modified: 2025-06-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/new-zealand-triumphs-at-hamilton-sevens/ The Kiwis captured both the Men’s and Women’s Titles in the recent World Seven Series’ Hamilton round. This is a repeat of the double success they enjoyed at the previous tournament held in Cape Town, South Africa. The men produced a decided victory of 2705 over France, claiming their first home contest in four years at the same time, and the women scored their third consecutive tournament win when they thrashed Canada, with a final score of 24-7. Tim Mikkelson, Co-Captain for the men, has said that it’s important for morale for the players to improve their record at home. He said that the athletes have not done that well in recent years, and everyone owed a little something to fans and families. He described the men as having a clinical approach and said that those who came on to the field at the end of the game finish what their teammates had started, allowing them to come away with the victory. Scott Curry put his team on the board when he scored a try during the game’s second minute against France when Tavite Veredamu, their dangerman, was cooling his heels in the Sin Bin. No sooner was he back on the field when he scored the only try the French team managed. Regan Ware scored NZ’s second try right at the half-time mark when the French were once more down a man when Captain Jonathan Laugel got a yellow card. Ware and Curry then scored twice more each in the second half. 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The 37-year old one-time New Zealand International believes that he’s no longer able to train at the level of a professional player and so ends a career that began with Sydney Olympic in the NSL in 2003. Moss released a statement which explained that he’s made his decision early after informing his club so that they can start planning for next season. He said he is committed to doing everything he can to help Lewis Italiano and Noah James show how much they deserve contracts and spoke of his pride at finishing in Newcastle. He said it’s a perfect end to a Football career spanning almost 20 years. Moss has played for five different clubs during his career, making a total of 249 A-League appearances in all. He was also on the field for the All Whites 22 times and helped secure New Zealand’s first point in a senior FIFA tournament during the 0-0 Draw against Iraq at the South African 2009 Confederations Cup. Moss has indicated that he’s interested in taking up coaching when he finished his career as a player, stating that he has a real passion for the game and would be thrilled to be able to pass on his knowledge. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Hale is far more than just a backrower for the Kiwi Ferns. Find out more about her accomplishments across four sports and various community initiatives. - Published: 2020-01-29 - Modified: 2020-01-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/hale-is-a-young-new-zealander-of-the-year-finalist/ Star of the National Rugby League Georgia Hale has been named as one of the finalists for Young New Zealander of the year! The five-eighth, halfback, and hooker for the Kiwi Ferns is not just a champion athlete in four different sports, however. She has also been the catalyst for several community initiatives aimed at helping children, people living in rural communities, and those who are differently-abled. The 24-year old has known about it for some time, although the announcement was only recently made public. She said she’s overwhelmed by the honour and is still trying to process the good news. Hale has represented her country at Nines, Rugby League, Tag-Football, and Touch, and was also a gifted Netball player in her teenage years. But she has been driven largely by community work, turning down not one but two scholarships after she finished high school to work at a centre for learning support instead. She has no regrets about her decision, calling her work so rewarding that the choice was an easy one to make. Hale will soon be starting her fourth season as the Coordinator for the Warriors community and has stated that the goal is to make it a game that everyone can play. At this point, between 25 000 and 30 000 engage with the Warriors’ Community Programmes annually, and Hale has also played a prominent role in creating a project aimed at assisting those with different needs when it comes to learning. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Indian Skipper Virat Kohli says there’s no desire for retribution from his side of the Cricket pitch. He spoke instead of the quality of the Kiwi players. - Published: 2020-01-27 - Modified: 2020-01-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/kohli-says-revenge-isnt-on-the-cricketing-agenda/ The opening game for the 2020 TwentySeries on Friday the 24th of January was the first time that the Black Caps and the Men in Blue have faced off since the World Cup Semi-Final last July. It was a tense game which eventually went to the Kiwis. It saw the Indian squad being denied a spot in the Final for the second time in succession, but Captain Virat Kohli says revenge couldn’t be further from his players’ minds. Kohli spoke of how pleasant the Black Caps are and said that retribution has never crossed his mind. He spoke of how well the two teams get on and how it all comes down to simply playing good Cricket at the end of the day. He mentioned his comments on the squad last year, where he lauded them for setting an excellent example for other teams playing at the international level. Kohli discussed the Men in Blue’s plan of action for 2020, saying that their sole intention was to bring their very best to each ball of the game. He added that he prides himself on ensuring that everyone behaves respectfully on the pitch, saying that their behaviour was a mark of respect and that he hopes this sentiment goes both ways. The Skipper went on to say that his team was really pleased for the Caps when they qualified for the finals. He explained that you need perspective when you’re playing at this level, and one must always look at the bigger picture no matter what’s going on in the moment. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Sonny Boy Williams is ready to get back onto the Rugby field. Next month he’ll be playing his first game after a five-year break and he’s fired up. - Published: 2020-01-24 - Modified: 2020-01-24 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/williams-has-a-point-to-prove-as-he-returns-to-rugby-league/ Sonny Bill Williams has just signed a deal worth millions of dollars with the Toronto Wolfpack Rugby League team. They’re set to make their debut in the Super League on the 2nd of February against Castleford and Williams can’t wait to get back in the game. He’s well aware that he’ll need to prove himself worthy but says that he’s confident that his skills are still there. Brian McDermott, the coach for the team, says Williams needs time to adjust, but there’s no reason to doubt that he’s got what it takes. The games will mark the return to League for Williams after a five-year hiatus, if, as is expected, he is selected to play despite only starting training with his new team this month. But the 34-year old emphasised that he’s not interested in featuring in next year’s World Cup just yet. He wants to prove that he can still perform first. He said that even considering playing for New Zealand or Samoa next year is out of the question right now because he’s been away for five years. He’s let it be known that at this point he’s 100% focused on mastering the 13-player game and he’s determined to make it work. Fans will recall that Williams is the second-ever person to represent New Zealand in Rugby Union games after playing in Rugby League. He’s also one of just 20 players who has won multiple World Cups. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Cook Islands’ Rugby team isn’t afraid of the champions they will be facing off against. Read about how they feel about playing some remarkable squads. - Published: 2020-01-22 - Modified: 2025-06-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/cook-islands-rugby-league-team-has-no-fear/ The Kuki’s aren’t intimidated by being drawn to play what many are saying is the Group of Death at the Rugby League Cup set to play out in 2021. The recent draw saw Fiji grouped with champions Australia, Italy, and Scotland, and New Zealand has drawn against Ireland, Jamaica, and Lebanon. But the Cook Islands’ team, who have only just qualified, have been locked in to go up against what many think of as the Group of Death. They are set to play against the terrifying Tongans, stars of the recent upsets against Australia, Papua New Guinea, and Wales. Far from being cowed, Tony Iro, Kuki coach, said that his players were excited at the prospect of testing their merits against those of some of the world’s top teams. He conceded that Tonga will be the favourite, but said that everyone is looking forward to the challenge they’ll face in the game against the vastly improved players from Papua New Guinea. He described the Welsh as being on a bit of a downturn but stated that anything could happen before the games began. Iro went on to say that they would be facing tough games in a strong pool but he thinks that if the Cook Islands get the right team together and play well they’ve got as much of a chance of winning as anyone else. He ended by saying that their goal, for now, was simply to make it to the tournament quarterfinals. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Find out what people have had to say about the image Sky Sports chose to promote the ASB Classic. The repeated screenings of women’s underwear are sexist. - Published: 2020-01-20 - Modified: 2020-01-20 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/sky-sports-in-hot-water-for-shots-of-players-underwear/ Sky Sports has apologised for offending crowds after Tennis fans started complaining about their decision to repeatedly screen an image showing a female player’s underwear while promoting the ASB Classic. ASB Bank, the sponsor for the tournament, has said it is also disappointed by the network’s choice. One fan said it was a pity that Sky Sport used this photograph repeatedly to advertise Women’s Tennis, mentioning how it’s been screened hundreds of times. She questioned whether it was the best photo available and wondered why it had been allowed. In her social media post the fan went on to say that, while neither she nor her friends were prudes, they all feel that organisations using women’s crotches to advertise a sporting event have reached a new low. ASB Bank was quick to reply to the post, saying that they were also disappointed with the image that has been chosen and explaining that they had raised the issue with Sky Sport previously. They recommended that disgruntled spectators contact the network itself as well as the Advertising Standards Authority directly to voice their concerns and pointed out that the image would no longer be used thanks to the Men’s ASB Classic week now beginning. The women’s event came to an end last Sunday, seeing Serena Williams capturing the first title in Auckland. The men’s section of the ASB Classic will wrap up on Sunday. Sky Sports issued a statement apologising for causing offence and promising that they have taken this feedback on board. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Cricketers from New Zealand are being recognised for their incredible work on the pitch and then some. Read all about how they are being acknowledged. - Published: 2020-01-17 - Modified: 2020-01-17 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/nz-cricketers-are-collecting-all-the-awards/ It was recently announced that BJ Watling, wicket-keeper for the Black Caps, and Neil Wagner, his bowler teammate, have both been selected in the International Cricket Council’s Test Team of the year for the first time. Fellow wicket-keeper Tom Latham has been included on the list for the second year running, and Kane Williamson, batsman, and bowler Trent Boult also made the cut. This honour could not have come at a better time for the Cricketing quintet, all of whom took part in the recent Test Series loss to Australia. Watling’s biggest achievement last year was the double century he scored against England at November’s Mount Maunganui game which saw him set his team up for a Test and Series win. He batted for 11+ hours and made 205, his highest Test score by 60+ runs. He also played a large role in the success of the team’s previous game, making 105 in the win in Colombo against the Sri Lankans. Wagner took 43 wickets, with a 17. 81 average and a 27. 6 strike rate, in 2019, making it the best return he has made in any calendar year. He took four five-wicket bags in the 11 innings he was on the field. This total was made up of 5-47 against Bangladesh in Hamilton in February, 5-45 against the same team in Wellington in March, 5-44 against England in November at Mount Maunganui, and 5-124 against the English in Hamilton 7 days later. In other good news, New Zealand-born all-rounder and vice-captain of the England Test team Ben Stokes collected the Sir Garfield Sobers Player of the Year trophy. 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She was, unfortunately, unable to complete a perfect week, however, when she lost the Doubles Final, with Asia Muhammad and Taylor Townsend beating Williams and Caroline Wozniacki 6 - 4, 6 - 4. The great Tennis player struggled for consistency earlier on in the week but ended up destroying Amanda Anisimova in their Semi-Final with a score of 6 - 1, 6 - 1. She spoke of seeing an improvement in her game as the week went on and said she was grateful for it since she faced some difficult matches. Williams’ Singles victory sees her collecting her 73rd World Tennis Association title and breaking a losing streak that’s lasted almost three years. This is despite the fact that she has played in five Finals since clinching her 23rd Grand Slam crown with her 2017 Australian Open victory. She’s chasing Australia’s Margaret Court’s record 24 Grand Slam Singles titles but lost two US Open Finals and two Wimbledon Finals since she beat her older sister Venus in Melbourne almost three years ago. The 38-year old superstar has let it be known that she will be donating all her prize money to assist Australian bushfire relief. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > In one of the most shocking incidents in the history of Champion Harness Racing, Ricky May died last week. A horsewoman stepped in to save his life. - Published: 2020-01-13 - Modified: 2020-01-13 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/ricky-may-talks-about-dying-on-live-tv/ Ricky May, the Champion Harness Racing driver, is unusually lighthearted about how he died on live television last Thursday. He has to control his laughter, however, because the guardian angel horsewoman who stepped in to save his life broke a few of his ribs while she did so. The Racing world was left reeling when May collapsed mid-race while driving A G’s White Socks in the NZ$30 000 Central Otago Cup at Omakau, falling on to the track when his heart stopped. The thousands of spectators enjoying the event live and via television feared the worst and, initially, they were right to do so. Ricky May was dead. Speaking from his bed in Christchurch Hospital, May stated that the Dunedin Hospital doctor told him that he had perished. He’s not certain for how long, but it’s estimated that it was for about 10 minutes. The driver says he doesn’t recall anything from this part of the day. He said he remembers driving a winner two hours before the incident and then he woke up in the hospital surrounded by his family two days later. After piecing together information from the doctors attending him and those first on the scene at the track, May now knows that his heart wasn’t beating when Ellie Barron, a fellow driver, rushed to his side. Barron is a trained physiotherapist and immediately started CPR, working so furiously to start his heart again that although she broke his ribs she also may have saved his life. He’s adamant that he’ll be back in the sulky as soon as he’s able. --- > Kiwi Rugby player Fatialofa’s condition remains serious but stable after his operation. His wife has asked for good thoughts and prayers via Instagram. - Published: 2020-01-10 - Modified: 2020-01-10 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/mrs-fatialofa-asks-fans-to-pray-for-michael/ Tatiana Fatialofa has reached out to her husband Michael’s supporters on Instagram, sharing a lengthy message in which she pleads for them to keep him in their thoughts and prayers. The 27-year old Kiwi has been ensconced in a London hospital since he was carted off the field in a neck brace during the Worcester Warriors’ Gallagher Premiership game against Saracens on Saturday the 4th of January. He was involved in a serious collision during the game, which his team ended up losing as well, and play was halted for 15 minutes as medics rushed to the pitch to treat the struggling athlete. He underwent surgery on Monday the 6th to relieve pressure on his spinal cord caused by swelling, and while it was a successful operation, Fatialofa remains in a stable but serious condition. He is still in intensive care, but the process of recovery can be said to have begun. The Warriors released an update on Monday saying that Nick Tait, their team doctor, has been in daily contact with Fatialofa’s neurosurgeon. Apparently the trauma he received during the game left the player with reduced power and sensation in both his arms and his legs, which is why the surgery was necessary. The Auckland-born player is currently in his second season at Sixways Stadium after he left the Wellington-based Hurricanes Rugby Union team in 2018. A full recovery is on the cards for the 27-year old, but strict rest and recuperation will no doubt play a large role in how quickly he’s able to get well. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Ross Taylor, the batsman for the Black Caps, has a new record to add to his collection. He has become the top Test runscorer in New Zealand’s history. - Published: 2020-01-08 - Modified: 2020-01-08 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/taylor-becomes-nzs-best-ever-test-runscorer/ In a Cricket career marked by multiple records, Black Cap batsman Ross Taylor has now claimed possibly the most significant one of all. He’s become the all-time leader in scoring Test runs in New Zealand, and as happy as he is about it he no doubt would’ve preferred it to happen under better circumstances. His team’s position was a grim one at the time of the new record, sitting with 35 - 4 as they chased 416 for the win. They were headed towards another dreadful defeat and were out just 3 balls later thanks to an excellent Pat Cummins delivery. He has moved passed Stephen Fleming thanks to reaching 21 in the team’s second innings against the Aussies at the Sydney Cricket Ground stadium. He achieved the milestone in his 175th innings and 99th match, securing it by hitting bowler Nathan Lyon over mid-on for 3. Taylor has hit 19 Test centuries during his career, the second-most by a New Zealander, and has averaged over 46, which is also the second highest amongst his countrymen. This is on top of 1 000 Test runs. He moved past Fleming for the most One Day International runs by a Kiwi in February last year, and has now got the most in all international game formats for his country. He also passed 17 250 international runs in this innings and has played a whopping 474 innings in all international formats for Cricket, tying with Brendon McCullum for the most international innings by a player from New Zealand. 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While she approved it, if you don’t, you could see it end up on the chopping block! The player from Kawakawa in Northland has teamed up with the Bald Angels Charitable Trust to launch a new campaign called The Summer of the Mullet. They aim to raise NZ$100 000 for the Northland-based non-profit which provides mentors to vulnerable youth who lack the support and care they require to develop good life skills and make the right decisions. This region has some of the worst statistics in the country regarding youth crime, poverty, and truancy and Goodhue is helping as he can by allowing the public to decide whether or not he gets to keep his idiosyncratic hairdo. He says that he wants to do something special for the children of this area that need direction and hope, and the campaign recently kicked off to general amusement. It aims to start conversations about growing mullets over the summer season and Goodhue has stated that if New Zealand wants him to shave his off he will have to oblige! TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Warne has taken to social media to declare his comments about Lyon being rested were taken out of context. He says he’s disappointed but not surprised. - Published: 2020-01-03 - Modified: 2020-01-03 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/warne-shrill-about-being-misquoted-regarding-lyon/ Shane Warne is all over social media platforms, claiming that his statements over Black Caps off-spin bowler Nathan Lyon being rested for the third Test match against New Zealand were taken totally out of context and then printed as fact. The commentator and former international Cricketer stated recently that Australia should do everything in its power to get bowler Mitchell Swepson in the team with the series victory already complete, even if it meant that Lyon would not play the Test. Speaking to Fox Cricket earlier on in the Boxing Day Test, Warne said called resting a quickie with some stuff going on and India on the horizon a great opportunity. He commented that it might hurt for someone to miss out on a Test match, Lyon, for example. He ended by saying he though leaving a batsman out and playing all five would push Paine up to No 6, and that Swepson should, by all means, be given a chance and a spot found for him on the team. But Lyon was quick to dismiss the idea that he could or needed to be rested in a somewhat acerbic response to Warne’s idea, which asked whether Warne had ever wanted to rest and give Stuart MacGill a chance. The comment stirred the pot and Warne was upset, tweeting that he was frustrated by certain journalists making it sound like he had ever said such a thing. He wants the whole conversation reported, saying that what Lyon’s understood is not what he meant. 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He was also the final man to be dismissed, for 121, when his squad was bowled out for 240. The Black Caps lost the Test by 247 runs. Blundell showed tremendous fight in the game, but he was not doing it entirely for the Black Caps. Part of his message was for Hollie Beattie, a little girl who’s undergoing something far more difficult. The multi-coloured batting grip Blundell was using on the field was in support of Beattie, who is battling cancer. It was designed by the young girl along with Kookaburra, and Players Sport is selling it to help raise money to fund her medical costs. Kookaburra got Hollie’s input regarding the colours and the youngster also had a hand in designing the waves of colour. Neil Wagner, Blundell’s teammate, also used the grip when he played in Melbourne, and Tim Southee donated a Test shirt signed by the whole squad to the cause. John Beattie, Hollie’s dad, is a Players Sports Foundation Staff member and the firm has been retailing the grips for 9. 99. Her father said the players’ actions have left him humbled and grateful. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Drastic changes to the Sevens tournament format by World Rugby are making some people very unhappy. This is due to it affecting the Olympic draw. - Published: 2019-12-30 - Modified: 2019-12-30 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/rebellions-a-possibility-if-world-rugby-changes-sevens-format/ World Rugby is said to be facing a possible rebellion by its World Series Sevens teams after implementing radical changes to the format of the tournament. The men’s teams are particularly unhappy with losing looming tournament Quarterfinals in Hamilton and Sydney, fearing it will affect their hopes of qualifying for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. There are rumours that they may well take their concerns to the International Court of Sport Arbitration. The first two legs of the World Series 2019-20 took place in Dubai and Cape Town and extended over three days. Both men’s and women’s teams took part. But the next two events, also involving both the men’s and women’s squads, sees the competitions streamlined to just two days. The men’s Quarter-Finals will be dropped in a ruthless system that sees the four Group Winners advancing directly through to the Semi-Finals and the losing teams dropping out of running for the cup immediately. The winners of the three women’s pools will be joined by the team that places second in the Final Four. An unnamed International Sevens coach has reportedly said that players and instructors alike are angry. They went on to explain that these changes will negatively affect the Olympic draw and also jeopardise the game’s integrity and the enjoyment of play. Further objections are being considered. The International Rugby Players Association is aware of the levels of dissatisfaction and this could go as far as the CAS and even the Olympics Committee. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Dr John Mayhew has gone public with the challenges Jonah Lomu faced before he passed away. He spoke of the 1995 Rugby World Cup being a real challenge. - Published: 2019-12-27 - Modified: 2019-12-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/dr-mayhew-tells-of-lomus-final-years/ Dr John Mayhew, affectionately known as Doc, worked with the All Blacks from 1988 to 2004 before going on to work with the Warriors. He became very close with Jonah Lomu during this time and was one of the only people who knew about the player’s kidney disorders right from the start. He was with Lomu for the kidney transplant he received in 2004 and was devastated when the athlete passed away the following year. Lomu was only 40-years old when he died after a cardiac arrest. He was surrounded by his loved ones, a small solace for those who were close to him. Lomu had contracted nephrotic syndrome, a kidney disorder that caused his body to excrete too much protein in his urine. This issue is usually a result of damage to the small blood issues in these organs. Mayhew said that the toughest time was during a Barbarians game after the 1995 Rugby World Cup because Lomu was extremely ill before it and should actually not have been playing. The doctor stated that he had advised Lomu to sit the match out but the player refused, saying that he needed to get on to the field for his fans. Of course, no one was aware of the extent of his illness at that time. Even John Hart, the All Blacks coach, had been kept in the dark. It was not a question of arrogance, says Mayhew. Lomu had just come out of the World Cup and knew that many people had travelled to see him play and he didn’t want to let them down. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Find out who made the biggest difference in New Zealand’s sporting arena this year. Our athletes all do us proud, but these few are the cream of the crop. - Published: 2019-12-25 - Modified: 2019-12-25 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/nzs-top-5-in-sports-for-2019/ Take a look at the brightest stars in New Zealand sports in 2019. Alice Robinson The schoolgirl skier who has just celebrated her 18th birthday kicked off 2019 with incredible performances in Europe. New Zealand officially uncovered a new world superstar in a niche sport after Robinson beat American Mikaela Shiffrin in the giant slalom, claiming our second-ever World Cup racing victory after Riegler’s feat 20+ years ago. The Black Caps Although the Lord’s World Cup Cricket Final will never be forgotten, with England somehow managing to beat New Zealand, the Black Caps’ Semi-Final victory over India will remain emblazoned on our memories too! It formed a vital part of the wonderful ride that was this tournament. Israel Adesanya Adesanya’s meteoric rise as an MMA superstar reached its peak in Melbourne when he claimed the Middleweight title in front of 60 000 fans at UFC 243. Noeline Taurua Taurua managed to pull off one of the greatest comebacks ever seen as Head Coach of the Silver Ferns, but she is hesitant about taking the credit. She stated that being crowned NZ Herald Sports Hero of the Year is humbling but that she’s very grateful. Sonny Bill Williams Possibly the most polarising figure in the history of our sports, Williams has gone on to become a symbol of peace and unity. After the Christchurch terror attack, he took leave of the Blues, headed to the stricken area and attended Friday Prayers with crowds at Hagley Park. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Although the Warriors have said they are interested in the Storm forward Fa'asuamaleaui, it’s not yet a done deal. This is despite what reports are saying. - Published: 2019-12-23 - Modified: 2019-12-23 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/nz-warriors-interested-in-faasuamaleaui/ The New Zealand Warriors Rugby League team has confirmed that they are interested in Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, the well-rated forward for Franklin Storm, but deny that the deal has already been done. Reports have been swirling that the Auckland-based club had already agreed on terms with the 19-year old player who made his National Rugby League in July this year. Peter O’Sullivan, Recruitment Manager for the Warriors, stated that no contracts have yet been signed, calling suggestions that the 110-kilogram, 1. 97-metre tall giant had already agreed to join his club premature and fabricated. O’Sullivan has stated that Fa'asuamaleaui is absolutely a player that he is very interested in and said that he would be a wonderful addition to his roster. He mentioned that many factors still need to be taken into account, however, and that nothing has yet been confirmed. He said that there is a process that Tino Fa'asuamaleaui has to go through and that he has some important decisions to make. But O’Sullivan did confirm that the Warriors have put a long-term offer to Fa'asuamaleaui and stated that he would be happy to extend the term it covered if he could. He declined to comment on monetary details but said that the player is being offered a contract that befits his value. As much as the Storm would like to keep him in, they simply do not have space they need in the salary cap to compete with the kind of offers coming through. 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Tennis is a global sport and as such, the news that the ASB Classic is doing what it can to drastically reduce its carbon footprint by forcefully cutting down on emissions, enabling the planting of thousands of new trees and even committing towards completely eradicating single-use plastics from its ranks could not have come at a better time. As for cutting down on carbon emissions during the run-up to the tournament fortnight, its easy to see why drastic changes have become necessary in order to preserve the environment. World-class players typically travel between countries on a weekly basis and many of the top elite will yet again be making their way to Auckland with a massive entourage of support staff in tow. Elite players who will be travelling to New Zealand for the 2020 instalment of the ASB Classic include 23-time Grand Slam title holder Serena Williams and US Open champ and World No. 5 Bianca Andreescu. The ASB Classic will furthermore be working in close co-operation with Tennis Auckland in an attempt to formulate a long-term and effective green sustainability plan. This will include putting into action specific measures that will hopefully lead to limiting waste being deposited to landfills. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Tiger Woods and his US team were able to claim victory at the Presidents Cup. It marked the first time a team was able to win from a previous deficit. - Published: 2019-12-18 - Modified: 2019-12-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/tiger-woods-and-usa-win-presidents-cup/ The United States were able to claim a historic Presidents Cup win against the Internationals in Royal Melbourne. Led by captain Tiger Woods, the US was able to turn their 10-8 overnight deficit after dominating the singles session of the next day. Their victory came in the form of wins from Dustin Johnson, Xander Schauffele, Webb Simpson, Woods, Patrick Cantlay, as well as Patrick Reed. Four halved matches proved to be enough for the Americans to push their way to the 16-14 victory they needed. Matt Kuchar, who had last four of his previous singles matches as far as 2011, was able to earn victory for himself with a birdie on the 17th hole, gaining one position on Louis Oosthuizen. The South African player had been three up before Kuchar produced a comeback with a back nine to level the South African as the US became the first team in 25 years to claim the Cup after falling behind the previous day. Woods had been the necessary kindling for the US comeback when he was able to edge out previously unbeaten Abraham Ancer three and two for their opening singles events. The 15 time major champion would become the most prolific victor in the history of the Presidents Cup, where he surpassed long-time rival Phil Mickelson’s 26 wins for the match play competition. Talking about the win, Woods stated that they had relief on each other as a team and they won together. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Highlanders have confirmed that flanker James Lentjes will be taking over as new captain. Lentjes will take over from Ben Smith and Luke Whitelock. - Published: 2019-12-16 - Modified: 2019-12-16 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/james-lentjes-named-as-highlanders-captain/ The Highlanders have appointed James Lentjes as their new acting captain, with Ash Dixon and Aaron Smith taking over roles as vice captains. 28 year old flanker Lentjes had a good Super Rugby campaign for the 2019 season and will be taking over from last season’s co-captains Luke Whitelock and Ben Smith, both of which have since moved on to play in France. The new captain was part of the previous season’s leadership, and is regarded by many as a smart and strong leader who was able to overcome injury problems to take control of the Highlanders No 7 jersey for 2019. Lentjes also revealed that he had been in discussions with senior members of the Highlanders’ playing group where he was looking for feedback before going on to confirm with Aaron Mauger that he would be accepting the new role. Talking about his appointment, Lentjes stated that the team had been supportive and gave him the confidence that they were in his corner. He added that they were happy for him to become captain, and that it’s a one-man job in terms of the captaincy itself, but that his team mates will be able to influence the decisions that he makes in the future. The flanker had been offered the role of captain by Mauger last month, and he first decided to seek the opinions and thoughts of his fellow teams mates, which had reinforced the final decision made by the head coach. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Internationals currently hold a 4-1 lead over the US team for the Presidents Cup in Australia. Tiger Woods and Justin Thomas scored the US’s only point. - Published: 2019-12-13 - Modified: 2019-12-13 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/internationals-lead-in-presidents-cup/ The International team claimed a 4-1 lead against the United States during the opening day fourballs of the Presidents Cup that took place at Royal Melbourne in Australia. Captain of the US side, Tiger Woods, along with Justin Thomas, were able to secure the only point for their side after they beat Marc Leishman and Joaquin Niemann 4&3. Louis Oosthuizen and Abraham Ancer managed to beat US pair Dustin Johnson and Gary Woodland by the same amount of points. Ernie Else, the captain of the International side, stated that it had been an unbelievable start, and that they haven’t had a start like this for a number of years. He added that it was nice to have some points on the board, and that there had been a lot of tight matches and great golf shots. The current win that was earned by Woods and Thomas over Niemann and Leishman was the first point on the board but it proved to be the only one that the US team was able to rustle up as the day went on. South African Oosthuizen and Mexican Ancer – making his debut – pushed the score to 1-1 before Adam Scott and An Byeong-hun pushed the Internationals ahead with a 2&1 over Bryson DeChambeau and Tony Finau. Canadian Adam Hadwin and Im Sung-jae then went on to extend the lead thanks to another victory against Patrick Cantley and Xander Schauffele while Patrick Reed lost to Hideki Matsuyama and CT Pan. 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But an eight under par 64 saw Henseleit finish her day on 14 under while playing at Vipingo Ridge, pushing her to one shot ahead of Indian Aditi Ashok as Engstrom carded a 74 and ultimately finishing in third place. Her win at the inaugural event that took place in Kenya saw her overtake Norwegian Marianne Skarpnord to finish the year as the current European number one, while Austrian Christine Wolf completed the event in third place. Henseleit is the first German to claim both the Order of Merit and rookie of the year award, and only the third golfer of all time to win both during the same season after Laura Davies in 1985 and Carlota Ciganda in 2012. Henseleit had begun with five birdies for the first nine holes, quickly catching up to 2018 rookie of the year Engstrom, by two shots at the turn. Another three birdies and a run of three pars saw the player manage to hold off Ashok as Engstrom ended with two birdies and four bogeys, closing on 11 under, three shots behind Henseleit. The Ladies European Tour Order of Merit is set to be renamed the Race to Costa del Sol next year. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The women’s pursuit team from New Zealand have earned gold for the UCI Track Cycling World Cup. The team beat main rivals Australia by 1.5 seconds. - Published: 2019-12-09 - Modified: 2019-12-09 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/new-zealand-win-gold-in-cambridge/ The New Zealand’s women’s pursuit team almost broke a world record, as they took gold at the UCI Track Cycling World Cup that was held in Cambridge. They were able to easily push ahead of their main rivals Australia for their gold medal race, crossing the finish like by more than 1. 5 seconds and ending in a time of 4. 10. 705, which is the second fastest time record in the women’s team pursuit since they began racing over 4000m in 2013. They had taken four seconds off the previous New Zealand record, which they themselves had set during the qualifying rounds before the beginning of the official race. By the halfway point, New Zealand’s Holly Edmondston, Rushlee Buchanan, Kirstie James, and Bryony Both were holding an advantage of their main rivals, which had push extra pressure on them to cross the 0. 4 second mark. They had continued to push themselves for the third 1000m, moving one second ahead after the 2600m mark, but had lost a rider by that stage of the race. Australia had retained all four of their riders, but were not able to close the gap. The New Zealand’s women’s development team finished in fourth place overall, where they claimed a bronze medal while Canada took the gold. The medals would keep on going for the New Zealand team as the women’s spring team also finished with gold, making it their first medal from the World Cup season at their fourth event. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > It’s expected that more players will be following Fabio Fognini to the ASB Classic in Auckland. The event will be following on directly from the ATP Cup. - Published: 2019-12-06 - Modified: 2019-12-06 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/more-players-expected-for-asb-classic/ Fabio Fognini, current world number 12, was among the list of names that would be part of the squad that would be playing in the men’s ASB Classic, but it’s more than likely that other star players will be following Fognini to Auckland. With the new arrival of the ATP Cup too Australia just a week before the Classic, the number of wildcards expected to participate in Auckland has risen from 3 to 5. Karl Budge, director for the tournament, will continue to keep a close eye on the proceedings from their Australian neighbours, and is expecting to be ready to make a pitch to any player that’s looking for an extra week’s worth of tennis before the start of the Australian Open. The field for this year’s Classic already features a selection of top talent, with such players as Denis Shapovalov, Daniil Medvedev, John Isner, and Karen Khachanov, who were all previously confirmed for participation. But it’s been revealed that more big names could be entering the event; such as world Number 9 and past Classic champion Roberto Bautista Agut from Spain. Budge had stated that Bautista Agut is ready to take part in the event, but that they had decided to hold off from making a confirmation. Bautista Agut is currently playing alongside Rafael Nadal in the ATP Cup, and the chances of him joining the Classic are currently high, with Budge making participation more appealing with an increased prize pool. 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Nanna Koerstz Madsen had led on the final tee, but had sent her drive straight into the lake and then went on to three putt for a double bogey. 244 year old Van damn had made par to finish on 13 under par while playing at the Marbella’s Aloha Golf Club. She was just one stroke ahead of India’s Aditi Ashok and Denmark’s Madsen. Talking about her win, the player said that she was not expecting what had happened, and that it had been a crazy day. She added that Nanna is a good friend of hers, and she would have loved to beat her in the play off, finally saying that she had taken more of a risk by hitting a driver off the tee. Van dam, who is currently the longest hitter on both the LPGA Tours and Ladies European Tour of this season, took the driver out of her bag for the event, and admitted that she is keen to reunite with it at a later stage. Madsen, who had began the day three strokes ahead of her main opponent but shot a closing two over par 74, said that she had played terrible and had three double bogeys that had cost her the game. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Auckland local Dan Hooker set to fight Paul Felder in home country. The clash between the two fighters has been anticipated for the last two years. - Published: 2019-12-02 - Modified: 2019-12-02 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/ufc/dan-hooker-to-headline-in-auckland/ It has been confirmed that Dan Hooker will be headlining in his hometown of Auckland for the main event when the UFC returns to the region next year. Hooker, who is the seventh ranked lightweight, will be continuing his goal for a title shot against number six Paul Felder during the UFC Fight Night that will bet taking place at the Spark Arena next year February. Hooker remains the frontrunner to lead the card while Israel Adesanya remains lined up to defend his title for the pay-per-view show that’s set to take place next year. The Auckland participant, who has been featured on the undercard of his two previous UFC event in the city, has been on an upward spiral since he moved to the lightweight division two years ago. He is currently 7-1in the division, and has earned a reputation for hi stoppages against such opponents as Jim Miller, James Vick, and Ross Pearson. The fighter will be making the trip from the United States for a battle that has been in the making for two years. He earned his praise for calling out Felder in a respectful manner, while Felder was working with a UFC commentator at the time as part of an interview following his defeat of Miller in 2018, Felder admitted that he appreciated that Hooker had requested the fight to his face, and while they had different plans at the time, the stage has been set for a thrilling clash. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand’s Lydia Ko has fallen behind to 40th place at the Tour Championship in Florida. The 2019 season has proven to be her worst year so far. - Published: 2019-11-29 - Modified: 2019-11-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/lydia-ko-loses-pace-at-lpga/ New Zealand’s Lydia Ko’s hopes of finishing her 2019 campaign on a high note have fallen short after she had a poor start at the Tour Championship that’s taking place in Florida. The Kiwi golfer managed to card a one over 73 in the first round of the LPGA season finale, and is now sitting eight shots behind current leader Sei Young Kim. The day had started well for Ko, who birdied on the first hole while playing on the Tiburon Golf Club course. And despite the strong start, the 22 year old had struggled to maintain her consistency after dropping four shots as well as a double bogey on the 11th that left her far off pace. She managed to rally with birdies on three of her last five holes, but it was only enough to push her to 40th place. Ko was the best player in the world during the 2015 to 2017 seasons, but her success rates have since fallen over the last year, and she started her latest tournament at number 35 in the overall rankings. Her last tour victory was 19 months ago, and the player has had only four top 10 finishes so far this season, with a single top 20 finish in her last nine tournaments. Kim, on the other hand, was tied at the top alongside Georgia Hall and So Yeon Ryu late in her round before she pulled away with an eagle on the 17th. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > 15-year-old sensation Coco Gauff will be heading to Auckland next year for the ASB Classic. This follows her latest WTA Title win, her first major victory. - Published: 2019-11-27 - Modified: 2019-11-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/coco-gauff-heading-to-nz/ Coco Gauff, one of the most popular players in tennis this year has confirmed that she will be making her way to January’s ASB Classic. The 15 year old stunned the world of tennis when she played at Wimbledon earlier this year, picking up a wildcard for qualifying, and playing all the way to the round of 16 for the main draw. The biggest of her seven matches at the tournament was her shocking defeat of Venus Williams 6-4 6-4 in the first round, a win that was seen by many as a passing of the torch for American tennis. Gauff ultimately lost to world number seven Simona Halep, but last month she showed that Wimbledon wasn’t a once-off for her as she won her maiden WTA title while playing in Linz, Austria. During the tournament where Gauff had to come through qualifying, she managed to defeat world number eight Kiki Berten for the quarterfinals, along with former French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko for the final round. Gauff would go on to become the very first 15 year old to win a WTA title in 15 years, and there have been many comparisons made between the young player and Jennifer Capriati. Capriati had won her first WTA event at 14, but had struggled with the pressures of professional tennis at such a young age, and it took her another 11 years to win her first grand slam title. Gauff will be playing doubles in Auckland with Caty McNally. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves has extended his contract with the Roosters. The new deal sees the player remaining with the club until the end of 2023. - Published: 2019-11-25 - Modified: 2019-11-25 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/jared-waerea-hargreaves-signs-on-with-roosters/ New Zealand prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves has announced the extension of his contract with the Roosters after he confirmed signing on with the team for another three years. After making his move in 2010 from Manly, the player has been an important part of the club’s successes, where he led the team as they secured consecutive NRL premierships this year along with a 2013 title. It’s more than likely that the 30 year old will be ending his career with the Roosters, and the latest contract will see him tied to the club to at least the end of 2023. Talking about the new deal, Waerea-Hargreaves said that it was an honour and a privilege to don the Roosters jersey, and that the club is where is heart is. He added that the Roosters is made up of a special group of people and that he considers himself fortunate to know that he will continue to be a part of the team. Waerea-Hargreaves has completed 219 first grade games, with 213 of those being with the Roosters after he made his debut for the NRL with the Sea Eagles ten years ago. Along with being the current reigning NZRL player of the year, he also has 32 caps for the kiwis, and is coming from a strong test campaign after having been a finalist for the International Rugby League Golden Boot award. The Roosters now turn their attention to singing on fellow prop Slo Siua Taukeiaho. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Warriors prop Sam Lisone will be remaining with the club for the next season. This follows rumours that the player would be leaving for Warrington Wolves. - Published: 2019-11-22 - Modified: 2019-11-22 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/sam-lisone-to-stay-with-warriors/ Sam Lisone, who plays as prop for the Warriors, has confirmed that he will remain with the team for the next season despite a number of media reports stating that he would be joining Super League Club Warrington Wolves. The 25 year old had been linked to a move to England for the 2002 season, and many feel that his talents would see him go far in the English side. Despite this, it’s been reported that Lisone will remain with the Warriors, and that while Warrington had shown some interest in adding Lisone to their team, it had never played out any further. Some years ago, it seemed as though Lisone and Albert Vete would be first choices for props for the Warriors over the next few seasons, but Vete was released by the club halfway through the season, and he went off to join Melbourne Storm instead. He has since only played two games for the team, and has spent most of his time playing for the Eastern Suburbs Tigers for the Queensland Cup. Lisone had played 21 games for the Warriors for 2016, and then another 23 for the next season, but has only participated in a total of 22 games in the last two years. This comes down to coach Kearney being unhappy with the young player, specifically with his fitness levels when entering the preseason after having been part of Samoa for the Rugby League World Cup previously. 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Both countries had been preparing their individual bids for the event, but with an announcement from FIFA earlier this year in August that the 2023 Women’s World Cup would be expended from 24 to 35 teams, speculation around the joint has since increased. Nikau told reporters that hey were in talks with new Zealand, and that they expect the final decision will be made sometime in early December, with his statement being released at the same time as the Victorian government announcing their support for the bid. He added that they have been in constructive talks with Football New Zealand and that they have a good relationship. He finally added that the duel bid would make sense as the competition will be going from 24 to 32 countries, meaning that the number of venues will go from six to eight to eight to ten, and a joint bit would be possible. Other bidders that are currently running include South Korea, North Korea, Japan, Argentina, South Africa, Colombia, and Brazil. New Zealand Football has yet to release their own statement on the matter, although earlier this year in March NZF chief executive Andrew Pragnell stated that their door is always open in regards to a joint bit. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Sam Jones has become the first person from Taranaki to win the NZ Amateur Championship. Jones won the event after finishing his financial degree. - Published: 2019-11-18 - Modified: 2019-11-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/sam-jones-wins-nz-amateur-championship/ Sam Jones has emerged as the new champion of the New Zealand Amateur Golf championship for 2019, and is the first person from Taranaki to hold the title in 70 years. 23-year-old Jones, who plays at the Manaia Golf Club, won the event in Auckland a week ago. Talking about his success, Jones stated that the win was huge for him, and that winning the North Island Stroke Play was good, but that the amateur championship was on an entirely different level. Jones had only been back in the country for a few months after earning his degree in finance from the University of West Georgia, where he had been studying on a golf scholarship. Adding to his statement, Jones said that it had been an amazing experience, and that it was the mental aspect of learning how to control his game that was the most important. Jones would attend classes from 8am to 12. 30pm, and then would play golf during the afternoon. He also had some success at the university, where he won three college tournaments. He had started playing the game at the Manaia Club when he was 12 years old, and had loved the challenge of it. He was not able to turn professional while he was still attending university, or he would have lost his scholarship to study. He has stated that turning professional is, however, something that he hopes to do in the next few years. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Belgium’s Gerben Thijssen is currently in intensive care after a crash during Ghent Day Six. The crash saw Thijssen collide with Oliver Frederiksen. - Published: 2019-11-15 - Modified: 2019-11-15 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/gerben-thijssen-in-intensive-care/ Belgium’s Gerben Thijssen has been moved to intensive care after sustaining an injury during a bad collision for the first night of racing at the Ghent Day Six. The Lotto Soudal rider, who is 21 years old, suffered three small brain haemorrhages, as well as three fractured ribs and a collarbone. He will receive more examinations and is expected to remain in intensive care for a number of days. Talking about his condition, team spokesperson Philippe Martens said that Gerben remained conscious at all times, and at the moment his condition is stable. Thijssen had crashed during the last lap of the supersprint after he made contact with Denmark’s Oliver Wulff Frederiksen. He was immediately attended to on the track, and, after a request from the other riders, the event was ultimately drawn to a close due to the crash. British Mark Cavendish, who had won the event with Bradley Wiggins in 2016, had also crashed during their one lap time trial. The 34 year old, who had partnered with event time winner Iljo Keisse for this year’s season, did not receive any serious injuries, but was nevertheless forced to withdraw from the remainder of the racing for that day. After the first day had come to an end, Jules Hesters, along with Otto Vergarde currently lead the team with 46 points in total, which is one point ahead of the runners up from last year’s 2018 season, Kenny de Ketele and Robbe Ghys. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Crusaders lock Scott Barrett has been named captain of the squad for next year’s season. He will be taking over the new position from Sam Whitelock. - Published: 2019-11-13 - Modified: 2019-11-13 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/scott-barrett-to-be-crusaders-captain/ Lock Scott Barrett has announced that he will be the new captain for the Crusaders in the place of Sam Whitelock, who will be absent next year. The 25 year old was able to beat a number of other candidates to the role, including centre Jack Goodhue, hooker Codie Taylor, and loose forward Whetukamokamo Douglas, who had all carried the vice captain tag during the Crusaders’ otherwise victorious campaign for 2019. Fullback David Havili, who had recently captained Tasman to their national provincial crown, was another potential candidate for the position. But coach Scott Robertson has instead chosen to entrust leadership to Barrett, who will be taking over Whitelock. Whitelock will be skipping next year’s Super Rugby campaign in order to take up a short-term contract in Japan, but he will remain contracted to New Zealand Rugby through 2023, and is expected to return to the Crusaders in 2021. Robertson had said that his coaching staff were not at the team’s Rugby Park headquarters, when the media were given information concerning the 38 man squad that had been chosen for the 2020 season, but has also said that Barrett is the right man for the job. Barrett was named Crusader of the year after they had finished their three peat under the captaincy of Whitelock in July, and he now has the chance to captain the red and blacks for an unprecedented fourth Super Rugby title, and a record extending 11th overall. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Louis Fenton of Wellington Phoenix has been diagnosed with another dislocated shoulder. This comes not long after his latest defeat to Melbourne City. - Published: 2019-11-11 - Modified: 2019-11-11 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/louis-fentons-battles-more-injuries/ Louis Fenton’s terrible run with injury has contend as recent scans revealed that the Wellington Phoenix defender has dislocated his left shoulders, revealing that the injury occurred during the early stages of their controversial loss to Melbourne City. Fenton has already been forced to withdraw from the All Whites team for their upcoming games against Lithuania and Ireland, with the right back having been ruled out their next clash against Melbourne Victory, where the Phoenix will be hoping to avoid a club record of five defeats at the beginning of an A-League season. It’s not clear on how long the injury will force Fenton to remain on the sidelines, and whether he will need any surgery in the future, especially considering that the player had previously dislocated both of his shoulders. Coach Ufuk Talay told reporters that they will re-evaluate Louse at some point during the week to determine his availability for the seventh round and more, and in the meantime him and the team wish him the best of luck for his recovery and are looking forward to his return to the squad. The shoulder injury had compounded an otherwise forgettable night for the player, who had been the subject of a VAR howler during the second half. City had been awarded a penalty for handball despite the ball hitting Fenton’s chest. Angry over the decision, Fenton exploded during the post-match interview, but was able to avoid any further penalty for his comments. 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They also earned a silver medal as well as two bronzes at World Series level, and won an additional five international tournaments between 1977 and 1990 where Dolejs was in the third base coach’s box. His success with female teams followed on from his training of the New Zealand men’s team, which went on to share a gold medal with Canada and the United States at the 1976 world championships. Former New Zealand player and ex women’s coach Colin Ward worked as a long-time assistant for the famous coach, and believes that Dolejs was the best coach New Zealand softball ever had. Dolejs had been inducted into the New Zealand and International Softball Federation halls of fame in 1993, where he earned the highest ISF award for his service to the sport. Cheryl Kemp, a 1982 gold medallist and one of the greatest pitchers in the world stated that the coach’s understanding of the game and its people was without match, and although he will be missed, he has left a legendary legacy behind him. Dolejs, who had been born in Ohio in 1929, moved to New Zealand with his family in 1965. They settled in Nelson, where he began work on his softball career. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > England has collapsed in their third Twenty20 against New Zealand in Nelson. The team started off chasing 180 but eventually lost by a total of 14 runs. - Published: 2019-11-06 - Modified: 2019-11-06 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/england-collapses-against-new-zealand-in-t20/ England collapsed to a 14 run loss in their third Twenty20 taking place in Nelson as New Zealand took the lead with 2-1. Chasing 191, England were sitting at 139-2 with 31 balls remaining, and were seemingly on their way to victory before they lost 5-10 in 18 balls. Colin de Grandhomme claimed 55 in New Zealand’s 180-7, while Tom Curran took 2-19 and Matt Parkinson 1-14 for his debut game. The fourth game of the five match series will be taking place in Napier. With England looking as though they’ll emerge victorious, captain Eoin Morgan was caught mid wicket off of the final ball during the 14th over. Sam Billings was run out second ball by a solid piece of fielding from Colin Munro before James Vince picked out the mid-off to fall back to 39. Lockie Ferguson was able to dismiss Lewis Gregory and Sam Curran in the 18th over, and the English side was ultimately unable to recover. England’s chase began off strong with Tom Banton, making his debut, and Dawid Malan claiming 25 off of the first two overs. Malan batted well for a 34 ball 55, but was dismissed by Ish Sodhi Martin Guptill. Malan’s dismissal gave Vince the chance to push forward as he was struggling at less than a run a ball before the start of England’s chase. They were set to victory after partnerships between Malan, Vince, and then Vince and Morgan saw them earn 63 and 49. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Northern Lights defender Claudia Bunge has been given a call up to join the Football Ferns. She will join five other new players for their games in China. - Published: 2019-11-04 - Modified: 2019-11-04 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/claudia-bunge-receives-first-call-up/ Claudia Bunge, defender for Northern Lights, has been given her maiden Football Ferns call up with centre back Abby Erceg missing their upcoming four team tournament set to take place in China. Erceg will be missing the game due to personal reasons, and Meikayla Moore and Anna green will also not be participating thanks to injuries suffered by both. Bunge is one of five players that have been selected by coach Tom Sermanni who had no part to play in their World Cup campaign in France, where the Ferns finish in last place for their group without scoring a single point. Forward Katie Rood, along with goalkeeper Lily Alfeld, midfielders Hanna Blake and Jana Radosavljevic, are among the other players that have been chosen, with Katie Duncan entering retirement, and goalkeeper Nadia Olla, midfielder Daisy Cleverly, and forward Emma Kete all missing the tournament. Alfeld has previously been called up in 2014, which was the same year that she attended the FIFA Under 20 Women’s World Cup, but ultimately never took to the field. Radosavljevic, who currently plays for BV Cloppenburg in Germany, was unused on their trip to Thailand at the end of 2017. The team’s struggle with finding the back of the net had continued in France, where their only scored goal came in the form of their own goal that was claimed by Cameroon, and both Blake and Rood will give Sermanni some more options at attacking their opponents in upcoming events. 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Referee Nigel Owens and his team had to push several England players back as they strayed over the halfway line. England ultimately won the game 19-7 and are set to take on South Africa for the final. World Rugby stated that England had breached the tournament rules that relate to cultural challenges. Steve Hansen, coach of the All Blacks, said that he thought the response from England had been fantastic, and that they didn’t get fined for responding, but rather for crossing over the halfway. He added that the haka requires a response, and that it’s meant to be a personal challenge and requires that the team respond to it directly. In 2011, the French team had formed an arrowhead line up and advanced on the New Zealand team while they performed the Haka before the World Cup final that took place in Auckland, and received a similar fine for breaching a culture ritual protocol. England broke away from their usual shoulder-to-shoulder stance and decided to take up a V shape, with two prongs pointed out toward the All Blacks in order to receive the haka. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Aorere Enduro event has proven to be a success, with many local Nelson riders claiming victory. The event saw competitors from around the world. - Published: 2019-10-30 - Modified: 2019-10-30 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/nelson-riders-see-victory-for-aorere-enduro/ Nelson mountainbike riders have ridden their home advantage to the winning stage as the Aorere Enduro event wraps up in Nelson. The event had a start list of 186 riders from across seven categories, which included 20 international competitors along with 60 from Nelson, all of which took place in the event, which showed off Nelson’s mix of long and physical trails. As the first round of the 2019 EWS Asia Pacific Continental Enduro Series, the results from the Enduro count toward overall placings, although it is a standalone event in its own right. The event was first meant to be hosted by the Nelson Mountain Bike Club in February, but was ultimately postponed due to a high fire risk and forest fires which had been affecting the region. With the October date chosen to minimise the chance of another postponement, organisers are reflecting on a successful first host as they look to secure more international events in the future. Mel Schroder, NMTBC president, told reporters that they were happy with the outcome, in terms of both the weather and interest from the public and competitors. Race day on offered a chance of riders to learn the trails, with a single stage on the 4. 1km Aorere trail that took them through the Sharlands. The riders found more challenge on day 2, where four final stages took place on the Te Ara Koa, Top Dog/Hotbox, Matai/Rimu, and Smasher trails, with Enduro officials overseeing the events. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Spark is challenging Sky for NZ sports coverage, and Sky’s not taking it lying down. Their battle for dominance is changing the broadcasting landscape. - Published: 2019-10-28 - Modified: 2019-10-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/nz-sports-coverage-is-changing-radically/ New Zealand broadcasting giants Sky and Spark seem to have gone to war. Spark Sport recently landed a six-year contract which allows them to broadcast all domestic cricket games, including Black Cap Test, from April next year. Sky fired back, however, letting it be known that it had secured an exclusive telecast deal with the International Cricket Council. This means that they’ll be hosting both the Men and the Women’s Cricket World Cup and T20 events until 2024. The main bone of contention between Spark and Sky is the upcoming auction for the rights to broadcast televise Super Rugby and Rugby Championship games. Thanks to Rugby being the most popular sport in New Zealand by a significant margin, both broadcasters are hell-bent on winning the auction for games taking place from 2021 through to 2025. Sky has had SANZAAR rights since all the way back in 1996, and has let it be known that they’ll be fighting to continue their coverage of these matches. The organisation obtained an exclusive five-year contract to broadcast National Rugby League matches just last year. This agreement will run until the 2022 season comes to an end, at which point the rights will once more be up for grabs. They additionally have broadcasting and digital rights to NRL games, NZ Tests, and the NRL Nines and State of Origin tournaments until 2022, which means there will be no huge changes in these areas in the long-term. But changes are afoot, and Kiwis are going to have to get used to tuning in to at least two different providers for sporting fixes going forward. 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CNN, the American broadcasting giant, has gone on to produce a 2 000+ word feature examining why a little island at the bottom of the world thrives the way it does in the international arena of major sports. While researching their report, CNN spoke to several Kiwi key players. The list included noteworthy sailor Grant Dalton, former All Black and current NZ Rugby Union player Dan Carter, cricketer Ross Taylor, NZ Olympic Committee Chief Executive Kereyn Smith, and Grant Robertson, the Sports Minister for New Zealand. They also interviewed Jamie Douglas, the High-Performance Cycling scientist, and Toni Bruce, who is Professor of Sociology of Sport at Auckland University. Carter said that people from New Zealand treat Rugby the same way others treat religion. He spoke of how important doing your country’s history proud is, and pleasing a public so passionate about the sport. Extensive exposure to a diverse array of sports at school is central to the theory behind the country’s success in the athletic arena, with New Zealand actively encouraging people to participate in different sports from an early age. Robertson said that the presence of a serious Saturday Sports Culture for New Zealanders had a big impact as well, and accounted for the high value placed on athletics nationwide. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Although he says New Zealand’s All Blacks are the best team in sports history, Eddie Jones said they’re not invincible. He says England can make the final. - Published: 2019-10-23 - Modified: 2019-10-23 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/jones-says-the-lions-can-beat-the-all-blacks/ Eddie Jones has told England that they’re poised on the edge of greatness. This is after the Lions managed to set up a World Cup semi-final against the not-invincible All Blacks on Saturday. Although Jones agrees that the All Blacks are a formidable squad, he believes that the English team can get to the finals. They’ll need to be aware of the power of the All Blacks’ reputation, however. England has not managed to best New Zealand under Jones, losing the only game they had with the team 16 to 15 while he’s been the coach. The Lions are just two victories away from a place in the history books, however, thanks to their trouncing of the Wallabies seeing them book the first World Cup semi-final they’ve been in for 12 years. Jones said that the reason he took his job was that he saw a team that could be great and while New Zealand is the ultimate challenge England has what it takes to beat them. Jones has used his vision for the team as a challenge and said that the players have taken him up on it, and have started to believe it as well. He said that it comes down to the Lions having to be better than a team widely accepted to be the greatest in the world, and they intend to use their preparation time to do exactly that. Their coach believes in them and has said that they’ll be investigating all the ways the All Blacks can be beaten. 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Asofa-Solomona will be missing New Zealand’s upcoming match against Australia in Wollongong, along with two tests against Great Britain during the Lions tour of New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. It strikes a hard blow for the Kiwi side, which have already lost Jess Bromwich due to an injury, along with James Fisher-Harris not long before the NRL delivered the bad news to the NZRL. The global penalty is similar to that of Souths iconic Greg Inglis, who lost his Kangaroos captaincy position and was forced to miss two tests against New Zealand and Tonga a year ago after pleading guilty do driving under the influence. The Storm and NRL integrity unit both investigated the forward’s role in the brawl after a video surfaced of him throwing punches at a man outside of a bar. It quickly emerged that the 23 year old, who was on a post-season vacation with a group of Storm players, was retaliating to team mate Suliasi Vunivalu being hit. Asofa-Solomona stated that he was in shock after he saw his friend being attacked in the bar, and decided to retaliate outside. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Olympic Games marathon events are set to be moved north to Japan’s Sapporo. This is being done in order to avoid Tokyo’s predicted high temperatures. - Published: 2019-10-18 - Modified: 2019-10-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/running/olympic-marathons-to-be-moved/ Organisers at the International Olympic Committee have voiced their concern over the expected high temperatures for the upcoming Olympic Games, and have set a plan in motion to move the 2020 Olympic marathon 800 kilometres north in order to find safer race conditions. They recently detailed a new plan to stage the marathons and race walking events in Sapporo, which was the host city of the 1972 Winter Olympics, and hope that doing so will see the runners facing significantly lower temperatures during the event. The new proposal comes some weeks after marathons were being run at midnight in 38-degree heat at the track and field world championships that took place in Doha, Qatar. Forecasted temperatures in Sapporo are five to six degrees centigrade less than Tokyo during the day, according tot he Olympic body. They added that the Olympic Games are a platform where athletes are able to give a once in lifetime performance, and the plans set in place are meant to give them the best conditions possible. An Olympic panel has since been consulting with the sports governing bodies while assessing weather and heat issues for the Tokyo games, which are to take place in August. The marathons were already due to start at 6 in the morning in order to avoid the head as much as possible, with the men’s 50 kilometre race walk final being set for a 5:30 start. The IOC has informed the governing body and other officials about the plans. 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Englishman Wayne Barnes has the match between South Africa and hosts Japan that is set to take place in Tokyo again. The two New Zealand referees at the event both have assisted ref roles for the quarterfinals. Ben O’Keeffe will be on the sidelines for the Japan-South Africa game, while Pail Williams is the second assistant referee for the Wales-France fixture. Fellow Kiwi Ben keen has been named as the television match official for the England versus France match. All Blacks assistant coach Ian Foster played a straight hand against Owen's appointments. He told reporters that they are happy with whoever they get, and at this stage of the tournament, he is sure that World Rugby have worked hard to acquire referees that are best suited for managing the teams, and that it was neither good or bad. World Rugby stated that the appointments followed a full review of performances that was taken out over 37 pool matches. The referees have been in the spotlight during the tournament, with an increase push by World Rugby to police high tackles in particular this season. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The New Zealand government will be investing $7 million into disabled sporting activities. The hope is that more disabled NZ people will take part. - Published: 2019-10-14 - Modified: 2019-10-14 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/new-zealand-to-invest-7-million-in-disabled-sports/ The New Zealand government plans on investing $7 million in an effort to get more of its disabled citizens interested in sport and recreation. The initiative will include the necessary training to develop a workforce that understands the requirements of young people and children that have a range of impairments. The statement was released by Sport and Recreation minister Grand Robertson, along with Disability Issues Minister Carmel Sepuloni. The plan will also include advocacy for accessible playgrounds and parks, along with a more inclusive approach to communication, strategy, and policy with Sport NZ and its other affiliate organisations. A new Sport NZ role is set to be created to lead the new plan. Robertson, talking to reporters, said that more needs to be done to improve the quality of physical activity that’s available to the disable, which is why the government will be spending the $7 million over the next four years through Sport NZ. He added that the funds would go a long way in establishing equity and ensuring that disabled people across the country can be just as active as non-disabled people. Around 1. 1 million people within the country identify as disabled, with more than half having more than one type of impairment. Sport NZ's Active NZ data has revealed that young people with disabilities are less likely to take part in a range of activities and sport, particularly those that are related to using playgrounds and scootering. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Aorere Enduro event will be taking place in Nelson at the end of October. The event is part of the international Enduro World Asia-Pacific Series. - Published: 2019-10-11 - Modified: 2019-10-11 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/aorere-enduro-back-on-track/ An international range of mountain bike riders are set to descend on Nelson for the anticipated Aorere Enduro that’s set to take place at the end of October. More than 200 riders from Europe, Asia, America, and New Zealand will be competing for the first round of the Enduro World Series Asia-Pacific series. The Nelson Mountain Bike Club was given the chance to host the event earlier this year in February, but was forced to postpone due to the high risk of forest fires that affected the region during the beginning of the year. Belinda Crisp, a club spokeswoman, stated that it was a big milestone for them to host the race for the first time. Crisp also said that the tracks in Nelson offer a unique challenge to riders, saying that most trails around the world take around 3 – 5 minutes to race down, while Nelson has trails that are three times long as usual, with some taking up to 15 minutes to descend. Crisp also said that the specific tracks that are being used were being kept under wraps until a week before the start of the event. The first day and a half would be for practising and getting the riders used to the tracks, and Crisp has confirmed that there will be many opportunities for fans to watch the event take place. She added that it would act as a test run for potential future Enduro World Series races to come to Nelson. 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The Spanish rider had to win at least two more points than closest rival Andrea Dovizioso, and did so while the Italian came in fourth place. Fabio Quartararo took second place, and was followed by Maverick Vinales, who finished in third. Frenchman Quartararo passed Marquez on the second corner during the final lap, but Marquez was ultimately able to retake the lead for his 53rd MotoGP race. Not far behind them was Vinales, who was able to keep up with the leading pair for a number of laps before he dropped to more than three seconds off of the lead by the time the 10th lap had come to an end. Talking to reporters, the Spaniard said that he was planning to win during the weekend, and to not think about the championship, adding that his target was to find the best way to win the race, which was what he did. He continued, saying that it has been an amazing year, that his team did an amazing job, and that it’s now time to celebrate the title. The next race will be taking place toward the end of October, and will be hosted by Japan. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > F2 driver Juan Manuel Correa has spoken to the public about his collision with Anthoine Hubert. The driver is set to be in recovery for another year. - Published: 2019-10-07 - Modified: 2019-10-07 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/auto-racing/juan-correa-goes-public-about-f2-collision/ Formula 2 driver Juan Manuel Correa has spoken publicly for the first time since he suffered a severe injury in the crash that took Anthoine Hubert’s life. The 20 year old was forced to undergo a 17-hour surgery to deal with the many injuries that he suffered in the famous collision. The Ecuadorian-American stated that the aftermath had been tougher than anything that he had ever faced, both mentally and physically. He will now be facing up to an entire year of rehabilitation as he recovers from his two broken legs as well as spinal injuries. The statement he released by doctors said that they don’t expect that Juan Manuel will be able to leave the hospital for another six weeks. They added that he will be then be embarking on the road to recovery, and that his next year will be full of physical therapy, corrective surgeries, and rehabilitation. The aim is to allow the driver to regain the full use of his right ankle and foot. The injuries were all sustained during the accident that killed Hubert at the Belgian Grand Prix in August. 22-year-old Hubert had suffered an impact from Correa’s car at the Spa-Francochamps circuit. Shortly after the collision, Correa was placed into a medically induced coma, and was diagnosed with acute respiratory distress syndrome. But after showing signs of improvement, doctors focussed on saving his right leg, which allowed experts to determine the severity of the damage. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand beat Canada 63-0 in one of their best victories of all time. The win came in part thanks to the Barrett brothers, where all three took part. - Published: 2019-10-04 - Modified: 2019-10-04 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/new-zealand-thrashes-canada-in-rugby-world-cup/ The gap between New Zealand and Canada in the 2019 Rugby World Cup has widened after the Kiwis beat their Canadian opponents 63-0. The Pool B match played out in sweltering heat in a dome stadium at Oita, Japan, and ended badly for the Northern American side. The All Blacks victory saw praise from across the world, with many calling it a slick and lethal performance. The match also saw the Barrett brothers making history by being the first familial trio to take to the field for their country, while also claiming the most tries on the board. It’s been hailed as one of the biggest thrashings of recent times, and could only be matched by New Zealand’s famous win during the 1995 Rugby World Cup. Notably, player Ardie Savea, who made news by being one of the first players in history to wear protective goggles due to a bad left eye, was seen throwing them aside not long after entering the game. The flanker went on to the field during the 70th minute, and removed the goggles 10 minutes into his play. After the match, many of his teammates commented on his new accessory, with Richie Mo’unga saying that he supported Savea’s choice to protect his eyesight, and even stated that he was curious if there were more pairs available. Ian McKinley, the Italian player who has worn goggles since 2014, said that Savea’s choice to wear goggles was a courageous decision. 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Talking to reporters, the player said that a couple of years ago he noticed that he bad vision in his left eye, and that everything is kind of blurry. He added that he told the team’s doctor, Tony Page, that it had been getting worse, and that they are now doing something about it. He continued, stating that the doctor told him that World Rugby had some goggles that had been approved, and that he just has to get used to them. Earlier in the year, World Rugby approved the use of goggles at all levels of rugby in a move to allow those that are visually impaired to take part in the sport. The approval came after extensive development and trialling of appropriate eyewear. The type of goggles that Savea will be using have been approved by World Rugby, are designed to be safe forth both the player that is using them, as well as any players that they will make physical contact with. Savea will be following in the footsteps of Italian player Ian McKinley who was the first international player to wear protective goggles in the sport. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Famous running coach Arthur Lydiard will be receiving a posthumous IAAF plaque. The award is being given in recognition of his 50 years of service. - Published: 2019-09-30 - Modified: 2019-09-30 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/arthur-lydiard-to-receive-iaaf-recognition/ Arthur Lydiard has been posthumously awarded a World Athletics Heritage Plague in the legend category. President Sebastian Coe of the International Association of Athletics Federation confirmed the award in Doha overnight, which was then welcomed by Athletics New Zealand chief executive Peter Pfitzinger ahead of the beginning of the 2019 IAAF world championships. Talking about the award, Pfitzinger stated that it’s an honour and a privilege for Athletics New Zealand to be receiving this World Athletics Heritage Plague on behalf of Arthur’s family, along with his champion athletes and the many other people he had trained during his 50 years as a coach. He added that Arthur was an innovative and highly successful coach, and shared his coaching wisdom with runners from across the world. Lydiard’s system of training produced record-breaking athletes, which included a group of elite New Zealand runners known as Arthur’s Boys, who won a number of Olympic medal and set various world records between them. The group included international sporting legends Sir Murray Halbery, Sir Peter Snell, and Barry Magee, along with John Davies, all of which were highly successful athletes. Some of the other runners Lydiard trained included Jeff Julian, Ray Puckett, and Bill Baillee. Since retiring from running in 1965, Magee carved out a reputation as one of the most influential distance running coaches in New Zealand, where he utilised Lydiard’s high mileage training model as a template of his own philosophy, training world-class athletes. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Wellington has been chosen to host the Fed Cup for a total of six days. The competition will involve teams participating from the Asia-Oceanic regions. - Published: 2019-09-27 - Modified: 2019-09-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/wellington-to-host-fed-cup/ Wellington has been chosen as the host for six days of international tennis in February of next year as announced by Tennis New Zealand, who confirmed that the city would be hosting the Fed Cup. Ten nations from the Asia-Oceanic region, which includes New Zealand, will be taking part in the Group II event that will start at the beginning of February and will be held at the Renouf Tennis Centre. New Zealand last hosted a Fed Cup event in 2007, and the re-introduction of international women’s teams’ tennis is a big part of the drive from Tennis New Zealand to try and promote women’s involvement in tennis at all levels, from amateur to professional. Tennis NZ CEO Julie Paterson stated that they are excited to be hosting the Fed Cup in New Zealand once again. She continued, saying that having their best female players in action at home and competing under the silver fern is important to the development and growth of the sport. Along with hosting the Fed Cup, Tennis NZ has several initiates in play aimed at increasing the number of female players, coaches, and leaders in the sport. The Fed Cup features national women’s teams of four players, who will be playing ties of two singles and one doubles match for each day. The event will see a number of zone-based qualification groups taking place around the globe, and will culminate in a finals week to take place in Budapest. 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Masters in 2016 and the seventh in his career. The player was elevated into golf’s higher leagues after he had taken advantage of Jordan Pieth’s collapse, and was able to pick up the Green Jacket at Augusta three years ago. But from the high point of his afternoon in Georgia, the player had seen his game nosedive, and after this same even last year, had had been ranked at 462nd in the world. He decided to change everything in a bid to get back to the top, replacing his coach, his home, his management company, and even his caddie, and the changes were beginning to show after he won the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai last November. But his game came together over the four days at Wentworth, where he saw scores of 68, 65, 68, and 67. Tied with Rahm at the start of the day, birdies at the second and third gave him the lead, and he retained the lead throughout the rest of the game. He ended his game with birdies at both of the famous par fives, and ended with an otherwise superb performance. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The England Roses are set to face New Zealand, Jamaica, and South Africa in new competition. The Vitality Netball Nations Cup will take place in England. - Published: 2019-09-23 - Modified: 2019-09-23 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/netball/the-new-vitality-newball-nations-cup/ The England Roses will be facing New Zealand, South Africa, and Jamaica on home soil in a brand new international competition that will be taking place n England in 2020. The Vitality Netball Nations Cup will see the Roses fight it out against the New Zealand Silver Ferns, the Jamaican Sunshine Girls, and the South Africa Spar Proteas over four days in three different cities. The tournament will start at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham in January, the first time since 2011 that an international netball competition will be played in the city. The event will start with England playing against latest world champions New Zealand, while Jamaica will be facing South Africa. The next event will see the teams move to the Arena Birmingham for another double match that will then be concluded at the Copper Box Arena in London for the final two days of the competition. Jess Thirby, the head coach for the Vitality Roses, has said that she is looking for to the event that will see England play in front of a home crowd for the first time since the Netball World Cup. She stated that it was going to be an extremely thrilling event, and that competition is higher than ever, and all the teams are going to try and improve themselves following the exposure of the World Cup. She added that not only will they gain the opportunity to face world-class teams, but also competing in a brand new competition. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Former NRL player Semi Radradra has been chosen to play with the Flying Fijis. Their first game will see them play against Australia in the World Cup. - Published: 2019-09-20 - Modified: 2019-09-20 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/fiji-place-radradra-to-the-wing/ Former NRL star Semi Radradra will begin playing with the Flying Fijians for the first time for their opener of the Rugby World Cup against Australia. As the Wallabies appointed nearly the same squad that frustrated the All Blacks in Perth last month, with the exception of David Pocock's return to the back line at No 6, Fiji coach John McKee transferred his five test former Parramatta Eels winger and duel international from the centres to the wing position. McKee has been hunting even larger scalps for Fiji since upsetting France at the Stade de France last November, shifting his top pace out in the hope that they can spin off their World Cup with an upset at the Sapporo Dome. McKee coupled Radradra on the right wing with Josua Tuisova, an Olympic gold medallist. Tuisova made an attempt in Rio de Janeiro's 2016 Olympic seven-time triumph in Fiji and together with Radradra will prove to be a handful for Australia's back three combinations of Marika Koroibete, Reece Hodge and Kurtley Beale. Tuisova is one of three beginning line-up players from McKee who earned gold in Rio. Leone Nakarawa will begin in the second row with Fiji's "offloading wizard," and Viliame Mata will take his spot at No. 8. Two Australian-born players will also be starting. Campese Ma'afu, former Wallaby Salesi Ma'afu's elderly sister, will begin at loosehead prop. He was named after Australian legend David Campese after the winner's performance in their Grand Slam tour in Europe in 1984. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Europe claimed an impressive win at the Solheim Cup over the United States. The win came in part thanks to a birdie from Norwegian Suzann Pettersen. - Published: 2019-09-18 - Modified: 2019-09-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/europe-wins-solheim-cup/ Europe achieved a sensational Solheim Cup win over the United States at Gleneagles in the last three single games. Bronte Law, who had just moments earlier won her game on the 17th, ran the 18th fairway to join the festivities after Suzann Pettersen's wildcard selection holed an eight-foot putt on the last to receive the medal. After having time out of the match in November 2017 to have a child, Norwegian Pettersen was initially chosen as vice-captain. But after returning to play previously this year, Matthew gave the 38 year old world number 665 a ninth Solheim cup appearance And with a nerve-inducing win on the final diamond, she repaid the faith of her captain. A 10-foot putt missed by American Marina Alex to halve her game with Pettersen to gain a 14th point that would have seen the award retained by the US. While Pettersen sized up what she believed was a putt to win her game to place Europe at 13 and a half points, Law sealed that point away on the 17th. That suddenly meant that the victory would be sealed by a Pettersen birdie, while a miss would have seen the US achieve 14 points and maintain the cup, but the Norwegian kept his nerve on the table to spark a number of celebrations across the green. Pettersen - at the centre of debate over the concession of a putt in the game of 2015 -subsequently confessed that she did not understand that her putt would be enough to win. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Sir Graham Henry and Richie McCaw will be inducted in the World Rugby Hall of Fame. The induction will be taking place at the beginning of November. - Published: 2019-09-16 - Modified: 2019-09-16 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/top-all-blacks-players-set-for-hall-of-fame/ All Blacks legend Richie McCaw and award-winning coach Sir Graham Henry are set to be inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame. Others that will be inducted during the same period include Shiggy Konno from Japan, Peter Fatialofa of Samoa, Os du Randt from South Africa, and Diego Ormaechea from Uruguay. Fatialofa and Konno will be inducted into the Hall of Fame posthumously, while Henry, McCaw, and Ormaechea will attend an event at the beginning of November. The induction event will be held at Prince Park Tower in Tokyo, and will celebrate their contributions to the sport as well as their careers so far. The six inductees will bring the total within the Hall of Fame to 148 since it was first started in 2006. McCaw was the captain of New Zealand in 110 of his 148 tests, and lead the team to World Cup victories for both 2011 and 2015. He also guided the team to their first World Cup title since 1987 during the 2011 event that took place on home soil. The player was named World Rugby Coach of the Year in 2005, an award that he would win another four times in 2006, 200, 2019, and 2011. World Rugby chairman and Hall of Fame inductee Bill Beaumont stated that their beloved game would not be what it is today without eh contributions of remarkable players, both men and women, who form the World Rugby Hall of Fame. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The United States have lost out on gold at the FIBA World Cup and have returned home. It’s the first time that the US has lost in a major event since 2006. - Published: 2019-09-13 - Modified: 2019-09-13 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/us-lose-to-europe-in-fiba-world-cup/ NBA players sent from the US went home without gold for the first time since 2006 after losing at a major international tournament. Evan Fournier scored 22 points, Rudy Gobert had 21 points and 16 rebounds, and France beat the USA 89-79 in the quarterfinals of the World Cup, rallying from a fourth-quarter seven-point deficit to pull off the upset. The US won 58 successive FIBA and Olympic tournament matches, beginning with the bronze medal match at the 2006 World Championships and winning every FIBA Americas, World Cup and Olympic event since then. After winning three straight Olympic golds in that period, they hoped to become the first nation to win three successive World Cups. The best the Americans can do now in China is finish fifth, and since putting sixth at the 2002 world championships they will be assured of their worst performance in a large competition with NBA players. For the 2020 Olympics, they're heading back with a place guaranteed but no medal. For the United States, Donovan Mitchell scored 29 points, all coming in the first three quarters. The Americans came up with no score down the stretch on six consecutive possessions, which allowed the French to take control of a back-and-forth game for the final stretch. French Nicolas Batum told reporters that they were able to beat the United States, which was a huge achievement, but as of yet the team has not won anything in the tournament. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Rafael Nadal has claimed his 19th Grand Slam win after beating Daniil Medvedev at the US Open. The almost 5 hour game saw Nadal reduced to tears. - Published: 2019-09-11 - Modified: 2019-09-11 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/rafael-nadal-wins-19th-grand-slam-title/ Rafael Nadal won his 19th Grand Slam title after holding off the exciting fightback of Russian Daniil Medvedev in one of the biggest US Open rounds to date. Nadal from Spain, 33, scored 7-5 6-3 5-7 4-6 6-4 against New York's fifth seed. The player, seeded second, was on a two-set cruise and a break-up just for Medvedev to force a decider. But in four hours and 50 minutes, Nadal halted his momentum to clinch a unique victory-only four minutes longer than the shortest US Open finals. Nadal fell to the court floor in tears after getting his third match point, hiding his face as he considered another popular win that epitomized his spirit of winning. Medvedev, 23, moved around the net to congratulate his adversary, who was at the verge of tears as he hid behind his sweat-soaked vest while rejoicing. Those fortunate enough to watch among a crowd of nearly 24,000 fans were frequently left open-mouthed at what they witnessed, with the rest jumping to their feet and wildly celebrating after each stage, helping to build a powerful atmosphere at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Earlier in the tournament, the audience booed Medvedev, yet many heard his name loudly chanted as he made an exceptional return. After the Spaniard lifted the trophy in New York for the fourth time, Nadal, Federer and Djokovic won the past 12 Grand Slams. Now Nadal has the opportunity to draw level at the Australian Open in January with 38-year-old Federer, who was nine points higher off than his long-time competitor in 2007. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > St George Illawarra Dragons to bring in Phil Gould for club-wide assessment. This is being done after an extremely disappointing season for the club. - Published: 2019-09-09 - Modified: 2019-09-09 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/st-george-illawarra-brings-in-phil-gould/ St George Illawarra will bring in Phil Gould to assist with the club's end-of-season assessment and hope that he can help create a turnaround for the team, similar to the one experienced by North Queensland after responding to the Cowboys ' SOS almost a century earlier. After deciding to participate in the assessment, the former Penrith supremo, will be making his first foray into the club world after he left his position with the Panthers earlier in the year. Brian Johnston, chief executive of St George Illawarra, stated that the club would conduct a wide-ranging evaluation of their entire football activities –and Gould has now emerged as a key figure for that job. After a difficult summer, embattled coach Paul McGregor was under fire from the Dragons' fan base, who believe that it will be the worst season so far Red V in joint venture history. Despite this, McGregor is ready to maintain his work for next season. He signed a two-year contract previously this year, but important players like former captain Gareth Widdop have been blighted by the Jack de Belin story, and accidents have put the team behind so far this season. While the Dragons are eager to put the year behind them and end on a better note against the last-placed Gold Coast match, Gould will still be performing his assessment to help the team earn back their previous successes. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > America Cup winners New Zealand have recently unveiled their latest boats. The new designs are being given a public release in preparation for Auckland. - Published: 2019-09-06 - Modified: 2025-06-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sailing/nz-boats-revealed-for-americas-cup/ Team New Zealand, America's Cup winners, gave the public an early glimpse of the radical new ships to sail at Auckland 2021. On Thursday, a day before the official launch, they revealed the 75-foot foiling monohull on the forecourt of their Auckland base. Shore crew were seen fitting the huge mast to the boat with the use of a large crane – it stands 26. 5 m from the deck. The sleek machine from New Zealand was coloured red, black and grey and featured sponsors for the team. The 20. 7 m hull glittered with its proudly featured 2 m bowsprit. Aerodynamics intended the hull to assist boost velocity while on the foils during its time out of the water. The boat also has a bulb-like feature that is built entirely through its centre. The unexpected appearance will take off some pressure from the official launch, where the team's promoters, vendors and important fans were welcomed along with what will certainly be a large meeting for everyone involved. The ship is the first to be fully released in the latest generation. Teams are able to construct a second ship, and Team New Zealand is already operating on the layout tweaks for that ship, which will be defending the Auld Mug. This first ship will be refined over much of Auckland's spring and summer as the crew will fine-tune their sailing on the new craft. The first events at an America's Cup World Series tournament in Italy will take place in early April. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Formula 2 driver Anthoine Hubert has died during a collision at the Belgian Grand Prix. The driver was involved in the crash at the famous Eau Rouge corner. - Published: 2019-09-04 - Modified: 2019-09-04 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/anthoine-hubert-dies-during-belgian-gp/ French driver Anthoine Hubert was killed at the Belgian Grand Prix in a Formula Two accident. The 22-year-old died on the Spa-Francorchamps high-speed track after a 160 mph crash. Hubert ran for the British-owned Arden group, established and managed by Red Bull group boss Christian Horner's dad, Garry Horner. The second-lap crash at the end of the fearsome Eau Rouge corner involved a number of riders, and the official television feed cut off the scene quickly, and would not show any crash replays. But footage of the event that subsequently appeared on social media showed Hubert slamming through the obstacles on the far side of the circuit before slipping across the field. After that, Ecuadorian-American Juan Manuel Correa crashed head-on into Hubert, whose vehicle seemed to split in two. Emergency and medical teams arrived instantly, and all involved drivers were taken to the medical centre. Correa is noted to have been transferred to Liege Hospital and is in a stable condition. The Formula Two race, which serves as the Formula One feeder competition, accompanied the end of qualification for the F1 Grand Prix that saw Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc reach pole position ahead of Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton. A declaration issued by the governing body of the sport, the FIA, reads: The Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) regrets that a severe event concerning teams #12, #19 and #20 happened at 17:07 on 31/08/19 as portion of the FIA Formula 2 Sprint Race in Spa-Francorchamps, round 17 of the season. 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In the Champions League final in Madrid in June, Defender Van Dijk assisted Liverpool in defeating Tottenham 2-0. The 28-year-old edged out Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Juventus ' Cristiano Ronaldo for the prestigious award. He is the first defender to receive the prize, which was first given out in 2010-11 season. Messi and Ronaldo shared five of the past eight prizes between them, sharing the winners' list with Andres Iniesta (2012), Franck Ribery (2013) and Luka Modric (2018). A revelation for Liverpool since joining Southampton in a £ 75 m agreement in January 2018, Dutch centre-back Van Dijk was an essential component of the team that won last season's top European football award and helped current Premier League champions Manchester City through the title event. Bronze assisted English Phil Neville achieve the winter semi-finals of the French Women's World Cup. She received the Silver Ball as the second-best player of the tournament. She was unable to join the awards banquet in Monaco, following the selection for the group phase of the 2019-20 Champions League, as she appeared in a friendly in Leuven which saw England face Belgium. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > All Blacks veteran Frank Owens has been officially removed from the team ahead of their Japanese games. Laumape and Squire have also been removed. - Published: 2019-08-30 - Modified: 2019-08-30 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/all-blacks-drop-owen-franks-from-squad/ The All Blacks supported Sonny Bill Williams Star Center as they claimed an unprecedented World Cup rugby triple in Japan but dropped 31-man team veteran player Owen Franks. It came as a major surprise for fans to see 108-Test Franks getting the axe, although the defending champions also had no room for midfielder Ngani Laumape or returning Liam Squire. However, they kept their faith in fighting back with Ben Smith as the team is currently aiming for a third consecutive World Cup title and fourth overall. Together with captain Kieran Read and lock Sam Whitelock, Williams is among a group of players looking to obtain a personal treble in Japan. Four years earlier, nine team participants enjoyed victory at Britain's last rugby showpiece, while 19 are World Cup debutants. The team features 1,195 Test caps jointly and has eight players over the age of 30. Coach Steve Hansen said it was "a great task" to win three championships in a row. After an injury-plagued season, Williams, the squad's eldest member at 34, challenged his doubters as he played a main part in this month's 36-0 win over the Auckland Wallabies. He is now studying for a coaching certificate and another world award might be enough to convince him to call time on a notable career that involves two NRL rugby league championships and wins in seven heavyweight boxing matches. Hansen said two-time World Cup champion Franks had fallen victim to match changes as they attempt to add more versatility. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Black Caps are among not just the best cricket players in New Zealand, but also in the world. The ICC test cricket rankings speak for themselves. - Published: 2019-08-28 - Modified: 2019-08-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/nz-has-best-batting-averages-in-world-cricket/ The Black Caps have lost only 3 tests since the beginning of 2018, and the main reason for this has been the batting consistency of their top order. If fans had to try to name the batsmen sporting the best averages for test cricket since January 2018, most would choose Virat Kohli, the run-scoring machine from India, Joe Root from England, or Kane Williamson, the New Zealand standout. But the reality is that New Zealanders are monopolising the podium! Tom Latham’s 65. 75, Henry Nicholls’ 64. 35, and Williamson’s 63. 26 mean that they’re boasting the best averages in test cricket, with a minimum of 10 innings over that 20-month span. New Zealanders have surged up to second place in ICC test cricket rankings, an unparalleled achievement. They haven’t lost a test series since South Africa beat them at home in March 2017. Since the beginning of 2018, the Kiwis have won 8 out of 13 tests, with 3 losses and 2 draws. An unequalled feat. Latham actually not only holds the best test batting average in this period but is in fact also among the world’s leading cricket run scorers. He is the only Kiwi to have scored over 1 000 runs in this stretch and is sitting 6th on the list of run-scorers, with 1 052 from 17 innings. Kohli tops this chart with 1 405 in 10 more innings than Latham, and Root is in 2nd place, with 1 334 runs in 38 innings. 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Telecommunications giant Spark, who will be playing live stream matches on a unique website, Spark Sport, has purchased privileges for the World Cup this year for a one-off fee of NZ$80. But tens of thousands of New Zealanders say they won't be able to view the tournament owing to slow Internet rates in rural and distant regions and worry they'll miss the event. It is projected that around 40,000 homes will not have access to channels from the World Cup, with Spark stating that around 10 per cent of its clients will be unable to view live streams owing to bad internet access. Blair Mirfin is a farmer on the west shore of the South Island in the distant Grey Valley. The local rugby coach claims individuals are concerned over how they’ll be able to follow the game, and said that it’s unpractical and costly for many to head into pubs and restaurants. A spokesman for Spark said public projects and investment would see 100% of New Zealanders able to access secure web by the end of 2020, and in the meantime introduced a free-to-air TVNZ agreement for the All Blacks pool matches to play with a one-hour delay, and the semi-final and final – if Steve Hansen's side function – to air live and free. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2021 Women’s Rugby World Cup will have ‘women’s’ removed from its title. This is being done to promote gender equality in global sporting events. - Published: 2019-08-23 - Modified: 2025-06-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/new-gender-neutral-rugby-world-cup-announced/ The 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup will be the last to carry the name with World Rugby launching a sex neutrality strategy for their competitions on Wednesday. The 2021 edition of the women's version in New Zealand will simply be regarded as the 2021 Rugby World Cup 2021, with 'Women's' being dropped out of the name for all future events. . This will also apply to their Sevens World Cup competitions – gender has never been specified by the men's tournaments. Other sports, such as hockey and football, still label their showpiece World Cup Women's Hockey activities and World Cup Women's Football. Their declaration reads that World Rugby has announced that they will no longer be including any gender in their upcoming flagship 15s and sevens Rugby World Cup events. This is being done to increase the neutrality within the sport, and as an act of dedication to brand sustainability across its portfolio. It went on to say that for the first time in a major sporting federation, the women’s designation will be dropped forever for the start of the 2021 Women’s Rugby World Cup event, which will be taking place in England. The event will now be known as the 2021 Rugby World Cup, and the name change has seen a rollout on a global scale. The goal is to raise the profile of the women's game while eliminating any inherent or perceived bias towards men's only competitions and tournaments that traditionally haven't been speeding up. 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He is the third player in a week— after Reading's Yakou Meite and Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham — to have racial abuse aimed at him on social media after missing a penalty. United said they were "shocked" by the violence and condemned it completely. On Sunday, after saving his spot-kick, Reading striker Yakou Meite called out the racist messages he had received via social media. Meite, 23, went on as a replacement against Cardiff and received a penalty at 91 minutes. Last week, after his ultimate Super Cup miss against Liverpool, Chelsea condemned "abhorrent messages" directed at Tammy Abraham. Blues boss Frank Lambarde said he was not happy with the abuse that hit England's 21-year-old forward and proposed that social media businesses should do more to prevent this type of hatred from being targeted at specific players. Other supporters quickly criticized the tweets that consisted for violent and racist comments that had been sent to Pogba – who won the penalty before missing – not long after his full time stint with Molineux. Some tweets were subsequently removed while several accounts seemed to have been banned. The terms and conditions of online social platform Twitter state that it "acts against behaviour that attacks people with hateful behaviour. ” TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Great Britain’s men managed to beat Luxembourg in Manchester for the EuroBasket pre-qualifier game. The win means they can play in the qualifying rounds. - Published: 2019-08-19 - Modified: 2019-08-19 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/great-britain-claim-2nd-eurobasket-win/ In their EuroBasket 2021 pre-qualifier against Luxembourg in Manchester, the male players of Great Britain recorded a 71-54 victory. Myles Hesson resulted GB's 22-point scoring, Gabe Olaseni added 12 and Teddy Okereafor 10 in a match that GB won with a powerful defensive attempt in the fourth quarter. GB convincingly won it 23-2 by trailing 52-48 to the well-prepared tourists heading into the last quarter. They are now leading Group G with two matches victories and will be playing in Manchester soon at home to Kosovo. Coach Nate Reinking brought skilled Gareth Murray forward to the line-up instead of Jamell Anderson for the team's second qualification match in their recent and final effort to reach the primary qualification race next year. Luxemburg searched for a third qualification victory in a row after their opening-night victory against Kosovo and came close to reaching it. In the first two quarters, most particularly in the second, the tourists began firmly when they caught GB cold and struck a 14-2 run, frustrating their hosts by stopping any quick break chances. At the beginning of the second quarter, their 10-3 run gave them a 41-35 lead and GB looked as disjointed as they did in the midweek match against Kosovo. Trailing through four points into the last quarter, GB enhanced their ball motion and loosened up defensively, keeping Luxembourg scoreless for five and a half minutes and striking their own 9-0 run. Luxembourg's 4th quarter single ball accompanied 14 more GB points, eight for Hesson as the hosts raced to the win. 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Chelsea had taken the lead in the first half through Olivier Giroud's strike but Sadio Mane scored twice in a row, giving the lead to Liverpool. A spot kick from Jorginho's took the match into penalties, where Liverpool held their nerve throughout. The victory comes two months after Jurgen Klopp claimed his very first trophy as Liverpool leader after he led the Reds to a 2-0 win against Tottenham during the Champions League final. Games between the two teams in Europe have been tight affairs in the past, with just one of their 10 previous meetings having been won by a margin of just a single goal. It proved to be the same story for the latest match as the two teams fought hard for 120 minutes in a game that did not finish until almost 1am in the morning in Istanbul. By the end of the game, it come down to who could keep their focus in the oppressive heat and after nine excellent penalties, Abraham placed his shot too close to Adrian to hand Liverpool their first silverware of the season. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp told reporters that it had been a difficult game for both teams. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Judd Trump is the new darts world champion after winning the International Championship. His victory comes after beating latest contender Shaun Murphy. - Published: 2019-08-14 - Modified: 2019-08-14 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/snooker/judd-trump-wins-international-championship/ Judd Trump has won the International Championship and cemented himself as the best player in the world at the moment after beating Shaun Murphy 10-3 in a stunning victory. The new world champion and world number 1 has hardly had any trouble throughout the tournament that took place Daqing and cantered to victory over the Magician on Sunday. The 29 year old started with a 5-0 lead by the time things were underway, with breaks of 104 and two of 58, before Murphy was able to put a stop to his struggle in the sixth. The underdog player seemed to be making a game of it when he managed to get the scoreline back to 6-3 by the end of the first session, but it didn’t get any better for Murphy. Trump made his return for the second session, rattling off breaks of 80, 63, 102 and 62 to wrap up the victory with very little visible effort. It has been a brilliant 2019 season for the Bristolian who adds the International Championship title to his World Championship, Masters and World Grand Prix victories for this year alone. By reaching the quarterfinals in Daqing he was able to advance to the top of the world rankings, but with the huge £175,000 top prize, the player has now grounded himself as the world’s best, and it will be difficult to topple him from his throne. It also marks the English player’s first event since winning at the Crucible. 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He had won 110,000 Pounds after he fought back to beat the two time world champion 16-13. Price is now set to pay £2325 toward the cost of the appeal, along with a £1500 fine for the social media comments that he made. A statement from the Darts Regulation Authority stated that many of the grounds of his appeal were completely without merit and had contradicted the papers in the case. Both Anderson and Price had been referred to the DRA after they clashed in the 15th and 28th matches of the final. The DRA had stated that Price’s behaviour during the event had drawn an unprecedented amount of complaints from members of the public. Despite this, the player believes that he should not receive punishment at all for what he did. Talking to reporters, Price said that he did not do anything different to another game since he started, and his game has not changed since the incident. Price had clashed with Anderson over what he believed was slow play along with over-exuberant celebrations from his opponent during the final. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Chris Mears, former Olympic swimming champion, has officially retired from the sport. Mears will now continue to pursue a career in the music industry. - Published: 2019-08-09 - Modified: 2019-08-09 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/swimming/chris-mears-announced-retirement/ Olympic champion swimmer Chris Mears has officially announced his retirement from diving and will be pursuing a career in music. The 26-year-old won Britain's first Olympic gold medal in diving in 2016 with Jack Laugher, took a short break from the sport late in 2018. Talking about his decision, the athlete said that it was a grey journey, who has now become a producer and DJ. He added that his road was bumpy, but that in order to get something from nothing, it’s important to work had and to never give up. Mears was given only a 5% chance of survival in 2009 by doctors after he had suffered a ruptured spleen as a result of undiagnosed glandular fever. He had been left in a coma after an extremely serious seizure, but defied all of the odds, and was able to make his debut for the 2012 Olympic Games. After they had retained their synchronised 3m springboard Commonwealth title for 2018, Mears and Laugher claimed silver for the European Championships in Glasgow later in the same year, It proved to be their final competition as a duo. Laugher has since joined up with Dan Goodfellow, the pair earning World Championship silver together last month. Mears had since released his first single 'Mexico' in 2015 and is planning further releases in the future. as well as collaborations in the coming months. He added that he has a career of amazing memories and friendships, and that he learned many lessons. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Belgian Bjorg Lembrecht died in hospital following a fatal crash in the third stage of the Tour de Pologne. The cyclist’s crashed 60 miles from the end - Published: 2019-08-07 - Modified: 2019-08-07 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/bjorg-lembrecht-died-in-tour-de-pologne/ Belgian cyclist Bjorg Lembrecht has passed away at the age of just 22 after a collision while participating in stage three of the Tour de Pologne. Lembrecht crash took place around 60 miles from the end of the race, which starts from Chorzow and ends in Zabrze in Poland. The cyclist was flown by helicopter to hospital where he died later on Monday. Lotto-Soudal, the team he was riding for, stated that it was the biggest tragedy possible that could happen to Lambrecht’s family, teammates, and friends. Czeslaw Lang, director of racing, added that it wasn’t a high-speed descent, and that it was a wide and straight road. He added that it had been a moment of hesitation that saw him leave the asphalt before crashing. He continued, saying that the injuries were so severe that they were forced to call in a helicopter along with an ambulance. His heart had started beating but he had sadly died while in surgery. Lembrecht had been riding in his second season at the top level of professional cycling, and was widely regarded as one of Belgium's most promising riders. He won the under-23s' version of the Liege-Bastogne-Liege race during 2017 and came second in the U23 World Championships last year. German Pascal Ackermann was given the victory for the stage after the win was taken from Fabio Jakobsen for an irregular sprint heading into the finish line. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Officials of the 2022 Commonwealth Games have defended their decision to exclude shooting. The move has been met with major controversy from India. - Published: 2019-08-05 - Modified: 2019-08-05 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/2022-commonwealth-games-defend-shooting-exclusion/ Organisers for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games have announced that they will defend their decision to exclude shooting from the event. The decision has been met with plenty of controversy, with countries like India threatening to boycott the event if the sport put back into place and allowed at the games. India has a long and proud record in shooting events, and its Olympic association has said it is currently considering pulling out of the upcoming Games indefinitely. Ian Reid, chief executive of Birmingham 2022, stated that shooting at Bisley in Surrey offered no benefit to the West Midlands. He added that their process of assessment was transparent, logical, and fair, and that shooting had been given the chance for a Birmingham-based proposal for two of its four disciplines, but the offer was ultimately rejected. The Commonwealth Games Federation and India are expected to hold a number of talks in the coming weeks with the hope of resolving the problem. The dispute, which involves such an important Commonwealth nation could cause alarm within government, who hope that the £788m event will be an advert for global Britain post-Brexit, and help secure trade deals in the future. The sport has been a part of every game since 1966, but is not considered a core spot. Shooting, along with archery, cricket, para table tennis, and volleyball have all expressed their hope of becoming part of the Games over the next few years. . TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > 2018 horse of the year Roaring Lion underwent emergency surgery after fighting with colic. The horse is currently staying at the Cambridge Equine Hospital. - Published: 2019-08-02 - Modified: 2019-08-02 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/roaring-lion-undergoes-second-operation/ Surgeons started a second operation on Roaring Lion, the horse of the year from last year that has been sick with colic. The colt, who was trained by Newmarket’s John Gosden, was forced to enter emergency surgery during the weekend. He had had another operation later and is currently recovering at the Cambridge Equine Hospital based in New Zealand. A spokesperson for Cambridge Stud stated that Roaring Lion is an extraordinary horse and a real fighter. It’s believed that the next few days will be critical for the horse as he recovers. Owned by Qatar Racing, Roaring Lion had retired from breeding after he won four top level Group Races in 2019, which includes the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes that took place in Ascot. Following the win in the Dante Stakes, the horse had been third for the Derby before winning the Coral Eclipse, Juddmonts International, and Irish Champion Stakes while being ridden by jockey Olsin Murphy. As son of US Champion Kitten’s Joy, the cold had been named European flat racing’s horse of the year ahead of fellow stablemate Enable during the Cartier Awards. Roaring Lion was sent to Cambridge Stud in New Zealand for the Southern Hemisphere mating season after he had begin his stallion duties at Tweenhills Stud based in Gloucestershire. Symptoms of colic were first detected within 15 minutes of the four year old being released from quarantine, and because equine colic is life threatening, he was immediately rushed to emergency care. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Springboks held their nerve as they drew with the All Blacks in the latest Rugby Championship match. The South African team are one game from winning - Published: 2019-07-31 - Modified: 2019-07-31 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/south-africa-draw-with-new-zealand-in-rugby-championship/ Herschel Jantjies managed to claim a late try for South Africa as the team fought hard to end the game with a 16-16 draw against New Zealand, and continue their lead in the Rugby Championship. The other two games saw Australia win against Argentina 16-10 wile playing in Brisbane. The All Blacks had lead 16-9 as replacement Jantjies who has had two tries on his debut in their latest win against Australia. Handre Pollard added the conversion to push the game to a tie and keep the Springboks at the top of the roster with one more game to go for the tournament. Lock for the All Blacks Brodie Retallick had suffered a dislocated shoulder while playing in Wellington, but is expected to have fully recovered in time to make the World Cup, which is set to start at the end of September in Japan. With the year’s competition now shortened to three rounds due to the World Cup, South Africa stand the chance of winning the Rugby Championship for the first time if they are able to best Argentina in Salta. Pollard had kicked two early penalties in the Westpac Stadium before Jack Goodhue had converted a try to give the three tie defending champions a lead by half time. Their lead was stretched by Beauden Barrett, but by the time the 79th minute had past,, Cheslin Kolbe chipped over for Jantjies to touch down, and the match was given to South Africa. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Recent winners of the African Cup of Nations, Algeria, are the fastest climbers in the FIFA listings. They have advanced to 40th place in the world - Published: 2019-07-29 - Modified: 2019-07-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/algeria-biggest-climbers-in-fifa-roster/ Recently crowned African winners Algeria have been named as the biggest climbers in the latest rankings from FIFA. The Desert Foxes, who beat Senegal to earn the Africa Cup of Nations while playing Egypt, have moved up 28 places for July’s list, and have advanced to 40th in the world and 4th in Africa. Senegal currently retains the top spot for the continent, and moved up two places to reach 20th in the world, which is their best ranking to date. Nigeria, who claimed bronze in Egypt, moved up 12 places to 33rd globally, and third in Africa. Tunisia, who were the other semi finalists at the Nations Cup, moved down four places to 29th in the world after being second in Africa behind Senegal. The biggest surprise comes from Madagascar, the quarter finalists who were rewarded for their impressive display in Egypt, moved up a total of 12 places and sit at 96th overall. Benin went up six places to 82nd in the world after they removed Morocco in the last 16, while Morocco went up six places to 41st globally and fifth in Africa. Egypt, who were the host of the Nations Cup, advanced nine spots up to make the top 50 in 49th place, while Ghana are sitting below the Pharaohs in 7th for the African rankings, and are now 50th on the planet. Currently Belgium sit at the top of the roster, followed by France, Brazil, and England. 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Around 32kg of gold was extracted from 6. 2 million used mobile phones that had been donated over the last two years by the Japanese public. They were also able to recover a total of 3. 5 tonnes of silver and 2. 2 tonnes of bronze to make 5000 medals for both the Olympics and the Paralympics. The medals at the 2016 Rio Games included an element of recycled material, but at a much lower level than those that have been produced for the event next year. The front of the medal displays a more traditional design of the goddess of victory, but since Munich 1972, the host nation has been responsible for the design of the reverse of the medal. According to officials, the design is intended to symbolise diversity, and to represent a world where the people who compete in the events and work hard are fully honoured. Four different robots will also in operation at the venues, which will include mascots Miraitowa and Someity, and the robots will be able to greet visitors, shake hands, and wave. Other models will move around the venues, and will capture videos and audio to transmit internationally. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > It has been forecasted that team Great Britain will bring home fewer medals at next year’s Games. The United States is expected to lead the medal roster - Published: 2019-07-24 - Modified: 2019-07-24 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/team-gb-medal-count-to-drop-for-tokyo/ Team Great Britain's medal count for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 are expected to drop significantly compared to their recent games, according to new sets of data. The British team claimed 67 medals for Rio 2016, but Gracenote has forecasted that they will only be taking home 43 medals next year. Overall, the team is expected to lace fifth in the medal table, behind China, Russia, Japan, and the United States. They also stated that their lower expectations applied to such sports as rowing, track cycling, and artistic gymnastics. Eleven of Team GB’s 27 golds acquired during Rio were won across those three sports, which accounted for almost a third of their total medal count for the international event. In 2020, those three same sports are expected to produce only seven podium places for the team, with gymnast Max Whitlock expected to retain his title, but not individual golds are forecasted for track cycling. It’s the same for rowing, with men’s four and eight are expected to claim silver for the event. It’s now exactly one year until the opening ceremony for the Tokyo Olympics, and the US are expected to earn the most medals on the medal table for the seventh successive games, which includes 126 medals, 51 of them being gold. Tokyo 2020 will also be the first Games at which fewer than half the events will be for male competitors only, and the first where Britain will have more female than male athletes. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > English all-rounder Ben Stokes has been nominated for the New Zealander of the year award. The nomination was given despite Stokes being a British citizen. - Published: 2019-07-22 - Modified: 2019-07-22 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/ben-stokes-nominated-for-new-zealander-of-the-year/ English cricketer Ben Stokes has been nominated for the New Zealander of The Year award despite breaking his country’s heart at Lord’s. 28-year-old Stokes was named man of the match after England beat New Zealand for a dramatic founder. The all rounder was born and raised in New Zealand before moving to England when he was 12 years old, and many Kiwis still see the player as one of his own. The award's chief judge, Cameron Bennett, told reporters that although Stokes is not playing for the Black Caps, having been born in Christchurch where his parents still live, and with Maori ancestry, there are still many Kiwis that believe they can still claim him. The New Zealand public can nominate inspirational Kiwis for the award, specifically for individuals that they believe have made a significant contribution to the nation and that makes the country proud. Captain of New Zealand, Kane Williamson, has also received a nomination, and will likely prove a tough opponent to beat for Stokes after Williamson was named player of the tournament during the World Cup. The award is currently in its 11th year, and some of the previous winners include former captain of New Zealand rugby union Riche McCaw, filmmaker Taiki Waititi, and mental health campaigner Make King. Nominations will be closing in September and a panel of judges will be creating a shortlist of 10 candidates that will be announced later this year in December. 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Froome now has a total of seven Grand Tour titles under his belt, fourth equal on the all time record list. Despite his new title, Froome will not be attending this year’s Tour de France after a serious crash during a test run in Criterium du Dauphine. His list of victories includes four Tours de France, a Giro d’Italiua, and two Vueltas. He is alongside Italian Fausto Coppi and Spanish Alberto Contador and Miguel Indurian as a seven time Grand Tour winner. Belgium’s Eddy Merkx is currently leading the way with 11 wins, which is ahead of French Bernard Minault, while fellow French rider Jacques Anquetil has a total of eight from his career. The Union Cycliste Internationale, which is the governing body of the event, had stated that abnormalities were discovered in Spanish cyclist Cobo’s biological passport from 2009 to 2011. They have imposed a three year period of ineligibility for the 38 year old retired rider, and Froome has been given the title officially since Cobo did not appeal the decision with 30 days of receiving it, while Wiggins has been promoted to second place for the same event. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Great Britain has confirmed that both their men and women’s teams will head to Tokyo next year. This comes after both teams won their qualifying events - Published: 2019-07-17 - Modified: 2019-07-17 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/great-britain-to-include-both-men-and-women-for-tokyo-olympic-7s/ Great Britain will be sending both their men’s and women’s Olympic Sevens to Tokyo next year after the country won their qualifying tournaments. England had been nominated as the chosen home nation to represent GB for the qualification events, which saw the women’s squad beat France for the final game. They then beat Russia 19-0 in Kazan to claim victory in the tournament. For the men’s event that took place in Colomiers, England beat hosts France 31-7. Having completed their event second in their group for the day, the women’s team beat Ireland 17-7 in the quarterfinals. England had trailed for the match, but Holly Aichison had returned to form during half time as they went into the break 7-5 down. Deborah Fleming shot into the corner to give them the lead before Matthews sealed the win just before full time had been called. For the tense semi final, Matthews had crossed to give her team an early lead before France levelled the game thanks to Coralie Bertrand. Ellide Kildunne gave England the lead again after the break and despite a try from Valentine Lothoz, and two conversions from Aichison pushed them to 14-12. Neither team had made the breakthrough tot he lead for the first half of the final game before Heather Fisher earned an opening try to give England the push they needed to advance to the Olympic qualification, with Emma Uran and Alex Matthews also scoring against their hosting opponents. 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Alam was initially withdrawn from the national team and sent back to his home country under exceptional circumstances, which was announced by the ICC. It was later revealed that he player had been sent home after allegations arose of him misbehaving with a female guest at their team hotel in Southampton. The incident took place at the end of June, after the player had participated in his final game that saw his team lose to India by 11 runs. This wasn’t the only time that the player has faced disciplinary action, however. He was suspended for two matches by head coach Phil Simmons after not attending an ICC anti-corruption unit meeting that took place at the end of June. The 26-year-old pacer also found trouble during the Pakistan-India game that took place at Old Trafford in mid June after he arrived at the game and caused problems in one of the hospitality rooms. The decision for his suspension followed an investigation by the Afghanistan Cricket Board disciplinary committee, which was then expanded upon at the board’s annual general meeting that took place in Kabul. The committee ultimately found the player guilty and issued the year long ban soon after. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Steph Twell claimed first place for her 10000m race at the European 10000m Cup in London. Her victory was mirrored by Crippa who won the men’s race - Published: 2019-07-12 - Modified: 2019-07-12 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/running/twell-and-crippa-claim-10000m-titles/ British Steph Twell beat European champion Lonah Chemtai Salpeter to claim the European 10000m Cup in London while Italian Yemaneberhan Crippa took first place for the men’s race. The event was held as part of the Night of the 10000m Bps tournament that too place at Parliament Hill track, and there were hundreds of spectators present to watch the athletes duke it out for the ultimate prize. Along with the main racing events, fans were able to enjoy the festive atmosphere. In the women’s race, defending champion Salpeter has set off of the line at a fast pace, and had built up a big lead by the time she passed the 3000m mark, which was seven seconds ahead of the pack, which included Eilish McColgan, Liv Westphal of France, and Iris Fionnuaia McCormack. Salpeter had maintained her lead halfway through the race, while Westphal and McCormack started to lose pace at the back of the pack. Twell and McColgan gradually began to eat away at the Lead's gap, and closed in on the Israeli runner with each lap, with Twell eventually catching up toward the final lap, and pulling across the finish line with a time of 31:08. 13. On the men’s side of the race, Crippa had been part of the lead pack throughout. Once the pacemakers had begun to drop out, Crippa shared the front with Soufiane Bouchikhi, but sprinted ahead in the final lap and finished off the event with a time of 27:49. 79. 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Lyles also holds the title of the second fastest 100m this year with 9. 86 seconds, ran the fastest 200m race since Bolt claimed Olympic gold during the London 2021 Olympics. Justin Gatlin won the 100m in 9. 92 seconds. The 37-year-old world champion was one of six Americans to attend to the race, and beat compatriot Michael Rodgers into second, with Aaron Brown of Canada finishing in third place. Talking about his win, Lyles said that it was all about his plan, and that him and his coach had been working on making sure that he was as fast as possible. British Dian Asher-Smith clocked a best for the season with 10. 91 seconds for the women’s 100m, but finished in second place behind Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, from Jamaica, and who is also a double Olympic champion. 23-year-old Asher-Smith finished ahead of Ivorian Marie-Josee Ta Lou and Dafne Schippers of the Netherlands, who had won silver and gold respectively during the 2017 World Championships. Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser made four 400m wins from as many Diamond League event so far this way, but was ultimately pushed out of the way this year by Niger’s Aminatou Seyni. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Huddersfield Giants claimed victory over the Salford Red Devils in a stunning 36-18 win. It marks the first game the Giants have won since late May - Published: 2019-07-08 - Modified: 2019-07-08 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/huddersfield-end-winless-run/ The Huddersfield Giants have ended their four game winless series with a strong display a 36-18 victory at Salford Red Devils. The Giants were trailing 8-0 after early Tyrone McCarthy and Ken Sio tries, but Innes Senior and Matty English were able to secure a 10-8 lead at the break. Darnell McIntosh pushed the score up to 14-8 and Kris Welham had scored for his team, further scores from Kruise Leeming, Jake Wardle, and Ukuma Ta’ai gave them a 30-12 lead. A try from McCarthy have Salford hope but McIntosh pushed through to earn another try at the 78th minute. Overall, the Giants ran in 36 points over a period of 50 minutes, and pulled through with a second successive defeat on Salford following their recent loss at Wigan. Head coach of Salford, Ian Watson, stated that his team had shown a lack of intent, and the side will remain seventh in the Super League roster having missed the opportunity to advance to fourth with their latest game. Watson, talking about the loss, stated that defensively they were not good enough, and that right from the beginning they had the sense that they were not going to win. He added that it was a big game for them, but the league is pulling them back, and that there were too many things off and the players didn’t compete at their usual standard. Coach Simon Woolford, on the other hand, saw his side win for the first time since May. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > As part of their preparations to face Fiji, the Maori All Blacks team has named four new caps. The team will be heading out to face Fiji later on this month - Published: 2019-07-04 - Modified: 2019-07-04 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/all-blacks-names-new-caps/ Four new caps have been named for the Maori All Blacks side, and have set their sights on their upcoming game against Fiji as part of a two match series that will be taking place in both Suva and Rotorua later in July. Chief’s hooker Nathan Harris, Chiefs midfielder Alex Nankivell, Hurricans first five Fletcher Smith, and Highlanders wing Jordan Hyland have all been included in the side for the very first time, while there is still a lot of experience throughout the team to see them through. While the All Blacks contenders most likely won’t be involved in the Rugby Championships, the Maori All Blacks will provide them with the chance to keep pushing for a national selection should any of the current players on Steve Hansen’s squad succumb to injury during their next few games. Clayton McMillan, head coach, has said that one prop will most likely be added to the side before the squad leaves to participate in their game against Fiji. The series will start with a build up to a global event for the 38-man squad, which will see players such as Olympic gold medallist Leon Nakarawa, new Melbourne Rebels halfback Frank Lomani, and midfielders Josua Tuisova of Toulon and Semi Radradra of Bordeaux. Following the completion of their two match series, Fiji is expected to enter the Pacific Nations Cup, where they will be taking on Japan, Samoa, and Canada, before they face Tonga at Eden Park, which will take place in Auckland. 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Barnes, who rides for Canyon-SRAM, rode ahead of Anna Henderson for the final 200m and won the 136km women’s event. Swift told reporters after the race that it felt good as he has been chasing the win for a number of years, and that he had finished in all the other top five places and he’s really happy to have earned his jersey. Swift had endured a season that had been laden with a number of crashes, which included a collision with team mate Geraint Thomas while training in February, which had left Swift in intensive care with a ruptured spleen. The cyclist, who was born in Rotherham, has succeeded his cousin Conor Swift as the national champion, saying that it was a difficult season with the crashes, but he had gotten his motivation and rhythm back after the crash. He added that he owes the win to Ian Stannard, but that they had all gone into the race equally and he had played his card earlier in the race, allowing Swift to bide his time before launching his attack, and that it had ultimately worked out in his favour. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Milan and Cortina have been named as the new hosts for the 2026 Winter Olympics. The cities will also be hosting the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games. - Published: 2019-07-01 - Modified: 2019-07-01 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/paralympics/italy-to-host-2026-paralympic-games/ Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo have been selected as the hosts of the 2026 Winter Olympics along with the Paralympics. The International Olympic Committee recently voted for Italy's joint bid ahead of Stockholm, Sweden. Ice hockey and skating sports will be held in Milan, while the alpine skiing events will be taking place in the resort of Cortina. Other snow sports will also be held in the Italian Alps that includes Bromio and Livigno. The 2026 Winter Olympics will take place throughout February, while the 2026 winter Paralympics will be held in March. Cortina had previously hosted the Winter Olympics in 1956, while Turin staged the Games in 2006. Only two candidates were let after the four other bidders, which included the Swiss city of Sion, Calgary of Canada, Sopporo of Japan, and Graz of Austria. All four of these cities had dropped out of the race due to concerns regarding the size and cost of the two events. The results showed that Italy’s Milan and Cortina had received a combined 47 votes out of the 83 votes that had been cast. IOC president Thomas Bach, in a statement, congratulated Milan-Cortina, and said that they are looking forward to an outstanding and sustainable Winter Games in a traditional winter sports country. He added that the knowledge and passion of the Italian fans, along with the experienced venue operators, would create the best atmosphere possible for the many global athletes that will be participating in the event. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Britain’s Hayley Simmonds has won bronze during the time trials for the European Games. The cyclist narrowly beat Alice Barnes to take a spot on the podium. - Published: 2019-06-28 - Modified: 2019-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/hayley-simmonds-wins-bronze-in-time-trial/ British Hayley Simmonds overcame her anxiety to win bronze for the women’s cycling time trial for the European Games. The 30-year-old cyclist, who is a bronze medallist from last year’s Commonwealth Games managed to edge out teammate and fourth placed Alice Barnes by 0. 81 seconds. Swiss Marlen Reusser won in 36 minutes and 17. 41 seconds, with Chantal Blaak taking second place. Talking about her win, Simmonds stated that she was just happy to finish on the podium, and that she gets really bad race nerves and anxiety so she just tried to keep herself calm throughout the race and tried to remember how she felt at the Commonwealth Games. Overall, the British had a successful day of five multi-sport events, with triumphs in a number of different areas. Calum French, Luke McCormack, Cheavon Clark, and Ben Whittaker all won in their boxing categories, while Aqeel Ahmed lost on a split decision. For the water events, Tom Lust came in third out on the regatta course and has qualified for the men’s K1 1000m final, while women’s C2 500m pair Katie Reid and Chloe Bracewell pushed past a race delay and lane change for the semi finals to finish in second place and have progressed to the final. Elsewhere, the British badminton team won their second match for the group stage, and Corey Walkes just missed out on a place in the individual trampoline competition event by a slim margin. 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The acquisition of a 27% stake in Premiership Rugby resulted in each club earning around £13 million. For Leicester, that meant that they would no longer have any debt. Each club has retained a 7. 7% stake, and with CVC in charge of new marketing initiatives for the Premiership, the clubs anticipated more revenue streams down the road, increasing the amount of cash they will be able to work with for club improvements and new player management. Leicester executive chairman, Peter Tom, told reporters that CVC's investment in Premiership rugby has formed a unique opportunity for everyone involved, and has shot the sport into the public consciousness like never before, and that it has also broadened the overall interest in rugby by other potential investors. He added that their new duty as the board is to explore the club’s strategic options and to asses the best ownership structures that will benefit from the changes both on and off the field. Leicester is among the most successful clubs in the professional era, having won the Premiership 10 times and the European Cup twice. The club's games also attract the highest TV audiences in the country. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games is set to add three new sports to its roster. These include women’s cricket, beach volleyball, and Para-table tennis. - Published: 2019-06-24 - Modified: 2019-06-24 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/the-commonwealth-games-to-add-new-sports/ The Birmingham 2020 Commonwealth Games will be adding three additional sports for its upcoming tournament, which will include Women’s Twenty20 cricket. Organisers of the event have also made the proposal to include beach volleyball along with Para-table tennis into the tournament’s programme schedule. The Commonwealth Games Federation executive board has approved all three of the sports. Shooting and archery were not approved, however, despite having also applied to be added to the Games. Final confirmation on the three new sports will be voted on by the CGF’s 71 member associations, and the announcement will be made over the next two months. The cricket competition was added as a bid by the sport’s world governing body, the International Cricket Council, along with the England and Wales Cricket Broad. The event would take place at Edgbaston and will feature a total of eight teams. The sport’s only inclusion in the Commonwealth Games in the past was in 1998, when South Africa won the men’s 50 overs a side event while playing in Kuala Lumpur. Chief executive of Birmingham 2022, Ian Reid, told reporters that their recommendation of adding women’s cricket, Para-table tennis, and beach volleyball is the result of extensive review, and that they believe these new sports will enhance the programme will also reaching entirely new audiences and showcasing the sports to fans across the world and to the local community. He added that it would represent women’s sport internationally. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Mike Cron, also known as the scrum doctor, will be leaving his role as scrum coach of the All Blacks. His leaving will take place after the 2019 World Cup. - Published: 2019-06-21 - Modified: 2019-06-21 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/scrum-doctor-leaving-all-blacks/ Famous scrum coach Mike Cron will be leaving the All Blacks team after the 2019 World Cup has come to an end. New Zealand Rugby has confirmed his decision to leave. Cron, who is affectionately known as the scrum doctor by the teams, has spent almost twenty years with the All Blacks during a coaching career that spans a total of 37 years. Cron will now be focussing on mentoring new, younger coaches along with rising players. Talking about his departure, Cron told reporters that he has been lucky and has had a wonderful career of coaching at an international level, and that he is looking forward to his last year with the team. He added that it will be his fifth Rugby World Cup – four with the All Blacks and one with the Wales team – and said that it was the right time to step down from the international game. Coach of the All Blacks, Steve Hansen, stated that Cron will be missed by the team, adding that he was one of the guys that he learned from the start of his coaching career that initially started with Scrummaging along with Canterbury and the Crusaders, and then Wales. He added that he suggested to former All Blacks coach Graham Henry that they bring Cron into the All Blacks, saying that his ability to teach anyone is known throughout the world, and that the greatest gift the scrum doctor has is to always keep giving and learning. 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Nicci Dayl’s late score ensured a close finish before Kang Jina took the win for her team while Ireland pushed forward. The loss to the Irish team has no direct result on their Olympic ambitions, with the World Cup finalists having already earned a place for the qualifying rounds. The first half saw some players stand out, with Korean goalkeeper Jang Soo Ju and her opposite Ayeisha McFerra who were both alert and active when they needed to frustrate attacks from the opposing team. Chloe Watkins, Ann O’Flanagan, and Deirdre Duke all had their goal bound efforts put to a stop while McFerran dived to her right to keep Eunji Cho’s strike out of the net. O’Flanagan, who was named the player of the tournament this year, was sure that she had added a seventh goal to her tally when she fired from a penalty corner, but the referee disallowed the effort due to obstruction in the build up. For the second half of the game, Korea seemed as though they would break the deadlock, with Kim finding a way through after sweeping down the right side, and Korea maintained their nerve to take advantage of the match. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Team Ferrari has stated that they will no longer seek to appeal Vettel’s penalty. The 5-second penalty was issued to Vettel following an unsafe return. - Published: 2019-06-17 - Modified: 2019-06-17 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/ferrari-to-not-appeal-penalty/ Team Ferrari have made it clear that they will not be pursuing an appeal to the penalty that was handed out to Sebastian Vettel, with many believing that the penalty cost Vettel the win during the latest Grand Prix that took place in Canada. The German had won on track, but was given a 5 second penalty for dangerous driving, giving the win to his arch rival Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes. A spokesman from Ferrari confirmed that they had decided to move forward from the incident and not to pursue the appeal. Despite this, Ferrari is still considering whether they should try and overturn the penalty via a right to review. While the rules of Formula 1 state that this kind of penalty is not normally subject to right of appeal, teams are allowed to ask for it to be reviewed if it’s discovered that there are elements to the appeal that weren’t reviewed beforehand. The timeframe for this take place is only 2 weeks, which gives the team until the end of June to continue with the right to review, but also means that they have until the next race, the French Grand Prix. Ferrari stated that they would appeal against the decision to penalise Vettel for re-joining the track in an unsafe manner that forced Hamilton to make evasive actions. Vettel re-joined the race but was ultimately handed the penalty that forced him to wait another 5 seconds before he was able to race again. 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The player will be returning to the All Blacks set up in May of 2022 and will remain with the team until the World Cup that is set to take place in 2023. Retallick told reports that he made the decision to give his body a break, adding that he was grateful to have been given the chance to head to Japan and experience not only the rugby but for his family and to be part of a different culture. He continued, saying that he has been playing rugby with the Gallagher Chiefs and the All Blacks since 2012, and while he has enjoyed it and his workload has been well managed, he has decided to give his body a break from the New Zealand game. The All Blacks, like the English team, have a policy of not selecting players who have moved overseas to play club rugby. Steve Hansen, All Blacks coach, told reporters that Brodie will no doubt be missed; it gives future coaches the chance to build more depth into playing sabbaticals. 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The 33-year-old Real Madrid defender managed to break his deadlock while playing at his club’s home ground, where he scored a second half penalty that pushed his total goal to 20 from 165 caps. 26 year old striker Álvaro Maorata also claimed a spot kick of his own before substitute Mikel Oyarzabal, who is 22, scored the first international goal of his career. The Spanish team is now five points ahead of Sweden and sit at the top of Group F. Before the match had started, Ramos was awarded with a commemorative plate after their latest 4-1 victory while playing in the Faroe Islands that saw him pass former player Iker Casillas record for the most international victories by a single player. The Porto goalkeeper totalled 121 victories from 167 international games, meaning that Ramos is now just tow behind Casillas’ record as Spain’s most capped player of all time. Elsewhere in the same group, striker for Palermo George Puscas scored twice as Romania, third placed, won their away game 4-0 against Malta. AZ Alkmaar’s Björn Johnsen scored both goals for fourth placed Norway during their latest 2-0 win against the Faroe Islands. The Czech Republic won 3-0 at home against Montenegro, pushing them level with the national English team at the top of Group A. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Bay Oval at New Zealand's Mt Maunganui will be the new debut hosting spot for next year’s test games. The English team will be the first to compete. - Published: 2019-06-10 - Modified: 2019-06-10 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/new-zealand-hot-spot-to-make-debut/ One of New Zealand’s more popular hot spots is set to become the country’s latest test venue later this year in November when Bay Oval at Mt. Maunganui hosts their first game against the English team as was confirmed by New Zealand Cricket. Joe Root’s squad will be playing two test matches that will be held in New Zealand, with the second being played at Seddon Park in Hamilton. This is after England’s limited overs side face the Black Caps in five Twenty20 international games. Bay Oval will be New Zealand's ninth test cricket venue according to NZC chief executive David White who has recently announced the event schedule, which also includes a full tour by India during the early months of next year. Talking about the new venue, White told reporters that they are thrilled for those involved in securing Bay Oval as the country’s ninth test venue, and that a lot of people have worked hard for the recognition and that he hopes the venue will continue to go from strength to strength. Bay Oval has been host to nine one day internationals since the 2015 season along with six T20 internationals since 2016, which is New Zealand's summer holiday that sees thousands drive out to the area’s beaches. India is set to play five Twenty30s and three one day internationals along with tests in both Christchurch and Wellington from the end of January to the beginning of March next year. 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Everton's Richarlison had seen the hosts take the lead after 16 minutes, and Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus had added another goal eight minutes later. Neymar was taken from the stadium to the hospital to have a scan after he was helped off of the field by members of the support staff of the Brazilian team, with the initial belief that he had simply twisted his ankle. Coach Tite of Brazil, who had described the forward as indispensable for the team, had believed that the injury would not be very serious. Neymar, who had joined the PSG from Barcelona for an all time record of 222 million Euros in 2917, was forced to miss three months of play earlier this year after he had broken the metatarsal in his right foot. Fellow Paris St-Germain teammate Dani Alves took over the role of captain for the national team, a role that Neymar only held for eight months and lost following a series of disciplinary issues, one of which included a ban for lashing out at a fan. 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Murray, who is the former world number one, has said that he has been free of pain, and will be partnering with Spanish Feliciano Lopez. Murray, talking to reporters, said that the Queen’s has always had a special place in his heart and that it was the perfect event to return to, adding that it was where he had won his first ATP match along with his first title for Britain and on grass, and has been his overall most successful tournament. The event will be held in London, just two weeks before the start of Wimbledon. Murray, who is a three-time Grand Slam champion, found success with Australian Nick Kyrgios at the latest Wimbledon games and had posted a video of himself serving on a grass court. He has stated that he could play doubles at Wimbledon but has announced that he will not longer be competing in singles for the rest of the year. Former British player Naomi Cavaday has said that Murray will not want any pressure for his return to the Queen’s competition. 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After having missed the chance to play in two his three previous Open Championships, he is hoping that playing in the Scottish Open will prepare him for the Open Championships that will be taking place shortly after. Talking about his participating, Thomas stated that he was trying to figure out a different way to go about playing The Open, which is a tournament that he loves. He added that he loves links golf, but he has not played very well in the last three years, and that he has been looking at a number of different ways to prep, deciding finally that there was no better way of doing it then going over to the Scottish Open and becoming acclimated to the gameplay and what to expect. Thomas recently missed the USPGA, which was ultimately won by Brookes Koepka, due to an injury to his wrist, and has not played in the professional golf scene since The Masters in April. However, the winner of the 2017 USPGA has said that his healing process is completely, and that he will be returning for the Memorial tournament in Ohio, US. The Open will be taking place at the end of July at Royal Portrush. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have moved to the third round of the French Open. Their advancement comes after they both won their latest matches. - Published: 2019-05-31 - Modified: 2019-05-31 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/roger-federer-rafael-nadal-into-french-open-third-round/ Former champion Roger Federer, along with 11 time victor Rafael Nadal have both advanced to the third round of the French Open at Roland Garros, with both doing so without dropping a set. Federer, who won the event in 2009, only required one hour and 36 minutes to best Germany’s Oscar Otte. Otte held on to his serve for the opening four service games, but was ultimately fifth as Federer claimed the opening set. The 37 year old then took control, moving two sets ahead along with a break in the ninth of the third set, which gave him the chance to claim victory on his serve. Otte had technically lost for the third qualifying round, but was still present in the main draw as a “lucky loser” due to withdrawals. Talking about the game, Federer told reporters that the Grand Slams are incredible because it’s possible to meet players that are not that well known, adding that his opponent played a great match, and that he had helped Federer with some mistakes toward the end of the game. The Swiss, who is third seeded, is taking part in the tournament since 2015, best the world number 144 6-4 6-3 6-4. Spanish defending champion Rafael Nadal claimed his win against German world number 114 Yannick Maden thanks to a 6-1 6-2 6-4 victory. Maden twice broke Nadal’s serve for the third set, but had struggled to hold on to his own as Nadal pushed through. 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Swedish Medelene Sagstrom, Canadian Brooke Henderson, and Japanese Nasa Hataoka tied for second on 15 under. Talking about her win, Law said that she believes in determination and hard work, and that she had stayed focused on the course, and that her caddie had won a good job at keeping her calm. Her latest victory comes three weeks after she had lost in a play off of the LPGA's Mediheal Championship that took place at Lake Merced in San Francisco. She continued her statement, saying that she after her game in San Francisco it gave her some perspective that she is able to compete at the top level, adding that she came in this week with the intention of doing better, and that it feels really good to have realised that intention after winning her latest title. Eight time LPGA Tour victor Henderson finished with three birdies for the last round, and came in for second alongside Sagstrom, who had recorded the best finish of her career. They were joined by Hataoka, who had finished with a birdie on the final hole. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Official organisers of the famous Transat sailing race have moved the starting point to Brest, France. The move has disappointed Plymouth officials. - Published: 2019-05-27 - Modified: 2019-05-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sailing/the-transat-moves-from-plymouth-for-france/ The 60-year-old transatlantic race will no longer begin in the United Kingdom after organisers of the event decided to move over to France. The Transat, which was first founded in 1960 by Herbert Hasler, is a 3500 nautical mile race that takes the racers through the Atlantic to the United States. The race takes place every four years, and had previous started in Plymouth and ended in various locations around the USA. The upcoming 2020 event will be starting in Brest in northern Brittany as organisers hope to secure the future of the historic sailing race. Plymouth City Council had replied by saying that they were massively disappointed with the new location, stating that they had won a bid to host future races in 2017. Talking about the change, a council spokesperson said that two years of planning and a 60 year old tradition has been cast aside. The Transat race claims to be the oldest single-handed transatlantic race ever, with some spending several weeks at sea as they battle to cross the Atlantic. Each of the previous editions of the race have begun in Plymouth and taken the racers to famous cities in the United States, such as Boston, Newport, and New York City. OC Sport, organisers of the event, said that they have been looking for new ways to secure the future of the Transat, and added that the French public were more engaged with sailing than the British. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Danny Cipriani of Gloucester has been named Premiership Player of The Season. This comes after the player won Rugby Players Association's annual award. - Published: 2019-05-24 - Modified: 2019-05-24 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/danny-cipriani-named-premier-player-of-the-season/ Gloucester-based fly half Danny Cipriani has been given the Premiership Player of the Season award for his efforts so far this season. The 31 year old has already claimed the Rugby Players Association’s annual award earlier in the month, making him the second player of all time to win both awards in a single season after Wasps’ Jimmy Gopperth in 2017. Sale’s Faf de Klerk, Northampton’s Cobus Reinach, Saracen’s Alex Good, Bristol’s Steven Luatua, and Exeter’s Matt Kvesic were all nominated for the same award, but ultimately lost to Cipriani. Mark McCall of the Saracens won the Director of Rugby of the Season award after he led the North London club to their third European Champions Cup title, and is set for a Premiership semi final play off against Gloucester. Cipriani has been an important part of their revival of the Cherry and Whites during his first season at Kingsholm, where he assisted more tries than any other player within the Premiership and led his side to take third place. Talking about the award, Gloucester head coach Johan Ackerman stated that they had to adapt to the style of the team, along with the coaches involved, and that he could only speak highly of Danny’s commitment to their team. Ackerman was also nominated for the director of rugby award alongside Bob Baxter of Exeter, Chris Boyd of Northampton, and Pat Lam of Bristol. He added that Danny has made a serious impact on the field. 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They will be taking over from Joe Denly and David Willey. - Published: 2019-05-22 - Modified: 2019-05-22 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/jofra-archer-liam-dawson-tom-curran-in-world-cup-squad/ Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, and Jofra Archer have all been selected to take part in the official English squad for the upcoming World Cup, while Joe Denly and David Willey will not be taking part. 24 year old Archer who was originally born in Barbados, qualified to play for the country in March, and has been chosen for the World Cup after playing only three one day internationals. The decision left one further pace bowler place for the 15-man team, and Surrey-born Curran has managed to edge out left armer Willey. England has also opted to include specialist spin left armer Dawson instead of their original option of all-rounder Denley. The country, which have been chosen to host, have never won a World Cup before, and will be beginning the tournament as the favourites. Being lead by captain Eoin Morgan, they will be starting the tournament by taking on South Africa, where they will be playing at the Oval. Willey and Denly were named for England’s provisional 15-man team earlier in the year alongside batsman Alex Hales. Hales was ultimately let go after a suspension. Archer, who was absent from the provisional squad, was given a chance to impress during a won off win in Ireland and the 4-0 victory over Pakistan that followed closely behind. He will be joining Mark Wood, Liam Plunkett, Chris Woakes, and Curran as pace bowlers for the team as they prepare for the World Cup. 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Williams set set back by injury, and Konta finished the game in 73 minutes. She is next expected to take on Marketa Vondrousova for the last eight to be played in Roma after the Czech player beat Russian Daria Kasatkina. Having made a comeback from a set down to beat world number two Simona Halep earlier in the same day, 19 year old Vondrousova was taken to three sets against Kasatkina, who recorded a 7-5 2-6 6-2 victory in tow hours and 13 minutes. Williams received a walkover during the third round after he sister Serena was forced to withdraw due to a knee injury. The 38-year-old American player who won all three of her past three meetings against Konta, which included the semi final of the 2017 Wimbledon. Naomi Osaka, the current world number one, recorded successive 6-3 6-3 wins over both Mihaela Buzarnescu and Dominika Cibulkover, setting up a last eight meeting where she will be facing world number four Kiki Bertens. The former Wimbledon and French Open winner Garbine Muguruza withdraw from her match against Azarenka due to a thigh injury. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Great Britain has earned another trophy at the World Relay Championships, claiming bronze. The win came after the men’s side won the 4×100m event. - Published: 2019-05-17 - Modified: 2019-05-17 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/great-britain-win-4x100m-bronze-at-world-relay-championships/ Great Britain secured the 4×100m men’s relay team bronze by one hundredth of a second during the World Relay Championships that took place in Yokohama, Japan. The British team, which consists of Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, Adam Gemili, CJ Ujah, and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake finished the event in 38. 15 seconds, and were just ahead of their closest competitors China, who came in at 38. 16 seconds. Their latest victory marks Great Britain as the world champions of the event. Brazil took gold thanks to a world-record time of 38. 05 seconds, while the United States came second with 38. 07 seconds. Great Britain’s men’s 4×400m team finished their event in fifth place for the final, while Tobago and Trinidad both claimed hold. The United States were dominating the events up until the race where Trinidad’s Machel Cedenio completed the final leg 44. 41 split, earning the gold in just over three minutes. The US ultimately finished in second place, but were later disqualified due to infringement on a lane, which lead the Jamaican team to be promoted to the second spot with a time of 3:01. 57, which Belgium came behind with third place. Great Britain's women’s side 4×400m quartet saw them finish for sixth place with Poland taking lead position with a time of 3:27. 49. European champion Justyna Swiety-Ersetic outpaced American Courtney Okolo for the final 100m to take hold, which left the United States to finish the event with silver, with Italy following behind them in third place. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Marcus Kinhult edged out Englishman Matt Wallace to win the British Masters. His newest victory marks his first European Tour title of his career. - Published: 2019-05-15 - Modified: 2019-05-15 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/marcus-kinhult-wins-british-masters-title/ Swedish Marcus Kinhult has claimed his first European Tour title after beating English matt Wallace during the final hole of the British Masters. The two players were tired for 15 under for the last, but Wallace missed a 15 footer before Kinhult sunk his own 10 foot birdie for a final of 70. England’s Eddie Pepperell finished along with Scotland and Wallace on 16 under with a six under of 66. Host Tommy Fleetwood finished the game tied for 10th place after his final round of 73. Kinhult, who had birdied for the last two holes where Wallace was only able to par, told reporters that he was speechless, and that he didn’t really know what had happened for the last two hours. He added that he was behind, and despite Wallace playing well, he managed to make the last two birdies. He continued, saying that there was a lot going through his mind at the time, but that he was happy to handle emotions well. Wallace was visibility frustrated on a hot day in Southport by his failure to make more ground with his one shot lead going down 17, which came because of bogeys for Kinhult on 15 and 16. The 29 year old English player missed a four foot putt for birdie during the 17th, and his the 18th green with his putter after he missed to the right of the hole, which, if he had landed, would have seen him win the title. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The one-day international game between England and Pakistan came to a short end due to rain. The Pakistan team claimed 80-2 before the game was called off. - Published: 2019-05-13 - Modified: 2019-05-13 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/rain-ends-england-v-pakistan-first-day-one/ England first one day international where they were to face Pakistan was officially called off due to persistent weather that swept The Oval. The weather saw the game first shorted to 47 overs a side, and another delay pushed it down again to 41, with the heaviest rains leaving the outfield too slick to allow any more play. Pakistan had reached 80-2 in the first 19 overs that they were still able to play. English pace bowler Jofra Archer proved to be a solid competitor, and showed his skills ahead of the World Cup with his aggressive skills on the pitch. The second match between the two teams is still upcoming, and will be played at Southampton. Openers Jason Roy and Moeen Ali are currently absent due to injury, the latest cancelled game could have been a chance for players Joe Denly and James Vince to have a chance of entering the official 15 man team for the World Cup, but neither had the chance to prove their skill on the field due to the heavy rain. Archer, however, did reinforced the notion that he will be replacing one of the current players after he managed speeds of 93mph, bowling with incredible accuracy that wasn’t run off of the bat until the 19th delivery. Liam Plunkett, the replacement for Archer, conceded almost seven runs in one over, but he caught Babar Azam behind to leave Pakistan with a score of 45-2. 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World number two Kvitova defeated French player Caroline Garcia 5-3 6-3. Osaka, who is the winner of both the US Open and Australian Open will now be taking on Belinda Bencic, while Halep is et to face Australian ninth seeded Ashleigh BBarty. Halep, who recently beat British number one Johanna Konta during the second round, is hoping that she will be able to win the title for the third time after she won in both 2016 and 2017. Talking about the upcoming games, the Romanian player said that she was Kuzmova’s best match, and that maybe she had been nervous before the beginning of the match, Halep continued, saying that it’s a big tournament and sometimes it can be difficult to face the top players, and that she herself has been in that position, and has tried to play the best tennis she could nevertheless. World number eight Sloane Stephens has also advanced in Madrid after she bested Chinese Saisai Zheng. The American was a set down before her game against Zheng with 3-6 6-3 6-2, and has set up a quarterfinal game against Petra Martic. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Chris Lawless is the first rider for Britain to the win the men’s part of the Tour de Yorkshire. Lawless won overall, while Greg van Avermaet won the stage. - Published: 2019-05-08 - Modified: 2019-05-08 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/chris-lawless-wins-tour-de-yorkshire-2019/ Chris Lawless has become the first British rider to win the men’s side of the Tour de Yorkshire thanks to a strong ride during the last stage that saw them finish in Leeds. Lawless, who was racing in the blue jersey as the leader overnight, finished just behind stage winner Greg van Avermaet and claimed a win for Team Ineos. 23-year-old Lawless was immediately celebrated by teammate Chris Froome, who had been hind the decisive final break on Cote de Otley Chevin. The win is a big welcome for Team Ineos, who were only recently created, replacing the former Team Sky. With the last 20km of the race remaining, and Lawless starting to struggle, Froome went on the attack, and ultimately forced all of the other riders to begin chasing him down. Talking about his victory, Lawless stated that he couldn’t believe it, and that if someone had told that he would win the race before it started he would have called them a liar. He went on to say that he started losing touch around halfway up the Otley Chevin, but that he knew that if he could get back on the climb, he would be able to push through at 5km to the finish line. He continued by saying that he knew that he could follow Greg van Avermaet, and that Greg was someone that he looked up to when he first started riding competitively. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Jesper Asselman has won the first stage of the Tour de Yorkshire, beating Filippo Fortin. He also saw victory against Chris Froome and Mark Cavendish. - Published: 2019-05-06 - Modified: 2019-05-06 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/jesper-asselman-wins-stage-one-of-tour-de-yorkshire/ Dutch rider Jesper Asselman has won the opening stage of the Tour de Yorkshire after he became part of a long-range breakaway. The rider took the first stage in wet and cold conditions, winning after taking the lead from Filippo Fortin, while Mark Cavendish completed the stage in eighth place at the end of the Doncaster to Selby event. British Jacob Hennessey was the very first to get to the top of the climb for the day, and went on to claim the King of the Mountain Jersey. Chris Froome, four time Tour de France winner finished right at the back of the group. Froome, who was competing for Team Ineos in their first ever race since their official switch from Team Sky, steered clear of any potential problems for the long 111 mile stage. Despite this, the 3 year old and his fellow teammates were forced to deal with jeers from the protesters who have become upset of proposed fracking plans in Yorkshire from Ineos. The women’s two-stage race is upcoming, and sees Lizzie Deignan competing for the British for the first time since she gave birth to her daughter over six months ago. The former world champion came in seventh place for the Liege-Bastogne-Liege after 23rd for the Amstel Gold Race, as well as 21st for La Fleche Wallone. The upcoming Barnsley to Bedale event will see a route around Harrogate that will also be featuring in the World Road Race Championships. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Leona Maguire finished the Dubai Moonlight Classic opening rounds in lead position. She is followed by Olivia Crown in 2nd, and Nuria Iturrios in 3rd. - Published: 2019-05-03 - Modified: 2019-05-03 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/leona-maguire-leads-in-dubai-moonlight-classic/ Irish Leona Maguire has carded a record eight under par 64 for her first professional day night event. The Dubai Moonlight Classic is taking place on the Emirates Golf Club that was designed by Nick Faldo, and features massive floodlights to keep the course lit throughout all hours of the night. The 65 players taking part will be playing at least nine holes of one of the opening rounds for the 54 hole tournament that’s being played under state of the art LED lights that are also environmentally friendly. Maguire managed to sink a 25-foot birdie for the 18th and took the lead by two. Talking about her success on the first day, Maguire said that it felt like night golf suits her, and that she can’t really complain. The world number 237 made nine birdies and one bogey before the night came to an end. Adding to her statement, the 25-year-old player said that she adjusted quickly to playing under floodlights, and that it was better than she had originally though. She continued, saying that the lights when on when they were on 13 and 14, and at first it was a little tricky to get used to. Germany’s Olivia Cowan is currently two shots behind Maguire after she completed a round of 66 that was also free of bogeys. Nuria Iturrios, the new LET number one, finished the course in third place, while Scottish Carly Booth took fourth. 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The Austrian player, who lost the Roland Garros final game to the Spaniard last year, dominated the game, denying Nadal the chance to become the first player to claim the same ATP title 12 times in his career. Talking about his loss, Nadal insisted that he is happy with how he played, and that he was competitive for the firs time in a few matches. Thiem is now set to take on Daniil Medvedev, who recently bested two time tournament victor Kel Nishikpro 6-4 3-5 7-5. Adding to his statement, Nadal said that things were positive even if he had lost, and that he believes that Thiem is a great guy and a great player, stating that he played on a good level, and that it was an improvement from the previous series of matches where he was not playing competitively. Thiem, who is third seeded, took revenge for his 2019 French Open final loss to Nadal, but also for his 2017 Barcelona title match that he lost to the 32-year-old Spanish player. It also marks the first time that Nadal has lost a Barcelona semi final game. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > British Team Sky rider Tao Geoghegan has won the fourth stage of the Tour of The Alps. The rider beat out contender Vincenzo Nibali in the final climb. - Published: 2019-04-29 - Modified: 2019-04-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/tao-geoghegan-wins-stage-four-for-second-time/ British Tao Geoghegan Hart has earned his second win for the Tour of the Alps after he out-sprinted Vincenzo Nibali from the group that was competing in stage four in Italy. Geoghegan hart, who is 24 years old, has since moved into second place overall, with 27 seconds down on Team Sky team mate Pavel Sivakov, who had finished in fourth place in Cles. Chris Froome came in fifth place after he had helped both Sivakov and Geoghegan counter attacks made earlier in the match by Nibali. Hard took the senior victory on stage on, and finished the second on stage three. The five day long race will conclude with a long, 147. 8km stage to Bolzano. Froome is hoping to get to top from for the beginning of his bid for a fifth victory in the Tour de France when the race begins in Brussels, but the rider struggled early on and said that he now riding in support of Geoghegan Hart and Sivakov. The 33 year old managed to twice bring back Nibali for the final climb of the Passo Predaia before the Italian rider dropped just about everyone except Sivakov, Geoghegan Hart, and Rafal Majka when there was 21km left on the course to go. Those four had stayed clear until the end of the race, with Geoghegan Hart starting his sprint first, and Nibali was unable to follow behind him sufficiently and took second place, with Majka taking third. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Dutch athlete Anna van der Breggen has taken first place at Le Fleche Wallonne Feminine. Men’s rider Julian Alaphilippe defends title in Belgium. - Published: 2019-04-26 - Modified: 2019-04-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/anna-can-der-breggen-wins-with-julian-alaphilippe/ World champion Anna van der Breggen has won Le Fleche Wallonne Feminine for a successive fifth year and now equals the record for the most victories for a one-day race. The 29 year old Dutch rider kicked away for the final 200m of the difficult Mur de Huy climb to win by just one second over Annemiek van Vleuten. With only 3km of the 118. 5km course left to go, Floortje Mackaij of Team Subweb made an ambitious solo attack, leading the race on the Mur de Huy, which is a 1. 2km climb which features gradients of 26%. Mackaij was eventually taken over by Van der Breggen with only 500m left to go, and despite competition from Katazyna Niewiadoma, Van der Breggen remained calm and took the lead once again. Five-time champion Marianne Vos, who is also Dutch, finished the race in fourth place. French Julian Alaphilippe, who is 26 years old, successfully defended his title for the men’s part of the race that took place in Belgium. The Deceunink-Quick-Step competitor was intent on chasing down an attack from Jakob Fuglsang, where he passed him in the final 100m before holding off on a late reply from the Dane down the line. Alaphilippe now has a total of nine victories under his belt from the season, the most of any rider that’s competed in the World Tour, which includes wins from a day one classic Milan-San Remo, as well as Strade Bianche. 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Irishman Shane Lowry, who was leading after the first two games, finished in tie for third place, two behind, after ending the day with a 70. World number one Dustin Johnson was one ahead for the last day, but eventually ended eight off of the pace with a 77, and Ian Poulter followed him with seven under and a 73. The strong winds earlier in the event had finally calmed down to a breeze at the Hilton Head, and for the early stages of Johnson’s round, four other players had joined him at 10 under. Lowry fired three birdies for his first six holes and claiming a two shot lead, but a miss during a short putt at the ninth, along with a four from the left of the 12th green and a double bogey saw him slip behind by three. American Matt Kuchar, who won in 2014, claimed an eight-foot birdie putt for the last and earned a target of 11 under but Pan, who was making his 79th start for a PGA Tour, took the two final holes and remained at 12 under. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > As the Tokyo 2020 Games’ schedule has been released, NZ athletes have announced their goal for gold. The nation is hoping to claim four golds in one day. - Published: 2019-04-22 - Modified: 2019-04-22 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/2020-tokyo-new-zealand-seeking-gold/ The schedule for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics that are set for the beginning of August have officially been released worldwide, and it’s also been revealed that many sportspeople from New Zealand will be seeking at least four holds for the same day. Tom Walsh, Eliza McCartney, Lisa Carrington, and Campbell Stewart may all be looking to take the top spot on the podium in their respective divisions during the course of a single day. The shot put final for the men’s is set to take place in the Olympic Stadium early into the day, and it’s expected that Tom Walsh will be featuring as he hopes to claim gold. Walsh won bronze during the 2016 Rio Olympic games and is currently the world champion, as well as the world indoor champion, and last year he reportedly through his own personal best to move up among the top 10 best in history. Later in the evening, Eliza McCartney will be participating in the women’s pole vault final. McCartney, who is also a bronze medallist from Rio, is hoping to be in top from as she returns to the professional scene after suffering from a number of injuries. For the Sea Forest Waterway, Lisa Carrington is looking to gain her own goal for the women’s semi finals and finals K1500m canoe sprint. That night, Campbell Steward will be attempting to peddle his way to the top of the podium, which would mean more gold after this year’s world championships in Poland. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Geraint Thomas is preparing for this year’s Tour de France. Thomas won last year’s event, and is hoping to take the title again as he ramps up training. - Published: 2019-04-19 - Modified: 2019-04-19 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/geraint-thomas-preparing-to-defend-tour-de-france-title/ Geraint Thomas has told reporters that he is on track to challenge for a second Tour de France title this year. Thomas has started preparations for the Tour de France later this year than he did in 2018, and stated in February that he would be missing the Giro d’Italia in order to be in the best shape possible for the Tour de France, which is set to take place in July. Talking about his preparations and the race, Thomas has said that he would love tow in it again, and that he’s not far from the shape that he was in for the previous Tour de France. After he became the third British rider to see victory in the Tour, after Chris Froome and Bradley Wiggins, Thomas started training at the end of November, which was three weeks later than in the previous year. Stomach problems forced the rider for Team Sky out of the Tirenno-Adriatico, which took place in March, and he then had to retire from a training camp in Tenerife due to worsening weather conditions. But recently Thomas competed inn the Tour of the Basque Country, and is planning on stepping up his preparations for the Tour de France de Romandie what takes place from the end of April to the beginning of May. He also expects that three-time winner Chris Froome will be his biggest rivals during thee Tour this year, along with fellow team-mate Egan Bernal. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Tiger Woods capped off his resurgence with a 15th major title after victory at the 2019 Masters in Augusta. The player was beaming with pride at the 18th. - Published: 2019-04-17 - Modified: 2019-04-17 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/tiger-woods-wins-2019-masters/ Tiger Woods has claimed his 15th major victory after winning the 2019 Masters at Augusta. The American golfer produced a thrilling fifteenth as he took his fifth Masters title. There were celebrations throughout as Woods finished with two under 70 on the 18th green to win on 13 under, which was one clear of Americans Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Xander Schauffele. Woods, who had been previously written off after he fought through many problems in the prior years was seen punching the air in happiness before celebrating with his children near the back of the greens. Talking about his win, the 43 year old said that he was trying to plod his way through all day when he suddenly had the lead. He continued by saying that by the time he came on 18 he was trying to make a five, but when he tapped in he didn’t know what to do, and just screamed. It’s a full circle for the player, whose dad played in 1997. His latest win also tops an incredible comeback for Woods, who was forced to miss the 2016 and 2017 Masters events due to back issues before undergoing fusion surgery in April of 2017. In 2018, his skill was back on course after he challenged at The Open before coming in sixth place, and came in close behind the champion Koepka for the US PGA Championship, and won the Tour Championship for his 80th PGA Tour title. 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Three time champion Phil Mickelson, who is aiming to become the oldest major winner of all time at the age of 48, is currently third on five under, while English player Ian Poulter is joint fourth alongside Dustin Johnson – world number two – on four under. Spanish John Rahm, along with 2013 Masters winner Adam Scott have become part of a group on three under, while Tiger Woods is a shot back on the congested leaderboard. Northern Irish Rory Mcllroy started the game as the only major that he hasn’t one with on over 73, while world number one Justin Rose claimed birdies on the 15th and the 17th holes, carding a total of 75. Koepka, who was forced to miss 2018’s Masters due to a wrist injury, has won three of his past seven majors, which saw him defending his US Open title for 2018 before he went on to win the US PGA Championship. After a single birdie for the front nine, he managed to make five in six holes from the 10th just before he parred on the final three. Talking about his performance, Koepka said that he is aggressive at a normal event, and sometimes that can backfire. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > As more teams are being announced for the World Group II play-offs, Great Britain has made no changes. The team will be playing against Kazakhstan. - Published: 2019-04-12 - Modified: 2019-04-12 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/great-britain-announce-no-team-changes-for-world-group-ii/ Great Britain have announced an unchanged team for their Fed Cup World Group II play offs against Kazakhstan, which is set to start at the end of April. British number one Johanna Konta will be joined by Katie Boulter, Heather Watson, Katie Swan, and Harriet Dart. The British team managed to win all 10 of their rubbers during the group stages that took place in February, ultimately earning enough to reach the play offs. If the team continues their winning streak and beat Kazakhstan in London, they will be able to return to the World Group II for the first time since 1993. The tie is set to take place at the Copper Box Arena. Great Britain captain Anne Keothavong has stated that there is little to separate their two teams in terms of ranking, but that she is confident that fans at home will give all of their players the inspirational life that they need. She added that it was important to their team to open up the sport to new fans while also being able to increase the awareness of tennis at different times of the year, for the many different events that take place. Five of the world’s top players are set to represent their countries for the Fed Cup semi finals. These include Simona Halep, Angelique Kerber, Ashleigh Barty, Sloane Stephens, and Aryna Sabalenka, who have all been named as the top singles player for their nations. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Alberto Bettiol pulled off a shock win at the men’s Tour of Flanders in Belgium. The first time winner pulled ahead of the group toward the later half. - Published: 2019-04-10 - Modified: 2019-04-10 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/alberto-bettiol-earns-first-professional-win/ Italian Alberto Bettiol managed to pull off an incredible solo win for the men’s Tour of Flanders being held in Belgium, and claimed his first professional victory of his career. The Education First rider, who is 25, took on the 18km of the 267km one day classic and held off a group of pre-race favourites that were chasing him. It was the second victory for Italy of the day, with Marta Bastianelli winning the women’s race in a sprinting finish. After pushing clear of the Oude Kwaremont, which is the penultimate climb of the race, Bettiol held the advantage over the Paterberg, and pushed on solo to the line as the riders could do nothing more than mark each other as they chased him. Denmark’s Kasper Asgreen, who has earlier been in a breakaway, made more effort in the late second, and found himself 14 seconds behind Bettiol, while former victor Alexander Kristoff of Norway took third place. Talking about his win, Bettiol said that it was a god feeling, and that he had looked around at the top and saw that he had a wide gap, and his team urged him to keep gong. It’s marked as Bettiol’s first solo victory since he turned professional in 2014, and has only previously won a team trial stage during last year’s Tirreno-Adriatico. The Tour of Flanders is the second monument, which is made up of five of the most prestigious one-day races in the series. 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He has also won back-to-back Super Rugby titles when he played for the Canterbury Crusaders in both 2017 and 2018. Talking about his retirement, Dagg said that while it was bittersweet that he has to end his playing career, he was grateful that he was able to contribute to the Crusaders team of 2019, and that he was able to help some of the younger members take the next big steps in their careers. Steve Tew, New Zealand Rugby chief executive, has sung the 30 year old’s praises, stating that he is one of the greats of the game. Tew continued by saying that he was an excitement machine on the field, and that fans knew that once Dagg had the ball, anything could happen. Dagg was a participant in the 2011 World Cup win for the All Blacks, but was ultimately dropped for the 2015 campaign when the New Zealand team saw victory again. He was determined to become a regular for the team, but he last Test was against Argentina in September 2017, shortly before he suffered the knee injury that put his rugby career on hold. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The men’s tennis singles final for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will see a reduction of five sets to three. The new rule change was announced by the ITF. - Published: 2019-04-05 - Modified: 2019-04-05 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/tokyo-olympic-mens-singles-reduced-to-sets-of-three/ The 2020 Olympic games men’s tennis finals that are set to take place in Tokyo have recently undergone a rule chance that sees the final being played over three sets rather than the previous five. The announcement was made by the International Tennis Federation, which also means an end to the chance of a marathon gold medal shootout. Three years ago in the Rio games, Any Murray required four hours and dour extremely difficult sets in order to beat Juan Marin del Petro in defending his Olympic title. There were a total of 14 breaks of serve while Murray ended the game in tears. Since 1996, the format for the men’s singles has always been the best of three in all rounds except for the final, but all the matches in the upcoming 2020 Games in Tokyo will now be taking on the shorter format. In their recent announcement, the ITF stated that these new amendments will be reducing the concerns of overplaying for players that have reached the later stages of all three events, which includes singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. The men’s and women’s doubles have also seen some changes, and will feature a first to 10 points tie break system rather than the deciding third set, which is the format that has been used for mixed doubles over the previous games. The changes have not been welcome by some players, although it remains to be seen whether the changes are positive. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > American Kevin Kisner has taken the top podium spot at the Match Play Final. His victory comes after beating fellow Matt Kuchar in a strong performance. - Published: 2019-04-03 - Modified: 2019-04-03 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/kevin-kisner-claims-victory-over-matt-kuchar-in-match-play-final-games/ American Kevin Kisner has won his first WGC title thanks to a victory over fellow American Matt Kuchar for the Match Play final. The 35-year-old world number 50, who recently beat Francesco Molinari for the finals, returned from his 7&6 defeat in last year’s final against Bubba Watson. Kuchar claimed a win over Lucas Bjerrergaard earlier in the day, but only managed to accumulate two birdies in the final as Kisner took a 3&3 win for this third PGA Tour title. Molinari saw a win against Bjerregaard, who had beaten Tiger Woods not long before. Kuchar started one down after 10 when his tee shot at the par three 11th came short and fell into the water. The world number 24 was not able to get up and down from the right side of the 15th, and slipped behind Kisner as the day progressed. Kisner had ended Molinari’s 10 game winning match player during their encounter at the semi finals. He was two ahead after 15 holes, and although the Italian player claimed two birdies, he bogeyed on the last. Bjerregard, the world number 52 making his debut and who beat Woods in the quarter finals, only claimed two birdies against Kuchar, but was never further than a hole behind during their entire exchange, with the American making a birdie on the 16th and finishing off one up against his Danish opponent. 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Scottish Murray, who is currently undergoing rehabilitation after hip surgery, said that it was an honour to receive the invitation. The athlete received the surgery after losing at the Wimbledon quarterfinals, and complained about a constant pain in his hip. Talking about the event, Murray stated that it was an amazing race that means so much to many people, and that it raises millions each year for charity, and inspires countless people to start getting active. Murray, who has also seen victory twice at the Olympics, was part of the attendance for the 2014 London Marathon when his wife took part. Event director Hugh Brasher has stated that Sir Andy Murray is one of the greatest sporting starts of the country, and that it was fitting that he is to be the official starter for one of the country’s most popular sporting events, as well as one of the world’s greatest marathons. He continued by adding that Murray is well known as one of the most competitive and toughest sportsmen in the world, and someone that does not recognise the barriers in sport that hold so many others back. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Ian Poulter saw victory at the WGC Match Play after he birdied in the two final holes. He is followed by Tiger Woods, Rory Mcllroy, and Paul Casey. - Published: 2019-03-29 - Modified: 2019-03-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/poulter-woods-mcllroy-make-winning-start/ English player Ian Poulter birdied for the final two holes and claimed victory over Kevin Kisner for the opening day of the WGC Match Play being held in Austin, Texas. The 43-year-old world number 32 lost the two holes he played previously to an eagle and a birdie, but still managed to beat the American two up. There were also comfortable victories for Paul Casey, Tommy Fleetwood, Tiger Woods, Tyrrell Hatton, and Rory Mcllroy. The 64 players have since been divided into 16 groups of four, each with a round robin format that will stay in place for the first three days. The 16 group winners will then advance to the knockout stage where the quarterfinals will also take place, with the semi finals, finals, and third place match taking place a day before. Mcllroy did not lose a single hole against opponent Luke List, and sealed a 5&4 victory thanks to his fourth birdie of the day. Casey, who recently defended his Valspar Championship title successfully and advanced to 11th in the global rankings, ended the day one down after five holes against Mexican Abraham Ancer before moving on a 5&3 win. Tiger Woods, a three-time Match Play victor, managed to recover from one down against Aaron Wise and recorded a 3&1 win. Fleetwood was two down against Korean Byeong Hun An but still won 3&2, while Matt Wallace saw former PGA champion Keegan Bradley leave thanks to a one up victory. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Petra Kvitova and Simona Halep have advanced to the quarterfinals of the Miami Open. Both players are currently in line to take top seeded rank from Osaka. - Published: 2019-03-27 - Modified: 2019-03-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/simona-halep-and-petra-kvitova-reach-quarter-finals/ Simona Halep took her fourth successive victory over Venus Williams and has advanced to the quarterfinal games of the Miami Open. The Romanian third seeded hit a total of 21 winners as she bested Williams 6-4 6-3 and will now be facing Chinese Qiang Wang, who recently defeated compatriot Yafan Yang 7-5 6-4. Both Kvitova and Halep stand the chance of replacing Naomi Osaka as world number one by the time the tournament comes to an end. Czech Kvitova bested French Caroline Farcia 6-3 6-3 and reached her fifth WTA quarterfinal for the year. The second seeded is set to take on Ashleigh Barty after the Australian beat Kiki Bertens 4-6 6-3 6-2. If both players manage to make it tot he final, the winner will claim the world number one ranking. Romanian Halep was crowned world number one for a total of 48 weeks before she was replaced by Osaka earlier this year in January, while two time Wimbledon champion Kvitova has yet to hold the top ranking. Canadian teenager Bianca Andreescu’s unbeaten 10-match run was ended after she was forced to retire from an injury. The 10 year old was trailing Estonian Anett Kontaveit 6-1 2-0 when she withdrew because of a problem with her right shoulder. Hsieh Su-wei, who recently bested top seeded Osaka, has continued her form with a three set win against Caroline Wozniacki. The Taiwanese player beat the former world number one 6-3 6-7 6-2. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Roy Krishna received 2 yellow cards during Sunday’s game against the Sydney Wanderers. Find out more about what his teammates had to say about the matter. - Published: 2019-03-25 - Modified: 2019-03-25 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/krishnas-late-dismissal-questioned/ Wellington Phoenix has questioned the legitimacy of Roy Krishna’s late dismissal with A-League Referee Boss Ben Wilson. The Football Club demanded a Please Explain from Wilson after their star striker saw red in the team’s 3-1 win over the Western Sydney Wanderers on Sunday the 17th of March, but they were not able to lodge an appeal. As a result, the A-League’s leader of the Golden Boot will miss his team’s upcoming Newcastle Jets game next Saturday thanks to being handed two yellow cards in just five minutes during the closing moments of the emotionally-charged victory. Wellington Phoenix specifically took issue with the first yellow handed out, which Krishna received in the 88th minute. The player got booked for what was regarded as a reckless challenge on Rashid Mahazi. He managed to win the ball, but it looked like he also caught the Sydney Wanderers’ armpit with his elbow when he followed through. Krishna then received a second yellow card in minute 92 after he flung his arm back and hit defender Raul Llorente in the face as he tried to hold the ball up in the corner. Referee Alex King didn’t call foul, but the Video Assistant intervened, and that’s when Krishna’s late dismissal was effected. Although Mark Rudan, coach for Wellington Phoenix, declined to make comment on the specific incidents, he did acknowledge that the Club has written to Wilson, the Director of Referees for Football Federation Australia, seeking an explanation for the first yellow card. They also queried the second-half penalty, ultimately missed by Alex Baumjohann. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Crusaders are considering a name-change after the twin-mosque attack by an unnamed gunman. The NZ Sports Ministers has welcomed discussions on this. - Published: 2019-03-22 - Modified: 2019-03-22 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/a-possible-name-change-for-the-crusaders/ A suspected white supremacist perpetrated a shooting at two mosques as people gathered for Friday prayers in Christchurch on the 19th of March 2019. NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has since vowed that the attacker will remain nameless as she opened a solemn session of parliament with a powerful As Salaam Alaikum message of peace to Kiwi Muslims. The Crusaders Rugby team adopted their name more than 20 years ago when the game went professional, but questions have now been raised over its association with religious wars between Muslims and Christians from 1095 – 1492. Although the team initially stated that they didn’t feel their name had religious connotations anymore, reflecting their crusading spirit rather, Chief Executive for the Crusaders Colin Mansbridge has since expressed that they’re open to changing it. Grant Robertson, Minister of Sports, has stated that he feels that this is a relevant discussion, and called this kind of conversation the responsible thing to do. He did not reveal his own opinion on the matter, saying that he would only do so after the team finishes consulting with the local Christchurch community and he has had the chance to speak to officials. Sports journalist Tony Smith noted that the socio-political landscape in New Zealand has changed forever in the wake of the attacks, and the Muslim community’s views need to be taken into serious consideration going forward. After all, the Crusaders belong to everyone in the city, Muslims included. 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It’s marked as his first win of the year so far, and has set him up for a chance at the Grand Slam for the upcoming Masters. Talking about his victory, Mcllroy said that he felt like he’s playing some of the best golf of his life at the moment, and that he needs to keep doing the same things. He added that if he had not have won, he would have said that h didn't need one going into Augusta, but that it was nice to win on a course that will play similarly to Augusta in the next few weeks. A total of five players have won the modern Grand Slam of Open Championships, US Open, Masters, as well as the US PGA Championship: Tiger Woods, Jack Niclaus, Gary Player, and Ben Hogan. 29-year-old Mcllroy won the US Open in 2011 before winning against a year later and in 2014 at the US PGA, and again at The Open in 2014. Despite this, he is yet to win the Masters, which is his next challenge, and has finished in top six for all of his events so far this year. 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Adam finished in fifth place for the uphill finish in Pomerance, Italy, where French Julian Alaphilippe won the race outright. He will be taking over the blue jersey from Mitchelton-Scott teammate Michael Hepburn after the Australian team’s victory in the team time trial earlier in the vent. The Paris-Nice ends with stage eight, while the seven stage Tirreno-Adriatico will be concluding soon after. Vuelta a Espana champion Simon had initially dropped out of the contention after losing time in crosswinds while early into the race, and came into the stage following leader Michal Kiatkowski by 18 minutes. As a result, the Mitchelton-Scott cycler left midway through the pack, but managed to put a strong effort in, setting a market that none of the other favourites for their stage or overall were able to beat. Team Sky’s Kiatkowsky came third for the day, found seconds behind Politt, and extended his overall lead, with team mate Egan Beranl moving forward to second place, and ending 19 seconds down. Simon finished his win by saying that he didn’t believe it was gong to be a good course, but had a really good day. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > 15 time major champion Tiger Woods is preparing to take part in the upcoming Masters. This is despite neck issues he has had from spinal surgery. - Published: 2019-03-15 - Modified: 2019-03-15 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/tiger-woods-preparing-for-masters-despite-injury/ Tiger Woods has said that he expects to take part in the Masters despite being forced to withdraw from the Arnold Palmer Invitation with neck strain. Woods, who is getting ready to participate in the Players Championship in Sawgrass, said that a neck problem linked with spinal fusion surgery I 2017 had been giving him issues, although it’s one that he says that he’s been able to manage. The 43 year old is hoping for his 15th major title while playing at Augusta when the Masters starts. Talking about his injury, Woods stated that it was getting to the point where it was starting to affect is setup and his backswing, and it had been gradually getting worse as his lower back is fused. He added that it was about learning to manage when he has, and at 43 with four back surgeries, he understands that there are going to be some good weeks and some bad weeks. The American player is currently ranked at 11th in the world after he recovered from being number 1199 not long after he underwent the spinal fusion surgery, which was the latest of multiple operations. Woods saw victory at his 80th PGA title, and for the first five years, when winning the season-ending Tour Championship at the end of 2018. He has since completed three tournaments for 2019, where he finished 20th at the Farmers Insurance Open, 15th at the Genesis Open, and 10th at the WGC-Mexico Championship. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Italian Francesco Molinari finished off in lead at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Behind him was Matthew Fitzpatrick, followed by Rory Mcllroy. - Published: 2019-03-13 - Modified: 2019-03-13 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/francesco-molinari-takes-bay-hill-win/ Open winner Francesco Molinari saw a stunning eight under 64 bogey-free victory while playing at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, winning at Bay Hill by two shots. The 36 year old world number 10, who was five behind overnight, managed to sink a birdie putt at the last for a 12 under total. English Matthew Fitzpatrick, who started out one ahead in a bid for his maiden PGA title, only dropped a single shot, but was unable to claim the two birdies needed in his 71. Rory Mcllroy also claimed two birdies and ended the game tied for sixth at eight under. Molinari, who was the European Tour Golfer of the Year in 2018, holed from thick rough behind green while playing at the eight for the fourth birdie of the day. The Italian, who teed off an hour and 40 minutes before the rest of the final group, decided top leave an eagle putt on the edge of the 16th hole, but claimed an eight birdie in the last and set a high target, forcing Fitzpatrick two shots behind in second place with six holes left to play. The 24 year old, who is from Sheffield, did not drop a single shot while playing round three, but made his first bogey of the final day at the 15th where he fell three shot with three to play. An eagle chance at the 16th fell out of his grasp and he needed a par putt at the last to secure possession of the second. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Blues dominated their match against Dynamo Kiev in their latest home game. Callum Hudson-Odol pushed the team to victory in a one-sided game. - Published: 2019-03-11 - Modified: 2019-03-11 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/chelsea-beat-dynamo-kiev-in-europa-league/ Callum Hudson-Odol claimed his third Europa League goal of the season so far as Chelsea bested Dynamo Kiev for the last 16 first leg match, and has since moved forward into the quarter finals. The Pedro opened the scoring from close range as he barrelled after Olivier Giroud. Williams claimed a second goal as Chelsea’s dominance continued after drilling home from 25 yards. Teenager Hudson-Odol added their third goal, putting Chelsea in charge of the tie. Dynamo Kiev, who has never won a game in any of their 15 visits to Britain, did not manage to claim a single goal, nor did they get a shot on target. Hudson-Odol has had a good season in the Europa League, netting against PAOK Salanokia in the group stage, as well as at home to Malmo in the last round. The 28 year old player put in a transfer request in January for Bayern Munich, although the club rejected it. The Blues won the 2013 Europa League will need to win the tournament in order to qualify for next season’s Champions League as they are currently sitting at sixth place in the Premier League. Maurizio Sarri has also made six changes, but has still put forward a strong team, with N’Golo Kante, Eden Hazard, and Gonzalo Higuain on the beach in case of any emergencies. Pedro’s opener was followed by a miss for a chance to double the lead as he fired into the keeper after a cross from David Zappacosta. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Chief technical officer of Williams, Paddy Lowe, leaves as pre-season testing ends. This marks another blow for a team that saw disaster during testing. - Published: 2019-03-08 - Modified: 2019-03-08 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/williams-chief-technical-office-paddy-lowe-departs-team/ Williams’s chief technical officer Paddy Lowe has announced his departure from the F1 team following their otherwise disappointing performance while at pre-season testing. Williams has stated that Lowe was taking a leave of absence from the business for his own personal reasons. The departure comes as the team didn’t manage to have their F1 vehicle ready for the start of the tests, which took place in Barcelona. They were also the slowest of all the teams participating when they were on the course, and missed a total of two and a half days worth of testing during a period of eight days. Claire Williams, debut team principal, told reporters that they were not only disappointed by their delay, but that they were embarrassed to not bring a race car to the circuit at all when everyone else had managed to. She added that it’s especially disappointing considering the team that they are, who have managed to be present at every testing for the last 40 years. The F1 team had started 209 hoping that they would be able to push forward after last year, which was the worst season in history for them, having finished in last place. The result has seen tension between Lowe and the rest of the team during testing, and brought up questions about his tenure. Lowe, in a follow-up to his leaving, stated that he is not concerned about his future, and that the car is a big step forward in terms of behaviour and responsiveness. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Great Britain has come second behind Poland at the European Indoors with 12 medals in total. The win comes thanks to Laura Muir and Shelayna Oskan-Clarke. - Published: 2019-03-06 - Modified: 2019-03-06 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/running/muir-and-oskan-clarke-win-gold-for-britain/ Laura Muir has completed a second successive European Indoors double while Shelayna Oskan-Clarke won gold for the 800m for an extremely successful final day for Britain in Glasgow. Scotland’s 3000m champion Muir dominated the 1500m, repeating her achievement while in Belgrade in 2017. Oskan-Clarke led the entire way to take the title for the 800m. It was risky display by the 2017 silver winner, who decided to hold off on a late challenge from French Renelle Lamote. There were also silver medals won for Britain's Jamie Webb for the 800m, Holly Bradshaw in the pole vault, as well as Tim Duckworth in the heptathlon along with the women’s 4×400m quartet. Great Britain also finished second place on the medal table just behind Poland, completing the tournament with 4 golds and 12 medals in total – their best ever results at the championships. Although there wasn’t a need for Muir to dominate the finish as she did in the 3000m, she decided to leave her opponents in the dust for the last 300m. The 25 year old, who was born in Inverness, led from the start of the race, and cross the finish line in four minutes and 05. 92 seconds. Polish Sofia Ennaoui finished four seconds behind, while Irish Ciara Mageean claimed a bronze for herself. Muir told reporters after the event that she was so relieved as there was a lot of pressure on her, adding that so much hard work goes into preparation. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > British Norrie and Konta have moved up to the quarterfinals of the Mexican Open. This comes as Norrie prepares to face Mackenzie Donald in Acapulco. - Published: 2019-03-04 - Modified: 2019-03-04 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/british-cameron-norrie-and-johanna-konta-in-final-eight/ Britain’s Johanna Konta and Cameron Norrie have advanced to the quarterfinals of the Mexican Open. Norrie, who is world men’s number 64, earned a 7-6 (7-5) 4-6 6-3 victory over Argentinian Diego Schwartzman, who is currently ranked at t25th. Women’s world number 45 Konta also managed to move up tot eh last eight after an otherwise comfortable win over Russian Varvara Flink. Meanwhile, British men’s number one Kyle Edmund along with fellow compatriot Dan Evans have won their matches at the Challenger Series tournament that took place in Indian Wells. Edmund beat the Spanish Tommy Robredo 6-4 6-4 for the second round, making it Edmund’s first win of the year, while Evans bested Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin 6-4 6-4. Edmund is now set to face Czech Luks Rosol, while Evans will be taking on Colombian Santiago Giraldo. British Heather Watson was forced out of the women’s draw after she lost to Chinese Han Xinyun 6-4 7-6 (7-4). For the Brazil Open, British doubles pair Luke Bambridge and Jonny O’Mara reached the semi finals thanks to a 6-4 6-4 victory over Belgium duo Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen. For Acapulco, Norrie will be playing against American Mackenzie McDonald, who is 71st in the world for the quarter finals, while Konta will be facing world number 28 Donna Vekic. British Katie Boulter withdrew from the tournament after she was forced to retire during her second round match, trailing Sonya Kenin 6-4 4-1 at the time. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Roger Federer has edged closer to his 100th ATP Singles title after his 50th win at the Dubai Tennis Championships. The player beat Fernando Verdasco. - Published: 2019-03-01 - Modified: 2019-03-01 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/roger-federer-earns-50th-win-in-dubai/ Roger Federer has claimed his 50th victory at the Dubai Tennis Championship after beating Spanish Fernando Verdasco in three sets, and has since advanced to the quarterfinals of the event. Federer is closer than ever to his 100th ATP Singles title after his latest 6-3 3-6 6-3 win. Talking about his win, Federer said that even though he wasn’t playing his best, he felt like it was going to fall his way when it mattered the most, adding that he believes confidence is important. The 37 year old, 20 time Grand Slim title victor is now set to take on Hungarian Marton Fucsovics – world number 25 – in order to take a place in the last four. A shock defeat for top seeded Kei Nishikori against Polish qualifier Hubert Hurkacz left the audience in shock. Hurkacz managed to convert six out of seven break points and went on to beat his Japanese opponent 7-5 5-7 6-2. If Federer manages to win a record eighth title in Dubai, who will also be earning a century of ATP wins, with only American Jimmy Connors in front of him with a total of 109. Fucsovic set up a quarterfinal match against the second seeded Federer with a 6-4 6-2 victory over German Jan-Lennard Struff. French Gael Monfils also saw victory as he won 6-3 6-2 against Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus. Meanwhile, Spanish Roberto Bautista Agut lost his match to Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-7 (2-7) 6-4 6-3. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Dustin Johnson has claimed his 20th PGA Tour win during the WGC-Mexico Championships. He was followed by Rory Mcllroy, Paul Casey and Ian Poulter. - Published: 2019-02-27 - Modified: 2019-02-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/dustin-johnson-wins-20th-pga-tour-title/ American Dustin Johnson has won his 20th PGA Tour title with a five shot victory during the WGC-Mexico Championship. Northern Irish Rory Mcllroy managed to reduce Johnson's lead early on into the went, and sunk six birdies on the back nine as he claimed a four under 67, finishing 16 under. World number three Johnson responded with five birdies of his own in the seven holes, and posted 66. English Paul Casey and Ian Poulter were tied for third place in 11 under. Casey has moved up 10 places on the leaderboard with a final round of 65, along with four birdies for the opening six holes. Him and Poulter ended the day with third place, which they shared with Thai Kiradech Aphibarnrat. Tiger Woods carded a final of 69 thanks to three birdies, and finished in eight under in joint for 10th place. 34-year-old Johnson has become the fifth player ever in the last 50 years to reach 20 PGA Tour Wins before the age of 35, which has put him in the company of Tiger Woods, Johnny Miller, Tom Watson, and Phil Mickelson. Talking about his victory, Johnson said that he hit really well during the weak, and that it means a lot to get 10 wins, especially doing it before 35. He continued by saying that it was a big win for him, and that it has given him a lot of confidence for the rest of the year TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Mercedes is feeling the pressure after Ferrari posted extremely impressive results for pre-season testing. Ferrari showed consistent start and run times. - Published: 2019-02-25 - Modified: 2019-02-25 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/mercedes-under-pressure-in-f1-testing/ The results from the first of the Formula 1 pre-season testing is that Ferrari are a step ahead of everyone else, and world champions Mercedes have a lot of catching up to do. The Ferrari was the quickest every time it went out on to the track, got down to fast times with ease, and looked comfortable and response to drive, and boasted solid reliability. Although things for Mercedes had improved considerably during the final day, their times were not coming as frequently or as easily. That was the general feeling even before drivers for Mercedes began to talk to reporters, and once they had, they backed it up. Talking to reporters, Lewis Hamilton said that Ferrari are very strong at the moment and that they are getting great mileage. He continued by saying that it appears that they have a better package that what they had last year, which means it will be even more of a challenge for Ferrari. He added that no matte what kind of fuel load or engine modes they are running, they are quick, and have good short runs and long runs, and at the moment they feel as though Ferrari is going to be ahead. Despite the worries, many are taking the claims with a pinch of salt due to Mercedes five consecutive drivers' and constructors’ championship doubles that they’ve achieved over the last few years, and especially after their performance in 2018’s season. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > F1 team Williams has stated their embarrassment after not making the first few days of pre-season testing. The team stated they fell behind unexpectedly. - Published: 2019-02-22 - Modified: 2019-02-22 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/f1-pre-season-testing/ F1 team Williams has stated that it was embarrassing to miss two days of pre-season testing due to their car not being ready. The Williams, which is driven by British George Russell, finally made it to the tack at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya with a day and a half left of the four day test. Claire Williams, debut team principal, said that it wasn’t a situation that they had anticipated, and one that they ever wanted to find themselves in. Russell, who made his debut at the testing track, came 13th fastest overall. The 21 year old was eight seconds behind the pace set by Toro Rosso’s Daniil Kvyat, who beat Alfa Romeo’s Kimi Raikkonen by 0. 058 seconds. Williams added that they were not just disappointed, but also embarrassed to not bring their car to a circuit when all the other teams had managed to do so, especially for a team like theirs that has managed to bring their car to testing for the past 40 years. Williams also said that they wanted to apologise to fans of the team, but also to drivers’ Russell and Robert Kubica, who will be returning to the F1 scene after an eight year absence following a rally crash in 2011 that left him with only partial movement in his right arm. Williams continued by stating that the delays became apparent late on, and that they were initially hoping they would be able to make the second day of testing. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Nelly Korda has followed in her family’s successes after winning at the Women’s Australian Open in Adelaide. It marks Korda’s first Grand Slam title. - Published: 2019-02-20 - Modified: 2019-02-20 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/nelly-korda-wins-womens-australian-open/ American Nelly Korda has continued the success of her family in Australia after winning the Women’s Australian Open that was held in Adelaide. Korda finished 17 under par, which was two clear of Ko Jin-Young of South Korea. Korda is thedaughter of Czech Petr Korda who won the Australian Open men’s singles title in 1998. Her sister, Jessica, also claimed victory at the Australian Open in 2012, while her brother Sebastian won the tennis junior singles title last year. The 20 year old took the three shot lead as she moved into he final round played at The Grange, and shot five under 67, winning the event. English Jodi Shadoff finished in tie for eighth place on nine under. Korda’s father won the Australian Open six months after she was born in Melbourne, and the Czech’s only Grand Slam title. At the beginning of the week she stated that she felt left out whenever her family discussed their Australian titles, and when she claimed her own victory she celebrated with her father’s well-known scissor kick. Talking about her win, Korda stated that she’s finally part of the club, and that the win was really special to her family. She added that there was something in the air there, and that their family loves to go down under, finally saying that she got off the phone with her father, who told her that she was part of the Korda Slam now. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Great Britain is preparing to face Kazakhstan for the final rounds of the Davis Cup. The two teams will be facing each other later this year in Madrid. - Published: 2019-02-18 - Modified: 2019-02-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/great-britain-to-face-kazakhstan-in-davis-cup/ Great Britain are set to face Kazakhstan and the Netherlands for the finals of the Davis Cup, which will be played in Madrid later this year. Britain, the wildcards of the season so far, and who also won the event in 2015, are currently fifth seeded, and been drawn into group E. Croatia, defending champions, are in Group B along with Spain, while the United States, who have won the event a total of 32 times, are now in Group F. It’s also marked as the first Davis Cup finals that will be played in the new week long 18-nation World Cup style format. The event will be taking place in November, where matches will consist of two singles and one doubles rubber. The group winners, of which there will be six, alongside the two best second place teams, will qualify for the knockout phase. If Britain manages to claim victory in Group E, they will be able to face the winners of Group C, which is made up of Chile, Germany, and Argentina. The Davis Cup was first founded in 1900, and is one of the largest international team competitions in the world, and a total of 132 nations took place in 2018. An ever-increasing number of top players have skipped matches in recent seasons in order to ease their busy schedules. The 25 year, billion dollar revamp of the Davis Cup is being funded by an investment group that’s lead by Gerard Pique. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Race to Dubai has recently had its first prize increased significantly to $3 million. The top prize is part of a strategy to attract high class players. - Published: 2019-02-15 - Modified: 2019-02-15 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/race-to-dubai-biggest-top-prize-in-golf/ The biggest first prize in golf will be awarded during the European Tour’s season ending game that’s taking place later this year in November in Dubai. The winner of the event will be awarded a total prize of $3 million, which is an increase of $1. 67 million from the amount that was won by English Danny Willet in last year’s tournament. The idea behind the increase to the prize amount is to encourage more well known players to start competing in the Race to Dubai event. In 2018, world number one Justin Rose decided to skip the tournament at Jumeirah Golf Estates because he did not stand a chance of overtaking Francesco Molinari to the number one spot at Race to Dubai. There were only two players, Tommy Fleetwood and Molinari who had the chance of winning the season long money list by the time that the players made it to the Middle East for the closing event. The overall prize fund currently sits at $8 million, but the field will also see cuts from the top 50 down to he top 50 on the money list. Distribution of the prize money will also be top loaded, providing the biggest winner's cheque of all time for an individual event. It is among a series of chances that were recently announced by the European Tour for the 2019 season. Alongside those chances, they also announced significant increases for those that finished first at the Turkish Airlines Open. 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Katerina Siniakova then went on to best Mihaela Buzarnescu, setting up a decider in the process. Irina-Cemelia Begu and Monica Niculescu best Siniakova and Barbora Krejcikova, sealing the victory for their team. The Romanian pair recovered from their loss at the opening set, and went on to win 6-7 (2-7) 6-4 6-4 in a match that last under three hours. Halep, champion of the French Open, has vowed to win a first Fed Cup for her country before she declares her retirement, and pushed hard against Pliskova, beating her 6-4 5-7 6-4 before Siniakova finished off her match with a more comfortable 6-4 6-2 over Buzarnescu. Krejcikova and Siniakova, who are both Wimbledon champions, as well as the top tow players in the rankings for doubles, were hoping to take home the Czech Republic's 12th consecutive home victory in the competition, which they have won a total of six times since 2011. They seemed on track when they took the opening set, but Niculescu and Begu broke early into the second set before levelling it out later, and another three breaks to the serve in the third set. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Susannah Gills of Great Britain won the recent 777 challenge, running over seven continents in seven days. Gills claimed a world record due to her time. - Published: 2019-02-11 - Modified: 2019-02-11 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/running/susannah-gill-wins-after-seven-continent-marathon/ British marathon runner Susannah Gill won the World Marathon Challenge after she completed seven marathons across seven continents over a period of seven days. Gill completed the 295 km event in a world record time of 24 hours and 19 minutes, and was burning 5000 calories per day of running. After she finished, Gill told reporters that it was a crazy ambition that she wanted to do, and that the challenge was irresistible to her. She added that a decade prior, she wanted to get fit and participate in the Landon Marathon, but now she’s taking part in marathons that are taking her around the world. Over the last ten years, Gill has completed a total of 45 marathons, including 10 London Marathons, with her fastest time finished at 2 hours and 58 minutes. American Mike Wardian won the men’s title after he completed the final marathon in Miami, and claimed a total running time of 20 hours and 49 minutes over the seven races. Gill came second in the first marathon that took place in Antarctica, but went on to win each of the remaining events, which were all the standard 42. 2 km in length as she ran her way to overall victory. She then moved on to Cape Town, South Africa. She later went to Perth, Western Australia, where she ran in temperatures of 35 degrees Celsius. Fewer than 200 athletes have ever completed the 777 challenge since it was first started in 2003. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Rickie Fowler has come first place at the Phoenix Open despite having to take two drop shots. The player was followed by South African Branden Grace. - Published: 2019-02-08 - Modified: 2019-02-08 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/rickie-fowler-claims-win-at-phoenix-open/ American golfer Rickie Fowler had lost a four shot lead in a strange fashion at the Phoenix Open but ultimately recovered and went on to win the event. A fowler chip on the 11th went straight into the water, and he decided to take the drop shot, which rolled back into the hazard, and the player was forced to take a second drop shot. He found the green after the second and putted in the ball for a triple bogey seven, but also accidentally dropped a shot on the 12th. South African Branden Grace briefly took the lead before Fowler claimed a birdie on the 15th and 17th as he cruised to victory. 30-year-old Fowler finished on 17 under after a three over par final of 74, while Grace completed the event behind with 15 under after a two under 69 for the last day of the tournament. Fowler had a two shot wing in his favour when Grace hit his drive into the water while playing on 17, which lead to a bogey five. The American birdied before his won on the 18th. Fowler made a statement after claiming his win, saying that it was a bit of a roller coaster, and other than the two holes, it was a decent round for him. He added that it was a bad break with the ball rolling back into the water, and that it was nice to have a cushion after the first 54 holes. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Brendan Hartley returns to F1 for 2019 with Ferrari, after being dumped by Toro Rosso. Team Ferrari is likely to win its first title in 10 years. - Published: 2019-02-06 - Modified: 2019-02-06 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/brendan-hartley-joins-ferrari-team/ After driving 4 races for Toro Rosso (STR), New Zealander Brendan Hartley was retained for the 2018 season. Now he has been dumped by STR, and returns in 2019 as part of the world-famous Ferrari team. He will be working as a development driver, in the company’s simulator. Conversely, Daniil Kvyat left the Ferrari development programme and now drives for Toro Rosso. The Prancing Horse team seems likely to finally overtake Mercedes, its major rival for the past decade. In that time, Ferrari has not taken any Formula One titles. Now, as their unlucky streak seems to be coming to an end, budget increases and new recruits have been announced. Hartley joins fellow simulator operators Antonio Fuoco, Davide Rigon and Pascal Wehrlein in their push to get a victory for Ferrari. Team principal Mattia Binotti has commented on the talents of al 4 drivers, who are expected to perform well due to their understanding of race cars and tracks. Wehrlein signed on at the end of 2018 after leaving Mercedes, and races in Formula E. Rigon drives for the factory team, while Fuoco rose up through the ranks of the Ferrari driver academy. The F1 racers for the team are Germany’s Sebastian Vettel, and Charles Leclerc, a newcomer from Monaco. Hartley, meanwhile, has also signed on as a factory driver and Formula E prospect with Porsche, but a clause in his contract allows the Kiwi to remain in a Formula One role. His various positions confirm his return as a respected member of the Motorsport industry. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > World number one Justin Rose is seven shots behind the lead at the opening of the Saudi International. Belgium's Thomas Pieters currently leads the group. - Published: 2019-02-04 - Modified: 2019-02-04 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/justin-rose-off-of-lead-in-saudi-international/ World number one Justin Rose left the first day of the inaugural Saudi International event just seven shots behind the lead. Belgium’s Thomas Pieters carded a seven under par 63 and currently leads by two shots from a six-man group, which consists of Alfie Plant and English Ross Fisher. Brooks Koepka, a three time major winner from America, finished the day on one under par. Talking about the first day, Rose said that he had opportunity to hit a lot of shots near to the hole, but was unable to make the putts. The 28 year old claimed his 10th PGA Tour title in San Diego, but has since struggled with the opening round for the Saudi International, which includes three bogeys and three birdies. Adding to his statement, Rose said that collectively, their group was probably the worst putting that he had seen for three professional golfers, but also said that the greens were tricky and very grain, and it was tough to factor in. He lastly added that he missed 10 putts within six to 10 feet, and making half of those would have been a good round of golf otherwise. Pieters stated that he thinks he had 10 good chances for a birdie and made seven of them, and that it was a good day on the greens for him. The Saudi International has attracted a number of world-class players despite the country’s problems with human rights. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Shazane Reade has claimed victory at her first National Track Championship. Alongside her is Jason Kenny, who won despite making a serious error. - Published: 2019-02-01 - Modified: 2019-02-01 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/reade-wins-national-track-championship/ Shanaze Reade has won her first National Track Championship while six-time Olympic winner Jason Kenny also saw victory despite a problematic error. Kenny, the 2016 Olympic keirin champion, sat up a lap too early in his heat, and then had to race in the repêchage. Talking bout the error, Kenny said that he didn’t think it was the last lap, and that he thought he had heard the ball, adding that he doesn't know if someone had maybe dropped a spanner, but as he was at the back he reacted immediately. Kenny managed to get through the extra lap to reach the final, and provided a sprint finish to beat Jack Carlin to the line. Reade, who won her first team sprint world titles in 2007 and 2008 with Victoria Pendleton has also won four BMX world titles. Talking about the National Track Championship, Reade said that it was her first national title in any discipline, and that it means a lot to her to get the collection of world and European jerseys. Reade had initially retired after failing to make it into the 2016 Rio Team, but returned to her training, and has been hard at work for the last four months. Her racing partner, Ridge-Davis, became the first British rider to win the junior women’s BMX title in Europe since Reade in 2006, with Reade saying that Ridge-Davis has real start quality, and that she will be going all the way. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Chelsea are set to take on 12-time winners Manchester United for the fifth round of the FA Cup. The game is set to take place at Stamford Bridge. - Published: 2019-01-30 - Modified: 2019-01-30 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/chelsea-draw-manchester-united-for-fa-cup/ Chelsea is set to take on the 12-time victory for the tie round at Stamford Bridge in February after they draw to face Manchester United. The fifth round of the event will mirror what happened during last year’s final. Manchester United have won eight of Solskaers’s matches since the Norwegian took over from Jose Mourinho in December, which includes a 3-1 victory over Arsenal for the fourth round of the FA Cup while playing at the Emirates Stadium. Chelsea, who are eight-time winners, reached the fifth round after beating Sheffield 3-0. Eden Hazard scored the only goal from a penalty spot as the team met in Wembley, with Chelsea taking the trophy for the fifth time in 11 years. Elsewhere in the draw, League Two team Newport could be set to face Premier League winners Manchester City if they manage to beat Middlesbrough for the fourth round replay. League One Doncaster are preparing to host Crystal Palace after going through to the fifth round for the first time in over 60 years. AFC Wimbledon, who recently won over West Ham for round four, have been given a home draw against Millwall, who overcame Premier League opponents Everton. Bristol City will be facing either the Wolves or Shrewsbury. Derby, who managed to get through thanks to a late goal in round four against Accrington will be facing either West Brom or Brighton for the last 16 of this year’s FA Cup. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Rafael Nadal will be playing in the Australian Open final after beating Stefanos Tsitsipas. The Spanish player will now face either Djokovic or Pouille. - Published: 2019-01-28 - Modified: 2019-01-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/rafael-nadal-heads-to-australian-open-final/ Second seeded Rafael Nadal has ended young Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas’ winning streak and ensured a place for himself in the fifth final of the Australian Open. 21 year old Nadal was on top form as he beat the 14th seeded 20 year old 6-2 6-4 6-0 in one hour and 46 minutes. The Spanish player claimed 28 winners, and break his opponent’s serve six times, facing only one break point himself. He is now set to face either top seeded Novak Djokovic or France’s Lucas Pouille at the tournament’s final game. Nadal, talking to reporters after the game, said that it was a great match, and that it has overall been a great tournament and he has played well every day, adding that hopefully he can play even better in coming games. Nadal, who endured a number of injuries last year, is playing his first tournament after he lost in last year’s US Open semi-final matches. It also marks his first competition after pulling out of the Brisbane Intentional. Nadal, who won at Melbourne Park in 2009, is just one victory away from earning all four Grand Slams at least twice, something that no other male player has been able to achieve in an Open era. Serbian Djokovic is also hoping to earn his own place in history as he looks to claim a record seventh men’s singles title, although he will first need to beat Pouille, who is making his debut at his first Grand Slam semi-final. 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The 28 year old, who is a two-time Wimbledon champion, controlled much of the second round as 25 year old Collins grew increasingly frustrated. Kvitova won the match 7-6 (7-2) 6-0 and is set to take on either Naomi Osaka or Karolina Pliskova for the final. If Pliskova manages to win against her US Open winner opponent will mean that the final could be set up for all Czech players for the first time in a women’s singles Grand Slam. A forehand winner claimed her victory on Kvitova’s first match point after she reached her first final at the Australian Open. Talking about the game, Kvitova said that she finally made it deep into a major, and that whatever happens in the upcoming final, she is happy that she made it this far. If Kvitova does win the final, she will beat Osaka or Pliskova in the race to replace Romania’s Simona Halep as the next world number one. Kvitova hadn't reached a semi-final round in a Grand Slim since being assaulted at her home in 2016, and has since worked hard to reach her current position. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas has advanced to the final four of the Australian Open in Melbourne. This comes after he beat Spanish Roberto Bautista Agut. - Published: 2019-01-23 - Modified: 2019-01-23 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/stefanos-tsitsipas-reaches-semi-finals/ Stefanos Tsitsipas has beaten Spanish Roberto Bautista Agut at the Australian Open to reach the semi-finals after a superb game in Melbourne. Tsitsipas, who is 20 years and 168 days old, the player is the youngest man to reach the last four of the Grand Slam event since Novak Djokovic at the 2007 US Open. The Greek player, 14th seeded, won 7-5 4-6 6-4 7-6 (7-2) in three hours and 15 minutes. He is now set to take on 2009 winner Rafael Nadal, or unseeded Frances Taifoe of American. Talking to reporters after the game, Tsitsipas said that it felt like a fairytale, and that he was living the dream and living what he had been working for. He added that he felt emotional but he knows that he worked hard to get where he is. Tsitsipas is the first Greek player to go past the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament after he beat six-time champion Roger Federer, and pushed through to the semi-finals. He is also the youngest man in to reach the final four in the Australian Open since Andy Roddick, who earned the title in 2003. Tsitsipas game against Bautista Agut proved why the young player is one of the hottest talents in tennis. Despite starting slow and dropping a serve in the opening game, he eventually picked up his form and quickly began to gain momentum until he and his opponent were fighting hard in an otherwise evenly-matched game. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Defending Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki loses to Maria Sharapova. The shocking game saw 30th seeded Sharapova claim 37 winners in Melbourne. - Published: 2019-01-21 - Modified: 2019-01-21 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/maria-sharapova-beats-caroline-wozniacki/ Caroline Wozniacki, defending champion, has been knocked out of the Australian Open after losing to five-time Grand Slam victor Maria Sharapova in a three-set win. Sharapova, from Russia, and 30th seeded, claimed 37 winners in a 6-4 4-6 6-4 victory. Third seeded 28 year old Wozniacki lead the game 4-1 during the first set, only to see Sharapova retaliate. Wozniacki’s nerve started to break in the final game of the second to level the score, although Sharapova still edged into the third for the match played at Melbourne Park. The 2019 Australian Open winner earned her second match point and won in two hours and 24 minutes, and is now set to take on Australian Ashleigh Barty for the fourth round of the tournament. Wozniacki, who is currently world number three, won in Melbourne last year and was set to defend her title again this year, hoping that she could retain her ranking points. The defeat has set her back, and it’s expected that the player’s standing will now slide down. Talking about her victory, Sharapova said that she hadn't played many matches in the last year, and that her latest was the kind of match that she trained for. The player was forced to cut her 2019 season short because of a series of problems with her right shoulder, which was surgically repaired following an injury. The player, who hasn’t been past the quarterfinals since 2015, hopes to be making a strong comeback. 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Nishikori held on to his nerve as he edged out the Croatian 6-3 7-6 (8-6) 5-7 5-7 7-6 (10-7) in a game that lasted three hours and 48 minutes. Nishikori managed to save three break points of 4-4 in the final set, and was 6-7 behind in the tie break as Karlovic stood on the edge of becoming the oldest man ever to reach the third round since Ken Rosewall in 1976, who was 44 at the time. Nishikori, in a statement after the game, told reporters that it was a tough match that could have easily gone either way, and that his opponent almost had the win. He added that he put most of his focus on the last points, and that he is very happy to win after both had player a match of great tennis. Nishikori, who is a three-time quarter finalist at Melbourne Park, will be facing either Portuguese Joao Sausa or Germany’s Philipp Kohtschreiber for the third round of the annual Australian event. Meanwhile, Miloes Raonoic bested Stan Wawrinka, winner from 2014, in four sets. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Adding another victory to their winning streak, Manchester City has beaten the Wolves 3-0. The team dominated the match thanks to player Gabriel Jesus. - Published: 2019-01-16 - Modified: 2019-01-16 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/manchester-city-beat-wolverhampton-wanderers/ Gabriel Jesus of Manchester City scored twice as the team eased past the 10-man Wolves to remove Liverpool’s lead at the top of the pool down to four points. The team did not managed to repeat the high scores that they earned during their 16 goal-record against Rotherham and Burton for their previous two games, but the latest outcome was expected as they dominated the field despite a modest winning margin. Jesus grabbed the first goal within the first 10 minutes after Leroy Sane ran a brilliant pass by Aymeric Laporte, and allowed the Brazilian to take it home. In an already tough game for the Wolves, it was made that much more difficult when Willy Boly was dismissed just 19 minutes into the game after the French defender was handed a red card for a dangerous jumping challenge on Bernardo Silva. Manchester City initially did not manage to take advantage of their extra player, and were given a brief shock when Jonny failed to turn in Diogo Jota’s cross as the Wolves made an attempt to move forward. But it was enough to spur City on, and they extended their lead a few moments later. Ryan Bennett saw Raheem Sterling stumbling in the box as Jesus took the reigns and added to his current tally of seven games in their last three matches, and saw his team take full control by the time half time came around. Not much changed after the break, with the Wolves ending on a bitter note. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Liverpool will be facing Bayern Munich for the Champions League last 16 series. This comes as Manchester United draws to play against Paris St-Germain. - Published: 2019-01-14 - Modified: 2019-01-14 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/liverpool-to-face-bayern-munich/ Liverpool are set to take on German Bayern Munich for the Champions League last 16, while Manchester United have drawn to play against Paris St-Germain. Manchester City, famous Premier League champions, along with Tottenham will be facing Bundesliga sides, with City meeting Schalke, and the Spurs taking on Borussia Dortmund. The first leg of the vent will take place in February, and the return fixtures are set to finish by mid March. Group winners will be away from their homes for the first legs of the season. Teams were unable to be drawn against sides from the same country for the last 16, nor against teams who they had previously played against in the group stage. Elsewhere, Real Madrid are set to take on Dutch side Ajax, who have recently reached the knockout stages for the first time since the 2005/2006 season. Series A winners Juventus will be facing Europa League winners Atletico Madrid. Barcelona will be playing against French Lyon, while Italian team Roma take on Portuguese champions Porto. Liverpool avoided a rematch with Real Madrid in the draw then they were left in the pot along with Ajax as part of the unseeded teams. The Reds have yet to play Bayern, who have reached the semi-finals in seven of the last nine seasons, in the premier club competitions since it became the Champions League. The German champions are currently in third place, nine points behind Dortmund, in a season where they have otherwise struggled. 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Talking about the match, world ranked number 50 Fritz said that he really wanted to get the win on him, and the he knew he could. H added that they had many close points, and it feels really good to get through the match with a win. The 21 year old converted one out of three break points and managed to save three on his serve. Adding to his statement, Fritz said that he likes to think that one of his strengths is being able to play under pressure and playing bigger moments well, and that he’s happy to start the year playing well under the pressure and being able to handle the big moments well. Fritz is set to take on British Cameron Norrie, who previously beat Joao Sousa 7-6(5) 6-4. American Tennys Sandgren has also advanced to the quarter-finals of the tournament after besting third seeded Italian Marco Cecchinato 6-3, 6-3. and set up a match facing Leonardo Mayer. The Argentinian saved five out of six break points, and beat Matteo Berrettini 5-7. 7-6(5) 6-3. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > American golf player Xander Schauffele has won the Tournament of Champions. After starting in second place, Schauffele pushed through to the podium win. - Published: 2019-01-09 - Modified: 2019-01-09 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/xander-schauffele-wins-tournament-of-champions/ American Xander Schauffele, who was tipped at 51/1 each way, beat fellow compatriot Gary Woodland by one shot, having started the final rounds in Hawaii five shorts off of the lead. Despite opening round four with a bogey, the player recovered quickly, and managed to fire off eight birdies along with two eagles as he worked his way to his victory. He finished with a set of back to back birdies on the 17th and 18th holes to claim a record held by just four other players, and finished the tournament on 23 under overall. He is now set to win the US Masters, which will be taking place in April this year. Woodland, who previously held a three-shot lead at the start of the day, carded a round free of bogeys for round 68, but missed a chance on the final hole that eventually forced a play-off. Rory Mcllroy, who was making his debut at the event which consists of only PGA Tour winners from the previous year, started the final round in second place, but shot a disappointing 72 that saw him finish tied for fourth place. The Northern Irishman hit a bogey and two birdies, and ended on a 15 under overall alongside Marc Lishman and Dustin Johnson. Justin Thomas finished the week in third place after nine birdies for his final round. World number one Brooks Koepka shot his best round of the tournament, carding a four under 69, but ended in 24th place. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Despite their first loss in the Twenty20 series, Bangladesh has made a comeback to beat the West Indies. Captain Shakib Al Hasan was the star of the match. - Published: 2018-12-24 - Modified: 2018-12-24 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/bangladesh-levels-t20-against-west-indies/ Despite losing their first T20 by eight wickets, Bangladesh has returned to following their 2-0 win for the Tests, and their 2-1 win for the one-day internationals. Captain Shakib Al Hasan was the star of the match as he managed to claim a personal career-best of 5-21 for his team who went on to beat the West Indies by 36 runs, levelling their three-match Twenty20 series 1-1. Shakib also managed to provide a number of important late runs when Bangladesh went up to bat first, with his 26-ball 42 studded with five fours along with one six that lifted them to a much higher 211-4, which is also their second highest T20 total for a day-night match. West Indies was left behind at 98-3 by the time the 11th over had finished, until Shakib took three wickets in eight deliveries thanks to his left arm spin. The West Indies were all out for 175 in 19. 2 overs. Shakib, speaking after the match, said that it is always special to be able to contribute to a team’s victory, whether it’s for batting or bowling. He added that five wickets don’t really matter, and what matters is that they won an important game. Their next game will be the series-deciding third for this year’s T20. Shakib was also the only third Bangladeshi bowler to take five-for in T20 after Elias Sunny back in 2012, and Mustafizur Rahman in 2016 by bowling Fabian Allen for a duck. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Da Costa of BMW took the chequered flag at the season opener of the Saudi Arabian Formula E. Da Costa managed to take the lead from Jean-Eric Vergne. - Published: 2018-12-21 - Modified: 2018-12-21 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/bmws-da-costa-wins-formula-e-opener/ Portuguese Antonio Felix da Costa held off a late-stage charge from defending world champion Jean-Eric Vergne to go on to win the opening race for the Formula E season that’s taking place in Saudi Arabia. DS Techeeta’s Vergne took the lead around halfway through the stage at the Ad Dririyah ePrix, but a drive-through penalty forced the driver to finish second behind Da Costa, who drivers for BMW, with Jerome D’Ambrosio completing the podium for Mahindra Racing. The single-seater series began its now fifth season with its first race in Saudi Arabia – the first ever – which also saw the debut of the Gen2 vehicle that can reach a top speed of 280km/h, and will have enough battery power to last an entire race. Previously, drivers would need to stop during the race to change cars. Pole sitter De Costa managed to overcome an otherwise poor start after he misjudged his grid spot and had to position his car at an angle that was pointing at the barriers. During the halfway stage, Vergne passed Da Costa to take the, which he did by going around the outside of Turn 18. Vergne’s teammate Andre Lotterer also managed to get past Da Costa into second spot, before both drivers were given drive-through penalties due to technical infringements. Da Costa eventually managed to take the lead back on lap 24, after which a safety car period of three laps meant that he was able to take the flag. 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The three-time world champion battled for find her rhythm as Joyce took the win with a double six. Talking after the event, 23-year-old Russian Dobromyslova said that she still qualified and she did her best, but she overall wasn’t good enough on the day, adding that she had a few loose scores, and Ryan was a better player. She also explained that she needed to practise more, but that if the PDC decided that they would launch an all-ladies tour, she would be the very first to sign up. Five-time world champion van Barneveld lost his game in the second round ruing the penultimate World Championships, losing to Lithuanian Darius Labanauskas 3-2. The Dutchman managed to recover from a set down twice before Labanauskas completed with a brilliant win on double four, although van Barneveld was visibility frustrated throughout. South African Devon Peterson missed seven darts before winning against Englishman Wayne Jones 3-2. Jones managed to lose six clear darts himself, but Peterson ended the decisive 27-dart leg with a double two. Elsewhere, Dutch player Vincent van der Voort won his match against Laurence Ilagan of the Philippines 3-1, and managed to take a place in the second round of the evening’s first match. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Josh Warrington is set to defend his IBF featherweight title against Carl Frampton. The announcement comes as defender Warrington defeats Luke Jackson. - Published: 2018-12-17 - Modified: 2018-12-17 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/josh-warrington-vs-carl-frampton/ Josh Warrington will be taking on his first defensive match of his IBF featherweight title when he faces Northern Ireland’s Carl Frampton at the Manchester Area. The news of the fight came just after Frampton’s ninth-round stoppage victory against Like Jackson, where Frank Warren confirmed that Warrington would be making his first defence of his title against the former two-weight champion. Warrington previously win the IBF title after beating Lee Selby in a split decision within his home city of Leeds and has remained unbeaten in what is seen as his best victory to date. Both competitors have been amicable enough in the lead-up to the fight, but that will most likely go out the window on the night itself. Frampton is currently the slight favourite to leave Manchester with the belt, but Warrington is known as a fighter who defies the odds. Warrington is coming into the fight as the undefeated champion, with 27 fights and 27 victories, and six by way of a knockout. It took the Leeds-born fighter to his 16th bout before he won inside the distance, with a 12th round TKP over Samir Mouneimne. Frampton has also had 27 fights in his career, and has won 27 of them in total, with 15 knockouts and one defeat to Mexican Leo Santa Cruz, where he lost the WBA Super featherweight title to the fighter that he beat for it just a year earlier. Victories over Jackson and Nonito Donaire put him in a prime position for the fight. 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Moore told reporters that Canelo has underestimated him and doesn’t realise how big or good the fighter is, and that the problems that Canelo will have to overcome are height and reach, and he will have to make up the difference with length. Fielding won a world title for his 28th fight against Tyron Zeuge in Germany earlier in 2018. Canelo will be entering the fight in Madison Square Garden, New York, as holder of WBC and WBA gold at middleweight after battling with fellow pound-for-pound star Gennady Golovkin. The first was ruled as a draw, and Canelo went on to the win the rematch thanks to majority decision. He has also notably knocked out Liam Smith and Amir Khan, outpointed Miguel Cotto, and only lost to Floyd Mayweather in 2013. Moore believes that Canelo deserved to lose both fights to Golovkin, however, and has hope after watching the combined 24 rounds. He stated that Rocky is naturally rangier and bigger, and that Golovkin had success in closing the distance, which they will be using to map out their game plan. He finished off by saying that elite-level boxers have little room for error, and the big thing is that it’s important to take the small opportunities when they present themselves. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The English have reached the quarter-finals along the French at the Men’s Hockey World Cup. England is now set to take on world number one Australia. - Published: 2018-12-12 - Modified: 2018-12-12 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/hockey/england-and-french-matches-reach-quarter-finals/ England took a comfortable 2-0 victory over New Zealand in the first crossover match, and have entered the quarter-finals of the Men’s Hockey World Cup 2018 at the Kaling Stadium in Bhubaneswar. For the second cross-over match, the French team managed to claim a narrow 1-0 win over debutants China, and have secured their place in the quarters, where they will be matched against two-timer defending champions and current world number 1 Australia. England also eased past New Zealand thanks to Will Calnan in the 25th minute who claimed a field strike, and then a penalty corner conversion by Like Taylor in the 44th minute. The team is set to take on Argentina for the first quarter-final game. France, on the other hand, owed their victory to Timothee Clement. England, who are world number 7, proved to be a much stronger side against New Zealand in the first two quarters of the game, creating many more goal-scoring chances than their opponents, who are ranked ninth. England had their first chance to score in the fifth when they claimed their first penalty corner, but ultimately failed to seal the score. After an otherwise boring first quarter, England earned their first point in the 25th minute after Will Calnan deflected a high ball sent from skipper Phil Roper from the left flank. Just two minutes later, Liam Ansell made a close range stroke that went just inches off of target as the team missed another opportunity. 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The ban did not go down well with Pakistan’s team management, and manager Hasan Sarder termed the decision made by the International Hockey Federation as biased. Butt received the ban after the Malaysian team filed a complained to the FIH over a rough tackle that the player performed during their match that ended in a 1-1 draw. Sardar, in a statement, said that Rizwan Senior fracture his fingers so he would be out of play for the rest of the tournament. He added that as far Butt is concerned, they weren’t informed until later that Malaysia had appealed the complaint, and that they were called in for a hearing where they had to watch the video that contained footage of the offence. He finished that not only did Ammad stop the ball, but the umpire also didn’t give any penalty corners against them, nor did he give any cards to Ammad at the time. Despite his claims, Butt’s ban will most likely remain in place for the rest of the Tournament as they prepare to take on the Netherlands. 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Governing body FIA said that after a meeting of its World Motor Sport Council, which took place at St. Petersburg, eleven races are set to be held in Europe, four in the Americas, five in Asian countries, and just one in Australia, which will be the opening match for the entire season. The season is also set to start one week earlier than usual, and to end one week later. The FIA has announced that cars will be heavier, with weight limits increased from 740 kilograms to 743. They also confirmed that fuel-handling procedures for testing runs will be the same as during normal races. Grid positioning will be receiving more clarity next year, especially how the positions are formed when drivers are it with multiple engine penalties. In the past, drivers who made several unauthorised engine changes are faced with a penalty of 20-25 places in total, which usually sends them to the back of the grid. But because of the confusion felt when more than a few drivers have been issued the same penalty, forcing them to the back of the grid, causing problems for the starting procedures. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Audience members were stunned as the two heavyweight boxers fight to an ultimate split draw. The fight saw Tyson Fury get up from two knockdowns. - Published: 2018-12-05 - Modified: 2018-12-05 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/deontay-wilder-vs-tyson-fury-match-ends-in-split-draw/ In his first bout of significant fighting since he upset his way to the heavyweight championship in 2015, Tyson Fury has survived two knockdowns, including one in Round 12, and appeared to outclass WBC champion Deontay Wilder before they settled for a split draw at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, and in front of almost 18000 audience members. It was the first heavyweight title pay-per-view fight in America since 2002, and saw both fighters combine for a classic that was dripping with tension. One of the judges had it wide at 114-111 for Wilder, while a second judge had it 114-112 for Fury. The final scorecard read 113-113. The fight played out in the favour of each fighter’s strengths at Fury controlled by boxing with feints and awkward angles, while Wilder (40-0-1, 39 KOs) picked his sports more carefully, and managed to land heavy counter-shots that threatened to end the fight quickly. But 40-year-old Fury somehow managed to hold out despite having come back to the ring after a three-year absence that saw him fighting serious mental health issues, as well as substance abuse. Fury (27-0-1, 19 KOs) retained his speed, and was daring as ever in the face of Boxing’s most dangerous puncher as he taunted Wilder throughout the fight. He also won the hearts of the audience after he got up for a two-punch knockdown in Round 12 that would have finished almost all other fighters. 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WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder will be defending his title against lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury during a time when significant heavyweight prize fights are becoming more rare by the year, and it should be a welcomed treat for many fans. Wilder (40-0, 39 KOs) will be entering the fight from one of the biggest wins of his career so far after he managed to take down Luis Ortiz in the 10th round of their fight in March earlier this year. Ortiz will also be taking apart on this fight card against Travis Kauffman. Wilder is considered one of the most dangerous heavyweights ever thanks to the power he puts behind his right hand, which has bookmakers leaning toward him as the favourite. Fury (27-0, 19KOs) is returning to the ring after a three-year absence. He’s also coming off of a pair of sins against Sefer Seferi and Francesco Pianeto in the first action he’s seen since his hiatus, which took place after a decision win over unified heavyweight king Wladimir Klitschko. Jarrett Hurd is the favourite for the same fight card, with Jason Welborn as the underdog fighting for the WBA, IBF, and IBO super welterweight titles. The Ortiz match against Kauffman as underdog will see them duking it out for their own heavyweight title. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Former UK Champion Shaun Murphy out of tournament in shock loss to Chinese Chen Feilong. This was mirrored by a similar loss by world no. 12 Ryan Day. - Published: 2018-11-30 - Modified: 2018-11-30 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/snooker/shaun-murphy-out-of-uk-championships/ Former champion Shaun Murphy, along with world number 12 Ryan Day stunned onlookers as they lost to first-year professionals during the second day of the first set of rounds at the UK Championship. Murphy, who won in 2008, led Chinese Chen Feilong 3-1, but the player quickly changed things up after winning five frames in a row to progress further in the tournament. Alongside Murphy, Welsh player Day lost 5-2 to Joe O’Connor. Three-time winner John Higgins, and Masters champion Mark Allan, as well as 2015 world champion Stuart Bingham have all moved safely to the next round. Scott Higgins beat Thai Dechawat Poomjaeng 6-5, while Northern Ireland’s Allen, who recently won the International Championship, bested Egyptian Basem Eltahhan 6-2. But things weren’t as successful for Murphy, who lost to world number 124 Chen, which became the biggest upset of the tournament so far. Murphy told reporters after the match that he didn't see it coming, and that Chen had played well and deserved the win. Ryan Day was another surprise loser as the 38-year old struggled throughout a match that only produced three breaks of more than 50. His opponent, Leicester's O'Connor, who only turned professional earlier this year, is making his third appearance at the tournament, and showed few nerves as he took the victory from Day. He commented after the game that he was overjoyed, and that he played well and took the biggest win of his career. 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It was an almost completely one-sided affair as the world-champions took 10 tries while they defended successfully against the hosts. Italy’s lack of discipline proved to be their downfall as they conceded too many penalties, which their opponents took advantage of. Opening exchanges between the teams saw plenty of handling errors, and the All Blacks were guilty of knocking on, but they quickly organised themselves and took their first try by the 8th minute. Their second try came in the 17th minute thanks to Patrick Tuipulotu, who ran a line off to Kieran Read, who slopped the ball to Damian McKenzie. The half hour mark saw a third try for the All Blacks when Beauden Barrett made a long kick that allowed McKenzie to dot down for his brace. The visitors managed another try before the break, with Beauden Barrett taking advantage of Italy’s slack defence to kick the ball to his brother Jordan, who then finished off the first half with a 31-3 lead. That pace remained the same for the second half, with the away team ending with a final flourish that saw Jordan Barrett take his fourth try and completed with 66-3. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Indian-born Ajaz Patel hopes to keep the pressure on Pakistan ahead of their upcoming match in Dubai. The spinner has had a strong start to his Test career. - Published: 2018-11-26 - Modified: 2018-11-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/patel-to-keep-pressuring-pakistan/ The bowler who spun New Zealand to their incredible victory in their first Test against Pakistan has vowed to keep the pressure mounting on the home team ahead of the second Test that’s taking place in Dubai. Left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel had a stunning start to his Test career, claiming 5-59 n Abu Dhabi and helping New Zealand claim a memorable four-run win after setting Pakistan a 1786-run target. The 30-year old, who was given the man of the match award for his performance in Dubai, has said that keeping up the pressure in the test is the key to continuing their victory. Pakistan have been hit by criticism in the way they handled their batting, which saw the team throw away their last seven wickets for just 41 runs, and the Black Caps are currently preparing for the backlash. Another win for New Zealand would translate to their first series victory away to Pakistan since Graham Dowling led them to 1-0 triumph in 1969. Patel has said that New Zealand has a long tradition of fighting hard, and that the team will always go out and fight, regardless of whether they are chasing or defending a large or small total. Patel, who was born in Mumbai before moving to New Zealand at six-years-old, was selected for the tour after his performance for Central Stages last year after he took 48 wickets. He will be playing again next year when India tour New Zealand. 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Props Ofa Tuungafasi and Nepo Laulala will be combining with hooker Dane Coles in the starting front row, along with props Angus Ta'avaoTa'avao and Karl Tu'inkuafe. Hooker Nathan Harris will be providing front row support off the bench. Scott Barrett and Patrick Tuipulotu will be handling the second row, with Brodie Retallick back on the bench. Vaea Filila will be starting at No. 6 for the loose forwards, accompanied by Aride Savea and captain Kieran Ried. Dalton Papalil will be providing loose forward cover from the bench. TJ Perenara will start in place of Aaron Smith in the backline as scrumhalf, while Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi will be on the bench. Beauden Barrett will remain on as flyhalf. Midfielder combo to start will consist of Ngani Laumape and Anton Lienert-Brown, with Waisake Naholo on the left wing, Jordie Barrett on the right, and Damian McKensie as fullback for the back three. Rieko Ioane and Richie Mo’unga will be the other backline substitutes. In a statement on the official website, Hansen explained that they have an exciting group of players that are all keen to make the most of their upcoming opportunity as they represent their country and team. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > After a difficult season for Willet, the player has claimed the DP World Tour Championship title. This comes as Francesco Molinari wins Race to Dubai. - Published: 2018-11-21 - Modified: 2018-11-21 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/danny-willet-wins-dp-world-tour-championship/ It was a tough battle for some of the golf world’s best players at the final round of the DP World Tour Championship. While Francesco Molinari won the Race to Dubai title, Danny Willet claimed the final win for the final round. The last round of the event saw plenty of drama as almost 65000 fans lined up to watch Dubai’s most popular golfing event, which has had the support of the Emirates for the last nine years. It was an uphill fight for Willets, who started the round at the 72nd tee holding a two-shot lead. His first tee shot almost saw his luck turn south as it got stuck on the edge of a water hazard. It was almost the final stroke in a long and tough season for the player, with the first signs of his changing fortune with his day-early arrival for the championship. Starting the fourth round sharing the lead with Patrick Reed, he managed to convert an eagle put from 40ft at the 2nd. Reed was also struggling as he played his front 9 in two over par. Willet’s 18-under total meant a secure two-stroke win, while Reed closed in with a birdie to share second place with Matt Wallace, the Englishman who played an excellent European Tour season. Dean Burmester, Jon Rahm, and Adrian Otaegui all finished the day sharing four at minus 14. Molinari was one of the first to congratulate Willets as he stepped from the final green. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Aaron Smith, scrumhalf for the All Blacks, will be setting a new cap record for his position in his game against Ireland. He will overtake Justin Marshall. - Published: 2018-11-19 - Modified: 2018-11-19 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/aaron-smith-most-capped-all-black/ New Zealand’s Aaron Smith is ready to become the most-capped All Blacks scrumhalf after he enters the field in their upcoming game against Ireland in Dublin. Smith will be playing his 82nd Test, taking him past the previous record held by Justin Marshall, who played 81 Tests between 1995 and 2005. Marshall has sent his praise to smith, telling reporters that with the amount of competition that Smith has had to face, such as Piri Weepu and Andy Ellis, as well as staying consistent with his performance, it’s a testament to the player’s skill and determination. The highest-capped scrumhalf in rugby Test history is George Gregan, who played 139 Tests for the Wallabies during his career between 1994 and 2007. Joost van Der Westhuizen is a closes second for the Springboks, holding a scrumhalf Test record of 89 caps. The upcoming game will also be marked as a milestone for Sam Whitelock and Brodie Retallick, who will set the new All Blacks starting lock partnership record as part of their 5th Test Together. All Blacks coach Steven Hanson extended his congratulations to Aaron, Sam, and Brodie on their achievements. The current line-up of the All Blacks consists of: Damien McKenzie, Ben Smith, Ryan Crotty, Jack Hoodhue, Rieko Ioane, Aaron smith, Beauden Barrett, Captain Kieren Read, Arie Savea, Liam Squire, Sam Whitelock Owen Fanks, Karl Tu’inukuafe, and Brodie Retallick. Reserves: Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Nepo Laulal, Scott Barett, Dane Coles, Matt Todd, TJ Perenara, Richie Mo’unga, and Anton Lienert-Brown. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Tommy Fleetwood has stated his excitement for the Race to Dubai challenge. This is despite his current one million point trail behind Francesco Molinari. - Published: 2018-11-16 - Modified: 2018-11-16 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/fleetwood-getting-ready-for-dubai-race/ Tommy Fleetwood has told reporters that he’s looking forward to the opportunity to battle against fellow player and friend Francesco Molinari for the top of the Race to Dubai Rankings, just as the European Tour reaches its apex in the form of the DP World Tour Championship. The English player entered the final event in last year’s campaign in the lead, and managed to earn the European Tour No. 1 lead position for the first time. But this year’s season sees his role reversed for the eight and final Rolex Series event, with Fleetwood currently sitting in second place behind the 2018 Open winner from Italy. Speaking to reporters, Fleetwood said that it’s been different for him this year, and that it’s been exciting to have the challenge and excitement back in the event after his almost unchallenged win from last year. A win for Fleetwood, along with Molinari finishing outside of the top five, would mean the 27-year-old would become the second player to win the Race to Dubai for two successive seasons, following on from Rory Mcllroy in 2014 and then again in 2015. Mcllroy is currently set to complete his 2018 campaign with a strong finish by claiming his 14th European Tour victory, as well as a third DP World Tour Championship win. The Irishman arrived at the Jumeirah Golf Estate after a tied 21st place at the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa, hoping to claim a portion of the Race to Dubai pool. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Newly appointed world ranked number 1 Novak Djokovic has beaten John Isner at the ATP Finals Opener. Djokovic has little trouble besting Isner 6-4 6-3. - Published: 2018-11-14 - Modified: 2018-11-14 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/djokovic-beats-isner-in-atp-finals-opener/ Novak Djokovic has won the ATP Finals opener against John Isner 6-4, 6-3 to launch his chance for a record-equalling sixth ATP Finals title so far in his career. Earlier in the Guga Kuerten group, Alexander Zverev claimed six consecutive wins against Maric Cilic at the London O2 Arena with plenty of unforced errors. Djokovic, the current world number one, did not seem too troubled by Isner’s aggressive play as he broke Isner three times and did not conceded a single break point on his own serves. Djokovic hit just six unforced errors and earned 86 percent of the points on his serve, calmly besting his opponent at every turn. It was a stark contrast to the performance of second seeded Roger Federer, who was bogged down by an error-laden game that he ultimately lost to Kei Nishikori. Djokovic broke Isner in the fifth game of the first set, keeping the American eighth seeded back into the contest, breaking twice more during the second set and going on to win in the 73rd minute. The Serbian player is the current favourite to earn his sixth title in the season finale with Federer, who himself is currently trying to bounce back after losing his first round-robin match. Djokovic has replaced Rafael Nadal as the top-ranked player, and has been unstoppable this season after his elbow surgery, winning both the US Cup and Wimbledon, and has won 32 out of his 34 matches since leaving Wimbledon. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > After their very narrow loss against New Zealand, coach Eddie Jones feels the English side was stronger. The team will now be taking on Japan at Twickenham. - Published: 2018-11-12 - Modified: 2018-11-12 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/english-coach-eddie-jones-on-twickenham-game/ England coach Eddie Jones feels that his team finished off stronger than New Zealand after a long and drawn-out match that saw world champions New Zealand win 16-15 at Twickenham during hard rainfall. England had initially surged ahead of their opponents, claiming a 15-0 lead midway through the first half thanks to tries from hooker Dylan Hartley and right wing Chris Ashton. But the All Blacks changed rebounded by scoring their win 16 points with fullback Damian McKenzie’s try in the 39th minute that was supplemented by Beauden Barrett’s conversion, and two penalties on either side, the fly half’s first in 71 Test matches. England, who were missing 17 players due to suspension and injury, were convinced that they had won the game with just four minutes left when flank Sam Underhill cross for a try after Courtney Lawes had taken down TJ Perenara’s kick. Veteran French referee Jerome Garces ruled that Lawes had been offside and dismissed the score, ending England’s bid for an eight win in 41 Tests against the All Black. Despite the loss, Jones told reporters that he believed the team had played exceptionally well, especially during the final 20 minutes of the game. Centre for New Zealand, Sonny Bill Williams, might have to miss their next game against Six nations champions Ireland due to an injury he suffered during the match, while England are gearing up to take on 2019 World Rugby hosts Japan at Twickenham. 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England claimed four tries in total, with Jake Connor crossing the Kiwis’ line more than once as the hosts managed to pull clear in the second half after both were level at 6-6. England, coached by Wayne Bennet, came from behind twice to win as New Zealand captain Dallin Watene-Zelezniak lead from the front. Connor put them up 2-0 through a penalty awarded for Kiwi prop Jesse Bromwich, who made a late tackle on Sam Tomkins. The visitors struck back just minutes later when Watene-Zelezniak came through between Olive Gildard and Tomkins for the first try of the match, and Shaun John’s conversion pushing it to 6-2. England spent the first of the first half defending, but a pass from George Williams allowed Makinson to make into the corner for another try. Four minutes into the second half, New Zealand claimed another try, and with another penalty kick from Johnson left New Zealand in the lead 14-6. But England fought back, and Makinson grabbed a second try, and after a conversion and set-up try by Conner, Makinson’s side-stepping run saw him take his third try of the game, which was converted by Tomkins, and pushed England ahead of the visitors to win the game. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Lelisa Desisa and Mary Keitany have won the New York City Marathon for their respective Divisions. Keitany has claimed the second fastest time since 2003. - Published: 2018-11-07 - Modified: 2018-11-07 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/running/lelisa-desisa-and-mary-keitany-win-tcs-new-york-city-marathon/ Ethiopian Lelisa Desisa and Kenyan Mary Keitany have won the their respective Men’s and Women’s division racing at the 2018 TCS New York City Marathon, with Desisa earning his first win at the event at a time of 2:05:59. Desisa managed to hold off fellow countryman Shura Kitata by 1. 99 seconds, while last year’s victor, Kenyan Geoffrey Kamworor took the third place. Desisa had also won at the Boston Marathon in both 2013 and 205, and came in second place at New Work in 2014, while claiming third place in 2015 and 2017. Keitany, who finished with a time of 2:22:48, has become the second female in history to win four New York City Marathons. She managed to also beat countrywoman Vivian Cheruiyot by 3 minutes and 13 seconds, while American Shalane Flanagan, the winner from last year, came in at third place. Keitany’s time was also marked as the second-fastest time in history at the event, after Margaret Okayo of Kenya who set the record in 2003 of 2:22:31. In the men’s Wheelchair Division, 20-year-old Daniel Romanchuk was the first to cross the finish line, which also makes him the youngest competitor to complete the New York City Marathon. HE finished with a time of 1:36:21. Manuela Schar of Switzerland won the women’s Wheelchair Division, finishing with a time of 1:50:27. The race began with more than 50000 participants, with four winners from last year taking part in the event. 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The World Cup winner was the senior player in the match-day teams, which includes eight new caps for their Test against Japan after their latest victory of 37-20 against Australia. The All Blacks have also recalled loose forward Dalton Papalil, as well as midfielder Matt Proctor to the new XV, with another six players expected to make their debut from the bench when the squad heads over to their Japanese Test. But Coach Hansen has been especially pleased to have Coles back on the team after his long absence, with the player making his 57th appearance in the black jersey. Talking to reporters, Hansen said that he’s happy to have the champ back, and that he’s worked really hard and gone through a lot, and most probably often wondered if he’d ever be back on the field. Luke Whitelock, who previously played as a skipper for the side that played in the France XV side last year, is set to be captain for the first time for the Test against next year’s World Rugby hosts. Talking about Whitelock, Hansen added that the player is natural leader, and he will be watching how the team performs under pressure. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand has lost the opening game of the T20 series against Pakistan. The world number 1 beat their guests by 2 runs during their batting stage. - Published: 2018-11-02 - Modified: 2018-11-02 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/pakistan-2-run-win-over-new-zealand/ Top-ranking Pakistan have recorded a two-run victory over the New Zealand team in the opening game of the three-match Twenty20 series. After winning the toss and deciding to bat, Pakistan’s captain Sarfraz Ahmed and Mohammad Hafeez helped the team earn 148-6. New Zealand’s Ross Taylor and Tim Southee only managed to grab 14 off of bowler Shaheen Afridi, and the team eventually ended the game 146-6, just two runs behind their opponents. But it was a solid performance for the New Zealand team, who gained the leading position twice. The game was also marked as New Zealand’s first since being absent from international cricket for seven months. UAE conditions were in Pakistan’s favour as the team decided to take the match slow, and their patience eventually paid off. Despite this, New Zealand maintained solid fielding, with Corey Anderson, (who was playing his first international match since the 2017 Champions Trophy), Glenn Phillips, and Southee claiming fantastic catches as they slowly started taking the score back from Pakistan. But this ended abruptly when Faheem Ashraf and Imad Wasrim gained 20 off of the last seven deliveries, which pushed the team’s final set of points to 1486. Pakistan’s top bowler came in the form of Hasan Ali, who completed his stint on the pitch with 3-35. New Zealand’s best bowler, Adam Milne, finished with 2-28. New Zealand are now set to play another two matches in Dubai, which will be followed by one-day internationals, and then three Tests that will come shortly after. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Max Verstappen of Team Red Bull has won the Mexican Grand Prix, beating out Hamilton and Vettel. The race also saw Hamilton win his fifth drivers title. - Published: 2018-10-31 - Modified: 2018-10-31 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/max-verstappen-wins-mexican-grand-prix/ Max Verstappen took the lead position at the Mexican Grand Prix, and celebrated his win alongside rival Lewis Hamilton, who earned his fifth Drivers Champion title of his career. Verstappen and Hamilton took the lead early on into the race, and worked together to keep poleman Daniel Ricciardo in check. The two maintained their positions until the end of the race, with Verstappen taking the number one spot on the podium, and Hamilton coming in at fourth place. Verstappen didn’t find too much opposition during his race to the finish, and managed to stay ahead of Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen throughout most of the race. Hamilton, who was not gunning for a place on the podium, focussed on earning enough points to grab his Drivers Title before the end of the season. While he attempted to maintain his pace with Verstappen during the early stages of the race, pressure from Ricciardo saw him slip back into second place until he took a pit stop on lap 11 of 71. Vettel, who started at fourth place on the grid, dropped down to fifth place as Valtteri Bottas of Mercedes mugged Vettel during Turn 1, but the Ferrari driver fought hard to regain his fourth position at Turns 4 and 5. Verstappen, who was almost unchallenged throughout most of the event, became worried that he was pushing his car a little too hard, but otherwise went on to claim his second victory of the season so far. 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If the player does receive any penalty points during their next race, set to take place in Mexico City, the deducted points will not be issued until after the event has come to a finish. But there are still practice sessions and a qualifying race before the main event, and it’s very possible that Grosjean can pick up those last two points during these races. Haas’ reserve drivers, F2 racer and Indycar driver Santino Ferrucci and Arjun Maini have yet to earn enough superlicence points to be able to qualify to drive in an official F1 race. Gunther Steiner, Haas team principal, has told reporters that he has yet to line up a replacement for their primary driver should he incur a sudden suspension. Steiner has also explained that were Grosjean be banned in the upcoming event, he would not leave the seat open, saying that he would find a replacement. Grosjean has also seen a three-place grid drop for the upcoming Mexican event due to a collision between him and Charles Leclerc, which earned Grosjean his 10th penalty point, and pushed him closer to being removed. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Despite losing the five-match ODI series, Sri Lanka dominated the final game against the English team. The two teams are set to face off again in Twenty20. - Published: 2018-10-26 - Modified: 2018-10-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/sri-lanka-wins-final-odi-against-england/ Sri Lanka has demolished England in the final part of this year’s five-match ODI between the teams, ending the series in a twist that many didn’t see coming. Niroshan Dickwella and skipper Dinesh Chandimal earned a huge 219-run victory via DLS method over the English team, which put on a poor performance throughout. Dickwell claimed 95 and Chandimal 80, giving Sri Lanka their highest ODI total in history against England, with the Britons claiming 132-9 by the time the heavy rains had stopped in the 27th over. Despite the record-breaking win, England will still be walking away victories from the series with a 3-1 lead over Sri Lanka, with one game being drowned out due to the monsoon weather. Eoin Morgan, captain of the English side, who has received the man-of-the-series award for his accumulated 195 runs in just four games, took a break during the final match. Opening bowlers Chris Woaks and Olly Stones had also taken the day off, and Jonny Bairstow has yet to return to the pitch following a football injury. Morgan told reporters that Sri Lanka took advantage of England’s severely weakened team, and that he was disappointed that it had ended like this. Despite this, he did admit that it was good experience for the younger players, and that it allowed them to further their techniques before the start of the World Cup. The two sides will be playing against each other next in the Twenty20 International, before a three-test series. 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The British driver made up lost ground in a late flying lap that had him secure his place ahead of Vettel, who has now been position at fifth on the starting ground after a three-place penalty. Hamilton will now need to outpace four-time champion Vettel by eight points in total in order for Hamilton to take home his fifth drivers championship title in his career. Kimi Raikkonen impressed after he came he came in third ahead of Valterri Bottas, with Daniel Ricciardo taking fifth place for Red Bull. Esteban Ocon of Force India claimed sixth place ahead of Nico Hulkenberg of Renault, Charles Leclerc of Sauber, Romain Grosjean of Haas, and Sergio Perez as the second driver for Force India. For Hamilton, it was the third successive pole at the US Grand Prix, and the 81st pole of his overall career so far. Vettel, on the other hand, was given a penalty during the earlier practice race for failing to maintain a minimum speed during a red flag period, and his position on the starting grid was pushed back to fifth. He then made an error, and collided with Daniel Ricciardo before spinning out on the track. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The third part of the Bledisloe Cup will see the All Blacks heading for Japan. The team hopes to use the event as preparation for 2019’s Rugby World Cup. - Published: 2018-10-22 - Modified: 2018-10-22 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/the-all-blacks-head-to-japan-for-bledisloe-cup/ The All Blacks are getting ready to head out to Japan to take part in the third part of the Bledisloe Cup for two tests – against Japan and Australia. Once they’ve completed the tests, the team will be flying off to Europe, where they will be taking on England, Ireland, and Italy. The All Blacks have been keen on visiting the Japanese front, believing that the two weeks they spend in the country will give them some insight into what to expect from next year’s Rugby World Cup. Coach Steve Hansen has explained that it’s like a dress rehearsal for their first game of next year’s tournament, which they will be playing against the Springboks, their biggest opponents at the moment. Hansen told reporters that the game against South Africa will be a big match, and that they have plenty of time to prepare for it. He explained that their current trip to Japan has some benefits for both the staff and the players, allowing them to get a taste of what the team can look forward to next year. Although the Bledisloe Cup is all but another victory for the team, they are more excited about the European part of their end-of-year tour, which will feature clashes with England and Ireland that could be mirrored in next year’s event. 32 players will be assembling for their test against the Wallabies, with 22 of that team heading off to London immediately afterwards. 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Thilo Kehrer came close to doubling the score for Jaochim Low’s team in the 24th minute with a header following on from a corner, but Le Bleus’ stopped Hugo Lloris managed an efficient save. Paul Pogba came the closest to equalising the score two minutes before the half-time bell thanks to a long strike that just missed his target, and the team went into the break with Germany leading 1-0. Kylian Mbappe almost changed that seven minutes into the second stanza after going through with a goal with only Manuel Neuer in his way, but Germany’s shot-stopped kept his team ahead with a quick save. Antoine Griezmann finally managed to earn the equalising goal for the French team in the 62nd minute thanks to a header from the penalty area that went straight into the far corner. Griezmann continued to shine as he gave Les Bleus the lead with ten minutes to spare from the penalty area after Blaise Maduidi was brought down in the box, and France took the lead of 2-1. France now leads Group 1 in League A with seven points from three matches. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > In a first for the team, the All Blacks have invited a Japanese-based player into their new squad line-up. The current squad will be heading to Europe soon. - Published: 2018-10-17 - Modified: 2018-10-17 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/all-blacks-name-51-man-squad-for-upcoming-tests/ The All Blacks have selected their first played based in Japan to join their newly announced squad of 51 for their upcoming Spring Test tour. The All Blacks 51-man selection will be the squad set to play against Japan, England, Australia, Italy, and Ireland for the Spring Test matches. Flanker Matt Todd, who is singed in with the Panasonic Wild Knights in Japan’s top domestic competition, has been chosen for the European portion of New Zealand’s tour. He will be taking the now open role previously held by Sam Cane, who is recovering from a fracture to his neck. Todd will also be returning to New Zealand next year to play for the Crusaders in Super Rugby, but normally the flanker would not be considered for selection into the All Blacks while based in a different country. The All Blacks have always maintained a policy of not choosing overseas-based players on the basis that it would lead to an exodus of players who would accept contracts in Japan and Europe while still being involved in Tests. Steve Hansen has said that the 14 Test flanker had been given the exemption due to his long service for New Zealand rugby, and because the player would be returning to the country in 2019. He also announced the squad line-up in two parts in a complex selection process for the five-match tour that they will be participating in over the next few months. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > After long recovery times from multiple injuries, Laulala and Moody have been named for comebacks. They will play their first provincial game in years. - Published: 2018-10-15 - Modified: 2018-10-15 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/all-blacks-props-named-for-comebacks/ All Blacks props Nepo Laulala and Joe moody will be making their return to the team after long absences due to injury. The two will be returning as Canterbury faces Counties Manukau in a Mitr 10 Cup premiership game. Both players are coming off of the bench at the same time, with Moody playing for Canterbury, while Laulala for the Steelers. Moody has had a difficult season, and has been plagued with numerous injuries, which initially began with him undergoing rehabilitation from a shoulder injury. Once he returned to his club, he suffered a server finger injury, which was soon followed by damage to his knee. He then broke his thumb while playing for the All Blacks during their 40-12 victory over the Wallabies in the Bledisloe Cup. He has also been benched for two games during Super Rugby as part of a suspension. The 30-year-old will be returning to play his first provisional game since 2015, and has said that he’s excited to be putting his boots back on. Laulala has been recovering over the last seven months from a broken arm that he sustained during a Chiefs’ Super Rugby game against the Blues. The 13-test player was originally taken off the team for 8-12 weeks, but a series of complications forced his recovery time to increase dramatically. If both props return to form and sustain no further injuries, they will most likely be included in the All Blacks 51-man side for the Northern Hemisphere tour. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > There has been a major outcry from fans as the Croatia vs England game has been closed to spectators. This is part of UEFA’s sanctions against Croatia. - Published: 2018-10-12 - Modified: 2018-10-12 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/croatia-v-england-the-closed-doors-game/ English fans face the prospect of travelling hundreds of kilometres and spending thousands of pounds to follow their team as they face Croatia, only to not have the chance to watch them play live – a problem that many fans are facing at the moment as they plan their trek to Rijeka. The upcoming game marks England’s 988th senior international since 1872, and it it will be their first game to be played behind closed doors, thanks to UEFA sanctions against the host. It will be a rematch of July’s World Cup semi-final that saw Croatia earn an extra-time victory while being watched by over 78000 people in Russia. As the teams get ready to face each other, the small HNK Rijeka Stadium will have no attendance at all. But the stadium won’t be completely devoid of people, and it’s expected that there will be a few hundred people at the game live, but this will be made up of the teams themselves, media personnel, FA officials, UEFA staff, as well as stadium workers. But no fans will be able to enter the stadium, which means that many will either need to try find a vantage point, or watch the game at a local bar. The game has been met with even more controversy as fans decry how difficult it’s been to travel to Croatia. Many were shocked to find that the venue had changed, as most games in the past were played in the Maksimir Stadium in Zagreb, only to learn later about the change. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Current world favourites England are hoping to improve their form as they head to take on Sri Lanka. It’s the first ODI for the team without Alastair Cook. - Published: 2018-10-10 - Modified: 2018-10-10 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/england-looking-for-world-cup-boost/ England are looking to maintain their one-day momentum ahead of the upcoming World Cup that will see the English team take on Sri Lanka in the first of a five-match ODI series. Sri Lanka are expected to provide plenty of competition in the three-Test series that begins soon, and it will be England’s first in 12 years that won’t be lead by opening legend Alastair Cook. The world number 1 ranked 50-over side, England are currently the favourite despite their poor performance on the island in the past. The team managed a 50-over world record score of 481 against Australia at Trent Bridge, with Alex Hales earning 147, and Jonny Bairstow 139. ODI Captain Eoin Morgan has told reporters that it had taken the team three and a half years to get in the position they’re in at the moment, and that they’re close to getting to the point where they want to be. Sri Lanka struggles were continued after captain Angelo Mathews from axed from the team. They’ve suffered a total of 30 losses in their last 40 ODIs, which includes losing to Afghanistan and Bangladesh in the 2018 Asia Cup. Their newest captain, Dinesh Chandimal, who was forced to miss the Asia Cup and the following ODI series due to injury struck 77 at the practise match against England in Colombo. The team hopes that they will be able to earn one ODI win against England, which may be possible considering England track record on the island. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > With the All Blacks gearing up to take on the Springboks in Pretoria, changes have been made. This includes Kieran Read being added to the starting XV. - Published: 2018-10-08 - Modified: 2018-10-08 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/kieran-read-returns-to-all-blacks/ All Blacks skipper Kieran Read has returned to the starting XV to take on the Springboks in the Rugby Championship Test match set to be played in Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria. The All Blacks have made a series of changes as of late, most of them to their starting line after they beat Argentina in Buenos Aires 35-17. Jack Goodhue will now be partnered with Sonny Bill Williams in the midfield, while Ryan Crotty has been put on the bench. Aaron Smith is set to replace TJ Perenara in the No. 9 position. In the forwards line-up, Read will be returning to the No. 8 jersey, and Owen Franks will be playing as tighthead, which has meant Ofa Tu'ungfasi has been pushed to the bench. All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has stated that he expects plenty of challenge from the Springboks, especially after the South African team beat the previously undefeated All Blacks 35-35 in Wellington a month ago. In a statement, Hansen explained that Test matches between the Springboks and the All Blacks are almost always intense, and that he expects the upcoming game will be no different. He added that it’s a Test match that everyone from New Zealand expects to win, and that he knows that South Africa are going into the match with a lot of Confidence after their last two wins, and that the All Blacks team will need to respond with, “real purpose, composure, belief, and intensity. ” TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > After an otherwise disappointing season for Ferrari, lead driver Vettel hopes for victory in Japan. The driver is currently 50 points behind Hamilton. - Published: 2018-10-05 - Modified: 2025-06-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/sebastian-vettel-needs-win-at-japanese-grand-prix/ German driver Sebastian Vettel will need to win at the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka if he is to have any chance of claiming a fifth Formula One title this season. Even if the driver does claim victory at the Suzuka event, it may be too little, as Lewis Hamilton is currently sitting 50 points ahead in the lead, with only five races remaining before the end of the current F1 season. This means that the Briton, who has won five of his last six races for team Mercedes, including his victory in Sochi, does not need to win any more races to claim his own fifth world title. Vettel, talking to reporters, said that maybe the next few tracks will be better suited for him and his team at Ferrari, and that they will know once they arrive. Vettel, who has had five wins to Hamilton’s total of eight, finished third in the Russian GP, as well as at the Singapore event. He continued by explaining that the Ferrari team needs to keep pushing for the win, and that anything could happen at the race in Japan. Maurizio Arrivabene, team boss for Ferrari, has compared the high-speed Suzuka track to the one at Silverstone, where the British Grand Prix was held, and where Vettel claimed one of his five wins so far this year. Despite that, many feel that Ferrari stands little chance of beating Hamilton’s wide point lead. 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India lost their World Group Play-offs to Serbia, but have retained their chance in the finals thanks to their current world rank, which sits at 20. Italy lost in their quarter-final this season, and according tot he latest format, only four semi-finalist teams from the 2018 season, along with two world cards – Britain and Argentina – will have access directly to the final matches. The 12 winners will then join these six teams for the 18-team Finals that will take place in Madrid sometime in November of next year. Mahesh Bhupathi, captain of the Indian team, and likely to receive an extension, has stated that he’s keen to play on the grass again. Delhi has hosted some big teams in recent months, including the Czech Republic and Spain at DLTA. The Indian team will be battling it out with Italy after 21 ones, as the last time the two teams matched together was in 1998 when Italy won the home tie in Genoa. Italy also has world number 13 Fabio Fognini, who recently won he final at the Changdu Open, as part of their line-up for the Davis Cup. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > As part of a revamp to the international Davis Cup, Madrid has been chosen as 2019’s hosts. Led by Gerard Pique, the event will undergo major changes. - Published: 2018-10-01 - Modified: 2018-10-01 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/madrid-to-host-new-davis-cup/ Madrid has been chosen as the host of the new Davis Cup finals that are set to take place in 2019 and 2020 under a new format, according to organisers of the prestigious men’s tennis event. Under the new proposed format, which was proposed by the Kosmos group that is headed by Barcelona start Gerard Pique, and adopted by the International Tennis Federation, the event will allow the participation of a total of 18 nations in a single place for a week. President of the ITF, David Haggerty, explained in a statement that they are delighted to be bringing it to the 2019 season Davis Cup finals to Madrid, and that the city is a fitting location for the event and should provide entertainment for fans from all over the world. The newly reformatted finals are set to take place at La Caja Magica, which is the current venue for the Madrid Open. For the 2020 iteration, organisers are still deciding to host at either at the EiZink Centre, or at the same location. Kosmos, who are an investment group headed by Gerard Pique, has backing from both Chinese and Japanese supporters, and will reportedly spend a total of $3 billion over the next 25 years to revamp the almost 120-year-old Davis Cup. The current format sees the Davis Cup as a knockout event that is played in February, July, September, and November at venues around the world, with best of five match ties following other Grand Slam games until the finals. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > As the All Blacks prepare to take on Argentina, coach Hansen has announced the line-up for the team. This is the first game after their defeat at Wellington. - Published: 2018-09-28 - Modified: 2018-09-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/all-blacks-team-changes-for-pumas-game/ All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has named his team choices for their encounter with the Pumas in Buenos Aires, as part of the test for the Rugby Championship. Hansen has made a number of changes to the team that recently lost against the Springboks in Wellington earlier in September, and the All Blacks are keen to claim their dominance once again. In the front row, Ofa Tu’ungafasi will be moving to the starting tighthead position, taking over the spot for Owen Franks, while Angus Ta’avao will be taking on his first All Blacks Test debut from the bench. Shannon Frizell will be playing as blindside flanker and Luke Whitelock at No 8. The squad is set to be captained by 103-Test lock Samuel Whitelock as regular captain, Kieran Read, is currently on rest. For the backline, TJ Perenara will be starting as scrumhalf for his 50th test for the All Blacks, and Aaron Smith will be taking a seat at the bench. Sonny Bill Williams is making his first return to the All Blacks as inside centre, with Ryan Crotty moving to outside centre. Waisake Naholo is back in the No 14 jersey, and Ben Smith has been moved back to fullback. Anton Lienert-Brown and Anton Mo’unga are on the bench, providing back cover. Damien McKenzie has returned home for family bereavement and will join his team again when they are set to face South Africa once again next week. 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Management and the players have been assured of their safety by the police force, and the New Zealand embassy has explained that it’s another layer of difficulty for the team. This comes as the All Blacks prepare to respond to their latest defeat against the Springboks by taking on the Pumas at the Estadio Jose Amalfitani. The protests happen to coincide with a general strike that will mean the All Blacks won’t have access to their usual mode of transport in the form of a large bus as they head to training every day before the start of the vent. They will instead travel in smaller vans that will be accompanied by police motorcycle outriders who will stay up ahead and inform the transportation whether it’s safe to continue. The All Blacks have travelled with a well-armed police presence in the past, and that it’ll be no different this time. The problem has occurred, as there are currently no bus drivers available as most are engaged in the general strike – but they’re expected to continue training as normal. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Ioane brothers are set to extend their current contracts with New Zealand rugby. The two are set to have their contracts well into the early 2020s. - Published: 2018-09-24 - Modified: 2018-09-24 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/akira-and-rieko-re-sign-with-new-zealand/ Star winger Rieko Ioane has recently committed to the All Blacks team for another four years, which is being seen as a significant win for New Zealand rugby. The 21-year-old has scored 18 tries from his last 18 Tests, which includes a double in their latest encounter with the Springboks, and has been the focus of intense offshore club interest, but ultimately decided to remain with his current Super Rugby team, the Blues. His deal is the longest of any of the All Blacks, which will take him to the end of 2022, and is currently thought to be worth around $1 million per season. While the All Blacks keep the value of their contracts under tight wraps, Ioane’s latest deal is expected to put him alongside captain Kieran Read, Sonny Bill Williams, and World Player of the Year, Beauden Barett. Ioane was aware the World Rugby Breakthrough player of the Year and was a nominee for the main reward in 2017. His older brother, Akira, is also expected to extend his current New Zealand contract, at least until 2021. The Blues No. 8 has yet to be capped, but played for the All Blacks last November in France. Both brothers were once part of the New Zealand sevens, and both are regarded by Steve Hansen as the country’s premier young players. Hansen has told reporters that he believes both brothers have bright futures in their careers. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Croatia will be heading to the finals of the Davis Cup final after they managed a 3-2 win over the U.S. side. They will face defending champions France. - Published: 2018-09-21 - Modified: 2018-09-21 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/croatia-beats-united-states-at-davis-cup/ Croatia has moved on to the Davis Cup final after securing victory over the United States with a total score of 3-2. Croatia had begun the day with a 2-1 lead, but Sam Querry managed to best Maric Cilic 6-7 (2-7) 7-6 (8-6) 6-3 6-4, making it a deciding rubber in Zadar. Coric then outpaced Iafoe 6-7 (0-7) 6-1 6-7 (11-13) 6-1 6-3 which send Croatia into their first final since 2016. It was a difficult game for Cilic, and he eventually received a code violation by umpire Carlos Ramos for smashing his racquet on the court. The world’s current number six broke the racquet after a series of errors during the third set as he battled against Querry. He was reprimanded by Querry, but seeing as it was his first offence during the event, no points were deducted. They are now set to face defending champions France, who recently beat Spain 3-2. Cilic and Coric both claimed opening rubbers during the straight sets that put Croatia in a leading position after opening day. Mike Bryan of America, who retired from Davis Cup tennis in 2016 alongside his twin, Bob, returned to partner with Ryan Harrison for the Saturday doubles. The duo fought hard in a five-hour session to see victory over Ivan Dodig and parter Mate Pavic 7-5 7-6 (8-5) 1-6 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-5). Both sides have been guaranteed a spot in next year’s revamped Davis Cuo, along with both Spain and France. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Scott Dixon earns second place at Indycar Championships season finale. The Kiwi bested long-time rival Alexander Rossi, who made an early mistake. - Published: 2018-09-19 - Modified: 2018-09-19 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/auto-racing/scott-dixon-comes-second-at-indycar-championship/ Kiwi Scott Dixon has claimed second place at the Indycar Championship season finale that was held at Sonoma Raceway. The win is the fifth for the Kiwi racer so far in his career. Dixon, having started second on the grid, drove a sound and smart race and held on to his place throughout the race. His biggest rival, champion Alexander Rossi, made a mistake during the opening lap after he made contact with teammate Marco Andretti and saw some damage to his nose cone with lead to a puncture. He was forced to go into a pit stop and ultimately fell to the back of the race. Rossi made use of a perfectly-timed caution period, and was able to gain some ground but wasn’t able to reach Dixon, and failed to become a threat to Dixon who was still holding on to his second-place lead. Ryan Hunter-Reay started first on the grid, and managed to claim victory ahead of the Kiwi racer, while Will Power came in at third place. Talking to reporters after the race, Dixon explained that he was happy with his position, and that his win comes with a lot of hard work. He went on further to add that despite all the things that could have gone wrong, he was still among the lucky ones to cross the line in a good place. He also stated that Rossi did a good job, and that he pushed hard over the last year and has a solid future ahead of him. 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Fast circles, rollbacks, 360-degree spins, flying changes of lead, and sliding stops were al part of the show as McCutcheon earned his cheer that came soon after his performance had come to an end. The USA has dominated the event for the last four World Equestrian Games, which is considered the pinnacle of equestrian sports, and is held every four years during the middle of the Olympics cycle. The first day of the two-week competitions brought in over 800 human and horse athletes from all over the world, including 800 grooms, and an estimated 40000 spectators per day. Athletes were under time pressure thanks to the looming presence of Hurricane Florence, which threatened to bring the entire event to a swift close. The rain was heavy enough to wash out parts of the parking lot, and one endurance event was shortened due to a bad start and was eventually cancelled thanks to the weather. But despite the high humidity and dark skies, thousands of people attended the show and were blown away by the young rider from Texas. McCutcheon finished with a score of 229 points, putting him in first place internationally. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The World Archery Cup, which is being hosted by Turkey this year, will have a roster of medallists. This includes Yasemin Anagoz and No 1 Yesmin Bostan. - Published: 2018-09-14 - Modified: 2018-09-14 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/archery/yasemin-anagoz-joining-samsun-roster/ Yasemin Anagoz, Demiir, Fatih Bozlar, and Gizem Elmaagacli will be joining qualifiers Yesmin Bostan, along with Mete Gazoz to represent Turkey at the 2018 Hyundai Archery World Cup Final that are set to take place in Samsun, according to the Turkish Archery Federation. Turkey, who are hosting the event this year, have on place reserved for each of the four competition categories. Bostan qualified as the winner of the second stage this year in Antalya. She also finished third in the season-ending event in 2017, while 2018 marks her third appearance at the international event. And with Gazoz claiming a place by earning gold in Berlin, the athletes taking part in Samsun has increased to six. In it’s 12 year history, no host nation has ever won at the Hyundai Archery World Cup, but the general belief is that Turkey’s strong team, which consists of genuine medallists, has the best chance yet. Among those is Yesim Bostan, who is currently the world’s number one ranked compound woman, while Gazoz is sixth in the men’s list. Many feel that Gazoz is one the path to becoming the world’s best recurve archer. . Anagoz is at 11th place after becoming the European Champion in Legnica, which was held in Poland at the start of September. Demir Elmaagacli won the Hyundai Archery World Cup Final in 2015. Turkey is set to take place in both the individual competitions as well as the recurve and compound mixed-team matches. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > It was one of the most memorable finals in the US Open as Williams and Osaka battled for the title. Osaka’s win is the fourth time she’s beaten Williams. - Published: 2018-09-12 - Modified: 2018-09-12 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/us-open-champion-naomi-osaka/ The entire world was watching as Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams battled it out in the finals of the US Open. After a hard fight, Osaka claimed victory 6-2 6-4 as the crowd cheered for the young Japanese player. It’s a big win for someone so young, and she’s now the first ever Japanese Grand Slam singles champion. The second closest was Kei Nishikori, who lost the 2014 US Open against Marin Cilic. Kimiko Date-Krumm also managed to reach the semi-finals at the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the French Open in the 1990s. Osaka made her debut earlier this year in March when she won the Indian Wells event, besting Russian Daria Kasatkina 6-3 6-2. Her only other chance at a final was in 2016 in the Pan Pacific Open, where she lost against Caroline Wozniacki 7-5 6-3. Her previous Grand Slam attempt was at the Australian Open this year, where she lost in the fourth round. But it hasn’t been the first time that the Japanese player has faced Williams in the courts: in fact, she has never lost a game to her idol. Along with the US Open victory, Osaka beat Williams 6-3 6-2 in Miami in march. She’s also sung the praises of Serena’s sister, Venus Williams, who managed to claim victory of Osaka in Hong Kong in 2017. Her many wins this year has seen her rank drop from 68 at the start of the year to No 7 at the moment, a huge career leap. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > After a brilliant victory over South Africa, the Pumas are getting ready to take on the All Blacks. This includes changes to the team line-up and reserves. - Published: 2018-09-10 - Modified: 2018-09-10 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/pumas-change-up-ahead-of-all-blacks-game/ Argentina has made a number of changes to their team line-up ahead of their clash against New Zealand’s All Blacks for the Rugby Championships. The Pumas’ win over South Africa during their last outing saw them break an 11-game losing streak in this year’s competition has boosted their confidence, and they hope to earn victory over New Zealand for the first time ever. Garcia Botta has been entered into the front row to replace Juan Figallo, who has recently returned to his former club Saracens. Tomas Lezana will start in the flanking position as Pablo Matera being sent off of the bench. Martin Landajo, scrum-half, will get his first start since playing in June against Scotland, while Tomas Cubelli will be held in the reserves. Jeronimo de la Fuenta is set to replace Bautista Ezcurra in a centre role. There will also be three new players among the replacement, which includes Juan Pablo Zeiss, Gaston Cortes, and Julian Montoya. The Pumas have never won a game against the All Blacks in all of their previous 26 Tests, with their closest victory coming 33 years ago in a 21-all draw. Their recent 32-19 win over the South African team has given them a renewed confidence in their strengths, and has heightened morale for the team, according to win Ramiro Moyano, who gave a statement to reporters. Moyano grabbed victory for the team against South Africa thanks to his fourth and final try. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > A preview look at the Eights for the 2018 Rowing World Championships in Plovdiv. The roster includes Canada, Romania, the USA, Great Britain, and Germany. - Published: 2018-09-07 - Modified: 2018-09-07 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rowing/plovdiv-2018-eights-preview/ The 2019 World Rowing Championships are ready to start, and will include a number of top teams and rowers from around the world set to take on the Eights against defending champions Romania and Germany. Women’s Eight: Favourite – Romania is the current defending champion, and will be returning with the same line-up as last year. They are the favourites due to their recent win at the European Championships over the British and the Dutch. Medal Contenders – Canada, New Zealand, and the United States were the top contenders at the World Cup 3, and are the primary challengers to Romania. Canada earned silver in 2017, and will be bringing back most of the same crew, including three additional rowers from their U23 eight that won the last two U23 World championships. Men’s Eight: Favourite – Germany are the defending champions for this year, and remained unbeaten for 2018. All nine athletes will be returning from their victory in Sarasota. Medal Contenders – The Dutch came second at the European Championships, while Great Britain have made the eight the priority after two years with the four as their flagship crew. Canada’s current top athletes are also taking part in the eight for the first time since 2012, and are looking forward to their time in the event. The United States crew has not yet been tested at an international level so far this year, despite their surprise silver win at Sarasota. 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Millman then went on to make his first career victory over a top 10 player with a 4-6, 7-6, 6-7(7), and 7-6(3) win during the fourth round. Millman has failed his previous attempts ten attempts when faced with a top-ten contender, but his latest win has changed his position, and marks the first time that the 29-year-old has ever reached a Grand Slam fourth round. The Brisbane native has not as yet won a tour-level title, which makes his victory over Federer that much more impressive, Federer has 98 career titles under his belt. Federer last won a trophy at the US Open in 2008, after a win streak of five consecutive games. He also won his 20th Grand Slam at the Australian Open. This year’s US Open will be the 28th that Federer has attended, and it marks the first time that he has lost to a player ranked out of the top 50 in the 40 matches that he’s played in Flushing Meadows. Federer began to suffer from the second set onward, where he seemed confused, slow, and prone to errors. He ended up posting77 unforced errors to Millman’s 28, much to the surprise of the audience. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > No 2 seeded Wozniacki followed in the footsteps of Simona Halep by losing in the Louis Armstrong Stadium. The loss comes after a disappointing season. - Published: 2018-09-03 - Modified: 2018-09-03 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/wozniackis-loses-second-round/ Just three days after No 1 seed Simona Halep shocked everyone by losing her first round, the No 2 seed followed suit in her second round. Caroline Wozniacki lost the second round to Lesia Tsuranki 6-4, 6-3. Wozniacki, who won her first Grand Slam title in Melbourne earlier in the year, battled to gain any real momentum this season. She didn’t make it past the second round at Wimbledon, was forced to withdraw from the hard courts tournament that took place in Wimbledon, and lost her first round in Montreal. A knee injury saw the player having to retire during her first match in Cincinnati, followed by a short leave of absence. Despite her difficult season, Wozniacki was still given a guaranteed seed for this year’s US Open thanks to her rank, and losing to Tsuranki in the second round may just be her toughest loss yet. This is especially true considering she happened to lose on the same court as Halep did – the Louis Armstrong Stadium. She told reporters afterwards that she believes that Wimbledon used to have a graveyard court, but added that now the Louis Armstrong Stadium is going to be the new graveyard court. The new top seed in the US Open’s women’s draw has now moved to No 3 Sloane Stephens, who is also the defending champion from last year’s tournament. She is set to face Victoria Azarenka during the third round and many hope she will break the current loss cycle as the TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Ahead of the All Blacks vs. Argentina match in Trafalgar Park, organisers still have tickets available. The tickets are for the East, West, and North stands. - Published: 2018-08-31 - Modified: 2018-08-31 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/tickets-remain-ahead-of-all-blacks-test/ Tickets Remain Ahead of All Blacks Test As the biggest rugby event to take place in Nelson approaches, a large number of tickets have remained unsold. The Tasman Rugby Union commercial and marketing manager Les Edwards told reporters that there are currently 1200 tickets that are still up for sale for the All Blacks vs Argentina Test match that’s set to take place at Trafalgar Park. Edwards confirmed that despite the remaining tickets, the pressure to sell has been eased in terms of the total amount sold, with 2500 tickets short of the 21000 maximum capacity of from two weeks ago. With over 7000 fans expected to be passing through the security checks and scanners at the venue’s three separate entrances, the main focus for organisers is now logistics. Edwards told reporters that timing is of the utmost important at the moment in order to ensure that all ticket holders were inside the stadium and seated before the start of the match. He also has urged punters to try and use the gates that correspond with their tickets in the hope of allowing easier entry for everyone attending. The gates to the event will open at 5:30 pm, and both teams will arrive shortly after at 6:15 pm. A New Zealand Defence Force helicopter will then fly in to drop the match ball at 7:20pm, followed by the national anthem at 7:30pm. Single tickets are still available for the West Stand seats, while a limited number of tickets for the East and North stands are purchasable. 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New Springbok coach, Rassie Erasmus, seemingly had turned the Springboks around after their disastrous season last year. The team started 2018 with a series of victories against England, and they saw even greater success after winning against Argentina in the Rugby Championship opener. Their luck has changed recently, however, as their latest results saw much of the same problems that they suffered in 2017 after they were outperformed by the Pumas in Mendoza. Things may only get worse for the team as they will soon be facing the Wallabies in Brisbane, followed shortly by the All Blacks in Wellington. The All Blacks are currently holding on to their title of world’s number 1, having the highest set of ranking in this year’s season. The Wallabies are currently in fifth place, but are in danger of having their rank taken by Scotland, which is part of a disappointing season for the Australian team. Rugby World Rankings: New Zealand – 94. 52 points Ireland – 90. 12 points Wales – 85. 94 points England – 85. 68 points Australia – 83. 96 points Scotland – 81. 81 points South Africa – 84. 84 points France – 79. 10 points Argentina – 77. 01 points Fiji – 76. 54 points TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > After weeks of increasing tension between the two teams, an olive branch has been extended. The Wallabies will be joining the All Blacks for a beer. - Published: 2018-08-27 - Modified: 2018-08-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/wallabies-and-all-blacks-post-match-peace/ The Wallabies recently announced that they will be joining their long-time rivals the All Blacks for a beer in their dressing room after the end of the second Bledisloe Cup Test. The post-match drink is a sign of solidarity between the two teams, and they hope to show that sportsmanship is more important than the often bitter rivalry the teams share. After the coaches from both sides had fought over the subject of Sam Whitelock’s 100th cap celebration, Captain Michael Hooper revealed that his team had accepted the invitation from the All Blacks to join them for a post-game beer. All Blacks team manager Darren Shand had contacted Wallabies manager Pat Molihan with the offer, and Hooper told reporters that the team would take the chance to congratulate All Blacks prop Owen Franks on reaching 100 Tests so far in his career. The Wallabies will also most likely stay to watch the onstage presentation that is being held for Ranks, and is set to take place after the match. The official invitation from All Blacks management is seen as an olive branch, and is see by many as a demonstration of goodwill from both of the teams, especially after the tension that has been building over the last few weeks. The fight for the Bledisloe Cup will be held at Eden Park, and a New Zealand victory would see them extend their 16 year winning streak, and mean a big shake-up in the Australian hierarchy. 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With wing Rieko’s loan out of the works, Waisake Naholo has been moved to left wing in order to make room for Ben Smith on the right, and Barrett taking up the role of full-back for his third Test start. His inclusion as full-back comes not long after coach Steven Hansen told reporters that the 21-year-old needed some time away from the Test arena to reflect. One other backline change will see Ngani Laumape take up the No 12 jersey, where he will be replacing Ryan Crotty, who was recently concussed when the All Blacks claimed victory over the Wallabies 38-13 in Sydney. Hansen added further that his team is aware that it now has the opportunity to close out at the Bledisloe cup series, but that they are expecting a massive response from the Australian side over the next few weeks. He lastly added that they were excited for the challenge, but are hoping to improve their performance as part of their own response. The current New Zealand line-up: 1. Joe Moody, 2. Codie Taylor, 3. Owen Franks, 4. Brodie Retallick, 5. Sam Whitelock, 6. Liam Squire, 7. Sam Cane, 8. Kieran Read, 9 Aaron Smith, 10. Beauden Barrett, 11. Waisake Naholo, 12. Ngani Laumape, 13. Jack Goodhue, 14. Ben Smith, 15. Jordie Barret. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Riding hard against opponent Wells, Sea King pulled ahead in the home stretch and claimed victory. The race was the last for the accomplished athlete. - Published: 2018-08-22 - Modified: 2018-08-22 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/sea-kings-victory-at-grand-national/ Twelve-year-old Sea King saw victory at the E-Cycle Solutions Grand National Steeplechase after running down his biggest opponent, Spying On You. The final stride of the event at Ballarat proved to be a dramatic one as Sea King pulled out ahead just in time. Kathryn Durden-trained Wells, looking to earn his fourth Grand National win, dislodged jockey Richie Cully on the third of the 16 obstacles, and shattered his chance for the title. Former Steeplechase winner Excellent Rhythm saw similar luck after a good start, and was eventually outpaced in the final stretch of the event. The home straight saw three runners left: Spying On You, Sea King, and Monarch Chimes. Spying On You, carrying New Zealand-based Aaron Kuru, had managed to outrun Kiwi Monarch Chimes, but soon had to content with Patrick Payne-trained Sea King. Sea King, who had lost his challenge against Wells during the same event last year, was determined to fight for the win. After crossing the finish line, ecstatic and overwhelmed rider Steven Pateman explained to reporters that while he was sorry that Wells lost, it was just how the game played out. He added that Sea King was a champion horse, and that he’s grateful to both Patrick Payne and Kevin Myers. Payne has confirmed that Sea King’s latest win is also the last event of his career, and that he will be retiring with 20 wins from 77 starts under his name, and just $1280 short of $1 million in stakes. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Kuru, along with fellow jockeys Gordon, Phelan, and Pateman, will be all be jumping for the Grand National. Victory means up to $350,000 in prize winnings. - Published: 2018-08-20 - Modified: 2018-08-20 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/aaron-kuru-confirmed-for-kiwi-jumps/ New Zealand jockey Aaron Kuru has recently picked up the ride with Spying on You during the $350,00 Grand National Steeplechase that took place at Ballarat. Kuru will be joining fellow New Zealand riders Will Gordon and Shaun Phelan, where the three will take place in the 4500m jump tests. Phelan will be riding Kiwi-trained Monarch Chimes, and Gordon will be holding the reins of England-based John Monash. Both Phelan and Gordon had previous engagement that they needed to attend before the Steeplechase, but Kuru arrived early, ensuring that he would find a place on the track. Spying On You finished in third place in the Grand Annual Steeple that was held at the Warrnambool May Carnival, and is the last-start winner at Gawler. Gordon was originally meant to be riding John Monash’s stable-mate, I’ll’Ava’Alf, the last-start Warrnambool winner, but instead opted for Monash. The Grand National has officially attracted 12 acceptors to date, including three-time winner Wells with a top weight of 73. 5kg. Ballarat jockey Richard Cully will be riding Wells for the Steeplechase. Steve Pateman will also be returning after he rode Bashboy to two of the three Grand National Steeplechase victories that Pateman has earned in recent years. Pateman will be riding Sea King this year, trained by Patrick Payne. The Grand National will be the sixth event an an all-jumps six-event program that will be taking place in the mid to late afternoon, and will include the JJ Houlahan Hurdle. 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Taylor, who has won the All Australian title twice in his career, claimed success in his VFL game that took place recently, and explained that the foot injury he’s been suffering with is finally on the mend, and that he’s been feeling better than ever. Coach Christ Scott explained to reporters that Taylor’s return to the field was done in caution, but that the player managed to pull through and do what he needed to do. Scott added that the game was more of a match practice rather than a “performance-based process. ” Rhys Stanley, who was choice number 1, will be missing the rest of both the home and away season after injuring his calf during his game against the Hawks, and it is uncertain whether the player will be back and ready if the Cats manage to make it all the way to the finals. Coach Scott has reported that the injury is serious enough to warrant the player’s absence, and that for the time being, there are no plans for a return to the field. 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Kathryn Durden, trainer of Geelong, put the 11-year-old through the steeple trial in Cranboune with the hopes of polishing up the horse before the big day. Jockey Richard Cully took the horse to the post more than two lengths clear during practise runs in the trial. Wells joined Bashboy last year as three-time Grand National Steeplechase champion, and will be returning to Ballarat after claiming victory at the Mosstrooper Steeplechase in Bendigo. During the same event, Sea King finished six lengths behind, but he is still the biggest contender that Wells will have to face, along with rider Patrick Payne. The Ballarat event will be the fourth Grand National Steeplechase that Sea King has attended. The horse has been commuting between Australia and New Zealand since the start of 2014, and saw victory at the Lafferty and Grand National hurdles in his first two starts, and eventually finished third to Bashboy in the Grand National in Sandown. Although Sea King hasn’t seen a win since last year July, his current form suggests that he’s more than ready for the upcoming event at Ballarat, and may just steal the win from Wells. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The departure of Daniel Ricciardo from Red Bull to Renault stunned many. But Red Bull boss Christian Horner believes it was due to Ricciardo’s support role. - Published: 2018-08-13 - Modified: 2018-08-13 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/verstappen-support-key-to-ricciardos-departure/ Christian Horner, boss of the F1 Red Bull team, has told reporters that Daniel Ricciardo being classified as a support role team-mate to Max Verstappen during the last season is one of the reasons that Ricciardo has decided to depart from Red Bull and join Renault from the beginning of 2019. The Australian driver shocked more than a few when he announced his leaving from Red Bull after ten years of service, and to move on to the Enstone-based Renault for a two-ear contract. Ricciardo saw promotion amongst the Red Bull ranks in 2014, having being added to the senior team to replace Mark Webb, and over that time, has earned seven grand Prix victories, including those from the Chinese and Monaco Grand Prix’s. Horner, who has come forward to reporters since Ricciardo’s announcement, has said that although he respects the driver’s decision to leave, he feels that he’s taking an “enormous” risk during this phase of his career in Formula 1. Horner admitted that when Ricciardo first told him about the departure, he thought it was a joke. But after learning that Ricciardo was serious, Horner explained that he had to respect the decision, and that Renault is starting to take F1 far more seriously. With an empty seat now open in the Red Bull side, the most likely candidates are Carloz Sainz and Pierre Gasly. Whoever is promoted to the senior team will be riding along veteran Max Verstappen. 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Hearn had recently signed 30 year old Andrade to his Matchroom Boxing USA company with the intention of having all of Andrade’s fights televised on DAZN for US fans. Hearn told reporters that the original idea would have had Andrade take up a few warm-up fights before having him fight for a world championship title. These plans quickly changed when the World Boxing Organisation ordered that Saunders would need to defend his title against Andrade, and Hearn was left with no choice but to set the fight up. Andrade can push his career forward in a single leap if he manages to best Saunders for the WBO title. It would put Andrade in the position to fight the winner of the match between Saul Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin, as well as the financial benefits of beating out veteran Saunders. While it will not be easy for Andrade to beat the current middleweight champion, Hearn believes that Andrade does stand a chance, and that it will be one of the biggest fights in Boston this year. It will be the first fight in a year for Andrade, with his last fight against Altantez Fox in October last year, but Andrade is remaining hopeful. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Central American and Caribbean Games have been closed with an impressive ceremony. The event was declared as one of the most successful in history. - Published: 2018-08-08 - Modified: 2018-08-08 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/the-central-american-games-declared-closed/ The Central American and Caribbean Games have officially been declared closed following a bright and colourful closing ceremony that took place in Barranquilla. The ceremony included music, dancing, and an impressive display of fireworks. The Roberto Melendaz Metropolitan Stadium was full to the brim as the host country performed one of the most memorable closing ceremonies to date. Barranquilla Mayor Alejandro Char, as well as Steve Stoute, Central American and Caribbean Sports Organisation President, officially ended the tournament together. Char told the audience that the event showed that there was nothing too big for the city of Barranquilla. He continued by saying that the people of Barranquilla will be with all attendees forever, and that the closing ceremony was not the end of the journey. Stoute added that it was the best games in their history. Among the gold winners of the tournament finals, Puerto Rico was at the top of the list, having beat Colombia 91-68 at the men’s basketball final. Cuba won 75-73 during overtime in their game against the Dominican Republic, which was part of the bronze medal contest. Colombia saw more success during the men’s marathon when Colombian Jeisson Saurez won the event with a time of 2 hours, 29 mins and 54 seconds. Next was Daniel Vargas of Mexico, followed closely by Williams Julajuj of Guatemala. Mexico finished the highest overall with 132 golds, 118 silvers, and 91 bronzes. The next Central American Games are to be hosted by Panama City. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > As the Gay Games are set to start, there has been some tension over the flying of the Taiwanese flag. China has reportedly attempted to ban the flag. - Published: 2018-08-06 - Modified: 2018-08-06 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/china-taiwan-tension-expected-at-gay-games/ The Leaders of the Gay Games have recently released a statement of caution for all of those that will be attending the international LGBT sports competition that is set to take place in August. The statement includes information on how teams can continue to show pride in their teams after it surfaced that China has been attempting to prevent Taiwanese athletes from representing the national Taiwanese flag. The statement, which was released by the Federation of Gay Games, came not long after it was reported that president of the Taiwan Gay Sports Development Movement Association, Yang Chih-Chun, accused China of attempting to pressure the French government, as well as the FGG, into banning the Taiwanese from flying their flag during the games. A spokesperson from the FGG has since come forward saying that the French government has contracted both the FGG and the Paris Gay Games hosts and informing them that there are no restrictions on any flags that are flown at the games. Part of the tension that has arisen is due to the fact that China does not consider Taiwan as an independent nation, which dates back as far as 1949 when a civil war caused many to flee to Taiwan. In the years since, China has refused to acknowledge any independence for the small nation, and insists that is part of China’s territory. China’s attempt at restricting the Taiwanese flag has been without success, and the FGG confirms that athletes are free to display any flag they choose. 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The Indian teams will be heading to New Zealand after their respective ODI series. The men’s teams of New Zealand and India are set to feature in an ODI series of five matches, which are set to start in January, and will service as preparation for the 2019 World Cup. The women’s teams, on the other hand, will be fighting it out in three ICC Women’s Championships matches that will identify seven qualifiers for the 2021 Women’s World Cup, that will be held in New Zealand. The six women’s matches are to be televised live, which is a first for New Zealand. The country’s international summer games will begin with two tests against Sri Lanka, which are to be played in Wellington. This will be followed by the Boxing Day Test in Christchurch, after which they are set to take part in three ODIs as well as one T20 in January. Once India has completed its tour of New Zealand, the hosts will be matched up against Bangladesh for three ODIs, followed closely by a three-Test series, which will be the first in history to take place between the two teams. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Black Sticks have been pushed out of Hockey World Cup after a difficult game against Argentina. The team saw failure during the second half of the game. - Published: 2018-08-01 - Modified: 2018-08-01 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/hockey/black-sticks-out-of-hockey-world-cup/ The New Zealand’s women’s national hockey team have been knocked out of the Hockey World Cup at London after a close loss to Argentina during the second round. Argentina scored their first goal in the second quarter of the game, which came after the team was awarded a penalty stroke. The penalty came in the form of an obstruction by New Zealand keeper, Grace O’Hanlon, who glove came loose and knock the ball out of player. The obstructed shot was taken by Argentinian Agustina Habif. The penalty was then converted by Noel Barrionuevo before Argentina claimed victory over the Black Sticks in the 49th minute of the game when Delfina Merino earned another point for her team. Mark Hager, Head Coach for the New Zealand team told reporters that they had not hit their game in the pool matches. He added that no one wants to play Argentina at this point, and that they only had themselves to blame for their earlier results in the season. Argentina’s victory comes not longer the team knocked out the South African women’s team, the Proteas, from the Hockey World Cup with a 1-1 draw. Despite ending in a draw, a low standing in the season meant that they were forced to retire from the World Cup for the rest of the year, finishing at the bottom of the roster. Argentina is set to take on Australia next, but many believe the South American team will go on to ultimate victory. 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Her treble also marked up her tally of 9 tries for the entirety of the World Cup Sevens championship, earning her the title of the women’s world sevens player of the year. Blyde told reporters after the match that being able to earn so many tries in a single game of the World Cup felt incredible. She also mentioned that she would not have been able to do it on her own, saying that her teammates helped her out immensely along the day. She lastly added that the other girls on the team were the workhorses that created the scoring opportunities for her. The New Zealand women’s team has been doing well, both this season as last. Their latest victory is a mirror of their performance at the 15-a-side World Cup that took place last year, as well as the gold medal they earned at the Commonwealth Games sevens competition, which took place earlier in 2018. They are also the first team to win the women’s World Sevens back-to-back since 2013. 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The horse claimed outright victory for his rider and his team after beating out all opponents on the track, which consisted of seasoned veterans; two of which were Derby winners, as well as a three-time Arc runner-up. Harbinger’s performance saw him finish 11 lengths in front of his rivals, marking it as the widest winning margin in the history of the race, as well as shattering the mile-and-a-half track record. One of the biggest disappointments on the track was Workforce, whose run saw him finish second-to-last on the track, which surprised many after the horse’s seven-length victory at the Investec Derby. Harbinger’s victory is one for the history books after having decimated rivals that were very much top-class, and left many of the audience members in tears. Oliver Peslier, who was the rider of Harbinger during his incredible run at Ascot, has told reporters that he gave the horse one smack with his whip, and when he turned to check the position of other horses, they were far behind. Highclere managing director, Harry Herbert, was in in tears himself. He stated to reporters that he feels incredibly lucky to be involved with a horse like Harbinger, especially after growing up watching some of the track’s most famous races throughout the years. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2018 Summer X Games saw a trio of athletes earning gold for the first time in their careers. Return athlete, Chad Kerley, won gold for the second time. - Published: 2018-07-25 - Modified: 2018-07-25 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/athletes-achieve-gold-at-x-games/ This year’s Summer X Games, which are taking place at the US Bank Stadium, has already seen four athletes walk away with their first career gold medals. Liam Pace, Alex Hiam, and Giovannai Vianna won gold of the first time in their respective careers, with Chad Kerley earning his first gold since 2013. The finals took place after athletes completed that three qualifying events. The first was Women’s skateboard, which started with Mariah Dunn taking the top score in a second run of 89. 66. Alexis Sabline and Julie Brueckler also saw success after final scores of 81. 33 and 79. 00 respectively. For the BMX dirt qualifier, Brian Fox grabbed the top spot with a score of 92. 66, where claimed first place. Next was Mike Varga with 87. 66 and Pat Casey 87. 00. Last year’s X Games saw the gold going to Colton Walker of New Richmond, who was qualified automatically for the finals due to his performance from the year before. Liam Pace won the Next X Skateboard Street with a score of 87. 00, which was followed closely by Giovanni Vianna, 17, who earned 90. 33 and earned gold. Chad Kerley saw gold later on in the same day while, taking the throne away from two-time defending gold medallist Garrett Reynolds. Reynolds lead the pack through the first few runs, but a mishap caused him to lose points and ultimately be defeated by Kerley. Lastly was Alex Hiam with points amassing 90. 66, which he gained after landing a tailwhip into tailwhip toe jam. 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Matt Rodden from Hong Kong and Sakurako Kawasaki of Asia Top Rugby Referees will be officiating the first match for the event. Hong Kong and Japan men’s, along with Japanese and Chinese women’s teams will be flying the Asian flag for the tournament. The bet for many has been put on the New Zealand team, who are the reigning champions for both the men’s and women’s events, and have been named as the top competition. The women’s team will be lead by Portia Woodman after he incredible form at the HSBC Women’s Rugby World Sevens Series, where Woodman led the charts with 43 tries and 215 points in 2018. Next in line is the United States team, who will be welcoming back Perry Bake. Bake accumulated 37 tries at the HSBC World Rugby Sevens, although he was forced to miss the last two legs of the game due to an injury. Fans believe that his partnership with Carlin Isles, who is the top scorer with 49 tries in the 2018 season, will give the U. S. a considerable advantage. 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The upset saw Williams lose to Kerber in two sets of 6-3 and 6-3, which many have claimed is one of Williams’ most lopsided losses. The start of the match saw Williams’ coming out strong, but it didn’t take long for the audience to realise that she was outmatched by Kerber. Kerber made only 4 unforced errors during the game, while Williams’ made a total of 14. The German player is currently ranked at number 11th worldwide, and has two two major titles in the past. One at the 2016 Australian Open, and the other at the 2016 U. S. Open. Williams, who is ranked at 25th internationally, went on to tell reporters after the game that she dedicated her efforts to all the mothers out there, and that she tried her best. She went on to say that she was happy to have made it so far in the competition, and while her loss at the final was a disappointed, she said that she’s only getting started. The match was watched by friend of Williams, Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, along with the Duchess of Cambridge, Catherine. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Team Sky has announced their intention to make a decision for a new leader after stage 12. The current contenders are Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas. - Published: 2018-07-18 - Modified: 2018-07-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/team-sky-to-decide-on-tour-de-france-leader/ Geraint Thomas has told reporters that the role of leader for Team Sky at this year’s Tour de France will be decided over the next three Alpine days, and after the finish at the Alpe d’Huez summit stage. The leader’s role is now down to two candidates: Thomas himself and four time Tour de France champion Chris Froome. Froome has seen four victories at previous Tour de France events, but Thomas is currently sitting higher up on the roster, with 53 seconds ahead of Froome and 43 seconds off of the yellow jersey. Thomas stated that he believes it’s too early to be talking about a leader, and that it would be best to wait until they finish Stage 12 before any decisions are made. Thomas led the pack in 2017’s event for four days, a role he earned after winning the opening time trial that took place in Düsseldorf. He was, however, forced out of the position due to a crash he was involved in at stage 9. The dispute between Froome and Thomas is not nearly as controversial as the 2012 incident, where Froome was positioned as a domestique for Bradley Wiggins, despite his capability at the time. The Alpe d’Huez stage that will take over three days will be enough to pick out which players should be leading the rest. Team Sky has confirmed that their decisions come after stage 12, but before the start of the Pyrenees. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Dan Martin of team UAE, earned a win at the sixth stage of the Tour de France. The rider managed to best big contenders, such as defender Chris Froome. - Published: 2018-07-16 - Modified: 2018-07-16 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/dan-martin-wins-tour-de-france-sixth-stage/ Ireland’s Dan Martin celebrates after his win at the sixth stage of the Tour de France. The rider, who is part of the UAE team, gained the upper hand on the Mur de Bretagne climb, managing to grab victory for the race. Greg van Avermaet of BMC finished just behind Martin, and has retained the yellow jersey that he received at the beginning of the famous cycling event. Van Avermaet is currently leading ahead of British Gertaint Thomas, who is riding for Sky, with Tejay van Garderen of BMC not far behind. Following is France’s Julian Alaphilippe of Quick Step, who finished seconds after Van Avermaet. The last scramble of the sixth stage saw Martin break free from the other leads of the pack during the final 1km of the race, and beat out his biggest rival Chris Froome by eight seconds. Long behind them was Romain Bardet of AG2R, who finished a total of 31 seconds behind Martin, setting the team back substantially. Tom Dumoulin of Sunweb, and champion of the 2017 Giro d’Italia, saw the biggest blow after completing the event almost an entire minute behind Martin. The main group of five leaders pulled away relatively early into the 181 km event, which ran from Brest to Mur de Bretagne. Alaphilippe of Quickstep broke away as they entered the last 100km, which split the leaders down the middle. Mikel Landa and Nairo Quintana, who both lost serious ground, had to work hard to find their way back to the leader group. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > With both teams holding on a tie for most of the match, it looked like it would end in a stalemate. Mario Mandzukic scored the winning point in overtime. - Published: 2018-07-13 - Modified: 2018-07-13 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/england-sent-home-in-heartbreaking-loss/ As England’s team reels from their latest loss, Croatia is celebrating their win, as well as their first time playing in a final match. Croatia’s win at the semi-finals was in big part thanks to start striker Mario Mandzukic, who managed to score the winning point for his team during over time. England started off strong at the beginning of the match, having grabbed their first point after being awarded a free kick on the edge of the penalty box. Kieren Trippier managed to pass the ball past defender Daniel Subasic to give England a strong lead. The English team would then go on to dominate the field for the first half of the game, holding steady until half time was called. Croatia came back on to the field with a vengeance, and after a few minutes of unyielding offence, they managed to grab the equalising point to pull the game into the tie. From then until overtime, both teams had fought to gain more ground, but defence on both sides remained solid, until the surprise score by Mandzukic just before the event came to an end. England has never won a semi-final at the world cup outside of home ground, and the last time the team saw a final game was in 1996. The loss was a blow to those at the stadium during the match, as well as to the millions of fans that had lined up to watch the game back home. 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Verstappen made it public that he blamed the failure to finish on the performance of the Renault that they were using, calling its power “tragic” and a “joke. ” Red Bull’s loss at Silverstone was blow to the team, and they only managed to gain points in the event thanks to Daniel Ricciardo after he finished in fifth place. Verstappen, on the other hand, failed to see the end thanks to damage to his clutch, which caused him to spin out on the course. The clutch problem disallowed Verstappen to get his car back into gear, and he ultimately had to pull out of the race. He went on to say that despite the problems they face, Red Bull’s performance on the day was a disaster, especially when it came to the straight-line speed of the vehicles they were using. Christian Horner, boss of the Red Bull team, admitted that the day was disappointing for him and the team, and that the poor performance of the Renault has forced them to switch to Honda for races in upcoming years. He added that Ricciardo’s fifth place was caused by a lack of speed on the straight line, where he was taken over by Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas, even though the Finnish driver completed the race on old tyres. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > As the World Cup moves closer to the semi-finals, both France and Brazil have their eyes set on the winning title. Brazil is set to play Belgium beforehand. - Published: 2018-07-09 - Modified: 2018-07-09 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/france-and-brazil-both-eyeing-world-cup-semi-finals/ The World Cup continues to excite fans as it counts down to the semi-finals, with this year’s current competitors being Brazil and France. Brazil has its eyes set on winning the trophy again this year at Moscow, which would extend its current record to six World Cup victories. Before they can have a go at the title, Brazil needs to take on Belgium, who has done exceedingly well so far, and boast a powerful team of their own. Kazan Arena will be the deciding venue for the two teams, which is expected to be overflowing with Brazil’s fans. Romelu Lukaku, Eden Hazard, and Kevin De Bruyne have been given the chance to show off their skills at an international level. Vincent Kompany, veteran defender of Belgium told reporters that he believes Brazil is currently the strongest team at the World Cup this year, but he maintains that this won’t affect the chance of Belgium making it through. He added that none of the players in Belgium are going to sleep with the fear that they have already lost against Brazil. He went on to say that the key was to stay together as a group, and that if it’s made into a game of individuals, then they will most likely lose to Brazil. Coach Tite of Brazil stated that his team were desperate to win the match without resorting to the assistance of penalties, and hopes to win the game through fair play. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Salouen trainer, Sylvester Kirk, has confirmed the horse’s participation in the King George Stakes. Salouen recently saw victory at the Coronation Cup. - Published: 2018-07-06 - Modified: 2018-07-06 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/salouen-headed-for-king-george-vi-and-queen-elizabeth-stakes/ It was recently announced that Salouen is set to participate in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, which are to take place later in July at Ascot. The four-year old, who has shown consistent riding in the season so far, saw victory at the Coronation Cup at Epsom, where he managed to take on Cracksman, and qualified for future events. He then showed his colours once again at the Grand Prix de Saint-cloud, where he was only beaten by a length and a quarter to come in third place. Salouen, who is the son of Canford Cliffs, has won only two of his 18 starts so far, both done as a two-year old. Despite this, he has ridden exclusively in Pattern company since then, and will continue to do so as he finds his way through more upcoming events. Sylvester Kirk, the Lambourn trainer for Salouen, expressed his happiness for the horse to carry on taking on the best company. Kirk told reporters that Salouen is very good, and that he will be in the King George Next. He added that the one thing he was worried about was the horse not getting his head in front due to his slow starts. Kirk went on to say that there was no guarantee that Salouen would win a Group Three, but that he was in great form nonetheless, and that he wasn’t risking anything by running in the top grade. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Williams, who recently saw victory at the start of Wimbledon, will query drug tests. It was revealed that the player had undergone more tests than others. - Published: 2018-07-04 - Modified: 2018-07-04 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/serena-williams-to-query-drug-test-frequency/ World-famous tennis player Serena Williams has told reporters that she fans to find out why she has been subject to more drug tests than her current opponents. Her queries into the drug testing will come at a later date, however, as the player wants to focus all her attention on Wimbledon at the moment. Williams has seen some victory since her year-long absence due to giving birth to her first child. She won her first round against Arantxa Rus of The Netherlands in a match that was hit with extremely windy conditions. Despite the weather, Williams saw a victory through straight sets of 7-5 and 6-3 on the opening day of the international event. Before her absence, Williams had won at Wimbledon both in 2015 and 2016. Her concerns about the drug testing came after it was learnt that statistics released from the US Anti-Doping organisation showed that she had been tested four times more than other American female athletes. Williams stated that she was surprised to learn that she had been tested more than her competitors, especially considering she was undergoing fives times more tests in some cases. She added that if she wasn’t currently playing Wimbledon, she would be pursuing answers as to why she has been tested so often. The opening match at Wimbledon was William’s first grass court game in over a year after her leave of absence, which she used to give birth and look after her baby, Olympia. 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The retired racer, who is now 60, is set to face James Hagan from Ireland in the FIA Masters Historic Formula 1 races, which will be taking place at the British Grand Prix. Byrne first graduated to Formula 1 in 1982 along with Theodore Racing, which is part of the reason that Byrne saw victory at the British F3. Despite this, he didn’t see much early success, winning just two of his five F1 races. He also failed to finish in Las Vegas and Austria, and wasn’t qualified to take part in Dijon nor Monza. Soon after, Byrne went for a McLaren test, but due to some clashes with the team’s boss, Ron Dennis, Byrne’s dream of driving the F1 came to an end. Many years later, and after being the subject of Crash and Burn, an F1 television documentary, Byrne will be returning to F1, but in a more supportive role. Byrne told reporters that he hasn’t seen the car he will be driving yet, and that he was happy to oblige when his friend James Hagan had asked him to drive. He added that the last time he raced in Silverstone was in 1984, and that’s he’s excited to be back on the track that holds many happy memories for him. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > After losing against NSW in State of Origin, Greg Inglis admitted he needed to contact his therapist. The loss saw him dealing with depression soon after. - Published: 2018-06-29 - Modified: 2018-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/greg-inglis-opens-up-about-depression-after-loss-in-state-of-origin/ Greg Inglis has revealed his reaching out to his therapist after losing their Loss to NSW during the Maroons’ game one. Inglis has struggled with his relationship with the game for some time, and there was talk last year of him leaving it behind after being stricken with physical injuries and mental health issues that plagued the season for him. Inglis’ staying with the team was a testament to his winning battle against his issues, and he went on to become one of the most influential players of the season. Recently, the 31-year old player opened up about his mental struggles after losing game one, and how it had affected his immediate life. He explained that for those that suffer from psychological problems, they go through various roundabouts and swings that can change their perspective on what’s happening, which is what happened to him after the loss. He explained that one of the best moments for him was being on a high after being named skipper. He said that he made his NRL debut in Melbourne as far back as 2005, and went on to become the Queensland captain in 2018. After coming out of the lost game and having to board a plane to travel to the Gold Coast, the player explained that he had a mood swing that hit him hard. He had to contact his therapist for help to deal with what he was feeling. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Andy Murray has returned to the scene after an 11 month absence due to hip surgery. The player is undecided if he will play in Wimbledon just yet. - Published: 2018-06-27 - Modified: 2018-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/andy-murray-will-only-participate-if-he-is-ready/ Andy Murray, who has won at Wimbledon twice in his career, has told reporters that he will only play in this year’s event if he feels ‘ready. ’ The Briton player, who is back after an absence due to hip surgery, impressed the audience with his surprising win against Stan Wawrinka at Eastbourne, his second match since he came back from his leave. Murray won Wimbledon in 2013 and 2016, and is currently set to start at the All England Club ahead of this year’s Wimbledon. But whether he will be attempting another win at the international tournament is yet to be seen, as the player wishes to wait and see how he feels before deciding to take part. Since he absence, Murray’s world rank has dropped to 156th, is still eligible to take part in Wimbledon as he was within the top 100 players before his surgery. The draw for the event will be taking place at the All England Club, but Murray has said that he doesn’t know if he will be ready to make his decision before the draw. Murray’s last game saw him easily beat Wawrinka, who is a three-time Grand Slam winner. Murray beat him in straight sets at the Nature Valley International in Eastbourne. It was Murray’s second match since his return from an 11-month absence, after having surgery completed on his right hip. His absence took place after last year’s Wimbledon, meaning that it’s been almost a year since Murray saw international-league play. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > A commemorative parade is taking place to start the 2018 British Grand Prix. The parade will see over 70 years worth of historic race cars being driven. - Published: 2018-06-25 - Modified: 2018-06-25 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/jackie-steward-to-lead-grand-prix-parade/ The 2018 Formula 1 race that is scheduled to take place in Britain will start out with a procession of 15 historic cars racing as an opening act parade. The cars are from over 70 years of Grand Prix racing, with some dating as far back as the late 1940s. The cars to be involved include those from the first British Grand Prix in 1948 all the way to the 2016 Mercedes W07 that was driven by Lewis Hamilton. Among the other cars that will be performing, the audience can expect to see the 1958 Ferrari 246 Dino, a 1969 Lotus 49B. Jackie Steward, who will be leading the parade, will be manning a 1969 British GP winning Matra MS80-02. Managing director for the track, Stuart Pringle, told reporters that Silverstone is one of the last few F1 circuits that boast a rich heritage spanning the better part of a century. He went on to add that they were delighted to be showcase the history of the cars that have performed on the track in the past thanks to their commemorative parades. Another two that will be a part of the parade will be Jenson Button and Guy Martin. Martin will driving Williams FW08C while Button will be behind the wheel of the FW08B, a famous, once-off six wheeler. This part of the parade will be included in a documentary being done by Martin, called ‘Speed with Guy Martin: Classic F1 Driver. ’ TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Roger Federer is currently the world’s ranked No 1 player, and has been explaining how he feels about Rafael Nadal. The two could clash at Wimbledon. - Published: 2018-06-22 - Modified: 2018-06-22 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/roger-federer-makes-rafael-nadal-admission-ahead-of-wimbledon/ Roger Federer, who is currently ranked as the world’s number one tennis player, has told reporters that he believes his long-time rival, Rafael Nadal, is looking “very good” ahead of their clash at Wimbledon that will be taking place in July. Both players have claimed all of the six Grand Slams in the last six years, but have not gone head-to-head in the same Major since the 2017 US Open. Nadal and Federer has long been swapping places between the world’s number one and number two over the last few years, but Federer managed to take the top position after his Stuttgart Open victories in recent weeks. In order for Federer to maintain his current position, he will need to win at Halle, which will keep him above Nadal until they head into the courts at Wimbledon. Federer has stated he believes that Nadal is one of the big favourites to win at Wimbledon, and that the key for Nadal is to do the early matches. He went on to add that there are a lot of players that are taking part, and that anything can happen in the meantime. Nadal has won at Wimbledon twice in his career, and has since gone on to claim nine more major tournament victories since. Others, like Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray have struggled to hold their positions in the face of Nadal and Federer, which has given the latter two the chance to move forward almost unopposed. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Masar, who has done extremely well at Epsom, looks to miss the Irish Derby, according to trainer. The horse may yet see more victory at the Coral Eclipse. - Published: 2018-06-20 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/masar-set-to-be-absent-from-irish-derby/ Masar, the winner of Epsom and the very first horse to earn the Godolphin’s royal blue colours is set to miss the Irish Derby that will be taking place toward the end of June. The horse is set to drop back to 10 furlongs, and will be competing instead against older horses for the first time in the horse’s career. He will be seeing time at the Coral Eclipse Stakes that will be taking place at Sandown Park. Charlie Appleby, trainer of Masar, has told reporters that him and Masar’s owner, Sheikh Mohammed have decided that the horse will be best suited for the Eclipse. He went on to add that their intention is to leave him in the Irish Derby for the time being simply to keep all options open and available, but that their ultimate goal is for the horse to take part in the Eclipse. Traditionally, Derby winners have been a mixed bag of winners and losers in the Eclipse over the past 25 years. Racers such as Benny The Dip, Motivator, Erhaab, and Authorized all having lost at the Derby after doing well at Epsom. On the other side of the spectrum, such horses as Sea The Stars and Golden Horn have done extremely well, completing the Derby-Eclipse double in both 2015 and 2009. The news that Masar will be hearing to Sundown Park has meant that his betting odds have changed, with current odds of 2-1. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Many of the pros currently engaged in the US Open have been spotted wearing white ribbons. The mystery behind the ribbons has been revealed recently. - Published: 2018-06-18 - Modified: 2018-06-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/why-pros-are-wearing-white-ribbons-at-us-open/ For the many that follow the progress of the US Open, it has been noted that many of the professional players have been wearing a white ribbon, mostly attached to caps and hats. This can be seen with such golfers as Justin Thomas and Russell Henley. The story behind the white ribbons is long and interesting, and is connected with the century-old Shinnecock course that they are currently playing on, as well one of oldest golfing families in the country. Pro Tour player Marc Turnesa, who saw victory in the 2009 Shriners Hospital for Children Open, is connected to the mentioned family, who have been playing at Shinnecock for decades. Turnesa’s father recently passed away to lung cancer, and his brother, Jimmy, is currently suffering from stage 4 lung cancer, and is staying in hospice. In recognition of his fallen father and sick brother, Turnesa asked some of the world’s best golfers to don the white ribbon in awareness of such diseases as lung cancer, of which many of the pros were happy to do. Mike Miller, another player currently playing in the US Open, is one of many carrying the ribbon. Miller shares an uncle with Turnesa, and sympathises with the family and their losses more than others. The Shinnecock Course has a special history with Turnesa and Miller’s family, and many believe it’s only fitting that they be playing there currently with the connection to one of golf’s most prominent families. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Six-time winner of the under-20s World Cup, New Zealand last their chance for another title against France. The French have been moved up to face England. - Published: 2018-06-15 - Modified: 2018-06-15 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/new-zealands-loss-to-france-at-under-20s/ New Zealand’s hopes for defending their under-20s World Cup title have been dashed after a loss to France that saw the New Zealanders being outplayed during the semi-final of the championship. The match was played at the Aime-Giral Stadium in Perpignan had a packed audience of 15000 people, where the French beat their opponents for a total score of 16-7. The win means France will now qualify to play at their first final, which will be against England. This comes after England’s defeat of South Africa at the other semi-final, which saw a final 32-31. New Zealand, who has won the title six times in the past, are now delegated to battle South Africa for the chance of a bronze medal, with the match taking lace in Beziers. Missed tackles was one of the major failing points for the New Zealand team, forcing them constantly into tight spots where France had the upper hand. The first try of the game only came at the 30th minute in the form of a penalty to Louis Carbonel. Before that, France was growing frustrated at the number of times they had missed line out drives in the New Zealand 22. This changed in the second half, as France quickly made up ground, with Matthis Lebel landing a try just three minutes in. The curve continued upward for the French, finally culminating in one last effort by New Zealand by the 70th minute that was not enough to bring them back. 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The Junior Wallabies started out strong, and maintained a united front against their opponents, but some mishaps on the field and a lack of tactics meant an ultimate defeat of 27-18. Harry Hockings, Jordan Petaia, and Hamish Steward were the three Reds players chosen to join the Junior Wallabies as injury cover. Their injection into the team had a noticeable impact, with Hockings and Steward in particular making ground on the field. By half-time, the Wallabies were trailing at 17-15, and by the time the final quarter had swung around, the score had extended to 20-18. The final blow came right at the end thanks to Vilimoni Koroi, who set up the winning try with Jamie Spoward. The first try for Australia was set up by Stewart, aimed at flanker Fraser McReight. The second came thanks to a penalty try. Australia will now have to contest the fifth-to-eighth classification, which will be for the seventh consecutive time at the tournament. Their next match is set to be against Wales, a team that they lost 26-21 the last time the two faced each other, which was the opening match for Australia. The semi-finals have mirrored what took place last year. New Zealand will be facing France, while England is set to face South Africa. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The second day of the Test started and ended in rain, but not before Dowrich claimed a century score. The Windies finished the match with 414-8 in total. - Published: 2018-06-11 - Modified: 2018-06-11 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/windies-and-sri-lanka-continue-their-battle-in-day-2/ Windies declare a 414-8 score during their second day of the Test against Sri Lanka. Dowrich was the star of the match, having completed his second Test ton by the time it was over, a first for the player. Moving on from their first Test match, Dowrich turned his last score of 46 into 125 not out, beating his previous Test score of 103, which was against Zimbabwe. The Windies then went on to reduce Sri Lanka to 31-3, with Kusal Perera knocking the second ball out of the innings, which was bowled by Kemar Roach. Jason Holder accidentally managed to drop Angelo Matthews (11) a ball after he had caught out Mendis. But his atonement came in the form of catching the batsman in the cordon in the final over. Rain on the day forced a shortened game of only 53 minutes, which caught Holder (40) behind on his mission to end a 90-run stand with Dowrich for the sixth wicket. Dowrich managed to gain another 102 and 75 along with Devendra Bishoo and Roach before Holder called his side in with only an hour left of playtime. Sri Lanka’s Lahiru Kumara finished with a total of 4-95, conquering Holder and Roach to his list of day one dismissals, along with Shai Hope and Kieran Powell. Kumara has been at the top of his game thus far in the Test games, and is not showing any signs of slowing down. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The first day of the Test that saw Sri Lanka dominate the first half of the game was saved by Shane Dowrich. Dowrich held out to the end of the game. - Published: 2018-06-08 - Modified: 2018-06-08 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/shane-dowrich-windies-recovery/ The Windies made a late recovery after their Test against Sri Lanka thanks to the efforts of Shane Dowrich and Jason Holder. The two players put on 90 for the sixth wicket during the first day of the Test. The hosts of the Cricket First Test game saw themselves at 147-5 by the time the afternoon had rolled around, but they lost one wicket to close on 246-6, ensuring the game remained evenly balanced as they headed into the second day of the Test. Lahiru Kumara was the first choice for the Sri Lanka bowlers, and took 3-57, followed closely by Suranga Lakmal and Rangana Herath, who both managed to take wickets. As the opening batters for the game, Windies lost Kraigg Brathwaite (3) during the third over, after which Devon Smith (7) was run out. Kumara later bowled Kieren Powell (38) just as the batsman looked to be making some real headway. Roston Chase and Shai Hope meant a 54-run total for the two, but Kumara managed to bow out Hope (44) and saw the Windies being knocked back once again. Captain Jason Holder and Dowrich changed the pace of the game after digging in and holding out against Sri Lanka, but Holder was dismissed by Kumara by 40. By that stage, however, the Windies had made their comeback due in big part to Dowrich with a total of 46 not out, and are aiming to land above 300 as the Test continues onward. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > In a first for the Pac-12, Florida State’s recent wins see it gearing up for the final of the Women’s College World series. A first for Pac-12 since 2011. - Published: 2018-06-06 - Modified: 2018-06-06 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/softball/florida-state-moves-to-final/ Florida State managed two stunning victories against UCLA during the Women’s College World Championship series. Their first game saw them end with a total score of 3-1, and their second game 12-6. The next match for Florida will see them up against Washington that will be in a best-of-three championship series. Washington themselves made it to the final thanks to their victories against Oklahoma, the previous two-time champions. Washington has only won a single national title, almost 10 years ago, will be representing Pac-12. Florida, on the other hand, will be representing the ACC, which has never won a softball championship as of yet. Lonni Alameda, coach of Florida State, told reporters that the team has worked hard for their place in the current series, and that their goal has been to be part of a national championship. She went on to say that part of their drive is opening up the series to more people, and that even if a player isn’t in a national conference, and that no matter what kind of school they are in, they have a chance of winning just like everyone else. Pac-12 has been ahead of the curve for a long time, having lost just one national title in their stretch from 2001 to 2011, but have not managed to win any games since. This has changed, and Pac-12 looks to be heading back to their glory days as four of their eight teams made it to the World Series. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Rafael Nadal has held his number one rank once again after winning against Guido Pella. Nadal will see his next challenger in the form of Richard Gasquet. - Published: 2018-06-04 - Modified: 2018-06-04 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/rafael-nadal-wins-another-game-french-open/ Rafael Nadal, the highest ranked player in the world right now, has yet again earned another win in the straight sets at Roland Garros, reaching the third round of the Grand Slam. Nadal has seen one of his best seasons so far, adding to his victories at the French Open, where he hasn’t lost a game since 2015. His winnings makes him the favourite once again in Paris, and his latest game against Guido Pella of Argentina on Court Suzanne Lenglen saw victory for Nadal with 6-2, 6-2, and 6-1. Despite his recent success, Nadal maintains that there is always room for more improvement. He told reporters that he is always trying to improve the more important aspects of his game. He believes that in his latest game, his opening backhand was not sufficient, and that he would practise until it was. His last loss at the French Open was in 2015, in a quarterfinal against Novak Djokovic. A year later, Nadal was forced to withdraw from the French Open due to an injury that he sustained on his wrist after a series of winning games. Once he returned, he led an unstoppable campaign as he worked up to the winning trophy. Nadal’s match against Pella saw him hit 378 winners in total, and save all four break points. His next game will see him up against Richard Gasquet of France. Although Nadal and Gasquet are friends, it will no doubt be a difficult match for both. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Oregon Ducks didn’t see success at NCAA Super Region series to start with, losing Game 1. They have since rebound after ‘gut wretch’ match vs Kentucky. - Published: 2018-06-01 - Modified: 2018-06-01 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/softball/oregons-ducks-feel-defeat-against-kentucky-in-womens-college-world-series/ The Oregon Ducks loss against Kentucky at the NCAA Super Regional series openers has been called a constructive loss by some commentators. The Ducks were the top-seeded team to play the in the series, but lost Game 1 to the Number 16 seeded Wildcats. Despite this, their next two rebound games saw them secure a position to Oklahoma City for the next part of the Women’s College World Series. Coach for the Ducks, Mike White, told reporters that he felt the loss was a ‘gut check. ’ The loss did, however, make the ducks get noticed. White continued by saying that the other teams in the past had remained steadfast and endured through a number of losses, and even while facing elimination. He said that it happens to many teams, and that the only thing left to do is persevere in those kind of moments, and come back believing in what the team is doing. He went on to say that he believes the finality of the events so far is that the team managed to step up after their loss and fight harder in future games. The Ducks are set to head to the WCWS for the fourth time in the last few years. They will be opening the eight-team rounds against their first opponents, the eighth-seeded Arizona State, who recently defeated South Carolina. . Alongside them, the Sun Devils will be returning to Oklahoma for the first time since 2013. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Having played an almost spotless season so far, Nadal has his eyes set on another win at the French Open. The player has only lost one match this season. - Published: 2018-05-30 - Modified: 2018-05-30 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/nadals-attempt-at-an-11th-win-at-french-open/ Rafael Nadal has given a new nickname: the King of Clay due to his unstoppable performances on the court, and has announced his bid for an 11th win at Roland Garros. Nadal is the highest ranked tennis professional in the world at the moment, and a favourite to take home the French Open trophy. The player is currently 79-2 in Paris, and is once again a favourite for the title. So far, Nadal has only lost one match this season, and has seen wins in Monte Carlo, Rome, and Barcelona, where he took the winning title for each event. His next opponent will be Simone Bolelli of Italy, and the two will duke it out on Court Philippe Chatrier. Dominic Thiem, a seventh seeded contender to Nadal’s crown, is the only player so far to best Nadal in the courts this season. He is currently set to play against Ilya Ivashka of Betarus on Court 1, proving that he is just as busy as Nadal, and it’s possible the two will clash again some time in the future as they continue to climb the ranks almost without opposition. Novak Djovok, former champion and seed number 20, will see a match against Rogerio Dutra of Brazil in the coming weeks. On the other end of the spectrum in the women’s games, number 2 seed Caroline Wozniacki will be taking on Danielle Collins from America. Maria Sharapova, two-time champion, is set to play against Netherlands's Richel Hogankamp. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Serena Williams has returned to her career thanks to a protected ranking. But her denial of a seeding has caused concern about French Open policies. - Published: 2018-05-28 - Modified: 2018-05-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/fresh-debate-due-to-serena-williams-seed-denial/ The French Open organiser’s decision to not grant Serena Williams a seeding has been met with a fresh wave of debate. The seeding was requested after her attempt to return to a Grand slam, and the decision has led to questions of how policies are organised and how female athletes are treated in the industry. Williams, 36, is currently looking to try and get back into a leading position in her career after her hiatus she took while giving birth to her daughter last year. During her time away from the sport, she lost her world ranking, and is looking to gain it back. Over the last season, Williams has played a total of four games, but her results have left much to be desired, and have left her with a rank of 449th in the world. The low ranking would normally mean that qualifying for the main draw would be next to impossible, but Williams’ protected ranking has allowed her to get back into the field without too much trouble. The system allows players to retain a former ranking that they can use after being absence for a certain amount of time, and it lasts between six months and two years, covering illness, pregnancy, or injury. Despite the protected ranking, it does not guarantee a seeding, and in Williams’ case, it means possibly matching up against leading title opponents from as early as the first rounds that she players. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > As the Champions League final is set to be played in Kiev, many Liverpool fans have voiced their complaints. This is due to Kiev’s current infrastructure. - Published: 2018-05-25 - Modified: 2018-05-25 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/liverpool-fan-complaints-taken-to-top-uefa-officials/ Peter Moore, CEO of Liverpool has told reporters that the club has received a number of complaints about issues fans have had to deal with in terms of attending the Champions League final against Real Madrid. The complaints have been taken to the “highest levels” of UEFA. Fans have been met with a number of difficulties, such as finding reasonable pricing for transport and accommodation for the final set to be played in Kiev, with clubs receiving 16626 tickets in a stadium that can hold 63000. Moore has stated that Kiev does not have the infrastructure to accommodate one of Europe’s most popular premier club competitions, causing problems for a number of fans. “To call it a challenging location would be an understatement, and I’ve had discussions all the way to the top of EUFA about it,” Moore has said. “It’s a wonderful city, but is it capable and fit for purpose when it comes to hosting a Champions League final? We think the answer is now. That’s through no fault of their own – they just don’t have the airport infrastructure and the hotel capacity to cope with an event of this side, and there isn’t another city within hitting distance of it. ” It’s the first Champions League for Liverpool since 2007, and tickets are currently selling for thousands of pounds unofficially. The club is now working with private investigators to figure out a way of fighting against the inflated price of resold tickets. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > In his seventh defence fight for his current title, James McDonnell maintains he is not concerned. His match will be against Naoya Inoue, a rising boxer. - Published: 2018-05-23 - Modified: 2018-05-23 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/jamie-mcdonnell-not-threatened-by-title-defence/ McDonnell has recently stated his intentions to prove he is a class above his latest contender, Naoya Inoue as the two battle it out for the title of WBA bantamweight. This will be the seventh defence of his WBA “regular” belt title against Inoue, and McDonnell maintains that he is not daunted by the upcoming fight. Inoue is currently seeking a world title in a third weight division, but McDonnell insists that his skills in the ring will be enough to beat Inoue. McDonnell has told reporters, “Right now I am in unbelievable physical and mental shape like never before. I have a good understanding that Naoya Inoue is a great boxer and a knockout artist, and he’s one of the best fighters in the world, pound-for-pound, but I can box with anyone. I am unbeaten for the last 10 years and I am a long-time world champion for four years. ” Inoue is currently regarded as one of the best fighters in the world, with 13 knockouts in 14 wins. His latest victories come in the form of knockouts against Omar Narvaez for the WBO super-flyweight title, and Adrian Hernandez for the WBC light-flyweight belt. Despite this, it will still be a hard fight for Inoue against McDonnell, who is fully committed to showing his potency in the ring. “I came to Japan to prove that I am a strong world champion. I am very excited and motivated with this fight against Naoya Inoue. I am convinced that I am the best bantamweight in the world,” McDonnell concluded. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Glasgow Warriors are set to fight it out with rivals the Scarlets at the Scotstoun Stadium. Warriors’ player Gray maintains the fans will see them win. - Published: 2018-05-21 - Modified: 2018-05-21 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/jonny-gray-says-warriors-fans-can-inspire-team-to-go-all-the-way/ Jonny Gray says Warriors Fans Can inspire Team To Go All The Way Scotstoun Stadium is set to be the host of the Pro14 semi-final between the Glasgow Warriors versus the Scarlets. The attendance capacity at the venue has been increased from 7500 to 10000 in anticipation of the match, which looks to be one of the most popular of the season. Jonny Gray, a native to Glasgow, has told reporters that he believes that the team’s fans are enough to push the Warriors through the semi-final and on to victory. “it’s really exciting; there's going to be more of our fans,” Gray has said. “They’re crazy and when you get to meet them they’re just good people. So you feel a real sense of pride when you run out here, especially being from Glasgow and for the guys coming in, they feel proud they are playing here. You can hear them throughout the game and they come and support us wherever we go. When you go out on that pitch, you represent more than yourself, so you want to make them proud. Scarlets are playing some really good rugby when you see what they’ve done in Europe and in the league. ” While the Warriors have seen more than a few successes this season, having won 10 of their home league matches, they didn’t fare so well against the Scarlets during a game in Llanelli, where the Scarlets won 26-8. How the game between the two long-time opponents plays out is yet to be seen. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > For the first time in New Zealand’s history, women will be offered the same amount of pay as men. National women’s teams will begin signing pro contracts. - Published: 2018-05-18 - Modified: 2018-05-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/equal-pay-men-and-women-in-new-zealand-team/ New Zealand’s football body recently announced their intention to start providing higher pay to those players in the national women’s team, making it equal to what men at the same level earn. The move was one of the first in the world, and comes as a response to Norway signing an agreement that gives equal pay rights to both men and women who are involved in the country’s national football. Chief Executive of New Zealand Football, Andy Martin has said, “Today’s announcement signifies that we as an organisation are committed to parity for the men’s and women’s game and to continuing the growth in all areas of our sport. ” Sarah Gregorius, striker for the Football Ferns, has said that it represents an important principle in the sporting world, recognising the effort that women put into the sport. “It’s such an awesome line that we’ve now drawn in the sand. No matter who you are, whatever gender, when you pull on a New Zealand football shirt you’re entitled to the same treatment and respect no matter what,” she told reporters. The change means women will now receive the same payments from matches, equal proportions on tournament prize winnings, and the same fees for image rights. This extends further to aspects like flying, where women no now longer need to fly economy, and can enjoy business class. The Black Ferns will be the first female football team in the country to receive professional contracts. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > There has been worry as Chinese sports continue to grow in the Pacific. The New Zealand government has conducted a study into a new Pacific Super Side. - Published: 2018-05-16 - Modified: 2018-05-16 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/new-zealand-government-looking-into-pacific-super-side/ The New Zealand government recently announced that they had conducted a study into the potential of launching a Pacific Island Super Rugby team, with some claiming that it’s being done to try and offset China’s hold in the region. Dubbed as the ‘Pacific Force’ the team would include players from Tonga, Samoa, and Fiji. Matches for the teams would be held across all three countries, as well as Auckland and Sydney. New Zealand’s TV3 recently reported, “Part of the plan is that rugby can be a diplomatic force to counter China’s influence in the Pacific. The idea is that rugby will help keep hearts and minds away from China, which is saturating the region with money to obtain influence. ” The study that the New Zealand government, along with New Zealand Rugby, conducted is said to have cost a total of NZ$80000 to taxpayers. Rob Nichol, the New Zealand Rugby Players’ Association chief, told reporters that it’s too early for the government to start planning, especially considering the government is not looking to fund the team itself, which could cost millions. “The study raised as many questions as it answered... to suggest plans are afoot and it’s all going to happen is a bit premature,” Nichol stated. Prime Minister Jacinda Arden had confirmed the study, but also said that the proposal was something the government would not normally take part in. “This was new to me,” Jacinda said. “It was a feasibility project that McCully put in place to see if it was something that would be viable and the impact it would have” TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Murray, who has had previous bans from drug use, has been issued another eight-year ban from cycling. Tests revealed he had been using clenbuterol. - Published: 2018-05-14 - Modified: 2018-05-14 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/karl-murray-banned-for-eight-years/ Karl Murray, famous New Zealand cyclist, has been banned for eight years after being found guilty for using drugs. Murray was tested positive for the use of clenbuterol during his Tour of Northland last year. It hasn’t been the first time Murray has been caught using drugs, however, and in 2014 he tested positive for both nandrolone and testosterone, after which he was given a two-year ban from competitive cycling. Murray’s ban was once again restarted in 2017 after he was found coaching athletes, which was not permitted while he was banned. The breach, which violated the conditions set by the New Zealand Anti-Doping Rules, saw his ban extended by another two years. The latest ban he received was imposed by the Sports Tribunal of New Zealand. Chief executive of Drug Free Sport New Zealand, has told reporters that Murray’s track record of positive test results and subsequent coaching shows that the cyclist has a disregard for clean sport. “The NZ Sports Anti-Doping Rules are there to protect honest athletes and Mr. Murray’s appalling track record speaks for itself,” he said. “This eight-year ban for multiple violations casts a shadow over the thousands of clean Kiwi cyclists who compete every year and in the spirit of the sport. Despite having served a previous ban, Mr. Murray has been found again to have taken a prohibitive substance, in this instance, clenbuterol, at the time he was competing against other athletes. We owe it to clean athletes to bring any drugs cheats to account. ” TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Bolivia has announced the 60 athletes that will represent the country in the South American Games. The group is made up of 35 men and 25 women in total. - Published: 2018-05-11 - Modified: 2018-05-11 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/bolivias-representatives-in-the-south-american-games/ The Bolivian Athletics Federation, also known as the SAB, has recently announced that its national team, which is set to take part in the South American Games, will consist of 60 representatives from the country. The team is to be made up of both sexes, with 35 men and 25 women. The announcement was made after two qualifying tournaments were held in the department of Tarija. Each one of the representatives achieved the minimum marks necessary to be added to the national team, out of a total of 95. 5% needed. The FAB has revealed that the athletes with the minimum marks acquired were Valeria Quispe, Bruno Garamendi, Fernando Copa, Juan Carlos Huiza, and Aldo Gonzales. Some of the relief runners for the games include Bruno Rojas, Luis Morales, Carlos Aban, Tito Hinojosa Facundo Riera, and Juan Gereca, for the men. The women include, Guadalupe Torrez, Laura Carballo, Danitza Avila, and Leticia Arispe. It has also been confirmed by FAB that two injured javelinists Melbin Soto, and Ghaddy Hucuver are planned to go through medical assessments over the next few weeks to evaluate the extent of their injuries. The events for athletics are planned to be held in the beginning of June. They are set to take place at the Estadio Autonomo, Minicipal de Cochabamba-Parque La Torre, which is located in the southern regions of the Bolivian department. The main South American Games are set to take place a month later, and over 4000 athletes are anticipated to attend. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > As the Madrid Open is gearing up to start, five time winner Nadal has not lent his support to the tournament. He has remained uncertain on the topic. - Published: 2018-05-09 - Modified: 2018-05-09 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/rafael-nadal-on-his-refusal-to-support-madrid-open/ Famed player Rafael Nadal has told reporters that he has been hesitant in joining any debates about the future of the Madrid Open The Madrid Open is set to start soon, and some of the best players in the world have already admitted their desire to take Nadal’s crown during the games at the Spanish capital. Madrid has held the tournament annually since 2002, and it has become one of the biggest international tennis tournaments in the world. The future of the Madrid Open, however, has been called into question, as the city has explained that they have no desire to host the tournament from 2021 onward. Nadal, having won the Open five times in the past, has refused to take a stand against the government’s decision concerning the future of the Open. He has since told reporters, “I think the town hall will have to make that decision. It’s not ours to make. I will be the town hall who will decide if they want to continue to bet for a tournament of this size of if they prefer to invest in something else, of if they want to bet on a sport like this. ” At the same time, Nadal has praised the tournament, saying that the reason for tournament’s success is thanks to the Spanish people’s love of the game. “I think we have a great tournament here in Spain, one of the highest levels, and a really high-level tournament. ” TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Super Rugby has retained its format of 18-man teams for the better part of 30 years. But a recently leaked paper might change the current format. - Published: 2018-05-07 - Modified: 2018-05-07 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/super-rugby-looking-to-expand-to-united-states/ Recently, reports have come in that Super Rugby chiefs are considering expanding operations into the United States. This is despite previous attempts at increasing competition in the southern hemisphere. Fairfax Media has been reported as leaking a paper called “SANZAAR 2030 Strategy which looks at a variety of long-term options, including a push into North American territory. It expanded further by saying that the current 18-man teams will remain in place until 2020, after which the governing body for Fairfax Media will will consider five different options – which contraction, three expansion options, and simply holding on to the current status quo. Some in the industry, such as New Zealand Rugby boss Steve Tew have said in the past that in order for Super Rugby to survive, it needs to look into expanding further around the globe. Others, like Fairfax New Zealand writer Duncan Johnstone has said that rugby in the United States is a sleeping giant, and that there needs to be a greater push from the southern hemisphere into the US market. “If SANZAAR can’t come up with a formula to find inclusion, you can be sure someone else will. Whoever gets in first will likely laugh all the way to the bank. ” The current format for Super Rugby began in 1986, and has remained the same since. Although there has been some changes, such as when South Africa joined up in 1993 with Super 10, it remains to be seen whether Super 18 will finally find its place in the rugby world. 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The hope of Real Madrid is to earn another Champion League trophy, which would make it their third triumph in a row. The match against Munich and Madrid was played at the Santiago Bernabeu, and it saw two of Europe’s biggest teams competing against each other for the chance at the Final. The first leg saw the hosts in command with a 2-1 lead, after a second goal landed by Joshua Kimmich pushed the teams into a tie. The win remained viable for both teams until Bayern’s David Alaba made his own mistakes on the field, allowing Benzema to direct the ball to Marcelo who pushed it into their final goal for the night, pushing the score into a tie of 1-1. This rolled over into Madrid’s aggregate, allowing them to gain the upper hand of 3-2 overall, and giving the shot at the Final. The last 28 minutes of the match had Bayern fans on the edge of their seats as they fought to gain goals on top of their opponents, but the home advantage for Madrid saw them survive the first half of the game unscathed before grabbing the points needed for the eventual tie and overall winning score. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The British fell out of the IIHF World Championships 25 years ago after coming dead last. They have now earned the chance to play once again in 2019. - Published: 2018-05-02 - Modified: 2018-05-02 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/hockey/great-britain-to-take-part-in-hockey-championships-next-year/ Great Britain’s professional men’s hockey team will be taking place in the 2019 IIHF World Championship games that are to be played next year in Slovakia, something that many were not expecting. They managed to finish first in the 2018 Division 1 standings, giving them entrance to the games next year. What makes the feat even more remarkable is the fact that it will be first time they’ve taken part in the World Championships for 25 years. The game that saw them through was their final match of the season, which they played against Hungary. Although Hungary got ahead with a 2 point lead, the Sheffield Steelers forward Robert Down scored with just nine minutes left in the game. Robert Farmer then managed one more point in the last 15. 8 seconds, finalizing their place in the games for the next year. He later told reporters, “It was rubbish but I just don’t care. I cannot put into words what I am feeling right now. It is so hard to sum it up. ” We are now going to play the best teams in the world next year and that is so amazing. ” The last IIHF games that the British attended was as far back as 1994. They finished at the bottom of the pile back then, with a final loss against Austria at 10-0, and they decided to call it quits for the next 25 years. How far they will go next year will remain to be seen, but many have high hopes. 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I’m faster than anyone he’s ever faced, I’m someone who can dictate, I’m someone who can make him miss, I’m someone who’s got enough pop in his punch to make him think twice about engaging. I’m not saying I’m better than any fighter he’s faced because he’s faced much better fights than me – Wladimir Klitschko is far better than me – but he can’t do things that I can do. ” Some believe that this will indeed be Haye’s last match, and that he will most likely retire if Bellew outmatches him. This comes 14 months after a match between Bellew and Haye where Bellew managed to take down his opponent in round 11, and caused Haye some injury. Despite this, Haye remains confident, stating that he’s in much better condition now than he was 14 months ago. Bellew has gone on to say in reply, “I’ve got a good boxing brain and I can adapt and adjust to any situation. If I used my brain and I make the right adjustments at the right time I’ll have rid of David Haye before the eighth round. ” TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > With the Kentucky Derby around the corner, fans might want to learn what it’s all about and why it’s famous. These are some unique facts about the Derby. - Published: 2018-04-27 - Modified: 2018-04-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/the-top-10-things-to-know-about-the-kentucky-derby-before-it-starts/ The world-famous Kentucky Derby is to kick off early this May, and is being presented by Woodford Reserve. As it dawns, it’s the perfect time to become acquainted with the Derby and it all it has to offer, including highlights, information about both the track, horses, and the jockeys that ride them. This also includes some interesting facts about the race, and why it’s become one of the most popular sporting events not just in the United States, but internationally. The Kentucky Derby is one of the highest-attended sporting events in the world, with an estimated 158000 people at the track in 2017. Horses who have had their names start with an, ‘A’ have won the Derby 11 times in the past, including Always Dreaming who claimed victory in 2017. Almost all wins in the last 30 years have belonged to domestic horses. The last time a foreign horse won was in 1983. The red rose has been the flower of the Derby since as early as 1904, and the winner receives a garland packed with 400 of them. Secretariat still holds the speed record for the 1 ¼ mile event of 1:59. 40. The Derby is the oldest continuously running sports event in North America. It was reported that fans spent $209,179,920 on the Derby. The race hasn’t been won by a 2 year old since 1882. The Florida Derby has given way to three of the Kentucky winners over the years. Trainer Todd Plether has entered more horses than any other trainer, at over four. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Barcelona celebrates another win after their clash against Manchester City. The Spanish team is set to move on to their next match against Chelsea soon. - Published: 2018-04-25 - Modified: 2018-04-25 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/barcelona-fights-manchester-to-stunning-victory/ The EUFA Youth League is almost at an end, and in a semi-final that saw two strong teams competing against each other, Barcelona managed to gain the upper hand by the end. The first half was the strongest for Barcelona as they scored five goals, and then settled in to hold defence for the second half of the game. This was no small feat in face of Manchester’s 10-man seasoned team. Held at the Colovray Sports Centre in Nyon, Switzerland, the Spanish players won with 5-4 on the scoreboard, and their next opponents will be Chelsea, who won against Porto on the same day. Barcelona’s control of the field was astounding as they secured their 5-2 lead before the first half had come to an end. Mateu Morey set up three of the match’s winning goals, allowing Carlos Perez to score twice. The next scorers were Alejandro Marques, Ricardo Puig, and Alex Collado. Manchester City weren’t having as good a time, especially at the 36 minute mark where Lorenzo Gonzalez was sent off field for his second yellow card, thanks to a challenge on Miranda. Barcelona lead the match with 3-2 by the time Gonzalez had been sent off, and gained further advantage when Perez managed a second just six minutes later, with Maques scoring again just before the start of the interval. This is the second win for Barcelona in recent history, after they won the inaugural title back in 2014. 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Temperatures for the event are forecast to be around 23 degrees Celsius at their peak on Sunday afternoon, beating the previous highs of 22. 2 degrees Celsius that occurred in both 1996 and 2007. Organisers of the event have also ordered thousands more water bottles to be distributed to runners throughout the course of the day. Professor Sanjay Sharmer, the official London Marathon medical doctor, has sent emails to all those running on the day, warning, “Listen to your body. If you feel thirsty, drink water. If you feel overly tired, slow down. If you feel unwell in any way, visit one of the 39 first aid stations on the course. ” Organisers have also asked that all runners follow the rule of “Four Ds”, which states: Drink water, douse it over the hear and back of the neck, drain the bottle by squeezing out any liquid, and drop it for the recycling team to collect. Race director, Hugh Brasher, has stated that runners must remember that they do not have to keep going if they aren’t feeling up to it, and there isn’t any valour in keeping going in the hot weather. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > April looks to be an exciting month for the boxing world. Two seasoned fighters, Frampton and Donaire, are set to have a memorable upcoming match. - Published: 2018-04-20 - Modified: 2018-04-20 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/fight-preview-of-frampton-vs-donaire/ Returning to Belfast, Carl Frampton looks to take on four-weight World Champion Nonito Donaire during the later stages of April. The ‘Jackal’ intends to add another name to his already near-perfect resume, and maybe even get a shot at the World Title being held at Windsor Park. Frampton’s first World Title win was against Kiko Martinez in a match that took place in September 2014. He managed to fight off the Spaniard during the fifth round, and won the decision to earn the title of IBF World Super-Bantamweight Champion. Frampton then went on to successfully defend his title twice, and managed to unify his belt in Manchester after taking down his opponent Scott Quigg with a blow that broke Quigg’s jaw. Donaire matches Frampton in his accolades, having won Championships at Featherweight, Bantamweight, Super-Bantamweight, and Flyweight. His goal at the moment is to earn another shot at the World Title. Donaire’s first win came around ten years ago, where he bested Vic Darchiniyan in a memorable fifth round that saw a knockout by Donaire that was a contender for knockout for the year. Recently, he won the WBO Super-Bantamweight title after a match against Zsolt Bedack, which only lasted three rounds. The upcoming fight against Frampton and Donaire looks to be a titanic one as two veterans battle it out for the title. Whether Donaire gets to add another name to his long list of wins, or if Frampton comes out on top and bests the established fighter, is yet to be seen. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Racehorse Winx is quickly being hailed as one of the all time best racehorses. She will very likely break the record for consecutive wins later in the year. - Published: 2018-04-18 - Modified: 2018-04-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/winx-adds-to-her-legendary-status/ Racehorse Winx already has a status that many would call amazing, and some would even refer to as a legendary. But Winx, apparently, wanted to raise the stakes, and lift her reputation to even loftier heights. In a move that most would say was not unexpected, the plucky horse managed yet another win at the Randwick Racecourse in Australia. This makes the 25th straight win for Winx, in the confines of the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth stakes. The near miraculous run puts Winx at tied for the title of the most successful racehorses in Australian history. Barring some sort of fluke loss at this point, Winx will almost certainly be crowned the racehorse all-time champion later this year. Needless to say, horse enthusiasts around the world are holding their breath. The previous record holder, who Winx is now tied with, was Black Caviar. Black Caviar got a reputation racing in England. Winx has not travelled abroad, but has managed to outdo Black Caviar with entirely local races. Notable, however, is the differences between the two horses. Black Caviar was all but entirely a sprinter, winning races with comparatively short distances. Winx, on the other hand, seems to come up on top with longer races, with far more distance to cover. Wintertime is hitting Australia, and Winx will be given some time to rest, while the weather is chilly. But when springtime comes round again, Winx will be back to racing, and, hopefully, beating the all time record for consecutive wins. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > In latest AFL news, the Greater Western Sydney Giants snagged a win against opponents Fremantle. The game was close, with the Giants just pulling ahead. - Published: 2018-04-16 - Modified: 2018-04-16 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/a-match-overview-of-the-giants-vs-fremantle/ Celebration for the Greater Western Sydney Giants as they fought for the top four spot against long-time opponents, Fremantle. Despite playing an unattractive game to start with, the Giants were able to pull ahead with 12 points toward the end of the game, held at Spotless Stadium. For the first three quarters of the match, most believed that the win belonged to Fremantle. The Giants were not performing well, and made error after error. It wouldn’t be until the last quarter of the game that an overall improvement of teamwork allowed them to push forward and earn the winning 12 points they needed. Head coach of GWT, Leon Cameron, stated after the match that he believed his team’s victory was, “ugly at times” but also stated that despite his confidence in the team, he wasn’t sure if there was room for improvement in the upcoming year. He elaborated further by saying, “It’s the million dollar question. There’s no doubt that to compete with Adelaide, Geelong, Port, Richmond, Melbourne, and so on, and I’ve probably missed a couple, we need to improve. If we don’t we’ll lose by the three or four-goal margin like we’ve been doing the last few weeks. ” Lastly, he remarked, “I thought at the three-quarter time we ticked all those boxes and in the last quarter we couldn't get it done around the ball, in particular the centre square bounces. ” TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Paris Marathon has long been a popular competition, drawing in participants internationally. Kenyans have dominated the race in recent years. - Published: 2018-04-13 - Modified: 2018-04-13 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/running/kenyans-set-to-win-the-upcoming-paris-marathon/ The Paris Marathon is one of the biggest marathons in the world, held in April every year. The competition was first held in 1977 during a period when international marathons had become more popular. The Paris Marathon itself has become increasingly more famous throughout the years, and over 40000 runners are said to have participated in the latest. Among those 40000, however, the winning titles have belonged to a rather small group, all of which hail from the country of Kenya, in Africa. Paul Longyangata is the current reigning champion of the Paris Marathon, achieving an extremely impressive two hours, six minute, and 25 second completion time. His participation in the race was in defence of his title as the winner from the previous event, and while he was 15 seconds slower this time round, his crown remains untouched. Langyangata is among the top three winners of the competition, with the other two being Ernest Ngeno and Matthew Kisorio, all Kenyan citizens. The winning title on the women’s side also belonged to a Kenyan, this time to Betsy Saina, who completed the marathon in two hours, 22 minutes, and 56 seconds, beating silver medallist Ruth Chepngetich by just three seconds. Kenyans have long dominated the Paris Marathon, and are predicted to remain in the top five winner threshold for the next few marathons, set to take place in coming years. It remains to be seen if Longyangata will be back for the next marathon to defend his title once again. 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They acquired him the day before the Grand National of 1992, and then sat back and watched him race into the history books to take first place! In 2017, Seeyouatmidnight, who has taken the scalps of Blaklion, Bristol de Mai, and Regal Encore, strained his suspensory ligament, and his comeback this season got held up by foul weather, which saw him unable to run until Newbury, just over two weeks ago. Sandy Thomson, his trainer, was understandably frustrated by the delay, but is much more positive now. In fact, he said that he was delighted with Seeyouatmidnight! Sandy said that at that time he stated that they couldn’t afford to miss a day, and they haven’t. He spoke of his horses improving for the run, and the fact that Seeyouatmidnight was taken to Newbury, instead of Carlisle or Kelso, may well have been a good thing. He said it gave them an extra week to work on the horse, and Sandy felt that getting him away for those days was good for Seeyouatmidnight too. Nigel Twiston-Davies’ second-string, behind Blacklion, Double Ross, was the final horse to be guaranteed a run in the race on Saturday after seven were withdrawn. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > A minor mistake in a Commonwealth Games programme has caused England to be named as an African nation. Find out how the simple error has turned heads. - Published: 2018-04-09 - Modified: 2018-04-09 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/error-in-commonwealth-games-program/ Caused by nothing more than a small printing mistake, England has been named as an African nation during the Commonwealth Game’s official opening ceremony. The error caused embarrassment for the Gold Coast organisers, especially as Banjul was named as the capital of England in the same breath. The programme was being sold at merchandising tents and news agents for A$10 around the Queensland resort before the error was first reported. In the print, England is listed as having a population of just over two million, and that the country first appeared in the Commonwealth Games in 1970. Banjul, in fact, is the capital of the West African nation of The Gambia, and was one of the later entries to the Gold Coast Games. Mark Peters, who oversaw the organising of the committee for the printing of the programme, said that the mistake was made due to The Gambia’s late admission to the games. He further stated that both The Gambia and England had seen the mistake in good humour, and that England had refused the offer to have the entire programme reprinted. The error follows another mistake that was made in February, where the wrong day had been listed for the opening event. Despite the mistakes, the games continued, and feature mostly countries that were once part of the British Empire. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Fiji is desperately keen for a 4 in a row Hong Kong Sevens win. The team is hoping to beat all others to a spot at the top, and are looking forward to the competition. - Published: 2018-04-06 - Modified: 2018-04-06 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/fiji-chases-4th-consecutive-hong-kong-sevens-win/ Fiji is hell bent on taking their 4th consecutive title as the HSBC Sevens series heads into Hong Kong. There are 40 teams taking part in the tournament but Fiji has made it clear that they are in it to win it, and are out for glory. Over the course of 3 days the 40 teams will compete for the title and this event also doubles up as the 2018/19 Sevens series qualifier, so it’s even more important. He qualifiers see 12 men and women’s sides go head to head, and the action looks set to be intense. With the Commonwealth Games kicking off next week many of the Sevens teams have sent their side, as they rest u their top players and keep them in great from. But Fiji has its number one side ready to play and this clearly underlines their commitment to the home of the Sevens. They are desperate for a 4th win in So Kon Po and are not concerned by the Commonwealth games or any of the team’s taking part strategies. Fans will be thrilled to hear that despite teams like Australia and South Africa sending in their A team rather than their first, other countries not partaking in the Games have stepped up to the plate and want to offer Fiji a challenge. USA, France, Spain, Russia and Argentina are all out for blood too, and are hoping to pip Fiji to the post and knock them off their stride. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > A mumps outbreak for the New Zealand Women’s 7s team means they could be out of the Commonwealth Games completely. April 8 is D-Day for the ladies. - Published: 2018-04-04 - Modified: 2018-04-04 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/the-nz-womens-7s-team-hit-by-mumps/ The Football Ferns, the women’s 7 team from New Zealand, has been hit by an outbreak of mumps after Ruby Tui contracted the virus and got placed in isolation on the Sunshine Coast. The team had planned to travel to the athletes’ village on the Gold Coast on Wednesday the 3rd of April, 1 day before the Commonwealth Games begin, but, thanks to all of the players requiring assessment now, they will need to separated from their peers until full medical checks can be carried out. The NZ Olympic Committee and New Zealand Rugby both said the team could remain in the Sunshine Coast camp until the 8th of April, and announced this in a joint statement. The competition for the women’s team begins on the 13th. Mumps is a very contagious virus, more so in its early stages, and there are serious concerns that it will have spread throughout the team. The medical lead for the Football Ferns will travel to the Sunshine Coast to support the 7s side, as will the team psychologist. Should any other team members be laid low for the virus, there is a chance that the entire women’s campaign could be derailed. An outbreak in Auckland in 2017 spread to the All Blacks just before they started their tour of the north, with Luke Romano, Rieko Ioane and Jack Goodhue all being diagnosed with the illness. Tui, who has an Olympic Silver medal to her name, could well be ruled out of the games completely. The usual recovery time for mumps can take 1 week or 1 month. 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Over the last two decades the Masters has grown from strength to strength, not only in the number of players it attracts, but the size of the spectator base and the viewership on TV. 2018 thus is rather looking like a bit of a let down, with no more than 87 players set to tee off on the 5th of April. This years event takes place on the Augusta national curse and has a prize purse of $11,000,00 so its no small competition by any means, but injuries and other issues have plagued players and have kept them from attending. With just 2 weeks to go before the competition began US Open champion Brooks Koepka announced that he would not be able to compete as he was still recovering from a wrist injury, and he was just the last in a long line of players who had not been able to commit for many reasons. At present, Tiger Woods, who has recently pulled out of many large golfing events but now looks to be back on even keel is the favourite at 16-1, and as the event draws nearer it will be interesting to see who else is in the running. Woods won his first Masters in 1997 and is surely hoping to do the same nearly 20 years down the line. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Povetkin emerging as the victor in his bout with Price set for Saturday is a no-brainer. Povetkin failing to secure a win would be a massive upset! - Published: 2018-03-30 - Modified: 2018-03-30 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/povetkin-vs-price-this-saturday/ This Saturday is D-Day for David Price, with 22 – 4 and 18 KO,s as he enters the ring for his make-or-break bout with Alexander Povetkin, at 33 – 1 and 23 KOs. The fight is set to take place at Cardiff, Wales’ Principality Stadium. Price, at only 34-years old, has youth and size on his side, and packs a punching power advantage over the 38-year old Povetkin -but that’s about it! There is a lot of money in it for Price if he manages to beat Povetkin: a big win could see him have a title shot against Anthony Joshua in 2018. Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, is more than likely to pick Price up as quickly as he can, due to his shortened shelf life as a fighter. Price is being given next to zero chances of winning against Povetkin, however. The proof that the Povetkin team believe that he’s guaranteed a win is in that they took the fight in the first place! Povetkin has put an assured title shot against WBA/IBF heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua on the line thanks to this bout. There is no way that he would risk a fight like the one set for Saturday night if he felt he was facing a fighter that there was any chance of losing to, like Luis Ortiz, or even Dillian Whyte. Price is simply not being seen as a serious threat, and there’s only himself to blame. He hasn’t bothered to keep his conditioning at top-notch -but we will all have to wait and see what Saturday brings. 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Eddie Jones is famous for how gruelling his training sessions are, and has previously said that when his players join England from their various clubs they do not have adequate conditioning as required by Test rugby. He refused to acknowledge throughout the Six Nations series that his players were showing fatigue, saying that he had GPS data that would prove his point of view, but the findings will probably raise eyebrows at the Premiership clubs. The latter are often censured for not allowing their international players enough time to rest. Injuries like the one Sam Jones sustained, a broken right leg thanks to a judo session at the Brighton national training camp in October of 2016, will have slightly skewed the data, but Simon Kemp, Medical Services Director of the RFU, did divulge that, across the board, training makes up 36% of all player injuries. England reviews this data in the same manner that clubs do, said Kemp, and warned that caution should be taken with the data because it only reflects one club. But, he added, the English get this data, and it does inform how they plan training. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Aaron Boone announced on Saturday that Luis Severino will be starting the Yankees’ season opener this year. Masahiro Tanaka will begin the second game. - Published: 2018-03-26 - Modified: 2018-03-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/baseball/severino-to-start-opening-day/ Just one year after joining the cream of the crop in the American League Cy Young Award race, Luis Severino has been selected to start the season opener for the Yankees game on the 29th of March against the Blue Jays. Aaron Boone, manager for the New York Yankees, made the announcement on Saturday. Boone stated that it was felt that it was Severino’s time to do it. He added that, in light of what Severino was able to accomplish last year, it was felt that he was in a good place now, and that him taking on the role would be a good idea. Boone added that he was looking forward to watching Severino grown in his new role as an ace on the staff. Masahiro Tanaka, the right-hander, will start the season’s second game, and will be followed by left-hander CC Sabathia and right-hander Sonny Gray. Left-hander Jordan Montgomery will be starting the home opener for the Yankees game against the Rays on the 2nd of April. Tanaka, speaking through an interpreter, said that he thought it was well-deserved for Severino, especially as everyone knew how he had pitched last season. Tanaka said he agreed that with Severino starting, and added that it was good to know exactly when he himself was pitching as the season began so that he could schedule himself accordingly. Severino, at 24-years old, finished in third place in the Al Cy Young Award race, coming in behind Corey Kluber of the Indians, and the Red Sox’s Chris Sale. 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Slater has been in the surf a few times since his injury, with the first competitive heat being Pipeline, where he surfed well although he was clearly favouring the hurt foot. He’s been at a few spots here and there since then, not excluding his wave pool, but has never been at 100%. He recently wrote on Instagram about getting back on the horse too soon, speaking of the excitement of a new year, his foot not bothering him for a few days, and some other factors getting him into the water before he was ready. Slater stated that he thinks it’s best that he get his injured foot rehabilitated properly so that he can once more give surfing his all, adding that he would return when the time was right. Michael February, a South African surfer, was ready to take Slater’s spot, and is happy, considering. He stated that it was a strange way to get into the competition, but that he was sure it had happened for a reason. He will be replacing Slater at Bells, coming up against Griffin Colapinto, the rookie currently blazing a trail, and Filipe Toledo. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 64 best golfers in the world have been divided into pods for the WGC-Dell Technology Match Play. Johnson tees off on Wednesday against Wiesberger. - Published: 2018-03-21 - Modified: 2018-03-21 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/wgc-dell-technology-match-play-pods-drawn-on-monday/ Word on the street has it that the groups to look out for in the WGC-Dell Technology Match Play are those containing Jordan Spieth, Jason Day, and Justin Thomas. The greatest golfers in the world will all be on hand at the Austin Country club, and they will be playing one-on-one games against each other. There is no need to have a look at what other players are doing, as the rest of the field doesn’t matter. You will either win the hole, or will not. Pat Perez, who has seeded 15th for the tournament, has stated that the format allows players to be more aggressive, and they will all go for broke. Before, it could cost you to miss a cut, he said, but here it may cost you a hole. The field of 64 players was divided up into 16 groups, or pods, in a draw which took place on Monday night at the Hotel Van Zandt in downtown Austin. Each player was assigned to an A, B, C, or D pool according to their world ranking. Wednesday morning will see each of these groups playing a round robin format until Friday, after which the winners of each of the pods will move onto the round of 16 on Saturday. Quarter-finals will follow in the afternoon, and the semifinals and finals are set to take place on Sunday. The defending champion and current first-ranked player in the world, Dustin Johnson, is set to tee off on Wednesday. He will be up against Austrian Bernd Wiesberger, seeded 52nd. Johnson didn’t trail last year in the seven rounds, and his eventual victory in the finals was against Jon Rahm. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Lucas Browne believes that if he can beat Dillian Whyte hew will be able to get hold of another World Heavyweight title. He is the WBC’s No.1 contender. - Published: 2018-03-19 - Modified: 2018-03-19 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/browne-wants-the-2018-world-title-fight/ Lucas Browne believes that victory in his match against Dillian Whyte will 100% earn him an additional World Heavyweight title this year. The boxer from Brixton is currently the WBC’s No. 1 ranked contender as he heads into the ring to face Browne on the 24th of March. If he gets defeated, however, the Australian would grab this lofty position, and put him next in line for a chance to fight Deontay Wilder, the current WBC champion. Browne held the Regular WBA belt for a short time after a knockout win over Ruslan Chagaev in 2016, and he is excited about testing himself at the top level once more. Browne stated that it would open everything up, and get him to where he wants to be -where he needs to be: getting big fights. Browne revealed that he never said no to fights, and was always excited about getting into the thick of the action and seeing what he could handle. When he was asked if he would be expecting a World title fight this year, Browne stated that he definitely would. A possible match with Joseph Parker was discussed before the WBO champion chose a unification fight with Anthony Joshua. Browne did acknowledge, however, that a trans-Tasman confrontation with the fighter from New Zealand would be an even bigger event after the respective fights that are about to happen. He said that he would love the opportunity, adding that it would be great for the Australasian side of things in general. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The PyeongChang Paralympic Games have already been a huge success. The growth of this competition has been highlighted in so many ways. - Published: 2018-03-16 - Modified: 2018-03-16 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/pyeongchang-2018-paralympics-enjoys-growth/ The 2018 Paralympics has proven to be a hugely successful event already, with record numbers of tickets being sold, a huge number of athletes taking part, and support from all sides flowing in. In the host country support for the athletes has been incredible, and many hope that it will highlight the Paralympic movement all across Japan. A Growing Event It is not just the Japanese who are attending the games though, the support from other countries is massive and it seems that in general, more people are watching para sports. The atmosphere at the PyeongChang games has been incredible too, and many have said that these Games have attracted a more enthusiastic crowd that the able-bodied Olympics. The Opening Ceremony also attracted a massive number of supporters, and all ticket sales have exceeded those sold for Paralympic games held in the past. Most of the events remaining have now reached an almost-sold out capacity, and there’s a 75% attendance rate across the board. Even the closing ceremony is already approaching capacity status, as those who have travelled from far and wide come to celebrate those who have taken part. The countries taking part in the 2018 games have also expressed their happiness at just how well the games are going, and Australia has already reached it’s medal target, with Great Britain not far behind. Leading sportsmen and women who support the movement are hoping that this growth continues, and that in 4 years time the events are even better attended, and more records are broken. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Unless Chautauqua can perform twice to stewards’ satisfaction, he won’t be able to take part in the William Reid Stakes. Team Hawkes remains hopeful. - Published: 2018-03-14 - Modified: 2018-03-14 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/will-chautauqua-race-the-william-reid-stakes/ Chautauqua has had a distinguished horse racing career, but he has arrived at a crossroads, and it could go either way. The eccentric horse once again refused to jump away at the Rosehill Gardens barrier trial, which took place on Thursday. This is the third strike for Chautauqua over the course of this preparation, and Team Hawkes is trying to remedy the situation by sending the horse to Melbourne. They hope that a change of scene will sort out the gelding’s sudden issues with barriers. Will the Grey Flash Race Again? The Grey Flash, as Chautauqua is also known, is known to be quirky, but this refusal to leave the barriers is strange for a horse as experienced with racing as this one is. John Hawkes, he of the Hall of Fame, who co-trains Chautauqua alongside his sons, Michael and Wayne, has no idea what to make of his animal’s strange behaviour. No Comment from Team Hawkes Hawkes made no comment regarding the matter, except to confirm that Chautauqua is headed to Melbourne, where he will have a jump-out on the 16th of March. The horse will need to trial twice to the stewards’ satisfaction before he can race again, in a jump-out and a formal barrier trial. The Hawkes Team is hoping against hope that Chautauqua will be ready to resume his racing career when the Group 1 William Reid Stakes take place, set for Moonee Valley on the 24th of March. 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Rhys Jacks, of the Toronto Wolfpack and English rugby league fame had been given a chance to show off his skills and see whether the Sevens team was a good fit. Jacks says that he managed to secure a spot in the training team using several of his well placed connections and that he wanted to get back to Canada for some time now. He said that he called up McGrath and McGrath said that if he could get over there and show them what he has to offer, they may well find a spot for him in the Sevens team. It seems like Jacks’ Canadian calling has been especially strong and although he was born and raised Down Under he has a Toronto-born grandfather and can therefor play for the Great White North legitimately. Although the connection may be somewhat slim, it seems to have been pulling him Canada-wards and now he may well have a shot of playing there. Jacks played rugby union during high school so he says that the rules in Sevens are not hard to pick up and that Sevens is very close to league when it comes to running lines and times. To date, he has spent 2 weeks with the Canadians in Langford, has played in the Vancouver Rugby Festival and now, he is hoping for more. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Shubhankar Sharma is India’s latest rising golfing star. The 21 year old has high hopes for his performance in the currently unfolding Hero Indian Open. - Published: 2018-03-09 - Modified: 2018-03-09 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/can-golf-star-shubhankar-sharma-win-the-hero-indian-open/ Shubhankar’s Hero Indian Open Hopes The 54th Indian Open tee’d off on the 8th of March and all eyes are now on Indian golfing sensation Shubhankar Sharma. Shubhankar has huge hopes of taking the title on home soil, and is determined to put his best foot forward. He initially wowed the world in his maiden appearance on the PGA Tour, and now he is hoping that a local will hoist aloft the Hero Indian Open trophy once again. At only 21 years of age, Shubhankar is not only a youngster; he’s also one of the only Indian players ever to make it to the majors. He’s considered the brightest star on the Indian golf scene and he’s so far managed to secure two European Tour titles at the Maybank Championship and the Joburg Open, and is leading the race to Dubai rankings, as well as having broken into the world’s top 100. Just a week ago he had high hopes of becoming the first Indian to win the World Golf Championship in Mexico, but this was not to be. He finished a very respectable tied 9th, and this secured him an invitation to the Masters. Also taking part in the Hero Indian Open are the whos who of local golf, including 2015 winner Anirban Lahiri, Shiv Kapur a 3 time winner of the Asian Tour in 2017 and SSP Chawrasia, the two-time defending champion. International players are also showing their mettle on the Gary Player designed course, and although Shubhankar has big dreams, he may well come out on top, or at least place well. Determination and focus is always key in golf, and this rising star has these traits in spades. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament will run from the 6th to the 10th of March. Virginia hold the number 1 seed followed by the Duke Blue Devils. - Published: 2018-03-07 - Modified: 2018-03-07 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/the-upcoming-acc-basketball-tournament/ The ACC Men's Basketball Tournament With the men’s basketball regular season wrapping up, it’s time to look ahead to one of the most anticipated tournaments of the year. The ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament kicks off on the 6th of March and will run through to the 10th. The tournament will provide punters and sports fans with action-packed games and plenty of betting opportunities. For those who are new to the tournament, the ACC tournament is the annual post-season basketball tournament for the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The Tournament Schedule First held in 1954, the ACC tournament is held annually and takes place over 5 consecutive days. All 15 of the ACC teams participate in tournament. The teams are seeded according to their regular season conference record. If 2 or more teams have the same conference record, a tiebreaker system is put in place to accurately seed all teams. On the first day of the tournament, the 5 lowest ranked teams i. e. teams ranked 10-15 will get the tournament started. On the second day, teams ranked from 5 through to 9 will play while the third day will see teams ranked from 4 to 1 taken on the winners from the first two round in what is essentially the quarterfinals. The tournament itself takes the form of a single elimination type competition where the losing team in each game falls out, while the victors move on to the next round. The Blue Devils Take Second Seed The semi-finals take place on day 4 of the tournament and the finals on the 5th and final day. The winners of the ACC Tournament are crowned conference champions and automatically receive a bid to the NCAA Men’s basketball tournament. This year the tournament will take place at the Barclays centre in New York. The final seedings for 2018 were only determined a few days ago when the Duke Blue Devils defeated North Carolina by 74 points to 64 on Saturday night. The win means that the Duke’s will head to the Tournament seeded at number 2. Meanwhile the Tar Heels have dropped down to number 6. A win for N. C. State over Louisville means that the Wolfpack will have the 5th and will face off against the winners of the Boston College/Georgia Tech first round game. Virginia will go into the tournament with the number 1 seed after completing an impressive 17-1 regular season record. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2018 BNP Paribas tennis tournament has begun. We take a look at the tournament’s history, what the schedule is like and who is pipped to win? - Published: 2018-03-06 - Modified: 2018-03-06 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/expect-bnp-paribas-open/ The 2018 BNP Paribas Open Since the Australian Open, sports punters and tennis enthusiasts have been waiting patiently for the next major tennis event to get underway. The good news is the 2018 BNP Paribas Open, otherwise known as the Indian Wells is finally here. Kicking off on the 5th of March, the popular tennis tournament will run for almost two full weeks and conclude on the 18th of March. The BNP Paribas Open is played at the illustrious Indian Wells Tennis Garden in California. This is an outdoor hard-court event and will suit players who excel at the Australian Open. The Indian Wells is the first of 9 official ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events. It is also a major event on the ATP World Tour. In the women’s division, the tournament is actually a mandatory schedule for the WTA World Tour. This year marks the 43rd edition of the men’s even and the 30th for the women. In terms of prize money, the Paribas Open offers a generous total prize money of $8 Million. A True Tennis Classic Voted as the best tournament in its category many times over, the tournament brings in thousands of visitors each day and is broadcast to millions more across the globe. The main stadium houses 16 000 seats as well as 44 suites making it the second largest in the world. The event itself showcases the best players in the men’s, women’s and doubles division. The schedule of the tournament runs in a similar fashion to many of the main tennis tournaments with 3 qualifying rounds before proceeding to the round of 128. The tournament then gets narrowed down to 64 players, 32 then 16 before the quarterfinals, the semi-finals and the main finals. Who to Watch This Year The winner in each category receives 1000 points as well as the bulk of the prizemoney. In 2017, the men’s final Roger Federer defeated Stan Wawrinka 6-4, 7-5 to take the trophy. In the women’s final, Elena Vesnina defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova 7–6(7–5) and 6-2. In the men’s doubles event, the South African/American duo of Klaasen and Ram were victorious while Martina Hingis partnered up with Latisha Chan to take the women’s doubles event. This year, Roger Federer is back and looking for his second major win of the year while Nadal tries to regain his form. Women’s world number 1, Simona Halep will be looking to exact revenge on Caroline Wozniacki after a close finals game at the Australian Open. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > If it had not been for Rugby Sevens, rugby would most probably not have been re-included in the Olympic Games after a prolonged absence of 92 years. - Published: 2018-03-05 - Modified: 2018-03-05 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/rugby-sevens-changed-rugby/ Rugby Sevens: Las Vegas Las Vegas fans may be riding the Rugby Sevens wave with glee, but many die-hard cricket fans are singing a very different tune. Understandably so, because just when the excitement is at the top of its peak in camp cricket, camp rugby sevens comes along and ruins the day. This means that effectively, February through December is now official rugby season. No wonder non-rugby fans are getting a wee bit hot under the collar. Super Rugby too, is among the worst of the culprits. Besides for the fact that it has now become a case of the weak playing against the weaker, the rest of it isn’t really all that either. It’s hard to imagine that there was a time when Super Rugby made for captivating viewing pleasure, holding the general public hostage in a very endearing rugby-ish way. Those days are gone. Putting The Spunk Back In Rugby There is, however, an up-side to all of the extended season madness: Rugby Sevens. Rugby Sevens, which has in fact been played since the 19th Century, is at this point in time, more popular than ever before and is widely considered as having a renewing effect on the game as a whole. It’s making rugby more accessible, most notably due to the shorter format, allowing for a lesser demand on time, human resources, space and even expertise. And let’s not forget that Rugby Sevens was the reason behind rugby’s re-inclusion in the Olympic Games back in 2016, after an absence of 92 years. The re-integration with the Olympic Games is believed to be one of the most important shifts since the Rugby World Cup was launched in 1987. Since rugby’s rejoining the Olympic Games, the sport has received at least £25m in funding via the national Olympic committees. Apart from the much-needed injection of funds, there is also the visibility factor that is largely thanks to the Olympic Games. Besides for the fact that rugby was suddenly available on free-to-air television in countries like the United States, the sport was now officially being included in school curriculums in countries like Brazil, China, Russia and even sport-obsessed India. None of this would have even been remotely possible without the instant play-mode that is Rugby Sevens. The re-inclusion in the Olympic Games has even had a positive effect on women’s rugby, with more women joining the game now than ever before. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Formula E racing is no longer considered to be the loathed bastard-child of Formula 1 racing, and not really a thing. It’s changing the motor-racing dynamic. - Published: 2018-03-04 - Modified: 2018-03-04 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/auto-racing/formula-e-racing-new-point-view/ Looking At Formula E Racing What with the latest Formula E season having kicked off for the year as well as all of the excitement of Mexico City, there is once again a renewed wave of interest observed in the finer workings of the technology that is employed in Formula E racing. We have put together a crash-course, or quick fix if you will, outlining the broader scope of Formula E and how it slots into the bigger motorsports picture for 2018. No Longer Viewed As A Knock-Off For the longest time, Formula E was viewed as being the not-so-favourite child of Formula 1, even described by some as Formula-Lite. The general feeling was this: its green so it must be terribly boring. Lately, however, Formula E is challenging the age-old rituals and offering a more responsible alternative, without boring anyone to death. Besides the renewing effect that it has had on the way we view Formula 1 and what we deem to be exciting and not-so-exciting, it has also been acting as a moral compass in the world of competitive motor-racing. Not everyone has made the replacement of the grid girls with grid kids connection, but Formula E was responsible for the initial decision, after which Formula 1 followed suit at the end of last year. Birth Of The Second-Generation Supercar After a total of 36 races spanning four years, Formula E has finally unveiled the highly anticipated Gen2 Car. The all-new electric supercar will not feature in any of the current season’s races but has the motor-racing tongues wagging in a big way. The newest addition to the Formula E family will be making its debut race in 2019, and will in effect enable drivers to finish a complete race without having to make a car-swop half-way through due to the limited energy storage capacity. Gen2 then, is a powerful example of the progress that has been made in the fields of battery energy storage and electric motor technology. More impressively, the leaps and bounds in progress that has been made in the way of the general tech powering electric cars, has been achieved in a question of four years. Technology that will soon be implemented successfully in everyday-use road cars. Electric road cars, no less. Starting in Hong Kong, this year’s Formula E championship went on to Morocco, then Chilli, then Mexico, and is fast becoming an all-time hit on the motor-racing calendar. 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The odds also favour Martin Truex Jr, Kyle Larson, Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch for title contention. The event will be filled with high-octane action, stylish manoeuvres and strategic placings. For those who are new to the sport, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series for the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing simply shortened to NASCAR. The NASCAR championship consists of a 36-race season that kicks off with the Daytona 500 in mid-February. Drivers, teams and manufacturers are awarded championship points according to where they finish as well as home many laps they led in the race. About the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series The NASCAR season is divided into 2 segments. After the first 26 races are completed, the top 16 drivers compete in the final 10 races where the points awarded for each race are reduced. This final section is called the NASCAR playoffs. The driver and team with the highest number of points at the end of the season is Crowned the NASCAR champion. The Pennzoil 400 is only the third race of the season after the Daytona 500 and the Folds of Honour QuickTrip 500 which was held in Atlanta Georgia. In terms of the drivers’ standings, Joey Logano is the current series leader with 89 points. He is followed closely by Ryan Blaney on 83 points while Denny Hamlin in in third spot on 77 points. In the owner’s standings, Team Penske holds the top two spots while Joe Gibbs Racing is in third. What to Expect in Vegas? The location for the Pennzoil 400 is the Las Vegas Motor Speedway which was initially constructed in 1995. In 2006, the track was reconstructed to include progressive banking. To date, only 5 drivers have made their NASCAR debut in Las Vegas. 12 of the Drivers that have won the NASCAR Cup Series have recorded wins in Las Vegas. Of these 12, only 5 are racing this weekend. Jimmie Johnson holds the record for the most victories taking the chequered flag in 2005, 2006, 2007 and again in 2010. The other 4 Vegas and series winners racing this weekend include Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr and Brad Keselowski. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The ABB FIA Formula E Championship heads to Mexico on the 3rd of March. While Techeetah have the point lead at the moment, it’s all up for grabs. - Published: 2018-03-02 - Modified: 2018-03-02 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/fia-formula-e-championship-mexico/ The 2018 Mexico City E-Prix Motor racing fans, sports punters and environmental supporters have something to celebrate as the ABB FIA Formula E Championship moves to Mexico for race 5 of the 2017/2018 season calendar. The 2018 Mexico City E-Prix will take place on the 3rd of March at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. While not as popular as Formula One, the E Championship is certainly growing in popularity, with plenty of sports enthusiasts around the world watching every minute of the action. For those who are new to the sport, the ABB FIA Formula E Championship is the world’s first and largest fully electric single-seater racing series. What is Formula E? The championship consists of 10 teams with a total of 20 drivers. Each team competes in 10 races, which are held at international cities across 5 continents over a period of 7 months. As with Formula One, the races are set in some of the most iconic cities on the planet including Rome, New York, Paris and Hong Kong. Formula E is all about sustainability and environmental awareness. Every part of the championship has been designed with sustainability in mind. This includes the cars that are powered by renewable fuels made from E Glycerine Generators. The tyres are specially designed to last the entire race and then get recycled at the end. The championship uses temporary city tracks in already established cities. At the race itself, no parking facilities are offered, encouraging spectators to use public transport. Environmental awareness and sustainability aside the ABB FIA Formula E Championship is nothing short of spectacular. The 2017/2018 season marks the 4th season of the championship and includes new locations such as Zurich, Santiago and Sao Paulo. The engines have also been boosted from 170kw to 180kw, making the race more spectacular than ever. What to Expect in Mexico? The Mexico City E-Prix is the 5th race in the series after 2 races in Hong Kong, then on to Marrakesh and Santiago. The current team leaders are Techeetah with 89 points while Mahindra Racing is in close second on 87 points. In the drivers’ standings, J Vergne is leading the pack with 71 points racing for Techeetah. Hot on his tail is F Rosenqvist on 66 points racing for Mahindra. Last year, Nextev Nio were victorious in Mexico while Venturi came in second. The Championship is perfectly poised and the Mexico race could be the decider. 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The tournament is scheduled to be held at the Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas Nevada and is guaranteed to be one of the most exciting events in the series. Fast-Paced Rugby Action For those who are new to the Rugby Sevens, the HSBC World Sevens Series consist of 10 legs played in countries around the world. After Las Vegas, the tournament heads to Vancouver in Canada, then Hong Kong, Singapore, Paris and London. A sevens match consists of 2 halves, each seven minutes long with seven players on each side. The rules of the game are similar to that of Union rugby. At each tournament, teams are awarded points in relation to where they finish. The winners of the leg receive 22 points, runners up, 19 points and 3rd place 17 points. The 2017 World Rugby Sevens Series was dominated by the South African team who won 5 of the 10 legs while taking second place at 3 more legs. This gave them an unassailable lead of 192 points, a full 28 points ahead of runners up England. Fiji finished in 3rd on 150 points while New Zealand finished in 4th on 137 points. What to Expect in Vegas? This year, South Africa has continued their impressive performance winning the Dubai Sevens series, placing 3rd in Cape Town, 2nd in Sydney and 2nd in Hamilton. They are the log leaders at the moment with 6 tournaments still to play. The New Zealand team has started strong this year, placing second in Dubai and winning the Cape Town leg. They are currently in second spot, 8 points below South Africa. Looking ahead to the Las Vegas Leg, South Africa were victorious in 2017 and will be looking to make it 2-for2. Fiji finished 2nd in Vegas last year and are also looking strong in 2018. New Zealand will be wanting to keep up their momentum this year with a new training regime and tactics to employ in upcoming games. 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The race will give punters and sports enthusiasts a good idea of how the teams are set and what to expect in the coming season. In 2017, Spanish rider, Maverick Viñales took pole position in the race and eventually ended up winning for Yamaha. Andrea Dovizioso come in second on his Ducati while fellow Italian Valentino Rossi came home in third for Honda. But how are the teams going to fare this year? In testing so far, Honda have been impressive with Marc Marques and Dani Pedrosa clocking impressive times. The team has also received positive comments from the riders and will be wanting to get their campaign off to a good start. Ducati Fastest in Training The Ducati team meanwhile have set the fastest ever lap in the Seeping training circuit with Jorge Lorenzo in the saddle. In Buriram though, Lorenzo found it much tougher going. Lorenzo and his teammate Andrea Dovizioso will be wanting to into the GP18 at Qatar and other venues. Lorenzo and 2017 runner up, DesmoDovi have excellent records at Losail and will be working on the finer details for 2018 including detailed aero investigations. Team Suzuki Ecstar also updated their aero for the 2018 and has been testing at Buriram with much enthusiasm. The tests show positive results, despite both riders crashing early on in testing. This year, the Hamamatsu factory will be wanting a top-5 finish with Alex Rins back in action after an injury prone season last year. He will be joined by Andre Iannone who is also one of the big threats come race day. Red Bull KTM will be racing one again, and have shown great progress in the preseason. In Buriram, Bradley Smith and Mika Kallio were on the track for testing although Esparagaro should be fully recovered for the Qatar event. Yamaha Still Have Issues to Sort Out Before Qatar Meanwhile Suzuki are confident which package they intend to run in the season opener. At Yamaha, they still have a few issues to sort out before they have a full 25 points on the board. Yamaha showed good results in Sepang although, both Maverick Viñales and Valentino Rossi left feeling they needed time in Qatar to sort out their problems. It seems grip is still an issue along with the electronics. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The WGC Mexico Championship gets underway on the 1st of March. This field currently stands at 64 contenders including former winner Dustin Johnson. - Published: 2018-02-27 - Modified: 2018-02-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/wgc-mexico-championship/ The 2018 WGC-Mexico Championship Golf might not be one of the most exciting spectator sports, but it does offer excellent online betting opportunities. On the 1st of March, the golfing world will turn their attention to Mexico for 2018 edition of the WGC Mexico Championship. Running from the 1st to the 4th of March, the Mexico Championship is an important competition as it is the first of 4 official World Golfing Championships events and is great way to gauge which players are in form early on in the year. After the Mexico Championships, the WGC moves to the Dell Match Play, then the Bridgestone invitational and finally the HSBC Champions event. The WGC Mexico Championship is played at the Club de Golf Chapultepec in Naucalpan, Mexico. The event is organized by the International Federation of PGA tours and the prize money counts as official winnings for both the European Tour and the PGA tour. The First of 4 World Golf Championships Events For the first eight years of its running, the Championship was actually held in different locations around the US. From 2007 all the way through to 2016, the event was held at the famous Blue Monster course at the Trump National Doral resort. The event was subsequently moved out due to comments made by Donald Trump during his presidential campaign. The field for the WGC Mexico Championship will consist of the top 50 players according to the official World Golf ranking as well as a handful of players that qualified through the Orders of Merit from the 6 main golf tours leading up to the event. Former winners of the event include Dustin Johnson, Adam Scott, Patrick Reed, Tiger Woods and Justin Rose. Johnson Looks for his 3rd Win At the 2017 WGC Mexico Championship, Dustin Johnson picked up his 4th WCG title in in his very first start after climbing to No. 1 in the world rankings. Johnson held a steady 4-shot lead for most of the tournament, which eventually ended up being a 1-shot lead over Jon Rahm. After hitting an eagle and 2 birdies, Rahm went even with Johnson but bogeyed 2 of the last 3 holes to finish in 3rd behind Tommy Fleetwood. This year, Justin Rose will be the one looking to execute back-to- back WGC wins after claiming the WGC HSBC Champions victory at the end of last year. If he succeeds, he will only be the fourth person in history to do so along with Johnson, John Rahm, and Justin Thomas. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > After 26 of waiting, New Zealand has ended their medal drought at the Winter Olympics. Two bronze medals went to a pair of NZ teenagers in PyeongChang. - Published: 2018-02-26 - Modified: 2018-02-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/new-zealand-pick-2-medals-pyeongchang/ New Zealand Ends a 26-Year Winter Olympic Medal Drought 26 years after Annelise Coberger picked up a silver medal in France, New Zealand can celebrate with not 1, but 2 bronze medals at PyeongChang. It was the stuff of fairy tales as two Wanaka teenagers picked up 2 medals in the space of 2 hours. At just 16 years of age, Zoi Sadowski-Synnott was one of the youngest competitors in the Big Air Snowboarding event. While the country had high hopes for the youngster, the finals were dominated by more experienced European competitors who looked cool as cucumbers compared to the nervous teenager. Sadowski-Synott Takes Bronze in the Women’s Big Air Event Putting her nerves behind her, Sadowski-Synnott put down a solid score of 65. 5 with a double wildcat in her first run. She then followed it up with a huge backside 900 in the second to score 92 and slide into medal contention. With a top score already in place, the teenager went big on her final run, attempting a frontside 1080, a trick she has never landed before. While the trick didn’t work out, her score of 92 landed her the Bronze. Many celebrations ensured, however, there was not much time enjoy the moment as the men’s halfpipe freeski held more hope for a New Zealand medal. Carrying the hopes of the nation were brothers Beau-James and Byron Wells. Things looked bleak when Byron Wells injured himself in training but it was little known teenager, Nico Porteous who took New Zealand to new heights. Nico’s brother, Miguel was rated as a more likely candidate for the finals than he was. Despite qualifying at the bottom end, Nico made it all the way to the finals along with Beau-James Wells. In his first run, Porteous posted a reasonable score, but nothing in line with a podium finish. His second run proved to be more than anyone could have ever imagined. Nico Porteous Impresses in the Men’s Halfpipe Freeski Going for a slightly bigger run, Nico executed his tricks with perfection to land an impressive score of 94. 8. He went straight to the top of the leader board into first place. As the shell-shocked Porteous looked on, a duo of American snowboarding champs leapfrogged his score, pushing him down to third. There was much finger biting as the final contestant took to the snow, and a big competitor at that. However, Aaron Blunck posted a final score of 84. 8, which meant that Nico had the Bronze. This time it the celebrations were unstoppable as the New Zealand competitors and fans revelled in the delight of yet another medal after 26 long years. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Kiwi Superbike fans enjoy World Championships action on the Phillip Island circuit. Here’s a trivia round-up of some quirky facts about the island. - Published: 2018-02-25 - Modified: 2018-02-25 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/superbikes-phillip-island-facts/ Phillips Island Trivia for Superbike World Championships Mention Phillips Island to a a Superbikes fan, and they’ll automatically think of the famed racing circuit where the Superbike World Championships just started. But there’s much more to Victoria’s tourist magnet than that. Here’s a selection of trivia about the island, and its famous racing history: - The Weather’s Not Very Australian Phillip Island’s location south of Melbourne, separated from Tasmania by the Bass Strait, gives it a climate much more like northern New Zealand than the rest of Australia; balmy, humid and subtropical rather than bloody hot and dry. - Former Prey Now a Tourist Attraction The cute seals that are now part of the wildlife attractions, along with fairy penguins and other bird life, were once the chief reason for the first European visitors. Sealers based in Tasmania, then Van Diemen’s Land, were among the earliest outsiders to have contact with indigenous locals in the late 18th Century. Which also brings up the awkward fact that: - It Wasn’t Always Phillip Island Although now named after a former governor of New South Wales, Phillip Anderson, the original inhabitants were the Bunurong people of the Kulin nation. In the Bunwurrung language, the island was called “Millowl” or “Corriong”. - Joined to the Mainland in 1940 The bridge that connects Newhaven on Phillip Island to San Remo on the mainland was begun in 1938 and completed in 1940. Since then, it has made the island an easy day trip for tourists from or stopping over in Melbourne. But it’s also caused problems. - Fourth Time Lucky Re the Racing The now world-famous Phillip Island Circuit is actually the fourth incarnation of a racetrack on the island. The race that would eventually become the Australian Grand Prix, the 100 Miles Road Race, began there in 1928, on a circuit created on public roads. In 1956, the first purpose-built private track was opened, but the bridge from the mainland wasn’t strong enough for the hot-tar trucks needed to build a stronger surface, so the cold-tar track surface deteriorated fast and was closed in 1962. It was refurbished and reopened in 1967, but the same problems recurred until it was shut again after 1978. Finally, after the bridge was strengthened in the mid-eighties, a durable surface could be laid down, and the circuit has been in its present form since 1988 - a perfect venue for Superbike World Championships action. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > College basketball will see one of its major events kick off in a few days. The Big Ten will be held at the legendary Madison Square Garden this year. - Published: 2018-02-24 - Modified: 2018-02-24 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/big-ten-basketball-conference-ready-go/ The Big Ten Is Around The Corner Running from the 28th of February until the 4th of March, the Big Ten Basketball Tournament will be held at the legendry Madison Square Garden this year. This event is one of the biggest of the NCAA Division 1 calendar as the winning team will get automatic entry into the NCAA Tournament. This would also mark only the second time that the Big Ten was held away from its Midwest roots, with last year’s tournament being held at the Verizon Centre in Washington. Madison Square Garden is certainly a huge upgrade and should make for a spectacular evening of premium college basketball. There are 14 Big Ten teams that will be taking part in this event and their seeds will be based on their conference record so far, which generally reflect the overall standings to some degree quite accurately. It’s also notable that in the event of a tie breaker scenario where two teams have an identical conference record, the same tie breaker rules used last year will apply, which most fans and teams have been quite supportive of. Teams To Look Out For Michigan is the favourite this year, still under the leadership of John Beilein. Their performance has been a bit wonky in the NCAA regardless of where they are in the seed, but their performance so far has been excellent. They crushed Penn State last week which helped the Wolverines claim a no 5 seed slot. Michigan is also the overall conference lead with an incredible 27/3 win/loss ratio. On the 1st of March when the Big Ten kicks into high gear, Maryland will be the opening match team facing off against Wisconsin. Wisconsin just managed to beat Northwestern with a close 70/64 nailing the Big Ten no 9 seed, with Maryland walking away with the no 8 spot. This year’s Big Ten looks set to be another scorcher just like last year. Again, the premium venue really adds a lot of flavour to the event, making it a must watch. Next year however the organisers will be challenged to top themselves. The Current Big Ten Conference Standings No2 Michigan State – 15 wins/ 2 losses No 9 Purdue – 14 / 3 No 16 Ohio State – 14 / 3 No 17 Michigan – 12/5 Nebraska – 12/ 5 Penn State – 9/ 8 Indiana – 9/8 Maryland – 8/ 9 Wisconsin – 7/ 10 Northwestern – 6/ 11 Minnesota – 4/ 13 Illinois – 3/ 14 Rutgers – 3/14 Iowa – 3/14 TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Australia has defeated New Zealand in the T20 Tri-Series final. Chasing 151 runs, the Australian innings was rained out while the D/W awarded them the win. - Published: 2018-02-23 - Modified: 2018-02-23 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/australia-crowned-t20-tri-series-champs/ Australia Defeat New Zealand in the Tri-Series T20 Final New Zealand kept their hopes alive of a Tri-Series trophy when they scrapped through to the finals despite losing to England on Sunday night. Batting first, England posted a respectable score of 194 for 7 thanks to Eoin Morgan who posted 80 runs of his own. In order for England to advance to the finals though, they needed to restrict New Zealand to 175 for a superior net run rate. It was not to be though as Colin Munro and Martin Guptill took on the bowlers. Despite losing by 2 runs, New Zealand had the higher net run rate and booked their place in the finals against an unbeaten Australian side. Returning to Eden Park, New Zealand had the mental advantage but the weather was against them. After the second major downpour commenced, the match was called off and the Duckworth/Lewis decision went the way of the Australians. New Zealand Fail to Impress at Eden Park New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat. Thing started well for the Kiwis who raced to 46 without loss. Marin Guptill eventually fell at the hands of Stanlake along with Monroe on 29. Agar then ran through the middle order before Ross Taylor clocked up some heavy hitting in his 43 not out. In the end, Australia was chasing a fairly low total of 151 considering that the ground is hailed as a batter’s paradise. Australia were already on the back foot having lost Chris Lynn who dislocated his right shoulder midway through New Zealand’s innings. This did not affect the course of play though as Australia quickly raced to 55 without loss after 6 overs. Duckworth/Lewis System Implemented Heavy showers then interrupted play. When Australia resumed, the spinning pair of Ish Sodhi and Mitch Santner gave New Zealand a bit of hope, taking wickets in consecutive overs. It fell to Glen Maxwell and Aaron Finch to steady the ship for Australia before a second set of heavy showers forced play to be abandoned altogether. Having the superior run rate, Australia were awarded the win when the Duckworth/Lewis method was implemented. Going undefeated in the T20 series, Australia have now earned themselves the No. 2 ranking in the T20 World Rankings. This is particularly impressive considering Australia started the series ranked 7th. New Zealand, who started the series ranked at No. 1 have dropped down to 4th. 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Leicester Triumphs Over Sheffield United For Leicester, it was Riyad Mahrez who ended up sending them through to the quarter finals as he scored the only goal for a 1-0 win over Sheffield United. The transfer saga aside, Leicester played a solid game and dominated the possession even though there was a chance for an upset at the end. It was a completely different game for Chelsea in the second FA Cup tie when they took on Hull City at Stamford Bridge. A walk in the park is what describes the 4-0 win for Chelsea as everyone got a piece of the action including Olivier Giroud who scored his first goal since transferring from Arsenal last month. The Sheffield Wednesday vs Swansea City match ended in a goalless draw while Southampton pipped West Bromwich 2-1 in what was a thoroughly entertaining game from start to finish. On Saturday, Brighton took on Coventry in a much-anticipated match. The £14million signing of Jurgen Locadia paid off for Brighton as the former PSV Eindhoven star scored his debut goal, helping the team to a 3-1 win and effectively ending a 32 year wait to reach the FA Cup quarterfinals. Man United On Track for 13th FA Cup Victory In the other big match of the day, Manchester United went up against Huddersfield. On track to equal Arsenal’s 13 FA Cup Wins, Man United scored got off to a flying start with Romelu Lukaku finding the back of the net inside the first 5 minutes. A disallowed goal just before the break almost made it 2-nil but Lukau was back at the goal later on to claim his second of the match and take the final score to 2-0. On Sunday Rochdale and Tottenham scored 2 goals apiece to tie the game while the upset of the fifth round came on Monday when Wigan Athletic took on Manchester City. In what was expected to be a one-sided affair, Wigan stunned the Premier League leaders with their tight defence and strong ball control. In the end it was Will Grigg who slotted in the only goal of the match in the 79th minute for the upset of the season. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > George Groves is through to the World Boxing Super Series Final. The 29-year-old defeated Christ Eubank Jr with a commanding point win performance. - Published: 2018-02-21 - Modified: 2018-02-21 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/george-groves-defeats-chris-eubank-jr/ George Groves is Through to the World Boxing Super Series Final George Groves proved why he is one of the best in the world when he successfully defeated Chris Eubank Jr to sail through to the World Boxing Super Series Final. 29-year old Groves was patient, poised and ready to defend his world Super-middleweight title no matter what Eubank Jr threw at him. Mixing excellent footwork with plenty of counter-punches, the judges scored the fight 117-112, 116-112, 115-113 in favour of Groves. Despite coming into the match as a world Champ, Groves was actually the underdog according to the bookmaker’s odds. Groves was clearly the more experienced fighter and had Eubank Jr on the floor in the 10th round, but was unable to put him down for good. He also ended up boxing with a suspected dislocated shoulder in the final round, which is a testament to his dogged determination. Eubank Jr Finds No Way In From the first round, it was clear that Eubank Jr wanted to box up close. Groves picked this up early on and kept him at bay. Fining no way in, Eubank Jr rushed Groves in the 2nd round only to find a perfect high guard. It wasn’t long before Eubank Jr received a bloody gash above his right eye while still trying to close in on his man. Groves stepped up the pace in the 7th round with 3 powerful counter-punches. Eubank Jr managed to land a decent left hook buy by the 8th round, Groves began to dominate. While pundits predicted Groves to tire at the end, he was clearly not feeling any fatigue as he landed jab after jab while Eubank ran around in a sort of daze. Groves Shows His Class Having little left in the tank and looking a bit bloody, Eubank had to gamble and lunged at Groves in the 10th only to be put onto the mat. The area erupted with cries of a knockdown but Eubank hung in there for the rest of the fight, even landing a decent right hand. Ultimately, Groves class and experience won out as the judge’s points indicated a clear win. The defending champ has now won 28 of his 31 professional fights. Next week, Groves will find out whom he will be facing in the World Boxing Super Series Final when Braymer takes on Smith. His shoulder injury is of concern though and could cause an issue for the upcoming fight. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Melbourne Storm have picked up their 4th World Club Title after defeating the Leeds Rhinos 38-4. Leeds scored first but is was one-way from then on. - Published: 2018-02-20 - Modified: 2018-02-20 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/melbourne-storm-defeat-leeds-rhinos-38-4/ Melbourne Storm Pick Up Forth World Club Challenge Title The Melbourne Storm recorded their fourth record-equalling Word Club Challenge title with a well-deserved victory over the Leeds Rhinos at AAMI Park. While the Super League Champions had plenty of fire, they were simply no match for the Australian Champions who dominated from 10 minutes in to close out the game with an impressive 38 points to 4. Boosted by the return of stand-off, Joel Moon, Leeds stunned the hosts with some enterprising paly in the opening minutes to take an early lead. However, with the absence of 4 senior front-rowers, the Rhinos were forced to submit to the superior skill of the Storm. Leeds also had the bad fortune of losing full-back Jack Walker to injury before half time as well as loose forward Stevie Ward. Leeds Started Well but Were Dominated by The Storm Melbourne did not escape injury either with full-back Billy Slater gong off with a shoulder problem while Cameron Munster happily ran on in his place. The Storm should be impressed with just about every one of their players, especially rookie scrum-half Brodie Croft who’s inspired performance looks to be taking the side into the post-cooper Cronk era in spectacular fashion. Despite the roar of the home crowd and the nerves, the Rhinos showed impressive skills early on. Running in a penalty from in front of the posts, the Rhinos made a brave decision which paid off when Ryan Hall was handed a beauty of a cross to land the Game’s first try. A Rough Second Half for Leeds Unfortunately, that is where it ended for the Leeds. The Storm were quick to respond and overwhelmed the visitors with 3 quick tries and a penalty. If the Rhinos believed there was any way back, it was quickly squashed early in the second half when Nelsson Asofa-Solomona barged his way over the line. By the time Felise Kaufusi planted the 5th try for the Storm, it was no longer about trying to win for Leeds, so much as trying to limit the extent of the damage. All credit to the Rhinos who played full-tilt till the final whistle. This was plainly evident when second-rower, Brett Delany managed to get back and pull off an incredible try-saving tackle on winger Josh Addo-Carr. In the end the Leeds made could not find any way to build on their solitary try while the Storm happily cruised to their fourth win. 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But in and around the Olympic Village, visitors aren’t gossiping about luge or figure skating. There are two topics dominating. Appropriately enough, given the yin-yang mandala on the South Korean flag, one is decidedly feminine and the other is very, very masculine. North Korea’s ‘Monstrous’ Regiment of Women The North Korean cheerleading squad: more than 180 women (outnumbering the North Korean athletes) identically dressed and performing perfectly synchronised cheers; moving in absolute unison even when removing their tracksuit tops, but otherwise immobile and unresponsive to the spectacle until called upon to perform another flawlessly synched robotic chant. Some spectators find them beautiful; a brilliant example of the dedication and precision that is also required of the athletes. Waving the improvised blue flags of the united Korean Olympics team, they’re also being hailed as a symbol of hope in a peninsula senselessly divided for almost 70 years. There are plenty of fans snapping pictures of their impressive displays and taking selfies with the cheerleaders. They aren’t being allowed too close, though; police guards and older male guardians at the end of each row ensure that they’re there to show off the “excellence” inspired in of the brutal dictatorship to the north, not engage with journalists or fans. That’s the bit that the squad’s detractors can’t get over. No matter how perfect the cheerleaders’ displays are, these women are in effect slaves, doing exactly what they’re told to on pain of imprisonment, torture, and death. And Then There Are the Penises The North Korean cheerleaders might be problematic, but the yang on display for the games is flat-out risible. There has been huge interest in snapping the bizarre statues outside the Olympic media village, which not only represent anatomically correct naked men, but also have decidedly phallic, faceless heads. Other tourists are discovering the Korean obsession with phallic art at Haeshindang Park, an hour’s drive from the Olympic site. The ‘penis park’ has schlongs of all shapes and sizes in a variety of bizarre poses – including a penis cannon manned by penis soldiers. Gives a whole new meaning to “cannonballs” and “soldiers’ helmets”, doesn’t it? TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Australia beat Ukraine in the World Group II first round of the Fed Cup on Sunday. The team now has a shot at their first World Group return since 2015. - Published: 2018-02-18 - Modified: 2018-02-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/barty-leads-aussies-fed-cup-win/ Barty Stars in Aussie Fed Cup Win Australia tasted victory in the first round of the 2018 Fed Cup World Group II against Ukraine on Saturday and Sunday, February 10 and 11, and Ashleigh Barty was the major driver behind their success. Although to be fair, Ukraine were missing their World No. 3 star Elina Svitolina, so they were underdogs from the start. Barty had Aussie punters cheering at the Canberra Tennis Centre when she beat Lyudmyla Kichenok in Saturday’s opening singles match. Then she took a comfortable win in straight sets in her second singles match against Marta Kostyuk. Her teammate Daria Gavrilova, in contrast, had a terrible tournament. The Aussie star lost both her singles matches - to Kostyuk and Lyudmyla Kichenok’s twin sister, Nadiia Kichenok. Doubles Match Decided Round on Sunday With scores level at 2-2, Sunday’s doubles match became the crucial decider. Partnered by Casey Dellacqua, Barty continued to shine as the duo faced the Kichenok twins. It was another straight-sets affair, and the Aussie pair delivered a crisp 6-3, 6-4 victory to win the round 3-2. It was lovely stuff for tennis fans and sports punters to see, because it’s a stepping-stone to greater things. Chance to Return to the World Group Apart from securing another Fed Cup win in their current division, Australia now have the chance to move on to bigger and better. Aussie women haven’t competed in the Fed Cup World Group, the top tier of the tournament, since 2015, but now they have the chance to get into the 2019 Top 8. They go on to the Fed Cup World Group Playoffs in April, at dates and venues yet to be determined. The winning four teams in World Group II always play the losing four teams from the World Group in this stage, and Australia will once again be hosting. This time they’ll play Belgium, who played away against France in the first round of the 2018 World Group and went down 3-2. If Australia win the April World Group Playoff, next year will see them back in the World Group to compete for premier Fed Cup glory. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The first leg of the Champions League last-16 round kicked off on Tuesday. We take a look which of the 8 teams managed to create something special? - Published: 2018-02-17 - Modified: 2018-02-17 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/champions-league-last-16-first-leg/ Champion’s League Last-16 First Round Action The Champions League last-16 kicked off on Wednesday with Tottenham taking on Juventus in Turin. The two sides looked evenly matched on paper, but an early double by Gonzalo Higuain sent the visitors into flat panic and scrambling for a piece of the action. In the end the English Premier League side manage to pull back 2 goals to draw the match. Tottenham Draw against Juventus It took just 75 seconds for the hosts to score. The Spurs made the mistake of leaving Higuain unmarked from a free kick. The result, a perfectly timed volley into the back of the net. Six minutes later, Juventus scored again, this time form a penalty against Ben Davies. Somehow the visitors managed to make their way back into match with bothy Kane and Eriksen both finding the back of the net. Manchester City Thrash Basel In Switzerland, the action was more one-sided. Manchester City was the visiting team while FC Basel enjoyed the home advantage. In one of the most dominant displays in the competition so far, Manchester City all but destroyed the Basel defence to slot with 4 unanswered goals. If FC Basel thought they had any chance, it quickly faded at Man City scored 3 goals inside of nine minutes in the first half. A final goal in the 23rd killed the tie and sent Basel out for the count. Real Madrid Defeat PSG On Thursday the action continued with Real Madrid taking on Paris Saint Germain at the iconic Santiago Bernabeu stadium. Coming from a goal down, it was Cristiano Ronaldo doing what he does to give the hosts a 3-1 win. The opening stages of the match were fairly pedestrian, that was until French midfielder Adrien Rabiot slotted a beauty past Keylor Navas to put the visitors ahead. Luckily, Ronaldo was on hand to make up the equaliser just on the stroke of half time. The second half went much the way of the first until Ronaldo got a gift from the keeper and kneed the ball into the goals. Marcelo then finished the PSG defence with yet another goal just before the end of play. Liverpool Dominate FC Porto In the final match of the first leg, Liverpool travelled to Estadio do Dragao to take on FC Porto. Taking a page out of Man City’s book, Liverpool completely demolished the Portuguese side to return home with a 5-0 win and plenty of moral boosting points. A Sadio Mane hat-trick and goals from Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino put the hosts away for good. Next week, Chelsea take on Barcelona while Bayern face off against Beskitas. On Wednesday, Man United go up against Sevilla while Roma rounds out the final game against Shakhtar Donetsk. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Round 2 of the Six Nations rugby championship brought plenty of action and drama. Scotland defeated France while Ireland dominated Italy 56-19 - Published: 2018-02-16 - Modified: 2018-02-16 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/six-nations-catch-round-2/ Round 2 Six Nations Rugby Recap Round 2 of the Six Nations Rugby Championships delivered more than its fair share of action and drama. In the men’s competition, it was Italy who was in action first taking on the Irish at home. Ireland were riding high from their narrow first round win against France, and with the home crowd behind them, they overpowered the Italians to rack up 56 points compared to Italy’s 19. England was up next, taking on Wales in at Twickenham. Despite being a low scoring game, the English were bolstered by their fans to scrape through with 12 points to Wales 6. It was not a the most exciting of games but it was hard fought and England prevailed to pick up their second win after a first-round victory over Italy. Scotland Overpower the French The final game of round 2 was perhaps the most exciting. France travelled to Murrayfield to take on the Scots. On paper France were the stronger side but thanks to Greig Laidlaw and his epic kicking game, Scotland prevailed, much to the delight of thousands of screaming fans. 22 points came of Laidlaw’s boot as the Scotland pipped the visitor’s 32 points to 26. In the women’s competition, the results were mostly the same except for France who triumphed over Scotland. The match of Round 2 saw the Welsh women travel to Twickenham. The game couldn’t have been more different from the men’s in that it was both a high and low scoring game. England dominated the Welsh scoring an unanswered 52 points. The Welsh could not manage a single penalty or consolation try. For the second match, the French women travel to Glasgow to take on Scotland in their own back yard. Unlike the men, the Scottish women were no match for their opponents who ran circles around them. After 90 minutes of play, France has scored a few tries and racked up 26 points. In response Scotland only picked up a single penalty to make the final score 26-3. Irish Women Repair Some of the Damage The final match of round 2 saw Italy take on Ireland at home. In round 1, Ireland were not able to score a single point against the French. Having a point to prove, the Irish woman got the crowd behind them and pulled off a sensation win of 21 points to Italy’s 8. Round 3 of the Six Nations kicks off on the 23rd of Feb and is set to be another action-packed weekend. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Winter Olympics is well under way and Germany are dominating the tables. Australia picked up their first medal while NZ just missed out. - Published: 2018-02-15 - Modified: 2018-02-15 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/look-winter-olympic-medals-far/ Medals and Missed Opportunities at the Winter Olympics If you have been following the Winter Olympics, chances are you have seen 1 or 2 competitors from the Netherlands and Germany pick a medal. In the women’s 3000m speed skating event, the Dutch took a 3-medal haul with first, second and third place to dominate the medals tables early on. As it stands, the Netherlands has the second most medals with a total of 10 Olympic medals including 4 gold and 4 slivers. Germany are actually the table leaders with 5 Gold medals making a total of 9. The Norwegians are not ones to be left behind and actually have the most medals at this stage. They fewer gold and silver and more bronze medals though, putting them further down the medals table. The Top 10 Medal Winners So Far The USA is currently in 3rd place while Norway, Canada, France, Sweden, Austria, Italy and South Korea make up the top 10. Closer to home, Australia celebrated their first Olympic medal when New South Wales skier Matt Graham picked up the silver in the Moguls skiing event. He came second behind Mikaël Kingsbury of Canada who is regarded as the most successful moguls skier of all time. The Quebec native has a total of 48 wins under his belt along with 6 consecutive World Cup titles. For team New Zealand, the illusive Olympic medal remains just out of reach. Injury has forced one of the country’s best snowboarders out of contention before he even got to compete. Snowboard slopestyle and big air racer Tiarn Collins fell during pre-competition training, dislocating his shoulder in the process. As for the rest of the New Zealand team, the country narrowly missed out on picking up their first Olympic medal in 26 twice in the last few days. New Zealand Miss Out Yet Again In the snowboarding event, Carlos Garcia Knight was in the gold medal position in the early stage of the competition but subsequently dropped out of the medals as more competitors climbed the ladder. Knight ended up in fourth position, just shy of the illusive bronze. The same unfortunate fate awaited speed skater Peter Michael. After landing in the gold medal position early on, competitors jumped ahead of his time to force him down to a disappointing fourth place. While we can all see striking similarities to the 2014 Winter Olympics where New Zealand just dropped out of the medals, there is still plenty of action to come with more chances for medals in the speed skating and snowboarding events. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Fed Cup first round is over and while team NZ crashed out, Australia, Great Britain, France and the US all triumphed in an action-packed weekend. - Published: 2018-02-14 - Modified: 2018-02-14 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/look-fed-cup-first-round-action/ Fed Cup First Round Action The first round of the Fed Cup has been an up and down affair with a few surprises, loads of action and disappointment for the New Zealand team. Any advancement in New Zealand led Fed Cup were squashed by Uzbekistan. The kiwis started out their Asia Oceania group two tournament with a win over Lebanon but fell at the hands of Uzbekistan. They then went up against Pakistan to place fifth, missing out on yet another semi-final appearance. Meanwhile in Prague, the Czech Republic was able to advance to the semi-finals thanks to the efforts of Petra Kvitova. The two-time Wimbledon champion dispatched Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic 6-4, 6-2 to give the Cech’s a 3-1 lead. In France, the home side were triumphant against Belgium to book their spot in the semi-finals. With the singles matches evened out, it came down to the doubles where Kristina Mladenovic and Amandine Hess defeated Elise Mertens and Kirsten Flipkens 6-4, 2-6 and 6-2. It was also good news Great Britain as Johana Konta and Heather Watson beat the Hungarian side to advance to the World Group II playoffs. World Number 11, Konta dominated Fanny Stollar to win 6-3, 6-1 while Watson came back from a set down to bead Dalma Galfi 3-6, 6-1 and 6-4. This is the second straight year that team GB have moved into the World Group II playoffs. Good Results for Australia, Great Britain, and the USA In Canberra, Ashleigh Barty put in 3 big games to help Australia defeat the might Ukrainians on Sunday. The World Group II tie was taken to a doubles decider after Dario Gavrilova dropped both her singles games. Reuniting with her doubles partner, Casey Dellacqua, Barty delivered the goods yet again to give Australia they win they needed. The result means that Australia will be advancing to the World Group playoffs in April. This means they are potentially 1 win away from becoming one of the top 8 Fed Cup Nations, for the first time since 2015. Venus Williams was action for the USA, playing against a fired-up Dutch side. Williams defeated Arantxa Rus 6-1, 6-4 and then went on to deliver another good performance against Netherlands’ Richel Hogenkamp. CoCo Vandeweghe gave the USA an extended lead while Serena Williams came out to play the doubles dead rubber, her first appearance in over a year and just 5 months after giving birth. The World Group semi-finals will take place on the 21st and 22nd of April where Germany will take on the Czech Republic while the USA will take on France. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Australia made short work of the meagre total posted by England in their T20 tri-series match. Chasing 137, Australia closed out the match with 33 to spare. - Published: 2018-02-13 - Modified: 2018-02-13 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/australia-cruise-tri-series-final/ Australia Bat Their Way into the T20 Tri-Series Final After a convincing win Against the Black Caps, Australia has cruised past England to secure their spot in the T20 tri-series final. Decent knocks from D’Arcy, Glen Maxwell and Chris Lynn took Australia comfortably past the 137 runs needed for victory with 33 balls to spare. With 3 consecutive wins in the bag, Australia now head to Auckland to await their challengers on the 21st of Feb. As for England, they now face back-to-back matches against New Zealand, starting in Wellington on the 13th of Feb and then moving to Hamilton on the 18th. With Eoin Morgan out of the match, it fell to Jos Buttler to captain the English side. Coming out to a sluggish MCG pitch, the top order never really got going and Australia’s disciplined bowling put the visitors on the back foot as 34 for 3. With Morgan absent, James Vince had a chance to impress at number 4. His wild and brilliant knock was short lived though as a change of pace from Andrew Tye saw him walking back for 21 off 21 balls. England’s fearless batting from the previous match was nowhere to be seen as many of the top order fell for single figures including Jason Roy for 8, Alex Hales for 3 and Dwid Malan for 10. It fell to Sam Billings and Buttler to stabilise the innings, a job they took on reasonably well considering the circumstances. Buttler was the top scorer on 46 from 49 while Billings only contributed a single boundary in his innings to take England’s total to 137 for 7 at the end of their 20 overs. Australia’s Fearless Batting While England failed to find any headway with the bat, Australia seemed to relish the sticky pitch. The top order made easy work of the English attack with Chris Lynn setting the tone with 31 runs of just 19 balls. The spinners put the brakes on the scoring with Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson calming things down. However, once Short and Maxwell got their eye in, they were both dispatching the ball past the boundary rope with regular frequency. Maxwell hammered 2 sixes and 3 fours in his 26 runs before mistiming a pull shot from Chris Jordan. By then the damage had already been done. Australia had the opportunity to coast over the line, but Finch and Short were fired up and ready to finish the job. In the end England had no answer for the big hitting Australians who cruised over the line in another emphatic win. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Basketball has overtaken football to become the third most played sport in New Zealand schools, with over 25,600 student participants in the latest census. - Published: 2018-02-12 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/basketball-now-3rd-played-sport-nz-schools/ Basketball Just Beat Out Football Basketball has passed football in terms of popularity at secondary schools in New Zealand. Could it be put down to the Steve Adams effect? It is now the 3rd most popular game, according to the New Zealand School Sports council, with a total of 25 649 students electing to play basketball last year. Netball is still at number 1, standing at 28 445 payers, rugby comes in at 2nd place, and football has dropped down to 4th. Since 2013, the year in which Adams was drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder, students at secondary schools choosing basketball has risen by over 25%. It’s No Problem at All Iain Potter, the CEO for Basketball New Zealand, has said that it is a good problem to have, and comes as no particular revelation, as the popularity of the sport has been growing apace for some time now. He went on to state that a lot more could be done, using the aim of increasing participation by girls as an example. He said that the figure was hopefully going to increase further, and soon. Potter said that 7 985 secondary school girls played in 2017, as opposed to 17 664 boys, and that he saw this as an chance for Basketball New Zealand to balance these numbers out. Extra Tournaments Added Potter went on to say that he hoped that the combined figure would increase thanks to the additional tournaments that have been added which have more of a focus on general participation than the national title games do. 2 new tournaments will be available in 2018, and these will be available for schools looking for a quality tournament experience without necessitating a qualification for nationals. Steven Adams is Making His Mark Steven Adams is continuing to blaze his trail of glory across the NBA, with a game and a measure of influence that more than match his size. The 24-year old started off in college basketball games in Pittsburgh, and is now in his 5th year of a glittering career in the NBA. He has been described as a player who puts his teammates first, and one who is willing to put the dirty work in that allows the stars of his squad to shine. New Zealand’s youngsters could do a lot worse than Steven Adams, and it is overwhelmingly positive that the young player has inspired such a massive interest in basketball back home. --- > People aren’t happy about the rugby camps Steve Hansen is saying the All Blacks need before playing France. He hopes that everyone can work together. - Published: 2018-02-11 - Modified: 2018-02-11 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/hansen-wants-present-united-front-rugby-camps/ Hansen Calls for United Front Steve Hansen, the coach for the All Blacks has appealed for a united front regarding his contentious camps. He has just been honoured for his leadership, so it was fitting that he selected his words wisely when he dealt with the disputed topic of the questionable 4 training camps set to take place during the Super Rugby season. No Details Just Yet Details for the camps have yet to be revealed, but speculation is running towards the idea that they will be in the form of 2 1-day gatherings and 2 3-day affairs, with the aim being that they disrupt proceedings as little as possible. Boyd Voicing His Concerns Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd has already voiced his concerns that the coaches for the All Blacks seem fine with impacting Super Rugby this visibly, and there have further been mutterings of discontent from other factions as well. Actually, this level of upset has not been since back in 2007! Hansen Says They’re Necessary Hansen has, however, described these camps as a necessary evil before the 3-test June series set to take place against France. The coach called on everyone involved in New Zealand rugby to join forces and make the best of a well-conceived plan, however unpleasant some of the consequences would be. After expressing his surprise at the Sport New Zealand award at the Halbergs, Hansen stated that he had no intention of plucking players out of Super Rugby. He expressed dismay at the manner in which the season is structured, stating that these demands notwithstanding, a certain amount of preparation was a must when it came to the All Blacks playing an international team of the standard the French set. He then stated that without the kind of preparation these camps would provide the team ran the risk of under-performing, and the country’s expectations of the team would not allow for this. Hansen went on to say that he fully understood that the situation was not ideal for the Super Rugby teams, nor for the players, but his camp was not particularly pleased by the fact that they did not have preparation time, either. Hansen said that his team had gone through a process of talking to a number of different people, and the conclusion that was reached as to what was going to happen. He then added that he was hopeful that everyone would support one another, regardless of what the media was reporting. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Emirates Team NZ walked away with the Prestige Award at the annual Halberg Awards. Lisa Carrington was also honoured with sportswoman of the year. - Published: 2018-02-10 - Modified: 2018-02-10 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/team-nz-take-top-honours-halberg-awards/ Team NZ Honoured at the Halberg Awards Once a year, the athletes and sports teams representing New Zealand are recognised for their contributions to world sport and the advancement of the country’s sporting ethics. The award ceremony known as the Halberg Awards were created to honour the men and women who have gone above and beyond to highlight their achievements and sport in the global community. The origin of the Halberg Award dates back to 1949 when NZ Sportsman magazine founder, Jack Fairburn wanted to create a trophy to be awarded to New Zealand’s top athlete. The trophy was given out to the athlete whose example and athletic performance had a beneficial effect on the advancement of New Zealand sport as a whole. After the abandonment of the awards in 1960, the trophy was restarted by the Halberg Disability Sport Foundation, which is named after Sir Murry Halberg. The rules of the awards were amended to allow teams to win. In recent times, the Halbergs has included awards such as the Sportswoman of the year, Team of the year, coach of the year, emerging talent, disabled sportsperson of the year, the lifetime achievement award, leadership award and the favourite sporting moment award. The highest award given out is the Supreme Award, which has come to represent the Halberg Award trophy. The awards themselves are presented a dinner which is broadcast live to the nation. This year, Emirates Team New Zealand walked away with the Supreme Award for their outstanding win at the Americas Cup. Lisa Carrington Takes Sportswomen of the Year The sportswoman of the year was given out to Lisa Carrington for picking up 4 medals at the World Champs in the K1 and K2 events. It then followed that her coach Gordon Walker was recognised for his outstanding coaching on the back of Carrington’s achievements. Tom Walsh was deservedly given the sportsman of the year award for being the first New Zealand male to win an outdoor track and field championship title in 34 years. In the disabled sportsperson title, Sophie Pascoe and her six world records gave the selectors little to think about. The emerging talent award went to cyclist Ellesse Andrews. Ellesse set a junior world record at the cycling world champs in qualifying and then went on to win the event. All Blacks coach Steve Hanson was deservedly given the leadership award while Morrie Chandler picked up the lifetime achievement award for his role in motorsport. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The first T20 of the tri-series went the way of Australia. The Black Caps struggled to gain momentum and were completely outplayed by the hosts. - Published: 2018-02-09 - Modified: 2018-02-09 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/nz-decimated-australia-first-t20/ A Rough Start for the Black Caps After losing their World No 1 T20 status, the Black Caps have even more to answer for. In the first match of T20 tri-series, New Zealand fell at the hands of the Australian’s who all but decimated the top-order batsman to win by 7 wickets despite the hour-long rain delay. Having won the toss Australia sent New Zealand in to bat as the sky started to cloud over. The Black Caps were racing the sun at Sydney Cricket Ground in a bid to be the first to rack up a respectable score. The visitors had a mental advantage of being the 2nd ranked side in the world compared to their 7th ranked opponents. However, it seemed that the recent BBL action had the Australians firing on all cylinders. From the first over, it was evident that New Zealand was struggling with the intensity and accuracy of the Australian bowling. For a side that produced some epic performances over the summer, the batting was nothing short of dismal. Most striking was the fact that New Zealand conceded 45 dot balls, with one period including 11 in a row. Kane Williamson, who normally gets the side off to a solid start, struggled to amass 8 runs from 21 balls. Ross Taylor fared no better, hitting 24 off 35. Colin de Grandhomme was the only batsman who looked even remotely capable of generating any spark. Australia Decimated the NZ Batting Line-up The all-rounded cracked 38 runs of 24 balls which included 3 sixes. Unfortunately, that is where it ended for New Zealand. As for the Australian bowlers, not a single blower conceded more than 7 runs per over. The Black Caps eventually stumbled their way to 117 runs for nine wickets at the end of their 20 overs. Rain then delayed the match by more than an hour, forcing the hosts to take on a Target of 95 runs from 15 overs according to the Duckworth Lewis method. After losing 2 early wickets, the hosts got into their grove with both Chris Lynn and Glen Maxwell putting in a good knock. Lynn blasted 44 off 33 deliveries while Maxwell ended not out 40 from 24 deliveries. The partnership ensured Australia maintained control, easily reaching the required runs with 21 balls to spare. Two games remain in the tri-series and a chance for NZ to redeem themselves. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2018 Winter Olympics is just around the corner. We take a look at the most popular Winter Olympic sports around the world, from NZ to Mongolia. - Published: 2018-02-08 - Modified: 2018-02-08 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/popular-winter-olympic-sports-country/ The World’s Favourite Winter Olympic Sports With the 2018 Winter Olympics just around the corner, sports enthusiasts can gear up for 3 weeks of intense sporting action, world-class competitions and plenty of betting opportunities. The host city for this year’s event is PyeongChang in South Korea. This is the second time the South Koreans have hosted the Winter Olympics, the first being in Seoul in 1988. Despite the freezing temperatures and controversy surrounding the invitees, the event is set to be a major highlight of the 2018 world sporting calendar. Excluding demonstrative sports, athletes in PyeongChang will compete in a total of 15 events on snow and ice. These include everything from skiing to ice hockey, luge to bobsledding, snowboarding to biathlon and many others. In the US and Canada, ice hockey is the most predominant sport. Next to American football, baseball and basketball, it is one of the major US sports with millions of viewers tuning into each game. Russia is also a major proponent of ice hockey as is the two Scandinavian countries of Sweden and Finland. In other parts of the world though, ice hockey is a relatively insignificant winter sport. In Africa for example, curling is the dominant sport with portions of the continent preferring the likes of bobsledding. In the Middle East, India and Southeast Asia, curling enjoys hug popularity while South America and Mexico have bobsledding as their go-to sport. Snowboarding, Luge, Speed Skating and Bobsledding Snowboarding is another popular sport, which is gaining momentum in the US and Canada. In Australia, snowboarding has long enjoyed its place as dominant sports. Iceland and Great Brian also prefer the more modern snowboarding to traditional winter sports. If you are particularly interested in speed skating, Mongolia and China is where you will find the most action skating action. In New Zealand as well as Spain and parts of Eastern Europe, Luge is the dominant sport with athletes competing in all levels. While you may think countries like Russia or Germany would be more into figure skating, it is Japan who is most enamoured with the sport. Figure skating in Japan has risen to become the single largest winter-based sport in the country. Ireland is another country that prefers the more obscure sports, or traditional, depending on how you look at it. In Ireland, ski jumping is the main attraction with the National Ski Jumping squad holding the hopes of the country on their shoulders. 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Within the first 20 minutes, Ramsey found the back of the net twice, once before and once after a headed goal from Laurent Koscielny in the 14th minute. Arsenal’s club record signing, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang also produced the goods on his first day out. While it was hotly debated whether he was offside, Aubameyang made it 4-0 for the Gunners with a clever chip over the keeper in the 37th minute. Being 4 down at half time is a position no team wants to be in. All credit to Everton as they did manage to pull themselves together and put in a worthwhile performance in the second half. It took another 24 minutes of play before any action was seen again, this time through substitute Dominic Calvert-Lewin who found Everton’s consolation goal, much to the delight of weeping Everton fans. The euphoria was short lived though as Ramsey completed his hat-trick 10 minutes later off yet another assist from Henrikh Mkhitaryan. A Perfect Response For Arsenal Arsenal’s performance was a perfect response to their midweek defeat at the hands of Swansea. The side took a bit of flak from supporters and the press with comments that the Gunners defence was weak. This time it was Everton who struggled with their defence. The first half in particular was a shocking display of poor defensive strategy as the back 3 were regularly caught out of position. After scoring in the 6th minute, Ramsey was given far too much space to take on a deflected shot. The result, yet another goal in the 19th minute. Theo Walcott had a go for Everton but was denied by Mustafi with a brilliant block. Aubameyang also had a chance to score early on but had his efforts denied by Jordan Pickford. A few minutes later, he was on the hunt again, this time getting a quick chip over the keeper’s head to impress the fans. The Gunners did drop their level of play after the break though. This gave Everton the time and the space to find their feet with Oumar Niasse striking the post from a Walcott cross. It was only Calvert-Lewis who managed to convert though, taking the score to 4-1 in the 64th before Mkhitaryan got hold of the ball again and set up another beauty for Ramsey. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Nick Foles guided the Philadelphia Eagles to their first ever Super Bowl title with a win over the New England Patriots. Foles received the MVP award. - Published: 2018-02-06 - Modified: 2018-02-06 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/eagles-defeat-patriots-win-super-bowl/ Nick Foles Leads the Eagles to Victory at the Super Bowl LII We all knew the Super Bowl LII was going to be a big game; possibly one of the best of the post season. However, no one predicted the sheer brilliance of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles, leading his team to victory on a night where records tumbled. Fighting off a strong comeback from the Tom Brady-led New England Patriots, the Eagles dug deep and relied on gutsy fourth down plays by coach Doug Pederson and a bit of magic by Foles to secure their first ever Super Bowl Win. As well as leading his side to an unprecedented 41-33 win, Foles became the first NFL player in the history of the sport to throw a touchdown pass and catch a touchdown pass in a Super Bowl. By the end of the game, there was no doubt who would be receiving the Super Bowl most valuable player (MVP). Foles was able to complete 28 of his 43 attempted passes for a total of 373 yards. This included 3 touchdown passes as well as a 1-yard catch. Taken out of context of the Super Bowl, Foles efforts might not have seemed so significant. However, having actually won the Super Bowl, Foles became the first backup quarterback to win since Tom Brady appeared in the Super Bowl some 16 years ago. A Record-Breaking Performance Foles was only called up when the Eagles starting quarterback, Carson Wentz was injured late in the season. Another record he can add to his list of accomplishments is the fact that he became just the 3rd quarterback to win the Super Bowl after starting in fewer than 4 season matches. As a single game, the Super Bowl LII was an astounding achievement in sporting brilliance. The two sides were exceptional in their passing. Combined, they set a record-breaking 1151 yards. This far outstrips the 929-yard record set by the Washington Redskins and Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl some 30 years ago. It was all down to the quarterbacks who were responsible for a combined 878 passing yards, over 100 yards more than the previous record of 750 set in the Super Bowl LI when the Patriots took on Atlanta. The Eagles were the first to take the lead and by halftime, they were 22-12 up. Brady and his team mounted a late comeback and the Eagles were 1 point down with just 7 minutes on the clock. The Eagles bounced back though with tight end Zack Erts planting a crucial touchdown and kicker Jack Elliot capping off the win with a field goal. 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Pengilly said that it was a very dark day for sports as the wrongdoers had been recused and allowed to triumph. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has responded by saying that the evidence in the 28 overturned cases had been inconclusive and that doping could not be proved beyond a shadow of a doubt. The International Olympic Committee stressed the fact that the removal of the suspensions did not mean that these athletes would be invited or permitted to compete in this year’s Winter Olympics in Pyeonchang. Sports Legal System Is Flawed Pengilly says that what has happened with CAS suggests that it was time to take a long and honest look at the sports legal system, as what had happened suggests that fraud and conspiracy has now become acceptable. The suspensions all stem from last year’s ruling during which 43 Russian nationals were banned from competitive sport for life after the IOC cracked down on a state-sponsored doping scheme at the local Sochi Games in 2014. Subsequently, the Oswald Commission had been burdened with the task of investigating the individual cases involved. The inquisition’s findings were troublesome, to say the least. The conclusion was that a state-sponsored doping program had been up and running for a very long time and had served Russian athletes between 2011 and 2015. It basically came down to the state funding a fully-fledged medal-winning conspiracy. Taking The Easy Way Out Pengilly added that the true danger of a process such as this is that it sends the message into the world that it was better to cheat, especially with national help, that to go about winning the hard and fair way, because if you were to get caught, you would come away with minimal consequences and you would still ultimately be allowed to keep competing. The IOC agrees with Pengilly, saying that the decision by the court may end up having a serious impact on world sports and the future struggle against doping. The US Anti-Doping Agency has hit the ball back into the court of the IOC, saying that the organisations inability or refusal to adequately deal with Russia’s attack on fair play has seriously compromised the core values of the Olympic Games. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > On the 7th of Feb, England will take on Australia in the 1st of 2 T20 matches. Having recently won the ODI series, England will look to dominate the hosts. - Published: 2018-02-04 - Modified: 2018-02-04 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/england-vs-australia-first-t20s/ The Upcoming England Australia T20 Series Cricket enthusiasts will be well aware of the fierce rivalry between England and Australia. One need only to look at the Ashes to comprehend just how much the 2 commonwealth nations pride themselves on being the best. We have already gotten a taste of the action so far with the Test series kicking off in November followed on by the 5 match ODI series. In less than a week’s time, the 2 sides will clash again in the first of the 2 T20 matches. Some would argue that Australia are more adaptive to the 5-day format than the big-hitting antics of Twenty20 cricket. Looking back at the Test series, Australia completely dominated the longer version of the game winning 4 out of the 5 matches and drawing the 5th. England didn’t even get a chance to sniff victory. Conversely, England showed great resilience in the ODI series, taking the 1st, 2nd and 3rd matches without much resistance from Australia. It was only in the 4th game that Australia finally got 1 back before England scooped up their 4th win to take the series 4-1. While one cannot directly compare ODI’s or Tests to Twenty20 games, it is looking more likely that England are prepared for the shorter, faster cricket game with pinch hitters and sloggers showing their colours when it counts. Many Australian cricket fans will no doubt be at odds with this prediction simply by looking at how many players got picked up at the IPL auction in January. One would assume that Australia has some pretty powerful weaponry at their disposal. How the Teams Stack Up? All we can do for now is look back at the statistics and decide which team wants it most. England and Australia played their first ODI together back in 2005. Since then, the 2 sides have gone head to head in a T20 format a total of 13 times. Of the 13 games, England have won 5 while Australia have won 7. So there is not much in the stats. In terms of total winning percentage against all cricket nations, England have a win percentage of 50. 54% while Australia are slightly ahead on 52. 12. The 1st T20 match will be played on the 7th of February at the Bellerive Oval. Having the home ground advantage, Australia should have the psychological upper hand and the fans to back them up. 3 days later, the second game will be played at the MCG before New Zealand get a crack at the Brits in Wellington. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Perth Scorchers blasted their way through into the WBBL final by beating the Sydney Thunder by a solid 27 runs at the Optus Stadium on Thursday. - Published: 2018-02-03 - Modified: 2018-02-03 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/wbbl-perth-scorchers-final/ Perth Scorchers Through To WBBL Final The Perth Scorchers have advanced to their second consecutive Women’s Big Bash League series decider. The Scorchers thumped the Sydney Thunder by 27 runs on Thursday at the Optus Stadium during the semi-final. Spinner Emma King took three wickets for the Scorchers, playing a crucial role in helping to bury the Thunder. The Scorchers will now either play the Sydney Sixers or Adelaide Strikers when they venture into the WBBL finals on Sunday. The Scorchers lost last season’s decider to the Sydney Sixers and now may very well be afforded to get their own back, should the chips fall in their favour. Positive Changes For WBBL It will be a while yet before trust is completely restored between the Australian Cricketers’ Association and Cricket Australia, with last year’s bitter pay disputes still fresh in everyone’s memory. But, as things tend to go, one good thing has come out of the almost year-long struggle for ground: the impact on this season’s Women’s Big Bash League. Players used to have to hold down a regular day job as well as meet the demands of having to travel long distances to play and train. It used to be a case of two nights and a morning per week of training, with everything else in life having to fall in behind that as well as the daily 9 to 5 schedule. Now, with the improved figures, players are able to focus on playing full-time and are actually able to make a living off of playing cricket, a privilege which has been enjoyed by the men’s divisions for decades. The fact that players no longer have to schedule training sessions around regular working hours has had a positive spin-off as far as the quality of play is concerned as well. The additional remuneration has also enabled players to pursue additional studies and income-generating activities with the eye on the future as well as eventual retirement. Kristen Beams, captain of the Melbourne Stars, says that huge relief was to be found in seemingly small lifestyle changes. Players were excited for the apparently small luxury of being able to enjoy their evening meals at a reasonable time, instead of getting home after training after already having spent a full day at work and then having to organise yourself and your family. Beams said that the small changes were a big deal to the players and that the women were generally a lot happier all round without all the added pressure of having to juggle day-time pressures with family responsibilities. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Super Bowl LII kicks off on the 4th of February with the New England Patriots taking on the Philadelphia Eagles. Find out how the teams stack up? - Published: 2018-02-02 - Modified: 2018-02-02 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/super-bowl-lii-teams-stack/ The Super Bowl LII Even if you are not an avid American Football fan, the Super Bowl is one game that no self-respecting sports enthusiast is going to miss. At the same time, it is also responsible for the most betting action on a single event anywhere in the world. Coming up on the 4th of February, the Super Bowl LII will kick off at the U. S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This year will mark the 52nd running of the Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles taking on the New England Patriots in an all-out display of grace, ingenuity, action and drama. No matter what your feelings of the teams may be, one thing is for certain; this is going to be one heck of a game. If, like most football fans, you are tired of the same teams dominating the trophy cabinets, then you should be rooting for the Eagles. The eagles had an incredible run this season, finishing off with an incredible record of 13-3. The Eagles Vs. the Patriots To put it into perspective, they were only 1 of 4 teams to achieve this feat. This was a massive improvement for the team compared to the previous two seasons in which they finished with 7-9 records. With 457 points in the bag, the tiebreaker procedures created the opportunity for the Eagles to take the number 1 seed in the playoffs. This is their second year under coach Doug Preston and the Eagles will want to avenge their defeat at the hands of Patriots back in 2004 when they lost the Super Bowl by just 3 points. On the other side of the coin, we have the New England Patriots. There is no doubt that the Patriots have dominated the sport for the last few years and that Tom Brady is the possibly the best quarterback the sport has ever seen. New England finished the regular season with the same record as the Eagles at 13-3. This was the 16th time in 18 seasons the Patriots have managed to pull off this seemingly monumental achievement. In terms of offence, New England led the league with Brady finishing off the season with an astounding 4577 passing yards. According to the experts, and the betting sites, the Patriots are the clear favourites, but anything can happen on the day. 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This coming week sees the start of the popular Six Nations championship. Not only will this give rugby enthusiasts a good dose of action, but also some decent betting opportunism for avid sports punters. The Six Nations Championship dates back to 1883 when it was known as the Home Nations championship consisting of just four teams; these being England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. A few years later in 1910, France joined in the fun and the tournament changed again to the Five Nations Championship. Almost a century later, Italy joined the group and the tournament became the Six Nations. There are no plans to include any other nations at this time. The Action Begins on the 3rd of Feb The Six Nations Championship has a simple point system tournament format. In the tournament, each team plays every other team once making up 15 matches in total. The points system, which changed in 2017 now includes bonus points. If a team loses by more than 7 game points, they will not receive any tournament points. If a team loses by less than 7 points, they will receive 1 tournament point. If there is a draw, each team receives 2 points. The winning team receives 4 points and if the winning team wins with 4 or more tries, they get a bonus point. After all 15 games have been played; the team with the most points wins the championship. If a team manages to win every one of their games, they are awarded the Grand Slam trophy. For Home Nations teams, the Triple Crown is awarded if the team goes undefeated against other Home Nations. Last year, England was looking for a clean sweep, having taken the Championships before the final round. However, in their final game they lost to Ireland, robbing them of the Triple Crown and the Grand Slam. The 2018 Six Nations Championship kicks off on the 3rd of February where Wales will be taking on Scotland in Cardiff and France will be taking on Ireland in Saint-Denis (France). TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Davis Cup first round kicks off on the 2nd of Feb. We take a look at the tournament format and what to expect when Australia take on Germany. - Published: 2018-01-31 - Modified: 2018-01-31 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/davis-cup-expect-first-round/ Davis Cup First Round Action While tennis enthusiasts are recovering from the thrill of the Australian Open, there is a lot more tennis to look forward to this year and plenty of betting opportunities on the horizon. Coming up in less than a week’s time is the first round of the Davis Cup where 16 teams face off in locations around the world. For those who are unfamiliar with the tournament, the Davis Cup is considered to be the World Cup of men’s tennis. The female equivalent is the Fed Cup that offers countries another chance to stamp their dominance on the sport. The Davis Cup dates back more than a century with the first official tournament taking place in 1900. The tournament came about when the Harvard University tennis team challenged the British to an international tennis tournament. Fast-forward 100 years and the Davis Cup has become the most anticipated annual tennis tournament for countries all around the world. The main Davis Cup tournament consists of 16 teams called the World Group and are seeded according to ITF rankings and results of the previous year. The winner and runner of the previous tournament will always be seeded first and second. As the winners of the 2017 tournament, France holds the top seed while Belgium are seeded 2nd as the runners up. The other 14 teams include Australia, Canada, Croatia, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland and the United States. Australia Take on Germany in Brisbane First Round Davis Cup action will kick off on the 2nd of Feb and run to the 4th of Feb. For New Zealand punters, the highlight will be Australia taking on Germany in Brisbane. Lleyton Hewitt has already spoken to the press about his confidence in his team and the threat of the mighty Germans. While he has yet to reveal who will be joining Nick Kyrgios in the singles, he has the option of Alex De Minaur, John Millman, and Jordan Thompson to fall back on. There is also the belated inclusion of Matt Ebden to the five-man squad. While Brisbane residents will get a front row seat to the action, the other 14 teams will face off in Albertville France, Morioka Japan, Marbella Spain, Astana Kazakhstan, Osijek Croatia, Nis Serbia and Liege in Belgium. The winners of each tie will progress to the quarterfinals in April. 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As it turns out, 18 runs were all that was needed for the visitors to take down the mighty Black Caps, win the series and leapfrog New Zealand as the number 1 ranked T20 side in the World. Batting first, Pakistan quickly realised that it was a friendly wicket and racked up a total of 181 runs in their allotted 20 overs. At the top of the order, it was Fakhar Zaman who got the team going, hitting 46 runs of 36 balls. After a slight slump in the middle order, Umar Amin as able to lead a late charge, picking up another 58 runs in the final 4 over. However ready New Zealand felt for the run chance, they Black Caps only managed to scrape together 163 runs for 6 wickets in their 20 overs. The defeat at the hands of the Pakistanis followed shortly after a massive 48-run loss in the second game of the series. This was a shock to most as New Zealand easily took the one-day series and all but demolished the visitors in the first T20. A Lazy Chase and the End of a Winning Streak The two defeats come at a time when New Zealand were riding high on a 13-match winning streak in every format of the game against both Pakistan and the West Indies. While it was bound to happen sometime, the loss of World No 1 status is hard to accept and understandably puts a damper on the preparation for next month’s triangular series against England and Australia. The Architect of New Zealand’s downfall was Zaman, and whether you believe he was caught out fairly or not matters little, owing to the fact that he got the ball rolling and while Amin did his bit at the end. When New Zealand came out to bat, it almost appeared as if they were not mentally prepared for the 9 an over run required run rate. Things got intense when Kane Williamson was dismissed for 9, while the stoic Martin Guptill was the only one able to push the bowlers around a bit. By the time Guptill departed on 59, the required rate jumped to 13. 57. Ross Taylor put in a brave effort, and for an instant it looked like a comeback was possible. But in the end, it was just a task too big for the Black Caps who were left short and wanting. 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Afghanistan may have been considered to be on the rise as far as especially junior cricket goes, but it was certainly not anywhere near the cards that they would beat New Zealand by a land-slide. Worst of all, New Zealand had a really strong start to the tournament. Now all that’s left is to sit in the corner of contemplation, perplexed at what had gone wrong. Mujeeb Zadran Emerges As Chief Destroyer A total of four players made it all the way to between 60 and 70 for Afghanistan, with Azmatullah Omarzai planting the final death stake in the chest of the New Zealand side by smashing up a total of seven sixes. Spin-bowler Mujeeb Zadran proved to be the chief destroyer of New Zealand’s peace by sticking it to New Zealand batsmen Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra and Jakob Bhula. No one managed to pass 13 runs, leaving New Zealand’s hope in pieces. New Zealand finally got to go home after Afghanistan played every last man out for 107 runs. Pakistan Smashes South Africa’s Hopes If there is going to be a sympathetic ear listening to New Zealand’s plight, then it will be that of South Africa. Pakistan on Wednesday smashed the South Africans’ hopes and dreams by winning their match in Christchurch by 3 wickets. Batsman and wicket-keeper Wandile Makwetu gave it all he had but could only manage 60 off of 65 balls. No one else came even close to Makwetu’s already average overall performance. In Pakistan’s corner of the fight, it was a different ball-game altogether. Ali Zaryab Asif stole the day for Pakistan, with 74 not out off 111 balls. Given Pakistan’s recent history, no one expected it to be a straightforward and uncomplicated chase. Zaryab struggled at first, but finally found a worthy ally in Saad Khan, who proved able to provide the much-needed necessary support. It would seem that the decision to bowl first was a good one on Pakistan’s part, despite the fact that there was some uncertainty as to how the pitch would play. If Hassan Khan had his hopes on making early inroads then disappointment at the outcome certainly was a long way off. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The highlight of the British Basketball season is here. The BBL Cup finals will see the Worcester Wolves take on the Cheshire Phoenix on the 28th of Jan. - Published: 2018-01-28 - Modified: 2018-01-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/upcoming-bbl-cup-finals/ The BBL Cup Finals Basketball is one of the most exciting team sports for both fans and sports punters alike. While the NBA usually dominates the betting action, the British Basketball League certainly holds its own. We are currently halfway through the season and all eyes are now focused on the BBL Cup. For those who are new to British Basketball. The BBL runs two peripheral competitions outside of the main championship league; these being the BBL Trophy and the BBL Cup. About the BBL The BBL Cup was first contested in 2003 and is organised by the UK’s top professional basketball league. The Cup runs during the Championship regular season and perfectly showcases the individual talents of the players and the achievements of the teams in a more condensed format. Unlike the Championship league, which is based on points, the BBL Cup is a knockout tournament with a draw to determine which teams are matched up in the first round. There are a total of 12 teams competing for the title in 2018. If there are an uneven number of teams in any year, the higher-ranking teams will be offered byes for certain rounds. The BBL Cup culminates in the Cup final that takes place in January each year. Last year, in the 2016/2017 season, the Newcastle Eagles picked up their third consecutive win, beating the Glasgow rocks by 91 points to 83. The Eagles have the best win record in the Cup with a total of 5 wins and they were runners up 3 times. Worcester Wolves Take on the Cheshire Phoenix On the 28th of January, history will be made as the Worcester Wolves take on the Cheshire Phoenix at the Barclaycard Arena in Birmingham. Neither team have won the BBL Cup before, so this promises to be an exciting matchup on both sides. The Wolves will be looking to use their incredible depth with players like Trayvon Palmer, George Beamon and Brandon Parrish doing the heavy lifting. As for the Phoenix, they are back in the BBL for the first time since 2010 and will be feeling confined with Orland Jackman taking point. Jackman has a good record in the BBL and was a Cup winner with the Eagles last year. The Phoenix also has CJ Getty’s the young basketball star who has been tearing up the court since completing his rookie season. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > As they head into the FA Cup Fourth Round, Manchester City has acquired centre-back Aymeric Laporte. They may have put one over on rivals Liverpool. - Published: 2018-01-27 - Modified: 2018-01-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/football-man-city-buys-laporte/ Manchester City Buys Laporte for 70M Euros The shenanigans that go on in the top echelons of club football never cease to amaze. As they prepare for their FA Cup Fourth Round away game against Cardiff City on Sunday, English club Manchester City has finalised the purchase of centre back Aymeric Laporte for 65-million Euros, plus 5-million Euros in development rights. The Frenchman has been playing for Atletico Bilbao since 2010, but City took advantage of the transfer window to snap him up. He was way more expensive than the other three Bilbao players that City were considering bidding for, so the Manchester side is obviously confident he’ll improve their prospects. Liverpool Opted for Pricier Van Dijk Here’s the twist. Back in the summer transfer window, when City’s perennial rivals Liverpool first tried to buy Dutch centre back Virgil van Dijk from Southampton, the club complained because Liverpool went to the player first. It took six months more before the Scousers could secure their aim and affect Van Dijk’s transfer for more than 85-million Euros. But during the summer transfer window, Jurgen Klopp also had another centre back in his sights: Laporte, who at the time would have cost 65-million Euros according to the buy-out clause in his contract. Klopp decided to wait until he could get Van Dijk for Liverpool instead, and pay 20-million Euros more. Will the two centre backs’ future performances justify a 20-million Euros price difference? We’ll have to watch their progress in the FA Cup to find out, but the true test will be the next time Man City and Liverpool face each other. Liverpool Plays West Brom Kiwi punters can check out City’s form against Cardiff on Sunday, and Liverpool play their FA Cup Fourth Round match at home against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, in the closing match of the day. Both Manchester City and Liverpool are odds-on to win their respective weekend clashes. Each is being offered at online sports betting sites at around $0. 33. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2018 NFL Pro Bowl kicks off on the 28th of January. We take a look at the history of this famous game, the rules and why the game is so exciting? - Published: 2018-01-26 - Modified: 2018-01-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/2018-pro-bowl-nfl-game/ The 2018 Pro Bowl Round Up American football is one of the most popular online betting sports with punters all over the world betting on season games. This coming week, the betting heats up as we look forward to the 2018 Pro Bowl. For those not too familiar with the NFL, the Pro Bowl is an All-Star game, which sees the best players from the National Football Conference (NFC) take on the superstars of the American Football Conference (NFC) in a season-ending football extravaganza. The Origins of the Pro Bowl The Pro Bowl takes place a week before the Super Bowl as a kind of season-ending homage to the players that have thrilled us throughout the season. It also gives fans one last chance to see their favourite players in action and one more opportunity to bet online. The concept of an All-Star game came about in the 1930’s; however, it wasn’t until the 1950’s that the game started gaining real momentum. Swapping to the Team-Based Format In 2013, the Pro Bowl got a shakeup with the removal of conference-specific sides. From 2013 to 2015, the teams were chosen by the coaches, the fans as well as the players themselves. However, after three seasons, the format reverted back to the NFC versus the AFC as fans enjoyed the rivalry more than the random choosing of teams. The game itself has mostly been held at the Aloha Stadium in Hawaii but has since moved to the Camping World Stadium in Orlando Florida. All-Out Action in January In the Pro Bowl, there are no Kick-offs, with each team starting on their own 25-yard line. The game also does away with the so-called Blitzes, which is usually where wide receivers get the opportunity to pull off massive touchdowns. Each point has to be created from scratch. The game also does away with call challenges, making it more flowing and enjoyable. Since its inception, the Pro Bowl has been won a total of 36 times by the NFC and 28 times by the AFC. While it may look like the odds favour the NFC, we have to consider that last year’s winners were the AFC, beating their rivals by 20 points to 13 at the same venue scheduled for the upcoming game. This year, the 2018 Pro Bowl will take place on the 28th of January at the Camping World Stadium and will be televised live around the globe. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2018 Pegasus World Cup will take place on the 27th of January 2018. Find out all about the world’s richest race and who will be competing this year. - Published: 2018-01-25 - Modified: 2018-01-25 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/2018-pegasus-world-cup/ Gearing Up for the 2018 Pegasus World Cup In the world of horse racing, the purse often determines the quality of the runners and the success of the event. Before 2017, the Dubai World Cup was known to have the highest purse and so attracted a throng of elite runners from around the world. Then came the inaugural running of the Pegasus World Cup. First run on the 28th of January 2017 at Gulfstream Park in Florida, the Pegasus World Cup is an American Thoroughbred horse race open to all horses four years old and up. The race is run on dirt over a distance of nine furlongs, which translates to 1 1/8 miles. When it was first run in 2017, the Pegasus World Cup offered a purse of $12 million, making it officially the richest race in the world, surpassing the Dubai World cup. In this race, all the entrants carry 56kg with a 3-pound allowance for fillies and mares. Named after the mythical horse whose statue stands in Gulfstream Park, the Pegasus World Cup is the brainchild of Frank Stronach who proposed the idea an owner’s conference in 2016. The Richest Race in the World The idea to run the race in late January was simply because the date would not interfere with the preparation and running of the Breeders Cup as well as the Dubai World Cup. It also allowed trainers to get in one more race before the North American breeding season kicks off in Feb. The format for the Pegasus World Cup is slightly different to most races. In this case, 12 shareholders pay in $1 million for a position in the game and an unspecified horse. The shareholder or shareholders then have the ability to lease, contract or race a starter or sell their shares in the game. If the horse wins or places, shareholders have an equal share in the net income of the race. The 2017 Pegasus World Cup officially carried a Grad 1 status with 12 entrants vying for the ultimate prize. What the race boiled down to, was a final match-up between the two-time American horse of the year, California Chrome and the IFHA World’s Best Racehorse of 2016 in the form of Arrogate. In the end Arrogate swept to victory, drawing a lead of five lengths over Shaman Ghost. The 2018 Line-up This year, there are 11 confirmed entries for the 2018 Pegasus World Cup. After winning the 2017 Breeders Cup Classic, Gun Runner is the firm favourite for the race, even though it was announced that the horse would officially retire after the Pegasus. Collected who won the Pacific Classic has the second best odd while West Coast who won the Travers is also in the running. Gun Runner odds 4/6 Collected odds 5/1 West Coast odds 7/1 Sharp Azteca odds 8/1 Toast of New York odds 16/1 Giant Expectations odds 20/1 Gunnevera odds 20/1 Seeking the Soul odds 20/1 Stellar Wind odds 25/1 Fear the Cowboy odds 33/1 War Story odds 50/1 TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2018 Aspen X Games gets underway on the 25th of Jan. We take a look at the event line-up for Aspen as well as events that will make their debut. - Published: 2018-01-24 - Modified: 2018-01-24 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/2018-winter-x-games/ The 2018 Aspen X Games On the 25th of January, the world’s premier action sports competition will kick off at Aspen Snowmass in Colorado. The 2018 Aspen X Games marks the 17th running of the prestigious action event and will be filled with high action sports, impressive stunts, music as well as an interactive winter village experience for those lucky enough to attend. The four-day event will see the world’s top Snowmobile, Ski, Snowboard, and Snow Bike athletes compete in 17 various disciplines that will be televised and streamed around the globe. For sports enthusiasts and punters, the X Games provides the ideal opportunity to get in on some serious sports betting action. Each year, the number of disciplines increases with new and exciting events getting added to the roster. Debuting in 2017, the Snow BikeCross event proved to be an absolute winner with the athletes and the spectators. This year, the Snow Bike will get even more action with the addition of Snow Bike best Trick. The Introduction of the Harley-Davidson Snow Hill Climb Another exciting event to debut in 2018 is the Harley-Davidson snow hill climb. This is not just a matter of taking a standard Harley and racing it over a length of flat snow. For starters, the race bikes are purpose built Harley-Davidson motorcycles with an extended swing arm and a modified twin-cylinder engine. In this event, riders will line up side-by-side and race up the flat bottom section of the X Games SuperPipe course. The first rider clearing the line at the top of the course will take the win. The event will see athletes compete in preliminary rounds, qualifiers and then the finals with bronze, silver and gold medals award for the top 3 places. X Games Events For those who are thinking about betting online, the X Games is broken up into four main Disciplines including Ski, Snowboard, Snowmobile and Snow Bike. Each discipline requires a unique talent and years of dedication to the sport. Each event has a men’s and women’s completion that is run separately. The Ski discipline features the following events: Big Air Slopestyle Superpipe The Snowmobile discipline includes the following events: Free Style Speed and Style The Snowboard discipline includes the following events: Slopestyle Superpipe Big Air The Snow Bike discipline includes the following events: Snow Bike best trick Snow BikeCross Speed and Style Freestyle TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-finals takes place on the 23rd and 24th of Jan. We take a look at how the teams got to where they are now. - Published: 2018-01-23 - Modified: 2018-01-23 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/carabao-cup-semi-final-second-leg/ The 2018 Carabao Cup Semi-Finals The Caraboa Cup Final is coming up on the 25th of February, but before that all-important evet takes place, we need to get through the semi-finals. Many football fans will be well acquainted with the Carabao Cup, but for those who aren’t, here is a quick rundown. Officially known as the EFL Cup, the 2017/2018 tournament got its name from the main sponsor “Carabao Energy Drinks”. This year marks the 58th running of the competition that is open to all 92 football clubs that participate in the English Football League and the Premier League. The way in which clubs qualify for the tournament vary depending on their position in the European league and Premier League. Any team currently playing the European League can enter in the third round. This year, 7 teams have this honour. Teams involved in the Premier League can jump in from the second round while the rest have to start from Round 1. The Qualifying Rounds A total of 70 teams participated in the first round of the Caraboa Cup. These teams were split Norther and Southern teams and matched up according to geographic location. Most of these matches were played in August of 2017. The second round which included 13 Premier League teams were whittled down to a total of 50 clubs with most of the matches being played in late August. The third round included the 7 European League teams and involved 32 clubs. By the fourth round, the number of clubs had reduced to 16, with all the matches being played in late October. The Carabao Cup quarterfinals took place on the 19th and 20th of December with just eight teams remaining. These included Arsenal, Man City, Chelsea, Man United, Bournemouth, Bristol City, West Ham and Leicester City. All to Play for in January The quarterfinals turned out to be more exciting than fans would have thought. The biggest upset came with Manchester United going down to Bristol City 2-1, however, both Chelsea and Arsenal won their games making it through to the semis. The semi-finals of the Carabao Cup is split into two legs. In the first leg, one of the teams plays at home and in the second leg, they play away. On the 9th of Jan, Manchester City played at home, beating Bristol City 2-1. On the 10th of Jan, Chelsea played Arsenal on their home ground but neither team were able to score. The second leg of the semi-finals takes place on the 23rd and the 24th which will decide the two teams playing in the final. 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Last week, the Red Bull Holden Racing team unveiled their new paint scheme for the upcoming season, which will be flaunted in all its colourful glory by defending champ Jamie Whincup along with New Zealand favourite Shane van Gisbergen as they compete in the 2018 championship. Against the backdrop of the Sydney opera house, Red Bull’s new livery was revealed on a beautiful Sydney afternoon where the cameras could pick up all the nuances of colour and bold statements that epitomise the team’s future endeavours for 2018. Taking a departure from their usual corporate colour scheme, the press was instead greeted with a prominent amount of white paint mixed in with the familiar blue of Red Bull. It has to be said that the livery bears a striking resemblance to the colour scheme used by Volkswagen in 2016 during the World Rally Championship. It would make sense though as Red Bull were there sponsors at the time. Despite the fact that the season kicks off in less just over a month, this is only the third livery to be released so far. In recent weeks both 23Red Racing and Preston Hire Racing unveiled their war paint. The New and Improved Holden ZB Commodore That being said, this was the first time that punters were actually able to view the new and improved Holden ZB Commodore Supercar with or without the paint. The car will also be the first entry into the series since the more popular VF Commodore Supercar replaced it after production shut down last year. What makes this car stand out is the fact that it is the first hatchback to be raced by Holden at a top-level series since the 1970’s when they competed with the Holden Torana A9x. Racing fans will have fond memories of the A9x as the car driven by Peter Brock and Jim Richards when they won the Bathurst 1000 in 1979. The Holden is not without controversy though. Since revealing that it would be powered by twin-turbo V6 engine, the racing community have had a few words to say about it. While the changeover from the V8 unit is still slow at best, it is expected that teams will be adopting the V6 unit by the start of the 2019 season. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The biggest Australian Open scalp collected by the end of Round 2 was Garbine Muguruza’s. The Spanish third seed lost to Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-Wei in straight sets. - Published: 2018-01-21 - Modified: 2018-01-21 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/muguruza-australian-open/ Muguruza Out in Early Australian Open Upset Spanish-Venezuelan Swiss resident Garbine Muguruza became the highest-ranked casualty of Round 2 in the Australian Open on Thursday. The 2016 French Open and 2017 Wimbledon champion, seeded third in Melbourne, was unceremoniously dumped from the women’s singles by Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-Wei in straight sets at the Rod Laver Arena. It was a hard-fought match, with Muguruza doggedly battling her way to a tie-breaker in the first set, but she then lost it 7-1. Hsieh took the next set 6-4, and sent the Spaniard on her way. Previously, the highest women’s singles seed to fall had been Venus Williams at number 5, who succumbed to Belinda Bencic in Round 1. Federer Through Round 1 Unscathed At the time of writing, reigning Australian Open champion Roger Federer was yet to play his second-round match. However, given that the Swiss legend dispatched Slovenia’s Ajaz Bedine 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 in Round 1, it would be a huge upset if the tournament’s second seed couldn’t overcome Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff in Round 2. The biggest casualty in the men’s seeds by the end of play on Thursday had been eighth seed Jack Sock. The American was beaten 6-1, 7-6, 5-7, 6-3 by Japanese world number 41 Yuichi Sugita in Round 1. Djokovic Denies Rumours of Player Revolt There has been plenty of drama off the court as well. After a meeting of the Player’s Council last Friday, at which only players were allowed, rumours began swirling that council president Novak Djokovic was pushing for a player boycott of the Open, to signal players’ displeasure at the way revenues from the four Grand Slams are divided. The Serbian 14th seed later denied these rumours, saying that although the division of Grand Slam revenues was one of several issues that had been discussed, the meeting was more a sharing of opinions to see where all the players stood, and that no boycott was ever proposed. Djokovic’s version was confirmed by South African Kevin Anderson, the Players Council vice-president, who told reporters that the discussion about revenues was more about how to secure a better income for players ranked from 100 to 200, as the Top 100 players were doing fine financially, but there is a major drop-off in revenue among the next 100 ranked players. 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So their unapologetic South Americanness won’t be allowed to soil the pristine snows of Massachusetts. Still, there are gaming fans and online punters who might be calling karma on the whole sorry saga. To put it bluntly, the team formed by retired US Call of Duty legend Matthew ‘Nadeshot’ Haag in December 2017 had blatantly bought its way into the competition. The three players who hit visa problems, Henrique ‘Hen1’ Teles, Lucas ‘Lucas1’ Teles and Vito ‘KNG’ Giuseppe, were snapped up recently from team Immortals, which they had quit after a lengthy dispute. However, Valve rules allowed the three to take the Immortals’ qualification spot with them, which is how 100 Thieves gained entry to the eLeague Major Boston in the first place. Team Liquid Moves to New Legends Stage Their were 16 teams competing in the New Challengers stage: eight regional minors champions against the lower eight from the last major, with Team Liquid replacing 100 Thieves at the last minute. Team Liquid would eventually prove triumphant, beating Kazakhstan team AVANGAR 19-15 on the CSGO Mirage map in the decider. Next up for the New Challengers victors, as well as the next five top New Challengers teams, is the New Legends stage, from January 19-22. There are 16 teams left in the New Legends stage, including popular legends of the game like Natus Vincere (Na’Vi), SK Gaming, Virtus. pro, Gambit Esports and Astralis. Apart from Team Liquid, the New Challengers survivors through to this stage are Cloud 9, FaZe Clan, G2 Esports, Vega Squadron and Space Soldiers. The eight top teams from the New Legends stage will go through to the final Champions stage. The championship will be decided from January 26-28 in Boston’s Agganis Arena. 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To say that Adams had a good day would be a bit of an understatement. The 24-year-old scored an impressive 21 points from 10-12 shooting along with a solid 10 rebounds and he recorded his third straight double-double for the season. Adams alone, racked up a total of seven defensive rebounds, one higher than the entire Lakers team put together who only managed to scrape together six. He also had more offensive rebounds than the Lakers could produce in total. All this added up to a fairly easy win for the Thunder as they coasted their way past the Lakers for their third straight win. Sitting out the fourth quarter, Adams was the second highest scorer for the Thunder behind Carmelo Anthony who racked up 27 points and whose imposing presence was too much for Lakers rookie Kyle Kuzma to contend with. From the early stages of the match, it was clear that OKC were in control as they executed what was essentially one their most complete performances of the season so far. An Impressive Performance from the Entire Team At the end of the first quarter, the Thunder were leading 33 points to 25, but the gap was slowly whittled down by half time, giving the Lakers some form of hope. If Los Angeles thought they could make a comeback in the second half, those thoughts were quickly shut down as OKC put on another 22 points to secure a well-deserved win. It was a performance in which the entire team contributed. In fact, all but one player put the ball through the basket, a feat that has not gone unnoticed. Following Adams lead, as many as nine Thunder players secured an additional possession and at least one offensive rebound. Looking at the numbers, this would make it the third match in a row in which seven OKC players gathered in an offensive rebound. With another win in the bag, the Thunder has a bit of momentum ahead of their big clash with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The IPL auction is coming up at the end of January. This year, 30 New Zealand cricketers have put their names down for the big franchise auction. - Published: 2018-01-18 - Modified: 2018-01-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/30-new-nz-cricketers-sign-ipl-auction/ 30 NZ Cricketers Put their Names In for the IPL Auction The Indian Premier League, more commonly known as the IPL is the largest and most prolific Twenty20 franchise cricket tournament in the world. It is also one of the most lucrative for both the players and the teams. Unlike Australia’s Big Bash League or New Zealand’s Super Smash, the IPL attracts players from all over the world, hoping to get in on the action as well as the very lucrative contracts. Kicking off on the 4th of April, the IPL runs until the 31st of May in which time the cricketing world stops what they are doing and glues themselves to their respective screens. Within the IPL, each team is allowed a certain percentage of non-Indian players, which usually consists of the best batsman and bowlers from the top cricketing nations. Unless under contract, players are bought at the IPL auction at the end of January. Anderson and McCullum Set their Reserve at Maximum This year, 30 New Zealand players have registers for the IPL auction with both Corey Anderson and Brendon McCullum pricing themselves among the world’s best. According to the tournament organisers, Australia has the highest number of non-domestic players interested with 58. South Africa is also planning on entering 57 players in the Auction while the West Indies and Sri Lanka have 39 players hoping to be snapped up. Including domestic players, there are a total of 1122 players who have put their names down for the 11th edition of the upcoming tournament. Most of the names have not been made public, giving the eight franchises time to assess their potential team lists beforehand. Of the New Zealanders, former Black Caps captain, Brendon McCullum and top allrounder, Corey Anderson have set their reserve at the maximum of $NZ435,000. This is a risky move for Anderson particularly as he has not played a single match for six months after undergoing back surgery to repair a stress fracture. Other big names entering the auction later this month is England’s Ben Stokes, the legendary Chris Gayle, as well as three of Australia’s best pace bowlers in Josh Hazelwood, Pat Cumming and Mitchell Starc. Kane Williamson and Trent Boult Hoping to be Snapped Up In 2017, eleven New Zealanders played in the IPL, however, none of them were retained buy their franchise and must go back on auction. New Zealand seamer, Trent Boult has set his reserve price just below the maximum at $325,500; so too did Black Caps captain Kane Williamson. Meanwhile Mitchell McClenaghan and Tim Southee are hoping to catch the eye of the teams with a reserve at $217,000. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Day one of the Australian Open saw the loss of nine American Woman. Of the 10 that stepped onto court, only Nicole Gibbs progressed to round 2. - Published: 2018-01-17 - Modified: 2018-01-17 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/us-women-struggle-australian-open/ US Players Topple at the Australia Open Day one at the 2018 Australia Open had many shocking moments, but most the most striking was the near annihilation of the American contingent in the women’s competition. Of the ten US woman who stepped onto court, only Nicole Gibbs progressed to round two while the others fell by the wayside. These included big names like 5th seed Venus Williams, US Open champ, Sloan Stephens and Coco Vandeweghe. It was just a few months ago that Americans topped all four positions in the US Open semi-finals, so it was a strange occurrence to see the US stars tumble. Venus Williams was last year’s runner up, only losing to her sister Serina in the finals. This time, she went up against an unseeded Belinda Bencic. Speaking to the press, Williams said she didn’t play a bad match, it was just that Bencic played above and beyond. Bencic looked in great shape after recovering from a wrist injury. Her time away from court resulted in her ranking drop down to No78. Bencic seemed in control for most of the match. Even when rain delayed her fight back after saving five break points, she was able to find her rhythm again under the roof of Rod Laver Arena and take the next six straight points. Bencic Too Good for Venus Both players traded breaks in the second set before Bencic stepped up the pace. Bencic was able to take chances and open up her free hitting while Williams was closed down at every turn. While Bencic has never seemed to trouble Williams before, she managed to convert 5 of her 12 chances into a dominating performance. Sofie Kenin was another US casualty. The Russian-born teenager, who now plays in Florida, went up against 12th seed Julia Görges. Kenin was simply no match for the German who powered past her in straight sets. Jenifer Brady, who is currently No65 in the world looked to be on track when she won her first set against Pole Magda Linette. However, Linette fought back and took the game 2-6, 6-4,6-3. Taylor Townsend went up against Slovakia’s Magdalena Rybarikova. After a disastrous first set, Townsend put up a bit of a fight in the second, but was unable to stop Rybarikova who took the game 6-0,7-5. Meanwhile Cici Bellis put up a brave fight against Dutch player Kiki Bertens but ultimately fell in the third. The final match of the day, Irena Falconi manged to win just two games against Australia’s Daria Gavrilova who took the match 6-1, 6-1. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Liverpool have officially ended Manchester City’s undefeated run at the Premier League. Playing at Anfield the hosts downed the log leaders 4 goals to 3. - Published: 2018-01-16 - Modified: 2018-01-16 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/liverpool-defeat-man-city-4-3-anfield/ Liverpool Ends Manchester City’s Run in the Premier League Manchester City has fallen at the hands of their old rivals, Liverpool. After enjoying an extended run of undefeated brilliance, City went down 4-3 at Anfield, a ground where they have achieved just a single win in the past 37 years. It all fell apart at the hour mark where Liverpool scored three quick goals to stun City in submission. After almost an hour of play, the scores were locked at one all. Liverpool went on the attack again, giving Roberto Firmino the chance to chip over the goalkeeper’s head and regain the lead. Two minutes later, Sadio Mane blasted a rising shot into the top of the net. Mohamed Salah then put the nail in the coffin, capitalising on a particularly poor clearance from Ederson in the 68th. Each of the three goals came about as a result of defence errors; this from a team that produced the highest defence rate in the league so far. It wasn’t all bad for City fans as they threatened potential comeback with Bernardo Silva scoring in the 84th minute and Ilkay Gundogan in stoppage time. Had there been enough time, Manchester City might just have levelled the game. Liverpool managed to hold onto their lead though end City’s undefeated run. Nine Minutes of Goal Hysteria Going into the game, City has won a total of 20 games and drawn 2. They were looking so strong that people started believing they had the ability to emulate Arsenal’s amazing feat of 2003-2004 when the “Invincibles” conquered the league. To be fair, Liverpool was always going to be Man City’s toughest opponents. This was clearly evident when the hosts drew first blood in the 9th minute. The last time City won at Anfield was in 2003, which ended an 18-year drought at the grounds. The way Manchester City started the game, it was almost as if they could feel the power of history catching up on them. Liverpool hounded the visitors from the get go with Raheem Sterling taking the brunt of the force. After Man City equalised, it felt as if Liverpool deserved to be ahead and it took almost an hour for the action to spark up again. When it did, the crowd were stunned with three madcap goals coming in the space of just nine minutes. City’s defence were unable to stem the tide and fell apart at the seams. Even with the brave 2-goal comeback, the damage had been done and everyone knew it. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2018 Florida Cup kicked off on the 10th of January. We take a look at the football tournament details, the teams and what has happened so far. - Published: 2018-01-15 - Modified: 2018-01-15 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/news-updates-florida-cup/ Florida Cup Details and Updates Football is one of the most popular spectator sports in New Zealand and across the world. It is also one of the few sports where punters can place bets on matches throughout the year. From local matches to friendlies, European League matches to British football, there are endless betting opportunities for those who follow the sport. One of the more intriguing tournaments happening right now is the Florida Cup. For those who are not familiar with this mini tournament, here are the details: The Florida Cup is an International mid-season football tournament held in Florida in the USA. More specifically, the tournament is held in four stadium locations in Orlando, St Petersburg and Lauderhill. The stadiums include the Orlando City Stadium, the Central Broward Stadium, the Spectrum Stadium and the Al Lang Stadium. Who’s Taking Part? The 2018 Florida Cup is the fourth successful running of the tournament. Previous winners include international Bundesliga clubs Cologne and Wolfsburg. The tournament kicked off on the 10th of January and will run to the 20th so there is plenty of action to look forward to. There are eight international teams competing in this year’s Cup including Atletico Mineiro from Brazil. Barcelona SC from Ecuador, the Rangers from Scotland, PSV from Holland, Corinthians from Brazil, Atletico Nacional from Colombia, Fluminense from Brazil and Legia Warsaw from Poland. Each of the eight Florida Cup teams will play two games over the 10-day period in January. Instead of having a playoff round with semi-finals and finals, the tournament works on a point system. In each game, the winning team receives 3 points. If there is a draw, each team gets a single point and a penalty shootout is played. The winner of the penalty shootout is awarded one extra point. At the end of the tournament, the team with the most points wins the Florida Cup title. If two or more teams end up on level points at the end of the tournament, the winner is decided on number the number of wins, then the goal difference, total number of goals scored and finally the number of goals conceded. Corinthians Defeat PSV on Penalties The tournament kicked off with Corinthians taking on PSV Eindhoven at the Orlando City stadium. The Brazilian side drew first blood with midfielder Rodriguinho slotting in a first half goal. PSV failed to find a way to hit back but were given a lifeline just seconds before the final whistle. Sam Lammers slotted in the equaliser in stoppage time, which forced the game to penalties. The shootout went the way of the Brazilians who take an extra point for the match. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Croatia hosts the 2018 EHF European Men's Handball Championship from January 12-28. The Swedes are after a fifth title, while Spain are chasing their first. - Published: 2018-01-14 - Modified: 2018-01-14 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/handball/euro-mens-handball-champs-start/ 2018 EHF European Men's Handball Championship Starts Chastened only slightly by the realisation that their tournament logo looks remarkably like a plump, middle-aged matron attempting rhythmic gymnastics, organisers got the 2018 EHF European Men's Handball Championship underway in Croatia on January 12. This may surprise any Kiwi punters who assumed handball was a football offence, which of course it is. It’s also a recognised team sport. Played with a ball the size of a large grapefruit, it has similar dribbling and travelling rules to basketball or netball, but players need to throw the ball past a goalkeeper into a scaled-down football goal, rather than a basket, to score. 2018 marks the second time that Croatia has hosted the biennial tournament, which has been running since 1994. The Balkan republic on the Adriatic Sea also played host in 2000. This year, the action will be divvied up between the Zatika Sport Centre in Porec, the Varazdin Arena in Varazdin, the Spaladium Arena in coastal tourist mecca Split, and the Arena Zagreb in the eponymous capital. Sweden Holds Tournament Record As can be imagined, handball is a minority sport all over the world, but it does have quite a following across Europe, particularly in the northern regions. It’s almost always played indoors, which makes it attractive in places with long, icy winters. The most successful team to date in the EHF European Men's Handball Championship has been Sweden, winning the inaugural 1994 tournament in Portugal and then taking the title three times in a row from 1998 to 2002. France has won the tournament three times: in 2006, 2010 and 2014. Denmark and Germany have two titles each, with Russia accounting for the remaining championship, which they won in 1996. Spain Ever the Bridesmaid Spain hold the record of finishing as runner-up four times, coming second to Russia in 1996 and Sweden in 1998, and losing the final to France in 2006 and Germany in 2016. They have never won the tournament, however, and since they’re the top seed in Group D with Denmark, Hungary and Czech Republic, Spanish fans are hoping this will be their year. Reigning champs Germany are the threat in Group C, alongside Macedonia, Slovenia and Montenegro, while France tops a Group B that includes Belarus, Austria and Norway. Hosts Croatia look like the strongest side in Group A, which they share with Sweden, Serbia and Iceland. 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But warm or not, the Scottish soccer giants won’t be letting the friendly status of the Florida Cup blunt their edge. Coach Graeme Murty has promised his players a tough working fortnight, and disappointed any who thought they were in Orlando for ‘a jolly’. This year’s tournament is the fourth; the Florida Cup was inaugurated as an annual fixture to bring world-class European and South American club soccer to the USA in 2015. The first tournament featured two teams invited from Germany and two from Brazil. Nine teams featured in 2016: one from the USA, four from Brazil and two from Germany, along with one each from Colombia and Ukraine. Last year’s tournament expanded to 12 teams, with a record five from Brazil. South Americans Dominate 2018 Lineup The teams are down to a more manageable eight in number for the 2018 Florida Cup, although South American sides still predominate. Apart from Colombia’s Atletico Nacional and Ecuador’s Barcelona SC, there are three teams from Brazil. Sao Paulo-based Corinthians have played in every Florida Cup to date, finishing third in 2015, fourth in 2016 and runners-up last year to home rivals Sao Paulo FC, who aren’t playing this year. Rio de Janeiro’s Fluminense played in 2015 and 2016, finishing fourth in the inaugural tournament, and are back for a third crack at the Cup. The most successful Brazilian side back in the 2018 Florida Cup lineup is Atletico Mineiro from Medellin. Although they didn’t finish in the top four last year, they played their first Cup in 2016 and won it on debut. Three Strong European Sides Promise Competitive Football Kiwi punters can follow the action on Fox sports channel WOFL and online MyNetworkTV channel WRBW. Despite their experience and past records, however, it isn’t going to be a walkover for the Brazilian teams. Rangers certainly have the talent and nous to give the South Americans a run for their money, and the final two European teams completing the lineup are no slouches either: the Netherlands’ Eindhoven PSV and Poland’s Legia Warsaw. So even though the 2018 Florida Cup is a friendly, punters could see some volatile betting action worth taking seriously. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2018 African Nations Championship kicks off on the 13th of Jan. We take a look at the tournament setup and the 16 qualifying teams for the event. - Published: 2018-01-12 - Modified: 2018-01-12 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/upcoming-african-nations-championship/ The 2018 African Nations Championship While there is plenty of football action to keep punters busy, this coming week sees the start of one of Arica’s largest football competitions. The 2018 African Nations Championship will kick off on the 13th of January and run until the 4th of February. Also known as the Total African Nations Championship or CHAN for short, the tournament is a biennial event organised by the Confederation of African Football. Unlike the African Cup of Nations, each side competing in the CHAN tournament must be composed of players who play in the domestic league for their own country. For example, a Nigerian player is only eligible to play for the national team if he plays for a local Nigerian club. Originally, Kenya was named as the hosts for the tournaments but were unable to make the necessary preparations in time. The role of hosts was then passed on to Morocco who then gained automatic qualification. This sudden change in host country caused a shift in the qualifying teams. Two months ago, Egypt lost 4-2 on aggregate to Morocco in the qualifiers. Since Morocco got moved out to automatic qualification, Egypt got a second chance and attend the tournament. They turned the offer down citing a busy domestic calendar. For the open spot, Ethiopia took on Rwanda in a playoff, which went the way of the Rwandans. Sixteen Teams and Four Groups The DR Congo is the current reigning champions but failed to qualify for the tournament for the first time ever. This leaves the door open for many teams to prove their worth. A total of 16 teams qualified for the African Nations Championship. On the 17th of November last year, the pool draw was held to determine which teams would go into which pot (pool). In pot 1, the hosts are joined by Libya, the Ivory Coast and Angola. Pot 2 comprises of Nigeria, Cameroon, Zambia and Guinea. In pot 3, Congo will take on Sudan, Uganda and Rwanda. The final pot comprises of Namibia, Mauritania, Burkina Faso and Equatorial Guinea. After the initial round of qualifying matches, the top two teams in each group will move on to the quarterfinals. The four top teams then play the semi-finals in Casablanca and Marrakesh. The winners of the semi-finals will compete in the finals held in Casablanca on the 4th of February. 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The defending champions, the West Indies will be getting things underway as they take on hosts New Zealand on Saturday in a match that is set to be one of the most exciting of the competition. The Under-19 World Cup was first held in 1988 where it was hosted by Australia. The Aussies, then went on to win the tournament, defeating Pakistan by 5 wickets in the final. Since 1998, the World cup has been held every two years, with the last one being held in Bangladesh in 2016. West Indies won the 2016 World Cup, defeating India by five wickets. To date, Australia and India have the highest win record with three wins apiece. England, South Africa and the West Indies have all won a single Cup Title. This year, all 10 ICC members will be taking part including New Zealand, Australia, England, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the West Indies, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. Namibia was also awarded a place after finishing top of the associate nations in 2016. Rounding off the 16 teams is Canada, Kenya, Afghanistan, Ireland and Papua New Guinea who qualified through regional Under-19 tournaments. New Zealand Look For their First Cup Win As the host nation, New Zealand will be looking for their first cup win although the closest they came was back in 1998 when they finished runners up. The last time New Zealand hosted the Cup, Australia won as plenty of supporters turned up at the games. This year, all 16 sides will be split into four groups of four teams. Group A includes South Africa and New Zealand while Australia and India face off in Group B. England will have to contend with Bangladesh in Group C while Pakistan have the defending champs to get through to advance in Group D. Once the group matches have been played, the top two sides from each group will advance to the Super League quarterfinals. The four top sides compete in the semis and the top two will go on to compete in the finals. In addition, there will be a series of placement matches, which will determine every single place from 1st to 16th. This means plenty of cricket action and betting action to look forward to in the coming weeks. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The men’s Euro Handball Champs is set to kick off on the 12th of Jan. Croatia are the hosts this time around, but France are the favourite to win the event - Published: 2018-01-10 - Modified: 2018-01-10 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/handball/2018-mens-euro-handball-champs/ The 2018 Men’s Euro Handball Championships While it may be considered a niche sport in many countries, handball is slowly becoming a popular sport with the online betting community. With tournaments taking place throughout the year, the betting opportunities are extensive with everything from match bets to props and futures. As a sport, handball is fairly similar to indoor football, with the obvious exception that players use their hands to pass the ball. Two teams of seven players go head to head where the aim is to toss the ball into the opponent’s goals that are manned by a goalkeeper. A standard handball match consists of two periods of 30 minutes each on a court that measures 20 meters by 40 meters. Goals must be scored by throwing the ball from outside the 6-meter goal zone or by diving in. The team with the highest number of goals at the end of the match wins. In the world of handball, there are a number of international tournaments that propel the sport into centre of the online betting action; these include the Summer Olympics, the World Champs and the European Champs. France Breaks Records in 2017 In 2017, France broke all handball records by becoming the first country to simultaneously hold the world title in both the men and women’s event. The 2017 World Champs is now a distant memory as teams gear up for the 2018 Men’s EURO Handball Championships to be held from the 12th to the 28th of January. This year, Croatia will be hosting the event at venues, which include Split, Zagreb, Poreč and Varaždin. What to Expect at the Champs The hosts will be looking to improve on the bronze medal finish in the 2016 Euro Champs, which was held in Poland. While they hold two Olympic gold medals, Croatia has never won Euro title losing to France and Denmark in two successive finals. At the World Champs last year, Croatia had to settle for a disappointing fourth, losing to Slovenia in the playoff. France went on to win and is currently the favourites to take the Euro title. The final will take place on the 28th of January at the Zagreb Arena in Croatia. As it stands, the betting odds look as such: France 10 Croatia 60 Denmark 5. 50 Spain 7. 60 Germany 9. 00 Norway 00 Sweden 00 Slovenia 36. 00 TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The powerful duo of Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic has given Sweden their third Hopeman Cup Victory. In Brisbane, Nick Kyrgios won on home soil. - Published: 2018-01-09 - Modified: 2018-01-09 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/sweden-defeats-germany-hopman-cup-final/ Sweden Pick Up their Third Hopman Cup Title In Auckland, all eyes were on Julia Georges as she defeated Caroline Wozniacki to win the women’s ASB Classic. Meanwhile, over in Brisbane, her German compatriot, Angelique Kerber was battling it out in the Hopman Cup alongside Alexander Zverev. While Kerber won her singles match, Germany fell to the might of the Swiss as Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic picked up Sweden’s third Hopman cup Victory. Federer found himself in a bit of trouble in the first set against Alexander Zverev. Despite hitting 20 winners, the 36-year-old failed to close down the set, giving Zverev the upper hand. In the second set, Federer found his groove, smashing winner after winner. The third went the same way as the Swiss master closed out the game, giving Sweden a 1-0 lead. Speaking to the press, Federer said that he was actively trying to play as aggressively as possible. He went on to say that he thought that he played better when he was closer to Zverev which is why he approached the net more often. The tactic worked well for him and he was able to cruise through with the fast play close to the net. As for Zvereve, he has just won win from four matches in his preparation for the years first Grand Slam. Victory for Svitolina and Kyrgios in Brisbane The tie was forced to a mixed doubles decider thanks to a commanding display by Angelique Kerber. Under the guidance of her new coach, Wim Fissette, Kerber easily dispatched Belinda Bencic 6-4, 6-1. With Switzerland and Germany at a point apiece, the mixed doubles was set to be the decider. The combination of Federer and Bencic proved too much for the Germans as the Swiss wrapped up the match 4-3 (3), 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead. Meanwhile at the Brisbane International, Elina Svitolina powered her way to victory over qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich. The world number six smashed a total of 10 aces and never faced a single break point as she cruised to her 10th career tour win. In the men’s final, it was good news for the home crowd as Nick Kyrgios won his first title on home soil. After citing concerns about his knee injury, Kyrgios put on a stellar performance against American Ryan Harrison. After saving five break points in the first set, Kyrgios dominating the second set, easily closing out the match 6-4, 6-2. 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Back in 1993 the first 16 players, which included all of the active previous world champions, showed their intention to secede from the game’s governing body and start organising their own tournaments under mantle of the World Darts Council, which has since become the Professional Darts Corporation. The battle lines had already been drawn in 1992, when the WDC players hosted their initial televised tournament, the Laka UK Masters, and the altercation continued to worsen as the best players became more and more unhappy with the BDO’s apparent indifference toward the decline the game was undergoing. Players’ Garb Providing Hints This was highlighted when Buddy George put on a BDO tie and Eric Bristow donned a suit with a badge of the WDC emblazoned upon it when the old opponents took a seat alongside one another as experts for the coverage of the final delivered by the BBC. Despite Players’ Vacillating, the PDC has Ascended to New Heights In spite of the fact that Chris Johns and Mike Gregory had a change of heart and decided not to defect, the 14 players remaining decided to go it alone, and the last 25 years has seen the PDC reach new heights. Heights which even its founders would no doubt have considered unimaginable initially. It was perhaps appropriate then that the New Year’s Day final of the World Championship saw the baton being passed from Phil Taylor, the last individual to defect from the original group, over to Rob Cross, who capped his quick rise from obscurity with a pitiless triumph of 7 - 2 against the retiring 16-time champ. By contrast, the British Darts Organisation plods along in its own way, only emerging once yearly into the public’s wider consciousness in January. It then holds its own World Championships before vanishing from view to all but the most dedicated darts followers. And even then, there is something silly about the proceedings that is obvious to many. In fact, the ridicule of the perceived lower standard of the BDO had started before the last darts were thrown at Alexandra Palace: the video featuring Tony Fleet, tormented with nerves, struggling against Martin Adams back in 2010 has now become a meme highlighting wisecracks. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > After the birth of Williams’ daughter in September, a match in December revealed she is not ready to play. She has withdrawn from the Australian Open. - Published: 2018-01-07 - Modified: 2018-01-07 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/serena-williams-will-not-playing-australian-open/ Serena Williams Withdrawing from Australian Open After the withdrawal of Andy Murray due to injury, Serena Williams has now announced that she will not be taking part in the Australian Open in order to defend her title. Serena beat her sister, Venus, in the event which took place last year in Melbourne, just before revealing that she had been competing in the tournament whilst pregnant. Her December Match Revealed She Wasn’t Ready The 36-year old tennis superstar gave birth to her daughter in September, Alexis Olympia, and made a return to the court in an exhibition match in Abu Dhabi against Jelena Ostapenko at the end of last month. In a statement released on Snapchat, Williams revealed that, when performing in her first match since the birth of her daughter, she realised that although she is very close, she is not actually where she personally wishes to be. She then added that her coach and team had always advised her to only attend tournaments that she was prepared to see all the way through, and, although she could compete in the Australian Open, she didn’t want to. She felt that she could do better, and would, eventually, but needed more time to get where she needed to be. Williams is as Disappointed as Her Fans The statement went on to say that, although she was saddened about the necessity of the decision, she would not be competing in the 2018 Australian Open. She added that the memory of the 2017 Open was one that she would always cherish, and that she was excited about bringing her daughter to one in the future. She ended off by thanking her fans for both their support and their understanding, and doing the same for everyone at the Australian Open. Craig Tiley Supports Serena Craig Tiley, the tournament director for the Australian Open, released a statement praising Serena. It stated that she was a true champion, and that this had been demonstrated by the massive effort Williams had been putting in over the past months in order to ready herself for the tournament. Tiley’s statement went on to say that Serena Williams transcends the sport thanks to the manner in which she approaches not just tennis but the rest of her life as well, in consistently giving her all in everything she attempted, but bowing out when this was not possible to do. He stated that it was fully understood that her withdrawing at the 11th hour was purely as a result of not being able to get ready in time, and by no means indicated that she had not done her part properly. 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A five-time finalist at the Rod Laver Arena, Murray joins world number 4 Kei Nishikori in saying that he is not fit enough to compete. While fans may be disappointed in the lack of stars, Australian Open boss, Craig Tiley is confident there will be plenty of star power to go around. While Nishikori is suffering from a wrist injury, Murray pulled out due to an on going hip problem that could require surgery in the near future. Taking to social media, Murray posted that he is sad to say that he will not be playing in Melbourne this year, as he is not ready to compete. As for Nishikori, he said that his rehab is going well, be he is not quite 100% and had to withdraw due to his wrist injury. To top it off, there are growing doubts over the fitness of Novak Djokovic from an elbow injury, Rafael Nadal’s knee and Stan Warwrinka’s knee injury. Along with Murray, neither Warwrinka nor Nadal have played in a major competition since Wimbledon six months ago. Nadal also pulled out of the Brisbane International after cancelling Christmas training Majorca. Warwrinka and Djokovic both pulled out of an exhibition event in Dubai last week but are confident they will be ready for the Open. A Chance for Djokovic to Claim his Seventh Title Djokovic announced that he would be taking part in the Kooyong Classic exhibition, giving fans hope that his niggling elbow injury won’t come into play when he challenges for a record seventh men’s Open Title come January 15th. World number 8, Jack Sock could also become another Australian Open casually as he pulled out of his Hopman Cup match after hurting his hip from an on-court fall. Meanwhile the Women’s Open could also be hit with a loss of tennis superstars as new mothers Victoria Azarenka and Serena Williams chose their next move. Serena performed well in her first match after the birth of her child but said she was unsure of whether she was ready for the Open. Former world number 1 Azarenka withdrew from the Auckland Classic as she continues to battle for custody of her son with her former partner. With many of the “big guns” possibly out of contention, it could be a great year for the lower seeds to show their worth. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Impressive batting and a rocketing century took New Zealand to their second successive T20 win over the West Indies. Munro topped the batting on 104. - Published: 2018-01-05 - Modified: 2018-01-05 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/clean-sweep-nz-west-indies/ NZ Destroy Windies in Final T20 The final Twenty20 international at Mt Maunganui is one the West Indies would rather forget. Thanks to a cracking century from Colin Munro and a fired-up NZ side, the Windies crashed out yet again, making it zero for two and a disappointing tour overall. As for the Black Caps, it was a game where records tumbled and the batsman shone. Never has a New Zealand side beaten an opponent by so many runs in a T20 format. Then there was Colin Munro. The 30-year-old managed to knock up the fastest T20 century for New Zealand, needing just 47 balls to reach the milestone. Smashing a total of 104 of 53 balls, Munro received a standing ovation from the crowd and made a significant contribution to the record breaking 243 runs the side managed to put together. This well overtook the previous record of 214 against Australia in 2010. Munro Smashes Fastest NZ Century Munro was eventually caught by Shimron Hetmyer off Carlos Braithwaite, but his contribution was momentous. Munro also became the first player in history to score three T20 International Centuries. He overtook Chris Gayle, Rohit Sharma and Brendon McCullum who sit with two apiece. New Zealand’s innings also produced a flurry of bounties, with every single batsman getting in on the action. Monroe himself slotted away 10 sixes, equalling the record set by Corey Anderson in Bangladesh. Sharing the wicket with Guptill, Monroe was also involved in the second highest first-wicket partnership in a T-20 format. It was a return to form for Guptill who smashed 63 runs from 38 balls. Recovering from a hamstring strain, 63 remains his highest score in any format this past season. In total, there were seventeen sixes smashed into the crowed, giving the stadium plenty of opportunities to extend their hands for the $50,000. The visitors didn’t make it easy on themselves though. Wayward bowling was the order of the day. This was exemplified by the four wides in the 10th over off of Braqithwaite’s bowling. A Dismal Performance by the West Indies In reply, the West Indies managed to scrape together just 124 runs in 16. 3 over. While Shai Hope was out due to injury, there was no real hope for the visitors. Walton’s day got even worse when he was dismissed from the very first ball of the innings, while Chris Gayle ducked a delivery by Southee then looped up a catch to the wicket keeper. The most resistance New Zealand got was from Andre Fletcher who managed a respectable 46 runs from 32 balls. He was eventually undone by a googly by Ish Sodhi, which shattered the stumps and brought the crowd to their feet. The pick of the bowlers was Tim Southee which three for 21 from 2. 3 over. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2018 UEFA Futsal Championship runs from January 30 to February 10 in Slovenia. The country recently hosted potential officials in a training camp. - Published: 2018-01-04 - Modified: 2018-01-04 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/refs-get-fit-2018-uefa-futsal/ 2018 UEFA Futsal Championship: Fit Refs Required! Something most online sports betting fans never consider, especially punters of the couch-potato persuasion, is the way different sports make different fitness demands: not only on the players, but on match officials too. For example, cricket, tennis, football and rugby are all pretty similar from a player’s perspective: champions must train constantly to remain at peak levels of strength, fitness, stamina and skill. But tennis or cricket umpires can afford to let themselves go a little (or even a lot; it’s a sedentary position, after all), whereas rugby and football referees, if they want to do their jobs properly, need to keep themselves almost as fit as the greatest players in the world. This was a fact of life brought home in very concrete fashion to the pool of futsal referees vying for spots officiating at the 2018 UEFA Futsal Championship in Slovenia, which runs from January 30 to February 10. In November, about 30 match officials with the potential to ref the tournament’s games were sent off to training camp, where they competed to make the final squad of 16 referees and two reserves who will take charge in the tournament. Fast Five-A-Side On Hard Floors For those unfamiliar with the sport, futsal is a version of football played on an indoor hard surface with smaller teams: indoor five-a-side, more or less. Played over a smaller area than outdoor football, futsal is correspondingly faster-paced, so if they are going to keep up with the action, refs need to be even fitter than their soccer counterparts. The 30 referees in the original 2018 UEFA Futsal Championship pool travelled to the Slovenian capital, Ljubljana, for the training camp. They spent three days having to pass fitness assessments, as well as receiving skills updates on practical and theoretical application of the game rules. By getting all the potential refs at the same training sessions at the same time, organisers hope they’ll all be on the same page of the rulebook, so to speak. The object is to ensure comprehensive knowledge of the rules of futsal in general and the competition in particular, as well as their consistent application during the championship. And, of course, another object was to ensure that the 18 refs selected will have enough puff to keep up with the players when the tournament starts... TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Chris Harry, at 39-years old, will be making his debut at the Lakeside BDO World Darts Championships. Gwent will be represented by him and Nick Kenny. - Published: 2018-01-03 - Modified: 2018-01-03 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/darts/harris-kenny-bdo-world-darts-championships/ Harris Joins Kenny in Qualifying for BDO World Darts Championship Gwent, in south-east Wales, will have not one but two representatives at this year's BDO World Darts Championships thanks to Chris Harris joining Nick Kenny in qualifying for the event in Lakeside. Harris, a 39-year old man from Gilwern, in Monmouthshire, Wales, won a total of six matches in Bridlington in order to reach the tournament for the first time. Ebbw Vale’s Kenny, at only 24-years old, returns after making his debut at the championship in January. Format for the BDO World Darts Championship The top 24 players, of which Kenny is one, of the British Darts Organisation, or BDO, are going to be accompanied in the competition’s first round by those that have managed to win a set of eight preliminary round matches. Quiet-spoken Harris, who, like Kenny, hails from Wales, will be contesting one of these eight games on the stage of the famous Lakeside Country Club. The Duo from Gwent Joined by Fellow Welshmen The Gwent pair will be joined in the draw by their fellow Welshmen Dean Reynolds, Wayne Warren, Jim Williams, and Martin Phillips, while Rhian Griffiths from Port Talbot will feature in the ladies’ tournament. Its the First Time Harris will be Participating Harris stated that he has been playing darts for 22 years, but has only been to the Lakeside previously in order to watch the tournament, never to take part. He stated that, as a Welsh international, he managed to qualify for the play-offs in Bridlington, and had triumphed in a total of six successive matches in order to make it through to the Lakeside competition. He said that it felt wonderful to have qualified, and that he fully intended on doing his very best once he arrived. His fiancée, Sian, was quick to add that playing darts on the stage at Lakeside had long been one of Harris’ dreams, and that he had told her, back when they initially got together, that he planned to one day be on the stage as well. She stated that, as long as she could get someone to take care of the children, she fully intended to head to Lakeside to watch him play. She added that they were no waiting for the draw to be completed, to see whom Harris would be playing his first match against, and that she was very proud. She said that Harris had done excellent work to qualify, and that she was sure the whole experience was going to be a good one. 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Although the fighter is nearly ten years into his retirement, he has stated that he has been training on the sly, and issued a call out to Conor McGregor, the Irish UFC superstar. De La Hoya, past his prime at 44-years of age, stated on the Golden Boy Radio with Tattoo and the Crew, a digital daily radio show, that it was a known fact that he was very competitive, and that he knew he still had the ability to fight well. He added that he was faster than ever, as well as the strongest he’s ever been, and that he was confident that he could take McGregor out in two rounds. He went on to say that he would come out of retirement for that fight, and confirmed he was calling McGregor out! This Isn’t the First Time De La Hoya has Threatened a Comeback De La Hoya publicly considered a comeback in June of 2015, but changed his tune a week later. He is a gold medal winner from the 1992 Olympics, a ten-time pro world champion, and captured titles in a range of weights: 130, 135, 140, 154, and 160 pounds. He won fights against fellow Hall of Famers Julio Cesar Chavez Senior, twice; Pernell Whitaker; and Arturo Gatti. He has also appeared in the ring against other greats, with that list including Hector Camacho Senior, Floyd Mayweather Junior, Felix Trinidad, Shane Mosley, and Manny Pacquiao. But He Has Been Out of the Game for a While De La Hoya has not been in a fight since he dropped a one-sided eight-round knockout loss to Pacquiao on the 6th of December 2008. He went for a total of 39 - 6 with 30 knockouts in his career, however, and got inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2014. De La Hoya Has Fought Inside and Outside the Ring De La Hoya has also famously battled serious drug and alcohol addiction, having gone into various rehabs a number of times, but he confirmed in his radio interview that he was doing very well. This is a very different attitude from De La Hoya regarding Conor McGregor being in the boxing ring. When the 29-year old UFC superstar lost in a tenth-round knockout to Floyd Mayweather Junior on the 26th of August this year, crossing over from mixed martial arts to boxing, De Lay Hoya called the whole thing a ridiculous farce. Ignacio Nacho Beristain has now delivered commentary on De La Hoya’s changed views, too! The Hall of Fame trainer feels strongly that boxing deserves more respect than the legends De La Hoya and Pacquiao are paying it in their callouts to McGregor. He believes that their actions are disgraceful, and that it is a simple fact of looking for easy money from boxers who should know better. 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A Short but Direct Message from Pacquiao to McGregor Pacquiao, an eight-division world champion, posted a short but very direct message to McGregor via his official Instagram account that wished McGregor a happy thanksgiving, and advised him to stay fit, featuring a picture of the UFC star. McGregor has Been Out of Action As punters who enjoy the sports betting NZ and the rest of the world has to offer will well know, Conor McGregor has not been seen in either the boxing ring or the mixed martial arts octagon since he suffered a defeat in the tenth round of his boxing match against Floyd Mayweather Junior back in August of this year. It is highly likely that a big-money opportunity to fight against Pacquiao could keep him out of the octagon for even longer! Pacquiao was last seen fighting in July 2017, albeit in a match which he ended up losing to the Australian professional boxer Jeff Horn. McGregor may well take Pacquiao up on his Thanksgiving offer, too, seeing as making money is one of the fighter’s stated priorities. McGregor’s Boxing Debut Fell Short McGregor did not manage to beat Mayweather Jr in his boxing debut, as the legendary boxer managed to survive an initial onslaught from the MMA star before his stamina allowed him to start running clear in the later rounds of the fight. But the major payday that both fighters enjoyed as a result of the crossover fight made losing worth it, according to McGregor. He went on to describe himself as a free agent at the press conference which took place after the fight, stating that he had a number of options in mixed martial arts. He went on to add that there would be choices that would present themselves in the world of boxing, and that his name was on the ring. He stated that he was happy to see what would be coming up next, and that he loved fighting, and the match against Mayweather Jr had been a good one. McGregor is Entering his Prime -Pacquiao Not So Much McGregor, at 29-years old, is entering what should be his prime as a fighter, while Pacquiao, at 38-years old is past his best, and coming off the worst defeat in all of his career. Horn, who was a teacher previously, was seen as the underdog in the Battle of Brisbane which took place in July, but came out with a unanimous, though controversial, decision-win. MMA and Boxing May Well Clash Once More Fans and punters alike considered the superfight between McGregor and Mayweather Jr as a once-off deal, but the Thanksgiving-themed bear-poke that Pacquiao delivered may well result in another bout being organised. Mayweather defeated Pacquiao in a unanimous decision fight back in June of 2015, and while the former may not have managed to best Mayweather Jr, he may well consider his chances of overcoming another boxing legend in the form of Pacquiao. 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Bellew Stopped Haye in the March Contest Haye got stopped by Bellew in an exciting and dramatic contest back in March at the London O2 Arena. As successful punters who followed the fight will remember, it was a nip and tuck one in the earlier rounds, with a calm, selective Bellow possibly getting the better end of things against the wild and slightly uncultured style that Haye was indulging in. In the sixth round, however, Haye underwent a serious injury to his Achilles, with this wreaking havoc on his overall equilibrium and hobbling him. He was lucky, in fact, to see the remainder of that round out in the face of the furious assault from Bellew which followed. Great Courage Shown by Haye Subsequently Despite being heavily handicapped by the injury, Haye displayed amazing courage in the following rounds, not just surviving these, but rather frantically launching bombs in succession at his opponent in a desperate attempt to turn the tide. This could only continue for so long, however, and Bellew went on to finish the fight in the 11th round, knocking Haye through the ropes and forcing Shane McGuigan, the trainer, to throw in the towel. Haye Subsequently Succumbed to Surgery Haye needed surgery in order to fix the damage his Achilles had sustained, and months of rehabilitation followed. He remained confident, however, that this problem was behind him, and signed up for a rematch against Bellow back in September. Rumours Started Flying about Haye’s Achilles Injury Getting Aggravated Recently, however, there have been rumours that Haye once again aggravated the injury to his Achilles, and that the fight, scheduled once more at the O2, for December 17th 2017, was in danger. Eddie Hearn, the promoter for Bellew, said that there was no truth to these whispers, but it has since emerged that Haye is injured, and the fight has had to be cancelled. In a slight twist, however, it is a bicep injury that has befallen him and scuppered the rematch, and his Achilles is doing just fine. The Statement Released by Haye The statement that Haye released revealed that he is devastated to call off the rematch, but added that the fight has been postponed to either the 24th of March or the 5th of May 2018, with the date being subject to scheduling. Haye went on to say that, recent injury rumours aside, he was in peak condition with a very strong training camp, and weighing less than he has for over five years. He said that he was incredibly excited to get back into the ring, hoping to rewrite the ending of the Tale of Haye and Bellew. Unfortunately he suffered a freak accident whilst completing a stair conditioning session, which he has done many times with no problems arising. He lost his footing, slipped, and instinctively reached out to grab the bannister in order to avoid falling, thus injuring his bicep. 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The Biggest International Competition This tournament is one of Europe’s largest contests for one of the fastest growing sports on the globe, comprised of football teams made up of five players. It kicks off on the 30th of January 2018, with 12 of the best futsal teams in Europe facing off against one another until the 10th of February in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Spain Will Be Defending Their Crown Spain, the reigning champs and seven-time winners, will be defending their crown against top contenders in the form of Russia, Portugal, and Italy. Among the superstar player’s set to light up the Stozice Arena is Ricardinho, the Portuguese voted the finest futsal player at the Futsalplanet Awards for the last three years. MTG Will Be Providing Live Coverage All of the games from the UEFA Futsal EURO 2018 will be available live on the MTG Nordic video streaming service, Viaplay, and fans from Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Denmark will be able to watch the action as it is unfolding. Selected matches will also be shown on Denmark and Sweden’s TV3 Sport. Fans Can Look Forward to Experiencing the Highest Levels of the Game The Executive Vice President of MTG and Chief Executive Officer for MTG Sport, Peter Nørrelund, stated that everything about this football variation was explosive. He added that the speed was unbelievable, the skill was undeniable, and thus it was more than understandable how rapidly the interest in this sport was growing worldwide. He added that he felt sure that the UEFA Futsal Euro 2018 is going to be the most terrific tournament yet, and said that it was a wonderful opportunity for sports fans throughout the Nordic region to fully experience the highest level of futsal on a larger amount of screens than ever before. The Knockout Stages that will get the party started have been divided into groups: Group A Slovenia, Italy, Serbia Group B Russia, Kazakhstan, Poland Group C Portugal, Ukraine, Romania Group D Spain, Azerbaijan, France This will be the last Futsal Euro to take place within the current format of it being held every two years with 12 teams participating. The next tournament will be held four years from next year, and there will be 16 teams battling it out. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Shauna Bannon came home with two gold medals and the best female fighter award. She credits the support of her family for her continuing success. - Published: 2017-12-29 - Modified: 2017-12-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/kickboxing/bannon-ireland-proud-wako-championships/ Shauna Bannon Wins Two Gold Medals and More Two short weeks ago, Shauna Bannon represented Ireland at the World Association Kickboxing Organisation’s, WAKO, World Championships. She headed back home with not one, but two gold medals, and was also crowned the best female fighter for the tournament as a whole. Clearly she didn’t need to rely on superstitions to see her through; she got by on raw talent and sheer skill. A Gathering of the Best Kickboxers in the World The WAKO World Championships took place in Budapest, Hungary, from the 2nd of November through to the 12th, as punters enjoying the online betting NZ and the rest of the world know full well, and brings together the finest fighters in the world. Bannon Just Screamed When She Won! Bannon said that when she won her second final she just started screaming with joy, because it meant that all the hard work she had put in, and all the sacrifices that she had made were worth it. She said that she had gone through eight difficult fights to get to her two world titles: four in point fighting, and four in continuous fighting. She said these wins meant more to her because she had been training harder than ever in 2017, but the highlight from the week of fighting was very certainly winning the best female fighter award. The Highest Standard of Kickboxing Bannon went on to say that WAKO is held as the highest standard of kickboxing in terms of an organisation, and 750 of the very best female athletes from around the world took part. Being awarded the best fighter title was the highpoint of her successful week. The Bannon Family Has Strong Links to Kickboxing The Bannon family is known for their strong ties to the world of kickboxing. Shannon’s father, Martin, is an accepted figure in the sport, and was responsible for setting up Tallaght Martial Arts back in 1993, and her sister Nicole was also representing Ireland in the same WAKO event Shauna did so well in. The Bannon family are known for their strong links to kickboxing. Her father Martin is an established figure in the sport and set up Tallaght Martial Arts in 2004, while her sister Nicole also represented Ireland at the same WAKO event. This Shared Passion Helped Shauna Get to Where She Is The passion for this sport that the Bannon family all share has been a major bonus for Shauna, leading up to her incredible achievements. She stated that having her family around here whenever she fought was wonderful, because they all knew each other so well, and offered one another incredible support. She went on to explain that there was a lot of stress and emotion leading up to the World Championships, and that having someone alongside you who understood exactly what was going on made it a lot easier. She added that they were a strong team, and that she would never have been able to do it without her father, sister, and mother helping her the way they did. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Parker team pulled out all the stops, and held the weirdest press conference ever. It is all in the name of their Joshua unification bout campaign! - Published: 2017-12-28 - Modified: 2017-12-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/joe-parker-team-held-bizarre-press-conference/ The Joseph Parker Team Hosted a Peculiar Press Conference World Boxing Organisation, or WBO, heavyweight champion, Joseph Parker and his squad have hosted one of the strangest press conferences in the history of boxing in Auckland. This was as they carried on with their campaign for a unification bout with World Boxing Association, or WBA, and International Boxing Federation, or IBF, titleholder Anthony Joshua. Anticlimactic So-Called Rare Footage Promised In the lead up to the press conference, Parker, along with his promoter David Higgins, of Duco Events, swore to reveal what they termed rare footage of Joshua being taken down by little-known opponents. Based on these fighting words, one could legitimately have expected previously unreleased clips of the fighter sparring, but the delivery by Team Parker was decidedly unimpressive. An Excruciatingly Awkward Scene Unfolded Instead The whole scene at the press conference, however, did provide some amusement in an incredibly awkward sort of way. After the lectern and sundry promotional posters were removed from the front of the room, a big projector screen was revealed. Higgins and company then started playing a cheesy 1980s-styled video package that did not feature a single thing in the slightest bit revelatory or shocking. Footage of Joshua’s Sparring Partner Okolie The video showed clips of Lawrence Okolie, Joshua’s oft-time sparring partner, addressing rumours that he managed to drop the 2012 Olympic Gold Medal winner during one of their sessions. It was made to seem like Okolie was confirming the rumour, but this never actually happened. Although he once said that he smashed Joshua up and that he had far more endurance than his foe, he quickly followed this with protestations that he was just joking, although the montage presented by the Parker team left the latter statement out of their little show. Footage that Fans Have Seen Time and Time Again There were clips from Joshua’s stoppage loss to Romanian Mihai Nistor at the 2011 European Championship, the full footage of which has been viewable on YouTube for ages. And there was also a clip of Joshua being floored by Dillian Whyte, his bitter rival, but back in the amateurs -a knockdown that was no secret due to the repeated references that were made to it before the pair’s professional encounter in 2015. Joshua then went on to win the latter bout, albeit after a few shaky moments, with these also featuring in Parker’s bizarre compilation. To round the strange scene off there was footage of Joshua going down after he received a vicious right hook from Wladimir Klitschko in their monumental encounter in April this year, but Klitschko, a huge puncher and previous long-time world champion, could hardly be described as little-known, which was what was promised by the Parker team. In between each of these clips there were very subtle visual metaphors, namely graphics depicting the shattering of glass. The montage is viewable online for all of us to keep enjoying, and was obviously formulated in order to back up the assertions made by Parker and his team that Joshua is not all that. 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The latter, fighting in front of his hometown, failed in his bid to garner the International Boxing Federation, or IBF, super-flyweight belt, and also incurred the first blemish on his perfect pro record until now, when he got rather brutally dismantled by Philippine fighter Jerwin Ancajas on the 18th. The young boxer fought admirably and well, but it was simply not enough. Michael Forced to Watch Defeat Helplessly Jamie got cut and was forced to take a number of counts after relentlessly being battered by the superb southpaw champion. As this was happening, his younger sibling Michael, the two-time Olympian and former World Amateur champion turned white-hot pro prospect, had to watch helplessly in the corner until Jamie eventually fell to defeat in the sixth round of the match. His brother was clearly the underdog and wasn’t able to make any headway back, and was pummelled mercilessly. Jamie Did His Fans and Family Proud, However In spite of this loss, there is plenty of reason for young Michael and boxing fans in Ireland to be proud of Jamie. The 31-year old fighter has established himself as a blood-and-guts warrior of late, making it a habit to display rather mind-bending resilience and enough heart to keep picking up wins under even the most trying circumstances. Although he couldn’t create more drama against the heavy-handed, very talented Ancajas, Jamie entered a typically brave performance, picking himself up off the floor and going back in time and time again. The Bout Got Waved Off by Ref Steve Gray When the fight eventually got waved off by Steve Gray, the referee, the older Conlan brother was still on his feet. He had just gotten up from the canvas, but was willing to get right back into the fighting. Gray’s decision to stop the fight and rescue Conlan from his own courage, however, was definitely the correct call. Michael Expressed His Familial Pride in a Touching Tweet After the fight had finished, Michael expressed his feelings of pride by sending out a touching tweet accompanied by a photo of the Conlan brothers alongside the triumphant Ancajas. His tweet stated that he had never been more proud of his brother, and also congratulated Ancajas on being a world-class fighter and a champion. He even mentioned their Belfast fans, expressing gratitude for the support that had been offered them, and stated that he was proud to be from that city, as well. Thanks to this win, Ancajas has moved to 28 - 1 - 1 with a total of 19 KOs. This was the fighter’s third successful defence of his IBF title, claimed from McJoe Arroyo by means of a unanimous decision last September. The one defeat this fighter has suffered, a majority decision loss to his fellow countryman Mark Anthony Geraldo, happened all the way back in March 2012. He has since won 15 matches in succession. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > A crisis in the 2017 Gulf Cup of Nations was averted when FIFA lifted Kuwait’s suspension. The tournament returns to its original host, avoiding Qatar. - Published: 2017-12-26 - Modified: 2017-12-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/gulf-cup-nations-back-kuwait/ Gulf Cup of Nations Back in Kuwait In between world cups, there are several regional cups to keep football fans entertained at online sports betting sites. The Gulf Cup of Nations, a. k. a. the Arabian Gulf Cup, only comes around every two years, so punters will be relieved to know that it has been saved at the last minute, after it appeared to be going south. At a late-night meeting on December 7, however, FIFA decided to lift its year-long suspension of Kuwait, the nation originally scheduled to host the Cup last year. The competition has now been moved back to Kuwait, averting the withdrawal of Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain. Already One Year Overdue The last Gulf Cup of Nations was held in 2014, and the tournament was meant to return in Kuwait in December 2016. However, after FIFA suspended Kuwait, citing government interference in sports, the tournament was postponed for a year. FIFA reviewed Kuwait’s football governance in May this year, and decided not to lift the suspension. At the point, the venue for the 2017 Gulf Cup of Nations was shifted to Qatar. Everything looked back on course... until June. Diplomatic Crisis with Qatar Almost Cancels Tournament On June 5, a Gulf row blew up when Qatar’s growing relationship with Iran provoked allegations of Doha supporting terrorism from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE. Although Qatar denied the allegations vehemently, six months later the three nations are still in a state of dispute with their Gulf neighbour, and have cut all ties. All three refused to attend any 2017 Gulf Cup of Nations held in Qatar, and with Kuwait missing too, there would not have been enough entrants left to hold the tournament. With only Qatar, Oman, Iraq and Yemen left, they would have been below the required five. By lifting Kuwait’s suspension, allowing it back into the competition and shifting the venue to one acceptable to all participants, FIFA appears to have solved all its Gulf Cup of Nations problems at once. 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The junior Canada team handed their Czech Republic opponents a 9-0 whitewash at the Budweiser Gardens arena in London, Ontario. The Canadians owe a massive part of their victory to goalkeeper Carter Hart, who made 23 saves to shut out the Czechs completely. He’s almost certain to be in the net when the team opens their 2018 junior championships campaign against Finland at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York on December 26. Foremost in the Canucks’ attack were Taylor Raddysh, who scored a brace, and Robert Thomas, who put one of his own in the net in the first period, assisted by Raddysh. Thomas then returned the favour in the third period, with a cross-crease shot that set Raddysh up for his first goal. He scored his second off the power play just 27 seconds later. Good Omen for 2018 World Junior Championships Czech Republic keeper Jakub Skarek did stop 25 of the 36 shots Canada directed at his net, backed up by Josef Korenar, who deflected two more, so the scoreline could have looked a lot worse. It was their attack that let the Czechs down; they came close to scoring only once in all three periods. It’s a flaw they’ll need to sort out before they open their 2018 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships against Russia at the KeyBank Center, in the opening match of the tournament. Skarek is likely to be in the net again. Between Czech Republic vs Russia and Canada vs Finland, the KeyBank Center hosts a third match on Boxing Day: Denmark vs USA. The fourth game of opening day, Belarus vs Sweden, takes place at Buffalo’s Harbor Center. Raddysh and Thomas appear to have subime chemistry as linemates on the national junior team, despite being rivals in the Ontario Hockey League: Thomas plays for the London Knights and Raddysh for the Erie Otters. Wednesday night’s display bodes well for the Canada juniors as they head into the world championships. 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And really, one only needs to look at what happened with the recent BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award, to realise that something is amiss in the land of the Brits. On Sunday past, the four female nominations in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award received the fewest votes of all, and not just by a couple. Just 8 per cent of the total votes cast were in favour of the female participants. Now, consider by contrast Australia’s own version of the award. Mere days earlier, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation held its Sports Personality of the Year Award, also voted on by the public. The award went to Sam Kerr, the superstar striker in the Aussie women’s football squad. Even stranger is the fact that it has been a landslide year in the UK as far as women in sport goes. England won the Women’s Cricket World Cup at Lord’s and no fewer than 1. 1 million spectators turned in on the action on Sky Sports. This is a record for any women’s sporting event, according to the numbers released by Sky Sports. Subsequently, the women’s cricket side was awarded the BBC Sports Personality Team of the Year Award. What, do you ask, are we waffling on about? Well, it’s quite simple. The award was awarded by a panel of adjudicators, and not by public vote. Somewhere, something is still very amiss. The Challenge The ultimate challenge is converting the viewership numbers into fans who will continue to follow women’s sport all year round. Also, to get those fans to a place where they realise that it’s not enough to follow and enjoy the games, but also to become involved when votes are cast for awards such as the BBC’s personality award. And this is but one example. Yes, progress is being made in the UK. But the English have a ways to go yet to reach the levels of awareness and progress that is seen in Australia. It would be unfair to make mention of progress in a general sort of way, without making mention of Cricket Australia. For all the controversy that surrounded Cricket Australia for most of the year as a result of the pay disputes, they were the ones who spearheaded the immense progress that we have seen in women’s sport and the elevation of women’s sport to its rightful place in the ranks. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Kiwi NBA star Steve Adams made a triumphant return from injury to help the Thunder defeat the Utah Jazz 107-79. Westbrook led the scoring on 24. - Published: 2017-12-23 - Modified: 2017-12-23 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nba/adams-returns-injury-win-utah/ Adams Makes His Return to OKC Thunder in Win over Utah The Oklahoma City Thunder welcomed back kiwi NBA star, Steve Adams. The big man made a triumphant return from injury as the Thunder downed the Utah Jazz 107-79 on Thursday night. Adams had missed the past two games for the thunder due to a concussion suffered on court. Thankfully, he was able to return to the starting line-up after successfully clearing the NBA concussion protocols. Without Adam’s massive presence on court, the Thunder were in dire straits, just barely defeating the Denver Nuggets by one point before being thrashed the mighty New York Nicks. This time is was the Thunder that had the upper hand. Utah was missing two key players including NBA superstar Rudy Gobert and their new shooting guard wunderkind Donavan Mitchell. Both were out due to injury, giving Oklahoma City the start they needed. It didn’t take long for the Thunder to show that they were there to play. They held off the Jazz to just 9 first-quarter points. Westbrook led the scoring. Making 10 of 13 shots, he racked up an impressive 24 points with 10 rebounds. Both Anthony and George finished with a decent run of 18 points while the thunder gained some much-needed confidence and momentum. Thunder Find their Rhythm The Jazz found a little bit of rhythm after a disastrous opening stanza but was simply no match for the fired-up thunder team. With the team cruising to victory, Westbrook, Adams and Anthony were given a break in the fourth quarter, allowing the bench to get some valuable time on the floor. As for Adams, he finished with a respectable 11 points, with nine rebounds and a total of 26 minutes on the floor. The 24-year-old New Zealand native simply picked up where he left of before his injury. Adams proved to be a valuable asset for the Thunder, once again showing why he is a key piece of the puzzle. In this current season, Adams has posted an average of 13. 7 points per game with a 63. 5% shooting average from the field with 8. 8 rebounds. It bodes well for Adams as each of these stats is a career high. Having downed the Jazz, the Thunder go just above the all-important 500 mark with a total of 16 wins and 15 losses. 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Shane Watson looked all set to guide the Thunder to a massive five wicket victory to kickstart their campaign. That was until BBL debutant Daniel Sams was brought back into the attack. Arjun Nair knocked out the winning runs for the Thunder, prompting the 21 odd thousand fans in the stadium to rise to their feet and cheer in unison. Just half an hour earlier, it was Watson who they were cheering for as he laid waste to the Sixers bowling. It was all looking over for the Sixers but somehow, they looked ready to defend to the last ball. It was then that little-known Daniel Sams brought back into the attack to see if he could derail the Thunder’s plans. Born in Sydney, 25-year-olds Sams recently got a start in first class cricket playing for Canterbury, only to be dumped when Stokes made his arrival. For Sams, it was a testament to his talent as he took two vital scalps at the start of the match and then another two when he was reintroduced, including the all-important wicket of Watson. Daniel Sams Gave the Sixers Hope Watson seemed unstoppable. He blasted 77 runs off just 46 balls before he was finally caught by Moises Henriques off of Sams bowling. At that stage, the Thunder still needed 24 runs from just 13 balls. Sams gave the Sixers a real shot as the Thunder were put under pressure needing 15 runs from the last over. All credit to 19-year-old Arjun Nair who managed to squeeze out the boundaries needed to guide the thunder to a much-needed win. Even if the Thunder had managed to win, Watson would still have been the star of the show. Having brought up his 50 from just 36 balls, he again showed cricket fans why he has a place in the side despite being off contract. Having passed up the Bangladesh Premier League due to a hamstring strain, Watson impressed in grade cricket where he thumped 114 runs in a recent T20. As for the Sixers, this was their fourth loss to the Thunder in the past five encounters. They will need to gather themselves if they want to gain any sort of momentum for the season ahead. The Thunder meanwhile, will be brimming with confidence for their upcoming clash with the Strikers. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Australia thrashed England by an innings and 41 runs to win the third test and reclaim the Ashes. The next test will kick off on Boxing day at the MCG. - Published: 2017-12-21 - Modified: 2017-12-21 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/australia-taken-back-ashes/ Australia Reclaim the Ashes in Third Test Australia has done what they set out to do and more. Crushing England by a full innings and 41 runs in the third Test, the Aussies have reclaimed the Ashes with two matches to spare. Captain Steve Smith and his men needed just a single session on Monday to despatch England for 218 runs who resumed play on 132 for 4 on day five. With rain pelting the pitch overnight, England clung to the hope that the rain would return and keep their Ashes hopes alive. The rain did arrive, delaying play for three hours during which the ground staff worked tirelessly with blower vacuums to get the pitch dry. The two captains were locked in dialogue with the umpires as the day wore on. By 1pm, play had resumed, much to the chagrin of Root and his weary men. The England skipper’s sense of impending doom was amplified when the Josh Hazelwood clean bowled Jonny Bairstow with the first delivery of the day. Australia immediately started tightening the screws. The bowlers pummelled the pitch with deliveries that ripped off the deck violently swinging and bouncing out of control. A Hard Day for England Moeen Ali managed to soak up 56 balls before Nathan Lyon trapped the England allrounder with Leg before Wicket, making it the fifth dismissal of Ali this series. While hopes rested on Mitchell Starc to do a bit of damage, he was hampered by a bruised heel which could be influential in the upcoming boxing day test. The job of despatching the top order fell to Hazelwood. He was able to remove the last of the top-order batsman, Dawid Malan for 54 runs. Malan put up a brave fight but was eventually caught down leg side. As is usually the case, Australia was able to wrap up the tail with little fanfare. Craig Overton edged his delivery into the capable hands of Hazlewood while Stuart Broad gloved a bouncer from Pat Cummings. Another quick bouncer smacked Jimmy Anderson on the side of the helmet but he was able to resume and simply delay the inevitable. The match ended when Chris Woakes guided a Pat Cummings ball directly into the hands of Tim Paine. The massive innings defeat marked a massive turnaround after England won the toss and were sitting pretty at 368 for 4 in their first innings. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Britain’s Billy Joe Saunders has defeated home favourite David Lemieux in Canada. Saunders ran circles around the Canadian, winning by unanimous decision. - Published: 2017-12-20 - Modified: 2017-12-20 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/saunders-defeats-lemieux-retains-title/ Billy Joe Saunders Retains his WBO Middleweight Title Britain’s Billy Joe Saunders has successfully defended his WBO middleweight title against Canadian David Lemieux in Canada in this past weekend. 28-year-old Saunders had an easy time of it, winning by unanimous decision and trumping every single one of the judges’ scorecards. The official scorecard read 120-108, 117-111, 118-110. Now, with 26 unbeaten fights under his belt, Saunders has publicly called for a unification fight against Gennady Golovkin. Speaking directly to Golovkin via the press cameras, Saunders said if Golovkin stepped into the ring with him, it would be a different story, he would be punching fresh air. As for Lemieux, the Canadian won all four of his fights since Golovkin took him down in the eighth round back in 2015. Up against Saunders, the Canadian had no answer to the sheer power and speed of the Brit, conceding his fourth win of his career. Fighting for the first time in Northern America, Saunders completely unwound the home favourite. His agility and astonishing footwork was too much for Lemieux to handle, who was actually no slouch himself. Using a combination of jabs and uppercuts, the Brit landed a massive combo in the fourth before drawing boos from the crowd when he taunted Lemieux for missing a shot. Lemieux Outclassed in Every Round Saunders continued to punish Lemieux round after round, leaving him bruised and bloodied after a flurry of jabs. Saunders won every single round of the bout on one of the judges’ scorecards and was so dominant that the end result was read by the crowd long before the bout ended. Speaking to the press after the fight, Saunders said he is the type of fighter that looks easy to whip, easy to put down but no one can hit him. About fighting in Canada, the Brit said he likes to come to someone else’s back yard as it makes him into a better fighter. In the build-up to the fight, Saunders said that he had actually fallen out of love with boxing since he was not able to face any of the top names in his division. Saunders may just get a crack at Golovkin though. The Middleweight world title is the only one that Golovkin hasn’t yet won and will most likely be contemplating the idea of a unification fight in 2018; at least that is what Saunders hopes. 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We have to remember that Lynn scored over 300 runs in his last five matches. There is also Alex Ross and Ben Cutting who could prove to be extra valuable. The only weakness we can find here is perhaps their lack of fast bowlers. Adelaide Strikers The Strikers have plenty of young talent with leg spinning sensation Rashid Khan leading the pack. Having picked up 43 ODI wickets in 2017 alone, he is a formidable opponent. In terms of batting, Alex Carey, Jake Lehmann and Jake Weatherald have all proven more than handy with a bat. The only issue here is if the young team can score enough runs when needed. Melbourne Stars The Stars may be lacking in a title, but they are certainly consistent. With two spinners and youngster Liam Bowe showing promise last season, they have enough firepower to get the job done. The acquisition of Dunk along with veterans Quiney and Pietersen will give the team the stability it needs in the batting line-up. It remains to be seen whether the Stars can perform in the finals though. Hobart Hurricanes Last year the Hurricanes banked on Sangakkara which sort of flopped while Broad was reasonably serviceable. This year the team can be fairly confident about their most recent import with Mills having a particularly good Twenty 20 record to bring to the table. On the other hand, the batting line-up does look a bit slim. Perth Scorchers The Scorchers are probably one of the most settled sides in the BBL. They are known as the competition’s pace setters and their fast bowling outfit is one to be feared. Johnson is perhaps their biggest threat but with like of Behrendorff, Richardson and Coulter-Nile in the mix, there is plenty of talent to choose from. Sydney Thunder The Thunder has the potential to put on some seriously big scores. They have two rising stars in the form of Kurtis Patterson and Ryan Gibson along with the likes of Callum Ferguson and Aiden Blizzard who are no stranger to big hitting. Their main weakness lies in their lack of depth in the fast bowling department. Last season both Sandhu and Fekete failed to impress. Melbourne Renegades After constantly underperforming, the Renegades had a much better season last year. Finch had a good run at the top of the order and the team should be fairly confident in their batting outfit. They also have the addition of Ludeman and Hodge who have both been in form of late. Sydney Sixers The Sixers have a dynamic and versatile bowling attack this year. Sean Abbot is the key player her while both Bird and Jackson are certainly going to be difficult to get away. However, with Bollinger, Lumb and Haddin out of the side, there is an experience hole, which could prove fatal when the heat is on. 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While on paper, the two were reasonably even matched, Horn (18-0-1, 12 KO) outclassed Corcoran (17-2, 7 KO) with that little bit extra technical ability and headstrong tenacity we have come to know from the Australian. Acting on the instructions of Corcoran’s corner, referee Benjy Esteves Jr stopped the fight just over a minute into the 11th round. There were times when it looked like the fight could go either way. Corcoran did the best he could under the circumstances, putting in a brave performance in what was a rough and extremely active bout. By the closing stages of the fight, both contenders had multiple cuts and bruises but it was a severe cut on Corcoran’s left eye that caused the fight to be stopped. Horn was just the better fighter on the day, putting the 27-year-old Corcoran through his paces. As for Corcoran, he was not able to build any decent momentum, despite constant efforts to take the fight to Horn. By the time the fight was stopped, BLH had the fight tipped in favour of Horn at 98-92. It All Came Down to the Jabbing According to the CompuBox figures, Horn was able to land 31% of his 549 punches with a total of 122 out of 375 power shots. In comparison, Corcoran also landed 31% of his 445 punches with 125 out of 371 power shots. It was the jabbing though that led to Horn’s win and the stoppage of the fight. Horn landed 28% of his 174 jabs while Corcoran only landed 18% of his 74 jabs. Speaking to the press, Horn said that he knew Corcoran and his team had prepared for the fight. He admitted that Corcoran pushed him to the limit which was not made easier by the fact that he felt his timing was a bit off. In the end though, he managed to defend his title and end the year on a high not. When Horn was asked about potentially fighting Terence Crawford in April, he was not committing to the idea; although, at this point he may not have a choice. Horn said it is a big possibility. It is really something that everyone wants, and it would most likely happen. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Chris Froome looks like he’s out of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards. But that might be the least serious spin-off of his latest scandal. - Published: 2017-12-17 - Modified: 2017-12-17 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/bbc-snub-least-froomes-worries/ Froome Possibly Out of BBC Sports Awards On Thursday night, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was holding crisis talks to decide on the fate of Chris Froome with regard to the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards show set for Sunday night, December 17. There was no word on a decision from the BBC by early Friday morning, but it was looking less likely that Froome would make his scheduled appearance at the show. The English cyclist was at a training camp in Majorca, but was supposed to make an appearance via live TV link-up during the awards ceremony. After news broke of his latest doping scandal, however, that appearance looked in jeopardy. Ironically, the show was still on course to feature a musical performance by Noel Gallagher, a man not unknown for his unrepentant use of performance-enhancing drugs... Sports Personality of the Year Unlikely Even less likely now than Froome being allowed to appear onscreen at the awards, is the possibility of him scooping the BBC Sports Personality of the Year accolade. The awards are decided by public vote, and at one point, Froome was fancied by some to win the most coveted of the eight on offer, with online sports betting sites offering odds of $10. 00 on the Tour de France star. Following the news that Froome had failed a drug test for anti-asthma drug Salbutamol in September, and was in danger on having his Vuelta a Espana title stripped, by Friday morning his odds of winning the BBC Sports Personality of the Year had dropped to $50. 00 and above. The favourite to win the award remained British world heavyweight champion boxer Anthony Joshua, followed by Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton. Awards Least of Froome’s Worries Nice as it is, the BBC Sports Personality of the Year won’t be what’s weighing heaviest on Froome’s mind right now. He insists his team has evidence that can prove he is innocent, but he’s going to have an uphill battle to clear his name in a sport that has been battling rampant drug-cheating for too long. As it is, German rival Tony Martin has already called out a double standard by the sport’s governing body. Whereas other riders have been suspended immediately after failing a drug test, even if they later manage to overturn that evidence, Froome’s suspension has been held in abeyance while he and his team answer the charges. It’s hard to see how the German’s wrong... TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Malaysian badminton star Lee Chong Wei has a busy time ahead. After the BWF Super Series Masters Finals this week, he’s at the Malaysian Masters next month. - Published: 2017-12-16 - Modified: 2017-12-16 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/badminton/chong-wei-eyes-malaysian-masters/ Super Series Masters Finals 2017 Badminton Climax Badminton’s a minority sport in New Zealand, but as online betting fans are discovering, internationally it’s competitive and surprising enough to present exciting wagering options. Fans and punters can both get their fix now at the 2017 BWF Super Series Masters Finals in Dubai. It’s the 13th and final Super Series tournament of the year, with total prize money of $1-million. The rest of the series has been scattered around the world. The men’s singles has been dominated by India’s Srikanth Kidambi, who won the 2017 Super Series tournaments in India, Australia, Denmark and France. Chinese Taipei’s Tai Tzu-ying has done even better in the women’s singles, winning five tournaments this year. The Taiwanese 23-year-old took the trophy in England, Malaysia, Singapore, France and Hong Kong. She’s seeded second in Dubai, however, behind Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi, who won the China Open Super Series Premier. Kidambi is likewise only the second seed for the 2017 BWF Super Series Masters Finals men’s singles, despite his dominance throughout the year. Top seed in South Korea’s Son Wan-ho, who has yet to win a Super Series singles title this year. Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei’s Busy Month Ahead Veteran Malaysian shuttler Lee Chong Wei can’t be ruled out as a dark horse in Dubai either. Anyone who can hold the world No. 1 ranking for 199 consecutive weeks and still only have slipped to world No. 3 five years later is always going to be a contender. Chong Wei won the men’s singles in the opening Super Series tournament of 2017, the All England Super Series Premier, and he struck again in Hong Kong last month. Apart from Kidambi, he’s the only other player to win more than one men’s singles title this year. He’s probably a bigger threat in Dubai than his seeding at fourth suggests. Win or lose at the 2017 BWF Super Series Masters Finals, Chong Wei goes into the New Year with racquet still in hand. From January 16-21 he’ll be back home for the Malaysia Masters. He and countryman Lee Zii Jia were fortunate enough to make automatic qualification after a rule change reduced the draw from 32 to 16, while other Malaysian players like Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin lost out. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Former Sir Mark Prescott trained Time Warp cruised to victory at the 2017 Hong Kong Cup. Local favourite Werther had to settle for second place. - Published: 2017-12-15 - Modified: 2017-12-15 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/time-warp-takes-win-hong-kong-cup/ Time Warp Cruises to Victory at the Hong Kong Cup Time Warp, the former Sir Mark Prescott trained gelding was given the ride of his life as he took the honours at the 2017 Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin. Since shipping out of Britain in 2015, Time Warp has been under the guidance of trainer Tony Cruz. His move to the Far East was not an easy affair with seven successive losses before finding any sort of form. With patience and a little bit of time, the son of Archipenko began showing signs of promise and his rise to the top was completed this past weekend with a magnificent win over Hong Kong Star, Werther by a massive two and quarter lengths. Time Warp’s inspired win was yet another big result for jockey Zac Purton who can cross off the Hong Kong Cup along with the other three Group One Races that comprise the four Hong Kong Internationals. Soon after the gates opened, Purton took Time Warp straight to the front and set a steady pace. With Time Warp alone out front, the O'Brien-trained Deauville settled in on the rail while Robin Of Navan raced alongside. Though it seemed as if the two could challenge, Purton pushed it up a gear and the two challengers fell away in the straight. Werther Settles for Second Local Favourite Werther had a decent run down the straight but was just not able to catch up with Time Warp as he belted his way to the finish. Neorealism, who was steadily moving to the front, came in third. As for the rest of the European contingent, Poets Word fared the best. Having to race wide around the bend, Poets Word tried to challenge down the middle, but like the others, lacked the acceleration, eventually coming home in sixth. His rider, Andrea Atzeni said he thought the ground might have worked against him. Having been forced wide, the found the ground quicker than he may have liked. Aiden O'Brien's other runner, War Decree was never able to keep with the pace. His rider, Seamie Heffernan said that while he had shown promise at home, he has never been able to reproduce it at the track. As for Blond Me, the Andrew Balding mare got pushed to the back of the pack and was never able to mount any sort of challenge. Her rider Oisin Murphy was not too disheartened with the last place finish. He said that while it was not her best race, she has had a great season. 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Jeff Horn’s voluntary defence of his WBO welterweight crown against Gary Corcoran has attracted a lot of attention for the very expectation that this one may not go down a clean fight. No wonder either, as Horn is notorious for employing alternative bullying tactics such as biting his opponent to try and intimidate and win fights. Horn’s trainer has gone as far as saying that the only safe exit for Horn will be if the referee is quick enough to take action before too much damage is done by Corcoran. Billy Joe Saunders Vs. David Lemieux – 17 December Undefeated WBO World Middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders is reportedly putting in the work ahead of his fight with David Lemieux. Christmas is certainly coming early this year for boxing fans the world over. Saunders has defeated the likes of Chris Eubank Jr, Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan (at the time undefeated) and Willie “The Mongoose” Monroe Jr. Our bet is that David Lemieux’s number is up next. Tony Bellew Vs. David Haye – 17 December (Postponed) Toney Bellew was supposed to fight David Haye at The O2 on December 17th, but the fight has been postponed to May 5th, 2018 due to Haye having suffered a bi-ceps injury during a training session. Haye is reportedly undergoing intense rehab ahead of the rescheduled fight. Bellew was obviously disappointed as well as annoyed at the time of the announcement, saying that he had been looking forward to spending a relaxing time with his family over the holidays, knowing that the fight was in the rear-view mirror. His mind was now still very much on the fight and would be going into the Christmas holidays. Bellew promised that Haye would be punished for that. Bellew went on to explain that he had a clear plan for 2018 and that knocking out Haye as well as Tyson Fury was very much a part of that plan. Haye, on the other hand, still believes that a victory on May 5 is on the cards for him, despite his injuries. He also said that he realised that he would be stepping into the May 5 fight with his career as well as his legacy on the line but that he was up to the challenge. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand have won their first Rugby Sevens Series tournament in over 21 months. The new-look side defeated Argentina in the finals in Cape Town. - Published: 2017-12-13 - Modified: 2017-12-13 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/new-zealand-take-win-cape-town/ New Zealand Win Cape Town Sevens Tournament It may have come prematurely, but New Zealand has finally won a Rugby Sevens Series tournament as they defeated Argentina by 38 points to 14 in the finals in Cape Town. The new-look side, under coach Clark Laidlaw, played a much closer game against England in the quarter finals and triumphed against the reigning champs, South Africa in semis. After finishing runners up last weekend in Dubai, New Zealand now take a narrow lead in the overall standing with 41 points while South Africa trail by two. It wasn’t all sunshine and roses for New Zealand though. They started the second leg with a massive 22-0 loss against the United States but managed to bounce back with a convincing win over Spain and Australia to secure a spot in the top 8. Argentina made it to the final with surprise victories over the United States and Canada. Their momentum crashed when they came up against New Zealand though. Making a string of unforced errors, the Argentinians were completely outplayed. The first kiwi try came from a crooked lineout with Joe Ravouvou shrugging off a few players to make his way over the line. Argentina Come Apart A knock-on scrum also led to a try for New Zealand with Vilimoni Koroi having little to do at the end of the field. Argentina managed to pull one back with a try and conversion just before half time by Lautaro Bazan Velez. In the second half, Argentina were desperate to score first but failed to mark Tim Mikkelson who added yet more points to the New Zealand scoreboard. A second try from Ravouvou put New Zealand in a commanding position at 31 points to 7 before Luciano Gonzalez scored a consolation effort. It seemed the match was over but New Zealand has one more in them with Sione Molia racing over the line more than a minute after the hooter sounded. South Africa, who failed yet again to win in Cape Town, finished in third spot after edging Canada 19-17 in the bronze play-off. The Blitzboks were involved in one of the most exciting matches of the day. With the home crowd cheering them on, they came from 16 points behind in the quarter finals to eventually beat Fiji by 31 points to 16. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Vasyl Lomachenko successfully defended his super-featherweight world title fight after Guillermo Rigondeaux retired at the end of the sixth round. - Published: 2017-12-12 - Modified: 2017-12-12 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/guillermo-rigondeaux-retires-6th-round/ Vasyl Lomachenko Retains his World Title The much-anticipated super-featherweight world title fight between Vasyl Lomachenko and Guillermo Rigondeaux turned out to be a bit of an anti-climax. The betting sites all had Lomachenko as the favourite going in, especially since Rigondeaux was fighting two divisions above his weight. However, seeing Lomachenko completely dominate the Cuban master was bizarre to say the least. From the start of the second round to the end of the six, the towering Ukrainian thumped his opponent from on high while Rigondeaux kept his head down, constantly grabbing Lomachenko and landing multiple low blows. The Cuban eventually had a point taken away, but by then he was so far adrift that it didn’t actually matter. After going several rounds without landing a decent combination, the Cuban called it quits. Citing a hand injury, Rigondeaux didn’t come out for the seventh round, giving Lomachenko his fourth title win and an improved record of 10-1 with seven knockouts. Speaking to the press, Lomachenko said it was not a big win for him, as Rigondeaux was not fighting in his own weight category. He did cite the Cuban as a good fighter with great skills, but at the end of the day, he was able to adjust to his style with the low blows and all. The hype for this fight was understandable considering this was the first time a pair of two-time Olympic gold medallists had ever met in the ring for a professional fight. The result was less spectacular though. DeGAle Homecoming Ruined Meanwhile, in another highly anticipated fight, James DeGale lost his IBF super-middleweight world title to American Caleb Truax by majority decision. DeGale had originally planned to use the fight as sort of “homecoming” and a way to re-establish himself at the top of the middleweight pile. Returning from a shoulder injury, the 31-year-old admitted, it might have been premature for him to get in the ring so early. The Brit found himself in trouble in the fifth round but was able to fight back in the second half. He put on an impressive performance in the eighth while the 11th and 12th were a mix of back and forth from both fighters. By the end it, Truax and his crew felt pretty confident he had done enough to secure a win. The scores came out in favour of the American, 114-114, 115-112, 116-112, while DeGale could see his future crumbling. The Brit immediately called for a rematch, even though there was no clause in the fight contract. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Auckland City has been knocked out of the FIFA Club World Cup by Al Jazira. The New Zealand side dominated by could not find an equaliser to go through. - Published: 2017-12-11 - Modified: 2017-12-11 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/auckland-city-fifa-club-world-cup/ Al Jazira Knock Auckland City out of FIFA Club World Cup Making their seventh appearance at the FIFA Club World Cup, Auckland City were handed a bitter pill to swallow after they went down 1-0 to Al Jazira on Thursday morning. It is the kind of loss that may take months to get over as they should have, by all rights walked away victorious. It is no exaggeration to say that Auckland City dominated the UAE champions. They were superior in just about every aspect of the game and somehow still managed to lose. The players knew it, the fans knew it and even the Al Jazira coach, Hen ten Cate said after the match that Auckland City were the better side, but sometimes, the better side just doesn’t win. Auckland City have been playing at the Club World Cup for just under a decade and have produced some brilliant moments. However, it all pales in comparison to the number of chances they had in this one match. Never before has Auckland had so many opportunities to score on the world stage. To put it into perspective, the Sandringham-based club had a total of 17 shots at goal, with seven of them, coming dead on target. The problem is they just could not hind the all-important equaliser, thanks mainly to the herculean efforts of Ali Khaseif, the Al Jazira goal keeper. The Best Game they Have Ever Lost Ryan De Vries missed more than once chance to take the team while youngster Callum McCowatt will also be disanointed that he didn’t make more of his first half opportunity. Emiliano Tade was also left wondering while Cameron Howieson was legitimately denied by a massive save from Khaseif. After the disappointment wears off, we should still be proud of the Auckland City team. After all, we take it for granted that they have been able to compete on the world stage year after year. Not only did they match the performance of a fully professional side, they totally dominated them. This is a side with a budget and resources that are not even close to being comparable. If we look at the quality of play itself, Auckland city were composed, stylish and created genuine chances. All in all, they were a pleasure to watch and a great team to support. Sometimes luck is just not on your side and that is the way the cookie crumbles. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The prestigious 2017 William Hill World Darts Championships commences once again on December 14th and will run all the way through to January 1st, 2018. - Published: 2017-12-10 - Modified: 2017-12-10 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/darts/phil-taylor-make-final-appearance/ 2017 William Hill World Darts Championships It’s become a regular instalment at Christmas, so much so that Christmas would no longer be Christmas without the William Hill World Darts Championships, and it’s all happening come December 14th. 2017 marks the 25th year that the PDC has organised the World Darts Championships and a lot has changed since the very first championships event. The prize pool, to name but an example, has increased from a very humble £16,000 from a total prize kitty of £64,000 to a first prize of 400,000 from a total prize pool of £1. 4m. Making A Return The usual cast of players will be making their return to compete in this year’s championships, including two-time world champions Adrian Lewis and Gary Anderson. Both men will be chasing the big number 3. There are also those chasing their maiden world crown title win. Daryl Gurney, Mensur Suljovic, James Wade and Peter Wright will all be going for gold for the very first time this year. There are also freshmen who will be hoping for a podium finish, most notably Rob Cross. Phil Taylor To Make Final Appearance This year, all eyes will be on Phil “The Power” Taylor as he makes what is expected to be his very last appearance at the World Dart Championships. It has been a highly emotional journey for 57 year old Taylor with the final championships appearance expected to be no different. Taylor is a 16-time world champion and will no doubt be looking to finish strong in what he has described as a fairytale finale. Coverage of the event will be managed by Sky Sports and the broadcaster’s Sky Sports Darts programme management has undertaken to broadcast all of the games, starting December 14th. The competition will run from December 14th up until new years’ day 2018; 15 days of non-stop darting action. Highlights of all 22 games sessions will also be broadcast on Sky Sports. Michael Van Gerwen Championships Favourite Despite Phil Taylor’s dandiest efforts to create a finale worthy of reflecting his sterling career, Michael Van Gerwen will in all likelihood walk away the ultimate victor once more. The World Number 1 remains the favourite to be hoisting the Sid Waddell trophy for the 2017/2018 World Championships. If Van Gerwen does win, and it is widely expected that he will, this will have been his 3rd World Championships trophy win. 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It’s a great opportunity for sailing enthusiasts to learn more about “China’s Florida”. - Published: 2017-12-09 - Modified: 2017-12-09 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sailing/china-welcomes-youth-sailing/ Youth Sailing World Championships Showcase New China While political dogmas and glorious leaders roar and stamp around the world stage like tyrannosaurs that haven’t noticed the incoming comet of global connectivity and shared ideas, ordinary men and women around the world are looking the practical possibilities of globalisation square in the eye and getting on with building direct bridges of interdependence and exchange between multiple cultures. For many in the West, this means re-evaluating their attitude towards the most powerful emerging economy on the planet: China. Which is not to says concerns about human rights, participatory democracy and environmental responsibility need to be ignored, but rather that polite engagement, mutual understanding, and persuasion are likely to achieve more than threats, economic attacks or an imperialist ‘world police’ attitude ever could. With this in mind, the 2017 Youth Sailing World Championships in Sanya, on China’s largest island of Hainan, could provide an eye-opener for many. Lying south of the mainland in tropical waters, Hainan is already one of China’s top international tourist destinations, so the championships from December 9-16 will display the fruits of the ancient civilisation’s new openness to sailing fans all over the world. A Quick Look at ‘China’s Florida’ Hainan is an island in the South China Sea situated well within the tropical zone, a smidgen north of 19 degrees above the equator. It’s the largest island under direct control of the PRC government in Beijing. Taiwan is larger, but despite Beijing’s claim of sovereignty, it has stubbornly maintained its independence since 1949. Hainan is also China’s largest special economic zone; one of the regions in which former premier Deng Xiaoping relaxed the strict rules of the communist state in the 1980s to begin the ‘opening-up’ of China that continues today. The growth and development this has encouraged has turned the island into a tourism hotspot, with plenty for sailing fans attending the Junior World Championships to discover. The climate also makes Hainan attractive to local tourists, especially those seeking to escape the harsh northern winters. Just as in Florida in the US, many Chinese retirees have resettled there from colder climes to enjoy their golden years in the sun. The combination of retirement immigrants and fun-seeking tourists has earned the island the apt nickname of ‘China’s Florida’. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > After six competitions across 3 continents, the best skaters from around the world arrive in Japan to compete in the Grand Prix of Figure Skating finals. - Published: 2017-12-08 - Modified: 2017-12-08 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/grand-prix-figure-skating-finals/ The Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final Qualifiers The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final kicked off on the 7th of December and the top skaters from around the world are currently competing in Nagoya, Japan. The three-day event is a culmination of six weeks of competition across three continents and six countries. The series itself consisted of six global skating events starting off with the Rostelecom Cup in Moscow. This was followed by the Skate Canada International, then the Audi Cup in Beijing and the NHK Trophy in Japan. The final two competitions consisted of the Internationaux de France de Patinage and Bridgestone Skate America. The Men In the men’s final, American Nathan Chen tops the standings, being to the only competitor to have won two events; the Rostelecom Cup and the Bridgestone Skate America. Shen is joined by Japan’s Shoma Uno who won the Skate Canada event and came second in France. Russia will have two entries with Sergei Voronov and Mikhail Kolyada both picking up a gold and silver in two events. Adam Rippon from the USA also advances to the final with two silvers along with Boyang Jin who scraped through with one silver and a fourth place at Lake Placid. Both Chen and Uno have competed in a final before and return as defending silver and bronze medallists. Of the men’s finalists, Russia’s Mikhail Kolyada is the only newcomer to the field. The Woman In the women’s competition, Russians Alina Zagitova and Evgenia Medvedeva top the standings with two gold medals apiece. Canadian Kaetlyn Osmond earned her spot with a gold in Canada and a bronze in France. Italian Carolina Kostner qualified with two silver medals, the same as does Russia’s Maria Sotskova. Japans Wakaba Higuchi makes up the squad, qualifying with one silver and one bronze. The woman’s competition has been dominated by Russians with Medvedeva being the two-time and current reining Grand Prix Final Champion. Two competitors will be making their debut in Final including Higuchi and Zagitova. Pairs In the pairs competition, China’s Wenjing Sui and Cong Han picked up two gold medals to top the standings. They are joined at the top by Russia’s Vladimir Morozov and Evgenia Tarasova, who also took gold and silver on their way to Nagoya. The Germans will have something to smile about as Aljona Savchenko and Bruno Massot collected one gold and one silver to qualify. The Canadian pair of Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford won a single gold and one bronze to book their spot while Russia’s Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor Klimov qualified with two silvers. The Chinese pair of Xiaoyu Yu and Hao Zhang makes up the group, also qualifying with two silvers. Each team has competed in a final before, bringing with them plenty of experience. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > England allrounder Ben Stokes has at last found success, this time on the golf course. Stokes carded a 78 at Harewood Golf Course in Christchurch. - Published: 2017-12-07 - Modified: 2017-12-07 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/ben-stokes-cleans-golf-course/ Stokes Proves His Worth – On the Golf Course It is a well-known fact that many of our great sporting heroes grew up playing multiple sports before homing in on their speciality. If and when these national representatives fluff their game, we can only sit back and wonder how things might be if they just switched sports? For Ben Stokes, we already know the answer. As one of England’s top cricket allrounders, Ben finally has found success with his game, not on the cricket pitch though, but on the Golf Course in Christchurch. It is fair to say that stokes is out of sorts. After being involved in a fight outside a Bristol nightclub, stokes was removed from the National team and left out to dry. In an effort to keep up his form, he made the controversial move to Canterbury to play with the Aussies Downunder. Since joining the team, he has yet to prove his worth, scoring just two runs of seven balls in Rangiora. His bowling figures were hardly any better, with him failing to pick up a single wicket. A Score Most Golfers Would Be Proud Of While his cricketing skills seem to be lacking at the moment, we really cannot fault his golf game. Playing at the Harewood Golf Club in Christchurch, Stokes carded a six-over par 78, the type of score, most amateurs would be more than happy with. The Harewood Golf Club's Facebook page had a few things to say about the matter. It said that it was good to see Ben Stokes out and enjoying the course, although his score of 78 would have certainly be welcome in Adelaide. The Harewood course has been described as challenging with well-drained greens and flat fairways that are deceptively undulating. An employee at the club said that a 78 is a very good score in any respect. Stokes is currently in Christchurch visiting family with the possibility of joining the National team in the second Ashes test in Adelaide. England were thoroughly beaten in the first test and are in a bit of trouble at the start of the second. After just two days of play, Australia are 268 runs ahead with plenty of wickets in hand. As for stokes, he has an opportunity to prove his worth at Eden Park when he will join the Canterbury team against the Auckland side. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2017 IWF World Weightlifting Championships proved to be an exciting event with multiple first-time wins. We take a look at the surprise results. - Published: 2017-12-06 - Modified: 2017-12-06 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/weightlifting/first-iwf-world-weightlifting-champs/ A String of Firsts at the IWF World Weightlifting Championships The IWF World Weightlifting Championships brings to together the best athletes from around the world to compete in specific weight classes. This year, there have been multiple first-time winners in both the men’s and women’s division. For Korean sports enthusiasts, it was a dream come true as Won Jeongsik become the first Korean athlete to win a world title in the 69kg event. He also became the first athlete to win a world title in both the Snatch the Total in the same (69kg) event since Liao Hui in 2014. Uzbekistan are known for their heavy lifters and usually compete in the 105kg event. This year was the first time that an Uzbekistan athlete, (Doston Yoqubov) won a world title in a Clean & Jerk event outside of the 105kg weight class. The bronze medal in the 69kg event went to Bernardin Kingue Matam of France for the Total and the Clean and Jerk category. He became just the second French athlete to win a medal in this weight class. Thailand also had a first with Tairat Bunsuk picking up a medal in the Total and Snatch, becoming the first Thai athlete to win a medal in the 69kg category. In the Snatch event, Mirko Zanni finished in third place, become the first Italian to win a medal at the world Championships since 1985. Spain Claim World Title in Women’s Division In the women’s division, it was Spaniard Valentin Perez Lidia who was crowned world champion, a title that she can add to her growing list of achievements. Lidia is a three times Olympic medallist and a reigning European Champion. She came out last, easily lifting 110kg then 115kg and finally 118. She then followed it up with an impressive performance at the Total and Clean and Jerk with 130kg followed by 135kg and finally 140kg. With six good lifts, she achieved her dream of becoming world Champ. The battle for second place in the Total category was fierce. Sitting in sixth spot, Gaelle Verlaine Nayo-Ketchanke had a chance to leapfrog Dajomes Barrera Nessi Patricia from Ecuador, however the French woman missed her final lift at 138kg, giving the Ecuadorian the second place finsih. Ketchanke did pick up a silver in the Clean and Jerk and a bronze in the Total, becoming the first female French athlete to reach the podium since 1996. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Manchester United have closed the gap a bit on Man City with a brilliant win over Arsenal at the Emirates. Untied are now just 5 points behind the leaders. - Published: 2017-12-05 - Modified: 2017-12-05 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/man-united-defeat-arsenal-3-1-emirates/ United Close the Gap on Man City with a Powerful Win over Arsenal Thanks to the outstanding efforts of David De Geo and Jesse Lingard, the Red Devils defeated their arch rivals 3-1 at the Emirates. It was a game filled with excitement, tension and a few wayward challengers, but at the end of the day, the Arsenal/Man United match was a great vindication for Mourinho and his side. It also means that United are just five points off log leaders Manchester City in the English Premiership standings Manchester United got off to a flying start when Paul Pogba played through Antonia Valencia who blasted a low shot past Petr Cech in the first quarter. Arsenal was still recovering from the shock when Man United struck again seven minutes later, this time through Jesse Lingard who was perfectly set up by Anthony Martial and Romelu Lukaku. Things went from bad to worse for Arsenal who lost Shkodran Mustafi through injury to be replaced by Alex Iwobi. The home side never lost faith though and despite being two goals down, dominated for the remainder of the second half. The Gunners came close to pulling back one goal with a Mesut Ozil free kick which was just cleared by De Gea. De Gea Holds Back The Tide The final 10 minutes of the first half was a flurry of activity by the home side who camped out near United goals, waiting for their chance to strike. Despite huge efforts by Hector Bellerin and Kolasinac, David de Gea was more than up for the challenge, producing some brilliant saves and keeping the score at 2-0 at the break. Arsenal finally got their first goal three minutes into the second half. Aaron Ramsey lined up Alexandre Lacazette for a perfectly executed shove past De Gea. With one in the bag, Arsenal came bounding back again and again. It fell to De Gea to hold off the tide as he denied both Lacazette and Alex Sanchez would-be goals from point-blank range. In the 63rd minute, the tables were turned on the hosts. A swift counter attack by the Red Devils gave Lingard his second goal of the game after slicing in a Pogba cross. 10 minutes later United were reduced to 10 men as Pogba was send off for a studs-up challenge on Bellerin. The managed to hold on though and with a concerted defence effort, they closed out the match 3-1. 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With that in mind, Kiwi sports betting fans will be interested to know that North Korea hasn’t sent a team to the 2017 IWF World Weightlifting Championships, running in Anaheim, California until December 5. Their absence could lead to fierce competition and more intriguing betting options. No Explanation Given for Pyongyang Snub Although no reason was given by officials in Pyongyang for their withdrawal this year, it doesn’t require any wild speculation to fathom. North Korea hasn’t missed a world championship since 2009... when the tournament was held in Goyang, South Korea. It looks like politics is again behind the decision to deny world-beaters like Kim Kuk-hyang, Om Yun-chol, Kim Myong-hyok, Rim Un-sim and Choe Hyo-sim another shot at glory. North Korea, like several other nations including Venezuela and Iran, is on Donald Trump’s naughty list, and as a result there was no guarantee that athletes from any of those countries would be issued US visas, even in the name of sporting internationalism. Given the current tensions between the USA and North Korea, and Trump’s juvenile need for one-upmanship in his Twitter war with Kim Jong-un, it’s quite possible that the North Korean team would have been refused visas out of spite. Supreme Leader (as opposed to weightlifters) Kim, enough of a petty juvenile himself to understand Trump’s proclivity for point scoring, simply sidestepped a potential loss of face by refusing to play. Iran a Strong Threat in Winnowed Field For reasons known only to the US Department of State Travel, the Iranians were granted visas to attend the Anaheim showdown, and their team includes Olympic gold medallists Kianoush Rostami, Behdad Salimi and Sohrab Moradi, along with Saeid Alihossein, returning from an eight-year suspension after a second doping conviction. Doping has winnowed the field for the 2017 IWF World Championships considerably anyway, so Iran is likely to impress. An IWF crackdown following retesting of stored IOC urine samples from the 2008 and 2012 Olympics has seen nine countries banned from this year’s tournament: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine. 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Making his first appearance since February, the world number 1199 mixed it up with five birdies and two bogies to stay in contention, just three strokes off Tommy Fleetwood who leads the pack. Showing no signs of discomfort, Woods looked impressive off the tee and on the green. He had a couple of rusty chips shots and failed to take advantage of the par-five holes but that was really the only concern for the day. His opening drive bounced out of bunker and safely onto the fairway. He recovered well, pitching the twelve feet before slotting in a perfect birdy putt. The former world No 1 then clocked a par on the second followed by a birdy on the third where he found the green in two and putted two from 40 feet. On the fourth, the approach dropped short and he under hit his chip. However, he sank a 20-footer to pull back to par. Woods then completed the par-five fifth with due diligence as well as the sixth with a two-putt par from 20 feet out. He followed it up with 25-foot gain to par the seventh. A Mixed Bag for the Former Champ Heading into the ninth, Tiger was just two of the pace but duffed a short chip to record his first bogey of the day. Proving he still has the tenacity to compete at a top level, Woods then responded with a 15-foot birdie on the 10th. The 11th hole didn’t go as planned as he sent his approach long and fairly wide of the fairway. A short chip took him to the far side of the green where he managed to recover with a par. The 12th was heading in the same dangerous territory as the 11th but the former champ manged to save par yet again. He came back yet again with a 15-foot birdy on the 13th, putting him one shot off the lead. The seesaw continued as he fluffed his drive on the 15th, dropping a bogey-six but managing to par the 17th. Tiger got a tough break on the final hole with a difficult lie close to the green. A brilliant pitch put him 5-feet away, which he duly sank to finish sub-70 for the first round. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > If New Zealand’s Kiwis were harbouring any dreams of making headway in this year’s Rugby League World Cup, it certainly did not last very long at all. - Published: 2017-12-02 - Modified: 2017-12-02 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/end-rlwc-road-new-zealands-kiwis/ Getting To The Bottom Of Things in the Kiwi Camp It’s sad but it’s a fact: the Rugby League World Cup is over for the Kiwi’s. And what a dismal and half-hearted attempt it was. As was to be expected and rightfully so, an investigation panel has now been appointed to determine exactly what went wrong this time around. Because it’s obvious that a lot has gone wrong this time around. Understanding Is Key To Avoiding Similar Future Mistakes The panel consists of sports barrister Tim Castle (who will also be acting as chair) and former chief of New Zealand Netball, Raelene Castle. The idea is to examine the teams, the individual players and their performance, or rather lack thereof, as well as coaches and the make-up and dynamics of team management. The preparations and planning for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup will also be examined closely, as well as the resources that were committed to the world cup campaign, both from a human as well as purely financial point of view. David Kidwell will not be exempt from the investigation either, including how he came into the position of being the coach of choice to be preparing the world cup squad. Game plans and player logistics are all bound to reveal interesting behind the scenes dynamics. New Zealand Rugby League chairman Reon Edwards has welcomed the appointment of the panel of truth, saying that everyone was disappointed with the Kiwis’ recent performance and that it was most necessary to understand exactly what went wrong and to which extent if the same mistakes and results are to be avoided in the future. Edwards confirmed that one of the main topics of discussion would be the current coaching eligibility rule. The rule dictates that the national coach must be a New Zealander. It’s becoming more and more obvious that this is obviously a rule that is no longer effective. Tim Castle has said that both he and his co-panellist felt very privileged to be undertaking such a responsible task and that the idea was to really get behind things by being independent and rigorous in their review of the situation as a whole. The panel’s findings are set to be announced in February / March and will include a four year plan that has been in process for the last eight months. The main idea is to work out a way towards better outcomes for the game and the team as a whole and is expected to be positive criticism at best. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Michael Bisping has suffered his second TKO at the hands of Kelvin Gastelum. The fight ended in less 3 minutes and now Bisping faces a 60-day suspension. - Published: 2017-12-01 - Modified: 2017-12-01 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/ufc/gastelum-knocks-bisping-ufc-shanghai/ Bisping Suffers Second TKO Defeat and Handed 60-day Suspension After all was said and done, there wasn’t a whole lot to take away from UFC Shanghai. From the days events we can say that retrospectively, there were more than a few fighters who were not quite qualified to make their debut. However, all that aside, it was the main event, Bisping versus Gastelum that turned out to be the biggest disappointment. Going into the fight, you would have thought that the former champion would be the favourite, even if he did lose his previous title contest. However, the betting told a completely different story. What fans and punters came to realise, well before the time was that Bisping was heading for yet another bloody defeat. The only reason Bisping was there was because Anderson Silva failed a USADA drug test. A few weeks ago, the Brit went toe to toe against Gorges St-Pierre in the UFC 217 main event. After first getting dropped by a thumping left hook, Bisping was then chocked unconscious before the referee called an end to the proceedings. Initially the NYSAC had him suspended on medical leave for 30 days. After undergoing some medical testing, the suspension was reduced to just 7 days, allowing him to fight Gastelum in the UFC Shanghai main event. In hindsight, it would have been better for Bisping’s career and his heath to ride out the 30 days. As the main event got underway, both fighters started feeling each other out, but it was clear that Gastelum’s strikes had far more power. It seemed just a matter of time before the former welterweight would find the right moment to unleash the beast. Gastelum Needed Just 3 Minutes Close Out the Fight We didn’t have to wait long, on a double-punch combo, the second punch completely whipped Bisping’s head backwards, smacking him to the floor into an almost unconscious state. The referee dutifully stepped in to save Bisping from taking any more damage and the fight was over, just like that. After suffering his second TKO defeat in under two weeks, the former UFC middleweight champion was handed a full 60-day suspension by the UFC who self-regulated the Chinese event. Both Bisping and the UFC have come under fire since the fight, with many people saying that Bisping should not have been allowed to fight Gastelum in the first place. There is a reason suspensions are given after fights and hopefully others can learn from these mistakes. As for Bisping, he plans to end his short career with a bout planned for March next year in London. 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For Valtteri Bottas though, it was a chance to prove his worth to his team and the Formula One Community. Starting at pole position, Bottas held off his Mercedes teammate to claim a much-needed win. Having suffered from bad run in the latter half of the season, Bottas needed to prove to Mercedes that they made the right decision in signing him for next year. It also gave Mercedes a morale boost with a one-two over Ferrari. Hamilton had hopes of finishing the season on a high note, but crashed the Brazil qualifiers and placed second in the final race. While he was not able to claim any more wins, he did equal the record with Michael Schumacher and Manuel Fangio as the only drivers to score points in every race in a championship winning year. Hamilton Settles for Second With both Bottas and Hamilton in evenly matched cars, Hamilton was able to stay up front with the Fin but not find the required speed advantage to pass. It is an issue that has cropped up this season mainly due to the aero-focused regulations. Leading off the grid, Bottas maintained control throughout the race and stayed in front after the one and only pit stop on the race. While Hamilton pushed him to the edge, he simply could not find a way around. The Mercedes pair were essentially in a race by themselves with Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel finishing a full 19 seconds behind them. As for Mercedes, they will be pleased with their performance this season. The team won their fourth constructors championship with a total of 12 wins which included four one-two finishes. Ultimately, they proved that their development of a F1 car was strong to the end. Meanwhile, the battle for sixth in the constructor’s championship between Toro Rosso, Renault and Hass, ended up going the way of Renault. A sixth place by Nico Hulkenberg was enough to overtake Toro Rosso. Daniel Ricciardo had to retire on lap 22 after suffering from hydraulic failure while Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen, who was sitting seven points behind Ricciardo, managed to take fourth place and jump his rival into fourth in championship. Max Verstappen came in fifth followed by Hulkenberg, then the Force India pair of Sergio Pérez and Esteban Ocon. 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He recovered well though and fought off five-time Group 1 winner, Black Heart Bart by just half a head in what was a thrilling finish. The $5 race favourite, Tom Melbourne came home in a close third to round up the trifecta. Scales of Justice, who won last year’s Railway Stakes, sat just outside Great Shot but faded towards the end to come in a disappointing 12th. A post-race examination on the horse did not reveal any problems, however trainer Lindsey Smith said the horse would be spelled. For Rhys Radford, though, it was a fairy tale race and one that would definitely define his short career. It was just two years ago that Radford took over the reins from his father’s Warren’s Oakford stable. The Return of a Star Speaking to the press, Radford said he couldn’t believe he had won the Railway. He said he couldn’t get the horse any better than he was, so they were just hoping his best would be good enough on the day. He has never had a horse that is as tough as Great Shot or one that tries as hard, where others would lie down, Great Shot just keeps goings, but for now, it is going to take a day or two for the reality to sink in. In June this year, it was feared that Great Shot would never race again. The Magnus five-year-old was diagnosed with kissing spines, a career-ending spinal condition which is where the tips of the spin touch or overlap. However, the horse responded well to treatment and completed a rigorous exercise regime to get him back into shape. Radford said that the horse has not been sound for many months but he came through when it mattered. After winning the Belmont Guineas last year by more than four lengths, owners Frank and May Edwards received multiple offers for Great Shot all exceeding $1 million. They ultimately turned down the offers, a decision which has been vindicated by his latest win. He also improved his record with 8 wins from 24 starts and racked up a total of $1. 13 million in prize money. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > SK Gaming has defeated home side Astralis at the inaugural BLAST Pro Series. The finals saw the two teams at map each with the final map going to SK. - Published: 2017-11-28 - Modified: 2017-11-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/esport/sk-gaming-wins-inaugural-blast-pro-series/ SK Gaming Victorious at Inaugural BLAST Pro Series The BLAST Pro Series was set to be one of the most exciting CS:GO e-gaming events of the year, and it more than lived up to its hype. Held in Copenhagen, Denmark, the shortest Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tournament of its kind, saw team SK Gaming defeat Denmark’s finest to claim the championship title and be crowned reigning champs, despite the thousands of screaming fans roaring in favour of the home team. The day started out with a buzz of activity as each team competed in a round of best-of-one group matches. Home team Astralis and SK Gaming emerged at the top of their respective groups along with other world-class competitors including North, Ninjas in Pyjamas, G2 Esports and FaZe Clan. The group leaders then played in a best-of-three elimination series that consisted of Inferno, Mirage and Cache. SK Gaming and Astralis came out ahead and competed in the grand finals of the single day event. In the first map, Mirage, both teams used their Terrorist sides to dictate the pace of the game. From the outset though, it seemed Astralis had the upper hand. Completely outperforming their Brazilian opponents, team Astralis concluded the first map with a 16-11 advantage, much to the delight of crowd. SK Gaming kept their tournament alive though with a 10-5 start in Inferno. Their outstanding Terrorist start was outdone by an even better Counter-Terrorist side. Astralis tried in vain to get back into the game but the Brazilian defence was too strong, ending the map with a 16-8 scoreline. Astralis Pipped in Overtime Cache Win In the final map of the tournament, Cache, Astralis took an early lead with a strong offensive. SK Gaming came back hard after a strategic timeout and managed to close the gap to 9-6 at the break. SK continued to stamp their dominance on the game with an intense pistol round. Astralis was not to be outdone though and a well timed A site execute put them slightly ahead going into the final stages. SK’s strong site hold and coordinated retakes helped them tie the game, forcing Cache into overtime. SK then managed to pip their Danish opponents right at the end, taking the final map score to 19-16. Closing out the finals 2-1, SK Gaming were crowned BLAST Pro Series champs and have firmly established themselves as the CS:GO leaders. With one-month left of the year, there are just two tournaments left to play including the ESL Pro League season six finals and the ESC season four finals. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Belgian player Kevin De Bruyne is the name on the lips of every Manchester City fan, for good reason. De Bruyne is nothing short of a football wonder-boy. - Published: 2017-11-27 - Modified: 2017-11-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/de-bruyne-manchester-city-golden-boy/ A Man For The Season For Manchester City Manchester City fans are a passionate bunch: passionate about football, passionate about Manchester City and passionate about Kevin De Bruyne. All in all, things are good in camp Manchester City. Their players make up the who is who in the world of football, accounting for 4 of the 10 top goal scorers in the international world of Premier League football. To top it all off they are second only to Manchester United when it comes to shutting out the opposition completely, having done so a total of 7 times in the last 12 league games. Things are well in Manchester City land. And then, as if things weren’t going swell enough already, there’s Kevin De Bruyne from Belgium. The Belgian midfielder is the newest wonder-boy to become Manchester City’s main man with a plan. The fact is, all great sides in Premier League football have evolved around a key individual, a main man. For Manchester City, for this season, that man is Kevin De Bruyne. The Stats De Bruyne racked up a remarkable 18 Premier League assists during last season and he proved absolutely critical during Manchester City’s recent 2-0 victory over Leicester, taking a staggering 107 touches. It may very well all be on account of the fact that the 26 year old has been moved into the all-important central midfielder role, a role which lends itself to the making or breaking of leaders on the field. For De Bruyne it has been a positive, what with him making significantly more passes than ever before. He has stepped up to the plate, dictating play, and dare we say he’s completely suited for the role. De Bruyne is involved in two thirds of all open field moves ultimately leading to a goal, with a 23 out of 40 record. This is roughly 7 more than the next best man for the job. Commentator Jamie Carragher recalls that it wasn’t always clear what the best role for De Bruyne should be. According to Carragher, all credit belongs to coach Guardiola for swinging and swopping the positional changes until he got it just right with De Bruyne. The fact of the matter is that it would not have taken Guardiola too long to realise that De Bruyne’s right foot is like a magic wand when it comes to goal scoring. Not to mention what he’s managed to do with his left foot. Best of all, De Bruyne can do all of this at 25 yards. 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The match started out on with promise but quickly swung in favour of the English side when Qarabag’s captain, Rashad Sadygov was sent off for pulling a man down in the penalty box. Eden Hazard was on hand to convert the penalty and put Chelsea 1-0 up with 69 minutes still to play with a 1-man advantage. After making a promising start, the Azeri champions were completely outplayed and looked lost without their captain to push them forward. Two cracking goals from William put the game beyond doubt while a Cesc Fabregas penalty just added salt to the wounds. Fabregas was actually forced to repeat the penalty after the referee ruled out the first kick due to encroachment from the Qarabag side. Chelsea’s latest win puts them firmly on top of Group C with 10 points and a guaranteed place in the knockout stage of the competition. They have just one game to go and will remain at the top of their group if they manage to beat Atletico Madrid in Game 5. Manchester and Liverpool Could Make it Five Meanwhile, Manchester United needed a goalless draw to book their spot in the final 16. However, the Premier Club recorded their first loss in the group stage, going down 1-0 to Basel. A decisive strike from Michael Lang in the 89th minute was the only goal of the match. Despite their defeat, Manchester United still lead the standings in Group A with 12 points. The only way they will not go through is if they lose by more than six goals on the final game. Liverpool also looks set to join their English counterparts, making it a record 5 English teams in the final round of 16. They would need to beat Spartak Moscow in their final game to top the tables in group E. Barcelona needed just a single point to reach the final 16. A goalless draw against Juventus, gave them the point the needed, ending up top of group D. Paris Saint-Germain looked to be heading on a dangerous path when the conceded an early goal against Celtic. The French then pulled it back and then some with a massive 7 goals to get them through as log leaders. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Railway Stakes is the first Group 1 of Perth’s summer at Ascot on 25 November. Handicaps and barrier draws complicate Kiwi punters’ betting choices. - Published: 2017-11-25 - Modified: 2017-11-25 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/railway-stakes-draw-complications/ Silverstream Will Battle Outside Railway Stakes Draw Perth’s Railway Stakes, the first of three Group 1 races every summer at Ascot, is a traditional double with the Gr. 2 Lee Steeres Stakes at Ascot a fortnight earlier. Dating back to 1887, the oldest Gr. 1 race in Perth is run over 1600m for a million-dollar purse, as opposed to the Lee Steeres’ 1400m for $250,000. However, that particular double hasn’t come off at Ascot since 2006, when Bell Bizarre won both races. Silverstream, the six-year-old mare trained by Adam Durrant, also took a narrow victory in the 1400m Northerly Stakes two weeks before winning the Lee Steeres by a neck against Great Shot and Scales Of Justice. She’s suffered a terrible rail draw for the Railway Stakes, though, starting from Barrier 16 in a 16-horse race. Online betting sites don’t fancy her to break the drought on the double: she’s eighth in the betting at $15. 00. However, she’s carrying a relatively light weight of 53. 5kg, so with Perth’s top hoop, William Pike, riding her, she could still surprise. Double for Scales Of Justice Also Iffy The 2016 Railway Stakes winner, Lindsey Smith-trained Scales Of Justice, is top of the betting at $6. 00 to take a double of his own. The five-year-old gelding will be ridden by Douglas Whyte on Saturday, but he’s carrying second-highest weight of 57. 5kg. He’ll also be jumping off from Barrier 13, so his favourite status may be deceptive. Three More Contenders to Watch Trainer Darren Weir admits he isn’t sure if Black Heart Bart has another Gr. 1 in him, but he says the seven-year-old gelding is in ‘reasonable’ condition for his return to WA. Black Heart Bart has had a rest and treatment for the foot trouble that cut short his uneven spring season in Melbourne after Caulfield’s Underwood Stakes on 1 October. However, he’s carrying top weight of 59kg. Drawn in Barrier 8, he’s second favourite at $6. 50. Weir also trains Ulmann, the six-year-old gelding drawn in Barrier 5 and carrying 54. 5kg. He’s offered at $12. 00. Irish gelding Tom Melbourne is also a potential threat, starting from Barrier 1 and carrying 55kg. The seven-year-old is the Railway Stakes third favourite at $7. 00. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Tod Kelly has announced his retirement from Supercar racing. The 38-year old is still co-owner of the team and will be involved behind the scenes. - Published: 2017-11-24 - Modified: 2017-11-24 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/todd-kelly-hangs-helmet-good/ Todd Kelly Retires from Supercar Racing Todd Kelly has officially announced his retirement from Supercar racing. The 38-year old leaves the sport with an impressive CV spanning two decades, highlighted by a victory in the Bathurst 1000 back in 2005 for Holden Racing. Speaking to the press, Kelly said that he had a solid career doing what he loved. Even if he got the chance to change a few things, there isn’t one thing he regrets. His passion for driving kept him going for 20 years and while he still enjoys flying around corners at 240km/h, he has had knee surgery twice this year, which is still an issue for him. Having gone two decades without perfect left-foot breaking, the SMP left him wondering about his future. Like all good drivers, Kelly’s passion for racing started with go-karts before moving on to Formula Ford at the age of 16. Along with Marcos Ambrose, Garth Tander and Jason Gargwanna, Kelly carved out a name for himself and a future in Supercars. Kelly and Bargwanna were the first among the young group of drivers to be selected for the Holden Young Lions program. By 1998, he made his debut appearance in the Bathurst 1000 with John Faulkner. In 1999, he made his full time Championship debut with HYL. A Career Spanning Two Decades Kelly’s first taste of victory came on the streets of Canberra in the year 2000. A later, Kelly graduated to the HRT before joining the Skaife at the Holden Racing team in 2003. This is where Kelly found his niche, racking up 14 wins with the Generals’ lead squad including his birthday Bathurst win and the team’s 50th win in Shanghai. In 2008, Kelly moved to Perkins Engineering where he picked up the team’s final race win at Simmons Plains. His most recent podium finishes came in 2011 along with his brother at Hamilton and Sandown. The team’s switch to Nissan in 2013 saw Kelly’s elder brother drop in form, but recent seasons have shown bouts of potential against the traditional heavyweights. Kelly remains co-owner and will no doubt be involved with the team going forward. According to Kelly, going to an event and not getting into the driver’s seat will take some getting used to. For now, he will use his keen eye for detail to focus on engineering and car prep. As yet, Nissan Motorsport has not announced who will be taking Kelly’s seat in 2018. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Australia needs to put their money where their mouths are. This is James Vince’s stern warning to the Aussies ahead of the upcoming Ashes series. - Published: 2017-11-23 - Modified: 2017-11-23 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/vince-issues-warning-australia/ James Vince: Australia To Live Up To Hype England batsman James Vince has said that Australia needs to put their money where their mouths are. Referring to Australia’s confidence that the Ashes series was already in the bag, Vince responded by saying that Australia had better back up their chat, failing which the home crowd would be wondering why Australia wasn’t doing what they said they would be doing. This all in response to Australia coach Darren Lehmann saying that he liked what he saw in the English side and Josh Hazlewood’s claims that Australia would be opening some English scars. The first Test commences on Thursday at the Gabba. Australia had not lost a single Test at the Gabba since 1988. According to Vince, this was the main reason why he believed that the Aussies had to back up their idle chatter, as they certainly did not want to end up being the first squad to break the Gabba record. England’s Dawid Malan, set to play his very first Ashes Test, admitted that the Gabba looked intimidating, even daunting. The 30 year old said that he had never played in front of 40,000 people before and that it was bound to be able to “get to you”. The Gabba The fortress that is the Gabba may very well come under fire this year, with selection and other issues aplenty. The worrying trilogy being David Warner, Steve Smith and Peter Handscomb. Warner has made but one good score in the Sheffield season, Smith has been anything but reliable and highly inconsistent performance-wise and Peter Handscomb has managed but a half-century. The selection process has come under heavy fire, with many saying that the only decent selection had been Cameron Bancroft, who had hit two half-centuries and a double ton in the Sheffield Shield matches. That having been said, something as simple as the weather could end up toppling the Australian apple cart altogether. Extra morning moisture on the Gabba could very well make James Anderson and Stuart Broad completely unplayable. The only solace in the already dire situation seems to be that England aren’t exactly what you would refer to as in top form either. England are headed in the Gabba’s direction on a wagon drawn by inexperience in the way of Dawid Malan, Gary Ballance, Ben Foakes, Mason Crane, James Vince and Craig Overton. The suspension of Stokes has only served to add more insult to injury. Stokes is currently awaiting the outcome of assault charges, which will affect whether he will be joining the series later on. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Grigor Dimitrov has won the ATP Finals in London, becoming the first player in 19 years to do so on his debut appearance. He beat Goffin 7-5 4-6 and 6-3. - Published: 2017-11-22 - Modified: 2017-11-22 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/dimitrov-beats-goffin-atp-finals/ Grigor Dimitrov Wins ATP Finals in London Bulgarian tennis sensation, Grigor Dimitrov has claimed the biggest title of his career. After going unbeaten in five matches, the 26-year-old has won the 2017 ATP Finals on his debut appearance. Picking up 3. 6 Million Dollars for his efforts, Dimitrov beat Belgian David Goffin in the final 7-5, 4-6 and 6-3. He will now end the year as the third highest ranked player while Goffin moves up to seventh. Not taking anything away from Dimitrov, the ATP Finals were missing two of the sport’s biggest names as both Novak Djokovic and Andy Murry missed the tournament due to injuries. Rafael Nadal also pulled out early on in the tournament while the tournament favourite, Roger Federer was brilliantly beating in the semi-finals by Goffin. The season is over for Dimitrov but for Goffin, the Davis Cup will provide another opportunity to prove his worth when he joins the Belgian team against France next week. The ATP Finals was essentially a rematch of the group stages where Dimitrov had thrashed Goffin. This time around, the Belgian proved to be a much more formidable opponent. Having beaten both Nadal and Federer on his way to the finals, Goffin started the match with confidence. Dimitrov had to scramble to recover two breaks of serve but eventually managed to go ahead with a fifth set point in the 12th game. Dimitrov Keeps His Cool The second set turned out to be a much closer affair as Dimitrov missed out on a decisive break. Seizing his chance, Goffin broke the Bulgarian and served out the set to force the decider. The final set was the most thrilling of the match with Dimitrov having to fend off four break points in the very first game. His patience paid off though as he was able to move 4-2 up when Goffin sent a wayward backhand long. After two hours of play, the Bulgarian contingent realised their man was on the verge of victory and began to chant his name over and over. Goffin had other ideas though and rescued a 0-40 game and three match points. Goffin received a standing ovation from the 18000 strong spectators when he pulled back the fourth point. Dimitrov kept his cool though and finally sealed the match when Goffin fluffed a drop volley into the net. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Premier League is heating up: Man City defeat Leicester while Tottenham go down to Arsenal. Manchester United welcome back Paul Pogba. - Published: 2017-11-21 - Modified: 2017-11-21 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/latest-update-premier-league-action/ Premier League Update Premier League Leaders, Manchester City recorded their 16th straight win, sweeping aside Leicester City 2-0, while Manchester United welcomed back Paul Pogba with a 4-1 win over Newcastle United. Things didn’t go as well for Tottenham Hotspur who suffered a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Arsenal which means the League looks to be a contest between the two Manchester teams who are now separated by just eight points. In the Man City match, it was Gabriel Jesus who tapped in the first goal off a brilliant strike from Kevin Du Bruyne. Leicester came close to equalising when Harry McGuire struck the post just after the break. A counter attack by De Bruyne put the game out of contention with a 20-yard thumper straight into the net. The only concern for Man City was an injury sustained by John Stones who may not be able to play for the rest of the season. Manchester United Welcome Back Pogba In Old Trafford, Manchester United’s Pogba and Ibrahimovic were back in action, much to the delight of United fans. The French player scored United’s third goal Against Newcastle and contributed a valuable assist. Coming from one goal down, United came back with a vengeance with Chris Smalling, Romelu Lukaku and Anthony Martial all getting in on the action. This was the fourth time this season that United hit four goals in a match. Meanwhile in London, Arsenal pulled off a convincing 2-0 League win over Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates Stadium. It was Mustafi who opened the scoring for Arsenal with a superb header in the 36th minute. The advantaged was then doubled 5 minutes later with a close-range strike by Sanchez. The win takes Arsenal to fifth on the log, just one point behind spurs. Liverpool Defeat Southampton 3-0 At Anfield, Liverpool recorded their third consecutive Premier League win, defeating Southampton by 3-0. Mohamed Salah scored twice, in the 31st and 41st minute, making it 14 goals from 18 games. Philippe Coutinho, slotted in the third to put Liverpool just one point off a placing in the Champions League. For their part, Chelsea had an equally good afternoon, sweeping aside West Bromwich Albion 4-0 who are now 11 games down without a single win. In the Crystal Palace vs Everton match, it was another goal fest as both sides showed cracks in their defence. In what turned out to be an entertaining match, the two sides picked up two goals apiece with the final score being 2-2. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The selectors’ have cast their die and fans are reeling with surprise and shock. This of course the proposed squad announcement for the Ashes test. - Published: 2017-11-20 - Modified: 2017-11-20 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/surprise-surprise-ahead-ashes-series/ Ashes On the Horizon It’s almost time for yet another Ashes series, with Australia taking on England at the Gabba come November 23rd. The England/Australia dynamic is one of the longest running rivalries in international sport. The very first Ashes series was played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 15 March 1877 with Australian winning by 45 runs. The selection process has always been a controversial one, one the side of England as well as Australia. This year is turning out to be no different. Working With A Majority Of Left-Fielders This year, the selectors have done more than surprise; they have stunned. For a start, Cameron Bancroft will reportedly be making his very first Test cap. Surprise aside, considering his recent performance in the Sheffield Shield matches, Bancroft is deserving of the honour of opening batsman. The real stunner is the choice of wicketkeeper. Matthew Wade and Peter Nevill both seemed a reasonable choice, but the selectors have opted to go with 32 year old Tim Paine instead. The really surprising thing is that Paine hasn’t protected the wickets for Australia since back in 2010 and what’s more, hasn’t represented his home side of Tasmania as wicketkeeper either. Wicket keeping aside, and in all fairness, Paine did score a stellar 71 for Tasmania against Victoria very recently, as well as having lodged a staggering 52 against England at the Adelaide Oval. The Big Number 6 All things being equal, it’s the No. 6 position that really has the tongues wagging, especially since no official announcement has been made as of yet. Selectors are however reportedly leaning towards Shaun Marsh, a 34 year old player from Western Australia. Apparently the logic behind the reported decision rests on the fact that a specialist batsmen ranks higher than a general all-rounder when it comes to No. 6. The decision is most definitely based on wanting to up the batting quality, more than anything else, especially considering that Marsh has almost exclusively only made headway on foreign turf. Social media has seen a reaction of total shock and a measure of awe to boot at the selection process and ultimate opening line-up. The expected (and likely) squad for the opening test is as follows: David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Peter Handscomb, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine, Mitchell Stark, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazelwood, Nathan Lyon and Jackson Bird. No small wonder then that the reaction has been one of utter unbelief. 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Only in the late 1990’s did competitive computer gaming attract a large enough following to trigger the global acceptance of eSports. In two decades, however, exponential improvements in gaming technology and the worldwide explosion of fast connectivity have turned gaming into a multibillion-dollar business with much bigger prizes, and fans and players everywhere. There’s also plenty of action for online sports betting fans, with a number of brands developing a range of tournament levels just as complex as those in much older, traditional sports. Valve Corporation, for example, the US-based developer behind Defense of the Ancients and its sequel, Dota 2, has divided the Dota Pro Circuit into 11 majors, 16 minors and a showcase annual finale, The International. The Perfect World Masters, to be played in Shanghai from 19-26 November, is the fourth minor on the 2017-18 Dota Pro Circuit, and apart from playing for the prize money, the 10 teams competing will also be after the 300 qualification points towards The International 2018. Biggest DPC Minors’ Prize Money Yet One of the qualifications for eligible third-party tournaments to join the Dota Minor Championships is total prize-money of at least $150,000. The Perfect World Masters will be the first of this year’s minors to see that total doubled, and the top teams in Shanghai will share prize money of $300,000. It will also be the opening minor played in China this year; the first three took place in Ukraine, Romania and Croatia in October and early November. The Netherlands’ Team Liquid won in Ukraine and Croatia, with Philippine team Mineski triumphing in Romania. The Dutch are probably the best Dota 2 team in the world at present, so their fans will be disappointed that they’re not in the Perfect World Masters line-up. However, Mineski is included, and should attract attention from punters. Their biggest threats will likely be Europe’s Team Secret and China’s Vici Gaming. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Carolina Panthers have improved their season with a solid win against the Miami Dolphins. Six touchdowns and 5 possessions took the final score to 45-21 - Published: 2017-11-18 - Modified: 2017-11-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/carolina-panthers-defeat-dolphins-45-21/ Panthers Take Down the Dolphins in Charlotte On a night when records were broken for offence, the Carolina Panthers pulled off a couple of big touchdowns and a total of five possessions to defeat the Miami dolphins by 45 points to 21. While the Panther’s defence was the star of the show early on in the game, it was their offence that capitalised on every opportunity, eventually racking up six touchdowns and a total of 548 yards, which just happens to be a franchise record. A second quarter interception by Luke Kuechly put the Panthers up just before the stroke of halftime. With less than a minute left on the clock, the linebacker was in the perfect position to intercept a pass that was meant for Dolphins tight end Julius Thomas. He then picked off Jay Cutler for the turnover. Four plays and 20 yards later, Cam Newton threw a touchdown pass to Ed Dickson taking the score to 17-7 at halftime in favour of the Panthers. In the second half, the Panthers opened the floodgates and the offence seemed unstoppable. Carolina increased their lead early on in the third quarter with a screen pass which turned into a 28-yard touchdown to Devin Funchess. On the resulting drive, running back Johnathan Stewart played two handoffs making up a combined 23-yard play. His counterpart, Artis Payne, then made up 12 yards for his very first touchdown of the new season. Newton Goes 5-1 with Multiple Touchdowns Halfway through the third quarter, Miami picked up the pace and pulled off a thrilling 66-yard touchdown courtesy of running back Kenyan Drake. The moment was short lived though as Newton matched the play in the very next possession. Newton showed his adaptive skill with a 69-yard rush, which set up a 2-yard touchdown pass to Christian Mcaffrey. This ended up being his first double touchdown game of his career. In the fourth quarter, things went according to plan for the Panthers. Newton found Funchess again with another brilliant 32-yard touchdown pass, marking the first four-touchdown game for Monday Night Football. Newton now goes 5-1, having thrown multiple touchdown in all of his six appearances. The win over the Miami Dolphins puts the Panthers on an improved 7-3 for the season. They now trail the New Orleans Saints by just half a game in the NFC South as they head into their bye week. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The latest round of the Sheffield Shield was a treat for the bowlers. However, some impressive batting performances could lead to Ashes inclusion. - Published: 2017-11-17 - Modified: 2017-11-17 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/sheffield-shield-produces-new-ashes/ Ashes Prospects Emerge from Sheffield Shield The first Ashes test is just over a week away and for the players hoping to claim their spot in the first XI, this latest round of the Sheffield Shield is their last chance to impress the selectors. It was another day for the bowler’s though as batting contenders fell at the drop of a hat. However, there were some impressive stands that could lead to late inclusions in the Ashes squad. We take a look at a few players that could be moving out or coming in. An impressive century against Victoria in October gave Usman Khawaja solid leg up, but his latest batting foray was even more impressive on a day when the bowlers were cleaning up. The left-hander played the anchor role for the Bulls, scoring 78 of 192 balls. To put it into perspective, the next highest score for the Queensland team was Jack Wildermuth on 27. Next up is Matt Renshaw. Debuting for Australia a year ago, his test average is around the 36. 64 mark. The hope was that with a full season of tests, he would have come into his own. Before the week began, Renshaw managed to rack up just 53 runs in four innings in the Shield. In his final match, he failed again. After edging Trent Copeland, Renshaw went for 16, taking with him a Shield average of just 13. 80. Bancroft Impresses with Triple Figures In the Victoria vs. Tasmania match, another two spots looked up for grabs in the form of Matthew Wade and Tim Paine. Coming in at 2-62, Paine lasted just three balls before Chris Tremain worked his magic, trapping Paine for a duck. Wade fared no better. After facing 42 balls, Wade scored just 5 runs before being bowled by Peter Siddle. One man who is pressing for Wade’s spot is Cameron Bancroft. With keeper, Sam Whitman out of the picture, Bancroft stepped in. While his keeping skills were perfectly suitable, it was his batting performance that stood out. Against NSW, he racked up an impressive 76 runs off 86 balls. On Monday against the Redbacks, Bancroft had a great knock, reaching triple figures within 60 minutes. Bancroft finished the first day unbeaten on 161 off just 273 balls. Then there is Mitchell March. After a poor start to the Sheffield Shield season, Mash stepped up a gear. Batting alongside Bancroft, Marsh racked up 95 runs off 110 balls with a total of 16 boundaries. He could be another consideration at this point? 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The Broncos, crumbled under the pressure, eventually going down 41 points to 16. For Brady, it was a good night as he finally broke the tie with Peyton Manning for the most regular-season road wins at 86. Both teams have represented the AFC in the past four Super Bowls, so it could have been an exciting matchup. Instead, the Broncos just kind of fizzled out, yet again. The Broncos ended up losing their fifth straight game, officially making 2017 their worst season in seven years. They also have the added accolade of dropping back-to-back games to the Patriots in Denver, something has not been seen since 1966. Brady, did well to avoid Von Miller and threw 266 yards on 25 of 34 passing. The Broncos are the only team that Brady has a losing record against and this makes his fourth win in the past 11 trips. It seemed that, it was a night for records as the Patriots, for the first time since 1979 had a blocked punt as well as a kick-off return touchdown that resulted in their comfortable halftime lead of 27-9. A Night for Records and Fluffed Punts The Patriots started the game three-and out with Isaiah McKenzie muffing the punt, leading to the 14-yard touchdown pass into the hands of running back Rex Burkhead. The Patriots would rack up a further five touchdowns and a set of field goals before they had to punt again. Brandon McManus fluffed the kick-off, failing to get in front of Dion Lewis whose 103-yard return took the score to 14-3. Burkhead then blocked Riley Dixon’s punt just on the 30-yard line. Stephen Gostkowski did the honours of slotting in their second field goal to take the lead to 20-6. When the Broncos managed to regroup and force another punt in the fourth quarter, they were blown for having 12 men on the field. This gave the Patriots a new set of down and the opportunity to do more damage. Brady handed off a 6-yard TD pass to James White, capping off a 16-play drive that at up most of the remaining time. Betting on the NFL is easy and you can wager on upcoming games with Sportsbet online sportsbook. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Marc Marquez finished in third place at the Valencia MotoGP to claim his fourth title in five years. Meanwhile Andrea Dovizioso crashed out for Ducati. - Published: 2017-11-15 - Modified: 2017-11-15 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/marc-marquez-wins-2017-motogp-title/ Marc Marquez Claims his Fourth MotoGP Title Marc Marquez has won his fourth MotoGP title with a third-place finish at the Valencia season finale. Valencia was the last chance for Italian Andrea Dovizioso to make a play for the title. However, it meant that Dovizioso would have had to win the race and hope that polesitter, Marquez finished outside the top 11. Marquez led for a brief period at the start of the race before Johann Zarco overtook him on the fourth lap. The Frenchman led a group of four tight riders, which included himself, then Marquez, Pedrosa, and Lorenzo. Dovizioso was lying in fifth, putting pressure on his teammate give him a chance to jump the order. Lorenzo however, refused to move over and was eventually shown a pitboard with codded team instructions. It wasn’t until lap 20 that the front order finally changed. Marquez saw an opportunity to pass Zarco but was overtaken on the next lap. Back on the attack, Marquez misjudged his breaking on turn 1 and almost blew the title. He managed to keep his Honda upright re-joined the race in fifth behind Dovizioso. Dovizioso Crashes out for Ducati Ducati’s hopes of a MotoGP title were dashed soon after as Lorenzo crashed followed by Dovizioso on turn 8 with just six laps remaining. With the two Ducati’s down, Marqez was promoted to third position, which was more than enough to beat Dovizioso to the title with a 36-point lead. At the front of the pack, Zarco was under pressure from Pedrosa and eventually succumbed to the Honda who took the lead on the final lap. Pedrosa clung to the lead to take his second MotoGP victory of the season while Marquez finished 10 seconds behind the frontrunners. Behind Marquez, Alex Rins, finished 2. 7 second later, to take a career-best for Suzuki while Valentino Rossi had to settle for fifth. Rossi’s lower placing meant that he was beaten to fourth place in the overall standings by Pedrosa by just two points. Meanwhile Andrea Iannone dropped from third to finish sixth in the race behind the Honda duo of Jack Miller and Cal Crutchlow. Completing the top ten was Ducati’s Michele Pirro and Tito Rabat. Another title contender, Maverick Vinales had a terrible final race, finishing in 12 head of Bradley Smith on the KTM. There were a number of riders who crashed out of the race including Ducati’s Alvaro and Scott Redding. They were followed by Aleix Espargaro for Aprilia and Mika Kallio, the KTM Wildcard. 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Proving she has what it takes to win the upcoming Group 1 Railway Stakes, Silverstream came from the back of the pack to beat out front-runner Great Shot ($12) by a head while race favourite Scales of Justice ($1. 50) came in a disappointing third. The tight four finish was concluded with Salubrious ($19) who came in half a length behind Scales of Justice. Scales of Justice ran a hard race on the outside, battling it out with Great Shot for most of the home straight. His inability to finish strong was of concern to trainer Lindsey Smith who said post-race that perhaps she had been soft on him after his return home from Melbourne. Meanwhile Silverstream claimed back to back feature wins, with the mare also taking first position at the Group 3 Northerly stakes. Going forward, the Adam Durant trained-mare is certainly one of the leading contenders for the upcoming $1 million Railway Stakes. According to Jockey, William Pike, it was the small field at the Lee-Steere Stakes that worked in her favour. Speaking to the press, he said that he was half confident of his chances and he knew the line was coming up quick. Pike, a champion jockey also won the opening race on Truly Belong as well as the listed Ascot Gold Cup on Gatting. According to Drainer Darren McAuliffe, it would be expected that Pike would be in the Railway Stakes by now. Money Maher and Roganella up for Contention at the WA Guineas In the Listed Fairetha Stakes, it was Money Maher who took a comfortable win, becoming a strong contender for the Group 2 WA Guineas. Languishing at the back of pack, Money Maher ($14) was steered to the outside at the top of the straight and launched a hard sprint to win by two lengths. Second place went to Achernar Star ($3. 50) while Reykjavik ($21) came in third and race favourite, Arcadia Prince ($2. 50) came in fourth. Money Maher will join Roganella at the Guineas after he pulled off an incredible victory at the Express Interior Design Handicap. Running as the race favourite ($1. 90), Roganella settled into third before the straight. Seeing a gap, jockey Chris Parnham burst clear and loped down the straight to give Roganella the win by 3¼ lengths. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Fans can watch more women’s tennis action in the OEC Taipei WTA Challenger. Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus is likely to be the top seed in the tournament. - Published: 2017-11-13 - Modified: 2017-11-13 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/tops-seeds-taipei-wta-challenger/ Sabalenka Likely Top Seed in Taipei Monday 13 November sees the start of the OEC Taipei WTA Challenger, another tournament in a feast of women’s tennis that will keep online sports punters entertained during November. The Taipei event is another stop on the 2017 WTA 125K Series, played indoors in the Taiwanese capital on carpet courts. The top seed will most likely will be current World No. 87 Aryna Sabalenka, presuming she got through her Fed Cup final on the weekend unscathed. The 19-year-old Belarus rising star was drafted into the national team to face the USA at home upon the loss of Victoria Azarenka. The former No. 1 ironically can’t leave California for Belarus, as she needs to remain in the state as a legal requirement in the custody battle with the father of her child. As a result, Sabalenka, who won the Tianjin tournament in China and the Toyota tournament in Japan last year before finishing as runner-up in Shenzhen, China, in March this year, will step in. If she has a good Fed Cup, she’ll hit the Taipei Challenger in top form. Russian Rodina Could Be Top Threat Evgeniya Rodina looks set to be second seed in Taipei, and the biggest threat to Sabalenka. The Russian No. 80 will be eager to come back strong, after she got knocked out of the Hua Hin Championship in the Round of 16. Given the starchy relationship between China and Taiwan, there will also be a lot of pressure on third seed Duan Yingying to excel in Taipei, along with her fifth-seeded countrywoman, Zhu Lin. Fourth seed, between the two Chi9nese stars, is Japan’s Kurumi Nara, with Belgium’s Yanina Wickmayer, who also fell in the Round of 16 at Hua Hin, seeded sixth. Japajnh’s Risa Ozaki and Romania’s Ana Bogdan round out the top eight seeds for Taipei. It is likely to be a closely fought tournament, with one or two surprises. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Manchester City have continued their winning streak with a convincing 3-1 over Arsenal. Meanwhile Chelsea recorded their first Premiership win. - Published: 2017-11-12 - Modified: 2017-11-12 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/man-city-premiership-league-updates/ Manchester City Extends their Premiership Lead Premier League log leaders, Manchester City have kept up their winning ways, defeating Arsenal 3-1 and extending their record to 15 straight wins. This is a new club record in all competition formats for City, while the team is looking stronger and stronger each game. Kevin De Bruyne opened the scoring in the 19th minute while the remaining two goals came in the second half courtesy of Sergio Aguero and substitute Gabriel Jesus. Man City’s goal tally is now sitting at 38 goals in just eleven league games. At one point, Arsenal were 2-0 down but managed to recover one goal thanks to the efforts of Alexandre Lacazette who popped the ball through the legs of keeper Ederson Moraes. Man City’s second half goals were fiercely protested as Nacho Monreal was given just the smallest of nudges which resulted in a penalty, and for the 3rd goal, it appeared that Jesus was offside. In the end, Man City racked up another win, just four days after their 4-2 win over Napoli in the Champions League. The new-look Arsenal team that ran onto the pitch was an entirely different line-up from their midweek Europa League game. In some ways, this was a good move as they put heavy pressure on Man City’s defence, especially when Lacazette arrived on the field in the 56th minute. Chelsea Pulls of Win against Untied Meanwhile in London, Chelsea managed to break their six-game drought with a 1-0 win over Manchester United. Despite their loss, Man United head into the international break in second spot, eight points adrift of Manchester City. United were completely outplayed in their Chelsea clash. Coming back from a Roma thumping in the Champions League. The only goal of the match was gifted to Chelsea by Manchester’s erratic defence, but was also a consequence of the foresight of Azpilicueta. In the 55th minute, Morata pulled away from defender Eric Baily and stood unmarked just 12 yards from the goalmouth. Seeing his opportunity, Azpilicueta fired a perfect cross, which Morata picked up with a powerful header straight into the back of the net. With the loss of Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United, Morata came on board in the off-season. But while his counterpart has yet to score a goal in seven games, Morata’s goal drought is finally over. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup delivered some surprises. Rekindling smoked the favourites to win at $9.00, and Irish trainers had a field day in the Top 3. - Published: 2017-11-11 - Modified: 2017-11-11 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/rekindling-wins-melbourne-cup-glory/ Rekindling Delivers Melbourne Cup Father-Son Upset The world’s richest two-miler lived up to its nation-stopping nickname when British four-year-old horse Rekindling won this week’s Melbourne Cup. It was an emotional race for 24-year-old Irish trainer Joseph O’Brien, who has been in the game less than a year, following his retirement as a jockey. Until the final stages of the race, it looked like Johannes Vermeer had it in the bag. The Irish five-year-old, an entire like Rekindling, is trained by O’Brien’s vastly more experienced father, Aidan, who was following the race back in Ireland. O’Brien Senior has never trained a Melbourne Cup winner, so the baton was well and truly passed when jockey Corey Brown steered Rekindling to the front in the final 50 metres to win by less than half a length, making O’Brien Junior the youngest Cup-winning trainer in the race’s 157-year history. Johannes Vermeer stayed in it for second, with French eight-year-old Max Dynamite a further two-and-a-half lengths behind in third. The gelding is in veteran trainer Willie Mullins’ stable, which means that the all the Melbourne Cup top three were Irish-trained. Bliss for Punters, Tragedy for Regal Monarch Priced at $9. 00 at the jump-off, Rekindling made plenty of punters very happy, and left the race favourites looking a bit silly. Marmelo, Almandin and Humidor were all fancied, but none of them came close to placing in the 23-horse race: Marmelo finished 9th, Almandin 12th and Humidor 19th. One lucky punter, identified only as Dominic from Melbourne’s Mill Park, won a bookies’ draw earlier in the day for a free promotional punt on the Cup, and picked Rekindling. He walked away with a cool million dollars. The morning after the Cup, Rekindling was reported to be in excellent health after a check-up, so he appears unscathed by his exertions at Flemington. O’Brien Junior is now considering him for the European season next year, and he may be entered for the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot during the English summer. Another British import, Regal Monarch, did not fare as well on Melbourne Cup Day. The five-year-old gelding fell heavily in the fourth race, sustaining injuries that sadly required him to be put down. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Jack Sock has defeated Filip Krajinovic to win his first ATP World Masters 1000 Tournament. Sock beat Krajinovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 to win the Paris Masters. - Published: 2017-11-10 - Modified: 2017-11-10 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/jack-sock-takes-win-paris-masters/ American Jack Sock Wins the ATP Paris Masters Jack Sock was one game away from taking an early exit from the Paris Masters. Today, he stands as the first American to win a ATP World Tour Masters 1000 singles trophy since Andy Roddick back in 2010. Sock beat qualifier Filip Krajinovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 in what was arguably the most important finals match of his career. He has also earned himself a spot at the ATP Finals in London. Before coming to Paris, Sock was not even thinking of London, lingering in 24th in the race. Now he will be taking the trip to England where he will be competing against the likes of Roger Federer and the other six internationals who made it through from the ATP race. Earlier in the competition, Sock found himself 5-1 down in the third set against Britain’s Kyle Edmund. It looked to be all over for the American but somehow, he found a way out of the hole and fought back. London Calling Sock kept his momentum going and went head-to-head against the Serbian 77th seed in the final. Winning the Paris Masters has pushed Sock to number 9 in the world rankings and he received a check for nearly $1 million for his efforts. This was his fourth career title and certainly not his last. When asked how he is going to approach the finals in London, Sock replied that he is going to swing big, play his game and enjoy the moment. In Paris, Sock sealed the victory on his very first match point when Krajinovic sent a wayward backhand a bit too long. Realising he had won, Sock fell onto his back with his hands covering his face. He then jumped up and climbed into the seating area to celebrate with his team. His opponent, Krajinovic may have been disappointed with the loss but the Serbian was the first qualifier to reach a Masters Final since Jerzy Janowicz in 2012. Krajinovic has only played the challengers circuit before, winning five finals before coming through the qualifying rounds. Against Sock, Krajinovic seemed to run out of steam in the third set. Speaking to the press, he said he didn’t play aggressively enough, as Sock started playing better throughout the match. Regardless, the Serbian will jump from 77th to number 33 in the World Rankings. 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Starc achieved the remarkable feat by blasting out Western Australia to claim a convincing victory for New South Wales at the Hurstville oval. Starc had been wicketless in the second innings before he took the scalp of Jason Behrendorff who was caught behind. On the final ball of the 15th over, he claimed his second wicket of the day bowling out David Moody. Starc then completed his first-hat trick on the first ball of the 16th over when he dispatched Jon Wells who was caught behind at slip. On day three of the Sheffield Shield match, Starc repeated his brilliant performance with the wickets of Berhrendorff, Moody and Simon Mackin in three successive balls. Starc’s double hat trick was the first since Amin Lakhani achieved the astonishing feat against India back in 1978. To date only seven other bowlers have managed to rack up two hat tricks in the same match. Speaking to the press, captain Steven Smith said that the reversing ball and Starc’s strange angle from around the wicket made it difficult for the batsman to read. The First Double Hat Trick in 40 Years The destructive power of Starc’s bowling and his ability to clean up the tail enders meant that New South Wales had a good chance of winning on the final day of the Sheffield Shield match. His bowling was only matched by an outstanding batting performance by Cameron Bancroft who put on 76 runs in the first innings and followed it up with 86 runs on the final day. Together with Shaun March, Bancroft is a top contender for middle order in upcoming Ashes test. After the dismissal of Bancroft, Hilton Cartwright had a poor time of it. His dismissal by Pat Cummings on 2 was a blow for the allrounder who is under the scrutiny of the selectors for the upcoming Gabba Test. Mitchell March, also had a bad day at the office, falling cheaply to Josh Hazelwood. Wells and Berhendorff made a brave stand for WA, taking the match into the final hour before Starc destroyed the tail with yet another hat trick to give NSW the win. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Samsung Galaxy executed a perfect win at the League of Legends World Champs. The Koreans wiped out SK Telekom T1 3-0 to claim the Championship. - Published: 2017-11-08 - Modified: 2017-11-08 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/esport/samsung-galaxy-crowned-lol-world-champs/ Samsung Galaxy Crowned League of Legends World Champions for 2017 Samsung Galaxy has cleaned up at the League of Legends World Championships, sweeping aside SK Telekom T1 to take the finals 3-0. SSG will take home the much-coveted Summoners’ Cup as well as $1. 7 million in prize money and whatever ever else they get from with fan contributions. Samsung went into the final as competition favourites, while SKT had dropped a number of games throughout the tournament to cast doubts over their abilities. However, no one expected the total decimation that would follow. In one of the most dominant finals in Worlds history, Samsung completed a 3-0 whitewash, wiping the three-time Champions off the map. While there were moments in the second and third games where SKT were ahead, Samsung used SKT’s own tactics against them, forcing team fights and coming back time after time. This was the second win for team Samsung Galaxy and third appearance in the Finals. In 2016, the same two teams met in the finals with SKT taking win 3-2. This year, things were very different. Here is how it all played out: How it All Played Out? Game 1 wasn’t exactly the perfect game for Samsung, but that didn’t matter as SKT were never in contention. Held to just a single tower and no confirmed kills, SKT were in trouble form the get go. Samsung dominated every single aspect of the game. SK Telekom T1 was never given a chance to get back into the game. Their only chance of winning as a team fight which they might have been able to win, but that didn’t happen. SSG made sure that it all went their way from start to finish. Game 2 was a more even affair with SKT controlling the early stages. Thinking they had the dominance in team fights, SKT drafted a split and abandoned the option of single fights. The general consensus was that SKT would be more powerful in a teamfight but again Samsung proved them wrong. Having no option of single fights, Samsung has one of the best teamfights ever seen. Grabbing the gold, they took over the game to make it 2-0. In Game 3, SKT got the lead early on and took the game to a point where it looked as if the lead would be seemingly insurmountable for Samsung. Again Samsung shocked their opponents by expertly setting up three picks against SKT’s damage carries. Not only did this pull them back into the game, it gave them the gold lead and the ability to take down their opponents Nexus. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup headlines the first of three Flemington meetings this week. Then there’s VRC Oaks Day on Friday and Emirates Stakes Day on Saturday. - Published: 2017-11-07 - Modified: 2017-11-07 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/melbourne-cup-opens-big-racing-week/ Melbourne Cup Day’s Main Races Kiwi punters will have all eyes on Flemington for the world-famous $6. 2-million Melbourne Cup over 3200m, and there are plenty of contenders in the 23-horse field. Favourite in Melbourne’s most-iconic Group 1 handicap is five-year-old British horse Marmelo, at $8. 50. German gelding Almandin has dropped to $9. 00, with Humidor at $9. 50. Single Gaze, Hartnell, Cismontane and Amelie’s Star look like the best Cup bets among the outsiders. However, Tuesday’s racing is only the first of three meetings at Flemington this week that will provide punters with top-quality Spring Racing Carnival thrills. Cup day also includes two for the ladies: the 1400m Gr. 3 Maybe Mahal Stakes for fillies and mares, won last year by Artistry, and the Ottawa Stakes, a 1000m Gr. 3 sprint for two-year-old fillies, won by Invincible Star in 2016. Both races are run at set weights and penalties. Thursday Brings VRC Oaks Day The dust from the Melbourne Cup will barely have time to settle before another prestigious Gr. 1 race has punters back at online sports betting sites. On Thursday, Flemington hosts the million-dollar VRC Oaks over 2500m, restricted to three-year-old fillies. Final acceptances weren’t available at the time of writing, but Aloisia, Pinot and Luvaluva were being offered at below $10. 00 in ante-post betting. Other races on Thursday’s card include the 1400m Chatham Stakes, a Gr. 3 open handicap, and the 1000m Gr. 3 Red Roses Stakes for three-year-old fillies. Emirates Stakes for $2-million on Saturday Cup week ends at Flemington on Saturday with Emirates Stakes Day. The name race has prize money totalling $2-million, and it’s often the next start for horses that did well in the WS Cox Plate at Moonee Valley two weeks earlier. It’s a 2000m Gr. 1 weight-for-age gallop, and 2017 WS Cox winner Winx is the firm ante post favourite. Another Emirates Stakes Day race that should be worth a punt is the million-dollar weight-for-age Gr. 1 VRC Sprint Classic over 1200m, known as the Darley Classic these days. There’s also the 2000m Gr. 2 Matriarch Stakes for mares, the 2600m Gr. 3 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes quality handicap, and the 1000m Gr. 3 Maribyrnong Plate for two-year-olds. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > A second-round win at the Paris Masters is all Nadal needed to land the world no 1 spot. He is now 1460 points clear of Federer and on track for another win - Published: 2017-11-06 - Modified: 2017-11-06 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/nadal-takes-world-no-1-spot-playing-paris/ Nadal Clinches World No 1 Spot with a 2nd Round Win at Paris Masters A second-round win at the Paris Masters has ensured that Rafael Nadal ends 2017 at world number one. Having started at 9th in the world at the beginning of the year, Nadal quickly rose in rankings with wins at the French Open and US Open respectively. Going up against Hyeon Chung in the second round of the Paris Masters, Nadal advanced through to the round of 16 with a 7-5 and 6-3 win that lasted one hour and 48 minutes. The 31-year-old will now go on to face world number 36, Pablo Cuevas in the next round (the final 16). Chung proved to be more of a test than Nadal was hoping for. The first set saw each of the two players breaking their opponent twice in a complete seesaw set. Nadal finally got the better of the South Korean, breaking in the final game to clinch the first set. Conceding the only break in the set, Chung handed Nadal the win an unassailable point lead over world number two, Roger Federer. 1460 points clear of the Swiss champion, Nadal has ensured himself the number one spot ahead of the World Tour Finals in London. Nadal now officially becomes the oldest player to end the year as world number one since the modern ranking system was introduced in 1973. This is an unbelievable effort considering that it was just over 12 months ago that Nadal announced a premature end to his tennis season due to a lingering wrist injury. A Fifth Federer Matchup Could Be on the Cards His second-round win at the Paris Masters makes it 66 wins this season alone. In 2017, he has won six titles and played in three out of the four Grand Slam finals. His comeback to tennis has been marked with significant improvement in his trademark forehand as well as his second serve and backhand. His only frustration in 2017 has been in the form of Roger Federer. The swiss champ has won all four of their matchups this year and is a puzzle Nadal just cannot seem to figure out. There is a possibility that the two will face a fifth matchup at the World Tour Finals later this month. While the indoor hard courts tend to favour the Swiss, there is an added incentive to win for Nadal as this is one of the titles that has eluded him over thus far. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > There are four races left in the 2017 Virgin Supercars Championship. Scott McLaughlin is sure to get a home-crowd boost at the Auckland SuperSprint. - Published: 2017-11-05 - Modified: 2017-11-05 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/auto-racing/mclaughlin-challenge-auckland/ McLaughlin Keen to Bounce Back in Auckland There are just four races left in the 2017 Virgin Supercars Championship, and five drivers still in with a theoretical shot at the title. As a result, motorsport betting fans have some exciting options in the two races at the Auckland SuperSprint on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 November. One-time tournament leader and favourite in the outright futures odds Scott McLaughlin has slumped to third on the drivers’ ladder, after a disastrous 21st in Sydney and an engine failure that put him out of the Bathurst 1000. However, his 12th and first at Surfers Paradise Street Circuit in the Gold Coast 600 on 21-22 October put the DJR Team Penske driver back in contention on 2,553 points, behind teammate and countryman Fabian Coulthard, and Triple Eight Racing driver Jamie Whincup. Racing on North Island for the Auckland SuperSprint at Pukekohe Park Raceway, barely 100km away from his home in Hamilton, McLaughlin will be boosted by home-crowd support, and he’s promised fans an aggressive challenge for the top spot. British-born Kiwi Coulthard can also expect strong home support. Whincup Now Joint Favourite with McLaughlin Whincup, now on 2,580 points to Coulthard’s 2,563, only took the lead on the ladder with his second place in Race 2 at Surfers Paradise, after finishing sixth the day before. Coulthard finished ninth on Day 2 and 19th on Day 1, allowing Whincup finally to overcome the setback he dealt himself with his senseless late crash in Bathhurst and slip into the championship lead. Whincup and McLaughlin are joint favourites both to win in Auckland, and in the outright futures to take the drivers’ championship. For the SuperSprint, online sports betting sites are offering them at $4. 50, and they’re each at $1. 50 to win the championship outright. Coulthard, Mostert, Van Gisbergen Still in Contention Coulthard his still a danger man, although he’s ranked fifth in the SuperSprint betting at $10. 00. He’s nevertheless the $2. 50 next-best behind McLaughlin and Whincup in the outright betting. Rod Nash Racing driver Chaz Mostert is lying fourth in the championship on 2,454 points, thanks to his first and seventh in the Gold Coast 600. Whincup’s Triple Eight teammate and another New Zealander, Shane Van Gisbergen, is fifth on 2,391. Both are within 200 points of the lead, so Mostert at $8. 00 and Van Gisbergen at $5. 00 both have potential in Auckland. They’re at $50. 00 and $100. 00, respectively, in outrights. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Major eSports outfit ESL hosts another round of Germany’s ESL Winter Championship on 4 November. Euronics Gaming faces up to Alternate Attax in Krefeld. - Published: 2017-11-04 - Modified: 2017-11-04 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/esport/esg-v-alternate-attax-esl-esports/ Good Week to Discover eSports Betting Kiwi online punters yet to explore the betting options available on eSports have several options to tempt them on Friday and Saturday, 3 and 4 November. The 2017 Heroes of the Storm World Championship grand finals run in Anaheim, California on Friday and Saturday, and Saturday also sees the best-of-five final of the 2017 League of Legends World Championship in Beijing. There’s also likely to be intense action in the national ESL Pro League Winter Championship game in Germany along with the other two tournaments. ESL, originally launched as Electronic Sports League, is the oldest eSports company still in existence, and the world’s largest. It holds a variety of national championships in regions all over the world, with pro teams playing strategy and war games like Mortal Kombat, Heroes of the Storm, Halo, Battlefield 4 and, as in the Winter Championship, Counter-Strike. Euronics v Alternate Attax: ESL Winter Championship The ESL German Winter Championship features 10 teams in nine rounds-robin, each team playing a two-match format against their opponents for the round. There is only one match day per week, and Saturday’s contest between Euronics Gaming (ESG) and Alternate Attax in Krefeld, Germany, is a Round 2 fixture, so there is still a lot of Winter Championship action ahead. Picking a winner for Saturday’s two-match contest could be tricky. In Germany’s ESL Summer Championship earlier this year, the ESG team took out Alternate Attax, the winner of last season’s 99Damage league. But ESG then fell to Panthers Gaming in the Summer Championship final. Since then, the ESG team has been rebooted almost completely, with only Thilo ‘syken’ Phan retained from the original line-up, joined by Christian ‘crisby’ Schmitt, Marko ‘kressy’ Dordevic, Oliver ‘kzy’ Heck and Markus ‘maRky’ Bach. Alternate Attax lost Schmitt to ESG after the Summer Championship, but they replaced him with rated Dane Nicolai ‘DOGS’ Peterson. He joins the rest of the existing line-up: Titian ‘tiziaN’ Bush, Florian ‘syrson’ Rische, Stefan ‘stfN’ Seier, and Luke ‘ecfN’ Kauer. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > 17-year-old Supercar driver Alex Rullo has split from LDM on the eve of the ITM Auckland SuperSprint. Jack Perkins is the man replacing him this weekend. - Published: 2017-11-03 - Modified: 2017-11-03 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/auto-racing/supercars-jack-perkins-replace-rullo/ Jack Perkins to Replace Rullo at ITM Auckland SuperSprint Jack Perkins will the man replacing youngster Alex Rullo for his first Supercars start since 2015. This comes after Rullo and Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport officially parted ways in the lead up to the ITM Auckland SuperSprint. According to reports, LDM informed the 17-year-old that there is no room for him in their future plans. As it stands, LDM are looking to link in with Prodrive and investment from Phil Munday. The parting of ways was officially signed and sealed over a LDM crew dinner with Rullo’s father/manager Peter handling the situation. Speaking to the press, Alex said he is actually pretty chilled about it all. He admitted that it was shock at first but he is confident that in the right car he will be pretty competitive no matter what series he is in. Meanwhile Peter Rullo has confirmed that he is currently in talks with multiple teams to keep his son in the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship. While he started the season amid controversy over his age, Rullo has been well prepared for whatever lies ahead. While he won’t be making an appearance at Pukekohe this weekend, Rullo will be back at Newcastle looking to take on a role in a support category. Perkins To Make His First Solo Start Since 2015 Now that Rullo is out, it presents a bit of a challenge for the LDM team. Since Rullo was perhaps the only driver to constantly race at LDM, some tough decisions had to be made. The result is that Rullo’s replacement this weekend will be none other than HSV Racing co-driver Jack Perkins. He will be standing in for the injured Nick Percat, which we would assume, would be LDM’s first choice. Jack Perkins made his last solo start at the end of 2015 and will have a lot to prove. That being said, he comes into the race of with plenty of miles having completed three long-distance races seated next to James Courtney. According to LDM team owner, the team is happy to have Jack on Board. A long-time friend, Perkins is seen as a reliable backup having filled for LDM before. The LDM team will also have Aaren Russell behind the wheel of the Commodore. Perkins will be the sixth driver to drive a solo round for LDM this year. He joins an elite group, which include Alex Davison, Matt Brabham Taz Douglas, Alex Rullo, and Cameron McConville. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Since 2012, not a single Premiership team has come close to winning the Champions League. With five teams topping the logs, this year could be different. - Published: 2017-11-02 - Modified: 2017-11-02 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/premiership-teams-upped-game/ The Rise of Premiership Teams in the Champions League Since Chelsea’s famous Champions League win over Bayern Munich in 2012, all our beloved Premier League sides have been lacking the competitive edge to win Europe’s top football competition. While Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich have all gone on to win the coveted the Champions League trophy, their English counterparts have not amounted to much. In fact, in the last four years, just two teams have reached the semi-finals. It is safe to say that it has been a dry period for Premiership teams, but all of that could be changing. Recently, there has been a renewed sense of purpose and enthusiasm for the Premiership teams. Currently, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City all top their respective groups in the Champions League. Tottenham is also up there, sharing the Group H top spot with Real Madrid. Between the five English teams, not a single game has been lost. With a total of 11 wins, 4 draws and 44 goals, they are certainly on their way to a better start than last year. At the same stage in 2016, Tottenham were just about out for the count and Manchester City received a thorough thrashing at the hands of Barcelona. What we are seeing today is the possibility of having five Premier League teams in the knockout stages of the Champions League for the first time ever. Coaches Providing Possibility of Change If we take a look at the stats, the Premier League’s top four sides have conceded far fewer goals after 10 games than what was usually conceded in the first five games before the 2017 season. According to leading football experts, it is all down to the coaches. With Jose Mourinho, Pep Guardiolo and Mauricio Pochettino providing some much-needed stability, Premiership sides are raising game with advanced defensive tactics and team cohesion. We are now seeing the effects of coaching stability becoming more effective in the Champions League. As it stands, English clubs holds a defensive recorded with an average of just 0. 7 goals conceded per game so far. A good example of the new might of the English was seen when Chelsea came from behind to defeat Atletico Madrid 2-1 at Wanda Metropolitano stadium. While a comeback against Diego Simeone’s team was previously unheard of from any Premier League side, Conte’s men were more than up to the task this time around. With plenty of action still to come, we could be seeing top-four finish for English this year. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > This coming weekend, the Prince of Wales and Asian Beau Stakes will take place at Ascot racehorse in Perth. Find out more about these two races. - Published: 2017-11-01 - Modified: 2017-11-01 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/prince-wales-asian-beau-stakes/ The 2017 Prince of Wales and Asian Beau Stakes The 2017 Prince of Wales Stakes and the Asian Beau Stakes are both coming up this Saturday the 4th of November. With a great field of runners looking to take the top prize, we are in for one of the highlights of the racing calendar. If you are keen on getting in on the betting action before this weekend, here is everything you need to know about the Price of Wales Stakes and the Asian Beau Stakes: Held annually in October, the Prince of Wales Stakes is run at Ascot Racecourse in Perth Western Australia. It is the first weight for age race in of the new season in Perth. The Group 3 race forms part of the Perth summer racing carnival and coincides with the Group 1 WS Cox Plate. When it first started, the race was held on Melbourne Cup day but was soon moved to a date in December in a lead up to the Railway Stakes. After clashing with other races on the calendar it was moved back to October. The Prince of Wales Stakes is run over a distance of 1200 meters and offer up $150,000 in prize money. In 2016, the race was won by Rock Magic with Smoko in second and Battle Hero in Third and this year you can bet on the winner online at Sportsbet. Quality Racing Action in Perth If you are looking for even more racing action, the Asian Beau Stakes will follow on as the first Group 3 quality handicap of the season. Also taking place at Ascot racecourse, the Asian Beau stakes is run over a distance of 1400 meters with a total prize money of $150,000. The race is ideally suited for horses that are in-form with a lighter weight to beat the handicapper. Competitors that do well as the Asian Beau Stakes have the opportunity to compete later in the same carnival at the Group 3 Colonel Reeves or the RJ Peters Stakes. Another popular race for runners in the Asian Beau Stakes is the $1,000,000 group 1 Railway Stakes taking place three weeks later. The race typically attracts a field of in-form local horses that are doing the rounds on the local tracks. In 2016, Heart Starter went from winning a BM78+ race at Bunbury before winning the Asian Beau Stakes. Great Shot came home in second while Respondent rounded off the top three. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Lewis Hamilton finished in ninth position at the Mexican Grand Prix, winning his fourth Formula One Driver’s World Championship title for his efforts. - Published: 2017-10-31 - Modified: 2017-10-31 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/lewis-hamilton-crowned-world-champion-again/ Lewis Hamilton Crowned F1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton finished in ninth-place at the Mexican Grand Prix, claiming his fourth Formula One driver’s world championship title in the process. In a race that was won by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, Hamilton’s nearest rival, Sebastian Vettel, needed to finish first or second in order to push the championship to the final race. Both Hamilton and Vettel had to recover from a chaotic mix-up in on the first lap which saw the Ferrari bump Hamilton on turn three. The result of which caused Hamilton to pull in with a tyre puncture and Vettel with wing damage. Joining the race at the back of the pack, the two point-leaders sped off in a bid to catch up with Max Verstappen who enjoyed the easiest win of his F1 career. Sebastian Vettel eventually finished fourth while Hamilton finished in ninth, knowing that the Championship was his. With a lead of 56 points, Hamilton has an unassailable lead with a maximum of 50 points up for grabs in the last race of the season. The 2017 championship title makes Hamilton the most decorated British Formula 1 driver in history. His is also only one of five drivers with more than four wins under his belt. Verstappen Claims Easiest Win of His Career The 2017 Formula One season has seen Hamilton pick up a total of nine wins, not finishing lower than seventh before the Mexican Grand Prix. His Ferrari teammate, Valtteri Bottas finished second in Mexico while Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen took third. Daniel Ricciardo had a disappointing race. Starting in 16th, Ricciardo climbed his way up to eighth, before being forced to retire with engine trouble. With another Championship win in the bag, Hamilton joins the likes of Alain Prost and Vettel as four time four-time winners. He trails only Juan Mauel Fangio with five wins and the legendary Michael Schumacher with seven. Since the adoption of the turbo-hybrid engine in 2014, Hamilton’s Mercedes has dominated. In the last four years alone, Hamilton has won 30 out of his 62 career victories. To put this into perspective, his 62 victories have come from just 77 races. This year, Hamilton and Mercedes had to chase down the championship after Vettel won two early races. He came back with great resolve, winning five of the last seven races and missing out on just five podium finishes since the start of the season. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Houston Astros beat the LA Dodgers on Wednesday to tie the 2017 World Series. Punters might see the full 7 games played in this year’s NBA championship. - Published: 2017-10-30 - Modified: 2017-10-30 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/baseball/astros-win-levels-world-series/ Astros Beat Dodgers to Level World Series Any hopes the Los Angeles Dodgers may have had of sweeping Major League Baseball’s 2017 World Series after their Game 1 victory against the Houston Astros at Dodgers Stadium on Tuesday were dashed in Game 2. Back at Dodgers Stadium on Wednesday, the Astros pulled off a 7-6 reversal to tie up the Series, with a possible five games left to play. It was an encounter that saw records tumble. A combined eight home runs between the two teams, including two from the Astros’ George Springer, was the highest total of homers hit in a World Series game. Along with Springer’s two long balls, solo shots from his teammates Marwin Gonzales, Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa meant that Houston becomes the only team in MLB history to score home runs in a post-season game’s ninth, 10th and 11th innings. The Dodgers weren’t backwards in coming forward, either; Yasiel Puig put a homer away in the 10th, and Charlie Culberson added another at the bottom of the 11th. Between the two sides, there were five extra-inning solo shots, breaking another NBA post-season record. The previous highest total of three was set in Game 1 of the 1995 AL Division Series between the Boston Red Sox and the Cleveland Indians. Dodgers Still Odds-On to Win Series The win has resulted in lower odds at online betting sites on a Houston 2017 World Series victory, but the Los Angeles side are still the odds-on favourite, at $0. 80 and below. The Astros aren’t too far off, though: generally on offer at even money or slightly better. But Houston now has three home games scheduled in a row, so the equalising win couldn’t have come at a better time. If they can beat the Dodgers at Minute Maid Park on 27, 28 and 29 October, they won’t need to play the final two games of the World Series scheduled back at Dodgers Stadium on 31 October and 1 November. Of course, if the Dodgers can snatch three consecutive wins playing away, the same applies. Whether the championship finishes in Houston or Los Angeles, however, there is going to be plenty of world-class baseball on offer to entertain Kiwi online sports betting fans. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The penultimate round of the World Rally Championship heads to Wales for the Dayinsure Wales Rally. 21 stages and over 300km of epic racing await the crews. - Published: 2017-10-29 - Modified: 2025-06-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/auto-racing/world-rally-championship-heads-to-wales/ World Rally Championship Heads to Britain The 2017 World Rally Championship is heading to Britain for another round of mud, action and drama. The Penultimate round of the Championship is none other than the Dayinsure Wales Rally, which kicks off on the 26th of October and runs to the 29th. First run in 1932, the Wales Rally is one of the oldest on the calendar and features a great selection of gravel stages with tree-lined forests and rugged terrain. The unpredictable autumn weather in Wales is also going to make it one of the most demanding stages of the championship. This year, the itinerary will be focused mainly around North and central regions of Wales. The service park will be hosted by Deeside again, just a stone’s throw away from Toyota’s engine manufacturing plant. The Dyinsure Rally kicks off on Thursday night with a brief opening stage at the Tir Prince horse trotting track. Friday will see the crews heading the furthest south to the Aberystwyth and Llanidloes areas of the country. Here they will compete in the Myherin, Sweet Lam and Hafren stages of the Rally. Each stage is driven twice on either side of the tyre and light fitting zone in Newtown. The crews will be well aware that there will be no service here until the start of the evening. Three Days of Epic Racing Saturday sees the crews take on an epic 17-hour marathon over nine stages. This will test the crew’s endurance to its absolute maximum. Centred around the Snowdonia region, the stage kicks off with Aberhirnant, one of the fastest and certainly one of the most spectacular stages. This will be followed by the world-famous Dyfnant stage. The crews will then navigate their way through the Gartheiniog and Dyfi stages twice before heading to the Cholmondeley Castle test just across the border in England. After a brief service interlude, the teams head out again for another pass through the now familiar Dyfnant and Aberhirnant. This time, they will have to negotiate it in the dark, making things a little trickier. Sunday’s finale will be based in the north of wales near the Alwen and Brenig reservoirs. The crews will run through the three stages with Alwen first, then Brenig, then Gwydyr before pulling in for a quick refuel. After the refuel, the Alwen and Brenig stage are repeated with the Brenig stage as a TV Power with epic views along the reservoir. By the end of the Dayinsure Wales Rally, the crews would have completed 21 special stages and covered a distance of 304. 36 kilometres. You can bet on all the action online too, just sign up at Crownbet and place your wagers. --- > Chris Waller-trained and two-times Cox Plate champion and supermare Winx is the decided favourite to win her third Cox Plate title this coming Saturday. - Published: 2017-10-28 - Modified: 2017-10-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/winx-sights-yet-another-cox-plate/ 2017 W. S. Cox Plate It’s that time of the year again, every Australian and international horseracing enthusiast’s annual dream come true: we’re referring to the W. S. Cox Plate, of course. Australia’s second richest weight for age race, the Cox Plate is run over a distance of 2040 metres and was staged for the very first time back in 1922. Only 9 horses are selected to compete in the prestigious event with many hopeful contenders falling by the sidelines each year. This year’s successful applicants are: Happy Clapper; Gailo Chop; Humidor; Kaspersky; Folkswood; Seaburge; Hardham; Winx; and Royal Symphony. Winx And Her Date With Destiny Two time Cox Plate winner (2015 and 2016) and absolute supermare Winx will be competing again this year and is a likely candidate to be matching Kingston Town’s official record of a Cox Plate three-in-a-row. The Chris Waller trained mare has completed her final preparations ahead of Saturday’s race and is believed to be ready and in top shape. Winx is currently on a 21 race winning streak and will hopefully make it a cool 22 at Moonee Valley on Saturday. In the event that everything goes according to plan, Winx will officially surpass Makybe Diva as the highest prize money earner in Australia’s horseracing history. She will also match Black Caviar’s stellar 15 Group 1 victories. Wallace is optimistic yet careful not to be too over-confident ahead of Saturday’s Cox Plate, saying that there is always a measure of uncertainty with any sportsman- or horse and that one remains aware of everything that could possible go wrong, because the truth is that a lot can. Jockey Hugh Bowman has said that he is most impressed by the way that Winx has developed and grown professionally over the last three years and that her third attempt at yet another Cox Plate victory may very well end up being her best attempt yet. Waller agrees with Bowman, saying that the fact that she is carrying more weight than ever is evident of the fact that she has grown to become much stronger than before, now carrying a lot more muscle than previously. Whether increased muscle capacity makes a professional race horse stronger or not is debatable, as is the case with conventional human athletes. However, it does make the athlete a great deal stronger, and with strength and stamina comes explosion and endurance. Winx is the undisputed race favourite to win the 2017 W. S. Cox Plate. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Philadelphia eagles have defeated the Washington Redskins by 34 points to 24. They now go 6-1 for the season, holding the best record in the NFL. - Published: 2017-10-27 - Modified: 2017-10-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/eagles-go-6-1-win-redskins/ Eagles Defeat Redskins and Go 6-1 On the Season A brilliant performance by Carson Wentz saw the Philadelphia Eagles defeat the Washington Redskins by 34 points to 24. With another win in the bag, the Eagles officially hold the best record in the NFL and go 6-1 on the season. This was also the third consecutive game that Wentz finished with three or more passing touchdowns. Finishing 17-of-25 for 268 yards and a total of four touchdowns, Wentz had the added pleasure of gaining a career best 63 rushing yards. Zach Ertz led the receivers with 89 receiving yards but it was a combined effort with Agholor, Clement, Hollins and Ertz bringing in a touchdown throw from Wentz. The game opened with the Redskins pushing the opening drive for a quick field goal. The Eagles were not as fortuitous on their drive as four petalites were given for the offence. Things seemed to get worse for the eagles when Wentz overthrew Torrey Smith straight into the hands of Quinton Dunbar. A little later in the first, Derek Barnett picked up his first full sack, effectively ending the Redskins drive. Another Big Game for Wentz The opening minutes of the second saw kicker Jake Elliot level the scores at 3-all with another 50-yarder. This was his fourth for the season and his 11th successful field goal attempt. Later in the second, Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins handed off to Chris Thompson for a short touchdown taking the Redskins to a 10-3 lead. With 5 minutes left in the first half, Eagles wide receiver, Mack Hollins picked up a massive 64-yard pass by Wentz to tie the game. With 30 seconds on the clock, Erz scored a 4-yard touchdown by Wentz, putting the eagles up 17-10. The third quarter saw Wentz producing more magic, manoeuvring through the pocket and finding Clement for another touchdown. The Redskins came back quickly with Cousins finding tight end Jordan Reed for a 5-yarder. The score at this point was 24-17 in favour of the eagles. The final period saw the eagles start with the ball, giving Wenz his opportunity for a fourth touchdown. He found the eager hand of Agholor to take the score to 34-17. The Eagles Defence held tight but the Redskins eventually found one more touchdown courtesy of Reed. It was a little too late though as the Eagles finished off in another great win. If you missed out on betting on this game at Sportsbet you can still head on over and wager on any of their other markets. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The New England Patriots have executed a clinical game win over the Atlanta Falcons in Foxborough. Tom Brady led the charge, winning by 23 points to 7. - Published: 2017-10-26 - Modified: 2017-10-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/new-england-patriots-crush-falcons-23-7/ Patriots Defeat Falcons in Clinical Display of Football Mastery The New England Patriots executed a clinical 23-7 win over the Atlanta Falcons in what was essentially a rematch of the Super Bowl in which Falcons simply fell apart. From what we could see through the dense fog in Foxborough, the Patriots have ironed out any problems they were experiencing earlier in the season. Meanwhile the Falcons were just a shadow of the team that built up a massive 25-point lead in the championship game before it all went wrong. Tom Brady led the Patriots big comeback, guiding an offensive unit that was dominant from start to finish. This time around, Brady also had a strong defence team to compliment the offence, something that was sorely lacking in previous games. Ranked last in the NFL for over six weeks, the Patriots defence pitched a near shutout against one of the league’s top offence. Atlanta appeared almost intimated by the New England offence as Brady and his team ripped apart the Falcons with a mixture of big passes and strong runs. Altogether, the Patriots gained 243 yards through the air and a total of 162 on the round. Speaking to the press after the game, Brady it was a great win for his team and a pleasure to hand it off and see his guys rushing the way they did. Brady Leads the Charge The Patriots started well with Brady handing off to Bandin Cooks who used his speed to hot foot it to the end zone. The second touchdown was a simple 2-yarder into the hands of James White who was also responsible for the winning touchdown in the Super Bowl. Things got a bit desperate for Atlanta; so bad in fact that Matt Bryant, who is usually very reliable, had his field goal blocked and then missed a 36-yarder off the left upright. Meanwhile Stephen Gostkowski seemed to find a way through the fog, sending a 29 yarder, 21 and 38 with precision. By the way he guided the ball, it was almost as if he had x-ray vision through the dense blanket of fog that shrouded the entire stadium. By the fourth period, it seemed the Falcons were finally ready to end the Patriots domination at 51 successive points. Picking up 1 in start of the fourth, Matt Ryan handed off to Julio Jones in the end zone before receiver, Taylor Gabriel four yards on a fourth-down run. The stadium erupted again as Gostkowski added another field goal to extend the Patriots domination over Atlanta to 54 points. 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This was the fifth time Hamilton has won in Texas while also marking his ninth win this year and his 62nd of his F1 career. Coming home in second, Sebastian Vettel has just three races left to try and close the gap on Hamilton who now sits 66 points ahead in the driver’s title standings. For Hamilton, all he needs to do is finish anywhere in the top five in Mexico City next weekend and he will claim the championship. Meanwhile, Hamilton’s victory along with a fifth placing finish from teammate Valtteri Bottas has sealed the victory for Mercedes as Constructors champions for 2017. This is the fourth year in a row that Mercedes has won the title. Mercedes Faster on the Day Interviewed while on the podium, Hamilton said that he loved the track, adding that it just might be his favourite from now on. As for Vettel, he said that things were looking good at the start but Mercedes were quicker on the day. Max Verstappen came home in third, but a controversial final corner saw his Red Bull run off track. Stewards immediately investigated the move and handed him a five second penalty which meant that third place went to Kimi Riaikkonen. With Verstappen in fourth, Bottas took fifth while Esteban Ocon took sixth. Carlos Sainz finished in seventh on his debut for Renault while Felipe Massa finished in a disappointing ninth. Despite Hamilton holding pole position, it was actually Vettel who got away first. He managed to open up a full second gap by the end of lap two. After a bit of reassessing, Hamilton was able to pick up the pace and clock the fastest lap. He caught Vettel by surprise and with the aid of his Drag Reduction System, pull ahead on the straight. Starting from 16th, Max Verstappen made his way up the field to eighth, then sixth while his teammate Daniel Riccardo hit a bit of engine failure which ended his race after just 16 laps. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Boom Time has caused a major upset at the $3 million Group One Caulfield Cup. The David Hayes trained horse edged out Single Gaze to take the win. - Published: 2017-10-24 - Modified: 2017-10-24 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/boom-time-wins-caulfield-cup/ Boom Time Causes Upset at Caulfield Cup Former top galloper, Boom Time has produced a stunning upset at the $3 million Group One Caulfield Cup. Trained by David & Ben Hayes, $51 priced Boom Time, outpaced both Single Gaze and race favourite Johannes Vermeer. This was the David Hayes’s third Caulfield Cup after winning with Fraar in 1993 and Tawqeet in 2006. Sir Isaac Newton was the early leader in the race, setting a strong pace and creating a massive 10-length lead at the 1000m mark. Amelie’s Star and Single Gaze looked strong behind the leader, with plenty of gas left in the tank. Heading down the straight, the field caught up with Sir Isaac Newton while Single Gaze edged out in front with Humidor hot on her heels. Boom Time was packed in with a series of horses all trying to make up ground. Race favourite, Johannes Vermeer got boxed in, ultimately resulting in a third place. At the 100m mark, Boom Time swung back to the inside and edged out Single Gaze to take the late win. For jockey Cory Parish, it was a sensational ride. Finding out that he was only going to ride Boom Time earlier in the week, Parish was over the moon with the win and happy that David Hayes had the faith to put him in the race. A Disappointing Run for Bonneval For most of the day, the track favoured front runners, however many leaders had left themselves too much to do. Bonneval was in a with a shot having recovered from leg injuries, the took her place in the field with Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle. McEvoy was looking to complete an incredible week of racing after riding Redzel victory at The Everest and then going on to win the Cranbourne Cup on Folkswood. He then added a third win at the Blue Sapphire Stakes on Wednesday just to add icing to the cake. A fourth win was not on the cards though as Bonneval got stuck at the back of the field and never really looked in contention for the race. Other race favourites like Amelie’s Star and Harlem also faded towards the end. Marmelo, the winner of this year’s 3000m Prix Kergorlay, had a good run, coming home in sixth, also proving an excellent trail run for the upcoming Melbourne Cup. 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Arsenal fans certainly had something to celebrate, even though they were made to wait for a bit of football brilliance from Giroud to seal the Gunners third successive win. The action occurred in the 80th minute, less five minutes after Red Star player Milan Rodic was sent off for a second yellow card infringement. Girould was in the perfect spot and produced what can only be described as gymnastic-styled acrobatic overhead kick straight into the goals. Red Star Belgrade retain their second spot position in group Group H though, despite the fact that Cologne lost their match against BATE Borisov in the other Group H fixture. The Arsenal match was slow for most part. In fact, it took 15 minutes before the Gunners even caught sight of the oppositions goals. Theo Walcott was able to collect the ball after a free-kick, striking from 10 yards out. Red Star keeper, Borjan was on hand to make the save though. The hosts had the opportunity to open the scoring in 10 minutes later. Receiving a corner kick, Richmond Boakye connected the header, but it stuck the underside of the crossbar and swung wide of the goals. Acrobatic Brilliance from Giroud The second half saw the Gunners with a little bit more spring in their step. They found a couple of good chances in quick succession with both Giroud and Walcott dragging wide of the posts. Reiss Nelson blasted a cracker, which was palmed safely away by Borjan. On the other side of the field, Petr Cech was under fire as he saved a brilliant strike from Nenad Krsticic. The hosts had to finish off the game with just 10 men when Rodic was sent off. His second infringement came after he and Francis Coquelin both rose for the ball with Rodic catching Coquelin in the face. Arsenal quickly took advantage of the reduced defence. Five minutes after Rodic was sent off, Jack Wilshere set the ball up for Walcott who produced a beautiful ballooning cross picked up by Giroud with a backwards, over-the-head stunner, sealing the win. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Darren Hayes-trained filly Formality beat Jukebox by a neck to win Wednesday’s Blue Sapphire Stakes. The two were the race favourites at Caulfield. - Published: 2017-10-22 - Modified: 2017-10-22 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/formality-wins-blue-diamond-stakes/ Formality Runs Perfect Blue Sapphire Stakes On Wednesday, David Hayes-trained filly Formality lived up to the promise she showed returning from a spell with two consecutive Group 2 wins over 1200m at Randwick in August and September, when she and jockey Kerrin McEvoy powered through a strong field of nine 3-year-olds to win the Gr. 3 Blue Sapphire Stakes at Caulfield. McEvoy blames himself for Formality’s disastrous 11th of 14 finish in the 1400m Gr. 1 Golden Rose a month ago, but he got the ride right brilliantly once the distance reverted to the Blue Sapphire’s 1200m, confirming the 3-year-old’s potential as a champion sprinter. Formality jumped off joint favourite at $3. 90 with Jukebox, after the colt trialled well at Cranbourne on his return from a spell. However, the filly had the advantage starting in Barrier 4, while Jukebox jumped off from Barrier 9 on the offside rail. It was enough of an edge to give Formality the win by a long neck, with Jukebox racing too hard at the start and relegated to second. Mick Price-trained colt Lone Eagle, out of Irish sire Zoffany, was a long shot at the post, on $31. 00. Jockey Dwayne Dunn steered him to a surprise third, 1. 25 lengths behind Formality. Derby Day Next Up for Formality Formality’s next start will be the Gr. 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes on Victoria Derby Day at Flemington on 4 November. It’s another 1200m sprint, and if the filly is allowed to set her own pace, as was the case in the Blue Sapphire, she’s going to be a strong contender. She’ll be joining stablemates Catchy and Tulip for the Coolmore, and she could well have McEvoy in the stirrups again. The 36-year-old champion jockey has more than 40 Gr. 1 victories worldwide on his record, and he added The Everest to his win tally in its inaugural running at Randwick on 14 October. In stud news, Formality has a 2-year-old full brother by sire Fastnet Rock and Japanese dam Jolie’s Shinju. He’ll be auctioned as Lot 174 in the NZB Ready to Run sale of 2-year-olds on 22-23 November, and his trial times to date should see him attract some competitive bidding. 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Which isn’t to say that Kiwi sports betting fans should be backing the San Francisco side to go to the Super Bowl just yet. Their record in now 3-4; enough to put them ahead of the Chargers on the AFC West ladder, but still behind division leaders the Chiefs and the Denver Broncos, who were still on 3-2 as they geared up for their Week 7 match-up with the Chargers. The Raiders now lie 12th overall on the AFC ladder, so they’d need to overhaul the Houston Texans, New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars, all at 3-3 before their Week 7 games, as well as the Broncos, before they can even challenge the Buffalo Bills and the Miami Dolphins for Wild Cards in the playoffs. The Bills and the Dolphins finished Week 6 on 3-2, like the Broncos. Chiefs Unlucky in a Closely Fought Game The Raiders-Chiefs game may have disappointed Chiefs fans, but it was a thrilling contest for Thursday Night Football punters. Both quarterbacks had outstanding games, and the offense from both teams produced some extraordinary scores. There was also the drama of Marshawn Lynch getting ejected for shoving an official in the second quarter, and the joy for Raiders fans of discovering that Jalen Richard was a much more effective option. Despite another four quarters of stellar play from Chiefs QB Alex Smith, his opposite number Derek Carr delivered almost 50 passing attempts and marshalled the Raiders to a victory. And to put the cherry on top in terms of entertainment value, the game featured a last-quarter comeback from the Raiders, who were six points behind, and a final touchdown to win by one point after time had run out. The loss leaves the Chiefs on 5-2 after starting the season with an imperious 5-0, but although their place at the top of the AFC ladder has wobbled, it’s still intact. They will no doubt come back even stronger for the rest of the season. 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The final score coming out at 122 points to 121. This was a far cry from the 129-100 NBA defeat at the hands of San Antonio in the 2016 opener; but it hurt none the less. Receiving their championship rings, the Warriors were fired up and easily slid into the lead. While they certainly found their rhythm, Golden State was unable to close out the game. This could have been due to their shortened preseason practice time in which they were flying off to China for a set of games against Minnesota. Either way, the Warriors allowed Houston to climb their way back and eventually take the lead in the fourth quarter. Nick Young Sets Debut Record As a start, it wasn’t all that bad. Nick Young had an excellent debut, coming off the bench and scoring six three-pointers for a total of 23 points. Durant had a bit of a slow start but contributed 20 points after a late surge. Meanwhile Curry added another 22 and Klay Thompson put in another 16. For the Rockets, Harden took the lead with 27 points, Eric Gordon added 24 and Chris Paul added four on his 2-for-9 debut. In contrast, Young found his feet almost immediately. He hit his first four three-pointers and did exactly what the Warriors set him up to do; that is take a shoot every time he has even a sniff of the net. The six three-pointers he hit set a new franchise record for debut players in a season opener. Durant warmed up as the game on. In the third quarter, Durant had a stroke of brilliance, blocking a shot by Anderson at one end of the court and then converting a three-pointer straight away. With just over 2 minutes on the clock Trevor Ariza sunk a three-pointer to bring the game back into range at 119-118. Patrick McCaw then followed it up with a baseline jumper just after the Warriors timeout. PJ Tucker pulled things back with two free throws, taking the score to 122-121 in favour of the Rockets. With 10 seconds left on the clock, Durant came up with the ball, swishing it through the net as the buzzer went. The officials reviewed the play and decided it was after the buzzer, handing Houston the win. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Motegi Moto2 race was shortened due to the weather. This did nothing to dampen the excitement with Alex Marquez claiming his second victory this season. - Published: 2017-10-19 - Modified: 2017-10-19 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/auto-racing/moto2-alex-marquez-takes-win-motegi/ Alex Marquez Claims Moto2 Victory in Motegi Alex Marquez managed to pull off this third Moto2 victory with a convincing win at Motegi in Japan. Meanwhile VDS teammate Franco Morbidelli extended his championship points lead despite finishing in a disappointing eighth position. Due to the severe wet conditions, the race was shortened to just 15 laps, which did nothing to dampen the excitement on track. Starting from pole position, local hero Takaaki Nakagami got out to an early lead that he held for most of the race. He ran just ahead of Xavi Vierge and Mattia Pasini who followed hot on his heels. Marquez was in second for a brief time before dropping to fourth inside the opening lap. He soon found his rhythm though and was back up behind Nakagami and looking for an opening. Nakagami managed to keep Marquez at a good distance until the halfway mark. It was around this time that Marquez started closing gap and planning his attacks. The Japanese rider was able to hold Marquez back on his first attack on lap nine. Two laps later, Marquez attacked again, this time finding success on the turn. From there, the Spaniard was able to drop the remaining laps without any challenge. This was his first Moto2 win since his victory in Barcelona earlier in the year. It is also his eighth Grand Prix win of his career. Nakagami Unable to Stave off Attack Having been taken by Markquez, Nakagami began to fade and was eventually passed by Tech 3 rider Vierge. With less than four laps remaining, Nakagami was demoted again, this time by Hafizh Syahrin. With the pace behind him, Syahrin looked as if he could challenge Marquez for the lead but just could not find his way around Vierge who claimed his first ever podium second placing The woes of Nakagami continued as he was passed on the final lap by Francesco Bagnaia and Pasino who placed fourth and fifth respectively. Starting off from 15th on the Grid, points leader, Morbidelli did well to finish in eighth, just one place behind Miguel Olivera and a full 11 seconds behind Marquez at the finish. Morbidelli’s nearest points rival, Thomas Luthi managed to come home in 11th, meaning that Morbidelli will carry a 24-point lead into the final three races of the Moto2 season. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The inaugural TAB Everest lived up to its hype and more. Snowden trained Redzel powered into the lead at the turn and claimed the win over Vega Magic. - Published: 2017-10-18 - Modified: 2017-10-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/redzel-powers-home-win-tab-everest/ Redzel Impresses at Inaugural Tab Everest The inaugural TAB Everest 1200m race created a media hype weeks before the event even took place. For the 33500 odd spectators at Randwick, the great Australasian dash lived up to its hype, even surpassing the expectations of all the event organisers. From the moment the gates flow open, the crowds were on their feet, cheering as some of the best horses in Australian racing created history. It was no surprise that the $10 million race was won by Redzel. Trained by the dynamic father and son team of Peter and Paul Snowden, Redzel cruised home to give the pair one of their biggest wins to date. The Snowden’s have picked up a great many wins, includes two Golden Slippers, but claiming the Everest has taken them into a whole new league. Here is how the race played out: As the gates opened, Chautauqua and She Will Reign were slow to get out. Houtzen immediately jumped into the lead with Redzel sitting just behind her on the outside. Craig Williams switched things up on Vega Magic, finding cover in Midfield instead of pushing forward. By the 800-meter mark, all the horses had settled into their respective positions with Houtzen leading the charge out front. Fell Swoop got trapped three wide without cover. She will Rain managed to gain a bit of ground on the leaders and ran up the fence into fourth. Strong Runs from Vega Magic and Brave Smash Brave Smash started tracking well up the midfield while Chautauqua was trailing 12 lengths off the leaders. On the turn, things started to change. Redzel looked to be traveling well and closed the gap on Houtzen. Vega Magic got of bit of free space and started his run to the finish. Brave Smash was held up in Midfield but still had a bit of gas left in the tank. She will Reign also went for her run while Chautauqua was still 10 lengths off the pace at this point. At the 200m mark, Redzel had pulled into the lead and looked strong into the home stretch. Brave Smash and Vega Magic looked to be warming up, but She Will Reign hit a wall. Chautauqua started gaining ground but was still 6 lengths off Redzel. Coming across the finish line, Redzel was able to hold off all the challengers and claim the win by three-quarters of a length. Vega Magic and Brave Smash finished well to take second and third respectively. Chautauqua charged home to claim fourth while she will Rein finished a disappointing 11th. Fell Swoop came in last after a tough run. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Andrea Dovizioso has closed point gap on Marc Marquez after winning the Japanese Moto GP. Dovizioso took the lead in the final lap to win by 0.249 seconds. - Published: 2017-10-17 - Modified: 2017-10-17 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/auto-racing/andrea-dovizioso-closes-gap-marc-marquez/ Andrea Dovizioso Snatches Victory in Motegi Ducati rider Andrea Dovizioso has closed the gap on MotoGP points leader Marc Marquez after he finished just 0. 249 seconds ahead at the Japanese MotoGP in Motegi. On a rain soaked track, Dovizioso snatched the lead on the final lap, giving him his fifth victory of the season and bringing the point gap to just 11 points. With three races remaining in the season and anything can happen. While the race was filled with thrills and spills from all across the board, the main race evolved into an epic battle between the top two placed riders. In fact, it looked to be an exact reprise of the heart-stopping Red Bull Ring battle earlier in the year where Dovizioso came out ahead. At the Japanese MotoGp, it was Marques that looked to be in control from most of the race. This was until he hit a major wobbled on the final lap. This gave Dovizioso the chance to close the gap and pass the Honda on Turn 11. Battle at the Front In a repeat of what happened in Austria, Marquez made a bid to hit back on the final corner but ran out wide, giving Dovizioso the 0. 249 second lead he needed to win the race. Earlier in the race it was Pramac Ducati rider Danilo Petrucci who took the lead. In fact, Petrucci held a commanding lead as high as 1. 9 seconds thanks to bike’s extra soft back tire. His long spell at the front eventually ended as he was reeled in and passed by Marquez and then Dovizioso on lap 13 and lap 14. With Petrucci falling further and further back, it really became a two-horse race. The gap between first and second hovered around 0. 5 seconds until Dovizioso made his first attack on lap 19. Taking the lead on turn 5, the Ducati led by eight tenths of a second but was quickly passed again by Marquez with just three laps to go. The pair traded places at the front again with Dovizioso making a move on turn 6. Three turns later, he lost the advantage and Marquez pulled away, seemingly heading for a clear win. The error on the final lap gave Dovizioso the chance to catch up again and ultimately pass the Honda to seal the win. The two were so far clear of the pack that Petrucci clocked in at third a full 10 seconds later. Andrea Iannone and Alex Rins came in fourth and fifth after passing with the Suzuki pair passing Johann Zarco on the Tech 3 Honda late in the race. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Red Bull owned Formula 1 team Toro Rosso will most probably have to improvise ahead of the US Grand Prix as a result of yet another change of drivers. - Published: 2017-10-16 - Modified: 2017-10-16 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/auto-racing/changes-afoot-toro-rosso/ The Wheels Of Change Are Turning For Toro Rosso The Red Bull-owned Toro Rosso Formula 1 team is once again stuck in the spokes of the wheels of uncertainty as it heads for yet another driver change with the upcoming US Grand Prix looming on the horizon. This time it’s all thanks to French driver Pierre Gasly. Gasly, the 2016 GP2 champion, was selected to replace Daniil Kvyat to race for Toro Rosso in the Malaysian Grand Prix – Gasly’s very first F1 Grand Prix race. He also went on to compete in last weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix alongside Carlos Sainz, and hasn’t failed to impress the powers that be at Toro Rosso. Sainz also recently announced that he would be racing for Renault next season, effectively leaving the gap wide open for Kvyat to make his return. The other side of the coin is that Gasly very well miss the F1 US Grand Prix as a result of competing in the Japanese Super Formula Series in Suzuka. Gasly has indicated that he would prefer to stay with Toro Rosso instead, but Red Bull’s Helmut Marko has been making suggestions to the contrary, saying that the Japanese battle of the brands would most probably be enjoying priority. Brendon Hartley Most Likely To Replace Gasly In the event that Gasly is tied up elsewhere, Toro Rosso will be left hanging once more. The options are limited due to drivers with the necessary super licence being in very short supply. The drivers who are available have completely fallen out of Formula 1 racing. One of these is Sebastien Buemi. Buemi last competed in Formula 1 back in 2011. He did go on to win the Formula E electric title since then, but it’s still a long shot in the dark. The firm favourite seems to be none other than New Zealander Brendon Hartley. Hartley is, after all, this year’s Le Mans winner (in a Porche) and has accumulated enough points to qualify for a super licence. The challenge is that Hartley too, has never raced in a Formula 1 race and isn’t accustomed to racing the newer generation turbo hybrid engines. He would certainly have his work cut out for him if he were chosen to be Toro Rosso’s newest golden boy. At this stage Hartley seems the be the strongest contender for the job. A spokesperson for Toro Rosso has been unable to provide clear answers to the questions posed by the press. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Newcastle Trainer Ben Smith has had to put his high hopes for star mare In Her Time to rest ahead of The Everest after the much coveted slot was missed. - Published: 2017-10-15 - Modified: 2017-10-15 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/ben-smith-remembers-difficult-days/ Here’s To The One Who Missed Out Newcastle trainer Ben Smith had had high hopes ahead of The Everest but they were all smashed to bits when it became apparent that his pride and joy, In Her Time, would not be racing in the richest race on turf, this year after all. It was simply a matter of there only being so many race slots and that these were all full-up. Smith admitted earlier this year that there was a time when he would never have dreamed of having a horse compete in a race such as The Everest, and more than that, he would have thought it to be bordering on the impossible to own a horse like In her Time. Jockey Corey Brown agrees, saying that he could not believe how well the mare had trialled at Rosehill. Brown wasn’t supposed to ride In Her Time at Rosehill but it so happened that her scheduled rider had turned up late for the event and Brown was afforded the happy opportunity. Not Always An Easy Road It hasn’t always been smooth sailing for Ben Smith. In fact, no more than six years ago Smith had had to endure an entire winter without hot water in his home in his bid to make it as a professional trainer. To add insult to injury, it wasn’t very long after the cold stint that doctors discovered that Smith had in actual fact contracted pneumonia. The 35 year old recalls nearly having been hospitalised as a result of having had no money to pay his electricity bills. He reports having had to sink any spare money at his disposal into his training career and that hot water remained on firm second place as far as priorities went. During that same year Smith also underwent skin surgery for the removal of a cancerous growth from his lip. Smith remembers that it was a trying time for his family too, and that any notion of packing it in, from his side, would have been met with only loyal support. He recalls that it was a difficult situation as his family had no desire to see him struggle in the ways that he did and as such advised that it would be best if he had gone back to work for someone else. This was never an option for Smith, who knew what he wanted to do. It’s now a little more than five years later, and Smith is finally reaping the rewards as a result of his commitment to a passion. A setback such as In Her Time missing out on The Everest will be the last thing to bring a great man down. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > This week sees the final group-stage games of 2017-18 European Champions Hockey League. The Nottingham Panthers, for the first time, have made the playoffs. - Published: 2017-10-14 - Modified: 2017-10-14 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/hockey/european-champions-hockey-action/ European Champions Hockey Group Deciders This Week Tuesday and Wednesday will bring Kiwi ice hockey fans the final group-stage matches in the 2017-18 European Champions Hockey League. Online sports betting fans with a weakness for Cinderella stories will be watching to see how UK team the Nottingham Panthers fares against TPS Turku on Tuesday night, although it’s a match that matters far more to the Turkish side. The Panthers, with a game in hand, have already secured their first-ever berth in the Round of 16 playoffs. That’s thanks to three wins and one win-in-overtime from five games, leaving them atop the Group F ladder with an unbeatable 11 points. TPS Turku, at the bottom of the ladder, is on 6 points, as are SC Bern, although they lie in third place on goals scored. Second place in Group F is held by Czech club Mountfield HK, on 7 points. So both the Panthers-Turku and Bern-Mountfield games on Tuesday could have a bearing on the team that joins the Panthers in the playoffs. Two Other Teams with Guaranteed Playoff Berths In Groups A and H respectively, Finnish team Tappara is on 15 points and Sweden’s Frolunda HC has 14. So both are equally uncatchable at the top of their groups and assured of a place in the playoffs. The two sides are also neck-and-neck at the top of the betting to win the tournament outright, with online sites offering Tappara at $4. 00 and above, and Frolunda’s odds starting at $5. 00. Despite their early success in the group stages, Nottingham are still outsiders, ranked 22nd in the outright betting at odds ranging from $66. 00 to $100. 00. Those odds may shorten if the Panthers pull off another convincing win against Turku on Tuesday, however. So punters who fancy the British team to go all the way this year should put their money where their mouths are soon, if they want to get attractive odds. Only two other teams are being offered at below $10. 00 in the outright betting, both of them Swedish: Group E leaders Vaxjo Lakers at $5. 00-$7. 00, and Group G leaders Brynas, at $8. 00-$9. 00 TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > After a nail-biting race in Charlotte, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to Talladega. Charlotte winner Marin Truex Jr is through to round 3. - Published: 2017-10-13 - Modified: 2017-10-13 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/auto-racing/update-monster-energy-cup-series/ Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Update After an action-packed race at Charlotte last Sunday, all the teams are jumbled up and raring to go as NASCAR’s Monster Energy Cup Series heads to its most unpredictable speedway yet. From the somewhat civil asphalt of the Charlotte Motor Speedway, the 10-race championship playoff series heads to the infamous Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama for another thrilling 500-mile race. If ever there is a place where we can expect the unexpected, it’s at the “Dega”. As it stands, eleven drivers achieved their very first NASCAR victory at Talladega. For five of these drivers, it remains their only victory so far. Most recently we saw Playoff driver, Ricky Stenhouse take the honours in April. He joins the illustrious group of drivers to conquer the Dega including the likes of Ron Bouchard, Richard Brickhouse, Ken Schrader, Brad Keselowski, Dick Brooks and Phil Parsons. At Talladega, six-time 2017 winner, Martin Truex Jr will take a handy 34-point lead over his closest rival Kyle Larson as he lines up for the 188-lap race. A win in Charlotte guaranteed Truex Jr a spot in the third round. Round three sees the 16 original drivers whittled down to just eight. Sitting in third place is Kevin Harvick, just ahead of Chase Elliot in fourth and Denny Hamlin in fifth. Truex Jr will head to Talladega with zero pressure and no real worries about where he finishes. Havin already qualified for round 3, he will be equally free to play it safe in Kansas City the following weekend. Talladega Will Shuffle the Top 12 For the remaining 12 drivers, the bottom half for now include the likes of Johnson in 7th, McMurry in 8th, Matt Kenseth in 9th, Keselowski in 10th, Ryan Blaney in 11th and Rickey Stenhouse Jr in 12th. In all likelihood, Talladega will do what it usually does and shuffle the top 12 drivers completely. Even so, Truex doesn’t seem fazed. Speaking to the press, he said that no one has any idea how good it feels to have won in Charlotte. He went onto that he has never gone to Talladega without being nervous about crashing or something bad happening. To him, it always seems like things go wrong at the Dega. Now things are different, Truex said that he plans to have fun next week and not worry too much about where he ends up. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > With no need to qualify for the World Cup, hosts Russia have been playing a series of friendlies. Going up against Iran, the game ended in a 1-all draw. - Published: 2017-10-12 - Modified: 2017-10-12 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/russia-draws-football-friendly-iran/ Russia Draw with Iran in International Friendly With the Soccer World Cup drawing ever closer, hosts, Russia have been in the spotlight with serious concerns about their ability to challenge the top-seeded sides. On Tuesday, a one-all draw against Iran did little to dispel the doubts for team. With the team being exempt from having to qualify for the tournament, as all host nations do, the Russian side has had to rely on a series of friendlies to test out their metal. This past weekend, Russia beat South Korea 4-2, however their friendly with Iran proved a more realistic challenge. If it weren’t for Zenit St Petersburg striker, Dmitry Poloz slotting in an equaliser in the 57th minute, the Russians would have been looking at a solid defeat. This was the fourth draw for the Russian side in 14 matches since coach Stanislav Cherchesov took over the reins in August last year. Speaking to the press, Cherchesov said that his team looked a lot better in the second half. He was concerned however about conceding a goal on the counter attack, but the team picked themselves up well, levelling the score and creating more opportunities. Cherchesov feels they need to analyse their performance in both the South Korea match and the Iran match to find out how to proceed. Concerns for the Hosts In the first half, it was Iran that looked to be the team with the more creative spirit. Having already qualified for the World Cup, the Iranians impressed on the field and kept the 32 000 odd spectators at the Kazan Arena on the edge of their seats. The first real chance for Iran came in the 21st minute when a free kick from Alireza Jahanbakhsh's skimmed just over the top of the goals. Five minutes later, Azmoun had the chance to give the visitors the lead with a close-range header. Russian keeper Andri Lunev was on hand with a brilliant save, keeping the game scoreless. As for the Russian team, they really only had once chance before the break. This was when midfielder Alexander Erokhin blasted a rebound kick just wide of the posts after Konstantin Rausch missed his target with a free kick. The Iranians broke the deadlock in the 57th minute when Azmoun received a brilliant cross from Mehdi Taremi and fired the ball past Lunev. The hosts hit back less than 20 minutes later when Poloz picked up an Alexander Samedov cross to level the game. It was only after they equalised that the Russians begun to apply serious pressure. They created plenty of opportunities but their finishing let them down. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Warriors have confirmed the signing of Kiwi back rower Peta Hiku and Matiu Love-Henry. Hiku will join the side on a three-year contract in 2018. - Published: 2017-10-11 - Modified: 2017-10-11 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/warriors-sign-kiwi-internationals/ Rugby League – Warriors Sign Kiwi Internationals The New Zealand Warriors have continued with their bid to boost their league side with the signing of another New Zealand international for the 2018 season. This time around it was the turn of Kiwi international Peta Hiku. The extremely versatile back was handed a three-year deal and accepted it with open arms. Having already been named in the New Zealand Ruby League World Cup Squad, Hiku was given an early release from his contract with the English Super League side, the Warrington Wolves. The early release means that he can join the Warriors on a permanent basis. Speaking to the press, Warriors CEO, Cameron George said the side was delighted to secure Hiku. According to George, he is a player that brings with him extensive international experience as well as a strong background in the Super League and NRL football. George also went on to say that Peta has the benefit of having a strong working relationship with Stephen Kearney which is major plus for the team. Hiku and Love-Henry Join the Squad Peta Hiku was is a former Warriors Junior who won the Under-20 player of the year award in 2012. Originally Hiku was contracted with the Warrington Wolves until the end of 2019, but an early release will certainly benefit the side that tried to get him on board in 2014 when he was still with Manly. Coming into the side, the 24-year-old will certainly improve the club’s depth and experience. He will also be part of a major boost in the back row joining fellow Kiwi test player Gerard Beal who was also handed a three-year contract a month ago. As it stands, Hiku is now the fourth New Zealand player to sign with the Warriors for the 2018 season. He joins the likes of Adam Blair, Tohu Harris and Beal. Hiku is joined in his returned by Matiu Love-Henry who takes his place in the back row on a one-year contract. Having played 23 NYC games for the Junior Warriors, Love-Henry will be returning to the New Zealand shores after spending two years in Australia playing for the Norths Devils in the Queensland Intrust Super Cup. While he never really managed to break into the NRL with Brisbane, the side was impressed with his development when he was playing with the Broncos. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The group stages of the 2017 League of Legends World Championships is well under way. We take a look at how the top teams are measuring up so far? - Published: 2017-10-10 - Modified: 2017-10-10 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/esport/update-lol-world-championship/ LOL World Champs Update The Group Stage of the 2017 League of Legends World Championship is well underway and we are starting to get an idea of how each team is faring. After three days of play, one team for each of the four groups sits undefeated with at least two wins under their belt. For those who have yet to win a match, it is going to be an uphill climb out of the group stages. At this stage of the tournament, the most surprising upsets are coming from the Korean Teams which usually dominate the group stage games. In their matchup against Royal Never Give Up, the Samsung Galaxy team found themselves completely dominated and struggling to find a hold of any sort. Likewise, the defending World Champions, SK Telecom T1 were on the verge of going down to ahq e-Sports Club, one of the biggest Underdogs in the competition. The rest of the matches were mostly going as predicted. Korean Teams Look to be in Trouble In the match against Team WE, TSM lifted their game and looked to be a completely different team to the one who played over 50 minutes against Flash Wolves. This time around, TSM put the pressure on WE’s jungle up front. This put them in a commanding position, which they held to close out the game in 34 min. Looking at the Misfits/Flash Wolves games, the Misfits were always in control. While the game may have taken 46 minutes, there was never a question of who was going to win. The Misfits took down the Nexus without suffering a single kill. Meanwhile G2 Esports showed their dominance over 1907 Fenerbahçe Espor who were just not up for the skill of their group mates. This was also the first game in the tournament where Lulu beat Janna. One of the most dominate games of the Championship so far has to the RNG over Samsung Galaxy. The team finished of Galaxy’s Nexus in less than 27 minutes, not giving up a single kill on the way there. It was a concerning show from the Koreans who need something special to recover. As for SKT, their game was far closer than it should have been. Losing the early game, SKT had to rely on their composition and work of Cho’Gath to keep them above water. This coupled with a few laps in concentration from ahq, gave them the opportunity they needed to get ahead. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Silver Ferns have lost their opening match of the Constellation Cup to the Australian Diamonds. They are now 1-0 down with three to play. - Published: 2017-10-09 - Modified: 2017-10-09 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/netball/australia-win-constellation-cup-opener/ Silver Ferns Go Down to Australia in Constellation Cup Opener The Silver Ferns have gone down to the Australian Diamonds in the netball Constellation Cup Series opener. With the game hanging in the balance for most of the second half, the possibility of a win for the Ferns was always on the cards. The team now finds themselves 1-0 with three tests left to play. As it stands, New Zealand has lost 8 out of 9 games against Australia on home soil. If they want to stand any chance of winning the series, they need to change the game plan. As for Thursday’s match, the Australian Diamonds quickly built up a lead, going four goals up by the end of the first quarter. This was the where the margin stayed for most of the match as the Ferns were able to reel them in as soon as they pulled away. By the time the final period got underway, the goal difference was still at four until the Ferns finally upped their defence and got within a single goal. However, that was as close as it got. It was a very physical match with the Ferns racking up a total of 76 penalties while the Diamonds posted 70 of their own. Speaking to the press, Ferns Captain Katrina Grant said that the intensity of the match was far greater than their match in Invercargill where they beat the Diamonds 57-47. Mixing Up the Defence One of the key aspects of their win there was the defence work done by Kelly Jury. With Jury benched in Auckland, Australia’s Caitlin Basset was given free rein to score a total of 39 goals from 43 attempts. At the same time, the Ferns relied heavily on Baily Mes when they found themselves on the attacking end of the court. Swapping out with Maria Tutaia in the second quarter didn’t improve things. It was only in the final quarter that Tutaia’s shooting started paying off. With the Ferns down by eight at the break, Southby switched things up in the defence, bringing in Kayla Cullen at wing and Temalisi Fakahokotau for goal duty. This gave the team a defensive kick-start, allowing Fakahokotau to make some big plays down the court. Looking ahead to their second match of the series in this Sunday, the Ferns will want to build on their final quarter performance. Had they been playing like that for most of the game, it would have been a very different outcome. 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The Broncos are back, with the word “contenders” being uttered, albeit in hushed tones as we’re petrified of jinxing the turn of the tide. Not to mention the New York Giants who have gone from hero to zero on the defence in what seems like mere minutes. Speaking of defence, for Detroit it has been something akin to having been stuck in a parallel universe with the Giants, as for the first time in a long time there is actually defence to speak of. All things considered, when we do manage to shake the feeling of being stuck in a NFL twilight zone, we must concede that the biggest surprise of all has been none other than the Kansas City Chiefs – and it’s mostly thanks to Alex Smith. Smith Vs The Redskins It was a matter of man against the machine on Monday, and by machine we mean the formidable Redskins. Alex Smith is a man playing the best football of his life and it certainly showed in the trilogy of magic in the form of a 32-yard sprint towards Travis Kelce during the first half, a 37-yard toss to Albert Wilson and the tying together of numerous critical passes and moves that would have been left hanging had it not been for a Smith-intervention. Kareem Hunt And Other Revelations It’s almost impossible to believe now that rookie running back Kareem Hunt had been advised to stay put in school by the NFL drafting powers that be because of his weight. Hunt had been identified an injury risk and identified as being a player that was likely to get hurt. Obviously not one to shy away from a challenge, Hunt set to the task of transforming himself as a player, and that’s exactly what he did. Hunt is a complex player who thrives on the finer intricacies of misdirection and surprise, which of course fits the Chiefs’ playing style like a professionally tailored glove. On Monday night Hunt became only the fourth player ever to have worked up in excess of 100 yards from scrimmage during his maiden four games. Hunt turned out to be a golden key to Kansas City being able to uphold its undefeated record on Monday night. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Royal Randwick hosts Spring Champions Stakes Day on Saturday. It has some exciting options that punters can add to their Sydney Spring Carnival betting. - Published: 2017-10-07 - Modified: 2017-10-07 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/spring-champion-stakes-favourites/ Randwick Hosts Saturday’s Spring Champion Stakes Day This year is the fifth in which the Spring Champion Stakes gets its own meeting at Royal Randwick, after being split from Epsom Day in 2013. It promises another vibrant Spring Racing Carnival event at the Sydney course this Saturday, in a meeting that has two other popular races, in Groups 2 and 3, to go with the Gr. 1 titular feature. Online sports betting fans will have the 2000m Spring Champion Stakes for 3-year-olds to focus on, with a confirmed field of just nine. There is also the Gr. 2 Roman Consul Stakes for 3-year-old sprinters, and the Gr. 3 Angst Stakes for mares, to consider. All three are run at set weights with penalties, and the main race has a $500,000 purse. Ace High Leads Spring Champion Stakes Betting Drawn well in Barrier 4, the colt Ace High is the favourite, at odds around and below $3. 50, to win Saturday’s main race, which only has nine horses in the field. Sired by Irish great High Chaparral, Ace High took a win over 1800m two weeks ago at Rosehill. He’s followed in the betting by Sanctioned, at around $4. 80, and then Tangled at $5. 00 and above. Sired by Snitzel out of Bramble Rose and trained by Chris Waller, Tangled’s Barrier draw of 2 could make him dangerous, although he has never raced over a distance this long. At around $8. 00, $9. 00 and $10. 00 respectively, Astoria, Sully and Dissolution are the best of the rest. Roman Consul and Angst Betting The scratching of Snitzcraft has left the 1200m Roman Consul Stakes with an even smaller field. Of the seven horses remaining, James Cummings-trained colt Viridene, who debuted this year with an impressive 3: 3-0-0, is the favourite, at odds going as low as $2. 70. However, Single Bullet, Chauffeur, Beau Geste and Albumin are all at below $10. 00 in the tiny field as well, so it could be anybody’s race. The 1500m Angst Stakes, restricted to mares, has fared better, with two scratchings still leaving 12 mares running. Ron Quinton’s two 5-year-olds, Dixie Blossoms and Daysee Doom, are neck-and-neck in the betting; both at below $5. 00, with Dixie Blossoms marginally the favourite. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > This weekend will play host to the biggest MMA fight of the year as Tony Ferguson takes on Kevin Lee at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday. - Published: 2017-10-07 - Modified: 2017-10-07 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/ufc/animosity-contempt-ahead-mma-weekend/ Tony Ferguson No Fan Of Kevin Lee There’s no love lost between MMA fighters Tony Ferguson and Kevin Lee. Ferguson has said that he respects Lee for his willingness to compete against him (Ferguson) but that that was basically where the admiration stopped. Ferguson and Lee will be squaring it off in Saturday’s main UFC headliner at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The winner of the fight will be crowned the next UFC interim lightweight champion – a title that has been in Ferguson’s sights for quite some time. Quite rightfully so, too. Ferguson’s current nine-fights unbeaten record winning streak is the longest of its kind in divisional history. Ferguson prides himself on his levels of authenticity and has famously said that he does not perceive Lee as being cut from the same quality cloth. When asked to elaborate, Ferguson went on to say that Lee was, in his opinion, fake and trying to portray a persona that he did not truly embody. Referring to his upbringing in the suburbs of Michigan, Ferguson said that he knew where Lee came from and that he (Ferguson) knew people who lived on the same block as where Lee used to stay. Ferguson Keen To Fight, McGregor Not When questioned as to why he has not yet moved in the direction of proposing a fight with Connor McGregor, Ferguson responded by implying that McGregor wasn’t eager to fight him due to the fact that the Irishman did not want to face the best in the MMA business. The general tone of his comments went something along the line of McGregor only fighting those that he knew he could beat easily, so as to uphold his reputation. Lee A Man Of Few Words Unlike Ferguson, Lee has been short and curt in his replies to questions from the press. Some have speculated that it may be due to the recent emotional upset caused by the Las Vegas shooting. Others say that it’s a simple as Lee being fed up with Ferguson’s arrogant nature and statements. Lee did shed some light on his seemingly despondent mood by saying that everything felt quite trivial in the light of the shooting, even the biggest week of his career and that he felt stuck in a state of empathy, even toward his arrogant opponent. The fight is deemed to be the biggest in MMA and will be broadcast on a pay-per-view basis. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > South Africa and New Zealand play their final Rugby Championship match on Saturday. The odds-on All Blacks face a Springbok side fighting for second place. - Published: 2017-10-06 - Modified: 2017-10-06 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/underdog-springboks-v-blacks/ New Zealand Crowned 2017 Rugby Champions For the 15th time since the tournament was inaugurated as the Tri-Nations in 1996, New Zealand have won the Rugby Championship. The All Blacks’ 36-10 away win against Argentina on Saturday left them with an unassailable 24 points on the championship ladder, beating Australia in the Bledisloe Cup and South Africa in the Freedom Cup along the way. Despite securing the Championship, Saturday’s game against the Pumas in Buenos Aires wasn’t the flawless display Kiwi fans were hoping for. It was more of a curate’s egg: in the first half, New Zealand played with the dash and brilliance they have displayed throughout the tournament, going into halftime 29-3 ahead. But their discipline faltered twice, resulting in a yellow card for Matt Todd before halftime, and another in the second half for captain Keiran Read, whose high tackle on Pumas centre Matias Orlando could just as easily have earned him a red. The result was a lacklustre second-half from New Zealand that allowed the Pumas to cross their line, before an injury-time try from a five-metre scrum by All Blacks debutant David Havili decided the final score. New Zealand v South Africa on Saturday Kiwi sports betting fans could be forgiven for considering this Saturday’s match in Cape Town, when the All Blacks play the Springboks, a dead rubber, since the South Africans, on 13 points after another draw with Australia this week, have no hope of overtaking New Zealand. All Blacks’ fans might not be so cavalier: presumably, the Kiwis are now hungry to maintain their clean sweep in the 2017 tournament. But South Africa’s performance at Newlands this Saturday could still make a difference to which side finishes the 2017 Rugby Championship in second place. Saturday’s draw left Australia on 10 points. If the Springboks finish their match against the All Blacks without a point, then all the Wallabies need in their game against Argentina later on, is a straight win. If the South Africans lose by less than seven points and/or rack up four tries to secure one or two bonus points, however, then Australia will need a five-pointer later in the day against Argentina. With the All Blacks offered at betting sites at below $0. 15 and the Springboks at $5. 10, that looks unlikely, but Kiwi rugby fans will be on tenterhooks until their Argentina game is done and dusted. 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Kansas City Chiefs’ fans had to wait for Monday Night Football to see if the Missouri team could continue a winning streak that already includes a thrilling upset against the New England Patriots in the season opener, followed by victories against the Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Chargers. At home in Arrowhead Stadium, the Chiefs overpowered the Washington Redskins 29-20 and left the visitors nursing a string of injuries into their bye week. That makes the Chiefs the only team to go 4-0 this year, and as a result they are top of the AFC West division as well as the AFC ladder. The Falcons are now on 3-1, just like NFC South’s Carolina Panthers, making the Panthers division leaders and dropping the Falcons to wild-card status on the NFC ladder just before their bye week. The Chiefs now travel to Houston to face the Texans, where the Missouri side are betting favourites to go 5-0. Other Division Leaders at this Stage The win in Atlanta put the Bills on 3-1, atop AFC East. They play away again this Sunday; the Bills are underdogs in the betting against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Pittsburgh Steelers took a 26-9 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday to top AFC North on 3-1. They next play the Jaguars in Jacksonville, with the Steelers odds-on to win. But don’t forget that the Jaguars are AFC South leaders on 2-2, despite their 23-20 loss to the New York Jets this weekend. In the NFC, the Eagles’ 26-24 win against the Chargers left them atop NFC East, while the Lions beat the Minnesota Vikings 14-7 to lead NFC North. The Los Angeles Rams top NFC West after beating the Dallas Cowboys 35-30, and the Panthers lead NFC South. All four division leaders are on 3-1, and this Sunday, betting sites reckon the closest match among them will be the Rams vs the Seattle Seahawks. Sunday also sees the Lions play the Panthers, with the Detroit visitors odds-on, and the Eagles are also heavy favourites against the Arizona Cardinals. If you want to bet on these, or any other games, check out the great odds that Sportsbet has to offer Kiwi punters online. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has claimed his second win of his F1 career, beating out Lewis Hamilton to take first place at the Malaysian Grand Prix. - Published: 2017-10-04 - Modified: 2017-10-04 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/red-bull-triumphant-malaysian-grand-prix/ Max Verstappen Wins Malaysian Grand Prix Red Bull's Max Verstappen recorded an impressive win at the Malaysian Grand Prix this past weekend. Lewis Hamilton finished in second, extending his championship lead over rival Sebastian Vettel. After struggling with engine problems in the qualifiers, Vettel did well to come from the back of the grid to finish in fourth, keeping his hopes alive for a 2017 title. With just five races to go, the German is now 34 points behind Hamilton with a maximum of 125 points up for grabs. For his part, Hamilton expressed concerns about the pace of his car but was pleased to extend his overall lead in what has been a difficult week for Mercedes. For race winner Max Verstappen, it was an easy affair. Verstappen has had a difficult season with a couple of big finishes but reliability problems and driver errors kept him off the podium. With Raikkonen out of the picture, the 20-year-old Dutchman successfully fended off an attack by Valtteri Bottas on the first corner before passing Hamilton down the inside on the start of lap four. Verstappen managed pull away from Hamilton, quickly building up a seven-second lead. He remained in control for the rest of the race despite reporting problems with his neck muscles in the closing stages. With Verstappen way out ahead, Hamilton was left to measure his gap against Daniel Ricciardo and Vettel behind him. Hamilton was warned that Vettel could have been a threat on the final set of laps but the Ferrari driver as left with too much to do. Ferrari Plagued with Engine Troubles With 10 laps to go, Vettel was on Ricciardo’s tail but the Red Bull driver was able to hold him off, forcing Vettel to fall back with shot front tires. The spirited fight back from Vettel eased some of the pain in the Ferrari camp as they looked back on what could have been a one-two finish if engine problems have not hit both cars. Raikkonen, who qualified in second, was keen to challenge for the win but didn’t even make it to the start line. His car lost power on the way to the grid and was wheeled into the garage, retiring him for the race. Mercedes Valiteri Bottas also had a poor race, taking fifth place, a full 45 seconds behind his teammate. The disappointing result for the Finn followed a weak qualifying performance leading many people to wonder where his pace has gone after he returned from the summer break. 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Having defeated Argentina, New Zealand are now the only team to win all five of their tests and hold an impressive 11-point lead over South Africa in second place with just one round to go. The World Champs were quick off the mark, scoring four tries in the first half to rack up a 29-3 lead at the break. But it was not all good news for coach Steve Hansen. After cruising through the first half, the All Blacks went scoreless until newbie David Havili scored the fifth and final try as the clock ran out. According to Sonny Bill Williams, New Zealand didn’t give Argentina enough respect in the second half and paid the price. Meanwhile All Blacks captain Kieran Read scored a duo of tries before being sin-binned by South African referee Jaco Peyper in the second half. It was one of four yellow cards dished out during the match. Matt Todd, the All Black flanker was also on the receiving side of the whistle, being blown up for collapsing a maul. Beauden Barret Steals the Show Putting aside the niggly mistakes that swept through the game, New Zealand produced some brilliant plays in the first half. Beauden Barrett in particular, produced two moments of what could only be described as pure magic. Standing in for Lima Sopoga who was attending the birth of his first child, Barret wasted no time, making quick line breaks and providing a beautiful pass for Waisake Naholo’s try in the first half. Barret was also instrumental in providing Damian McKenzie a tunnel ball leading to Read’s second try. McKenzie was able to run over his own try later in the match, taking a quick tap and finding a gap. Speaking to the press after the match, Read said that he was happy with his team’s ability to defend. The two yellow cards didn’t help, but they were able to keep them out. He added that it was good for the less experienced players to play in one of the toughest atmospheres in world rugby. 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The Americans went on to win the following two matches before the Internationals finally took one at the Liberty National. The final result after the first session was a massive 3. 5 to 1. 5 lead for the US. While it may be early days, a lead drop in the first session is bad news for the International team. We have to remember that the US has never lost at home and to add to this, they have never lost after winning the first session. With their last win coming in 2003, it seems the Internationals have the odds stacked against them. The visitors also don’t have the firepower to take on the likes of Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed. Even when they were slightly off their game, the heavyweight American duo dusted Si Woo Kim and Emiliano Grillo to pick up point number 2. Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar were also victorious on the day, beating Adam Scott and Jhonattan Vegas despite the fact that they didn’t make a single bogey the entire session. Grace and Oosthuizen Make a Stand The only US pair that didn’t win their match was Brooks Koepka and Daniel Berger. They had the misfortune of running into Branden Grace and Louis Oosthuizen, possibly the most powerful duo of the international team. In the previous Presidents Cup, Oosthuizen racked up 4. 5 points alone with Grace taking 5. They might just be the team’s only hope to take on the big guns of Spieth and Reed or Thomas and fowler in the four-ball matches. While there is still a lot of golf to come, it appears the US is on their way to their seventh straight win. Historically, the Internationals have fared better in the four-ball matches but the US has too much firepower and not enough competition to keep them at bay. There is still hope though. A big charge on Friday and Saturday could set up the perfect conditions for an upset on Sunday. If this does happen, it would bring the biennial tournament the spark it needs to keep going for years to come. 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They only just managed to stay in the Top 8 in Round 26, but they nevertheless made it into the finals for the eleventh time, and the seventh year in a row. Then came the big upset: a narrow 15-14 victory over defending 2016 champions the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in their Elimination Final on 10 September, keeping the Cowboys on track to repeat their only Premiership win, achieved in 2015. The following week, they played a Semi-Final against the fourth-placed Parramatta Eels, after the Eels had lost their Qualifying Final closely to the Melbourne Storm. The Cowboys finished the SF 24-16 ahead, progressing to last Friday’s Preliminary Final against second-placed Sydney Swans. The Queenslanders, playing away, inflicted a 29-16 defeat in the Allianz Stadium, to win themselves a shot at a second Premiership in this Sunday’s Grand Final at the ANZ Stadium. Melbourne Storm Betting Favourites at Home Hosting the Cowboys on Sunday is the team that took the tournament lead in Round 1: the Melbourne Storm. Although they last won the NRL Premiership in 2012, the Storm have been finalists just as often as the Cowboys recently, making the knockout stages for seven years running. They were also last year’s GF runners-up to the Sharks, and their form throughout the tournament has left them favourites to win again on Sunday. Betting sites online are offering the Storm at $1. 30 or less to win, while the Cowboys are considered outsiders at $4. 00 and up. But bear in mind that the Cowboys have a not-so-secret weapon: towering prop Jason Taumololo. Given his sterling performances in recent weeks, it’s unlikely that the Storm can stop him; all they can hope for is to slow him down. If they can pin the Cowboys down in their own half and shut Taumololo down as soon as he gets the ball, the Storm have every chance of breaking through the Cowboys’ defence and securing a victory. But whichever side proves the stronger, Sunday’s Grand Final promises some outstanding rugby league action. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > This weeked sees several top races at Randwick’s Epsom Handicap Day. There’s more betting action to be had on the Craven Plate in a fortnight, too. - Published: 2017-09-30 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/royal-randwicks-best-spring-racing/ Big Races at Randwick This weekend sees a full day of Spring Carnival racing at Sydney’s Royal Randwick course, with three famous Group 1 races to go alongside the Gr. 2 Premiere Stakes. The Premiere, a 1200m weight-for-age sprint, carries prize money totalling $500,000. The current favourite in the 12-horse field is 7-year-old champion gelding Chautauqua, at $3. 20. The $500,000 Gr. 1 Flight Stakes, now 70 years old, is also on Saturday’s card. The 1600m set-weights handicap is restricted to 3-year-old fillies, and has a field of 11 confirmed. James Cummings-trained Alizee, at $2. 80, leads the betting, with Champagne Cuddles at $4. 20, and tied third-favourites Cellargirl and Pandemonium at $6. 50. You can bet on these and the AJ Moir Stakes online at Crownbet, and see if you can back a winner. Chris Waller Busy in Saturday’s Group 1s Trainer Chris Waller has a lot of his charges active in Saturday’s two oldest Gr. 1 races: The Metropolitan and the Epsom Handicap, both inaugurated in the 1860s. In the $750,000 Metropolitan, run over 2400m, the joint favourites at $5. 00 are both geldings trained by Waller: 5-year-old Antonio Giuseppe and 7-year-old Libran. Waller also trains the third-favourite, Life Less Ordinary, who is being offered at $5. 50. But strong middle-distance gallopers like Broadside at $8. 50, Foundry at $7. 00 and Big Duke at $6. 00 could also mount a challenge. Epsom Handicap Down to 10 Runners Waller has had to scratch win-machine Egg Tart from Saturday’s titular race, the 1600m Gr. 1 Epsom Handicap, because the mare has an eye complaint. The Epsom field is now down to just 10 horses, so it could deliver unpredictable highlights on Saturday. But Waller still has four horses running in the iconic million-dollar one-mile race, including Comin’ Through and Tom Melbourne, who currently share second place in the betting on $6. 00. The race favourite, at $2. 60, is Patrick Webster-trained Happy Clapper, a 7-year-old gelding. Kiwi sports betting fans looking for racing action later in October mustn’t forget the Craven Plate at Royal Randwick on 14 October, of course. The 2000m Gr. 3 race, carrying a purse of $500,000, is the last weight-for-age race in the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival, and it is likely to attract a highly competitive field. --- > Arsenal has continued their winning streak with a convincing 2-0 win over West Brom. Alexandre Lacazette added another two goals to his growing tally. - Published: 2017-09-29 - Modified: 2017-09-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/arsenal-rise-7th-win-west-brom/ Arsenal Defeat West Brom 2-0 Arsenal have won their third straight premier League victory with a 2-0 win over West Brom at the Emirates Stadium. Alexandre Lacazette was the man of the day, scoring twice to add to his impressive tally since moving across to the Gunners. Lacazette scored the opener in the 20th minute with a brilliant header coming off an Alexis Sanchez free kick that bounced off the crossbar. West Brom, quite rightly felt they deserved a penalty before the opening goal was even scored. Shkodran Mustafi played a slide tackle into Jay Rodriguez, bringing him down, but no foul was given. Thinking he had a decent shot at goal, Rodriguez chose to get up immediately but his shot was just edged onto the post by Petr Cech. The penalty debacle continued after the break when Arsenal was awarded a spot-kick from an Allan Nyom barge. Lacazette stepped up and slotted the ball into the bottom right corner to mark his fourth goal for Arsenal since moving to the club for a record £46. 5 million. It wasn’t all plain sailing for Arsenal though. West Brom caused the Gunners problems throughout the match and it all came down to fouls and penalties in the end. The victory for Arsenal lift them up the table to seventh place, just one point behind Tottenham and six points behind Manchester City who are in the lead. Another loss for West Brom means they slip to 12th in the table. Lacazette Adds Another Two West Brom Manager Tony Pulis has had a poor run at the Emirates Stadium. This was his 10th straight match he lost at the Stadium. Despite an impressive attacking display, West Brom have racked up five straight losses and have only one a single one of their 12 away league matches. On the other side of the coin, Arsenal have won their past five games. Lacazette's inspired performance must have been a huge relief for manager Arsene Wenger and a vindication for the side. Wenger also gave Sanchez a start for the second time this season following his non-start move to Manchester City. Sanchez proved to be instrumental in the game, providing the assist for Lacazette's opening goal. There have been doubts about Sanchez’s attitude after the failed move, but he proved his worth in both this match and the Liverpool match where Arsenal cleaned up with a 4-0 win. He was giving a standing ovation by the home crowd when he was substituted off, showing that he still has plenty of support the fans. 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While the score may not look too bad, Oakland’s lacklustre performance was an embarrassment for the team and a painful reminder that anything can happen when the right circumstances present themselves. Taking a 14-0 lead into halftime, Oakland struggled to hold back Ryan Kerrigan and the pass rush, with Jonathan Allen closing in. In contrast, Cousins was on hand to rip up the Oakland defence. With great support on all sides, Cousins was only sacked once in the game by Khalil Mack. If we examine the statistics, it was the third-down conversions that gave the Redskins the game. Washington converted 7 out of their 15 attempts while Oakland went 0 for 11. In total, the Raiders made up 120 yards compared to Washington’s 472. Oakland needs to put this game firmly behind it and look to the future. They have a massive game coming up against Denver in a must-win situation. The only consolation for the Raiders is that the Broncos lost to the Buffalo Bills, evening out the playing field a bit. Cowboys Bounce Back Meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys have completely bounced back from their 42-17 thrashing in Denver to beat the Arizona Cardinals by 27 points to 17. Taking the opening kickoff, Arizona made 82 yards in the first eight plays. Palmer was in good form, taking 5 for 5 and handing off a 25-yard touchdown pass, picked up by Jaron Brown. Before the Cowboys had thrown their first down, the Cardinals mounted a huge drive ending in a touchdown that was negated by a holding penalty. The Cowboys hit back quickly with Prescott scoring a huge 10-yard run with just 3 minutes left in the half. At the break, it was clear that the first half belonged to Arizona, but the scores were deadlocked at 7 apiece. The cardinals had the yard advantage with 152-57 and almost 10 minutes more possession. The game got away from the Cardinals, though, and the Cowboys pulled away in the fourth quarter. Prescott had a bit of a game with 13 of 18 for a total of 183 yards, which included a 37-yard pass to Brice Butler with just over 10 minutes on the clock. If you want to bet on any of the upcoming NFL games, head on over to Crownbet, where you can get great odds online. --- > The battle for the WBO Middleweight title is over. Billie Joe Saunders successfully defended his title although the match was slow and uneventful. - Published: 2017-09-27 - Modified: 2017-09-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/billy-joe-saunders-defeats-willie-monroe-jr/ Billy Joe Saunders Defends his WBO Middleweight Title Billy Joe Saunders did just enough to retain his WBO Middleweight title. Extending his unbeaten record to 25-0, Saunders beat no5 challenger Willie Monroe Jr in a 12-round unanimous decision on Saturday at the Copper Box Arena in London. While fans were looking forward to an entertaining evening between two top-fighters, both Saunders and Monroe Jr fought poorly, leaving the crowd and the boxing world wondering if it was even a world title fight. After the shameful effort by Monroe Jr, it is doubtful that he will be getting another shot at the title. The only reason Monroe was in the ring was because David Lemieux was recovering from injuries sustained from his previous fight. Had Lemieux been healthy enough to challenge, it would have been completely different fight, especially considering that Saunders looked like a man ready to be beaten. It wasn’t all bad though, Saunders started out well in round 1 and 2, physically taking the fight to Monroe Jr. In round 3, Saunders made a good attack in the last seconds of the round, landing some big shots to Monroe Jr’s head while he was on the ropes. In round 4, the tables turned a bit with Monroe Jr landing a string of decent jabs and lefts to the side of Saunders head. The 5th saw Saunders trapping Monroe Jr against the ropes and smashing him with a left elbow to the face. The referee decided not to penalise Saunders and Monroe Jr was lucky not to suffer any cuts. Monroe came back in the 6th, landing more powerful jabs to Saunders head. The round was very one-sided as Saunders appeared to be taking a break. A Title Fight that Lacked Punch Round 7 was a closer round with a late surge from Saunders. Landing a 4-punch combination, Saunders sent Monroe to the ropes, where he mounted his defence. This was the same mistake he made in the Golovkin fight. Saunders continued his momentum through to the 8th and 9th round with late surges in each. Monroe for his part looked as if he had no drive and was happy for Saunders to steal the round with just a few soft punches. Perhaps it was the fact that Monroe was only throwing jabs, but Saunders didn’t even fight hard, happy to do just enough to keep the score ticking over. It was a strange way to challenge for a title and it made for poor entertainment. The home crowed showed their disappointment, booing at times as the fight really came down to the fighter who was a little less pathetic. The end result was a unanimous decision for Saunders with the scoring at 117-111, 115-114, and 117-112. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Atlanta Falcons have defeated the Green Bay Packers by 34 points to 23. The Falcons racked up a huge lead but the Packers put on a late surge. - Published: 2017-09-26 - Modified: 2017-09-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/atlanta-falcons-defeat-packers-19-points/ Falcons Defeat Packers Despite a Huge Lead Drop The Atlanta Falcons have exercised some demons and have beaten the Green Bay packers by 34 points to 23 in what was almost a re-enactment of catastrophic lead-dropping Super bowl failure. After building up a huge three-possession lead in the fourth, the Falcons lost control of the game, allowing the Packers to chip away at their lead. When Green Bay scored to bring the game within 11 points, every Falcon fan had flashback nightmares of the tragic Super bowl game where it all ended in misery. Thankfully, this was not the case this time around. Unlike in the Super Bowl, the Falcons refused to the give the ball back until they had secured the win. On their final possession, the Falcons put together a classic 35-yard drive that chewed up almost five minutes of clock time and essentially ended all hopes of a Packers comeback. The Falcons only handed over the ball with just over a minute left to play. In the end, Atlanta ran the ball six times to finish off the game. Sunday’s performance by the Atlanta Falcons was a completely turnaround from the sketchy performance we saw in week 1 where they did just enough to defeat the bottom log bears. The team that took on the Packers were the Falcons of old, they did more than enough to re-establish themselves as one of the top NFC teams. No Comeback This Time Around Taking an early lead in the game, the Falcons kept adding to their score but it was really their defence that won out in the end. For most of the first half, Atlanta completely overwhelmed the Packers with a huge pass rush and flash defence. The Falcons managed to sack Rodgers three times in the game and rack up seven quarterback hits. The added pressure on Rodgers led to a few bad decisions including a throw that was dropped by Brian Poole. In the second half, Trufant took a Rodgers fumble and bolted into the end zone to make the score line an appealing 31-7. Unfortunately for Packers fans, there wasn’t a dramatic comeback this time around. Atlanta managed to hold onto their lead and beat the Packers for the third time since their first meeting in October last year. The victory wasn’t all-sweet for the Falcons though. Vic Beasley picked up a hamstring injury in the third quarter and will be out for the foreseeable future. The absence of Beasley could be a serious blow for the Atlanta Defence. 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It’s a good bet that Australia can beat Argentina in the final game of the tournament in two weeks time, while highly unlikely that South Africa can pull off a victory against New Zealand that week, even in Cape Town. With only three points separating Australia on 8 from South Africa on 11, next Saturday’s Wallabies-Springboks encounter in Bloemfontein will decide second place. Online betting sites are not giving Aussie punters a great deal to be optimistic about. South Africa are odds-on across the board, at $0. 45 and under, while the Wallabies are offered at $2. 00 and up. Some bookies are predicting a Springbok win by seven points or more. But bookies have been wrong before... Australia Rising, South Africa Slumping At the start of the 2017 Rugby Championship, the Boks looked like a team on the rise after years in the doldrums. Three wins against France earlier this year were followed by two wins against Argentina at the start of the tournament, while the Wallabies suffered two defeats by the All Blacks in a row. But then came the draw in Perth, which was practically a home game for the Boks. Suddenly, a revived Wallabies side was poking holes in the Springbok defence and shutting down their attacks, fighting back doggedly after every South African score to claim a well-deserved draw. Suddenly, punters remembered that those French sides were decidedly below strength, and how the Boks had struggled to subdue the Pumas when playing away. After last Saturday’s 57-0 humiliation in North Harbour, when the All Blacks went through the Boks’ defence like tissue paper and the South Africans simply could not cross their opponent’s line, things are looking rosier. The Wallabies took a solid win against Argentina last week, and they’ll be feeling a lot more confident about next Saturday’s game than the betting suggests. 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Needing just one win from two reverse singles matches to progress to the final, Hewitt chose to replace original selection John Millman in the final rubber of the closely fought tie with Jordan Thompson. This was despite the fact that Thompson’s Belgian opponent, Steve Darcis, had already beaten him before on the ATP Tour, while Millman had already delivered a much-better-than-expected performance against World No. 12 David Goffin on the first day of the Davis Cup semis. And since Goffin had already beaten Nick Kyrgios, despite the Aussie winning the opening set, in the first of Sunday’s reverse singles, it’s hard to see why Hewitt went with arguably the weaker player for the crucial final match. In any event, Darcis put Thompson away in straight sets: 6-4, 7-5, 6-2, sending Belgium through to the finals in November. It’s a bitter blow for tennis enthusiasts. Had Hewitt’s team won in Belgium, not only would Australia be going to their first Davis Cup final in 14 years, but they would also be hosting it. Instead, come November, sports betting fans will be following the action in France. France Beats Serbia in Other Semi Belgium’s opponents in the final will be hosts France, who played their semi at home against Serbia this weekend. The scores were tied after the opening singles matches, in which Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic beat Lucas Pouille, and France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat Laslo Dere. Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut gave France the lead with Saturday’s doubles victory over Filip Krajinovic and Nenad Zimonjic, and Tsonga finished off the Serbians with a four-set win over Lajovic in the reverse singles. As a result, Sunday’s second scheduled match, Pouille vs Dere, was not played. 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On Saturday night, San Antonio’s Alamodome will host the first US leg of the 2017 WBSS, with the main event being the WBSS cruiserweight quarterfinal between Cuba’s Yunier Dorticos and Russian Dmitry Kudryashov. Both boxers are 31, and both have won 21 fights in their pro careers. However, Kudryashov has won all 21 by knockout, prompting some commentators to call him ‘The Knockout Artist’, whereas Dorticos has only 20 knockouts in his 21-win tally. On the other hand, Dorticos’ 21 wins came from 21 fights, whereas Kudryashov lost by TKO to Nigerian boxer Olanrewaju Durodola in November 2015; his only defeat in 22 bouts. Despite his nickname, ‘The Russian Hammer’, he may find himself outmatched in San Antonio. Dorticos Odds-On to Beat Kudryashov Most boxing enthusiasts are expecting a hard-fought, closely matched contest, but online sports betting sites aren’t quite as equivocal. The Cuban is the odds-on favourite to win, at $0. 50 and lower on most sites. Kudryashov is being offered at around $1. 75. Dorticos has an advantage both in height and reach over his opponent, and he’s seeded fourth overall in the tournament. Nevertheless, the Russian will be no pushover, and he’s made it clear that he’s going into the fight with every intention of winning it, so a bumper bout looks on the cards. The winner of Saturday night’s quarter-final will go through to the WBSS semis in the cruiserweight bracket, where he will face either Russia’s Murat Gassiev, or Poland’s Krzysztof Wlodarczyk. They fight their WBSS cruiserweight quarterfinal in New Jersey on 21 October. Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk is already through to the cruiserweight semis as well, after beating German Marco Huck in their QF, and he will face either Latvia’s Mairis Briedis of Cuban Irish émigré Mike Perez next. In the super-middleweight bracket, England’s Callum Smith is the only fighter through to the semis so far, after he beat Swede Erik Skoglund last Saturday. 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Although played entirely on computer gaming networks, the levels of skill and intensity of competition that are achieved by gamers make their sports just as exciting to punters as those that require turf, sweat, and real balls. The biggest barrier to most punters, when they’re first considering eSports among the options at their favourite online betting sites, is working out exactly what the games at any specific event will be about. So herewith, then, a quick primer for non-gamers on the League of Legends World Championship rounds that will play out in China from 23-26 September. League of Legends / eSports Primer The game League of Legends, referred to as LoL, was inspired by Defense of the Ancients, which was itself a modification, or mod, in gamer-speak, of Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne. And Warcraft III, naturally, was descended from Warcraft II, which was spawned by Warcraft. It’s set on a computer-generated map, filled with resources and obstacles, in which players must build bases with various utilities in order to arm their champions sufficiently to overpower enemy troops and installations. So it’s a multiplayer online battle arena game; except instead of playing solo against a computer, gamers play in teams against other teams. The players’ avatars, called champions, come in various types, each with its own strengths and weaknesses, so a balanced team requires players with a variety of skills between them. LoL has a number of modes, but in each one, the object is for a team to achieve the game’s pre-stated ‘victory condition’. This is usually the destruction of the other team’s core building, the Nexus. The play-in rounds of the 2017 League of Legends World Championship that start on Saturday will feature some top teams, making for closely contested results and real betting opportunities. 12 Teams Starting Play-In Rounds Saturday and Sunday will see play-in rounds among six teams: Cloud9, Dire Wolves, Gambit Esports, Lyon Gaming, Team oNe Esports, and Team WE. On Monday and Tuesday, the six teams competing are 1907 Fenerbahce Espro, Fnatic, Hong Kong Attitude, Kaos Latin Gamers, Rampage and Young Generation. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Callum Smith has beaten Erik Skoglund in the World Boxing Super Series. Smith dropped the Swede in the 11th round to progress to the semi-finals. - Published: 2017-09-21 - Modified: 2017-09-21 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/callum-smith-defeats-erik-skoglund/ Callum Smith Beats Erik Skoglund by Unanimous Decision Callum Smith has put down a marker, defeating Erik Skoglund in the World Boxing Super Series opener in Liverpool this past weekend. Smith, who is undefeated in 27 fights, put the Swedish visitor down in the 11th round, giving the home crowd something to celebrate. It was a comfortable fight for him with a unanimous decision of 116-111, 117-110, 117-111. The opening round proved to be a lively one with both Smith and Skoglund landing key punches. Smith attacked with a quick combination, slamming in a right hook. Skoglund countered, catching smith on the face twice. The fight settled down somewhat as the rounds progressed. By the third round though, Smith started to show his dominance with fierce attacking arrays that went unchallenged. These consisted of uppercuts and straight rights that ended up doing most of the damage. In the fourth round, the pair traded punches again before the smith landed a straight right followed by a shorter shot that sent Skoglund barrelling into the corner. The Swede came back though and the fifth round saw him land a hard right and an uppercut on smith, leaving the Liverpudlian’s nose battered and bleeding. By the halfway mark, Skoglund was the one pushing forward while Smith was happy to hang back and jab through the round. Smith Through to Semi-Finals Having found some holes in Smith’s defence, Skoglund’s confidence grew in the 7th and he continued to push forward. The eighth round was another tit-for-tat ordeal with Smith unleashing his double-up combo. Sometime later in the round, Smith found his rhythm again, landing another double combo with a hard left to the body. In the 10th, Smith was gaining on the Swede, landing an uppercut with another hard left. Another full combo sent Skoglund stumbling, while Smith took the opportunity to land a left hook. This sent the swede down on one knee. He was up in six but he was clearly in pain. Smith then trapped Skoglund on the ropes but was happy to go the distance with the knowledge that the knockdown alone guaranteed him the win and a spot in the semi-finals. This was only the third time in his career that he went the full championship distance. Smith will now face wither Jurgen Braehmer or Rob Brant for a semi-final showdown. 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While the Canberra crowd were hopeful for a turnaround, it looked to be another poor performance for Australia as the Pumas were up 13-10 at the end of the first half. But things turned around for the Wallabies in the second half, eventually taking the lead in the 49th minute thanks to a huge try from prop Sekope Kepu. The momentum continued for the Wallabies with Falau, Will Genia, Nick Phipps and Jordan Uelese capping off what ended up being a fairly easy win for the team. The game got off to an even start with both sides exchanging penalty kicks. The Pumas took the lead after 23 minutes when Martin Landajo spun quickly out of a ruck and found a bit of space across the line. The Wallabies managed to equalise moving the ball from one side of the field to another before Bernard Foley executed a well-timed kick for Folau to do the honours. Foley Instrumental for Australia Foley was instrumental in the game; contributing 15 points with a 100% kick rate and a try-saving tackle in the second half. The 10-all deadlock was broken just before half time when Argentina’s Nicolas Sanchez booted a penalty kick between the uprights. Speaking to the press, Australian coach Michael Cheika said that he was sorry the first half was a bit slow for the team. The Argentinians scored themselves out and it was a much better game for them in the second half. He went on to say that the reason for the turnaround was mainly due to improved set-piece play. Australia is now 3rd on the log behind New Zealand and South Africa. All four teams have byes this weekend while the Wallabies travel to South Africa to take on the Springboks again in Bloemfontein. Meanwhile New Zealand, who recorded a record win over the Springboks, travel to Argentina to take on the Pumas. With two games left for each team, the All Blacks have a clear 8-point lead over South Africa in second. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand have recorded a massive 57-0 win over their traditional South African rivals. This was the second successive 50+ win for the All Blacks. - Published: 2017-09-19 - Modified: 2017-09-19 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/blacks-dominate-springboks-huge-win/ All Blacks Crush Springboks with Record Win The All Blacks have recorded their highest score margin against South Africa with a massive 57-0 drumming at the North Harbour Stadium on Saturday. This was the second successive test that the All Blacks recorded a 50 plus win over their traditional foes. Last year in Durban, the All Blacks broke records, winning by 57 points to 15. The New Zealand team were ruthless in their execution of opportunities. In the first half alone, Milner-Skudder, Rieko Loane, Scott Barret and Brodie Retallick all crossed the line to take the score to 31-0 at the break. The second half produced another three tries with Lima Sopoaga, Ofa Tu’ungafasi and Codie Taylor topping off the scoring. Despite the staggering scorline, the Springboks actually created a number of opportunities with spaced out running lines and kicks into open space. The problem was they were unable to finish anything off as the All Blacks defence was like running into a brick wall. In contrast, New Zealand were spot-on in identifying gaps and took their opportunities regularly throughout the game. In the first half, they scored three long-range tries with Loane, Milner-Skudder and Retallick finding space behind the Springboks defence. A Tough Pill to Swallow Coming on as a replacement, Scott Barret also found a gap and crossed the line after a cross kick from his brother send Dane Coles knocking the ball upwards. In the 53th minute, Milner-Skudder got his second try with Tu’ungafas doing the honours 10 minutes later. The final 20 minutes of the game was tough on the South Africans as the All Blacks dominated the field. The Springboks stuck it out and were rewarded with only the tries of Sopoga and Taylor coming through. This was officially the biggest defeat in South Africa’s history. Previously, the largest margin of defeat suffered by the Springboks was in 2002 against England where they lost 53-3 in Twickenham. Speaking to the press, former south African captain, Jean de Villiers said the team is at a new low. He said that the team never thought that they would come close to losing by the margin suffered in Durban last year. He went on to say that the team were outplayed in every single department. South Africa need to reground as they aim to take on Australia in Bloemfontein on the 1st of October. Meanwhile the All Blacks will make their way to Buenos Aires to take on the Pumas. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > 28-year-old Valterri Bottas will be partnering with Lewis Hamilton for the 2018 season. The Finn’s F1 contract has been extended for another year. - Published: 2017-09-18 - Modified: 2017-09-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/valterri-bottas-signs-mercedes-2018/ Bottas Signs with Mercedes for 2018 There is good news for Mercedes fans. Valtteri Bottas will be partnering with Lewis Hamilton for another year with Mercedes. The new contract, announced on Thursday, allows the highly successful Formula 1 team to keep all their options open for the 2019 season. Bottas’s one-year deal with Mercedes was expected and anticipated after he racked up two victories this season and has formed a seemingly harmonious partnership with Lewis Hamilton. 28-year-old Bottas, joined Mercedes in January this year on a one-year contract. He came in to the team to replace retired world champion Nico Rosberg. The relationship between Rosberg and Hamilton had deteriorated towards the end of last year with a fierce rivalry between the two drivers creating issues in the team. After stepping into the role, Bottas has become an asset for Mercedes. Bottas is currently 3rd in the drivers’ standings, just behind teammate Hamilton and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel. The Finn has had a good year so far with victories in both Russia and Austria; the first of his Formula 1 career. He has also racked up two pole positions and nine podium places this season, results not seen in his four years in F1 when he was racing with Williams. Speaking to the press, Mercedes motor sport chief, Toto Wolff said that Bottas’s overall performance and his upward trajectory made it a no-brainer for the team to continue with him next season. Good Team Dynamics Hamilton’s contract also runs until the end of 2018, giving Mercedes the ability to keep their options open for 2019. As it stands, both Max Verstappen and Red Bull driver Danial Ricciardo are also holding contracts that end after 2018. Meanwhile Ferrari have already extended Vettel’s contract until the end of 2020 with Raikkonen signed on for another year. When the press caught up with Hamilton last month, he said that he did plan to extend his contract, but there was no hurry for him. According to Wolff, the dynamics between Hamilton and Bottas played a major part of the team’s decision to extend Botta’s contract for another year. He said that for the team, a bonus factor is the respect and sportsmanship that has grown between the two drivers. He went on to say that the chemistry between the two is working well and this is what the team needs to take the fight to their competitors. 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The cold hard truth is that they played a magnificent game against Storm and yet still managed to walk away the losers. Mental hurdles can be very tough to overcome this time of the year and the Eels have often come up against a brick wall in this way. They would do well to keep in mind that they had already gone further than what was predicted by most, this year. Stopping Jason Taumalolo As far as mental hurdles and confidence boosts go, the North Queensland Cowboys seem to have it all under control – mostly thanks to having been welcomed back at Townsville Airport by fans acting as if they had just arrived fresh off of a grand final victory. The power of the unwavering support from the fans must never be underestimated. Apart from enjoying the utmost devotion from their fans, the Cowboys went into the match with yet another secret weapon: the unstoppable Jason Taumalolo. Taumalolo is known for being able to swing just about any fight. The lock forward showed the world what he was made of when he ran a gut-wrenching 224 metres – bulldozing his way through no less than eight tackles – pulling half of the NSW Origin squad over the line with him as he made the try in the recent game against the Sharks. What’s more Jason is absolutely notorious for stepping up to the plate at the last minute during a game. He has been responsible for clinching the deal for the Cowboys during the last minutes of a match on more than one occasion. With Taumalolo, timing is everything. At this stage of the game it seems as though the smallest details matter and that’s what the Rosters are looking at now when they are set to face off next week. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > There’s no denying it: the Boks have been steadily improving and may very well give the All Blacks a run for their money during this Saturday’s game. - Published: 2017-09-16 - Modified: 2017-09-16 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/improved-springboks-face-nz-saturday/ All Blacks To Face An Improved Springbok Side Prop Kane Hames has been called up to be part of the 15-man starter squad for the All Blacks ahead of Saturday’s clash with South Africa at Albany. Hames will replace an injured Joe Moody – the 29 year old being one of eight key changes to Steve Hansen’s side of champions after the recent stand- off with Argentina at Yarrow Stadium. Hames starting ahead of the more experienced Wyatt Crockett has been criticised by some and widely considered to be a chancy move. The Springboks, who have been improving steadily with every game, are bound to push the wobbly move as far as possible, especially considering that this will be Hames’ very first start. Whether the placing of Hames was a strategic move on the part of Steven Hansen or merely a shot in the dark isn’t yet clear but may very well have been driven by the knowledge that the Boks will be making do without a number of key players as a result of injuries. Another returnee to the pack of starters is Sam Whitelock – effectively replacing Luke Romano. Romano had not even made the bench as Scott Barrett has been deemed a more preferable choice. More changes are afoot as Ryan Crotty moves into the place of Anton Rienert-Brown. Crotty will be starting out as outside centre alongside Sonny-Bill Williams. Sam Cane, in turn, will be playing his 48th test as Ardie Savea moves to the discomfort of the bench. Righting A Lopsided Wrong If recent history is anything to go by, the Springboks will have their work cut out for them as they face New Zealand on Saturday. The rivalry between the Boks and the All Blacks has been dubbed the most prominent in the history of rugby union. Of late it has sadly been a slightly lop-sided affair with South Africa not having performed quite up to the standard that the world has become accustomed to. The Boks and the All Blacks have faced each other in a total of 93 tests. Of these, South Africa has managed to win only 35 – with three games having ended in a draw. This puts the Boks at a dismal win-ratio of 38% - hardly a rivalry to write home about anymore. In fact, since the 1995 World Cup – when Francois Pienaar’s men beat the All Blacks in an emotional final at Ellis Park – South Africa has only won 14 matches out of a total of 51. Still – the fact that a Boks loss on the weekend will serve to secure a possible championships title for New Zealand – speaks volumes as far as South Africa’s rugby prowess is concerned. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Presidents Cup is just two weeks away. While some may feel the event is predictable, we take a look at if the Internationals have a chance this year. - Published: 2017-09-15 - Modified: 2017-09-15 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/presidents-cup-can-internationals-win/ Can the Underdogs Win the Presidents Cup? The Presidents Cup is just two weeks away and while some may argue that the event has become predictable, even boring, we must not discount the fact that it does offer a smidgen of hope for underdogs. This year, the South African team will feature the big three of Grace, Schwartzel and Oostehuizen. Nick Price will be taking on the role of captain for the third time, squaring up against Steve Sticker at the Liberty National Golf Club in New Jersey. The event has taken a bit of flack in the press, mainly because of the overall scoreline, which runs in favour of the Americans who have won six consecutive matches since the famous 2003 tie at Francourt Links. What the statistics don’t show is how close each of these victories has actually been. Last time out, South Korea missed out on a win by a single point. That being said, it is difficult to say that the Americans don’t have the weaponry to take another clean win in 2017. Their line-up includes the likes of Jordan Spieth, Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler, Matt Kuchar and Brooks Koepka who have all been in excellent form lately. As for the international competition, things aren’t looking as rosy. Hideki Matsuyama is leading the challenge with Oosthuizen and Australian Marc Leishman running in good form. For everyone else, it has been a tough couple of months. Schwartzel and Grace in particular have been out of sorts and will have to pull something out of the bag to get their game on track. Rookies Could Make the Difference Adam Scott and Jason Day, the dynamic Australian duo have also been out of sorts lately but that may not be a deciding factor at the Presidents Cup. Matchplay is very different game where individual brilliance can be cancelled out, especially in foursomes and the betterball. We also have look closely at the so-called lesser players with Kisner, Berger, Hoffman and Chappell bringing something different to the table. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review There is also the fact that players like Adam Hadwin, Kim Si-woo and Jhonattan Vegas are completely at home on American soil. If the outsiders are going to be pulling off a shock defeat, it may just be the rookies who play the biggest role in getting them through. If you want to wager on any of the teams you can do so online at Sportsbet, and at present the odds are as follows: Presidents Cup Betting Odds USA 1. 35 Internationals 3. 50 Tie 13. 00 --- > Billy Joe Saunders will be in the ring next week, defending his WBO middleweight title. He is up against Willie Monroe Jnr in a must-win situation. - Published: 2017-09-14 - Modified: 2017-09-14 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/battle-wbo-middleweight-crown/ Billy Joe Saunders to Defend his WBO Middleweight Crown Next week, on the same night that Golovkin and Alvarez do battle for the WBA/WBC/IBF middleweight title, Billy Joe Saunders will be in the ring defending his fourth WBO middleweight crown against Willie Monroe Jnr. Saunders has been out of the ring for nine months now and has changed his trainer in the break. Now that he is back, he said he has a whole new outlook. When he fought Golovkin, Monroe didn’t even make the seventh round, although this might not be an accurate representation of his present skills. At his last time out, Monroe defeated a fired up Gabriel Rosado, which is certainly something to consider. In December last year, Saunders looked weak against Artur Akatov. If Saunders wants to get into the ring with either Alvarez or Golovkin, he certainly will have to impress on the night. Saunders is in good shape at the moment, so it is difficult to rule him out based on past performances. He showed an impressive stand against Chris Eubank Jnr, using his incredible accuracy and speed to overcome the big threat. He is a fighter with a lot of intensity and is able to throw a lot of punches. But in order to tap into his potential, Saunders has to be in the right place both mentally and physically. Willie Monroe Jnr a Tough Competitor We have seen in the past that Saunders has had problems putting on weight between fights. Like most boxers, his biggest battle is the scales and not the opponent. Most boxers normally increase to a stone or maybe a stone and a half above their weight. A few years ago, boxers weighed in on the days they fought. This meant that they had to get within a few pounds of the nine-stone limit a few weeks before and hold it. Today, fighters can be 10 pounds over just three days before the fight. They dry out to get to within the weight limit, knowing they have at least 30 hours to rehydrate. This practice can be extremely harmful to the body. While the various boxing governing bodies are taking steps to monitor weight loss, it is really up to the athlete. Meanwhile, Monroe knows he is not going up against Golovkin and sees this as the ideal opportunity. He is a tough competitor and one that should not be underestimated. Saunders should have the advantage on the night; that is if he has the discipline to see it through. 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Having received a six-game penalty in 2016 for allegedly beating his former girlfriend, Elliot did make it onto the field after a he got a court injunction. As for Beckham, he was seen running sprints in the pregame warm-up but had to sit the game out because of an ankle injury he picked up a few weeks back. It seems Beckham’s absence had a disastrous effect for the Giant’s. The offence looked slightly flustered and particularly ineffective on the night. On the other hand, Elliott’s presence had a major influence on the outcome of the game. Alone he was able to rack up an impressive 104 yards on 24 carries, even knifing through the secondary line for another 36 yards on 5 pass receptions. The result was a massive 19-3 win for the Cowboys, solidly ending a 3-game streak for the Giants who had the historical advantage, winning 6 of the last 9 meetings between them. Ezekiel Elliot Take the Cowboys to Victory As predicted, the game was a little disorderly with last year’s N. F. C east Champs (Cowboys) dominating early on. There were some sparks of brilliance for Dallas as quarterback Dak Prescott showed that his impressive rookie season was not a fluke. Prescott was able to complete 24 of 39 passes with a total of 268 yards. To add to this, he proved to be fast on his feet as well. At one point, he dogged tackles by Olivier Vernon and Jason Pierre-Paul. The Cowboy’s defence, which has been deemed lacking last year and in the 2017 preseason, focused their attention on Eli Manning, swarming him in the passing pocket at each play. Meanwhile the Giant’s offensive was outmatched play for play. This is something the coaches would look at closely considering the Giants chose not to pick up a new lineman for the new season. After a dismal first half, the Giants did manage to rally a bit with 8 successful passes to bring them within the 5-yard line. But it was not to be, the ineffective offence faltered once more with Charles Topper slicing through for a 9-yard sack. Dallas continued to shut down any drive made by the Giants thereafter, resulting in rather one-sided game and an end result of 19-3 to the Cowboys. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Thursday saw yet another stand-off taking place between the leader of the National Party and the leader of the Labour Party – the third out of four debates. - Published: 2017-09-12 - Modified: 2017-09-12 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/election/nothing-like-good-old-fashioned-face-off/ Mania And The Matter Of Advanced Voting Tax and child poverty, climate change and Christchurch’s rising from the ashes. These were just some of the various topics addressed during Thursday’s Stuff Leaders Debate. The answers were fiery and aggressive, passionate and mostly very quick on the draw – and, as is the case in any debate worth its salt, it included quite a number of burns from each of the two contestants. Voting stations open on Monday the 11th – two weeks before Election Day, when the ballot boxes are opened up and the contents revealed and tallied up. The system – known as advanced voting – has proved a popular way for voters to make their mark and have their say and is a much more streamlined way of approaching the voting process than setting aside a day during which voters would gather on mass and have to spend most of the day waiting around for their turn. Advanced voting – paired with Jacindamania – may very well be the reason that the 2017 general election is turning out to be one for the books. Since being elected to head up the Labour Party last month, Jacindamania has spread through the streets of New Zealand like a blazing wild fire. What’s more, it seems to be more than just quick-fire hero worship on the part of the people. Last week’s polls placed Labour ahead of the National Party for the first time in eleven years. The tally: Labour – 43%, National Party – 41%. Breathing New Life Into A Tired System Ardern’s effect on the Labour Party may very well be described as a revival – with the young leader breathing new life into a previously rather morose situation. Political commentator Bryce Edwards likened the upsurge to that of the UK’s reaction to Corbyn, dubbing the movement a Corbynesque excitement. Corbyn and Ardern share a very similar style of leadership – one that invites involvement and input and is particularly popular among especially women and the young. The Woman Behind Jacindamania Since Jacinda Ardern’s rise to popularity and subsequent appointment of leader of the Labour Party, Bill English seems to finally have his work cut out for him. The latest polls reveal that the current prime minister is now only 0. 2 percent ahead of Ardern as preferred leader for the country, going forward. Ardern refers to herself as a social democrat – one who believes in equality and social justice, the value of human rights, democracy and the undisputed value of community involvement. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > A new poll by Colmar Brunton has shown that Labour has risen even further while labour has dropped below 40%. With 2 weeks to go, anything can happen. - Published: 2017-09-11 - Modified: 2017-09-11 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/election/latest-poll-puts-labour-ahead/ Polls Shift in General Election With just over two weeks to go until the general elections, a new poll has shown that the gap between the two parties in widening even further. While it was believed that “Jacindamania” is slowly fading, this week, a Colmar Brunton poll proved to be even more disturbing for the National party. Last month, the country received a shocking bit of news when a poll indicated that the Labour was ahead of National for the first time in many years, now it seems their lead is growing. Currently, Labour is sitting at 43% while National has dropped below the 40% mark to 39%. Both New Zealand’s first and the Greens party are holding steady on 5% while the Opportunities Party and the Maori Party are level at 2%. The charismatic Labour leader, Jacinda Ardern has also shown increasing numbers in the preferred Prime Minister poll. She is up at 35% while Bill English had dropped to a disturbing 31%. While the numbers may seem concerning, internal poling and other media outlets believe that the race is slightly closer than what the numbers indicate. Meanwhile English and Ardern have opened up the third leader’s debate in response to the latest figures. Standing in front of a Ardern-favoured crowd in Auckland, English got the ball rolling with acknowledgment to the resilience of the Cantabrians. He also reiterated that he was not concerned with the oppositions continuing momentum. English believes that once people see past the glitter, they will see that they are being asked to vote for a committee. A Choice of Status Quo or Radial Change In response, Ardern said that the election basically comes down to a choice between the risks of sticking with the status quo or taking a chance on hope by voting for change with the Labour Party. The two then clashed over claims that Labour has a $11,7 billon hole in their fiscal plan, a point Arden maintained was a lie. While the two continue to go head to head, it is clear that New Zealand is ready for a radical change. Whether it comes from within the National Party or whether the newly elected leader of the Labour Party can shake things up, the public will vote with what their gut. Anything can happen in the next two weeks, but for now Jacinda Arden has the hearts of the nation. 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With 10 golfers in each team already decided by their final rankings after the Dell Technologies Championship last week, the two extra players selected by non-playing captains Nick Price, for the Internationals, and Steve Stricker, for the USA, bring the teams to full strength. The biennial Presidents Cup pits top US golfers against the pick of the rest of the world, excluding Europe. It’s a team match play event consisting of four days of foursomes, four balls and individual matches, and the USA has won nine of the 11 tournaments since its inauguration in 1994, and they are odds-on at around $0. 35 to win again this year. The 2017 tournament will be played at the Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City from 28 September to 01 October. Mickelson Playing in His 12th Presidents Cup Stricker’s first captain’s pick was 40-year-old Californian Charley Hoffman, who was in tenth place among the qualifiers until fellow-Californian Kevin Chappell pipped him in the Dell. Also qualified for the USA Team by virtue of their rankings are Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, and Rickie Fowler, respectively ranked World No. 1, 2, 6 and 10, as well as Brooks Koepka, Daniel Berger, Kevin Kisner, Patrick Reed and Matt Kuchar. Stricker’s other wild card went to Phil Mickelson, yet another Californian, allowing the 47-year-old to maintain his unbroken record of playing in every Presidents Cup to date. His inclusion this year means that since 1994, he’s played in 23 consecutive team events for the USA, and this year could see him surpass Tiger Woods’ all-time match record of 24-15-1 in the Presidents Cup. Nick Price Picks Grillo and Lahiri Argentinian Emiliano Grillo finished 11th in the rankings among players eligible for the International Team, so he was a natural choice for Nick Price’s first. The 24-year-old joins qualifiers Adam Hadwin from Canada, World No. 3 Hideki Matsuyama from Japan, South Korea’s Kim Si-Woo and Venezuelan Jhonattan Vegas. There are also three Australians in the International Team: Marc Leishman, Adam Scott and Jason Day, as well as three South Africans: Branden Grace, Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen. Price’s second pick was something of a surprise: India’s Anirban Lahiri, who finished up 16th in the International pool rankings after the Dell. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The pick of this week’s La Liga matches should be the Valencia vs. Atletico Madrid match. It’s a fairly even contest expected to deliver a close result. - Published: 2017-09-09 - Modified: 2017-09-09 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/valencia-v-atletico-la-liga-pick/ Atletico v Valencia Saturday’s La Liga Pick With the World Cup qualifying round behind them and the transfer window about to end, Spain’s La Liga players can get back to the task of club football this week. Friday starts the third round of the 2017-18 season with a clash between Leganes, offered at $1. 10 by betting sites online, and $3. 20 Getafe. The match that might draw the most interest from Kiwi sports betting enthusiasts, however, is Valencia at home to Atletico Madrid on Saturday. On paper, and indeed, at online betting sites, Atletico is the favourite, at odds under $1. 20, with Valencia offered at $2. 75. The Madrid side lies fourth on the ladder after a win and a draw, four places above Valencia and 3 ahead on goal difference. Fans Expecting Hard-Fought Fireworks However, the match could be tighter than the odds suggest. After a 1-0 win over Las Palmas in their tournament opener, Valencia held defending champions and odds-on La Liga outright favourites Real Madrid to a 2-2 draw in Round 2. With Brazilian midfield talent Andreas Pereira, on loan from Manchester United, set to debut for them on Saturday, they could present a serious threat at home. Atletico, on the other hand, while reassured by the re-signing of Argentinian manager Diego Simeone until 2020, will be smarting after failing to secure the transfer of Diego Costa back from Chelsea. They also looked iffy in their 2-2 draw against newly promoted Girona in their season opener, although they came back to thump Las Palmas 5-1 the next week. Saturday’s match will be the Madrid side’s third away game in a row. Other La Liga Round 3 Fixtures Real Madrid host Levante in Saturday’s first match, with the home side odds-on at less than $0. 10 and Levante $50. 00 outsiders. FC Sevilla are also odds-on favourites against Eibar at $5. 50, and Barcelona is likewise heavily fancied against an $18. 00 Espanyol. Sunday brings punters Real Sociedad playing away to Deportiva La Coruna, in a clash that should be a lot closer than Sociedad’s current place atop the ladder and Deportiva’s position fifth from the bottom would suggest. Deportiva are priced at $2. 00 and up, with the visitors at around $1. 50. In Sunday’s other three matches, Athletic Bilbao, Celta Vigo and Villarreal are all odds-on favourites at home to beat Girona, Alaves and Real Betis, respectively. On Monday, Malaga is at around even money to win at home against a $3. 00 Las Palmas. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Socceroos were on the verge of qualifying for Russia 2018. All they needed was a win or draw from the Japan/Saudi Arabia game, but it was not to be. - Published: 2017-09-08 - Modified: 2017-09-08 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/no-easy-road-socceroos-time/ A Long Road for the Socceroos Australia was on the verge of qualifying for the 2018 Soccer World Cup. All they needed was for Japan to win or draw their game against Saudi Arabia and they would have automatically been sent through to Russia with their heads held reasonably high. But it was not to be for the Socceroos. After a disappointing 2-1 win over Thailand, Australia needed a helping hand from the Japanese team in order to avoid a lengthy route through the intercontinental playoffs. Having struck a staggering 45 shots at goal, the Socceroos tried their best to rack up the margin needed against Thailand to overtake Saudi Arabia on goal difference. Despite their best efforts though, Australia just could not find the back of the net as often as they would have liked. With a final score of 2 goals to 1, all that was needed for Saudi Arabia was a win by any score in their game against Japan to qualify for Russia. For Australia, what was needed was a win by Japan or at least a draw. It took a while for both teams to find their feet, with Saudi Arabia having a slight advantage before the break. An inspired change from coach Bert van Marwijk during the break brought about the crucial piece of the puzzle for Saudi Arabia. Replacing Mohammad Al-Sahlawi, Fahad Al-Muwallad was brought on and immediately showed his worth, forcing a huge save from Eiji Kawashima. Intercontinental Playoffs With just over an hour on the clock, Al-Muwallad struck again, this time finding the back of the net. The 60 000 odd fans at the Abdullah Sports City stadium were brought to their feet as the realisation that their team could qualify for their first world cup since 2006 was very much in site. Japan, who had already qualified last week with a 2-0 win over Australia, essentially had nothing left to play for. They failed to produce and equaliser, consigning Australia to a disappointing 3rd place finish in Group B. The Socceroos now face two rather difficult home-away tie games, the first of which is against Syria in October. The winner of that game will go on to face the 4th placed qualifier from North and Central America in November. If Australia manages to get through and win this game, they will book their spot at their fourth straight World Cup. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The New Zealand general election is only a few weeks away. We look at the latest shift in poles and predictions now that Jacinda Ardern has taken over. - Published: 2017-09-07 - Modified: 2017-09-07 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/election/general-election-latest-predictions/ General Election Predictions and Betting Odds New Zealanders head to the poles for the general election on the 23rd of September to determine the who will gain majority of the 120 seat house of representatives. The Party in majority forms the government which means that currently, the National Party and the Labour party are the only two who have any real chances of winning without the formation of a coalition. Up until a month ago, things were all going swimmingly for the National Party; their poles were up and various betting sites had them at a clear advantage. However, in a development no one would have predicted, the Labour party has suddenly swept into the lead according to a recent pole done by a major broadcasting corporation. In three previous poles, the Labour Party was sitting around 39% compared to the National Party’s 41. 8%. Last week, the numbers swung with Labour holding the lead at 43% while the National Party dropped to 41%. The reason for the sudden swing has been attributed to one person: Jacinda Ardern. The 37-year-old member of parliament was elected leader of the Labour Party in August and has since boosted the Party’s poles with the press coining the phrase “Jacindamania”. Jacindamania The decision by former party leader Andrew Little to give up leadership before the major election was a move no one had predicted. There has been an underlying desire for change in the country but with Little in charge, the only viable option was to form a coalition between the New Zealand’s First, Greens and the Labour Party. With Jacinda taking over the role of Party leader, suddenly the country is seeing a viable alternative to the National-Led government. The energy and charisma Jacinda is bringing to the floor is something English is not able to deal with. The country seems to be rallying behind the young leader. In a televised debate, the two leaders went head to head on policy issues. While English criticised the Labour Party for having vague policies, Ardern was quick to hit back, pointing out the key issue of rising house prices in New Zealand. While there had been good points on both sides, the public seem to be getting behind Jacinda Arden. If the trend continues, we could be seeing a radical change in government in the next few weeks. Labour Party Odds 1. 68 National Party Odds 2. 10 TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Maria Sharapova has lost her fourth-round match to 16th seed Anastasija Sevastova. This is the third time over four matches Sharapova lost in the third set. - Published: 2017-09-06 - Modified: 2017-09-06 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/maria-sharapova-crashes-us-open/ Sharapova Out of the US Open Maria Sharapova has crashed out of the US Open in the fourth round. The five-time Major champion tried desperately to overcome her Latvian opponent but to no avail. Sharapova even resorted to switching over to her left hand to mix things up, but fell short, adding another three-setter to her list of woes. Coming up against 16th-seeded Anastasija Sevastova, Sharapova was fairly confident that she could keep her Grand Slam comeback on track after a doping suspension forced her out of the game for over a year. However, Sevastova got the better of her in the first set, taking it 7-5. Sharapova managed to pull it back in the second, winning 6-4. By the time the third set got going, Sharapova was showing signs of wear. She lost the final set 6-2, ending her US Open campaign. In the last four matches, this was the third time that Sharapova went to three sets and failed to go the distance. She was also dealing with a right-hand injury that was taped by her trainer in the final set. With her timing off, Sharapova dropped 13 out of her first 14 points in the final set. If we take a look at the numbers we can see that the Russian finished the match with a total of 51 unforced errors compered to Sevatsova’s 14. Sevastova Through to Quarterfinals Sevastova was quick on the ball, causing Sharapova to run a lot during the match. Sharapova managed to weather the storm, even switching to her left hand to lob the ball back over the net for one point. She was unable to sustain the pressure though, allowing Sevastova to qualify for the quarterfinals for the second year in a row. This was the first Major tournament Sharapova has played since the 2016 Australian Open. She tested positive for the newly banned drug Meldonium and was handed a 15-month ban from the sport. She returned in April 2017 with a ranking that was far too low to get into any of the Grand Slams. She tried to get a wild-card invitation for the French open but was denied. Sharapova was also planning on qualifying for Wimbledon but had to pull out with a leg injury. For the U. S Open, Sharapova was given a wild card from the U. S. Tennis Association. Sharapova was also put on the Arthur Ashe Stadium on every match to draw support from the Spectators. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Lewis Hamilton has taken the F1 Championship lead after an impressive win at the Italian Grand Prix. He now leads Sebastian Vettel by three points. - Published: 2017-09-05 - Modified: 2017-09-05 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/lewis-hamilton-takes-win-monza/ Hamilton Taken F1 Championship Lead Lewis Hamilton has taken the F1 Championship lead after another impressive win at the Italian Grand Prix. Much to the disappointment of the Italian (Ferrari) fans, Hamilton finished almost five seconds ahead of his Mercedes teammate Valleri Bottas and around 30 seconds ahead of Vettel who came in third. Hamilton now has 238 championship points, just 3 more than Sebastian Vettel with 7 races remaining in the 2017 season. Speaking to the press, Hamilton said that is it an exciting season and the past two races have been strong for the Mercedes team. Vettel had been leading all season but the rainy conditions and the long straights of the Monza circuit suited the Mercedes car better with raw power playing a major role. In his press statement, Hamilton said that Mercedes had the power advantage over Ferrari which worked well on the weekend. For his part, Vettel acknowledged that his third placing did not match up with his expectations. Addressing the Italian crowd, Vettel said that even if the race had been difficult, he is confident that Ferrari have a strong car and they going to have a very strong end to the season; of that he is sure. After an excellent start to the season, Vettel has only won a single race in the last seven. Meanwhile Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo finished in fourth place, an impressive result considering he climbed his way up from 16th after receiving a grid penalty. A Clean Start and Finish Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen took fifth position, the same place he started in on lap 1. Sixth place went to Esteban Ocon of Force India while the young Lance Stroll finished in 7th after officially becoming the youngest Formula 1 driver to start on the front row. Making up the final three places in the top ten was Felipe Massa, Sergio Peres and Max Verstappen. Hamilton got a clean start to the race while Bottas managed to move up from fourth to second after only 4 laps. Raikkonen gave Bottas a bit of a challenge early on but went a little off course and lost time having to slalom through the barriers. Vettel past Ocon on the main straight to take third but rereported problems with his car and was never able to catch the Mercedes front runners. Looking ahead, the rest of the Formula 1 calendar is made up of Fly-away races staring with Singapore in two weeks’ time. It is expected that Ferrari will be a little quicker where maximum downforce is needed. 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This has been quite positive for many fans as it means exciting matches between the less well publicised players in Tennis. There are still a few celebrity players to draw the crowds to the Open including Venus Williams and the welcome return of Maria Sharapova. The US Open will be running between the 22nd of August and the 10th of September. Powerful Return For Sharipova Sharipova stunned the crowds in the first few days if the Open when after a 19 month absence she returned to professional tennis and defeated second seed Simona Halep in convincing sets of 6-4, 4-6 and 6-3. After a banned substance suspension, Sharipova is ranked 146th and she made it into the Open on a wild card draw. This already was quite a surprise for many as she was refused entry to the French Open a few weeks earlier. After a nearly 3 hour match against Halep, Sharipova fell to her knees and cried tears of joy. A Triumphant return for the much loved player. The Opening Matches Highlights Of The Open Fans were equally surprised or rather shocked with the loss of Johanna Konta in her first round to Aleksandra Krunic. Konta is ranked no 7 but she was defeated 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. Venus Williams also looked to be struggling after needing three sets to beat 19 year old Viktoria Kuzmova. Their sets ran 6-3, 3-6 and 6-2. A decisive win but notable still. The 2014 US Open champ, Marin CIllic had a decisive victory over Tennys Sandgren and makes it into the second round on four sets, a 6-4, 6-3, 3-6 and a 6-3. Denis Shapovalov, 18 year old Canadian impressed fans with his defeat of Daniil Medvedev in an incredible series of sets, a 7-5, 6-1 and 6-2 ensured a decisive victory for the young firebrand. An American 18 year old, Sofia Kenin won an Open Wild Card draw tournament and has delivered an equally impressive first round by defeating 32 seed Lauren Davis 7-5, 7-5 to advance to the second round. So far fans have had nothing to complain about as this US Open has already delivered surprise upsets, welcome returns and glimmers of future tennis talent. The second round kicks off today and is sure to deliver more action. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > There are some great matches as part of the Spanish La Liga tournament next weekend. Matchups include Leganes v newcomers Getafe and Barcelona facing Espanyol. - Published: 2017-09-04 - Modified: 2017-09-04 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/upcoming-la-liga-matches/ Spanish La Liga Matches Coming Up The upcoming Spanish League games all promise exciting action for Kiwi soccer fans, and you can get in on the action b betting on a match at Sportsbet. Leganes V Getafe 8 September - As the new kids on the block, Getafe has everything to prove this season. Despite transfers of Ndiaye, Manojlovic and Dakonam, it won’t be enough to stare down Leganes. Getafe receives odds of 4. 40 and Leganes are the favourites, receiving 2 and up. Barcelona V Espanyol 9 September - Barcelona have a proven record against Espanyol. That said, we have seen a clear improvement this season in Espanyol. Barcelona are the favourites at between 1. 15 and 1. 20. Celta Vigo V Alaves 10 September - With more losses than wins, these two sides are evenly matched in their lacklustre performance in the League so far. Vigo has the slight edge here with a more solid form this season. Celta Vigo are the favourites at 1. 80 with Alaves getting 5. 40 for a potential win. Athletic Bilbao V Girona 10 September - Bilbao is the favourite in this match with most bookmakers offering odds between 1. 80 and 1. 70. Girona are getting 5. 30 and up. Deportivo V Real Sociedad 10 September - Sociedad will be capitalising on their strong defence and attack to make short work of Deportivo. Sociedad have the momentum of a strong season coming into this game. Sociedad is receiving odds around 2. 6 while Deportivo gets a 3. 04. Real Madrid V Levante 9 September - These two sides may seem quite evenly matched on paper but Levante has not won a single game against Madrid in their last 10 encounters. With odds of up to 41 to 1, a bet on Levante to win just may be worth it. Sevilla V Eibar 9 September - Sevilla are the favourites with odds of 1. 71 for a win and 5. 70 given to Eibar. Both sides have a few players out with injuries but the remaining crew will have a tough game on their hands. Valencia V Atletico Madrid 9 September - Atletico have yet to register a loss this season but they also have not had the offense to push past 4 draw games. This will be the closest match of this week’s rounds. Valencia is on 3. 75 for a win while Madrid receives 2. 20 at most bookmakers. Villarreal V Real Betis 10 September - Despite both teams having pretty shoddy performances so far, Villa Real is the favourite with odds hanging around 1. 80. Real Betis receives odd of around 3 for a win, which is defiantly not a bad bet. Malaga V Las Palmas 11 September - Malaga may be on the fast track to relegation but they still have what it takes to take down Las Palmas who do not have the offense to ensure a win here. 2 for a Malaga win and a 4. 1 for a Las Palma win are the average odds available. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Italian Formula 1 Grand Prix gets underway this weekend. We take a look at past results, predictions and interesting facts about the Monza race. - Published: 2017-09-03 - Modified: 2017-09-03 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/italian-grand-prix-predictions-monza/ What to Expect at the Italian Grand Prix This weekend, the European section of the 2017 Formula 1 season comes to and end with the Italian Grand Prix in Monza. With Ferrari losing out to Mercedes in the Belgian Grand Prix, Scuderia will be holding thumbs that the intensely passionate Italian fans will give them the boost they need to pick up their first win since 2010. While Ferrari have always had a way of finding a bit of extra speed, it must be said that since Michael Schumacher left the Scuderia back in 2006, the team have only racked up one victory in Monza. Sebastian Vettel meanwhile has topped the podium three times in Italy, including the rain-filled 2008 race where he won for Red Bull team Toro Rosso. So, there is hope for them yet. Mercedes might also have decent chance in Monza. Having found a way round the rulebook, Mercedes will be able to continue to run their engines at a slightly higher burn level compared to the rest of the cars in the field. After Monza, all engines will have to comply with lower burn levels. While Mercedes and Ferrari had a mutual agreement not introduce new engines before Monza, Mercedes changed their mind, much to the chagrin of Ferrari. Mercedes Look for Another Big Win Last year, the Italian Grand Prix lived up to its reputation of speed and excitement. After a sloppy start, Lewis Hamilton was quickly passed by his teammate Nico Rosberg who went on to claim an easy win with a massive 15 second gap between the two cars. Hamilton did well to come back from sixth place to come in second just in front of Sebastian Vettel who completed the podium line-up. The race turned into more of a tactical battle between Ferrari and Mercedes rather than a flat-out speed race. Mercedes chose to make one stop while Ferrari chose to go with a controversial two-stop system, almost managing to put Vettel ahead with their audacious move. Italian Grand Prix Quick Facts The First Italian Grand Prix was held in 1950. To date there have been a total of 68 races held in Italy; Monza has hosted them all except for the 1980 race. Michael Schumacher holds the most victories in Italy with five wins spanning from 1996 to 2006. Both Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton have won three times in Italy Ferrari is the most successful of the manufacturers in Italy, however their last win was back in 2010. The fastest lap in Monza was set by Rubens Barrichello in 2004 with a lap time of 1:21. 046. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > This week sees the opening matches of the AVIVA Premiership Rugby tournament. The teams are rearing to go with the Chiefs defending their championship. - Published: 2017-09-03 - Modified: 2017-09-03 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/week-1-aviva-premiership/ AVIVA Rugby Premiership Starts Let’s look at the AVIVA Premiership games that kick off the season so that when you bet at Crownbet you know who to back. Newcastle Falcons v Worcester Warriors 1st September - Taking place at 7:45pm, the opening round of the AVIVA Rugby Premiership will see the Falcons face the Warriors. The Falcons ended last season in 8th place but won 3 of their last 4 matches so they did go out strong. The Warriors on the other hand have not won an away game since 2016. The Falcons also already beat the Warriors in April so this may set the tone for this first match of the Premiership. Gloucester v Exeter Chiefs 1st September - The Chiefs are the defending Premiership champs. Their last 17 matches the side has been unbeaten, which seems an almost insurmountable record to overcome. In the two side’s last encounters they each have a 50/50 record with each side winning 3 of their last 6 encounters. Despite that Gloucester coach Johan Ackermann is coming off a win for his Super Rugby team, the Lions in their finals, the Chiefs are simply too string a force currently to wallop. Wasps v Sale Sharks 2nd September - The Wasps will be entering the first round of the AVIVA Premiership with an eye to claim a title that they believe is rightfully theirs. They were at the top of the Premiership ladder last season but had their hopes dashed by the Chiefs. Historically the Wasps have won all 19 of their last encounters at Ricoh Arena, where the match will be played on the 2nd at 3pm. Sale Sharks were ranked 10th at the end of last season, so a loss would be an upset for the Wasps. London Irish v Harlequins 2nd September - Finishing last season in 6th place, the Harlequins have only lost one of the last 12 encounters between them and the Exiles. This match will be taking place at the hallowed Twickenham stadium on the 2nd at 4:45pm. Having lost their last 7 games at Twickenham could man good news for the Irish. Bit probably not. Leicester Tigers v Bath 3rd September - These two evenly matched teams have a history coming into the first round of the Premiership season. The Tigers narrowly lost to the Wasps and ended in 4th place in the overall standings while Bath ended in the 5th position. The two sides will clash on Sunday the 3rd at 3pm at Welford Road Stadium. Even when looking at the two side’s previous meetings, they each have won 3 games in their last 6 meetings. This will be a great game to watch but it is a tough one to wager on. The Tigers have the better overall form and their consistent performances may give them the edge against Bath. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > This weekend sees the Penrith Panthers face the Sea Eagles. The St George Dragons will also be facing a tough challenge against the Canterbury Bulldogs. - Published: 2017-09-02 - Modified: 2017-09-02 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/nrl-round-26-weekend/ NRL Matches This Week Let’s look at the NRL games scheduled for the first weekend of September so that punters can get a clear idea of who to back when betting online at Sportsbet: Parramatta Eels v South Sydney Rabbitohs 1st September -The Eels have had a fantastic start to the season showing discipline and heart. The Eels will also have Ma’u back on the team, which will help push them forward. The Rabbitohs have themselves been in fine form, attaining high match scores in their last few games. So far the Eels have lost only one of their matches since round 14. Sydney Roosters v Gold Coast Titans 2nd September - The Titans are by all accounts the underdogs in this match. West Coast has had to send three of their star players for surgery and 5 fresh faces have replaced them. You really do not want to put an inexperienced set of players up against the Roosters who are in rock solid form. The Titans have lost three of the last four matches against the Roosters and they are coming off a record defeat of 54-0 against the broncos a few weeks ago. Roosters for the win. Manly Sea Eagles v Penrith Panthers 2nd September - A potential highlight this weekend will be the evenly matched Eagles and Panthers game. Both sides are anxious as this match would mean a top 8 spot for the winner, depending on if the Cowboys and Dragons can power to a win in their meetings. Bettors are pretty split between the two sides. The Panthers have a proven record of winning games this late in the season when the pressure mounts, with two victories against the Sea Eagles already notched up. If the Sea Eagles focus on their string kicking game and use the good will that will come from the final game performance of Brett Stewart, Matt Ballin and Steve Matai, we like to think that the Eagles will have an edge in this matchup. Melbourne Storm v Canberra Raiders 2nd September - There is not much to say about the Storm’s chances in this game. They have not posted a loss yet and their offense is devastatingly on point. Canberra will need to break down the Storm middle to stand a chance. Most bettors are backing the Storm, which may open a potential for underdog bettors to make a killing. That is if the Storm enters the game at half steam. Newcastle Knights v Cronulla Sharks 3rd September - This will be a comfortable win for the Sharks. Their defence is simply too tight even with a home ground advantage for the Knights. St. George Illawarra Dragons v Canterbury Bulldogs 3rd September - The Dragons are the favourite in this match but that said, the Bulldogs are backed into a corner and we have often seen them bounce back from losses. Since their form is too unpredictable, we will back the Dragons as the winners here. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > We are entering the final stages to crown this season’s AFL top team. The matches this weekend sees the team’s claw their way to a semi final spot. - Published: 2017-09-02 - Modified: 2017-09-02 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/afl-enters-week-1-finals/ Getting Set for the AFL Quarter Finals Week 1 We are finally heading into the last phase of the AFL season and you can get your bets in online at Crownbet on the following upcoming games. Adelaide Crows V GWS GIANTS Thursday the 7th of September sees the first game of the AFL finals being played. The move to shift the game to a Thursday time slot rather than the traditional Sunday match day was met with some resistance from fans, but it is the best way for the league to maximise match attendance and to build more excitement. The Adelaide Oval is the chosen venue for the Crows v Giants clash and the match will start at 7:50pm. It is no surprise to anyone that these two teams have made it to the finals. The Crows are ranked no 1 and the Giants are in at number 4. While the Crows will be playing with a home ground advantage, they will be coming of 2 straight losses which may not sit well with the team’s psych. Whether the Crows have simply lost focus or if the side is run down we don’t know but whatever is the case, they will need to find their mid season form again because the Giants will be out for blood. Geelong Cats V Richmond Friday night sees the Cats meet the Tigers at the MCG. The Cats already have a proven record against the Tigers and entering this match, the Cats have a 3 win momentum behind them, not to mention the home ground advantage Richmond themselves come off two manhandling sessions where they easily dispatches Fremantle and St Kilda. With their form this year, this could mean a finals finish for Richmond who probably are already tasting the glory. If they stay hungry this match may be theirs. Sydney Swans V Essendon No team has gone through the highs and lows that Essendon has this season and due to their late blooming this season, they simply do not have what it takes to take out the Swans. Taking place on Saturday at the SCG at 420pm, this match should go in favour of the favourites for the finals, the Swans. Port Adelaide V West Coast Eagles This match is also set for Saturday at the Adelaide Oval and is the most interesting matches of the qualifying finals. West Coast has been too inconsistent this season to be a solid bet. Their most consistent form was for 3 games in round 6, 7 and 8. The rub is, the team they won against was Port Adelaide when they faced each other at the Adelaide Oval. Weather this night will be history repeating itself remains to be seen. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > One lucky punter has pulled in a massive $100,000 payout after the roosters qualified for the finals. The nine-leg multi was place in Feb this year. - Published: 2017-09-01 - Modified: 2017-09-01 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/nine-leg-multi-pays-100000/ Punter Wins $100,000 off a Nine-Leg Multi It is every punter’s dream to take a few hundred dollars and turn it into life-changing money. For one lucky punter that is exactly what happened after the Roosters qualified for the NRL finals this week. After placing a nine-leg multi bet with an online betting site back in February before the winter codes came into effect, all that was needed was for the Roosters, who finished 15th last season to make it into the top 8 despite their poor performance in 2016. While it may have been a long shot, it was bound to happen that all the parts of the puzzle would fall into place and the Roosters would regain the spark they have so often shown in the past. As we all know, the Chooks have done more than enough to qualify for the playoffs in second spot with the regular season wrapping up this weekend. Having guaranteed themselves a spot in the finals, the $572 multi-bet came to fruition, paying out a handsome $100,155. 10 and making one punter very happy indeed. If we take a look at the bet more closely, we can see that a lot of thought went into each category. Of the nine legs in the multi, seven of them were odds on favourites. This included favourite She Will Reign to win the Golden Slipper at $2. 70 and Rafael Nadal to win the French Open at odds of $3. 60. Horse racing, Football, Basketball and Tennis The bet also included a number European football bets as well as three NBA legs. Clearly this was someone who knew their sport and had a keen sense for how things would play out. If you want to know exactly how the punter turned $572 into an eye watering $100,155. 10, here is the rundown of the nine-leg multi: Rafael Nadal to win the French Open at odds of $3. 60 She Will Reign winning the Golden Slipper at odds of $2. 70 UCL game Sevilla to Beat Leicester at odds of $1. 44 Real Madrid Winning La Liga at odds of $1. 36 Chelsea winning the English Premier League at odds of $1. 14 The Washington Wizards to win the NBA Southeast Division at odds of $1. 62 The Utah Jazz to take the NBA Northwest Division at odds of $1. 17 Golden State winning the NBA Championship at odds of $1. 72 The Roosters to make the NRL Finals at odds of $1. 65 TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Lewis Hamilton feels that Mercedes has a lot of work to do to going into the Singapore Grand Prix. Despite his recent win, he feels Ferrari is faster. - Published: 2017-09-01 - Modified: 2017-09-01 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/hamilton-looks-close-gap-singapore/ Hamilton’s View on the Singapore Grand Prix With the Singapore Grand Prix coming up, Lewis Hamilton has stressed the point that Mercedes needs something special if they want to win the 2017 Formula 1 championship. Although Hamilton effectively halved Vettel’s championship lead at Spa, the Brit felt that the Ferrari was actually the quicker car. He believes that compared to the Mercedes, Ferrari have a more predictable and consistent machine. After winning the Belgian Grand Prix, it was said that Hamilton did not appear happy with the results. In reply Hamilton said that he was happy, but for him, the competition is not over. He is keenly aware of the difficulties that lie ahead. He went on to explain that Ferrari were quicker in the race and he is focusing on how to bring some magic into the Mercedes camp so that they can win the next eight races. According to Hamilton, it is going to take every single member of the Mercedes team to work together in order to come out ahead. He said he is looking forward to the challenge but he needs to have a couple of strong races. Speaking about the WO8, Hamilton was clear on the fact that the car is not quite where they need it to be. It has excellent trim but struggles in the races. A Chance to Close the Gap Conflicting reports have come about saying that Mercedes have the best machine. Hamilton for his part insists that they do not in fact have the best or fastest car. There are pros and cons to each car with the Mercedes faster in certain areas and the Ferrari faster in others. It varies from race to race. That being said, Ferrari has had the most consistent season so far, hence the lead they hold. In Spa, Mercedes had a solid weekend, but it was only just enough to keep them head. In Singapore, it may turn out differently. In the upcoming races, the teams need to apply significant downforce. This could be an issue for Mercedes but the team is quite confident for this weekend. Historically, the Singapore Grand Prix has been good to Mercedes and it is an excellent opportunity for Hamilton to close the gap on Vettel. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > On Friday we see the start of the AVIVA Rugby Premiership. Exeter will be out to defend their title after the claimed it by a very narrow margin from the Wasps. - Published: 2017-08-31 - Modified: 2017-08-31 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/the-aviva-premiership-is-here/ AVIVA Rugby Premiership Kicks Off This Friday the 1st we will see the start of the AVIVA Rugby Premiership. It will kick off with current defending champions Exeter facing Gloucester. The Premiership consists of 12 teams facing off over 22 rounds of fantastic Rugby action. You can get you bets in online at Crownbet and see if you can predict a winner. The Defending Champions Ranked 2nd in the Premiership but winners of last season’s finals, Exeter will have their work cut out for them. They have the benefit of a solid coach who has been with the team for 8 seasons and has helped mould the side into a domestic force. Exeter is the target for the other teams this season as they now have a reputation to uphold. They also now risk losing their players to international teams thanks to their new found fame. The side has already parted ways with Dave Lewis, Will Hooley and they also saw the retirement of two veteran players Haydn Thomas and Tom Johnson. The 2nd Place Threat The Wasps are still stinging after their loss to Exeter last season. The multiple Premiership champs are looking to make up for their loss this season. With Joe Launchbury leading the side, there is no reason why the Wasps cannot rise to the occasion once again. The Wasps are playing it smart already by sitting Elliot Daly out of the first two matches in order to let the player recover from a packed 2016 season. They have also sidelined James Haskell until at least October. The player is currently making a recovery form a finger surgery. To fill their gaps, the Wasps have made some surprise signings. They will be joined by Springboks Centre, Juan de Jong from the South African side, the Stormers. Paul Doran-Jones from Gloucester and Antonia Harris from Nottingham will also be joining the team. The Third Place Charmers Despite losing their star player Chris Ashton, the Saracens were not despondent for too long as they signed Liam Williams soon after. Paired with the 3 man back line attack of Alex Goode, Chris Wyes and Sean Maitland, the Saracens are many bookmakers’ pick for the new Champions of the 2017 AVIVA Rugby Premiership. The Saracens have won multiple European titles but failed to perform during their semi-finals outing and they may have a chip on their shoulder this season. The Saracens will see the retirement of Kelly Brown, Tim Streather, Jim Hamilton and Neil de Kock, but they will be signing Wil Skelton form the Waratahs, Calum Clark from Northampton and Dominic Day from the Rebels, amongst others. 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NFC East With the Cowboys and Giants still going strong, they will be the teams to beat in this division. The Giants still have veterans who can run circles around newer players and the Cowboys have Smith and Collins who are already playing like vets. The Cowboys Achilles heel however will be exposed in their first six games when they will be without Ezekiel Elliot, their running back. NFC North With the Packers, Vikings and Lions in one group, fans are sure to get their money’s worth. Matthew Stafford is without a doubt the Lions ace-up-the sleeve. He manages to snatch sure fire losing games from the jaws of defeat. Unfortunately they do not have a strong enough team composition to fully exploit Stafford’s talents. The Green Bay Packer’s always-on offensive should be more than enough to carry them through this season. Pound for pound the Vikings probably have the most talented team composition with some amazing players in their roster. The side is hoping the addition of Riley Reiff and Mike Remmers will plug the side’s strategic gaps enough. NFC South The Falcons and Buccaneers are the main threats in this division with fantastic records so far. Despite the slump in the Falcons defensive line, their main focus has always been a powerful offense so this may not hinder the team as much as it would any other side. The Buccaneers are sitting on a treasure trove of talent with James Winston a favourite for MVP and Lavonte Davds, Kwon Alexander and Lavonte David all stepping up their game and delivering for their side. NFC West The Cardinals and Seahawks dominate this division. The Cardinals have amazing potential but Carson Palmer would either need to work on team composition or he needs to build a time machine back to the mid 2000’s. With the completion in the NFL this season, it is not enough to simply be a good enough team. The Seahawks however have proven last season that they are a serious threat to any side. George Fant is out with an injury but the double edged sword that is Chris Carson and Thomas Rawls more than make up for his absence. Another fantastic NFL season looks on the cards that should carry over allot of the drama and excitement of last season. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The New Zealand women’s rugby team have claimed their fifth rugby World Cup title. After a slow start the While Ferns came back hard to win 41-32. - Published: 2017-08-30 - Modified: 2017-08-30 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/white-ferns-win-rugby-world-cup-belfast/ White Ferns Claim Fifth Rugby World Cup Title With the All Blacks pipping the Wallabies in the Bledisloe Cup, New Zealand rugby fans had even more reason to rejoice this weekend as the White Ferns claimed their fifth World Cup title in Belfast. After winning four-straight World Cups, the New Zealand women’s rugby team failed to make the semi-finals in 2014, leaving England to take the honours in Paris. On Sunday, the White Ferns were able to restore New Zealand’s supremacy to the sport by reclaiming the title and adding to an already overflowing trophy cupboard. Making up a 12-point deficit, the New Zealand side ground out a difficult first half to recover in the second. Eventually winning by 9 points, the final score was 41 points to 32. The game got off to a slow start until New Zealand flanker Sara Gross being was handed a yellow card. England ceased the opportunity and quickly took a 17-5 lead. The Black Ferns played hard and were rewarded with a try just before half time. Going into the break, England led 17-10. The second half of the game was completely one sided. A boost in moral brought the White Ferns fully into the game playing phase after phase without much resistance from the English. Natua Picks up Player of the Match Making ground quickly, New Zealand scored the first try of the second half courtesy of Natura. This was quickly followed up by a Stacy Waaka play, finished off by Charmaine Smith, giving New Zealand the lead for the first time. England hit back with winger Lydia Thompson scoring her second try off a New Zealand Cross kick. England’s lead didn’t last long as Natua completed her hat trick in the third quarter, earning her player of the match. Portia Woodman, who had been quiet on the wing created a break for Kenda Cocksedge to put another one through. The final try for New Zealand came courtesy of Winiata with 11 minutes on the clock. England had a small bit of hope when Lesley Ketu was handed a yellow card, leaving New Zealand with 14 players for the remainder of the match. England did manage to get a consolation try through a rolling maul, but it wasn’t enough to undo the huge lead created by the White Ferns. Speaking to the press, England captain Sara Hunter said that they just lost their momentum and were not able to get their hands on the ball in the second half. 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For their part, Tottenham haven’t exactly enjoyed a great run at the National Stadium. In the past 10 years, the team have only won 2 out of 12 matches, but now have to call it home for a season while White Hart Lane is being overhauled. Speaking to the press, Tottenham’s manager, Mauricio Pochettino said that the feeling in the camp wasn’t great after conceding a late goal. Pochettino went on to say that the team had a difficult day on the pitch with a number of missed opportunities. At the end of the day, that is just how the game goes, and sometimes you pay for small mistakes. The two teams were locked in a goalless battle in the first half. However, relentless pressure from Tottenham paid off with Dele Alli drawing first blood. A Memorable Performance It took 49 minutes for the first goal to be scored which came about from a Christian Eriksen corner. The corner was flicked on by Eric Dier allowing Alli to scramble the ball into the back of the net. While their momentum might have picked up, Tottenham waisted a number of chances to put the game out of reach for Burnley. Their missed opportunities came back to haunt them when Wood came on in for his Premier League debut and slotted in cracker, two minutes into stoppage time. Speaking to the press, Burnley Manager Sean Dyche said that it was a difficult task playing Tottenham and he was extremely pleased with the results. Even with the stadium issues, Tottenham remain a good side. The draw means that both Burnley and Tottenham are sitting on four points with three games down. A result that comes about from Tottenham’s loss to Chelsea one week earlier. In other matches, Liverpool demolished Arsenal 4 points to 0 at Anfield to move into second spot. Stoke and West Brom drew one-all and Chelsea saw off Everton at Stamford Bridge with a convincing 2-0 win. 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In their last group of friendly matches the team has suffered some crushing losses, notably against the dominating Greek side that defeated Great Britain twice in quick succession. Now the team has netted the professional basketball player Kyle Johnson to join the team in their FIBA Eurobasket showing. Kyle Johnson is a player for London Lightning as well as the National Basketball League of Canada. Jonson’s strength is in perimeter shots which will help round out the current Great Britain team composition and give them a bit more breathing room if they can increase the scope of their attack on the court. A Long Running Relationship Johnson has a legacy with the British side, having played for the Great Britain Futures team when he was an aspiring Basketball player in 2011. This lead to him heading to the Eurobasket finals in Lithuania. He eventually went on to represent Great Britain in the 2012 Olympics so he definitely has the pedigree to be part of the British side. Johnson currently averages about 14 points a game and has a 3-point shot percentage of 38%. His highest score was a 51 achieved against Moncton. In preparation Johnson is taking part on a preparatory tournament, working on team strategy and getting a feel for his teammates. They then will be heading off to the 15 team international FIBA event which kicks off on Thursday and will run until the middle of September. The British team will be grouped with Latvia, Russia, Serbia, Turkey and Belgium. Russia will be a major threat in this group as one of the stronger teams in the tournament. More NBA And FIBA Fallout Over Player Meanwhile there has been some backlash between the NBA and FIBA after it was announced that Giannis Antetokounmpo will not be playing for Greece, his home side at the FINBA Eurobasket. The player is under contract with the Milwaukee Bucks and he has cited a knee injury that leaves him unable to compete at the tournament. Antetokounmpo played every Greek exhibition game except one and now the Greek basketball federation is calling foul on the news. This week it was reported that Takis Tsagronis, general secretary of the Greek Basketball Federation arranged a magnetic resonance scan of Antetokounmpo’s leg and there was no issue detected. Antetokounmpo and NBA officials claim that he has a knee injury that prevents him from playing and it was recommended that he be sent back to Milwaukee for further assessment, rehab and training. Antetokounmpo has only missed a single game in his 4 year career with the NBA, earning him “Most Improved Player” and “All Star “ accolades. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > This weekend saw McGregor and Mayweather finally face off and the match did not disappoint. Mayweather won the fight after a 10th round stoppage by the ref. - Published: 2017-08-29 - Modified: 2017-08-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/mayweather-50-0-mcgregor/ Floyd Mayweather V Connor McGregor After months of hype and controversy the two titans Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor have finally met in the ring. Despite the criticisms that the event was all hype and no substance, it is hard to believe that any fight fan could walk away from the match feeling disappointed. McGregor outperformed many people’s expectations making it through ten professional boxing rounds against, now officially or at least statistically, the best boxer to ever step into the ring. The match ended on a stoppage in the 10th round. McGregor was not knocked out but he was clearly so fatigued that he could barely keep his arms up and the referee rightly stepped in and ended the bout. Fantastic Form From Mayweather Mayweather did not look like a man who just stepped out of two years of retirement. He stalked the ring like an animal, biding his time against the onslaught of McGregor and striking only when he sees a clear opening. When the match started McGregor was the aggressor. At least one of the attending scoring refs awarded the first three rounds to McGregor who, using his awkward stance and praying mantis like techniques, goaded Mayweather into poor punches and opening up his airtight defence but Mayweather did not bite as easily as McGregor may have hoped. One thing many fans also noticed was the fact that at many points during the fight the two opponents would gesture and smile at each other even between raining blows upon one another. After the fight the two embraced affectionately. A Few Unavoidable Errors Conor did encounter some criticism for his regular tie ups on McGregor, especially near the end of the fight, which often resulted in McGregor fitting in a few illegal blows to the back of Mayweather’s head. The referee intervened when appropriate and it seems that McGregor’s muscle memory from his UFC days kicked in automatically. McGregor’s early fatigue was a big disappointment for many fans. He was very strong and aggressive up until the third round. From here the tables soon turned. Mayweather started attacking and taking advantage of McGregor’s retreat, raining blows on the fighter and landing the most magnificent punches on the MMA fighter. The clinical precision of Mayweather could not be surmounted by McGregor, even though amazingly he remained on his feet no matter how much abuse he took. This fight was definitely worth the hype and more than that, both fighters walk away with their dignity intact, their pockets lined and with their fans satisfied. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2017 Badminton World Championships have been great for India. The team has posted many great wins despite a doubles defeat and poor posture by Praneeth. - Published: 2017-08-28 - Modified: 2017-08-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/india-strong-badminton-cup/ Saina Does India Proud In Badminton Championships India’s headstrong performance at the 2017 Badminton World Championships fails to disappoint as the team continues their near flawless record for singles shuttlers. The big draw on the 3rd day of the world championships held in Glasgow was Saina Nehwal. She was the 2015 runner up in the Women’s singles competition and this year she may be in line to take the gold. She made quick work of Sabrin Jaquet from Switzerland in sets that ended in 21-11 and 21-12. Saina opened the match thunderously, ploughing into a 6-1 lead within minutes. Saina is ranked 16th in the world but showed her true greatness. Jaquet tried to put up an attack and managed to get a 3 point lead when she tipped the 6-1 scales to a 6-9. The match ended with a 21-11 lead for Saina. Again Jaquet built a lead of 7-9 but after the mid game break, Saina returned to steam roll her Swiss opponent for a 21-12 finisher. Mens Singles In Great Shape Indian team mate B Sai Praneeth, who previously took the Singapore Open and the Thailand Open, almost ended his run early at the Badminton World Championships. He faced Anthony Sinisuka Ginting from Indonesia. The two battled for over an hour ending the match with 14-21, 21-18, and 21-19 in favour of Praneeth. All 8 members of the Indian Badminton team won their matches laying a great foundation for the rest of the World Championship. Sai is now set to head to the pre-Quarter Finals. This despite his lacklustre form so far in the World Cup. When facing Ginting, it seemed that he was struggling to keep pace with his younger opponent. It was really worrying for fans when in their third set Praneeth lost his momentum and had to claw back a win from an 18-12 deficit. He managed to snatch a win from the jaws of defeat by ending the set 21-18. The Loss Of A Record The Indian singles side’s flawless record was unfortunately lost when Tanvi Lad lost her singles game to the South Korean opponent Sung Ji Hyun. Hyun was a force to be reckoned with and did not let Tanvi take an inch. The doubles teams were also not in great shape. India’s un-seeded women’s duo of Ashwini and Sikki crumbled under the assault of Denmark seeds Kamilla Rytter Juhl and Christina Pedersen in a hard fought 3 sets ending with a 22-24, 21-17 and a 15-21 The hour long gruelling match showed that there is allot of talent and strength in these two Indian players and it won’t be a surprise to see them again for the next tournament in even better form than they are now. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Emirates Airline is the newest official sponsor of Golf’s Ryder Cup – this after the airline renewed its European Tour agreement for four more years. - Published: 2017-08-28 - Modified: 2017-08-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/emirates-newest-official-partner-ryder-cup/ Emirates Joins Ryder Cup Ranks The 2018 Ryder Cup will host twenty four of the world’s greatest golfers teeing in from the USA and Europe at Le Golf National in France, in September 2018 – and Emirates will be the newest official sponsor. This after Emirates and The European Tour having renewed their existing European Tour agreement for four more years – extending its term all the way up until 2021. Emirates Airlines President Sir Tim Clark was quoted as saying that the Airline was proud to be associated with Golf as it is one of the world’s most popular sports and that Emirates would continue to connect fans and players alike, with their favourite game, across the globe. He went on to say that the partnership with the Ryder Cup would serve to strengthen the relationship with the European Tour even further – as well as creating a strong bond between the Emirates Airline brand and millions of golf fans located around the world. Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the European Tour, seemed equally pleased at the prospect of an ongoing partnership with the well-loved airline, referring to Emirates as being a truly iconic brand with vast experience in the world of sports sponsorships. The Ryder Cup is by no means the first event on the European Tour schedule supported by the Emirates – the airline supports no less than nineteen European Tour events, including the highly prestigious Race to Dubai, currently championed in title by Henrik Stenson from Sweden. Players such as Rory McIlroy and Luke Donald count among the previous Race to Dubai title holders. What Does This Mean For The Existing Agreement? The inclusion of the Ryder Cup does not imply the exclusion of any of the existing major events sponsored by Emirates. The Airline will continue to be the main sponsor for the existing nine European Tour events, including the BMW PGA Championship, the Nordea Masters, the D+D Real Czech Masters, the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open, the Portugal Masters, the Italian Open, the Joburg Open, the South Africa Open Championship and the Nelson Mandela Championship. This year’s European Tour will include the 9th instalment of the Race to Dubai, with the winner being crowned European Number One at the close of the season. The first Ryder Cup sponsored by Emirates Airline is set to take place between 28 and 30 September 2018, and fans can look forward to a noteworthy event. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2017 Breeders Crown for 3yo fillies kicks off this weekend. It is a great field this year with driver Laura Triton making her welcome return to the fold. - Published: 2017-08-27 - Modified: 2017-08-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/fillies-take-stage-breeders-crown/ Breeders Crown 3yo Fillies Ready To Go This Saturday is the running of the annual Breeders Crown 3yo Filly Trot. This harness racing event is specifically held for female trotters who are Standard Bred. The event is held in Melton Park. With a prize purse of $190 000, it is one of the most coveted harness racing events on the calendar. Last year Broadway Donna, who won’t be making a return this year won the event. Triton Back In Saddle After Birth Ace driver Lauren Triton will be making her much anticipated return. She has been out of racing to give birth to her son but she has been anxious to get back behind the harness and it doesn’t get more prestigious than making your return at the Breeders Crown. With her son Levi barely a month old, Lauren will be racing My Sweetchillyphilly. Lauren will also be riding at the Menagne trials as well as the Melton where she will be riding My Riviera Belle. My Sweetchillyphilly won 5 of her previous 6 races but suffered a harsh defeat in her last race, ending in fifth place when she was a 1. 60 favourite. This has given her odds of 7. 50 this weekend making her a potential value bet if she returns to form on Sunday. The Weekend Standouts The early favourites this year include the Kiwi filly Petacular with odds of 1. 40 to 1. 50. Our Bettor Joy is offered at between 1. 90 and 2. 40. Dance Craze is also an early favourite being offered at 1. 60 to 1. 80. Petacular has had a great few runs recently. She won the Race To Royalty Breeders Crown Semi Finals last week and managed to draw gate 3 for this Sunday after some vey unlucky draws in previous races. Her win last week certainly appeared to be one of her easiest as all her previous showings have been very hard won. Our Bettor Joy and her stable mate Our Angel Of Harlem will be joining My Sweetchilliphilly and Nostra Villa on the second line. Our Bettor Joy took down Nostra Villa at the semi finals by a head after rocketing down the last 800m. Our Angel Of Harlem managed to snag the 3rd place position. With so much at stake and with such a talented field, this years’ 3yo fillies’ finals should be a cracker. With some of the finest harness racing action out there, this Sunday will definitely be one for the books. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Spring Carnival is in full swing. The upcoming Memsie Stakes, Cockram Stakes, Heath 1100 and the HD McNeil Stakes hold great action for bettors and fans. - Published: 2017-08-27 - Modified: 2017-08-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/spring-carnival-races-hot/ Melbourne Spring Carnival Thrilling Punters The Melbourne Spring Carnival will feature the Memsie Stakes, the HD McNeil Stakes, the Cockram Stakes and the Heath 1100. Of these events the Memsie is one of the most prestigious events of the calendar. Generally it will be packed with Group 1 competitors who are making their return to racing in Spring so the trainers who come prepared with their horses are usually those who succeed. Memsie Stakes Trainer Darren Weir has publicly stated that he is confident that defending Memsie Stakes champion, Black Heart Bart will be fit enough for the $1 million Memsie Stakes. The race is to be held on the 2nd of September so the team still have time for recovery. This comment comes after the stewards’ post race feedback stated that Black Heart Bart had pulled up with a lame hind leg. Queensland Horse of the Year contender Yankee Rose will be making her return at the Memsie Stakes. Trainer David Vandyke has kept Rose in the stables for the past 23 weeks to recover and train after bone chips were found in her knee after the VRC Oaks last year. Vandyke is confident in Yankee Rose who always seems to perform greater at her first start. You can get your bets in at Crownbet if you want to wager on this, and other exciting races. HD McNeil Stakes Fans are keeping an eye out for the return of Merchant Navy at the HD McNeil stakes this Saturday. Merchant Navy has so far won every start in his career, making trainer Cairon Maher confident in Merchant Navy’s chance to deliver. After his return at the McNeil Stakes, Merchant Navy is set to head to the Caulfield Guineas. Cockram Stakes Trainer Nick Rule will be running Written Era at the Cockram Stakes in Caulfield. The mare had a pretty poor 7th place finish at her last race in Caulfield. According to her jockey she started late and is still getting used to the 11000m races as she is more accustomed to 1200m events. Both her trainer and her jockey have faith in her however after winning 5 of her 13 career races so far. The Heath 1100 Robert Smerdon’s Oak Door will be running in the Group 3 Heath 11000 Stakes. The trainer has full confidence in his horse that has had a reliable career so far. He has taken 4 wins of his 14 career races, with 2 second place finishes and 2 third place finishes. Smerdon has been saving Oak Door for this race and believes he will have a great start and provide a strong challenge for the field. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2017 Breeders Crown for 3yo Geldings and Colts takes place this weekend. The More The Bettor is one of the favourites for this weekend’s racing action. - Published: 2017-08-26 - Modified: 2017-08-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/breeders-crown-weekend/ The Breeders Crown 3yo Colts And Geldings This weekend sees the running of the Breeders Crown, Colts and Geldings, for 2017. It will be featuring the return of renowned New South Wales driver Luke McCarthy. McCarthy was last at Melton in February. McCarthy took the Hunter Cup Group 1 race with Bling It On. Now he has returned to race three of the top contenders for Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen. McCarthy To Ride Three Of Field Purdon personally asked McCarthy to fill in on three of their most important races while Purdon was in Canada for the World Driving Championships. McCarthy will be driving 3 Breeder Crown finalists, namely Partyon in Race 4, The More The Better in Race 7 and Sicarion in Race 8. Not only is this a fantastic opportunity for McCarthy, but it is also a serious threat to the field. McCarthy is one of the best riders in the business and Purdon and Rasmussen’s stable isn’t called the All Star Stable for nothing. Race Favourite The More The Bettor The More The Bettor is a favourite in the field with odds currently standing on 1. 60. McCarthy thinks that he is the best shot for a win since The More The Better also managed to draw a barrier start. In his race Stars Align and Motu Meteor will provide the strongest challenge to The More The Bettor but McCarthy is confident in himself and his horse. The More The Bettor will have something to prove this weekend. He will want to make up for his narrow semi final second place against Our Little General in his last race. Partyon And Sicario Face Strong Competition Partyon is currently getting odds of around 4 and McCarthy thinks since he received a back row draw this race will be a challenge. In his race a strong challenge will be coming from Petacular who has yet to be beaten in a front row draw. This will surely be an uphill battle but this weekend is as good a time as ever for Partyon to shine as this is the finest form the horse has been in. Sicario will also be facing a hard race. He has been given odds of around 3. 70. It is clear to see that the horse has layered on great muscle but he also received a back row draw like Partyon. This will mean Sicario needs to put that muscle to good use to push ahead of the strong pack. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup finals are taking place the weekend with England Facing New Zealand. It is set to be a very even matchup for the two sides. - Published: 2017-08-26 - Modified: 2017-08-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/womens-world-cup-final-weekend/ New Zealand Face England At Women’s Rugby World Cup Finals The Women’s World Cup Final is set for Saturday with the two titans New Zealand and England facing off against each other. These two sides have fought tooth and nail to make it here. The sides are very evenly matched ensuring a fantastic game ahead for both fans and bettors. Most bookmakers are favouring the English side to win with odds of 8/11 on England, 6/4 on New Zealand and a 22/1 on a draw game. England has had a tough battle to make it to the finals which may be an indicator that they won’t go down without a fight. New Zealand however has shown amazing form in their journey to the finals. They are a fearsome team and the inclusion of Portia Woodman on their side is their secret weapon. She is an amazing winger who is the tournament’s top scorer so far. She has made 13 tries, almost twice as many as the next in line, Canada’s winger Magali Harvey. Previous Encounters Favour New Zealand When we look at the history of these two sides we see that England has not won a single game against the New Zealand women’s side. The two teams faced each other in 2002, 2006 and in 2010. On all three occasions England lost by 10 points or less, making them debatably close games. With this coming final England will be on near home ground in Belfast which may be enough of an edge for them to capitalise. Ideally England will use Katy McClean to pin New Zealand back in their half with her kicks. New Zealand back, Kelly Brazier has stated that they will be focusing on England’s strong rolling mauls and line outs and attempt to take advantage of any mistakes made there. If New Zealand keeps up the form they have shown in the tournament so far, they could be taking home their 5th Rugby World Cup title. The Lead-up To The Finals England made their way to the Women’s World Cup Finals by defeating France last week. By the game’s first half, both sides were at a stalemate with the teams on 3 each. The second half however was when France’s game fell apart and England walked off victorious 20-3. New Zealand made it to the finals after decimating the USA 25-12. New Zealand scored 7 tries, completely embarrassing the American side who simply could not keep up with the assault of New Zealand. This may be foreshadowing this weekend’s finals face off. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Round 23 of the AFL will be taking place this weekend. Highlights include Hawks v Bulldogs and the strongly contested Geelong v GWS Giants match up. - Published: 2017-08-25 - Modified: 2017-08-25 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/afl-round-23-weekend/ Weekly AFL Games Round 23 Let’s take a look at this week’s AFL action as we enter round 23. Hawthorn v Western Bulldogs With better stats this season in defence and scoring, the Hawks have a marginal advantage on paper. This will also be the Hawks’ Luke Hodge’s final game, giving the Hawks even more incentive to do their best. West Coast v Adelaide Seeing the powerful forward attack of the Crows crash against the rock solid backline of the Eagles will be something indeed. Adelaide is the favourite here with this match being all the more poignant as it is the last AFL match to be played at the much-loved Domain Stadium. Sydney v Carlton Sydney will steam roll Carlton in this game. The Swans have only conceded an average of 66 points per game this season and they have a near undefeated record against Carlton. Brisbane v North Melbourne The Lions can take this game, as it is clear their scoring has improved since the start of the season. This match however comes down to who is the most willing to fight and avoid last place. Port Adelaide v Gold Coast Adelaide is riding high after their hard won victory last week. The Suns on the other hand faced their 7th straight defeat. The Power have it. Collingwood v Melbourne Melbourne has a narrow edge in this game. The Magpies have nothing to lose and last week made Geelong work for their win despite their decimated ranks. The Demons have to attack Melbourne’s mid to stand a chance. Geelong v GWS Giants The match of the weekend, it will be a very close call slightly in favour of GWS. They have come off 4 wins in a row and are in great form. It will be an in-close game and the Giants will need to focus on winning the rucks, a strength of theirs. Richmond v St Kilda The Tigers are still one of the most defensive teams this year, 2nd last in points conceded this season. St Kilda has won the teams last two encounters but they have really lost allot of steam this season and their current form cannot hold up against Richmond’s charge. Essendon v Fremantle The combination of the high stakes of this match and the poor form of Fremantle gives Essendon a big edge to come out on top in this rather uneven match. If you want to bet on these, or any other AFL matches, head on over to Sportsbet, they offer great odds and markets. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The San Domenico Stake and the Ming Dynasty Quality will be run this weekend. Pariah and Addictive Nature are the favourites for the respective events. - Published: 2017-08-25 - Modified: 2017-08-25 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/spring-carnival-races-weekend/ Sydney Spring Carnival Events Nominations Released Saturday sees the running of the San Dominican Stakes and the Ming Dynasty Quality Handicap at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse on Saturday. These two races form part of the annual Spring Carnival. These events are Group 3 Thoroughbred races with $150 000 in prize money at stake. Despite finishing in 11th place in his last race as well as drawing the outside barrier, Pariah is the clear favourite this weekend at the San Domenico Stakes. This will be his first return to racing since March and expectations are high that he has again regained his form. Pariah has looked great in its two barrier trials. Jorda will be an outsider to watch though. She won her only race when this year’s season started. This will be her second race and she looked strong in her trials and has drawn a favourable starting position at barrier 2. She also has the benefit of talented jockey Glyn Schofield. The San Domenico Stakes Nominations And Odds Pariah - 2. 70 Tulip - 4. 80 Condor Heroes - 5. 50 Jorda - 8. 00 Marsupial - 9. 00 Taking Aim - 9. 00 Chauffeur - 9. 00 Madeenaty – 11 Perast - 17 Speed Street – 26 Muraahib - 31 Another Sin - 61 Catmosphere – 126 Addictive Nature Stands Out The Ming Dynasty Quality features the deadly Addictive Nature. He will want to make up for his last race where he was left in the dust by Queensland colt Shogun Sun. His closest rivals look to be Assimilate and Hypnotist from Team Snowden. So far these horses have been undefeated but this will be their first race at group level. Assimilate took the Kembla Grange Maiden and a win at the Randwick Handicap. Hypnotist on the other hand has two wins at Beaumont and a win at the Canterbury Handicap. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review Astoria makes a welcome run for James Cummings. The horse will once again be paired with jockey Tye Angland who rode Astoria to victory at the Warwick Farm Handicap. Cummings is hoping the pair’s relationship will give them the edge they need. The Ming Dynasty Quality Nominations Addictive Nature - 3. 50 Assimilate - 5. 00 Mahalangur - 5. 50 Gold Standard - 6. 00 Astoria -7. 00 Animalia - 8. 00 Runaway -8. 00 Sambro – 11 Hypnotist – 11 Pride Of Darci - 15 Colesberg - 21 Thy Kingdom Come - 34 --- > The F1 season is ready to start again after the mid season break comes to an end. The teams meet at the Spa-Francorchamps this weekend for the Belgian GP. - Published: 2017-08-24 - Modified: 2017-08-24 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/belgian-gp-kicks-off-weekend/ New Models Debut At Belgian Grand Prix This weekend marks the debut of the new 2017 style F1 car models at the Belgian Grand Prix. The increased downforce of the 2017 spec models will be a welcome feature at the GP since it is such a fast track and tensions are quite high amongst the top tier drivers that could facilitate some high risk racing. Sergio Perez from Force India has said that the Belgian course is easily one of the best courses to push your car to the limit. Perez and the rest of the field will return to the F1 action this weekend after they had their summer break. The drivers are expected to be refreshed and relaxed heading into this race. Haas Battling With Break Issues Haas’s Gunther Steiner has announced this week that heading into the Belgian Grand Prix, the team will be making use of Brambo brake kits. The team has been battling with adjusting their braking setup since they debuted in the 2016 season. The team have swopped between Brembo and Carbon Industries braking kits all season, even going so far as to suggest their drivers Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen may use different kits this weekend. Another upgrade package for their vehicles will be arriving later this year to help Haas battle up the Constructer Championship rankings. Updates are expected for the US Grand Prix and the Japanese Grand Prix pending further wind tunnel testes by Haas. Mercedes Concerned About Ferrari Pace Toto Wolff, head of Mercedes Racing has said that he doesn’t think that Ferrari showed their true pace at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The race that preceded the summer break was clinched by Ferrari when they finished in both first and second place. Vettel and Raikkonen managed to keep the rest of the field at bay despite Vettel battling with a steering problem through much of the second half of the race. Power will be a key factor in determining the winners of the upcoming Belgian Grand Prix due to the fast paced nature of the Spa-Francorchamps circuit. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review Current Rankings Heading Into Belgium Below are the current driver rankings along with their current score as we head into the weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix. Sebastian Vettel – 202 Lewis Hamilton – 188 Valitterie Bottas – 169 Daniel Ricciardo – 117 Kimi Raikkonnen – 116 Max Verstappen – 67 Sergio Perez – 56 Esteban Ocon – 45 Carlos Sainz Jr – 35 Nico Hulkenberg - 26 --- > After a noteworthy series of warm up games ahead of the FIBA EuroBasket, Greece has shown their strength. They have defeated Great Britain twice so far. - Published: 2017-08-24 - Modified: 2017-08-24 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/greece-set-fiba-eurobasket/ Greece In Full Prep For EuroBasket Greece is on fire heading into the FIBA EuroBasket championships. The side played a series of friendlies earlier this month and established their dominance ahead of the upcoming tournament. On the 19th Greece had a rematch against Great Britain after they lost their previous friendly match against Greece. The British side soon felt the sting of the Greeks as they lost the match 88 -84. Despite the best efforts of scorers Luke Nelson and Gabe Olaseni, the British team did not have what it takes to beat the Greek side. The game ended on an 84 -83 cliff hanger with 24 seconds to spare. The British side snatched the ball away but could not sink a basket or their free throws. Greece ended the game when they managed to sink all their free throws. In their previous matchup all 12 Greek players managed to score at least a single point. Gabriel Olaseni, George Printezis and Dimitrios Agrevanis were the point leaders with 13, 12 and 10 points earned respectively. Great Britain FIBA Chances Looking Dim This match was the 5th defeat suffered by the British side in their scheduled warm up games before the EuroBasket. The match against Greece would have seemed quite evenly balanced if it wasn’t for the fact that 4 of Greece’s best players were not taking part on the night. In the first quarter the match was evenly balanced, ending in a score of 22-22. It was George Papagiannis assisted by Kostas Sloukas who established dominance in the 2nd quarter when they had a 10 point scoring streak before the Greek side was brought back down to earth by a concerted effort from Luke Nelson and Gabe Olaseni who managed to equalise the British side’s score as soon as Greece took too much of a lead. Key Player Out With Knee Injury The Greek side entered the matchup in quite low spirits after it was announced that one of their key players, Giannis Antetokounmpo, would not be able to make the EuroBasket this year as he is out with a knee injury. The side was looking forward to his return, as any additional edge the squad can get ahead of the FIBA tournament will be most welcome. Antetokounmpo has stated that not making the 2017 EuroBasket event is the biggest disappointment in his career so far. The player is currently in America playing for the NBA ‘s Milwaukee Bucks. The exact details of his knee injury was not revealed, leading to the Greek basketball federation calling the injury a plot organised by the Milwaukee Bucks. The EuroBasket kicks off the 31st of August and will continue until the 17th of September. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Floyd Mayweather has commented on Conor McGregor’s sparring videos. Mayweather called out what he saw as illegal moves and branded McGregor a dirty fighter. - Published: 2017-08-23 - Modified: 2017-08-23 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/mayweather-nervous-about-mcgregor/ Mayweather Calls McGregor A Dirty Fighter With only 6 more days to go until the two titans, Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather meet in the ring, Mayweather has finally given his opinion on McGregor’s sparring videos. He has called out the UFC star for what he calls “rabbit punches” to the back of the head during tie ups, he said he saw allot of grappling, wrestling and illegal moves. McGregor faces severe financial penalties should he employ any illegal moves. These penalties were stipulated in the contract the two fighters signed for the upcoming event. Additionally the McGregor camp also employ the services of retired referee Joe Cortez to make sure the MMA squad are fully boxing rule compliant Mayweather also went on to say that he is putting the most on the line against McGregor. Mayweather is risking his 49-0 record with this bout. He has said this will be his last ever fight, but it just may be the one fight he regrets. He is weighing up the prestige of a 50-0 career undefeated record against a potential loss against the younger McGregor. This will be his first fight in 2 years and he went on to say that once he retires he hopes to build financial stability for his family for generations to come. Mayweather Planning Unusual Prep Before The Fight Mayweather has also announced that this week, days before he faces McGregor, he will be doing nightly meet and greets at his strip club called Girl Collection. He has invited fans to join him at the club, claiming he will hold these meetings nightly until Monday the 28th, 2 days after his bout. Stars Line Up To Attend McGregor V Mayweather Stars of film, media and industry have lined up to get their ringside seats for the 26th August fight. Drake, Angelina Jolie, Charlize Theron, Rick Ross, LeBron James, Elon Musk and more have been announced as attendees. This week a music video by rock band, The Killers, has been released called The Man. The song was specially written for the fight to serve as the theme song for the event. The Full Fight Card Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor - The light-middleweight main event Gervonta Davis vs. Francisco Fonseca - A Super featherweight title fight Nathan Cleverly vs. Badou Jack – a light-heavyweight title fight Andrew Tabiti vs. Steve Cunningham - A cruiserweight bout The Preliminary Rounds: Shawn Porter vs. Thomas Dulorme – A welterweight fight Juan Heraldez vs. Jose Miguel Borrengo – A welterweight bout Kevin Newman vs. Antonio Hernandez - A super middleweight fight Savannah Marshall vs. Amy Coleman – A women’s super middleweight bout If you want to place your bets on the fight, do so at Crownbet, as this online sportsbook is offering great odds. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Rafael Nadal is back at Number One, taking over Andy Murrays spot. The tennis star is looking forward to the US Open, and hopes to emerge as the winner. - Published: 2017-08-23 - Modified: 2017-08-23 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/nadal-no1-us-open/ Nadal Back At No1 Ahead Of US Open With 9 years having passed since he first reached the no1 position on the ATP rankings, Rafael Nadal makes his return this week, which marks the fourth time that the tennis star makes his way back to the coveted no1 spot. This news follows after Britain’s Andy Murray lost the spot after 41 weeks. The US Open will be the place where Nadal will show if his newly achieved ranking is well deserved. At the moment the top tier players are in quite a state. Murray is still trying to recover his top form after recurring injury cost him the Wimbledon title while Roger Federer also seems to be struggling with his form after he suffered a surprise loss against Alexander Zverev. Two other top seeds in the Men’s tournament also won’t be making an appearance which could potentially lead to some notable upsets at the US Open this year with more lower tier players being given a chance to shine. Sharapova Makes A Welcome Return Former world no1 Maria Sharapova has had fans in a frenzy ever since it was announced that she will be making her welcome return, after 18 months away from the sport, at the US Open. The famed player received a wild card draw for the event that marks her first professional event after a doping ban cost her months of playtime. Sharapova has sustained an arm injury a few weeks ago that resulted in her cancelling her Rogers Cup performance but she should be ready to kick off the US Open in a few days. Wawrinka Fate In Question It does seem Stan Wawrinka will not be making it to the US Open this year. The last time fans saw Wawrinka, he made a surprise exit from Wimbledon in the first round when he was defeated by Daniil Medvedev. The knee problem that caused the lacklustre performance is still persisting and Wawrinka is now battling to get fit ahead of the US Open. He has already cancelled events at the Rogers Cup and the Western and Southern Open. The defending US Open champ will be missed at the event this year but he has wisely decided to follow doctor and management’s orders and recover fully before entering any new events. No Challenge From Djokovic After he was diagnosed with a bruised bone in his elbow, Novak Djokovic is set to miss the US Open as well this year. The challenge he offered the field will definitely be missed but doctors have advised the ace to rest for between 6 and 12 weeks. Djokovic’s last public performance was at Wimbledon where he was eventually unable to continue against Tomas Berdych due to his injury. Djokovic has received specialist attention from doctors in Toronto in America and so far his recovery is going well. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2017 US Tennis Open start at the end of August. It will feature 5 championship events with the best in tennis including Roger Federer and Angelique Kerber. - Published: 2017-08-22 - Modified: 2017-08-22 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/kick-off-us-open-2017/ 2017 US Open Tennis Tournament Draws Near The 2017 US Open kicks off on the 28th of August and it is one of the oldest tennis tournaments in the world. The first US Open match was held in 1881, 136 years ago. As of 1987, the US Open has been the 4th and final tennis Major that makes up the Grand Slam. The event features 5 championship games consisting of the men and women’s singles, the men and women’s doubles, mixed doubles matches as well as senior, junior and wheelchair events. Traditionally the matches are played on Acrylic hard courts. Notably the US Open is the only Grand Slam event that makes use of a tiebreaker for every set of the match. The Prize Money The US Open is one 0f the most lucrative games on the ATP calendar. In today’s money, the 1973 singles winner would walk away with $133 000. The 2017 event offers a singles prize of $3 700 000. The total prize pool tops nearly $51 000 000. The US Open is not just rewarding when it comes to prizes, players also get massive ATP raking points. The winners get a 2000 point boost, finalists receive 1200, Semi finalists receive 720/780 points while quarter finalists receive 360/430 points. Current Defending Champions Men’s Singles- Stan Wawrinka with Novak Djokovic as runner up. This was Wawrinka’s first US Open title but his 3rd Major win in the singles category. Women’s Singles – Angelique Kerber with Karolina Pliskova finishing in 2nd This was also Kerber’s first US Open win and her 2nd Major singles title. Men’s Doubles – Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares with Pablo Carreno Busta and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez as the runners up. This was the British and Brazilian duo of Murray and Soares’s second Doubles title. Women’s Doubles –Bethany Mattek Sands and Lucie Safarova with Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic as runners up. This was Mattek and Safarova’s third doubles title and their first ever win at the US Open. Mixed Doubles – Laura Siegemund and Mate Pavic with Coco Vandeweghe and Rajeev Ram as runners up. This was a first title win for the duo of Siegemund and Pavic. Expectations are high for this duo to successfully defend their title at this year’s US Open. Favourites For The Singles Bookmakers are widely regarding Roger Federer as the man to beat at the Open. He is followed closely in the odds by Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka. On the Woman’s side, Garbine Muguruza is the favourite this year followed by Karolina Pliskova, Victoria Azarenka, Angelique Kerber and Johanna Konta. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > With the closure of the Western Force, the NRL chief is looking for NRL expansion possibilities. Will it be Perth, Queensland or a second New Zealand side? - Published: 2017-08-22 - Modified: 2017-08-22 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/expansion-options-nrl-going-forward/ The Possible Expansion of the NRL The closure of Super Ruby’s Western Force has sparked a lot of interest into the expansion of NRL. Chief executive for the NRL, Todd Greenberg has made a point to strike while metaphorical iron is hot, signalling out Perth as a likely candidate. While the claim has been made, Todd has assured the public that this would definitely not be slapdash team that was horridly put together. Ever since the collapse of the Western Reds in 1997, Perth has been seen as the ideal destination for the NRL’s next expansion team. While that may be the case, the current 16-team format is not expected to undergo any expansion until at least 2022 with the negotiation of the next television rights deal. As its stands, a second New Zealand side, additional Queensland teams and maybe even some Pacific franchises are all likely candidates. According to Greenberg, the game would not be making any major moves into the state mainly because of the lack of rugby code as of next season. Speaking to the press, Greenberg said that the closing of the Force won’t automatically quality Perth for a new NRL team. What the aim is here is to look at Perth from a strategic standpoint as a place to host games. Greenberg went on to say that as of next year, they are going to look very closely at what they can do to build new opportunities in the city. They are also planning on continuing their junior development program at a grass roots level. Perth Looking for More Opportunities While it would be great to get ruby back into the city, it is not just a matter of picking up a team and moving them into Perth, the logistics are more complicated with a significant amount of investment and work needed. In recent years, just two games per season have been played in the city. This is a number that can be increased in the years to come. Last year, Australia hosted New Zealand in a test match at the famous nib Stadium. This year, a world Cup rugby league double-header will be played in November before the new stadium hosts the 2019 State of Origin game. Rugby is big in Western Australia, this is evident if we look at the numbers. There are currently 3600 registered rugby league players in the state alone. Last year, a total of five of the West Coast SG Ball Junior’s made their debut in the NRL’s under-20’s competition. But the state has also lost some promising players including Force players, Chance Peni and Curtis Rona to the 15-man game, which is seen as an easier path to the upper echelons of professional sports. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > With 4 host nations, the 2017 FIBA Eurobasket will be a notable event. France is one of the favourites to take home the title with their consistent performances. - Published: 2017-08-21 - Modified: 2017-08-21 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/teams-prep-fiba-eurobasket/ The FIBA Eurobasket To Start Next Month Kicking off in the end of August and running until the 17th of September, the 2017 FIBA EuroBasket is hosted in 4 countries this year. Finland, Israel, Romania and Turkey will all host events this year. Georgia Honours Star Player Zaza Pachulia, who recently brought the Larry O’Brien trophy home from his stint in the NBA, was honoured by the president of Georgia with the Georgian Order Of Honour award. The player will be leading his home country into the EuroBasket with the experience he earned playing for the Golden State Warriors. Georgia has recently shone in friendlies against Lithuania, Latvia and Czech Slovakia. Hopes are high for the side to make their country proud. The team is currently very well balanced but it would have been nice to see Viktor Sanikidza still in the team, as the veteran player always added a bit of magic to the side. The side is also without Beka Burjanadze, who is still recovering from a right knee injury. Pachulia has stated that his side is aiming to improve on their respectable 11th place finish in the 2011 FIBA EuroBasket event. Hosts Eager To Show Skills Georgia will first be heading to Israel where the Group B matches will be held and they have started preparing for their showing in earnest. The team remains quite similar to their 2015 side, with the notable return of veteran player Yotam Halperin. This will be Halperin’s first return to basketball after 2 years, but Israel will need any edge they can get as they will be facing a strong field. Group 2 features Georgia and Israel of course, but also Italy, Germany and Ukraine. Four of these sides will progress to the 16th round which will be held in Istanbul. The Best Bets Currently France is one of the favourite sides with bettors. The team has been performing consistently well since 2011 and most bookmakers are looking at pretty even odds ranging from 7/5 to 1. Greece, Slovenia, Poland and Finland are equally popular with bettors. Greece gets similar odds to France, with Iceland being the outsider with odds ranging from 100 to 200 to1. The European rankings list the top 5 teams as Spain, Serbia, France, Lithuania and Turkey. Russia comes in at no 6 but they are always a solid bet, having won the most medals of any team in the EuroBasket. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Premier League this year features 3 news teams. The defending champs are Chelsea but Manchester City is the favourites to take home the trophy this year. - Published: 2017-08-21 - Modified: 2017-08-21 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/20172018-premier-league/ Intro To The Premier League 2018 Season This year sees the 26th season of the Premier League. The season kicked off on the 18th of August and it runs until the 13th of May in 2018, offering some of the worlds most exciting and strategic betting opportunities. Chelsea took the trophy home last year and the League is joined by promoted teams from the EFL Championship, namely Newcastle United, Huddersfield Town and Brighton/Have Albion. 17 others from the previous Premier League Season join these three promoted teams. Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Hull City are the three teams that were relegated back to the EFL. Who The Odds Favour Manchester City is the bookmaker’s pick for the team to end on top. They generally will receive odds of about 2/1. Chelsea is the current defending champions and have been putting in a good performance this season. They are currently getting 7/2 to 5/2 odds for retaining their hold on the Premiership Cup. Manchester United have pretty good odds for lifting the Cup again, receiving 15/2 odds. Tottenham Hotspurs are a big favourite with 9/1 odds for a win. Most bookmakers give Arsenal and Liverpool pretty close odds, both receiving a 14/1 shot at the Cup. For fans of long odds, Everton, Leicester City and Southampton are on offer at between 200 to 1 and 1000 to 1. Leading Scorers Even though the Premiership has just started, a few players have already made their presence felt. As of the 13th of August, below are the league’s top scorers. Manchester United has the deadly Romelu Lukaku who is one of the most accurate and prolific goal scorers in the League. He is followed by Steve Moonie from Huddersfield Town, Jamie Vardy from Leicester City and Sam Vokes from Burnley. Weekend Highlights This weekend kicks off with some fantastic Premier League action. On Saturday Swansea faces Manchester United, Liverpool faces Crystal Palace and Stoke faces Arsenal. Sunday will see the Tottenham Hotspurs face Chelsea. Monday the 21st will see Manchester City face Everton and the following Sunday, the 27th will see Liverpool face Arsenal. The Current League And Points Table Manchester United -3 Huddersfield Town -3 Manchester City -3 Tottenham Hotspurs -3 Arsenal -3 Burnley - 3 Everton -3 West Bromwich Albion - 3 Liverpool -1 Watford-1 Southampton -1 Swansea City -1 Leicester City - 0 Chelsea - 0 AFC Bournemouth - 0 Stoke City - 0 Brighton and Hove Albion -0 Newcastle United -0 Crystal Palace -0 West Ham United -0 TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Badminton World Championships kicks off in Glasgow at the end of the month. The updated world rankings have been released with the event’s top seeds. - Published: 2017-08-20 - Modified: 2017-08-20 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/badminton-wc-seeds-announced/ Seeds Announced Ahead Of Badminton World Championships The 2017 Badminton World Championships are to be held in Glasgow at the Emirates Arena between the 21st and 27th of August. The Badminton World Federation has released their seeded player list with updated player rankings. English star players, Chris Adcock and Abby Adcock have been seeded in the mixed doubles in 5th place. The pair will be looking to capitalize on their success so far with a great showing at the World Championships. They are coming off a fresh win at the European Championships in Kolding where they managed to take home the gold for doubles. They will be looking to claim more medals after their fantastic commonwealth performance The duo will be joined by the equally talented Marcus Elis and Chris Langridge. The duos have a European and Olympic medal between them but this year’s Badminton World Championships will be their first opportunity to claim a BWF medal. They will be joined by English no1 Rajiv Ouseph who also holds the European Champion title. The un-seeded Ben Lane and Jessica Pugh who are making their BWF debits after making it to the US Open finals in July will also join them. Gilmour Chosen As Ambassador Widely considered as the best Badminton player Glasgow has ever produced, Kirsty Gilmour has been selected as the Badminton World Championship Ambassador for 2017. She is a silver medallist and current world no 16. Gilmour has been selected s the ambassador in part because she is from Glasgow where the event is being held and in part due to her positive e attitude and leadership skills that she shows during all her sporting events. Strong Asian Competition Li Junhui and Lui Yuchen are the current world no1 seeds for the Men’s doubles. Their team mates Zheng Siwei and Chen Qingchen are the no1 seeds in the mixed doubles events. From Japan Misaki Matsumoto and Ayaka Takahashi head up the Women’s doubles top seeds. Son Wan Ho and Lee Cong Wei will be the two top male singles competitors as they sit at the top of the current rankings. Mens World Rankings Son Wan Ho Lee Chong Wei Viktor Axelson Shi Yuqi Chen Long Womens World Rankings Tai Tzu Ying Akane Yamaguchi Sung Ji Hyun Carolina Marin Pusarla V Sundhu Mixed Doubles World Rankings Zheng Siwei/Chen Qingchen Lu Kai/Huang Yaqlong Tontowi Ahmad/Lillyana Natsir Zhang Nan/Lu Ynhui Chris Adcock/ Gabrielle Adcock TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The British Moto GP is one of the most prestigious racing events on the calendar. It will be at Silverstone this year and offers fantastic racing action. - Published: 2017-08-20 - Modified: 2017-08-20 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/intro-2017-moto-gp/ Gearing Up for The 2017 British Moto GP In the late 70’s, the UK found that they had loads of airstrips that had fallen into disrepair after the Second World War. In attempting to find an alternative use for these tracts of land, the British racing industry found its start. Most notably, an airfield outside of a little town called Silverstone found fame when it was developed into one of the most respected racing tracks in the sport today. Silverstone is also the current official home of the British MotoGP. The first MotoGP was held here in 1977. Before that, the only British leg of the world Motorcycle championships was in the equally legendary Isle of Man. The Isle of Man tenure was short lived, however, after rider Giacomo Agostini boycotted the event when his friend and fellow rider Gilberto Parlotti died in a crash. The Moto GP is set to start the 25th of August and run until the 27th. Finding A New Home The British Moto GP was first held in 1977 at Silverstone but the event was moved again in 1987 to Donnigton Park. Its stay here lasted until 2009 when Silverstone once again became the home for the event. In 2015 plans were announced to move the event to the specially constructed Circuit of Wales track, bit so far the construction is still on going and Silverstone will remain the MotoGP course until 2018. This means that you may very well be catching a historic moment, as this may be the last time we see the MotoGP at Silverstone for a few years. Notable Teams And Riders Throughout the Moto GP history and even across all racing classes, from 125cc to the 500c bikes, Honda has always stood out as a manufacturer of note. Along with Aprilia and Yamaha, you have the trifecta of the best in Motorcycle hardware. These three companies have essentially dominated the sport since the British Moto GP’s inception. Other notable companies include KTM, Kalex, Derbi and Suter. The most celebrated rider in the sport currently is the legendary Valentino Rossi who has won the Moto GP alone 6 times. Jorge Lorenzo is another notable rider who took the gold in 2010, 2012 and 2013. Casey Stoner from New Zealand took the title in 2011, 2008 and 2007. This Years Odds The favourite this year is Marc Marquez with Honda. The rider has had a great season so far and most bookmakers will give you odds of around 1. 3 to 1. 5 for a win. Andrea Dovisioso is another favourite with most bets standing at odds of 5 or 6 for a win. Maverick Vinales with Yamaha will also be offered at the same odds. Valentino Rossi is one of the older riders and gets odds of around 10 to 1 for a win. The outliers are Daniel Pedrosa with 21 to1, Jorge Lorenzo at 200 to 1 and Johann Zarco at 300 to 1 with most bookmakers, and you can check out what’s on offer easily at top rated sites like Sportsbet. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2017 Warwick stakes takes place this Saturday at Randwick Racecourse. Winx will be looking for her 18th straight win in the $250,000 feature race. - Published: 2017-08-19 - Modified: 2017-08-19 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/look-final-field-warwick-stakes/ Final Field and Barrier Draw for Warwick Stakes Despite extending nominations for Saturday’s Group 2 Warwick Stakes, it seems Winx will be facing off against just seven runners in the $250,000 feature race. In an effort to boost the field, Racing Australia extended nominations for the race until 11am on Tuesday this week. The aim was to try and fill up a field that can handle 16 acceptors with four emergencies. Originally, 10 horses were nominated to take on Winx, but the presence of last year’s winner scared off many stables. Aiming for her 18th straight win, Winx is the undisputed favourite for the race will be running with two other stablemates in the form of Foxplay and Antonio Giuseppe. Trainer Chris Waller and his three horses make up over a third of the field this year. Wins Odds Drops to 1. 08 In 2016, Winx beat out six rivals including Hartnell to win the Warwick Stakes. At the time she was starting at $1. 24. This year she started out at $2. 00 but has since dropped down to 1. 08 when the field shrunk to just eight runners. It seems, the trainers, the punters and just about everyone in the know is convinced Winx will claim her 18th title. If you are looking for another horse to back, you might want to consider Foxplay. At odds of $17. 00 Foxplay is the next in line if Winx has a bad day at the track. Rated as the third-best Australian mare, Foxplay proved her worth winning the Coolmore Legacy against a field of older horses. She did well in the trials and is in peak condition for the race. With just seven runners, anything can happen in the race and it might just be worth taking a punt on the long-shot. This year, that honour goes to Allergic who comes in at odds of $151. A more reasonable bet might be Harper’s Choice at $26. 00 who could possible pull off a win in the right circumstances. The 2017 Warwick Stakes Field 1. Equador Barrier 6 26. 00 2. Red Excitement Barrier 4 126. 00 3. Allergic Barrier 1 151. 00 4. Antonio Giuseppe Barrier 5 18. 00 5. Inference Barrier 8 18. 00 6. Harper’s Choice Barrier 7 26. 00 7. Winx Barrier 2 1. 08 8. Foxplay Barrier 3 1. 85 TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2017 Solheim Cup has been running this week at the Des Moines Golf and Country Club. The US will be looking to make it two in a row after a win in 2015. - Published: 2017-08-19 - Modified: 2017-08-19 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/latest-2017-solheim-cup/ The 2017 Solheim Cup Brings Big Excitement This week, the Des Moines Golf and Country Club in Des Moines Iowa plays host to the 15th edition of the Solheim Cup. The best US players from the ladies professional Golf Association and the best European players from the ladies European Tour will battle it out in the only biennial trans-Atlantic match-play competition of its kind. This will be the first time since 2013 that the competition will be held in front of an American crowd. It is also another chance for The US to claim consecutive wins in the Solheim Cup since achieving the feat in 2007 and 2009. The U. S currently holds record for the most wins with a 9-5 all-time record. This was largely thanks to their amazing comeback win in 2015. Held at the St. Leon-Rot Golf Club in Germany, the US team was trailing 10-6 going into the Sunday’s singles matches. Despite being faced with the largest deficit in the event’s history, the US came back strongly, racking up eight and a half points in the final session. This was enough to the win the Cup with a score of 14. 5 points over the European’s 13. 5 points. This was the closest winning score in the history of the Solheim Cup. The Battle of the Captains This year, the Solheim Cup features what is believed to be the highest profile matchup of captains in the competition’s history. The two going head to head are World Golf Hall of Fame Annika Sorenstam and Juli Inkster. Combined, the two have over 100 LPGA wins to their name which include 17 major championship titles. They have also racked up 17 Solheim Cup appearances between them. Both the European and American teams feature impressive rosters that are rich in Solheim Cup experience. The US team has at least six players making their fourth start (or more) in the competition. These include Stacy Lewis, Brittany Lang, Michelle Wie, Brittany Lincicome, Paula Creamer and Christie Kerr. The Europeans don’t have as much experience with just four players making their third start. They are joined by seasoned players such as Karine Icher, Anna Nordqvist and Suzann Pettersen. As it stands, the US team appear to be the favourites on paper with a total of 65 combined LPGA wins. Compared to the European’s 26, the odds favour the US. However, this may not translate directly into success when put in the form of match-play such as the Solheim Cup. What is more important is the home ground advantage. The US holds a 6-1 winning record for Cups played on American soil. This is clearly evident with the latest betting odds. 2017 Solheim Cup Betting Odds Trophy Winners: United States 44 Europe 75 There is sill time for you to get your bets in online at Crownbet and see if you can predict the TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > This weekend sees the Crows face the Swans in a close match. Fremantle v Richmond should also be a momentous game as it is the last match for Domain Stadium. - Published: 2017-08-18 - Modified: 2017-08-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/weekend-afl-action-18th-new-zealand-sports-news/ Great Weekend AFL Action This week’s AFL matches set for the weekend of the 18th to the 20th of August promise plenty of action and excitement for all avid punters and fans. Adelaide Crows V Sydney Swans 18 Aug - The Swans faced the Crows at last year’s semi final and walked all over them. This year however the Crows have made a fantastic recovery while the Swans have made an equally great showing. This is an incredibly tough game to call, but statistically the Crows have been better this season. Western Bulldogs V Port Adelaide 19 Aug - The Bulldogs come off a painful loss last week and the lack of forward Jack Redpath for this game will hurt even more. The Bulldogs are still the favourites to take this match, but Port Adelaide could take advantage of the undermanned Bulldog backline. Collingwood V Geelong Cats 19 Aug - The Cats are in the number 3 spot while Collingwood is currently ranked 13th. Collingwood have come out on top against the Cats before but that was with Scott Pendlebury and Brodie Grundy who will be missing from this match. Cats for the win. GWS Giants V West Coast Eagles 19 Aug - The GWS midfield should make short work of the West Coast Eagles. The Giants will win this one by as much as 20 points. Gold Coast SUNS V Essendon 19 Aug - Essondon have to win this match to make it into the top 8. They are facing a team coming off taking a big beating and Essendon may have a clear edge to push them to the win. Carlton V Hawthorn 19 Aug - With Carlton’s average mid-field performance and Hawthorn’s powerful forward attack, this match may be a predictable one. The Hawks should come out on top with at least 10 points to spare. Melbourne V Brisbane Lions 20 Aug - Melbourne needs to win 2 more games and they will be in the finals for the first time in 10 years. It should be simple when in this encounter they face a team they have beaten multiple times in previous encounters. St Kilda V North Melbourne 20 Aug - This could potentially be a quite equal matchup but the way North Melbourne has been conceding points, St Kilda should come out on top. North Melbourne cannot afford any concessions in this matchup. Fremantle V Richmond 20 Aug - A momentous occasion, as it will be Fremantle’s final game at the Domain Stadium. This game will be fought in the midfield, but Richmond’s defensive record gives them the edge in this game. Richmond should comfortable take this game by at least 15 points. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Belgian Grand Prix kicks off the 27th of August. Honda is planning to upgrade their engines ahead of or during the event but they may face stiff penalties. - Published: 2017-08-18 - Modified: 2017-08-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/belgian-grand-prix-new-zealand-sports-news/ Honda Plans Upgrades As Belgian Grand Prix Looms Kicking off on the 27th of August, the Belgian Grand Prix will be the first major race since the drivers took a much needed mid season break. The event is to be held at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. This will be round 12 of the 2017 season of F1 and at the moment Sebastian Vettel is at the top of the World Drivers’ Championship, 14 points ahead of Lewis Hamilton. Mercedes is leading the constructor’s championship rankings with an impressive 39 point lead. The 7 km course has a great combination of straights and hairpin turns and will offer a strong challenge to the drivers. New Honda Engine Upgrades Planned McLaren – Honda have been having a tough time with regards to their technical specs. The team has suffered much due to their lacklustre hardware. In May Fernando Alonso already had enough and was threatening to leave if his concerns regarding the vehicle’s technical specifications were not heard. Honda has announced now, just ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, that they have at least 6 upgrades planned for their engine. Weather the upgrades will be in time for the race , what those upgrades will entail and whether the team will pick up any penalties because of it , remains to be seen. Di Resta Returns To F1 After the Scottish driver filled in for a sick Felipe Massa, Paul di Resta is hoping to make a full time return to F1. The driver was asked to replace the sick Williams driver 2 hours before the race was due to start. Despite being unfamiliar with the car and not practiced on the course, di Resta still finished in 19th place. Technical officer for Mercedes, Paddy Lowe stated that the team are remaining open minded about recruitment for next season when asked if di Resta will be returning to the fold. At 31 year old, di Resta may be one for the older drivers, but he brings a coolness and maturity to the team as well as a wealth of experience. At the moment, one of the team’s biggest backers and father of Lance Stroll, Lawrence Stroll, prefers to back Massa as a great trainer for his son, despite Massa saying he wishes to remain in F1 for only one more season. The 2016 Grand Prix Results Nico Rosberg – Mercedes Daniel Ricciardo –Red Bull Lewis Hamilton – Mercedes Nico Hulkenberg – Force India Sergio Perez – Force India Sebestian Vettel – Ferrari Fernandio Alonso – McLaren Valterri Bottas – Williams Kimi Raikonnen – Ferrari Felipe Massa – Williams Max Verstappen – Red Bull TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > From a recent interview it seems that Floyd Mayweather is losing his faith in himself. He revealed the reasons why McGregor can beat him. - Published: 2017-08-17 - Modified: 2017-08-17 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/mayweather-losing-confidence/ Mayweather Appears To Lose Confidence Connor McGregor was always expected to be the loud and brash one in the upcoming match between him and Mayweather. It was shown in his MMA career and most recently in the two’s press tours before their iconic fight. Most of Mayweather’s responses during their press tour were calm and collected with the boxer’s confidence seeming to be infallible. In a recent interview with ESPN, some cracks started to show however. Mayweather stated that McGregor is a lot younger than he is and he has a definite size and reach advantage. He conceded that on paper, the fight leans towards a McGregor victory. He went on to say that he is not the same fighter he was 5 years ago, even 2 years ago. He also recalled how Andre Berto managed to go toe to toe with him, when a few years ago a fighter like that wouldn’t have made it as far as he did. Mayweather added that he is slipping and that he has lost a step since his heyday. Whether this is an honest comment from Mayweather or if it is a tit for tat with regards to McGregor’s fake news warfare strategy, we can’t say. It is however quite a surprising series of statements for the 49-0 fighter. McGregor Talks About Grandfather In another revelation, this time from the McGregor camp, Connor revealed his sentimental side. The fighter showed in a RTE documentary that he carries his grandfather’s hat around wherever he goes. He says he has had the hat with him since he started MMA fighting. The hat is said to remind the fighter of his younger days in the Crumlin Boxing club where he honed his craft for 7 years as a young man. His grandfather’s hat is there to keep him grounded and never forget where he comes from. That said, his $70 million paycheck might well give him a bit of amnesia. Horn Vs. Mayweather Not To Be Seen Soon In another interview with ESPN, Mayweather was asked if he would face Jeff Horn. The young upstart boxer recently surprised the world by taking down Manny Pacquiao and apparently said he wishes to take on Mayweather next. Unfortunately this fight probably will never materialise, as Mayweather had no idea who the fighter was. Massive Bets Being Placed If you are still wondering how much and on who you wish to wager, perhaps the Maloof brothers could help you out. The two businessmen and former basketball team owners have apparently placed $880 000 on Mayweather to win, with a promise of a massive donation to charity should they prove to be correct. The brothers are potentially earning $200 000 on their wager should Mayweather win. Almost all bets are siding with Mayweather, meaning the potential for value bets on McGregor is growing and growing. You can get your bets in at Sportsbet, where you’ll find great odds for the fight online. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > This weekend the PB Lawrence Stakes is being held at Caulfield and James Cumming’s Hartnell is a favourite to win it. He makes his return after a break. - Published: 2017-08-17 - Modified: 2017-08-17 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/caulfield-pb-lawrence-stakes-day/ Cummings Guns For PB Lawrence Stakes James Cumming’s Hartnell is a sure favourite in this Saturday’s PB Lawrence Stakes at Caulfield. Not only has Hartnell been consistent throughout its career, it seems to have improved this year with a series of great runs where Hartnell faced some of the best in the business. Hartnell has taken wins at the Chelmsford Stakes and the Hill Stakes, both Group 2 events. He has also taken a win at the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes, a second place at the Cox Plate, just behind rival WInx and a third place at the Group 1 Melbourne Cup. He claimed a few 2nd place spots at the Ranvet Stakes, the Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the Apollo Stakes. With a legacy like that, there are not many horses that can challenge Hartnell’s performance. Weir Has Black Heart Because of this, it seems Darren Weir’s strategy is to throw everything at the wall and see what sticks. Weir has nominated 6 of his stable to compete at the PB Lawrence Stakes. Included in his nominations is the dominating Black Heart Bart. With first place finishes in the Memsie Stakes and the Underwood Stakes this year alone, Black Heart Bart is a serious threat to Hartnell. Cummings can only hope that Black Heart Bart has not yet returned to form after a 7th at the Goodwood and a 5th at the Darley Kingsford-Smith Stakes. The odds of that are not very high though as Bart has been resting and preparing since May. Weir will also be bringing along Gailo Chop, Humidor, Amelie’s Star, Star Exhibit and Tosen Stardom. Gailo Chop is a proven French horse that should have no problems adapting to the climate to provide a competitive performance. Humidor is also a proven horse that has had a notable autumn performance that should only improve as he gets more outings and continues to train with Weir and Co. 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Abbey Marie – Michael Kent – 97 Amelie’s Star- Darren Weir -103 Betty Rae Ruby – Tim Hughes – 64 Black Heart Bart – Darren Weir – 115 Charmed Harmony – John Sadler – 100 Divine Mr Artie – Brendan McCarthy – 82 Duke Of Brunswick – Mick Price – 95 Gailo Chop – Darren Weir – 109 Hartnell – James Cummings – 115 He’s Our Rokkii – Hayes Brothers and T Dabernig – 107 Humidor – Darren Weir – 112 Inference – Hawkes Brothers – 105 Lankan Rupee – Mick Price – 112 Montoya’s Secret – Corstens Brothers – 98 Seaburg – Hayes Brothers and T Dabernig – 101 Star Exhibit – Darren Weir – 105 Tashbeeh – Hayes Brothers and T Dabernig – 101 Tosen Stardom – Darren Weir - 109 --- > This weekend sees the Silver Shadow Stakes kick off with a great field of competitors. There are many top fillies to watch out for including Seannie and Alizee. - Published: 2017-08-16 - Modified: 2017-08-16 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/exciting-silver-stakes-action/ Silver Shadow Stakes This Weekend The 19th sees the Silver Shadow Stakes take place at Randwick. This fantastic $200 000 race features a great set of 3 year old fillies this year. The Silver Shadow is the start of the Princess Series and will go into the Furious Stakes, The Tea Rose Stakes and the Flight Rose Stakes. The Potential Sprinter James Cummings nominated Alizee and Jorda, his two Godolphins. Jorda is a bit of a mystery, as she will be competing for the first time since October last year. She won her only race start at the Gimcrack Stakes then and has been quiet ever since. Alizee has grown notably since her debut. The 3 year old missed qualifying for the Golden Slipper at the Magic Night Stakes thanks to the zip of another Silver Shadow Stakes nominee, Tulip. She did not win any races as a juvenile but it is clear she has a great season ahead as a 3 year old. She seemed tired by the end of her Kindergarten Stakes run, but when she popped up again in a Rosehill trial she looked to be in fantastic shape. The Challenging Field Bjorn Baker nominated his star filly Champagne Cuddles for the Silver Shadow Stakes. The filly has already had two wins from two starts, taking the Pierro Plate in October and the Redfern Plate this year. The Lindsay Park Team has nominated Tulip and Formality, two horses who have performed great in their past runs. Tulip has had a good run so far this year. Her last run found her a 5th place at the Golden Slipper Group 1. Busuttin and Young’s Seannie will also be taking part in the Stakes after her nomination. Seannie won two starts in her two year old career, wins that included the Listed Supremacy Stakes. According to her new trainers, Seannie may well be heading to the 1500m Thousand Guineas as it seems the short sprints are holding her back. This year’s Silver Shadow Stakes is quite unpredictable. The line up features old rivals and reinvigorated fillies for a truly unique race set for fans this Saturday. 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We take a look at the top contenders and what you can expect from the race this year. - Published: 2017-08-16 - Modified: 2025-06-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/vuelta-espana-expect-2017/ What to Expect at La Vuelta a España 2017 Of the three Grand Tours, it is La Vuelta a España that stretches the capabilities of the top riders. Since every rider copes differently as the season wears on, fatigue plays a major role. Just look at Chris Froome. Of the five times he participated it La Vuelta, he only managed to don the red jersey once. This was back in 2011, after the Salamanca trial when Froome first participated in the race. He wore the jersey for just one day before handing it over to his team leader Bradley Wiggins. Despite being a formidable competitor, Froome has never been able to win La Vuelta. In his five attempts, he placed 2nd in 2011, fourth in 2012, dropped out in 2015 and came second again in 2016. When the Olympics are on, the stress of the games coupled with the long trips really takes its toll on the riders. This was Froome’s big advantage last year, something Nairo Quintana was keenly aware. Having picked up a disappointing third place in the Tour de France, Quintana skipped the Rio Olympics to in order to go all out on La Vuelta. Froome Has a Point to Prove If Froome does return this year for his sixth attempt, he will be back in order to win it once and for all. He will also be out to prove that is in fact possible to win two Grand Tours in the same season. What we have seen of his calendar so far, all points towards this. With no victories before the Tour de France, Froome is in peak condition for La Vuelta. The team contracts have not yet been confirmed but many of his Tour de France rivals have expressed their desire to compete against the Brit. La Vuelta is a breeding ground for revenge and is wide open for a multitude of riders to make their mark. Will this be the year that Romain Bardet shows his metal? Will Fabio Aru build on his 2015 success or will Alberto Contador make this his big goodbye? There is also the chance for Simon and Adam Yates to take a triple victory along with Esteban Chaves. Let’s not forget about Thomas de Gendt. A recent Internet poll voted de Gendt as the 2017’s most combative rider. Since picking up a win at Chalet Reinard in 2016, de Gendt has been itching to win an important mountain stage at La Vuelta, could Angliru be his chance? 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It features two unbeaten light welterweight fighters facing off in a unification bout. Terence Crawford holds a 31-0 record with an amazing 22 KO’s. He is both the WBC and WBO champion He is squaring off against Julius Indongo, a 22-0 fighter with 11 KO’s. Indongo holds the IBF and WBA titles. This means that this unification bout winner will hold all 4 major titles and essentially be the undisputed light welterweight champ. Crawford holds the home ring advantage since the fight is taking place in his hometown of Nebraska. There will be a large crowd of supporters for Crawford, already giving him an edge and if you want to back him, or his rival, you can do so online at Crownbet. Trash Talking Crawford Hopefully a win this weekend will help endear Crawford more with fans. In his last two fights, Crawford taunted his opponents in the ring, which did not sit well with many viewers. Crawford stated that winning this match should make him the top pound for pound contender in the ring, but currently he holds the #4 spot in the world rankings since he is boxing at a niche weight class with not many worthy challengers. To have any right to make this claim, Crawford may need to move up in weight class. Former Olympian Indongo Even though bettors are leaning towards Crawford, Indongo is a serious and understated threat. This hardy fighter from Namibia is a former Olympic level boxer who has taken down Ricky Burns and the tough as nails Eduard Troyanovsky, both former titleholders. He demonstrated in these encounters both his punching power and his ability to outlast opponents. Bettors are heavily favouring the trash talking Crawford, with most bookmakers offering odds of around 1/9 for a Crawford win and 9/1 for an Indongo win. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review The Undercard bouts Oleksander Gvozdyk V Craig Baker – Undefeated 13- 0 NABF light heavyweight title holder Gvozdyk is fighting the 17-1 Baker who will be facing his first serious opponent in his 9 year fighting career. Gvozdyk is a deadly fighter with title belt ambitions. Baker is unlikely to be able to hold out against him. Nicholas Walters V Arturo Santos Reyes – Walters with 26-1-1 should fare great against the 19-8 Reyes, despite his recent lacklustre fights. Dillian Whyte V Malcolm Tann – Whyte has ambitions to take on WBC heavyweight Deontay Wilder, to get there he will need to work through Tann first. This recently added bout will be against Malcolm Tynn, a seasoned fighter who recently came out of retirement and is quite unpredictable. Whyte should come out on top if he can outsmart the solid Tann. --- > The New Zealand men’s basketball team have qualified for the quarterfinals of the Asia cup to of the log. The Tall blacks will likely face Iraq or Jordan. - Published: 2017-08-15 - Modified: 2017-08-15 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/tall-blacks-asia-cup-quarterfinals/ Tall Blacks Qualify Top of their Group Despite a last-second defeat by South Korea, the Tall Blacks have finished top of their log at the Asia Cup. Due to the curious way in which the pool-play was set up, the New Zealand team needed a win or to lose by less than two points to book their spot in the quarterfinals. As it turns out, they did lose to South Korea by 1 point, leaving coach Paul Henare feeling vindicated after a serious bout of strategizing in the final minutes of the game. The fact that New Zealand were able to close the gap was a testament to the team and the coach. At one point the Tall Blacks were down 41-26 with halftime approaching. New Zealand were able to turn things around though, with Fin Delany putting in a massive third-quarter performance. In the final seconds of the game, South Korea had the ball and the score was 75 apiece. Coach Paul Henare was all too aware that a three-pointer would knock them off their top spot, he ordered his team to intentionally foul. With South Korea hitting one of two, the message from Henare was that it had to be their last shot. It might have been that South Korea were unaware of their circumstances as they allowed She Ili to run the clock before attempting a buzzer-beater. Strategy Wins the War Ultimately it fell short, but the 1-point deficit was enough to get the team through to the quarterfinals. While they would have liked to have won the game, Strategy played just as much of a role in the game as skill. The Tall Blacks now have to wait for the winner of the preliminary playoff game. This would most likely be Iraq or Jordan in the quarterfinal instead of a sudden death game against Japan. For much of the game, it seemed New Zealand’s Asia Cup campaign had come to an end. South Korea were looking dominant throughout the first half. Their offensive skills and the way they used multiple shooters stumped the Tall Blacks. At the same time, their sporadic zone usage meant they could take advantage of New Zealand’s lack of three-pointers. An 11-point deficit at half time and running into a number of fouls, the Tall Blacks needed a way out. Thankfully Delany stepped up to the plate. Celebrating his 22nd Birthday, he orchestrated a 27-12 third quarter and made a team-high 14 points with 8 rebounds. Delany was helped by Sam Timmins who shot 12 points with 6 rebounds and Derone Raukawa who racked up 14 points with 5 rebounds and 3 assists. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The New Zealand men’s basketball team have won their opening match at the Asia Cup. The Tall Blacks defeated Kazakhstan by 70 points to 49 in Beirut. - Published: 2017-08-14 - Modified: 2017-08-14 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/tall-blacks-win-opening-game-asia-cup/ Tall Blacks off to a Great Start at Asia Cup The New Zealand men’s basketball team have kicked off their FIBA Asia Cup campaign with a comfortable win over Kazakhstan in Beirut. Derone Raukawa impressed as usual. The young kiwi shot a game high of 17 points on 7 of 12. The opening game of the tournament was eerie to say the least. With most of the locals waiting for their home team’s performance later in the evening, the stadium was only filled with the sounds of the players on court. As a testament to the growth of the young side, the Tall Blacks were able to focus entirely on the game and work efficiently as a team. A particularly impressive second half effort was more than enough to make head coach Paul Henare crack a smile. The New Zealand team started off showing a bit of nerves, which was understandable considering the lack of experience at hand. The first half saw the Tall Blacks shoot just 31%. What they lacked in offence, the Tall Blacks made up for in defence in the first half. They locked down the back half of the court, a feat not matched by their Kazakhstani rivals. By the break, New Zealand team had taken a small lead thanks mainly to the efforts of Shea Ili who led the scoring with 7 first-half points. It was only in the second half that the team finally found their feet and attacked the basket with fierce determination. A Confidence Boost For the Team A string of three pointers from Finn Delany, Jordan Ngatai and two strong movements by Shea Ili took the score to 49-33, breaking the game wide open. The Kazakhstan team threatened a quick comeback but were shut down after a the All Blacks took a time-out with Henare imparting some words of wisdom. A strong response led by Raukawa extended their lead. Both Raukawa and Delany had busy night. Raukawa had a total of 6 rebounds with 3 assists while Delany scored a double-double of 15 points with 10 rebounds. The Tall Blacks finished out the match with a convincing 70-49 win. For his part, Henare was pleased with the teams opening effort. Speaking to the press, he said that it was a great start for the young New Zealand side. He believes they should take a lot of confidence from the game. He reiterated the fact that the Kazakhstan team are full-time professionals while the Tall Blacks are not. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2017 International Dota 2 World Championships is currently underway. There have been some surprise upsets with Evil Geniuses losing their first match. - Published: 2017-08-14 - Modified: 2017-08-14 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/esport/dota-2-international-kicks-off/ Opening Day Of The International 2017 The opening match of this year’s Dota 2 World Championships, dubbed The International, saw two powerhouses clash. Invictus Gaming faced off against Team Liquid, two ladder leaders in the sport. Both teams powered through the TI7 group stages with Team Liquid ending with a 13-3 record and Invictus Gaming ending on a 10-6 record. At the opening of the international however, Invictus Gaming started the game aggressively, using their player Ye Zhibiao to essentially roam and support his team, striking Team Liquid from the trees whenever an opportunity knocks. The day concluded with Digital Chaos facing off against IG-Vitality. Despite both teams having a pretty lacklustre match, Digital Chaos managed to beat the Chinese team. The Day 2 Highlights The second day saw two former champions clash. Evil Geniuses, the 2015 World Champions squared off against the 2014 champions, Newbee. Evil Geniuses were very much the favourites for the match but successive unnecessary mistakes cost them the win, ending the match 2-0. EU based team, Team Secret who have recently updated their squad line-up, have had a great season so far. Their new team composition balances out the wrinkles in their old team setup. This led them to trampling their Filipino rivals on the day, Execration. Cloud9 surprised no one in their match however. The underdogs put up a good fight but they stood no chance against the technical competency of Russian side, Team Empire. Infamous Fan Favourites Out South American Dota 2 team, Infamous, certainly lived up to their name this week. They featured the 16 year old prodigy, Enzo Gianoli but they were up against OG, a veteran team in the circuit. Despite OG having been quite unimpressive in their last events, they easily steamrolled Infamous. The Final Prize Pool Fans were speculating last week on what the final prize pool for The International 2017 will be after it was announced that the event will have a unique way of compiling the prize purse. Portions of sales of Blizzard’s Dota2 titles would go to building the prize pool more and more. A few weeks ago it was standing at over $20 million. As the event kicked off this week the final prize pool was announced at $24 million. This immense pool is a nearly $4 million increase over last year’s pool. Not a bad growth rate when you consider that when the event started in 2011, the prize pool was at $1 million. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Alberto Contador has announced that he will be retiring from professional cycling. The legend will be taking part in his last Vuelta A Espana this year. - Published: 2017-08-13 - Modified: 2017-08-13 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/contador-retire-spain/ Contador To Retire After Vuelta A Espana Alberto Contador announced this week that he will be hanging up his shorts following the conclusion of the Vuelta A Espana. He is one of only 6 cyclists that have won all three of the major cycling tour events. He did so in an amazing 14 year career that was only hampered by a doping ban he received. Despite this the 34 year old still holds 7 Grand Tour wins and an impressive legacy for his country. “El Pistolero” as he is affectionately known chose to make his final race in his home country, making the Vuelta A Espana the ideal finish for this cyclist. Bardet Signing Up For Vuelta A Espana Frenchman Romain Bardet has announced that he will indeed be joining the Vuelta A Espana this year, claiming he wishes to break the monotony of his regular schedule. This means he will be reuniting with his Tour De France rivals, Froome and Aru. Bardet finished in third place in the Tour and it seems he still has some scores to settle. He has also publically stated that he will have different goals in the Spanish Tour than he did for the Tour De France and will be aiming to focus on making strong finishes in the stages that play to his strengths. Froome Warms Up Before Tour Tour De France champ Chris Froome is currently still in France. The cyclist is doing some altitude training while also recovering in Chatel in France. He is also appearing in some special criteruim races in the Netherlands and Kazakhstan in between. These races will definitely ensure that Froome is in top form when he meets many of his rivals again in the Tour of Spain event. Australian Hansen Joins Up Adam Hansen will make a record breaking 19th consecutive tour appearance this year at the Vuelta A Espana. The cyclist was set to miss the tour thanks to a saddle sore and was set to take a much needed break after cycling 18 consecutive tours. However the cycling team Lotto-Soudal have approached the veteran and asked that he replace Rafael Valls who managed to break his hip during a crash while training. The team is also still reeling after the loss of Louis Vervaeke, Jurgen Roelandts and Frederik Frison. Tough Climbs Ahead Kicking off the 19th August, the Vuelta A Espana will start with a 13. 7km team trial in Nimes. Two more stages are set to take place in France before the cyclist head into Spain on the 22nd. Most fans would ideally not like to see a repeat of the Tour De France which was essentially a Froome domination. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Jason Day looks ready to tackle the 2017 USPGA Championship. The golfer has had a tough year so far and has a lot to prove to both fans and himself. - Published: 2017-08-13 - Modified: 2017-08-13 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/day-confident-uspga-goals/ Jason Day Ready For USPGA Championship 2017 Despite an emotionally draining year after his mother was diagnosed with Lung Cancer, Jason Day feels that he can up his game and bring a consistency back to the USPGA Championships. A former world no1, Day is currently ranked 7th and so far his biggest win this year was a runner up finish at the Byron Nelson Classic. His Majors records are a mixed bag of top 30 results but if last week’s Bridgestone Invitational performance is anything to go by, Day is in good form at the moment. Day would need to make full use of his driving strength to make the most out of the Quail Hollow course which stretches across almost 7000m this year. McIlroy V Spieth Rory McIlroy has been earmarked as the man to put the kibosh on Jordan Spieth heading to become the youngest player to make a career Grand Slam. McIlroy is one of the most experienced golfers at Quail Hollow, having won a Championship at the venue in 2010 and still holding the course record. McIlroy has stated that he is taking this round very seriously as he knows he stands a great chance to take home the title. That said, Spieth currently has a lot of momentum behind him and everything to prove to both fans and critics alike. Some Notable Odds There are a few great value bets to be found at online bookmakers like Crownbet. One of the best odds is a 16/1 on Rickie Fowler taking the Championships. Since most fans and bettors are focusing their attention on the McIlroy and Spieth rivalry, a lot of pressure has been taken off Fowler. Fowler has stated his love of Quail Hollow and he has previously won the Championship here, in his 2012 season. Danny Lee just made it into the tour this year. He previously made it to 9th and 13th place in 2016 and 2015 respectively and many bookmakers are giving 14/1 odds on Lee making it into the top ten. Lee is talented and consistent enough to be a serious top 10 contender making these great odds for an underdog bet. Finally you may also find 40/1 odds on Justin Thomas. With a top ten finish in 2015 and his massive drive, Thomas is most definitely a long shot, but he has really come into his own in recent years and he is definitely a player to keep an eye on. When he is on, he is on. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Craig Lowndes saw a return to form last week at Ipswich. Fans will be waiting to see if he continues his great racing at the Red Rooster SuperSprint in Sydney. - Published: 2017-08-12 - Modified: 2017-08-12 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/lowndes-prove-red-rooster/ Supercars Field Gearing Up For Red Rooster Taking place between the 18th and 20th August, the Red Rooster SuperSprint is the next major event on the Supercars calendar. Craig Lowndes is definitely ready to impress at the event after his miraculous climb up the rankings, following his great performance at Queensland Raceway. The Red Rooster will however be the test for Lowndes to show that he is truly getting back into form. Lowndes has had a fantastic record in Queensland as he is quite familiar with the track. With the assistance of engineer John McGregor they managed to find a balance between car, track and driver that definitely helped with Lowndes gaining the ground he so needed after a season of back of the race starts. The qualified racer does not have anything to prove, but it would be great to see Lowndes work his way back into the top 5 and the Red Rooster may well be the venue to show whether he is serious this season or not. Call For Split Qualifying Session Following a series of regrettable near crashes, Garth Tander has made a call to split qualifying sessions in two to make these runs safer on the shorter circuits. At Barbagallo Shane Gisbergen nearly crashed when he had to turn onto the grass top avoid slower vehicles on the course for example. When drivers and engineers were polled they seemed split on whether or not the qualifying system should be changed, but it definitely seems that there is much risk attached at the moment. Federal Funding For Second Bathurst Circuit Graeme Hanger, the mayor of Bathurst has announced that there will be a $10 million investment into constructing a second track at the Mount Panorama course. This second track will be a 4. 5km stretch to compliment the current 6. 2km course. The development project will also include the construction of the Velocity Park business hub. The $10 million granted by the regional government will be further complimented by a $15 million New South Wales grant. So far $35 million of the projected $52 million budget has been raised. James Warburton, Supercars CEO has already stated that he is very interested in scheduling a SuperSprint round on the new track as soon as it is completed. 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He has had a few promising runs since trainer Mick Price bought him. - Published: 2017-08-12 - Modified: 2017-08-12 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/vain-stakes-feature-lone-eagle/ Lone Eagle Heads To Vain Stakes Trainer Mick Price is set to put his young horse, Lone Eagle through its paces at the upcoming Vain Stakes. Mick picked up the 3 year old at the 2016 Magic Millions sale. The Zoffany colt has had a few races and is yet to make a massive splash, but he is still young and Price sees allot of talent in him. While Lone Eagle is currently in the paddocks on a break, he is set to return for the $150 000, 1100m Vain Stakes. His previous accomplishments include a win against Evil Cry during their 2 year old handicap race. Price will only be targeting 3 year old sprint races with Lone Eagle, with no plans to push him over a mile. Price’s ideal is to have Lone Eagle run the Melbourne Cup Carnival on Victoria Derby Day, ideally in the Coolmore Stud Stakes, but before he can attain that goal, Lone Eagle will need to perform well at the PB Lawrence undercard, the Vain Stakes. Lone Eagle will also be joined by veteran stablemate Cao Cao. Merchant Navy To Potentially Show The two year old Merchant Navy, trained by Ciaron Maher may also be competing at the Vain Stakes. The unbeaten horse was originally scheduled for a Group 1 Golden Rose and Caulfield Guineas contender but he has shown that sprinting distances are his strength. It depends on how Merchant Navy trials, but he may also be joined by his stablemate Jukebox at the Vain Stakes. Maher also has plans to push her sprinters through to the Coolmore Stud Stakes, but they will need to overcome the PB Lawrence hurdles first. Both horses may be young but they have certainly put on allot of muscle and could be real contenders next weekend. The Vain Stakes should bring bettors the best of Group 3 action. This fast paced run usually shows the best sprinters to back for the upcoming Coolmore Stud. With its massive prize pot of $150 000 its more than a bit of loose change and generally it helps set the tone for the rest of the Spring Carnival. Top Trainers and Jockeys Heading into the Vain Stakes, the current top trainers and jockeys are: Premiership Standings for Jockeys: Craig Williams Beau Mertens Swayne Dunn Ven Allen Damien Oliver Standings For Trainers: Darren Weir The Hayes Brothers Robert Smerdon Mick Price Chris Waller TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > We are heading closer to the Belgium Formula 1 Grand Prix. The event is already nearly sold out with 260 000 fans set to attend the exciting weekend. - Published: 2017-08-11 - Modified: 2017-08-11 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/red-bull-ready-belgian-gp/ Belgium Formula 1 Kicking off on Friday the 25th, the Belgian Formula 1 race is the first major event after the Summer F1 break. Red Bull and McLaren are dead set to launch aggressively into the Grand Prix when their tyre selection was revealed the weekend. Both teams have opted for 9 of Pirelli’s ultra soft, purple marked tyres. Both Riccardio and Verstappen will have 9 of the ultra soft sets, 3 of Pirellis Red Supersoft sets and 1 set of Yellow Soft tyres. Mercedes, Force India and Haas have taken similar approached to each other. They have only opted for 6 of the Ultra soft sets, aiming for more conservative racing specs, while Ferrari has taken a middle ground with 7 Ultra soft sets. Lewis Hamilton however has opted for 4 soft, 3 Supersoft and 6 Ultrasoft. Friday sees 3 sets of practice runs, Saturday features the qualifying race and Sunday sees the main race. This track features a 7km course resulting in an overall race length of 308km. The track record is held by Sebastian Vettel for a time of 1:47. 263. Record Crowds Expected It seems that with all the grandstand tickets sold out and only Friday and Saturday general admittance tickets left, fans can expect a packed house this weekend. According to Andre Maes, this will be the first time since Michael Schumacher’s attendance in 2001 which resulted in crowds of over 250 000. The same is expected this weekend and it seems thanks to the popularity of Max Verstappen. Credit also goes to the attendance of Stoffel Vandoorne and also in part to the removal of the German GP meaning that the Belgium GP has become even more of a premier event. This course certainly deserves the adoration, since it has hosted Grand Prix events since the 1950’s. Vettel To Face Verstappen Again After Complaints During the British Grand Prix, Vettel regularly complained via team radio that Verstappen was under braking. This was while the two drivers were battling to attain third place. Vettel stated in interviews afterwards that Verstappen will need to be “better behaved” while he drives defensively. Verstappen however recalled Vettel’s 9 disciplinary points so far along with his deliberate recent crash into Hamilton and stated that he does not think that Vettel should be listened to. If Vettel has moved his wrath from Hamilton to Verstappen, Red Bull could soon have problems on their hands. 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The Giants have the return of Shane Mumford on their side but it may not be enough. Sydney Swans v Fremantle 12 August With their tight defence, the Swans will have this one stitched up. Fremantle does not have the attacking chops to crack the Swans. Geelong Cats v Richmond 12 August Richmond is the favourites in this match after the Cats have lost Joel Selwood, Tom Hawkins and Mitch Duncan. Brisbane Lions v Gold Coast SUNS 12 August The Lions have the advantage in this game. The Suns have had a very poor away record and lost 5 of their previous 7 clashes with the Lions. Not to mention the Suns sacked their coach on Monday night, which does not bode well for this weekend’s matches. Essendon v Adelaide Crows 12 August With more top 100 players than any side and a lead in contested possession in the league, the Crows should come out on top in this game. The Crows have won 3 of their previous encounters with Essendon by more than 80- points. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review West Coast Eagles v Carlton 12 August The Eagles must win this game, fortunately Carton are reeling from 7 straight losses so the Eagles should be able to capitalise and grab the win. Melbourne v St Kilda 13 August A must win for both sides, St Kilda are coming off a narrow win last week. There have been many mistakes made on the Melbourne side but they stand a string chance to beat St Kilda the weekend if they can keep their heads in the game. Hawthorn v North Melbourne 13 August Hawthorne is still keeping their top 4 dreams alive and will put up a strong battle against Melbourne who is still recovering from losses. The Hawks should snatch the victory here. Port Adelaide v Collingwood 13 August Just out of sheer desperation, Adelaide may come out on top here. Collingwood have shown that they can challenge teams anywhere on the AFL ladder and Adelaide comes off a painful defeat last week by their rivals the Crows. --- > With a record eighth title in the bag, the Crusaders coach has turned his attention to where the team should call home. A new stadium is a must. - Published: 2017-08-10 - Modified: 2017-08-10 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/crusaders-need-new-stadium/ Crusaders Deserve a New Stadium Having scooped up their eighth title and made Super Rugby, the Crusaders can now turn their attention to where they should be playing their home matches. Their current pitch is just a stone throw’s away from Addington Raceway and is clearly not the ideal spot for the big games. This became evident towards the latter half of the season. The waterlogged quarterfinal against the Highlanders, played during a civil defence state of emergency was one thing. Playing the Chiefs in sub-zero temperatures a week later was quite another. At both games, the crowd attendance was poor. This was not a factor of how the city values the game of ruby. We have to remember, these are supporters who have already been through so much since the earthquakes in 2011. It was simply a case of people not wanting to put themselves in more discomfort. The Crusader’s current stadium is a true symbol of resourcefulness and embodies the spirit of Christchurch. That being said, it was designed as a temporary structure to get the city through to 2017. The stadium is held up by scaffolding, has no real shelter and allows both the south and north-east winds to whip around unencumbered. It really is a cold and inhospitable spot to watch sports for six months of the year. All Sporting Codes Can Benefit It’s not just the Crusaders who can benefit from a new stadium. All of the football codes including rugby league will be better off with a fully kitted stadium. There has been talk of a multi-purpose indoor stadium on the cards, but is really is time for action now. This is something Scott Robertson reiterated after his team’s epic victory at Ellis Park. One of the questions Robertson faced after the match was if the win might have been that little bit more special for Crusaders supporters, considering what they have been through. In his reply, Robertson spoke about the future and how there needs to be a clear decision at government level about building a new stadium. Robertson said that the details would work themselves out when someone in the province makes the call for action. He went on to say that the team deserves a structure that is not temporary. Most of all it is for the supporters of the game. 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If he can pull off another victory, he will be the first back to back winner of a major title since Tiger Woods who accomplished the feat in 2007. It may be an uphill challenge for Walker, not because he does not have the chops, but because of his flagging form since winning the event. It turns out that bouts of weakness and mood swings were down to Walker being diagnosed with Lyme disease. The mere fact that Walker still has the skills to make the cut definitely puts him in contention for the win. And Edge For McIlroy It was last in 2014 that McIlroy took a PGA title. He has managed 6 top ten finishes, with the highlight being a 4th finish at Birkdale this year. Quail Hollow is a little different for McIlroy however. The player not only holds the course record, but it is the venue where he won his fort major title in 2010 and another title in 2015. McIlroy will need to adjust to 4 new holes installed at the venue for the event, but he will have a fresh start with a new caddie after the split from his old caddie, JP Fitzgerald. Spieth Grand Slam Attempt Gene Sarazen, Gary Player, Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Ben Hogan hold the honour of being the youngest players to win a career Grand Slam. If he ups his game at Quail Hollow, he could be joining those players in the annals of golfing. Spieth has only been part of the USPGA Championships 4 times, he even miss the cut his forts two starts. Spieth is only 24 years old but he has already won 3 times in 2017 and has moved up from his 13th place ranking in 2016. He has a very strong field to plow through first however, especially with McIlroy hinting at greatness. He will also need to contend with Dustin Johnson and Henrik Stenson who have both profited from their consistence this year. If you want to bet on this event head on over to Crownbet and get your wagers in online. The Current PGA Top 10 Rankings Dustin Johnson Henrik Stenson Rory McIlroy Phil Mickelson Jason Day Matt Kuchar Sergio Garcia Zach Johnson Jordan Spieth Justin Rose TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Paul Malignaggi, former boxing champ and professional fighter quit the McGregor camp last week. Tensions between the two came to a boiling point last week. - Published: 2017-08-09 - Modified: 2017-08-09 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/mcgregor-sparring-partner-quits/ McGregor In Trouble As Sparring Partner Quits A few weeks ago former boxing champ Paul Malignaggi was revealed as Conor McGregor’s new sparring partner to help him brush up on his boxing chops, then last week Malignaggi shows up for an interview with a black eye, now it comes out that Malignaggi has quit the McGregor camp in pretty acrimonious circumstances. Joe Cortez, the veteran boxing ref that has been assisting McGregor in his training revealed to a local radio station that he had to physically separate the two fighters during routine sparring bout as things were getting so heated between the two. Perhaps because Malignaggi has previously stated that if he had to fight McGregor he would “knock his beard off”. Malignaggi explained further in his podcast that he did have some unresolved issues going into the training bout and that he gave McGregor a hard 12 round sparring session that got “very dirty”. Unfortunately things took another bad turn when Gerard Byrne from the McGregor team posted an image on Instagram of Malignaggi on his back and McGregor towering over him. Malignaggi of course did not respond in kind, making multiple social media posts demanding that the team post the full unedited video of the fight which he knows the UFC recorded. Malignaggi has now separated from the McGregor camp, meaning that they are now without a professional fighter to set the bar for his fight with Mayweather. Fake News Over Mayweather Arrest Meanwhile more social media revelations turned out to be fake news. Videos emerged stating that Floyd Mayweather was arrested and that the upcoming McGregor vs Mayweather bout was cancelled. It turned out that the footage was taken from Mayweather’s 2010 arrest for domestic violence and simple edited to look like a recent event. The Mayweather camp has not made any comment on the fake news article but debunking website, Snopes, has published detailed information on the fake article and cleared up much confusion from fans. Betting Is Getting Crazy Even though Malignaggi stated that McGregor “whimpers like a girl” when he takes body shots, it hasn’t changed the fact that many bookmakers are now reducing the odds on McGregor losing the fight. It seems the McGregor hype train is accomplishing what they have set out to do. In fact, betting fever has gotten to former heavyweight with the UFC, Brendan Schaub who wagered that McGregor will last the full 12 rounds in the upcoming match. He stated that if he loses the bet he shall be sending a picture of his genitals to all the contacts in his phone. Unfortunately most bookies will not accept this bet, instead you will find that Mayweather is still the favourite with many bookmakers offering even money bets on who will win the first round by KO. Get you bets in at Sportsbet and see whether you can predict which fighter takes the title. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > A Great Group of fillies will be competing at the Quezette Stakes. Top trainers have staked their reputations on notable new comers and fresh starts. - Published: 2017-08-09 - Modified: 2017-08-09 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/fillies-favourites-quezette/ Fillies To Dominate Quezette Stakes Catchy, the filly from the famed Lindsey Park stable is set for a first up run at the Quezette Stakes on the 19th. She is a former Group One Blue Diamond winner and a strong contender for the 1100m race. Catchy will remain in Melbourne for now, pending her performance results this Spring. She could potentially change from her Thousand Guineas course to aim for the Caulfield Guineas to compete with the geldings and colts there. The Debut Of Kiwi Seannie Punters will also see a fresh filly face at the Quezette stakes. Seannie is making her debut in Group 3 of the Quezette. She is co owned by New Zealand duo Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young. The idea is to train Seannie up for a Group 1 Thousand Guineas performance in October. So far the filly has had two great starts for her previous owner, Simon Miller and she also managed to get in a dominant win at the Listed Supremacy Stakes at Ascot. Webb Witness To Capitalise Crown Witness, trained by Stuart Webb will be making a run at the Quezette Stakes as well. So far the filly has somehow managed to maintain an unbeaten record, confirmed powerfully last weekend when she claimed the Winter Lodge Handicap in Flemington, bagging a cool $120 000. She has proven herself on the short course, which is why Webb is eyeing to send her to the Quezette, but at the same time the trainer has higher hopes. He is hoping to test her on 1200m and 1400m courses after seeing signs that the horse may be wanting a tougher challenge. Her jockey, Ben Thompson however believes she still has a lot of natural improvements she can make before the team push her to more taxing races. Crown Witness was bred to be a short range sprinter but her recent success has convinced Webb that she could have even more potential in more taxing races. Shoals Unbeaten Lee Freedman has brought another legend to the field with the so far unbeaten filly, Shoals. Shoals was sired by Fastnet Rock and won her last race at Randwick when she took the Percy Sykes Stakes on a wet track. Depending on how she trials in Flemington, she will be heading to the Quezette stakes, but Lee may wait another week if she isn’t on form yet. Freedman also feels that Shoals is strong enough to take on 1400m and even 1600m races, but he will focus on the short course wins first. If you think you’d be backing a winner by betting on Shoals get your wagers in online at Sportsbet. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand’s Lydia Ko has made the cut at the Woman’s British Open. Ko carded a 2-under par 70 to make the cut by a single stroke with plenty of work to do - Published: 2017-08-08 - Modified: 2017-08-08 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/lydia-ko-makes-cut-british-open/ Ko Makes the Cut at British Open New Zealand’s Lydia Ko managed to just make the cut line at the Woman’s British Open in Scotland, but she needed a helping hand to get there. Bouncing back from a poor opening round, Ko carded a respectable 2-under par 70 to make the cut by a single stroke at 1-under par through the two rounds. Ko, a former world number 1, jumped a massive 29 places to share 65th place. She got there by clocking two birdies on the back nine, giving her just enough leverage to scrape through. While she might not be playing at her best, Ko has now made 25 cuts out of 26 majors, which includes all five of the British Opens she has played. This one though, was a close call. For most of the day, it seemed as if Ko would miss the cut. Fortunately for the Kiwi, the cut mark suddenly dropped from 2-under to 1-under as other golfers dropped shots in the not-so-perfect conditions. Having struggled with putting issues at the Scottish Open, Ko again had a bad opening with the putter. The 20-year-old took 65 puts in total over the first two days, completely negating the good work done by the driver and iron work. In-Kuyng Kim Holds the Lead While Ko set a decent bogey-free round, several of her challengers set lower scores and a tough pace on the top of the leader board. Ko finished the second day 10 shots behind Korean Leader In-Kyung Kim who held a two-shot lead over America’s Lexi Thompson and England’s Georga Hall. Kim is playing fantastic golf lately and is a two-time winner on the LPGA tour. She will no doubt face a tough challenge from Thompson who as crept her way up to second in the world rankings. World number 1, So Yeon Ryu also had a bad opening round and ended up alongside Ko as one-under par. Meanwhile world number 3, Ariya Jutanugarn, completely missed the cut. The third round offered a bit of hope for Ko, but she failed to get going in Kingsbarns. The New Zealand hopeful carded a one over round of 73 mixing three birdies with four bogeys. She is currently even par for the tournament and sharing the 64th spot, a massive 17 shots back from the leader In-Kyung Kim. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Mat Fraser and Tia Toomey are the two crowned champs of the 2017 CrossFit games. The two athletes’ positions were hard won, with only Fraser dominating fully. - Published: 2017-08-08 - Modified: 2017-08-08 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/2017-crossfit-games-results/ The CrossFit Games Results For 2017 American Mat Fraser and Australian Tia-Clair Toomey finished in the top podium position this weekend at the conclusion of the Reebok CrossFit Games. The two champs have previously claimed CrossFit titles and this year they were definitely hard won as the competitors really upped their game. Fraser Continues Form This is the second title for Mat Fraser who was defending his 2016 win. It is also the fourth time that he has made it into the top 3 of the games. Fraser battled for 2 years, ending in second place each time before he finally won the 2016 games and hasn’t looked back since. In the process Fraser also set the margin of error for point’s record, further compounding his domination in the last two years. Brent Fikowski showed a massively improved form after he finished in second place, two spots higher than his 4th place finish in 2016. Newcomer Ricky Garard finished in third place. Top 10 Mens Poduim Finishers Mathew Fraser 2. Brent Fikowski 3. Ricky Garard 4. Patrick Vellner 5. Noah Ohlsen 6. Bjorgvin Karl Gudmundsson 7. Scott Panchik 8. Ben Smith 9. Alex Anderson 10. Jonne Koski First Time No1 For Toomey Not only is this Tia-Clair Toomey’s first win at the CrossFit games, it is also the first time an individual win has been claimed by an Australian. She can now officially be termed the fittest woman in the world after this win and her great runner up finish in weightlifting at the 2016 Olympic Games. This is Toomey’s third podium appearance at the games after finishing 2nd twice in previous games. It was very narrowly fellow Australian, Kara Webb who took home the gold. Webb kept the competition neck and neck against Toomey, despite this being Webb’s first CrossFit games. Even though Toomey finished 8th in the Fibonacci Final, the last fitness event of the tournament, it still earned her a 2 point advantage over Webb and the claim to the No1 spot on the podium. Annie Thorisdottir who claimed the 2011 and 2012 CrossFit Games finished in third place the weekend. She has made 5 overall podium appearances in her career. Former two time champ Katrin Davidsdottir, also from Iceland finished in 5th place. Top 10 Womens Podium Finishers Tia-Clair Toomey 2. Kara Webb 3. Annie Thorisdottir 4. Ragnheidur Sara Sigmundsdottir 5. Katrin Tanja Davidsdottir 6. Tennil Reed-Beuerlein 7. Kristin Holte 8. Jamie Greene 9. Samantha Briggs 10. Kari Pearce TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Fabio Aru has been confirmed as the team lead for Astana. They are heading to Vuelta A Espana trials mid August to improve on their Tour De France showing. - Published: 2017-08-07 - Modified: 2017-08-07 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/vuelta-espana-feature-aru/ Vuelta A Espana One of the main contenders for the Tour de France, Fabio Aru, will be facing many of his rivals once again in this year’s Vuelta A Espana. The Italian cyclist has been selected as the team lead for Astana in the event. He will be joined by team mates Miguel Angel Lopez, Pello Bilboa and Luis Leon Sanchez. The team is ready for the Vuelta A Espana after they managed a relatively disappointing 5th in the Tour De France. Aru has overcome many challenges in the Tour and he has commented that the 5th place position to him is a glass half full situation. His actual disappointment came in April when a nasty crash during his training sessions cost him a chance to compete in the Giro ‘de Italia which kicked off in his home town of Sardinia. Bronchitis cost Aru the chance to be at his most competitive in the Tour De France and fans are hoping that being back in a more familiar climate will give Aru more of an edge. Aru is no stranger to the Vuelta Espana, the cyclist won an overall victory in the 2015 event but did not compete in 2016 due to his preparation for the Olympics and the Tour De France. Bad Luck Lopez Miguel Angel Lopez’s last notable win was in the Tour of Austria where he finished in the third overall position in July. Before that however a series of unfortunate crashes plagued the rider. In the 2016 Vuelta A Espana the Colombian cyclist came down in the 3rd stage losing three of his teeth, he still managed to cycle for three more stages before abandoning the race. At the Tour de Suisse where he won a previous victory, Lopez crashed again, walking away with a broken thumb. The Solid Backing Aru’s other two team mates, Pello Bilboa and Luis Leon Sanchez, were part of the 8 man team that represented Astana at the Giro d’Italia this year without the injured Aru. They did not make any notable stage wins but Sanchez was awarded the special Cima Scarponi prize for making it past the Mortirolo first. Heading into the Vuelta A Espana that kicks off trials in mid August, Sanchez and Bilbao are taking part in other Grand Tour events. Sanchez is enlisted in the Tour de Pologne and Bilboa is scheduled for the Vuelta a Burgos along with teammate Lopez. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Robert Kubica could be making his return to Formula 1. The Polish driver tested the Renault 2017 car in Hungary, six years after his last race. - Published: 2017-08-07 - Modified: 2017-08-07 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/robert-kubica-tests-renault-f1-car-hungary/ Robert Kubica Poised for F1 Return Robert Kubica could be making his return to Formula 1 by the end of the year. The Polish driver begun F1 testing in Hungary this week, six years after a rally crash ended his Grand Prix career prematurely. The accident in 2011 resulted in Kubica partially severing his right for forearm and forcing him to withdraw from professional racing. Now it seems he is back and determined to get back into the swing of things. The 32-year-old pulled onto the Hungarian circuit in Budapest for the first time in a Renault 2017 car. Kubica had previously conducted tests in older machines but this was the first time the Pole got a feel of the current setup. Racing with BMW Sauber in 2008, Kubica hold the honour of being a previous race winner. After his accident, he vowed he would only return to Formula One as a drive and not a guest. On Tuesday this week, Kubica passed the mandatory extraction test on the car. This involved showing that he could extract himself from the car within five seconds and replace the steering wheel inside of 10 seconds. In a brief statement before the test, Kubica told the press that he wanted to have a comfortable feeling with the car and at the same time wanted the team to be happy with his performance. He went on to say that is was not about lap times and pace, rather feedback and commitment to the team. Strong Support for Kubica Since showing off his skills in the 2012 Renault car kitted out with demonstration tires and a V8 engine, there has been a lot of speculation that Kubica could be making his return sooner rather than later. Renault’s managing director, Cyril Abiteboul said that Kubica is still very quick and consistent on the track. More importantly though, the team feels that he still has the enthusiasm and drive from his former years. Kubica could have his shot at the end of the season. A spot could open up on the team if Britain’s Jolyon Palmer continues his poor on-track performance. Palmer is currently one of only two drivers who have yet to score a single point in the current Formula 1 season. Meanwhile Kubica has plenty of support behind him. In a press statement, Lewis Hamilton said that Robert is one of the quickest drivers he has ever raced against. He believes that Kubica has raw talent, which not a lot of drivers have at this level. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Wellington Phoenix have lost their round of 32 match against the Western Sydney Wonderers. The wonderers scored with just seconds’ left on the clock. - Published: 2017-08-06 - Modified: 2017-08-06 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/wellington-phoenix-defeated-western-sydney/ Last Second Woes for Wellington Phoenix Wellington Phoenix has lost their FFA Cup round-of-32 clash against the Western Sydney Wonderers thanks to a last second goal from the Aussie side. After 120 minutes of back and forth action, it seemed the match was destined for a penalty shootout. However, a late corner by the Sydney side gave their new Spanish player, Oriol Riera the opportunity to become an instant hero. Rising above the rest, Rieira neatly slotted in a header in the last seconds of the match to give the Wonderers a 1-0 lead and ultimately the win. Looking at the attacking statistics, the home side deserved the victory. While there was definitely weight towards one side of the field, this was clearly a match between two teams that were still finding their feet. Just two months into the A-league season, both sides lacked the elegance of a cohesive unit. Flowing passes were rare and while both sides had plenty of fire, goal chances were not easy to come by. A Promising Start While they might not have won the match, Phoneix coach Darije Kalezic will be fairly pleased with his side’s performance. Western Sydney definitely had more opportunities but for their part Wellington were playing a good defensive game. This was something the coach had been focusing on and it was clearly seen in action at the Campbelltown Stadium. The solid line of defence at the back of the field was even more impressive if you consider the fact that the skipper Andrew Durante was sitting the game out due to injury along with eight other players. The gap at the back meant that Tom Doyle was pulled into the back four along with reserve team player Liam Wood. The Australian side started the match well, enjoy the bulk of the possession in the first half. While they had one or two good opportunities, Phoenix goalkeeper Lewis Italiano was never put to the test. Goal chances were on both sides of the field but it was Roy Krishna who caused the most grief for the Wonderers defence. The Fijian used his pace and close control to find a way through the gaps, but never quite finding the right opportunity to score. It seems Krishna is going to be Phoenix’s main striker for the season, although he can most certainly do with some help up front. Wanderers skipper Robbie Cornthwaite got hint at goal early in the second half but was denied by a good from a flying Italiano. Chances can and went for the home side but it wasn’t until the final seconds of the game that any of their efforts found the back of the net. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Trainer David Vandyke has enjoyed huge success at trials in the Sunshine Coast. Vandyke aims to take his winners to the rack with Yankee Rose leading. - Published: 2017-08-06 - Modified: 2017-08-06 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/yankee-rose-race-memsie-stakes/ Yankee Rose Returns for Spring Season Yankee Rose, the Group One racing star impressed this week, becoming one of six trail winners at the Sunshine Coast for trainer David Vandyke. Now Vandyke hopes to continue his success this Saturday at a race meeting. Since moving to Queensland 14 months ago, the Sydney-based trainer has enjoyed huge success, finishing in the top 10 trainers in the state and metropolitan titles. Starting this Saturday, Vandyke aims to increase his presence on the track this season. First up, he plans on brining Alpha Beat and Skillful to the Doomben. In the upcoming weeks, Vandyke will be taking more of his trial winners to the racetrack, with Yankee Rose leading the charge. Speaking to the press, Vandyke said that it felt good to have runners at the trials and win them all. It would be better if he could repeat it on race day, something he hopes will happen this coming Saturday. While Yankee Rose only just won her trial, according to Vandyke, she knows the difference between a trial and a race. The main thing for him was the fact that she was happy throughout the trial and finished strongly. Yankee will be heading off to Cranbourne on the 21st of August for more trials before kicking of her spring campaign. Three Races on the Cards for Yankee Rose Vandyke has plans to race at her at the Group 1 Memsie Stakes on the 2nd of September. Following this, she will make a start at the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes on the 16th of September followed by the Group 1 Underwood Stakes on the 1st of October. Vandyke said the schedule fits in well no matter if he goes with the Caulfield Cup or the Cox plate. The man taking up the reins this spring will be Dean Yendall. Vandyke confirmed that Yendall has been out due to an injury but will be back in the saddle soon. Speaking about the upcoming season, Vandyke said that he doesn’t think he has enough horses to challenge for a top three placing on the Metropolitan table but he would definitely be aiming for a top six finish. He did say, he is keen to train another group 1 winner. Alpha Beat won the Adelaide Guineas under the training of Anthony Cummings, then went on to win in three states. According to Vandyke, he is not really suited for a hard track. The upcoming race will probably be a tester for him. Meanwhile Skillfull was a strong winner in Queensland and Vandyke is keen to see what he can do. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Fans are criticising the decision to appoint a South African referee for the Super Rugby Finals. Fans feel this creates a bias in the Crusaders and Lions match. - Published: 2017-08-05 - Modified: 2017-08-05 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/controversy-super-rugby-final/ Referee Causes Furore Before Super Rugby Final Controversy has hit the Super Rugby finals match between the Lions and the Crusaders. Jaco Peyper, a South African referee has been appointed as the official ref for the finals match, a decision many Kiwi fans disagree with. South African fans have been up in arms that there would even be a suggestion that the referee‘s ability to be impartial should be questioned. Last weekend Peyper was the referee for the Lions v Hurricanes match and he made a very controversial call for a foul on Beauden Barrett which debatably lead to a turn of the Lions fortunes. The team was down 29-22, but during Barrett’s time in the sin bin, the Lions clawed their way to a 39-29 lead and eventual victory. It has been mentioned that last year Glen Jackson, a New Zealander officiated over the Lions v Hurricanes final without complaint. Away Game Concerns Meanwhile the New Zealand Rugby Chief Medical Officer has raised his concerns regarding the fact that the Crusaders will be playing an away game for the finals. The team will be facing a 16 hour travel time. This is down to a flawed schedule in this year’s Super Rugby matches which resulted in the Lions not playing a single New Zealand side in their Super Rugby run. NZ Rugby medical chief, Ian Murphy stated that due to the effects of jetlag, when the two sides meet on Saturday, the Crusader’s body clocks will be set to 2am. The Crusaders team will be attempting to manage and mitigate the effects of the jetlag with sleeping pills, melatonin and hydration. The Loss Of A Legend Unfortunately this controversy has overshadowed the loss of former All Blacks Captain, John Graham. He passed away aged 82 and will be sorely missed in the world of Rugby. He played for the All Blacks between 1958 and 1964. During his tour of South Africa during the height of its apartheid era, Graham was appalled by what he saw and boycotted the Springbok tours in 1981. Graham had stints as a coach, radio commentator and a professional pundit. He also spent time as the chancellor of the University of Auckland and was voted New Zealander of the year by North and South magazine. He was also made patron of the Auckland University Rugby Club. After a long battle with cancer in recent years, Graham finally succumbed. Support, praise and sadness followed the announcement from fans and luminaries of Rugby. Many people turned to Twitter to voice their condolences and to share memories of the great man. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Saturday sees the start of Australia’s black type season at Randwick. New Zealand punters will be keen on the sprinters in the Group 2 Missile Stakes. - Published: 2017-08-05 - Modified: 2017-08-05 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/missile-stakes-randwick/ Previewing Saturday’s Missile Stakes at Randwick There’s plenty of online betting action available across the Tasman for New Zealand horseracing fans right now, as the Sydney Spring Carnival gets underway. This Saturday at Randwick, the 1200m Group 2 Missile Stakes will be the focus of much attention, as the first black type race of the 2017-18 season. The Missile, which sees its purse boosted to AU$175,000 this year, is a weight-for-age event for three-year-olds and older. It is traditionally a proving ground where established sprinters returning from a spell face off against the top gallopers of the winter season. Le Romain the $2. 20 Missile Favourite One of the four horses in Saturday’s nine-horse field returning from a spell is the race favourite, Le Romain. The 5-year-old gelding trained by Kris Lees hasn’t raced since the Group 1 Schweppes All Aged Stakes at Randwick in April, in which he finished second. He’s on a career record of 18: 6-8-1, with three firsts and four seconds in the 2016-17 season alone. However, he’s drawn at Barrier 8 for the Missile, and he’s one of six horses carrying the race’s heaviest weight: 58. 5kg. The bookies reckon he has a win in him, however, and he’s offered at $2. 20. Le Romain’s stablemate, 4-year-old filly Invincible Gem, is on a career record of 9: 4-3-0, with all four of her wins coming last season. She hasn’t raced since placing second in the Group 1 Randwick Guineas in March, and she’s drawn at Barrier 6 and carrying only 56. 5kg on Saturday. She could give New Zealand punters a nice surprise at $9. 50. Don’t Rule Out Last Year’s Winner The 2016 Missile Stakes was won by Tycoon Tara, trained by Peter and Paul Snowden. The 7-year-old mare is a sprint veteran, with a career record of 32: 10-3-2, Her last race was a win at the Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara at Doomben over 1350m in June. She’s also carrying 56. 5kg at Randwick on Saturday, but has a plum draw at Barrier 1. She’s at $4. 80 to become only the fifth horse in the race’s history to win the Missile twice, and the first since Rain Affair in 2013. Jungle Edge and The Monstar, drawn at Barriers 4 and 5 respectively, are also worth a look at $5. 50 and $9. 00. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > This weekend sees the Super Rugby Finals in South Africa. The Lions could stand the chance of an upset victory against the favourites, the Crusaders. - Published: 2017-08-04 - Modified: 2017-08-04 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/lions-v-crusaders-rugby-finals/ A Classic Super Rugby Final This Weekend This Saturday sees the Super Rugby finals showdown between the Crusaders and the Lions at Ellis Park in South Africa. The venue has already been confirmed sold out so fans can expect an absolutely packed event. This will already put the Crusaders at a disadvantage with the Lions having the home ground advantage. The Crusaders have only lost a single game this season along with the Lions who barely made it into the Semi finals. Right now the Crusaders are the clear cut favourites with some bookmakers offering odds of 1. 70 for a win, the Lions on the other hand are the outsiders, getting between 2. 10 and 2. 15, but what we have here is a possible upset. In their last match, facing the Hurricanes, it appeared to be a total blowout for the Lions, the side was 10-22 down by the end of the first half and after their lacklustre showing so far, both fans and punters accepted that the team will be kicked out of their finals spot. Thanks to Coach Johan Ackerman, the side made a miraculous second half recovery, taking the win 44-29. With their new found fighting spirit and the home ground advantage, the Lions may pull a rabbit out of their hat this weekend. They lost against the Hurricanes last year so already their victory against them last weekend is showing signs of a return to form and the possibility of an underdog win. The Advantage On The Lion Side The Crusaders are 7 time champs and soundly defeated South African teams in their previous away games, notably the Cheetahs and the Sharks, but the last time they faced the Lions in Johannesburg, they took a similar beating to the Hurricanes, losing the match 42 -25. When looking at previous finals, of the 14 teams that have lost the home ground advantage in their finals meetings, 13 lost those matches. This certainly sets a precedent and should be considered looking at this weekend’s final. With the Lions on a high after such a decisive victory and 60 000 local fans packing the stadium, there will be a significant mental advantage the Lions will have. The Crusaders have never been a team to let themselves be intimidated, but the Lions have the hunger, with nothing to lose and everything to prove for their fans. Since both teams have only conceded a single loss this season it appears they are pretty evenly matched, so any advantage a side can get should be exploited. This weekend will certainly deliver an all time classic Super Rugby Final with very high stakes and well matched teams with just the right circumstances for an underdog to rise to the occasion. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > This week sees a great selection of NRL games. Highlights include Penrith Panthers v Wests Tigers and St. George Illawarra Dragons v South Sydney Rabbitohs. - Published: 2017-08-04 - Modified: 2017-08-04 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/weeks-nrl-matches/ Round Up of the Weekly NRL Games Take a look at a round up of this week’s NRL action and see what’s in store for Rugby fans. Canterbury Bulldogs v Parramatta Eels 3rd August - The Eels have a 5 game streak and a very impressive win over the Broncos last week giving them a huge amount of momentum heading into the match. The Bulldogs do not have many more rabbits to pull out this late in the season. Betting odds favour the Eels to win. St. George Illawarra Dragons v South Sydney Rabbitohs 4th August – Let us see the Dragon’s last loss as merely a fluke and give them this match. Bettors are predominantly backing the Dragons as well. They have strong offloads and concede few. The Rabbitohs are a strong team and have historically performed well at the venue, but the Dragon’s form has been consistent this season. North Queensland Cowboys v Melbourne Storm 4th August – The precise and consistent attack of the Storm has served them well so far. They are the favourites this match. The Cowboys will have to play a perfect game simply to stand a chance here. Newcastle Knights v New Zealand Warriors 5th August – The Knights are in great shape, they have the Saifiti brothers and the Warriors lack direction this season. Bettors are backing the Knights on their home ground for this one. Gold Coast Titans v Brisbane Broncos 5th August - The loss of Andrew McCullough for the Broncos and the harsh defeat they suffered last weekend are the driving forces for the Titans. They will need these factors in the back of their minds against the Broncos who are the favourite to take this win. Cronulla Sharks v Canberra Raiders 5th August - The Raiders are coming off a great win last week and they have two key members back in the ranks giving them the confidence they need to be the winners of this matchup. Manly Sea Eagles v Sydney Roosters 6th August – The Roosters are the heavily bettor backed favourites and you can put your weight behind them when you bet online at Sportsbet. The Sea Eagles have had a tough season and despite the two teams being evenly matched, the Roosters have the form and confidence to win. Penrith Panthers v Wests Tigers 6th August - The Panthers have the home ground advantage but bettors are not completely convinced. The Tigers can manage their middle and keep the ball moving in an attempt to defeat the Panther’s defence, but looking at the error and missed tackle records, this seems unlikely. Panthers should snatch the victory, although closely. [bonustable num=10 orderby='_as_rating' sort='desc' version='2' --- > I Am A Star is set to compete at the Aurie’s Star Handicap this weekend. Nichols has high hopes after her great start in this year and her 2 weeks of rest. - Published: 2017-08-03 - Modified: 2017-08-03 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/auries-star-handicap-day/ Aurie's Star Handicap Day This Weekend This weekend sees the Aurie’s Star Handicap taking place at Flemington. This Group 3 race takes place over 1000m and offers a $150 000 prize purse. This event is seen as a measuring staff for Spring Carnival contenders. I Am A Star, the 4 year old filly sired by I Am Invincible, is ready to face the Melbourne Spring Carnival after some much needed rest, according to trainer Shane Nichols. Race Program Not Set In Stone The filly doesn’t have a definite plan of attack for the events this season but her trainer feels the time is right for the horse to shine. Her last great win was in the previous Spring Carnival where she took the group 1 Myer Classic over 1600m, pocketing her team a $500 000 prize, She started off this year with a great 3rd place in the Robert Sangster Stakes in May but Nichols decided she needs a rest before facing the Spring Carnival. She was set to take part in the Goodwood but Nichols decided against it. High Hopes For Saturday Before her holiday she also managed to take a win in the Group 2 Kewney Stakes, and the Group 2 Sunline Stakes. Nichols is now going to give her a barrier trial after her break, heading into the Aurie’s Star Handicap Day where she is sure to cause a stir. She has already earned her trainer over a million in prize money, and she may be set to award bettors in much the same manner. After this weekend, I Am Star is set to head to the Memsie Stakes and then potentially the Underwood Stakes, the Toorak Handicap or the Epsom Handicap. It all depends on the form I Am A Star will be displaying at the Auries’s Star Handicap. I Am A Star’s jockey, Steven King, announced his retirement this week. He rode the filly when she almost won the Thousand Guineas last spring. King has not competed since December but has only now announced his plans. I Am General Not To Attend Nichols is however not including I Am The General for the Aurie’s Star Handicap Day races. Instead, I Am The General will be heading to Randwick after he was accepted at the Jackson Pastoral Company Guyra Handicap. This weekend is set for yet another great set of races at Flemington. I Am A Star is a favourite to finish high, especially after her 2 week break and her continued consistent performances. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Another weekend and another round of great AFL action. The highlight this weekend is The Crows facing off against Port Adelaide for a very equal matchup. - Published: 2017-08-03 - Modified: 2017-08-03 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/afl-action-weekend/ Weekly AFL Games Round-Up This weekend’s intense AFL action includes a number of exciting line-ups, and punters and fans will be keen to get their slice of the pie. 5th August Geelong Cats v Sydney Swans The Cats are one of the highest scoring teams in the league but they have not had a great record against Sydney, even on their home ground where the match is taking place. Sydney should be able to keep it together and come out on top. 5th August GWS GIANTS v Melbourne With both teams clamouring for ladder position, this will be one to watch. Both sides are missing their usual strong forwards but the Giants are coming off an edge of the seat win against Fremantle and have a great record at the Canberra stadium. The Giants should walk away with the win. 5th August Essendon v Carlton With a 6 game loss record, including a punishing 65 point defeat by Geelong, Carlton’s chances are not looking good. With their scoring record, Essendon have what it takes to win this match. 5th August Brisbane Lions v Western Bulldogs The Bulldogs’ turn around in the season so far has made them the favourites in this matchup, but the Lions are far from down. They are just outside the top 8 in rankings and they could surprise the Bulldogs. 5th August North Melbourne v Collingwood Collingwood is still without Scott Pendlebury but the side has definitely made a late tournament comeback and have a good shot against Melbourne this weekend. The Kangaroo’s best shot is making good use of forward Ben Brown. 5th August Fremantle v Gold Coast SUNS A very close match to call, Fremantle has the advantage by a narrow margin on paper. Gold Coast could however use the strength of their forwards to claim this victory. 6th August St Kilda v West Coast Eagles Another tight match, the advantage may be on St Kildas’ side here. The team are saying farewell to Nick Riewoldt this season and this may be the side’s last chance to take him to the finals. They will need to focus however and stay in the game as they have lost their last 8 encounters against The Eagles. 6th August Richmond v Hawthorn The Hawks must win their next 4 games to have a shot at the finals. They are coming up against a defensive and scoring brick wall in the shape of the Tigers. The Tigers are currently sitting in fourth place and look set to keep their top spot little while longer. 6th August Adelaide Crows v Port Adelaide This match sees the score leaders, the Crows, face off against the defensive leaders, Port Adelaide. The Crows have an advantage in their record, but this one may be too close to call. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The collapse of the Hurricanes to the Lions means that the Crusaders will now have to travel to Johannesburg to face the Lions at home for the final. - Published: 2017-08-02 - Modified: 2017-08-02 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/super-rugby-final-head-johannesburg/ Worst Case Scenario for the Crusaders The Crusaders might be riding high from their recent semi-final win, but this past weekend has also brought them a Super Rugby final the team desperately wanted to avoid. The Lions outstanding comeback against the Hurricanes means that the Crusaders will now travel to Johannesburg where they will face off against the Lions at Ellis Park. While it was always suspected that the Lions had the ability to play well, their powerful second-half performance against Chris Boyd’s team has made everyone in New Zealand stand up and take notice. The Lions have a strong pack with a lot of pace in their backline and oodles of talent in their first five. That being said, the Crusaders are unlikely to crumble when it comes to the important set pieces the way the Hurricanes did. What makes the Lions so dangerous is the dynamic, free-playing style that separates them from any of the other South African teams. This was a specific style brought through by coach Johan Ackermann. With Ackermann at the helm, the lions beat the Crusaders in the quarterfinal last year, but lost the final to the Hurricanes in Wellington. On the other side of the fence is Scott Robertson who is in his first year of coaching the Crusaders. Already Robertson has exceeded all expectations, taking the side back to their original traditions of having a watertight defence and a dangerous counter attack. This was all clearly demonstrated in their victory over the Chiefs in the semi-final. A Dream Final for the Lions After losing the Hurricanes in Wellington, the Crusaders lost their chance to finish top of the log and enjoy a home final. When Boyd’s team collapsed against the Lions, all hopes of having a New Zealand advantage went swiftly out the window. If the Hurricanes had won, the final would be played in Christchurch. With things the way they are, the Lions are now the favourite to win their first ever Super Rugby tile. It might be a dream come true for Ackermann but it is a complete nightmare scenario for the Crusaders. Speaking to the press, Ackerman said that the Crusaders are still a team to be reckoned with. He believes they are a quality side with nothing to lose and everything to play for come Sunday. Looking at their win against the Chiefs, the Crusaders really have their defence to thank for their win. Despite only holding 30 per cent of the possession in the semi-final, the Crusaders outscored the Chiefs by three tries. This is the type of inspired performance they are going to need to repeat if they want to claim the title next Sunday. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Sebastian Vettel has extended his lead over Lewis Hamilton after taking first place in the Hungarian Grand Prix. Vettel placed third and Bottas fourth. - Published: 2017-08-02 - Modified: 2017-08-02 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/sebastian-vettel-extends-lead-hamilton/ Vettel Extends his F1 Championship Lead Sebastian Vettel has managed to extend his Formula 1 World Championship lead with another drama-filled victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The result means that Vettel will take a healthy 14-point lead over Lewis Hamilton ahead of the summer break. The race was fraught with drama from the onset. After starting the race in pole position, Vettel spent most of the race battling a steering issue and ultimately had to thank teammate Kimi Raikkonen for allowing him to stay ahead. Speaking to the press, Vettel said that something had gone wrong. The steering started to go sideways on him, forcing him to slow down and focus on keeping the car on the road. As Vettel’s pace slowed, a frustrated Raikkonen was not able to persuade the Ferrari team to allow him to overtake the frontrunner. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton was battling his own problems. A radio malfunction prevented him from being able to communicate with his team directly after each pit-stop. By the time Bottas allowed Hamilton through to attack the Ferrari’s, he had already lost a good deal of tire life. Hamilton immediately caught up with the Ferrari train but was not able to overtake Raikkonen around the narrow Hungarian circuit. When Hamilton did finally launch a full-on assault on Raikkonen, he got caught up in the dirty air behind the Ferrari and almost ran off the track. With no way through, Hamilton slowed down significantly allowing teammate Valeteri Bottas through to take third. A Controversial Decision by Hamilton Hamilton crossed the line just ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. With politics deciding the Ferrari’s finishing order, the decision for Hamilton to give up his place to Bottas has been hotly debated, especially if it costs Hamilton a fourth World Title. Speaking to the press, Mercedes team boss, Toto Wolff defended the decision. He said it was this kind of spirit that made them win three championships and it will certainly make them win more. Fourth place Max Verstappen was involved in perhaps the most controversial incident of the race. Verstappen collided with Red Bull teammate Daniel Riccardo on the first lap, ending the Australian’s race before it had even begun. Riccarido lashed out, describing Verstappen’s move as amateur. The race stewards were as severe, dolling out a 10-second penalty to the young driver. Verstappen later made a public apology to Riccardo who many thought could have been a challenger in Budapest. 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He then went on at length explaining that McGregor is not that impressive, basically. Malignaggi stated that McGregor is “not a weak puncher”. He said that McGregor’s punches will get your attention but lacks “oh my God power”. He did however compliment McGregor’s accuracy. Whether we should be taking these comments at face value is up for debate. This is the second time that someone close to McGregor has seemingly revealed privileged or damaging information. McGregor went on to post a picture of himself training with Malignaggi, but sporting a pose that wouldn’t look out of place in a bad action movie. These may simply be tools in McGregor’s cerebral assassination of Mayweather. Or he may simply be insane. You can bet on one of the two being the case at Sportsbet, an online sportsbook that’s offering great odds on this fight and many others. Backlash Over McGregor Instagram Post Speaking of Instagram posts, Floyd Mayweather’s ex partner has spoken out against McGregor. He posted a photo on Instagram last week that was a veiled comment on Mayweather’s domestic abuse arrest in 2010 after he attacked Josie Harris, now his ex. Mayweather spent 2 months locked up and their 3 children saw the whole ordeal. Harris has released a public statement saying that domestic abuse is not something to be used in promoting the 26th August matchup between these two fighters. Poor Ticket Sales Weeks Before Event With the cheap tickets starting at $3500, sales have not been great for the upcoming match. Hundreds of seats are still open and many fans are hoping that the ticket prices will be brought down. VIP tickets are going for $15 000 and it seems that Mayweather wants to fill the 20 000 capacity venue to try and improve the ridiculous $72 million gate receipts for his fight against Manny Pacquiao two years ago at a 16 000 seater venue. Mayweather Likes McGregor Even with all this swirling around in his head, Mayweather still found some time to say a few kind words about his opponent. Mayweather was speaking to an online boxing publication and he stated that McGregor is not a bad person. He said that if he is number 1 then McGregor is definitely number 2 because he has heart. He went on to say that the only thing he knows about McGregor is that he is a warrior. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The DOTA 2 World Championship starts on the 2nd of August. It will feature both the Evil Geniuses and Virtus Pro amongst 14 other world class teams and players. - Published: 2017-08-01 - Modified: 2017-08-01 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/esport/dota-2-international/ Heading into the DOTA 2 International August the 2nd, 2017 is the kick off date for The International, the DOTA 2 World Championships to be held in the Key Arena in Seattle. The organisers have already released the details of their $23 000 000 in prize money for the winner from the 16 teams that will be competing. The team that may pose the biggest risk to the field this year is Virtus Pro. They competed in the At The Summit 7 tournament and they displayed a grasp of the game that many of their peers consider inhuman. When the rest of the field was stuck in the rigid meta-play that has been adopted to give each team the best possible edge, Virtus Pro have openly defied the meta-strategies and simply picked random heroes to compete. Amazingly this did not put a dent in their record and they dominated. For reference, over 17 games Team Secret chose 35 different heroes, which means the team members pretty much stuck with heroes they know. Virtus Pro on the other hand chose 81 different heroes in the same amount of games. Not just that but they played with the more obscure heroes that most professional players completely avoid. Arteezy Ready To Claim His First International Fans are already prepared for a great Virtus Pro performance, but with competitors like Arteezy and his team, Evil Geniuses in the pack, they will need every trick n the book to ensure their team’s survival. If there is any player that can match their inside out knowledge of the DOTA 2 heroes it is Arteezy. He can exploit in game features like no other. Fortunately for Virtus Pro, this year he is the strongest member in the team of relatively evenly balanced players. Valve Alters DOTA 2 For Newcomers Valve has implemented some game changes in anticipation of an influx of new players before and after the Dota World Championships. Firstly the developers have limited the heroes new players can use to a specific group of 20 heroes. This freeze will last for a new player’s first 25 games. They have also altered the game’s matchup system so that new players are only paired with helpful and friendly veteran players. The leagues can be pretty unwelcoming of new players with many players showing toxic behaviour to inexperienced players. Valve wants to avoid the risk of new players being put off the game thanks to bad elements within the DOTA 2 community. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Despite winning previous championships at Quail Hollow, McIlroy may not recognise the course he holds a record on. Changes have been made to the layout. - Published: 2017-07-31 - Modified: 2017-07-31 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/mcilroy-finds-new-ground-uspga/ Spieth And McIlroy Contenders At New Course We are heading into the last major for the year as the 146th Open at Birkdale came to a close last week. The US PGA Championship will be played at Quail Hollow which means Rory McIlroy will be returning to familiar ground as he has previously won tournaments here which took place in 2010 and 2015. On top of that he has also had two top 4 finishes and he actually holds the course record of 61. Quail Hollow Course Changes That said, the course has had some renovations and changes made to it that will keep the players on their toes this year, notably: New holes added – The course has had its first and second holes combined into one, a new 540 yard hole with a par 4. They completed a new second hole which will be a par 3. They have also adjusted the 5th hole from a par 5 to par 4 while the 11th hole has had extra bunkers added. New grass on the green – The greens has had fresh grass installed, Champion Ultradwarf Bermudagrass. There are also some cosmetic course changes that have been made. Many trees have been removed in order to let more sunlight on the green but also in order to make slight course adjustments. Champions Clash Despite these significant changes, McIlroy is still seen as a top contender after he tied for fourth place at the Birkdale Open. His finish may not have been as high as fans had hoped, but his climb to fourth place was impressive. If he can kick off his USPGA Championship bid in his top form he will stand a shot. His familiarity with the course, despite the changes, may give him the confidence he needs to have an edge over the competition. McIlroy has already played 10 majors since turning professional without winning one. His main rival during the Open will be the on form Jordan Spieth. The golfer comfortably took home the claret jug at the 146th Open, brushing off his rivals and as he is entering the US PGA on a high, he may be making history by claiming a golf Grand Slam. He already can lay claim to the fact that he and Jack Nicklaus are the only players to have won 3 different majors at age 23. The world no 4, McIlroy and the world no 2, Spieth both are hungry for this title. They will be teeing off on the 10th of August when the US PGA Championship kicks off. It remains to be seen what they bring to the table on the day. Both players have a solid claim on taking home the cup. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Another week closer to the Mayweather vs. McGregor fight and more drama and revelation follows. McGregor opened old Mayweather wounds on social media. - Published: 2017-07-31 - Modified: 2017-07-31 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/psychological-war-mcgregor-mayweather/ Mayweather vs McGregor Continue War Of Attrition Even though there were no press conferences this week for the upcoming Floyd Mayweather Jr vs Conor McGregor fight, it doesn’t mean it wasn’t another week packed with drama and hype for the event. McGregor Sparring Partner Has Black Eye While appearing in an ESPN television interview, McGregor sparring partner Paulie Malignaggi had a clear black eye. The former WBA welterweight champion declined to reveal any information on his sparring with McGregor other than saying it is going well. While Paulie certainly is not on the level of Mayweather, he is able to provide a good measure of McGregor’s readiness for his upcoming August bout. Mayweather Partner Experiences Harassment It was revealed to much surprise this week that Floyd Mayweather has been secretly dating British reality TV star Abi Clarke. The Essex native has been receiving harassment both in public and on social media from McGregor fans. Friends of the star claimed that Clarke was confronted by youths in the street last week and was on the receiving end of sexist abuse for dating the boxer. In even more shocking developments, she also received a brick through her home window with a note attached that said “F*** the Mayweathers”. Clarke is said to have been very shaken after the event. McGregor’s fan base have shown in the past that they can be very passionate as was seen in the US press tours for their upcoming fight where more than 5000 McGregor fans have been following the spectacle around in its country wide tour and showing their support for the MMA fighter. Instagram Post Hints At Mayweather Past McGregor continued his psychological warfare with Mayweather via social media last week when he posted a picture of himself wearing the nr 23 jersey of the Golden State Warriors basketball team. The jersey was a dig at Mayweather as it belonged to former Warrior CJ Watson. Watson had a relationship with Josie Harris, the mother of Mayweather’s 3 children. Mayweather spent 90- days in jail after an assault on Harris in 2010. The dig however was missed by current nr 23 for the Warriors, Draymond Green, who commented that the Warriors were supporting Mayweather in the upcoming fight, not McGregor, to which the MMA star retorted that he doesn’t know who the “F***” Green is because he doesn’t give a “F***” about basketball . He is only interested in “dribbling heads on the floor, not balls”. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The New Zealand men’s basketball team has been whittled down to a young 12-man squad for the upcoming Asia Cup. The squad includes five debutant players. - Published: 2017-07-30 - Modified: 2017-07-30 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/tall-blacks-team-named-asia-cup/ Tall Blacks Squad Named for Asia Cup The New Zealand men’s basketball team has been narrowed down to a youthful 12-man squad for the upcoming Asia Cup in Lebanon. The recent training camp saw 15 trialists whittled down to the top 12 with Paul Henare and his team focusing in on whom they want in the final line-up for next month. The three players cut from the squad included youngsters Callum McRae, Quinn Clinton and Angus McWilliam. The only junior Tall Black to make the cut was Isaac Letoa who will join the rest of the inexperienced squad in Lebanon. The cut means that the team will be a much smaller unit with Sam Timmins and James Hunter on hand to cover the centre positions. The pair are part of the five debutants along with Luke Aston, Dyson King-Hawea and Isaac Letoa who will all be hoping to impress in the squad for the Asia Cup. With many of the best New Zealand players absent from the squad and with no one older than 26, coach Henare is feeling optimistic and excited to see just how the young players will develop. In a press statement, Henare said that the great thing about having young players on the squad is that they are eager to learn and bring a fresh approach to the game. Many of the young players have had a taste of international basketball but this will be another level all together. A Chance for the Youngsters to Shine Henare said is keen to see what these young players will do with the chance they have been given. Meanwhile the lack of experience in the young squad should give Wellington Saint’s star Shea Ili a chance to show off his talent and take on the role of the main offensive. This leaves Reuben Te Rangi, Jordan Ngatai and Finn Delany doing the heavy lifting where needed while the youngsters find their feet. The New Zealand team will be in action later this week, playing two warm-up games against the Chinese national team. They will then head over to China for their pre-cup games. Starting on the 8th of August, the Tall Blacks will take on Lebanon, South Korea and Kazakhstan in their pool games. The 12-man squad includes: Finn Delany, Derone Raukawa, Shea Ili, Reuben Te Rangi, Luke Aston, Tohi Smith-Milner, Dyson King-Hawea, Isaac Letoa, Ethan Rusbatch, James Hunter, Sam Timmins and Jordan Ngatai. 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It is a road cycling race that will stretch a little over 3297Km in 2017. It will be running from August the 19th to Sunday September 10th. There will be 21 stages interspersed with 2 rest days. The 21 stages are split into: 8 hill stages 6 flat stages 5 mountain stages A team time trial stage of 40 km A individual time trial stage of 13. 8 km The Race Classifications As with the Tour De France, coloured jerseys classify individual cyclists into certain categories. The Red Jersey is used to signify the race leader, a blue on white polka dot jersey signifies the King of the Mountains and a green jersey signifies the points leader. Spanish riders have generally dominated the Vuelta, with 30 of the 66 events held so far won by a Spanish rider, notably Nairo Quintana won the event in 2016 and he may try and recapture his success this year after failing to set the Tour De France on fire. The Potential Field Three time runner up, Chris Froome has already confirmed his attendance of the Vuelta a Espana after he clinched his fourth Tour De France win last week. He will be the first ever Brit to win the race if he manages to power to the top spot. So far the official race list for the tour has not been released. Many riders from the Tour De France move on to the Espana and at the moment most teams are assessing their fitness and energy levels as well. Most likely Froome will be joined by his rivals Romain Bardet, Fabia Aru, Rigoberto Uran and Alberto Contador who is a veteran of the Vuelta a Espana and 3 time former champion. Giro de Italia cyclists Vincenzo Nibali and Ilnur Zakarin have also confirmed their interest in taking part this year but Tom Dumoulin, Alejandro Valverde and most surprisingly defending champion Nairo Quintana will not be competing this year, much to the disappointment of fans. Currently Quintana is still nursing injuries he attained during the crash filled Tour De France. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Bernard Langer is still fending off accusations of cheating. Some players do not agree with his putting technique but he is still money leader on tour. - Published: 2017-07-29 - Modified: 2017-07-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/langer-still-tour-money-no-1/ Champions Tour Money Leaders The current Tour money leader, Bernard Langer, has been in the top earners spot for some time now and as with any high profile player, he is getting lot of heat directed at him. Langer still is fending off accusations that his putting stroke is illegal. Due to his stance, others have criticized him, saying he is “anchoring”, a move deemed illegal by the PGA. Scott McCarron on the other hand has had a great few weeks, he claimed a win at the Constellation Senior Players Championship after a very impressive double bogey from Langer. It is hard to pin down how this came about but Langer’s lapse in focus gave McCarron the opening he was looking for. McCarron finished with a 6 under par 66, finishing 18 under 270. Players Performing Despite Injuries Kenny Perry is still flying high after his great Open performance earlier this month. The formerly retired player returned this year to claim his 4th major win on tour as well as his second US Senior Open. This all despite the fact that last year he retired due to swollen knee problems that put thoughts of rising through the Tour ranks on hold. Fred Couples is still hanging on in the tour, performing admirably despite chronic back issues that keep flaring up at inopportune moments. Couples has had on again off again back issues for the last 25 years and I guess you can say it has become part of him now. Fans however can see his grimaces in the more taxing parts of the courses. Brandt Jobe overcame his injuries to become one of the most consistent players on tour. When he was 41 he was busy sweeping out his garage when his broomstick snapped and he received a life changing injury. The broom handle severed his left index finger and the base of his thumb. Thinking quickly Jobe placed his severed appendages on ice and rushed to the ER. Today he lives to tell his tale while being one of the top earners on the Tour. The Current Top 10 1 Bernhard Langer $2 039 666 2 Scott McCarron $1 378 135 3 Kenny Perry $1 249 745 4 Fred Couples $1 103 147 5 Brandt Jobe $1 064 585 6 Miguel Angel Jimenez $1 008 587 7 Kirk Triplett $855 476 8 Kevin Sutherland $851 689 9 Stephen Ames $770 736 10 Tom Lehman $763 765 If you want to be in the money, get your bets in at Sportsbet, an online sportsbook that welcomes Kiwi punters. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > After a 2 year hiatus, Garcia has returned in style to add to two more wins for his record. Broner has recently dropped weight classes and has more to prove. - Published: 2017-07-29 - Modified: 2017-07-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/mikey-garcia-v-adrien-broner/ Mikey Garcia v Adrien Broner This Saturday This coming Saturday sees a very intriguing matchup between Mikey Garcia and Adrien Broner. These two fighters are quite unique and it is quite tough to predict who will leave the ring victorious. The bookmaker favourite at the moment is Garcia. Despite a two year gap in his career between 2014 and 2016, he came back strong and won his first two fights returning to professional boxing. Garcia took down Elio Rojas and Dejan Zlaticanin very convincingly. Most fans were surprised by how confidently he stepped back into the ring after such a long absence. With his 36-0 record and technical boxing skill set, it is clear why he is the favourite in this match. Bookmakers predict that Garcia will be picking apart Broner and win by stoppage. Broner The Brawler When Broner first started boxing there were high hopes stacked on him to be great but unfortunately Broner has turned out to be just a good boxer. His 33-2 record should not be taken lightly and he will have a 1 inch reach advantage on Garcia. The fact is that Broner has faced much bigger and stronger opponents than Garcia and lived to tell the tale. He also has much more to prove than Garcia. It is debatable whether Garcia will have the power to put Broner down for the count, but then again it is also debatable if Broner will be able to go toe to toe with Garcia using his power and brawling skill set. He did not let his losses define him and he took three wins directly after them. If Broner has his head in the game and delivers on the promise he once showed on Saturday, Garcia may wish he stayed retired. The Undercard Fights The main event is joined by Jermall Charlo vs Jorge Heiland. Charlo , 25-0 , is the favourite against Heliand , 29-4-2, in this match. Charlo is coming off a streak of wins and should have momentum on his side. Four time Olympian Rau’Shee Warren faces McJoe Arroyo. This is a evenly matched fight with both boxers coming off a loss. Warren never won a medal in the Olympics and Arroyo is a tough fighter that could easily withstand Warren’s technical assault. Finally, Jarrell Miller will be fighting Gerald Washington in another evenly matched fight, with both fighters clocking in at around 300 pounds; some heavy blows will land here. Get your bets in at Crownbet and wager on the fighter you think will win. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > This weekend sees the commencement of round 21 of the NRL and the teams are battling for finals positions. Roosters v Cowboys will be the game to watch. - Published: 2017-07-28 - Modified: 2017-07-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/nrl-round-21-kicks-off-weekend/ Weekly NRL Games RoundUp This weekend’s National Rugby League action sees round 21 kicking off the weekend. Check out the upcoming games and the place your bets online at Crownbet, there are great odds and a myriad of markets open for NRL fans. Penrith Panthers v Canterbury Bulldogs July 27 - With the team’s individual power and line break records, the Panthers may have the upper hand here. They must win this match to stand a chance in the finals. The Bulldogs have had a pretty poor scoring run this season; Penrith will have to make extra sure to suppress them to secure the victory. New Zealand Warriors v Cronulla Sharks July 28 - The dominating forwards of the Sharks will prove too much for the Warriors, especially without James Gavet. The Warriors may gain strength from their home ground advantage but it probably will not be enough. Parramatta Eels v Brisbane Broncos July 28 - This will be a very evenly matched game. The Eels come of a 4 straight wins high thanks to their tight defence. Statistically though the Broncos may clinch it as they have scored more points and retained more possession. Newcastle Knights v St. George Illawarra Dragons July 29 - Fans must be hoping the Knight’s 8 game losing streak will be broken by their home ground advantage. Chances of that are slim though. The Dragons have it. South Sydney Rabbitohs v Canberra Raiders July 29 - The Raiders are the favourite in this game but many people are missing the fact that they are without three key players, which will definitely weaken the side. The Rabbitohs know how to play consistently however and may snatch the victory away from the Raiders. Sydney Roosters v North Queensland Cowboys July 29 - Another very evenly matched game. Both sides are top 4 contenders and both sides have regular team members injured. If the Rooster’s replacement forwards can stand up and sustain an assault on Queensland, they may stand a better chance at snagging a win here. Melbourne Storm v Manly Sea Eagles 30/07 July 30 -As their name suggests, Melbourne Storm knows how to pound things into submission without letting up. The Sea Eagle’s patchy defence may be a serious issue in this game. They cannot rely on their strong attack to try and outscore the Storm. Gold Coast Titans v Wests Tigers July 30 - Both teams come off losses, which may be weighing heavy on their minds coming into this match. The Titans are the favourite for this match but they will have serious problems if they allow the Tigers a single inch. If they can start advancing quickly, the Tigers could score an upset here. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > This weekend is the run of the Supercars Ipswich SuperSprint. Lowndes will be returning to defend his record here and Randle will be joining the field. - Published: 2017-07-28 - Modified: 2017-07-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/supersprint-kicks-off-weekend/ Supercars Welcomes Randle At Ipswich It has been announced that Thomas Randle will be joining the Ipswich SuperSprint this weekend. The 21yera old driver is currently having a great season in Europe racing in the LMP3 Cup as well as in the Eurocup. Prodrive co-owner, Rusty French will be bringing Randle over to race a Triple 8 Ford Falcon in the V8 Touring Car round. Randle had the opportunity to take the car out for a few laps at Winton and he seems very excited and confident at his potential performance. While Randle is looking forward to his Australian run, he will be returning to Europe after he is finished. Despite his age, Randle already has built up a glowing resume. He competed in the BRDC British Formula 3, had a runner up finish at the Australian Formula 4 and won both the Toyota Racing series in 2016 and the Australian Formula Ford title in 2014. The Challengers This Weekend Randle will be challenged by Ipswich veteran and defending champ Craig Lowndes from TeamVortex. The driver has had the most successful record at Ipswich, netting 12 wins at the track. Of the 19 races held at this course, he has ended on the podium in 15 of them. He is currently ranked 7th in the overall championship standings but that was a hard won spot as he has struggled with his qualifying races this season and has repeatedly needed to fight his way to the front of the pack from the back of the grid. The driver seems in good spirits though, heading back to a track that he knows so well. Scott McLaughlin will also be providing a strong challenge as well in this race with his 12 straight front row qualifiers in his last races. The Shell V Power driver is currently in 4th place in the list of most consecutive front row qualifiers, just behind Dick Johnson with 15, Allan Moffat with 16 and Peter Brock with 22. 10 Year Racing Future Secured For Ipswich Ipswich City Council has announced that they have a new development plan in place for the Queensland Raceway. The plan, announced at the beginning of this week, has been implemented with the help of the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship and will be a 10 year plan. Part of the plan is a massive $52 million redevelopment to the Motorsport Park in Ipswich. Since Ipswich has been such a fixture for SuperCars and with the venue hosting 220 000 fans annually, this redevelopment plan looks set to secure the future of racing for Queensland. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand cyclist Patrick Bevin may not have won the Tour de France but he is being hailed as a hero. Bevin completed the race with a broken foot. - Published: 2017-07-27 - Modified: 2017-07-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/kiwi-rider-toughs-tour-de/ Patrick Bevin Completes Tour de France with Broken Foot If you have been following the Tour de France closely, Chris Froome is a name that would have come up more often than not. This year, the Tour de France came to a dramatic close with Chris Froome claiming his fourth win in the overall category in just five years. But for New Zealand cycling fans, Patrick Bevin is more of a hero. The reason for this is because Bevin completed his debut Tour de France with a broken foot for most of the 21-stage race. After crashing in the opening stage on the 1st of July in Dusseldorf, Bevin broke a bone in his foot but decided to complete the tour anyway. For the rest of the race, Bevin rode in discomfort, helping fellow Cannondale-Drapac teammate Rigoberto Uran take home second place in the overall category, just 54 seconds behind Froome. On the final day of the race, Bevin crossed the line in Paris along with fellow first-timer Dion Smith and more experienced kiwi rider Jack Bauer. The 103km final stage was won by Dutch rider Dylan Groenewegen. Just before the final stage, Bevin posted a picture of an x-ray of his broken foot on Twitter. He tweeted saying that it was just a reminder of the Dusseldorf incident that has followed him every pedal stroke of the race since. A Good Year for New Zealand The 26-year-old placed 114th in the race while Dion Smith, the Wanty-Groupe Gobert rider placed 124th after featuring in a breakaway on the final stage. Of the New Zealand riders, Bauer was the most successful, placing 105th overall. Bauer was one of the key riders in early on in the race. He played the role of the leadout rider for Quickstep Floors teammate Marcel Kittel who won five individual stages of this this year. In the penultimate time trial on Saturday, Bauer also picked up 11th place. Of the four New Zealand riders that entered the Tour de France, George Bennet was the only rider who failed to finish. Bennet was holding onto 12 place overall; the best ever result for a New Zealand rider until the end of stage 15. Unfortunately for Bennet, he fell ill and had to pull out of the race altogether. The LottoNL-Jumbo rider was among 29 cyclists from the original group of 198 who did not finish the even. In the other classifications, Australian rider Michael Mathews picked up the green jersey for the sprinters, while Frenchman Warren Barguil won the mountain classification. The white jersey for the best-under-25 rider was won by brit Simon Yates. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > This weekend sees Carl “The Jackal” Frampton v Andres Gutierrez. Frampton is eying up IBF champ Lee Selby and a win here could give him a shot at gold. - Published: 2017-07-27 - Modified: 2017-07-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/frampton-v-gutierrez-saturday/ Carl Frampton v Andres Gutierrez This weekend Carl “The Jackal” Frampton will be facing Andres Gutierrez, with the winner potentially getting a shot at IBF featherweight champ, Lee Selby. The bout is set to be a hard fought one as the two boxers have proven their skill in the ring. Frampton comes off a 12 round, unanimous decision loss against Leo Santa Cruz in January at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. It was a significant loss on a big stage yet the fighter seems confident and ready for the upcoming bout if their recent press conference is anything to go by. Frampton is already thinking of taking down Selby as he was seen at the Selby v Barros fight at Wembley in July. It is good to look towards the future but over confidence can potentially lead to bad decisions. The Tale Of The Tape The 30 year old Frampton comes into the fight with a 23-1 record, his first career loss being the January debacle. His current rankings stand at a #1 WBC, #3 in the IBF and a #3 in the WBA. Gutierrez is lower down in the overall ranking, but his fight record may be even more impressive than Frampton’s. At 24 years old, Gutierrez holds a 35-1-1 record with an incredible 25 KO’s. His powerful punches my not help him much against Frampton who knows how to get up close and personal. Gutierrez holds a #12 WBA, #14 IBF and a #8 WBC ranking. The Prediction When Frampton lost to Santa Cruz, it was down to Cruz’s adopted strategy. Despite Cruz being deadly on the inside, he decided not to go toe to toe with Frampton whose inside work is near unbeatable. Instead the fighter took on The Jackal from the outside, using his reach to keep Frampton at bay while keeping his score up. Gutierrez will need to follow a similar strategy, rather than trying to out box the seasoned veteran Frampton. If he can follow through, he may stand a chance. His only other option will be to take the fight to Frampton and use his powerful punches shown in his 25 KO record to try and take down Frampton. With Frampton’s powerful defence and speed, it will be an uphill battle however. As things currently stand, Frampton looks set to take down Gutierrez via unanimous decision. With the skill and toughness of both fighters it’s set to be a full 12 round bout. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Crusaders have proven they are the ultimate wet weather team after. They easily defeated the Highlanders 17-0 a rain soaked Christchurch pitch. - Published: 2017-07-26 - Modified: 2017-07-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/crusaders-crush-highlanders-christchurch/ Crusaders Create a Splash in Christchurch After Saturday’s clash between the Crusaders and the Highlanders, it has become all too clear that no side loves the rain and wind as much as the Crusaders. For as much as the Highlanders have earned a reputation as the ultimate playoff dream team, the Crusaders have certainly come out as the ultimate “bad weather” team. The Highlanders left the pouring rain of Dunedin only to find themselves in a similar state just 10 minutes into the Crusaders match. The driving wind, bucketing rain and miserable conditions created a game that was never going to be much of a contest. The Crusaders not only adapted to the conditions, but seemed to thrive in the veritable mud bath that left the Highlanders looking like a bunch of schoolboys flopping about on the pitch. With the competition down to the final four teams, the Crusaders will have a keen sense that this really could be their year. It has been a long while since the Crusaders had the home advantage in the playoffs; and if the stats are anything to go by, they might just have a shot. Since 1996, the home side in the playoffs have won 80 per cent of the time. There is also the fact that teams would be playing in Christchurch, a city whose weather is extremely hostile in mid-winter to say the least. The Ultimate Wet Weather Team Even if the conditions are not as bad as they were on Saturday, Christchurch is not a ground that works for teams who like to play wide with pass and catch games. This type of play suits the Crusaders just fine. They are a team that love to get stuck in and slug it out. Their short game was incredible with perfect line-ups, grinding their way forward, every chance they go. The Crusaders got their kicking right as well with Richie Mo'unga, Israel Dagg and Bryn Hall all having a good day with the boot. The Crusaders also did a lot of tackling, which actually was one of their major strengths in the game. But their ultimate weapon as we saw on Saturday was their scrummaging. In the right conditions, the Crusaders can crush any team, and with wet and slippery conditions, being able to scrum for penalties is a must. The Crusaders have perfectly adapted to the wet conditions of winter rugby and will no doubt be hoping the rain continues. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Round 23 of the AFL Premiership takes place this weekend. The competition is heading into crunch time as the teams battle to earn spots in the finals. - Published: 2017-07-26 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/weekends-afl-action-2/ Getting Set for the Weekend AFL Games This weekend features high pressure for the sides as they attempt to clinch their finals positions. You can place your wagers on these, and many other games online at Sportsbet, one of New Zealand’s best betting sites. Hawthorn V Sydney Swans July 28th - Winning 5 of their last 8 encounters and with an uncontested possession record, the Hawks are this match’s favourites. The Hawks lead Sydney in possession but the Swans could gain a upper hand in contested markings. North Melbourne V Melbourne July 29th -With their star players Jack Viney, Max Gawn and Jesse Hogan back in form, Melbourne will be a force to be reckoned with for North Melbourne. They also have Christian Petracca who has climbed 300 spots in the player rankings this year alone. GWS Giants V Fremantle July 29th - Both teams have been struggling to get in form this season. The Giants have only won 1 of their last 6 games. If Ward and Davis can pull the team together, this match should be a shoe in for GWS. Port Adelaide V St Kilda July 29th - A crucial match to get a finals spot, Port Adelaide should come out on top with their strong defence and St Kilda’s record of losses at the Oval. St Kilda last won a match against Port Adelaide in 2011. Gold Coast Suns V Richmond July 29th -Richmond have had a great season, moving into the top 4 recently and with a convincing defeat of the Giants under their belt, they look set to dominate the Suns who have lost their last 3 matches. Carlton V Geelong Cats July 29th - With the strength of their possession and the veteran player Harry Taylor, the Cats should win this one. Carlton are coming off a loss and they definitely feel the loss of Patrick Cripps and Ed Curnow. Western Bulldogs V Essendon July 30th -The most contested match this weekend, the Bulldogs have a slight advantage but with the stunning form of Essendon recently and the loss of Dale Morris, Essendon can very easily take this one. Collingwood V Adelaide Crows July 30th -Adelaide will be putting Collingwood out of their misery in this game. Collingwood still technically has a shot for the finals but they will have a brick wall challenge against point leaders Adelaide. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review West Coast Eagles V Brisbane Lions July 30th -The Eagles statistically will come out on top in this match but in their previous encounters the sides have been pretty evenly matched. This will be a hotly contested meeting. --- > Jordan Spieth lived up to expectations at the start of the 146th Open at Royal Birkdale. The golfer ended the day in the top position in the rankings. - Published: 2017-07-25 - Modified: 2017-07-25 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/powerful-spieth-starts-open/ Spieth Leads 146th Open Royal Birkdale The overcast weather certainly did not dampen the mood as the 146th Open at the Royal Birkdale kicks off. As Justin Rose so eloquently put it, the course has never been played in good weather. The golfers will surely be hoping that the night’s wind gusts of up to 30 mph at times will die down. With its undulating courses, 123 bunkers and an average of nearly par 7 on each course, the players will need every shred of help they can get here, as Rory McIlroy can attest when he received a pep talk from his caddie. The player had to shoot a one over 71 in order to compete with the pace set by Jordan Spieth, Brooks Koepka and Matt Kuchar. Making Up For The First 9 McIlroy was 6 shots behind leader, Spieth but sunk a massive 15 foot birdie on the 18th hole to the delight of the crowd who were rallying behind this near legendary golfer. His caddie stepped up before hand when his form was faltering and apparently said: “You are Rory McIlroy, what the F*** are you doing”. With a very shoddy front nine, McIroy got by on the seat of his pants by hitting 4 birdies over 8 holes to round out his back nine. He stood at 20 to 1 odds at the beginning of the week to which he retorted backing him will be a good bet, most bettors may be a bit too cautious just yet. Spieth Leading The Pack What surprised no one was the sterling performance by Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas. Finishing with a 65, bogey free, confirmed the bookmaker’s suspicions that Spieth is a favourite to take home the Jug this year. Right on his heels is Thomas who managed a 3 under 67 with three birdies and an eagle. His performance at the US Open was not fantastic but the practice did do him well for the Open. Surprising Finish For Koepeka What did surprise many was Brooks Koepeka. Many people thought the player will be too rusty for the Open but he blew away the competition with a 5 under 65 on an eagle and four birdies. He could be one to watch, despite his power being his main strength. If he can get his game under control by working on his shots with his irons, he is a definite contender. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > This weekend sees the run of the Bletchingly Stakes. The return of Lankan Rupee, Lord of the Sky, Supido and Ability will make it a hotly contested race. - Published: 2017-07-25 - Modified: 2017-07-25 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/bletchingly-competitors-get-ready/ Bletchingly Stakes This Saturday will see the unfolding of the Bletchingly Stakes Group 3 race and fans are anxiously awaiting the return of Lankan Rupee. The horse makes his return to his home track in Caulfield to take part in the 1200m race after a very lengthy absence from professional racing. The former Racehorse of the Year winner has been out of racing since Spring last year, his last event being a 4th place finish in the Darley Classic. Lankan Rupee has been seen in two jump outs in order to get the horse’s fitness up, but his official return will be at this weekend’s Blenchingly Stakes. Two Familiar Faces The $150 000 race will also feature a very dangerous challenge from Supido and a newly invigorated Ability. Ability, who was trained by Robert Smerdon, has been in fantastic form recently. It has been unbeaten in its last three starts and it last won the Listed All Victorian Sprint Series final that was held at Flemington. Craig Williams will be his jockey at the event and Ability certainly looks set to race a great one if his recent form holds up. Supido on the other hand made its last great win in the recent Caulfield Cup, a bit shorter in length than the Bletchingly Stakes at 1100m. Supido is the favourite at this weekend’s race. He will however not be teamed with his last jockey, Luke Nolan and Beau Mertens has publicly stated that he is very keen to be partnered with Supido at the Stakes. Jockey Premiership Goals Mertens trailed with Supido before his great Monash Stakes win and believes that he is the fastest horse in the race. Mertens wants to take part in the Bletchingly Stakes as it is the headline event before the Metropolitan Jockey Premiership. He is in competition with Ability’s jockey, Craig Williams, for the title as they are currently both locked at 72 wins each. Williams has also raced on Supido four times and won 3 of those events. He was in talks to ride Supido out again, but then he was agreed for Ability. The Other Two Strong Challengers Also in the weekend meet is defending champion Lord of the Sky who took the win in 2016 at the Bletchingly Stakes. He claimed a 6th position at the Monash Stakes this year, marking his return to professional racing after an 11 month absence. Joining them as well will be Murt The Flirt who had a great run at the Monash Stakes this year, finishing in third place. 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For his part, Fox is aiming to become only the second New Zealand British Open champion, following in the footsteps of Sir Bob Charles who won it in 1963. 37-year-old Michael Hendry is making his maiden appearance at a Major but for Fox, this is his second time round at the British Open. Playing at the Old Course at St Andrews, Fox was a fair way down the list at 25 for most of the tournament. After hitting a 76 in the third round, Fox lost any hope of climbing into the top 10 and ended up finishing in a share of 49th. However, the experience he gained was invaluable. Speaking about his first British Open, Fox said that it was all a bit of a blur; he does remember playing some good golf though. He believes he will be a lot calmer this time around and able to enjoy himself a lot more. That being said, he doesn’t have any expectations. Fox said that he has had a tough few weeks and is feeling a little tired. His aim is to get as much rest as possible before the event. Wind Might Just Be a Factor 30-year-old fox is having a decent run with three successive top-6 finishes in the past few months. He has just come off the Irish and Scottish Open where he placed fourth in similar conditions that are forecast for the British Open. Fox said that there was a fair bit of wind in Scotland, but since he grew up playing in New Zealand, wind is not really a factor for him. Both Fox and Henry are expected to face the worst of the wind as they got handed late tee-off times when the wind is at its strongest. Fox’s response was that he will continue to try and play as best he can. If things don’t work out for him though, he will have played in a Major, which according to him is never a bad thing. Fox will be playing with partners Richie Ramsay of Scotland and American Matt Kuchar. Meanwhile Hendry has been grouped with Scot, Marin Laird and American Brian Harman. Get your Royal Birkdale bets in at Sportsbet and see if you can win big! TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > After a lacklustre Wimbledon performance, Andy Murray will have many challengers to his no1 ranking. Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are right at his heels. - Published: 2017-07-24 - Modified: 2017-07-24 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/murrays-top-spot-threat/ World Tennis No1 Spot Up For Grabs Despite losing out on the Wimbledon title, Andy Murray is still ranked as the world no1. Now that the tournament has revealed the extent of his hip injury, his position is very much at risk and there is a hungry pack of players who want to claim that position for themselves. Despite Murray showing incredible heart during his matches, it was not enough to overcome his recurring injury. Now it seems the player has travelled to Switzerland to seek treatment or at least advice on how to best treat his hip. Many fans and critics alike wish to see Murray follow Federer’s lead and take a few months off to recuperate, but it seems Murray is not ready to rest on his laurels and give up his hard won top spot. A Short Respite For now though Murray is taking it easy, he returned from Switzerland within days in order to see his younger brother’s Wimbledon triumph on Sunday. There is still six weeks left before the US Open kicks off, but whether this will be enough time for Murray to recover, and what effect a six week break will have on his form is yet to be seen. The nature of this injury makes it unlikely that he would be able to safely work on his cardiovascular fitness or his form without risking further damage. Details on the exact nature of his injury have been very vague from the player as well as his management. The Return Of Federer Roger Federer meanwhile has taken a side swipe at the player during a press conference. Federer missed the last six months of the 2016 in order to make a full recovery from injuries which at the time many saw as career suicide, but Federer has gone on to prove them all wrong after claiming the Wimbledon crown, his 19th career Grand Slam. He is currently ranked third, just behind closest rival Rafael Nadal. Nadal is edging ever closer to the coveted no1 spot after he won the French Open, but Federer sees himself surpassing both Murray and Nadal by the end of the year. He went on to say that he considers the no1 spot to be a contest only between him and Nadal. It seems that he was not very intimidated by a limping Murray ay Wimbledon. Federer last held the highest ATP rank after a Wimbledon win in 2012. It seems the 35 years old is set to repeat history once again. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Warren Barguil from Sunweb finished first in stage 18 of the Tour De France. He was followed in a close second place finish by an exhausted Romain Bardet. - Published: 2017-07-24 - Modified: 2017-07-24 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/barguil-wins-stage-18-tour/ Barguil Claims Stage 18 For Sunweb Tem Sunweb has made a great return this year with Warren Barguil claiming the 18th stage of the Tour De France. The rider powered up the mountain top finish to claim his second stage win and adding the fifth stage win for the team this year. He was followed in a close second place by Romain Bardet who looked like he literally gave it his all. By contrast, Chris Froome from Team Sky finished 20 second behind the race leaders in a very casual 4th place. It is clear from his relaxed attitude at press conferences afterwards that the cyclist knows the worst is now behind him and his team. The upcoming stage heading to Marseille is, relatively speaking, quite flat with no serious threats to the riders. Toppling Froome Since Froome’s strength has always been the time trials, it is unlikely that either Rigoberto Uran or Romin Bardet will be able to close the ridiculous 29 second gap between them and Froome. They can only hope for a crash or a puncture to close some of those precious seconds down. Froome has retained the yellow jersey for much of the tour despite his lack of stage wins. He has stated that that is not his goal in the tour. He has so far received fantastic support from his team mates Michal Kwiatkowski and Michel Landa. Saturday will also most likely see Uran close the gap between him and Bardet to take the second place position. The technical, 14 mile course features one hill and a cauldron finish that should suit Uran just fine. The Final Stretch Saturday is when the riders will be bringing their all to the course. It is unlikely that any of the field will wait to deliver on Sunday. This year was definitely a very taxing Tour De France and seeing what the riders can pull out on Saturday after most have already given their all will be a sight to behold. What makes it especially mentally taxing is the forgone conclusion of a Froome win. Bardet and Uran will be fighting amongst themselves for the second place finish but Uran needs to make up 6 seconds on Bardet. Way behind them in the 4th spot in the overall standings is Landa, Aru in 5th behind him, Daniel Martin in 6th with an almost 3 minute deficit and in 7th is Simon Yates, almost 5 minutes behind race leader Froome. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > William Davison has yet to sign to a team for the 2018 season. He is confident that he will continue to race, but not too sure for whom yet! - Published: 2017-07-23 - Modified: 2017-07-23 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/davison-supercars-future-uncertain/ Davidson Unsure Of Supercars Future The current defending Bathurst champ, William Davison, remains unsigned for the next Supercars season. The talented Davison is confident that he will keep racing but he is just not sure with whom yet. He joined Tekno Autosport on a 2 year contract last season, set toe expire in 2017. The driver had a promising start with Tekno, claiming his Bathurst win and ending the season in 5th place. This year has been a different story however with Davison currently in 13th place after a tough season start. It seems that the delay in confirmation of what his future is with Tekno is due to the company looking for alternate sponsorship deals in order to afford their continued Supercars participation. Best Years Ahead Of Him Davison at 34 still has great years ahead of him. He would love to add a championship to his solid race performance, he says. In his career so far he has raced with Wilkinshaw, Erebus, Dick Johnson Racing and Prodrive. In the 2009 championship, Davison finished second and in the 2013 championship he finished in third place. He has stated that it is challenging with Tekno being a single car team but he is confident in his ability to improve his problem strewn 2017 season. He achieved 4 top ten finishes this season but he also ended up in 15th or worse for four races at the Hidden Valley and Townsville weekends. Courtney Secured For 3 Years Meanwhile James Courtney from Mobil 1 HSV Racing has resigned with the team for another 3 years despite the technical issues plaguing the team that has left him with a result of 17th place or worse in his last 10 races. He is currently in the 20th place in the Supercars rankings. The 37 year old driver joined the team in 2011 as the then reigning champ but the team has never gotten properly off the ground with engineering issues cited as holding the team back. Courtney has referred to the team as the “McLaren of Supercars”, lamenting the small department of 3 full time engineers and one part time engineer. They have identified the issues holding the car back but finding a suitable solution to implement has so far proved elusive. The team also adopted new Dunlop tyres this season that Courtney has said has exacerbated the existing problems with the car’s control as it comes out of corners. Courtney has signed on for another 3 years with the side and hopefully it won’t be another 3 years of trial and error approaches to solving the team’s issues. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The annual Dota 2 tournament this year features a record breaking prize pool. The International as it is known will offer players $21 million in prizes. - Published: 2017-07-23 - Modified: 2017-07-23 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/esport/21-million-esport-tourney/ Record Prize Pool For Dota 2 Tournament The annual Dota2 world championships, known as The International, kicks off next month and it was recently announced that the prize pool will be $20. 8 million dollars. By comparison, the Super Bowl team, The New England patriots, awarded their players a $100 000 bonus each for winning the cup. So far the tournament that has been running since 2011 has awarded over $55 million in prizes but this year’s amount dwarves the previous years. The way the event managed to collect such an astronomical prize pot was through indirect crowd funding. Building The Prize Pool Blizzard offers Dota 2 for sale on the game network Steam. When players purchase Dota they can buy an expansion package called the Battle Pass that provides players with new content such as quests and campaigns. When they purchase this add on a quarter of the sale prices gets added to the Wold Championship prize pool, sort of like a progressive jackpot at an online casino. The event kicks off in August and will run between the 7th and the 12th. Eighteen teams from all over the world will be taking part and the tournament will also form part of a documentary series called ELEAGUE: Road to the International Dota 2 Championships. The series is set to coincide with the event in an attempt by Turner Sports to grow the eSports brand even further. The Established eSports Audience That said, eSports does not really need that much exposure in 2017 as there is already a massive fan base for eSports titles. Dota 2 alone has 712 000 active players. To compare eSports to other sports, the 2016 NBA finals had a viewership of 31 million people. The 2016 League of Legends finals had a viewership of 36 million. In preparation for The International, TBS, the network that will be airing the world championships will first air a documentary by developer Valve called Free To Play. In the documentary Tammy Tang, co-founder of the first ever all female Dota team called PMS Asterisk says that, just like with any sport, the team has a goal and a motive that everybody works towards achieving. It has been an uphill fight for eSports to get the recognition of other sports despite the massive following and of course the massive amounts of money involved in sponsorships and online betting. This year’s Dota championship, with the strong media coverage and public support it has been receiving, could well be the watershed moment for eSports to move even more into the mainstream consciousness. You can get your bets in online at Crownbet and see if you can back the winning team. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Crusaders will square off against their southern rivals the Highlanders in Saturday’s quarterfinal. Another tight tussle is expected in Christchurch. - Published: 2017-07-22 - Modified: 2017-07-22 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/crusaders-take-highlanders-playoffs/ Super Rugby: Battle of the Southern Rivals The Crusaders will be thinking back to their two wins over the Highlanders as they prepare for their crucial Super Rugby quarterfinal this Saturday in Christchurch. While on paper it is a matchup between second and seventh, the Highlanders have enjoyed a winning streak of late. Despite how this, Crusaders assistant coach Leon MacDonald feels that previous matches will count for little when the teams run onto the field. To put it into perspective, the highlanders have won ten out of their last eleven games. They also have a point to prove against the hosts who just barely scrapped through the southern derbies in the regular season. In Dunedin, the Crusaders were trailing 27-6 before a flurry of late tries got them through the match with a 30-27 victory. The Crusaders continued their run of narrow escapes when Mitchel Hunt booted a 47 meter drop goal in the dying moments to give the home side a narrow 25-22 victory last month. According to MacDonald, the playoff will most likely see a similar result. Speaking to the press, MacDonald said that if the previous two games are anything to go by, the quarterfinal is sure to be a filled with drama and a real cliff hanger. It’s All About Discipline He believes his team is ready to for what is ahead. It is all about getting out on the field and getting the job done, something the crusaders failed to do when they lost to the Hurricanes 31-22 in Wellington. Despite losing their perfect record and dropping to second in the overall standings, the former All Blacks fullback has full confidence in his team. MacDonald should be more concerned with the team’s lack of discipline and focus at crucial moments in the game. This was the hallmark of their success at the start of the season when they recorded their 14 straight wins. MacDonald admitted that his team gave away too many penalties and when they did have the Hurricanes under pressure, they gave them an easy out. The importance of discipline is not lost on MacDonald and it is something her is certainly going to be working on before Saturday’s match. Both teams are expected to be at full strength for the clash. The All Blacks who were rested for the Hurricanes match should be back in the front row for the Crusaders while Ryan Crotty should be back in after recovering from a hamstring injury. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Christian Lealiifano is set to make his return to super rugby after being diagnosed with leukaemia. Lealiifano is set to play in the quarterfinal. - Published: 2017-07-22 - Modified: 2017-07-22 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/christian-lealiifano-returns-super-rugby/ Christian Lealiifano Makes His Return to Super Rugby Christian Lealiifano will be making his first Super Rugby appearance since being diagnosed with leukaemia almost 12 months ago. The 29-year-old Brumbies star is set to play in the quarterfinal against the mighty Hurricanes on Friday night in Canberra. Lealiifano was set to make his return to Super Rugby two weeks ago, but picked up an injury to his hamstring on the eve of his scheduled return match. Speaking about Lealiifano’s proposed return, Brumbies coach, Stephen Larkham said that he was happy to bring the Wallaby back into the side, despite the fact that he has spent most of the season out of play due to his illness. According to the coach, Lealiifano simply needed to get through Monday’s training session to be named in the line-up for the match against the Hurricanes. Larkham said that his inclusion was in no way a gamble. He said that if he thought Lealiifano wasn’t right to play, the team would not be considering him. Brumbies Ready for Quarterfinal According to Larkham, Lealiifano has trained well over the last three months and is in perfect shape for the match. After resting a full 10 players for their last game, the Brumbies are all set to bolster their ranks with some big names. Chris Alcock and Rory Arnold are expected to have recovered from minor injuries while Allan Alaalatoa and Tevita Kuridrani will be feeling fresh after having a full week off. In a statement to the press, Larkham said that he would have preferred to have drawn the Chiefs in the quarter final, despite having lost to them in the regular round 28-10. Larkham believes that the Hurricanes are definitely the front running New Zealand team after they gave the Crusaders the first loss of their season this past Saturday. Meanwhile, the Brumbies haven’t been able to topple a New Zealand team since the beat the Hurricanes in the opening round last year. Larkham believes this will not be a factor come Friday. He went on to explain that this is a new season and all previous matches are irrelevant. He said that he is happy with the way his team has prepared for the final and the fact of the matter is, that it all comes down to this one game. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Los Angeles Sparks handed Indiana Fever another loss in this weeks game, triumphing with a final score of 84 – 62. Jantel Lavender shone. - Published: 2017-07-22 - Modified: 2017-07-22 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/los-angeles-sparks-defeated-indiana-fever/ The Los Angeles Sparks Have Defeated Indiana Fever A 3 by Tiffany Mitchell put Indiana Fever up by 1 point with 8:02 left to play in the second. The Los Angeles Sparks, however, managed to turn it over on the next trip, thanks to a miscommunication between Alana Beard and Candace Parker. The Sparks responded at once, and seized total control of the quarter with a run of 11 – 0. Parker managed to block 2 shots during this span, and Riquana Williams and Nneka Ogwumike both came away with a steal each, and Indiana Fever turned it over again. Jantel Lavender and Ogwumike went on to find easy scores, cutting to the hoop, and Sydney Wiese hit a 3 from the left-hand corner off an on-target extra-pass delivered by Chelsea Gray. The only thing that would trim the deficit to inside 10 was a deep-3 off-glass from Wheeler inside of 2 seconds. A Second Start for Natalie Achonwa Natalie Achonwa started her 2nd game of this season against the Los Angeles Sparks. In the previous Indiana Fever contest Achonwa managed to put up 7 points and 5 boards in just 24 minutes, and her line on Monday was relatively similar: she put 6 points and 8 boards up in 21 minutes. Achonwa’s shake-up is definitely one worth monitoring. The question is, can this change assist Indiana Fever in terms of their defence? And can Achonwa handle a couple more post-ups in each game? Jantel Lavender Knows Where to Go Jantel Lavender’s Monday line was made up of 5 points and 3 assists, with a playing time of 19 minutes. And there has been a buzz about continuity this year, with the Lynx and the Sparks, which Lavender really embodied with her play in Monday’s game. Lavender is perhaps best known for her knock-down shooting close to the elbows. She has been testing the waters with the 3 of late, as well. On Monday she revealed that she could also identify when to dive hard to the rim and hold on to her seal in the lane’s midsection. She performed excellently in terms of defensive play, and managed to anticipate a number of drives by Mitchell and Wheeler excellently. We all know Wheeler enjoys snaking a pick and roll, coming off the screen and then crossing back over to the middle when there is too much of a cushion from the big. Lavender managed to anticipate that cross, and this meant that Wheeler knocked into her. The final score for this game was 84 – 62. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Monday night’s Las Vegas Summer League Championship game saw the Lakers defeat the Trail Blazers. The team from Portland finishes the League 5 – 3. - Published: 2017-07-21 - Modified: 2017-07-21 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/los-angeles-lakers-beat-portland-trail-blazers/ Los Angeles Lakers Defeat the Portland Blazers The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Portland Trail Blazers with a final score of 110 – 98 on Monday night at the Thomas & Mack Centre, thus taking the Las Vegas Summer League Championship title. The Portland Trail Blazers, who had triumphed in 4 consecutive games in order to reach this one, have finished the Summer League with a record of 5 wins and 3 losses. Caleb Swanigan was the Star of the Show Rookie heavyweight, Caleb Swanigan, who was chosen to become part of the All-NBA Summer League 1st Team, finished the game with a total of 25 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists, and Jake Layman managed to add 21 points and 7 rebounds for the Portland Trail Blazers. Kyle Kuzma packed in 30 points and 10 rebounds, and Vander Blue recorded 20 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds for the Los Angeles Lakers, who managed to win this game without their Summer League Most Valuable Player, Lonzo Ball, who was out with a strain to his right calf. Portland Worked Hard to Get to the Game The Trail Blazers progressed to the Championship thanks to a victory of 87 – 82 against the Memphis Grizzlies in Sunday’s semi-finals. After going 1 – 2 in the opening round, the Blazers beat not only the Chicago Bulls, but the top-seeded Toronto Raptors, the San Antonio Spurs, and the Memphis Grizzlies in order to reach the game against the Lakers. The Blazers managed all this even though the team had to do without 2 of the 4 players that are also on their NBA roster: Zach Collins, out with a right quad contusion, and 3rd year guard Pat Connaughton, unable to play thanks to a strain to his left hamstring. Both players were unable to play in the tournament round thanks to their injuries. Mr Double Double Picked Up a First on Monday Caleb Swanigan has been named to the All-NBA Summer League 1st Team, which has him joining the Los Angeles Lakers’ Lonzo Ball, the Dallas Mavericks’ Dennis Smith Jr. , the Phoenix Suns’ Josh Jackson’ and the Atlanta Hawks’ John Collins. Lonzo Ball was named Most Valuable Player. As the No. 26 overall pick of the NBA draft of 2017, Swanigan has been the Portland Trail Blazers’ most reliable and excellent performer at the Las Vegas Summer League. He has managed to record 4 double-doubles in 7 games, and was key in his team making it through to the Championship game. 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The Crows are looking to break a streak of 5 lost games against Geelong and may pull out all the stops in front of a sure to be packed Adelaide Oval. Essendon v North Melbourne 22 July Despite a great win over St Kilda last week, Essendon has always had trouble with consistency that will place their position as favourites for this game in question. If North Melbourne can focus on neutralising Essendon’s kicking game, they may be able to pull off a surprise upset. Melbourne v Port Adelaide 22 July After losing 2 of their last three games and now facing Port Adelaide who has been in top form recently, Melbourne are in trouble. The Melbourne side are also dealing with a large percentage of injured players putting them in an even more precarious position. Western Bulldogs v Gold Coast 22 July Inefficiency in their forward could hurt the Bulldogs in this game, but it doesn’t change the fact that the Suns have lost their last 3 encounters with the Bulldogs. Their consistent tackling will neutralise any advantage the Gold Coast can muster. Sydney v St Kilda 22 July After a loss to Essendon last Friday and a record of no wins against Sydney in five years, St Kilda are not expected to walk away from this encounter intact. The Swans will be using their goal accuracy to claim the win here. Fremantle v Hawthorn 22 July This is a tight match between two teams competing for a top 8 position. Fremantle is the favourite to win by 6 to 8 points. Richmond v GWS Giants 23 July The Giants have not won a game in 3 weeks, which may put them at a mental disadvantage. However than can only happen if Richmond can turn their inside 50 game into scoring opportunities, which has yet to be demonstrated. Collingwood v West Coast 23 July Collingwood have lost 6 of their past 7 games at Etihad Stadium. The West Coast have simply had a stronger year and are set to take the victory here. Brisbane v Carlton 23 July Possibly the most evenly matched game this week, the Lions look to be the favourite here as long as they can improve their patchy defence. The players to look out for in this match will be the Lion’s Dayne Zorko. You can get your bets in online on any of these AFL games at Sportsbet, and you’ll find great odds and a wide variety of markets at your fingertips. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > There were over 5000 Irish fans in attendance at Friday night’s press conference for Mayweather v McGregor. The two fighters traded insults as tensions build. - Published: 2017-07-20 - Modified: 2017-07-20 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/mayweather-vs-mcgregor-verbal-sparring/ Slurs Fuel Hype For McGregor vs Mayweather Friday night’s press conference in the SSE Arena for the Floyd Mayweather Jr vs Conor McGregor world press tour shows just how the pressure is mounting between the two fighters. Coming out every night and performing for fans seem to be getting to the two as the slurs and goading took a new turn. It definitely did not dampen the spirits of the thousands of fans in the arena however. In fact as many as 5000 of the fans in attendance are Irish nationals who have been travelling with the tour to show their support of McGregor. He was in fine form on the night, dishing out the trash talking and at many points looking like he was about to go at Mayweather right then and there. Even though Mayweather did keep his usual calm and cool exterior, the cracks were definitely beginning to show when he tossed a homophobic slur in McGregor’s direction , calling him a “f****t”. Perhaps this was to even out the score with McGregor who has been getting allot of heat for his apparent racial slurs directed at Mayweather. The Alleged Racial Slurs Earlier last week, while Mayweather was going through some boxing motions for the camera, McGregor told Mayweather to “dance for me boy”. On Thursday McGregor referred to the third Rocky film where Sylvester Stallone fights Mr T with the help of Apollo Creed, both black boxers, as the film with the “dancing monkeys”. While their conflict may be setting back race relations hundreds of years, it has not done much to dampen the hype for the upcoming fight which is already selling ring side seats for $10 000. The current odds still widely favour Mayweather to win. Fans have been staking wagers offered at 11/2 in favour of McGregor. He has received a lot of fan support from Canada, Britain and of course his home country of Ireland. Mayweather Fires Back Mayweather also had some choice words for Dana White, head of the UFC, calling him McGregor’s pimp and referring to McGregor as his “b***h”. This followed McGregor’s remarks about the boots that Mayweather were wearing. He called them high heels and then called Mayweather a “stupid, baldy t***”. Current Odds On The Fight At the moment Mayweather is getting 1/7 on a win, with 4/6 odds on a knockout or TKO. He gets 15/8 for a decision victory. McGregor on the other hand has odds of about 9/2 for a win, 15/8 for a KO or a TKO and a 33/1 for a decision based victory. A draw is currently rated at about 40/1 and you can get your bets in online at Crownbet. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Trainer Kris Lees is hoping his horse Le Romain has what it takes for the Memsie Stakes. The two are currently in training for the race in a few weeks time. - Published: 2017-07-20 - Modified: 2017-07-20 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/lees-prepping-memsie-stakes/ Memsie Stakes A Priority For Lees Le Romain’s trainer, Kris Lees, has confirmed that his successful galloper will be heading to the Memsie Stakes this year. They have been training on their home track in Newcastle, a 1000m track and in his preliminary trials there, Le Romain has been performing well. Lees has said that the horse is not where they want him to be with regards to his fitness just yet, but they still have a few weeks before the Memsie is due. Along with the established Le Romain, Lees is also training the up and coming Invincible Gem. She was a runner up at the Randwick Guineas this year and she will be starting her group 1 campaign this year. Lees has high hopes for her. Comparing her to Le Romain he stated that she is much more forward than Le Romain and it seems that she is hungry for competition. Lees also took racing veteran Artless under his wing. The sprinter performed convincingly in a 1000m trial and Les is determined to train the horse back into fighting shape for a spring program. The Spring Goals Heading to the 1400m Memsie is the short term target for Lees but the trainer is said to be preparing Le Romain for the Everest in a few months time but so far this is only conjecture. Lees is said to have only confirmed that they will consider an invitation to the $ 10 million dollar race. Before that though he is set to also appear at the Makybe Diva Stakes after the Memsie. Le Romain has been working hard to return to the racing fold after taking a short break. First up for the two is the Randwick Missile Stakes. This $200 000 G2 race will set the tone for the Memsie a few weeks later. Lees will be adapting the preparations for Le Romain based on that result. The Memsie had its prize money doubled from $500 000 to $1 000 000 adding additional incentive for competitors to show their all. Memsie Stakes An Attainable Target Le Romain’s record has him as a strong contender for a great performance in the race. He is a triple Group 1 winner and the defending Cantana Stakes champ, with wins at the Randwick Guineas and the Canterbury Stakes. With such an ambitious Spring schedule, there are certainly high hopes for Le Romain. His consistent performances certainly bolster his odds for a string showing, but there is still a long way for both trainer and horse to go to be at the level of last year’s Memsie winner, Black Bart. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Blues 48-21 Super Rugby defeat at the hands of the Sunwolves has created quite a stir. The loss goes down in history as the biggest upset in 17 years. - Published: 2017-07-19 - Modified: 2017-07-19 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/sunwolves-win-blues-historical-marvel/ Blues Suffer Historical Upset The Blues have officially made Super Rugby history, but not for the right reasons. Their humiliating 48-21 defeat at the hands of the Sunwolves has gone down as the biggest upset in Super Rugby this century. According to statistical data collected from 2000 onwards, this game ranks at the most unexpected where bookies, fans and everyone watching had an unfaltering certainty that the Blues would win. Speaking to the press after the game, coach Tana Umaga said that they were probably the favourites going into the match. If ever there was an understatement, Umaga really nailed it. According to the stats, the blues were put in as 29. 5 point favourites. No other team in Super Rugby history with this type of spread has ever lost their match. It was a historical day for rugby not only because the Blues lost, but because an underdog team such as the Sunwolves beat the betting odds. Since the year 2000, a total of 1783 Super Rugby games have been played. Of these, the Sunwolves became the first team with odds of $15-1 to actually win their match. Looking at 49 bookmakers and averaging out the betting odds, the Sunwolves were priced at a massive $15. 52. But despite the appealing odds, no one in their right mind would take that bet, such was the surely of the Blues coming out tops. The Sunwolves Biggest Win Ever The Blues do have some company as a top side that were toppled in Super Rugby though. In 2008, no one expect the Crusaders to lose a home game so early on in the season. This was when they lost 2-10 to the Highlanders, result, no one saw coming. Also, we can look at the Brumbies upset in 2002. After winning 13 straight games, the Brumbies were toppled by a bewildered Hurricanes side that delivered a magical performance on the day. The Sunwolves, who are stone last on the log showed no signs of improvement in any way. In fact, they had just come off a 94 to 7 thumping by the Lions and a 52-15 defeat at the hands of the Stormers. If anything, Filo Tiatia’s side was playing exactly the way we all expected and predicted. It was possible that the Blues were lulled into a false sense of security. After racking up a heathy 21-7 point lead, the Blues stopped scoring and were blown away by 41 unanswered points. The Sunwolves not only managed to win the match, they recorded their highest ever point total and their biggest margin of victory all in one go. For the Sunwolves, this match will go down as the best they have ever played. Meanwhile, Umaga says his team were not able to handle the pressure and expectations put on his team to win. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > As the Tour De France heads into its final stages, the pressure is mounting. Froome is still the race leader with 18 seconds on his closest rival, Fabio Aru. - Published: 2017-07-19 - Modified: 2017-07-19 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/final-week-tour-de-france/ Tour De France Enters Final Stage with Froome in the Lead By a very narrow margin, Chris Froome is retaining his yellow jersey as the 165km leg from Le Puy en Velay to Romans sur Isere kicks off today. This year is an incredibly tight race with only 29 seconds separating the top 4 riders, piling on the pressure. Monday saw the riders taking their final rest day before the punishing last stretch ahead of the final race Sunday ending at the Champs Elysee. The Pack So Far Froome is still the tour leader with a 18 second lead over next in line, Fabio Aru. Romain Bardet is the third place rider just 5 seconds behind Aru. Froome’s lead was seriously in danger during the 15th stage of the tour when he encountered mechanical issues with his bike. He had to do an emergency swop of his rear wheel on the track with his team mate Michal Kwiatkowski. The rider broke a spoke on his wheel 40km from the finish line heading into the steep climb of the Col de Peyra Taillade. Bardet and AG2R were hot on their tail and set an amazing pace in their climb. The Contested Yellow Jersey This placed Froome and Team Sky under a lot of pressure. They had to lead by the end of the climb or Froome may have lost his yellow jersey. He already lost the jersey for two stages after Aru claimed it when Froome failed to power through the final climb of stage 12. He soon reclaimed it on stage 14. With the final six stages ahead of them, with a draining summit finish on Thursday and a taxing time trial on Saturday, there are still hard times ahead. Coming Up In 5th Place Meanwhile the 5th place Irishman, Dan Martin is taking things a bit more relaxed. 72 seconds behind race leader Froome, Martin thinks of the Tour De France as “just another bike race”. Martin thinks it is important to not let the name and image of the Tour overshadow the fact that at the end of the day you should be having fun competing and not taking events too seriously. This attitude has really assisted the rider who is still recovering from a major crash on the Mont du Chat during the 9th stage of the Tour. Martin still requires daily work on his back to contain muscle spasms but he retains his sunny outlook. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > 23-year-old Spanish tennis star, Garbine Muguruza has won her maiden Wimbledon singles Title. Muguruza defeated Venus Williams in straight sets 7-5, 6-0. - Published: 2017-07-18 - Modified: 2017-07-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/garbine-muguruza-wins-wimbledon-title/ Garbine Muguruza Wins Maiden Wimbledon Title Garbine Muguruza, the Spanish tennis sensation has won her very first Wimbledon title in straight sets against veteran champion Venus Williams. The 23-year-old Spaniard managed to save two set points and went on to win nine straight games to defeat Williams 7-5, 6-0. What started out as a heated contest, ended up being a walk in the park for Muguruza who showed poise, grace and nerves of steel in front of a Venus-friendly crowd. Venus, a five-time Wimbledon champion, was denied her first major title in nine years, a feat that would have made her the oldest female Grand Slam champion in the modern Open era. For 14th seed Muguruza, this was her second Grand Slam title, after she defeated Venus’s sitter Serena at the French Open in 2016. Despite the relative ease with which she won the match, Muguruza told the press that it was the hardest match of the tournament. She went on to say the Venus is an incredible player, someone who she grew up watching on television. A Quick Ending to Big Match After losing to Serena Williams in the 2015 Wimbledon final, Muguruza was able to come back and face her fears head on. In doing so, she has become only the second Spanish woman to win the Wimbledon singles title after her coach Conchita Martinez. Muguruza also has the distinction of being the first woman to beat both Williams sisters in a Grand Slam final. At the start of the match, both woman used their powerful serve to tick away the games. Williams opened the match with an ace but neither player got a firm hold. For the first 40 minutes, it was almost impossible to separate the two as they went toe to toe. At 5-4 in the first set, Williams had the chance to take control of the match with two set points. The first point went the way of Muguruza after a lengthy 20-stroke rally. Williams bundled the second point, hitting it long, giving Muguruza the chance to pounce and take the first set. Muguruza went on to win the next nine games, completely steamrolling Williams and take an easy win in the end. Speaking to the press, Venus said that she missed her sister. She said she tried her best in the match but thinks there will be plenty more opportunities to come. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Round 19 has been a pretty hard one for the NRL sides. Many injuries have been reported , not least of which was a season ending knee injury for Shaun Johnson - Published: 2017-07-18 - Modified: 2017-07-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/nrl-injuries-mount-round-19/ Season In Question For Injured Johnson Halfback Shaun Johnson received a horrendous knee injury on Friday night that has cast serious doubt on his ability to complete the NRL season. Managing director for the Warriors, Jim Doyle stated that the kiwi player will more than likely not return to the game this season. Currently the player will be undergoing scans today to see what the extent of his injury is. The scans will be focusing on his ACL. The Warriors were facing off against Penrith on Friday night. When Penrith attempted a line break, Johnson gave chase for the length of the field before he slowed down, grabbed his knee and collapsed. He was immediately taken off field. Coach Stephen Kearney suspected a ruptured ACL and if this is the case it will take Johnson out of the running for Rugby League World Cup consideration. This will be an equally painful blow for the Warriors as they have been attempting to break into the top 8 of the league and without Johnson, their odds are getting slimmer. Liddle Out For The Season The Wests Tigers also lost a player to injury the weekend. On Sunday Jacob Liddle, hooker for the Tigers dislocated a shoulder. The player was only minutes into the game before he had to come off field. Coach Ivan Cleary confirmed that it seems doubtful that Liddle will return this season. Winterstein Out For One Game A bit more fortunate was North Queensland player Antonio Winterstein who seems to only be out of one game potentially. The player tore a calf muscle when his side played against South Sydney. Winterstein came off the field immediately and both he and the coach believes that as long as he rests and keeps weight off his leg, he may be in fighting shape when their next game rolls around. It has certainly been a hard round for the NRL, it may not bode well for the finals if some of the top talent have been sidelined. Injuries After Round 19 A knee for Shaun Johnson Concussion for Peter Mata’utia Knee injury for Trent Merrin Josh Dugan received a concussion Russell Packer injured his hip Antonio Winterstein injured his calf Jacob Liddle injured his shoulder Joel Edwards is out with a concussion Apisai Koroisau received a rib injury Matt Moylan injured his hamstring Josh Papalii received a 2 to 3 week ban for a shoulder charge TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Jamie Whincup made a record equalling finish in Townsville. He claimed his 105th Supercars victory, equalling team mate Craig Lowndes’s record. - Published: 2017-07-17 - Modified: 2017-07-17 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/105th-supercars-win-whincup/ Whincup Claims 105th Supercars Win Jamie Whincup is ecstatic after he won his 105th Supercars race. Not only is this an amazing achievement on its surface, but it is also a figure that put the driver on an all time record amount of wins, on equal footing with his teammate Craig Lowndes. Whincup took his historic win at Townsville, in the process not just equalling a record but also leaving ladder leader Scott McLaughlin in the dust. McLaughlin finished a whole 1. 6 seconds behind Whincup but retains his overall lead in the Supercar standings by 6 points. This charts Whincup’s first win of the year. The driver took an early lead and then managed to hold the aggressive McLaughlin at bay for the entire race, comfortably taking first place. He did manage to get some help early on from David Reynolds. Reynolds had a quick start and ended up in between the Penske drivers and the Red Bull cars, offering a nice race opening wedge for Whincup. He saw his chance in Lap 6 after shadowing Reynolds and slingshot past the racer to move up in the field. An Insurmountable Gap Whincup and McLaughlin followed a similar fuelling strategy so they were literally nose to tail for the first 20 laps of the second stint. Whincup then started breaking away, increasing the lead to 3 seconds from under 2. After he made his second fuel stop in lap 41, the gap shrank again. McLaughlin managed to hold out two extra laps after Whincup’s pit stop, possibly to attempt to bridge their gap more, but he could only gain about a second on Whincup. The two driver’s battle continued but surprisingly McLaughlin could not keep up his intense assault and with about 10 laps to go Whincup stretched his lead to almost 2 seconds. Third place was taken by Shane van Gisbergen who did put up an admirable performance. He took 4 extra laps to squeeze past Dan Reynolds as compared to Whincup and he claimed his third place spot 7 seconds behind the two race leaders. Coulthard Still Losing His Footing Unfortunately Fabian Coulthard had his second bad day in a row. He was at one point in time the points ladder leader but recent poor performance has cost him dearly. Coulthard had a wide turn in the first lap that saw him drop into the mid field. He ran into Tim Slade, which resulted in a 15 second penalty that essentially removed any chance of making a go for the race. He finished the race in 21st place. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Melbourne Spring Carnival will be undergoing some changes. The organisers wish to make the event work better with the rest of the year’s events - Published: 2017-07-17 - Modified: 2017-07-17 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/melbourne-spring-carnival-change/ The 2017 Melbourne Spring Carnival The Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival is a reinvigorated racing event designed to be more complimentary to the other racing events throughout the year. Racing NSW and the ATC have been working together to offer fans a much more well rounded yet intriguing racing experience that culminates in the Everest Day racing event. The Spring Carnival is set to run for a month until October 14th. The Group 1 racing event will feature an additional $1. 73 Million in prize money adding even more prestige to an already much lauded event. Darren Pearce from the ATC stated that they designed the renovations to the Spring Carnival to offer fans a better flow through the year, since the Melbourne event is sandwiched between the Cox Cup and the Caulfield Cup. They are not aiming to compete with these events but rather to work with them in the context of the year’s most prestigious racing events. The Race Changes There have been 18 Major race changes that will be implemented for the event. These include 6 major races being moved to the 14th of October to bolster the Everest Day line-up. The Everest Day is a $10 million invitational that the organisers want to build the event around. The six races to be added to the Everest Day line-up include the Craven Plate with a $500 000 prize purse and the Listed City Tatts Lightning which has been included to be a weight for age event on horses that did not make the Everest cut, also for a $500 000 prize purse. Many fans have rejoiced at the announcement of the resurrection of the St Leger which had its start in 1841. It is now rebranded as the ATC St Leger. It started out as a 3 and 4 year old staying race but has been modified to a 2600m course, down from 2800m. It features set weights and penalties with a healthy prize purse of $500 000. Criticisms Of The New Event There has been some criticism directed at the race however. It is held a week before the Caulfield Cup, which has ruffled some feathers. The winners may well not be eligible for any penalties going into the Melbourne Cup and horses that come in out of the Turnbull Stakes or any WFA races will not be handicapped which is fine for the top tier horses but the bottom ranks will have a tough time competing without the weight penalties. That said, fans, trainers and owners are all very excited at further developments to come for this reinvigorated race event. If you’d like to bet on the races online, take a look at what Crownbet has to offer. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The White Ferns have lost their match against England at the World Cup. They now face India for their last round-robin to qualify for the semi-finals - Published: 2017-07-16 - Modified: 2017-07-16 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/white-ferns-still-crack-semi-finals/ White Ferns Down but Not Out England have long been touted as the favourite to win the Women’s Cricket World Cup. This week, they reinforced their status with a convincing win over New Zealand at Derby. The result means that the White Ferns are now fifth on the table with three wins, two losses and one no result. However, with one game left to play, New Zealand still has a chance of making it into the semi-finals. This Saturday, the White Ferns will face off against India in their last round robin match in Derby. Essentially, this can be seen as a quarterfinal for the two teams as the winner will automatically qualify for the semi-finals. Three out of the four teams have already qualified. England and Australia came through with five wins and a single loss while South Africa qualified with four wins, one loss and a no result. In their match against England, the White Ferns were undone by a massive 170 run fourth-wicket partnership between Natalie Sciver and Tammy Beaumont. When they got to the wicket, the pair took England’s score from 52 runs in the 14th over, all the way to 222 runs in the 41st. For the New Zealand bowling attack, leg spinner Amelia Kerr was the best of the bunch. Kerr took four wickets for 51 runs from 9 overs. Leigh Kasperek also showed promise early on but finished up with 2 wickets for 49 runs from 10 overs. Undone by a Fourth Wicket Stand New Zealand had a great start to their bowling attack, dismissing opener Lauren Winfield for 11 runs. This was quickly followed by the dismissal of Sarah Taylor for 8 runs. Bates then took the big wicket of Heather Knight with a leg-before wicket for just 8 runs. It was all going so well for New Zealand until Beaumont and Sciver changed the game. Chasing a score of 285, the White Ferns got off to decent start with captain Suzi Bates top scoring with 44 from 68 balls. Katie Perkins also put in a good knock with 43 not out from 53 balls. In addition to her three catches, Amy Satterthwaite made a decent 35 from 50 balls but the rest of the team failed to made any headway. For the England bowling attack, it was Alex Hartley who shined taking 3 wickets for 44 runs from 9. 4 overs. She also took the key wickets of Bates and Sophie Devine. New Zealand was eventually dismissed for 209 runs in 46. 4 overs. The loss ends a streak of 15 successful chases by New Zealand. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Trainer Brendan McCarthy has high hopes for Murt The Flirt. The horse has been having a great year so far ahead of his run at the Sir John Monash Stakes. - Published: 2017-07-16 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/murt-contender-monash-stakes/ Murt Testing Mettle At John Monash Stakes Brendan McCarthy will be bringing his rising star, Murt the Flirt to the Sir John Monash Stakes, for his toughest challenge yet. McCarthy is a seasoned veteran in racing but his last win at the Monash Stakes was with Regal Shot more than 15 years ago. Murt seems to have caught everyone’s attention and hopes are high in the McCarthy camp that he could be the horse to give the team another Stakes victory. Murt’s lead up to the Stakes has been a very encouraging one with 3 great wins heading into the Stakes. His previous notable performances include a fifth place in the 2014 Magic Millions Guineas, a fourth place in the 2015 Magic Millions Cup and a third place in the 2017 Magic Millions Sprint. Another feather in Murt’s cap for the upcoming race is the fact that he will be accompanied by Chris Symons, the riders that was with him in three of his four wins. He has been with Murt so far in 12 of his 21 races and both horse and rider seem to be amped for the Stakes. Punters who are excited about what the event may hold can get in on the action at Sportsbet if they want to wager online. Looking For A Wet Track According to McCarthy Murt the Flirt did pick up a virus when he was first stabled but he has made a full recovery and he has been performing great in practices. The team is hoping for a moderately wet track as Murt performs better in these conditions as opposed to a perfectly dry and hard track. McCarthy is ideally hoping for a track with 4 or 5 rating. 3 and better will not serve Murt well. Murt is up against some very stiff competition. The nominations for this Saturday’s event have been announced already and the line-up includes heavy hitters like Flamberge and Lord of the Sky. Lord of the Sky will be making a notable return to the Stakes after it was out of racing since August last year. Robbie Laing, Lord’s trainer will be using the Stakes as preparation for Lord’s defence at the Blenchingly Stakes. In previous Stakes events Lord of The Sky finished first in 2014, seventh in 2015 and fourth in 2016. A Tough Field With a selection of veterans and fresh faces, this Sir John Monash Stakes will be very fiercely contested. The other nominations for the Stakes include: I Am Gypsy Supido General Truce Unique Lovely Ashlor Sunday Escape Sahara Chill Dothraki O’Malley Daytona Grey Divine Ten Chocolate Holic Cashed --- > Bernard Langer, Kenny Perry and Fred Couples are the top money earners on the Champions Tour. Couples however has just withdrawn due to injury. - Published: 2017-07-15 - Modified: 2017-07-15 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/2017-champions-tour-top-earners/ Champions Tour Money List 2017 The Champions tour features some of the top earners in sport and this year has been one of the most lucrative for the talented field of golfers in the event. The Top Spot Right at the top of the list is Bernard Langer, halfway to earning twice as much as the 2nd place golfer in the overall earnings scale. The golfer has courted a lot of controversy in recent days for still not altering his putting motion despite rule changes that have been implemented since 2016. The rule addresses a technique known as anchoring. The controversy was stirred up after viewers complained about Langer’s technique based on his body language during the US Open. The player has since been cleared of any infractions after the PGA investigated and confirmed that while his stance is unchanged, his technique is altered. Injuries And Withdrawals In second spot on the earnings list is Kenny Perry whose future on the tour was in doubt last year after withdrawing 2 rounds into the 2016 Champions tour with a swollen knee. A few weeks ago, Perry walked away with the 2017 US Open gold around his neck. Not so fortunate was former PGA Champion Fred Couples. The living legend has withdrawn from the PGA tour on Monday due to back problems that have been plaguing him. This comes as a huge blow to fans and the event organisers as Couples was seen as one of the main contenders to end the absolute domination of Langer in the last 3 years. Despite Fred taking a month off this year, after which he returned to win the AFI Championship and snatch a 4th place finish in the US Open, he has needed to place his health first and he announced his retirement form the tour with a heavy heart. Fans will have to wait and see if this will be a career ending injury or if Fred will simply take some time off to make sure his body heals properly. The Top 15 Earners Bernard Langer $1,815 666 Kenny Perry $1,225 385 Fred Couples $1,103 147 Scott McCarron $958 125 Miguel Angel Jimenez $840 587 Brandt Jobe $840 585 Kirk Triplett $788 276 Kevin Sutherland $784 489 Tom Lehman $726 637 Stephen Ames $703 536 Vijay Singh $668 384 John Daly $479 529 Lee Janzen $474 122 Steve Stricker $464 250 Carlos Franco $459 766 TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 146th Open at Birkdale is almost underway. There are a few more open slots that will be filled by 3 players from the Irish Open leg at Dundonald Links. - Published: 2017-07-15 - Modified: 2017-07-15 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/great-line-146th-open/ The 146th Open Royal Birkdale Contenders The Scottish Open will be the last chance for players to qualify for the 146th Open at the Royal Birkdale. Last week the Irish Open ushered in Richie Ramsay, David Drysdale and New Zealand player Ryan Fox. Three more spots will be offered to the players at the Dundonald Links. Luke Donald, Graeme McDowell and Thomas Bjorn are favourites to take those spots. Of the players already qualified for the Open there is a tremendous fountain of talent on offer and there are a few names that the bookmakers have been keeping an eye on. The American Challenge American golfer Dustin Johnson is the favourite for the Open this year. He is currently the world no1. He sustained a back injury last summer that cost him an appearance in the Masters and he did not make the cut for the US open this year so it is only natural that he will be flexing his muscle at the Open. Dustin is joined by Jordan Spieth. He has definitely seen a jump in his performance this year. He won the PGA tour in July and he could potentially take the Open in his upswing. He came painfully close to winning it in 2015 at St Andrews but he could not quite muster it. The Return Of The Spaniard Sergio Garcia will be making a welcome appearance at the Open. Even though he took Augusta in April and has had a great run in the PGA tour this year, he may not have what it takes to go all the way at Birkdale. The Defending Champion Henrik Stenson could not live up to the promise of his 2016 Open win despite the tremendous build up to his eventual defeat of Phil Mickelson at Troon. He will be relying on his powerful drives to make his mark at the Open this year against a strong field of up and coming talent and seasoned veterans. The Outsiders Justin Rose is not the most consistent of players but he has previously shown that he can bring it all out when he has to. He showed what he is capable of at the April Masters tournament but he has yet to leave a serious mark in the competition. Tommy Fleetwood has probably been playing some of the best golf of his career this year. Many wrote him off after a long career slump but an impressive fourth place at the US Open and a win at the French Open has made Fleetwood a potential force to be reckoned with. The pack will also be joined by Sergio Garcia. He defeated Justin Rose at the Augusta in April and he has shown some impressive form in the PGA tour but again, it does not seem that he has the fire to claim a win from the rest of the pack. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The latest betting odds for the ladies Wimbledon final. We take a look at each player, their betting odds and why they could win the title on Saturday. - Published: 2017-07-14 - Modified: 2017-07-14 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/wimbledon-ladies-final-betting-odds/ Wimbledon Ladies Final Betting Odds and Predictions If there is one thing we have learned from Wimbledon this year is that you can never underestimate the power of a home crowd and the ability for low-ranked players to suddenly up their game and play as if they have always been at the top. With the woman’s quarterfinals done and dusted, we can now focus on the four women who have a clear shot at the title. If you want a bit of a punt and you are keen to make a bit of money before the day of the final, betting early is the way to go. Here is how each player stacks up. Garbine Muguruza 2. 50 There is a reason why the bookies have made Muguruza the odds-on favourite. If you managed to catch the match between Muguruza and top seeded Angelique Kerber, you will understand why the bets all favour her to win. Her power and precision on court is phenomenal and she has just come off the back of a French Open win. While she may not have won Wimbledon before, she certainly has what it takes and handles pressure well. Johanna Konta 3. 00 Since she made it into the quarterfinals, Konta has been extremely focused and a force to be reckoned with. Not many people picked her to win over Simone Halep but she managed to defy the odds and get the home crowd behind her. After slogging it out for 3 long sets, Konta prevailed, becoming the first British woman to reach a Wimbledon semi-final since 1978. She handles pressure extremely well and there is no telling what she can do with the crowd behind her. Venus Williams 4. 00 While she may not have the lowest odds, Venus Williams is the only player out of the four left that have actually won a Wimbledon title. This takes the pressure off and gives her the confidence to play and win a final when the real pressure sets in. A semi-finalist last year, Venus was runner up in the Australian open at the start of the year and has been playing impressive tennis all season. Magdalena Rybarikova 7. 00 Like Konta and Muguruza, Rybarikova has never won a Wimbledon final before. This doesn’t mean she doesn’t have a good shot at the title. At odds of 7. 00 Rybarikova is the underdog mainly because of her ranking, which is sitting at 67. She is definitely the least experienced of the bunch but dispatched Coco Vandeweghe in straight sets, a feat most players will struggle with. Her finesse and speed on court is a pleasure to watch, but she lacks the power of Venus and Konta. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The favourites for the State of Origins game 3, the NSW Blues, were upset by a focused and determined Queensland Maroons. They defeated the Blues 22-6. - Published: 2017-07-14 - Modified: 2017-07-14 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/blues-crushed-state-origin-3/ Stunning State Of Origin Game 3 Result The Queensland Maroons left both fans and the press stunned by an incredible victory over the favourites, New South Wales. Suncorp Stadium came alive as their hometown heroes crushed the Blues 22 - 6 in a show of strength, dedication and spirit. A rendition of Wish You Well by Bernard Fanning in honour of Jonathan Thurston set the tone for the evening. With a packed stadium you can’t help but feel it is the Maroons fans that came out in droves to support their underdog team that played the biggest role the evening. You would not be mistaken but you also will be selling the team short. The Maroons were in amazing form. With replacement rookie, Valentine Holmes, the team had their try scorer who sealed the Blue’s fate. He earned Queensland 3 tries with support from the team captain Cameron Smith, whose experience helped steady the team in their hard fought battle. The Underdogs Rose Up After their dominating performance in games 1 and 3, the Blues were a shoe in for this game, but the Maroons had other plans. They managed to expand the game across the field in order to weaken the roles of the Blue’s strong forwards, but when they did assert themselves the Maroons simply bashed them back. Their attack also helped put pressure on the deadly kicks of Mitchell Pearce. Despite the Blues being able to taste victory after years of defeat and despite the decimated Maroons ranks, something just clicked in the team and drove them to victory. There were definite sloppy plays from the Blues but that alone would not have been enough to secure such a commanding victory. How It Happened The Maroons scored their first try a mere 14 minutes into the game. Billy Slater managed to confound the Blues defence. With assistance from Michael Morgan a neat pass to Holmes found its mark behind the try line. After 26 minutes in, Cameron Smith, Josh Papalii and Holmes again found another try through teamwork and support. The final try sealed the game in spectacular fashion. One hour in, Munster powered his way past three of the Blues defensive players before he passed to Holmes. At first the pass seemed too high but with a few well-placed slaps, Holmes managed to gain control of the high ball as he dived across the try line for the final nail in the Blues coffin. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > There is some great AFL action heading your way this weekend. Things are hotting up in the league as we get closer towards the top 8 teams aiming for the finals. - Published: 2017-07-14 - Modified: 2017-07-14 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/weekends-afl-action/ The Weekend AFL Games Let’s look at the AFL matches set to take place this weekend. St Kilda v Essendon - 14 Jul With their consistent performance in their last 4 games, St Kilda is the favourites in this match. If they can work on their conversions they are a shoe in. Jake Carlisle will be a key figure in the match against his former team mates. Geelong Cats v Hawthorn - 15 Jul As one of the highest scoring sides this season, the Cats are a favourite in this matchup. They also have a proven record against Hawthorne, having won their last 3 face-offs. Port Adelaide v North Melbourne - 15 Jul With 5 straight losses coming into this match, Melbourne’s chances are not looking good. Adelaide on the other hand has shown their critics they mean business after a hard won victory against the West Coast last week. They will have the home ground advantage in this match. Gold Coast Suns v Collingwood - 15 Jul This is the hardest match to predict this week thanks to the unpredictable form of these two sides. Statistically the game will go to the Gold Coast. Judging Collingwood’s form against Essendon last week, it doesn’t seem they have their heart in the game this season. GWS Giants v Sydney Swans - 15 Jul The Swans are the favourite in this match but coming off three consecutive wins, the Giants may have enough momentum to take them all the way. The Swans are standing on a 8-1 record with the Giants on 5-3. Melbourne v Adelaide Crows - 15 Jul Without Nathan Jones and Jack Viney, Melbourne may be in for a rough ride. The Crows have been in great form, coming off a commanding victory against the Bulldogs last week. Adelaide is the favourite for this match. Richmond v Brisbane Lions - 16 Jul Richmond faced the Lions in round 4 and had the team on the ropes by the first half. They have won the last 10 matches they had against the Lions who have been performing inconsistently with their new coach. Carlton v Western Bulldogs - 16 Jul Carlton is the pick for this matchup. The Bulldogs have so far only won 2 of their past 8 games. Without Patrick Cripps, Carlton’s midfield will be weaker which may be the Bulldogs only salvation. Fremantle v West Coast Eagles - 16 Jul The Eagles, with the help of their star player Josh Kennedy, look set to take this match. Fremantle is one of the lowest scoring sides this season but their mid field strength could be the winning ticket if they can use this to gain an advantage. Bet on these and other games online at Sportsbet and get great odds every time. 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Fans have blamed the longer stages and the unyielding weather conditions for the lack of fast paced racing but no one can say that this year’s route has been anything but challenging. The field has been put through their paces and the winner of this year’s tour would debatably deserve a war medal for powering through. Calmejane Victorious To the fans’ delight, Frenchman Lillian Calmejane took the first place finish in stage 8 after he broke away solo on the last ascent of the stage. He was further rewarded with the polka dot King of the Mountains jersey for powering up and down the 187 km between Dole and Station des Rousses. Calmejane was joined in the winner’s circle by the Dutch rider Robert Gesink from team LottoNL-Jumbo. Gesink stayed on Calmejane, making him work hard for his first place finish. Gesink stated after the race that he saw Calmejane cramp up about 5km from the finish line but he was unable to capitalise as he was cramping up himself. He referred to it quite eloquently as two dead guys fighting each other and the other guy won. They were joined in third place by Guillaume Martin, but the podium addict Chris Froome remains as big a threat as always and retains his overall race lead by 12 seconds. He is followed in the second overall spot by his team mate Geraint Thomas and in third is Italian Fabio Aru. Stage 8 Shocks This stage followed a very controversial departure of Peter Sagan after an alleged shove during a sprint for the finish in the previous stage. Stage 8 also saw a strikingly poor finish for Arnaud Demare. He controversially claimed a win in Stage 4, but in stage 8 he soon fell behind the breakaway pack, and finished in 188th place. This followed a very poor sprint to the finish in his previous race which cost him his Green jersey. The riders are certainly taking a knock from this year’s difficult course. If Demare is already showing signs of extreme fatigue, his chances for the rest of the race are looking very slim indeed. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The NSW Blues are going in strong for the State of Origins game 3. The Maroons will be facing them without key players in the team that may cost them a victory. - Published: 2017-07-13 - Modified: 2017-07-13 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/blues-dominate-game-3/ Blues Favourites For State Of Origin The State of Origin game 3 will see the Blues face the Maroons once gain. The last time New South Wales faced Queensland in an Origins decider, the Blues took a painful 52-6 pounding. The event has been burned into the minds of many players, most of all into the mind of coach Laurie Daley who may be staring down his last year with the team. The Blues squad is also entering the decider with a bruised and battered team including a calf injury for Captain Boyd Cordoner, an ankle injury for James Tedesco and a knee injury for Josh Dugan. Despite these issues it seems the bookmakers are full steam behind a Blues victory on Wednesday. It seems that the team could utilise their desperate state to drive home the victory in front of an away crowd. In their previous games, the Blues have performed great so expectations are certainly high. Fresh Players In The Line-up The Blues have seen some fresh faces added to their line up including the Dragon’s forward Jack De Belin, Trent Merrin and Matt Moylan, helping to boost the strength of the Forward squad. This strength in the middle of the field is what most likely will drive the Blues all the way. If there is any issue that may come up it will be the mental strength of the team. On many previous occasions the team has lost focus when the scores are not in their favour by half time. If the coach keeps the guys motivated and driven the game will be theirs. The Challenge For The Maroons The Maroons have been giving it their all but they will be facing many challenges in game 3. The most glaring problem being the loss of Jonathon Thurston. There were rumours that the retiring player will be given a victory lap in front of his home crowd before the game kicks off but those plans have been scrapped and instead the player will get a special presentation in his honour. Whether this will be a demoraliser for the Maroons or whether it will give them more to fight for is yet to be seen. Thurston always had massive impact on each Origins game he played in so the repercussion of his retirement will definitely be felt on the night. Even though the blues are heading into the game as confident as they were in game 2, this time they will have everything to prove and the hungry squad to prove it with. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Floyd Mayweather Jr vs Conor McGregor media tour has arrived in the US. The two fighters did not disappoint at all with an entertaining press showdown. - Published: 2017-07-13 - Modified: 2017-07-13 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/ufc/mayweather-vs-mcgregor-us-tour/ McGregor’s Not So Subtle Message to Mayweather The first event of the American leg of the Floyd Mayweather Jr vs. Conor McGregor media tour concluded in the early hours of the 12th and it was definitely worth it. The two stars created quite a spectacle that is sure to have hyped up even the most jaded fight fan. The two stars trash talked and stared each other down, but best of all was how they contrasted against each other. The two fighters have very little in common and it is this juxtaposition of two different worlds that has probably generated the most interest in people. The event took place in the Staples Centre in Los Angles. Once the event kicked off it dominated social media with press and fans providing constant updates to what was happening. During the traditional stare down for press photos you could clearly see that there is a lot of tension building between the two fighters. It was also the first time for many seeing the two fighters actually standing toe to toe. The most glaring thing you notice is the size advantage that McGregor has over Mayweather. It could easily be the biggest fighter Mayweather has faced in his career. Dressed for Success McGregor spoke first and many people expected him to offer the loudest voice and most trash talking but instead it was Mayweather who delivered the one-liners, eloquently and consistently rebuffing the insults slung his way by McGregor. Earlier this month Mayweather shared on social media that he is under investigation by the IRS for back taxes and McGregor also brought this up as soon as possible. Mayweather simply showed the crowd a cheque for $100 million and told McGregor that he is the taxman and that he is going to tax McGregor’s a**. The crowd responded accordingly. But in the end, it was McGregor’s suit that really did the talking. Mayweather may have been slick with the verbal sparring, but when it came to dressing for success, McGregor was streets ahead. The two fighters couldn’t have dressed more differently, but the Irishman’s stylish suit spoke volumes when you gave it a closer look. Instead of pinstripes, McGregor’s suit was covered in tiny letters, all spelling out F**k You. Clearly he was content to let his suit do the trash talking and make a statement in a really unusal way. It looks like that in this case, it’s round 1 to McGregor. McGregor Predicts A KO McGregor predicted that he will win the fight in a 4th round knockout, but Mayweather was unfazed. He simply bided his time and retorted when it was his turn on the microphone. McGregor gave one final insult commenting on the fact that Mayweather showed up in a star spangled tracksuit and that he himself was wearing a tailored suit. It has to be said that McGregor did seem a bit out of his element. He was not the showman people expected but by no means did he come off as weak or intimidated. Hype continues to build for the event and this press conference has been a great showcase for one of the biggest fights of the century. We’ll have to wait now to see what happens when the suit comes off and the gloves go on. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Angelique Kerber has lost her No1 ranking and is out of Wimbledon. Kerber was defeated by Garbiñe Muguruza who was a close match for the German. - Published: 2017-07-12 - Modified: 2017-07-12 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/angelique-kerber-crashes-wimbledon/ Kerber Out of Wimbledon Woman’s top seed Angelique Kerber has failed to make it to the quarterfinals of Wimbledon. The 2016 runner up lost to Garbiñe Muguruza in one of the most exciting matches of the tournament so far. Relegated to No2 court for second time in succession, Kerber and her Spanish opponent put on a spectacular show which featured two very tight sets while the third had an incredible five breaks of serve. The first set was evenly matched with neither player getting a hold of the game in any decisive way. Kerber got the break she was looking for when they pair were at four games all. Muguruza played two unforced errors followed up by a drifting backhand which pulled the ball wide of the service line. Having broken Muguruza’s serve, Kerber was able to serve out the first set. The second set followed a similar path to the first with both players desperately trying to find a way to exploit the other’s weaknesses. Having served first, Muguruza played out the set to 5-4 and forced Kerber to make a few mistakes. With the game at deuce, Muguruza pounced on a week serve with a powerful backhand. Kerber just managed to flick the ball back but Muguruza drove the ball home for the set point. A Nail-Biter from Start to Finish With a packed stadium and most of the crowd behind her, Kerber never lost her resolve. She started the third set breaking Muguruza’s serve and put her nose ahead. Muguruza struck back straight away levelling the score at 2-2. Not to be outdone, Kerber broke Muguruza again winning five straight points on the bounce. Muguruza in turn broke Kerber’s serve after a five-deuce game. Once again, the set had reached the decisive 5-4 mark. In a repeat of the second set, Muguruza broke when it mattered the most, claiming match point on her third attempt. Not only has Kerber been played out of the tournament, she also loses her No1 ranking. Speaking to the press, Kerber said she was happy with her performance. She said she thought they both played a good match and it all came down to two points. She admitted that she was disappointed she lost but it was the best match she had played in a long time. Meanwhile second seed Simona Halep survived a tight match against Victoria Azarenka to go through to the quarterfinals. Venus Williams, Jelena Ostapenko and Coco Vandeweghe who were also victorious on the day, will join her. 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Speaking to the press, Vettel said that he probably needed just one more lap to take Bottas as the Mercedes driver was battling to get up the hill. Vettel’s second place finish has given him a 20-point championship lead over his main rival Lewis Hamilton who placed fourth. Coming home in third place was Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo who defended his position from Hamilton who almost managed to pass the Australian but simply ran out of time. This was Ricciardo’s fifth straight podium finish, which he celebrated with a post-race “shoey”. Speaking to the press, Ricciardo said that it was a fun race for him. He had a few decisive moments at the start and then the defence challenge on the last couple of laps against Hamilton. Disappointment for Alonso and Verstappen For Bottas, this was his second win of the season, putting him just 15 points behind Hamilton in the overall championship standings. Hamilton started the race from 8th position as he picked up a five-place grid penalty for an unauthorised gearbox change at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. It was a disappointing race for Fernando Alonso who had to retire from the race after he ended up in a collision with Toro Rosso driver Daniil Kvyat. Max Verstappen, the Red Bull driver also had a difficult race. After picking up a clutch problem, Verstappen dropped to the back of the field where he collided with Alonso’s McLaren, ending his race. This was the fifth time this season that Verstappen failed to finish a race. At the front of the pack, Bottas got a clean getaway with Vettel making an uncharacteristic sluggish start. Vettel originally contested Bottas for having jumped the lights but the Mercedes driver was cleared by the stewards. Speaking from the podium, Bottas said he had the start of his life. He said he was extremely happy with this his second win of his career. Meanwhile Kimi Raikkonen, came home in fifth place just ahead of Romain Grosjean in sixth and the two Force India drivers Sergio Perez in seventh and Esteban Ocon in eighth. Felipe Massa and Lance Stroll, the two Williams drivers made good starts from the back of the grid to make up the last two places in the top 10. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Lionel Messi has agreed to a contact with FC Barcelona. The new contract will see Messi stay with Barca until the end of the 2021 football season. - Published: 2017-07-11 - Modified: 2017-07-11 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/messi-agrees-contract-barca/ Messi Agrees to Barca Contract Lionel Messi, touted as one of the world’s greatest footballers, has agreed to a contract extension that will see him extending his time with Barcelona until the end of 2021. The 30-year-old Argentinean was reportedly linked with a number of Premier League sides including the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea. Now it seems, Messi is ready to commit to the club he joined at the tender age of 13. In a statement released on their website, the Barcelona Cub said that Leo Messi and FC Barcelona have officially agreed on a contract renewal that will see him staying with the club until the 30th of June 2021. According to the Club, the deal will be singed in the next few weeks when Messi returns to the club for pre-season training. While it has not been confirmed, reports have been circulating that the buyout clause for Messi’s latest contact could be as high as 300 Million Euros. Making his debut as a senior at the age of 16, Lionel started his career playing in a friendly against Porto. To date he has racked up a total of 8 La Liga tiles, 4 Champions League wins, and 5 Copa del Rey triumphs among his extensive list of football honours. It is no wonder then that FC Barcelona is happy to have him locked in for the next few years. In their press statement, the Club said they were very happy with the commitment of Messi to the Club. Another 4 Years with FC Barcelona They fondly refer to Lionel as the best player in history, and one that spent the better part of his professional career playing for Barca. He has led the team to successes the likes of which have never been seen before in Spain or in the world football for that matter. Messi first joined Barcelona in 2000, coming from the Newell’s Old Boys as 17-year-old prodigy. He made his first competitive appearance for the team against Español. In 583 matches, Messi has scored a club record of 507 goal and picked up the Ballon d’Or five times, a feat no other player has come close to achieving. FC Barcelona feel that Messi is still in the prime of his career and has a lot still to give. With 13 seasons under his belt, the Argentinean will continue to give Barca fans something to look forward to for the next four years. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Following a shocking crash, Richard Porte has been eliminated from the Tour de France. Porte’s dreams of a yellow jersey came crashing down unexpectedly. - Published: 2017-07-11 - Modified: 2017-07-11 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/porte-crash-leads-end-tour/ Porte Crashes Out Of Tour De France After a great Tour De France run, Australian cyclist Richard Porte has been unceremoniously eliminated from the event in Stage 9. He had a terrible crash during a steep descent while he was in a solid 5th place. His bicycle slipped on the tarmac and into a crass verge at the end of the descent. The unbalanced rider then wobbled across the road taking out Dan Martin from Ireland in the process. Both riders crashed onto rocks a mere 25km from the finish line. It seems this 181km stage took the concentration from Ponte as he made his rapid descent and the rider certainly paid for it. Porte was conscious and could speak but fans saw that the rider did not move after the crash. He was evacuated from the track and taken to hospital as soon as was possible. Thomas Follows Suit As if this was not enough of a loss, British cyclist Geraint Thomas suffered a similar fate 100km’s earlier. He had his crash also at the bottom of a steep descent near the Col de la Biche. It was announced that he has also been removed from the tour after the crash left him with a broken collarbone. This was Thomas’s third crash so far. He has had an amazing run this tour spending 4 days in the coveted Yellow jersey. This was actually his second race ending crash this year after he had to leave the Giro de Italia following a crash involving a police motorbike. These events have been a doubled edged sword for the star of Team Sky, Chris Froome. The exit of Porte takes a lot of pressure of Froome as the Australian was one of his main rivals. It did however cost him his team mate who was 2nd in the overall rankings. A Shaky Field There were many other crashes amongst riders, notably Alberto Contador who amazingly managed to mount his bike again and carry on. Dan Martin, who was also knocked down by the crashing Porte, also managed to compose himself and carry on but he did take a second tumble. This has been a very taxing weekend for the field and fans are now unsure what the rest of the race holds with the loss of these key competitors. It will most likely be a huge blow for Team Sky who has had a dominating run in the Tour so far. Porte was a powerful force in his team, keeping them in high spirits, while Thomas was always at Froome’s side supporting him. Let’s hope for the fans that these sides can keep their minds on the task at hand. 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He is currently racing one in MotoAmerica Superbike tournament but he will be joining team mate Stefan Bradl at Laguna Seca. A Talented Young Rider Gagne is a great addition for Team Red Bull. This talented rider made a name for himself when you won the Red Bull Rookies Cup in 2010 at the tender age of 18. He then went to build some experience at the Spanish CEV Moto 2 Championship. Afterwards he returned to America where he claimed the 2014 Daytona Superbike Championship. The next year he won the MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 Championship. Both these victories were won on a Yamaha YZF model. The R6 model was used in 2014 and the R1 model was used in 2015. The Loss Of Nicky Hayden Gagne comes unto the race following the sudden loss of Nicky Hayden. He will be replacing the star rider after he passed away due to a sudden accident. Hayden was cycling in Italy when he was struck by a car and eventually succumbed to brain injuries. Red Bull had been keeping his position vacant out of respect and solidarity with fans and family. They decided that to replace Hayden in the American leg of the World Superbike tour, they would need an American rider. Gagne was the obvious choice thanks to his relationship with Honda, but this will not be a permanent move. At the moment Gagne will only be supporting Team Red Bull only at this weekend’s event in Laguna Seca. Tribute For The Fallen Star Since the event will be taking place in front of Hayden’s home crowd, the team are planning a tribute for the rider and it makes Gagne’s role all the more poignant. Team Manager for Red Bull, Ronald Kate reiterated the faith he has in Gagne and the significance of the loss of Hayden. He went further to state that they expect great things from Gagne this weekend. The rider is already familiar with the Superbike he will be riding from his Moto America Superbike days and he has won multiple races at the Laguna Seca course. Undoubtedly all eyes will be on Team Red Bull this weekend both in tribute and recognition of Nicky Lauder. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Mayweather is facing Connor McGregor in two months and tensions are rising. Mayweather is using new training techniques to prepare his body for the fighter. - Published: 2017-07-10 - Modified: 2017-07-10 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/ufc/mayweather-trying-new-training/ Mayweather Employing Unorthodox Training Techniques The hype machines rolls on as this week it was announced that the Mayweather and McGregor camps will be embarking on a worldwide media tour. The two teams will kick off the promotional tour in Wembley Stadium with arrangements made for 10 000 people to show up. Entry to the press events will be free and many fans are expected to arrive and witness the two athletes meet in public for the first time in months. The New Training Techniques The two fighters have already come to virtual blows in their on going social media war. Recently Mayweather has revealed on Twitter and Instagram his unorthodox training techniques. These techniques have been employed to take advantage of ever-possible edge he can in the lead up to this historic fight. The 40 year old boxer who has come out of retirement to face the MMA fighter has started employing Cryotherapy after training in order to recover faster. The fighter seems to be struggling to recover from his intensive training regime and Cryotherapy is said to assist the body’s natural recovery process by cooling down the core body temperature. Additionally Mayweather has also posted pictures of him engaging in Bikram Yoga, also known as hot yoga, a controversial form of the exercise that is done in Sauna like conditions to improve strength and flexibility. McGregor has commented that recent video’s of Mayweather in training makes it look like the fighter is moving through quicksand. Mayweather With The Advantage Despite the social media back and forth, most experts favour Mayweather. The fighter’s ridiculous 49-0 record pretty much speaks for itself. The fight will follow traditional boxing rules. This means that there will be 12 3 minute rounds and the fighters will be wearing traditional 10 ounce gloves that are much heavier than the MMA gloves that McGregor will be used to. McGregor may have a reach and age advantage but they won’t mean much with the expert defence and experience that Mayweather will be bringing to the ring. The Odds Bookmakers are heavily favouring Mayweather in the odds. He currently holds around 1/8 odds to win, with McGregor getting a 9/2. Most bookmakers give Mayweather 8/11 odds for finishing the match with either a knockout, TKO or disqualification decision. McGregor is given a 6/1 on the same outcomes. Sportsbet is offering a wide selection of markets for this fight, and you can get your wagers in online well in advance. Many fans take the jaded approach that the fight is only happening for the money. Mayweather stands to pocket a tidy $230 million and McGregor could pocket around $70 million, more than the fighter would ever make on a single UFC fight. Either way it is still a once in a lifetime match that may open the door to more mixed discipline fights in the future. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Ryan McCarthy from Burnie in Tasmania is heading to the 146th Open. He qualified through a playoff match in Scotland after work shopping his swing. - Published: 2017-07-09 - Modified: 2017-07-09 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/mccarthy-heading-146th-open/ Tasmanian Golfer Makes The 146th Open Cut Tasmanian golf hopeful, Ryan McCarthy has snatched an opportunity to attend the 146th Open at Royal Birkdale. The 27 year old player managed to qualify through a playoff match in Scotland. The playoff took place at Gailes Links Golf Course and McCarthy managed to sink an impressive 8 foot putt for a birdie securing his entry into the Open. The Burnie player is ranked 1342nd in the world, but this did not discourage him from attempting to improve his form. McCarthy is still relatively young and he credits his recent success to his “Swing Doctor”. McCarthy attended a workshop with bio mechanical scientist Robert Neal. The celebrate scientist has worked with many sports people, with McCarthy the latest in a line of professional and amateur golfers. They worked on McCarthy’s swing in Florida and according to his former trainer, Nick White, his swing is the best it has ever been. In fact White believes that McCarthy is now on the verge of greatness. If he can keep up his form and consistency, there is no reason why the 146th Open won’t be the tournament where McCarthy really puts his name on the map. Other Famous Tasmanian Players Golf stars from Tasmania are very few and far between, McCarthy will only be the third Tasmanian player ever to compete in the event. The first was Peter TooGood. He played in the 1954 Open, tying for the 7th place. In 2009, Matthew Goggin tied for the 5th place finish in the Open, making him the current highest finishing Tasmanian player in the history of the event. A Chance In Prize Money A quite interesting revelation regarding the Open this week was the fact that the prize money will be given out in US dollars rather than the traditional pounds. It will be the first time in 154 years that the prize money will not be in pounds. Chief Executive, Martin Slumbers has stated that the Dollar is the most widely adopted currency in world golf, and the Open is attempting to keep with the times. Commentators however believe the reason for the change in currency is thanks to the devaluation of the pound after the Brexit vote. The effects of this was seen last year when Henrik Stenson received less money when converted than the previous year’s winner, with the total prize money in effect being worth $300 000 less than in 2015. Punters keen to get in on te action can do so online at Crownbet, and wager on who they think will walk away with the US cash prize. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Ryan Fox, the New Zealand pro golfer has recorded his best finish on the European Tour this season. Fox finished in 6th at seven under par. - Published: 2017-07-09 - Modified: 2017-07-09 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/ryan-fox-finishes-top-10-french-open/ Ryan Fox Records his Best Finish on European Tour New Zealand pro golfer Ryan Fox recorded his best finish on the European tour earlier this week. The Auckland based professional carded a final round of four-under 67 at the Rolex Series French Open in Paris to finish in sixth place at seven-under par for the tournament. Fox finished just five shots behind Tommy Fleetwood, the English golfer who claimed the top spot. Fox’s impressive top-10 finish at the French Open comes straight off the back of multiple top 20 finishes this year, giving the kiwi a much-needed bump up the leader board and a handy $400,000 NZD for his efforts. The result sees Fox jump a massive 53 places to put him 49th in the Race to Dubai standing. If he is able to stay inside the top 100 for the reminder of the European Tour season, Fox will automatically retain his European Tour full status. Speaking to the press, Fox said that he was extremely happy with the result. He said that picked the right weekend to play well and made a massive dent in the order of merit standings. He is pleased with the fact that he will also get a few world ranking points from the achievement as well. For as well as he did, there is one piece of news that Fox did not want to hear. One Shot to the Open Unfortunately, the Auckland player missed out on a qualifying spot in the Open Championship by a single shot. If he had managed to achieve just one better, it would have capped off the perfect weekend for Fox. It is not the end of the world though as Fox will have a couple more chances to qualify for the open again when he tees up at the Scottish and Irish Open later this year. Speaking about his one shot miss from the open, Fox said that all was looking good until Mike Lorenzo-Vera birdied the 18th hole. This was the second time this kind of thing happened with the same scenario taking place in the Australian Open last year. However, despite not qualifying, Fox will take a massive confidence boost from the tournament. He will look to continue his good performance in the Rolex series with another chance to shine at the upcoming Dubai Duty Free Irish Open. The Irish Open offers a handsome $7,000,000 purse and a chance to earn a start in the Open Championship. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Red Bull is heading full steam into the Austrian Grand Prix on their home track. They have received engine upgrades from Renault just in time for the event. - Published: 2017-07-08 - Modified: 2017-07-08 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/improved-red-bull-austrian-gp/ Red Bull Hopes For Austrian Grand Prix Team Red Bull are currently on a high after their great performance in Baku at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. They are looking to repeat their success at the upcoming Austria Grand Prix that will be taking place on their home turf. The race is set for the scenic Red Bull Ring in the Styria mountains. Daniel Riccardio took his 5th Grand Prix win in Baku last month, a season long build up with the driver inching closer and closer to the number one podium finish. The Red Bull Ring should not offer too much of a challenge for team Red Bull’s Renault engines that have caused issues in previous races. Despite the underpowered engines, Riccardio has made great work of them in the Baku straights, aided by the trimmed wing angles of his car. The Austrian Grand Prix will definitely favour speed over tight cornering meaning that powerful acceleration may not be a race winning factor. Upgrades For Team Red Bull Furthermore the Renault engines have also received upgrades, much to Red Bull’s relief. With improved engine mapping tested out at Baku, the team’s performance improved by 0. 2 seconds per lap. The team has also implemented heightened awareness measures to assist with spotting engine issues before they become race killers as was the case in their previous races leading to very poor performances by their other star driver, Max Verstappen. Upgrades For Honda McLaren Red Bull have not suffered as much, engine wise as the McLaren Honda team who will finally be getting engine upgrades ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix. They may turn out to be the wild card in this race since no one knows what to expect from these upgrades. Honda announced that they will provide Spec 3 engines for the McLaren drivers. Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne will both get the chance to put the upgraded hardware through its paces. The power unit was already tested at the Azerbaijan practice laps by Alonso and the team seems in high spirits. They opted not to use the upgraded parts since Alonso started at the back of the grid thanks to grid penalties and that engine version not being mapped yet. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 16th round of the AFL takes place this weekend. There will be some fantastic matchups coming with some very close matches expected to take place. - Published: 2017-07-08 - Modified: 2017-07-08 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/weekends-afl-games/ Round 16 Of The AFL Tournament This weekend sees some very exciting clashes for the 16th round of the AFL tournament. You can get your bets in online at Crownbet so that you don’t miss out on any of the excitement. Adelaide v Western Bulldogs Friday night’s clash between Adelaide and the Bulldogs is a foregone conclusion for many. The Bulldogs have had some of the worst performances this season. Their forward line will have to somehow contend with the wave of Adelaide’s defenders and wingmen. If they cannot control the centre field, they will not win. Hawthorn v GWS Giants The Giants are the favourite for this game on Saturday after claiming victories in 10 of their 14 games. Despite the Hawks having made a comeback in the last two weeks, it may not be enough to take down the ladder leaders. Collingwood v Essendon Also meeting Saturday, Collingwood and Essendon will both have something to prove after they have suffered some demoralising defeats in their last games. With the two teams having a pretty similar win loss ratio of 5-9 and 6-8 respectively it is a close match to call, but after Collingwood were defeated by Essendon at the ANZAC Day clash earlier this year, the money seems to be on Essendon. Sydney v Gold Coast Another Saturday match, Sydney v Gold Coast does not feature the variables of the other games. The Gold Coast has never beaten Sydney who has won 7 of their last 8 games. The Swans will more than likely trounce the Gold Coast once again. Brisbane v Geelong The Brisbane Lions will face Geelong Saturday evening. The Lions have been in good form recently, especially their impressive last minute push to defeat Essendon last week. Geelong comes off a draw against ladder leader, the Giants. If the Lions can bring the fire they had against Essendon, this may be a close match. If not, the game will go to Geelong. St Kilda v Richmond If St Kilda can manage to break Richmond’s defence, they may stand a chance. Both teams have shown courage in their recent matches but St Kilda has the advantage of coming off three straight wins. North Melbourne v Fremantle Possibly the most equal matchup of the weekend, both teams have lost star players and both teams come off losing streaks. Statistically the defensive power belongs to Melbourne and with Fremantle’s poor away performance; there may be a chance for Melbourne to come out on top. Carlton v Melbourne This match sees a decimated North Melbourne attempting to keep things together. The team is playing without co-captains Jack Viney, Nathan Jones and Christian Salem and Jack Watts. That said, Carlton has had worrying performance in their matches heading up to this clash and they may not be able to last against Melbourne West Coast v Port Adelaide Following a sorry performance this season, Port Adelaide will need to pull off a surprising victory on Sunday against the West Coast. Port Adelaide is already feeling the pressure with fans and critics labelling them “The Pretenders”. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Fabian Coulthard and Scott McLaughlin are at the front of the Supercars rankings. Team Penske have decided not to issue team orders at Townsville. - Published: 2017-07-07 - Modified: 2017-07-07 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/penske-leading-supercars-ranking/ Penske Looking To Dominate Townsville Australia’s oldest Supercars racing team, DJR Penske, have made a surprise announcement that they will not be issuing team orders to their two drivers, Fabian Coulthard and Scott McLaughlin in their Supercars Championship race at Townsville. These two stars are currently ranked No 1 and No 2 in the overall standings with just 10 points separating the two teammates. They will be heading to the Townsville 400 this weekend to apparently keep their domination of the field going. Racing a Fair Race Team orders are often used to earn the maximum amount of points for race team by issuing instructions for drivers to take certain actions to ensure another team driver can take pole position or advance in the field but Penske want to keep the race fair and competitive. Scott McLaughlin may have started slow this season but he has certainly placed allot of pressure on the veteran to perform at his best at all times. Coulthard recently re-signed with Team DJR Penske stating that they have the best engineers, pit crews and management in the business and he knows this year he will be close enough to grab the Supercars Championship. He also recently announced that he is expecting twins with his long time partner so it certainly seems that things will be coming up roses for Coulthard this year. Domination Not Yet A Certainty DJR Penske certainly seem to be creating a racing dynasty here with veteran Coulthard leading the new young upstart racer McLaughlin. Team boss Ryan Story has said that the two drivers are naturally competitive and keep challenging one another at every race. They do not let any rivalries or competition get in the way of doing what is best for the team. This confidence in the two drivers’ commitment to the team is possibly what has lead to the announcement that no direct team orders will be issued. They will however be facing enough challenge already from the ever hungry team, Red Bull Racing Australia, who are snapping at Penske’s heels. Jamie Whincup, six times Supercar Champion is the lead driver for the team and he is a mere 16 points behind Coulthard. Story confirmed that team Red Bull is a serious threat to Penske at the moment thanks to their skill and experience. Penske have a historically good performance at the Townsville 400 but this year their past victories may not be enough to hold the fort against the Red Bull tide. Fans and critics alike though still favour the DJR Penske team. You do not become the oldest Supercar team if you cannot pull the occasional rabbit out of a hat. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Peter Sagan managed to power his way through a 1.6km uphill sprint to take the victory at the 3rd stage of the Tour De France. This despite a technical glitch. - Published: 2017-07-07 - Modified: 2017-07-07 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/sagan-wins-tour-de-france-stage-3/ Sagan Takes Third Stage Of Tour De France Peter Sagan managed to win the thirds stage of the Tour De France making it his 8th stage win at the Tour in his career. The cyclist did experience a technical issue just before the finish line when his foot became unclipped from his pedal but the seasoned professional managed to not lose his focus and sailed to victory. Team Sky’s Geraint Thomas held on to the yellow race leader jersey despite finishing 8th and 2 second behind the flying Sagan. Froome finished in 9th place, so a quite low finish for the British team but they have been firing on all cylinders so far in the tour. Froome alone managed to go from 6th overall to second overall. In the second place position on stage 3 was the Australian rider Michael Matthews joined in third place by Dan Martin. Matthews is currently ranked third overall, just behind Froome. Sagan Skilled In The Hills Sagan’s power and endurance in mountainous terrain served him very well in this leg of the Tour De France. The third stage ended with a 1. 6km uphill finish which is why Sagan’s unclipped pedal buckle was such a potentially disastrous turn. Sagan received 50 points for this win and he could potentially take the Green Jersey for sprinters. If his record is anything to go by it will be his as he has won the coveted green in his last 5 Tour De France events. Marcel Kittel who took the second stage victory is also in the running for the green and he will be looking forward to stage 4 today which is one of the few stages that will favour the sprinters in the field since most of this year’s course is quite uphill. American Nathan Brown surprised his team mate Taylor Phinney by claiming the King of the Mountain polka dot jersey from him. Both cyclists were in competition for it but in the end Brown’s determination paid off. Porte Surprises Richie Porte surprised many by seemingly misjudging the finish line and started sprinting with 800m left to go. He triggered the attention of Sagan who simply followed suit until he realised how much of the race was still left. Unfortunately by that time it seems Ponte was spent and he ended up with a 14th place finish, but only 2 seconds behind. Things are certainly starting to heat up as we reach the midway mark for the tour. Team Sky seems to be having an off day today but they never remain down for too long. Today was a great victory for Peter Sagan who deserves all the laureates he receives. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > After suffering a home defeat to England last month, the Black Ferns are going full out with preparations for the upcoming Rugby World Cup in Ireland. - Published: 2017-07-06 - Modified: 2017-07-06 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/black-ferns-ready-world-cup/ Black Ferns Gear Up for World Cup After suffering a home defeat at the hands of the English last month, the New Zealand woman’s rugby team are fully confident about their preparations for the Rugby World Cup which is scheduled to be held in Ireland next Month. Black Ferns coach, Glenn Moore has named a particularly strong squad of 28 women. The squad consists of a 16-12 split with experience, versatility and power being the key factors. The unprecedented loss to England in Rotorua has galvanised the team with each player focused on a single goal as they seek out their fifth WRWC title. In total, there will be 12 players from the 2014 squad that place fifth in the competition, so a lot of the women have a point to prove. Speaking to the press, Moore said that after the England game, it was clear that the Black Ferns had to work on their accuracy and one-on-one defence. Another key factor was the discipline in the side. The side copped a total of 4 yellow cards during the series which certainly didn’t help matters. That being said, Moore is confident of the weaponry in his squad and views the England defeat as the kick in the pants they needed to fire up the team. The World Cup squad had a few tight selection calls with Moore calling out Angie Sisifa, Justine Lavea and Pip Love for prop position. Janna Vaughan and Honey Hireme, the two outside backs cut from the June series will also make an appearance. A Multi-Talented Squad Back Hazel Tubic will come in as well as the 20-year-old prop Aotearoa 'Katie' Mata'u. According to coach Moore, Hazel was in the starting 28 but was carrying and injury through the June series. The Black Ferns side will have a few multi-skilled players, which is essential for a team playing five full games inside of 17 days. Most of the squad will be in action this weekend playing club rugby before assembling in Auckland for a two-day Word Cup camp. Thereafter, a few of the squad members will play club games on the 22nd of July before the final World Cup Camp at the end of July. The Black Ferns will kick off their World Cup campaign with pool games against Wales, Canada and Hong Kong on the 10th of August. 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Federer opened 2017 with a great performance at the Australian Open where he took his 18th Grand Slam win. Federer then avoided clay court events which meant he could take 10 weeks off, putting him in the perfect position to enter Wimbledon refreshed and hungry. This was part of Federer’s strategy to remain grass court focussed so that he will be able to dominate at Wimbledon and beat the record set by Pete Sampras with an unprecedented 8th Wimbledon title. The Poor Form Of Murray Looking less and less ready for Wimbledon is troubled British player Andy Murray. After a string of great games in 2016 that culminated in an amazing match where he defeated Novak Djokovic at the O2 Arena in London, Murray seems to be burned out. He has already lost 9 matches of the 30 he has played in 2017, bringing his season match total to 87. Murray showed fatigue in his recent upset loss to world no 90, Jordan Thompson at the Queen’s Club tournament. Murray has already fought an elbow injury and the shingles, but in recent days a much more serious hip injury has come to light. Murray has declined two exhibition matches but he did return to the practice courts this Friday past but it has been reported that he is walking with a visible limp and his backhand shots are nowhere near as powerful as they need to be. The Return Of A Fan Favourite On the Women’s side, Karolina Pliskova runs the risk of being overshadowed by the return of fan favourite Petra Kvitova. The Czech tennis star makes her return at Wimbledon after she survived a home invasion in December 2016 with serious stab wounds to her body and hand that could have spelled the end of her career. Instead she will be returning to the courts after already playing in 2 previous tournaments. She will be facing Johanna Larsson of Sweden as her first opponent. She will challenge Pliskova along with Johanna Konta who is currently on her highest ever seed but she will still be nursing a spinal injury she received after she had a terrific spill on the court. For punters wanting to back a winner, look no further than Sportsbet, this elite online sportsbook is offering great odds on this grand slam tournament. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Maria Erakovic, the New Zealand number 1 has lost her opening round match to second seed Simona Halep. Simona won in straight sets 6-4, 6-1. - Published: 2017-07-05 - Modified: 2017-07-05 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/erakovic-loses-first-round-wimbledon-match/ First Round Exit for Maria Erakovic at Wimbledon Maria Erakovic, the New Zealand tennis number one has been handed a first round exit at Wimbledon after losing in straight sets to second seed Simona Halep. Barely making it through the qualifier, Erakovic blamed poor serving for her 6-4, 6-1 defeat at the hands of the French Open runner up. Speaking about her defeat, Erakovic admitted that it wasn’t the performance she wanted. She went on to explain that she had a few chances in the first set but was feeling the nerves. After having been broken in the first set, Erakovic said she played too simply. It was only after she lost three straight games in the second set that she began to hit out and find a bit of rhythm. The first set was hard-fought battle, with Halep eventually taking the set. The second set started badly for Erakovic with Halep breaking her serve on the first game and continuing to dominate the court. Erakovic did manage to get a break midway through the set, but it was too little, too late for the Kiwi. Poor Serving to Blame Speaking to the press, Erakovic said that her serve let her down in the second set. She explained that she wasn’t able to hit her targets with a lot of balls combing back to her, forcing her off her rhythm. She did take some positive notes from it all. She said she gave herself a good chance and over the past 20 days has played a lot of good matches under her belt. The stats confirm that Erakovic’s serve was indeed to blame for her loss or a least a key factor. The kiwi won just 46 per cent of her first serves and only won 2 out of 15 points on her second serve. After the match Erakovic admitted that her first serve percentage was probably quite low. She went on to explain that she double faulted more than she should have. The stats show she played a total of 5 double faults. This allowed Halep to run around return on her forehand, a play she is very comfortable with. The big difference between the two was that Halep was moving well on the court, getting more balls back while Erakovic lacked any form of aggression. Meanwhile, Petra Kvitova, the two-times champion has advanced to the second round along with fourth seed Rafael Nadal and defending champion Andy Murry. Aussie player Nick Kyrgios had to retire from his first game with a hip injury after playing just two sets in his opening match. There’s plenty more Wimbledon action to follow, and Sportsbet is offering great odds on all the matches to come. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Tensions are running high between the two camps facing each other in Glasgow this weekend. Taylor v Davies is set to be an amazing bout between two young stars. - Published: 2017-07-05 - Modified: 2017-07-05 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/taylor-v-davies-set-8th-july/ Glasgow Hyped For Taylor vs. Davies If Twitter is good enough for the American president to air his views, it certainly is good enough for two talented boxers to use to fuel their rivalry. The upcoming clash between Josh Taylor and Ohara Davies has been preceded by name calling and self promotion on Twitter by the two fighters which has lead to the event being billed as “Bad Blood”. When it comes to the two fighters’ statistics you can understand why they are so hyped to face each other and why the event has generated so much media attention. These two fighters are both at critical points in their career. They may not be at the peak of their powers yet but both fighters have shown that they have very promising careers in the industry. The Tale Of The Tape Taylor turned professional in 2015 and since then he has won 8 of his 9 fights. Davies is a year younger than the 26 year old Taylor but he has already racked up 12 knockouts from 15 fights and he is still undefeated. He currently holds the WBC Silver Championship and with good reason. Taylor on the other hand is the current Commonwealth Super Lightweight champion and looking to climb the career ladder with his first high profile fight of this nature. Shane McGuigan, former champion and Taylor’s trainer, has been focussing on his endurance training. He emphasised the importance of Taylor being able to absorb the onslaught from Davies. The Undercards The fight undercard includes a series of exciting bouts lined up for the weekend showdown. The event is set for the 8th of July and the headliners will be joined by the unbeaten female boxer, Chantelle Cameron in her second ever-professional match. She has impressed many with her power and composure, but she is facing Polish boxer Bojana Libiszewska, a 27-fight veteran with a hard as nails reputation. This fight will be the polar opposite of the main event with a rising star facing a seasoned veteran. Jason Easton will be facing Steve Jamoye for the contested and currently vacant IBO Intercontinental Super Lightweight title. Gary Murray and Gergo Vari will be facing each other in a four round Super Welterweight bout and the first fight of the night will feature Aston Brown Konstantin Alexandrov in a four round middleweight bout. Hopes are high for the main event card this weekend in Glasgow. On paper it seems that Davies will have the edge with his power and experience but the more composed Taylor may be able to out-box the brash fighter. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Warriors have squandered a 16-point lead against the Manly Sea Eagles and lost out on another NRL win. The team blames a lack of concentration. - Published: 2017-07-04 - Modified: 2017-07-04 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/warriors-lose-lead-match-sea-eagles/ Warriors Go Down to Manly Sea Eagles The Warriors are blaming a laps in concentration as the reason for their NRL loss to Manly after racking up a solid 16-point lead on Saturday. The Auckland based side got off to a flying start, scoring three tries within the first 17 minutes, not giving the Sea Eagles a sniff of the ball in the first quarter. Having built a 16-0 lead going into the second quarter, the Warriors inexplicably took their foot off the gas and allowed the Sea Eagles to draw level just before the break. The second half got off to a slow start with Manly making more headway than the Warriors. This eventually resulted in a 10-point lead going into the fourth quarter. The Warriors did find a bit of hope when Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad's scored his second try to close the gap to within striking distance. However, the Sea Eagles’ defence held out and the match ended with the Sea Eagles winning by 26 points to 22. Before the match, Warriors coach Stephen Kearney was speaking about how the Warriors needed to be more ruthless with their approach. After Saturday’s game, it was glaringly obvious that this was still a problem for his side. Speaking to the press, he admitted that the Warriors needed to be on their game for the full 80 minutes. He explained that there will be times when a team is not quite at their best, but during those periods, the team needs to do all they can to minimise the damage. A Loss of Concentration This was not the case for the Warriors. After a brilliant opening period, the team slow down in the ruck and expose themselves on the edges, which was evident with Manly scoring three long range tires. It seemed the Warriors were powerless to stop the Sea Eagles attack. Speaking to the press, Warriors captain, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck said that they were aware that Manly were getting a roll-on. According to Tuivasa-Sheck, the team spoke about trying to tighten up and stop them getting through the middle. However, Manley worked around them with Dylan Walker and Cherry-Evans playing on the back of the momentum. The loss to the Sea Eagles means that their continue their winless run in Western Australia with 0 from 9 games. They are currently sitting in 10th spot on the NRL leader, four points adrift of the top 8. With just eight games left to play, the Warriors are looking to make their first finals appearance since 2011. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > German cyclist, Marcel Kittel won the 2nd stage of the Tour De France. He was visibly very emotional and was followed by Andre Greipel and Arnaud Demare. - Published: 2017-07-04 - Modified: 2017-07-04 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/germany-grab-2nd-stage-tour/ Kittel Clinches Stage 2 Of Tour De France An emotional Marcel Kittel sprinted to finish first during the second stage of the Tour De France. He managed to rush ahead of his fellow German Andre Greipel and French powerhouse Arnaud Demare. The rider received a 10 second time bonus for winning the second stage and he is currently ranked 3rd in the overall rankings, but still a tough 6 seconds behind the second place rider, Geraint Thomas from Britain. Unfortunately for all the powerful sprinters in field, the race kicks of stage 3 on Monday morning where sped will not be everything. This section of the course features a 212. 5 Km section which enters France from Germany. The section finishes with an uphill climb that will put a lot of pressure on the sprinters. An In Race Spill British cyclist and defending champion, Chris Froome, met a bit of bad luck in the wet conditions the cyclists faced. He crashed 30km into the race thanks to an errant pylon but amazingly did not sacrifice the advantage he had built up during stage 1. He received excellent assistance from his team with Michal Kwiatkowski assisting Froome with recovering and getting a replacement bike. Froome is currently ranked 6th with an incredible 35 second lead on Richard Porte and 36 over Nairo Quintana, his closest main rivals. This more than likely will signal clear sailing for Froome in the rest of the Tour. Fellow Brit, Mark Cavendish took the fourth place spot while Geraint Thomas still retained the Yellow jersey for Team Sky even after he joined Froome in his tumble on the track. Cavendish himself had some extra walls to climb as he achieved his 4th place spot while recovering from Glandular Fever. Matthews In Good Form Australian cyclist, Michael Matthews finished in the 9th spot on the stage 2 race. This is quite a significant race for the rider as this will be his first Tour De France with his new team, SunWeb. He left Orica- Scott recently and the 26 year old looks in much better form. He will finally be having a team who pulls behind him instead of the much reported rivalry he faced at Orica with former teammate Simon Gerrans. The Australian placed 16th at his opening time trial and as the Tour goes on he seems to be getting stronger and stronger with a new found confidence. It is still early stages in the Tour and so far there are not many shocks in the field. Froome and co seem set to be a dominating force in this year’s event and will make for solid betting while Germany seems to be attempting to punch into the top. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Due to Scheduling conflicts, young professional golfer Jon Rahm may encounter scheduling conflicts. The golfer has sponsorship exemption obligations to meet. - Published: 2017-07-03 - Modified: 2017-07-03 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/rahm-may-not-attend-ryder-cup/ Rahm May Miss Ryder Cup The young professional golfer, Jon Rahm may be unable to attend next year’s Ryder Cup due to scheduling conflicts. This is due to sponsor exemptions the player received as he came out of college. His professional debut at the Quicken Loans National which eventually earned him a spot at the Congressional Open and then the Open Championship which allowed him to get on a fast track to gaining a PGA Tour Card. Now the young golfer is unable to successfully make all his tour commitments, including this year’s Quicken Loans National which he had to sacrifice for the French Open. The scheduling issues also have arisen due to the player’s meteoric rise to fame in golf. He has already climbed to world no 11. Rahm has stated that he wants to compete in the Ryder Cup next year, which will be taking place at the same venue as this year’s French Open. The experience he builds this year will serve him well in next year when playing on the same course. On making these commitments Rahm stated that he did not expect his massive success at that point in time. He was simply focusing on the next handful of events he could attend as he was only thinking about playing as much golf as he can and honing his craft. On Course To Be A Star His big moment came after he won at Torrey Pines and he started getting more and more opportunities. He received entry into all the championship events and majors. Rahm opted to enter the European tour where is currently is competing. The upcoming Ryder Cup will take place at the Le Golf National. The Ryder Cup committee are hoping that France hosting the event will help boost golf in the country that has generally not seen a huge growth in the sport locally. In 2011 France was chosen as the 2018 Ryder Cup hosts ahead of the favourite at that time, Spain. Almost half of the funding for the event will be coming from the French golf community who will be adding a €3 surcharge on their licence fees to help fund the event. France has also nearly met their Ryder Cup bid pledge of building 100 urban courses ahead of the event. So far they have built 91 of the proposed 100 courses. This has certainly shown the French people’s commitment to the sport and it certainly has helped build a lot of hype for the upcoming Ryder Cup. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The US Senior Open features Peter Fowler flying the Australian flag high. He has not been on fantastic form this season but hopes are high for the player. - Published: 2017-07-03 - Modified: 2017-07-03 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/fowler-competing-senior-open/ Fowler Flying Flag At US Senior Open The living legend, Peter Fowler will be representing Australia at the US Senior Open. The five time Senior Tour champ found himself back in the Open after finishing in the top 6 in the 2016 Order of Merit, ensuring him automatic placing. Fowler has previously finished with an incredible T17 at the 2012 and 2015 Senior Open meaning that he will be providing a strong challenge. So far this year he finished T38 in May in the Senior PGA Championship and hopes are high for his upcoming performances since he will be carrying the flag for Australia by himself. The Rest Of The Pack Other notable competitors this year include Fred Couples, Vijay Singh, Bernard Langer and Colin Montgomery. Not competing though is Steve Stricker who could not make the Open due to a scheduling conflict. He has already competed at 6 events in the last 7 weeks. John Daly also withdrew from the Open after a shoulder injury. It will come as no surprise to fans that have seen his 300 yard drives. The Open is taking place at the Salem Country Club. This will only be the second time that the Open is hosted at this venue. The Substitute Currently at the top of the US open rankings are Kirk Triplett, Olin Browne and Doug Garwood. They are currently sitting with 62, 63 and 64 respectively. The number 5 spot belongs to Paul Goydos who has had a great opening Thursday afternoon. He was in fine form and it is no surprise as he is one of a handful of players that has shot 59 in the competitions. He secured a 5 under 65, one shot short of matching a course record set by Jay Sigel. Goydos is a former substitute teacher who became professional golfer and took the Arnold Palmer invitational at age 31 and a few years later also took home the Sony Open. He also won the PGA tour championship an impressive 4 times. He is also a fan favourite thanks to his hang dog expression and self depreciating humour. This year’s Senior Open has featured many greats in the sport and fans are happy to see them in such good health. Despite the occasional injury here and there, this year’s Open has been very exciting yet stable. With the event in full swing now, fans are looking forward to some great golfing action from the best in the business. 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The cyclist was going to be competing in his first ever Tour De France event. He has previously performed very well in other cycling events, securing top 20 finishes at the Vuelta Espana and the Giro de’ Italia. The rider tested positive on the 18th of June for the banned substance, which acts as a blood booster. A Veteran Replacement Team Trek has now filled the spot of Cardoso with the 40 year old Haimar Zubeldia. The Spanish racer is a veteran of the Tour and he is known for his powerful climbing, which will definitely be of use in this year’s hill and mountain dominated route. This is Zubeldia’s 16th Tour de France. He has finished in the top 10 cyclists on the Tour De France in 5 separate occasions with a 4th place finish his career best. Fans are looking forward to the team’s performance at this year’s event, despite the loss of their team mate under such terrible circumstances, but critics on the other hand think this could be team leader, Alberto Contador’s last chance to claim a tour victory for his team. The team generally fares less well in the mountains and they cannot stay as competitive as for instance Movistar or the British Sky team, but Contador is a powerful lead and the addition of Zubeldia could make them that much more competitive on the mountains. A Legacy To Defend Team Trek is relatively new in the tour, having only started competing in 2011, but they have already claimed the 6th place in the UCI rankings. In that short span, Alberto Contador has claimed two wins for his side. Fabian Cancellara has been the yellow jersey leader and also led the tour in the 2012 Tour De France. Alberto Contador only has his age that counts against him. Looking at the rest of his immediate competition, consisting of Chris Froome, Richard Porte and Nairo Quintana , he may be in the best position of his career to make his team and himself proud. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Toyota are rearing to go on the 74th annual Poland Rally, part of the World Rally Championships. They have entered 3 Yaris cars after their great performance. - Published: 2017-07-02 - Modified: 2017-07-02 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rally/toyota-ready-poland-rally/ Toyota Set For Poland World Rally Championship Thanks to great performances as well as positive test results, Toyota will be entering three Yaris vehicles into the upcoming Polish leg of the World Rally Championships. In the previous round of the championship, all three of Toyota’s cars finished in the top six. The track conditions in Poland are very similar to the tracks in Estonia where the Gazoo racing division of Toyota have also tested successfully. The 74th Rally Poland event is a 326Km course with lots of sharp twists and turns as well as high grass areas that obscure track visibility. The team lead, Tommi Makinen has said that drivers should be aware of the fast gravel events on the course. The track is built for speed but is also quite dangerous with regards to cornering. He has said their car optimization is ideal for this kind of race thanks to the extensive work on the car’s aerodynamics. The team have also made a lot of progress with regards to the Yaris’s handling thanks to even more extensive work on the dampers. The Challenging Competition Toyota has entered three drivers from Finland for Rally Poland, Jari-Matti Latvala, Juho Hanninen and Esapekka Lappi. This team had a great performance in Sardinia, with Latvala finishing second and Lappi winning multiple race stages and bonus points for the team who now sit in the third position. They will most likely not be facing much challenge from team DMACK who pretty much dominated the Poland rally last year. The previous driver for the team, Ott Tanak drove a Ford Fiesta that failed to finish in pole position after damaging his tyre. This year driver Elfyn Evans believes they won’t be having as powerful a showing as the team has changed the car’s tyres to a more all-round model. Last year their tyres were tailor made for the conditions in Poland. They have tested their new tyre set out in Sardinia in the last race as well as Mexico and Portugal but they do not expect the same performance as last year in Rally Poland. All the team dos the World Rally Championship will be preparing themselves for the fast course awaiting them. Toyota has already shown how much they favour the faster course so they could be gaining some much needed leverage at this week’s race. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The HNA Open de France is underway and so far English players are dominating the top 6 spots. At the top of the pack sits Paul Waring with an impressive 64. - Published: 2017-07-01 - Modified: 2017-07-01 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/england-attack-hna-open/ England in Top Form At HNA Open De France Paul Waring and Tommy Fleetwood have had English fans enraptured after their fantastic opening round at the HNA Open De France. Waring has claimed the lead so far in the £5. 4million event. Waring’s season started poorly after his ongoing back problems flared up. Fortunately the player could get medical exemption as he missed four starts in 2016. Now he is currently sitting at the top of the field finishing with a very commanding score. Waring carded 7 birdies in his opening rounds finishing on 64. He finished ahead of Alexander Bjork, Nathan Kimsey and Thomas Pieters. Pieters carded 6 birdies, a bogey and managed to finish with a close 66. The Fantastic Fleetwood Tommy Fleetwood also had a great start with 4 birdies. His strong performance follows a fourth place at the US Open and he also tied for sixth place at the BMW International Open. Even though Fleetwood is only 26 years old, he claimed a second European Tour title last year at Abu Dhabi. Fleetwood was ranked 188th in September last year, but he returned to former coach Alan Thompson who did great work on the golfers form. Another Englishman, Nathan Kimsey had to fight against the bogeys in his opening round but he still managed to card 5 birdies and finished with 66. The current top 5 spots are filled by Paul Waring with a 64, Thomas Pieters from Belgium with 66. Alexander Bjork from Sweden and Nathan KImsey with also finished on 66. Florian Fritsch from Germany and Tommy Fleetwood both finished on 67. Some Light Hearted Developments There were some amusing developments on the course yesterday as well. The mother of the 21 year old player, Hao-Tong Li dove into the muddy waters on the course to recover her son’s putter that was thrown into the water in frustration on the 11th hole. Just as soon as she had fished it out, the concerned mother tossed the putter back into the water as she realised that her son had in fact snapped the putter in half in his anger. It had both the fans and the players smiling. The Maiden Open For HNA This year is the very first year that HNA will be sponsoring this leg of the European Open. HNA is a large Fortune 500 company that has hands in many different fields. They have committed to a 5 year sponsorship of the Open De France which is great news for the sport. 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There seems to be no imminent deal on the cards just yet, but Vete is not letting the matter affect his game. Speaking to the press, Vete said that he is still in talks with his manager about what the best option would be; whether it is staying in the side or playing overseas. His main focus at the moment is to stay in the starting 17 and to make it difficult for the selectors for them to take him out. Vete has admitted that his preference is to stay with the team but he understands that he needs to put in a strong performance if he wants the club to offer him a new deal. For Vete, playing for a contract may be hard, be he needs to put the matter aside and focus on his performance. Vete said that he was thinking too much about it at the start of the year, which took his mind off the game. According to Vete, he had a chat with coach Stephen Kearny about putting the matter aside and focusing on his performance. After all, a contract is based on current form and performance. A Chance to Focus on The Game Starting off the season well, Vette was demoted to the ISP side after hitting a form slump. He told the press that it was a bit wake up call for him, not being comfortable in the position he was put in. He admitted that he didn’t play to the potential he had shown in previous games. When he got the call up to get back into first grade footy, Vete has excited about the prospect of putting in some good performances. He has been back in first grade for a few weeks now earning a spot on the Warriors bench. He has displayed good form with the entire bench having a good run with a win over the Bulldogs and the Titans. Vese will face a touch test this weekend when the take on Manley in Perth. It will also be a good opportunity to give the selectors something to think about. NRL Weekend Line-Up Friday 30th of June – Gold Coast Titans v St. George Illawarra Dragons - 10:00am Friday 30th of June – Brisbane Broncos v Melbourne Storm – 11:50am Saturday 1st of July – Sydney Roosters v Cronulla Sharks – 7:00am Saturday 1st of July – Manly Sea Eagles v New Zealand Warriors 9:30am Saturday 1st of July – Canberra Raider v North Queensland Cowboys – 11:30am Sunday 2nd July – Newcastle Knights v Wests Tigers – 6:00am Sunday 2nd July – South Sydney Rabbitohs v Penrith Panthers – 8:00am TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Lions have no more mid-week tests or deciding games in the series. Saturday’s final is their last chance to bring out the best they have to offer. - Published: 2017-06-30 - Modified: 2017-06-30 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/make-break-time-lions/ Make-or-Break Week for the Lions This week is make-or-break time for the 2017 Lions. There are no more series-deciding games or mid-week fixtures if the Lions go down to the All Blacks on Saturday. After months of build-up, the time has come for the Lions to embrace the tournament and seek out the best possible performance they have in them. For Courtney Laws, it is a truth he is well aware of. After coming off an impressive home season, Laws has shown impressive form on the trip and has the potential to take on the All Blacks on their own terms. Speaking to the press, Lawes said that there is no second chance for the Lions; they need to front up for the “Final” on Saturday. According to head coach Warren Gatland, the Lions were completely dominated by the All Blacks in the breakdown. They had their bodies and pride dented in Auckland, allowing New Zealand to take over in close-quarter exchanges. If there is any one player who can inspire a sense of aggressing in the team, it is Laws. Having already admitted that he used to pay too much focus on showy tactics, Laws now applies himself to the nitty-gritty aspects of the game and it shows. That being said, the Lions didn’t come close to matching the effort of All Black lock Brodie Retallick. For the Lions, both Laws and Maro Itoje have the potential to fill the same role. But time is rapidly running out and Laws is well aware of this fact. A Chance for Redemption The Lions do have a chance though as Gatland has been open minded about his selection, promoting both Liam Williams and Elliot Daly for the test. Both players were instrumental in beating the Chiefs in Hamilton during in the midweek. Laws told the press that Gatland has been open about the fact that the test team will change from week to week based on performance. Gatland simple advice to the team was to keep putting in good performances and keep their heads. For Laws, it was all going well until he received a knock to the head. He is back on track now, leading the analysis on how to get around the All Blacks. He admitted their strategy in the last test was one no-one saw coming. Running out just nine meant that the Lions couldn’t get any line speed. Laws also said that the team needs to focus on the first and second phase and winning the first couple of contacts. 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In comparison Horn has had a flawless streak of only 16 fights. If Horn were to stand victorious he would need to not only outlast the veteran, but outbox him which many challengers have attempted to do and found themselves on the losing end of unanimous decisions. On the other hand, Horn is known for his power and Manny has not won a fight by knockout since 2009. In his last 5 fights the boxer has always come out on top through judge’s decisions. Youth vs. Experience Some critics are concerned that Pacquiao may not be in top form. Other than the fighter getting older, he has now become a senator in his home country and many feel that he can’t be at his best with a full time job on the side. That said, he has won his last two fights that were held last year and he did not show any signs of weakness or fatigue. His most recent loss was to Floyd Mayweather in 2015. Since then he has won all his scheduled fights. The Case For Horn Fans of Horn have a handful of arguments to make for the fighter saying he is bigger than Pacquiao and is physically more imposing, although that did not really help Chris Algieri. Horn and Algeri are also younger than Pacquiao, which did not seem to mean much when Pacquiao took Algieri apart. Horn also competed in the 2012 Olympics but was beaten by Denys Berinchyk from the Ukraine in the quarterfinals. He also took part in the World Amateur Boxing Championships in 2011 where he lost out to Everton Lopes. Horn has not competed on an international level where we can accurately match him up to Pacquiao, on paper it seems the young boxer will be routed this weekend, but that may be his only strength. No one expects the fighter to be able to hold a candle to the WBO champion and he may be set for an upset victory. But more than likely, not. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The All Whites might have crashed out of the Confederations Cup but they still believe they have what it takes to qualify for the World Cup. - Published: 2017-06-29 - Modified: 2017-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/still-hope-whites/ There’s Still Hope for The All Whites Despite crashing out of the Confederations Cup, the All Whites believe they are still on track for qualifying for the World Cup even though they have an uphill climb to get there. With the Confederations Cup out of the way, the New Zealand team now shift their focus to their next big challenge of 2017, the Oceania Playoffs. The All Whites must face the Solomon Islands and then hopefully a tie game at home and away against whichever South American team places fifth. This is a prospect that many teams would find daunting, especially the tie in South America. Australia for example, only managed to defeat a South American team once in three attempts and it came with a penalty shootout. Despite all this, New Zealand are feeling confident that they have a chance. The team is feeling particularly confident after their progress against Russia in the Confederations cup. Speaking to the press, All Whites coach Anthony Hudson said that whichever team they face in November, if they get there, will be fifth for a reason. This would mean that the team lost a few games and have some form of weakness that New Zealand could exploit. Hudson said that there is not a single player in the team that doesn’t think they have a chance. The Opportunity to Defy History New Zealand have never been able to beat a South American team before, never even coming close while visiting the sub-continent. Chris Wood, the New Zealand captain believes they have what it takes to defy the odds come November. Wood said that the team believes they can do it and will be ready for whomever they face in November. It is possible that we are looking at a team with the same abilities that defined the 2007-2010 area where New Zealand achieved outstanding results way above their perceived potential. Many of the team members have been under Hudson’s guidance since 2015 and have all developed together. That being said, the team has yet to display the same edge that defined the 2009-2010 side. Against the top playing nations of the world, Hudson’s team has yet to show that they are capable of pulling of big wins. While they may have a bit more attacking potential compared to the 2010 squad, they seem to lack the ironclad defence that created the opportunities to compete on an international standard. In the Confederations cup, the All Whites gave away crucial scoring opportunities and were vulnerable when opposing teams sent attacks down the flanks. Come November, the same mistakes could be costly. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Novak Djokovic will be attempting to grab his 8th Wimbledon title. The player has had a lacklustre year and will be looking to recapture the no 1 spot. - Published: 2017-06-29 - Modified: 2017-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/djokovic-grand-slam-sight/ Djokovic Looking For Wimbledon Grand Slam Title Novak Djokovic has seen his form dwindle in the recent year but he is back on court with his trainer, the legendary Andre Agassi. Agassi retired from playing in professional tennis in 2006 but started to work with Djokovic. Djokovic is a former 12 time Grand Slam champion but he has recently dropped in the world rankings after a poor performance in the French Open in Roland Garros where he was knocked out during the Open’s quarter finals. The legendary Agassi, known as one of the most charismatic players in the sport, will be working to inspire and reinvigorate Djokovic who has gone from world no 1 to 4th behind Rafael Nadal, Stan Wawrinka and Andy Murray who originally bumped him from the top spot. While Djokovic is only 30 years young, he is facing increased pressure from younger competitors like Alexander Zverev and Nick Kyrgios. Pulling Out All The Stops Agassi is hoping to help focus Djokovic so that the duo can make the most from his performance. Both players have a similar approach to the game, preferring to attack from the back of the court. They will be using their similarity in style to turn Djokovic into an even more deadly player. In preparation for Wimbledon, where he once held all four Grand Slam titles, Djokovic has been playing a grass court warm up tournament. This will only be his 3rd time playing in a warm up tournament; this will be his first warm up tournament in 7 years since his last was in 2010. This goes to show how serious he is taking his return to the world no 1 spot and taking a Wimbledon Grand Slam title will be his first step. Federer From Behind Chasing him from left field will be Roger Federer who will be making his return at Wimbledon this year. The 36 year old veteran will be chasing his 8th Wimbledon title and 13th Grand Slam title. Federer has been out of the sport for nearly a year. He suffered a surprise defeat against Milos Raonic and was off the court since then with a knee injury. As we are looking towards the opening rounds of Wimbledon we are confronted with Murray, Federer and Djokovic, three future legends who will be trying to recapture their former glories and return to form. It is within each of their abilities to deliver the goods but fans will have to wait and see. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Daniel Ricciardo has won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in a stop-start race that saw Sebastian Vettel extend his championship lead over rival Lewis Hamilton. - Published: 2017-06-28 - Modified: 2017-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/daniel-ricciardo-wins-azerbaijan-grand-prix/ Daniel Ricciardo Triumphs at Chaotic Azerbaijan Grand Prix Australian Red Bull Driver Daniel Riccardo recorded his fifth Grand Prix career win after profiting from a chaotic Grand Prix race in Azerbaijan. Valterri Bottas placed second after overtaking the young Canadian Lance Stroll in the closing meters of the race. Meanwhile Sebastian Vettel, who took fourth was able to extend his championship lead over Lewis Hamilton who placed fifth. With eight races down, Vettel holds the lead by 14 points in the championship. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix was a complete stop-start race with the safely car came out three times in quick succession. Midway through the race, the red flag came out and stopped the Grand Prix due to excessive debris lying on the track. Shortly before the red flag, Hamilton and Vettel were involved in a collision incident that has completely soured their good relations. Driving behind, the safety car, Hamilton was in the lead and appeared to slow down right in front of Vettel. Vettel then accelerated and came up alongside Hamilton and swerved back into the leader. For his actions, Vettel as handed a 10-second stop-go penalty that dropped him back to fourth place. Meanwhile Hamilton also lost valuable time after stopping to change a loose headrest. Hamilton got back in fifth but was unable o pass Vettel for the remainder of the race. A Bizarre Race from Start to Finish The fact that Bottas was able to make his way into second from last place and that Ricciardo eventually won was a testament to how bizarre the race really was. Speaking to the press Bottas said he really enjoyed the race. He was eager to catch Ricciardo but he was just too far away with not enough time left in the race. For 18-year-old Lance Stroll, it was a dream come true. The son of a billionaire faced heavy criticism earlier on in the season and has now recorded his first podium finish. Speaking to the press, Stoll said that he was lost for words. He was disappointed to lose out to Bottas right at the end but was thrilled with the result non-the-less. After Saturday’s qualifier, Hamilton started the race in pole position; the 66th of his career. Bottas started in second followed by Raikkonen in third and Sebastian Vettel in Forth. While Hamilton got a clean break, Raikkonen clipped Bottas leaving Vettel to leap into second place. Bottas had to make a pit stop on the second lap for a new wing putting him in last place for most of the race. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > UFC Fight Night 112 ended in much controversy. Michael Chiesa lost the main title card fight after a referee apparently misread his hand gestures. - Published: 2017-06-28 - Modified: 2017-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/ufc/controversial-ufc-fight-night-112/ Controversy Reigns At UFC Fight Night 112 This past Sunday saw the conclusion of UFC Fight Night 112. There were many anticipated fights that concluded the weekend but the main draw was of course the lightweight fight between Michael Chiesa and Kevin Lee. The hype started building around this fight after the two fighters got into a scuffle at the Summer Kickoff press conference in May. Ever since that day fans have been clamouring to see the two hot headed fighters meet in the octagon. Disappointing Conclusion Both fighters had a winning streak before they met yesterday so anticipation was justifiably high. Unfortunately the bout ended shrouded in much controversy. Lee had Chiesa in a rear choke at the end of the round and referee Mario Yamasaki misconstrued a hand gesture by Chiesa as a tap. The crowd was not happy and neither was Chiesa although he did not contest the ruling, instead saying he will see Lee at a rematch scheduled for December. Many critics have said that Lee was dominating the match and Chiesa may have realised this and decided not to contest the decision until he has prepared himself better. Newcomer Reyes Surprises The second highlight of the night was Dominick Reyes beating Joachim Christensen with an incredible TKO just 29 seconds into the first round. This was Reyes’ debut at UFC and what a debut it was. He has a 7-0 undefeated history in professional MMA while Christensen is a 14-6 MMA veteran. Amazingly this was Reyes’ fourth first round stoppage in a row, making out this 27 year old fighter as a very scary prospect for the future of the light heavyweight division. Christensen has had a strong MMA career so far but his UFC record so far has been less than promising. This fight will be his second straight loss within the organisation, bringing his record at the UFC to a less than spectacular 1 for 3. The rest of the Evening Other highlights the night include Johnny Hendricks defeating Tim Boetsch via TKO. Felice Herrig took out Justine Kish with a unanimous decision. Dennis Silver defeated BJ Penn with a majority decision victory. Preliminary fight highlights included Clay Guida defeating Erik Koch with a unanimous decision, Marvin Vetorri beating Vitor Miranda via unanimous decision and Carl Esparza defeating Maryna Moroz also via unanimous decision. The final match of the preliminary fights was Darrell Horcher meeting Devin Powell and taking the victory via split decision. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The All Whites are officially out of the Confederation Cup. We take a look at a few lessons from the New Zealand versus Portugal game where they lost 4-0. - Published: 2017-06-27 - Modified: 2017-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/learned-whites-defeat/ What We Learned from the All Whites vs. Portugal Game It may have been a disappointing result for New Zealand, but it was one most people expected. Portugal’s dispatching of the All Whites was just another step on their road to the semi-finals. While it may be the end for the All Whites at the Confederations Cup, there are a few things we can take from the game. For starters, we have to acknowledge the efforts of Stefan Marinovic. It is not often a team concedes four goals and everyone is still raving about how good the goalkeeper is. For most of the match Marinovic was under constant pressure from all sides. Instead of wilting from the pressure, he seemed to relish the encounters and really stepped up his game. When Nani was pummelling forward and looked certain to notch up another goal, Marinovic pulled off an outstanding save; certainly one of the best in the tournament. After a shaky start against Russia, Marionic seems to have found his feet, staking his claim as the best keeper for New Zealand. One thing we can say for certain is that Ronaldo lived up to his reputation. His appearance in the game was highly anticipated and he did not disappoint. His movement on the field and anticipation of forward-play was bordering on telepathic. What people don’t realise is that his work-rate is much higher than what we see on television. Ronaldo is constantly thinking ahead and is usually one step ahead of his own team and the competition. He also has exceptional close-control abilities and is devastating in the penalty area. A Step in the Right Direction Looking back, we can see that the All Whites developed as a team throughout the tournament. While they struggled at first to adjust to the pace of the world teams, they quickly adapted and it showed in the second half of the game against Russia. Mexico was a big game for New Zealand and one where they actually did deserve a result. Their efforts against Portugal were less convincing but they did well to limit Ronaldo to just one goal. If New Zealand do make the intercontinental playoffs in November, the side will have a much bigger challenge on their hands. The team needs to develop a more resilient defence, although the return of Winston Reid will help matters in this respect. At the moment, the All Whiles lack the defensive capabilities of their 2009-2010 counterparts. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > August 26th has been scheduled for the meeting of two fighting legends. The undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather will be facing MMA star Connor McGregor. - Published: 2017-06-27 - Modified: 2017-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/ufc/mayweather-vs-mcgregor-builds-hype/ Anticipation Grows For Mayweather Jr vs McGregor Easily one of the most hyped fights of the year will be the mixed discipline meeting of Floyd Mayweather Jr and Conor McGregor. These two fighters are scheduled to face off against each other on the 26th of August in what has been billed as “The Money Fight “ and “The 180 Million Dollar Dance”. Even though McGregor made his name in MMA, this match will be a full on, traditional boxing match. Of course the debate rages over whether McGregor will have the skills to defeat a professional boxer when he is unable to make use of his MMA techniques. McGregor is however known for his signature match ender, a devastating left hand punch. Mind Games And Leaked Footage Adding further fuel to the fire was a leaked video released online by a former sparring partner of McGregor, Chris Van Heerden. In the video McGregor clearly struggles to defend or attack against his sparring partner. Many feel this video casts doubts on whether McGregor will have the fundamentals to stand a chance against Mayweather in the ring. The video was shot in 2016 in it, the former IBO Welter weight champ Van Heerden easily lands blows on McGregor. When van Heerden posted the video to his twitter account he accompanied the clip with a statement that if he can land blows on McGregor then Mayweather will have no problem. Mayweather’s camp however is not as impressed as many commentators online. They have openly stated that they doubt the legitimacy of the video. They suspect the video may have been posted in order to lull them into a false sense of security. The Tale Of The Tape Mayweather is coming out of 2 years of retirement to face Connor McGregor. With a so far unblemished and unmatched 49 - 0 record, Mayweather stands to lose a lot more than a fight. McGregor on the other hand will make one of his biggest paydays ever in the match with many fans believing that this may be McGregor’s last ever fight. McGregor has fought 21 professional MMA matches with only 3 losses. 18 of those fights have ended with a McGregor knockout, compared to Mayweather’s 26 KO’s from 49 matches. In preparation for the fight, McGregor has posted various pictures to social media of his training area that features a massive floor to ceiling mural of the Irishman landing his trademark left hook on the former champions’ undefended jaw. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > England completely dominated South Africa in cricket. The two teams met in a T20 matchup this week that England won by a very impressive 9 wickets. - Published: 2017-06-26 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/england-victors-t20-clash/ England Crush South Africa In T20 Cricket Despite an oppressively hot day, England easily sailed to victory against a lack lustre South Africa in their T20 International held in Southampton. The team looked very loose and relaxed making their victory seem almost effortless. They surprised many fans with this confident performance after the beating they took from Pakistan earlier in the month. South Africa won the coin toss and chose to bat first, only chalking up 141 for 3 wickets. The bowling duo of David Willey and Mark Wood did the most damage against the Proteas who were pinned down to 32 for 3 in the first 5 overs. By the time England’s spinners came on the field, South Africa’s batmen were under too much pressure and they caved 30 runs short of a decent challenge for England. The Punishing Spin Bowlers Liam Dawson and Mason Crane kept the team of De Villiers and Behardien trapped with the duo conceding 49 runs in 8 overs. Perhaps England’s weak showing against Pakistan caught the Proteas off guard and under prepared. The star of the show for England was definitely batsman Jason Roy. He punished South Africa right from the start scoring 3 fours and 2 sixes from his first 14 balls. SA bowler Wayne Parnell conceded 28 runs in his first 4 overs. South Africa responded with bowler Andile Phehlukwayo who helped put some pressure on England, trapping Roy in a 13 runs for 4 overs set. Unfortunately Alex Hales and Jonny Bairstow came onto the field and smashed an easy 98 for England to take the match. Bairstow took the Man of the Match award for his 60 not out score. Take Aways From The Match There were many mistakes made on the South African side. Sloppy fielding from Phehlukwayo and Farhaan Behardien cost the team dearly. Their greatest success came with De Villier’s 65 not out and Behardien’s 64 not out. There was a definite lack of urgency from the South African side however. Both batsmen found 4 boundaries and 2 sixes but that was over 50 balls each. That simply does not cut it in a T20 match. Even if the team suspected a poor performance by England, they would have only matched this suspected performance, rather than over shadow it. This match may have been the match to light a fire in England’s belly. South Africa however needs to take a long hard look at their team and tighten up their play. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Nairo Quintana from Columbia may very well take the Tour De France this year. He already is a household name in South America for his performance so far. - Published: 2017-06-26 - Modified: 2017-06-26 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/quintana-aiming-tour-de-france/ Hopes For Quintana At Tour de France Cycling fans in South America are holding their breath for the coming Tour De France. The country has a serious chance to make a historic showing at this year’s event thanks to Colombian, Nairo Quintana. The 27 year old hope for South America has had a great season so far. He has finished in the top three positions in his last 3 races meaning he may be gearing up for a fantastic Tour De France. He also has his history at the Tour to fall back on for any critics. When he debuted in his first Tour De France in 2013 he won a stage and received a king of the mountains jersey while he was gunning for his 2nd place finish. He even challenged Chris Froome in the Alpe D’Huez at the 2015 Tour De France. To many fans’ surprise and delight, Quintana attempted the Giro De Italia this year and finished in the 2nd place spot just behind Tom Dumoulin. Quintana rides for the Movistar team and he is supported notably by Alejandro Valverde. This will be the 34th appearance by Movistar at the Tour De France. They have claimed 7 overall victories, 73 yellow jerseys, 31 stage victories and 10 other victories in other classes. Using His Strengths The team will have a lot of pressure from the other riders but for Quintana his biggest threat is Chris Froome. Using the mountains to his advantage could have been a great tactic for Quintana but this year’s relatively atypical course may count against him since he does his best work in hilly terrain. He is considered one of the best climbers in the world of cycling with Chris Froome probably being the only rider able to go toe to toe with him. He will be gaining some advantage this year thanks to there being less emphasis on time trailing which cost Quintana 2 minutes over 37 Km’s last year. The Track This Year This year’s tour will conclude with a time trial vent rather than the usual summit finish. The final race will be a 23km stretch, which may be too short for many riders to capitalise on. The prologue of the Tour will start with a 13km stretch in Dusseldorf. There will be two visits to the Alps and two visits to the Pyreness, classic Tour additions but this year there will be a wild card in the form of a visit to the less well known Voges mountain stage. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2017 State of Origin match between New South Wales and Queensland ended in favour of the Maroons. They won with a very closely fought score of 18-16. - Published: 2017-06-25 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/state-origin-loss-blues/ Queensland Claim State Of Origin Victory Queensland successfully defeated the Blues this week in a stunning comeback at the 2017 State Of Origin series. Queensland narrowly won the match by 2 points with the final score reading 18-16. Queensland were the first to score in the match. An off the ball penalty was taken advantage of by the Maroons who used their field position to bank a conversion and gain advantage. Next Darius Boyd created a fast opening for Valentine Holmes who slipped past the defence along the sideline for a spectacular try. Jonathan Thurston then made a great conversion bringing the score to 6-0 within the first 10 minutes. Push Back From Blues Soon the Blues started fighting back. NSW stalwart Jarryd Hayne quickly claimed an equaliser for the Blues. They were working the Maroons in centre field when the ball slipped to the sidelines where Jarryd was ready and waiting. The Blues continued their attack with James Maloney and Brett Morris pushing the team to a 10-6 lead. By now Queensland’s back row was clearly tiring and it seemed the Blues could smell the blood in the water. Soon the match was standing on 16-6 with James Tedesco and Jake Trobojevic fully utilising the team’s momentum after their second try to push the ball over the line yet again. Queensland managed to apply some pressure but they could not turn that pressure into opportunity. The Blues put up a solid wall of defence with Trobojevic and Josh Dugan being the solid foundation of that wall. The Second Half By the start of the second sequence, both sides had lost players to injury. The Blue’s James Tedesco received an ankle injury while Queensland lost Jonathan Thurston to a shoulder injury. With a lot of support from the soft tackles by the Blues, Queensland lock Josh McGuire saw an opening and took full advantage. He broke open the Blues’ line and pushed through with support in his wings from Cooper Cronk and Will Chambers with Dane Gagai coming in to put the proverbial cherry on the cake with a try. Amazingly Queensland took command of the second half with the final blow coming from Dane Gagai who scored a final try 2 minutes before the end of the game, sealing the Blues’s fate with a final score of 18-16. Both teams made a lot of errors and there were many opportunities for the Blues to snatch back the lead, but unfortunately it was not meant to be. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > It’s almost time for Wimbledon Grand Slam entertainment again. Kiwi tennis fans are watching contenders closely, as they play their prep tournaments. - Published: 2017-06-25 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/wimbledon-grand-slam-action-preview/ Birmingham Prep for Wimbledon Grand Slam Ladies July brings sports lovers the traditional treat of the Wimbledon Grand Slam in England. The third of the four great annual tennis tournaments, Wimbledon starts just a month after the French Open, and finishes a month before the start of the US Open, so it’s peak season for New Zealand’s tennis betting fans. Between the clay of Roland Garros and Wimbledon’s grass, however, most players want to acclimatise to the slicker surface. Traditionally, the top contenders for the Wimbledon Ladies’ Championships warm up in the grass-court Birmingham Classic, now sponsored as the Aegon Classic. This year’s Classic has seen a strong return from Petra Kvitova, six months after her racquet hand was badly damaged in a knife attack. She had no trouble winning her first two rounds in the Aegon Classic. At the time of writing, Kvitova was about to meet France’s Kristina Mladenovic in the quarter-finals. Whoever wins, both women will be contenders in the Ladies’ Singles at Wimbledon. But with defending champ Serena Williams still pregnant, top seeds Angelique Kerber, Simona Halep and Karolina Pliskova, among others, will be fighting 15th seed Kvitova and 11th seed Mladenovic hard for the title. Men’s Big Names Unseated at Queen’s Club The Queen’s Club Championships in London, now the Aegon Championships, is the usual grass prep tournament for Wimbledon’s Men’s Championships. It has produced some spectacular upsets among the Wimbledon favourites in its opening rounds. British World No. 1 Andy Murray, defending champion both at Aegon and Wimbledon and also top seed in both tournaments, was knocked out in the first round at Queen’s Club, as was fourth seed Milos Raonic. The Canadian is seeded sixth for the Wimbledon Men’s Singles. Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka, second seed at Aegon and fifth for Wimbledon, also went down in Round 1. However, Rafael Nadal, fresh from his record French Open title, isn’t even playing in the Aegon. Neither are Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer; and Djokovic, Nadal and Federer are respectively the second, third and fourth seeds at Wimbledon. Whoever wins the Aegon Championships, these three legends will be a serious threat. Croat Marin Cilic is seeded seventh for The Championships, and at the time of writing was the top seed left in the Aegon quarter-finals. There is obviously no shortage of talent at Wimbledon this year, and fans are liable to see some sensational tennis. Sportsbet is offering great odds on all the games, and if you want to get in early, now is your chance. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > After a pointless season so far, McLaren have accepted their fate. They will most likely start last this weekend at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix due to penalties. - Published: 2017-06-24 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/mclaren-dreading-azerbaijan-gp/ Azerbaijan Grand Prix To Challenge McLaren McLaren Honda has accepted their weak season and will find no relief at this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix to be held in Baku. After the team failed to finish at the Canadian Grand Prix, retiring in last place thanks to some power unit issues, driver Fernando Alonso has resigned himself to receiving more race penalties. The team fully expects to be saddled with a last place grid start this weekend. They are used to race penalties by now however as they have received many this season due to their car going over its allotted limit if power units. The narrow raceways of Azerbaijan offer very similar track conditions to Monaco meaning overtaking in the race will be a very big challenge. The Disappointing Season So Far McLaren Honda is yet to score a single point this season so the mood is quite low currently in the camp. Going from the second most decorated team to being in last place has been a rude awaking for the team and its drivers this year. A lot of criticism has been directed at supplier Honda from the team stating that they may be looking at other options for the next season as these technical issues have cost the team dearly. Critics are looking towards Sebastian Vettel from Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton from Mercedes to be the race leaders this weekend. This may be a no brainer for some as the duo has taken all but one of the grand prix events this year. Vettel has had the best record at this brand new track, with the inaugural race last year giving a second place to the driver. Hamilton on the other hand remembers the race as being plagued with technical issues compounded by a poor qualifying race so we can only guess where his head is at. The Challenges Of The Track Fans will be looking out for the now infamous turn 8 that cost Lewis Hamilton his qualifying race after he brushed the tight inner wall. This year sees a few wider car models that will find impossibly few opportunities for safe overtaking at Baku. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix ran as the European Grand Prix last year so technically this is the first official year of the race as a part of the annual F1 Calendar. It was a dream of Bernie Ecclestone that has finally come to fruition. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Despite losing Game II to Queensland, the Blues remain confident that they will win the State of Origin decider after learning from their mistakes. - Published: 2017-06-24 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/blues-stay-confident-for-state-of-origin/ State of Origin – Blues Remain Confident of a Win Despite losing the State of Origin Game II in the last few minutes to the fired-up Maroons, the post-match statistics suggest that the Blues should have won. In fact, a quick review of the match should give the team the confidence they need to go out and win the decider. New South Wales made more meters in the game, missed fewer tackles, produced more offloads and forced more dropouts than the Maroons from start to finish. If you look hard enough, you will find that all the stats swung in favour of the Blues except for three; albeit the most important three which determined the outcome of the game. What did go wrong was the Blues ended with more errors than the Queensland side and conceded more penalties. Together, this allowed the Maroons to claw their way back into the game and level the series. Whatever momentum and hard work was done in the first half was completely undone after the break. A few costly errors and a 3-0 penalty count gave the Maroons the chance the needed to play themselves back into the match. To be fair, it was not just a loss of concentration from New South Wales that swung the game. Credit has to be given to the Maroons for their sheer doggedness and grit until the dying minutes of the game. The Path to Victory New South Wales knew they needed a high score to wrap up the series. Interestingly enough, it was their drive to push the scoreboard that resulted in the team’s downfall. Driving for more points, the Blues made several poor attacking decisions, which resulted in a turnover ball and a momentum swing. Speaking to the press, Blues Lock, Tyson Frizell said that the team didn’t want to just hold the lead. They wanted to continue playing footy and score points while they could. He admitted that his team gave Queensland a few lineouts, which helped relieve the pressure and allowed them to push forward. In the end, NSW gave the Blues too many opportunities to score, which they gladly accepted and turned into a brilliant comeback. The good news for New South Wales fans is that the Blues will take all of this into account when planning for the third and final game. In a way, the loss to the Queensland has been good in that it will force the Blues to rethink their game plan and bring something special to the decider. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Queensland have bounced back with a stunning win over the Blues in the State of Origin game II. We take a look at the highlights of the thrilling match. - Published: 2017-06-23 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/highlights-game-ii-state-origin/ State of Origin Game II Highlights It seems Queensland’s dynasty is still alive thanks to the efforts of Thurston who suffered through fifty minutes of agony to help his team stun the Blues with a 18-16 win in the State of Origin game II. In front of an 80 thousand strong crowd, the mighty Blues had the shield in their sights, thwarting a second half attack by the Maroons. Going into the dying stages of the match, the Blues led 16-12 and were just minutes away from claiming the series. However, the Queensland team refused to be downed and conjured one of the greatest escapes in in the history of the competition. Dane Gagai was the man set the wheels in motion, booting a sectional cross try to level the scores with just two minutes left to play. It was all left up to Thurston to do the conversion and save the Maroons from doom. With the stadium holding its breath, Thurston held his cool, nailed the sideline conversion and levelled the series. Thurston Holds His Cool While this may have been just another good performance by the big man, for the Maroons it was nothing short of a miracle. Halfway through the game, Thurston injured his shoulder but refused to surrender. Inspiring the rest of his team, Thurston held the match and the team together culminating with the conversion that sealed the match. The sterling effort by the Maroons means that the two teams will meet for a thrilling decider on the 12th of July at Suncorp Stadium. Whether Thurston will be there is a different story. It will be a race against time for him to be fit enough to play in what would be his final game for Queensland. With New South Wales dominating game 1, Queensland’s strategy was to strike early. After nine minutes of back and forth play, the Maroons quickly shifted the ball to Boyd who released to Holmes on the edge for his maiden try. However, three quick tries in the 14th, 24th and 27th minute put the Blues back on top and in a position to take control. It was the Maroons never say die spirit that got them through in the end. With a double from Gagai in the 52nd and 78th minute, Queensland were in with a chance and holding out for Thurston to do his magic. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Ricoh Open concluded this weekend with great results. Giles Muller claimed the men’s title while Annette Kontaveit took home the women’s singles title. - Published: 2017-06-23 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/results-ricoh-open/ The Ricoh Open Tennis Results The Ricoh Open Tennis finals concluded this weekend serving up some talented winners. First off the men’s singles final ended with Gilles Muller besting Ivo Karlovic. These two veterans had the crowd on their feet and they have been a testament to the longevity many players have in the game. Muller is 34 and Karlovic is 38 yet they put on a powerful performance with cannon like serves. The match was a mirror image of their last meeting at Ricoh where Muller also defeated Karlovic during the semi-finals. Expectations were mixed for the finals since even though Karlovic is a strong competitor, he has not been very consistent this season with losing streaks and no back to back wins so far. Muller on the other hand has had probably the best season of his career coming into the finals. In fact Muller began the season with his first ever ATP title win in Sydney. Muller took the match with a 7-6, 7-6 clinching it with 4 successive points for a dominating victory. The Women’s SIngles On the Women’s singles side of the Ricoh Open, Annette Kontaveit took the title from Natalia Vikhlyantseva 6-2, 6-3. Kontaveit entered the Open unseeded and has risen though the ranks to surprise many with her title win. The talented young player beat out no 8 seed Kristyna Pliskova and 7th seed Lesia Tsurenko during her climb further adding legitimacy to her sterling performance. She seems to prefer grass over clay as she won main draw rounds at the Indian Wells and Miami Sunshine Doubles this year. She also made her way to the finals of the Biel Bienne Ladies Open. Her other season highlights this year included quarter final finishes in Stuttgart and Rome where she made a name for herself beating the world no 1 Angelique Kerber. Kontaveit now sits at 36th in the ATP rankings, quite a jump for a virtual unknown player. The Doubles Results On the doubles side of things Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo took the gold home after defeating Raven Klaasen and Rajeev Ram. This was a rematch after the same doubles pairs faced each other at the Indian Wells finals which Klaasen and Ram won. They did not show the same fire from that though, taking a decisive 6-3, 6-4 beating. The women’s singles ended with Kiki Bertens and Demi Schuurs being defeated by Kirsten Flipkens and Dominika Cibulkova 4-6, 6-4, 10-6. 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However, there are moves in play to replace the tournament with another T20 world event. If this happens, the Twenty20 format will have two world tournaments in play within a four-year cycle. As it stands, the Champions Trophy is a competition that is restricted to the top 8 cricket paying nations. For this and number of other reasons, it is one of the most exciting tournaments for both the players and the spectators. For starters, the tournament is short, with the most recent being 18 days from start to finish. Since all the nations taking part have something to offer, spectators will not be left with “dud” or uneven matchups. Now there is talk of T20 cricket enlarging from its current format, which consist of 10 teams. The idea is to have two qualifying groups of four to find as many as 20 teams, in an effort to give the lower tier nations a chance to compete. In some ways, this is a great idea, but in practicality, it could mean the loss of bigger competitions. Speaking to the press, ICC chief executive Dave Richardson said that the ICC has considered swapping out the Champions Trophy for a World T20 competition. Expanding of the T20 Format According to the ICC, T20’s attract a lot of interest and generate significant revenue for the television companies. The ICC said their main reason behind the idea is to give more cricket teams a chance to compete on an international scale. Down the line, the ICC would ideally like to have a 16-team or even a 20-team World T20 competition. As such it might not be necessary to continue with two 50-over tournaments with the Champions Trophy being one with its head on the chopping block. Meanwhile the Cricket World Cup is set to be trimmed town to just 10 teams for the upcoming 2019 event in England. According to Richardson, the reduction was to increase the competitiveness of each match and the overall standard of World Cup cricket. But with this reasoning, would it really be a good idea to axe the Champions trophy and double the number of T20 teams? TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Germany have easily beat Australia in their first FIFA Confederations Cup matchup. They beat Australia 3-2 in a great opening round match in Russia. - Published: 2017-06-22 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/strong-german-fifa-cup-start/ Strong German Showing At FIFA Confederations Cup Last year’s FIFA Confederations Cup champions Germany took part in their first match of this year’s event. They faced off against a reeling Australian team, defeating them 3-2. The mood in the German team is definitely positive after the decisive victory and they will be moving on to their next encounter with their heads held high. A Valiant Effort Australia mounted a solid defence in the game’s first five minutes until German player Lars Stindl scored the first goal after being on the receiving end of a long cross by Julian Brandt. Once the floodgates were opened, Germany continued their attack on the Socceroos with a goal attempt by Sandro Wagner fortunately going wide 25 minutes into the first half. There were precious few opportunities to capitalise on for Australia who hung on tight against the German onslaught. Tom Rogic scored the equaliser for Australia just before half time. Unfortunately not before they conceded a penalty after a suspicious tackle on Leon Goretzka. This conceded a second goal to Germany thanks to the impressive on the spot conversion by Julian Draxler. A More Aggressive Second Half Only three minutes into the second half Australia’s fate was sealed after Goretzka received a cross from Joshua Kimmich to score Germany’s third goal. Australia did fight valiantly and their effort was rewarded with a perfectly timed goal in the 56th minute thanks to a free kick taken advantage of by Tomi Juric. In the 80th minute Australia attempted one last heroic push from acting Captain Tomi Juric, but unfortunately Bernd Leno was not allowing any capitalisation and expertly defended the goal attempt. Germany has shown that they still have the form that took them to the finals last year. With their first opening match showing how strong the team still is and how well they work as a unit, it may be no surprise if they once again push all the way to the finals. The only risk now is that they enter their next match too confident and make some costly mistakes. FIFA Issues Crowd Warning Meanwhile FIFA has demonstrated how serious their new crowd monitoring policy is after their disciplinary committee warned Mexico on the conduct of their fans in their opening match against Portugal. FIFA has taken a very serious anti discriminatory chant policy and they have warned teams that they will be held accountable for their fans behaviour during games. 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When they finally got onto the track again, the team found themselves in second-last position. Thankfully for the Porsche team, all other LMP1 cars started to run into mechanical problems themselves. This allowed the factory Porsche 919 Hybrid to slowly make its way to the front of the pack. With just over an hour remaining in the race, Bernhard managed to negotiate the final stage of the race holding onto first place to take the chequered flag. Speaking to the press, New Zealand driver, Brendon Hartley commented that Le Mans is one really crazy race. He explained that the team mechanics had worked very hard on Saturday to get the car repaired in the fastest time possible. Together with their engineers, the three drivers pushed the car to the limit, hoping that their efforts would pay off. Bamber, the other New Zealand driver was equally ecstatic about the race win. He said he couldn’t believe that they had actually pulled off such a comeback. Having been in the pits for over an hour and to still come back and win it was an incredible feat. A Spectacular Comeback Bamber said that along with the drivers, the victory was down to the guys in the pits. He explained that without their efficient work, they would not have been able to get back on the track and win the race. This was Bamber’s second victory at the Le Mans race but the first for his teammate Brendon Hartley. The first New Zealanders to win the famous race were Chris Amon and Bruce McLaren back in 1966. It wasn’t until 2015 that Earl Brendon could repeat their success along with teammates Nick Tandy and Nico Nico Hulkenberg Winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans race helped boost the two New Zealand drivers in their World Endurance Championship effort. By winning the race, the two collected a total of 36 points, which is double the value of a win at any normal round of the Championship. 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The 23 year old French players seem to really have found his footing this season after he won the Hungarian Open in April. Serving Up A Winner His 4-6, 7-6, 6-4 win at the Mercedes Open was a decisive victory showcasing his powerful serve. The first set seemed like a washout for Lopez but Pouille equalised on the second set and then dominated in the third. Many hopes were on Lopez as most fans thought his power and endurance would give him the edge in the match. Unfortunately the Stuttgart court surface did not give him any advantage in his usual serve and volley style attack. Instead Pouille’s 29 Ace serves and his accurate shots eventfully overcame Lopez’ assault. Pouille and Lopez made their way into the finals after Pouille defeated fellow Frenchman Benoit Paire in a decisive 7-6,7-5 match. Lopez defeated German Mischa Zverev 6-7 ,7-6, 5-7. The two players have had an amazing run at this year’s Mercedes Cup Tennis tournament. They survived tennis greats like Timo Haas and Roger Federrer to make it all the way to the finals. The Doubles Finals On the doubles court it was Brazilian Bruno Soares and the Scotsman Jamie Murray who took home the title. The faced Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic . They won with a commanding triple set of 6-7, 7-5, 10-5. Just as with Pouille, this is the team’s second doubles title this season since they took home the Gold in Acapulco, Mexico in February. The team is ranked number 2 in the world currently and they share more than 30 titles between them, with this being Soares’s 25th title win and Murray’s 18th. Marach and Pavic powerfully suppressed the team of Soares and Murray in the opening set before the team started an early lead in the second set and kept up a commanding call and response from the opposing team. Rising To The Occasion The unlikely duo will be heading to the Aegon championships for their next match where they are facing Sam Querrey and Giles Muller in the opening rounds. Fan expectations are high for both the doubles partnership of these two as well as the future prospects of young Pouille as this seems to be his year. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The All Whites have lost their opening Confederation Cup match against Russia. The host nation outplayed New Zealand to win by 2 goals to zero. - Published: 2017-06-20 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/nz-lose-russia-confederations-cup/ All Whites Lose Confederations Cup Opener The All Whites first match of the Confederations Cup ended with a disappointing 2-0 loss to the host nation Russia. It was a convincing win for the Russians, which could have been much worse if it weren’t for New Zealand goalkeeper Stefan Marinovic pulling off some brilliant saves. New Zealand did have a few chances though; first with Ryan Thomas who was denied with a brilliant piece of goalkeeping from Igor Akinfeev and then a Chance for Tommy Smith whose header cleared just off the line. Most of the game was an untidy mess from the All Whites. When they did get possession, they ended up wasting their opportunities and bumbling the set pieces. It meant the New Zealanders were constantly under pressure from the more dominant Russian team. The All whites started well, pushing out of the gates with gusto, making decent inroads into the Russian half. But after a few minutes of solid forward movement, the New Zealand team gave away possession and barely touched the ball for the next 25 minutes. The All Whites struggled to get back possession and when they did, they didn’t use it well enough to enforce any form of dominance on the Russia. On the other hand, the Russian team eased into the game, outflanking the New Zealand side with Deklan Wynne and Kip Colvey constantly outnumbered at the back. New Zealand were lucky Russia didn’t score earlier in the game after Viktor Vasin struck the post and the ball rolled along the goal line. A few minutes later, New Zealand were in hot water again with Tommy Smith coming to the rescue. Missed Chances for Smith and Thomas After holding of the brief onslaught, New Zealand seemed to find their feet which could have amounted to something if Wood had found the back of the net from a free kick penalty on Thomas. Given the amount of possession and forward momentum the Russians had, a goal was inevitable at some point. How it happened was more a result of New Zealand’s mistake than anything else. A silly pass from Marco Rojas to Kip Colvey, gave the Russians their chance to pounce. It was Glushakov who forced the ball home thanks to Boxall, putting the first points on the board. Russia sealed the game in the second half with Smolov cracking home a second in the 69th minute. New Zealand had the chance but with Smith and Thomas being denied goals, the fate of the All Whiles Confederations Cup opener was decided. 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Poor Engine Performance For The Future Team Red Bull’s main concerns at the moment seem to be with their underperforming engine. The team are the new kids on the racing block and have faced an uphill battle with finding quality components for their vehicles. They are not a traditional motorsports team so they have approached many other racing teams to purchase engines and other parts but so far every team has been loath to sell the team their best parts. Red Bull Struck a deal with Renault to supply them engines with the understanding that Renault will be supplying upgrades to them. Now Renault has revealed that they will only be delivering a sizable upgrade to the engine in the 2018 season, which has been a crushing blow for Red Bull and the young Ricciardo. Ricciardo and teammate Max Verstappen as well, has made the best they can of the inferior Red Bull vehicle and they have performed exceptionally well given the circumstances but at the end of the day there is only so far that talent can get you. The best performances so far in the car has been Max Verstappen’s second place challenge to Mercedes at the Canadian Grand Prix but this highlight was extremely short lived as Verstappen’s vehicle dropped out of the race after 11 laps due to a suspected battery failure. A Hard Battle Yet Ahead After seven races, team Red Bull is an insurmountable 100 points off pace. There may not be much to salvage of this season for Team Redbull and the delays in engine improvements will be a hammer blow for their next season as well. It is not easy being a new team and unfortunately the brunt of the snub to the team is being born by the two young talented drivers. The biggest blow surely must be to their morale. With a decent chunk of the season still ahead and no prospects for next season, it is tough to fathom what headspace the two must be in at the moment. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand will be facing Russia in the opening match of the FIFA Confederations Cup. It has been an uphill battle to get here and New Zealand is hungry. - Published: 2017-06-19 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/kiwis-vs-russia-confederations-cup/ All Whites To Open FIFA Confederations Cup The New Zealand football team, dubbed the All Whites, will be opening this year’s FIFA Confederations Cup with a match against the hosts, Russia. It has been a long and gruelling journey for the Kiwi team who has conquered every challenge that has come their way so far. They earned their spot in the Confederations Cup by taking home the 2016 OFC Nations Cup. New Zealand defeated the Solomon Island, Fiji, Vanuatu and New Caledonia before they faced Papua New Guinea in the finals. The game was a 0-0 draw until Marco Rojas snatched the victory through penalties. Praise was also given to Stefan Marinovic, the New Zealand keeper who managed to deflect every shot New Guinea took. Faith In The Side Manager Anthony Hudson has full confidence in his side’s chances in the Cup, stating that he believes New Zealand can beat any team taking part this year. New Zealand however has an uphill battle ahead of them. Morale can only be low as they enter the tournament off of two defeats. The team played friendlies against Northern Ireland and Belarus and lost both matches 1-0. New Zealand drew a Group 1 appearance alongside Russia, Portugal and Mexico. The team first faces Russia in the opening match before they face Mexico and finally Portugal. All in all the team will have travelled a total of almost 20 000 Km to take part in the Cup. Midfielder Clayton Lewis has stated that he wants the world to take notice of the New Zealand team and they are planning to win their first match against Russia. New Anti Discriminatory Measures New at this year’s Cup will be the introduction by FIFA of new anti discrimination protocols. Special match observers will be on duty to monitor crowds and report any discriminatory behaviour. Referees have also been given the ability to suspend matches in the event that any discriminatory behaviour is detected. This follows pressure on FIFA to take serious steps in adressing discriminatory behaviour that has seen a rise in recent months. The Confederations Cup will be the testing ground for these new measures and if they are successful FIFA may implement the process at more and more events in order to curb offensive and unruly crowd behaviour at all FIFA sanctioned events. Fans will certainly be holding their breath the coming weekend with high hopes for New Zealand’s opening performance against a strong Russian team. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Joseph Parker and his team are just days away from signing a title fight deal with Hughie Fury. Parker is also scheduled for more fights in the UK. - Published: 2017-06-19 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/parker-fury-title-fight-deal-almost-done/ Parker and Fury Close to Title Fight Agreement New Zealand heavyweight boxer Joseph Parker is apparently just days away from agreeing to a deal with Hughie Fury for title fight. Reports have come to light saying that Parker’s promoters are in touch with Fury’s representative on a world title fight between the pair later on in the year. The fight will most likely take place in Manchester in the United Kingdom sometime in September. After Parker’s unanimous win over Razvan Cojanu in Auckland, Promoter David Higgins had just 30 days to negotiate a contract with Frank Warren, Fury’s promoter. The 30-day window has come and gone, closing on Tuesday this week. However, since the two camps are close to a deal, the WHO has extended the 30-day deadline by another week. Higgins said that he is positive that the deal is only a few days away. He told the press that the deal would not come down to a purse bid as with the first deal between the two parties. In that deal, Duco Events won the right to hold the fight in Auckland before Hughie Fury pulled out with a back injury. The fact that the two sides are meeting again to discuss another deal is fairly significant considering how Duco Events were put in a difficult situation when Fury pulled out of the fight a few weeks before the fight. When the deal is finally signed, it will give Parker a clear idea of his future before he heads back to his Las Vegas base to train. If the fight does take place in Manchester, it will be Parker’s first fight in the UK. More Matchups on the Cards While Higgins couldn’t go into any real details, he did hint that he had been working on a number of match-ups aside from the Fury fight. One such fight is most likely to be against David Haye or Tony Bellew. After Parker defeated Andy Ruiz Jr at the end of last year, Haye was initially put up as Parker’s mandatory challenger. But instead of getting into the ring with Parker, Ruiz decided to fight fellow Brit Tony Bellew, a cruiserweight fighter who stopped Hay in London a few months ago. Haye has now recovered from his inures which hampered him against Bellew. He has made his intentions known that he is keen on a rematch. Given that Haye was Parker’s mandatory challenger, a major fight against the winner of the matchup would certainly be in Parker’s best interests. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > US Open Championship competitors this year make up an unpredictable and diverse field. Dustin Jonson and Rory McIllroy are the favourites for the event. - Published: 2017-06-18 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/diverse-field-us-open/ US Open Championship Players To Watch This year’s US Open will be the 117th iteration of the event. It will be hosted at the Erin Hills golf course and despite Tiger Woods and Phil Mickleson not being in attendance, anticipation is still high for the event thanks to the appearance of Dustin Johnson, Jason Day, Adam Scott and Rory McIlroy. This year’s course will definitely favour the hard drivers in the competition. In the six first stage groups there are a few players to keep an eye on as they look set for a great performances. Jonson A Clear Favourite In the first group Dustin Jonson, the defending champion will be playing who is a definite favourite this year with his playing actually improving since his last appearance. Jordan Spieth is another player with a lot of potential this year despite not being the most powerful driver. An outsider could be Jordan Rose who has previously taken home a US Open title. Challenge From Scott And Stenson Adam Scott a, a decorated player is a favourite in the B group. His closest competition will be Henrik Stenson who knows how to drive a ball down the fairway. Fans have noticed that this year has not started great for Stenson but the Open could be his chance to turn around his fortunes after his British Open win last year. Ricky Fowler is also in Group B but he will really have to pull out all the stops to convince the field he has what it takes to win the Open. Reliable Oosthuisen And Rahm After only a single season as a professional golfer and already ranked as a top 10 player, Jon Rahm is a definite favourite in the Open. It won’t be a surprise to anyone if he chooses the US Open to make a name for himself this year. Louis Oosthuisen is always reliable in Majors so he may silently steal the open from the movers and shakers this year. Many people think Louis is due for another major win, only time will tell what the Open holds for him. The Outside Favourites Some more big hitters in this year’s contest include J. B Homes who boasts one of the longest drives in the game, but his accuracy is not consistently there, so he may be a bit of a wildcard. Brendan Steele and Stephan Jaeger are another two sleeper picks for the Open. These players have posted consistent figures inside the top 60 players. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > After a 3 fight losing streak, Holm will be facing a career make or break at UFC Fight Night 111. Her opponent Bethe Correia is eyeing a dominating performance. - Published: 2017-06-18 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/ufc/holm-set-ufc-fight-night-111/ Must Win For Holm At UFC Fight Night 111 The Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kaliang will be the host venue of UFC Fight Night 111: Holm vs Correia. As the name suggests the headline bout will be between the two bantamweights, Holly Holm and Bethe Correia. Holly is the former UFC bantamweight champion who will be defending against Correia, a former champion. Holm has received a lot of flak and pressure after a 3 fight losing streak heading into this UFC main event. This has not been missed by Correia who has openly blasted Holm , saying that she is an overrated fighter and has not lived up to the title of champion. Those who think Holm has what it takes can place their bets on the fight at CrownBet. A Controversial Champion Holm won the title off of the much celebrated Ronda Rousey which in itself was quite a surprising and controversial win. Correia has gone on to say that Holm is risking her career by competing in weight classes she cannot hold her own in. Holm has a 10-3 fight record but she made headlines after her loss to Germaine de Randamie for the Featherweight title that was to be awarded for the first time ever to the winner of the fight. UFC Fight Night 111 will be Holm’s return to the Bantamweight class. There was controversy in the fight when de Randamie delivered punches to Holm twice after the bell went, at the end of the second round and again at the end of the third round. Much To Prove This Coming Weekend With Holm at the end of a 3 fight losing streak and Correia fired up and confidently that she will take apart the former champion, this event looks set to be one for the history books. It will set the tone for the rest of Holm’s career while it just may slingshot Correia back to the top. UFC 111 will feature more exciting matches on the night. Rumours abound that another promotional fight was scheduled to be between Alex Caceres and Wang Guan, but that rumoured bout eventually materialised into Caceres VS Rolando Gabriel Dy. Li Jingliang unexpectedly pulled out of his scheduled match with Jonathan Meunier thanks to an injury. He will be replaced by newcomer, Frank Camacho. The Main Card fights include Andrei Arlovski vs Marcin Tybura in the Heavyweight class, Dong Hyun Kim vs Colby Covington in the men’s welterweight class and Tarec Saffiedine vs Rafael dos Anjos. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > This weekend sees Vegas host two much anticipated title fights. Tyron Zeuge vs Paul Smith takes place on the 17th & Andre Ward v Sergey Kovalev on the 18th. - Published: 2017-06-17 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/vegas-title-fights-weekend/ Vegas Boxing Highlights This Weekend This weekend sees two must watch fights taking place on the 17th and on the 18th. First up on the 17th is Tyron Zeuge vs Paul Smith. The two boxers will clash for the WBA Super Middleweight Title. Tyron is the defending champion with a so far stunning record of 20-1. The young fighter is a fan favourite to keep his hard won title. If his recent performance is anything to go by, he may be in for a hard night as his form has slipped ever so slightly. Paul Smith on the other hand is hungry for a win after a series of lacklustre fights himself. With a 38-6 record, Smith has the edge over Zeuge in experience. The fighter has challenged the world title on two previous occasions but failed to carry through and lost to Arthur Abrahams on points during both occasions. Smith has yet to win any meaningful fights in the last 4 years. The Ward And Kovalev Rematch The next night sees Andre Ward face Sergey Kovalev on the 18th. This is a much anticipated rematch between the two heavyweights. Their last meeting saw Ward walk away the victor. He retained his WBA, WBO and IBF light-heavyweight belts but the fight was very close. Ward won by a unanimous points decision but Kovalev in press conferences chose to focus on the fact that he knocked down Ward in the second round. The two fighters are pretty evenly matched with regard to age, height and number of fights and victories. It should be noted though that Kovalev won 26 of his 32 fights by way of knockout, whereas Ward won less than half of his fights the same way. With his second round knockdown and KO history, Kovalev has certainly shown that he has the power to deliver on his threats to Ward. Ward will need to use all his technical skills to keep Kovalev at bay while he either wears him down or racks up the points. Critics have said that because of Ward’s close victory, Kovalev has a lot more motivation to come after Ward and claim his title. Ward however brushed off any criticisms and stated that he will be making his victory a much more decisive one than the points decision of their first bout. These two fights will be ones to watch for fight fans this weekend and anyone loooking to wager on them can check out the odds and markets at Sportsbet to see what’s on offer. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The West Indies faced Afghanistan in their 2nd ODI and finally clawed back a victory. They had a stunning 63 run defeat in their first face off last week. - Published: 2017-06-17 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/2nd-west-indies-vs-afghanistan-odi/ Vindication In West Indies vs Afghanistan ODI The 14th of June, West India and Afghanistan will be taking part in their 3rd and final ODI meeting at Derren Sammy Cricket Stadium. So far the two teams have each won 1 game so this next meeting will be the decider. The last match was a very close win for the West Indies who lost the first ODI by 63 runs. Fans will have a nail biting weekend ahead of them as West Indies will need to put up a more commanding performance if they are to claim victory against Afghanistan. Stunning First Defeat West Indies fans were left stunned and Afghani fans were left rapturous after their 63 run win over the West Indies in their first ODI. This was the team’s first victory against the West Indies and amazingly their first ever test win against any international team other than against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. Rashid Khan from Afghanistan recorded the 4th best ODI bowling figures ever and won the Player of the Match award for his efforts. A Barely Won Second ODI During the second encounter, Afghanistan again won the coin toss and again chose to bat first. They could only chalk up 135 this time which gave the West Indies a easy target to chase after they failed to catch up to Afghanistan’s 216 in the first match. The West Indies made 138 runs in 39. 2 overs, just making the total. Shai Hope made 48 off 77 balls and won the Player of the Match accolade. That said, the assault of Rashid Khan kept up the pressure as his leg breaks and googlies kept the Indies batsmen under his thumb. Bad Team Strategy Unfortunately Khan was only brought on after the 7th over, perhaps in order to recuperate for the third match scheduled for the 14th of this month. By that time the team of Kieran Powell and Evin Lewis had already taken the Indies a third of the way to the required total, which was not much to begin with in the first place. This momentary lapse by the Captain may have eased the pressure on the Indies enough to ensure them the game. This ODI series saw the debut of West Indian newcomer Roston Chase. He is an all-rounder batsman from Barbados who made a name for himself playing for his home island. He first played in a test series against India in 2016, with this match marking his One Day International debut for the West Indies. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Manu Samoa has announced their 23-man squad for Friday’s big match against the All Blacks. The new squad will see eight debutants in the line-up. - Published: 2017-06-16 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/manu-samoa-squad-announced-friday/ Manu Samoa Squad Named for All Blacks Clash Manu Samoa has officially announced its 23-man squad for Friday night’s clash against the All Blacks. The highly anticipated match at Eden Park will see eight new players donning the famous blue jersey for the Samoan side. Of the eight new arrivals, former Crusader, Kieron Fonotia will be the only player to feature in the starting line-up. The test match is set to be an exciting affair as it marks the first official match of both the New Zealand and the Samoan international rugby season. It will give both sides a good indication of how their team is performing and where to focus their training. The match will also provide the All Blacks with a chance to get in some game time before they take on the Lions in the upcoming three-game series. Kieron Fontotia will making his debut appearance for the side alongside Stade Francais player Paul Alo Emile. Auvasa Falealii, the Auckland halfback will also be expected to be called on from the bench. While there will be a lot of new faces in the team, the Samoan side will have a full set of established players to balance out the newbies. The only two players missing from the Friday’s line-up are Reynold Lee-lo and David Lemi who will sit this one out due to injury. A Chance to Prove Their Worth Speaking to the press, Manu Samoa’s coach Namulauulu Alama Ieremia said that the addition of so many debutants were in response to the side experimenting against the mighty All Blacks. Alama Ieremia said that he wanted to put on a performance that would make his nation and his team proud. According to him, their performance against the All Blacks on Friday will be a good indication of where the team is at the moment. He reiterated that there was no better challenge than playing the number 1 ranked side in the world. He believes that the match will provide insight on how his team is performing and offer the ideal opportunity to build momentum before the June/July Internationals. Of the 23 players in the squad, no less than eighteen play for clubs in the UK and France. Only five players in the Manu Samoan squad are based in the Southern Hemisphere. Of these, Tim Nanai-Williams is the only player who is involved with Super Rugby. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Australia suffered a heavy defeat against Brazil. The team took a 4-0 defeat in front of their home crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Grounds on Tuesday. - Published: 2017-06-16 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/aussies-dreading-confederations-cup/ Australian Disappointment Before FIFA Confederations Cup In the lead up to the Confederations Cup, Brazil has cemented once again their place as a football powerhouse. They played a warm up game against Australia on Tuesday. It was seen as a great opportunity for James Jeggo who was acting captain of Australia. Mile Jedinak who is the usual team captain was out of the game with a persistent groin injury he sustained while playing for Aston Villa. Jedinak previously led Australia to a decisive 3-2 win over Saudi Arabia to seal a place in the upcoming Confederations Cup for Australia. Strong Challenge For Acting Captain Unfortunately the circumstances were not ideal for Jeggo’s temporary replacement of Jedinak. Brazil is a powerful team and Australia is not exactly a major player in the world of international soccer and it definitely showed. Australia took quite a thrashing and it will not bode well for their spirits when the Confederation Cup opens. Jeggo will remain in his spot as temporary captain for the extent of the Cup so that Jedinak can fully recover and fulfil his commitments with Aston Villa. The game started on a dour note for Australia with Diego Souza of Brazil scoring within 12 seconds. To add insult to injury, this early domination took place in front of nearly 50 000 Australian fans at the Melbourne Cricket Grounds. Bailey Wright, Australian defender let the ball slip to Brazil who immediately capitalized on the sloppy fieldwork. This early goal was a shot in the arm for Australia who quickly tightened up and held the Brazilian assault at bay for the next 60 minutes. A Final Push From Brazil A corner kick from Philippe Coutinho in the final moments of the game gave Brazil the opening they were looking for and Thiago Silva snatch a goal with a well-placed header off a fumbled goal attempt by David Luiz. The third goal was claimed by substitute player Taison, who also claimed his first international goal for Brazil. By now a demoralized Australia had to take one more goal from Diego Souza, yet another header that found its mark. Diego Souza wanted to make a good impression after he replaced the usual forward, Gabriel Jesus who sustained a fractured eye socket in a previous match. He has certainly earned his place in the team after his performance in the friendly. In a wonderful sense of irony, this loss for Australia comes after their win against Saudi Arabia and the win for Brazil comes off a disappointing 1-0 loss against Argentina. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Golden State Warriors have taken back the NBA Championship with a 4-1 series win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Kevin Durant picked up the MVP award. - Published: 2017-06-15 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nba/golden-state-warriors-win-nba-championship/ Warriors Claim NBA Championship Title The Golden State Warriors have taken back the NBA Championship with a 4-1 series win over the defending champions, the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Warriors secured another brilliant victory in Game 5 on Monday night, outscoring the Cavaliers 129 points to 120. The near-clean sweep in the finals handed the Warriors their second NBA title in three seasons. The Warriors beat Cleveland in 2015 only to lose the finals in 2016 despite holding a 3-1 series lead. This year, the Warriors made no mistake, dominating the finals from beginning to end. Kevin Durant, the Warrior’s lead scorer was named as the NBA’s most valuable player of the finals. Having moved over from the Oklahoma City Thunder, Durant was instrumental to the Warriors championship victory and their incredible 16-1 postseason run, which turned out to be the best in the league’s history. Durant capped off the finals with another 39 points while Stephen Curry added a healthy 34 points of his own. Durant Handed MVP Award Last year’s finals MVP, LeBron James led the scoring for the Cavaliers. LeBron racked up a massive 41 points with 13 rebounds and 8 assists. Despite his inspired performance, it was not enough to pip the Warriors with Durant scoring a crucial three-pointer with less than a minute left in the game. It was reminiscent of game 3 when the same thing happened to give the Warriors a 3-0 lead. After joining the Warriors in 2016, Durant has taken just one season to win his first championship. The US Olympic Gold medallist has had an impressive year, scoring more than 30 point in each of the five games in the finals. In doing so, he became the first player to achieve such a feat since Shaquille O'Neal played for the LA Lakers in 2000. With an average of 35. 2 points, 8. 2 rebounds and 5. 2 assists per game, Durant was the obvious choice for MVB. Speaking to the press, Durant was quick to acknowledge the efforts of the Cleveland team. He admitted that the combination of Lebron and Kyrie is something he has never seen before. For Durant, the only person who he felt was a match for him was LeBron James. According to him, LeBron is the only player he has been focusing on since 2012. Durant apparently told LeBron that they were all tied up and were going to have to do it all again next season. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > After the initial pre race testing round for the 24 Hours Le Mans it looks like Toyota will be dominating. They beat out Porsche by 3 seconds in the TS050. - Published: 2017-06-15 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/toyota-clean-sweep-le-mans/ Toyota Powering Into 24 Hours of Le Mans The practice and qualifying round for the 24 Hours of Le Mans kicks off on Wednesday. The official pre-race testing round was completed and from all indications, it seems that Toyota will be having a clear edge in this year’s race. The Pre-race testing took place the first weekend of June and Toyota blocked out the first three time slots on the full Le Mans circuit, well ahead of their closest rivals, Porsche. Technical director for Toyota Motorsport, Pascal Vasselon stated that they do not think that it is possible to say they are not the current favourite. Growth By Leaps And Bounds They compared this year’s performance with where the team was last year when they only started performing on race day. Toyota will again be racing in the car they introduce last year, the TS050 which is a Twin Turbo hybrid vehicle. However, they have made 12 months of improvements on the vehicle which has really ironed out its kinks. Porsche on the other hand is racing their 919, a second generation vehicle that has essentially reached a plateau with regards to squeezing extra performance from the vehicle. This was made painfully evident when the TS050 finished an incredible 3 seconds ahead of two Porsche 919’s. Toyota driver, Kamui Kobayashi finished first of the 3 TS050s that will be taking part in the official race with a time of 3m18s. Most damning of all was team principal for Porsche, Andreas Seidl who said that it would be impossible for them to match Toyota’s pace. Oreca Dominance In LMP2 Meanwhile in the LMP2 division, Oreca are dominating in a similar fashion. Their 07-Gibsons took the top ten spots this weekend during the test races. Only the United Autosports Ligier JS P217 came close to the Oreca performance but they were 4 seconds short of the Signatech Alpine who was the pace setter for the test runs. Competitors have shown concern for the 15 car Oreca team who is dominating the LMP2 field at the moment. United Autosports have been testing a new Aero low down-force kit that they are hoping will give them a boost, if not an edge in the coming race. The kit is yet to be approved by FIA but if this weekend’s test run is anything to go by, they will be needing every single advantage they can get. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Australian rider Richie Porte has admitted that losing the Criterium du Dauphine was a bitter pill to swallow. However, he has learnt an important lesson. - Published: 2017-06-14 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/richie-porte-sees-bright-side-defeat/ Richie Porte Finds a Silver Lining After coming so close to winning the Criterium du Dauphine, Australian star cyclist Richie Porte has found a silver lining and a useful lesson for the upcoming Tour de France cycle race. Once he got over his frustration at losing by such as small margin, Porte was able to pick up on an important lesson for his BMC Racing team. Porte felt that he was left completely isolated at the front and was put under siege by many tour rivals. Porte started the final stage from Albertville in the South of France with a lead of just over 1 minute, a healthy margin in many respects. However, Porte was dispatched from the top of the leader board by Danish rider Jackob Fuglsang who finished 10 seconds ahead of Porte. Riding for Astana, Fuglsang mounted his attack on the final climb to the Plateau de Solaison. Porte also had a slew of riders attacking on the penultimate ascent including three time Tour de France champion Chris Froome, as well as Fabio Aru and Alejandro Valverde. Lessons for the Tour de France Speaking about his narrow defeat, Porte said that while it would have been nice to finish off the day with a win, his form is good and it is a great sign for the Tour de France. He admitted that it was bitterly disappointing for him to lose by such as small margin, but he gave credit to Jackob Fulgsang for his powerful attacking when it mattered. Porte did take encouragement from the fact that beat some of the biggest Tour Contenders that will all be lining up for the Tour de France in a few weeks. According to Porte, the riders who were mounting an attack were keenly aware of where his teammates were and prevented them from getting close. Every time they came up to give support, they attack would begin and Porte would be left alone. After a while, there were only so many attacks that Porte could fight off by himself. He believed if he had some support up front with him, he would have been able to hold position better. Porte will take all these lessons with him into the Tour de France. He now knows that he is climbing well and that the other teams have a specific strategy to isolate and target him. The Tour de France kicks off on the 1st of July from Dusseldorf in Germany. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Dustin Johnson may well join the celebrated ranks of players who have successfully defended a major. He will be defending his US open title this week. - Published: 2017-06-14 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/johnson-defends-us-open/ Who Can Topple Dustin Johnson At The US Open Championship? In the last few months, rather amazingly, it seems that defending US Open Champion Dustin Johnson has in fact improved on his game. The golfer seems to have ironed out any remaining flaws he had after his US open victory last year. The world number 1 still drives the ball far and straight but what has surprised many fans is how strong his putting and wedge game has become. These two areas have long been seen as the only cracks in the golfer’s armour. He has definitely been well aware of this and has worked on tightening up his game. He did falter in his last appearance at the Memorial tournament with some poor performance on the green, but this clearly was down to a lack of concentration as his previous performances gave him 8 top ten finishes in 10 events. Dustin has already taken 3 tournaments this season alone. His strongest competition may come from Rory McElroy. If we look at the statistics however, the world number 2 trails Johnson by a large margin. A Potential Physical Setback McElroy and the rest of the field can only hope that Johnson’s recent injury could flare up on the course. Johnson fell down the stairs of his rental home two months ago, He was injured enough to have to sit out the Masters, but by all accounts it seems he has made a full recovery. Johnson has also been working on his driving accuracy. In the past the Open was always claimed by not just powerful, but accurate drivers. Johnson seems to be ready for this challenge despite being ranked 166th in accuracy. The Mental Game For Johnson If Johnson can maintain his focus during the Open, his powerful driving may be enough to take him to the finish in first place. Without Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson to put some pressure on him, he just needs to keep his head in the game. He has shown previously that his putting is not necessarily that weak as long as he keeps focussed on the task at hand. If he forges ahead, he could join the ranks of his heroes Jack Nicklaus and Bobby Jones as the only golfers under 30 who have taken home 5 major titles. With 7700 yards to drive and friendly fairways, this US Open may well turn out to be Johnson’s second. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealander Michael Venus and his American doubles partner Ryan Harrison have won the French Open in a match that took over two hours to complete. - Published: 2017-06-13 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/michael-venus-victorious-french-open/ Michael Venus Wins Maiden French Open Title Michael Venus, the 29-year-old Aucklander and his American doubles partner Ryan Harrison have won the French Open in Paris. The pair were up against the dynamic duo of American Donald young and Mexican Santiago Gonzalez who were also unseeded in the tournament. It was the first time since 1993 that two unseeded teams have played in the French Open doubles final. Speaking about his victory, Venus said that he was extremely excited. He explained that he dreamed of playing in tournaments like the French Open and to come away with the trophy was truly unbelievable. Venus and Harrison were firing on all cylinders in the first set. The pair got stuck in, creating four break points against their opponents but were just not able to convert. The tables were soon turned and Venus had to defend three break points himself later on in the set. Serving out the tiebreaker, Venus finally closed out the first set with almost an hour on the clock. Interestingly enough, it was the first time in the entire tournament that the pair actually won a first set in a match. A Remarkable Performance The second set was even closer with just one break point being made. Again, it came down to a tie breaker where Harrison and Venus were able to set up a mini break of 3-1. The two quickly lost their lead, conceding the next five points with Young and Gonzalez forcing a decider. The third set was a tough one for both teams with both teams holding their serve until the 6th game. Venus and Harrison finally got a break when Gonzalez double faulted at 30-40. Their break was short lived though as Venus was broken in the very next game. The Kiwi/American pair got another lucky break, this time by Young who doubled faulted to give Harrison the chance to serve out the match. Holding his cool, Harrison racked up two match points and was able to serve out the match on his second match point. For Venus and Harrison the win was remarkable is no many ways. The pair only teamed up at the start of this year’s clay court season, having been friends for many years. Having trained in New Zealand where there are very few clay courts, Venus had previously not won a single set at the French Open in his last three appearances. He now has the honour of being New Zealand’s first men’s Grand Slam Champion since 1974. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Maroon’s State of Origin Series II team has undergone some major changes. Find out more about Walter’s surprising coaching decisions now. - Published: 2017-06-13 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/major-changes-maroons-state-origin-team/ Kevin Walters Wields Axe Over State of Origin Team Maroons coach Kevin Walters has made some hard-hitting changes to the Maroons in a desperate bid to save the teams Origin II series. Walters has made a whopping 5 changes to the team and has shocked fans by sacking Sam Thaiday and Corey Oates. It’s been revealed that the Queensland team has dropped a selection of bombshells, and that the team that takes to the field at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium will look rather different to what was originally expected. The changes come hot on the heels of the Maroons 28-4 roasting in Origin I. Changes to the Team It has been revealed that the changes are a follows: Corey Oates has been axed from the left wing. This is despite his strong show in the season opener, and he move has shocked many fans and his teammates too. Sam Thaiday got a nasty surprise just before his 33rd Birthday. He was also unceremoniously dumped, thus ending his rather glittering 29 game Origin run. Justin O’Neill lost his centre spot after he failed dismally to muzzle Jarry Hayne in the first round of the series. Gavin Cooper has been recalled at age 31. Veteran props Jacob Lillyman and Nate Myles have both been dropped fro the squad, although Myles may still get a reprieve if newly debuted Jarrod Wallace gets suspended for an illegal shoulder charge. Test flyer Valentine Holmes is all set to make his debut on the right wing, and the Maroons coach is hoping he’ll add some desperately need spark to the position. A Sunday Night Meeting On Sunday night the Maroons hierarchy met to finalise their three quarter line and it was understood afterwards that Billy Slater would return to the Number 1 jersey, and that Darius Boyd would replace Oates on the left wing. Will Chambers is expected to get Dane Gagai as a centres partner and this will clear the path for Holmes, giving him a chance to don his maiden Maroons jersey. Of all the changes to the Maroons, it seems that the culling of Oates is the biggest shock, as he was nothing short of inspirational in Origin I. he ran for 138m and produced a superb AFL-style mark, scoring Queensland’s only try, but it seems that for Walter’s, this is not enough to keep him around. The chop of Thaiday was also unexpected, and he was clearly hoping to make his 30th State of Origin appearance, but now hi dream lies in tatters. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Italian men’s volleyball team faced Iran in the FIVB Group 1 match pool. They won all 3 sets against a strong on court performance from the Iranian team. - Published: 2017-06-12 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/volleyball/italian-victory-group-1-fivb/ Italian Team Take FIVB Volleyball A1 Victory Italy claimed a commanding victory over Iran during a FIVB Volleyball match. Iran faced Italy in the Pool A1, Group 1 match during the first week of the FIVB tournament. The match took place in Italy and it certainly helped the home team in mopping up the Iranian team in 25-22, 25-23, 25-22 sets. A Close Matchup Of Skilled Athletes Iran made a valiant effort with strong play but they could not breach the confidence of the home team on their home ground. That said, Iran kept the games close, even by the first time-out of the match they were already chasing Italy with a score of 8-6. The match was hard fought ending on equal footing of 11-11 by mid-game. From here on the Italian side took advantage of every single mistake the Iranian team made and took the lead again with a score of 16-13 by the second time out. Constant Pressure From Both Teams During the second set the Iranian team appeared much stronger but they were soon put back on the defence by Luigi Randozzo who helped put Italy in the lead with a 6-4 score. Even though Iran fought back to a 13-13 equalizer, Italy again unleashed upon them and took the set 25-23. The Last Stand In The Third Set The third and final set showed that a pattern was forming. The Iranians took the lead at the start of the third set pushing to 4-1 but soon Italy started to attack again. The Iranians did well to play defensively, holding their lead to 16-14 during the second time out. Of course their defences soon caved under the Italians barrage of attacks and the home team took the third and final set as well. Iranian coach Igor Kolakovic said that the team did not expect anything less form the powerful Italian team. Kolakovic extended his thanks to the Italian supporters who cheered for his team, keeping them motivated through the sets. The Iranian team will be facing another strong team, Brazil, this weekend in Pesaro for their next volleyball match. Italian coach Gianlorenzo Blengini also thanked the fans at the stadium and said that this victory is not just good for the team’s rankings but for their sprit. The victory helped cement the payoff of the hard work the team has been putting in in training and on the court. 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Affectionately known as the Gallo, Deportivo Moron broke a 26 year drought to rise up among the ranks and clinch their much sought after promotion. Celebrations amongst fans continued until dawn in front of the Municipal Palace. Fans were elated that the team’s 17 wins, 12 draws and 3 losses were enough to propel the team into the upper leagues. The team still has 4 more matches left in the Reserve League, but with their 63 points earned, they are uncatchable on their ascent, even if their closest rivals, Atlanta, win all 3 of their upcoming matches. The Effortless Win The match kicked off immediately with Deportivo Moron scoring the first goal within 5 minutes. Rodrigo Diaz scored the first goal, securing an early lead for Deportivo and setting the tone for the rest of the match. It was only 5 minutes later that Javier Rossi secured Deportivo’s lead with a beautiful goal. From here on in Deportivo kept it safe, playing defensively and only faltering in the 40th minute when Platense’s Luis Quiroga scored for his team. The defence of Deportivo should receive allot of credit as they allowed the top scorers, Diaz and Damian Akerman the freedom to attack. They helped the team achieve their 63 league points with 19 goals in 32 matches. A Rewarding Payoff Akerman has had a long and seasoned history with Deportivo. He first joined the club in 2003 then went through essentially went through a revolving door with the team, leaving and returning three times. Finally he has come back to the team to take them through to Primera B. The 37 year old will certainly relish this victory form Deportivo. Deportivo had not been this high on the Reserve League table since 2000. A Fresh New Face Deportivo recently welcomed a new striker, Nicolas Ramirez perhaps as a future replacement for the 37 year old Diaz and Akerman. Ramirez is a seasoned veteran having previously played with Atlanta, Chacarita, Manta de Ecuador, Racing de Olavarría, Union of Mar del Plata and Los Andes. Deportivo Moron have a very bright future ahead of them after this years sterling performance in the Argentinean Reserve League. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Kazakhstan has crowned new Premier League champs, Kairat. The team is heading full steam into the new 2017 season after their hard fought win last month. - Published: 2017-06-11 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/kazakhstan-league-crown-new-champs/ Kairat Reinvigorated For Kazakhstan Premier League Kairat received a rapturous ovation from Kazakhstan Premier League fans earlier last month after they defeated long running champions Astana. Kairat fought their way from the number 3 finishers in 2013 to take the number one spot from the 3 time League champions Astana. Many people point to transfers with the Astana squad that could have had an adverse effect on team dynamics. The team lost Askhat Tagybergen, Sergey Maly, and Djordje Despotovic while Roger Cañas was on loan. They were replaced by Ivan Mayevsky from Belarus, Azdren Llullaku from Albania and local midfielders Roman Murtazayev and Didar Zhalmukan. A Solid And Familiar Team Kairat on the other hand pretty much remained intact from their previous year’s line-up. The only additions were defender Yeldos Akhmetov, Georgy Zhukov a Russian midfielder and Ivo Ilecic from the German Bundesliga. These players definitely added some additional skill and experience to the team and played a large role in helping Kairat push through the Astana defence. After their defeat, Astana may be looking to re-evaluate their team composition as clearly some of their original magic has gone missing. It is still early days for the Kazakhstan Premier League so we will see what develops from these new squads. The Decisive Super Cup Match In the Astana and Kairat Super Cup showdown, Kairat kept the pressure up in the wings. Despite a few defensive mistakes, Striker Junior Kabananga could not capitalise. By half time both teams were yet to score. In the second half it was clear that Astana were on the back foot, attempting to hold off an aggressive Kairat. You could see that there was definitely something missing in Astana. They did not seem to have the unity that was present in their previous title defences. Kairat was on fire however, perhaps thanks to the weakness they saw in Astana. From here Keirat stepped up their defence, finishing with a 2-0 victory. The match is scheduled for the 10th of June. In the late stages of the second half, Kairat landed a goal thanks to Sesar Arzo. National Representation Earlier this week Astana and Kairat saw many of their players off to Denmark for a series of matches ahead of the World Cup qualifiers. Abzal Beisebekov, Roman Murtazayev Didar Zhalmukan and Serikzhan Muzhikov from Astana were part of the squad, while Kairat contributed Vladimir Plotnikov, Gafurzhan Suyumbayev, Yeldos Akhmetov and Yan Vorogovskiy. 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The Malta Volleyball Association increased the work they have been doing to prepare their Women and men’s teams ahead of the games. The Women’s team was in an intense training camp in Malta ahead of the games held in San Marino this year. The training camp was headed by Daniel Antolin with assistance from Edvaldo da Silva. The team was also joined by professional members form the Spanish volleyball team who acted as sparring partners so that the team could have the best possible preparation before the GSSE. As further preparation the team also competed in 4 friendlies against CVB Barca. The Return Of Womens Volleyball The return of the Women’s volleyball team to the GSSE has received high praise. This was the first time in 14 years that Malta will be sending their Women’s volleyball contingent to the games. Their last performance was in the 2003 games. Malta sent 88 athletes to the GSSE this year and they were hoping to repeat the success they had in Iceland at the previous GSSE games where the country took home 31 medals. Malta also has had hopes for their 12 athlete strong swimming team as well as the strong women’s and men’s cycling squad. The Maltese Olympic Committee stated that they were adamant to improve on their results in Iceland. Some setbacks came up like the loss of gold medallist Kevin Moore, despite the athlete being cleared of previous doping allegations. On the track and field events, the Maltese team was again being lead by Charlotte Wingfield. Complaints About Mixed Nationals In Teams The Maltese Olympic Committee made a point of remarking that many of the GSSE states used many foreign athletes which debatable can be seen as unfair advantages. They specifically mentioned Monaco which only had 20 local athletes in the 120 members they entered. Despite the reservations, Malta put up a fine performance yet again. The GSSE went by smoothly for another year. The next games are to be held in 2019 so there is still much time for the Women’s Volleyball team to train hard and re-establish themselves as a true force to be reckoned with at the GSSE. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The preliminary 29 man team for the Euro Basket has been announced by Slovenia. The team features fantastic players who are ready to do the country proud. - Published: 2017-06-10 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/slovenia-euro-basket-bid/ Slovenia Names Euro Basket Squad Slovenia is revving up to make yet another powerful showing ahead of this year’s FIBA Euro Basket. The decorated team this year lists Goran Dragic and Luka Doncic as potential players. Goran is having a successful career with the NBA team, the Miami Heat. His skill and experience is balanced out by the young talent of Luka Doncic. Slovenia this week released their preliminary 29 player roster and it has raised many eyebrows due to the strong players collected in the team this season. A Dynamic And Powerful Squad The team composition hints at a versatile team ready to take on most challenges that the other FIBA teams will be throwing their way. The Slovenian team will however miss the presence of Zoran Dragic who is out of the season for now due to an injury. The coach, Igor Kokoskov, veteran of European basketball, said that his main criteria for the team selection were the individual’s recent club performances as well as their career consistency. The current team has not changed much from the team that punched through the 2017 The Euro Basket qualifiers. A Few Fresh Faces New additions this season come in the form of the experienced Cedevita Zagreb, Mirza Bogic, Montakit Fuenlabrada and Luka Rupnik. Many players still have club obligations to fulfil before thy return to training for the Euro Basket. Coach Kokoskov said that he hopes the players recover well both physically and mentally in their break because they will be working hard once training starts. Kokoskov along with fellow coach, legendary player Jaka Lakovic will be whittling down the current 29 man roster and present the final team to the FIBA Euro Basket committee. The team drew Group A matches so they will be first up travelling to Finland where they will be up against some string completion. Their fellow group A teams feature France, Greece, Iceland, Poland and the host team, Finland. The Slovenian Rivals Meanwhile Georgia have presented a very competitive 17 man preliminary squad. They will again be lead by veteran Zaza Pachulia this year. They may not have the international players of Slovenia, but Viktor Sanikidze, Tornike Shengelia and Giorgi Shermadini can hold their own against the best in the world, not to mention the ace up their sleeve, deadly accurate scorer, Michael Dixon Jr. For now it seems that Slovenia has one of the most competitive teams in the Euro Basket tournament. Only time will tell however. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Andriy Yarmolenko took home the player of the season for the Ukraine Vyscha league for the second time in a row. He is much loved by fans and critics alike. - Published: 2017-06-10 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/yarmolenko-ukraine-proud/ Player Of The Season For Vyscha League Andriy Yarmolenko was voted player of the season second year in a row for the Ukraine Vyscha League. He was awarded the distinction thanks to his 15 goals and 18 assists during the past season. The Ukrainian forward plays for the club Dynamo Kyiv but he also plays for the National team. He has represented his country on the international stage since 2009, appearing in the 2012 UEFA Euro Cup and the 2016 Euro Cup. Ukrainian Loss To Malta He recently played in this capacity against Malta in a friendly this week. In a surprise victory, Malta walked away with the win for a 1-0 finisher. This was Malta’s first win in since their victory in 2013 against the Faroe Islands. 15 minutes into the first half of the match, Malta’s Alex Muscat kicked a long ball down the field to waiting forward, Zach Muscat he slammed in a beautiful header, putting Malta in the lead. Despite regular challenges, Ukraine simply could not get together enough momentum to take back the lead from a defensive Malta. Alex Muscat kept the pressure on in the attacking front, almost making another scoring pass to team mate Effiong who unfortunately booted it wide. Ukraine pushed another challenge in the 40th minute of the game but a careless pass to Viktor Kovalenko was quickly intercepted and stolen by forward, Andrew Hogg. A Firm Fan Favourite Yarmolenko is also a big fan favourite thanks to his much reported rivalry with Taras Stepenko from Shakhtar Donetsk. Yarmolenko committed a dangerous tackle in an early match that nearly seriously injured Taras. The two players appeared to exchange pleasantries as well as jerseys after the game. In a following press conference Yarmolnko threw Taras’s jersey on the ground. In an April match between Yarmolenko’s Dynamos and Tara’s Shakhtar Donetsk, the two players physically engaged each other on the field. A Much Celebrated Player Other accomplishments by the celebrated player is his record for the fastest goal ever scored by a Ukrainian player at 14 seconds into a friendly against Uruguay. Following this appearance, Yarmolenko scored a hat-trick of goals when Ukraine faced Luxemburg at the 2016 UEFA qualifiers. The match ended 3-0, with all goals scored by Yarmolenko. His inclusion in the 2016 Euro Cup however did not help Ukraine at all as they finished goalless and at the bottom of the group. The celebrated player will be enjoying his second award and he will be a force to be reckoned with in the Ukraine Vyscha League for some time yet. 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Ostapenko was understandably nervous going into the match, taking a while to warm up. After losing the first five games of her first major quarter-final, the young Latvian managed to pull it back and win the match 4-6 6-2 6-2. Speaking to the press, Ostapenko said that she was extremely happy with the result and couldn’t quite believe it. The world number 47 will now face Timea Bacsinszky, the Swiss 30th seed champion who defeated France's Kristina Mladenovic 6-4 6-4 in her quarterfinal match. The two will meet on Thursday when they both will jointly celebrate their birthdays. The pair eventually won their quarterfinal matches after a four-hour rain delay, which disrupted the women’s last-eight ties as well as Nadal’s and Djokovic’s quarterfinal matches. Meanwhile, Ostapenko has become the first teenage tennis player to reach the French Open semi-finals since Ana Ivanovic achieved the feat in 2007. At the same time, she is the first teenager to feature in a Grand Slam semi since Madison Keys made her appearance at the 2015 US Open. Speaking about the rain delays, Ostapenko said that is was a tough match where the players had to leave the court twice during the play. Ostapenko said she knew Wozniacki was a tough opponent and she had to stay aggressive is she wanted to stand any chance of winning. A New Champion on the Way That being said, Wozniacki has never been able to progress past the quarterfinals in the French Open. With Serina Williams pregnant and a number of top-seeded players finding and early exit, it seems the French open will see a first-time women’s singles champion come the finals. Of the final eight players left in the tournament, Wozniacki had the best pedigree. Before going down to Ostapenko, she was tipped to claim her maiden French Open title. The difference in experience between Wozniacki and Ostapenko was massive. The Latvian youngster played defensively for the first five games before finding her feet. It was too late to save the first set though which Wozniacki took 6-4. Ostapenko’s performance was more clinical in the second set. She served out the set and grew more confident with every game. In the final set, Ostapenko broke Wozniacki’s serve in the fifth game and went on to claim the final set and match, becoming the first Latvian woman to reach a Grand Slam semi-final in the modern open era. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > British basketball player, Myles Hesson has signed with FIBA champs, Nanterre 92. He is currently recovering from a fractured Tibia sustained in February. - Published: 2017-06-09 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/hesson-signs-nanterre-92/ Hesson Joins FIBA Europe Cup Champs It was barely a week and a half ago that Nanterre 92 were crowned the FIBA Europe Cup champions and it has already been confirmed that British player Myles Hesson will be signing with the squad. Hesson was injured in February with a fractured Tibia which placed his role in the sport in jeopardy; he missed the team’s FIBA cup final and his season with the Gravelines as a result of the injury. If his recovery goes to schedule, he will be representing his country at the Eurobasket tournament with team Great Britain before joining Nanterre in France. Solid Seasonal Performance As a Pro-A player, Hesson averaged an impressive 12. 4 points with 5. 1 rebounds at each game, along with always bringing a positive attitude and determination. The French team, Nanterre 92 is the current champions of the FIBA league after a close final against Élan Chalon ending in a score of 79 to 82. A Strong French Team The World Cup victory for Nanterre 92 was at the time their second cup in as many weeks. Prior to defeating Élan Chalon in the FIBA finals, they had also hoisted the French Cup. This was also the second time that the team had won a European Cup after they took home the EuroChallenge in 2015. It is no surprise then to see why Hesson has signed with the French team. They have been performing better and better each season and with the inclusion of a solid player like Hesson, their fortunes are sure to keep going ever upwards. Expectations Were Running HIgh In their previous meeting, Nanterre 92 and Élan Chalon played a draw game ending on 58-58. In the finals match, Nanterre had the home ground advantage and the fans were always keen to remind them how much support they would be having behind them that night. Fans had a nail biting second half as Élan started showing their grit to aggressively start taking the lead. Sadly Élan Charon could not sustain their fourth quarter assault and soon fell to the technical work of Nanterre. Axel Bouteille from Élan Charon took the final overtime shot of the game but it was not meant to be. The missed shot would not be enough to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Hesson is looking forward to his coming tenure at the Nanterre camp. Until then he is only focussing on his recovery and his upcoming showing for team Great Britain. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Melbourne Vixens are facing the Giants this Saturday. The Vixens are at the top of the League but the Giants are currently a force to be reckoned with. - Published: 2017-06-09 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/netball/vixens-heading-giants-clash/ Vixens Vs. Giants At Suncorp Super Netball The head coach of the Melbourne Vixens, Simone McKinnis, has stated that she is currently in full team training mode for the Suncorp Super Netball match against the Giants. The Giants are only 3 points behind the Vixens in the Suncorp standings. The Vixens are currently at the top of the log, barely ahead of the Sunshine Coast Lightning. The Vixens are facing the Giants this coming Saturday in the preliminary finals. The upcoming match is in the aftermath of a loss to the previously mentioned Sunshine Coast Lightning last weekend. Giants Are Ready For Attack The Giants are coming off a very close one goal victory against the Collingwood Magpies who were in stunning form. The Magpies are currently ranked fourth on the Suncorp Super Netball rankings with 18 points total. The Vixens will also be facing a new Giants team setup after Susan Pettit moved to wing and Kristina Brice took in the goal shooter position. McKinnis stated that while the Giants attack is fearsome, her team will hold up against the assault to come out on top. An Adaptable Opponent This has been a strength of the giants in recent matches, their flexibility and adaptability has allowed them to suddenly come out of left field and leave coaches scratching their heads. The strong Vixens performance in the league so far makes them the favourites for this series but if there is any team that can derail their momentum, it will be the Giants. The Driver For Victory McKinnin believes that the bad taste left in the Vixen’s mouths after last week’s defeat will be the fuel for their victory this Saturday at Hisense Arena. The last time these two powerhouses faced each other, the Giants snatched the victory by 4 goals. McKinnin has said that what the team currently is focussing on is consistency, which will definitely be what they will need in buckets if they are to walk away the victors this weekend. The Rest Of The Field The top four teams in the Super Netball League have a commanding lead over the rest of the competitors. Outside the top 4, the Queensland Firebirds are at 5th place with 15 points. At 6th position is the New South Wales Swifts with 7 points, the West Coast Fever at 7th place with 4 points and at the bottom of the league is the Adelaide Thunderbirds with 2 points. 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Along with James who added 35 points, Kyrie Irving put in a decent game with 24 points while Kevin Love added another 15 to the total. The Cavaliers started well and were always in the lead with the gap as high as 39 points at one point in the game. To put the icing on the cake, the Cavaliers have set a new NBA record by winning their 13th straight series closeout. The win against Boston puts gives the Cavs at a 12-1 record for the postseason. They will meet Western Conference Champion, Golden State Warriors for the third consecutive time. This is the same team the Cavaliers defeated in the finals last season, marking their first win for the franchise. For LeBron James, it will be his seventh straight trip to the NBA finals. The Cavaliers who gave the Celtics a bit of leeway in game 4, gave nothing away in game five. In the opening stages of the game it was the Cav’s Big Three that did most of the damage, racking up a 21-point lead in the first quarter. Cavs Showed No Mercy Kevin Love was on hand to knock down shots from the outside while Irving and James broke free for a good selection on one-handed dunks. After hurting his ankle in game 4, Irving was showing no signs of any lingering issues. He come on strong, beating Celtics defenders and racking up a total of seven assists. Kyle Korver and J. R. Smith did their part, spreading out the Boston defenders and connecting up with some wide scoring opportunities. Deron Williams also managed to get in on the action adding another 14 points for Cleveland. For their part, the Celtics did their best to keep pace with the Cavs. However, they failed to find the same consistency and defence that stunned the Cleveland team in Game 3. Speaking to the press, Celtics coach Brad Stevens said the team played a little haphazardly with a lot of mistakes from on the offence with led to bad defence. He was understandably disappointed with how the season ended for the Celtics but is happy his team make it to the conference finals. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Real Madrid has defeated Juventus in the Champions League final 4 goals to 1. A pair of goals by Ronaldo helped the Spaniards to their 12th title. - Published: 2017-06-07 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/real-madrid-win-12th-champions-league-title/ Real Madrid Claim Champions League Title Real Madrid has officially become the first team to successfully defend a UEFA Champions League title. Thanks to an outstanding effort by Cristiano Ronaldo, Los Blancos cruised to a 4-1 victory over Juventus in the Champions League final. In a controversial move, Zinedine Zidane opted to open with Gareth Bale on the bench while Isco held onto his spot in the opening line-up. Most noticeably was the missing face of James Rodriguez who was left of the squad altogether. Juventus had a great start to the game. Within the first 10 minutes, both Miralem Pjanic and Gonzalo Higuain forced Real’s Keylor Navas to produce a set of crucial saves. After that, the action died down a bit until the Spaniards opened the scoring in the 20th minute. It was Ronaldo who did the honours, exchanging a few passes with Dani Carvajal before hammering the ball into the far corner. It didn’t take long for Juventus to bounce back though. Just seven minutes later, Mario Mandzukic controlled a well-timed kick from Higuain before slotting one into the back of the net with a brilliant bicycle kick. A Good Day for Ronaldo Heavy forward movement by Massimiliano Allegri carried on through the first half with a number of fouls disrupting the flow of the game. Neither side found the advantage and the score remained one-all at half-time. The second half opened up where the first left off. After a quite start, Los Blancos nabbed their second goal thanks to a deflected effort from Casemiro. While Juventus fans were waiting for another comeback, Real took the opportunity to extend their lead. Four minutes after their second goal struck home, Luca Modric launched the ball at the far post where Ronaldo was perfectly placed to tap the ball home and to take the score to 3-1. Allegri was desperate to hold onto the game and introduced Juan Cuadrado as a replacement for Andrea Barzagli. On the other side of the field, Zidane made his first change on the 76th minute with Karin Benzema coming off for Bale. To make matters worse for the Italians, Juve were reduced to 10 men when Cuadrado was sent off for booking a second offence in the game. Real Madrid were able to close out the game in the 90th minute. Marcelo took a brilliant run up field, finding Marcos Asensio who neatly slotted home their fourth goal of the match given Real their 12 Champions League Title. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Two more competitors make it one step closer to 2017 AFC Cup glory. Home United and Air Force Club rose to the challenge of their respective matches last week. - Published: 2017-06-07 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/challengers-closer-afc-finals/ 2017 AFC Cup Challengers Rise Up Last week saw the Air Force Club make it to the West Zone finals while Home United secured their ASEAN Zone finals slot. Fans of the clubs rejoiced at the latest developments in the 2017 AFC Cup zonal semi-finals. An Exciting Match Air Force Club beat the Iraqi club Al Zawra’a with a convincing 2-1 finish. The teams went into the match knowing that Al Zawra’a would need a goalless draw game to be able to progress to the next match, this put defending champs, Air Force Club, on the attack from the start. Air Force Club’s lead scorer, Emad Mohsin pushed aggressively into the Al Zawra’a defence, hoping to uncover a weakness or opening in the side. It took constant pressure from Air Force Club to finally open up the tight Al Zawra’a defence to land a goal five minutes into the second half. Osama Ali made an attempt at a goal shot that was expertly deflected but unfortunately it was deflected right to the waiting Emad Mohsin who capitalised on it and scored the first goal of the match. Air Force Club held on tightly to their lead and now are one step closer to 2017 AFC Cup glory. Home United Snatch Victory Meanwhile Singaporean hopefuls, Home United, faced rivals, Global FC from the Philippines. They beat Global FC with a decisive 3-2 victory. This sends them to the ASEAN Zone finals and one step closer to their goal of taking part in the 2017 AFC Cup. The team has been working hard this year to make it to the pinnacle of the sport in Asia. This victory over Global FC will play a large role in solidifying Home United’s confidence ahead of the ASEAN finals. Kemy Agustien and Shu Sasaki made the first goals for Global FC, but Song Ui-young and Stipe Plazibat evened out the scores 2-2. Finally a free kick during injury time, 4 minutes in, gave Home United the lead and the victory minutes later. This dramatic last minute finisher was a fitting end to a contentious matchup. Exciting Developments Ahead For AFC Both teams performed well with Home United seemingly able to match every attack that Global FC threw at them. Each goal was answered back in kind, but as the game clock ran out, Global FC simply could not respond in time and they had to concede the victory. The finals for the 2017 AFC will be taking place on the 25th of November this year. 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The team was honoured by both the mayor of Madrid and that city’s regional president, after which the players boarded an open-topped bus to begin a slow ride through the throngs of fans who had turned out to show their support. The Cibeles Square was filled to capacity, as is usual with these kinds of celebrations, as this is the city’s traditional gathering spot for them. The Presentation of the European Cup Once in the Cibeles Square, Marcelo and Sergio Ramos, captains for Real Madrid, made their way up a temporarily installed set of stairs in order to present the European Cup trophy from above the statue located in the square’s fountain. Cristiano Ronaldo Wows the Spanish Crowd After this performance drew to a close, the Real Madrid team headed over to the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, where once more the stands were packed, and enjoyed an intricate show of lights and videos during which each of the team’s members were introduced on an individual basis. The biggest applause, however, was reserved for Ramos and Ronaldo; with the latter waving a Portuguese flag as he strode into the spotlight towards his waiting teammates. They were on a makeshift stage, which had been set up in the pitch’s centre. Real Madrid Understands Hard Work Reaps Rewards Ramos told the enthusiastic crowd that his team firmly believed that their hard work would allow them to reap the benefits there from, and that this had been proven with their win, and proudly donned a fake crown while Spain’s flag was arranged around his shoulders. Ronaldo Joins the Crowd in Lauding Him Once Ronaldo was able to take his place behind the microphone, it seems he could not resist chiming right in with the crowd as they chanted “Cristiano, Ballon d’Or”, which called for him to receive that coveted award, the Most Prestigious Player. Ronaldo managed to score twice during Saturday’s game, when his team went on to beat Juventus with a final score of 4 to 1 in the last game. This saw Real Madrid become the very first soccer team to win titles back-to-back during the entire era of the Champions League. Just 2 weeks ago the city’s team was celebrating the fact that it had managed to win the first title for the Spanish League in 5 years. Now, thanks to the fact that this triumph is the team’s 3rd European title win in just 4 seasons, Zinedine Zidane, their coach, can safely say that he has managed to re-establish Madrid as the continent’s premier team. Zidane has not even served 2 full seasons in the position of head coach as yet, but has nonetheless managed to secure not 1 but 2 Champions League crowns for his team, adding to the title he won as a player in 2002. 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Describing it as the best win of their career, Venus and Harrison served out a nearly flawless doubles match in a time of just 1 hour and 50 minutes winning 6-4, 6-7 (7-5) 6-3. The Kiwi and American pair never once faced a break point against their serve. In a statement, later on, Venus said that it was the key to winning the mach. He said they had a pretty good first serve percentage and were conscious of not giving away free points. It helped them find their rhythm and made the game that much more difficult on their opponents. Having never one a single set in previous French Open’s, Venus was understandably exited with their progress this year. Venus and Harrison broke serve in the opening game and despite losing a second set tie breaker, took charge of the match from start to finish. Venus said that the match was a completely opposite to their first round match where the pair were broken first, causing them to tense up and play abnormally. The pair managed to close out the first set in a time of 33 minutes. The second set without a break and ended up in a tiebreaker. Quarterfinal Prospects In the tiebreaker, Venus double-faulted, giving Melo and Kubot the set. It was Venus’s first double-fault of the tournament which he joked about and got straight back into the match. The third set was looking to be a repeat of the second until the Venus and Harrison broke Melo’s serve in the 5th game. The took control from then on and closed out the match with relative ease. They will now face the Indian pair of Divij Sharan and Purav Raja for a spot in the quarterfinals. Their Indian rivals managed to dispatch 15th seed Olivier Marach and Mate Pavic, Venus’s former partner. Speaking about their upcoming match, Venus said that the two are obviously playing well. Their latest win doesn’t have any bearing on what will happen in the next match, so they just have to prepare for a tough game. If Venus manages to win the next match, he would be on the cusp of making the top 30 in the world doubles rankings. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Belgian world number 1, Greg Avermaet, is looking to the Tour De Luxemburg as his prep for the Tour De France. He is a favourite to take home the title. - Published: 2017-06-05 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/van-avermaet-tour-de-france-prep/ Final Tour De France Prep For Avermaet Belgian professional road cycle racer, Greg Van Avermaet comes off an extremely successful 2016 campaign to join the 2017 Tour De France. This cyclist is a favourite for many to take home the gold this year. Van Avermaet suffered a fractured ankle at the end of 2016 but managed to start 2017 off with a bang. His first port of call was the Tour of Valencia in February before he took the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. He also had notable performances in the E3 Harelbeke, the Paris-Roubaix and the Gent-Wevelgem. Taking Luxemburg By Storm Van Avermaet is planning to prepare for this year’s Tour De France by racing in the 5 day Tour de Luxemburg. Van Avermaet will again be gunning for big stage wins as well as another potential day wearing the coveted yellow jersey as he did in the 2016 Tour De France. He also stated that the five-day event should help him get back his racing rhythm before the Tour. He has competed in many single day races but he is looking to get his 5 day hill race performance levels back. A Stunning 2017 Season With first place positions at 4 major events this year and with second place positions at the Tour of Flanders and Strade Bianche, it is a surprise that Van Avermaet is preparing at all. In fact his lowest placing was an 11th place at the Liege-Baston-Liege and that is only after competing in almost every single day race event this year so far. The Team This Year This year Van Avermaet will be working with team captain Riche Porte. The rest of the team competing at Tour De Luxemburg will be Jempy Druicker, Martin Elmiger and Floris Gerts amongst others. The team is looking towards Jempy Druicker as the race leader since this will be home soil for him. Additionally, Van Avermaet will be thinking forward to the upcoming Tour De France so hopes are also high with his general performance on the hilly terrain. Great Performance After Doping Allegations In April 2015 there was much controversy surrounding Van Avermaet following doping allegations. These charges were soon dropped and currently Van Avermaet is the world no 1 in the UCI rankings. He is one of the most decorated cyclists in the sport and with how the roads are converging, he may be walking away with the 2017 Tour De France under his belt. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The prestigious June Raceday held annually at Flemington will see an overhaul in 2018. The VRC have announced plans to upgrade the historic racing venue. - Published: 2017-06-05 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/june-raceday-upgrade-plans-2018/ Big Changes Lined Up For June Raceday June 10th is the date set for this year’s June Raceday event at Flemington. This prestigious 9 race event plays a key role in deciding the VCR-CRV Winter Championships and the All Victorian Sprint Series. These two events are cornerstones of the 2017 off season. The 9 scheduled races feature heat 5 of the VRC-CRV Winter Championships and heat 6 of the All Victorian Sprint Series. A Massive Venue Overhaul This year the Victoria Racing Club also unveiled their plans for the revamping of Flemington with a Lobby and Lounge, Lawn Bar, Paddock Bar, Courtyard Bar, Betting Ring and Owner and Trainer Area. This new Club Stand will cost $128 million, but is set to invigorate the Flemington Race course and provide exceptional future racing opportunities. One of the main upgrades to the venue will be the new Betting Ring which will feature protective canopies, Wi-Fi, audio visual features and more to ensure bettors are well provided for and have access to all the required amenities. Victoria Race Club chief executive Simon Love believes that Flemington will set a new benchmark in design that will enhance the experience for every racing fan. At this point in time the venue is set to be completed in time for the 2018 Melbourne Cup Carnival. The entire Flemington upgrade will cost $135 million. The Historic Grounds The Flemington Race Course is one of the most recognisable courses in the sport. It started out as the Melbourne Racecourse and was founded in 1840. It is one of the oldest racecourses in Australia and it will come as no surprise one of the best loved. The planned upgrades to the venue will do much to keep the Flemington Race course on the cutting edge of racing by making itself the premiere-racing venue. The Planned Raceday events The racing events for the June Raceday start with the 1100m Super Vobis. It features no sex restrictions but does have handicaps and a 2 year old age threshold in play. The second event of the day is the 1000m Super Vobis Handicap with a 3 year old age limit. The record time on this track was set by the already legendary Black Caviar in 2013. These are just two of the race day highlights at the June Raceday. It is set to be another great opportunity for fans and bettors alike. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The annual Provincial and Country Raceday is set to take off in a few weeks. The day offers great betting opportunities on young up and comers in the industry. - Published: 2017-06-04 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/awaiting-provincial-country-raceday/ The Annual Provincial and Country Raceday The annual Provincial and Country Race day at the Victoria Racing Club in Flemington will be taking place in a few weeks with the competitors for the event being finalized after nominations close on the 19th of June. There will be 9 races held on the day, which also includes winter race heats. The Provincial and Country race day gets its name from the fact that the race is limited to horses that have taken part in a non-metropolitan race in its last 12 months of racing as well as the fact that the club allows free entry for provincial and country residence on the day. A Race Loaded With Meaning The Provincial and Country Race Day is so much more than just a prestigious racing event, it symbolizes the complex and intertwined relationship between the city and the country in the world of horse racing. Other than the 6 winter heats, the main attraction on the day is of course the David Bourke Provincial Plate. It was renamed in 1999 in honour of the then Chairman of the Victorian Racing Club David Bourke who passed away in 2005. The David Bourke Provincial plate will be offering up a $100 000 grand prize this year. The track is a 1600m race with a 16 horse limit. It is a handicapped race with no age or sex restrictions and the current record on the track stands at 1:33:49. The 2016 Provincial and Country Finishers Excitement is running high for this year’s Provincial and Country Race Day. Last year’s event was a triumph for David Weir and his power house Royal Rapture. They took the first place spot ahead of Leveraction, Magic Consol and Award of Merit. At the time the 6-year-old Royal Rapture made an incredible run jumping from the 1st barrier to the lead in a time of 1:40:37. The second place finisher, Leveraction was ridden by jockey Brooke Sweeney who in the same year received a $1000 fine for overuse of her whip. The fine was eventually challenged and this lead to a revaluation of the strict over whipping rules. Another standout race that takes place on the same day is the Super Vobis Handicap featuring some of the greatest up and coming talent from the 2year olds. It also features a $100 000 grand prize but it does not carry the same prestige as the David Bourke Provincial Plate does. 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Even though the NFL features quite a level playing field with regards to the talented athletes competing in the sport, there are a few teams with incredible standout players who manage to play their positions like no other. This year looks set to be another standout year for these teams as they head into the 2017 season. The Precision Attack Of The Patriots Undoubtedly one of the finest teams in the league at the moment is the New England Patriots. They have earned their reputation in no small part thanks to their star quarterback, Tom Brady. He has set many touchdown records; most notably he has become the first quarterback who has claimed 5 Super Bowls in his career. They also have one of the greatest wide receivers, Brandon Cooks who achieved an incredible 1100 receiving yards with his former team, the New Orleans Saints. The team is rounded out by the amazing wide receiver, Rob Gronkowski, whose only problem is his absence from the team due to regular injuries. The All Round Play Of The Packers The Green Bay Packers are a powerhouse team with the much-lauded Aaron Rodgers as their quarterback. They do not have the powerful quarterback line-up that the Patriots have, but Rodgers can perform well enough alone. One of the Packer’s greatest strengths however is their great wide receiver line-up. They have Jordy Nelson with a 1000 yard and 10 touchdown records in three seasons. He is backed up by slot receiver Randall Cobb and Davante Adams. The Unbreakable Lines Of The Raiders The Oakland Raiders have one of the most well balanced offensive lines in NFL. The team of Donald Penn, Austin Howard, Marshall Newhouse and David Sharpe provides one of the toughest challenges in the game. On the offensive guard, the Raiders have Kelechi Osemel who received the NFL’s highest grade on his first year playing for the Raiders. He has also had more than 10 starts on the line. These are only three teams in the division and the debate on which teams and players are the best can rage for days, but if you are stepping into the NFL for the first time, or even after a long absence, these three teams provide an immense challenge to their rivals with their powerful team compositions. They will certainly have a huge impact on the 2017 NFL season. 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While everyone in the team had something to offer, the highlight of the match was Martin Guptill’s 116 runs of 76 balls. Kane Williamson followed Guptill’s lead, hitting an impressive 88 of 60 to make a up second wicket partnership of 157 runs from just 94 balls. In a testament to how well the two were playing, both batsmen were retired in order to give the rest of the team a bit of batting practice. A fifth-wicket partnership of 84 gave the side some acceleration at the death with Neil Broom scoring 37 off 38 and Corey Anderson hitting a half-century off 36 balls. New Zealand were able to reach Sri Lanka’s score with 23 balls to spare at the same venue where they will play their opening match against Australia in the in the Champions Trophy. If this match is anything to go by, the Champions Trophy could be seeing some seriously big totals on flat wickets. That being said, the match was not an official ODI, with teams given the opportunity to test all parts of their squad. New Zealand ended up using 14 players with Luke Ronchi the only player rested for the big game. He was replaced by Tom Latham who racked up 44 runs from 49 balls and played the role of the wicketkeeper. To Spin or Not to Spin? The battle for second opening batsman alongside Martin Guptill is still up for grabs. Ronchi seems to have the upper hand at this point, having opened in five previous matches with a top score of 66 runs. In the bowling department, New Zealand used nine bowlers with Adam Milne and Trent Boult taking on the early overs. Milne had a slightly better over rate than Boult, taking 1 for 48 from eight overs. Time Southee also got in on the action, picking up two wickets for 48 runs from eight overs. The Black Caps still have to weigh up whether they want to play two spinners in the tournament. Against Sri Lanka, Mitchell Santner had figures of none for 34 from 6 overs while Jeetan Patel was slightly more expensive with none for 48 from 6 overs. 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A Firm Fan Favourite Hendry will be heading to the British Open this year, his first major tournament after he won the New Zealand Open in March. He was the first Kiwi to win the Open since 2003, making him a local hero for golfing fans. Hendry showed constant great performance with a 68 on the first day, 74 on the second day and another 68 on the third and final day, securing his second place position. A Dream Becoming A Reality Hendry was quoted as saying that it is great to finally get the monkey off his back. He has missed out on the tournament twice before by 1 shot. His 10 under par finish was only 5 shots behind Kim Chan who was in top form at the event, leaving the rest of the pack in his dust. From the Mizuno, Hendry will be flying to Kasama to take part in the JGT Championship. This is before the British Open kicks off in July. Challenger From The South From South Australia, Adam Bland will be joining Hendry at the British Open this year. He finished third at the Mizuno. It will be his third British Open appearance. He is joined by fellow Australians, Scott Hendry. Jason Day, Ian Baker-Finch, Adam Scott and Matthew Griffin. The Top Spot At Mizuno Of course ahead of the pack on Sunday was celebrated US golfer, Chan Kim. Chan played another qualifying tournament on Monday after the Mizuno Open on Sunday in order to secure his placement in the US open. His finish at the Open was secured by a 15 under score at the end of the day, making him the clear pack leader of the weekend’s tournament. Return To The Traditional The British Open runs between the 20th and 23rd of July and is held at the Royal Birkdale. Fans have praised the return to this incredibly historic venue. The last notable open held here in 2008 featured the incredible win of Padraig Harrison over Sergio Garcia. The venue is well known for its gusty conditions making each mistake from golfers that much more costly. 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Tries by Mitchell Pearce and James Maloney took the visitors to a 12-4 lead at halftime. The only points for the Queensland side came from a Corey Oates try off a cross-field kick courtesy of Cooper Cronk. In the second half, the blues were looking to build momentum before Pearce received a head-knock and had to be assisted off the field. Jack Bird came off the bench, taking up the role of five-eighth with Maloney filling in as halfback. This sort of interruption would have spelled disaster for the Blues in day gone by, but this time the visitors turned up the heat and demolished the home side. James Tedesco, debuting as fullback for the Blues scored just minutes after Pearce left the field. Then it was the turn of front-rower Andrew Fifita to put his name on the score-sheet along with centre Jarryd Hayne. Maloney finished out the game with a set of four conversions. The sensational win by the Blues means that the team is just one game away from claiming their first series win in 12 years. A Tough Loss for Queensland Despite the score-line, the quality of the match was top-notch with loads of pace and plenty of action. The first quarter flew past without any stoppages and one penalty going to either side. The ball control for both sides was equally impressive with the Maroons holding all of their 18 sets in the first half and the Blues finishing 18 of 19. New South Wales gained the upper hand with front rowers Aaron Woods, Andrew Fifita and David Klemmer demolishing the Queensland line. At the same time, back-rowers Boyd Cordner and Wade Graham gave the front a bit of thrust out on the edges. Queensland had a chance to open the scoring in the 5th minute but NSW managed to turn the tables on the home team and move the ball into attacking territory. Maloney picked up an offload by Fifita and scored under the bar before converting to make it 6-0 with just seven minutes on the clock. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The John Monash Stakes will be the third outing for Girl Guide under her new trainer, Claron Maher. Girl Guide has shown much promise in her racing so far. - Published: 2017-06-02 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/girl-guide-faces-john-monash-stakes/ Girl Guide Favourite For John Monash Stakes Girl Guide has become a firmly backed competitor at this weekend’s Sir John Monash Stakes. It is no surprise though as Girl Guide has had quite the prestigious run so far in her career. This will be her third start for new trainer Claron Maher. However she was originally trained by Hayes and Dabernig from Lindsay Park. In her first race for Claron Maher she raced her Lindsay Park stalemate Sheidel and came a very close second at the Bel Esprit Stakes, which was an impressive finish against such a powerful horse. The Rest Of The Field She will be facing stiff competition from the rest of the field this weekend. Hayes and Dabernig will be bringing Fast n Rocking and Wild Rain to the Sir John Monash Stakes. Fast n Rocking has received one of the highest rated nominations at the Sir John Monash Stakes despite just winning 1 of his last 17 races. Fast n Rocking has a 105 handicap at Saturday’s event, sharing the same handicap as the Patrick Payne trained The Cynic who will be making its debut. Facing Down The Cynic The Cynic may be a wild card this weekend that can potentially snatch the win from the field. It raced in Hong Kong as Bundle of Joy and took 6 first place finished out of 23 races. Moving from Group 3 to Group 1, The Cynic finished second in a Group one confrontation against Peniaphobia. Potential From Lord Of The Sky Lord of the Sky trained by Robbie Laing will also be making a showing but after a last place finish at The Galaxy and a seventh place finish at last year’s Monash Stakes, it may be a contentious race for Lord of the Sky despite this being its third year in a row taking part in the Monash Stakes after taking first place in the 2014 event. Another strong challenge may come from Thermal Current who had a Golden Topaz victory. Competitors To Look Out For There will be 9 races on the day at the Sir John Monash Stakes. Horses to watch this weekend include Henry Dwyer’s Beirut and My Sister Lil who may be having an easy run in race 9. In race 7 Duke of Brunswick and Ulmann will be dominating. Duke finished first at Caulfield with Ulmann a close second behind him. 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Her latest loss continues the trend of the Aucklander not winning a WTA tour level match this year. Her rankings will now continue to slide from where she currently stands at number 144 in the world. The frustration of losing the match was all the more significant for Erakovic as she was leading the opening set 4 games to 2 thanks to an early break. Rogers managed to break back and force a tiebreaker. Erakovic quickly went 4-1 up in the tiebreaker but lost the next six points to concede the first set in just over 51 minutes. Erakovic was presented with another breakpoint opportunity in the second set but just could not force Rogers off her game. In contrast, Rogers managed to claim a break in the 10th game, closing out the match in just over an hour and a half. While it was yet another frustrating result from Erakovic, the tennis star says she is nowhere near considering retirement. Speaking to the press she said that it was going to happen sooner or later but not in the foreseeable future. Erakovic said that she still believes that she can compete at the top level and has no reason to think of retirement. Opportunities Lost In her match against Shelby Rogers, Erakovic showed aggression early on in the game with big serves and powerful forehand shots. She kept the American at bay, not allowing her to gain any momentum for most of the first set. In a statement to the press, Erakovic said she played the best she could, stuck to her game plan and controlled her emotions fairly well. She felt that she missed out on a few key moments, which led to Rogers taking control of the match. The first key moment was when she was up 4-2 but didn’t consolidate the break and hold onto her serve. The second point in which Marina let things slip was when she took her foot off the accelerator in the tiebreaker. Finally, in the second set, she had break point and missed a key forehand shot down the line. Erakovic must now turn her attention to the grass court season. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Joseph Schooling, the Singaporean star will be trying to break the 100m world record set my Michael Phelps. He is competing at the FINA World Swimming Masters. - Published: 2017-06-01 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/swimming/schooling-make-record-attempt/ Schooling Aiming For FINA World Swimming Masters The FINA World Swimming Masters kicks off in August this year in Budapest. Singaporean swim star, Joseph Schooling will be gunning for gold this year. He may be only 21 years old but already he has won 19 gold medals, including not just the first ever swimming gold medal for Singapore, but the first gold medal in any sport for the country. World Record Ambitions Now the young talent, who is currently studying in America, believes that he can challenge the world record of Michael Phelps set at the FINA World Swimming Masters. Phelps was a childhood idol for Schooling who remembers seeing him swim his 100m in a record time of 49. 82s. Schooling won the gold at the 2016 Olympics with a 100m time of 50. 39s. Schooling has so far spent a dedicated few months in training and practice. He is also juggling his studies at the University of Texas where he is a member of the Texas Longhorns swimming team. A Celebrated Young Athlete At just 21 years of age and with an already much lauded career, breaking the 100m record definitely seems within Schooling’s power. Other events he will also be tackling include the 50m Butterfly, the 200m Butterfly and two relays. The Challengers For The Crown Competition for Schooling at the FINA Masters includes Chad le Clos from South Africa and Masato Sakai from Japan. These two challengers will be looking to capitalise on Schooling’s poor form at the 2017 NCAA Championships where he failed to qualify for the 200m Butterfly. Sakai took home a silver medal at the 2016 Games, just behind Phelps so his inclusion in the FINA Masters should not be taken lightly. A Stellar And Fresh Venue This year’s FINA masters will be taking place at the Danube Arena in Budapest. This will be the first time the venue has hosted the World Swimming Masters. One of the main highlights of the “Palace of Pools” is the fact that it is a green building, meaning it is run as an environmentally sustainable arena that uses clean and renewable energy to power itself. Swimming, Diving, Water polo, Open water swimming and Synchronized swimming will be the 5 disciplines featured at the FINA World Swimming Masters this year. This meeting will be a good practice run for the city that hopes to host the 2024 Summer Games. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Tom Dumoulin has made history by becoming the first Dutch rider to win the Giro d'Italia. He finished 31 seconds ahead of Colombian Nario Quintana. - Published: 2017-05-31 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/tom-dumoulin-victorious-giro-ditalia/ Tom Dumoulin Makes Giro d'Italia History Tom Dumoulin made history on Sunday, becoming the first Dutch cyclist to win the Giro d'Italia (Italian Grand Tour) in the 100th edition of the race. The final stage of the Giro d'Itali was set out as a 29. 3km time trial from Monza racetrack to the magnificent Duomo Cathedral in Milan. Sunweb team Leader, Dumoulin went into the final stage just 53 second behind Colombian Nario Quintana. Dumoulin had led the race for a full nine stages before losing the pink jersey to Quintana on stage 19. The Dutch rider had a fantastic race, managing to secure a second-place finish in the final stage behind compatriot Jos van Emden to claim his first grand tour victory, 31 second ahead of Quintana. The 2014 Movistar rider finished in second place overall with Italian Vincenzo Nibali finishing in third. Quintana failed in his bid to challenge for the illusive Giro-Tour de France double, a claim he had made before the race began. Meanwhile French rider Thibaut Pinot who was in contention for the overall victory, finished fourth overall with a disappointing race against the clock in the final stage. Jos van Emden Claims Maiden Stage Win Dumoulin, who finished just 17 seconds behind Van Emden had a nervous wait, watching Quintana complete the final few kilometres into Milan. When the calculations were made showing that the Colombian would fall short of his time, Dumoulin jumped for joy. Speaking to the press, he said that he felt like it was a dream. When he crossed the line, people were telling him he had won the race. Dumoulin said he could never have imagined the result, everything just fell into place for him. He also praised the performance of Quintana, saying he was amazing in the race. The Colombian’s team responded on Twitter saying that in fact the best man won. Jos van Emden gave the Netherlands even more reason to celebrate with a maiden grand tour stage win into the Lombardy capital. Van Emden was understandably emotional after the race. He said that he had come in second too many times and taking the win was a great day for Dutch cycling. He went on to say that with Tom winning the overall race and him claiming the stage win, there were two very happy riders inside the tent. 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Gallen’s retirement has indeed taken some sting out of build-ups that have become famous for how heated they get, and it looks like the baton was not passed on to his successor. Cordner has said that he has feelings of guilt for not trying adequately to rile the Maroons with a verbal tirade worthy of his predecessor before the opening game for the series, but has said that these kinds of attacks do not come naturally to him. He said that he truly did not have anything to say to the opposing team, and that that is why he remained silent, however disappointed fans of the verbal clashes may have been as a result. Cordner Expresses Respect for Rival Teams Cordner went on to say that he wanted the level of hype to be as high as it has been in the past, and that normally the evening before the match was the perfect time to get it started, but he had not devoted much energy to it at all. He stated that it was not a part of who he was, or how he went about getting things done, but that he does feel guilty for letting anyone down. He said that the hype was usually a positive factor for play, since that is what the Origin series was really about, and extended his apologies. He stated that he had a huge amount of respect for both the team from Queensland and Cameron Smith, and though it may not be a nice thing to have to admit, that they were an excellent team. He elaborated, saying that their record over the past decade had been incredible, and however uncomfortable that may make the teams, there were truly no hard feelings between them. Mal Meninga to Blame for Restrained Build-Up Mel Meninga, the coach for the Kangaroos, can largely be blamed for the gentler build-up, since he was responsible for repairing what had turned into a rather fractured relationship between the Queenslanders and the NSW team in the Australian camp. Aaron Woods went as far to say that the NSW team would possibly even be up for having a drink or two with the Maroons after the game had finished! TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Sebastian Vettel claimed his third win of the F1 season at the 85th Monaco Grand Prix. Kimi Raikkonen lost the lead, losing time in the pit stop. - Published: 2017-05-30 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/vettel-takes-win-monaco-grand-prix/ Sebastian Vettel Claims Victory at Monaco Grand Prix Sebastian Vettel extended his championship lead over Lewis Hamilton with a win at the 85th Monaco Grand Prix. Vettel led Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen after passing the fin in the mandatory pit stop. Hamilton, who started 13th on the Grid finished in 7th place. The slightly low-key race was given a bit of excitement when Jenson Button was involved in a crash on his once-off return to F1. The crash locked up the field and caused a series of collisions at the back of the pack. Kimi Raikkonen managed to grab his first pole position in nine years after Vettel made a few mistakes in the top-10 qualifier on Saturday. The Finn used his advantage to hold an early lead ahead of his teammate at the first corner. The two Ferraris slowly edged away from Valtteri Bottas as well as Daniel Riccardo and Max Verstappen. The Monaco race featured a single pit stop, leaving people to speculate if Ferrari would find a way for Vettel to take the lead. The way things ended up, it seemed as if Ferrari had done exactly that. Raikkonen pulled into the pit stop on lap 34, emerging behind a few slower cars that he had to lap. Vettel used this opportunity to gain time with a series of fast laps. When Vettel went into his pit stop 5 laps later, he emerged a full 2 seconds ahead of Raikkonen. Vettel continued to pull away from his teammate, eventually building a 10 second lead and an easy cruise to his third win of the year. Hamilton Finishes in 7th Speaking about the pit stop decision, Ferrari said that Raikkonen’s pit stop was pre-planned and that Vettel had his delayed to avoid being passed by Daniel Riccardo who was delaying his own pit stop at the time. Meanwhile, Mercedes knew they were going to struggle to make up ground with Hamilton after he started in 13th due to a messy qualifying session. The team decided to run him long, hoping that the clear track would allow him to gain speed while cars pulled into their respective pit stops. Hamilton continued to run until lap 46 before pulling in while sitting in sixth position. He emerged from the pit stop behind Toro Rosso's Carlos Sainz. Hamilton was unable to pass the Spaniard and finished in 7th. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Jose Gutierrez, the young Mexican WeatherTech driver has been picked up by G-Drive Racing by DragonSpeed for the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in June. - Published: 2017-05-30 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/jose-gutierrez-joins-dragonspeed-le-mans/ Jose Gutierrez Joins Le Mans Team Jose Gutierrez, the Mexican WeatherTech championship driver is all set to take on his very first 24 Hours of Le Mans in June. He will be joining G-Drive Racing by DragonSpeed who picked up the 20-year-old as part of their elite team of drivers. Along with fellow Mexican Memo Rojas, Gutierrez will be racing the team’s No. 22 ORECA 07 Gibson while Toyota Gazoo takes on the LMP1 and reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa in the LMP2 Field. Jose Gutierrez has earned his stripes racing in the Prototype Challenge and Prototype categories in the IMSA’s WeatherTech series. He has also been involved with PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports, behind the wheel of the Liger JS P217 at Sebring, COTA and Daytona. Speaking to the press, Gutierrez said that it was a dream come true to be able to race in the 24 hours of Le Mans. He feels incredibly fortunate to be able to race on a track with so much history. This is a one in a lifetime opportunity for the youngster who said he had no words to describe his feelings. However, Gutierrez was quick to acknowledge his team, DragonSpeed. He told the press that the team have a great car and a lot of experience with Memo Rojas and Ryo Hirakawa in the mix. He ended off by saying that he and his team will do their best to show the world their potential and achieve good results. A First For DrangonSpeed This will be the first 24 Hours of Le Mans for the American DragonSpeed outfit. They will be taking two cars through to the French endurance race. The second, No. 21 will feature European Le Mans series drivers Hendrik Hedman, Ben Hanley as well as newcomer Felix Rosenqvist. DrangonSpeed team principal, Elton Julian said that it was great for the team to have Jose Gutierrez on board. Over the past few years, he has shown that he has what it takes to compete with some of the best drivers in the IMSA. According to Julian, Gutierrez will feel right at home with Ryo and Memo. It will also give the team a good chance at winning the class. The 85th 24 Hours of Le Mans is set to take place from the 17th-18th of June. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > More than 70 Afghan service members attended volleyball and weightlifting competitions in the hopes of being selected for the 2017 Invictus Games. - Published: 2017-05-29 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/soldiers-aim-selection-invictus-games/ Afghan Soldiers Attend Selection Completions for Invictus Games More than 70 service members of the Afghan National Army attended weightlifting and volleyball selection competitions for the upcoming Invictus Games. Afghan acting defence minister Tariqshah Bahrami as well as Resolute Support commander Gen. John Nicholson were on hand support the event. The Invictus games is an international multisport competition for wounded or injured service personal. The games will be held in Canada later this year. Addressing the service members, Bahrami said that it was one of the country’s top priorities to pay attention to the soldiers with disabilities as well as the families of service members who have lost their lives defending the country. Nicholson added that the US was also committed to providing long term support for the people of Afghanistan. He went on to explain that together with the local security forces, the U. S is working to defeat terrorism and corruption. At the event was an army soldier who was wounded 10 months ago in the Helmand province. He now wants to serve his country by entering into the Invictus Games. He explained that he and his fellow wounded soldiers couldn’t defend their country or perform any other duty. Another army soldier who lost both his legs in a clash with militants said he hopes to get a spot on the volleyball team for the games in Canada. He said that while the soldiers may be missing arms and legs, the rest of their bodies are healthy. Prince Harry Heads to Australia for Invictus Preparations Meanwhile, Prince Harry, the Patron of the Invictus Games, will be traveling to Australia to learn about the preparations already underway. He will be meeting up with potential competitors as well as their families. The Prince will attend a launch ceremony Admiralty House where he will be joined by the Australian Invictus Games Squad in welcoming the games to Sydney in 2018. Local dignitaries will be on hand to start the 500 days to go countdown for Australian Games. Harry will then spend time with the 2017 squad, learning about their preparations for the upcoming games in Toronto. Harry and the team will then head over to Circular Quay to watch a live demonstration of some of the Invictus Games sports. This includes wheelchair rugby, wheelchair basketball, indoor rowing and sitting volleyball. Thereafter, Harry will be on hand to watch the sailing race around the Sydney Harbour. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > A total of 78 players have earned exemption into Next Month’s U.S Open Golf championship. The list includes 27 players who qualified this last week. - Published: 2017-05-29 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/27-players-earn-exemption-u-s-open/ U. S Open Field Grows to 78 Former U. S Amateur Champion An Byeong-hun as well as Matthew Fitzpatrick were among a group of 27 golfers who all earned full exemptions into the prestigious U. S Open golf championship coming up in June. The exemptions into the Erin Hills Major were awarded to players who placed in the top 60 of the official world ranking. This brings the total of exempted players up to 78 for the U. S Open Major. Matthew Fitzpatrick won the 2013 U. S Amateur Open and is ranked at number 41 in the world. An Byeong-hun is ranked at number 56, having won the 2009 U. S Amateur Open. Other players who earned exemption into the U. S Open included Australian Marc Leishman, Canadain Adam Hadwin, Spain’s John Rahm and Rafael Cabrera Bello, South African Louis Oosthuizen, England’s Ross Fisher and Lee Westwood, Belgian Thomas Pieters, South Korean Wang Jeung-Hung, Japan’s Japan's Yuta Ikeda and Hideto Tanihara, Austrian Bernd Wiesberger, Italian Francesco Molinari and Belgian Swede Alex Noren. Billy Horschel was among the American players to earn exemption after winning the AT&T Byron Nelson in a playoff against Jason Day. More players will be looking for exemption at the European Tour BMW PGA Championship. The winner of the event will qualify for exemption into the U. S Open. The number of exempted players is expected to increase with players shifting positions. Many of the spots will be filled through sectional qualifiers. A Chance for The Younger Generation One young golfer who is hoping make an appearance is 15-year-old Akshay Bhatia. Hailing from Wake Forest, Bhatia hopes to have a long professional golf career ahead of him. He also has big dreams such as being the first to shoot a 59 in the Masters at Augusta National. Bhatia had a single mined goal last week, and that was to advance through to the U. S Open local qualifier at N. C State. Finishing up with a 2-under 70, Bhatia took third place, advancing to the U. S Open Sectionals that will determine the final field for the 2017 US Open at Erin Hills. Speaking to the press, young Akshay Bhatia said that he was one step closer to playing the U. S Open and feeling confident. He said that he wants to have fun in the next event and knows that a lot of people are rooting for him. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Manchester United have defeated Ajax in the final of the Europa League. The team dedicated their impressive win to the victims of the terror attack. - Published: 2017-05-28 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/manchester-united-claim-europa-league-title/ Manchester United win Europa League The sounds of Manchester fans honouring their team circled around the Friends Arena after Manchester United defeated Ajax in the Europa League Final. In the soccer world, Manchester’s 2-0 win over Ajax was certainly a triumph for England’s biggest football club. But the win had even more significance for the team’s home city that are still grieving in the wake of an attack. The city of Manchester was struck by tragedy on Monday when 22 people were killed by an apparent suicide bomber at an Ariana Grande concert. Manchester United players were clearly feeling the effects of the attack and flew to Sweden with a mission. Their aim was to deliver a performance that would serve as an honourable tribute to the victims of the attack. The team succeeded in its mission with a convincing display of passion and strength. Their performance and subsequent win turned an ordinary match into a game that fans will remember for a very long time. Speaking to the press, the team dedicated their win to the victims and their families. While it may just be another game, another trophy, it meant a lot to the fans and the city of Manchester. Efficiency Triumphs Over Youth The first of Manchester’s two goals came courtesy of Paul Pogba who scored a beauty off a deflected shot just 18 minutes into the game. Henrikh Mkhitaryan added the second goal in the 48th minute with a close-range corner that hooked straight into the goal. United handled the match a lot better than their opposition. The Ajax side, who were playing in their first European final in over 20 years, sported a team that included six players under the age of 21. The match was seen as a clash between the youthful exuberance of the Ajax team and the efficiency of Jose Mourinho’s side. Clearly, United came out ahead, with the players dominating the Ajax youngsters with their superior game management and physical presents. For Mourinho, the match was about exploiting their opponent’s weakness. This meant keeping a strong defensive while using Marcus Rashford for his pace on the break. It also meant sending long balls to Marouane Fellaini, a player whose physical presence dominated the attacking front. As for Pogba, the side’s most expensive player stood out in midfield with his performance culminating in a goal, even if it was a bit fortunate. 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In getting to the final, the Predators downed Chicago as well as St. Louis and then the Pacific Division Champions in six games. In the Stanley Cup Final, the Predators will either face Ottawa or the defending champions Pittsburgh. This was the second time in three years that Anaheim lost in the conference finals and will certainly have something to think about. The game was close at times. Cam Fowler tied the score at 3-3 for the Ducks as they tried to rally. But it was Sissons who scored twice in the third period to give the Predators a 3-3 lead. Rinne On Form Yet Again Austin Watson did his part, scoring on his very first shot at an empty net. Filip Forsberg also had the honour of scoring an empty-net goal. Ondrej Kase was on hand to score his second career goal to give the Ducks a chance to tie the NHL record. Chris Wagner managed to swipe the puck off Rinne’s helmet for a goal to Keep the Ducks in striking distance. Rinne, was on form again. The three-time Vezina trophy finalist used his 6-foot-5inch frame to deflect shot after shot as the Ducks tried to find the net. It was Rinne who helped the Predators move to 7-3 in the game. The Ducks were able to outshoot Anaheim 6-2 in an effort to force the series back to them. But the problem is that they had Jonathan Bernier in goals, making his first career playoff start. He replaced the injured John Gibson who was out due to a lower body injury. Gibson went out of the competition after the first period of game 5. Watson’s third goal for the post-season came just 81 seconds into the game, with a deflection off Brandon Montour. Sissions took position on the top live with Ryan Johansen out, needing surgery on his left thigh. Captain Mike Fisher was also out, for a second straight game due to an upper body injury. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Despite winning their match against Everton, Arsenal missed out on a spot in the UEFA Champions League for the first time in over twenty years. - Published: 2017-05-27 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/arsenals-champions-league-flop/ Arsenal Breaks 20 Year Winning Streak Arsenal football coach Arsene Wenger is having a tough year. For the first time in 20 years, Arsenal fans will not be seeing their beloved team in the Champions League. Any hope of the team squeezing into the top four of the Premier League was reliant on either Manchester City or Liverpool slipping up in some way. But alas, it was not to be as they both won their respective games, joining Tottenham and Chelsea in entering the Champions League. Despite beating Everton 3-1 in their final match, Arsenal didn’t do enough early on in the season. Their five successive victories came just too late for a team with so much potential. As the players walked around the stadium for a lap of appreciation, there was in fact very little for the fans to celebrate. Coach Arsene Wegner didn’t even join the team, choosing to stay on the touchline with a slight scowl on his face. It remains to be seen whether Wegner will stay in charge of the side next season. The Frenchman refuses to discuss his future with the club until after the FA Cup final against Chelsea has been played. On the other side of the coin, Antonia Conte’s side is chasing down a double. The team finally picked up the Premier League trophy after defeating Sunderland 5-1. It was captain John Terry who collected the trophy for Chelsea. This was his final act in his 22-year history the franchise. For Tottenham, their wait for their first title since 1961 goes another year. The runners up finished up their best season in over 54 years with a convincing win against related side Hull. Real Madrid Claim Spanish Victory Meanwhile in Spain, Real Madrid has won the Spanish league for the first time in five years. They defeated Malaga 2-0 with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring the first goal just two minutes into the match. Karim Benzema drove home the second goal to seal the match in the second half. The win game Madrid a full three-point advantage over Barcelona who managed to defeat Eibar coming from two goals down at Camp Nou. Going into the final round, Madrid needed a draw to avoid extending their worst title drought since the 1980’s. They also needed a win to keep Barcelona from claiming the Championship for a third straight year. 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Alonso recorded a seventh place on the grid in Spain, however any hopes of gaining the first points for the year were dashed when Alonso clashed with Felipe Massa and ended up in 12 position. Addressing the press, McLaren’s racing director Eric Boullier said that he had seen definite signs of improved performance in Barcelona. That combined with the data from the team’s wind tunnel and CFD gives Boullier confidence that the next part of the upgrade will perform to his expectations. According to Boullier, McLaren have completely restructured and rebuilt the team car. He believes, you can see the results first hand, with an excellent correlation rate to boot. A Top-10 Car on Merit In Spain, McLaren brought in a new front wing, new floor, bodywork as well as a new rear wing which all correlated around 95%. With the new regulations in place, teams can expect huge gains every time they work in the wind tunnel or CFD. The director believes that they now have a car that can achieve a top-ten placing purely on merit. He did admit that competing for the lower half of the points was not the ultimate goal though. What McLaren had on the car in Spain was just the first part of the upgrade package. The second part will be implemented in Monaco. Boullier says that the upgrade will allow Fernando and the team to step up into the midfield pack. The confidence he feels is based on fact and figures. According to him, the team have a definite chance at claiming points on less power sensitive tracks such a Monaco. That being said, the team is not planning on racing to be seventh. When reviewing the footage of the Spanish Grand Prix, the team can see exactly where Alonso was gaining and where he was losing. It is that three seconds of gain that came as a result of the first upgrade. One step down, the team are eager to put their next upgrade into action with their sights set on more than just seventh place. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Manny Pacquiao is in the worst form of his career according to his trainer Freddie Roach. Pacquiao is just weeks away from the Suncorp Jeff Horn fight. - Published: 2017-05-26 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/manny-pacquiao-poor-form-ahead-big-fight/ Manny Pacquiao in Bad Form ahead of Jeff Horn Fight With just a few weeks to go before his Suncorp Superfight, it seems Manny Pacquiao is in the worst form of his career. Well, at least that is the opinion of his trainer Freddie Roach. After putting on a brilliant show for the Australian Media a week ago, Pacquiao seems to have lost his edge and completely bumbled his way through a second day of sparring in Manila. According to his trainer, the sparring session was a complete eyesore. Speaking to the press, Roach said that Pacquiao’s timing was completely off and his sparring was the worst he has ever seen it. Pacquiao spent a couple weeks training with his friend Buboy Fernandez before Roach arrived to take over the Champs preparation for the upcoming fight. It was believed that Pacquiao took a few days off training before he got into what he called serious fight preparation. Roach has been instrumental in Pacquiao’s career, steering him to his biggest victories. Now Roach believes that Pacquiao is way behind in his prep, with clear signs of sluggish sparing. According to Roach, the champ will not be hitting his peak overnight. It will be a process to get him back to where he needs to be. Pacquiao went five rounds with two sparring partners and certainly took his fair share of punches. It may be that Pacquiao is far from the fierce fighter he built a reputation around. A Long Way to Go On July 2nd, Pacquiao will be back in the ring defending his WBO welterweight title against Jeff Horn (the Fighting Schoolteacher) in front of a crowd of 55 00+ at the Suncorp Stadium. In training, Pacquiao went two rounds against Leonardo Doronio, a fighter with a record of just 15 wins in 32 fights. Doronio landed a couple of jabs and a few left hooks against the champ. Then it was the turn of Sonny Katiandagho who lost a fight to Darragh Foley in April. Katiandagho went three round against Pacquiao, getting the better of the champ in a couple of exchanges. It almost seemed as if Pacquiao was deliberately letting his opponents take shots at him. Roach told the press that he has warned Pacquiao not to underestimate Horn by any means. There is a reason he is undefeated. According to Roach, Horn can really punch, and has knocked out his last few opponents. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Bob Jungles claimed a brilliant victory for his team, winning the 15th stage of the Giro d'Italia. His win moves him up to 8th in the overall classification - Published: 2017-05-26 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/bob-jungles-wins-stage-15-giro-ditalia/ Bob Jungles Claims Stage 15 Win at Giro d'Italia Bob Jungles claimed a momentous victory in stage 15 of the Giro d'Italia after outsprinting Nairo Quintana in a race that saw the peloton riding from Valdengo to Bergamo. Jungles finished up in a time of 4 hours, 16 minutes and 51 seconds. He beat out the Colombian Nairo Quintana who crashed earlier in the stage, which turned out to be one of the fastest in the race history. Speaking to the press, Jungles said that he was super happy with his victory. He was feeling good in the climbs and had good legs on the day. Despite tiring out in the final climb, Jungles bounced back in the sprint to claim and impressive win. Most of the top riders in the Giro were still recovering from Saturday’s challenging summit finish including race leader Tom Dumoulin who finished in eighth place for stage 15. In a statement to the press, Dumaoulin said that it was a very fast day. His team had a breakaway at the front but many of the other teams kept attacking. Sunweb’s Dutchman had actually slowed down the peloton in order to allow his race rival, Quintana a chance to regain his position following his crash. Despite his low placing, Dumoulin remains at the top of the overall standing, a full 2 minutes and 41 second ahead of Quintana who recovered well, gaining 6 seconds overall. George Bennet Flying the NZ Flag In third place in the overall classification is Pinot, 3 minutes and 21 seconds behind the race leader. Vincenzo Nibali, the Italian racing champion is in fourth spot, 3 minutes and 40 seconds off the pace. Having won the stage 15, Jungles moves up to eighth in the overall classification. Meanwhile, New Zealand rider George Bennet claimed the overall victory at the Tour of California on Saturday. The LottoNL-Jumbo rider finished safely inside the peloton on the final stage to bring home the victory. The win marked Bennet’s first WorldTour classification win and a turning point for the New Zealand cyclist. Bennet was able to complete the race in 22hours, 54min and 38 seconds. He was just 35 seconds ahead of Poland’s Rafal Majika with American rider Andrew Talansky one second back riding for Cannondale-Drapac. Speaking to the press about his win, Bennet said that it was a massive stepping-stone for bigger things. There is a lot to take from the win including the backing and confidence of his team. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand have won the tri-series with a resounding victory over Ireland. Now they are looking for a clean sweep ahead of the Bangladesh match. - Published: 2017-05-25 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/black-caps-look-clean-sweep-ireland/ Black Caps Look for Clean Sweep It seems that New Zealand’s preparations for the Champions trophy are going according to plan. This is after the Black Caps clinched the tri-series cricket title with yet another win over Ireland. While some might scoff at their success, we have to remember that New Zealand have only ever picked up five wins in a series comprising of more than three teams. History shows us that the Black Caps have not had a good a run as people think. We just have to remember the Bank Alfalah Cup in Sri Lanka or the NatWest title or even the Videocon series in Zimbabwe. After hamming Ireland with a whopping 190 run victory, New Zealand just have one more game against Bangladesh to achieve a clean sweep. While the team can only play what they have been given, there is something to be said for playing matches where the opposition tests the team just a little, but not too much. With that in mind, New Zealand will look for the positives from the tri-series. A Thought for the Champions Trophy Captain Tom Latham is first up in the spotlight. Latham led New Zealand to a resounding 344 runs against Ireland with a run-a-ball century. In the past 25 One Day, Internationals at home, the Captain has averaged a score of 22 with just a single century. As soon as he gets on an international flight, the statistics rocket up to an average of 39. 82 with three centuries and a total of six fifties. While all the batsman had a good chance for time on the pitch, Colin Munro offered and interesting contribution, one worth thinking about. Munro is not part of the Champions Trophy squad but will be on standby if needed. Against Ireland, Munro racked up 44 runs of just 15 balls. He was also able to oversee a total 76 runs for the final 5 overs to give the Black Caps a late push. Ireland didn’t really have a hope of being able to chase down New Zealand’s score. Many IPL players are still making their way back into the squad before they take on India in the first of two official warm up matches. As the Champions Trophy draws near, New Zealand will have a tiny bit of wiggle room for changes. The Black Caps play their opening pool game against Australia on the 2nd of June. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Boston Celtics pulled one back against the Cavaliers in Game 3 of the NBA Western Conference finals. But are they better without Isaiah Thomas? - Published: 2017-05-25 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nba/celtics-better-without-isaiah-thomas/ Isaiah Thomas’ Absence May be Helping the Celtics Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals was an interesting match, one where we learned that the Celtics are a completely different team without Isaiah Thomas. Having closed Cleveland’s dominant lead to 2-1, can the Celtics be deemed better without Thomas? It is hard to say. Thomas has been sensational all season. He is certainly going to finish up with a lot of MVP votes. He has also proved that he is one of the best scorers in the NBA. With Thomas out, the whole dynamics of the matchup changed. Things just ended up benefiting the Celtics in a way nobody could have predicted. From the very start, the Celtics played the game defiantly. They got the pace on the ball and moved into their sets quicker than usual. They didn’t get lost watching their superstar dribbling the ball down the court; instead, they had no choice but to move the ball, because no one else was going to do it for them. A Change in Momentum In terms of defence, the difference was huge. Cleveland went out guns blazing in the first half, but was unable to sustain their momentum. Meanwhile the Celtics played their defence game with some drastic changes. Without Thomas helping them out, the Celtics actually had a huge defensive rating of 93. 6 for the second half. In game 2, that number was around 132. Overall, their performance from game 2 to game 3 was transformative. They moved the ball around a lot more, beating the Cavaliers on rotations. It might have come from outlier performances, but it does show that Boston have what it takes to set the game up in a completely different way. Debating whether to trade Thomas after a single game is silly, if the Cavaliers take game 4 and 5, the whole idea would seem like a bad dream. It often happens that a change in fortune goes hand in hand when a star player is out of action. We saw the same thing with Kawhi Leonard in the match against the Rockets in the Western Conference Finals. If a team knows they are missing a star player, it changes how they approach the game. When the Warriors won game 2 in such a impressive fashion, it was actually a let-down in game 3, even for a win. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Mumbai Indians have defeated the Rising Pune Supergiant in a sensational Indian Premier League final. The intense match came down to the last ball. - Published: 2017-05-24 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/mumbai-indians-claim-victory-ipl-final/ Mumbai Indians Win IPL Final The Mumbai Indians defeated Rising Pune Supergiant in a sensational Indian Premier League final which came down to the last ball. Supergiant were looking good for the match but lost quick wickets in the final over thanks to the efforts of Mitchell Johnson who picked up 3 for 26. Chasing a total of 130 to win, Supergiant needed 11 runs off the last over; not a tall order by IPL standards. After conceding a boundary off the first ball, Johnson dismissed both Manoj Jiway and Steve Smith with successive deliveries. 5 more runs came off the next three balls. On the last delivery Dan Christian was run out trying to tie the match. Speaking to the press, Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma said that is was a brilliant game of cricket. To be able to defend a score like that in final was more than anyone could ask for. With just three over left, Sharma had confidence that his bowlers would do the job. He told them to do whatever they wanted and set the field according to what they believed was right. After collapsing to a disappointing 79 runs for 7 wickets, a good knock from Krunal Pandya got them back on track. Down to the Last Ball Credit has to be given to the Supergiant bowlers. Jaydev Unadkat claimed two early wickets before Adam Zampa got the big wickets of Rohit on 24 and Kieron Pollard on 7. Lendl Simmons was dismissed with one of the finest catches in the tournament by Unadkat just above the ground. It all fell to Krunal to steady the ship and add a vital 50 runs partnership with Johnson before going out on the last ball. Supergiant must have felt they had the match all wrapped up until they lost Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the 17th over. They quickly slipped to 89 for three and somehow found themselves needing 30 runs off the last three overs. Lasith Malinga gave away just 7 runs but Bumrah got hit for a six in the 18th bringing the target to 11 of the final six balls. With the pressure building, Supergiant seemed to crumble. Tiwary hit straight to long on, losing his wicket before Smith attempted to clear sweeper cover and was caught by Ambati Rayudu. After the match Smith said that it was a disappointing ending for the team. It wasn’t the fairy-tale finish they had in mind. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Saturday saw Flemington host the VRC’s 2017 Hall of Fame Race Day. The latest Hall of Fame inductees were celebrated with races named in their honour. - Published: 2017-05-24 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/hall-fame-race-day-results/ Flemington’s Hall of Fame Race Day Results Horse racing enthusiasts saw one of the prime events of winter racing at Flemington on Saturday, at Victoria Racing Club’s Hall of Fame Race Day. The National Hall of Fame is Australia’s highest racing accolade, and Saturday’s race card celebrated the induction of four legendary horses, a jockey and a VRC associate into the elite group. Champion horses Saintly, Light Fingers, Winx and Archer joined renowned jockey JJ Miller and associate Lloyd Williams to be honoured with races bearing their names on Saturday. The Saintly Hall of Fame Trophy was the opening race of the day; a 1400m sprint named after “the Horse From Heaven” ridden so memorably by Darren Beadman. It was won by two-year-old filly Aloisia. The second race was named after 1965 Melbourne Cup winner Light Fingers, the New Zealand mare whose career included wins at distances ranging from sprints to two-milers. At Flemington on Saturday, the 1200m Light Fingers Hall of Fame Trophy was won by 3-year-old filly Overstep. John Miller Trophy First Big Upset The jockey pipped into second place in the photo-finish that decided the 1965 Melbourne Cup, John ‘JJ’ Miller, came back a year later to win the race on Galilee. The duo had just won the Caulfield Cup, and when they netted the Sydney Cup later that season, they became the first and only horse and jockey to win the Triple. Miller also won the Australian Derby six times, and his Hall of Fame induction was celebrated on Saturday with the 1800m John Miller Hall of Fame Trophy. It was won by 7-year-old gelding Northern Journey; priced at between $101 and $133, he delivered the first big upset of the day. As of April, 5-year-old mare Winx has been undefeated in 17 consecutive races, and her induction into the Hall of Fame was celebrated with the 1600m Winx Hall of Fame Trophy, won by 3-year-old gelding Guangzhou. Archer Trophy Brings Second Surprise The listed Lloyd Williams Hall of Fame Trophy over 1400m honoured eminent owner and VRC luminary Lloyd Williams. It was won by Sovereign Nation. Winner of the first two Melbourne Cups ever run, gelding Archer was a champion 19th-Century stayer and the last horse to be honoured at Flemington’s Hall of Fame Race Day. The 2000m Archer Hall of Fame Trophy, the eighth and penultimate race of Saturday’s card, was won by retiring 10-year-old gelding Extra Zero. At $26. 70 to $33. 40, he provided another windfall for lucky punters. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Vega Magic showed punter that he has plenty of potential when he charged down the straight to pick up the win at the Group 1 Darley Goodwood race. - Published: 2017-05-23 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/vega-magic-picks-win-goodwood/ Vega Magic wins the $1 million Group 1 Goodwood Vega Magic, the second favourite to win the Darley Goodwood at $4. 80, showed punters and horse enthusiasts exactly how much potential he has for the future when he charged down the straight to win the $1 million Group 1 race by three-quarters of a length. Vega Magic managed to pull of something special after being headed by Missrock with the end in sight. Casino Wizard, the Southeast galloper who was sitting at odds of $61, ran the best race of his life, picking up third place, just one length behind the winner. Meanwhile, race favourite, Black Heart Bart ($4. 00) finished in a disappointing seventh place, two and a half lengths away. This is only the second time that the Lindsay Park stable has picked up a win at the Goodwood. Colin, the family patriarch claimed the first feature win with Romantic Son back in 1971. Speaking to the press, David Hayes said that Vega Magic has shown all the qualities of a top horse upon his arrival at the Eura training facilities 10 weeks ago. A Disappointing Run for Black Heart Bart Jockey Craig Williams was filled with enthusiasm for the trainer, predicting a big future for the horse. Williams said that he jumped on Vega Magic twice at Flemington and loved the way he went. In Goodwood race, Vega Magic gave him a lovely ride, something that fills him with confidence for the Future of Vega Magic. Third place, Casino Wizard’s trainer, Lee Creek has said that he was extremely proud of his six-year-old but also a little disappointed after a what happened in the straight. Creek said that the horse had a super run even after people were jumping off him for this season’s campaign. For the most part, the money was bang on in the Darley Goodwood with Veg Magic proving his worth. Sitting just outside the leader for most of the race, Vega Magic moved from $6. 50 into $4. 80, before picking up the win. At the start of the race, Vega Magic had been one of the best backed horses along with Secret agenda and race favourite Black Heart Bart. According to the stats, the Darren Weir trained horse was responsible form almost half the bets on the race. Missrock ($23-$26) looked to have an excellent winning chance but faded in the end while Casino Wizard ($61-$81) held onto third spot head of Secret Agenda. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Wellington Saints defeated the Supercity Rangers as well as the Taranaki Mountainairs to hold onto their perfect NBL season with just for games to go. - Published: 2017-05-23 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/saints-complete-another-flawless-nbl-weekend/ Wellington Saints on Track for Flawless Season Another dominant display on the weekend has kept the Wellington Saints on track for a perfect National Basketball League season. The NBL defending champions now have an impressive record of 14-0 with just four games left in the regular season before hitting the final four in Tauranga. The Saints are set to come up against the Nelson Giants who sit at 4-10 as well as the Bay Hawks on 3-10, neither of which should offer any real challenge. The Saints toughest playoff would be the Supercity Rangers who are currently sitting at third with a possibility of jumping into second spot. For the Saints though, their biggest test came this past Friday when they faced off against the Southland Sharks. The Sharks currently hold the second spot on the ladder and went into the game on a six-match winning streak. The Saints were also without Tai Wesley, a point the Sharks capitalised on early in the game. The Sharks were eager to take advantage of the missing Wesley and claimed a 13-0 lead. This was until MVP frontrunner, Corey Webster got going. He boosted the Saints with a massive 37 points and 10 assists to give the Saints a third quarter lead of 32-13. Shea Ili also added a significant contribution with a career high of 30 points taking the saints a 109-94 win. Sharks Hold onto Second Spot The Saints then backed up their Sharks win by thrashing the Taranaki Mountainairs 96-63 on Sunday. The Sharks meanwhile suffered one of their worst defeats against the Supercity Rangers, going down 112-82. The win puts the Rangers at a record of 8-5, just behind the Sharks on 9-5. As it stands, the two will probably be meeting in the semi-finals with the Canterbury Rams needing something special to jump out of fourth position. The Rams got a welcome boost by McKenzie Moore who recorded the first triple double for the NBL season in their win over the Bay Haws. Moore racked up a total of 27 points with 11 rebounds and 11 assists as the Rams managed to end the Hawks hopes of reaching the playoffs. Meanwhile the Giants, Mountainiairs and Hawks will be left to battle it out to avoid picking up the wooden spoon. The Moutnainiers are sitting at the bottom of the log at the moment having lost their previous 10 games at with a score total of 3-11. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Old rivals will be facing each other again at the Doomben Cup this year. Trainers and horses will be settling old scores this weekend after a tumultuous start. - Published: 2017-05-22 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/old-rivals-doomben-cup/ Doomben Cup Sees Old Rivals go Head to Head The Doomben Cup has been an annual event for the Brisbane Racing club for 34 years now. Starting in 1933, this 2000m weight-for-age race has not been won by a Brisbane horse since 1983 when a local legend, Don Cleal took his horse, Lord Seaman to the winners circle. Now another local trainer, Desleigh Forster is determined to change that. She will be taking part in the upcoming Doomben Cup with jockey Jim Byrne. Sharing Past Successes The veteran has worked with Desleigh before. He rode Redzel in the past week’s Doomben 10 000, taking home a first place position at the group 1 event. Now he will be riding Redzel’s stable mate, Cylinder Beach. Cylinder Beach recently won the Toowoomba Cup but it finished a disappointing 7th place at the Hollindale Stakes. Old Rivalries Emerge Again Jockey Opie Basson who lost to Redzel and Byrne on the horse Counterattack will again be appearing at the Doomben Cup but this time on Sound Proposition. The Horse is owned and trained by Kiwi duo, Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott. Despite this, both Forster and Byrne are hopeful for the Doomben Cup. They feel there is a shortage of horses that can accurately represent Brisbane in Group 1 races and Cylinder Beach has the potential to do them proud. Facing The Reliable Its Somewhat They are facing quite stiff competition however as the powerful, It’s Somewhat will again be featuring in the race. It’s Somewhat is the horse that took the Hollindale Stakes and is currently the favourite for the Doomben Cup. The team will also have to contend with the always-strong Darren Weir stable. Weir is looking to fly over Articus after another two of his horses developed sickness from the road travel and they had to sit out the Doomben 10 000. Record Breaking Potential Jim Byrne could also break a record if things go to plan at the Doomben Cup. If he snatches a victory on Cylinder Beach, he will be one of only two other jockeys to take two Doomben victories in the last 50 years. The other two jockeys are Kerrin McEvoy in 2016 and the unforgettable Graham Cook in 1975. With the Cup looming ever closer and closer, the adrenaline must be running high for the trainers. As always there is a stiff competition at the Cup with very powerful competitors and very competent trainers. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > This year the Summer X Games will take place in Minneapolis with the first wave of athletes competing already announced. Expectations are riding high. - Published: 2017-05-22 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/summer-x-games-new-venue/ A New Home For The Summer X Games ESPN’s Summer X Games will be hoisted for the first time at its new home this year, US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The event takes place the weekend of the 13th July 2017 and the weekend of the 19th July in 2018. The US Bank Stadium was recently completed and provides a dynamic facility to host the events for the Games. These include BMX, skateboarding motocross and more. The X game’s most recent home was in Austin Texas as of 2014. The games have announced the first set of athletes for the 2017 event and they naturally feature the best that the world of extreme sports has to offer. High Flying BMX Action Competing in this year’s BMX events is Kyle Baldock from Australia. This rider competes in multiple BMX events and has made a name for himself being the first X Games competitor to take home two gold medals at one game. Dirt Track Racers And Freestylers In motocross the X Games will feature Jared Mees from Michigan and Jackson Strong from Australia. Jackson is a fan favourite thanks to his fearless approach to motocross. He took home a gold medal last year and he is itching to do the same this year. Mees is a dirt track racer who brought home the gold last year for flat track racing. He is happily married to Nichole Mees who has now retired. For a time they were the first husband and wife team to compete against each other. World Class Skating Professionals Skating is a major event for the Summer X Games and the list of confirmed athletes include 4 skaters. First up is Pamela Rosa from Brazil. She is a two-time gold medal winner in the street skating division. She has been the youngest street skating champion in the history of the games and also the first street skater to win consecutive silver medals. Pedro Barros, also from Brazil, is a serious threat in the skate park. He has never finished liver than silver in skate events. He took home his third gold medal at last year’s X Games. Home Grown Heroes Finally there are two Americans, Lizzie Aemantio and Alec Majerus. Alec holds a bronze in street skating while Lizzie has a silver and gold to her name. This year’s line up looks set to offer some explosive extreme sports action for fans of highflying competition. 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In a recent match against Ireland, the 19 year old broke records as she became the 2nd highest scoring female cricketer in an ODI with an amazing 188 from 160 balls. This puts her just behind Australian Belinda Clark, who holds the record of 229 runs. Facing Off In South Africa India is currently playing the Quadrangular series in South Africa. They went up against Ireland when the player reached her record run total with 27 boundaries and 2 sixes. She also had another record as the youngest player to score more than 175 runs in an ODI for women and men. Her teammate Poonam Raut backed her up with 109 off 116 balls. This powerful opening due can have huge repercussions for the other teams at the ODI World Cup for Women. The Deadly Goswami Another feather in the team’s cap is fast bowler Jhulan Goswami. She also broke records in the Quadrangular series when she became the leading wicket taker for ODI games. She has taken 181 wickets in 153 matches. She beat current record holder, Australian Catheryn Fitzpatrick’s record of 180 wickets. Goswami broke the record when India was facing South Africa. Goswami ended the match with 3 fort 20 made during 7. 3 overs. Goswami has taken 271 wickets across international cricket formats and she was honoured in 2007 with an ICC women’s cricket of the year award. Team Stability And Consistency Another strength for the team is the consistency of the team composition that has remained pretty much unchanged in the last months. This is especially true now that Smriti Mandhana made a surprise return to the team. She was recovering since January from a knee injury that she received while taking part in the Big Bash. She makes her return just in time for the ODI World Cup for Women that kicks off at the end of June. India will face an immediate challenge when the Cup starts as their first meeting is against England in Derby. With the stellar performances of the team members so far and the practice and preparation offered by the Quadrangular series, India’s prospects are looking very good. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The American team for the Invictus games has announced their captain. Christy Wise will lead the team with her 11 medal legacy and experience in the games. - Published: 2017-05-21 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/captain-announced-invictus/ American Team Captain Announced For Invictus Games The team captain has been announced representing America in the Invictus Games as Air Force Captain Christy Wise. Wise is a veteran of the Wounded Warrior games with 11 medals to her name. She has competed in running, cycling, swimming and more. This is despite her losing her right leg in a tragic boating accident. She went even further and started the One Leg Up On Life non profit organisation that specialises in prosthesis for lost limbs. No Changes To Determination She is currently still a full serving C 130 pilot in the military. She learnt how to use her prosthetic leg to effectively do her job and she says she is happier now than she ever was. First introduced in 2014, the Invictus games is a multi sport event that features wounded soldiers competing in games that range from basketball to rowing. It was started by Prince Harry and this year is already turning out to be one of the biggest events so far. The Pride Of The Department Of Defence The American Department of Defence has already announced 90 participating members for the games. Notably the Afghan military also had 51 entrants of which 7 made the final cut for the games. Overall 17 nations will be participating. Many of the American competitors are current gold medal holders, either at previous Invictus games or from the American funded Wounded Warrior events that have a similar theme to the Invictus Games. Stellar And Decorated Talent Team captain Wise is joined by her co-captain Ivan Sears. Other gold medallists that will also feature in the American team are Sergeant Elizabeth Marks and Lieutenant Bradley Snyder whop both specialise in swimming. New Events Planned For New Venue The games will be held in Toronto this year, which will be the second time the games are held in North America. The organisers have introduced an additional sport this year, Golf. The event generally features Prince Harry along with other presidents, dignitaries and world-class musical performances from pop and rock acts as well as military bands. At previous games had the US taking home 145 medals, followed closely by the UK with 128 medals. Other participating nations include Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Italy. With solid funding from the Canadian Veterans Association and world-class athletes, this year’s Invictus games are sure to be memorable. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand defeated Bangladesh with 15 balls to spare in their ODI warmup to the Champions Trophy. Tom Latham steadied the innings with 52 from 64. - Published: 2017-05-20 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/black-caps-defeat-bangladesh-dublin-odi/ Black Caps Claim Victory in Dublin New Zealand cruised to a four-wicket victory over Bangladesh in their build up to the Champions Trophy. The Black Caps finished off with 15 balls to spare in a ground record chase that saw the Tigers fall at Clontarf in the Northeast of Dublin. Bangladesh reached a solid total of 257 for the loss of nine wickets after being sent into bat. Of the 21 previous One Day internationals at the venue, the previous highest successful run chase was 230 by Pakistan against Ireland in 2013. With these numbers in mind, the Tigers were feeling somewhat confident as New Zealand took to the wicket. The Black Caps proved their worth though, delivering a solid batting performance, perfect execution and a string of steady partnerships. It was the Captain, Tom Lathan who provided the backbone of the innings, with a solid 54 runs of 64 balls. More partnerships of 39, 41, 30 and 37 injected momentum into the side before Jimmy Neesham got to the wicket. Spinners Hold Bangladesh Back Eventually claiming man-of-the-match, Neesham showed his experience with an impressive 52 runs off 48 balls. He also took two wickets for 68 runs in nine overs. Neesham batted aggressively, racking up an 80-run fifth wicket stand with Neil Broom who ended on 48 from 65 balls. Bangladesh got the match up and running with an impressive opening stand of 72 inside the first 15 overs. New Zealand always knew they were in it though as the slow wicket enabled the bowlers to take the pace off the ball. The highlight for New Zealand was the maturity of the spinners including Ish Sodhi with figures of 2 for 40 and Michell Santner with 1 for 35. The two were able to restrict the Bangladeshi run rate in the key stage of the game. These were the same two blowers who were instrumental New Zealand’s first game in over Ireland. Tom Latham’s attacking approach worked well, with Luke Ronchi holding up his end with the gloves. Ronchi was rewarded for his efforts with a catch that ended the run of Bangladesh Captain Mushfiqur Rahim as well as a crucial runout of Mashrafe Mortaza. In the batting line-up, Ronchi also proved his worth with a zippy 27 runs from as many balls. Rahim also got stuck in with 55 from 66 balls. He was able to use the full depth of the crease, sweeping away anything short of a length. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The pride of Darren Weir’s stable, Black Heart Bart will be defending his Good wood title this year. Weir and the fans are in high spirits at his odds. - Published: 2017-05-20 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/goodwood-challenges-weir/ Weir Ready To Defend At The Goodwood The Morphettville Racecourse is gearing up for another exciting Group 1 race this year as the Goodwood kicks off Saturday the 20th of May. The title defence this year is the task of Darren Weir’s Black Heart Bart. The star of Weir’s stable, Black Heart Bart comes off of impressive wins at the start of this year. Notably he took the first place position at the Futurity Stakes in February. This will be Black Heart Bart’s first run since that win and his trainer believes he will be ready for another victory. Jarrod McLean who is running Weir’s stable stated that Black Heart Bart is in fantastic shape and he believes it is set for another storing performance after recovering from the last race. Great Group Wins Currently Black Heart Bart is sitting on 5 group 1 victories that were attained in the last 12 months. McLean went as far as to say that it is the best horse he has ever worked with. Darren Weir’s stable is riding high at the moment thanks to 14 wins in three days at the Warrnambool Cup at the start of May. A Fan favourite who may be up to the task of taking out Black Heart Bart is Tony McEvoy’s Hey Doc. He has had a 5 week rest since his last race and he is listed 4th in line at most bookmakers to take the race. Hey Doc has previously performed best at longer lengths, notably the 1400m Australian Guineas and the Stud Stakes. Hey Doc Charging Forward Hey Doc’s unplaced effort this year at the Doncaster Mile has not put a damper on McEvoy’s spirits. He stated that Hey Doc has shown such good performance at Angaston that he is taking a chance and pushing forward with Hey Doc to show at the Goodwood. McEvoy is hoping to push Doc through the Spring Carnival and depending on how he performs at The Goodwood, he may even run at The Everest. Having started in 1881, The Goodwood is one of the longest running races in Australia. Last year’s purse was a massive A$500 000. This year is set to be just as exciting as previous years with fantastic competitors lined up for the race. Other horses to keep an eye out for include the indomitable Vegas Magic, Malaguerra, Secret Agenda and the always reliable Illustrious Lad. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > One lucky British punter walked away with £71,000 ($133,000) after placing a £10 accumulator bet on six football titles including the Premier League. - Published: 2017-05-19 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/general/british-punter-wins-71000-premier-league/ Punter Turns £10 bet into £71,000 When Chelsea was crowned the Premier League Champions, there were more than a few punters who were happily cashing in on their success. Being able to predict which team will win the League months in advance is no mean feat. For one lucky British punter though, Chelsea’s win was just the icing on the cake that earned the man a whopping $133,000 off an $18 bet. How was this even possible? The mystery football fan apparently placed a £10 accumulator bet on six different title winners for the season with the well-known bookmaker William Hill. All that is known of the man is that he is from Romford in the UK and placed a wager saying that Newcastle was going to win the Championship, Hibernian would claim the Scottish Championship, Livingston would win the Scottish League One, Sheffield United would win league one, Portsmouth would triumph in League Two and finality that Chelsea would win the Premier League. A Shot in the Dark As the months began to pass, all of the matches started to fall into place. The man’s complete shot in the dark bet slowly began to ring true with every passing weekend. Last weekend, all that was needed was for Chelsea to defeat West Brom and the bet would be complete. At the time of placing his bet, the punter put down £10 at accumulated odds of 7087-1. Before the match had even begun, the press was eager to get hold of William Hill and find out more details about the mythical punter. William Hill spokesman Joe Crilly said that the bet was placed so long ago and for such a small stake that no one was able to recall the customer. He was pretty sure though that if Chelsea did win, the punter would make themselves known, eager to cash in on their winnings. Thanks to the efforts of Michy Batshuayi, Chelsea went on to defeat West Brom and pick up the required three points to claim the Premier League title. In doing so, they managed to make one punter turn £10 into £71,000. What made the bet even more impressive than it appears is that fact that the League Two winners Portsmouth were not riding at the top the whole time. They only managed to go to the top of the table in the last 34 minutes of the last game of the season. It was the same story for Newcastle who only won the Championship after a late goal from Jack Grealish meant that Aston Villa denied Brighton the chance of the league title. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Australian golfer Adam Scott will be entering 2 tournaments in preparation for the US open. Scott faces strong competition from golf newcomers this Open. - Published: 2017-05-19 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/scott-gunning-us-open/ Adam Scott In Prep For US Open Australian golfer, Adam Scott is looking to add another win to his already impressive 29 professional tournament wins at this year’s US Open. The Open will be hosted in Wisconsin this year while the qualifying rounds will be held at almost 100 other clubs around the United States. Scott is one of 75 golfers set to compete at this year’s Open. These 75 are picked from a pool of more than 9000 golfers. Great Lead Up To The Open Scott recently made a very strong showing at the Players Championships. Scott is currently ranked as the world number 11 and he tied for sixth place at the Players Championships. He has said that he will be in full preparation for the Open by attending 3 consecutive tournaments right before the Open kicks off next month. These include the Memorial tournament in Ohio that is hosted by the golfing legend, Jack Nicklaus. He is also competing in the FedEx sponsored St Jude Classic a week afterwards. Scot will definitely need it as this year he is facing some very strong competition. Competition From Korea At the Players Championship he faced South Korean Si Woo Kim. The 21 year old rattled the competition with an amazing 69, finishing Bogey Free and beating out Ian Poulter and Louis Oosthuizen. Kim ironically became the youngest Player Championship winner in history, breaking Scott’s own record from 2004. Scott won the Players Championship at 23. Looking at his previous performances at the event, the US Open is definitely Scott’s weakest showing of the year. Another young upstart that they may be facing is Canadian golfer Emett Oh. The 22 year old made the US Open qualifiers, including an amazing hole in one from 208 yards away. He finished 7 under par out of a field of 130 players. Growth In Prize Money This year’s Open features the highest winners share sum yet of the Open’s history. The grand prize stands at $2 160 000, dwarfing last year’s $1 800 000 grand prize. The current reigning US Open champ, Dustin Johnson from America will be joining the field again this year to defend his title. He had to withdraw from the Masters due to a back injury but seems set for the Open next month. The US Open is one of the most prestigious events in golf and the competition looks set to be exciting. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Boston Celtics have defeated the Washington Wizards in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semis. They play the Cavaliers in game 1 of the Finals. - Published: 2017-05-18 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nba/boston-celtics-eastern-conference-finals/ Boston Celtics Advance to Eastern Conference Finals A massive fourth quarter boost by the Boston Celtics helped them win game 7 of the NBA Eastern Conferences semi-finals against the mighty Washington Wizards on Tuesday. Isaiah Thomas took the lead for the Celtics, scoring 29 points with 12 assists while fellow teammate Kelly Olynyk added his own career playoff high of 26 points to give the Celtics a 115-105 win against the Wizards. The Celtics now advance to the Eastern Conference finals where they will host the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 later this week. Looking at the stats, the Celtics got a huge lift from their bench with the team outscoring the Wizards by 40 points to 5. The Celtics also racked up a total of eleven 3-pointers with 8 of 13 coming in the second half. Speaking to the press, Kelly Olynyk said that everyone in the team gave their best on the night. According to him, it was a combination of hard work and team effort that brought them through the seven-game series. He admitted that the Wizards were a difficult team to beat, one that made big shots all through the series. Playing in their first Game 7 since 1979, the Wizards relied on Bradley Beal to lead the scoring. Beal racked up a total of 38 points with 24 of them coming in the second half. Otto Porter added a solid 20 points while Markieff Morris and John Wall both added another 18 to the team total. The Wizards had a disappointing 15 turnovers, which lead to 17 points for the opposition. Neither team were particularly effective in the early stages with no field goals being scored in the opening two minutes. Fourth Quarter Winners The Celtics got the lead early on and was sitting at 10-2 until they started racking up the fouls. Amir Johnson, Marcus Smart and Olynyk all picked up fouls in the first 24 minutes, which gave the Wizards time to close the gap. By half time, gap had closed down to just two points. Boston was trailing 76-72 in the third quarter before they hit on a 13-3 run. In the opening stages of the fourth quarter, Boston had extended the run to a 22-5 and regained the lead at 94-81. Refusing to be shut out, the Wizards quickly responded with seven points inside a minute to reduce the deficit to 6 points. Washington continued to track the Celtics until Olynyk stepped on to the court. Scoring 11 points of the 13 team points, Olynyk stretched Boston’s lead to 110-100. Another five points went to each team with the final game score at 115-105. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The National Hall Of Fame once again will be honouring legends of the industry this year. It will also feature nine racing events and live entertainment. - Published: 2017-05-18 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/hall-fame-honours-legends/ National Hall Of Fame Inducts Again On Saturday the 20th, the who’s who of Australian thoroughbred racing will be heading to the Flemington race course for the annual National Hall of Fame Race day. Legends of the Australian racing scene are honoured here each year and being inducted is considered one of the highest accolades you can achieve within the industry. The Hall of Fame is part of the Australian Racing Museum. Through this event they hope to immortalise the greats of the field. A Recent But Cherished Tradition The museum officially opened its doors in 1981 but it wasn’t until 2000 that the first National Hall of Fame event was held. At the inauguration of the event, trainers like Bart Cummings and famous horses like Kingston Town and Tulloch were inducted. Starting at 11:45am, attendees of the event can look forward to nine exciting races. These include heats for the winter races as well as two Andrew Ramsden Stakes races. World Class Racing Action Across Nine Events Starting off the racing action will be the Vobis Plate for two year olds over 1400m, followed by the 1600m three year old handicap. The third race will feature three year old fillies over 1200m, BenchMark78. Following that will be a restriction less 1800m BenchMark84 race followed by another restriction less 1200m Straight Six race. The last three races features 1400m and 2000m restriction less traces with the Andrew Ramsden Stakes 3200m race rounding off the proceedings. Previous Legendary Inductees Into The Hall Some legendary members that have been inducted into the roll of honour include TJ Smith. This legendary trainer was the king of racing for almost 30 years. To list all his achievements will take some time but two of the hall of fame horse, Tulloch and Kingston Town were trained by him which pretty much says it all. No One Is Forgotten Even horses get special legendary status s shown by Carbine. This horse has won 30 principal races or stakes prizes in his distinguished career. He not only made a name for himself as a racer but also as a sire, leading him to also be inducted into the New Zealand Hall of Fame. This inclusiveness of all stakeholders is what keeps racing fans coming back to the National Hall Of Fame induction year after year. The Hall of Fame honours local heroes of the racing industry, keeping their memory alive. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 85th 24 Hours Of Le Mans kicks off soon and the teams have announced their drivers. This year will also feature two hybrid vehicles from Porsche and Toyota. - Published: 2017-05-17 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/le-mans-announces-drivers/ Line-up For 85th 24 Hours Of Le Mans With the 85th iteration of the gruelling Le Mans 24 hours around the corner, only two more driver seats are left open. Last week the European Le Mans meeting announced the majority of the drivers scheduled for the event. Proton and G Drive Racing have yet to confirm their third drivers. Christian Reid who is the team owner and a driver for Proton has told press that he will be joined by Stephane Lemeret and Nick Yelloly in their Porsche 911 RSR, with a third driver yet to be confirmed. The position was originally to be filled by Wolf Henzler who works for the Porsche factory as a driver but he pulled out due to unspecified reasons. The Second team will feature Le Mans veteran Patrick Long who will be competing in his 14th Le Mans event. He is joined by Mike Hedlund and Abdul-Aziz Al Faisal. Proton also has a third car that will be driven by Matteo Cairoli, Marvin Dienst and his brother Reid Dienst. French Team Ready To Go GRAFF, the French racing team has already confirmed their full driver roster. The squad includes Richard Bradley, the 2015 LMP2 winner, James Allen and Franck Matelli. James Winslow, Eric Trouillet and Enzo Guibbert will be driving the second car. Russian Team Filled To Capacity Russian team SMP has also announced their line-up of drivers. Mikhail Aleshin, Viktor Shaytar and Renault Formula 1 reserve Sergei Sirotkin will be representing the team in both the LMP2 and ELMS events. G Drive Racing has announced Memo Rojas and Ryo Hirakawa as their drivers with the third seat still to be filled. Hybrid Vehicles To Join Roster The 85th 24 Hours of Le Mans will also feature 5 Hybrid vehicles this year. Two of these vehicles will be the Porsche 919 and three vehicles will be the Toyota TS050 The 5 hybrid vehicles will be part of the 60 car squad taking part in the event. This is a great sign for the industry in a time when climate change and emission concerns are on many people’s minds. This year’s Le Mans will kick off on the 17th of June. A test session of 8 hours will start on the 4th of June and will be mandatory for all competitors. 4 hours of practice will kick off on the 14th then 3 qualifying sessions of 2 hours each. 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All the unforced errors and discipline issues that plagued the team for much of their 2016-2017 campaign seemed a distant memory when the All Blacks sevens took to the field in France. New Zealand got off to a rocketing start, going completely unbeaten on day one in an extremely competitive pool. They even managed to pip France in front of their home crowd in a nail-biting Cup quarter-final. When they got to the semi-final, the All Blacks sevens had the misfortune of meeting up with South Africa who were cruising to yet another tournament win. The Blizbokke were slightly less formidable than in the first half of the series but still pulled of a brilliant display to knock out the New Zealand side. With England falling to Scotland in the other semi-final, South Africa claimed the World Series title before the match even began. Perhaps it was the euphoria or New Zealand’s wilful determination that led to the kiwis striking first. This time it was Regan Ware doing the honours, finishing off a brilliant break from Joe Webber. However, two second half tires by South African Rosko Specman put any hope of a New Zealand comeback beyond doubt. South Africa Take the Honours In the bronze medal final, New Zealand played some classy rugby, equalling their best effort for the 2016-17 season and snatching third position from the English side. This time it was England who scored first, leading 5-0 at the break. A well-timed kick-pass by Jamie Booth led to Sam Dickenson putting the first points on the board for New Zealand. Another solo sprint by Sherwin Stowers allowed the All Blacks sevens to claim the bronze. In the final, South African went on to defeat Scotland in a rematch of day one. They pipped the Scots 15-5 to claim the Cup final and solidify their place as ultimate leaders. The Bitzbokke now have an unassailable lead in the competition, a full 34 points ahead of England with just one leg to go in the series. Fiji sit three points back from England and could possibly leapfrog them in London. New Zealand made up a lot of ground on both Fiji and England but the gap is a bit too wide for the All Blacks sevens to hope for third at the conclusion of the series in London. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Sergio Garcia dug himself out of trouble with a good result on the back nine at the Masters. The Spaniard also managed to hit a hole-in-one on the 17th. - Published: 2017-05-16 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/sergio-garcia-makes-comeback-masters/ A Late Surge for Sergio Garcia Sergio Garcia might have come back to form, but the first six holes of the Masters put the Spaniard on the back foot once again. Playing a four-over for the opening six, Sergio seemed to have lost all the momentum he gained in the last four weeks, topping it off with a four-putt on the fifth hole. A brilliant back nine however, put Garcia back in the game with a three-under and a complete showstopper on the 17th to bring the crowd to their feet. After birdieing the 16th, Garcia arrived on the tee of 17th aiming to continue his improved from. The infamous 123-yard 17th hole had given the 37-year-old his fair share of agony and ecstasy. He would have had sharp memories of hitting two into the water and losing Tiger Woods in 2013. At the same time, Garcia would have fond memories of winning a playoff against Paul Goydos with a perfect back nine in 2008. This year, it was a case of utter joy and celebrations. After lining up on the Island tee, Garcia struck the ball with the perfect balance of power and aim. After hopping a few times on the green, Garcia’s ball dropped neatly into the hole on the first strike. Once more, Garcia was able raise his arms with a mighty cheer to the crowd. It seemed that this was not the same golfer who just a few weeks before had been cursing the golfing gods. Dustin Johnson Still in Contention While he may have ended the day six shots behind leader Will McGirt, Garcia’s smile still never broken. Another golfer who ended the day six behind was Rory McIlroy who posted two-double bogie in just five holes. McIlroy reached the turn on level par, but it was at this point that thing began to unravel. Starting off with a four-putt on the 10th, Rory hit his ball into the water on the 14th to further complicate things. He was able to recover somewhat with birdies on the 12th 17th and 18th to end off with one-over. McIlroy’s partner, world No1, Dustin Johnson made a startling recovery of his own. After pulling off an eagle on the 16th, he was able to turn a fairly mediocre round into a respectable 71. After thinking he would miss out on the Masters this year, Lee Westwood somehow rose the required three places to gain entry into the competition. The Veteran golfer made the most of his chances posting a 70 without a single bogie. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > On the 8th of July, Flemington Racecourse will host the Flemington Finals Race Day. Punters and race fans can enjoy a full list of nine race finals. - Published: 2017-05-16 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/latest-flemington-finals-race-day/ Flemington Finals Race Day For punters and racing enthusiasts, the Flemington Finals Race Day is the ideal opportunity to catch up some betting action. Held on the 8th of July, the prestigious event brings together quality gallopers from all over the country to compete in a range of divisions and distances. Finals Race Day is the showpiece of winter racing and features a full card of nine exciting races. Flemington Racecourse with its sweeping views and ideal track will play host to the finals of 9 separate race series. This includes a number of listed races such as the final of the $152,000 VRC/CRV Winter Championship, the final of the Victorian Sprint Series, the A. R Creswick Series Final and the final of the Taj Rossi Series. While punters can look forward to brilliant racing action to come, last year, Flemington was the scene of huge wins and a few upsets. In the 2016 VRC-CRV Winter Championship Series Final, Robert Smerdon trained Iggimacool placed first in front of a fantastic field with jockey Dwayne Dunn in the saddle. Sitting at odds of $6. 50, Iggimacool raced home ahead of second place Petrology who was sitting at huge odds of $41. Making up the trifecta was Mick Price trained Onpicalo who stared at odds of $15. The race favourite, Kenjorwood placed forth with starting odds of $4. 80. A Recap of 2016 In the Victorian Sprint Series Final, Darren Weir trained Voodoo Lad was the favourite going into the race at odds of $1. 95. However, it was New Zealand runner Ruettiger trained by Lee & Anthony Freedman who picked up the win. Ruettiger raced home just 0. 2 lengths ahead of Voodoo Lad to claim victory with Reldas ($14) in third and Rich Jack ($10) in fourth. The Taj Ross Series Final was the least upsetting race of the day. John O’Shea’s Trenchant was pipped to be the favourite for the race and was given the shortest odds at $2. 50. There were no surprises though as Trenchant beat out the competition to win by 0. 1 of a length. Mark Young trained Futura picked up second place with starting odds of $12 while David Hayes & Tom Dabernig’s All Out Of Love came home in third after starting with odds of $21. While they did manage to pick up a placing, the pair had an equally disappointing race with $6. 00 Fast N Rolling coming home in 6th. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Christy Wise has been chosen as the captain of the United States team for the 2017 Invictus games. Wise competed in the Wounded Warrior Games in 2015. - Published: 2017-05-15 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/christy-wise-will-captain-us-invictus-games/ Christy Wise Named US Captain for Invictus Games Christy Wise has been named the captain of the US Team for the upcoming Invictus Games. Wise lost her leg in 2015 after being run over by and fishing boat while she was paddleboarding. Established by Prince Harry in 2014, the Invictus Games is a multi-country sporting event modelled after the Wounded Warrior Games in the US. At this year’s Invictus Games, over 550 wounded, ill or injured service men and woman from 17 nations are expected to compete. The Invictus Games will take place in Toronto Canada on the 23rd of September and run until the 30th. Among the sports included in the games are wheelchair tennis, indoor rowing, archery, wheelchair basketball, athletics, wheelchair golf, powerlifting, wheelchair rugby, swimming, road cycling and sitting volleyball. The United States department of Defense recently announced the full 90-member team that will be representing the US at the Games. The team will be captained by Christy Wise, who is a Wooster High graduate and a captain in the Air Force. The co-captain for the US team will be Sgt. Ivan Sears from the United States Marine Corps. An Athlete and an Inspiration Wise had an above-knee amputation and has since gone on to compete in the 2015 Wounded Warrior Games where she picked up a total of 11 medals including 2 silver medals and 2 bronze medals. Wise also competed in last year’s Invictus Games in the swimming, rowing, cycling and track & field events. She also completed her first triathlon this year. In 2016, Christy Wise became the first woman and the 5th person in history to be cleared to return to duty for the Air Force following her amputation. She is currently a C-130 rescue pilot and has set up the 501(c)3, One Leg Up On Life Foundation with her sister Jessica. Together they have organised and completed missions to help youths in need of prostheses around the world. Tony Kutra, the man performing the duties of the under secretary said that the Invictus Games embodies the spirit of every member of the US Armed Forces. The Games inspire them with strength and courage. Kutra said that the US is proud to recognise the athletes at the 2017 games for their achievements and at the same time, recognised every wounded service member achieving results through the Department of Defense adaptive reconditioning program. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Confederations Cup is scheduled to kick off on the 17th of June. The All Whites prepare for their campaign with three lead-up matches in June. - Published: 2017-05-15 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/new-zealand-ready-confederations-cup/ All Whites Gear up For Confederations Cup This coming June, punters and football fans will have another reason to smile. The 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup is scheduled to take place from the 17th of June to the 2nd of July. The origins of the Confederations Cup date back to 1992 when it was first Organised by Saudi Arabia and called the King Fahd Cup. Since 1997, FIFA has taken over the running of the competition, holding it every four years in the year before the World Cup. The Confederations Cup is a prestigious football tournament for eight competing teams. The contested sides include the holders of the six confederations champions, namely the UEFA Champions, the AFC, the OFC Championships, the CAF, the CONMEBOL and the CONCACAF champions. The Current FIFA World Cup holder also gets a place in the Confederations Cup as well as the host Nation that makes up the eight teams. The eight qualifying teams are then split into two groups and play a round-robin tournament where each team plays each other once for a total of three matches. The winners of the first group then play the runners up from the second group and vice versa. This constitutes the semi-final stage of the tournament. The Winners of each of the semi-finals then meet for the finals while the runners up play each other for third place. The 2017 Confederations Cup The 2017 Confederations Cup will be the 10th Cup Tournament of its kind and will be held in Russia who will go on to host the World Cup next year. Including Russia, the seven qualifying teams include: Cameroon – Africa Cup of Nations Winners Portugal – Euro 2016 Winners New Zealand – OFC Nations Cup Winners Australia – AFC Asian Cup Winners Germany – World Cup Winners Chile – Copa América Winners Mexico – CONCACAF Cup Winners In preparation for the Confederations Cup, the New Zealand national side (All Whites) have confirmed their build-up program including matches against Belarus, Northern Island as well as the Irish club side Cabinteely. New Zealand’s pre-Cup fixtures are as follows: 2nd June – New Zealand vs. Northern Ireland (Belfast) 6th June – New Zealand vs. Cabinteely (Dublin) 12th June – New Zealand vs. Belarus (Minsk) New Zealand’s Confederation Cup Fixtures 18th June – New Zealand vs. Russia, Krestovsky Stadium, St Petersburg 22nd June – New Zealand vs. Mexico Fisht Olympic Stadium, Sochi 24th June – New Zealand vs. Portugal, Krestovsky Stadium, St Petersburg TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Two-time Open Championship winner Padraig Harrington has his eyes set on a third British Open title. Royal Birkdale will host the event on July 16th. - Published: 2017-05-14 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/padraig-harrington-returns-british-open/ Harrington Returns to British Open On the 16th of July, the world’s best golfers will gather at the Royal Birkdale for the 146th Open (British Open Championship). Competing for the Claret Jug this year will be two-time Champion Golfer of the year, Padraig Harrington, who will have his sites firmly set on the trophy when he returns to Birkdale. Harrington was briefly reunited with the trophy in Dublin where he recalled fond memories of lifting the Claret Jug in 2008. Speaking to the press, Harrington said Birkdale brought back a lot of memories for him. He explained about how as a youngster he dreamed of winning The Open. When he held the trophy aloft, it was everything he had wanted and dreamed of. Harington earned his fame after winning his maiden major in 2007 at Carnoustie. He then went on to play through a wrist injury at Birkdale to claim a four-shot victory at the 2008 Open. In doing so, he became the first European player to successfully defend the British Open title since James Braid did it in 1905 and 1906. Can History be Made? This year, Harrington is looking for a repeat of his historical success across the Southport links when the Open returns to Royal Birkenhead. The 45-year-old Irishman is currently recovering from neck surgery to treat a trapped nerve. He is aiming to be back in action when he tees off at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. In 2008, Harrington overcame a wrist injury and difficult course conditions to lift the Claret Jug for the second time. The question is, can he do it again? Royal Birkdale has seen many memorable victories over the years. Who could forget Arnold Palmer’s first Open victory back in 1961 or golfing legend Peter Tomson’s 5th win in 1965. The Birkdale course is one of the few venues that offer spectacular spectator viewing with natural dunes scattered throughout the links. This all combines to create the setting for one of the biggest golfing championships of the year. Speaking about the upcoming event, Harrington said that every time he tees up for the Open, it is a special occasion. Like many other golfers, he feels that the Open Championship has a heritage, a tradition and an air of excitement that his hard to define. The 146th Open Championship will get underway on the 16th of July and run until the 23rd. 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The 28-time champion has had an impressive career to date and will certainly be one of the favourites in Budapest when the Masters kicks off in August. Béla learned to swim at the age of 10 in his hometown of Eger. When he entered a school swimming competition, Béla’s world changed when he finished in third place. Béla said that he remembers not being angry about not winning; instead, he was motivated to take his swimming more seriously. He started to become a regular at the public pool and soon became unbeatable in the 50m breaststroke event. Fabián went on to become a member of the Hungarian youth national swimming team in 1953. One year later, he graduated to the national team. At the European Championships in Turin, he picked up sixth place in the 200m breaststroke event. When he graduated from university, Fabián had to leave behind the world of professional swimming to focus on his career. 28 years later, Fabián bumped into his former student Zsolt Fejér, who happened to be the editor of a senior swimming magazine in Zurich. More Medals on the Horizon? Looking over the times of the best senior swimmers, Béla thought that he could be competitive and decided to take part in international competitions. In 1988, he entered the FINA World Masters Championships in Brisbane and won a gold medal in the swimming relay. Since then he has racked up a total of 27 gold medals at the Masters as well as 20 gold medals at the World Senior Games and a massive 40 gold medals at the European Masters Championships. Until last year, Fábián competed in the 75-79 category. This year at the 2017 FINA World Masters, he will graduate the 80+ category representing his Swimming Club in Eger. Fábián says he plans to enter the 50m event as well as the 100m breaststroke, the 200m medley as well as the 320-year mixed relay along with three other swimmers. Fábián is feeling confident about his chances in each event, saying that he has a real chance of adding to his medal tally. --- > Flemington Racecourse will hold the annual National Hall of Fame Race day on the 20th of March. Punters can look forward to a total of nine races. - Published: 2017-05-13 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/racing-action-national-hall-fame-race-day/ National Hall of Fame Race Day In Australia, the Racing Hall of Fame is the racing industry’s highest accolade. Inductees into the Racing Hall of Fame include the greats from the Australian thoroughbred racing community. On Saturday the 20th of May, Flemington Racecourse will host a race day to acknowledge the honour roll off inductees as well those who have been newly nominated. These include past directors of the VRC who have made significant contributions to the racing industry. The National Hall of Fame Race Day will offer up an exciting day of racing with nine races scheduled on the race card, highlighted by the 3200m Andrew Ramsden Stakes. One of the highlights of day is the Living Legends experience. Legends of the horse racing industry will be on field for guests to be part of history. This year, Might & Power as well as Efficient will be parading in the Mounting Yard throughout most of the day. Andrew Ramsden Stakes The feature race of the National Hall of Fame Race Day is undoubtably the 3200m Andrew Ramsden Stakes. Last year, the race proved to be better than anyone expected. Apprentice Harry Coffey was in the saddle riding the Darren Weir-trained Glorious Sinndar. With starting odds of $5. 50, Glorious Sinndar was slow to start but fought back to win by a short length ahead of The Bandit who was sitting at odds of $9. 00. Race favourite De Little Engine rounded off the trifecta at odd of $4. 80. After the race Coffey said that Glorious Sinndar deserved all the credit for the victory. The horse was able hold it together after the runner up gained a half-length on him earlier in the straight. It was in the final 20 meters that Glorious Sinndar went all out and taking the win. Interestingly enough, the 2016 race was won in a quicker time than the 2015 Melbourne Cup, which was run over the same course, track conditions and distance. This year, punters are hoping for more excitement at the track. The first race of the day starts the nine-race-card action at 11:45 with the 1400m Super Vobis Two-Years-Old Plate. Race two will follow shortly after, being the Super Vobis Three-Years-Old Handicap over 1600 meters. Plenty of action will follow with the Andrew Ramsden Stakes closing off the day’s racing starting at 4:45pm. 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The Hawks went into the ill-fated match being the only team who could challenge any of the current top for teams with an action record of 3-6. While the SuperCity Rangers have a better record of 5-5, the Hawks will host the Rangers at home on the weekend, giving them a chance to close the gap a bit and possibly hold the playoff tiebreaker. Beating the Sharks would have been a useful boost to the team, putting them right into the mix after a sluggish start to the NBL season. The Hawks won their first two games under the guidance of interim coach Benny Hills. Sharks Stay in Second They continued their form in the early stages of the game against the Sharks who took longer than usual to find their rhythm. The game was a messy affair with plenty of sloppy contests and poor executions from both sides. While the Sharks were to blame for some poor shooting, they were also a bit unlucky. They had several open three pointers that just didn’t drop giving them a 4-19 record for the night from beyond the arc. The Sharks managed to stay in contention thanks to the efforts of Duane Balily who came off the bench to score 10 points in just 14 minutes along with significant contributions from Derone Raukawa. Derone managed to continue his season with a solid 14 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists. When the fourth quarter got underway, the Sharks stepped up their game with Nick Kay racking up 16 points and 9 rebounds. Alex Pledger kept up the offensive with a further 12 points and 9 rebounds. The fourth quarter went the way of the Sharks as they managed to cut their 10-point deficit down to 3 early on. The Hawks were not as successful in the final period, racking up a total of 9 points for the rest of the game. The Sharks were able to slowly edge in front of the Hawks and three points down with 18 seconds left on the clock. Luckily for the Sharks, the ball ended up in the hands of Amir Williams who scored a brilliant three, sealing the win who stay in second place with 8-3 record. --- > A hat-trick from Cristiano Ronaldo saw Real Madrid defeat arch reveals Atletico Madrid to go one up in their first semi-final match on home ground. - Published: 2017-05-12 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/real-madrid-go-one-champions-league/ Ronaldo Scores Champions League Hat-Trick A brilliant hat-trick from Cristiano Ronaldo saw Real Madrid earn a 3-0 win over arch rivals Atletico Madrid in their first leg Champions League semi-final match. Playing in all white, Real Madrid did more than enough at home to secure the win and put at least one foot into the Champions League final in Cardiff. While they may have been playing without Gareth Bale due to an injury, Real Madrid took it to their rivals once in again in Europe’s biggest football competition. Real faced Atletico for the fourth consecutive time in the Champions League. In all of their previous meetings, Real has eliminated Atletico and it seems, history is going to be repeating itself. With a 3-0 victory at home, Real have a massive lead ahead of next week’s second semi-final leg. The men in white dominated the first half as Atletico looked on the back foot from the first few minutes. For Real Madrid, Luka Modric was the man carrying the ball into the open space for a chance to attack. Game Over For Atletico It was just a matter of time before Real would have the ideal opportunity. In the end, it only took 10 minutes for Ronaldo to slot home a cross from Casemiro to make it 1-0. Bolstered by their quick lead, Real went in for more attacking phases but were thwarted by a couple of superb saves by goalkeeper Jan Oblak. Atletico manged to keep themselves in the game but showed very little forward movement. This gave Ronaldo the freedom to play his worth. In the 73rd minute, Ronaldo blasted home a stunner from inside the box to put the team 2-0 up. Ronaldo’s hat trick came 13 minutes later when Dani Cavajal set him up for an impressive display of football hustle followed by the perfect kick. If you are keeping score, that is a total of eight goals in the last three Champions League matches for Ronaldo. His contributions in this game most certainly put Real on the verge of making the Final. What we have to ask now is what will happen to Atletico Madrid. Is there a way to come back for the team? For every goal Real Madrid scores in the second leg, Atletico will need to score five more in order to advance to the final. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Juventus have booked their spot in the Champions League final after defeating Monaco 2-1. The Italians will likely face off against Real Madrid. - Published: 2017-05-12 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/juventus-champions-league-final/ Juventus into Champions League Final Italian club Juventus managed to book themselves a spot in the Champions League final thanks to the efforts of Dani Alves. The star forward inspired his team to a 2-1 victory over Monaco securing their second Champions League final appearance in three years. Alves was instrumental in setting up Mario Mandzukic's opening goal in 33rd minute. Not to be outdone, Alves got onto the scoresheet himself with a brilliant volley on the stroke of half time. The second half was virtually scoreless with Kylian Mbappe scoring a consolation goal for Monaco in the 69th minute. However, wasn’t enough to stop Juventus from sweeping to a 4-1 victory on aggregate on course for a clean treble. Massimiliano Allegri and his side are looking at a record sixth series A title this weekend at Roma. Monaco needed to overturn a 2-0 first-leg deficit heading into the match. They came out, guns blazing, looking to shock the Italians and score an early goal. Juventus managed to survive the early onslaught as Mbappe booted a shot off the inside far post. It turned out the teenager offside, but when Radamel Falcao blasted a shot over the crossbar a few minutes later, it was clear that Juventus were in for a hard game. Monaco’s Consolation Goal Juventus managed to weather the storm before applying presser of their own midway thought the first half. It was Gonzalo Higuan who got the momentum going, chipping the ball over Danijel Subasic’s head only for Kamil Gilk to hook the ball away to safety. Subasic was also on hand to deny Mandzukick a well-timed header with peeled out wide. The first goal came just after the half hour mark when a long throw by goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon sparked a counter attack by Juventus. Alves picked up the ball, crossing to Mandzukic who headered it straight to Subasic but managed to slot home the rebound. With one in the bag, Juventus managed to double its numbers just before halftime. A corner from Juventus forced Subasic to punch the ball clear only to find Alves who volleyed it straight into the back of the net from just outside the area. Monaco got their consolation goal from a corner when Joao Moutinho floated a beauty to Mbappe who fired it home from close range. In all likelihood, Juventus will be meeting up with Real Madrid in the final as they have a 3-0 lead in their second leg match. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Chelsea are one win away from claiming the English Premiership title. The Blues move six points ahead of Tottenham after defeating Middlesbrough 3-0. - Published: 2017-05-11 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/chelsea-one-win-away-premiership-title/ Chelsea Close in On Premiership Title Chelsea are just one win away from claiming the English Premier League title after defeating Middlesbrough with an impressive 3-0 show on Tuesday. The Blues now have their chance to claim a second title in just three seasons when they face off against West Bromwich at the end of the week. With another win in the bag, Chelsea now move a full seven points clear of Tottenham Hotspur and have basically consigned Middlesbrough to relegation status. As it stands, Middlesbrough trail Hull by a massive six points with just two games left to play for both sides. Middlesbrough need a miracle though as Hull have the superior goal difference, leading by 12. With Tottenham Hotspur faltering on Friday, Chelsea was keen to take advantage of the opportunity to extend their lead. Goals came in thick and fast with Marcos Alonso, Diego Costa and Neemanja Matic heading up the attack at Stamford Bridge. With just seven minutes of play down, Cesc Fabregas orchestrated a brilliant run up the line with a diagonal cross to Alonso who volleyed the crossbar and missed the goal. Middlesbrough heeded no warning though as they allowed Fabregas to dominate the open areas and were subsequently punished for their poor defence in the 23rd minute. Fabregas the Playmaker This time around, Fabregas manged to pick out a slightly more reliable finisher in the form of Diego Costa. With another expertly timed cross; Fabregas gifted Costa with the perfect opportunity to slot the ball straight through Brad Guzan’s legs. In doing so, the striker was able to equal his league best with a total of 20 for the season. In the 34th minute, it was Cesar Azpilicutea who imitated Fabregas with a perfect cross to Alonso on the back post. Alonzo got it right this time volleying it past Guzan to make it 2-0. Just when Middlesbrough was getting a handle on Fabregas, he switched up the angle of attack playing Victor Moses on the other side of field. An expert save from Guzan prevented Moses from claiming the third before break. In the second half, Chelsea continued their onslaught with Pedro hitting the crossbar and Alonso missing his shot out wide. The fate of the match was sealed in the 65th minute when Neemanja Matic chested a cross from Fabregas and slotted home a beauty past Guzan to make it 3-0. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Kiwi duo Kevin Proctor and Jesse Bromwich have been axed from the Rugby League World Cup following allegations of cocaine use late on Friday night. - Published: 2017-05-11 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/bromwich-proctor-axed-rugby-world-cup/ Kiwi Forwards Axed From World Cup New Zealand rugby forwards Kevin Proctor and Jesse Bromwich have been axed from the Rugby League World cup after being caught up in one of Rugby’s biggest drug scandals to date. The pair were allegedly filmed on CCTV purchasing and snorting cocaine in Canberra following New Zealand’s 30-12 Loss to Australia in the Anzac test. The fallout from their actions were swift and dire. Bromwich immediately captaincy and accepted a two-match suspension from his NRL club, the Melbourne Storm. He has been ordered to undergo counselling and treatment to boot. Meanwhile Kevin Proctor also relinquished his role as co-captain for the Gold Coast Titans. In a statement released by the Melbourne Storm Bromwich said that he wanted to apologise to his family, his team and to New Zealand Rugby League. He went to say that he regrets making the choice to stay out late and consume excessive amount of alcohol. Bromwich says he takes full responsibility for his actions. While the removal of captaincy was a given for the pair, now it seems the two face an even more harsh punishment with New Zealand Rugby League announcing that neither player would be selected for the World Cup later this year. A Message to All New Zealand Players Kiwis coach David Kidwell said that he made the decision with the backing of NZRL. He decided that both Jesse Bromwich and Kevin Proctor would not be considered for the World Cup campaign. Kidwell went on to explain that New Zealand Rugby has values to uphold and that the two players broke the trust of their teammates and their country. Chief Executive for NZRL, Alex Hayton said that New Zealand Rugby League are fully behind the decision and back Kidwell 100 percent. Both Proctor and Bromwich were extremely remorseful when they were informed about the decision. However, they did understand the why it had to be done and accepted the decision. According to Kidwell, the severity of the punishment is a clear message to all the other New Zealand Players. In a statement Kidwell said that he is trying to build a reputation of integrity for the New Zealand Jersey. He expects every player to uphold the values brought forward. Starting in October this year, New Zealand face off against Scotland, Tonga and Samoa in the pool stages of the World Cup. 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While we were all expecting Real Madrid to score at least one goal in the match, no one predicted the hat-trick from Ronaldo that brought Atletico to their knees. With the first match going 3-0 to Real Madrid, Atletico are certainly on the back foot and if history is to be repeated, will be dispatched in the second leg. So what can we expect in the second leg? Monaco vs. Juventus This is an interesting matchup between two very exciting teams. It pits one of the most dynamic scoring teams against some of the best defence seen so far. Up to the semi-final stage of the competition, Monaco has scored a total of 21 goals. The problem is that the more than half of them have come in the knockout stages. On the other hand, Juventus have a clean record of eight out of 10 games. They have conceded goals only twice in the competition. Monaco was defeated by Bayer Leverkusen in their group-stage finale, although this was from a heavily rotated side. This will be difficult test for Juventus. However, given Danijel Subasic’s patchy goalkeeping, the Biancoeri are likely to make it through to the finals. Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid Up to their first leg match of the semi-finals, Atletico have been in fine form. They ware unbeaten in 11 games and conceded just four goals in 12 fixtures. They also surprised everyone by beating Leicester City in the Champions League quarterfinals. At the same time, Real Madrid’s win over Bayern Munich was unconvincing and completely marred by controversy. What we know so far is that Atletico have some big defensive problems at the moment. It is clear from the first leg semi-final that Atletico are in for a rough time. If Real Madrid manages to score even a single goal in the second semi-final, Atletico would have to score five to dispatch their rivals and go through tot the final. With history on their side and a fired up Ronaldo rearing to go, it looks all to likely that Real Madrid will cruise through to the finals where they might just meet up with Juventus. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Mick Price trained Secret Agenda claimed an upset victory at the 2017 Robert Sangster Stakes. The four-year-old beat out the in-form Vidorra on the turn. - Published: 2017-05-10 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/secret-agenda-causes-upset-robert-sangster-stakes/ Secret Agenda Claims Victory at Robert Sangster Stakes Melbourne trainer Mick Price pulled off his fourth win at this year’s Robert Sangster Stakes with Secret Agenda scoring an upset at the Morphettville Racecourse. The four-year-old mare went into $1 million Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes at odds of $16 in a capacity field. The daughter of Not A Single Doubt was drawn wide and bookies were sceptical of her chances despite having picked up a win at the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes at Randwick in April. Damien Oliver was in the saddle, managing to post his second victory in the Robert Sangster Stakes after riding Alinghi to victory in 2005. For trainer Mick Price, Secret Agenda was his fourth victory at Morphettville following victories with Bel Mer in 2009, French Bid in 2004 and Spirit of Love back in 1998. Continuing the historical record of wins for four-year-olds, Secret Agenda started well out wide and settled into second place behind the Oakleigh Plate winner, Sheidle. With Joao Moreira in the saddle, Sheidle flew out of the gates and led the race from Secret Agenda and Super Cash. Viddora Takes Second I Am A Star, the Myer Classic winning filly from Shane Nichol was also among the leading pack, improving on her eighth place at the AD Hollindale stakes to race winner Its Somewhat. Coming into the turn, Secret Agenda moved up to take the lead, putting her head down as she headed down the straight. One or two challengers came close to Secret Agenda but she managed to stay ahead for Oliver to take the win ahead of in-form Viddora who was fresh off a Group 3 RN Irwin Stakes win at the same track two weeks earlier. Taking third place at the Robert Sangster Stakes and rounding off the trifecta was I Am A Star. With another win in the bag, Mick Price could possibly head up the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival with Secret Agenda. The four-year-old is nominated for two Eagle Farm features including the Group 1 $700,000 on the 27th of May as well as the Group 1 $1. 5 million Stradbroke Handicap one month later. Robert Sangster Stakes Results SECRET AGENDA VIDDORA I AM A STAR (NZ) MISSROCK EGYPTIAN SYMBOL ENGLISH I AM ZELADY LEGLESS VEUVE (NZ) RAVI SUPER CASH TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > With just one leg to go before Twickenham, the World Rugby Sevens series is all but wrapped up. South Africa hold the lead with Fiji trailing in second. - Published: 2017-05-09 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/world-rugby-sevens-update-twickenham/ Rugby World Sevens – What to Expect at Twickenham The HSBC world Rugby Seven series tournament is drawing to a close. With just one leg left before the final in Twickenham, there isn’t much time for the teams to claim tournament points. In the most recent leg in Singapore, Canada won their first ever tournament after beating the USA 26 points to 19 in a never seen before Northern America final. The Canadians raced to a 19-0 lead in first half but the USA managed to score twice thanks to the efforts of Perry Baker. A last try in the dying moments of the game courtesy of Lucas Hammond sealed the win for the Canadians. The final day of the Singapore Sevens tournament turned out to be filled with shocks and upsets. Tournament leaders South Africa as well as Fiji and New Zealand were all knocked out in the quarterfinal stages of the competition. England went on to play Australia for the bronze medal, beating them 14-12 at the National Stadium while Wales pipped Scotland 14 points to 12 to claim the Challenge Trophy. While the Springbok Sevens team missed out on the Singapore title, they did just enough to extend their overall lead in the series against their nearest rivals Fiji as well as England. The South African’s finished in 6th spot but with upsets across the board, they managed stay on track for the title. South Africa Extend Their Lead The Blitzboks started the Singapore tournament 23 points clear of Fiji in second place. They have since extended their lead by two points after beating the Olympic champions. England, who picked up third place in Singapore move closer to Fiji and sit just two points behind and 27 points adrift of South Africa. With one leg to go, South Africa are in a commanding position to claim the overall title in Twickenham. Unless they lose focus completely, they should do enough to hold onto their lead. Meanwhile, the battle for second place is all up for grabs. Fiji are sitting on 132 points with England close behind them on 130. New Zealand is also in the running, 20 points adrift. If New Zealand manages to claim a win in Paris, it will be a free-for-all in London. South Africa 7s 157 Fiji 7s 132 England 7s 130 New Zealand 7s 110 USA 7s 101 TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Juventus defeated Monaco in their Champions League first-leg semi-final. Gonzalo Higuain scored both goals to give the Italians a commanding lead. - Published: 2017-05-09 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/gonzalo-higuain-gets-double-juventus/ Gonzalo Higuain Scores Big for Juventus Gonzalo Higuain was the man of the moment this week, scoring two goals for Juventus in their Champions League match against Monaco. Juventus now have one foot in the Champions League final after pipping Monaco in the semi-final first leg. Both goals came from assists courtesy of Dani Alves who followed up on a sensational team move to give the Argentinian the perfect opportunity to find the back of the net just before the 30-minute mark. Higuain slotted home his second just after the break to give Juventus a massive head-start on the final. Having scored a total of 31 goals this season, Higuan received a tremendous applause when he came off the field to be replaced by Juan Cuadrado. Once again, his clinical performance was key for the side and explains why Juventus paid 90 million euros to bring him across from Napoli in 2016. Having won 13 straight matches at the Stade Louis II, Monaco were impressive all the way though the Champions League until they went up against the Italians. Monaco lost their focus and could not find a way through the Juventus defence. They will need to produce something special if they are going to make it to their first Champions League final appearance since 2004. While Juventus may be feeling confident leaving the stadium, the semi-final second leg in Turin next week should be an interesting affair. To date, Juventus have never lost a European tie to a French team. Their performance at the Stade Louis II was so impressive, it is really hard to imagine Monaco being able to put one over the Italians at home. Kylian Mbappe Thwarted by Buffon Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri raised a few eyebrows when he switched out his tried-and-tested back four defence ahead of the Monaco game. Instead, Allegri brought in Andrea Barzagli in an attempt to smother Monaco’s potent attack. The strange tactic paid off for the coach although the absence of Benjamin Mendy contributed did contribute to the efficacy of their approach. After a slow start, Monaco did eventually warm into the game with Kylian Mbappe getting a chance to test Gianluigi Buffon keeping skills with a well-placed header off a Nabil Dirar cross. Around the 16-minute mark, Dirar raced down the right flank again teasing the ball to the near post. However, Buffon was on form again with superb save. Playing his 149th European game, Buffon is still considered one of the best goalkeepers in the world. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The BTC Cup offers South Australian winter sprint action to New Zealand’s racing punters. This year’s race sees the name, date, venue and distance change. - Published: 2017-05-08 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/change-2017-btc-cup/ Brisbane’s BTC Cup Sees Multiple Changes Autumn and winter bring a wealth of Australian horseracing action to keep New Zealand punters entertained. As the autumn carnivals run their course in Perth and Adelaide, the Brisbane Winter Carnival gets into gear on the Gold Coast. The BTC Cup is a 1200m weight-for-age race started in 1964, which has enjoyed Group 1 status since 2006. In 2016, the purse was $500,000, making it one of the key sprints on the winter calendar at Brisbane’s Doomben Racecourse in early May. It has been won by famous sprinters like Black Caviar, in 2011, and Apache Cat, in 2008. This year, the race is still likely to attract a field worthy of a punt, but it has been subject to significant changes: namely the name, length, purse, venue and date. The good news is that the rechristened Darley Kingsford-Smith Cup over 1300m, to be run at Eagle Farm Racecourse on 27 May, now offers total prize money of $700,000, so it is likely to attract a strong field as usual. Malaguerra and Spieth Rivalry Likely to Continue Only one horse has won the BTC Cup two years in succession: Buck’s Pride in 1993-94. The 2016 champion, Malaguerra, will be chasing that record in the 2017 Cup. The 5-year-old gelding is likely to once again face stiff competition from Spieth, the 4-year-old entire who finished second to Malaguerra in the 1200m Group 1 Darley Classic at Flemington in November. In their most recent Group 1 sprint encounter, the 1200m TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick on 1 April, the two horses continued their rivalry, although with a much less impressive result. The heavy going saw Malaguerra finish seventh of 15, and Spieth 10th. However, if the going is good on 27 May at Eagle Farm, the race could be between these two excellent sprinters. They are currently joint ante-post favourites at $7. 00. Another horse to consider is 5-year-old gelding Fell Swoop, at a more profitable $12. 00. He finished third in the TJ Smith, so racing fans will follow his run in the Doomben 10,000, now scheduled for 13 May, with interest. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Jenson Button will make a once-off return to Formula 1 at the Monaco Grand Prix. Button replaces Fernando Alonso who will be competing in the Indi 500. - Published: 2017-05-08 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/jenson-button-back-mclaren-monaco/ Jenson Button Returns to Monaco It has been a while since we have seen Jenson Button competing in Formula 1. The good news for Button fans is that the British driver will be standing in for fellow McLaren driver Fernando Alonso in the upcoming Monaco Grand Prix. McLaren made the announcement last week owing to the fact that the Spaniard will be competing in the Indianapolis 500 on the same day. Speaking to the press, Button said that he was thrilled to be making his once-off return to Formula 1 racing. He said he could not think of a better place to do it than his at Monaco, his adopted home Grand Prix. The 37-year-old Monaco resident handed over his seat to Belgian driver Stoffel Vandoorne at the end of the 2016 season but remains under contact with McLaren, which could see him returning in 2018. Button won the Monaco Grand Prix back in 2009 on his way to the F1 title with Brawn GP. So far, McLaren have had a tough start to the season. With three races down, they have yet to gain a single point. However, the Monaco track with its tricky street circuit could suit the McLaren car. It is also one of the few tracks where drivers make the most difference. On the day, Button will certainly be the most experienced driver in the race. A Chance for Button to Shine Button will make his 306th start at Monaco, putting him third in the most experienced drivers list of all time behind Rubens Barrichello and Michael Schumacher. Button also has the honour of being the last McLaren driver to win a Formula 1 race. This was back in 2012 at the Brazil Grand prix. However, he cannot hope for such success this time around. Making his Formula 1 debut at the tender age of 17, Jensen Button went on to win a total of 15 Grand Prix races. In a statement to the press, Button says that he realises that he doesn’t really have a realistic chance of repeating his 2009 success at Monaco. He does however feel that he has a real chance of scoring some much-needed world champion points for McLaren. According to McLaren racing director, Eric Boullier, Button has managed to keep up his fitness by competing in triathlons. In the upcoming weeks, he will be spending a lot of time in the team’s simulator but will not need to undergo the in-season test in Bahrain. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2017 Giro d'Italia will see a new prize category added to the race. The Pirelli Premio Miglior Discesista will award a prize for race descenders. - Published: 2017-05-07 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/new-prize-category-added-giro-ditalia/ New Prize Added to Giro d'Italia The Giro d'Italia has added a new prize category to the upcoming 2017 edition of the race. Celebrating its 100th edition, the Giro d'Italia will see the incorporation of the Pirelli Premio Miglior Discesista. This new category will be a contest for the fastest descender over ten different segments including the Passo dello Stelvio, the highest peak of the race. While the news of an additional prize may be good for some, the director of the ANAPRC rider’s organisation has been lobbying for rider safety and feels the competition is irresponsible. This year, the organisers of the Giro d'Italia have picked ten segments from stages 8 to 20 for the selected competition. They will award the fastest rider through each segment a prize of €500. According to the official rule book, the rider’s times will be recorded for each of the downhill stretches. This includes: Monte Sant'Angelo – Stage 8 Chieti – Stage 9 Monte Fumaiolo – Stage 11 Colla di Casaglia – Stage 12 Selvino – Stage 15 Passo dello Stelvio –Stage 16 Passo del Tonale – Stage 17 Passo Pordoi – Stage 18 Sella Chianzutan – Stage 19 Monte Grappa – Stage 20 How the Points Will Work In the Pirelli Premio Miglior Discesista descending competition, the top five fastest times in each segment will be awarded a specific number of points from 8 points down to 1 point. At the end of the Giro d'Italia race, the rider with the most points will win the top prize of €5000 while the second placed rider will receive €3000 and third place €2000. The winner of the new descending competition will actually earn the same amount of money as the winner of the mountains classification for the overall best climber. Most of the descending segments will come about in the early to middle stage of each section. However, on stage 11 and a few others, the descending challenge will coincide with the push for the stage victory. Stage 11, Monte Fumaiolo starts the day with a descending segment. At this point the riders have just 25. 2 kilometres left in the stage. Similarly, on stage 15, the Selvino decent starts off with online 28. 2km to go. On stage 16, the Stelvio sees the riders descend from the Cima Coppi, the highest point of the race. It comes just before the Umbrailpass and the exciting downhill finish in Borimo. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The latest news on the NBA Conference semi-finals. The Golden State Warriors defeat the Jazz and the Boston Celtics dispatch the Washington Wizards. - Published: 2017-05-07 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nba/nba-conference-semi-finals-updates/ NBA Conference Semi-Finals Update Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz is one of the biggest players on the court and a candidate for the NBA defensive player of the year award. However, in the first game of the NBA Western conference semi-finals, Gobert didn’t stand a chance against Stephen Curry. Game 1 between the Jazz and the Golden State Warriors saw the two-time MVP player showing off moves that left Gobert spinning in place. Utah did their level best to keep the game as close as possible, but every time the Jazz got within striking distance, the Warriors found a way to extend their lead into double-digits. Warriors Defeat the Jazz After a week long layoff, the Golden State Warriors were firing on all cylinders. Stephen Curry scored 22 points in three quarters of the game helping the Warriors to a convincing 106-94 win over the Utah Jazz. The opening game of the Western Conference saw Draymond Green scoring the first six points for the Warriors, winding up with a total of 17 with 8 rebounds and six assists. Kevan Durant added 17 points with 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Rudy Gobert did the job for the Jazz with 13 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks. Celtics Defeat Wizards In the NBA Eastern Conference semi-finals, Isaiah Thomas helped the Boston Celtics defeat the Washington Wizards with a massive 53 point game. The Celtics take a 2-0 lead in the best of seven semi-finals downing the Wizards 129 points to 119. Isaiah Thomas became the fourth player in the history of the Celtics to score more than 50 points in an NBA post-season game. Unsurprisingly it was also a career best for the NBA star. For the Wizards, John Wall racked up 40 points with 13 rebounds to keep the Wizards within touching distance. For Thomas, the post-season has been a rollercoaster ride. His sister died on the eve of the first round with the star attending the funeral on Saturday before joining the team again on Sunday morning. This was just a few hours before the game in which the Celtics went on to win and Thomas lost a tooth at the same time. The team doctors managed to put it back in but Thomas spent most of Monday and Tuesday at the dentist getting the tooth repositioned. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > With just 12 colts lining up for the Qipco 2000 Guineas, the race sees the smallest field since 1995. Churchill leads the odds with Al Wukair in second. - Published: 2017-05-06 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/latest-update-qipco-2000/ The Qipco 2000 Guineas Set to Thrill The 2017 Qipco 2000 Guineas will be the smallest race since 1995 with just 12 horses in the running after Monday’s confirmation announcement. Four of the horses competing for the Newmarket Classic will represent trainer Aiden O’Brien. He will be saddling ante-post favourite Churchill along with Peace Envoy, Lancaster Bomber and Spirit of Valor. O’Brien will be looking for his eighth win in the classic. If Churchill does take the honours, Aiden O’Brien will become the most successful trainer in the history of the race. Speaking to the press, Churchill’s handler said that the colt is in fine form at the moment and everything is as good as can be expected at this stage. O’Brien was last successful at the 2000 Guineas in 2015 when Gleneagles charged down the straight to claim victory. Al Wukair a Strong Contender This weekend, he has an additional three horses running with Churchill but no Caravaggio in the mix. Meanwhile, French trainer Andre Fabre is feeling confident about his chances with Al Wukair. Fabre was last successful at the 2000 Guineas back in 1995 with Pennenkamp and has high hopes for the three-year-old who carries the colours of Al Shaqab Racing. Speaking to the press, Fabre said that he is feeling confident that Al Wukair will be in the first three on Saturday. That being said, he does feel a bit concerned that he was not a group 1 winner as a two-year-old. This is an achievement most Guineas winners have completed including Pennenkamp and Zafonic. According to Fabre, the ground is not an issue for Al Wukair. He has won on soft ground before and he seems will balanced. Fabre says he has never had any complaints about Newmarket, citing it as one of the best in the word. For trainer Richard Hannon, recent Greenham Winner Barney Roy is one of three possibilities this weekend. He will be running alongside Dream Castle who came in second in Greenham as well as galloper Top Score. Trainer Aiden Obrien will also supply the favourite for the 1000 Guineas with Rhododendron leading the field. Final Field for the Qipco 2000 Guineas Churchill 2. 50 Al Wukair 5. 00 Barney Roy 5. 00 Eminent 6. 00 Dream Castle 17. 00 Lancaster Bomber 26. 00 Rivet 26. 00 Peace Envoy 34. 00 Spirit of Valor 41. 00 Larchmont Lad 51. 00 Top Score 51. 00 Law And Order 67. 00 TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2017 World Table Tennis Championships start in Dusseldorf, Germany on 29 May. New Zealand punters have 613 athletes from 108 countries to choose from. - Published: 2017-05-06 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/table-tennis/table-tennis-world-champs/ Dusseldorf World Table Tennis Championships Field Finalised Since 1957, the World Individual Table Tennis Championships have been held biennially in odd-numbered years, while the World Team Table Tennis Champs have been held in even-numbered years as a separate event since 2000. New Zealand’s table tennis punters have to wait two years between each tournament, so we can expect some intense betting enthusiasm when the 2017 Liebherr World Table Tennis Championships start in Dusseldorf, Germany on 29 May. For the first time, the tournament will be using black-topped tables, which should enhance the televised coverage. Play in the main draw starts on 30 May, with the Men’s and Women’s Doubles Round 1, and the first and second rounds of the Mixed Doubles. The Men’s and Women’s Singles start on 31 May, and 3, 4 and 5 June are devoted to the semi-finals and finals in all categories. The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) announced the final list of players for the Dusseldorf tournament in April. There are 613 athletes listed, from an impressive 108 countries. Matt Hetherington Only New Zealand Player No New Zealand women qualified for the 2017 tournament, and Matthew Hetherington is the only New Zealand player in the men’s competition. The 26-year-old left-hander is unlikely to prove a serious challenge to the top seeds, however, although fans will be eager to see if he can at least make it through final qualifiers on 29 May into the main draw. Chinese players are likely to be the favourites in both the Men’s and Women’s Singles. Despite challenges from current World Number 5, Germany’s Dimitrij Ovtcharov, and players from several other Asian nations, China remains dominant in men’s table tennis, with Long Ma, Zhen-Dong Fan, Xin Xu, and Jike Zhang filling the top four spots on the ITTF ranking ladder. China’s Ning Ding is top of the women’s ladder, followed by countrywoman Yu-Ling Zhu in second place, and Meng Chen at No. 5. Ma and Ding are the reigning Women’s and Men’s Singles World Champions, following their 2015 victories in Suzhou, China. All seven of these stars are included in the squad of six men and six women that China is sending to Dusseldorf, so they are liable to attract the lion’s share of the betting. 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The boxer and former premiership star believes he has what it takes to become the league’s most senior player, surpassing Billy Wilson who retired at the age of 40 in 1967. Speaking to the press, Mundine said that if he could get his fitness anywhere up to what it used to be when he was younger, playing league could definitely be an option. According to Anthony, he wants to do things that have never been done before in the sport, he wants to make it possible. Mundine, who played for the Dragons, quit rugby in 2000 to pursue a career in boxing. Speaking about returning to rugby, Mundine said that it is all about having the right speed, instinct and football experience. Mundine believes he is capable of doing it. He would preferably like to join the Dragons again but he isn’t sure what their plans are until he has had a chat with them. One More Fight Left Right now, Anthony is concentrating training his mind and body. According to him, he is doing all the same training he used to do, but his time he is doing it better. While he has his mind set on returning to rugby league, Mundine will only look at a comeback after he faces off against long-time rival Danny Green. It seems he has not quite hung up his gloves just yet. In their most recent bout in February, Mundine lost to Green in a controversial points decision. This was more than a decade after Mundine defeated his rival in Sydney back in 2006. After the bout in February, Mundine lodged an appeal with the Australian National Boxing Federation to try and get the result changed. But not it seems the former super-middleweight world champion is keen on settling the score once and for all with a third bout. Mundine says he has been in training five days a week in the hope of getting back into the ring with Green at the end of the year. He would personally want the fight to happen at the end of the year but it all depends on Danny Green and his schedule. For now, Mundine is confident that he has what it takes to keep going for another five years if he wanted to. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2017 Spanish Grand Prix will take place on Sunday the 14th of May. We take a look at the drivers’ standings and what to expect in Barcelona. - Published: 2017-05-05 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/latest-2017-spanish-grand-prix/ The 2017 Spanish Grand Prix Valtteri Bottas’ recent win at the Russian Grand Prix has proven that 2017 is going to be an interesting Formula 1 season. With the Spanish Grand Prix on the horizon, Sebastian Vettel leads the drivers’ standings ahead of Lewis Hamilton. In Russia, Bottas fought off intense pressure from Vettel to claim his maiden victory for the season. Starting from third place on the grid, Bottas powered past the Ferrari pair and into and early lead. His Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton took a disappointing fourth place. Sebasitan Vettle finished second ahead of Kimi Raikkonen who claimed his first podium finish since last year’s Australian Grand Prix. Sebastian Vettel now leads the driver’s championship, a full 13 points going into the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona. So far, Vettel has won two races while Hamilton and Bottas both sit at a single win each. This means that the championship is finely poised with Barcelona next on list. The 2017 Spanish Grand Prix will take place on Sunday the 14th of May at 1pm. The two practice rounds will take place on the Friday may 12. On Saturday, the third practice will commence as well as the qualifier to determine which driver gets pole position. What to Expect in Spain The Circuit de Catalunya in Spain was built in Montmeló in 1991. It was designed to coincide with the Barcelona Olympics and has become one of the most widely used tracks in the world. The track was previously known for its frequent passing. This was mainly due to the fact that drivers would follow each other closely through the last two corners before slipstreaming down straight. In recent times, the Barcelona track has become a popular testing track with almost every driver gaining an intense familiarly of its various corners and straights. Despite this, the Spanish Grand Prix remains one of the most exciting races of the year. The undulating mix of low and high speed corners combined with the rough track surface creates a lot of wear on the tires and the cars. In Spain, tyre wear is a major factor. This along with the correct setup to cope with the crosswinds can all lead to an intense competition of skill and mental fortitude TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review Current Drivers Championship Standings Sebastian Vettel Points 86 Lewis Hamilton Points 73 Valtteri Bottas Points 63 Kimi Räikkönen Points 49 Max Verstappen Points 35 Daniel Ricciardo Points 22 Sergio Perez Points 22 Felipe Massa Points 18 Carlos Sainz Points 11 Esteban Ocon Points 9 --- > Saturday, 6 May sees the Schweppes Australasian Oaks run at Morphettville in Adelaide. New Zealand punters will be looking for a filly with staying power. - Published: 2017-05-04 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/schweppes-australasian-oaks-ahead/ Schweppes Australasian Oaks Day Promises Adelaide Action The South Australia Jockey Club’s autumn racing carnival in Adelaide is providing lots of online betting action for New Zealand horseracing fans, and next Saturday’s Schweppes Australasian Oaks at Morphettville Racecourse should attract great interest. The 2000m Group 1 event is South Australia’s premier stayers’ race for 3-year-old fillies, with a field limited to 16 and a purse of $400,000. Apart from being worth a punt in its own right, the race is also a proving ground for the great distance mares of the future, so it draws a lot of racing enthusiasts with an eye for the long game. The 1200m Robert Sangster Stakes, the other Group 1 race on the Morphettville card on 6 May, is being run under sponsorship as the Ubet Classic, with a bump in the purse that makes it South Australia’s first million-dollar race. Overall, the prizes on Schweppes Australasian Oaks Day now total $2,775,000, so both Group 1 races are set to attract strong fields. Some Ante-Post Odds that Look Promising There are still 36 horse listed on ante-post betting sites in the nominations for the 2017 Schweppes Australasian Oaks, so New Zealand punters will want to wait until the field is finalised before they place any big bets. But there are some horses that should definitely make the final field, so a riskier early bet at good odds could pay off. Kenedna, trained by Darren Weir and part-owned by Darren Weir Racing, has just won her first two starts at Morphettville, over 1600m and 1800m. This brings her career record to five wins in 12 starts, and as she’s only finished out of the places three times, she is currently the $3. 50 favourite for the Oaks. But Danny O’Brien’s Toffee Nose is at $6. 00, and her win over 2000m at Caulfield last week, against older horses, shows that she can handle the distance. Chris Waller-trained Egg Tart is also being offered at $6. 00, after her promising second place in her first anti-clockwise race at Flemington on 25 April, which bodes well for Morphettville. New Zealand filly Savvy Dreams is at $10. 00 for the Oaks, but after a disappointing 10th place in her first race at Morphettville last week, punters may be thinking twice. 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He then went on to add another 15 appearances in the playoffs, adding some credit to his NBA stats. In 2017, the story looks the same for Jones. The 36-year-old has just completed his second match of the year for the Cavaliers. This was in the Cavaliers’ first game of the second-round playoffs against the Toronto Raptors. Dahntay hasn’t been on the bench, in fact, his lack of appearance is all down to the fact that he hasn’t been part of the team for very long. In 2016, the Cleveland franchise bought Jones for a sum of $US9000 on the final day of the regular season. This year, they did it again. Despite having Lebron James and the rest of the big playmakers in the regular season, the Cavs felt the addition of the 14-year NBA veteran was needed for their postseason security. Jones had been playing a number of pick-up games to maintain his fitness while the Cavaliers secured a spot at the top of the Eastern Conference. But it seems the Cavs enjoys his presence in the locker room and brought him on board. LeBron to the Rescue As they did in 2016, the Cavaliers bought Jones for $US9000, signing him just before the end of the regular season. The meagre sum is really not much in the scope of the NBA and after Tuesday’s performance, it became a lot less. In their match against the Raptors, Jones committed two technical fouls and was booted from the game. He subsequently picked up a $6000 fine for his infringements, a whopping two-thirds of his salary. In 2016, a similar incident took place with Jones being suspended for game four of the Eastern Conference finals. This was after Dahntay Jones hit Bismack Biyombo in the groin. At the time, LeBron James picked up the tab, and it seems he will be coming to the rescue yet again. While he has agreed to pay the fine LeBron has a word of warning for his teammate. Speaking to the press, LeBron said that he told Dahntay that enough was enough; the NBA star has to stop getting kicked out of games. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Crusaders have extended their lead to four points over the Chiefs after racking up a seven-try win against a fired-up Cheetahs team in Bloemfontein. - Published: 2017-05-03 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/crusaders-show-might-cheetahs/ Crusaders Extend Their Super Rugby Lead Since winning their last title in 2008, many Crusaders fans have been wondering when the former champions will win their next? This season, it seems like the more telling question would be which team has what it takes to actually beat them in a single game. After going up against the Cheetahs last Sunday, the Crusaders have extended their lead at the top of the table with an impressive seven try victory. Their performance in Bloemfontein against the Cheetahs highlighted yet again their explosive attacking capabilities of the team with at the backline getting in on the action. This coming weekend, the Crusaders face off against the Bulls in Pretoria but will most likely face a more serious challenge when they return to Christchurch to take on the Hurricanes. The Hurricanes were cooling their heels this past weekend but will be back in action this Friday to take on the Stormers. If any team has what it takes to match the offensive power of the Crusaders, it is the Hurricanes. In all likelihood, the match will come down to defence more than anything else. In that case, Scott Robertson should be feeling fairly confident about his chances. In the match against the Cheetah’s, the Crusaders fielded an impressive back three of George Bridge, David Havili and Seta Tamanivalu. George Bridge managed to repeat his hat-trick seen a week before against the Stormers while Havili notched up a double. While the Cheetahs were heavy on the counter attack, they had their hands full with the Crusaders trio who were given room to run thanks to the skills of Richie Mo'unga. Whitelock Cited With All Blacks skipper Kieran Read recovering from a broken thumb, his replacement Whetu Douglas has moved to the Italian club Treviso, prompting the Crusaders to bring in the more than competent Pete Samu. While the Crusaders were overambitious at points during the Cheetahs, game, they created a wealth of finishing chances and looked like a cohesive unit for the bulk of the game. The bonus point against the Cheetahs put the Crusaders four points above the Chiefs on the ladder. However, the game was not as clinical as the team would have liked. Aside from the injury to Read, Sam Witelock was sent off for the final 10 minutes and received a citation for elbowing Cheetah’s prop Charles Marais. After being tackled in the air, Whitelock struck out in frustration, a move the lock should be disappointed with after having such an impressive season so far. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand racing fans expect a prime South Australia sprint with the Robert Sangster Stakes on 6 May. It could also reveal options for the Goodwood later. - Published: 2017-05-03 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/robert-sangster-stakes-6-may/ Morphettville’s Robert Sangster Stakes on 6 May New Zealand horseracing fans have plenty of Australian online betting options in the Autumn Carnival at Adelaide’s Morphettville Racecourse. The Robert Sangster Stakes, for fillies and mares three years old and older, is a 1200m sprint scheduled for 6 May. The race dates back to 1983, when it was inaugurated as the Swettenham Stud Stakes. After the death of Swettenham principal and successful breeder Robert Sangster in 2004, the race was renamed in his honour in 2005. Since 2009, it has been known by a variety of sponsor names, and it is currently titled the Ubet Classic. The Group 1 weight-for-age Robert Sangster sees its purse raised to $1-million this year. Robert Sangster Stakes Day will also see the running of the Group 3 Jansz National Stakes over 1200m and the 2000m Group 1 Australasian Oaks, so it will be a popular meeting in the 2017 Adelaide Festival of Racing. Viddora Fancied after RN Irwin Stakes The Group 3 RN Irwin Stakes over 1100m at Morphettville is viewed by many punters as a handy precursor to the Robert Sangster Stakes. This year’s RN Irwin Stakes, run on 22 April, was won by Viddora, trained by Lloyd Kennewell. Some punters now fancy the 4-year-old mare for the Robert Sangster, even though she is only sixth-favourite in ante-post betting, at $10. 00. I Am Gypsy, the 5-year-old trained by Gordon Richards that finished third after Illustrious Lad in the RN Irwin, is being offered at $101 for the Robert Sangster, for those who want to take a flyer on an outsider. Moreiro and Sheidel a Formidable Combo Hong Kong-based Brazilian jockey Joao Moreiro, acknowledged as one of world racing’s superstars, has been booked to ride 5-year-old Sheidel, the runner up to Precious Gem in last year’s Robert Sangster. ‘Magic Man’ Moreiro has ridden Sheidel twice before: at Flemington’s Group 3 Sensis Stakes in October 2016, and most recently in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield in February. Both races are run over 1100m, and Sheidel and Moreiro were victorious on both occasions. She is being offered at $8. 00. The Goodwood is South Australia’s premier sprint over 1200m, and it is scheduled at Morphettville on 20 May. The Robert Sangster could also prove a useful guide to the form of those fillies and mares that go on to run the Goodwood. 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Unfortunately the Brit pulled out of the match citing a back injury that has left him unable to compete until he has fully recovered. They are leaving announcing whom exactly will be the boxer facing Parker until a press conference to be held this week. The announcement is delayed in part so that the team can fly in the contender to Auckland for the press conference. Very Little Revealed The head of Duco Events, David Higgins, claims that the replacement fighter meets all the necessary requirements to fit the bill of replacements fight. He further said that the fighter matches Hughie Fury physical but is probably an even more powerful puncher. WBC champion, Deontay Wilder has challenged Parker for a unification bout in response to the news that Fury had pulled out. Additionally the cousin of Hughie Fury, the heavyweight Tyson Fury also issued a tongue in cheek challenge to Parker. Bad Blood Between Camps Since the announcement there have been a lot of barbs thrown back and forth between the Parker camp and the Fury camp. It seems that there is definitely some bad blood brewing that may mean that a matchup is in the cards in the future. The preliminary date for the fight has been set for the 6th of May. The match is set to take place in New Zealand. Duco events outbid the Fury camp who wanted to bring the fight to England. The Tale Of The Tape Hughie Fury is a celebrated professional boxer who in 2012 became the first English amateur boxer to win a gold medal at the Youth World Championships in the Super Heavyweight boxing category. He turned professional shortly after this gold medal and was soon standing with a 20-0 undefeated record and the WBO Intercontinental Title. Fury is ranked number 2 on the WBO world boxing rankings. For now his 20 fight undefeated streak is still safe. By comparison, Joseph Parker is also on an undefeated streak with 22 wins on record. However Parker is a decorated champion with the WBO Oriental, African as well as Oceania titles to his name. He has also delivered a sterling performance representing New Zealand at the Commonwealth games. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2017 Doomben 10000 is scheduled to take place on the 13th of May 2017. We take a look at the history of the race, past winners and leadup races. - Published: 2017-05-02 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/rundown-2017-doomben-10000/ Anticipation Builds for The Doomben 10000 The Doomben 10000 is a Group 1 thoroughbred horse race held under weight-for-age conditions. It is Queensland’s main Group 1 sprint of year and is held at the Doomben racecourse in Brisbane Australia on the 13th of May 2017. Raced over a distance to 1350 meters, the race officially changed its name to the Doomben 10 000 when it offered a total prize of ₤10,000, which at the time made it Australia’s richest horse race. Today the Doomben offers a total prize money of $750,000. The 2016 Doomben 10000 was run on the 28th of May with Music Magnate taking the honours. All of the past winners have been outstanding sprinters including Hot Danish who won it in 2010 as well as Apache Cat in 2009 and Takeover Target in 2007. In 1946, Bernborough won the race under 65. 5kg before going on to win the Doomben Cup one week later. Because of the larger than normal field and the way the track is designed, barriers play an important role in how a horse will fare. If we take a look at how the favourites have fared over the past few years we can see that in the last decade 3 out of 10 winners have been favourites with an average price of around $3. 46. It also has to be noted that in that same time, 3 out of 10 favourites failed to place and were sitting at odds of around $4. 25. Race Favourites If we look back to 1983, a total of 11 winners have won with odds in the double figures. The average odds for these winners were around $18. 64. Last Year, Music Magnate charged down the Doomben course to give New Zealand trainer Bjorn Baker his first Group 1 win in Australia. If we take the last ten years as a guide, we can see that the key leadup race to the Doomben 10000 is if the 1200 meter BTC Cup, which is run two weeks before. In total, 4 winners from the BTC cup have placed in the Doomben while only Apache Cat and Sea Siren managed the double in 2008 and 2012 respectively. In most cases, three-year-olds do better late in the season under weight-for-age conditions. However, at the Doomben, only two three-year-olds have won in the last 12 years including Sea Siren in 2012 as well as Epaulette in 2013. In the last decade, one a single four-year-old has won the race, this being Undue in 2006. 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He was voted the 2017 caddie of the year by the LGPA during the Women’s championship, sponsored by HSBC. He previously has caddied for Ha Na Jang. Godfrey also brings up the rivalry between Ko and Ariya Jutanugarn as he was her former caddie as well. He played with her when she won the Ricoh Women’s Open in 2016. This will be Ko’s tenth caddie, even though she just turned 20 last week. A Sudden Departure From Ko Her previous caddie was Gary Matthews he was at her side for 9 events, of which she finished 5 in the top ten. Matthews had some parting words for Ko after he was let go. He stated that Ko needs to learn a lot about caddie-player relationships. Their last event was the Lotte Championship in Hawaii where Ko finished 2nd, her best performance of the year. The Parting Shot Matthews stated that he was only told he was being fired moments before this last event with Ko. He was told by her agent that Ko needs a change and that Hawaii will be there last match together. Ironically it turned out to be their best game yet. Matthews said that that day their communication was better than it had ever been. Before Matthews, Ko had Jason Hamilton as her caddie. He remained her caddie for 2 years, the longest stint a caddie has had with Ko. A Force To Be Reckoned With It isn’t really strange that Lydia has had so many caddies. She is currently ranked world no 1 in women’s golf with an unbelievably illustrious career, despite her young age. It seems she wants the best available to her. She won her first major at age 18. The youngest woman to ever do so. She also holds the record for youngest woman to be ranked world no 1 as well as holding the records for lowest final round in woman’s majors. One day before her 17th birthday, time listed her as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. 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In 2016, Black Heart Bart took the honours with Under the Louvre coming in second and Stupido placing third. Goodwood day is one of the most popular race days of the Adelaide autumn racing carnival. The Goodwood feature sprint is the richest race in the carnival and attracts quite a crowd. The Goodwood is held alongside the Group 3 SA Oaks, the National Stakes and the Group 3 RA lee Stakes. This year, the 2017 Goodwood race will be held on Saturday the 20th of May at Morphettville racecourse. As a premier sprint race in the Adelaide racing carnival, the Goodwood attracts strong field of competitive gallopers. Before 2007, the race was held under handicap conditions. It then switched over to set weights and a penalty race setup. Lead up races to the Goodwood includes the Group 3 RN Irwin Stakes and the Group 3 DC Mckay Stakes. In 2009, I am Invincible won the DC Mckay before placing second in the Goodwood. The large fields in the Goodwood make the barrier draw particularly important for a horses chances. In the last 32 winners, only four have won from a barrio outside of 13. Previous Winners Over the years, some big names have led the charge down the Morphettville course including Black Caviar in 2012, Takeover Target in 2009 and Super Elegant in 2004. The leading trainer in the race is Walter Hickenbotham with five wins between 1901 and 1910. Jockey John Letts holds the record for the most wins with a total of five between 1961 and 1984. In recent years, Black Caviar and Platelet both won the Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes before picking up the win at Goodwood. In 2016, Black Heart Bart finished runner up in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes in Randwick before heading over to Adelid to win the Goodwood in grand style. Other recent winners of the race include Flamberge in 2015, Smokin’ Joey in 2014 and Platelet in 2013. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Jarryd Hayne from the Titans has publically stated he is considering leaving the team. It seems internal unrest has forced his hand to leave the team early. - Published: 2017-04-30 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/hayne-contemplates-titan-departure/ NRL Abuzz With Possible Hayne Departure Jarryd Hayne has cause a huge stir after he has publically stated that he will be considering taking his option to leave the Titans as soon as the end of the season comes around. If it turns out to be true, he will be making waves throughout the clubs of the NRL. In recent weeks, there have been three big name moves that have been associated with the NRL’s West Tigers. Unrest In The Team The announcement comes after reports surfaced that Hayne has not been a team player within the Titan squad. It may be that the decision to leave the Titans is not up to Jarryd at all, but a move to retain team cohesion. There have also been recent rumours that Jarryd may be returning to his former club, the Parramatta Eels. Apparently Hayne’s representative met with Parramatta official in order to gage interests in the player. The Option To Pull Out According to Hayne’s contract, he is set to play for the Titans until the end of the 2018 season. He does however have a clause in his contract allowing him to choose to leave the club before the official end of his season. Since team management or even the players themselves have not been happy with Hayne, he may be forced to take this option early. There have been reports that Hayne is bringing down the entire team as he refuses to take his training seriously and his conduct forces the rest of the team to endure extra drills at the end of their sessions as the coach’s punishment to Hayne. A Well Heeled Player Coach Neil Henry has so far declined to offer any comment on Jarryd’s performance or attitude, on or off the pitch. The same goes for his team mates who have refused to offer any further comment on the matter. He has until the end of May to decide what his future will be. Whatever his decision, it won’t be an easy one as he will be saying goodbye to a $ 1. 2 million final season contract. If Hayne takes a position at the Parramatta Eels, his contract there will be about $ 400 000 short of the Titans package. In his past career, Jarryd has played with the Australian sevens team, the Fiji sevens team as well as taking part in American Football for the San Francisco 49’ers. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The ICC has announced the practice schedule for the upcoming Woman’s Cricket World Cup. New Zealand will face off against India on the 19th of June. - Published: 2017-04-30 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/womans-cricket-world-cup-practice-schedule/ Practice Schedule Announced for Woman’s World Cup Punters and cricket fans don’t have long to wait until the Woman’s Cricket World Cup officially gets underway on the 24th of June. Running until the 23rd of July, the 2017 Woman’s Cricket World Cup will showcase the best ODI teams from around the world and provide plenty of betting action. This year, England will play host to the eight competing nations with the final being played on the hallowed grounds of Lord’s. England has hosted the World Cup on two previous occasions, winning it both times in 1973 and 1993. The Woman’s Cricket World Cup will be made up of eight teams who have all qualified through the ICC Championship or through the World Cup qualifying tournament. Australia was the first team to book their spot in the World Cup finishing on top of the ICC Championship log. England followed behind them in second place with New Zealand and the West Indies claiming the final two qualifiers. The remaining teams qualified through the Woman’s World Cup Qualifier tournament held in February this year. Ten teams entered the tournament hoping to book their spot in the World Cup. Of the ten, Pakistan, South Africa, India and Sri Lanka topped the log, making up the other half of the eight competing for the World Cup title. Teams that missed out this year included Bangladesh, Ireland and Scotland. The 2017 Warm-up Schedule In preparation for the World Cup, the ICC has announced the official warm up schedule for the eight competing nations. The Warm-up matches will kick off on the 19th of June and run to the 22nd, giving the teams a chance to adapt to the English conditions. New Zealand will get thing started on the 19th facing off against India in Derby while the hosts take on Sri Lanka in Chesterfield. The following day, 2013 Cup winners Australia will take South Africa in Ockham while the West Indies take on Pakistan on the same day. On the 21st of June, England will face off against New Zealand while India play Sri Lanka in Chesterfield. The Australian team, who are looking for their seventh World Cup victory will play Pakistan in Leicestershire while the West Indies will go up against South Africa in Oakham. The two-pronged warm up games will give the teams the best possible chance to adapt to the field conditions and hone their preparations for the main event. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand ice hockey punters have the Stanley Cup Finals ahead in June. Until then, the Play-Offs will continue to provide exciting betting through May. - Published: 2017-04-29 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/hockey/gearing-stanley-cup-finals/ Stanley Cup Finals Ahead in June Ice hockey is a minority sport in New Zealand, as it is in many parts of the world, but Kiwi punters can still enjoy the best action on the ice anytime, thanks to online betting sites. Fans are getting ready for the most prestigious tournament of the year, when North America’s Stanley Cup Finals in June will see the top teams in the NHL’s Eastern and Western Conferences compete for the cup. Until then, of course, betting fans can get plenty of action from the NHL Play-Offs. The first round featured the top eight teams on each conference ladder after the regular season, and finished on 22 April with the field narrowed down to eight. The second round runs from 26 April to 11 May, and the two winning teams in each conference then play the Conference Finals over the last two weeks of May. The two Conference champions will then compete in the Stanley Cup Finals in June, in a series of up to seven games, which is standard in all the Play-Offs rounds. No Seventh Games in First Round With each round a best-of-seven contest, the Play-Offs obviously require a minimum four games per round, but the full seven may not be needed. A case in point: in the first round of the 2017 NHL Play-Offs, none of the match-ups required a seventh game to decide who went through to the Conference Semi-Finals. In the Eastern Conference, wild cards the New York Rangers took out Atlantic Division Champions the Montreal Canadians 4-2, a score repeated in the Ottawa Senators’ win over the Boston Bruins and Metropolitan Division Champions the Washington Capitals’ victory over wild cards the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Pittsburgh Penguins were the fourth Eastern Conference team to go through, after beating the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1. In the Western Conference, Central Division Champions the Chicago Blackhawks went down 4-0 to wild cards the Nashville Predators, as did wild cards the Calgary Flames in their defeat by Pacific Division Champions the Anaheim Ducks. The St Louis Blues beat the Minnesota Wild 4-1, and the Edmonton Oilers beat the San Jose Sharks 4-2. This leaves the Oilers and the Senators as the only Canadian teams still hoping to make the 2017 Stanley Cup Finals. 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First held in Rhode Island in some 20 years ago, the X Games is an annual extreme sports event hosted by ESPN, featuring over 200 of the best extreme athletes from around the world. The X Games often features big names in the sports industry as well as new tricks such as Travis Pastrana's exciting double backflip in freestyle motocross or Tony Hawk’s astounding 900 in skateboarding. The X Games also includes an environmental event as well as a music concert held over a period of three days. As with the Olympics, the X Games is split into the summer and Winter Games. The Winter games are held in January/February while the summer games are held in July/August. Minneapolis 2017 The Winter X Games features events such as skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling; while the Summer games features skateboarding, moto X and BMX events. The 2017 Summer X Games will take place from the 13th to the 16th of July in Minneapolis Minnesota. This will be the first time the X Games is held in the Midwest with the 2018 Games also scheduled to be held in Minnesota. This year, over 200 of the world’s best extreme athletes will be in attendance hoping to claim the bronze, silver or gold medal. There are three main sporting events at the Summer X Games; names BMX, skateboarding and Moto X. Within each sport, there are multiple disciplines including: BMX Events Big Air Doubles Dirt Dave Mirra's Park Best Trick Park Street Vert Moto X Events Best Trick, Best Whip Harley Davidson Flat-Track Racing Freestyle QuarterPipe High Air Step Up Skateboarding Events Big Air Doubles Park (M&W) Street (M&W) Vert For local punters, betting on the X Games can be fun and rewarding. Before placing any large bet though, it is important to gather as much information as possible about the competitors and the type of discipline they are the most proficient. It is often easier to track individual competitors in a single discipline over the last 12 months to gauge their performance at the X Games. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Kalyn Ponga, the current North Queensland teen star will be making the move to Australia. He is joining the Newcastle Knights in the 2018 rugby season. - Published: 2017-04-28 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/teen-ponga-play-oz/ Teen Sensation Kalyn Ponga to go to Australia The 19-year-old player, Kalyn Ponga has been coveted for some time now by the major professional leagues. He is currently under contract with the North Queensland Cowboys but he has decided to make the shift to Australian Rugby. It is believed he was included in an expanded Kiwi squad in order to gain him some experience as well as to convince him to stay with the Kiwi rather than make the move to Australia. Ponga has had one of his best games of his life this past weekend for the Queensland Cowboys. They defeated the Newcastle Knights, the team Ponga will be joining next year in a multimillion-dollar deal. A Life Of Achievement Ponga was born in Western Australia and has a Maori father. This makes him eligible to play for both Australia and New Zealand. From a young age Ponga showed immense promise. He soon became a member of the Rugby League Academy program in Australia and played on the junior league for Souths Mackay. He signed to a scholarship in 2011 with Central Queensland. On To The Professionals In December of 2013, Ponga moved to Brisbane and played for the Easts Tigers during the Cyril Connell Cup. During this time he was pursued by 7 professional sports clubs, including the Sydney Roosters, the Queensland Reds, and the Brisbane Lions, but rejected them all to play for the New Castle Knights. His first appearance off the bench was in a 50-6 victory by the Cowboys over the Parramatta Eels. By the end of the year he was the starting fullback with 8 tries scored in 8 games. To Oz Next Year He spent the majority of 2016 playing for the Cowboys and was named the fullback of the “Team of the Year”. It also came to light that during the first few months of 2015, Pongo was fighting a life threatening infection of his brain. This year Pongo will be representing North Queensland in the NRL Auckland Nines. He took the team straight to the quarterfinals where they lost out to Western Storm. Pongo walked away with 5 tries and another “Team of the Tournament” award. Now Pongo has been officially signed with the Newcastle Knights and he is set to start the 2018 season with the team. The North Queensland Cowboys have declined to let him leave early. 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The LM GTE pro and LM GTE categories are all up for grabs in one of motorsport’s biggest endurance races of the year. Over the past few months, the teams invited to the race have slowly been revealing their line-ups. While most of the spots are confirmed, there are still plenty of seats up for grabs in the LM P2 category. Taking up 25 out of the 60 cars, the LM P2 class accounts for just under half the grid. This equates to around 75 drivers in totals. At this stage, all of the teams have nominated their designated driver, however, many teams have yet to release their full line-ups. Vaillante Rebellion Ready for June One exception this year is Vaillante Rebellion. Returning to the LM P2 class, the team selected their full list of drivers some time ago. The Swiss team will again be running with the number 13. Their line-up will include Nelson Piquet Jr who is returning for a second consecutive year as well as Mathias Beche and David Heinemeier Hansson. Oreca 07 will be given to Nicolas Prost, Buno Senna and Julien Canal who is a three-time class winner at Le Mans. TDS Racing have also finalised their line-up of the number 28 Oreca 07 for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Sharing the wheel will be Francois Perrrodo, Emmanuel Collard and Matthieu Vaxivière. TDS Racing are also planning to run G-Drive number 26 Oreca with Pierre Thiriet and Roman Rusinov as the two named drivers so far. G-Drive Racing’s number 22 Oreca has Memo Rojas confirmed but is waiting for a fellow teammate to be announced. They will be contesting the European Le Mans Series together with DraonSpeed. There are only four other teams who have confirmed all three drivers for the 85th 24 Hours of Le Mans. Racing debutant, IDEC Sport Racing will be headed up by Paul Lafargue along with David Zollinger and Patrice Lafargue. The all-Italian outfit Cetilar Villorba Corse will have Roberto Lacorte sharing the driving with Sernagiotto and Andrea Bellicchi. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Wellington Saints have continued their NBL winning streak. They defeated the Nelson Giants to take their total to 10 straight wins for the season. - Published: 2017-04-27 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/wellington-saints-defeat-nelson-giants-110-84/ Saints Move to Double Figures in NBL The Wellington Saints have continued their NBL winning streak with another massive win over the Nelson Giants. Their latest 110-84 point win takes the Saints into double digits for 2017 and Top of the log. With a nine-day break coming up for the Saints, Corey Webster was rested, giving the Giants a glimpse of a chance against the hosts. However, their hopes were soon dashed as fellow guard Shea Ili picked up where Webster left off, racking up an impressive 27 points with 10 assists and six steals. The Giants had good form in the first quarter with Finn Delany ticking over the scoreboard at regular intervals. But despite his 30-point contribution, the Giants just could not prevent the Saints from producing another commanding performance. Delany managed to score the first eight points for the Giants, getting most of the play, converting four out of five field goals. He finished the first quarter with a healthy 15 points. If the Giants were facing any other team in the league, they would probably have been well in the lead. Against the Saints though, it was another story. Just before the buzzer sounded, Shea Ili landed another brilliant buzzer beater to put the saints up 26-20. In the second period, the gap expanded even further. It wasn’t until Morgan Grim hit a three-pointer in the second quarter that the Giants made any headway on their initial 24 points. Most of the scoring in fact came from Delany and Kyle Adnam who added 25 points with a total of seven assists. No Way Back for the Giants Halfway through the second quarter, the Giants were playing four starters from their five players due to fouls. Seizing the opportunity, Ili ran away with the scoring adding another 11 points to put the saints 18 points up. This ultimately led to the ever-increasing 60-44 lead going into half time. In the third quarter, the Saints added another 11 points, pretty much locking in the win with Tai Wesley scoring 16 points with 12 rebounds. In the final quarter, the Saints managed to surpass the 100-point mark, as they have done in every single home game his season. Their 110 – 84 point win rounded off an impressive performance, taking their total to 10 undefeated games this season. The team will go into their nine-day gap sitting comfortably on top of the NBL ladder. Meanwhile the Giants remain in sixth place with a 2-8 record. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > James Carney was sent off with a red card in a match between the Red Devils and the Wolfpack. Carney allegedly used racial slurs on an opposing player. - Published: 2017-04-27 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/carney-suspended-tribunal/ Super League Slur Leads To Suspension An unfortunate incident occurred during the recent NRL’s Red Devils and Wolfpack match. Justin Carney could be facing an 8 game suspension after throwing racial slurs at the Wolfpack’s Ryan Bailey. During the match between Salford and Toronto, the Red Devils went home with a 29-22 victory. This is despite Carney being sent off for 26 minutes following the incident. He received a red card after alleged racial abuse was directed at Ryan Bailey. Greg Johnson, Kris Welham and Gareth ‘O Brien secured the victory for the devils after they each scored tries in the game. The Team Investigation The Devils announced after the match that they will be launching their own personal inquiry into the matter. They will be speaking to Carney and asking him to explain his behaviour. Additionally the RFL review panel has charged Carney with verbal abuse based on another players’ race or colour. Carney can potentially be facing an F grade offence charge, which means the maximum penalty of an 8 game ban. Another potential repercussion against the player could be a suspension based on a fixed time period Adjournment Of Original Hearing A formal tribunal hearing Carney’s case was set to happen in Leeds. The player would have been present but is not able to enter an early guilty plea. The tribunal was adjourned on request of the Red Devils. They will keep Carney on suspension for Sunday’s upcoming game against Widnes. So far most members of the Red Devils have declined to offer any comment until the tribunal has completed their investigation. Until then Carney will remain off the field. A Player Profile Carney has previously played with the Sydney Roosters, Castleford Tigers and the Canberra Raiders. He had a 5 year contract with the Castleford Tigers and played with the Red Devils as part of a loan contract which became a permanent move in 2016. These recent events follow shortly on the heels of another racial incident in the world of tennis. Last week the tennis hall of famer, Ilsie Nastase was handed a suspension by the ITF after similar racial slurs and sexist remarks aimed at the British Woman’s Tennis team while they were facing Nastase’s Romanian team. His racial slurs were directed at 23 time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams regarding the potential colour of her as yet unborn baby. 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With another win in the bag, the girls have extended their World Series lead by 10 points over defending champs, Australia. On the day, it was their fitness and composure, which lead to the New Zealand side overpowering Canada to claim the spoils. Canada had come through day 2 playoffs having seen off the Australians and Russia in a powerful display of skill and dominance. While they lacked the same edge against New Zealand, Canadian player Jen Kish would be heavily disappointed as she scored early on in the game but lost the ball over the line. Portia Woodman was voted as player of the final after running a massive 60 meter try while Niall Williams scored her fifth for the weekend with a quick opportunistic takedown. Canada led for most of the match and were holding onto their 14-12 lead with the end in sight. This was until Blyde planted the match winner with the help of some brilliant passing from Kelly Brazier and captain Sarah Gross. Good Fighting Spirit Speaking to the press, Portia Woodman said that the Canadian team had been on point all day and they had to work extremely hard to keep them back, even though their lungs were hurting and their legs were spent. The New Zealand team displayed good fighting spirit in Japan. Going up against France on day one, England in the quarterfinal and of the mighty Canadians in the final, it really put the team through their paces. Australia and Fiji fought it out for the bronze medal with Australia managing to scrape through with a 19-17 victory. The 2016 Rio Olympic Gold winners have not won a single Cup in the Sevens series, leaving rugby fans scratching their heads. The next World Series tournament will take place in Langford Canada on the 27-28th of May. This will be the penultimate tournament in series, with the New Zealand side gunning for the title. There have been rumours though that players such as Woodman and Brazier will not be available, as they will be gearing up the Rugby World Cup. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Adam Milne and Mitch McClenaghan will re-join the Black Caps ODI squad for the upcoming 2017 Champions Trophy. They bring huge experience to the side. - Published: 2017-04-26 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/mcclenaghan-milne-back-odi-squad/ Milne and McClenaghan Back in the ODI Squad The Black Caps are welcoming back Adam Milne and Mitch McClenaghan to the ODI squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy in June this year. The two fast bowlers have been plagued by injures for most of the year. The last time McClenaghan played in an ODI for New Zealand was in January last year. It was in the Wellington match against Pakistan that McClenaghan received a blow above the eye, putting him out of action for a while. A few further injuries hampered his domestic career although he played a key role for the Mumbai Indians, putting them on top of the IPL with a massive 12 wicket haul. His ODI record is equally impressive, with 81 wickets in 48 matches with figures of 28. 2. Fast bowler, Adam Milne has also missed out on playing for New Zealand since the T20 World Cup last year. At just 25 years old, Milne has been playing for New Zealand for seven years but has been played with injuries on and off for months. Cory Anderson Back in Action In the 51 One Day Internationals he has played, Milner has picked up 52 wickets at figures of 33. He also provides and extra bit of pace and is a much sought after outfielder. Milne plays for the Royal Challengers Bangalore and won his place in the side at the expense of Locki Ferguson who just completed his debut season. Another player who will be re-joining the side is Cory Anderson. The all rounder who plays for the Delhi Daredevils has had injuries problems of his own to overcome but will certainly be welcomed back into the squad. Speaking to the press, coach Mike Hesson said that the three bowlers will add a lot of experience to the squad and that it is good to see them back in the park. The rest of the squad will remain unchanged with Tom Latham donning the wicketkeeper gloves, off spinner Jeetan Patel in the line-up as well as Mitch Santner and Luke Ronchi. There will be four fast bowlers in the mix as well as Jimmy Neesham, de Grandhomme with Anderson doing the job for the medium pace bowlers. At first glance, the squad looks to be chosen with the IPL in mind. The players from the IPL have been in training since the end of the New Zealand cricket season and will be in peak performance for the upcoming Champions Trophy. New Zealand will kick off with pool games against Australia on the 2nd of June, England on the 6th and Bangladesh on the 9th. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Doomben Cup is Brisbane’s most prestigious staying races of the season. We take a look at the history of the race and what to expect in 2017. - Published: 2017-04-25 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/expect-group-1-doomben-cup/ Gearing Up for the Doomben Cup The Doomben Cup is a Group I thoroughbred horserace held under weight-for-age conditions, forming part of the Queensland Winter Racing Carnival. The race takes place in May each year at the Doomben Racecourse with a total prize money of $650,000. In recent years, the Doomben Cup has even surpassed the prestigious Brisbane Cup as Queensland’s premier staying event of the season. The first Doomben Cup was held in 1993 over a distance of 10 furlongs. Pentheus won the inaugural race in a steady time of 2. 05. 7. In 1946, the race was won by the famous galloper Bernborough, who carried 68kg through for the win. The Doomben Cup was initially run as a handicap before being converted to a weight-for-age event. The last handicap race was won by Abstraction in 1989. Between 1991 and 1993, New Zealand Bred Rough Habit won the race a record three times with jockey Jim Cassidy on the reigns. The profile of the Doomben Cup is best suited for geldings and entries of four-years-old or older. In fact, in 1995, Danewin was only the second three-year-old to win the race since its beginnings. In the last few decades, only two mares have managed to win the race including Cinque Cento in 2007 as well as Steama in 2014. Interestingly enough, not a single three-year-old filly has ever won the race. Some of the most distinguished winners include Defier in 2004, Intergaze in 1999 and Might and Power in 1998. Lead Up Races The main leadup race to the Doomben Cup is the 1800 meter Hollindale Stakes that is run two weeks before at the Gold Coast. Nine Doomben Cup winners have come through from the Hollindale Stakes, five of which were able to complete the double including Metal Bender, Streama, Bush Padre, Above Deck and Bureaucrat. Other notable leadup races include the Queen of the South race in Adelaide, the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick and the Prime Ministers Cup held at the Gold Coast. The 2017 Doomben Cup will be held on Saturday the 20th of May at Doomben Racecourse in Brisbane Australia. In 2016 the race was won by Our Ivanhowe with Pornichet claiming victory in 2015 and Streama in 2014. In the past decade two out of ten favourites have gone on to win the race at odds of around $3. 38. At the same time, three out of 10 favourites have failed to place. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2017 U.S Open Golf Championship is scheduled to kick off on the 15th of June. We take a look at the field and what to expect this time around. - Published: 2017-04-25 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/upcoming-u-s-open-golf-championship/ The U. S Golf Open Draws Near In the world of professional golf, the U. S Open is one of the leading international golfing championship competitions and provides plenty of betting opportunities for local punters. The U. S Open is the second of four golf majors, playing a pivotal role on the PGA Tour and European Tour schedule. The tournament is hosted by the United States Golf Association and is held in June each year. Staged at a variety of courses around the country, the U. S Open is designed to make scoring extremely difficult with accurate driving the key to staying on par. The tournament is characterised by very tight scoring among the leaders. The winner of the U. S Open usually ends up around even par. It is very seldom that the course is beaten with many previous winners actually clocking over-par wins. In general, a U. S Open course is quite long with a high cut of primary rough, undulating greens and pinched fairways. Some holes that are normally short par fives will be converted into long par fours for the event. The First U. S Open took place on the 4th of October 1895. It was played on a nine-hole course at the Newport Country Club in Rhode Island. The inaugural competition was played in a single day with a total of 36 holes. At the time, ten professional players entered as well as a single amateur. The winner of the first U. S Open was an Englishman named Horas Rawlins. He received a sum of $150 as well as a $50 gold medal. His golf club received the Championship Cup Trophy. What to Expect in 2017 This year, the 2017 U. S Open will be the 117th event since its introduction. It is scheduled to be held from the 15th to the 18th of June at Erin Hills in Wisconsin. This will be the first time Wisconsin has hosted the U. S Open despite having hosted four other major Championships. Last year, U. S golfer Dustin Jonson lifted the trophy while fellow American Jordan Spieth claimed the 2015 title. Almost half of the field at the US open will consist of players who are exempt from qualifying for the competition including previous U. S Open winners from the last 10 years. Early favourites for the competition include: Dustin Johnson 7. 00 Rory Mcilroy 8. 00 Jason Day 12. 00 Jordan Spieth 12. 00 Hideki Matsuyama 15. 00 Justin Rose 17. 00 Henrik Stenson 17. 00 Sergio Garcia 23. 00 Jon Rahm 23. 00 Adam Scott 26. 00 Rickie Fowler 29. 00 Bubba Watson 34. 00 TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The suicide of former New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez in prison shocked NFL fans. His death may also have legal repercussions down the line. - Published: 2017-04-24 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/aaron-hernandez-suicide-rocks-nfl/ Tragic End to Former NFL Star Just weeks after they were celebrating winning the Super Bowl, and on the day they were scheduled to be honoured at the White House, New England Patriots players were in mourning for a former teammate. Disgraced tight end Aaron Hernandez, serving a life sentence without parole in a Massachusetts prison for a murder he committed in 2013, hanged himself with bed sheets in his cell on Wednesday. Many of Hernandez’ obituaries have lamented the tragic waste of enormous potential he represented. After a brilliant career in high school football, he was considered the top tight end recruit of the year when he started college at the University of Florida in 2007. He proved so successful in college ball, that he skipped his senior year to enter the NFL Draft in 2010, at the age of 20. When Hernandez started with the Patriots in 2010, he was the youngest player in the NFL, but he proved he was the equal of any rivals, with a slew of records in his first two seasons. In 2012, his five-year contract extension was accompanied by the biggest signing bonus ever paid to an NFL tight end: $12. 5-million. Violent History Dating Back to 2007 Although an asset to all his teams on the field, Hernandez had been getting into violent episodes since 2007, when he assaulted a bouncer during an argument outside a Florida nightclub. He was also investigated, but never charged, for a 2007 drive-by shooting in Gainesville. In 2014, he was tried for a double drive-by murder in Boston in 2012, but acquitted. At the time of his death, he still had charges pending over another shooting, in Miami in 2015, in which one of his friends lost an eye. After killing another friend, Orin Lloyd, in a 2013 argument, Hernandez was finally convicted and imprisoned. He played his last game for the Patriots in February 2013. NFL May Face Future Legal Fallout Hernandez’ family has donated his brain to CTE research, which might spell legal trouble for the NFL in years to come. CTE is a degenerative brain disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, that has been linked to repeated head trauma. The disease has now been found in more than 100 former NFL players. If research on Hernandez’ brain establishes that he did have CTE, and a causal link can be proven between the disease and his increasingly violent behaviour, it may be included in evidence used to bring a class-action lawsuit against the NFL. 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The rough-and-tumble game was filled with fouls on both sides of the line. John Wall also instrumental for the team, adding 32 points with nine assists including the one to Beal for his shot with 38 seconds left on the clock. The Washington team trailed by four points going into the final period. With both Markieff Morris and Otto Porter Jr, finding themselves in foul trouble, the two added a meagre seven combined points in the final quarter. For the Hawks, it was Paul Millsap who led the scoring. He managed a healthy 27 points with 10 rebounds. Dennis Schroder added a respectable 23 points while Dwight Howard only managed six points and seven rebounds, which was half his first game total. Paul Millsap scored the majority of his points in the third quarter, which included six points during a 13-0 run for the Hawks leading up to the final quarter. In fourth quarter, Beal and Wall proved too much for the Hawks along with Brandon Jennings who made up the three big scorers in the final stages of the game. After Washington claimed the series opener last week, Millsap had a few words to say about the game. According to him, the Hawks were playing basketball while the Wizards were playing MMA. Fouls Disrupted Flow of Game This became a major talking point between games and possibly affected the way the second game was called. While it was a far cry from an MMA fight, the officials were certainly eager to use their whistles at the slightest inkling of a foul. However unjustified the calls may have seemed, one thing was certain. The interruptions from the constant foul calls disrupted the flow of the game which could have ended differently. In the opening 24 minutes of the game, 29 personal fouls were blown. This number increased to 55 by the time the final buzzer went. The Wizards had their fair share of complaining though, especially when Kelly Oubre Jr had to join Morris and Porter on the sidelines. The team also picked up a second delay-of-game foul, which resulted in a technical. Less than a minute later, Howard picked up his fourth four while Kent Bazemore got number 4 going into the final quarter. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Spanish F1 Grand Prix is just one race away. We take a look at the current standings, what happened in Bahrain and what to expect in Barcelona. - Published: 2017-04-23 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/update-f1-season-spanish-grand-prix/ Looking Towards the Spanish Grand Prix Punters and F1 enthusiasts will be hard pressed to find a race more exciting than the one that took place in Bahrain this past weekend. It has certainly been the highlight of the F1 season and a complete shocker to all of those who were betting on Hamilton to take the win. It was all going to plan for Mercedes until Hamilton was penalised with a five second penalty for driving slowly on pit entry. Hamilton re-joined the race in third place, but even with teammate Valtteri Bottas moving aside, Hamilton was not able to catch up with Sebastian Vettel. Going into the race, Hamilton and Vettel were locked at the top of the leader board. Now Vettel finds himself seven points clear in the championship. However unjustified the penalty and race outcome was, the fact is, the race is done and we have forward. So what is up on the horizon? While Russia might be up next, it really comes down to the Spanish Grand Prix to separate the men from the boys. No Room for Error Previously known as the Circuit de Catalunya, the Barcelona track has been in circulation since 1991. This year will be the 25th F1 Grand Prix in Barcelona and one that will certainly be worth watching. Of all the tracks in the championship, Barcelona is perhaps the most familiar. After all, many of the teams conduct extensive testing on the track throughout the year. With all the teams having a good knowledge of the track layout, it all comes down to technical skill and concentration. Familiarly aside, the Barcelona circuit is one of the most physically and mechanically challenging tracks in Formula 1. The mix of low and high-speed corners combined with the bumpy track surface create the perfect storm for the drivers and the cars. Tyre wear is a major factor in Barcelona. The strong and irregular winds can also play a major role on how the cars perform. Getting the right setup is crucial for teams. As it stands, Sebastian Vettel holds the top spot on in the driver’s championship on 68 points. Lewis Hamilton is in second place on 61 while his teammate Valtteri Bottas clings onto third with 38 points, just four points ahead of Kimi Räikkönen. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The New Zealand Racing Board has informed code chiefs that up to $24 million will be fed back into the racing industry in the form of racing stakes. - Published: 2017-04-23 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/racing-stakes-get-huge-boost-nzrb/ A Huge Boost for Racing Stakes It’s good news for the racing industry. The New Zealand Racing Board recently informed the various racing code chiefs that up to $24 million will be fed back into the industry over the next two years. The $12million annual boost will be used exclusively for racing stakes, and there is a promise of much more to come. Coming into effect on August the 1st, New Zealand thoroughbred racing will receive an additional $6. 5 million more per year than in previous seasons. Harness racing will receive an additional $3. 55 million while Greyhound racing will have an extra $1. 95 million added to the kitty. Speaking to the press, NZRB chief executive, John Allen has said this is just the beginning. Allen has said that over the next season, the return to the codes will jump from $136. 2 million to $148. 2. He is optimistic that in three to five years, the figure could reach the $200 million mark. For the next two years, the industry is guaranteed a solid $12 million per annum. But this figure is just the start of much bigger things to come. A good portion of the extra funds will come from the passing of the race field’s legislation. According to the new legislation, overseas corporate bookmakers will be forced to pay a percentage for betting on New Zealand racing product. The legislation is expected to be up and running before the general election. New strategies implemented by the New Zealand Racing Board will also have a major impact on the bottom line, which positively affects the return to the NZ racing industry. According to Allen, a new fixed odds betting platform is set to take effect as well as improved performance in the overall betting channels. Improvements in Fixed Odd Betting The biggest improvement will be found online. Allen says that with overseas agencies, improvements in fixed odds betting platforms has yielded higher turnovers. The new system will give the industry a chance to win back New Zealand based customers that chose to go elsewhere. Allen has also said that the optimisation of the racing calendar with meeting and specific race dates will be crucial in driving turnover. The first $24 million that is being returned to the industry will be targeted exclusively for racing stakes. This is to ensure sustainability and raise confidence in the industry as a whole. The additional funding is expended to enable racing participants to have a greater confidence in the future of New Zealand Racing. This dramatic boost in funds comes on top of the $4. 77 million allocated in January to support youth development, infrastructure and stakes. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > This week, New Zealand punters saw the final ties of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. Bayern Munich fans were gutted by the loss to Real Madrid. - Published: 2017-04-22 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/champions-league-qf-bayern-robbed/ Champions League QF Enrages Bayern Munich Fans New Zealand football fans had more European betting options this past week, in the final ties of the 2016-17 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. At the time of writing, punters were awaiting the announcement of the draw for the semi-finals, which begin on 2 May, to see how Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, Monaco and Juventus will be matched up in the next round. All four QF second ties produced moments of drama, but Bayern Munich fans feel particularly aggrieved, as the drama in their match against Real Madrid all seemed to go against the German team, never in their favour. After being beaten 2-1 at home, Bayern were 2-1 up at full time in Madrid, with overall scores level and both teams on two away goals. All the Munich side needed was one more; but a controversial, probably undeserved red card on Arturo Vidal in the 84th minute effectively put that out of reach. To rub salt in the wound, the Merengues scored three more goals in extra time. Two of those were put in by Cristiano Ronaldo from what looked like offside positions, giving Bayern supporters even more reason to feel cheated. Real Madrid and Juventus Lead Betting Defending champions Real Madrid are the favourites to win the 2016-17 Champions League, with bookies offering them at 13/8. But Italian side Juventus at 2/1 is a strong contender too. New Zealand punters will have a dilemma if the semis draw sets the two teams up to meet in the final. Juventus are through to the semis by virtue of a 3-0 win against Barcelona in their first QF tie in Turin. FC Barca fans were hoping their side could pull a repeat of their miraculous resurrection against PSG in the Round of 16, but not even a baying home crowd at Camp Nou could inspire the Spanish giants to those heights in the return match. Their second tie finished in a goalless draw, sending the Italian team to the semis. Atletico Madrid held Leicester City to a 1-1 draw in their second tie, putting the Spanish side through on the strength of their 1-0 win in the first tie. Monaco improved on their 3-2 first-tie defeat of Borussia Dortmund with a 3-1 win at home, securing them the fourth spot in the semis. 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The world no. 2 ranked tennis player has been off the courts since her most recent triumph, at the Australian Open this January, where she beat her sister, Venus, with a score of 6 – 4 in order to secure her 23rd Grand Slam title. Last month Serena pulled out of the Miami Open and Indian Wells tournaments, although she claimed the reason for this move was because of a knee injury. No More Williams Until 2018 Ms Williams will not return to tennis again this year, but hopes to hit the courts again in 2018 according to her spokeswoman Kelly Bush Novak, who went on to say that Serena is excited about doing so. Williams will return to the world no. 1 ranking next week, and stoked furious debate amongst those who had seen the picture after she deleted it and refused to comment publicly for more than 6 hours. Her Pregnancy is Confirmed by Novak Novak has confirmed that the star is expecting, and the happy news follows that of her engagement to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, which was announced in December last year. Her 36th birthday, in September this year, will allow Serena to look back over a truly illustrious career, in which she managed to hit each and every milestone a woman of her talent was able to. She has won Wimbledon, the Australian Open, and stayed in the world no. 1 ranking for 316 weeks in total. Fans were very quick to work out that Serena was expecting during her Grand Slam triumph in Melbourne this year, and also teased that she seemed to time the announcement with Maria Sharapova’s 30th birthday. The Russian athlete is set to return from her recent drugs ban at a match in Stuttgart next week. Williams Goes Back to the Top Serena lost the no. 1 ranking to Angelique Kerber earlier on in 2017, but will return when the latest standings become available on Monday. Her announcement also arrives one week after Victoria Azarenka, former no. 1 and recent first-time mother, revealed her intentions to return to the tour in July of this year. Serena Joins a Host of Top Female Athletes with Kids Azarenka stepped away from tennis in 2016 when she fell pregnant with her son, Leo, who made his arrival in December last year. Kim Clijsters also famously returned from motherhood to take first place for the 2nd time in 2009’s US Open, but the Belgian is not the first to do so. Paula Radcliffe’s triumph in the 2007 New York marathon happened just 10 months after she gave birth to her first child, and Catherine Ndereba, from Kenya, broke world records for both the 5 and 15 km in 1998, one short year after giving birth. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Bahrain Grand Prix proved that Sebastian Vettel is serious contender in 2017 Formula 1. New Zealand punters can expect a major Ferrari/Mercedes battle. - Published: 2017-04-21 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/bahrain-grand-prix-goes-vettel/ Bahrain Grand Prix Another Ferrari / Mercedes Tussle Three races into the 2017 Formula 1 season, Ferrari is clearly challenging three years of Mercedes dominance. The German cars are delivering top lap times in the qualifiers, but the Italians have more pace where it counts: in actual races. Throw in cleverer decisions from the pit-wall, and Ferrari looks like a dangerous contender. Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Sakhir was a case in point. Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas posted the fastest time in qualifiers to take pole position, with Lewis Hamilton right behind him. Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel started third on the grid, but nevertheless managed to pass both Mercedes drivers and take his second win of the 2017 championship, finishing a full 6. 660 seconds ahead of Hamilton. Admittedly, the British driver was hamstrung by a time penalty after holding up Daniel Ricciardo in the pit lane. So even with teammate Bottas yielding to his quicker pace twice during the later stages, Hamilton was never in a position to mount a serious challenge on Vettel’s lead. But there’s no ignoring the inspired early pit-stop on lap 11 that allowed Vettel to secure that lead, which he held for the rest of the race. Mercedes are going to have to pull out all the stops against Ferrari in the next 17 races, starting with Sochi’s Russian Grand Prix on 30 April. Repeat of Melbourne Podium Just as they did at the Australian Grand Prix in March, Hamilton finished second and Bottas third at the Bahrain International Circuit on Sunday. In another repeat of the Melbourne race, Ferrari took first and fourth, with Vettel’s teammate Kimi Raikkonen once again finishing behind Bottas, after starting in fifth place, behind Ricciardo on the grid. Ricciardo’s teammate, Dutch Red Bull driver Max Verstappen was out of luck; brake failure on lap 11 put paid to his Bahrain Grand Prix. However, he wasn’t the only driver let down by his car. Despite McLaren-Honda releasing Fernando Alonso for the Monaco Grand Prix, so he can pursue his triple-crown dream at the Indy 500, the Spanish driver was not singing his team’s praises on Sunday, after a malfunctioning power unit forced him to retire two laps from the end. Clearly, the McLaren team needs to take a serious look at their cars, if he and teammate Stoffel Vandoorne are to have any hope of dragging them out of last place in the constructors’ championship. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > With the quarterfinals well underway, we look at what to expect for the Champion League semi-final ties. The draw takes place on the 21st April. - Published: 2017-04-21 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/champions-league-semi-finals-first-second-round/ Champions League Semi-Finals The quarterfinals of the Champions League are now in full swing. With plenty of football action heading our way, the top eight teams will be competing in a two-legged contest for a place among the elite group of four. The latest round of action has produced four exiting ties that will whittle the teams down to an even four who will battle it out for European football glory. With the semi-finals looming on the horizon, will Barcelona and Real Madrid book their sports at the top of the log? Friday the 21st of April is the date to watch out for. This is when the Champions League semi-final draw will take place at the UEFA's headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. Punters and football enthusiasts will also be able to find out which teams will be drawn for the semi-finals in the Europa league one hour later. As with previous years, the Champions League semi-final draw will be open and unseeded. This means that the teams are not ranked and clubs from the same country could possibly face off against each other. The clubs that are pulled out of the hat first will play the first leg of at home. Once all the teams are drawn, a second draw will take place to determine which tie will produce the home team in the case of the final. A Repeat of 2016? So what teams are in the Champions League semi-final draw? It is still too early to tell as the quarterfinals have yet to be wrapped up. Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Dortmund and Barcelona all qualified for the quarterfinals after winning their round of 16. On the 14th of March, Juventus and Leicester City also made it into the finals with Atletico Madrid and Monaco joining them one day later. This meant that Bayer Leverkusen and Manchester City were knocked out of the competition. The Champions League semi-finals will be played on Tuesdays and Wednesdays over the period of two weeks in May. The first semi-final legs will be played on the 2nd and the 3rd of May with the second legs following a week later on the 9th and 10th. From 2016, teams who have a shot of returning to the semis include Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid. Manchester City was in last year but has already been knocked out. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Cronulla Sharks have kept their hopes alive of a premiership title after convincingly defeating the Penrith Panthers 28 points to 2 on the weekend - Published: 2017-04-20 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/sharks-retain-top-4-spot-win-panthers/ Sharks on Track for Title Defence The Cronulla Sharks are heading towards a premiership title defence if Sunday’s game is anything to go on. The Sharks claimed their fourth straight NRL win after thumping the Penrith Panthers 28-2 on the weekend. Just one week after Cronulla held out against the Storm in a rematch of the 2016 Grand Final, the Sharks produced another amazing display of hard defence with not a single try going astray. Their comprehensive victory at the Pepper Stadium means that the Cornella team have retained their top-4 position in the premiership standings. It has been over twenty years since the Sharks produced back-to-back perfect defence games. This includes their incredible 15-game winning streak in 2016. In their game against the Panthers, the Sharks were on form from the get-go. At half time, the visitors were leading 16-2. In the second half, Jack Bird crashed over the line to extend their lead followed by skipper Paul Gallen in the 60th minute. While the score line might not have shown it, the Panthers actually had plenty of opportunities to get on the scoreboard themselves. Despite their best efforts, their forward momentum was constantly thwarted by the Cronulla team’s unbreakable defence. No Way Through for the Panthers By half time, the Panthers had actually forced more errors out of the Sharks and played more time beyond the oppositions 20-meter line. The Sharks however, were more than up to the challenge. Unable to cope with their rushing defensive line, the Panthers just could not find their way through. In contrast, Cronulla had not trouble finding a gap when they did have the ball. Chad Townsend had a good run, on the field. He grubbered the ball for James Maloney in the 17th minute while Sosaia Feki transferred to a left-side shift for a brilliant try in the 37th minute. Before the Sharks took their hold, Panthers fans were quietly optimistic as returning players Tyrone Peachey and Matt Moylan bolstered the side. But any chance of a comeback was gone after half time when Bird and Gallen taking the game away. The Sharks had even contributions across the board, however it was fullback Valentine Holmes who stuck out above the rest. He recorded a team best of 166 meters with a 3 tackle busts. The sharks now sit at number 3 on the NRL ladder with the Strom in second place and the Dragons leading the field. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Lydia Ko has retained her World number 1 ranking after placing second in the LPGA Lotte Championship. This was her best finish in over nine months. - Published: 2017-04-20 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/lydia-ko-records-best-finish-nine-months/ Lydia Ko Hits her Stride Lydia Ko produced her best result in nine months after finishing strongly at the Lotte Championship. Ko manged to shoot an eight-under 64 to finish in second place at the prestigious LPGA tournament. The world number 1 was in danger of not making the cut after carding a disappointing first round of one-over 73. The 19-year-old golfing sensation then managed to climb her way back up the leader board with round of 69, 65 and 64 taking her total to 17-under par. Ko’s second place finish at the Lotte Championship has been her best performance since she won the Marathon Classic in July of 2016. Despite carding the best round of the day, Ko was not able to catch Cristie Kerr, the runaway leader who carded a 62 in the third round followed up by a 66 in the final round to claim a three-shot victory. For Ko, it was her putting that proved to be the deciding factor. After struggling with the putter for the past few months, Ko found her rhythm and required just 22 putts to complete the final round. Lydia was particular solid on the back nine, with the front nine giving her the most trouble. After birdying the first hole, Ko lost her footing on a bit, carding a bogey on the second hole followed up by four holes on even par. A Return to Form Heading to the back nine, Ko completely turned things around firing off three straight birdies. She added another four birdies on her run home, edging her way up the leader board. Speaking to the press about her second-place finish, Ko said that is was a big confidence booster for her. She went on to say that despite not having a brilliant week at the Kia Classic, she felt was back to playing a solid game. Ko said that the winds had dropped in the final day and she knew there was a chance of hitting a few birdies. Considering where she was on day one, the 19-year old was pleased with how things turned out. Her second placing finish at the Lotte Championship was Ko’s makes was her fourth top-10 finish in just seven events this year. It was also her first top-five finish in the last 13 events. So Yeon Ryu and Ariya Jutanugarn, the two woman gunning for Ko’s number 1 ranking, finished the Lotte Championship in sixth and seventh place respectively. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Week 8 of Super Rugby 2017 kept New Zealand punters happy. The Crusaders stay unbeaten atop the ladder, the Chiefs and Hurricanes hot on their heels. - Published: 2017-04-19 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/crusaders-super-rugby-run-intact/ Crusaders Alone Unbeaten in 2017 Super Rugby After eight weeks of Super Rugby, the Crusaders have got the attention of New Zealand’s online betting fans. The Canterbury side is the only team left undefeated in the 2017 Championship after seven matches, and they currently top the New Zealand Conference, the Australasian Group and the tournament ladder, with a total of 31 points. Friday’s match against the Sunwolves was the Japanese side’s first time in Christchurch’s AMI Stadium. It will not be a happy memory: the Crusaders slaughtered them 50-3, with a hat-trick from Manasa Mataele, who was one of six New Zealanders to cross the Sunwolves’ line. When the previously unbeaten Stormers went down 29-16 to the rampant Lions in Cape Town on Saturday, just a week after the Stormers themselves had ended the Chiefs’ unbroken winning streak, it left the Crusaders the only side with a spotless record in the 2017 tournament. Chiefs and Hurricanes NZ Conference Contenders Super Rugby pool stages continue until mid-July, so the Christchurch side has a long road ahead if they are to hang on to the tournament lead. The Chiefs and the Hurricanes, with 29 and 28 points respectively, are challenging hard for the top of the New Zealand Conference, and all three look likely to make the quarter-finals. The Hurricanes beat the Blues 28-24 at Eden Park on Saturday, while the Chiefs beat South Africa’s besieged Cheetahs 41-27 in Bloemfontein. The Blues now have 17 points after three wins from eight, while the Highlanders come off a bye week with four from seven and 18 points. In the remaining pool stages, New Zealand betting enthusiasts will be watching the battle between the Crusaders, Chiefs and Hurricanes for the conference top spot, as well as the jostling between the Highlanders and the Blues to secure the final Australasian Group wild card into the quarter-finals. In the South African Group, the Lions win puts them at the top of the ladder on 28 points, above the Stormers on 26. But with the Sharks on 22 and the Jaguares on 19, the three teams that go through to the final eight from this group are far from decided. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Singapore Sevens saw Canada take the cup in a massive surprise. New Zealand punters also got a win over South Africa to revive their spirits. - Published: 2017-04-19 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/canada-upset-singapore-sevens/ Historic Triumph for Canada at Singapore Sevens Singapore National Stadium played host to the eighth HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series tournament of 2016-17 last Saturday and Sunday. New Zealand’s online betting fans were treated to an historic win by Canada, capping a weekend of upsets. One of those was a rare victory for New Zealand over South Africa in the play-offs, after both had been defeated in the quarter-finals. The All Blacks Sevens’ 17-12 win secured them fifth place in the Singapore Sevens, so they stayed fourth overall on the series ladder with 110 points. Two QF upsets were delivered by the USA, with a hard-fought 24-19 win over Fiji, and Australia, coming doggedly from behind to beat the Blitzboks 19-17. USA and Canada Contest Surprise Final Canada shocked punters in their QF by outscoring New Zealand four tries to two, to win 26-14. Nathan Hirayama was on fire, scoring a hat-trick of tries, but Scott Dickson’s second-half yellow card did New Zealand no favours either. Canada went on to beat England in the semis by an impressive 17-5, after England, third on the series ladder, barely scraped through their QF against Kenya with a final drop-goal after the hooter to win by one point. After dispatching Fiji in the QF, the USA Eagles took an even more impressive semis win, beating Australia 40-7. In the final, Canada started off in control, racking up a fast 19-point lead, but the Eagles launched a surging counter-attack and scored an unanswered 19 points to equalise. With less than two minutes to go, Canada’s Lucas Hammond went over for a try, giving Canada a 26-19 win and their first WR Sevens cup ever. New Zealand Still Fourth on Ladder Despite the QF knockout, the All Blacks Sevens side went on to beat Kenya 24-21 in the play-offs, then the Blitzboks for fifth. South Africa still leads the series ladder on 157, with Fiji on 132 and England on 130. But with the USA on 101, Australia on 94 and now-dangerous Canada on 76, any more surprise upsets in the series could shake up the ladder. The last two HSBC WR Sevens Series tournaments, in Paris from 13-14 May and Twickenham’s London Sevens from 20-21 May, are thus set to give New Zealand punters lots of attractive betting options. 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If they carry on playing like they did last week, the Olympic champions will be in a good position to take the title when the competition wraps up in Twickenham. Fiji’s Rugby Sevens Wold Series win couldn’t have come at a better time for the team. Winning the Hong Kong Sevens not only puts them above England on the log, it has also given them the confidence they need to keep winning all he way to Twickenham. Speaking to the press, Fiji captain Osea Kolinisau said the team were really stoked about win in Hong Kong. All Eyes on Singapore However, they understand that the Singapore Sevens is a whole new challenge. According to Kolinisau, all of the teams will be focusing on the mistakes made in Hong Kong and will be gunning for the title. He went on to say that the team has a lot of energy and are feeling relaxed. They are focusing on getting their minds and bodies ready for the next round. The 31-year-old Fijian captain was speaking from the side-lines of a rugby sevens clinic at the OCBC Arena. The clinic was organised by the Singapore Rugby Union supporting the SportCares foundation. Joining the Fiji rugby team on the field was World Rugby ambassadors Karl Te Nane and Willie Lose. The guest of honour at the event was the Minister for culture, community and youth, Grace Fu. Grace addressed the press, saying that through rugby, youths develop character, resilience and teamwork. With three legs left to go in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, the Fijian team will be well aware of how close they are to winning the title. Currently South Africa sit at the top of the log with 145 points. After last week’s win, Fiji have jumped into second place with 122 points while England have dropped to third with 113. For Fiji to claim the title in Twickenham, they would need to win at least two of the three remaining legs and hope that South Africa picks fewer than 19 points going forward. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2017 table tennis World Championships is set to kick off on the 29th of May. Nigerian medal winner Ojo Onaolapo is all set to build in his success. - Published: 2017-04-18 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/table-tennis/ojo-onaolapo-table-tennis-world-champs/ Ojo Onaolapo Ready for Table Tennis World Champs Ojo Onaolapo is a name well known in the world of professional table tennis. In 2010, the young Nigerian exceeded all expectations as he powered his way to the quarterfinals of the 2010 Youth Olympic Games. In 2014, Ojo’s skill and dedication to the sport was pivotal to the Nigerian team in picking up the bronze team medal. After defeating Harmeet Desai and Amalraj Anthony, with partner Segun Toriola, Ojo won the crucial third place decider against India with a memorable 3-1 victory. The Nigerian superstar, who currently plays for ADC Ponta Do Pargo in the Portuguese League, now feels he can build on his Singapore and Glasgow success at the upcoming 2017 Table Tennis World Championships in Düsseldorf. Speaking to the press, Onaolapo said that he is relishing the opportunity to prove himself in such a big arena. His aim is to re-enact his commonwealth feat by giving 100% commitment to his team. Ojo says he wants to win back all his fans by bettering his 2014 success at the Commonwealth Games Ojo wants to be able to justify his place in the Nigerian team. According to him, the Nigerian team is considered one of the best in the world. Players are selected for the team based on their current performance and their merit. This means that any previous performances will not be looked at which makes it very difficult for any player to make the team. Focus and Determination is the Key For Ojo Onaolapo, his aim in Düsseldorf is to qualify from the group before he can think of anything else. Ojo has said that Quadri Aruna has shown the team how to beat the best. He made it possible to believe in themselves as long as they work hard and stay focused. Ojo says that the biggest lessons he has learned from Aruna is humility and dedication to the sport. Ojo played one season in Italy as a stepping-stone for him to enter the bigger leagues in Europe. After joining the Portuguese league, Ojo admits that while the structure in Italy is good, the quality of the players in Portugal is just spectacular. The competitive experience and challenge he faces in the League will certainly help his career. The 2017 World Table Tennis Championships kicks off on the 29th of May in Düsseldorf. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > After an impressive performance at the Prix Djebel, Al Wukair has emerged as a major contender for the upcoming Qipco 2000 Guineas race at Newmarket. - Published: 2017-04-17 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/new-contender-qipco-2000-guineas/ Al Wukair a Major Contender for 2000 Guineas After making a surprising reappearance at the Prix Djebel, Al Wukair has emerged as a major contender for the 2017 Qipco 2000 Guineas race at Newmarket. The young colt showed some impressive potential in his two starts as a juvenile. When he returned to action, he was immediately put in as the odds-on favourite for the Group 3 contest. The Al Shaqab owned colt struggled initially, trailing the rest of the field under the guidance of Gregory Benoist. Once Gregory switched wide, Al Aukair showed a massive change in pace, chasing down Group 1 frontrunner National Defence and defying all the odds. Following his impressive performance at the Prix Djebel, Al Aukair was dropped to a best price of 8-1 for the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. He goes in as second favourite behind Churchill who is Adan O’Brien’s best shot at 6-4. Confirmation quickly spread that the colt was eyeing the British season classic. A Big Future Ahead Speaking to the press, racing manager Harry Herbert said the he watched the race and is clearly impressed with Al Aukair’s performance. Both he and the team think that the colt has a big future. Herbert does feel that the horse is a little bit green but his acceleration is exciting. Herbert said that the horse is held in very high regard but he shows signs of inexperience, which was why they were keen to give him a run at the Djebel. The team expect the colt to be much sharper for the 2000 Guineas. Jockey Fabre is pleased with the decision to head to Newmarket. He has won the 2000 Guines twice before in 1995 with Pennekamp and in 1993 with Zafonic. Fabre admits that Al Aukair is a completely different horse to Zafonic though. Al Aukair is a more laid back horse but has a lot of potential. Meanwhile National Defence is looking in good form. As a dominant winner of the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, National Defence is a top-prospect for the race. Double Lady was a top contender for the Prix Imprudence but was completely upstaged by her stablemate Via Ravenna under the guidance of Vincent Chminaud. The French jockey completed a stunning hat trick with another win at the Prix Jacques Laffitte. The Goldolphin owned horse completed a brilliant campaign in 2015 but only competed in two races last reason. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Monaco Grand Prix is set to take place on the 25th of May 2017. With vehicle performance increases, Monaco could separate the men from the boys. - Published: 2017-04-17 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/update-2017-monaco-formula-1-grand-prix/ Monaco Grand Prix Update The Grand Prix Automobile de Monaco (Monaco Grand Prix) will celebrate its 75th edition on Thursday the 25th of May. Starting on the Thursday afternoon, the Grand Prix will run during Ascension Weekend, hosting the 6th round of the 2017 FIA Formula 1 World Championships. With the Australian and the Chinese Grand Prix races already done and dusted, Sebastian Vettel holds the top spot with 43 points after claiming the first race win of the season. Lewis Hamilton went on to win the Chinese Grand Prix, which places him just behind Vettel on equal points but with a slower lap time. While the season is set to mature and the driver standings destined to shuffle, we can see that Dutch driver Max Verstappen is holding onto third place while Valtteri Bottas sits two points behind him. Looking forward, one of the jewels of the Formula 1 championships is undoubtedly the Monaco Grand Prix. Every season, Monaco pushes the best drivers in the world to their limits and beyond. It is a physically demanding race on both drivers and cars which makes it one of most exciting races of the year. The Monaco race not only brings exceptional racing but also exceptional beauty. Tucked away between the sea and the mountains, the Monaco track is incomparable with its breath taking background and historical prestige. The event of the year brings together all the ingredients of a top-class race including glamour, speed, skill and glory. Lewis Hamilton Looks for Third Win Having won the Monaco Grand Prix for the second time in 2016, Lewis Hamilton will want to extend his winning record at the 962nd Grand Prix on The Rock. If the three times World Champion manages to pull off a win in May, he will join the ranks of racing greats who have all racked up three wins in Monaco including former teammate Nico Rosenberg as well as Jackie Steward and Stirling Moss. The demanding Monaco track will highlight the any mistakes made by the drivers as they get to grips with the changes to the 2017 controls and cars. With wider tires and a wider chassis, the 2017 single-seater cars are expected to be noticeably quicker around the track. The gain in speed is predicted to cut off at least five seconds of each lap. The Monaco Grand Prix is set to be an absolute belter where even the slightest mistake could cost a driver their championship title. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Italian rider, Fabio Aru will not start the 2017 Giro d’Italia. After crashing during training, Aru picked up a knee injury, which will rule him out. - Published: 2017-04-16 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/fabio-aru-giro-ditalia-due-injury/ Fabio Aru out of Giro d’Italia Italian cycling sensation, Fabio Aru will not be taking part in the 2017 Giro d’Italia. This was the announcement made by the Astana team following reports of a knee injury. The 26-year old Italian picked up podium finish in 2014 as well as 2015 but will not get a chance to compete this year. As one of the top favourites for the Giro d’Italia, Aru’s injury is a major setback for the team. In a team statement sent to the press, Aru described his disappointment in missing out on the race. Fabio said he had been dreaming of Giro from his Sardinia and had been preparing for the race for the past few months. Once the accident occurred, it made him miss the start of sufficient conditions for the race. The team said that it was with great regret that they will have to miss out. Aru suffered a crash on the 2nd of April during training in Spain. According to the Astana team, he was taken to Milan where he was diagnosed with pre-patellar bursitis. This is a condition that causes the rider a lot of pain while racing. Aru has been ordered to take a full 10 days of the bike before coming back for an evaluation. The injury to one of their top riders leaves the Astana team with a few interesting options for the Giro, which gets underway on the 5th of May. Michele Scarpone Heads up Team Astana This year the Kazakhstan team will be in full support of Michele Scarpone who picked up the 2011 title after Alberto Contador was stripped of his title. In a brief statement to the press, the Astana team said that they decided to go with Michele Scarponi as their leader for the Giro. He will come into to replace Fabio Aru who is forced to skip the race as he recovers from his knee injury. Unfortunately for Fabio, he won’t be able to start in his home race. While the team is certainly disappointed, the Italian’s full recovery is top priority and must go ahead at all costs. Aru has to complete his full recovery treatment before he can be considered for an upcoming race. His racing calendar will completely depend on the timing of his recovery and his results in the early races. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Another dismal performance from Arsenal saw them go down 3-0 to Crystal Palace in the Premier League. Palace now finds themselves clear of relegation. - Published: 2017-04-16 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/arsenal-lose-3-0-crystal-palace-premier-league/ Another Dismal Performance for Arsenal For punters and Arsenal fans, a look back at the team’s last seven games could have predicted how their match against Crystal Palace would pan out. It was not surprising then that Arsenal produced another dismal away performance against a relegation-threatened side in the English Premier league. Notching up another loss to their already growing tally was not what the men in red wanted, seriously damaging the team’s chances of qualifying for the Champions League next season. Crystal Palace found and exploited Arsenals poor defence, opening the scoring in the 18th minute. Andros Townsend got the only goal in the first half with Yohan Cabaye and Luka Milivojevic both adding to the total in the second half from the penalty spot. Arsenal now find themselves in a position where thy have conceded three goals in each of their last four away games. This leaves them floundering in 6th place, a full seven points from the top four teams. It was undeniably a humiliating result for the Arsenal team and manager Arsene Wenger. While he contemplates signing a contract extension with the club he has coached since 1996, the public seem to be making the decision for him. During the second half, Arsenal fans at Selhurst Park could be heard singing about how he was unfit to wear the shirt. The team also seemed to pick up on the vibe, as displayed in their lacklustre performance. Crystal Palace out of Relegation Zone For Crystal Palace, this makes five wins in six games. The win over Arsenal put the team a good six points clear of the relegation zone. The win boosts Sam Allardyce’s bid to hold his record of never being relegated from the League. Instrumental in their win against Arsenal was Mamadou Sakho, the talented centre back who was on loan from Liverpool. Winger Wilfried Zaha and striker Christian Benteke also caused the Arsenal defence to take stock of the situation. In the early stages of the game, Arsenal had the possession but it was Palace who looked dangerous every time they moved forward. For the opening goal, Townsend found himself free just six meters out when Zaha floated a his cross through for Townsend to put away. In the second half, Arsenal’s defence all but collapsed. A second floating cross from Zaha gave Cabaye the perfect opportunity to angle his shot over the head of Arsenal goal keeper to make it 2-0. Things went from bad to worse when Martinez was judged to have tripped Townsend giving away a penalty that Milivojevic slotted home. Arsenal have now only won two of their last eight games in the Premier League. 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In their quarterfinal match against Bayern Munich, Real Madrid should have been facing a two-goal deficit after half time. Having been completely outplayed by Carlo Ancelotti’s team, Real Madrid were entirely reliant on Ronaldo to pull them out of trouble. Stepping up for his team, Ronaldo not only managed to score the equaliser but also created the trickery needed to provoke a foul that led to the departure of Javi Martinez. Bayern were forced to play the remaining 32 minutes with just 10 men on the field. It was in this crucial time, that Ronaldo slotted home his second for the match to give Real Madrid the lead and a massive advantage going into the second leg at the Bernabeu. While he may have taken a while to do it, Ronaldo has beaten Lionel Messi to become the first player to reach 100 European Goals. Messi is currently sitting at 97, but seems unable to break through to that all important century. Real Madrid Looking to Retain European Cup While Ronaldo bathes in individual glory, his Real Madrid team are also aiming to create history by becoming the first team to retain the European Cup in the current Champions League format. Their win over Bayern Munich puts them back up as tournament favourites. We also have to remember that this is a team that has reached three out of the past seven Champions League finals. Real Madrid were taken to the edge in their match against Bayern. Finding themselves one goal down, they had to demonstrate their defensive expertise while waiting on their chances for retaliation. A key moment in the game was when Vidal missed his penalty going into half-time. In the second half, the team had to deal with the loss of Gareth Bale to a hamstring injury. At this stage, it is unclear whether Bale will be able to play the return leg. Towards the end of the match, Real Madrid had a fleeting chance of scoring a third when Marcelo flew out wide opening up the centre. Thankfully for Carlo Ancelotti, nothing came out of the run. Speaking to the press, Ancelotti said that if Real Madrid has scored a third, it probably would have killed the qualification for them. If you want to bet on the Champions League, check out the promotions on offer at Sportsbet. The current Champions League promo offers you the chance to place a Correct Score bet on any Champions League match, and if your selection loses but the team wins you’ll get up to $50 back in Bonus Bets! TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The CEO of the 2017 Invictus Games visited Kabul too meet with the Afghani team and view their preparations for the competition later this year. - Published: 2017-04-15 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/afghanistan-team-gears-invictus-games/ Afghanistan Ready for Invictus Games The CEO of the 2017 Toronto Invictus Games flew to Kabul recently to meet with potential Afghani competitors in the upcoming Invictus Games. Established by Prince Harry, the Invictus Games is an international sporting competition for wounded, injured and ill servicemen and woman as well as wounded veterans. Using the rehabilitative power of sport, the competition aims to inspire hope and rehabilitation. Michael Burns, the CEO of the Invictus Games said that he was impressed with his visit to Kabul. According to Burns, the preparation of the Afghani team was excellent and he felt that the wounded warriors are going to be a force to be reckoned with. 2017 will be the third edition of the Invictus Games which is scheduled to be held in Toronto from the 23rd to the 30th of September. Burns hopes to build on the success of the first two games that were held in London in 2014 and Orlando in 2016. During his visit to Kabul, Burns met with the president of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani as well as the commander of the NATO Resolute Support Mission, General John Nicholson to witness the progress of the Afghani team as they ready themselves for the upcoming games. At this stage, Afghanistan expect enter a team of at least 7 military service members. They will be supported by their friends and family throughout the journey. Strength and Hope Through Sport Speaking about his trip, Burns said that Afghanistan is a country that is forever linked with Canadian military and its history. It was a powerful experience for Burns, learning about the soldiers who were wounded in battle. He was reminded of the strength of the Afghani people and the sacrifices they made to make their country safer. He felt that there was a real need for programs like the Invictus Games that support the recovery of injured service men and woman. The upcoming Canadian Invictus Games will feature a total of 550 competitors from 17 nations. The inured or ill service members will participate in 12 adaptive sports including: Athletics, archery, powerlifting, golf, swimming, indoor rowing, sitting volleyball, wheelchair tennis, wheelchair rugby, wheelchair basketball, driving challenge and cycling. The 2017 games will be funded by the Government of Canada, the City of Toronto, Jaguar, Land Rover and other sponsors. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Trainer Darren Weir has confirmed that All Aged Stakes favourite Black Heart Bart has pulled out of Saturday’s race. The new favourite is Le Romain. - Published: 2017-04-14 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/new-favourite-2017-aged-stakes/ Le Romain a New Favourite for All Aged Stakes Darren Weir, the record-breaking horseman has made the decision to pull race favourite Black Heart Bart out of the 2017 All Aged Stakes. When the early nominations closed on Monday, Black Heart Bart was sitting at the top of the list with odds of $4. 20. With the track just too wet, Weir has decided to focus his efforts on defending the Goodwood title. Black Heart Bart was last seen competing in the Caulfield’s CF Orr and the Futurity Stakes Group 1 Double. Going into the All Aged Stakes, the six-year-old was the firm favourite among 18 hopefuls. It was early Tuesday morning when Weir confirmed that the champion galloper would not be racing on the weekend due to the inclement weather and soft track. Instead, Black Heart Bart will be Weir’s shot at a Group 1 back-to-back wins at the Goodwood 1200-meter race in Adelaide. Black Heart Bart Heads to Goodwood In 2015, Black Heart Bart ran a disappointing fourth at the Goodwood after being named race favourite. He then redeemed himself with a win at the Adelaide Autumn Racing carnival in the sprint classic. This year, the prize money for the Goodwood has doubled to $2 million and the race moved to Morphettville Racecourse on the 20th of May. In 2016, Black Heart Bart’s lead up run to the Goodwood was the All Aged Stakes, which saw the horse finishing in second to English. Despite not having a good lead-up race, Black Heart Bart comes in as an early favourite for the Goodwood race with impressive odds of $3. 20. Meanwhile, trainer Darren Weir will still have decent representation in the All Aged Stakes field. Weir nominated a further four horses from his stables including the William Reid Stakes runner up Hellbent who is sitting at odds of $11. Stablemate Voodoo lad comes as third placed favourite for the All Aged Stakes with odds of $6. 50. Reigning All Aged Stakes winner, English had an impressive run in the TJ Smith Stakes with a second placing. English comes in as a second favourite at odds of $4. 60 but has to pass a vet check on Thursday after being treated for a minor laceration to her leg. 2017 All Aged Stakes Field Le Romain 4. 00 English 4. 60 Voodoo Lad 6. 50 Tivaci 9. 00 Redkirk Warrior 10. 00 Hellbent 11. 00 Jungle Edge 12. 00 Mccreery 12. 00 Spectroscope 16. 00 Divine Prophet 17. 00 Japonisme 26. 00 Counterattack 31. 00 Flamberge 34. 00 Articus 41. 00 Arod 61. 00 Famous Seamus 101. 00 If you want to bet on this and other races this weekend, check out what Sportsbet has to offer in terms of promotions. Their Saturday Racing Offer: Randwick Races 1-4 promotion will give you back up to $50 back in Bonus Bets if your horse runs 2nd or 3rd. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The quarterfinal draw of the Europa league has Anderlecht taking on favourites Manchester United. The Belgians feel they can pull off an upset though. - Published: 2017-04-14 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/anderlecht-face-manchester-united-europa-league/ Anderlecht Optimistic about Europe League Tie With the quarterfinal draw of the Europa League now out of the way, Lyon have got themselves a difficult matchup with Besiktas. This also means that Manchester United know exactly what they need to do going forward. Jose Mourinho’s side will face off against Belgian Club Anderlecht in the quarterfinals, which seems alright with them. Manchester United are the only English side left after they managed to get a 2-1 aggregate win over the determined Russian side, FC Rostov. The English team come in as favourites to win the competition for the first time. A win in Sweden could earn them a smooth passage into next season’s Champions League. This is a fact that Juan Mata, knows all too keenly. Speaking to the press, Mata said that he feels his team has a good chance of getting to the Champions League through the Premiership. However, it is important for the side to stay focused and aim for the trophy. A Tough Matchup for the Belgians For Anderlecht, the feeling in camp is serious but positive. According to Anderlecht president Roger Vanden Stock, the draw against Manchester United was probably the hardest they could have faced. However, he does feel that his side could pull off the upset. Speaking to the press, Vanden Stock said that you never really know what will happen. Anderlecht didn’t think they would beat Zenit, but they came out victorious. Herman van Holsbeeck, Anderlecht’s coach was also feeling positive about the draw. He believes it is a good opportunity for his players to take on a team of high calibre and show what they have to offer. This will be the fourth meeting between the two with Manchester United winner all previous matchups. Another thought to ponder is the fact that United recorded their biggest European victory against Anderlecht in 1956 when they cleaned up with a 10-0 win. Anderlecht is sitting at the top of the Belgian League with the playoffs still to take place. If we take a look back, we can see that Spanish sides have won seven of last eleven European titles. Celta Vigo hope to extend the Spanish domination as they prepare to take on Belgian club Genk. In another quarterfinal draw, former champions Ajax take on Germany’s Schalke who also won the title back in 1999. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Cronulla Sharks defeated the Melbourne Storm in a tense rematch of the 2016 Grand Final. The Sharks now move up to 3rd place on the NRL ladder. - Published: 2017-04-13 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/sharks-defeat-storm-11-2-wet-conditions/ Sharks Defeat Storm in Grand Final Rematch The Cronulla Sharks have climbed their way up to third place on the NRL ladder after a tense victory over the Melbourne Storm on the weekend. The defending premier champions relied on their solid defence to outlast the Storm for their 11-2 win at a very wet AAMI Park. In a rematch of the 2016 Grand Final, the Sharks failed to capitalise on several major scoring opportunities but managed to topple the home side with a clean sweep in the second half. The visiting side handled the wet and slippery conditions far better than the hosts in the opening minutes of the game. With just ten minutes on the clock, the Storm had already lost possession three times in the Shark’s half. A Handling error close to the Storm line gave the Sharks the perfect opportunity to score the opening try. The play was called back though for a penalty against the Cronulla side at the scrum. Melbourne’s first scoring opportunity came courtesy of Cooper Cronk who set up a 40-20, putting the Storm deep into Cronulla territory. The first points on the board came from Cameron Smith who kicked over a penalty from a high tackle against Billy Slater. A handling error from Suliasi Vunivalu close to the Storm line handed the Sharks another golden opportunity to get in front. But it was not to be as Jack Bird floated his final pass forward to Gerard Beale who had a clear run to the line. Storm Failed to Penetrate Shark’s Defence In the second half, the Storm came out strong with a long run from Slater and a perfect high ball split form Valentine Homes. The Shark’s tough defence held out against the home side resulting in another handling error, which gave Maloney the opportunity to level the scores with a perfect penalty kick. The two-all deadlock remained until the 70th minute when James Segeyaro swooped in on a mishandled kick by Billy Slater finishing it off with a touch down under the posts. The Storm kept the pressure on the Sharks line throughout the remainder of the second half. However, they failed to find their target with the boot, allowing the Sharks to claim Victory and effectively end the Storm’s opening season winning streak. The Sharks have now won three straight matches and seem to be getting better with each game. If you love betting on the NRL, Sportsbet is offering some incredible promotions. Just one of the many include the NRL Rounds 8 bonus, and if your team wins by 6 points or more, you’ll get a 50% boost up to $50 in bonus bets TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Kris Lees is hopeful about the All Aged Stakes. The track’s length is perfect for Le Romain, who has already shown his strengths in the Canterbury Stakes. - Published: 2017-04-13 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/le-romain-wants-win-aged-stakes/ Kris Lees Hopeful for Le Romain’s Best Kris Lees is sure that the All Aged will see Le Romain at his finest. The trainer from Newcastle is positive that Le Romain will be able to finish his campaign this autumn with a win in the All Aged Stakes set to take place this coming Saturday at Randwick. The 4-year old animal has managed to win the Canterbury Stakes, and was a runner up in the George Ryder Takes to Winx, before he failed as favourite in the Doncaster Last Start. Lees then sent Le Romain to rest up at his farm, and has stated that he looked good to take on his competitors in the weight-for-age 1400 metre upcoming race. Le Romain’s High Cruising Speed His Advantage Lees has stated that although Le Romain is a 2-time Group 1 winner at the mile, the 1 400 metres could well be his “best trip”, thanks to the fact that he has a high cruising speed. Lees went on to say that the horse’s Canterbury Stakes win showed his strength around races of this kind of length. Lees has said that Le Romain is able to sustain for just over 1 400 metres, and that this fact makes the horse a very difficult one to best. He spent 4 days on the farm after the Doncaster, and this chance to freshen up has him looking great. Lees stated that he was positive that the horse would not only run on Saturday, but that he would run well, and that he had every hope of a win. The Best of the Best at the All Aged Stakes Hugh Bowman is set to ride Le Romain in Saturday’s race, and he will also be riding Invader, the Champagne Stakes favourite, which he hopes will add another Group 1 to his Sires triumph. The All Aged Stakes is set to bring together the very best of the Doncaster and TJ Smith also-rans, with Spectroscope, Arod, McCreery, and Redkirk Warrior most probably coming out of the big mile. Godolphin’s trainer, John O’Shea, has stated that they will be looking at the conditions of the field, but that it is more than likely that Spectroscope will be taking part. David Hayes, however, will only be running the Newmarket Handicap victor Redkirk Warrior if the track improves. Hayes has said that the distance will suit Redkirk Warrior wonderfully, but a firmer track would be required in order for the horse to give his best. English Will Defend Her Crown English, the TJ Smith runner-up, will be there, defending her year-old All Aged Stakes crown, but Black Heart Bart, the runner-up, could well be heading to Sydney, as his trainer, Darren Weir, another one that is monitoring the track conditions as they are affected by the dismal downpours predicted. 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Bowman timed his race perfectly, pipping Perfect Rhyme at the end. - Published: 2017-04-12 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/bonneval-claims-huge-australian-oaks-day-win/ Bonneval Wins Australian Oaks Day Race Jockey Hugh Bowman celebrated in style after he claimed his 4th Australian Oaks win riding New Zealand trained Bonneval. Coming in from behind, Bonneval enjoyed a comprehensive victory, in her first run in Australia. Bowman had a string of successes at the ATC Oaks, picking up a win with Daffodil in 2009, Streama in 2012 and Sofia Rosa in 2016. The famous jockey went back-to-back on the second day of the Championships. He became the first rider to win successive Australian Oaks races since 1999. Bonneval became the second Zealand trained filly in successive years to beat home the locals in this Australian Classic. She shares the honour Sofia Rosa and has given her trainers a brilliant Australian Derby/Oaks double success after her stablemate Jon Snow picked up a win in the Australian Derby one week earlier. This was also the first time a trainer won the double since Clarry Conners did it in 1989. Bowman managed to time his ride to perfection. He kept his nerves and remained calm even though he was well back until the final straight. Former Crown Oaks winner Lasqueti Spirit was beaten for pace early on and couldn’t keep up with the pace set by Lubiton. Eventually Lasqueti Spirit managed to rush down the outside of the field and move to the front. Lubiton held on for second place ahead of Nurse Kitchen, the Vinery Stud Stakes runner up. Perfect Rhyme held the third spot in a race that turned out to be a staying contest. Bowman Timed his Race to Perfection Meanwhile Bonneval was holding back at fourth last as the fillies began to stretch out with Lasqueti Spirit leading the charge home. Speaking about his success, Bowman said that he decided to be patient and bide his time, he knew the filly would not let him down. With Lasqueti Spirit four lengths clear of the pack, Bowman slowly made his way to the front. Coming into the home straight, Perfect Rhyme made a charge on Lasqueti Spirit while Bonneval continued at pace down the outside. Bonneval eventually hit the lead with 100 meters to go and held on for the win. Perfect Rhyme followed hot on her heels for second with the tiring Lasqueti Spirit rounding out the Australian Oaks trifecta. Bonneval is now set to return to New Zealand before possibly making an appearance at the Melbourne spring Racing Carnival later this year. Australian Oaks Day may be over but there’s still plenty of betting action for avid horse racing fans. Sportsbet’s Thursday Racing Offer for the Pakenham Races 1-4 rewards you with an extra Power Play token if your horse runs 2nd or 3rd. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > A brilliant late charge from Foxplay saw the three-year-old claim the Queen of the Turf Stakes. Zanbagh claimed 2nd with Dixie Blossoms in 3rd. - Published: 2017-04-12 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/foxplays-late-charge-claims-queen-turf-stakes/ Foxplay Wins Queen of Turf Stakes Chris Waller continued feeling the magic at the Royal Randwick on day 2 of the Championships. After watching Winx run her 17th straight win, Waller made it a training double with Foxplay taking the honours at the 2017 Queen of the Turf Stakes. While everyone was still counting up their cash from Winx’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes win, two runs later, her stablemate Foxplay scored another winner in the Group 1 $1 million Queen of the Turf Stakes. The 1600m race was run this year as the Coolmore Legacy Stakes. The weight-for-age race saw both fillies and mares taking the epic mile sprint. With Foxplay across the line first, she became the first three-year-old to win the race since Forensics did it in 2008. This was also trainer Chris Waller’s first win in this particular event his first Group 1 success for Foxplay’s sire Foxwedge. A Late Charge at the End Kerrin McEvoy, who is no stranger to the Queen of the Turf Stakes himself, enjoyed his third win in just five races. He claimed victory riding Appearance in 2013 and then again riding Amanpour in 2015. Speaking to the press about his latest win, McEvoy said that Foxplay was an honest horse and deserved a Group 1 win. Over the past few races she had put up some big performances and had done a lot of prep for the race. Coming off the back of a fourth placing in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes, Waller managed to get Foxplay in peak form to take on the older mares. At the start of the race it was former Flight Stakes winner, First Seal who took the early lead, sitting a full head of the favourite Silent Sedition who was claimed the Group 1 William Reid Stakes in Melbourne. Foxplay was also in the mix but was caught deep out wide. Silent Sedition was getting a brilliant run on the fence before being challenged by First Seal for the lead. Coming in from the wide barrier, Emancipation Stakes winner Zanbagh was tracking through midfield. Coming in on the straight it was a fight for the finish with Silent Sedition and First seal leading the charge. However, a late run from Fox play and Dixie Blossoms through a spanner into the works. Foxplay eventually pulled out in front and held on to beat Zanbagh who bolted down the outside while Dixie Blossoms came home in third. Although these races may be over there’s still plenty for punters to bet on, and Sportsbet has some amazing specials, such as the NRL Rounds 8 bonus that will reward you with a 50% boost up to $50 in bonus bets if your team wins by 6 points or more. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Sydney’s rainy weather has already caused race favourite Black Heart Bart to pull out of the All Aged Stakes. Will Redkirk Warrior be next to go? - Published: 2017-04-12 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/wet-track-problem-runners-aged-stakes/ Weather Will Influence 2017 All Age Stakes The 2017 Sydney Group 1 All Age Stakes is scheduled to take place this Saturday the 15th of April. Forming an integral part of the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival, the All Age Stakes is a Group 1 weight-for-age race held at the Royal Randwick Racecourse over a distance of 1400 meters. While the $600,000 race will certainly draw a big crowd, two of the leading runners may not even make an appearance. It seems Sydney’s weather will be the deciding factor on whether favourites Black Heart Bart and Redkirk Warrior will be running on Saturday. According to trainer David Hayes, Redkirk Warrior couldn’t go a single yard on a Heavy eight track. This was after he finished in 11th place at the Doncaster Mile. Hayes said that the horse is still in Sydney while they monitor the weather. He would like to run him, but he needs a better track. If Redkirk Warrior doesn’t run on Saturday, Hayes would aim for the Goodwood on the 20th of May. last year. With weather conditions deteriorating, trainer Darren Weir has confirmed that he will not be taking race favourite Black Heart Bart through to the All Aged Stakes. This now puts Le Romain in as Race favourite at odds of $4. 00. A Waiting Game According to Craig Williams who rode Big Duke in Saturday’s abandoned Sydney Cup, the ground at Randwick was testing. For Black Heart Bart to race, the track would need to improve a lot which is simply has not done. Meanwhile Big Duke will return to the Warnambool stables but would happily return to Sydney if the Cup was rescheduled for Anzac Day. The All Ages Stakes race will feature an impressive collection of the season’s best performers. In recent years though, the race has failed to attract a capacity line-up of weight-for-age performers. The largest field seen since 1983 was in 1999 and 2009 when 14 starters took to the stalls. From 2005 through to 2016, under 10 horses started for 9 of the 12 editions. Horses come into the Stakes via a number of lead up races including the Group 1Doncaster Mile, the Group 1 TJ Smiths Stakes and the Group 1 Futurity Stakes. 2017 All Aged Stakes Nominations Le Romain 4. 00 English 4. 60 Voodoo Lad 6. 50 Tivaci 9. 00 Redkirk Warrior 10. 00 Hellbent 11. 00 Jungle Edge 12. 00 Mccreery 12. 00 Spectroscope 16. 00 Divine Prophet 17. 00 Japonisme 26. 00 Counterattack 31. 00 Flamberge 34. 00 Articus 41. 00 Arod 61. 00 Famous Seamus 101. 00 TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Sydney Cup was controversially called a no-race by the stewards after Almoonqith broke down. It is unsure whether the race will be rescheduled. - Published: 2017-04-11 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/sydney-cup-called-no-race-incident-field/ Carnage at the Sydney Cup The Sydney Cup was always going to be a race filled with drama and excitement. But no one quite expected the sheer drama and controversy that took place on Saturday. Racing stewards made a controversial decision to abandon the race after Almoonqith broke down and two riders were dislodged just past the winning post. Described as “absolute carnage” by a prominent television presenter, the race descended into chaos just after the fall. After collapsing 100 meters after the winning post, Almoonqith was quickly euthanized by race officials while viewers looked on in dismay. Jockey James Doyle was visibly distressed and limped off the field with the help of fellow jockey Black Shinn who was thrown from his own horse Who Shot Thebarman during the ordeal. The shocking incident took place on the first lap, leaving the wounded horse, the two jockeys and a wondering Who Shot Thebarman as major course obstacles. Officials made the decision to declare the Sydney Cup a no-race and attempted to alert the rest of the jockeys. However, several of the remaining jockeys did not hear the cancellation announcement and continued to contest the race. The cancellation of the race was completely unprecedented in the 155 years it had been running. This all came on a day when thousands of spectators were in attendance and while millions more watched on free-to-air television. Confusion on the Field After the dust had settled, Racing NSW chief steward Marc Van Gestel made an official announcement confirming the cancellation of the race. Van Gestel said that the race was called off due to safety concerns. With Almoonqith motionless on the track and Who Shot Thebarman loping around in confusion, the racing officials had no choice but to abandon the race. Speaking to the press, Van Gestel said that unfortunately some of the remaining riders failed to hear the call to abandon the race. Coming round the home straight, Polarisation was the first of the remaining horses to complete the race. Jockey Corey Brown was furious when he heard about the cancellation. According to reports he said that where was no sign and that was a farce. He went on to say that the horse broke down a furlong after the winning post. If it was at the 100 meter mark he could understand. Other jockeys echoed browns words in condemning the decision to cancel the race. Others said that they were confused as no clear signal was given. Australian Turf Club officials have yet to announce whether the Sydney Cup would be rescheduled for another date. 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Chris Waller, her trainer was overcome with emotion after the race saying that she is doing great things for racing and that people will remember her for the rest of their lives. Giving all the credit to the mare, Waller said that Winx made him look like a genius. He also praised Hugh Bowman, the jockey who guided Winx to her 17th straight win in the group 1 $4 million race. Waller went on to say that Bowman was definitely part of Winx and that what he has done with the mare is very special. He capped it all off by saying that it was a privilege to train such a champion horse. A Flawless Ride for Bowman Winx went into the race a firm favourite at odds of $1. 12. It was hardly surprising then when she romped home a full five lengths clear of her nearest rival Hartnell who was sitting at odds of $18. Sense of Occasion ($151) completed the top three coming in a neck further down the line. On the day, Winx managed to bring in 26,801 visitors to Randwick, the biggest crowd anyone has seen in the modern racing era. The number of people who turned up to see history in the making even eclipsed the 25,535 odd people who saw Black Caviar claim her final win a the 2013 TJ Smith Stakes. Jockey Hugh Bowman gave Winx an absolutely flawless ride. Settling off the fence, Bowman took her wide at the 600-meter mark and opened up an incredible margin that her rivals were just not able to chase. In winning the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Winx has now racked up a total of 17 consecutive wins, trailing only Ajax on 18, Desert Gold on 19 and Black Caviar on 25 as horses with the longest winning streaks. During her recent winning streak, Winx has picked up a total of 12 Group 1 wins and is fast approaching Black Caviar’s record of 15 Majors. Her total prizemoney was boosted to a massive $12,708,930, second only to Makybe Diva who holds the record at $14,526,900. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The New Zealand Davis Cup team faced Korea in their Group 1 tie on Friday. NZ were looking for revenge after losing in 2016 and want to settle the score. - Published: 2017-04-10 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/nz-face-off-against-korea-in-davis-cup/ New Zealand Seeks Davis Cup Triumph The New Zealand Davis Cup tennis team were all geared up for their group 1 tie against the Korea. While they may have been feeling confident about their Asia/Oceania matchup, New Zealand Captain Alistair Hunt said he was not taking any chances. The visiting Korean team was resting two of its key players as they prepare for ATP tournaments. This will work in New Zealand’s favour for the duration of the tournament, as Hyeon Chung will be out of the running and so will Duckhee Lee. Filling in for the Korean team is 19-year-old Soon Woo Kwon. Ranked number 253 in the world, Kwon earned a spot in the final of the Yokohama Challenger last month as a qualifier. Joining Kwon will mostly likely be Seong Chan Hong. Also 19 years of age, Hong is currently ranked at 554 in the world and pulled of an impressive win over Rubin Stratham at last year’s Davis Cup in Seoul. The other members of the Korean team include Jea Moon Lee ranked 790 as well as Hong Chung ranked 607 in the world. While their rankings might seem on the high side, the New Zealand captain will be wary of the Korean Team. The captain has been around long enough to know that rankings don’t always mean that much in the Davis Cup. Speaking to the press about the Korean’s decision to rest two of their biggest players, Hunt said that it would give the New Zealand team a much better chance. He went on to say that it would still be a tough weekend for the team. Stratham Seeks Revenge According to Hunt, the team have been training well and are pulling together nicely. Playing at home is key for the Kiwi teams, as they will have huge support from the crowd. Hunt is just hoping for the home crowd to get behind them from the start. New Zealand’s lead player, Rubin Stratham will be eager to make amends for team after having lost against the Korean’s last year. Stratham said that he knows all of the Korean players and have played them each before. It’s not going to be easy he said but he is keen to get his revenge. Michal Venus and Rubin Stratham are the key players in the single division while Marcus Daniel and Artem Sitak will make up the doubles team. Since 2013, the New Zealand team have not lost a doubles match in the Davis Cup, which bodes well for the team. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The upcoming Champions Trophy will see a host of fringe cricketers joining the Black Caps Squad. The IPL has forced selectors to test out new talent. - Published: 2017-04-10 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/fringe-players-join-black-caps-odi-squad/ Black Caps Welcome Fringe Players The upcoming Champions Trophy will give fringe New Zealand cricketers their chance to play in the national side. For some players it will be a return to the team, for others it will their first taste of national honours. While this is an excellent opportunity for the Black Caps to test the depth of their team, we have to remember that a full 10 players will be tied up with the Indian Premier League. What this means is that while we can be expected to see some excellent young talent, this will not be a full-strength New Zealand side facing Ireland and Bangladesh in the upcoming Champions Trophy. Some of the side choices may seem intriguing while others we know are based on performances in the domestic season. There is also a chance for players to re-state their claim on the side. Chief among them is wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi. Ronchi Back in Action At this point in time, Ronchi is likely to take over the role of wicketkeeper ahead of Tom Lathan. He might also get a chance to have a crack at batting at the top of the order. Although, when last given the chance four years ago, he scraped together a paltry 47 runs in six innings. As expected, Tom Latham will be taking on the leadership role while Kane Williamson does his duty for the Sunrisers Hyderabad. Also included in the side is seam bowler Hamish Bennet who played his last ODI three years ago. Coming in uncapped is Seth Rance, the highly rated seamer from the Central Districts. Sitting on the cusp of ODI selection is Rance’s provincial teammate George Worker. While he has not done enough to be included in the selection, a good performance in Ireland could see him joining the Champions Trophy squad. Speaking to the press about the newly named squad, national selector Gavin Larsen said that it is a fantastic opportunity to give new players a chance to play international cricket. The Champions Trophy will give youngster Scott Kuggeleijn the chance to develop his game while Neil Wagner will make the transition from test regular to ODI debut. Of all the players joining the side, Colin Munro has garnered the most attention. His form in the Plunket Shield was nothing short of amazing with a total of 685 runs in just six matches at an average of 85. 62. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Sunday’s Chinese Grand Prix is Ferrari’s shot at their first repeat win since 2010. New Zealand Formula 1 fans can expect a titanic battle with Mercedes. - Published: 2017-04-09 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/ferraris-chinese-grand-prix-quest/ Ferrari Seeks Double in Chinese Grand Prix The second race of the 2017 Formula 1 Championship, the Chinese Grand Prix, takes place in Shanghai this Sunday, and Scuderia Ferrari will be chasing a repeat of last month’s Australian Grand Prix win. Ferrari haven’t won back-to-back races in the F1 Championship in seven years, ever since victories in Italy and Singapore by Fernando Alonso in 2010. Alonso is now driving for McLaren-Honda, but he and teammate Stoffel Vandoorne both had disastrous races last month, so they are unlikely to be a threat this Sunday. Vettel’s teammate, Kimi Raikkonen, finished fourth in Australia, and both Ferrari drivers are capable of securing the elusive double. Mercedes Hungry for Revenge The biggest threat to a repeat Ferrari win is the Mercedes team of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas. They ended the Melbourne race second and third behind Vettel, and were Ferrari’s closest competitors in last month’s track testing in Spain. The Chinese Grand Prix, like its Australian counterpart, is held on a street circuit, laid out in the industrial sprawl on the margins of China’s east-coast metropolis. The race comprises 56 laps of the 5. 451km circuit, but unlike Melbourne’s Albert Park, the Shanghai course includes some nice long straights. Hamilton and other drivers have questioned new regulations and the wider cars this year, claiming that increased turbulence is making it impossible for drivers to pass each other. The straights in Shanghai may alleviate this complaint; if not, it will at least drive home the extent of the problem. Verstappen and Red Bull’s Car Woes Apart from Hamilton and Bottas, Vettel will also have to watch out for Max Verstappen in Shanghai. The young Red Bull ace finished the Australian Grand Prix in fifth place, but his car let him down in terms of grip and power. If the Red Bull-Tag Heuer tech team have ironed out the bugs, he could be a serious threat. Whether or not the Dutchman can rely on his car, however, the Chinese Grand Prix is going to be close-run and hard-fought. The Vettel-Hamilton tussle looks to be shaping up into a titanic battle for the 2017 championship. 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Dare New Zealand punters back them to finish better than third? - Published: 2017-04-09 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/nz-eye-hong-kong-sevens-turnaround/ New Zealand Plans Hong Kong Sevens Comeback With a history stretching back to 1976, the Hong Kong Sevens is not only the premier tournament of the annual HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, but it is also holds the distinction of being the tournament that introduced the world to the possibilities of professional rugby, commercial sponsorship and a global audience of sports and betting fans. New Zealand rugby union enthusiasts have an added spur to watch this weekend’s Sevens action at the Hong Kong Stadium. The All Blacks Sevens team have made it to the semis three times so far in the 2016-17 series, but have never managed to finish better than third. Like the punters, New Zealand skipper Scott Curry will want to see that change in the cradle of WR Sevens. And with a fully fit team, he might pull it off. Head coach Scott Waldrom welcomed new cap Joe Ravouvou and hailed the return of Teddy Stanaway, Sam Dickson, Joe Webber, Tone Ng Shiu and Lewis Ormond to what is probably the strongest squad New Zealand have fielded in the 2016-17 series. Tough Start in the Pool Stage South Africa, England and Fiji have all played New Zealand’s nemesis in the series so far, delivering the knockout blows in Cape Town, Sydney and Las Vegas respectively, in which the All Blacks Sevens team finished third, third and fourth. England knocked them out again for a fifth place in Vancouver. In the overall points ladder for the series, the Blitzboks are currently leading on 126 points, well clear of England on 103 and Fiji on 100. New Zealand are in fourth with 84 points, so they have a big ask in the final four tournaments of the series. It’s a good thing New Zealand are back at full strength in Hong Kong, because they share a pool with Fiji. They also face Wales in the pool stage, a Sevens side that are capable of beating anyone on the right day. Waldrom even acknowledged that minnow Japan, the fourth team in the pool, are improving with every match; their stunning defeat of New Zealand in the Rio Olympics proves that complacency isn’t an option. If the New Zealand Sevens side can finish the pool stage in Hong Kong in the top two, against that opposition, their WR Sevens fans will be backing them to go all the way for the first time this series. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Four teams are battling for supremacy at the top of the English Premier League. The next seven weeks offer New Zealand football fans many betting options. - Published: 2017-04-08 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/english-premier-league-top-tussle/ Chelsea Keeps English Premier League Top Spot After a shock defeat to Crystal Palace last Saturday saw Chelsea wobble at the top of the 2016-17 English Premier League ladder, the London side steadied the ship on Wednesday. A win over Manchester City at Stamford Bridge gained the Fulham side three points, sending them seven points clear of perennial London rivals Tottenham Hotspur. Palace surprised the Blues last Saturday, overpowering them at home 2-1 to leave Chelsea on 69 points. Spurs’ 2-0 win against Burnley put them on 62, and their fans were hoping they could close the gap even further by mid-week, if Chelsea faltered again on Wednesday. Tottenham did what they had to in Wednesday’s match, beating Swansea City 3-1 in Wales. Sadly for Spurs supporters though, Chelsea wouldn’t cooperate, beating Man City 2-1 to restore the points deficit to seven between the top two teams on the ladder. Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester Sides Still Challenging With seven weeks left in the EPL season, New Zealand betting enthusiasts will not only be trying to identify potential champions. The final order in which teams finish also determines which go through to the 2017-18 UEFA Champions League and Europa League group stages and play-offs, making the final jostling among the top teams between now and May 21 crucial. In their final matches, Chelsea’s opponents include Sunderland, Middlesborough, Southampton and West Bromwich Albion; all currently in the bottom 12 on the log. With the Blues on 72 points and Spurs on 65, it will be tough for Tottenham to catch up. The same goes for Liverpool and Manchester City, currently third and fourth on the ladder with 60 and 58 respectively. Liverpool may yet fade from the top four, however, as they have already played one more match than the other three sides. Arsenal and Manchester United, on the other hand, are a match behind Chelsea, Spurs and City. In joint fifth spot with 54 points each, they remain in contention and are sure to pile pressure on the leaders in the EPL’s final weeks. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Tuesday and Wednesday bring the first legs of the 2017 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. New Zealand football fans have prime betting options online. - Published: 2017-04-08 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/uefa-champions-league-qf-betting/ Leicester City Faces Tough Champions League QF New Zealand football fans who began following Leicester City when they became the English Premier League champions have had a disappointing year. However, despite their abysmal season at home, City has managed to survive to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League. They face Atletico Madrid in Spain for the first leg on Wednesday. Atletico is the bookies’ fourth-favourite to win the tournament this year, priced at $6. 00, while Leicester remain outsiders at $40. 00; so not only would an upset win by the English side please their fans, it could also prove quite profitable. Dortmund vs Monaco could Go Either Way The two QF first legs set for Tuesday include Borussia Dortmund at home to Monaco, the only French outfit left in the 2017 competition. Dortmund is currently at $8. 00 to win the title, while Monaco is at $14. 00. But the French team has pulled off some great goals this season, so they could surprise in the QF legs. The leg that captures the most attention worldwide on Tuesday, however, is likely to be the Barcelona-Juventus match in Turin. The Italian side has been in good form throughout the 2017 tournament, and hey are being offered at $11. 00 to win it. But after FC Barca’s amazing six-goal comeback against PSG to make the final eight, they have to be the favourites in this encounter. The bookies agree: at $3. 75, the Spanish team is second favourite to go all the way. Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid Should Thrill The Munich match on Wednesday is likely to be the most thrilling of the QF first legs. Bayern Munich delivered repeat 5-1 thumpings to Arsenal to make the final stages, and they are currently the $3. 00 favourites to win the 2017 UEFA Champions League. Real Madrid are a strong side coming off an impressive season that saw them win 22 of 29, but once they were drawn to face Bayern in the QFs, their odds of a tournament win dropped to $5. 50. Most New Zealand football punters will be backing Bayern to clinch this QF, and eventually the title. However, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are never going to simply roll over, so don’t rule them out just yet. Tuesday and Wednesday should provide a feast of top European football, with lots more to come. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Winx goes into Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes with the shortest odds in recent history. Winx sits at odds of $1.10 looking for her 17th straight win. - Published: 2017-04-07 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/winx-aims-win-queen-elizabeth-stakes/ Winx Favourite for Queen Elizabeth Stakes Winx will go into Saturday’s Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes as the firm favourite with the shortest-priced odds seen in modern racing history. Sitting at odds of $1. 10, just about everyone expects her to win the $4 million group 1 event. In fact, punters don’t expect her to win, it’s a pretty much a given at this point. In her last 16 starts, Winx has won every single race and appears to be getting better and better. With a win record like hers, she will play the anchor in trifecta’s, first fours, quads and all-ups. Some punters will even go so far as to put all their punting cash on her for the win. While the odds may not be huge, it still pays better interest than a bank account. But should be we be so confident? The Queen Elizabeth Stakes has a history of dropping favourites. All we have to do is look back a few years and we find a horror show of firm favourites that bankrupt many a punter. A History of Lost Favourites With horses like Lonhro ($1. 26), Our Waverley Star ($1. 22), A Dundeel ($1. 28), It's Sunline ($1. 50) and Beau Zam ($1. 67) all losing out, it should give us pause for though. But this is no ordinary horse we are talking about. Winx was taken through her paces at Rosehill in preparation for Saturday’s big race. Speaking to the press, trainer Chris Waller said that her morning workout was to ensure that everything was working as it should and that jockey Hugh Bowman was happy with her. Waller went on to explain that it is all about getting the horses breathing right, making sure they are focused, moving well and most of all keeping the pre-race nerves from affecting the horse. Winx has already has three races with this type of preparation but this is the big one. She has been building up to this race since winning the Cox plate. For jockey Bowman, its business as usual on Saturday. Bowman said that he is feeling quite relaxed at this point in time. The closer the race gets, the more the emotions will start to filter in. But he has been through the process a few times and is certainly getting more comfortable with it. Bowman said that the horse gives him the confidence he needs and keeps him relaxed. While the Queen Elizabeth Stakes might have a poor record for odds-on favourites, we have to remember that anything can happen on Saturday. The 2017 Queen Elizabeth Stakes Field HARTNELL $11. 00 EXOSPHERIC $41. 00 HAPPY CLAPPER $21. 00 THE UNITED STATES $17. 00 SENSE OF OCCASION $101. 00 HARLEM $126. 00 SINGING $251. 00 NO DOUBT $301. 00 WINX $1. 10 TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > After winning the Chairman’s handicap last Saturday, Big Duke has been installed as a short-odd favourite for Saturday’s 2017 Sydney Cup at Randwick. - Published: 2017-04-07 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/big-duke-good-shot-sydney-cup/ Big Duke a Big Contender for Sydney Cup In 2015, Prince of Penzance put Warnnambool and trainer Darren Weir on the map by winning the Melbourne Cup. This year, his stable mate, Big Duke could be doing more for Weir at the 2017 Sydney Cup. Trained at Warrnambool stables, Big Duke beat out frontrunner Aloft in the Chairman’s Handicap race held at Randwick last Saturday. Following his two-lengths win, Big Duke was immediacy installed a favourite for the prestigious $2 million Sydney Cup this Saturday. After carrying a hefty 58kg in the Chairman’s Handicap, the five-year old drops to a weight of 51kg for the group 1 feature. The Sydney Cup is a Group 1 handicap race held over a distance of 3200 meters. In 2016, the race was won by Gallante. It is the only 3200-meter race to be held at Randwick each year. Big Duke Improving with Time According to Weir’s stable foreman Jarrod McLean, Big Duke has been improving over time. McLean said that Weir had set the Sydney Cup as the main goal for Big Duke a couple of month’s back. Having won five of six, McLean feels that he was a bit unlucky coming runner up in the Hobart Cup. Speaking about the Warrnambool stables, McLean said the horse had been thriving ever since he arrived. Another Warrambool stable favourite is Planentino who ran fourth in the Doncaster $3 million Handicap at Randwick. Voodoo Lad, his stable mate also did well coming in fifth in the T. J. Smith Stakes $2. 5 million race. On the other side of the scale, Ruthven took fourth in the $2 million BMW Australian Derby. Trained by Ciaron Maher, Ruthven finished just two lengths behind Jon Snow in the classic 2400 race. So far Ruthven has collected money in six of his seven starts. The Maher stables also had a good run with Here to winning in Adelaide. The 2017 Sydney Cup Field WHO SHOT THE BARMAN $8. 00 LIBRAN $14. 00 ALMOONQITH $26. 00 TALLY $14. 00 ASSIGN $7. 00 CHANCE TO DANCE $19. 00 BIG DUKE $2. 60 ANNUS MIRABILIS $26. 00 MISTER IMPATIENCE $81. 00 PENGLAI PAVILION $10. 00 KINEMA $41. 00 PENTATHLON $81. 00 VENGEUR MASQUE $18. 00 POLARISATION $16. 00 TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Saturday sees four top races run in Sydney’s Autumn Carnival on Australian Oaks Day. New Zealand punters will have an eye on the Royal Randwick betting. - Published: 2017-04-07 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/australian-oaks-day-sydney/ Australian Oaks Day at Randwick Saturday’s Sydney Autumn Carnival opener at Royal Randwick racecourse goes by a number of designations, including Day Two of ‘The Championships’, depending on which of the meeting’s four historic Group 1 races is being punted at the time. Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day is probably this year’s outright favourite, 2017 being the 25th anniversary of the monarch conferring the “Royal” prefix on Randwick, and in deference to the 2000m weight-for-age Queen Elizabeth Stakes’ $4-million purse. But Australian Oaks Day is a fancied outsider in the nickname stakes, as the only set-weights handicap restricted to 3-year-old fillies. The 3200m Sydney Cup for 3-year-olds and older, and the 1600m weight-for-age Legacy Stakes for fillies and mares only, are the other two Group 1 races that will be keeping punters entertained on Australian Oaks Day. The 2400m Australian Oaks, for a purse of $1-million, will be the first of the four great races run on Saturday, so its field of 14 will attract a fair amount of interest from New Zealand race betting enthusiasts. With champion mare Winx ranked by bookies as a dead cert in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, punters will be looking for more rewarding action in the other Group 1 races. Bonneval and Lasqueti Spirit Worth a Look New Zealand filly Bonneval, on three successive wins including the New Zealand Oaks at Trentham last month, is the $4. 20 favourite for the Australian Oaks, but she isn’t too far ahead of arch-rival and New Zealand Oaks runner-up Devise at $8. 00. The second and third favourites for the Oaks are also New Zealand fillies: Harlow Gold at $5. 00 and Nurse Kitchen, who might triumph with a trademark late charge on Saturday, at $5. 50. The outsider with the best chance of causing an upset is probably Waking Moment, at $31. 00. Australia’s Lasqueti Spirit comes into the Australian Oaks off a win in the Crown Oaks at Flemington. After some disappointing mixed starts, she could reward in a race restricted to her sex and age, and is priced like Devise at $8. 00. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Queen of the Turf stakes caps a great day’s racing at Sydney’s Royal Randwick this Saturday. New Zealand betting fans have exciting Group 1 options. - Published: 2017-04-07 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/randwick-queen-turf-stakes/ Randwick’s Queen of the Turf Stakes Saturday The Queen of the Turf Stakes, currently run as the Coolmore Legacy Stakes, has been a feature of Australian racing since 1972. Run over 1600m at Sydney’s Royal Randwick Racecourse for a purse of $1-million, it is a weight-for-age handicap restricted to fillies and mares three years old and older. New Zealand punters will want to take a punt on the Queen of the Turf field this Saturday, when it will be the penultimate race on the card at Randwick’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day. Saturday is also a Sydney Autumn Carnival event at Randwick, and Day Two of the course’s ‘The Championships. ’ The $4-million Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the Queen of the Turf Stakes are two of Randwick’s four Group 1 races scheduled for Saturday, and on the silver anniversary of Her Majesty conferring official ‘royal’ status on Randwick, the former will be the focus of the day’s social celebrations. The other two Group 1 races are the $2-million Sydney Cup over 2400m, and the 1600m Australian Oaks for 3-year-old fillies, with a $1-million purse. Big Field Makes Winning Options Uncertain Of the day’s four G1 races, the Queen of the Turf boasts the largest field, with 18 fillies and mares accepted. Betting fans in New Zealand will have to study the form carefully to pick a winner, although 4-year-old Silent sedition is the clear favourite at $4. 80. Only three other horses are currently being offered at less than $10. 00 for a win: 3-year-old Foxplay at $6. 00, 4-year-old Dixie Blossoms at $7. 00, and 5-year-old Heavens Above at $8. 00. The track could well be wet on Saturday, however, in which case a punt on 6-year-old Zanbagh, at $13. 00, might bear fruit. Jockey Oliver Chases Record Veteran Australian jockey Damien Oliver is down to ride in every race on Saturday, including all four G1 handicaps. He has currently achieved 107 Group 1 wins, putting him one victory behind the all-time record of late Australian racing legend Roy Higgins. Oliver is set to ride New Zealand filly Devise in the Australian Oaks, Irish entire The United States in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Irish gelding Assign in the Sydney Cup, and Australian filly Oregon’s Day in the Queen of the Turf Stakes. By Saturday night, he may well have equalled or beaten Higgins’ record. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > As we get into Week 7 of 2017 Super Rugby, the unbeaten Crusaders have a bye. However, they will be watching the action as avidly as New Zealand punters. - Published: 2017-04-06 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/bye-week-unseat-crusaders/ Crusaders Retain Super Rugby Top Spot The Crusaders broke a five-year Super Rugby hoodoo on Sunday, beating the Waratahs in Sydney for the first time since 2012. Sam Whitelock’s men outpaced and outclassed the Australian side to make it 19-10 at the break, and despite a gutsy ’Tahs counter-attack in the second half, three more tries left the visitors with six overall and a 41-22 victory. Tim Bateman scored two of the Crusaders’ tries, with the rest coming from George Bridge, David Kaetau Havili, Bryn Hall and Ben Funnell. Mitch Hunt put away three conversions and a penalty, with Marty McKenzie contributing a fourth conversion. The bonus-point win returned the Crusaders to the top of the overall tournament ladder with 26 points, after briefly being usurped by the Chiefs, Lions and Stormers on Saturday. Six matches in, the Canterbury side remains undefeated, and their win in Sydney also wrested back the top spot in the New Zealand Conference from the Chiefs. Bye Week Focus on Stormers vs Chiefs Also undefeated so far, the Chiefs are back to second in the New Zealand Conference with 24 points. In the Africa 1 Conference, the Stormers are unbeaten too, with 22 points, but like the Chiefs, they have a game in hand. In fact, the two sides will play their sixth match of the 2017 tournament against each other, at Newlands in Cape Town this Saturday. The Crusaders and their fans, enjoying a bye week, won’t want to miss this match. A Stormers win will take them to the top of the overall rankings, while a Chiefs victory would see them take the lead in the New Zealand Conference as well as the tournament. Sharks vs Jaguares an Important Clash The other powerhouses of 2017 Super Rugby capturing the attention of punters are the Johannesburg-based Lions, currently topping the Africa 2 Conference with 23 points from five wins in six games. However, they also having a bye week, which could leave them tied at the top of their conference. Argentinian side the Jaguares, with four wins from five, and South Africa’s Sharks, on four from six, are currently tied on 18 points. They meet on Saturday afternoon at King’s Park in Durban, and a five-pointer for either side will make them serious contenders against the Lions in coming weeks for the top spot in their conference, and a guaranteed place in the quarter-finals. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The NHL has released a statement saying that it will not be taking part in the 2018 Winter Olympics. The decision has a major impact the hockey world. - Published: 2017-04-06 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/hockey/nhl-will-not-take-part-winter-olympics/ No Winter Olympics for the NHL It is official; the National Hockey League (NHL) will not be taking part in the in the 2018 Winter Olympic games in Pyeongchang. The NHL announced that it would finalise its 2017/2018 season without taking a Winter Games break. It has officially declared all negotiations closed at this point. The radical statement issued by the NHL this week ends years of negotiations between the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), the NHL and the International Olympic Committee. The talking point in these negotiations was primarily the league’s on going participation in the Winter Olympic Games. According to the NHL, they are unhappy about potentially being shut down for three weeks, smack bang in the middle of their regular season. The NHL has also been seeking recognition from the Olympic committee comparable to that of the top Olympic sponsor for playing a major role in the South Korea Games. Up until now, the NHL has participated in every winter Olympics since the 1998 games in Nagano. The decision for the NHL not to participate will have a major impact on just about every Ice hockey playing nation. Countries like Russia, the USA, Canada, Sweden and Finland have teams that are made up mostly of NHL players. According to the NHL’s Players Association (NHLPA), the teams are disappointed and completely disagree with the NHL’s decision. For the players, any inconvenience caused by the Olympics is a small price to pay for the opportunity to showcase their talents on an international stage. The absence of the NHL at the Olympics will be a major blow to the event where Ice Hockey usually pulls in top ratings. A Short Sighted Decision According to the NHLPA, the decision was short sighted with the NHL losing on the opportunity to showcase themselves to a wider market. The NHLPA feels that the decision not to participate will certainly impede the growth of the league and the opportunity to reach sports fans on a global scale. From their point of view, the NHL said they had become extremely frustrated with the inaction of the Olympic Committee. According to them, the IOC have put them in a position where their participation in Beijing in 2022 is conditioned by their participation in South Korea now in 2018. In an effort to create clarity, the NHL have proceeded to finalise the 2017/2018 regular season schedule and conserved the matter of the Winter Olympics closed. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > This weekends Australian Oaks could test Harlow Gold, as rain is predicted. Trainer David Hayes says that a wet track could adversely affect performance. - Published: 2017-04-06 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/harlow-gold-tested-australian-oaks/ Harlow Gold Could Be Tested by Australian Oaks Wet Track Randwick’s wet track on Saturday could well be the make or break for Group 1’s Harlow Gold in the $1 million James Boag’s 2400 metre Australian Oaks, day 2 of The Championships. David Hayes, the Lindsay Park co-trainer, is not totally sure that Harlow Gold will be able to cope with this weekend’s wet ground, even though this Tavistock filly did manage to finish in the number 3 position behind Montoya’s Secret and Nurse Kitchen in the Group 1, heavy 9 surface, $500 000 2000 metre Vinery Stud Stakes Rosehill on the 25th of March. A Competitive Horse on an Equitable Track Hayes said that, ideally, the surface would be dry and that the wet conditions at Randwick were not the same as those at Rosehill, with the former being sticker, he felt. He added that, with a reasonable track, the horse would be very competitive. Hayes went on to say that she was not confident with her Australian Oaks prep gallop at Randwick on Tuesday morning, but she “had a good blow”. Randwick’s track got voted a heavy 9 on Wednesday after receiving over 68 mm of rain in the last week, and the Bureau of Meteorology has forecast more showers for the area leading up to the race this weekend. Hayes, along with his son Ben and nephew Tom, with whom he trains in partnership, stated that Harlow Gold came through her Vinery Stud Stakes run in excellent order, and would have no problem finishing a strong 2 400 metre after she finished second in the Group 1 $1 million 2 500 metre Crown Oaks, to Lasqueti Spirit, at the Melbourne Cup Carnival Flemington race. A Fierce Rivalry Montoya’s Secret, who won Vinery Stud Stakes, is not competing, but Harlow Gold will be facing off against rival Nurse Kitchen when she competes in the Australian Oaks. Nurse Kitchen, trained by David Brideoake, made up a lot of ground from the rear in the Vinery Stud Stakes, and the Australian Oaks 2017 competition will be a debut for Kitchen. Harlow Gold has managed to draw barrier 12 in the 14-horse field of the Australian Oaks, and Mark Zahra has taken over Regan Bayliss on the $5 possibility on who is appearing on the second betting line at Betway. This is behind the filly from New Zealand, Bonneval, who stands as the $4. 20 favourite, but Nurse Kitchen is certainly a contender at $5. 50. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > With a $4-million purse, the name race on Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day attracts a good field. Kiwi punters may think Saturday’s race is sewn up, though. - Published: 2017-04-06 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/randwick-queen-elizabeth-stakes-day/ Winx Undisputed Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day Favourite Racing fans will be enjoying the Sydney Autumn Carnival that arrives at Royal Randwick this Saturday, on Day Two of The Championships. Day One last Saturday saw Jon Snow win the 2400m Australian Derby and Chataqua triumph in the 1200m TJ Smith Stakes, and the ATC expects another bumper crowd this week. Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day has a special significance in the silver anniversary year of the monarch declaring Randwick officially a “royal” racecourse. So naturally, the day features a card with lots of action for punters online, along with the fashion, hospitality and entertainment options that make it such a popular social occasion. There are two Group 1 races on the card, although the $4-million feature race of the day is one of them, and the result is already a foregone conclusion, according to many bookies and punters. For the 2000m Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes, in a field of nine, 5-year-old mare Winx is being offered at $1. 10 and lower, with nearest rival Hartnell at $11. 00. Sydney Cup Offers Wider Range of Options It’s understandable that so few think any horse can challenge Winx in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Her record stands on 20 wins from 26 starts, the last 16 of them consecutively over a variety of distances. Barring foul weather and heavy going, it’s hard to see who can beat her at Randwick, although if the track does get rough, punters have outsiders like Harlem and Sense of Occasion to take a flyer on. The Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day race that many punters will be focusing on instead, is the next race on Saturday’s card: the Group 1 Sydney Cup over 3200m, for a total purse of $2-million. It has a field of 14, but none with a record as stellar as Winx’s, so racing fans can explore a wider range of betting options. Irish gelding Big Duke is a clear favourite at $2. 60, but many also fancy another Irish gelding, Assign, or New Zealand’s Who Shot The Barman. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Hopefully Randwick can provide a drier track by Saturday, says John Thompson, First Seal trainer. The mare needs conditions to improve to do her best. - Published: 2017-04-06 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/first-seal-may-struggle-queen-turf-stakes/ First Seal Requires Randwick Track to Dry Off First Seal, a mare of incredible quality, needs Randwick track to be dry in order to deliver her best form when the Group 1 $1 million Coolmore Legacy Queen of the Turf Stakes rolls around on Saturday, a 1 600 meter race on the second day of The Championships. The mare’s record for wet weather reads a second from 1 try of heavy track conditions and 2 wins from 5 tries on soft surfaces. However, she is a 4 times winner when a good track is provided. John Thompson, her trainer, is hopeful that the Randwick track will be drier by Saturday, and is dreading more rain before the race. He has stated that the mare needs a drier surface than she has been getting in order to perform as he knows she can. Wet Weather Affecting the Races Sydney’s 2017 Autumn Carnival has had to deal with some incredibly wet weather, and trainers, horses, and jockeys have been struggling to cope with how rain-affected the tracks have been for the past month, with Wednesday seeing it rated a heavy 9. Forecasts are grim for this Saturday as well, with more showers set to take place until then. Thompson whisked First Seal off to Melbourne in an attempt to get her away from these conditions, and is reportedly very pleased with how she performed during the Sunline Stakes. He has said he is hopeful about seeing her peak for the Queen of the Turf Stakes: he notes that she has had some runs now, and has started to come right. Firstly, he says, she was overweight, secondly she got “too far back and hit the line”, but has said that the mare is “peaking at the right time”. Contrastingly, stablemate Zanbagh flourishes in the wet, and Saturday’s race, if it remains as affected by the rains as it has been until now, will become one of this horse’s major chances to get to the winning position. Both Zanbagh and First Seal were together on Randwick’s soggy Tuesday morning track, and Thompson was reportedly pleased with how they stretched out. He said they did “good work”, going nicely together, and that both mares were in excellent shape and eagerly anticipating Saturday’s competition. Unfortunately both of the animals ran out of luck at the barrier draw: First Seal received 14 in the 18-horse field, and Zanbagh will be dealing with barrier 16. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The best betting action at Randwick this Saturday will probably be the Sydney Cup. The Queen Elizabeth Stakes, bookies reckon, is going to a dead cert. - Published: 2017-04-06 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/sydney-cup-racing-action-saturday/ Sydney Cup Randwick Highlight on Saturday The Sydney Autumn Carnival starts at Royal Randwick this Saturday, promising visiting Kiwi turf fans the usual festive mix of racing, fashion, entertainment, betting and hospitality. Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day is also Day Two of Randwick’s ‘The Championships’ that began last Saturday, so the ATC is expecting a good crowd. Online betting enthusiasts have a 10-race card to choose from, but the heaviest betting is probably going to be on Race 8, the Schweppes Sydney Cup. An open handicap for 3-year-olds and older run over 3200m, the Sydney Cup’s $2-million purse has attracted a field of 14. The clear favourite in current Sydney Cup betting is Big Duke at $2. 60, but the Irish gelding will have to fight off several contenders. These include Ireland’s Assign at $7. 00 and New Zealand’s Who Shot The Barman, who is at $7. 50 depite being assigned the top weight of 57kg. America’s Penglai Pavilion is well fancied for the Sydney Cup too, at $10. 00, but this may be because the US gelding is carrying the bottom weight of 52kg. So is Irish 6-year-old Kinema, and he may prove a more rewarding outsider at $41. 00. Winx Looks Unbeatable in Queen Elizabeth Stakes Because of the variety of potential winners in the betting options, the Sydney Cup is probably going to provide the most exciting action on Saturday. But what makes the day a premier social occasion is the Group 1 name race: the 2000m Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes, a weight-for-age handicap also open to 3-year-olds and older. With this year marking the 25th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II conferring “royal” status on the iconic Sydney racecourse, Royal Randwick has a lot to celebrate on Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day. The $4-million purse, combined with this year’s field of just nine, would usually make the name race the focus of the day’s action, but this year may be different. Punters and bookies alike seem convinced that the mare Winx is going to be unbeatable. This is not surprising: she has 20 wins from 26 starts, the last 16 of them in unbroken succession, and there isn’t another horse in the field with anything approaching those stats. The 5-year-old champion is being offered at $1. 10 and below, with no other horse in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes below $10. 00. So for a more worthwhile return on a bet, many Kiwi punters will most likely be looking at the Sydney Cup instead. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Wellington Saints have managed to continue their NBL opening season winning streak. They defeated the Bay Hawks 102-91 to stay top of the ladder. - Published: 2017-04-05 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/wellington-saints-continue-nbl-winning-streak/ Saints Continue Their Winning Steak The Wellington Saints have continued their winning streak in the 2017 New Zealand National Basketball League. The Saints held off a strong Hawks team at the Pettigrew Green Arena to take their record to 4-0 for the season. Their 102-91 win over the Bay Hawks was mainly due to Corey Webster continuing his sensational opening season form. Webster finished the night with a massive 33 points including 4 rebounds and 3 assists. Corey decimated the Hawks defence with his long-range shooting and hard drives into the paint. Other notable contributions came from Shea Ili shooting 19/4/4 and Tai Wesley shooting 19/6/7 to put Wellington on top. Despite the fact that the score line was mostly in the Saint’s favour, it took a long while for the Wellington team to actually pull away from the Hawks. The Bay Hawks found great success in slowing down the Saint’s attacking phases adding their own points inside the paint. While they may have finished strong, the Saints suffered their first quarter defeat for the season after Ana Haku put the Hawks up 18-16 with just seconds left on the clock. The Hawks managed to hold onto their lead for most of the second period. In the final minutes of the second quarter, the Saints stepped up the tempo and managed to pull into the lead with 44 points to 42. Hawks Hung on Until the Final Quarter The saints continued their momentum in the third quarter racking up another 30 points to the saints 22. This put them into a comfortable position heading into the final quarter. Both Tai Wesley and Corey Webster steered the ship for the saints, adding 10 and 12 points respectively. The Hawks struggled to keep Webster driving in to the middle while Wesley did all the damage up close. The Hawks managed to hang around until the midway through the final quarter. This was mainly due to the efforts of Jarrod Kenny who finished the game with 22 points and 15 assists. Saints coach Kevin Braswell had to put his key players in for the heavy minutes to get clear of the Hawks as the clock wore down. At the conclusion of the game, the two teams now find themselves on opposite sides of the NBL ladder. The Saints are sitting comfortably in 1st while the Hawks have yet to win a game and sit at the bottom of the ladder alongside the Nelson Giants. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The World Rugby Sevens Series has four legs remaining, closing off in Twickenham in London. South Africa lead the medals tables with England in 2nd. - Published: 2017-04-05 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/rugby-world-seven-series-twickenham/ Rugby Sevens World Series, Twickenham For punters and rugby enthusiasts, the rugby World Sevens Series offers up plenty of sporting action and betting opportunities. Sevens rugby has seen a massive boost in popularity over the past few years. The 2016 Olympic games highlighted the sport, creating a whole new generation of rugby fan. Sevens rugby is based on rugby Union rules but is an entirely different game. In Union rugby, each half is 40 minutes long with 15 members in each team. With sevens rugby, each half is only seven minutes long and each team consists of seven players. The reduced number of players makes the game a lot faster with far more scoring opportunities. Players can score using the same techniques in Union rugby including drop goals, conversions and tries. In sevens rugby, the HSBC Sevens Series is the premier competition for competing nations. The world series was first held in 1999 as a competition between the world’s best rugby nations. The 2016/2017 consists of 15 teams with the top teams automatically qualifying for the 2018 Rugby Sevens World Cup. The series consists of 10 international legs held over a period of six months. South Africa a Dominant Force Teams earn points for each position achieved on a leg. At the end of the competition the team with the most points are crowned world champions. Of the 10 legs in the 2016/2017 season, six legs have already been played. The first leg took place in Dubai in December 2016. South Africa won the leg with Fiji as runners up. The second leg was held in Cape Town where England won the final with South Africa in Second. The Third leg of the Word Sevens was held in Wellington. Again, South Africa walked away with top points while Fiji took second spot. The fourth leg moved on to Sydney where South Africa continued their winning streak defeating England in the Final. The competition then moved across to the United States where the Las Vegas leg saw South Africa pip Fiji again in the final. The most recent leg was held in Vancouver Canada. England managed to topple South Africa but are far behind on points at this stage. The four legs that remain include Hong Kong, Singapore, Paris and finally Twickenham in London. Currently South Africa is leading the points table with a total of 126 points. England is in second place with 103 points and Fiji just behind them with 100 points. New Zealand is in fourth place with 84 points. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand online betting fans are set for the 2017 Masters at Augusta from 6-9 April. It’s the first of golf’s four majors, with stars aplenty to punt on. - Published: 2017-04-04 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/golf-majors-start-2017-masters/ 2017 Masters at Augusta 6-9 April There are lots of PGA tournaments to keep New Zealand’s golf fans entertained throughout the year, but only four majors. Traditionally, the first of these is the Masters, the only one of the majors held at the same venue each year: the Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia, USA. Dating back to 1934, the Masters has an iconic reputation in golfing history, and many consider it one of the top two tournaments of the year, alongside the British Open. It has made even those who don’t follow golf aware of the unique green jacket awarded to the winner, which has symbolised the Masters since 1949. This year, whether they follow golf or not, New Zealand online betting enthusiasts will be tempted by the strength of the field alone to take a punt on the Masters, running from 6-9 April. Several golfers ranked in the World Top 10 will take on the Augusta course, so it looks set to be a hard-fought championship. Some Top Stars Worth a Punt US golfer Jordan Spieth, currently 6th on the PGA World Rankings, played his first Masters in 2014, and finished tied at runner-up. He repeated that result in 2016, and won the 2015 tournament in between. So he’s definitely a potential winner to consider in the 2017 championship. But all that is keeping the World No. 2, Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, from a career grand slam is a Masters win, so he too will be playing his heart out to win this year. And Hideki Matsuyama, at World No. 4 the highest-ranked Japanese golfer in history, will be fighting equally hard to become the first Asian ever to win the tournament. There are two Australians that punters should also consider: 2013 Augusta champion Adam Scott, and World No. 3 Jason Day. Dustin Johnson Bookies’ and Punters’ Favourite The golfer likely to attract the most betting this year, however, is tournament favourite Dustin Johnson. The American is currently No. 1 on the World Rankings, after three consecutive wins at the Genesis Open, the WGC-Mexico Championship and the WGC-Dell Match Play. He’s only the seventh player in history to take three PGA championships on the trot, so he is strongly favoured to repeat Tiger Woods’ 2005 victory. That was the last time the World No. 1 managed to win the Masters. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Team New Zealand head to the America’s Cup qualifiers in mid-April. New Zealand sailing punters will watch their final month of testing in Bermuda closely. - Published: 2017-04-04 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sailing/team-new-zealand-americas-cup/ Team New Zealand Heading to America’s Cup New Zealand sailing enthusiasts have to wait until 26 May for the America’s Cup action to start in Bermuda, with the qualifying regattas of the Louis Vuitton Cup. Nevertheless, Emirates Team New Zealand’s boat, after finishing its preparatory sailing programme in the Hauraki Gulf out of Auckland, is already being disassembled and packed for its flight to the North Atlantic archipelago in little over a week. Once the 50ft catamaran is reassembled in Bermuda, Team New Zealand will fly out for a final month of sailing trials and fine-tuning, before the start of the 2017 Louis Vuitton Cup. Online betting fans will be as interested in these final tests as defending America’s Cup champions Oracle Team USA are. In fact, there were reports that Oracle spies dogged all 21 days of testing in March. Plenty of Racing in Qualifiers The Louis Vuitton Cup begins with two rounds robin between all six teams competing, namely defenders Team USA and five challengers: Emirates Team New Zealand, Norway’s Artemis Racing, Groupama Team France, Britain’s Land Rover BAR, and Softbank Team Japan. Once those 60 races are completed, the top four teams advance to the semi-finals from 6 to 8 June, each of which is a best-of-nine challenge. The best-of-nine finals follow from 10 to 12 June, with the winner through to face Oracle Team USA in the best-of-13 America’s Cup from 17 to 27 June. New Zealand, Aotearoa up to Challenge New Zealand, Aotearoa, as Team New Zealand’s boat has been christened, impressed skipper Glenn Ashby in her recent sailing programme. Blessed with ‘Bermuda-like’ conditions for all three weeks, sailors, shore team and designers got to collaborate on getting the best out of both the boat and her crew. The key variable in the Louis Vuitton and America’s Cups will be the control system, which is what makes the month of fine-tuning in Bermuda so vital. With Team New Zealand the team with the most sailing practice under race-like conditions in the past few months, they are likely to be strong contenders for the title this year. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2017 Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix gets underway on the 25th of May. The race stands out as a true test of driver’s skill, experience and bravery. - Published: 2017-04-03 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/gearing-2017-formula-1-monaco-grand-prix/ F1 Monaco Grand Prix 2017 The 2017 FIA Formula One World Championships is already underway with Sebastian Vettel winning the Australian Grand Prix race. For punters and sports fans, Formula 1 provides unadulterated action and massive betting opportunities for both novice and experienced punters. Of all the races on the 2017 calendar, the Monaco Grand Prix stands out as a true test of skill and character. The Monaco Grand Prix is considered to be one of the best races of the year. It is the one race that ever driver dreams of winning. Along with Le Mans and the Indy 500, Monaco stands as an iconic statement, almost separate from the rest of the racing calendar. To win the Monaco Grand Prix, drivers must display a combination of technical precision and bravery in equal measure. The highly technical race quickly separates the good from the great. So what makes Monaco stand out from the rest? For starters, the Armco barrier-lined circuit leaves absolutely no margin for error whatsoever. The course demands more concentration and more skill than any other Formula One track on the racing calendar. To add to this, the cars run with huge downforce with the brakes working harder than ever. Because of the design of the track, overtaking is almost impossible. Unlike other races where drivers can make up positions during the race Monaco is largely determined by the qualifying positions. A True Test of Skill and Bravery In the race, the Portier corner is considered to be the key to achieving a decent lap time. Just before the Portier corner is the Loews hairpin, the slowest corner in F1 racing. This is then followed by the tunnel and a large flat section of the track. This is where many great drivers have ended their race crashing into the barriers including Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna. The winner of the Monaco Grand Prix will have his named etched alongside Formula 1 greats such as Graham Hill, Michael Schumacher, Alain Prost, Stirling Moss and Jackie Stewart. Currently Ayrton Senna holds the record for the most Monaco wins, claiming the title a total of six times. The Monaco circuit has changed very little since it was included in the world championships in 1955. In 2004, the track was modified to include an additional pit stop as well as an additional spectator viewing area. The 2017 Monaco Grand Prix kicks off on the 25th of May, a date many sports fans will not want to miss. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2017 table Tennis World Championships will take place on the 29th of May 2017. The tournament will showcase the best players from around the World. - Published: 2017-04-03 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/table-tennis/2017-table-tennis-world-championships/ The 2017 Table Tennis World Championships Table tennis might not be one of the more popular competitive sports in New Zealand but it certainly does have a large fan base. What most people think is social sport is actually one of the most demanding individual competitive sports on the planet. The skill, balance, speed and agility needed for each game means that athletes need to stay in peak physical condition if they want to rise to the top. On international level, the biggest and most prestigious competitive event in table tennis is the world championships. First established in 1926, the table tennis world championships have been held biannually since 1957. The first few years of the tournament saw the Hungarian men’s team becoming a dominant force in the team competition, winning the championship a total of 12 times. In the woman’s competition, Japan was a force to be reckoned winning the team championships a total of 8 times. In the 1960’s China started to emerge as a dominant power. Aside from a brief period between 1989 and 2000 China have completely dominated the sport with a massive 18 team championship titles in the men’s division. It was only in the 1970’s that the woman’s Chinese team started to tighten their grip on the sport. Since 1975, the Chinese woman’s team has only lost twice. The table tennis world championships consist of five individual events including: Men’s singles Woman’s singles Men’s doubles Woman’s doubles Mixed doubles China a Force to be Reckoned With The most recent championships were held in Suzhou China from the 26th of April to the 3rd of May 2015. It was no surprise that China topped the medal tables again winning a total of 4. 5 gold medals in the five events. The men’s singles event was won by China’s Ma Long while the Woman’s singles was won by Ding Ning. Such was the dominance of the Chinese that both the men’s and woman’s singles featured a Chinese athlete holding the gold, silver and bronze medals. The 2017 table tennis world championships are scheduled to take place on the 29th of May and run until the 5th of June 2017. The event will be held in Düsseldorf, Germany and attract the best players from around the world. The tournament will provide punters and sports fans with plenty of action and betting opportunities. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The All Whites could well be on their way to Russia in 2018. Find out how the NZ national soccer team is working their way through the competition. - Published: 2017-04-02 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/kiwi-soccer-teams-road-russia/ New Zealand’s Road to Russia New Zealand’s All Whites need play only 4 more games before finding out if dreams of Russia really do come true. This follows the team’s 2-0 victory over Fiji at Wellington’s Westpac Stadium. The win over Fiji was no mean feat, as the Island side certainly weren’t pushovers, and the All Whites did not play their best game. If it wasn’t for Ryan Thomas, the game’s only goal-scorer, it is likely that the game would have ended in a dismal tie, if that. How the Action Unfolded The teams could not have asked for better weather conditions on the night of the game, and both got off to a promising start. The All Whites’ opening looked particularly promising. Michael McGlinchey and Marco Rojas dominated midfield, and Tom Doyle and Dane Ingham brought their talents to the flanks. Despite the great positioning by talented players, the All Whites’ hopes of an early goal were dashed by the Fijians. The Island side not only managed to deflect the ball, but also almost scored a goal of their own. However, Roy Krishna’s shot from right near the All Whites’ penalty area went awry, giving the New Zealanders a fright, but no reason to panic. The All Whites fought back, but managed nothing more than a few misses until almost half an hour into the first half. 27 minutes after the first whistle blew, Thomas scored New Zealand’s first goal thanks to an excellent pass by Shane Smeltz, who clearly has at least one more World Cup in him. The early stages of the second half were lacklustre until a cross from Doyle gave Thomas the opportunity to score his second goal with a header. All Whites Unfocused The game between New Zealand and Fiji had its highlights, but the All Whites could have done with more focus on the field. There were moments in which they seemed content to relinquish possession of the ball, and in which they would have benefitted from exercising a little more patience and discipline. That said, the game Thomas played was definitely one of the highlights, while Lewis and Smeltz both made a significant contribution. It was a pity that Lewis left the field during the second half, as he certainly brought a special something to the game. Teammates and fans were no doubt pleased to see Tommy Smith make his first start since 2014, although they were sure to have noticed the absence of Chris Wood. The player was slightly injured in the game on the weekend, and was sent home. What Lies Ahead The step towards the 2018 World Cup taken by the All Whites may be a small one, but it does put qualifying within reach. They will need to come out tops at September’s Oceania final, and then they need to face the South American team that places fifth in November. Should they get that far, that game is the one that will determine whether they will play for the coveted cup in Russia next year. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Saturday’s match against the Force will see the Blues making two changes. TJ Faiane will make his debut while Murphy Taramai replaces Blake Gibson. - Published: 2017-04-02 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/tj-faiane-make-super-rugby-appearance-blues/ TJ Faiane To Make His Debut for Blues The upcoming Super Rugby match against the Force could be an interesting game for the Blues. After a fruitless few weeks on the field, Rieko Loane has been asked to take a seat on the bench for the first time this year. While the decision did not come lightly for the team, the demotion of the Blues’ promising centre was the first real setback of the 20-year-olds career. In 2016, Loane played two Tests for the All Blacks on their tour of Europe. He also had a brilliant Super Rugby season opener, scoring a hat-trick against the Rebels in Melbourne. However, since his brilliant performance against the Rebels, Loane has been less effective on the field. His inability to find any sort of form has prompted Blues Coach Tana Umanga to put him on the bench for now. With Loane on the bench, TJ Faiane can come in as inside centre while playmaker George Moala gets shifted to centre. Saturday’s match will be TJ Faiane’s starting debut for the Blues. The 21-year-old was a former schoolboy rugby star but was plagued by injury in the first few seasons of his professional rugby career. Faiane made a bench appearance in the Blue’s two previous games including the memorable 38-14 win over the Bulls last week. Murphy Taramai Comes in for Blake Gibson Umanga has scheduled one other change for Saturday’s upcoming match. Blake Gibson, the openside flanker will make way for the extremely versatile Murphy Taramai. After making a start in all five games this year, Gibson will join Loane on the bench while Taramai, who has only had a single start against the Highlanders will mix things up for the team. To date, the Blues have lost a total of three games to Kiwi opponents. The good news is that their two hefty wins have come against highly rated overseas opposition. While they certainly have a lot to make up for, the team has the potential to keep improving. On the other side of the coin, the Force are coming off a massive loss to the mighty Crusaders and will have an uphill battle against the Blues. As it stands, the odds are favouring the Blues. The Force have won just a single match in the last 10 clashes with the Blues and will have to work extremely hard to get pull themselves out of their losing streak. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Week Six of Super Rugby 2017 will be a testing one for the Crusaders. New Zealand punters might see the team’s dominance on the points table challenged. - Published: 2017-04-01 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/crusaders-defend-super-rugby-lead/ Crusaders Must Defend Super Rugby Top Spot The match that New Zealand rugby union fans will want to put a bet on this weekend is Sunday’s Crusaders-Waratahs clash in Sydney. Currently top of both the New Zealand Conference and the tournament ladder with 21 points, the Canterbury side is also one of only three teams undefeated after five weeks of Super Rugby, along with the Chiefs on 19 points and the Stormers on 17. At the time of writing, the Chiefs and the Stormers were still gearing up for their fifth matches of the tournament, against the Bulls and the Cheetahs respectively; so either or both could be ahead of the Crusaders by Saturday night. Barring Upsets, Crusaders Should Have the Edge Sunday’s clash, however, is the sixth match in 2017 Super Rugby for both teams. The Crusaders will be feeling the pressure of playing in the Allianz Stadium; they haven’t won an away match against the Waratahs in the past five years of Super Rugby. So, despite their undefeated 2017 run so far, even considered against the Waratahs’ three losses and mere eight points on the table, a victory for the Canterbury team isn’t as assured as it looks on paper. They will, at least, be bolstered by three veteran players who were in the side the last time they beat the ’Tahs in Sydney, in 2012: Luke Romano, Matt Todd and Owen Franks. With the Australian side taking a huge risk by putting in rookie fly-half Mack Mason to face one of the championship’s most formidable teams in his debut Super Rugby match, the Crusaders must be the favourites on seasoned talent, Super Rugby record and current form alone. Sharks, Lions, Stormers and Chiefs All Threats The Sharks, like the Stormers, are currently on 17 points, so a five-pointer against the Lions in Johannesburg on Saturday would also send them to the top of the table. With the Lions currently on 19 points, a win would automatically see them surge ahead, too. Of course, by Sunday the Bulls and the Cheetahs may already have provided two convenient upsets, leaving the Chiefs and the Stormers no further up the table. But it seems much more likely that come Sunday, the Crusaders will be fighting to overtake two, if not three other sides, if they are to retain their overall lead. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Calls for the Warriors to drop Shaun Johnson are growing. However, dropping the halfback is unlikely to make a difference to the team’s NRL fortunes. - Published: 2017-04-01 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/dropping-shaun-johnson-wont-help-warriors/ Senseless Calls to Drop Shaun Johnson The New Zealand Warriors’ NRL season has once again got off to a shaky start, and, once again, calls for Shaun Johnson’s head are mounting. This is not the first time the Auckland-based club has been told that dropping Johnson will improve the team’s performance. It is true that the halfback has played erratic games, and that the Warriors have lost three of the four games they have played so far, but the reality is that Johnson was named the teams’ record point-scorer. If Coach Stephen Kearney were to drop Johnson, the move would ultimately be to the team’s detriment. This is not to say there aren’t players who could do a sterling job as halfback. Tuimoala Lolohea, Mafoa’aeata Hingano, and Kieran Foran would all excel in the position. However, it would be short-sighted of Kearney to drop Johnson at this stage. NSW Coach Weighs In The most recent call for Johnson to be let go came from Laurie Daley. The NSW coach is of the opinion that doing so would shock the player into putting his full focus and dedication into every game he plays. Daley suggested that approaches that work at improving the game of other players would not necessarily work for Johnson. He added that Kearney should consider either placing Johnson in a different position on the field, or not selecting him for the team at all. To be fair, Johnson’s talents are not lost on Daley. The coach sang his praises, and said that, of all the Warriors, Johnson was the most influential when the team had possession of the ball. That said, Daley might want to take a closer look at how he shuffles his own players. The coach has had five different players play flank in four seasons. In Defence of Johnson There is no getting around the fact that Johnson does have his issues. The 26-year-old player’s performance is erratic, and he makes more than his fair share of silly mistakes. In his defence, the fact that Johnson has had a seemingly endless parade of halves partners, coaches, and assistant coaches since 2011 cannot have helped, at least as far as consistency goes. His playmaking has definitely improved, even if it lacks the shine of players such as Mitchell Pierce, Johnathan Thurston, and Daly Cherry-Evans. There can be little doubt that, of all the current Warriors, Johnson’s playmaking is the best. That Johnson assisted with 111 tries over 129 games, scored an average of one try for every two games he plays, and was the only Warrior to play in all of last season’s game is also to his credit. It should also be remembered that the club lost eight games in a row when Johnson was injured two years ago. He may be erratic and prone to careless mistakes, but Johnson has become the face of the Warriors. Until Foran has got over his injured hamstring, or until Mason Lino and Ata Hingano have achieved first-grade status, Johnson should remain exactly where he is. 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After three years of Mercedes being practically unbeatable, Formula 1 fans can finally expect a championship filled with close competition. Held on a street circuit created around Melbourne’s Albert Park, the Australian Grand Prix is one of the oldest in the world, and is the first of 20 races in the 2017 Formula 1 World Championship. The German driver won in one hour, 24 minutes, 11. 672 seconds; fully 9. 975 seconds ahead of Britain’s Lewis Hamilton, who finished second for Mercedes. Valtteri Bottas, Hamilton’s Finnish teammate, took third, with fellow Finn Kimi Raikkonen, Vettel’s Ferrari teammate, coming fourth. Max Verstappen kept the Red Bull Racing-Tag Heuer team in the running with a fifth place, although the young Dutchman may do much better on circuits where passing is less of a problem. Turbulence and Passing Issues Highlighted It is significant that Hamilton started the Australian Grand Prix in pole position, after posting a top lap time of one minute, 22. 188 seconds in the qualifiers. Vettel was second on the grid, and might have remained in that position for the entire race, were it not for some canny pit-stop decisions. Several drivers, including Hamilton, have pointed out that the aerodynamics of the latest cars makes passing almost impossible on certain circuits. Increased downforce translates into dangerous turbulence for a car trying to overtake: last year this became a problem when the following car was within one second of the leader, Hamilton says, but this year the distance has doubled. In another interview, the British legend has admitted that drivers experienced the same problem at the Monaco Grand Prix, so he is hoping for some rule changes to that venerable race. It remains to be seen how Formula 1 authorities will respond to the passing problem, but Australian betting fans can be sure of one thing: this year’s Formula 1 World Championships should provide some ding-dong battles between Mercedes and Ferrari. In track testing in Spain a few weeks ago, the top lap time was set by Raikkonen, but he was only 0. 676 seconds faster than the previous best time, set by Bottas a day earlier. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Rain has washed away the Black Caps chances of claiming a notable test victory against the Proteas. The rainout gave South Africa the series win. - Published: 2017-03-31 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/rain-ruins-black-caps-chances-test-match-win/ Rain Washes Away Black Caps Test Win Black Caps captain Kane Williamson was wide awake in the early hours of Wednesday morning, listening to the sounds of rain ruining New Zealand’s chances of winning a notable test match against the Proteas. His counterpart Faf du Plessis would have been tucked up in bed, grinning at the thought of being saved from certain defeat. Having heard the bad news at 4am, Williamson was well aware that the unrelenting rain in Hamilton would cost the Black Caps a test victory and the loss of the series. Play was officially abandoned at 1:20pm on the last day of the final test between South Africa and New Zealand. The result was a draw, meaning that the three-match series went to the Proteas with a single win in the bag. With the Proteas 95 runs away from the Black Caps first innings score, New Zealand needed just five wickets to win the final test and level the series 1-1. Speaking to the press, Williamson said that he was hoping the rain might stop or fine up a bit. He continued saying it extremely frustrating coming into the final day with everything to play for. South African Captain Faf du Plessis admitted that the rain came at a terrible time for the Black Caps. According to him, it would have been a fair assessment to say that the rain saved the Proteas. A Missed Chance to Level the Series While Du Plessis admitted they were on the brink of defeat, the captain still had a lot of belief in his team. The Proteas have been in similar situations before and managed to overcome them. Du Plessis was still holding his wicket overnight along with Quinton de Kock, which meant that anything could have happened on the final day. New Zealand was on the brink of claiming one of the most notable test wins in the last decade. This would have been their first test win over South African in 13 years and their fifth overall. Since their previous victory in 2004, the Black Caps have lost 10 matches and drawn a total of 5 against the Proteas. While they are certainly frustrated with the missed opportunity, Williamson said that there were some positive things to take away. He said that the final test was possibly one of their best performances of the summer, especially considering they were missing Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Ross Taylor. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > For the first time since 2010, New Zealand might qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The All Whites have made the OFC Finals after two wins against Fiji. - Published: 2017-03-30 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/whites-eye-2018-fifa-world-cup/ New Zealand Advances in World Cup Qualifier New Zealand football fans don’t have the chance to bet on the national team in a major international competition very often, but it looks like 2018 might be different. The All Whites have only qualified for the FIFA World Cup twice before in the tournament’s history: in 1982, and 2010. However, back-to-back victories against Fiji in the third round of the OFC qualifiers have put the New Zealand side through to the two-leg OFC Finals in August and September, and a win there will see them through to the inter-confederation play-offs in November, which also consist of home and away legs. At the inter-confederation play-offs, the winning OFC finalist will face the fifth-placed team in the South American football confederation, CONMEBOL, for a World Cup berth. So four consecutive victories is all it will take to see New Zealand included in the 2018 FIFA World Cup line-up. Road to OFC Qualification The third round of the OFC World Cup qualifiers began in November last year, with New Zealand in Group A against New Caledonia and Fiji. The All Whites, under English head coach Anthony Hudson and captain Winston Reid, remain undefeated in all four matches, beating New Caledonia 2-0 at home and then drawing 0-0 away. They beat Fiji 2-0 in Lautoka on 25 March, with goals from Chris Wood and Marco Rojas. At home in Wellington on 28 March, they repeated the 2-0 win, with both goals coming from Ryan Thomas. Even though Fiji and New Caledonia still have two matches to play in June, the All Whites have an unassailable 9-point lead on the ladder, so their place in the OFC Finals is assured. Tahiti Also a Likely OFC Finalist Group B in the OFC qualifiers comprises Tahiti, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. At the time of writing, Tahiti have beaten both opponents once, topping the table with six points, and need a home win against PNG to put them through to the OFC Finals. However, Solomon Islands have also beaten Tahiti once, so if they can defeat PNG twice in two final legs in June, they could also remain in contention. Whichever side tops Group B, however, New Zealand football fans have every reason to be confident their side can win the OFC Finals in August and September. 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Today it seems, the opposite is true. The proposed bill, headed up by New Zealand First MP Clayton Mitchell failed to gain enough support to get past the first hurdle. According to Clayton, the fault lies with the Labour party for not agreeing to back the bill. He said that the party was forsaking the seniors of the country and the working class who could not afford Pay TV. Clayton went on to say that support of local New Zealand teams and other events could cost the average household $1000 per year. Bill Deemed Unworkable and Impractical Responding to Clayton’s remarks, Labour spokeswoman Clare Curran said that the party was aware of the situation. They fully understand the public’s dissatisfaction with limited access to live sport. However, they feel that Mitchell’s proposed bill was clearly unworkable and impractical. According to the labour party, the bill required too many sporting events to be aired for free. If the bill had been given the green light it would have covered all international rugby games, rugby league games, cricket, netball and football matches played in New Zealand. It would also have included any major sporting event such as the summer and winter Olympics, the World Cup and the Commonwealth Games. Finally, viewers would also have been able to view the NRL Grand Finals as well as the Super 15 Rugby finals in which a New Zealand team was featured. Along with the sports bill, Green MP Gareth Hughes’ bill was also expected to be voted down. Hughes’ private member’s bill would have allowed New Zealanders with student loans to put off their repayments in order to divert the funds into a first-home deposit. Hughes said that in New Zealand, many young people are struggling to get the funds together for a deposit on a house. The proposed bill would have made it easier and faster for these people to get their first home. According to Hughes, a bachelor’s graduate earning a median wage could save up to $18,000 over five years by diverting their repayments. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > England’s hopes of facing off against the All Blacks have been dashed. This comes after an announcement that New Zealand will face the Barbarians. - Published: 2017-03-29 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/england-vs-blacks-will-wait-2018/ No England /All Blacks Clash this Year The big showdown between England and the All Blacks will have to wait until 2018 after it was announced that the World Champs will play the Barbarians at Twickenham on the 4th of November. England Coach, Eddie Jones has confirmed reports that the Rugby Football Union were pushing to arrange a match between the New Zealand and the Six Nations Champs instead. But for rugby fans, the clash of the titans will have to wait. The English Rugby Union’s governing body has approved the match between the All Blacks and the Barbarians after the NZRU insisted that the All Blacks wished to fulfil the match agreed upon at the end of the year. The Barbarians released a statement saying that they had approached the RFU last month requesting the fixture at Twickenham. The request was subsequently granted, replacing the Barbarians scheduled match against Australia. England will now have to wait until November 2018 to get a crack at the World Champs. The approval of the Barbarians match means that the teams will have no chance of meeting any time this year. The last time England faced off against the All Blacks was in 2014 at Twickenham. New Zealand won the tightly contested match 24 points to 21. The Year Long Wait Some England players will however get a chance to face off against the All Blacks as part of the British and Irish Lions Squad later this year. The Lions are scheduled for a three-test series tour against New Zealand in June and July. England managed to equal New Zealand’s record of 18 successive Test Victories when they defeated Scotland. After the match, the RFU reportedly approached NZRU about a possible matchup between the two teams on November 4th. England’s record equalling win over Scotland saw them keep hold of their Six Nations title and gave them a chance to make history. The team were unable to break New Zealand’s record though as they went down 13-9 to a fired up Irish side in Dublin last week. Strangely enough, it was the Irish too that ended New Zealand’s victory run in November when they defeated the All blacks 40-29 in Chicago. England are due to play Australia as well as Samoa and Argentina later in November this year while the All Blacks are set to play the Barbarians in a celebratory match that marks the 125th anniversary of the union. After the big match against the famous invitational club, the All Blacks can then focus on their European tour which sees them playing tests against Scotland, France and Wales. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Canterbury Rams have improved their NBL season figures after thrashing the Nelson Giants 114 point to 80. They now sit at 4th position on the log. - Published: 2017-03-29 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/canterbury-rams-defeat-nelson-giants-11480/ Canterbury Rams Thrash Nelson Giants in NBL Clash The Canterbury Rams have managed to salvage a bit of pride and climb back up the ladder after they thrashed the Nelson Giants 114 points to 80 in a match that was decidedly one-sided. The Rams now have an even win/loss record of two apiece. Their losses came at the hands of the mighty Supercity Rangers as well as the Wellington Saints who sit at the top of the ladder with an impressive 3-0 streak. Their must-win game against the Giants couldn’t have turned out better for the Rams. After just a few minutes it was clear that the game was going to be a walk in the park for the Auckland based team. The Rams quickly jumped to a 10-point lead and went for most of the game without trailing. For the Rams, it was Jeremy Kendle who did most of the damage in the first half. He scored a total of 16 points, handing the team a convincing 17-point lead at half time. For his efforts, Kendle ended up with a solid 24 points, shooting a 10 from 15. This included a total of five rebounds and nine assists. Marcel Jones also had a good day on the court racking up a total of 25 points with 11 rebounds and 3 assists. Marcus Alipate had a decent run adding 15 points to the board. His contribution included four assists and 5 three pointers. As a team, the Rams were doing well from beyond the arc with figures of 19/38. The Rams had only two free throws for the entire game. Disappointment for the Giants For the Giants, Finn Delany helped put some points on the board, racking up a respectable 15 with 8 rebounds and 4 assists. Curtis Washington managed to scrape together another 15 points including five rebounds while Dion Prewster added another 13. Nelson import Joe Slocum waited out the match on the bench, eventually adding another 8 points for his 20 minutes on the court. On the other side of the court, Rams import Will Neighbour played just 16 minutes adding 6 points to his total. Both imports have been given huge support from their coaches and from the teams. At this stage, neither player is performing at the level expected from players brought in from overseas. Meanwhile, Ben Williams and Max Darling managed to score their first points for the NBL season coming off the bench for the Rams. 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After extra time, the teams will still locked at six goals apiece. Finally, the match came down to a penalty shootout where Niko Kirwan struck the winning penalty to take Team Wellington to their second final in two years. At the start of the match, no one would have predicted the match would end up in such a state; especially considering how sedate the opening stages seemed at the time. After 33 minutes of ball passing and near-misses, Pascal Reinhardt finally opened the scoring for Waitakere. Team Wellington managed to get the equaliser on half time with Justin Gulley doing the honours. The second half had barely even begun when Reinhardt slotted in his second goal to give Waitakere a 2-1 lead. It seemed Waitakere were running away with the match when Dan Morgan increased their lead to 3-1 after an inspired piece of play. If Wellington fans were feeling a bit down, it wasn’t for long as Nicolas Zambrano and Tom Jackson blitzed past the Waitakere defenders to even the score once again. Scores Locked at Extra Time With ten minutes left on the clock, Morgan slotted home his second goal of the match to put Waitakere in the lead at 4-3. When Guillermo Moretti was sent off with a yellow card, it seemed all over for Team Wellington. Despite being one man down, Wellington refused to give up and were rewarded for their efforts with Jackson putting away a penalty to send the game into extra time. The added time did nothing to separate the teams. The goals continued to flow with Dylan Stansfield putting Team Wellington ahead only for Joel Stevens to level things out once more. Wellington went ahead again in the dying stages with a cracking shot to make it 6-5. Reinhardt spoiled Wellington’s fun though, scoring his hat-trick and sending the game to a penalty shootout. In the shootout, Wellington keeper Scott Basalaj made three saves with neither team able to take the lead. With Gully missing his chance and Scott Hilliar putting his over the bar, Kirwan had a chance to take it at sudden death. Kirwan calmly slotted his penalty home sending Wellington through the finals. Team Wellington will take on Auckland City in a re-match of the 2016 final, which saw Wellington, win their first title. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Mark Hutson has taken an early lead at the New Zealand men’s Stroke Play Championships. Hutson carded a seven-under 65, two shots clear of the pack. - Published: 2017-03-28 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/mark-hutson-takes-early-lead-stroke-play-champs/ Hutson Takes Early Lead at NZ Stroke Play Championship Mark Hutson has set out his intensions, taking an early lead at the New Zealand Men’s Stroke Play Championships. Representing the Muriwai Golf Club, Hutson played through the drizzle and gloomy conditions to card an impressive opening round of seven-under 65. This puts him a full two shots ahead of his nearest rival Nick Coxon representing Riverside Golf Club. Hutson’s impressive opening round got off to a great start with a birdie on the first hole. He then followed it up with birdies on the 6th, 9th, 11th and 14th hole before slotting home an eagle on the difficult par-5 17th. Hutson was unfazed by the gloomy weather. Coming off the back of a sensational win at the South Island Stroke Play, it seems his confidence is at an all-time high. After losing the playoffs in 2015, Coxon got championship campaign off to a good start with a birdy on the first hole. He followed it up with five more birdies and a single bogie on the 12th to give him a solid five-under 67 for the first round. Speaking to the press, Coxon said that it was nice to have a good score, which he will try build on going forward. Three Way Lead in the Woman’s Event Reid Hilton, Chris Charlton and Luke Brown are all locked in a three-way tie for third place, a further two shots behind Coxon and four behind Hutson. Tournament favourites Kerry Mountcastle, and Daniel Hillier managed to keep themselves out of trouble carding a 70 and 71 respectively. In the woman’s event, the leaderboard looks a bit crowded with another three-way tie for first, four players in second and five players all sharing the third spot. Locked at the top of the leader board is Julianna Hung, Amelia Garvey and Subin Wui all sitting at one-under 73. One shot back, four players are sitting on even par including Roze Zheng, the Woman’s Amateur Champion. Behind them, five players are hoping to break free in the upcoming rounds. Coming off the back of a second-place finish at the Faldo Series, Amelia Garvey had a bit of a difficult start. After five holes, she was sitting at three-over before clawing her way back up the ladder. Determined to do well on home soil Garvey said that she wanted to get the job done this time around after narrowly losing out at last week’s Faldo event. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The New Zealand NBL basketball season officially kicks off this week. Seven teams will battle it out with all the games streamed and broadcast live. - Published: 2017-03-27 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/new-zealand-nbl-season-kicks-off/ NZ NBL Gets Underway This week marks that start of the New Zealand National Basketball League (NBL). This is good news for both punters and basketball fans with the promise of another great season of high-action basketball to look forward to. With increased media coverage and an expansion of online betting options, NBL has seen a surge in interest on all levels of the game. The NBL returns with the same seven teams all competing for a shot at the title. The expansion of the competition is not on the cards as yet, however, there are talks of adding further teams in future seasons. For now, the 2017 NBL season and the seven contenting teams is the talk of the town. Kicking off the season are two powerhouse teams going head to head at one of the best venues in the country. What better way to kick off the NBL season that with the Southland Sharks hosting the Nelson Giants at the prestigious ILT Stadium in Southland. The good news for punters and basketball fans is that the game will be streamed live on local New Zealand sites with delayed coverage on Maori Television. The Final Four weekend will be screened live on both formats, giving fans the chance to see the best of the best battle it out for the 2017 title. All Games Streamed Live in New Zealand Ian Potter, Chief Executive of basketball New Zealand said that the unique media partnership is in direct response to the growth of basketball in New Zealand. The quality of the seven teams is also a good reflection on how the sport has grown in recent years. At this stage, a good number of teams boast rosters that would rival any of the Australian League teams. This year, the main talking points of the NBL will be the players coming in from Australia, Great Britain, Kenya and the USA. The ability of these players to boost the team and lead the players on the floor will be critical to the outcome of each game. To this, we must not forget the role of the experienced local players such as Lindsay Tait, Everard Bartlett, Dillon Boucher and Haden Allen. Looking to make their mark for the new generation of players will be Finn Delany from the Nelson Giants, Derone Raukaway for the Southland Sharks, Shea Ili For the Wellington Saints and Sam Dempster for the Nelson Giants. The NBL season will run for a total of 14 weeks with the final four TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Phil Gould has spoken out against the fine handed to Sam Thaiday for contrary conduct. Gould believes that the new NRL fine rules are a problem. - Published: 2017-03-27 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/phil-gould-speaks-nrls-new-fine-rules/ Phil Gould Speaks about Thaiday’s Fine Phil Gould is never one to keep quiet about rugby league matters. In his latest podcast, Six Tackles with Gus, the former Penrith Panthers star was in complete disbelief about the fine slapped on Sam Thaiday following the Bronco’s clash against the Melbourne Storm. Thaiday was officially charged with contrary conduct after he yanked on Jesse Bromwich’s injured thumb last weekend. According to reports, Storm captain Jesse Bromwich entered the match with an injured thumb, which Thaiday knew about. Thaiday then took the opportunity to target the digit during the match. At first, Thaiday was slapped with a $A1500 fine; but after fighting the charge and losing, an additional $A600 was added to the fine. On his podcast, Phil Gould said he could honestly not believe it. He said that all now all coaches will have players out there with bandages wrapped around their appendages. According to Gould, they are just mucking around and he doesn’t think this is an issue at all. He went on to ask the question, what if a player has a knee guard or an elbow guard. What if everyone knows the guy had a cracked rib? What would we do then? New Fine System for 2017 Before the 2017 season got underway, the NRL announced that it was introducing a whole new fine system for low-grade offences. This was in an effort to reduce the likelihood of players getting suspended for minor offences from building up demerit points. While Gould welcomed the new system, he was fearful that it would force players to pay out for even the smallest of indiscretions. Now it seems his fear has been realised. Gould said that the league has downgraded minor incidents to anything that doesn’t look right or anything people complain about on social media. While it may be a sore point, Thaiday’s fine is nothing compared to the amount three NRL clubs had to pay out for breach of concussion protocols this past weekend. For their indiscretions, the St George Illawarra Dragons got slapped with a $A100,000 fine while both the Gold Coast Titans and the Newcastle Knights were each handed a hefty $A150,000 fine. The seemly bloated fines were handed down as a result of the team failing to follow the strict rules set out when players are suspected of receiving a concussion. Josh Dugan appeared to receive a head knock in the game against the Cronulla Sharks but was allowed to keep paying. For the Titans, the fines came as a result of incidents involving Ryan Simpkins, Joe Greenwood and Kane Elgey. --- > The Giro d’Italia, from 5-28 May, promises entertaining betting for New Zealand’s cycling fans. This year, the Corsa Rosa will be held for the 100th time. - Published: 2017-03-26 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/100th-giro-ditalia-may/ May’s Giro d’Italia the 100th Race The 2017 Giro d’Italia, set to start in Sardinia on 5 May, will be the 100th edition of the iconic cycle race, and it is sure to attract plenty of online betting from New Zealand’s road cycling fans. For the special anniversary, race organiser RCS Sport has added a number of special features. These include new designs, by Santini Maglificio Sportiva, for the famous pink jersey worn by the race leader: the maglia rosa; as well as the blue maglia azzurra for the best mountain rider and the white maglia bianca for the top young rider. The organisers have also created a special centenary route for the Corsa Rosa. It stretches over 3,572km, with opening stages in Sardinia and Sicily, before crossing to the mainland for a tour up Italy that criss-crosses the Apennines, before taking on the Alps and then heading east into the Dolomites. The race ends on 28 May in Milan. There are plenty of mountain passes, like Blockhaus, Passo de Mortirolo, Umbrail Pass and Monte Grappa, to test riders on their climbing skills in three mountainous stages and six mountain-top finishes. The sprinters aren’t forgotten, though, as there are also a number of flat stages, including the final leg. This is a 28km time trial that will see riders race to the finish at Milan’s Palazzo del Ghiaccio. Many Punters Backing Colombian Quintana Colombian cyclist Nairo Quintana, who rides for Movistar, is one of the stars New Zealand betting fans will be considering for the Giro. He showed excellent form when winning the Tirreno-Adriatico race earlier this month, and is now training back home in Colombia. The mountainous terrain of his homeland is probably the best preparation he could get for the Corsa Rosa, as well as the Tour de France in July. He will need to be at peak fitness to follow through with his declared intention to compete in both races this year. It will be quite an achievement if he can pull off the double; only seven riders in history have won both the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia in the same year, although legends like France’s Bernard Hinault, Belgium’s Eddie Merckx and Italy’s Fausto Coppi each managed the feat several times. The last cyclist to win both in one year was Italy’s Marco Pantani in 1998. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand football punters are weighing their bets for the 2016-17 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. Top sides compete in the final eight in April. - Published: 2017-03-26 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/uefa-champions-league-qfs-draw/ UEFA Champions League QFs Promise Power Clashes Friday saw the draw for the 2016-17 UEFA Champions League Quarter-Finals, the first leg of which is scheduled for 11 and 12 April. New Zealand football fans can look forward to a match between powerhouse teams, stuffed with international stars, on both days. On Tuesday, 11 April, Juventus will be at home in Turin to FC Barcelona. The Italian side didn’t allow Porto a single goal in either of their Round of 16 legs, winning 2-0 and 1-0, and as the fifth-ranked club in the world, they will always pose a serious threat. World No. 3 FC Barca, on the other hand, had the Camp Nou crowd on its feat, ecstatic, when they came back from a first leg 4-0 drubbing in Paris to beat Paris Saint-Germain 6-1 at home. As comebacks go, it made football history, so punters can expect this quarter-final to be closely matched and tenaciously fought. Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid on Wednesday World No. 1 side Real Madrid and No. 2 Bayern Munich are the giants meeting on Wednesday, 12 April. They play the first leg in Munich, and both are coming off victories in both legs of the Round of 16. Real Madrid beat Napoli 3-1 both home and away, and Bayern had an even more impressive round. They slaughtered Arsenal 5-1 in both their legs, so their quarter-final games are likely to produce brilliant football, but could go either way. Leicester City Faces Biggest UEFA Challenge Yet Leicester City is the only English side left in the 2016-17 UEFA Champions League, but the quarter-final draw has left them a massive task. They face World No. 4 team Atletico Madrid in Spain in the first leg, on Wednesday, 12 April. The English Premier League champions did not look as convincing as they should have in the Round of 16, losing the first leg 2-1 to Sevilla, before coming back 2-0 at home. Against a side as strong as Atletico Madrid, they could struggle. The other first leg set for Tuesday, 11 April, is Dortmund hosting Monaco, with the German side looking the stronger. The second leg of the quarter-finals, with all the first-leg away sides now playing at home, will be played on 18 and 19 April. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > With the Round of 16 over, the 2016-17 Europa League quarter-finalists have been decided. New Zealand betting fans can weigh up their performances so far. - Published: 2017-03-25 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/europa-league-qf-match-ups/ Europa League Round of 16 Football Complete The Europa League may be UEFA’s second-tier tournament, but it is just one of three major northern-hemisphere football championships entertaining New Zealand’s online betting community right now. With the Europa League Round of 16 second legs decided last Thursday, the final eight will be gearing up for the first leg of the quarter-finals on 13 April. Punters will be looking at the Round of 16 results to identify contenders most likely to make the final. Five teams came through the RO16 without losing a match, although German club Schalke 04 was the only side to squeak through without winning one. The Gelsenkirchen team drew 1-1 at home against regional rivals Monchengladbach in the first leg, and their second leg also ended in a draw, at 2-2. With more away goals, however, Schalke went through. Celta Vigo and Anderlecht win Both Legs Spanish side Celta de Vigo has a lot of punters supporting them, after winning both their legs against Russian team Krasnodar: 2-1 and 2-0. Vigo will now face Belgium’s Genk, who beat local rivals Gent 5-2 in the first leg, and finished 1-1 in the home rematch. Anderlecht is the best-performing of the Belgian teams so far, winning their first leg against Apoel Nicosia 1-0 in Cyprus, then repeating that scoreline at home. Along with Vigo, they are the only team to take wins in both legs of the RO16. Manchester United and Lyon among the Rest Anderlecht will play Manchester United in the quarter-finals. The tough English side drew 1-1 with FC Rostov in Russia, but came back at home to win the second leg 1-0. Olympique Lyonnais, aka Lyon, got a shock in their RO16 second leg, after initially beating Roma 4-2 at home. In the return match, the tables were turned, and the Italians pulled off a 2-1 victory, putting Lyon through to the final eight by a single goal. Turkey’s Besiktas will be Lyon’s quarter-finals opponents. The Istanbul side beat Greek rivals Olympiacos convincingly at home 4-1, following a 1-1 first-leg draw in Athens. The remaining quarterfinalist is Dutch team Ajax, who came back from a 2-1 first-leg loss to Kobenhaven in Denmark. They won the return match in Amsterdam 2-0, also making the final eight by a single goal. They play Schalke in the quarter-finals. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > There’s lots of basketball action before the NBA Conference Semi-Finals on 1 May. New Zealand betting fans have many options until the NBA Finals in June. - Published: 2017-03-25 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nba/road-nba-conference-semi-finals/ May’s NBA Conference Semi-Finals Options Updated With the regular season over in three weeks, and the 2017 NBA Playoffs due to start on 15 April, New Zealand baseball fans will be considering betting options for the final rounds of the 2016-17 US season. The NBA Conference Semi-Finals begin on 1 May, with the Conference Finals scheduled to start two weeks later, and the NBA Finals beginning on 1 June. At the time of writing, three of the four Playoffs spots in the Western Conference were settled. San Francisco’s Golden State Warriors are also winners of their Pacific Division, with an unassailable win-loss record of 55-14 to date. The other two Western Conference teams with a definite Playoffs berth are both Southwest Division sides from Texas: division leader San Antonio Spurs and the Houston Rockets. The Northwest Division leader, the Utah Jazz, will have to fight off competition from the LA Clippers, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Memphis Grizzlies, to secure the final Playoffs spot in the Western Conference. Eastern Conference Still More Uncertain With a 46-23 record, including Sunday’s 125-120 win over the LA Lakers, the Cleveland Cavaliers not only maintained their place atop the Central Division and the Eastern Conference, but they also secured that conference’s first Playoffs berth. However, Atlantic Division leaders the Boston Celtics, on 44-26, and the Washington Wizards with 42-27 topping the Southeast division, both look likely to make the Playoffs too. The final Playoffs spot in the Eastern Conference is likely to be the most hotly contested. The Toronto Raptors, the Atlanta Hawks and the Indiana Pacers are the front-runners, but the Milwaukee Bucks, Detroit Pistons and Miami Heat can’t be ruled out yet either. New Zealand betting fans might want to wait for the end of the regular season on 12 April, before placing their bets for the NBA Playoffs and NBA Conference Semi-Finals. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Wellington Phoenix has gone down 3-1 to the Western Sydney wonderers in the A-League. But there is still hope that they can reach the playoffs. - Published: 2017-03-24 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/phoenix-still-hope-making-league-playoffs/ Wellington Phoenix Holding by a Thread For the Wellington Phoenix A-League football team, their hopes of making the A-League playoffs are still alive, but just barely. After an embarrassing 3-1 defeat at the hands of the Western Sydney Wonderers, Phoenix are now five points shy of a top six position with four games left to play in the regular season. As insurmountable as the odds may seem, more worrying for the team was the dismal performance in a crucial match where even a draw would have made a big difference. A win against the Wonderers would have propelled the Phoenix side into sixth spot, giving them some much needed breathing room going into the final month of the regular season. Instead, the side fell apart on the field and are in real danger of completely flunking out in the final weeks of the competition. For the Wonderers, it was a match that rejuvenated the team and boosted their moral going forward. Brendon Santalab, the Wonderers striker was the key player on the day. Scoring two of the three goals against the Phoenix, Santalab took his goal tally to seven goals in the last four matches against the Wellington side. Santalab’s second goal, a brilliant close-range header, gave the Wonderers a clear three-goal lead and a massive psychological edge over the Phoenix. From the start of the match, the Phoenix were sluggish and stagnant. After relentless pressure from the forwards, it was the Argentinian Nico Martinez who finally steered in the cracking shot from the edge of the penalty area. A Must Win Against the Newcastle Jets With just nine minutes on the clock, the Phoenix were in for a tough time. Adam Parkhouse, the Wellington left back was made a target and was understandably replaced by fullback Tom Doyle inside of half an hour. Just as the Wellington side was finding their feet, Santalab fired a thunderous shot past Moss who got a hand on the ball but could not stop it from going in. Santalab’s second goal gave the Wonderers their three-point lead. With fifteen minutes left to play, a free kick by Gui Finkler reduced the deficit but it was just too little too late. The Phoenix forwards were completely ineffective managing only two further shots at goal. To add to their woes, the Phoenix will lose seven players for the next game due to international duties. For coach Des Buckingham, the next match is now a must-win, non-negotiable home game where the Phoenix face off against the New Castle Jets on Sunday. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > James Segeyaro has officially been released from his UK club. The veteran NRL star will join the Cronulla Sharks after the team negotiated his release. - Published: 2017-03-24 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/cronulla-sharks-claim-james-segeyaro/ James Segeyaro Joins the Cronulla Sharks The messy tug of war over NRL star player James Segeyaro is officially over. The good news for Cronulla fans is that the ex-Penrith player is set to make his debut for the team this coming weekend. Having officially been released from English club, Leeds, Segeyaro is now free to join the defending premier champions. A few days ago, Segeyaro was named in the Cronulla Shark’s original 21-man Squad for Saturday’s upcoming match against the Parramatta Eels. This was despite the fact that the Papua New Guinea international had not yet had his NRL contract registered. However, things turned out for the best as Cronulla officially announced the signing of a two-year deal with Segeyaro. While James only received his clearance to train with the Sharks last week, the team were confident that he would be able to join them against the Eels. Cronulla have been working with the NRL for the past few months to negotiate Segeyaro’s release from his English club. In an official statement to the press, the Cronulla team said that Segeyaro has been officially granted permission to train with the club. The statement went on to say the he had been provided with a release from Leeds Rhinos and once his NRL contract has been registered, he will be eligible to join the team on the field. The Settlement with Leeds Rhinos Segeyaro headed overseas last July where he signed with the Rhinos. His presents inspired nine wins from 10 games playing a vital role in team line-up. Things fell apart for Segeyaro when he failed to return to Leeds for the pre-season training. Staying in Australia, Segeyaro cited homesickness at the reason for not going back to the UK. Still under contract for another two years, the Rhinos threatened to sue Segeyaro. The team demanded a $A400,000 transfer fee for his release. It is believed that the NRL negotiated his release with the inclusion of a settlement fee. Back home, Sharks coach Shane Flanagan said that Segeyaro would be an invaluable part of the team. The 103-game veteran would play a major role in assisting Jayden Brailey the young hooker who had to step up in the absence of Michael Ennis. Speaking to the press Flanagan said that he James has missed out on a fair bit of training and they would probably not see the best he can offer for a few weeks. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The quarter-finals draw for the 2016-17 UEFA Champions League has been announced. New Zealand punters should consider Round of 16 form when weighing bets. - Published: 2017-03-23 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/road-uefa-champions-league-qfs/ Road to UEFA Champions League QFs After Friday’s draw, New Zealand football fans at last know how the final eight will match up in the 2016-17 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. The first leg will comprise two matches on Tuesday, 11 April, and another two on Wednesday, 12 April. The second leg, with first-leg away teams hosting their opponents for the return matches, will take place on 18 and 19 April. The teams most punters will be following avidly are those that sailed through the Round of 16 without any losses. Real Madrid handed out two 3-1 defeats to Napoli, and Bayern Munich had an even more impressive round against English side Arsenal, winning 5-1 both home and away. The two will meet in their first leg on Wednesday, 12 April, in Munich. Underdogs Leicester Face Tough Quarter-Finals Atletico Madrid beat Bayer Leverkusen 4-2 in their first leg, followed by a 0-0 draw that put the Spanish side through, also undefeated. Their quarter-final opponents are the English underdogs Leicester City, who despite being the reigning English Premier League Champions, are still having ups and downs. They lost their Round of 16 first leg to Sevilla 2-1, scraping into the quarter-finals with a 2-0 victory in the return leg. It’s quite possible that the international talent and top-level experience of Atletico Madrid will prove too much in the quarter-finals round, and end Leicester’s UEFA Champions League dream. Juventus-Barcelona Matches Set to be Epic The quarter-finals opponents who promise the most thrilling football, we reckon, are Juventus and FC Barcelona. The Italian side was also unbeaten in the Round of 16, taking 2-0 and 1-0 wins against Porto. However, it was FC Barca that made history in the last round, after succumbing 4-0 to Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg: a deficit that no team has ever overcome in the second leg of a knockout round. At home in Camp Nou, however, Barca set a new world first, winning 6-1 to go through to the final eight. So both legs of this quarter-final are sure to produce some exciting football. Monaco was lucky to beat Manchester City on away goals after finishing 6-6 overall in the Round of 16, and they are set to face Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-finals. The German side, after coming back in the Round of 16 from a 1-0 first-leg loss to Benfica to win the second leg 4-0, could have the edge. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > There are four tournaments left in the 2016-17 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series entertaining New Zealand punters. It all winds up in London at Twickenham. - Published: 2017-03-23 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/twickenham-hosts-wr-sevens-finale/ World Rugby Sevens Series Route to Twickenham The 2016-17 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series is taking a three-week hiatus, but New Zealand betting enthusiasts will have it among their options again from 7-9 April, when the Hong Kong Sevens take place. There are, in fact, only four more tournaments left in the 2106-17 WR Sevens Series: the Singapore Sevens are on 15-16 April, followed by the Paris Sevens on 13-14 May, before the grand finale of the London Sevens, to be held at Twickenham Stadium from 20-21 May. At this stage, it looks like English WR Sevens fans are in for a thrilling spectacle to end the Series in the revered arena, as England is the only side that has been able to win a tournament against South Africa in 2016-17. The Blitzboks won the legs in Dubai, Wellington, Sydney and Las Vegas, and finished runners-up to England in Cape Town and the most recent leg, the Canada Sevens in Vancouver. Apart from winning two legs, England also finished runners-up to South Africa in Sydney, but Fiji is also a threatening presence, after contesting finals against the Blitzboks and finishing second in Dubai, Wellington and Vegas. New Zealand in Fourth on the Ladder The top three sides are almost unassailable on the points ladder: South Africa on 126, England on 103 and Fiji on 100. However, although New Zealand appears to be trailing badly on 84, that’s still 17 points clear of their nearest rival, the USA in fifth position. The highest that the New Zealand Sevens team has finished so far in the 2016-17 Series has been third, though, which they managed in Cape Town and Sydney. So unless they can deliver superhuman efforts in the next four tournaments, coupled with a few obliging disasters from the South Africans, Fijians and English, hanging on to fourth place overall might be the best that punters can expect from them. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand selectors have named an unchanged squad ahead of the final test against South Africa. The team must win the test to square the series. - Published: 2017-03-22 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/no-changes-black-caps-final-test-hamilton/ No Changes for The Black Caps Final Test The New Zealand selectors have named an unchanged squad for the Black Caps final match of the summer against South Africa. New Zealand are coming off a 3-day thrashing from the Proteas at the Reserve basin and must win the final test to square the series. Despite this, there have been no changes to the squad for the test at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Saturday. The only changing variable is the fact that Trent Boult will be available and hoping his leg injury has recovered in time to let him play. The medical staff has also ruled out Ross Taylor after tearing his calf muscle. The rest of the side stays the same. Gavin Larsen, the New Zealand national selector has said that he has faith in the team and they believe they are the best group of cricketers in the country. Larsen did comment on his disappointment in how the New Zealand side crumbled on the final day at the Basin Reserve. According to Larson, there is a lot of work that has to take place before the first ball has been bowled. Larson says the bowling needs a bit of work and the team needs to score more runs overall. The selectors want to see a greater fight from the team. It has been the hallmark of the Back Caps over the past few years to fight till the end but that was not what happened at the Basin. The team dropped their guard and paid the price. Neil Broom and Tom Latham Get the Nod Larson explained that a full list of players had been considered by him and fellow selector Mike Hesson for the final test. Their faith remains intact for the team that lost by eight wickets in Wellington. In the absence of Ross Taylor, Neil Broom will get his chance to prove his worth. Tom Latham also got the nod despite not being on form lately. Larson said that the selectors have 100 per cent faith in Latham. They admit that he is in a rut, but he is considered a classy player and his numbers speak for themselves. Again, legspinner Ish Sodhi has no spot on the team with the selectors saying they already have the best spinners possible. This would be the combination of Mitch Santner and veteran offspinner Jeetan Patel. The selectors talked about including Sodhi but at the end of the day, they feel they have the right combination. In the batting line-up, both Jimmy Neesham and Colin de Grandhomme got the nod despite poor batting displays in the last test. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Repeated concussions to NRL players could have lasting effects on the brain. A new study has shown that former NRL players have impaired responses. - Published: 2017-03-22 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/new-study-shows-lasting-effect-concussions/ Study Shows Lasting Effect of Concussions A recent study has suggested that repeated concussions to rugby league players will have a lasting effect on their brains. In 2015, a rule was implemented saying that players suspected of having a concussion would have to undergo a formal head injury assessment before being allowed back onto the field. However, just this weekend, two players were allowed to continue without proper checks after getting knocked down. Neuroscientist Dr Alan Pearce recently completed a study comparing 25 former NRL players with men of similar age. What the La Trobe University study found was that the men, now in their 50’s had worse memories and slower reaction times. The men carried out various cognitive tests to measure their attention spans, memory and motor skills. Their reaction times were also tested as well as fine dexterity. According to Dr Pearce, the responses of the former rugby players were significantly different when compared to the control group with no history of head injuries. The data also correlated to the tests done on cognition and motor reaction times, which were significantly slower in the former rugby players. Dr Pearce hopes the results of the study can be used to start a rehabilitation program for the former players. According to Pearce, neuroplasticity could be used to help the players recover damaged brain function. Worrying Results for NRL Players What this means is that the participants would have the brains “rewired” in order to improve their motor functions and memory. Pearce said that they have seen improvement results in areas such as stroke or Parkinson’s where the participants do exercise therapy. Dr Pearce will present his study at the World Congress of Brain Injury in the USA. The results of the study have proven timely. It was just last month that James McManus lodged a lawsuit against his former club Newcastle over how it handled his concussions. Over this past weekend, Brendon Elliot, the Newcastle Knights fullback was allowed to head back onto the field after taking a serious knock to the head in the first half. Elliot’s first hit came in the 25th minute and despite the fact that he lay on the pitch for several minutes, no head injury assessment was conducted. When Elliot went down again in the second half, he was taken off the field. According to Dr Pearce, a formal assessment should have been conducted. The NRL is also looking into a second incident where Josh Dugan went down after being elbowed in the jaw. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand golfer Daniel Pierce has won the Queensland PGA Championship. The 28-year old faced off against Australian Mathew Millar in a playoff. - Published: 2017-03-21 - Modified: 2017-03-21 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/daniel-pearce-wins-queensland-pga-championship/ Daniel Pearce Wins the Queensland PGA Championship New Zealand golfer Daniel Pearce has won the Queensland PGA Championship in an exciting playoff after having blown an eight-shot lead. Daniel wasn’t even supposed to be at the event as his wife gave birth to their first child just four weeks ago. The initial plan for the Ashburton pro was to stay at home with his family but an 11th place showing at the New Zealand Open gave him a change of heart. For his efforts at the New Zealand Open, Daniel received a tidy sum of NZ$20,500 as well as an exemption to play on the tour in 2018. Daniel went into the final round of the Queensland Open a full eight shots ahead of his nearest rivals. The 28-year old kiwi carded an unbelievable eight-under 62 at the City Golf Club in Toowoomba, to pull ahead of the pack. However, on the Sunday, Pearce came unstuck shooting four straight bogeys on holes five through eight. Going into the back nine, Pearce was able to gather himself again carding an eagle on the 10th hole and a three-shot buffer over Australians Mathew Millar and Adam Burdett. Holding in fourth place was fellow kiwi Mark Brown. A steady putt on the 15th helped Pearce shoot a respectable two-over 72 while Mathew Millar managed to apply a bit of pressure carding a round of six-under 64. Luke Toomey Pearce’s Lucky Charm Millar and Pearce went into the 18th hole tied on 20-under. Neither player was able to pull ahead with both of them sending their balls into the greenside bunker. Taking three shots to reach the pin, the two managed to force a playoff for the tournament. The first two holes of the playoff ended on par with Pearce recovering a brilliant shot from the rough to hold par with Millar. On the third hole of the playoff, fellow kiwi, Luke Toomey joined Pearce on the fairway, carrying his bag and essentially becoming his lucky charm. It turned out to be a decisive point in the tournament. Losing his concentration, Millar sent his tee shot straight into the fairway bunker which needed a hybrid shot just to get back on track. His following shot ran through the entire green, handing Pearce the perfect opportunity. Having hit his second shot straight onto the green, Pearce needed a simple two-putt to sink the ball while Millar was unable to chip back in to salvage the situation. This was Pearce’s first Australasian PGA Tour win. Further down the order, Hutt Brown finished in a tie for fourth place with a 15 under while Burdett carded a 16-under to claim third. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Jason Taumalolo has been found guilty of a shoulder charge against Matt Scott. Taumalolo has been handed a two week ban and docked 6 Dally M points. - Published: 2017-03-21 - Modified: 2017-03-21 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/jason-taumalolo-given-two-week-nrl-ban/ Jason Taumalolo Handed Two Week Suspension For Jason Taumalolo, the chances of claiming a second Dally M Medal have been severally dashed after he picked up a two-week suspension for an illegal shoulder charge. The Cowboys decided to test out the NRL’s new shoulder charge interpretation with dire results. The result is that Taumalolo will now be ruled out for a full fortnight after being found guilty at the judiciary. Had Taumalolo accepted the early guilty plea of the illegal hit on Alex Glen, he would have only missed out on a week’s worth of rugby. For now, he has to be content with missing the next two clashes against Gold Coast and Manly. Not only does the suspension stretch the team after Matt Scott was ruled out for the rest of the season, it also means that Taumalolo will be out of the contest for NRL’s highest honour. According to the rules, any player who is suspended for one week will incur a three-point penalty in the Dally M total count. His two-week suspension means that Taumalolo will be docked six points straight off the bat. This will be a harsh blow for the kiwi back rower who was last year’s joint winner along with Cooper Cronk. Jason Taumalolo started the year in fine form, racking up the maximum three points in his season opening game against Canberra. He added another point after playing a major role in the Cowboy’s big win over the Broncos. Taumalolo Docked Six Dally M Points Taumalolo showed excellent skill in the final minutes of the Broncos game. He charged down Anthony Milford’s field goal attempt and then produced two sensational runs to set up Johnathan Thurston for the winning single pointer. Paul Green, the Cowboys coach represented Taumalolo at the judiciary. He argued that Taumalolo had attempted to get his arms around Glen but he just bounced out of the tackle. According to the judiciary panel consisting of Sean Garlic, Bob Lindner and Tony Puletua, the hit did in fact satisfy the NRL’s new definition of a shoulder charge. The panel found that Taumalolo made no attempt to use his arms to tackle Glen where there was full contact. The new definition comes in the wake of harsh criticism and claims of inconsistencies in the rule. During the NRL’s off-season, the definition of a shoulder charged was completely overhauled, removing any criteria suggesting that the defender’s arm has to be tucked in for the tackle. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Southland Sharks have won their NBL season opening game against the Nelson Giants. The sharks decimated the Giants with a 96-58 point thrashing. - Published: 2017-03-20 - Modified: 2017-03-20 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/sharks-crush-nelson-giants-nbl-season-opener/ Sharks Thrash Giants in NBL Opener The Southland Sharks have won their opening NBL season game against the Nelson Giants. The Sharks thrashed the Giants 96 points to 58, laying down a marker for the rest of the season. In the NBL pre-season, the Sharks were considered to be the 2017 title contenders while the Giants were tipped to take the wooden spoon. If punters and basketball fans had any doubt about such predictions, they were quickly put to bed when the Sharks decimated the Giants at the ILT stadium in Invercargill. For the Giants, the game was pretty much over by the first quarter. After scoring just a single field goal, the team slumped to a 27-9 hole that they just could not dig themselves out of. It was Finn Delany who had all of the nine points for the Giants as the team went from 1-16 from the field. The Giants struggled to deal with the Sharks huge frontline. With James Hunter (13/11), Alex Pledger (19/9) and Nick Kay (8/6) all sweeping the glass, the Giants could not keep the team in check. The battle of the rebounds also went the way of the Sharks with 53-29. Washington Out of His Depth Curtis Washington, the Giant’s centre was out of his depth and completely unable to hold off the tide. He did better than his fellow import though. Joe Sclocum, the Division II Alaskan import provided nothing of value shooting a disappointing 0/7. Washington officially has Guam residency, which technically makes him a local. This means that the giants can bring in another import if they have the budget. If they want to stand a chance of becoming a major contender, they might have to conder the option sooner rather than later. For his part, Delany put on a good show but had little space to work with. He finished up with 19 points shooting 5/17. Dion Prewster added nothing with 0/6 while Sam shot 1/6 adding just five points to the board. From the bench, it was Tom ingham and Ali Granger who added another 9 points to give the Giants a bit of life. For Southland, Derone Raukawa added 19 points from the bench while Reuben Te Rangi added 17 and Mitch Norton added nine points with nine rebounds. Luke Aston added six dimes while Hayden Allen added five providing a good bit of passing around the perimeter of the court. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > All Blacks halfback Tawera Kerr-Barlow will be leaving New Zealand rugby. Kerr-Barlow has signed a three-year contract with French team La Rochelle. - Published: 2017-03-20 - Modified: 2017-03-20 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/blacks-tawera-kerr-barlow-heads-europe/ Tawera Kerr-Barlow Heads to Europe If you haven’t’ noticed by now, there seems to be a trend happening with the New Zealand rugby team. Players who have not been picked for a spot on the All Blacks starting line-up are taking their talents elsewhere. This week it was All Blacks halfback Tawera Kerr-Barlow who announced his decision to head overseas. After failing to book a spot with the All Blacks, Kerr-Barlow announced that he would be making the move to France’s La Rochelle rugby team. Stade Rochelais (Le Rochelle) is a rugby union club based in La Rochelle in the New Aquitaine region of France. The club has a long and distinguished rugby history, having been founded in 1898. They compete in the top 14 competition where they are the current leaders, a full 10 points ahead of their nearest rivals Montpellier. Kerr-Barlow announced that he would join Le Rochelle for a period of three years after completing the Super Rugby season at home for the Chiefs. Luatau and Cruden Make Their Move In New Zealand, Tawera Kerr-Barlow played a total of 25 tests for the national side since his debut in 2012. Of the 25 tests, 23 of his test appearances were made from the bench. Despite making a brief appearance in the 2015 Rugby World Cup, Kerr-Barlow has never really become a first-choice player. As it stands, Kerr-Barlow is behind both Aaron Smith and TJ Perenara for the position of halfback for the All Blacks. With him being so low down on the pecking order, Tawera will probably not be considered by the All Blacks selectors when playing overseas. The 26-year-old’s departure from New Zealand rugby will be a major concern for All Blacks Coach, Steve Hansen. For Hansen, the loss of a player with a proven performance record will certainly affect the depth of his squad. Like Kerr-Barlow, a lot of other All Blacks players, especially those on the edge of selection are signing lucrative overseas club contracts. Rather than stick around and fight for international selection, players are choosing to leave before their test careers are close to being over. Coach Steven Hansen has expressed his frustration with the growing trend and spoke out when Steven Luatau made the decision to join Bristol at the age of just 25. Fly half Aaron Cruden at age 28 will also be leaving New Zealand shores to join Montpellier after being leapfrogged by Beauden Barret. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The ITTF World Championships run from 29 May to 5 June in Dusseldorf, Germany. New Zealand betting fans have several options to back among the top seeds. - Published: 2017-03-19 - Modified: 2017-03-19 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/table-tennis/table-tennis-world-champs-germany/ World Table Tennis Championships Start in May Online sports betting sites not only give New Zealand punters access to the most popular sports all over the globe, like football and horseracing; they also allow fans of the most niche sports to wager on the top tournaments. Table tennis, for example, is pretty much a minority sport everywhere, except perhaps in East Asia. Nevertheless, it is very popular in Europe and especially in China, two regions with enormous populations, which in turn stimulates interest in the indoor sport worldwide. Betting fans only get to see a World Championship every two years, however, so Kiwi punters will be looking forward to the ITTF’S Liebherr 2017 World Table Tennis Championships, running from 28 May to 5 June in Dusseldorf, Germany. Innovative Black Table to Debut Modern table tennis tables have come a long way from the rickety chipboard surfaces on wobbly trestles that were a traditional feature of home basement games in the 50s and 60s. Design and innovation are as important to table tennis as they are to any other sport with a huge global TV audience. The World Championships at the Messe Dusseldorf trade centre will continue that tradition, introducing black-topped tables, in keeping with the ultra-modern décor of the exhibition hall, for the first time in the tournament’s history. Sturdy, flat and perfectly level, the tabletops will rest on solid curved bases in the colours of the German national flag. Chinese Men and Women May Dominate Singles Design sensibilities aside, the actual players in the tournament will be of more interest to New Zealand betting enthusiasts. It is too early to know the field yet, but the ITTF is expecting entries from around 150 countries, including 45 from Europe and 37 from Asia. One thing that is certain is that China and Chinese territories are likely to dominate in both the men’s and women’s singles. On current ITTF World rankings, the top four men are from China, including world No. 1 Long Ma, as are the top two women: Ning Ding at No. 1, followed by Yuling Zhu. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The UEFA Champions League quarterfinals start on 11 April. New Zealand betting fans just enjoyed two weeks of surprising Round of 16 second-leg action. - Published: 2017-03-19 - Modified: 2017-03-19 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/champions-league-second-leg-result/ Second Leg; Champions League Round of 16 New Zealand football fans watched the 2016-17 UEFA Champions League closely over the past fortnight, as the second legs of the Round of 16 were decided. Friday’s quarterfinals draw should spark interest from the online betting community in earnest. Punters who support English sides now have their hopes set on Leicester City. Last year’s English Premier League winners are the only team from across the Channel to make it to the quarterfinals, after they beat Sevilla 2-0 at home on Tuesday, to finish 3-2 up overall. However, since their Premier League Championship victory in 2016, the team has suffered mixed fortunes, plus the controversial replacement of manager Nigel Pearson with Claudio Ranieri. Many punters are doubtful that the underdogs will be quite as impressive against top-flight European clubs like FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Juventus or Atletico Madrid. These giants have a wealth of international talent amongst their South American and African players, so Leicester could be in for a shock next round. Manchester City and Arsenal Out of Contention Slim though they might be, Leicester’s chance of taking the championship is the only option left for anyone determined to root for an English side. Manchester City won their Round of 16 first leg at home, beating Monaco 5-3, but in the second leg on Wednesday, Monaco won 3-1 to make it 6-6 overall, and go through to the next round on their away goals. The bigger disaster, for fans of the English teams, was Arsenal’s failure to make the final eight. They were thoroughly lacklustre in their second-leg home match, losing to Bayern Munich 5-1; the same losing margin as their first leg in Munich last month. FC Barca Makes History to Go Through Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus and Atletico Madrid all sailed through their Round of 16 without complications. But the biggest upset in the second leg was dished out by FC Barcelona. No side had ever come back from a four-goal deficit in the first leg of a UEFA Champions League knockout round to win through, so after their 4-0 away loss to Paris Saint-Germain last month, it seemed Barca’s tournament was over. In a record-breaking comeback, they proved that assumption wrong with a stunning 6-1 win that set the Camp Nou crowd roaring, and saw them safely into the final eight. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Monaco Grand Prix is sure to be a Formula 1 highlight in May. New Zealand betting fans will be watching the first five races of 2017 with interest. - Published: 2017-03-18 - Modified: 2017-03-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/may-formula-1-monaco-grand-prix/ New Zealand Eyes Monaco Grand Prix Bets The Monaco Grand Prix on 28 May will attract plenty of New Zealand online sports betting enthusiasts. Even non-motorsport fans enjoy a punt on the classic road race through the tiny Mediterranean principality, as it has become the glamorous pop-culture icon of F1 excitement. It’s an event that predates the inauguration of the F1 World Championship in 1950. The famous Riviera playground of the wealthy has been blocking off its streets annually since 1929, creating a narrow, twisting, 3. 337km circuit that includes tight turns, varying elevations and a tunnel. The race record is held by Brazilian star Ayrton Senna, who finished first in Monaco six times, five of them consecutively from 1989 to 1993. In the 1960s, British racing legend Graham Hill won the race five times, earning him the nickname ‘Mr Monaco’. Lewis Hamilton Aiming for a Repeat Win Lewis Hamilton won the Monaco Grand Prix in 2016, and he will be back this year. It was the first Monaco win for the British racing prodigy, who exploded into F1 racing a decade ago at the tender age of 22 and now has a career record of 53 Grand Prix wins. Racing for the Mercedes AMG Petronas team, Lewis finished third in Monaco after starting in pole position in 2015, and second in 2014. Last year, he won the 78-lap race in 1hr, 59m, 29. 133s, and also posted the fastest lap of the day: 1m, 17. 939s. The win cemented Hamilton’s reputation as one of the all-time greats of Formula 1. His records already include the most career points, established when he won the Austrian Grand Prix last year, and since boosted to 2,247 overall. He was also the youngest driver to lead the World Championship, when he won the 2007 Spanish Grand Prix. Five Formula 1 Races Start Season Before 28 May, five other Formula 1 Grands Prix take place around the world, so New Zealand betting fans have several opportunities to see how Hamilton is performing against his rivals. The Australian Grand Prix starts the season off in Melbourne on 26 March, with the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai, the Bahrain Grand Prix in Sakhir and the Russian Grand Prix in Sochi following in April. The final F1 race before Monaco will be the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, on 14 May. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Tony Pike strained to control his emotions after Chenille charged home to win the 2017 Auckland Cup. Pike’s thoughts were with his family in Hamilton. - Published: 2017-03-18 - Modified: 2017-03-18 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/chenille-coasts-home-win-auckland-cup/ Tony Pike Celebrates Emotional Win at Auckland Cup Thursday’s rescheduled Group 1 Auckland Cup delivered a spectacular event which saw race favourite Chenille coast to victory. As the mare crossed the line, Tony Pike could hardly control his emotions, thinking of his parents who were watching the race from a hospital in Hamilton. Wayne, Tony’s father underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumour on Monday and obviously could not attend the race. Along with his wife Vicky and their two grandchildren Molly and Oliver, Wayne was able to watch as Chenille annihilated the competition in the 3200m event. Chenille, the daughter of Pentire has showed great ability from the get go. She picked up her first win in 2015 at Tauranga and has gone on to win nine races racking up stakes of around $550,000. Cambridge trainer Tony Pike was happy to have a second go at the Auckland Cup. He was on the verge of scratching before the race was rescheduled and moved to Thursday evening. Speaking to the press, Pike said that he was glad to have gotten a second chance at the track. Chenille was running well and improved in the midfield at around the 600m mark. Coming in widest into the straight she had the early lead on the run home. Megablast and Jacksstar Well Behind Chenille Chenille kept up a strong gallop to move past Jacksstar, El Pistola and Megablast to take the honours with Megablast coming in runner up. Pike says that he has entered Chenille into the Sydney cup but whether they head across the Tasman is still undecided at this point. With such a dominant performance at the Auckland Cup, the 3200m Sydney Cup would be well within her reach. While Pike prepared Rock Diva to win the Cup in 2015, for Innes, it was his first win in the race so far. In order to make the carded weight of 53. 5kg, Innes had to waste hard, keeping the mare in check for the 3200m race. Innes said that he had to waste hard all week and remain on rations for a further five days, but it seems to have panned out. Jacksstar who came in third, also had a magnificent run. Trainer Gary Vile said that he damaged a flexor tendon but he should be alright. The team bandaged him up and he will head home for a bit of R&R. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand Formula 1 punters will want to see the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona. The fourth race in the 2017 F1 Championship, it will be held on 14 May. - Published: 2017-03-17 - Modified: 2017-03-17 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/formula-1/spanish-grand-prix-may/ Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona in May New Zealand Formula 1 fans have an exciting year ahead of them, kicking off in a fortnight with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on 26 March. Many will be keen to take a punt on the Spanish Grand Prix on 14 May as well; it may not be among the most famous races in motorsport, but it’s certainly one of the oldest. The Spanish Grand Prix was first held in 1913, although not under the international Grand Prix rules of the time. The first race was held under touring car rules on a 300-kilometre road circuit near Madrid. Interrupted by World War I, the race returned as a true Grand Prix in the 1920s, only to be abandoned again during the Spanish Civil War that began in 1935. It was only revived, now classed as a Formula 1 event, in 1968, and spent decades migrating around a variety of Spanish racetracks. Since 1991, however, the Spanish Grand Prix has enjoyed a permanent home at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, a 4. 655km track in the Catalonian capital with 16 turns and two long straights. The Grand Prix lap record of 1m, 21. 670s was set by Finnish racing star Kimi Raikkonen in a Ferrari, when he won the event in 2008. Raikkonen and Ferrari Shine in F1 Testing Raikkonen had won the Spanish Grand Prix once before, driving for the West McLaren Mercedes team in 2005. His 2008 win remains his only victory in Barcelona for Ferrari. Although he managed a third and a second respectively in 2012 and 2013, driving for the Lotus F1 team, since his return to Scuderia Ferrari in 2014, his best result in Barcelona has been last year’s second place. He finished 0. 616s behind Dutchman Max Verstappen, and almost five seconds ahead of his German teammate, Sebastian Vettel. However, in Formula 1 testing on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya last week, Raikkonen and Vettel proved that the Ferrari team is going to be hard to beat in May. Between them, they posted the best and third-best lap times, although Raikkonen finished the victor, in a blistering 1m, 18. 634s. That was half-a-second faster than any time posted by the Mercedes drivers, Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton, who finished fourth and fifth respectively in the day’s standings. Verstappen, still driving for Red Bull-TAG Heuer, finished second. 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Boult is expected to head back to Tauranga for a bit of R&R where he can hopefully recuperate before the third and final test. As yet, no decision has been made on who will come into to replace Boult. At this point is seems Tim Southee is looking like the strongest candidate after being dropped for the first test in favour of specialist spinners against the ruthless South African batsman. Seamer Matt Henry is also looking like a strong candidate to come in. Along with Neil Wagner and Tim Southee, the three can form a solid triple threat. It is looking increasingly unlikely that two spinners will be needed at the Bain, which means that either Jeetan Patel or Mitchell Santner will be sitting this one out. Patel has never had the opportunity to play a test on his home ground but after being seen at the training session, things might be different this time around. In the batting line-up, Neil Broom will come in to replace Ross Taylor. This will be test debut at number 4 for the Black Caps. Specialist Spinners Looking Less Likely Meanwhile, this is the second home test that Trent Boult has missed since the start of the season. After suffering a knee injury, he had to sit out the second test against Pakistan in Hamilton. Boult has some impressive figures behind his name. This would have been his 51st test in professional cricket. Ranked the 13th best bowler in test bowling, Boult has taking a total of 190 wickets at a rate of 28. 7. Fellow bowler Tim Southee knows exactly how it feels to miss out on a test. Speaking to the press he said that you go through a range of emotions but at the end of the day, you have to respect the decision made by the coaches. If Patel comes on as a specialist spinner, it would be his fourth test since being recalled after a significant three-year absence from the national team. Patel has taken 62 wickets in test cricket at a rate of 47. 88. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand will once again send a team to the Invictus Games. The 2017 event, to be held in Toronto in September, honours wounded military personnel. - Published: 2017-03-16 - Modified: 2017-03-16 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/invictus-games-wounded-warriors/ New Zealand Will Contest 2017 Invictus Games New Zealand sports betting enthusiasts will be celebrating the unconquerable human spirit in September, when Toronto hosts the third Invictus Games. New Zealand will once again send a team of active service members and military veterans to the tournament. The Invictus Games were instigated in 2014 by the UK’s Prince Harry, in response to the USA’s Warrior Games. Like its American counterpart, the competition honours armed forces personnel who are injured or wounded, competing in Paralympic-style events. New Zealand Took Three Medals in 2016 The first Invictus Games, involving athletes from 13 nations that have fought alongside the UK, were held in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in 2014. The opening was attended by Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry and Prince William, and Frederick, Crown Prince of Denmark. Michelle Obama also provided a recorded message. The then-US First Lady was on hand in person to open the 15-nation Invictus Games in Orlando, Florida last year, along with Prince Harry and former president George W. Bush. New Zealand did not do as well as they did in 2014, which saw a yield of six medals: three silvers and three bronzes. In Orlando, however, the team managed a gold from Glenn Barnes in the one-minute row, a silver from Amy Baynes in road cycling, and a bronze from Nu Filo in rowing. Wide Range of Sports Featured The Greater Toronto Area will play host to the 2017 Invictus Games, from 23-30 September, with a wider range of sports and a bigger pool of nations than ever before. There are 17 countries invited to this year’s competition: the UK, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, the USA, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Romania, Estonia, Georgia, Ukraine, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Jordan. Punters can look forward to a wide range of track and field athletics events, plus a driving challenge, as well as archery, golf, indoor rowing, powerlifting, road cycling, swimming, sitting volleyball, wheelchair tennis, wheelchair rugby and wheelchair basketball. 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Friday’s side will look a little different, as Kieran Foran will also be left out due to an injury to his shoulder. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck will come in as fullback, this despite having picked up a concussion during the match against the Storm that saw the team go down 26 points to 10. The other changes to the side include Bodene Thompson and Jackob Lillyman who will be included into the run on side. This means that Bunty Afoa and Charlie Grub will be shifted to positions on the interchange. The decision to bring on Manu Vatuvei was generally expected. The beast was always going to be included in the starting line-up at some point. Vatuvei has been a welcoming presence at Mt Smart for the past decade and has seen action under several head coaches. The 31-year-old veteran has 225 games under his belt and offers a forward momentum that can be a complete game changer. A Strong Wing Combination in Dunedin At Tuesday’s full contact training, Lolohea was noticeably missing since picking up an injury against the Storm last week. To be fair, Lolohea hasn’t been on point in the first two rounds. He has been struggling with his defence relying on Ken Maumalo to shade his performance. By bringing in Vatuvei into the mix along with Maumalo, the Warriors will have one of the strongest wing combinations in the NRL. However, it should be noted that this same pair were severely exposed in the defeat against the Rabbitohs in 2016. The inclusion of Thompson also means that the Warriors will have a reunited back row with Mannering, Ryan Hoffman and Thompson joining forces for the first time this year. Mannering will be playing his 261st NRL game equalling the record set by Stacey Jones. The match against the Bulldogs on Friday will be the first NRL competition match to be played in Dunedin. Despite coming off back to back losses against Melbourne and the Sydney Roosters, the Bulldog’s will certainly be the Warriors most challenging opponents in the competition. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Newmarket’s 2000 Guineas is the first leg of British horseracing’s Triple Crown. New Zealand punters are already considering the form for the May event. - Published: 2017-03-15 - Modified: 2017-03-15 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/2000-guineas-newmarket-racing/ 2000 Guineas Stakes Brings Peak British Racing New Zealand’s horseracing enthusiasts can enjoy online betting action aplenty throughout the 2017 international racing calendar, with betting sites giving access to the most prestigious races around the world. England’s 2000 Guineas Stakes, to be run at Newmarket’s Rowley Mile Course on 6 May, should be worth New Zealand punters’ while. It’s an historic one-mile flat race for three-year-olds that has been run since 1809 on the famed three-track racecourse in Newmarket, Suffolk. Known as the QIPCO 2000 Guineas under current sponsorship, the Class 1, Group 1 race is run over 1609m for a total purse of £500,000. It’s the year’s first of five Classic races in Great Britain, and also the opening leg of the British Triple Crown, which includes the Derby at Epsom Downs in June, and the St Leger Stakes at Doncaster in September. The only horse in recent times even to challenge for all three races, however, was Camelot in 2012. The Irish-trained colt won the Guineas and the Derby, but finished second in the St Leger. The last Triple Crown winner was Nijinsky, ridden by Lester Piggot, in 1970. This year, punters will be hoping another contender finally emerges at the 2000 Guineas. Churchill Current Ante-Post Favourite It’s early days yet, but even before the 69 entries are whittled down for the Guineas, some horses are showing strongly in the ante-post betting. Bookies are offering around 6-4 on Irish colt Churchill, sitting on five consecutive wins from six starts, after finishing third on debut. His last two victories have been in Group 1 races, so he is attracting lots of interest from punters. Churchill is one of 11 possibilities entered this year by trainer Aidan O’Brien, already a seven-time winner of the Guineas. Unbeaten in four starts, Kentucky-foaled colt Caravaggio is also fancied, at around 6-1. He’s had a long rest since winning the Group 2 Coventry Stakes and Group 1 Phoenix Stakes in June and August last year, so he should be a strong challenger. Caravaggio’s stable-mate War Decree, another Kentucky-foaled colt, is on two wins and one second from three starts. At 16-1, he’s the third of the O’Brien-trained horses that many will be backing. 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For Wenger, it was more of a case of pride and damage control than anything else. Lincoln City had already toppled two second-tier sides and a Premier League team to earn its place in the quarterfinals at one of Europe’s biggest football clubs. Arsenal were well aware that a huge chunk of the 60 000 plus fans in the stadium were backing the national league side who became the first non-league football side to reach the FA Cup quarterfinals in 103 years. Outside the grounds, another mini-protest was underway with fans calling for the removal of Wenger, doing nothing for his confidence within the stadium. Despite having a stronger, more experienced side, Arsenal appeared to be on the back foot from the kick off. Early on in the game, Lincoln were the ones who almost took the lead when Nathan Arnold sent a cracking left footer into the top right corner of the post requiring an equally brilliant save from keeper Petr Cech. Chelsea and Tottenham Book their Spots It was only after 40 minutes of play that Arsenal were finally able to break down the defences of the spirited Lincoln City side with Theo Walcott finding the back of the net in the 45th minute. Having settled the nerves of the team, Walcott opened the gates for Oliver Giroud to strike early in the second half. Arsenal’s run of goals was extended when Lincoln captain deflected the ball into his own goal given the men in red a 3-0 lead. Alexis Sanchez soon added another with a curling beauty from outside the box. Just three minutes later, Ramsey added the fifth and final goal to book Arsenal a place at Wembley Stadium. In other quarterfinal matches, Manchester City booked their spot with a 2-0 win over Middlesbrough. An early goal by David Silva and another by Sergio Aguero was all that was needed to make it through. For Tottenham Hotspur, a massive 6-0-win over Millwall saw them sailing through to the semis while Chelsea pulled off a close 1-0 win over Manchester United to complete the teams. 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In doing so, Hendry managed to break a 14-year-old drought, becoming the first Kiwi to win the event since Mahal Pearce lifted the much-coveted Brodie Breeze trophy in 2003. Hendry started the day three shots behind the tournament leader Ben Campbell, the Queenstown local who had a clear shot at the title. After carding at two-under 69 at the Millbrook Resort, Hendry had to wait for the final pairing of Campbell and fellow Australian Brad Kennedy. Both Campbell and Kennedy caught up with Hendry with birdies on the 17th hole to force a three-way playoff for the trophy. One week earlier, Campbell lost a three-way playoff at the NZ PGA Championship and was keen to make amends for his previous close call. Kennedy, who won a playoff at the 2011 New Zealand Open was also keen to get his hands on the trophy again. But it was not to be for the Australian pair as they both put their tee shots into the water on the 18th hole to hand Hendry a clear run for the title. Hendry managed to avoid the water and landed his shot 15 feet from the pin. Ben Campbell and Brad Kennedy Tie Second Speaking to the press Hendry said that of all the trophies, this was the one he wanted most. For him, to be holding the New Zealand Open trophy and have his name on a NZ PGA trophy was “Pretty Sweet. ” Hendry, now age 37, turned professional in 2005 and has subsequently racked up five wins in his professional career. The Japan tour player won the Indonesian open in 2010 as well as the NZ PGA Championship in 2013. Speaking about his win at the NZ Open, Hendry credited his incredible back-to-back eagles in the third round to set him up for the tournament. He said that the eagles gave him the opportunity to execute his game plan to claim the title. Ben Campbell finished the day with a one-over 72 in tied second place, earning him three starts on the Japan Tour later this year. Speaking to the press, Campbell said that it was a bit disappointing for him but the conditions were not quite right for his swing. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Local boxer Joseph Parker has expressed interest in facing off with US WBC champ Deontay Wilder. Parker is also keen on a matchup with Tony Bellow. - Published: 2017-03-14 - Modified: 2017-03-14 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/nz-boxer-joseph-parker-ready-heavyweight-challenge/ Joseph Parker Ready for Bellow and Wilder New Zealand boxer Joseph Parker has spoken out about his eagerness to prove his credentials against the likes of Tony Bellow. He has also expressed a keen interest on getting into the ring with American Deontay Wilder, one of the boxing giants of the heavyweight division. In an interview with the press, Parker spoke openly about his relief at getting back to training for his very first mandatory WBO world title defence fight against Hughie Fury which is scheduled to take place on the 6th of May at the Vector Arena in Auckland. From his training base in Las Vegas, Parker went on to explain his feeling of satisfaction with his entire camp and why the heavyweight boxing scene is a dynamic and exciting place at the moment. Despite his confidence, Parker is a realist and will take nothing for granted when he faces off against Fury in two months’ time. However, he feels that there are certainly much bigger matchups on the horizon in the form of Englishman Tony Bellow and Deontay Wilder for starters. Parker Keen to Prove his Worth What Parker is aiming to do is to unify the entire heavyweight division. If successful, he would certainly find himself face to face with the American WBC champion. On the other hand, a fight against Bellow (cruiserweight) would certainly be a bit easier and a lot more lucrative for the New Zealand champ. After listening to Tony Bellow’s comments about him being the “lesser of champions” Parker said that it actually a good thing. If Bellow believes he is not as powerful or as fast as the other heavyweight champs, he would be more than happy to show him what he could do in the ring. Since the famous Tyson Fury upset against heavyweight Wladimir Klitschko at the end of 2015, the entire heavyweight division has been in a constant state of change. Until the contracts are actually signed, none of the fights are guaranteed. However, should Parker defeat Hughie Fury at home, then the fight against Bellow should be on the cards, especially after having defeated David Haye in another shocking upset. After viewing the footage of Bellow’s TKO win against Haye in London, Parker admitted that it was a good fight but is confident that he will do well in the ring against the Englishman. Parker also feels that he has a chance against Deontay Wilder after watching the American defeat Gerald Washington in a fifth-round knockout in Alabama. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > In an unfortunate turn of events Golden State Warriors Kevin Durant injured his left knee. What contingency plan will the Warriors put into action? - Published: 2017-03-13 - Modified: 2017-03-13 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nba/warriors-kevin-durant-injures-left-knee/ Kevin Durant Injures Knee Tragedy struck just 93 seconds into the first quarter of the match between Golden State Warriors and Washington Wizards. After a brief altercation between Wizard’s Marcin Gortat and Golden State's Zaza Pachulia, Pachulia stumbled and went crashing into teammate Kevin Durant. Durant immediately showed signs of having injured his left knee, but bravely tried to continue playing. Not soon after, however, the Warriors called a timeout and Durant left the game, wincing in pain. The game ended with a Warriors loss to Washington, 112-108. The extent of Durant’s injury is not yet known, and he is due to go for an MRI scan soon. It has been reported that his left knee was overextended. It seems there is a possibility he may not be able to play, although this is not yet known in any certainty, but the Golden States have already announced a contingency plan, signing up veteran Matt Barnes. This unfortunate early exit for Durant was regrettable for many reasons, not in the least that it ended an impressive streak for the talented player, who had been scoring at least 10 points in every match he participated in. In this case he had taken only one shot, which had been a miss, and so left the game having scored 0 points. This must have really stung Durant. Interestingly, this was also the first game in which Durant was playing against his previous couch, after signing with the Warriors. The couch in question was Scott Brooks, who had previously been at the helm for Oklahoma City Thunder. Brooks had taken charge of the Washington Warriors starting this current season. Knocking Down a Winner Brooks had spoken positively about Durant in an interview, stating that he viewed Durant as a winner, and had not one negative thing to say about him. He went on to declare Durant as a champion both on and off the court, and declared that he wished all players were as professional. Durant must have smiled from ear to ear being praised so highly by his former couch. It seems the two had an excellent professional relationship. In light of Durant’s injury, it was announced via ESPN. com that none other than Matt Barnes would be replacing Durant, as already said. Barnes has not seen action with the Warriors since his previous 2006-2008 stint. Seeming to be pleased with the situation, Barnes posted a photo on Instagram, and made the brief statement that he was going back to where it all started. The photo featured him dressed in the Warrior’s official uniform. There is no word yet on how exactly the situation will pan out, and official word on Durant’s injury has not yet been given. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Ali Williams and James O’Connor have been arrested in Paris for Possession of cocaine. The event highlights what some say is a known drug problem in rugby. - Published: 2017-03-13 - Modified: 2017-03-13 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/cocaine-rugby-scandal-france/ Cocaine Rugby Scandal In France The recent arrest of Ali Williams and James O'Connor has again drawn attention to cocaine in connection with the sport of rugby. The two men were put in handcuffs outside a Paris nightclub. O’Connor was found to be in possession of 2. 4 grams of cocaine, and Williams in the act of purchasing cocaine. This is not the first time ruby players have been caught red handed with the notorious white powder. Williams is one of many former All Blacks players who made the move to France, now playing for Racing 92, based in Paris. Naturally Williams will no longer be getting put forward for any games. O’Connor, a previous Wallaby player, was also put under immediate suspension. Many are saying that the use of cocaine is an already serious and known problem in the high stress world of professional rugby. French medical expert and advisor to AFLD, the French Anti-Doping Agency, Xavier Bigard, stated that cocaine gives an artificial boost to rugby players in many aspects. The drug is known for heightening levels of awareness, and artificially increasing levels of aggression, all effects that would, of course, prove very beneficial in a high-octane game such as rugby. A Common Issue It is not unknown that rugby is a highly demanding sport, both physically and mentally. Players face gruelling training regimes, are put under extraordinary pressure, and must perform in order to stay in demand. It isn’t really much of a surprise that some players look to artificial assistance to take on the highly demanding lifestyle. Plus, cocaine leaves the body faster than some other drugs, and can be out of the system in just a week, leaving players clear for doping tests. It doesn’t take much to see how the drug has crept its way into the game. In a statement, the president of Toulon, Mourad Boudjellal, declared that as far as he is aware cocaine is very popular among certain rugby clubs. A rather damning statement that should not be taken lightly, given the recent events involving the arrest of Williams and O’Connor. The arrest of Williams and O’Connor made headline news in France, with many fans of the sport up in arms over what they see as a lack of preventative action from sports officials. Although nothing has been announced yet, there have been rumours that tighter regulations may be put into place for French rugby players. What will become of Williams and O’Connor remains to be seen, but needless to say they won’t be making any appearances on the rugby fields any time soon. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand cricket fans betting on the Australia/India Tests must assess a new factor. Marcus Stoinis replaces injured Mitchell Marsh in the Baggy Greens. - Published: 2017-03-12 - Modified: 2017-03-12 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/stoinis-replaces-marsh-india/ Marcus Stoinis to Make Australia Test Debut New Zealand cricket fans taking advantage of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy betting action in India have a new factor to consider for the third Test in Ranchi. All-rounder Marcus Stoinis will make his Test debut for Australia as a replacement for an injured Mitchell Marsh. New Zealand punters will know the name Stoinis, who won his first Australia cap in a T20 against England in 2015. The 27-year-old from Perth currently plays for Victoria, Melbourne Stars and Kings XI Punjab in the IPL, but what Black Caps’ supporters will remember most is his international ODI debut in the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy in January this year. ODI Ton on Debut Sets Records New Zealand batted first in Auckland, with Stoinis contributing respectable but not earth-shattering bowling figures of 2 for 49 in 10 overs. The visitors started their innings chasing 286, but with Finch, Head and Handscomb all bundled out for single figures and number five Maxwell making a then-top score of 20, Australia were in deep trouble, at 5 for 54 in the 13th over, when Stoinis came in at number seven. He proceeded to chasten the Black Caps’ bowling attack with a heroic 146 off 117 balls, finishing not-out after the 50th over. New Zealand still won the match by 6 runs, and would eventually take the series 2-0. However, Stoinis’ knock made history as the highest score by a number 7 batting in the second innings of a losing 50-over match, and the second-highest score by any number 7 or lower in ODIs ever. Next Two Pitches Worry Australia The Baggy Greens will need Stoinis’ skills with both ball and bat, if they are to recover the lead in the series. As their embarrassing collapse on day four of the bitterly contested Bangalore Test showed, India’s pitches can play havoc on the final two days. After a rousing 333-run win in Pune, Australia’s ignoble slump to 112 all-out in their second innings at Bangalore handed India a 75-run equaliser. It was also a match marred by acrimonious controversy, and a second below-par performance from Western Australia player Marsh. He has been battling a shoulder injury all summer, so team management has decided to rest him and field a fully fit team for the crucial final Tests of the Trophy. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The New Zealand Rugby Sevens Women’s side took their second win in three rounds at Las Vegas Sevens. A fourth championship may be round the corner. - Published: 2017-03-12 - Modified: 2017-03-12 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/black-ferns-las-vegas-sevens-champs/ New Zealand Women Fly Rugby Sevens Flag With five rounds of the 2016-17 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series men’s tournament completed, New Zealand is lying in fourth place on the tournament leaderboard. They were knocked out by Fiji in the semi-finals of Las Vegas Sevens last weekend to finish fourth in the leg, 36 points behind South Africa’s commanding leaderboard tally of 107. The precarious positioning makes this weekend’s round in Vancouver, and the final four in Hong Kong, Singapore, Paris and London, even more important to New Zealand betting fans. But punters who want to back a national side have an even better prospect for the 2016-17 WR Sevens: the New Zealand women’s team. The Black Ferns have won the women’s tournament three times out of four since its inception in 2012-13, and they look like they’re on track to add a fourth championship to their record this year. Top of the Ladder with Two Titles The women’s competition has only six rounds, with competing teams redistributed through the three pools in each leg. This season’s first three rounds were played in Dubai, Sydney and Las Vegas, and the New Zealand women’s team finished as champions in two of them. In all three events, the Black Ferns remained undefeated in the pool stages. In the Dubai Sevens, they went on to beat Australia in the final, and the final of the Las Vegas Sevens was a rematch, with the same result. Only in Sydney did they falter, losing the semi-final to the USA, but then beating Australia again in the play-off for third place. As a result, New Zealand is now in the top spot of the women’s ladder, on 56 points. However, that is only six points ahead of the Aussies, so there is plenty of tension and excitement awaiting punters in the final three rounds of the series: in Japan in April, Canada in May, and France in June. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand football fans were stunned by the latest UEFA Champions League results. Both Arsenal vs Bayern Munich and Barca vs PSG saw unusually big scores. - Published: 2017-03-11 - Modified: 2017-03-11 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/two-uefa-champions-league-shocks/ FC Barca Make History Against PSG The latest week of UEFA Champions League action has left the world’s football fans and many New Zealand betting enthusiasts gobsmacked. In the home-and-away knockout ties of the tournament, no side has ever come back from a four-goal deficit in the second match to win the tie, so things looked bleak for FC Barca supporters at the start of their home game against Paris St Germain. PSG won their first clash 4-0, in Paris in February, so Barcelona literally had to make history to go through. It was the longest of long shots, but the Spanish side started well with a goal three minutes in from Luis Suarez. PSG left back Layvin Kurzawa later delighted the Nou Camp crowd with an own goal, so the home side were 2-0 up at the break. When Lionel Messi put away a penalty five minutes into the second half, putting Barca 3-0 up, the Spanish fans went bananas. They were crushed again in the 62nd minute, when Edinson Cavani scored for PSG, leaving Barca and impossible-seeming three goals to score to go through. In perhaps the most exciting final six minutes of a match ever, the Spanish team then did just that. Neymar contributed a goal and a penalty, and substitute Roberto took the ball off a free kick in stoppage time to chip in the final goal with seconds to spare. Barca won 6-1, putting them through to the last eight. Bayern Munich Ends Arsenal’s Tournament The other Round of 16 match last week with an incredible final score was the second leg of the Bayern Munich-Arsenal tie, with the Gunners at home in Emirates Stadium. Arsenal also faced a four-goal deficit, after losing to the German side 5-1 in Munich last month. Theo Walcott put one away for the home side in the 20th minute, getting the home fans wildly excited. But a controversial red card on their French defender Laurent Koscielny in the 53rd minute, plus a penalty slotted by Bayern’s Robert Lewandowski, ended any hope of Arsenal making it through. Playing a man down, they then seemed to lose all hope, allowing the Munich side to put away four more in the space of 17 minutes. Bayern finished the match eight goals ahead overall, sending them through to the quarterfinals. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Day 1 of the first test against South Africa saw the visitors at 22 for 3. However, a tough day in the field saw the Proteas climb to 229 for 4. - Published: 2017-03-11 - Modified: 2017-03-11 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/tough-opening-day-black-caps-dunedin/ A Mixed Bag for the Black Caps After narrowly missing out on winning the One Day test series, New Zealand will want to finish their home series with a test win against South Africa. A few hours into the first test match and everything seemed to be on track for the hosts. But despite a good opening spell, an inspired bit of batting from allrounder Dean Elgar rescued the South African innings to hand the Proteas a slight advantage at close of play in Dunedin. The Proteas captain, Faf du Plessis broke a run of 22 consecutive toss winners who chose to field first against New Zealand. His brave decision soon turned against him as the Black Caps managed to completely cramp the run-rate and bundle the hosts up at 22 runs for the loss of 3 wickets. It was all going to plan for New Zealand until the pitch flattened out and Dean Elgar stepped up to bat. Dean Elgar’s very disciplined batting performance held up against a strong attack from the bowlers and continued for the next six hours. Facing a mammoth 262 balls, Elgar managed to keep the strike rotating and the score ticking over. The only chance New Zealand had to get rid of him was sadly lost after lunch. With just 36 runs on the board, Elgar got a fine nick, which sailed into right glove of BJ Watling before the ball came tumbling out again. Elgar Dropped on 36 Having four down with 63 on the board would have been devastating for the tourists but it was not to be. Elgar continued to bat through the afternoon, playing some brilliant shots on a pitch that flattened out as the day wore on. Between Du Plessis and Elgar, the pair eventually put on 126 runs for their fourth wicket partnership. The Black Caps did manage to claim a fourth wicket when Du Plessis (52) pulled Jimmy Neesham to the waiting hands of Trent Boult at deep square leg. Joining Elgar at the crease, Temba Bavuma quickly got into his stride knocking up an impressive 38 runs at the close of play. Dean Elgar will resume play with a mammoth 128 runs, which take the proteas total to 229 runs for the loss of 4 wickets. An early wicket in the morning session of day 2 is what New Zealand need for a chance to recover the match. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand made the semis in the Las Vegas Sevens last weekend. But for the third time this World Rugby Sevens season, they failed to make the final. - Published: 2017-03-10 - Modified: 2017-03-10 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/new-zealand-4th-las-vegas-sevens/ New Zealand Fourth in Las Vegas Sevens World Rugby Sevens 2016-17 has been frustrating New Zealand supporters since the tournament started in December. In the Las Vegas Sevens last weekend, coach Scott Waldrom’s side made it to the semis for the third time in the five rounds played so far, but once again failed to convert to a final. South Africa and Fiji have both been formidable in this Sevens tournament, with the Blitzboks knocking out New Zealand in the quarterfinal in Dubai and the semi-final in Cape Town, and Fiji doing the same in Wellington and Las Vegas. In Sydney, it was England’s turn to beat New Zealand in a semi. NZ Now Fourth Overall Things were looking good in Las Vegas on Saturday, when New Zealand beat England in their quarterfinal, but the wheels came off the next day. Fiji put paid to New Zealand’s hopes with a 19-14 victory, before losing 19-12 to South Africa in the final. The Blitzboks have now won four of the tournament’s five legs, and sit at the top of the ladder with 107 points. New Zealand, after losing 19-15 to the USA in Sunday’s play-off, finished fourth in the Las Vegas Sevens and remains fourth on the ladder overall, with 71 points. Coach Waldrom to Focus on Discipline With Fiji on 83 points and England on 81 currently second and third on the ladder, New Zealand is not the only side with a mountain to climb over the competition’s last five rounds, if they are to catch up with the South Africans. Coach Waldrom said after the Las Vegas Sevens that he felt consistency and discipline were letting the side down, and he planned to target both areas in training. Betting fans can watch this weekend’s Canada Sevens in Vancouver, to see if his strategy yields any improvement. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > After narrowly missing out on fourth ATP doubles title, Marcus Daniell has confirmed his participation in the much-anticipated Wellington Open. - Published: 2017-03-10 - Modified: 2017-03-10 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/marcus-daniell-joins-field-wellington-open/ Marcus Daniell Confirmed for Wellington Open Local New Zealand tennis star Marcus Daniell has narrowly missed out on winning his fourth ATP doubles title in Brazil. The number two seeded player along with his partner Marcelo Demoliner were beaten in a super tie break by the Brazilian team of Andre Sa and Rogerio Dutra Silva. For New Zealand tennis fans, it is not all bad news though. It was announced this week that Daniell has confirmed his spot amongst a strong field in the upcoming Wellington Tennis Open tournament. The 2017 Wellington Open looks set to have one of the best field in years. The tournament which takes place from the 30th of March to the 2nd of April will see Marcus Daniell pitted against the likes of Finn Tearney and Rubin Stratham. Daniell, the world number 43 doubles player and New Zealand Davis Cup representative rarely gets a chance to play at home where he grew up playing tennis as a youngster. The Wellington Open also fits perfectly into his schedule linking up with the Davis Cup tie against Korea one week later in Auckland. A Strong Field for 2017 Speaking to the press, Daniell said that he spent a lot of time at the Renouf Center as a junior and that it holds special memories for him. Daniell hopes the tournament gets the public attention it deserves and creates enthusiasm for the sport in Wellington. The 2016 Wellington Open saw Rubin Stratham claim the honours, beating out Finn Tearney in the final. This year, they will have strong competition from Daniell as well as top seeded players such as Sam Matherson and Rhett Purcell. For local tennis fans, the top domestic players include Riki McLachlan, an up and coming doubles players with an international ranking as well as Sebastian Lavie who was a Davis Cup representative. The Tournament will also see local New Zealander Ajeet Rai who holds a spot in the to 80 juniors in the world and a local favourite. The woman’s competition will be highlighted by Julio Glushko, the world No 249 who held made it through to the third round of the French open in 2015. Her main rival will be Leela Beattie, 2016 finalist and a former winner of the Wellington Open. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Tennis fans in New Zealand are sizing up the French Open betting options in May. Russian star Maria Sharapova might not be granted a wild card entry. - Published: 2017-03-09 - Modified: 2017-03-09 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/sharapova-french-open-uncertain/ Sharapova Might Not Make French Open New Zealand tennis fans will be weighing up potential winners for the next Grand Slam, even though the French Open doesn’t start until 22 May. A major question for many punters is whether Maria Sharapova will be allowed to play in the women’s singles. The Russian is completing a 15-month doping suspension, and will only return to international competition on 26 April. She therefore won’t be able to qualify on points for the Paris Grand Slam, and will need a wild card entry. However, after Roland Garros spent several million Euros on an anti-doping initiative, many feel it conflicts with the tournament’s integrity to grant a wild card to Sharapova immediately after her return from suspension, despite her superstar status. At the time of writing, she was set to meet French Tennis Federation chief Bernard Guidicelli to plead her case. Muguruza, Williams: Strong Contenders in Women’s Singles With or without Sharapova, New Zealand betting enthusiasts can expect a strong field in the women’s singles. Defending 2016 champion Garbine Muguruza will most likely be seeded second, and betting sites are offering odds of 9-2 on her retaining the title. However, last year’s runner-up and this year’s Australian Open champion, World No. 1 Serena Williams, is a shoe-in for top seed, at odds of 2-1. Simona Halep and Angelique Kerber may also be worth a punt. Nadal and Djokovic Fancied for Men’s Singles Serb Novak Djokovic, the ATP World No. 2, is the likely top seed in the men’s singles; currently at 13-8. His quarterfinal loss in Acapulco’s Mexico Open in March, to Australian Nick Kyrgios, may give punters pause. Kyrgios will also be challenging in Paris. However, Australian veteran Pat Rafter is one of thousands backing Rafael Nadal to take his tenth French Open title. In January’s spectacular Australian Open final against Roger Federer, even finishing as runner-up, the Spaniard made it clear that he’s back at full strength after his long injury hiatus. He finished runner-up again in Acapulco, losing to the USA’s Sam Querrey in the final. Bookies are offering 11-4 on Rafa at Roland Garros, and it’s hardly surprising. His tally of nine championships, not just the tournament record but also the most wins of any individual Grand Slam tournament, combined with his acknowledged mastery on clay, should make him hard to beat in May. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The New Zealand cricket team needs to cope with tight spots better in June’s Champions Trophy. So says the coach, after an ODI Series loss to South Africa. - Published: 2017-03-09 - Modified: 2017-03-09 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/pressure-dogs-black-caps-odi-loss/ Black Caps ODI Series Loss Disappoints Hesson Black Caps coach Mike Hesson has every right to feel disappointed after the 3-2 ODI series loss to South Africa; thousands of New Zealand cricket punters are gutted too. After wins at home to Australia and Bangladesh earlier this year, New Zealand had the chance to improve their third place on the ICC ODI rankings at the expense of the top-ranked Proteas and the Baggy Greens at No. 2. What makes the loss harder to bear is the flashes of brilliance the Black Caps showed in the two matches that they won. Ross Taylor’s unbeaten ton in Christchurch set up a 289-run total and a 6-run victory in the second match, while Martin Guptill’s magnificent 180 not-out in the fourth ODI in Hamilton took New Zealand to an imperious 7-wicket win with 30 balls to spare. Guptill, Taylor and Kane Williamson delivered with the bat in the face of some brilliant South African bowling from Rabada, Tahir, Morris and Phehlukwayo. But Hesson believes his team got rattled in high-stress situations in the three matches that the Proteas won: by 4 wickets in Hamilton, 159 runs in Wellington, and 6 wickets with 106 balls remaining in Auckland’s disastrous decider last Saturday. Focus Now on Soaking up Pressure Better In post-series interviews, the coach acknowledged the Black Caps for going toe-to-toe with the best ODI side in the world, but admitted that decision-making under pressure and some clumsy batting had affected New Zealand’s performance in the series. No doubt his focus for the three Test matches against the Proteas, the first of which began in Dunedin on Wednesday, will be on the team keeping cooler heads when the screws are on. With New Zealand only 9 ICC rating points behind South Africa, respectively fifth and third on the ICC Test rankings, the Test series is likely to provide plenty more intense cricket action for betting fans. The next chance to rate the Black Caps in ODIs will be during the Tri-Nations Series in May, against Bangladesh and hosts Ireland. Barring major upsets, this should be New Zealand’s tournament. Those who want to see how they stand up to top-ranked teams will have to wait until June, when the ICC Champions Trophy takes place in England and Wales. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > It’s early days, but 2017 Super Rugby looks like it is going to delight New Zealand betting fans. Two rounds in, three New Zealand sides remain undefeated. - Published: 2017-03-08 - Modified: 2017-03-08 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/nz-super-rugby-triumphs-continue/ Three New Zealand Super Rugby Sides Undefeated The weekend saw Round 2 of 2017 Super Rugby played out in New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Singapore. New Zealand betting fans will be delighted with the fact that three local teams remain undefeated, even with six months still left in the tournament. The Hurricanes and Chiefs are top of the points table on 10, after taking the maximum in Rounds 1 and 2. The Hurricanes, after beating the Sunwolves 83-17 in Round 1 and the Rebels 71-6 on Saturday, are far and away the top team in the tournament on points difference at this stage. The Chiefs haven’t been quite as impressive, but they still managed a solid 24-15 win against the Highlanders, followed by 41-26 victory over the Blues in Waikato on Friday, winning a bonus point in each. The Crusaders are the third New Zealand team undefeated in the first two rounds, but after beating the Brumbies 17-13 and then the Highlanders 30-27, they have only 8 points on the table. Highlanders Only NZ Side without a Win After two defeats, Highlanders fans are hoping the team will pull their socks up soon. They do, however, at least have a bonus point from their Crusaders match. Australia’s Brumbies and South Africa’s Bulls, both defeated twice so far too, have also garnered a single bonus point each. The two sides on two losses with no points at all after Round 2 are Japan’s Sunwolves and Melbourne’s Rebels, the latter on a massive negative points difference of -103 after two huge defeats. Australian teams are having an uneven Super Rugby season so far, to put it mildly. Although the Waratahs beat the Force and the Reds beat the Sharks in Round 1, both those teams lost in Round 2. In Johannesburg, the ’Tahs were thumped 55-36 by the Lions, while the Force confounded expectations by beating the Reds 26-19 in Perth. So all three of the Aussie sides are on one win/one loss so far, with the Brumbies and the Rebels doing even worse with two losses in two rounds. The Brumbies, at least, have managed to take a bonus point away from both defeats. In South Africa, the Stormers and Lions also came through Round 2 undefeated, with the Lions, on 9, a bonus point ahead of the Cape Town side, following the Waratahs match. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The New Zealand Sevens rugby team picked up fourth place in the Las Vegas leg of the competition. The All Blacks were outdone by a powerful USA team. - Published: 2017-03-08 - Modified: 2017-03-08 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/blacks-sevens-take-fourth-place-las-vegas/ All Blacks Sevens Place Fourth In Las Vegas After a strong start, the All Blacks Sevens have picked up fourth place in the Las Vegas leg of the Sevens World Series competition. Battered by a very physical USA team, the All Blacks will be disappointed with their final result. The team showed great promise when they defeated England in the Cup Quarter-final and again in the first half of the semi-final against Fiji. Having eventually lost the semi-final to the defending champions, New Zealand were pitted against the hosts for the bronze medal match. The USA looked particularly fired up and were always going to be a hard team to beat. From the start, New Zealand never really looked in control and conceded an early try to Maka Unufe. Tone Ng Shiu got a start while Ambrose Curtis came in for Vilimoni Koroi who was recovering from an injury. With the nerves stating to take hold, the team looked even more lost and were dealt a further blow when Dylan Collier was yellow carded for a high tackle. The All Blacks Sevens were able to peg it back a bit with brilliant try courtesy of DJ Forbes and Tim Mikkelson. Their momentum continued as Sione Molia ran through the USA defence for an inspired solo try to give New Zealand the lead at 15 points to 14. The USA were quick to hit back though and scored again with Andrew Durutalo doing the honours from a quick tap and go. All to Play for in Vancouver New Zealand were not able to come back from the try and USA held on to take third place in front of their home crowd. Placing fourth in Las Vegas puts New Zealand in fourth position in the World Series standings. They will be looking for a win in Vancouver this weekend where they enter as the defending champions. It has been a full 12 months since the All Blacks won a victory on the circuit with most of their games being lost by a very small margin. The Cup Final in Las Vegas saw South Africa take on Fiji. The defending champs fought well but were eventually pipped by an unstoppable South African team who claimed their fourth straight title in five events. South African now lead the World Series by a massive 24 points, miles ahead of anyone else at the half way stage. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand tennis fans watched the final of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Saturday. Andy Murray won his first men’s singles title this year. - Published: 2017-03-07 - Modified: 2017-03-07 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/murray-wins-dubai-championship/ Murray Wins Dubai Duty Free Championships The women’s tournament of the 2017 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships ended on Saturday, 25 February. Tournament seventh seed Elina Svitolina won the women’s singles title, beating Caroline Wozniacki in the final, which saw her WTA ranking rise to a career high at No. 10. Last week, New Zealand betting fans would have been punting on the men’s singles, which Andy Murray won for the first time. It was also the Number 1 seed’s first win of the year. After a wonky start in the final, Murray came back to beat Fernando Vasco 6-3, 6-2. Seeds Tumble En Route to Final Vasco knocked out fellow Spaniard and tournament sixth seed Roberto Bautista Agut in the Round of 16, but Agut wasn’t the only one of the top six seeds to go early. Second seed Stan Wawrinka, the Swiss defending men’s singles champion, fell to Bosnian Damir Dzumhur in the Round of 32, and the Czech Tomas Berdych, seeded fifth, lost to Dutchman Robin Haase in the next round. Swiss third seed Roger Federer, coming off his Australian Open win, was also dispatched in the Round of 16, in a surprise result from Russian Evgeny Donskoy. The French fourth seed, Gael Monfils, made it to the quarterfinals, where he was defeated by Verdasco. Murray was the only player in the Top 6 to make the semis, where he beat French seventh seed Lucas Pouille. It took Verdasco three sets to beat Haase in their semi, which he eventually won 7-6, 5-7, 6-1. Trading Breaks at Start of Final Murray’s final got off to a rocky start, with Verdasco breaking his serve in two games running, thanks to unforced errors from the Scot. In between, however, Murray returned the favour, so the Spaniard was only 3-1 up after four games. From then on, though, Murray was on the comeback trail, winning five games in a row to take the set. Now in full flight, Murray was unstoppable, and Verdasco managed to hold his serve only twice in the second set. Murray wrapped it up clinically, winning 6-3, 6-2. He remains top of the ATP World rankings, while Verdasco’s progress to the final has boosted him two places, to World No. 35. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Promising colt Gingernuts added another race to his winning record on Saturday. The Te Akau gelding stormed home to win the New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie. - Published: 2017-03-07 - Modified: 2017-03-07 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/gingernuts-new-zealand-derby-win/ New Zealand Derby Sees Gingernuts Triumph In a great day for the racing syndicate, two Te Akau-owned horses finished first and third in Saturday’s Group 1 New Zealand Derby for three-year-olds at Ellerslie. Furthermore, both were sired by Iffraaj, adding two more names-to-watch to the list of top performers among his offspring. Jockey Opie Bosson, riding Gingernuts just two weeks after the gelding’s surprise win of the 2100m Avondale Guineas on the same course, handled the horse perfectly throughout the 2400m Derby. Well place in the midfield from the start, he made his move around the 800m mark. Gingernuts battled to get past Savile Row, after the race favourite moved wide, then inside, then wide again. However, by forging ahead on a very wide outside line, Gingernuts pulled ahead and hauled in the front-runner, Australian gelding Rising Red. He won by a length, with Rising Red second and another Iffraaj-sired colt, Jon Snow, putting in a late challenge to take third by a nose. Favourite Savile Row Finishes 12th At a starting price of $3. 80, colt Savile Row started the $1 million Derby as the favourite, with a record of 2:3:1 from seven starts. Unfortunately, he faded after being overtaken by Gingernuts, and eventually finished 12th of 18. Gingernuts started the race as second favourite, at $5. 40, and the win brings his career record to 4:1:0 in seven. Auckland Cup Favourites in Nathans Memorial Handicap The other race of great interest to New Zealand racing fans on Derby Day was the 2200m Nathans Memorial Open Handicap. Several of the horses fancied for this Saturday’s Group 1 Auckland Cup, one of New Zealand’s most famous races for stayers over 3200m, also took part in the Nathans Memorial, giving punters one last look at their form on the Ellerslie track before the big day. Auckland Cup favourite Chenille is unlikely to slip in the betting before Saturday, after winning the Nathans Memorial by a length-and-a-half. None of the other horses near the top of the Auckland Cup betting were impressive, although El Pistola finished fifth. Pentathlon came in seventh, and Savaria 10th. However, 7-year-old gelding King Kamada, who finished third in the Nathans Memorial, will probably see his Auckland Cup starting price improve from its current $20. 00 before Saturday. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The ante-post favourite for Saturday’s Auckland Cup at Ellerslie is 5-year-old mare Chenille. Promising entire St Jean was withdrawn with a tendon injury. - Published: 2017-03-06 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/st-jean-auckland-cup/ Scrutinising Chenille and Other Auckland Cup Favourites None of New Zealand’s horseracing fans will want to miss a punt on the Auckland Cup on Saturday, 11 March. Some of the top stayers fancied for the iconic two-mile Ellerslie race are under close scrutiny this week, as punters try to glean every last scrap of information on the form. At the time of writing, many of the horses prominent in the Auckland Cup field were about to jump off in final prep races at Ellerslie’s New Zealand Derby Day. These include the ante-post Auckland Cup favourite Chenille, a 3-year-old mare trained by Tony Pike, currently at $5. 50 after winning the Karaka Stayers Cup in January. Chenille was scheduled to take on 5-year-old gelding Pentathlon in the 220om Nathans Memorial Handicap at Ellerslie on Derby Day. Pentathlon is second favourite for the Auckland Cup, along with Mister Impatience, at $8. 00. Five To Midnight and Fanatic are the other Auckland Cup hopefuls most favoured by punters, at $10. 00. St Jean Injured and Retiring At $12. 00 in ante-post betting, 6-year-old St Jean was one of five horses in the middle of the betting for the Auckland Cup. However, punters convinced that a not-quite-outsider will take it this year will have to think again, as St Jean’s stable withdrew him after he suffered a swollen tendon. The entire has won a total of $325,249. 00 over his career in Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, taking five wins from 12 starts with one second. His last significant win was on New Year’s Day in the City of Auckland Cup over 2400m. The Logan-Gibbs stable has decided to retire him from racing now, so his future as a stud horse is being planned. Poor Weather could Favour Auckland Cup Roughies The long-range forecast predicts partly cloudy conditions with showers on Auckland Cup Day, so the race could go to one of the contenders lower down on the betting. With St Jean gone, Jacksstar and Savaria are two other $12. 00 chances worth a punt. If the conditions get really rough, however, 10-year-old gelding El Soldado can’t be ruled out, as he has the strength and stamina for the distance in poor going. He’s the 2016 Auckland Cup champion, coming off an Ellerslie win in the 2400m Avondale Cup last month, and is currently priced at $20. 00. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The William Reid Stakes promises to be another tight turning affair come 24th March 2017. Punters look forward to this race can get their bets in now. - Published: 2017-03-06 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/must-see-racing-action-march/ The Stakes Are High for William Reed The William Reed Stakes is to be held as per usual at the Moonee Valley Racing Club this year. The Group 1 thoroughbred event is a Weight for Age race for 3-year-old and older horses to compete in and is run over a 1200m race course. It is set to be run on Friday the 24th of March 2017 and is run under lights. This event will mark the end of the Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival and is expected to attract a small selection of contenders. Prize money for this event is expected to be in the region of $500,000 and was won last year by Flamberge. This chestnut Gelding soared to a comfortable victory in 2016 and would be a welcome addition to the event. The race was run as the Australian Stakes from 1996 up until 2010 when it reverted back to its original name. This is a good event and is generally known as an attraction for high end, weight-for-age sprinters that have come out of the year’s earlier events. Perhaps the most successful sprinter was Manikato who won the race a staggering 5 times in a row from 1979 – 1983. So impressive was this feat that the GR1 Manikato Stakes are named in the honour of this legendary horse. A look At The Race The 1200m William Reid Stakes are run around the Moonee Valley track and is seen to have quite a tight turn which means that those that enter should be adept under these limited race conditions. Seldom does this race see more than 10 starters so the usual barrier considerations are less impactful during the running. Some previous winners include Black Caviar in 2011, Foxwedge in 2012, Black Caviar again in 2013, Spirit of Boom in 2014 and Lucky Hustler in 2015. With such big names having come through previously it is easy to see why attaining a win in this Group 1 event is such an accomplishment. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand Derby 2016 was held in March with a number of races happening on the same day. It is one of the biggest horse races on the NZ calendar. - Published: 2017-03-05 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/look-back-new-zealand-derby-2016/ A Look Back at the 2016 New Zealand Derby With the 2017 New Zealand Derby just past, now’s the perfect time to take a look back at last ears race and find out a bit more about it. The New Zealand Derby is a flat horse race that is contended by the best thoroughbreds from New Zealand, many of which have raced all over the world. The race is an amalgamation of the Great Northern Derby and the New Zealand Derby and marks the start of the Auckland Cup Week. It is a set weights for age race for three year old thoroughbreds and is run over 2400 meters or 12 furlongs. The race was originally run on Boxing Day, but was moved to the first Saturday in March in 2006. 2016 Results The 2016 Derby was won by the gelding Rangipo who is trained by supreme New Zealand trainer Tony Pike. He was ridden to victory by jockey Vinnie Colgan in Colgan’s sixth New Zealand Derby win. Rangipo and his stable mate Raghu were split by the Stephen McKee and Eddie Chippendale trained What's The Story by a short head and neck respectively. This resulted in an incredibly exciting race as the three thoroughbreds fought for dominance right up to the line. So far Rangipo has won the Avondale Guineas, Waikato Guineas, and Great Northern Guinea. He took a good spot early in the race being one off the barrier in fifth place. He then edged to the left to challenge his stable mate, just pulling into the lead in front of Raghu and Whats The Story. Rangipo Rangipo is by the super fast stallion Stryker. He was foaled in 2012, making him four years old when he won the 2016 new Zeland Derby. Rangipo’s dam is the well-bred Holloway, who is a half-sister to stakes winners Maze, Barlinnie and Penitentiary. His two-year-old season was unremarkable, with an eighth and a fifth over 1000 meters and 1200 meters respectively. His three-year-old season was much better, beginning with two wins and a fourth before he was rested for four weeks. The rest of his season as a colt saw three more firsts before he was moved over to trainer Tony Pike and gelded. From there he won the New Zealand Derby and the Avondale Guineas. He was entered in a number of Australian races but has yet to show form on the mainland. Rangipo’s Sire, Stryker, is a bay stallion by Fastnet Rock. He is a winner racehorse in his own right, running until he was four years old for three seasons. Stryker stands at stud in Australia and has produced a number of offspring including Rangipo. Rangipo counts as a top-level performer, although not yet an elite horse. He has competed in three Group One races and has won one of them. His future continues to look bright, as he has shown promise as a sprinter over short distances. It remains to be seen however where he will run after his current rest, although it will most likely be in New Zealand where he has proven himself a winner on a number of occasions. Saturdays $NZ1 million Group I New Zealand Derby was surely a highlight of the racing calendar, and as in 2016, there sure to be a great number of happy punters who backed a winner. 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That match was held on Wednesday in Manchester, and City set the record straight as to just which side is in the first division in imperious style. Two goals, one of them a penalty, from Sergio Aguero, were joined by scores from Leroy Sane, Pablo Zabaleta and Kelechi Iheanacho. Huddersfield fans would have been heartened by their team’s opening the scoring, when Harry Bunn slipped a sneaky goal through City keeper Claudio Bravo’s legs in the seventh minute. But it was downhill from then on; City were 3-1 up at half-time, and finished undisputed victors on 5-1, with substitute Iheanacho banging in the last score on the stroke of full-time. City Plays Middleborough on 11 March The FA Cup quarterfinals will be played on the Saturday, Sunday and Monday of 11-13 March. City will play the first match away on Saturday, against first-division side Middlesborough. The North Yorkshire team has been assured of a QF berth since 18 February, when they beat Oxford United 3-2. The second quarterfinal on Saturday is one New Zealand betting enthusiasts won’t want to miss. Fifth-division side Lincoln City has made history this season, reaching the FA Cup QFs for the first time in the club’s 133 years of existence. Along the way, they beat second-division clubs like Brighton and Hove Albion and Ipswich Town, and even first-division Burnley. Lincoln face Arsenal on Saturday, so they have a definite uphill battle. The Gunners have won the FA Cup 12 times, which makes them joint record-holders with Man United. However, Lincoln have everything to play for, so an upset might be worth a punt. On Sunday, Tottenham Hotspur hosts third-division Millwall, with Spurs the favourites. Chelsea at home to Manchester United on Monday is likely to be a thrilling match to end the QFs, as both are first-division sides that have spent lots of time in the top echelons of English football. 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But despite a hat-trick of tries by winger Eto Nabuli, the Reds could not find a way to stop the Force, eventually going down 26 points to 19. From the first blow of the whistle, the Force played like a team on fire. After a quick series of brilliant passes, winger Chance Peni ran across the line for the first try of the match after just 65 seconds of play. If the 7000 odd crowd at the nib Stadium were feeling any form of elation it was quickly replaced with shock and horror as Eto Nabuli scored two tries for the Reds in the space of two minutes. The feeling of shock in the stadium wasn’t so much due to the fact that the Force were one try down, it had more to do with how Nabuli simply sidestepped Force defenders as if the field were his playground running a full 75 meters before planting the ball over the line. The action continued in the first half as Reds five-eight Quade Cooper suffered a hard blow to the face after clashing heads with Heath Tessmann. Hope for the Force Just before the break, the Force were able to level the score with Matt Philip scoring his first Super Rugby try in the 34th minute. At the break, the teams were evenly matched at 12 points apiece. In the second half, Peni was looking particularly dangerous when he got the ball but it was Nabuli again who kept the scoreboard ticking over for the Reds. After running down Paia’aua’s grubber kick, Nabuli ran the ball over the corner line for his hat-trick. Before this game, Nabuli had only scored a single try in his previous 16 appearances for the Reds. After landing his third try of the match, the crowd were starting to feel a bit niggly in their seats. Despite Nabuli’s heroics, the Force were never really out of the contest and managed to produce the goods when it really mattered. Combining solid defence with inspired attacking phases, the Force kept their momentum going. In the 67th Minute, Sef Fa'agase was handed a yellow card for a no-hands tackle which proved very costly to the Reds. The Force took back the lead in the 69th minute thanks to a gutsy try from Curtis Rona. The Reds did have a chance to even the score right at the death but the Force managed win the ball back and secure victory. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Filly Valley Girl has been retired after an injury. She was a winning New Zealand racehorse both in Australia and in New Zealand in Group One races. - Published: 2017-03-04 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/racehorse-valley-girl-retires/ Valley Girl Retirement Confirmed Valley Girl proved herself a winning horse on both New Zealand soil and over the Tasman Sea in Australia. She has run and won a number of races, including some Group Ones. The Kiwi mare has run against the likes of Single Gaze and Sofia Rosa and looked set to become a top Group One horse for trainer D Logan and C Gibbs. The filly was only in her second season racing, and only half way through that too when she was injured and could no longer compete. Rumours of her retirement were rife and its now been confirmed will be put to a stallion and live out her days as a broodmare. Mafki Challenge Stakes Disaster Valley Girl was set to enter the Mafki Challenge stakes at Hastings at the end of August in 2016. She started well, but then began failing and trailing behind the other horses. A vet check after the race to determine the cause of her lack of performance confirmed the worst. She had a radial fracture of the bone between her knee and shoulder in her front leg. Although this is not a life threatening injury for a horse, such as fracturing a knee is, she was taken off the track and her future looked uncertain as it seemed her racing days were over. Intensive Treatment Valley Girl was box rested, which means kept in a confined space to limit movement and allow the one to heal. After that, she was allowed short walk on a lead to build strength but it was clear she’d never race again. Eventually, she will turned out, and sent to stud where she is set to have a number of foals. It is uncertain yet which stallion she will be sent to, but stallions in Australia without any Danehill blood will be looked at. This is due to there being many Australian horses with the Danehill Danzig bloodline, and although proven, could end up saturating the gene pool and cause inbreeding. Valley Girl herself has a lot of Danehill blood in her, so crossing with a Danehill stallion is not ideal. Possible Disaster Her trainers and owners, although disappointed, were very thankful that she ended as she did. The radial fracture could very well have gone unnoticed and possibly resulted in an entire shattered leg if she had raced again. A shattered leg is definitely not something a horse can come back from, in any form. As it was the filly trotted happily after the race, amazingly showing no lameness at all. By having her x-rayed and averting disaster before it happened, the trainers and vets could very well have saved both her life and the life of a future jockey. Punters Girl Many punters wagered on Valley Girl throughout her career. She has been lucrative not only for her trainers and owners, but for punters backing her too. Although she has not placed in all of her races, she has come up tops in enough to make her worth backing. Her odds have been on the medium line too, which means that a payout on a win was substantial. Her retirement was unfortunate, but as she will be bred there’s hope she could birth a future champion. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Trainer Mike Breslin has high hopes Stephenstihls at this year’s New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie. Breslin feels his $60 horse is completely undervalued. - Published: 2017-03-03 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/stephenstihls-chance-nz-derby/ Could Stephenstihls Find his Form at the NZ Derby? With the Auckland Cup Week just around the corner, punters will be turning their attention to first race of the Month, the $1 million New Zealand Derby held at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland. While the race is sure to attract a strong field, trainer Mike Breslin feels that punters have completely underestimated his chances on Saturday. Breslin will be represented by three-year-old Gelding Stephenstihls who will be ridden by Haden Tinsley. Speaking to the press, Breslin said that his $60 horse is far better than what the odds are predicting. While he admits that there are going to be classier horses in the Derby, he is fully confident that Stephenstihls will run out the full 2400 meters along with the rest. Breslin continued saying that jockey Haden Tinsley feels the same way and is confident that the horse will have no trouble with the distance. Breslin purchased Stephenstihls as the son of Smart Missile for a cool $220,000 at the Yearling Sale. Since then, he has completely changed focus on where he wants to be. Breslin said that he bought the horse as a Karaka Million two-year-old, but he realised that he was never going to get there. As an early three-year-old, the trainer had a look at having him ready for the 200 Guineas but decided against it. Sacred Elixir Back in Blinkers In October last year, Stephenstihls recorded a second to Hall of Fame in the Zacinto Stakes. His performance continued to improve winning a double win at the Trentham. Since then, Brenslin has only given the Gelding two starts. The first at Ellerslie in the Karaka Mile and the second at Woodville 2100 meters placing fourth to Irish Chat. Breslin was going to give Stephenstihls a run in the Avondale Guineas but decided to go with the Karaka Million to suss out the track at Ellerslie. Meanwhile Sacred Elixir trainer Tony Pike has decided that the blinkers will go back on for Saturday’s race. The decision was made in a bid to try and give the horse the improvement it needs to win the $1 Million race. Sacred Elixir had not run in blinkers since failing to place in the Caulfield Guineas but has since shown good form with blinkers at Ellerslie. Pike is looking for successive Derby Victories with after producing a win with Rangipo in 2016. 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The two have profusely denied taking the drug, claiming that they unintentionally ingested it when eating infected meat. The matter is still to go to trial, which has been delayed, and delayed again. The situation, already a major problem for Fury and his career, is made worse by the fact that the trial is now set to occur before his world heavyweight match against Joseph Parker. Had the case not been delayed on multiple occasions, the fight would have gone ahead prior to any possibilities of Fury receiving a ban. The Show Must Go On Should Fury be banned, and be unable to take part in the fight, Parker’s promoter, David Higgins, has made a confident statement that a fight will happen regardless. He has stated that contingency plans are in place, and that Parker will face an opponent of equal skill, should Fury be unable to step into the ring. The boxing business is about hedging and contingencies, Higgins declared in his statement to the Herald and he said that you'd be silly to only have one option, and if anything like this happens, you have someone solid and credible, at least at the same or better on standby, ready to draft in. Who Will Fight? Speculations and rumours have already surfaced about whom Parker will face if Fury is absent. Some have said that the obvious choice is Deontay Wilder, the undefeated powerhouse who has 38 professional fights under his belt. This, however, is unlikely, despite the fact that Wilder specifically called out Parker. Given the timeframe available, and the reams of red tape involved, Wilder is probably not going to be Parker’s opponent, should Fury be unable to fight. Many have agreed that Parker versus Wilder would certainly be a fight for the history books. After defeating Gerald Washington in Alabama, Wilder made the bold, and somewhat unnerving statement that he was getting more dangerous the more experience he got. He added that he really felt that he’s going to seriously hurt someone to the point where they will end up putting a red tag on their toes. The Fury hearing, however, is still up and coming, and it is all speculation as to what will occur if he receives a ban. As it stands the fight is still considered to be going ahead, so what happens, and whom exactly Parker fights, remains to be seen TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Autumn racing at Moonee Valley closes with the William Reid Stakes. New Zealand punters should see how their favourites do in two earlier Australian races. - Published: 2017-03-02 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/watching-william-reid-stakes-form/ Prep Races for March William Reid Stakes New Zealand racing fans who wager on Australian events online will want a punt on the William Reid Stakes, the 1200m Group 1 weight-for-age sprint for 3-year-olds and older to be run at Melbourne’s Moonee Valley track on March 22. As the last event under lights in Melbourne’s autumn night racing carnival, with a field restricted to 14 or fewer, it’s always an exciting affair. There are still three weeks of Australian racing before then, however, and two races coming up, apart from offering betting action of their own, can also serve as useful prep races in which to study the form of horses fancied for the William Reid Stakes. Fell Swoop for Caulfield, perhaps Flemington Since winning the 1200m Victory Stakes at Brisbane’s Doomben course in March last year, 5-year-old gelding Fell Swoop has achieved only a second place and two thirds in five starts. However, his second place was also over 1200m at Moonee Valley, in the Group 1 Manikato Stakes in October. He hasn’t been confirmed for the William Reid yet, but punters can see how he’s running at Caulfield this Saturday in Melbourne’s Group 1 Oakleigh Plate over 1100m. He may also run in the 1200m Newmarket Handicap at Flemington on March 11. Flamberge Also a Possibility Flamberge, the 7-year-old gelding that won both the William Reid Stakes and the Oakleigh Plate last year, could also be back at Moonee Valley on March 22. He seems to be getting out of the slump that started with his last-place finish in the 2016 TJ Smith Stakes, running fourth at Flemington in both the Kensington Stakes and Black Caviar Lightning earlier this year. Betting fans should see how he does in the Oakleigh Plate and Newmarket Handicap before considering a bet, if he makes the final William Reid field. Extreme Choice not Certain Trainer Mick Price hasn’t decided yet whether 3-year-old colt Extreme Choice will be entered in the William Reid, or Sydney’s TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick on April 02. Either way, punters will want to see how he does in his next two races. He is also set to run in both the Oakleigh Plate and the Newmarket Handicap. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Roger Federer is back in action at the Dubai Open. Searching for his eighth Dubai title, he breezed past Frenchman Benoit Paire in straight sets. - Published: 2017-03-02 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/federer-fine-form-2017-dubai-open/ Roger Federer Back in Action at Dubai Open It is a common feeling among punters and tennis fans. For the past few weeks the tennis courts have felt somewhat empty without Federer slogging it out in his charismatic style of flamboyant tennis. The good news is that he is back in action in the 2017 Dubai Open and causing quite a stir. Since winning his 18th Grand Slam title over a month ago, Federer has been absent from the court. One could argue that since beating Nadal in the Australian open, Federer has achieved what he needed for the start of the year and is already on the back burner. As it turns out, he is just getting started. In his first match at the Dubai Open, Federer breezed past an erratic Benoit Paire to claim a straight sets win and see him safely through to the second round. After taking a well-earned break, Federer appears to have slipped back into his old routing, giving Paire a solid spanking on Centre Court. Searching for an Eighth Title Starting at third seed, Federer got the match off to a good start as he ran Paire around the court in a display of sheer brilliance. There was little resistance from the Frenchman who battled to keep up with the pace and flair that Federer brought to the court. The frustration eventually got too much for the Frenchman who was given a warning for unsportsmanlike behaviour after he hurled his racket into the court. Paire also needed time off to receive treatment for a foot injury but it was all for nought. Even with the delays, Federer needed less than an hour to send Paire packing. He blitzed past the Frenchman in straight sets with a 6-1, 6-3 win. Federer made a point to thank the crowed in Dubai where is maintains a base and an avid following. Speaking to the press, Federer remarked on how incredible it feels to be back after recovering from his knee injury. He continued saying that it was great to hear the crowed getting behind him as he was getting warmed up. He ended off by saying that the feeling was mutual and that he really missed playing last year. Next up, Federer will either face Evgeny Donskoy or Mikhail Youzhny in his quest for his eighth title. If he continues his current form, the Swede will have no problems putting another trophy on the mantelpiece. In other Dubai Open news, eighth seed Gilles Muller was booted out in the first round after losing to Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-4, 7-6 (7-1). TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The White Ferns pulled off a five-wicket win against Australia to go one-up in the Rosebowl series. The team is poised win the series after 18 years. - Published: 2017-03-01 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/white-ferns-primed-odi-series-win-aussies/ White Ferns Claim Victory in Eden Park An impressive knock from Amy Satterthwaite has put the While Ferns in a commanding position to break the 18-year-old One Day International series drought against Australia. Satterthwaite drew on all the strength she had to post an unbeaten 102 runs at Eden Park. Her skills with the bat helped guide the Ferns to an impressive 5-wicket win in the first of the ODI matches in the three-match Rosebowl Series. Coming off the back of a triumphant Twenty20 series win against the Australians, The White Ferns will want to continue their good form to claim the Rosebowl series which they have not won since 1999. After suffering a total of 14 defeats and one draw, it looks as if the girls are poised to make history with two games left to play. At Eden Park, Australia won the toss and decided to bat first on the very compact oval. Guided by a world-class century from Beth Mooney, Australia posted an impressive total of 275 runs in their allotted 50 overs. Mooney was supported by Rachel Haynes who struck a quick 50 off 61 balls and a maiden 50 from Elyse Villani in just 43 balls. Early on in the innings Hanes was dismissed by had to be recalled due to a no-ball ruling from the umpire. Satterthwaite Century Takes Ferns Over the Line At 237/3 it looked as if Australia were heading to a score of 300 plus. However, some skilled bowling by Lea Tahuhu and Holly Huddleston restricted the visitors to a chase-worthy score of 275 runs all out with one over to spare. Going into bat, New Zealand might have looked a bit nervous. At it stood, the Ferns had never chased down more than 267 runs in any ODI match before. Despite the odds and historical evidence, Ferns captain Suzie Bates got the girls off to a flying start. Knocking up a quick 55 runs, Bates gave New Zealand the bump they needed to get the run-rate in the green. At the start of her innings, Satterthwaite struggled to keep the run rate below six an over but was kept going with sensational knocks by Katey Martin and Katie Perkins. The two Katies helped Satterthwaite find her stride and increase her strike rate. Needing 60 runs from 60 balls suddenly, the girls got stuck in and kept the runs ticking over. The numbers moved down needing 29 runs from 30 balls then 13 runs from 13 balls. It was at this point that Satterthwaite started to cramp up but managed to continue her impressive strokeplay. Consecutive boundaries brought Satterthwaite her century and took New Zealand over the line. The Ferns will now have a chance to claim the series in their second game in Mount Maunganui on Thursday. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > NZ sailor Conrad Colman has finished the gruelling Vendee Globe yacht race. Colman became the first Kiwi to compete the solo round the world race. - Published: 2017-03-01 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/kiwi-sailor-completes-epic-round-world-race/ NZ Conrad Colman Finishes Vendee Globe Race Conrad Coleman, the intrepid New Zealand sailor has become the first Kiwi to finish the Vendee Globe nonstop solo round the world yacht race. Colman’s harrowing experience ended when he finally completed the epic race with a placing of 16th overall. While 16th place might not seem all that remarkable, especially since the front runners finished over a month ago, the fact that Conrad finished at all is nothing short of remarkable. Unlike most of his compatriots, Conrad faced extreme odds and multiple equipment failure that would have left anyone else stranded. For Coleman, his nightmare race got off to a bad start when he had a fire on board his IMOCA 60 yacht. The fire subsequently disabled his autopilot system and led to the boat being tipped over in large swells. After being knocked over a second time, the main forestay holding up the mast became detached in howling winds of 45 knots. In the final stages of the race, Coleman was down to his final set of sails, limping along with gritty determination. All of this would be enough to force most competitors to retire. But for Conrad, things got even worse. Only three days from the finish line, Coleman’s yacht was caught in a large storm and lost its mast altogether. With nothing else left to do, the 33-year-old Kiwi used his exceptional skills as a rigger and sailmaker to set up one of the best jury rigs seen in ocean racing history. Overcoming the Odds Making his way slowly toward the finish line, Coleman was rapidly running out of rations and was officially down to his last survival biscuit. After battling unbelievable odds, Coleman eventually sailed over the finish line in Les Sables d'Olonne in France. He became the first Kiwi sailor to ever complete the Vendee Globe race and only the third to finish the race under a jury rig. As the rest of the world marvelled at his unbelievable resilience, Colman admitted he had left out one vital piece of information. Speaking to the press, Colman admitted that he had fallen overboard in the Southern Ocean one night. He had been on the boom when the rigging broke and Conrad found himself dumped into the ice sea. Fortunately, he was hooked on at the time. The boat was too far away to get back on board but with a bit of luck Conrad was swept up by a wave and managed to unclip his harness and scramble back on board. This was Coleman’s third successful circumnavigation and he is already planning to do it again, this time in a more equipped boat. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand punters are enjoying the final weeks of European football in 2016-17. The Scottish Cup Quarter-Finals herald the climax of a thrilling season. - Published: 2017-03-01 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/scottish-cup-quarter-finals-football-news/ Seven Scottish Cup Quarter-Finalists Now Decided New Zealand’s online betting enthusiasts still have plenty of European football to enjoy before the 2016-17 season in the northern hemisphere closes. The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup, or simply the Scottish Cup to most fans, has seen five knock-out rounds since September, and is now approaching the quarter-finals. All four will be played on the weekend of March 04-05. Seven teams are already through, and it is no surprise to see Scottish Cup record-holder Celtic F. C. , with 36 championships, among them. They might well take that record to 37 this year, if their 6-0 trouncing of Inverness to make the quarter-finals is any indication. The Glasgow team meets Paisley side St Mirren in the quarter-final. St Mirren won their spot last Saturday by beating East Fife 3-2. Rangers Set to Challenge Celtic Celtic’s Glasgow arch-rivals Rangers are the second-most successful team in the Scottish Cup’s 144-year history, with 33 championships in the bag. They also have a shot at improving that record this year, after beating Greenock Morton 2-1. Rangers will face Hamilton Academicals in the quarter-finals, after the latter needed a one-all draw, another 1-1 replay, and finally a 3-0 penalty shoot-out to knock out Dunfermline Athletic. Sunday, March 05, will see the last quarter-final, between Glasgow’s Partick Thistle and Aberdeen F. C. Aberdeen beat highlanders Ross County 1-0 last week, while 2014 Scottish Cup champions from Perth, St Johnstone, went down to Partick 1-0 as well. One Quarter-Finalist Still Undecided Ayr United is the seventh confirmed Scottish Cup quarter-finalist, due to play the first QF match on Saturday, March 04. They are also through courtesy of a replay, beating Clyde F. C. 2-1, after their first clash ended in a 1-1 draw. Ayr’s quarter-final opponent will be revealed on February 22. Defending Scottish Cup champions Hibernian are scheduled for a replay against Heart of Midlothian on Wednesday night, after a high-intensity encounter that nevertheless ended in a goalless draw last Sunday. Most fans favour Hibernian to snap up the last quarter-final spot, but Hearts might just pull off an upset on Wednesday. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealanders awaiting the AFL 2017 Toyota Premiership already have footie to bet on. The pre-season games and AFL Women’s Competition are action-packed. - Published: 2017-02-28 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/afl-2017-toyota-premiership-report/ Watch AFL 2017 Toyota Premiership Live Streamed Thousands on New Zealand sports betting fans are enjoying online action in the Australian Football League pre-season, eagerly awaiting the start of the AFL 2017 Toyota Premiership on March 23. The new Watch AFL app allows Aussie Rules footie fans anywhere outside Australia to enjoy the matches via live streaming, with pause and rewind capabilities. The service will require subscription from the start of the season proper on March 23. For the AFL Women’s Competition and the men’s JLT Community Series pre-season tournament currently running, however, punters can try out the app without charge. Women’s Competition Continues to Draw Big Crowds The naysayers have been proven wrong in the AFL Women’s Competition debut season; going into Round 4, women’s footie continues to attract both impressive gates and large TV audiences. The Brisbane Lions and Adelaide Crows continued their unbeaten record in Round 3, so both are early favourites to make the Grand Final on March 25. Melbourne and Carlton are both 2-1 up after three matches, with the Western Bulldogs behind them on one win and two losses. Whoever wins this Saturday’s Melbourne/Carlton clash at Casey Fields therefore stands a better chance of making the semis, while the Western Bulldogs can stay in contention with a win against Collingwood. The Magpies are at the bottom of the women’s ladder after three successive losses. JLT Community Series Trials New Rules The AFL has introduced a few amendments to the Laws/Interpretations of Aussie for the AFL 2017 Toyota Premiership. The changes are being tried out on the JLT Community Series that began last Thursday, so that umpires and players will be fully acquainted with them by March 25. The Greater Western Sydney Giants are early favourites in the betting for the AFL 2017 Toyota Premiership, and their first match of the JLT Community Series on Saturday confirmed that status: they beat the West Coast Eagles 70-37. The Giants’ next JLT match is against 2016 AFL Premiership runners-up the Sydney Swans, on March 03. The Western Bulldogs are the defending Premiership champions, but they got their JLT challenge off to a bad start with an 86-92 loss to the Melbourne Demons. There are three more weeks left in the pre-season, however, so the Dogs still have time to catch up. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2017 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Hong Kong await the New Zealand team in April. The on-going World Cup gives betting fans a handy preview. - Published: 2017-02-28 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/world-track-championship-hopes/ New Zealand’s 2017 World Track Championships Ambitions Hong Kong has been chosen by world cycling body UCI to host the 2017 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, the final event of the 2016-17 track cycling season, from April 12-16. It is only the second time in 124 years an Asian country has hosted the tournament; on the first occasion, Japan was the host in 1990. In last year’s World Track Championship, held at the Lee Valley VeloPark in London, New Zealand managed only two medals: a gold for Ethan Mitchell, Sam Webster and Eddie Dawkins in the Men’s Team Sprint, and a silver for Dawkins in the Men’s Keirin. The team will be determined to improve on that record, come April, on the 250-metre track of the 3,000-seat Hong Kong Velodrome. Before then, however, New Zealand still has a few ambitions to fulfil in the 2016-17 UCI Track Cycling World Cup, when the final round takes place in Los Angeles’ Velo Sports Center on February 25 and 26. France, Great Britain Teams to Beat The first two rounds of the 2016-17 World Cup were held in Glasgow, Scotland and Apeldoorn, the Netherlands in November. The third round, from February 17-19, was in Cali, Colombia. The women’s team pursuit squad missed a bronze medal by 0. 7s in Cali, so they are ready to take it up a notch in Los Angeles. Mitchell, Webster and Dawkins are still strong contenders in the World Cup final round, despite being medal-less so far this tournament. They will also likely be back to defend their 2016 Team Sprint championship in Hong Kong with all they’ve got. Punters looking for an overall winner of the 2017 World Track Championships, on the other hand, will probably choose between Great Britain, on 11715. 0 points at the end of Round 2, or France, close behind on 9855. 0 points. Either side looks good to take the World Cup overall, and both will be hard to beat in Hong Kong, too. 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Anyone lucky enough to witness the memorable game will probably agree that the match will go down as one of the best Champions League first round clashes in recent history. Almost everyone at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester and millions of fans will be celebrating Manchester City’s sensational win of five goals to three. Everyone except one German punter who was just a few minutes away from claiming a sensational NZ$ 50 000 (€34,000) winning bet. At the time when the score was level at 3 goals apiece, it seemed that the German football fan was on the edge of destiny. When John Stones slotted home the fourth goal in the 77th minute to put Manchester City in the lead 4-3, the betting slip suddenly showed a correct score on a particularly difficult double bet. The German punter had already predicted the second Champions League match outcome between Atletico Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen. All he needed in the final minutes of the game was for Man City to hang on to their four goal lead and let the clock run out. Leroy Sane’s 5th Goal Curse But it was not to be. Had the score line stayed the same, the punter would have walked away NZ$ 50 000 and praising Man City’s comeback performance. Instead Leroy Sane came out of nowhere and slotted home a 5th goal putting the score at 5-3. In doing so, Sane crushed the man’s hopes of seeing a single dollar of the miracle bet. Feeling somewhat hard done by, the German Punter tweeted a picture of his agonisingly close betting slip, informing Sane that he owed the man €34,000. After reading the tweet, the 19-year-old Man City winger apologised for his performance and his late-in-the game goal scoring shenanigans. Responding on twitter, Sane said that he had read about the poor guy in the newspapers and felt really sorry for the man. Manchester City play their second game of the first round of 16 on the 16th of March at 8:45am(NZT). Man City will face off against Monaco again at the Stade Louis II. This will be a big game for the home side who have to make up a two-goal deficit in order to qualify for the quarterfinal stage of the tournament. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand’s national tennis team will be in Davis Cup action in Auckland, come April. Online punters wonder if they can stay in Group 1 of their Zone. - Published: 2017-02-27 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/auckland-host-davis-cup-tie/ Auckland to Host April Davis Cup Tie Auckland’s ASB Tennis Arena is famed as the home of the ASB Classic, held every year in January. This year, New Zealand tennis fans can enjoy the pinnacle of men’s national team tennis at the stadium too: the ASB Arena has been chosen as the venue for New Zealand’s next Davis Cup tie on April 7-9. New Zealand will meet South Korea in the Asia/Oceania Zone Group 1 first-round play-off. The last time the two teams met, in heavy snow in Seoul last year, South Korea triumphed 3-1, so the NZ team will be out for revenge. It is also vital that they win the five-match play-off, if they are to stay in Group 1, and thus be in contention for promotion to the 2019 World Group when they compete in next year’s Davis Cup. They had a chance at promotion this year, but that disappeared in the Group 1 first round. India Sank NZ’s 2018 World Group Hopes New Zealand met India in Pune for the first round on February 17-19. In all four singles matches, Yuki Bhambri and Ramkumar Ramanathan were too much for New Zealand’s Finn Tearney and Jose Statham. India won the tie 4-1, with New Zealand doubles partners Artem Sitak and Michael Venus securing the team’s only win, against Leander Paes and Vishnu Vardan. India will now face Uzbekistan in the second round in April, in the hope of progressing to the World Group Play-Offs, and possible promotion, in September. World Group Round 2 will Interest Punters The 16 teams in the Davis Cup 2017 World Group played their first-round matches in eight locations around the world from February 03-05. The eight victors now meet in the World Group quarter-finals in April. Belgium will host Italy, Serbia will host Spain, France will be at home to Great Britain, and Australia will host the USA. Apart from the tennis betting action to come, fans can already take a punt on which Australian city will get to host the tie. Melbourne and Sydney are both persuasive options, but as they already host so much top tennis, Tennis Australia may opt to hold the Davis Cup tie in another city that could use the revenue and publicity boost. Brisbane, Canberra and Adelaide are all in the running. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Irish owner Michael O’Leary has withdrawn all three of his horses from the 2017 Grand National. New Zealand punters will have to rethink their April bets. - Published: 2017-02-26 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/grand-national-withdrawal-shock/ Grand National Weights See O’Learys Withdraw New Zealand jump racing enthusiasts are eager to study the field for Europe’s richest event: England’s Grand National at Aintree, coming up on April 08. However, online punters need to reconsider bets, after the withdrawal of three top Irish horses. A dispute has flared up between Ireland’s Gigginstown House Stud and the British Horseracing Authority’s senior handicapper, Phil Smith. Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary owns Gigginstown, with his brother Eddie serving as his racing manager. The O’Leary brother claim that Liverpudlian Smith has a bias against Irish horses, assigning arbitrary extra weights to them. Smith has denied any favouritism, but he does have a track record of weighting Irish horses with more than they would carry under Ireland’s handicapping rules. As setting final handicaps is entirely his prerogative, the O’Learys took a stand and decided to withdraw all three of their Grand National nominees, after Smith weighted them almost a kilogram heavier than usual for the 2017 race. Don Poli, Empire Of Dirt, Outlander Scratched The O’Learys withdrawal means that geldings Don Poli, Empire Of Dirt and Outlander are all out of the draw. 8-year-old Don Poli was previously the ante-post favourite at 14-1, even weighted at 73kg. 10-year-old Empire Of Dirt was the 20-1 joint third favourite along with One For Arthur, The Young Master and Vieux Lion Rouge. The second favourite was another Irish gelding: 9-year-old The Last Samuri. At 16-1, he’s the new ante-post favourite. Vieux Lion Rouge May Surprise Vieux Lion Rouge ran seventh in last year’s Grand National, and won the Grand National Trial Handicap Chase at Haydock on Saturday, so punters can’t rule him out at 25-1. However, 30 fences over 6907m is a gruelling test for even the world’s finest jumpers, and an outsider has won the Grand National one year out of 20 for the past 100 years. New Zealand betting fans will want to keep an eye on Irish 10-year-old O’Faolains Boy, and two French geldings: 7-year-old Le Mercurey, and 8-year-old Vicente. At 33-1, any one of the three could provide an upset in April. French/US 8-year-old Blaklion ran a very close second to Vieux Lion Rouge at Haydock, so he might be worth a 33-1 flyer in the Grand National too. 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Nevertheless, the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier 2017, which finished on Tuesday in Colombo, Sri Lanka, was an opportunity for betting fans to check out prospective competition, while punting on some hard-fought matches at the same time. In the end, though, the teams finished in much the same order as they were ranked going into the competition. The Super Six remained identical, save for Sri Lanka managing to swop fourth place for third over Pakistan. No Surprises in Pool Stages The teams finished the pool stages in the same order as their world ODI rankings. India was undefeated at the top of Pool A, followed by Sri Lanka and Ireland. Zimbabwe managed just one win, against Thailand, who suffered a four-match whitewash. Pool B was much the same story: South Africa undefeated at the top of the pool, followed by Pakistan and Bangladesh, with Scotland on a single win and Papua New Guinea whitewashed. In the Super Six stage, hosts Sri Lanka provided an upset, beating Pakistan by 3 wickets in the 48th over of the first match. Pakistan’s disastrous 67 all out against India, which the top-ranked team eclipsed in just 22 overs and 3 balls, was what allowed Sri Lanka to pass Pakistan on the table, although both still finished in the Top Four. However, India and South Africa retained first and second place on the Super Six ladder, so they went through to the final. Final Goes to Last Ball In the final on Tuesday, South Africa fell two balls short of the full 50 overs, ending at 244 all out. After 43 overs, it looked like India had it wrapped up at 4/209. But when the favourites lost four wickets in two overs for just 14 runs, the match was up for grabs. It eventually went right down to the wire, with India requiring 8 runs off the last two balls of the final over to win. Harmanpreet Kaur was up to the task, smacking a six and then taking two off the last ball. India, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Pakistan will now join England, New Zealand, Australia and the West Indies at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in June. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Honda Classic in Florida promises new Zealand fans a bumper weekend of golf. Thursday’s Round 1 delivered some great shots and a few surprises. - Published: 2017-02-25 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/honda-classic-first-round-update/ Close Field after Honda Classic First Round Day 1 of the Honda Classic, which started on Thursday on the PGA National Golf Club Champion Course in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, ended with all 141 players clustered within 20 strokes of one another. They are sure to spread out more over the final three days, but the first-round results are an indication that there are plenty of evenly matched players in contention, so New Zealand punters can expect a close finish. Danny Lee, one of only two New Zealand golfers in the tournament, finished Day 1 tied at 42nd, but still under par on -1. That leaves him only five strokes shy of the leaders; difficult to make up in three rounds, but not impossible. Rising US Stars Top Day 1 Leaderboard Cody Gribble from Dallas, Texas, and Columbia, South Carolina’s Wesley Bryan, both 26-year-olds starting to make their mark on the international PGA scene, finished tied in first place after Round 1. Bryan’s best shot of the day was his birdie putt on the sixth hole, something very few managed, as it is one of two holes that have been switched to par 4 from par 5 for this tournament. He followed up by saving par on the seventh with a 12-foot putt, and a birdie on the eighth, putting 10 feet into the hole, allowed him to finish on -6. Gribble looked like he’d sunk his round after taking three putts on the 16th hole to finish with a bogey, after initially making the green with his tee shot. However, he followed up with two birdies, one of them a par-3 on the 17th hole, to claw his way back to -6 and joint first. He also secured a Champion Course record in his round, becoming the first player ever to land on all eighteen greens in regulation: meaning he reached every green while still at least two strokes under par for the hole. Surprise Third-Place Finish at the Death The final surprises of the day came from India’s Anirban Lahiri and German Martin Kaymer. Among the last players to tee off and finish Round 1, both managed a late -5, slipping in ahead of seven other players whose -4 had thus far had them a tied in third place. The disgruntled seven were subsequently shuffled down to fifth place. 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No doubt, New Zealanders are having a little gloat over the result of Thursday night’s 2017 Super Rugby opening match in Melbourne, in which the Blues made the Rebels feel like total newbies, even though they have been a part of the competition since 2009. Quite simply outclassed by the muscle and skill of the Auckland side, Victoria’s finest went down 56-18 in Melbourne’s AAMI Park. Teenager Rieko Ioane added another stunner to his reputation as legendary-centre-in-the-making, contributing three tries to the Blues’ total of seven. No Luck on Rebels Side A few strokes of bad luck didn’t help the Rebels’ cause, either. They were already missing a few top players to injury, like Wallabies stars Sefa Naivalu, Sean McMahon, Toby Smith and James Hanson, plus Marika Koroibete, their new winger lured from the NRL. During the match, they lost captain Nic Stirzaker to a knock on the head only minutes after he had scored the Rebels’ first try in the seventh minute, and Melbourne fans were dismayed to see winger Jonah Placid carried off with a leg injury in the second half. Nevertheless, despite two tries and some moments of brilliance, the Rebels have only themselves to blame for their line-out woes and some sloppy execution on attack. The Blues will go on to their next match, against the Chiefs in Waikato next Friday buoyed by a solid opening performance. Bumper Opening Weekend Ahead There are 20 weeks of gritty Super Rugby action ahead, and there are plenty more high-profile clashes this weekend to keep New Zealand betting fans entertained. The losing 2016 semi-finalists, the Chiefs and the Highlanders, will both have lots to prove at Dunedin on Friday night. Saturday’s Stormers/Bulls match at Newlands, Cape Town, as well as the Lions/Cheetahs match in Bloemfontein, should also see sparks fly between two sets of traditional rivals in South African rugby. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The men’s under-17 football team have officially qualified for the World Cup in October this year. They beat Papua New Guinea 2-1 to book their place. - Published: 2017-02-24 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/nz-17-football-team-qualifies-world-cup/ Under-17 Football Team Qualify for Word Cup Despite fears that they might have left it a bit late, the men’s under-17 football team has scraped through to qualify for the World Cup in October this year. The New Zealand under-17 team pulled off a sensational win against Papua New Guinea in the Oceania Championships semi-final to book their place at one of the biggest sporting events in the world. The match against Papua New Guinea was always going to be a tough one. If the score was level at full time, the game would have hat to proceed to a penalty shootout to determine who was going through to play the finals against Caledonia. With New Zealand fans on the edge of their seat, it seemed as if the boys were going to miss out on a place in the World Cup for the first time since Australia officially left the Oceania Federation in 2006. All fears were subsequently quashed when Oliver Whyte scored the winning goal in the third minute of stoppage time. For New Zealand, the game got off to a good start. After just three minutes of play, Papua New Guinea defender Aben Pukue fluffed a clearance giving the Kiwis the chance to slam the ball into the back of the net. The 1-0 lead didn’t last long though as Barthy Kerobin slotted a magnificent volley to find the back of the New Zealand net. Oliver Whyte to the Rescue At half time, the score was 1-1 at the Stade Mhina in Tahiti. Going into the second half, New Zealand were showing signs of nerves as their chances of a World Cup qualifier slipped further from their grasp. The second half did have a bit of action as both sides had a chance to take the lead. For New Zealand, it was the 76th minute when it all came together only to be denied the goal due to a foul on the opposition’s goal keeper. It seemed New Zealand were destined for a penalty shootout. That was until Whyte stepped onto the field. With only four minutes of play as a substitute, Whyte managed to find the back of the net again, giving the Kiwis the much needed win and a ticket into the World Cup. New Zealand will now play Caledonia in the Oceania Championship finals. It should be an interesting game as both teams automatically qualified for the World Cup and can focus solely on the game at hand. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Saturday saw the last meeting at Ellerlie before Auckland Cup Week. New Zealand racing punters got to study the form of their Auckland Cup Week favourites. - Published: 2017-02-24 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/checking-auckland-cup-week-field/ Last Look at Auckland Cup Week Form New Zealand racing fans are gearing up for Auckland Cup Week at Ellerslie, which kicks off with the Group 1 New Zealand Derby next Saturday, March 04. The Derby’s $1 million purse, along with the $500,000 Group 1 Auckland Cup on March 11, makes this the most lucrative week in New Zealand racing. Sports betting enthusiasts saw some of the horses on the Auckland Cup Week card put through their paces one last time at Ellerslie last Saturday, in two Group 2 races: the Avondale Guineas and Avondale Cup. These are usually useful races to spot potential winners for Auckland Cup Week, but the grim weather on Saturday did not make the picture any clearer, as the heavy going favoured outsiders. Of course, if the conditions are similar on March 04 or 11, punters may want to back the outsiders anyway. Chenille Still Auckland Cup Favourite At $4. 50, 5-year-old mare Chenille remains the favourite for the 3200m Auckland Cup, even though she finished only seventh in the 2400m Avondale Cup on Saturday. However, she doesn’t do well on slow tracks, so if she gets good or dead conditions on March 11, it should be a totally different story. The Avondale Cup was won by 10-year-old gelding El Soldado, repeating his surprise win in last year’s Auckland Cup. If the weather is rough on Auckland Cup Day, he will be well worth a punt at $21. 00. So will Jacksstar, at $14. 00. The 5-year-old gelding managed sixth place in the Avondale Cup, and was also runner-up in the Wellington Cup earlier this year. If the going is good on March 11, on the other hand, punters may prefer Fanatic, Pentathlon or Five To Midnight: all are currently at $10. 00 or less. Gingernuts Delivers Avondale Guineas Upset The 2100m Avondale Guineas was won by Gingernuts on Saturday, and as a result the 3-year-old gelding is now at $8. 00 for the New Zealand Derby on March 04. Sacred Elixir was the early favourite for the Derby, but also only finished seventh in the Guineas. As a result, the gelding has slipped to second favourite for the Derby at $5. 00, with colt Savile Row, who did not run on Saturday, but was runner-up at Te Rapa’s 2000m Herbi Dyle Stakes two weeks ago, the new favourite at $4. 50. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Abby Erceg, the dynamic Ferns Captain has shocked the country by announcing that she is quitting and has hit out at NZ football for the decision. - Published: 2017-02-23 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/ferns-captain-abby-erceg-quits-nz-football/ Abby Erceg Quits NZ Football In a shock statement, Football Ferns captain Abby Erceg announced her retirement from the team and the end of an era. It is a sad day for New Zealand sport and the football community in which Abby was a household name. The retirement of Erceg will leave a gaping hole in the national team that will be hard to fill with such a high calibre player. With the upcoming 2019 World cup just a few years away, it will be hard to image the National team without Erceg at the helm. At just 27-years-old, Abby has represented her country a total of 130 times but will call it quits after competing in next month’s Cyprus Cup. While it may seem like it came out of the blue, for Erceg, it was a decision that has been playing on her mind for many years. According to Erceg, she feels the Ferns are significantly undervalued by New Zealand football. Speaking to the press, she said that the NZ Football failed to create an environment that would sustain domestic-based players. Abby spoke passionately about how many of the girls are worried about receiving a steady income and where their next meal is going to come from. Erceg Says Players are Undervalued The financial stresses of being a national player is not conducive to high performance athletes. Erceg went on to say that no one should be living with such conditions especially the calibre of athletes that represent their country. Making her debut for the Ferns in 2006, Erceg competed in three Woman’s World Cup competition and hundreds of games for her country. While she has been part of the team, the Ferns have gone up 8 FIFA ranking places and achieved consistent results against many of the top football nations. While she still believes wholeheartedly in the sport, she feels that the team is undervalued and should be financially supported by the country itself. Abby said that the girls are not looking to earn thousands of dollars a week, they just want NZ Football to take up some of the expenses so the girls can do their job without worrying about supporting themselves. Meanwhile New Zealand Football boss Andy Martin has responded to Erceg’s harsh criticism saying that his organisation is not financially equipped to fund a program for potential international athletes. He also said that a loss of funding from High Performance Sport NZ has made the situation even more challenging. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Kentucky Derby on May 06 should attract lots of keen New Zealand betting fans. Several upcoming races can help punters evaluate the Derby field’s form. - Published: 2017-02-23 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/spotting-kentucky-derby-winners/ Kentucky Derby is USA’s Premier Horse Race Most nations have races that become national icons; England’s Grand National, for example. Of course, whether New Zealand’s national racing icon is the Auckland Cup or the Wellington Cup is a matter of fierce debate, but happily, no such difficulty exists with the United States. The USA’s most iconic race is undoubtedly the Kentucky Derby: one-and-a-quarter miles of racing history run every year at Louisville’s famous Churchill Downs track since 1875. Not only does the Derby, with a purse of $1 million, attract the biggest crowd in US racing, but it is also the American race most watched on national and international TV. Kentucky Derby Day, scheduled this year for May 06, is the final Saturday of the Kentucky Derby Festival fortnight. The 2000m Kentucky Derby, a Grade 1 race for 3-year-olds at set weights of 55kg for fillies and 57kg for geldings, is also the first leg of the American Triple Crown. The other two legs of the Triple Crown are the 1900m Preakness Stakes in Baltimore, Maryland, on May 20, and the 2400m Belmont Stakes in Elmont, New York, on June 10. Upcoming Races Should Reveal Form Better New Zealand punters have to wait until May to know the final field for the 2017 race, but the official website has a handy feature called the Road to the Kentucky Derby. This keeps betting fans updated on nominated horses, along with their points and rankings in qualifying races. Fans should also pay attention to several US races preceding the Kentucky Derby, for a clearer indication of contenders’ current form. The Florida Derby on April 01 at Gulfstream Park is one, as is the Santa Anita Derby on April 08 in California. Chances to Check Out the Favourites The Wood Memorial Stakes on April 08 in New York might also be worth a punt, if the colt El Ameer is running. He is currently second favourite for the Kentucky Derby. The favourite at this point, Classic Empire, is another colt. His stable seems confident that the foot abcess that troubled him when he ran third in the Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream on February 04 has been cleared up. Punters should check if he’s in the field on March 04 for Gulfstream’s Fountain of Youth Stakes, to rate his chances on May 06. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand football fans are sure to want a punt on the FA Cup Final at Wembley on May 27. Lincoln City’s historic season makes them dangerous underdogs. - Published: 2017-02-22 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/lincoln-city-eyes-fa-cup-final/ FA Cup Final Could Feature Surprise Outsider Although the northern hemisphere soccer season is drawing to a close, the New Zealand sports betting community still has some iconic matches to punt on. These include the pinnacle of English football, the FA Cup Final at Wembley on May 27. Just as Leicester City came out of nowhere to win their first-ever Premier League Championship last year, the 2016-17 FA Cup has seen not one, but two lowly clubs punching above their weight. Fifth-Division sides Lincoln City and Sutton United both made it to the fifth round with a series of upset victories, much to the delight of their supporters and the punters backing them. Sadly for Sutton, Round 5 was as far as they got, after beating Leeds United, AFC Wimbledon, Cheltenham Town and Dartford in the previous rounds. The South London side met Highbury rivals Arsenal on Monday night, and the Gunners had no trouble securing their quarter-final spot with a 2-0 win. Arsenal Plays Lincoln City in Quarter-Finals Lincoln City finished fifth in the Second Division in the 1901-02 season, their highest position in English football over 133 years... until this season. Their progress to the 2017 FA Cup quarter-final has been a profitable betting adventure, considering they knocked out Burnley, Brighton & Hove Albion, Ipswich Town, Oldham Athletic and Altrincham along the way. Lincoln will now meet Arsenal in London for the March 11 quarter-finals, and they will attract a lot of attention as the fired-up underdogs with nothing to lose and everything to play for. In two other quarter-finals, Manchester United will travel to Stamford Bridge to play Chelsea, with Tottenham Hotspur at home to Millwall. Middlesborough is the only quarter-finalist still unsure of their next opposition. Manchester City and Huddersfield Town played to a 0-0 draw on Saturday, so they will have to replay the match next Wednesday, February 28, to determine which of them will face the Yorkshire side on March 11. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand fast bowler Trent Boult has become cricket’s latest millionaire after selling for $NZ1.04 to Kolkata at the Indian Premier League Auction. - Published: 2017-02-22 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/trent-boult-sells-million-ipl-auction/ Trent Boult Snapped up at IPL Auction Trent Boult has officially become the second most expensive New Zealand player in history to be bought by an IPL team. The dynamic New Zealand fast bowler was snapped up for a cool $NZ1. 04 by the Kolkata Knight Riders in the first day of the Indian Premier League auction. Starting with a base price of $312,000, Boult quickly rose up the ladder as the team’s continued to bid for his expertise. When the Knight Riders eventually scooped him up for just over a million dollars, Boult instantly became the second highest selling New Zealand player behind former NZ captain Brendon McCullum. Boult has been in excellent form lately claiming career-best ODI figures of six wickets for 33 runs against Australia a few weeks ago. Boult is no stranger to the IPL having a stint with the Sunrisers Hyderabad team in previous years. Corey Anderson joins Delhi Daredevils With the Kolkata Knight Riders, Boult will be joined by Indian spinner Sunil Narine as well as big hitter Chris Lynn and Bangladesh’s Shakib al Hasan to make up a pretty imposing team. Altogether, Boult was one of five New Zealand players to be picked up at this year’s IPL auction. The other big names to go under the hammer were Corey Anderson who will sign with the Delhi Daredevils after they handed over his base price of $208,000. Matt Henry, the New Zealand seam bowler became the third Kiwi to be picked up at the action. He was signed for his base price of $104,000 to the Kings XI Punjab. Guptill Picked up on Second Pass After being passed over on his first go round, Martin Guptill eventually joins teammate Matt Henry with the Kings XI Punjab after they swept him up for his base price of $104,000. Later on in the Auction, the fifth and final Kiwi joined the IPL as Auckland quick bowler Lockie Ferguson won a spot on the Rising Pune Supergiants for his base price of $104,000. Other big names to go under the hammer was South African fast bowler Kagiso Rabada who joined the Delhi Daredevils for a cool $1. 04 million. Meanwhile England’s Ben Stokes topped auction with the Rising Pune Supergiants forking out a staggering $3 million for the all rounder. Fast bowler Tymal Mills also pulled in an impressive $2. 5 million selling to the Royal Challengers Bangalore. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Warriors have shown their performance on the field is getting better. The team crushed the Gold Coast Titans 26 points to 6 at Palmerston North. - Published: 2017-02-21 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/warriors-back-track-4-try-win-titans/ Warriors Defeat Titans 26-6 For NRL fans, lingering worries about the performance of the Warriors can now be laid to rest. After an impressive performance in Palmerston North, the Warriors pulled off a sensational win and reclaimed some of their former talent on the field. The Warriors dispatched the Gold Coast Titans 26-6 in a trial game, much to the delight of their dedicated fans. However, coach Stephen Kearney wants to see even more improvement from his team going forward. Kearney admits that his team is getting better. He was fairly satisfied with their performance in their final preseason game held at the Energy Trust Area. He did however show concern over some missed opportunities on the attacking front. Failing to capitalise on hard attacking phases combined with sloppy defence is still an issue of concern for the team coming off the back of a 30-18 loss against the Melbourne Storm just a week ago. With the Titans missing key players like Konrad Hurrell, Jarryd Hayne, Dan Sarginson and Kevin Proctor, the Warriors were up against a side that was weakened from the start. Kearney did feel that his team was improving though. With a solid win under their belt, he feels his team has what it takes to carry on their momentum going into their opening season game against Newcastle at Mt Smart Stadium. Speaking to the press, Kearney said that he believed there was a lot of good parts to the Titans game. He also said that there was lots of room for improvement. Room for Improvement The Warriors got off to a good start repelling a strong attack from the visitors. Seizing their own chance for an attack, the Warriors posted two quick tries thanks to the efforts of 18-year old Isaiah Papalii and nimble right wing Tui Lolohea. The Titans were able to hit back with centre John Olive crossing the line to take the score to 10 points to 6 at halftime. Despite a number of chances to extend their lead, the Warriors were just not able to finish off their starting attack phases. The team did manage to find the line with David Fusitu'a and James Gavet extending their lead into the second half. Vice-Captain Simon Mannering also made his way over the line sealing the win with the final try in the dying minutes. The team must now focus their effort on bringing their winning tactics and energy to Mt Smart Stadium where they face off against Newcastle on March 5th. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Caulfield, Melbourne hosts Australia’s Blue Diamond Stakes, Futurity Stakes and Oakleigh Plate on February 25. A field update for New Zealand punters. - Published: 2017-02-21 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/blue-diamond-stakes-day-highlights/ Blue Diamond Stakes Update New Zealand’s online betting fans have enjoyed Australia’s summer racing calendar, and interest is unlikely to die down as the Melbourne season moves into autumn. Caulfield Racecourse hosts Blue Diamond Stakes Day on February 25, with three great Group 1 races on the card. The main race of the day, the Blue Diamond Stakes, is a 1200m set-weights handicap for two-year-olds, with an Australian record purse of $1. 5-million. A lot of punters will fancy Catchy, after the filly surged home to beat Limestone by a nose in Saturday’s 1100m Group 2 Blue Diamond Prelude (F) at Caulfield. However, jockey Craig Williams also rode Property to victory in the 1100m Group 3 Ladbroke’s Blue Diamond Prelude (C and G). The gelding may also be in the Blue Diamond Stakes draw, so it isn’t clear yet which will be Williams’ mount at Caulfield. Futurity Stakes Should See Tight Contest The 1400m Futurity Stakes weight-for-age handicap, for three-year-olds and older, also attracts plenty of betting action from New Zealand. Last Saturday’s Group 1 C. F. Orr Stakes at Caulfield, also a weight-for-age over 1400m, was won by Black Heart Bart, so the 6-year-old gelding looks good for the Futurity Stakes. However, New Zealand 5-year-old entire Turn Me Loose, winner of the 2016 Futurity Stakes, led the C. F. Orr practically from the start, with Black Heart Bart only coming through to win by a length in the final 50m, after challenging hard from the 300m-mark. Turn Me Loose is also nominated for the Futurity Stakes, so Caulfield could see a replay. Extreme Choice, Thermal Current in Oakleigh Plate The third great race at Caulfield on Blue Diamond Stakes Day is the 1100m Oakleigh Plate, an open handicap. It will be the first race of the year for promising Nick Price-trained three-year-old colt Extreme Choice, who won four of his six starts in 2015-16; all of them sprints. Another one to watch for in the Oakleigh Plate will be Thermal Current, the 6-year-old gelding trained by Darren Weir. He’s won two 1000m races from three starts this year, including the W. J. Adams at Caulfield on February 04. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand golf fans will be glued to the PGA Honda Classic next week. Despite the absence of Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, it boasts a competitive field. - Published: 2017-02-20 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/honda-classic-woods-mcilroy/ Woods, McIlroy to Miss Honda Classic The 45th Honda Classic starts next Thursday on the Champion Course at the USA’s PGA National Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens. It is becoming an increasingly popular event on the PGA Tour among Florida golf fans, and this year the club will offer the most extensive hospitality options to date. These include the new US$750-per-day Legends Club at Nicklaus Village, a luxury fine-dining venue featuring a full-length curtain window with a perfect view of the 18th green. New Zealand fans will no doubt be more interested in the Honda Classic field, and the online betting options they offer. Sadly for those hoping this would be the year Tiger Woods finally won the event, the US star has dropped out again after a return to competition in December, citing the same back injury that has plagued him for the past two years. Ironically, it was at the 2014 Honda Classic that he suffered the original injury. Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, whose 2012 Honda Classic win by two strokes left Woods as one of the joint runners-up, is also highly unlikely to play this year. He is resting a sore rib. Still Plenty of Top Talent in Field Despite the absence of all-time great Woods and current World No. 2 McIlroy, the 2017 Honda Classic still has a strong field promising exciting action for punters. Australian Adam Scott, currently at World No. 7, won the event by just one stroke last year, and he will be back to defend his title. However, the USA’s World No. 8 Justin Thomas, a Palm Beach Gardens local, is in excellent form too. The 23-year-old already has three tournament victories in the 2016-17 season, including two consecutive wins in Hawaii earlier this year. Defending Masters champion Danny Willett is also in the Honda Classic field, as are fellow Englishmen Tyrell Hatton, Matthew Fitzpatrick and former Honda champion Luke Donald, along with Ireland’s Padraig Harrington, who has won the tournament twice. Any one of them could be a serious contender next week. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > There was tennis action and controversy aplenty during the first round of the 2017 Fed Cup last week. Germany, USA and Great Britain dominated the news. - Published: 2017-02-20 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/fed-cup-first-round-results/ USA’s Fed Cup Anthem Gaffe The first round of the 2017 Fed Cup, over all levels of the competition, was played around the world last week, giving New Zealand sports betting fans lots of wagering options. However, the event that tickled punters the most had nothing to do with tennis. The luxurious Royal Laihana Resort in Hawaii was the venue for the World Group USA versus Germany clash. The hosts were left red-faced right at the start, when they played the wrong version of the German national anthem: including the opening verses hailing “Germany above all others” that have not been used since the fall of the Nazi Third Reich. It was, however, the only moment of embarrassment for the American team; they won the round convincingly 4-0. Czech Republic Still Many Punters’ Top Pick Defending Fed Cup champions Czech Republic are also through to the semi-finals, after beating Spain 3-2 in Ostrava. In Minsk, Belarus beat the Netherlands 4-1, and the Swiss team beat France by the same margin in Geneva. The semi-finals are scheduled for April 22-23. The USA will host Czech Republic, and Belarus will be at home to Switzerland. The finals are scheduled for November. Germany, France, the Netherlands and Spain now go to the World Group Play-Offs, where they will play the four teams that finished top of the World Group II in last week’s first round. These are Russia, Belgium, Ukraine and Slovakia, all of which now have a shot at promotion to the World Group for 2018. Great Britain Tops Zone Qualifiers Apart from the World Group and World Group II Fed Cup matches last week, there was also lots of action in the three regional Zones, as teams jostled for a shot at the next World Group II Play-offs. In the Europe/Africa Zone Group 1 first round in Estonia, Great Britain’s Johanna Konta and Heather Watson beat Portugal, Latvia, Turkey and Croatia. Serbians Dejana Radanovic and Bojana Marinkovic also finished on top, after beating Estonia, Bulgaria, Israel and Poland. Great Britain and Serbia, along with Canada and Kazakhstan, are now through to challenge the four World Group II Round 1 losing teams in April’s World Group II Play-offs: namely, Australia, Italy, Taiwan and Romania. The top four teams will be promoted to the 2018 World Group II. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Emirates team New Zealand have officially launched their 50-foot race boat for the Americas Cup. The crew hope to reclaim the cup in Bermuda this year. - Published: 2017-02-19 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/team-nz-unveils-boat-americas-cup/ Team NZ Unveil their New Race Boat Amid the speculation and rumour spreading, Team New Zealand have finally unveiled their new 50-foot race boat. The sleek new wingsailed catamaran is what the crew hope to use to reclaim the America’s Cup in Bermuda later this year. The America’s Cup Class (ACC) boat has been spotted out on the water with skipper Glenn Ashby putting the crew through their paces. The arrival of the boat meant that the Emirates New Zealand team had planned to unveil their craft in a big reveal. However, the unveiling was spoiled by some eager observers and the news spread like wildfire. Despite the botched unveiling and radical new design, it was the unconventional pedal grinders that became the talking point at the official launch. Speaking to the press, Team New Zealand chief executive Grant Dalton said that there had been a lot of focus on the cycling over the past two days. He explained that the addition of the cycling system is part of a bigger picture and he hopes that the opposition are starting to re-evaluate their decisions. Grant went on to explain that most of the boats in San Francisco look as if they came out of the dark ages. Meanwhile the boat from the America’s Cup defender and subsequent challengers are the most advance craft that have ever been launched. Team New Zealand’s boat was officially christened at their base in Beaumont Street by Tina Symmans who is one of the team’s board directors. The christening took place in the presence of the team members along with their families, the sponsors and a few members of the press. The christening ceremony also included a blessing by Ngati Whatua. Grinder System the Tip of the Iceberg At the catamarans unveiling, it was clear that the cycle grinding system was the biggest new development on the boat itself. In total the boat is 15 meters long with a wing of 25 meters. However, Team New Zealand’s design coordinator, Dan Bernasconi was quick to point out that the cycle system was just the tip of the iceberg. For him, the real innovation comes in with the hydraulic systems which control the flight of the boat. Bernasconi explained that winning the Cup is all about maintaining a stable flight. So in order to improve performance, the boat features incredibly powerful technology in the electronics systems, foil design and electronic systems. The technology, time an effort put into the boat is all to ensure that the team reclaim the coveted Americas Cup trophy. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > There are 13 horses in the field for Melbourne’s Lightning Stakes. We rate some of the Flemington options New Zealand punters can consider. - Published: 2017-02-19 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/lightning-stakes-field-announced/ Lightning Stakes 2017 Field The field for the 1000m Group 1 weight-for-age Lightning Stakes at Melbourne’s Flemington Racecourse has been finalised, and New Zealand fans of Australian racing have some attractive online betting options among the 13 horses in the draw. Favourite at A$4. 40 is Flying Artie, the 3-year-old colt trained by Mick Price. He’s managed three wins from six starts, also finishing second in two and third in one. All six have been sprints, with his most recent outings in October 2016 delivering two victories over 1200m at Caulfield and Flemington. However, 7-year-old gelding Flamberge, the 2016 Oakleigh Plate winner, is also in the running and on the comeback trail after his slump later last year. Under the Lightning Stakes’ weight-for-age rules, he will be carrying four kilograms less than he was in his last outing: January’s Kensington Stakes at Flemington, in which he ran fourth. He could well do better carrying 58. 5kg over the same distance, despite being offered at long odds of A$31. 00. Star Turn and Spieth Challenge Favourite According to current rankings, Flamberge at 112 is the top-rated sprinter among the Lightning Stakes nominees, followed by Flying Artie at 110. That’s a ranking shared with The Quarterback, the 6-year-old gelding currently at A$16. 00 for Saturday’s race, and winner of the 2016 Newmarket Handicap. The second favourite, at A$4. 80, is 3-year-old colt Star Turn, with two wins, one second and one third from four starts this season. Third favourite is 4-year-old entire Spieth, with five wins and two seconds out of nine career starts, at A$5. 00. However, there’s plenty of competition at the top of the betting. Apart from Flying Artie, Star Turn and Spieth, three other runners are currently priced at under A$10. 00. They are 5-year-old entire Supido, winner of the 2016 Women Trainers Handicap over 1000m at Flemington, at A$8. 00, and two A$8. 50 options: 4-year-old mare Heatherly, and 7-year-old gelding Terravista. Flamberge and The Quarterback look good for those determined to back an outsider, as do 5-year-old Illustrious Lad and 4-year-old Faatinah, both geldings. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The AFL 2017 Toyota Premiership starts next month, with the Women’s season already underway. The pre-season JLT Community Series also starts this week. - Published: 2017-02-18 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/afl-2017-toyota-premiership-news/ Women’s Season Boosts AFL 2017 Toyota Premiership It was dismissed by many as a trivial, perhaps even patronising curtain raiser to the 2017 Aussie Rules action, but as New Zealand online sports betting fans have discovered, the AFL Women’s season has turned into a popular event worth a punt or two. Crowds for Round 2 didn’t quite match the unexpected gates across Australia for the debut week of this tournament, but between 6,900 and 10,000 fans still turned up at each of the four venues last weekend. The next five weeks should see the AFL Women’s season established as a respectable precursor to the AFL Toyota Premiership. Brisbane Lions Winning Respect After two away wins, one in the pouring rain against Melbourne at Casey Fields and a second-round 36-23 victory against Adelaide on Sunday, the Brisbane Lions are on track for a Grand Final berth. Their next four matches at home could prove decisive. Carlton and Adelaide also maintained their unbeaten record from the first round, outplaying Greater Western Sydney and the Western Bulldogs respectively. Adelaide’s 48-23 thumping of the Dogs has boosted their likelihood of making the March 25 Grand Final too. Coming back from their first-round defeat by the Lions, Melbourne won their Round 2 clash against Collingwood 44-25. Adelaide, Carlton and Brisbane are currently the top three on the table, with the Bulldogs ahead of Melbourne on points difference. AFL 2017 Toyota Premiership Pre-Season Starts New Zealand punters craving men’s footie action have nothing to worry about, either. Betting online for the AFL 2017 Toyota Premiership is already open, even though the season only kicks off on March 23. The Greater Western Sydney Giants are the current favourites at A$4. 50, but defending champions the Western Bulldogs are close behind them at A$5. 50. The Sydney Swans, Geelong Cats, Adelaide Crows and West Coast Eagles are also well supported in early betting. But there is more immediate footie betting available on the AFL pre-season: the JLT Community Series, due to start on February 16. The opening match is the sort of Melbourne derby that should attract plenty of fans to the Etihad Stadium on Thursday night: the Collingwood Magpies versus the Essendon Bombers. Saturday’s matches should provide plenty of thrills too. The Bulldogs host the Melbourne Demons at Whitten Oval, and the Giants have a home game against the Eagles at the NSW’s Narrandera Sport Ground. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Auckland Cup Week presents New Zealand racing fans with two iconic autumn races. A look at some early contenders in the New Zealand Derby and Auckland Cup. - Published: 2017-02-18 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/auckland-cup-week-news-update/ Hall Of Fame Misses New Zealand Derby Auckland Cup Week, New Zealand’s richest week of racing, will be upon us on March 04. That’s the first Saturday of Ellerslie Racecourse’s prestigious autumn event, kicking off with the most glamorous meeting on the racing calendar: New Zealand Derby Day. The famous Fashion in the Field competition draws the socialites, but serious punters will be focused on the day’s feature race. The Derby is a Group 1 set-weights handicap for 3-year-olds over 2400m, for a purse of $1 million. Many racing fans were hoping to put an outside bet on promising colt Hall Of Fame, winner of the 1600m Group 1 Levin Classic at Trentham last month. However, trainers Jamie Richards and Steve Autridge have decided to keep him out of the longer races for now, after he ran fifth of 16 in the 2000m Waikato Guineas at Te Rapa on February 04. Gelding Sacred Elixir is the favourite at $5. 00, and punters should check his form over 2100m at Ellerslie’s Avondale Guineas on Saturday. Joint second favourites at $6. 00 are Savile Row, the colt that ran a close second to Volkstok’n’barrell in Te Rapa’s Herbie Dykes Stakes on Saturday, and Camino Rocoso, the gelding that has won his last two starts at Ellerslie this season. Chenille Early Favourite for Auckland Cup Sacred Elixir is not the only horse trainer Tony Pike is hoping will bring home the bacon during Auckland Cup Week. He also trains Chenille, the 5-year-old mare currently being offered as the $6. 50 favourite for the Auckland Cup on March 11. Run at Ellerslie over 3200m since Victorian times, the Group 1 Auckland Cup for 3-year-olds or older is one of New Zealand’s most historic races for stayers. Chenille proved she has the legs over 2200m at Ellerslie, when she won the Karaka Stayers Cup in January. Punters should watch how she does over 2400m at Ellerslie’s Avondale Cup this Saturday. An outsider that betting fans may also want to consider for the Auckland Cup is Savaria, currently at $13. 00. The 5-year-old mare proved she is up to the distance when she won the 3200m Wellington Cup in January. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Five-time European Champions Barcelona, have lost their Champions League knockout match to PSG. The French side destroyed Barcelona 4 goals to 0. - Published: 2017-02-17 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/barcelona-go-4-0-paris-saint-germain/ Barcelona Go Down to PSG The second leg of the Champions League knockout match saw five-time European Champions Barcelona take on the minnows from France, Paris Saint-Germain. While the home crowd were cautiously optimistic, Barcelona were the clear favourites going into the match. By the final whistle, the sound in the Parc des Princes stadium was deafening, as PSG walloped the former champions four goals to nil. For the home side, it was Angel Di Maria who capitalised on a shell-shocked Barcelona to produce two stunning goals. The Argentinian had been completely out of form for much of the season but showed no signs of his former struggles. Celebrating his 29th birthday, the winger slotted in a perfect free kick in the 18th minute and then neatly skipped past two challengers to blast in a 25-meter kick ten minutes before the break. Julian Draxler, the German winger also got a piece of the action. Since joining from Wolfsburg, Draxler has been in fine form and displayed his unique talent with a thundering goal late in the first half. Edinson Cavani who also celebrated his birthday, put the final nail in the Barcelona coffin as he drilled in a fourth goal in the 72nd minute. This was his 34th goal in the season making him the top scorer and bringing out from Zlatan Ibrahimovic shadow. Barcelona Outclassed From start to finish, Barcelona looked like a team completely outclassed. From the latter stages of the first half it was clear that the side were focused more on damage limitation rather than actually scoring any goals. The way the Spanish side lost their composure was completely unbecoming of Luis Enrique’s proud team. All credit must be given to PSG though who played with such fervour and determination in front of a home crowd. Desperate to prove themselves as one of Europe’s elite, PSG were doing everything they could to boost their reputation. After failing to reach the quarterfinals in the past four seasons, the French side had an all-or-nothing game plan that proved to be too much for Barcelona to contend with. In a sharp turn of events, it looks like it will be Barcelona who will not reach the last round of eight. The defeat to the PSG is not only embarrassing, it also equals the teams worst ever Champions League defeat. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Last week, New Zealand punters enjoyed three ATP tournaments at once. Here are the results for the Ecuador Open, Sofia Open and Sud de France Open. - Published: 2017-02-17 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/ecuador-sofia-sud-de-france-open-results/ Ecuador Open Sees Burgos Claim Hat-Trick The thin air of Quito challenges even clay court specialists, and the Ecuador Open saw most of the favourites succumb one by one. Unseeded defending champion Victor Estrella Burgos despatched the No. 1 seed, Croatia’s Ivo Karlovic, in the Round of 16, and the Dominican also defeated Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci, seeded fourth, in the semis. Second-seeded Spaniard Albert Ramos Vinolas was also knocked out in the semi-final, by third seed Paolo Lorenzi of Italy. However, Burgos obviously handles the low oxygen levels better than most, as he beat Lorenzi 6-7, 7-5, 7-6 in the final on Sunday, claiming his third Ecuador Open championship in succession. Sofia Open Boasted Great Field The top seeds were a more consistent presence at the Garanti Koza Sofia Open in Bulgaria’s Arena Armeec, with a field that included 11 Top-50 players and three in the Top 15. Although Austria’s Dominic Thiem, seeded at No. 1, went out after a shock loss to Georgian outsider Nikoloz Basilashvili in the Round of 16, the second and third seeds, Belgian David Goffin and Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov, both powered their way to the final. Dimitrov saw off Basilashvili in straight sets in the semis, while Goffin took three sets and a tie-breaker to beat the defending champion, Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut. On Sunday, Dimitrov took the championship in just two sets, beating Goffin 7-5, 6-4. Sud de France Open’s Shock Teenage Upset Of the three concurrent ATP World Tour 250 Series tournaments last week, the Sud de France Open in Montpellier provided New Zealand’s betting community with the biggest surprises. Top seed Marin Cilic, the Croatian World No. 7, was the first victim, falling to Germany’s Dustin Brown in the Round of 16. In the semi-finals, German 19-year-old Alexander Zverev beat French favourite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the No. 2 seed, 6-7, 6-2, 6-4. He repeated the feat in the final, denying Frenchman and second seed Richard Gasquet his third Sud de France title in a row: Zverev won the match 7-6, 6-3. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > A total of 19 New Zealand cricket hopefuls will hope to strike it rich at this year’s IPL Auction. Trent Boult and Martin Guptill head up the list. - Published: 2017-02-16 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/new-zealand-cricket-players-set-ipl-auction/ Nineteen NZ Cricketers in IPL Auction New Zealand opening batsman Martin Guptill will be one of 19 New Zealand cricket players hoping to rake in the cash at the Indian Premier League auction next week. Despite being in incredible form, Guptill went unsold last year until the Mumbai Indians picked him up as an injury replacement. This year, he is listed second out of 351 players who hope to be signed in Bangalore next week. Going into the auction, Guptill, along with Black Caps team mate Ross Taylor set his reserve at a surprisingly low 5 Million Rupees. This equates to around NZ$104 000. He is however competing against the likes of Jason Roy, Eoin Morgan and Alex Hales. Of the New Zealanders hoping to be picked up, Trent Boult has set the highest reserve at an impressive $312,000. The New Zealand swing bowler has stiff competition from the Australian quick bowlers including Mitchell Johnson. Boult Leads the NZ Reserve Pricing Boult is also competing the South African rising star Kagiso Rabada who has been in incredible form lately. Boult will be feeling quietly confident though after pulling a six-wicket haul against Australia in Hamilton. After Boult, Corey Anderson is next highest on the reserve list of Kiwi players. The all-rounder has set his reserve prize at a cool $208,000. He will be competing against Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews and Ben Stokes of England who both set their reserve at a much higher $416,000. In 2015, Trent Boult sold for $790,000 to the Sunrisers Hyderabad. He was subsequently released after two seasons as Mustafizur Rahman, the Bangladeshi left arm bowler moved ahead of him. Corey Anderson completed three seasons with the Mumbai Indians, having been snapped up by the team for an impressive $936,000 in 2014. Along with Guptill, Anderson and Boult, Conlin Munro who played or the Kolkata Knight Riders completed the list of players released in December 2016. Glen Phillips Jessy Rider Look for their Shot The New Zealand contingent heading to the auction include both young and old. The players range from rising stars such as Glen Phillip’s to outlier Jessy Rider as well as some classic names such Nathan McCullum and Grant Elliott. Phillips will be hoping to attract some attention showing some incredible T20 cricket talent. His low reserve of $20,800 hopes to override the fact that he has yet to play in the international arena. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The March 22 William Reid Stakes is a great finale to Melbourne’s autumn night races. We spot contenders New Zealand racing punters should be watching. - Published: 2017-02-16 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/william-reid-stakes-tips/ William Reid Stakes Action in March New Zealand betting enthusiasts keen to punt on Melbourne night racing before Australia’s autumn calendar shifts to Sydney won’t want to miss Moonee Valley’s March 22 meeting under lights. The feature race is the 1200m Group 1 William Reid Stakes for 3-year-olds and older, run since 1925 and now carrying a purse of A$500,000. Moonee Valley is a track that tests even the best sprinters with its tight turns, and with a maximum of 14 runners accepted in the William Reid Stakes draw, it is a race that does allow outsiders to surprise. Turffontein, the 2010 winner, and Foxwedge in 2012 were both priced at A$11. 00. Extreme Choice Worth Watching in Weeks Ahead The final field announcement for the William Reid Stakes is still weeks away, but New Zealand punters are already looking at some possible contenders to back. The 2016 winner, 7-year-old gelding Flamberge, has had a disastrous season since going off the boil last April, so even if he makes the cut, he won’t be among the favourites. Last year’s Blue Diamond Stakes winner, 3-year-old colt Extreme Choice, will see much heavier betting if he is included in the William Reid field. He has four wins from six starts, all of them sprints, so the 1100m Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield on February 25 will be a good test of his form. Keep an Eye on Fell Swoop Flamberge also won the Oakleigh Plate last year, but only by a nose from 5-year-old gelding Fell Swoop. At the time of writing, it hadn’t been established whether Fell Swoop would be running in the 1000m Lightning Stakes at Flemington this Saturday, or the Oakleigh Plate instead. Whichever trainer Matt Dale decides on, punters should keep Fell Swoop in mind for the William Reid Stakes. Depending on his next finish, he could be among the nominations too. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand wicket keeper Luke Ronchi will join the Black Caps ODI squad for the upcoming series against South Africa, replacing batsman Colin Munro. - Published: 2017-02-15 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/luke-ronchi-re-joins-black-caps-odi-squad/ Luke Ronchi Back in Action Local New Zealand wicket keeper Luke Ronchi will re-join the Black Caps for the first two ODI internationals against South Africa. Ronchi has been recuperating from a back injury, which he sustained during at T20 match in Mt Maunganui against Bangladesh last month. Speaking to the press, national selector, Gavin Larsen said that Ronchi is the number 1 white ball wicket keeper in the country. He went on to say that Ronchi brings a lot of experience to the group and was an easy choice. Luke Ronchi will come into the 14-man squad replacing Colin Munro. At is stands, Munro failed to excite the selectors with a less than impressive performance against Australia. His departure also gives Jimmy Neesham the chance to bat higher up the order. Martin Guptill will also re-join the side after battling with a hamstring problem. He takes his place at the top of the batting order sweeping aside Dean Bownlie who actually hit his best ever ODI score of 63 in the second Chappell Hadlee match in Hamilton. Guptill to Open the Batting Guptill will sit out the first match at Eden Park just as a precaution before coming in to lead the proceedings. The rest of the team that orchestrated the 2-0 against Australia will retain their places in the side. In the bowling department, Mitchell Santer and Ish Sodhi keep their spots, adding two frontline spinners against an in-form South African side. Gavin Larsen explained that this would give the side an aggressive bowling attach which in the right conditions can work a real threat against South Africa. The T20 squad sees the return of big hitter Corey Anderson while Tom Bruce will retain his spot in the shortened version of the game after his impressive century from 81 balls in the Ford Trophy playoffs. The T20 squad will not see the likes of Ross Taylor, which was to be expected. However, he will be playing a warmup game against South Africa to get a sneak peek at the South African bowlers before the test and ODI series. The selection for the opener on Tuesday contains some of New Zealand’s best young cricket prospects. Henry Shipley gets a chance to show what he has will Glenn Phillips will make an appearance as well as batsman Daryl Mitchell and bowler Zak Gibson. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier in 2017 is entering the Super Six stage. India and South Africa, topping their groups, may interest New Zealand punters. - Published: 2017-02-15 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/icc-womens-world-cup-qualifier-latest/ ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier 2017 Update New Zealand’s women’s cricket team are already qualified for the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup, along with Australia, West Indies and hosts England. But sports betting fans will still have an eye on the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier in 2017, currently underway in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The 10-team tournament will decide the final four nations to compete in England this June and July. With four group-stage matches left to play on Monday, at the time of writing only two teams had definitely qualified for the Super Six Stage, starting on Wednesday: India, unbeaten in three games at the top of Group A, and South Africa, likewise victorious in three matches in Group B. Sri Lanka Likely to Go Through Hosts Sri Lanka lie in second place in Group A, but their Monday match against Thailand should not prove a major obstacle. Although the Sri Lankans were soundly beaten by India, they scored a convincing win over Ireland and an eight-wicket triumph against Zimbabwe. Thailand, on the other hand, lost to both Zimbabwe and Ireland, and were thrashed by nine wickets against India. The final Group A match on Monday is between Zimbabwe and India, but the African team would need as massive upset win with an extraordinary run rate to unseat Sri Lanka or Ireland from the Super Six. Pakistan Looks Secure in Group B Although it can’t be confirmed until they play their final Group B match against Scotland on Monday, it looks like Pakistan will finish the group stage second to South Africa; the only team to beat them so far. It’s highly unlikely that the South Africans will lose to Papua New Guinea on Monday, so they should enter the Super Six with a perfect record. Bangladesh looks likely to fill the third Super Six spot in Group B, after losing to South Africa and Pakistan, but beating Scotland and Papua New Guinea convincingly. It would take another huge shock result, either Scotland beating Pakistan or Papua New Guinea defeating South Africa, to upset that applecart. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Rugby union fans worldwide were saddened by the death of Sione Lauaki. The former All Black passed a week after South Africa lost Joost van der Westhuizen. - Published: 2017-02-14 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/sione-lauaki-mourned-rugby/ Rugby Mourns Sione Lauaki Rugby union fans the world over joined New Zealanders in grief on Sunday, as the news broke that former All Black Sione Lauaki had passed away. Cause of death had not been revealed at the time of writing, but since 2012 the retired flanker had been receiving treatment for heart and kidney problems. Following the tragic news, tributes poured in from fans, sporting bodies and former teammates, including World Cup-winning All Blacks captain Sonny Bill Williams. The 1. 94m, 115kg loose forward was only 35 years old, and “gone too soon” was a common phrase on social media memorials. Known as much for his booming laugh as for his intimidating physical presence on the field, Lauaki is survived by his wife, Stephanie, whom he married in Rarotonga in 2014, and two children. Chiefs, All Blacks and Pacific Islanders Veteran The Tongan-born player attended school in Auckland, and after starting his rugby career with the Auckland Blues in 2002, switched to the Waikato Chiefs for the 2004 Super Rugby season. He remained at Waikato until his retirement in 2010, playing a total of 70 Super Rugby matches for the Chiefs. He was also selected for the combined Pacific Islanders team in 2004, an international Test debut that saw him score tries against the All Blacks, the Wallabies and the Springboks. His debut for the All Blacks came in 2005 against Fiji, and from 2005 to 2008, he won 17 caps and scored three Test tries. Second Tragic Rugby Loss in 2017 The loss of Lauaki comes less than a week after the world mourned another rugby great. Legendary South African scrum-half Joost van der Westhuizen succumbed to motor neuron disease in his Pretoria home on February 06. Van der Westhuizen, who scored 38 tries for the Springboks in 89 appearances between 1993 and 2003, was honoured with a public memorial service at Loftus Versfeld on Friday. The iconic Pretoria stadium was the scene of some of the most memorable matches in his 71-game career with the Blue Bulls. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Oakleigh Plate on Blue Diamond Stakes Day in Melbourne attracts lots of bets from New Zealand. We took a look at some of the possible contenders. - Published: 2017-02-14 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/oakleigh-plate-betting-prospects/ Oakleigh Plate on Blue Diamond Stakes Day Australia’s autumn racing has lots to offer New Zealand’s online betting community; for example, February 25 sees Blue Diamond Stakes Day at Melbourne’s Caulfield Racecourse. Apart from the title race, another Group 1 sprint punters should pay attention to is the 1100m Oakleigh Plate, an open handicap with a purse of $500,000. The Oakleigh Plate is also the middle leg of the Melbourne Autumn Carnival Sprint Series Triple Crown; preceded by the Lightning Stakes and followed by the Newmarket Handicap, both run at Flemington. With a long run out the Caulfield chute into a single turn, the Oakeigh Plate can be any horse’s race, independent of barrier draws, so the betting is always exciting. Recent Form on Possible Contenders Trainer Darren Weir has two horses nominated for the 2017 Oakleigh Plate: Thermal Current and Hellbent. Thermal Current is a 6-year-old gelding that has won two of his three starts this year: the W. J. Adams Stakes at Caulfield and the Arbroath Handicap at Flemington, both over 1000m. Early favourite Hellbent, a 4-year-old entire, has three wins and two places from seven starts so far this season. He finished fourth in the Group 2 Schweppes Rubiton Stakes over 1100m at Caulfield last Saturday, but won the Mypunter. Com Handicap there over the same distance in September. Faatinah, Super Cash and Extreme Choice Faatinah, the 4-year-old gelding that finished a disappointing seventh in the W. J. Adams, could also deliver a comeback at the Oakleigh Plate. His last win, in September 2016, was in the 1200m Bobby Lewis Quality Handicap at Flemington. Extreme Choice, a three-year-old colt trained by Nick Price, is nominated in the Oakleigh Plate too; his first race of 2017. In 2015-16, he was entered in six sprints and won four of them. Super Bucks, a 4-year-old mare under trainer Andrew Noblet, could also do well in the Oakleigh: she has won two of her four starts this season, both over 1100m at Caulfield. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > It is almost time for the Ecuador Open, Sofia Open and the Sud De France Open. The list of players has been revealed for this year’s ATP tennis events. - Published: 2017-02-13 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/atp-tour-hits-europe-ecuador/ Three Hot Tennis Tournaments Coming Up This month tennis fans get the second set of ATP 250 tournaments. First off is the Ecuador open starting this weekend. 16 players will be battling it out in the qualifying round for 4 open spots to the main draw. The event will feature a special guest player, Camilo Ponce from Ecuador with another wild card draw to be revealed later. The current player draw features American Alexander Sarkissian, two Brazilian players, Guilherme Clezar and Caio Zampieri, two Colombian players Alejandro Falla and Eduardo Struvayas well as the three Argentinean players, Andrea Collarini, Juan Pablo Paz and Agustín Velotti. Finalists of the Open will receive 6 ATP points while the winner will receive 12 points. The Sofia Open Tennis fans at the Sofia Open are very excited with the imminent start of the Open taking place in Arena Armeec. Three of the best Bulgarian tennis players will be taking part at this year’s Open, doing their country proud. The second round draw will take place on Saturday. The current competitors are world no1 Dominique Thiem, David Goffin, the number 2 ranked player, Grigor Dimitrov currently ranked number 3 in the world. They will also be joined by the defending champion Robert Bautista. Meanwhile preparations for the event are well underway with the special court flooring having been completed in Arena Armeec to make the venue truly a world class tennis court. Preparations have also been completed for the athlete’s hotel stays and gym requirements. The Sud De France Finally the third and final ATP event to kick off in February is the ATP Sud De France in Montpellier. This year’s top seed at the Sud De France is world no7 Martin Cilic. Despite a surprisingly quick exit from Melbourne, he is still the highest seeded player. With two titles last year, Cilic is the firm favourite for the Sud De France. The competition is still very stiff however. Mischa Zverev is currently in fantastic form after his Grand Slam performance being possibly the best of his career so far. This year’s defending champion , Richard Gasquet has confirmed his attendance at Sud De France, he will be joined by Jo-Wilfred Tsonga a world no 14 player and fan favourite. Cilic can potentially break into the top five this year. He enjoys playing on the hard courts on offer at Sud De France and after his US Open win, 16 singles titles and a Grand Slam win, Cilic can potentially take home the gold at the Sud De France. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The New Zealand men’s softball team have defeated Japan in their opening game of the softball Challenge Cup. The Black Sox cruised to a 10-5 victory. - Published: 2017-02-13 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/softball/new-zealand-black-socks-good-japan/ Black Socks Shine at Challenge Cup For the next week, the AWF Stadium at Rosedale Park in New Zealand will play host to five of the top softball teams from around the world. The WBSC-sanctioned 2017 Softball Challenge Cup will act as a precursor to the softball world championship which is scheduled to be held in Canada later this year. Getting their campaign underway, the number 1 ranked New Zealand side, the Black Sox got off to a good start after beating Japan in their opening game. While they are currently ranked number 1 in the world, the Black Sox had to stave off a fiery late comeback from the Japanese side after going up 5-0 in the first five innings. In the first game of the six-nation Cup Tournament, Japan had the edge over Argentina and manged to pull off an impressive win of 6-4 to and settle their nerves. However, their win over Argentina did not seem to boost their performance Against New Zealand. New Zealand Cool Under Pressure Struggling to find their feet against a rampant Black Sox side, the Japanese found themselves 5-0 down after just five innings. After a bit of a regroup, Japan managed to get themselves sorted and level the scores fairly quickly. But the New Zealanders, bolstered by the home crowed were up to the challenge. The Kiwis stepped up to the challenge with Ben Enoka creating a perfect triple, bringing home Jerome Haretuku while Joel Evans managed to bat in Enoka to give New Zealand some breathing room. In the latter stages of the game, Cole Evans who cleared the fence in the second innings, hit a sneaky single to bring home Tom Enoka. On the plate, Josh Harbrow batted in Wayne Laulu giving the Black Sox a decent four-run lead. Completing the run for the New Zealand side was Alfons Oveinikovas who managed to slash off a single to bring in Evans and give New Zealand a clear five-run victory. Speaking to the press, Black Sox coach Mark Sorenson said he was happy with the performance of the tea and the way they worked themselves back into the match after Japan had levelled the scores. He was particularly happy that the New Zealand side had an answer for the Japanese when under pressure. Meanwhile Australia got their campaign off to a good start thumping 12th ranked Samoa with 12 runs to 3. In the second match of the day, Argentina managed to bounce back from their earlier loss to defeat the Czech Republic 4-0. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > This years Fed Cup saw some of the biggest tennis stars sit out. Find out why Venus and Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber gave it a miss. - Published: 2017-02-12 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/fed-cup-no-williams-sisters/ Fed Cup Round 1 Missing Williams Sisters New Zealand’s tennis fans are looking forward to the first round of the 2017 Fed Cup on February 11-12. Some of the top players in women’s tennis will be playing for their national teams, with eight World Group countries competing at four locations around the globe. Punters can also enjoy plenty of betting action in the World Group II matches and promotion/relegation playoffs. The USA is scheduled to meet Germany in the World Group Round 1, at the Royal Lahaina Resort in Maui, Hawaii. Fans planning to put a bet on the American team, however, should be aware that two US stars will not be playing: legendary sisters Serena and Venus Williams, last seem in action against each other in the thrilling Australian Open singles final in January. Serena’s win in that match propelled her to the No. 1 spot in the WTA rankings, so it is her absence that the team will feel most. However, the team will include Australian Open singles semifinalist CoCo Vandeweghe, along with Bethanie Mattek-Sands, Alison Riske and Shelby Rogers. German Team Loses Angelique Kerber The current star of German tennis is Angelique Kerber, who was only recently dethroned from the World No. 1 spot by Serena William’s Australian Open championship win. Sadly for the German team, Kerber cannot make Round 1 of the Fed Cup either, because she is scheduled to start in the Qatar Total Open half a world away, the day after the Hawaiian leg ends. Instead, the German Fed Cup team will include Carina Witthoeft, Andrea Petkovic, Julia Goerges and Laura Siegemund. Siegemund, at World No. 38, is the highest-ranked player on the German roster, so the Germany-USA matches in Hawaii should be hard-fought contests. The other leg of Fed Cup Round 1 that the New Zealand betting community may want to take a punt on, is the clash between defending champions Czech Republic and Spain in Ostrava. With Karolina Pliskova and Barbora Strycova, respectively World Nos. 3 and 17, heading up the Czech stars, it looks like they could be a rewarding team to put money on this weekend. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Colombo, Sri Lanka hosts the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier from February 07-21. New Zealand fans will be keen to assess the competition for June/July. - Published: 2017-02-12 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/2017-icc-womens-world-cup-qualifier/ ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier in 2017 New Zealand’s White Ferns have been contesting the ICC Women’s World Cup, which is a quadrennial international ODI tournament like its Men’s counterpart, since it was first played in 1973. The Ferns have already booked their place in the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup in England over June and July, by virtue of their finish in the Top 4 of the 2014-16 ICC Women’s Championship. The other three teams thus qualified are the West Indies, Australia and hosts England. Despite the Ferns’ assured place in the tournament, however, the New Zealand sports betting community will still have a keen interest in the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier, running from February 07-21 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. There are a few sides among the 10 nations competing that were in the running for qualification last year, so the qualifier will be a good opportunity to assess which of them will pose threats in the lower half of the World Cup Table. Qualifier Group A Sees India Dominate The four nations that finished in the bottom four of the 2014-16 ICC Women’s Championship, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and South Africa, have automatic entry to the qualifier, along with the remaining two teams with international ODI Status, Bangladesh and Ireland. The final four teams are winners of their regional qualifiers: Zimbabwe from Africa, Scotland from Europe, Thailand from Asia and Papua New Guinea from East Asia-Pacific. The ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier in 2017 is divided into two groups, with India, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Zimbabwe and Thailand in Group A. The Indian team will most likely be the strongest, although their Sri Lankan hosts could challenge India’s dominance. Group B Has Pakistan and South Africa In Group B, South Africa has spent the past few weeks adjusting to the sub-continent’s conditions with an ODI series, crushing Bangladesh 4-1. After the team missed World Cup qualification in the 2014-16 ICC Women’s Championship by a hair’s breadth last year, they are doubly motivated to make it through to London in June. But the Pakistan side have been taking their practice camp in Karachi just as seriously, and South Africa is one of their great cricketing rivals, so Group B could be where the epic clashes of the qualifier take place. Bangladesh, Scotland and Papua New Guinea complete the group. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Last week’s Taiwan Open at the Taipei Arena pitted the small island nation against its giant mainland neighbour. Both sides came away with victories. - Published: 2017-02-11 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/taiwan-open-chinas-win/ Taiwan Open Brings Chinas Closer Officially, the People’s Republic of China still regards independent, capitalist Taiwan as a renegade province. That can make diplomacy tricky, as US President Trump discovered after an ill-advised phone call even before his inauguration. Happily, as the 2017 Taiwan Open demonstrated, the two states are at least exploring sporting ties, which is hopefully the first step towards less adversarial relations in general. Both Chinas enjoyed high profiles in this second Taiwan Open, held in the Taipei Arena last week. The PRC’s Peng Shuai, ranked No. 59 on the WTA ladder, would have delighted any New Zealand punters willing to bet on an outsider in the singles tournament. After seeing off unseeded countrywoman Zheng Saisai in the Round of 32, Peng put paid to Czech fifth seed Katerina Siniakova’s hopes in the Round of 16. In the quarterfinal, Peng then despatched Australian Samantha Stosur, No. 2 seed in the tournament. Czech Lucie Safarova, a Wild Card entry in the Main Draw, did well to make it to the semis, knocking out a couple of seeds along the way, but she also fell in due course to Peng. Eventually, however, Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina, the top singles seed, ended the Chinese player’s dream run to take the championship 6-3, 6-2. Taiwan Doubles Stars Retain Title Chinese dominance and the top seeds going all the way were also both themes of the doubles tournament. In the inaugural 2016 Taiwan Open, the doubles championship was won by Chan Hao-ching and Chan Yung-jan, sisters who are tennis heroines in Taiwan. Naturally, the Chans started the 2017 tournament as the top-seeded doubles team. They defeated another Taiwanese team, Wild Cards Hsieh Shu-ying and Hsu Chang-wen, in the first round. The Chan sisters had no problem knocking out Poland’s Magda Linette and Montenegro’s Danka Kovinic in Round 2, and then scored a one-up on the PRC by winning the semis against Liu Chang and Zheng Saisai. The Taiwanese duo weren’t finished, however; they went on to claim a 6-4, 6-2 victory in the final, over the doubles second seeds: Czech Republic’s Lucie Hradecka and Katerina Siniakova. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Lisa Carrington has officially been named sportswoman of the year for 2016. Lisa also claimed the supreme Halberg at the 54th Halberg award ceremony. - Published: 2017-02-11 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/general/lisa-carrington-named-sportswoman-year/ Lisa Carrington Crowned Queen of Sport After being named the 2016 sportswoman of the year, New Zealand gold medal canoeist Lisa Carrington also picked up the prestigious supreme Halberg award at the 54th Annual Halberg Awards. Carrington beat out an extremely strong field at the award ceremony, which again highlighted her contribution to New Zealand sport. At the Rio Olympics in Brazil, Lisa won a gold medal in the K1 200-meter competition and bronze in the K1 500-meter competition. By doing so, she became the first New Zealand female athlete to pick up multiple medals at the Olympics. The 27-year-old canoeist now becomes the third woman to win the top Halberg award in the past decade. She takes her place alongside Lydia Ko who won in 2013 and Valerie Adams who won in 2009. Mahe Drysdale Named Sportsman of the Year The award for the sportsman of the year went to Mahe Drysdale for his triumphant rowing efforts at the Rio Olympics. The team of the year went the sailing due Peter Burling and Blair Tuke who managed to beat out the dynamic rowing pair of Hamish Bond and Eric Murray. Unsurprisingly, coach of the year went to Gordon Walker who was instrumental in orchestrating Carrington’s rise to glory. Walker beat out Steve Hansen and Hamish Wilcox as well as Jeremy McColl for the top award. Disabled sportsperson of the year went to Liam Malone who won a silver and two gold medals at the Rio Paralympics. Malone took home the award beating out Anna Grimaldi, Mary Fisher and Sophie Pascoe in the hotly contested category. Other awards on the night included the Emerging Talent award which went to Campbell Steward for cycling and the Leadership Award which was handed to Sophie Pascoe for her Para-swimming efforts. Swimmer Myra Larcombe picked up the Lifetime Achievement award. While all the athletes deserved the honour bestowed upon them, all eyes were focused on Lisa Carrington who picked up the Halberg top award. While Carrington was certainly the favourite for the K1 200-meter event in Rio, she was in completely uncharted waters when it came to the longer format. But despite facing a strong field and a longer race, Carrington managed to bring home Bronze, and claiming her second medal at the Games. Speaking to the press, coach Gordon Walker said that it was pure determine that got her home. 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Immediately after the Fed Cup round, from February 13-19, the Qatar Total Open takes place in Doha’s Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex. Since its inception in 2001 as the Qatar Ladies Open, the Qatar Total Open has showcased the growing interest in women’s tennis in the emirate, as well as revealing the tournament possibilities of Doha’s state-of-the-art stadium to a huge global audience. Kiwi betting fans will also appreciate the strong field the tournament has attracted this year. Of the 32 women in the 2017 singles draw, no less than seven are ranked in the WTA Top 10, including current World No. 1, Angelique Kerber. Ironically, it is Kerber’s commitment to the Qatar Total Open that has made her unavailable for the German team in the first round of the Fed Cup, which ends on February 12. Even though the time difference means she could conceivably have made it from Hawaii to Qatar in time for the start of the Doha tournament, jet-lag would have left her at a considerable disadvantage. Other Likely Contenders for the Prize Money Kerber might be the top seed in Doha, but she faces stiff opposition from World No. 3, Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska, as well as Czech Karolina Pliskova, Slovakia’s Dominika Cibulkova, and Spaniard Garbine Muguruza: World Nos. 5, 6, and 7, respectively. Briton Johanna Konta, World No. 9, and Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova, No. 10, are seeded sixth and seventh. The 2016 Qatar Open Champion, Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro, is expected to return to defend her title. Currently World No. 12, Navarro’s motivation will no doubt be further whetted by the chance to join the ranks of the only three other women to win the Qatar Total Open twice: Belarus’s Victoria Azarenka, and Russians Maria Sharapova and Anastasia Myskina. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Lightning Stakes is all set to go in February with great horses and riders confirmed to take part. The event will not feature defending champ Chautauqua. - Published: 2017-02-10 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/lightning-stakes-ready-strike/ Top Riders Saddling For Lightning Stakes With the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes fast approaching, many much anticipated racers have confirmed their attendance. One of which is Illustrious Lad with his trainer Peter Gelagotis. Illustrious Lad has had a very strong performance so far, never finishing worse than 2nd in 4 black type starts during the Spring Carnival. One of his best wins so far was a fantastic almost 2 length victory at the Salinger Stakes. Many eyes are on the duo of trainer and stallion as there may very well be a very bright future for Illustrious Lad if he manages to keep up his form. His trainer is very excited to unleash him at the Lightning Stakes after he has had a rest period and he feels his form is very impressive. The horse is currently trailing as a preparation for the Stakes, but Peter is eyeing to place Illustrious Lad in the Group1 event for the Newmarket Handicap. This however will depend on the performance at the Lightning Stakes. New Rider For Spieth Meanwhile a new jockey has been announced to take the reins of Spieth at the Lightning Stakes, none other than Hugh Bowman. Their first race together will take place at this year’s Stakes. Spieth’s trainer, Bruce Heys, has stated that he is very proud to be working with Bowman. He was very impressed with his performance in the Spring Carnival, especially after his second place in the Darley Classic on Fell Swoop. Not showing at the Lightning Stakes this year will be the celebrated Chautauqua. It is a great loss for many fans that the current reigning champion will not be there to defend his title. Unfortunately the racer already has commitments for the Rubiton Stakes that starts shortly before the Lightning Stakes is scheduled. Managing owner, Rupert Leigh is planning to take Chautauqua to the Newmarket Handicap after the Rubiton depending on the handicap picked up. From here they will be entering the TJ Smith stakes for the third year in a row. They also wish to fit in two more events before June. Firstly they want to return to Hong Kong where Chautauqua will be defending his Chairman’s Sprint title and from there a tilt at Royal Ascot. Fans are now sitting back and waiting patiently until the 15th of February. This is when the Lightning Stakes barrier and field draw is set to be completed and announced by noon. 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The victory at Seddon Park and Eden Park took New Zealand to a record 26 wins from 30 ODI since the start of 2015. This has been the best run for New Zealand since the team played their very first ODI against Pakistan in 1973. To put this into perspective, the second highest successful ODI run for New Zealand was over a 10-year period between 1976 and 1986. During this time, the team won a total of 18 matches out of 22 played. While the numbers certainly show how the sport has grown in today’s sports centric society, it does give one pause for thought. This latest run for New Zealand includes the Black Caps successful march to the 2015 World Cup Final. What this all means is that New Zealand have become a formidable team on home soil. New Zealand a Formidable Team at Home New Zealand’s latest success is particularly welcoming against Australia who hammered the Black Caps 3-0 in December. While it may have helped having Dave Warner and Steve Smith missing from the line-up, it should be noted that the Australians did give the Black Caps a run for their money. This was plainly evident when Marcus Stoinis stepped up to bat at Eden Park. Scoring a sensational century, the young Australian batsman took New Zealand right to the edge. While the series win certainly meant a lot for the players, Coach Mike Hesson spoke openly to the press. He explained that the win was important to everyone in the New Zealand side. He said that he was delighted in how the team fought back when they were under pressure and they deserved to bring the trophy back to New Zealand. In test cricket, New Zealand has also shown dominance at home. The team have won a total of 7 out of 9 tests since the start of 2015. Their win record includes wins over Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. The two losses have both been to Australia. In T20 cricket, New Zealand are ranked at number 1 in the world Their T20 record since the start of 2015 includes 7 wins and a single loss against Pakistan. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The New Zealand woman’s netball side has pulled off one of the biggest wins in the quad series. The Silver ferns beat South Africa 79 points to 39. - Published: 2017-02-09 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/netball/silver-ferns-outclass-proteas-london/ Silver Ferns Outclass South Africa The New Zealand woman’s Netball side, the Silver Ferns have completed two of the biggest wins in their current Quad series. The Ferns rounded off their Quad series with a massive 31-point victory over the scrappy South African side in London. Their latest win followed hotly on the heels of anther truly impressive performance against England, which saw them thrashing the Brits by 24 goals one week earlier. But despite their impressive results, the Ferns look back with frustration at the start of the series, morning their loss to Australia now more than ever. While the New Zealand side did everything they could to give themselves a chance to make the finals, it almost looked like England was going to help them out. In a match against Australia, it looked as if the Brits were going to pull off a surprising win against the Aussies but it was not to be. The Diamonds managed to just edge ahead of the home team with a nail-biting 47-46 victory. England Take Australia to the Edge The match against Australia was the most excitement we had seen from the English Roses since the start of the competition. After needing extra time to defeat the flailing South Africans, England were then hammered by New Zealand only to face an even more determined Australian Side. Meanwhile the Ferns had been expecting a bit more of a fight from South Africa who has been on the rise since former Australian Coach Norma Plummer joined the side. The South Africans pushed hard in the opening period, giving New Zealand pause for though. The fiery Proteas came up with some good defence while the Fern struggled to find their own rhythm. At the first break, three goals separated the sides with Selby-Rickit and Te Paea making up the difference. In the second half, the Ferns found their feet and kept the South Africans at bay for the remainder of the game. As the match wore on, New Zealand became more and more dominant, taking advantage of a tiring South African side that showed signs of frustration and fatigue. In the end the Ferns proved too powerful for the Proteas and executed another massive win beating the girls in green by 79 points to 39. Despite their impressive win margin, the girls still believe that there are areas which needed work which was highlighted by the unforced errors in the first half. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The annual Auckland Nines produced two new rugby league champions last weekend. Sadly for New Zealand fans, however, both the winners are Australian. - Published: 2017-02-08 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/auckland-nines-two-surprise-wins/ 2017 Auckland Nines Has Two New Champs Saturday and Sunday brought the Auckland Nines competition to New Zealand’s rugby league punters for the fourth year in a row. As a fairly new competition, every year brings a new set of firsts for the record books, and this year was no exception. Australian fans must have been excited to see their NRL Women’s team, the Australian Jillaroos, in their three-match clash against the Kiwi Ferns. Women’s rugby league was added to the competition in 2015, and the Ferns have won the series 2-1 two years on the trot. This year, however, the Jillaroos denied us the hat-trick, winning the women’s series with a three-game whitewash. With Auckland’s New Zealand Warriors the sole Kiwi club side facing off against 15 Australian teams, however, the bulk of betting fans’ attention was focused on the men’s tournament. The Warriors, who finished runners-up to the Parramatta Eels in the final last year, went into the 2017 Auckland Nines as the tournament favourites. Roosters Surprise Betting Fans and Bookies Before the 2017 tournament began, bookmakers seemed sure that the Warriors, at $4. 50, would make it to the semis, at least. The teams expected to join them were the North Queensland Cowboys, the Eels and the Gold Coast Titans, all priced at $10. 00 or less. However, it was a year to bet on the outsiders. In a bitter disappointment for New Zealand fans, the Warriors did not even make the quarterfinals, losing all three of their matches and finishing at the bottom of the Piha Pool. The Eels did manage to see off the Titans in the quarterfinals, but then fell to the Penrith Panthers in the semis. The Cowboys lost their quarterfinal against the Melbourne Storm, who were then overpowered by the Sydney Roosters in the semis. The final was a closely fought game between two well-matched teams, with the Roosters eventually sealing a 10-8 victory over the Panthers. With bookies offering $21 on both Sydney sides for a tournament win, the Roosters’ first championship title in the Auckland Nines must have pleased those who bet on them no end. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > This year’s Oakleigh plate is set to feature great horses by trainer Darren Weir but we may miss out on Flamberge returning to the Oakleigh Plate. - Published: 2017-02-08 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/weir-places-hopes-trinity/ Weir With Triple Threat At Oakleigh Plate Trainer Darren Weir has big plans for his three stable stars, Hellbent, El Divino and his outsider Flamberge. He makes efforts to downplay the hopes pinned on these three horses but with the race listings already making Hellbent a favourite with El Divino nipping at his heels, it seems that he may be trying to lower expectations. Weir seems to favour the prospects of Hellbent who has great sprinting potential if earlier performances are anything to go by. Weir went on to say that Hellbent has an amazing turn of foot, but what he really wants to see at the Oakleigh plate is Hellbent hitting the racing line. Weir has stated that the horses are calm and in good shape and that the Oakleigh plate will be a great start for them. El Divino is a three year old that has had strong showings since the start of his racing career at the Tulloch Lodge. He the first two starts last Autumn but then had a string of three unplaced races during spring. Weir has said that there is still a lot of improvement ahead for El Divino, especially since he has a distinguished lineage that sired him. He is the half brother of the champion mare Winx. In preparation, El Divino has had three months of training at the Warrnambool beach. Flamberge on the other hand comes off a win in the Oakleigh Plate and William Reid Stakes of last year. The Return Of Flamberge Flamberge is not expected to defend the Oakleigh Plate title this year but it seems this is very much dependant on his performance at the Kensington Stakes. Competition for Weir will be coming from many angles, notably from Troy Corsten and his two racers Faatinah and stable mate Sheidel. Sheidel is coming off a narrow Group 1 race at the Winterbottom Stakes. Sheidel will be taking part in the Caulfield Cup before the Oakleigh Plate and her trainer is confident in a strong performance. Team Snowden will also be snapping at Weir’s heels with Pariah and Defcon both potentially competing in the Oakleigh Plate. They will be starting off the year at the Blue Diamond Stakes and the Rubiton Stakes respectively before they go through to the Oakleigh Plate. Fans are already very excited for this year’s Plate event with such a fine pedigree of horses taking part. Weir’s trio is definitely a favourite, especially Hellbent and El Divino who are the ones who need to really prove themselves this year. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The New England Patriots pulled off the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history to beat the Atlanta Falcons 34 points to 28 in the 2017 Super Bowl Final - Published: 2017-02-07 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/new-england-patriots-win-2017-super-bowl-final/ Patriots Win Super Bowl LI The Super Bowl LI promised to be an exciting matchup between two of the toughest teams in the league. However, by the third quarter it looked like the Patriots were well and truly beaten. In order to restore some balance to the game, the New England Patriots needed to execute the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history; and that is exactly what they did. Demolishing a massive lead built up by the Atlanta Falcons, Tom Brady lead his team to a sensational win that took the game to the first ever Super Bowl overtime. The Falcons who had dominated throughout the game, led by 28 points to 3 in the third quarter. The Falcons defence was so solid; they did not give up a single touchdown until 18 minutes were left on the clock in regulation time. When the Patriots offence finally did come to life, they were unstoppable. The Falcons fumbled with the new found energy and committed a turnover to hand the Patriots a chance to even things out. In the fourth quarter, a sensational catch by Julian Edelman put the Patriots on level scoring with the Falcons with just two minutes left on the clock. The First Ever Super Bowl Overtime With the touchdown in place, the Patriots managed to force the first ever overtime in Super Bowl history. After winning the coin toss, the New England team fired out of the gates, never even giving the Falcons a sniff of the ball. Tom Brady, who had pulled his team from the dregs of despair, orchestrated a massive eight plays, seventy-yard drive, putting them on the doorstep of victory. The long drive effectively ended the game when White ploughed his way through the Falcons to score the winning touchdown. This is the New England Patriots fifth Super Bowl victory during the Bill Belichick / Tom Brady era. The Super Bowl LI was widely considered to be a direct matchup between two of the top scoring offence players in the league. Matt Ryan, the NFL MVP was pitted against three-time Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady. With another win under their belt, the Patriots are already being billed as the team with the greatest dominance of any NFL team in history. The Super Bowl LI saw Brady pick up his fourth MVP and become the first quarterback to win the final five times. Coach Belichick also racked up a few honours; surpassing Chuck Noll as the only coach with five Super Bowl Final wins. --- > The William Reid Stakes will feature top competitors from Darren Weir as well as Peter Gelagotis. Fans are in for an exciting and great event this year. - Published: 2017-02-07 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/trainers-fans-await-william-reid/ William Reid Stakes Ready For Weir Famed trainer Darren Weir already has four horses entered into the autumn races which include the William Reid Stakes. These horses are the winners of group 1, Flamberge, Black Heart Bart, Palentino and El Divino. Amongst his ranks, Weir already has a champ with Flamberge who won last year’s William Reid Stakes event. El Divino himself is the half brother of racing legend Winx. With such a pedigree it is no wonder that there are a lot of expectations placed on Weir’s stable. This will be the first year that Flamberge will be racing with Weir after training with Peter Moody. Flamberge will be carrying over 60kgs this coming Saturday before the William Reid Stakes. Flamberge, Hellbent and El Divino are the participants in Saturday’s Kensington Stakes event. Black Heart Bart And Palentino are up and coming racers for Weir. These two took part in a barrier Trial in Camperdown which greatly pleased Weir. After he witnessed their performance he confirmed their appearance at the Australian Stakes, also known as the William Reid Stakes. Flamberge is not the only horse in Weir’s stable that has been trained by other people. El Divino was originally trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bolt. It will be EL Divino’s first performance for Weir. He has spent some time training El Divino in preparation for the autumn races. Gelagotis And His Duo Trainer Peter Gelagotis will be running two horses for the Australia Stakes, Malaguerra and Mourinho. These two racers do not have much faith from fans. This will be Malaguerra’s first performance after only finishing 5th in the WInterbottom Stakes in November last year. Mourinho has competed even further back, with his last event run eleven months ago. Other William Reid entrants include Churchill Dancer and Kay Jay’s Joy from the Lindsey Park stables. Another team of horses to keep an eye on is Chetwood and Peacock, two horses owned by John O’Shea. So far trainer Mick Price is yet to confirm which of his promising horses, if any, will be taking part in the William Reid Stakes. So far there has been no news of his standout horses, Flying Artie and Extreme Choice making an appearance at the William Reid Stakes. According to Price they have physically developed a lot during their spring break and he is confident ion their upcoming performances this year at both local and international events. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand’s horseracing fans shouldn’t miss the Lightning Stakes in Melbourne on February 18. Australia’s top sprint now comes with extra diversity. - Published: 2017-02-06 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/lightning-stakes-draw-punters/ Lightning Stakes 2017 Celebrates Melbourne Diversity Black Caviar, The Great Horse Raceday, to be held for the first time at Flemington during February’s Lightning Stakes Week, has a threefold aim. It demonstrates Victoria Racing Club’s commitment to Melbourne’s ethnic and cultural diversity, it acknowledges and honours the growing number of punters of Asian ancestry enjoying the fun at Flemington, and last but certainly not least, it celebrates a legendary great horse. After champion mare Black Caviar took the Lightning Stakes hat-trick in 2011, 2012 and 2013, the race was renamed the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes in her honour. It remains Australia’s most exciting sprint, in the opinion of many New Zealand online betting enthusiasts: a 1,000m flat-out charge down the Flemington straight, for a purse of $750,000. The Group 1 weight-for-age handicap is the first of two Australian legs in the annual Global Sprint Challenge, and also the first race in Australia’s Group 1 Autumn Sprint Carnival, which continues with the famed Newmarket Handicap at Flemington in March, and concludes with April’s TJ Smith Stakes in Sydney. Between them, they represent a golden opportunity to determine Australia’s best thoroughbred sprinters each year, while giving the international online sports betting community plenty of action to wager on. Some Early Nominees to Consider It is too early to know the 2017 Lightning Stakes field with any certainty, but indications are that the 2016 winner, 6-year-old gelding Chautauqua, is set to defend all three of the sprint crowns he took last year. After the Flemington race, he is booked for the TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick in March, and the Chairman’s Sprint Prize in Hong Kong in May. If Chatauqua stays in the Lightning Stakes field, he should be among the favourites. But he could see a strong challenge from Flying Artie, the colt that took two big wins in October. Trainer Mick Price believes the 3-year-old can take the Sprint Carnival treble, winning the Lightning Stakes, the Newmarket Handicap and the TJ Smith Stakes this year. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Golfer Justin Thomas has announced that he will be competing at the Honda Classic. He will be joined by Tiger Woods, Adam Scott and many others. - Published: 2017-02-06 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/thomas-take-part-classic/ Thomas Confirms Honda Classic Attendance Justin Thomas widely regarded as one of the hottest golfers to watch this year has officially announced that he will be competing in the 2017 Honda Classic. He is joined by a host of other golfing stars like Tiger Woods along with every PGA player on the Treasure Coast as this year’s event will be taking place again at the PGA National Resort and Spa. Fans are equally excited to see the fantastic Rickie Fowler and Rory McIlroy and of course the much anticipated return of current reigning champion Adam Scott. Thomas is currently ranked the world no 8 player on the world golf rankings, but he is currently the Fed Ex Cup points leader with a 1614 total score so far. He rounded off 2016 with back to back titles won in Hawaii and has started January 2017 with reported earnings of over $3 000 000 in this month alone. Additionally he holds a PGA record after he had a final score of 253 in the 72 hole Sony Open. Thomas has confirmed that he has been in exceptional form at this point in his career and he wishes that he plays every week as well as he has in his last few performances. The Honda Classic Lives On The Honda Classic certainly seems to be going from strength to strength recently. It is becoming the premier golfing event in Florida after the withdrawal of the Doral event. This was following the PGA’s falling out with Donald Trump who was the owner of the host resort. The event has been moved to a new host venue in Mexico. This of course has left the field wide open for the Honda Classic to move in. It is hard to image that the Classic is already in its twentieth year. No one could have predicted that it would outlast such a fixture as Doral. The Classic will also draw additional crowds this year who will be heading into West Palm Beach for the Houston Astros playing against the Washington Nationals at the newly developed spring training complex. Another big draw will also be the return of Tiger Woods. He has been out of the professional game for 15 months after injuries forced him to first recover. Prior to the Classic, he will be taking part in a strenuous 5 weeks of golfing. He will be taking part in the Farmer’s Insurance open and the European Tour in Dubai amongst others, having many people questioning how fit he will be to perform at his best in the Classic. 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The Next Generation This year features over 1300 new yearlings that will be sold to the highest bidder. They are divided up into three sales sessions and the buyers are from all over the world. New Zealand has a long tradition of fine racing stock and international buyers know this. That is why each year the flock to Karaka for a chance to buy or even just see the fine stock on offer from New Zealand’s top breeders. The event was officially opened by Prime Minister Bill English on Monday. Waikato Stud Leading The Pack For yet another year in the row, Waikato Stud has had immense interest in their stud selection. They have fast gained a reputation for fantastic stock. They have won the accolade of Leading Vendor three years in a row now and this year seems to be no exception of pre-sales interests alone is taken into account. The principal of the event, Mark Chittick said that the run up to the event has been very stressful with the tough timelines and complex logistics involved, but at the moment he is simply waiting for sales to officially open. He said that this time they have now is to focus on the main reason they are there in the first place: To present and hopefully sell the next prospective racing champion. They have 90 horses that will be on sale and almost all of them are owned by the stud so they will definitely hope to sell all of the fine horses. To further sweeten the pot, this year’s yearling will be the final stock fathered by the late horse, O’Reilly, who was not just essentially as a breeder, but his championship-p wins also played a key role in the creation of Waikato Stud. When asked which of the stock is the best, Chittick is loath to answer, but did single out the Savabeel filly, Daffodil. She is already a multi group 1 winner. Meanwhile, Cambridge Stud, run by Patrick Hogan is trying to reclaim their title as the lead vendor. They had previously held the honour for 31 consecutive years. Hogan also does not wish to pick any of their stock this year as exceptional by themselves but he did mention that Superefficient and Diamond Like will be horses to watch in the coming years. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Ireland captain, Laura Delany knows that the squad is ready. She thinks the team can make it past the qualifier in Sri Lanka if they focus on their strengths. - Published: 2017-02-05 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/ireland-womens-cricket-team-icc-ready/ Ireland Ready For World Cup Qualifier Laura Delany, captain of Ireland’s women’s cricket team has revealed the team’s strategy for the ICC World Cup. They will be heading to Sri Lanka soon to compete for a position in the finals. She will be fighting for one of the open spots to get Ireland into the finals. Australia, New Zealand, West Indies and England have so far already qualified for the finals which mean there are only 4 more spots to fill. The competition in Sri Lanka will be fierce as it will be the final push by all teams to make it into the World Cup. Delany has said that they will be focusing on certain teams that they have had a strong showing against in previous matches. In the summer the Irish team had defeated both South Africa and Bangladesh twice each. Delany said what made these matches a win for Ireland is the fact that they approached the game with a clear mindset. They used their batters and bowlers to the best of their abilities. Batters created productive partnerships and the bowlers remained focussed throughout the matches leading to victories. Youth And Experience She went on further to say that the current team has youth as well as experience on their side. Many of the players in the current team line up used the off season to play in Australia where they further honed their skills and built up some more experience. This combined with their victories last year has made the squad confident in their skills and abilities. Preparation For Sri Lanka In further preparation many of the squad members travelled to Spain where they trained at the La Manga facilities. The whole squad has been in Sri Lanka since the 24th to train as preparation for the qualifier. The team is planning some warm up matches against Scotland and Bangladesh. This will be absolutely essential for Ireland since the last time they played together as a team was in September last year. Hopes are high for this Irish squad as they certainly have put the work in to make it through the qualifiers. Unfortunately they will be facing hungry and talented competition in Sri Lanka, putting their skill and hard work to the test. They will be facing India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and South Africa in the qualifiers. They will face additional challenges form the climate which is why the training camp was in Spain and why they arrived in Sri Lanka early. 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While the Bulls have been in the spotlight over major organisational issues over the past week, the team showed no sign of the chaos behind the scenes, crushing the Thunder 128 points to 100. On the back of a solid win against the Philadelphia 76ers, the Bulls continued their impressive performance, making light work of the Thunder’s highly ranked defence. The Bulls managed to shoot an impressive 60% from the field improving their stats to 4-2 over a six game period and 25-25 for the year so far. For the Bulls, it was Jimmy Butler who top scored with 28 points with stats of 11 of 17. This included 5 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 steals. Not Even Westbrook Could Help the Thunder On the other side of the court, the Thunder shot 38% from the field and a total of 27% from the three-point range. Missing their second unit anchor, the Thunder were completely outscored in the paint. For the Thunder, things started to go wrong towards the end of the first half. The Bulls pulled of a 7-0 run inside the last minute. This gave them the advantage heading into the locker room. When the second half got underway, it seemed the Bulls were just warming up. The Bulls then began a full on avalanche attack on the Thunder defence. The third quarter saw the Bulls open on a 17-4 run, increasing their already sizable lead. The Bulls then racked up another 39 points to take a full 21-point lead into the fourth quarter. While the Thunder still had a bit of fire left, the deficit was just too big for the team to come back from. As it stands, Oklahoma City has lost three games straight. On the court, the team looks a little lost without NBA star Enes Kanter in to support Westbrook. The Thunder need to get their issues sorted out before facing off against the powerful Memphis Grizzlies on Friday who are well known for their stingy defence. The Thunder then go on to face the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday. Meanwhile the Bulls will look to keep their momentum facing off against the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors in upcoming games. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > With day one just around the corner, the Qatar Total Open is ready to receive its 32 single players and its 16 doubles teams. Angelique Kerber is the no1 seed. - Published: 2017-02-04 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/stars-ready-qatar-total-open/ Tennis Stars Line Up For Qatar Total Open This year marks the 15th annual Qatar Total Open. This year sees 7 of the top ten woman’s tennis stars taking part in this prestigious WTA event. Carla Suarez Navarro will be returning to the Open to defend her title. If she can pull out another victory, the Spanish star will be joining an elite group of former two time champions that includes Victoria Azarenka, Maria Sharapova and Anastasia Myskina. There will be 32 single players and 16 doubles teams that will be competing at the Open. The players will be competing in a six day tournament to snag the $776,000 in prize money up for grabs. Tournament director, Saad Al Mohannadi stated that it is a great privilege for Qatar to host the Open for another year. He said that Qatar has established itself as a home for tennis and this year’s open is set to be even better in all aspects than previous events. The Top Contenders Most fans will be checking out the top 5 seeds appearing this year to challenge Navarro. Angelique Kerber, Garbine Muguruza, Agnieszka Radwanska, Karolina Pliskova and Dominika Cibulkova will be competing for the prize money and Open trophy this year. Kerber probably has the most to prove this year after a poor finish to 2016. She had a surprise defeat in the Zheng SaiSai. This follows her defeat by Serene Williams in the Australian Open. She fell out of the 2017 Australian Open in round 16 so Qatar will be her proving ground for the rest of 2017. Muguruza who has at 23 already won three titles in single play, including a massive upset against Venus Williams for the 2016 French Open title. This victory alone will have many fans putting their hopes on this young athlete. Radwanska is the number 2 seed for the Open is looking to win her first title of the year. Pliskova, currently ranked no 3 in the world brings the experience of five doubles titles and six singles titles to the Open. She is currently carrying a number 4 seed for the Open. Finally the aggressive player, Karolina Pliskova brings another challenge to the Open. With an impressive 8 WTA singles and 2 ITF titles under her belt, she will be another player to watch this year. She is ranked number 3 at the Open. She finished 2016 with the WTA finals title which made her the fourth player ever to win the title on her debut at the event. 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Myers is now closing on 500 wins in New Zealand alone. Her list of achievements includes winning the Brisbane Cup as well as earning international acclaim for her ride on Benzini in the Hong Kong Vase. Off the track it seems, more history was being made. For one lucky punter, Thee Auld Floozie's first group 1 win was overshadowed by sheer scale of the payout made from a Pick Six bet. According to a TAP spokesman, the Pick Six dividend of $197,010. 80 was won by a single ticket at Trentham. TAB did not release the details of how much was spent on the ticket or how many selections were made overall. Lucky Number 13 It may have been coincidence or it may have been destiny, but in any case, the number 13 was instrumental in the massive Pick Six win. On Saturday, Thee Auld Floozie was wearing the number 13 saddle cloth along with Heisenberg, the winner of the sixth and final leg. Early on in the day, hundreds of units dropped out of the running as not a single favourite succeeded in winning any of the six legs. It seemed that it was an outsiders betting day with punters throwing their hands up in despair as favourite after favourite dropped out. The first leg at Trentham was won by Dream Dancer at odds of $4. 50. In second was Captain Lincoln at odds of $8. 90 followed by Nicoletta ($10. 60), then Lucyinrio ($6. 40) and Thee Auld Floozie sitting at odds of $10. 50. While Saturday’s Pick Six winner was certainly the biggest, it was by no means the only good bet. One astute punter won at total of $1,780. 00 betting $10 on Thee Auld Floozie and $35. 00 on Melody Belle. The biggest multi winner for the racing weekend belonged to one punter who managed to combine four runners at the Palmerston North Greyhounds with the Woodville gallops winner. A small investment of $50 pulled in a return of $7,695. 00; not bad work for one weekend. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The AFL 2017 Toyota Premiership promises prime-time action on Thursday and Friday nights. Here are some highlights punters can expect in the first round. - Published: 2017-02-03 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/afl-2017-toyota-premiership-top-tv/ Punters Await March AFL 2017 Toyota Premiership With the AFL pre-season due to start in February, New Zealand’s online sports betting fans will be turning their eyes across the Tasman for the thrills of sprawling, supercharged Aussie Rules action. The AFL 2017 Toyota Premiership season proper starts with Round 1 from Thursday, March 23 to Sunday, March 26. All 18 teams in the tournament will play in the opening round, with byes only starting in Round 9. Thursday and Friday nights are prime-time viewing, so those slots on the match schedule are always coveted. Top viewership draw-cards the Western Bulldogs and Sydney Swans, respectively the Grand Final champions and runners-up in the 2016 Premiership, share a wealth of these slots between them. The Dogs will play seven Friday night games and the Swans eight, while the Swans get two Thursday night encounters and the Dogs one. Opening Games that Are Certain to Spark The opening game of the AFL 2017 Toyota Premiership, between the Carlton Blues and the Richmond Tigers at the MCG on Thursday, March 23, ought to be a humdinger. The two Melbourne sides are historic rivals, so we can expect a packed MCG and flat-out footie. On Friday night, the MCG ought to be chock-a-block again, for another derby between defending champs the Bulldogs and the Collingwood Magpies, the NFL club with the biggest fan base in Australia. New Zealand punters will also want to catch three matches on Saturday night, March 25. The MCG is again a safe bet for intense Melbourne rivalry, with Hawthorn Hawks stars like Jaeger O’Meara and Tom Mitchell facing off against the Essendon Bombers’ Cale Hooker, Jobe Watson and other stalwarts, assuming they are all fit. The Carrara, Queensland match at Metricon Stadium will also be worth a punt on Saturday night, with the Gold Coast Suns/Brisbane Lions contestation spiced up by the defection of Pearce Hanley from the Lions to the Suns at the end of the 2016 season. The Saturday afternoon contest punters may want to consider, as a curiosity if nothing else, is the Etihad Stadium match between St Kilda and the Melbourne Demons. The Saints have their last won 14 encounters on the trot: can the Demons finally break the curse? TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The ABN AMRO World Tennis and Memphis Open continue the tennis action in February. New Zealand betting fans have two indoor tournaments to choose from. - Published: 2017-02-02 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/abn-amro-world-tennis-memphis-open/ ABN AMRO World Tennis, Indoor Hardcourt Action With the 2017 Australian Open done and dusted, two indoor hardcourt tournaments, from February 13-19, will deliver ATP World Tour 500 Series action. The USA and the Netherlands host competitions featuring some top-ranked ATP players. The Netherlands sees the Rotterdam Open, known under its current sponsors as the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament, at the Ahoy Rotterdam centre. This competition, in existence since 1972, will be the one punters focus on, with a number of players in the ATP Top 15 signed up. Top seed is Swiss World No. 4 Stan Wawrinka, keen to erase the memory of his Australian Open semifinal defeat to fellow Swiss Roger Federer. But Rafael Nadal, now at No. 9, went down to Federer in an even harder-fought Melbourne final, so he has just as much incentive as Wawrinka to leave everything on the court in Rotterdam. World No. 13, Australia’s Nick Kyrgios was bounced from the Australian Open in Round 2, so punters shouldn’t underestimate his hunger for revenge either. Austrian Dominic Thiem at No. 8, plus the respective World Nos. 10-12, Czech Tomas Berdych, Belgian David Goffin, and France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, will also be tough to beat. Memphis Open Field Promises Competitive Tournament Too The Racquet Club of Memphis hosts the Memphis Open at the same time, so it won’t feature the same range of Top 15 talent as Rotterdam will. But it attracts a following as the only indoor hardcourt ATP tournament in the USA, and while its field won’t be as accomplished as the ABN AMRO, it has enough evenly matched nominees to make for some worthwhile betting. Top seed is the USA’s John Isner, World No. 19 who was also bundled out of the Australian Open in Round 2. Croatian Ivo Karlovic, No. 21, made it to the third round in Melbourne. But it was his record 75 Aces, which took him to victory in a marathon five-set first round match against Horacio Zeballos, that will make punters sit up and take notice. Isner certainly can’t afford to discount the second seed. The Australian Open also saw local star Bernard Tomic make the third round, along with American Sam Querrey, whose countryman Steve Johnson made it to Round 2. All three will be playing in the Tennessee tournament, and any one could create an upset. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Johnathan Thurston has been offered the captaincy of the North Queensland Cowboys for the Auckland Nines tournament. He makes his debut this weekend. - Published: 2017-02-02 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/johnathan-thurston-join-cowboys-nrl-nines/ Johnathan Thurston Confirmed for Cowboys Auckland Nines Johnathan Thurston will make his Auckland Nines debut playing for the North Queensland Cowboys this weekend. After missing out on the first three Auckland campaigns, Thurston will finally get his chance to show off his talent at Eden Park. He will share the captaincy with Gavin Cooper, the imposing Queensland backrower and spearhead a strong squad including some familiar names. Joining the Cowboys for the Auckland Nines is Jason Taumalolo, the talented Dally M Medallist along with Kangaroos Michael Morgan, Kyle Feldt, Justin O’Neill and rising NRL star Kalyn Ponga. The new recruits including former Melbourne playmaker Ben Hampton along with ex-Titan’s backrower Shane Wright. Ethan Low will also be joining the squad in the back row after a successful recovery from a spinal injury in 2016. Benji Marshall Makes his Debut for Brisbane Broncos The Cowboys are scheduled to fly to Auckland on Wednesday. They start off their campaign with pool games against Canberra, the Sydney Roosters and South Sydney. Meanwhile former Kiwi skipper Benji Marshall will make his debut playing for the Brisbane Broncos. Marshall will be joined by controversial flyer James Roberts who made headlines recently facing allegations of assaulting a Gold Coast nightclub patron. Roberts was picked up shortly after the NRL integrity unit was unable to obtain video footage of the alleged incident. While the matter is still open, the integrity unity said that they would take no action against the athlete at this point in time. The Broncos Nines squad will be captained by front runner Darius Boyd. He will be joined by hooker Andrew McCullough, Anthony Milford and Corey Oates. The Broncos have also included a few New Zealand internationals including Adam Blair, Jordan Kahu and Australian Kangaroos Matt Gillet. Talented youngsters who showed exceptional pre-season play will join the squad including Frank Molo, Gerome Burns, Alex Barr, Mitch Cronin, Sam Lavea and Matiu Love-Henry. The full Broncos' Nines squad is as follows: Darius Boyd, Matt Gillett, Jordan Kahu, Sam Lavea, Benji Marshall, Gehamat Shibasaki, Francis Molo, Anthony Milford, James Roberts, Jonus Pearson, Adam Blair, Matiu Love-Henry, Mitch Cronin, Gerome Burns, Andrew McCullough, Jaydn Su'A, Corey Oates and Alex Barr. The squad for the North Queensland Cowboys includes: Gavin Cooper (capt), Johnathan Thurston, Jason Taumalolo, Kalyn Ponga, Javid Bowen, Kyle Feldt, Ben Hampton, Shaun Hudson, Michael Morgan, Shane Wright, Gideon Gela-Mosby, Jake Granville, Corey Jensen, Ethan Lowe, Justin O'Neill, Kane Linnett, Coen Hess and John Asiata. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The New Zealand cricket team overcame amazing odds and a thrilling Marcus Stoinis knock to claim the Chappell-Hadlee series opener against Australia. - Published: 2017-02-01 - Modified: 2017-02-01 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/black-caps-claim-epic-win-superb-runout/ NZ Win Chappell-Hadlee Series Opener Unbelievable scenes transpired at Eden Park as the Black Caps claimed a thrilling six-run win against Australia in the opening match of the Chappell-Hadlee Series on Monday. Chasing a mammoth target of 287 runs for victory, Australia appeared down and out at a paltry 67 runs for the loss of six wickets. This was until all-rounder Marcus Stoinis stepped up to bat. In only his second one-day international game, Stoinis took the Aussies to the brink of one of the most impressive comebacks in cricket history. On his own, Stoinis hit an impressive 146 not out off 117 balls. His impressive knock included a total of 11 sixes to pull the visitors out of the muck and very much into contention. However, a superb runout from Black Caps captain Kane Williamson left Stoinis on his own with no one left to bat out the innings. The runout of Josh Hazelwood at number 11 seal the fate of the Australians in the 47th over. It was a bit of a let-down for Stoinis who was feeling mixed emotions after the match. Speaking to the press, Stoinis commented on his tremendous knock saying that it was a feeling that he should enjoy. However, a win was the team’s number one priority and there were more than a few sad faces in the changing room. The first game of the series set the scene for an unmissable second game to be held in Napier on Thursday. New Zealand are poised to reclaim their silverware they handed over to the Australians after a 3-0 whitewash in December. A Comeback of Epic Proportions For New Zealand, an impressive knock of 73 from Neil Broom at number 5 and an inspired 61 from opener Martin Guptill got the Black Caps to a good start. A further 48 attacking runs from Jimmy Neesham at number 6 got the hosts to a respectable score of 289 runs for the loss of nine wickets. A blitz of wickets from bowler Trent Boult put Australia on the ropes with a double wicket haul in the fourth over. With wickets tumbling around them, the Australian side were all but done for until Marcus Stoinis stepped up to the crease. A mammoth knock of 146 runs took Australia closer and closer to the seemingly unobtainable target. With his fellow teammates dropping around him, Stoinis took the game into his own hands, steading the ship for Australia. With three overs to go and the Australians looking to pull off an epic comeback, Kane Williamson executed the perfect runout in front of thousands of screaming fans to claim the win and go one up in the series. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > At last, New Zealand gridiron fans know who will play in the 2017 Super Bowl. Punters must now choose between the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots. - Published: 2017-02-01 - Modified: 2017-02-01 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/super-bowl-li-patriots-vs-falcons/ Atlanta Falcons First Super Bowl Qualifiers After 17 weeks of the regular season and three weeks of playoffs, New Zealand’s dedicated American football fans are finally within sight of the pinnacle of the 2016-17 gridiron season: the 51st Super Bowl, to be played in Houston, Texas at the NRG Stadium on February 05. The NFC and AFC Championships were both held on Sunday, and when the dust settled, the Atlanta Falcons were through to meet the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI. The NFC Championship was the first game played, with the Falcons facing the Green Bay Packers in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome. Many punters favoured the Wisconsin team, following their magnificent upset win over the NFC’s top-seeded Dallas Cowboys during an eight-game winning streak. Instead, it was the home-team fans who went home happy, after a blazing performance by Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan, who threw 392 yards and four touchdowns, one of which he ran in himself. Understandably, he had the fans chanting “MVP! ” as he took the Packers apart, ably assisted by Julio Jones, who made 180 yards, took nine catches and scored two touchdowns. The final score was 44-21 to the Falcons. New England Patriots Triumph Over Pittsburgh Steelers The AFC Championship featured the Pittsburgh Steelers against the New England Patriots, who have been Super Bowl favourites throughout the season, at the Gillette Stadium in Foxburgh, Massachussetts. The Patriots didn’t disappoint their fans, even thought the Steelers were on top for two quarters, winning the second 9-7 and the fourth 8-3. However, the Patriots were 10-0 in the first quarter and 16-0 in the third, for a 36-17 score overall. As expected, quarterback Tom Brady had an awesome night, shredding the Steelers’ defence and completing 32 of 42 passes. He also finished with a franchise post-season record 384 yards and three touchdowns. The win extended the Patriots’ latest winning streak to nine games, and sent them to the Super Bowl for a record ninth time. The Falcons, on the other hand, have only appeared at the Super Bowl once before in the team’s 51-year history, 18 years ago, and they have never won it. So the Patriots will no doubt be favourites with the punters in the Lone Star State on February 05, but the underdogs will have everything to prove, and nothing to lose. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Roger Federer and Serena Williams are the 2017 Australian Open Champions. Federer beat Nadal in an epic five set game while Serena cruised to victory. - Published: 2017-01-31 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/federer-serena-triumph-australian-open/ Serena Williams and Roger Federer Win Australian Open The 2017 Australian Open wrapped up on the weekend with Roger Federer beating Rafael Nadal in an epic final between two ageless champions. Meanwhile Serena Williams beat her sister in straight sets to claim her 7th Australian Open title and a record 23rd grand slam title in the Open era. In the woman’s final, Serena went into the match as the clear favourite against her sister Venus. But it didn’t take long for the tension to kick in as she smashed her racket in frustration in only the third game. Serena has broken serve in both the first and third game only to hand the advantage back to her sister after a string of double faults. After a break at four games to three, Serena seized the chance to take control of the match winning nine games in a row. The crowed at Rod Laver Arena got behind Venus as she tried to win her first major in eight years. But it was not to be. Serena was just too strong, beating Venus in straight sets 6-4, 6-4 to claim her 7th Australian Open title. The 2017 men’s final turned out to be a match for the ages. Federer raced the qualifying stages and into final, improving with every match. The former Swiss champion spent the latter half of 2016 nursing and injury and not being able to play. Federer had also not won a Grand Slam since winning Wimbledon in 2012. In this year’s final, the match tended to lean towards the way of the Swiss. In the opening stages of the match, Federer remained error free and his sleek stroke-play handed him consecutive winners. A Clash of Two Titans It was not until the 5th game that Nadal got a handle on the match. Imposing his own trademark brand of brilliance, Nadal started to unsettle the Swiss. Federer managed to hold onto his early breaks and take the first set six games to four. Nadal upped his game again in the second set, immediately breaking Federer’s serve to lead 2-0. After securing the third game, Nadal went on to win the second set 6-3, and levelling the match. In the third set, Nadal took control again having many opportunities to break the Swiss. But it was Federer’s serve that got him out of trouble time after time. After holding his own serve and breaking Nadal, Federer raced to a 3-0 lead and wrapped up the set 6-1. The fourth set saw another change as Nadal raced to an early 3-1 lead with another break in the fifth game. Nadal closed out the set which set the match up for an epic 5th deciding set. Facing the daunting task of serving the opening game, Federer was outdone by the Spaniard going down 2-0. Just as it looked like Nadal was closing out the set, Federer came back with brilliant 6th set breaking Nadal’s serve. Federer then held his own serve after a history making 8th game, closed out the match, winning the Australian Open in front of a rapturous Rod Laver Arena. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Taiwan Open runs in Taipei from January 30 to February 05. We take a look at the top players entered, on behalf of New Zealand’s betting enthusiasts. - Published: 2017-01-31 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/taiwan-open-top-seeds-previewed/ Previewing the Taiwan Open 2017 Top Seeds New Zealand tennis fans still have all eyes on the drama of the Australian Open, but the end of the month offers betting enthusiasts even more tennis. The Taiwan Open was added to the WTA Tour only last year, replacing the Thailand Open in Pattaya. It is scheduled to run at the Taipei Arena in the nation’s capital from January 30 until February 05. Of the 23 women in the 2017 Taiwan Open main singles draw, 21 are ranked in the Top 100 on the WTA ladder, so punters can expect some quality tennis. The top seed will be 2017 Brisbane International semi-finalist Elina Svitolina. At World No. 13, she’s also the Ukraine’s top player, despite being dispatched from the Australian Open in Round 3 by Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Second seed in Taipei will be France’s Caroline Garcia, who also fell in Round 3 of the Australian Open, to Barbora Strycova. The 2016 French Open winner is currently at No. 24, nine places above the Taiwan Open third seed, Latvia’s Anastasija Sevatova, on the WTA rankings. Three US Players in Top Eight Czech Katerina Siniakova, World No. 37, isn’t playing in the Australian Open, but she’s seeded fourth in the Taipei tournament, thanks to her first WTA singles title win at the Shenzhen Open in China on January 07. The USA’s Alison Riske, at No. 42, was runner-up in Shenzhen, and is the seventh seed in Taipei. Two other American players are among the top-rated Taiwan Open players: fifth seed Christina McHale, winner of the 2016 Japan Women’s Open, and Shelby Rogers, seeded eighth, who took a shock Australian Open first-round win over fourth seed Simona Halep, before being knocked out by Ashleigh Barty in Round 2. The final player in the Top 8 for the Taiwan Open is the sixth seed, Misaki Doi. The Japanese World No. 41 was runner-up to Venus Williams at last year’s tournament final, so she has all the motivation punters could hope for as she starts the 2017 competition. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Auckland Cup Week at Ellerslie starts on Derby Day with the million-dollar New Zealand Derby. Punters will be watching three favourites closely until March. - Published: 2017-01-30 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/auckland-cup-week-opener-build/ Sacred Elixir Current NZ Derby Favourite There are three horses currently looking good for the Group 1 New Zealand Derby, the feature race that kicks off Auckland Cup Week on Vodafone New Zealand Derby Day, March 04. The Auckland Cup itself will be run a week later, on March 11, but the opening meeting is traditionally a heady mixture of fashion, glamour, entertainment and race betting. The 2,400m Derby is open to 3-year-olds carrying set weights, and its purse of $1-million makes it the richest race in New Zealand, alongside the Karaka Million. It is too early to have a definite field, but it would be helpful for punters to assess the form of these three horses closely over the next five weeks. Gelding Sacred Elixir is the current favourite, at $3. 50. Trainer Tony Pike also trains 2016 Derby winner Rangipo. Sacred Elixir will compete in the 1,600m Karaka Mile at Ellerslie on January 29, and on February 11 in either the Herbie Dyke Stakes at Te Rapa, or Ellerslie’s Avondale Guineas. Savile Row for Stakes or Guineas Too Colt Savile Row is the second favourite for the Derby at $7. 00. Trainer Mike Moroney was impressed with his performance against other horses his age in the 1,600m Randwick Meats Levin Classic at Trentham a few weeks ago, when he ran second by a nose to Hall Of Fame. The trainer now plans a weight-for-age race to toughen the 3-year-old up against older runners before the Derby, and again, the choice is between the 2,000m Herbie Dyke Stakes and the 2,100m Avondale Guineas. So betting enthusiasts may get to see how he fares against Sacred Elixir even before the Derby. Hall Of Fame for Waikato Guineas With his Group 1 victory at the 2017 Levin Classic, Hall Of Fame has impressed bookmakers enough to be offered at $8. 00 for the Derby. Trainers Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards plan to try him over 2,000m at Te Rapa on February 04, in the Group 2 Waikato Guineas. The colt has won five of his nine starts to date, so this could be his year at the Derby. We will keep betting fans posted on the Derby field developments as race day approaches, but one thing seems certain already: we are in for some explosive racing to launch Auckland Cup Week 2017. 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In the Fed Cup World Group, defending champion Czech Republic is the top seed on their current record. However, the team announced last week has made the Czechs an even more attractive Fed Cup bet. World No. 5 Karolina Pliskova and No. 16 Barbora Strycova are both formidable singles players. They are just as effective as a doubles team, as witnessed by their victory in the 2016 Australian Open. Strycova, who won three WTA doubles tournaments last year, one of them with Pliskova, is also a previous singles winner at Wimbledon, the Australian Open and the French Open. At the 2017 Australian Open, she has just been knocked out in the fourth round by Serena Williams. Pliskova, the 2016 US Open runner-up to Angelique Kerber, is through to the Australian Open quarter-finals at the time of writing, advancing her to World No. 4 and possibly No. 3 by the end of the week. Germans Lose Kerber for First Round Czech Republic will host Spain at home in Ostrava in Fed Cup Round 1, while at the same time France will play Switzerland in Geneva, the Netherlands meets Belarus in Minsk, and the USA takes on Germany in Hawaii. Unfortunately for the Germans, they will not have World No. 1 Angelique Kerber to bolster their team. Her shock 6-2, 6-3 loss to American CoCo Vandeweghe in the fourth round of the Australian Open has left her plenty of time to get to Maui’s Royal Laihana Resort before the Fed Cup, but she is scheduled to play in the Qatar Total Open, which starts the very next day on February 13. After discussions between Kerber and the German Fed Cup coach, they decided there was no way she could get from Hawaii to Doha and recover from the jet-lag in time to do the Gulf tournament justice. The good news for New Zealand punters who support her, of course, is that she should be well rested and raring to go in Doha. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2017 NRL Auckland Nines has lured a legend back to Eden Park. Former Kiwis captain Ruben Wiki comes out of retirement to delight New Zealand punters. - Published: 2017-01-29 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/wiki-back-2017-auckland-nines/ Wiki Return for Auckland Nines Thrills Punters The NRL Auckland Nines from February 4-5 was always going to attract New Zealand betting fans in their droves. As the sole Kiwi team in the NRL, the New Zealand Warriors are assured of home-ground support against the visiting Australian teams at Eden Park. Fans will be even thirstier for a Warriors victory, after last year’s loss in the final to the Parramatta Eels, and the subsequent title-stripping debacle. The anticipation went up a notch with the news that rugby league legend Ruben Kiwi, at the venerable age of 44, has been coaxed out of retirement to play for the Warriors in the 2017 Auckland Nines. When he ended his career in 2008, Wiki left behind a glittering record of achievements with both the Warriors and the Kiwis. He still holds the record for playing in the most rugby league internationals ever, after 55 appearances with the Kiwis, 18 of them as captain. Some Commentators Sceptical The responses to Wiki’s return have not all been positive, however. Apart from one appearance in 2009 in a charity match for Samoan Residents, raising money for the Samoan tsunami relief fund, Wiki has been officially retired for nine years. Some punters feel he may no longer have the goods for the faster format, especially with all the young talent ranged against him. Former NRL coach and now commentator, Phil Gould, has also criticised Wiki’s return, saying it bears out his opinion that the Nines is a money-spinner that presents an unacceptable danger to players in the pre-season. A number of other coaches agree with him: teams like Manly and the Tigers, and perhaps Canberra as well, will be fielding teams missing some of their most valuable players, following some disastrous pre-season injuries last year. But lots of betting fans can’t wait to see Wiki back in action, and the Kava King himself has shrugged off any doubts about competing with players half his age. To be fair, as the Warriors’ strength and conditioning coach these past seven years, it’s not like he’s let himself go. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The field for the 2017 Oakleigh Plate on February 25 is still quite nebulous. However, New Zealand betting fans can consider some horses likely to run. - Published: 2017-01-29 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/oakleigh-plate-field-still-not-finalised/ Oakleigh Plate Field Coming Together Slowly Australian horseracing generally has plenty to offer New Zealand’s online betting community, and the Group 1 sprint series in the Melbourne Autumn Carnival always draws a big following among Kiwis. The Oakleigh Plate, held every year on Blue Diamond Stakes Day at Caulfield Racecourse, forms the middle leg of the sprint series, bracketed fore and aft by the 1,000m Lightning Stakes and the 1,200m Newmarket Handicap, both run at Flemington. The Oakleigh Plate is run over 1,100m; an open handicap with a purse of AU$500,000. It generally attracts a field of 14 or more, and the race consists of a straight sprint out the Caulfield chute, with a single turn before the final straight. This makes a horse’s barrier draw less important to the outcome, which adds to the unpredictability and intensity of the event. This year, Blue Diamond Stakes Day is set for February 25, and the final nominations for the Oakleigh Plate will only be available on February 20. Nevertheless, some trainers and owners have already stated their intention of entering horses in the race, with others naming it among their options. Definite and Possible Nominations Caulfield trainer Mick Price, for example, has nominated 3-year-old colt Extreme Choice, and expects him to do well if he isn’t too heavily weighted. It has also been confirmed that Regan Bayliss, released early from his apprenticeship and now recognized as a jockey, will ride 4-year-old gelding Faatinah in the Oakleigh Plate, for Shadwell Stud and trainers David and B Hayes and T Dabernig. Some are still hedging their bets, however. Trainer Darren Weir has confirmed that 4-year-old entire Hellbent will ‘probably’ resume, after a stint in the paddock, with the Kensington Stakes at Flemington, followed by the Oakleigh Plate. On the other hand, Matt Dale, who trains Fell Swoop, the 2016 Plate runner-up to Flamberge, still hasn’t committed the 5-year-old gelding to any autumn races apart from the TJ Smith Stakes. All he will say is that Fell Swoop should get his next run either at the Lightning Stakes or the Oakleigh Plate. New Zealand betting fans will want to study the final field when it is revealed on February 20, before committing themselves to any punts. We’ll keep you updated on Oakleigh Plate news as it happens. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The PGA Honda Classic starts in Florida on February 23. New Zealand betting aficionados are keen to see the return of Tiger Woods after a two-year break. - Published: 2017-01-28 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/honda-classic-punters-await-woods/ Can Tiger Beat Honda Classic Hoodoo? New Zealand golf fans are already enjoying 2017 PGA action around the world via online betting sites, but there is a tournament coming up in February that they won’t want to miss. The 45th Honda Classic runs at the Champion Course at the PGA National Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, from February 23-26. The big excitement of this year’s tournament is the return of Tiger Woods after an absence of two years from international competition. Betting enthusiasts will be keen to see if the US superstar can break the hoodoo that has so far seen this title elude him, although he came agonisingly close in 2012, when he finished two strokes behind Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, to be joint runner-up with fellow US player Tom Gillis. Tournament that Triggered Tiger’s Bad Back There’s another reason Woods will want to conquer the Honda Classic: it was this very tournament that put him out of action in 2014, when he injured his back in the first round. After repeated surgeries and many months of recuperation, during which the legend slipped into the low 800s in the world rankings, he was finally ready to compete again in December 2016. That month saw Woods return in his own tournament, the Hero World Challenge in aid of the Tiger Woods Foundation, held in the Bahamas. Even though he didn’t finish in the Top 10, his performance was good enough to catapult him 250 places up the PGA rankings, so he is now at number 663. Perhaps this year, the Honda Classic will at last end happily for him... and all his supporters with a bet on. Defending Champion Back in a Strong Field Woods won’t be expecting a walkover, however. Reigning Australian Honda Classic champion Adam Scott, currently at World No. 7, will be back to the defend the title he won by one stroke last year. The USA’s Justin Thomas, one place behind Scott at No. 8, has also been confirmed to play, and betting fans should take note that he’s in the sort of form that has brought him two consecutive victories in Hawaii so far this year, at the Sony Open and the Tournament of Champions. Former Honda champion Luke Donald, two-time winner Padraig Harrington, and Masters champion Danny Willett are also scheduled to play. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The T20 and ODI White Ferns squad has been named for the upcoming Australia series. Leigh Kasperek re-joins the team fully recovered from her injury. - Published: 2017-01-28 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/white-ferns-squad-named-australian-series/ White Ferns T20 and ODI Squad Announced This week, the New Zealand White Ferns cricket team squad was announced for the upcoming T20 and ODI series against Australia. For many punters and cricket fans, the good news is that star off-spinner Leigh Kasperek re-joins the team for the complete home and away series. Kasperek, a former Scottish international player accidently broke her all-important spinning finger in a training session in South Africa. The injury forced her to sit out the South African series as well as the home series against Pakistan which was played in November last year. While her return to the squad means good things for the bowling attack, it also means that Morna Nielsen has had to make way for the more accomplished bowler. Also missing out on the series is Samantha Curtis and Hannah Rowe. The decision to make the cuts was not an easy one. Speaking to the press, Coach Haidee Tiffen said that naming the squad to for the T20 and ODI series was a really difficult task. Suzi Bates Named Captain Tiffen went on to explain that many good players have missed out because New Zealand has shown improved depth of talent which makes it harder and harder to pick players for the team. While this may be the case, it is also a good thing for New Zealand that so many talented players are coming up through the system. For the upcoming series, Suzie Bates will captain the team for both the ODI and the T20 Series. Suzi was named the ICC Woman’s player of the year in 2016 and certainly deserves her spot at the as captain. Also joining the ODI squad is 16-year-old Amelia Kerr, the leg-spinner who made her debut against Pakistan. The New Zealand side will play a total of three Twenty20 international games against Australia. The first will kick off on the 17th of February and played under lights at the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground. The players will then cross the Tasman for the ODI series which kicks off in Auckland on the 26th of February. The White Ferns T20 Squad Suzie Bates (captain) Erin Bermingham Sophie Devine Maddy Green Holly Huddleston Leigh Kasperek Katey Martin Thamsyn Newton Katie Perkins Liz Perry Rachel Priest Amy Satterthwaite Lea Tahuhu The White Ferns ODI Squad Suzie Bates (captain) Erin Bermingham Sophie Devine Maddy Green Holly Huddleston Leigh Kasperek Amelia Kerr Katey Martin Thamsyn Newton Katie Perkins Liz Perry Rachel Priest Amy Satterthwaite Lea Tahuhu TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Local Kiwi boxer Robert Berridge will head to Russia next month to fight for the WBA light heavyweight world title against the Russian Dmytry Bivol. - Published: 2017-01-27 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/kiwi-boxer-fight-boxing-world-title/ Kiwi Robert Berridge to Fight for World Title Well-known New Zealand boxer Robert Berridge will have a chance to fight for the interim WBA light heavyweight world title next Month. Berridge’s management team was approached a few weeks ago about taking on the fight to be held in Russia. A few days later, Berridge signed the deal to fight local Russian Dmytry Bivol on the 23rd of February. For punters and sports fans, this could mean an exciting matchup and a boost for New Zealand sport. While it may sound confusing, what the interim world title would mean is that if Berridge should win the bout against Bivol, he would automatically become the mandatory challenger for anyone seeking the WBA title. According to reports, Berridge is happy to take on the fight with minimum preparation, saying that his base fitness level is where it needs to be. Speaking to the press, Berridge said that for the next month, he just had to work as hard as possible. The world title fight will be the 36th of Berridge’s professional career as a boxer which started back in 2009. To date Berridge has a record of 29 wins, five losses and one draw. The showdown against the Russian will be the biggest fight of his career in his pursuit for the world title. Berridge had one previous shot at the IBO title in 2015. Stepping into the ring against South African Thomas Oosthuizen, Berridge lost the fight by unanimous decision. Berridge Ready for Russian Bout For Berridge, a win in Russia would shoot the Kiwi up the rankings who is currently placed at number 57 on the international light heavyweight rankings. Speaking to the press, Berridge was happy to be starting off the year with an overseas fight and not have to focus on local New Zealand bouts. He agrees that the fight will be one of the biggest of his career, surpassing the South African fight as it will be a WBA bout. Berridge’s opponent, Dmytry Bivol has had an impressive boxing career to date. The Russian’s career includes eight professional fights, winning every single one. To add to this, six of the eight have come via knockout. On the other hand, Berridge has won his previous two fights against fellow New Zealanders. The light heavyweight world title match will be a big challenge for Berridge in terms of opponents and acclimatisation. With just a few days to get the weather, the Kiwi will have to hit the ground running. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The women’s team to represents India at the ICC World Cup qualifier was announced. The team remains basically unchanged from the 2016 season’s squad. - Published: 2017-01-27 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/indian-team-announced-qualifier/ Indian Team Announced For World Cup Qualifier India has announced the line up of their 2017 ICC World Cup Qualifier squad. The announcement comes after the decimating performance of India in the Asian Cricket Council’s T20 event for women. This was their sixth victory at the event. The squad is amped and ready for their first performance at the World Cup Qualifier starting on the 3rd of February. The captain is Mithali Raj who won the award for the Player of the Tournament in their Asian Cup performance. She will be assisted by her second in command, Harmanpreet Kaur who made a name for herself after a fantastic Big Bash league performance. Fan favourite Sukanya Parida will also be joining the squad. Sitting Out Not making the cut for the World Cup Qualifier is all rounder Mona Meshram. She is the only player not to make the cut for the 2017 event. She made her debut for the squad in June 2012 but has only managed to score a total of 47 in her 8 ODI performances. Her match high is 22 runs with a single wicket taken in her professional career. India has had a great run in cricket so far. They have had a 7 ODI unbeaten streak having defeated Australia, Sri Lanka and the West Indies. Match Schedule India’s first match this year will be a warm up match against South Africa on the 5th of February, followed by their first Qualifier match the 7th of February. India will join Group A and be up against Sri Lanka, Ireland, Thailand and Zimbabwe. There are four more positions available in the World Cup after New Zealand, West Indies, Australia and England have qualified. The finals of this year’s ICC Women’s World Cup are to be played in Britain. It is set to run between the 26th of June and the 23rd of July. The final will be hosted at the legendary Lord’s cricket ground. Taunton and Leicester are hosting the qualifying matches while Bristol and Derby are hosting the semi-final. Excitement is running high for this year’s matches. New Zealand, Australia and India are all showing great promise with the athletes pulling out all the stops. Once the teams have powered through the group stages and the final four spots for the world cup have been grabbed, the World Cup will be in full swing to the delight of cricket fans everywhere. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > After defeats in the Australian Open, top tennis stars are even hungrier. The Ecuador Open, Sofia Open and Sud de France Open will see good betting action. - Published: 2017-01-26 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/ecuador-sofia-sud-de-france-open-next/ After Australian Defeat, Karlovic to Ecuador Open New Zealand fans of Croatian tennis star Ivo Karlovic were disappointed to see him fold in straight sets to Belgian World No. 11 David Goffin in Round 3 of the Australian Open. They will be happy to know that the lanky No. 21 will be back in action at the ATP Ecuador Open, starting on February 04. The event is played outdoors on clay at Quito’s Jacaranda Club. Karlovic, at 37 the oldest player in the ATP’s Top 200, will be top seed in the tournament. However, Quito’s elevation at 2,800m means thin air, faster balls and possible breathing difficulties, so he won’t be invincible. Spaniards Albert Ramos-Vinolas and Fernando Verdasco, ranked 27th and 42nd respectively on the ATP ladder, should also attract widespread betting action. Sofia Open Welcomes Power Field New Zealand’s tennis punters will also want to get a bet on the Garanti Koza Sofia Open, from February 05-12 in Bulgaria’s Arena Armeec. With three Top-15 players in the singles draw, and 11 in total from the Top 50, this should be the most unpredictable of the three ATP World Tour 250 Series events running simultaneously. Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut, 14th on the ATP rankings, returns to defend the inaugural title he won last year. The top seed in early January was World No. 8 Dominic Thiem of Austria. However, he was also unceremoniously dispatched from the Australian Open by Goffin, in Round 4. Thiem lasted longer than Karlovic, treating the crowd to a thrilling 5-7, 7-6, 6-2, 6-3 contest, but to no avail. At the time of writing, Goffin was safely through to the AO quarterfinals and looking like a serious challenger for the title. He will thereafter play at the Bulgarian tournament, so expect a tight tussle if he and Thiem should meet again. Sud de France Open Sees Hungry Cilic The third ATP tournament over February 05-12 is the Sud de France Open in the Montpellier Arena. Croatian World No. 7 Marin Cilic will be a hungry top seed here, after ignominiously crashing out in the second round of the Australian Open to unseeded Briton Dan Evans. However, he can expect determined French resistance from home-crowd favourites Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and defending champion Richard Gasquet, who will likely be seeded second and third. 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The crowd numbers at T20 games in India and across Australia are simply staggering. This was also the case with the McDonald’s Super Smash, New Zealand’s own T20 competition. Fans streamed into he stadiums, making the most of the weekend games. While test cricket still has its place, the value of T20 cricket must not be underestimated. After all, test cricket has gone a long way to influence the T20 game and vice versa. Asian Markets a Good Place to Start The success of the shortened game has sparked a heated debate on whether test cricket should be should revert back to four-day test matches. If the BBL does make its way into the country, New Zealand cricket would get a solid boost without detracting from the local games. As it happens, a new proposal by Cricket NSW could see the very thing most people have been talking about. The proposal aims to expand the Twenty20 BBL and take the competition into New Zealand and Asia. It has been reported that Hong Kong, China and Singapore are all areas signalled out for the expansion with games in New Zealand also being proposed. With the Melbourne Stars having played the Wellington Firebirds in a warm up game already, the idea seems to be growing momentum. Last month, BBL boss James Sutherland said that he would want to increase the number of games per season before they make the call to introduce new franchises. However due to competition with rival sports and existing cricket One Day games, the expansion of the BBL might not be feasible in Australia. The best way forward could be targeting overseas markets. The idea to expand into Asia has been sparked by the AFL’s move into the Chinese Market. Hong Kong was also a lucrative market to look at as cricket is widely thought to be the nation’s fastest growing sport. Hong Kong has competed in the past two T20 World Cup Tournaments with massive support from Asian fans. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 23 player roster to compete in the Taiwan Open has been announced. Local favourite Lee Ya-hsuan was added as the wild card draw for this year’s event. - Published: 2017-01-25 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/23-players-announced-taiwan-open/ Taiwan Open Draw Announced The Taiwan Open is set to be underway the 30th of January. Tennis fans were very excited after the announcement of the 23 player roster in December. 21 of these 23 players are ranked as the top 100 players in the world. The wildcard draw was awarded to Lee Ya-hsuan , a local tennis star. She has stated that is very excited to be given the chance to take part the world-class professional event and also to be able to play in her home country in front of fans. She has also said that while the competition will be very strong, she will be focusing her mind and honing her skills for the Open. Hard Court Action The Open takes place on a hard court in the Taipei Arena. Fans can watch the qualifying rounds for free but tickets are needed to be able to watch the main draw. The prize money at the open is $500 000 which helped attract such big names as Venus Williams last year along with the Chan sisters. Last year’s event also features Misaki Doi from Japan, Zheng Saisai from China and Yulia Putintseva from Kazakhstan. Venus Williams went on to win the Open, defeating Misaki Doi 6-4 and 6-2. The Chan sisters took home the doubles trophy defeating Eri Hozumi and Miyu Kato from Japan 6-4 and 6-3. This year’s event will be the second time the open is held. It takes place in Kaohsiung in Taipei. Top Seeded Players This year’s top seeds are Carla Suárez Navarro from Spain, Elina Svitolina from Ukraine and Caroline Garcia from France. Suarez is currently the world no 6 player. She defeated Venus Williams in 2009 to reach the Australian Open quarter finals. She narrowly lost the US open in 2013 against Serena Williams. Elina Svitolina is the highest ranked Ukrainian player currently sitting at number 13 in the world. There are high hopes for her performance at the Open. She has achieved a total win of four WTA titles. She also appeared in a Grand Slam quarter final at the French Open but was defeated by Ana Ivanovi. Caroline Garcia is a versatile player who has won six doubles and three singles titles in her career so far. She is ranked 23rd on the world singles rankings and number 2 in the doubles rankings. Along with her doubles partner Kristina Mladenovic, she won the 2016 doubles team of the year award. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The New England Patriots have beaten the Pittsburgh Steelers to claim their spot in the NFL Super Bowl. The Patriots face the Falcons in the final. - Published: 2017-01-25 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/new-england-patriots-super-bowl/ New England Patriots Book Place in Super Bowl The final two teams have officially been decided for this year’s NFL Super Bowl championship game. After an impressive performance on Sunday night, the New England Patriots have booked their place in the American Football Conference Championship final after beating the Pittsburgh Steelers 36 points to 17. The Patriots will now face the NFC champion, Atlanta Falcons in one of the biggest sporting events of the year. The Falcons dispatched the Green Bay Packers earlier on Sunday to book their spot in the NFL showpiece that will take place in Houston on the 5th of February. As it stands, the Patriots are the early favourites to claim the title heading into the final. The New England team are on the verge of claiming their fifth NFL title with star quarterback Tom Brady heading up the team. Speaking to the press, Brady said that his team has won a lot of different ways and under a lot of different circumstances. He went on to say that winning was all about mental toughness and he feels his team has what it takes on the day. Falcons Topple Dallas Cowboys For the Falcons, it was quarterback Matt Ryan who got them through to the finals. Ryan threw for a total of 392 yards and had no less than four touchdown passes in the game in Atlanta. Two of his passes were caught by rising star Julio Jones who racked up a total of nine catches for 180 yards. Ryan also took the opportunity to run his own touchdown. Speaking to the press Ryan said that his team played well and did exactly what they had been doing all year. In the game against the Falcons, the Green Bay Packers were riding high from an eight-game winning streak. They had dispatched the top-seeded Dallas Cowboys in a thrilling upset and were feeling unstoppable. However, it didn’t take long for the Packers to get a taste of what Atlanta had in store for them. From their very first possession, Atlanta drove 80 yards in 13 plays, converting three third downs. At half time, the Falcons were leading 24 points to 0, with the Green Bay Fans staring on in disbelief. With a solid win in the bag, the Green Bay packers should be feeling good about their chances against the might of the New England Patriots come February 5th. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand punters saw surprise results in two top races at Trentham on Wellington Cup Day. Outsiders won both the Telegraph and the Wellington Cup. - Published: 2017-01-24 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/wellington-cup-day-favourites-upset/ Wellington Cup Day Shrugs Off Rain As always, the centrepiece of the autumn Wellington Cup Carnival attracted thousands of New Zealand punters on Saturday. Despite the constant possibility of heavy rain threatening throughout the day, Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day was a racing feast. In a decision they must be kicking themselves for, breeders Des and Kay Fleming decided not to make the arduous trip from their farm in Taranaki, as their mare Savaria is not good on wet tracks. If the Trentham going had been declared Rough for the Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup, as seemed likely according to the weather forecast, the 5-year-old would have been scratched. Ironically, the rain held off just enough for the $250,000 Group 3 Wellington Cup to be declared a Dead 4 track: Savaria’s favourite racing conditions, at her favourite racecourse. Despite steady rain during the race itself, she timed her run over the 3,200 metres perfectly, surging forward from the centre of the field in the final 800m to finish out front. Race favourite Jacksstar, at $7. 60, put on a magnificent gallop from last place to challenge her in the final metres of the race, but the gelding had to be content with second place, paying $2. 70. Punters with a bet on Savaria were smiling, at $14. 90, as were those who backed 7-year-old Perfect Start at $13. 00 for a place: the mare came in third. Telegraph Also Saw Upsets Another favourite, Perfect Fit, was also disappointed on Saturday, in New Zealand’s premier sprint: the $250,000 Group 1 JR&N Berkett Telegraph over 1,200m. The 5-year-old mare finished third, paying just $2. 00. For much of the race, it looked as if 6-year-old Railway Stakes winner Start Wondering was running away from the rest to clinch the double, but a powerful late challenge saw 5-year-old outsider Signify charge through for a narrow win at an impressive $46. 30. Start Wondering paid out $2. 30 on a place bet. The Telegraph also cast something of a pall over the day, however. Early in the race, 4-year-old First Serve broke her leg in a fall, throwing jockey Samantha Wynne. Sadly, the promising mare, who won three of her last four starts, had to be euthanised. Wynne was devastated by the loss of the horse, as no doubt are Matthew and Michael Pitman, who trained First Serve for the Pearl Fillies Syndicate. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > 37 year old defensive end Dwight Freeney brings much experience to his younger team. He has won a previous Super Bowl title And Player Of The Year awards. - Published: 2017-01-24 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/elder-statesman-freeney-benefit/ Freeney Brings Experience To Super Bowl Squad This Super Bowl may be the last for Dwight Freeney of the Atlanta Falcons. The 37-year-old player is the oldest member of the Falcon’s defence. Dwight has been a professional NFL player for 15 years. He said that at this stage in his career, the Super Bowl is why he plays the game. This was during an interview with USA Today regarding the Falcons’ clashing with the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. Freeney and the Falcon defence have their focus on trying to contain the Packers Quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Freeney further stated that the older he gets the more he appreciates the feeling of the run up to the Super Bowl. An Illustrious Career Freeney has had a decorated career so far. He has a Super Bowl title under the belt, All-Pro honours, and multiple Pro Bowl selections along with a NFL player of the year award. Many younger players have stated their admiration for Freeney who also brings a keen mind for the game to matches. That said, Freeney is by far not the only elder statesman in this year’s championship game. Famed Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is 39 this year; The Steelers have 38 year old James Harrison while the packers have 37 year old Julius Peppers. Fans are surely excited to see some of the NFL’s best players still on their favourite teams. There is also a lot of excitement amongst fans with regards to the list of halftime entertainers at this year’s bowl. At the top of most people’s lists is the first halftime performance of Lady Gaga. She appeared in the 2016 Super Bowl to sing the national anthem but this year will feature her first full set. The Host President and CEO Sallie Sergeant said that the performers are to be a celebration of the Super Bowl as well as the host city, Houston Texas. In this regard they have picked a selection of outstanding local performers. These include Hayes Carll, Grupa Fantasma, Los Skarnales, Lecrae, Blue October and Ryan Bingham. Ticket Changes Cause Upset There were some unhappy fans however when it was announced that the Super Bowl ticket lottery will this year require fans to come collect tickets in person as a way to attempt to reduce the number of ticket resellers that has been quite a problem in previous Super Bowls. Scalpers raise ticket prices to astronomical levels just before the Bowl. Many fans are still upset at the inconvenience presented by the new rules. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > This year, Great Britain will be competing in Pool C of the Fed Cup. They are placed with Portugal, Turkey and Latvia in this first round match up event. - Published: 2017-01-23 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/great-britain-fed-cup-draw/ Great Britain Placed In Fed Cup Draw Great Britain has been placed in Pool C of this year’s Fed Cup draw featuring the European and African Group 1 teams. The other draws for the group include Portugal, Turkey and Latvia. The pool matches will start on the 8th of February with the winner moving on to a play off. Turkey may be a worry for Great Britain as they defeated the Brits two years ago. Latvia on the other hand features the world no 38 Julia Ostapenko. If the British team manages to overcome the challenge, they will be facing Bosnia, Hungary and Croatia in the play offs. Wild Card Hopes Britain has a wild card up their sleeve if they can have Johanna Konta on their side. She has been named as part of the 4 player team that will compete in the Fed Cup but Konta has previously withdrawn from the Fed Cup to recover after her Australian Open matches. The other three players are Laura Robson, Jocelyn Rae and the talented Heather Watson. Kerber Pulls Out Meanwhile the German Angelique Kerber, the no 1 ranked player in the world, has pulled out of the Fed Cup. She would have faced the American Team in Hawaii in February, but the weekend before that sees her defending her Grand Slam title in the Australian Open. She has cited travel conflicts that will mean she will not be able to travel to the venue on time. She has commitments in Doha and Dubai after the Melbourne Open. Kerber has played in the Fed Cup and represented Germany since 2007, even playing two rounds in 2016. The Captain of the German team, Barbara Rittner has said that she fully understands Kerber’s decision. She did also add that without Kerber they would definitely be the underdogs in their Group match. Potential replacements for Kerber will not come close to her skill. On the cards is Laura Siegemund, 27th ranked in the world, Annika Beck at 53rd, Andrea Petkovic at 55th and Julia Goerges at 56th. Waiting for the US Squad Announcement The American captain, Kathy Rinaldi has not revealed her squad yet. 8th ranked Madison Keys is already an uncertain pick as she is currently recovering from a wrist injury. Ideal picks would of course be Venus and Serena Williams, but she can also pick 46th ranked Lauren Davis who recently won her first career title in Auckland. America also has the 38th ranked player Coco Vendeweghe and Christina McHale who is ranked 43rd. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > This year’s Honda classic will be an exciting world class event. Already Tiger Woods and many other greats have confirmed their attendance at the classic. - Published: 2017-01-23 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/honda-classic-almost-ready-fans/ The Honda Classic Is Taking Shape Defending Honda Classic champion Adam Scott has confirmed he will be returning to the event this year. Scott is currently ranked in the 7th world position and he will be joined in the Open by some of the best players in professional golf today. Other players that have confirmed their attendance of this year’s Open include Danny Willet who has won the Masters Championship, Padraig Harrington who has won the masters in 2005 and again in 2015 as well as Paul Casey, Zach Johnson and Justin Rose. A Field of Champions Retief Goosen, Jason Dufner and Stewart Cink will also be joining the roster as former major champions. Adam Scott won last year’s Open by one shot against Sergio Garcia, winning with a total of 9 under par. He went on to win the WGC Cadillac Championship following his Honda Open Victory. The match had a record breaking 200 000 string crowd watching the events unfold. A Huge point of conversation was the final Bear Trap obstacle that had Scott in a quadruple bogey. Scott kept his composure for the reaming holes placing pressure on Sergio. Sergio eventually lost his focus on the 16th and 17th holes, securing the victory for Adam Scott. Excitement is definitely growing at the Palm Beach Gardens resort, the venue for this year’s open. Setting up of the fan features have already started with scaffolding going up this week. New Features Ken Kennerly, this year’s Executive Director has stated that they will be bringing a lot of new features to the Open that fans can get excited for, other than the fantastic line up of players. Some of the features he highlighted are the Legends Club. This structure will be erected at the Nicklaus Village behind the 18th hole. The Club will be a glass structure below the Sky Suite and will be the high-end form of the available hospitality features at the Open. Another big fan draw this year is of course the welcome return of Tiger Woods to the tournament. Woods will be making his 2017 PGA debut at the Farmers Insurance Open. He was thought to be beginning his year at the Abu Dhabi Championship. Instead his agent stated that he would be playing the Omega Dubai Desert Classic the week after the insurance open. This year’s Honda Classic looks to set the new standard for the tournament that at the start of the year received renewed commitment from the current sponsor, Honda. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The annual Fed Cup is celebrating its 55th year in 2017. 2016’s performances have set up an exciting tournament this year with Monica Puig defending her title. - Published: 2017-01-22 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/2017-55th-year-fed-cup/ The 55th Annual Fed Cup Set To Showcase Top Talent This year’s Fed Cup will see the 55th year of the women’s Tennis tournament. This annual professional tennis tournament is the largest annual women’s tournament attracting top athletes from across the world of women’s tennis. 2017 looks set to be a momentous year with star players who arose from the 2016 Cup are sure to shake things up. Top Tennis Stars to Watch Monica Puig from Puerto Rica took home the 2016 Olympic gold and she also pulled her country through the Americas Group two games. She won 5 singles matches and 3 doubles matches, really making their country proud. France’s Caroline Garcia along with her teammates Kristina Mladenovic and Amelia Mauresmo really shook up the competition as well and almost made it to the finals if it was not for the powerhouse performance of Czech Republic’s Karolina Pliskova and Barbora Strycova in the doubles. Kateryna Bondarenko from the Ukraine and Kiki Bertens from the Netherlands are two other players to watch during this 55th annual Fed Cup tournament. Fed Cup Offers Great Viewing The Fed Cup features 16 participating countries that play off against each other until a champion is declared. The 16 countries are made up of the best of the 99 member countries. Despite being the very first tournament offering no prize money and expecting players to cover their own expenses, the Fed Cup quickly grew to a huge annual event once sponsorship was picked up by the event organisers. This year the quarter finals take place on the 11th to 12th of February, the semi finals on the 22-23 of April and the finals are scheduled for the 11 to 12 of November. The quarter finals will feature Spain facing the Czech Republic in Ostrava in the Czech Republic. Germany will be facing the United States in Hawaii, the Dutch will be facing Russia in Minsk and France will be facing Switzerland in Geneva. Players from Each Zone The sixteen teams that compete in the Davis Cup are formed from the best teams who make it through from their respective zones. The Zones are the American Zones, the Euro and Africa Zones and the Asia and Oceania Zones. Each of the zone winners move into the Group 1 and Group 2 world group stage. In each if the groups 4 of the 8 players will be seeded to enter the next round in the quarterfinals. The winners of these quarterfinals move into semi finals and then finals rounds. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > This year’s ATP tennis tour start in February with great hard court events. The Ecuador Open, Sofia Open and the Sud De France are first up on the tour. - Published: 2017-01-22 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/atp-set-great-start-2017/ The 2017 ATP Tour Kicks Off With A Bang The ATP world tour this year is really hotting up to be another fantastic series. The first week of February sees three fantastic events lined up for tennis fans. The Ecuador Open, The Sofia Open and the Sud De French all play out in February. Recently the Ecuador Open announced their list of players for this year’s event, starting on the 4th of February. This will be the 3rd year that the event is held in Ecuador. Top Tennis Players Ivo Karlovic will be a player to watch this year. At 37 he was the oldest player in 96 years to take part in the Davis Cup singles matches. Alber Ramos Vinolas from Spain and Thomaz Bellucci from Brazil are also featuring in this year’s Open. The list of participants for this year’s Sofia Open has also been revealed. Starting on the 5th of February, the Sofia Open will be hosted at the Arena Armeec in Bulgaria. With 21 players, 3 wild cards and four qualification spots, this year’s open has 11 of the Top 50 players in the world. Big names who will appear include David Goffin, ranked 11th, Daminic Thiem ranked 8th, Roberto Agut ranked 14th. Grigor Dimitrov ranked 17th and many others. This year will also be the first showing of former top ten tennis players, Marcos Baghdatis and Nicolas Almagro. In the Sud De France this year’s player line up has also been revealed. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Jeremy Chardy, and Benoît Paire, Gilles Simon and Pierre-Hugues Herbert have all confirmed their attendance. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is set to make a comeback at the Sud De France. Defending champion, Richard Gasquet, will join him. Gasquet was originally not taking part in the Open as it is just after his Davis Cup performance in Japan, but the tournament director Sevastien Grosjean convinced the star to return and defend his title. Last year the doubles title was taken by the Polish team of Łukasz Kubot and Marcin Matkowski, who will also be returning to defend their titles. Stage Set for an Exciting Tournament The Sud De France is also a hard court event starting on the 6th of February. It features 28 players for singles competition along with 16 doubles teams. Tennis fans are in for a very exciting opening week of the ATP tour. The first three hard court opens always provide great tennis action with some of the best players in the world. 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He exited 2016 as the no 5 player in the world. Kei took part in the Rio Olympics where he defeated Rafael Nidal for a Bronze medal. He powered through to the finals for 4 other major tennis tournaments and also made it to the semi-finals during the US Open. Here he unfortunately lost to Stan Warinka. Kei’s next goal is to win a Grand Slam. Along with his trainer, Michael Chang, a former world number 2 ranked player, Kei is attempting to unify his natural reserved style with a more aggressive attacking style to take down better players. Top U. S Players to Compete Other than Kei, the Memphis Open this year features three exceptional American players that are sure to challenge Kei from landing a 5th consecutive title. John Isner seems to be at the top of most people’s list of top players. He is ranked 19th in the world currently, and has previously made it to the Memphis finals in 2010. Sam Querrey is another player to watch. With a 31st in the world ranking and the 2010 Memphis open title under his belt. Steve Johnson, another top American player will also be taking part, and will add to the entertainment factor. Tennis Greats Meanwhile the 44th ABN AMRO World Tennis tournament will kick off on the 13th of February and will feature an amazing line up of tennis greats. One of the biggest names to confirm their participation is Steven Wawrinka. This tennis ace is a three time Grand Slam winner, currently ranked number 3 and also a former ABN AMRO titles winner in 2015. He will be joined by 14 time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal. This will only be Nadal’s third ABN AMRO Tennis appearance. Other top names announced for the event include Thomas Berdych, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and David Goffin. According to the director of the tournament, Richard Krajicheck, Tsonga is a fan favourite who will be looking to snatch his 13th tennis title in Rotterdam. The 31 year old Frenchman made the finals in 2011 but eventually lost to Robin Soderling. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Former All Black, Ruben Wiki will be returning to professional Rugby. He will be taking part in this year’s Auckland Nines after an 8 year absence from Rugby. - Published: 2017-01-21 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/wiki-returns-rugby-nines/ Ruben Wiki Comes Out Of Retirement For Auckland Nines Former All Blacks captain, Ruben Wiki will be making a surprising return to the professional rugby field for the Auckland Nines. Ruben played his last match 8 years ago and has since been working as a coach. He is the strength and conditioning coach for the Warriors. It is striking to note that many of his teammates will not have been born when he started his professional career in 1993 Wiki jokingly said that he wouldn’t have time to bark out orders as much since he will be trying to catch his breath most of the time. Wiki has not gone into retirement and sat on his laurels. A Busy Retirement Other than training the Warriors, Wiki has been competing in marathons and Iron man events since his retirement. Wiki has said he has enjoyed the challenges he has faced after he ended his 312 professional match career. He has said he is refocusing on match specific training top get game ready. This return to rugby by a retired player has not been unprecedented in the NRL. Recently former star players like Jason Croker, Ken Nagas, Steve Menzie, Braith Anasta and Brad Fittler have all returned to the Nines. Awaiting Approval Wiki has wanted to return to rugby for a few years already and now his return is supported by Warriors coach, Stephen Kearney. The decision still has to be approved by the NRL but all things seem to be on track for Wiki’s return. His team mates in the nines as well as former team mates have shown nothing but support and total confidence in Wiki’s return. Wiki is also no stranger to the game. He has previously participated in the Super League Nines in 1996 and 1997 with his team winning both events. When asked about his former team mate, Kenny Nagas return to the nines as well, Wiki said that they had previously talked about themselves returning to professional rugby and that Nagas just laughed when he told him that he will be returning as well, shortly after Nags returned to the game. Wiki said that despite the fact that he is turning 44 soon; he is not intimidated by the concept of getting back on a field with younger players. He said that age is just a number, however he would have preferred returning to the game 3 years ago. The fans and teammates however are happy it has happened at all. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Auckland Cup Week 2017 is still weeks away, but already features on New Zealand racing punters’ radar. Here are some horses to keep an eye on until March. - Published: 2017-01-20 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/auckland-cup-week-top-picks/ Derby Day Starts Auckland Cup Week 2017 Saturday, March 04, should already be marked on New Zealand racing fans’ calendars. It’s Vodafone New Zealand Derby Day at Ellerslie, the traditional start of Auckland Cup Week, the richest racing week in New Zealand. It’s also a major social event in the nation’s most populous city, with the Fashion in the Field competition attracting scores of gorgeously garbed fashionistas. The highlight of the day is the feature race, the Group 1 New Zealand Derby for 3-year-olds, run over 2,400m for a purse increased this year to $1-million. Last year’s winner, Rangipo, trained by Tony Pike, is not nominated for the 2017 race. However, the current favourite is also trained by Pike: Sacred Elixir, which some bookies are offering at $3. 50. Sacred Elixir’s favourite status is based on a second place in the Group 1 Victoria Derby in November 2016, and an exhibition gallop at Ellerslie last week. The gelding is a good stayer and pretty fit, but that doesn’t mean the NZ Derby will be a walkover: colts Savile Row and Hall of Fame, and gelding Highlad, are also in single figures on the betting tables. Savile Row is at $7. 00, with the other two neck-and-neck on $8. 00. Auckland Cup Rounds Off Week On Saturday, March 11, Auckland Cup Week reaches a climax with Auckland Cup Day, one of New Zealand’s most prestigious annual racing events. The Auckland Cup Open Handicap has been run at Ellerslie since 1874, and its ornate Victorian silver trophy has been an icon of world racing since the 1930s. It is a two-miler, slightly reduced to 3,200m by the metric system, carrying a total purse of $500,000. Needless to say, it’s a Group 1 race that attracts stayers with speed, strength and stamina. The early favourite is 4-year-old gelding Pentathlon at $8. 00, with mare Chenille and gelding Bloodstream, both 5-year-olds, hot on his heels at $9. 00. But as $125. 00 outsider El Soldado proved last year, you don’t have to be a favourite to win the Auckland Cup. Racing fans need to watch the form for the rest of Wellington Cup Week, and all the meetings to come in February, if they want to put a solid bet on in March. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Catch up on the 2025 Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day. Aimpoint clinches victory in the $200,000 feature race. Full results & highlights. - Published: 2017-01-20 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/wallaceville-estate-wellington-cup-day-5/ Time for Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day! The Wellington Cup Carnival started in fine style on Super Saturday, last week’s Classic Day at Trentham. Punters saw some great racing, with 3-year-old colt Hall Of Fame winning the Levin Classic by a nose at $2. 30. In the Tui - Backing a Winner Since 1889 Anniversary Handicap, 6-year-old gelding Seize The Moment lived up to his name, to win at a respectable return of $8. 70. The big surprise of the day was Sampson, at $22. 30 obviously not impressing the bookies, romping home in the 2,100m Trentham Stakes. This Saturday sees the Wellington Cup Carnival reach a crescendo on Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day, with the main feature race restored to its original two-mile length at 3,200m, and a purse upgraded to $250,000, despite relegation to Group 3. Some Fancied Stayers in the Wellington Cup Sadly for New Zealand’s betting fans, Sampson won’t be running in the 2017 Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup. Trainer Howie Matthews refused to enter the 7-year-old gelding because he was expected to carry top-weight of 60kg. Last year’s Cup winner, Mister Impatience, was an outsider at $29. The 6-year-old gelding is being offered at $16 this year. He could still be worth a punt, however, as a great stayer. You can also get $10 odds on 5-year-old geldings Jacksstar and Sly Romance. Sly Romance demonstrated his staying abilities while winning over 3,400m at Mornington and 4,000m at Caulfield last year. The current favourites for the 2017 Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup are 4-year-old gelding Clarify, at $6. 00, 5-year-old gelding Bloodstream at $7. 00, 4-year-old mare Fanatic at $8. 00, and two more geldings, 5-year-old Alinko Prince and 6-year-old Balham, both at $9. 00. Telegraph Field Wide Open The other important race on Wellington Cup Day is the Group 1 JR and N Berkett Telegraph over 1,200m, also with a purse of $250,000. Perfect Fit, a 5-year-old mare, gets the nod from the bookies at $3. 20, but 6-year-old gelding Start Wondering, 4-year-old mare First Serve, and 3-year-old filly Luna Rossa are all being offered at under $10. 00 too. If you’re keen to take a flyer on an outsider, take a look at 4-year-old mare No More Tears, currently at $21. 00. Or even consider Passing Shot, at $41. 00. This is the 5-year-old’s first race since he was gelded after a disappointing spring, so betting fans will be keen to see if it makes any difference in his sprints. --- > The ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier in 2017 starts in Colombo, Sri Lanka on February 07. Ten teams are vying for four places in the World Cup in June. - Published: 2017-01-19 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/icc-womens-world-cup-qualifier-2017-2/ ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier 2017 Approaches Women’s cricket has been enjoying steady growth in New Zealand, and the White Ferns have competed in the ICC Women’s World Cup since its inception in 1973. Like the Men’s World Cup, it is an ODI tournament every four years. Because New Zealand finished in the Top 4 of the 2014-16 ICC Women’s Championship, the Ferns have automatic entry to the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup in June, along with hosts England, and the West Indies and Australia. But Kiwi sports betting fans have access to top-class cricket long before then. The ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier in 2017 runs from February 07 to 21 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Ten teams are battling it out for four remaining places in the June tournament. Some narrowly missed qualification last year, so there will be plenty of competitive matches to bet on. India Leads Qualifier Group A India is probably the strongest team in Group A. Fresh from a convincing victory in the Asian Cricket Council Women’s T20 2016, they have some big hitters. The biggest competition in their group should come from host Sri Lanka, who will meet India in the opening match of the Qualifier. Sri Lanka, like South Africa, Pakistan and India, is in the running by virtue of its finish in the bottom four of the 2014-16 ICC Women’s Championship, which still leaves all four in the world’s Top 8. Ireland joins India and Sri Lanka in Group A thanks to its ODI status in the world’s Top 10, and the last two teams in the group are regional qualifiers Zimbabwe and Thailand. Pakistan, South Africa Top Group B In Group B, the tussle between South Africa and Pakistan will probably dominate betting, especially with the African team smarting after missing the Top 4, and automatic qualification, by one point last year. The Pakistan side are hard at work at a practice camp in Karachi, while the South Africans are already acclimatising to the sub-continent with a five-match bilateral ODI series in Bangladesh. Three matches in, the visitors are leading the series 2-1. Bangladesh, like Ireland, is in the Qualifier because of its ODI status, and it completes Group B with regional qualifiers Scotland and Papua New Guinea. 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The next tournament New Zealand betting fans can see her play in is the 2017 Qatar Total Open in Doha from February 13-18, followed by the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship from February 19-March 04. To compete in Round 1 of the Fed Cup, she would have had to shift through several time zones after the Australian Open to play in Hawaii, and then fly the other way to Qatar with a gap between tournaments of less than 24 hours. As a result, she told reporters, she and the team coach agreed it was impractical for her to go to Maui, where Germany’s Fed Cup team is scheduled to play the USA at the Royal Lahaina Resort, and then try to get back to Qatar rested and in time for the Doha tournament. Top Seed in Doha Singles Draw Naturally, Kerber is the top seed in the singles draw in Doha. However, the tournament has been going since 2001, sparked by a growing interest in women’s sports throughout Qatar. It is now a prestigious event on the WTA Tour, with prize money of US$2,517,250. It is held every year in Doha’s Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex. The growth in the tournament’s profile is evidenced by the quality of the field it attracts. Of the 32 players in the 2017 singles draw, seven are ranked in the WTA Top 10. Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska is currently ranked No. 3, Czech Karolina Pliskova, Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova and Spaniard Garbine Muguruza are at Nos. 5, 6 and 7 respectively, and Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova at No. 9 and Britain’s Johanna Konta at No. 10 complete the list of top seeds. So Kerber, who was knocked out of the 2016 Qatar Total Open in the second round by China’s Zheng Saisai, faces plenty of stumbling blocks between Round 1 and the title. Savvy punters will be watching the rest of the Australian Open carefully, as well as the early rounds of the Doha tournament, to spot the players with winning potential. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The opening day of the Australian Open saw some tight singles matches. New Zealand punters backing top seeds Murray and Kerber are still smiling, though. - Published: 2017-01-18 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/australian-open-round-1-day-1/ Murray, Kerber to Australian Open Round 2 New Zealand betting enthusiasts following the Australian Open saw both the men’s and women’s top seeds, Brit Andy Murray and Germany’s Angelique Kerber, progress to the second round. The men’s World Number 1 put down unseeded Ukrainian Illya Marchenko 7-5, 7-6, 6-2, in a game that lasted two hours and 47 minutes. Marchenko started strong, breaking Murray’s serve three times out of eight in the earlier stages, but he seemed to run out of steam after the Scot took the second-set tie-break 7-5. Kerber, likewise the women’s World Number 1, is defending the title she won at Melbourne Park last year. Her first-round match against Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko also featured a titanic second-set struggle, but apart from that, the German had little trouble in winning the game 6-2, 5-7, 6-2. In Round 2, Murray will play Andrey Rublev. The Russian won his first-round match against Taiwan’s Yen-Hsun Lu 4-6, 6-3, 7-6, 6-3. Kerber will face fellow German Carina Witthoeft, who won a hard-fought 7-5, 7-6 victory against first-round opponent Eri Hozumi from Japan. Witthoeft took the match-winning tie-break 8-6. Halep, Vinci in Surprise Defeats Punters with a bet on women’s fourth seed Simona Halep had an unhappy day. The Romanian crashed out 3-6, 1-6 to World Number 57 Shelby Rogers of the USA. Italian Roberta Vinci, the women’s 15th seed, also hit a shock 1-6, 6-7 defeat at the hands of another American, Coco Vandeweghe. The other women’s seeds fared better: Spain’s Garbine Muguruza at 7, Russia’s Svetlana Kuznetsova at 8, the USA’s Venus Williams at 13, along with unseeded Australian Wild Card Ashleigh Barty, all won their first-round clashes. Australian fans had another call to celebrate when Bernard Tomic won his first match, and again when local star Nick Kyrgios, seeded 14th among the men, beat Portugal’s Gastao Elias easily: 6-1, 6-2, 6-2. Roger Federer, chasing his first Australian Open win since 2010 and seeded 17th, took four sets to dispatch Austrian Jurgen Melzer. Federer’s fellow Swiss, fourth-seeded Stan Wawrinka, had to fight for the full five sets to put down gutsy Slovakian Martin Klizan, as did Japanese fifth seed Kei Nishikori against Russia’s Andrey Kuznetsov. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > With the pre-season four weeks away, the AFL 2017 Toyota Premiership’s March kick-off doesn’t seem so far off. Here’s what New Zealand punters can expect. - Published: 2017-01-18 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/afl-2017-toyota-premiership-looms/ AFL 2017 Toyota Premiership Starts in March New Zealand’s online sports betting community enjoys a wide variety of sports worldwide, and the-fast-paced excitement of Aussie Rules footie is just as popular across the Tasman Sea as it is in its native land. Fans of the Western Bulldogs in particular are impatient for the AFL 2017 Toyota Premiership to start on March 23, because the Bulldogs’ triumph in the AFL 2016 Toyota Premiership Final was the club’s first since 1954. Supporters will be keen to see if the champs can hang onto the title, or whether this year will mark a return of the drought. The Bulldogs are also fielding a side in the NAB AFL Toyota Premiership Women’s Competition for the first time this year, and that kicks off on February 03. It will run every weekend until the Grand Final on March 25, so there is plenty of footie action to keep Kiwi punters entertained until the Men’s Competition begins. Opener Should be a Humdinger The opening match of the AFL 2017 Toyota Premiership on March 23 is scheduled between the Carlton Blues and the Richmond Tigers at the MCG. It should be an epic clash, as both teams have everything to play for this season. Melbourne derbies always draw enthusiastic crowds anyway, and with the Tigers slumping from consistent places in the Top 8 on the AFL ladder for three years running to 13th last year, they will be eager for a comeback. However, the Dark Blues finished only one spot behind them at number 14 on the 2016 ladder, and Carlton are clawing their way back from an unprecedented 18th place, the low point in a trough that had been worsening since 2002. So they look like a team on the up, and the Tigers will find them no pushover. However, the team to watch this year, according to the bookies, is the Western Sydney Giants, currently priced at AU$4. 50. With the Bulldogs second-favourites at AU$5. 50, this season could well end up in yet another nail-biting Melbourne-Sydney rivalry. Pre-Season Starts on February 16 New Zealand fans should also keep an eye on the AFL 2017 Toyota Premiership pre-season, the JLT Community Series, for an indication of how their teams will perform in the Premiership season. The opening match on Thursday, February 16, is another Melbourne derby: the Collingwood Magpies versus the Essendon Bombers at the Etihad Stadium. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Tennis fans saw a thrilling ASB Classic Final on Saturday. Despite missing a winning opportunity in the second set, Jack Sock triumphed over Joao Sousa. - Published: 2017-01-17 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/sock-takes-asb-classic-final/ Sock Avenges 2016 ASB Classic Agony Jack Sock knows the agony of having to leave a tennis tournament through illness. Last year, flu forced the rising US star to retire in the second set of the 2016 ASB Classic Final, handing the title to Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut. Ironically, at the 2017 ASB Classic, the defending champion withdrew from the competition in the early rounds with a gastric bug, so he proved no threat to Sock’s quest to make it second-time-lucky. Which he duly did: the lanky corn-fed 24-year-old from the American Midwest triumphed over Portugal’s Joao Sousa in the ASB Classic Final on Saturday, even though it took him three sets to do so, finishing 6-3 5-7 6-3. In what some are already calling the greatest final in the tournament’s history, and certainly in the past decade, the pair battled for almost two hours in front of a riveted crowd at Auckland’s ASB Tennis Centre. Millions more watched the final on TV around the world, and of course, plenty of New Zealand’s sports betting fans were following the action online, via live streaming at betting sites. When Sock took the first set 6-3 in just 34 minutes, those with a punt on him must have been feeling quite secure: it was the first set Sousa had lost in the tournament, so it appeared he had met his match. Second Set Put Punters on Edge However, Sousa wasn’t prepared simply to roll over. The 27-year-old from the medieval city of Guimaraes has being playing tennis since the age of seven, and he brought all 20 years of experience to bear in the second set. He took out semi-finalist and eighth seed Marcos Baghdatis with a ruthless 6-1 7-5 on Friday, so fans backing Sock had every reason to worry when the Portuguese came back from near-championship point in the second set to win it 7-5. In the final set, the American’s heavy service returns began combining with Sousa’s first signs of heat fatigue to grind him down, and his double fault at game point, with the score at 4-3, handed Sock a 5-3 advantage. The world Number 23 made good use of it, holding his serve in the following game to clinch the championship. --- > Trentham’s Classic Day, AKA Super Saturday, got the 2017 Wellington Cup Carnival going. Three feature races offered punters online some rewarding bets. - Published: 2017-01-17 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/wellington-cup-carnival-way/ Levin Classic in Wellington Cup Carnival Start Classic Day at Trentham is traditionally the Super Saturday heralding the opening of the Wellington Cup Carnival, and New Zealand punters enjoyed another great day at the races on January 14. The social highlight of Super Saturday was the Group 1 Randwick Meats Levin Classic, a 1,600m set-weight handicap for 3-year-olds. Colts Hall of Fame and Savile Row jostled for the favourite position in the days leading up to the race. Cambridge colt Jon Snow led from the start, with Savile Row tucked in behind him. But at the 200-metre mark, Hall of Fame surged past them both, holding off a late challenge from Savile Row to win by a nose, at $2. 30. This is the last we’ll see of both horses in the Wellington Cup Carnival, but they will be back at Ellerslie when the New Zealand Derby kicks off Auckland Cup Week. Sampson Surprises in Trentham Stakes The big upset of Wellington Cup Carnival Super Saturday occurred in the $70,000 Mills Reef Winery Trentham Stakes. Trainer Howie Matthews’ 7-year-old gelding Sampson was a rank outsider at $22. 30, so those with a bet on him were ecstatic to see him win the 2,100m Group 3 race, despite a handicap of 55kg. However, if Sampson were to race in the Wellington Cup next Saturday, he’d be expected to carry top-weight of 60kg according to Wellington Racing Club assignments. Matthews reckons that is unfair, so he has withdrawn Sampson from nomination. In the latest odds, there are five horses in the Wellington Cup field offered at less than $10: Bloodstream, Alinko Prince, Jacksstar, Fanatic and Clarify. Tui Anniversary Handicap Sees Stablemates Shine The third noteworthy race on Super Saturday was the Group 3 Tui - Backing a Winner Since 1889 Anniversary Handicap over 1,600m, also with a purse of $70,000. Thee Auld Floozie, a 5-year-old mare, looked set for victory when she took over from pacemaker La Fille En Jeu. But her stablemate Seize The Moment, a 6-year-old gelding, powered past her on the final turn and held off the mare, despite a spirited challenge in the gallop, to take the win. Both horses are entered for the Thorndon Mile on Family Day at Trentham, the meeting that closes the Wellington Cup Carnival on January 28. Judging by their form last Saturday, both could be worth a punt. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The annual Qatar Total Open will be taking place in February. This world-class professional woman’s tournament has featured some of the top names in tennis. - Published: 2017-01-16 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/qatar-total-open-set-february/ Qatar Competitors Set For Total Open The annual Qatar Total Open is kicking off on the 13th of February with the event set to run through until the 19th of February. The competition is certainly hotting up after Carla Suarez Navarro’s from behind victory to win the 2016 Open. The increase in prize money and top tennis names that are set to take part in this year’s tournament makes it one to watch. Last year’s prize money topped $2,818,000 and this year should be no exception with one of the most rewarding woman’s tournaments on the planet. This hard court tournament pushes players to their absolute limit on the court and it is always exciting watching. Waiting for Official Fixtures So far no official fixtures have been released, but fans expect more top performances from the stars of last year’s event. Currently ranked number two in the world, German Angelique Kerber made her first appearance in the Qatar Open last year as a champion of the grand slam. She was defeated by Chinese player, Zheng Saisai. Saisai was ranked number 73 while Kerber had a sweeping victory over tennis ace Serena Williams. Simona Halep, Romanian second seed and ranked number 3 in the world, has had a poor showing since the 2016 Open. She has lost 11 of her 12 matches. Halep has previously postponed nasal surgery in order to compete in more tournaments but it seems this has affected her negatively so far. Fans are hoping that her form improves when she defends her Indian Wells title. The star of the show of course is Carla Suarez Navarro who went on to win the Open and claim her second WTA title in her professional career. Navarro had a shaky start to her final, but once she managed to minimize her errors in the second set, she won a much-needed victory for herself and her home country of Spain. A Tournament to Watch The Qatar Total Open was founded in 2001 and started as a tier 3 tournament until the prize money was eventually upped to the current $2 500 000. Since the founding, the tournament has only not been hosted twice in 2009 and 2010 since the venue, the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, was used to host WTA Tour Championship. Previous female tennis stars that have held the Qatar open title include Martina Hingis, Monica Seles and Maria Sharapova. The Qatar Open hosts both single and doubles events. The current doubles champions are the Chinese pair Chan Hao-ching and Chan Yung-jan. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > This year with the loss of some top competitors, the Auckland Cup seems to have an even playing field. The event takes place on the 11th of March this year. - Published: 2017-01-16 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/even-field-auckland-cup/ Auckland Cup Week Set For Even Competition The 2017 Auckland Cup week kicks off on the 11th of March. This year it seems the field is a lot more even to the racing competitors after some of the best race horses in the sport pulled out of the event. Winner of the 1. 1 million dollar Inter Dominion, Smolda and his rider Mark Purdon will not be coming to the Auckland Cup week. Additionally Lazarus who took the coveted NZ Cup as well as the current reigning Grand Circuit champ Have Faith In Me will also be no shows. This has left some fans disappointed but overall the group 1 horses that are currently set of the Auckland Cup is probably one of the most even showings of any year. Who to Watch Many eyes will be on the performance of Franco Nelson. The horse had a poor showing in his previous Inter Dominion event after suddenly dropping to last place and then fighting back for a 5th position finish. Trainer John Dunn stated that the horse has had to push through a very busy few weeks and they are looking forward to flying him back to Auckland for some rest before the Auckland Cup week. Other thorough breeds that have drawn the attention of fans are Dream About Me and Titan Banner. These two horses have had strong showing in races this year, with Titan Banner knocking loose a big win at the Alexandra Park Summer Cup. Dream About Me has had many comparisons to her now retired stable-mate Adore Me, who was the 2014 Trotting Cup winner. There were some concerns regarding Dream About Me’s fitness for race day after she incurred an abrasion on the knee after her last Cup performance but she has made a sparkling recovery according to trainer Mark Purdon. Tiger Tara and Hughie Green are also two other notable entries this year. Hughie Green was last year’s Auckland Cup runner up so both his trainer and fans are very excited for his performance this year. A Great Event The Auckland Cup is an annual 3200m handicap race that first started in 1874. The Cup was commissioned by none other than Queen Victoria in 1889. If you wish to go see the event live, it kicks off on Saturday 11th of March. The gates will be opening from 10:30 am. There will be hospitality options on site that start opening from 11:30am. The first race will kick off at 12:20pm and continue until 9pm. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The ATP 250 series is starting the year off right with 3 scheduled opens. The Ecuador Open, Sofia Open and Sud De France Open is set to provide great action. - Published: 2017-01-15 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/2017-atp-250-series-heating/ ATP 250 Action In 3 Upcoming Opens This year’s ATP 250 Series is certainly hotting up, especially with the upcoming events that span from Equador to Bulgaria. Tennis fans are looking to the Ecuador Open, The Sofia Open and the Sud De France open for their start of year tennis action and they will not be disappointed. Current reigning Ecuador Open champion, Victor Burgos has already had a successful title defence against Thomaz Bellucci with a 4-6, 7-6, 6-2 win. Burgos is a fan favourite as this is his very first ATP title, aged 34. Along with Stan Wawrink, Burgos is the only over 30 player to accomplish a late ATP title. This successful title and defence comes after a serious injury incurred at the Quito Challenger in 2012 nearly ended Burgos’s career. He persevered and eventualy won his first title, making him the first Dominican to ever win the Ecuador Open. Plenty of Tennis Action Another noteworthy upcoming event is of course the Garanti Koza Sofia Open. It takes place between the 5th and 12th of February this year and features 21 players taken from the main draw as well as three added wild card players and 4 players that have qualified for the event. The 4 qualifiers are top ten ranked players while the main draws will be taken from the top 50 ranked tennis players. Eyes this year are on Marcos Baghdatis who will be making his first Sofia Open appearance this year. The 31 year old has had 13 finals performances along with 4 previous ATP titles. The Open Sud De France which kicks off in February is also another exciting upcoming ATP 250 event. Last year’s champion, Richard Gasquet is making a welcome return this year after he had a year marred by personal injuries. He missed out on major events like the Davis Cup and the Olympic Games along with dropping out of the top ten rankings to number 18, despite his Sud De France and ATP European open wins. Gasquet has stated that his goal entering this year is simply to stay injury free and work his way back into the top ten rankings. He is eyeing an excellent Grand Slam performance along with much more consistent performances on the court and he believes cracking the top ten again this season is completely doable. Last year’s Open Sud De France runner up was another French player, Paul-Henri Mathieu. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > This year Flamberge will be defending his title from racer Mourinho. The 10 year old is set to return to competition after a great racing performance last year. - Published: 2017-01-15 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/mourinho-set-steal-william-reid/ Mourinho To Return At William Reid Stakes The racing team, Gelagotis, have made it public that their veteran racer Mourinho will use the Group 2 William Reed Stakes as the first event of the season for their horse. He had completed a very promising strong barrier trial at the start of the year and his owner believes he is ready for a great performance in his 2017 season. The future of Mourinho was very much in doubt at the start of 2016. The group 1 winning racehorse was out of the field since February 2016. This was after a third place performance in the 2nd group Peter Young Stakes. He had before that suffered a string of problems and ailments that eventually led to his trainers pulling him for the rest of the year to make a full recovery. After he completed his 800m-barrier trial, his stable manager was outspoken on his great recovery since his February run. She stated that Mourinho is just about ready to be back to professional racing form. They take the horse for half-mile trials in the mornings and his rider has confirmed that he seems himself once again. Improving with Age Despite being ten years old already, Mourinho seems to be getting better and better each year. He made his racing debut in 2010 with a big win at the Tasmanian Derby over 2200m. Mourinho quickly established a name as a solid performer, consistently ranking in the top 5 finishes of his races. His maiden black type win was achieved in 2013 at the Group 3 JRA Cup in the respected Moonee Valley. He further cemented his reputation at the 2015 William Reid Stakes when he outperformed many great horses including the famed Dissident. He went on from this strong showing to deliver the best performance of his career so far with massive wins at the Underwood stakes, the Peter Young Stakes, the PB Lawrence Stakes and a third place finish at the CF Orr Stakes. Last year’s William Reid champ was Flamberge with his trainer Peter Moody. Moody had previously had immense success with his horse Black Caviar. Moody retired from professional racing after the win, this follows a 6 month ban from the sport. He was accused of leaking information regarding cobalt charges aimed at trainers Danny O’Brien and Mark Kavanagh. This year however, many eyes will be on Mourinho, as all indications are that this may just be his year. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The New Zealand Warriors are the only Kiwi team in the NRL. Sports betting fans are hoping the fourth Auckland Nines tournament brings an elusive victory. - Published: 2017-01-14 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/warriors-await-2017-auckland-nines/ Punters Getting Ready for 2017 Auckland Nines New Zealand rugby league fans are still smarting over the result of last year’s Auckland Nines tournament. Auckland’s New Zealand Warriors, the only local team in the NRL, triumphed over 14 Australian teams to finish runners-up against the Parramatta Eels in the final. But when the Eels had their title stripped for a salary-cap violation, the NRL decided to withhold the 2016 title, rather than award it to the Warriors. Mind you, they had lost the final 22-4, so Kiwi fans can’t feel too aggrieved. It’s time for sports betting fans to put that behind them, because the 2017 Auckland Nines is almost upon us, for the fourth time since 2014. The weekend of February 4-5 will see Eden Park once again host the fast-paced contest between all 16 NRL teams, in rugby league’s answer to rugby union’s Sevens tournaments. The good news, for New Zealand NRL supporters, is that the Warriors are the favourites to take the 2017 title, with bookies offering $4. 50 on them. If they pull it off, it will be the first time they win the Auckland Nines. The trophy went to the North Queensland Cowboys in the inaugural tournament, and to the South Sydney Rabbitohs in 2015. Other Contenders within the Pools The Warriors’ biggest threat within the Piha Pool is their 2016 nemesis, the Parramatta Eels, currently offered at $9. 00. The two remaining teams in Piha, the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles and the St George Illawarra Dragons, don’t look like a serious threat. Both have current odds of $21. 00. Two teams that look like they may be able to thwart the Warriors are 2014 champions the Cowboys, currently at $8. 00, and the Gold Coast Titans, who are the joint third-favourites with the Eels at $9. 00. The Titans are in the Waiheke Pool, where only the Penrith Panthers, at $11. 00, are seen as any kind of threat. Likewise, only the Rabbitohs, at $13. 00, look like they might trouble the Cowboys in the Hunua Pool, and the West’s Tigers, at the same odds, are the only team vaguely rated in the Rangitoto Pool. Fans of women’s rugby league will also be looked after in the 2017 Auckland Nines. For the third year in succession, the Kiwi Ferns will take on the Australian Jillaroos, hoping to complete a hat-trick of victories for the New Zealand women’s side. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The second Taiwan Open starts at the end of January, and this year’s field is even stronger. New Zealand betting fans have lots to look forward to. - Published: 2017-01-14 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/taiwan-open-draws-players-fans/ Taiwan Open Already a Popular Calendar Addition What tennis fans lost on the swings when the Thailand Open was discontinued in Pattaya after the 2015 tournament, they have gained on the roundabouts since this leg of the WTA Tour was relocated to Taiwan in 2016. The first WTA Taiwan Open at the Yang-Ming Tennis Centre in Kaohsiung last year proved a resounding success, living up to organisers’ hopes that it would stimulate global sporting interest in the tiny island republic, while expanding the popularity of tennis in the region. For sports betting fans with a particular interest in women’s tennis, the Taiwan Open, with final qualifiers starting on January 28 and the tournament proper running from January 30 to February 05, fills the gap between the Australian Open and the Fed Cup nicely. For players competing in the Australian Open, then the Fed Cup and going on to tournaments in Qatar and Dubai, the Taiwan Open is also convenient. It allows them an extra week of competition, with total prize money of US$500,000, while remaining more or less in the same time zone. Stronger Field Promised this Year As a result of the response the first tournament generated, the 2017 Taiwan Open has been moved from Kaohsiung to the hard courts of the 10,000-seat Taipei Arena in Taiwan’s capital city. The 2017 field is also stronger, despite the absence of Venus Williams, currently Number 16 in WTA rankings, who won the 2016 singles title. Top singles seed this year is world Number 13 Elina Svitolina. However, since 21 of the 23 players confirmed on the main singles draw are in the Top 100, and six of them in the Top 50, the 22-year-old Ukrainian will face enough competition to make the tournament worthwhile for New Zealand punters. Misaki Doi, currently ranked at Number 42, is quite possibly Svitolina’s main threat. True, there are other, higher-ranked players in the competition: like Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova at Number 35 and Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia at Number 24. However, as last year’s runner-up to Williams, Japan’s Doi is probably the player who is hungriest for the championship, with the most to prove. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Blue Diamond stakes, Oakleigh Plate and Futurity Stakes will feature some great competitors form the world of horse racing. This includes Turn Me Loose. - Published: 2017-01-13 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/top-horses-go-gold-melbourne/ Exciting Melbourne Club Racing Events Lined Up Melbourne Racing Club as always, will be the host of three of the finest horse racing events this year in the Blue Diamond Stakes, the Futurity Stakes and the Oakleigh Plate. The Lindsey Park team is one of the stables to watch as they have three of the contenders that are earmarked for the top 4. Horses to look at in this year’s Blue Diamond stakes include Extreme Choice, Flying Artie, Tulip and Catchy. An Impressive Line Up This year’s Blue Diamond events start off with the 100m Blue Diamond Previews that take place on Australia Day. This event is followed up with the 1100m preludes and then finally the main 1200m event on the 25th of February. The son of famed stallions, Snitzel, named Chauffeur is being eyed by many racing fans as a potential Oakleigh Plate Champion. Snitzel has already sired 48 winners of 106 races so hopes are high with trainer Gerald Ryan. Chauffeur has so far won his first-up during his Rosehill performance. He was third behind against From Within at Canterbury and hopes are high for the rest of his season. Turn Me Loose Looks for Another Win The upcoming Futurity Stakes will see the title defence of last year’s champion, Turn Me Loose. Although Turn Me Loose had trouble this year with a very wet winter preventing proper spring preparation, his trainer is still very much in great spirits when talking about the future. The trainer, Murray Baker, stated that Turn Me Loose is performing as great as he always has. He is set to open the year first with the 1200m Australian stakes, then move on to the 1400m CF Orr Stakes and finally on to the 1400m Futurity Stakes on the 25th of February. Baker further stated that Turn Me Loose performed exceptionally in the same races the previous year and he has no reason not to believe that another stellar performance is on the cards. Furthermore Turn Me Loose was also awarded at last year’s New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Awards. He walked away with the Champion Sprint as well as the Champion Middle Distance awards and was a finalist for the Horse of the Year in Victoria. Turn Me Loose has also previously won the Sofia Cup, The Crystal Mile as well as the Emirates Stakes. These three events are set to offer racing fans great action in February with some of the finest racing around. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Rubin Statham’s valiant challenge for a quarterfinal spot at the ASB Classic just didn’t have the legs. The New Zealand tennis hopeful lost to Jiri Vesely. - Published: 2017-01-13 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/asb-classic-statham-sadly/ Statham Narrowly Misses ASB Classic Quarter-Finals The WTA portion of the 2017 ASB Classic finished last weekend, with US 23-year-old Lauren Davis taking a convincing 6-3 6-1 win over Croatian teenager Ana Konjuh in the singles final on Sunday. The Dutch/Swedish doubles team of Kiki Bertens and Johanna Larsson defeated Dutch/Czech duo Demi Schuurs and Renata Voracova just as emphatically, 6-2 6-2. Tennis fans now have all eyes on the ATP players, as the quarterfinals of the men’s competition start on Thursday. New Zealand betting fans would have been gutted to see local hopeful Rubin Statham go down after a strong start to Czech Republic’s Jiri Vesely, the 2015 ASB singles champion. Statham only made the singles draw on a stroke of good luck to begin with. After Statham just missed qualifying on the weekend, the withdrawal of defending 2016 champion Roberto Bautista-Agut because of a stomach bug gave him a second bite at the cherry. He arrived at Auckland’s ASB Tennis Centre on Wednesday morning expecting to play a doubles match, to be informed that he also had a crucial singles match that afternoon. After taking the first set 7-6, however, the New Zealander didn’t have the stamina to finish Vesely off, and the Czech came back to win the final two sets and the match. Thursday’s Quarterfinal Berths Finalised The men’s singles quarter-finals kick off the day’s play at Centre Court on Thursday, with the Netherlands’ Robin Haase, who knocked out Spain’s third-seeded David Ferrer, playing another Spaniard: Joao Sousa. The first men’s doubles quarterfinal follows shortly afterwards on the Grandstand Court. For the rest of the day, the two courts will host both singles and doubles quarter-finals, with staggered starts so that punters can follow the progress of both with minimum overlap. The second singles match is a USA derby: John Isner versus Steve Johnson. Marcos Baghdatis, the Cypriot who has been such a crowd-pleaser while dispatching Frenchman Adrian Mannarino and Jamaican-German wildcard Dustin Brown, plays Vesely in the third singles quarter-final, followed by France’s Jeremy Chardy versus American Jack Sock. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The New England Patriots are favourites to win Super Bowl LI. But New Zealand punters still want to see the playoffs action before betting on the big one. - Published: 2017-01-13 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/2017-super-bowl-playoffs-preview/ Punting Options For NFL Super Bowl Playoffs Last weekend, the Houston Texans, Seattle Seahawks, Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers all won their Wild-Card Round of the 2016-17 NFL playoffs. In doing so, they put paid to the Super Bowl LI hopes of the Oakland Raiders, Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins and New York Giants, respectively. So there are now only eight teams left in contention for the 51st Super Bowl on February 05, and only two weekends of NFL action left to determine who will play in it. New Zealand’s gridiron fans will be keen to get a punt on the big game, but they will also want to put a bet on this coming weekend’s Divisional Round Match-ups, as well as the NFC and AFC Championship games scheduled for Sunday, January 22. Many bookies and punters are convinced that the Patriots, who finished the regular season 14-2-0, will win the AFC Championship, and go on to take Super Bowl LI as well. It’s a solid bet to make at this stage, although it won’t get you great odds. While we wait for the Super Bowl teams to be finalised, sports betting fans may do better with a punt on some playoffs games scheduled this weekend that could go either way. Great Weekend of Playoffs Ahead The Patriots meet Houston in the AFC game on Saturday night, and the New England team are overwhelming favourites to win it. It’s the earlier NFC match-up, between the Seahawks and Atlanta Falcons, which could provide punters with surprising and profitable results. Atlanta’s offence has been phenomenal this season, leading most bookies to favour them in the odds. But if the Seahawks pull off an upset victory, it will be thanks to a defence that has been equally noteworthy over the past year. On Sunday, January 15, the AFC Divisional game is between the Steelers and the Kansas City Chiefs. The odds are favouring the Steelers, although the Chiefs’ never-say-die grit could throw up a surprise. If the Pittsburgh team do win as expected, they will be serious contenders in the AFC Championship game, even against the mighty Patriots. On their record over the past season alone, the Dallas Cowboys have to be favourites in Sunday’s NFC match-up with the Packers, especially with home-field advantage. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Australian Open marks the first tournament on the 2017 tennis calendar. High profile players are waiting to hit the court on the 16th of January. - Published: 2017-01-12 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/australian-open-begin/ Anticipation Builds for the Australian Open The Australian Open is the first Grand Slam tournament on the tennis calendar and this year it kicks off on Monday the 16th of January, and runs until the 29th. Occurring annually, midway through January the Australian Open serves up an array of possibilities for big hitting wagering options. With a diverse mixture of events and categories that run throughout the tournament, the Australian Open acts as a trailblazer for other tennis championships to follow. Played on hard courts since 1988, the Open has the biggest fan attendance behind the US Open. Heavy Hitters The Australian Open attracts the world’s greatest tennis players, seeking to claim victory in order to boost moral and confidence for the upcoming championships. Looking at players like Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Rodger Federer the Australian Open men's division is a wide-open ball game. Nadal is still the king of clay; but fitness concerns may be something to consider as he’s faced a number of challenges recently. The inspiring Juan Martin del Porto, fighting his way back from bottom of the ranks to top 50 in the space of a year was also a fierce contender. However the Argentinean now has to sit out of the 2017 instalment of the Australian Open due to insufficient recovery of his wrist. Many were hoping that he’d make a valiant return and emerge as a true underdog, but this seems not to be the case- for this year anyway. The Women's Affair In the women's division players such as Caroline Wozniacki, Angelique Kerber and the Williams sisters make for nail biting set action and are the outright favourites to take to the podium in the competition. Serena Williams is always a top contender to claim victory in Melbourne. Having being defeated in the 2016 finals by Kerber, Williams has been prepping for the 2017 Australian Open in Florida and as always, looks strong. Johanna Konta looks set for great odds at the 2017 Australian Open. With a cracker of a year in 2016, Johanna claimed her first career title on the WTA tour and managed to reach the semi-finals in 2016. She finished the year on an impressive 10th world ranking. Given that certain heavy hitters like Maria Sharapova and Azarenka are out of the competition, Konta could be a big upset. 2016 Winners Novak Djokovic will be looking to retain his title as champion at the 2017 Australian Open. With his fierce fighting spirit and true focus Djokovic can never be counted out. The shocking surprise victory of Angelique Kerber over Serena Williams in 2016 saw Melbourne erupt. Kerber is still at the top of her game, but Serena will be looking to settle a debt. The 2017 instalment of the Australian Open promises a record purse amount up by 14 % over the 2016 prize pool. Standing at a staggering 50 million Australian dollars, single division winners are set to take home 3. 7 million dollars each. 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The Honda Classic is one of the most prestigious events on the PGA calendar and often features some of the best of the golfing world. Woods last took part in the tournament two years ago. He missed out on a portion of the PGA tour while recovering from a back injury over 15 months. It is hoped that the 41 year olds showing will be an improvement on his previous performances that did not see the sports star in top form. A Main Attraction Woods is a huge draw for the tournament that had previously seen trouble with attracting big name stars due to the rotation of the courses. The sign on of woods is sure to attract even more top competitors. This year’s Honda Classic will start Thursday the 16th of February, with play finishing up on the 26th of February. Last year Honda celebrated their 35th year of hosting the Honda Classic. In recognition of this, Honda also announced that they would be extending their sponsorship of the event until 2021. PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem reiterated how proud they are to be associated with Honda, especially with regards to the charitable work of both the Honda Cares program and the Jack and Barbara Nicklaus foundation. A Charitable Endeavour In 2016, during the Honda Classic Cares Week, over 3 million dollars was donated top local children’s charities. Over 50 local organisations benefit from this huge donation. There was also a 1 million dollar single donation to the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation. Event organisers are also looking forward to the crowd attendance this year. In the 2016 Classic, the PGA National Resort and Spa recorded a record number of spectators, totalling 202,128 over the 7 day event. The resort grounds are always popular with spectators as there are many additional amenities to enjoy at the event. The finals last year featured a tight duel between Sergio Garcia and Adam Scott. Scott went on to win the classic, shooting into No 9 on the world PGA rankings. What this year’s tournament holds for these world-class competitors will only be revealed on the 16th of February when the 2017Honda Classic tees off. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > This year’s ICC Women’s World Cup qualifier will be hosted in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Reigning champions this year Australia who have a commanding ranking lead. - Published: 2017-01-11 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/icc-womens-world-cup-qualifier-2017/ Women’s World Cup Qualifier On the Horizon This year’s 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier event will be held in the capitol of Sri Lanka, Colombo. The qualifier is running between the 7th and 21st of February. The 10 team tournament will determine which four teams get the final available slots for the ICC woman’s world cup event later in the year. The only automatic qualifier for the finals so far is of course Australia who is the current reigning champion. They will be joined by the teams that have made it through their region qualifier matches. These teams are Bangladesh, Ireland, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Scotland and Zimbabwe. The remaining spots that will be determined by the 10 team qualifier, with the bottom 4 teams from the 2016 World Cup, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and South Africa, needing to make a strong showing if they wish to play in this year’s ICC final. Leading Teams The current top ranked teams are Australia with a clear 36 point lead in the World Cup rankings. They are followed by England with 29 points. This year’s ICC final will be the first time in 20 years that the event is held on UK soil again. There have already been record-breaking ticket sales for the June finals. Chief executive for the ICC, David Richardson has said that it is a clear sign that the public is clamouring for women’s cricket action. The final two teams in the world rankings are New Zealand and the West Indies. Australia in it to Win Australian team captain, Meg Lanning has stated that she believes their strong batting performance is what is the team’s main strength and their spin bowling helps control games well. She feels there are still areas that the team can improve on before the next World Cup. Meg Lannings team along with a few other players from the English team will be taking part in this year’s Women’s Big Bash League in Australia which both teams will be looking to as a training camp of sorts. Fans are looking forward to this year’s event in the UK due to the great performance of the team’s in last year’s ICC Cup. Australia has a commanding lead but with strong competition brewing in the New Zealand, English and West Indian teams, they will have their work cut out for them in June when they face off against each other in the qualifier. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Last year’s Black Caviar Lightning Stakes winner, Chautauqua , is yet to be confirmed for this years event. The 5 year old gelding has had a busy 2016 schedule. - Published: 2017-01-11 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/chautauqua-confirm-bc-stakes/ Chautauqua Unconfirmed For Lightning Stakes Each year the Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne hosts the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes sprint race. With a massive prize pool of seven and a half million Australian dollars and entries from all over the world, the Lightning Stakes is a great annual sprint racing event. This year the race will be hosted on Saturday the 18th of February. Last year’s champion, Chautauqua is one of the world’s top rated thoroughbred sprinters. He won last year’s Lightning stakes against three top competitors, Dwayne Dunn, Terravista and Japonsime. Chautauqua won the Lightning Stakes by half a head, just past Dwayne Dunn, finishing the 1000 meters in 57. 02, finishing the final furlong with a huge burst of speed. With its 10-6-1 career, the 5 year old is set for a great performance despite a busy 2016 Looking Ahead Co-trainer of Chautauqua, Michael Hawkins is in great spirits for the gelding’s 2017 performance. Chautauqua is currently in pre-training and Hawkes has stated that the horse looks set to be in great condition as he is looking like his old self after a tough schedule after last year’s Lightning Stakes. The rest of the training team consists of Hawke’s brothers, John and Wayne. They trained Chautauqua mainly for R & C Racing and other partners including GPI. Chautauqua clinched wins in the lightning Stakes as well as the TJ Smith Stakes as well as the Chairman’s Sprint Prize at Sha Tin, China. Hawkes went on to say that even with these great showings, Chautauqua did not seem to have his usual lustre during his last races. Hawkes said that they know his Group 1 races put Chautauqua up against the best on offer and they entered a much-needed break after the main racing events they wished to take part in. Potential Appearances The team has not yet finalised when Chautauqua’s first appearance will be in the new year, they are only so far planning to enter the TJ Smith stakes with its $2. 5 million purse. The horse is currently in Sydney and he could very well appear next in Hong Kong again or at the Royal Ascot. The lightning Stakes event is currently known as the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes in honour of the famous racehorse, Black Caviar. She is an Australian thoroughbred who is undefeated in 25 races and has won 15 Group 1 victories. She was retired on the 17 of April 2013. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand produces some of the finest athletes in all sports disciplines. It is always a good thing to look back on the past year and see who has stood out. - Published: 2017-01-10 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/general/5-great-kiwi-sports-stars/ 5 Great Kiwi Sports Achievers We brought you the best athletes in New Zealand, so now it’s time to take a look at the top achievers of the last year. There have been many great sporting achievements won by New Zealand athletes this year. A few of those athletes have made exceptional contributions to their respective sports as well as to New Zealand’s international reputation as a producer of fantastic athletic talent. One of those athletes is No 1 ranked female professional golfer, Lydia Ko. This Korean born athlete has had an exceptional year in sport. She was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people, just 1 day before her 17th birthday. She has to date, at the age of 19, won 14 LPGA tour titles and just needs 10 more points to qualify for the PGA hall of fame. Lisa Carrington is an Olympic level canoer. She has won the gold at the 2016 and 2012 Olympics as well as gold at the 2011 Canoe Sprint Wold Championships. She hails from Tauranga in New Zealand. She has won a total of 7 gold medals, one silver and two bronze. She has also won various accolades. She was named the 2012 Maori Sportsperson of the year, a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2013. Sailors Peter Burling and Blair Tuke are two star athletes who have performed ridiculously well in every regatta they have taken part in. To date they have won every regatta they have taken part in in a four year cycle. Considering all the potential variables from the condition of the ocean to unpredictable weather patterns, this is quite a feat. They won their Olympic race by an insane 43 point margin. Another star rower from Tauranga is Mahe Drysdale. He won gold at both the 2012 and 2016 Olympics as well as a hard fought bronze at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. He has won a total of 7 gold medals, three silver medals and one bronze. Mahe has also won the Young Alumnus of the Year from the University of Auckland in 2007. He also won the New Zealand order of Merit in 2009. Finally we have one of the most decorated athletes New Zealand has ever produced, Hamish Bond and Eric Murray. This rowing team has won 10 gold medals in their pairs rowing career including 2012 and 2016 Olympic gold medals. With these amazing athletes leading the charge for New Zealand’s sporting achievements in 2017, it can only be a fantastic year for Kiwi sport. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand’s footie fans are impatient for the 2017 AFL Toyota Premiership to start in March. But there are diversions available to punters before then. - Published: 2017-01-10 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/2017-afl-toyota-premiership/ Awaiting the 2017 AFL Toyota Premiership There are plenty of sports punters in New Zealand who follow Aussie Rules football, and the footie fans are drumming their fingers and kicking their heels at the moment, waiting for the 2017 AFL Toyota Premiership to start. Alas, the first round only commences in March, and it will take seven more months to see if the Western Bulldogs can repeat last year’s triumph over the Sydney Swans at the MCG, and claim a second straight title after a 62-year drought. Happily for New Zealand’s footie betting enthusiasts, there is a variety of action on offer before the Premiership starts. The 2017 NAB AFL Women’s Competition kicks off on February 03, continuing every weekend until the Grand Final on Saturday, March 25. It will be the first time the Bulldogs compete in the women’s tournament, so the four home games with which they start the season, at Victoria University Whitten Oval, are going to be crucial to their fortunes in the competition. Pre-Season JLT Community Series Important Pre-season matches in February and March are also worth taking an interest in, if you want to check out each team’s form before placing any bets on the 2017 AFL Toyota Premiership. Rebranded in 2017 under the banner of Australian insurance giant JLT, the JLT Community Series is a great place to see how teams are shaping up on the eve of the Premiership season. Thursday, February 16 sees the start of the JLT Community Series, and the clash between the Bulldogs and Melbourne at the Whitten Oval on February 18 will be our first glimpse at the champions’ 2017 form. Sunday, March 05 will see an important clash between the Adelaide Crows and the Geelong Cats at Adelaide’s Richmond Oval. Since both these teams finished above the Bulldogs on the points table at the end of the round-robin section of the 2016 Premiership, they ought to produce some exciting footie. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Serena Williams has received an unprecedented level of security for her ASB appearance. Highly trained staff has been shadowing her 24/7 during the event. - Published: 2017-01-09 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/high-security-serena-asb/ High Level Security For Serena Williams In ASB Classic Tennis great Serena Williams has been in Auckland in order to attend the 2017 ASB Classic. For her stay she has been attended to by an unusual level of trained security staff at all hours, both in public and at her hotel. The public security contingent has been even larger than at the hotel. It’s said that the increased security is over concerns due to the net worth of her engagement ring, but many say that the star has simply increased her security detail in recent years, and that she now travels with a full staff complement wherever she goes. The security staff will remain in service for the total length of her stay in Auckland and they will be operating 24 hours a day. Protecting a Top Sports Star Serena Williams is widely regarded as the greatest female tennis star ever to step onto the court. She has won a total of 22 grand slam trophies in her illustrious career. Williams is the second highest paid female sports star. She has various endorsement deals and she has recently become engaged to the co-founder of Reddit who is also worth millions. When she landed in Auckland she only spent a short time with waiting media, before she was rushed off by her security team and taken directly to her hotel room. Media in the surrounding area where strong-armed to clear room for the player. It is believed that Venus Williams, Serena’s sister, is staying at the same hotel she is, but both players are staying in separate accommodation than the rest of the ASB tennis players. Serena will be one of the biggest sporting personalities to ever visit the country that could be part of the reason for the heightened security for the ASB Classic. Event Security Stepped Up The director of the tournament, Karl Budge has also said that they take the security at the event very seriously. He said that this is the highest level of security they have ever employed at an ASB event. The head of the security team at ASB is an ex-SAS soldier and the whole senior management team was sent to America for a pre event security meeting. Serena is still taking the time to practice every day. Security staff is posted mere metres from the star while she is using the hotel courts for practice. Budge stated that even though Auckland is a very relaxed venue, it is not worth it to take any chances when it comes to player security, event security and fan security. This ASB will be the 32nd event held for Women. It is a joint ATP and WTA tour this year. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > 2016 has been a great year for New Zealand’s athletes. They continue to do the great Kiwi sporting culture proud on both a local and international stage. - Published: 2017-01-09 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/general/5-best-athletes-2016/ 5 Great Kiwi Performers of 2016 2016 has been a great year for New Zealand sports. There have been many standout performances but there have been 5 that stand out just a bit more. Firstly, Israel Dagg. With a stunning 13 wins off 14 tests, New Zealand seem as strong as ever in rugby with Israel leading the charge. Steve Hansen may have been worried after losing so much talent, but the team decimated the competition with 6 fixtures won with bonus points in the Rugby Championship. Cricketer Brendon McCullum has had a rough few matches with lack lustre performances in recent games. It wasn’t until his game at the Hagley Oval that fans remembered how great this cricketer truly is. He achieved a record breaking century from 54 balls. NBA player Steven Adams has had a fantastic year with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He signed a multi-million dollar contract cementing his basketball career with the NBA. After a tough life after losing his father, it is great to hear such an inspirational story from a local athlete. Eliza McCartney is another top athlete from this year. She won a bronze medal in pole vaulting at the Rio Olympics, but it was her clear and unbridled passion for the sport that has garnered her headlines across the world. She has inspired a whole generation of athletes to do their absolute best and enjoy every minute of it. 24 year old Joseph Parker has quickly made a name for himself as a top ranking fighter. He is listed at no 5 of the best heavyweights according to the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board and number 7 by The Ring magazine. Parker became the first heavyweight boxer from New Zealand or from the Pacific Islands to in a major boxing championship. He won the WBO title after defeating Andy Ruiz. His other titles include the WBO Oriental title, Africa title as well as the Oceania title. Other titles he has held include the PABA and OPBF belts. In his amateur career he has taken part in the Commonwealth games of 2010 but he did not qualify for the 2012 Olympics. These athletes have been a great boon for New Zealand. Not just because of their stellar performances on the fields, but for their hard work off the field in promoting the great Kiwi sporting culture. It will be interesting where these stars career paths take them next. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > In February, New Zealand tennis punters can lay bets on multiple tournaments at once. Updates on top seeds in the Ecuador, Sofia and Sud de France Opens. - Published: 2017-01-08 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/ecuador-sofia-sud-de-france-open-stars/ Croatian Ivo Karlovich Ecuador Open Favourite On ATP rankings alone, Ivo Karlovich has to be regarded as the current favourite for the Ecuador Open, due to start on February 04. At 37, the Croatian is also the oldest player in the Top 200, so his ranking at Number 20 is an indication of just how good a player he is. His last tournament win was the 2015 Topshelf Open in the Netherlands, and that year he also beat Novak Djokovic in Doha and San Wawrinka in Basel. Last year, he was a member of the Croatian team that finished runners-up to Argentina in the Davis Cup final. In Quito, Karlovich’s most dangerous competition will most likely come from Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas, with a current ATP ranking of 27th. Fernando Verdasco, ranked 42nd, is another Spaniard who should provide some tennis thrills. Cilic Tops Sud de France Open Rankings The Sud de France Open starts a day after the Quito tournament in Montpellier. The home-crowd favourite is Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, currently 12th on the ATP ladder, but his countryman, Richard Gasquet, is only six places behind him at 18th, and Gasquet has won the Sud de France Open three times. That includes last year, so the defending champion has all the motivation he needs. But it is another Croatian, 28-year-old Marin Cilic, who has to be the tournament favourite. The 2014 US Open winner claimed his first Masters title in Cincinnati last year against Andy Murray in straight sets, and later beat Djokovic for the first time to get to the semi-finals of the 2016 Paris Masters. He is currently at Number 6 on the ATP rankings. Strong Field for Sofia Open The Garanti Koza Sofia Open, like the Montpellier tournament, runs from February 05 to 12, and has the most impressive field of the three in terms of ATP rankings. Of the 21 players in the main draw, 11 are in the Top 50, four in the Top 20 and three in the Top 15. Our favourite for the championship, 23-year-old Austrian Dominic Thiem, is the only Top 10 player, ranked 8th. His career highlight to date has been making the semis in the 2016 French Open. But Thiem will face challenges from the returning Sofia champion, Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut, and rising Belgian star David Goffin. Goffin is at Number 11, and Agut at Number 14, on the ATP ladder. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Punters are keenly awaiting the Wellington Cup on January 21. Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day ties Trentham Racecourse to the surrounding community. - Published: 2017-01-08 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/wallaceville-estate-wellington-cup-day-odds/ Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day Excitement Mounting Punters are gearing up for Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day on January 21. All eyes will be on the feature race. The 3,200m Wellington Cup is offering a purse newly boosted to $250,000 and remains the social event of the racing season. The final field for the 2017 Wellington Cup is not available yet, but only three horses are currently being offered at prices below double figures by the bookmakers. Current favourite is Bloodstream, a 5-year-old gelding at $6. 00 for a win and $2. 25 for a place. But another gelding, 4-year-old Five to Midnight, is hot on his heels at $8. 00 / $2. 75. Next is the 4-year-old mare Fanatic, at $9. 00 / $3. 00. Mister Impatience, the 6-year-old gelding who pulled off a surprise win in the 2016 Wellington Cup, is recovered from injury, but languishes eighth from the top of the favourites list at $18. 00 / $5. 25. However, our money’s on a fourth gelding: 5-year-old Jacksstar, currently being offered at $10. 00 / $3. 25. Last time he ran 3,200m at Trentham, in the Fasttrack Insurance Chalmers Handicap on December 03, he came from behind to win over the last 1,000m. He took another victory in his last start, the 2,300m Hotel Coachman Manawatu Cup on December 18. Still a Sizzler Despite Downgrade With an annual best-dressed competition and the racing set turning out in their best bibs and tuckers, it doesn’t look like the Cup downgrade to Group III status is going to affect the fun on Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day. It’s still the premier social event of the Wellington racing season, at which even the most occasional punters are tempted to have a flutter. The Wallaceville Estate sponsorship of Wellington Cup Day also ties Trentham Racecourse and Wellington Racing Club more closely into the surrounding community. Wallaceville Estate is a sectional residential development a stone’s throw from the racecourse, complete with shops, offices and amenities. The estate is helping to transform the Upper Hutt suburbs of Wellington, while maintaining green belts within the city. So more than just offering a great family day out at the races, Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day is also a showcase for the commuter possibilities of the Upper Hutt area. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Kumara Racing Club have faced delays due to new liquor licence laws. It has caused stress and concern with regards to their annual horse racing event. - Published: 2017-01-07 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/frustration-new-liquor-laws/ Upset At New Kumara Alcohol Licence Requirements One of the biggest Australian race meets has met some tough criticism and unwarranted delays thanks to new liquor licence laws. The requirements of the new laws have to be met before any liquor licences can be granted. Kumara Racing Club had to address these requirements before they could host their event. Part of the new legislation is increased security at events to maintain safety and order. This has meant that organisers have had to increase the number of onsite security staff from the usual 5 to a massive 22 man team. This increase of staff has had a direct on ticket prices, with the price per ticket jumping from $10 to $15. When the racing club approached the Council to apply for their event in October, they were confronted by various new laws and requirements for an event to serve alcohol. The club originally considered adding Alco free areas to cater to families and non-drinkers but they were told that they must first increase security at the event. They also could not advertise that attendees could bring their own alcohol. Furore Over Short Deadline Luckily the racing club has been told that their licences were granted, 10 days just before the event, which is one of the biggest racing events held on the West Coast. Another problem with regards to the security staff is that due to the small population of Kumara, they had to hire the majority staff from outside the town, adding to the costs of holding the event. Kumara is facing a lot of trouble with regards to developing the community and the local economy. The town recently had an economic boost when Kumara was added to the West Coast Wilderness Trail. Kumara Racing committee member, Les Guenole said that the security staff mostly played a role in protecting the tote. The event was always very peaceful. The trouble that the event had to go through to secure a liquor licence could have serious detrimental effects on other large events that people are planning for the area. He went on to use the Wildfood festival as an example. The festival has seen significant drop ion attendees. The Mayor of Kumara, Bruce Smith also went on record to say that the hoops the organisers had to go through were unrealistic and a lot of undue pressure and requirements were placed on the organisers. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > After a horrible fall, female jockey Michelle Payne plans to return in 2017. She hopes to win one more Melbourne Cup before her official retirement from racing. - Published: 2017-01-07 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/payne-return-jockey-trainer/ Michelle Payne To Return In 2017 Melbourne Cup Michelle Payne, the famous jockey who won the Melbourne Cup in 2015 is looking to become the world’s first jockey-trainer to win the Melbourne Cup. She already made history in 2015 by becoming the first female jockey to the prestigious event. For 2017 she is hoping to be the first person to be both the jockey and trainer and win the Melbourne Cup. And to friends and family, she is fully capable of the phenomenal feat. Payne has been horseracing since the age of 18. She is the 8th child of Paddy Payne, her father, to enter into horse racing. An Incredible Career Her promising career was almost cut short in 2004 when a big fall resulted in her receiving a fractured skull along with bruising on her brain. Fortunately she made a full recovery and went on to take part in the Toorak Handicap, the Caulfield Cup and the Melbourne Cup. Her new dream is to train a winning horse and ride it to victory herself. She says that she will be retiring from professional racing in 2018 and before she leaves she want to be the first trainer-jockey to win the Melbourne Cup. Future Plans Payne is planning to leave for Europe in the middle of 2017 and find her special animal. Payne is now 31 years old but believes 2016 was one of her best years in racing. She described the year as a crazy one that had both great highs and lows. The reason for her decision to retire from racing came after a terrible fall during a race in May. She had to undergo extensive abdominal surgery. The injury resulted in her having very limited time in professional racing. Payne says that she knows the dangers of the sport are very real, but she wants to pursue doing what she loves and has set this final goal for herself before she leaves the sport for good. She was one of the first people to pick up the newly created Jockey-trainer licences that have first been introduced in August of 2016 by Racing Victoria. She has also received offers from many breeders and enthusiast to purchase international horses. Payne says that while she prefers German and French horses due to superior breeding, she is just interested in finding the right horse for her and not a specific breed. It is certainly a shame to lose such a bright talent from the sport, but it seems like Payne certainly plans to go out with a bang. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Wellington Cup, showpiece of WRC’s Wellington Cup Carnival, was downgraded to Group III last year. But a boosted purse should see it as popular as ever. - Published: 2017-01-06 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/wellington-cup-carnivals-comeback/ Wellington Cup Carnival Undampened by Downgrade Last year’s decision by the New Zealand Pattern Committee to downgrade the Wellington Cup from Group II to Group III was a blow for Wellington Racing Club. Widely considered New Zealand’s premier distance race, the Wellington Cup is the centrepiece of WRC’s annual Wellington Cup Carnival, scheduled this year on January 14, 21 and 28 at Trentham Racecourse. Wellington Cup Day, the middle Saturday of the Carnival, is perhaps the highlight of the racing social calendar; a day of fashion, food, entertainment and racing for socialites, casual racing fans having a flutter, and serious punters alike. Back to its original two-mile distance at 3,200m, the feature race vies with the Auckland Cup and Christchurch’s New Zealand Cup to provide the most gruelling test of staying power in New Zealand racing. WRC is confident that despite the downgrade of the jewel in its crown, this year’s Wellington Cup Carnival will be another bumper event. WRC has put its money where its mouth is, too: the prize purse in the 2017 Wellington Cup has been increased by $50,000, to $250,000 in total. Sponsored by Wallaceville Estate, this year Wellington Cup Day will include the annual fashion competition for best-dressed, loads of hospitality options, and general admission at $30, or even less if pre-booked online. Taking a Look at Betting Options The other feature race on the day’s card is the Group I JR&N Berkett Telegraph, at 1,200m. It also has a purse of $250,000, making it New Zealand’s richest sprint, so it should see quite a bit of betting action. The real draw-card for punters, though, is the feature race. It’s still too early to have a final field for the 2017 Wellington Cup yet, but five-year-old gelding Bloodstream is currently the favourite, at $6. 00 for a win and $2. 25 for a place. He has finished first in five of the six starts he’s had since September, but had to be content with a strong third in the Craigmore Timaru Cup on December 28, finishing less than a length behind winner Tommy Tucker. But don’t rule out four-year-old gelding Five to Midnight, four-year-old mare Fanatic, or five-year-old Jacksstar, another gelding. All have proven strong in staying races, and they are currently priced to win at $8. 00, $9. 00 and $10. 00, respectively. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Australian Open, starting January 16 at Melbourne Park, will be full of top tennis action. We look at some seeds to watch in the men’s tournament. - Published: 2017-01-06 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/2017-australian-open-top-seeds/ Tennis Greats Warm Up for Australian Open Roger Federer has a practice session in Perth for the Hopman Cup, and 6,000 fans turn up to watch. Rafael Nadal’s jet-lagged yawns in the first round of the Brisbane International make sports headlines around the world. There’s no doubt about it: tennis fans in New Zealand and Australia are starting 2017 off with a feast of word-class talent and plenty of betting opportunities. And this is just the warm-up: on January 16, the top stars converge on Melbourne for the Australian Open. Here’s what some of the top male seeds scheduled to compete at Melbourne Park are up to at the moment: Never Underestimate Federer and Nadal Roger Federer, competing for the first time since Wimbledon 2016, has not disappointed his fans. The 35-year-old Swiss legend beat Alexander Zverev 6-3 6-4 to secure a Switzerland-Germany tie in their Hopman Cup Clash on Tuesday. The knee injury that ended his 2016 season has seen NinjaFed slip to Number 16 in the Open seeding, but that is no indication of just how dangerous he can be. Rafael Nadal is also seeded lower than we are used to, at Number 9. Wrist and knee injuries over the past year took him down to Number 9 in world rankings too, and arriving only 48 hours before the Brisbane Open obviously left him discombobulated, although he did win his jet-lagged opening match against Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-3 6-3. He deliberately scheduled this warm-up tournament to ensure he’s fully acclimatised by January 16, so he can’t be ruled out in his quest to repeat his 2009 triumph and win a second Australian Open. Murray and Djokovic Top Seeds The big draw in the men’s tournament, of course, is the possibility of another Djokovic-Murray final. They’ve met in four Australian Open finals, and Novak Djokovic has taken every one. Sir Andy was also runner-up to Federer in 2010, so the Scot must be hoping he can make it sixth time lucky. He’s currently contesting the Qatar Open, and beat Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 6-0 7-6 after a tie-break in the first round. Djokovic, seeded second in the Open after world Number One Murray, is also busy in Qatar, after a hard-fought come-back win in his first match against German Jan-Lennard Struff. So it’s possible the Serb and the Scot may see another showdown before the Open even starts. 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With only one week of the regular season left, it’s time to turn our attention to the playoffs, so sports betting enthusiasts can work out which teams will go all the way. The results this weekend will not make much difference to the AFC. Six teams have a lock on the top spots, with only the final seeding in the playoffs to decide. Currently, the New England Patriots are top of the AFC table, followed by the Oakland Raiders, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Houston Texans, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Miami Dolphins. Of course, a lot can happen in the playoffs, but if we had to place a bet right now, our money would have to go on the Patriots. The bookies agree; they are the current favourites at 8 to 5. At 9 to 1, the Steelers are the next most-fancied team in the AFC, followed by the Chiefs at 12 to 1. The Raiders, Dolphins and Texans remain outsiders, at 40 to 1 or lower. NFC Final Field Still Iffy Unlike the American Football Conference, the National Football Conference leaderboard could still change. In essence, the final round of the regular season sees three teams competing for two spots. At 500 to 1, it’s highly unlikely that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers can make the playoffs: they’d need a draw between the New York Giants and the Washington Redskins, plus several other flukes. With the Giants at 25 to 1 and the Redskins second from the bottom of the table at 150 to 1, this is the longest of long shots. More likely, the winner of the Green Bay Packers game against the Detroit Lions will join the Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks at the top of the NFC, with the loser joining the winner of the Giants/Redskins clash as the final two teams in the playoffs. In terms of betting, the Cowboys are the second-favorite Super Bowl LI team, at 17 to 5. The Falcons are at 10 to 1, the Seahawks at 12 to 1 along with the Packers, and the Lions are at 80 to 1. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Wellington veteran of NZ cricket Ross Taylor has been dropped for the T20 series against Bangladesh. He was unlucky to be up against some brilliant talent. - Published: 2017-01-05 - Modified: 2017-01-05 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/ross-taylor-unlucky-t20-spot/ In-Form Taylor Unlucky over Bangladesh T20 Former Black Caps skipper Ross Taylor must think he’s the unluckiest man in New Zealand cricket right now. Dropped from the squad for Tuesday’s T20 clash against Bangladesh, it’s the first time in ten years he’s been denied a place on form, rather than by injury or unavailability. It’s a bitter blow to the New Zealand veteran, whose decade in the national side has produced 16 centuries in Tests and 15 in ODIs; in the 50-over game, second only to Nathan Astle. His form returned convincingly over 2015 and 2016: despite eye surgery after racking up his sixteenth Test century against Pakistan in November, he was back in T20 action before the end of the year. For Central Districts Stags, Taylor smacked 82 off 41 against Auckland Aces on December 29, then knocked another 80 off 50 against Canterbury Kings two days later. To be in form and bluntly dropped, while other Black Caps stars like Trent Boult and Tim Southee are being diplomatically ‘rested’ for this T20 series, has got to sting. Facing Some Blinding Competition Taylor might justifiably feel hard-done by, but it’s hard to fault any of the players who edged him out. The Wellington 32-year-old has simply been a victim of the wealth of New Zealand talent currently competing for top T20 batting spots, including in-form skipper Kane Williamson. Taylor’s Stags teammate Tom Bruce, for example, has spent the past two seasons proving he has both the nous and the big batting ability to become a legend of the game: his T20 batting average last year was 47. 16 at a strike rate of 172%. It would’ve been heart-breaking to see him denied his first T20 cap in this series; one that might see him win a debut Test cap in the five-day matches that follow on January 12. Likewise, Neil Broom is another batsman who got the nod over Taylor. But again, no one can claim the 33-year-old Otago Volts star doesn’t deserve his spot. His match-saving heroics in the Bangladesh ODIs last year, along with his man-of-the-series award, are proof enough of his value, but his position as a specialist T20 opener, batting 51. 50 at 140%, clinches the deal. With the Stags at the top of the domestic ladder, however, at least Taylor will now be available to contribute to the hunt for their first championship in seven years. It’s probably small consolation. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Czech Lucie Safarova sailed through her first-round ASB Classic match against countrywoman Denisa Allertova. The Auckland tennis tournament started Monday. - Published: 2017-01-05 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/safarova-wins-asb-1st-round-easily/ Safarova Easily Makes ASB Classic Round 2 Lucie Safarova, currently ranked Number 62 by the WTA, but who was Number 5 in the world as recently as September 2015, had no trouble winning her opening match of the ASB Classic at the ASB Tennis Centre. The left-hander sailed easily to victory over fellow Czech Denisa Allertova in the first round on Monday, finishing 6-1 6-2. Allertova, currently ranked 91st, didn’t do her own cause any good by delivering nine double faults, including a last one at match point to seal her fate. But serving up seven aces, it was clear that Safarova was simply too strong for her opponent. She broke Allertova’s serve three times in succession in the first set, and took four straight games to finish the second. Another Czech on Czech Match-Up Through to the second round of the 2017 ASB Classic, as the Auckland Open is known under ASB sponsorship, Safarova’s next opponent will be yet another Czech, although we have yet to find out which one. World No. 19 Barbora Strycova, seeded fourth in the Auckland tournament, is due to meet Barbora Stefkova in their first-round clash on Tuesday; both women hail from Czechoslovakia as well. With Stefkova only ranked at No. 198, Strycova is the favourite to meet Safarova in the next round. That is, of course, assuming we can count on a full day’s play out of the Auckland weather on Day 2. Day 1 was rained out after only five matches were completed, so fans waiting to see legend Serena Williams in action had their entertainment postponed. Only two matches in the ASB Classic main draw were among those that got to a result before the rain came down. Safarova’s was one, and the other saw Japan’s Kurumi Nara take down German wildcard Antonia Lottner just as emphatically: 6-2 6-2. Fifth seed Kiki Bertens from the Netherlands has yet to play American Lauren Davis in their first-round match, but the winner will meet Nara in the second round. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Tom Bruce has high hopes of a call-up to bat for the New Zealand Test cricket side soon. He’s in the Black Caps T20 squad playing Bangladesh Tuesday night. - Published: 2017-01-05 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/tom-bruces-black-caps-t20-debut/ Tom Bruce Eager for Black Caps Debut We’ll only know if he’s in the T20 team to take on Bangladesh in Napier on Tuesday night after the coin toss, but Tom Bruce has had his hopes up since he was named on the 14-man Black Caps squad in December. If he gets a chance to shine in the first Twenty20 match of the Bangladesh tour at McLean Park, and the second and third in Mount Maunganui’s Bay Oval on Friday and Sunday, he has a good chance of being selected for the Black Caps Test side. Bruce has been on selectors’ radar since at least January 30 last year, when the then-24-year-old smashed 71 off 23 balls for Central Districts Stags in the Ford Trophy final. His knock helped the Stags to an unconquerable score of 405 for six against Canterbury Kings, and they took the trophy for the second year running. Batting T20 is all about smashing sixes, and this is also an area Bruce does not fall short in. He smacked 17 sixes last season, a total second only to the 17 hit by Hamish Rutherford and Mahela Jayawardene. If his bat is included in the line-up on Tuesday night, he has the power and skills to make quite a difference. Power and Intelligence Impressed Selectors It isn’t only the consistent power hitting that has taken him to sixth place on the strike rate charts in the McDonald’s Super Smash, that won the Te Kuiti-born slogger his place in T20 squad for this section of the ANZ International vs. Bangladesh Tour. Selector Gavin Larsen also commended him for his gamesmanship, which he reckons Bruce has taken to another level this season. With rapidly evolving craftsmanship to back up a swing that seems equally in command, whether he’s smashing the white ball through leg or off, the 25-year-old is all set to impress in the T20s. If he makes an excellent showing, it would be a strong motivation for the Black Caps to test him in the five-day version of the game. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has turned down a multi-million dollar deal with an unnamed Chinese football club. He will be staying with Madrid. - Published: 2017-01-05 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/ronaldo-says-no-chinese-offer/ Ronaldo Turns Down Mutli-Million Dollar Deal Jorge Mendez, the manager of the talented football star, Cristiano Ronaldo has come out and stated that they have received a huge offer to purchase the star from an unnamed Chinese League. Ronaldo is currently under contract to Real Madrid and his manager stated that they are not interested in taking the offer. Furthermore the sum offered, 300 million euros, would only be the transfer fee for the star. He will be paid an additional yearly salary of 100 million euros. Mendez said that both he and Ronaldo did not seriously consider the offer as Ronaldo is very happy at Real Madrid. Record Sum Offered This offer is a record breaking offer in football. It will be three times the record amount. That distinction is held by the 105 million euros that was paid by Manchester United to Juventus. This record breaking sum was paid for Paul Pogba in August of 2016. Ronaldo has just resigned to Real Madrid in November, this time until 2021 so he seems to be too satisfied with his lot to even consider such a huge move. China has become a huge player in international sports acquisitions. In 2016 alone they have paid huge sums to gain some of the world’s finest football stars. Recently a former Manchester City player, Carlos Tevez signed with Shanghai Greenland Shenua for a reported $108 4000 per week. He is joined by two Newcastle players, Obafemi Martins and Demba Ba. The team is to be managed by former Chelsea and Tottenham manager Gus Poyet. Last week Brazilian mid fielder Oscar was signed by Shanghai SIPG for £52 million. Soccer’s Shining Star Cristiano Renaldo is one of the world’s best soccer players. As captain of his home team Portugal, He led the country to the top of the European Champions League. He has won multiple player of the year awards including the 2013, 2014 and 2016 FIFA Ballon d'Or. It is no surprise that he was offered such a vast sum as his experience and raw talent will be invaluable for the emerging Chinese football market. What this means for world soccer is still unsure. China is definitely a very large untapped market but many players feel that the culture shock may be too much no matter what amounts of money are offered. 2017 may hold more high profile acquisitions, and if the Ronaldo offer is anything to go by, there is certainly funding in place for China to start producing world class football teams. 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This federation includes New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and others. New Zealand is hoping that the winner of the Oceania Confederations Cup that determines the best team of the member countries will be granted direct entry into the FIFA world Cup. A New Way Forward The president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, has stated that the world football federation is very much interested in this new development and they will provide their full support to realise this goal. FIFA has been very interested in allowing more teams to take part in the world cup event and they are currently looking at different models to integrate more teams. Currently the 32 team model is inadequate for supporting an expansion of participating teams. These potential changes will not be implemented before 2026 but a more official decision is expected when the council meets in the New Year. A FIFA council meeting is planned to convene on the 9th of January in Zurich. Possible Backlash Not all voices are in support of the expansion. Notably the European Club Association has voiced strong concerns with possible expansion. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge of ECA has said that expansion should be in the interest of the players and the fans and should not be done for political or commercial gains. The ECA’s concern is with regards to the additional strain that will be placed on the top players that would go with such a large expansion. A major change that has officially been announced by FIFA president Infantino is the use of video assisted referees. The system has recently been trialled by FIFA during the Club World Cup event and is set to be first implemented during the 2018 Russian World Cup. The expansion plans so far has both its pros and cons. For The New Zealand Football federation, it would be a huge boon. The Oceania Football Confederation features some of the best players in the world but rarely makes a World Cup showing due to various rules and regulation as well as the 32 team limit employed in the current World Cup model. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > A Recent parliamentary inquiry into the use of banned substances in British cycling grilled cycling officials. Shane Sutton was under fire for his conduct. - Published: 2017-01-04 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/sutton-invokes-kiwis-inquiry/ Sutton Compares Sky Cycling Team To All Blacks The British Sky Cycling team has recently be involved in a parliamentary enquire with regards to the use of drugs and controlled substances in the sport. Angry cycling officials used the comparison of the All Blacks to the cycling team during an extensive grilling by parliamentary MP’s. Officials were becoming frustrated by the intense questioning, especially the former director for British Cycling, Shane Sutton. Shane used the All Blacks as an example of a powerhouse sports team that is celebrated for their achievements. This is in contrast to the Sky cycling team who are being investigated due to their success. In fact the inquiry was kick started after irregularities in the team were noticed. The MP’s were directing the majority of their attention to Shane Sutton and the Team Sky Director, David Brailsford. This is in response to a 2011 allegation that was part of an Anti-Doping investigation. There was a mysterious unlabelled package delivered to the Sky cycling team that was claimed to be a decongestant Fluimicil by Brailsford. He says the Team Sky doctor, a Mr Richard Freeman told him it was just the decongestant, which although not a banned substance, is not a licenced medication in the United Kingdom. Brialsford also claimed that there is a paper trail to back up these claims but so far this is unsubstantiated. There does not appear to be any paper trail for the purchase and delivery of the medication. Pointing Fingers Simon Cope, the eventual team manager, was at that time an under 23 women’s trainer. He was the apparent courier for the package. He travelled from the UK to France and took a further 2 hour drive to get to the team where he handed them the package and hours later they had a stellar, race winning performance. The MP’s pressed the officials as they did not understand the reasoning of sending a team trainer thousands of miles to deliver a package of decongestant. Sutton also confused the MP’s when he stated that he did not originally know what was in this package being sent to France, despite authorising and arranging the deliver. Cycling has recently come under a lot of scrutiny for doping and banned substance use. Recently the famed cyclist Lance Armstrong was stripped of his medals when it came to light that he had been using banned substance and the use of these substances seem to be systemic in cycling. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Acclaimed British flyweight boxer Nicola Adams will be receiving the OBE in the New Year. This is in recognition of her second Olympic gold medal in boxing. - Published: 2017-01-04 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/nicola-adams-receive-obe/ Nicola Adams Pulls No Punches For Olympic Gold British boxer Nicola Adams this week found out that she will be receiving the OBE in 2017. This is thanks in part to her gold medal at the Rio Olympics in boxing, but also due to her work as a supporter of women’s rights and gender equality. This will be Adams ‘second gold medal after she won her first in the 2012 Olympic Games. She was the first woman to win an Olympic Boxing Medal. She is also currently a multiple flyweight champion, Holding Olympic, European and Commonwealth titles. A Winner On All Fronts After her first gold medal she also received the Independent’s 2012 LGBT person of the year award. Adams had a difficult start in women’s boxing. She has been boxing since she was 13 but even after winning English Amateur Boxing titles and getting a silver medal in the European Championships, she still had to take on extra work acting on television and even worked as a builder due to lack of funding for her boxing career. It was sonly in 2009 that she received funding from the International Olympic Committee to pursue her career further that she once again got a chance to shine in the ring. She went on to win gold in the European Union Amateur Boxing Championship in 2011. After her 2012 gold in the Olympics, she won her gold in the common wealth games against Michaela Walsh. The OBE will not be her first honours form the Crown. In 2013 she received an MBE for her work in boxing. In 2015 she also received an honorary Doctor of Law from the University of Leeds. A Women’s Role Model Openly bisexual, Adams will be celebrating the OBE announcement with her girlfriend, Marlen Esparza. Esparza is also a boxer who fights in the same class as Adams, so in theory these two lovers could face each other in the ring. It is not known what is next for the boxer, but she is said to be strongly committed to expanding women’s boxing and encouraging more athletes to start taking part. She has represented England internationally on multiple occasions and with her stunning career so far, she has competed from Ningbo in China to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. She has won a total of 4 silver medals and 8 gold medals. She is not just one of the most celebrated boxers from England, but also one of the most decorated fighters ever to come form the isle. She is sure to keep raising the profile of women’s boxing in the New Year and beyond. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Offspinner and county cricketer Jeetan Patel has joined the New Zealand cricket team for their ODI matches. They are playing Bangladesh at the Saxton Oval. - Published: 2017-01-04 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/jeetan-patel-joins-odi-matches/ Patel To Joins All Blacks For ODI In the last three months, New Zealand cricketer Jeetan Patel has received two invites to join the Black Caps in a series of ODI matches. This is including recent matches against the visiting Bangladesh. As a local cricket star for Wellington and the English county team of Warwickshire, Patel was both surprised and honoured when he got the call. He received his second call up to join the Black Caps when they face Bangladesh in the last of their ODI test matches on New Year’s Day. This is after he played two of the final games that New Zealand played against India in October. Patel’s right arm off spin bowling was seen as a way to offset the strong opening batsmen of Bangladesh whop are mostly left handed. The tactic was definitely a success after New Zealand’s performance. Patel the Perfect Choice Mike Hesson, the celebrated New Zealand coach stated that the combination of the Saxton cricket ground’s unique surface, and the majority of left hand batsmen for Bangladesh, made Patel the prefect choice to come aboard. Patel wilfully chose to remove himself from international cricket and chose to focus on county cricket instead. He declined to join the New Zealand tour of the West Indies in 2014 to focus on English County cricket at Warwickshire. His hard work for Warwickshire has twice earned him the Professional Cricketers Association Most Valuable Player award. He finished his 2014 season with 185 wickets taken. He had a crushing 27. 12 average against his bowing making him one of the top cricketers in the county division. 2015 saw similar success for the cricketer. Patel took more than 50 wickets with an average of 25. 27. Patel’s first stint with the Black Caps was in 2016 when he substituted for Mike Craig who was injured at the time. He displayed much better skill as a batsman and so his appearances with New Zealand started increasing. Background Jeetal’s parents are from India but he grew up in Wellington in New Zealand. The off spinner had a great amateur career and he was soon to be a regular contributor to the New Zealand side after his potential was spotted by the national coach at the time, John Bracewell. He is yet to receive a permanent placement with the squad however. Currently his off spin bowling and talented batting skills make him an invaluable weapon in various matchups. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The New Zealand cricket team has had a great year. There have been highs and lows but the team appears stronger than ever heading into the new cricketing year. - Published: 2017-01-04 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/new-zealand-showcase-batting/ Batting Finesse Showed Off By Black Caps With New Zealand finally entering the last ODI test match against Bangladesh, it is clear that the Black Caps are in top form for 2017. This will be the third and final match that New Zealand faces against Bangladesh and so far they have been dominating. There were game changing contributions from Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson. Most exciting of all was the return of Ross Taylor after eye surgery at the start of December. He returned to the pitch in stunning form. These last matches have been great preparation for next month when New Zealand face Australia for the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy. Other stand out performances during the ODI matches came from Neil Broom with an ODI high of 109, Tom Latham also with a personal high of 137 and Colin Munroe who made a more than respectable 87. Tom Latham’s powerhouse opening performances this year seems to be leading him to replace Brendon McCullum in ODI play. With an average of 61 and a strike rate of 89, Latham is set to have an influential 2017 on the team. Pressure to Excel There was a lot of expectation set on Broom to help support the batting side since the returning Taylor was not necessarily 100%. Luckily Taylor, along with the support of his teammates made an exemplary showing. Broom seems to be set for the no 5 batsman spot in the coming Chappell-Hadlee matches in the New Year. Jimmy Neesham has also been a proven asset, although he performed his best against Australia earlier this year in Canberra. His game is not as consistent as many of the other players but he seems to pull out great performances when he is required to. Tim Southee made full use of the Saxton Oval ground’s unique nuances, but the tables will be turned when New Zealand face Bangladesh on their own turf. So far New Zealand has an amazing 9 ODI record at home against Bangladesh. Southee stated that Bangladesh are great cricketers when they are playing on their home grounds and through the right choice of players and tactics, they wanted to make the match as hard as possible for Bangladesh. With the finesse and raw power that New Zealand has displayed this year, 2017 may be another great year for the Black Caps team. The Chappell-Hadlee match ups will be the real test of mettle for this year’s Kiwis. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Former NRL player, Char Robinson was found 3 weeks after he was reported missing. He was found in his Subaru at the bottom of a cliff face last week. - Published: 2017-01-04 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/chad-robinson-found-car-wreck/ Further Details Emerge Around Chad Robinson’s Death The much-loved NRL player Chris Robinson was found in the wreckage of his Subaru at the bottom of a cliff in northern Sydney. He was 36 years old and a father of two. He had a successful run with both the Parramatta Eels and the Sydney Roosters before he was discovered late December. His family and friends dreaded the news but did expect it to some degree. Chris left his home and was last seen alive on November the 26th. He left his home without his personal possessions and essentials. He was barefoot and without his wallet or mobile phone. His family is too distraught to speak to news outlets and they are trying to cope with the huge loss at one of the most important times of the year. Despite wide spread police and media appeals showing the NRL star and the vehicle he was driving in, no leads came in for 3 weeks since he was declared missing. A Tragic Accident From the current investigation it seems he left Marieba Road in Kent Hurst and somehow clipped a hilltop and tumbled down a cliff face. He was eventually discovered by electrical workers 13 kilometres from his home in Crestview. The appeals for information on his whereabouts included an emotional appearance by his sister, Monique Brennan. The family had been searching his favourite local haunts including bush trails and landscape features he enjoyed frequenting. A Sad Loss The Facebook page that was started to help simplify providing information on the footballer’s whereabouts announced that his body had been recovered. The page titled Let’s Find Chad had seen frequent outpourings of support and sadness. It was also where a touching tribute to his life and legacy was posted by friends and family. The loss is of course equally hard on the two children Chad has left behind. The family thanked the fans for their unending support and assistance. His sitter posted that her brother is now free to fly high even though the people he leaves behind will miss him terribly. Robinson retired from professional football in 2009 after a 9 year run with top local clubs. It is said that his split from his wife recently had left him upset and troubled. He took part in the Parramatta Old Boys as an attempt by his friends to lift his spirits but unfortunately it did not seem enough to save the star. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > After removing a benign growth from his eye at the beginning of the month, Ross Taylor returns. In a stunning display he helped defeat the Auckland Aces - Published: 2017-01-03 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/taylor-returns-surgery/ Stunning Return For Taylor After Surgery On Thursday the Central Stags decimated the Auckland Aces with a stunning 65 run defeat in New Plymouth. The game features the long awaited return of batsman Ross Taylor. Ross was out of professional playing for four weeks after having a benign growth removed from his eye. If his performance was anything to go by, he has returned to the game in great form. Taylor scored a fantastic 82 runs off 41 balls, consisting of 8 sixes and 4 fours. His powerful performance along with teammate Blair Tickner secured the win for the Stags after Tickner took 5 wickets. Taylor said that his previous score before the surgery was a century and to come back after his absence and score a wonderful 82 has restored his confidence in his ability after a nervous start to the match. Despite the team placing him in the boundaries due to concerns with his vision, Taylor still managed to make two outs, eliminating Mark Chapman and Rob Nicol with some stunning fielding. This match was a test to see his performance and possible return to International cricket. Getting Back in the Game At the moment Taylor is missing out on the ODI matches against Bangladesh and he has previously missed the Chappell-Hadlee Series playing against Australia. Taylor’s great return has secured the Stag’s position at the top of the Super Smash table. His stunning track record in both test and ODI matches has made his return to cricket most welcome. He has achieved more than 30 centuries in his career and the recent surgery does not seem to have hampered him at all. Mahela Jayewardene opened the game for the Stags and really pushed the run rate but he soon fell thanks to some pinpoint fielding by the Aces for 31 runs. Soon the Stags were sitting on 95 for 4 with things starting to look grim. The game fell to Taylor and his partner Cleaver. Taylor took full advantage of the short boundaries and sailed to a quick half century off 29 balls. They finished their batting on 213 for 5. The Aces also seemed to have a slow start but soon the Aces side collapsed when they lost their openers, 56 for 4. Ben Horne and Sean Solia tried to claw back the match, pushing past a hundred in their partnership. The Aces still were left to make just under a hundred from 4 overs. It seemed insurmountable odds and the Stags won the day. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Kieran Foran is to find out his future with the NRL in 2017. The star is recovering from a season ending shoulder injury that brings into question his fitness. - Published: 2017-01-03 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/forans-future-warriors-uncertain/ Future With Warriors Looking Uncertain For Kieran Foran The troubled professional rugby star Kieran Foran seems to have an uncertain future in the sport following a difficult 2016. Early in the year Foran left the Parramatta Eels following a string of off field incidents. Rumours have gone around that Foran’s problems started with an alleged salary cap at Parramatta. Foran is also still recovering from a shoulder injury sustained on the field in a winning match between the Eels and the New Castle Knights. The Injury essentially ended his season and now the NRL wish to ensure that Foran is up to full spec before he returns to the 2017 season. This is his second shoulder injury after a 2010 incident removed him from the Four Nations tournament while he was playing for the Sea Eagles. He is set to join the New Zealand Warriors but the NRL have stated that they will only be making the official announcement some time in January. Under Investigation The Integrity unit of the NRL is currently investigating Kieran. This combined with his injury recovery will be the determining factors for his future with the Warriors. The Integrity unit will be investigating gambling rumours that came to light in May of this year. This was after Foran was rushed to hospital in April for a prescription medication overdose. Kieran was also fined and stripped of his role as Eels captain after he failed to show up for his scheduled shoulder rehabilitation treatment and used alcohol while he was injured. Jim Doyle of the NRL has reassured fans that currently the transfer of Kieran to the Warriors is inevitable, but the conditions and timelines associated with the transfer are currently up in the air. Looking Forward With so much speculation and uncertainty surrounding the transfer, it may be optimistic to think that Kieran will take part in the first few matchups of the new year as part of the Warriors. This year has been a stark contrast to the talented player’s early career. He has captained the All Blacks twice, being part of the squad that won the 2014 Four Nations. Kieran will certainly be a big asset for the Warriors but his current mind set and physical readiness is uncertain. It has been a troubling year for the player regarding his gambling, his performance on field as well as personally with his family. 2017 can be a make or break year for this talented player. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The loss of top tier players in the NRL is causing some concern for fans and stakeholders. The future composition of the New Zealand squad is still uncertain. - Published: 2017-01-03 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/player-loss-concerning-nrl/ Loss Of Top Back Row Players Concerning For NRL New Zealand coach Steve Hansen has confirmed reports that the full All Black back row will not be playing in 2017. New Zealand rugby features some of the finest players in the world and international attention is always on them. The NRL has made a lot of effort in raising money to offer competitive contracts for players but this still is not enough to prevent some players from going to greener pastures. Rumours abound regarding the future of top players like Ben Smith, Aaron Cruden, Isreal Dagg and Charlie Faumuina. So far only Faumuina has confirmed that he will be going to France in the 2017 season to play in their Top 14 tournament for Toulouse. With regards to Dagg, Cruden and Smith, coach Hansen has stated that New Zealand will be lucky to retain all three players. Franks to Stay One top player that has confirmed his will to stay is Owen Franks. One of the best props the All Blacks has ever had, Franks has resigned his contract with New Zealand and will be representing his country until at least 2019 after the All Black’s World Cup appearance. Franks has had a fantastic performance in 2016. His combination of power and dexterity essentially secured his future with the All Blacks, at least until 2019. The player has stated that he want to be his absolute best before deciding on playing for international teams and currently he feels he has a lot more to work on with the All Blacks. Seeking New NRL Talent With the potential loss of these players looming, it may be time to look at possible replacements in the New Zealand NRL ranks. Nepo Laulala, Ofa Tu'ungafasi and Jeffery Toomaga-Allen are prime candidates but they are not on the level of the above-mentioned players just yet. Laulala has only played four tests for New Zealand and missed the whole of the 2016 season due to a knee injury. He was providing a huge challenge to Owen Franks’ position as top prop until his injury pulled him out of contention. Tu'ungafasi is still a very green player and has only had 4 appearances with the All Blacks. Toomaga-Allen has been out of the game since the start of the 2016 season thanks to a broken arm. Fortunately New Zealand has always been great at churning out new talent through training camps, but the loss of the experience and raw inborn talent can be a big problem for the future of the NRL and by extension the All Blacks. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Known as the World Cup of women’s tennis, the Fed Cup starts in February. In the World Group, the German team will take on the USA in idyllic Hawaii. - Published: 2017-01-03 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/fed-cup-germany-vs-usa-maui-2017/ Tennis-Packed Fed Cup Weekends Coming Up It’s no stretch to call the Fed Cup the World Cup of women’s tennis; like their male counterparts in the Davis Cup, the women who compete in the Fed Cup play for their countries, rather than individual glory. Nevertheless, it still attracts some of the top female athletes in the sport. So it’s no wonder that the Fed Cup attracts a fair amount of betting action online from New Zealand’s dedicated punters, even when the national team is nowhere near the World Group or World Group II rankings. The first of three rounds in the 2017 Fed Cup, sponsored by BNP Paribas, will take place on the weekend of February 11-12. All eight teams in the World Group will play their Round 1 matches simultaneously, at four locations around the world. Reigning champions Czech Republic will be at home against Spain in Ostrava, Belarus will face the Netherlands in Minsk, 2016 runner-up France will play Switzerland in Geneva, and Germany will travel to Hawaii to meet the USA. Tennis in a Tropical Paradise Maui’s Royal Lahaina Resort is the idyllic setting for the USA/Germany clash, with the best-of-five match series kicking off with two singles matches on the Saturday. On the Sunday, the outdoor hard courts will host two reverse singles matches, followed by a doubles match. The US team has yet to be nominated, and the German team is also uncertain, although we do expect it to include Angelique Kerber, currently the world Number One. On the face of it, the Germans should have the edge: they are seeded third, while the USA has only just managed to get promoted back into the World Group from World Group II. However, sports betting fans should remember that the USA has won more Fed Cups than any other team: 17 in all. Germany, on the other hand, despite currently being seeded third, crashed out of the 2016 Fed Cup in a first-round defeat to Switzerland. Many punters are staying loyal to the top-seeded Czech Republic, hoping for a repeat of last year’s victory. But however events pan out in the later stages of the Fed Cup 2017, the opening matches between Germany and the USA are sure to provide ample betting entertainment. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Taiwan Open, now in its second year, will entertain tennis fans in January/February 2017. We look at the players New Zealand punters may want to back. - Published: 2017-01-03 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/2017-taiwan-open-update/ Taiwan Open Opportunities for NZ Betting Fans The success of the inaugural WTA Taiwan Open in February 2016, held at the Yang-Ming Tennis Centre in Kaohsiung, convinced the Women’s Tennis Association to move the tournament to Taipei in 2017. So from January 30 to February 05, the hard courts of 10,000-seat Taipei Arena will host some of the top players in women’s tennis. Many see the Taiwan Open as a handy staging post between the Australian Open and upcoming Fed Cup, Doha and Dubai tournaments, while remaining in the Asia-Pacific time zone. In the doubles tournament, local sisters team Hao-Ching and Yung-Jan Chan, currently ranked 12th in the world, will be returning to defend their 2016 title. According to the bookies, they are also favourites to take their second doubles title in a row. Singles Title is up for Grabs History may repeat in the doubles competition, but there is no way we will see a replay of the 2016 Taiwan Open singles final, which saw Venus Williams triumph over Misaki Doi 6-4; 6-2. Williams is not on the 23-player roster announced by the WTA in December 2016 for the singles main draw, so fans hoping to see the American superstar in action in 2017 had better focus on the ASB Classic from January 02; she and her sister, Serena, will be competing in Auckland. However, 21 of the 23 players on Taiwan Open singles roster are ranked in the WTA Top 100, so fans are assured of world-class tennis as these athletes vie for the 2017 Taiwan Open singles crown. Ukrainian 22-year-old Elina Svitolina, currently ranked at 14, is probably the major competition for last year’s runner-up Doi. The Japanese player is currently enjoying her highest world ranking ever, at 30, so she no doubt has high hopes of bettering her 2016 performance. Former world Number One Jelena Jankovic can never be dismissed, either, and the Serbian great is joined by Germany’s Sabine Lisicki, twice runner-up at Wimbledon, and Italian Francesca Schiavone, 2010 French Open winner and 2011 runner-up. All three are capable of creating upsets on the day, so neither Svitolina or Doi can expect an easy run at the title. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > It has been decided that there will be a new scoring system introduced to the Six Nations. The system has seen success in other Rugby competitions. - Published: 2017-01-02 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/new-scoring-system-six-nations/ New Scoring System On Trial For 2017 Six Nations The Six Nations Rugby union has introduced a new scoring system for the 2017 event. This system will be trialled for the next three years and a final ruling based on the success of the system. The scoring system to be trailed is not a new system per say. It is a system that is currently in use in the Rugby World Cup, the Pro 12, and the Australian Rugby Championship along with the English Premiership. There have also been successful trials of the scoring system in the Under 20’s Six Nations and the Women’s Six Nations. A Simple System The main crux of the new system is that a winning team will now receive four instead of two points. If the victorious team scored 4 or more tries, they will receive an additional point. The losing team has a chance to earn two points, firstly by scoring 4 or more tries in the match and secondly if the team lost by a less than 7 point margin. A draw match will award each team 2 points with the same additional points applying as above. Finally one of the bigger changes is that the team that achieves five victories will receive the Grand Slam award as well as 3 additional points. Enhancing the Game The main aim of this rule change is to encourage more aggressive play from the teams to provide more exciting and attacking matchups. At the same time it is also hoped that the new scoring system will not upset the unique dynamic of the Six Nations cup. With England’s first Grand Slam win last season in 13 years, they will be the main targets this year from the other teams. Additionally defensive coach Andy Farrell is hoping that that the mindset change that the new rules will instigate will be beneficial in the Lions future matches against the All Blacks. The Six Nations will also feature France, Scotland, Ireland, Italy and Wales. With 27 and 26 outright wins in the Five and Six nations respectively, England and Wales are always favourites. It is only Italy and Scotland that has so far failed to win a single six nations title since its inception in 2000. The union will definitely keep a close eye on the success of the new scoring system. It has seen much success in many of the other leagues it was implemented in. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Northern Knights won a hard fought victory against the Canterbury Kings. The match ended with the Knights achieving a 64 run win over the Canterbury Kings. - Published: 2017-01-02 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/knights-defeated-kings-smash/ Northern Knights Easily Best Kings For Super Smash Playoff Position The Northern Knights faced off against the Canterbury Kings on Thursday. The Knights sailed to a comfortable 6 wicket victory to enter the McDonalds Super Smash playoffs. The Knight’s home ground advantage did the Kings no favours. They won the toss and elected to bat first. They quickly lost their two openers, Fletcher and McClure, scoring 16 and 10 respectively. This was after 6 overs. After this slow starts the Kings simply did not make a recovery. Nicholls scored a respectable 25 from 27 balls but it wasn’t till the appearance of Astle late game that we saw some fire from the Kings. Astle finished the match with 37 off 22 balls. The Knights on the other hand made a much more impressive showing. BJ Watling powered through 48 balls to make 52 runs. Brownly backed this up with 36 off 22 balls faced. The first wicket only fell after 62 runs by the Knights. This was BJ Watling’s second consecutive 50. He has played a huge role in the success of the Knights in this season’s Mc Donalds Super Smash. The biggest attack came from Astle and Johnstone’s bowling partnership. They ended the match with 2-21 and 2-24 respectively. Not Enough to Secure a Win Unfortunately this was not nearly enough to stop the Knight’s momentum, ending their match on 129 -4 with a little over two overs to spare. The Knights are facing the Wellington Firebirds on Friday with a home field advantage for the Knights. The matchup will take place at Seddon Park. The Kings are facing the Central Stags in Plymouth on Saturday, which should be an exciting match. The team teams currently have a 4 point difference with the Knights having chalked up one more loss than the Stags. The Stags also have a quite dominating Net Run rate of 0. 845 compared to the King’s 0. 109. The current Super Smash league table has the Central stags at the top with 5 matches won off 8 played. They are followed by the Knights who are only one win behind the Stags. They are on equal footing with the Kings and Aces, each having 4 victories to their name. The Firebirds and the Otago Volts are both bringing up the rear with 3 wins each. Thursday saw the defeat of the Aces by the Stags with a comfortable 64 runs. This year’s McDonald’s Super Smash has certainly been an exciting one. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > WBC champion Deontay Wilder will be facing Polish challenger Andrzej Wawrzyk in February. It will be a title defence match in Birmingham, Alabama. - Published: 2017-01-02 - Modified: 2017-01-02 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/wilder-february-title-defence/ WBC Heavyweight Champion Deontay Wilder To Defend Title Current reigning WBC champion Deontay Wilder will be making a title defence in February. His opponent is the talented Polish boxer Andrzej Wawrzyk. Wawrzyk is coming off a six fight winning streak. He is currently standing on a 33 for 1 record. Wawrzyk previously failed to win a match against Alexander Povetkin for the WBA title three years ago. The Pole’s recent strong showing has made him confident in his upcoming match against Wilder. He may also have an advantage over Wilder. Wilder has been recovering from a broken hand and bicep damage since July. This will be his first fight since he sustained these injuries in a title defence against Chris Arreola. The match was stopped after 8 rounds, with Wilder finishing on top. Prepping for a Big Fight Wilder has a very impressive 37 and 0 record, with 36 of those victories by knockout. This fight may be in preparation for a rumoured unification match against Anthony Joshua. As a former Olympic medal holder, Wilder has powered through the boxing rankings. With 4 successful title defences under his belt, he is a favourite to win the match on the 25th of February. There is a lot riding on this matchup for Wawrzyk who has much to prove and everything to lose. In Pursuit of a Polish Record If the fighter manages an upset he will become the first Polish holder of the Heavyweight Championship. Wawrzyk is very motivated for the fight, stating that he has trained all his live for this match against “the most dangerous man on the planet”. The 29-year-old Wawrzyk was unbeaten in his first 27 professional fights and has won victories over talented fighters like Frans Botha, Denis Bakhtov, Danny Williams and Devin Vargas. The match for the WBC title takes place in Deontay Wilder’s hometown of Birmingham. Mayor William Bell stated that the city is proud to be hosting Wilder’s 5th title defence. He sees the fighter as an ambassador for the community of Birmingham. The event will be broadcast as the main event of the Premier Boxing Championships on FOX and also FOX Deportes. It will be Wilder’s third primetime network television event after his last event against Chris Arreola. Wilder won the WBC title in 2015 at the age of 31. The fight on the 25th of February will be his 9th hometown showing since becoming a professional boxer after his stellar Olympic performance that earned him a bronze medal and national acclaim. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand has secured a second ODI victory against Bangladesh. New Zealand won the game thanks to Broom and Williamson’s great performances in the match. - Published: 2017-01-02 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/second-nz-odi-victory/ New Zealand Defeat Bangladesh To Clinch Second ODI Win Bangladesh made a strong initial showing against New Zealand in their second ODI match. They were chasing New Zealand’s 252. This by no means was an unattainable goal and at 105 for one, it seemed that victory might just be in the visiting team’s grasp. Unfortunately Bangladesh could not keep up the strong start and soon lost their remaining 9 wickets with only 79 runs to show for it. They had 163 balls to make 146 and fans and management alike must certainly disappointed in the outcome of the match, especially after their loss to New Zealand in their first ODI matchup earlier the week. Kane at His Prime Kane Williamson made another great showing by taking 3 wickets for 22. Another standout performance from New Zealand came from Neil Broom. Broom made his first 100 in ODI cricket in 8 years. He had the home crowd roaring as they celebrated with him. He impressed with 109 runs off 107 balls. He made 8 fours and 3 sixes. The rest of the batting line up did not really push the attack, possibly due to the slower pitch of the Saxton Oval where the match took place affecting the overall performance. Taskin Ahmed and Mashrafe took the first wickets of the game with wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan making his first ODI dismissal. He caught James Neesham for 51 runs. Tense Decisions There was also some controversy in the match when Bangladesh’s Tanbir Hayder received a reprimand for conduct breach. His reprimand followed using obscene language or gestures on the pitch after the 19th over. The incident came with 6 balls to go. Hayder was pitching to Broom who pushed through to the mid wicket boundary and hitting his ODI century. Hayder admitted his wrongdoing and accepted the sanction that was handed down by the ICC. Hayder has shown lacklustre performance in the ODI’s so far. He has yet to take a single wicket after 8 overs of play. He has only added two runs to the teams score and it is understandable that the pressure has been mounting on the team. Bangladesh could not keep their batting performance consistent in the game’s second half and they eventually folded under the New Zealand bowler’s assault. Despite the Bangladeshi bowler’s focus on the middle and leg area to keep the batsman on their toes, New Zealand remained focused and sailed to another win. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > With the sudden departure of two top competitors, British tennis player Naomi Broady is heading to the quarterfinals. She hopes to make it to the finals. - Published: 2017-01-02 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/broady-heading-asb-quarterfinal/ Naomi Broady Prospects Improve After Big Name Exits From ASB Naomi Broady is set to move into the main draw in the ASB Classic after the retirement of Ana Ivanovic and the sudden withdrawal of Sloane Stephens. Broady along with American Varvara Lepchenko will now be heading to the Quarter Finals and as an additional benefit gain a few days rest before their next matches. Broady holds 9 ITF titles and has gained her 88th in the world ranking through her powerful serve and almost 2m frame. She keeps opponents on their toes with her backhand and slicing shots until her forehand can attack. Interesting ASB Clashes She made a fantastic showing in the 2016 ASB classic, defeating top seeded player Ivanovic in a huge upset. She went on to defeat Jelena Ostapenko, but not without controversy. In a fit of frustration during the tough match, Jelena tossed her racket to the back of the court striking a ball boy. Broady complained to the WTA supervisor who issued a code violation to the Jelena. Broady went on to win her sets but her momentum was eventually cut short by American Sloane Stephens. With her main rivals from last year having exited the tournament, Broady looks set for an even better performance in the ASB this year. A Shining Star With 9 singles titles and 13 doubles titles, it is defiantly this tennis star’s time to shine. She has stated that the main reason for her loss in last year’s ASB quarterfinals was due to exhaustion. With the departure of Ana Ivanovic and Sloane Stephens, Broady will be getting some much needed breaks between her matches, possibly giving her the edge she needs for an even greater showing. After her quarterfinal defeat, Broady had a 6 game loss streak in the middle of the year. She has clawed her way back up the world rankings however jumping 3 places from 91 to 88. Broady regrets not spending the time between matches rather focusing on training more. She says that it is hard to find a balance between taking time off to train and improve while still taking part in tournaments to increase her ranking. She believes that finding the right balance is the key to tennis success. Her goal this coming year is to break into the world top 50. If she has a stellar performance in the ASB, that goal may just be in her grasp. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Star prop Owen Franks has resigned to New Zealand until his tenure until the 2019 world cup. Franks has quelled concerns amongst fans of his departure. - Published: 2017-01-01 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/owen-franks-pledged-new-zealand/ Franks Fully Committed To New Zealand Rugby The Head coach of the All Blacks, Steven Hansen announced that tighthead prop Owen Franks has resigned with New Zealand until the next world cup in 2019. Owen is one of the most celebrated players in the All Blacks’ history. Owen holds the distinction of being the 2nd most capped prop and the 10th most capped player for the All Blacks of all time. Coach Hansen stated that Owen’s work ethic, shared values and great play has made Owen one of the most sought after players in the world and it is very significant that he chose to recommit to his country. Owens added that the competitive package they offered him also helped him make his decision. A Powerful Team The team is looking towards a very strong showing in the next world cup and with a star player like Owen Franks onboard, it looks like it will be one to remember. Making his debut in the Air New Zealand Cup, Owen received 18 caps and wide spread acclaim. He received his big break in 2009 when his fantastic athleticism won him a contract with the All Blacks. Owen holds the distinction of being the 3rd youngest prop to ever play for the All Blacks. Owen also gained some infamy when a story emerged that he celebrated the 2011 world cup victory by the All Blacks by squatting 280 kg weights. Owens also holds the dubious distinction of holding the world record for least tries scored, having a current record of 84 for 0. Owen’s brother, Ben Franks is also a celebrated prop and he has played many games with his brother. Dominant Player Since 2011, Owen has dominated the scrum of his team, the Crusaders. Another feather in his cap is the fact that Owen does not just enjoy powerful play; he is also very nimble around the field that he couples with big defensive hits. It is no mystery why he holds the record for least number of tries. He finds his value in his powerful support of the team, both through defensive and offensive play. In an interview regarding his decision to stay with the All Blacks, Owen said that he feels he is still to yet reach his full potential as a player. It is in his best interest that he stays with the All Blacks until he feels he is ready to move on. 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Re signing Franks was just the first step however in securing a solid world cup team. Many other star players have their end of contract coming up in 2017 which means that the future All Black team is in no way set in stone. New Zealand Rugby has already set aside over 20 Million NZ dollars to ensure that current star players will remain on the team until 2019. Heading for Greener Pastures Currently players like Israel Dagg, Aaron Cruden and Ben Smith have all been tipped to be interested in greener financial pastures in Europe. Hansen is confident however that they can make very competitive offers to their players and keep the current team stable. If they remain on the team, Sam Whitelock and Kieran red will be facing a possible third world cup victory. Kieran Read is also in talks to take a sabbatical year in 2018, only appearing for tests and key matches. Hansen has said this is to keep their best players as fresh as possible and prevent burn out. The All Blacks will be meeting up in January after their November tour in order to get their minds focussed on the year ahead. The All Blacks will be entering a conditioning and wellness camp in order to prepare for the visit from the Lions midyear. Bigger Spend Gives the Sport a Boost With the higher additional spending that is required to keep on key players, New Zealand Rugby will certainly have all eyes on coach Hansen. The team will definitely be held up to a high standard with the nations hopes and the NZR’s long term investment in the team. The resigning of Franks is a good sign of the mindset of the rest of the team, with all hands on deck to secure another world cup crown. The coaches and the team seem to have full confidence that the All Blacks team will remain unchanged for the next two years. The quality of the team in 2016 can only go downhill as they have proven to be an incredible force in the world of rugby with potential world cup glory on the horizon. 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Captain Paul Gallen closed his victory speech by telling the people of Sutherland Shire in Cronulla to turn off their porch lights because the cup is coming home, a reference to Harold Holt. This victory has been 49 years in the making, the last time that Cronulla won the NRL finals. Head coach Shane Flanagan believes that he has finally put together a winning team that will form the foundation for the first ever successful premiership defence since Brisbane last defended their title successfully in 1993. Unfortunately this monumental victory was also met with some sadness for the team and fans alike as it marked the final match of Michael Ennis. This fantastic hooker has now retired after the landmark win. Jostling for Position Currently two players are in strong contention to fill the coveted spot. Jayden Brailey and Daniel Mortimer are in the running to grab the jersey but so far no official word has been given. Full of steam after their win, Coach Flanagan has stated that they are now just focusing on preparing for their next upcoming games in the World Cup Challenge. They will be facing Wigan in England mid February. The UK Super League Champions will definitely not be an easy challenge for the Sharks, but a victory here will put them in the [perfect headspace to come back to New Zealand ready to secure their position as one of the top clubs in the NRL. Fans and players alike were very emotional after the matchup but the coach is looking towards the future and replacing Michael Ennis. Cronulla club owners were upset with the NRL this week after they were denied hosting a game to celebrate their 50th year as a club. Furthermore team rivalries will make Cronulla a marked club next year. Their two long running rivalries with Manly-Warringah and St George will definitely put the pressure on the Sharks. They need to stay at the top of their game and in a confident headspace to survive the 2017 season and successfully defend their title next year. The competition they will be facing will be immense but with a young and confident team, it just may be their year again. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > This year’s NFL playoffs are certainly hotting up. With the final stretch ahead for the best teams, it is a nail biting drive to the finish and the final. - Published: 2017-01-01 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/nfl-playoffs-just-around-corner/ Heading Into The 2017 Playoffs The Atlanta Falcons are the 2016 NFC South Champions. This is thanks to a poor performance from Tampa against the Arizona Cardinals. The Falcon’s strong pass protection let Mat Ryan and Devonta Freeman perform to the best of their ability with Freeman recording 139 yard rushes and three touchdowns in about 20 carries. The Falcons are now set to play for the first round bye during the finale of their regular season. The New York Giants are locked into a fifth seed regardless of their future games and will face whoever makes the fourth seed. Despite a close loss against the Red Skins in week 3 which hurt the team and predicted their performance for the next few games, they eventually pulled it together and went into an 8 game win streak. Thrills and Spills Currently in the running for the AFC number 2 seed, the Kansas City Chiefs can slip to number 6 seed behind Miami depending on the performance of the Chiefs and Dolphins. The Patriots crushed the Jets in a decimating 41-3 game. This gives the Patriots a home field advantage in their next matches. The loss did not come as much of a surprise after the Jet’s poor performances this season. They are currently standing on 4-11. The Saints and Buccaneers faced off with the Buccaneers losing a close game 31 to 24. The Saints really pulled out all the stops with an encouraging performance after a few poor weeks. Injuries Leading to Bench Time The Raiders also have their future performance in question after a horrible injury sustained by MVP candidate Derek Carr. The quarterback is out indefinitely with a broken fibula, jeopardising the Raiders chances in the coming playoffs. Another broken fibula was racked up by Marcus Mariota of the Titans in their losing game against the Jaguars. This seriously puts their playoff hopes at risk. Houston Texas beat the Bengals by 2 points after a powerful performance by Tom Savage. After losses against the Miami Dolphins Oakland raiders respectively, the Bills and the Colts will not be making a playoff showing. This will be the Dolphins first playoff berth in more than 8 years. Finally Washington seems to not have given up their hopes of being in the playoffs with an impressive 41 – 21 win against the Bears. If it will be enough, we will have to see in the coming weeks. With both predictable victories and embarrassing upsets, 2017 will be a fantastic year for the NFL. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Catch up on the 2024 Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day 4. Aimpoint secures a thrilling win in the $200,000 feature race. Full results & highlights. - Published: 2017-01-01 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/wallaceville-estate-wellington-cup-day-4/ Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day Sparkles The 2017 Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day, scheduled for January 21, is not only the highlight of the annual Wellington Cup Carnival, it is by far the most eagerly anticipated race day on New Zealand’s racing calendar. Like Ascot Opening Day, it’s that one meeting a year when the glamour of horse racing attracts celebrities and socialites alongside the regular punters, and fashionistas vie fiercely for media attention and the day’s Best Dressed award. The glitz and glamour of Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day doesn’t mean that the racing is substandard, of course. On the contrary, one of the reasons this meeting at Trentham Racecourse is considered the premier event of the season is that it also features New Zealand’s premier race, for only the finest thoroughbreds in Group 2: the Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup; restored for 2017 to a gruelling two-mile / 3,200-metre test of speed, strength and stamina. The Wellington Cup, with a total purse of $250,000, isn’t the only race of the day that will see keen betting, of course. There is also a $250,000 purse riding on the Group 1 JR & N Berkett Telegraph, New Zealand’s richest 1,200m sprint race. Wellington Cup Betting Options As the most prestigious race in New Zealand, the Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup attracts a top-quality field. After winning the race in 2016, snatching victory by a nose from second-favourite Pentathlon, seven-year-old English gelding Mister Impatient spent a year troubled by injury. Happily, he’s fully fit again, so he’s unlikely to start the 2017 race as the outsider he was last year. But a gelding of a similar age, six-year-old Balham, has shown a marked improvement in speed and stamina since trainers David and Emma Haworth started using a tongue-tie. It’s thought he wasn’t breathing properly, and now that he is, he may prove a challenge to the other favourites over the longer distance. However, punters shouldn’t rule out Jacksstar, a five-year-old gelding trained by Gary Vile, as he is magnificently fit right now. Four-year-old mare Fanatic is also in great form and has been winning convincingly, so she is in with a strong chance too. --- > New Zealand has welcomed Neil Broom back into the team. This versatile player will be replacing Taylor who is currently recovering from eye surgery. - Published: 2016-12-31 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/broom-ready-odi-matches/ Neil Broom Hungry Again For ODI Glory New Zealand Cricketer Neil Broom is fired up for his coming matches for New Zealand. The cricketer never thought he would find himself on the international stage again until a coach Mike Hesson called him up. He asked Neil to replace Ross Taylor in ODI games against Bangladesh. Taylor was deemed not fit for play as he is currently still recovering from eye surgery. Neil’s performance on Monday was deemed lacklustre but in his defence it is his first ODI game after having played domestic cricket for 6 years after his ODI debut in 2009. The 33 year old now stands the chance to potentially earn a spot back into the international New Zealand team, if his further performance against Bangladesh is up to snuff. An Excellent Opportunity for Broom Broom stated that he is fully aware what a chance like this, so late in his career, means. He has also stated that these games are his last chance to stamp his mark on the game and he will just be playing his way and hope for the best. Neil Broom is known for his hard hitting batting skills. His trademark is to send the balls flying over the infield. He believes the field for their match on Thursday is in his favour. The Saxton Oval is known for its slow wicket and Broom said that the Bangladeshi bowlers would not be able to work up enough pace to scare him as a batsman. This confidence will be very welcome indeed since New Zealand will be pitted against a hungry and mean Bangladesh after their 77 run defeat on Monday. Bangladesh also incidentally has the record for highest score attained at the Saxon Oval so with this in the back of the team’s mind they march forward. Fans are definitely in for an exciting game on Thursday with both sides out to prove a point and maybe settle a few scores. Under Scrutiny Undoubtedly many eyes will be on Broom for the next couple of matches. Both the team, their management and the fans want to see this talented player get his second shot at cricket glory and there are few honours more glorious than putting on the black. If things do not pan out for Neil in these upcoming matches, he will undoubtedly return to one of the local sides he has played for in the past. His stints have included playing for Derbyshire, Otago and Canterbury. 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What stuck in most people’s mind was the appearance of rookie Chinanu Onuaku and his attention grabbing free throws that helped clinch the game for the Rockets. Onuaku left the audience stunned as he hit two free throws using an underarm style of throw. Underarm throwing is also known as “Granny style” throwing. It is a perfectly legal moved that is generally frowned upon simply because it is seen as a beginner or kids move. A Tried and Tested Technique Chinanu flies in the face of a standard set since Rick Barry, a NBA hall of famer last used the move in professional play in the 80’s. The underarm technique is considered to be a better way to take free throws, especially for taller athletes as it provides more accuracy and more control. It significantly improves almost all players’ free throw statistics but the image of the move has prevented most NBA players from integrating it into their play styles. Even Wilt Chamberlain, one of the best former players in the NBA stated that the move improved his game stats but he never used it in official matches as he felt throwing underarm is throwing “like a sissy”. Fortunately for the Rockets and for the fans, the 6 foot 9 Onuaku ignored this preconceived notion and used the underarm throw to sink two free throws for his team. As a freshman, Louisville University coach Rick Pitino helped Onuaku improve his 46. 7 free throw average by suggesting he try shoot the ball using the underarm style. Onuaku followed the coach’s advice and his free throw average jumped up to 58. 9% and the 20 year old player has never looked back. Ignoring the Critics He was quoted in Sports Illustrated saying that he is well aware of the stigma attached to throwing “granny style” as it is derisively called but he can easily brush off the moniker as long as it improves his game. Players and fans alike should rally behind Onuaku and have this perception of the underarm throw thrown out. Players should always be focusing on bettering their performance for the team and for their fans. If more players approached the game like Onuaku, surely another golden age of NBA action will be upon us. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand’s cricket team is facing a great year. Newly instated captain Kane Williamson has what it takes to keep the team on the top of cricket. - Published: 2016-12-31 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/kane-williamson-breaking-records/ Kane Williamson Breaking Cricket Records Currently ranked the third best batsman in Test cricket, the celebrated and decorated Kane Williamson seems to be onboard to smashing a few records while he is in his first few months of his full time captaincy. He took on the mantle in 2017 during the world Twenty20. During New Zealand’s recent match against Bangladesh, Kane become the fastest New Zealander to ever achieve 4000 ODI runs. Kane did this in 96 innings, beating out stars like Brian Lara, Dean Jones Sourav Ganguly and South Africa’s AB de Villiers. If he keeps his averages stable this coming year, he will be able to reach 5000 runs in 7 to eight innings. That is not all this player has hidden in his record breaking sleeve. He is also in the record breaking line with most test centuries scored, the most ODI centuries, along with most consecutive ODI innings of 50 runs or more. If you study the statistics even further, you may notice that the captaincy has in fact improved Kain’s average score. This may come as no surprise to fans that have been following his career. An Early Start In Williamson’s first international debut, he captained the New Zealand under 19 team as a 17 year old. The team made it to the semi finals where they unfortunately but valiantly lost out to India. Kane's other accolades include various man of the match and man of the series awards. Kane has been a constant source of pride for New Zealand cricket, his domestic turns with Northern Districts, Sunrise Hyderabad, Gloucestershire and Yorkshire brought him great acclaim and his eventual permanent placement as the New Zealand captain. Tauranga Boys College coach, Pacey Depina who trained Kane stated that Kane has a thirst to be phenomenal but never at anyone else’s expense. A Bright Future Williamson can be seen in upcoming performances by New Zealand including four 20I’s, 10 One Day Internationals and 5 test matches. New Zealand’s next matchup against Bangladesh is sure to be a cracker. Bangladesh wants to make a comeback from a stinging defeat on Monday while Kane is surely hoping to keep his teams dominance intact while improving his 31 from 36 batting score. It is still early in Williamson’s tenure as captain but of the past games are anything to go be, we are in for a great ride with this talented player at the lead of the team. 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Although the middle Saturday, Wellington Cup Day, this year falling on January 21, is the most popular event on New Zealand’s racing calendar for punters and socialites alike, all three Saturdays are a great day out at the races for the whole family. The opening meeting of the 2017 Wellington Cup Carnival, the Classic Day on January 14, is the WRC’s Super Saturday, and it really is a family-friendly day: anyone 17 and under gets in free, if accompanied by an adult, and general admission is only $10. There are plenty of hospitality options to entertain those who aren’t betting, and nine races on the card for those who are. Three Black Type Races on the Card Traditionally, Wellington Cup Super Saturday sees some of New Zealand’s finest racing annually, so punters will have plenty of opportunities to bet on high-quality horseflesh. Three of the races featured on the card are Black Type events, in graded groups that only include the finest thoroughbreds with the best performance records, so it’ll take an experienced eye on the form to pick out the winners at the best odds. These three feature races are the $225,000 Group 1 Randwick Meats Levin Classic, featuring top three-year-olds over 1,600m, and two Group 3 races with identical purses of $70,000: the Mills Reef Winery Trentham Stakes, and the 1,600m Tui - Backing a Winner since 1889 Anniversary Handicap. The Trentham Stakes is the longer of the two races, at 2,100m, and is often a good indicator of horses to watch out for in the even longer Wellington Cup a week later. With the gates opening at 11. 30am, hospitality options available from noon and the first race scheduled for 12. 51pm, Wellington Cup Super Saturday promises a full afternoon of racing fun. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Men’s and women’s tennis kicks off the 2017 sporting year with the Brisbane International. New Zealand punters are keen to see their favourites do well. - Published: 2016-12-31 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/2017-brisbane-international-tennis/ Brisbane International Tennis Starts Sporting Year Some of the world’s top tennis players will be enjoying a very quiet New Year’s Eve in Australia on Saturday, because the 2017 season hits the ground running on January 01, with the start of the Brisbane International. The eight-day tournament, featured on both the ATP World Tour and the WTA Premiership, generates lots of interest among fans of men’s and women’s tennis, and gets everyone warmed up for the Australian Open later in the month. The Brisbane International is hosted on the outdoor Plexicushion hard courts of the Queensland Tennis Centre, and the 2017 tournament promises some excellent betting action for New Zealand tennis enthusiasts. Reigning Men’s Singles Champion, Canadian Milos Raonic, is back to defend his title; as is the Women’s Singles Champion, Germany’s Angelique Kerber. Rafael Nadal’s First Brisbane International But it is the news that Rafael Nadal will be competing, prospectively seeded fifth, that has many punters excited. The Spaniard has been emphatic in recent press statements that 2017 will see him return to world-class form, after being hampered by injuries since 2014, so fans are expecting some thrilling tennis from him. Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka, like Nadal playing in his first Brisbane International, is the 2016 US Open Champion, so his progress will also be of great interest to punters. We may also see some fireworks from Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, Japan’s Kei Nishikori, and Spaniard David Ferrer. Strong Field Contesting Women’s Singles Title Kerber faces some stiff competition for the Women’s Singles title, but the current World Number One has just finished a year that saw her take an Olympic silver medal, as well as powering to victories at the Australian Open and US Open. Russian player Svetlana Kuznetsova also has two Grand Slam titles under her belt, and will no doubt be psyched to make an impact in her first Brisbane International. Fast, aggressive Slovak Dominika Cibulkova, the 2016 WTA Tour Championship winner, is also sure to entertain fans and punters alike. Some betting fans reckon you need youth to cope with the Brisbane heat, however: in which case their money will be on the 23-year-old 2016 French Open winner, Spain’s Garbine Muguruza, or 24-year-old Czech Karolina Pliskova, who lost to Kerber in the 2016 US Open Final in three hard-fought sets. Muguruza and Pliskova are currently ranked seventh and sixth in the world, respectively. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 2 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Take a look at what’s in store for the 2017 Taiwan Open. Find out about the inaugural tournament held in 2016, and what’s coming up in 2017. - Published: 2016-12-30 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/gearing-taiwan-open/ The Taiwan Open On the Horizon The first ever instalment of the Taiwan Open was held in 2016 and was a hit with local and international sporting fans. The event is a women's tennis tournament organized by the WTA and part of the International tournaments of 2016. Played on outdoor hard surfaced courts, the first Taiwan Open was played at Yangming Tennis Centre in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The tournament was held from the 8th up until the 14th of February 2016. With 2017 just around the corner, anticipation is building for the second tournament in this elite series. 2017 Taiwan Open The World Tennis Association have moved the Taiwan Open to the capital of Taiwan, Taipei, effective from 2017. The 2017 instalment of the Taiwan Open will leap into action on the 30th of January 2017. Set for the sea of spectator stands, accommodating ten thousand fans, the 2017 Taiwan Open will be held at the indoor, Taipei arena. Tennis Is Branching Out Tennis is a game of discipline, respect and inner composure. The game was born in England. The oldest Grand Slam on the calendar is Wimbledon and is often referred to as the home of tennis. With just four major grand slam events including the Australian Open, The US Open, the French Open and Wimbledon, tennis has remained a fairly closed off affair. The WTA has outlined a progressive path by incorporating another major event into the calendar. The Taiwan Open will charter a path for growth and dynamism in the sport. Young upcoming hopefuls will be given the opportunity to learn and grow in the game, developing skills and ultimately making way for newcomers in the tennis domain. It is an exciting time for tennis in Taiwan with the region producing real quality players including Su-Wei Hsieh, Chan Hao-Ching and Chan Yung-Jan. With space for ten thousand spectators and endorsed under the WTA, the Taiwan Open lends itself to a host of thrilling wagering opportunities akin to other majors on the calendar. With a five hundred thousand USD prize up for grabs, the Taiwan Open is dedicated to attracting heavy weight professionals to her shores. A lucrative purse that is set to grow as the tournament gathers momentum. Venus Williams won the first ever Taiwan Open. The final was contested between Williams and Japan's Misaki Doi in an exciting display of big hitting tennis. Set To Feature Top Contenders The WTA has announced that the single event player draw of the Taiwan Open features twenty three players with twenty one players ranked in the top one hundred in the world. The rankings include former world number one Jelena Jankovic from Serbia who is now ranked world number fifty-four. The tournament also includes a local wildcard player, Lee Ya-hsuan. This is good form from the WTA promoting diversity and growth within the game. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2017 AFL Toyota Premiership is one of the most anticipated sporting events in New Zealand. Learn more about the fixtures and what’s in store. - Published: 2016-12-30 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/2017-afl-toyota-premiership-update/ AFL 2017 Toyota Premiership Fixtures Update For twelve years, Toyota has been the partner of the Australian Football League, and the 2017 AFL Toyota Premiership title is as hotly contested as ever. The fixtures for the AFL 2017 Toyota Premiership season were released in October as the authorities of the AFL decided to field more prime time Thursday night matches, and a first ever match to be played in Asia for premiership points. Port Adelaide and the Gold Coast Suns will be the teams to play the first match in China at the Jiangwan Sports Centre. There will also be a first match played in regional Victoria for premiership points in anywhere other than Geelong in more than sixty years when Eureka Stadium in Ballarat hosts the reigning premiers the Western Bulldogs against Port Adelaide in August. Format of the Premiership The AFL 2017 Toyota Premiership will be played during the Australian winter, from March to September, across a format that will allow all clubs to play eleven home and away games with one bye. The second bye in early September that was introduced in 2016 will be retained, so the top eight clubs can prepare for the 2017 Toyota AFL Finals Series. The AFL 2017 Toyota Premiership Grand Final will be played on Saturday the 30th of September. It has also been decided to play a game on Good Friday for the first time, and North Melbourne will play the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium in a twilight game. No match is set up for Anzac Day. The fixture for the AFL 2017 Toyota Premiership has been constructed in a way calculated to enable fans to watch the game in great numbers, and to continue to build the game as the number one sport in Australia. The 2016 season was outstanding, and the finals series saw enthralling matches taking place. The goal is to ensure that all clubs can compete equally for the top eight spots in the finals series. Mid-Season Matches Played Outside Of Melbourne The AFL 2017 Toyota Premiership will open with a Thursday night match at the MCG, between Carlton and Richmond. All mid season Thursday night matches will be played outside of Melbourne. Adelaide will get two matches, Geelong one, Perth one and Sydney one match. The Australian Football League is busy and active, so fans of the sport can expect a continuous flow of fast action entertainment. Anyone wishing to place bets on the teams playing in the AFL 2017 Toyota Premiership will have a vast variety of wagers to choose from. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand Breakers shooting guard, Corey Webster was arrested this week following an incident at a nightclub. The player is due to appear in court next week. - Published: 2016-12-30 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/breakers-shooting-guard-arrested/ Webster Future With Breakers In Jeopardy Corey Webster, shooting guard with the New Zealand Breakers sees his future in the sport in quite a bleak light this week after an incident in a nightclub on the basketball star’s 28th birthday. The details of the event are still quite vague, with news outlets reporting that the police were called following an altercation in the early hours of the 21st of December. The incident took place at the Takapuna nightclub. Webster received a one game suspension immediately after the incident. Team management has stated that the suspension was due to Webster missing practice the day following the incident along with alleged communication issues the young star had with management. He will be playing on Sunday again, the evening before his court appearance is due. Not Guilty Plea The young player is pleading not guilty to assault charges and currently the Breakers team and management are standing fully behind him. Or at least they were until it came to light that there were in fact two additional charges related to the event. Currently Breakers management are keeping quiet about the possible repercussions of Webster’s latest infractions. Corey Webster started his career in the USA when he played for the Eagles for his freshman season at Lambuth University. He started his first stint with the New Zealand Breakers in 2008. As a member of the Rangers, Corey joined the team for 3 NBL championships along with 2 NZNBL championships, a MVP award and many more. His career trajectory took a turn for the worse in 2011 after he was dropped from the second year of his contract with the Breakers due to drugs violations. Currently the stars future is looking unsure. Earlier this year he was replaced in his season starting position by Kirk Penney. Webster only has one year remaining of his three-year contract with the Breakers. Long Term Implications With so many aspiring athletes clamouring for positions in this prestigious team along with his troubled history, it is doubtful that Corey will be walking away unscathed from this latest incident. Despite his colourful career so far, the team can ill afford players who seem to have regular run-ins with the law. However team management has stated that despite the blow of the news, Webster has been a leader both on and off the court and his performance has been consistently good. Until the court hearing has been concluded the team has pledged to stand behind Webster and his insistence that he was not directly involved in any altercations. 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The Ravens took an early lead but three touchdowns in the final quarter took them down. This win has sent the Ravens packing as they concede their postseason appearance to the Kansas City Chiefs. Le’Veon Bell played a key role in driving the Steelers to victory. He managed to keep his head in the game and exploit every opening offered by the tight Ravens defensive line. An Exciitng Second Half Unfortunately the Raven’s more offensive second half was not enough for them to win the night , even with the Steelers’ defence missing a lot of tackles that could have secure them a more definitive lead. Ben Roethlisberger had a slow first half but his presence eventually showed its worth when he had a stellar fourth quarter. With 3 touchdowns, passing for 279 yards and a pair of interferences, he proved once again his immense value to the Steelers. In the Ravens camp Kenneth Dixon and Joe Flacco made mince meat of the Steelers patchy defensive work, but of course it was not enough in the end. Key performance was given by the 37 year old Steve Smith Sr. The legendary receiver left no questions about his ability by burning the Steelers’ powerful secondary for 79 yards. That said, the Ravens still didn’t supply much threat deep in the Steelers’ territory. Their loss was further exacerbated by poor performances in the red zone. On a Winning Streak This title was the Steelers second title in 3 years. Fans are hoping that this momentum will carry the team through the playoffs. They are currently the number 3 seed whether or not their week 17 performances are up to scratch. With The Ravens eliminated, there are certainly many upset Ravens fans who must be hating 2016 even more than the rest of the internet. The teams that will be appearing from the AFC will consist of the New England Patriots, The Oakland Raiders, The Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Miami Dolphins. The NFC competitors will feature the Dallas Cowboys, The Atlanta Falcons, The Seattle Seahawks, the Green Bay Packers, the New York Giants and the Detroit Lions. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Dallas Cowboys have defeated the Lions in a crushing 42-21 match. The Lions will go on to face the Green Bay Packers on Monday for the AFC title. - Published: 2016-12-30 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/cowboys-crush-rival-lions/ Detroit Lions Outclassed By Dallas Cowboys On Tuesday night the Detroit Lions suffered their second straight loss after a 5 game winning streak. There were some questionable calls and some rough tackles but the performance of the Cowboys was top notch. Lions fans also got to see the first appearance of Zach Zenner for the Lions. The final score for the game was 42 -21 in favour of the Cowboys. Disappointed fans were quick to respond on Twitter to perceived irregularities with the refs. The Cowboys were fighting for a 7th straight win this season. As Dallas coach Jason Garrett put it, the only way to play football is to treat every game as if it is the final and you should play to the best of your ability. Cowboys Take an Early Lead After a pretty uneven first half with the scores standing at 28-21, the Cowboys pulled out an amazing trick play, with the play being run by Bryant and Prescott late game, confusing the Lions defence. This allowed the Cowboys to get a 35-21 lead against the Lions and essentially clinch the game. This trick play was no fluke however. Bryant said after the game that the play was being run in practice for weeks and they decided on a whim to run the play and it worked out beautifully. Following the defeat, the Lions will be facing off against the Green Bay Packers on Monday for the NFC title. Their season is not over yet. Monday will see the Lions have a home crowd advantage as well as a hunger for victory after their two defeats. Impressive Skills On Show Notable plays in this game include a controversial take down by A ‘Shawn Robinson along with an impressive diving touchdown by Dallas’s Stafford. He may have been sacked a few times but he came through in style in the end by breaking the 21-21 toe during the third quarter. NFL rush leader Elliot had an impressive 55 yard touchdown during the early minutes of the game. Additionally Prescott now has the most wins achieved by a rookie quarterback, tied with Ben Roethlisberger for 13. What lies ahead for these two teams is anyone’s guess. The fans are rooting for the Lions to make a comeback from their recent slump and take the NFC North title home. Let’s hope that the home crowd advantage gets them fired up not just for the fans but for themselves. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Melbourne Cup is known as the race that stops a nation, but now it stops two. It’s run each year in November, and attracts a huge number of Kiwi fans. - Published: 2016-12-29 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/2016-melbourne-cup-roundup/ Melbourne Cup Grows in Popularity in New Zealand Everyone knows that the Melbourne Cup is the race that stops a nation in Australia; there is even a public holiday on that day. What is often overlooked is that it is as popular in New Zealand, both with trainers as well as punters. Many punters take the day off work to go and sit either in a pub, in front of their TV with a computer of phone handy, or even go to the racetrack itself. Kiwi bred and trained horses enter the race as much as Australian ones do, and many of them win. Historically there have been some really big names like Phar Lap and Prince of Penzance. More than Racing Aside from the actual racing, the whole Melbourne Day Spring Carnival is huge. It is the height of the fashion calendar as well as the social one. Food from top restaurants is on show, as well as smaller food stalls for the average crowd. The tradition has been going on for 150 years and is thus ingrained in pretty much every Australian and New Zealander. New Zealand Interests in the 2016 Cup There were a number of New Zealand horses running in this years cup, these included Who Shot The Barman ($31), Pentathlon ($81) and Rose of Virginia ($81). A number of Kiwi jockeys were also riding. Recently banned jockey James McDonald was riding the favourite, Hartnell as well as Michael Walker aboard Almoonqith, and Mark Du Plessis on Pentathlon. Pentathlon was the only New Zealand bred, trained and ridden horse in the cup. The others all had either an Aussie jockey or an Aussie owner. Other Horses and Wagering Many punters place a wager on the race, and it is always worth it to take the time to squizz at all the horses properly. The New Zealand TAB took over one million bets on the race on the day and before it. Knowing your horses puts you in a good position to hazard a calculated guess at who may or may not win. Also knowing which jockeys work best with which horses will help. But then again, sometimes things just don’t go as planned at all. 2016 Cup Results Hartnell, from the Godolphin stables was the favourite to win the cup. He didn’t however, and pulled in third behind Heartbreak City and Almandin. Almandin had been plagued with injuries in his run up to the cup, so wasn’t a really big contender in the eyes of the public, which just goes to show how wrong one can be. Kiwi Horses The New Zealand entrants did not do too badly, bearing in mind that they were running against the likes of horses like Hartnell. Who Shot The Barman was fifth, Pentathlon ninth and Rose Of Virginia a disappointing last place. Who Shot The Barman’s rider was very happy with the horses run, stating that a closer draw may have resulted in a closer run. Pentathlon apparently got stuck outside the pack on the corner and had to go around them. Rose of Virginia's rider reckoned that there might have been something wrong resulting in her disappointing run. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > A racehorse bred in Kaikoura won the New Zealand Harness Jewels in Cambridge, despite not being the favourite. Local Murray Boyd bred the filly. - Published: 2016-12-29 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/jewels-day-2016-upset/ Upset at Jewels Day Race The Jewels Day race is a popular harness race that takes place in New Zealand, in Cambridge each year. Otherwise known as the Harness Jewels, it is one of the biggest single day race meetings in New Zealand’s history. It is also world renowned, with spectators from all over the world watching via television. The Jewels is one of the biggest race meetings in New Zealand Harness Racing, only behind Cup Week in Christchurch due to its turnover, prize money and attendance 2016 Surprise The biggest surprise of the 2016 Harness Jewels came when a rather unknown three year old filly from Kaikoura took the main race ahead of much more favourable competition. The race is open to horses from New Zealand, and more recently horses from Australia as well. All horses attend via invite only, making it a race, which includes only the best of the best. The filly, which was bred by Kaikoura local Murray Boyd, raced against the best 3-year-old trotter in the country, including Ken and Clinton Ford's Marcoola. Many Kaikoura locals turned up to watch their filly race and were ecstatic with her results. The race favourite, Marcoola, unfortunately galloped on the last straight, giving the win to the relatively unknown filly. Fantastic Pedigree Donegal Bettorgretch is by the well-known dam Donegal Gretchen and her sire was Bettor's Delight, the top stallion in Australasia. Bettors Delight has sired foals not only in Australasia but in America too, producing a number of Group One winners. He is a pacer rather than a trotter as Donegal Bettorgretch , but is known for producing offspring which excel in both. At first pacing did not come easily to Donegal Bettorgretch, although she was bred for it. Her trainer tried to break her in with hopples but that proved to be unsuccessful. Eventually, Hoppy Rundle, who has years of experience with pacers, suggested that they take the hopples off and let her flow naturally. From there Donegal Bettorgretch has not looked back, and looks to be a serious contender in the harness world. Race Record Initially, she won two races at Addington Raceway. After that she travelled to Auckland where she won the Majestic Horse Floats mobile race of 2200m in 2 minutes 47. 7 seconds. This was a national record for 3-year-old fillies at the time. The win at the Harness Jewels in June 2016 just proved the potential of the young filly, with her trainers and owners expecting great things from her here on. She did not do exceptionally well at Canterbury in Dec 2016 however, conceding the race to the three year old gelding Enghien. Her trainer says that she follows well during the body of the race, but if she gets clear air in front of her she tends to want to run, breaking into a gallop, which results in a disqualification if not corrected. 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The American basketball player has been brought in as a replacement for Corey Webster, who has been benched due to an injury. Carter, who stands at 203cm tall (six foot, eight inches) will play an important role in the Breakers team, as along with Webster being out of the game, so too is Tom Abercrombie, who has a broken hand. Quick Turnaround Time The Breakers are hoping to get Carter onto the court as soon as possible, but he has said he may need a little time to acclimatise to his new surroundings. He went on to say that the turn around time was incredibly fast and that up until recently, playing in New Zealand wasn’t even on his radar. It was Carter’s good friend Akil Mitchell who caught the Americans attention, as they played together in 2015 and the Kiwi kept asking Carter when he’d come to New Zealand. With injuries plaguing the Breakers, an opportunity arose and Akil suggested Carter come over and play, and it just happened to all pan out. Carter said he wasn’t sure what to expect from New Zealand, but as a huge Lord of the Rings fan he was incredibly excited about paying a visit. Paul Henare Thrilled Paul Henare, the Breakers coach couldn’t be more thrilled at the way things worked out and said that he was extremely pleased to have secured a player that has Carters level of experience. He added that it was a difficult time to find new recruits and the speed at which the acquisition took place was almost unheard of, but very welcome. Henare said that the Breakers were relying on Carter’s experience, as he had played all over the world and managed to slot in seamlessly wherever he went. Carter’s ability to express himself and utilise his extensive skill set would be invaluable to the Breakers, and Henare knows that he will be able to fit into the club’s standards and meet all expectations. Carter has a wealth of experience and the American player has played professionally in France, spent 2 years in the D-League and was on a short-term injury contract in Germany. Once again, he’ll stand in as an injury replacement when playing for the Breakers and it’s hoped that he’ll bring back some of the defensive power the team has lost in recent weeks. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Usain Bolt nearly had his career prematurely ended by a New Zealand thoroughbred at the races. The filly lashed out, narrowly missing the star. - Published: 2016-12-29 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/kiwi-horse-takes-swipe-usain-bolt/ Usain Bolt’s Narrow Miss Punters on a number of different sports nearly had their games completely changed when Usain Bolt was very nearly kicked by a New Zealand filly at Oaks Day. Eleonora, a winning Kiwi filly lashed out at the fastest man on earth, who fortunately jumped out of the way, proving his title is well earned. Fastest Man versus Fastest Horse The horses were on their parade route past the crowd and celebrities when the filly planted a kick directly at the Olympic champion. He managed to leap out of the way just in time, missing what could have potentially been a career-ending move by one fast athlete to another. His co-Olympic medallist John Steffensen was also in the way of the irritable filly, but managed to be a bit further back, pretending to save Usain from harm after he had avoided the kick. Eleonora Eleonora is a chestnut filly that has run throughout 2016 and is now in her three-year-old season. She has run a number of races with the Oaks being her first Group One. She won at Flemington a while before, prompting her trainer to enter her into the Crown Oaks. At the Oaks she performed well for her first Group One outing, running third behind Lasqueti Spirit and Harlow Gold. The pretty chestnut filly is by Makfi and is one of the grand daughters of the legendary mare Ethereal. The Ethereal Stakes are run on Caulfiled day, specifically for young three-year-old fillies over 2000 meters, and this year it was won by Eleonora. The filly has yet to mature and really show her potential, but her owners and trainers think that they may have a group one elite horse on their hands. She has a good pedigree, and a good working attitude, two things that a successful horse needs. Punters are encouraged to keep an eye on the filly in the future as she is expected to do good things. 2016 Crown Oaks A complete outsider, Lasqueti Spirit, won the Oaks. Lasqueti Spirit, a relatively unknown horse, surprised her owners and the other horses by taking the lead early, gaining a few lengths then refusing to stop. She was a 100 to one outsider, which made anyone who had bet on her incredibly happy. Lasqueti Spirit is not known for her pacing, but has great class, so as yet has an uncertain future with regards to racing. Usain At The Races Usain Bolt was at the races on the day in order to present the Oaks Cup to the winning jockey, trainer and owner. He pretended to run down the track holding the trophy much to the delight of the crowd. Usain is considered the fastest man alive, but has an equine counterpart on the Australasian continent. Winx the supermare is said to be the equine version of the Jamaican runner with an almost undefeated record. Usain was an invited guest to the Oaks as a Ladies Day special, showing up in a stylish white suit. Unfortunately, he forgot the golden rule of horses, which is never to stand behind them, and very nearly paid the price. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Sofia Rosa won the NZ Bloodstock filly of the Year award as well as being a finalist for the champion 3yr old category. She is by Mafki out of Bislieri. - Published: 2016-12-29 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/sofia-rosa-bloodstock-filly-year/ Sofia Rosa Named 2016 Filly of the Year The pretty bay mare Sofia Rosa won bloodstock filly of the year for 2016 at the New Zealand industry Awards. She was also nominated as a champion three year old, but lost out to Xtravagant. At the end of her three-year-old season, Sofia Rosa had already won five races, a number of which were group ones. She continues to race into her four-year-old season so far, although her last couple of races have been disappointing. A Superb Filly Sofia Rosa is a superb filly, both in looks as well as racing results. She started her career at two, winning her second start in soft conditions at Hastings. She does not, however, have a temperament to match her look or her race record. She is known to both kick and buck, giving her the rather unflattering nickname The Rabid Bush Pig. Blindingly fast, if you can stay on, Sofia Rosa has won at numerous races in New Zealand but only one so far in Australia. Many New Zealand horses have unsuccessful careers or slow starting careers when they go over the Tasman Sea, with some notable exceptions. She ran tenth in the Memsie stakes, purely because she played up at the barrier, and had to be checked rather hard early in the race. The Makybe Diva Stakes weren’t any better, with her coming in ninth out of thirteen, beaten by gelding Black Heart Bart on both occasions. Her trainer says that she has the potential to be a winning racehorse, if she can stop being such a nutcase. She has been described as feral, hating everything including other horses and humans. Potential Future Sofia Rosa may have a future as a racehorse, or may not. It all depends on her. If she settles down and begins to perform to her potential the pretty bay will most likely continue to race. If she continues her antics, however, she may not. She was put out to pasture at the end of 2016 after her rather dismal results in Australia, and her trainer Stephen Marsh is optimistic about her racing future. She has lost her winter coat, which she failed to do throughout most of late 2016 when other thoroughbreds were already looking sleek. The paddock seems to have done her well, so hopefully she will entertain the crowds with more of her antics in days to come. Possible Broodmare It is possible that Sofia Rosa will go on to become a top broodmare in New Zealand if she doesn’t continue to win as a racehorse. The mare has top breeding, and as long as her foals get their temperaments from their fathers and their talent from both parents, they should be top runners. Foals often inherit their sires temperament and their dam’s conformation or talents, which luckily bodes well for Sofia Rosa’s broodmare career. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The body of one-time Australian Rugby League great Chad Robinson has been found in a Sydney suburb. The 36-year-old disappeared almost a month ago. - Published: 2016-12-28 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/former-nrl-star-chad-robinson-dead/ Former NRL Player Chad Robinson Found Dead Rugby league fans around the world were shocked by the news that retired Australian NRL star Chad Robinson, who disappeared on November 26, has been found dead in his car. 36-year-old Robinson’s wrecked vehicle was lying in an overgrown gorge in Kenthurst, a suburb of Sydney. The discovery comes after almost a month of searching, social media campaigning and desperate public appeals by his sister, Monique Brennan, and brother, Tim Robinson of Cronulla Sharks fame. Robinson battled several hardships after retiring from the NRL in 2009, after a 10-year career that included stints at the Parramatta Eels, the Sydney Roosters and Harlequins RL. He struggled with the break-up of his marriage and mental health issues, including treatment for depression. When he left his home in Sydney’s Kellyville suburb on November 26, he was barefoot and did not take his wallet or phone with him, which was cause for concern among his loved ones. A frantic search was launched for him and his silver Subaru, but it was only on December 21 that electricity workers discovered the crumpled vehicle and its tragic cargo, barely 13km from Robinson’s Crestview Avenue home. Cause of Crash Still Being Investigated A post-mortem and police investigation is still required to determine the date and cause of death, as well as the reason for the fatal crash. However, preliminary reports indicate that the Subaru skidded off a cliff-top road and plunged down the rock face into the gorge below. The lush bush hiding the semi-urban crash site from the road above may explain why the wreck lay undiscovered for so long. Robinson’s family announced that his body had been identified in a post on the Let’s Find Chad Facebook page, thanking all of those who had helped in the search for him. Condolences and tributes have poured in from rugby league players and supporters around the world, with former Roosters teammate Craig Fitzgibbon calling Robinson the best forward in the 2003 team. Bernie Gurr, the new CEO at the Eels, said that his death had devastated the club. Robinson is survived by his partner, Rani Morris, his children by his ex-wife, Kiara and Cooper, his brothers, Tim and Scott, and his sister, Monique. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand boxing punters get their money’s worth out of Joseph Parker, now undefeated in 22 bouts. Who will the WBO heavyweight champion fight in April? - Published: 2016-12-28 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/picking-joseph-parkers-next-fight/ Who Will Joseph Parker Fight Next? New Zealand heavyweight Joseph Parker has had a bumper year, bringing his fight tally up to 22 in four years since turning pro, all of them undefeated. 2016 saw the South Auckland-born 24-year-old win six more bouts on the trot, three of them by powerful TKOs or KOs in less than five rounds. He now holds the WBO, WBO Oriental, WBO Africa, OPBF, PABA, EPBC and NZNBF heavyweight championship belts. Not even the controversy over his majority-decision points victory over Mexico’s Andy Ruiz after 12 rounds in Auckland’s Vector Arena on December 10 for the vacant WBO title could sour such a stellar year, despite claims from vociferous critics that Ruiz was robbed. So it’s perhaps understandable that his management team, Auckland-based Duco Events, are in no hurry to name the next contender Parker will face. Fight Set for April 08, 2017 Parker is due to defend his title for the first time on April 08; we just don’t know whom he will face yet. In theory, the WBO could demand that as the reigning champion, he meets the next-ranked heavyweight contender in their rankings. That would be British heavyweight David Haye, who isn’t available. To date, however, the WBO has not indicated whether it will insist that Parker fights the highest-ranked available WBO contender after Haye. Promoter Dean Lonergan revealed back in May 2016 that Team Parker were keen to set up a high-profile bout in the UK against Haye, so it looks like he would have been their first choice to face Parker in the April 2017 fight anyway. However, Haye has opted instead to fight WBC cruiserweight title-holder Tony Bellew in March. So Parker’s choice now appears to be between two other UK boxers: undefeated heavyweight Hughie Fury, currently second on the WBO rankings, or David Price, ranked sixth, as the three contenders ranked between them are also unavailable for an April bout. Price has tweeted that he would love to fight Parker in the latter’s first title defence, although Fury has the stronger claim on a shot at the title. We’ll keep you posted, as soon as a definite opponent is announced. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Black Caps skipper Kane Williamson has been listed in the annual ICC Test Team again. It’s a welcome award, despite New Zealand’s uneven cricket season. - Published: 2016-12-28 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/williamson-2016-icc-test-team/ Kane Williamson in 2016 ICC Test Team The ICC has announced its 2016 Test and ODI teams; annual listings that recognise the top players in international cricket over the season. New Zealand fans and punters will be thrilled that Black Caps skipper Kane Williamson has been named on the 2016 ICC Test Team, the third year in succession that the international body has conferred this all-star status on him. It’s a welcome cherry on top of a 2015/16 season that, although it saw Williamson’s individual game and captaincy flourish, has been up and down for New Zealand. A 2-0 Test series loss away to Australia in November 2015 was followed by another 2-0 loss at home to the same team in February 2016. A comprehensive series win, in all three forms of the game, against Sri Lanka in December 2015 may have lifted Kiwi fans’ spirits for a while. But the 3-0 Test series drubbing by India in September this year was nothing to celebrate, and the less said about the South African tour, the better. But the 2-0 Test series win against Pakistan in November 2016 was satisfying, as was taking the December 2016 ODIs against Australia 3-0. Year of Personal Records and Awards Since he took on the New Zealand captaincy in all forms of cricket in March 2016, upon the retirement of Brendon McCullum, Williamson has had to cope with the added pressures of the skipper role on top of his team’s batting expectations. He’s risen to the challenge with some excellent captaincy combined with superb performances, most notable in the two tests played against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in November. As expected, the Black Caps achieved a convincing whitewash in the two matches, but Williamson also became the youngest of 13 New Zealand players ever to have scored Test centuries against all the Test-playing nations. He also accomplished the feat in fewer innings than any other NZ player, with the shortest time between his debut and achievement of the record. So his inclusion in the ICC Test Team 2016, batting at number three alongside other greats of the game, like Australia’s David Warner at opening bat and England’s Peter Cook the captain at number two, is well-deserved. It’s a fitting jewel in the crown of a year that also saw Williamson win NZ Player of the Year and Test Player of the Year, plus his second Redpath Cup in a row. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Turn Me Loose is a bay thoroughbred who won champion sprinter and stayer of the year 2016 in New Zealand. He is by Iffraaj out of the dam Indomitable. - Published: 2016-12-28 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/turn-loose-wins-awards/ Turn Me Loose Wins Two 2016 New Zealand Industry Awards Turn Me Loose won two awards at the New Zealand Industry Awards in 2016. Both Champion Stayer and Champion Sprinter went to the bay colt that has had a number of starts and wins over his four year long racing career. Turn Me Loose has proven to be an elite racehorse, competing in and winning a number of Group One races and amassing a total of $1,501,103 so far. Backing him to date would have given you an 81% return on your investment, making Turn Me Loose a profitable horse not just for his owners, but for punters too. Racing Career Being a New Zealand bred horse; Turn Me Loose began his career at local tracks, achieving a first and a second in a maiden stakes and a handicap race. The first place was in heavy going, with the colt still running ahead of the field proving his versatility. After a brief lengthy rest of 112 days in order to grow a bit, he was entered into a handicap at Hastings, where he ran second. His trainer felt that he needed just a bit more time, so he had a brief freshener of 35 days in which he still did track work to maintain fitness. His three-year-old season was short with only three starts after which he had a good long spell for almost 300 days. In those starts he had two firsts and a third. Turn Me Loose could have been raced further, but trainer duo Murray Baker and Andrew Forman decided to rather be conservative with the colt in order to have a stronger chance at the later, bigger races such as the Caulfield Cup The opening round of his four-year-old career after nearly a year off was not incredibly successful, although he did run against champions such as Whoshotthebarman and Hartnell. A quick freshening preluded a winning streak after that, however, with a string of firsts in major Group One races including the Group One Emirates Cup against Politeness and Rock Sturdy on soft ground. From there he won the Futurity Stakes at Caulfield, but unfortunately his four year old season was cut short by an injury running in the Doncaster Cup against supermare Winx. Five Year Old and Future Turn me loose has had a slow five-year-old season since being voted Champion Stayer and Sprinter of the year. Two eighth places in Australia in a Group Two and Group One race may be improved on, but seeing as he has returned from an injury that outcome is unsure. Luckily, due to being a colt, he has a future prospect as a sire and may yet become a champion in his second life. Turn me Loose’s sire, Iffraaj, has had great success in the southern Hemisphere with seven Stakes winners and a number of Group One performers. He is an incredibly good-looking stallion, who passes on his looks to his progeny, which bodes well for Turn Me Loose as a stallion himself. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Sea King is New Zealand’s Jump Racing horse of the year 2016. He won the 2016 Mosstrooper race at Bendigo, as well as a number of other Steeplechases. - Published: 2016-12-28 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/sea-king-wins-2016-jump-racing-award/ Sea King Cinches 2016 Jump Racing Award Steeplechasing is not as popular in New Zealand as flat racing, or in fact in anywhere else around the world. That does not mean however that it is a small or badly funded sport. Jump racing was included in the New Zealand industry awards in July 2016, with Champion Jump jockey as well as Champion Jumper being awarded. The super bay gelding Sea King was awarded the jumper category in a tie with Jack Romanov. Sea King The Rogue Sea King is known as a rogue horse that was actually banned from a number of tracks in his younger years. Jump horses tend to race at more mature ages than flat racers, due to the more extreme pressure and wear and tear that is exerted by jumping as well as galloping. Rachel Frost, a jumps trainer and his owner used to call Sea King a thick, horrible goat due to his bad behaviour towards other horses and his lack of concentration on the track. Known to lean on other horses, as well as try to jump on them over fences, Sea King was tried in a number of gadgets to break his habits. Nothing worked however until late in 2013 when he seemed to just grow up and get over everything. Sea King became the first horse to win both the Waikato Hurdles and Waikato Steeples in 2013. He defeated his main competition, Carinya, by seven lengths. Since then he has not looked back, proving himself to be a great stayer as well as a super jumper. He enjoys work away from public tracks, and excels at forest and road training that he seems to find more interesting. Career So Far Sea King has had a long and rather interesting career so far. His first season was only one start, in which he came second carrying 60. 5kgs. Jump racing horses carry much heavier weights than flat horses as well as racing much later into their careers. His next few seasons saw only a couple of weeks off for quite a while, with a few fresheners and only two spells for most of his career. He changed trainers in June 2016, just after his win at the Industry awards. That did not last long however, as he transferred back to Patrick Payne. Sea King revels in heavy going where other horses find it rather heavy. He has been jumping over the lower fences up until now, but the nine-year-old gelding is being pointed at the higher races, including potentially the Grand National. He has been surprising popular recently with his new attitude and winning ability, as well as proving profitable at the bookies. Backing Sea King over is career so far would have returned a 58% profit. In his last race, he unfortunately made contact with a piece of railing on the edge of the track, which caused him to leap into the air, unseating his jockey. He sustained lacerations to his chest and is subsequently being spelled. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > In April 2016 there was a non-tragic fall at Randwick Racecourse. One horse and rider went down on the straight, luckily both without any serious injuries. - Published: 2016-12-27 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/fall-randwick-2016/ Jockeys Death Puts Spotlight on Horse Racing Falls Rebecca Black’s death has once again highlighted how dangerous the sport of hose racing can be, but it wasn’t the first fall of the season. Fortunately, the other big fall did not result in the death of the rider, but it certainly made headlines at the time. In April 2016 a horse and rider combination went down in a frightening looking fall on the straight at Randwick Racecourse. The pair was coming down the home straight near the back of the pack when it seems the horse, Single Gaze, had nowhere to go after another horse came into her line. Happy Hannah was brought over from the outside rail by Damien Oliver, which may have caused the group one winning chestnut mare Single Gaze to stumble. Her jockey, Kathy O’Hara went down in the correct rolling position and sustained some serious although potentially not life-threatening injuries. She was taken off in an ambulance that screamed onto the track after the other horses had passed. In the hospital, it was determined that Kathy had received a broken collarbone, punctured a lung and broken ribs as well as a rather severe concussion. Kathy smiled and stated that it is all in a day's work. Single Gaze’s Injuries Single Gaze is one of Nick Olive’s Group One winning horses, so it was a big disappointment to see her go down at Randwick. She sustained severe bruising to her shoulder but luckily no broken bones or torn tendons. A tendon injury could potentially be a career ending injury for a thoroughbred. Olive got many vets out to see her, but they all had the same consensus, which was that she had only sustained bruising. Single Gaze was rested for a long time, before tentatively being brought back into work. She looked to be possibly aimed at the Spring Carnival and the Cox Plate which has historically been a good race for mares with the likes of Winx, Makybe Diva and Sunline all winning the race at one point. Single Gaze turned out not to be sound enough, however and was given more time off. As of November 2016 she was just on the water walker a few times a week, but does look set to make a comeback next season, possibly for the Coolmore Classic Back To Work Kathy O’Hara wasted no time in bed and was back to work within a few weeks. Taking it easy, of course, the blue-eyed jockey began slow work as soon as she could. She was back to full riding within a few months. She has had a few rides so far in races but is still taking it a bit easy. Single Gaze looked set to take on Winx at the Cox Plate, but her trainer decided that the mare was not quite ready yet. She has grown up a lot in her time off, which may actually have been one of the best things that happened for her. Providing that her injury does not prevent her from performing as well as she was, she may come back bigger, stronger, and ready to tackle the other well known horses such as Winx and Black Heart Bart. 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Sadly, that contract also included zero tolerance for breaches of the racing rules, so McDonald was released from it the moment he was found to have contravened the prohibition on betting by a jockey. The offence also earned him an 18-month ban from the sport, meaning he will miss the 2017 spring racing carnival and the next two autumn carnivals as well: he’ll only be eligible to ride again on May 15, 2018. Inappropriate Group Betting Relationship McDonald was penalised for a bet of A$1,000 (around NZ$1,044), which netted him just NZ$4,100, on his debut race on Godolphin colt Astern last year. It was part of a group bet placed by Anthony Gardiner, a punter famed in Sydney racing circles, which netted a total of NZ$131,000. An investigation by stewards, in collaboration with the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, was intensified after McDonald was seen acknowledging Gardiner before the Tramway Stakes on September 03. Over several of Australia’s biggest races like the Golden Rose and Golden Slipper, the inquiry heard, Gardiner had placed bets totalling nearly A$1-million on Astern, one of Australia’s most valuable three-year-olds. Appeal Planned Against Sentence McDonald has acknowledged that he did wrong and taken responsibility for breaking the rules. But he and his legal counsel believe the length of the ban is too harsh, given the size of the bet, his remorse that saw him donate the winnings to a children’s charity, and the fact that it’s his first offence. He plans to appeal the ban, hoping to get it reduced. Although his contract with Godolphin is over, the racing empire has said it will continue to support him through his suspension. Hardly surprising, considering McDonald won them a total of almost A$15-million in prize money in 2016. So perhaps the ban will be more of a hiccup than a train-smash in his career; especially if he gets his suspension shortened on appeal. 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Acknowledged as one of the finest props currently playing the sport, Franks is the second-most capped prop in All Blacks history, and the 10th-most capped All Black overall. As such, has been receiving considerable international interest, but luckily for us, he’s decided he hasn’t reached his full potential for New Zealand yet. Kudos must also go to NZR and the Crusaders management, for putting together packages competitive enough to allow Franks to resist the lure of filthy foreign lucre. It remains to be seen if captain Kieran Reid and other key All Blacks players whose contracts lapse in 2017, like Ben Smith, Aaron Cruden and Israel Dagg, can also be persuaded to stick with New Zealand, despite lucrative overseas offers. On Track for Record World Cup Win? But at least All Blacks head coach Steven Hansen is assured of retaining at least one national treasure all the way through to the 2019 World Cup. In strength, mobility and scrum technique, Franks is worth his 120kg weight in gold. At 1. 85m, he’s not small by normal standards, but often appears so, relative to the other giants on the field. Nevertheless, he makes up for the relative size discrepancy with sheer guts, dedication and enormous focused power: evidenced by the famous 10-rep celebration of 280kg squats that he and his brother, Ben, indulged in the day after the All Blacks won the 2011 World Cup. With him on board, and if several other current All Blacks stars can be secured for another three years, Coach Hansen could well realise the dream of bringing an unprecedented third consecutive Rugby World Cup title home to New Zealand. 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Volkstok’n’barrell won a number of group one races over his career, as well as performing in a number of others making him an elite racehorse. Racing Career So Far The bay gelding is trained by D & C Logan and Gibbs who are based in New Zealand and have trained many a winning horse over their long careers. Volkstok’n’barrell was started as a two year old, running three local races and winning two of them. A spell of only 70 days allowed a little growing up, but the trainers wasted no time in setting the gelding on the fast track to the Group One races. His three-year-old season had seven starts, the first three wins and the last lot Group One races in Australia. He ran against the likes of Mongolian Khan and Rockfast, beating the latter but never quite beating the former. Another spelling period that ended because he kept running around and bucking in his paddock began his four-year-old season. Racing became more serious now, with more Grade Ones both in New Zealand and across the Tasman Sea. Group One races as Caulfield and Flemington didn’t produce any places, so the gelding had another rest to prevent him from getting race sour. His five-year-old season was a bit of a different story. Grown up now both mentally and physically, he was much more powerful. He took a first at Otaki and Ellerslie, before placing at both Doomben and Gold Coast. Another rest and entered his six year old season, which brings us up to date with the Industry Awards. As a six year old he ran only one race so far at Trentham where he came in sixth, Owners Dispute Volkstok’n’barrell was almost sold to Honk Kong interests in 2015, but as a syndicate owns him they all had to agree, and luckily for New Zealand that did not happen. It was rumoured at the time that the money offered for him was more than any gelding has gone for before, enough to buy a couple of houses in Auckland. As it is, Volkstok’n’barrell remains at the yard of Donna Logan, who is a part owner. As she says, he may break his leg tomorrow, or go on to win the Cox Plate. One never knows with racehorses. Either way, Volkstok’n’barrell is still racing, and still winning. Being a gelding it is likely that he will continue to race until he either can't anymore due to injury or he simply doesn’t want to. He will then be rehomed, possibly to the living legends farm depending on his status. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Bagalollies is the New Zealand Broodmare of 2016. She has foaled the likes of Werther who won a number of group one races including the Hong Kong Derby. - Published: 2016-12-27 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/bagalollies-broodmare-year-2016/ Bagalollies Wins Broodmare of the Year The New Zealand broodmare of the year is announced at the end of each season in July at the same time as the horse of the year and other rewards are given out. This year it was the dam of Werther, Bagalollies, who was a good racehorse herself. Bagalollies Pedigree Bagalollies herself is by the super sire Zabeel, who won sire of the year numerous times in New Zealand. Zabeel was by Sir Tristram who was also a leading sire in both New Zealand and Australia. Other sires in her sire line include Nureyev who was known as a broodmare sire in America. Her dam line carries the Danzig bloodline, but instead of Danzig’s most famous son, Danehill, we find Ascot Knight as her Grandsire. Ascot Knight and Night Stand were responsible for Bagalollies dam Lady’s Night who was a Canadian horse. She made over $13 000 dollars racing before being retired to stud. Bagalollies Racing Performance Bagalollies raced for a while herself before becoming a broodmare. She had three seasons, beginning when she was two years old. Her first season was short, as it often is with two year olds. A second, a fifth and a sixth at local tracks did not ring any bells in either her trainers or owners minds. She was a good horse, but nothing outstanding. After a year off she came back for six starts, placing in all of them and winning two. All these were still local races however, none of which wee Group Ones. Another long spell began a slightly longer season with eight starts. She underperformed in all of them, coming last in her last start. It was then decided to put her to stud as she clearly wasn’t going to be a superstar on the track. Bagalollies the Broodmare Bagalollies settled happily into the broodmare life, lots of big fields and time off. She had a number of foals which entered her into the running for broodmare of the year in New Zeland. To win the broodmare category, the mare would have to be New Zealand bred and/or have New Zealand-conceived progeny, anywhere in the world, in the season under review to most clearly reflect true breeding merit in quality of racing performance. Bagalollies son, Werther, more than met those requirements. She has also produced Gobstopper who is a winner, and trial placed Adorable. She currently has a yearling filly by Tavistoc that is Werther’s full sibling. She is due to be in foal to Tavistoc again in the next season Werther Werther is Bagalollies best offspring so far. Werther has raced in New Zealand as well as Hong Kong against Australian horses such as Winx and Chautauqua. He was voted Hong Kong Horse of the Year for the 2015 2016 season. He is a winner of the Hong Kong Derby, as well as the Queen Elizabeth Cup, making him an elite racehorse and a potential super sire in his own right. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand racing fans are eagerly looking forward to the Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day on January 21. We take an early look at possible winners. - Published: 2016-12-26 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/wallaceville-estate-wellington-cup-day-3/ Punters Await Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day New Zealand’s thousands of avid horse racing fans don’t have too much longer to wait before they can enjoy the action on the 2017 Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day. It takes place on Saturday, January 21, also known as Super Saturday, in the middle of three consecutive Saturdays of racing that make up the Wellington Cup Carnival. The Interislander Summer Festival Family Day wraps up the racing action on Saturday, January 28. It promises to be a great day out for punters and their families, with lots of fashion, food and drinks, and entertainment off the track as well. The Wellington Cup, with a purse of $250,000, is the premier Group 2 thoroughbred race hosted at Wellington’s Trentham track. This is despite the fact that the original gruelling two-mile/3,200m distance was shrunk to 2,400m after the race lost its Group 1 status in 2009, in the hopes of attracting better fields. It will be followed by the JR&N Berkett Telegraph, a 1,200m race that also has a purse of $250,000, making it New Zealand’s richest sprint. So the first two races of the day have lots to offer online sports betting fans. An Early Look at Potential Bets There are still 42 horses nominated for the 2017 Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup, so betting fans may want to wait for the final field before committing to any wagers. However, if they do make it onto the final race card, here are some options to consider: The 2016 winner, surprise English outsider Mister Impatient, lived up to his name and robbed second-favourite and leader for most of the race Pentathlon of the crown by a nose. The 7-year-old gelding is back in form after an injury break, so many are hoping he’ll repeat the performance in 2017. But 5-year-old gelding Jacksstar is coming off a spectacular win on the Manawatu Cup, so he’s also a strong contender. Trainer Gary Vile reckons he’ll be the fittest horse in the race. Fanatic, a 4-year-old mare, is also in great form for the summer, running clear of the field for the final 200m of the Dunstan Feeds Championship Qualifier and showing great potential. Another gelding worth a punt in the Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup could be 6-year-old Balham, who seems to be in top form since he began racing with a tongue tie. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Starting on January 02, the 2017 ASB Classic kicks off the year with a New Zealand tennis highlight. We looked back at the 2016 results punters enjoyed. - Published: 2016-12-26 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/january-means-asb-classic-tennis/ ASB Classic Tennis Year Starts in Style The ASB Classic, also known as the Auckland Open, is a welcome addition to the international tennis calendar, and of particular interest to New Zealand’s tennis punters. A joint ATP World Tour and WTA Tour event, the contest gives the men’s and women’s tournaments equal weight, so fans have a feast of tennis, both singles and doubles, to look forward to. It starts on January 02, so sports betting fans can get straight into the tennis action as they recover from their NYE celebrations. The 2016 event saw some thrilling matches, with Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut winning the men’s final after an injury forced American Jack Sock to retire. The USA’s Sloane Stephens took the women’s final against Germany’s Julia Gorges in straight sets. In doubles, Croatian Mate Pavic and Australian Michael Venus defeated the American duo of Eric Butorac and Scott Lipsky. The German team of Elise Mertens and An-Sophia Mestach triumphed in the women’s doubles, although Serbian Danka Kovinic and Czech Barbora Strycova did take them all the way to a thrilling 2-6, 6-3, finish. Draws to be Announced in December/January We can’t give you any cunning punting tips on the 2017 ASB Classic field just yet, as the final player draws are still unannounced. The Women’s Qualifying Singles Draw will be announced on the evening of Friday, December 30, with the Women’s Main Draw Singles following late on Saturday afternoon. On Sunday, January 01, also in the late afternoon, the Women’s Main Draw Doubles will be announced. The Men’s Qualifying Singles Draw, Men’s Main Draw Singles and Men’s Main Draw Doubles will follow a similar pattern of daily announcements, starting on the evening of Friday, January 06. We’ll be sure to update you when the draws are made public, but we do know two things for certain: there will be some top tennis talent battling fiercely to take each title, and keen New Zealand tennis fans will get plenty of exciting sports betting opportunities as a result. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Wellington Cup Carnival Super Saturday on January 21 combines race-betting action with family fun. We preview the event for New Zealand racing fans. - Published: 2016-12-25 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/wellington-cup-carnival-super-saturday/ Wellington Cup Carnival Super Saturday Excitement To the delight of New Zealand horse racing fans, the Wellington Cup Carnival kicks off on January 14, 2017; the first of three consecutive Saturday meetings at Wellington’s Trentham Racecourse that make up this annual summer festival. The middle Saturday, January 21, is designated the Wellington Cup Carnival Super Saturday, hosting two of New Zealand’s premier races. These are the 1,200m JR&N Berkett Telegraph, New Zealand’s richest sprint with a purse of $250,000, and the Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup. Universally recognized as New Zealand’s top long-haul race at 2,400m, it also has an unrivalled purse of $250,000. The Wellington Cup always attracts loads of sports betting action, and punters on the 2017 race have some several strong contenders to consider. Mister Impatient, the 7-year-old English gelding that took an upset win in 2016, is back in contention. But he’ll face stiff competition from Fanatic, a 4-year-old mare also shaping up well this summer, plus in-form super-fit 5-year-old gelding Jacksstar, and 6-year-old gelding Balham, now racing with a tongue tie that seems to help his speed and stamina. More than Racing on the Go Although the racing action is what attracts most of the punters, at the track and online, the Wellington Cup Carnival Super Saturday is all about fun for the whole family. With the Wellington Cup generally acknowledged as New Zealand’s premier annual race, even those who don’t usually follow racing go along purely for the social occasion. Fashion, food and fun are all just as important as the thoroughbreds thundering down the track. Early birds can get general admission to the racecourse for as little as $20, although membership of the Wellington Racing Club for the day only costs $80 and automatically enters you in a prize draw for $50,000. Hospitality options include the Fashion Verandah, the Logan Brown Dining Experience, the Great Sensation Marquee and the Cointreau Fizz Garden, among several others. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > An early look at the top Australian Open 2017 contenders. New Zealand punters can enjoy some exciting bets on Australia’s premier tennis tournament. - Published: 2016-12-25 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/australian-open-action-preview/ Australian Open a Magnet for NZ Punters From January 16 to 29, 2017, New Zealand tennis fans and their counterparts around the world will be following one tournament avidly: the 2017 Australian Open. As usual, the event kicks off the year’s Grand Slam tennis tour on the hardcourts of Melbourne Park. As Australia’s premier tennis tournament, it attracts sports betting punters online from all over the world, including thousands from New Zealand. This year, boosted prize money for those knocked out in early rounds should make the Australian Open even more competitive from day one. Top seeds in the women’s tournament Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber are going to see a lot of the smart money hoping they meet in another explosive final. But Petra Kvitova, Agnieska Radwanska and Dominika Cibulkova are also worth a punt on them reaching the semis. Will it be Andy Murray’s Year? In the men’s tournament, lots of fans will be hoping Andy Murray can break his jinx of five Australian Open finals with not a single title win. He may be in the form to do it, but as always he’ll have to outplay and outlast Novak Djokovic first. A reverse result of last year’s final would delight Murray fans and ensure fierce betting action. That said, Milos Raonic’s performances throughout 2016 prove that he must be considered an Australian Open contender in 2017 too. And don’t forget Roger Federer; although he hasn’t played since Wimbledon, his all-round class and the fact that he has reached the semis or better in 12 out of 13 Australian Opens indicates that his opponents should never underestimate him. Stan Wawrinka’s 2016 season means we can’t rule him out, either. Much More than Tennis Most New Zealand punters will follow the Australian Open online or on TV, but if you’re lucky enough to be in Melbourne to see the tournament live, there is a lot more than tennis on offer. AO Open Sessions will be a huge party, with a stage full of live musicians, and the AO Ballpark will keep the kids entertained. The AO Festival that accompanies the tennis will treat fans and punters to bars, food and beverages too. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > 2016 will be remembered as the year champion jockey Bill Skelton passed away. He was 85 at the time of his passing and rode more than 2000 winners. - Published: 2016-12-24 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/tribute-bill-skelton/ A Tribute to Bill Skelton The racing community lost one of its legendary members this year, and as the year draws to a close its a fitting time to remember Bill Skelton. Bill Skelton will forever be known is Bustling Bill, due to his ability to get horses out front and make a run for the finish post. He was 85 when he died, having been active from the 1940’s to the 1980’s. His racing career spanned four decades and included a number of winners as well as a number of countries. Riding Career Bustling Bill was born in Campton in New Zealand. He and his siblings would all become jockeys, most of whom would become champions. Bill began riding for work at the tender age of thirteen, riding his first winner at fifteen. Since then he has not looked back with a total of over 2500 horses under his belt, 2179 of which were winners. He still holds the record for most winners in a season, which was the 1968 1969 season in which he rode 124 horses over the line before the rest. He was known for his slightly bullying approach to riding horses. Back then there were fewer rules, and jockeys could be more aggressive than they are allowed to be today. He got results though, as his record speaks for itself. Bill Skelton says that the 1969 Cox Plate and Auckland cup winner Daryl’s Joy was the best horse that he ever rode. Bill As A Trainer William David Skelton also has success as a trainer, both after he stopped riding and while he still competed. He sometimes rode his own horses to victory as in the case of Lucky Son who won the 1965 Auckland cup. He trained a small string of horses along with his wife, Nella at their home farm. His horses were never big winners, but that wasn’t what it was about for him. His favourite training phrase was: A little bit of kindness goes a long way. Later Life Bill was the iconic New Zealand champion jockey. After he retired and began training, he was still seen around the tracks, chatting to this person and checking that horse. He was internationally followed both in the bookie's lounges and by racing fans. In 1994 he suffered a stroke at his home after the usual round of checking the horses at 9 pm. The stroke severely affected both his mobility and speech, leaving him virtually helpless. When he died in 2016 he could only utter a few phrases. His wife, Nella stayed by his side throughout. Punters Hero Bill Skelton never placed a bet himself, not even when he had retired. Nella had, although she said it was just to hamper the competition. He is honoured with a trophy as the Otaki Maori racecourse called the Punters Challenge. He was so well known to punters throughout his life, that it seemed fitting to have a trophy dedicated to him from grateful punters all over the world. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Three tournaments kick off the ATP World Tour 2017: the Ecuador Open, Sofia Open and Sud de France Open. We preview them for New Zealand tennis fans. - Published: 2016-12-24 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/ecuador-open-sofia-open-sud-de-france-open/ Ecuador Open Starts Punters’ 2017 Tennis Action The clay court tournaments of the ATP World Tour 2017 kick off on February 01 in Quito, with the Ecuador Open. This tournament is also the first in a series of five ATP tournaments through Latin America, and it will be a great opportunity for New Zealand punters to get some tennis action early in the year. Players already confirmed for the 2017 Ecuador Open include Serbia’s Janko Tipsarevic, Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov, and Croatia’s Ivo Karlovich. Dedicated punters will be keeping a close eye on Tommy Robredo, however. The Spaniard is at his best on clay, and he has won this leg of the ATP before: in 2011, when it was held in Chile. Coming back after surgery for an elbow injury in May, after a truncated 2016 season that saw him drop out of the world’s Top 100 rankings for the first time since February 2013, he has lots to prove. Sofia Open Follows Fast Behind Tennis sports betting options don’t end when the Ecuador Open winds up on February 07; the Garanti Koza Sofia Open runs from February 05-12. Held at Bulgaria’s premier stadium, the Arena Armeec Sofia, it will give New Zealand’s tennis fans plenty to punt on. Spanish defending champion Roberta Bautista Agut will be determined to hang on to his Sofia Open title, but he will be up against other leading lights of the ATP World Tour like Belgian David Goffin, Austrian Dominic Thiem, Serbia’s Vikto Troicki and Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov. Sud de France Open Completes Tennis Feast Also running from February 05-12, the Sud de France Open in Montpellier will compete with the Sofia Open for New Zealand punters’ attention, but it’s going to be a week filled with top-quality tennis. Croatian Marin Cilic, No. 6 in ATP world rankings, will attract a lot of bets, but the Frenchmen ranked 12th and 18th, respectively, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Richard Gasquet, should be stiff competition. Tennis fans will also want to watch Cilic’s countryman, 20-year-old Borna Coric. He’s only ranked 48th at present, but he’s beaten Rafael Nadal twice, most recently to win the 2016 Cincinnati Masters in straight sets. He’s also back after surgery interrupted his 2016 season, so we’re expecting some fireworks from him. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Hong Kong Cup is a 2000 meter group one horse race which is run in Hong Kong. Find out more about the winners of this prestigious race now. - Published: 2016-12-23 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/look-hong-kong-cup-winners/ Past and Present Winners of the Hong Kong Cup The Hong Kong Cup is run each year at the end of December in Hong Kong and it attracts horses from all over the world. Historically there has been only one Australian winner, State Taj, although there have been many hopefuls. New Zealand has fared better than Australia, with three winners and a number of placings. The Cup was granted Group One status in 1999, and was increased to 2000 meters, making it a staying race rather than a sprint. A number of other races happen on the same day as the Hong Kong Cup, forming the Hong King International Race day. The Cup is run at Sha Tin racecourse, which is the most famous racecourse in Hong Kong. Now known as the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup, it is the richest turf race in the world being worth over 20 million dollars. It was first called the Hong Kong invitational in 1988 and still remains an invite only race. State Taj State Taj was an Australian horse that won the Hong Kong Cup in 1994. The Cup was upgraded to Group two status in that year and was opened to international thoroughbreds. State Taj won the race out from under a number of local and international horses, much to the bookies surprise and non-favourable odds. He has been the only Australian bred horse ever to win the Cup, despite a number of Australian attempts. Maurice Maurice won the 2015 Hong Kong Mile, and took home the title in the Hong Kong Cup in 2016. He is the only horse since Jim and Tonic to have won two Hong Kong at the Race Day in a row. Maurice is a five-year-old stallion who has had 17 starts and was Japan’s horse of the year 2015. He is trained by Noriyuki Hori and has an international rating of 124. Ryan Moore, who has ridden a number of horses to victory, rode Maurice. He likes to race off the pace, usually in a midfield position before coming up to beat the rest of the field on the home straight. Criterion Criterion is a contender for stayer of the year 2016. This year was the chestnut gelding’s third trip to Hong Kong, although none of them have been particularly successful so far. He has won a number of races in Australia as well as taking on races in Dubai and the UK. Although he is already five years old, the gelding has a proven track record. Designs on Rome Designs on Rome was the winner of the Hong King Cup in 2015. He is known as a freakish galloper and is Hong Kong’s horse of the year 2016. The 6-year-old gelding has had a long racing career with 31 starts, six of which were wet tracks. He has four Group One wins to his name already, preferring long races that sap the stamina of other horses. These horses have all made history, and have contributed to making the Hong Kong Cup the prestigious race it is today. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > One of the most well-loved Ascot Racecourse events, TABtouch Perth Cup Day, falls on New Year’s Eve this year. We look at the form, for New Zealand punters. - Published: 2016-12-23 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/tabtouch-perth-cup-day-update/ Kiwi Punters Await TABtouch Perth Cup Day Once the excitement of Christmas dies down, and just in time to kick off their New Year’s Eve celebrations, New Zealand’s horse racing fans get to put a punt on one last race meeting for the year: the TABtouch Perth Cup Day at Ascot Racecourse. Apart from the Group 3 La Trice Classic, the race of the day that everyone will want to have a bet on is the 2016 TABtouch Perth Cup, one of the most prestigious races on the annual calendar at this Grande Dame of Australian racecourses. At 2,400 metres, the Western Australian race isn’t quite as gruelling as the original two-miler run since 1887, then converted to a metric 3,200m in 1972. But the shorter distance, adopted in 2009, still makes the Perth Cup one of the longest on the Ascot calendar, and it attracts some top competitors with staying power. If you’re lucky enough to be in Perth on December 31, a great day at the races will end with entertainment from The Presets, timed to finish at 8. 30pm, so you can go straight on to your NYE parties. Of course, even from your couch in New Zealand, you can enjoy all the racing action online too. Four Strong Contenders in the Field Quite a few winners of the CB Cox Stakes, run at Ascot just two weeks before TABtouch Perth Cup Day, have gone on to win the Perth Cup. A powerful late finish from Perfect Reflection last Saturday to take the CB Cox Stakes by three-quarters of a length has convinced the bookies that this might be another of those years, and the four-year-old is now the $3. 00 favourite for the 2016 TABtouch Perth Cup. But Fathoms of Gold, the outsider that led the CB Cox Stakes from the start and was only hauled in by Perfect Reflection in the last 150 metres, is also on the Perth Cup card, at $17. 00. The six-year-old probably doesn’t have the legs for a win over an extra 300m, but a place is a distinct possibility. Ihtsahymn, trained by Fred Kersley, finished third in the CB Cox Stakes, and is the fourth-favourite for the Perth Cup, at $10. 00. But also in with a strong chance are second-favourite Kia Ora Koutou, at $3. 20, and third-favourite Tradesman, at $7. 50. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand’s gridiron fans are already gearing up for a cracking 2017 Super Bowl. We take a look at the early odds for sports betting enthusiasts. - Published: 2016-12-23 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/super-bowl-li-best-betting-odds/ New Zealand Super Bowl Fans Waiting Eagerly If you’re one of the thousands of New Zealanders who follow American football and bet online, you probably already have Sunday, February 05, 2017 marked off on your calendar. After an all-nighter watching the game, you may need a sickie on Monday, too. It’s the holy grail of gridiron every year, so the 2017 Super Bowl promises to be the perfect excuse to have a few mates around for a barbie, a bevvy and some betting online. If you are a keen punter, you’re probably already betting on the regular season, which still has a couple of weeks to run. With teams down to two more games or less, it’s time to consider the playoffs. Let’s take a look at the teams that could be worth a flutter. Title Contenders Starting to Emerge At the start of the season, Denver Broncos fans would have been backing their champions to repeat their 2016 performance and go all the way. But halfway through December, with the Broncos’ win-loss record at 8-6, that turned into a long shot of 50-1 or more. However, if they do manage to scrape into the playoffs, it’s a long shot that might pay off. As they proved in this year’s Super Bowl, their defence can win them games. The New England Patriots, currently sharing the 12-2 best win record of the season with the Dallas Cowboys, are the favourites at 9-5. But at 7-2, the Cowboys have also bounced back with a strong chance at the title. Priced between 5-1 and 14-1, the Seattle Seahawks, Oakland Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers have also built expectations with some strong performances to top their regional conferences. Long Shots Worth a Look After a disastrous start, the Green Bay Packers have muscled their way back into contention, as their shortening odds demonstrate. They have it all to play for, and you can currently get around 16-1 on them. But the Kansas City Chiefs have dropped to the same odds after some crushing losses, with the Atlanta Falcons climbing to 16-1 after doing some smashing of their own. Neither are out of the running, and the crucial final games of the season could see any one of these three making the playoffs. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The second Taiwan Open will be held in Taipei in January/February 2017. We take a look at some of the top contenders of interest to New Zealand punters. - Published: 2016-12-23 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/betting-options-2017-taiwan-open/ New Zealand Betting Options on Taiwan Open As an event under the auspices of the Women’s Tennis Association, the WTA Taiwan Open debuted in 2016 on the hard courts of Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The USA’s Venus Williams added another jewel to her crown, beating Japan’s Misaki Doi in straight sets in the singles final. The local team of Chang Hao-ching and Chan Yung-jan kept Taiwanese honour intact in the doubles final, beating the Japanese duo of Eri Hozumi and Miyu Kato 6-4, 6-3. The second Taiwan Open will take place from January 28 to February 05, 2017, on hard courts at the Taipei Arena in the nation’s capital. Williams will not be back to defend her title in the 10,000-seater, but the WTA has announced a main draw of 23 players. Of these, 21 are ranked in the Top 100 in the world at present, so the tournament promises plenty of high-quality tennis and a plethora of betting options for New Zealand punters. Some Top Names in Women’s Tennis Among those competing for the US$500,000 prize money at the 2017 Taiwan Open will be Serbia’s Jelena Jankovic. Once the top-ranked player in the world, she is now ranked 54th, but it still a fierce competitor. The top-ranked player in the tournament is Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, currently at No. 14, who could also prove to be a rewarding bet. Other top seeds in the 2017 Taiwan Open will include France’s Caroline Garcia and Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova, currently ranked at 24 and 34, respectively. The USA’s Alison Riske is ranked 39th by the WTA, and 2016 runner up Doi is ranked 40th. But rankings aren’t iron-clad indications of form; anything can happen on the day, and with such a wide array of talent competing, there could be thrills and upsets aplenty awaiting us. If you can’t wait to take a punt on some 2017 tennis, the Taiwan Open could be the event you’re looking for. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Jump racing has come under the spotlight in 2016 due to a number of equine deaths on the track. At least 3 horses have lost their lives over the past year. - Published: 2016-12-23 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/jumps-racing-spotlight/ Jumps Racing Under The Spotlight Jump racing has always been a controversial topic. The sport has been banned in many states in Australia, all except two in fact. Jump racing meets still take place in New Zealand however, and there are a number of working tracks all over the country. Jump racing is notoriously harder on the horses than flat racing is due to the large fences and ditches that the horses have to navigate over at a full gallop. The tracks are also much longer and the weights heavier, with 75kg’s being carried over 6700 meters not unusual. Due to this jumps horse are much older than flat horses in order to be a stronger, more mature animal. Falls To Date According to groups, there have been seven fatal injuries to horses at steeplechases this year on New Zealand soil. The most recent was at Ta Aroha in August where a horse called Twentythirtyfour had to be euthanized after fracturing a leg. A number of other horses also died due to leg injuries and one to cardiovascular failure. That is not to say that accidents don’t happen in other sports. Many flat racing horses as well as horses in other disciplines all suffer tragedy. Industry Bites Back The Jump Racing have responded with statistics which show that jump racing does not have many more accidents than any other equestrian sport in the country. Safety measures are put in place for both the human and equine athletes, and regulations are strictly adhered to. Jumps have been made smaller and ditches narrower so as to not push the horses to their absolute limits, which in when accidents happen. Each fall is also reviewed by a panel of judges and incident reporters to ascertain exactly what happened, and how it can be prevented in the future. Future Of Jump Racing In New Zealand As yet there are no plans to ban jump racing in New Zealand, and it continues to be a sport on which people place bets and spectate. The sport has a certain fascination whereby many races are ended with a number of horses rider less, or even down as they lie sprawled after a jump. It is also an elite sport, showcasing the thoroughbred athlete at the pinnacle of its abilities. Either way, people watch it and bet on it all over the world. A number of bookies offer betting on jumps races, although much fewer than on flat racing. There is also much less coverage on the sport than on the flat races. Debate Rages The debate on Jumps Racing has raged for years, never being as strong or as hotly contended, as it has been this year in 2016. The high rate of equine deaths and injuries has put it back into the spotlight, a place where many of its trainers and owners don’t really want to be. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Tennis is well supported in New Zealand, with thousands of punters following local and international tournaments. We review the 2016 tennis calendar. - Published: 2016-12-22 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/2016-tennis-finals-remember/ 2016 Tennis Highlights If you’re a New Zealand sports betting fan who enjoys tennis, we hope you had money on Novak Djokovic or Andy Murray in the 2016 Grand Slams. The pair were on fire this year, meeting in the finals of both the French Open and Australian Open, with Djokovic winning each encounter. At Wimbledon, Murray clinched the title in a final against Milos Raonic, and Djokovic lost the US Open final in four sets to Stan Wawrinka; the Serbian’s biggest disappointment of the year. Serena Williams’ duel with Angelique Kerber dominated women’s Grand Slam tennis in 2016: the two met in the finals of both Wimbledon and the Australian Open, with Williams triumphant in London and Kerber victorious in Melbourne. At the French Open, Williams was beaten in straight sets in the final by Garbine Muguruza. Kerber also made it to a third 2016 Grand Slam final, overcoming Karolina Pliskova to win the US Open. Still Waiting for Davis and Fed Cup Wins While individual New Zealanders over the years have featured on the Grand Slam circuit, the two team tennis events perennially popular in New Zealand are the Davis Cup for men and the Fed Cup for women. We have yet to score a championship win in either tournament, however; although we were co-winners with Australia of the Davis Cup in 1907, 1908, 1909 and 1911 as the Australasian team. This year, the Davis Cup went to Argentina after they defeated hosts Croatia 3-2 in the finals. In the Fed Cup, host France also lost the finals 3-2, to the Czech Republic. These two tournaments may not be what grabs tennis punters’ attention most, but they are a proud part of New Zealand’s tennis history and they remain nostalgic treats for the thousands of New Zealanders who play social and club tennis in Tennis New Zealand’s six regions. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Rebecca Black, a respected Kiwi jockey, lost her life in a tragic horseracing incident. Black’s skill was legendary and she’ll be fondly remembered. - Published: 2016-12-22 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/jockeys-tragic-death-rock-nz/ Racing World Shocked by Rebecca Blacks Death The horseracing world is reeling after Riveton jockey Rebecca Black’s shock death after a fall in a race at Gore. Black passed away after she fell off her horse during race 8, just after 4pm on Sunday. After Black’s tragic death the Tapanui Racing club meeting was abandoned and police and coroners took over the scene. It’s understood that the Racing Integrity Unit’s stipendiary stewards also opened and adjourned an inquiry into the incident. Blacks death came after her horse, Point Proven, and Misscattlecreek, ridden by Terry Moseley collided and fell onto the track, with around 700m still to run. Moseley did not suffer any serious injuries, but Misscattlecreek was euthanized on the scene. A Tragic Loss Rebecca Black was a respected jockey and her untimely passing has rocked the race world. The 40 year old was very popular in racing circles and in the South Island riding ranks, and many have expressed their sadness of her loss. Mid Canterbury trainer Terrill Charles, a close friend of Black’s said that her loss was immense and he was going to miss her so much. He added that Black was tough and gutsy and that she loved her horses. Greg Purcell, the Chief Executive of New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing said that Black’s death would be felt by all in the close knit Kiwi racing community and that his thoughts were with Blacks family and children at the time. Two of Black’s three children were at the course on Sunday and unfortunately witnessed the event. Kelvin Tyler, her former husband was also present and was understandably devastated by the accident that claimed her life. A Deceptively Dangerous Sport It’s often forgotten just how dangerous horse racing can be, and the risk that the jockeys take is enormous. Before Blacks tragic death on Sunday, the last jockey to have been killed on the track in Ne Zealand was Ashlee Mundy in 2012. Mundy died after a fall at Kurow. Seven years prior to Mundy’s death a teenage jockey by the name of Sam McRae was killed at Riverton, just n hours drive away from where Black lost her life at Gore. Black leaves behind a strong racing legacy and she was passionate about passing her considerable skills onto others. In her lifetime she rode 108 winners and came first in the 1993-1994 racing season. She will be remembered fondly by all and will be sorely missed, both on the track and off. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Mongolian Khan is an Australian thoroughbred that is in the running for Stayer of the Year 2016. He is from the famous Danehill Danzig bloodline via his sire. - Published: 2016-12-22 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/mongolian-khan-stayer-year/ Mongolian Khan in Running for Stayer of the Year 2016 Mongolian Khan is a 2011 Australian colt best known for his blistering career over a number of Australian and New Zealand race tracks. He has won a huge amount of races, including the ATC Derby, New Zealand Derby, and Caulfield Cup. He was New Zealand’s Horse Of The Year and Champion three year old in 2014. He is a multiple Group One winner, winning eight races from 1400m to 2400m and over $4 million in prize money over his career. Mongolian Khan is the first horse since Bonecrusher to win both the ATC Australian Derby and New Zealand Derby. Its yet to see whether he will win another title, but he is in the running for the 2016 Stayer of the Year, even after being put to sire. First Season Mongolian Khan was sold at the Karaka yearling sales for $140 000 after being brought to New Zealand from Australia. He began his career at two, but was raced over shorter distances, which did nothing for him. It was only when he was put over a mile that he began to literally run away with the competition. In his three year old season Mongolain Khan won on debut at Rapa at odds greater than 40 to one. His second race was disappointing, with him coming in eleventh out of fourteen. From there however there was no stopping him. The rest of his season had seven starts for six wins. One fifth place was conceded to Volkstok’n’barrell whom he soundly beat in the next race. Mongolian Khan and Volkstok’n’barrell were to become well known rivals over the rest of his career. Second Season Mongolian Khan only raced one more season. His four year old season was plagued with illness from which he never really recovered. He began strong with a fourth at the Highland Colours Underwood Stakes, but began to trail off after that. The highlight of the entire season was a win at the Caulfield Stakes over Trip to Paris. The colt suffered from a bought of colic at the end of 2015, just after the Caulfield Cup which prevented him from racing for a couple of months. When he did come back on the scene his performance was decidedly lacklustre, running no better than fifth in four more starts. It was decided to put the colt to stud. Stud Career Mongolian Khan has yet to prove himself as a sire, as his stud career only began at the beginning of 1026. He stands at Windsor Park Stud and follows champions such as Star Way, Kaapstad, Volksraad, Montjeu, Thorn Park and High Chaparral to have been selected. Mongolian Khan’s sire, Holy Roman Emperor is the highest rated son of Danehill, also being highest ever-rated two-year-old Champion himself and internationally successful Group One producing sire. His sire, Danehill has produced winner after winner among thoroughbreds with a bloodline that is internationally recognised. Other famous racehorses to carry the bloodline include Takedown, who won the 2016 Winterbottom Stakes, Holler, Black Heart Bart and Press Statement. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Federation Cup (Fed Cup) is one of the largest team tournaments in woman’s tennis. We take a look back at the qualifiers and the winners of 2016. - Published: 2016-12-22 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/results-2016-fed-cup-tennis-tournament/ Team Winners of the 2016 Fed Cup On an international level, the Federation Cup, also known as the Fed Cup is considered to be the single largest team tournament in the woman’s tennis. For punters in New Zealand, the Fed Cup provides ample opportunity to place online tennis bets over the course of the tournament. In 2017, the 55th Fed Cup will kick off on the 11th of February and run all the way through to the 12th of November when the group 1 and group 2 playoffs will get underway. With lots of tennis action to look forward to, we take a look at the finalists and winners of the 2016 tournament. The 2016 Fed Cup Finals took place on the 12th and 13th of November 2016. The playoffs of the tournament are split into two groups namely World Group 1 and World Group 2. Each group consists of 8 players that are determine from previous group results as well as qualifying games from the current season. In 2016 the eight teams that qualified for the quarterfinals included: Romania Czech Republic Switzerland Germany Italy France Netherlands Russia The 2016 Finals Of the eight teams in the quarterfinals, the four teams that advanced to the semis included the Czech Republic, Switzerland, France and the Netherlands. In the finals it was France who met with the Czech Republic for a shot at the title. In the end, the Czech team that triumphed winning 3-2 to claim the Fed Cup title. The four teams in Group 1 that lost in the first round then played for a spot in the 2017 playoffs while the Group 2 teams played to stay in Group 2. At the end of the playoffs, Germany will remain in Group 1, Belarus, Spain and the United States are all teams that will be are promoted to the World Group for 2017. Of the Group 1 teams, Italy, Romania and Russia will drop down to Group 2 Level for 2017. Australia will also remain in group 2. After the group 2 playoffs in 2016, Slovakia will remain in Group 2 for 2017 while Belgium, Taipei and the Ukraine were all promoted up to Group 2 status. Dropping out of group 2 is Canada, Poland and Serbia who find themselves in the Zonal group for 2017. Meanwhile Argentina will also remain in the Zonal group after an unsuccessful attempt in group 2. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Piri Weepu sued French rugby club Oyonnax after his contract was abruptly terminated after 6 months. He has just been awarded $171,000 in damages. - Published: 2016-12-22 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/piri-weepu-wins-french-club-rugby-case/ Former All Blacks Player Awarded $171,000 in Damages Former All Black scrum and fly half Piri Weepu has been awarded damages of €114,000 (NZ$171,000) by a French court after being sacked by club team Oyonnax. The French Division 2 Club had sacked Weepu just six months into a two year contract, reportedly due to a fight that the player had with the newly appointed coach. This has not been confirmed, but rumours abound that the two did not see eye to eye, and Weepu came off second best when he was fired. 33 year old Weepu was hoping to claim €500,000 (NZ$751,000) after his contract was abruptly terminated in January, but the court reduce his claim and awarded him the above mentioned sum. Oyonnax signed Weepu after a stint with London Welsh and Wasps, but his career with the div 2 team proved to be short lived. He is now playing for Narbonne, another French second div team, and has put the mishap with Oyonnax behind him. A Strong Player Weepu won 71 test caps when playing for the All Blacks and moved to Europe in 2014 after he finished his last season with the Blues. The 33 year old Kiwi native certainly has rugby in his blood, and his brother is former rugby league professional Billy Weepu. Weepu played for New Zealand in the 2007 and 2011 rugby World Cup and became a popular figure in the team as he was chosen to lead the haka. This is, as most rugby fans know, a huge privilege and Weepu took great pride in his role. Of the 71 tests that he was capped in, he led the haka 51 times. His international rugby career may no longer be as bright as it once was, but now that Weepu has settled the score with Oyonnax he can move on and enjoy his time with Narbonne and play the game he love so much. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > In the ATP World Tour 250 series, the Ecuador Open, Sofia Open and Sud De France Open offer punters huge opportunities for online tennis betting. - Published: 2016-12-21 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/2017-ecuador-sofia-sud-de-france-open/ Getting Ready for the ATP Ecuador, Sofia and Sud De France Open In New Zealand, tennis betting is one of the biggest online betting markets in the sports industry. In the world of professional tennis, the Grand Slam tournaments attract the highest number of visitors and are certainly the highlight of the tennis calendar. However, aside from the Grand Slams, there are plenty of ATP tournaments that take place during the year. One of the most hotly contested ATP World Tour series tournaments is the 250 series. The series consists of 39 international events with 250 ranking points awarded to the individual winners. Ecuador Open Three of the most popular ATP 250 series tournaments include the Ecuador Open, the Sofia Open and the Sud De France Open. The Ecuador Open is an international tennis tournament held each year in Quito in Ecuador. First held in 2015, the tournament is played on outdoor clay courts with both a singles and doubles event. In 2017, the Ecuador open will take place in early February at the International Tennis Centre in Quito. In 2016, the total prize money for the competition was 520 000 US dollars. The 2016 Singles champion was Víctor Estrella Burgos who defeated the Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci 4–6, 7–6 and 6–2 to claim the title. Sofia Open The Sofia Open is a ATP 250 series tournament held at the Arena Armeec in Sofia, Bulgaria. 2016 was the first year the Sofia Open was ever held and offered a total prize of 463 000 US dollars. The tournament is played on indoor hard courts with both a singles and a doubles competition. The 2017 Sofia Open will take place in the first week of February. At the inaugural Sofia Open it was Roberto Bautista Agut who defeated Viktor Troicki 6-3, 6-4 to take the honours. Sud De France Open The Sud De France Open is an international ATP 250 series tournament held annually at Arena Montpellier in France. Formally known as the Grand Prix de Tennis de Lyon, the Sud De France was first played in 1987 at the Palais des Sports de Gerland in Lyon before relocating to Montpellier in 2010. The 2017 Sud De France Open will take place in late January and offer a total prize money of 549 000 Euros. In 2016 France’s Richard Gasquet defeated fellow Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu 7–5 and 6–4 to take home the singles title. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Hong Kong Cup is run each year in December ate the Shat Tin racecourse in Hong Kong. It forms part of the International Race Day at Sha Tin. - Published: 2016-12-21 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/2016-hong-kong-cup-reviewed/ A Look at this Years Hong Kong Cup The Hong Kong Cup forms a part of the Hong Kong Race day and is run each year at Sha Tin racecourse in December. It was first run in 1988, called the Hong Kong Invitational. To this day it is an invitational race only and horses have to be proven in terms of not only results but earnings as well. This year the race was won by Maurice, a locally trained racehorse that completed the course in 2. 00:95, beating off a field of other Group One horses to take the title. Previous Entries The Cup was only opened to international horses in 1989, and then only to horses from New Zealand and Australia. International horses trained in Europe were admitted in 1990, followed by those from the United States in 1991, and Canada and Japan in 1992. The race has only been won twice as of 2015, by the US bred and Hong Kong trained California Memory. He won in 2011 and 2012, a feat which has yet to be reproduced. Criterion, a New Zealand bred and Australian produced horse has entered the race three timess, coming a disappointing third the first two times but being a firm favourite for his third time in 2016. He has had a number of successes on the Australian turf including the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup. Maurice won the cup in 2015 and is a favourite to win again in 2016. The bay gelding was Japan’s horse of the year in 2015 and had a very success career so far, winning a number of group one races. If he wins in 2016 he will become only the second horse in history to win two different races at the Hong Kong International Race Day in successive years. The only other horse to achieve that was Jim And Tonic, who won the Mile in 1998 and Cup in 1999. 2015 Upset The Hong Kong Cup does not always go as planned with horses sometimes defying the odds placed on them not only by bookies but by members of the public too. In 2015 A Shin Hikari, a Japanese trained horse beat out all the favourites to come first and win the Cup in 2015. He ran three lengths ahead for most of the race and eventually finished a 38 to one outsider by a length, ahead of the filly Novo Record. New Zealand Horses Three New Zealand horses have won the cup since 1989. These were Kessem, Grey Invader and the New Zealand bred Romanee Conti. Kessem won in 1990 after a string of wins in New Zealand and Australia. The bay was by Balmarino who in turn was by Trictrac. Oddly enough Kessem had no really notable sires in his sire line, or his dam line, which goes to show that breeding isn't everything. Grey Invader was a grey horse that won the cup in 1989 with odds of 73 to one. He is the longest odds winner of the cup to date. Romanee Conti is the third horse from New Zealand to have entered the Hong Kong Cup. The mare won in 1993 after winning the 1992 Emancipation Stakes and Queen Of The Turf Stakes. She died in 2016 having produced the winning racehorse Ethereal. 2017 could see another Kiwi born and bred racehorse takes the title, and we’ll have to wait and see what the next Hong Kong Cup brings about. 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December saw the ODI squad go down 3-0 in Australia in the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy. Apart from Martin Guptill’s 114 off 102 in the first match and captain Kane Williamson’s 81 not out in the second, and consistent bowling from Trent Boult that saw him take six wickets over the series, there was little to inspire Kiwi punters. Boxing Day: Does Redemption Beckon? Williamson’s men will get a chance to redeem themselves when they host Bangladesh later this month, kicking off the first of three ODIs on December 26 at Hagley Oval in Christchurch. The two sides follow up with a three-match T20 series from January 3, and the visitors end their tour with two five-day tests in Wellington and Christchurch, starting on January 12 and January 20 respectively. So cricket punters may yet see in the New Year with a bang. We hope so; some solid wins against Bangladesh would help erase the painful memory of that 3-0 Test drubbing in India over September and October. India’s winning margin of 321 runs in the final Test brought the Black Caps’ total runs deficit for the series to 696, and India rubbed it in by winning the ODI series that followed by 3 matches to 2. Washed Out in South Africa Cricket enthusiasts may have had high hopes for the South Africa tour in August, but the first Test was washed out at Kingsmead in Durban, and Faf du Plessis’ team claimed an emphatic 204-run victory in the second Test in Centurion. The only time a punt on the Black Caps went our way was in the earlier tour of Zimbabwe, starting in July, in which we scored two convincing Test wins. Which isn’t to say there wasn’t plenty of cricket action between other nations to delight Kiwi punters in 2016. England thumping Pakistan in both Test and ODIs in June was a pleasant change, and watching Australia lose a Test series 2-1 at home to South Africa in November didn’t hurt, either! TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > There are thousands of NBA enthusiasts in New Zealand, and betting fans saw some great action in 2015-16. There’s even more to come in the 2016-17 season. - Published: 2016-12-21 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nba/nba-2015-16-delighted-punters/ Amazing 2016 NBA Finals Thrill Kiwi Fans For the thousands of New Zealand punters who follow NBA basketball, the US league delivered a spectacular finale to the 2015-16 season in June. Oakland’s Golden State Warriors had home-court advantage over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. But that didn’t stop the Ohians from pulling off a 93-89 victory, to win the championship for the first time in Cavaliers history. It is also the first time a team has come back from a 1-3 deficit in the NBA Finals and then won three games in a row to clinch the series, so Cavaliers fans were ecstatic. LeBron James, who made a welcome return to the Cavaliers in 2014 after four years with the Miami Heat, played a large part in the victory. He took 41 points in each of Games 5 and 6, and in the final contest he scored 27 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. Stephen Curry MVP Two Years Running Despite going down to the Cavaliers, the Warriors did get some consolation out of the 2015-16 NBA season. Warriors point guard and All-Star Stephen Curry, despite some disappointing performances in the NBA Finals, delivered so many other great games throughout the rest of the year that he was named NBA Most Valued Player for the second year in succession. The 2016 MVP selection was another first: the first time in NBA history that the vote was unanimous. Curry’s record-breaking 402 3-pointers scored during the 2015-16 season also secured him an ESPY Award, and his third All-Stars nomination. Great NBA Action to Come in 2016-17 There is a modern trend for coaches to encourage more positional flexibility in basketball, and for point guards to play deeper than before. Milwaukee Bucks player Giannis Antetokounmpo, famously, has a rigid role in the team: Whatever they need him to do. With point guards like Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, Kyle Lowry, James Harden and many more adopting a similar philosophy, the result is a faster, more fluid and entertaining game. Basket ballers are also bigger and faster nowadays, so we don’t expect the record breaking to slow down in 2016-17 either. With the Warriors now in the ranks of the super-teams, capable of lightning-fast crowd-thrilling offence at any time, the rest of the season promises some epic clashes. New Zealand’s NBA fans will have plenty of action to bet on from now until June 2017. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Super Bowl 50 was both a golden anniversary and the final game for an NFL icon. It was a special day for New Zealand punters who follow American football. - Published: 2016-12-21 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/nfl-saw-unique-2016-super-bowl/ 2016 NFL Super Bowl Wowed New Zealanders New Zealand has sports punters of every stripe, and thousands follow American football in the NFL. The Super Bowl, played every February, is the championship that decides the top team in the sport, and Super Bowl 50 on February 7, between the Denver Broncos and the Carolina Panthers, had a lot that made it unique. For a start, it was the game’s golden anniversary: it’s been 50 years since the American Football Conference and the National Football Conference agreed to unite as the National Football League. The Super Bowl has been held annually ever since, as a show-down between the top teams in the AFC and NFC, to determine who is really king of the hill. Super Bowl 50 was also gridiron star Peyton Manning’s final game in the NFL. The Denver Broncos quarterback announced his retirement in March, after a season plagued by a heel injury. Sadly, this made for a career-low NFL season in 2015-16, and pundits ranked his final game as the third-worst performance by a quarterback in a Super Bowl, ever. It won’t dim the glory of a career many fans consider the greatest in quarterbacking history, but it was a low note for a legend to end on. Broncos Proved Too Strong Opening the scoring in Santa Clara, California, with a field goal after the third down of the game, the Denver Broncos led from the start, and the Carolina Panthers were playing catch-up for the first time in the 2015-16 season. A touchdown from Malik Jackson took the Broncos to a 10-0 lead, but the Panthers pushed back hard with a touchdown of their own from Jonathan Stewart. The Broncos proved too strong, however. They were 13-7 up at half-time, and a field goal from Brandon McManus was followed by another touchdown from CJ Anderson in the second half, converted to an eight-pointer by Bennie Fowler. The Panthers could muster just one more field goal in reply, gave the Denver side victory with a final score of 24-10. It was a great game to watch and bet on, and there is more to come. The 2017 NFL season has just kicked off, so New Zealand’s sports betting enthusiasts will not have too long to wait before they can place their bets on Super Bowl 51. We’ll keep you informed about all the news and pundits’ predictions as the season unfolds. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > 2016 saw plenty of cycling action in New Zealand, plus international options for sports punters. We review some of New Zealand’s prominent cycling events. - Published: 2016-12-20 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/new-zealand-cycling-2016-review/ New Zealand’s 2016 Cycling Round-Up Although not many people use bikes as a primary transport option, road cycling and mountain biking as sports continue to grow in popularity around New Zealand. The 2016 calendar contained a fair number of races, large and small, all over the country, so cycling punters had plenty of betting opportunities. Aaron Gate, riding for the Creation Signs - L&M Ricoh team, won the final stage of the SBS Bank Tour of Southland, held from October 31 to November 05. He finished 25th at the end of Stage 2, managed to claw his way to 1st by the end of Stage 5, slipped to 9th in the penultimate round and then took the 77km 7th Stage in 1:30:48. New Zealand’s premier hill cycling event is Le Race; which took place on March 19. It’s a tough 100km ride between Canterbury and Akaroa, and this year Hayden Roulston added to his two Olympic track cycling medals by winning the men’s race in 2:41:46. Time-trial world champion Linda Villumsen took the women’s race in 3:10:46. Gate Triumphs at Lake Taupo too The Lake Taupo Challenge is New Zealand’s biggest annual cycling event, attracting more than 11,000 participants regularly. Many of them are recreational cyclists, but there is also always a core group of serious athletes who make the various race categories worthwhile for punters. November’s race was no different, with Aaron Gate notching up another victory in the Holden Men’s Classic 160km race. It was the 100km Women’s Classic Road Race that provided the big thrills, however, with Olympian Racquel Sheath, Michaela Drummond and Karen Fulton separated by milliseconds in first, second and third. The New Zealand Classic is our most prestigious International Road Cycling event, allowing competitors to take in the beauty of the Wairarapa region over five varied stages. The Final Stage, on January 24, was won by Australian rider Michael Cuming, but punters may also want to watch fellow Australian Ben O’Connor closely in future. His powerful win in intense heat on the hilly Stage Four proved he is a talent to watch. Sprinters Gleaned One Olympic Silver The Summer Olympics are always of interest to sports betting fans, but New Zealand cycling supporters were disappointed in Rio 2016. Kiwi sprinters Eddie Dawkins, Ethan Mitchell and Sam Webster took silver in the Men’s Team Sprint, but that was the cycling team’s only medal. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealanders enjoy a punt on Australia’s NRL as much as they do on local Rugby League, both regional and national. We review the 2016 NRL highlights. - Published: 2016-12-20 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/nrl-punters-tight-2016-final/ Round Up of the 2016 NRL New Zealanders have a great relationship with sport: we play a diverse range, we watch even more from all over the world, and a good few of us like to take a punt on the results, too. Rugby League enthusiasts can enjoy plenty of betting action on the Kiwis and the regional teams in the New Zealand Rugby League, so it’s a popular choice. But with Australia offering lots more Rugby League close by, it’s not surprising that punters and players alike are as interested in Australia’s NRL as they are in the options the NZRL offers. The Auckland-based New Zealand Warriors play in the NRL, but their big-name signings like Isaac Luke and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck couldn’t prevent a disappointing 2016 season. Their finish at 10th out of 16, with 14 losses from 24 matches, made them a risky bet throughout the season. NRL fans that stuck with the Warriors through the Intrust Super Premiership NSW had better luck, however. Ryan Hoffman’s squad made it to the semi-finals of this regional competition, but then got squeezed out 22-18 by the Newtown Jets. October Final Capped a Stormy Season When the Melbourne Storm met the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks for the 2016 NRL Grand Final on Sunday, October 2 at Sydney’s ANZ stadium, it came at the end of a season in which both teams had fought off stiff competition from the Canberra Raiders, the North Queensland Cowboys and the Brisbane Broncos. Paul Gallen’s Sharks opened the scoring eight minutes into the final with a penalty slotted by James Maloney. Gallen sent Ben Barba over for a try from a scrum move seven minutes later, and Maloney converted. After being 8-0 at half time, the Storm fought back under captain Cameron Smith. Tries from Jesse Bromwich and Will Chambers, both converted by Smith, put the Storm ahead 12-8 in the second half. A magnificent try from Andrew Fifita, again converted by Maloney, put the Sharks back on top at 14-12. Despite two strong chances in the final nine minutes, the Storm fluffed one and saw the other foiled by tenacious defence from the Sharks. The Cronulla side ended the day triumphant, to the delight of many New Zealand fans and punters. We’re looking forward to just as many tight NRL matches and betting opportunities in 2017. TOP Online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Wallaceville Estate Wellington Day Cup race is one of the most anticipated horse races of the year. We take a look back at what happened in 2016. - Published: 2016-12-20 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/look-back-2016-wellington-day-cup/ Taking a Look Back at the 2016 Wellington Day Cup Race In New Zealand, one of the highlights of the racing calendar is the Wellington Cup Carnival. The three-day racing event spans over three weekends and provides punters and race fans with ample betting opportunities. Of the three race days, the Wallaceville Estate Wellington Day Cup race is certainly the highlight of the festival. This group 2 race attracts a quality field from all over the country. In 2017 the Wellington Day Cup race will take place on the Saturday the 21st of January at Trentham Racecourse. With the carnival kicking off in just a few weeks, we take a look back at happened in 2016. The 2016 Wallaceville Estate Wellington Day Cup race made its return to a distance of 3200 meters after many years as a 2400-meter race. Many race fans and bookmakers believed the depth of field for the longer distance was not a good as former races. This was plainly evident by the fact that four of the first five horses to place were paid out between $18 and $50. On the day it was Mister Impatience sitting at $28 who upset the field to cross the finish line first. Since moving to New Zealand, the horse had run a total of four races placing three fifths and one twelfth. The Upset at Trentham In Australia, Mister Impatience racked up two wins from 32 starts taking first at the Ballarat over a distance of 3000 meters and again the Queensland Cup over 3200 meters. Back in New Zealand, the stayer needed every bit of the two miles to create the upset and win the group 2 Wellington Cup. The long distance runner was kept on the rails by favourite Pentathlon who led most of the way down the Trentham Straight. After a brief challenge early in the straight, Pentathlon surged ahead looking for the clear win. Mister Impatience rallied again in the last 100 meters, crossing the line in a photo finish. A first, no one knew who had won until the final decision was made upstairs. In the end Mister Impatience has nosed ahead to cause on of the biggest upsets at Trentham. Sitting at odds of $28, punters who backed the horse made off with small fortune while the majority of the crowd who backed Pentathlon looked on in disbelief. TOP Online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Thousands of New Zealand sports fans and betting enthusiasts follow international soccer. Here’s our look back at the moments we loved most in 2016. - Published: 2016-12-20 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/soccer/memorable-2016-soccer-moments/ 2016 Soccer Action Entertained New Zealand Punters In the world of international soccer, New Zealand’s All Whites qualify very much as minnows. Nevertheless, thousands of Kiwis enjoy the game, and it’s a favourite among committed sports betting fans too. Soccer’s global appeal means that it’s a winter sport available all year round, even if it’s a hemisphere away. Its popularity in Europe, South America, Africa and Australia means that punters looking for world-class tournaments can always find some action, in addition to the betting on local soccer teams in New Zealand’s seven football federations. 2016 was made more fun for sports betting fans by the Summer Olympics in Rio, which featured more soccer. The All Whites were not among the 16 national teams that qualified, but hosts Brazil were joined by Argentina, Germany, Nigeria, Portugal, Mexico, and Algeria, among others. There was thus soccer talent aplenty to enthral New Zealand punters; plus handsome rewards for any who had a hunch South Korea would get to the quarterfinals, or that Honduras could make it to the semis alongside heavyweights Brazil, Germany and Nigeria. Having not conceded a goal the entire competition, Brazil was unlucky to let one in against Germany in the final, resulting in a draw that went to a penalty shootout. It was a thrilling ending for soccer punters, however, with Brazil winning by a razor-thin 5-4 margin on penalties. Other Memorable Soccer of 2016 The English Premier League presented Kiwi punters with a spectacular long-shot bet that turned into a dream-come-true fairy tale for Leicester City. Barely escaping relegation in the 2014-15 season, City were rank underdogs at the start of the 2015-16 premiership. Bookmakers were offering odds of 5,000-1 against them taking the championship. City’s win against Sunderland in the opening match of the season propelled them to the top of the table, and despite a defeat to Arsenal in September and Liverpool in December, they remained unbeaten otherwise to clinch the title. The FA Cup is also a favourite among international soccer fans, although this year’s final at Wembley will only be remembered by those who had a punt on Manchester United beating Crystal Palace 2-1. The match didn’t have much in the way of explosive soccer, until 10 minutes from full time, with the scores level at 1-1, when Jesse Lingard took a great volley in the penalty area and rocketed the ball past Wayne Hennessey to secure the United victory. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Punters in New Zealand saw some top-notch boxing and enjoyed a few surprise results in 2016. We take a look at the year’s memorable moments in the ring. - Published: 2016-12-20 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/top-2016-boxing-moments/ Joseph Parker New Zealand’s 2016 Boxing Highlight The best moment in the 2016 boxing calendar for New Zealand punters had to be Kiwi fighter Joseph Parker clinching the WBO Heavyweight Championship in Auckland on December 10. In handing Mexican-American Andy Ruiz his first professional defeat in 30 bouts, Parker maintained his own undefeated record in his 22nd fight. Overall, it wasn’t the most explosive bout of the year; Ruiz looked flabby despite some fast, effective inside punches, and Parker’s victory came via a narrow points victory that some fans felt should have gone the other way. Nevertheless, Parker provided a nice windfall for the punters who bet on him and, just as importantly, secured another world title belt for New Zealand’s trophy cabinet. Rio Olympics Saw Thrills and Upsets New Zealand boxing fans get a smorgasbord every time the Summer Olympics come round, and the 2016 Rio games were no different. British underdog Joshua Buatsi took a bronze in the light-heavyweight semi-finals, delighting his home country with the UK’s first Olympic boxing medal. Russian heavyweight Evgeny Tischenko took the gold after beating Vassiliy Levit from Kazakhstan, but the point’s difference was so close that the champion was booed on the podium by fans that thought the fight should have gone to Levit. Brutal Clashes and Bloody Knock-Outs New Zealand’s boxing punters also saw their fair share of bloody, punishing bouts through the year. The WBC super-featherweight title fight between Mexican boxers Francsico Vargas and Orlando Salido in Carson, California, went the distance with some thrilling back-and-forth action. Both fighters were gashed, bruised and bloody after 12 rounds of non-stop, toe-to-toe pummelling that included more than 2,000 punches. For once, punters with a bet on a draw got lucky, because the judges simply could not separate them. Welsh middleweight Tom Doran was involved in two explosive fights this year, the first against Irishman Luke Keeler in Liverpool in April for the vacant WBC International title. After being put on the canvas in Round 1, Doran returned the favour twice in Round 2, his final punch delivering a stunning TKO. He met his match in June, however, at London’s O2 Arena, when English boxer Chris Eubank Jr dished out so much punishment to him that the referee stopped the fight in Round 4, ending Doran’s run of 17 professional fights undefeated. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > After a picture of little Ahmadi wearing a Messi shirt made out of a plastic bag, the big-hearted footballer player made plans to send him the real one. - Published: 2016-12-19 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/touching-story-mini-messi-fan/ Boy from Afghanistan Manages to Finally Bag Messi’s Shirt Five-year old Murtaza Ahmadi received a very special package, sent specially by his favourite football player Lionel Messi. The boy from Afghanistan became a hit online after he was pictured wearing a homemade shirt that bore Messi’s famous number ten, and, thanks to how popular the picture became, he has finally been able to receive the real thing, sent to him directly from the legendary Argentine footballer himself. The child was located with the help of BBC Trending after he became known worldwide as Messi’s biggest fan, and the Jaghori District native, who called the Eastern Ghazni province of Afghanistan home, could not have been more thrilled. The management team behind Lionel Messi confirmed Thursday that little Ahmadi had been sent a shirt signed by the Barcelona forward, and the little tyke was over the moon when he received the gift. One Picture Was All it Took The search for the little boy was set off by a single photo that very quickly went viral, which showed Ahmadi wearing a shirt made from a striped blue plastic bag, in honour of the world-famous Argentina strip. Ahmadi was finally identified as the boy in the picture was recognised by his uncle, Azim Ahmadi, an Afghan now residing in Australia, and his uncle made it possible for BBC Trending to make contact with his brother, Arif Ahmadi, the boy’s father. The Ghazni farmer verified that his son was the little boy who had managed to capture so many people’s hearts and imaginations worldwide, and stated that his young son was over the moon about the gift. Lionel Messi, when he is not tearing up the football fields of the best stadiums in the world, also performs in the role of Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund, UNICEF, and it was this agency that helped him get the longed-for shirt to the little boy. Messi added some extra shirts to the package, all of which were gratefully received by the Ahmadi family, and one even got into the hands of the young man responsible for the uproar in the first place: Murtaza’s older brother, Hamayon, was the person who first published the picture on Facebook. Murtaza Ahmadi was able to finally meet his hero when he, at the ripe old age of six-years old, had the honour of walking out onto the football field with the open-hearted five-time Ballon d’Or winner before Tuesday’s match. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand punters saw a lot of world-class golf throughout 2016 – and one or two disasters, too. We round up the highlights and lowlights of the year. - Published: 2016-12-19 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/looking-back-2016s-golf-action/ New Zealand’s 2016 Golf Highs and Lows There was plenty of golf news in 2016 to keep New Zealand punters interested. Some was welcomed, like the return of golf to the Summer Olympics for the first time since 1904. New Zealand’s Lydia Ko took the silver medal in the Women’s Individual Stroke Play, five shots behind Korea’s In-Bee Park. British golfer Justin Rose took gold in the men’s event. Barely a month after the Olympics, we got much less welcome news. Beloved golf legend Arnold Palmer, one of the original inductees into the World Golf Hall of Fame, passed away from heart disease on September 25. He was 87. Tiger Woods made a long-awaited return to competition in December, after a 16-month break to recover from back surgery. His performance at the Hero World Challenge had some brilliant moments, but as his finish 15th in a field of 18 suggests, the magic isn’t back consistently yet. PGA: Surprises and Drama Galore A series of disastrous bogies in the final round of the US Masters in April saw Texan favourite Jordan Spieth squander a five-shot lead to lose to Englishman Danny Willett, who shot from relative obscurity to fame instantly. In July, the British Open came down to a duel between German Henrik Stenson and American Phil Mickelson. After a magnificent final round, Stenson clinched it by three shots. Texan Jimmy Walker was no doubt as delighted as the punters who had money on him, to win his first major tournament at the age of 37. In July’s PGA Championship at Baltusrol Golf Club in New Jersey, he managed to snatch the trophy from Australian Jason Day by just one shot. South Carolinian Dustin Johnson took the fourth major, winning the US Open at Oakmont in June by three strokes. Brad Luiten Smashed a Record There may not have been quite as many punters betting on him as they do on the majors, but New Zealand runner Brad Luiten won plenty of local hearts in December with a new Guinness World Record. In 12 hours, he managed to play 237 holes of golf at Helensville Golf Club, beating the previous record by 16 holes. Luiten took on the stunt to raise awareness of the dangers of bowel cancer, after losing a friend to the disease. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Coach Henare has stated that the assault charges Webster faces had nothing to do with the decision to replace him. Physical injuries are the key factor. - Published: 2016-12-19 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/breakers-will-replacing-corey-webster-nbl/ The Breakers are Looking to Replace Corey Webster Shooting guard for the Breakers basketball team, Corey Webster, has been trying to deal with various injuries all through his season, and two weeks after he was arrested on charges of assault, he has now been sidelined indefinitely –although the team says that the timing is totally coincidental. Repeated injuries seem to have been too much for Webster to handle, and he has been shut down for possibly the rest of the Australian National Basketball League season, left in relative peace to start getting a handle on both his health issues and upcoming court proceedings while his club seeks a replacement for him in the interim. Webster has been unsettled by back and hip issues pre-season, but although his minutes have stayed consistent, his form has not managed to quite reach the highs of previous seasons. The 28-year old player got suspended after a game for “breaching club values” after a night out on the town that ended up in his being arrested. Webster is set to appear in court on the 20th of December to face the assault charges, but has been quoted as saying he intends to defend himself against these “vigorously”. The Breakers have provided Webster with their full support since the incident occurred, but the player’s health problems left coach Henare no choice but to remove him from the line-up. Henare was quoted as saying that the decision was a result of conversations with coaches; talks with the board; and trying to decide what the best way forward would be with Webster, bearing in mind that the overall good of the team would need to play just as important a role in the decision-making process. Henare said that the difficult decision was the result of putting Webster’s physical health first, and allowing him to get his body back up to speed. Henare went on to say that Webster is a “player... a hooper”, and that his desire to play would override his pain. Although Webster is not in agreement with the club’s decision, he has been said to have accepted it, and coach Henare put this forward as further proof of Webster’s calibre as a player, stating that his acquiescence of the pronouncement was appreciated by the club. He stated that the final decision had been made by him, in his position as head coach, and that it had taken place at board-level as well. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2017 Taiwan Open will kick off on the 28th of January and run through to the 5th of February. We take a look at the details of the competition. - Published: 2016-12-19 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/2017-taiwan-open-tennis-tournament/ Getting Ready for the 2017 Taiwan Open For many punters, Tennis is one of the most exciting betting sports around. In New Zealand, both local and international tournaments offer punters the perfect opportunity to place multiple bets on every match. In January 2017, punters and tennis fans will have plenty of chances to bet big at the second edition of the WTA Taiwan Open. First held in 2016, the Taiwan Open is a nine-day tennis event that is held in the 5th week of the Woman’s Tennis Association WTA calendar. Along with thirty-three other tournaments, the Taiwan Open forms part of the prestigious international tournaments on the WTA Tour. The 2017 Taiwan Open will kick off on the 28th of January and run through to the 5th of February. Forty of the world’s leading female tennis players will compete in the singles and doubles event to be held in Taipei. The tournament will take place at the Taipei Arena and Taipei Gymnasium as an indoor venue competition. The draw for the Taiwan Open will commence in the first week of January to determine which players will take part in either the singles or doubles competition. As one of the newest tournaments on the WTA calendar, the Taiwan Open is only in its second year. A Look at the 2016 Tournament The inaugural Taiwan Open tennis tournament took place in 2016 at the Yangming Tennis Centre in Taiwan. The competition was played on hard courts with a total prize money of half a million US dollars. The singles winner received a cash prize of $111 000 with the runner up receiving $55 000. The main draw for the seeded singles players included: Venus Williams Misaki Doi Yulia Putintseva Zarina Diyas Zheng Saisai Hsieh Su-wei Kurumi Nara Alison Riske In the singles competition it was world number 12 Venus Williams who booked her place in the final, facing off against Japan’s Misaki Doi. Williams went on to defeat Doi in straight sets winning the final 6-4, 6-2 to claim the first ever Taiwan Open title. In the doubles competition, the Taiwanese duo of Hao-ching Chan and Yung-jan Chan faced off against Japan’s Eri Hozumi and Miyu Kato. The closely matched game was eventually won by the home team of Hao-ching Chan and Yung-jan Chan in TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand punters have every reason to love national rugby at the moment. 2106 saw some intense action, with the All Blacks still the team to beat. - Published: 2016-12-19 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/best-2016-rugby-action/ New Zealand’s Rugby Punters Enjoyed 2016 There can’t be a single New Zealand supporter unhappy with the All Blacks at the moment. Fans who back their loyalty with a wager on the rugby union action must be even happier, although they can’t be getting great odds. The reigning RWC champions are riding high as undisputed kings of the sport, even though an 18-game winning streak came to an end with fireworks on November 5. This year alone, the New Zealand team has rewarded punters for their faith in the side with three thumping wins against Wales, three thrashings of Australia to retain the Bledisloe Cup, annihilations of Argentina and South Africa twice each, and a 68-10 drubbing of Italy. The 29-40 Guy Fawkes Day loss to Ireland was the only dark spot on a flawless year, and even that was a match that kept punters on the edge of their seats for 80 minutes. Ireland were magnificent, and the kudos of ending the All Blacks’ run of 18 consecutive wins helped take the sting out of New Zealand’s revenge, delivered in an emphatic 21-9 win two weeks later. International Rugby League Less High-Profile Fans wouldn’t have been quite as comfortable placing patriotic bets on the national rugby league side. The Kiwis were totally outclassed by Australia in the 2016 Four Nations tournament held in England, and only managed to secure the runner-up spot by beating England. The regional rugby league competitions also draw a lot of attention in New Zeaand, and this year all eyes were on the National Competition in its new format. The Akarana Falcons took the title convincingly, beating round-robin table leaders the Counties Manukau Stingrays 32-12 in the final. Brilliant Super Rugby to Open the Year We also saw outstanding rugby from New Zealand teams throughout the 2016 Super Rugby competition. The Otago Highlanders, Waikato Chiefs and Wellington Hurricanes came out on top, with the Golden Lions the only non-New Zealand team to make the semis. The South African side beat the Highlanders 42-30 to make the final against the Hurricanes, but the Wellington team blew them away 20-3, to put another Super Rugby title in New Zealand’s trophy case. With Super Rugby 2017 set to kick off again in February, New Zealand supporters and punters can look forward to another spectacular year of rugby action ahead. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > One issue dominates any round up of 2016 greyhound races– the battle of the ban. Expect reforms across the whole industry in the coming year. - Published: 2016-12-18 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/greyhound/round-2016-greyhound-races/ Greyhound Racing Marred by Talks of Bans There was plenty of greyhound racing held throughout 2016, and more than enough news actually related to racing to go around. For example, the Summer Cup run at Sydney’s Wentworth Park in December saw Victorian hopeful Ring the Bell finish in a dead heat with NSW local Melissa’s Pride: the first time judges haven’t been able to separate a winner from the first two over the line in 52 years. But whatever big bets were won on outsiders, whatever records were broken, and whichever owners and trainers had the most successful season, there is only one issue dominating any round up of 2016 greyhound races: the banning furore. Here’s how it played out: Banning Leads to Outcry In June, NSW premier Mike Baird announced that the sport would be banned outright in NSW from July 1, 2017, citing concerns about animal cruelty. The ACT announced an identical ban shortly thereafter. A massive backlash followed, from punters and industry workers alike. A rally in Sydney gathered thousands of supporters, and the greyhound racing fraternity launched legal challenges. Although a proposed ban was passed in the lower house of the NSW Legislative Assembly in August, Baird announced in August that the ban would be reversed, subject to the greyhound racing industry complying with severe conditions. Where Reforms are Needed The areas in which the greyhound racing industry needs the most reform all relate to the animal welfare. Using live bait during dog training is a practice that appals both racing punters and animal welfare bodies. Properly air-conditioned kennels and tracks are a must, in the harsh summer heat. Issues like mass greyhound killings, and the welfare of animals after they are injured or grow too old to race, need to be addressed. With states like Tasmania already following the NSW lead and investigating greyhound racing with an eye to making the industry more humane, it is hoped that all Australia’s states and territories will follow suit. The sport provides entertainment to millions of punters in New Zealand and across the globe, and a livelihood to thousands, so it is important that we learn how to preserve it, while stamping out animal cruelty at the same time. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Among 2016’s cycling moments that took your breath away, three crashes in particular stood out for us. One had a much happier ending than the others. - Published: 2016-12-18 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/2016s-cycling-moments-took-breath-away/ 2016 Cycling Moments that Took Your Breath away No doubt you have your own list of 2016’s cycling moments that took your breath away. Geraint Thomas achieving the biggest win of his career in the Paris-Nice race in March, by just four seconds, was one of our favourites. He’s only the third Briton to conquer this race. In all racing sports, though, it is often the crashes and pile-ups make the biggest impression on a year, and cycling is no different. There were three wipe-outs in particular that stood out; two with disastrous consequences, and one with an amusing happy ending. Fabian Cancellara in the Paris-Roubaix If he’d clinched the Paris-Roubaix, it would have been a fourth time for the cyclist they call Spartacus. He’d have equalled the record currently held as a tie between Roger de Vlaeminck and Tom Boonen. Unfortunately, he was brought down by what may have been spilled oil on the ruthlessly hard pavement. Fans were shocked to see how heavily he went down, but he picked himself up and continued, eventually finishing 40th. Steven Kruijswijk Crashes out of Giro d’Italia He was three minutes ahead of the general classification with three stages to go, and it looked like the LottoNL-Jumbo rider was set for a surprise underdog win. That was until he hit the snow at the side of the road and saw his bike go base-over-apex into the tarmac. Kruijswijk managed to leap off unhurt, but the time he then had to waste getting the bike back into riding shape cost him the race. Tyler Farrar Saved by New Zealander Leave it to Australia to provide us with an example of how a bit of matiness can help things along. US sprinter Farrar suffered a crash that crippled his bike during the Tour Down Under in January. New Zealander Anthony Tooman had flown to Australia specifically to ride in the race, but he didn’t hesitate to offer his bike to the stricken American. When it turned out that Farrar’s cleats wouldn’t fit the bike, Toomey swapped shoes with him too, allowing Farrar to finish the stage. That’s lump-in-the-throat stuff, right there. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Both Sydney FC and Melbourne City have a shot at the A-League title this season. With only six points between them, who will the smart money be on? - Published: 2016-12-17 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/city-sydney-league/ Ranking Sydney FC against Melbourne City The last A-League clash between Sydney FC and Melbourne City, a hard-fought match last Friday filled with drama, penalties, a disallowed goal and a red card, ended in a 1-1 draw. The 14,688 supporters at Sydney’s Olympic stadium saw a thrilling game, though, the intensity increased by Sydney’s thirst for revenge after the 1-0 defeat inflicted on them by City just 10 days earlier, in the FFA Cup Final. The draw allowed the Sky Blues to hang on to their place at the top of the A-League log, on 24 points after a run of 10 league matches undefeated so far this season. City is only six points behind them. With just two matches each left in the round-robin section of the competition, both look set to make it into the eliminations rounds, and they could possibly face each other in the final next year. If that is the case, working out which side the smart money will be riding on requires comparing both teams, section by section. City’s Midfielders and Forwards Have an Edge Sydney’s Josh Brillante and Brandon O’Neill have proven a dazzling partnership in the midfield, setting up great goals with star playmaker Milos Ninkovic. But Luke Brattan and Neil Kilkenny are no slouches for City either, and Melbourne’s midfield is strengthened by the ability of its forwards to drop back in support. While Sydney has top forwards in Bobo and Filip Holosko, they have been off-form in recent weeks. Alex Brosque has been doing brilliantly, but right now the Sydney forwards appear a little outclassed, compared to the on-form forward power that City can deploy: Bruce Kamau, Fernando Brandan, Tim Cahill, Nicolas Colazo and more. In combined midfield/forward attack, City has the edge. Sydney Stands Out in Defence On the other hand, defence and goal-keeping is the area in which the scales tip in the Sky Blues’ favour. With Danny Vukovic in goal, and Alex Wilkinson directing a line-up that includes Rhyan Grant, Michael Zullo or Matt Jurman, Sydney’s defence is likely to be more impenetrable than City’s combination of Dean Bouzanis in goal, protected by the grit of Ivan Franjic or Manny Muscat. Even though the arrival of Michael Jakobsen has firmed up City’s shaky defence, Sydney’s remains generally stronger. And since a rock-solid defence could be the decider, punters looking to bet on future clashes between these two sides may well opt for Sydney FC for the win. 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If there is any doubt that this still holds true, just take a look at our Top Three Shock 2016 Boxing Moments: Sergey Kovalev’s Points Loss to Andre Ward The WBA, WBO and IBF light heavyweight title fight between Kovalev and Ward in the T-Moble Arena, Las Vegas, was always going to be close. But Olympic champion Ward spent a good deal of time early on in the bout crouched in defence, being outpunched by the Russian nicknamed Krusher. In the second round, Kovalev even put him on the canvas; only the second time in his career Ward has suffered this indignity. He was up before the count, but the Russian hammered him through the third, fourth, fifth and sixth. A rally from Ward began in the seventh, and he landed a few blows that rattled Kovalev. But the latter rallied strongly in the final rounds, and we reckon the final points tally was 115-112 to Kovalev. The three ringside judges, however, gave the win and the title to Ward unanimously: all three scored it 114-113 in his favour. Understandably, Kovalev fans felt they’d been robbed in a ‘hometown’ decision. Nicholas Walters Quits in the Seventh Round The HBO junior lightweight title bout between Ukrainian Vasyl Lomachenko and Jamaican Nicholas Walters in Vegas fizzled out horribly for fans. It was a mismatch from the start, and Lomachenko proceeded to hand out a pounding seven-round boxing lesson to his opponent. At the start of Round 8, the Jamaican refused to continue and forfeited. For boxing fans who reckon you have to give your all before you quit, it was a shock that left a bitter taste. Derek Chisora Threw a Table Tantrum In a move we’d expect more in WWE, British heavyweight Dereck Chisora flung a table at opponent Dillian Whyte at a press conference on December 7. He was fined £25,000 with costs, given a two-year suspended ban and saw the British title pulled from his upcoming bout against Whyte. It’s not the first time Chisora has provided the shock of the season: he’s bitten opponents in the ring, and slapped and brawled with others at press conferences; usually followed by a slew of fines, suspensions and revoked titles. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Catch up on the 2024 Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day. Aimpoint clinches victory in the $200,000 feature race. Full results & highlights. - Published: 2016-12-16 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/wallaceville-estate-wellington-cup-day-2/ The Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day The Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day is set to take place on the 21st of January 2017, and will include the forecourt’s Fashion Stage. This race is the meeting place for the finest horses in New Zealand, all competing for the most important horse racing trophy in that country. The thrilling action provided by the races is set against a background of glitz and glamour, with high fashion making this event the Wellingtons race calendar’s highlight. Race and Gate Opening Times While all the times are yet to be confirmed, approximations are available, with these including: The first race set for approximately 12h33 The last race set for approximately 17h35 (with the Wellington Cup set to take place at approximately 17h13) The total number of races is ten, and the gates will be opened at 10h30. Hospitality and bar services will commence at 11h30. The features for the Wellington Cup include the $250 000 Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Group Three race which will take place over two miles, or 3 200 metres, and the $250 000 JR & N Berkett Telegraph Group One race. The Fun Continues Off the Track Spectators will be able to take in all of the sights and sounds that the Trentham Racecourse has to offer, including some of the finest fashion, thanks to the Rydges Wellington Fashion in The Field. You will be able to take advantage of a number of different hospitality packages, or just relax and enjoy the electric atmosphere that pervades the Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup each year. There are a range of admission charges on offer for those interested in attending the races: General Admission will cost $20 Early Bird pre-purchase tickets online which will stay at $20 until Friday the 13th of January Pre-booked online tickets that will run from Saturday the 14th of January through to Thursday the 19th of January at $25 Standard gate entry, both online and at the gate, at $30 on the day of the races, i. e. Friday the 20th and Saturday the 21st Children under the age of five years will be allowed in free, but must be accompanied by an adult, and there will be free parking available in the Centre of Course. Unfortunately there is no bring-your-own allowed in any public areas or the Centre of Course parking over the days that the Cup takes place. 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The Western Bulldogs also started a trend of really funny banners, the work of comedian Danny McGinlay. Inspired by his weekly hilarity, other clubs were also spurred to up their game in the crowd-amusement stakes. The banner banter just got better: but there was plenty of 2016 AFL highlights on the field too. Goal of the Year? Safe Betts Not many are going to argue with our selection of Adelaide’s Eddie Betts for the most exhilarating goal of the season, against Greater Western Sydney at the Adelaide Oval. With Nick Haynes contesting possession, Betts kept the ball from going out of bounds, and managed to run around Haynes while keeping the ball alive. Then he powered his way through Adam Tomlinson’s tackle and cut across to deliver a perfect 35-metre kick; a truly amazing effort. Off the field, Betts showed just as much class after the infamous incident in which a woman threw a banana at him at the Adelaide Oval. His response to her apology was gracious and forgiving, while at the same time making it clear that racism in AFL stadiums has to go. Danger Fields a Million Headline Puns Paddy Dangerfield’s first season at Geelong must have dismayed Adelaide fans as much as it delighted headline writers. The 26-year-old had a blinder; delivering a career-best 43 disposals against Hawthorn in his first match. He broke that record again in Round 12, with 48 against North Melbourne. His stats for the rest of the season are equally impressive: 31 touches with 16 of them contested, seven clearances, eight inside 50s, and five tackles per game. Add the 23 goals booted, and the Brownlow Medal win was hardly a surprise. Mark of the Year is Inseparable Essendon’s Joe Daniher took a spectacular mark literally off the shoulders of St Kilda’s Sam Gilbert in Round 16, at a ridiculous height. But Majak Daw of North Melbourne also has to be in contention if we’re talking the top mark in the 2016 AFL highlights. He sailed over Collingwood’s Jonathon Marsh to work a similar aerial miracle in Round 18. Good luck picking a winner from those two; we have to go with a tie. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > We take a quick look at some of the NFL highlights of 2016 so far. We also clue punters in to a few of the most exciting games coming up in the season. - Published: 2016-12-16 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/nfl-highlights-2016/ NFL Highlights of 2016 So Far The 2016/2017 season of the NFL is only 15 weeks old, but it has already produced a number of highlights, with several more promised in upcoming matches. We take a look at a few you might have missed, and also cast a prophetic eye at the excitement still to come. An Exciting Season from the Get-Go The NFL Kickoff Game opened the season on September the 8th, and it was immediately unusual becHe it featured February’s Super Bowl 50 rivals, the champions Denver Broncos hosting the Carolina Panthers. It was a hard-fought battle that still has us watching replays. The Broncos retained the bragging rights when they came from behind to snatch a 21-20 win. Four international games also showed that the NFL is increasingly popular in many countries outside the USA. In the UK, the Jacksonville Jaguars faced the Indianapolis Colts at Wembley Stadium, followed at the same venue later in the year by the Washington Redskins versus the Cincinnati Bengals. The LA Rams also played the NY Giants at Twickenham stadium, and in Mexico City, the Oakland Raiders met the Houston Texans in November. Games of Interest Still to Come December 25 falls on a Sunday this year, so the traditional games are moved to Saturday evening on Christmas Eve. The two games that will be broadcast nationally are the Baltimore Ravens playing the Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh, and the Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Denver Broncos. New Year’s Day has the full slate of 16 games scheduled. It’s still too early to tell who the smart money will be on in February, when the 51st Super Bowl will be decided. At the top of the their regional conferences at present, based on games already played this season, are the New England Patriots in AFC East and the Pittsburgh Steelers in AFC North. In AFC West, the Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs are tied for top spot, with the Tennessee Titans and Houston Texans locked in another tie in AFC South. There’s still a lot of NFL to play in the 2016/2017 season however, as we all know, anything can happen. 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The team has slipped in world-rankings. - Published: 2016-12-16 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/no-kiwi-coach-springboks/ Paul Lewis Says it Would be Crazy to Coach South Africa There are a number of things that would be more likely to happen than almost any New Zealander being persuaded to coach the South African rugby team in the environment which currently characterises this sport: John Key will repeal his resignation and re-enter politics, wearing a pigtail Facebook will suddenly become incredibly interesting Russian athletes will emerge from drug-tests completely clean, and one will become the new head of the World Anti-Doping Agency Judith Collins will manage to be elected as Prime Minister and announce a change in the government style, from touchy-feely to ball-buster The point of these statements is to illustrate just how unlikely it is that anyone of sound mind would even attempt to take on the Springbok rugby team as a coach at the moment. While it is very flattering that the media in South Africa are shamelessly begging for a New Zealander to tighten up their flagging rugby team, Dave Rennie, coach for the Chiefs, and anyone else they may have the temerity to approach should run a mile! Rennie was named as a prospect when it seems that South African rugby folk attempted to undermine his two-year move over to the Glasgow Warriors. The end of next season will see his contract with the Chiefs come to an end and, although he has not made a secret out of his ambitions in terms of an international move, he has also indicated that these will be brought to fruition sooner rather than later. This week, however, highlighted the progressively more frantic notion from inside South Africa that a New Zealander, almost any New Zealander, was required at the helm to replace current coach Allister Coetzee, who has had the dubious honour of controlling the chair over the worst-ever season in Springbok team history. They looked at the achievements of Warren Gatland; Joe Schmidt; Vern Cotter; and Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph who signed up for Japan. John Plumtree, of the Hurricanes, and even pop-psych John Mitchell, All Black rugby’s Yoda, was mentioned. Why the Springbok Rugby Team is a No-Go The Springboks suffered the ignominy of their first-ever home defeat to the Irish; lost to Argentina; and had to bear an exceptionally humiliating loss to the second-string Italians, who have thus far never managed to get within 16 points of a win when playing against them. 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Antoine Griezmann, the French Atletico Madrid forward, managed to place third in the vote. Cristiano Ronaldo was a key figure in Real Madrid’s win of last season’s Champion League, and managed to score three goals as Portugal went on to win the Euro 2016. He has managed to win the Ballon d’Or in the years 2008; 2013; 2014; and 2016, with Messi being the only other player to receive the award since he won it for the first time in 2009. Ronaldo stated that he had never imagined he would win the Golden Ball a total of four times, and went on to say that he was “pleased... proud and happy”. He took the chance to thank all of his teammates; the national team, Real Madrid, and all of the many people and players who had a hand in him achieving this coveted individual award. The former forward for Manchester United has managed to score a total of 19 goals in 20 games for his club and country over this term, with this total adding to the 54 goals he managed last season. Previous Ballon d’Or Winners Ronaldo and Messi have dominated the list of Ballon d’Or winners over the past ten years: 2016: Cristiano Ronaldo 2015: Lionel Messi 2014: Cristiano Ronaldo 2013: Cristiano Ronaldo 2012: Lionel Messi 2011: Lionel Messi 2010: Lionel Messi 2009: Lionel Messi 2008: Cristiano Ronaldo 2007: Kaka 2006: Fabio Cannavaro Ronaldo’s Real Madrid teammate Gareth Bale managed to finish in sixth place for the vote, and striker for Leicester City Jamie Vardy has the honour of being the only Brit to appear on the 30-player shortlist, sliding in to the top ten candidates at eighth place. This award is voted on by 173 journalists worldwide, and has been awarded every year since its debut in 1956 by France Football. In the past six years it transformed into the FIFA Ballon d’Or thanks to its association with the world football governing body, and is handed to the player believed to be the world’s best. 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She has been quoted as saying that the tournament means a lot to her, and that the fact that she would be playing in front of her home crowd in 2017 is as exciting as she remembers the first time she played on that centre court being. Karl Budge, tournament director, has stated that Erakovic has been rewarded for the long period of time she has managed to remain the best singles player in New Zealand. After suffering an injury setback in 2015, Erakovic replaced Spanish coach Eduardo Nicolas with the South African-born New Zealander Wesley Whitehouse, and is very pleased with the results. This will be Whitehouse and Erakovic’s first tournament as a team on their home soil. Budge stated that Erakovic has been working incredibly hard on her game in conjunction with Whitehouse, and that she had proven that she could “go deep” at tournaments at the level of the ASB Classic before. He went on to say that it was hoped that her best play would be apparent in 2017, and that support for the player was a given. Auckland-native Erakovic came first in seven consecutive tennis matches in order to work her way into the qualifiers of a World Tennis Association final event in April at Rabat. She was defeated by world-ranked number 15 Timea Bacsinszky in the finals, but impressed everyone once again with her Wimbledon play, making it through the qualifiers before being beaten in the third round by former number one Jelena Jankovic. Erakovic has managed to play far more deeply in 2016’s season than has been her habit previously, and she has high hopes for what the 2017 games will bring. She has stated that the main focus for her has been that she is in top physical form and is handling her training requirements more than adequately, and that it is hoped that this is what would draw her in good stead for 2017. The 2017 Auckland Open, which is being sponsored by the ASB, will be a joint WTA and ATP World Tour, and is played on outdoor hard courts. Next year will be the 32nd edition of the women’s event. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Tennis player Marina Erakovic is determined to claw her way back onto the Top 50 World Tennis Association rankings. She remains confident and determined. - Published: 2016-12-16 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/marina-erakovic-make-top-50-comeback/ Tennis Star Marina Erakovic Hoping for WTA Top-50 Comeback Marina Erakovic firmly believes that she has what it takes to return to the world’s Top 50 WTA tennis rankings, despite having not been anywhere near these heights for three years in total. She was awarded an ASB Classic wildcard this Wednesday, and has made it through a rather average year, but will not let her ambitions be daunted. In fact, Marina Erakovic has recently ranked well outside the Top 100, at one stage falling as low as 193, and has had to work incredibly hard in order to qualify for the main draw of the majority of tournaments she has played. Marina Erakovic did not figure in the Melbourne; Paris; or New York proper rounds, and vanished from the radar complete after Wimbledon, playing only three tournaments in as many months. The tennis player has also recently undergone a change in coaches, with Welsey Whitehouse, based in Auckland, stepping in as her new mentor, after she spent the past two and a half years under the tutelage of Spaniard Eduardo Nicolas. Erakovic, however, is holding on to her positive attitude, and has stated that it is simply a matter of time before she manages to make her way back onto the list of top-ranked tennis players in the world. In fact, Erakovic was quoted as saying “it’s a no-brainer”. She is firmly convinced she can get back into the Top 50, and believes she has “the game for it”, stating that her game was a great one no matter who she played, and that her strengths on the courts would allow her to challenge anyone. She believes her goal is a realistic one, and is set to prove that fact over the next period. However, her last Top 50 ranking was in January of 2015, and it will be a long road back. 2017 is Looking Good Thanks to her work at Stanley street over the years, Erakovic’s direct entry into her home tournament was a given, but squeezing in below the cut-off for the Australian Open was not only more important, but less assured as well. Erakovic admitted that “that was big”, and stated that sitting between the 50 and 110 mark in the Grand Slams during what would fund play for the year was nerve-wracking. Her place in Melbourne resulted from rigorous number-crunching in the last two weeks of the season, and these worked out the requirements for what can be said to be Erakovic’s golden ticket. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Wellington Cup Carnival is one of the most anticipated racing events in New Zealand. We take a look back at the various race winners for 2016. - Published: 2016-12-15 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/wellington-cup-carnival-race-winners-2016/ Wellington Cup Carnival 2016 Winners In New Zealand, the Wellington Cup Carnival is considered to be one of the highlights of the racing calendar. Held over a period of three weeks, each race day offers punters plenty of opportunity to place multiple bets on each race. Next year, the 2017 Wellington Cup Carnival will kick off on Saturday the 14th of January and end on the 28th. There are three notable racing days in the carnival including Super Saturday, the Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day and finally the Interislander Summer Festival family fun day. With the 2017 Wellington Cup Carnival just around the corner, we take a look back at highlights of the 2016 Carnival and the horses that stood out. On the first day of the Carnival, Super Saturday, there are two major races that capture the attention of the racing public. The first is the Group 1 Randwick Meats Levin Classic. Originally conceived in 1981, the Levin Classic has grown to become one of the most important Group 1 races for any aspiring thoroughbred. In 2016, it was Dukedom who crossed the finish line first. Trained by Steven Cole, Dukedom claimed victory with Lisa Allpress in the saddle. Wellington Cup, Trentham Stakes and Thorndon Mile The second major race that took place on Super Saturday was the Group 3 Mills Reef Winery Trentham Stakes. Run over a distance of 2100 meters, the Trentham Stakes is one of the highlights of the Carnival. In 2016, the Trentham Stakes was won by Nashville, who edged ahead down the straight to claim victory with Rosie Meyers in the saddle. The trainers responsible for Nashville included Adrian & Harry Bull. The highlight of the Wellington Cup Carnival is of course the Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day race. The race takes place on the second day of the carnival and attracts the most crowds. While day is filled with races, the Wellington Cup is certainly the biggest with punters from all over the country placing bets on who will win. In 2016, the Wellington Cup was won by Mister Impatience ridden by Sam Spratt. The final day of the carnival is the Interislander Summer Festival family fun day. Two major races took place at the final day including the Thorndon Mile won by Kawi and the Desert Gold Stakes won by Duchess Kate. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > With the 2017 Brisbane International tennis tournament just around the corner, we look back at what happened in the 2016 ATP World Tour tournament. - Published: 2016-12-15 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/2016-brisbane-international-tennis-review/ Review of the 2016 Brisbane International In the world of tennis, the Australian Open series is certainly one of the biggest sporting events of the year. The first event to take place is the highly anticipated Brisbane International tennis tournament. In 2017, the tournament will take place from the 1st to the 8th of January providing punters and sports fans plenty of action and betting opportunities. The competition has already attracted as strong field including the likes of Rafael Nadal, Angelique Kerber, Stan Warwinka, and Gabrine Muguruza. If you missed out on what happened in 2016, you are in luck. We take a look at what happened earlier this year in the 2016 ATP World Tour. The 2016 Brisbane International took place on the 3rd of January 2016 and ran through to the 10th. The competition was played in Brisbane at the Queensland Tennis Centre in Tennyson. It was the 8th edition of the competition in its current format. The prize money for the men’s division totalled $461 000 with the winner receiving $72 000. In the woman’s division, the total prize money was much higher at $1000 000 with the winner receiving $193 000. For the men’s division, the main draw included the following entrants: Roger Federer Kei Nishikori Marin Čilić Milos Raonic Gilles Simon David Goffin Bernard Tomic Dominic Thiem In the woman’s division, the following seeded players were in the main draw: Simona Halep Garbiñe Muguruza Maria Sharapova Angelique Kerber Timea Bacsinszky Carla Suárez Navarro Belinda Bencic Roberta Vinci 2016 Winners Before the competition even began, the Simona Halep, retired with a leg injury and was replaced by Ysaline Bonaventure. Similarly, favourite Maria Sharapova retired with a left forearm injury and was replaced by Margarita Gasparyan. In the men’s singles competition, it was Canada’s Milos Raonic who advanced to the finals to meet with Swill legend Roger Federer. Raonic went on to defeat Federer 6–4, 6–4 to claim the title. In the woman’s singles competition Victoria Azarenka from Belarus advanced to the finals where she met with Germany’s Angelique Kerber. Azarenka went on to defeat Kerber 6-3, 6-1 to claim the woman’s title. The men’s doubles competition was won by Henri Kontinen and John Peers, while the woman’s doubles completion was won by Switzerland’s Martina Hingis with Sania Mirza from India. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2017 Toyota AFL Premiership will get underway with preseason games early in the year. We take a look back at what happened in the 2016 season. - Published: 2016-12-15 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/look-back-2016-toyota-afl-premiership/ A Look Back at the 2016 AFL Premiership In New Zealand, the AFL Premiership is certainly one of the most popular sporting events in the country. In 2017, the Toyota AFL premiership will get underway with a preseason round of games before officially kicking off on the 23rd of March 2017. The AFL offers punters and sports fans the perfect opportunity to place multiple bets each week. With the season running from March to September, there is plenty of action to look forward to. Before the season kicks off, we take a look back at what happened in 2016 and who walked away with the title. The 2016 Australian Football League (AFL) season was the 120th to take place and consisted of a total of 18 teams. The format of the premiership was kept the same as it has been for the past four years. For the third year in a row, the premiership was kicked off with a preseason NAB Challenge series which consisted of 27 practice matches held over a period of 25 days. The NAB Challenge began on the 18th of Feb and ended on the 13th of March. Each of the teams played three games at regional venues. The first game of the 2016 Toyota AFL premiership was held at the MCG, with Richmond taking on Carlton. The full 18 teams in the premiership included: Sydney Geelong Hawthorn Greater Western Sydney Adelaide West Coast Western Bulldogs North Melbourne St Kilda Port Adelaide Melbourne Collingwood Richmond Carlton Gold Coast Fremantle Brisbane Lions Essendon The Elimination Round and the Finals After 23 rounds of play, the teams that made it to the qualifying rounds included Sydney, Adelaide, North Melbourne, West Coast, Greater Western Sydney, Geelong and Hawthorn. The four teams that advanced to the semi-finals were Sydney, who took on Adelaide, as well as Hawthorn who took on the Western Bulldogs. The Sydney Swans defeated Adelaide to book their spot in the finals while the Western Bulldogs dispatched Hawthorn to create one of the most exciting finals to date. In the finals it was the Western Bulldogs who claimed the title, defeating Sydney by 22 points. It was only their second win in 62 years effectively breaking the longest drought in AFL history. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2017 Australian Open will kick off on the 16th of January. We take a look at the 2016 winners of one of the most prestigious events of the year. - Published: 2016-12-15 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/2016-australian-open-winners-finalists/ Australian Open 2016 Winners and Finalists When it comes to international tennis, the four Grand Slams are certainly the most prestigious of all the tennis events of the year. These include the Australian Open, the French Open, the US Open and Wimbledon. In January 2017, the Australian Open will kick off the new season with all of the top tennis players competing for the title. As one of the biggest tennis events of the year, the Australian open is the perfect opportunity for punters and sports fans to place wagers on individual matches as well as tournament winners. With the 2017 tournament just around the corner, we take a look at the winners and finalists from 2016. The 2016 Australian Open was the 104th edition of the prestigious event. It took place at Melbourne Park from the 18th through to the 31st of January. There are four major categories that attract the most online bets, these include the men’s singles competition, the woman’s’ singles, the men’s doubles and the woman’s doubles. The total prize money for the tournament was $44 Million with both the men’s and woman’s singles winners receiving $3. 4 Million each. In the Men’s division, the top 5 seeded players included: Novak Djokovic Andy Murray Roger Federer Stan Wawrinka Milos Raonic In the Woman’s division, the top 5 seeded players included: Serena Williams Simona Halep Garbiñe Muguruza Agnieszka Radwańska Maria Sharapova 2016 Winners One of the highlights of the 2016 Australian Open was the woman’s singles final between Germany’s Angelique Kerber and the world number 1 Serena Williams. Kerber eventually went on to win the final defeating Williams 6–4, 3–6, 6–4 to claim the title for the first time. In the men’s division, the final was slightly more predictable with world number 1 Novak Djokovic coming up against world number 2 Andy Murray. Djokovic went on to win the final defeating Murray 6–1, 7–5, 7–6(7–3) to claim the title for the sixth time. In the woman’s doubles competition, it was the duo of Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza who triumphed over Andrea Hlaváčková and Lucie Hradecká 7–6(7–1), 6–3. In the men’s doubles competition Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares defeated Daniel Nestor and Radek Štěpánek, 2–6, 6–4, 7–5 to take top spot. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Auckland Open or ASB Classic will take place in January 2017. We take a look back at what happened in 2016 and who walked away with the title. - Published: 2016-12-15 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/2016-asb-classic-tennis-tournament/ Round Up of The 2016 ASB Classic The Auckland Open, otherwise known as the ASB Classic will take place in January 2017. The tournament is considered to be one of the best indicators of how players are faring in the new season. For punters and sports fans, it is a great opportunity to place online tennis bets and enjoy the action packed games. The upcoming 2017 competition will have one of the strongest fields so far including the likes of Caroline Wozniacki, the Williams sisters, Jack Sock and Milos Raonic. While the upcoming tournament promises to be a cracker, we take a look back at what happened earlier this year at the 2016 ASB Classic. The 2016 ASB classic was played at the ASB Tennis Centre in Auckland from the 4th to the 16th of January. The tournament itself is split into the men’s ATP tour competition and the woman’s WTA competition. This year was the 31st edition of the woman’s event and the 40th edition of the men’s event. While the prize money was not as high as other tennis tournament, the competition is still considered to be one of the highlights of the tennis calendar. The Draws and 2016 Champs In the men’s singles division the following players were entered into the draw: David Ferrer Wilfried Tsonga John Isner Kevin Anderson Benoît Paire Fabio Fognini Ivo Karlović Roberto Bautista Agut In the woman’s singles division, the following players were entered into the draw: Venus Williams Ana Ivanovic Caroline Wozniacki Svetlana Kuznetsova Sloane Stephens Coco Vandeweghe Barbora Strýcová Alison Van Uytvanck In the men’s division, Aljaž Bedene retired before the tournament with a leg injury while John Isner and Sam Querrey retired during the tournament. In the Woman’s division, Mona Barthel retired before the tournament with Ana Ivanovic pulling out during the competition. After as successful tournament, it was Sloane Stephens from the USA who booked her place in the final alongside Germany’s Julia Görges. Stephens went on to win the Woman’s singles title defeating Julia Görges 7–5, 6–2. In the men’s division, it was Spain’s Roberto Bautista who wowed the crowds and made his way to the finals where he met with Jack Sock from the USA. Bautista went on to win the final after winning the first set 6-1 while Sock retired after just a single game in the second set. 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It’s hard to argue with the logic of the AFL Players Association (AFLPA). At a meeting in Torquay last week for players from all clubs, to which AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan had been invited, AFLPA president Matthew Pavlich pointed out the sacrifices and physical stress that players put themselves through for the game, adding that the public didn’t understand how tough playing professional AFL can be. Compared to the total revenues the game rakes in, Pavlich said, the increase players were requesting was actually only a small percentage of profits. However, he added, a bigger piece of the pie would ensure player loyalty and commitment, as it would demonstrate the AFL’s sincere intention to build the game in partnership with players. Is Strike Action a Possibility? AFL CEO McLachlan’s non-appearance at the Torquay meeting caused anger and disappointment among some players, even though Andrew Dillon and Ray Gunston, both members of the AFL executive, attended in his place. Star Geelong player Patrick Dangerfield, the winner of the 2016 Brownlow medal, said he felt players were expecting a little more respect than they got from the AFL, despite Ray Gunston calling the discussions “valuable”. If the AFL executive remains obdurate, and players stick to their guns, the prospect of a strike looms. The AFLPA insists that industrial action would be an absolute last resort, and that there is still a long negotiation process ahead, but various players are not necessarily as patient. Dangerfield is one of them; he says he loves playing for the fans, but he is prepared to withhold his labour if there is no other way to get the deal done. It remains to be seen if the AFL will blink, but footie fans may need to prepare themselves for some disappointment next year. 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The New Zealand programme will kick off next year, but its aim will be supporting problem users rather than punishing those found to have been engaging in this practice. Forming part of the fresh collective agreement that was recently announced, players will be asked to randomly test for recreational drug use, out-of-competition, in a move from previously only having to face the possibility of testing on game-days. The player will further not be the only ones asked to submit to the testing: every single person involved in the national games will be subject to it, including individuals in coaching and administrative roles. The Rugby Players Association and New Zealand Rugby managed to agree to the programme that will not be castigatory, and does not even have any definite sanctions in place for repeat offenders. Instead, the programmes aim was assisting those individuals who showed signs of having a problem, and to help them deal with their issues so as to continue their rugby careers. Catch and Release Attitude for Drug Use Nichol has stated that it the programme is in no way about “catching” or sanctioning players and that its one and only function was to help those struggling in this area. Support and rehabilitation was the focus, and every possible resource would be directed at helping those who stepped forward to ask for assistance. Nichols went on to say that individuals who were found to be indulging in improper drug use would be provided with the help they required in “sort it out”, assuming that they wanted help, and wished to manage their behaviour. He further stated that the Rugby Players Association would find it “really sad if a player lost their career” because of illicit drug use, whether this behaviour came to light as a result of criminal actions and consequences, or if they tested positively on a game day and so breached the code set in place by the World Anti-Doping Agency. Nichol went on to acknowledge that rugby was a little behind the times, and out-of-competition testing should, in fact, have been put in place for some time now, but this move has been on the heels of widespread education over the past few seasons for everyone, from the All Blacks to the Mitre 10 Cup teams. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The All Blacks are set to see the fruits of their labour thanks the boost in their salaries recently decided on. Kieran set to enjoy a $1 million salary. - Published: 2016-12-15 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/blacks-rake-big-bucks/ All Blacks Rugby Team Get a Pay Packet Boost New Zealand rugby player Kieran Read is likely set to become the first-ever All Black rugby player to earn over $1 million per season. This is thanks to the fact that New Zealand Rugby has decided to offer players a major boost in their salaries, under the strictures of a collective agreement with its New Zealand Rugby Players’ Association. Read is set to end his contract next year, and is so poised to make a new deal known that will carry him through the 2019 Rugby World Cup that will likely carry him over the $1 million barrier. This move was detailed on Wednesday, and New Zealand Rugby has agreed to raise its pool for player payment by a $70 million –which will increase this from $120 million to $190 million over the course of the next three years. Player Payment Boost a Result in Increase in Revenue The player payment boost agreed to on Wednesday acknowledges the augmentation in both broadcast revenue and sponsorship that New Zealand rugby has enjoyed, with this taking in an approximate $40 million bonus from 2017’s British and Irish Lions Tour, and it has been put in place in order to safeguard players from raids by clubs based overseas. Richie McCaw, former captain, and celebrity flyhalf Dan Carter are estimated to have earned far more than $1 million from salaries and endorsements, but Kieran Read’s $1 million would be just his salary, and would not include any income he may be able to secure from other activities. Many different players will see the benefit of this boost, as NZR has now set $24. 8 million aside for player salary top-ups, with these including salaries for provincial contracts and Super Rugby, and reflects a raise of $8. 9 million on the former collective. Player revenue-sharing totals around 36. 5% of New Zealand Rugby’s income when one factors in sponsorship and broadcasting. Chris Lendrum, contracts manager, has stated that everyone is pleased to find themselves in a position in which the game’s overall revenue has grown as much as it has. He went on to state that the collective’s aim was to deliver the players their share of this revenue, because they were so instrumental in its being earned and deciding what the most efficient expenditure of it would entail. Brodie Retalick, lock, and Julian Savea, winger, are considered to be in the group of front-rank earners in the current All Black team, with each making around $800 000 each year. Wealthy overseas clubs continue to pursue the top All Blacks players, however, and this is one of the main factors that have prompted the raise as New Zealand tries to repel these. 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The Genesis Open is played at the Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles, and this news follows Woods’ 15th-place finish at the Hero World Change earlier this month, after a 15-month absence from golf as a result of issues with his back. Woods has expressed his excitement at finally returning, and doing so at the Riviera, for the Genesis Open. This, in fact, is the place it all began for the player so dogged by scandal in recent years. He stated that the PGA Tour event was his first ever professional event, and that, at 16-years old and weighing in at 105 pounds (almost 50 kilograms), his life had changed at that point in time. Woods has accepted that he will certainly need to play many more tournaments than he has been in order to regain his sharpness, and is thus planning a busy schedule for 2017, which will follow the Genesis Open which takes place in February next year. The 40-year old player has not participated in this tournament since back in 2006, and still finds himself four-short of managing to equal Jack Nicklaus’ major record total of 18. This milestone, however, will remerge when he begins his new season in the New Year. The Genesis Open is set to take place from February the 16th to February the 19th, and there are high hopes as far as Woods’ performance is concerned. Luxury Car Brand Genesis is Title Sponsor The Genesis Open can be said to be beginning a new age of golf to Southern California, and is set to host the very best golfers in the world and deliver a first-rate fan experience in not only the United States of America, but the rest of the world as well. The games will be internationally broadcasted by CBS, and allow spectators to enjoy the sportsmanship from wherever in the world they happen to be. PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem has been quoted as saying how pleased the Tour is to be sponsored by the luxurious car brand, and that the PGA had enjoyed a “wonderful 90-year history in Los Angeles” and was very excited about building on this tradition in the future with the help of this sponsor. Finchem went on to say that the Genesis Open is an ideal platform that would allow the PGA to share their vision. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The new CBA deal that New Zealand has just announced will help ensure that country holds on to its top players. Retention and reward are the keywords. - Published: 2016-12-15 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/new-zealand-spending-big-bucks-players/ Cash Injection Helps New Zealand Hold Onto Players The new CBA deal that New Zealand has announced will go a very long way to that country being able to hold on to its best rugby players. Rugby players are set to receive an additional $70 million over the course of the next three years, thanks to the new collective employment agreement announced on Wednesday. The retention and reward of loyal, experienced players is the main feature of this agreement, along with an increase in the already existing incentive payment scheme, which is aimed at acknowledging players who make a commitment to the Mitre 10 Cup and New Zealand Rugby after Super Rugby draws to a close. Rugby players who have contracts with a provincial union for a minimum of five years will earn a yearly bonus of $7 500, and those who have been contracted to a franchise for Super Rugby for the same amount of time are looking at a whopping $35 000 bonus to their not inconsiderable pay cheques. These payments will cost New Zealand Rugby an additional $3. 7 million over each of the next three years, bringing the total to an additional $9. 8 million spent on these bonuses. Augmentations in retainer payments for Super Rugby; provincial rugby; and men’s and women’s Sevens Rugby will have the union forking out an additional $9 million over this same period. The new agreement also has protocols and policies for Respect and Inclusiveness; Player Conduct and Team Functions; and Illicit Drugs introduced, and formally assumed by New Zealand Rugby and the Players’ Association. This boost to both the incentive payments and the salary top-ups is part of a concerted, concentrated effort to prevent the loss of experienced players, particularly All Blacks rugby players, as offshore clubs try to poach them with big money promises. Strong players like Israel Dagg; Aaron Cruden; and Ben Smith have all managed to attract big money offers from Europe, and the threat of their loss to Test rugby after 2017 is one that New Zealand is desperately trying to prevent. New Zealand Rugby General Manager Neil Sorensen has been quoted as saying that this extra money is essentially being made available in order to give New Zealand a chance to retain their best players. He went on to state that a balance between retaining New Zealand’s top 40 superstar players, the All Blacks, and ensuring that the Super Clubs have talented players in training was being sought. 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The Cup was initially called the Hong Kong Invitational and was run over 1800 meters, but was changed to the Hong Kong Cup and extended to 2000 meters in 1999. This year, the race was won by Hong Kong trained Maurice, who took his record to 4 from 4, with a magnificent 3 length success. Many horses have tried their luck at the Cup, including a number of horses from New Zealand. New Zealand horses had better results in the early days of the Cup when it had just opened to international horses. This could be due to the fact that that it is now the richest flat race in the world, attracting the best of the best from around the World. New Zealand Winners and Entries There have been three New Zealand horses to win the cup so far. International horses were only permitted to enter the race in 1989, and then only from Australia and New Zealand. Horses were entered by invitation only, and had to have proven themselves both by placing’s as well as earnings. Flying Dancer was a New Zealand bred horse who won the inaugural race in 1884. Although he was bred in New Zealand, he classed as a Hong Kong horse as Hong Kong businessman Lim Por-yen owned him. Successive New Zealand bred horses included Kessem in 1990 and Romanee Conti in 1993. Criterion is another New Zealand bred horse that has entered the Hong Kong Cup three times, although has never won it. His first two tries saw him coming in third, while is third try has yet to be established. The six-year-old chestnut gelding is a superb competitor, and has been nominated as one of Australia’s stayers of the year 2016 along with the likes of Gallante and Mongolian Khan. Lucia Ventina is a 2011 mare that was bred and ran in New Zealand since 2011. She is currently five years old in 2016, and has had a number of successes on New Zealand and Australian turf. She won a group three race on only her third start before being transferred to Kris Lee, and Australian trainer. Under Kris she has shown much potential, winning the lead up to Australian Oaks. California Memory California Memory is a grey horse that has the honour of being the only horse to win the Hong Kong Cup twice. He won successive years in 2011 and 2012, ridden both times by jockey Matthew Chadwick. He is one of the few American horses to enter and win the cup since 1999, due to new and very strict drugging laws. He has been entered as one of the Living Legends, and has since been retired, running his last race at Sha Tin under Matthew Chadwick in which he came first. With home-trained Maurice taking the 2016 title, it will be interesting to see whether any internationally trained horses can claim the title in 2017. 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It was the two rivals’ second game against each other in 10 days, and Sydney were keen to avenge the hard-fought 1-0 defeat Melbourne had inflicted on them in the FFA Cup Final, so fireworks were always on the cards. However, despite the Sky Blues’ dangerous penetration of City’s defence in the first half and the excitement of a goal disallowed, a penalty waved off and a red card during the course of the match, Sydney had to be content with rescuing a draw from a 1-0 deficit at half time. The result nevertheless leaves them undefeated in 10 matches in the A-League, and still six points clear of City at the top of the tournament log. Sydney Behind at Half Time There was plenty of drama for the 14,688 fans at Sydney’s Olympic stadium, including what would have been a brilliant opening goal from Sydney’s Rhyan Grant, if it hadn’t clipped Bobo’s hip in the offside position on its way into the net. Home fans were unhappy about the disallowed goal, but were even less impressed when Fernando Brandan put away a brilliant shot to give City first blood. Brandan’s screamer had been superbly set up by fellow Argentinian Nicolas Colazo, who minutes earlier had seen his own magnificent free kick beat Sky Blues goalkeeper Danny Vulovic, only to rebound off the post. Sydney’s desperation to secure the equaliser led to a combustible atmosphere in the second half, including Sydney coach Graham Arnold fulminating against the ref for denied penalties. The aggro culminated in a red card for Josh Brillante, after a second yellow for late challenges on City’s Neil Kilkenny, 20 minutes from full time. Despite being down to 10 men, the Sky Blues got out of jail when a shirt-grab on Bobo by City’s Jakobsen resulted in a soft penalty. Bobo slotted the equaliser, and the scores remained tied until full-time. It’s not the result Sydney wanted, but it still leaves them excellently placed in the competition. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Australian umpire Paul Reiffel took a ball to the head on day one of the England/India Test that knocked him out of the match. Should umpires wear helmets? - Published: 2016-12-15 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/reiffels-knock-cause-rethink/ Umpire Reiffel Literally Knocked Out of Test Australian cricket fans had their hearts in their mouths last week, when umpire Paul Reiffel had to be taken for a scan after being struck in the head by the ball on day one of the fourth England/India Test in Mumbai. The former fast-medium seam bowler, who featured in Australia’s 1999 World Cup-winning side, has happily been pronounced clear of any lasting damage, but still missed the rest of the Test, after being advised by doctors to rest. Reiffel, standing at square leg, was felled in the 49th over of England’s first innings by a lobbed throw-in from Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the deep. The Indian fielder was returning the ball after a single from Keaton Jennings, who went on to make his ton on debut. With his back to Kumar, Reiffel didn’t see the throw, and took a scary blow to the back of his head. Play stopped as the stricken umpire fell to the ground clutching the injury, and fellow on-field umpire Bruce Oxenford rushed to his aid, followed in short order by England’s medical staff. After a 12-minute delay in the post-lunch session, during which Reiffel was treated on the field and then taken off to hospital, South African umpire Marais Erasmus left the TV umpire post to replace him. England went on to make 228/5 by close of play. However, despite posting a first-innings total of 400, India’s response of 631 proved overwhelming, and they eventually clinched the match, and the series, by an innings and 36 runs. Should Umpires Wear Helmets? While Reiffel’s injury had a happy ending, for him if not for England, the accident has refocused attention on calls for cricket umpires to wear more physical protection. When officiating at T20 matches, Greenwood himself already wears an arm protector, and several other umpires are adopting protective gear in this lightning-fast version of the game. But given the nature of a cricket ball, and the speed with which it is bowled, smacked and thrown around the ground, it appears that some form of umpire protection is appropriate in all forms of the game. Umpire helmets, at the very minimum, would be a sensible way to avoid mishaps like Reiffel’s, or worse. 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Visions of the 2014 final will forever haunt that fans when the team lost to the Waratahs in the lasts minutes of the game. Similarly, the 2011 loss to the Reds may cause some people to think that a win is not on the cards. Crusaders coach Scott Robertson is one man who knows what it feels like to lose. He plans to use his extensive experience from his own Crusader playing days in order to drag his team out of the mud and claim title again. Speaking to the press, Robertson explained that in 1996 when he played for the Crusaders, they were in last place, which hurt a lot. The team then went on to win four titles with the same group, giving Robertson the opportunity to see both sides of the coin. Laying the Foundations As a player and as a coach, Robertson has tasted success and has drawn from his playing days to get teams through to where they need to be. This is his approach with the Crusaders as they started preseason training last week. Robertson guided the Canterbury team to their third NPC title just two months ago before taking up the post of Crusaders coach. When it comes to preseason training, Robertson feels that the two weeks before the main Christmas break are essential to lay a solid foundation for the next season. Most of the 38-man Crusaders squad is in Christchurch although many of the All Blacks are not expected to join until the 29th of January. Former Queensland Reds wing Digby Loane will join the team after completing his season with the Japanese club Honda Heats also towards the end of January. Once the All Black join the side, the team will assemble for a wellbeing camp to incorporate the players and form a cohesive unit. The team will play a series of pre-season matches including matches against Hurricanes on February 14 and the Highlanders on March the 4th. The team will also make an appearance at the inaugural Brisbane Tens tournament from the 11th to the 12 of Feb. With the side fully intact, the Crusaders will face off against the British and Irish Lions in Auckland on the 24th of June. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > A proposed new law could mean that almost all rugby and netball games of national significance will be screened free-to-air, including All Blacks rugby - Published: 2016-12-14 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/sports/new-law-mean-good-things-sports-fans/ New Law Could Mean Free-To-Air Rugby and Netball A proposed new law is being put forward that will greatly benefit the sporting community. The new law aims to provide free-to-air coverage of all Rugby and Netball matches that are of national significance to New Zealand. Essentially what this means is that almost every All Blacks rugby game will be screened to the nation on free-to-air television. According the new Broadcasting Amendment Bill, New Zealanders will be able to watch all netball, rugby, league and Olympic games that involve New Zealand teams for free. The members’ bill was first lodged by MP Clayton Mitchell back in 2014 and was drawn from the ballot in Parliament on Thursday the 8th of December 2016. Speaking to the press, Mitchell said that what it comes down to is giving Kiwis access to watch our local sports heroes in action. Domestic Matches Included Under the proposed amendment bill, all domestic matches in tournaments such as Super Rugby could also be included in the free-to-air category. Mitchell explained that New Zealand tax payers have paid towards the development of these sports but then have to pay again in order to watch the games live. To him, this doesn’t make sense. New Zealand is clearly country with sport ingrained into the culture. What the bill is trying to do is extend the ability to enjoy sport to everyone in the country. Mitchell explained that the sports chosen were just the beginning and that a suggestion was made for a state-run sports channel where all local games can be viewed. The bill has had some stiff opposition from SKY TV which was to be expected. Mitchell hopes the government will support the bill, explaining that they are in for a good discussion. The proposed bill will have its first official reading early in 2017. If approved, the broadcasting bill would ensure that all games of national significance will be free to air including some of the following categories: All domestic Rugby tests involving the national side All rugby world cup matches where New Zealand is playing The Super Rugby final if a New Zealand team is playing Netball World Cup matches where New Zealand is playing All domestic Netball Matches Cricket World Cup matches involving New Zealand All domestic ODI matches involving New Zealand Rugby league World Cup matches where New Zealand is playing The Summer Olympics The Winter Olympics TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > There are two famous New Zealand racehorses that have earned legendary status. The mighty Phar Lap and Gloaming have both had races named after them. - Published: 2016-12-14 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/famous-nz-race-horses/ New Zealand’s Most Famous Race Horses As the year comes to a close it’s the perfect time to take a look at the horses that made racing in New Zealand what it is today. Horse Racing in New Zealand dates back hundreds of years to when it was brought over by English influence. On the mainland in England, the Sport of Kings had taken off to massive popularity with thoroughbreds being bred exclusively for the sport. The English thoroughbred was still a new breed, although some huge names had already started to become known. In New Zealand the sport was starting to become just as popular, with many people flocking to the races each week to place a wager on their favourite pony. The New Zealand Racehorse was becoming as successful as those being bred in England and were even being shipped all over the world to compete against their cousins in far off lands. Two main names of New Zealand thoroughbred captured the public's hearts and imaginations over time, with each one leaving a long lasting legacy. Gloaming Goes for Gold Gloaming was a dark bay gelding foaled in 1915 in Australia. He was sold as a yearling in 1916 for 230 guineas, ending up in the Canterbury Region, New Zealand. From there Gloaming grew up and was trained purely in New Zealand, crossing the Tasman Sea many times to compete, and soundly beat, Australian thoroughbreds. Gloaming had sixty-seven starts, winning 57 of those. Thirty-nine of them were principal races. The only other times he placed was when he came second 9 times. Gloaming fell only once in his entire career, which resulted in a scratch. When he retired he was the leading Australian racing stakes winner at nine years old, and still pretty much unbeaten. He was the first horse to defeat the great mare, Desert Gold, over a mile and he still holds the Australasian record of 45 seconds for four furlongs. He jointly holds the Australasian record with Black Caviar and Desert Gold of 19 successive wins. When Gloaming finally ended his career at his owner's property at Teviotdale, he was the leading stakes winner in Australasia with fifty-seven wins and over 40 thousand pounds in prize money. Gloaming was one of five original horses to be inducted into the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame, along with the other four turf super stars; Carbine, Kindergarten, Phar Lap and Sunline. The Group Three Gloaming Stakes, run at Sydney's Rosehill Gardens Racecourse, is named in his honour. Phar Lap Wins Again Phar Lap was one of the most legendary New Zealand racehorses of all time. He competed during the great depression and became an inspiration and a distraction for people all over the country. He was born in New Zealand, but dominated Australian racing during a distinguished career, winning a Melbourne Cup, two Cox Plates, an AJC Derby, and 19 other weight for age races. He then won the Agua Caliente Handicap in Tijuana, Mexico, in track-record time in his final race. Phar Lap died in 1932 very suddenly. At the time, he was the third highest stakes-winner in the world. It was only in 1980, after examining his heart which is still on display at the National Museum of Australia, Canberra, that is was realised that the champion was poisoned with arsenic, possibly by the American Mob to prevent him from beating US horses. Today, his mounted hide is displayed at the Melbourne Museum and his skeleton at Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. He has had a number of things named after him, including a song, many movies, books, statues and the Phar Lap Stakes. 2017 could see more New Zealand horses enter the record books when competing in a race named after one of these two legends, and the sport continues to grow from strength to strength. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Extreme Choice is another contender for two year old champion 2016. The chestnut colt has had seven starts so far, five of which have been firsts. - Published: 2016-12-13 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/extreme-choice-horse-watch/ Could Extreme Choice Be 2017’s Top Pick? There are some horses that burst onto the racing scene and simply demand to be noticed. Extreme Choice is one such youngster. His career so far has been nothing short of stellar, with seven starts and five firsts. He won the Moir Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley late in 2016, and does not seem set to slow down any time soon. As we gear up for 2017 Extreme Choice is a name that’s on everyone’s lips and it could well be that next year will be his time to shine. Winner of the Moir Stakes The Moir Stakes at Moone Valley is a grade one race, with the likes of the legendary Buffering and arguably Australia’s best sprinter Chautauqua taking part. Extreme Choice was much younger than both of these super stars and looked like a precocious upstart giving the old guard a middle finger. His trainer, Mick Price decided to take a shot at the coveted Moir Stakes after Extreme Choice won the Group One Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield against the likes of Flying Artie and Zamzam. He was rested for 197 days, which clearly did the colt a world of good as he returned on blistering form to leave his competition standing. His jockey Craig Newitt was heard exclaiming “Not even Lankan Rupee has gone that fast. He went like a rocket. I’ve never been on one which went that quickly,” The favourite, Chautauqua, looked set to take the race when Extreme Choice settled into his usual position of third behind the leaders. Rounding the turn however, Chautauqua failed to turn on his trademark afterburners, leaving an opening for Extreme Choice who had been hanging back for the first time in his career as a new tactic. It world like a bomb and he rocketed past the leaders to win by a number of lengths. Where To Now? Extreme Choice’s next outing was a month later at Flemington at the Coolmore Group One race. He ran against Flying Artie again, and Astern, and came in fifth. His trainers decided to freshen him for a few days after that and as yet he is still on sabbatical. That being said, there are huge things in the colt's future. He has been nominated as one of the champion two year olds for 2016 due to his almost impeccable race record. From here the sky is the limit. So far the colt has not been nominated for anything in 2017, but a close eye on this space may just reward you with a glimpse at a very promising future for the young chestnut colt. He will of course always be a contender as a champion stallion, so even if he is done with proving himself on the race track, his stud life may have just begun. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > British Premier League Football Club, Arsenal has signed Kiwi Ceri Evans as a mental skills advisor. Evans has been instrumental in coaching champions. - Published: 2016-12-13 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/arsenal-fc-hires-ceri-evans/ Ceri Evans Hired by Arsenal Ceri Evans, a respected New Zealand psychologist has been hired by English Premier League giants Arsenal as a mental skills advisor. The British media announced the appointment over the weekend and those in the elite inner sporting circles have met it with approval. Evans, a former All Whites defender has worked with the All Blacks previously and was praised for his excellent work by retired captain, Richie McCaw. The London football club’s acquisition of Evans shows just how well respected he is in his field, and the fact that teams across the globe are focusing not only on the physical health of players, but on their mental health and development too. No Stranger to the Field Interestingly enough, Evans most recent work was with freshly crowned WBO heavyweight champion, Joseph Parker. Parker beat Andy Luiz jnr. on Saturday night to become the first New Zealander to hold a world heavyweight boxing title. Mental skill plays a huge role in each of these sporting discipline and there’s no one better equipped to teach this than someone who has been in the firing line and played at a national level. In addition to field sports and those in the ring, Evans has also coached racing drivers Lewis Hamilton and the recently retired Nico Rosberg. He was contracted to Mercedes and it could be said that he was instrumental in Rosberg’s focus ad determination in clinching the world championship title. It seems that Evans skills can be applied across all sporting disciplines, from rugby to football, to boxing and beyond. Working with Winners At present it seems that Evans can do no wrong, and with Roserg and Parker both turning out to be world champions, its not surprising that Arsenal have snapped him up. Evans also has a history with the football team and was linked with the possibility of playing for them in the 1990’s when he spent 5 years with second tier Oxford United Although this never came to fruition, he now takes his place on the team in a different capacity. His family also has a rich sporting history and his father, Gwyn Evans had a long and illustrious career playing as defender for Crystal Palace. At present, Arsenal are second behind Chelsea, and as we near the midway point of the English Premier League season it will be interesting to see what sort of mental tactics Evans can bring to the table. With his track record, Arsenal’s fortunes could change and they may well find themselves in top place sooner rather than later. 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Brad Luiten has earned a well-deserved spot in the Guinness’s Book of World Records for his impressive golfing stint and perhaps what’s even more amazing is that this isn’t the first time he’s set a record either! Luiten, a national class runner has also set the Guinness World Record for running on crutches, and its clear that when this Kiwi sets out to do something, he does it properly. Smashing a Previous Record Reaching his goal of 237 holes in 12 hours on Monday evening, Luiten was satisfied that he had putted, smashed and driven his way to meeting his goal, and was now ready to call it a day. He had started his record attempt at 07h40 at the local Helensville Golf Club and was watched by World Record supervisors and a growing crowd of curious onlookers. By playing 237 holes in 12 hours Luiten shattered the previous Guinness World Record of 221 holes, and had time to complete almost a full second course. The previous golfing record was held by Canadian Scott Holland, who had played 221 holes in Alberta at the Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Course back in 2005. For a Good Cause Luiten’s record-breaking attempts were not just in the pursuit of glory, he was inspired to take up the cause in an effort to raise money and awareness for Bowel Cancer NZ. His quest was close to home, as he lost his good friend Stephen Grove to the disease in June 2015. Grove was also an active sportsman and was a prominent football player and coach. Globally, New Zealand has one of the worlds highest bowel cancer rates and as many as one hundred people die from this disease every month. Bowel Cancer NZ is also only able to retain 2 part time staff due to funding, and Luiten is hoping that he can raise awareness and much needed funding. In an interview with TV One he said that his record was more about raising awareness and paying tribute to his friend who had succumbed to the disease, than getting his name in the book again. Luiten now holds 2 world records and his philanthropic activities are earning him plenty of respect within the sporting community. He’s also the fastest man to hop, or run, 10 kilometres on crutches, and when he set this record in 2015 he raised a large sum of money for the Starship Children’s Hospital, another cause that’s close to his heart. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Dylan Napa was injured after a charity party held at Theo Chambers’s mansion. The NRL player has since been released from hospital and is on the mend. - Published: 2016-12-13 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/nrl-player-injured-party/ Roosters Player Injured at Party Roosters forward, Dylan Napa has been injured after a charity party held on Sydney’s northern beaches. Napa was attending the annual Palmbu bash held by Theo Chambers at his multi million-dollar Palm Beach home when the incident occurred. According to onlookers a fight broke out with cleaners who Chambers had hired from online service provider Airtasker. 3 people, including Napa ended up in hospitalised a result of the fight, and police are now investigating assault charges and a stabbing. Chamber’s son, Steven said that two cleaners had caused the trouble and although they were meant to be working, they ended up partying and enjoying themselves, leading to them being asked to leave. Steven said that it didn’t take a rocket scientist to realise that the man and woman were up to no good, and they were clearly drug addicts who had no intention of working and were simply there for the free ride. When the pair was asked to leave the premises at 10pm they did so willingly but it seems that they had other plans about staying away, and made an unwelcome return a few hours later. Break In It seems that the duo returned later that night after the party had ended and used a fire poker to smash their way into the property. Napa, a guest at the house was sleeping, but the noise of a woman screaming woke him. He ran to her aid and saw the pair yelling at the woman and destroying property. When he tried to intervene he was knocked unconscious. When police arrived on the scene at approximately 3am they found that two men aged 33 and 24 had been injured, along with a 26 year old woman. All 3 were taken to Mona Vale hospital for treatment and were released on Sunday. According to reports one of the attackers was covered in blood when the paramedics had arrived and had slash wounds on his arms and face. The attacker was not forthcoming about who had slashed him, and seemed to be under the influence of drugs, leading to suspicion that the wounds were self-inflicted. A Well Attended Event Despite Napa’s injury and the events that transpired after the party the event itself has been heralded as another huge success. Chambers’ said that they had raised approximately $13,000 for the Vasculitis Foundation, a cause that is close to his heart as his mother suffers from the condition. An estimated 600 guests were in attendance, and along with Napa there were several other sporting greats, and celebrities like Australia's Next Top Model contestant Vitoria Triboni. Fortunately Nap’s injury does not seem to be serious and the NRL player shouldn’t be affected long term. 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After coming from a goal behind, the hosts played a sensational game pipping the New Zealand team in the dying moments of the game to snatch victory, effectively ending Auckland’s goal of a World Cup final. The home crowd in Yokohama were in great spirits from kick off as their team enjoyed the lion’s share of the possession in the first half. Despite their relentless pressure, it was the New Zealand side that got the first chance on the 17-minute mark. Ryan De Vries delivered a magnificent cross from the left of the field to find Joao Moreina who flicked it on to Emiliano Tade for a chance at goal. But it was not to be as the Argentinian’s powerful low strike was expertly saved by the veteran Japanese goalkeeper, Hitoshi Sogahata. The first half ended with both sides goalless. In the second half, Auckland City FC drew first blood when Dae Wook Kim rose above the rest to header home a beauty of a free-kick by Emiliano Tade just four minutes into the second half. After suffering through a goalless first half, the fans were treated to even more action Seventeen minutes later. This time is was the Antler’s, Shuhei Akasaki who slotted home the equaliser bringing the crowd to their feet. A Late Goal to Seal the Deal It was just four days earlier, that Kashima downed the mighty Urawa Reds in the J. League final. However, their performance on the pitch was less than exemplary, conceding 19 fouls across the match. When the game was looking as if it was destined for extra-time, Kashima created the perfect opportunity with Mu Kanazaki grabbing a late winner from close range to seal the deal. Aside from the score line, the 100th World Club Fixture proved to be an important event in the history of a FIFA match. It was the first time where video assistance was used to support referees with crucial match-changing decisions made in real time. After winning the match against Auckland City FC, the Kashima Antlers went on to face tournament newcomers Mamelodi Sundowns from South Africa in Osaka. The Japanese team again showed off their considerable talent, drumming the Pretoria side 2-0 in an excellent display of skill and determination. 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The Black Caps suffered a comprehensive 3-0 thrashing at the hands of the Aussies, grudgingly giving up the silverware that had been warming the shelves in New Zealand for some time. Unlike the first two games in the series, where the bowlers let the side down, the loss of the final game was solely due to the poor batting performance. Openers Tom Latham and Martin Guptill did a reasonable job of providing some support at the start of the innings. With the help of the captain Kane Williamson in at number three, New Zealand racked up 74 runs for the loss of one wicket before the wheels came off and the game came crashing in around them. Chasing a reasonable target of 265 for victory, the New Zealand side utterly collapsed in front of the 20 000 odd spectators who looked on in utter horror. After the loss of the second wicket, a total of seven wickets fell for a meagre 52 runs in only 87 balls. By this time the game was up and Australia claimed the win by a massive 117 runs. The whole of the New Zealand innings only lasted a paltry 36 overs. So where did it go wrong? It all started so well with Latham striking the ball well, finding the gaps before giving away his wicket with a soft catch behind. Williamson was little help, given LBW after a referred decision that showed the ball tracker striking leg stump. When Guptill clobbered the ball from a gentle Travis Head spin, it was clear that New Zealand were resorting to desperate measures. A Yorker from Mitchell Starc swept past Henry Nicholls, slamming into his leg stump, meanwhile BJ Watling walked away with another LBW. Colin de Grandhomme tried his luck, slapping a massive six down the ground before being caught by head at deep square leg. The end came with a predictable and sombre performance from the tail enders. Too much damage was done higher up the order despite the run rate being on target. Steve Smith finished off the match with a spectacular one-handed catch to finish off the series. --- > After being ranked 8th in the standings, a strong performance at the Cape Town Sevens series has put New Zealand back on track with a bronze medal. - Published: 2016-12-13 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/sevens-rugby-series-roundup/ Cape Town Sevens Series Roundup Before heading into the Cape Town Leg of the HSBC Sevens World Series, the New Zealand team were languishing in 8th position on the Sevens World Series standings. The standings put New Zealand in a category amongst some seriously competitive teams including Kenya ranked 12th, Argentina ranked 11th and Samoa ranked 10th. However, this still puts them lower that many teams who are usually not at the top of the order including France ranked 7th, Scotland ranked 6th and Wales ranked 4th. Historically, the New Zealand team has been slow starters for the December tournaments. This is mainly due to the lack of preparation going into the tournaments late in the year. The union generally forgoes any lead-up tournaments, making it difficult for the team to get into their stride straight off the bat. While the Dubai leg caused some concerns for the team, it was the 40-0 whitewash at the hands of the South Africans that hurt them the most. Bronze for New Zealand The South African team went on to win the Cup from Fiji in the final in Dubai. In Cape Town, the New Zealand side regained some of their former composer to work their way to bronze medal, being narrowly defeated by the Blitzbokke in the semis. After opening the scoring against the South Africans, it was looking good for the New Zealand side. However, a quick try in the first half followed up by a blazing second try in the second half sealed the deal for the dynamic South African team. New Zealand then went on to play Scotland for the bronze medal where they displayed true courage and skill up until the final dying moments of the game. With the scores locked at injury time, it was New Zealand that pulled it out of the bag, claiming the final try and the bronze medal at the same time. The final also proved to be an exciting affair as England took on hometown favourites, South Africa in another nail-biter. It was one of the closest matches in Cape Town with England just pipping the mighty Blitzbokke at the end by two points. The final score was 19 points to 17 with England taking the Gold, and South Africa settling for the Silver. New Zealand redeemed their previous performances to take bronze while Scotland had to settle for fourth place. 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New Zealand also made history, as it was the first time the country had been host to a world heavy weight title fight. Parker took on Mexican Andy Ruiz Jnr. in Vector Arena in front 10,000 boxing fans, and there were plenty of prominent names in the stand to witness the occasion. Outgoing Prime Minister John Key and incoming PM Bill English watched the fight, as did politicians such as Winston Peters, Su’a William Sio and Judith Collins. Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, an avid boxing fan and huge supporter of the sport was a guest of honour, as his country had a hand in sponsoring the fight. There were also plenty of sporting greats in attendance, and current All Black selector and World Cup winner Grant Fox, Sir Graham Henry and Manu Vatuvei were also spotted. Parkers Night The night kicked off to a great start for Parker’s camp, as his younger brother John won his first undercard fight in a unanimous points decision, setting the stage for his brothers victory. John beat Ash McConville in every single one of his four rounds, sending the Christchurch native packing. Big brother Joseph kept an eye on John and watched his fight from the ringside, swapping places later to take on Luiz to claim the WBO title. A Historic Event Fight promoter Dean Lonergan was thrilled with the way the event had played out, and said that the Auckland venue was just 120 people short of being completely sold out. He said that it was an historic day for New Zealand and for boxing, and that having Parker win was just the cherry on top. For Lonergan being able to host a heavy weight title on home ground was one thing, but to have a local boxer win was, in his words, enough to put him in a state of rapture! Tickets for the event were hot property and the fight was screened on pay-per-view. Sports books also cashed in hugely on the event with some massive wagers on Parker to win being placed. Both fighters were considered in with a chance, and punters seemed very split on who would end up the winner. Those who wagered on Parker to win would have had a very good Sunday! As World Heavyweight Champion Parker looks set for an interesting 2017, and New Zealand boxing has certainly been given a boost. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The New Zealand Rugby Sevens won bronze in Cape Town, and were beaten by the Scots. The game was tense, the action exciting and the results well deserved. - Published: 2016-12-12 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/kiwis-win-bronze-rugby-sevens/ NZ Takes Bronze in Rugby Sevens After a rather spirited tournament played in South Africa, the New Zealand Sevens rugby team took home the bronze. In a tense match that had the crowd on their feet for stretches at a time, the Kiwi team narrowly lost out on a semi final to South Africa, before beating Scotland to claim the bronze. An injury time try helped New Zealand to a dramatic 24-19 win over the Scots. However it was their impressive performance against South Africa in their earlier match that really helped the team restore some of the credibility they seemed to have lost in their series in Dubai. Sadly though, the Blitz Boks proved to be just too much for them and they came unstuck, losing 14-7, despite gaining an early lead thanks to a try by Sherwin Showers. A Day of Drama South Africa’s victory against the Kiwi’s on home soil wasn’t unexpected, and it seems that the Blitz Boks are far superior to the Springbok national team that’s become a bit beleaguered in recent times. New Zealand placing third was by no means the end to the day’s drama, as the English team who had hammered New Zealand in the pool stages upset the home team by snatching the final from them 19-17! England had been in the lead at half time and even after South Africa had managed to level up to a 12-12 score after the beginning of the second half, they just couldn’t close the deal. A try by Ruaridh McConnochie and a conversion by Tom Mitchell pushed England to their 19-12 lead, and the Blitz Boks simply couldn’t catch up. This was despite South Africa scoring what may have been the equaliser in the last minute, but they just missed the conversion, leaving them minus the top place title. Kiwis Pull Out the Stops To secure their bronze place, New Zealand had to pull out all the stops. The Scots started off with a feisty try by Dougie Fife and in retaliation, Kiwi Dylan Collier scored to even out the score at 7 all. Scotland seared ahead with another try by George Horne but the Kiwis again responded with converted try, putting the half time score at 14-12. After half time the action got even more intense and New Zealand was ahead at 19-12, before Scotland roared in from behind and let Ruru seal a victory, right at the last minute. 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The fundraiser was organised by a legacy trust after failing to raise sufficient funds in New Zealand to supports Lomu’s two sons Dhyreille and Brayley. The former All Black rugby legend died a year ago at just 40 years of age after struggling with nagging health issues and a severe kidney condition. After his death, it emerged that the ruby star was in dire straits financially with almost no money to his name. It was reported that he was continually leaning on friends and local supporters to carry him through each month. After his death, many supporter including two former All Blacks set up a legacy trust to help support his children. The dinner held in London was a sweeping success for the trust, raising a significant amount of money for the children’s future. The black-tie event attracted a star-studded attendance of some of the biggest names in international rugby. Showing their support for the legendary All Black, players continued to pour into the event including Martin Johnson, Michael Lynagh, Zinzan Brooke, Justin Marshall as well as a good number of players from the England National Team. Trust to Establish Corpus for Lomu’s Children Speaking to the press, David Jones, one of the trustees, hoped the dinner would establish a good base for the trust. He said the aim was to establish a corpus, which is a term to describe funds that are used to generate interest. He explained that the trust failed to generate the desired funds in New Zealand, which triggered the idea to hold an event in London. The idea is to continue to hold specialised events to create a corpus that will be sufficient enough to carry Lomu’s children right through to adulthood. The dinner held in London was marketed with promotional material stating that it was to celebrate the life and career of Jonah Lomu and help raise funds for his two children. Aside from ticket sales, funds were raised by auctioning off memorabilia gifted to the trust. This included Jonah Lomu’s 1995 World Cup squad cap as well as his 50th Test Jersey. 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The dynamic 17-year-old is only in his first year participating in the elite ranks but has already represented his country in cycling world cup events in the Netherlands and Scotland. Karl Watson, Knipe’s coach is based in Invercargill and is helping Bradly prepare for championships both on and off the bike. Watson has a more holistic approach to coaching. He has said that the pair had been looking at ways to improve Bradly’s performance as well as ways to improve him as a person off the bike. This includes training and time management skills. Speaking about the time management training, Watson said they have a press up policy. If Knipe is not 10 minutes early for an appointment, the track star will have to do 10 press ups. If he is on time his coach will do the press ups instead. Holistic Coaching Approach Apparently the policy has been benefitting both parties with the coach getting extra fit and Knipe becoming more and more punctual. In terms of New Zealand cycling, the dynamic trio of Simon Van Velthooven, Bradly Knipe and Zac Williams took 10th place in Glasgow and 12th in Apeldoorn but failed to qualify for the first round. Despite having low placings, the team clocked up some impressive times with rides between 45. 047 and 45. 469 seconds. Knipe managed to record the second best time in the final leg in the Scotland meet. He also managed to set the fastest times in the Netherlands. Knipe entered the individual sprint in Apeldoorn qualifying in number 27 for the first round. To add to his accomplishments, the junior track cycling world champ gold medallist has represented his country at multiple events overseas. Knipe will start out competing in the sprint events in the Oceania Champs. According to his coach, going from under-19 to the elite class is a major jump and will certainly be a test for the young rider. The Oceania Track Cycling Championships will take place in Melbourne from December the 7th and run through to December the 10th. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Both Rob Quiney and former skipper Darren Berry have spoken out against teammate Glenn Maxwell following his publicized dig at skipper Mathew Wade. - Published: 2016-12-10 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/rob-quiney-speaks-glenn-maxwell/ Players Speak Out Against Glenn Maxwell Glenn Maxwell has been in the news recently after publicly criticising Bushrangers skipper Matthew Wade. In response, teammate Rob Quiney as well as former skipper Darren Berry have slammed the all-rounder with comments of their own. Maxwell originally spoke out when skipper Mathew Wade failed to put him higher up the batting order despite recent performances. Speaking to the press, Maxwell said that he was completely perplexed as to why he was batting behind Wade this season after averaging an impressive 56 run rate in the 2015/16 season. Maxwell stated that it is a bit painful batting lower down the order. He continued saying that batting below the wicketkeeper would exacerbate the feeling. His view is that the wicket keeper should bet batting at number 7 unless the captain is trying to squeeze one extra bowler into the starting line-up. When he was asked why he thought the captain put himself at number 5 and Maxwell at number 6, his reply was that as captain, you can choose the batting order. Maxwell’s Attitude Deemed Selfish As a result of the interview, teammate Rob Quiney had a few words to say himself. Quiney said that Maxwell’s attitude towards the placement was probably not the best. Quiney went on to say that Maxwell needs to put some runs on the board. Victoria is doing exceedingly well but Maxwell is failing to stand out above the rest. According to Quiney, Maxwell batted 6, 6, 5, 3 and 4 which and doesn’t really know what Maxwell is on about. To add to this, former skipper Darren Berry said that Maxwell’s attitude was selfish and not within the overall wellbeing of the team. Speaking to the press, Quiney said that it is good that Maxwell is honest about his feelings but it is probably not the best attitude to have at the moment. When quizzed, Peter Handcomb has more information on the team saying that the overall goal was to go out and win games for Victoria. He said that captaincy is putting out the order they think will achieve the goal. Meanwhile Darren Berry was critical of Maxwell’s performance lately. The all-rounder scored a high of 81 runs followed by 10, then 3, 6 and 29 in the Sheffield Shield season. He feels Maxwell has missed the mark having a selfish attitude in a team sport. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Although the Black Caps generally do not fare well against Australia on that team’s home ground, they remain hopeful. Opener Tom Latham remains confident. - Published: 2016-12-09 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/black-caps-hopeful-odi-win/ Australia an Unlucky Setting for Black Caps Cricket Matches It is very easy to guess which subject has been avoided like the plague in New Zealand this week –the last time they faced Australia in a One Day International on this side of the Tasman... No surprises here. The World Cup final which took place in Melbourne last year March went very badly for New Zealand, but they went on to beat Australia with a final score of 2 – 1 and remain the keepers of the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy after this, and, obviously, they are hoping their winning streak will continue. Seven years have passed since New Zealand last played against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, and they didn’t win then either, in spite of a fine century from Grant Elliott. Thanks to the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy win, however, their frame of mind come tomorrow’s rematch will be a positive one, and perhaps the winds of change will blow another defeat away. Tom Latham, opener, has said that this game is an important one in their ODI calendar, and that the team was definitely looking forward to the match. Turmoil for Australian Team Recently The world of Australian cricket has been somewhat in turmoil recently, with their Test team turned upside down and the team coming off a 5 – 0 series defeat in South Africa. Yet they are still the number one team in the world as far as this form is concerned, and remain two places above the Black Caps. The Australian team is settling in, and, thanks to the fact that Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc have been added, with the latter famous for his devastating bursts, and the former renowned for his speed, albeit somewhat slowed after another injury layoff, there is hope on the horizon. Latham has stated that he is positive that “they will be looking to right... wrongs, and play... good cricket”, and reiterated that his team are more than aware of how well the Australians generally fare in games which are played “in their own backyard”. He went on to say, however, that the NZ team are able to “adapt to the surface”, and that this factor, along with all the other strengths the Black Caps bring to the field, will give them a fighting chance. Lockie Ferguson, the newest quick-bowling hope for the Black Caps, managed to whistle a number of balls past his captain Kane Williamson in the nets in Sydney yesterday. Latham also faced him, and confirmed that his balls were coming “pretty quickly”. 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Simon Hill, based in Australia and widely held to be one of the world’s leading experts on matters concerning the A-League, has hinted at the possibility of further fighting behind the closed doors of the franchise in his Fox Sports weekly column. He even suggests that Wellington Phoenix FC may be risking their license to play in the Australian clash. Merrick’s Resignation was Accepted the Second Time Round Simon says that although the 2 – 0 loss Wellington Phoenix endured on Sunday to Adelaide United resulted in coach Ernie Merrick’s resignation, Merrick had, in fact, previously offered to leave after their 6 – 1 loss to Melbourne Victory in October. The board convinced Merrick to carry on then, Hill goes on to say, but clearly did not extend the same entreaties this time round. Hill has postulated that Merrick “jumped before he was pushed”, and there are many who agree with him. Off-Field Issues are Disrupting the Westpac Stadium Hill asserts that there are additional, off-field problems that are causing the disturbance that Westpac Stadium is undergoing. Wellington’s recent earthquake is widely believed to have frightened more than a few players’ wives, and one has already fled the country. How does the old saying go? “Unhappy wife, unhappy life”? Additionally, Merrick and Roly Bonevacia’s relationship is believed to have seriously soured over the past few weeks, and this player has yet to register one goal this season... Most worryingly, Hill writes, Damocles’ sword seems to unendingly swing over the idea of the club’s continued participation in the A-League games. It is a short ten months since the Football Federation of Australia agreed to a structured license extension, and this depended on the Welnix Group’s fulfilling certain key performance indicators, or KPIs, at frequent, regular intervals. In the discussions that led up to the agreement, Chief Executive Officer for the Football Federation of Australia actually stated that Wellington Phoenix Football Club would not be allowed to “squat on a licence”, and he outlined a number of key metrics that needed improvements, with these including crowds; television ratings; and memberships. Just less than one year later, the Wellington Phoenix Football Club is averaging 7,744: the second lowest total in the competition, having hosted the leagues two top clubs, the Sydney Football Club and Melbourne City; in addition to the Newcastle Jets. Their membership numbers are the league’s lowest, at just 4 953, and Nathan Godfrey, Head of Commercial, recently departed in order to follow a rugby opportunity. 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Weightlifting; archery and athletics were the order of the first day, and the Chief Executive Officer for Samoa’s Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee, Fa'amausili Taiva Ah Young, stated that volleyball; hockey; and cricket were just a few of the other sports that were set to start off today. Young stated that boxing had regrettably been withdrawn from the competition late in the proceedings, and that basketball; swimming; and rugby union could not be incorporated due to their competing in a variety of both regional and international events taking place while the Samoa Games were on. He went on to state that there was hope that different national federations would get on board as the Games grew, in light of the fact that there are 38 Olympic sports currently registered with the SASNOC. He said that it was hoped that other national federations, which were also Olympic sports, would start being introduced to communities and schools. He mentioned fencing in particular, going on to say that “they are starting their tournament tomorrow ”, and that, as a new sport for Olympic participation in Samoa, the turnout for the march had been very encouraging. Young stated that for the last ten years there has been no Samoa Games, and that this was the reason for certain national federations currently not to be taking part. He said that as soon as next year, the games would swell from their current total of just 14 to a far more significant number. He added, however, that the majority of Olympic sport federations that had registered with SASNOC had strenuously been promoting sports in their particular communities. The Games will continue to play out in Upolu until Thursday, and there are 11 sports that have been registered in Savai’i, who is hosting their event next week. The Games will continue in Upolu until Thursday with 11 sports registered for Savai'i, which is hosting their event next week. Samoa’s Minister of Education; Sports and Culture, Loau Keneti Sio, is claiming to be the happiest man in all of Samoa. His delight was evident yesterday as he officially opened the Games, and he spoke in glowing terms of President Fepulea’i Patrick Fepulea’i. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > On the 5th of February 2017, the NFL will hold the biggest game of the season, the Super Bowl. For local punters, it offers huge betting opportunities - Published: 2016-12-09 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/details-2017-nfl-super-bowl/ Excitement Builds for the 2017 Super Bowl In New Zealand and all over the world, American football has become one of the biggest sports betting markets. Although the game is not played locally, it attracts millions of viewers and offers unique betting opportunities for local punters. In the world of NFL, the biggest game of the year is the grand finals, more commonly known as the Super Bowl. This global sporting event is a worldwide phenomenon, permeating the American culture and capturing the attention of the entire sporting world. So what exactly is the Super Bowl and how does it work? The Super Bowl is the name for the championship game of the National Football League or NFL. It is considered to be one of the most viewed single-day sporting events in the world. The origins of the Super Bowl date back to the early 1920’s. The game was first discussed as part of a merger agreement between the NFL and AFL. The two leagues champions would play a joint world championship game, which became the Super Bowl. Getting to the Finals In 1970, the two leagues merged with teams dividing into conferences. To win the Super Bowl, a team must survive a 16-game season to make it to the playoffs. The NFL consists of two conferences each with 16 teams, these being the AFC conference and the NFC conference. In each division, the winner automatically qualifies for the playoffs. The two non-division winners with the best record also get a chance to compete as wild card teams. There are four rounds in the NFL playoffs including the Wild Card round, the divisional playoff round, the conference championship round and finally the Super Bowl. In 2017, the Super Bowl will cap of the 2016 season. The 2017 Super Bowl finals will be held in Houston Texas on the 5th of February. While the venue is known, the teams have yet to qualify for the finals. In 2016, the Super Bowl finals saw the AFC champion Denver Broncos taking on the NFC champion the Carolina Panthers. The Broncos eventually went on to win the finals, defeating the Panthers 24 points to 10 to claim their third Super Bowl championship. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2017 Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day will be held on Saturday the 21st of January. It is considered to be one of New Zealand’s biggest races. - Published: 2016-12-09 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/wallaceville-estate-wellington-cup-day/ Anticipation Builds for the 2017 Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day In New Zealand, horse racing is certainly one of the biggest betting markets. For local punters, the locally based New Zealand and Australian races offer the perfect opportunity to place multiple bets right in their own back yard. For many racing enthusiasts, the Wellington Cup Carnival is the ideal opportunity to get in on the action. Held every year in January, the carnival encompasses a total of three racing days including the Wallaceville Classic (Super Saturday), the Wellington Cup day and finally the Interislander Summer Festival Family Day. While each race day offers a full racing lineup, it is the Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day that is the absolute highlight of the Carnival. In 2017, the Wellington Cup will be held on Saturday the 21st of January at Trentham Racecourse in Trentham. The race is considered to be the jewel in the crown of the Wellington Racing calendar. It is a race where the best horses in New Zealand compete for the country’s most prestigious racing trophy, the Wellington Cup. The Origins of the Wellington Cup The origins of the Wellington Cup date back to the late 1800’s. When it was first formed in 1854, the Wellington Racing Club was known as the Wellington Jockey Club. Under this name it ran the first Wellington Cup race in 1867. It wasn’t until 1879 when the name of the club changed to denote its status as one of Wellington’s premier racing clubs. The Wellington Cup race itself was run over a variety of distances ranging from 1. 5 miles up to 2 miles until 1974. In this year, the race converted to the metric system with a set distance of 3200 meters. In 2009, the Wellington Cup lost its Group 1 status. The Racing Club responded by immediately reducing the distance to 2400 meters in a bit to attract a higher quality field. Today the race is considered to be one of the most prestigious group 2 races in the country. The 2017 Wellington Cup will have a total purse of $250 000. There will be a total of 10 races of the day starting at 10am. The race day is also an event where both ladies and gentlemen dress up to impress. Fashion events are held on the day with prizes for best dressed. The racing day also offers live entertainment, and activities throughout the day. 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From there, there was no stopping the chestnut colt who gambled happily past every other horse he looked at, including winning the 2016 Sydney Autumn Carnival with a commanding win in the Gr1 3. 5 million dollar Longines Golden Slipper over 1200m at Rosehill. Trainer Peter Snowden said, that he was traveling like a winner a long way out, and put paid to the rest of the field in a few strides without being put under any real pressure. After the group one win at Rosehill, the colt was spelled for 75 days where he spent his time kicking up his heels in a green paddock and wolf whistling at mares. He came to work in fighting form, however, with three more wins at the end of 2015. Another freshener of 56 days did him good and resulted in another three placings. Three-Year-Old Season His three year old season started with a bang, with the colt running two firsts in soft going at Randwick. From here he looked to have all the making of an elite racehorse, set to take on the likes of Winx and Takedown. A fourth in Aug was because he was carrying a large amount of weight, which caused the colt to struggle a bit and be slightly off form. He spelled again for 49 days, coming back gamely with a win and a third at Randwick Injury Puts Capitalist in Time Out The big chestnut was then spelled by his trainers yet again, as they sensed something was not quite right with their star. He was aiming at the Darley Classic at the end of November, where he was set to take on the older horses and really make a name for himself. Sadly he pulled up lame after a training session, proving their suspicions correct. Capitalist had a bone chip in his near fore fetlock, a diagnosis that could spell doom for many a thoroughbred. The condition is operable, but there is a fifty-fifty chance as to whether the horse will ever run again. And with a champion such as Capitalist is would be unlikely that he would ever reach his top form again. Luckily for the colt, he is a colt, and so can go on to stud duties at Newgate Farm. We look forward to a crop of very promising horses from him. Stallion Prospect Capitalist looks to make a superb stallion prospect, most likely throwing his chestnut colour and deep girth to his foals. His sire, Written Tycoon, is by Try My Best via Ingleisa and Last Tyccon. Try My Best is by the most famous sire of all times, Northern Dancer. His dam has just as good a bloodline with her sire being a Mr Prospector baby via Fusiachi Pegasus. Other well-known sires in her line include the coveted Danehill Danzig line. Capitalist’s dam, Kitalpha, ran for three seasons herself. She had a mediocre racing career; with only one win very early, but consistently being in the top placings most of the rest of the time. A relative newcomer to the racing circuit but one that’s set to continue making waves, Capitalist is a horse to keep an eye on in 2017. TOP Online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Breakers are doing badly, as their game against the Taipans has proven. They are far too loose in possession, and are paying the price of sloppy play. - Published: 2016-12-08 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/taipans-beat-breakers-by-11-points/ The Breakers Have Dropped Their Second Straight The scorecard at the moment reads Taipans 91, Breakers 80. In a competition as tight as the 2016 Australian National Basketball League is this year, the Breakers can simply not afford to be as loose as they are in possession. For the second straight basketball game, turnovers doomed Henare’s side to an ugly defeat last night, with their best efforts seeing them fall short in an 11-point loss to the Taipans. One short week after handing over possession an incredible 22 times in the hiding they received against the Hawks, the Breakers proved to be just as careless with their time in Cairns: they ceded 20 turnovers, and allowed the opposition to profit from these miscues to the dismaying tune of a total of 20 points. Disappointingly, it was the Breakers’ most vital players who were the sloppiest, with Corey Webster and Kirk Penney managing to err on ten occasions, and prevent the visiting team’s offence players from ever being able to find their top form. The setback has resulted in the Breakers dropping to 6 – 6 for this season –the same amount of defeats as Adelaide, currently in last place, and only one more than the top-ranked Sydney. It has also resulted in the continuance of the striking current trend of equality in the Australian National Basketball League: Cairns’ triumph was the fifth game in a row in which the higher-ranked team was unable to emerge victorious over the lower-ranked squad. Breakers’ Defeat against the Taipans Proves Especially Galling The parity of the teams has led to an enormous boost in the health of the competition as a whole, but this is sadly not the case for the Breakers coach. Henare has both played and coached in Breakers teams that are built on the power of a good defence and successful rebounds, and this first abortive effort against the Taipans must have been especially difficult for him to swallow. Arriving on court with the second-to-worst defence in the entire league, the Breakers gave the appearance of being absolutely intent on giving the home side as much help as they needed in the first two quarters of the game. The Breakers were out-rebounded 20 – 12 in the first half of the game, and managed to cede a total of six offensive boards. This allowed for far too many second-chance points, and let Cairns lead by a total of 17. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Chad Robinson, former NRL forward, has simply vanished. Although clearly taking strain, his family is desperately searching for him, and refuses to give up hope. - Published: 2016-12-08 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nrl/chad-robinson-still-missing/ Former NRL Start Still Missing: Family Frantically Searching Tim Robinson says that the nights are the worst. They are spent in sleepless agony, and these hours are when his heartache becomes most unbearable. Wondering what Chad Robinson could be doing and where he may be is what is keeping the NRL player’s brother up, and every evening since last Saturday night, when Chad vanished without a trace, has been the same. Tim wishes he could just speak to him, even simply hear his voice, to make sure that he is “still here”. Chad Robinson’s family has refused to give up on the hope that they will be able to locate the 26-year old former Sydney Roosters and Parramatta forward who went on to play 159 matches for the NRL between the years 2000 and 2008. Chad was coached by Ricky Stuart; Michael Hagan; Brian Smith; and Jason Taylor, all NRL mentors, and was popularly known as a rugged, no-nonsense rugby player, famously rated by Craig Fitzgibbon, the former Test forward, in 2003 as the best forward the Roosters had ever had. These days, the devastated family have put all fond reminisces of Chad’s time spent with the NRL aside as they band together with the community in a desperate bid to find the missing man. Chad is now a father to two teenagers, Cooper and Kiara, and was last seen at 19h30 last Saturday night, leaving his home in Beaumont Hills in his silver-coloured Subaru Outback wearing only a pair of black shorts and a maroon t-shirt. He left without his phone; shoes or wallet and nothing has been heard from his since. Chad Struggled with the Transition from the Pro League As is the case with many former professional players, Chad reportedly found the shift from the world of professional league rugby very difficult, and he tried his hand at becoming a labourer before eventually starting work at a car-finance company. Tim Robinson has stated that he was never worried about any aspect of his brother’s welfare however, and has brushed off rumours that Chad was possibly struggling financially. Tim has stated that Chad was an intelligent man who always managed to make a success of whatever situation he found himself in. The biggest bafflement the family now faces is that no kind of argument or fight with anyone preceded his disappearance, and there is simply no explanation as to where or why he would have left as he did. 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It has been a very long time since the extraordinarily strong New Zealand team have faced any real apprehension as to whether or not they would return from a bout at Eden Park triumphantly, thanks to the fact that for 22 years now they have not lost a single one. Their consistent success at their chief test-match venue may well have resulted in an understandable level of complacency, but things could be set to change really soon... The Kiwi team, strong as they undoubtedly are, do, however, definitely have something to worry about. The Lions have stepped up, which is heartening news for spectators everywhere, and, with the Lions coaching team being announced tomorrow, with Steve Borthwick; Rob Howley; and Andy Farrell in the box seats, the squad selection looks promising. The series of matches that took place in the European autumn has revealed a number of serious contenders, from English wing Jonny May; to Irish prop Tadhg Furlong; and not forgetting Scottish centre Huw Jones, all of which would not have appeared on anybody’s list back in October. The All Blacks’ Achilles heel is possibly their second row duo, as was obvious when both of the team’s established incumbents, Sam Whitelock and Brodie Retallick, were injured when the match against the Irish in Chicago was set to take place. As far as the Lions are concerned, there are a number of very strong players to choose from as far as their second row forwards are concerned: Maro Itoje (despite the fact that he was not present for any of the autumn series games, his excellent reputation stands strong, and he would be a formidable figure in the second row were he chosen); George Kruis; Courtney Lawes (Lawes has been playing the best rugby he has ever played); and Joe Launchbury (who is also playing excellently) are all options, and these players are just the options from England! When you factor in the Scots, in the form of the Gray brothers; Alun Wyn Jones and his Welsh partner Luke Charteris; and the Irish players Devin Toner; Iain Henderson and Donnacha Ryan, it becomes clear just how deep the pool of first-rate players in the second row that the Lions have the luxury of choosing from is. 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Although someone at the game attempted resuscitation and 111 was immediately called, the “unexpected” heart attack on a very fit Eddy proved too much. Friend and fellow-referee Nigel Bradley met Graham Eddy on the job in Waiuku, and confirmed Eddy’s passion for refereeing and where he was heading with it. Bradley stated that Eddy definitely had ambitions as far as referring premier rugby on a regular basis was concerned, and that the heart attack was a totally unexpected tragedy to have befallen his friend. Bradley was responsible for bringing Graham Eddy’s wife through to the rugby grounds after the heart attack had occurred, adding that the woman was very distraught. Allie, Eddy’s wife, was given as much support as possible by the other referees present at the game. Bradley stated that Eddy was a pleasure to work with, and that his well-thought out opinions on the game matched his passion for it, and that the excellent conversations he had been lucky enough to share with Eddy would remain a very fond memory. His love of people and total commitment to whatever work lay in front of him were personality attributes that served him very well in his role as referee, and he was going to be greatly missed by all of those lucky enough to have come into contact with him. Graham Eddy met Allie in 1995, and their relationship had become an official one by April the next year. The loving pair went on to date for a total of eight years before taking the next step and getting married, and were reportedly as much in love as ever. A very physical man, Eddy enjoyed snowboarding, and would rise at 04h00 each season in order to hit the slopes by 8h30, before returning home to Auckland by 20h00. He had a number of hobbies besides rugby, and enjoyed rallying; landscaping; general DIY; mountain and road biking; and gardening, and was also a coffee aficionado. He will be remembered by his family as someone who conversed easily with anyone, loved nothing more than lending a hand to those in need, and among those tragically affected by his passing are his two daughters, Scarlett and Maddie. TOP Online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Tiger Killer Y.E. Yang will be returning to New Zealand for the Open in March next year. He spent time practicing here before he turned pro in 1996. - Published: 2016-12-08 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/golf/yang-yong-eun-yang-new-zealand-open/ Yang, Major Winner, Tees up the New Zealand Open Korean Yang Yong-eun, or Y. E. , Yang, the first male golfer born in Asia to win a Major golf tournament, will be playing at the ISPS Handa New Zealand Open taking place in Queenstown during March of 2017. Y. E. Yang, also known as “The Tiger Killer” thanks to his triumph over Tiger Woods during the US PGA Championship of 2009, will be competing at the New Zealand Open which is set to be played at the Millbrook Resort and The Hills from the 9th of March through to the 12th. Yang has enjoyed 11 wins during his career as a professional over the past 20 years, and has gone on to amass more than $15 million in prize money around the world thanks to his participation in the PGA; European; Japan Golf; and Asian Tours. In fact, his being involved in New Zealand’s 98th Open will be bringing his career full circle after Yang Yong-eun Yang first came through to this country for a number of years in order to hone his skills before he turned professional in the year 1996. Y. E. Yang has stated that he looks forward to returning to New Zealand before heading back to the European Tour in 2017, and that he will be mixing this in with some starts on his PGA Tour. He previously spent his time in New Zealand practicing in places like Auckland, Taupo; Christchurch and other places for around four years about 20 years ago. New Zealand Will be Well-Represented Too New Zealand professional golfers Michael Hendry and Ryan Fox have also been confirmed, and both players can be said to be coming off their best year of play. Fox, at 29 years old, has finally managed to gain his full playing card for the European Golf Tour after managing to finish fourth on the Challenge Tour, and included victory in the Northern Ireland Open on his way to European earnings of almost $300 000. Hendry, at 37 years of age, has also had an extraordinarily good season on the Japan Tour, and currently sits at 11th place on the rankings, with earnings of over $500 000 thanks to his six Top Ten finishes (including five in a row). Hendry sidestepped the last three events in order to pursue one of the two spots on the Australasian Order of Merit, and his hunt ended up being a successful one. 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On Tuesday Rob Morrison said that a shortlist had been drawn up, and that the club, currently placed at the bottom, will make a decision on who will step in at some point in the upcoming three weeks. Morrison went on to state that the club had been enjoying the unheard of luxury of an off-season when Ernie Merrick had been hired, and that this had allowed them the time and space to make a considered decision. That is not the case currently, and Morrison has said that a decision will need to be relatively quickly this time around. Rob Morrison says that Ernie Merrick’s resignation has not affected Wellington Phoenix’s ambitions for the season one iota, and that he had nothing but confidence in the team. He stated that the squad is a good one, although if they wanted to make the play-offs, there was still some work which needed to be done. Merrick stepped in to replace Ricki Herbert in May of 2013, after the coach, formerly filling this position for the All Whites, left the position vacant with five matches of 2012’s season still to be played. Chris Greenacre, assistant coach and former striker for Wellington Phoenix, took over in Herbert’s absence, and will now fulfil a comparable role with goalkeeping coach Des Buckingham until another appointment has been made. Wellington Phoenix is set to play the Central Coast Mariners in Hamilton on Saturday, and the Western Sydney Wanderers one week later, in Auckland. Morrison has sad that “Des and Greenie are taking charge” for the upcoming week, and may possibly need to do so for another week after that as well. He added that they wanted to see how well things went, since this was very obviously an important part of the equation, but that “in the end it will be a quick decision”. Greenacre turned questions regarding his own ambitions for the job of head coach aside, and stated that his interest was limited at this point in time to what lay ahead over the weekend. He added that all efforts were needed for the Central Coast Mariners match, and that it was impossible to look at anything beyond that for the moment. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Batch’s good friend Merrick announced Batch’s resignation for him at a press conference dealing with his own departure. Batch is headed for Australia. - Published: 2016-12-08 - Modified: 2025-06-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/hockey/black-stitch-coach-resigns/ Colin Batch is Men’s Black Sticks Coach No More Colin Batch is no longer the Men’s Black Stick Coach after quitting the role, says Hockey New Zealand this Tuesday afternoon. The announcement has come after former coach for the Wellington Phoenix Football Club, and Batch’s good friend, Ernie Merrick let this cat out of its bag earlier that day as he was making his last-ever Phoenix press conference. Merrick Looking Decidedly Relaxed as He Announced Resignations Merrick, who looked surprisingly unperturbed at the press conference announcing his decision to part ways with Wellington Phoenix Football Club, reportedly said that it was a coincidence that “two or three of these positions” were changing at the same time, and that Batch had communicated with him by means of a text message. He stated that the message from Batch had informed him that Batch was resigning as well, and although Hockey New Zealand was unable to confirm where it was that Batch would be heading Merrick, in his role as the gift that just keeps right on giving, filled in all the gaps. Merrick Provides Unconfirmed Details on Batch’s Move Merrick stated that he believed that Colin Batch would probably be taking over the position of Australia’s coach, but acknowledged that he may have “spoken out of tongue”. He wondered aloud whether or not Batch’s leaving was “common knowledge” yet, and posited that his resignation may not yet have been officially submitted. Hockey New Zealand has stated that Batch’s resignation was, in fact, tendered so that he would be able to return to his native Australia. Terry Evans, Director of High Performance, said that it was accepted as fact that the decision had been a difficult one for Colin to make, but that eight years away from his family in Australia was too long for Batch. Hockey Australia’s announcement of the appointment is expected at 19h00 NZ time. Batch’s Move Makes Sense The move is an understandable one when one considers that the Kookaburras have currently only got an interim Head Coach, thanks to Graham Reid’s stepping down from the role when the 2016 Rio Olympics drew to a close. Batch, who was born in Melbourne, was also once an Australian hockey representative. In other news, Mark Hager, Coach for the Women’s Black Sticks, has just signed an extension to his contract with New Zealand Hockey that will be in place until the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020. 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Elliott has stated that it was something that he had been ruminating on for some time, and that the country’s below-target performance at the Rio Olympics formed part of the reason for his decision. Elliott went on to say that although an exit directly after the Olympics would have made sense, he did not feel that the timing was quite right, especially considering that he had been the programme’s head for the preceding nine years. He explained that he wanted to ensure that none of the momentum the programme was enjoying at that point would be dispersed by his departure, and that overseeing detailed reviews of all of the campaign’s aspects could now be submitted to New Zealand’s High Performance Sport. Elliott’s Enormous Contribution to New Zealand Cycling High Performance Since Mark Elliott has been in the position of director of the High Performance programme, New Zealand has managed to win a total of eight World Championship titles on the track and road; set up Pathway Partnerships for younger riders; begun a High Performance Programme for BMX riders; provided key support for World Championship mountain bikers; and, most recently, established the Regional Hub Development Programme as well. Andrew Matheson, Cycling New Zealand’s Chief Executive, praised Mark Elliott for his wonderful contribution to the sport as a whole, stating that Elliott had been a guiding hand in setting up a High Performance Programme of a world-class standard, achieving this feat almost single-handedly. Matheson went on to say that Elliott’s unique knowledge of High Performance sports thanks to his experience with it as a former athlete; coach; medical professional; and administrator, his contributions to the sport as a whole were particularly valuable. Matheson was hopeful that wherever Elliott ends up turning, it is not away from the world of sporting in New Zealand, as that loss would be an immeasurable one. Matheson said that the reasons behind his leaving were understood, and that the organisation would dedicate itself to learning from the mistakes made at the Rio Olympics, and make use of these to have a second look at the structure and direction that High Performance sport was taking in order to take the Tokyo medals when these became available. 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The 29-year old player was born in Auckland, New Zealand, in 1987, and turned pro in 2012. Ryan Fox finished in a tie for fourth place at the Australian Open, and shot a three-under-par round of 69, continuing his excellent form and thus moving to eight-under for the tournament, which he now shares with Adam Scott, the Australian player currently ranked as the seventh best in the world. The leader of the Australian PGA is Australian Andrew Dodt, who is four shots ahead of Fox and two shots in front of fellow-Australian Ashley Hall, with the latter standing at ten-under-par. Danny Lee’s very poor back nine saw him slip down the leaderboard, and dashed his hopes of joining Fox at the top. Lee’s three straight birdies put him at six-under for the Australian PGA and it looked likely that he would finish inside the Top Ten, but his double-bogey, followed by two late dropped shots, meant that Lee carded a one-over 73 to finish at two-under for the competition and in a share of 21st position. Mark Brown; Ben Campbell; Michael Long; Josh Geary; and Martin Pettigrew, all New Zealand players, are not likely to make the cut, while Harry Bateman is one shot shy of the projected one-over-par cut line, with four holes left to play. The Australian PGA Championship golf tournament dates back to 1905 and the winner of the competition will receive the Joe Kirkwood Cup. The trophy is named after Australian Joe Kirkwood Senior, and it has been held in the South East Queensland region since the year 2000. Since the year 2007, the Official World Golf Rankings have awarded a minimum of 20 points to golfers who manage to win the Australian PGA Championship, with some editions featuring top-ranked players that increased these ranking points to a total of 34 in the year 2011; 32 in 2007; and 26 in both 2008 and 2009. The 2015 edition of the Australian PGA Championship was co-sanctioned by the European Tour, the course measuring 6 746 meters. TOP online betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2017 ASB Classic Auckland Open tennis tournament will take place from the 2nd to the 14th of January 2017. We take a look at the final field. - Published: 2016-12-07 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/2017-asb-classic-auckland-tennis-tournament/ The 2017 ASB Classic Auckland Open is Just Around the Corner The ATP Auckland open (ASB Classic) is an ATP and WTA tennis tournament sponsored by ASB. In 2017, the ATB Classic will take place in Auckland at the ASB Tennis Centre. The Woman’s event is classed as an international level tournament and will kick off on the 2nd of January and run through to the 7th. The men’s tournament is a 250 level event, which will start two days later on the 9th of January and run to the 14th. All the matches are played on hard courts at the ASB centre itself. The history of the ASB Classic dates back to the 1950’s. After a successful run of smaller tournaments, in 1956, the Auckland tennis association hosted its very first international tournament called the Auckland Championship. Up until 1981, the tournament was a joint event with both men and woman taking part. Between 1979 and 1989, the tournament was actually part of the Grand Prix Circuit. 34 years after splitting, the WTA and ATP tournaments merged again in 2016 with both competitions held under one banner. An Incredibly Strong 2017 Field Recently, the 2017 field was announced for both the woman’s and the men’s tournament. It turns out that the upcoming tournament will have one of the strongest fields ever seen. The woman’s draw includes four former world number ones including the Williams sisters as well as Caroline Wozniacki and Ana Ivanovic. In the men’s competition, American Jack Sock joins field, coming from some impressive wins including the unprecedented upset of World Number 6 Milos Raonic at the Shanghai Rolex Masters. The 2017 men’s field includes: Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) World Ranking 14 John Isner (USA) World Ranking 19 David Ferrer (ESP) World Ranking 21 Jack Sock (USA) World Ranking 23 Albert Ramos-Viñolas (ESP) World Ranking 27 Feliciano López (ESP) World Ranking 28 Steve Johnson (USA) World Ranking 33 Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) World Ranking 36 The 2017 woman’s field includes: Serena Williams (USA) World Ranking 2 Venus Williams (USA) World Ranking 17 Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) World Ranking 19 Barbora Strýcová (CZE) World Ranking 20 Kiki Bertens (NED) World Ranking 22 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) World Ranking 27 Sloane Stephens (USA) World Ranking 35 Jeļena Ostapenko (LAT) World Ranking 44 TOP Online Betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2017 Australian Open will get under way on the 16th of January. The competition offers two weeks of tennis action and huge betting opportunities. - Published: 2016-12-07 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/2017-australian-open-tennis-tournament/ Warming Up for the 2017 Australian Open In New Zealand, online tennis betting is certainly one of the most popular betting markets. When it comes to international tennis, the Grand Slam tournaments offer the perfect opportunity to place multiple bets on individual matches and as well as tournament bets. In 2017, the first Grand Slam to open the season is the Australian Open. Each year, the Australian Open showcases the world’s best players and gives punters and sports fans and good indicator of how each player is fairing at the start of the season. The origins of the Australian Open date back to the early 1900’s. The first official tournament was organised by the Lawn Tennis Association of Australia. The tournament was held in 1905 and called the Australasian Championships. By 1927, the name had changed to the Australian Championships and in 1969 it changed again to its current name the Australian Open. In the early days of the competition, the tournament was staged in many cities in Australia and New Zealand including Christchurch, Hastings, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth. Since 1905, the tournament has been staged in various cities around Australia and New Zealand including Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Christchurch and Hastings. In 1972, the decision was made to move the tournament to a more permanent home in Melbourne in order to attract the more visitors. Today, the Australian Open is one of the most popular tennis tournaments in the country. The Grand Slam attracts thousands of visitors each day, the second highest next to the US Open. A Strong Field for 2017 The 2017 Australian Open will take place from the 16th to the 19th of January at Melbourne Park. The tournament consists of several events including singles, doubles and mixed doubles in the men’s and woman’s division. The upcoming tournament includes a particularly strong field and promises to be one of the most exciting tournaments to date. The venue includes three show courts namely the Hisense Arena, the Margret Court Arena and the Rod Laver Arena where play can continue rain or shine. In 2016, the Australian open was filled with action and drama with some of the best players toppling at the early stages of the competition. In the men’s division it was Novak Djokovic who defeated Andy Murry to pick up a record equalling sixth title. In the woman’s division, Germany’s Angelique Kerber successfully defeated the unfaultable Serena Williams to claim the woman’s singles title. 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This prestigious tennis tournament forms part of the men’s ATP 250 series world tour as well as an international tournament as part of the Woman’s Tennis Association. The 2017 Brisbane International will take place at the Queensland Tennis Centre in Brisbane from the 1st to the 8th of January 2017. The Origins of the Brisbane International The Brisbane International is the first major tournament of 2017, opening the gates for the first Grand Slam tournament of the year, the Australian Open. The origins of the tournament date back to the 1970’s when the original Grand Prix tennis circuit was formed in 1970. The World Championship circuit decided to feature an event in Queensland to develop a tennis season around the famous Australian Open. The first edition of the men’s event was played on outdoor grass courts before undergoing a surface change in the 1980’s. In 2006, it was decided to merge the Adelaide International and the Mondial Australian Woman’s tournament into a large ATP and WTA joint tournament in Brisbane. The first joint Brisbane International took place in January 2009. By 2012, it had been promoted to a premier event on the WTA tour. In 2016, Milos Raonic defeated Roger Federer in the final to claim the title. In the woman’s event, Victoria Azarenka defeated Angelique Kerber 6-3, 6-1 to claim the 2016 woman’ title. The 2017 Field The 2017 Brisbane International will include a total of six Grand Slam champions to headline the competition. For the first time, five of the world’s top ten men and Woman will compete for a place in the finals. The Superstar line-up will include the likes of Rafael Nadal, Stan Warwinka, Angelique Kerber and Gabrine Muguruza. The field for the men’s tournament includes: Milos Raonic Stan Wawrinka Kei Nishikori Dominic Thiem Rafael Nadal Lucas Pouille David Ferrer Gilles Simon Grigor Dimitrov Bernard Tomic Viktor Troicki Sam Querrey Steve Johnson Nicolas Mahut Gilles Muller Kyle Edmund Mischa Zverev Diego Schwartzman Stephane Robert Alexandr Dolgopolov Kevin Anderson The field for the woman’s competition includes: Angelique Kerber Garbiñe Muguruza Svetlana Kuznetsova Carla Suarez Navarro Elina Svitolina Elena Vesnina Roberta Vinci Sam Stosur Zhang Shuai Daria Kasatkina Irina-Camelia Begu Ekaterina Makarova Laura Siegemund Monica Puig Yulia Putintseva Misaki Doi Alize Cornet Christina McHale Eugenie Bouchard Sara Errani TOP Online Betting CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The 2017 Toyota AFL Premiership season kicks off on the 23rd of March 2017. We take a look at some of the fixtures and local news for the upcoming season. - Published: 2016-12-07 - Modified: 2025-06-27 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/afl/2017-afl-toyota-premiership-news-fixtures/ The 2017 Toyota AFL Premiership Looks Set to Thrill In New Zealand and Australia, the AFL is undeniably one of the most popular sports for local punters and sports fans. The AFL provides punters with ample opportunities to place online bets throughout the year. With the 2016 season firmly behind us, we take a look at the 2017 Toyota AFL premiership and what is has in store for us. The Australian Football League or AFL is the most distinguished professional Australian rules football competition in the world. The league was originally founded as the Victorian Football League playing its first season way back in 1897. The first VFL season comprised of teams based in the state of Victoria. The name was subsequently changed to the Australian Football League in 1990 when the competition expanded to include the rest of the Australian state throughout the 1980’s. The AFL consists of a total of 18 teams spread over five of Australia’s six states. Tasmania is the only state without representation. Matches are played in all of the mainland Australian territories as well as New Zealand. What to Expect The 2017 Toyota AFL Premiership will be headed up by the pre-season competition before getting under way on the 23rd of March. The Premiership itself consist of a 23-round home and away season which runs from March through to September each year. The top eight teams in the competition will then go through to play in the four-round finals. The top two teams in the playoffs then compete for the Premiership Cup for 2017 known as the Toyota AFL Finals. In 2016, the grand final was played on Saturday the 1st of October between the Western Bulldogs and the Sydney Swans. The Bulldogs went on to win the cup, defeating the Swans by 22 points. The win was only their second in 62 years, breaking the longest drought in AFL history. At the end of the 2016 season, Patrick Dangerfield picked up the Brownlow Medal best player in the league with Josh Kennedy winning the Coleman Medal as the highest goal soccer in the competition. The 2017 AFL premiership will kick off on Thursday the 23rd of March with Carton taking Richmond at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The first bye round will take place on the 1st of September between the top eight teams with the qualifying finals staring on the 7th of September. The Final will take place on the 30th of September capping off the season. 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The three-day racing event will open on Saturday the 14th with Super Saturday, one of the best racing days in the country. The day will consist of nine races in total with three “Black Type” races held at the Trentham Racecourse. Super Saturday Day 1 is all about the racing with a top-class racing program that is headlined by the Group 1 Randwick Meats Levin Classic, the Group 3 Mills Reef Winery Trentham Stakes and the Group 3 Tui- Backing Handicap. The second race day will take place on the 21st of January which is the much anticipated Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup Day. The Wellington Cup is one of standout days of the carnival and is considered to be one of the best racing days in the New Zealand calendar. Wellington Cup The Wellington Cup day showcases some of New Zealand’s best sprinters, making for an action packed day on and off the field. The Cup has been run each year since its inception in 1873. It is run over a distance of 3200 meters, severely testing the stamina of the leading stayers. In total 10 races will be held on the day including the group 1 J & N Berkett Telegraph, New Zealand’s richest open sprint race. In 2016, the 3200m Wellington Cup race was won by Mister Impatience with jockey Sam Spratt in the saddle and trained by Michael Moroney & Chad Ormsby. Interislander Summer Festival The Carnival will end off on Saturday the 28th of January with the Interislander Summer Festival. This family fun day is a treat for the whole family with lots of entertainment for children and adults. The day will also include a total of 9 races headlined by the Group 1 Harcourts Thorndon Mile as well as the Group 3 Wellfield Desert Gold Stakes. With three full days of racing action, the 2017 Wellington Cup Carnival is certainly one of the highlights of the racing calendar and a big drawcard for local and international punters. 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Dagg players for the Crusaders in Super Rugby, and the All Blacks internationally, and has also taken part in Sevens games, representing Hawkes Bay for the ITM Cup. The 28-year old player was born in Marton, New Zealand and stands in at 1. 85 metres, weighing 96 kilograms. He married Daisy Aitken in 2014, and is the son of Horiana Nukutarawhiti and Peter Dagg. Benjamin Robert Smith, or Ben Smith as he is more commonly known, is a rugby union player who has been part of the Highlanders for Super Rugby games; played for Otago in the ITM Cup, and is also a member of the All Blacks team. He was born in Dunedin, New Zealand, in 1986, and his 1. 8 metres weigh in at 91 kilograms. He married Katie Menzies in 2015, and is the son of Stu and Karen Smith. Aaron Wiremu Cruden is a rugby union player; represents the Manawatu Turbos in the ITM Cup; plays for the Chiefs in Super Rugby; and the All Blacks in international games. He debuted as an All Blacks players in 2010, and stands at 1. 75 metres, weighing a total of 84 kilograms. He married Grace King in 2014, and has a book, The Beginner’s Guide to Rugby, to his name, which has been eagerly received by his adoring public. European Clubs Have Expressed Interest in the Trio from New Zealand These players’ contracts with New Zealand as per rugby expire in 2017, and a number of clubs in Europe have indicated that they are interested in recruiting them. Gavin Mortimer, renowned rugby journalist, told Radio Sport Breakfast that Toulon was very interested in Israel Dagg. Leinster, although also very interested in Dagg, did not have the money to compete with Toulon, famous for being big spenders, and Mortimer stated that his opinion was that Dagg would move over to either Bordeaux or Toulon. Lock Rory Arnold and centre Tevita Kuridrani are two more names that have been linked to rumours of a move to France, with the duo from the Brumbies reportedly being wooed by both Toulon and Bordeaux as well. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Dallas Cowboys have managed to extend their winning streak over 11 games. The final tally for their game against the Minnesota Vikings was 17 to 5. - Published: 2016-12-06 - Modified: 2016-12-06 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/dallas-cowboys-enjoy-winning-streak/ The Dallas Cowboys Have Managed 11 Straight Wins The Dallas Cowboys, as the name of the American football team suggests, have Dallas, Fort Worth metroplex as their base. They are a member club of the National Football League, or NFL, and form part of the leagues National Football Conference East Division. They have the AT&T Stadium, and are owned by Jerry Jones, coached by Jason Garrett. Their mascot is the rowdy, and they managed to take the 1972; 1978; 1993; 1994; 1996 NFL Championships. The Dallas Cowboys need hard work to extend their record winning streak of 11 games, but managed to do just that when they held off the Minnesota Vikings this afternoon, in a game that resulted in an end-score of 17 – 5. Play-by-Play Action Dez Bryant had a 56-yard catch in the first half of the game, set up by Ezekiel Elliott’s touchdown, and managed to come up with the game’s go-ahead play in the fourth by taking an eight-yard scoring point thanks to a fumbled punt by the Minnesota Vikings’ Adam Thielen. Ezekiel rushed over 86 yards on 20 carries, with this touchdown being the 12th he has managed this season, and resulting in a total touchdown count that has him tied for the most touchdowns made by a rookie player in the Dallas Cowboys’ entire history. The Dallas Cowboys, currently at 11 – 1, now have the longest single season win streak in the franchise’s history! Dallas (11-1) has the longest single-season winning streak in franchise history. The Minnesota Viking quarterback Sam Bradford managed to throw a touchdown pass to fellow player Jerick McKinnon with 25 seconds left in play, but unfortunately the two-point conversion pass did not succeed. Bradford tried to argue for a penalty after a defender hit him the face, but no call was made. Dak Prescott, the Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback, managed to complete 12 of the 18 passes he tried for over 139 yards. Sam Bradord managed to complete a total of 32 passes, out of 45, for 247 yards; Danielle Hunter had two sacks; and Kai Forbath kicked three field goals for the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings have lost six of their last seven games, failing to live up to a 5 – 0 start. Coach Out of Action The Vikings had to play without their coach, as Mike Zimmer was admitted for emergency surgery on his eye this Wednesday. Special teams-coordinator Mike Priefer was promoted to head coach for this game, and this elevation may well continue for the foreseeable future, as it is not yet known how long Mike Zimmer will be out for. 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Aside from that game, the last time the Black Caps played an ODI cricket match against Australia was early in 2009. The deciding match was washed out, which led to the series being drawn at 2 – 2. In the rain-affected match, New Zealand needed only 33 runs off six overs in order to win, with Brendan Diamanti and Martin Guptill well-set at the crease, but unfortunately the weather had the last word. Thanks to their 2 – 1 victory in New Zealand last summer, the Black Caps currently hold the Chappell Hadlee Trophy, and there are a number of reasons to be hopeful about New Zealand’s chance of a win next week. David Leggat has given a few reasons why New Zealand is likely to fair well in the upcoming series against Australia, and these are all centred on the Black Caps’ strength in a number of different factors of play. The Batsmen’s Hitting Depth Depending on how New Zealand decides their batting line up in each of the upcoming games, they will have a lot of hitting potential thanks to the decent depth of available batsmen. These options include Guptill; Munro; de Grandhomme; Neesham, and each of these fine players are more than capable of clearing the boundary. Craig McMillan, the batting coach for the Black Caps, stated this week that batsmen will be given free reign from the word “go”, and this mindset has already been instilled in the nets. Due to the number of all-rounders in New Zealand’s line-up, they will be able to bat deep no matter who gets picked. A Good Captain Leads the Team Kane Williamson is a quick learner, and is reaping the rewards of just how much cricket is being played on the international circuit nowadays. His run-consistency forms a crucial part of New Zealand’s upturn in the world of cricket, and, with a fifth ranking on the ODI batting positions, his record confirms his continuing development as a batsman. The Fact of the Black Caps’ Formidable Fielding Fielding sharply is a given these days, and teams unable to keep up to speed with this aspect of play are sure to lose more often than win. New Zealand’s close infielders are exceptionally quick, and the Black Caps outfielders all have great arms. There are very few weak links in the Black Caps chain –and this is a good thing, considering how slick the Australian team is in this aspect as well. 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Jamie Whincup came in third in the 2nd Red Bull Holden. Fellow New-Zealander Scott McLaughlin was sixth, a drop in ranking after he topped times in the 1st session that took place earlier that Friday. Van Gisbergen’s 191-Championship-point lead means that he requires a finish in the top five, or at least a finish within five places of Jamie Whincup, in the upcoming Saturday race in order to secure his first title. Van Gisbergen has won the Bathurst 12-Hour Title, as well as the European GT Championship already, and it looks almost certain that he will be able to complete a trifecta-win this weekend, short of disaster befalling him. Small Errors Didn’t Do Too Much Damage Rather extraordinarily, van Gisbergen actually made an error, locking his tyres in late while completing his flying lap, and this may well have cost him time. He still managed to finish fast enough to secure a top spot however, and clocked in with the fastest time ever to be recorded in practice in the event’s eight-year history. Qualifying races will commence at 14h15 NZT on Saturday, and his title win will be more than halfway assured should he manage to qualify in front of Jamie Whincup. Work Ahead for Super Black Racing Super Black Racing has some work ahead of them after New Zealand native Chris Pither jumped a curb and crashed headlong into a wall, resulting in a red flag. He was unable to continue the race and his team face a busy night in what will more than likely turn out to be their last round ever in Supercars. Pither reported that he had been struggling with balance, and that he had been doing so over the final few rounds. He stated that he found the drive “nervous and unpredictable... particularly off the bumps”. The lap resulting in the crash however was different, he said, although he was unable to explain why. The only New Zealand outfit in the Championship has not managed to secure a Racing Entitlements Contract for next season, and, since they are unlikely to manage to find one, this means that we are witnessing the end of their two-year run in this sport. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > White is confident of the Auckland City Football Club’s chances against Japan’s Soccer Club Sagamihara. The friendly match is set to kick off on Friday. - Published: 2016-12-06 - Modified: 2016-12-06 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/football/auckland-city-football-club-ready-club-world-cup/ Auckland City in Excellent Shape for the Club World Cup Darren White, defender for Auckland City Football Club, has stated that his team is in fine form ahead of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association, or FIFA, Club World Cup games that are set to start in Japan next Thursday. The Oceania Champions veteran, who managed to bronze medal finish two years ago, stood out in Auckland City’s 4 – 1 finish against the Hong Kong Rangers on Tuesday, with this triumph following the team’s 1 – 0 win against Hawke Bay on Saturday. Next up Auckland City faces a second friendly match with the Japan League 3 team, SC Sagamihara, set to kick off on Friday, at 14h00 local time, 18h00 NZST, and White is champing at the bit. White has stated that the Auckland City Football Club luckily has now got “a few more players” who are experienced in these types of games. He went on to specifically mention Albert Riera, saying that the level of experience players like Riera were able to bring to the game was exactly what the Auckland City Football Club needed to ensure that they would be able to handle whatever the opposition required of them to in order to win. White said that these games motivate players to perform at their very best levels, thanks to the fact that, for many, the opportunity to do so was a dream come true in terms of The Beautiful Game. The opportunity that playing against teams of the standard these games offered, and the support that crowds like the ones these matches are able to draw provided to players combine to make these games a once-in-a-lifetime chance, White went on to say, and the ACFC was dead-set on “making the most of ”. The Future is Bright for Auckland City FC White went on to say that the Auckland City Football Club has “a few more experienced heads this year”, and that a number of players, himself included, had the kind of soccer know-how that managed to combine the type of “depth and youth” that a football club needed. White stated that the team had been working on a number of different aspects over the past six-week period, and added that this had been a very enjoyable process, allowing them to build up a kind of momentum that would hopefully carry them through to wins for their upcoming bouts. The Auckland City Football Club will begin their campaign next Thursday. 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There was some argument, as there always in, that the Chicago Cubs baseball team, who also enjoyed an historic breakthrough as well, or an Olympic athlete like Michael Phelps or Simone Biles would receive the recognition, but these disputes could not ignore the fact that James’ efforts were indisputable in the Cavaliers’ recovery against a 3 – 1 National Basketball Association, or NBA, Finals shortfall against the Golden State Warriors. Ten years ago, however, Sports Illustrated’s choice of who earned this honour was a lot more controversial. In fact, it created problems between the publications staffers, says Christ Stone, editorial director. Staff Disagreed on the 2006 Winner 2006’s list of candidates was eventually whittled down to a race between two athletes: tennis’ Roger Federer and basketball’s Dwayne Wade. Federer had just completed what many people argues was tennis history’s finest year: he managed to win 92 of a total of 97 matches, and took first place at three of the four Grand Slam tennis matches, with the French Open being lost to Rafael Nadal, dominator of clay courts. Federer was widely considered to be at his absolute peak, and had created a career in which he was widely held to be one of the finest athletes of all time. Sports Illustrated staff members who felt that he more than deserved the title of Sportsperson of the Year numbered not a few. But this coveted title is not awarded by vote; it is left in the hands of the magazine’s head honcho, who, from 2002 to 2011, was Terry McDonell –who selected Wade. McDonell Defends His Choice of Wade for 2006 In an interview this week, McDonell states that his decision was not a result of his preferring basketball over tennis, and that he had reasoned that Federer would certainly receive the award in the following year. He admits, however, that, hindsight being 20/20, it is “dangerous to plan ahead. ” McDonell’s choice of Wade is definitely defensible, albeit unpopular: Wade had averaged 34. 7 points; 7. 8 rebounds; 3. 8 assists; and 2. 7 steals, and had done all this whilst simultaneously leading Miami Heat back from a deficit of 2 – 0 to defeat the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals game they were matched up in. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > George Bennett is a big fan of the Abel Tasman Cycle Challenge, and his role as ambassador was the cherry on top. He said that he would have joined anyway. - Published: 2016-12-06 - Modified: 2016-12-06 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cycling/abel-tasman-cycle-challenge/ Gearing Up for the Abel Tasman Cycle Challenge Over 600 riders are set to take part in the first Abel Tasman Cycle Challenge, and George Bennett has stated he would have taken part no matter what. While he has tremendously enjoyed his ambassadorial role for the ATC Challenge, Bennett stated, nothing would have stopped him from entering the race anyway. Bennett made his debut for the Tour de France and Olympic Games this year, enjoys championing his home region, and has been looking for something to fill the void left by the Tour de Vineyards. Bennett has stated that as soon as he heard that the 158-kilometre race, starting and ending at Saxton Field and taking some of his frequently used scenic routes in, he leaped at the chance to lend any assistance he was able to. Bennett has said that the biggest reason he got on board was the opportunity this race had to “grow cycling in the region and get as many people out there ”. He went on to say that his native region had some of the most beautiful roads in the country, adding that this opinion was once again enforced when he had been training near Kaiteriteri and he was able to take in the “stunning” views once again. George Bennett Lens His High Profile to the Race Bennett is probably the cyclist with the highest profile to have entered the Abel Tasman Cycle Challenge, although champion rower Hamish Bond of the Olympic Games is also set to ride, but Bennett has insisted that he is glad that the race is catering for so many different cyclists. The Able Tasman Cycle Challenge has a total of 610 riders to have entered, of which 335 are out-of-towners; the youngest is 13-years old; and the oldest is 79, so it is obvious that a broad sector of the cycling public will be represented. 79 of those taking part will be first-time riders as well, and this, Bennett says, is where the beauty of this challenge lies. George Bennett has said that there is absolutely no reason that a cycling challenge cannot cater for this wide a variety of participants, and that his mother; sister and girlfriend were part of teams that were competing in it. The fact that amateurs were taking part would not detract at all from the elite aspect, and having more social strata represented would only have positive consequences at the end of the day. 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Their friendly relationship floundered under the weight of their rivalry to be world champion, but they have remained cordial to one another and Hamilton has been outspoken about Rosberg’s decision to leave, backing him all the way. No Surprise for Hamilton Hamilton has claimed that Rosberg’s decision to quit racing wasn’t a surprise to him, and that he expected the German to retire once he had a World Championship title under his belt. Despite the fact that the two were no longer on friendly terms, Hamilton has said that he will miss their fierce rivalry and that Rosberg pushed him to be a better driver. Hamilton added that the sport would also miss Rosberg, and it was a pity the German was leaving the track, as now he couldn’t try and win back the title from him in 2017! F1 fans are also sure to miss the rivalry these two brought to the sport, and the skill and showmanship the two Mercedes drivers employed in order to beat one another. An Inate Understanding Rosberg made his announcement only 5 days after winning the World Championship title at the FIA prize giving gala, where Hamilton was heard telling reporters that it was the first time the driver had won the title in 18 years, so it wasn’t a surprise to him that he’d decided to stop. Hamilton completely understood where Rosberg’s decision came from and said that he knew the driver has a family and daughter he wants to focus on, and that Formula One can often get in the way of life as it has very rigorous demands. Hamilton has said that it will be very strange and rather sad not to have Hamilton on the team in 2017, and that he wishes him all the best. He respects his teammates decision however and agrees with his principle of going out on top when you can. Interestingly enough it had actually been Hamilton’s future with Mercedes that seemed to have been in the spotlight in the last few days, after he’d ignored team instructions in Abu Dhabi and forced his teammate to slow down, in an effort to make him lose points. All of this is now in the annals of the past, as Rosberg claimed his World Championship title and has left F1 for good, leaving the track wide open for Hamilton. In Hamilton’s view he is unphased by who takes Rosberg’s place, he’s there to race. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > State Solicitor is a bay gelding born in 2012 and trained by Grand and Alannah Williams. He last ran the Winterbottom stakes at Ascot in 2016 coming in 6th. - Published: 2016-12-05 - Modified: 2016-12-05 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/state-solicitor-fails-win/ State Solicitor Comes in 6th in Winterbottom Stakes State Solicitor is a 2012 bay gelding who is currently being trained by Alannah and Grant Williams. The four year old has a superb sire line, with Danzig as his great grandsire. He most recently ran at Ascot at the Winterbottom Stakes where he came in sixth, disappointing fans and punters alike, as he had showed great promise. He did however beat the favourite and overall, 6th is better than 12th! State Solicitor is a long distance runner, or stayer, performing best over 1200 and 1400 meters. He has a proven track record at that distance being literally unbeaten until his run at Ascot on the 28th of November 2016 when he simply failed to live up to expectations, although admittedly it was his first ever Group One race and he still has a long career ahead of him. Previously Unbeaten State Solicitor has had 15 starts with a whopping eleven firsts. His three and four year old season saw the gelding pretty much unbeaten. In the first two races as a three year old he placed, coming in second and third. After that the gelding scorched every track he arrived at. Unbeaten for the rest of his three year old season, he raced all the rest of his races at Belmont against the likes of All Too Much and La Patron. He has had six wins out of seven starts in 2016. The Winterbottom Stakes was his first attempt at a Grade One race, and although he only came in sixth he was competing against superstars such as Takedown and Rock Magic. The four year old has a super promising future ahead of him, and if he can break into the grade one world he may just join the elite class of thoroughbred with the likes of Special Reflection. Almost Discarded State Solicitor was actually so slow in his two year old season that he was very nearly given up on. He basically couldn’t gallop until after his first spelling. Regarded as a slow poke, Solicitor as he was fondly known, cantered happily behind the field with very little work ethic. It is unusual that a horse starts out slow, and then comes back with a blistering turn of speed. You can usually see what type of horse they are going to be at a young age, so it is a good thing that the Williams’s decided to give Solicitor another go before moving him on to a new life. Danzig Line State Solicitor’s sire Nicconi is from the ultra successful Danzig line. Danzig’s best known son was Danehill, although Nicconi’s sire, Bianconi, was also well known as a champion sire. Nicconi is known as a past champion with 17 starts and 6 wins. He most well known wins were the 2009 Ian McEwen Stakes, the 2009 Wellington R C Stakes and the 2009 The Galaxy. Vega magic’s dam, Avendina Magero, was a great racehorse in her own right. She had many starts, racing until she was eight years old. By that time, however, she had changed owners and trainers and only ran three mediocre races in her six year old season. She retired to stud where she produced some beautiful foals including State Solicitor. What State Solicitors future holds remains to be seen, but it’s hoping that his sixth placing in the Winterbottom Stakes is a sign of better things to come. 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Rebekah Cordero-Tufuga managed to score a try in each half of the match after Portia Woodman opened up the scoring in the tournament final which took place on Friday. The Seven Sisters managed a victory of 17 – 5 at the end of the day, a far cry from the setback they suffered at the Olympic Games in Rio in August this year. There was a little extra energy in the post-match celebrations for the team from New Zealand, who did not take home a gold medal in the Olympics thanks to their 24-17 loss. The Seven Sisters performed their own version of the famous haka after they received their tournament gold medal and trophy, and were obviously ecstatic about their win. Sarah Goss, the captain for the Seven Sisters, was reported to state that they were incredibly happy as a team, and that she was overjoyed at the results of their efforts in her personal capacity as leader of the Seven Sisters. She went on to say that they had a new team; were playing under new management; and that their win against Australia was wonderful, particularly in light of what had happened in Rio. She said that coming back was tough, but that the fact that they had managed to beat Australia in what was “probably favourite tournament” was “exhilarating”. Woodman, sin-binned in the Rio final, raced 80 metres to score the team’s opening try in the second minute of the game, getting things off to an extraordinarily good start. Kelly Brazier broke through Australia’s stoic defence just 10 meters out from the New Zealand line and discovered Cordero-Tufuga with a long pass for a 60-metre sprint to the line. Tyla Nathan-Wong managed a conversion off of the left upright, and this gave the Seven Sister’s a considerable lead at halftime of 12 points to zero. When Cordero-Tufuga managed to add her second in the 11th minute, the Seven Sisters had their first-ever Women’s World Series tournament title since April of 2015 in their grasp, and they were determined not to let it slip away. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Interviews reveal that boxer Joseph Parker’s mother has a firm hand in her son’s success. She has stated that she oversees every aspect of his career. - Published: 2016-12-05 - Modified: 2016-12-05 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/sala-parker-keeps-sons-feet-ground/ Boxer’s Joseph Parkers Parents are Proud, but Keep Things in Perspective Sala Parker, mother of Joseph, has stated that she isn’t shocked by the fact that once her son enters the boxing ring he transforms from a gentle man into a force to be reckoned with. This is thanks to the fact that she and Dempsey Parker, Joseph’s dad have sat ringside for her 24-year old sons’ 52 amateur and 21 professional fights. She has been quoted as saying that she and her husband have always insisted that their children do their level best at whatever task lies before them, and that this has become an especially important charge for Joseph because of the risks that his profession entails he take. This is particularly true for the upcoming WBO Heavyweight title fight against Andy Ruiz Junior, which lies ahead at the Vector Arena in Auckland. Mrs Parker has said that she firmly believes that any success requires a lot of hard work and, very often, an accompanying tough attitude. The 50-year matriarch will kiss and hug her fighting son as he enters the ring for the Ruiz clash, and hope and pray that Joseph Parker’s long physical and mental preparation, training under Barry, will not only keep him safe but deliver success as well. Mrs Parker appeared alongside her son in the Sky TV documentary on the upcoming bout, A Fighting Chance, which aired last Thursday, and which is set to screen during the week leading up to the fight. Mrs Parker joins her son as he discusses his early fights, which took place when he was a teenager. One clash finished with a bloodied nose; a defeat; and a valuable lesson for Joseph: he hadn’t adequately prepared for the bout, and felt the consequences. Mrs Parker’s message to her son was crystal clear, she says, and she warned him that unless he started training properly she would forbid him for pursuing his interest in boxing. Her Herald interview revealed that her advice to Joseph consists of putting his practice to work when he steps into the boxing ring, and that she keeps an eye on how he is doing as he trains. Because of how closely she monitors his progress, she is able to quickly tell whether he has managed to move forward or if his pace is slackening. She says that whether or not he has been honest about his training is quickly apparent, and he is unable to hide the effects of not properly adhering to the demands his training makes on his time; body; and mind. 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Smith was of course instrumental to their win and hit a whopping 14 fours and 4 sixes in 164 runs from 157 balls. Australia used their home ground advantage to the full, and amassed a winning total of 324 for 8, proving just too good for the Kiwis to beat. A Tough Match New Zealand tried hard, but just couldn’t compete. Opener Martin Guptrill smashed a total of 10 fours and 6 sixes in 114 off 102 balls, and this seemed like an impressive start, but in the end New Zealand were all out for 256 runs in the 45th over. Smith was clearly the star of the match, and in addition to his team winning the toss and hitting the SGC top score, he also displayed some impressive fielding skills. He managed to take a one handed catch in spectacular style, diving high into the air to grab the ball and managing to hang on to it as he fell to the ground. Its clear he was in fine form, and more than ready for his team to win the ODI. The Aussie skipper reached his first One Day International Century against the Kiwi team in the 37th over and then went on to record his highest score yet in the remainder of the 50 over game. He departed just 17 balls before the end of the innings, satisfied with his batting and the fact he had another record tucked under his belt. Guptill Manages a Good Innings For New Zealand there was just no escape from the Aussies prowess and this time around they were simply outclassed. Tom Latham went out in the second over but Guptill managed to hang in there and become the fastest Kiwi player to score 5,000 One Day International runs, reaching his 11th Century in the game off 93 balls in the 31st over. Unfortunately he was caught at his second attempt and by Aussie substitute Glen Maxwell at the end of the 33rd over, still needed 140 runs to win, and Australia managed once again to emerge victorious. This game marked the 5th of Australia’s successive ODI wins, and all eyes will be on them to see if they can continue their winning streak when they take to the field in Canberra to play the second match of the three match series. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > 34 Spaniards have been detained in a local tennis match fixing scandal that implicates 6 players. This ring has amassed a huge sum off fixing matches. - Published: 2016-12-05 - Modified: 2016-12-05 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/spanish-tennis-match-fixing-scandal/ 34 Spaniards Detained in Tennis Match Fixing Scandal Local Spanish authorities have detained 34 people involved in a tennis match-fixing network. The 34 detainees include 6 tennis players, and it is estimated that the network made more than half a million dollars in a relatively short period of time. The match fixing took place in lower tier tournaments played across Spain and Portugal and was uncovered after police probed several Challenger and Futures tournaments in Iberia, over a period of a few months. During the probe police discovered evidence that the results were being rigged and acted accordingly. As yet, the 6 tennis players have not been named but authorities have revealed that they ranked between 30th and 300th in Spain, and 800th and 1200th globally. Police have said that they found evidence of match fixing in five cities, including in Seville, Porto and Madrid, in 17 different tournaments. Ring Leaders Amongst Those Detained Spanish authorities have said that amongst those detained are the ringleaders of the operation and it seems that they have cracked the match fixing syndicate at its core. The leaders of the network were based in La Coruna and Seville and if convicted of corruption in sports they may well face prison sentences of as long as four years. All those detained are expected to be released until trial, which may take up to a year to come before the courts. Tipped Off The investigations begun after a player who has remained anonymous tipped off the Tennis Integrity Unit. The Tennis Integrity Unit is the sports anti corruption body and serves to deal with match fixing and other unfair practices, and has been instrumental in keeping the sport clean so far. Authorities who were working on the case noticed an inordinate number of online bets placed when certain games were played, and following the tipster’s advice they were able to close in on the network. It’s said that the match-fixing ring used instant messaging services and social media platforms to attract punters who would then pay for information about rigged matches. The players who participated in the scam each received $1000 for throwing a match and it seems that in some cases they were asked to aim for specific score or total in order to meet the betting requirements. In some tournaments it’s estimated that the networks’ earnings exceeded $10,000, which is big bucks for smaller tennis tournaments that usually don’t attract much attention. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Houston Rockets have managed to finish the winning streak that the Golden State Warriors have been enjoying. The game’s final score was 132 – 127. - Published: 2016-12-05 - Modified: 2016-12-05 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nba/warriors-winning-streak-ends/ Houston Rockets Snap Golden State Warriors’ Winning Streak James Harden has managed to notch up his fourth triple double for the season with 29 points; 15 rebounds; and 13 assists in their bout with the Warriors. The Houston Rockets managed to outlast the Golden State Warriors with a score of 132 – 127 in double overtime, and thus ended the 12-game winning streak the Golden State team has been enjoying up to tonight. An exhilarating match was enjoyed, with the players performing at their usual extraordinarily high standard, earning every penny of their somewhat outlandish paycheques. The Houston Rockets American professional basketball team are based, as is indicated by their name, in Houston, Texas. They participate in the National Basketball Association, or NBA, as a member club, and the make up the Western Conference Southwest Division. Mike D’Antoni is their head couch, and their arena is the Toyota Centre. Their mascot is a clutch, and they are owned by Leslie Alexander. The Golden State Warrior American professional basketball team are based in Oakland, California. They compete in the National Basketball Association, or NBA, and form part of the Western Conference Pacific Division as a member club. Their stadium is the Oracle arena, and their head coach is a Mr Steve Carr. They are part owned by Peter Guber and Joseph S. Lacob respectively, with the latter being the majority holder. Rocketing to a Win James Edward Harden Junior is a professional basketball player from the United States of America, and he is currently part of the Houston Rockets team of the NBA. He is 27-years old, and a Los Angeles California-native who weighs in at 102 kilograms, with a height of 1. 96 metres –and earns an eye-watering US$ 26. 54 million a year. Eric Gordon managed to score 23 points as a substitute player as Houston brought the Warriors’ winning streak to a screeching halt –with the beleaguered Golden State team losing their most valuable player, or MVP, in Stephen Curry with a whole 3:25 left in the last additional session when Curry got whistled for a charge and was subsequently fouled out. Ryan Anderson also managed to score 29 points, thanks to five three-pointers, and the team joined up to score a total of 88 threes, 44 each. Eric Ambrose Gordon Junior, Houston Rockets player for the NBA, is a 27-year old Bloomington Indiana University graduate who earns US$ 12. 39 million as of this year. --- > Vega Magic is a chestnut thoroughbred gelding trained by Sean Casey. He had had a super three year old season, with eleven firsts from fourteen starts. - Published: 2016-12-02 - Modified: 2016-12-02 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/vega-magics-winterbottom-stakes-race/ Vega Magic Fails to Meet Winterbottom- Stakes day Expectations Vega Magic is a chestnut gelding foaled in 2012. He is as yet very young but there are high hopes for his future as he has generally been at the top of his class. His most recent race was the Winterbottom Stakes at Ascot in Australia, where he came in seventh out of twelve. Sadly this was not the result punters were hoping for, and he certainly didn’t live up to his reputation. The tall, lanky gelding is by Lope De Vega, an Irish stallion and out of a Magic Albert mare. He is currently trained by Sean Casey and ridden by Casey’s teenage son Jake. The horse has had fourteen starts so far, eleven of which he has come in first. Other than at the Winterbottom- Stakes, Vega Magic is proving himself a force to be reckoned with and barring any disasters this is definitely a horse to keep your eye on in the future. Early Maturer Many horses are very lightly raced in their three year old season and not all during their two year old season. Vega Magic proved to be a very early maturer, giving his trainer Sean Casey a few great runs at the tender age of two. He had four starts when he was rising three, two of which he won and the other two coming in second and third. Seventeen weeks of rest allowed him to grow into a three year old frame. He returned in fine fettle to win all three tests he was pointed at with Jake Casey aboard. A quick three week break and he again won at Ascot carrying 55kgs over 1200 meters. Sean Casey then gave his champion another long spell of 14 weeks to take full advantage his growth. The beginning of the four year old season saw four starts so far, two of which were firsts. The most recent race at Ascot, the Winterbottom Stakes, saw Vega Magic coming in a rather disappointing seventh. This is especially surprising after his win at Ascot less than a month before. It remains to be seen if Sean Casey will give his champion a freshener or take a shot at another race in the near future. Irish Bloodline Vega Magic is by the stallion Lope De Vega, who is an an Irish chestnut based in France but shuttles to Australia for a part of the breeding season each year. Lope had a decent racing career himself, although he never ran outside France. He was known for his wins over 2000 meters and was only beaten for the first time in his three year old season. Vega Magic is just one of his progeny which are performing well on the track. Vega Magic’s dame has the famous Danehill sire line running through her. She had a few starts herself, with five placings, two of which were firsts. She was retired early to be a brood mare and has foaled a number of good horses. The 2005 mare still stands in Australia. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Terravista is a chestnut gelding born in 2009. The gelding has amassed many dollars in his career and is regarded as one of the elite class of racehorses. - Published: 2016-12-02 - Modified: 2016-12-02 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/terravista-fails-deliver/ Terravista Lets Down Punters in Winterbottom Stakes Day Race Terravista is a chestnut gelding trained by Joseph Pride. He has so far, in his racing career, won over two million Australian dollars, putting him in the elite class of thoroughbreds. Terravista last ran the 2016 Winterbottom Stakes in Perth, coming in 10th after being the favourite. For punters this was bad news, as many had backed him to be a winner and were left sorely out of pocket. Terravista is one of the old guard, being six years old at the end of 2016. He has no nominated races coming up and may be spelled or retired by his trainer Joseph Pride. After his dismal performance in the Winterbottom Stakes race, retirement looks like an option. Racing Stats Terravista started his career as a three year old under Joseph Pride’s tutelage. He proved a great horse from the beginning, giving his trainer a first place in his very first race. He was very lightly raced in his first season, racing only twice as a three year old. The next year he ran seven times in his four year old season. The latter concluded with five firsts out of seven starts, one second and an eleventh for the very last race. He was then spelled for about five months before storming back with a first at Randwick over 1200 meters. He ran another seven races before finishing 12th in the Schweppes All Aged Stakes at Randwick. Just under a year later Terravista was ready to take on the world again, opening with a first back at Randwick. His fourth season saw him trailing off a bit, with only three places, only one of which was a first. After a spell of six months in April he tried again in November 2016, coming in 10th at the Winterbottom Stakes. Some spectators say that he pulled up a bit on his run down to the gates which may account for his disappointing place. It is also possible that he, as a six year old, is simply done with his racing career. Either way, Terravista was a legend in his racing lifetime and deserves a long retirement in a green paddock somewhere. Breeding Terravista is by the stallion Captain Rio who is an Irish horse currently standing at stud in Australia. Captain Rio has the famous Nureyev in his sire's line, along with a bit of Mr Prospector and Nijinsky thrown in for good measure. He was a super racehorse in his own right, with Terravista being his top earning progeny. Captain Rio is known for throwing not only his talent but also his colour and temperament to his foals. To date, his has a large number of progeny, many of whom are proving themselves over both long and short distances. Terravista’s dam, Parfore was a 1997 mare who didn’t run exceedingly well herself in her own carreer but is now known as a grade one producer broodmare. She was by Gold Brose out of a Twig Moss mare. Awarded the 2015 New Zealand Broodmare of the Year, Parfore died at the age of 18 leaving behind a foal and a yearling. 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He is flying to Hong Kong on the heels on his Winterbottom Stakes win at the end of November 2016, where the Australian thoroughbred will be pitted against other international super stars of the equine world. His win in Perth wasn’t unexpected, but he was up against some fierce competition and managed to come out on top, pleasing both punters and his trainer. Early Career Takedown was born at Widden Stud in Australia, and is described as a gentle giant. The big bay with three white socks raced his first race on the 14th of February in 2012 at the Kembla Grange track. He ran third, immediately proving his trainers and owners initial excitement correct. From there he ran four races, coming first in three of them. His last race of his three year old season was run at Randwick, where he came in seventh. Realising that his prodigy needed a rest, Gary Moore gave the gelding a spell off for 154 days. Takedown’s first race was back at Randwick, in the Champagne Stakes. Proving his trainer a wise man for giving him the time off, he ran a solid third. The rest of his three year old season was a bit disappointing with a 4th, a 6th and a 7th. He was then spelled for a further 126 days before returning for his four year old season. Four Year Old Season and Winterbottom Stakes Takedown’s four year old season opened after 126 days off with the Fireball stakes, once again at Randwick. Takedown came into his own at the age of four, and Gary pushed him to run more races than he previously had per year due to his more mature physique. Initially, he ran 6 races, coming in no less than fourth until the 6th of July 2016 where he ran 14th at Eagle Farm. Another spelling spell saw his strong comeback which culminated in the Winterbottom Stakes win at the end of November 2016. He beat the talented mare Sheidel by a neck in an incredibly close finish to win the Winterbottom Stakes in Perth. The second part of his 2016 season had no less than three firsts, a second and a fifth. Pedigree Takedown is by the stallion Stratum who is in turn by the huge Redoute’s Choice. Roudoute’s Choice has the incredibly successful Danehill Danzig line as his sire line. Most of the winners of the Winterbottom stakes in recent years have had the Danehill Danzig line either as direct sire line or dam line. Takedown’s dam is by Zafinoc who goes back to Mr Prospector. Mr Prospector is another very well known sire line for successful runners. Both the runner up to the 2016 Winterbottom stakes, Sheidel, as well as last years winner the filly Special Reflection have the Danehill Danzig sire line. This line has proven successful again and again not only in Australia, but all over the world. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > In a shock move Nico Rosberg has quit F1. Find out why this racing legend has decided to call it a day after winning the World Championship title. - Published: 2016-12-02 - Modified: 2016-12-02 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/racing/nico-rosberg-quits-f1/ Nico Rosberg Quits Formula One In a move that shocked the racing world, Nico Rosberg has announced that he is quitting Formula One a mere 5 days after winning his first ever World Title. The World Champion announced that he will be retiring with immediate effect and that he made his decision the Monday after he’d sealed his season win. It took him only 24 hours to decide to call it quits and has said that he felt that he’d climbed his mountain and was on the peak, so the timing felt right. Rosberg had won 9 of the seasons’ 21 Grand Prix’s and beat his Mercedes teammate and rival Lewis Hamilton by only 5 points to clinch the title of World Champion. In his last race in Abu Dhabi the 31-year-old German came in second, and was ironically beaten by Hamilton, but when it came to the podium Hamilton may have won the race, but Rosberg had taken the season. A Long Wait for a Win Rosberg had waited a long time for his maiden title, and it took him 25 years to get to the top. His wait for the title was the second longest in F1 history and he said that, for him, this was a lifelong dream come true. After his win he stated that all his hard work and sacrifices had finally paid off and he’d made it, and that taking home the World Championship title was the one thing he’d always aimed for. Rosberg is the son of Keke, the Finnish 1982 Wold Champion so its clear that racing has always been in his blood and he made his debut for William’s in Bahrain in 2006. It was clear from his first race he was destined for great things and he finished seventh, surprising seasoned drivers with his focus and tenacity on the track. In his carer Rosberg raced in a total of 206 Grand Prix’s and had podium finishes 57 times. On hearing of his teammates decision to quit, Hamilton said that it would be strange and rather sad not to have hi on the team in the next year, but that he understood as F1 takes so much from you. Hamilton had beaten Rosberg to the World Championship title in the last two seasons, and clearly has a lot of his respect for his fellow competitor. Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team boss said that Rosberg’s decision to quit took him completely by surprise. He said that it was a brave decision and that it was a true testament to the German’s strength of character, and that he’d accepted his decision straight away. With a World Championship title under his belt and an impressive career that he bowed out of at its peak, Rosberg can now focus on family and his young daughter, something he had been saying he’d wanted to do for a while. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Malaguerra is a 2011 bay gelding who came second at the Winterbottom stakes in Perth in 2016. He is by Magnus and is out of the dam Tennessee Morn. - Published: 2016-12-02 - Modified: 2016-12-02 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/malaguerras-lacklustre-race/ Winterbottom Stakes Favourite Malaguerra Fails to Impress Malaguerra was born in 2011, and from the beginning, he promised to be superstar in the making. His ultra successful sire line includes Danehill, who has produced Australian winners again and again. Malaguerra ran in the 2016 Winterbottom Stakes, where he was the second favourite to win. He came in fifth however, behind Takedown and Sheidel. This years Winterbottom Stakes proved to be a trying time for many of the favourites and Malaguerra fared better than others, but still didn’t manage to make it to the front of the pack. Malaguerra has already run five seasons, and is not nominated for any more races as yet. Early Seasons Malaguerra began his career with a first against a field of six over 1000m at Cranborne. He ran four subsequent races with disappointing results, being 9th, 10th and 8th. His trainers, Lee and Anthony Freedman then rested the three year old for almost a year as he clearly had not come into himself yet. His second season began a year later in February 2015 with an 1100m race at Ballarat, which he romped home to win. Four races after that saw another first, a second, a fourth and a sixth. He then rested again for 127 days to regain strength and build muscle. Recent Seasons Malaguerra has proven be a horse that took a while to develop, but when he did there was no stopping him. His third season saw him taking no hostages with a first in his first race at Bendigo. After Bendigo he freshened for three months before happily taking home no less than three more firsts out of four. A third spelling period allowed the gelding to mature even further, resulting in another four firsts out of six starts. His final spelling of 119 days preceded his return for three more starts, one of which was at the Darley Classic in November 2016, which he won. With that win in the bag he looked set to be a huge contender for the Winterbottom Stakes, but sadly finished a slightly disappointing fifth out of twelve. All in all Malaguerra has what it takes to be a superstar, grade one horse, but as yet has not quite shown it. He has an explosive turn of foot, the pedigree and the race experience but his age is now against him, as youngsters like Special Reflection flash past the winning post with seemingly no effort. Danehill Line Malaguerra’s sire, Magnus, is a part of the famous Danehill Danzig sire line. This line has proven again and again to produce top class winners who literally run away from their competition. Magnus himself had four wins and stands only 15. 3 hands high. The diminutive stallion had four wins of his own out of 24 starts, winning over one million Australian dollars in prize money. His progeny have gone on to prove themselves over time with both older horses such as Malaguerra and youngsters such as Magnus Reign. On the other side Maglaguerra’s dam line is just as chock full of speed as his sire line. His dam, who is by Bletchingly, has some interesting names such as Vain and Nijinsky popping up in her pedigree. She was born in 1991, and was a sprinter in her own right with three wins over 900m and 1000m. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand’s Tennis Championship entries have been confirmed for the games which take place next month. The tournament is the strongest it’s been in years. - Published: 2016-12-01 - Modified: 2016-12-01 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/tennis/nz-tennis-championship-entries-confirmed/ The Strongest Entries for New Zealand’s Tennis Championships Confirmed Entries for the New Zealand Tennis Championships set to take place early next month have now been confirmed, and the tournament as it stands is perhaps the strongest it has been for many years –and certainly one of the largest entries for some time. The men’s singles highlights the deficiency in top world-ranked singles tennis players, but this is more than offset by world-class doubles athletes and the depth contenders taking part. The Pascoes New Zealand Tennis Championships will be taking place from the 12th to the 17th of December this year, with the initial rounds at Albany Tennis Park, and those following to take place at the ASB Tennis Arena on the 16th and 17th. The men’s singles and doubles winners will receive the sought-after, and lucrative, main-draw Wildcards into January’s ASB Classic. Michael Venus, the current defending champion and doubles world number 32, will return. His incredible record of four ATP doubles titles and five finals this year will ensure an exciting performance against Benoit Paire, the top-20 ranked French player in the 2016 ASB Classic. Marcus Daniell, the top-50 ranked doubles player hailing from Wairarapa, and Ben McLachlan from Queenstown, now ranked in the top-200 for doubles players are once again taking part in the tournament after failing to do so a year ago, and will certainly add a measure of depth to the tournament as a whole. It is a rare thing for Daniell to spend large amounts of time at home, and, although he is thoroughly enjoying spending time in New Zealand, he has stated that plenty of training is marking his time here. Daniell has said that he is very much looking forward to playing in the upcoming tournament, and that being back in the country and spending time with friends and family is wonderful. He adds, however, that this does not mean that his work finishes, although training in New Zealand is a very enjoyable experience for him. Daniell went on to say that the having Karl Budge as the ASB Classic Tournament Director putting up an ASB Wildcard for the winner was a credit to the tournament’s organisers, and to the whole Festival of Tennis as well. He mentioned that some of the younger male players were dangerous on the courts, and that some of the older athletes, himself included, do not make a habit of singles matches, but enjoyed competing with some of the world’s best players. He remarked that the contrast of these two approaches would make for some very interesting tennis games. 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He could turn that opportunity into one last chance to take a little extra care of his body, and add a significant boost to his bank account while enjoying all the perks of life that the continent is able to offer at the same time. There are no guarantees for the World Cup, coming round again in 2019, particularly not at Smith’s age, and, when you consider how punishing the schedule for rugby players is, this is more than understandable. Steven Hansen Puts His Two Cents In Steven Hansen gave Ben Smith the best possible guide when commenting on the conditions as the All Blacks lumbered through 2016’s final Test against France, and, while Hansen may not have intended it as a reference to All Blacks players considering contracts overseas, it could certainly be interpreted as such. Hansen has been reported as saying that the All Blacks effectively traversed the globe twice; playing a total of seven Test matches away from home. He went on to state that the time changes, nine in total, definitely have an effect on players physically, and it is obvious that this would have further long-term effects along down the line. Long-Standing Effects of Play Affecting Players around the World There has been growing concern amongst rugby players worldwide about how draining the very long seasons are, and, when this is coupled with the absence of satisfactory recovery time, the frightening, lasting effects on players’ bodies and minds becomes evident. Naturally the very best rugby players, who also participate in test football matches, feel the effects most of all. European Club Seasons Offer Players Better Recovery Time While the club seasons in Europe are also lengthy and packed full of play, Ben Smith, upon acceptance of an offer overseas, would be able to take advantage of proper breaks between the seasons. It is highly unlikely that anyone would begrudge a player of Ben Smith’s standing a move of the kind described here, as he has given his all to New Zealand, and given it over a very long period of time. Taking care of himself, and his future, should be his first priority, and if doing so requires a move overseas then so be it. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Jarryd Hayne has good wishes for Taumalolo and Holmes as regarding their NFL prospects. He states their age; skill; and talent will get them through. - Published: 2016-12-01 - Modified: 2016-12-01 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/nz-players-nfl-spotlight/ Jarryd Hayne Feels Jason Taumalolo has Age on His Side to Crack the NFL Jarryd Hayne is knowledgeable about what it takes to crack the NFL, and he has stated that he believes that New Zealand native Jason Taumalolo will be able to make the grade. Hayne was chosen by the 49rs, of San Francisco, last year and has since made a total of eight appearances in the NFL, before the code-hopper managed to switch his attentions to Sevens in June. Hayne is now back in the rugby league, with the Gold Coast Titans, and joined the 49rs’ practice team at the age of 26. He believes that Jason Taumalolo, at 23 years old, and Valentine Holmes, the 21-year old Kangaroos flyer, have a big advantage on him because they are flirting with the National Football League at a younger age. Hayne, now 28-years old, has insisted that Taumalolo and Holmes, currently courting NFL scouts in Los Angeles, America, have the talent it would take to successfully transition from league games over to American football. Scouts are Already Interested in Taumalolo and Holmes Scouts from the Philadelphia Eagles; Green Bay Packers; Kansas City Chiefs; New York Jets; and Arizona Cardinals have expressed interest in Taumalolo and Holmes, and Jason is this year’s Dally M Medal winner, Holmes the winner of 2016’s NRL Premiership. Hayne told Fox Sports that it was good to see them “really step out”, and that they most certainly had age on their side. He went on to explain that, at the age of 21, the majority of players emerge from the draft at 22- or 23-years old, so Taumalolo and Holmes would have many years under their belts if they did end up pursuing it. Hayne stated that he had experienced his “pro day” at 26-years old, and that Holmes being five-years younger, and Taumalolo three years, would certainly work in their favour. Hayne stated that the playbook was the most challenging part of play, but their skill and talent would see them through. He went on to wish them both his best. No Move for Holmes and Taumalolo Just Yet Holmes and Taumalolo currently play for the Cronulla Sharks and North Queensland Cowboys respectively, and are both tied up in contracts to their National Rugby League clubs for 2017. They have stated that they have every intention of fulfilling their contracts. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The TABtouch Perth Cup Day is a group two horse race run at Ascot Race Course in Perth. The race is run over 2400 meters, making it one of the longest. - Published: 2016-11-30 - Modified: 2016-11-30 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/tabtouch-perth-cup-day/ The TABtouch Perth Cup Day Horses Past and Present The TABtouch Perth Cup Day is a 2400-meter horse race run at Ascot Race Track in Perth each year at the end of Dec or beginning of January. The TABtouch Perth Cup Day is one of the most looked forward to races of the season, with world-class entertainment, food and high fashion. Lets take a look at some of the incredible horses that have run this race. Delicacy Delicacy is a bay mare that won the last TABTouch Perth Cup Day at the beginning of January 2016. A superstar in the long distance world, Delicacy’s last race was, in fact, the 2016 Perth Day Cup, which was run on the second of January. After winning the race she pulled up lame with heat in both forelegs. Torn tendons were the diagnoses, which resulted in her immediate retirement. She was only four years old when retired, but has a promising future as a brood mare with owner Bob Peters. Delicacy first ran in her three year old season, being named champion three year old filly at last year’s Australian Racehorse of the Year awards. Races in her first season included the Derby and Oaks double in Western Australia. She retires as the winner of 12 of her 19 starts for prizemoney of more than $2million. If you had backed her over her career, you would have had a whopping 123% return on your investment. Her future foals will definitely be worth watching. Delicacy is incredibly well bred out of a mare called Simply Wicked who’s grandsire is Saddlers Wells. Her sire is Al Maher who is a Danehill, Danzig stallion. The Danehill Danzig line is the same as the super star stallion Playing God. Real Love Real Love is a chestnut mare, foaled in 2010, who won the TABtouch Perth Cup Day in 2015. She was trained by Darren Weir based in Wangoom. She has won over distances from 1400 to 2600 meters with four of those races being group ones. Real Love is a top class long distance runner, with 7 wins, 4 seconds, 6 thirds from 24 starts with a lifetime career prize money of $1,140,410. Owner Bob Peters, who also owns the super mare Delicacy, had planned to retire Real Love at the end of her five year old season. She did so well in the Brisbane cup however ending in fine fettle, that he has decided to let her run for one more season. Known as one of the toughest mares currently on track, Real Love looks set for another great season of racing, and may very possibly be in the field for the 2017 TABtouch Perth Cup Day. Real Love’s pedigree is similar to many superb past winners of many races around Australia, including super mare Delicacy. Her sire, Desert King, is by Danehill who is by Danzig. This is the same line as Playing God and Buffering. Her sires dam, Sabaah is by Nureyev who is by the most famous sire of all time, Northern Dancer. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > New Zealand heavyweight Joseph Parker is confident about next Saturday’s fight. He believes that Andy Ruiz Junior’s fighting style will work against him. - Published: 2016-11-30 - Modified: 2016-11-30 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/joseph-parker-wants-win/ Joseph Parker Sure He Will Take the World Title Crown Next Saturday There is an old boxing adage that says that styles make fights, and New Zealand’s heavyweight champion Joseph Parker is convinced that the relentlessly pressing strategy that Andy Ruiz Junior employs as his fighting tactic will play right into his hands when they pair up for the world title bout which takes place at the Vector Arena a week from Saturday. Ruiz Junior gives away around ten centimetres, and this fact adds to his height-disadvantage, as does the fact that his arms are relatively short. Ruiz Junior has sworn to “press” Parker, “suffocating” with his fighting style, so there will definitely be a chance for the South-Aucklander to punish him as he comes in. Joseph Parker, in his opening media conference after his arrival from his base in Las Vegas, USA, on Friday, stated that Ruiz Junior’s strength lies in his coming forward with quick hands. Parker went on to say that Ruiz Junior was a “good mover”, “moving his head” and “protecting himself well”. Parker did state, however, that Ruiz Junior will need to work his way in because Parker would be focussing on throwing out “a lot of jabs”. Parker added that Ruiz Junior’s style may well work for him if Ruiz Junior managed to get up close, but that, should Ruiz walk “into a big one” then the night would certainly favour Parker. Joseph Parker firmly believes that he has the necessary skills to continue to hurt the Mexican boxer, and remains confident that he is able to fight anyone, at any distance. He made it known that he had practiced and trained for any and all eventualities, and was 100% confident about what talents he would be bringing to the ring. Parker is Happiest at Home Joseph Parker was attended by John, his younger brother, the latter a light heavyweight set to fight on the undercard. Parker appeared to be very relaxed as he answered the questions put to him regarding arguably the biggest fight of his career to date. Kevin Barry, his trainer, said that Parker’s training on Saturday was some of the best work the fighter had put in over the preceding seven weeks, and that being home was definitely a factor in his overall happiness quotient. Parker’s work with mental-skills coach Ceri Evans is also earning dividends, Barry stated, and the results of these would be evident in next Saturday’s fight. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Semi Radradra, a Fijian athlete currently playing for the Parramatta Eels, is being knocked for his French move. Toulon signed the troubled 24-year old. - Published: 2016-11-30 - Modified: 2016-11-30 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/semi-radradra-criticized/ Semi Radradra Criticized for Move to Toulon Semi Radradra, whose full name is Semi Radradra Turagasoli Waqavatu, is a professional rugby league footballer who at present plays in the National Rugby League, or NRL, for the Parramatta Eels. He is a Fijian, but plays as both a Fijian and Australian international representative winger, and the 24-year old was born on the 13th of June 1992, in Suva, Fiji. He stands at 1. 9 metres, and weighs in at 100kg, getting his career off to a blistering start in 2013. He has one sister, Vaseva Waqavatu, and his parents are Samisoni Waqavatu and Luisa Sera. This troubled NRL star player has been reported to have signed a deal to link up with Toulon for the French Top 14 rugby competition, and this move has been heavily criticized. He will apparently begin playing for Toulon at some point in 2017. Reports issuing from France have suggested that Radradra had signed the deal some days ago, and Fox Sports confirmed with Mourad Boudjellal, the owner of Toulon, that this move was, in fact, happening. Boudjellal was reported to confirm that Radradra had signed with Toulon for one year, and this deal further had a one-year option attached. Certain media outlets have suggested that Radradra would play for Toulon from 2017 onwards, Mourad Boudjellal did not go into these specifics, and neither confirmed nor denied the date that the deal would commence. Toulon also boasts a number of Wallabies players on its books, with this list including Matt Giteau; Drew Mitchell; Liam Gill; and James O’Connor. Toulon managed to win the European Champions Cup for three years in a row, until 2015, and is currently in the process of rebuilding under the tutelage of Mike Ford, an Australian coach. The issue seems to be that 24-year old Radradra has, in fact, signed to play with the Parramatta Eels until the end of 2017. Arrest Warrant Issued for Radradra after Non-Appearance in Court Semi Radradra is a renowned barnstorming winger for the Parramatta eels, but his fame is not doing him any good in the eyes of the law: Monday found him on the receiving end of an arrest warrant after he failed to appear in court on charges of domestic violence. Although he left Fiji late last week with permission from the Parramatta Eels to visit his father, who is sick with pulmonary tuberculosis, the magistrate was not happy with his absence, citing that the nature of Samisoni Waqavatu’s illness was ongoing and did not justify his missing the court date. 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A fascinating final session had New Zealand reducing Pakistan from 158/1 to 230/all out. Endurance and a humming second new-ball paid out the dividends required for Kane Williamson’s side as renewed strength was shown after they suffered two recent defeats against India and South Africa. New Zealand’s Last Win against Pakistan was in February 1985 The last time New Zealand managed to defeat Pakistan was the 14th of February 1985, with the win taking place in Dunedin, thanks to Ewen Chatfield and Jeremy Coney producing a 50-run stand in order to haul in the target of 278. An Invercargill-bound train effected a spontaneous ten-minute stop to watch history unfolding from across its tracks on that splendid afternoon. This time round, the Seddon Park-loyalists enjoyed the show, as they installed themselves in their beach chairs; huddled into their blankets; and sipped hot beverages from ever-filled thermoses in an effort to ward off a west wind. New Zealand’s fielding and bowling juggernaut managed at long last to roll through Pakistan’s stubborn top order, and went on to defeat the tail with a dramatic Tom Latham short-leg catch which removed Imran Kahn and finished the task. Each specialist bowler managed to take wickets, a more than fair reward for a team showing. Mitchell Santner broke Pakistan’s ice of the top order with the first brace, and this was bookended by Neil Wagner managing to take three for none from six balls and so finish the feat. Pakistan was enjoying reasonable wicket conditions for batting on: at stumps last night the team had managed to endure 239. 1 overs –compared to the possible 351 that would have been theirs for four full days of play. This amount was near to a day and a season behind the usual attrition. Sam Aslam, 91, and Captain Azhar Ali, 58, posted 131/60, and so created the longest opening partnership for the Pakistani opening pair in the test’s fourth innings. A 369 target was set for the tourists by Williamson in order to triumph in this test; square the series; and hold on to their Number 2 World Ranking. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Junior Tall Blacks team could well be one of the best junior squads yet. Coach Cartwright says that each of the 12 players is confident and tough. - Published: 2016-11-30 - Modified: 2016-11-30 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/basketball/jtb-team-named-fiba/ Bloodlines are Strong in the Junior Tall Blacks, or JTB, Team The Junior Tall Blacks, or JTB, team has now been named for Fiji’s FIBA Oceania Championships, and this team is rumoured to be one of the strongest junior basketball squads yet to be seen. The Head Coach, Daryl Cartwright, has been quoted as saying that each one of his 12 players have the level of confidence necessary to step and lead in a context of more intense competition levels. Cartwright has stated that each member of the JBL team is the leader in their respective school or team, and is the athlete in each squad most likely to make the big play and carry their teams to victory almost every time they step out onto the court. This fact means that the JBL team has the level of confidence required for the FIBA Oceania Championships, and Coach Cartwright is confident that the team has a genuine depth, with each individual player having the ability to be a starter player. The JBL team as it currently stands already has a number of players well known inside the basketball community for a lot more than their abilities on the court. The pedigree of two of the newer faces is especially notable: Flynn and Tobias Cameron are the sons of Tall Black legend and Assistant Coach Pero Cameron. Both players reside on the Gold Coast, and, although eligible to compete on behalf of Australia as well, have elected to represent New Zealand instead. Don Fotu is another noteworthy, and familiar, name, being the younger brother of Isaac Fotu, the Zaragoza and Tall Black player. The younger Fotu was additionally selected for Basketball without Borders’ Asia Camp, and joins JTB players Quinn Clinton; Sam Waardenburg; and Taane Samuel. Clinton has also been named MVP for the camp’s All Star game, and Waardenburg took the title of MVP for the camp complete. In fact, Waardenburg has hit the headlines a number of times, thanks to his taking part in the FIBA 3x3 Under-Eighteen World Championships; being selected for the high-status NIKE All Asia Camp; attending the National Basketball Association, or NBA, Players Association Top 100 Camp; attending Adidas’ Nations Tournament; and signing up for Miami University enrolment on a Full Division One Scholarship. His Junior Tall Black teammate Takiula Fahrensohn has also recently signed to Division 1, albeit with the University of Portland, not the U of M. 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The All Blacks edged the game with 24 – 19, and, although the French team hardly ever looked like they would be able to emerge victoriously, they did play with flair and freedom, and ran the ball whenever they could. The past few years have been relatively unproductive ones for the French team, and they limped out of the most recent World Cup, having suffered and ignominious defeat by the Kiwis of 62 – 3. Hansen has said the Test match was a great one, and both teams’ performances were a factor in the crowd’s enjoyment of the game. He went on to state that it felt like the French rugby team of old had returned, especially since they were running the ball every chance they got. Hansen was very generous in his praise for France’s performance, but did not stint on compliments for New Zealand either, stating that he was “very happy” with the way they had played. He went on to say that they lost more than 800 caps and some real rugby legends after the last World Cup, and he was proud of their performance this year. He said that for the team to have managed to do what they had done this year, losing just one match and playing extremely good rugby the vast majority of the time, as well as managing to deliver a high standard of playing under the enormous pressure games later in the season placed on players thanks to the fatigue factor, made him very proud. He pointed out that his team had been around the world not once but twice in a nine-week period, had to deal with nine time-changes for seven of their games, and had done an excellent job as well. Noves Weighs in on What the November Games Revealed Noves has stated that this was a good time to assimilate what the November games had made known, with a 52 – 8 win for the game against Samoa contrasting heavily with a 25 – 23 loss in the match against Australia, and then the defeat in the game against New Zealand all needing to be factored in. He mentioned that this information would all need to be taken into account before the preparations for the Six Nations was begun. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Rain-soaked weather conditions marred much of the Pakistan vs. New Zealand Test match. Players stepped up to the challenge, however, and gave a good game. - Published: 2016-11-29 - Modified: 2016-11-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/cricket/pakistan-vs-new-zealand-test/ Babar Azam Manages Unbeaten 90 in New Zealand vs. Pakistan Game The highlight of the second Test match between Pakistan and New Zealand in Hamilton was day three. Babar Azam had to deal with running out of batting partners just ten runs short of a first Test 100 for Pakistan. Heavy rain unfortunately washed out the majority of the third day’s play, with slightly more than 38 overs being possible. During that time Pakistan was bowled out for 216, giving the home side a lead of 55 runs in their first innings. In what is only his second-ever Test match, Azam was left high and dry on 90 not out as he took the position of top scorer, but ran out of batting partners at this point, and was thus denied his maiden Test ton as a result. Tim Southee really stood out in terms of his role as bowler for the New Zealand team, receiving his fifth five-wicket haul in the Test format, managing to finish up with a remarkable figure of 6/80. Second Day Play for New Zealand vs. Pakistan Rain washed the Seddon Park game out just before lunchtime, causing the players to lose almost three hours of time overall. When the weather cleared enough to allow play to start again, Pakistan recommenced the Test on 76/5. In the morning session, Azam managed to amass a sixth-wicket partnership totalling 74 runs with Sarfaz Ahmed, 41, before flailing at Neil Wagner’s, 3/59, wide delivery, and being caught at second slip by Jeet Raval. An enthusiastic spectator managed to not only spill his drink, but miss the cricket ball as well as he tried for a catch in the crowd in Hamilton. Khan’s further Lower Order Resistance There was additional lower order resistance from the hands of Sohail Khan, who managed to club 37 off 44 balls, managing to hook two sixes as well. However, when the drizzle began, Pakistan had already slid further, to a total of 200/8. At one point play briefly resumed, and Southee managed to quickly clean up the Pakistani tail, resulting in Kane Williamson’s team starting the fourth day with a useful lead in the first innings, and all ten wickets still intact. If the New Zealand cricket team manages to get a draw at a minimum for this Test match, it will be sufficient for them to attain the first series win the team will have seen over Pakistan since back in 1985. 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The Black Ferns have managed to broaden their winning streak over Canada to a total of 12 games now, and the two teams will meet again come August, in pool play for the Women’s Rugby World Cup to be held in Ireland this time around. Winning Plays by Dedicated Athletes Kendra Cocksedge managed a penalty kick and conversion for the New Zealand Black Ferns team, and Aotearoa Mata'u was able to add a try to the team’s total, which had New Zealand in the lead with a score of 8 – 0 by half-time at the game which was held in Donnybrook Stadium. Donnybrook Stadium is one which belongs to the rugby union, and is located in Dublin, Ireland. The stadium has a crowd-capacity of 6 000. Laura Russell and Magali Harvey managed to score tries for the Canadian women’s rugby team, and this loss against New Zealand’s top-ranked Black Ferns follows Canada’s win against Ireland last weekend, with the Canadian team managing a 48 – 7 triumph against the Irish team, currently ranked at number five. New Zealand also managed to trounce England by 5 points in Sunday’s match, with a final score of 25 for the winners, and will wrap up their tour this weekend with a match against the Irish. The History of Women’s Rugby Rugby union games as played by women is an identical sport to the one enjoyed by male athletes, and the games feature the same rules; indistinguishable pitches; and equal equipment. Its history, however, is vastly different to that of male rugby union matches, due to a number of social pressures, and the character of the rugby union as a whole. These disparities have resulted in a history that is largely been hidden until relatively recently, but the women’s rugby union is slowly gaining a higher profile thanks to the increase in international tournaments for these games, and larger amounts of financial investments. A more extensive acceptance of women’s rugby has lead to female versions of other major rugby union tournaments, with the female Five Nations having kicked off in 1999, and a growing amount of headlines. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Scouts representing 14 NFL teams were impressed by the performances of Holmes and Taumololo. They fared well in the 2-hour workout that was overseen. - Published: 2016-11-29 - Modified: 2016-11-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/nfl/holmes-taumololo-scouted-nfl/ NFL Scouts Impressed by Valentine Holmes and Jason Taumololo Performance National Football League, or NFL, scouts from the San Francisco 49ers; Philadelphia Eagles; New York jets; and 12 other teams have sat up and taken notice of National Rugby League, or NRL, stars Valentine Holmes and Jason Taumololo. Holmes and Taumololo amazed the scouts from the above-mentioned NFL teams during a two-hour training drill in Los Angeles, despite encountering more than a few hiccoughs and raising a number of unanswered questions. The players will now have to endure a nerve-wracking wait to see if any of these teams request a second session, or simply make an offer to tempt them away from the NRL. A scout in the employ of the Philadelphia Eagles, who has asked to remain anonymous, has stated, after the workout that took place on Saturday at the Loyola High School, near downtown Los Angeles that it was probably too soon to know the answers to these questions. They are Big, Strong Athletes According to the Scouts The scouts reviewing the performances of Valentine Holmes and Jason Taumololo represented the 49ers from San Francisco; the Bears from Chicago; the Jaguars from Jacksonville; the Colts from Indianapolis; the Packers from Green Bay; the Chiefs from Kansas City; the Jets from New York; the Bills from Buffalo; the Browns from Cleveland; the Cardinals from Arizona; the Chargers from San Diego; and the Seahawks from Seattle. They assembled on the field, clipboards and stopwatches in hand, and oversaw the NFL drills being run by Holmes and Taumololo. They were described as big, strong athletes by the Eagles Scout, who added that the NFL required players who were able to combine balance with strength; body control; and change in direction, and that Taumololo and Holmes had these qualities in spades. Jeffrey Foster, president of National Football Scouting based in Indianapolis, who organised the workout, was reported to have been impressed by the intellect the two athletes displayed, as well as their physical talent. Foster organises the yearly NFL combine that brings the finest college football prospects together before each of the NFL drafts, and has reported that players will generally train for between six and eight weeks in order to perfect the 40-yard sprint; cone drills; and other requisite skills. The fact that both of these athletes, after being told what was required of them, did the exercises perfectly the first time, spoke volumes of them in terms of their ability to listen to orders, and perform well under considerable pressure. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > England’s rugby Coach Eddie Jones names Wallabies the most improved team in the world. He says England will still be able to beat them tactically however. - Published: 2016-11-29 - Modified: 2016-11-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/eddie-jones-compliments-wallabies/ Eddie Jones, England’s Rugby Coach, Praises the Wallabies Eddie Jones has branded the Wallabies as the team showing the most improvement in world rugby, but is still confident that England will triumph thanks to the fact that they will be cleverer tactically when Sunday’s Twickenham face-off begins. Jones’ pre-match verbal provocations are gathering steam, but his compliments on the Wallabies’ enhanced game were rich as he stated that their game had vastly improved since their 3-0 trouncing at home by the English rugby team in June, as the international season kicked off. After complimenting their improvement, he went on to say that their performance all the way through the Rugby Championship and then on the tour they have undertaken has been inspired, specifically mentioning the variation of their attacks. He went on to state that their alignment is far better in terms of their attack, and that the decisions the team is making as far as defences are concerned have been impressive as well, mentioning that key players’ returning was good for the team as well. Will Genia’s Return Doing the Wallabies Good Jones mentioned Will Genia specifically, calling him an outstanding player and stating that, at his best, Genia was probably the finest halfback the world has ever seen. Although Jones admitted that he was possibly not playing at his former level, he was nonetheless playing an excellent game, and that his influence on the Wallabies as a team was a solid one. Jones admitted to being very impressed with the Wallabies’ game overall, and that although they did not manage to finish an uncommon grand slam of wins over the home nations when they were defeated, albeit narrowly, by Ireland over the weekend, Jones cautioned that their motivation would nonetheless remain through the ceiling when one considered the discomfiture they suffered at the hands of the English rugby team back in June. Eddie Jones referenced comments made by Pep Guardiola, the Man City manager, who, when talking about playing Burnley, mentioned that, when a team gets beaten by a big score, the focus they will put on the next game against the team that won will be far more intense. Jones agreed with Guardiola that the team who suffered the loss will be far more motivated both physically and mentally, and that it was up to England to ensure that their will to win could see them through. --- > The Crown Perth Winterbottom Stakes Day is a sprint race run over 1200 meters. The race has seen some superstars of the equine racing world enter and win. - Published: 2016-11-29 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/crown-perth-winterbottom-stakes-day-superstars/ Crown Perth-Winterbottom Stakes Day The Crown Perth-Winterbottom Stakes Day is a grade weight horse race held for thoroughbreds from the ages of three and up. The race is known to be one of the biggest held in Australia and has produced some superstar winners over its years. Thoroughbreds from all over the world fly to Perth to try their luck on the 1200 meter long turf track, all competing for a purse of one million Australian Dollars Buffering The mighty Buffering has won the Crown Perth-Winterbottom Stakes Day twice so far; once in 2013 and then again last year in 2015. Buffering was one of the oldest horses to win the Crown Perth-Winterbottom Stakes Day in 2015 at the ripe old age of eight. Most of his seven year old season was spent in the paddock due to illness and injury, resulting in him not running the stakes in 2014. Buffering was one of the main track rivals to the mighty mare Black Caviar. Although he never actually beat her, they ran together at many races all over the world. He is also the only Queensland bred horse to surpass seven million Australian dollars in prize money, and the only 7th Australian horse to do so to date. Unfortunately a gelding, Buffering has been put out to pasture and still makes appearances at race courses as a living legend. The bay gelding is affectionately known as ‘The Buff’. He had 54 career starts with an incredibly impressive record of 20 wins, nine seconds and eight thirds. Backing Buffering throughout his career would have earned you a 54% return on your investment. Ortensia Ortensia won the - Crown Perth-Winterbottom stakes day twice, once in 2009 and again in 2011. She was known as a superstar in the sprinting world, having competed all over the world winning the Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan Racecourse in March 2012. She raced in America, England and of course Australia. Bred in New South Wales by L. D. Rhodes, the bay mare retired after her 2012 season at the age of seven. She was put to stud and had two fillies during that time. The first is currently a yearling by Choisir and the second a weaning by Dream Ahead. During her tenth year, Ortensia developed a tumor on her lung. She was treated for it and seemed to be getting better, but in July 2016 she sadly had to be put down as her health and breathing had dramatically deteriorated. She was in foal to champion stallion Redoutes Choice. Ortensia was sired by Testa Rossa, also an Australian horse. Testa Rossa was the great grandson of the mighty Danzig, who interestingly was Buffering’s great grandsire as well. Her dam, Aerates Pick, was a through and through Australian horse with a pedigree that included the likes of Snippets, Loosen Up, Never Bend and way further back Nasrullah who was the brother of Nearctic. --- > Peters Investments-Kingston Town is a popular race named after a legend. This race has seen some incredible horses cross the finish line over the years. - Published: 2016-11-29 - Modified: 2016-11-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/peters-investments-kingston-town/ Peters Investments-Kingston Town Classic Day The Peters Investments-Kingston Town classic day, or the final day of the TabTouch Masters, is run each year in Perth. The Southern Hemispheres richest group one race attracts large crowds each year with a variety of grand events such as high fashion, superb entertainment and great food. The million-dollar purse attracts horses and trainers from all over the world, resulting in a day rife with excitement and some seriously good times. Perfect Reflection Last year in 2015 the race was won by Perfect Reflection, a dark bay filly trained by Grant & Alana Williams. Perfect Reflection was foaled in 2012, making her only three years old when she won the Peters Investments-Kingston Town classic day in 2015. She has already amassed $1,139,950 in career earnings and is regarded as a member of the most elite classes of thoroughbreds. Her most significant win was the Peters Investments-Kingston Town classic day in 2015 when she beat the super mare Delicacy. Perfect Reflection has a superb pedigree, with both dam and sire lines going back to some super sires. Her sire, More Than Ready is by Southern Halo whose grandsire is the mighty Hail To Reason. Mr Prospector is found in both her dam lines and her sire lines as is Northern Dancer. Her dam, Reflected Image, is by the stallion Blue Bird who in turn is by the famous Storm Bird. With a pedigree like this, one can expect some great things in this girl’s future. She will be running in 2016 in the Kingston Town Classic. Playing God Playing God won the Peters Investments-Kingston Town classic day on two occasions, 2010 and 2011. He is a dark bay stallion who has since been retired to stud and has a number of progeny which have yet to be tested as they are all still yearlings. He won the G2 WA Guineas and LR Aquanita Stakes before completing a feature hat trick in the G1 Kingston Town Stakes at weight for age. At the age of three, Playing God was already a precocious horse who stormed out of the gates with ten starts. Out of those ten, he won five and was placed in five. This puts him in the same league as other superstars such as Buffering and Crystal Lily. He is the only horse since Old Comrade in 2000 and 2001 to win the Peters Investments-Kingston Town classic day in back to back years. Playing god is by Blackfriars who in turn is by Danehill. Danehill is by Danzig, the same great grandsire of Buffering. His dam line traces back to Bold Ruler and includes sires such as Rubiton and Taipan. Rubiton is known as one of the greatest current dam sires in Australia. In total, Playing God ran 42 starts, 8 wins and 11 placings. He had a 49% return to punters throughout his career, making his progeny an exciting prospect to follow in the future. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Robert Whittaker was born in New Zealand, raised in Australia, and happily flies the flag for both countries. His opponent is the American Derek Brunson. - Published: 2016-11-28 - Modified: 2016-11-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/ufc/robert-whittaker-headlines-ufc-fight-night/ Robert Whittaker Flies Two Flags in UFC Middleweight Fight While middleweight UFC fighter Robert Whittaker is a New Zealander according to the UFC, his accent tells another story. This fighter may have been born in Auckland, but he was raised in Australia, and will represent both countries when he headlines the UFC Fight Night this weekend in Melbourne. Despite the fact that he has spent most of his life on the other side of the Tasman, he is very proud of his Maori heritage, and will carry it into the Octagon with him as he begins the battle, with the evidence of his roots tattooed across his shoulder, in case anyone should be in doubt as to where he was born. Whittaker will not officially commit to either New Zealand or Australia, but is very proud to wave the flag for both countries, stating that he is proud of being “half-caste”, and does not see why he needs to choose one “side” when influences from both have had such a positive effect on his life. Luke Rockhold Injury Thrusts Whittaker into the Limelight Whittaker was originally going to appear in the co-main card event for the UFC Fight Night, until Luke Rockhold’s injury had his fight against Ronaldo Souza cancelled, thrusting Whittaker’s bout with America’s Derek Brunson up into the closing act. Whittaker reported feelings of shock about his sudden elevation, saying it took about a day for the information to settle in, and he has since come to view the opportunity as one to show just how far he has come. He added that fighting for his home country, and headlining at the same time, was the biggest milestone of his career to date. Whittaker has been competing professionally since 2009, after he was introduced to this sport by his Hapkido instructor, but his career gained a huge amount of traction when he appeared on The Ultimate Fighter, a reality show, in 2012. Whittaker’s prodigious performances in The Ultimate Fighter saw him secure a contract with the UFC as part of the prize he received as the overall champion. Four years on, Whittaker is enjoying a five-fight winning streak and the real probability of pushing himself into the ranks of the middleweight elite should he manage to win the fight with Brunson this weekend. Brunson is also enjoying a winning streak, totalling six so far, and was able to end his last four fights by brutal first-round knockouts each time. Should he manage this against Whittaker, he will be heir to the UFC record. 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Grant has dismissed calls for his resignation, and describes this apparent impasse as a simple hitch in the interaction between the world of the rugby league clubs and that of the ARL. Laurence Lancini, however, the chairman for North Queensland, continues to call for Grant to resign, and has vowed not to deal with him in any way as the parties continue to try to find an agreement about club funding. Although Grant admits that he is under a lot of pressure, he defiantly states that he has every intention of remaining in the chair for five more years, stating that there is always going to be pressure, and that handling this pressure properly was a key part of the job. Grant has stated that the job of the Commission is to look after the game as a whole, and that there would inevitably be competing forces making up this whole. He said that, although he understood how the clubs felt the grassroots needed to be attended to as well, in order to effectively halt the backward progression of the game in terms of people’s participation. He further stated that there are multiple items on the agenda that need to be responded to, and handling these effectively was the matter of a continuous balancing act. The Details of the Disagreement The ARLC and the clubs have started butting heads since Grant and Todd Greenberg, the NRL Chief Executive, pulled an agreement to fund every franchise at 130% of the salary cap from 2018 from the table. Grant has argued that this was no longer possible, with this amount not being affordable anymore because of a host of other issues requiring attention as well, including funding at a grassroots level; taking over the digital arm of the NRL from Telstra in the year 2018; and a sinking fund in order to buoy up struggling clubs. 15 of the competition’s 16 clubs have since signed a petition calling for an emergency general meeting in order to vote on whether or not to expel Grant. Lancini is one of the four club bosses that stormed out from the NRL headquarters meeting on Wednesday after the news was delivered, and has stated since that he will not back down from the demands his club is making. 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Every team shot under par in the best-ball conditions that prevailed, but the New Zealand pair managed the second-lowest round of the day, and, in doing so, moved into a share of the tenth at five-under for the contest. Danny Lee and Ryan Fox’s ten birdies and two bogies allowed them to enjoy a leap of 12 spots after an unsatisfactory opening round of 75. The pair is now seven shots off the lead, which is being held by the Danish duo of Thorbjorn Olesen and Soren Kjeldsen. A Flying Start for the Danes Soren Kjeldsen managed to secure a great start in the best-ball format by sinking his ball for an eagle on the third hole from 139 meters. Olesen has formerly enjoyed victory in Australia when he won the 2014 Perth International, holing his chip at the eighth hole when the pair collected two eagles and eight birdies. They concluded a 12-under-par dream day, finishing three shots clear of Chinese Li Haotong and Wu Ashun. Spain’s Jon Rahm and Rafa Cabrera Bello finished a further shot back in third overall after leading in the first round. America’s Jimmy Walker and Rickie Fowler are tied for fourth-place at seven-under-par. Marc Leishman and Adam Scott of Australia are still in contention thanks to the fact that they battled to a four-under-68. The tough conditions at Kingston Heath left the New Zealanders ten shots off the lead in a tie for 18th place as they battled to build any momentum. Contrasting Playing Styles is the Strength of Kjeldsen-Olesen Partnership Kjeldsen has been quoted as defining the strength of his Olesen partnership as being a result of their wildly different playing styles. He has stated that although they are not very dissimilar in temperament, they contrasted when it came to their playing-styles. The 41-year old player has managed a European Tour win four times. Kjeldsen said that, while his playing style is steadier, likening it to a train, Thorbjorn’s was more flamboyant, hitting the ball much further off the tee. The Danish duo has previously shot 61 individually in the stroke play format; Olesen, after a fifth consecutive birdie on the 14th hole, admitted that the fairy tale figure of 59 did cross his mind. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Dane Coles’ playing this season has set the team’s standard of excellent play. The All Black Player of the Year award should be handed to this hooker. - Published: 2016-11-28 - Modified: 2016-11-28 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/dane-coles-player-year/ Dane Coles Should Receive the All Blacks’ Player of the Year Award Once the season is completed by the All Blacks rugby team in Paris, France, there will be one more contest for them to complete before their summer southern season gets summed up. Those players and coaches who have returned to New Zealand rather than spending their downtime elsewhere will be invited to attend the annual rugby awards evening held in Auckland in next month’s midpoint. This awards evening is one wherein all levels of this beloved game are recognized and where, possibly, in the aftermath of the difficulties resulting from the earthquakes in the Kaikoura region, some of the evening’s takings will be diverted to help those still struggling in the aftermath. The focus of attention for the evening will certainly be on which athlete will be awarded with the coveted Player of the Year award, with Beauden Barrett; Ben Smith; Brodie Retallick; and Sam Whitelock joining Dane Coles as the main contenders. Many people are of the opinion that Coles should be the recipient of this award thanks to his stellar performance over the season as a whole. Details on the Player of the Year’s Contenders Barrett has transitioned from a player filling several positions more than competently to first-choice five-eighths, and won World Rugby’s award. Ben Smith has played immaculately in terms of both skill and timing throughout the season, and Retallick and Whitelock continue to dominate in all aspects, as the All Blacks revealed when they played without them while in Chicago. Coles, however, is by far the favourite for Player of the Year, and can be described as a down-to-earth hooker who brings a fiery temperament mixed with mischievousness and loads of skill and energy to every game he plays. The resilience he consistently displays will impress even Sean Fitzpatrick, considered to be one of the best-ever hookers in the game. Coles is frequently the focus of dramatics on the field as he displays great strength and is accomplished in the very exacting workload that scrums and line-outs demand, whilst still managing to cover the field comprehensively with his powerful legs and punish lax defence with his precise passing skills. He overcame the pain of rib damage and in doing so helped The Hurricanes win their first Super Rugby title, and, even though his level of discomfort can only be imagined, he consequently went on to back up his Super Rugby play and set the tone for the team’s international tests against Wales as well. 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He was the only person to make use of this word, and he and it have passed away, with Skelton seeing 85 years before being called home yesterday. “Bustling” Bill Skelton was an astonishing jockey, and his nickname became as widely known as the one he was christened with at birth. This nickname arose as a result of his riding-style, which consisted of getting the horses out of the barriers, and, in popular racing parlance, “sending them”. Fine Judgement was Bill Skelton’s Hallmark Bill Skelton triumphed in many races from the front, but did not lead these with recklessness, employing excellent judgement instead. The fact of the matter is that it is not possible to set a record amount of career wins that last over 25 years by being lucky –fine riding is required, and Bill Skelton saw that this was delivered. Skelton retired in 1977, with 2179 wins behind his name, 2156 of which stood in New Zealand. This record remained in place until it was surpassed by Lance O’Sullivan in 2002, but it must be remembered how there were many fewer races being run when Skelton was active. Skelton Raised in a Horse Racing Family Bill, along with his equally well-known brother Bob Skelton, was brought up in a family that went on to produce five jockeys from their Greymouth base. Bob passed away from an illness related to cancer in Victoria in August, and is best remembered for his loop in the reigns; long stirrups; and uncommon ability to judge pace in staying races. An immaculate sense of balance was exhibited by both brothers, along with a respect of the animals they rode and the races they participated in. Bill Skelton never faltered from his Belief that Daryl’s Joy, a horse trained by Syd Brown at Woodville, was the best horse he had the privilege to ride, with this animal becoming New Zealand’s Champion 2YO in 1968 and Australia’s Champion 3YO after he won both the Cox Plate and Victoria Derby in 1969. This colt was seen as invincible as a 3YO and had a three-quarter share subsequently sold to an American owner. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > The Peters Investments-Kingston Town Classic rounds off the Group One races for 2016. This race promises to be exciting and attract plenty of attention. - Published: 2016-11-25 - Modified: 2016-11-25 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/peters-investments-kingston-town-classic/ Get Ready for the Peters Investments-Kingston Town Classic This years Peters Investments-Kingston Town Classic will be held on the 3rd of December and for many it could bring about the Christmas spirit a little early, if backing a winner! The race is the Southern Hemisphere’s richest Group One event and is named after 3 times Cox Plate winner, Kingston Town who’s also been bestowed the honour of being inducted to the Australian Hall of Fame. An 1800m event, the Peters Investments-Kingston Town Classic is sure to attract a huge audience, both at the course and in front of the TV screen. The race will round off the 3rd and final day of The TABtouch Masters, and will see punters get into the mood with the Christmas Carnivale. If you can make your way Down Under to the Ascot Racecourse in Perth you’re sure to be in for a rollicking good time, but if you can catch the Peters Investments-Kingston Town Classic on TV or live feed, its also sure to be very exciting. A Fitting End to Group One Races The Peters Investments-Kingston Town Classic is held a week after the Group 2 Winterbottom Stakes and two weeks after the Group 1 Railway Stakes. It rounds off the season of Group One races for the year and is the middle distance main feature racing event of the Perth Summer Carnival. The prize money for this race is a whopping $1,000,000 and this alone attracts spectators from all over the country, and across the globe. All eyes will be glued to the track when the boxes open at 11am and Ascot Racecourse is sure to hum with excitement. The winner of this highly anticipated race generally goes on to compete in the Group 2 CB Cox Stakes, which are run over a 2,100m course. A Look at Previous Winners In 2015 Perfect Reflection took the honours of being the Peters Investments-Kingston Town Classic winner, in 2014 Moriarty was first across the finish line, and in 2103 Ihtsahymn pipped the others to the post. 2015’s race was particularly spectacular, with Perfect Reflection leaving the competition in the dust and winning the classic. Prior to this, he also emerged victorious in the Group 3 WA Champion Fillies Stakes, earning a double win. To date there have been 4 other double winners of both the Peters Investments-Kingston Town Classic and the Railway Stakes, so many will be watching to see if history repeats itself again this year. 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Then, in 1972, to make things interesting with the adoption of the metric system, the Perth Cup was altered to become a 3200m race. All this changed again in 2009, when the race was chopped to 2400m as organisers realised this would encourage a higher quality field. So, despite the longevity and traditions of the TABtouch Perth Cup Day event, the race itself has changed quite dramatically. For all those punters aiming to make good at this major event on the Perth horse-racing calendar, there are two key races directly related to the TABtouch Perth Cup that should be seriously noted. The first of these, the C B Cox Stakes, is run over 2100m a mere two weeks beforehand, and has turned out to be a remarkable excellent indicator of Perth Cup success with Cats Fun (2008), Palatious (1994), Mirror Magic (1992) and Saratov (1989) all taking the Perth Cup after winning the C B Cox Stakes. In similar fashion, the second betting tip that punters should heed, is that the Perth Cup itself is a precursor to the WATC Derby that is run over the same distance on the same course in early April, and performances are naturally closely related. A Full Social Event Apart from successful horse betting, TABtouch Perth Cup Day is an entire horse racing celebratory event. As it turns out, the second such event in 2016, since the first one was held on the 2nd of January. The upcoming TABtouch Perth Cup Day is scheduled for the 31st December, and will be a sensational horse racing day, starting at 11:00 am and ending at 8:30 pm, well into New Years’ Eve. On the final day of 2016, the horse racing community in Perth are going to be treated to the Group Two $500,000 TABtouch Perth Cup as well as the Group 3 La Trice Classic. The venue will be the Ascot Racecourse, and punters are set to end the year with a full day of sun and racing, lighting up the racing and social calendar with thoroughbred racing, plenty of betting options and evening entertainment provided by the The Presets. A perfect ending to 2016. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Get the low down on Crown Perth Winterbottom Stakes Day. Find out more about the event, the favourite to win and who made it to the final field now. - Published: 2016-11-24 - Modified: 2025-06-29 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/horse/crown-perth-winterbottom-stakes-day/ Gearing Up for The Crown Perth Winterbottom Stakes It’s week 2 of the TAB touch Masters and the good times look set to keep on coming with the running of the $1,000,000 Crown Perth Winterbottom Stakes. Avid Kiwi horse racing fans are gearing up for this weekend’s race and are keeping a close eye on the odds and markets. Taking place on Saturday, the 26th of November, this event is always a highlight on the year’s calendar and promises plenty of punting opportunities for anyone who enjoys a flutter. The Crown Perth Winterbottom Stakes is one of Australia’s premier sprint races and always features a star-studded field of Group One horses. Held at Ascot Racecourse, this event isn’t only about the fillies; fashion also plays a significant role, and along with the races, there’s also the chance to show off your finery and win big for doing so. Malaguerra a Favourite to Win Victoria-trained, Western Australia-owned Malaguerra is the favourite to win the $1,000,000 Crown Perth Winterbottom Stakes. Malaguerra has won two Group One races in quick succession and was first across the line in Melbourne and Brisbane. Racing in the colours of a Bruno Micalizzi, a retired Bicton fisherman, Malaguerra was named after a Sicilian warrior who was renowned for his sprinting prowess. It’s certainly proven to be an apt name, and this horse could well pip the others to the post on Saturday. TABtouch has tipped Malaguerra to win, but has also noted that Terravista, another Group One winner, currently poses the biggest threat. In the field of 12, Terravista seems to offer the most competition, and Joseph Pride, his trainer, is mainly responsible for this horse's other name: WBS, or World's Best Sprinter. The only thing that may hamper Terravista's chances is his previous foot issues, which put an end to a successful autumn campaign and saw Pride spend a large portion of the season getting him back to fitness. A Race Not To Be Missed Chief Executive Officer of Perth Racing, Julian Sullivan, has said that they are thrilled with the lineup for the first standalone edition of the day, and that the course is expecting to welcome more than 14,0000 spectators through its gates to view the event. This year's Crown Perth Winterbottom Stakes Day is sure to be unforgettable. Now that the final field has been announced, there’s no doubt that the race will be a good one: Terravista Malaguerra Takedown Rock Magic Keen Array First Among Equals Battle Hero Vega Magic Regal Commander 1State Solicitor Sheidel Military Reign --- > New Zealand lost the Four Nations and their World Rugby League number one ranking to Australia. Find out more about how the Kiwis got crushed in the final. - Published: 2016-11-23 - Modified: 2016-11-23 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/rugby/nz-loose-world-1-ranking-au/ Kangaroos Crush New Zealand’s Four Nations Dreams In the Four Nations final, Australia ran rampant over the Kiwi NRL team at Anfield, and when the final whistle blew the score was a rather embarrassing 34-8. The New Zealand team was dealt a crushing blow by the Kangaroos win, as not only were they stripped of the chance of claiming the 2016 Four Nations title, they also allowed Australia to slip in and take their number one spot in the World Rugby League rankings. The Kiwis were literally overrun in the game, and meekly handed Australia the title they had fought so hard to win in 2014. The Kangaroos, led by Mal Meninga ran in six tries over the course of the match, and from the minute they went onto the field they made their intentions abundantly clear. Only two minutes in, a scrum saw Darius Boyd pass the ball to Blake Ferguson, setting the Kangaroos up for their first try. An Unsuccessful Battle Initially New Zealand responded in a positive fashion and both Jason Taumalolo and Adam Blair made runs to break into the Australian half, only to pass to Shaun Kenny-Dowall who fumbled and dropped the ball, missing out on what seemed like the perfect opportunity to score. This seemed to almost herald the beginning of the end for the Kiwi’s, and they seemed to lose confidence and began making rookie errors that cost them dearly. No matter which way the Kiwi’s went, Meninga’s team thwarted their every move and cut them off successfully almost all the time. By half time the Kangaroos were leading 24-0 and the Kiwi team looked beleaguered and a bit out of their depth. A Second Half Onslaught Anyone who thought the Kiwis would make a comeback in the second half was badly disappointed, as the Kangaroos continued their onslaught as soon as both teams were back on the field. The Kiwi team tried camping out on their try line, but this backfired when Rapana was forced to leave the field for a concussion test and the backline was reshuffled. This shuffle however seemed to give the Kiwi’s a bit of renewed confidence and they managed to score in quick succession, cracking through the Kangaroos seemingly impenetrable defence and earning them 8 points. It was a case of too little, too late though, and the Aussie team steam rolled the New Zealanders into a 34-8 win, stripping them of their number one test ranking and of the chance to hoist the Four Nations Cup. TOP CasinosJune 2025 Rank Site NZ Rating Bonus Review 1 Spin Casino 5/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review 2 Betway 4. 9/5 Up to $60 NZD Play Now Review 3 JackpotCity 4. 9/5 $1600 NZD Play Now Review 4 Gaming Club 4. 8/5 $350 NZD Play Now Review 5 Ruby Fortune 4. 7/5 $750 NZD Play Now Review 6 Lucky Nugget 4. 6/5 $1000 NZD Play Now Review --- > Samoa has opted to sponsor an international WBO heavyweight fight taking place in Auckland in December. Find out more about this upcoming bout now! - Published: 2016-11-22 - Modified: 2016-11-22 - URL: https://onlinegambling.net.nz/news/boxing/samoa-gets-behind-new-zealand-boxer/ Samoa Looking to Steal the Limelight at Auckland Fight The Samoan nation and its Prime Minister look set to steal the limelight at next months WBO heavyweight title fight in Auckland. The highly anticipated boxing match takes place at Auckland’s Vector Arena on December the 10th and promises to draw in a huge number of fans. Both the Auckland council and the New Zealand government declined to fund Joseph Parkers fight against Mexican Andy Ruiz Jnr. so Samoa took up the challenge, and will reap the rewards. The match will be telecast globally and instead of promotional pictures of the Far North, Queensland and Auckland being beamed across the world, Samoa will take centre stage and promote their own country. A sponsorship deal worth a whopping $NZ137, 000 was recently signed under the instruction of Samoan president and avid boxing fan Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi, awarding Samoa a number of advertising rights. Malielegaoi said that he had no hesitation in offering his and his country’s support, and that he was fully aware of the benefits he could reap from such extensive promotion. Reaping the Rewards of a Massive Spectator Sport Boxing is an incredibly popular spectator sport and there are also a huge number of punters who enjoy betting on fights’ outcome. Malielegaoi is capitalising on this, and although Parker’s promoter, David Higgins has said that there may be some confusion with regards to where the event is taking place, he has highlighted the fact that funding closer to home was not available, and that Samoa’s sponsorship was more than welcomed. Higgins has confirmed that the Samoan president will introduce the main event and that a ceremonial introduction will take place. He also stated that Malielegaoi might be asked to take part in the awarding of the belt at the end of the bout and to say a few words about the winner. Both the New Zealand and Samoan National Anthems will be played before Parker takes to the ring, and this is more than fitting, as this boxer is a New Zealand born Samoan. Parker is following in the footsteps of David Tua, who not only has similar heritage but also fought for his country in a heavyweight title 16 years ago. Tua fought Lennox Lewis in Las Vegas and was beaten, but Parker is hoping for a better result this time round. Malielegaoi believes that Parker has an excellent chance of beating Ruiz Jnr and says that this time, the odds are more even. Punters will be keeping a close eye on the odds as the boxing match draws closer, and the 10th of December promises to be an exciting date in New Zealand’s sporting calendar. 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When Ireland beat the All Blacks 40-29 in Chicago the whole world stood still, as this was not only an unexpected result, it was also an historical one. Ireland had not beaten the All Blacks in 111 years and when they did, it was at a time when the team looked to be invincible. Sadly, a second Irish win, this time on home soil, was not to be and the Irish succumbed to the power and might the All Blacks are famous for. A Rough Game Saturdays match wasn’t without upset and it was described by many as a rough game. The All Blacks seemed hell bent on taking revenge on Ireland for ending their 18 match winning streak and played hard and fast, with collisions forcing out Irish starters Jonathan Sexton, CJ Stander and Robbie Henshaw all in the first half. A number of Irish scoring opportunities were thwarted by the All Blacks and a bruising defence, several last ditch turnovers and a number of disruptive fouls made the game an interesting one to watch. Steve Hansen, the New Zealand coach commented after the match that whilst it wasn’t always pretty, the desired result was achieved and the Kiwis had now answered any questions about their teams character and ability, once and for all. Action from the Start The second Ireland – All Backs test clash played out in front of 51,000 roaring fans in a sold out Lansdowne Road Stadium, and everyone was on the edge of their seat right from the first blow of the whistle. Whereas Ireland had scored 5 tries in Chicago, they didn’t manage a single one this time round, and the All Blacks almost overwhelmed them right at the start, opening the match just 3 minutes in with a try and conversion that took the score to 7-0. A second try saw the All Blacks end the first half leading 14-6, but with 7 penalties under their belts. The second half saw the Irish team take to the field with renewed vigour, but even this wasn’t enough to beat the Kiwis, and they were defeated a respectable 21-9. 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