New Zealand is a country renowned for its natural beauty and rich cultural heritage. New Zealanders are perhaps best known for their competitive spirit and brilliance in the game of rugby, with the All Blacks winning the Rugby World Cup on three occasions. You also don’t need to be a rugby aficionado to know about the ceremonial dance ‘The Haka’ that takes place before every game.
When it comes to the natural beauty of the two islands that comprise the country, one viewing of Lord of the Rings will show you the incredible landscape of New Zealand. But what about those hidden gems that are featured in New Zealand? We’ll now take you through a couple of hidden cultural elements of New Zealand that you might not necessarily expect to find.
Casinos
New Zealand does not have a rich heritage of wagering venues, but the ones that are available in the country are of the highest caliber. SkyCity Auckland is perhaps the signature venue located in the business district of Auckland. There are hundreds of
casino games available for customers to take a chance on all their favourites, including slots and table-based games. It caters to a wide variety of player budgets, offering significant jackpots for blackjack, Texas Hold’em, or Caribbean Stud Poker. For those customers that are looking to spend a little bit more, it even has a VIP Gaming room.
This is commonplace across the SkyCity venues in the country, with locations also based in Hamilton and Queenstown. New Zealanders also have the option of online casinos, including a lot of the leading brand names in the industry. Residents or tourists in New Zealand can use Bonusfinder NZ to source the best offers around before signing up to hone their craft with slots and table-based games available on the online casinos or they can visit the brick-and-mortar venues themselves. New Zealand has a vibrant wagering scene for those interested and it is only continuing to grow.
Tennis
Anthony Wilding is the most famous player to emerge from New Zealand, winning six Grand Slams between 1906 and 1913.
He won Wimbledon four times, earning colossal praise and recognition from crowds at the All England Club, becoming a household name. He tasted a rare defeat in his final Wimbledon appearance in 1914, losing out to Australian Tony Brookes in the final. The First World War halted his career and sadly cut short his life at the age of just 31.
Wilding served in the Royal Marines and was unfortunately killed in France in 1915. His legacy remains in New Zealand to this day as the only player from the islands to win a Grand Slam. He was voted to the Tennis Hall of Fame in 1978 and is a poignant figure for tennis in the country. Wilding’s success has allowed New Zealand to remain a premier tennis venue, staging the Auckland Open ahead of the Australian Open in January every year.
Jeff Robson, Onny Parun, and Chris Lewis are the only New Zealanders to win the crown on home soil. Lewis and Parun have also continued Wilding’s legacy by reaching the Wimbledon and Australian Open finals in their careers, although ultimate success evaded them both. There is always an interest in tennis in New Zealand, highlighted by the dedicated ASB Tennis Centre in Auckland. Hopefully, it will not be long before a New Zealander comes to the fore again in a nation that loves its sport.
