Rugby League is one of the primary sports played in Australia. The national competition is called the NRL and popular in Eastern Australia, with the majority of teams located in New South Wales.
Every Australian bookmaker offers some type of NRL betting and here are some of the more common betting options you will come across.
Head To Head
The head to head NRL bet is the most common type of betting available on NRL matches. Simply pick the winner of the match, which normally includes any extra time (although be sure to check specific rules with each bookmaker). At the end of extra time, if the match ends in a draw then bets are refunded.
Half Time / Full Time Double
The half time / full time double is a bet where you predict the outcome of both halves. Since there are just two teams in a rugby league match, there are 7 possible outcomes which are:
Team A leading at half time / Team A wins the game
Team A leading at half time / Drawn match
Team A leading at half time / Team B wins the game
Team B leading at half time / Team B wins the game
Team B leading at half time / Drawn match
Team B leading at half time / Team A wins the game
Draw at half time / Drawn match
The draw / draw outcome typically has the highest odds because most teams go for the win. The shortest odds will be on the team favoured to win to be leading at half time and win the game. The bets where a team leading at halftime loses or vice versa are pretty good if you have some statistics that perhaps show a team tends to let in a lot of points in the 2nd half, or finish a game really well. A few years back the Bulldogs were known to be a team that would come charging back in the 2nd half and often win games after being behind on the scoreboard at half time.
Winning Margin
The winning margin NRL bet has 5 selections which predict the team that will win and the margin of victory (unless a draw). The 5 possibilities are:
Team A to win by 1-12 points
Team A to win by 13 or more points
Team B to win by 1-12 points
Team B to win by 13 or more points
Drawn match
As with the half time / full time double, the draw often pays the most. If you look on websites like NRL.com you will some statistics that show how many 1-12 and 13+ wins each team has had so far in the year. This type of bet can sometimes provide a heart stopping moment when a team might score as the siren sounds, and a sideline conversion decides between a winning bet and a losing one.
First / Last Try Scorer
A type of bet that often pays at least $7 for the right selection. Simply pick the player to score the first or last tries of the match. The backs are often favourites for this, in particular players with high try scoring rates such as Israel Folau, Taniela Tuiaki & Nathan Merritt. Sometimes though the odd forward can score and if you’re lucky enough to have $10 on these guys then you’re looking at typical odds of around $51 or more. If you’re betting on the first try scorer then make sure that they are at least in the starting lineup as sometimes these can change leading up to game time. Team sheets are available on NRL.com
NRL Rugby League Betting Tips
To give yourself the best chance at making a winning NRL bet, make sure you consider the following points:
– The current form of both teams
– The home / away record of the respective teams
– Any key player injuries. Check on NRL.com for the latest news and team lists for the matches
– Any key matchups. Decide whether a certain player is likely to have a big advantage over their opposing player
= The weather. Wet weather doesn’t suit teams that like to pass a lot such as the Wests Tigers because more passing = more chance that a ball slips away due to the rain
– By going through just the above short checklist, you can give yourself an edge in your NRL betting. Also try and look at other betting options aside from the usual head to head betting. There are some really interesting NRL bets available, particularly with bookmakers like Sportsbet and Crownbet.