best odds, winning tips
and free bets
Get FREE Weekly AFL Betting Tips

NRL betting odds expert guide - How to bet on NRL games in Australia

Posted on 14/09 by Les H

Weekly Expert Betting Tips - Join our free mailing list

 NRL – Betting Guide

Australians by nature like to do things differently, and it should come as no surprise when such sentiment is extended to the world of Rugby. The “union” brand maybe the most recognised form of Rugby on the global stage, but in this topsy turvy world down under, Rugby League has cemented itself as the biggest show in town. From humble origins, the NRL is now widely regarded as the world's elite rugby league championship and is the most viewed and attended rugby football club competition in the world by a considerable margin.


NRL – About the Game
Although the “League” code now dominates the Rugby landscape in Australia - the origins of the sport lie much further afield. Rugby League began in 1895 from the working class areas of Northern England as a direct challenge to the establishment’s refusal to compensate working men for wages missed due to rugby tours and injuries. The RFU’s response at the time, in line with their strict amateur code was “if men couldn’t afford to play, then they shouldn’t play at all”.

In response, the “Northern Union”, forged ahead with their own ideas, paying players on a professional basis, and altering the traditional rugby rules and infrastructure into what today is more widely recognized as the sport of Rugby League. This brand of rugby remains popular in Northern England to this day.

Rugby League was introduced to Australia in 1907 with the formation of the NSW League and through various transformations and league restructuring over the past 100 years, the NRL continues to serve up its high impact brand of excitement and entertainment for the current generation of sports and gambling fans.


NRL Rules

The objective of rugby league is fairly uncomplicated - score more than the opposition team over a period of two 40 minute halves. Teams score points via tries, conversions, and penalty goals. Tries are the most valuable at 4 points and are registered by grounding the ball over the opponents’ goal line. A conversion attempt is awarded following the completion of a Try and is worth 2 points. Penalty goals are worth an additional 2 points and are awarded for various rule infringements.

When in possession of the ball, the attacking team has a maximum of 6 tackles to try and score before the ball must returned to the opposing team. Teams will generally kick possession on the 5th tackle in order to start defending as high up the pitch as possible.

A typical NRL game follows a fairly rigid structure - similar in style to American Football, but at a more frenetic pace. The frequency of interceptions and tackle turnovers also add to the drama and excitement and the volatile nature of these events make for some interesting betting opportunities.


NRL Season Structure
Rugby league is a winter sport in Australasia, with the first game commencing in March. A total of 26 games are played in the regular season, with several specially themed rounds such as the Heritage Round, Women in League Round and Rivalry Round help to spice up the action.

The eight highest placed teams at the end of the regular season compete in the finals series. The system consists of a number of games between the top eight teams over four weeks in September, until only two teams remain. These two teams then contest the Grand Final, which is usually played on the first Sunday of October. 2015 looks to be another fiercely contested season with the Rabbitohs, Roosters, Storm and Cowboys all vying for top spot. There are some great value bets on each team with some of the top NRL bookmakers.


Popular NRL Betting Markets

Whether it’s backing your favourite team to be crowned grand final champions, or having a punt on a one off game, all of the top bookmakers have got you covered. Some of the more popular markets include:

2017 Outright Winner - The title race this year promises to be as close as ever and punters can get involved at any point during the race to back their favourite team for the outright Premiership win. You need to be careful when placing your NRL outright bets though, the NRL Premiership winner is the NRL Grand Final victor. When placing a bet on who you think will finish top of the ladder you need to look at NRL Minor Premiership betting odds.

Head to Head - Bet on individual round matches between any of the NRL teams this season. Some of the speciality rounds are sure to throw up some bruising matches. All of the top bookmakers offer competitive odds each and every round.

Top Try scorer - Have a feeling about who the top individual try scorer will be this year? There’s never been a better time to get a bet on - the bookmakers are offering some great introductory offers for NRL bets this season.


Follow the 2017 NRL season with your favourite bookmaker

Opening an account has never been easier - all top Australian bookmakers offer easy to follow online platforms allowing you to bet from the comfort of your own home in front of your laptop, or following along with your friends at the nearest pub on your smartphone. Take a look at Sportsbet.com.au who are offering some fantastic promotions for the 2017 season.

Sportsbet.com.au - NRL Bonus bet up to $250



Do you want to place a bet on NRL betting?

Return to Rugby home.

Latest Rugby news
All news archives (all sports)
Join our Free Weekly Mailing List
Close