Rugby League Betting 4
It is generally accepted that Australian rugby league leads the way in terms of quality and excitement, but punters have been deserting the NRL in their droves due to the unpredictability of the results and the lack of difference of opinion as nearly all the British bookmakers copy the line from the Aussie bookmakers.
Match and handicap betting is available, and unlike Super League, the 80-minute market is one to get stuck into with teams often evenly matched due to the NREs salary cap guidelines, which mean that all sides have a more equal chance of securing the services of the best players.
One plus is the fact teams have to be announced by the middle of the week, but the downside for those based in the United Kingdom is that the vast majority of teams can all beat each other on any given day and form rarely seems to count for much.
Sure, it makes for greater viewing - and Sky's frequent live NRL coverage is a bonus - but a proven adage in betting is that the best games do not always produce the best bets. For those who do want to try their luck on the NRL, rleague.com and NRL.com offer the best news, statistics and information service.
Unlike rugby union, there is little in the way of interest in the international scene, which Australia dominates, so representative rugby is confined to the Stage of Origin (Queensland v New South Wales) which sees Australians fight it out on behalf of the state of their birth.
These games are often keenly-contested encounters and points are usually at a premium in the best-of-three series. One trend that is worth bearing in mind is just how tight the opening match normally is.
Over the 16 years between 1988 and 2004, the average points total was just 25.6, so selling the total points or going under the fixed-odds points line has been a licence to print money. Another stat worth taking into consideration: between the years of 1981 and 2003, the series went to the team which won the opener.