The faster-paced and more physical cousin to rugby union, rugby league is a version of rugby played with teams of 13 that is popular throughout the world. Rugby league is an exciting sport, and users can place bets alongside the thrilling gameplay at BoyleSports and our rugby league betting markets. You’ll find competitive rugby league odds right here on this page for all the major rugby league matches and events, from the Challenge Cup to Australia’s National Rugby League.
Understanding Rugby League Betting
Before we get into the details surrounding rugby league betting, understanding how the sport itself works is key. Rugby League is a version of rugby that split from Rugby Union in 1895. With simpler rules, less focus on contesting possession, and fewer players on the field, rugby league is faster-paced than rugby union and has fewer stoppages. Aficionados consider it the more exciting way to play and watch rugby.
Rugby league games are played by teams of 13 players across two 40-minute halves. The ball must be thrown sideways or backwards, but can be kicked forwards. Play is made up of six-tackle sets, where a team has up to six tackles to advance the ball before possession is handed over to the opposition.
Points are awarded in rugby league for a:
Try: Touching the ball down in the other team’s in-goal area - 4 points.
Conversion: An opportunity to kick the ball through the opponent’s goal posts after scoring a try - 2 points.
Penalty goal: The ball is kicked between the other team’s goal posts after being awarded a penalty kick - 2 points.
Drop goal: The ball is kicked between the opponent’s goal posts from open play - 1 point.
How To Bet On Rugby League?
Rugby league is a fast-paced, physical and high-scoring sport, something which is popular for bettors. To begin with, pick a rugby league betting market from the range of games taking place and identify the options you wish to use in order to make your predictions. Once you have selected a couple of potential outcomes, you can then view the rugby league betting odds of your selections and proceed to place your bet, entering your desired stake in the process. From here, you can then follow along with the action live at BoyleSports as all the excitement of the match unfolds, as is the case with rugby union betting too.
Rugby League Betting Competitions
Rugby league is a global sport played in more than 70 countries, and is the national sport of Papua New Guinea. England, France, Australia and New Zealand all have professional club-level leagues. The top competitions that are often made available for rugby league betting include the following:
Super League
Officially called the Super League Europe, this is the top level of British rugby league and is contested by 12 clubs: 10 from Northern England, one from London, and one team from southern France. The regular Super League season usually runs from February to September, and the top six sides play in the Super League Play-offs in September and October, with the remaining two competing in the Grand Final towards the middle or end of October. The multitude of games that take place throughout the league phase and the high level of competition on show have made this a common competition for rugby league betting.
The Challenge Cup
The Rugby Football League Challenge Cup is a knockout rugby league competition that’s been running since 1896, making it the oldest cup tournament and a popular choice for rugby league betting. The Challenge Cup is contested by all English rugby league teams from Tier 5 and above, plus the occasional foreign clubs, with usually around 70 teams competing in total. The Challenge Cup consists of nine rounds, including the final, and typically runs from January to June, July, or August.
National Rugby League
An immensely popular rugby league betting division that has been running since 1908, featuring a total of 16 clubs, the National Rugby League is one of the most prominent in Australasia. The season is typically played from March to October, with the top eight teams progressing to the NRL Finals Series, a four-round knock-out tournament in September, before the NRL Grand Final in October.
Rugby League World Cup
The pinnacle of international rugby league, the Rugby League World Cup, is held every four or five years in different host nations, typically from October through to December. The World Cup usually features between 14 and 16 national teams, and the competition begins with a group stage of mini leagues where teams earn two points for a win, one for a draw, and zero for a loss. The top two teams from each group then enter into a three-round knock-out tournament, with the winner of the final claiming the Paul Barrière Trophy. Due to the highly competitive nature of the World Cup, as well as the upsets and unpredictability it also brings along with it, it is yet another popular choice for rugby league betting.
Rugby League Betting Markets
You’ll find all your essential rugby league betting markets right here on this page. We’ve got the latest rugby league betting odds for games and competitions played throughout the world, from the Super League to the National Rugby League.
Match winner wagers are amongst the simplest ways to bet on rugby league as you simply place a stake on which team you think will win a specific match, just as you do in basketball betting, for example. If it is tournaments you enjoy, you can use the outright markets, which see you bet on a team that you think will win an overall competition or tournament. As these tend to be placed well in advance of an event’s conclusion, however, their rugby league betting odds tend to be slightly higher than standard match winner selections.
In terms of handicap rugby league betting, you will predict which team will win, lose or draw a match but with a handicap applied to the favourite team. For example, the handicap in question could be -6, meaning the team must overcome this and still win the match in order for the bet to be successful.
When it comes to margin ahead rugby league betting markets, this sees users bet on which team in a match will go a certain number of points ahead first, a market which is common in cricket betting as well. Sticking to totals, over and under bets see users predict whether an action or outcome will occur over or under a specified line by the end of a game or a half.
Moving onto proposition bets, these are side bets on events in a match outside of just who will be the victor. These include more individual rugby league betting markets such as the player to score the most points, the first try scorer, an anytime try scorer or the total number of tries for a certain team.
Live Rugby League Betting
As we have already mentioned, rugby league is fast, physical and full of momentum shifts. Therefore, the sport is perfect for live rugby league betting, with there being a number of in-play markets available at BoyleSports in which users can react in real time as any of the high-velocity games unfold. Using the live rugby league betting markets, users can choose from markets such as the next try scorer, results, who leads at the end of halves, and even the next team to score amongst many other options, each of which sees their odds adjusted to match current standings and events.
Factors To Consider In Rugby League Betting
When it comes to placing stakes in rugby league betting, there are a number of things you could potentially consider:
Team form and performance: Look at the latest run of results for a club, as an underdog in good form can cause upsets, as can be applied to football betting and many other sports too. Analyse past head-to-head matchups to see if a team has a history of success against their current opponents, all of which is key to be aware of if betting on rugby league.
Player statistics and injuries: Pay attention to the recent performance of key players, including analysing player statistics like tries scored and tackles made. Important players in good form can have a big impact on a match. Injuries, however, can take a toll on a team. Therefore, keeping up to date with this type of news is important for rugby league betting.
Home and away advantage: Clubs can benefit from a home advantage, but this can be more effective for some sides. On the other hand, some teams may have a run where they play better away from home.
Weather conditions: Weather, especially rain and strong wind, can have a big impact on play. Bad weather conditions can favour sides with good kickers, whilst better conditions can put teams with quick wingers and a good fly-half at an advantage. Especially when live rugby league betting, keeping ahead and reacting to any weather could be a factor to consider.
Bet On Rugby League With BoyleSports
From thrilling international side clashes to high-stakes domestic league games, BoyleSports has all areas covered when it comes to rugby league betting. Boasting competitive odds, in-play betting action and a deep coverage of different markets, all of these aspects can bring you closer to these fierce games even more.
