Rugby League Odds

Popular Rugby League Competitions to Bet On

Punters can enjoy Rugby League odds on numerous tournaments across the UK and abroad. Australia has the richest variety, with the overarching National Rugby League and several smaller tournaments throughout each state. Rugby League betting odds also encompass international competitions like the showpiece World Cup. We’ll go into more detail surrounding the top Rugby League betting competitions below:

Super League

The Super League, currently sponsored by Betfred, is the top-tier of competitive British rugby league. It replaced the First Division in 1996, notably switching play from the winter to the summer. Rugby League odds on the Super League generally run from February to September and currently feature 12 teams. St Helens from Merseyside are the most successful club in the league’s history with ten titles, the most recent coming in 2022. 

The regular season involves 27 games for each team, including special events like the Magic Weekend, where all fixtures are played in the same stadium over a weekend. The top six-placed teams compete in a playoff round culminating in the Grand Final for the two leading teams. Super League winners go on to play the Australian National Rugby League champions in the World Club Challenge. 

The World Club Challenge

This weekend the champions of both hemispheres collide at a sold out DW Stadium in Wigan as the Super League winning Wigan Warriors host the three times NRL Champions Penrith Panthers. In last season's clash of Champions, St Helens upset the odds to win away in Penrith, so the Panthers will be going all out to win this prestigious title for the first time in the club's illustrious history.

Challenge Cup

Established in 1896, the Challenge Cup is the oldest competition in global rugby football, regardless of the rules. The 2023 edition featured 71 teams from all tiers of the British Rugby League pyramid, with Leigh Leopards winning the trophy for the third time. They still have some way to go to beat the all-time record-holders Wigan Warriors, who have tasted success on a remarkable 20 occasions. 

The Challenge Cup is a popular competition for Rugby League odds, particularly due to the number of different teams and potential for huge upsets. Amateur teams can often overturn their professional opponents in the early rounds, while the less fashionable Super League clubs often view this as their only realistic shot at glory.

Australian National Rugby League

Australian Rugby League odds are plentiful, with over a thousand professional and amateur clubs currently competing. However, the official Australian National Rugby League’s history has been turbulent, to say the least. The current league launched in 1998 after a tumultuous period defined by the commercial tussle between the Australian Rugby League and Australian Super League. 

Seventeen teams now compete in the Australian National Rugby League, with 16 from Australia and one from New Zealand. South Sydney Rabbitohs currently have the record for most titles, winning the trophy on 21 occasions. The teams compete in an initial league, where the leader is awarded the minor premiership titles. Afterwards, the top eight teams compete in a playoff round that finishes with the NRL Grand Final, a landmark event for Australian sports fans. Penrith Panthers are on a historic run right now of three Grand Final wins in a row. Can they make it four in 2024?

State Of Origin

Australia are notoriously insular when it comes to their sports, particularly in rugby league when the men Down-Under have an idea that their competition is so far ahead of the rest of the world that the pinnacle of the sport is when two states in Australia collide. The merits of this long held belief are questioned heavily on these shores in rugby league circles, but like it or lump it the State of Origin series is always must watch television. 

Club mates become enemies for three games midway through the NRL season as Queensland and New South Wales clash, with a game apiece in both states and one on neutral territory. In recent years things have been fairly even, but Queensland got the better of the more well fancied NSW last year which has prompted the Blues to ditch legend Freddie Fittler as coach and appoint the hard-nosed Michael Maguire. Billy Slater, Queensland's phenomenal full back of the noughties, remains coach of the Maroons.

Rugby League World Cup

The Rugby League World Cup launched in 1954, the first worldwide international tournament for any type of rugby football. Sixteen teams compete in four initial groups, with the top two placed nations advancing to a knockout round. The format has evolved considerably over the years, so don’t be surprised if further tweaks are made in the future. 

Australia picked up a twelfth title in the most recent 2021 edition (actually held in 2022), confirming their unrivalled dominance in the competition. The Aussies have been in the final every year other than 1954, and Great Britain (3) and New Zealand (1) are the only other nations to enjoy victory. The next Rugby League World Cup takes place in 2026, with only ten teams in the Southern Hemisphere due to financial concerns. 

Pacific Championships

The Pacific Championships feature international Rugby League odds on Australia, New Zealand, Samoa, the Cook Islands, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga. The 2023 edition took place from October to November in Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea. Organisers split the tournament into three categories: Pacific Cup (Australia, New Zealand, and Samoa), Pacific Bowl (Cook Islands, Fiji, Papua New Guinea), and Women (all teams). 

Rugby League betting odds on the highest Pacific Cup tier will be the most exciting, featuring the world’s top three ranked teams. The 2023 Pacific Championships was the second edition, with Australia winning the first in 2019. New Zealand shocked the world to win the final in resounding fashion against Australia by 30-6. In true rugby league fashion, after one of their best wins in recent decades the Kiwis promptly sacked their coach Michael Maguire. 

International Series

The rugby league international calendar has for a long while been non existent and very much make it up as they go along. However, the IRL have finally got their act together and a number of tours from Southern Hemisphere teams to the Northern Hemisphere and vice versa have now been pencilled in. In 2024 Samoa will be touring England, after Tonga visited in 2023.

Responsible Gambling at Rugby League Betting Sites

BettingOdds takes responsible gambling very seriously. You must ensure you enjoy Rugby League odds without falling into addiction or jeopardising your financial situation. Finding yourself unable to stop betting and even having to borrow money to place wagers? These are dangerous warning signs that something must change. Check the steps below to create a safer gambling experience.

Use Trusted Websites

Enjoying Rugby League odds at trusted bookmakers is fundamental to safe and responsible gambling. These platforms offer the best odds and secure services, with regular UK Gambling Commission auditing helping to keep punters safe. Additionally, you can use responsible gambling tools like self-exclusion and deposit limits to keep yourself in line. 

Use Secure Payment Methods

Never make payments using insecure methods. One of the main things to look out for is the lock icon in your browser search bar, indicating a secure connection. You must also avoid payment methods and bookmakers without sophisticated SSL encryption tools. 

Set Your Own Budget

Setting a strict budget before a betting session is crucial. Without doing so, you can easily overspend and ultimately jeopardise your financial position. We highly recommend setting weekly or monthly limits and keeping your betting kitty separate from regular finances. Using e-wallets or prepaid cards is a practical way to do so. 

Don’t Bet On Markets You Are Not Familiar With

Ensure you enjoy Rugby League odds on familiar betting markets rather than ones you don’t know much about. This is a key responsible gambling step, as you can easily lose money by betting without fully understanding a specific market. That’s not to say you cannot try something new, but ensure you’ve done adequate reading and research beforehand to take full advantage. 

Only Bet With Money You Can Afford To Lose

It goes without saying, but never bet with money you cannot afford to lose. This is responsible gambling 101, as not doing so can have serious consequences. Gambling funds should never come before essential finances for living and planning for the future. Only bet with surplus cash after you’ve deducted your essentials and other more important leisure costs. 

Don’t Try To Win Back What You’ve Lost

Chasing your losses is an easy way to fall into problematic gambling tendencies. You should never look at gambling as a way to make money. It should be for enjoyment more than anything, and you should also be prepared to lose money as it’s a natural part of the process.

Frequently asked questions when betting on Rugby League