NRL Betting Advice - Bookmakers

Updated: 2555 Betting

A full guide on which bookmaker to use when betting on the NRL and other Rugby Leagues. Discover the best overall bookmaker as well which offers best odds and live betting options

NRL Betting Advice - Bookmakers
Steve Madgwick Editor-In-Chief

Editor-In-Chief with 20 years experience covering the betting angles to breaking news stories. Daily slots player, Portsmouth fan and League Snooker Player

Rugby league and the NRL are one of my favorite betting sports, so find the best betting sites is something I have done more than once in the past. So who is the best betting site for Rugby League in Australia?

4.2 / 5 14 Ratings

Best Overall Bookie for NRL and Rugby Betting

With the best range of leagues covered, great odds and a huge range of betting markets per game, Unibet is leading the way with NRL betting

Unibet Review

  • Superior Betting Odds
  • Most Futures Markets
  • Women's Rugby

Unibet comes out as my best bookmaker for betting on the NRL with superior odds, the most available events along with a good range of betting markets per match. A full futures betting market selection completes the round-up for Unibet who are my must-have bookie app for Rugby betting.

Best for International Rugby 

If you want to bet on the UK Super League and Challenge Cup, Unibet offers a full range of markets once again. bet365 may be preferable as they provide a more extensive range of betting markets for the UK league.

4.3 / 5 16 Ratings

The worlds biggest online bookmaker has so much to offer the punter. Top rated by OLBG users for years

Bet365 Review

  • More Sports and Markets
  • Super Laden Features for Registered Users
  • Best Horse Racing Bookmaker
4.0 / 5 19 Ratings

If you don't use Betfair for horse racing you really should with the best odds and lowest market percentages, as well as flexibility to trade, Betfair is a 'must-have'

Betfair Review

  • The best market percentages
  • Flexibility to choose your odds
  • Winning punters never restricted or banned
4.2 / 5 15 Ratings

No frills, no fuss simple online betting solution. 100% Aussie owned with a fantastic range of markets. If you already know what you want to bet on, BlueBet will probably suit you.

BlueBet Review

  • 100% Australian Owned and Operated
  • Low Minimum Deposits
  • Very Good Racing Fixed Odds

How to Choose the Best Bookmaker for Betting on Rugby League

Not every bookmaker is the same. They are similar, for sure, but what stands one bookmaker out against the others when considering just one bookmaker app on your mobile?

  • Range of events covered - Unibet
  • How many betting markets are available Pointsbet
  • Betting Odds. Good or Bad? Unibet
  • Free Live Streams
  • NRL Futures

With a large number of different betting agencies available Australia, each of which is continuously updating their service in the attempt to be the most competitive and attract Rugby League punters, you might never know if there is a better bookmaker to use than the one you currently use.

Updated Regularly to Save You Time

This article is checked and updated regularly and thoroughly before the start of the NRL season

Here is where this guide comes in. I 've analysed and continue to check monthly, all factors in the bullet list above. It ensures that I am making my bets with the right bookmaker; the one that offers the best overall betting experience for the NRL.

In doing so, I have just one bookmaker app on my mobile, which I use for Rugby League. It may differ from the bookmaker that I use for Horse Racing or Cricket; indeed, it currently does. That's the beauty of putting in some work to ensure that I have the best right now.

One Betting App for Rugby

I want the best odds, event and market availability and just one app on my phone. Unibet delivers all I need

If you are looking to have just one bookmaker app on your mobile, then I recommend one that performs the best across all sports in the best sports betting app article I write a little while ago. Again, it is updated monthly to ensure it is correct at the time of reading.


Bookmaker with Most Rugby Events

Well, of course, the NRL is a must and there will be no distinction between Australian bookmakers when it comes to having the National Rugby League covered. But what if you want to bet on Lower league rugby, or perhaps Rugby League around the world?

Let's see who covers the most

Unibet Range of Rugby League Betting Options
NRL NSW Cup
QLD Cup Daily M Medal
Women's NRL State of Origin
UK Challenge Cup UK Super League


The 8 Leagues, cups and futures markets covered by Unibet were more than offered elsewhere where BetEasy got closest with 5, the remainder were tailing in with just Aussie league, limited futures and no women's rugby.

Bookmaker All Rugby League Events
Unibet 8
Pointsbet 4
BlueBet 3
Betfair 3
bet365 n/a

Match Betting Markets

Here I am looking for how many different betting markets are available on a single game. In this instance, I am taking the information on the following event

Date Friday 23rd August 2019

League - NRL

Match - North Queensland Cowboys v Penrith Panthers

Pointsbet offers 11 spread markets within their total of 216, but even removing them leave them way out ahead of BetEasy and Unibet with 205 fixed odds markets to bet on this game.

Bookmaker # Markets on this game
Pointsbet 216
Unibet 138
BlueBet 31
Betfair 13
bet365 n/a


Rugby League Betting Odds

Once you have found the event and the market you want to bet on, the next most important thing, some would argue, the most significant aspect is what odds are available.

Are they favourable against the competition, or do they look to be skinny?

I take the same North Queensland Cowboys v Penrith Panthers game and compare the most popular betting market odds.


Betting Market Best Odds
Match Winner Favourite Unibet
Match Winner Underdog bet365
Half Time/Full Time Unibet
Winning Margin bet365 on most popular outcomes
Half Time Result Unibet


Best odds was a tight category when bet365 were best on one side of the market; they showed to be weak on the other. Which sort of makes sense, but they didn't need to be so short in places.

Overall, given they were best priced most often on the favoured outcomes on the most popular markets, this has to go to Unibet.

NRL Futures Betting

State of Origin Betting

The State of Origin grabs all NRL fans attention at NSW and Queensland go head to head in a three-match series during the midweek of the regular season.

It is not just the two states which get interested either, the whole country tunes in to see who will win the battle.

Betting odds for the State of Origin are available a long time in advance as punters clamour for the chance to bet on the matches and moreover the outcome.

Unibet already has next season's betting available.

Daily M Medal Betting

The Daily M is the NRL's equivalent, of AFL's Brownlow or NFL's MVP

The Daily M Medal is the most prestigious individual award an NRL player can win. It is s awarded to the player who collects the highest number of points throughout the season as allocated by commentators and journos across selected networks.

The points gained by players throughout the season are not made public until around round 16.

Betting on the Daily M is of enormous interest, and speculative punters can make a call before the season begins. The more diligent can take in action from every game and predict which players have been picking up points, or punters can wait until the scores are made public. You could make a calculated prediction at that point.

As the season progresses, of course, some of the bigger odds would have contracted on those players showing to perform well throughout, and when the points are made public, the favourites are apparent. It's just a matter of making the right call and the player avoiding further suspensions.

NRL Live Streams

Due to television rights, you will not find any bookmakers offering NRL live stream services.

If you do like to watch live-streamed matches when betting take a look at our betting sites live streaming guide. The article provides information on sports available to view via bookmaker apps and which bookmaker is best for each.

FAQ

NRL Betting FAQ's

  • What does 'Line' mean in NRL betting?

    Line betting on the NRL is where the betting agency will equal the chances and the betting odds of each team by giving one side a headstart. The underdog will be given a number of points that they think they will lose by as a start, so that the chances are evened out and the odds, should be just below $2. Usually around $1.85 each.

    These are great betting market to select two or three teams and create multis. the odds soon add up.

  • Why Can you win so much with Spread betting Rugby?

    Because of the way Spread betting work it is possible to win many multiples of your bet stake. the more your prediction is right, the more you can win. Beware however that spread betting on rugby does not come without its risk and the more you are wrong, the more you will also lose. Spread betting with Pointsbet on Rugby is super popular because it offers new and exciting betting markets you will have not seen before.

  • Who is the best Bookie for NRL underdogs

    It is interesting to find that the best bookmaker offering odds on NRL underdogs is bet365. In our tests they offered the biggest odds on the underdogs more often than other online bookmakers. On the flip side of that if you like to play the money line or spreads on the favourites, then Unibet were the firm offering the best odds there.

  • Can you bet on State of Origin

    All online bookmakers will offer the chance for you to bet on the State of Origin right from even before a ball has been kicked in the season. In addition to the SOO, you will also be able to make your predictions for the daily M's Medal winner too.

  • Why do bookmakers not show NRL streams?

    Due to television rights, no bookmakers can currently offer live streaming of the NRL matches each round.

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