As avid NRL fans, you know that rugby league is a topsy-turvy game. Scorelines can change in a split second and huge momentum shifts turn a sure bet into a shock loss. Responsible gambling is a fun way to make match days more enjoyable, but you'll keep losing money if all you do is place outright bets.ย 

Step away from this betting market and learn better ways of trying to win money. We've got four alternative markets to bet on during the next round of NRL fixtures that may transform your luck. Before you jump into things, keep two things in mind. Firstly, always search around to find the best betting odds. You can see an overview of credible non-UK betting sites at BettingNonGamstop.com with highly competitive odds across all the markets mentioned below.ย 

Secondly, always gamble responsibly. We don't say this lightly; watch over your gambling habits and stop betting when you no longer have fun. Right, now we can look at the four rugby league betting markets to start paying attention to:ย 

Over/under bets

As stated by Investopedia, over/under betting is when you choose one of two outcomes in a match. For rugby league, this could encompass any of the following:ย 

  • Tries in a match
  • Penalties scored
  • Yellow cards handed out
  • Total number of points scored

Let's take the number of tries in a match as an example. The bookie will set a number and you have to predict if it'll be over or under this. So, they might say 7 tries and you'll bet over if you think both teams will score more than 7 tries or under if you don't.ย 

Very simple, very straightforward and surprisingly easy to predict if you do a bit of research.ย 

Handicap bets

Handicap bets take outright bets and make them more interesting. Looking at the NRL Ladder, anyone with half a bit of ball knowledge could tell you that the Panthers would beat Wests Tigers right now. It's the best team in the league versus the worst.ย 

As a result, you'll get awful odds for betting on the Panthers. However, if you throw a handicap in, the odds get way better.ย 

A handicap will either add or take away points from the final score. Imagine you bet on the Panthers with a -12 handicap. This means you think they will win the match by more than 12 points. You'd get far more reasonable odds from a bet like this, meaning you can turn obvious outcomes into pretty profitable wagers!ย 

You can also use positive handicaps to bet against the little guys. In our imaginative scenario, let's say the Panthers beat Wests Tigers 24-16. You bet on Wests, so you lost. But, if you bet on them with a +10 handicap, it adds 10 points to their score, meaning you technically win your bet.ย 

It's a cool way of putting your rugby league knowledge to the test, especially if you've got a pretty good idea of who'll win.ย 

Try-scoring bets

Who doesn't love a try? The official NRL stats show that eight of the seventeen teams have scored over 100 tries this season already! Players cross multiple times a match, so this feels like an excellent way to try and win some money.ย 

Try scoring bets usually fall into these categories:ย 

  • Total match tries (odd or even)
  • First team to score a try
  • Last team to score a try
  • First try-scorer

As touched upon earlier, you can throw in some over/under bets here too.ย 

Betting on the odd or even total match tries is one of the most entertaining things to do with friends. The odds will be the same for either outcome so it's a 50/50 toss-up. You'll all be screaming at the TV as each try goes in, either begging for one more or praying that it's the last one.ย 

Of course, first-try-scorer bets are excellent if you want a long punt. They typically have very rewarding odds attached because they're pretty hard to predict.ย 

Half market bets

Why bet on the entire match when you can pick one half instead?ย 

Half-market bets relate to any bets to do with one-half of a rugby league match. As an example, you could bet on the first-half result. If your team is winning at the break, but goes on to lose astonishingly, it won't matter! The bookie will already pay out because the first half is all that matters.ย 

You can do the same but for the second half as well - and there are so many different outcomes to bet on. Or, another popular half-market is to predict which half will be the highest scoring. Bookmakers will pay out on whichever half sees the most points scored by both teams.ย 

See, rugby league betting is more fun than picking the winners of every match. Get creative with your bets and match day will be more enthralling for you and your friends. And for one last time before you go: always gamble responsibly!ย