Here at NetBet, we’ve got a whole load of great markets for sports betting, and we offer some of the best Rugby League Odds around. We don’t just take bets on individual matches; we offer online betting on plenty of deeper markets on our UK betting site. If you want to place any sports bet, here’s a quick guide on how exactly you should go about it.
What is Rugby League?
One of the two extant codes of Rugby Football, Rugby League Football, usually shortened to Rugby League, is a full-contact outdoor sport played on a rectangular grass field with two H-shaped goalposts at each end. A game of Rugby League involves two teams, each of which consists of 13 players. A match lasts for 80 minutes, divided into two halves of 40 minutes each.
To score a point in Rugby League, a player must carry an inflated, egg-shaped ball and ground it beyond the rival team’s goal line (known as a ‘try’) or kick the ball through the goalpost; these are called field goals. Consequently, the opposing team defends their try line from the attacking side by tackling the player who is carrying the ball. A player can attempt a field goal at any time. A team can gain a free kick to further their points after they score a successful ‘try’, or they can receive it as a reward for penalties. To win a match, a team must score a greater number of points than the opposing team.
If you are familiar with rugby union you will be aware that a team can keep playing until they lose possession of the ball. In Rugby league, things are a little different as when the team has been successfully tackled 6 times they need to give the ball away. This changes the way teams attempt to progress with the ball.
Rugby League is governed by the International Rugby League (IRL). It is an international sport played all over the globe, predominantly by Australasian, European, and Pacific Island countries such as New Zealand, England, France, Fiji, Australia, Samoa, and Tonga.
History of Rugby League
Rugby football had its origin at Rugby School, a private school in Warwickshire, England, at the end of the 19th century. The English clubs playing this version of football at the school formed the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and codified the kicking and handling forms. The sport eventually spread to Australia and New Zealand, where it was a big hit.
In 1895, Rugby League emerged as a separate form of Rugby Football after the Northern Rugby Football Union (founded by the representatives of twenty-two clubs at George Hotel, Huddersfield) parted ways from the English Rugby Football Union to regulate its own separate competition. This split was caused by the latter’s reluctance to pay players. Similar schisms were observed later in Australia and New Zealand in 1907.
They administered their first international Rugby League match in 1904 between England and other nationalities teams. In 1906 the Northern Union modified the laws and reduced teams from 15 to 13 players. They began to develop major tournaments such as the Challenge Cup, Lancashire and Yorkshire Cups. The Northern Rugby Union adopted the name ‘Rugby League’ in 1922 for their set of rules, and the sport became known as ‘Rugby league’ or ‘Rugby League Football’.
The first Rugby League World Cup was hosted by France in 1954. Over the years, the rules of the sport were subjected to many changes. The inception of television in the 1900s proved very beneficial and boosted the sport’s popularity to a whole new level. Today, this version of Rugby Football is played in 30 countries in the world and is recognised as the national sport of Papua New Guinea.
How do I bet on Rugby League?
The popularity of Rugby League as a spectator sport and betting product has ensured an extensive range of betting markets for its loyal fans. Once you familiarise yourself with Rugby League betting, you’ll discover many betting markets available for this sport. However, the availability of these bet types may vary from one sportsbook to another.
Here at NetBet, we strive to make the online sports gambling experience as exciting as possible for our users. For this purpose, we have made sure to stock our sports markets with attractive odds and betting opportunities that leave little to be desired. Currently, we offer two bet types for Rugby League: 1×2 and Handicap.
Here is a breakdown of these betting markets:
1×2
A 1×2 is a straightforward, three-way betting market for Rugby League that allows you to bet on the outcomes of a match. You can choose to bet on the home team to win (1), back the home team (2), or you can wager on the game resulting in a draw (X). Since draws are pretty rare in Rugby League matches, X (draw) this bet will always have the highest odds.
Handicap
Handicap betting is one of the most common bet types for Rugby League Football. This bet evens out the difference between two sides (where one is the clear favourite) by enforcing a handicap, usually in the form of points. Bookies set a points line that gives one side (the underdogs) a head start and the other (favourites) an equal disadvantage.
For example, if a team is handicapped at -5, they must beat the rival team by at least five points for the bet to pay out.
When you choose NetBet Sport, you can enjoy a whole range of top-quality sports and markets. Whatever you choose, always remember to bet responsibly. Here at NetBet, player wellbeing is our number one priority – check out our Responsible Gambling tips and tools page for more information.
