Written by
Chris Flavell
Last time updated
09/11/2023
The premier Rugby League club competition for Aussie teams is the National Rugby League (NRL). Its popularity means you’ll find it at all the top domestic bookmakers. We have narrowed the search by shortlisting the best option.
When creating the list of best NRL betting sites, our experts considered the quality of NRL odds, selection of markets and mobile availability. Scroll down to see the list or go straight to other sections to learn more about NRL betting.
We considered a host of different factors when putting together our recommended bookie list for NRL betting. Quality of odds, apps and markets were all assessed.
After looking into all the top choices, PlayUp is our number one pick. An approved betting partner of the NRL, we were very impressed by a number of different aspects of the PlayUp NRL betting experience. They had a huge amount of markets available for every single match during the NRL season. PlayUp’s NRL Odds are more than competitive, while the PlayUp mobile app stands out from the competition.
PlayUp NRL Betting – Lots Of Markets To Pick From!
As approved betting partners of the NRL, it is probably unsurprising that they are one of the best bookies for betting on Australia’s premier rugby league tournament. PlayUp is licensed by the Northern Territory Government and offers an easy-to-use betting app.
As for NRL betting, well you can bet on the match result, half-time result, first-try scorer, and lots more with PlayUp. Live NRL betting odds are displayed on the PlayUp mobile and desktop sites and it just takes a quick phone call to place an in-play NRL wager. You’ll do well to find a better NRL betting site for Aussies, so sign up and see for yourself just how good PlayUp really is.
If you are looking for a slick, well-designed and 100% Australian betting app to use for betting on the NRL, BlueBet comes highly recommended. This Australian-owned and operated bookie has gone to the trouble of designing native apps for both Android and iOS.
The BlueBet iOS App can be found in the App Store and a rating of 4.5 out of 5 says it all. It only takes a few seconds to download. The Android App can be downloaded from the Play Store. Registered users can also claim the BlueBet sign up bonus even when betting on mobile. Scroll below to see how this app looks.
BlueBet’s app is easy to navigate and makes placing a bet on the go quicker than ever. You get all the features you’d have on the desktop site.
That said, all of our recommended bookies have great NRL betting apps. The likes of bet365 and Unibet also have some great added features, including live streaming, that could appeal to you.
NRL Odds
It is of huge importance to find the best NRL odds when you are placing a wager with Australian betting sites. It doesn’t matter what the NRL market is if you want to maximise your potential returns when you do place a winning bet the only way to achieve this is to hunt down the best odds possible. Bet365 and PlayUp usually have decent NRL odds, as do Unibet, but the only way to find out who has the best odds is to actually check different bookies to make sure you don’t miss out.
NRL Odds Comparison
We looked at the latest Grand Final odds ahead of the 2023 season to get an idea of how the competition is shaping up. You can use this to compare all the odds and discover where is best to place your bet. Getting on at the best price is a quick and easy way to boost potential profits.
As you can see from the table below, a $10 on Melbourne Storm with PlayUp would bring a potential return of $80, but only $75 with Unibet and bet365. Just by taking the time to hunt out the bigger-priced bookie you have boosted potential returns by $5 for the same wager.
It is hard to look past the Penrith Pathers defending their title in 2023. They are justified favourites with youth on their side and with last season’s experience in the bag.
Betting Tip: Penrith Panthers to win NRL Grand Final at 4.00 with PlayUp.
The Panthers can again sweep all before them in 2023 as they look to establish a new dynasty. It’s hard not to see their young players improving once again as their game knowledge becomes stronger on the back of last season’s successes. They may be favourites but there is still value in the 4.00 being offered by PlayUp compared to other bookies.
The Roosters can push them this season but they will need to transfer what looks a solid team on paper into results on the field. They look nailed on for a top four finish but Panthers could be too strong.
NRL Betting Bonuses
All of the bookies on our recommended list for NRL betting are known to offer sports betting bonuses or to new and existing customers. You just need to be aware that you won’t get to see them until after you have registered.
Bookies aren’t allowed to use certain bonus offers to entice new players but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist. You should simply head over to the promotions section of your chosen bookie as soon as you have signed up. These could be a matched deposit or a number of free bets and can then be used for your NRL betting if you prefer. Be sure to check terms and conditions and wagering requirements before you start betting.
Picklebet NRL Offers
Picklebet is a great bookie for additional NRL promotions aside from those general sign-up or welcome bonuses mentioned above. They also have an array of offers for some of the most popular NRL fixtures, from enhanced odds to occasional match-day specials.
We will list the most interesting promotions here ahead of the next round of NRL matches. Just register a Picklebet account to start taking advantage.
So, are there any NRL betting tips or strategies that can give punters an edge over the bookies? Well, to be honest, it is never easy making money from betting on any sport, but there are a few different things you can do that might just tip the odds in your favour when betting on the NRL. Our NRL experts reveal some of their trade secrets below, so keep on reading to boost your chances of backing a few NRL winners…
Form Usually Counts: Always make sure to look at recent results before placing bets on NRL matches. This advice applies to wagers on the match result, line and player markets. Previous results and individual performances are reliable indicators as to whether a team (or player) is worth backing.
NRL Stats Matter: If you are planning to punt on the Total Points markets then make sure to take stats on previous performances into account. If two teams that have strong defensive statistics meet, for example, then having a bet on the ‘Under’ in the total points market makes sense.
Motivation: In the latter part of the season some NRL teams will be more highly motivated than others, depending on what is at stake. If a team that has sealed a top 4 berth is up against a side in 9th that is desperately fighting for a spot in the top 8 and the finals series, motivation can play a big part in the final result. It can often pay to back teams that have more to play for, even if they are underdogs.
Most Popular NRL Bets
If you are an NRL betting novice the sheer amount of markets that you can bet on can be pretty daunting. Match betting markets are easier to understand, but what about ‘NRL Line Betting’ and the whole host of NRL Futures and player markets that Aussie punters can bet on? Well, don’t worry because below we explain how all the most popular NRL match, player and futures markets work.
Futures Betting
These bets are simply bets that you can make on the outcome of long-range predictions. Betting ahead of an NRL season on a host of different markets. These bets often come with much higher odds but you do need to wait much longer to see the outcome. Let us talk you through some of the top futures markets.
For most NRL punters, this is the main market of interest before the NRL season gets underway. You can bet on the NRL Grand Final winner and with Unibet, you can even have an each-way bet (1/2 odds 1-2 places). With most of our top Australian NRL betting sites, you can also bet on the season’s top Try Scorer and top Points Scorer. BlueBet has futures markets for ‘NRL Most Losses’ and also for ‘NRL Top 4 finish’.
Dally M Medal Betting
The ‘Dally M Medal’ is the prize awarded to the Player of The Season in the NRL at the end of each campaign. Named after the legendary Herbert Henry ‘Dally’ Messenger, this award is one of the most coveted in Rugby League. It is unlikely that any NRL player will match the four Dally M Medals won by Johnathan Thurston for the North Queensland Cowboys between 2005 and 2015.
Once the season gets closer, you can start to look out for odds for Dally M Medal betting and spot a few players you think could be in contention this time around.
Clive Churchill Medal Winner Betting
One of the most popular markets on NRL Grand Final day is the Clive Churchill Medal winner. This medal is awarded to the best player in the match in the Grand Final. Clive Churchill was an Aussie Rugby League legend and the winner is determined by the management team of the Australian Kangaroos. Jack Wighton of the Canberra Raiders (2019) is one of only 4 players to have won the Clive Churchill Medal despite being on the losing team. You can be sure to find Clive Churchill Medal Winner Odds with Bet365 and Unibet on NRL Grand Final Day.
NRL Wooden Spoon Betting
The team that finishes at the bottom of the NRL regular season ladder is awarded this iconic, ironic and imaginary ‘trophy’. The Wooden Spoon market is very popular with Aussie NRL punters, especially those who backed the Newcastle Knights between 2015 and 2017! You can bet on the Wooden Spoon winner market with all of our top NRL Betting Sites. It is also known as the ‘Most Losses’ market with some Australian NRL betting sites.
NRL Match Betting Markets
As the name suggests, this is all about betting on individual matches and fixtures throughout the season. Each match-up will have an array of different markets to choose from. These can range from player bets to just picking the full-time result. Here are some of the top match betting odds to look out for.
Match Winner
Head-to-head markets is one of the most popular ways to bet on NRL matches, and also the easiest to understand. Head-to-head betting, also known as just ‘match winner’ betting, is when you back either team to win the match outright. This is all about predicting the team that will secure victory when the final whistle blows.
NRL Line Betting
Line betting gives the underdogs a points advantage. So, if you fancy a team to win big and their head-to-head match odds are skinny, you will find better value in backing them minus a number of points in the line betting market. As this is a very popular market, you’ll find it at all of the bookies we listed above.
First Try Scorer Betting
One of the best places to find winners at generous odds is in the NRL first try scorer market. Okay, predicting the scorer of the first try is far from easy but if you do manage to pull it off you will be very well rewarded. This is a market for small stakes and fun bets only. It is possible with the best bookies to combine this bet with an outright match winner prediction. This would be a multi bet, which we explain more about in the very next section.
NRL Multi Bets
Multi betting is a great way to boost odds. The most popular type of multi bet is an accumulator of lots of match result predictions across one game week. This is a standard multi bet that is just about match results and requires every leg to be a winner.
However, these days you can do more than just place traditional multis with Australian NRL betting sites. Now it is possible to place ‘Same Game Multis’ on NRL matches as well. This is available with PlayUp, BlueBet and Palmerbet. You can combine bets from a number of markets on the same game. For example, predict the first try scorer and the final result. We do recommend keeping the number of legs in your multis to a minimum. The more selections you include, the more chance there is that at least one will let you down.
While the NRL is the focus for most of the rugby league season, the State Of Origin Series takes centre stage in mid-winter. For some punters, the State of Origin series is as good as it gets in rugby league.
This is an annual 3-match series played between two representative teams – The New South Wales Blues and The Queensland Maroons. Played between June and July, this 3 game series is eagerly anticipated by both Australian rugby league fans and punters alike.
Qualification for either side is simple. Players must have played their first senior rugby league game in either NSW or QLD. A two-game series was played in 1980 and 1981 and the three-game State Of Origin format was introduced in 1982. The winners of the series are awarded the State Of Origin Shield. More importantly though, the fans of whichever team wins retain bragging rights for a whole year! You can get a bet on the State Of Origin Series earlier than most bookies with PlayUp and Unibet.
NRL Live Betting – Betfair is Best!
It is kind of complicated when it comes to NRL live betting. Regulations that were introduced by the Australian Government in the Interactive Gambling Act mean that most NRL betting sites cannot facilitate live betting online, via either desktop or mobile. Instead, to place in-play wagers punters must pick up the phone to get their bet accepted.
The best at doing this are bet365 and Unibet. They have suites dedicated to live betting on both desktop and mobile with odds displayed for multiple NRL live betting markets. If you see a price you like, simply pick up your phone and call the number displayed. An operator will place your NRL live bet for you.
However, if placing live bets online through your desktop or mobile device is a must, then the only place to consider is Betfair. Because it is a betting exchange and you are betting against other punters the same regulations don’t apply. So you can see the odds, click and bet in just a few munites.
The newest craze to sweep Australia is fantasy sports betting. The NRL is one of the most popular sports with Fantasy punters and Draftstars is by far and away from the best destination if you want to get involved. You can play NRL Fantasy games for free when you sign up with Draftstars and this enables you to get the hang of things before you risk any money. Once the NRL season kicks off there are daily NRL fantasy games available from Draftstars for every match and there are stakes to suit everyone. Take a look at our extensive fantasy NRL guide to learn more.
High rollers and small punters are accommodated and you can even set up a fantasy league with your mates if you are all signed up. Once you pay your entry fee you pick a team and they score points based on what they do in the match (score a try, score a goal etc.). The fantasy team with the highest points total takes the top prize.
Draftstars is the number one choice when it comes to fantasy NRL betting in Australia. There is a wide range of competition with varying entry fees. Draft the players you think will excel this season.
When this article was written we could not find any Aussie NRL betting sites that had live NRL streaming. If you sign up with Unibet or bet365 you’ll be able to enjoy live streaming of lots of different sports but, for now, there are no Australian betting sites that offer live NRL streaming. Instead, you should watch general TV coverage to follow your bets.
That said, we are big fans of bet365’s NRL live updates. You can follow the action with their match tracker, which shows you where on the field the action is taking place, how many tackles have been made and the current score. Combine this with the live odds and it is a decent alternative if you can’t get to watch the current fixture.
Geo restrictions apply. You must have a funded account or have placed a bet in the last 24 hours to …Read more
History and Facts
The NRL or the National Rugby League can lay claim to being the most-watched rugby league club competition in the world. It is also the most highly attended and some of the best rugby league players on the planet dream of testing themselves in the NRL.
Initially known as the New South Wales Rugby League from 1908, the NRL as we know it today was officially founded in 1998. The expansion from a regional to a national competition (Australian Rugby League ARL) was sparked by the introduction of the State Of Origin Series in 1980.
The Super League War in the mid-1990s was a definitive moment in NRL history. News Corporation, a global media company, started their own Super League that ran in direct competition with the Australian Rugby League that was formed in 1988.
In 1998 an agreement was reached and the Super League and ARL merged to form a single competition, the National Rugby League or NRL in short. Initially, 20 teams competed, but the number of clubs was reduced over the next few seasons and currently, there are 17 teams (16 from Australia, and one from New Zealand).
The Sydney Roosters have won the most NRL Premierships (since 1998) with 4. Melbourne Storm and the Brisbane Broncos are close behind with 3 wins each. Ken Irvine holds the record for most tries scored with 212, while Billy Slater is next on the list with 190. The record points scorer in the NRL is Melbourne legend Cameron Smith with 2,602. He is a 2 time Dally M Medal winner and is widely considered one of the best Australian rugby league players of all time.
The first round of the NRL is played in early March and it finishes in October. There are teams from four different states in Australia: New South Wales (10), Australia Capital Territory (1), Queensland (3) and Victoria (1).
The New Zealand Warriors are the only non-Aussie team in the NRL. The 17 teams play every team during the season. At the end of the regular NRL season the top 8 teams on the ladder advance to the final series. The team that finishes bottom of the ladder receives the dreaded ‘Wooden Spoon’. Note that many bookies offer Wooden Spoon betting as well, so make sure you check it out.
The NRL Finals series culminates in the Grand Final, one of the most attended yearly sporting events in the world. It is played at the Sydney Cricket ground and whoever wins are declared Premiership Champions. The format is identical to the AFL Finals Series. The Top 4 play in a Qualifying final with the winners going straight to the Preliminary Final.
The teams that occupy positions 5-8 play in an Elimination Final and the losers are eliminated. The winners of the Elimination Finals then go through to play the two losers from the Qualifying Final in the Semi-Finals. The two Semi-Final winners advance to play the two winners of the Qualifying Finals in the Preliminary Finals. The two winners of the Preliminary Finals then play each other in the Grand Final. Don’t worry, it’s not as confusing as it seems!
Consider Other Rugby Competitions
If you love betting on the NRL then there are plenty of other events you will be interested in. A lot of the same advice for betting on the NRL also applies to similar events across both codes of rugby league and rugby union too. Here are some of the top events to look out for:
Given the popularity of NRL betting in Australia, it is no surprise to see so many bookies catering for the competition online. As we have explained, this makes finding the best NRL betting site even harder for punters.
We have considered a host of factors to come up with our recommended list. This is based on those that have great apps, competitive odds, big ranges of markets, and even live NRL betting.
PlayUp was our pick for the best NRL betting site. Click the button below and check out the full list!
There are plenty of options when it comes to the best NRL betting sites in Australia. We like PlayUp but any of the suggestions on our recommended list are worth extra consideration. They all come with excellent NRL markets and up-to-date odds.
What is the best NRL betting app?
It is important to pick a bookie with the best NRL betting app if placing wagers from your mobile device is something you are keen to do. We like using the BlueBet app to assess the latest NRL markets.
Where can I find the best NRL Odds?
No one bookie has the best NRL betting odds. Instead, it is best to compare bookies so that you place your wager at the best price for the market you are interested in. Doing a quick odds comparison and backing at the higher price is a quick and easy way to boost any potential winnings.
Do any Australian bookmakers have live betting on NRL?
For NRL live betting there is no better place to go than Betfair. It is the only bookie where you can place live bets online without having to use the phone. Live betting is an option with some of our other recommended bookies but you will need to call to get your wager accepted.
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