State Of Origin Odds

The State of Origin series is the greatest rugby league tournament held in Australia and is a spectacle of sheer power, speed, agility and athleticism. Held during the middle of the NRL season when the players are at their peak fitness levels, the State of Origin divides the two states as each side competes for not just the origin trophy, but bragging rights for the next year as well.

The games are huge not just at the stadiums but also on television with millions of league fans tuning in to watch the games either at home or at the pub. On game day the atmosphere at the stadiums and in the pubs is electrifying with thousands of fans coming together to support their chosen team. The series has also made a great career in the betting industry with State of Origin odds on offer to punters throughout the year.

Although the game is gaining exposure in the UK betting markets, it is still the Australian bookmakers which offer punters the largest range of betting types including the most popular, Antepost betting, which is on offer throughout the year. As the majority of the bets are offered by Australian bookmakers, the odds are displayed in the decimal form which makes it a lot easier for the punter to understand the betting process.

As an example, the odds on game 1 of the 2010 State of Origin series might look like this:

Win

Queensland 1.35

New South Wales 4.00

Firstly the “win” indicates that this bet is for punters wishing to place a bet on the team they think will win the first game of the season. So if the punter decides to bet on Queensland winning, the return amount would be 1.35 for every single bet unit wagered. Generally the bet unit is $1 so if the punter wagers $80 on Qld winning, he would receive $108 in return which includes the original $80 wagered. However the punter could also take a chance on NSW and bet $80 on them winning instead. Although it seems risky, if the punter wins he will walk out with a total of $320 including the original $80 staked. So it’s easy to see why betting on the underdog is always an exciting bet.

The State of Origin odds are offered for a range of different betting types including both single and exotic betting markets. The punter has the choice of betting on the match winner, the winning margin of the game, man of the match, first half score, first point, first scoring play and much more. They can also bet on the series score, which is when the punter decides if a team will win the series 2-1 or 3-0. Obviously the odds on the latter option are much higher and are great value, however it is important to analyse whether your team is capable of winning all three matches before wagering on this bet. Future betting odds are also available on the game and include the player selections for each team, winning state and total combined score.

Line/handicap betting is also a popular betting type for the State of Origin. Line betting involves the punter placing a handicap over each team so that the game is more even. The favourite will receive a negative amount and for the punter to receive their payout, the favourite must win the game by more than the amount specified. Otherwise, if the punter wagers on the underdog team winning, this team must either win the game or they are required to lose by no more than the amount listed beside their team.

For Example – Queensland are the favourite and New South Wales are the underdog team.

Queensland -5.5

New South Wales +5.5

If you regularly visit online bookmaker sites, you will notice that the odds for each team will fluctuate. This is because the odds are continuously revised based on changes within the game. When each team’s squad is chosen or after each match, the odds will go in favour of the team with the strongest players and team performance. As Queensland has now won the series for 4 consecutive years, history shows that New South Wales is likely to steal back the trophy next year and as a consequence the odds are likely to change in their favour. So before you place any bets on the State of Origin odds, have a look at which players are representing each team and use the odds listed by the bookmakers as a guide to who is more likely to win. From there you’re on your way to become a great State of Origin punter!

Super Bowl XLVII

Super Bowl XLVII is even more popular than the State of Origin and this year will be held in New Orleans at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Baltimore Ravens have had a Cinderella run in the NFL playoffs but face a tough challenge against the San Francisco 49ers.