The Best Rugby League Betting Sites in the UK 2024 – Top Sportsbooks, Odds and Tips

Congratulations! You have landed upon the best rugby league betting page available anywhere on the sports betting internet. Here we will tell you all about rugby league sports betting – where to bet, how to bet and how to get the most out of sports betting bonuses. We’ve even info about the best rugby league betting sites, and all about the rugby league World Cup.

For the best in rugby league sports betting, you need to stick right with us! We start with the best rugby league betting sites available to people in the UK.

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UK's #1 Rugby League Betting Site
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Bet £10, Get £30 In Free Bets

10/11/23

Bet £10, Get £30 In Free Bets

  • Our top pick for Rugby League sports betting
  • Generous welcome bonus
  • Full coverage of all Rugby League markets
9.9
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#ad. 18+ Min deposit £10 • A qualifying bet is a ‘real money’ stake of at least £10 • Min odds 1/2 (1.50) • Free Bets credited upon qualifying bet settlement and expire after 7 days • Free Bet stakes not included in returns • Casino Bonus must be claimed within 7 days and expires after 14 days • Bonus valid on selected Casino games only • Bonus wins capped at £500, excluding Jackpot wins • You must wager Bonus amount x40 – this requirement varies by game. Full T&C’s apply. BeGambleAware

Bet £10, Get £30 In Free Bets

29/12/23

Bet £10, Get £30 In Free Bets

  • Five weekly 'Acca Club' profit boosts
  • Excellent Rugby League coverage
  • Daily Rugby League price boosts
9.8
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T&Cs apply. New cust only. Deposit & Place a Bet within 7 days, and settle a £10 minimum bet at odds of 4/5 (1.8) or greater, to be credited with 3x £10 Free Bets: 1 x £10 Horse Racing, 1 x £10 Free Bet Builder and 1 x £10 Football. 7 day expiry. Stake not returned. 18+ BeGambleAware.org.

Deposit £10, Get a £30 Free Bet

21/12/22

Deposit £10, Get a £30 Free Bet

  • Lots of Rugby League markets
  • Welcome offer will x3 your deposiut
  • New site really making its mark
9.7
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New Players Only. Min £10 qualifying bets, stake not returned. Free bet - one-time stake of £30, min odds 1.5, stake not returned. 1X wager the winnings. Wager from real balance first. Wager calculated on bonus bets only. Max conversion: £200. Valid for 7 Days from issue. Withdrawal requests voids all active/pending bonuses. Excluded Skrill deposits. Full Terms apply.

Bet £10 Get £40 in Free Bets

08/03/23

Bet £10 Get £40 in Free Bets

  • UK's leading spread betting site
  • Bet on the spread for Rugby League
  • Plenty of free bets and offers
9.7
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18+ begambleaware.org. Spread betting losses can exceed deposit. Place a £10 fixed odds bet at minimum odds of 1/2. Get 2 x £10 free fixed odds bets + 4 x £5 free spread bets. Ts&Cs Apply.

Bet £10 Get £50 in Bonuses

10/07/23

Bet £10 Get £50 in Bonuses

  • One of the UK's longest-established
  • Very good welcome offer
  • Very good odds for Rugby League
9.6
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New 18+ UK customers only. Register using the promo code WELCOME40, deposit and place first bet of £10+ on Sports (cumulative Evens+) within 7 days of registration. First bet must be on Sports. £30 in Free Bets and £10 in Free Spins (50x20p) credited within 10 hours of bet settlement. Free Bet stakes are not included in any returns. Bonuses have a 7-day expiry. Payment restrictions apply. SMS verification and/or Proof of I.D and address may be required. Full T&Cs apply.

50% Back up to £35 Free Bet + 10 Free Spins

17/11/22

50% Back up to £35 Free Bet + 10 Free Spins

  • Best site for Ireland
  • Superb for UK players too
  • Detailed rugby league section
9.5
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To activate this promotion you must deposit and stake a minimum of £10. You must place a minimum of 5 rounds during the qualifying period and 4 of these rounds must be at least half the value of your highest placed wager. T&Cs apply | 18+ New UK Customers Only | BeGambleAware.org

Deposit £10 Get £30 in Free Bets

10/05/23

Deposit £10 Get £30 in Free Bets

  • Top mobile-only sportsbook
  • Powered by Smarkets
  • Bet on rugby league on the fly
9.5
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New UK, IE & Malta customers only. Min £10/€10 first deposit using Debit Card. Place a bet of £10 at min odds of 1.5 and get £10. Further £10 credited after 7 days and a further £10 credited after 14 days. Full T&Cs apply.18+. BeGambleAware.org.

Bet £10 Get £20 In Free Bets

14/04/23

Bet £10 Get £20 In Free Bets

  • Decent welcome bonus
  • Constant string of offers
  • Plenty of happy site users
9.5
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*New members. Offer not available 15/04/23 £10 min deposit & bet on sportsbook, placed & settled at 1.5 min odds within 14 days of sign-up. Win part of E/W bets. 2 non-withdrawable £10 Free Bet Tokens: accept in 7 days, valid for 7 days from acceptance (ex. E/Ws & Multiples), stakes not returned. Rules & Exclusions apply. Bet Responsibly. BeGambleAware.org. T&Cs apply, 18+

Bet £10 Get £20 + Free Bet If 2nd To SP Fav

28/09/21

Bet £10 Get £20 + Free Bet If 2nd To SP Fav

  • Stellar reputation
  • Great for multiple sports
  • Perfect for online betting
9.5
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*New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Mobile exclusive. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Payment method restrictions. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. 18+. T&Cs apply.**18+. Opt in. UK/IRE customers only. Max refund £/€20. Win or win part of e/w outright singles only. 5 or more runners. 1st bet on each race. Free bet expires after 7 days. Free/void/antepost bets don’t qualify. T&Cs apply

The Best UK Rugby League Betting Sites Ranked

Here now is a shorter list of the best UK rugby league betting sites, and what we think is the most impressive aspect about each of them.

  1. 888sport – the best for welcome bonus deals
  2. BetUK – get your weekly acca boosts, five of them!
  3. JeffBet – a new(ish) site that’s great for rugby league
  4. SpreadEx – number one for rugby league spread betting
  5. Betfred – Long-established site for rugby league
  6. QuinnBet – Best Ireland-based site for rugby league bets
  7. SBK – Mobile-only betting site for rugby league bettors
  8. VirginBet – Rugby league betting UK offers usually available
  9. BoyleSports – Simply great for rugby league
  10. LuckLand Sport – Check out the weekly bonus deals

How We Rank the Best Rugby League Betting Sites

So, you may be asking yourself the question: how do we select the best rugby league betting sites? How come some of the hundreds of sports books that are available in the UK made it onto our list, yet countless did not. If you have a desire to know, then we are going to explain what we think are the best aspects of rugby league betting UK available at the best rugby league betting sites.

  • The Best Rugby League Betting Sites in the UK [cur_year] - Top Sportsbooks, Odds and Tips Rugby League Betting Odds
    It’s not just a question of getting your bets correct when you place your bets on rugby league games – you need pretty good odds too! We always compare the odds given by our favourite sites to those offered at other places to make sure they are at least among the most generous. The more generous the odds of course, the more you will win when your rugby league bets come in.
  • The Best Rugby League Betting Sites in the UK [cur_year] - Top Sportsbooks, Odds and Tips Rugby League Offers & Promotions
    We have to be honest here and say that coverage of rugby league at even the best UK rugby league betting sites pales in comparison to the coverage of other sports such as football or horse racing. Some sites will offer rugby league promotions such as free bets though, from time to time, and in particular when it is time for the biggest events in the rugby league calendar, such as the Challenge Cup, the World Club Challenge and the World Cup itself.
  • The Best Rugby League Betting Sites in the UK [cur_year] - Top Sportsbooks, Odds and Tips Range of Rugby League Betting Markets
    The most simple bet when it comes to rugby league betting UK markets is of course betting on the winners of individual matches. We though champion sites with a more extensive range of betting options when it comes to the ’13-a-side oddly shaped ball game’. These options could include three-way handicaps, two-way handicaps, first half handicaps, first or anytime tryscorer and much more. The better the range, the better the site for rugby league betting.
  • The Best Rugby League Betting Sites in the UK [cur_year] - Top Sportsbooks, Odds and Tips Safe and Secure
    Online security is very important when it comes to the use of sports betting sites, and it is becoming increasingly so. Online thieves are becoming more and more sophisticated in the way they operate online, so it’s important that you protect yourself at all times when using the internet. We only ever recommend sites that are properly and fully licensed in the UK, and ones that take your online safety very seriously indeed.
  • The Best Rugby League Betting Sites in the UK [cur_year] - Top Sportsbooks, Odds and Tips Great for Android and iOS
    The majority of people who place bets on sports do so mainly using their online devices, and that of course includes people who like to bet on rugby league. We check to see the mobile options available at all the sites on our list, and to see if they are up to scratch. This could mean a bespoke app that you download and install to your device, or a mobile-optimized version of a site that you simply use ‘out of the box’. Only the leading rugby league sites for Android and iOS make it onto our list of the best.

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Top Rugby League Betting Sites Reviewed

So, you now know which we deem to be the best rugby league betting sites available in the UK, and how we have come up with our list. Now it is time to take a closer look at the top five, with expanded details about each and every one of them.

1. 888sport – Tops for no deposit bonuses

One of the very best online rugby league betting sites UK customers can use for all their betting needs is 888sport. This company has been at the forefront of sports betting in the digital age and has a whole host of gambling-related sites, including a casino, a bingo site and even a much-loved poker arm. 888sport really is a stand-out in many ways and excels with their generous, no-deposit bonuses. No other site offers so many deposit-free bonuses as 888sport, and the majority of those bonuses can be used for rugby league betting.

rugby leaugue betting at 888Sport

The site has plenty of unique tools that make it very simple to keep a track of all your gambling and wagers and in real time too. If you have a bet on that’s open for cash out then you can see how it is progressing and then cash out with one single click. You can also see the most popular markets for you and set things up on the site so everything is just the way you want it to be, which is extremely convenient.

User Experience and Feel

Although the 888sport site has not changed for some time that’s probably because most site users like things the way the are and 888sport has not seen fit to change that. The mobile experience at 888sport is very good as well.

Welcome Sports Bonus

Earn £30 in free bets plus £10 casino bonus. Qualifying bet must be at least £10. Your qualifying bet must have minimum odds of 1/2. Qualifying bet must be placed within 30 days of registration. Free bet expires after seven days. T&Cs apply.

Payment Methods & Limits

Visa, MasterCard, PayPal, Skrill, MuchBetter, Neteller, ecoPayz, Trustly, Interac, Pay4Fun, Rapid Transfer, iDebit, Wire Transfer, Apple Pay, Sofort, Paysafecard, PurplePay, Neosurf, AstroPay, Boleo Bancario and many more. Deposits (instant) £10-No limit, withdrawals (up to 5 days) £10-No limit.

Features

In-play betting, full & partial cash out, BetFeed, 10k Drive, Up for 8. No live streaming.

Sports & Leagues

American football, Aussie rules, baseball, basketball, boxing, cricket, cycling, darts, eSports, football, GAA football, GAA hurling, golf, greyhounds, handball, horse racing, ice hockey, MMA, motor racing, novelty bets, politics, rugby league, rugby union, snooker, surfing, table tennis, tennis, trotting, virtual sports, volleyball, waterpolo, winter sports.

What we like:

  • Plenty of football and horse racing betting offers
  • The BetFeed tool is perfect for finding trending wagers
  • Challenges and Rewards make betting entertaining
  • Excellent free mobile app to download for Android and iOS
  • The live rugby league betting area has full schedule listings

What we don’t:

  • Site navigation could be a little friendlier
  • Rugby league bonuses are uncommon

2. BetUK – Top British Choice for acca betting

Brits have always loved putting a bet on, so they must really love all the options they now have whenever they want to place their latest wager. BetUK is one of the newest names in the industry, but this site has engineered a very good reputation for itself in an incredibly brief amount of time. Although rugby league deals are rare here, the BetUK ‘Acca Club’ deal will be of interest to anyone who likes accas. We’ve never seen an acca deal that has so many beneficial offers, so it’s good for anyone who loves accas.

rugby leaugue betting at BetUK

BetUK is not just about accas, though, although it would be nice if their rugby league options were as extensive as football, but what with football’s popularity in the UK, that’s forgiveable. Daily Price Boosts are always in evidence, and just to proved that BetUK is not an online betting site that’s behind the times, there is some very good coverage of eSports. True Brits will also adore the Brit-friendly red, white and blue colour scheme.

User Experience and Feel

Okay, so as BetUK is very much a British site for British people, football holds the number one position at BetUK by some distance. Beyond football the choices are less exciting but the whole user experience is very good.

Welcome Sports Bonus

New customers on mobile only. Stake £10 at odds of at least 1.5 to get 3 x £10 bets. Must claim within seven days of joining and free bets must be used on four or more selections. T&Cs apply.

Payment Methods & Limits

Visa, MasterCard or PayPal only. Deposits (instant) £10-£20,000, withdrawals (up to 24hrs) £10-£20,000.

Features

In-play betting, full & partial cash out, price boosts. No rugby union live streams.

Sports & Leagues

American football, Aussie rules, bandy, baseball, basketball, boxing, chess, cricket, cycling, darts, eSports, floorball, football, motor racing, golf, greyhounds, handball, horse racing, ice hockey, politics, rugby league, rugby union, snooker, surfing, TV & novelty, table tennis, tennis, trotting, UFC/MMA, volleyball, WWE, Winter sports.

What we like:

  • The number one site for acca betting
  • Virtual sports if you like that kind of thing
  • Impressive eSports options
  • Very good experience on desktop and mobile
  • Daily Price Boosts on all sports

What we don’t:

  • Too much emphasis on accas for promotions
  • ‘Minimum bet at odds 1.5 or greater’ is too ungenerous

3. JeffBet – A New Site That’s Making Waves

New online sportsbooks tend to spring up all the time, and most of them – after the initial fanfare – slowly fade away and then go out of business. We’re in the betting business of course and we are willing to bet that JeffBet does not follow this common ‘burn brightly, briefly’ pattern. It’s a platform launched in April 2022 by ProgressPlay, who have a number of other leading sportsbooks under their betting umbrella, including RubyBet, betDukes, BetDuel, TebWin, BritainBet and BetStorm. All these sites, just like JeffBet, are powered by BetConstructs’ excellent sports betting platform.

rugby leaugue online betting

The rugby league options on the menu at JeffBet are easily to find (although we have to give them a slap on the wrist from spelling basketball as ‘Basket Ball’). Look out for the little green rugby ball logo to see all the rugby league betting options open to you (we have to have another moan here as the logo for rugby league is the same as it is for rugby union). The range of betting options is quite staggering and should be enough to please even the most demanding rugby league betting aficionados.

User Experience and Feel

if you have come across a ProgressPlay/BetConstruct site before in your wagering experiences then you’ll be on familiar ground with JeffBet. The site may look at little cluttered but that’s because it contains so much info, and you’ll soon get used to it.

Welcome Sports Bonus

New players only. Min. £10 qualifying bets, stake not returned. Free bet – one time stake of £30, min. odds 1.5, stake not returned. 1x wager the winnings. Excluded Skrill deposits. T&Cs apply.

Payment Methods & Limits

Visa, MasterCard, PayPal, PayviaPhone, Paysafecard, Trustly, MuchBetter, ecoPayz. Minimum deposit: £10-£20 depending on method. Minimum withdrawal: £10. Fee: £2.50 per withdrawal.

Features

In-play betting, cash out, auto cash out.

Sports & Leagues

Football, basketball, tennis, cricket, volleyball, table tennis, rugby league, rugby union, horse racing, formula 1, baseball, snooker, darts, eSports, ice hockey, futsal, golf, eFootball, Aussie rules, badminton, beach volleyball, air hockey, cycling, handball, American football, chess, 3×3 basketball, (field) hockey, GAA football, GAA hurling, kabaddi, lacrosse, netball, pesapallo, specials, speedway, surfing, water polo.

What we like:

  • Top quality coverage of rugby league
  • Very informative platform
  • Top quality software from BetConstruct
  • Usually close to 200 live markets at any time
  • Decent welcome bonus

What we don’t:

  • Site may look cluttered to some
  • Union and League has the same icon!

4. Spreadex – #1 spread betting platform in UK

Spread betting is very different to ‘fixed odds’ betting. Without getting too deeply into it, the more ‘right’ you are with a bet the more money you win. The ‘risky’ side is that the more ‘wrong’ you are with a bet, the more money you lose. In rugby league terms say you back Huddersfield to beat Castleford by a minimum of 6 points. If Huddersfield then go on and win 36-16 then you will really be in the money. If, however, Castleford pull off a shock 36-34 win then you could lose more money than you had bargained for. Spread betting can be very lucrative, but only if you know what you are doing.

rugby leaugue betting at Spreadex's

Spreadex is the leading sports (and financials) spread betting platfrom in the UK and has been for a number of years. Even if you don’t like the ‘risky’ idea of spread betting you can still place your ‘normal’ bets at Spreadex as there’s a fixed odds side to the site as well.

The rugby league coverage at Spreadex is truly excellent and on par with the coverage the site gives to more popular sports such as football and horse racing. There’s live rugby league betting textual coverage of practically every game, and an incredible array of options for both spread betting and fixed odds betting.

User Experience and Feel

Spreadex is another sports betting site that found its groove some time ago and has become set in its ways. The look of the site is a little old fashioned but that does not detract from the whole user experience that much.

Welcome Sports Bonus

Fixed odds only. Join to receive £35 in free bets. Place a minimum £25 fixed odds bet at min. 1/2 to qualify. You will receive 5 x £5 fixed odds bets + 2 x £5 total goals spread bets. Offer must be claimed within 28 days of registering. T&Cs apply.

Payment Methods & Limits

Visa, MasterCard or bank transfer only. No eWallets. Deposits (instant) no limits, withdrawals (instant) no limits.

Features

Fixed odds and spread betting. Some live streaming.

Sports & Leagues

Horse racing, football, golf, greyhounds, cricket, tennis, basketball, ice hockey, volleyball, eSports, table tennis, snooker.

What we like:

  • Spread betting – make extra profits!
  • Live streaming available for countless markets
  • Fixed odds betting available too
  • Excellent tools for responsible gambling
  • Fantastic for live rugby league betting

What we don’t:

  • Site’s appearance is a little old-fashioned
  • Spread betting is not for newcomers

5. Betfred – King of British Bonuses

People may be wondering why Betfred does not appear at number one on our list of the leading rugby league betting sites, as currently Betfred are the sponsors of the rugby league Super League. In addition, Betfred are originally from Orsdall in Salford, and the Salford Red Devils have been a leading rugby league since 1873! In truth, there is absolutely nothing wrong with Betfred’s rugby league coverage – we just think there are four other sites that do things better.

bet on rugby leaugue at Betfred

Of course, what with Betfred being the kings of rugby league in terms of UK betting and the sponsors of the Super League, you can except plenty of exemplary coverage of rugby league at Betfred. It’s suprising then that rugby league does not ‘leap out at you’ when you land on the site. You can easily find the rugby league options at Betfred though, and you will immediately be greeted with a number of price boosts available for all the leading matches, and not just in the super league (the Championship, League 1, the NRL and the Betfred Women’s Super League all receive excellent levels of coverage).

User Experience and Feel

We’re not sure how we feel about the look of Betfred’s site, as we feel navigation could be a little easier. We wouldn’t say that the site is ugly, but if we took it out on a date we’d pick some place quiet and unknown!

Welcome Sports Bonus

Bet £10 and get £30. New customers only. Qualifying bet of £10, min. odds of Evens within seven days of registering. Deposit method restrictions apply. Free bets expire within seven days. T&Cs apply.

Payment Methods & Limits

Visa, MasterCard, Neteller, PayPal, Skrill, Paysafecard, bank transfer. Deposits (instant) £10-no limit. Withdrawals (instant-three days) £10-no limit. You can also deposit/withdraw at Betfred shops.

Features

In-play betting, full & partial cash out, lotteries, daily price boosts, bet builder. Some live streaming.

Sports & Leagues

American football, Aussie rules, baseball, basketball, boxing, cricket, cycling, darts, eSports, football, GAA football, GAA hurling, golf, greyhounds, horse racing, ice hockey, motor racing, politics, pool, rowing, rugby league, rugby union, snooker, specials, tennis, UFC/MMA, virtual sports, winter sports.

What we like:

  • Top quality coverage of rugby league
  • Brilliant for football and horse racing too
  • Great pedigree – been in business since 1967!
  • Very good Android and iOS mobile betting apps
  • Live streaming of some sports available

What we don’t:

  • Site could look better and be easier to use
  • Range of payment options needs to be improved

Most Popular Rugby League Betting Markets

There are plenty of available rugby league betting markets at all the best online sports betting sites. Here is a quick explanation of some of the most popular:

Match Winner: This is the most popular bet of them all – you simply pick which side is going to win the match, or if the match is likely to end in a tie. Match winner bets are for the score at full-time (after 80 minutes), so any overtime periods do not count. BetFred is great for match winner bets.

Win Draw No Bet: Here if the game ends in an unlikely tie, your stake is pushed back to you. You just bet on who you think will win the game. 888sport would be our pick for win draw no bet wagers.

First Half Winner: Wager on who will be leading when the first half ends, or if the scores will be level. We’d suggest BetUK for your rugby league first half winner bets.

1st/Anytime/Last Tryscorer: An individual rather than a team bet, select the player from either side who you will think will score the first try, or which player you think will score the last try. You can also bet on individual players to score a try at any time in the match. We reckon JeffBet is your best bet for these type of wagers.

To Score 2 or More Tries: Another individual player rather than team bet, you select a player who you think is likely to score two or more tries during the game. We’d pick out QuinnBet as a leading sportsbook at which to make such bets,

Winning Margin (1-5), (1-12): With this bet you simply choose what you think the winning margin of the match-up will be. The available bets will commonly either be in in selections of five (1-5, 6-10, 11-15 and so on) or twelve (1-12,13+). You need to nominate the winning team too, of course. Again, Betfred is a decent place for bets such as these.

Rugby League Handicap Betting

Handicap betting is very popular with rugby league betting – more popular than many other sports but not perhaps as popular as football. Here is a brief explanation of some of the more popular rugby league handicap betting wagers that are usually available.

Handicap 2-Way: With this bet the match favourites will have an artificial points total added to their score, and the underdogs the same total deducted from theirs. A winning wager is one where you predict the winner once the handicaps have been applied. Note that the handicaps usually include a half-point total so that the tie is eradicated.

Handicap 2-Way – Alternative 1: Similar to the bet above, except that the handicaps given are usually much larger. Bet on the winner once the handicap is applied to win your bet.

Handicap 2-Way – Alternative 2: A different type of bet where the underdogs are given a large points decifit (again, usually containing a half-point) and the favourites the same size points bonus. You need to predict the winning team once these points are applied.

First Half Handicap: This handicap bet is the same as a handicap 2-way bet except that the handicap applies only to the first half of the match.

Handicap 3-Way: This is the final type of handicap bet that is commonly available at rugby league betting sites in the UK. This is usually identifical to 2-way handicaps except that the handicap is not given as a half-point total, but a full-point total instead. This means that the draw remains in play, hence ‘3-way’ handicap.

Top 3 Handicap Betting Bookies

  • Betfred – Bet £10 get £60 in bonuses
  • 888sport – Bet £10 get £30 in free bets + £10 casino bonus
  • BetUK – Bet £10 get £30 in free bets

Rugby League Betting Offers & Bonuses

rugby league betting

While it is true that rugby league betting offers are not as commonplace as offers for other sports such as football and horse racing in particular, you still may come across such offers from time to time, especially when the big markets such as the Challenge Cup final and the World Cup swing around.

There are though, offers available throughout the year that, while they are not specifically for rugby league betting markets, they can be used on rugby league matches. We explain a few of those below.

Accas

An acca is an ‘accumulator bet’ – a string of specific single bets that are tied together so that the winnings from one bet goes on to become the stake for the next bet in the chain, and so on. It does not matter the order in which bets are ‘chained’ as the winnings will always come up the same. Sites usually offer deals around accas, including ‘acca insurance’ in which (typically) you get your money back as bonus cash should one of your acca legs fail. Of course, for any accumulator bet to be successful ALL legs of your acca need to be winning bets. Boyle Sports is a good choice for acca insurance.

Enhanced Odds

Enhanced odds are deals where you get better odds on rugby league matches than you normally would. This can only usually be applied to specific matches and the big games too, such as top of the table clashes. The only downside to enhanced odds deals is that any money you get over the normal odds is paid as bonus cash as opposed to cash that you can cash out. The Paddy Power sports book is considered the king of enhanced odds deals.

Rugby League Betting Odds

It is so important that you get decent odds when you are betting on rugby league matches. There is no point being successful in your betting predictions if the odds you receive are not very generous. You need to place your bets taking advantage of the most generous odds going in order to maximise your returns.

Here are the three sites that we think continually offer the best and most generous odds when it comes to rugby league.

  • Betfred – Bet £10 get £60 in bonuses
  • 888sport – Bet £10 get £30 in free bets + £10 casino bonus
  • JeffBet – Deposit £10 get a £30 free bet

Rugby League Live Stream

Because rugby league is so popular in the UK, most league games played that are available for live broadcast will be transmitted on satellite or terrestrial TV and therefore will not be available for live streaming at sports betting sites. The same goes for the Rugby League World Cup.

You may be able find rugby league live stream feeds for non-UK rugby league competitions, though, including those in Australia and South Africa. Check out the sites that offer live streaming (see below) and whether they have live streaming options for rugby league. Note, to watch a live streamed rugby league match in the UK at a sports betting site you usually have to have a funded account with the site at the bare minimum.

  • 888sport – Bet £10 get £30 in free bets + £10 casino bonus
  • Betfred – Bet £10 get £60 in bonuses
  • Bet365 – Deposit £10 get £50 in free bets

Betting on Rugby League Best Leagues & Tournaments

We have a separate section for rugby league world cup betting, but here are the leading and most popular rugby league tournaments and leagues running in the world today.

Super League

The Super League is the top level of rugby league competition in the UK and has been running since 1996. Although largely based in the UK, the Super League has included teams from France and Canada too. Each season begins in February and ends in September. The top six teams each season qualify for the play-off series which culminates in Super League Grand Final.

The Championship

The second tier of professional rugby league began in 2004 and the league consists of 14 teams. Clubs from the UK and France typically compete in the Championship, although the Canadian team Toronto Wolfpack competed in the league between 2017 and 2020. The top five teams at the end of each season playoff for the single promotion spot for the Super League. The bottom two teams are relegated to League One.

The Challenge Cup

The national knockout competition for the UK and France has been running since 1896. Teams from Canada, Russia and Serbia have competed in this competition in the past. Around 60 to 70 teams enter the Challenge Cup every season, with the final traditionally played in May at one of the UK’s leading sports stadiums. The 2022 final was played at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in front of 51,628 spectators, with Wigan beating Huddersfield 16-14.

National Rugby League

The leading rugby league team competition ‘down under’ is the National Rugby League which has been running since 1998 and has teams from Australia and New Zealand. It normally consists of 16 teams, although that will be increased to 17 in 2023. The top eight teams at the end of each season qualify for a straight knockout competition to determine the champion. There is no relegation.

Rugby League European Championship

This is a competition for national teams now held over four tiers that has been running in one form or another since 1935. The current competition features 17 teams over the four tiers, although the last time the tournament was scheduled to be run, it was cancelled due to COVID-19. The 2022 tournament will see the 17 competitors compete over three tiers of 8, 6 and 3 (although it seems unlikely that Russia, currently in Tier B, will be allowed to compete).

Rugby League World Cup Betting

The Rugby League World Cup is the premier international rugby league tournament, and was first held in France in 1954. For many years it was a sporadic competition contested by just four teams: Australia, France, Great Britain and New Zealand. Papua New Guinea eventually joined for the 1985-88 and 1989-92 tournaments.

The first ‘proper’ Rugby League World Cup took place in 1995, with the idea that the tournament would take place every three years. However, the proposed 1998 tournament was cancelled. The 2000 tournament was something of a distaster with lop-sided scorelines and poor attendances, so it was not until 2008 when another tournament took place with the idea that now a tournament would take place every five years.

After a successful 2013 tournament this period was changed to four years in line with other events such as the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics. 2017 was another success but then the 2021 tournament was cancelled due to COVID-19, another episode in the competition’s chequered history.

Here below are full details of the tournaments that have been completed, including hosts, winners and runners-up.

Pre knockout era

Year Host Winner Runner-Up Scoreline
1954 France Great Britain France 16-12
1957 Australia Australia Great Britain N/A
1960 UK Great Britain Australia N/A
1968 Australia/NZ Australia France 20-2
1970 UK Australia Great Britain 12-7
1972 France Great Britain Australia 10-10*
1975 Various Australia England 25-0
1977 Australia/NZ Australia Great Britain 13-12
1985-88 Various Australia New Zealand 25-12
1989-92 Various Australia Great Britain 10-6

*Great Britain were awarded the win on account of being the highest-ranked team in the overall round robin.

The first ‘proper’ World Cup took place in England in 1995. The following is a record of that and subsequent tournaments.

Year Host Winner Runner-Up Scoreline
1995 England Australia England 16-8
2000 Various Australia New Zealand 40-12
2008 Australia New Zealand Australia 34-20
2013 England/Wales Australia New Zealand 34-2
2017 Australasia Australia England 6-0
2021* England

*actually taking place in 2022 due to COVID-19.

Ultimate Rugby League Betting Tips

If you want to get ahead in rugby league betting, you need to know more than most. Here are five top rugby league betting tips that you should follow if you want to get the most from your rugby league betting.

Top 1: Get the best odds

We have mentioned this before. To get the most from your rugby league betting, you need to make sure that you are getting the best odds. Choose a wager and then hunt around all our recommended sites to make sure the odds you are choosing are the most competitive.

Tip 2: Keep your emotions in check

The downfall of many a sports bettor is betting with their hearts as opposed to their heads. Never place a bet if you’re just betting ‘on a hunch’ or any other illogical means.

Tip 3: Use handicap betting for better returns

If you think a value bet is betting on a hot favourite but the odds are so short you’ll barely make a profit, consider handicap betting instead. You’ll get better odds if your pick wins by the handicapped margin.

Tip 4: Your knowledge is power

Like all sporting contests, the swing between winner and loser can depend upon multiple factors, such as key players being injured or out of form. Use your knowledge of rugby league to your advantage.

Tip 5: Gamble responsibly

Betting on rugby league matches can be entertaining but you need to make sure that your betting is not getting out of hand. If you are betting to chase losses or find it hard to have a day off, then you may be gambling irresponsibly. Take a break or, if you find it hard to take a break, seek help.

Conclusion

When people think about a summer sport in the UK they usually think about cricket, so it surprises many when they remember rugby league is a summer sport too, and has been since it switched from being a winter sport in 1996. True, more people in the UK choose rugby union over rugby league, but not in Yorkshire, Lancashire or Cumbria!

There is plenty of entertainment and hopefully just as much money to be had by betting sensibly on the rugby league football code. We hope this page has been an enormous help to you and we wish you all the best of luck in your rugby league betting endeavours.

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