The Australian Football League, the AFL, footy or Aussie Rules, it is known by many different names but is adored by Australians all over the country.
It is Australia’s national sport and arguably the most popular game in the land.
The competition has existed for over 150 years as the VFA/VFL – an exclusively Victorian competition – but manifested into the AFL in 1987 when the West Coast Eagles entered the competition.
As of 2016 there are eight separate interstate teams playing in the league.
The AFL is among the most attended sporting competitions in the world and is renowned for its ballistic style, brutal hits and exquisite displays of skill.
Love the AFL but are not sure how to bet on the footy? Never fear, this article will show you all the important markets, where to place a bet on the Aussie Rules and even some fantastic and fun facts.
Fun AFL facts
- Two players in the history of the game – Corey McKernan (1996) and Chris Grant (1997) – have topped the Brownlow medal vote count but have not received the medal due to being suspended throughout the year
- As of 2016, the Essendon Bombers and the Carlton Blues have won 16 premierships each, the most in AFL/VFL history
- As of 2016, Fremantle is the only team that has been in the AFL for over 20 years that have not won a single premiership
- In 1996 the lights went out in a game between Essendon and St Kilda. The lights were unable to be fixed that night and the two teams were forced to come back four days later. It is the only AFL game that ever has taken place over two different days
- An English football team toured Australia in 1888, beating the Australians in 14 of the 25 games they played
- As of 2016, only 21 AFL players with a surname starting with the letter U have ever played AFL. No AFL player’s surname has ever started with X
AFL betting markets
AFL Brownlow medal betting: Think you know who will be awarded the Brownlow medal of a particular year? Place a Brownlow medal bet. A Brownlow bet can be placed as an outright bet on the winner or a place bet on who you think will finish inside the top three.
Head-to-head betting: Head-to-head betting is as simple as picking the team you think will win in any match throughout the AFL season.
Line betting markets: Similar to head-to-head betting, line betting is choosing a team to win, but you are offered a higher or lower money return depending on whether your team gets a points head start or a deduction. For example, Collingwood could go into a match against the Brisbane Lions as the $3.30 outsiders, but if you were to bet on them at the line, you could get $1.92 with a +36.5 line, meaning they can lose by 36 points or less or win and you will get a winning dividend.
Margin markets: The margin betting markets is simple, pick the team you think will win and the margin in which they will do it. This can be placed as a more specific point score, or a wider margin – depending on whether you believe you can nail the exact point range.
Total score markets: The total score market is placing a bet on the total amount of points you think will be scored in an overall AFL match. The online bookmaker sets the amount they believe will be scored and you can choose to bet on that amount being exceeded (over) or not being matched (under).
First goal scorer markets: First goal scorer markets is one of the best markets to bet on as it adds excitement to a game that could otherwise be boring – all you do is place money on the player you think will score the first major of the match. This can be placed as the first overall goal scorer or the first goal scorer for the player’s particular team.
Most disposal markets: Think you can nail the most possessions market? Put your money where your mouth is. The online bookmaker sets the market on who will get the most touches, and it is your job to pick out the player you believe will top the possession count. This can be set as players in separate groups (A and B), or just as an overall disposal winner for the match. It also can be placed as a bet on a certain player to surpass a certain amount of possessions.
Most tackles market: More attracted to the defensive side of the game? Why not throw some cash on the most tackles market. Simply bet on the player you think will lay the most tackles and you get your dividend.
Best place to bet on the AFL
Now you know how to bet on the footy, you are probably wondering where the best places to invest are. We have gone to the effort to identify our favourite trusted sites for you, so you do not have to waste your precious time with the time wasters.
When it comes to punting on the AFL, one of the best sites to visit is sportsbet.com.au.
Sportsbet has futures markets before the incumbent season is completed, comprehensive markets on all the regular season games and specials throughout the year on both the entire round and particular games.
They may be an English betting giant, WilliamHill.com.au are a go-to destination for those looking to bet on the AFL.
Futures markets, comprehensive game markets and terrific in-play betting which allows punters to track the games play-by-play, William Hill have raised the bar high for punters looking to truly bet with confidence.
Looking for money back specials and weekly deals? Look no further than Luxbet.com.au Luxbet are backed by the might of TABCORP, so you know you can bet with confidence with the knowledge your cash is in safe hands. Luxbet has money back specials every weekend as well as comprehensive markets for punters to place their cash upon.