Australian Rules Football
Australian Rules, as it’s known down under, hasn’t hit the prime time screens in the U.S, but it’s an exciting game and the sportsbook has odds available.
The biggest Australian sport, AFL combines the best of rugby and football to create one of the most exciting games in the world.
AFL betting is available on every game throughout the season, which runs from March to October.
Explaining AFL Rules
Watching an AFL game for the first time can be chaotic. There are 18 players per side on the field at the same time, and there’s often a mad rush for possession of the ball.
The aim is to kick the oval ball, which is shaped similarly to a rugby league ball, through a set of goal posts. If the ball is kicked through the primary posts, the team scores six points. If it’s kicked on the side of the main posts, they get one point.
Even though it looks hectic, it’s a simple game. Tackles are made, and players can mark the ball if it’s kicked more than 15 meters — similar to a fair catch in NFL.
It’s an open game, which can result in big scores. It’s not surprising to see scorelines such as 162-120, so there is plenty of scoring opportunities.
At the end of 100 minutes, which is the longest of the Australian games (the others are 80 minutes), the team with the higher score wins. If it’s a draw, there is no overtime. If it’s a Grand Final, the game is replayed in its entirety the following week.
Betting on AFL is great because there is a plethora of betting options, which are explained below.