As a bettor, approaching the NRL season without a betting strategy is like Jahrome Hughes pitching up to a match against the Brisbane Broncos without the rest of the team — it’s not the way to win. A decent betting strategy equips you with the tools to place wise bets and manage your bankroll well. Here are some components of a successful strategy to help you make your own
The best approach to take in sports betting
Sports betting can be a fun and engaging way to follow your favourite sport, like the Nation Rugby League. But betting can also have a negative impact on your life. That’s why there’s a way to approach it that keeps it within healthy boundaries and makes it fun.
When you’re starting out, betting on the NRL shouldn’t be your only source of income. Generally, you should have a budget and a plan on how you’ll use that budget. This limits you to how much you can spend during the season or per game and reduces the potential for you to overspend and put yourself in a financial pickle.
Like NRL teams, they have a strategy, and bettors do too. This makes betting like a game, it becomes competitive and analytical, which is where the fun is at. And, if your strategy is good, you’re rewarded with the earnings from your bet.
The Components of a Successful NRL Betting Strategy
There are multiple strategies that you can use when it comes to betting on the NRL, but there will always be a few key components of a successful strategy, like:
- Researching team performance history
Research is one of the best tools a bettor has to make a successful strategy. One aspect you need to research is how teams performed in the past. The past performance of teams can teach you a lot about what to expect in the current season.
For example, say you noticed a rise in performance of a team that was previously an underdog. By analysing how they improved you can spot similar tactics in the current season which might suggest a lucrative betting option.
- Assessing player performance
In addition to researching the team’s past performance, analysing current and past player performance is also helpful. Most teams have a few key players who they rely on to bring home the points. In some cases, these players improve in performance, leading their teams to more victories and giving you the opportunity to place more successful bets.
- Watching for injuries
Another aspect of watching player performance is keeping a close eye on injury reports. As we said, certain teams might rely on specific players to boost their overall performance. If these players get injured and have to sit out a few games, this could have a negative impact on a strong team. As a result, you may want to place your bets on a different team.
- Considering the home advantage vs playing away
You may also want to consider the effects of away games vs home games. When teams play in their hometown, they’re fired up because of the support and atmosphere around them. Likewise, the opposing team might feel the pressure of having little to no support. These factors can have an intense mental impact on players and influence their performance. So, keep a keen eye on home and away games.
- Setting a budget
We touched on this earlier. Setting a betting budget or a bankroll is the first step to creating a good betting strategy and forming good betting habits. As a rule of thumb in betting, you should only bet what you’re willing and practically able to lose without damaging your personal finances.
So, set aside an amount that you can use to bet throughout the season. You could allocate an amount per game or one lump sum for the entire season; it’s up to you. Either way, make sure that you stick to your budget. If you lose a bet, don’t dip into next week’s allocations to try to win it back. Rather take it on the chin and try again later.
- Shopping for the best odds
One thing we always encourage new bettors to do is to familiarise themselves with multiple betting platforms, so you can get the best odds for upcoming NRL games. The best betting platforms, like Ladbrokes, will release the odds and latest tips for the NRL on a regular basis. These odds demonstrate how that particular platform thinks the outcome of the game will be. However, different platforms may have different odds. By using more than one platform, you’ll have access to more information that can assist you as you make your betting decisions.
- Diverse betting
Finally, make use of diverse bets as much as possible. Placing one large bet may seem like a good idea because it increases your return if you win the bet, but it equally increases your risk, too. Instead, use multiple betting types and place bets in different ways.
This is called diversifying your bets. By spreading your bets, you balance out the risk with the reward, increasing your chances of winning and losing. While you may lose one bet, you may win another. Essentially, this ensures that you rarely leave empty-handed.
Final Thoughts
In the end, the goal of betting on the NRL is to enjoy it and, ideally, win the bets you place. With each extra bit of preparation you do, your chances of having a successful betting season are closer. Use the components of a strategy above and design your ideal betting strategy for the season. Remember to be flexible where you can and adapt your strategy to the outcome of games.