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It is Australia’s native game and one of the most popular sports to bet on in the country. The Australian Football League (AFL) has existed as a sport for over 150 years, progressing from an exclusively Victorian competition before eventually evolving into a true national competition.
If you are looking to place a bet on Australia’s national game look no further than this guide, where we will run you through the history of the game, the top ways to go about betting on AFL and the places we believe are equipped to best handle wagering on this competition.
Bookie bonuses for betting in Australia
Looking to find an account that suits you? Finding a bookie to invest your money with can be difficult for beginners and seasoned punters alike, given there are so many options. It pays to have several accounts with bookies offering different promotions each round of the AFL season. This writer has five separate accounts with it not uncommon to use two or three different ones when wagering on one round of the premiership season.
Luxbet: With the backing of the TAB, Luxbet is a go-to online bookmaker for the serious punters. New clients get their first deposit matched – up to $700. Luxbet has a multitude of markets in both sport and racing to invest on. This bookie will also offer plenty of different bonuses throughout the season.
William Hill: William Hill have made a huge push to become the no.1 bookie in Australia. Customers who have not yet signed up for a William Hill account can get their first settled bet matched – up to the value of $700. This means if you invest any amount of money up to $700, your bet – once settled as a win or loss – will be matched by William Hill in the form of a bonus bet.
Sportsbet first bet bonus offer: Sportsbet has long been recognised as Australia’s most popular online bookmaker, but that does not mean they have rested on their laurels when it comes to enticing new customers. Place your first bet with your new Sportsbet account and they will give you a bonus bet – up to the value of $501 – once your first bet is settled. Sportbet also have a huge cash back offer. Place a bet on any match in the opening eight rounds of the season and if your team leads at any break but go on to lose the match you get your cash back – up to $50. Along with the head-to-head cash back bonus, Sportsbet has a huge multi cash back offer for punters across the AFL season. Place a five or more leg multi across any round in the AFL season and if all but one leg fails, Sportsbet will refund your cash up to the value of $50. Max one multi refund per round.
Crownbet bonus bet: It would be remiss of the ‘official wagering partner of the AFL’ not to offer a bonus on Australia’s native game and Crownbet have not let their members down. Place a head-to-head bet on the AFL and if your team loses by three goals or less you get your stake back – up to $50 – in the form of a bonus bet.
Remember first deposit offers are not available for NSW, VIC, WA or SA residents because of state legislation, but you can still receive these offers if you sign-up at the bookie and wait for offers to flow in via email.
Best markets to bet on in AFL
Brownlow betting: Think you have spotted a player who can take the season by storm prior to the commencement of the home and away matches, or maybe you have identified a player that has flown under the radar. It is as simple as placing a bet on the winner of the Brownlow medal – this can be done as either an outright bet or as an each way bet; which just means you get a return on your investment even if your player finishes second, third or fourth. The votes, which are given on a 3-2-1 basis, are tallied on the Monday before the grand final.
Norm Smith medal betting: Thinking of looking to place a bet on the big dance? Norm Smith betting might be for you.
The Norm Smith medal is awarded to the player adjudged best afield by a panel of judges including TV pundits and AFL journalists. A bet on the Norm Smith can be placed prior to the commencement of the Grand Final, and a number of online betting agencies have live betting on the medal right up until the last quarter.
Coleman medal betting: Think you know who will boot the most goals in the home and away season? Why not place a Coleman medal bet? Unlike the Brownlow medal, being suspended does not affect your bet – it is just a matter of selecting the player who will kick the most majors in the regular season.
2016 premiership odds
Hawthorn $4.25
West Coast $4.50
Geelong $7.50
Western Bulldogs $8.00
Sydney $8.00
North Melbourne $17.00
Port Adelaide $21.00
Richmond $21.00
Fremantle $21.00
Adelaide $26.00
Collingwood $26.00
Greater Western Sydney $34.00
Gold Coast $41.00
Melbourne $101.00
St Kilda $251.00
Brisbane $501.00
Carlton $501.00
Essendon $1001.00
* Odds provided by WilliamHill.com.au
List of AFL premiers
2015 – Hawthorn
2014 – Hawthorn
2013 – Hawthorn
2012 – Sydney Swans
2011 – Geelong
2010 – Collingwood
2009 – Geelong
2008 – Hawthorn
2007 – Geelong
2006 – West Coast
2005 – Sydney
2004 – Port Adelaide
2003 – Brisbane
2002 – Brisbane
2001 – Brisbane
2000 – Essendon
1999 – North Melbourne
1998 – Adelaide
1997 – Adelaide
1996 – North Melbourne
1995 – Carlton
1994 – West Coast
1993 – Essendon
1992 – West Coast
1991 – Hawthorn
1990 – Collingwood
* The VFL become the Australian Football League from 1990 onwards.
Betting tips for investing on the AFL
Home ground advantage is more than just a flippant term: Given just how vast Australia is there is no surprise that home ground advantage plays a massive part in the outcome of matches. To compound the travel, there are no set dimensions for an AFL field, meaning there can be a great difference between the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Etihad Stadium and Domain Stadium. Typically teams that have played more on the MCG have had greater success in the finals, while Victorian teams have always struggled to come away from Western Australia with a win under their belt.
Coleman medal success does not translate to team success: Think that booting a truckload of individual goals will directly correlate with the premiership? Think again. The years of 2001 through to 2015 has only twice seen the Coleman medallist go on to win the premiership that year. In that same period the Coleman medallist has only gone on to play in the Grand Final of that year six times. If you are one of those punters that likes to wait until the regular season is over before placing a premiership bet the Coleman medal curse is one that should be kept in mind.
Rivalries: Often a match with one team having inflated odds will seem like it’s obviously going to be a blowout. This is not always the case, for instance if Collingwood is playing Carlton with the Magpies hot favourites, you need to factor in just how big a rival these two clubs are. Often the underdog will come out fired up and cause a boilover. What we are saying is it pays to have a knowledge of the past, when betting on the future.