The AFL or Australian Football League, or "footy," is among the most viewed sporting tournaments in Australia and the Australian subcontinent. Some of the best athletes in Australian Rules Football come together to compete for the coveted trophy.
While it's intense for the players, it is intense for the fans too. Besides cherishing the games, some of the fans also turn to online betting.
In this article, learn some of the AFL betting options you have. You can find AFL odds here.
Top 8 Wager
To start betting on AFL matches, you must understand the league structure. Currently, the league is contested between 18 teams spread over five states.
A single AFL season consists of a 23-round regular fixture where each team plays a home and away game against other teams. The teams with the best record after playing all the home and away fixtures go through to the Minor Premiership. A total of eight teams make it.
If you know which teams will make it to the Minor Premiership, you can bet on the Top 8 Wager. There are certain teams that are more successful and more likely to make it to the Top 8. Rest, you need to calculate based on your analytical ability of the tournament.
This is a great long-term wager option.
Premiership Wager
Those who are almost sure that a particular team will lift the trophy can bet on the Premiership Wager. Clubs like Carlton and Essendon are the most successful clubs with 16 premierships. Collingwood is the closest at 15, followed by Hawthorn at 13 and Melbourne at 12.
Based on the recent statistics and player's form, you can predict which team will win the season to a certain extent. In most cases, the strongest teams win.
But the underdogs do tend to beat the heavyweights. Clubs like North Melb., West Coast, and Sydney have a slight chance of winning. But they have won in the past.
So make your calculations accordingly.
Head-to-Head
As opposed to the previous two bet options, which were long-term, head-to-head is a short-term bet option. In this bet type, you pick the winner of a particular game. If it wins, you win the bet.
Picking a winner of a game is much easier than picking a winner of the tournament. You look at various factors, including the odds, to determine the winner.
The team with more chances of winning will have fewer odds. You can bet on the usual convention or against the convention if you think the underdog is going to win the match.
Wooden Spoon
Can you guess which team will end up at the last spot? Then go for the Wooden Spoon wager option. The team with the weakest squad and players in weak form end up with the wooden spoon.
Clubs like Fremantle, GWS Giants, and Gold Coast have never won the Premiership. And one of them ends up with the wooden spoon most of the time.
In the 2020 AFL edition, Adelaide was in the last place. In the previous edition, it was Gold Coast.
Half-Time/Full-Time Wager
If you can predict the score at the half or full-time stage, then go for the half-time or full-time wager. Predict the scoreline and will win according to your selection.
You don't have to predict the exact scores. You can select from a range or the difference between the scores.
The matches tend to be volatile, with goals being scored now and then. Therefore, it can be pretty hard to guess the scoreline. But if you back your prediction skills, definitely go for it.
When placing your bets, you should look at the odds. Only bet at online brokers that offer the most competitive odds. You can check AFL odds here.