AFL Betting Tips: AFL simply stands for the Australian football league, which is a celebration of a sport that has been played in the country for over 150 years now. Native people might even call it footy because that is the name it originated from. Some of the world’s fittest athletes have played sports and still do today. It is also one of the most-watched sports in Australia where you won’t find crowds any less than 40,000 people. It is the most exciting game that Australians know of.
What is AFL Betting?
Like many other sports, AFL has a legal betting market where people have been placing their bets. It is a long season of six months for the bookmakers and the people placing bets to test out their lucks. There are various markets and types of bets under AFL betting, which is the real beauty of it. There are simple bet types as well as complicated ones where you might need to do a little math as well. Most people who have bet on AFL have said that it is 70% luck.
There are 23 matches throughout the season, and each match is open in different betting markets for the placement of bets. As aggressive the play is for the athletes really playing it, it is equally aggressive for the bookmakers and the punters.
Types of AFL Bettings
AFL Betting has different markets for betting, depending on the type of bet it is. All bets are not placed in the same market because of the amount being placed on them and the number of betters currently betting. Nothing about it is very complicated, and it is all in understanding how the system works and where exactly you have to place your bet. Some would ask you to put more at stake while some would be simple bets.
Head to Head AFL Betting
Intro
When you place a head to head bet, the chance of you winning would be when the team you have placed your bet on, wins. It is the simplest of all betting markets where are all punters are placing their bets on one team.
How it works
There will always be two teams pitting against each other in a match and the head to head market in AFL Betting works on that itself. The better simply has to choose a side that he/she thinks would win. The stakes are higher for the team in its home ground so if the home team wins and you have placed your bet on it, your earnings would be more than the other scenario where the situation is reversed. You can earn nearly double what you had bet if you win a head to head bet.
When you go for a head to head bet, you always get a slip which is more like a receipt which will help you get your earnings if you win at the end of the match. It has everything detailed out, from how much you had bet and how much you would win if you win.
Example
Taking Melbourne as the home team and Richmond as the rival team, the odds would be presented to the home team first. Hence, the stake in Melbourne would be more than Richmond. The stake amount is also used to calculate your earnings at the end.
Let’s say Melbourne has a stake amount of $2 while Richmond has $1. If you have bet $20 on Melbourne and given it wins, you would be winning $40 which includes the $20 you paid. Hence, your earning would be $20, which is double what you had a bet.
Tips for Head to Head AFL Betting
There are a few things you should always check before you move forward towards placing your bet. One of these things would be how the team you wish to place your bet on, has played in the last few matches. If their graph is going up, then the bet would be a smart thing to do.
Even if your team has been winning, see whom they have been winning against and if they were real rivals or generals teams that were easy to play against. Things like coaches etc. also keep changing, so you have to keep an eye on those details as well. All this will help you get a good idea of what should be done.
AFL Line Betting
Intro
Line betting is another level up than the simple head to head betting. It is still fairly simple, but first-time betters might get confused with what has to do be done. The idea of line betting is to even the market for both teams playing the game. The betting is then done on whether they win or lose by certain points.
How it works
The bookmaker sets a margin for each of the teams for a line bet. The margin which has been estimated by the bookmaker himself is known as the line, hence the name of the betting type. Each of the teams will have either a + symbol with the margin or a – symbol with the margin number.
A ‘+’ symbol against the team means either the team wins the game or loses by the margin number or less. It might seem a little rigid as a bet, but it is actually fairly flexible. On the other hand, a ‘-‘ symbol against the team name means the team has to win by more points than indicated in the line.
Example
Let’s say Melbourne here is the favorite in the match against Richmond, then Melbourne would be handicapped by a ‘-‘. The bookmaker will set the line at, say, 10.5. So Melbourne would be at a -10.5, while Richmond would be at +10.5. The stake amount will be the same for both teams which will be approximately $1.7.
Now, if someone has placed their bet on Melbourne, then he/she would win when Melbourne wins by 10.5 points or more. Otherwise, the bet is lost. Whereas, anyone placing their bet on Richmond will win when the team either wins the match or loses the match by 10.5 points.
Tips for Line Betting
Inline bettings, it is always best to check the margins of the last five matches and what they have resulted in thereafter. Both are winning and losing margins are important because the field is equal in a line bet for both teams in away. How the teams have been performing will also help you determine the extent to which the margin might be exaggerated in the current match.
Margin AFL Betting
Intro
This particular AFL betting market has a very set format for the betters. The margins have been set for all teams and the stake amount as well on the given margin. The better has to simply select the margin for the particular team he/she thinks would win.
How it works
The margin in the margin AFL betting is set on three categories where first is between 1 to 39 points, the second is 40+ plus points, and the third is drawn. The first two categories are for both teams while the draw is a general thing for the match. The betters have to place their bet on either of the five options, with two for each team. A winning bet could be anything based on the outcome of the match.
Example
Given the categories have been set and the two teams Melbourne and Richmond are playing, the stake amount will be set for each of the categories. The home team will again have an advantage here as it will have more stake amount. Melbourne will be placed at somewhere $3 while Richmond will be at $2 for the 1-39 category. For the 40+ category, the amount will be different and more, say around $10 for Melbourne and $5 for Richmond.
Anyone who has placed their bet on Melbourne winning between 1-39 points will win when it happens and will win an amount of $3 multiplied by his/her bet amount. If the bet amount is $10, then profit would be $20 for him/her.
Tips for Margin AFL Betting
For winning in the margin betting market, one should check more and more matches in the past to see in which range their team has been. This will help you figure out which category would have more value on that particular day.
AFL Over and Under (Total Game Points)
Intro
This category of betting is yet another type which is very simple. The over and under in the name are the two categories of bets being placed in this market. The bookmaker sets a range of points which will be the total score of the match. Betters can place bets on whether the match will end at a score over the step or a score under the set line.
How it works
In total points betting market, you are betting on the total score of the game. Every bookmaker will set his/her own score, and if the match ends under that score, it is a win for the ones who placed their bet on the under the category. The case could be reversed in the other scenario as well, where over category wins the bet.
The total score of the game is an addition of the score of both teams playing on the field, so the result comes at the end. The stake amount is equal for both categories, so it is an equal win, no matter which category wins the bet.
Example
Let’s say the bookmaker has set the score of the match at 180 points so that the two categories would be over 180 and under 180, with stake amount being close to $2 for both of them. Anyone can place a bet on either of the two categories and win depending on what the score would be.
Tips for Total Game Points
Before going for a total game points bet, always check the average score of both teams in the past and what the total has resulted in. this will give you an estimate on whether it will be over or under, so you can place your bet accordingly.
First Goal Scorer Betting in AFL
Intro
This is a more detailed out bet where bets are placed on the players. There are different categories under this which you would find in different matches, but it could be anything from the first goalscorer to the maximum goal scorer. Each player has his own stake amount attached.
How it works
Selected players of both teams will be listed under this bet with a stake amount attached to their name. It is not really a competition between two teams here but a general bet on which athlete would be the first goalscorer. Any better can simply place his/her bet on whichever player he/she thinks would do so.
Example
Player A ($8), Player B ($12), Player C ($14) and so on will be listed on the betting list for you with an amount against their name. Any better has to place a bet and let’s say on player A to kick the first goal of the game. Now, this better will only win when this happens. Otherwise, he loses. The chances of winning are a lot less because of a long list.
Tips for First Goal Scorer
The best way to get a hold of this betting market is to check who has been the first quarter scorer in the two teams playing that day. If that player is on the list, he would be a better bet than anyone else.
How to Make Overall Better Bets in AFL
For making better bets in AFL, one should know which market is a better option for him/her. For newcomers, the outright market is an easier option because of the easier system. It’s hard to understand all of it in the beginning but starting with outright markets is a good option.
As one moves further into the betting market, difficult bets like the first goalscorer, etc. make more sense because now you would have a hold of what usually happens. The idea is to understand simpler markets first and then move to complex ones.
Overall Verdict on AFL Betting
AFL betting might seem like something very weird to people from other nations, but it is something that Australians follow religiously. It is a great platform for people to enjoy a little healthy gambling if they love sports. It is although more about the enthusiasm that the crowd brings in which makes AFL betting a great platform to indulge in.
