The rugby league Championship is the second tier of UK rugby league, behind the better known and more glamorous Super League. However, the rising popularity of the sport caused by the Super League, some 20 years on from its inception in 1996, means that there is growing interest and attention on the Championship, both in the media, from the public and, of course, from bookmakers and online betting sites.
20 years ago options for betting on the second division of rugby league were limited but these days all of the best bookies around cover the Championship in good depth, with a wide range of markets and odds that are increasingly competitive. That means the savvy punter can really cash in, especially as bookies know far less about the Championship than they do about its more glamorous big brother.
One thing any savvy rugby league bettor should take advantage of is our Championship odds comparison, which makes it quicker and easier than ever before to ascertain which bookie is offering the best betting odds. The difference between the best available odds and the worst on a given market, be that the outright Championship winner betting, one of the individual matches or anything else, can be 20% or even more.
Over the course of a whole season betting on the Championship even an average punter is going to have several winners and 20% on all of them will undoubtedly add up to a considerable sum. In short, to get the best odds without wasting time and increase your chances of making a profit, use our live odds comparison.
A quick check of the odds shows that for the current season there are four realistic winners, with Leigh Centurions heading the betting by some distance at odds shorter than 1/2. Yorkshire rivals Batley and Bradford are both in with a shout at odds of 13/2 and 4/1 respectively, whilst the London Broncos will hope they can still have a say in proceedings at 8/1.
The Championship is always a tough division to call which can make betting on it tricky but equally it can also offer some great value. The format of the league has changed several times over the years and it became known as the Championship only in 2009, following a prior change to the league’s structure in 2003.
The second tier of rugby league is, of course, much older than that, however, and we can probably date the league back as far as 1902, although only since 1973 has there been a regular, organised, annual competition.
In its current guise the Championship follows the structure of the Super League in many ways, with 12 teams playing 23 regular season games including one at a neutral “Magic Weekend” venue. The Qualifiers stage of the Championship is formed by the top four of the second tier and the bottom four of the Super League and from these eight teams four will qualify for the following season’s Super League.
Betting on the Championship is exciting at any stage of the campaign but The Qualifiers are when things really hot up and when those that often contain their rugby betting and interest to the top flight take a much bigger interest in the “lesser” sides.
Our odds comparison and betting tips will be there at every stage of the Championship however, helping you pick out value bets and always delivering the best betting odds – good luck!