NRL season turning into a punter’s nightmare with upsets on the rise
TRYING to pick a winner in the NRL? Good luck. For the third time in four years the regular NRL season is on track to record a huge number of upsets.
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TRYING to pick a winner in the NRL? Good luck.
If you’ve been having a horror year on the punt when it comes to rugby league now we know why.
For the third time in four years the regular NRL season is on track to record more than 33 per cent of results as upsets.
In another example of just how unpredictable club performances can be, 47 of 144 matches played in the 2017 season so far were won by the underdog.
TAB this week released figures around the 2017 results and it makes for nightmare reading for punters.
Canberra and Penrith caused the most pain, losing six matches apiece as favourites.
Conversely, if you took a punt on Manly, Cronulla, Gold Coast or St George Illawarra you were more chance of laughing all the way to the bank — all four teams have won five matches starting as the underdog.
But it has been defending champions Cronulla who have been the most unpredictable, featuring in 10 matches recorded as upsets.
Not only have the Sharks won five matches as underdogs but they’ve also lost five matches as favourites courtesy of their poor form at home early in the season.
The safest teams to take a punt on according to the data are Brisbane, Melbourne and Newcastle. Each has been involved in just three matches recorded by TAB as upsets.
The 2017 season still has a way to go before it reaches the lofty standard set in 2015 when 77 of 201 (38 per cent) matches played resulted in upset wins but as we’ve seen so far ... anything is possible.
TAB BETTING STATS AFTER ROUND 20 2017
Originally published as NRL season turning into a punter’s nightmare with upsets on the rise
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