When Australia’s National Soccer League met its demise in 2004, punters were left wondering if they would have to make do with one less popular market. Happily, they had to do nothing of the sort.
A year later, the A-League had its first kick-off, and online bookmakers opened up what has become one of the best-supported soccer markets. The league’s Grand Final has become the stuff of legend, and is the crowning glory of what is often a very exciting regular season and finals series.
The Grand Final certainly attracts the most bets, but the season that leads up to it is not without opportunities for punters to place a range of bets.
A-League Betting Options
A-League markets at online bookmakers usually feature the same types of bets that punters can place on other soccer league competitions. Those bet types usually include match and futures bets.
Many punters bet on match results. They may bet on teams to win at home, teams to win away, or teams to draw, whether they play at home or away.
As various medals, such as the Joe Marston and Johnny Warren medals, are awarded during the course of the competition, punters are usually able to place futures medals bets. Championship bets are also a popular choice among punters.
Punters are usually also given the opportunity to bet on half-time results or full-time results, and they can also place double bets. Online bookmakers also offer A-League bets such as betting on which player will score the first goal, or the player that will be named Man of the Match.
Teams in the A-League
A-League online betting markets allow punters to bet on 10 different teams that play against one another in different stadia. 9 of the league’s teams are Australian, and 1 hails from New Zealand.
The teams that are currently involved in the league include Wellington Phoenix, whose home ground is Westpac Stadium; Western Sydney Wanderers, based at Spotless and ANZ stadia; Sydney FC, whose home ground is Allianz Stadium; Perth Glory, based at nib Stadium; Newcastle Jets, whose home ground is McDonald Jones Stadium; Melbourne Victory, based at AAMI Park and Etihad Stadium; Melbourne City, also based at AAMI Park; Central Coast Mariners, whose home ground is Central Coast Stadium; Brisbane Roar, based at Suncorp Stadium; and Adelaide United, whose home ground is Coopers Stadium.
Rivals and A-League Champions
In its short history, the A-League has already seen some well-known rivalries form. There is always a spike in betting at online bookmakers whenever those traditional rivals face one another on the field.
The rivalries all have nicknames. Big Blue is Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory, Sydney Derby is Sydney FC and Sydney Wanderers, Adelaide United and Melbourne Victory is the Original Derby, Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory is the Melbourne Derby, and Newcastle Jets and Central Coast Mariners is the F3 Derby.
Several teams have claimed the championship title in the 11 A-League seasons that have been played. Previous champions include the Central Coast Mariners, Brisbane Roar, Melbourne Victory, Sydney FC, and Newcastle Jets.
Adelaide United are the league’s 2015-2016 champions.