Aussie Rules - Take on the odds of Australia’s most popular sport

As the name suggests, it’s a sport predominantly played in Australia. It resulted from a desire to develop a sport based on football which was played in English public schools but was more suited to Australian conditions and adults rather than schoolboys. Given the laws were created in Melbourne in 1859. It’s therefore the oldest of the world’s football codes.

The result of it being designed for Australian adults is that it’s one of the roughest sports on the planet. You can use your hands to tackle in just about any way you see fit and can also use the whole of your upper body to block or obstruct opponents. That said, there are of course rules regarding what you can’t do. Dangerous physical contact such as the illegal use of elbows or pushing in the back (particularly when the ball is in the air) are not only penalized with penalties in the actual match but can lead to subsequent suspensions.

It’s played on a large oval-shaped pitch which means that cricket grounds are the perfect size and shape to use for Aussie rules. It’s an eighteen-a-side game and uses an oval-shaped ball which players must either kick or bounce at continuous intervals when in possession of it. Where it differs vastly in relation to any sort of rugby is that you cannot throw it to a team-mate, the exception being to punch it with a clenched fist. Scoring is secured by kicking the ball through the goalposts.

In Australia it’s governed by the Australian Football League. It’s the most popular of all Australian sports in terms of watching it live and on TV and the annual Grand Final, is the highest attended club championship event in the world.

Betsson offers a good variety of markets on an ongoing basis on the main AFL matches with lots of extra markets and specials ahead of the Grand Final, also available in Live Betting.