AFL betting 2026
Welcome to our AFL betting guide, where you will find the latest match previews, betting news and extensive information about wagering on Aussie Rules. AFL betting is available all year round, but the season traditionally runs from March until late September each year. Our Australian Football League betting guide will include details about the top AFL bookmakers, best AFL betting sites and apps, tips, latest AFL odds, news and detailed analysis of all 18 clubs. You can navigate our AFL betting coverage above.
AFL previews 2026
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Top Australian AFL bookmakers
AFL betting is available at all Australian online bookmakers. It is one of the most bet upon sports in this part of the world. These AFL bookmakers allow you to bet on both futures markets and individual matches, with the bet types among the most advanced in the world.
The best AFL bookmakers are accessible across different platforms – including mobile, desktop computer and basically anything with an internet connection and browser. They are also accessible in all Australian states and territories, although they must abide by the regulations in each. This means sometimes promotions and bonus offers are different, in different states, with some states outlawing these types of promos.
Under the terms of the Interactive Gambling Act in Australia it is illegal to advertise AFL freebets or new account incentives, although once you are a member of an AFL betting site you are able to access everything that they have to offer. This means it always pays to have more than one AFL bookmaker account, and it takes only a second or two longer to flick between betting apps to find the best promos.
Some common bet types available at AFL bookmakers includes win bets, top possessions winner, most goals, line betting and handicap betting. These bet types are also available at some betting sites in accumulators, known as same-game multis, which essentially allow you to put more than one bet type on the same ticket.
Top 10 AFL betting sites in Australia:
Best AFL betting apps
Betway review
BetR.com.au review 2026
Most AFL betting sites in Australia will have downloadable apps available for select smartphones and tablets, with these notably including iOS and Android devices. The best AFL betting apps include brands like bet365, Ladbrokes and Neds, although there are many more betting sites worthy of your money in this heavily regulated sports betting environment.
Android smartphones are probably the most common type of device Australians download betting apps on, and the good news is these can be downloaded via the Google Play store, with no restrictions down under. We recommend opening a new account and following the prompts, which can often be kicked off via an Android symbol in the footer of a bookie’s website.
iOS betting apps are also a common way Australians bet on the AFL, with these available via the App Store, although again it pays to open your account first.
Generally Android and IOS AFL apps will act much the same as each other, with just the technical stuff framework they use, slight different to adapt to the different operating systems. Both, particularly in the Australian sports betting scene, are heavily audited.
How does the AFL work?
Australian football (or Australian rules or Aussie rules) is the uniquely Australian football code that started out largely as a way for cricketers to keep fit in the winter and has become the No.1 sport Down Under.
Bookmakers and betting sites in Australia usually refer to the sport in their indexes as AFL, though this acronym actually refers to the No.1 competition in the sport, the Australian Football League.
Played between two teams which each have 18 players on the oval-shaped field, Australian football is a fiercely physical sport which has its roots in rugby and has some similarities with Gaelic football.
Useful AFL pages:
There is no offside, so players can (and do) roam the field at will, with the oval-shaped ball propelled by foot or by hand, though rather than throwing the ball, it must be hand-balled (held in one hand and struck with the other).
Players can mark the ball from a kick and once a mark is taken the player cannot be tackled until he continues play or the umpire calls play on. They may have around 20 seconds after a mark to take a shot on goal.
There are four posts at each end, with a goal (six points) scored by kicking the ball between the middle two posts, which are substantially taller than the two outer posts. If the ball passes between the larger posts and the smaller ones on the outside, or strikes the larger posts, a point is awarded.
The game is usually divided into four 20-minute quarters plus stoppage time, with short breaks between the first and second quarters and third and fourth quarters and an extended break at half-time (between quarters two and three). The AFL in 2020 introduced 16-minute quarters to truncate the games during the coronavirus crisis.
The non-stop nature of the game puts a premium on stamina, with frequent interchanges to freshen up the players.
Where is AFL football played?
The Australian Football League is the game’s top competition, with teams based in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Geelong and the Gold Coast. It attracts massive support and television numbers, not to mention huge interest from gamblers in Australia and elsewhere, and runs from March until the grand final on the final Saturday in September (or sometimes the first Saturday in October).
The game’s spiritual home is Melbourne and it is the dominant winter sport in Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania. It is also popular in NSW and Queensland but rugby league holds sway in those states. It is hugely popular in the Northern Territory, hardly surprising given many of the great AFL players have been indigenous Australians.
The next rung down from the AFL includes the Victorian Football League (VFL), South Australia National Football League (SANFL) and West Australian Football League (WAFL), while there are also strong state leagues in NSW, Queensland, Tasmania and the Northern Territory and countless country and junior leagues.
The top junior league is the NAB League, which is the most common pathway for young players to arrive in the AFL, through its national draft held late in the year. There is no betting on the NAB League with it uncommon for junior sports to have betting on them.
There are organised leagues outside Australia, particularly in Asia and Europe, while players from outside Australia have risen to the highest levels of the AFL.
In particular many Gaelic footballers from Ireland have tried their hand and flourished, including Jim Stynes, who rose to become a superstar of the Australian game, landing its highest individual honour, the Brownlow medal, in 1991.
Modern AFL players from outside Australia include Collingwood’s American star Mason Cox and Geelong veteran Zach Tuohy, who are both senior players at their respective clubs.
AFL history & evolution
In the 1840s a game bearing some resemblance to modern-day Australian rules began to emerge, with some rules borrowed from soccer and rugby.
It was not until the late 1850s that the clear structure of a new game emerged in the greater Melbourne area. On June 15, 1858, St Kilda Grammar and Melbourne Grammar played the first recorded game of “Victorian rules”.
The well-known cricketer Tom Wills became involved as a pioneer. He had been sent to England to attend Rugby School where he played rugby to keep fit for cricket.
Wills co-umpired the famous match between Melbourne Grammar and Scotch College on August 7, 1858, which is immortalised as the starting point of Australian football. There were 40 players a side, the ball was round and the field massive, and the two schools still play annually, though the rules are very different to that first match.
New rules, known as the Melbourne Football Club rules, were first set down in 1859 and this laid the foundation for the growth of the game, particularly in schools.
The Victorian Football League was formed in 1896 with eight of the most powerful clubs from the Victorian Football Association joining for the 1897 season: Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Fitzroy, Geelong, Melbourne, St Kilda and South Melbourne.
The VFL had expanded to 12 teams by 1925 and was the dominant competition.
In the late 1980s, the VFL began to expand beyond Melbourne and after the 1989 season the league changed its name to the AFL. It remains No.1 on the Australian sporting landscape for TV numbers and attendances.
The current CEO of the AFL is Andrew Dillon, who took over from the long-serving, but often controversial Gillon McLachlan. Dillon faces a challenging period with the AFL set to introduce a 19th club – Tasmania. The Devils have long been mooted, but Tassie’s low population and a perceived lack of sponsorship potential has hindered their formation. But they are expected to join the league in 2028.
AFL bet types at Australian betting sites
There are hundreds of betting options for each AFL match as well as many options for betting on each round and each season.
Here are the most popular bet types on AFL matches and see here for our guide to sports betting.
Game day markets
- Head-to-head: Simply pick the winner of a match.
- Handicap: Pick the winner taking into account the plus or minus handicap.
- Margin bets: Pick a team to win by more than a nominated points margin.
- Under/over points total: Pick whether the total match points will be over or under a certain figure.
- Scorecast: Combine picking the winner straight-out or with a handicap with the total match points option to increase the odds.
- Quarter-by-quarter: You can take many of the above options but bet on a single quarter or half.
Futures/Outrights
- Premiership winner: As soon as one season concludes the betting will open on the winner of the next season’s grand final. Can offer great value.
- Minor premiers: Bet on who will finish on top of the ladder at the end of the regular season.
- Top 4: Take the odds about your selected team finishing in the top four on the ladder at the end of the regular season.
- Top 8: As Top 4 but just need to make the top eight.
- Wooden spoon: Bet on a team to finish bottom of the ladder.
- Grand final quinella: Simply pick the two teams who will play off in the grand final come season’s end.
- Brownlow Medal: A massively popular betting medium for AFL fans, this involves betting on players to land the game’s highest individual award, which is voted upon by the umpires and is decided at an awards ceremony on the Monday before the grand final.
- Coleman Medal: Bet on which player will top the goal-kicking table at the end of the regular season.
- Rising Star: An award for the best young player in the game as voted on by a selection of football experts.
How do the AFL season and finals work?
Greater Western Sydney joined the competition 2012, bringing the number of teams to 18. The season proper consists of 23 rounds, with each team playing every other at least once and some other teams twice. This seemingly inequitable draw is based on finishing positions from the previous season. It sometimes gives teams finishing well down the ladder one season a great chance to surge the next, so it is well worth investigating the draw closely when placing long-term wagers on season outcomes.
AFL finals
The top eight teams after the home-and-away season qualify for the finals in September. The team finishing top is the minor premier, though as with many Australian sports, this is not considered overly important other than to give the team a favourable draw for the finals. Grand final victory is all important.
The AFL finals run over four weeks as follows:
- Week 1: Qualifying finals: Team 1 v Team 4; Team 2 v Team 3. Elimination finals: Team 5 v Team 8; Team 6 v Team 7.
- Week 2: Semi-final 1: Loser from qualifying final 1 v winner from elimination final 1; Semi-final 2: loser from qualifying final 2 v winner from elimination final 2.
- Week 3: Preliminary final 1: Winner from qualifying final 1 v winner from semi-final 2; Winner from qualifying final 2 v winner from semi-final 1.
- Grand final: Winner of preliminary final 1 v winner of preliminary final 2.
AFL teams in 2026
There are 18 teams competing in the 2026 AFL season, while Tasmania is set to field a team from 2028 as part of the expansion of the competition.
Adelaide
- Nickname: Crows.
- Coach: Matthew Nicks
- Joined league: 1991.
- Home ground: Adelaide Oval.
- Premierships: 2.
- Most recent: 1998.
Among the most powerful clubs off the field and have had their share of success on it since joining the AFL as the first South Australian club in the national competition. The Crows (South Australians are known colloquially as Croweaters in Australia) leave little to chance in their pursuit of a flag to sate their massive supporter base. The Crows are among the flag fancies to win the AFL premiership in 2026, a feat they have not achieved since 1998, under the revered Malcolm Blight.
Brisbane
- Nickname: Lions.
- Coach: Chris Fagan
- Joined league: 1997.
- Home ground: Gabba.
- Premierships: 4.
- Most recent: 2025.
The Lions were formed from a merger of the struggling Brisbane Bears and the foundation club Fitzroy Lions. They are based in Brisbane but retain a strong connection with their Melbourne faithful. Enjoyed a golden period with a hat-trick of flags from 2001-2003 with a team considered among the best of the modern era. The Lions the back-to-back premier, having defeated Sydney in the 2024 AFL grand final and Geelong last year. The Lions are flag favourites for 2026 again, but have had a tumultuous off-season with captain Lachie Neale standing down.
Carlton
- Nickname: Blues.
- Coach: Michael Voss
- Joined league: 1897.
- Home ground: MCG, Docklands.
- Premierships: 16.
- Most recent: 1995.
The Blues are, along with Collingwood, Essendon and more recently Richmond, considered one of the giants among Melbourne clubs, but the balance of power has shifted as they have endured one of the bleakest periods in their history since their last flag. Carlton, so long regarded as the “silvertails” of the league, still have plenty of financial clout and they loom as the league’s sleeping giants. Like every year, the Blues are optimistic about 2026, but have lost star man Charlie Curnow to Sydney. Is there a more under pressure coach than Michael Voss?
Collingwood
- Nickname: Magpies, Pies.
- Coach: Craig McRae
- Joined league: 1897.
- Home ground: MCG.
- Premierships: 16.
- Most recent: 2023.
The Magpies are the biggest sporting franchise in Australia; the Manchester United or Dallas Cowboys of down under, if you like. From working-class roots, the Woods have enjoyed a fair amount of success, though have also had more than their share of glorious failures over the years, falling victim to the dreaded “Colliwobbles”. They boast a fanatical band of supporters, more than any other club. But they are also hated with passion by rival fans. Ask a rival supporter which team they cheer for and they will tell you: “Team X … And whoever is playing Collingwood.” The Magpies pushed Brisbane all the way in last year’s preliminary final, but must overcome an ageing list if they are to go one better.
Essendon
- Nickname: Bombers, Dons.
- Coach: Brad Scott
- Joined league: 1897.
- Home ground: Docklands, MCG.
- Premierships: 16.
- Most recent: 2000.
The fallen giants of the league who enjoyed incredible success in the 80s and 90s but were brought to their knees by a performance-enhancing drug scandal in 2012. The Bombers were found guilty of implementing an illegal supplement program and had 17 players suspended for the 2016 season. This has lead to a long and hard road for the Bombers. The Bombers are yet to play finals under coach Brad Scott, but had genuine excuses last year, with their list decimated by injury. They also made the intriguing decision to hold captain Zach Merrett to his contract, after he demanded a trade to Hawthorn.
Freemantle
- Nickname: Dockers, Freo.
- Coach: Justin Longmuir
- Joined league: 1995.
- Home ground: Subiaco Oval.
- Premierships: –
Could 2026 finally be the year the Dockers win their first AFL premiership? After several years building under Justin Longmuir, the Dockers look to have a strong list and some of the best young talent in the league, including Luke Jackson and Rising Star winner Murphy Reid. Any team that has Andrew Brayshaw, Hayden Young and Caleb Serong in their engine room are going to be hard to beat, however, we have been fooled by the Freo Dockers before, so we will just wait and see on them.
Geelong
- Nickname: Cats.
- Coach: Chris Scott
- Joined league: 1897.
- Home ground: Simonds Stadium.
- Premierships: 10.
- Most recent: 2022.
For many years the Cats were derided as the flashy team that would always crumble at the big moments. They were labelled “the hand-baggers”. Well, they have put that to bed thanks to their achievements of the past two decades, snaring four flags and compiling an incredible win-loss ratio over that time. Geelong now have a ruthless edge and feel it is nothing more than their right to be contesting deep into the finals each year. The Cats will be buoyed by the first season of Bailey Smith and Shannon Neale’s form after being Tom Hawkins replacement.
Gold Coast
- Nickname: Suns.
- Coach: Damien Hardwick
- Joined league: 2011.
- Home ground: Metricon Stadium.
- Premierships: 0.
The Suns have built a handy list of players thanks to generous draft concessions from the league, and it was considered a formality they would rise to the top of the heap in record time. Alas, it has not happened like that. The glitter strip has turned the heads of a few young players and there have been claims a poor culture exist at the club. But 2025 might have been a turning point for Damien Hardwick’s troops, with their star man Matt Rowell winning the Brownlow Medal and thee club playing in their first finals series. The Suns have the talent and ability to win the flag in 2026, and beating them at home will be one of the hardest asks, especially if former no.1 pick Jamarrah Ugle-Hagan excels.
Greater Western Sydney
- Nickname: Giants.
- Coach: Adam Kingsley
- Joined league: 2012.
- Home ground: Spotless Stadium.
- Premierships: 0.
The newest team in the AFL and have arguably taken a more measured approach than fellow newcomers Gold Coast. They have young talent in spades despite quite a high turnover of players. The Giants have the players to make a late run into September, but like many clubs, it will come down to how many games they can get out of their stars like Stephen Coniglio, Josh Kelly and captain Toby Green, who have all endured wretched injury runs of late. Watch for the continued emergence of Aaron Cadman, who looks a generational talent up forward.
Hawthorn
- Nickname: Hawks.
- Coach: Sam Mitchell
- Joined league: 1925.
- Home ground: Melbourne Cricket Ground.
- Premierships: 13.
- Most recent: 2015.
A true powerhouse of the league, the Hawks dominated in the 80s and three premierships in a row in 2013-15 was more of the same. Renowned for being among the most professional and pragmatic of clubs. They have become a giant in terms of fans with their “family club” mantra. They seem an arrogant lot, but clearly they have earned the right to display a little swagger. The Hawks made a desperate play for Essendon captain Zach Merrett, but ultimately couldn’t satisfy the Bombers. They look an A grade midfielder short of winning it, especially if Will Day’s injury woes continue.
Melbourne
- Nickname: Demons.
- Coach: Steven King
- Joined league: 1897.
- Home ground: MCG.
- Premierships: 13.
- Most recent: 2021.
One-time giant of the league fallen on hard times and finally back at the top. The joke about the Demons for many years ran along the lines of you will find more of their fans on the ski slopes of Mt Hotham mid-season than you will in the grandstand of the MCG. That gag must be put to bed for now. The Demons had a summer of discontent under new coach Steven King, with their two stars Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca departing the club, but they do have some great young talent, including Caleb Windsor. We can’t see the Demons playing finals in 2026.
North Melbourne
- Nickname: Kangaroos.
- Coach: Alastair Clarkson
- Joined league: 1925.
- Home ground: Docklands.
- Premierships: 4.
- Most recent: 1999.
North shot to the top of the charts in the mid 90s, with their success largely built around champions such as Wayne Carey. But they have slumped to such as an extent that many believe they won’t be playing finals for a while They need another champion or two to step forward. The Roos, now lead by former Hawthorn master coach Alastair Clarkson, are shaping as big improver in 2026, with some of their young stars set to come of age, with a finals tilt not beyond them.
Port Adelaide
- Nickname: Power.
- Coach: Josh Carr
- Joined league: 1997.
- Home ground: Adelaide Oval.
- Premierships: 1.
- Most recent: 2004.
Port were the dominant club in South Australian football for many years, winning seemingly endless SANFL titles. They joined the AFL as the Power in 1997 and won a title just seven years later, defeating the ageing Brisbane Lions. They have struggled to make a finals impact much since but are showing signs of life. Port’s fans expect nothing less than ultimate success, but it’s not quite as easy on the national stage. 2026 shapes as an interesting year for the Power, with long-term coach Ken Hinkley replaced by Josh Carr. If Jason Horne Francis and Zac Butters can have career years, the power can surprise.
Richmond
- Nickname: Tigers.
- Coach: Adam Yze
- Joined league: 1908.
- Home ground: MCG.
- Premierships: 12.
- Most recent: 2020.
It had been a long time between drinks for the Tigers and their long-suffering supporters until they finally struck gold in 2017, and backed it up in 2019 and 2020. For so long they seemed to lack that hard edge which could take them all the way. It’s been a long battle but they may have finally shaken the “Ninthmond” tag, given to them for their habit of finishing just out of the finals. The Tigers’ fans are as passionate as they come now that they finally have a team worth cheering about. Richmond is now in a rebuilding phase after the retirement of champions like Dustin Martin and Trent Cotchin, and several experienced players like Daniel Rioli leaving.
St Kilda
- Nickname: Saints.
- Coach: Ross Lyon
- Joined league: 1897.
- Home ground: Docklands.
- Premierships: 1.
- Most recent: 1966.
If you think it was tough being a Richmond fan until 2017, spare a thought for the Saints’ faithful. They have just the solitary flag in their history (and they were a foundation club) and a reputation as whipping boys for the rest of the league. They had a great chance to break the drought in 2010 but drew with Collingwood in the grand final and were thrashed in the subsequent replay. Again coached by Ross Lyon, who coached the Saints in those grand finals, the Saints have topped up for a flag tilt with the likes of Tom De Koning coming on board.
Sydney
- Nickname: Swans, Bloods.
- Coach: Dean Cox
- Joined league: 1897 (South Melbourne).
- Home ground: SCG, ANZ Stadium.
- Premierships: 5.
- Most recent: 2012.
The Swans have fought long and hard to forge a foothold in a rugby league-dominated city. But it’s a fickle market and the Swans can’t afford to drop too far off the pace. Have built a strong culture and so hard to beat on their home turf. Sydney have developed a reputation of canny traders and have a habit of being able to recruit big-name players looking to escape the AFL fishbowl of Melbourne. The latest of these is Blue Charlie Curnow, with the dual Coleman Medal winner opting out of his club. Curnow is undoubtedly electric when on song, but was relied on too heavily at the Blues.
West Coast
- Nickname: Eagles
- Coach: Andrew McQualter
- Joined league: 1987
- Home ground: Subiaco Oval
- Premierships: 4
- Most recent: 2018.
One of the real power clubs off the field and they entered the AFL fielding a virtual WA state team and quickly embarrassed the Melbourne teams with a couple of premierships. Have had a rocky journey at times but no expense is spared in keeping the Eagles flying high, with a famous grand final win over Collingwood in 2018 their most recent success. The Eagles are favourites to win the wooden spoon in 2026, and it’s hard seeing them winning enough games to play finals.
Western Bulldogs
- Nickname: Bulldogs, Dogs.
- Joined league: 1925.
- Home ground: Docklands.
- Premierships: 2.
- Most recent: 2016.
The honest toilers of the league and everyone’s second-favourite side. Have had limited success, but they are slowly emerging from the against-all-odds mentality and emerging as a club which can match the high-flyers. Were rebranded the Western Bulldogs in an attempt to grow their small supporter base through appealing to the entire West of Melbourne, after a long history as Footscray. With Sam Darcy coming into his prime, watch for the Bulldogs to push deep into September.
