Raiders v Bulldogs betting tips and prediction
Welcome to our Canberra Raiders v Canterbury Bulldogs betting tips and winner prediction for their NRL round 3 clash at Gio Stadium on Thursday night.
The Raiders are a 1.84 favourite to topple the Bulldogs (2.00) but the clash is expected to be a close one, with both teams pushing for a finals berth in 2026.
The Raiders v Bulldogs line has been set at a very narrow 1.5 points, while the over/under match points total is at 49.5 points, with betting sites having began to adjust following a high-scoring start to the season.
The Raiders are coming off a 40-6 loss to the New Zealand Warriors, after they struggled to adapt to the new interpretation of the six-again rule.
They will be boosted by the inclusion of Jed Stuart and Josh Papalii, while Owen Patti has also been included in the squad, although the Raiders are yet to chop anyone.
The Bulldogs defeated St George-Illawarra Dragons in their clash on March 1 in Las Vegas, with this the last time they took to the field, adding another element to an intriguing match-up. They have surprisingly dropped Bronson Xerri, with Fletcher Baker, Jonathan Sua, Lipoi Hopoi and Sean O’Sullivan being added to an extended squad. Young star Mitch Woods has not been included.
These teams only played once last season with the Bulldogs defeating the Raiders 32-20 in round 10.
Raiders v Bulldogs betting tips
Our NRL betting expert has assessed the markets and found some value Raiders v Bulldogs tips:
Jacob Preston to score a try
The Bulldogs second-rower scored 11 tries from 20 games in 2025, making him a consistent try-scorer and he looks in good fettle having represented the Australian team recently. One of the best forwards in the game, Preston is paying 2.75 to score with NRL betting sites.
Xavier Savage to score 2+ tries
Savage is the Raiders main man in attack and looms as a key in this clash, after failing to score a try in their loss last weekend. Savage scored in the corresponding fixture last year and is paying a juicy 4.50 to cross the line twice here. You can get around the 2.15 price on him scoring with Ladbrokes Australia.
Total match points over 49.5 points
Both of these teams have weapons on the offensive end, while having the ability to leak points when defending, and with the new six-again rule causing teams issues, including fatigue, we think the overs mark is the way to go here, with it paying 1.90 with Aussie betting sites.
Raiders v Bulldogs prediction
Canberra’s loss against the Warriors is not as bad as the scoreline suggests, after fading badly and allowing five second-half tries, while not scoring themselves. The Bulldogs will be well rested after the Las Vegas victory and will fancy their chances of going 2-0. While we are going to stick to the player markets in this clash, we think the Bulldogs recent record against the Raiders (including last year’s win) is stronger and their odds are slightly better in what is essentially a 50-50 clash. Our final Raiders v Bulldogs prediction? Bulldogs to win in a high-scoring close one.
