Rugby League is set to light up Las Vegas this weekend with a spectacular showcase of the sport from both sides of the world.
The nine-hour festival at the Allegiant Stadium on March 1 will feature National Rugby League’s curtain-raising double-header, a Super League fixture and a women’s Test match.
The event will some of the world’s best rugby players a platform to showcase their talent and leave an indelible mark on the heart of the entertainment capital of the world.
The eagerly anticipated rugby league event in Las Vegas has generated plenty of buzz reaching far beyond the borders of the United States and Australia.
Fans around the world are expected to tune in through live broadcasts, emphasising the unmatched scale and international reach of the showcase.
Vegas Event will Generate Significant Betting Activity
With the fixture line-up featuring plenty of mouth-watering contests, the Las Vegas event will undoubtedly generate massive activity within the betting industry.
Bookmakers offered odds on the games several months in advance so online betting in Australia and beyond will explode as punters back their favourite teams.
The US has grown into a hub for global sporting events, and rugby league is keen to tap into the growing market. Sports betting will play a key role in those lofty ambitions.
Here are the four fixtures set to keep fans at the Allegiant Stadium and those watching via broadcast glued to the action.
- Canberra Raiders vs New Zealand Warriors
- Penrith Panthers vs Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
- Wigan Warriors vs Warrington Wolves
- Australian Jillaroos vs England Women’s Team
Broadcasters Clamour to Air the Vegas Showpiece
This year’s line-up is stacked with unmissable match-ups, kicking off with a Super League showdown between Wigan and Warrington at 8.30 am AEDT.
The NRL double-header begins at 11.00 am AEDT, as the Raiders take on the Warriors, followed by the Panthers facing off against the Sharks at 3.30 pm AEDT.
Fans can also cheer on the Jillaroos as they battle England in a mouth-watering Test Match at 1.00 pm AEDT.
Viewers tuning in from outside the US can catch all the live action through major networks such as FOX Sports, Sky Sports and Nine. Those who prefer radio coverage should tune in to ABC, 2GB, SCA, SEN and Sport Nation.
Rugby fans in the US who can’t make it to the Allegiant Stadium can watch the games through the free-to-air FOX broadcast network, with the event set to be given unprecedented mass exposure.
Raiders Eager to Make Their Mark in the NRL
The Raiders came agonisingly close to finishing in the top eight last season. They finished level on points with the Newcastle Knights, but it wasn’t enough to get them into the play-offs.
Ricky Stuart’s side punched above their weight last year but they’re expected to go one better this season and will be looking to start as they mean to go on.
The outcome of the upcoming contest against the Warriors will hardly be season-defining but getting off on the right foot is key to their top eight ambitions.
Despite boasting one of the most fearsome attacking units in the league, the Raiders will go into the game as slight underdogs against the Warriors who are looking to close the gap on the top eight this year.
The Warriors are going in short-handed, with star winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak ruled out. But they could be heading for a winning start in Vegas if Roger Tuivasa-Sheck steps up to the plate.
The Panthers’ curtain raiser will undoubtedly be the main event for many NRL fans, with the reigning champions going for a fifth consecutive championship title.
Many people will be expecting a one-sided contest, given their dominant record against the Sharks. They have won nine of their last ten meetings, including the last five in a row.
The Sharks were one of the Panthers’ many victims on their way to the title last year so they’ll be gunning for revenge. However, anything other than a win for the champions will send shockwaves throughout the league.
