Australian sports fans have plenty to look forward to in 2024, with the upcoming calendar packed with a ton of top-class events across the sporting spectrum.
From the thrills of rugby league to the iconic Melbourne Cup and more, the next 12 months promise to deliver loads of memorable moments to Aussie sports followers.
With that in mind, we look at some of the major leagues and events taking place in 2024 to identify the best sports bets for Australian punters.
A-League Soccer
Melbourne City started the 2023/24 A-League season as the favourites to win the title, but things did not go to plan during the early part of the campaign.
They won just one of their first five matches this term, before bouncing back to form by taking seven points from their next three fixtures.
Participation in the AFC Champions League group stage was undoubtedly a distraction for City, but their exit from the competition will allow them to focus on domestic matters.
City have reached the A-League Grand Final in each of the past four seasons, winning once, and they could be tough to stop as the season progresses.
National Basketball League
Melbourne United are the bookmakers’ favourites to win the National Basketball League (NBL) title after impressing during their regular season fixtures.
However, while the 2021 champions could be tough to stop this term, Sydney Kings appeal as the value bet to step things up when the play-offs get underway.
The Kings have been a little inconsistent this season, but have a track record of producing their best form when the campaign reaches its business end.
They have won the NBL championship in three of the past four seasons and could rewards sports bettors with another winning return this time around.
National Rugby League
The Penrith Panthers have become the darlings of punters in the National Rugby League (NRL) after winning the Grand Final in each of the last three seasons.
They are a popular pick with bettors on online betting sites to make it four-in-a-row in 2024, with odds of 3.75 suggesting they will be hard to beat once again.
Brisbane Broncos have also received plenty of support in the ante-post market, but their failure to defeat the Panthers this year may have dented their confidence.
The Panthers have established themselves as formidable force in the NRL and it would be a brave move to back against them winning a fourth successive title in 2024.
Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is one of the biggest betting events of the year in Australia – an unsurprising fact given it is commonly described at ‘the race that stops the nation’.
Picking the winner this far in advance is no easy task, but a recent big-money purchase by McKeever Bloodstock, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott could be worth monitoring in the ante-post market.
They paid a whopping AU$1.155 million for Balance Play – a talented horse who won three of his six starts in high-class handicaps during his three-year-old season in England.
This lightly raced performer has proved to be effective on all types of ground conditions and could emerge as one of the main contenders for Melbourne Cup glory in 2024.
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