NRL 2025 Premiership Winner Betting Preview – Odds, Tips & Predictions

Following nearly half a decade of Panthers dominance, 2025 may be the year we finally see a changing of the guard. A slow start for the four-time reigning Premiers saw the Storm jump out to comfortable favouritism, while the Bulldogs and, surprisingly, the Raiders, are not too far back either. The NRL Premiership betting market is one of the most popular futures markets, and with a number of teams looking more than capable of upsetting the status quo which has existed over the past few years, this year’s race looks set to be an enthralling one.

As you can see below, the Panthers remain in the mix and the longer the season goes on the more dangerous they are starting to look, but the Storm, Bulldogs and Raiders remain comfortably shorter than them in the betting while a couple of other teams are not too far off the pace.

The Storm entered the season vying for comfortable favouritism with the Panthers, but with Penrith’s poor start to the season they quickly became the team to beat – a position they have retained since. With their stars fit and firing they have proven tough to beat, particularly at home where they have destroyed just about every opponent who has come their way.

With Cameron Munster and Ryan Papenhuyzen wreaking havoc this team is looking very dangerous, and if they can force their way into the top two and earn a home Qualifying Final, they can waltz their way into the Grand Final without having to leave AAMI Park – a venue at which they rarely lose. 

Bet on the Storm to win the NRL Premiership @ $2.80 with EliteBet 

After a season of dramatic improvement in 2024, the Bulldogs made it clear from the outset of this season that they are far more than just a plucky underdog in 2025. Nine wins from their first ten games established them on top of the ladder, and while they suffered a couple of losses thereafter they remain firmly embedded inside the top two.

As it was last year, it’s been at the defensive end where the Bulldogs have excelled, conceding the least points in the league relatively comfortably. With a friendly draw ahead of them in the coming weeks, they should be able to assure themselves of a spot in the top four and probably the top two, and put themselves right in the frame for their first Premiership since 2004.

Bet on the Bulldogs to win the NRL Premiership @ $4.50 with Bet365

The Raiders have made a habit of exceeding expectations in recent years, but in 2025 they’ve taken that to another level. There were no standouts in the Wooden Spoon betting markets entering the season, but the Raiders were one of the favourites and certainly seemed more likely to be at that end of the ladder than competing for a flag.

Instead, they’ve barely lost a game and have been locked inside the top four for the entire season, and increasingly look like staying there. The team from the nation’s capital has been one of the most potent offensive sides in the league, and Ricky Stuart has this team playing a whole lot better than the sum of their parts. With each passing win they are looking more and more like a genuine Premiership threat, though with a couple of potentially more talented teams snapping at their heels I’d hold fire on them at relatively short odds for the minute.

Bet on the Raiders to win the NRL Premiership @ $7.00 with Bet365

The Panthers are starting to look ominous. Even after five losses from their first six games it seemed inevitable that they would turn things around, but with every passing defeat they were making it harder for themselves to make a genuine play at a fifth straight flag. Six wins in seven games, culminating in an impressive 8-6 defeat of the Bulldogs, got them back to 7-1-7, though that still had them a long way out of the top four.

But make no mistake; even with the losses of the Jarome Luai and co, this team is capable of beating anyone. It’s not out of the realms of possibility that they make their way into the top four but it is unlikely, but even if they have to go the long way around they’re capable of charging into another Grand Final. With their tails up, it would be no surprise to see the Panthers’ Premiership odds continue to shorten, and at double figures still (just), now might be the time to bite the bullet.

Bet on the Panthers to win the NRL Premiership @ $10.00 with Bet365

The Broncos have had an up and down season to date, and find themselves in the ridiculous logjam that is the middle part of the NRL ladder this season. Of those teams likely fighting for spots 5-8, however, they are up there with the most capable.

On the road they have struggled, winning just two of their first seven games away from home, but at Suncorp Stadium that record is reversed. To win the flag, of course, they’ll need to find a way to perform more consistently, but if they hit form at the right time they will be a dangerous team in the finals. With Payne Haas leading the charge, the Broncos are one of few teams at double-figure odds in the NRL Premiership betting market that could cause some damage.

Bet on the Broncos to win the NRL Premiership @ $13.00 with Bet365

After a disappointing 2024, the Warriors have bounced back strongly this year, led by Luke Metcalf – who found himself atop the Dally M Medal tally when the final public votes were cast in Round 12. Boom recruit James Fisher-Harris, meanwhile, has played limited games due to injury but has had a huge impact when available, and if he stays fit for the remainder of the season this team could get even better.

The Warriors won eight of their first ten games before dropping a couple over the next month, but that was still enough to have them firmly embedded in the top four. But with their four losses to that point coming at the hands of the Raiders (twice), the Storm and the Panthers, a question mark remains over their ability to beat the best teams, which they will clearly need to do to win the flag.

Bet on the Warriors to win the NRL Premiership @ $17.00 with Bet365

Speaking of teams that struggle against the best teams, let’s talk Cronulla. The Sharks have been a perennial finals team for years now without often truly looking like contenders, and that may well be the case again this season.

They have been solid without being spectacular, generally beating the teams below them and struggling against those above them – at the time of writing they are 1-6 against other teams currently in the top 8. They should play finals, though that’s still far from guaranteed, but given their record against quality teams it’s hard to see them doing much damage once there.

Bet on the Sharks to win the NRL Premiership @ $19.00 with Bet365

Impressive as the Raiders have been, the Storm and the Bulldogs look like the two most dangerous teams in the top four and deserve their positions atop the NRL Premiership betting market. The Storm’s elite top-end will make them particularly hard to beat and if they finish top two it’s hard to see them failing to make the Grand Final, so even at short odds they look like the pick of the bunch.

But betting, as we know, is about finding value, and at the moment the Panthers are beginning to look like that. Their odds have continued to drop as their form has trended upwards, and with momentum on their side they will likely continue to surge. If anyone in the top 4 falters they will be ready and waiting to take their spot, but even from outside it they could be dangerous. At double figure odds, they look like very good value.

As far as futures go, this one is a pretty straightforward market, but below are a couple of NRL Premiership betting tips to follow as you scout out the candidates.

• Defence wins Premierships: A good offence helps too, but in the last nine years every Premier has had a top three defence, and five of those the best in the league.
• Factor in finals experience: Finals footy is a whole different ball game, and teams like the Storm and Panthers, that have been there plenty of times before, generally rise to the challenge better than teams that have not.

Take a look at the last ten Premiers in the table below, the latter period of which has seen the Panthers enjoy the most dominant run in over 50 years this decade.