How to run an NRL tipping competition

NRL tipping has a few quirks of its own: bye rounds around State of Origin with fewer games, golden point, and margins that are often a converted try either way. And in 2027 there’s an 18th team, the Perth Bears. Here’s how to set up an NRL tipping comp for 2027 so those quirks work for you, not against you.

Step 1: Start the comp

Sign in with your mobile or email (a 6-digit code, no password), choose Start a comp, name it and pick NRL 2027. If the draw isn’t out yet, that’s fine: set the comp up now, invite people, and the whole draw appears the day it’s released.

Every round, the finals and any fixture changes are kept up to date for you, so you never type in a game or fix a kickoff time.

Step 2: Choose rules that suit rugby league

Classic (one point a correct tip, a margin on the first game as the tiebreaker) is the best starting point for almost every NRL comp. Then think about these:

Margins

NRL margins are tighter than AFL: plenty of games are decided by a converted try or less. A margin on the first game of each round is still a good tiebreaker, because it separates people who are level on points without deciding the comp on its own. Choose every game if your crew loves margins, and add an exact-margin bonus if you want nailing one to be worth something.

Draws

Golden point means draws are rare, but they still happen. Pick a rule before it does: everyone who tipped scores (the usual), half points, or nobody. You can also let people tip a draw.

Byes and Origin rounds

Some rounds, especially around State of Origin, have fewer games because teams have byes. Points simply follow the games played, so a short round just means fewer points on offer. If you use jokers (double a round’s points, two a season is plenty), a short round is a riskier place to play one, which is half the fun.

Lockout

NRL rounds run from Thursday night to Sunday. Locking each game at its own kickoff suits people who tip on the day; locking the whole round at the first kickoff suits comps that want everything in by Thursday night.

The footy tipping rules guide explains every option and what most comps choose.

Step 3: Invite people

You get one invite link for the season, a short code and a QR code. Drop the link in the group chat or Teams, or paste the ready-made invite picture. People join in about 30 seconds with a code sent to their mobile or email: no password, no app to download.

Step 4: Each round

Tipping a round takes under a minute on a phone: tap a team for each game, add a margin where your comp uses one, and save. A bar at the bottom shows how many games are still to tip.

• Reminders go before lockout, only to people who haven’t tipped (email, app, or text on Plus), and texts respect quiet hours.
• Tips lock on the server at kickoff, and everyone’s tips stay hidden until each game locks.
• Results come in by themselves and are confirmed against a second, independent source.
• Who tipped what shows, for each game, how the comp tipped it, and the ladder updates after every game.

Through the season

• Late joiners: by default, someone who joins after round 1 gets the lowest score from each round they missed, so they’re in the race without being rewarded for joining late.
• Fixing a tip: if someone texted you their tips before kickoff and the site was the problem, you can fix their tip after lockout. You give a reason, and the change appears in a log everyone can see.
• Finals: count them the same, double or triple, or end the comp with the regular season.
• Big comps: on Plus, groups give each team, floor or grade its own ladder as well as the overall one.

Next steps

Up to 20 tippers is free for the whole season. Plus is $49 a season for up to 100, with reminder texts, survivor and confidence comps, groups and your logo. Running it at work? Read how to run an office footy tipping comp, or see NRL tipping on Tipping Ladder.