Picking a premiership favourite at this point of the season is like trying to pick your favourite combination of noodle soup ingredients – there are just too many choices.
Staring down the barrel of another miserable week of tipping – where the wooden spoon favourites Wests Tigers sent the Titans packing, the Stewarts-free Sea Eagles snuck away with a win over the Bunnies and the Dragons defied the odds across the ditch against the New Zealand Warriors – many punters' wallets and hearts were left begging for mercy.
Unless you’re that one lucky Sportsbet punter, or tipping messiah depending on how you look at it, who picked the perfect round (including five outsiders nonetheless) on their way to turning $10 into $5000. Well done sir, we salute you.
Like a child trying to pick their favourite chocolate bar, Sportsbet.com.au members have caused the NRL Telstra Premiership winners market to shift once again. After sending the Eels back on the bus with a 56-4 defeat under their belts, the Roosters have firmed as premiership favourites – moving in from $5 to $4.50. The Bunnies shift back to second favourite at $5 while the undefeated Melbourne Storm remains steady at $7. The Sea Eagles round out the top four after firming to $7.50 after their victory over South Sydney.
North Queensland (at $13) is the third most backed team in terms of money spent on them to win the premiership, while the Bulldogs ($15) are fifth following their big win over Cronulla.
The big movers are the Dragons who are in to $26 from $41 following their walloping of the Warriors, while the Wests Tigers are in to $51 from $81 after trouncing the Titans - but are still the competition's rank outsiders.
Heading into Round 3, there is only one thing that is certain: nothing is a sure thing in the NRL in 2014.
Round 2 Official NRL Tipping prize winner ($500 prize)
Brett McGrath
Round 1 Official NRL Tipping prize winner
Matt Sheridan