The Betfred Super League will kick off its 30th season tonight, with newly promoted York Knights taking on last season’s treble winners Hull KR at the LNER Community Stadium. 

Rugby league fans in the UK will welcome the return of the nation’s biggest domestic league, having most likely now recovered from the national side’s humbling 3-0 series defeat to Australia in the return of The Ashes last autumn. 

The revamped league has grown from 12 to 14 teams for the 2026 season. York, alongside Toulouse Olympique and Bradford Bulls will compete in the top division, with Salford Red Devils dropping down to the Championship.

UK bookmaker Betfred is the headline sponsor for the 10th season in a row and the firm’s Head of Corporate Affairs and Communications, Mark Pearson, spoke to SBC News’ Bookies Corner to give his verdict on the upcoming season.

James Mackie, PR Executive at Betfair, and Bet365’s Sports and Trading Expert, Steve Freeth, also weighed in with their opinions ahead of Thursday night’s curtain raiser in Yorkshire.

As long-time headline sponsor of the Super League, how significant is the tournament to Betfred’s brand image?

Betfred: It’s our tenth season of sponsoring the Betfred Super League and the partnership has become part of our brand. Rugby league has strong, northern and working class roots which is very much the Betfred DNA. Plus the Betfred Super League is top class entertainment by top class athletes. 

It’s an exciting season ahead with the Betfred World Club Challenge, another game in Vegas, Magic Weekend and even a game in Paris.

We’ll also continue to be very aggressive on price – at the moment we are top price on all teams to win the Grand Final plus we’ll have special offers throughout the season.

Reigning champions Hull KR and 2024 winners Wigan are the two standout favourites again, but are your punters backing any other challengers? 

Betfair: Hull KR are interestingly not the favourites to land back-to-back Super League Grand Finals, currently priced at 2/1 second favourites to win the title for a second consecutive year. 2024 winners Wigan Warriors are just edging favouritism at the top of the market ahead of the season at 15/8, but both are very hard to split heading into the season.

The team that punters are looking to take on those two favourites with is fourth favourites and nine-time winners of the competition St Helens, who are priced at 13/2. Punters believe the serial winners of the tournament can cause an upset this year and make it to the magic 10 Grand Final wins.

After more than a decade the competition this year returns to the extended 14 teams with new members York Knights, Bradford Bulls, and Toulouse Olympique looking to cause a bigger upset at huge prices. All three of them are the big outsiders – 200/1 for the Bradford Bulls and 275/1 for York Knights and Toulouse Olympique.

Super League Vegas returns for 2026. How big of an impact did this have on engagement last year in regards to US betting on rugby league?

Bet365: With bet365’s continued expansion in the USA, we’re excited to see how sports bettors in our live states approach the game between Hull KR and Leeds Rhinos on 28 February.

Super League’s first Las Vegas fixture in 2025 was a milestone moment for the sport and the competition and we’re expecting another spike in interest globally. How that translates into betting stakes is still to be seen, but we’ll be watching with interest.

What is it about rugby league which sets it apart from other sports as a partner sport for Betfred?

Betfred: We work very closely with RFL Commercial, it’s a partnership and we understand each other. What we also love about partnership is that rugby league is the most inclusive sport in the world. That’s why we also sponsor the women’s and wheelchair game.

The likes of former winners Mikey Lewis and Bevan French lead the Man of Steel market again, but are there any new signings that have caught punters’ attention?

Bet365: The Man Of Steel award has undergone a revamp, but it’s two former winners who are attracting attention at bet365.

Jackson Hastings, voted the Super League’s best player in 2019, has proven very popular with bet365 customers since his return to these shores to join St Helens. Priced at 25/1, he currently accounts for a remarkable 34.1% of the market.

The 2023 winner, Bevan French, sits way back in second spot with 6.4% and Lachie Miller and Jez Litten are joint third with 5.8% of the Man of Steel outright market.

All three ‘promoted’ sides are massive outsiders. Has this had any impact on trading and are any punters feeling lucky with these outsiders?

Betfred: A very optimistic punter has put money on York at 300/1 but we’ve only seen serious cash for three sides – Hull KR, Wigan and St Helens, who have appointed new coach Paul Rowley.

I think all three newly promoted sides will punch above their weight. All three sides will do well at home. In the 30^th year of the Super League, this year could be a cracker.