With lockdown keeping supporters out of the first part of the AFL season and lockdown 2.0 completely shutting out Victorians, many footy fans have felt at loss during the season.
Betting figures have shown in 2020 that many of these fans are having a flutter on the footy while in lockdown, and one of the most popular forms of doing so is backing teams at the line.
Betting at the line betting is a form of betting where the market is handicapped to make both betting outcomes equal. The bookmakers achieve this by giving both teams a margin, known as a line.
If the bookmakers believe that one side is 12.5 points better than their opposition, you can back them to win by 13 or more points.
Some sides have proven to be more reliable than others so far in 2020, a statement which seems absurd given the topsy turvy nature of the season.
We take a look at the best teams at the line and who you should back.
Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide have been trustworthy - paying out five times so far, with four of those coming in the first four rounds. They beat the Suns by 47 points and the Crows by 75 points to smash through the line in the first two rounds.
A 29-point win over Fremantle and 48-point victory over West Coast helped them make it four from four. A loss to the Lions and a narrow win over Carlton sandwiched the only other time punters paid faith. They are the real deal.
Collingwood
The Magpies have also rewarded line betters on five occasions - the opening three rounds of the season saw them cover the line. They beat the Bulldogs by 52 points and the Saints by 44 to obliterate the line in rounds one and three. Their round two draw against Richmond also paid out.
Their last two wins were arguably their most convincing and again saw punters rejoice - significantly beating the Hawks and Cats and breezing past the line well.
Carlton
Carlton have proved to be this years surprise package. The Blues jumped to 3-4 and have covered the line on five occasions. The fact they've lost two of their games by one point and three points respectively has allowed punters to collect on the Baggers even when they're not winning.
Upset wins against the Cats, Bombers and Bulldogs have allowed them to comfortably cover the line when winning.
Carlton are a tricky one because we aren't too sure where they sit in the scheme of the 2020 season. They have arguably the easiest fixture remaining so could be worth the vote of confidence.
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Richmond
Richmond have managed to cover the line in their past three game after finding their groove again. A rather generous line of 3.5 points against the Swans saw them cover that despite the horrible scoring in the contest.
The Tigers' form is similar to 2019 where they slowly built throughout the year. They will be worth following over the next few weeks as they begin to hit their straps.
West Coast
The Eagles seem to be back. After a disastrous start to the season, West Coast have now returned to Perth and are winning games. They have covered the line in their last three appearances.
This is a big turn in fortunes after they managed to reward those backing them at the line just once in the first four rounds. With a long stint back in Perth ahead of them, Adam Simpson's side looks set to build a fortress and will be hard to get close to.
