Figures show Australia National Rugby League’s Las Vegas gamble may just come up trumps

State of Origin-style television ratings at home, more than 100 separate pieces of media coverage in the United States and more than 10,000 Las Vegas-branded merchandise items sold in a week.

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The numbers are in after the NRL’s historic foray into Sin City, and they suggest the bold gamble may have paid off. The governing body has compiled all the metrics from the historic double-header, which marked the first time that a competition game has been staged outside Australia and New Zealand.

It was the first of a five-year commitment to the concept, and the initial figures suggest the idea is at least worth persevering with.