"The odds indicate the probability. It's like the stock exchange," said Betfair's Daniel Bevan.

The Roosters dominated the early stages with tries to Mitchell Pearce, Michael Jennings and a double to Anthony Tupou.

And when James Maloney scored in the 31^st minute to give the tricolours a five-converted-try lead, North Queensland were a $200 chance to win on Betfair, the exchange where punters bet against each other.

The $1.01 price on offer for the Roosters did not deter punters and $27,000 was bet on the defending premiers at the minimum price.

Two late first-half tries brought the Cowboys into $10 at half-time but when they scored three quick tries to equalise by the 58^th minute most punters would have felt sick.

Not everyone though, according to Bevan.

"We had one punter that put $60 on the Cowboys at $200, that's pretty impressive," Bevan said.

"Once you get out to $200 in a two-horse race it means you've given up hope. Even when they're at $10 it means they're unlikely to win."

But at 30-all the Cowboys were rated a $1.94 chance, and when Johnathan Thurston crossed in the 79^th minute, for what was ultimately a disallowed try, they firmed into $1.20 before the video referee decision.

"When Thurston scored it meant that the Cowboys were 1000 times more likely to win than when they were down 30-0," Bevan said.

"At $200 you're a 0.5 per cent chance of winning but when Thurston went over for that try [which turned out to be disallowed] they were an 80 per cent chance of winning.

"Had the punter that backed the Cowboys at $200 traded out when they were $1.20 they would have made more money than God."

Bevan declared the game a one-off and unique to the football codes in terms of betting.

"If the Cowboys had got up it would have been unprecedented," Bevan said.

"It can happen in horse racing and sports like golf, but in a game of football nothing like that has ever happened."