A strike force of specialist detectives has been formed to investigate suspicious betting activity surrounding last month's Canterbury-North Queensland NRL match.

An unusual number of bets were placed on the first points-scoring option for the August 21 match, with a massive push for the normally unlikely event of a penalty goal being the first score.

The NRL spent several days investigating but it was soon decided that police should continue the probe and the matter was passed to the State Crime Command last week.

On Monday, NSW police issued a statement to announce the formation of Strike Force Suburb.

"Detectives attached to the NSW State Crime Command have established a strike force to investigate betting allegations as referred to police by the National Rugby League," it said.

The strike force is made up of specialist detectives from the Casino and Racing Investigation Unit, who are attached to the State Crime Commands Firearms and Organised Crime Squad.

"We have informally shared with them the information that has been compiled to date and will continue to work with them to assist with any investigation that may result," NRL chief executive David Gallop said last week.

Among the items that have been handed over to police are betting records supplied by agencies and vision of the match, in which the Bulldogs beat the Cowboys 22 to 20.

Betting agencies raised the alarm when 95 per cent of bets on the match were placed on North Queensland kicking a penalty goal as the first points-scoring play of the game.

At this stage the NRL has not made any accusations against any individuals, while Canterbury forward Ryan Tandy has strongly denied any involvement after being implicated in the scandal.

Tandy knocked on at the first play-the-ball of the game and then gave away a penalty in front of his own posts, opening up the opportunity for the Cowboys to kick a penalty goal.

However, the Cowboys opted for a tap and ultimately scored a try.

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