Has Las Vegas been a success for rugby league?

Las Vegas, a city built around extravagance and opulence, with the blinking bright lights of giant electric billboards, garish neon signs and enormous flashing video screens, feels about as far away from the traditional northern England rugby league heartlands as it's possible to get.

Ultimately though, that's entirely the point of the sport's Sin City adventure.

Taking a game that has always struggled for attention in the crowded sporting marketplace to a city, and indeed a country, with no history or heritage in the game may, for many, seem an unusual and expensive gamble.

Still, if you're going to take a chance there's perhaps no more fitting place on earth than Las Vegas to roll the dice.

It is, after all, a city well used to hosting major global sporting events like boxing, the Super Bowl and Formula One - and rugby league is now securely on that illustrious list.

If there were any questions about the ambition and commitment to this festival of rugby league, they were answered on Thursday evening in downtown Vegas.

Australia's Tamika Upton scored five tries in Australia's 90-4 thrashing of England in Las Vegas

The Australian National Rugby League (NRL), the driving force behind the project, turned the world-famous Freemont Street into a spectacular red carpet walkway filled with dancers, musicians, drummers and sporting celebrities to welcome the players from the eight teams involved.

More than 10,000 fans turned up to the event, creating a carnival atmosphere the like of which the sport has never seen before.

Many watching on from the barriers were left open-mouthed at the scale of the welcome.

And all that before a ball had even been kicked.

Super League may not have been here at all had it not been for the vision of Wigan Warriors chief executive Kris Radlinski.

Twelve months ago, he reached out to the NRL to get his side involved, having watched last year's inaugural event that was limited to just Australian clubs.

"I never thought it'd be like this, it's bigger than I imagined," said Radlinski.

"But it's what we deserve. I want everyone at home to believe what's possible. We've been through so much as a sport, so much effort goes on behind the scenes and we're in Las Vegas - it's exciting. We should enjoy and embrace it."

At the iconic Allegiant Stadium, one of the world's most impressive sporting arenas and home to NFL side the Las Vegas Raiders, Radlinski's Wigan put on a show befitting their tag as World Club Champions, soundly beating Warrington Wolves in the event's opening match.

England Women suffered a record defeat in their historic international against Australia.

There were victories too for Canberra Raiders and Penrith Panthers in the NRL matches.

But for even the most loyal travelling fans and the broader game, this was about much more than results.

"This is what this is all about, the opportunity to put the game in a new global territory in front of new audiences while also giving the players and the fans new experiences," said Rhodri Jones, the managing director of RL Commerical and one of those charged with building the English rugby league brand.

More than 45,000 people attended the Allegiant Stadium during the course of the four games - an increase of around 5,000 on last season's two matches

"I think we've grasped the opportunity with both hands, I don't think we could have done any more.

"Hopefully people at home have seen this has been an unbelievable event and hopefully it will be even better next year.

"The number of ticket sales is better than last year so that tells you that we have collectively made an impact."

But where does the game go from here? A number of English clubs have already expressed an interest in playing in next year's event, which has now been confirmed as again featuring Super League sides.

It is fairly easy to see why. Future options include building the World Club Challenge into the programme and expanding the number of games.

But while this has all undoubtedly been an exciting new departure for the fans already engaged in the sport, what impact this will all have on rugby league's future as a truly global sport remains unclear.

What is certain is that rugby league has entered a bold new era.

Wigan fans travelled to Las Vegas to watch their team beat Warrington

Warrington half-back George Williams walks down the red carpet as he is introduced to fans