Rugby betting is an exciting way of placing sports wagers, involving taking positions on famous competitions such as the Six Nations and Rugby World Cup. This guide explains the two codes of rugby - which are actually different sports - as well as how rugby betting actually works. We will cover the most interesting rugby betting markets available to customers, as well vital strategies to help you make better betting decisions.
Whether you choose to bet on rugby union or rugby league - we will help you to enjoy the thrills and spills of betting on rugby.
Rugby betting involves placing wagers on match outcomes, team performances such as points and tries scored, and tournament winners across rugby league and union competitions.
Rugby Union vs Rugby League Betting
Category
Rugby Union
Rugby League
Players per Team:
15
13
Origin:
Rugby School, England, 1800s
Northern England, 1895
Tackle rule:
Contested - either team can win the ball
6-tackle rule - possession resets after 6
Pace of play:
More tactical, slower build-up
Faster, more continuous action
Global reach:
UK, France, NZ, South Africa, Australia, Ireland
Northern England, Australia, Papua New Guinea
Key competitions:
Six Nations, Rugby World Cup, Champions Cup, Super Rugby
NRL (Australia), Super League (UK), League World Cup
You can place bets pre-match or during live games as the circumstances (and odds) change. Like in most sports, live betting margins (house edges) tend to be higher, although it can be good to have the flexibility of seeing how the game is panning out before making your decision.
Odds for rugby betting are essentially the same as for other sports, but it’s important to understand them so you can calculate probabilities and returns from your bets. Let’s dive in and look at the effect of odds formats and what they mean practically for you as a sports bettor.
Decimal Odds
Decimal odds show you your potential return for every unit staked. For example, betting 10 units at odds of 3.50 means a winning bet will pay 35.00 units. And of course, a losing bet just means you will lose your stake of 10.00 units.
Fractional Odds
Common in UK markets, fractional odds show profit relative to stake. This is a lot more confusing and less intuitive than decimal odds. Here’s an example: odds of 2/1 means that for every 2 units wagered and won, 3 units are returned to the bettor, including the stake. The equivalent for decimal odds would be 1.50. It’s pretty confusing, and most bookmakers these days offer a toggle where you can switch between formats.
Upcoming NRL matches with live betting odds across multiple markets
Reading Rugby Betting Lines
Rugby betting lines include match odds, handicaps, and totals.
Popular Rugby Betting Markets
Rugby offers a variety of betting markets for different strategies and risk levels. From match winners, handicapped odds where weak teams get points boosts, to point totals for teams or for the whole game, there is something for every kind of bettor.
Match Winner
This is a bet on which team will win the match. It can be either team, or a draw, although draws are less common in rugby, since they tend to be more high-scoring affairs.
Handicap Betting
One of the problems of betting and indeed spectating is when a strong team meets a weak team, the results can be skewed in one direction. It’s a little bit dull. A great example is in rugby union when big nations like New Zealand will take on minnows like Namibia in a World Cup setting. New Zealand win all these meetings, sometimes by 100 point margins. Excitement? Not here! This is where a handicap can play a role. Assigning a handicap to either the stronger or weaker team effectively means betting on the margin of victory between teams. It leads to more thrilling contests and more enjoyable betting.
Total Points (Over/Under)
Total points means predicting whether the total points scored in the game will be over or under a set line. So betting on the over with a total of 40 means there will be more than 40 points scored in the game. So a game that finishes with England 27 Ireland 20 means 47 points were scored, and the over would be successful.
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Rugby Betting Tips
Using a structured approach can improve your betting performance. Is there a big disparity between teams? Probably you should expect a high total points for the game. Also, the unpredictability in rugby is less than in football (for example) so an accumulator bet might make more sense in this sport.
Analyze Team Form
As with any sport, look at recent results, injuries, and squad selection before wagering.
Consider Weather Conditions
Weather can significantly impact scoring and gameplay. A hard surface is great for running teams like Exeter or France, whereas rainy muddy conditions are more suited to a less dominant team. Expect more surprising outcomes when it is raining.
Manage Your Bankroll
As with every form of gambling, the wise bettor lasts longer in the game, so set conservative limits and avoid chasing losses. One of the chief ways of experiencing ruin is to bet too much and too large.
Rugby Betting for Major Competitions
Major tournaments provide the best betting opportunities and market depth. In essence, teams will try their utmost to win, and there is enough money on the table from more participants to allow for an even surface. There is less chance of manipulation in major rugby competitions like the Six Nations and we always suggest focusing on such tournaments.
Rugby World Cup Betting
There are two World Cups for national teams, one for rugby league and one for rugby union, and they each take place in a 4-year cycle. The biggest global event with outright and match betting options, the rugby world cup is held in different countries and regions each year, and the time zone differences can make live betting in particular a challenging experience.
Rugby League World Cup winner odds at a glance
Six Nations Betting
One of the most popular regional annual rugby competitions, the Six Nations take place from January to March. It sees England, Scotland, France,Wales, Ireland and Italy compete on a round-robin basis to determine the best team in the Northern Hemisphere. Betting on matches and in particular the victor of the whole tournament are widely popular pastimes in the sports betting world.
Domestic League Betting
As well as international rugby betting on competitions involving national teams, betting is also available on regional/domestic club competitions and leagues. Each nation has its own domestic competition. Leagues like the European Cup and Super Cup (for Southern Hemisphere teams) are of a high standard and attract serious gambling money.
Live betting, sometimes called in-play betting, allows you to place bets once matches begin with constantly changing odds as situations and scores evolve. This is very popular among rugby bettors as they can react to new circumstances which were not apparent pre-match.
Benefits of Live Betting
Live betting allows the gambler to better react to momentum shifts and match developments, ensuring excitement continues after the whistle starts.
Live Betting Strategy
A typical live betting strategy will be to bet on the final result with a few minutes to go, as well as betting on individual achievements when you can see who is in the mood for good play.
Rugby League competitions available to bet on, including NRL, State of Origin, Super League, and the Rugby League World Cup
Rugby Betting for Beginners
If you’re new to rugby betting, understanding the basics is key. This sport has a different cadence even to similar teams sports like soccer. Possession and momentum change hands at a different pace and you need to make different judgements.
Start with Simple Bets
Focus on match winner and total points markets. There is a closer relationship between bookmaker odds and results than you will see in football or tennis and the best way to get used to this is to play the most obvious wagers. Once you get used to this fact you can take on more exotic bets, like prop bets on individual players.
Avoid Common Mistakes
Don’t rely solely on favorites winning their matches — yes that can and does work most of the time, but ultimately betting is successful when looking for value, and there isn’t too much value betting on cast iron favourites.
Final Thoughts on Rugby Betting
Rugby betting offers interesting opportunities to profit across international and domestic competitions. By understanding the rhythm of rugby, as well as what typical odds look like, you can improve your betting decisions over time. Good luck!
Frequently asked questions
Can you bet on rugby matches?
Yes, most sportsbooks offer betting on rugby union and rugby league competitions. These may be domestic and international cup competitions for clubs like Saracens or Bath as well as major international competitions between nations. Examples of this include the Six Nations and World Cups.
What are the most popular rugby bets?
Match winner, handicap, and total points are particularly popular markets to bet on. Experienced gamblers take advantage of the fact that surprises are rarer in rugby to place accumulator bets on favourites.
Is live rugby betting available?
Yes, live betting is widely available during matches.Typical live markets include the next team to score a point or a try, as well as the full-time result.
