Guide to Betting on Rugby Union
Despite originating at roughly the same time as football - back in the Public Schools of early 19th Century England- Rugby Union hasn’t managed to keep pace with its round ball counterpart in the popularity stakes – but few sports have. Nevertheless, now in the 21st Century, Rugby Union continues to captivate the imaginations of sports fans around the world, via its combination of skill, brute force physicality and team ethic.
Rugby Union games invariably provide a thrilling spectacle, particularly at the biggest and best events. In common with other sporting pursuits, many are keen to enhance the excitement with a bet or two. Only too willing to oblige, our good friends, the bookmakers, provide a wide range of markets on the latest action. Here, we take a closer look at the world of Rugby Union betting, including information on the biggest events, markets available, and the key factors to consider.
The Basics
First things first, for those completely unfamiliar with the sport, let’s run through how the game works. Rugby Union is a team sport played between two sides of 15 players, split into eight forwards and seven backs. Counterintuitively, the forwards tend to be the larger and more physical players involved in rucks, scrums, and mauls, whereas the backs are the nimble fleet-of-foot players who do most of the scoring. Each Rugby Union match consists of two 40-minute halves, with a 10-minute half-time interval. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins, but how do they get those points on the scoreboard?
Rugby Union Scoring System
- Try – 5 Points - Awarded for touching the ball to the ground in the opponent's in-goal area.
- Conversion – 2 Points - After scoring a try, a team will be granted the chance to earn 2 additional points by kicking the ball through the goalposts from a grounded position.
- Penalty – 3 Points - Awarded following a foul. This again involves kicking a grounded ball through the goalposts.
- Drop Goal – 3 Points - This involves dropping the ball into the air and then volleying it through the goalposts
- Penalty Try – 7 Points - Can be awarded if a foul is deemed to have prevented a certain try. A penalty try immediately awards 7 points, with no need to kick the conversion.
Most Rugby events award 4 points for a win and 2 points for a draw, in addition to 1 Bonus Point for scoring four or more tries or for losing the game by 7 points or less.
Biggest Rugby Union Betting Events
Club Rugby
- Gallagher Premiership - The top flight of the English Club Game
- The French Championship - Considered by many to be the elite league in the European game.
- Champions Cup - A competition that pits the best of the best from the European game against one another – effectively Rugby Union’s equivalent of the Champions League
- Challenge Cup - Europe’s second-tier competition – equivalent to the Europa League
- Super Rugby - Club competition featuring teams from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and the Pacific Islands
International Rugby
- Rugby World Cup - The biggest and best tournament on the planet, seeing 20 nations battle through Group and knockout stages in pursuit of the famous trophy. Like the football version, the Rugby World Cup takes place every four years.
- Six Nations Championship - Annual event featuring England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France, and Italy
- The Rugby Championship - An annual event featuring Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Argentina
Most Popular Betting Markets
- Match Result - Betting on the outcome of the game (win, lose, draw)
- Handicap Betting - Betting on a market where the weaker of the two sides receives a virtual head start. E.g., New Zealand -10 vs. England +10. A handicap bet on New Zealand would win if they won by more than 10 Points. A handicap bet on England would win if they either won the game or lost by less than 10 Points.
- Total Points - Betting on the total number of points in the game. This will usually be an over or under bet, e.g. Over or Under 45.5 points.
- Winning Margin - Predicting how many points a team will win by. Options will usually be in Groups of 5-point intervals. E.g., New Zealand to win by 1-5 points, 6-10 points, 11-15 points etc.
- First Try Scorer - Predicting the player who will score the first try
- Half-Time/Full-Time Result - Predicting who will be winning at half-time and what the result will be at the end of the match – also known as Double Result betting.
- In-Play Betting - Betting on the live action as the game unfolds.
- Outright Betting - Predicting which team will win a specific tournament or league
Rugby Union Betting: Key Factors
As with all sports, you will increase your chances of earning a positive return if you put in a little homework before placing your bet. When weighing up the latest Rugby Union match or tournament, the following are all worth factoring into your calculations:
- Home Advantage - True for football, and true for Rugby Union – teams simply perform better in the familiarity of their home stadium in front of their own fans.
- Injuries and Suspensions - Many Rugby Union teams will have one or two players who are pivotal to their overall performance, with particular positions to note, including Scrum Half, Fly Half, and Hooker. Always take the time to ensure that the key men are in the side before placing your bet.
- Form - Study the recent results of the sides and the historical head-to-head match ups, placing more emphasis on the former.
- Consider Playing Styles - Successful Rugby teams come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from bulldozing sides who rely on a defensive kicking game to more expansive outfits who like to shift the ball quickly through their backs. Envisaging how styles may mesh can often pinpoint a useful betting angle. In general, the bulldozing style = fewer points, and the expansive style = more points.
- Remember the Weather - This can be one of the key factors ahead of any game. Wet and muddy conditions will tend to favour sides who rely on strong forward play rather than slick passing outfits. Scoring is also more difficult in the wind and rain, which is worth bearing in mind when considering a Total Points Bet.
In addition to the above, it is also important to stick to solid general betting principles when betting on Rugby Union:
- Shop around for the best price -
- Bet with the head not the heart -
- Sensible bankroll management I.e. don’t bet an amount that makes you uncomfortable.
More Betting Guides:
Top 20 Betting Offers
New customers only. 7 days to place qualifying bet of £10 at 1/1 (2.0) to receive 4 x £10 Free Bets: 1 x £10 football, 1 x £10 horse racing & 2 x £10 Bet Builders. Free Bets cannot be used on e-sports and non UK/IE horse racing. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply. | |||||
New Customers Only. Sign up with bonus code: EB20. Bet £20 and get £20 in Free Bets. Paid as £5 Free Bet on Soccer, £5 Free Bet on Horse Racing, £5 Free Bet on Multiples and a £5 Free Bet on any Market. Terms apply 18+ gambleaware.org. | |||||
Min Stake: £5. Maximum Free Bet: £30. First bet on a Football, Racing, Tennis, Cricket or Basketball multiple with 3+ selections. Overall odds: 3.00 (2/1) or higher. Free Bets available upon settlement of the qualifying bet. 100 Free Spins on More Unusual Suspects (£0.10 per spin) credited on settlement of qualifying Acca bet. No wagering requirements on free spin winnings. Offer valid 7 days from account opening. 18+ GambleAware.org. Full Terms apply | |||||
T&Cs apply. 18+ New customers only. You must place a single win-only bet of £10 or more with odds of evens (2.00) or greater to qualify. Money back as £10 in free bets. Free bet is credited the day after the qualifying bet has settled. Must use code B10G10 when creating an account. | |||||
New customers online only. Eligibility restrictions apply. Only valid with code B10G40 on registration. £10 min qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater across sports or racing (if EW then min £10 Win + £10 Place). Receive £20 Tote Credit, £10 Free Sports Bet and 50 Free Spins on Big Bass Bonanza within 48 hours of qualifying bet settlement. 7-day expiry on free bets & Tote Credit. Your first bet will be your qualifying bet. One per customer. UK & ROI customers only. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Gambleaware.org.Full T&Cs apply. | |||||
New customers only. Register with BETFRED50. Deposit £10+ via Debit Card and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. Full T&Cs apply. | |||||
18+ New customers only. Opt in via mobile or app and bet £10 on any sports market (odds of 2.00+) within 7 days of registration. Get 3x£10 Free Bets on selected sports markets, which expire in 7 days. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly | |||||
Place a £10 fixed odds bet at minimum odds of 1/2 and get 3 x £10 free fixed odds bets, 3 x £5 Total Goals football spread bets and 3 x £5 Winning Favourites spread bets and a £1 racing Race Index spread bet.18+ www.gambleaware.org. | |||||
Full T&Cs apply. New UK customers only. The qualifying bet should be either a Single or Acca (2+ selections) bet, start at £20, have 1.9 or greater odds and must be settled within 7 days of opt-in. 3 Free bets include: 1 x £20 Free bet Racing (Horse Racing or Greyhound Racing); 1 x £20 Free Bet Live Football; 1 x £20 Free Bet Live. Max payout – £500. 7-day expiry. To unlock the offer, complete the first deposit via the banking app (Open banking). 18+. BeGambleAware.com | |||||
New customers place a £10 fixed odds bet at minimum odds of 1/2. Get 2 x £10 free bets. 18+ begambleaware | |||||
18+. New Customers Only. Max 1 x £10 Free Bet. Qualifying bets at Odds of 1/1 or greater. Paid as Bonus Token Min 4/5 Odds Req. Skrill, Neteller, Paypal not eligible. T&Cs Apply. Please gamble responsibly. | |||||
New Customers Only. £10 in real money. Bets placed on sports at odds of 2.00 or more. Bets must be placed within 24 hours of registration. £10 free bets must be wagered on sports. UK residents. Full terms apply. Gambling can be addictive, play responsibly. 18+ | |||||
#AD | Welcome bonus for new players only | Maximum bonus is 100% up to £100 | Min. deposit is £10 | No max cash out | Wagering is 40x bonus | Maximum bet with an active bonus is £5 | Eligibility is restricted for suspected abuse | Skrill & Neteller deposits excluded for welcome bonus | Cashback when offered, applies to deposits where no bonus is included | Cashback is cash with no restrictions | T&C's apply |Free bet: Min odds: 2.0 - Free bet value will be deducted from free bet winnings | 18+ | BeGambleAware.org | Gambling is addictive, please gamble responsibly! | |||||
New bettors; Code SPORT; Wager deposit & bonus 8x; Max qualifying bet stake=initial bonus; Valid 60 days; Min odds, payment method exclusions apply; New customers only. T&C apply; 18+ Please gamble responsibly. | |||||
18+ New Customers Only. Opt in and bet £10 on football (odds 2.00+) within 7 days. Get 4x£5 Free Bets for set markets and a £10 Slot Bonus for Big Bass Splash, 30x wagering, to withdraw max £250. Rewards expire in 20 days. Full T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org | Please gamble responsibly | |||||
18+. New Customers Only. Min deposit £20. Maximum one £10 Free Bet & two £5 Bet Builder Free Bets. Qualifying bet must be placed at odds of Evens (2.00) or greater. Paid as bonus tokens: Token 1 Min odds Req: 4/5 (1.80). Token 2 & 3 are valid for Bet Builder products only and are subject to min odds of 2/1 (3.00). T&Cs Apply. Please gamble responsibly. | |||||
New Players Only. Free bet - one-time stake of £40, min odds 1.5, stake not returned. 1X wager the winnings. Wager from real balance first. Wager calculated on bonus bets only. Max conversion: £200. Valid for 7 Days from receipt. Limited to 1 sport & 5 casino brand/s within the network. Withdrawal requests void all active/pending bonuses. Excluded Skrill and Neteller deposits. Progress Play network Full Terms Apply. | |||||
18+. BeGambleAware.org. New customers only. Min. £10 deposit, debit card only. Up to 50x wagering, game contributions vary, max. stake applies, 7 day expiry. See full terms. #AD | |||||
18+. Play Safe. New customers only, using promo code T60. Valid from 13/04/2022. Online play. Get £60 Bonus split between Vegas & Sports in the following manner – (i) Deposit £10 to unlock £20 Vegas Free Bet on Selected Games (72hr expiry, wagering reqs apply); then (ii) bet £10+ (odds 1/2+) with cash (excl. £10 deposit) or Vegas winnings (after wager reqs met). Once settled, receive £40 Sports Free Bets excluding Virtual Markets (4x £10, 7 days expiry). Full T&Cs apply. #ad | |||||
18+ New UK+IRE Customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 to get 4x £5 free bets. Free bets available to use on selected sportsbook markets only. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions + T&Cs apply. |
