Online Rugby Betting
In general terms, the best online bookmakers for rugby betting will be those who focus most of their efforts on the European markets. It’s also popular in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and some parts of South America. All of the most popular leagues and international tournaments can be wagered on, with a wide variety of betting options.
How to Bet on Rugby Union
While there are dozens of betting online markets for rugby, the most common placed bets are on match results, winning margins, totals, and try scorers. There are also dozens of different types of prop bets, along with futures for seasonal league results and international tournaments. Handicap wagering can also bring rewards to rugby bettors. Below are brief descriptions of the most popular online rugby betting options.
Match Betting
The most common way to bet on final match results is on the money line, where the odds are based on the strength of each team. There are variations of these bets where draws can result in a loss or a push, depending on the odds the punter prefers to take. Punters can also bet on the tie, with odds that typically range from 18.00 to 41.00. The closer the matchup, the lower the odds are for a tie.
Another popular way to bet on the final match result is with a handicap. In this case, the favoured team has to give up points, and the underdog receives points. Because of the handicap, matches are more exciting for punters, and it allows them to get better odds on heavy favourites. Most casual punters prefer to bet on favourites, but it’s tough to place a bet when you’re getting short odds. The handicap solves this problem.
Winning Margin
Winning margin bets are common and fun ways to wager on rugby. Winning margin bets in rugby are set up in point brackets, and the punters job is to select the correct bracket. For example, winning margins are usually broken down into the following brackets: 1-5, 6-10, 11-15, 16-20, 21-25, 25-30, 31-35, 36-40, 41-45, and 46+.
So, if a games has a final score of 37-30, the winning margin is 7 points. If the score was 30-27, the winning margin was 3. Because there are so many brackets to choose from, the odds can be attractive. The odds will vary from book to book, so always compare odds before placing your bets. Why take 11.00 if you can get 12.00 for the same margin somewhere else?
Total Betting
Total betting in rugby is the same as it is in football or basketball. Bookmakers set a line for how many points they think each team will score – combined. If the punter expects the combined score to be higher than the set total, they would select the ‘over’. If they think it will be lower than the total, they would select the ‘under’. If the actual match score is exactly the same as the total, most online bookmakers push these bets, returning wagers to the punters. In totals that have a half-point (XX.5), a push isn’t possible, which means that every bet wins or loses.
Punters can also bet on team totals, where they choose the over or under for that individual team. Odds for either side of these bets are generally fairly close, but they can range from 1.60 to 2.10.
Total bets are extremely popular for a couple of reasons. First, they’re simple bets with only two choices. Secondly, the vig on total bets are generally 10%, the same as match result bets. Some online bookmakers offer 5% vig on totals, or special promotions where punters can get reduced juice on certain days of the week. If you’re placing a fair number of total bets each week, be sure to shop all of the best online bookmakers to see if they have reduced juice or special promotions for total betting.
Try Scorer Bets
Try scorer bets are the rugby equivalent to goal scorers in football. Bookmakers offer betting on the first try scorer, last try scorer, anytime try scorers, and overall highest try scorer during a match. First and last try scorer teams can also be wagered on.
Try scorer rugby bets are essentially prop bets, and most online rugby betting sites charge a higher vig on these than they do on match result or total bets. Serious punters should stay away from these bets for the most part, but they can be fun bets when you’re only interested in the entertainment value.
Other Popular Types of Rugby Bets
- Rugby Over/Under Betting
- Point Spread Rugby Bets
- Proposition Betting
Rugby Union International Tournaments
Punters can bet on all of the most popular Rugby Union international tournaments. Some of the international events that can be bet on include the Rugby World Cup, Six Nations, Heineken Cup, Currie Cup, Tri Nations, and more.
For most tournaments, all of the standard rugby betting options are available and we provide a great online rugby betting guide for you review. There’s also a lot of futures betting action, and these bets can be placed months in advance. The problem with betting on futures well before the event takes place is that the bookmaker will be holding onto your money until the event ends. For example, if you place a bet on New Zealand months ahead of time, you won’t see potential winnings until the event is over.