The Ultimate Guide to Betting on Rugby
Famously known as a ‘hooligan’s game played by gentleman’, rugby certainly is a brutal sport.
There aren’t many rugby enthusiasts who have the athletic ability to play the sport on a professional level, which is why it’s one of the most popular spectator sports and is incredibly popular amongst sports betting enthusiasts.
Owing to the popularity of the sport, there are plenty of professional league match-ups to put money on all-year round and if you’re going to need a few top tips to get started.
Different Types of Rugby Bets
Much like football, betting on rugby can be divided into two categories: match betting and tournament betting. We won’t go into much detail with regards to tournament betting as this type of betting is best reserved for veteran rugby punters, but here are the most popular match bets.
- Match result: the most popular and the most straightforward rugby wager. Simply select which of the two teams you believe will win the match or whether the match will end in a draw.
- Handicap bets: introduces a margin to ‘level the playing field’ in matches between a heavy favourite and an obvious underdog. Handicapping introduces a margin that the team you’re betting on needs to overcome in order for the bet to be successful.
- Winning margin: similar to handicap bet, a winning margin wager is a bet on whether the team you’ve selected will win by a certain number of points. If you’re already scratching your head, perhaps try online blackjack instead!
- First scoring play: an exciting market to dabble in as there are 4 possibilities for the opening score – try, penalty try, drop goal, or penalty.
- First try scorer: a more advanced bet based on which team member you think will make the first score. Variations include the first try scorer from each team, the first try scorer in each half, and the position of the first try scorer.
- Futures/outrights: this is the most popular type of tournament bet, which is why we’ve included it. Select the team you think will win the tournament outright.
Rugby Betting Strategies for Success
Becoming familiar with the betting types was the first step, but now you will need to figure out a betting strategy in order to be successful.
- Know the team you’re betting on
- Take note of the weather forecast as rain can heavily influence a match result
- Stay up to date with team news
- Know your market well
- Know how form affects play
- Decide on a betting strategy and stick to it – are you going to bet on long odds or big amounts on short odds?
Top Tips for Rugby Betting Beginners
Now that you’ve got the basics of rugby betting down, it’s time to get started with actually putting money down on a match.
- Decide on a budget and stick to it
- Be selective in your betting – you don’t have to bet on every match
- Always bet online for the most competitive odds and ultimate convenience
- Be patient
- Ignore your personal bias
- Never chase losses
