As well as being an incredibly popular sport in the UK, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, to name a few, rugby is quickly becoming a favourite among punters in the world of online betting. Moreover, betting on rugby is diverse and offers plenty of opportunities to profit if you know what you’re doing. This is where OpenOdds comes in. With this rugby betting odds comparison, we want to demonstrate how profitable betting on rugby can be with a particular focus on the rugby betting odds offered by various online bookmakers.
- Types of betting: What different rugby betting options will you have as a punter? The key to a profitable betting career is to understand how these all function.
- What you can bet on: Whether it’s Rugby Union or the National Rugby League that floats your boat, you will want to know what options are available to you from the various online betting sites.
- Odds comparison: Which online betting sites offer the most competitive rugby betting odds depending on the tournament?
What are the different types of bets you can make on rugby? And, more importantly, where can you find the best rugby betting odds? Our rugby odds comparison looks to answer these questions for you!
First, there’s ‘supremacy.’ This type of bet is when you decide by how many points one team will beat the other by. Then there are ‘futures,’ which are the bets associated with all the major rugby tournaments which will be listed below. You can also make ‘season point’ bets, which means that you are betting on how many points a certain team will have by the end of a single season. Some bets are more specific, i.e. first try scorer bets or last try scorer bets, which are fairly self-explanatory, as well as the outright winner bet, which is also straightforward, where you bet on the rugby team that will a certain tournament or game. You can also bet on which individual teams will win and/or how many points they will score in a particular game. As you’ll see in this rugby betting odds comparison, the betting options in rugby are vast and can keep the punter entertained.
What tournaments and leagues exist in rugby? Just like in football, there are a number of leagues and tournaments taking place throughout the year for rugby punters. Often times there are certain betting options linked to particular tournaments which the punter should keep in mind. Firstly, the most important tournament in rugby is the Rugby World Cup, organised by the international rugby board. The tournament, like in football, is held every four years. Next is the Aviva Premiership (named after their current sponsor), the main tournament for the top English teams. Twelve teams compete for the championship, with the final taking place at Twickenham. Unlike in football, the rugby season takes place at the same time at a national and international level. This means that some teams have been affected in the Aviva Premiership due to the absence of some of their best players. This playoff format is specific to rugby: where they’re held at the end of the season is considered the fairest way of awarding the champions.
Next in the list is the Heineken Cup, which represents the European elite: England, Scotland, Wales, France and Italy compete against each other until the final eight knockout stage. The Six Nations is the annual rugby union competition which sees the same countries compete, playing one game against each other to see which nation will claim the prestigious title. Wales has taken the Six Nations title home twice in a row. The Six Nations is arguably the most popular rugby tournament for punters. Since the teams only play each other once, punters should take into account whether or not teams are playing away or at home, the team statistics, and which matches have the best rugby betting odds.
A selection of the best bookies with the best rugby odds
Six Nations
The 2017 Six Nations will kick off on February 4 and run until March 18. Depending on the nation you will be rooting for, here are the best odds offered:
- England – William Hill: If you are rooting for previous Six Nations winners again, William Hill offers the best odds of 5/4.
- Wales – Sportbet: Second to England with 26 outright wins and 12 shared victories, Wales is a good bet. Sportbet currently offers the best odds if you are rooting for Wales at 9/4.
- Ireland – Coral: The team that finishes last in the league is awarded the ‘Wooden Spoon’ (despite no actual award being presented). Ireland (along with England) are the only teams never to have been awarded this infamous loser prize. So if you think Ireland can continue this lucky streak, having won the Six Nations 3 times since the tournament’s inauguration in the late ‘90s, it is worth noting that Coral currently offer the best odds at 11/2.
- France – NetBet: Five time winners of the Six Nations, France is a good bet for 2017. Currently, NetBet is offering the best odds for France at 11/1.
- Scotland – Unibet: Despite having never won the Six Nations, Scotland were the last outright winners of the Five Nations. Unibet currently offers the best odds at 20/1 if Scotland is your team of choice.
Rugby World Cup.
Despite having 3 years to wait, the next Rugby World Cup 2019 has already got rugby fanatics excited. Many of the top bookmakers are already offering most competitive odds on who will be the outright winner. The OpenOdds team has scoured the online betting world in order to find the best and most competitive odds depending on which team you are voting for:
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New Zealand – Betfred:
The New Zealand men’s rugby union team, otherwise known as the All Blacks, have won 3 out of the 8 Rugby World Cup tournaments – an impressive feat! Having won in the most recent world cup in 2015, they are strong contenders for the cup in 2019. With the All Blacks looking to be firm favourites with many, it’s been hard work finding the best odds. Betfred, however, comes out on top offering competitive odds of 11/8.
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Australia – Stan James:
Second to New Zealand (alongside South Africa) in terms of the number of times they have been the outright winners across the 8 tournaments, Australia has won the tournament twice and met the current champions at the 2015 final. Currently, Stan James offers the best odds for the Aussie team with odds of 6/1.
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England – Unibet:
England’s 2003 win broke the Southern Hemisphere’s dominance of this global tournament and brought with it a wave of new rugby supporters in England. Odds are looking good for England in the 2019 tournament, with the best odds offered by Unibet at 15/2.
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South Africa – Betway:
Joining the Aussies with two tournament wins under their belts is South Africa. Currently, the best odds for South Africa winning the tournament outright for the third time is offered by Betway, with odds of 11/1.
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Ireland – 32Red:
Despite having never won the rugby world cup, the Irish rugby team has been in the quarter finals 6 times. However, if history repeats itself, the odds are slim that they will get beyond this stage. Diehard Ireland rugby fans would disagree, and with great odds of 18/1 offered by 32Red, let’s hope it’s Ireland’s year!
Aviva Premiership
The Aviva Premiership (also known as the English Premiership) is the main rugby union competition. The competition consists of the top 12 teams in the top division of the rugby union. The competition has been held since 1987 and the current champions are the Saracens. Bets are already in full swing to see which team will be crowned the Aviva Premiership Grand Final Winners:
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Saracens – NetBet:
Established in 1876, the reigning champions, Saracens, are based in London. The team is getting off to a good start with the best odds being offered by NetBet at 10/11.
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Wasps – Ladbrokes:
This men’s rugby team was formed by the Wasps Football Club, which was founded in 1867. The wasps have won the Aviva Premiership 6 times and are strong contenders this year. The best odds are offered by Ladbrokes at 13/5.
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Bath – Ladbrokes:
Founded in 1865, the Bath rugby club is one of the oldest and most successful rugby clubs, having won the Anglo-Welsh Cup, the Heineken Cup, and the European Challenge Cup in the past. The best odds are offered by Ladbrokes, with odds of 9/1.
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Exeter Chiefs – 32Red:
Founded in 1871, the Exeter Chiefs are unsurprisingly based in Exeter, Devon and compete in a number of titles under their belt, including the Anglo-Welsh Cup in 2013/14. The best odds for the Exeter Chiefs are offered by 32Red at 10/1.
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Leicester – William Hill:
The Leicester Tigers are the most successful English rugby club since the league began in 1987. The 10-time English champions have very competitive odds this time around—William Hill is offering odds of 20/1 for the Leicester Tigers to take the title once more.
Compare Rugby Betting Odds: Take the time to do your homework
Considering the best odds when making bets on rugby is an important part of the betting process. The bookmakers offering the best rugby odds for certain tournaments may not be considered to be the best online bookies in general; however, their focus on rugby markets is worth noting. Nevertheless, we strongly recommend that all punters – novice and veteran alike – take the time to read up on where they can find even odds opportunities and other promotions. When you compare rugby odds across different platforms, you’ll have a greater chance of making the right call and taking home serious cash.
