There are mainly two types of rugby bets: match betting and tournament betting. Like in other sports, you may either lay long-term bets across the whole season or short-term wagers on specific events.
Here’s a brief look at some of the most common rugby union markets:
Match Results
The simplest bet in rugby is the match winner. Just pick the team you think will come out on top. Draws are rare in rugby, so if you're feeling brave, a draw bet could be a big pay-off. We must warn you, however, betting on the match winner at international level might not be worth it. There aren't many shocks in international rugby, so you would rarely get handsome returns.
Winning Margin
A winning margin bet functions as a kind of handicap bet on steroids. You are depending on a certain winning margin as well as on a victory.
Usually, particularly if you're choosing a close margin, the chances are juicier for a winning margin bet. New Zealand could be a shoo-in to win by five or more points, for instance, but betting on them to win by precisely six to 10 points runs a riskier gamble with a higher possible return.
Double Bets
A double bet is a kind of accumulator bet wherein two choices from separate events are merged into a single stake. Should both choices pay off, your payoff is much more than if you had placed separate bets on each event.
For example:
You bet $10 on Team A to win their match at odds of 2.00.
You also bet $10 on Player B to score a try in their match at odds of 3.00.
If both selections win, your total payout would be:
($10 x 2.0) x ($10 x 3.0) = $60
Double bets raise the possibility of bigger winnings but also expose you to lose your whole stake should just one choice turn out to be bad.
First Scoring Play
There are four ways to score in rugby union: try, penalty try, drop goal, or penalty. So, betting on the first score is always a fun punt. A penalty is usually the shortest odds, for obvious reasons.
But depending on the teams' playing styles, a try might offer better value. It's worth waiting to see who kicks off, as that can influence the odds.
First Try Scorer
Clearly the most thrilling moment in a rugby union game is when scoring a try. Since it is tough to predict when someone will score in a game, most of the time predicting who will score the first attempt is only conjecture. That said, you can bet on a player who has been in great form and has been scoring tries early in the game.
Anytime Try Scorer
I'm much more comfortable betting on anytime try scorers. It is grounded on statistics and reason rather than just gut instinct. To make a more educated wager, look at a player's form and the defensive numbers of the opponent.
Over/Under
Under these circumstances, the bookie forecasts the match's overall score. You gamble on whether the real score will exceed or fall short of that figure. If they decide the total is 50 points, for instance, you bet "over" if you believe the overall score will be more.
Half Time/Full Time
This is a double bet where you predict the outcome of a match at both halftime and full-time. You choose a team to be leading at halftime and the final winner of the match. If both predictions are correct, you win the bet. HT/FT bets offer higher odds than simple match winner bets due to the higher risk of predicting both outcomes.
Tournament Outright Winner
Tournament outright winner is one of the most popular rugby betting options. Competitions like the World Cup or the European Champions Cup generate buzz among both regular and seasonal punters. The outright tournament winner is often the go-to bet for rugby bettors who want to keep things simple.
Personally, I don’t like the long-term nature of this wager, but it could deliver fruitful returns if you are patient.
Top Points Scorer in a Tournament
This is another tournament based market that punters love to dabble on.
In this market, you're essentially betting on which player will accumulate the most points throughout a tournament. The format of the tournament can influence the top points scorer market. If it's a short tournament with fewer matches, a player who has a few standout performances can claim the top spot. However, in longer tournaments, consistency is often key.
What is Rugby Line Betting?
This type of rugby betting sets certain match result limits. Biarritz Olympique and FC Grenoble are scheduled to lock horns in the French Pro D2 in the screenshot above. Here, Olympique is considered to be 7.5 points better than their opposition. Meaning, they are the favourites to win this match.
A simpler win-loss bet would have been far less lucrative than the odds offered here. This is because Olympique are the runaway favourites to win this match, so the odds would be incredibly shorter. With a -7.5 spread, the punter can expect a 1.83x return.
On the other hand, FC Grenoble is considered 7.5 points worse than Olympique. A traditional match result bet would have promised far superior returns, if you had backed the Stade des Alpes outfit. However, the risk factor would have been much higher as well. The spread betting, therefore, provides a certain degree of insurance.
Should Biarritz Olympique cover the -7.5 handicap, they must win by more than 7.5 points if your bet is to be successful. On the other hand, should you support Grenoble, they have to lose by no more than 7.5 points for your stake.
Being a regular rugby union punter, line betting is the safest and most useful kind of rugby betting. It pays you a respectable return without unnecessarily increasing your risk. Knowing both teams will help you to quickly find the most favourable handicap for your bet.
Though in my experience smart line betting usually gets you bang on the money, gambling is not a guaranteed game.
