Rugby Betting
Rugby is an all-action, physical sport with a big following in the UK. Internationals like the Six Nations and domestic Premiership games generate fantastic atmospheres and make rugby betting genuinely exciting.
Discover your rugby union betting options for the big matches, and the popular bet types you can place on what’s jokingly called the hooligans’ game, played by gentlemen.
How to Bet on Rugby Matches
Rugby is a full-contact sport played over 80 minutes, with play continuing after the alloted half-time or full-time whistle until until the next break in play. There are 15 players a side, consisting of eight forwards who make up the scrum, and seven more fleet-footed backs.
Teams get five points for a try and two more points for a successful conversion kick, while penalty goals and drop goals both get three points. The team with the most points at full-time wins.
The most popular rugby betting market is a simple match result, where you back one team to win, or an unlikely draw. But you can also bet on a competition’s winner, known as an outright bet, or try the rugby union betting in-play markets.
Virgin Bet brings all the thrills and spills of rugby to your betting slip, covering all the big games and offering competitive odds.
Understanding Rugby Union Betting Odds
At Virgin Bet, you can use the default fractional odds or go to your account settings and change to decimal odds. Shorter odds are for the most likely outcomes, while longer odds are for more surprising results. You get bigger rugby betting payouts with the longer odds because they’re considered riskier bets.
Fractional odds
The fraction represents your potential profit relative to your stake. So, a £1 bet on Scotland to beat England at 3/1 would give you a £3 profit, plus your stake back. This is an odds-against bet, where the top number is higher than the lower.
An odds-on bet, like 1/2, is the opposite and predicts a likelier outcome. In this case, if you bet £2, you make a £1 profit, plus your stake back.
Decimal odds
The number in decimal odds represents the total money you receive if your bet wins, for every £1 wagered. So, back England to beat Italy at 1.36, and a £1 bet will return £1.36. A £10 bet at the same price would return £13.60.
The odds will change according to various factors. They will always favour the stronger teams, such as when South Africa face Argentina. But those odds will come down a little if the match is played in Argentina, who will have home advantage. Atrocious on-the-day weather might also level the playing field a little, bringing the odds down even more.
Form is also an important consideration. If Wales lose their opening three Six Nations clashes, their odds of winning the fourth game will lengthen.
After studying our rugby union betting odds, visit our promotions page to see if we’ve got any value-added offers you can use.
Match Result, Handicap and Try Scorer Markets
Game-day markets are the bets you place before kick-off on a specific match. These are always the most popular because they’re easy to understand, and placing the bet is simple. Here are the three most popular markets:
- Match Result (1X2): The easiest bet of all, where you back the home team (1), the away team (2) or the draw (X). Just click on the odds to open your bet slip, add your wager size, and click ‘place bet’
- Handicap Betting: If the favourite is so strong that the odds are unattractive, you can place a handicap bet. This means your selection must overcome the handicap deficit before winning. In our South Africa v Argentina example, you’ll get better odds on predicting that the Springboks will win by more than 10 points
- Try Scorer Markets: Like the first goalscorer in football, rugby betting lets you back the player you think will score the first try. Sometimes, you might also see odds for a player to score a try anytime in the game
While some teams will always be favourites over others, other match-ups are tougher to call. You should consider each side’s set-piece abilities, because these will help dictate possession and territory on the field.
A dominant scrum, for example, will win two or three penalties in a game, because the forwards being pushed back constantly are more likely to concede a foul. Similarly, if a team has a super-strong lineout, it will make attacking plays more dangerous and increase turnovers.
Live In-Play Rugby Betting
In-play rugby betting brings a new dimension to your gambling experience, because you’re backing events as the action unfolds in real time.
The odds on the winning team, next try scorer or incidents like a player being sent to the sin bin shift constantly as the action ebbs and flows. Your job is to spot betting opportunities while watching the game and monitoring the odds.
The fast nature of in-play rugby betting brings extra excitement and means that even if you have a match bet that looks likely to lose, you can still try to get something out of the game (although you should always bet responsibly and not chase any losses).
You’ll probably enjoy in-play rugby union betting on your mobile, so it’s good to know the Virgin Bet app works beautifully on any device. It clearly displays the rugby betting markets, and the bet slips are easy to use on your mobile.
Outright Odds for Major Rugby Tournaments
While the Premiership dominates the domestic rugby scene, and you might see Bath or Northampton Saints as potential winners, international competitions like the Six Nations and the World Cup are huge events in the rugby calendar. You can back any of the teams to win a competition at any stage of the season in what’s known as an outright bet.
Six Nations and World Cup Outrights
The earlier in the season you place your bet, the better the odds, because they will shift as the results begin to roll in.
England, for example, might not be pre-tournament favourites to win the Six Nations, but if they win an opening game in Paris against fancied France, or triumph at Twickenham against Ireland, then the odds will surely shorten. So, if you have a hunch that England will lift the trophy, then betting early is a good decision.
On the other hand, you might want to wait and see the early form in tournaments like the Rugby World Cup before deciding which team to back. Unsure of New Zealand or Australia’s form? The first group stage results may help you make up your mind, but be aware that the odds won’t be as good if you wait this long.
We also have rugby betting markets on the new Nations Championship, where the Northern Hemisphere countries face off against Southern Hemisphere opposition.
Outright markets at Virgin Bet include tournament winners, grand slam success, where the team wins every game, or, in the case of the Six Nations, the Triple Crown, where one of England, Scotland, Wales or Ireland beats all three others.
Key Strategic Factors in Rugby Match Analysis
When it comes to match bets in rugby betting, we’ve got a few tips that will help you make smarter decisions. By following the latest sports news and keeping an eye on club and fan pages, you can pick up useful information to help you identify opportunistic rugby union betting odds.
Team Selection and Core Roles
If your team has a key player missing through injury or suspension, perhaps the set-piece kicker or influential captain, then this could have a significant impact on the side’s overall performance.
Weather and Pitch Conditions
While heavy downpours during a match might level the playing field, it could also benefit a team with good ball handlers. Research how a team has performed in poor conditions before.
Tactical Set-Piece Dominance
If one side has a dominant scrum (look for 90%+ scrum percentage), expect it to win more penalties. France traditionally have one of the strongest packs in the Six Nations. When it comes to lineouts, check out South Africa’s power and tactical use of lineouts near the opposition try line.
How to Register and Bet with Virgin Bet
Joining Virgin Bet for your rugby betting is easy. Here’s what to do:
- Click the Join button at the top of the page to begin
- Fill in the requested details, including name, DoB, address and phone number
- Set up your deposit limit to help you stay in control
- Make your first deposit using your preferred payment method
- Check out our rugby union betting odds and make your pick
- Place your first bet by confirming the selection and bet size
- Once your bet is settled, see if you’re eligible for a free bet (terms and conditions apply)
Find out more about downloading our app, which is ideal for in-play rugby betting, or explore your settings, profile and other helpful information.
Exploring Rugby League Markets
Union isn’t the only rugby code we cover; we’ve got markets on the top Rugby League games, too.
Place your bets on the top domestic Super League clashes here in the UK, or leagues abroad like the National Rugby League in Australia. International action is fierce, so check out our odds for the Rugby League World Cup or Pacific Championships.
