Rugby Betting: What an Athlete Should Know

Rugby is one of the really "manly" sports. Rugby involves plenty of physical contact, collisions, tackles, and other mechanisms to halt the opposing team. Rugby can only be played by physically powerful players. Rugby was created in England in the mid-19th century — the British are not only well-known for creating progressive technologies but also for creating interesting games.
And now, not only is rugby being played in Oceania and Europe, but it is also actively expanding itself in countries like Uganda, where national teams are gaining popularity and fan recognition.

On the surface, rugby may seem to be a lesser sport than football or other sports with enormous support bases, but in reality, the physicality of the game brings enormous crowds. For example, the Rugby World Cup is viewed by nearly 4 billion. Picture those numbers! Rugby betting is also extremely popular, which is why bookmakers based here and abroad consistently offer top competitions in rugby betting markets.

Features and Secrets of Rugby Betting Online

Newbies have to know the varieties of rugby and major rules in order to enjoy watching the games and conduct appropriate analysis. In the 1820s, the version of rugby called today Rugby Union (or Rugby-15) was formed in England. It is supposed to have been invented by a Rugby School student — a town in mid-England. Why "15"? Initially, it was just known as "rugby," but when variations emerged, this original version came to be called "15" as a result of the players per team.

Rugby Sevens is a contemporary Scottish variation with seven a side. Scots, as lovers of freedom, adapted the style to fit their needs. British miners invented Rugby League or Rugby-13 by reducing the players to 13 and the games more action-packed.

Regarding rules, there are a number of scoring activities that rugby has, and these all differ in points. The most elementary goal is simple: score more points than the opposing team. 

To the delight of the bettor, however, rugby is not only played by men. There is female rugby too, though less popular — something that expert bettors usually take advantage of when seeking that pull over the bookmaker.
Indeed, Uganda has both men's and women's national rugby sevens teams, and their involvement in international competitions like the Rugby Africa Sevens makes them viable cases for niche betting possibilities.

Rugby betting is rife in countries where the sport is a favorite — namely England and Australia. British fans, however, don't tend to bet using stats — they gamble more for fun, enjoying the theatre of the game with a cold beer.

Types of Rugby Bets

Though rugby is very distinct from football, it is after all a team sport where players score points through play. So many of the types of bets are identical — totals, handicaps, match result, etc. There won't be surprises in store for bettors here.

Match Result Bets

Commonly, bookmakers are allowed to accept bets on which team will win or whether the game will be a draw. Draws in rugby do not happen often — about as often as in basketball — so odds here may range from 15.0 to 30.0.

Handicap Betting

A positive handicap is applied to the favorite, and a negative one to the underdog. Betting on the favorite is recommended by specialists, as the point spreads can be enormous. Winners often win by 6 or more points in the Australian league — sometimes even by 30–40 points. Bookmakers traditionally offer handicap options ranging from ±5.5 to ±11.5.

Total Points (Over/Under)

Total points differ based on many factors. Total score one match of an Australian league was more than 70, whereas in another, the victorious team could only get 12 points and blanked the other team. Bookmakers offer both numerical totals and odd/even total bets.

Match Outcome Betting

Others consider this as simple betting on a winner or a draw, but others look for exact scores.

Double Chance

A double chance bet is usually a fall-back choice for the punter. In football, having the probability of a draw lowers the odds. In rugby, where draws are rare, the odds are very consistent. For instance, a wager on Glasgow Warriors to win the Pro14 league could have odds of 3.15. Adding double chance (1X) would have the odds alter to 2.70. Bookmakers do not offer 12 (Team 1 or Team 2) markets in rugby.

Live Betting

Live betting is prevalent in rugby since momentum shifts frequently. A smart player can choose to take advantage of in-game activity. In Bristol vs. Exeter, for example, Bristol were trailing 3–15 in the first half but came back in the second half 19–10. Not only can you bet on overall match outcomes but also on individual halves.

Exact Score Bets

It is extremely difficult to foresee the exact score in rugby. Games can end with a big variety of scores: 56–16, 16–38, or 12–0. Due to various scoring attempts and bonus points, the exact prediction is nearly impossible. However, players can forecast score ranges — such as neither team scoring over 30 points, or one team scoring 30–50 and the other scoring under 30.

Special Bets

Rugby is different in many ways — even the ball is oval, not spherical. There are special bet types too:

• Total tries – A "try" counts as 4 points when a player grounds the ball in the opposing team's in-goal region.
• Total cards – Which side will have more yellow or red cards in a match or a half.
• First 10 points – Which side will score the first 10 points.
• First scoring attempt – Either try, penalty or drop kick, the bet is on which one of them scores first.

Single bets on how an individual player plays for each team are also available.