How to Bet on Rugby
How to Bet on Rugby – Rugby Betting Guide, Best Odds & Tips
Rugby is one of the most popular sports in the world, with competitive domestic leagues in Europe, Africa, and Australia. International rugby is also extremely popular, with the World Cup attracting millions of viewers from all around the world.
With our helpful guide, learn how to bet on rugby online, and types of bets you can place on some of the biggest rugby leagues and tournaments you can bet on at Stake Sportsbook .
Rugby Rules, History & Gameplay
Rugby as a game originated in 1823 in Warwickshire, England. William Webb Ellis, a schoolboy at the time, was playing football and decided to pick up the ball and run with it. To this day, the game is known after the place where Ellis attended school – Rugby.
Today, rugby is competed by two teams of 15 players. The game’s objective is to score points via tries, conversions, drop goals, or penalty kicks. Matches are split into 40-minute halves with periods of additional time if required.
A try is scored when a player takes the ball over the opposing team’s goal line. A try in rugby is worth five points. After scoring a try, the team is allowed to take a conversion, which sees them attempt to kick the ball over the horizontal bar in the rugby posts. If the conversion is successful, two additional points are awarded.
Rugby teams are split roughly into two types of players – forwards and backs. The forwards are primarily for defence, while the backs are mainly for try-scoring. At the end of the 80-minute match, the team with the most points wins.
Several variations of rugby are played today, including Rugby Union, Rugby League, and Rugby Sevens. We touch on these variations below.
Major Rugby Tournaments & Events to Bet on
Given the popularity of rugby in different parts of the world, you can bet on various high-profile leagues and tournaments at Stake.com:
NRL : The National Rugby League (NRL) features professional teams from Australia and New Zealand and is the biggest domestic rugby league in the world. You can also bet on pre-season NRL fixtures , as well as the women’s NRL .
Super League : The Super League is the UK’s rugby league competition and the biggest domestic rugby league tournament in the northern hemisphere.
RFL Championship : The RFL Championship is the second-highest Rugby League event in the UK, behind the Super League.
Six Nations : An international Rugby Union tournament, the Six Nations is competed annually by England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, France, and Italy.
World Cup : Hosted every four years, the Rugby World Cup is Rugby Union’s biggest international tournament.
International friendlies : You can also bet on a host of international rugby friendlies when no major competitions are taking place.
Sevens : Rather than 15 players, 7 players are on each team in Rugby Sevens. Numerous Rugby Sevens tournaments run throughout the year.
Top 14 : Top 14 is a professional rugby competition held yearly in France and operated by the French National Rugby League.
Pro D2 : Pro D2 is France’s second tier of Rugby Union.
Mitre 10 Cup : The Mitre 10 Cup is New Zealand’s provincial Rugby Union tournament and has been running since 2006.
Queensland Cup : The Queensland Cup is the highest-level regional Rugby League competition in Queensland, Australia, competed by teams like the Brisbane Tigers, Ipswich, and Northern Pride.
Champions Cup : This is a European tournament for the best club sides on the continent, with a group stage and knockout format that eventually crowns Europe’s best Rugby Union team.
English Premiership : The English Premiership is the UK’s elite professional Rugby Union division.
Rugby Union vs. Rugby League
Rugby Union and Rugby League are different versions of the same game. The style of play is notably different, with Rugby League games playing much faster than Union. Union teams have 15 players each, while League teams have 14.
Moreover, a try in Union is worth five points, while a try in League is worth four. In League, a drop goal is worth one, while a penalty is two. In Union, both are worth three points.
Best Rugby Teams & Players
Internationally, the best Rugby Union teams are in the southern hemisphere. Teams like New Zealand (the All Blacks), Australia, and South Africa tend to dominate the big tournaments. In Europe, Ireland, France, and England tend to be the best teams.
Domestically, the leading Rugby Union teams include Toulouse, Crusaders, the Sharks (Durban), Toulon and the Waikato Chiefs.
As for Rugby League, the biggest domestic teams are in Australia, including the Penrith Panthers, the Brisbane Broncos, and Melbourne Storm.
When it comes to players, the leading Union players in the world are guys like Antoine Dupont, Eben Etzebeth, and Ardie Savea. The League players at the top of their game include Cameron Munster, James Tedesco, and Nathan Cleary.
How Do You Bet on Rugby?
Betting on rugby is straightforward. Your first job is to create an account at Stake.com . You can then decide which currency to add to your account before placing your bets.
You can bet on rugby pre-match or when the games have already started, as several live betting opportunities are available at Stake.com.
How Does Rugby Betting Work?
Rugby betting works just like any other form of sports betting. When you look at a specific fixture, one team will be the favourite, and the other team will be the underdogs. You can bet on the team you think will win or on the draw, provided it’s not a knockout game.
If you make an accurate selection, you will be paid out according to the stake you placed and the odds at the time of your bet.
Types of Rugby Bets & Soccer Betting Markets
There are so many different types of rugby bets that you can place at Stake.com, including the following popular rugby betting markets:
Outright : Outright betting on rugby is a bet on the team you think will win a league or event. For instance, you could place an outright bet on the All Blacks to win the Rugby World Cup.
Moneyline : A moneyline rugby bet is a wager on the team that you think will win a specific rugby fixture.
Parlay : You can bet on several teams to win their respective fixtures in a rugby parlay. For instance, you could build an NRL parlay and have the Panthers, Broncos, and Storm all to win their respective matches.
Total : A total bet is a wager on the total number of points you think will be scored in a rugby match.
Over/Under : In an over/under bet, your job is to bet on the total number of points scored, over or under a specific number.
Handicap : A handicap rugby bet allows you to bet on the winner of a match, but the favourites have a specific point handicap that they must overcome for the bet to win. Generally, handicap betting is made to level out the playing field and used when a clear favourite and underdog team are versing each other.
Same Game Multi : In a same game multi bet, you can place a wager on several occurrences happening in the same rugby game. For example, you might pick France to win a Six Nations match and Damian Penaud to score a try.
Prop : Prop bets are wagers you can place that aren’t tied to the result of a rugby match. These include things like the number of tries or the number of conversions scored by a team or player. You can also play unique player prop bets such as the first player or team to receive a yellow card.
Rugby Betting Odds & Payouts Explained
Before placing rugby bets at Stake.com, you need to be able to read the odds. Rugby odds are given as decimals, fractions, or in the American format, indicating which team is the favourite. If you’re new to odds, refer to our online sports betting guide for more information on how they work.
When you pick a winner, you can receive your winnings immediately, as we offer instant payouts.
Live Rugby Betting – How to Live Stream Rugby & Place In-Play Bets
In addition to pre-match rugby bets, you can also place a range of live bets when the action is already underway. You can also live stream rugby from around the world at Stake.com, the perfect way to watch the action unfold as you wait to see if your selections come in. Check out the upcoming rugby fixtures that you can watch live at Stake.com.
You can read through our guide explaining the differences between pre-match and live betting for more information that will help you bet on live rugby at our online sportsbook.
Rugby Betting Tips & Strategies to Win
Here are some handy tips to bear in mind before betting on rugby at Stake.com:
Always research and check a team’s form and injury list before backing them. Rugby is an intense game, and injuries are common, so ensure that a team isn’t missing their star player before backing them. Keep up to date with our rugby tips and other sports betting tips , as our expert bettors often provide rugby predictions based on individual player and team form for upcoming matches.
Check for the current promotions and ongoing offers you can utilise when betting on rugby at Stake.com.
You can also learn more about how the Stake VIP levels work to take advantage of the exclusive rewards available to Stake VIPs to further boost your bankroll.
Please remember to gamble responsibly when betting on rugby. You can refer to the Stake Smart guidelines for tips and helpful resources.
Deposit & Withdrawal Methods for Rugby Betting
Easily deposit funds into your account to bet on rugby by following these simple steps:
Step 1 – Retrieve your deposit address, located in Wallet > Deposit.
Step 2 – Choose the method that suits your needs. Stake.com supports multiple fiat currencies and crypto including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Dogecoin (Doge), Litecoin (LTC), and others.
Step 3 – Use your deposit address as the ‘send to’ location for your wallet or exchange.
Step 4 (Optional) – If you wish to make a deposit via fiat currency, you can buy crypto for Stake via Moonpay.
Stake.com offers live support to players via our customer support staff for help with issues regarding rugby betting and depositing and withdrawing units .
Moonpay supports multiple payment options, including Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and others, to buy cryptocurrency to bet on rugby. For a full list of supported payment options, please refer to the Moonpay documentation .
Learn how to use the Stake Vault to securely store funds online to fund future sports bets at the Stake Casino.
Please always remember to bet within your means and gamble responsibly . You can learn how to stay in control with our Stake Safe guidelines .
Why Should You Bet on Rugby at Stake.com?
Stake.com is the world’s leading online sportsbook and casino. You can bet on a host of rugby markets and take advantage of the best odds and instant withdrawals to enhance your online betting experience. So, whether you're an expert rugby tipster or a huge rugby fan, you can take advantage of our rugby betting odds and lines as you get amongst the action!
