A Beginner’s Guide to Making Rugby Bets

Rugby has long held the title of one of New Zealand’s most beloved sports, so it comes as no surprise that more and more punters are drawn to the thrilling pastime of making rugby bets. As a result of the sport’s increasing popularity, a growing number of online sports books and sports betting websites offer great betting action for rugby, as well as covering a number of local and international rugby matches and tournaments.

Rugby Union vs. Rugby League

There are two predominant players in the world of rugby, namely the Rugby Union and the Rugby League, each with their own code and set of rules. The biggest discernible difference is that the Rugby Union sports a 15- man team, while the Rugby League sports a 13-man team. Despite differences in gameplay, both are equally entertaining and enjoyable to watch and bet on, with most of the common types of rugby bets applying to both codes of the game.

Common Types of Rugby Bets

  • Outright Betting: Also referred to as tournament betting, this a popular type of bet where a wager is placed on which team will be the outright winner of the tournament.
  • Match Betting: This is a simple bet on the outcome of a rugby match, it is also sometimes called the 80 minute market. A bet can be placed on a team to win or tie.
  • Handicap Betting: Handicapped betting is a popular betting option on NZ betting sites that makes watching one-sided matches more exciting by giving both teams an equal shot at winning by evening the odds. This is done by either adding or deducting points from the team’s end score.
  • First Try Scorer: This is a bet on which player will score the first try of the match. Although the likelihood of winning this type of wager is generally low, it is a high paying bet if you do back the right player.
  • Last Try Scorer: Like the name suggests, this type of bet is a wager on which player or team will score the last try.
  • Winning Margin: Another popular type of rugby bet, a winning margin bet is simply making a wager on how many points a team will win by.
  • Total Points: A simple type of bet on how many points in total the two competing teams will score in a match.

Rugby Betting Tips

If you’re a novice at rugby betting and are just starting to place your first few rugby bets, it’s a great idea not only to familiarise yourself with the different types of rugby bets and rules, but also to focus your attention on a specific league or a handful of teams. Narrowing down your focus will allow you to become better acquainted with a specific team’s performance, their track record as well as how well they fare on certain rugby grounds. This information is extremely important in helping you analyse the odds and determining the value of certain bets.

Rugby is a thrilling sport that demands an intense amount of skill and energy from its players, which is one of the driving factors that makes this a fun and exciting sport to watch and bet on. Before placing any rugby bets, make sure that you find a reputable betting site that offers you the kind of betting action you’re comfortable with and interested in.