Rugby Union Betting Odds

Rugby Union is one of the most popular sports in the world to watch and bet on. Here is a look at some of the rugby union betting markets available to bet on here at talkSPORT BET.

History of Rugby Union

Rugby union is a sport that evolved from football, with the first set of rules being drawn in 1845 in Rugby, England. The Rugby Football Union was then formed in 1871 to govern the game. It has gone on to become one of the most popular sports in the world.

Rugby Union explained

Each team in rugby union consists of 15 players. The aim of the game is to score points by either scoring a try (five points), a penalty (three points) or a conversion (two points). 

To score a try, a team needs to take the ball into the opposite team’s try line. They can either pass the ball backwards and run to make progress or kick the ball down the field. After a try is scored, the successful team gets the chance to add a further two points with a conversion. 

Teams are awarded penalties when their opponents break the rules. The team with the penalty gets to kick towards the goal. If they can kick the ball between the posts, their team scores three points. 

Rugby union is one of two forms of rugby, with the other being rugby league. The latter involves fewer players, there are a set number of tackles allowed per drive and the scoring system is different, with four points for a try and just one point for a conversion.

Major Rugby Union Events to bet on

You can bet on all the major rugby union events here at talkSPORT BET. Here is a look at some of the big events on the calendar.

Rugby Union World Cup

The Rugby Union World Cup takes place every four years. It involves all the leading international teams in the world.   

South Africa won the 2023 World Cup in France with a tight 12-11 final victory over New Zealand. It was South Africa’s fourth World Cup title, and they will hope to defend their crown in the 2027 tournament, which will be held in Australia.  

Six Nations Championship

The Six Nations tournament is an annual competition that features England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France and Italy. It is considered one of the oldest and most prestigious tournaments in the rugby world. 

United Rugby Championship

The United Rugby Championship is an annual domestic competition involving teams from Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Italy and South Africa. It is played in a league format between September and May.  

Glasgow Warriors won their second URC title in the 2023-24 season, though Leinster are still the most successful team in the competition’s history, with eight trophies in the cabinet.  

Munster’s Jack Crowley was in superb form throughout the 2023-24 season, winning the Player of the Year prize for his impressive displays.  

Rugby Sevens World Series

The Rugby Sevens World Series is played annually amongst international teams. Unlike a standard game of rugby, each team can only field seven players.  

The most recent SVNS season ran from December 2023 to June 2024, finishing in time for the Olympic Games in Paris. France won the tournament in the men’s series, while Australia triumphed in the women’s format. 

Once again, the 2024-25 SVNS series will be hosted in numerous cities worldwide. The 2025 Series kicks off with games in Dubai, with the first round of fixtures between 30 November and 1 December 2024.   

Super Rugby

Played in Australia, Fiji, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, Super Rugby is the most popular domestic league in Oceania. It is played between February and June. The league also welcomes teams from South Africa and Argentina.   

In the 2024 Super Rugby Final, the Blues beat the Chiefs 41-10 to win their first Super Rugby title, though they have won the Super 12 title on three occasions.  

The Blues’ triumph halted an incredible winning run for their rivals, Crusaders, who had won the past five tournaments.  

How to Bet on Rugby Union

You can bet on rugby union by heading to our dedicated rugby union page on our site. You can find it in the A-Z section of sports on our home page. All the latest rugby union events like the Rugby World Cup and Super Rugby can be found here.

Rugby Union Odds Explained

The Rugby Union Odds you see on our site will reflect the selection’s chance of being successful. For example, in a Super Rugby game, odds are created using the latest up to date data, looking at a team’s recent form, position in the table, any suspensions and player injuries. 

All British bookmakers tend to use fractional odds in rugby. If the denominator number is higher than the numerator in the fraction, the odds are described as odds-on, whereas when the numerator is higher than the denominator, they are odds against.

Rugby Union Popular Betting Markets

Here is a look at some of the popular rugby union betting markets.

Full Time

A full-time result in rugby is a bet on a team to be successful in the 80-minute match market. There are three possible outcomes in rugby betting here, Team A winner, Team B winner and the draw.

Half-Time/Full-Time

You can place a bet on the outcomes at half-time and full-time in rugby. If you are confident that Team A is going to be winning at half-time and full-time, you could place a bet on Team A in this market. The rugby union odds will be greater than the full-time market.

First Tryscorer

We offer rugby betting odds on who will score the first try in the game. Each of the players involved will be priced up in this market.

Accas

You can place an accumulator or ACCA on multiple matches in rugby. For your ACCA to be successful, each bet placed on the teams needs to come in.

Outright Results

We offer outright betting on tournaments and competitions in rugby union. We pay out on the official result by the governing body of each event.

Where to Bet on Rugby Union

You can bet on rugby union here at talkSPORT BET. It is considered one of the best rugby betting sites, as not only can you bet pre-match on rugby union, but we also offer in play betting, so you can get involved during a match. 

Here at talkSPORT BET, we offer a large array of markets on the sport, and you will find competitive rugby union betting odds across our outright and individual match markets. The user experience on our website and app means you can find the selection you want to bet on quickly and you can also switch between pages easily. 

We also have a safer gambling portal to help you when it comes to minimising losses and setting up deposit limits. These are available to help you stay in control and to support you to ensure gambling remains fun and safe.

Rugby Union Betting Bonuses and Promotions

New and existing talkSPORT BET customers can pick up a range of bonuses and promotions. You can find all our latest Rugby Union betting offers on our bonus page. These update regularly so you can visit this page to see if any of these catch your eye.