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Peter Addison

Rugby union is a form of rugby football played primarily in the UK, Ireland, France, Italy and Australia. In some parts of the UK, this sport is more popular than ‘soccer’, and so is betting on it. This page will outline the best rugby union betting sites in the UK, as well as how to bet, what to bet on and where to find rugby union bonuses and promotions that you can take advantage of.

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Bet £20 and get it back as cash if it loses

26/03/24

Bet £20 and get it back as cash if it loses

  • Bet on all matches, from the UK to Japan
  • ‘Power Prices’ – boosted odds on rugby union games
  • Can’t find the odds? Then ask Paddy for them!
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Place your FIRST bet on any Sportsbook market and if it loses we will refund your stake in CASH. Max refund for this offer is €/£20. Only deposits made using cards will qualify for this promotion. T&Cs apply

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22/04/24

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New customers only. Register with SUMMER50 between 31/05/24 – 14/07/24. First bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. Full T&Cs apply.

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04/04/24

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#ad. 18+. Play Safe. 3x £10 free bets. Free bets expire after 30 days. New customers signing up through mobile or tablet device only. Minimum £10 stake on odds of 1/2 (1.5) or greater on sportsbook (excluding Virtual markets). Further terms apply. begambleaware.org

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02/04/24

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Registration required. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply.

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05/04/24

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We’ve enhanced our UK Sportsbook Welcome Offer. Get 50% Back as a Free Bet up to £35 (normally £25) plus 10 Free Spins! A minimum of 3 bets at odds of evens (2.00) or greater is required to qualify for the max free bet, which is based on 50% back of first day losses. Even if your account is up, a single £10 Bet at the minimum odds, secures a £5 Free Bet & 10 Free Spins. UK 18+T&C’s

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05/01/24

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18+ New Customer only. Register with Fafabet and get 50% back as a free bet up to £50+20 casino bonus. Deposit and bet on Sportsbook markets of your choice at odds of evens 1/1 (2.00) or greater is required to qualify for the max free bet, which is based on first day losses. T&Cs apply.

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05/01/24

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  • Leading rugby union betting site from ProgressPlay
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New players only. Minimum stake £10, minimum odds 2, stake not returned. 1X wagering the winnings from the Free Bet. Wagering occurs from real balance first. Wagering requirement is calculated on bonus bets only, wagering starts from real funds. Free Bet is valid for 7 days from issue. Max conversion: £200. Excluded Skrill deposits. Withdrawal requests voids all active/pending bonuses. Full Terms Apply

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05/01/24

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05/01/24

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Table of contents

Top 10 Rugby Union Betting Sites

We have picked out what we consider to be the best rugby union betting sites currently available to sports bettors in the UK. We have also selected a particular stand-out point as to why we think they are worthy of your investigation, at least as you look for a betting site to place your bets on rugby union.

  1. Paddy Power – Our number one pick for the best rugby union betting site
  2. Betfred – Sponsors rugby league, but hot on rugby union too!
  3. William Hill – Get all the info about the Six Nations tournament
  4. Bet365 – Has the most rugby union handicap betting options
  5. QuinnBet – Has betting on options on UK rugby + France’s Top 14
  6. Sporting Index – The best UK site for rugby union spread betting
  7. Fafabet – Use your daily free bet to bet on rugby union matches
  8. Vince Vegas – Bet on the United Rugby Championship here
  9. 10bet – Place your wagers on the Gallagher Premiership Grand Final
  10. Betfair – Rugby union exchange betting – bet or lay (bet against)

Five of the Best Rugby Union Betting Sites

We’ve just given you our list of the ten best rugby union betting sites. Now it’s time to scrum down with five of them and get a bit sweaty. Here are brief reviews of the leading five sites in the UK at which you can bet on rugby union football.

Paddy Power – Our Number One Pick for the Best Rugby Union Betting Site

Given the current dominance of Ireland in the annual Six Nations international rugby union tournament, it is perhaps no surprise that we have chosen an Irish site as our number one pick for rugby union betting. Although Paddy Power began life as a real-world bookmaker in Dublin in 1988, it has been at the forefront of UK online bookmakers since it launched on the internet in 2014. It is now part of a joint company which owns Paddy Power along with Betfair.

paddy power rugby union betting

So, why have we selected Paddy Power as our number one for rugby union betting? Firstly, there’s the range of betting markets it offers on the Six Nations, the UK Premiership, the United Rugby Championship, French Leagues … right down to Japan Rugby and Super Pacific Rugby. Secondly, there are the ‘Power Prices’ which are enhanced odds. When we checked the site it was offering 9/4 on Leinster to win the Champions Cup, boosted from 2/1! And thirdly, if you can’t find the odds for your rugby union bet, you can tweet Paddy Power on X using the tags @AskPaddyPower or #WhatOddsPaddy and ask them to give them to you!

What We Like:

  • Bet on all matches, from the UK to Japan
  • ‘Power Prices’ – boosted odds on rugby union games
  • Can’t find the odds? Then ask Paddy for them!

Room for Improvement:

  • More boosted prices, please

Betfred – Sponsors rugby league, but hot on rugby union too!

Betfred really like their rugby – Fred Done is from Yorkshire (ish) after all. Sadly, they prefer rugby league to the union code. They are the current sponsors of the Super League, which is rugby league’s equivalent of Premiership Rugby. Despite this preference for the league code, the betting options for rugby union at Betfred should not be ignored. One thing we noted when we checked out the rugby options at Betfred – even though it was 2024, they were offering prices on World Cup 2027 outright markets already!

betfred rugby union betting

Another thing to look out for at Betfred are price boosts which again are enhanced odds on the top rugby union games. These are offered daily, so always check the site for details. Competitions offered include the Six Nations, Premiership, European Champions Cup plus French (Top 1 and Pro D2) and Super Rugby Pacific. Countless markets for all games are offered, including Draw No Bet wagers and Handicap betting.

What We Like:

  • Plenty of boosted prices
  • Odds for World Cup outrights years in advance
  • Rugby handicap betting available

Room for Improvement:

  • Rugby league takes precedence over rugby union

William Hill – Get all the info about the Six Nations tournament

We have tended to discover that it’s the well-established betting sites in the UK that have the best coverage when it comes to rugby union. Now it is time for us to talk about the William Hill rugby union betting options, as William Hill is another classic UK bookmaker with the best rugby union betting markets, coverage, deals and offers. Rugby union even gets its own news page at the site, with previews, guides, betting tips and much more.

william hill rugby union betting

William Hill also offers ‘#YourOdds’ which are, as you might have surmised, enhanced odds on specific rugby combos. When we checked the site, it was offering 9/2 on a double – Ireland to win the Six Nations Grand Slam, and for Damian Pernaud to finish clear as the top tournament tryscorer. The site always has bonus #YourOdds deals, and offers inventive markets such as Six Nations Grand Slam, Triple Crown and ‘To Finish Bottom’ markets.

What We Like:

  • #YourOdds – enhanced odds on specific combos
  • Inventive markets on the top tournaments
  • Rugby Union each way betting available

Room for Improvement:

  • We don’t like the merger of competitions on the coupon page

Bet365 – Has the most rugby union handicap betting options

When we are championing betting sites, no matter the sport you will usually find bet365 has made it somewhere on the list. Bet365 prides itself on offering more markets than any other sites, and that is definitely the case as far as rugby union is concerned, and rugby union handicap betting in particular. This site excels with its coverage – Six Nations, Premiership, URC, European Rugby, French Rugby, Japan Rugby, Welsh Premiership … bet365 has the lot covered.

bet365 rugby union betting

Bet365 is excellent for handicap betting. Just check the site for any game and see all the handicaps available. Two added bonuses too – you can use the Bet Builder for rugby union betting at this site, plus for selected matches the bet is only settled once play has truly concluded, and not after 80 minutes (i.e. the end of normal time) as at countless other rugby union betting sites. Of course this only applies to knockout games, so check the site for the matches where ‘Extra Time Extra Chance’ is available.

What We Like:

  • More handicap betting markets than any other online bookies
  • You can use bet365’s Bet Builder on most rugby union matches
  • Bets settled on end of game and not 80 minutes for some knockout games

Room for Improvement:

  • Site design still leaves a lot to be desired

QuinnBet – Has betting on options on UK rugby + France’s Top 14

QuinnBet is probably a site you are most likely to think of as one of the best horse racing betting sites, but rugby union fans need to take into consideration what it offers in terms of rugby betting too. It may not offer as many markets as the sites above it in this list of the best rugby union betting sites, but what it does offer should certainly be sufficient for most rugby union betting fans.

quinnbet rugby union betting

Head to the rugby union betting options at QuinnBet and, uniquely, you’ll find match-winner bets prominently displayed alongside the most popular rugby union handicap betting lines. For each match, you can see the handicap offer, usually calculated to give both sides a chance of ‘winning’ with equal odds, with the odds of a draw usually stratospheric! Alternative handicaps are offered too, so just pick the handicap that appeals to your rugby union betting brain the most, and place your bets!

What We Like:

  • US ‘spread betting’ style handicaps
  • Alternative handicap betting is available
  • Coverage of all rugby union markets in the UK, Ireland and France

Room for Improvement:

  • Not as many markets as other sites on our list

Best Sites for Online Rugby Betting Compared

We’ve revealed to you our best picks for a rugby union bet or two, and now it is time for us to compare them all directly. We’ve selected a handful of important criteria that all top online rugby betting sites should have and indicated which of our selected sites have them, and which do not.

Rugby Union Betting Site Live Rugby Union Betting Enhanced Rugby Union Odds Rugby Union Handicap Betting Virtual Rugby
paddy power 1

logo betfred1 20220107 125918

William Hill

​​✅

logo bet365 1

logo quinnbet

sportingindex 1

fafabet 1

vince vegas

10Bet 1

logo betfair1

What Do the Best Rugby Union Betting Sites Offer?

So how do the best rugby betting sites rush over the goalline and slam the ball down for a game-winning try, and what makes a site, in terms of the best rugby betting options, treat the ball like it’s a hot potato? Here are some betting aspects we look for when evaluating rugby betting sites, and a little bit of information about each.

Rugby Union Betting Markets

There are never as many betting markets available for rugby union fans as there are for those who bet on football. But that shouldn’t mean a site should skimp on the available markets. We check to see if a site goes beyond three-way bets and outrights. We like to see plenty of handicap betting markets available for rugby union, as well as bets on points and split over each half.

Rugby Union Betting Coverage

There are more rugby union-playing nations all over the globe than you may think. We can all name the Great Britain nations, of course. And most sports fans could add France, Italy, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. But rugby union is also a popular sport in Japan, the US, the Pacific Islands and even Portugal. We check to see if a site has betting options beyond the main rugby-playing nations before we include it in our ‘best of’ list.

Bonuses, Promotions and Enhanced Odds

Again, rugby union simply does not attract the same kind of bookmaking business as football, but (again) that’s not a reason why UK online bookies should completely ignore rugby union when it comes to promos and enhanced odds. We check every bookmaking site in the UK to see what they have on offer when it comes to rugby union and report our findings back to you, our cherished site users.

… and The Rest

We hate to use this comparison yet again, but as rugby union betting is not as income-generating for UK betting sites as football, what’s on offer when it comes to union rules is simply what’s above. What else do we look out for, then? Well, anything! Live rugby union betting options, of course (although live streaming of rugby is out of the equation, as we will find out about later), plus virtual rugby. Practically anything that can be placed under the rugby union banner.

For more information about how we choose which rugby union betting sites to recommend, see How We Rate Bookmakers.

Best Rugby Betting Online Offers

We’ve searched high and low for top online offers you can qualify for if you are betting on rugby at a top site in the UK. Some of these deals will be specific for people looking for rugby bookmakers, while others are generic and so can be used on most leading sports, with rugby union very much being one of them. Review these promotions and then take advantage of them, or check the sites yourself to see what the latest bonus news is!

Paddy Power – Bet £5, Get £20 in Free Bets

paddy powerRugby union fans can gain £20 in free bets just by placing a £5 bet using their own money. Make a minimum £5 deposit using a debit card or Apple Pay and the promo code ‘YSKARZ’ and then bet on any event (doesn’t have to be rugby union) with minimum odds of Evens (2.00) and you will receive £20 in free bets. Your free bets are available for 30 days and can be used on any market, and at any price. Free bet stakes are not returned as part of a winning bet.

Betfred – Get Double the Odds For Two Tries

logo betfred1 20220107 125918Okay, we are going to bend the rules slightly and mention Betfred’s offer, and only whisper that it’s on league rules. Place a single bet on any first tryscorer for the 2024 Super League and if your chosen player goes on to score a second try, you’ll get double the odds for your winning bet! If you insist on betting on the union code only, then check out Betfred’s welcome deal which will award you £30 in free bets for a £10 sports bet of your own. Check the site for details, terms and conditions.

William Hill – Bet £10, Get £30 in Free Bets

William HillIf you are just starting off in your rugby betting career, then this deal at William Hill should serve you well. Register an account at William Hill using the promo code ‘R30’ then fund your account using a debit card at least £10. Next, place a bet with a minimum stake of £10 on any event (doesn’t have to be rugby union) with odds of 1/2 (1.50) or greater. Once that bet has settled you will be awarded three free £10 bets. Free bets last for seven days and come with no restrictions. As is usually the case, free bet stakes are not returned with any winning bets.

Bet365 – Extra Time Extra Chance

logo bet365

As most rugby union bets are settled over 80 minutes, there is nothing more annoying than when your backed team ends the game tying with their opponent, but goes on to win in extra time. At bet365, you don’t have to worry about this! Any pre-match bet on full-time or second-half rugby union market really does go the distance. Your bet is kept active and is only settled once the game is officially over. This does not apply to ALL rugby union matches, so check the site for details to avoid disappointment.

Rugby Union v Rugby League – What’s the Difference?

Both codes of rugby were once a form of football, hence ‘rugby football’. In 1863 the Football Association banned all forms of football in which players were allowed to carry the ball. This was against the football rules played at Rugby school in Warwickshire. People who wished to carry on with ‘the Rugby game’ formed the Rugby Football Union in 1871.

In 1895 several clubs in Northern England resigned from the RFU over payments to players. These clubs made changes to the Rugby football rules and named their version of the sport ‘rugby league’. The RFU named their version ‘rugby union’.

There are many differences between the two codes, with the main ones being as follows:

Difference Rugby Union Rugby League
Number of Players 15 plus 8 replacements 13 plus 10 replacements
Possession Possession retained Possession lost after six tackles
When Tackled Ball must be released Ball can be retained
Ball out of Play Returned via a line out Returned via a scrum
The Scrum Eight players in scrum, contested Six players in a scrum, uncontested
Six of Field 106-144m x 70m 112-122m x 70m
Scoring Try 5, Conversion 2, Penalty Kick 3, Drop Goal 3, Penalty Try 7 Try 4, Conversion 2, Penalty Kick 2, Drop Goal 1, Penalty Try 4, 6 or 8.
Shape of the Ball Egg-shaped Aerodynamic egg-shaped

Rugby league is primarily played in the North of England, and in Yorkshire to be exact. There are, however, professional rugby league teams in London, Perpignan (France) and even Toronto. Professional rugby league is also played in the other UK countries, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa and other nations.

Rugby union is played all over England, plus in all UK countries, Ireland, France, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and other countries all over the globe.

Key Rugby Union Tournaments to Bet On

Although not as popular as some other sports, there is plenty of rugby union taking place all over the world and all through the year. Below we take a look at the leading tournaments that rugby union fans enjoy, both nationally and internationally.

Rugby World Cup

The rise in global rugby union saw the introduction of the Rugby World Cup, first hosted by Australia and New Zealand in 1987. That first tournament involved 16 nations, including all the best teams in the world, plus a handful of minnows such as Japan, the US, Fiji and Zimbabwe. New Zealand ran out the eventful winners, beating France 29-9 in the final.

The tournament has been held, without a break, every four years since, and has been won a record four times by South Africa. England are the only home nation to have won the Rugby World Cup, with the country grinding to a halt in 2003 to watch the Johnny Wilkinson-inspired 20-17 win over tournament hosts Australia.

Six Nations

The most-watched rugby union international tournament is competed for annually and has been with just the odd break since its inauguration in 1883. Originally the ‘Home Nations Championship’ it featured England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland and became the ‘Five Nations Championship’ in 1910 when France were added to the mix. It became the current format in 2000 when Italy were added too.

Games commence in February and are played every two weeks or so, with each side playing each other side once. The venues for each game are switched every year, so England were at home to Ireland in 2024, but played in Ireland in 2023. As of 2024, England and Wales share the record for the most titles at 39 each.

Premiership Rugby

Rugby union’s governing body resisted the formation of league rugby for over a century, as they wished rugby to remain an amateur pastime. Eventually, they acquiesced to the desires of member clubs and created a league system in 1987, although it was another ten years until the league became professional.

Premiership Rugby is the premium tier of professional rugby union in England. Currently, ten teams compete in the Premiership, with the top four going through to the end-of-season playoffs. The league has seen financial difficulties in recent years, with Wasps, Worcester and London Irish all folding due to a lack of money. London side Saracens have dominated Premiership Rugby in recent seasons, winning the title five times in the past nine seasons.

European Champions Cup

This international competition commenced in 1995 as a way of allowing clubs from the UK and France to compete at the very highest level. It is still called the European Rugby Champions Cup even though teams from South Africa have been allowed to compete in it since 2022.

Twenty-four clubs compete each year in the tournament – eight from England, eight from France and eight qualifiers from the United Rugby Championship (see below). Teams are drawn in four groups of six but only play four selected games each. A seeded knockout competition then takes place until only two teams remain, who then play the final in May.

French side Toulouse are the most successful side in the European Champions Cup, winning five titles.

United Rugby Championship

This tournament was created in 2000 as a way of allowing teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa and Wales to compete away from the dominance of sides from England and France. Teams play in regional pools (Scotland and South Africa share a pool) over eighteen rounds, although they play teams from other pools too over the course of the season.

The top-ranked team from each pool and the next four teams with the best record qualify for both the playoffs and the European Champions Cup. The playoffs take place on a knockout basis to determine the winner. Ireland’s Munster have won the title the most times, at four.

Rugby Union Competitions to Bet On, Nation by Nation

The following table goes through all the world’s leading rugby union-playing nations (aside from England which has already been mentioned) and lists the top-tier national league or competition for each, plus some other relevant information.

Nation Top Tier Competition (Clubs) Inauguration Most Successful Team (Titles)
Argentina URBA Top 12 (12) 1899 CA San Isidro (33)
Australia* Shute Shield (12) 1874 Sydney University (33)
Chile National Championship (?) 1948 ?
Fiji* Skipper Cup 1963 Nadroga (14)
France Top 14 (14) 1892 Toulouse (22)
Georgia Didi (10) 1990 Locomotive (10)
Ireland All-Ireland (50) 1990 Shannon (9)
Italy Top 12 (12) 1929 Amatori Milano (18)
Japan League One (12) 2003 Saitama Wild Knights (6)
Namibia Premier League (8) 1920 ?
New Zealand* National Provincial Championships (14) 2006 Canterbury (9)
Portugal Divisão de Honra (12) 1958 CDUL (20)
Romania SupaLiga (14) 1914 Steaua București (24)
Samoa** Provincial Championship (?) ? ?
Scotland League Championship (10) 1973 Hawick (13)
South Africa Currie Cup (17) 1891 Western Province (24, plus 4 shared)
Tonga** Provincial Championship (?) ? ?
Uruguay Campeonato Uruguayo (11) 1950 Carrasco Polo (28)
Wales Premier Division (12) 1990 Neath (7)

*the top Australian, Fijian and New Zealand sides compete in a combined top-tier league, ‘Super Rugby’.

**teams from Samoa and Tonga compete in the same league.

Popular Rugby Union Betting Markets

There are plenty of ways of betting on rugby union other than tournament winners and match winners. Below we outline all the most popular rugby bets online. Use this guide to place your wagers at the best online rugby betting sites.

Tournament Winner

An easy one this – just back the winner at the best Rugby World Cup betting sites when the World Cup swings around, or the Six Nations, or the Premiership, or any tournament. These are also known as ‘outright’ bets.

Match Winner

Another simple bet to understand – choose any match and select who you want to win when rugby betting online. You’ll find dozens of matches to bet on week in, week out.

Rugby Handicap Betting

Because rugby union is typically a high-scoring game, rugby handicap betting is very popular. If you head to any site, you will see the main handicap that’s available for any tie. The favourite will have a negative handicap applied, and the underdog a positive one. Unlike other sports though, the handicap will be a whole number, meaning that you can bet on the tie.

There should be a match handicap, plus handicaps for the first and second halves allowing you more choice with your handicap bets.

Winning Margins

Another popular market for rugby betting online is the margin of victory. Here, you select the team who you think will win, and the difference between the scores. Rugby betting odds for these markets are usually given in five-point bands.

Points

There are various bets you can place based on the points a side scores in the match. These include the first team to score a point, the last team to score a point and whether a team’s final points total will be odd or even. You can also bet on the last bet mentioned here per half.

Try Scorers

Depending on interest in the game, you can bet on the first try scorer (team and player), or the last try scorer (team or player). For less popular markets, you can bet on the shirt number of the first or last try scored on an odd or even basis. For all these wagers, you can bet on no tries being scored.

Trys

Overall for trys, you can bet on the first team to score a try, and the last team to score a try, or for there to be no tries scored. You can also bet on whether the total number of tries will be odd or even, and if the first try scored will be converted successfully.

Half Markets

These markets are based on the two halves of the game. You can wager on which side will be winning at half time, which half will have the most points (or it being a tie) and whether the first-/second-half points total will be odd or even.

The above are all the most common markets offered on rugby union, but the bigger the match, the greater the number of markets in the rule. If you want to bet on a big event such as England v Scotland in the Six Nations, you will find plenty of inventive markets for you to wager upon.

Rugby Live Betting and Streaming

Live betting and rugby union are common bedfellows, and you can bet on rugby union games once they have commenced. Unfortunately, live rugby union matches do not have the same level of markets as live betting on football, for example, but you should find enough markets on live rugby betting options to satisfy you.

Naturally, live streaming goes hand-in-hand with live betting, so are you likely to find live streaming of rugby union at the best rugby union betting sites in the UK? The answer to that question is … it’s unlikely. In the UK, there are several broadcasters that typically show rugby union matches. The United Rugby Championship is shown by the BBC and Viaplay, while the Rugby European Championship is streamed by Rugby Europe TV. Broadcasting rights to the Premiership are held by TNT Sports, and Sky Sports shows Super Rugby (Pacific). Broadcasting rights to the Six Nations are shared between the BBC and ITV. The 2023 Rugby World Cup was broadcast on ITV and S4C. All this means there is very little rugby union left for betting sites in the UK to stream so … they don’t.

Rugby Union Betting Tips and Strategies

Are you a rugby union fan who wishes to bet on your favourite sport but does not really know where to start? Then allow us to come to your rescue. We’ve hounded the rugby betting experts on our site until they’ve revealed to us their best rugby betting tips, which we present to you below.

  1. Use Early Payouts to Guarantee Profit

    Some sites offer early payout on rugby union matches. Bet365 will pay out as soon as your backed team goes 15 points ahead. So you could back a team at bet365, and then lay them at a betting exchange (hedge your stake). That means you can’t lose, and if your backed teams goes 15 points ahead but then ties or loses, both bets win!
  2. Use Handicap Markets to Get Better Odds

    Let’s talk about France v Italy in the Six Nations in 2024. France were 1/150 to win; hardly worth a bet! The last time France played Italy at home, they won 60 to 7! The handicap odds of France to beat Italy in 2024 by 45 points were (at bet365) 10/3, much better than 1/150! Estimating the margin of victory in many rugby union matches will give much better odds than betting on the win.
  3. Don’t Wing It, Don’t Back the Winger

    If you are considering backing ‘anytime tryscorer’ then you’re probably going to be tempted by the odds of the wingers. After all, wingers score the most often in rugby union. However, when it comes to ‘anytime tryscorer’ in a game that’s likely to contain a high number of points, consider backing a forward instead. The highest-scoring winger of all time, Japan’s Daisuke Ohata, may have scored 69 tries, but there have been high-scoring forwards too, such as Keith Wood of Ireland, Mamuka Gorgodze of Georgia and Richie McCaw of New Zealand.
  4. Who’s Holding a Sicknote

    There are plenty of teams who have thrived on key players. It is hard to imagine England would have won the World Cup in 2003 if Jonny Wilkinson, Martin Johnson and Matt Dawson had been injured. When you are thinking of betting on a team to win a match, check out the side’s injury news. If a key name or two is unlikely to play then it may be worth your while holding on to your stake instead.

Where to Find the Best Rugby Betting Odds

Even if you follow the top tips as listed by our rugby union betting experts, you’ll only max out your returns if you know the route to getting the best rugby union betting odds. You may rest assured that all the sites on our best rugby union betting sites top ten list offer competitive odds. As an illustration, we picked out the odds on the Northampton Saints retaining their Gallagher Premiership title in 2025 from each of our top five sites (correct as at 08:00, 02/07/2024).

Site Odds offered
Paddy Power 5/3
Betfred 11/4
William Hill 9/4
Bet365 5/2
QuinnBet 5/2

Betfred offered the best odds at 11/4, which was equal to the best odds we could find at any site, even ones that didn’t make it to our top rugby union betting sites list.

Rugby Betting on Mobile

You probably know this but you can just as easily bet on rugby union on your phone or tablet as you can on your laptop or PC. Not all sites advertise that they have apps. Your best bet is to hunt for an app at the Apple App Store or Google Play to see if one is available. Just download it, install it and get betting with a stab of a finger as opposed to the click of a mouse button.

Everything you can do at the desktop version of a rugby union betting site you can do on mobile. We have already explained that rugby union live streaming is unlikely, and that goes for mobile as much as it does desktop. Betting via a mobile device is simply more convenient, and don’t worry if your favourite rugby union bookmaker doesn’t offer an app. You can still use any site on your mobile using a web browser, just as you would on desktop.

Rugby Betting Glossary of Terms

Here now is quick lexicon of terms that should be familiar to rugby union enthusiasts, but may need a little clarification for those unfamiliar with tossing an egg-shaped ball around. We hope you find it useful.

Term Definition
Advantage A call from the referee that allows a fouled team to continue with the play.
Backs Numbers 9 to 15 in a team that do not participate in scrums and line-outs, aside from the scrum half (number 9).
Binding Expertly gripping teammates to form a secure scrum, ruck or maul.
Blindside From a ruck, maul or set piece, the short side of the field.
Charge down Block a kick.
Chip kick A short kick over the head of an opponent with the intention of resecuring possession.
Clearance kick A kick into touch in order to relieve pressure when under attack.
Conversion A kick awarded after the scoring of a try.
Drop goal A kick between the posts.
Drop out A kick to restart play after the ball has been touched down by the defending team beyond its own try line, or after the ball has left the field of play beyond the dead-ball line.
Foot up When the hooker brings a foot forward before the ball has been feed into the scrum by the scrum half.
Forward pass An illegal pass as all passes in rugby union must go backwards.
Forwards Numbers 1 to 8 who form scrums and line-outs.
Half-back An alternative name for the scrum half.
Knock on Dropping, losing or knocking the ball forward from a player’s hand that results in a loss of possession.
Lineout Two rows of forwards between which the ball is thrown to restart play after the ball has gone out of touch.
Maul Once three players have bound themselves (one with the ball) it becomes a maul.
Offside Any player on the opposition’s side during a ruck, scrum, lineout or maul.
Penalty Kick An uncontested kick awarded as a result of a foul.
Penalty Try A try awarded after a try was prevented using means that are against the rules.
Place Kick A kick from a tee – kickoffs, penalty kicks and conversions.
Ruck Same as a maul except that the ball is on the ground.
Scrum The two sets of forwards bound and attempting to gain ground and possession. A way of restarting play.
Scrum-half Number 9 – feeds the ball into the scrum and retrieves it from scrums, rucks and mauls.
Try Touching the ball to ground between the opposition’s try line and dead-ball line and scoring.

The Final Try

The eighty minutes are up, there’s no extra time but we hope we have managed to outscore our opponents when it comes to showing you the best rugby union betting sites in the UK. If you were ever in the dark about selecting the best rugby bookmakers, then we hope we’ve helped you see the light, as well as explaining how you can place the best rugby bets and where you ought to be placing them. Happy rugger betting!

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26/03/24

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Peter Addison
Peter Addison

Peter is one of the most well-known and well-respected names working in the field of online sports betting today. Having a Bachelor of Arts degree, Peter has worked for many high-profile publications in the industry, both online and in the real world. He joined the SafestBettingSites team in 2021 and has provided millions of words ever since. When not writing, Peter enjoys performing and writing music, gaming, reading and he is a massive movie buff, with a particular love of Japanese cinema and anime.