Rugby is undoubtedly the most popular sport in New Zealand, with numerous fans all over the country. Rugby union and rugby league are the two most followed formats, which offer a large number of games throughout the year. Naturally, many rugby enthusiasts enjoy placing bets on these games, and if you’re one of the people who follow the sport, getting to know the markets is a solid idea.
Betting on the games you follow will add another layer of excitement with the potential to land a win along with your team. The article below will provide a solid guide for all beginners in rugby betting, so if you’re interested in taking part, keep reading.
Understanding the Basics of Rugby Betting
Before we go into the specifics of rugby betting, let’s go over the basics of the sport and the differences between the two main variants. Mainly, you should know that rugby union is played with 15 players per team, while rugby league requires only 13 players per team. You’ll notice other differences in format as you watch the games, which will allow you to place bets with more confidence.
Luckily, there will be plenty of chances to watch rugby, as competitions such as the Six Nations Championship and Super Rugby happen annually, and the Rugby World Cup comes on every four years.
Popular Rugby Bet Types
Once you’re certain that you know all the rules of rugby, you can proceed with analysing the available betting markets. Rugby offers many betting options, so you won’t have an issue finding something to predict. Here are the most common bets you can find at online platforms like Betswap when it comes to rugby games:
- Match Result (Moneyline): It doesn’t get any simpler than this. Place a bet on one of the teams to win, and cash in if your prediction comes true. If you’re a beginner, moneyline is the perfect place to start.
- Handicap Betting (Spread Betting): Some games don’t have the best online odds due to one team being a large favourite to win. In these cases, you can turn to handicap betting. If you bet with a handicap, you’re essentially adding a starting edge to one team. So, you can bet for a team to win despite the added edge, or for a team to lose by fewer points, or win. If you believe an underdog will put up a solid fight or win, handicap betting is the perfect solution.
- Over/Under (Total Points): Sometimes, predicting the winner seems too difficult. When this happens, testing the Over/Under market is your best solution. This bet focuses on the total points scored by both teams. The bookmaker will set a line, and you bet on whether the combined score will be over or under this figure. For example, if the line is 45.5 points, you can bet on whether the total score will be above or below 45.
- First Try Scorer: If you prefer getting a bigger payout on a smaller stake, give the First Try Scorer market a shot. Through this bet, you are predicting the player who will score the first try of the game. It’s a high-risk, high-reward option and requires good knowledge of key players and their form.