Rugby Betting with Betiton™ Ireland

Last Updated: 08-07-2022 13:43

It’s said that the sport of rugby was created in 1823, when William Webb Ellis picked up the ball and began to run with it during a game of associated football. Since then, it has gone on to become one of the most popular sports in Ireland and the UK, while splintering into two different codes (Rugby Union and Rugby League) that previously featured amateur and professional players respectively. In this post, we’ll take a closer look at rugby betting across both codes here at Betiton™, while appraising the sport’s best markets. Moreover, if you’re new to online betting, we’ll be explaining a few sports betting basic as well as answering some of your most frequently asked questions!

How Rugby Betting Works at Betiton™

Before we delve into our main rugby betting markets and odds, we thought we’d introduce a guide to wagering on rugby through the Betiton™ site.

Rugby is one of more than 30 sports betting markets available at Betiton™, which are listed in alphabetical order on a vertical menu towards the left-hand side of the betting homepage. Once you’ve located it, you can follow the following steps to select your preferred games and build your betslip!

• Click through the ‘Rugby Union’ or ‘Rugby League’ tabs on the aforementioned menu, highlighting the various countries in which there are active tournaments and betting markets
• Then, select your chosen country, at which point a list of live tournaments will appear below. You can then click through the tick box next to your chosen event (such as the Gallagher Premiership) to reveal a relevant list of matches. This drop-down menu will also feature an ‘Outright’ tab at the bottom, enabling you to access odds for event winners.
• For match betting, each selection will include selected odds for a home win, draw or away win. Additionally, you’ll see the ‘More’ tab located to the right of these options, which reveal alternative betting markets such as ‘Asian Handicap’, ‘Accumulators’ and ‘Draw No Bet’ (we’ll have more on these later in the piece).
• When you select your chosen option, it will instantly appear in your betslip in the top right-hand corner of the screen. This enables you to adjust your stake amount and calculate potential returns in relation to the odds. Your odds and returns information will change with each addition, and you’ll have the opportunity to ‘Accept Changes’ before finalising your betslip.
• Once complete, you can click through the ‘Place Bets’ tab and proceed. So long as you have the requisite funds in your account, the wager will be placed and payouts confirmed (where applicable) once the outcome has been determined.

You’ll find rugby betting markets in the UK, Australia and across the globe at Betiton™, while popular tournaments such as the Gallagher Premiership, Six Nations, and Super League receive particularly extensive coverage.

Betiton™’s Rugby Betting Options

In addition to offering classic and ante-post rugby betting markets both at home and abroad, Betiton™ provides a broad range of in-play and micro wagering options.

We’ll explore these in a little more detail below, while asking whether you’re able to cash out and settle rugby bets early at Betiton™.

In-Play Betting at Betiton™

When you click through a live rugby match listed at Betiton™, you’ll see a combination of both traditional and in-play betting markets in play.

For example, you’ll still be able to wager on the outcome of a match and whether the final combined points tally will be over or under a particular value (as laid out by the sportsbook). However, you’ll see these odds fluctuate constantly as the match progresses, depending on the course of the match and the amount of time that has elapsed.

For example, Aviva Premiership side Wasps may have started a match against Saracens with odds of 1.60 (or 6/10) to prevail. However, if they dominate from the outset and gain a healthy points advantage, this price will shorten further and minimise potential returns in relation to your stake.

Conversely, these odds will lengthen if Saracens take an early lead, which may create an opportunity to cash in if you believe that Wasps will recover and ultimately win.

In-play betting also introduces additional betting markets, such as the scorer of the next try. You can also wager that no more tries will be scored during a match, with this type of wager particularly popular as the game draws to a close.

This type of live micro rugby bet often creates regular opportunities to wager during a game, although this can make bankroll management challenging over time. So, it’s important to create a predetermined bankroll to cover all of your betting activity, while potentially using deposit matches to implement this on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.

You may also be able to place better-informed in-play bets if you’re actually watching the action as it unfolds. You can catch rugby action through various terrestrial and cable television channels, while those attending live matches can wager through their smartphone through Betiton™’s mobile sportsbook.

Cash Out Options at Betiton™

Another key aspect of responsible in-play betting is affording you more control as a Betiton™ customer. So, when wagering on rugby markets, you can make use of our ‘Cash Out’ feature to bank at least partial returns on single or accumulator bets.

This way, you won’t have to wait for an event to be over before receiving your money, while this enables you to salvage at least some of your stake in instances where a particular outcome suddenly becomes unlikely.

In the case of accumulator bets, you may also want to add partial returns to your bankroll before all outcomes have been settled. Remember, an acca bet can only be successful if all selections come in, and cashing out when only one or two outcomes remain outstanding can unlock potentially sizable returns.

At Betiton™, we may also run exclusive cash out promotions in relation to specific rugby tournaments from time to time. In this case, you’ll need to review the unique terms and conditions associated with each one before participating, ensuring that you understand these fully and in comprehensive detail.

Rugby Betting Markets Explained

Now that you know how to wager on rugby at Betiton™ and understand the full range of options at your disposal, the next step is to explore the sport’s primary betting markets. Here’s a breakdown of the five most popular:

#1. 1×2 Betting

This is the single most popular rugby betting market, and one that requires you to wager on whether the home team (1) or away team (2) will prevail in a particular match.

This is effectively an even money rugby bet in the sport of rugby, with the draw a statistically unlikely outcome and one that’s usually highly priced. This is particularly true at international level, where just 2% of top-tier tournament matches end in a draw.

#2. Over/Under Betting

We’ve already touched on over/under betting, where a sportsbook like Betiton™ will create a theoretical total point tally in relation to a particular match.

You’ll then have to guess whether the actual amount scored is higher (over) or lower (under) than this value, with this betting market available both before and during a game.

#3. The Highest Scoring Half

When betting on this market, you’ll essentially be wagering on which half will see the highest points tally in a selected match.

This is effectively an even-money ante-post bet, albeit one that largely depends on chance as it’s incredibly hard to predict precisely when points will be scored in any game.

#4. The First Side to Score

This is another relatively straightforward even-money market, which requires you to bet on the side that will score first.

You can access this as both an ante-post and in-play market, while the odds will vary depending on the quality of the two competing sides and factors such as home advantage.

#5: Total Points Scored Odd/Even:

This market is similar to over/under betting, in that it relates to the final score and points tally. In this case, you’ll have to wager on whether the total number of points scored in a game will be an odd or even amount.

This is more of a fun market for casual bettors, while placing this as an in-play wager on a match that you’re actually watching may offer a little more value!

Rugby Odds

Here at Betiton™, we understand that odds are central to the rugby betting experience. This is why we try to create the most competitive pricing in the market, across our ante-post, outright and in-play betting markets.

If you’re relatively new to rugby betting (or sports betting as a whole), however, you may be unsure about how odds work and how they relate to probability. So, here are some points to keep in mind:

#1. How Do Odds Work?

Odds can either be expressed in decimal or fractional format, with the latter being mostly used across Ireland. In simple terms, they express how much you can expect to recoup in relation to your stake, with decimal odds much easier to understand and decipher in real-time.

For example, fractional odds of 5/1 mean that the sportsbook (the first party) is willing to commit five-times the amount staked by the bettor that a particular outcome won’t happen. They’ll also pay out at this rate if your rugby bet is successful, enabling you to bank €5 for every €1 staked.

You can convert this price to 6.0 when using decimal odds, however, with this simply describing your total return for every €1 wagered (including your original stake). This provides instantly visible and easy-to-understand returns, enabling you to make more informed decisions when wagering.

#2. Do Odds Change Over Time?

The short answer here is yes, as odds constantly fluctuate according to a number of variables. This is true for both ante-post and in-play betting markets, whether you’re wagering on the outcome of individual matches or backing eventual tournament winners.

For ante-post match betting or outright wagering, you’ll see the odds continue to shift from the moment they’re released. This is usually due to the subsequent influx of bets and money on a particular outcome, which forces sportsbooks to adjust their pricing and typically shorten odds to offset any potential losses.

When betting on tournaments such as the Gallagher Premiership, odds will also shift continually depending on the performance of each team. In general terms, teams competing for the title will see their odds shorten considerably as the season progresses, while the price of other sides will lengthen as they fall out of the race.

In-play and micro-betting odds are typically shorter and even more vulnerable to change, in relation to live match events and the amount of time elapsed in a game.

#3. How Do Rugby Betting Odds Relate to Probability?

It’ also important to note that the odds published by sportsbooks can be used to calculate the ‘implied probability’ than a particular outcome will happen.

This is calculated using a relatively simple formula, which when dealing with decimal odds reads as follows:

(1 / Decimal Odds) * 100 = Implied Probability

So, if we take the aforementioned decimal odds of 6.0, our calculation will present as ‘1 / 6.00) * 100’, creating an implied probability of 16.7%. In this instance, the sportsbook is offering you a less than one-in-five chance of a particular event happening, with the potential return set in relation to this.

It’s important to calculate both the implied probability of an outcome and your potential payout before placing a wager, as both factors should directly influence the size of your stake.

Rugby Betting Tips

At this stage, you may be ready to consider placing one or more rugby bets. Before you do, however, we’ve outlined some helpful betting tips below!

#1. Use Handicap Betting Sparingly

You may have heard of handicap betting previously, with this market popular in team sports such as Rugby League and Union.

In handicap betting, one of the teams in a particular match is given a hypothetic advantage or disadvantage, which will see a set number of points either added or removed from their final score. Often, handicap betting is used to disadvantage a particularly heavy match favourite, as a way of lengthening their odds of winning and creating additional value.

For example, let’s say that New Zealand are playing Western Samoa in a 2023 Rugby World Cup match. The All Blacks are likely to be odds-on favourites here, but you could offset this slightly by backing them to win with a handicap of –13.5 points. This will lengthen the odds accordingly, while New Zealand will simply have to win by 14 or more points for the wager to come in.

Just remember that while this is a useful market, it’s also one that should be used sparingly. More specifically, you should only consider handicap betting when backing short-price favourites, with a view to lengthening the odds and increasing your returns without overly compromising your chances of winning.

#2. Limit the Number of Selections in Your Accumulators

With accumulator (or acca) betting, you’ll include anywhere between four and 20 individual selections in a single wager. This may be popular in tournaments such as the Super League or Gallagher Premiership, where you may incorporate several teams that you will think will win during a single round of fixtures.

When you build your acca bet, you’ll see that the odds associated with individual outcomes are multiplied to create a single and incrementally longer price. You’ll also need all of your selections to come in for the acca to be successful, so there’s a delicate balance between risk and reward in play here.

Because of this, we’d recommend restricting the number of selections to no more than six when building acca bets.

Similarly, you should also give priority to short-price favourites where possible, as this will pack your acca with more likely outcomes that can be combined to create healthy returns.

#3. Do Follow the Form and Team News

Form plays a huge part in all sports betting, and rugby betting is no exception to this rule. Certainly, teams that enter a match on the back of a winning streak may offer more value than those who don’t, depending on the circumstances of their run and the underlying quality of the side.

You can also distinguish between home and away form. Some teams are particularly strong and boast a considerably higher win-rate when playing in front of their own fans, for example, whereas others are strong travellers and may offer increased value when playing away from home.

For data-oriented fans, it’s also important to monitor any breaking injury or suspension news prior to a particular match.

After all, teams may be without one or two of their best players as they go into a game. This may change your perception of the ante-post odds and help you to identify value where it didn’t previously exist.

Rugby Union Betting

Rugby Union is the oldest iteration of the sport, with a history dating all the way back to 1823. It also remains the most popular and widely followed rugby code across the globe, with associated tournaments hosted all-year-round.

We’ve outlined three of the best Rugby Union tournaments below, while you’ll also find a table detailing some of the key events scheduled in the future.

#1. The Rugby World Cup

Instituted in 1987, the Rugby World Cup is Rugby Union’s showpiece event, and one that’s hosted every four years.

In the early iterations of the tournament, 16 of the world’s top teams competed. However, this number has since increased to 20, as Rugby Union has become increasingly popular since the dawn or professionalism and fringe nations such as Georgia, Argentina and Japan have built particularly skilled teams.

The 10th edition of the tournament will kick-off in France on September 8th, 2023, with Les Blues looking to win their first World Cup. New Zealand and South Africa have both won the tournament on three occasions, while Australia have lifted the iconic Webb Ellis Cup twice in total.

Naturally, since the Rugby World Cup is the biggest rugby union tournament in the world, Rugby World Cup betting is incredibly popular. The next edition of the tournament is in 2023, so if you want to place some bets on the RWC, be sure to log in to Betiton™ when it comes around!

#2. The 6 Nations

One of Rugby Union’s oldest tournaments, the 6 Nations event was first contested in 1883 under the name ‘Home Nations Championship’. At this time, only England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales were allowed to compete, with the first two nations sharing the initial seven titles between them.

France were incorporated in 1910 to create the Five Nations Championship, with Italy becoming the latest (and to date last) side to join in 2000. This led to the formation of the 6 Nations Championship, while there remain calls for Georgia and Romania to join in the coming years.

Since the inception of the tournament, England have won an impressive 39 titles (29 outright and 10 shared) to become the 6 Nations’ most successful participant. Interestingly, Wales have won the same number of titles overall, but their haul includes one less outright triumph (28).

The popularity of the 6 Nations championship translates to an immense popularity when it comes to 6 Nations betting. The 6 Nations will be taking place again in 2023. If you’re interested in placing bets on the 6 Nations Championship, Betiton™ has you covered with plenty of rugby betting markets!

#3. The Heineken Champions Cup

The European Rugby Champions Cup (which is currently sponsored by Heineken) is another high-profile annual Rugby Union event, which features the best 24 club sides from the countries that currently compete in the Six Nations.

This means that teams from England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, France and Italy are allowed to compete, although English and French participants have largely dominated the tournament since its inception.

In fact, Toulouse is the single most successful Heineken Cup side, having won the inaugural competition in 1995/96 and claimed five titles overall. Next up is Leinster with four titles, while Saracens and Toulon have both emerged victorious on two separate occasions.

Rugby League Betting

Historically, Rugby League was the sport’s professional code, which originated when players in the north of England decided that they need remuneration to compete in matches.

Since then, the Rugby League code has gained in popularity across the globe, including both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. So, here’s a breakdown of the three major Rugby League tournaments and why they’re so popular!

#1. The Rugby League World Cup

While Rugby League’s history is much shorter than that of Rugby Union, this iteration’s World Cup dates all the way back to 1954.

The inaugural tournament was held in France, while nowadays the world’s best 16 nations compete on an irregular basis for the Paul Barrière Trophy.

Australia have largely dominated this tournament since its inception, winning 11 titles from the 15 World Cups contested so far. The next iteration of this competition will kick-off in October 2022, with the tournament having been delayed last year as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

#2. The Super League

The annual Super League was instituted 26 years ago in 1996, when it replaced the existing First Division and introduced the sport’s first summer season as part of a wider restructuring of the league.

Since then, it has become a hugely popular and much-loved tournament, through which the top six qualify for the coveted play-offs and compete for a place in the Grand Final (and ultimately, the Super League trophy itself). The team that finishes last is relegated to the Championship and replaced with the winners of the lower division.

Northern giant St. Helens are the Super League’s most successful side, winning the title on nine occasions and twice finishing second. Leeds Rhinos have triumphed on eight occasions, while the Wigan Warriors have emerged victorious five times in total.

#3. The World Club Challenge

In a more recent tradition, the Super League winners are invited to play the National Rugby League champions from Australasia in the annual World Cup Challenge.

The first such match was played in 1976, although it didn’t actually become a regular occurrence until the late 1980s. Despite further disruption, it has been held every since 2000. while the defending champions are the Sydney Roosters.

Despite the international dominance of Australia, Super League, and First Division sides from the UK have won 13 of the 27 World Club Challenge iterations. The Wigan Warriors are the most successful British sides with four wins (including three during a seven-year period between 1987 and 1994), while the Sydney Roosters are the most successful team overall with five titles.

Rugby Betting Promotions at Betiton™ Ireland

While we’re not currently offering specific rugby betting promotions here at Betiton™, our existing sporting betting welcome offer can be deployed across a huge range of rugby markets and wagers. Here’s how you can qualify for the offer as a new player!

• Register for an account and deposit €10 or more
• Then place a qualifying wager of €15. Each selection should have minimum odds of 2.00 (or 1/1)
• Upon the bet being settled, you’ll receive a $10 free bet in your account
• Void, cancelled or cashed put bets won’t count towards the activation of the free bet, while the complimentary wager must be used within 14 days of it being credited

You’re free to use this wager on your choice of rugby betting markets, so long as you meet the minimum odds requirements and adhere to any additional terms and conditions! Just remember to wager responsibly and within your means at all times, while those of you who are concerned about your gambling behaviour can visit begambleaware.org for support and guidance.

A Brief History of Rugby

We’ve already touched on how William Webb Ellis was thought to have invented rugby in 1823, while Rugby School student Albert Pell is credited with forming the first competitive team some 20 years later. A formal set of written rules and principles were subsequently written up in 1845, with the ‘Cambridge Rules’ following three years later.

While the lines between association football and rugby were initially blurred, this ended with the formation of the Rugby Football Union (RFU) in 1871. However, a major split occurred in the sport 24 years later, when several clubs in the North of England resigned from the RFU over the issue of reimbursing players who took time off work to compete in matches.

This led to a huge schism and the formation of ‘Rugby League’, which subsequently became a professional sport and one that remains synonymous with the cultural north to this day.

The first international Rugby Union match took place in 1871, as Scotland entertained England in Edinburgh. Just 12 years later, the Home Nations Championship was born, while the incorporation of France in 1910 highlighted the growing popularity of rugby across the globe.

However, Rugby League was the first code to hold a World Cup in 1954. In fact, Rugby Union didn’t follow suit until 1987, while the third iteration of the tournament in 1995 preceded the opening of the sport to professional players.

This saw the removal of restrictions on player payments and reimbursements, helping to create the sport that we all know and love today!

Other Sports to Bet On:

• We offer other sports for you to wager on. The first of which horse race betting. Betting on horse racing is another highly popular form of wagering in Ireland, and we know this very well. In fact, you can find plenty of available horse racing markets on our sportsbook!
• Another sporting activity that’s highly popular for wagering is none other than golf. We know that our Irish members love golf betting, so we’ve done everything we could to give them the opportunity to bet on golf to their heart’s content.
• Finally, there’s no great sporting activity on the planet than football. Thus, you can rest assured that our sportsbook is packed to the brim with football betting markets. In fact, our football section is almost bursting at the seams!

Frequently Asked Question About Rugby Betting

At this stage, all that’s left is to answer some of your most frequently-asked questions! So, let’s get into it!