Rugby Betting in the US: How to Bet on Rugby

Curious about rugby sports betting? Rugby’s popularity is on the rise in the United States, and as its fan base is growing, so is people’s interest in wagering on the sport.

While betting on rugby may seem intimidating due to its unique rules and betting options, it’s one sport that can give you high returns if you master its ins and outs.

In this guide, we will walk you through the rules of rugby and how to start betting on the sport. You will also learn about popular rugby events, betting markets, and practical strategies to maximize your bets.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• Understand the basic rules of rugby.
• Learn how rugby betting works in the US.
• Uncover strategies to maximize your rugby bets.
• Learn about popular rugby competitions and markets.

Online Rugby Betting in the US

The origins of Rugby date back to 1823 at Rugby School in Warwickshire, England, when William Webb Ellis, a student at the school, famously picked up the ball during a game of soccer and ran with it, thus creating the sport. 

In 1863, a group of boarding schools and clubs came together to establish a standardized set of rules, and eight years later, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) was officially formed. Now, Rugby Union has a strong following in Europe, Asia, and Australasia. 

While the sport’s popularity has historically been limited in the US, interest is growing rapidly. The Major League Ruby (MLR) competition, launched in 2018, has also helped to increase the sport’s profile and attract new fans and bettors.

It is legal to bet on rugby in the US as long as you live in a state that regulates sports betting. If your jurisdiction falls into the states where online sports betting is legal, you can legally place bets on a range of rugby betting markets across top online sportsbooks.

The states where online rugby betting is legal in the US:

• Arizona
• Arkansas
• Colorado
• Connecticut 
• Delaware
• Florida
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Nevada
• New Hampshire 
• New Jersey
• New York
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania 
• Rhode Island
• Tennessee
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington, DC
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

Note that this list is subject to change as new states legalize online sports betting. Ensure to check your state laws and your chosen sportsbook terms before betting.

Rugby Game Rules: How Do You Play Rugby in Simple Terms?

Rugby is a team sport featuring two teams of 15 players each. The objective of the game is to carry or pass the ball over the opponent’s goal line and touch it to the ground to score. It starts with a kickoff, where one team kicks the ball to the other side. Players can run with the ball, pass it to teammates, or kick it forward to gain territory.

To advance, teams can only pass backward. They can only kick the ball forward when their teammates are behind the ball when it’s kicked. Teams take turns playing offense and defense. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.

The four ways to score points in rugby include:

• Try (5 points): Carrying the ball over the opponent’s goal line
• Conversion (2 points): Kicking the ball over the crossbar after a try
• Penalty (3 points): Kicking through goalposts during open play
• Drop Goal (3 points): Kicking the ball over the crossbar in open play

Rugby Union vs. Rugby League

At first glance, Rugby Union and Rugby League appear to be identical. This is due to similarities like the 80-minute matches, a similar ball shape, and a common scoring system, including tries, penalties, drop goals, and conversions.

However, beneath the surface, the two sports feature several vital differences, shaped by their distinct histories and rules, which have evolved separately since they split over a disagreement about professionalism in 1895.

Here are the main differences between Rugby Union and Rugby League:

Features	Rugby Union	Rugby League
Players	15	13
Scoring system	Try – 5 points, conversion – 2 points, penalties- 3, drop goal – 3.	Try – 4, conversion – 2, penalties -2, drop goal – 1
Game duration	Two 40-minute halves	Two 30-minute halves
Tackling	Players can tackle an opponent to the ground and contest for the ball	Play is restarted with a scrum or play-the-ball after tackle
Substitutions	Up to seven	Up to ten
Possession	Unlimited	Six tackles
Ball goes into touch	Line-outs	scrums
Competitions	Rugby World Cup, Six Nations, British and Irish Lions, Premiership	Super League, Challenge Cup, World Cup, National Rugby League (NRL) Australia

Is Rugby Easy to Bet On?

Yes, betting on rugby is simple. Since the sport is quite popular, many online bookmakers offer a wide range of betting options on the sport.

Additionally, rugby’s structured season and tournaments make it easy to follow and stay up-to-date with team performance, injuries, and other factors that can impact betting decisions.

There are still some rugby betting challenges to consider, though. For instance, rugby has fewer games and less data than other sports like football or basketball. As such, it can be more challenging to identify reliable statistics to make informed decisions.

Moreover, unlike more prominent sports such as the NFL or NBA, dedicated rugby betting bonuses may not be available at many sportsbooks.

Despite these minor drawbacks, based on my experience, anyone can easily start betting on rugby with a basic understanding of the sport and its betting markets.

How Do You Bet on Rugby?

The process of wagering on rugby is similar to other sports. It starts with understanding the game, then selecting a sportsbook, depositing funds, and placing bets. Let’s look at the critical steps in detail below.

Step 1: Understand Rugby Odds

Odds are the most important aspect of sports betting, and rugby is no exception. They represent the bookmaker’s probability of an outcome occurring and determine your potential payouts.

Depending on your region and the sportsbook, here are the three ways you will find rugby odds presented:

• Decimal odds: They show our total return on every $1 you bet. For instance, a $10 bet on 3.10 odds will give you $31.
• Fractional odds: This format looks like 2/1, 4/2, 3/1, etc. The first number indicates how much you could win, and the second number shows how much you need to wager.
• Moneyline or American odds: Examples include +200 -150 +302 etc.
  • Negative odds (favorite) show how much you need to bet to win $100.
  • Positive value (underdog) shows the amount you can win with a $100 stake. 

Step 2: Choose a Rugby Betting Site

The first step to placing a rugby bet online is to select a bookmaker. The sports betting site you choose can go a long way in determining your rugby betting experience. Ensure you have a safe and memorable one by signing up at a licensed and trustworthy sportsbook.

Here are other factors to consider when selecting rugby sports betting sites:

• Large rugby betting markets and odds
• Great user-friendly interface and mobile compatibility 
• A wide variety of payment options
• Fast deposit and withdrawal speed
• 24/7 customer support
• Generous welcome bonus and other promotions 

Having tested several sites, I recommend top US sports betting sites like DraftKings and FanDuel. They check all the boxes above and, most importantly, are available in most jurisdictions that support legal sports wagering in America.

Step 3: Place Your Bets

Now that your betting account is set up and verified, it’s time to add funds. Choose from the various deposit options on the site and follow the prompts to complete the transaction.

Next, navigate to the sports section and select “Rugby” from the list. Explore the range of upcoming events and markets. Select your desired event and bet type, enter your stake, and submit.

Most Popular Types of Rugby Bets

Rugby offers a range of bet types. Find the most popular ones below and learn how to place them.

Match Betting

Match betting is the simplest and most common form of wagering in rugby. It involves betting on a team to win the match or predicting a straight outcome in the game. 

Example: 

• 2024 Six Nations: France vs. England
• Match Winner Bet: France to win

Unlike other team sports, draw is not a common outcome in rugby due to its high-scoring nature. As a result, some match betting markets don’t even offer the option. Those that do, however, usually price it as a long shot with high odds.

Other match bet types in rugby include:

• First try scorer: Bet on the player to score the first try of the match. 
• First team to score a try
• Halftime result: Bet on the team leading at halftime
• Margin betting: Wager on the exact margin of victory
• Team to score last try and more. 

Handicap Betting in Rugby

In handicap betting, a bookmaker gives a virtual advantage or disadvantage to a team or player by adding or subtracting points from their score. This works the same way in rugby; online sportsbooks apply a handicap to the likely winner, giving them a numerical disadvantage against their opponent.

Bookies use handicap betting to increase betting action in rugby, where the outcome seems predictable:

• The underdog is typically given an edge with a positive points handicap,
• While the favored team is given a minus handicap.

Example: England is facing off against Georgia

A bookie can give the former a handicap of -22 as the favorite. This means for you to win the wager, England has to win the game by 23 points or more to overcome the handicap and give you a win.

Let’s say you wager on Georgia with a handicap of +22. You win your bet if Georgia wins or does not lose by 22 or more points.

Spread Betting in Rugby

Although spread betting is similar to handicap betting, there are subtle, vital differences. Spread betting involves wagering on the margin of victory. The bookie sets a specific line or margin where you can stake on whether the actual points or score will be above or below the line.

Example: New Zealand -10, Wales +10

You can bet whether England will win by more than 10 points (buy England) or Wales will win or lose by less than 10 points (sell Wales).

• If New Zealand wins by 15 points, those who bet on the team to win by more than 10 points win.
• If your money was on Wales; however, the bet will be lost.
• If Wales wins or loses by 5 points, the sellers of Wales win, while buyers of New Zealand lose.

Major Rugby Events to Bet On

Rugby hosts a wide range of tournaments and matches during the year. Here is a list of the major rugby events that offer rewarding betting opportunities.

Rugby World Cup

Held every four years, this tournament is the pinnacle of international rugby. The competition features 20 national teams, divided into four pools of five teams each, competing in a group stage followed by a knock-out stage. Interestingly, the Rugby World Cup is the third-largest sporting event in the world after the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup.

Super Rugby

Established in 1996, Super Rugby is an annual Southern Hemisphere premier club competition. It features clubs from Argentina, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa. The event usually takes place from February to August. The Crusaders, a New Zealand pro union team, is the most successful in the tournament, with 10 titles.

Six Nations Championship

The Six Nations Championship has been contested since 1883, making it one of the oldest international rugby competitions. The top six European rugby teams, including England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and Wales, participate in the championship, which usually occurs over two months.

Major League Rugby 

This is the top-level professional rugby competition in the US. It was founded in 2017 and features 12 teams. The Seattle Seawolves won the debut championship in 2018. The side and the New England Free Jacks also have the highest titles, two each.

World Cup Sevens

This tournament showcases the seven-a-side rugby format. It consists of men’s and women’s teams and is usually held every four years over three days. Fiji has won the most titles (3) since the event’s creation in 1993.

Olympic Games

Rugby returned to the Olympic stage in 2016, following a decision by the IOC in 2009. The Olympic Games now offer men’s and women’s competitions based on the Rugby 7s format.

Bledisloe Cup

This rugby union event is only contested by New Zealand and Australia. New Zealand’s All-Blacks have dominated this competition for many years, with more wins over their Australian rival, the Wallabies.

The Rugby Championship 

This event is the successor to the Tri Nations tournament that was organized from 1996 to 2011. It usually takes place after the Super Rugby season. Four sides participate in this tournament: Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

US College Rugby Championship 

Established in 2010, the US College Rugby Championship features 16 teams. The event’s title has been won most by California (5).

Rugby Betting Rules

Similar to other sports, betting sites have several rules that govern wagering on rugby union and league matches on their platforms. Here is a detailed list of common rugby betting regulations:

• Bets are settled based on the official result at the end of regular time (80 minutes).
• Matches must start on the scheduled date and time for bets to stand.
• If a match is abandoned or postponed after starting, all bets are void unless the match is rearranged and played on the same day or a winner is declared.
• If a venue is changed from the one advertised, all bets on that match will be void. This goes for the change of opponents, too.
• Bets are settled as losers if the team you select is disqualified from the tournament. 
• All bets are settled based on the official result declared by the relevant government body.
• Points scored in extra time do not count for the settlement of bets.
• In the event of a dead heat, bets are settled according to the dead heat rules.

Live Rugby Betting

Live rugby betting or in-play betting allows you to bet on rugby matches after the game has begun. It differs from pre-match betting, where you place bets before the game starts. Instead, you can wager on the rugby game in real time as the action unfolds.

I particularly enjoy live betting because it allows me to react to changing circumstances. New developments in the game often impact the outcome. With live betting, you can adjust your strategy and place new bets to capitalize on the momentum shifts.

Example: In the March 2024 Six Nations clash between Italy and Scotland, all pre-match odds favored Scotland to win because the team had won its last 13 matches. However, during the game, I observed key momentum shifts and sensed an upset brewing.

With Italy trailing by 6 points at halftime, I decided to place a live bet on them to win the game. You know how the story ended: the Azzurri prevailed, and I won my bet.

Rugby Betting Strategies I Live By

Placing consistent rugby bets requires knowledge, experience, and discipline. Here are key tips to follow to stay ahead of the game.

Manage your bankroll 

Effective bankroll management requires you to dedicate a budget to your rugby betting activities and stick to it. The bankroll you set aside for betting should be one that you are comfortable losing. Don’t chase your losses or bet more than what you have budgeted.

Pay attention to weather forecasts

Weather conditions can significantly impact the outcome of a rugby match. Check weather forecasts ahead of the game before placing your bets. Bad weather can level the playing field, leading to closer contests and fewer points. Capitalize on this by wagering on the underdog or backing low-point totals.

Research team strategy

Team strategy is crucial in rugby betting. So, be sure to study team form, performance, playing style, key players, and set-piece tactics. For instance, do you know that around 70% of passing moves end with a winger scoring? If a team likes to spread the ball wide, it’s a good bet to back a winger to score the first try.

Find the best value for your bets

Shop around or compare odds across different bookmakers to get the best odds for your bets. Don’t settle for the first option you see. You can also use a rugby betting bonus on these sites to boost your bankroll. This tip has helped me save much money when wagering on rugby and other sports over the years.

Look into handicap options

With tries and points flowing freely in rugby, you will often find very short odds on favorites and underdogs with lengthy odds. The best way to level the playing field is to place handicap bets. You can back the minus or the plus. When two evenly matched teams face off, I recommend backing the plus.

So, Are You Ready for Some Rugby Betting Tonight?

Rugby may not be as popular as the four big sports (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL) in the US, but its exciting gameplay and wide wagering options make it an attractive alternative for bettors.

If you are ready to take the leap into rugby betting, start by signing up with a legitimate and trustworthy sportsbook. Then, follow our guidelines and strategies to start placing rugby bets like a pro. Keep in mind that no strategy guarantees 100% success, so bet responsibly.

Want to better understand how rugby experts can help pick the best bets for you? Check out our guide on rugby picks.