A beginner's guide to betting on rugby

This year is a massive year for rugby with the upcomingWorld Cup in Japan, but for punters to get a good grip on the sport they mustunderstand the differences between the codes. Regardless of the code, bettingon the sport has become more and more popular over recent years, but it is inthe main competitions when it is more prominent. But first, let's explore thedifferences between Union and League.

The two teams both consist of 15 players and the game lastfor 80 minutes; with 40 minutes each half. The primary aim of the game is toget the ball beyond the opposition's try-line. If a team can do this, then theyscore five points. After a team has recorded a try, they get the opportunity ofkicking a conversion through the posts to add an additional two points. Thekick is taken in-line to where the ball touched the floor for the try; however,the distance that the kicker takes the shot is totally dependent on them.

The ball can't be passed forwards, and the defending teamwill try and hold off the threat of the attacking team by tackling them to thefloor. If the attacker falls to the ground after being tackled, then a ruck isformed, while if they remain on their feet, then it is called a maul. After aninfringement has taken place such as an offside decision, tackling above theshoulders or knocking the ball forward; the opposing team can have theopportunity to either kick the ball downfield for a line-out or choose to forma scrum. The options that the team have depend on the infringement thatoccurred.

Of course, there are similaritiesbetween the two codes, such as the length or the game and how a team scorespoints in order to win the fixture. However, it's the differences in the sportthat punters should be aware of when they are researching ahead of big fixturesor significant competitions. League is widely considered a quicker-paced gamethan Union, and whereas a try is worth five points in Union; in League, a teamthat scores a try is awarded four points. Conversions are worth the same amountof points, while a drop goal is worth one point in League as opposed to thethree that are awarded in Union.

While the length of the game is the same; in League, thereare only 13 players on each team. The most significant difference between thecodes is the rules after a tackle. There are no rucks or mauls; instead, thetackled player retains possession and rolls the ball back to a teammate usingtheir foot. In League, teams also have a time limit in which they are allowedto keep possession, with players only allowed to be tacked six times beforeturning over the possession. Furthermore, there are no line-outs in League;instead, the teams contest a scrum when the ball goes out.

While the sports are different from each other in terms ofrules, they do however have common betting markets. The most significant eventsin both codes are the ones that most punters choose to stake their money.

Handicap bets in rugby work the same as any other sports. Itis the bookie's way of levelling the playing field. The handicap essentiallygives the underdog in the match a head start that the favoured team has toovercome. In rugby, this would provide the favoured team with a negativestarting position, so if the handicap is -12, then the favoured team will haveto win by at least 13 points for the bet to be a winning one ().It is the best way to bet on the favoured team to ensure maximum returns onbets. The difference in quality between New Zealand, Wales and England far outweighthe qualities of sides such as Italy and Japan, which means the handicapmarket, is the better option when these teams face each other.

The most common way for punters to stake their money is onthe outright markets. This is simply where gamblers bet on the outright winnerof an event. The most common markets in Union for this type of betting is theWorld Cup, Six Nations and Aviva Premiership. The latter of which is a clubcompetition. For League, the most popular events for outright betting optionsare the World Cup and the domestic leagues in Australia and the United Kingdom,which are the NRL and Super League, respectively. For the club competitions,punters can lay stakes on the team that they believe will win the title and theteam that they think will be relegated.

The Rugby Union World Cup offers the most amount of outrightmarkets for punters to bet on. As well as placing a stake on the team that theybelieve will end the competition as the winner; Sky Bet allow bets on a specificteam to reach the final, semi-final or quarterfinal stage. Along with this, thesame bookmaker also enables punters to lay a stake on the top try scorer in thecompetition and the teams that will compete in the final. The current favouritein the latter market is New Zealand vs Ireland at 5/1.

Away from the outright markets, most punters would typicallylay a stake on a single bet to ensure that there is entertainment to had in thefixture regardless of if their team isn't taking part. The 1X2 market isconsidered the most straightforward way to place a bet, and even novices willcatch onto how it works very quickly. This type of market is common across anarray of sports such as football and ice hockey, but it can be incrediblylucrative for rugby fans.

For instance, if Wales are facing Ireland, the team that isthe home team will be ‘1' while the away team will be ‘2'. The ‘X' signifies adraw, but due to the rarity of the result in rugby league or Union, this istypically the highest price of all three options. If you have placed a stake onWales or ‘1' for this matter, then the bet will be a winning one if they beatIreland. It is simple.

In rugby league, the most common ways of placing a bet is onthe total points scored. Bookmakers will simply ask whether there will be overor under 30.5 points in the match. As the punter, you would then decide whetheryou will place your stake on the match consisting of more or fewer points thanthe bookmaker is asking. It is a very straightforward way of betting, and thewinning team doesn't affect whether your bet is a winner or not. If you placeyour stake on the match consisting of over 30.5 points, then there must be 31points for your bet to be a winning one.

The prop bets markets are for punters who have done thoroughresearch beforehand and are well-read on all factors concerning both teams.Markets that you could find included in this sector include the team to scorethe first try, time of the first try and first team to score. There are variousprop bets available on many bookie website, and they can be incrediblylucrative if the punter has done the adequate research beforehand.