How to bet on the Rugby World Cup
Every four years, the best teams in the rugby union world come together to battle for the greatest international prize in the game. Great players shine in huge matches that deliver lifelong memories for those who love the sport, not to mention those who love to bet on it, too.
Best offers for the 2023 Rugby World Cup
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What is the Rugby World Cup?
Ever since 1987, when the first tournament was held, the Rugby World Cup has defined the sport’s calendar.
This is the prize every rugby union player wants to win, the chance to ascend to the very summit of one of the world’s most widely-played sports.
Four countries have won the trophy; New Zealand and South Africa three times, Australia twice, and England once. Despite this Southern Hemisphere domination, fans of all rugby-playing nations look forward to seeing their heroes in elite action.
And millions savor the chance to bet on the Rugby World Cup and become even more involved in the fabulous stories unfolding before their eyes.
Rugby World Cup: Previous winners
2019
Winners
South Africa
The Springboks won the Webb Ellis Trophy for the third time in 2019 with a superbly focused and shrewd campaign. England went into the final as favorites after outstanding displays to defeat Australia and New Zealand. But they had no answer to the South Africans’ powerful game plan, failing to score a single try in a one-sided final.
2019
Top Point Scorer
Handré Pollard
Handré Pollard, the South Africa fly-half, topped the scoring charts with 69 points. Pollard’s kicking was key to the Springboks’ steady and assured march to the trophy. He scored 22 points in the final itself, with six penalties and two conversions, as South Africa overcame England to lift the trophy.
2019
Top Try Scorer
Josh Adams
Wales wing Josh Adams was the leading try scorer at the tournament with seven tries. The Cardiff star recorded a hat-trick of tries against Fiji in their group match. He was the only man to score a try against South Africa in the knockout stages as Wales narrowly lost to the Springboks in the semifinals.
Rugby World Cup: Most popular markets
All Rugby World Cup betting sites will offer you the opportunity to wager on the side you think will lift the Webb Ellis Trophy. The outright winner market, as it’s often known, lets you do just that.
It pays to focus first on the Southern Hemisphere nations, who have shared eight triumphs in the nine tournaments held so far. New Zealand have won twice in the last three World Cups and the legendary All Blacks will be Rugby World Cup favorites and inevitably put up a strong challenge for the title again.
South Africa have lifted the trophy three times and must be respected, while Australian sporting pride will demand they aspire to be champions once more.
England, the only Northern Hemisphere nation to lift the trophy, still look like the only nation from above the Equator with the potential to crack the southern stranglehold on the trophy.
The players who score most points in international rugby union matches are almost invariably the place-kickers. So, even with five points on offer for a try, the majority of the scoring is done by those with the responsibility to kick penalties and conversions.
By definition, it’s best to focus your Rugby World Cup betting in this market on the kickers, and those who play for nations likely to go a long way in the tournament. Do your homework on the line-ups for New Zealand, South Africa, Australia and England, who usually go as far as the semifinals at least.
However, if you can plot a way deep into the tournament for another nation, you might find some good value on the kicker in that side to top the scoring charts.
Before placing your bet on the Rugby World Cup top try scorer, it’s worth doing plenty of research. History tells us that the man who scores the most tries at the Rugby World Cup will record between six and eight tries during the tournament – Bryan Habana, Jonah Lomu and Julian Savea share the record for most tries in a single World Cup tournament, with 8 – so look at the men who touch down most regularly for the nations who are likely to reach the semifinals and final. That means weighing up the odds on the most prolific try scorers for New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and England.
However, it’s also worth looking at the draw. Sometimes there can be mismatches in the group stages that see one of the elite nations pile up a huge number of points. New Zealand’s Marc Ellis grabbed a record 6 tries against Japan back in 1995, so if you can pinpoint a clash where one player could potentially notch three or four tries, there might be some value in his odds to be the overall top try scorer.
In-Play betting on the Rugby World Cup
Just because the opening kick of a match has taken place, that does not mean that Rugby World Cup betting has to cease.
The arrival of in-play betting ensures that odds are updated during the action – and that in turn means that you are able to wager while the match progresses.
If Australia concede a try after five minutes, for instance, you can still wager on the Wallabies to win that match (likely at longer odds than they were before the match started), as well as on a host of other markets relating to the game.
You should even be able to access the outright tournament markets and back them to win the trophy too.
Rugby World Cup betting tips
There are numerous opportunities to enjoy Rugby World Cup betting online in the countdown to the tournament and while the battle for the Webb Ellis Trophy is being fought out.
Because this is one of the highlights of the sporting year in question, sportsbooks make the most of the extra profile of the event and try to attract new customers.
Always choose a sportsbook with a solid reputation, one that offers a wide variety of Rugby World Cup odds and that boasts a great user experience. It should be easy to find the bet you want and to place it.
If you bet with a sportsbook for the first time, it is likely you will be offered a welcome bonus. This often takes the form of a free bet – when you place your first wager, that amount (or a multiple of it) will be placed in your account for you to bet with in future.
Where will the 2023 Rugby World Cup be held?
Rugby World Cup
France
9/8/2023
Rugby union is hugely popular in France. Its clubs are among Europe’s elite, and international matches are always well attended.
On the only previous occasion France hosted the tournament, in 2007, the total attendance was the second highest in the event’s history. More than 2.2 million fans watched matches that year, an average of more than 47,000 per game.
With a huge appetite for the game, and a set of stadia that are used to hosting major sporting events, France will be a fantastic host for the tournament in 2023.
2023 Rugby World Cup stadiums
Stade de France
Paris, France
Located in Saint-Denis, just to the north of Paris, this is the national stadium of France and the eighth largest sporting venue in Europe. This is where France play their home rugby internationals. Built for the 1998 FIFA World Cup, this spectacular arena now has a capacity of nearly 81,000.
Rugby World Cup betting FAQs
Most definitely. Sportsbooks use major events to attract new customers and the competition is fierce. Many will, therefore, tempt you to use them for Rugby World Cup betting online with a welcome bonus that is often in the form of a free bet up to a certain value.
There are many Rugby World Cup betting sites to choose from. The best have a sound reputation, offer a wide variety of odds and have user-friendly apps and websites that make it easy for you to find the bet you want to place.
When you want to enjoy Rugby World Cup betting odds, the choice is yours. The most straightforward are moneyline (match result) bets on the outcome of a single match or outright bets on the whole tournament. If you want to wager on several outcomes at once, a parlay bet – also known as an accumulator – may be for you.
Yes, it can. Most Rugby World Cup betting sites have invested in recent years in dedicated apps that offer a great customer experience. You can find your bet and place it quickly and easily. As long as you are in a licensed location and have an internet connection, you should be able to bet via your mobile.