Best Rugby Betting Sites 2023 in the UK

Our Choice For The Best Rugby Union Betting Sites in 2023

• William Hill – Option to customise your rugby union wagers
• bet365 – Live streaming and excellent in-play options for rugby union
• BetVictor – Great range of rugby union markets
• 888Sport – Great rugby union information in superb blog.
• Coral – Competitive rugby union odds

William Hill

William Hill is a name woven into the fabric of the UK’s sports betting industry. The company was formed in 1934 and since then has been a leading player in most types of betting. William Hill went online in 1998, making it one of Britain’s longest established online betting services. The company moves with the times and consistently reinforces its status as a leading bookmaker and one of the best betting companies nationally and globally. William Hill provides a large variety of markets in rugby union and not surprisingly it’s service is superb.

Bottom line:

 William Hill provides a large variety of markets in rugby union, with great pre-match and in-play options. William Hill is a top quality rugby union betting site.

Why we like William Hill:

William Hill provides a large variety of markets in Rugby Union. They also give you the option to customise your bet by tweeting @WilliamHill#YourOdds It covers the popular markets in international tournaments and matches like the Six Nations and the World Cup, as well as domestic and European club rugby. William Hill also offer markets on Rugby 7s and will sometimes give punters the option to bet on both the woman’s’ game for selected events. 

William Hill is a great place for experienced or novice bettors looking for a rugby union wager. It is clearly one of the UK’s best Rugby Union betting sites.

What William Hill offers you

• Large range of rugby union betting markets: William Hill cover the sport comprehensively with different markets available in international and club rugby union. William Hill also provide punters with a great in-play betting service
• Attractive Welcome offer: Bet £10 and get £30 in free bets. 
• Fair odds for Rugby Union: We looked at 3 fixtures, two in the English Premiership and one in the United Rugby Championship. William Hill’s payout margins averaged at 90.7 which was similar to its competitors.
• Customised rugby union bets: If you can’t find what you are looking for you can tweet @William Hill #YourOdds. 
• Regular enhanced odds for rugby union: Look for boosted odds on Rugby Union in the run up to matches. William Hill’s website offers enhanced odds on a daily basis across a range of sports and events.

Read the full William Hill Review

bet365

Since its inception back in 2000, bet365 has firmly established itself as a major player in the betting industry, in the UK and around the world. They are a market leader in most of the services they offer and cover rugby union really well.  The range and depth of markets, quality of odds and live streaming make bet365 one of the UK’s best rugby union betting sites.

Bottom line:

A quality all-round bookmaker and a quality rugby union betting site, bet365 offer a range of rugby union markets, both pre-match and in-play, live streaming and competitive odds.

Why we like Bet365:

Bet365 provides outstanding levels of security and usability for customers along with consistently competitive odds on the majority of sports, including rugby union. The bookie has a huge range and depth of rugby union markets. All of the big international tournaments, such as the World Cup and the Six Nations are well covered, along with top level club matches. Smaller competitions are also available, including Division 2 Rugby in France. Markets are available in Rugby 7s too, for both men and women.

There are also a range of in-play markets for major matches. Many Rugby Union matches are available via live streaming at bet365.

What Bet365 offers you

• Great variety of markets: This is one reason bet365 has an edge over many rivals, the bookie covers over 130 different leagues around the world, plus international matches. Punters have a range of options to bet on. Player props and match stats are available as well as the result.
• Competitive odds: bet365 generally compares well to the other top bookmakers. We looked at three Rugby Union fixtures, two in the English Premiership and one in the United Rugby Championship and found that bet365’s payout margins averaged at 91.3%.
• Attractive welcome offer and promos for new customers:  Generous welcome offer where a £10 bet gives you £30 in free bets. There are also other promotions aimed at new customers which punters looking to bet on rugby union can take advantage of.
• Excellent in-play betting with live streaming: bet365 offer plenty of in-play markets fin rugby union. This means as you watch the action and get a feel of how the match is going, you can act on your instincts and place a bet. This service is often complimented by live streaming.
• Good reputation for customer service: Bet365 has one of the better customer service teams in the sports betting industry with different options when contacting them.

Read the full bet365 Review

BetVictor

BetVictor has been part of the UK betting scene since 1946. A well-established and reliable company, it has developed into an excellent online bookmaker. Rugby, both Union and League, is a strength of BetVictor, and they are among the UK’s best Rugby Union betting sites.

It offers markets on all of the major international rugby union competitions, such as the World Cup and the Six Nations. It covers the major club matches in the UK and Europe, along with the biggest club matches in the Southern Hemisphere. Age group matches, such as the under 20 Six Nations also feature. 

In terms of odds value, BetVictor generally compares well to the other top bookmakers. We looked at 3 Rugby Union fixtures, two in the English Premiership and one in the United Rugby Championship and found that BetVictor’s payout margins averaged at 90.2. While this was possibly a little below par by BetVictor’s standards it was comparable with other top bookies.

Bottom line:

BetVictor covers rugby union at international and club level throughout the world. The bookie has rugby union related promotions and provides punters with quality information and deserve to be acknowledged as one of Britain’s best rugby union betting sites.

Why we like BetVictor:

Punters who visit BetVictor have a wide range of rugby union betting options. It offers markets on all of the major international rugby union competitions, such as the World Cup and the Six Nations. It covers the major club matches in the UK and Europe, along with the biggest club matches in the Southern Hemisphere. Age group matches, such as the under 20 Six Nations also feature. 

What BetVictor offers you

• Great coverage of club rugby in the UK, Europe and the Southern Hemisphere: As well as international rugby union like the World Cup and the Six Nations, Bet Victor covers the English Premiership, France’s Top 14 and Super Rugby with pre-match and in-play options available.
• Fair odds: In terms of odds value, BetVictor generally compares well to the other top bookmakers. We looked at 3 Rugby Union fixtures, two in the English Premiership and one in the United Rugby Championship and found that BetVictor’s payout margins averaged at 90.2. This was comparable with other top bookies.
• BetVictor Loyalty Club: Opt into this promotion via the Offers tab. Place 5 bets of £5 or more on any Sports market, each with odds of 1/2 (1.50) or greater. Multiple bets made on the same outcome will count as one qualifying bet. Then open the box for a chance to win a prize. This can get you a Free Bet between £1 and £25 which can be used on any Sports market, can be used as one whole bet or a number of smaller bets, will only return any profit exceeding the total stake.
• New customer offer: BetVictor give new customers a choice of welcome offers and often tie them in with a specific event. At the time of writing new punters can bet £10 and get £40 in free bets on horse racing, or use the football bet builder to place a £10 bet in order to earn £50 worth of free football bet builder bets.

Read the full BetVictor Review

888Sport

888sport is a constantly improving online bookmaker. It has a very good range of markets for rugby union and the sport features in many of its promotions. The orange, black and white colour scheme is distinctive but 888sport is becoming well known for the quality of its service. 

Bottom line:

888Sport covers a range of rugby union markets in depth and have a number of promotions related to the sport. Their coverage of international and club rugby, plus the availability of outright bets for major tournaments years in advance have more than earned 888sport its status as one of the UK’s best rugby union betting websites.

Why we like 888Sport:

The bookie has markets for International tournaments such as the World Cup and the Six Nations. They even offer outright bets on the winner of the world cup years in advance. Club rugby in Europe is well covered, and there are a variety of markets available for major matches. The bookmaker’s blog has articles on Rugby Union, helping punters to make more informed choices. There is also a glossary of terms, which can be especially useful for bettors who are new to the sport.

What 888Sport offers you

• Excellent blog with glossary: The bookie have an excellent blog with news and betting tips. There is a glossary of key terms for each sport, in order to help punters make more informed choices. You can find the blog here.
• Acca Club: 888sport have an Acca Club where if you place bets of £20 or more over the week on multiples with 3 legs or more, you get a £5 free bet. Odds of each leg must have minimum odds of 1/2 (1.5). Racing, American football and virtual sports are not included in this offer. Terms and conditions apply. 

• BetFeed: The Betfeed feature gives punters a view of trending bets in order to help them place their wagers.
• Consistent and fair odds:  888sport consistently offers fair odds for Rugby Union. We looked at three fixtures, two in the English Premiership and one in the United Rugby Championship. 888sport’s payout margins averaged at 90.4 which was similar to its competitors.

Coral

Coral is a solid, reliable name within the betting industry. The company have a well-deserved reputation as one of the UK’s best betting sites and provide Rugby Union punters with a great service.

Coral offer a wide range of Rugby Union markets, including the Six Nations and the Rugby World Cup. The also cover the English Premiership, France’s Top 14, PRO 14, Heineken Cup and the European Challenge Cup.

The bookie offers pre-match and in-play markets, along with markets for the outright winner of different tournaments and competitions. There are promotions related to Rugby Union, and you can watch Rugby Union matches via the bookmaker’s live streaming service.

We can confidently recommend Coral as one of the UK’s best Rugby Union betting websites.

Bottom line:

Coral are a well-established bookmaker who give rugby fans plenty of betting opportunities, along with rugby union related promotions. They are clearly one of the best rugby union betting sites in the UK. 

Why we like Coral:

Coral are a reliable bookie who offer a wide range of Rugby Union markets, including the Six Nations and the Rugby World Cup. The also cover the English Premiership, France’s Top 14, PRO 14, Heineken Cup and the European Challenge Cup.

The bookie offers pre-match and in-play markets, along with markets for the outright winner of different tournaments and competitions, competititve odds and rugby union promos.

What Coral offers you

• Coral Connect Card:  Coral Connect is a feature open to all Coral customers. You can use it to link in-shop betting activity with an online Coral online account. You can use the card to make instant deposits and withdrawals and card holders can benefit from exclusive promotions.
• Cash out at Coral: Coral have a cash out feature available for selected rugby union matches. This allows you to lock in a profit or loss before waiting for the event to finish. 
• Consistent competitive odds for rugby union: In terms of odds value, Coral generally compares well to the other top bookmakers. We looked at 3 Rugby Union fixtures, two in the English Premiership and one in the United Rugby Championship. We found that Coral’s payout margins averaged out at 91.2%.
• Great range and depth of markets: Coral cover club rugby around the world, as well as international tournaments like the World Cup and the Six Nations.

Read the full Coral Review

How our experts choose the best sites to bet on Rugby Union

Bettors have many factors to evaluate when looking for a rugby union betting site. The bookie must be well regulated and trustworthy. The quality of odds offered are vital along with the design and feel of the website, promotions, in-play betting, live streaming and the quality and accessibility of customer service. To be considered one of the best rugby union betting sites, bookmakers must rate highly in all of these areas.

Chris Sampson: Firstly, the company must be trustworthy and deposits and withdrawals must be straightforward and prompt. The rugby union odds must be competitive and the bookie must cover a wide range of leagues and competitions, at club and international level.  A range of betting options are important, along with specific promos for rugby union, and promos which can be applied to rugby. Websites should be responsive and easy to use on both the desktop and the app. 

Compare the best Rugby union betting sites of 2023

Rugby union is a popular sport for UK bettors. Sportsbooks are responding by offering club rugby around the world as well as the traditionally popular events like the Six Nations and the World Cup. Selecting the best rugby union betting site in 2023 is about the whole service. The answer might vary from punter to punter, depending on their betting. We’ve compared the top sites to be on rugby union: 

How to choose the best site for you

Identifying the best rugby union betting sites isn’t an easy task with so many options out there. You can only get a real idea of what works for you by trying sites out and extensively researching their promotions. 

When looking at rugby union online betting sites, these seven points are important to keep in mind:

1. Safety is vital: To keep your cash and data safe, you should always play on licensed and secure betting sites. 
2. Weigh up welcome offers: Not all welcome offers are the same. Each punter has different betting habits and will value different things when signing up to a new bookie, so make sure you find a site with a welcome offer which suits you. 
3. Analyse their rugby union prices: Before jumping in, have a look through the rugby union markets to get a feel for the value on offer. All punters want the best odds. It is worth comparing between sportsbooks to see which have the most competitive prices. Check out who offers the best value on specific leagues and competitions, and compare bookmaker’s odds over three matches to evaluate their consistency.
4. Consider payment and banking options: Making sure you can deposit and withdraw money safely and quickly is very important. It is worth seeing which bookies offer certain payment methods and comparing the fees involved and timescale for receiving your winnings. 
5. Tried and trusted bookies are worth it: Some bookmakers have a better reputation than others. The best rugby union betting sites will retain customers through the quality of their service, customer support and integrity.
6. Bet on the go: Mobile apps are a huge part of the bookmakers’ offering. Being able to scroll through odds, live stream and contact customer service through your phone or tablet is useful. 
7. Try signing up: Registration with a new bookmaker should be a quick, smooth and straightforward process. The only way to get a feel of a betting site is to sign up yourself and look at what they can offer. Most trusted bookies require you to provide documentation to verify your account as part of their Know Your Customer (KYC) scheme.

Betting on Rugby Union explained

Betting on rugby union is extremely popular. With rugby union being a major sport globally there are usually matches and events available to bet on. 

Rugby League v Rugby Union

There are two codes of rugby: rugby league and rugby union. Both sports share the same basic rules, have matches that last 80 minutes and use a similar-shaped oval ball. The main difference between the two codes is that rugby union is played by 15 players per team, while rugby union is played by 13 players per team.

Rugby Union

Rugby union has grown from being a sport that originated in Great Britain and Ireland in 1845 into one that is popular all around the world.

In addition to England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, rugby union is also very popular in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, France and, in more recent years, Italy, Georgia, Japan and Uruguay.

The most famous rugby union tournament is the Rugby World Cup, which takes place every four years. The biggest tournament in Europe is the Six Nations, which features England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France and Italy and takes place annually. The biggest tournament in the Southern Hemisphere is the Rugby Championship, which also takes place annually. Formerly known as the Tri Nations, the competition features Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

There are also domestic leagues all over the world, with Premiership Rugby the top division in England.

 Odds

Rugby betting odds are calculated on the probability of something happening.

For example, the odds of Scotland winning the Six Nations are longer than the odds of England winning the Six Nations. That is because the probability of Scotland winning the Six Nations is much lower than the probability of England winning the Six Nations.

If Scotland win the 2023 Six Nations after you placed a £10 bet on them to do so at 16/1, you would win £160. But if England win the 2023 Six Nations after you placed a £10 bet on them to do so at 5/1, you would win £50.

The best rugby union betting sites in the UK will display odds for different markets. Firstly, you will find odds for the outright winner of leagues, tournaments and cups. These will change on an almost daily basis due to results, form, and, in cup competitions, the draw. 

Each match will display odds for the result (home win, away win, draw). Again these will move as things change (injuries, suspensions etc.) in the build up to the game. 

Generally, if you add up the percentage probability of each of the three possible outcomes you can determine whether the odds are good value. Naturally the three percentages should make 100, however, that would leave the bookie without profit. What is a fair margin varies from sport to sport, however in rugby union 115 and under is considered fair, while the bookies who offer the best rugby union odds usually average around 110 (90% payout). In bigger matches you can find other markets to bet on such as exact score, try scorers, result at half time etc. 

Picks

Just like selecting your preferred bookmaker, there is a lot to consider when making rugby union picks. Recent form, injuries, suspensions, upcoming fixtures and style of play/characteristics of the teams are all important factors.

Types of Rugby Union bets

Rugby union bettors have never had more options available. Punters can, for example, bet on outright winners and match results. Match stats are becoming more commonly available and some bookies are starting to introduce player props. Accas and multiples are also becoming popular. Bettors pick a number of games to predict the result from, with, for example, odds given for selecting four out of four correct results.

Futures Bet

This is a bet on an event which is often some way down the line. Punters often bet on outright winners (the winner of a competition, for example Six Nations, World Cup). Bets such as this can be made on individual players too, for example top points scorer or top try scorer in the Six Nations.

Moneyline Bets

For an individual match punters bet on which team will win, or whether the game will end as a draw. An extension of this is betting on a specific result. 

Over/Under (Total) bets

Betting the over/under in a match simply means you are wagering on how many points will be scored overall, not how many one team will score, or who will win. 

Double Chance

As it sounds, double chance betting involves predicting two of the three possible outcomes in a rugby union match. In any game you will have three double chance options: Team 1 win + draw, Team 2 win + draw, Team 1 or Team 2 win.

Multiple-Game Bets

Parlay: A parlay involves more than one wager combined together for greater odds. You can place a same game rugby union parlay — multiple events from one matchup — or alternatively, events across multiple games. Comprising three doubles and a treble, a Trixie is three selections and four bets. At least two of the selections must land to guarantee a payout. These bets are only widely available in the most popular rugby matches.

As stated earlier accumulators, where punters try to match a number of results, are becoming more popular in rugby union betting. 

The obvious risk is that all the bets have to win for the bettor to receive a payout. However, some bookmakers, offer accumulator insurance so if one of your selections (minimum five selections) lets you down you will receive your stake back as a free bet.

Handicap betting

Handicap betting helps punters get better odds if a game appears to be one-sided. 

Props markets

Prop markets are becoming more common, and they allow customers to bet on anything that may unfold during a game. Common prop bets include, correct score, first team to score, which team will score last plus others, depending on your bookie.

Depending on the bookie, there may be options to include props in a mixed parlay.  Many bookmakers have rugby union bet builders and the option to tweet your customised bets to the bookie to get odds quoted. 

Prop markets become more limited with smaller games and less popular leagues.

In-play betting

Lots of rugby union bettors enjoy the excitement of live betting as the match flows. Bettors can follow the action then use their judgement to place bets as the game unfolds. Live streaming has made this more popular. Bookmakers offer several markets, such as which team will score the next points, the next try scorer.

Rugby Union betting strategies

It is important to do some background research before making your wager. Look into form, injuries, styles of play and upcoming fixtures. Try to apply your knowledge and understanding of the game to your selections. Look at the types of bets you prefer and develop your own strategy. Above all, gamble responsibly and make it fun.

Popular Rugby Union events to bet on

Rugby union is popular with UK pundits. We have picked out the biggest competitions and leagues:

• Rugby Union World Cup: The pinnacle of international Rugby Union is the Rugby World Cup, which takes place evert four years. Top Southern Hemisphere sides like South Africa, Australia and New Zealand’s All Blacks clash with England, Ireland, France, Scotland and Wales. 2023 is World Cup year, where New Zealand, France and Ireland are among the favourites.
• Six Nations Championships: The Six Nations Championship is an annual competition where six of the top international sides in Europe fight it out. The six teams are: England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, Italy and France. The tournament started in 1883 as the Five Nations, but since 2000, when Italy were invited to join, it has been known as the Six Nations. You can bet on the outright winner, but there are other competitions and variables within the tournament. There is the Grand Slam when one team wins all of their matches in the competition. Then there is the Triple Crown, when any of the home nations (England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales) win all three home nation matches.
• Rugby Championship: Punters have the chance to bet on Rugby Union in the Southern Hemisphere. New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Argentina battle in the Southern Hemisphere’s equivalent of the Six Nations – The Rugby Championship.
• Gallagher Premiership: Bettors can wager on England’s top division.
• Other competitions: There are plenty of other Rugby Union competitions to bet on, like the Top 14 in France, the National Rugby Championship and many more, including Rugby Sevens.

Follow the links for more information on rugby league.