The Best Rugby Betting Strategies 2020 | BettingOnline
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Rugby Betting Strategies

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Betting on Rugby

Many people see football, horse racing and cricket as the main sports on which to bet. There are many people that look out for top football betting strategies; however, there are some great rugby betting strategies. To many people, rugby is a game that is full of physicality, excitement and strength. Should you then throw in the added element of betting then it takes it to another level. Rugby betting takes an already thrilling match and makes an already thrilling game even more exciting.

Like most other betting sports, there are lots of different strategies and markets that you can choose from – such as picking a winner, half-time/full-time, try scorers and more. Here, our experts at BettingOnline take you through the very best betting rugby betting strategies so you can make the most from your money and have a higher chance of making your winning sports bet.

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Top Markets and Strategies

Handicap Betting

When it comes to rugby nature, because of the nature of the game, handicap betting is one of the most popular markets; this is a strategy that should be incorporated into your rugby betting. Handicap betting means that you can pick a winner – and the margin by which they win. Bookies will set the points margin based on what they believe will even it out the most. The more of a difference between the two teams, the bigger the handicap.

Example:

Australia is given a (-25) handicap and South Africa has been given a (+25) handicap. This means that bookies believe that Australia is the favourite to win – and adding that handicap evens it out somewhat

This means that if South Africa lose by 24 points or under, then although Australia may have won overall, you will still win the bet if you bet on South Africa. Basically, to win a bet with Australia, they need to win by 26 points or more.

This means that even if the likelihood of South Africa winning bight be low, you can still make a winning bet on them by using a handicap strategy. Therefore the handicap betting strategy allows you to make a winning bet on your team – even if they are the underdogs.

 

Total Points

This is a fiercely popular market in rugby betting as well as other sports and it’s definitely a market to get involved in. The only thing you need to do in this market is to try to predict or guess if you believe that there will be more or less points scored at the given price. The best way to make good on this strategy is by researching your teams and how attacking they are in terms of the number of points scored in the games leading up to the match. This will help you to make a more educated decision.

The key element of this strategy is the current form the teams’ main try-scoring players; their main kickers – and the weather conditions predicted. If your tendency is to bet on a high scoring match, then it would be unwise to do so in wet weather conditions. When it is played in rain, rugby often offers up lower scoring matches because an attacking style of play is much tougher in wet conditions.

Furthermore, when the teams playing are not evenly matched, then you can expect lots of points scored by the better of the two teams – great for a high scoring points bet. Also, is the teams are evenly matched, and both teams have a reputation for great attacking rugby, then this is another situation where you might find a high scoring match. However, if the wet weather strikes, you may want to reevaluate that.

Winning Margin / Winning Margin Five-Way Market

If you’re a punter looking for even better odds, then some very high rewards can be found in the winning margin market. Here, predictions are made in blocks of five-points. An example of this is backing Bath to beat Harlequins by 16 to 20 points in their Premier League meeting. This might be given as pre-match odds of 7/1. If Bath beat Harlequins 28-12 then Bath has won 16 points… so you would have won your bet.

That is the standard Winning Market; we then come to the Winning Market Five-Way Market. If you want to rack up more regular – yet more modest wins, then look at the winning margin five-way market. This lets players make a bet on wider outcomes in some of the matches. An example of this is if you had bet on the Bath v Harlequins, the odds of Bath winning by 13 points or more may be around 19/10; this isn’t too bad if Bath is in impressive form in the run-up to the meeting.

Having said that, the choice between these markets isn’t simply one of risk and exposure. It is also about your choice of games to bet on. You need to research statistics and comparisons before you make your decision.

Points Difference

Another rugby betting strategy is working out the points difference. This is the overall number of points scored, minus the overall points conceded. If you take this for any team, then divide it by the total number of games played then you can work out the average winning/losing margin. If you then compare these team statistics before a match, you will be able to get a reasonably good idea of whether or not the teams are evenly matched. Therefore this will be an indicator of whether there’s likely to be a high or low margin between the two teams.

To get a clearer idea of the differences between the opposing teams, it’s a good idea to compare the point for and the points against the teams. If we refer back to Leeds v Harlequins, you could work out before that that both teams are quite free-scoring. Say Bath had scored 325 in the 10 matches in the run-up, and Harlequins had scored 305 from 9 games there isn’t much difference. However, if you look at the points conceded  – 81 compared to 159 respectively, it looks like Bath is the most likely victor.

Avoiding Pitfalls

If you’re a punter, you need to avoid certain pitfalls that come with those betting strategies. Firstly, you need to contextualise a team’s performance. It’s very easy to look at the points in the run-up to the match and make a judgement on form without putting them into the context of the opponents faced. If you have a string of weak opponents – or strong opponents – this can quite easily skew the apparent form.

You would also be wise to research which teams can grind out a close win in an evenly matched game. It might be a case that looking at points, one team has a better points difference; however, the other team might actually have better form and the ability to fight and win a close game. You might then guess that this team might win, despite the points difference. Therefore, before you place your bet, check out the statistics for hints and compare it to the value of odds.

What To Consider When Betting on Rugby

Understand the Rules of your Rugby Competition

It is important that when you bet on a Rugby competition, you check out the rules – as different competitions have different rules. For example, The Heineken Cup and the Premiership offer up a bonus point if four tries are scored in a single game. The reason this rule was introduced, was to encourage more attacking games. On the other hand, this rule isn’t present in the Six Nations Cup; therefore, you need to bear this in mind when placing a bet. This obviously affect the point scoring in a match and you will need to consider this when placing your bet.

Research, Research, Research

Obviously, it goes without saying that you need to research the past performances of your teams. You need to have an understanding of how they have performed in the past. For example, if one team has never lost against another then knowing this will help you make your bet. Also, a team that might statistically look the best might not always play the best. There are sometimes sometimes shock results, where David beats Goliath.

Something that might help you here is finding out who are currently the best players around. This can help you make your bet – but you do need to read around different sources to get a more informed decision. Furthermore, you could also research the upcoming and younger players; the players that are on form and the ones looking to impress the bigger teams with their performances. In an evenly matched game, these players could make the difference.

Team Form

Obviously, you need to know the current form of the team. This entails finding out which teams have players out injured – so you don’t bet on a team playing without their top players. You need to look at who the team’s best players are and the form of those players. It takes just one injury to finish a player’s season , so you need to assess the team’s performance as a whole – and also with their top player. Check how they have played over the most recent matches and look for their weaknesses.

Understand The Team’s Tactics and Style

This isn’t immediately obvious, but it’s important to know when picking your market and betting strategy. For example, if you are betting on a team known for a defensive kicking strategy, then betting on the first try scored isn’t really worth it… there’s likely not going to be many of them. If you know the tactics of the teams then you are likely to be able to choose the best bet and get the best outcome from your bet. You’re also more likely to be able to predict the final outcome.

Get the Best Odds

It is incredibly important that you don’t go with the first bookmaker you see. You really need to be sure that you don’t just go for the first odds you see. Be sure that you shop around for the best odds. This is where we at BettingOnline come into it. We will help you look around the top bookmakers and gather the best odds for the best markets. This means that you can pick your bet and rely on us to help you find the best online bookmaker to make your rugby bet.

Use Promotions and Sign-up offers

If you don’t yet have an account at the bookmaker that appeals to you, you can get a huge boost by simply making sure to use their sign-up offers. This will give you a larger bankroll than what you paid for – and added value is almost always a good thing if you want to increase your chances of making a profit.

When it comes to betting promotions, the same logic applies. However, these can often be used by both new customers and existing customers, which means you can still get some added value even if you created your account years ago.

Sometimes The Underdog Comes Out on Top

It isn’t always the bookies favourite that wins. Although in most cases this is the most likely outcome, sometimes the underdog could be the better bet; obviously, this depends on the form of the team and the players. You need to decide yourself before betting – not just rely on the bookie’s opinion.

Bookmakers aren’t perfect and sometimes they might overlook areas of a team or players performance that a real rugby fan might know… including historical encounters between the opponents. There are many different factors that you need to consider – and seeing the bookies odds is just one of those factors. Trust your own judgement and remember – going for the underdog will give you a better return too!

Follow Your Head – Not Heart

If you’re a huge fan of one particular team, then it’s easy to be swayed; even if the odds are against them and the likelihood of success is small. Following your heart could lead to you making a bet on an unlikely outcome without even having value on the bet. Bookies rely on people betting with their hearts to make their money- simple.

It’s obvious to say that you need to make sure that you only bet money that you can afford to lose. However, that doesn’t mean you just want to throw that money away on a heart-led decision. You need to spend time weighing up your bet carefully; look at all the factors surrounding the bet – and bet with your head’s advice, not your heart’s. Also, look for good betting tips to help you with your decision if needs be – from people whose job it is to research your likely winner.

Check Out the Weather

Brits love to check the weather anyway, but it’s important to check it out when it comes to rugby betting. For example, a wet and windy day will put all players at a disadvantage. Strong wind can heavily affect the game – especially things like spot-kicks – and even passing in general. Furthermore, playing on a wet pitch makes the attack harder for players. If the weather is forecast to be hot and dry – his is great for the players – although heavier players might struggle with temperatures too high.  So, check out the weather!

Who is the Ref?

The styling of referees can vary very much between the northern and southern hemisphere. Not only that but as in most sports, some refs are known for being much stricter than others. This element can affect the scoring of the match – and the overall performance of the teams. You’ll be able to find out who the referee is and get info on him before the match, so make sure you do.

Playing at Home?

Again, another element common to most sports is the idea of home advantage. This can influence and sport – including rugby. It isn’t one of the biggest factors, but it is worth taking into consideration, all else being equal. Many teams are simply more comfortable when laying on home turf. Furthermore, if the match is in another country then it could mean a lot of travel before the game – which could bean fatigue or jet lag. They will also be less familiar with the ground and these elements combined could mean a struggle.  Also, the home team will have more fan support at the game, which also affects the outcome. Ultimately, this can make or break a game for a team.

So, there you have it. We want you to make the very best out of your rugby betting so you can get those winning bets. Don’t forget to check out our top betting tips and also our best football betting strategy guide.

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