Rugby betting in the USA may not be as popular as in the southern hemisphere of the planet. In spite of that, it certainly draws in crowds of fans that love staking on the games. Sharing a lot of similarities with football, rugby is also a very physical sport. Fans of the game enjoy watching high-intensity games that consist of tackling and explosive sprints to the try line. The rugby sport has grown in popularity over the years, with some of the international rugby tournament matches hosted in America in recent times.
US players can find international rugby betting odds on some of the picks of the day. Additionally, there is also a pro rugby USA league that is contested by teams from in North America. Discover the best sports betting sites that offer odds to bet on Major League Rugby games online. Our guide also features a step-by-step tutorial on how to bet on rugby for beginners in the US.
Online Rugby Betting Sites in the USA
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What You Will Find on this Page
How to Bet on Rugby
There are tons of betting sites that offer competitive odds on rugby matches online. But before you rush to the signing up to one of the recommended rugby betting websites, you first have to know the different types of rugby competitions. There are two main forms of rugby sport, Rugby Union and Rugby League.
Types of Online Rugby Betting
Rugby Union Betting
In America, local teams take part in rugby union games that are distinguished by certain characteristics. The most conspicuous feature of the game is that each team has 15 players that take to the field. Unlike football, the game only has two halves, broken down into 40 minutes in each segment. The rugby clubs contest the game by attempting to score points on the board through running the ball over the try line. This happens while the opponents try to stop the other team, either through tackles, mauling or ruck to have a position of the ball.
Rugby League Betting
In Europe, there are countries that play rugby league games, which is slightly different from the rugby union variant. In union, there are only 13 rugby players that play the game. The rugby league rules prohibit players from mauling or any rucks in the game. Possession is ceded to the opponent if a team in possession of the ball is unable to convert a try after being tackled six times. Another pertinent rule is that there are no line-outs, instead, teams tussle it out through a scrum to get possession of the ball.
Rugby Betting Lines
While the two rugby sports games may have their differences, betting on rugby matches remains the same. We’ve shortlisted some of the most popular rugby bets online that you will find at top US sportsbooks.
- Handicap Betting Rugby – when a team is considered an overwhelming favorite to win the match, sportsbooks offer handicap bets to even things out. Also known as a point spread, the team has to win the game by a certain amount of points in order for the bet to win.
- Rugby Live Betting – this bet is typically picked by players that missed the kick-off. Live bets on rugby games have great odds, especially when choosing which team will score the next try.
- First Try Scorer – bet on the rugby team or player that is likely to score the first try in the game. Bettors usually pick the player that has a lot of pace and a track record of putting points on the board.
- Outright Winner – following picking a competition, players predict the winner of the tournament before it even begins. The betting odds on future bets have big payout because anything can happen during the group stages.
Popular Rugby Union Competitions
With the rugby union played all across the world, there are certain tournaments that are syndicated in the USA as well. These include the most popular rugby tournaments that have the best betting odds online:
Rugby Championship Odds
One of the premier rugby international tournaments that are contested by teams from the southern hemisphere. Formerly known as the Tri-Nations tournament, the annual rugby competition sees four top-ranked nations play a series of games to win the trophy.
Premiership Rugby Odds
One of the oldest competitions in the rugby game, Premiership Rugby is the top division of English rugby. Also known as Gallagher Premiership Rugby, teams from Europe qualify for a place to contest the tournament every single season.
Major League Rugby Odds
A combination of teams from the US and Canada make up the Major League Rugby. The competition is set to increase in number, from nine teams in 2019 to 12 when the 2020 season begins.
Rugby World Cup Betting
2019 represents the year in which the IRB rugby world cup tournament takes place. Hosted in Japan, the elite rugby international teams will converge to the Asian country to contest the world cup trophy.
