What is Rugby Union Betting? Rugby Union Betting Explained in 2 minutes
Mike Goodpaster Last Verified
26/06/2026
Rugby Union betting is the act of placing a bet on the Rugby Football code of Union as opposed to its opposite number Rugby League.
Rugby Union is a contact sport and features two teams of 15 competing to score tries and conversions over a period of 80 minutes in order to determine a winner.
Rugby Union betting also means big bucks for bookmakers around the world as Rugby Union is a global game. There is a popular World Cup format and league system in multiple countries such as England, France and Australia.
Although the basis of Rugby League and Union is the same, there are a number of rule changes that ensures the two codes differ with the two codes’ possession laws remarkably different.
How is Rugby Union Betting used in Sports Betting?
All sportsbooks will boast multiple markets for Rugby Union betting due to the global appeal of the sport.
Markets include: Match winners, score markets, handicap and tournament winners. In fact, the Rugby Union markets are similar to football betting markets in so much as the two sports are points and goal scoring games.
An example of placing a Rugby Union bet would be to select England to beat Argentina by six points or more in a World Cup group game.
This type of handicap betting is popular in Rugby Union as there is often a vast gulf between the top sides and the rest of the pack.
Did you know…
In 1823 during a match of English school football, William Webb Ellis is reported to have picked up the ball and ran with it and bring to life the game of Rugby.
To this day, the winner of the Rugby Union World Cup is awarded the William Webb Ellis trophy.
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