How to Bet on Rugby World Cup
With the NFL and MLB in full swing and the NBA about to tip off, you can be forgiven for overlooking the 2019 Rugby World Cuptaking place in Japan right now.
If you have been paying attention, you’ll know Team USA have already been eliminated at the pool stage. Boo I know!
But that’s not to say you can’t still have a wager on one of the biggest sporting events of the year, especially now Online Gambling in the US is readily available in more and more states.
If you are unfamiliar with the concept of rugby union, let alone how to bet on it, we break down the basics and chuck a few tips your way so you’re ready to ruck for the knockout rounds.
Ok, first, the basics.
Which of the two big-hitting sports comes out on top is the source of much debate either side of the pond. When it comes to betting though, the two are in fact very similar.
Bettors can wager on the winner of a game (moneyline bet), as well as point spread and totals (Over/Under).
And it’s not like the scoring systems are exactly poles apart; five points are awarded for a try (the rugby equivalent of a touchdown) with a successful kick conversion awarded two points, for a total of seven. Finally, as with a field goal in football, a team is awarded three points for penalty kicks and drop kicks. Easy then! On we go.
Here are five handy tips for betting on the Rugby World Cup:
Know the team you’re betting on!
The World Rugby rankings serve as an indicator as to who has performed better over the calendar year. Ahead of four bruising and difficult-to-predict quarter final clashes, this will be a solid reference point. However, we all know an underdog can cause an upset. Anyone remember 1969? New York Jets beating Baltimore Colts is still considered the biggest shock in NFL history. Quite what the odds would’ve been then is anybody’s guess.
Should you be in the Garden State now and fancy a wager on football, rugby or any other sport, consider choosing from amongst the best sports betting sites in New Jersey beforehand.
Check on the weather
Believe you me, that egg-shaped ball is as difficult as a bar of soap to handle when the heavens open! Even the best can be thwarted and have plans hampered by the weather. Soggy conditions can make for a messy game littered with mistakes and unpredictability, levelling up the playing field in the process.
Research the Referee
Does the referee blow his whistle at any opportunity and slow the game? Or does he allow for a more free-flowing contest? Knowing how a ref chooses to manage a game prior to kick off can help in terms of predicting how high or low scoring a game will be.
Styles of play
There’s more than one way to skin a cat. Saying this, we know what to expect of New Zealand – wave after wave of well maneuvered runs executed to perfection. Not every team are as good as The All Blacks though. Coaches employ a range of tactics to try and win. Think whether the side is set up for a brand of quick, attacking rugby or more likely to slow the ball down by kicking their way through the game.
Will history play a part?
The psychological part of sports is often overlooked. Teams can have mental blocks against certain opposition and even a bogey side they cannot overcome whatever the occasion. It’s worth flicking through the archives to see if a team has a hard time against anyone in particular.
Take New Zealand for instance. Outright favorites they may be, but they’ll be a niggling doubt should they be due to play France, a nation that has knocked them out of two recent World Cups.
For your diary: The Quarter Finals stage of the competition will commence Saturday October 19, Typhoon permitting.
