The Best Rugby World Cup Betting Sites in the UK

With the onset of the Rugby World Cup, the bookies really come alive with their competitive odds and bonuses.

If you’re looking to have a dabble to see who’s going to take home the Webb Ellis trophy, come and check out our top list of bookies, as well as some of our favourite bets to place, and any tips and tricks.

Top 7 Rugby World Cup Betting Sites

During the regular UK rugby season, most of the major bookies will open their sportsbook for their punters. The level of competition between them varies, and you can find some differences in odds.

Here at My Betting Bonus, we strive only to bring you the best online bookies; ones that feature the following:

The result of our research is the above list of the top Rugby World Cup betting sites.

Rugby World Cup Betting Bonuses and Promotions

We expect to see some tailored rugby bonuses and promotions as the heat turns up for the Webb Ellis trophy.

To keep it simple for you, you should place your focus on the following rugby betting bonuses:

1. The welcome/signup bonus
2. Rugby free bets
3. Any matched deposit bonuses

The Welcome Bonus

Simply by providing the bookmakers with some of your personal information, making a small deposit and placing a certain bet, you may trigger that specific welcome bonus. They can take different forms, with the most common ones being free bets and matched deposits.

Before we show you how the bonuses work, there are a couple of tricks here to look out for, and these apply to most sports bet bonuses and promotions:

• Minimum odds requirements
• Wagering requirements
• Time restrictions

Minimum Odds Requirements

Any promotion will always clarify what the minimum odds will be for a bet to qualify for a bonus. Since we’re in the UK, this will always be quoted in fractional odds. For example, it’s common for the minimum odds to be 1/2. In order to work out the decimal version of this, divide the numbers and add a 1. So, 1/2 is 1.5 as a decimal.

It’s very important that you take heed of this minimum requirement; otherwise you may not qualify for the free bets or bonus. Also, be aware that the odds are valid at the time your bet is confirmed. So, if you’ve backed England to win the Rugby World Cup at 1.4, but the odds rise to 1.6 when the tournament starts, your bet won’t be valid for the bonus.

Wagering Requirements in Rugby Betting

Always check the terms and conditions for any wagering requirements for winnings to be withdrawable. We know all too well what it’s like to see free bet winnings land in the account, only for the withdrawable balance to show a less amount.

The lower the wagering requirements, the easier a bonus is to achieve. For example, if you see a wagering requirement of x3 on a £10 free bet. That means you need to place bets to the total of £30 for any winnings from the £10 bet to be withdrawn.

If you have any doubts about this, get in touch with the live chat or customer service line of the bookie of your choice. They’ll be more than happy to help you out!

Time Restrictions

Time restrictions on bonuses come at two distinct points:

1. When claiming the bonus offer
2. From when the bonus is granted

From the moment you redeem a bonus with a bookie, the clock starts ticking. You have a certain amount of time — usually days — to place your qualifying bet. This qualifying bet is what then determines whether you receive the bonus.

Once you pass this checkpoint and your bonus is granted, you’re on the stopwatch again. Think of it just like the 60 seconds you get when taking a penalty in rugby. Although, thankfully, you have much longer than 60 seconds here. Some bookies are known to be generous and offer anything up to a month; some 21 days, some 14, and some only a few days.

The important thing here is to check the terms and conditions. We have heard that live chat can extend the terms; however, don’t rely on this.

Rugby Free Bets

The above example is from the 2015 Rugby World Cup, but it’s there to show what kind of promos bookies offer when these big tournaments come around. Free bets are usually granted when you place a bet of your own that meets a minimum odds requirement. We find that these can take form in a couple of ways, with different wording:

• “Bet and Get.”
• Insurance bets.

Bet and Get Free Bets in Rugby

It’s easiest if we run through an example of this type of bet. For example, at the time of writing, Ladbrokes has a welcome bonus for “Bet £5 and Get £20″, using a promo code of “20FREE”.

These are the steps to take in order to trigger the free bets:

1. Register with Ladbrokes on a mobile or desktop using “20FREE” as the promo code.
2. Deposit £5 into your account.
3. Place a bet of £5 at their minimum odds requirements — 1/2 (1.5).
4. As soon as that bet is accepted, you’ll receive 4 x £5 free bets!
5. Place the free bets where you like
6. Any potential winnings will appear in your account when the bets are settled.

How Do Insurance Bets Work?

A common form of an insurance free bet is when your bet loses, you get an amount back as either:

• Cash
• Free bet

With these, be aware that there’s usually a maximum amount that doesn’t always equal your original stake.

For example, Paddy Power has a max £20 refund for new customers. So, if you backed Wales to win their opening match of the Rugby World Cup for £30 and it loses, you’ll only get £20. Some sites do match the qualifying bet amount though, so be sure of the exact terms.

Again, look out for minimum odds requirements and time constraints here.

Matched Deposit Bonuses for Rugby World Cup Betting Sites

Matched deposits are fast becoming the most common form of bonuses offered out by bookies. The majority of these are worth taking on, even if it means the ratio of your money to the bookie’s is lower when compared to free bets.

As a rule of thumb, the following factors need your attention with matched deposit bets:

• Matched percentage
• Deposit brackets
• Minimum odds
• Wagering requirements

We’ve covered minimum odds and wagering requirements above — these apply just the same with matched deposits as they do with free bets.

For example, a 200% matched deposit up to a maximum of £100 means you only need to deposit £50 in order to receive £100. 100% is the most common we’ve seen, and some offers are even lower. Be aware of the lower percentage offers with high wagering requirements. These can be tiresome and not very valuable.

For a 100% matched offer, the bookmakers work in rounded tens of pounds usually. So, if you deposited £27.43, you’ll receive an amount corresponding to that bracket; perhaps only £20. Here’s a generic example of what you can expect:

Deposit Bracket (£)	Matched Amount (£)
10-19	10
20-29	20
30-39	30
40-49	40
50-59	50

With this in mind, can you see why it’s less valuable to deposit anything but the minimum for each bracket? Otherwise, the matched amount isn’t 100%. For example, the random £27.43 example above will mean the bookie will give you £20.

Rugby World Cup Betting With Paddy Power

We’re big fans of the Irish bookie when it comes to the Rugby World Cup betting sites. It’s very responsive when it comes to offering the best market odds, plus its book is open well in advance of the tournament. Even a whole month before the 2019 Rugby World Cup, Paddy had a boost on for “Any Six Nations Team to Win the Rugby World Cup 2019″:

• From: 13/8 (2.625)
• Boosted to: 15/8 (2.875)

You’d think that there’d only be one outright market for the World Cup, wouldn’t you? Not with Paddy Power! It’s been known to have at least 44 outright markets, including ones so detailed as naming a prop that’s going to start for Ireland against Scotland. That’s not to mention the number of markets for the individual matches.

Paddy consistently delivers across its entire sportsbook, offering excellent odds, worthwhile bonuses, and an enjoyable and simple betting experience.

Is Bet365 a Good Choice for the Rugby World Cup?

Bet365 is well-known to have an incredible depth to its markets, and the Rugby World Cup benefits from this too. To rival Paddy’s impressive offering, each game with bet365 has over 50 individual markets at the time of writing, leaving something for everyone.

Where bet365 really stands out as its in-play streaming and data feeds for stats. Since the live coverage of the Rugby World Cup tends to be controlled by either the BBC, ITV, BT Sport, and Sky, we can’t be sure that bet365 will have this option available each year. Even so, bet365 gets a big tick from us.

Pre-Match and In-Play Bets on the Rugby World Cup

All the best rugby world cup betting sites will offer both pre-match and in-play betting options. The books for the Rugby World Cup are open months in advance and tend to suit those who want to get involved early. No matter your fancy; there’s something for everyone.

Pre-Match Rugby World Cup Betting

Betting on pre-match markets can be seen to be easier since the odds won’t move much at all until the team news is announced for each match. Since rugby is such a physical sport, injuries can crop up at any time, especially if a player needs a career-altering operation that can danger their chances of selection if not fit. With this in mind, be aware of your bet being voided if a player doesn’t make the final squad selection.

Don’t place your pre-match and tournament bets too early either. With the World Cup warm-up matches occurring around a month before the tournament, if a team plays particularly well, they can shoot up the rankings and the markets will change. This might mean that you could get better odds on your favourite team to win if they’ve been surpassed by another in the official World Rugby rankings.

In-Play Rugby World Cup Betting

If you’re into your stats and analysis, this can be an excellent time to put them into action. For example, the Kiwis are notorious for playing the full 80 minutes, turning the heat on in the second half.

Conversely, France are tough to gauge since you just never know if they’re going to turn up. They can be incredibly magical if they run from deep with their inherent flair; it’s an awesome thing to watch!

Remember the Japan vs. South Africa 34-32 thriller in the 2015 Rugby World Cup? What a game! Sure, pre-match you would’ve gotten good odds for Japan to win that game, but nobody would’ve known they were looking likely to win until the game kicked off.

Rugby World Cup Betting Tips – What Are the Most Popular Bets?

When betting on the Rugby World Cup, you’re looking for a mix of having fun and getting value. Many people that we’ve spoken to have already placed their hard-earned cash on New Zealand to win.

However, look for the rugby world cup betting sites that offer markets:

• “Without New Zealand”; or
• “Without the Favourite”

This will shorten the odds but will make the market more competitive. Or, you could go for some of these popular options that offer higher prices:

• To Reach the Semi-Final.
• Name The Finalists.

We really like the latter of the above. New Zealand are a popular option here usually, and a price of 3/1 (4.0) here isn’t unheard of.

There’s no doubt that Australia is a rugby powerhouse; however, the Wallabies’ build-up to the 2019 Rugby World Cup has been one of their poorest ever. But, you know a team like the Aussies are going to up their game for The Big One. When it comes to Rugby world cup betting sites, when a bookie has odds such as the below to reach the final, your eyes might light up:

• New Zealand & Australia to reach the final: 10/1 (11.0)
• England and Australia to reach the final: 22/1 (23.0)

Also, many of us love to dive into the “Top Tournament Tryscorer” market. Just looking at Paddy Power for the upcoming 2019 Rugby World Cup, we can see some value on the cards. Inevitably there are some Kiwis up top with Sevu Reece and Rieko Ioane having the shortest odds. But, when you skip those, you have:

• Jonny May: 10/1 (11.0)
• Jacob Stockdale: 12/1 (13.0)
• George North: 20/1 (21.0)

Jonny May is one of the most electric players the game has seen since Christian Cullen graced us with his talents; although, differently styled players. Jacob Stockdale is the new boy on the block and is definitely showing his worth for the ever-popular Ireland. And, even though George North hasn’t found his initial international form, he’s a big man and a big player to write-off; one who can rip apart the opposition in an instant. The hard decision on Stockdale and North is whether you feel Ireland and Wales will go far enough in the tournament in to give them a chance to score the tries — based on recent World Cup performances.

No matter your choice, there’s plenty of opportunity across a multitude of markets. Before you settle down for your bets, have a read as to what the independent pundits are saying and do some analysis on Rugby World Cup statistics.

Cashing Out a Rugby World Cup Bet

Since rugby, in general, isn’t as popular as the likes of football and horse racing, cash-out options aren’t as prevalent. We can’t say for sure whether or not some of the top bookmakers will turn on the feature for the Rugby World Cup.

Even so, keep an eye out on the rugby world cup betting sites that we’ve featured in this article. If a bookie’s going to offer a cash-out feature, it’ll be one of those.

The Best 5 Rugby World Cup Betting Mobile Apps

Since many of us like to bet on the go, we need to be using the best betting apps in the industry. And so, we’re looking for the following features:

• Access to markets
• Reliability
• Mobile boosts and promotions

We go into each of the above in more detail shortly, but we can’t keep you waiting on our mobile betting app shortlist. We love how easy to use and reliable the betting apps are for:

• Paddy Power
• bwin
• William Hill
• Bet365
• Betfair

Rugby Market Accessibility

When logging in to the app, you want to see rugby on the home page and a swift excursion into the markets.

This can make or break it when you’re watching the game on a big screen and the “finishers” come on at the 60–65-minute mark to inject some more pace into the game. If the opposition has made some early subs and they haven’t made an impact, this could be an opportunity to place a bet. Speed is of the essence here since the market prices will react quickly.

App Reliability

Getting our in-play bets placed swiftly can only happen if the software driving the app is of the highest quality. Most online bookies recognise the big shift towards mobile iGaming in general, so have invested in the very best software developers to ensure their apps have:

• Zero downtime
• All the markets that desktop sites have
• Fast and efficient depositing and withdrawal times
• Instant changes to odds

Mobile Boosts and Promotions for the Rugby World Cup

Some rugby world cup betting sites really push the use of their mobile betting platform. With this, they tend to feature mobile-specific bonuses and boosts. Even if there aren’t unique mobile promotions available, we at least need to see that all the usual promotions, boosts and offers that are available on the desktop site carry seamlessly across to the mobile site and/or the app.

Rugby World Cup Betting Sites – Which Teams Have Won the Rugby World Cup?

You’re probably not surprised to see that the Southern Hemisphere teams dominate the list of past winners, New Zealand in particular, with only England’s infamous victory in 2003 splitting the globe. However, the French have also managed to reach the final on three occasions, with no other home nation ever making it to the final apart from England.

Year	Winner	Runner Up
2015	New Zealand	Australia
2011	New Zealand	France
2007	South Africa	England
2003	England	Australia
1999	Australia	France
1995	South Africa	New Zealand
1991	Australia	England
1987	New Zealand	France