Rugby
There are two codes of rugby football and, while supporters of both will argue that theirs is the best, it’s fair to say that Rugby Union has a greater global following. Since the game turned professional, it has become far more serious with a world cup introduced alongside many top class tournaments around the globe.
At Unibet, our rugby union markets have always been active while our live streaming service has been introduced to pick up the best of the action. Unibet TV covers an extensive set of games across the calendar year and here’s what you can look forward to.
The World Cup
Rugby Union was a little slow in implementing a recognised global tournament and the first World Cup didn’t arrive until 1987. New Zealand and Australia jointly took responsibility for hosting duties with New Zealand’s All Blacks claiming the inaugural title. The Webb Ellis Cup is awarded to the winners and, up to and including the 2019 World Cup in Japan, only four countries have won it.
New Zealand and South Africa have, to date, won three titles each while Australia have won twice and England have a solitary success dating back to 2003. The tournament is held every four years with 20 countries qualifying for the final stages. An initial group phase kicks things off and the knockout rounds then take over.
Unibet will be on hand at every stage with an excellent set of betting markets. Outright options for the overall winner are here and you can expect to be able to stake on the winner of each group. Once the world cup begins, betting on individual matches includes the game winner bet plus a whole host of props.
Other International Competitions
While we have to wait four years for every World Cup to come around, other international rugby union competitions are held on an annual basis. The most important of these in the Northern Hemisphere is the Six Nations which was originally established in 1883 as a tournament between the four home countries of the United Kingdom. Subsequently, France and Italy have been added to make this a six-team event.
While the Italians have recorded some upsets, the competition has historically been a battle between England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France with some exceptionally competitive rugby being played.
Down in the Southern Hemisphere, the most important competition is the Rugby Championship. Originally set up in 1996 as a tri-nations tournament between New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, this event has also seen some expansion with the addition of Argentina in 2012.
These and other major international tournaments are picked up by Unibet and these are times when our markets become especially busy. Unibet TV is also on standby for the big games with live streaming providing extensive coverage of the elite level of sport.
Featuring at international level is the height of achievement for all rugby union players but, before they can get to that stage, there are the domestic leagues offering them the chance to stand out from their peers.
The Domestic Front
All major rugby union playing nations have their own domestic set up with leagues and knockout tournaments in place. These may be stepping stones into the international game but they are all hard fought competitions with plenty of interest in their own right.
Included in the overall list is the Premiership in England, Top 14 in France, the All Ireland League, the Scottish Premiership and the Welsh Premier Division. Added to this are a number of competitions that involve sides from several countries such as Super Rugby, the European Champions Cup, the European Challenge Cup and Pro 14. Once again, all of these top divisions will enjoy extensive live streaming via Unibet TV with a wide selection of betting markets to back them up.
Betting on and Watching Live Rugby Union
The more obvious forms of rugby union betting fall into two categories - outright markets and match staking. Match betting is more commonly referred to as the moneyline bet and involves working out which of the two sides you think will win. The draw is rare in this sport but it can happen and there are relatively high odds waiting for a game that finishes all square.
Rugby union matches also provide the opportunity to consider a host of prop bets. For the bigger games, these can relate to individual players and may include picks such as first try scorer. Alternatively, they can be team bets relating to total points combined or total points for each half. There are more prop markets than you might expect and their availability may vary depending on the magnitude of the game in question.
In terms of accessing the live feed from Unibet TV, this can be carried out by all of our customers and the requirements are simple. Either you should have funds in your account or you must have placed a cash bet within the previous 24 hours. You do not need to have staked on the match in question and no monthly subscription is required.
Live betting is available on all of the major rugby games and, if you are betting in play, market odds will be updated in real time as the match progresses. It’s a flexible platform designed to fit around your preferences and it can be accessed by desktop, laptop or any mobile device as long as you have a WiFi connection.
