If you’re a rugby fan and know your stuff then you might already be regularly betting on your sport. But do you know which are the best rugby betting sites?

The number of betting sites available to rugby punters has grown exponentially over the last decade, and they all offer something different.

So, to make things as easy as possible, we’ve put together a list of the best rugby bookmakers to show bettors there is a rugby betting site to suit all types of punter.

Best rugby betting sites by category

When it comes to rugby betting, everyone wants something specific and have different priorities when it comes to choosing their favourite bookmaker.

For some, they want to be rewarded when they bet, for others, it’s all about accumulators, while some customers just want the best odds possible.

We’ve split up our recommendations for the best online rugby betting sites by category, so whether you are a fan of league or union, we’ve got you covered.

Best rugby betting site for free bets: BetVictor

BetVictor has a solid foundation as a rugby betting site, offering a good selection of markets on international and domestic games, as well as informative stat packs, while you’ll regularly find odds boosts on ante-post and match markets during major tournaments. All this can be accessed via an excellent betting app too.

But what elevates BetVictor’s status among rugby bettors is the amount of free bets fans of either code can claim through betting with the established bookie.

If you are a new customer, you can claim £20 in free bets as part of their welcome bonus. All you need to do is opt in and bet £10 at odds of evens, within seven days of registration.

Free bets are also available through BetVictor’s Prize Wheel. Bettors are guaranteed a prize of some description, with rewards ranging from odds boosts, free bets, free spins and cash.

By joining the BetVictor Loyalty Club you can also get up to £25 in free bets when you place five bets of £5 or more in a week. So if you are a regular rugby bettor, you can get up to £25 each week by wagering with BetVictor.

Best betting site for rugby union: 10bet

Rugby union remains the most popular rugby code when it comes to betting, thanks largely to the popularity of Six Nations rugby betting, the annual international tournament featuring England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, France and Italy.

10bet is growing in popularity when it comes to rugby union betting, thanks not only to its strong market selection but also its free bets club that runs throughout the season. Customers earn a free £5 bet each week when they bet £40 or more on rugby union in the specified time period.

It’s not just the specific rugby-related offers that are of interest when it comes to 10bet with all of their general sports betting offers applicable when it comes to betting on rugby union.

So, new customers get a 100 per cent welcome bonus of up to £50 when they sign up using the code SPORT and the bonus can be used on any sports bet. Users also get a £10 free bet for betting £50 on the app which can be used on rugby, while there is a 100 per cent boost on winning rugby accas.

Just put together an acca featuring three legs or more and 10bet will boost your winnings by up to 100%, to a maximum £5000 in cash, depending on the number of winning selections.

Best betting site for rugby league: Betfred

When it comes to rugby league betting, Betfred is the best on the market, which is hardly surprising considering they sponsor Super League and the Challenge Cup.

As a result, they offer the most comprehensive market coverage, competitive offers and specialised promotions for all events, including their Super League Double Delight promo.

Betfred’s Double Delight offer means if you successfully back the first tryscorer in a match and they go on to score again in the same game, they’ll pay you at double the odds of your original bet.

New customers to the site can also get £50 in free bets when they bet £10, all of which can be spent on rugby league should a bettor choose.

Best rugby betting site for accumulators: BoyleSports

If you prefer accumulator betting, then BoyleSports has you covered through some market-beating acca promotions,

When placing a multiple, bettors can choose whether to avail of an acca boost or acca insurance with Boyles, while punters that place regular rugby accas can also qualify for Acca Loyalty.

So, if you place an acca of four legs or more and choose to take out insurance, you’ll get your money back as a free bet up to £20 if one leg lets you down. BoyleSports also offers a 10 per cent profit boost on a winning four-fold, going up to a 100 per cent boost if you successfully land a 13-fold or bigger.

If you place five rugby accumulators with combined offers of 3/1 or more then you will receive a free £5 acca bet.

The accumulator offers are just part of a strong library of promotions from BoyleSports, which also include odds boosts, early payouts and free bets, while new users can claim a £20 free bet to wager on rugby.

Best rugby betting site for odds boosts: William Hill

One of William Hill’s biggest appeals is the bookmaker’s propensity to boost the odds on a bet, which happens frequently in their rugby betting markets.

It’s rare to click into a Hills’ rugby market, be that a domestic or international competition, and not see the price of at least one bet boosted.

William Hill will regularly bump up the odds on several bets, both for rugby matches and ante-post bets.

They also offer competitive prices and promotions across the board and for those looking for something different, #YourOdds allows users to pick their create bets to be priced up by the bookie.

New customers can enjoy William Hill’s bet £10, get £30 sign-up offer, with the £30 in free bets eligible for use wagering on any sport, including rugby.

Best rugby betting site for bet builders: Bet365

Regular bettors may be well aware of the bet builder feature which has become popular on football betting sites. Bet365 are now offering this feature for rugby betting, offering punters a unique way to wager on the sport.

Users can combine up to 12 different legs from a single match into one bet, meaning you can build up the odds and complexity as you want.

They also offer a range of other rugby-specific promotions, such as early payouts on rugby union matches if one team goes 15 points ahead. They will also carry over any active bets on matches that go into extra time, which is a great addition.

New customers who bet £10 get £30 in free bets, while you can get up to 100 per cent boost on your accumulators, depending on the number of selections.

Best rugby betting app: Talksport Bet

Talksport Bet offers one of the best betting apps around when it comes to rugby betting with clean navigation and a great range of offers. Many apps don’t have the same number of markets or even the same promotions as their desktop site, but Talksport does, so whatever you see online you can get on the app.

The app has a 4.8 rating on the App Store and 4.4/5 on Google Play, and although it might be more focused on horse racing and football, as is the case with most betting apps, once you click through to rugby you will see that they provide a strong rugby betting service.

New customers to Talksport Bet can get the odds on their first rugby bet treble, or you can choose a £5 free Lucky Dip bet when you sign up.

How we rank and review rugby betting sites

We take the rating and recommendation of UK bookmakers very seriously and have stringent criteria we expect the best online betting sites to meet even to be considered for our list. Here are some of the factors we consider:

Regulation: This is a non-negotiable before we recommend any of our best betting sites for rugby. They have to be regulated by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) for us to contemplate rating them, so you can be confident that every bookmaker we’ve mentioned is safe to engage with.

Reputation: Our recommended online bookmakers are a mixture of household names and new betting sites. The reputation of a bookmaker is very important to us and while the well-known rugby betting sites such as Betfred, BoyleSports and Bet365 have reputations that precede them, we also considered the burgeoning renown of the newer companies entering the UK industry and how well-regarded they are overseas.

Responsible gambling: Similarly to regulation, how committed a rugby betting site is to responsible gambling is extremely important. Have they taken genuine steps to ensure their actions towards their customers are morally sound? We considered their approaches to providing safer gambling tools such as deposit limits, loss limits, reality checks and self-exclusion.

Customer experience: How good an experience online bookies provide to their customers was also taken into account when choosing the best rugby betting sites – across desktop, mobile and app. If the site design is smart and well laid out, and the useability is logical and straightforward, then that all makes for a better customer experience. Similarly, how easy it is to interact with support staff and solve any potential issues is also a factor.

Promotions: Of course, rugby betting sites can also be judged on promotions and offers. We considered if these rugby bookmakers were offering unique deals we hadn’t seen anywhere else. If punters feel like they’re getting more bang for their buck – be that in terms of free bets, odds boosts or one-off promotions – they’re more likely to have a good experience on the site. And when it comes to major tournaments, like the World Cup or Six Nations, are these bookmakers doing all they can to enhance a bettors Rugby World Cup betting experience? We choose those bookmakers ticking as many of those boxes as possible.

Responsible gambling

The most important thing to remember when betting is to gamble responsibly. Betting should only ever be considered a form of entertainment – it has not, and will never be, a surefire way to make money, no matter how much you think you know about sport.

When betting on rugby, always assume you’ll lose and therefore, only bet what you can afford. Sports betting can also be addictive, so please take steps to remain in control of your time and budget.

Make sure you use the safer gambling tools offered by rugby betting sites such as deposit limits, reality checks, loss limits, time-outs and self-exclusion. These can stop your gambling from getting out of hand.

If you have gambling-related concerns, then seek independent help. There are several UK charities and institutions that offer support, advice and information, with a few listed below:

Best rugby betting sites summary

While we can recommend what we think are the best rugby betting sites, the truth is that every rugby punter is looking for something different from their bookmaker.

What’s ‘best’ for one person will be different to what’s ‘best’ for another. The important thing is to decide what is important for you and know how you like to bet.

Whatever your requirements, hopefully, this information can help you make an informed decision about where to place your rugby bets.

Remember, each of our recommended rugby betting sites are fully licensed and regulated by the UKGC, ensuring that your personal and financial data is secure. Every site listed here is safe and legal but it’s important that you only pick a site that resonates with how you intend to bet.

Best rugby betting sites FAQ

What is handicap betting in rugby?

Handicap betting in rugby is extremely popular in rugby and works by giving one team a virtual advantage or disadvantage, with points being given to them or taken away. In the case of the favourite to win a game, they’ll start with a hypothetical disadvantage and will need to win the game by more than the specified number of points set by a bookmaker as a handicap. The outsiders will be given an advantage and either have to win or draw the match, or lose by less than their specific handicap.

Can you bet on rugby?

Yes. You can bet on both rugby union and rugby league, and on a wide variety of competitions in both codes. Most rugby betting sites will provide a good selection of match markets, covering everything from the final result, to total points and try scorers.

How do you bet on rugby?

First, you’ll need to find a rugby betting site that’s licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission. All the betting sites recommended on The Independent have a UKGC license. Next, open an account, deposit some funds and then navigate to your chosen rugby market. Remember, whatever you choose to bet on, always gamble responsibly.

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