Rugby Union
Rugby World Cup 2023 Betting Guide: Tips, Fixtures, and Predictions
Welcome to William Hill’s 2023 Rugby World Cup Ultimate Betting Guide. Here you will find all the tips, predictions and information you will need for the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
From the Pool stage fixtures to betting market, we are taking a deep dive into betting on the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Let’s get started!
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What is the Rugby World Cup?
The Rugby World Cup is Rugby Union’s premier international rugby tournament which sees countries from across the world competing to lift the Webb Ellis Cup.
Key Facts and Rules of the Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup consists of 20 teams from 20 nations, 12 of which qualify automatically with the other eight gaining entry through regional qualifiers.
The Rugby World Cup follows all the standard rules of rugby union which you see on your screens week-in week-out across the rugby union world.
The Rugby World Cup is a knockout tournament which starts with a pool stage, followed by quarterfinals, semifinals and a final.
Where and when is the Rugby World Cup?
The 2023 Rugby World Cup will get underway on Friday 8th September as France take on New Zealand in a curtain-raiser of epic proportions. The tournament will come to a close on Saturday 28th October, with the final kicking off at 20:00.
For this first time in its history, the Rugby World Cup will be hosted solely in France. Matches will take place in nine stadiums across nine different cities, with the final held at the Stade de France.
Criteria and format of the Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is a knockout tournament which consists of 20 teams split between four pools.
12 teams qualify automatically by finishing in the top three of their pool at the previous World Cup, whilst the other eight spots are taken up by teams who qualify through regional tournaments.
Each team plays each other once in the pool stages and the top two from each pool progress to the quarterfinals. From there it is a straight knockout competition with the quarterfinals followed by semifinals and a final.
Important facts and rules to know about the Rugby World Cup
The rules at the Rugby World Cup do not differ from those used across all professional Rugby Union competitions so don’t expect to be surprised by any decision which you may not have seen before.
One important fact to keep in mind, especially if you don’t support one of the nations expected to go far in the tournament, is that despite not meaning much for the current World Cup, finishing third in the pool stage will gain a nation automatic entry to the next World Cup.
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Teams in Rugby World Cup 2023
Below is the list of teams who will be competing at the Rugby World Cup.
| Team | Pool |
|---|---|
| New Zealand | A |
| France | A |
| Italy | A |
| Uruguay | A |
| Namibia | A |
| South Africa | B |
| Ireland | B |
| Scotland | B |
| Tonga | B |
| Romania | B |
| Wales | C |
| Australia | C |
| Fiji | C |
| Georgia | C |
| Portugal | C |
| England | D |
| Japan | D |
| Argentina | D |
| Samoa | D |
| Chile | D |
Top Teams and Players in the Rugby World Cup
With all of the top nations in action at the Rugby World Cup, all of world rugby’s biggest names will be on show. Here are the top teams and their key players.
New Zealand: Ardie Savea, Will Jordan
France: Antoine Dupont, Grégory Alldritt
South Africa: Faf de Klerk, Eben Etzebeth
Ireland: Jonny Sexton, Josh van der Flier
How to Bet on the Rugby World Cup 2023
The Rugby World Cup is one of the biggest tournaments in all of sport and it garners worldwide attention. This means it is also a big event in terms of betting and there are a range of ways to bet on the tournament.
There are many betting markets with match results, outright winner and over/under bets among the most popular.
It is important to do thorough research as a range of factors can impact your Rugby World Cup bets. Analysing form from previous matches and tournaments can help you to identify trends and pick out bets which you think provide good value.
Rugby World Cup Table – Fixtures and Schedule
Below is the schedule for the different stages of the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Pool Stage: Friday 8th September – Sunday 8th October
Quarter-finals: Saturday 14th October, Sunday 15th October
Semi-finals: Friday 20th October, Saturday 21st October
Third-place playoff: Friday 27th October
Final: Saturday 28th October
Rugby World Cup Betting Strategies
There are many ways to bet on the 2023 Rugby World Cup and one of the main ones is match outcomes. This involves betting on the result of a specific match before the match has kicked off.
Over/points markets are very popular in rugby union and allow the bettor to make a selection in which the winner of the match does not matter. With an over/under bet you are betting on the total number of points scored in the match to be more or fewer than the line set by the bookmaker.
Player performance betting is another popular market in rugby union and involves betting on what specific players will do in a match. This can include betting on specific try scorers and a player to score a certain amount of points.
Handicap betting can be an effective strategy which favours the underdog. This involves the two teams started with a handicap. For example, if the handicap is set at 33 points then one team will start with 33 more points and the other with 33 fewer.
The underdog is given points added to their total and this can be an effective strategy if you think an underdog will be able to give their opponent a close game, but maybe not quite get the win with the scores starting even.
Managing your bankroll is important in all sports betting. It is important to set a budget for your bets and stick to it, regardless of whether you are winning or losing. It is important not to chase your losses.
Rugby World Cup Betting Tips and Predictions
In this section we will offer you our expert tips and predictions for the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Romania to beat Ireland (+63 handicap) – Although Ireland will almost certainly win this match the handicap total of 63 looks to make a Romania win with handicap applied at 10/11 the value play.
Argentina to beat England – England appear to be living off their reputation as Argentina are 10/11 to win this game, but recent results should make them clear favourites.
Georgia to reach the semi-finals – Whilst this is a real longshot at 66/1, Georgia reaching the semi-finals is not as outrageous as it sounds. Pool C is very open and Georgia could cause a few upsets, whilst qualification from the pool would see them play a team from Pool D, the weakest pool on paper, in the quarter-finals.
It is important to do your own research and to only use our tips as supplementary information. Doing you own research will make you better informed to place bets on the Rugby World Cup.
There is value to be found in a lot of Rugby World Cup markets so be sure to look through thoroughly to find markets and odds which you feel provide noticeably better value than others.
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Rugby World Cup Betting Promotions and Offers
There are a wide range of betting promotions and offers across a variety of Rugby World Cup markets, so be sure to keep up to date on the latest offers to find the best value bets.
