Your Betting Guide for This Year’s Six Nations Rugby Championship

The Guinness Six Nations Championship, commonly referred to as the Six Nations Cup, is an annual international rugby union tournament that pits top teams from England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales against one another in fierce competition. The championship is divided in two parts — Men’s Six Nations and Women’s Six Nations, — held one after the other.

England and Wales have each won the Six Nations championship 39 times, making them both undisputed champions in terms of outright titles won. Since 2000 when the Six Nations era began, only Italy and Scotland have not won a Six Nations title.

The six participating countries coming under the banner of Six Nations Rugby work hard to coordinate the tournament. They oversee both men’s and women’s events as well as the Autumn International Series and under-20s tournaments.

Six Nations is always an exciting event, with teams competing for various trophies – including the Triple Crown and Grand Slam! Get more out of each year’s competitions by selecting best betting offers offered for Six Nations annually.

Six Nations — Where Rugby Union Thrives

Six Nations is a highly successful event that attracts millions of people from around the world. The tournament starts on the first weekend of February and ends on the second or the third Saturday in March. Prior to 1994, the title of the Six Nations champion was shared between the teams with the same number of match points. Ties have been broken since 1994 by calculating the points difference (total scored minus total conceded) of each team. Championship rules state that teams that are level on both match points and points difference will then be judged by the number of tries to be awarded the championship. Only if this parameter turns out to be the same, the championship is shared. Thus, up until now the title has been decided based on match points and points difference alone.

Each team of Six Nations plays every other team once, for a total of fifteen matches. Home ground advantage alternates from year to year. The scoring system was very simple until recently — two points were given for a win, one to draw, and none for losing. No bonus points were issued until recently.

However, things were about to change with the 2017 Championship and the introduction of a bonus point system similar to what many rugby championships use. This system awards no points for losses, two for draws, four points for wins, one for scoring more than four tries in a match, and one for losing by seven points or less. The only significant difference from the international rugby fixtures is that a team that managed to win all matches (a Grand Slam) is automatically awarded 3 extra points so they aren’t overtaken by another team.

The Six Nations is the successor of the Home Nations Championship. It was played between four teams from the UK: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. This tournament was the first international rugby union tournament. As the years passed, this became the Five Nations Championship after the additions of France and Italy. In 2000, the Six Nations Championship has taken its current form with the addition of Italy.

How did Six Nations Evolve into a Go-to Rugby Union Championship?

Six Nations’ history is closely connected to that of the Rugby Union and Rugby Football Union (RFU), founded in 1871. Since its inception, the organization has been working tirelessly to promote and popularize rugby within England eventually becoming its governing body with around 2000 members based at headquarters in Twickenham as well as their regional Schools and Referees Centre in Wolverhampton. With such a dedicated staff at their disposal, it’s no wonder Six Nations remains so popular today!

RFU manages and promotes rugby at all levels — regional, divisional, and national. The income generated in the process is used to support the game, from the grassroots to the top. Over 200,000 games are played annually under the auspices of the RFU, including mini rugby.

The RFU has worked diligently to build a robust club system. English Rugby Partnership (ERP), established in 1997, oversees domestic competition organization while the RFU Competition Sub Committee collaborates with top clubs to continue developing quality players and strategies that will uphold England’s honour on the sporting stage.

An in-depth examination of the RFU is necessary because its role in creating separation between Rugby League and Rugby Union was so pivotal. Though RFU rules of 1871 prohibited rugby from becoming a professional sport, some players from Yorkshire were paid to make up for lost wages – creating what became known as rugby league. Over time their style of play diverged from that established by the RFU at that time.

There are many differences between the two types of games. League has 13 players, while there are 15 in union. The league allows each team to make 10 substitutions per game, whereas union teams can only make eight. A league goal is worth one point, a penalty is worth two. They are worth three in union. Scoring is also different. While a try in union is worth five points, it’s worth four points in league. However, converting will give you two more points in both games.

Six Nations is one of the most vivid examples of rugby union rules put into practice. Even tries matter here and can ultimately lead a team to victory, provided they are used strategically. Looking forward, this spectacular championship has all prospects to expand into Eight Nations. President of Rugby Europe, Octavian Morariu called for Georgia and Romania to join the Six Nations because of their success in the European Nations Cup as well as the ability to compete at the Rugby World Cup. They are currently being considered.

The Trophies for Six Nations

Six Nations Championship is a great opportunity for participating teams to bring home some memorable and prestigious trophies. One the most remarkable ones — the Championship Trophy — is presented to the Six Nations winners. The Championship Trophy was created by the Earl of Westmorland and first presented to France’s 1993 champions. The 2015 Championship saw the introduction of a new trophy. Thomas Lyte silversmiths designed and made the new trophy. It’s a cup that can hold three litres of champagne and five bottles. The mahogany base has a hidden drawer that contains six alternative finials. Each is a silver replica one of the team emblems.

The Wooden Spoon, on the other hand, is a metaphorical award that goes to the team that finishes last or loses all its games during a championship. Only England and Ireland have not finished last since the first Six Nations tournament in 2000. Italy has finished last fifteen times in the Six Nations era and have lost all 11 matches. There is a rich history behind this trophy that you can check out here.

The ‘Grand Slam’ is an esteemed award in rugby union, awarded to teams that have won all their matches. The Triple Crown, also known as the Home Nations Trophy, can only be won by one of the Home Nations: England, Ireland, Scotland or Wales. It’s awarded when one of these countries defeats the rest. Although this legacy of the Home Nations Championship dates back decades past, its actual Triple Crown Trophy was only presented four times: once each in 2006 by England, Wales Ireland and Scotland.

The tournament is also home to several individual competitions, and rivalry trophies can be awarded for matches between teams outside the Six Nations: Doddie Weir Cup, Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy, Auld Alliance Trophy and the newly added Cuttitta Cup. With so many reputable awards in one tournament, the number of betting markets stays consistently high, and new betting sites are especially eager to feature them all. Make sure to check out these bookmakers and explore the innovative approach to betting that they offer.

Betting on Six Nations — Best Strategies and Tactics

Six Nation is a staple in the rugby union life of the international community, and every year sporting experts and professional punters are keen to make predictions about who will be the year’s holder of the championship and whether the triple crown will be up for competition. You can benefit from being in the know about Six Nations by placing a few bets on some of the top betting sites in the UK. Because rugby union is a sport with great international appeal, it offers a unique betting system that may confuse the newcomers to the betting scene. In rugby tournaments, betting on the outcome is very popular. Before investing their money, it is crucial for rugby fans to be familiar with some of the basics.

Over/Under Rugby Betting

Over/under is the term for betting on the total score of a rugby match. Sports books will create a hypothetical total of points that both teams would score before a game begins. Sports books then create odds that both teams will score more or less than the theoretical total. A sports book might determine that the total score for a tournament of rugby will be 50 points. There may be odds of over-betting at -110. To make £100, a person must place £120. If the odds of the under are -100, this means that the sports book believes that the game’s total score will be higher than the hypothetical set score.

Handicap Rugby Betting

Handicap betting refers to the type of wagering when the bookmakers decide the number of points the favoured team would prevail by. For example, one team might be favoured by -12.5 points. This is an indication that the handicap of 12 points applies to betting on the underdog team to win the game, minus being the indication of a potential winner.

One person can bet that the favourite team will beat the opposition team by more points than the predetermined amount. Alternatively, they may bet on the underdog to win the game, or lose only by a certain number of point. Spreads for rugby games may change before the game starts. There are many reasons why the odds could fluctuate, including changes in rosters and inclement weather, which is why keeping track of several betting sites is a must for any punter.

Outright Rugby Betting

Outright betting is a good option for those new to rugby. Outright bets allow fans to bet on the overall outcome of Six Nations. The odds for these bets change rapidly, so make sure to keep up with the newest developments!

Considering the conjecture of the betting market in the UK, it is more common to place a wager on the overall winner of a Rugby Tournament than on individual games. Outright betting is the act of placing a wager on the outcome of a tournament.

Season outright betting refers to bets made on the teams whose winning chances fluctuate with the season. As injuries occur or trades happen, a lot can happen to a team. These variables can change the odds of winning. If a person places an outright wager before the season starts, but the odds change during that season, the payout will be calculated based on the odds at the time of settling the bet. It’s one of the most popular betting markets, so utilising free bets that bookmakers offer for Six Nations is a good idea to make the most out of it.

Six Nations is held every year and several decades on, it’s still a time the best players from clubs go to their home country to compete with top teams world-wide. The performance of a team and the outcome of a rugby game is greatly affected by star players, too. It can be difficult to predict a team’s winning chances if certain players are absent. The Six Nations betting odds will also be impacted by players moving to and from clubs. As a result of roster changes, risk and payouts can become less favourable for bettors.

Here at BetReligion, we keep track of Six Nations to offer reliable tips and compile an extensive list of the best betting sites in the UK for every important parameter players may require. Feel free to explore Six Nations and all that the world of sports has to offer under our expert guidance!