The 2019 Rugby World Cup will be held in Japan from Friday the 20th of September to Saturday the 2nd of November. The opening game is between Japan and Russia at 19:45 Japan time.
There are four rounds – a group stage, quarter-finals, semi-finals, final.
For the first round, 20 countries are divided into 4 “pools” (groups) with 5 countries in each pool.
Each team plays each other once (Round robin style) - Four points for a win and two points for a draw.
Rugby Union also has a “bonus” point system where the losing team can gain 1 point if they lose by seven points or less. A bonus point can be won by any team that scores 4 or more tries in a match (even if they lose the match)
The teams that finish first and second in their pool automatically qualify for the quarter-finals (the start of the knockout stage). Teams that finish 3rd and 4th in their pool are out.
The Outright Betting Markets
There are many outright betting markets available for the 2019 Rugby World Cup, these include the Pool winners, to qualify for the Quarter-finals (last 8), to reach the semi-finals, to reach the final, the final teams and the tournament winner. There are also two markets for individual players - player to score the most points and player to score the most tries. There are also some interesting “specials”.
Please see below for the approximate odds for the ante-post betting markets currently available:
Outright Winner
This is an “ante-post” market where you choose who you think will win the World Cup. Each Way bets are available at 1/3 the odds.
We have divided the outright winners into three groups – The Favorites, The Outside Favorites and The No Chancers:
Listed in (brackets) is the number of times that country has won the World Cup and the year.
Favorites
*New Zealand (Three – 1987, 2011, 2015) @ 2.25
England (One - 2003) @ 5.00
*South Africa (Two – 1995, 2007) @ 5.00
Outsiders
*Ireland and Wales @ 10.00
*Australia (Twice – 1991, 1999) @ 15.00 [recommend each way]
No chance
France @ 34.00
Scotland and Argentina @ 41.00
Japan @ 151.00
Fiji @ 251.00
Samoa and Italy @ 751.00
Tonga and Georgia @ 1001.00
USA @ 1501.00
Canada and Russia @ 2501.00
Namibia and Uruguay @ 5001.00
Outright Winner WITHOUT New Zealand
*South Africa @ 3.25
England @ 4.00
Wales @ 4.50
*Ireland @ 5.00
Australia @ 9.00
France @ 21.00
Argentina and Scotland @ 21.00
Japan @ 67.00
Fiji @ 201.00 through to Namibia @ 2001.00 make up the rest of the field.
Winning Hemisphere
Northern @ 2.50
*Southern @ 1.50
Note: The Rugby World Cup has always been won by a Southern Hemisphere team except in 2003 when England won.
To reach the final
*New Zealand @ 1.50
*South Africa @ 2.70
England @ 3.25
Wales @ 3.75
*Ireland @ 4.00
Australia @ 6.50
France @ 12.00
Argentina @ 13.00
Scotland @ 15.00
Japan @ 41.00 through to Namibia @ 1001.00
To reach the semi-finals
New Zealand @ 1.10
*South Africa and England @ 1.50
Wales @ 1.65
*Ireland @ 1.91
*Australia @ 2.10
France @ 4.33
Argentina and Scotland @ 5.00
Japan @ 21.00 through to Namibia @ 301.00
To reach the quarter-finals
New Zealand @ 1.00
South Africa @ 1.02
England @ 1.07
Wales @ 1.02
Ireland @ 1.01
Australia @ 1.04
*France @ 1.57
Argentina @ 1.80
Scotland @ 1.14
*Japan @ 3.75 through to Namibia @ 151.00
Name the Finalists
Which teams will play against each other in the final?
*South Africa vs New Zealand @ 4.33
*Ireland vs New Zealand @ 6.00
Wales vs New Zealand @ 9.00
England vs New Zealand @ 10.00
Australia vs New Zealand @ 13.00
South Africa vs England @ 12.00
*South Africa vs Ireland @ 26.00
Outright Group Winners
Pool A - Winner
*Ireland @ 1.25
Scotland @ 4.50
Japan @ 13.00
Samoa @ 151.00
Russia @ 501.00
Pool B – Winner
New Zealand @ 1.28
*South Africa @ 3.50
Italy @ 201.00
Canada @ 501.00
Namibia @ 1001.00
Pool C – Winner
*England @ 1.40
France @ 5.00
Argentina @ 5.50
Tonga @ 151.00
USA @ 501.00
Pool D - Winner
*Wales @ 1.75
Australia @ 2.10
*Fiji @ 26.00
Georgia @ 101.00
Uruguay @ 501.00
Top Tournament Try Scorer
Which player will score the most tries in the tournament? (Each way is ¼ for a place 1,2,3,4)
*Rieko Ioane (New Zealand) and Sevu Reece @ 9.00 (Fiji)
Jacob Stockdale (Ireland) @ 11.00
Jonny May (England) and *Cheslin Kolbe (South Africa) @ 13.00
George Bridge (New Zealand) @ 15.00
George North (Wales), *Joe Cokanasiga (England), Makazole Mapimpi (South Africa) and Sibusiso Nkosi (South Africa) @ 17.00
Beauden Barret (New Zealand), Josh Adams (Wales) and Ben Smith (New Zealand) @ 21.00
Liam Williams (Wales), Keith Earls (Ireland), Anthony Watson (England) @ 26.00
The rest of the field is from Reece Hodge (Australia) @ 34.00 through to JC Greyling (Namibia) @ 751.00
Top Tournament Point Scorer
Which player will score the most points in the tournament? (Each way is ¼ for a place 1,2,3,4)
Owen Farrell (England) @ 4.00
*Handre Pollard (South Africa) @ 5.00
*Richie Mo'unga (New Zealand), Beauden Barrett (New Zealand) and *Johnny Sexton (Ireland) @ 9.00
Nicolas Sanchez (Argentina) @ 11.00
Leigh Halfpenny (Wales) and Dan Biggar (Wales) @ 17.00
Greig Laidlaw (Scotland) @ 21.00
Romain Ntamack (France) and Christian Lealiifano (Australia) @ 26.00
The rest of the field is from George Ford (England) @ 34.00 through to Adam Hastings @ 151.00 (Scotland)
Recommended Specials
Here are our recommended special bets.
*New Zealand To Win Both Halves Of Every Pool Match @ 3.00
*New Zealand To Score Over 4 Tries In Every Pool Match @ 4.50
*South Africa To Reach The Semi Finals, Japan To Reach The Quarter Finals @ 5.50
*Any Player To Score Over 8 Tries In The Tournament @ 6.00
*Any Player To Score Over 9 Tries In The Tournament @ 9.00
*England To Beat New Zealand In The Final @ 26.00
*Namibia Not To Score A Try In The Tournament @ 34.00
Final Word
Although very entertaining rugby games are played between the nations, the game is still dominated by the traditional “Test” teams of New Zealand, England, South Africa and Australia with Ireland and Wales also very strong along with France and Scotland. This clearly is reflected both in the markets and our recommended bets.
Any outright bets on any other team is just throwing your money away, it is more sensible to save your money for the individual match bets for other nations that are available if you want to bet on the other nations. Good luck with your selections and enjoy the 2019 Rugby World Cup!
