Tag: rugby betting

Rugby Union Championship: Where to Find Some Value this Weekend

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Grab yourself a pint, pick a side and get ready for some serious rugby betting action this weekend as four of the best Union-playing nations in the world battle for supremacy. The latest Rugby Union Championship action gets underway on October 8, and will see South Africa and New Zealand duke it out in Durban, while Argentina and Australia entertain at Twickenham.

As is often the case when these four rugby powerhouses meet, anything can happen. Indeed, ahead of what will inevitably be a physically taxing game against South Africa, New Zealand’s head coach Steve Hansen has made four main changes. With Waisake Naholo back from injury (for a fourth time), Hansen is hoping the Fiji-born winger can turn on the afterburners and expose a potentially sluggish South African defensive line.

South Africa vs. New Zealand Betting Preview

Aside from bringing in Naholo to replace Julian Savea, Hansen is keeping his backline much the same, which seems to be a wise decision given how powerful it looked in the All Blacks 31-17 win over Argentina last week. Up the front, Matt Todd, Sam Whitelock and Jerome Kaino will all make a return to the starting line-up which should give New Zealand some much needed strength and experience.

While South Africa will want to try and ignore their 38% win ratio against New Zealand (35 wins from 93 matches), it’s hard to see how Allister Coetzee’s men get it done in Durban. Yes, home field advantage will certainly help. Yes, the Boks looked impressive as they beat Australia 18-10. But, with New Zealand enjoying a 16-game winning streak – a streak which includes a recent 41-13 win over South Africa – it’s hard to see how the Springboks get it done.

Sifting through the latest odds, 1/5 on a New Zealand victory is about as good as you’re going to get (Ladbrokes odds are slightly shorter at 1/6). However, if you’re willing to look beyond the obvious outrights, the following options should offer some added value this weekend; especially if you’re inclined to side with the experts and back a New Zealand win.

Ladbrokes:

Naholo or Dagg to score the first try = 9/2

New Zealand to win by 20 points or more = 5/2

New Zealand to win by 25 points or more = 9/2

Bet365:

Team with the highest scoring half: Africa = 3/1 – New Zealand 1/4

Bryan Habana to score first = 11/1

South Africa to score first and lose = 13/8

SkyBet:

New Zealand to win with -12.0 handicap = 10/11

Match to end in a draw = 25/1

South Africa first half/New Zealand win = 6/1

Argentina vs. Australia Betting Preview

In the weekend’s other Rugby Union Championship match, Argentina will look to bounce back from a defeat to New Zealand and clinch a victory against Australia. By Aussie standards, the Wallabies’ recent run has been poor. A 3-0 whitewash against England earlier in the year, and just two wins from five Rugby Union Championship matches this season has put the pressure on coach Michael Cheika.

Age is certainly an issue for Australia which has forced Cheika to enact a major shakeup. When the side runs out against Argentina on Saturday, just seven players from the 2015 World Cup final will be on display. This kind of instability is always dangerous, and Argentina is a side that always poses a threat.

Essentially what this match comes down to is quality versus determination. Although Australia might not be at their peak, the pedigree speaks for itself, and that’s made them the betting favourites at 4/11 with SkyBet. Of course, a neutral venue and a touch of inexperience possible in certain areas for Australia, things could get tricky if the game wears on with little action. Indeed, this could be Argentina’s best opportunity to grind out a win for some time.

At present the odds makers at Ladbrokes and SkyBet seem to agree that 9/4 is the right line for an Argentina upset, while bet365 is currently running at 12/5. If we were to stick our necks on the line and pick two winners this weekend, it’s hard to see past the favourites. However, with changes seemingly the order of the day for New Zealand and Australia, there could be space for the underdogs to sneak in and steal the plaudits.

Can the Sharks Weather the Storm in 2016 NRL Grand Final?

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Sunday may well be a day of rest for many, but certainly not in Sydney this Sunday October 2nd. All of Australia will be tuning in to watch the NRL Grand Final, and thousands of fans will pack the impressive ANZ Stadium in Sydney to witness the clash between Melbourne Storm and the Cronulla Sharks unfold.

So what chances have each team got in this NRL Grand Final match? Where should your money go? Where will the decisive battles be fought? These are the vital questions that need to be answered before you wager your hard earned money on the result.

Previous Meetings

So what can we make of the two previous encounters between these two teams this season? Well actually we can base very little on them, except for the fact that each team utilised home advantage very well. The Sharks came out ahead in round 4 at their Southern Cross home 14-6. However the Storm reversed that in impressive style in round 26 when they cruised to a 26-6 victory.

All of the major betting firms have Melbourne Storm as the clear favourite to win this match. In part that is based on their long winning streak of 15 matches on the spin during the 2016 season. On top of this we can add the following impressive stats, and we all love stats when we are about to wager our valuable money, don’t we?

A Team for the Big Occasion

The Sharks are playing in their first Grand Final since 1997 while Melbourne Storm are appearing in their sixth in the past ten years. So it is clear which team is the most consistent. William Hill have Melbourne Storm at 8/11 favourites, with the Sharks at 6/5.

If those odds don’t get your juices flowing, then how about a bet on the first try scorer? First though, let’s examine where the key battles will be fought. The Storm may have the big game finals experience and history but is that enough? Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk will be using their vast experience to dictate the game for the Storm. They are both incredibly adept at getting into key positions for field goals and that could prove decisive.

First Try Scorer Odds

This game looks set to be a tight affair. That’s why the higher odds of first try scorer may appeal more. So what value can be found in these markets? Well William Hill have Suliasi Vunivalu as the clear favourite at 7/1. If you want bigger odds and a better payoff then how about the Sharks taking the lead, and Valentine Holmes touching down first? That pays 9/1, and if you fancy the Sharks to prevail anyway then this bet makes a lot of sense.

Winning Margin Odds

As we have already stated, this game looks set to be tight. There is too much at stake for a huge winning margin to be expected, and the 26-6 victory by Melbourne Storm in round 26 looks unlikely to be repeated. However, if you fancy Melbourne to overrun the Sharks by the same margin, then check these odds out!

William Hill go 11/1 on a winning margin of 16-20 points for the Storm. If you’re leaning towards Melbourne for the win, but with less than a 10pt margin, then why not place two bets? You can get 9/2 on a 5pt margin or less for Melbourne. Couple that with odds of 5/1 for the Storm to win by 6-10pts and you have the makings of a tasty bet.

The fact remains though that whoever starts out stronger in this Sunday’s NRL Grand Final will hold a key advantage. It seems to favour Melbourne simply based on the fact that they have been there before and bought the t-shirt so to speak.