The most prominent rugby competition on the world stage has to be the IRB Rugby World Cup. Not only is it the most prominent, it is also the most coveted. Any player with a likeness of the oval ball and a stake in the rugby union code would give anything to be a part of the quadrennial spectacle and run out for their country with a chance to hoist the William Webb Ellis Cup. Most of the rugby union powers are involved, with some obvious contingents - England and New Zealand come to mind - likely to advance deep into the knockout stages with championship hopes.
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Rugby World Cup 2025 Favourites
England are currently 5/1 to win the Rugby World Cup, placing them third in the pecking order of predicted winners behind hosts France and reigning champions New Zealand. When you look at the odds, England are clearly in the top three of the favorites to win the title (the experts are the ones who set the odds). This is something that is of great interest.
Scotland have emerged as the clear favorites to win the Rugby World Cup. However, England, France, and Ireland are close behind them in the hunt for the coveted title. All four nations have rich rugby traditions and histories, and this year's tournament promises to be an electrifying event!
Although England have triumphed in recent meetings with Australia, most online betting sites give England odds of 5/1 to win the 2025 Rugby World Cup.

IRB Rugby World Cup Pools
Here is a compilation of all 20 global rugby teams that will be competing at the 2025 IRB Rugby World Cup in Japan.
1. Pool A | 2. Pool B | 3. Pool C | 4. Pool D |
New Zealand | South Africa | Wales | England |
France | Ireland | Australia | Japan |
Italy | Scotland | Fiji | Argentina |
Uruguay | Tonga | Georgia | Samoa |
Namibia | Romania | Portugal | Chile |
Frequently asked questions about betting on rugby union
If you're thinking about betting on the Rugby World Cup, rest assured that there are plenty of great betting opportunities out there. As well as betting on the outcome of each match, you can bet on a wide variety of other markets including the traditional Rugby World Cup handicap, total points scored in a match and head-to-head bets between teams that may not meet in the knockout stages. So get online or visit your local bookmaker and check out the odds on all the matches in this great tournament.
When it comes to Rugby World Cup odds, there are plenty of betting opportunities. In addition to the common options such as total points, match winner and double result betting, online bookmakers offer many fascinating rugby union bets to keep punters entertained.
Looking for a way to add more excitement to your Rugby World Cup viewing? Consider betting on the results! You can bet on the winning team - draw options are hard to come by - and a little research into both teams' recent form and any relevant news should allow you to make an educated guess.
Betting on the Rugby World Cup can feel a little overwhelming. Of the many options available, handicap betting is a popular choice as it helps to even out the odds by giving one of the teams an advantage or disadvantage in the form of points. This makes the competition more intense and can lead to some really exciting matches!
Consider a Try Scorer Bet! This market allows you to place a bet on whether or not a particular player will score during the match, whether it's early on or as time runs out. This type of side bet is very popular, especially if you're watching the action live from the seats.
If you want to bet when the Rugby World Cup is happening, then your best betting option is in-running. This is where you can place a bet while the game is in progress - you can't get a better feel for who might win than watching it unfold in front of you. However, in-running betting is not the most popular type of betting. Most people who bet on rugby do so by placing a pre-match bet on the winner, a who-to-win-next bet, or a bet on which team will score the next point.
2023 Rugby World Cup Betting Tips
Betting on the Rugby World Cup is a daunting challenge, but using effective Rugby World Cup betting tips and strategies can make your winnings more likely. By understanding not only the teams, but also the many other factors that can influence the outcome of a match - such as the weather, the venue, and even the time of day - you can stack the odds in your favor. Betting on rugby can be a profitable endeavor if you know what you're doing.
The Rugby World Cup is undoubtedly a massive spectacle and people all over this beautiful globe love to bet on their favourite teams and players. If you want to maximize your betting experience, the most important thing you can do is pick the right odds. Since the betting lines tend to reflect the true probabilities of the outcome, it doesn't make sense to simply bet on a team you like or a player you favor unless they are underdogs or the line is off for some reason. Here are seven tips to consider when betting on the Rugby World Cup.
Here’s a list of rugby betting tips you can use from our expert tipsters:
- Make sure you watch every single game so you can make informed decisions. This will help you to notice changes in the team, such as injuries, suspensions, etc.
- When you look at the 2025 Rugby World Cup odds, you'll probably understand how different the quality of some of the rugby teams are. This is especially true when you consider that all teams in the World Cup will be competing for a place in the knockout stages. The best way to gauge the comparative strength of the teams participating in the 2025 Rugby World Cup is to look at the IRB Men's Rankings.
- While it's been the case in the past that the teams hosting the World Cup have tended to do quite well, Japan now appear to have by far the worst odds of any host nation we've seen in a long time. This suggests to us that the online bookmakers do not see them making a deep run in this tournament.
Rugby World Cup Winners List
Year | Host Nation | Winner | Runners-Up |
2019 | Japan | South Africa | England |
2015 | England | New Zealand | Australia |
2011 | New Zealand | New Zealand | France |
2007 | France | South Africa | England |
2003 | Australia | England | Australia |
1999 | Wales | Australia | France |
1995 | South Africa | South Africa | New Zealand |
1991 | Europe | Australia | England |
1987 | Australia & New Zealand | New Zealand | France |