Best Rugby Betting Sites in India

The Popularity Of Rugby In India

Rugby has been in India since 1871, with the first match being between England and a special team composed of players from Wales, Ireland and Scotland in 1872.

Unfortunately, it never caught that much attention in India compared to other sports like cricket or badminton. So it wasn't until 1998 that the country formed a national rugby team and then its official union in 2001.

Since then, rugby has grown moderately. According to the official website of the Indian Rugby Football Union (IRFU), there are 22 professional players and 26 active state associations.

While these numbers seem low compared to other countries, the future of rugby in India seems bright. In 2019, the country registered 214,053 new players, thanks to the IRFU’s Get Into Rugby programme.

Key Aspects Of Rugby That Attract Punters

Rugby offers various elements that have attracted the public and punters worldwide over the decades.

Sport Played Worldwide

Although less popular than football, rugby is played worldwide, with 132 unions divided across Africa, America, Oceania, Asia and Europe. So, even if India isn’t playing, you will be bound to have matches available everywhere.

Active Through The Year

Thanks to the vast number of teams, the competitive scene of rugby remains active all year, with friendly matches worldwide and annual tournaments like the Six Nations Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup.

Attractive Handicaps

Rugby matches tend to be quite one-sided at times. Because of this, many of the best rugby union betting sites offer handicaps with very attractive odds, so punters bet for both teams.

Most Popular Rugby Tournaments Among Indian Punters

As we mentioned, there are many events and rugby tournaments yearly. These are some of the most important in India, so be prepared if you see them.

Asian Rugby Championship

The Asian Rugby Championship reunites many national teams, including Japan, South Korea and India, to compete in an annual tournament.

This is one of the most important competitions for the Indian Rugby Team, just below the World Cup, making it very popular in many rugby union betting sites across Asia.

EPCR Challenge Cup

Created in 1896, the European Professional Club Rugby Challenge Cup is one of the oldest rugby competitions in the world. This cup features 22 teams around Europe, making it one of the biggest tournaments on the continent and a favourite of many in India.

Rugby World Cup

We cannot speak about tournaments without mentioning the greatest of them all. The Rugby World Cup is this sport's biggest competition, reuniting hundreds of men's national teams every four years to decide which is the best in the world.

Women’s Rugby World Cup

The greatest competition of the women's division. Like the previous one, this gathers female national teams worldwide to clash in different groups for a chance to classify to the final tournament and crown themselves as the strongest rugby team in the world.

What To Look For In A Bookmaker For Online Betting On Rugby

Look for these elements when choosing a bookmaker:

Top 3 Recommended Rugby Bookmakers

These are our three recommended sportsbooks for every rugby fan in India. We choose these based on their promotions and coverage of rugby and safety measures, so feel free to try any of them.

Megapari

Created in 2019, Megapari has become very popular among Indian punters thanks to its rich variety of bonuses like the weekly cashback for rugby and other sports.

During our time on the website, we were glad to see many rugby competitions for the men's and women's divisions, including the Challenge Cup, Six Nations and the women's Super Rugby tournament.

All the events have a good variety of markets available and reasonable odds, making it a pretty good option whether you’re a veteran or a newcomer in rugby betting.

888Starz

888Starz has made quite the reputation among Indian mobile punters thanks to its great app in which they place bets, make transfers and even enjoy a bit of live betting.

During our experience with 888Starz, we tried out their different weekly bonuses and drew the Lucky Ticket to double our winnings. While we couldn't get a ticket, we did enjoy our time with the cashback and welcome bonus.

MostBet

Created in 2009, MostBet has been a solid choice for veteran punters for years. What the site lacks in markets, it compensates in great bonuses and a vast list of events covering not only India but Europe and Latin America as well.

During our visit to this bookmaker, we raised our loyalty level and obtained some free bets that are available for rugby matches.

Mobile Rugby Betting In India

Not everyone has a desktop to wager during the day. Here are some of our best betting site for rugby union available on mobiles.

Where To Watch Rugby In India

As rugby isn't as popular in India as cricket or other sports, there aren't many official broadcasts of tournaments. That being said, you can try your luck with some of the following channels:

• DD Sports Channel
• Sony Sports Network

You should note that Sony Sports Network focuses more on international rugby. If you want to watch local teams, go with the DD Sports Channel or the official YouTube channel of Rugby India.