Best Irish rugby union betting sites & Six Nations offers

The Six Nations Championship is a thrilling rugby tournament and what makes it even more fun is having a bet on the sport. Rugby fans love to have a wager on their beloved sport and it is something that you can do from the leisure of your couch at home when betting online. We always recommend that you bet responsibly but it only enhances the experience when you back a winner. 

Placing a bet is really simple. Start by selecting the rugby team or market that you want to bet on by using the many options available on your screen and then choose what type of bet you wish to place. remember, you have so many options when it comes to picking a bookmaker that you want to sign up with online and bookmakers will accept small bets but also larger ones. Most bookmakers usually have a minimum stake sum but this amount will be displayed by the bookmaker when you read their terms and conditions on their website. So then use the following steps in order to have your bet placed with the bookmaker: pick your bet, submit your bet and you will then receive a betting slip which records the details of your bet and your staked amount. This is essentially your receipt, so keep it safe and it can be used as proof in case of any dispute.

Table of content:

• Best Six Nations Betting Sites 2023
• How To Bet On The Six Nations Championship
• Six Nations Championship Rugby Bet Types
• Six Nations Championship Betting Strategies
• Six Nations Championship Betting In-Play
• Top Irish Bookmakers with Six Nations Rugby Betting
• What is the Six Nations Championship?
• How to Bet on the Six Nations Championship Outright
• Six Nations Table with Upcoming Matches
• Best Irish Six Nations Championship Apps
• Where to Bet on the Six Nations Championship Online
• Six Nations Betting Maximum Payouts
• Popular Payment Methods for Six Nations Betting
• FAQ

There are many bets that you can place on the Six Nations Championship but we will take a look at the most popular bets that should be available with most Irish bookmakers that we recommend here in this article.

Handicap Markets 

Like any of the major team sports out there, handicap bets in rugby work the very same way. Often, one team might be so far ahead or behind the other that the only way a bookmaker can entice people to have a bet is to form a handicap tissue. It is the bookmakers' way of levelling the playing field essentially. What the handicap essentially does is it gives the underdog or team that is most likely to lose a head start in the match and then it is up to the pre-match favourites to overcome it. In rugby, this would provide the favoured team with a negative starting position, so if the handicap is -12, then the favoured team will have to win by at least 13 points for the bet to be a winning one. It is the best way to bet on the favoured team to ensure maximum returns on bets. 

Outright Betting 

The bread and butter way of betting on any sport and by far the most common bet type for people to stake their money is on the outright markets. This is simply where punters will bet on the outright winner of a selected tournament. So, if you think Ireland will win the Six Nations before the tournament takes place, this is the best bet for you. The most common tournaments in the world of Rugby Union for this type of bet would be the World Cup, the Six Nations, the European Rugby Champions Cup and Premiership Rugby. 

1X2 Betting 

Moving away from the traditional outright markets, the 1X2 market is considered the most simple way to place a bet on the Six Nations Championship, and as we have a lot of tight matches in this tournament it is a very popular bet. An incredibly lucrative bet for rugby fans, the shrewd people use it. For example, if Ireland are playing England, the team that is the home team is marked down as ‘1’, while the away team will always be ‘2’. The ‘X’ signifies a draw in the match and this will always offer large odds as a draw is a rare occurrence in rugby. In this example, if you think Ireland will beat England, then you will mark the ‘1’ box for this bet, and your bet will be settled as a winner if Ireland wins. 

Totals Betting 

If you fancy a bet on totals, this is where you pick over or under X points in the match. The points line is decided by the bookmaker. So for example, if the bookmaker is offering 10/11 over 56.5 points and 10/11 under 56.5 points, you simply have to work out how many points you feel there will be in total in the match and then select which bet you want. It is like a roll of the dice. 

Prop Bets 

The prop bets markets are for the more experienced punter who have probably done a lot more research than the inexperienced punter. Thorough research needs to be done beforehand and you need to be up to speed with both teams. Markets that you will find included in this part of the website includes a team to score the first try, the time of the first try and the first team to score. You can also bet on the first and last try scorer. There are tons of prop bets available on all of the Irish bookmaker sites that we recommend, and they can be really lucrative if you have done your due diligence beforehand. 

Now that you are familiar with how to bet on the Six Nations and some of the most popular betting markets available, it is time to look at some betting strategies you can employ in order to turn yourself into a frugal rugby gambler. 

Study the form book very closely 

It can be important to do as much research as you possibly can in order to obtain an edge and as with every other major sport, both current form and the previous head-to-head meetings should be taken into account when betting on the Six Nations Championship. For example, you would not put a bet on Scotland or Italy to win the tournament as both teams have never got their hands on the title up to the end of the 2022 tournament. Current form also plays a huge part in Six Nations betting. Heading into the 2023 tournament, Wales were in abysmal form so keep a watchful eye on how nations are performing in the build up to the event. Previous head-to-head records can also be useful, as some nations might have a strong or bad record against a particular team at a particular venue. 

Take advantage of the handicap markets 

As we already discussed, the handicap market is a lucrative option when betting on rugby. Rugby is a high-scoring sport and there are often some very unappealing odds available in the standard match betting market. For example, in the 2023 Six Nations tournament, Ireland are priced at odds of 1/50 to beat Italy in their third match of the tournament. However, if you think Ireland will beat them comprehensively, there is much better value to be had backing Ireland at 10/11 to cover a 21-point handicap. 

Back wingers to score the first try 

Strikers are always the most likely to score the first goal in football, and the same applies to wingers in rugby. Wingers are the players who are most likely to score tries in the Six Nations but you will also get very decent odds on any rugby player to score the first try in a match. Odds on a winger scoring the first try start at 6/1 or better, so you don't have to be correct all that often to make it pay. You can also bet on a player to score a try anytime, although there will be much lesser odds to come off. 

Back accumulators in the Six Nations Championship 

As we already discussed earlier, rugby match odds are often really unappealing, which can make betting on singles essentially pointless. The 1/50 on offer for Ireland to beat Italy is not going to attract anyone to have a bet, so the best way around this is to place a multiple bet or in other words an accumulator. When you combine three or more teams together to win their respective matches, the combined odds will be far more lucrative and it is a far more exciting and appealing bet for any rugby punter.

The wonderful thing about betting on the Six Nations Championship in the modern betting era is that if you don't fancy a bet before the match, you can bet on the match in question in-play thanks to fantastic modern speedy technology. Once the rugby ball is kicked down the field, there are so many in-play betting markets available to choose from and you will be offered live odds throughout the match for each of those markets. Whether it's 1x2, handicap betting, next scoring play or player markets, everything will be covered throughout the 80 minutes of game time. 

Rugby Union is a high octane and extremely physically powerful sport and as it is so high-scoring, points can come and go very fast and the scoreline can change in the blink of an eye. We have witnessed some amazing comebacks in rugby over the years, and in-play punting will ensure that if you fancy a team to turn things around in the game after half-time, or anticipate a big run of points from either team, you can make it pay with a win at very good odds. The Six Nations Championship is gaining in popularity every year in terms of betting due to the competitive nature of the tournament. 

Let's use an example of in-play betting in the Six Nations. England could take a 10 or 12 point lead in the first 20 minutes of a match which could in turn drastically increase the price of Ireland early on in the match. As the match can change very quickly, bookmakers can often get stung if they offer odds that are too enticing. Rugby is still considered a pretty niche sport globally as there are only certain parts of the world that play the game, so those level punters who follow rugby religiously will have an advantage over the bookmakers. It is also important to factor in weather conditions, which can always have a strong effect on a game of rugby. If a team is playing into a strong breeze in the first half and are losing, it is likely that their fortunes will get better in the second half.

Now that we have gone through how you can bet on the Six Nations Championship, it is now time for you to choose the best bookmaker to place your bets with. Below are the very best Irish bookmakers with rugby betting options.

The Six Nations Championship is a very prestigious tournament on the Rugby Union calendar. Sponsored by Irish drinks giant Guinness, the Six Nations is a competition that is held annually between February and March. The tournament these days is contested by six nations: Ireland, England, France, Italy, Scotland and Wales. There’s also a women’s and an under 20s version of the Six Nations, which sees the same teams take each other on.  

The Six Nations is so prestigious because it is by far the oldest international rugby tournament that ever was. The tournament was once framed as the Home Nations Championship (1883-1909 and 1932-1939). This was the first international rugby union tournament ever to take place. Back then the tournament was contested by the four home nations: England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.  

The Six Nations was expanded in 1910 to include France and subsequently the tournament became known as the Five Nations Championship (1910-1931 and 1947-1999). The Six Nations was born in the year 2000, when Italy joined the tournament.

We have covered nearly every aspect of betting on the Six Nations Championship but there is still some more that we need to get through. There are other niche markets that you must consider when punting on the tournament and we will go through them now. As always, there is no sure thing when betting and it is important that you do your research for every bet you place. When betting on the Six Nations, odds as we mentioned before can be unattractive but the outright markets is where you should really focus on for a start. Let's take a look at some of the other outright options that are available to you below. 

Grand Slam: The name certainly packs a punch and rightly so as the Grand Slam happens when one team beats all of the others during one year's tournament. The Grand Slam feat has been accomplished just 40 times in the event's history. It is an incredible achievement, especially in the modern era where all of the nations are so strong and the demands are higher. 

Triple Crown: The Triple Crown goes back a long way and it is a trophy contested for by the aforementioned "Home Nations". These nations are Ireland, England, Scotland, and Wales, who although compete within the Six Nations Championship, have their own mini tournament too. If any one of these nations defeat the other three nations, they are the Triple Crown victors. 

Calcutta Cup: Although only two nations compete for The Calcutta Cup, the two nations in question are the fiercest of rivals. This trophy is awarded to the winner of the match between England and Scotland and it is always a very heated and passionate affair. 

Wooden Spoon: This is the award that no team wants to win! The Wooden Spoon is the virtual trophy for the team who finishes last or bottom of the table in the Six Nations Championship. There is no physical trophy handed out for this of course, but no team wants to win this accolade. Ireland were regular wooden spoon winners in years gone by, but in recent years Italy have been known to win it quite regularly. 

Round 3

Italy v Ireland

Wales v England

France v Scotland 

Round 4

Italy v Wales

England v France

Scotland v Ireland

Round 5

Scotland v Italy

France v Wales

Ireland v England

There is a standout bookmaker that we want to recommend for Six Nations Championship betting in Ireland and that has to be BetVictor, who offer everything anyone could want. BetVictor is a huge brand in the industry and its rugby union offering is second to none in Ireland. BetVictor are so strong in this sport because they offer an abundance of markets, every major tournament is covered, and they really do match any other site when it comes to rugby betting.  

Six Nations' popularity in Ireland is increasing every year and BetVictor have certainly taken advantage of that. Irish punters will find a massive choice of Six Nations markets each week it is on, and if you place a bet of just €0.50c on the BetVictor app or have a funded account, you can watch the Six Nations matches live on your mobile device or laptop.  

If you are looking to have a bet on the Six Nations Championship, Betvictor really is the place for you. They will deal with all of your daily betting needs. Below are BetVictor''s key features.  

• 30+ Six Nations markets 
• Live Six Nations streaming
• Betting on niche markets
• Try alerts  

Best Six Nations Championship Live Streaming Sites 

Nearly all of the major Irish bookmakers will now offer a live streaming service for the Six Nations Championship but our job is to guide you toward the very best one. We think that it has to be Bet365. Take advantage of their fantastic new customer offer and once you are logged into the Bet365 app, go to the left side of the page and on the dropdown section you will find a rugby ball symbol. This is where you enter to find the Six Nations markets. 

Click on the rugby symbol, and you will then be able to watch the Six Nations live streaming service in Ireland once you click into the match that you want to view. You will need to be logged in and have a funded account in order to watch the match, or else have placed a bet on the match in order to avail of the service. The picture quality for the Six Nations is brilliant and really is as good as watching the match at home on your fancy TV. 

Let's just say you decide to watch Ireland v England in the Six Nations Championship, you will have access to many extra features like live commentary as well as live pictures. If you want to watch the big match of the weekend, on the Bet365 app simply place a bet of €1 or more on any market for that game and you will then be granted access to the live stream. The Bet365 streams can be accessed on the app as we already went through, but also the mobile website.

Six Nations betting in the past wasn't hugely popular but that is not the case now as it has exploded across not only Europe, but also the globe. Europe's premier international rugby union tournament continues to grow year after year and as a consequence, bookmakers are investing more and more into rugby as a betting product. On this page, we have gone through the top Six Nations betting tips and strategies, as well as the best Irish Six Nations betting sites that you can trust. 

At Bettingtop10, our team of dedicated sports betting experts have gone over the best Six Nations betting sites and apps to help you find the most suitable bookmaker for your betting needs. Our recommended bookmakers have passed rigorous review criteria and we have left no stone uncovered in order to deliver a fantastic betting experience for you. Each firm provides excellent Six Nations odds and many offer industry leading Six Nations betting offers including Six Nations free bets. Below we have ranked the best Six Nations Irish betting sites ahead of the 2023 Six Nations Championship. 

Below are our top 10 recommended Irish online bookmakers for betting on the Six Nations Championship online. Each bookmaker provided you with an excellent welcome offer if you have not signed up with them before, so take full advantage of these amazing initiatives and build your free bets pot now! Let us now take a look at the top 10 firms that we recommend below. 

• 22Bet: 100% up to €122 for new players
• Ivibet: 100% welcome package up to €150 in Free Bet Credits
• GreatWin: 50% up to €500 for new players
• Paddy Power: Bet €20 and get it back as cash if it loses
• BetVictor: Bet €10 Get €50 in Free Bets + €10 Casino Bonus
• Novibet: Bet €10 Get up to €50 in Free Bets
• Bet365: Bet €10 and Get €50 in Free Bets
• Boylesports: Bet €10 Get €10 + €10 Casino Bonus
• RHINO: Bet €20 Get €20 for new players
• Betway: Bet €10 Get €30 in Free Bets 

It is vitally important that you check the bookies' terms and conditions to make sure you know what their maximum payouts are. There is a chance that you will never be lucky enough to need to know it, but it is always wise to make sure just in case you land the big one. Every online Irish betting site has a maximum payout in place, and the general rule of thumb is the bigger the brand, the bigger the payout. Typically, rugby payouts will be a lot smaller than the likes of football and horse racing but every bookmaker is different and there is no one rule that fits all as far as max payouts are concerned. You need to do the homework. 

So, you might ask why there are maximum payouts in place? First off, maximum payout limits are essentially insurance for betting companies, meaning that they are protected from being wiped out of business from a bet. If you are unable to go through the small print on the site's terms and conditions, another way to find out the information is to contact customer support. Some companies won’t allow you to place a bet that exceeds the maximum payout threshold, but this isn't accurate for every firm. 

Let's say for example that you won £120,000 on a bet in the Six Nations. Most companies will probably only allow a maximum of £100,000 for rugby betting so in this instance, you will have left yourself £20,000 short. Cases like this can be far more extreme but this is just an example. It is worth doing the due diligence as if you hit the jackpot, you have to make sure that it counts as it might never happen again. So, before you place your next Six Nations accumulator or any bet for that matter, check up on max payouts as knowledge is key in this game.

As cash is becoming not a thing of the past but a thing that is being weeded out of society, we are now far more reliant on all things technology for our financial transactions, whether that is personal banking or betting online. High street bookmakers are becoming less busy as the years go on simply because a punter now has all the tools that they need in their front pocket. There are now many ways to place a Six Nations Championship bet online. The payment options that we will go through below will vary in terms of convenience, effectiveness and availability. Everyone's needs are different so go with the option that suits your needs best. 

When you are opening an account with one of our recommended online Irish bookmaker sites, below should be a good guide for you for depositing and withdrawing funds. Some of these bookmakers will also offer free bets in the run up to the Rugby World Cup or for everyday punting as a rugby fanatic. Let's crack on and take a look at the options at your feet below. 

Debit Cards: The most popular way of making an online deposit into your new betting account is by using a debit card. The vast majority of over 18s in Ireland and worldwide have at least one debit card and it is also a very fast and secure way of funding your betting account. The online bookmaker will require you to register the debit card by typing in the long number on the card. Then you will need to enter the expiry date and the three digit security number on the back. These details will be encrypted and the details will be saved, so you won't have to enter them a second time. 

PayPal: PayPal is often listed as an acceptable payment method at most of the bigger online sports betting sites. It provides an alternative to using a debit card, bank transfer, or e-wallets like Skrill and Neteller. The great thing about PayPal is that you can make instant deposits without having to give away your card details on an application form. Many gamblers enjoy the pace, convenience and most of all the safety that PayPal deposits provide its customers. When you want to make a withdrawal using PayPal, this is often the quickest method around and it is highly recommended. 

Other E-wallets: These are often referred to as digital wallets, electronic wallets, or virtual wallets. In short, they offer a service where you can electronically receive and send money over the internet. Players can open a betting account and deposit funds in a variety of ways but this is a sound choice. You can fund your e-wallet with your debit card or by electronic bank transfer. You can also withdraw funds back into these wallets and there are several options to choose from including companies such as Skrill, Neteller, and Paysafecard.  

Apple Pay: A modern alternative to the rest that we have mentioned, Apple Pay is a standalone method when it comes to banking methods for online punting as you are using your debit card to deposit and withdraw funds to and from your betting account via your mobile phone. This is another fast and efficient way to punt and a lot of the younger people, especially those who have Apple products (which is essential of course), use this method. 

Bank Transfers: For a customer who has exhausted all of the other options available to them but would rather deposit into their betting account using the bank transfer method, it is a longer and more drawn-out process. First, you must set up the bookmaker as a payee with your bank. This can be done online or else in the branch. You must provide the account number and sort code than to the bookmaker when they ask for these details. When depositing online, you will usually have to do an extra step of verification, such as a confirmation message to your mobile phone, where a unique pin code will be sent. Then you should be good to go!