Rugby Spread Betting

If you are spread betting on Rugby Union, after supremacy and points the most popular market is probably try-scorers' aggregate shirt numbers. If you fancy a low-scoring match getting short of shirts can be more profitable than selling points as a stream of penalties won't erode your winnings. However, it is a more volatile market, and sellers can often be hit by scores from high-numbered substitutes towards the end. This is a market where you must be prepared to trade in-running. Buyers, particularly in games where the teams are quite equally-matched, often find better value by waiting for the game to open up.

Other spread markets widen out the options, as you can trade each team's tries, shirts and points, the time of their first try, and all manner of performance and mini-performance indices. It can seem bewildering, and it is not uncommon for punters to miss out on the best value by playing the wrong market.

IG's rugby union supremo Adrian Watts points out that all prices are derived from the supremacy and total points quotes. He said: "If you are one or two points out with those, it filters through to the other markets and the difference there can be bigger. With the performance indices, where you have to factor in a big chunk of points for the win, it makes a huge difference."

Watts claims the most popular markets for punters are those with a known downside, but he added: "People like backing action, buying points or shirts. There's still an inclination to back what they want to see. But really, punters have never had it so good. With all the tools they have in the different markets there is so much value if you shop around."