When it comes to placing bets on the 6 Nations, or any other sport for that matter, there is nothing stopping you from jumping straight in and putting your wagers down. However, if this happens to be your main tactic, then do not be too surprised if you end up losing more money than you end up winning. In this article, we are going to take a look at some top 6 Nations betting tips and provide you with three top sports betting sites where you can have a top 2023 6 Nations betting experience.
Research
Whenever you are betting on any sport, research is an absolute must. Yes, sometimes Lady Luck might be on your side and you might pick up a win without doing a single bit of research, but more often than not you will just end up on the losing side. Plan your bets in advance so that you have the time to sit down and do a bit of research to try and increase your chances of being a winner.
Once you have finished reading this page and have soaked in all of the useful advice, we recommend that you head over to TalkRugbyUnion and take in the advice that they offer their rugby bettors too - knowledge is power, and you can never have too much. Below we have given you two important things that you should pay attention to if you are thinking about placing a match winner bet.
Team Performances and RecordsNovice rugby betting fans will sign into their sportsbook account, find a match that interests them, and then just lump their money on the favourites because they think that this is a sure way to make a profit. However, rugby does not work like that, especially in the 6 Nations, where any of the teams, apart from maybe Italy, have the ability to win on their day.
Before you go ahead and put any money down on a match, take the time to look at recent team performances to see what type of form both teams are in. If the favourites are on a bit of a losing streak and are the favourites based off of reputation alone, while the underdogs have been putting in some solid performances, then it might be worth your while to put your money on the underdogs to come out on top.
As well as recent form, you should also take a look at the recent head-to-head record between the teams that are playing in the match that you want to bet on. Some teams might have a bit of a voodoo over another team, and when such a case arises, it is always worth considering putting your money on them. For example, in recent 6 Nations, Scotland have been playing well against England - from their last five Six Nations, Scotland have won three, drawn one, and lost one, so they seem to have the wood over the "Auld Enemy" at the moment.Injury Updates and Team Changes
Once you have looked at recent team performances and head-to-head records, the next thing that you should check out includes any injury updates and subsequent team changes. Rugby, as you already know, is a brutal sport, and players can pick up injuries at any time. Therefore, before you go ahead and put your hard-earned money on a team to win, check out whether they have any injuries to their key players. If they are going to be missing key players, then obviously their chances of winning will diminish, especially if they do not have a lot of strength in depth.
Also, if a team is no longer in the running for the championship come week three or four, then their coach might opt to make a lot of changes to the team in order to give their fringe players some useful international playing experience. Therefore, keep an eye on the table as well as the teamsheet, which is released a few days before the game, so you do not end up betting on a team that has been greatly changed.
Past Winners
It is also wise to have a look at previous winners because a team that has a winning mentality is one that has a good chance of going on to win the title once again. Winning, as they say, breeds confidence and that confidence breeds winning.
Past Champions and Their Likelihood of Winning Again
Out of the six teams that partake in this tournament, England and Wales have won the title the most times with 39 titles apiece. France have managed to lift the 6 Nations title a total of 26 times, while Scotland and Ireland have both managed to do so on 22 occasions. Italy are the only team that are yet to win the 6 Nations, and it is not very likely that they are going to break that duck any time soon.
While Wales have won the title the most times with England, it is highly unlikely that they will pick up their 40th title during the 2023 6 Six Nations. They had a torrid 2022, losing to the likes of Italy and Georgia, and although they have Warren Gatland back in charge, who won four titles with Wales during his first stint in charge, we think that this edition will come too soon for Gatland and his men. However, we are definitely expecting to see Wales perform a lot better than they did under Wayne Pivac.
What about England? Well, like Wales, England also had a poor 2022, winning just five matches from twelve, which saw Eddie Jones lose his position as England coach. He has been replaced by Steve Borthwick, and he will, like all England managers, have a strong squad to choose from during the 6 Nations. The fact that they have the biggest pool of players available to them is something that means you can never rule out England for the title.
Ireland and France are the two favourites to go on and lift the 2023 6 Nations title, and this will not be a surprise to anyone who followed these two teams in 2022. The Irish only lost two games in 2022 and picked up a rare series win in New Zealand, while the France played ten games across the year and did not lose a single one. Both of these teams are in form, and many think that the winner between them on the 11th of February will determine who goes on to win the cup.
What about Scotland? Well, on their day they can give any team a game, but they are one of the most inconsistent teams in world rugby, and this will probably come back to bite them once again. Do not be too surprised if they manage to turn over England at Twickenham on the opening weekend and then fail to show up against Wales the following weekend at BT Murrayfield. We would be really surprised if Scotland manage to go on and win the 2023 Six Nations.
Past Forms
Looking at the recent past performances of a team in the 6 Nations is a wise move before you put any money on them to lift the title. Therefore, in this section of our guide, we are going to spend some time looking at each team’s recent performances in the Six Nations tournament.
Team's Past Performance in the Six Nations Tournament
We are going to look at how each team performed in the previous three Six Nations. We do not think there is any point in going further back since the teams now are a lot different to the teams that took to the field five odd years ago.
England: 3rd in 2022, 5th in 2021, and 1st in 2020
France: 1st in 2022 (Grand Slam), 2nd in 2021, and 2nd in 2020
Italy: 6th in 2022, 6th in 2021, and 6th in 2020
Ireland: 2nd in 2022, 3rd in 2021, and 3rd in 2020
Scotland: 4th in 2022, 4th in 2021, and 4th in 2022
Wales: 5th in 2022, 1st in 2021, and 5th in 2022
So, as you can from the above stats, France have been the form team out of the six teams over the last three years, winning once and finishing as runners-up twice. While the 1st to 5th places are up for debate, I think everyone will agree that Italy will most likely be the team finishing at the bottom of the pile once again and collect yet another wooden spoon.
Fitness
Rugby is a very demanding sport, and if a team is not up to scratch with their fitness levels, then they can forget about winning matches, let alone the title. In order to win at top international level, teams have to compete for the full 80 minutes - if they are only competitive for an hour or so, then they will get blown away in the final 20 and lose the match.
Physical Condition and Recent Training of Teams
Ahead of the 2023 Six Nations, there are injury concerns for all of the teams, which is not a surprise when you consider how brutal this sport is.
For France, three key players in the shape of Cameron Woki, Jonathan Danty, and Gabin Villière are all going to be absent from the tournament. Jean-Baptiste Gros, Peato Mauvaka, and Maxime Lucu are also going to be missing, which means that six players from France’s regular matchday 23 will be absent. However, France have been able to give many players importance international experience over the last three years, so they should be able to put out a strong side.
England are going to be missing Courtney Lawes for the first match against Scotland, and there is a chance that he will miss more games. In addition to this, George McGuigan had to pull out of the opening game, while the likes of Owen Farrell and Jamie George are also doubts for the opening round. Luckily for Borthwick, he has plenty of talent to choose from, so these injuries should not derail England too much.
Ireland’s coach, Andy Farrell, included Tadhg Furlong and Johnny Sexton in his squad, but there are injury doubts hovering above their head. These are two key players for Ireland, so it will be a big blow to them and their fans if they are ruled out for the opening match of the competition against Wales.
Scotland are also missing some key players in the shape of Zander Fagerson, Murphy Walker, Hamish Watson, Rory Darge, Scott Cummings, and Darcy Graham. They do not have the same squad depth as France or England, so this could end up having a big impact on how they perform over the course of the competition.
Wales’ Gatland would have been hopeful of being able to call upon Dan Lydiate, but he has been ruled out of the competition, while Will Rowlands will also miss out due to a shoulder issue. Other top players that Gatland will not be able to call upon soon include Louis Rees-Zammit, and Gareth Anscombe. Despite this, they still have some top players that their opponents will be wary of.
Italy, out of the six teams, are the probably the least able to afford injuries to key players, but they have not escaped unscathed with Paolo Garbisi and Giosue Zilocchi both unavailable for the opening matches - a big miss indeed for a side that does not have quality in abundance.
Free Bets
When you are placing bets, you can obviously do so with your own hard-earned money, but it is clearly better if you are able to place wagers using free bets that have been given to you by your sports betting site. To those who are new to gambling, a free bet is exactly what it sounds like - your bookmaker will give you $10, and you can spend it however you wish, with none of your own money on the line. If you place a winning bet, your free bet stake will not be returned to you.
Promotions and Offers from Sportsbooks
Due to the competitive nature of the sports betting world, there are many different promotions and offers from bookmakers. Therefore, another solid tip that we can give you is to do plenty of shopping before you settle on a particular offer - you do not want to register with one bookmaker and then find a much better offer elsewhere. You could also think about registering with more than one sportsbook, so that you will have more promotions and offers that you can make use of when the 6 Nations is on.
Risk-Free Bets
Sometimes you will have to bet with your own money first up, but if your bet goes on to be a losing one, your sportsbook will refund you your stake, up until a certain value, in the shape of a free bet, cashback, or site credit. This is known as a risk-free bet, and it is one of the most popular bonuses in the sports betting world.
Hedging Techniques to Minimize Potential Losses
Hedging your bet is a strategy where you place a new wager in order to cover a previous wager that you made. Imagine that England are playing Wales in the 2023 6 Nations and England are seven-point favourites, so you bet on them. As the game gets closer, you see that England are missing some key players, so are getting a bit anxious about your bet. If you want to hedge your previous wager, you can put money on Wales at +7 to neutralise your previous bet. Since you now have both sides of the point spread market, you cannot lose money - you have hedged your bets.
Trusted Sportsbooks
There are plenty of top sportsbooks out there, but not all of them have been created equally. Below are three trusted bookies to look at when it comes to betting on the 6 Nations.
Betiton Six Nations Betting
Betiton has only been around for three years, but it has already showed its class as a bookmaker. If you choose it as your place to go to do some Six Nations betting, then you will not be disappointed. They have some of the best rugby odds around and offer a range of markets for big rugby matches, ensuring plenty of entertainment. To top it off, they have top customer care, a variety of banking methods, and a mobile website.
Bet365 Six Nations Betting
Even if you are new to sports betting, we are sure that you have heard of Bet365 as they are one of the best bookies around. They offer new punters a top welcome bonus that can be used on the 6 Nations, and they do not skimp when it comes to odds or markets. They have a quality mobile app, so you can place wagers on the 6 Nations wherever you are, while any issues will be quickly solved by their customer care team.
888Sport Six Nations Betting
If you decide to open an account with 888 Sport in order to place bets on the 6 Nations, then you will not come to regret your decision. They also offer a top welcome offer that you can claim and they have a range of other promotions that you can try and take advantage of such as acca boosts and insurance. They will always have top odds available and offer plenty of rugby betting markets.