Gambling on rugby in the professional era

There was a time when Rugby Union along with most other winter sports had a defined season, followed by a break. Nowadays, in the professional era, the top players hardly get a break at all. For sports gambling fans, this situation does of course expand the range of sports gambling options throughout the year and enables rugby gambling to continue into the summer. For Irish sports fans gambling on rugby, last weekend was a magnificent gambling opportunity with two Irish teams having reached the Heineken Cup final, and Leinster eventually crowned champions for the third time in four years. This weekend sees the final games of the English rugby season at Twickenham, with another of the most successful teams in the game, Leicester Tigers taking on Harlequins in the Premiership Play-off final. This game may be harder to call this season for fans gambling on rugby, because Harlequins have been near the top of the table all season whereas Leicester have come from behind with a magnificent run of form late on. After this match rugby gambling returns to the international scene, with Ireland touring New Zealand and England in South Africa. Needless to say, both of these tours will be hard for the six nations sides, but both will have young blood hoping to impress before the autumn internationals and the next Six Nations matches, and the gambling odds may just be in the favour of those rugby gambling fans willing to predict a surprise test match victory for either side. It may be hard on the players, but the professional era in Rugby Union has given Irish sports fans who enjoy gambling on rugby far more options and a much extended season for their favourite game.