How to Bet on Varsity Cup Rugby
The Varsity Cup Rugby competition features the top university rugby programmes in South Africa. Founded in 2008, the tournament features eight teams, playing seven matches from February through April. The tournament concludes with a four-team playoff and championship cup final match.
Below the Varsity Cup is the Varsity Shield, a competition featuring eight teams, with the winner of the tournament being promoted to the Cup.
Rugby bettors can place wagers on the Varsity Cup each season with LeoVegas. We have provided an in-depth look on how to enhance your Varsity Cup betting experience below.
How to bet on Varsity Cup Rugby: Step by Step
LeoVegas offers numerous betting markets on the Varsity Cup Rugby tournament. You can open an account with LeoVegas to find the latest odds before the tournament starts.
Here is how to sign-up for LeoVegas to bet on top-class rugby:
- Sign Up at LeoVegas Sportsbook by selecting the ‘Open Account’ option
- Enter your personal details to create your account
- Deposit funds into your betting account wallet
- Search for Varsity Cup Rugby to explore the odds
- Select the match to bet on
- Choose the betting market and your selection to the betting slip
- Check the result of the match to see if your bet won
Varsity Cup Rugby Betting Markets
The Varsity Cup offers multiple betting markets to select from. The competition’s betting markets are very similar to the markets available for other major rugby competitions. Bettors can wager on individual matches, the tournament, players, points, and more.
Outright Winner
The outright winner market is a wager on the team you believe will win the Varsity Rugby Cup. An outright winner bet is placed on one of the eight teams to win the competition before the tournament starts. If the team you selected goes on to win the cup, your bet wins. You can also stake on who you believe will win during the tournament, however, the odds will vary as the tournament progresses.
Match Winner/Moneyline
A match-winner bet, also known as a moneyline bet, is the simplest wager to place on rugby. The match-winner bet is a wager on the team you predict will win a head-to-head fixture. There are three options for the match-winner bet, you can select the home team to win, a draw, or the away team to win.
Handicap
In rugby, one team is often stronger than the other. Sportsbooks offer handicap lines for rugby matches to even the playing field between two teams. The handicap provides the underdog team with a points head start. The favorite must then attempt to overcome their points deficit.
Total Points
The total points market considers the total number of points the teams combine to score. A total points market will have a specific number of points set by the sportsbook. You can select whether the teams will combine for over or under the number of points. You can place total points bet on an entire match, a half, or just for one team.,
Halftime/Full-time
A halftime/full-time bet is a wager on a team to be winning at half-time and at full-time. You must select the correct team to be winning at the end of both halves to win the bet.
Margin Bets
A margin bet is a wager on the number of points a team will win by. If you are confident that one team will win the match, you may place a wager on how much the team will win by. This is a great alternative bet to the match winner wager, providing more value if one team is a heavy favorite.
Varsity Cup Rugby Regular Season
The Varsity Cup Rugby regular season begins in mid-February, with eight teams battling for a place in the playoffs. The tournament’s playoffs feature four teams at the end of the campaign. The top four teams at the end of the regular season qualify for the semifinals of the playoffs. Along with a playoff final, the Varsity Rugby Cup offers fans the chance to wager on a third-place playoff fixture.
Varsity Cup Rugby Teams
Eight teams compete in the Varsity Rugby Cup each season. In 2023, the eight teams were:
- FNB WTTS University of Witwatersrand
- FNB CUT Central University of Technology
- FNB NWU Eagles North West Technology
- FNB CUT Ikeys University of Cape Town
- FNB UFS Shimlas University of the Free State
- FNB Maties University of Stellenbosch
- FNB UJ University of Johannesburg
- FNB UP Tuks University of Pretoria
Varsity Cup Rugby Top Players
The Varsity Cup Rugby tournament has featured some of the best players to compete in South African rugby. Some players represented the Springboks in international competitions, and others went on to play professional rugby domestically or abroad.
Franco Mostert is one of the most famous players to compete in the competition. Mostert went on to win the 2019 Rugby World Cup with the Springboks. The lock played for the UP Tuks and helped them win the Varsity Cup in 2012.
Eben Etzebeth played in the Varsity Cup for UCT Ikey Tigers. He went on to play over 100 times for the Springboks. Etzebeth was a key figure for France’s Toulon 2019 and 2022.
Handre Pollard won the 2013 Rugby Cup with UP Tuks before going on to play for the Bulls, racking up over 600 points. Pollard made his Springboks debut in 2014, making 63 international appearances.
Varsity Cup Rugby Betting Tips
Rugby is a unique sport, with its own set of betting strategies. You can pick a winning bet far easier using a proven rugby betting strategy.
Explore the odds
Firstly, you should find the best odds available on rugby markets. You should use a betting odds aggregator website to find the best odds. An aggregator will compare the odds from different sportsbooks, allowing you to select the best price.
Enjoy the small wins
In many rugby games, you will find that one team is stronger than the other. The strength of a team is shown in the odds offered by sportsbooks. Although the odds aren’t always great, don’t sweat it. Winning small profits add up. You don’t have to hit a home run on your first rugby bet. Small profit wins allow you to slowly build your bankroll, so be patient.
Understand team form and injuries
Team form is vital to understand before placing a bet on a rugby match. Form will tell you how a team is playing, and whether they can defeat their next opponent. Injuries to key rugby players can prevent a team from winning. Injuries can play a major role in rugby, as their backup may not be of the same quality.
Don’t be biased
Whether it is soccer, rugby, basketball, cricket, or any other sport, bettors can get fooled into betting on their favorite team(s). You shouldn’t get into the habit of betting on your favorite team, because more times than not, you will bet on them to win. You need to wager on rugby without bias. This means being able to bet against your favorite rugby club or national team. Betting isn’t about backing your favorite team. It is about finding the right market and enjoying the result.
Varsity Cup Rugby History
The Varsity Rugby Cup was started in 2008. It brings together the top eight university rugby teams in South Africa with the aim of keeping the passion of grassroots rugby alive.
In 2011, the Varsity Shield started, providing a second tier to the competition. With the addition of the Varsity Shield, the competition now has promotion and relegation between the two divisions.
The overall competition continues to evolve. In 2012, a U20 competition was formed, called the Young Guns. The tournament aims to develop amateur players and prepare them for a professional career and possibly the chance to play for the South African national team.
Varsity Cup Rugby FAQ
Q. Who won Varsity Cup Rugby 2021?
A. The UP Tuks won the 2021 edition of the Varsity Rugby Cup defeating UCT Ikey Tigers 34-27.
Q. Who won Varsity Cup Rugby 2022?
A. The UP Tuks repeated as Varsity Rugby Cup champions in 2022. The team defeated Maties 29-23 in the final.
Q. Who won Varsity Cup Rugby 2023?
A. The 2023 edition of the Varsity Rugby Cup was won by the NWU Pukke. The team defeated the UCT Ikey Tigers 27-25 in the cup final.
Q. Who is the best Varsity Cup Rugby team?
A. The Maties are one of the most successful teams in Varsity Cup Rugby. The Maties have won five championships and reached the playoffs 10 times. The 2019 Varsity Cup final was the last time the Maties won the event. The UP Tuks have also won five Varsity Cup Rugby championships.
Q. Where is the Varsity Cup Rugby final played?
A. The final rotates to different stadiums each season. Stellenbosch’s famous Danie Craven Stadium has hosted several Varsity Cup finals. The 16,000-seat stadium is named after legendary South African scrum half Dani Craven.
Q. When does Varsity Cup Rugby start?
A. The Varsity Cup Rugby tournament begins in mid-February and concludes in mid-April.