Heineken Cup Rugby Union Betting
The European Rugby Cup, now known for some time as the Heineken Cup because of the beer company’s sponsorship, began life in 1995 when the governing committee of the Five Nations tournament decided to create a top level competition for European rugby clubs along the lines of the football Champions League. Since then the Five Nations has become the Six Nations and the six pools in the Heineken Cup are drawn from each of these countries.
Twenty four places are allocated and each pool consists of four teams. Six teams each come form England and France while Ireland and Wales both provide three and Scotland and Italy two each. The final two teams qualify on a performance related basis during the previous season’s Heineken, Celtic and Italian Super 10 competitions.
Our top recommended bookmakers for Heineken Cup Rugby Union Betting
| William Hill (£10 Free Bets) | Ladbrokes (£10 Free Bets) |
| Skybet (£20 Free Bets) | Paddy Power (£25 Free Bets) |
| Blue Square (£50 Free Bets) | Bet365 (£100 Free Bets) |
Online Bets choices Galore
The Heineken Cup seethes with controversy over the clubs that each nation puts forward. Spectator interest is fanatical and online betting reflects this. Bookies now offer a vast range of betting choices to meet this demand and the online betting fans respond in their thousands. No longer restricted to win bets you can now bet on.
And lots more, including live betting which enables you to dip into a game at any point as the situation and odds change according to play. You can also take the season as a whole and speculate on a wide range of bets about the final results in the competition. There are plenty of free bets offers for new customers as well as sites that advise you on where to get the best deals. Information, hot tips, gossip and inside stories are plentiful and it’s never been easier to place a bet.
The Heineken Cup Betting
The make-up of the pools is a complicated business but basically, each country nominates one of its teams as top seed and these are spread across the six pools. Each country provides a maximum of one team per pool. Where England or France has a seventh team this team is placed in one of the pools with one other team from that nation. A complex performance-based ranking system is used to place the rest of the teams in each of the pools. Three points are given for a win and two for a draw. The winners of each pool, together with the best two runners-up, progress to the quarter finals. The top four teams play with a home advantage. The semi finals are played on neutral grounds and the final is held at a previously determined prestigious ground. In 2008 this will be Murrayfield in Scotland.
Tickets for the final, as usual, are already selling like hot cakes, indicating the enthusiasm fans have for this tournament. It’s a gruelling process even to qualify and to reach the final is a supreme test of a team’s skill, strength and resolve. Little wonder that each final is a gladiatorial battle to achieve legendary supremacy. For those that can’t be there, this is an ideal opportunity to get some friends round and follow the progress of the tournament on the telly. And remember - with an online betting account you can join in the fun with just a few clicks of a button.
Popularity of the Heineken Cup grows rapidly
The Heineken Cup is the equivalent of football?s European Champions League Cup and is eagerly followed by thousands of fans across Europe. England has won six times, France four and Ireland three. Much international rivalry is generated by the tournament and online betting on the games is hugely popular. Many Sports Betting sites offer free bets to new customers and this is a great way of experimenting and seeing if it?s right for you. Sites such as ours are available to guide you in the direction best for you and there?s also a huge amount of advice in the form of inside stories, tips, gossip, statistics and team news on any number of sites to help you reach a winning decision on where to place your bets.
