Rugby Summer Internationals Betting - What to Know to Bet on Mid-Year Rugby 2023
Before rugby punters get excited for an autumn of Rugby World Cup betting, we have two months of top-level rugby with the Summer Internationals. Week one will begin on the 29th of July, and the competition will conclude on the 27th of August.
There have been several changes to the usual format, given that Northern Hemisphere teams in the summer tend to play a tour to one of the Southern Hemisphere nations. Instead, most teams have opted to play matches near to France, to acclimatise as best as possible in their warm-up tests. Let's dive into what we can expect from this summer of rugby betting!
Top Summer Internationals Betting Sites
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18+ New players only. Qualifying bet(s) must have minimum odds of 3/1 and must be settled before triggering free bet. Free Bet must be used on an accumulator with 3 or more selections. 18+. begambleaware.org. T&Cs apply. www.begambleaware.org
💯 Summer Internationals Odds
The Summer Internationals series works a little differently to other international rugby tournaments, because unlike Six Nations betting, for example, there is no option to bet on an outright winner.
That being said, there are still plenty of betting options available for the individual matches, and I will provide all odds in my Summer Internationals predictions right here on BetinIreland.
For the full Summer Internationals schedule, see the Fixtures section below.
✔️ Summer Internationals Betting Tips for 2023
You may think that Summer Internationals betting will only focus on odds for match winners, but I am hoping to see a lot more of offer. Here are some of the markets I am expecting to see from the bookies.
1️⃣ 1x2 Betting
The tournament itself may not have an overall winner, but each match likely will - with perhaps a rare draw to keep fans on their toes. The options from which you can pick may be straightforward to understand - Team 1 to win, a draw, or Team 2 to win - but that doesn't mean the options in themselves will necessarily be easy bets. Due to the experimentation of the teams that I have mentioned a few times, I believe we may see one or two shock results. Therefore, if you are planning to try a few bets on the tournament, don't assume the obvious result will be the one on the final scoreboard, and never assume there is no risk involved.
Top Tip 1: You may be tempted to bet on a well-established team like Italy to beat an up-and-comer like Romania, because it makes the most sense without context, but remember to do your research before betting. The home side could field fledgling players in an effort to prepare them for the international game, whereas less-established teams may be more tempted to give their longer-serving players a run-out. It's important to know all of the facts before betting on a match winner.
2️⃣ Handicap Betting
When the odds on offer may be too short for your liking, handicap betting may be a great winner to lengthen them. The way this works is that your bookie will offer one of the two rugby teams playing a hypothetical advantage or disadvantage, trying to account for the supposed greater strength of the one side. Whilst factoring in this hypothetical number, you then have to predict successfully who will win the match in order to win your bet. This may not sound that difficult, but if you are not up to snuff with your rugby knowledge, the extra risk involved can see you losing a lot more bets than you would think.
Top Tip 2: One way I like to visualise a handicap bet that suits me is by imagining what will happen in a game. If I think that one team will make great use of their line-breaking backs and may go on to score three or four tries whilst their opponents may only grab a few penalties, I will work out the difference in my estimated score and use this as a rough guide for my bet.
3️⃣ Winning Margin
Bets on the winning margin are in the same sort of family as handicap bets, given that there is an element of guessing score differences involved, but I would say that you need a lot more precision to predict the winning margin. A bet of this type requires you to pick a bracket of points - e.g. 1-5, 6-10, 11-15, &c., depending on the bookie - and for either team to win by as many points as fits your range. So, if you picked 6-10 points and either side won by 7, for example, job's a good'n!
Top Tip 3: The only times I have favoured winning-margin betting has been when there have been two teams playing whereby I think there will be a close score. As an example, I don't have an opinion either way at this stage as to which nation will claim the New Zealand v South Africa clash. There may end up being a cat's whisker in it, though, so I would be tempted by a margin bet of 1-5 or 1-7. As long as it's close (within 7), I would still win my bet, no matter which team won.
4️⃣ Both Halves
This bet is a combination of two 1x2 outcomes: one for the first half and one for the final score. There are nine possible choices for a both-halves bet, and you have to predict correctly both the winner (or draw) of the first half and the winner (or draw) of the second to be successful. As you can imagine with the extra risk of having two guess two lots of 40 minutes correctly, the bookies usually offer longer odds on these types of bet compared to betting on the match winner alone.
Top Tip 4: Not all teams are equal in terms of their 80-minute stamina, and depending whether a team has a more traditional approach to substitutions or believes in the Eddie-Jones style of 'finishers' will dramatically affect the tactics employed and the effect that a change from the bench will have. Teams with depth will likely dominate both halves of a game versus a much weaker team, but tests with even match-ups may swing wildly from the favour of one team to the other. You may get longer odds for swinging bets, but I personally like sticking to backing one team for both halves when I take these sorts of bets, so I would be looking towards games like Scotland v Georgia or Ireland v Samoa for both-halves bets.
5️⃣ Tries
The markets you can get for try-scoring are not the same across bookmakers. Some look to the number of tries scored or when and how they are scored, but other bookies like to focus on the individual doing the try-scoring. All of these options offer great entertainment when trying to pick who or what you are going to back, but the important thing to consider is whether your preferred bookie offers the options you want. If the markets you want aren't available, you can't make your bet. Try my list of favourite Summer Internationals Cup betting sites tips for a few bookies with good markets for betting on the tries.
Top Tip 5: Knowing from where tries are going to come is possibly the most important idea when it comes to try-scoring betting markets. If you know that Damian Penaud scored an average of one try per game in his last international competition, the Six Nations, you may be more inclined to put him as an any-time try scorer against even the big teams. That being said, the way the modern game has developed means that attacking threats at the line can come from anywhere, so for this reason, you might avoid him as your first to touch the ball over the whitewash.
6️⃣ Accumulator Betting
If you fancy placing bets on different markets or across different games but want to keep your budget low, you could consider trying to compile multiple choices into one accumulator bet (sometimes known as an acca). There may be some limitations on what you can combine in your accumulator, depending on your preferred bookie, but there are still plenty of options you can pick and choose. You can also enjoy longer odds when you combine bets, but be aware that greater potential reward always comes with more risk, so be responsible with your betting!
Top Tip 6: If you don't know any other markets you want to combine with your single bet or into your accumulator, don't bother adding any. Betting on rugby should be a bit of fun where you have a few guesses on what's going to happen in the sport you love. If you're desperately adding extra markets to a bet just for the idea that you might get a bigger pay-out, stop and re-evaluate. The chances of a bet that's not thought-through coming up trumps are ridiculously small, and you will end up wasting your money without having fun. Be smart about how you bet.
💪 What Are the Best Summer Internationals Betting Sites?
For those of you that don't already have a preferred bookmaker or fancy trying a new provider, check out my list of best Irish bookies below.
1️⃣ BoyleSports: Best Site for Summer Series Free Bets
For all you Irish punters out there, I've got a great bookie for you. BoyleSports is a gem from the Emerald Isle, offering 41 unique sports and all the rugby action you could want - including the major tournaments such as the Summer Internationals. Whether you are looking for traditional 1x2 options or fancy a go at tries over/under, there are plenty of opportunities for rugby bets.
To top things off, there is a welcome bonus for new players of €40 in free bets when your bet €10 or more - terms and conditions apply.
For more information, read our BoyleSports review.
2️⃣ TonyBet: Best Site for Handicap Betting
Whilst TonyBet may be a lesser known betting site out of my three picks, this bookie adds great value for money to Irish punters. With markets for most of the domestic competitions around the globe and all of the big international tests, including the action from the Summer Internationals, there will be plenty from which you can choose.
Moreover, if you are new to the site, you can be eligible to claim a welcome bonus which matches your first deposit of €10 or more 100% up to €100 - terms and conditions apply.
For more information, read our TonyBet review.
3️⃣ Betway: Best Site for Summer Int. Rugby Betting Markets
My third and final favourite is another already popular pick amongst Irish bettors, but I think it is a classic for a reason. Betway may not offer as wide a variety of sports as BoyleSports, 34 versus 41, but for rugby betting, they come up trumps for the markets they offer for their matches, including for the match winner, winning margin, handicap winner, total points, and many, many more. If you enjoy trying out more niche markets, this could be the bookie for you.
Those of you that are new to Betway will be greeted with a welcome offer, and you will be able to claim up to €30 in free bets when you deposit €10 or more - terms and conditions apply.
For more information, read our Betway review.
🎁 Best Summer Internationals Free Bets and Welcome Bonuses
Click on the pictures below to read full bookmaker reviews for my favourite rugby betting sites.
Terms and conditions apply. All terms can be found on each bookmaker's respective website.
🏉 Summer Internationals Match Predictions
Current 2023 predictions accuracy: ✔️ 82.35%
You can read my full Summer Nations Series betting predictions for each individual match, including betting tips for each game, using the links below.
| France v Australia Summer Rugby 2023The last match of the Summer Internationals 2023 is here: France v Australia at the Stade de France in Paris. Will the world number three pull off one last win before the World Cup against a ferocious Aussie side? Read my rugby prediction. | |
| Ireland v Samoa Summer Rugby 2023This will be the penultimate match of the Summer Internationals 2023. Can Samoa mount an unprecedented defence against the number-one team in the world or will this end up as more of a training session for the Irish? Read my rugby prediction. | |
| Scotland v Georgia Summer Rugby 2023There's not much left of the Summer Internationals, but fans will still get to see a few last bits of drama. Scotland v Georgia will be one of those events, but will this be an open-and-shut case for a home-side win? Read my rugby prediction. | |
| Italy v Japan Summer Rugby 2023This will only be the fifth time that the Italy v Japan test has taken place, with both sides winning two each in the previous four encounters. Which team will clinch the big W and finish strong before the World Cup? Read my rugby prediction. | |
| England v Fiji Summer Rugby 2023England will host Fiji at Twickenham, and the home fans will be looking for a crucial win against the minnows of Fiji after disappointing matches so far in this competition. Will the home side continue their unbeaten run? Read my rugby prediction. | |
| New Zealand v South Africa Summer Rugby 2023We're getting into the business end of the Summer Internationals with New Zealand v South Africa at Twickenham. The All Blacks were clear victors in their last test against the Wallabies, but will we see more of the same this time? Read my rugby prediction. | |
| France v Fiji Summer Rugby 2023Last for week four we have France v Fiji. This will be the David and Goliath match of the competition: France are a huge rugby country; the Flying Fijians are a ninth-place nation. Could there be an upset? Read my rugby prediction. | |
| Italy v Romania Summer Rugby 2023A clash that a lot of rugby fans would normally not get to enjoy on the telly, week four also has Italy v Romania in store. I think it should be an exciting encounter, despite Romania being a tier-two side, but who will win? Read my rugby prediction. | |
| Ireland v England Summer Rugby 2023The second match of week four will see Ireland host England at the Aviva Stadium - kick-off at 5.30 p.m. As a World Cup favourite, Ireland will look to trounce their old rival in front of a home crowd, but who will win? Read my rugby prediction. | |
| Wales v South Africa Summer Rugby 2023The Summer Internationals, so far, have been a machete through the history books and stats about recent form, with plenty of controversy and excitement. Will we see the same for Wales v South Africa? Who will win? Read my rugby prediction. | |
| France v Scotland Summer Rugby 2023The final game of week three of the Summer Internationals will pit France v Scotland. This will be part two of the back-to-back encounter between the two teams, and fireworks will fly. Who will win? Read my rugby prediction. | |
| England v Wales Summer Rugby 2023The start of week three of the Summer Internationals will see the second match between England v Wales. Will the Twickenham crowd celebrate reclaimed glory or will the Welsh make this two-parter a whitewash. Read my rugby prediction. | |
| Argentina v South Africa Summer Rugby 2023The last game of round two will see exciting action in Buenos Aires for Argentina v South Africa. History and a world-champions status suggests this will be an easy pick, but will there be a twist in the tale? Read my rugby prediction. | |
| Ireland v Italy Summer Rugby 2023The giants of Ireland will take on the minnows of Italy in Dublin at the Aviva Stadium at 8 p.m. on the 5th August. This will be another testing warm-up for the Rugby World Cup for both sides, but who will win? Read my rugby prediction. | |
| Wales v England Summer Rugby 2023The third game of week two of the Summer Internationals will see Wales host England. This will be act one of a two-part play. Which team will get out of the starting gate with an all-important win? Read my rugby prediction for my thoughts. | |
| Scotland v France Summer Rugby 2023For the third match of the Summer Internationals, France will travel to Edinburgh to take on Scotland. Will the Scots recapture the Auld Alliance Trophy or will the French outshine their opponents for the second time this year? Read my rugby prediction to find out. | |
| New Zealand v Australia Summer Rugby 2023Week two of the rejigged Summer Internationals pits New Zealand v Australia at 'The Glasshouse'. Old rivalry should flare, resulting in a bruising encounter between two nations, but who will win? Read our rugby prediction. | |
| Scotland v Italy Summer Rugby 2023The Summer Internationals 2023 kick off with Scotland v Italy. To date, Scotland have played Italy on 35 occasions and have won 27 of those matches. Will the majority of history repeat itself or will we be in for a surprise? Read my rugby prediction. |
🗓️ When Are the Summer International Tests 2023 Taking Place?
You may be wondering when the key matches of the Summer Internationals will take place. Look no further! I've included the full table of fixtures below.
| Match | Date (IST) | Venue | Final Score | Winner | Prediction Accuracy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scotland v Italy | 15.15 29 Jul 2023 | Murrayfield, Edinburgh | 25-13 | Scotland | ✔️ |
| New Zealand v Australia | 03.35 5 Aug 2023 | Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin | 23-20 | New Zealand | ✔️ |
| Scotland v France | 15.15 5 Aug 2023 | Murrayfield, Edinburgh | 25-21 | Scotland | ❌ |
| Wales v England | 17.30 5 Aug 2023 | Principality Stadium, Cardiff | 20-9 | Wales | ❌ |
| Ireland v Italy | 20.00 5 Aug 2023 | Aviva Stadium, Dublin | 33-17 | Ireland | ✔️ |
| Argentina v South Africa | 23.10 5 Aug 2023 | Jose Amalfitani Stadium, Buenos Aires | 13-24 | South Africa | ✔️ |
| England v Wales | 17.30 12 Aug 2023 | Twickenham, London | 19-17 | England | ✔️ |
| France v Scotland | 20.05 12 Aug 2023 | Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Étienne | 30-27 | France | ✔️ |
| Wales v South Africa | 15.15 19 Aug 2023 | Principality Stadium, Cardiff | 16-52 | South Africa | ✔️ |
| Ireland v England | 17.30 19 Aug 2023 | Aviva Stadium, Dublin | 29-10 | Ireland | ✔️ |
| Italy v Romania | 17.30 19 Aug 2023 | Stadio Riviera delle Palma, San Benedetto del Tronto | 57-7 | Italy | ✔️ |
| France v Fiji | 20.05 19 Aug 2023 | Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes | 34-17 | France | ✔️ |
| New Zealand v South Africa | 19.30 25 Aug 2023 | Twickenham, London | 7-35 | South Africa | ❌ |
| England v Fiji | 15.15 26 Aug 2023 | Twickenham, London | 22-30 | Fiji | ❌ |
| Italy v Japan | 17.30 26 Aug 2023 | Stadio Comunale di Monigo, Treviso | 42-21 | Japan | ❌ |
| Scotland v Georgia | 17.30 26 Aug 2023 | Murrayfield, Edinburgh | 33-6 | Scotland | ✔️ |
| Ireland v Samoa | 19.45 26 Aug 2023 | Stade Jean-Dauger, Bayonne | 17-13 | Ireland | ✔️ |
| France v Australia | 16.45 27 Aug 2023 | Stade de France, Paris | 41-17 | France | ✔️ |
📺 Ireland Summer Series Highlights 2023
For those that missed some of Ireland's Summer Internationals performances, check out the video for the Ireland v Italy Summer Series test below.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions about the Rugby Summer Internationals
1️⃣ When will the Summer Internationals 2023 take place?
Lucky rugby fans will be able to enjoy the Summer Internationals from the 29th of July till the 27th of August, right before the start of the Rugby World Cup. The opening match will be Scotland v Italy at Murrayfield.
2️⃣ Which teams will do well in the Summer Internationals 2023?
I believe that Ireland will perform well in all three of their Summer Internationals tests and that France will be equally as good in their four matches. Their will be no outright winner of the tournament, but I believe these two nations will perform the best.
3️⃣ What are the best brands to bet on the Summer Internationals?
I have picked three favourite bookmakers for Summer Internationals betting, including BoyleSports, TonyBet, and Betway. More can be read about these in my section.
4️⃣ Are there any Summer Internationals free bets available?
Two of my three favourite bookies, BoyleSports and Betway, both have free bet offers which you could use for the Summer Internationals. Please have a look at my section on Summer Internationals free bets for more.
✒️ Steven Brown - International Sports Writer and Tipster
This rugby Summer Internationals betting guide was written by Steven Brown.
Steven is an internationally revered rugby coach and sports writer. His insight with his predictions comes from his rugby coaching qualifications, successes coaching youth and men's teams in both hemispheres, and from analytical research into world rugby.
Interested in reading more rugby betting guides for the big competitions? Check out our other articles below:
- Ireland vs Australia Prediction 2022
- Rugby World Cup
- Six Nations Betting
- Wales vs Australia Prediction 2022
- Japan vs New Zealand Prediction 2022
- Scotland vs Australia Prediction 2022
- Italy vs Samoa Prediction 2022
- Ireland vs South Africa Prediction 2022
- Scotland vs Fiji Prediction 2022
- Wales vs New Zealand Prediction 2022
- France vs Australia Prediction 2022
- England vs Argentina Prediction 2022
- Ireland vs Fiji Prediction 2022
- Italy vs Australia Prediction 2022
- England vs Japan Prediction 2022
- Wales vs Argentina Prediction 2022
- France vs South Africa Prediction 2022
- Scotland vs New Zealand Prediction 2022
- Italy vs South Africa Prediction 2022
- Wales vs Georgia Prediction 2022
- Scotland vs Argentina Prediction 2022
- England vs New Zealand Prediction 2022
- France vs Japan Prediction 2022
- England vs South Africa Prediction 2022
- Summer Internationals
