Six Nations Rugby Predictions
Every year, from January to March, the sporting world is gripped by one European rugby union tournament. The Six Nations sees some of Europe's best teams in the sport face off in a round-robin tournament as they battle it out to be crowned champion. For rugby fans, the Six Nations Championship is the perfect tonic to the New Year blues.
With that in mind, who are the favourites and who are the dark horses you should be keeping an eye on when betting on the 2025 edition of this prestigious competition at Stake.com.
2025 Six Nations Championship Rugby Fixtures & Schedule
This year's edition of the Six Nations is all set to kick off on January 31 with France hosting Wales in the showpiece opener at the Stade de France. The rest of the fixtures are as follows.
Scotland v Italy - Murrayfield - Feb 1
Ireland v England - Aviva Stadium - Feb 1
Italy v Wales - Stadio Olimpico - Feb 8
England v France - Twickenham - Feb 8
Scotland v Ireland - Murrayfield - Feb 9
Wales v Ireland - Millennium Stadium - Feb 22
England v Scotland - Twickenham - Feb 22
Italy v France - Stadio Olimpico - Feb 23
Ireland v France - Aviva Stadium - Mar 8
Scotland v Wales - Murrayfield - Mar 8
England v Italy - Twickenham - Mar 8
Italy v Ireland - Stadio Olimpico - Mar 15
Wales v England - Millennium Stadium - Mar 15
France v Scotland - Stade de France
With both the opening and closing fixtures taking place at suburban Paris’ Stade de France, all eyes will be on French rugby to see if they can become champions once again.
Current Six Nations Champions
The current holders of the Six Nations are Ireland, having claimed the last two championships in 2023 and 2024. They will be looking to make that three on the bounce after their post-Rugby World Cup 2023 loss rebuilding phase saw them once again impress against the hottest teams in Europe in last year's Six Nations.
The chances of that dream hat-trick of wins becoming reality will likely hang on the shoulders of two key players in Leinster wing James Lowe and Connacht centre and Super Rugby Pacific-winner Bundee Aki. They represent real star power on the international stage, and head coach Andy Farrel will be trying to get his best out of the pair, alongside Munster's free-scoring fly-half Jack Crowley.
2025 Six Nations Picks & Predictions - Who Will Win?
Obviously, the prior year's champions are always going to come into the latest edition as favourites, even if that's only by a slight margin. It's the same in every sport, be that soccer, tennis, or American football. To that end, all eyes will be on Ireland given their recent domination of the tournament.
In terms of the chasing pack, France and England are perhaps the strongest of the five left. Captain Maro Itoje and Marcus Smith will be the driving force for the latter, who got one over on Ireland in 2024, proving that they have the chops to challenge on the big stage if they can find some consistency.
While Scotland are not amongst the strong favorites, they certainly are not at the same lowly level that ranks outsiders Wales and Italy are perceived to be. Those two are hard to separate as favourites for the Wooden Spoon, the ‘award’ given to the worst side. The Welsh only ended the Italians’ eight-year losing streak in 2024.
Wales’ Mason Grady could be a bright spot despite his relative inexperience at 22 years old, and Italy could do worse than letting Paolo Garbisi strut his stuff, given his impressive point-scoring rate. If those two figures can inspire their teammates, it could be a more interesting battle at the bottom of the table.
Six Nations Betting Tips, Odds & Preview
While it's clear that Ireland are the favorites to win the competition outright, there's much more to the Six Nations than just who tops the table at the end of the tournament. So who can we expect to take home the other trophies and what other rugby betting markets can bettors jump on?
Calcutta Cup
Attention will no doubt turn to the Calcutta Cup, the trophy won by the winner of the fixture between Scotland and the auld enemy, England. This looks like a finely balanced one this year, with both teams seeking consistency. In a close battle, England might just edge it and would be a popular choice on the moneyline in that fixture.
Grand Slam
The Grand Slam, where one team defeats every other, was last won in 2023 when Ireland scalped all that came before them. France also did it the year before that. This year, it's difficult to say whether anyone will dominate, especially given the inconsistencies in the games of all the favorites, especially Ireland and France.
Team Top Try or Point Scorers
When it comes to proposition betting, top try and point scorers on the team level is going to be a popular choice. With the level of player on display, all it takes is one star in the team to take the tournament by the scruff of the neck to get their side to the top of the charts. The outright favorites in Ireland and France will always be a strong pick here.
General Sports Betting Tips & Tricks
If you're looking for guidance on how to make the most of your Six Nations betting strategy, you can visit the Stake blog and use the how-to guides there on things like progressive betting systems and others such as the Fibonacci. For more beginner information, we also have a basic sports betting guide to assist with every type of sports wager.
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Types of Rugby Bets & How to Bet on Six Nations
There are a wide range of Six Nations and other rugby betting markets that you can take advantage of, so it's always a good idea to keep an eye out for any that might provide some value, including over/under, betting handicaps, and player props. You can also combine different legs into parlays to eke value out of each game weekend.
If you're interested in the other competitions in rugby, both union and league, at Stake sportsbook, you can place bets on all the biggest international and club leagues and cups. This includes the United Rugby Championship, the Pro 14, and the Champions Cup in union. For leagues, you can bet on the NRL and Super League.
Live Stream the Six Nations Online at Stake Sportsbook
At Stake, you can even watch Six Nations fixtures to keep an eye on your bet outcomes and make informed live betting choices. Doing so is easy. You just have to make a Stake account and navigate to the upcoming fixtures in the live streaming section. If you have funds in your account, you can watch and enjoy as you see your bets play out.
Bet on the Rugby with Best Odds on Stake Sportsbook
It looks set to be an exciting year for rugby. Not only is it the Six Nations once again, and a calendar full of club rugby, but we'll be treated to the 2025 Women's World Cup. With all sorts of exciting clashes on the horizon, it's a good idea to keep your finger on the pulse of all the odds in the sporting action.
