The Middle East’s oldest sporting event is always a much-anticipated fixture in the Sevens calendar, and this year is no different. The 2023 HSBC World Sevens Series is well underway now, with the second event of the season scheduled to take place in Dubai this weekend.
Big names like New Zealand and South Africa will be looking to redeem themselves after a poor start to the season in Hong Kong last month, while Fiji and Australia will be looking to continue their strong form from the last tournament. The one remains undeniable – betting in the United Arab Emirates will face an increase from online punters.
This season is already proving to be an interesting one, with strong 15s sides such as Ireland and France looking to be more competitive in the shorter form of the game. Can the traditional sevens powers prevail this weekend, or will we see a new champion crowned in Dubai? We bring you all of the latest betting odds with our expert picks and predictions ahead of the first match on Friday.
| Event: | 2023 HSBC World Sevens Series Dubai |
| Format: | 16 teams compete in four pools, followed by knockout games |
| Venue: | The Sevens Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
| Date: | Friday 2 December to Sunday 4 December |
Here’s a look at the overall 2022 Dubai Sevens betting odds this year:
Looking at these Dubai 2022 rugby sevens odds, there is a clear favorite to win on the weekend. Hong Kong runners-up Fiji are ahead of the pack on 3.00, and those who want to do some safe rugby union online betting would do well to put money on them. Despite their poor performances last tournament, New Zealand and South Africa are second and third favorites heading into Dubai, with Hong Kong champions Australia coming in fourth. Be sure to find the bet site with the highest odds.
First running in 1970, the Dubai Rugby Sevens is the Middle East’s longest-running sports event. As part of the 2023 HSBC World Sevens Series, this tournament takes place over three days and sees the best 16 rugby sevens teams in the world come together to compete for the second title of the year.
Teams will be split into four pools based on the world ranking, with a round-robin occurring within each pool. The top two sides will then progress to the Cup quarterfinals, with the bottom two advancing to the losers’ bracket.
Over the last five years, South Africa has dominated this tournament, with the side winning five out of six titles since 2016.
Interestingly, it has been six years since rugby sevens superpower Fiji last made the final in Dubai.
Looking at the Rugby 7s Dubai 2022 odds from the major bookmakers, we can see that several participants are favored to do well in this tournament. Here are our top two bets to make ahead of this weekend:
While Fiji have struggled to win here in Dubai, with their last title coming in 2015, the Flying Fijians are in hot form so far this season. Last month they narrowly dropped the Hong Kong Sevens final to Australia, having dominated up until that point with strong wins over South Africa and Samoa. The Fijians came third overall last season, overcoming a poor start to the season to place in the last five tournaments of the year.
Drawn in a tough pool alongside New Zealand and Argentina, Fiji will have their work cut out for them to finish top of Pool B. However, New Zealand have not looked their best so far this year, and Argentina are a cut below Fiji. With odds of 1.90 (10/11) for Fiji to top the pool, this is a strong return for a fairly conservative bet.
Bookies haven’t caught up with Australia being the real deal in rugby sevens.
Last year, they won the HSBC World Sevens Series. Last month, they won the Hong Kong Sevens, beating Fiji in the final. And yet, they are sitting at fourth favorite in the odds, with a lucrative return of 6.00 (5/1) for a bet on the Aussies to win this one outright. Simply put, this is a fantastic bet – Australia showed last month they have what it takes to beat the world’s best, putting away New Zealand, Ireland, France, and Fiji in one tournament to finish the winner.
There’s no reason why they won’t do the same again this weekend in Dubai. With a return of 6.00 (5/1) offered even by Australian bookmakers, taking these odds is a no-brainer.
For those who like a bit of a shot-in-the-dark punt, here’s one that we think might be worth a wager this weekend.
France have proven themselves to be a superpower in the 15-a-side game over the past three years and seem on track to be doing so in the 7-a-side game now as well.
Last month in Hong Kong, France finished third overall in the tournament. Impressively, they beat a strong Samoan side to take the bronze medal. Last year in Dubai, they made it as far as the semifinals, putting in a strong run that saw them defy the odds. All signs are pointing to France doing the same this year – they are in arguably the softest pool of the four, meaning that they should finish top of their group and have a winnable quarterfinal.
From there, they are only two upsets away from a 13.00 (12/1) return on the Frenchmen to win this title.
Whether you’re watching the live stream or simply catching the highlights each day, the Dubai Sevens is sure to be a fantastic weekend of rugby. With 16 countries vying to be crowned the champion, there’s no doubt it will be hotly contested. Our sports betting prediction is Australia will back up their strong performance in Hong Kong and make it two from two in the 2023 season, but tune in on Friday to find out and use your bet knowledge.
