After a tumultuous three years in the Rugby Sevens circuit, the first tournament of the 2022-2023 season is upon us. For the first time since 2019, a full schedule of tournaments with all teams participating is predicted, and fans around the world are excited for the sport to be back in full strength.
We break down the online bookmakers’ odds from rugby union betting sites ahead of the first game on Friday, November 4, and discuss some of the best bets to be made this weekend.
| Event: | 2023 HSBC World Sevens Series Hong Kong |
| Venue: | Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong |
| Dates: | Friday, November 4 to Sunday, November 6 |
Here’s a look at the overall 2022 Hong Kong Sevens betting odds this year:
Looking at the Hong Kong 2022 Sevens odds, Fiji are again the team favored to win this tournament. The men from the South Pacific hold a healthy lead over the second favorite, New Zealand. Chances are this will be a five-horse race, however, with Fiji, New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, and Argentina all having decent odds to win before a significant drop off for the sixth favorite—Samoa at 13.00 (12/1).
This will be the first time since 2019 that the Hong Kong Sevens tournament has taken place, with the Covid-19 pandemic impacting scheduling. Typically, this event occurs midway through the season, in late March or early April. However, Hong Kong is being used this year as the event to begin the 2023 season.
Fiji have traditionally dominated the Hong Kong Sevens, winning seven of the past eight tournaments, including the last five. Of more note is who the finalists have been recently, which has varied:
Historically this has been a breakout tournament for teams, with England, Wales, Kenya, and France all making the final in recent times.
Looking ahead to this weekend’s tournament, here are our expert picks of the three best participants to bet on:
Of all the teams who have suffered throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, few have been impacted more than New Zealand.
While many sides missed part of the 2020 and 2021 seasons, New Zealand also missed the majority of the 2022 season. This made it almost two years without New Zealand on the Sevens circuit, causing their country ranking—and their position at the bookies—to fall. However, since returning, making two finals and winning a tournament in their five appearances this year. This includes the most recent Los Angeles Sevens event, where they beat Fiji.
Speaking of beating Fiji, New Zealand are the only side to consistently challenge Fiji in Hong Kong over the last decade, winning twice and making three finals. A bet on New Zealand to start their first full season since 2019 strong with a tournament win would not be out of order, and with odds of 4.50 (7/2) it has a healthy return.
The men in the gold head into the Hong Kong Sevens freshly christened as World Rugby Sevens Series champions for the first time.
Australia are typically the team the crowd love to hate in Hong Kong, but they may silence their critics this year. Last season, Australia won one tournament, came second in two, and third in three, which was enough to see them finish on top of the points table. Their win came just two events ago in London, so this side has what it takes to navigate an entire tournament successfully.
While Australia’s previous best result in Hong Kong has been winning the plate in 2015, this current team is a different beast. A return of 6.00 (5/1) for the world champions to win is an excellent bet to take.
Sure, this may not be the most mind-blowing of predictions, but there’s still plenty of merit to it.
The last time Fiji failed to win the Hong Kong Sevens, iPhone 6s were all the craze, and Katy Perry’s Dark Horse had flirted with the number one spot in the Billboard Top 100. Since then, eight years have passed without any team getting within 12 points of Fiji in the final.
Add to this the fact that Fiji were narrowly beaten in the last World Sevens Series event in Los Angeles, and they won the Commonwealth Games Gold Medal, and there’s some real logic to betting on Fiji in Hong Kong.
The return may only be 2.75 (7/4) by Fiji bookmakers to win this weekend, but it’s a fairly safe place to invest.
For those who like playing it safe and want to make a lower risk but less lucrative bet, here’s our prediction for who will win the Hong Kong Sevens:
Odds of 151.00 (150/1) don’t bode well for Kenya, but this wouldn’t be the first time the East African nation has won a World Sevens Series event as underdogs.
The side are continuing to grow more and more competitive, making several quarterfinals last year and finishing third in one tournament in 2021. Hong Kong is a venue that has been kind to the side in the past, with Kenya narrowly losing to Fiji in 2018 final, 24-12. With the introduction of some fresh blood into their squad over the off-season, including the physically imposing George Ooro from the Strathmore Leos, there’s an outside chance that Kenya could go the whole way and cause an upset this weekend in Hong Kong.
With the bookies in Kenya and around the world paying 151.00 (150/1) for Kenya to win in Hong Kong, a cheeky bet on Kenya may turn out to be immensely lucrative if things play out in their favor.
Whether you intend to live stream the Hong Kong Sevens or just catch the highlights, this will undoubtedly be a fantastic spectacle of rugby talent. With the Sevens circuit impacted by Covid-19 the past three years and the competition becoming tighter, as a result, all teams are excited to get back into a full season of competing.
Tune in this Friday, November 4, to catch all the action.
