Scotland favored to beat England and retain Calcutta Cup in 2024 Six Nations

Dean Etheridge
By , Updated on: Feb 21, 2024 07:00 PM
Scotland favored to beat England and retain Calcutta Cup in 2024 Six Nations

Scotland hosts England in Round 3 of the 2024 Six Nations Championship this Saturday. This is a huge match between two nations with aspirations of winning the Championship in 2024. Scotland (-180) are the favorites to win with home-field advantage. But England has a 100% record in the competition this year. Who will come out on top? Let’s tell you the answer in our latest rugby union betting picks.

  • What; 2024 Six Nations Championship Round 3
  • Who; Scotland vs. England
  • Where; Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland
  • When; Saturday, February 24th,
  • Time; 11.45 am ET

As well as being part of the 2024 Six Nations Championship, the meeting between Scotland and England also sees the two nations compete for the Calcutta Cup. The Calcutta Cup dates back to 1879 and is the oldest trophy competed for by any two international rugby union teams. This is a serious rivalry and one match neither nation ever wants to lose.

Betting to win the 2024 Six Nations

The French started the competition as the slight favorites to defend the title they won in 2023. The best online rugby betting sites made them +130 to win the Championship. This was because they had home-field advantage in their crucial clash against Ireland.

It counted for nothing. Ireland went to Marseille and crushed France 38-17 in the Stade Velodrome and are now -800 to win the competition. Such was the nature of Ireland’s victory, online betting sites can’t see anybody stopping them.

Second in the betting is England at +850, with France out at +2500. The rest of the field is Scotland at +3300, Wales at +50000, and Italy at +100000.

In the betting to complete the Grand Slam, Ireland is the favorite at -225, with no winner next at +210. The only other unbeaten nation, England, is +1400.

Full 2024 Six Nations winner betting odds can be found below, on our Rugby Union odds table.

2024 Six Nations Winner BettingBetOnlineBovadaMyBookie
Ireland-800-800-800
England+850+850+850
France+2500+2500+2500
Scotland+3300+3300+3300
Wales+50000+50000+50000
Italy+100000+100000+100000

Scotland vs. England: Match Betting

Onto the match-winner betting, and the hosts go into the fixture as the betting favorites. On the money line, Gregor Townsend’s Scotland are -180 to beat England and retain the Calcutta Cup. England is +150 to silence the Murrayfield crowd and keep their 100% record intact.

Onto the handicap spread, and Scotland is giving England a 3.5-point start. To win and cover the 3.5-point spread, the Scots are -110. England is -110 to win with the spread.

Scotland vs. EnglandBovadaBetOnlineMyBookie
Scotland-180-180-180
England+150+150+150
Scotland (-3.5)-110-110-110
England (+3.5)-110-110-110

Scotland vs. England: Head-to-head

Overall, England has won this fixture 71 times, Scotland has won 43, and there have been 16 draws. In more recent times, Scotland has won the last three matches and four of the last six.

The last time England tasted victory in this fixture was in 2020, when they won 13-6 at Murrayfield.

Recent Form

Scotland has won one and lost one of their opening two matches. The win came in Round 1, away in Wales. The Scots won 27-26 in Cardiff. But that doesn’t tell the whole story. Just after half-time, Scotland were 27-0 in front. The match looked over, and Wales had been trounced.

But then Wales fought back valiantly. Scotland conceded 26 points without reply. 21 of them were scored with the visitors down to 14 men. In the end, they held on for the win. But it has been described as a win that felt more like a defeat.

Then, in Round 2, Scotland lost 20-16 at home to France. This was a match Scotland had the better of and had the lead up until the 70th minute. That was the point that Louis Bielle-Biarrey scored the try that won the game for France. Truth be told, the Scots should have been out of sight by this stage. But they weren’t. And they only had themselves to blame.

As for England, Steve Borthwick’s team has vowed to play an attractive, expansive game in this year’s Championship. This is supposed to be the dawn of a new era for England. But instead, it looked more like the same old.

England are two from two, though. Against Italy in Round 1, England was behind at half-time and didn’t really impress on their way to a closer-than-comfortable 27-24 win. And in Round 2, England scraped a 16-14 home win over Wales. The win for England was more down to the failure and inexperience of Wales.

Scotland vs. England: Our Pick

Surely England is due a win over Scotland? The law of averages says they are. But their performances may be telling a different picture.

Scotland are the more settled squad and the better side. They should win. But there seemed to be something missing from their game in those crucial moments against France. A game they should have won.

There is a chance that Gregor Townsend’s team will try too hard to put that right against England. And despite England not looking great in their two wins, they did win them. And they are 100%.

England seems to be building something here. And in Ben Earl, they have one of the standout performers of the 2024 Six Nations so far. We’re going for Steve Borthwick’s team to pull off a shock win.

We’re going for England to win on the money line at +150 for our betting pick.

England To beat Scotland
+150
BetOnline

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Meet the author

Dean Etheridge

Dean Etheridge brings decades of sports knowledge and betting insights to his writing. Hailing from Coventry, England, he offers an engaging British perspective on everything from soccer to cricket. Dean has established himself as a reputable voice on English Premier L...

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