The HSBC World Sevens Series heads to Los Angeles this weekend with the world’s best 16 teams all vying for the sixth trophy of the 2022-23 season. With New Zealand beginning to establish themselves as the powerhouse of old and Fiji yet to win a title this season, this is shaping up to be a fascinating tournament. Will it be the moment that the Kiwis break away from the pack or can another side win on Sunday to bring them back in?
Bookmaker bet365 has all the odds ahead of the first match on Saturday as we look at the best bets to make on the Los Angeles Sevens.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: February 23rd, 10:30 P.M. (GMT)
Despite the fact that Fiji are yet to win a title in 2022-23, bookmaker bet365 has them neck and neck in the odds with New Zealand this weekend. The Kiwis are slight favourites at 3.25 with Fiji only slightly behind at 3.75. South Africa comes in third at 5.00 before Australia and Argentina round out the top five at 7.50 and 8.00. Home side United States, meanwhile, is well behind in the eighth favourite position at 15.00.
It’s hard to bet against New Zealand here. The All Black Sevens have made the past three finals on the HSBC World Sevens Series coming runner up in Cape Town and Hamilton before winning in Sydney most recently. The side that won the series a record 13 times appears to be finding their best rugby now that is an ominous sign for the rest of the teams hoping to win between now and the end of the season.
If anyone is to upset New Zealand, it will either be Fiji or the USA. Fiji is a ticking time bomb and surely can’t go much longer without winning a title. They’ve been runner up in the USA the past two years and have won the title here three times. Their odds of 3.75 indicate how strongly bet365 believes they will perform this weekend.
The USA Sevens team, on the other hand, has been given long odds of 15.00. However, so far this season they’ve made three semifinals and seem to be continuing to progress as a team. Of the three titles the USA has won in their history, two have been here on home soil. This is a team that rises in front of their home fans and with a healthy return of 15.00, they could be worth a punt at doing so again this weekend.
