British and Irish Lions Squad and Tour
A Lions tour is unusual: the squad itself is a betting event, and the warm-up matches set up the Tests. Here is how the selection markets work and how the tour is laid out.
Squad selection and top tourist markets
Because the side is picked from four nations, bookmakers price up squad selection before the tour — which players make the touring party, who is named captain, and how many come from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Once on tour, the top tourist and top try scorer markets run across the fixtures, rewarding a player who shines in the tour matches and nails down a Test spot. These are short-window markets that settle on the squad announcement or across the tour.
The tour schedule and warm-up matches
A Lions tour runs six or seven weeks: a series of tour matches against the host nation's franchises and provinces, building to the three-Test series. The Lions last toured South Africa in 2021, toured Australia in 2025, and visit New Zealand in 2029 — so the next South African tour falls around 2033. The warm-up games are where the tourists find combinations and where bettors read form before the Tests. Pair this with the British Irish Lions betting page for tour-match markets, and see the Lions guide for all the betting.
Frequently asked questions
What are Lions squad selection markets?
Bets placed before the tour on which players make the touring squad, who is named captain, and how many players come from each of the four nations. They settle on the squad announcement.
How long is a British and Irish Lions tour?
About six or seven weeks — a run of tour matches against the host nation's franchises and provinces, building to a three-Test series against the host.