Handball Review

Introduction to Handball Betting

Handball betting is popular in several countries in mainland Europe, including those in Scandinavia. Many European countries have string domestic leagues but that does not include the United Kingdom. Hence betting on the sport is not prevalent in that country where football dominates the sports media. Handball is suited to betting because the scoring is easy to understand. The objective is to score more goals than the opposition in two halves of 30 minutes. The sport is played at domestic, European and international level.

Betting Events

The biggest betting competition in handball is the equivalent of the Champions League in football. It brings together the best teams in Europe who compete in groups and then knockout stages which culminate in a final. There is also a secondary European competition which is handball’s version of the Europa League. The most popular domestic league for betting is the main division in Germany, but betting is also huge in Scandinavia. There are European Championships and World Championships in handball which is an Olympic sport so betting increases every four years.

Betting Types

Bookmakers issue odds for the domestic fixtures a few days before they take place. There are fluctuations in the pre-match odds due to team news and injury doubts. Betting moves to the in-play environment when the matches begin. The odds are taken down after a key event such as a significant injury or a goal. On average there is a goal about every minute in a sport that is dominated by attack and defence which has very little midfield action. Bettors can place bets on the outright winner of the domestic leagues and international team competition.

Handball Markets

The most popular handball betting market is the three-way match winner after 60 minutes (Home Win, Draw, Away Win). Handicaps and totals are the other most bet on match markets. Bookmakers also issue odds for these markets for the first half. Customers can wager on exotic markets which offer the potential for a decent win from a small stake. These additional markets include the correct score and team and player scoring specials. Outright betting on the winner of the domestic leagues, European club competitions and international team events is popular.