Handball Betting Strategies

Handball is not considered a global sport as it does not get the amount of coverage it deserves. However, the sport is extremely popular in many EU nations and has a massive fan following in places like Spain, France, Germany as well as Scandinavia and nations that once belonged to Yugoslavia.

While handball does not have a global fan following and is not played around the world, you can still bet on both domestic and international handball matches and use handball betting strategies to increase your odds of winning.

We will take a look at why handball betting is popular and how you can use quality handball betting strategies to your advantage to come out on the winning side of your bet.

The Basics of Handball

If you don’t understand anything about handball, don’t sweat it as it is a very easy game to understand.

Handball is very similar to futsal – which is football played indoors. The size of the goalposts remains the same while the two teams comprise 6 players plus one goalkeeper each. The objective is for both teams to compete against each other and outscore each other.

The duration of each match is split into two halves – each half comprising 30 minutes. Handball allows rolling substitutions and the referee does not need to be notified. One interesting thing to point out is that there are no drawn matches in handball.

If the game is tied after 60 minutes, teams get 2 x 5 minute sessions to see if they can pull off a win. If the game is still tied after extra time, the teams engage in a shootout to see who comes out on top.

While the game is called handball, do keep in mind that players can touch the ball with any body part above their knees. Players have the option to pass the ball, dribble the ball and shoot. When it comes to dribbling, they can only do so for three steps and must then pass or shoot. They are allowed to hold the ball for a max of 3 seconds which ensures the game is played at a fast pace.

When you watch handball players approach the goal, you will find that they jump and then take their shot. This is because handball rules allow only goalkeepers to touch the goal area on the floor.

One of the key differences between futsal and handball is the number of goals scored during the game. Most football games have less than 5 goals on average per game and futsal has less than 10 goals on average per game. However, handball matches can see an average of 40 combined goals making it similar to basketball when it comes to points

Handball in the world

The handball leagues in countries like France, Denmark, Germany and Spain are huge and result in packed stadiums. These countries run national handball leagues and have a huge fan following. Do keep in mind that while handball may not be as popular in some of the other countries, they still have their own handball leagues although they are a lot smaller.

The top handball leagues around the world include the Ligue Nationale de Handball which is the French National League; the German Bundesliga popularly referred to as DKB HBL; PGNiG Superliga which is Poland’s handball league and Liga ABOBAL which is the league in Spain.

The top handball teams in Europe battle it out in the EHF Cup and EFH Champions League to settle which is the best EU handball team in the continent. The EFH Champions League was established back in 1956 and Barcelona has been the most dominant champion picking up their 9^thtrophy in 2015.

The competition during this tournament is extremely competitive which is why teams have struggled to win back to back titles. The last team to accomplish this feat was Ciudad Real which won consecutive tournaments back in 2008 and 2009. These handball leagues do get a lot of attention but the biggest stage is set for international competition.

The most popular international handball tournament is the Men’s IHF World Handball Championships which takes place once every two years. France has dominated the Championships in recent times winning 6 gold medals. Spain, Germany, Romania, Russia and Sweden have also enjoyed success at the Championships.

Denmark hosted the 2019 Championships along with Germany and ended up facing Norway in the finals. Denmark eventually won the final and will look to defend their title in 2021 in Egypt which will host the next edition. Sweden and Poland will join forces to host the 2023 edition.

While a lot of focus is given to men’s handball, the women are not far behind. The Women’s IHF World Handball Championships take place in the same year as the Men’s Championship but they are not held simultaneously and are also hosted by a different country. Russia has dominated women’s handball on the international scene but the playing field is very competitive as most of the EU nations have strong women’s teams.

Popular Handball Betting Markets

When it comes to team games, the most common bet is to wager on the final outcome of the game – which team wins! Handball provides bettors with a lot of variety in bets which include how many goals each team scores and the winning margin i.e. difference in the number of goals. Irish bettors who want high odds in handball betting should bet on these futures.

Match Result

The easiest bet to understand is betting on the final match result. Bettors will find it difficult to get good odds on this bet unless you have a match between a strong team and a massive underdog.

This is why you should look for multiplies and use doubles, accumulators or trebles to find better odds and then place your bets. This enables you to get better returns – provided you bet right.

Total Goals

When you find two teams with strong defences or players who have attacking forwards, it is a good idea to look at betting on the total number of goals. Look for the line when placing this bet as the line will let you know the number of goals the sportsbook expects. You then decide if you want to bet above the line or below the line. So if the line is 40 and you bet on higher, you come out on the winning side if more than 40 goals get scored.

If you do not support any team, then betting on a total number of goals is ideal as you will cheer on when both teams score.

Winning Margin

If you are looking at high odds in handball, then have a look at winning margin bets. You will have to decide which team is going to win and by how many goals. So if the Irish men’s team are favourites in a game, they could have odds of 5/6 to win. If you want better odds, then look at the winning margin as you might get odds of 4/1 for them to win by 10 goals or more. Since the goal margins have both low and high points, they are similar to betting on different rounds in boxing.

Best Handball Bets

The best bet in handball is without doubt the bet that wins. However, there is no single betting market in handball that can increase your percentage of winning. Just like most sports out there, if you follow a clear strategy it will increase your chances of coming out on the winning side.

Sports betting is very different from casino games and the lottery as individuals do not have any chance to influence the outcome of a particular game or match. Sports betting is based purely on chance but your odds of winning a bet increases when you learn how and when to bet. We show you how to improve your odds of winning while betting on handball matches.

Do Your Research

The main advantage between casino betting and sports betting is that the outcome of sports matches is not determined by chance but by the efforts of individuals playing the game. This is critical to understand and use in your handball betting strategies.

You need to keep your eyes and ears open to learn as much as you can about handball matches and the players involved. Remember sports betting is not a roulette wheel. A player having a bad day, an injury or the absence of a star player can determine the result of the game.

When you become an avid follower of handball games, you become more aware of the signs that can determine a win or a loss based on the team and individuals playing. The more you understand, the easier it gets in determining the outcome.

Spend time reading the latest handball news; keep a lookout on player transfers and injury concerns. This will help you be in an informed position when you decide to bet on a handball game.

Check the Handball Statistics

While it is always good to carry out your own research, you can also take advantage of handball statistics to identify patterns of handball teams. There are some teams that adopt a cautious approach when they start and then slowly turn on the pace. When these teams play, it might be a good idea not to bet on them at the start and instead make an in-play bet as you are likely to get better odds.

Keep a careful watch on the team’s best players and leading scorers as this will help you make an informed bet on the number of goals scored. Do keep in mind that you do not always have to bet on individual games as you can always bet outright on different handball markets. You can bet on the eventual winner of the German, Spain, France and Denmark’s national leagues.  You can also bet on international handball events like the World Championships or Olympics.

Statistical reports and form guides on handball teams are a great source of information that can help you make an informed and winning decision. Learn to understand and use these tools to your advantage.

Go for In-Play Betting

In-play betting or betting during a live game can give you a number of advantages if done right. The two biggest advantages of in-play betting is that it can provide you with better odds and also increase the excitement of a live handball game.

If you are an avid handball follower and know the game well, you should definitely consider in-play betting and put your theories to the test and see if you get your predictions correct.

Mr Green covers a number of handball markets and offers live betting on both domestic and international matches. Some of the different handball bets include winning margins, match results, handicap bets, number of goals scored, half time score and full-time score. You will find a great selection of in-play bets as you would on pre-match game betting.

Guard Against Hype

When you really get into handball and start following breaking news and keeping up with the latest stats, it is important for you to control your emotions or else you will end up getting caught up with the hype concerning certain handball teams or individual players.

When the media gets behind a player or team, it can result in the odds getting very short. Bettors in control of their emotions can avoid the hype and use this to their advantage by looking at the opposition’s odds as they can get inflated due to the hype. This trend is not just common to handball but all sports in general.

The best thing you can do is not get emotionally attached to any team and place your bets as a neutral fan. If you get emotionally attached, you will end up favouring your team even if logically you know it’s a bad idea to bet on them. When it comes to handball betting or any sport, take your emotions out of the equation.

Trust Your Instincts

It is important for you to learn to trust your instincts before you place your handball bets. Once you complete your research, check what your gut says. Once you combine handball stats and your instincts, you increase your chances of betting and coming out on the winning side.

Predict and then Bet

A lot of amateur bettors tend to look at the long list of handball odds and then decide what they are going to bet on by finding the highest odds and believing this is what can end up happening. The better way of doing this is to do your research, look at the teams involved and make your picks without looking at the betting odds.

Once you have done this, have a look at the odds and find bets that are similar to or better than your predictions. This way you prevent the odds from influencing your handball bets.

Never Chase Your Losses

Like with all kinds of betting, you should never try to chase your losses and fall into the trap of placing bigger bets to recoup your losses. This is the most important betting strategy by far.

Before you place a bet, you should be comfortable with the fact that you could come out on the losing side. A win is a plus. But if you lose, you should not let it influence your emotions and get you down. You should only bet with money you can afford to spend. This is true whether it is casino betting, the lottery or handball betting. Do not ever view sports betting as a way to make a living, rather think of it as a form of entertainment. While everyone likes the feeling of winning, it is also important for you not to get depressed when you lose.

How to Improve Your Betting Value

The best way to get the most value from your bets is to take full advantage of the bonuses and promotions available at Mr Green. This will allow you to boost the value of your bets on handball.

Handball Betting Bonuses and Promotions

Existing customers of Mr Green also get special bonuses given to them and they are visible on the Mr Green website. Customers should also check their e-mail as Mr Green often sends out special promotions to selected customers.