Plenty of handball viewing options this weekend. Odds courtesy of Bet MGM.
American Athletes in Action
French Pro Ligue: Nice vs Angers (Saturday, 2030 CET): Link
Left back, Abou Fofana plays for Angers. Angers lost to Strasbourg on Tuesday and really could use a win vs Nice which is the only club below them in the standings. The winner of this match will move out of the relegation zone
Liga Asobal: Viveros Herol BM. Nava vs Leon (-3.5) (Sunday, 2000 CET): Link
Circle Runner, Drew Donlin, plays for Leon and has been getting some extended playing time lately on defense. Leon had a huge victory on Thursday over previously unbeaten Irun and will look to continue their winning streak.
Other Matches this Weekend
EHF European Competitions: ehfTV
There’s a jampacked schedule of 25 matches on ehfTV this weekend. 2 on Friday, 12 on Saturday and 11 on Sunday. Most of the matches are lower level European League and European Cup fixtures, with the exception being 5 Women’s Champions League matches.
Abou Fofana and Angers take on Strasbourg today at 2000 (CET) / 1400 (US ET) Watch live on the Angers Facebook page
While the Coronavirus pandemic has resulted in several matches getting postponed this week, for the most part the European Leagues are marching on with a near full slate of matches. And, this has got to be a first: 3 Americans with 3 different club will be playing simultaneously later today.
American Athletes in Action
French Pro Ligue: Angers vs Strasbourg (Tuesday, 2000 CET): Link
Left back, Abou Fofana plays for Angers. Both Angers and Strasbourg are near the bottom of the table and could use a win. This video will be on Facebook and is the first opportunity we have this season to see Abou Fofana with his new club
EHF European League: Leon (-5.5) vs Metalurg (Tuesday, 2045 CET): Link
Leon lost to Logrono on Saturday and will look to bounce back vs Metalurg. It will be interesting to see how ready Metalurg after their 40 hour bus drive from North Macedonia to Spain.
EHF European League: USAM Nimes (-3.5) vs IFK Kristianstad (Tuesday, 2045 CET): Link
Goalkeeper, Rene Ingram, plays for Kristianstad. Ingram is Kristianstad’s 3rd keeper and is on the roster due to an injury to their top keeper.
HBL 2: TSV Bayer Dormagen vs. HSG Konstanz (Wednesday, 1930 CET): Link (may require VPN)
Hosts, Dormagen (Ian and Patrick Hueter) should be solid favorites over 17th place Konstanz
Other Matches this Week
EHF European League
10 matches on Tuesday at either 1845 or 2045 CET
Top Matches: Both of these matches are interesting in that they feature more well known top clubs as 3.5 goal favorites on the road
Nexe vs Montpellier (-3.5) (Tuesday, 1845 CET)
GOG vs Rhein-Neckar (-3.5) (Tuesday, 1845 CET)
EHF Champions League
Top Matches: It will really be very interesting to see how struggling Paris (only 1 win) does against Porto. Kiel vs Barca is the other standout match. No spoiler preview: Link
Aalborg vs Veszprem (-4.5) (Wednesday, 1845 CET)
Flensburg (-4.5) vs Meskov Brest (Wednesday, 1845 CET)
FC Porto vs Paris S-G (-2.5) (Wednesday, 1845 CET)
Zagreb vs HC Motor (-1.5) (Wednesday, 2045 CET)
Vardar vs Kielce(-2.5) (Thursday, 1845 CET)
Kiel vs Barca (-1.5) (Thursday, 1845 CET) <<English Commentary>>
Antonio AREIA RODRIGUES and FC Porto take on Szeged in the Match of the Week.
There’s no Thursday NFL game this week so why not take the opportunity to watch some Champions League handball later today. There are 3 matches on tap starting at 8:45 PM (CET) / 2:45 PM (US ET).
MOTW: FC Porto (POR) vs MOL-Pick Szeged (HUN) (On Demand Video)
HC Vardar 1961 (MKD) vs SG Flensburg-Handewitt (GER) (On Demand Video)
Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) vs Elverum Handball (NOR) (On Demand Video)
All 3 matches should be interesting, but the Match of the Week (MOTW) between Porto and Szeged will include English language commentary so you might want to start there.
The matches will be live early afternoon in the U.S., but I will post links to the full match video when they are available so hopefully you’ll be able to watch later tonight without knowing the score.
The Green States: Where you can Legally Bet on Handball in the USA
Team Handball is a great sport to watch and it goes practically without saying that it’s also a great sport to bet on. Here’s a guide for would be handball bettors in the U.S.
Where You Can Legally Bet on Handball in the U.S
The map above (updated on 9 Oct 2020) depicts the current legal status and availability of handball betting in the U.S. Currently, there are 10 states (depicted in green) where betting is 1) legal and 2) handball betting lines are readily available. Those 10 states are Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Depicted in Yellow are several states where sports betting is legal, but for a variety of reasons handball betting is not yet available. The most common reason is that several states have not yet authorized mobile/online betting and require all sports bets to be made in actual casinos where the focus is typically the major sports. Perhaps handball lines are available for “off the board” bettors, but I doubt it. The good news is that many states, including New York, seem likely to add mobile betting in the near future.
Depicted in White are several states that have pending legislation to authorize sports betting. And, finally in Red are a number of states where there is either no legislation in the works or legislation to legalize sports betting failed to get passed. This website keeps a tally as to the current status of legalization: Link
US Mobile/Online Sports Books which Post Handball Odds
The following mobile/online sportsbooks currently post handball odds:
And, then there are a number of online sportsbooks which apparently aren’t posting handball lines yet. Those US sportsbooks include the following: Fan Duel, Fox Bet, Points Bet, Sportsbetting.com, William Hill, SBK, Barstool and the Score.
Which Sportsbooks are Available in Each State
It’s the wild west early days for mobile sports betting in the U.S. and accordingly it’s a real hodge podge as to which sites are authorized to operate in each state. Here’s a current list, but be forewarned it’s constantly changing.
Colorado: Bet MGM, Bet Rivers, DraftKings
Illinois: Bet Rivers
Indiana: Bet MGM, Bet Rivers, DraftKings, Unibet
Iowa: DraftKings
Nevada: Bet MGM
New Hampshire: DraftKings
New Jersey: Bet MGM, Bet Rivers, DraftKings, Unibet, Bet 365, 888 Sports
Oregon: Oregon Lottery
Pennsylvania: Bet Rivers, DraftKings, Unibet, Parx
West Virginia: Bet MGM, DraftKings
Where you can Watch the Matches
There are currently several major European Professional Competitions that broadcast matches online. Those competitions include
The Men’s and Women’s World Championships and the Men’s and Women’s European Championships are typically available for viewing in the U.S. Some matches can be seen on TV and some are available online. Currently, the TV rights are open and when they have been sold this page will be updated.
LNH TV: A great new online handball web streaming option
The EHF Champions League is taking a break this week, but will be back in action next Wednesday (14 October). In the meantime there’s plenty of great handball action, courtesy of the French and Spanish leagues that can be seen online. Here’s a rundown on where and how to watch.
French League (LIDL Star Ligue)
The top level of French Handball, the LIDL Star Ligue will be playing two match days this week and thanks to their new Youtube platform, LNH TV you can catch several matches online. Unfortunately, the more interesting matches tend to be on traditional beIN Sports TV channels in France and aren’t available for viewing. This means missing out on a lot of Paris SG, Nantes and Montpellier matches. Because of this, I’m thinking of adopting a 2nd tier French team. Perhaps Dunkirk? Or maybe Istres?
Spain’s top league, the Liga ASOBAL will be playing a midweek match day this Tuesday and Wednesday. Three matches (below) can be seen on the La Liga Sports TV Handball Channel. This viewing option used to require VPN, but currently there is no Geoblock. The Irun vs Leon match tomorrow should be a good battle between two sides that often fight for 2nd place behind Barcelona. USA National Team player, Drew Donlin also plays for Leon so you might consider adopting them as your favorite Spanish Side.
Tuesday, 6 October
Valladolid vs Cangas 20:25 (CET) / 14:25 (US ET) Link
During the 2020 Men’s European Handball Championships this past January I conducted a little betting experiment with “Samo”, a professional handball bettor from Slovenia. We each started the tournament with 1000 Euros and made a variety of wagers almost every day. My imaginary bank roll of 1,000 Euros took a 115 Euro hit, leaving me with just 885 Euros. Meanwhile, Samo fared considerably better, netting a profit of 860 Euros. That’s a solid return on investment.
Overall, most of our wagers were around 100 Euros. My W-L-D record was 7-8-1 (46.7%) and Samo’s was 12-4-1 (75%). Because we each had several bets that weren’t 50-50 point spreads these percentage don’t tell the whole story, but they tell a story. 50% is about one would get by throwing darts. 75% is doing pretty damn well. Historically, professional bettors are very happy with 55-60 %.
Side Note on My Personal Sports Betting History
Back in the day I was a much more active sports bettor. Frequent trips to Vegas and parents living there accommodated this hobby. For the most part I bet American Football and basketball and bet on the teams I liked when I thought they had a good line. I learned the hard way to never bet on my teams when I thought they would lose. Why? Well, it sucks to root for your team to lose. (I guess if I was more serious about my “hobby” I wouldn’t care.) Anyway, after awhile I decided to meticulously track my wins and losses. And, what did I find out? Well, I found I was right almost exactly half the time. Yes, there was a diminishing sine wave that would start at 60% to 40% and then over time dampen from 55% to 45% and so on.
So, I couldn’t stay above the magical 52.38% (The break even % with the Vegas house cut), but proved to myself that if the wager size didn’t get out of hand, it was pretty decent entertainment that wouldn’t break my bank. And, if you’ve ever been to Vegas during the NCAA basketball tourney with 16 games on Thursday and Friday for 12 hours of non-stop action and hundreds of people cheering, it can be phenomenal entertainment. (Trust me, if that experience is not your bucket list it should be.)
Anyway, the point of this personal history is to make it clear. Done right, there is nothing morally bankrupt about sports betting.
Wrong Handball Betting
Of course, handball betting can also be done wrong… very wrong. And, there can be no more troubling example than the 2012 Montpellier scandal. As new people in the U.S. are always discovering handball they may not be aware that one of the greatest handball players of all time, Nikola Karabatic and his brother Luka were found guilty of being a part of a match fixing scheme. I’m always a bit amazed at how handball can somehow sweep history like this under the rug, but swept it has been for the most part. Even more amazed that the penalties were so minor. Seriously, Shoeless Joe Jackson and Pete Rose would both be in the Hall of Fame if baseball adopted handball’s penalty structures.
Evolving Views on Sports Betting and a Way to Help Popularize Handball
For some perspective on the evolving situation check out my commentary from 2008 on sports betting. Yes, 12 years later the times are a changing big time. U.S. leagues are now talking to sports books. They are even signing data partnerships to ensure the integrity of the game. The Las Vegas Knights play in the NHL and the Las Vegas Raiders are joining the NFL. The NBA even wants a cut on sports bets made on NBA games! These moves were almost unthinkable 12 years ago.
Even more dramatic: Sports betting is legal now in 13 states. Christ, there are sports books in Iowa now for crying out loud. And, more and more states are allowing mobile betting from the comfort of your own home.
Further, there are now more interesting ways to bet sports now. The proposition bets on individual players used to be a Super Bowl only opportunity. Now it’s every game… And, even for handball. If you think a certain player is going to struggle to get his goals because the defense a team plays you can bet that. There are a ridiculous number of possibilities.
And, the possibility that handball betting could help popularize the sport in the U.S. shouldn’t be loss on anyone trying to grow the game in this country. During the Xavier O’Callaghan interview with Barstool Sports the subject of gambling on handball came up briefly. And, why wouldn’t they ask that question. The popular sports website is selling a 36% stake in the company ($163M) to sports betting company, Penn National Gaming, with an option to take that stake to 50%. Yes Barstool Sports is well on its way to becoming a gambling company with a website and podcasts.
In the not too distant future could we see the Barstool guys debating the line on Paris SG – Kiel? Or whether Mikkel Hansen will score more than 6.5 goals? Could be. And, make no mistake that could help popularize the game, big time.
My Favorite Handball Bad Beat
ESPN does Sports Center segment where they review the bad beats of the week. The bets you thought you had won only to lose in the end.
Well, watch the closing minutes of the Spain – Croatia match where I had Spain at -2.5 Link (at around 2:00:00 on the efhTV clock)
Two easy chances for Spain to win by 3 and one of those chances foiled by sportsmanship! Well, you know what they say… Losing a close bet is as almost as much entertaining as winning it.
Sunday, 26 January All Times Local (CET) / US ET is -6 hrs) Odds courtesy of 10Bet <Open an account>
The match can be seen live on Free TV in the the U.S. on beIN Sports XTRA. (How to watch) Check it out. I like ehfTV, but I personally get a better viewing experience with beIN Sports XTRA. The picture quality is better and it’s more reliable than the web stream.
The final will also be rebroadcast in prime time on the beIN Sports Network (regular TV) at 8:00 PM (US ET).
16:30 Spain (-1) vs Croatia (For 1st Place/Gold) Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Paul Bray)
Betting Predictions
For this tournament we’ve doing some betting predictions using an imaginary starting bankroll of a 1,000 Euros. Joining me will be professional handball bettor, Samo Košmerl, from Slovenia.
John’s Pick(s): – Current Bankroll: 994.92 Euros – Yesterday’s Result: Germany (-1.5) vs Portugal (1.84, -119); Bet 100 Euros to win 84.03. ; Win 84.03 Euros as Germany won 29-27. – Today’s Pick: Alternate point spread; Spain (-2.5) vs Croatia (2.3, +130); Bet 100 Euros to win 130. I’ve got nothing to add to Samo’s detailed analysis. He’s got me totally convinced. Heck, I’m tempted to take Spain (-4.5) at (3.45, +245), but I’ll play it relatively safe.
Samo’s Pick(s): – Current Bankroll: 1795.25 Euros – Yesterday’s Results: Did not bet – Today’s Pick: Money Line bet; Spain to win (1.64/-155); Bet 100 Euros to win 64.51
Today, Spain will try to defend the title they won in at the 2018 EURO in Croatia. And, for multiple reasons I think they will indeed win back to back titles.
First of all, Vargas – Corrales GK duo is much better than Šego – Ašanin. I know both Šego and Ašanin have made some big saves in the final minutes of important matches during this tournament, but Vargas is consistent throughout. He is one of the best goalkeepers in the world and even if he is having a slightly worse day, there is always Corrales, another world class GK. There is just no debate: Spain have better goalkeepers.
Croatia’s strongest asset is their back line, but will Cindrić be ready? He has problems with his knee and he wasn’t able to play in the semifinal the way we all expect him to. But ok, they still have Karačič and most importantly, Duvnjak. What a player! He set everything up in the final minutes and overtime. And, not just one overtime, but two overtimes against Norway.
And yes, this 80 minute match will impact their play today. Croatia doesn’t have a great bench, and players like Mamič/Šarac/Hrstič are not (yet) players who can make a big impact in a EURO final. And we all saw how tired were Karačič and Duvnjak at the end of last couple of matches. Sure, there is also Stepančič, their ONLY right back. (I still don’t understand how Červar didn’t bring another RB.) And, because Stepančič is playing 50+ minutes per match in both attack and defense his shooting has not been the best. Only 52% and he is also taking a lot of shots: 54 attempts in 8 matches.
Marič, Croatia’s pivot, had a great match vs Norway, but Spain plays a different style of defense and I don’t think he will get very many useful balls today. As far as wingers go, Spain is much better at this positionl. Their wingers are playing for Barcelona and both of Croatia’s wingers are playing for Zagreb: Enough said.
Finally, let’s talk about each side’s defense. Croatia’s 5-1 defense has been fantastic. Duvnjak should probably win the best defensive player award as well as MVP. He has been amazing. But, will the 5-1 work so well against Spain? Spain is using their wings a lot, and if they can past Duvnjak in the middle they can stretch this Croatian defense out. And, I think they have players to do so. Dujshebaev is playing fantastic, he is in great form and working great with Entrerrios. Plus, there are also Sarmiento, Fernandez and Maqueda, all with solid tournaments so far and this allows Ribera to rotate and keeping playing at a high tempo in attack. Croatia will really need to perform on another level in defense to stop all the possible threats Spain has to offer.
The best part of this Spain team is (still) their defense. Combined, Morros and Guardiola are 71 years old, but they are still one of the best defensive pairs in the world. Croatia are the most dangerous in the middle, but this is also where Spain’s defense is the strongest. Any and all turnovers are punished as we saw in semifinal against Slovenia. And, rest assured with Croatia playing their 9th match in 17 days, there will be mistakes. Croatia will try to slow down the game to limit Spain’s fast break opportunities much the same way they did against Norway.
Overall, Croatia has an amazing back line, but you need more than that to win against Spain. They will have 10k+ fans behind them and players will feel like they are playing at home, but Spain won their last EURO with fewer fans backing them and they are just too good to not do it again.
16:00 Germany (-1.5) vs Portugal (For 5th Place) Match Video (Live): Link (Commentary: Paul Bray)
18:30 Norway (-2.5) vs Slovenia (For 3rd Place/Bronze) Match Video (Live): Link (Commentary: Paul Bray)
The 5th place match between Germany and Portugal doesn’t have any ramification for qualification, but as both teams are somewhat rested they may well put on a decent show. Meanwhile, Norway and Slovenia, both undoubtedly exhausted after yesterday’s matches will play for bronze and a direct ticket to the 2021 World Championships. So, they actually have something to play for as the loser will have to play a 2 leg qualification match for World Championship qualification in June.
Betting Predictions
For this tournament we’ve doing some betting predictions using an imaginary starting bankroll of a 1,000 Euros. Joining me will be professional handball bettor, Samo Košmerl, from Slovenia.
John’s Pick(s): – Current Bankroll: 910.89 Euros – Yesterday’s Result: Norway’s Sander Sagosen, Under 6.5 goals; (2.1, +210); Bet 100 Euros to win 110; Lost 100 Euros as Sagosen poured in 10 goals. – Today’s Pick: Germany (-1.5) vs Portugal (1.84, +119); Bet 100 Euros to win 84.03. Germany plays solid defense and they will stifle Portugal’s creative offense. They simply are the better team here and it’s impossible now for Portugal to sneak up on anybody anymore. Germany will be ready.
Samo’s Pick(s): – Current Bankroll: 1795.25 Euros – Yesterday’s Results: Norway’s Goran Johannessen Total Goals – Over 3.5@ (2.00 /+100); Bet 100 Euros to win 100; Win 100 Euros as Johannessen scored 4 vs Croatia – Today’s Pick: No picks today.
Friday, 24 January All Times Local (CET) / US ET is -6 hrs) Odds courtesy of 10Bet <Open an account>
EHF Preview of today’s matches: – Slovenia vs Spain: Link – Norway vs Croatia: Link
Both semifinal matches can be seen live on Free TV in the the U.S. on beIN Sports XTRA. (How to watch) Check it out. I like ehfTV, but I personally get a better viewing experience with beIN Sports XTRA. The picture quality is better and it’s more reliable than the web stream.
Both matches will also be rebroadcast in prime time on the beIN Sports Network (regular TV) at 7:00 PM (US ET) and 8:30 PM (US ET)
18:00 Norway (-2) vs Croatia Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Paul Bray)
20:30 Spain (-3) vs Slovenia Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Paul Bray)
Betting Predictions
For this tournament we’ve doing some betting predictions using an imaginary starting bankroll of a 1,000 Euros. Joining me will be professional handball bettor, Samo Košmerl, from Slovenia.
John’s Pick(s): – Current Bankroll: 1,010.89 Euros – Wednesday’s Result: Sweden (-1.5) vs Iceland 1.86/-115; Bet 100 Euros to win 86.95; Result: Win 86.95 Euros as Sweden won 32-25 – Today’s Pick: Norway’s Sander Sagosen, Under 6.5 goals; (2.1, +210); Bet 100 Euros to win 110. Norway has been on a roll and totally dominated Main Round Group II, but Croatia will be a tougher opponent than they’ve faced so far. Croatia is a veteran side and plays great defense. I think this will be a low scoring game and Croatia will keep Sagosen in check.
Samo’s Pick(s): – Current Bankroll: 1695.25 Euros – Wednesday’s Results: Portugal to win vs Hungary; 1.79/-133 Bet 100 Euros to win 75.82 ; Win 75.82 as Portugal won the match 34-26. – Today’s Pick: Norway’s Goran Johannessen Total Goals – Over 3.5@ (2.00 /+100); Bet 100 Euros to win 100; Johannessen will be very important for Norway today. Without Rod in attack they will need Reinkind in great form, but there is also Johannessen who has great shot and won’t hesitate to shoot as well. I think we will see big game from him today.
Roland Mikler and Hungary need a win vs Portugal to still have a chance at making the semifinals.
Main Round play at the 2020 Men’s European Handball Championships concluded today. Here are the video links, odds and some predictions for those matches.
16:00 Spain (-1) vs Croatia Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Clayton Lucas)
18:15 Belarus vs Austria (-0.5) Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Clayton Lucas)
20:30 Germany (-5) vs Czech Republic Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Clayton Lucas)
The Match of the Day in Group I will be the first match between Spain and Croatia. The winner here will top the Group and will likely avoid a tougher semifinal vs Norway. Belarus and Austria will then play a match to determine 4th place in the Group. At first glance this match appears meaningless, but depending on the results of the other Group and the Semifinals the winner could actually secure a slot to an Olympic Qualification Tournament. The day closes out with a match between Germany and the Czech Republic which is truly just for pride.
Current Standings
All 3 matches in this Group can be seen on Free TV in the the U.S. on beIN Sports XTRA. (How to watch) Check it out. I like ehfTV, but I personally get a better viewing experience with beIN Sports XTRA. The picture quality is better and it’s more reliable than the web stream.
16:00 Hungary vs Portugal (-1) Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Paul Bray)
18:15 Norway (-1.5) vs Slovenia Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Paul Bray)
20:30 Sweden (-1) vs Iceland Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Paul Bray)
All three matches in this Group will impact the standings and which nations will secure a semifinal berth and/or a slot in an Olympic Qualification Tournament. In the first match of the day, Hungary needs a win to keep it’s semifinal chances alive. Portugal has no chance for a semifinal, but they still have good chances for 3rd place and a likely slot in an Olympic Qualification Tournament. The importance of the second match will hinge on what Hungary does in the first game. If Hungary beats Portugal, Slovenia will be in a must win situation to make the semifinals. But, even if Hungary loses, Slovenia will still be interested in winning and securing the top spot in the Group. The final match of the day between Iceland and Sweden will impact the which nations get the “backup” Olympic Qualification slot. An Iceland win will put Iceland or Portugal in that slot, while a Swedish win will give that backup slot to the winner of Belarus – Austria in the other group.
For this tournament we’re doing some betting predictions using an imaginary starting bankroll of a 1,000 Euros. Joining me will be professional handball bettor, Samo Košmerl, from Slovenia.
John’s Pick(s): – Current Bankroll: 923.94 Euros – Yesterday’s Result: Norway (-3) vs Iceland 1.73/-135; Bet 100 Euros to win 74.07; Push, as a last second Iceland goal was scored for a 31-28 Norway win. – Today’s Pick: Sweden (-1.5) vs Iceland 1.86/-115; Bet 100 Euros to win 86.95; Result: Back to back matches will take more of a toll on Iceland and Sweden will look to finish strong in front of the home crowd.
Samo’s Pick(s): – Current Bankroll: 1619.43 Euros – Yesterday’s Results: Slovenia (-1.5) vs Portugal; 1.79/-133; Bet 100 Euros to win 75.82; Win 75.82 as Slovenia won the match 29-24. – Today’s Pick: Money Line Bet: Portugal to win vs Hungary; 1.79/-133 Bet 100 Euros to win 75.82; Hungary were still playing against Sweden just 18-19 hours ago. Awful scheduling and a big advantage for Portugal. Both are very motivated, but for me Portugal is the better team, with a lot of creativity in attack. Hungary’s confidence is hurt and I don’t think they will recover in such little time.
The 2020 Men’s European Handball Championships continues today with the first matches of Main Round Group II. Here are the video links, odds and some predictions for those matches.
All 3 matches can be seen on Free TV in the the U.S. on beIN Sports XTRA. (How to watch) Check it out. I like ehfTV, but I personally get a better viewing experience with beIN Sports XTRA. The picture quality is better and it’s more reliable than the web stream.
16:00 Slovenia (-1.5) vs Portugal Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Paul Bray)
18:15 Norway (-3) vs Iceland Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Paul Bray)
20:30 Sweden (-0.5) vs Hungary Match Video (On Demad): Link (Commentary: Paul Bray)
You gotta love Main Round Group II and the dog fight it has become. Norway leads the group and seems to be on a glide path to qualification. Sweden has been disappointing and has been eliminated from semifinal contention. But, the other 4 teams (Slovenia, Hungary, Portugal and Iceland)? They’ve been up and down and these 2 days of back to back games are going to be really interesting.
Betting Predictions
For this tournament we’re doing some betting predictions using an imaginary starting bankroll of a 1,000 Euros. Joining me will be professional handball bettor, Samo Košmerl, from Slovenia.
John’s Pick(s): – Current Bankroll: 923.94 Euros – Yesterday’s Result: Austria’s Nikola Bilyk (Under 5.5 goals) 1.80/-125; Bet 100 Euros to win 80 ; Won 80 Euros as Bilyk scored 5 goals in the match. – Today’s Pick: Norway (-3) vs Iceland 1.73/-135; Bet 100 Euros to win 74.07; This match should be a total track meet and in the end, I don’t think Iceland has enough depth to keep up for 60 minutes. I’m even tempted to go with an alternative spread with a blowout win, but I’ve learned my lesson and will just go with the conservative -3 goals.
Samo’s Pick(s): – Current Bankroll: 1,543.61 Euros – Yesterday’s Results: Croatia vs Czech Republic (over 52.5); 1.8/-125; Bet 100 Euros to win 80 Euros . Lost 80 Euros as Croatia won the low scoring match 22-21. – Today’s Pick: Slovenia (-1.5) vs Portugal; 1.79/-133; Bet 100 Euros to win 75.82; I can’t wait for this match. Two teams with creative offenses in a super important match for both teams. I think Slovenia has the slightly better team and they are a lot more experienced than Portugal. These advantage should be crucial today.
Spain looks to confirm their place in the Semifinals today with a win or a draw vs Belarus.
The 2020 Men’s European Handball Championships continues today with matches main Main Round Group I. Here are the video links, odds and some predictions for those matches.
16:00 Croatia (-3) vs Czech Republic Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Clayton Lucas)
18:15 Spain (-5.5) vs Belarus Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Clayton Lucas)
20:30 Germany (-3) vs Austria Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Clayton Lucas)
Main Round Group I continues, but after Croatia’s victory over German on Saturday there’s not a whole lot of drama left. Croatia has already qualified for the semifinals and Spain can join them with a win or draw vs Belarus. In fact, Belarus is the only team remaining with a “realistic” chance of taking Spain’s place. All they need to do is upset Spain, beat Austria in their final match and get Croatia to beat Spain. Not easy, but easier than Germany’s path which requires those things to happen and for Belarus to beat Spain by 7.
In short, the remaining drama is mostly waiting for the Croatia-Spain match on Wednesday to determine who will finish first and likely avoid Norway in a semifinal. The only other side drama will be the battle for the 2 Olympic Qualification slots. The nations in Main Round Group I that need a slot (Austria, the Czech Republic and Belarus) will likely need to take 3rd in the group to compete with the nations in Main Round Group II that need an Olympic slot (Slovenia, Hungary, Iceland and Portugal). Those nations seem poised to likely finish 2nd and 3rd, meaning that a 3rd place showing in Group I would set up a 5th place match for the last Euro placement qualifying slot.
Betting Predictions
For this tournament we’re doing some betting predictions using an imaginary starting bankroll of a 1,000 Euros. Joining me will be professional handball bettor, Samo Košmerl, from Slovenia.
John’s Pick(s): – Current Bankroll: 843.94 Euros – Yesterday’s Result: Money Line bet: Iceland (to win) vs Portugal 2.70/+170; Bet 100 Euros to win 170; Won 170 Euros as Iceland beat Portugal 28-25 – Today’s Pick: Austria’s Nikola Bilyk (Under 5.5 goals) 1.80/-125; Bet 100 Euros to win 80; Bilyk scored 6 goals or more against weaker opposition, but managed only 3 goals against Spain and Croatia. Germany has little chance of making the semifinals, but they will stay play hard on defense and make it tough for Bilyk to score.
Samo’s Pick(s): – Current Bankroll: 1,623.61 Euros – Yesterday’s Results: Sweden(+4) vs Norway (-119/1.84); Bet 100 Euros to win 84: Won 84 Euros as Sweden lost by 3, 23-20 – Today’s Pick: Croatia vs Czech Republic (over 52.5); 1.8/-125; Bet 100 Euros to win 80 Euros; Absolutely meaningless game for Croatia today against the Czech Republic. Coach Červar will look to avoid injuries and rest key players… But, they still have just 16 players available, so there is no B team that can play today. This will mean a lot more playing time for players like Šarac and Matanović. The over/under goal line looks a bit low for match like that.
Is Portugal really on a path to the Semifinals? Or, are they due for a letdown? (I think they are due)
The 2020 Men’s European Handball Championships continues today with three matches from Main Round Group II. Here are the video links, odds and some predictions for those matches.
14:00 Portugal (-1.5) vs Iceland Match Video (On Deman): Link (Commentary: Paul Bray) (Also available on beIN Sports XTRA: Link)
16:15 Slovenia (-3.5) vs Hungary Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Paul Bray)
18:30 Norway (-3) vs Sweden Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Paul Bray) (Also available on beIN Sports XTRA: Link)
Main Round Group I continues with some interesting contests. First up is Portugal vs Iceland. Fresh off a 10 goal victory over Sweden, Portugal is now a favorite and a contender for the semifinals. Are they really for real? Or can Iceland put those upstarts in their place and keep their hopes for a SF alive? Then Slovenia takes on Hungary. Which Hungary will show up? The team that dismantled Iceland or the team that was dismantled by Norway? Is Slovenia really the 2nd best team here? The nightcap features hosts Sweden taking on undefeated Norway. Still reeling from a 10 goal loss to Portugal can the hosts regroup for a big upset? Or, does Norway just keep rolling along?
So many questions. Let’s get some answers.
Betting Predictions
For this tournament we’re doing some betting predictions using an imaginary starting bankroll of a 1,000 Euros. Joining me will be professional handball bettor, Samo Košmerl, from Slovenia.
John’s Pick(s): – Current Bankroll: 673.94 Euros – Yesterday’s Result: Spain (-5) vs Austria 1.86/-116; Bet 100 Euros to win 86.20 ; Lost Euros as Austria put up a good fight prior to losing 30-26. – Today’s Pick: Money Line bet: Iceland (to win) vs Portugal 2.70/+170; Bet 100 Euros to win 170; When a team used to being the underdog becomes the favorite at some point there’s usually a bit of a let down. I think that let down comes down today in the form of an Iceland victory.
Samo’s Pick(s): – Current Bankroll: 1,539.61 Euros – Yesterday’s Results: Croatia (-1) vs Germany (-114/1.87); Bet 100 Euros to win 87.71; Result was a push thanks to Sego’s save to preserve a 25-24 Croatia victory. – Today’s Pick: Sweden(+4) vs Norway (-119/1.84); Bet 100 Euros to win 84; Before the Euro started Sweden were 6/1 to win this Euro while Norway were 8/1. There is no doubt Norway is in much better form and are favorites today, but I think the bookies are overreacting a bit. Sweden is still a great team, there are two new players in the squad for today (Pettersson and Lagergren) and they are playing at home. I think it should be fairly close game.
