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- What: 2024 European Women’s Handball Championships
- Where: Austria, Hungary and Switzerland
- When: November 28 to December 15
Norway is the two-time defending champion at the European Women’s Handball Championships, but when the European Handball Federation gathers the best countries together for the 2024 tournament, it’s France that oddsmakers like to win the title.
France is set as the +125 chalk in this betting market. Norway is next with a betting line of +150.
| European Women's Handball Championship Odds |  |  |  |
| France | +125 | +125 | +125 |
| Norway | +150 | +150 | +150 |
| Denmark | +800 | +800 | +800 |
| Netherlands | +1300 | +1300 | +1300 |
| Sweden | +1300 | +1300 | +1300 |
| Germany | +2000 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Hungary | +2000 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Spain | +3300 | +3300 | +3300 |
| Montenegro | +5000 | +5000 | +5000 |
| Romania | +5000 | +5000 | +5000 |
| Croatia | +5000 | +5000 | +5000 |
Denmark, at +800, is the only other country being given odds that are shorter than +1000. Both Sweden and the Netherlands are set with betting lines of +1300.
The European Women’s Handball Championships are set to be played between November 28 and December 15. Matches will be contested four cities spread across three nations – Basel, Switzerland, Innsbruck, Austria and Debrecen, Hungary. The main round will be played in Vienna, Austria and Debrecen, with the final weekend taking place in Vienna’s Wiener Stadthalle, with a capacity of 10,000 spectators.
Before we examine the odds for this upcoming tournament, check out all the Sports & Competitions to bet on in 2024. Here’s also where you can see the latest Sports Betting Odds & Picks. And if you are someone who leads a busy lifestyle but still likes to get your bets down, here’s a list of the best mobile sports betting apps that you can use to assure you get to place all of those wagers.
Changes To European Women’s Handball Championship Format
This will be the largest tournament in terms of the number of countries involved. For the first time, the Women’s EHF EURO 2024 will involve 24 teams from across Europe competing to lift the coveted trophy.
Is this the 𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗲𝘀𝘁 #ehfeuro 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿?😵💫🤯 #ehfeuro2024 #catchthespirit pic.twitter.com/oV8vFHWyzw
— EHF EURO (@EHFEURO) October 4, 2024
The countries are divided up into six groups of four. The top two finishers in each preliminary round group will advance to the main round, split into two six-team groups.
From these two groups, the top two finishers in each group move on to the semifinals on December 13. The semifinal winners clash in the gold-medal match on December 15.
France Cruises Through Qualifying
The 2023 world champions, France made mince meat of the opposition in their group during qualifying for this event. The French stormed to a 6-0 record in a group with Slovenia, Latvia and Italy.
France scored 270 goals while allowing only 88. That’s an astonishing +132 goal differential.
However, in 12 appearances in the European Women’s Handball Championship, France shows a solitary win. That came in 2018.
France is also the 2020 Olympic women’s handball gold medal winner. However, at home this past summer in the Paris Olympiad, the French settled for a silver medal behind Norway.
Norway Still Looking Dominant
Playing the EHF Cup against the three host nations of this tournament – Austria, Switzerland and Hungary – the two-time defending champion Norwegians went unbeaten.
In the process of going 6-0, Norway scored 239 goals while allowing 144 for a +95 goal differential.
Norway has appeared in this biennial tournament 15 times. On nine of those occasions, the Norwegians left as the gold medal winners. Along with their victories in 2022 and 2020, the Norwegian were also European Women’s Handball Champions in 1998, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2014 and 2016.
The Norwegians stunned the host nation at the 2024 Summer Olympics, beating France in the gold-medal match of the Olympic women’s handball tournament.
Any Other Contenders Worth Considering?
Lately, Denmark has proven to be the best bet to finish third in any major international competition. Denmark earned a bronze medal at the 2023 World Championship. The Danes beat Sweden 29-28 in the third-place match. That was following a 28-27 loss to Norway in the semifinals.
Denmark also defeated Sweden for the bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games. The Danes are three-time European champions. However, those wins came in 1994, 1996 and 2002. In 1997, Denmark was the first nation to simultaneously hold women’s handball titles for Europe, the worlds and the Olympic Games. In more recent times, the silver medal won by the Danes at the 2022 European Women’s Handball Championship was their best finish on the international stage since winning the 2004 Olympic gold medal.
The Swedes have played in the European Women’s Handball Championships 13 times and never won the gold medal. Likewise, the Netherlands have never won a title in nine appearances in this tournament. However, the Dutch did won the 2019 world championship. They were silver medalists in Europe in 2016 and bronze medalists in 2018.
Montenegro (+5000) won a bronze medal at the 2022 European Championship, but that was while serving as a host nation. They did win the European title in 2012. That same year, Montenegro won a silver medal at the London Summer Olympic Games.
Hungary (+2000) were European Women’s Handbell Champions in 2000.
European Women’s Handball Championship Pick
It’s easy to understand why the odds for this event are set in the manner that they are. Any way you analyze the outcome, it comes down to the proverbial two-horse race. Either France or Norway are going to win the gold medal.
France got the better of Norway at the 2023 World Championship. It was Norway coming out ahead of France in the gold-medal match at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.
In essence, then, this is the rubber match.
Norway handled France quite handily in Paris, winning 29-21. The Norwegians have the longer resume of success on the international stage, so we’re going to go with experience and back the Norwegians to win the European Women’s Handball Championships.
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