The glossary of handball part I
Handball is a sport that requires teamwork, strategy, and athleticism. Originating in Europe in the late 19th century, it has gained global recognition and is now played by millions of people of all ages around the world. Its fast-paced nature and dynamic gameplay make it quite thrilling. In this guide, we will explore its fundamentals, focusing on the basics that will help you get to know what you need, before placing your wagers at the best Asian and European bookmakers.
The handball courts
The handball court is the battleground where teams compete to score goals and outmaneuver their opponents. Let’s take a closer look at its different components:
The Playing Area
The playing field is a rectangular measuring 40 meters in length and 20 meters in width. It consists of one playing and two goal-line sections. The longer sides are known as touch lines, while the shorter ones are referred to as goal lines. To ensure player safety, all of it must be surrounded by a safety zone, with a minimum gap of one meter along the touchlines and two behind the goal line. It is essential that all of the above remain consistent throughout the match.
It's all about the "lines"
Everything in handball depends on the lines that people see on the court. They indicate the main centers of activity for the sport. As it happens in all athletic areas, there is a line in the middle separating the offensive and defensive areas. And then:
The 6-meter line
This is probably the most important one. Similar to the 9-meter line but continuous. Players cannot pass it (either defending or attacking) to the direction of the goalkeeper. There's one exception and that's a scoring attempt and it requires that the attacker is in the air and not on the ground.
The 9-meter line
This one is indicated by the dashed almost circular line in front of the goal posts. It's actually two semi-circles 9 meters each and the tangent that connects the verticals from the center of each. Simple fouls are to be executed behind this line.
The 7-meter line
It's a 1-meter-long continuous line, parallel to the goal line and can be of a different color. Penalties are to be executed behind it.
The 6-meter line
This is probably the most important one. Similar to the 9-meter line but continuous. Players cannot pass it (either defending or attacking) to the direction of the goalkeeper. There's one exception and that's a scoring attempt and it requires that the attacker is in the air and not on the ground.
The 4-meter line
This is the limit that a goalkeeper can stand when a penalty is to be taken by the opponent team.
The gameplay basics
Let’s start understanding what we are talking about. First of all, we have 2 teams composed of 6 players each plus the goalkeeper. The winning team is the one that sends the ball at the bottom of the net of their opponents the greatest number of times. Noone is allowed to touch the ball with their feet at any point during the game, except the goalkeeper when they are making a save. Now… Depending on attacking or defending, the players are lined up in specific positions. There are plenty of variations on those positions and you will need the advice of a team of professional tipsters to make heads or tails out of it:
When attacking
The center is the most experienced player who serves as the initiator and maker of the play. To his left and right are the 2 insiders who can throw the ball from a distance and must be able to jump up. 2 extremes (left and right) are on the outside edges, while the "pivot" is something like the center in football, trying to disrupt the coherence of the defense. These must be the strongest players.
When defending
Let's simplify things. The front center defends the center backcourt, the left and right halves guard the 2 backcourts, the left and right wings watch the wingmen, and the center back watches the pivot. That is, when teams line up man to man. When I use an area defense it's a different matter, as it protects the area and not a specific opponent.
How the game is played
We will divide this one in two parts. The first one will say how long the players have to succeed in their objective, which is to score goals (and this will be our second part):
Regulation time
For men it's 60 minutes in 2 30-minute halves. The equivalent times for women is 40 and 20. For national leagues and round robin competitions, a draw is acceptable. However, for knock-out stages, a tie has to be resolved at 2 5-minute overtimes. If they are still level then it's a penalty shoot-out.
Scoring
Attackers can send the ball at the bottom of the net in waves. The 1st wave is similar to a counter in football or a fast-break in basketball. The attacker has no defense other than the goalkeeper. The 2nd says that there is some defense present but not enough and not in the proper formation. Understandably, the 3rd is the standard practice where all of the opponents are there and in full formation.
Ending the first part of the presentation for the core concepts of handball, let’s just state the obvious. Here’s the court and here’s the game system. For the next part, we will speak about infringements, penalties, and other little things that you need to know. While you are mastering the information, you might as well sign up for an account via the best betting agent, and be prepared to collect profit.