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The 2023 Handball World Championship odds are available, and the tournament starts soon. It’s time to look at the competitors and determine who’s the biggest favorite to win the biggest prize in the sport.
Denmark is the defending champion and the favorite to win again, but several teams will be confident in their chances to go all the way too.
I discuss them all before sharing my Handball World Championship predictions for 2023. My betting guide also offers a few tips and strategies for betting on the tournament. Can Denmark win another world championship? Let’s find out.
Men’s Handball World Championship 2023 Betting Odds
- Denmark; 2.25
- France; 5.00
- Spain; 5.50
- Sweden; 7.00
- Iceland; 11.00
- Croatia; 21.00
- Germany; 21.00
Denmark is a solid betting favorite to win the IHF World Championship if you trust the best betting sites, but other teams will be lurking.
Before you bet on the eventual winner, it’s important to understand how the competition works.
IHF Handball World Championship 2023 Format
The Handball World Championship 2023 consists of several rounds before a winner is determined. They include the Preliminary Group Stage, Main Group Stage, Final Knockout Rounds, and the World Championship.
The competition will take place between January 11-29. The host countries are Poland and Sweden, so they should have an extra advantage because of the home crowds.
During both group stages, the standings are determined by points, goal difference, and the number of goals scored. Teams can afford to lose a game and still progress to the next stages.
This luxury won’t be available during the knockout rounds, where every defeat sends the losing team home.
We already know the schedule of the preliminary groups. The favorites should easily progress to the next stage, but I still see a few interesting matchups that you should watch.
- France vs. Poland
- Iceland vs. Hungary
- Croatia vs. Egypt
- Germany vs. Qatar
They can tell you a lot about some of the main contenders for Denmark’s throne. Since that I mentioned the big guns, let’s focus on them next.
Main Favorites in the Men’s Handball World Championship 2023
My 2023 IHF World Championship preview won’t be complete without analyzing the top contenders. The group features countries that have the star power and depth to beat anyone.
Here are the teams most likely to win the ultimate prize in handball.
Denmark
- Head Coach: Nikolaj Jacobsen
- Star Player: Mathias Gidsel
- World Championships: 2 (2019, 2021)
Denmark is the two-time defending world champion and the 2020 Olympic runners-up in handball. They’re also the favorite according to the 2023 IHF World Championship betting odds. To say that they’re a talented team is an understatement.
Let’s also not forget that Denmark also has three runner-up performances at the world championship. This team is usually a threat, and 2023 won’t be different.
Right back Mathias Gidsel and Denmark’s goalie Niklas Landin are the key players of this team. They can make a difference in critical moments, but the rest of the team is full of excellent players from top European leagues.
Denmark is destined for another great run, and I won’t be shocked if they win the title again.
France
- Head Coach: Guillaume Gille
- Star Player: Ludovic Fabregas
- World Championships: 6 (1995, 2001, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2017)
France has been a powerhouse over the past two decades. They also have more success than any country in the history of competitive handball, based on World Championship medals.
The country’s dominance began in the 1990s and continues to this day. Remember, France also won the 14th edition of the handball event for men at the 2020 Olympic Games. The country’s conquering of competitive handball is simply amazing to behold.
The head coach and former champion as a player, Guillaume Gille, can rely on one of the most competitive squads in the world. I expect a lot from Barcelona’s star Ludovic Fabregas.
He was pivotal (pun intended!) for the team in the Olympics, and little has changed since. Fabregas is almost unstoppable and has more than enough quality teammates around him. France will go for the title, and very few countries can stop them.
Sweden
- Head Coach: Glenn Solberg
- Star Player: Jim Gottfridsson
- World Championships: 4 (1954, 1958, 1990, 1998)
Sweden is one of those teams that you simply can’t overlook when working on your Men’s Handball World Championship predictions. The team struggled in the Olympics, but the runner-up performance in the 2021 World Championship shows immense progress.
It’s worth mentioning that Sweden has the most medals of any team at the world championship (12 total). The list includes four world titles, although reclaiming their former glory has been over 20 years in the making.
Sweden is among the hosts this year, so that should help too. The momentum from the previous World Championship and the home crowd give me enough reasons to put Sweden among the main favorites for the handball crown.
Best Sleepers for the World Men’s Handball Championship 2023
I’m also intrigued by a few sleepers at the 2023 IHF Men’s World Championship. These teams are ready to surpass expectations and deliver strong runs, so I expect interesting performances from them.
- Chile (1001.00). Chile is one of the biggest long shots to win the tournament, but the team is better than the odds suggest. This is the country’s seventh consecutive appearance in the World Championship, and I expect Chile to look good.
- United States (1001.00). The USA still has a lot of ground to cover in terms of becoming competitive on an international level. However, the team has several favorable matchups during the Preliminary Group Stage and the potential to reach the knockouts.
- Brazil (71.00). The Brazilian team is very much capable of pulling off the upset. A top-10 finish in the 2019 World Championship shows impressive growth that should continue in 2023.
32 total countries from five different confederations are competing in the tournament. This includes 17 teams from Europe, the most of any single continent. The bottom eight teams in the tournament will go to the Presidents Cup.
2023 Handball World Championship Predictions and Betting Pick
It’s going to be tough for Denmark to capture three consecutive world titles against such a strong company.
The country struggled in the 2022 European Championship, finishing in third place, and the competition is just insane. Denmark is still the favorite, but the odds are too short.
I like Sweden’s chances instead. The country loves handball, and I expect strong support from the local crowd. That could make the difference against the likes of France and Denmark, while Sweden is better than everyone else in the tournament anyway.
