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Men’s and Women’s 2020 Olympic Handball Finals Odds and Picks – Denmark Favored to Win Gold in Men’s Final

Daniel Coyle

by Daniel Coyle in News

Updated Aug 6, 2021 · 12:55 PM PDT

Olympic Handball Finals Odds - France vs Denmark - ROC vs France
France's Estelle Nze Minko tries to score during the women's semifinal handball match between France and Sweden at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 6, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)
  • France are pegged as underdogs as they get set to play for gold in both Olympic men’s handball and women’s handball
  • Both contests are rematches of the 2016 Olympic finals, with the French men battling defending champions Denmark, and the women set to face the ROC
  • We’ve got you covered with all the odds and trends as Olympic handball gold medal action gets underway on Saturday morning at Yoyogi National Gymnasium

France is poised for a gold medal sweep in Olympic handball when they hit the court this weekend for both the men’s and women’s finals. Les Bleus are coming off impressive victories in semi-final action but look to both men’s and women’s gold medal games as betting underdogs. The French men are pegged as a lengthy +215 bet ahead of Saturday’s Olympic gold medal rematch with Denmark, who lead the way as lofty -180 favorites. The women’s handball gold medal also features a rematch between the finalists from the 2016 Rio Olympics, with France listed as +160 underdogs against the Russian Olympic Committee, who are a -135 bet to defend their Olympic title.

Here’s a look at all the odds and trends ahead of the men’s gold medal game on Saturday morning at 8:00 AM EST, and the women’s gold medal game on Sunday morning at 2:00 AM EST, both at Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo.

France vs Denmark Olympic Men’s Handball Odds

Matchup Spread Moneyline Total
France vs Denmark FRA +1.5 (-105) | DEN -1.5 (-130) ( FRA +215 | Draw +750 | DEN -180 Ov 58.5 (-115) | Un 58.5 (-120)

Odds as of August 6th at DraftKings

French Men Aim to Reverse Losing Trend on International Stage

France dominated while clinching the top of the table in group stage action with wins in their first four outings before dropping a meaningless decision to Norway in their final Group A matchup. Les Bleus carries over that momentum into the knockout stage with crushing wins over Bahrain and Egypt, punching their ticket to a fourth straight appearance in the gold medal game.

However, the French have much to prove in Friday morning’s matchup. In addition to dropping a 28-26 decision to Denmark in Rio in 2016, Les Bleus have consistently come up short on the international stage, settling for a fourth-place finish at this year’s World Championships, and for bronze at the 2018 European Championships.

Denmark Poised to Repeat

Denmark powered to the top of the Group B table with a 4-0-1 win-draw-loss record while outscoring opponents by a wide 174-139 overall margin. The Danes followed up with lopsided knockout stage wins over Norway and Spain, leaving them poised to extend a dominant run on the world stage that includes their 2016 Olympic gold, and back-to-back World Championship wins in 2019 and 2021.

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Despite those impressive trends, Denmark has still struggled in recent dates with France, posting wins in just two of their past seven overall meetings. However, the Danes were clearly the better team when they last met France on the big stage, posting a crushing 38-30 win at the semi-finals of the 2019 World Championships. Expect more of the same on Saturday morning.

The Picks: Denmark -1.5 (-130); UNDER 58.5 (-115)

ROC vs France Olympic Women’s Handball Odds

Matchup Spread Moneyline Total
Russian Olympic Committee vs France ROC -1.5 (+100) | FRA +1.5 (-130) ( ROC -135 | Draw +750 | FRA +160 Ov 53.5 (-120) | Un 53.5 (-115)

French Women Gaining Momentum

Listed third in the Olympic handball futures as a +380 bet entering the tournament, France faces a massive challenge when the women hit the court in the wee hours of Sunday morning, but have steadily gained momentum since stumbling in group stage action. The team was forced to settle for a third-place finish on the Group B table after closing out their schedule on a three-game winless streak, including a heartbreaking 28-27 loss to the ROC that ultimately cost them a shot at first place.

However, the French have redeemed themselves with a pair of character wins in the knockout stage. The challenge now for France will be to duplicate the success they had against their Russian rivals, whom they knocked off by a 24-21 score in the final at the 2018 European Championships.

Can ROC Build on Upset Win Over Norway?

While the ROC look to Sunday’s contest as defending Olympic champions, they no longer resemble the juggernaut that marched to gold medal wins at four of the first five World Championship tournaments held in the 21st century. The Russians have consistently finished off the podium since their Olympic win in 2016, with the second-place finish at the 2018 Euro marking their best performance since.

The ROC have had their moments at this tournament, including a solid 34-31 win over current World Championship runners-up Spain that secured them a spot in the knockout stage, and a thrilling 27-26 upset victory over the pre-tournament betting favorites Norway in semi-final action. However, it is a surging French squad that offers the better betting value to redeem themselves with a third all-time gold medal victory on Sunday morning.

The Picks: France (+160); OVER 53.5 (-120)

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