Floorball is one of the varieties of hockey, and floorball is most often compared to hockey. In Sweden, for example, floorball is called ‘Innebandy’, in Russian – ‘bandy in the hall’. In this article, we will consider the main features of betting on this sport, and also tell you which Russian bookmakers , despite its unpopularity, are ready to accept floorball bets.
Game description: love and hegemony of the Scandinavians
This dynamic sport has been most developed in the Scandinavian countries, although the first information about floorball came from the United States in 1958. The Cosom company has released clubs similar to modern floorball, and among children and teenagers, the game called Cosom-hockey has become popular.
The new type of hockey did not require ice, and the equipment was greatly simplified, which is why the discipline attracted attention at the amateur level. And when the Cosom sticks were brought to Sweden in the 70s, the inhabitants of this country, who are passionate about ice hockey and outdoor activities, launched the development of floorball on all fronts.
Floorball has gradually grown from children’s physical exercise into a real sport; in 1986, Finland, Switzerland and Sweden organized the International Floorball Federation. Now it has 55 members, and more than 4,000 clubs and 280,000 registered floorball players play hall hockey around the world.
Floorball is similar to ice hockey in the format of matches: the games consist of three periods of 20 minutes each, the court is of a similar size, and there are five field players and a goalkeeper on the field at the same time as one team.
Hockey sticks, like ball hockey, have a rounded hook. The ball in floorball is round and perforated, with 26 holes, it is very light, and sometimes its speed in play exceeds 200 kilometers per hour.
The strongest floorball tournaments are the Swedish and Finnish championships, as well as the European Cup and the World Championship. Despite the qualitative development of indoor hockey in recent years, the Scandinavians still have an overwhelming advantage in floorball.
At the World Championships, held every two years, Swedes and Finns often compete with semi-amateur teams, so the likelihood of a final between the northerners is extremely high each time.
Types of floorball bets
At the end . A line found in all game types. As in ice hockey, in floorball, bookmakers usually accept bets on the outcome in regular time, with three options: a win for the first team, a draw or a win for the second team. Draws are more common in national championships than in world competitions.
Double chance . Here you can play it safe a little and make a prediction that one of the teams will at least not lose.
Head start . Sometimes a team comes up to a certain match in good shape, but the level is still not enough to really fight for victory. Then, using a handicap of +1.5 or +2.5, it is possible to predict the struggle in the match – the underdogs in floorball often press the favorites.
For total . A bet on the number of goals in regular time above / below a certain level. For example, in the Swedish men’s championship, an average of 11 goals are scored per game, and the most common bookmaker totals are 10.5 and 11.5.
For separate periods . All of the above bets, as a rule, can be made not only on the match, but also on the results of individual periods. Some teams take a long time to roll into the game, others are more resilient, so the line for periods may be of interest.
Long-term tournament betting . It is not so easy to determine in advance the winner of a tournament in more popular sports, but in floorball, if we are talking about the world championship, the situation is different. The whole analysis here mainly comes down to a comparison of the compositions, preparation and current form of the two teams, and the coefficient for the final Swedish championship is usually much lower than one and a half.
How to bet on floorball: on attention to detail
For successful floorball betting, you will have to study all the latest information and statistics, which are available mainly on sites in Swedish or Finnish. If you don’t know these languages, arm yourself with an online translator and pay attention to the following factors.
Line-up changes . Floorball, like other game types, has its own star players. Therefore, in case of injury or illness of a strong floorball player, you should be the first to know about it in order to correctly assess the line for the match.
In the offseason in the Swedish and Finnish championships, transfers take place, which also need to be monitored: a strengthened underdog can suddenly turn into a contender for the championship.
Particular attention should be paid to the readiness of the goalkeeper. In floorball, the goalkeeper is triple-loaded and is an essential part of the team. The best goalkeepers in clubs do not often have comparable replacements, so an unexpected injury to a goalkeeper can seriously affect one side’s chances.
The current form . The fatigue factor is not so important in floorball, as the break between matches is usually a whole week. But some teams may be in a black psychological band and perform below their level in series, which may be caused by problems with the coach, management and other “shadow” things.
It is worth noting that women’s floorball is more susceptible to such positive and negative streaks, while teams perform more evenly in men’s championships.
Effectiveness . These are the statistics that are the easiest to find on the Internet, and they will greatly help you in total betting.
Some teams are trying to create more and overwhelm their opponents with quick combinations, while others rely more on the goalkeeper’s courage and massive defense. Most of the teams play better in the third period, but there are rare exceptions.
Removal statistics . Floorball also has penalties, some teams and players tend to play harder and get penalties on a regular basis.
This is often a strategic choice, as being outnumbered in floorball does not provide the colossal playing advantage it does in ice hockey. But this factor still has a price when evaluating handicaps and totals.
Stage and format of the tournament . First of all, you need to understand the difference between men’s and women’s floorball. Women break the rules much less often, and in their matches the performance is not as high as among men.
The stage of the tournament also matters – the group stage, the regular season or the playoffs. Teams have different motivations at different stages of the season and tournaments. For example, in the group stages of national team tournaments, totals are an order of magnitude higher due to the relaxed and open play of favorites against deep underdogs.
In national championships at the end of the regular season, like football, a team struggling to survive is likely to defeat the middle peasant who has lost its tournament motivation. In the playoffs, the matches are generally more tactical, and the likelihood of a loud sensation is noticeably reduced.