Dice Handball Game: Rules, Attack Chart and Odds

Dice handball is a paper version of team handball for two players or two teams. Each roll of two dice is one attack: almost half of them end in a goal, some are saved by the goalkeeper, and now and then a foul gives a 7-metre throw. As in the real sport, scores run into the teens, so there is a lot to count. All you need is two dice and a pencil, and a match takes about 15 minutes. Below is a simple home version with the exact chance of each result.

What you need

• Two six-sided dice, or a dice roller set to two dice.
• A scoresheet with a column for each team and a row for each half.
• Two players, or two teams that take turns rolling.
• A coin flip for the throw-off.

The throw-off

In real handball the referees toss a coin before the match, and the winning team chooses whether to start with the ball or pick an end. A coin flip does the same job here: the winner takes the first attack, and the other team starts the second half, so both sides get the same number of attacks.

How to play

1. A match has two halves. In each half, each team has 15 attacks, so 30 in the whole match.
2. The teams take turns. On an attack, roll both dice, add them up and look at the chart below.
3. On a 7-metre throw, roll one die: 3 to 6 is a goal and 1 or 2 is saved.
4. Write a tally mark for every goal in your team’s column.
5. After both halves, the team with more goals wins. A draw is a fine result, as in many real league matches.

A real handball match has two halves of 30 minutes and seven players on each side, including the goalkeeper. The chart below is a common style of home version, not an official game, so agree on it before the throw-off.

The attack chart and the chance of each result

In the table, “Roll” is the total of the two dice, “Result” is what happens on that attack and “Chance” is the exact probability of that total out of the 36 ways two dice can land.

The middle totals 6, 7 and 8 are the most common, which is why a goal comes up so often. You can read why in our guide to dice probability. A 7-metre throw comes only 2 times in 36, but two thirds of them are scored.

Put together, an attack ends in a goal exactly 13 times in 27, or about 48% of the time.

What does a final score look like?

With 30 attacks each, a team scores about 14 goals on average, and more than 8 in 10 team scores are between 11 and 18 goals. A match ends in a draw about one time in ten, and about one match in four is won by five goals or more. These numbers are worked out exactly from the chart, not simulated.

In the next table, “Goals by one team” is how many goals one side scores in a match and “Chance” is how likely that is.

Tips

• Use tally marks in groups of five. With this many goals, it is the quickest way to keep count.
• Give each team a name and a goalkeeper, and let the goalkeeper call out every save.
• For a shorter game, play two halves of 10 attacks each. A team then scores about 10 goals, and about one match in eight is a draw.
• Read out the score after every attack, as a handball commentator would.

Classroom ideas

• Tallies and totals: pupils count tally marks in fives and check the final score.
• Fractions: work out the chance of a goal from a 7-metre throw, 2 in 36 times 4 in 6, and add it to 16 in 36.
• Data: play several matches and draw a bar chart of the goals per team. It should peak around 14 or 15.
• Fair teams: split the class into teams with a random name picker, then do the throw-off with a coin.

Variations

• Two-minute suspension: on a 3, the attacking team also loses its next attack, like a player sent off for two minutes.
• Fast break: after a save on a 5 or 9, the defending team gets one extra attack straight away.
• Penalty shoot-out: if a cup match is a draw, each team takes five 7-metre throws, rolling one die each time.
• Beach handball: play two short halves of 8 attacks each, and count a goal on a double as two goals.

If you like sports played with dice, try dice football or dice bowling next.

FAQ

How do you play handball with dice?

Each roll of two dice is one attack. A 6, 7 or 8 is a goal, a 2 or 12 is a 7-metre throw that you finish with one die, a 5 or 9 is saved and any other total is a turnover or a miss.

What is the chance of a goal on one attack?

It is exactly 13 in 27, or about 48%: 16 in 36 from the chart plus two thirds of the 7-metre throws.

How many goals does a team score?

About 14 per match on average with 30 attacks each, and more than 8 in 10 scores are between 11 and 18.

How often is a match a draw?

About one match in ten.

How do you score a 7-metre throw?

Roll one die. A 3, 4, 5 or 6 is a goal and a 1 or 2 is saved, so two thirds of them go in.

How do you decide who throws off?

Toss a coin. The winner takes the first attack and the other team starts the second half.