All over the world, there are leagues and competitions going strong on our volleyball betting page. There are volleyball odds to bet on for the Russian Super League, the Brazilian Superliga, and the Baltic League. Wherever volleyball is happening in the world, Betsson is there to give you the best volleyball odds.

There’s more to choose from than just betting on the outright winners. Each set will have its own volleyball betting markets for predicting winners, the exact score, and the winning margin. So if you know your volleyball betting inside out and back to front, you can really make yourself a great spread using Betsson's volleyball odds.

Rules

If you’re new to volleyball, and you want to get into volleyball betting, it’s probably best to learn the rules so you can make the most of our volleyball odds. If you know how to play badminton, some of the rules are very similar.

Teams of six face each other on opposite sides of a high net and try to land the ball on their opponent’s side of the court. Like in racquet sports, they score points if the other team fail to defend their side of the court. To start the game, the serving side must make sure the ball travels over the net, then the opposing team has three opportunities to make contact with the ball before they send the ball back across the net. Rallies carry on like this, with no more than three hits of the ball per side with no single player touching the ball twice consecutively.

The ball is usually handled with the hands and upper arms, but it’s legal for contact to be made with any part of the body during play. Players are not permitted to catch, hold onto, then throw the ball but employ a number of different techniques to pass it to each other and over the net. The bump is a pass that employs the two forearms held together and facing upwards whereas an overarm pass uses the flat of the hand or fingertips to handle the ball. If the ball is close to the ground, a player can prevent the opposition scoring points by going for a dig. This is a play made with the body lunging low and uses one or both hands, usually in a fist, to hit the ball back into the air and into play.

Going for an attack is called a spike and is usually made when the team passes the ball for the third time. This is a play that often has a lot of power behind it and close to the net, aiming for the ground on the opposite side. The ideal spike is made when the attacking player has jumped as high as they can go, giving the ball the best path over the net. The opposing team must recognise when and where this attack will happen and attempt to block as best they can. Blocking techniques often consist of getting close to the net and timing a jump with outstretched arms so that the ball is obstructed. This can be done with multiple players and involve the hands creating a “roof” that extends over the net.

History

A little bit of badminton, a little bit of basketball, a little bit of handball. You could say that volleyball is a mix of all of these and so would William G. Morgan. In 1895, he drew on all of these sports when he was devising a new game for the YMCA where he was physical education director. He wanted a pursuit for his older members that required more athleticism than badminton and wasn’t as rough as basketball. He called his new sport, Mintonette.

After refining the rules (and the name) volleyball was added to the first official handbook of the North American YMCA League. It was first seen at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo in 1964, where Japan, the Soviet Union, and Poland dominated the rankings for both men and women.

Today, volleyball in all its forms is enjoyed by players and spectators the world over. It’s a staple of schoolchildren’s PE classes and a popular recreation pastime with people from all walks of life.

FAQ

What volleyball competitions can I bet on?

You can bet on major volleyball competitions such as international tournaments, continental championships, and top domestic leagues.

What are the main volleyball betting markets?

Popular volleyball betting markets include match winner, set betting, total points, handicaps, and correct score.

How does set betting work in volleyball?

Set betting allows you to predict the exact number of sets played or the set score (for example, 3–1 or 3–2).

Is live betting available for volleyball?

Absolutely. Live betting is available for volleyball, with odds updating in real time during each set and point sequence.