Three-Way Moneyline, Draw No Bet and Double Chance Explained: How Soccer Result Bets Are Priced and Settled

The Three-Way Moneyline

The three-way market, often labeled 1X2 or Match Result, lets you back the home team, the draw or the away team. Only one of the three can happen after 90 minutes plus stoppage time. Extra time and penalty shootouts normally do not count unless the market says so, so read the rules before you bet on a cup match. A typical price list might show a favorite at a short price, a draw at a longer one and the underdog at the longest.

Why the Draw Is Priced the Way It Is

Draws are common enough in soccer that ignoring them is a mistake. A bettor who only thinks about who is stronger can miss that a level result is a live outcome in many games, and bookmakers price it as one. When two evenly matched sides meet, the draw price usually shortens, and when one team is far stronger it drifts out. Convert each price to an implied probability, as described in our guide to vig, juice and implied probability, and add the three together. The total will be above 100 percent, and the extra is the bookmaker margin.

Draw No Bet

Draw No Bet removes the draw from the equation. You pick one team. If it wins, you win. If the match is drawn, your stake is returned. If it loses, you lose the stake. Because you are protected against one of the three outcomes, the price on the team is shorter than its price in the three-way market. You are paying for the refund with lower odds, not getting it free. It suits a bettor who likes a team to avoid defeat but does not trust it to win.

Double Chance

Double Chance covers two of the three results in one bet. The options are home or draw, away or draw, and home or away. The last one wins unless the match is drawn. Since two outcomes win, the odds are short, often well under even money for a favorite. The bet is easy to understand, but the lower price means a single unexpected result can wipe out the profit from many small wins. Double Chance is a trade of reward for safety and it carries the same bookmaker margin as every other market.

Comparing the Three Options

Suppose you like a home side that you think is slightly better than its opponent. In the three-way market you win only if it wins. In Draw No Bet you also get your stake back on a draw. In Double Chance you win on a win or a draw. Each step adds protection and lowers the payout. None of them changes the underlying chance of the team winning. If you think the true price on the straight win is too long, that is the only situation where the extra risk can make sense. For related markets, see our explanation of Asian handicap lines, which handle the draw in another way, and correct score and both teams to score.

Check the Settlement Rules

Details differ by operator. Some markets settle on 90 minutes only, some include extra time, and abandoned or postponed matches follow each operator's own rules. Draw No Bet and Double Chance should state their settlement terms on the bet slip or the help page. Confirm them before you place a bet, particularly for cup ties, because one wrong assumption can change a result from a refund into a loss.

Staying in Control

Bet only through operators licensed where you live. A refund on a draw is not a guarantee of profit, and no market type can promise a winner. Set a limit, stake an amount you can afford to lose and stop when it is gone. Our guide to bankroll management covers how to size stakes sensibly.

For more explainers, browse all of our sports betting guides.

General information only; odds, settlement rules and market terms vary by licensed operator and jurisdiction, so check current terms. Betting is legal only for adults in jurisdictions where operators are licensed: 18+ in the United Kingdom, 21+ in most U.S. states. Gambling is entertainment with a built-in cost, not a way to make money. See our responsible gambling page if it stops feeling like fun.