For many sports fans in the United States, betting on the outcome of a game is a straightforward affair. You pick a team to win on the moneyline, and if they do, your bet cashes. This is the standard for sports like football, basketball, and baseball, where a draw or tie is a rare or impossible outcome. However, when venturing into the world of soccer betting, the landscape changes significantly due to the commonality of the draw. This introduces the most fundamental soccer betting market: the three-way moneyline, also known as the 1X2. Understanding this market, along with its popular variants like Draw No Bet and Double Chance, is the first step for anyone looking to intelligently wager on the beautiful game. This guide will break down exactly what 1X2 means and how these related markets provide different levels of risk and reward.
What Does 1X2 Mean in Sports Betting?
Understanding the Three-Way Moneyline
The term 1X2 is the cornerstone of soccer betting and represents the three possible outcomes of a match within the standard 90 minutes of regulation time, plus any stoppage time added by the referee. It is crucial to remember that this market does not include results from extra time or penalty shootouts, which may occur in knockout tournament matches. Each character in 1X2 corresponds to a specific result.
- 1: This represents a win for the home team. The team listed first in the matchup is almost always considered the home team.
- X: This represents a draw or tie. If the match ends with both teams having scored the same number of goals, the ‘X’ outcome is the winner.
- 2: This represents a win for the away team, which is the team listed second in the matchup.
When you place a 1X2 bet, you are selecting just one of these three distinct outcomes. If you bet on the home team to win (1) and the game ends in a draw (X), your bet loses. This is the primary difference from a traditional two-way moneyline and a key concept for new soccer bettors to grasp.
A Practical 1X2 Example
To better illustrate how this market works, let’s consider a hypothetical Major League Soccer match between the LA Galaxy (home team) and the Seattle Sounders (away team). A sportsbook might present the odds as follows:
| Outcome | Selection | American Odds |
| LA Galaxy Win | 1 | +160 |
| Draw | X | +240 |
| Seattle Sounders Win | 2 | +170 |
Let’s break down what these odds mean for a $100 wager:
- A bet on 1 (LA Galaxy Win) at +160 odds would result in a $160 profit if the Galaxy win the match (e.g., 2-1, 1-0).
- A bet on X (Draw) at +240 odds would result in a $240 profit if the match ends in a tie (e.g., 0-0, 2-2).
- A bet on 2 (Seattle Sounders Win) at +170 odds would result in a $170 profit if the Sounders win the match (e.g., 0-1, 1-3).
In any of these scenarios, if the outcome you bet on does not occur, your wager is lost.
Draw No Bet: A Safer Alternative
How Does Draw No Bet Work?
For bettors who find the three-way nature of the 1X2 market too risky, the Draw No Bet (DNB) market offers a popular alternative. As the name implies, this market removes the draw as a possible outcome, creating a two-way choice similar to a traditional American moneyline. You simply pick one of the two teams to win.
The key feature of Draw No Bet is the safety net it provides. If the match ends in a draw, the bet is not lost. Instead, the wager is considered a push, and the sportsbook refunds your original stake in full. This reduces the overall risk, but as a trade-off, the odds offered for either team to win will be lower than they are in the standard 1X2 market.
Example of a Draw No Bet Wager
Using the same LA Galaxy vs. Seattle Sounders fixture, the Draw No Bet odds would look different. Notice the absence of the ‘X’ option and the reduced payouts.
| Selection | American Odds |
| LA Galaxy (Draw No Bet) | -125 |
| Seattle Sounders (Draw No Bet) | -105 |
Here is how a DNB wager plays out:
- A bet on LA Galaxy (DNB) wins if the Galaxy win the match.
- A bet on Seattle Sounders (DNB) wins if the Sounders win the match.
- If the match ends in a draw, all bets on this market are voided, and the stakes are returned to the bettors.
Double Chance: Covering Two Outcomes
The Mechanics of Double Chance Betting
The Double Chance market provides the maximum level of security by allowing you to cover two of the three possible outcomes of the 1X2 market in a single bet. This significantly increases your probability of winning, but as with the Draw No Bet market, this added safety comes at the cost of much lower odds.
There are three options available in a Double Chance wager:
- 1X: This bet wins if the home team wins OR the match is a draw. It only loses if the away team wins.
- X2: This bet wins if the away team wins OR the match is a draw. It only loses if the home team wins.
- 12: This bet wins if the home team wins OR the away team wins. It only loses if the match is a draw.
Double Chance Betting Example
Let’s look at our LA Galaxy vs. Seattle Sounders example one last time to see how the Double Chance odds might be presented.
| Selection | Description | American Odds |
| 1X | LA Galaxy Win or Draw | -250 |
| X2 | Draw or Seattle Sounders Win | -220 |
| 12 | LA Galaxy Win or Seattle Sounders Win | -300 |
This market is ideal for risk-averse bettors. For example, if you believe the LA Galaxy are the better team but could see the Seattle Sounders holding them to a draw, the 1X option at -250 would be a logical choice. You win your bet if the final score is 1-0 to the Galaxy, 2-2, or any other result that is not a Seattle victory.
1X2 vs. DNB vs. Double Chance: Which is Right for You?
Comparing Risk and Reward
Choosing between these three markets depends entirely on your confidence in your prediction and your personal tolerance for risk. Each one serves a different strategic purpose.
| Market Type | Outcomes Covered | Risk Level | Potential Payout |
| 1X2 (Three-Way Moneyline) | One (Win, Lose, or Draw) | High | High |
| Draw No Bet (DNB) | One (Win or Lose, Draw is a Push) | Medium | Medium |
| Double Chance | Two (e.g., Win or Draw) | Low | Low |
Strategic Considerations for Bettors
A simple way to decide which market to use is to assess your conviction. If you are highly confident that a specific team will win, the 1X2 market offers the best possible return. If you strongly lean towards one team but recognize that a draw is a very plausible scenario, the Draw No Bet market provides a great balance of decent odds with the insurance of getting your money back on a tie. Finally, if you are betting on a major underdog and believe they can pull off an upset or at least avoid defeat, the Double Chance (e.g., X2) market is an excellent tool to cover both of those winning possibilities.
By understanding the nuances between what 1X2 means and how its variants function, beginners can move beyond simple win-loss bets and start making more strategic and informed decisions when betting on soccer.
