Double Chance Betting in Football: How It Works and When to Use It

Double chance betting covers two of the three possible match results in a single bet.

• Back the home team in a standard 1X2 market and you have one outcome for you, two against you.
• Back a double chance and you have two outcomes for you, one against you.

The trade-off is straightforward: better coverage, lower odds.

The question is whether the reduced odds still represent value for the specific fixture you are backing.

Double chance betting is a football market offering three combinations: Home Win or Draw (1X), Away Win or Draw (X2), and Home Win or Away Win (12).

The 12 option is distinct from the others.

It effectively removes the draw from the market and is sometimes called the ‘no draw’ option.

The Three Double Chance Options

All three settle on 90 minutes plus stoppage time. Extra time and penalty shootouts do not count.

Double Chance vs 1X2 vs Draw No Bet

These three markets are closely related. Choosing between them depends on what you are trying to express about the match.

The 1X and X2 options cover the same scenarios as a Draw No Bet for the team you prefer, but with one difference: on DNB the draw returns your stake (a void), while on 1X or X2 the draw wins the bet fully.

The trade-off is that double chance 1X / X2 pays lower odds than DNB because it is covering a winning outcome on the draw rather than voiding it.

If you genuinely believe in the team you are backing and the draw is a secondary concern, Draw No Bet gives better odds with stake protection on a draw. If you are more uncertain and want any non-losing outcome, including the draw to count as a win, 1X or X2 is the cleaner choice. If the draw is your nightmare scenario and you want it to cost you nothing, DNB is right. If you want to back any decisive result, 12 is the option.

The Margin Reality

Double chance markets typically carry a lower overround than 1X2 because they are combining two outcomes into one: the bookmaker prices the combined probability directly rather than spreading a three-outcome margin across three separate lines.

Example: a Premier League match with a 1X2 overround of 6% might have double chance markets at 3-4% overround. The reduction is real but not dramatic. You are still paying a margin on every double chance bet — the trade-off of covering two outcomes is primarily in the lower odds, not in a significantly better margin.

For value bettors, double chance markets are most useful when the research points strongly to one side but the draw is a genuine tactical possibility — common in matches between an attack-minded home side and a disciplined away team set up to absorb pressure and counter.

When Double Chance Makes Sense

Strong Favourite With Draw Risk

A team priced at 1.40 to win on 1X2 has a compressed upside. The same team on 1X at 1.12 has even less. The more useful application is X2 or 12 when an away team is expected to be competitive: backing the away win or draw (X2) on an evenly-matched fixture at 1.50 covers two of three outcomes and offers meaningful odds.

The 12 Option in High-Scoring Fixtures

When two attacking teams meet and a draw is the least likely outcome – Bundesliga matches between high-scoring sides, or a Premier League title challenger hosting a weaker team in an open game – the 12 double chance bet covers both win outcomes at odds around 1.15-1.25. This is low value on its own but can serve as a rational anchor in a Bet Builder or accumulator alongside other selections.

When Double Chance Reduces Value

Backing 1X when you are confident the home team will win simply compresses your odds without meaningful benefit — you are paying for draw protection you do not need. Similarly, backing 12 in a tactical, low-scoring fixture where a draw is genuinely likely means covering one of the two more probable outcomes at worse odds than backing each separately.

Responsible Gambling

Set a budget before you start. Track every bet. If gambling is causing financial or personal stress:

• GambleAware (UK): begambleaware.org
• GamCare (UK): gamcare.org.uk — 0808 8020 133
• National Council on Problem Gambling (US): 1-800-522-4700
• Gambling Therapy (international): gamblingtherapy.org

Frequently Asked Questions

What is double chance betting in football?

Double chance betting covers two of the three possible results in a football match. The three options are: 1X (home win or draw), X2 (away win or draw), and 12 (home or away win, no draw). Each option wins if either of the two covered outcomes occurs and loses only if the remaining outcome happens.

What is the difference between double chance and draw no bet?

Both markets give protection against the draw, but differently. Draw No Bet returns your stake if the match draws. A void, not a win. Double chance 1X or X2 wins the bet if the match draws. Double chance covers the draw as a winning outcome; DNB removes it as a risk altogether. Double chance pays lower odds because the draw is a win, not a void.

What does 1X mean in betting?

1X is a double chance option meaning you back the home team to win OR the match to draw. The bet loses only if the away team wins. It provides coverage for two of the three possible results, with the only losing scenario being an away win.

What does 12 mean in betting?

12 is a double chance option where your bet wins if either team wins. In other words – any decisive result. The bet loses only if the match draws. It is sometimes called the ‘no draw’ option. It is useful in fixtures where a draw is assessed as unlikely. For instance, matches with high-scoring attacking teams, mismatched opponents.

Is double chance good value?

Double chance markets carry a slightly lower bookmaker margin than 1X2, typically 3-5% vs 6-8% on the same fixture. The lower odds compared to backing one outcome outright mean it is most rational in fixtures where the two covered outcomes are genuinely close in probability and backing one outcome alone would leave significant result risk.

How does double chance work in an accumulator?

Double chance legs work the same as any other accumulator leg — all legs must win. A 1X double chance in a four-fold loses if the away team wins in that match. The margin compounding applies identically to standard accumulator legs. Double chance legs at 1.20-1.30 odds add low multiplication but also low per-leg risk of losing one specific outcome.

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