Key points
- 1X wins if the home team wins or draws; X2 if the away team wins or draws; 12 if either team wins and there is no draw.
- The price comes from the 1X2 odds of the two results it covers, with the bookmaker’s margin on top.
- It is the same cover as backing two results separately, done on one slip.
- Draw no bet is the nearest alternative: it refunds the stake on a draw and pays more when your team wins.
Double chance betting starts from the three results of a football match: home win (1), draw (X) and away win (2). The bet takes two of them at once. Back 1X and only an away win beats you; back X2 and only a home win does; back 12 and you lose on the draw. The bet is settled on the 90 minutes and stoppage time.
What 1X, X2 and 12 mean
1X, X2 and 12 each name the two results the bet covers. 22Bet’s list of markets defines them the same way. 1X is Team 1 to win or draw, X2 is Team 2 to win or draw, and 12 is either team to win.
| Bet | Home win | Draw | Away win |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1X | Wins | Wins | Loses |
| X2 | Loses | Wins | Wins |
| 12 | Wins | Loses | Wins |
Swipe sideways to see every column.
The first-named team is the home side, so in a match listed as Team A v Team B, 1X is Team A to win or draw. At a neutral venue the order on the coupon decides.
How double chance odds are worked out
Double chance odds follow from the 1X2 prices. Add the implied chances of the two results, then divide 100 by the total. A bookmaker sets its own double chance price, and this sum shows what that price should be near.
Worked example
From 1X2 prices to double chance
- 1X2 prices
- Home 2.50, draw 3.20, away 2.90
- Chances implied
- 40.0%, 31.3%, 34.5%
- 1X
- 40.0% + 31.3% = 71.3%, odds of about 1.40
- X2
- 31.25% + 34.48% = 65.7%, odds of about 1.52
- 12
- 40.0% + 34.5% = 74.5%, odds of about 1.34
The prices are an illustration.
The pattern to notice: covering the draw is expensive. The home win alone paid 2.50; with the draw added it pays about 1.40. The guide to how betting odds work explains implied chances.
Double chance or draw no bet?
Double chance and draw no bet both protect a bet on one team against the draw. Double chance 1X pays out on it. Draw no bet gives your stake back on it and pays more when your team wins.
| Bet | Odds | Home win | Draw | Away win |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home win (1) | 2.50 | ₦2,500 | ₦0 | ₦0 |
| Double chance 1X | 1.40 | ₦1,400 | ₦1,400 | ₦0 |
| Draw no bet | 1.72 | ₦1,720 | ₦1,000 back | ₦0 |
Swipe sideways to see every column.
If you think the draw is a real possibility, 1X is the cover. If you fear the draw only as an accident, draw no bet keeps more of the upside.
When double chance makes sense
- Backing an underdog not to lose. X2 on an away side priced as the outsider pays more than 1X on the home favourite.
- A match you expect to be tight, where one of the three results looks unlikely to you.
- A lower-risk leg in an acca, at a price that adds little to the payout.
That last use has a cost. Odds of 1.25 stand for a chance of 80% by the bookmaker’s price. Five such legs multiply to about 3.05, a combined chance of 32.8%. Short odds leave an acca a long way from safe; the accumulator guide shows the arithmetic.
Double chance sits beside 1X2 in the match markets of a football fixture, and its price differs between sportsbooks. The best odds list orders the sportsbooks by Betbook’s score for odds and market range. The table of the best betting sites in Nigeria links to Betbook’s bookmaker reviews, and the football betting list sets the sportsbooks side by side. Double chance is for bettors aged 18 and over.
Answers to common double chance questions
What does 1X mean in betting?
The home team wins or the match ends in a draw. The bet loses only if the away team wins.
What does X2 mean in betting?
The match ends in a draw or the away team wins. The bet loses only if the home team wins.
What does 12 mean in betting?
Either team wins. The bet loses if the match ends in a draw.
Is double chance better than a straight win bet?
It wins more often and pays less. The cover is paid for in the odds: a home win at 2.50 becomes about 1.40 once the draw is added.
Can I put double chance in an accumulator?
Yes, it is a normal leg. Its odds are short, so it adds little to the payout while still adding a way for the slip to lose.
Next steps
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Reviews
Double chance is for adults aged 18 and over
Covering two results lowers the risk and the return together. It is still a bet that can lose, so keep the stake inside your limit.
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