What is a Double Chance bet?
Updated 1 October 2026
A Double Chance bet covers two of the three possible results of a match in one bet. You only lose if the third result happens.
The three Double Chance options
1X wins if the home team wins or the match is drawn. X2 wins if the away team wins or it's a draw. 12 wins if either team wins — it only loses on a draw. Like the 1X2 market, it settles on regular time.
| Result | 1X | X2 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home win | Wins | Loses | Wins |
| Draw | Wins | Wins | Loses |
| Away win | Loses | Wins | Wins |
Why the odds are lower — a worked example
Say a bookmaker prices a match Home 2.10, Draw 3.40, Away 3.60. The implied probabilities are 1 ÷ 2.10 ≈ 47.6%, 1 ÷ 3.40 ≈ 29.4% and 1 ÷ 3.60 ≈ 27.8%.
1X covers home win and draw together: 47.6% + 29.4% = 77.0%. Turned back into odds, 1 ÷ 0.770 ≈ 1.30 — and the bookmaker's 1X price will usually sit at or a little below that. You're covering far more outcomes, so the payout shrinks to match.
Double Chance vs Draw No Bet
Both protect you against a draw, in different ways. With Double Chance 1X a draw is a win (at low odds). With Draw No Bet on the home side a draw refunds your stake (at higher odds). If you expect the favourite to win but fear a draw, Draw No Bet pays more when you're right; Double Chance also pays out on the draw itself.
Frequently asked questions
What does 1X mean in betting?
1X is a Double Chance bet that wins if the home team wins or the match ends in a draw.
When does a 12 bet lose?
Only on a draw. A 12 bet wins if either team wins.
Is Double Chance a safe bet?
No bet is safe. Double Chance wins more often than a single result, but it pays much less, and it still loses whenever the third result happens.
18+. This guide explains how bets settle; it isn’t advice to bet. Settlement rules can differ between bookmakers — check yours. Gambling can be addictive: only stake what you can afford to lose.