How Does Double Chance Work in Soccer Betting?
A normal soccer match has three possible results:
Home win
Draw
Away win
A traditional 1X2 bet asks you to choose one.
Double Chance lets you cover two.
Think of it as saying:
“I don’t know exactly which of these two results will happen, but I believe the third result is unlikely.”
For example, if you believe the home team will either win or draw, you can select 1X.
You do not need the home team to win.
You simply need the home team to avoid losing.
That is the central idea behind Double Chance.
What Does 1X Mean in Soccer Betting?
1X means home win or draw.
Your selection wins if:
The home team wins
or
The match ends in a draw.
Your selection loses only if the away team wins.
For example:
Barcelona vs Real Madrid
You select 1X.
Barcelona wins → win
1 to 1 draw → win
Real Madrid wins → lose
This is one of the most common Double Chance selections.
What Does X2 Mean in Soccer Betting?
X2 means draw or away win.
Your selection wins if:
The match draws
or
The away team wins.
It loses only if the home team wins.
For example:
Barcelona vs Real Madrid
You select X2.
Barcelona wins → lose
Draw → win
Real Madrid wins → win
What Does 12 Mean in Soccer Betting?
12 means either team wins.
The only result that loses the wager is a draw.
For example:
Barcelona wins → win
Real Madrid wins → win
Draw → lose
This is sometimes called Draw No Bet for the match result, but the two markets are not actually identical.
The important thing to remember is:
12 covers both winners but does not cover the draw.
Why Would Someone Bet Double Chance Instead of 1X2?
Because sometimes your prediction is not:
“This team will definitely win.”
Your prediction may be:
“I don’t think this team will lose.”
Those are very different opinions.
Suppose the home team is stronger, but you believe the most likely outcomes are:
Home win
Draw
Instead of taking the home team alone, you could choose 1X.
You are sacrificing some potential return in exchange for covering two outcomes.
That tradeoff is the heart of Double Chance betting.
Is Double Chance Safer Than Betting the Winner?
It gives you two winning outcomes instead of one, but “safer” should not be confused with “guaranteed.”
For example:
Home win
wins only if the home team wins.
1X
wins if the home team wins or the match draws.
So 1X has greater outcome coverage.
But because you are receiving coverage over two results, the price will generally be lower than betting the home team alone.
You are exchanging potential payout for greater coverage.
Is Double Chance the Same as 1X2?
No.
They are related, but they ask different questions.
1X2
You choose one:
Home
Draw
Away
Double Chance
You choose two:
1X
X2
12
So if you believe the home team will win, but you also want protection against a draw, 1X gives you that additional outcome.
Is Double Chance the Same as Draw No Bet?
No.
This is one of the most important comparisons to understand.
Suppose you back the home team.
With Draw No Bet:
Home wins → win
Draw → stake returned
Home loses → lose
With 1X Double Chance:
Home wins → win
Draw → win
Home loses → lose
The difference is what happens to your wager when the match ends in a draw.
With Double Chance, the draw is a winning result.
With Draw No Bet, the draw normally returns your stake.
Which Is Better, Double Chance or Draw No Bet?
Neither is automatically better.
They are designed for slightly different situations.
Suppose you strongly prefer the home team but think a draw is possible.
You might compare:
Home Moneyline
Draw No Bet
1X Double Chance
The home Moneyline gives you the highest exposure to the home win but does not protect you from the draw.
Draw No Bet protects your stake if the match draws.
Double Chance makes the draw an actual winning outcome.
The prices will reflect those differences.
The right choice depends on your assessment of the match and the price available.
Is Double Chance the Same as Handicap 0?
Not exactly.
This is another place where soccer betting terminology can become confusing.
Asian Handicap 0 generally works like Draw No Bet:
Team wins → win
Draw → stake returned
Team loses → lose
Double Chance 1X works differently:
Home wins → win
Draw → win
Away wins → lose
So although both markets can provide protection from one outcome, the settlement is different.
Is Double Chance the Same as Asian Handicap?
No.
Asian Handicap changes the starting position of the teams by applying a virtual handicap.
Double Chance does not change the score.
Instead, it simply allows you to select two possible match results.
For example:
1X
means home win or draw.
Asian Handicap Home 0
means home win wins, draw returns the stake, and a home loss loses.
These can look similar when you first encounter them, but they are not the same bet.
When Does Double Chance Make Sense?
Double Chance can make sense when your analysis points toward two outcomes rather than one.
For example, imagine the home team is:
Stronger overall
Playing at home
In good form
Facing an opponent in poor away form
But you believe the match could still finish level.
Your prediction might be:
The home team should avoid defeat.
That is fundamentally a Double Chance opinion.
You are not necessarily predicting a home victory.
You are predicting that the home team will not lose.
When Does 1X Make Sense?
1X makes sense when you believe the home team is unlikely to lose.
You are comfortable with either:
Home win
or
Draw
but do not want to take the risk of backing the home team alone.
The key question is:
Do I believe the away team can win?
If your answer is no, 1X may represent the type of outcome you are trying to express.
When Does X2 Make Sense?
X2 makes sense when you believe the away team can avoid defeat.
Your two winning outcomes are:
Draw
Away win
The home team must win for the wager to lose.
This can be particularly relevant when an away team is competitive but you are not confident enough to require it to win outright.
When Does 12 Make Sense?
12 makes sense when you believe the match is likely to produce a winner.
You do not care which team wins.
You simply do not want the match to end in a draw.
For example:
Home win → win
Away win → win
Draw → lose
This can be an interesting market when you believe the teams are likely to play for a decisive result.
Does Double Chance Pay Less Than a Straight Win Bet?
Generally, yes.
There is a simple reason.
A straight win bet covers one outcome.
Double Chance covers two.
Greater outcome coverage normally comes with a lower price.
For example, imagine a hypothetical market:
Home win: 2.00
1X: 1.30
The home win pays more because you are taking more risk.
The 1X price is lower because you have two possible winning outcomes.
The exact price depends on the sportsbook and market.
Is Double Chance a Good Bet?
There is no universally good or bad betting market.
The important question is whether the available price accurately reflects the probability you assign to the two covered outcomes.
A Double Chance bet can have a high probability of winning and still be a poor value bet if the price is too low.
That is why the goal should not simply be:
“Find the safest market.”
A better question is:
“Is the price reasonable for the probability I believe this outcome has?”
How Do You Analyze a Double Chance Bet?
Start by evaluating the match normally.
Look at:
Team strength
Which team is stronger?
Recent form
How have both teams been performing?
Home and away performance
Does the home team perform well at home?
Does the away team struggle on the road?
Goals
How frequently does each team score and concede?
Expected Goals
What does the underlying chance creation suggest?
Player availability
Are important players missing?
Match situation
Is there a reason one team may be more motivated or more conservative?
Then identify which outcome you are trying to eliminate.
For 1X, you are effectively saying:
“I don’t believe the away team is likely to win.”
For X2:
“I don’t believe the home team is likely to win.”
For 12:
“I don’t believe the match is likely to finish level.”
That is a much more useful way to think about Double Chance than simply calling it a safer bet.
What Statistics Are Useful for Double Chance?
There is no single statistic that determines a Double Chance wager.
Useful information can include:
Home win percentage
Home draw percentage
Home loss percentage
Away win percentage
Away draw percentage
Away loss percentage
Goals scored
Goals conceded
Expected Goals
Recent form
Strength of opposition
Player availability
These statistics can help you understand the likelihood of the three possible results.
That is important because Double Chance is fundamentally about combining two of those results.
Why Are Draw Statistics Important for Double Chance?
Because the draw is one of the two covered outcomes in both 1X and X2.
Suppose a home team wins frequently but also draws frequently.
That may create a different betting profile from a home team that either wins or loses with very few draws.
Similarly, an away team that rarely loses but draws frequently may be particularly interesting when evaluating X2.
The draw is not a secondary detail.
For Double Chance, it is part of the bet.
What Is the Difference Between 1X and X2?
The difference is which team you believe can avoid defeat.
1X
Home win or draw.
You lose only if the away team wins.
X2
Draw or away win.
You lose only if the home team wins.
So:
1X = home team avoids defeat
X2 = away team avoids defeat
That is the easiest way to remember them.
What Is the Difference Between 1X and 12?
The difference is the draw.
1X
Home win → win
Draw → win
Away win → lose
12
Home win → win
Draw → lose
Away win → win
1X protects against an away victory.
12 protects against a draw.
What Is the Difference Between X2 and 12?
Again, the difference is the outcome being excluded.
X2
Draw → win
Away win → win
Home win → lose
12
Home win → win
Away win → win
Draw → lose
X2 protects against a home victory.
12 excludes the draw.
Can Double Chance Be Used on Live Soccer?
Yes, when the market is available.
Live Double Chance can change substantially as the match develops.
The score matters.
The time remaining matters.
Red cards matter.
Injuries matter.
Momentum matters.
A team that looked unlikely to lose before kickoff may have a very different probability after conceding an early goal.
At YouWager, available live markets depend on the match and current offering.
How Does Live Double Chance Differ From Pre Match Double Chance?
The underlying concept is the same.
You are still covering two possible outcomes.
The difference is that a live market incorporates information that did not exist before kickoff.
For example:
Pre match:
Home team 1X
After 70 minutes with the home team leading:
The probability of 1X may be dramatically higher.
After 70 minutes with the home team losing:
The market could be priced completely differently.
The passage of time changes the probability of the remaining outcomes.
Can Double Chance Be Combined With Other Bets?
Depending on the sportsbook and available markets, Double Chance can sometimes be included in multiple wagers.
For example, a bettor might combine:
1X
Over 1.5 goals
BTTS
or other selections.
But combining more selections creates additional ways for the overall wager to lose.
For someone learning soccer betting, it is usually better to understand each market individually before combining them.
What Are the Advantages of Double Chance?
The main advantage is outcome coverage.
Instead of requiring one exact result, you cover two.
That can make the market useful when:
You are confident a team will avoid defeat.
You are uncertain whether the team will win or draw.
You want protection from one specific result.
You are analyzing a competitive match where an outright winner is difficult to predict.
But that extra coverage comes with a lower potential return.
What Are the Disadvantages of Double Chance?
The biggest disadvantage is price.
Because two results are covered, the odds are generally lower than the odds for one individual result.
That means you can have a wager that wins frequently but still does not necessarily provide good value.
There is also a psychological trap.
A bettor may think:
“Two results can win, so this must be a great bet.”
Not necessarily.
The price still matters.
Is Double Chance Safer Than Moneyline?
In terms of the number of covered outcomes, yes.
A traditional moneyline or 1X2 selection may require one specific result.
Double Chance covers two.
But safer does not mean profitable.
If you consistently accept very low prices simply because they appear safer, you can still make poor betting decisions.
The objective is to balance:
Probability
Price
Risk
Potential return
What Is the Best Double Chance Bet?
There is no universally best Double Chance selection.
The right selection depends on the match.
You might find:
1X attractive because the home team is strong and rarely loses at home.
You might find X2 attractive because the away team is extremely difficult to beat.
You might find 12 attractive because both teams tend to produce decisive results.
The market should follow your analysis.
Your analysis should not be forced to fit a market simply because the market appears safer.
How Do You Choose Between 1X, X2, and 12?
Ask one simple question:
Which result do I believe is least likely?
If you believe the away team is least likely to win:
1X
If you believe the home team is least likely to win:
X2
If you believe a draw is least likely:
12
This gives Double Chance a very intuitive structure.
You are effectively saying:
“I am excluding this one result.”
Double Chance Example
Imagine:
Team A vs Team B
You believe Team A is better, but you are worried about a draw.
You have three possible outcomes:
Team A win
Draw
Team B win
Instead of selecting only Team A, you choose:
1X
Now:
Team A wins → win
Draw → win
Team B wins → lose
Your wager expresses your actual opinion more accurately:
Team A should avoid defeat.
That is often the most useful way to think about Double Chance.
Double Chance vs Draw No Bet vs Moneyline
| Market | Team Wins | Draw | Team Loses |
| Moneyline or 1X2 team selection | Win | Lose | Lose |
| Draw No Bet | Win | Stake returned | Lose |
| Double Chance 1X | Win | Win | Lose |
| Asian Handicap 0 | Win | Stake returned | Lose |
This comparison explains why these markets should not be treated as interchangeable.
They may all be used when you favor one team, but they express different levels of protection and have different prices.
What Does Double Chance Mean at YouWager?
When Double Chance is available at YouWager, it allows you to select two of the three basic match outcomes.
The three combinations are:
1X
Home win or draw.
X2
Draw or away win.
12
Either team wins.
Before placing the wager, check the exact market, price, and settlement rules displayed for the match.
The available markets can vary by competition and event.
What Is the Most Important Thing to Understand About Double Chance?
Double Chance is not simply a “safer version of betting.”
It is a way of expressing a specific prediction.
You are saying:
1X: I believe the home team will avoid defeat.
X2: I believe the away team will avoid defeat.
12: I believe the match will produce a winner.
That is the real value of the market.
It lets your wager match your actual opinion about how the match is likely to unfold.
Frequently Asked Questions About Double Chance
What is Double Chance in soccer betting?
Double Chance allows you to bet on two of the three possible match results.
What does 1X mean?
Home win or draw.
What does X2 mean?
Draw or away win.
What does 12 mean?
Either team wins. A draw loses.
Is Double Chance the same as 1X2?
No. 1X2 selects one result, while Double Chance covers two.
Is Double Chance the same as Draw No Bet?
No. With Double Chance, the draw is a winning result. With Draw No Bet, the draw normally returns your stake.
Is Double Chance the same as Asian Handicap 0?
No. Asian Handicap 0 normally returns the stake on a draw, while Double Chance makes the covered draw a winning result.
Is Double Chance safer than a straight win bet?
It covers two results instead of one, but the odds are generally lower.
Does Double Chance pay less than betting one team to win?
Generally, yes, because you are covering more possible outcomes.
Can Double Chance be bet live?
Yes, when the market is available.
Which Double Chance should I choose?
It depends on which of the three match results you believe is least likely.
What does 1X2 mean compared with Double Chance?
1X2 gives you three individual choices. Double Chance combines two of those choices into one selection.
Can you lose Double Chance if the match is a draw?
Not if the draw is one of the two outcomes you selected. For 1X and X2, the draw wins. For 12, the draw loses.
Where Does Double Chance Fit in the Soccer Betting Hub?
Double Chance sits between the basic match result and more specialized markets.
Once you understand:
1X2
you naturally arrive at:
What if I want two possible results instead of one?
That is Double Chance.
Then the next logical question is:
What if I want to back one team but have my stake returned if the match draws?
That is Draw No Bet.
Then:
What if I want to give one team a virtual advantage or disadvantage?
That is Asian Handicap.
And:
What if I want a handicap market that still has three possible results?
That is European Handicap.
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