Double Chance Bet Explained: How It Works in Soccer
A double chance bet covers two of the three possible outcomes in a soccer match, reducing risk at the cost of lower odds.
By
Eric Pauly
Feb 8, 2026
7 min read
What Is a Double Chance Bet?
A double chance bet lets you cover two of the three possible outcomes in a soccer match with a single wager. In standard soccer betting (the 1X2 market), you pick a home win, a draw, or an away win. With double chance, you combine two of those results into one bet: home win or draw (1X), away win or draw (X2), or either team to win (12). If either of your two covered outcomes occurs, the bet wins. It is one of the lowest-risk markets in soccer betting, which is why the odds are shorter than a straight moneyline pick.
I started using double chance bets during my first season betting on the Premier League, mostly because I kept losing moneyline wagers to draws. After six months of tracking results across 85 soccer bets, double chance accounted for a higher win rate than any other market I played, though the lower odds meant the profit margin was thinner. This guide explains how the three double chance options work, when they offer genuine value, and how the market compares to alternatives like draw no bet.
article Summary
A double chance bet covers two of three outcomes in a soccer match. The three options are 1X (home win or draw), X2 (away win or draw), and 12 (either team wins). Double chance reduces your risk compared to a straight moneyline bet, but the tradeoff is lower odds. It works well for matches where a draw is a realistic outcome and you want protection against it.
How the Three Double Chance Options Work
1X: Home Win or Draw
The 1X double chance bet wins if the home team wins or if the match ends in a draw. The only losing scenario is an away win. This is one of the most popular double chance selections because home teams in major European soccer leagues win or draw roughly 65-70% of the time. The odds reflect that high probability, so 1X bets on strong home teams are often priced at very short odds. The value in 1X bets tends to appear in matches where the home team is a slight favorite but the draw probability is higher than the market implies.
X2: Away Win or Draw
The X2 option covers an away win or a draw. You lose only if the home team wins outright. This is a useful selection when you believe the away team has a realistic chance of winning but you want insurance against the draw. In leagues where away performances are strong, such as seasons where a top team dominates on the road, X2 can cover a wide range of realistic outcomes. The odds on X2 for underdogs visiting strong home teams will be higher than 1X for the home side, reflecting the lower combined probability.
12: Either Team Wins
The 12 double chance bet wins as long as someone wins the match. A draw is the only losing outcome. This option is less common than 1X or X2 because it removes draw protection, which is the primary appeal of double chance betting in the first place. However, 12 can make sense in matchups where both teams play aggressively and draws are historically rare. If two attacking sides with poor defensive records meet, the 12 line might offer a reasonable price for betting against a stalemate. Understanding the types of bets available in soccer helps you decide which double chance option fits the matchup.
Double Chance vs Draw No Bet vs Moneyline
Double Chance Compared to Draw No Bet
Double chance and draw no bet both address the draw problem in soccer, but they handle it differently. Draw no bet refunds your stake if the match draws, while double chance (1X or X2) counts the draw as a win for your bet. That distinction matters: with draw no bet, a draw is neutral. With 1X or X2 double chance, a draw is a winning outcome. Because double chance covers more winning scenarios, the odds are lower than draw no bet on the same team. After comparing both markets across a full season of Bundesliga betting, I found that double chance produced a higher win rate but draw no bet had slightly better ROI per bet because the odds were more favorable on each individual selection.
Double Chance Compared to the Moneyline
A standard 1X2 moneyline bet in soccer only covers one outcome. If you back the home team on the moneyline and the match draws, you lose. Double chance converts that draw from a loss into a win (if you chose 1X) or at least removes one losing scenario. The cost is always shorter odds. If a team is +150 on the moneyline, the 1X double chance might be -120 because you are covering two outcomes instead of one. Whether the reduced odds are worth the added safety depends on how likely you think the draw is. For matches where the draw probability is above 28%, the double chance tradeoff often makes sense. For matches with a low draw probability, the straight moneyline gives you better value.
When Each Market Fits
Use double chance when you want the highest possible win probability and can accept lower payouts. Use draw no bet when you want better odds per bet with a safety net on draws. Use the moneyline when you are confident in a specific result and the price justifies the single-outcome risk. Each market sits on a risk spectrum, and choosing between them comes down to your confidence level in the match outcome. Learning how to read betting odds across all three markets makes it easier to compare the value each one offers on any given match.
When Double Chance Offers Value
Backing Away Teams in Competitive Leagues
Away teams in soccer face a well-documented home field disadvantage. In the top five European leagues, away teams win only about 30% of matches in a typical season. If you like an away side to compete but recognize they could easily draw, the X2 double chance is a practical way to express that opinion. You are betting that the home team will not win, which is a less specific claim than picking the away team to win outright. The X2 line on a decent away team visiting a mid-table home side often sits in the plus-money range, which can represent value when you believe the market is overrating home field advantage for that specific matchup.
Cup Matches and Knockout Scenarios
Domestic cup competitions and early Champions League group stage matches sometimes produce unexpected results. Lower-ranked teams playing at home in cup ties tend to perform above their league form. Double chance on the home underdog (1X) captures both the upset and the draw, which are both common in these situations. The odds on 1X for a cup underdog at home can offer genuine value when the favorite is expected to rotate their squad or underestimate the opponent. I used this approach during the 2025-26 FA Cup third round and hit 4 out of 5 1X selections on lower-league home sides.
When Double Chance Is Not Worth It
Double chance loses its appeal when the odds are too short to justify the bet. A 1X line priced at -500 means you are risking $500 to win $100, which offers almost no room for error. If the away team pulls off an upset (which happens roughly 30% of the time in most leagues), you take a significant loss relative to the potential gain. Double chance also offers little value when one outcome is overwhelmingly likely. If you believe a team is going to win comfortably, the moneyline or even a handicap bet gives you better odds because you are not paying for draw protection you do not need.
Final Thoughts
Double chance is one of the most accessible markets in soccer betting. By covering two of three outcomes, it gives you a higher probability of winning on any individual bet. The tradeoff is always shorter odds, which means thinner margins and less room for long-term profit if your selections are not sharp. The market works well as a risk management tool for matches where you have a lean but not strong conviction on the result.
The key is using double chance selectively rather than as a default. Identify matches where the draw probability is meaningful, compare the double chance price to the alternatives (draw no bet, moneyline, Asian handicap), and choose the market that gives you the right balance of risk and reward for that specific game. For more on how draw no bet compares, the draw no bet explained guide goes deeper into that market. And for a broader look at all the wager types available in soccer and other sports, check out the types of bets guide.
Double Chance Bet FAQ
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