What Does Double Chance Mean in Betting?

Vadims Mikeļevičs

Vadims Mikeļevičs

Most online bookmakers give players a vast range of bets to choose from. One type of bet that is quite popular is called a double chance bet. A lot of punters like double chance bets because they offer a better chance of winning. The tradeoff of having a better chance of winning is that the odds are lower compared to 1X2 bets and draw no bet wagers.

This guide will explain all you need to know about double chance bets. You will get a thorough explanation of what a double chance bet is and gain insight into its pros and cons. After reading this, you will have the knowledge and confidence to start placing these exciting bets. You can then refer to picks by expert MightyTips tipsters to help you make the best bets.

What is a Double Chance Bet?

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What does double chance mean in betting? To understand this, we must first understand what a 1X2 bet is. In most sports, a competition can end in one of three results after regulation time. The home side can win, the visiting team can win, or the match can end in a tie. With a 1X2 bet, the 1 represents the home team, the 2 represents the visiting team, and the X represents a tie. When you place a 1X2 wager, you are simply wagering on one of those three results.

To be clear, 1X2 bets are based on the result at the end of regulation time. If a game goes into overtime, the 1X2 wager result would be a tie. The overtime result has no impact on the wager. So, what does double chance mean in betting? Well, a double chance bet allows you to choose two outcomes. For instance, you could wager on the home team and the away team to win. If either team wins in regulation time, then you win your double chance bet. If the match is tied after regulation time, then you lose. Alternatively, you could wager on the home team or away team along with the tie. If your team wins or the match or it’s tied after regulation play, then you win.

Let’s take a look at an example using an EPL match between Arsenal which is the home team and Chelsea which is the visitor. The double chance odds from one of the best bookies for football are:

table about Double Chance Bet
Selection Odds
1X 1.17
12 1.20
X2 2.39

If you select the 1X option at 1.17, then you are wagering on an Arsenal win or a tie. The 1 represents the home team Arsenal, and the X represents the tie. Either of those outcomes wins the bet and pays 1.17. The only way you could lose is if Chelsea wins.

If you select the 12 option, then you are wagering on either Arsenal or Chelsea to win at 1.20. The 1 represents the Arsenal home team and the 2 represents visiting Chelsea. The only way you would lose is if the game ended in a tie.

The last option is selecting X2 which means you would need a Chelsea win or a tie. Again, the X represents the draw and the 2 represents visiting Chelsea. Your double chance bet would go up in flames with an Arsenal victory. As you can see, every double chance bet gives you two chances to win against one way to lose.

As it is with most bet types, double chance bets come with certain advantages and disadvantages. You need to weigh the pros against the cons to figure out whether double chance bets are for you.

  • Limitations
  • Double chance bets offer much lower odds than moneylines or draw no bet wagers.
  • Double chance bets offer little value when wagering on significant favorites.
  • Some sports and bookmakers do not offer double chance bets.

What is a Good Strategy for Double Chance Betting?

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As listed under the cons above, double chance bets don’t offer very good value to those who want to bet on a clear favorite. For instance, an EPL match between Newcastle and Sheffield United might have Newcastle priced at 1.37 for a 1X2 bet. However, wagering them in a double chance bet would have odds of just 1.10 in a 1X wager and 1.15 in a 12 double chance selection.

On the flip side, double chance bets make it easier to back an underdog. This is because you can insure or protect that wager by selecting a more likely alternative result. They are also ideal for betting on even matches that offer a high chance of a regulation draw. Let’s say you want to wager on Wolverhampton to beat Bournemouth. You could wager them at 1.83 to win outright on a draw no bet, or you could go with the 1X option at 1.49 on a double chance. Your double chance bet is still doomed if Bournemouth wins in regulation, but you have insurance against the draw.

No matter which results you want to bet on, the key to any sports betting strategy is diligent research. Consider angles like how both teams have been performing, their head-to-head results, and other factors like injuries and even weather. Additionally, double chance bettors need to pay close attention to proper bankroll management because the returns on winning bets are lower and there is less room for error. Of course, it especially behooves double chance bettors to find the best odds and have a look at our Football Betting News so that they can make more accurate predictions.

How are Double Chance Betting Odds Calculated?

We know that double chance bets offer three options which are 1X, 12, and X2. You can choose the home team and a draw, the home team and the visiting team, or the visiting team and the draw.

Because there are three ways to wager a double chance bet, there are three different formulas used to calculate double chance odds. And we calculate double chance odds by using the 1X2 or three-way odds as posted at your bookmaker. Oh, we also round up the numbers to two decimal places. If you need to translate another odds format into decimal odds, you can use the actual free bet calculator right here at Might Tips.

For our purposes, we will use the 1X2 odds for an NHL playoff match between the Vancouver Canucks and Nashville Predators. The 1X2 odds are:

Table about the 1x2 odds
Selection Odds
1 2.07
X 3.93
2 2.90

Let’s start with calculating the odds for a 1X double chance bet which is a wager on the home team andthe tie. The formula goes like this:

(Home Odds * Draw Odds) / (Home Odds + Draw Odds)

We just need to plug in the numbers and do a couple of quick calculations.

(2.07 * 3.93) / (2.07 + 3.93) = (8.14) / (6) = 1.36

So, the 1X odds are 1.36. Now, let’s move on to calculating the odds for a 12 selection. The formula is:

(Home Odds * Away Odds) / Home Odds + Away Odds)

Therefore, we have:

(2.07 * 2.90) / (2.07 + 2.90) = (6.00) / (4.97) = 1.21

The odds for wagering on the 12 option are 1.21. That brings us to the last selection which is the X2 bet. The formula for this is:

(Draw Odds * Visitor Odds) / (Draw Odds + Visitor Odds)

(3.93 * 2.90) / (3.93 + 2.90) = (11.40) / (6.83) = 1.67

This means the odds for a X2 bet are 1.67. If you haven’t noticed, all three formulas use the same calculations. The only differences are the odds and results that we plug into it.

Double Chance: 1X Meaning

In double chance betting, selecting the 1X option means that you are wagering on the home team and the tie. The 1 means the home team and the X means a tie. So, if the home team wins or the game ends in a draw, then you win your bet. You just have to hope that the away team does not prevail.

Double Chance: X2 Meaning

With the X2 option of a double chance bet, the X represents a draw and the 2 indicates the away team. So, if you choose this option and either the visiting team wins or the game ends in a draw, then you win your bet. The only thing that can ruin your wager is a win by the home side.

Double Chance: 12 Meaning

The last option for a DC bet is 12. So, what does double chance 12 mean in betting? Well, the 1 represents the home team and the 2 denotes the visiting side. If you choose the 12 option, then you win if the home team or the away team wins. The only unfavorable outcome would be a draw.

Add More Games to Your Bet Slip

Once you have made your double chance selection, it will automatically be added to your bet slip. You then have two options. You can either enter the wager amount and submit the bet, or you can add more selections to the bet slip. To add more picks to the bet slip, simply go back to the betting menu and make another selection. This selection will also be added to the bet slip. As an aside, your added selections can be any type of wager like a basketball spread bet or a baseball runline bet.

When you have added all of your selections to the bet slip, you will have the option of betting each pick separately as single bets, or putting them together to form an accumulator. For those unfamiliar with accumulators, they are two or more bets placed on a single ticket and balled into one bet. For instance, you place a double chance bet with odds of 1.40 and then add a draw no bet wager with odds of 1.50. You can bet those selections individually or make an accumulator.

To figure out the accumulator odds, you just need to multiply the individual odds together. In this case, the accumulator odds would be 2.10. The most important aspect of accumulators is that you have to get all selections correct. One wrong selection will kill the ticket. However, accumulators can pay out very handsomely if you hit. After reading this “What Does Double Chance Mean in Betting” guide, you should check out our detailed accumulator betting tutorial.

Study the Game Stats

Aside from sheer luck, the key to any successful betting strategy is research. The more statistics you analyze, the better the chances of winning. At the very least, your bets will be informed ones. These days, you can easily access a plethora of statistics. And while some stats are more telling than others, they are all helpful as they give you deeper insight.

For instance, seasoned football bettors look at basic stats like goals for, goals against, home/away splits, and cards. However, most successful football bettors dig a lot deeper and analyze such things as injuries, weather, and even referee stats. You sometimes need to dig deep if you want to find gold. Don’t forget to check out our range of sports betting tips to help you find the best bets.

Choose Games

When it comes to choosing which games to bet on, it’s wise to stick with the sports that you understand and teams that you are familiar with. This makes your wagers more informed which theoretically increases your chances of winning. That said, one of the best things about sports is that they can be highly unpredictable. It just takes something like an untimely injury, a bad bounce, or a blown call to change your fortunes. Remember this when you make your selections for our Daily Correct Score Football Prediction contest.

Get Bonus Offers

Almost all online bookmakers offer a variety of bonuses and promotions. You can find the top bookmakers offers though out the world right here at MightyTips. These special offers can include bonus cash, free bets, boosted odds, and acca insurance among other things. These offers are a great way to increase your bankroll. That said, it’s important that you closely examine the offer’s terms and conditions because the T&Cs go a long way in determining whether a bonus or promotion is worthwhile. For instance, a high wagering requirement can completely drain the value out of a bonus. You may also find that some bonuses and promotions can only be used to place certain bet types on particular sports.

Does Double Chance Include Extra Time?

What does double chance mean in football betting? It’s the same as double chance betting in all sports. Double chance bets only cover regulation time. In football, regulation time ends after 90 minutes plus any stoppage time. In basketball, regulation ends after four quarters while a hockey game’s regulation time ends after 3 periods. The results for double chance bets are finalized at the end of regulation. Any penalty shootouts or overtime does not factor into a double chance sports bet.

Can I Combine Double Chance Bets with Other Types of Bets?

While different bookmakers have different rules surrounding accumulators, many of the best bookmakers in the world let punters combine double chance bets with a variety of other types of bets to create accumulators and combination bets. Those who are using a live betting site can also add live bets to their accumulators. So, if you place a double chance bet on your bet slip, you can parlay it with such wagers as:

  • Draw No Bet
  • 1X2 Bets
  • Spreads
  • Alternative Spreads
  • Totals
  • Alternative Totals
  • Team Totals
  • Player Props
  • Halftime/Fulltime Bets
  • Other Double Chance Bets

What Are The Benefits of Double Chance Betting?

The main benefit of double chance betting is that double chance bets give you a better chance of winning. If you place a 1X2 bet, then you need to rely on just one outcome while there are always two potential losing outcomes. With a double chance bet, you can cover two outcomes while leaving just one unfavorable outcome. When compared to moneyline or draw no bet wagers, a double chance wager lets you capitalize on a draw instead of having it end in a push. Be reminded that you should always look for the best odds because you want to maximize your profits when your double chance bets win. If you know about online sports betting in Canada, you know that Canadian bookmakers offer very competitive odds.

Is Double Chance Win or Draw?

Every double chance bet must have a winning team selection on it. In this “What Does Double Chance Mean in Betting” tutorial, we have shown you that there are three possible outcomes for regulationtime. A home team win, a visiting team win, or a draw. While each of these options requires you to pick a winning team, only two of them require you to select a draw. As such, a double chance bet doesn’t have to include a draw.

Review Author

Vadims Mikeļevičs

Vadims Mikeļevičs

Vadims Mikeļevičs is an e-sports and biathlon enthusiast with years of writing experience about games, sports, and bookmakers.

Reviewed By Editor in Chief

Eugene Ravdin

Eugene Ravdin

Hey! I've been working for the official UEFA website for 18 years as a translator, reporter, editor, and language version editor in chief.