Double Chance Meaning – What Does It Mean in Football Betting?

Double Chance covers two outcomes for the match result in one bet, and is extremely popular for betting on games where you can’t quite decide which team will win or if the match might end as a draw.

It certainly offers reduced risk, because you’re then covering two of the three possible outcomes for the game. However, the fact you are betting on two different outcomes with the Double Chance market typically means you are betting on lower odds, and you can still win with both outcomes unlike Draw No Bet which refunds you if the game is a draw.

If you are new to online betting, you can find out all about the Double Chance meaning from this article, plus an extensive list of bookmakers you can join with SoccerVista to place bets on the market.

What Is Double Chance in Betting?

Double Chance in betting enables you to bet on two different match results within one bet, and both pay out in full at the odds you placed the bet. The concept of the market is that you can have an increased chance of winning and reduce your risk by covering two different match results in one bet.

With every Double Chance bet, you are covering two thirds of the match result out of home, draw, and away. The choice is yours what you want the Double Chance bet to be on, and you have several options available.

Due to receiving a full payout by betting on two outcomes, the odds are typically quite low for the Double Chance market, which is the only downfall. But, if you really believe an underdog could win or draw in an upcoming match against a team much higher in the table, there can still be some excellent odds available for the Double Chance market.

1X2 vs Double Chance

How Double Chance Works – Examples

Heading to our recommended betting sites and seeing the Double Chance market and how it compares to 1X2, Draw No Bet, Half Time/Full Time betting and other options helps you to understand it further.

Since you are covering two of the three possible outcomes of a match, your chances of winning increase, though this is balanced by lower odds compared to a standard 1X2 bet. Let’s look at how it works with a practical example.

In a Premier League game between Manchester United and Liverpool, a bookmaker might offer the following odds:

1X2 Market

• Manchester United to win (1): 2.50
• Draw (X): 3.20
• Liverpool to win (2): 2.80

Double Chance Market

• Manchester United to win (1): 2.50
• Draw (X): 3.20
• Liverpool to win (2): 2.80

As you can see, the odds for the Double Chance options are lower than for the single outcomes in the 1X2 market, and this is because the risk is significantly reduced by covering two possibilities. To illustrate how you would win when betting on those specific options within the Double Chance market, we have detailed it all for you below:

• • 1X – You are betting on either the home team to win the match, or for it to end as a draw.

• • 12 – You need either team involved in the game to win the match, with a draw meaning your bet loses.

• • X2 – You bet on either the draw or the away team to win, meaning your bet is a loss if the home team wins.

Double Chance X2 Meaning

The “X2” is one of the three options available in Double Chance betting, and understanding the double chance x2 meaning is key to using this market effectively. When you place an X2 bet, you are betting that either the match ends in a draw (X) or the away team wins (2). Your bet is therefore successful if either of these results occurs and it means that the only way you lose an X2 bet is if the home team wins the match.

This type of bet is particularly useful when you believe an underdog playing away from home has a strong chance of avoiding defeat, or when two evenly matched teams are playing and the away side has a solid record on the road. Utilising the Double Chance market and specifically X2 offers a safety net that you don’t get with a standard bet on the away team in the 1X2 market.

Domestically, this could be in the Premier League and you are looking to bet on Tottenham, who have had a strong recent record away from home, but they also face a team of similar ability in Crystal Palace.

• Scenario: You place an X2 Double Chance bet on Tottenham.
• Winning Outcomes: You win your bet if Tottenham wins the match OR if the match ends in a draw.
• Losing Outcome: You lose your bet if Crystal Palace wins the match.

The same would apply for an international, for example if Spain were playing away to Germany in the UEFA Nations League. Spain has been in excellent form, but it is well known how strong Germany also is on the international stage.

• Scenario: You think Spain can avoid defeat, so you back them with an X2 Double Chance bet.
• Winning Outcomes: Your bet is a winner if Spain secures an away victory OR if the game finishes as a draw.
• Losing Outcome: Your bet only loses if Germany wins the match at home.

As you will be able to deduce from this, it’s clear that if you bet on X2, you are covering both the draw and the away result for the game you are wagering on, regardless of the league or competition.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Double Chance Bets

There are both advantages and disadvantages to betting on the Double Chance market, and you can find some of them below:

Integrating Double Chance bets into your football betting strategy can be highly effective, especially when you know how to apply it. Understanding the double chance meaning is the first step, and then the real value comes from using it in specific scenarios to increase your probability of winning.

Here are a few practical things to keep in mind when placing Double Chance bets:

• Back strong defensive away teams
• Capitalise on live betting opportunities
• Focus on underdogs
• Analyse form
• Don’t chase big odds
• Understand the matchup

Common Mistakes to Avoid

By getting ahead and understanding the common mistakes others make, you can use the Double Chance market much more effectively. Now you have the Double Chance meaning nailed, it’s time to take advantage of those many betting opportunities where you can utilise the market.

Overusing Double Chance on Heavy Favorites

Double Chance is not a market that should be used for heavy favorites. For example, if a team like Real Madrid is playing a relegation-battling team at home in La Liga, the odds for them to win (1) might be extremely low, perhaps 1.15. The odds for a 1X Double Chance (Real Madrid to win or draw) would be even lower, maybe 1.05.

Betting on such short odds offers almost no value, and will require a huge stake to make meaningful profit, which would wipe away any small wins that you have made if they were to lose unexpectedly. Double Chance is a tool for reducing risk in uncertain matches, not for making a safe bet even safer on a near-certainty.

Ignoring the Value in the Odds

Successful betting is equally about finding value as it is picking winning bets, and extracting value from a betting perspective means when the odds offered by the bookmaker are better than the true probability of an outcome.

Therefore, it’s always worth analysing whether the Double Chance bet is worthwhile, even if it seems a safe bet. If there appears to be a 50% chance of a team getting a win or a draw, but the X2 odds are only 1.50, there might be better value elsewhere.

Always compare the Double Chance odds to those in the traditional 1X2 market to ensure it makes sense.

Confusing Double Chance with Draw No Bet (DNB)

A critical mistake is not understanding the difference between Double Chance and Draw No Bet. While both reduce risk, they function differently. With a Double Chance bet (e.g., 1X), you win if the home team wins or it’s a draw. With a Draw No Bet wager on the home team, you win if they win, but you only get your stake back if the match is a draw – you don’t win any profit from a draw.

Because Double Chance pays out on two outcomes, its odds are always lower than the equivalent Draw No Bet option. Confusing the two can lead to disappointment when you expect a payout from a draw on a DNB bet, only to receive a stake refund. Knowing what each market offers is crucial for choosing the right one for your strategy.