A Double Chance bet covers two of the three possible 90-minute outcomes (home win, draw, away win) in a single selection. Because two outcomes are covered rather than one, the probability of winning increases — but the odds are correspondingly lower than a single 1X2 selection.
There are exactly three Double Chance options: 1X, X2, and 12.
The three Double Chance options
- 1X — home win or draw (the home team does not lose)
- X2 — draw or away win (the away team does not lose)
- 12 — home win or away win (the match is not a draw)
The number 1 always refers to the home team, X to a draw, and 2 to the away team — consistent with standard 1X2 notation.
How it works — worked examples
Example 1: Manchester City vs Brentford. Selection: 1X.
- City win 3-0 — 1X wins (home win is covered).
- Match draws 1-1 — 1X wins (draw is covered).
- Brentford win 1-0 — 1X loses (only outcome not covered is an away win).
Example 2: Manchester City vs Brentford. Selection: 12.
- City win 3-0 — 12 wins (home win is covered).
- Brentford win 1-0 — 12 wins (away win is covered).
- Match draws 0-0 — 12 loses (the only outcome not covered by 12 is a draw).
The 12 option is sometimes described as "no draw" — it wins as long as someone wins the match.
Odds comparison
Because two of three outcomes are covered, Double Chance odds are lower than the equivalent single 1X2 price. A team priced at 1.80 to win in the 1X2 market will have a lower price on the 1X Double Chance because the draw is also included.
Double Chance vs Draw No Bet
These two markets are frequently confused because both deal with the draw. The key difference:
- Double Chance 1X or X2 — the draw is a winning outcome.
- Draw No Bet — the draw results in a stake refund (void), not a win.
If you back the home team on Draw No Bet and the match draws, you get your stake back. If you back 1X on Double Chance and the match draws, you win. The odds for Draw No Bet sit between 1X2 (home win only) and Double Chance (home win or draw) because the draw produces different results in each market.
For a full explanation of Draw No Bet, see Draw No Bet Explained.
How the market is named across bookmakers
Double Chance is available under that exact name on all major bookmakers. Some platforms abbreviate it as DC in betslip views. The 1X, X2, and 12 selection codes are consistent across Bet9ja, SportyBet, 1xBet, and Stake.
Converting slips with this market
SlipMix converts Double Chance selections between Bet9ja, SportyBet, 1xBet, and Stake. The 1X, X2, or 12 selection is matched to the correct equivalent on the target bookmaker.
For a broader overview of football markets, see Football Betting Markets Explained.
Frequently asked questions
Is 12 the same as "no draw"? Yes. The 12 Double Chance selection covers home win and away win, leaving out only the draw. It wins on any result except a draw.
Does Double Chance apply to extra time? Standard Double Chance markets cover 90 minutes plus stoppage time only. For knockout matches that go to extra time, the settlement is still based on the 90-minute result unless the bookmaker specifies otherwise.
Why are Double Chance odds lower than 1X2? Because you are covering two outcomes instead of one. A 1X2 home win bet loses if the match draws or the away team wins. A 1X Double Chance bet only loses if the away team wins — that is a much smaller range of losing outcomes, which is reflected in the lower odds.