What Does Double Chance Mean? 1X, X2 and 12 Explained

What does double chance mean? A double chance bet covers two of the three possible match outcomes (home win, draw or away win) with one bet and a single stake. You win if either of your two results happens and lose only if the third one does, so you get two chances of hitting a winner instead of one.

Double chance is one of the most popular markets in football betting, and it also exists in other sports where a tie is possible, such as ice hockey settled in regulation time. The double chance market has three options:

• 1X: wins if the home team wins or the match is a draw.
• X2: wins if the away team wins or the match is a draw.
• 12: wins if either team wins; loses only on a draw.

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Double Chance Meaning: 1X, X2 and 12 Options

1X (home win or draw). Use it when you expect the home side to avoid defeat. You lose only if the away team wins. See today's 1X predictions for current probabilities.

X2 (draw or away win). The mirror image: you back the away side to avoid defeat and lose only if the home team wins.

12 (home or away win). Use it when you expect a winner but are unsure who. It removes the draw entirely, so a level score means the bet loses.

All three options are settled on 90 minutes plus stoppage time. Extra time and penalty shootouts do not count unless the bookmaker states otherwise.

How Double Chance Works in Practice

The standard match result market in football (soccer) has three possible outcomes. A double chance bet bundles two of them into one selection on your bet slip, so it works like a single bet on two outcomes. At the final whistle exactly one outcome happens: if the match ends in one of your two, the bet wins; if it is the excluded one, you lose your wager. Many bookmakers also offer double chance in-play, on football matches that have already started.

• 1X: wins on 2–1, 3–0, 1–1, 0–0. Loses on 0–1 or 1–2.
• X2: wins on 0–1, 1–2, 1–1, 2–2. Loses on 1–0 or 2–1.
• 12: wins on 1–0, 0–1, 2–1, 1–2. Loses on 0–0, 1–1, 2–2.

Rules for abandoned or postponed matches differ between bookmakers, so check the house rules for edge cases.

Double Chance Odds and 1X2 Probabilities (Worked Example)

Double chance odds come straight from the 1X2 match result probabilities. Covering two of the three outcomes instead of one raises your chances of winning, and a higher chance of success always means lower odds. That is the core trade-off of the double chance market compared with different markets on the same match.

Suppose the probabilities for a match are:

• Home win: 45%
• Draw: 28%
• Away win: 27%

Double chance probabilities are simple sums:

• 1X = 45% + 28% = 73% → fair odds 1 ÷ 0.73 ≈ 1.37
• X2 = 28% + 27% = 55% → fair odds ≈ 1.82
• 12 = 45% + 27% = 72% → fair odds ≈ 1.39

Bookmakers then add their margin, so you might see 1.30 on 1X instead of 1.37. Low double chance odds reflect a higher chance of winning, not automatically poor value. The only question is whether the price is longer or shorter than the probability justifies.

SmartBet.gg shows the probability next to bookmaker odds and expected value for both 1X2 and double chance. For the three-way market itself, see What Is 1X2 in Betting?

Double Chance Betting Tips: When It Makes Sense

Double chance is not a safe bet: one result always loses. For bettors, the useful question is when the extra coverage is worth the lower odds. These double chance betting tips are about situations, not guarantees.

Strong away side at a stubborn host: X2. When a stronger team travels to a side that rarely loses at home, the draw is a real possibility. X2 covers both the away win and the draw.

Evenly matched, draw-prone games: 1X or X2. In leagues or head-to-heads with frequent draws, pairing one side with the draw gives broader coverage at shorter odds.

Home underdog in good form: 1X. If a weaker team is hard to beat at home, 1X pays on both a surprise win and a draw.

Two attacking teams, few draws: 12. When both teams score and concede a lot, a draw is less likely and 12 removes the draw option from the equation. You only need one team to win, whoever the winner is.

Before you decide, look at form, home and away records and league draw rates, then compare the probability with the price. If the possibility of the excluded result is bigger than the odds suggest, skip the bet.

In every case, check whether the offered price is better than the probability. Lower risk only makes sense when the odds still give an edge. You can filter double chance predictions by league, odds range and option across 120+ leagues.

Home, Draw and Away Rates by League

Leagues differ in home advantage and how often games end level, and that changes which double chance option is more likely to land.

Home win, draw and away win rates by league (2025/26):

Source: SmartBet.gg data, 2025/26 season, 90 minutes plus stoppage time. 1X = home win + draw, X2 = draw + away win, 12 = home win + away win.

Draws were most common in the Ekstraklasa (27.8%) and the Premier League (27.4%). The Champions League had by far the fewest at 18.9%, which pushed the 12 option to 81.1%, the highest figure in the table. Home advantage was strongest in La Liga, where home teams won 49.0% of matches and 1X landed 73.4% of the time.

Serie A is the outlier: away teams won 35.0% of matches and home teams only 39.0%, so X2 landed 61.0% of the time, more than in any other league here. League averages are a starting point, not a pick: the right option still depends on the two teams and the price.

Current figures for every league are on the match result statistics page.

Double Chance vs Draw No Bet vs Standard 1X2

All three markets revolve around the same three outcomes but balance coverage and price differently.

None of these markets in sports betting guarantees a profit. They let you choose how much coverage and risk you want, and what price you accept for it.

FAQ: Common Questions About Double Chance Bets

What happens to a 12 bet if the match is a draw? It loses. The 12 option covers only a home or away win.

Does double chance include extra time or penalties? No. Standard double chance bets settle on 90 minutes plus stoppage time, unless the bookmaker states otherwise for knockout matches.

Why are double chance odds so low? Because covering two of three outcomes makes the bet much more likely to win. That is the mathematical trade-off, not a sign of bad value by default.

Double chance or draw no bet: which is better? Neither is better in general. Double chance pays out in full on a draw (1X or X2) at lower odds; draw no bet refunds your stake on a draw but pays more when your team wins.

Is double chance a guaranteed win? No. One result always makes the bet lose, and no strategy guarantees wins in football betting. Stake only what you can afford to lose.

Today's Double Chance Predictions on SmartBet.gg

SmartBet.gg is a data-driven football statistics and predictions platform, not a bookmaker. It covers 120+ leagues and shows a probability for every double chance option (1X, X2 and 12) based on team form, home and away splits and head-to-head data, with bookmaker odds and expected value alongside. Results are published openly, including the picks that miss.

• Filter by league, odds range and option.
• 2 free picks daily; Premium unlocks every match and market.

Browse today's picks: Double Chance Predictions Today

Check the numbers, make your own call and always bet responsibly.