Sports Bet Win Draw Win: How the 1X2 Market Works

What does win-draw-win mean in sports betting?

In a standard win-draw-win market, you select one of three possible results for a match over a stated period. You might also see this unadjusted match-result market called 1X2 or simply match result. When the market is settled normally, one of the three selections wins.

The home and away labels refer to how the event is listed, not necessarily to which team is more likely to win. Check those labels carefully, particularly when a match is played at a neutral venue.

For a fictional example, suppose Harbour FC is listed at home against Valley FC. If Harbour wins 2–1, selection 1 wins. If the relevant score is 1–1, X wins. If Valley wins 1–0, selection 2 wins. These examples assume the scores are recorded at the end of the market’s settlement period.

A draw is a result in its own right, not an automatic refund. If the relevant score is level, a draw selection wins and both team-win selections lose. Conversely, a draw selection loses if either side finishes ahead.

Soccer is a useful example because both Sportsbet and Dabble publish rules for soccer match-result markets. Other sports may have three-outcome or regulation-time markets, but availability and settlement depend on the event and operator. A market with three selections is not necessarily an ordinary match result: a three-way handicap, for example, uses a score adjustment before deciding the outcome.

• 1: the home team wins.
• X: the match is a draw.
• 2: the away team wins.

How to read three-way betting odds

A bookmaker normally displays a decimal price beside each selection. The following prices are fictional illustrations, not current quotes: home win at 2.40, draw at 3.20 and away win at 3.10.

For a $10 cash single on the home team at accepted odds of 2.40, a successful bet would return $24: the $10 stake multiplied by 2.40. The total includes the original stake, so the profit would be $14. If the market settles normally as a draw or away win, the $10 stake is lost.

A single is one bet on one selection. The example does not account for a void bet, a promotion, exchange commission or other special conditions. It also uses the odds accepted for the bet: a displayed price can change before a bet is accepted.

Decimal odds can be converted into a raw implied probability by dividing one by the odds. For 2.40, the calculation is 1 ÷ 2.40, or approximately 41.7%. A shorter price corresponds to a higher raw implied probability, but it does not guarantee the selection will win.

The calculation is not an objective forecast of the result. Bookmaker prices can include a margin, so the three raw implied probabilities do not necessarily add up to exactly 100%. Comparing prices can help you understand the potential return, but it cannot remove the risk of losing the stake.

• Fictional home-win odds: 2.40.
• Fictional draw odds: 3.20.
• Fictional away-win odds: 3.10.

How are win-draw-win bets settled?

Settlement depends on the score at the end of the period stated in the market rules. The result used for a match bet can therefore differ from the result of a competition or the team that eventually advances.

Sportsbet says its soccer win-draw-win market is settled after 90 minutes of regular time, including stoppage time. Dabble’s soccer match-result rule similarly includes injury time but excludes extra time and penalty shootouts. Stoppage time is the additional time played at the end of a half; it is not the same as extra time played after a regulation-time draw.

Consider a fictional cup match that finishes 1–1 after regulation and stoppage time. One team then wins in extra time or progresses after a penalty shootout. Under Sportsbet’s published soccer win-draw-win rule, the draw selection wins and both team-win selections lose, even though one team goes through to the next round.

A separate market on which team will progress asks a different question. Dabble’s soccer rules distinguish its match-result market from qualification markets that can include extra time or a shootout. If your team advances but your match-result bet loses, check which market you selected and the score at its settlement point.

These are published soccer rules for named operators, not a universal 90-minute rule for every sport or specially labelled market. Check the event description and the applicable operator rules before relying on a market name alone.

What happens if a match is postponed or abandoned?

An interruption does not always mean an immediate or automatic refund. Settlement can depend on the operator’s rules, the competition, whether the match was postponed or abandoned, and whether the outcome of the particular bet was already determined.

For example, an undetermined match-result bet on an abandoned game may be void under the applicable terms. Sportsbet publishes separate soccer provisions for abandoned and postponed matches, with conditions and exceptions. Those provisions should not be treated as a deadline that applies to every bookmaker.

If a game is interrupted, check both the event-specific terms and the operator’s general rules. If the wording does not explain your situation, contact the operator and ask how the particular market will be settled.

Win-draw-win vs draw no bet and other markets

Markets can look similar because they involve the same teams, but a drawn score can produce a different result in each one. The comparison below assumes a draw at the end of the relevant market period and normal settlement.

In win-draw-win, the draw is a separately priced selection. A home-win or away-win bet loses if that period ends level. Under Dabble’s soccer draw-no-bet rule, by contrast, the market is void and stakes are refunded when the relevant result is a draw.

Using the fictional 1–1 result, a home-win selection in the ordinary match-result market loses. A home draw-no-bet selection under Dabble’s published soccer rule is refunded. That protection applies to the draw; the home draw-no-bet selection can still lose if the away side wins.

Double chance combines two outcomes in one selection. For the same 1–1 result, home-or-draw and away-or-draw selections win, while home-or-away loses. It covers two outcomes, not all three.

A generic two-way winner or head-to-head market is not automatically draw no bet. Depending on its terms, the result might include extra time, a draw might be refunded, or another settlement provision might apply. Read the rule for the specific market rather than assuming what happens because only two teams are listed.

• Win-draw-win: choose home, draw or away. On a draw, the draw selection wins and either team-win selection loses.
• Draw no bet: normally choose either team. Under Dabble’s soccer rule, a draw voids the market and stakes are refunded.
• Double chance: choose a combination of two outcomes. A selection containing the draw wins when the relevant result is level.
• Two-way winner: usually choose either team. Check the market rules for its treatment of a draw and extra time.

How to find and check a win-draw-win market

The most useful check is not just whether three prices appear, but what those prices represent. Look for an ordinary match-result market rather than a handicap or a different period of play.

Before confirming any bet, read the event and market rules and review the details on the bet. A market label can help identify the selection, but it does not replace the settlement terms. Availability and the layout used to display markets vary by operator and event.

Sportsbet’s help centre uses the name Win Draw Win and says its soccer market settles on regular time including stoppage time. In the earlier 1–1 cup example, that published rule makes the draw the winning selection even if a team subsequently advances. The published rule does not establish that a particular event is currently offered.

• Identify the event and confirm which side is listed as home and which is away.
• Look for match result, 1X2 or win-draw-win, with home, draw and away clearly identified.
• Check the settlement period and whether stoppage time, extra time or a shootout counts.
• Read the rules for postponed or abandoned matches, as well as any event-specific terms.
• If considering a bet, review the selection, stake and accepted odds before confirmation.

Risks and safer gambling in Australia

A bet can lose, including when a result seems likely or the odds are short. Decide whether to bet at all, and do not treat gambling as a way to earn income or recover previous losses. Setting a spending limit and checking the controls available on an account can help you keep track of what you spend.

Sportsbet states that users must be at least 18 to open an account or gamble with it. AUSTRAC also requires online gambling providers to complete applicable customer identification procedures before creating an account or commencing a designated service. Identity verification alone does not establish that every other eligibility condition is met.

If you want to check whether an operator is permitted to provide services in Australia, ACMA maintains a register of legal gambling operators. Rules and support services can change, so check the relevant official information when you need it.

Support is available whether you are concerned about your own gambling or someone else’s. Self-exclusion and helpline services are separate options; you can use the support that suits your circumstances.

• Gambling Helpline: call 1800 858 858 for free, confidential support, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• BetStop: self-exclude from all Australian-licensed online and phone wagering providers for at least three months, up to a lifetime. It does not block every form of gambling.

FAQ

What does 1X2 stand for?

In an ordinary match-result market, 1 means a home win, X means a draw and 2 means an away win. The result is judged over the period specified in the market rules.

Does a draw include extra time?

It depends on the market. Sportsbet’s published soccer win-draw-win rule uses regular time plus stoppage time, not extra time or a penalty shootout. Other sports, operators or specially labelled markets can have different terms.

Why did my team-win bet lose when my team advanced?

The match may have been level when the match-result market’s settlement period ended, with your team advancing after extra time or penalties. A bet on the match result is different from a bet on which team will progress.

Does a draw mean my stake is refunded?

Not in a standard win-draw-win market settled normally: the draw selection wins and team-win selections lose. A different market may treat the draw differently. For example, Dabble’s soccer draw-no-bet rule voids the market and refunds stakes when the relevant result is a draw.

What happens if a match is abandoned?

The operator’s event and market rules determine settlement. An undetermined bet may be void, but conditions and exceptions vary. Check the applicable terms or ask the operator about the specific bet rather than assuming a refund.

Is win-draw-win the same as draw no bet?

No. Win-draw-win has three selections, including a separately priced draw. Draw no bet normally offers a choice between the teams; under Dabble’s soccer rule, a draw voids that market and stakes are refunded.

Can three selections indicate a handicap market?

Yes. A three-way handicap can also offer three selections, but settlement uses a score adjustment. Check the market description to distinguish it from an ordinary, unadjusted match-result bet.