Double Chance Betting Explained

Last updated: 3/08/2026

Double chance sounds like the sort of market that needs a whiteboard.

It doesn't.

It's one bet covering two of the three possible results in a football match.

Instead of backing a home win, a draw or an away win on its own, you pair two of them together:

• 1X
• X2
• 12

If either result in your pair lands, the bet wins.

If the third one lands, it loses.

That's the whole market. Three possible results, two on your side, one very much not.

Because you're covering more than one outcome, the price is shorter than backing either result on its own. More results covered. Less back when they land.

What 1X, X2 and 12 actually mean

The numbers come from the standard match result market:

• 1 = home win
• X = draw
• 2 = away win

Double chance pairs them up.

So:

1X means the home team can win or draw.

It loses if the away team wins.

X2 means the away team can win or draw.

It loses if the home team wins.

12 means either team can win.

It loses if the match ends in a draw.

See Everton 1X on a coupon? That means Everton to win or draw.

See X2? The away side must avoid defeat.

See 12? Someone needs to win. A draw ruins it.

No hieroglyphics. Just football shorthand.

A double chance bet, without the fog

Let's say Arsenal are at home to Everton.

The prices below are invented for the example. Live odds appear on the match page and move from fixture to fixture.

The standard match result market might look like this:

• Arsenal: 8/13
• Draw: 3/1
• Everton: 9/2

The double chance market might look like this:

• 1X: 1/5
• 12: 1/4
• X2: 5/4

Here's what a £10 stake would do.

£10 on 1X at 1/5

Arsenal win? Your bet wins.

Draw? Your bet wins.

Everton win? Your £10 is gone.

Return if it wins: £12

£10 on 12 at 1/4

Arsenal win? Your bet wins.

Everton win? Your bet wins.

Draw? That's the problem.

Return if it wins: £12.50

£10 on X2 at 5/4

Everton win? Your bet wins.

Draw? Your bet wins.

Arsenal win? Your £10 loses.

Return if it wins: £22.50

Every double chance selection still has a result that beats it.

You're giving yourself two routes to a win. You are not removing the third route to a loss.

Why double chance odds are shorter

Put the two markets side by side and the trade-off is staring back at you.

In this example:

• Arsenal to win is 8/13
• Arsenal or draw, which is 1X, is 1/5

The 1X price is shorter because it covers more results.

That's it. No secret formula hidden behind the curtain.

You're adding the draw to your side of the bet, and the odds reflect that extra cover.

More outcomes on your side means a shorter price.

Whether that trade works for a particular bet is your call. The market lays out the terms. It doesn't pick the bet for you.

Still looking at fractional odds like they've personally offended you? Our betting odds explained guide sorts that out.

When double chance bets settle

Double chance settles on the score after 90 minutes plus stoppage time.

Extra time does not count.

Penalties do not count.

So, if a cup tie finishes level after 90 minutes and one team wins after extra time, the draw is still the result used to settle the double chance market.

The team lifting the trophy later is lovely for them. It does not rewrite what happened at the end of normal time.

That distinction is worth knowing before a cup tie teaches it to you the hard way.

[CONFIRM: wording against Midnite's market rules for double chance settlement.]

Double chance vs draw no bet

These markets often get lumped together because both involve the draw.

But they treat it very differently.

With 1X, a draw wins the bet.

With draw no bet, a draw returns your stake.

Not a win. Not a loss. Your stake comes back.

That difference shows up in the prices.

For the same team:

• 1X is the shortest price
• Draw no bet sits in the middle
• The standard match result price is longer

Same match. Same team. Three different ways of dealing with a draw.

And, thankfully, the odds do a better job of explaining the difference than the market names.

The wider handicap betting family tackles a similar idea from another angle by adjusting the score instead of grouping results together.

Finding double chance on Midnite

Double chance appears in the match markets on football fixtures that carry it.

You'll usually find it near the standard match result market and totals markets such as over 2.5 goals.

[CONFIRM: current market placement in the UI and which competitions carry it.]

Where supported, double chance selections can also be added to a Bet Builder or used as legs in an accumulator.

Because apparently one market was never going to be enough for football fans.

Frequently asked questions

What is an example of a double chance bet?

Take the Arsenal example above.

A £10 bet on 1X at 1/5 returns £12 if Arsenal win or the match is drawn.

If Everton win, the full £10 stake is lost.

Two results on your side. One waiting to spoil the afternoon.

Can you lose a double chance bet?

Yes.

Every double chance bet has one result that loses it in full.

• 1X loses if the away team wins
• X2 loses if the home team wins
• 12 loses if the match is drawn

When that result lands, the whole stake is lost.

Double chance covers two outcomes. It does not cover everything.

What does double chance 1X2 mean?

1X2 is the notation used for the standard match result market:

• 1 means home win
• X means draw
• 2 means away win

Double chance takes those three symbols and pairs them:

• 1X
• X2
• 12

Three selections. Each one leaves a different result out in the cold.

When should I use double chance betting?

That's not something the market can decide for you.

What it can show you is the trade.

Double chance covers two of the three possible results, but the price is shorter.

The standard match result market covers one outcome, but the price is longer.

One gives you more outcomes. The other gives you a bigger price.

The market shows the terms. The choice is yours.

The bottom line

That's what double chance means in betting: one stake covering two of the three possible results in a football match.

You choose:

• 1X
• X2
• 12

If either result in your pair lands, the bet wins.

If the third result lands, it loses in full.

More outcomes are covered, so the price is shorter than backing one result on its own.

That's double chance. Slightly strange name. Very simple market.

You'll find it priced across Midnite's football.

Only bet with money you can afford to lose. Deposit and spend limits are available in your account to help you stay in control. Our responsible play hub contains the full set of tools, and BeGambleAware is available if you need support.

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About the author

Ben Cullen is Head of Risk at Midnite, where he leads the team that prices the markets and manages the sportsbook's exposure. He has spent 12 years in trading and risk, previously at Ladbrokes Coral, ComeOn and KingMakers. He writes here on how betting markets are actually built, priced and settled. Connect with Ben on LinkedIn.