Double chance betting is a football betting market that gives you two possible winning outcomes instead of one. Rather than choosing only a home win, draw or away win, you can cover two of those three results with a single selection.
This makes double chance one of the easier football betting markets for beginners to understand. In this guide, we explain what double chance betting means, how 1X, X2 and 12 work, and how to read each selection using simple football examples.
What Is Double Chance Betting?
Double chance betting allows you to select two possible outcomes from the three standard 1X2 results: home win, draw or away win.
The three standard double chance selections are:
- 1X – the home team wins or the match ends in a draw.
- X2 – the match ends in a draw or the away team wins.
- 12 – either the home team or the away team wins, meaning the match must not end in a draw.
The idea is simple: instead of needing one specific result, your selection covers two possible outcomes.
What Does 1X Mean in Football Betting?
1X means that you are covering two outcomes: a home win or a draw.
The number 1 represents a home win, while X represents a draw.
For example, imagine Team A is playing Team B and you select 1X.
Your selection would meet its condition if:
- Team A wins 1-0
- Team A wins 2-1
- The match ends 0-0
- The match ends 1-1
However, if Team B wins the match, the 1X selection does not meet its condition.
If you are still learning the basic 1X2 market, see our guide to what 1X2 means in football betting.
What Does X2 Mean in Football Betting?
X2 covers a draw or an away win.
The X represents the draw, while 2 represents an away win.
Using the same example of Team A playing Team B, an X2 selection would meet its condition if:
- The match ends 0-0
- The match ends 1-1
- Team B wins 1-0
- Team B wins 3-1
If Team A wins the match, however, X2 does not meet its condition.
What Does 12 Mean in Football Betting?
12 is slightly different from 1X and X2 because it covers both teams winning but excludes the draw.
If you select 12, your selection meets its condition if either the home team or the away team wins.
For example:
- Team A wins 1-0 – 12 qualifies.
- Team A wins 3-2 – 12 qualifies.
- Team B wins 2-0 – 12 qualifies.
- Team B wins 2-1 – 12 qualifies.
- The match ends 0-0 – 12 does not qualify.
- The match ends 1-1 – 12 does not qualify.
So, the easiest way to remember 12 is: either team must win; a draw is not covered.
Double Chance Betting Explained With a Simple Table
| Selection | Covered outcomes | Not covered |
|---|---|---|
| 1X | Home win or draw | Away win |
| X2 | Draw or away win | Home win |
| 12 | Home win or away win | Draw |
Once you understand what the numbers and X represent, the three double chance options become much easier to read.
Why Do People Use Double Chance?
One reason double chance attracts attention is that it covers two of the three possible 1X2 outcomes.
For example, someone who expects the home team to avoid defeat may prefer a 1X selection rather than choosing a home win only.
Similarly, someone who expects the away team to avoid defeat may consider X2.
However, covering two outcomes does not mean that the selection is guaranteed to win. The third outcome can still make the selection unsuccessful.
Double Chance vs 1X2 Betting
The main difference between double chance and the standard 1X2 market is the number of outcomes covered by the selection.
With standard 1X2 betting, you normally choose one of three outcomes:
- 1 – home team wins
- X – draw
- 2 – away team wins
With double chance, you combine two of those outcomes:
- 1X – home win or draw
- X2 – draw or away win
- 12 – home win or away win
If you want to understand how the standard market works first, read our 1X2 football betting guide.
Does Double Chance Guarantee a Winning Bet?
No. Double chance does not guarantee a winning bet.
Although two possible outcomes are covered, one outcome is still excluded.
For example, if you select 1X, an away win would make the selection unsuccessful. If you select X2, a home win would make it unsuccessful. If you select 12, a draw would make it unsuccessful.
This is why it is important to understand exactly what each selection covers before placing a bet.
How Double Chance Appears on a Betting Slip
When available for a football match, double chance can normally be found among the match’s betting markets.
You may see selections such as:
- 1X
- X2
- 12
After selecting one of them, it can appear on your betting slip together with the relevant match and odds.
If you are unfamiliar with betting slips, our guide on how a football betting slip works explains how selections, stakes and potential returns are displayed.
Double Chance and Betting Odds
Because a double chance selection covers two possible outcomes, its odds can be different from the odds for selecting only one outcome.
For example, selecting a home win means that only a home victory satisfies the selection. Choosing 1X covers both a home victory and a draw.
The odds displayed by a betting platform reflect the market and the probability assigned to the available outcomes. Odds can vary between matches and betting platforms.
If you are new to odds, our guide on how to read football betting odds explains decimal odds and potential returns.
How to Understand 1X, X2 and 12 Quickly
A simple way to remember the three selections is to think about the outcome you are excluding.
- 1X excludes an away win.
- X2 excludes a home win.
- 12 excludes a draw.
Another way to remember them is:
1X = Home team does not lose
X2 = Away team does not lose
12 = There is a winner
These descriptions are useful for understanding the market, but they do not predict the actual result of a football match.
Double Chance Example
Imagine a match between Team A and Team B.
You believe Team A has a good chance of winning, but you also think a draw is possible. Instead of selecting a home win only, you could look at the 1X market.
Suppose the match finishes:
- 2-0: 1X qualifies because the home team won.
- 1-1: 1X qualifies because the match was a draw.
- 0-1: 1X does not qualify because the away team won.
The example shows why understanding the exact covered outcomes is more important than simply remembering the name “double chance.”
Double Chance vs BTTS
Double chance and Both Teams to Score are completely different football betting markets.
Double chance focuses on the match result and covers two of the three possible outcomes.
BTTS focuses on whether both teams score at least one goal.
For example, a 1-0 result can satisfy 1X if the home team was selected, but it does not satisfy BTTS Yes because the away team did not score.
You can learn more about this market in our guide to Both Teams to Score (BTTS).
Common Double Chance Mistakes Beginners Make
Thinking 1X Means Either Team Can Win
It does not. 1X covers a home win or a draw. An away win is not covered.
Confusing X2 With 12
X2 covers a draw or away win, while 12 covers a home win or away win. The key difference is whether the draw is included.
Assuming Double Chance Is a Guarantee
Double chance covers two outcomes, but one possible outcome is still excluded. It is therefore not a guaranteed result.
Ignoring the Match Context
Understanding a market does not mean you can predict the result with certainty. Team form, injuries, lineups, tactics and other match circumstances can change how a game develops.
Frequently Asked Questions About Double Chance Betting
What does double chance mean in football betting?
Double chance means selecting two possible outcomes from the three standard football match results: home win, draw or away win.
What does 1X mean?
1X means the home team wins or the match ends in a draw. An away win is not covered.
What does X2 mean?
X2 means the match ends in a draw or the away team wins. A home win is not covered.
What does 12 mean?
12 means either the home team or the away team wins. A draw is not covered.
Is double chance safer than a normal 1X2 bet?
Double chance covers two possible match outcomes, but that does not make the result certain. It is simply a different market with different conditions and odds.
Does a draw count for 1X?
Yes. A draw is one of the two outcomes covered by 1X.
Does a draw count for X2?
Yes. X2 covers both a draw and an away win.
Does a draw count for 12?
No. 12 covers a home win or away win, so a draw does not meet the condition.
Responsible Betting
Understanding a football betting market does not remove the financial risk involved in gambling. No double chance selection guarantees a winning outcome.
Only bet if you are legally permitted to do so, use money you can afford to lose, and never chase losses. If gambling becomes difficult to control, consider taking a break and seeking appropriate support.
18+ only. Gamble responsibly.
Final Thoughts
Double chance betting is a football market that covers two of the three standard match outcomes.
1X covers a home win or draw, X2 covers a draw or away win, while 12 covers either team winning and excludes the draw.
The easiest way to understand double chance is to remember which result each selection leaves out. Once you understand that difference, reading the market on a football betting platform becomes much simpler.
As with every betting market, understanding the rules does not guarantee a particular result. Football matches remain unpredictable, so betting should always be approached responsibly.