Gone are the days when betting was confined to several sports and bet markets. Football is, without doubt, the sport attracting more betting action than any other sport in the world. The sports betting industry has substantially evolved over the years and a single football event may generate a profuse amount of profitable options for punters.
The 1x2 Bet ExplainedFrom betting on the total number of goals in a match and the correct score to more advanced handicap bets and accumulators, bettors have a vast expanse of markets to explore in contemporary sportsbooks. Other options they may look into include both teams to score, double chance, draw no bet, and more.
Among the most commonly preferred betting markets today remain the win-draw-win bets, also referred to as 1×2 bets and match result betting. They may also be found under the name of three-way bets. Punters bet on one of the three possible outcomes of a football match – home win, away win, or draw.
As a matter of fact, this type of wager was punters’ sole option in the dawn of sports betting. Nowadays, this betting market can be found at every online bookmaker and is a good starting point for inexperienced bettors.
The 1×2 Bet Explained
The 1×2 bet is quite a straightforward option for punters, whereby they choose to back the home team, denoted by 1, the away team, indicated with 2, or a draw, marked by the x.
1 = home win
X = draw
2 = away win
If you choose to back the first possible outcome, your bet will win if the home team is victorious, and you will lose if the match ends in a draw or an away win. The same holds true for the other two possible outcomes of the game. If bettors choose to wager their money on a draw, they will win if both teams have scored an equal number of goals and will lose in cases of home or away win. With the last possible outcome, those who have placed a stake on the guests will win in case of an away win and will lose if the match ends in a home win or a draw.
Many football matches can be easily predicted, and they do not pose a challenge to bettors, especially ones that are accustomed to following a certain league and are familiar with minute details. What is more, if a winner of a football match is evident to bettors, bookmakers are sure to give a low price to the market, thus making the wager an unprofitable one. So, as simple as 1×2 bets may seem, they may prove to be challenging when it comes to making a proper profit out of them.
However, considering that football can be quite unpredictable, surprises are always an option. There is not a 100% guarantee that a team considered a favorite will always win the match.
Example
Let us proceed with an example of how 1×2 bets work and the related odds, stakes, and profits.
| Odds | Stake | Potential profit | Total return /stake+profit/ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Team / Southampton | 1.51 | €10 | €5.10 | €15.10 |
| Draw | 4.15 | €10 | €31.50 | €41.50 |
| Away Team / Norwich | 6.00 | €10 | €50.00 | €60.00 |
In an upcoming match from the English Premier League, Southampton is the Home team, and Norwich is the Away team. The bookmaker’s prices are as follows – 1.51 for a Home win, 6.00 for an Away win, and 4.15 for the match ending in a draw. Let us assume that a punter decides to back the favorite. By staking €10 on a Home win, the potential profit would be €5.10, and the total amount of the return would include the stake and the profit, resulting in €15.10.
What we can learn from statistics is that approximately 1 in every 4 matches from the English Premier League will end in a draw. By wagering the same amount of money, €10, on an outcome ending in a draw, punters can collect a more substantial profit of €31.50, or a total of €41.50, including the initial stake.
And finally, those who decide to back the Away team, Norwich, at odds of 6.00, would sweep a potential profit of €50.00, or a total €60.00, including the stake of €10.00.
Identifying Value in 1×2 Bets
Identifying value is an integral part of 1×2 betting. We have witnessed many matches in which backing the underdog or the draw has proved to be the wise decision. It is of vital importance for bettors to take into consideration as many factors impacting the outcome as possible.
Looking at the quality of both teams is a good starting point, but unfortunately, far from enough. One team may have an obvious advantage over another due to a number of star players, but bettors should not forget to look into their current form, motivation, and injuries. Additionally, checking the team considered an underdog is equally important.
Punters should also take into account other important factors such as Head to Head Records, Home and Away Records, styles of play, and recent schedules.
By taking into consideration all of the above-mentioned factors bettors can assess the probabilities of the three possible outcomes of the match with greater precision. Calculating the implied probability of Decimal odds is very easy. Bettors should divide 1 by the Decimal format odds and then, they should multiply the result by 100 to convert it into a percentage.
Additional Tips
Applicable to football betting as a whole, the following tips can be taken into consideration for 1×2 bet markets as well.
- First and foremost, bettors should invest their money in championships they are interested in and follow. Thus the chances of making correct predictions exponentially grow and punters can sweep greater profits from 1×2 markets.
- Other than being aware of the important factors influencing football matches, punters should pay extra attention to the available statistics and standings for the championships they are interested in. Many bookmakers offer such on their betting platforms.
- Yet another useful tip that bettors may consider is to use odds comparison websites so they can identify the best prices available on the market and extract the highest possible value out of the 1×2 bets they explore.
- If punters are intent on winning greater profits from win-draw-win markets, they should invest some time into exploring the promotions and incentives offered by individual bookmakers. That being said, odds boost offers are very common and many bookmakers entice punters by offering lucrative prices on premier championships.
- And last but not least, punters should not forget that they are able to combine several single 1×2 bets into an accumulator bet thus resulting in a more lucrative return.