When you know that your guys would rather die than lose this battle, but they actually kinda suck, maybe a double chance bet is what you need. Placing this one you don’t care whether it’ll be a glorious victory or the most boring draw of all time, you still win your bet if they don’t lose.
Meaning of Double Chance and How It Works
Your bet in this case is that your team will not lose. It doesn’t matter if they win or it’s a draw, you’ll get the same amount of money. That’s the difference between double chance bet and zero handicap, although these markets are similar. Betting with handicap (0) you win only if your team wins, and in case of a draw you take your wager back (settled as 1.00). Of course, the odds are higher for zero handicap; for double chance bets they are usually pretty humble. And no need to say how huge the abyss between this one and 1X2 markets.
Look at the double chance bet example below. Let’s say, we’re gonna believe in Betis. Betting on their victory, we’ll take almost 6.00. Betting on win or draw (the second shot) gives us slightly more than 2.00.
You can also bet on “no draw” but the odds are almost as ridiculous as for “Atletico or Draw” outcome.
In theory, the same market may be applied for any comparisons between teams as well, like for corners or bookings, but that’s uncommon.
In hockey
Ice hockey also fits a double chance bet. Although nowadays there is no actual draw because teams play until somebody wins, you can still bet on a draw excluding overtime. Consequently, you can bet on a win/draw the same way we just did in football.
But for most games this market is not an option since a draw is impossible or unlikely (in basketball, for instance).
Pros and Cons
Pros and cons of this bet depends on your playing philosophy. We always say “betting is for fun, not for money”. If you have the same attitude, double chance betting seems nice for you. It gives you more chances to win the bet and take positive emotions which are the main goal.
Bad news is it’s usually not a pile of money. Since win or draw is a highly possible outcome in many games, the odds will be really low. And if they won’t, it means that, perhaps, you’re gonna back the lame horse.
Therefore, if what you want is not entertainment only, but also some cash to win, you would rather avoid this market, because it’s basically the same as 1X2 market, but with additional insurance. And insurance might be good if you feel insecure, but it costs you something. On the other hand, the 1X2 market usually has the lowest margin and it’s more profitable to bet there.
Double chance betting strategy
Honestly, it’s difficult to find a good strategy which includes this market. It is supposed to be the one for people who want to win as frequently as possible, no matter how much. We totally understand this desire, but in terms of winning money this market is not a goldmine.
We believe that the best case you can use double chance is this: One team is a clear underdog looking at stats and the latest performance of both teams, but these guys are rock solid at their home arena. It means they can play better than we expect against the favs, and at the same time, the better team might eventually decide that a tie is not the worst possible result of this hard game. In this case, a double chance bet may be useful.
The same applies for other similar situations, For example, if an underdog is Nemesis for their stronger opponent. The German football fans know that Schalke 04 has never lost at home to St. Pauli in the last 30 years. In Gelsenkirchen, the VELTINS-Arena is reputedly unlucky for “pirates”. In March 2024, the hosts got 1.71 on X1, which made many punters grin. As a result, the underdog Schalke from 14th place defeated the 2. Bundesliga leader St. Pauli 3:1.
And the most obvious situation for using a double chance bet — when the team you back has the same goal. For instance, in order to advance from the group in the Champions League, the team needs just one point. So, win and draw are both equally good for them.