Draw bets are a popular market in the betting sections of some sports, including popular disciplines such as football, basketball, hockey, handball and various martial arts. This type of bet is available at absolutely all bookmakers.
Draws are found in bets on events where there can be three outcomes, also called 3-way bets. This page will explain what draw bets are, show you the most popular draw betting strategies and examine their pros and cons.
What is a Bet on Draw?
A draw bet is a prediction that there will not be a winner in the selected match. In other words, both teams will have the same number of goals, records, points, etc. Bookmakers give higher odds for a draw than for a favourite to win, so it is not surprising that these markets attract many bettors. But, as with any other bet, there are many parameters to consider carefully.
Draw Bets: Bookmakers Symbols in Sports Betting
You will find bets on draws in the betting section on the main results of the match, these are called X or Draw. In general, there are many bets that include this outcome:
Option X bets should not be confused with the "12" or "W1W2" market. This bet is just the opposite and it will be a winner if there is no draw in the game.
Bet on a Draw: Understanding and Examples
Betting on a draw is often very popular because of high odds. Even in football, where the probability of a draw is much higher than in basketball or handball, the odds for a draw are in higher than 3.00. Let's look at an example of a draw bet and its calculation.
Let's say we bet 10 euros on option X at odds of 6.30 for Leeds United - Manchester City. The bet will win if the opponents score the same number of goals, including a rare 0:0. If successful, the payout will be 10 euros x 6.30 = 63 euros.
Odds on the main results of the match Leeds United - Manchester City
Before betting on a draw, we recommend that you read the bookmaker's rules, as well as our tips for betting on your chosen sport. The rules page details the terms and conditions for each type of bet.
There are several important factors that increase the likelihood of a draw. Pay attention to the following conditions:
When selecting matches for the tote, bookmakers tend to choose “unpredictable” games with roughly equal opponents, in terms of form and motivation. The probability of a draw in these matches is also high, so it is useful to look at the tote options when selecting bet on a draw.
The best sports to bet on draws
You can find bets on draws in many disciplines: hockey, basketball, handball. But the most studied and popular sport for draw betting, of course, is football. Let's take a look at the options for betting on a draw in different sports.
Betting on a draw in football
In football betting, the odds on a draw are always higher than on the favourite’s Win. The odds for a draw are on average 3.30-3.50, which gives you an advantage even with 33% of correct predictions.
In some football championships, the probability of a draw is quite high, above 30%. One promising option is the Italian Serie B. In the 2021/22 season, 30% of the matches ended this way and on some seekends, 6 out of 10 matches ended in a draw. In the 2020/21 season, there were even more draws, 34%. Based on the season's draw statistics, it is more than realistic to guess the outcome of such a match in 3 or 4 attempts.
Statistics of draws in the major European leagues
Country | League | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
England | EPL | 26,1% | 18,7% | 24,2% | 21,8% | 23,2% |
England | Championship | 26,8% | 29,1% | 26,8% | 25,1% | 25,1% |
Spain | LaLiga | 22,6% | 28,9% | 27,6% | 28,7% | 29,2% |
Spain | LaLiga 2 | 28,6% | 30,6% | 34% | 28,4% | 29,5% |
Italy | Serie A | 21,8% | 28,4% | 22,4% | 25,3% | 25,8% |
Italy | Serie B | 35% | 32,1% | 26,4% | 34,3% | 30,8% |
Germany | Bundesliga | 27,1% | 23,9% | 22,2% | 26,5% | 23,9% |
Germany | 2. Bundesliga | 29,1% | 28,8% | 32% | 23,5% | 28,1% |
France | Ligue 1 | 25,3% | 28,9% | 25,1% | 25% | 26,8% |
France | Ligue 2 | 22,8% | 28,8% | 30% | 33,2% | 27,89% |
Betting on draws in hockey
In hockey matches, bookmakers offer the possibility of betting on a draw at the end of periods and the entire match. In hockey, the score can change several times per minute, making it difficult to guess a draw. Statistically, the most frequent draws after three periods are in the KHL, NHL and Finnish league, but the probability is mediciore, below 25%.
To increase the probability of a draw, experts advise opting for a draw in the first period. In the 2019/20 KHL regular season a draw after the first period was recorded in 40% of the games. You can also opt to bet on the exact result of 0:0 in the first period. Depending on the league and the match, the odds vary between 3.30 and 5.00.
Betting on draws in basketball
Draws in basketball are much rarer than in football and hockey, so the odds are always high, ranging from 10.00 to 30.00. Although a four-quarter draw is unlikely, there are some interesting possibilities.
Draw odds on an NBA game
Experts advise you to bet on a draw In-Play. This way you can follow the game and see if it is worth taking the risk. Of course, when the difference in the score at the end is 20-30 points, you can't count on a draw. But if the score is even, a draw is very likely. There is a possibility to get odds of 4.00-5.00 until the last minutes of the match.
Betting on draws in Esports
In the most common Esports disciplines where bookmakers accept bets - CS:GO, Dota 2, League of Legends and Valorant - draws are only rarely possible. But the betting sections of FIFA, PES, NHL and other sports simulators are fine. Here you can bet on the virtual equivalent of football, hockey and other sports, with the only caveat being that stats and head-to-head results are worthless.
Draw Bet in an Accumulator
As we have said before, the draw bets are not to be confused with "Draw No Bet", which implies a refund in case of a draw. There is no third option when you bet on a draw, with any other result you lose the entire bet.
Therefore, if you add a draw bet in the Acca and the bet loses, the entire Acca fails.
Types of draw betting strategies
Let's look at the most popular and effective strategies for betting on draws. Among all sports, football is the one gamblers most commonly bet on to draw, so let's take a look at it.
Draw betting with the "2 out of 5" system
One of the most effective strategies in draw betting is considered to be the "2 out of 5" system. It involves a careful selection of matches with a high probability of a draw, combined with a system type of bet. The user places a 10 bets, each on an Acca with 2 outcomes.
The average odds for a draw between similar teams is 3.20 to 3.50 and the total odds for the Acca, therefore, are 10.00 to 13.00. If one of the Accas wins (both games end in a draw), you almost get your money back or have a small profit. Three or more draws will give you a nice profit.
As an example, let's take our bets for the next matchday of the Italian Serie B, which we mentioned earlier as the most suitable tournament. On matchday 14 of the 2022/23 season, neighbours Südtirol and Ascoli, Cittadella and Cosenza play each other. Bari (TOP-6 in the championship), who have drawn their last three matches, visit one of the outsiders, Como, who need points to get out of the danger zone. Genoa (TOP-3) face Perugia (bottom), while Palermo (13th) play Venice (19th out of 20).
Match | Odds for a draw | Result |
|---|---|---|
Palermo — Venezia | 3.30 | 0:1 |
Südtirol — Ascoli | 3.15 | 2:2 |
Como — Bari | 3.40 | 1:1 |
Perugia — Genoa | 3.25 | 1:0 |
Cittadella — Cosenza | 3.65 | 1:1 |
Suppose we bet on a 2 out of 5 draw for €100. The betting amount for each Acca is €10. Three Accas won out of ten:
The system payout is €346.15, and the net profit is €246.15. We hit a big time with our analysis. And it should be noted that the rest of the matches ended with a minimal advantage.
Strategy for betting on draws ADN the odd total
This betting system consists of two bets on the same match: a draw in full time and a bet on an odd number of goals. It is suitable for low-scoring teams, whose matches usually end Under 2.5 goals. With a minimal score advantage for one of the teams, the number of goals will be odd, and if the opponent comes back, a high-odds draw bet will win.
Of course, it is not possible to be completely immune to losses. With a difference of 2, 4 goals and so on, the number of goals will be even and both bets will lose.
Let's look at an example. The Greek Super League is considered to be one of the lowest scoring football leagues in Europe, so it is good for betting on a draw. Let's take the match between Olympiacos and AEK on matchday 13 of the 2022/23 season. Both teams have played 8 low-scoring games in the last rounds, where «Under 2.5 goals» bet came a winner. Let's place 2 bets of 100 euros each on this match:
The match ended in a 0:0 draw. The bet at odds 3.40 won, the bet at odd total lost. We spent 200 euros on the two bets, the payout was 340 euros and the net profit was 140 euros.
A bet on an odd number of goals would win if one of the teams won with a minimum advantage. By spending 200 euros, we would get a payout of 189 euros, and a net loss of 11 euros. The system of betting on draws and odd totals can give good profits or minimise losses.
Are Draw bets a good choice for you?
Betting on draws is one of the clearest options at bookmakers. This is probably why many players prefer them. Experienced players also combine betting on draws with common strategies such as the martingale system.
Betting on draws will suit you if you know how to analyse the matches correctly and choose the right tournaments and games carefully. Making a profit over the distance is no guarantee, so we advise you to use the other strategies described on this page as well. The main thing to remember is that sports betting is first and foremost about having fun, but it is also about testing your luck and ability to predict matches.
Pros and Cons of betting on draws
Pros:
Cons:
