Betting basics 1 October 2026

Draw No Bet vs Double Chance: Meaning and Settlement

By the Mzansi Betting Sites team · independent reviews of licensed SA bookmakers

Draw no bet means you back a team to win, and if the match ends in a draw your stake is refunded. Double chance means you cover two of the three possible results in one bet — home or draw, away or draw, or home or away — so a draw can be a winner rather than a refund. Both reduce risk compared with a straight win bet, and both pay lower odds for it.

This guide explains each market, shows exactly how they settle side by side, and covers how they appear at South African bookmakers such as Betway.

Draw no bet meaning

A normal match result bet (1X2) has three outcomes: home win, draw, away win. Draw no bet (DNB) removes the draw as a losing outcome. You pick a team:

• Your team wins — the bet wins at the DNB odds.
• The match is drawn — your stake is returned. You neither win nor lose.
• Your team loses — the bet loses.

Because the draw is refunded, DNB odds are lower than the plain win odds for the same team. DNB is also the same thing as an Asian handicap of 0 (level). See handicap betting explained for how that family of markets works.

Draw no bet meaning in Betway

The market means the same at Betway as at any licensed bookmaker: win, or stake back on a draw. It is typically listed among the match markets under a name such as "Draw No Bet"; labels and positions on the page change, so open the full market list if it is not on the main card. Read our Betway review for the operator's licence, payments and current offer.

Double chance meaning

Double chance lets you back two outcomes of the 1X2 market at once. There are three options:

Double chance never refunds. Two results win and one loses. The odds are lower than any single outcome because you are covering more of the possible results.

Draw no bet vs double chance: settlement table

Here is how each market settles if you back the home team in some form:

The pattern is simple: a straight win bet loses on a draw, DNB refunds it, and double chance 1X pays out on it.

How the odds compare

More protection always means lower odds. For the same team in the same match, the win price is highest, the DNB price is lower, and the double chance (team or draw) price is lowest. The exact gaps depend on how likely the bookmaker thinks a draw is, plus its margin.

As an illustration only: with a R100 stake at odds of 1.60, a winning bet returns R160. On draw no bet, a draw returns your R100. On double chance at, say, 1.30, a win or a draw returns R130.

These are example numbers to show the mechanics, not real prices. We do not publish tips or predictions.

Which is which: the key differences

Neither market is "better". DNB treats a draw as no result; double chance treats it as a result you can be paid for. Both cost you in lower odds, and both still lose when the other team wins.

How they relate to other markets

Both markets are built from the basic 1X2 result, so it helps to see how they connect to others you will find on the same match page:

• Asian handicap 0 is the same bet as draw no bet under another name.
• Asian handicap +0.5 settles exactly like double chance "team or draw": your team wins or draws and the bet wins.
• Asian handicap -0.5 is the same as a plain win bet on that team.
• Double chance 12 is the opposite of backing the draw: it wins on any result except a draw.

If two markets settle identically, compare their odds before you choose, as prices can differ slightly between the two listings. Markets that sound different are sometimes the same bet, and knowing that makes a busy match page much easier to read.

Settlement rules to know

• 90 minutes only. Both markets settle on the result after 90 minutes plus stoppage time. A cup match that is level after 90 minutes counts as a draw, whatever happens in extra time or penalties.
• Refunds in accumulators. If a DNB leg in a multi is refunded, bookmakers usually treat that leg as odds of 1.00 and settle the rest of the bet on the remaining legs. Check the bookmaker's rules.
• Bonus wagering. A refunded DNB bet usually does not count towards bonus wagering, and short-priced double chance bets can fall below the minimum odds. Check the terms on our bonuses page.
• Abandoned matches. Unfinished matches are commonly voided for result-based markets. Rules differ between bookmakers.

Both markets are standard at the licensed bookmakers we list, including Hollywoodbets. Compare them all on our comparison page.

FAQ

What happens to draw no bet if the match is drawn?

Your stake is returned in full. There are no winnings, but no loss either.

What does 1X mean in double chance?

1X means home win or draw. The bet wins if the home team wins or the match is drawn, and loses only if the away team wins.

Is double chance 12 the same as draw no bet?

No. Double chance 12 wins if either team wins and loses on a draw. Draw no bet backs one team only and refunds on a draw.

Does draw no bet count extra time?

No. It settles on the 90-minute result plus stoppage time, unless the market explicitly says it includes extra time.

For more definitions, see our betting terms glossary or the BTTS guide. Betting is for over-18s only; use money you can afford to lose. The NRGP helpline is free on 0800 006 008 — see responsible gambling.

More on this topic: Betting basics.