This article explains what a win draw win market is, how it is settled, and how odds translate into implied probability and potential returns. It is written for sports fans and bettors who want clear, practical guidance on reading three-way markets and avoiding common settlement mistakes. You will find concise definitions, examples that show how settlement works in league and cup contexts, a short checklist for checking operator rules, and several worked examples to practice converting odds. The goal is to build confidence in interpreting 1X2 markets before you stake real money.

A win draw win or 1X2 market settles on the full time score unless a market explicitly includes extra time or penalties.

Decimal odds let you calculate both total return and implied probability with simple formulas.

Double chance covers two outcomes and therefore offers shorter odds than single 1X2 selections.

What a win draw win bet means

Quick definition, win draw win

A win draw win bet, often written as 1X2, is the standard three-way market for football in which you pick one of three possible match outcomes: 1 for the home team, X for a draw, and 2 for the away team. This market settles on the score at the end of regulation time unless the market name explicitly says otherwise, and in many U.S. interfaces it appears as a three-way moneyline column.

Because the market covers three discrete regulation outcomes, its notation is compact and widely understood across betting platforms and educational resources. Learning to read 1, X, and 2 quickly helps you interpret lineup news, team form, and the implied probabilities embedded in the odds.

Close up of mobile screen showing decimal odds in a 1X2 column with a finger pointing at the draw option win draw win minimalist navy background Funded Plays

The phrase win draw win highlights that there are three mutually exclusive settled results in the market: a home win, a draw, or an away win. That clarity is useful when you compare related markets that cover more than one outcome or that include extra time, since those alternatives change both how the market is priced and how it is settled.

When you think of 1X2 as a concise way to express the three regulation outcomes, it becomes easier to compare markets, spot double chance offers, and avoid misreading a market label on an unfamiliar site.

How win draw win bets are settled: regulation time and what that means

Definition of regulation time

Standard 1X2 markets settle on the score at the end of regulation, which is two 45 minute halves plus whatever stoppage time the referee orders, unless the market explicitly states it includes extra time or penalties. The Laws of the Game define the duration of the match as two halves of 45 minutes, which underpins why most match result markets conclude at that point IFAB Laws of the Game.

In practice that means a 1X2 selection is decided by the score on the referee's final whistle for the 90 minutes plus stoppage. Any scoring that happens in extra time or during a penalty shootout is not part of a normal win draw win market unless the market name says it is.

Cup matches or knockout fixtures often continue into extra time and penalties to produce a single winner for the competition, but sportsbooks and betting platforms typically treat those later periods as separate settlement conventions. A market labelled to include extra time will usually state that explicitly in the market name or description, while standard match result or 1X2 columns do not include those periods. For clarity on a given platform you should check the specific market wording in the operator help pages DraftKings Help Center.

Example: in a domestic cup tie that is 1-1 after 90 minutes a standard 1X2 bet on the draw would win, even if one side scores in extra time and advances. That difference is frequently a surprise for bettors who assume all markets follow the same settlement timeline.

Practice 1X2 market recognition with structured challenges

Before you stake on a match result market, confirm whether the market is settled on regulation time or includes extra time so your selection is evaluated correctly.

View FundedPlays Challenges

Reading the notation: 1, X, 2 and U.S. labels

What each symbol stands for

The 1X2 shorthand maps directly to the three possible full time outcomes: 1 is the home team winning, X is a draw, and 2 is the away team winning. This notation is standard in European and international materials and helps avoid ambiguity when comparing markets across operators Smarkets help centre.

In many U.S. facing platforms the same market is presented as a three-way moneyline, sometimes with column headers like Home, Draw, Away or 1, X, 2. The content is equivalent, but column labels and layout can differ, so check the headings on a betting grid before placing a selection.

How is a win draw win bet settled and what should I check first?

A win draw win bet normally settles on the regulation score at the final whistle, so first check the market label to see if it includes extra time or penalties, and confirm the operator house rules on settlement.

How U.S. sites label the same market

Because interfaces vary, a safe habit is to match the market header to the notation. If a site lists three separate odds for a match with clear labels for home, draw, and away, you are looking at a 1X2 type market and should treat the selection as a regulation time result unless the market name says otherwise.

Small differences in display do not change the underlying settlement convention, but mistaking a to-qualify or to-advance column for a match result column is a common reading error. Always confirm label meaning in the market description or help pages before staking.

How decimal, fractional and American odds relate to win draw win markets

Converting odds to implied probability

Decimal odds are the simplest to use for calculating returns and implied probability. If you see decimal odds of 3.20 the total return equals stake multiplied by 3.20, and implied probability equals 1 divided by 3.20. This conversion is a fundamental tool for comparing your own probability estimate to the market price Investopedia implied probability guide.

Fractional and American odds express the same underlying probability in different formats. Fractional odds quote net profit relative to stake, while American odds use positive and negative numbers to show how much you win from a 100 stake or how much you must stake to win 100. All formats can be converted to implied probability to compare outcomes on a common basis.

How returns are calculated

To compute a payout from decimal odds, multiply your stake by the decimal figure. That gives the total return including your original stake. Converting fractional or American odds first into decimal form simplifies arithmetic and helps you tally potential returns across multiple legs of an accumulator.

Keep these conversions handy when pricing up value in 1X2 markets, because the three-way structure means the implied probabilities for the three outcomes should sum to more than 100 due to the operator margin.

Market labels and operator rules to check before you stake

Common label variations

Operators use various labels such as match result, to qualify, and including extra time, and each label changes how a market is settled. For example a 'to qualify' market may consider aggregate scores or away goals rules, while 'including extra time' clearly extends settlement beyond the 90 minutes; check the exact label in the market description or help centre DraftKings Help Center.

Some platforms also mark markets as 'after extra time' or 'including penalties', which are different again. When labels are ambiguous, open the market description or consult the operator's football rules section to confirm the settlement window.

Why house rules matter

House rules define how postponed, abandoned, or curtailed matches are handled, when bets are voided, and whether lineup changes near kick-off affect markets. Differences in those rules can change whether a 1X2 bet stands or is voided after an unexpected event, so habitually checking the house rules reduces surprises.

Funded Plays Challenges

View FundedPlays Challenges

As a practical step, save a screenshot of the market description or the help page that explains settlement conventions, so you have a record if you need to query a result later with customer support. (see how Funded Plays evaluations work: https://www.fundedplays.com/blogs/how-fundedplays-evaluations-work)

What double chance covers

Double chance markets let you cover two of the three regulation outcomes with a single selection. The three options are 1X, which covers a home win or a draw, X2, which covers a draw or an away win, and 12, which covers either team winning but excludes a draw. These markets lower the risk of a single loss by accepting two possible winning outcomes.

Because double chance covers two outcomes it is priced more conservatively than a straight 1X2 pick on the same event, in other words the odds are shorter to reflect the higher probability of covering two results Smarkets help centre.

How pricing compares with single 1X2 outcomes

As a quick example, if a single 1X2 outcome is priced at decimal 2.50 for a home win and the draw is 3.30, a 1X double chance might be offered at a shorter decimal such as 1.40 to reflect the combined probability. The exact conversion depends on the operator margin and how prices are balanced across the book.

Traders and value hunters use double chance when a draw is plausible but they prefer lower variance, or when market liquidity makes single outcome prices unreliable. It is a defensive option rather than a pure value play.

Calculating implied probability and returns for win draw win: worked examples

Step-by-step decimal example

Follow these numbered steps to convert decimal odds to implied probability and to calculate total return for a single 1X2 selection.

1) Note the decimal odds. Suppose the home win is priced at 3.20. 2) Compute implied probability as 1 divided by 3.20, which gives the proportion of the market implied by that price. 3) To get the total payout if the selection wins, multiply your stake by 3.20. These basic formulas let you compare your own probability estimate to the market price easily Investopedia implied probability guide.

Quick odds to return and implied probability calculator

Use as a template for quick checks

Converting fractional and American odds

To convert fractional odds to decimal, add one to the fractional value converted to a decimal. For example fractional 5/2 equals decimal 3.50. Then apply the same implied probability formula as for decimal odds. For American odds, convert to decimal first and then to probability so you can compare across different formats without confusion.

A simple workflow is to standardize all odds to decimal, compute implied probabilities for each outcome, then compare those implied probabilities to your own estimates. That comparison is the basis of any value assessment you make in a 1X2 market.

Decision criteria: when to pick home, draw or away in 1X2 markets

Factors to consider before choosing

Choose among the three 1X2 outcomes by combining several factors: recent team form, injuries and confirmed lineups, home advantage and travel, head to head records, and the specific competition context. Each factor changes the probability you assign to each outcome and therefore whether the market price represents value.

Short checklist items: confirm starting lineups where possible, check recent defensive and offensive form, consider travel fatigue and schedule congestion, and account for competition incentives such as resting key players. These facts shift a likely draw to a narrow home win or an away upset in practice.

How to weigh probability vs value

Once you estimate probabilities for each outcome, compare your numbers to the implied probabilities embedded in the market. If your estimated probability for an outcome is higher than the implied probability, the selection has positive expected value. Keep discipline by requiring a margin between your estimate and the market implied probability to account for the operator margin and prediction uncertainty.

Remember that match context and late lineup news can change settlement risk quickly, so finalize decisions only after checking the official team sheets and any last minute updates that might affect the opening lineups or refereeing decisions.

Typical mistakes to avoid with win draw win bets

Common reading errors

A frequent mistake is assuming all markets settle the same way and not noticing whether a market includes extra time or is based on aggregate tie rules. That error commonly appears in cup fixtures where extra time or away goals apply; always read the market label and help pages to confirm settlement conventions DraftKings Help Center.

Another error is confusing a 'to qualify' or 'to advance' column with a straight match result column. The former can depend on two legs or tie rules and is not the same as a regulation-time 1X2 selection.

Odds conversion slipups

Converting odds incorrectly leads to wrong implied probabilities and poor value judgement. Use the decimal conversion method for a consistent baseline, and double check calculations when you move between fractional and American formats. Online calculators or a simple spreadsheet reduce arithmetic mistakes.

Finally, ignoring operator house rules on postponed or abandoned matches can cause surprise outcomes; some sites void bets in those cases while others keep results based on later replays, so know the house position before you commit a stake.

Practical scenarios: three example matches and how a 1X2 market settles

Low-scoring cup tie

Scenario: A domestic cup match is 0-0 after 90 minutes and goes to extra time and penalties. If you placed a standard 1X2 bet on the draw, the selection wins because the market is settled on the regulation score. This outcome often surprises bettors who only watched the extra time or penalties decide the tie.

For authoritative guidance on match duration and why regulation timing matters consult the Laws of the Game which define the standard match length as two 45 minute halves IFAB Laws of the Game and see Law 10 on The FA for determining the outcome of a match Law 10 - Determining the Outcome of the Match.

High-scoring league match

Scenario: In a league fixture the away team scores two early goals, the home side fights back and the match ends 3-2 after 90 minutes. A bet on an away win would lose because the home comeback decided the regulation result. For league matches the standard settlement is regulation time unless the operator explicitly lists a different settlement window.

This scenario underlines the need to watch how a match unfolds and to resist assuming that being ahead at halftime guarantees a settled result in 1X2 markets.

Match with extra time in cup competitions

Scenario: A cup semifinal finishes 1-1 after 90 minutes but one team wins 2-1 after extra time. A standard win draw win pick on the draw would have already paid out at full time, even though the tie produced a winner later. That distinction is where many settlement disputes begin, so confirm the market label and consider explicitly choosing an 'including extra time' market if you want coverage beyond regulation Smarkets help centre.

Also note that postponed or abandoned matches can have special rules; check the operator house rules for how those situations are treated so you know whether your stake remains valid or is voided in such events.

Advanced considerations: in-play, accumulators and including extra time markets

How in-play 1X2 markets differ

In-play 1X2 markets update odds as the match progresses and some in-play markets are settled at the exact minute the market closes rather than at full time, so pay attention to the market description when placing live bets. Rules can vary by operator and by market type so check the help centre for the in-play settlement convention before trading in-running DraftKings Help Center.

Live price moves reflect evolving probabilities, but settlement still follows the market's stated rules, which may differ from pre-match match result conventions.

Accumulators and multiple selection settlement

Accumulators combine multiple single-match selections and each leg is settled according to that leg's rules. If one leg is a cup fixture with an 'including extra time' selection and another is a league match settled on regulation, the accumulator will use the settlement rules appropriate to each leg. That means reading each leg's market label is part of responsible accumulator construction.

Because each leg can have different settlement conventions, accumulators add operational risk beyond simple probability aggregation, and you should check each market description before finalizing a multi-leg ticket.

How to check house rules and help centres quickly

Where to look on operator sites

Most operators keep a help centre or rules page labelled 'Soccer Betting Rules' or 'Football rules and terms' where settlement conventions, voiding conditions, and post-match procedures are documented. Use those pages as your primary reference when a market label is unclear DraftKings Help Center.

Minimalist 2D vector split illustration showing a regulation time game clock on the left and extra time with penalty marks on the right highlighting settlement difference in a win draw win context

Look for sections that explain match result settlement, abandoned matches, postponed fixtures, and special tournament rules. Those short pages will answer most practical questions about how a 1X2 market is applied after a match ends.

What wording to search for

Search for specific phrases such as 'match result settled', 'including extra time', 'to qualify', and 'postponed match' to find the precise rules quickly. If you plan to place multiple bets on a platform, saving a link or screenshot of the relevant rule page can make later queries faster and reduce misunderstandings.

When in doubt, contact operator support with the market name and a screenshot; having the rule page saved makes resolving disputes simpler.

Summary: the essentials to remember about win draw win markets

Three quick takeaways

Keep three points in mind: first, a win draw win or 1X2 market usually settles on the regulation score at the final whistle. Second, 1 means home, X means draw, and 2 means away. Third, convert odds to implied probability to compare your own estimate to the market price and to spot value Investopedia implied probability guide.

Next steps: practice converting odds and checking market labels on a platform where you can simulate stakes or use a virtual account until you are confident with settlement conventions and price comparisons. That hands-on practice helps avoid simple mistakes when real stakes are involved. (see the Funded Plays blog: https://www.fundedplays.com/blogs)

Further resources and reliable references

Official rules and operator help centres

Authoritative references for settlement conventions include the IFAB Laws of the Game for match duration, operator help centre pages for platform specific rules, and general odds primers for probability conversions. Use those sources when in doubt to confirm how a specific market will be settled IFAB Laws of the Game and see a simplified guide to the laws here football rules simplified laws of the game.

Checking multiple operator rules is good practice if you use different platforms, since house rules can vary on postponed or abandoned matches and on in-play settlement. (visit Funded Plays homepage: https://www.fundedplays.com)

End of article.

What does a win draw win bet settle on?

A win draw win bet normally settles on the score at the end of regulation time, which is two 45 minute halves plus stoppage, unless the market explicitly includes extra time or penalties.

How do I convert decimal odds to implied probability?

Divide 1 by the decimal odds to get the implied probability, and multiply your stake by the decimal odds to calculate total return including stake.

What is double chance in relation to 1X2?

Double chance covers two of the three regulation outcomes with one selection, for example 1X covers home win or draw, and is priced lower than a single 1X2 outcome.

If you are learning market settlement and odds conversion, practice with small virtual stakes or a simulation to build muscle memory for label checking and probability calculation. Consistency and a habit of verifying house rules reduce the most common errors people make with win draw win markets. For structured practice, consider using a funded sports simulation or challenge platform that focuses on prediction and evaluation without traditional sportsbook wagering.