The essentials at a glance:
| What it means | Example: Gaborone United vs Township Rollers | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Home team wins | Gaborone United win |
| X | Draw | The match ends level |
| 2 | Away team wins | Township Rollers win |
- Regular time only. A cup match decided in extra time or on penalties is settled on the score after 90 minutes (Betway Botswana).
- Payout = stake × odds. A P50 bet at odds of 2.40 returns P120 (P70 profit plus your P50 stake).
- Want a safety net? Double chance (1X, X2, 12) covers two outcomes; draw no bet refunds your stake if the match is drawn. Both pay lower odds.
- Other names you'll see: Match Result, Full Time Result, Win/Draw/Win or three-way betting. They all mean the same market.
18+ only. Betting involves financial risk and can be addictive. Only bet what you can afford to lose. Betting in Botswana is regulated by the Gambling Authority under the Gambling Act, 2012; use bookmakers licensed in Botswana. If gambling stops being fun, visit our responsible gambling page.
What Does 1X2 Mean in Betting?
1X2 is a three-way market: you predict one of the three possible results of a match. The numbers refer to the order the teams are listed. The home team is always written first, so it's "1", and the away team is "2". "X" is the international betting symbol for a draw.
It's the most common market on any football betslip, whether you're betting on the Botswana Premier League, the English Premier League or the Champions League. At Betway Botswana, for example, the same market appears under the names Win/Draw/Win, Match Result and Full-Time Result (Betway Botswana).
On neutral ground, such as a cup final, the team listed first is still "1", even though neither side is really at home.
[Screenshot: a 1X2 market on a mobile betslip, with the 1, X and 2 odds highlighted]
Regular Time Only: What About Extra Time and Penalties?
1X2 bets are settled on the result at the end of regular time: 90 minutes plus any stoppage (injury) time added by the referee. Extra time, penalty shoot-outs and golden goals don't count (Betway rules).
This matters most in knockout matches. Take a cup tie, such as one in the Mascom Top 8 Cup, that finishes 1–1 after 90 minutes and is then won by the away team on penalties:
| Your bet | Result for the bet |
|---|---|
| 1 (home win) | Loses |
| X (draw) | Wins — the score after 90 minutes was 1–1 |
| 2 (away win) | Loses, even though the away team went through |
If you want to bet on which team progresses, look for a separate market such as To Qualify or To Lift the Trophy; these include extra time and penalties.
If a match is abandoned or postponed: bookmakers usually void 1X2 bets on a match abandoned before 90 minutes, and refund the stake. Rules on postponed matches differ, so check your bookmaker's betting rules.
How to Read 1X2 Odds and Calculate Your Payout
Bookmakers in Botswana show decimal odds. The number already includes your stake, so the calculation is simple:
[IMAGE1]
Here's an example for Gaborone United vs Township Rollers with a P50 stake. The odds are illustrative.
| Bet | Odds | Payout on P50 | Profit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 — Gaborone United win | 2.40 | P120 | P70 |
| X — Draw | 3.20 | P160 | P110 |
| 2 — Township Rollers win | 2.90 | P145 | P95 |
Lower odds mean the bookmaker thinks that outcome is more likely; higher odds mean it's less likely but pays more.
What the Odds Tell You: Implied Probability
You can turn any decimal odds into the chance the bookmaker gives that outcome (implied probability explained):
[IMAGE2]
For the match above:
| Bet | Odds | Implied probability |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2.40 | 41.7% |
| X | 3.20 | 31.3% |
| 2 | 2.90 | 34.5% |
| Total | 107.4% |
The three outcomes should add up to 100%, but they add up to 107.4%. The extra 7.4% is the bookmaker's built-in margin (also called the overround). It's how bookmakers make money over time, whatever the result.
The practical lesson: the lower a bookmaker's margin, the better the odds you get. Comparing the 1X2 odds for the same match at two or three licensed bookmakers before you bet is one of the easiest ways to get more value.
Double Chance: 1X, X2 and 12
Double chance lets you cover two of the three outcomes with one bet. You win more often, but the odds are lower.
| Double chance bet | You win if… | Example odds |
|---|---|---|
| 1X | Home team wins or the match is drawn | 1.33 |
| X2 | Away team wins or the match is drawn | 1.47 |
| 12 | Either team wins (anything but a draw) | 1.27 |
Double chance makes sense when you think a team won't lose, but you're not sure it will win. For example, an underdog playing away against a stronger side that often holds out for a draw.
Draw No Bet
With draw no bet (DNB), you pick a team to win, and if the match ends in a draw, your stake is refunded. If your team loses, you lose the bet.
| Draw no bet | If your team wins | If it's a draw | If your team loses | Example odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaborone United (DNB) | Win | Stake refunded | Lose | 1.62 |
| Township Rollers (DNB) | Win | Stake refunded | Lose | 1.95 |
Double Chance vs Draw No Bet vs 1X2
All three markets cover the same match, but they share out risk and reward differently. Here's how they compare for a bet on the home team:
| 1X2 (home win) | Draw no bet (home) | Double chance 1X | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home win | Win at 2.40 | Win at 1.62 | Win at 1.33 |
| Draw | Lose | Refund | Win at 1.33 |
| Away win | Lose | Lose | Lose |
| Best for | Confident the home side wins | Fancy the home side, worried about a draw | Sure the home side won't lose |
The more cover you take, the lower the odds. None of these markets is "better"; pick the one that matches what you actually expect from the match.
Draw no bet is the same as an Asian handicap of 0. Our handicap betting guide explains this and other handicap lines.
1X2 in Other Sports
The 1X2 market exists wherever a draw is a realistic result:
- Ice hockey. Bookmakers offer both a three-way market (1X2, settled after regular time) and a two-way "moneyline" that includes overtime and shoot-outs. Check which one you're betting on.
- Rugby. Draws are rare but possible, so a three-way market is common alongside a two-way one.
- Basketball and tennis. Matches can't end in a draw, so the main market is two-way: you just pick the winner. In basketball, overtime usually counts.
Using 1X2 in Accumulators
Most multibets are built from 1X2 picks. On an accumulator, the odds of each selection are multiplied: three home wins at 1.80, 2.00 and 1.60 give total odds of 5.76, so P20 would return P115.20. The catch is that all three must win. Each extra selection raises the odds but makes the whole slip less likely to land.
If you add a draw-heavy match to an acca, a double chance pick (1X or X2) instead of a straight 1 or 2 can reduce the risk, at lower odds.
Tips for 1X2 Betting
- Compare odds at a few licensed bookmakers before betting. A small difference adds up over time.
- Don't overrate favourites. Short odds on a big team don't mean a sure win, and they pay little.
- Respect the draw. In evenly matched league games, draws happen more often than many bettors expect.
- Check team news (injuries, suspensions, rotated squads) close to kick-off.
- Set a budget for the week and stick to it. Never bet money meant for essentials.
FAQ
Related Guides
- Handicap betting explained
- Half-time/full-time and first half over/under 0.5 goals
18+ | Gambling involves financial risk and may lead to addiction. Please gamble responsibly. Get help.