What Does a 1x2 Bet Mean? 1x2 Betting Explained 2026

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What does 1x2 mean in betting? It’s a common question and so we’ll have 1x2 betting explained in simple terms and even give you a good 1x2 betting strategy to help you on your travels through the betting world!

A 1x2 bet refers to the home win, draw and away win betting markets for sports like soccer and cricket. This is a simple sports bet and massively popular, although it doesn’t always give you the greatest value. Keep reading to have the answer to the question of ‘What does 1x2 mean in betting?’ explained in greater detail.

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1x2 betting explained in simple points

1 represents a bet on a home win
x represents a bet on a draw
2 represents a bet on an away win
Usable on sports like soccer and cricket
Can’t be used on sports without draws

What does 1x2 mean in betting?

You’ll find sportsbooks offering 1x2 betting markets for many big sports like soccer and cricket. The ‘1x2’ simply refers to the betting options that the sportsbook is giving you.

If you were to bet on the ‘1’ you’d be betting on the home team to win. A bet on the ‘x’ means that you’d be betting on there being a draw between the two teams. Finally, a bet on the ‘2’ would mean betting on the away team to win.

We should note that in the case of sports held on neutral venues like the soccer World Cup, the teams will always be designated as either the home team or the away team.

Sports that work with 1x2 bets

Now that we’ve had the basics of ‘What does 1x2 mean in betting?’ answered, we can see that this is a type of bet that only works with sports where a draw is a realistic outcome.

Soccer: Easily one of the most popular sports for 1x2 betting. This is because around 25% of all soccer games will end in a draw which makes it a viable option for a bet.
Cricket: Another sport that works well with a 1x2 bet. However, this is only true when the cricket match is anything other than a limited overs contest where there is always a winner. But Test matches and games in domestic competitions like the English County Championship are suitable for 1x2 betting as there is a high frequency of draws.
NHL hockey: You’ll know that all NHL hockey draws are decided by overtime or a shootout. However, you may find sportsbooks who offer 1x2 betting markets for the game to be tied in regular time.

Sports that don’t work with 1x2 betting

Not all sports are suited to 1x2 betting, here are a run down of a couple of sports that are best avoided for this betting practice:

Tennis: You’ll never find a sportsbook offering you 1x2 betting markets for sports like tennis. This is because there can never be a draw or a tie in any game of tennis.
F1 Motor Racing: It’s also true that you won’t find 1x2 bets available for those racing sports like F1 motor racing and horse racing where there are more than two competitors. The same applies for betting on golf.

While ties occasionally crop up in high scoring sports like NFL football, the chances of there being a tie are so low that people usually stick to money line bets on the game winner rather than trying their luck on a tie.

1x2 betting explained with examples

Still asking ‘What does 1x2 mean in betting?’ Then take a look below at some examples of where you might see a sportsbook offering some 1x2 bets.

Let’s imagine that you wanted to bet on a Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Manchester United. Liverpool were the home team and they would be represented by the odds in the ‘1’ column of the sportsbook. Manchester United were the away team, and their odds would be in the ‘2’ column. Finally the odds in the ‘x’ would represent the draw.

The same would apply for a cricket Test match between England and Australia, or an NHL game between Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks. All that you have to do is to see whether the odds are worth betting on and put your money down.

Building a good 1x2 betting strategy

Anyone who knows the answer to ‘What does 1x2 mean in betting?’ will see that this is a beautifully simple bet. This means that you can focus your attention on getting to know the individual teams and players much better so that you can see where a sportsbook might have overvalued their 1x2 odds.

The simplicity of this kind of bet means that there doesn’t even need to be any complex 1x2 betting strategy. It’s usually just a case of doing your research, analyzing any betting tips and thinking carefully about whether to bet prematch or live. If only everything was as simple as the answer to the question of ‘What does 1x2 mean in betting?’. Just remember to always gamble responsibly regardless of what market you’re betting on.

Advantages of 1x2 betting

Once you’ve got the answer to the question of ‘What does 1x2 mean in betting?’ you’ll see just how easy this kind of bet is. Here are the key advantages of 1x2 betting markets:

Simple to understand

You’ll probably be carrying out 1x2 predictions in your head without even realizing it. There’s no complex math involved and it’s a bet that is easy, instinctive and fun.

Lots of competition

All sportsbooks will have 1x2 betting markets for major soccer and cricket matches. This means that there will be lots of competition to put on the most generous 1x2 odds. As a result, there’s plenty to be gained by shopping around to see who has the best 1x2 bets.

Disadvantages of 1x2 betting

While 1x2 betting is hugely popular, it’s also true that this might not always be the best route for betting on your favorite sport. Here are some of the reasons why a 1x2 might be worth a miss:

Limited application to many sports: 1x2 betting simply won’t work with sports that don’t have draws like tennis or sports where ties are very rare like NFL football. As such, a 1x2 bet might not be suitable for your favorite sport.

Better value elsewhere: 1x2 betting might not be too good if there was a sporting encounter where there was a clear favorite and a real underdog. This is because you’d probably get very little in backing the favorite and your chances of winning by backing the underdog would be very slim.

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Some good alternatives to 1x2 betting

Now that we’ve got the answer to ‘What does 1x2 mean in betting?’ we can see that you might be restricted in getting much value from this kind of bet. Here are some decent alternatives to 1x2 betting:

Draw no bet

This is very similar to a 1x2 bet, but it eliminates the draw from the bet. This will give you some insurance as you’d get your betting stake returned should there be a draw. However, this comes at the cost of shorter odds for backing the winner.

Double chance betting

Again, this uses similar betting markets to a 1×2 bet. But here you’d be betting on two of the markets. This could be a home win and a draw, an away win and a draw, and even a home win and an away win. As such, you’d stand a much better chance of winning your bet, but this again would come at the cost of shorter odds.

Handicap betting

This is an awesome way to get more from 1×2 betting markets. Let’s take an example of a Champions League soccer match between Barcelona and Leicester City. Barcelona would normally go into this game as the favorite which means that you’d get little in return for backing this team.

But with a handicap bet, Barcelona would have a goals disadvantage which means that they’d have to win the game by more goals for you to win your bet. Conversely, you could try a handicap bet on the underdog. This is where Leicester City would have a goal advantage which means that they wouldn’t have to even win the game for you to win your bet.

Had 1x2 betting explained? Check out other top betting strategies

Of course, you’ll need other strategies to bet on sports that don’t have draws. Our guide contains a massive number of strategies that all have their specific uses. Whether you’re trying some lay betting on a big football game at a betting exchange or are putting down an over/under bet on basketball, you’ll see that there’s plenty to be gained from learning different strategies. So spend some time with our guide and boost your betting knowhow.

Conclusion - Put your 1x2 betting strategy into action

By now we’ve hopefully answered the question of ‘What does 1x2 mean in betting?’ once and for all. You’ll realize that it offers you a simple way to understand what a sportsbook is offering for bets on results in sports like soccer and cricket. However, by having 1x2 betting explained, you’ll see that it’s not something you’ll use for sports like tennis, basketball and so on.

While you might find plenty more value in trying some alternative betting destinations, there’s no denying the appeal of a good 1x2 bet. So sign up to one of our featured sportsbooks and see what kinds of 1x2 odds they are offering you.

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1x2 betting explained FAQ

What does 1/2 mean in soccer betting?

Soccer is one of those sports where the match result can only have three specific outcomes. These will be when a home team wins, an away team wins or there is a draw. These potential outcomes will be reflected in the betting options. Check out our sportsbook guide that includes a section that answers ‘What does 1x2 mean in betting?’ so that you can see which symbol matches which outcome.

What is a good 1x2 bet strategy?

It depends what sports you’re betting on and the overall context of the event. This will determine how you put down your 1x2 bets and you’ll also see if you should include other strategies like the rising method in betting. So read our guide that gives a comprehensive answer to the question of ‘What does 1x2 mean in betting?’ All of which should help you realise the best ways to bet on the 1x2 betting markets.

What is the 1x2 total meaning?

Read our guide that explains the answer to the question of ‘What does 1x2 mean in betting?’ Here you’ll get to see the total meaning of this unique kind of betting market, plus you’ll learn that it can be simpler to understand than having a system bet explained. This means that you’ll get a much more clinical way to think about betting on many popular sports like soccer, cricket, hockey and more.

Should I use a 1x2 bet?

It ultimately depends on which kind of sport you’re betting on, who the participants are and what you expect to get in return should you win your bet. Read our guide that gives an in-depth answer to the question of ‘What does 1x2 mean in betting?’ Here you’ll learn when is the best time to try your luck on the 1x2 betting markets and when you might have to have lay betting explained as a way of getting more value from your bets.

What does 1x mean in betting?

There are a couple of instances in sports betting where you might see the symbol ‘1x’. It is frequently used in the betting markets featured in our guide where we answer the question of ‘What does 1x2 mean in betting?’ But 1x could also refer to something called wagering conditions which are an important part of many betting bonuses. So read our guide to see what it means and learn whether you need to have Asian handicap betting explained to gain further clarity on these terms.