Main markets look simple until a match ends level. Football prices the draw as its own outcome, basketball books often fold overtime into the result, and ice hockey can offer both versions on the same game.
The draw rule changes price, risk and settlement: favourites lose on a draw in a three-way market, yet gain extra time to win in a two-way market with overtime.
Below: the difference between three-way and two-way markets, how each major sport handles the draw, the markets that remove the draw, and what to check on the bet slip.
Three-Way and Two-Way in Brief
Three-way markets list home win, draw and away win, settled on the result at the end of regular time. Two-way markets list two outcomes and handle a level score in one of three ways, as the table shows.
|
Market type |
Outcomes |
What happens on a level score |
|
Three-way (1X2) |
Home, draw, away |
The draw wins; home and away bets lose |
|
Two-way with overtime |
Home, away |
Extra time or a shootout decides the winner |
|
Two-way, draw no bet |
Home, away |
Stakes return if the match ends level |
|
Two-way, no draw possible |
Home, away |
The sport's rules always produce a winner |
Last verified: October 2026
Three-way prices on the favourite usually look longer than two-way prices, because the draw takes a share of the probability.
How Each Sport Handles the Draw
Each sport's rules decide which version a book offers by default. The table maps the main ones.
|
Sport |
Usual main market |
Draw note |
|
Football |
Three-way, 90 minutes plus stoppage time |
Extra time and penalties excluded |
|
Ice hockey |
Three-way regulation, or two-way with overtime |
Both versions often listed |
|
Basketball |
Two-way including overtime |
Some books also offer a three-way regular-time line |
|
American football |
Moneyline including overtime |
Ties remain possible in the regular season |
|
Rugby union and league |
Three-way |
Draws happen more often than many expect |
|
Cricket |
Three-way in Tests, two-way in many limited-overs games |
Ties can occur in limited-overs matches |
|
Tennis, baseball, volleyball |
Two-way |
Rules always produce a winner |
|
Boxing |
Three-way or two-way |
Draws come from the scorecards |
Last verified: October 2026
Football
Football's 1X2 market settles on 90 minutes plus stoppage time. In knockout matches, extra time and penalties decide who advances, yet the 1X2 bet still settles on the score after regular time. Our guide to 90-minute settlement covers how books treat those extra periods.
Ice Hockey
Hockey books often price a regulation three-way market and a two-way market that includes overtime and shootouts. The three-way version pays more on the favourite but loses if the game goes to overtime.
Basketball
Basketball winner markets usually include overtime. Some books also list a three-way market on regular time, where a level score after 48 minutes in the NBA, or 40 in FIBA games, settles as a draw.
Markets That Remove the Draw
Several markets let a bettor take the draw out of a football or hockey bet, each at a different price.
Draw No Bet
Draw no bet returns the stake on a level score and pays a shorter price than the 1X2 win. It suits a bettor who backs a side but fears a draw.
Double Chance
Double chance backs a pair of results, such as home or draw. Prices drop sharply, since the bet wins in two of three results.
Asian Handicap Zero
Zero handicaps work like draw no bet: a win pays, a draw refunds and a loss loses. Our explainer on Asian handicap lines covers the split lines in detail.
Main Markets at Dexsport
Dexsport prices football with a Match Result (1X2) market plus double chance options: home or draw, draw or away, and home or away. Its ice hockey menu lists a match result with a clean victory or draw, its basketball menu offers a three-way match winner, and its rugby menu lists the draw as a separate market.
American football has a team win market and a market on tie scenarios, while tennis, volleyball and baseball run on two-way winner markets. Settlement follows Dexsport's published betting rules, and an Anjouan licence covers its operator, Dexapp LTD.
What to Check on the Bet Slip
Four details on the slip decide how a level score settles.
-
Market name: 1X2, moneyline or match winner can each mean a different thing
-
Time period: regular time, or overtime and shootouts included
-
Draw treatment: separate outcome, refund or loss
-
Combo effect: a refunded leg changes combined odds and any boost
Conclusion
Three-way markets list the draw as an outcome and settle on regular time, while two-way markets either include overtime, refund on a draw or cover sports where a winner always emerges. Football and rugby lean three-way, basketball and American football lean two-way with overtime, and hockey often offers both.
Draw no bet, double chance and a zero handicap give bettors ways to soften or remove the draw. Each one trades price for protection, so compare them on the same match.
Check the law where you live, bet only at legal age, and expect that KYC or AML checks may apply. Responsible gambling means a careful look at the slip before you confirm.
