Draw No Bet (DNB for short) has become one of the most popular double chance forms of betting, especially on football matches.
Why is this the case, what makes it so appealing and what exactly is it? We will answer all this and more as we look at this exciting bet type.
We’ll also give you some great alternatives to DNB betting, as well as a couple of strategies about when to use this bet.
But let’s begin with the most obvious question about this particular sports bet.
What is a Draw No Bet?
A draw no bet is simply a bet on the outcome of a sporting event (often a football match) where the option for a draw is removed.
The punter can then select either of the two competing teams or individuals to win.
However, if the match does end in a draw, then the customer will receive their stake money back, rather than the bet be a loser.
How Does Draw No Bet Work?
Because the Draw No Bet is a double chance bet, then a bookmaker will offer slightly different odds on both the home selection and away selection to win as they would for a standard 1X2 bet.
The bet then works as a standard 1X2 bet, meaning if the team you back wins, you win. However, you also have the added safety blanket to get your stake back if the match ends in a draw.
Pros and Cons of Draw No Bet
The biggest positive for the Draw No Bet market is that it is a less risky form of bet. Punters often underestimate how often a draw will occur, especially in a football match, so by removing this option as a loss and having it instead as a trigger to return your stake, you reduce the risk of the bet a great deal.
You have a 33% chance of winning, 33% chance of losing and a 33% chance of receiving your stake back.
That is opposed to a 33% chance of winning and a 66% chance chance of losing for standard 1X2 bets.
The main disadvantage is that the odds on the DNB selections tend to be shorter value odds than 1X2 bets, simply because you have that extra security of the draw returning your stake.
Draw No Bet Strategy
The most effective strategy when to use Draw No bet options is when there is a match between two evenly-matched teams where a draw is a more likely outcome.
Not only do you benefit from longer odds on the two win selections in closer games, but the fact the draw is more likely gives you more chance of at least covering your stake if the team you back fails to win but claims the draw.
Draw No Bet in Football Betting
Football is a hugely popular market for Draw no bet betting. Fans love the option to back their choice of team to win, but have the added security of getting a return of stake if the match ends in a draw.
Alongside 1X2 bets, an accumulator bet, handicap betting and Bet Builder bets.
Is There An Alternative to Draw No Bet?
Yes there are a couple of markets and strategies that offer an alternative to draw no bet.
- Asian Handicap
The most obvious is these is the Asian Handicap market. On this market, you must apply a handicap (usually in the form of a positive or negative number of points or goals) to your selections total in the game. Most bookmakers will set a variety of handicaps for most games with this market.
When the handicap is applied, the result is then worked out and the outcome of the bet decided.
For some Asian Handicap bets, those with a fraction of a goal (such as a +0.5 or -1.5 handicap) this means that a draw is impossible. So you now have a two-selection market to pick from for the result.
For Asian Handicap bets of 0 if the game finishes in a draw, then your stake will be returned, which offers a very similar option to Draw No Bet.
- 1X2 Market – Backing Win and Draw Options
Additionally, you can place bets on the 1X2 market and back one of the teams to win and the draw option too. This effectively makes the bet a Draw No Bet option.
You can use a calculation to identify how much you need to bet (based on the odds of the team you want to back and the draw market) to ensure that you make a profit if the team you backed wins but that you also ensure you get your stake back with a suitable return if the match ends in a draw.
For example, if you intend to place a £100 bet on the home team to win in a 1X2 market and the draw odds are 3/1 (4.00), then to make this bet into an effective Draw No Bet option, simply complete the following calculation:
- Total Stake / Draw Odds (Decimal format) = £100 / 4.00 = £25.
Therefore, to cover your bet on the home team, you would need to place a £25 bet on the draw at odds of 3/1 (4.00).
Your stake on the home team is then Total Stake – Draw Bet Stake = £100 – £25, so you would place £75 on the home team to win (which we will say is an even money bet). .
Betting this way would pay out –
- Home Win (evens) – £150 return (£50 Profit)
- Draw (3/1) – £100 return (break even)
- Away Win – Lose £100
This is an effective alternative draw no bet wager and may offer slightly better or fractionally worse value odds than the standard draw no bet market.
If you like football betting with a little extra security, reducing the options to a double chance market, then the Draw No Bet option is definitely one you should add to your betting armoury.
