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1X2 betting is a football betting market with three possible outcomes: 1 means the home team wins, X means the match ends in a draw, and 2 means the away team wins. A standard full-time 1X2 bet is settled on the score at the end of regulation time. That includes stoppage time, but not extra time or a penalty shootout.
It is usually the first market listed for a match, and you may also see it called Match Result, full-time result or three-way betting. This guide explains what each selection means, how the odds turn into returns in Singapore dollars, and how bets are settled when a match is drawn, goes to extra time or is called off.
For a broader introduction to match odds and common betting terms, explore our football betting guide.
What Do 1, X and 2 Mean in Football Betting?
The three symbols describe the result from the home team’s side. The home team is always the one listed first, so in Manchester United vs Liverpool, Manchester United is the home team and a bet on Liverpool is a bet on 2.
| Selection | Meaning | Example full-time scores |
| 1 | Home team wins | 1-0, 2-1, 3-0 |
| X | Draw | 0-0, 1-1, 2-2 |
| 2 | Away team wins | 0-1, 1-2, 0-3 |
Every possible score falls into exactly one of these three groups, so only one selection can win. The margin makes no difference: a 1-0 home win and a 5-0 home win both settle as 1.
When a match is played at a neutral venue, such as a FIFA World Cup game or a cup final, 1 still refers to the team listed first on the fixture.
You may also see this market described as a three-way moneyline on American sites. A two-way moneyline, used in sports that cannot end level, is a different market because it has no draw option.
1X2 is one of several football betting markets, alongside Double Chance, total goals and correct score.
How Does 1X2 Betting Work?
You choose one of the three outcomes and decide how much to stake. The odds shown when the bet is placed fix what you would be paid if your selection is correct. If either of the other two outcomes happens, the stake is lost.
1X2 Betting Example
Take a Premier League match between Liverpool (home) and Arsenal (away), with these hypothetical odds: Liverpool 2.20, draw 3.40, Arsenal 3.30.
| Full-time score | Result | Winning selection | Losing selections |
| Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal | Home win | 1 | X and 2 |
| Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal | Draw | X | 1 and 2 |
| Liverpool 0-2 Arsenal | Away win | 2 | 1 and X |
What Happens If the Match Ends in a Draw?
In 1X2, a draw is a result in its own right. Bets on X win. Bets on 1 and 2 lose, and the stake is not returned.
This catches out many beginners, because some other markets do refund the stake when a match is level. Draw No Bet works that way, and so do some Asian Handicap lines. Standard 1X2 does not. If you stake $10 on Liverpool and the match finishes 1-1,you lose the $10.
How to Read 1X2 Betting Odds
Understanding Decimal Odds
Football odds in Singapore are normally shown as decimals. The number is the total amount paid back for every S1staked,includingtheS1 itself. Odds of 2.20 return 2.20perdollar:yourS1 stake plus $1.20 profit.
Calculating Potential Returns
Two formulas cover every 1X2 bet:
- Total return = Stake x Decimal odds
- Net profit = Total return – Stake
Here is a $10 stake at the hypothetical Liverpool vs Arsenal odds:
| Selection | Odds | Total return (SGD) | Net profit (SGD) | Implied probability |
| 1 (Liverpool) | 2.20 | 22.00 | 12.00 | 45.5% |
| X (Draw) | 3.40 | 34.00 | 24.00 | 29.4% |
| 2 (Arsenal) | 3.30 | 33.00 | 23.00 | 30.3% |
If the selection loses, the return is 0 and the loss is the full S10.
What Do Shorter Odds Mean?
Shorter (lower) odds mean the bookmaker rates the outcome as more likely, so it pays less. You can convert any price into an implied probability:
- Implied probability (%) = 100 / Decimal odds
At 2.20, that is 100 / 2.20 = 45.5%.
Implied probability is not the true chance of winning. Add the three figures in the table and you get 105.2%, not 100%. The extra 5.2% is the bookmaker margin, also called the overround, and it is built into every price. Each outcome is therefore slightly less likely than its odds suggest.
Short odds are not a prediction either. A team priced at 45.5% is expected to fail to win more often than it wins.
Does 1X2 Betting Include Extra Time and Penalties?
No. A standard 1X2 bet covers regulation time only: the two 45-minute halves plus any stoppage time the referee adds to each half.
| Period of play | Counts for standard 1X2? |
| First and second half (90 minutes) | Yes |
| Stoppage time added to either half | Yes |
| Extra time (two 15-minute periods) | No |
| Penalty shootout | No |
This matters most in knockout football. Suppose Arsenal host Liverpool in a UEFA Champions League knockout tie. It is 1-1 after regulation time, extra time is goalless, and Arsenal win the shootout.
The 1X2 market settles as X. Bets on Arsenal (1) lose, even though Arsenal go through.
Bookmakers offer separate markets for what happens after regulation time, each with its own rules. Singapore Pools, for example, defines the full-time score as the score at the end of regulation time and lists a separate “How Will Match Be Decided?” bet type for wins in extra time or on penalties (Football Betting Game Rules).
1X2 vs Other Football Betting Markets
Several markets are built on the same match result but treat the draw differently.
| Market | Selections | If the match is drawn | Handicap applied? |
| 1X2 | 3 (1, X, 2) | X wins; 1 and 2 lose | No |
| Double Chance | 3 (1X, X2, 12) | 1X and X2 win; 12 loses | No |
| Draw No Bet | 2 (home, away) | Stake refunded | No |
| Asian Handicap | 2 (home, away) | Depends on the handicap line | Yes |
1X2 vs Double Chance
Double Chance covers two of the three outcomes with one bet: home or draw (1X), away or draw (X2), or either team to win (12). Because it wins more often, it pays less. With Liverpool at 2.20 and the draw at 3.40, a hypothetical 1X price would be around 1.33.
1X2 vs Draw No Bet
Draw No Bet removes the draw as a selection. You back the home or away team, and if the match is level your stake is returned. That protection has a cost: the price for a team is lower than its 1X2 price.
1X2 vs Asian Handicap
Unlike standard 1X2, Asian Handicap betting applies a goal advantage or disadvantage to a team before the bet is settled. There are only two selections. Depending on the line, a bet can win, lose, be refunded, or be half won or half lost.
The two markets suit different questions. 1X2 asks who wins. Asian Handicap asks whether a team beats a set margin. Our 1X2 vs Asian Handicap betting comparison explains how both markets handle match results and draws.
How Are 1X2 Bets Settled in Singapore?
The official local reference is the Singapore Pools Football Betting Game Rules. The current version applies to bets placed on or after 29 May 2026.
Under those rules, a 1X2 bet is a bet on the outcome at the end of regulation time.
| Situation | How a 1X2 bet is treated |
| Match completes regulation time | Settled on the full-time score, stoppage time included |
| Match goes to extra time or penalties | Still settled on the full-time score |
| Match called off before regulation time ends | Void and refunded |
| Match abandoned during extra time or penalties | Stands on the full-time score, no refund |
| Kick-off delayed by up to 12 hours, same venue | Not treated as a postponement |
The general refund rules also cover a change of venue before kick-off and a replay that is not held within 36 hours of the original time.
Handicap 1X2 is a separate bet type. A whole-goal handicap is added to or taken from a team’s full-time score before settlement. If Liverpool are given -1 and win 2-1, the adjusted score is 1-1, so the handicap draw wins and Liverpool (-1) loses.
Other operators write their own rules, and the details are not always the same. Read the rules for the exact market before assuming how a bet will settle.
How Common Are Home Wins, Draws and Away Wins?
Across the last three completed Premier League seasons, the home team won 43.2% of matches, 24.5% were drawn and the away team won 32.4%.
| Season | Matches | Home wins (1) | Draws (X) | Away wins (2) |
| 2023/24 | 380 | 175 | 82 | 123 |
| 2024/25 | 380 | 155 | 93 | 132 |
| 2025/26 | 380 | 162 | 104 | 114 |
| Total | 1,140 | 492 | 279 | 369 |
How we calculated this: we counted the full-time result of all 1,140 matches from 2023/24 to 2025/26, then divided each outcome’s count by the number of matches played. Results come from the openfootball England dataset and were checked against each season’s final league table. Percentages are rounded to one decimal place, so a row may not add up to exactly 100%.
Two things stand out. A home win is the most common single result, yet it happened in fewer than half of the matches. And the draw is easy to underestimate: roughly one match in four finished levels, and the share rose from 21.6% to 27.4% over the three seasons.
These are historical frequencies for a whole league. They describe what happened across many past matches, not the chance of an outcome in one future game. Home advantage is an average, and Arsenal at home to a newly promoted side is a very different match from the reverse fixture.
Common Mistakes When Reading 1X2 Bets
Four misunderstandings account for most beginner confusion:
- Mixing up home and away. 1 is the team listed first, not the favourite or the bigger club. In Arsenal vs Liverpool, a bet on Liverpool is 2.
- Counting extra time or penalties. Standard 1X2 stops at the end of regulation time. A cup tie won on penalties still settles as X.
- Expecting a refund on a draw. The draw is a selection, not a void result. If you backed either team, the stake is lost.
- Treating short odds as a guarantee. Odds of 1.50 imply about 67%, and that figure includes the bookmaker margin. Roughly one such bet in three still loses.
Next Steps
Understanding 1X2 is a useful starting point for reading football odds. To see how other markets work, explore our football betting markets guide.
Sources
- Singapore Pools, Football Betting Game Rules, effective 29 May 2026 (published by the Gambling Regulatory Authority)
- openfootball, England football dataset: Premier League results for 2023/24, 2024/25 and 2025/26
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 1X2 mean in betting?
1X2 is a bet on the match result. 1 is a home win, X is a draw and 2 is an away win.
Does 1X2 include extra time?
No. 1X2 is settled on the score after 90 minutes plus stoppage time. Extra time and penalties do not count.
What happens if you bet on 1X2 and the match ends in a draw?
Bets on X win. Bets on either team lose, and the stake is not refunded.
What is the difference between 1X2 and Double Chance?
1X2 covers one outcome. Double Chance covers two of the three in one bet, so it wins more often but pays less.
Is 1X2 the same as Asian Handicap?
No. 1X2 has three outcomes and uses the actual score. Asian Handicap has two outcomes and applies a goal handicap before the bet is settled.
