What Does 1x2 Betting Mean in Football Gambling?

When it comes to football betting, 1x2 is always the most popular market at the best betting sites.

For newcomers to football betting, 1x2 is simply a bet on either a home win, away win or the draw (it's also sometimes referred to as the 'match result' market).

You can bet the 1x2 market on just one match or alternatively you can place a 1x2 multiple bet that features two or more selections.

In this article, we look at the best way to approach the 1x2 betting market when you visit football betting sites.

What sort of 1x2 odds should you look for when betting on the match result market and what’s the best strategy to employ when placing a 1x2 football accumulator?

We answer these questions and more below.

1x2 Betting Explained

The 1x2 bet is usually associated with football more than other sports, but this market is available on all sports where the draw is a possibility.

Therefore, you'll notice that North American sports like hockey, basketball, American football and baseball don't have 1x2 as a betting option, as games can't end in a draw.

The '1' in 1x2 odds referes to the home team, while the 'x' refers to the draw and the '2' represents the away team.

Unlike with handicap football betting, there is no attempt made by the bookie to even up the odds, so you will often find very short prices for the favourites ahead of one-sided football matches.

Why is Betting 1x2 so Popular?

Most people like to take a view on the result when it comes to betting on a football match.

Will one team benefit from a home advantage to land the three points? Will the away team prove too strong and claim the spoils? Or will it be a close encounter - meaning the draw offers the best value of all?

The beauty of the 1x2 betting market is its simplicity. Anyone can understand the principle of predicting the outcome of a match after 90 minutes and betting accordingly.

However, trying to make money on 1x2 odds is anothet matter, so it's important to follow a coherent football betting strategy when attempting to predict football results.

How Should We Approach the 1x2 Betting Market?

Firstly, it’s important to always remember that there are three possible outcomes.

Very few people regularly back the draw on the 1x2 market despite the fact that it often represents the best value of all three options.

The match is all-square when it kicks off and a cagey game means that the draw often becomes the favourite in-play if a goal hasn’t been scored in the first half.

Whichever of the three options you select, you are betting against the other two, so you have to feel confident that the price you have taken represents decent value.

If a team is evens to win a particular match, you should really feel as though they have a greater than 50% chance of winning, as only that would then make it a value bet.

Similarly, you might see a team available at 5/1 on the 1x2 betting market and feel as though their odds are too big to win a football match.

If odds of 3/1 were a more accurate reflection of their chances of winning you could bet at 5/1 - even though the team are still more likely not to win than actually win the game.

Top Tip: Check Team News When Betting 1x2

Team news is absolutely vital when it comes to betting on any football market and that’s especially the case with betting 1x2. If you’re betting on the outcome of a particular match, then it’s vital to know the predicted line-ups and the confirmed line-ups, which are announced roughly an hour before the game kicks off.

Online bookmakers and betting apps often adjust their 1x2 betting odds once the team news is released.

For example, if Manchester City are resting several players during a hectic festive schedule, you might see their odds drift before kick-off.

Similarly, if a star player like Erling Haaland is back from injury and lining up to play, then the price might go the other way.

For big football competitions like the Champions League, 1x2 betting markets to go live days in advance of a match kicking off./p>

Sometimes early birds are able to snap up some value, with the bookies then adjusting their prices closer to the game, especially if there’s been a weight of money for one particular team.

Betting 1x2 Accumulators Successfully

The most popular football accumulator bets involve the 1x2 betting market.

Punters love putting together an acca involving several teams and then cheering on each side in the hope of landing a substantial return from a relatively small stake.

While this is undoubtedly great fun, the biggest mistake that punters make is picking too many teams for their multiple bet.

Sometimes it might seem bombproof when you load up 10 favourites into an acca and wait for the money to roll in, but at least one fancied team will usually slip up.

Less is often more when it comes to winning with football accumulator bets.

There’s nothing wrong with picking three or four teams if they are the only ones that you strongly fancy to win for that particular round of matches.

But the key is to avoid trying to boost the odds of your acca without giving it enough thought and analysis.

The best new betting sites run accumulator promotions that grant bettors a bonus on top of their winnings, so look to take advantage of these offers and don't get too greedy with too many selections!