Guide · 5 min read
1X2 betting explained: what 1, X and 2 mean and what the odds tell you
1X2 is the most common bet in football and the first market most beginners see. The notation is simple, but there is more in those three numbers than it seems: how the bet is settled, what the bookmaker thinks will happen, and how much margin is built in. This guide explains all three with a worked example, and shows how a three-way sure bet uses all three outcomes.
Updated 22 October 2026
Contents
What 1, X and 2 mean
- 1 = the home team wins (the team named first).
- X = draw.
- 2 = the away team wins (the team named second).
That is why the market is also called "three-way" or "full-time result". On a neutral ground, "1" is simply the team listed first. You pick one of the three outcomes; if it happens, you are paid your stake times the odds.
Example (illustrative odds): Rapid Wien v Sturm Graz at 2.10 / 3.40 / 3.60. A €10 bet on 1 returns €21 if Rapid win (net +€11). A €10 bet on X returns €34 if the match is drawn.
Settled after 90 minutes
A football 1X2 bet is settled on regulation time: 90 minutes plus stoppage time. Stoppage time added by the referee counts; extra time and penalty shoot-outs in cup matches do not. If a cup tie is 1-1 after 90 minutes, "X" wins, even if one team goes through after extra time. Markets such as "to qualify" are different and include extra time and penalties.
The same notation is used in ice hockey (60 minutes), handball and some basketball markets, always on regulation time. Our overtime betting rules guide explains the differences sport by sport, and abandoned matches are covered in abandoned and postponed match bets.
From odds to probability
Decimal odds can be turned into the probability the bookmaker implies: probability = 1 ÷ odds. For the example above:
| Outcome | Odds | 1 ÷ odds | Without margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (home) | 2.10 | 47.62% | 45.43% |
| X (draw) | 3.40 | 29.41% | 28.06% |
| 2 (away) | 3.60 | 27.78% | 26.50% |
| Total | 104.81% | 100.00% |
The three raw percentages add up to more than 100%. The extra 4.81 points are the bookmaker's built-in margin. Dividing each raw figure by 1.0481 removes it and gives the bookmaker's "fair" view: roughly a 45% chance of a home win, 28% draw, 27% away win. Academic research (for example Štrumbelj, 2014) shows that this simple method is a reasonable first estimate, with more refined methods correcting for the favourite-longshot bias. More in implied probability and no-vig fair odds.
If you see the odds in another format (fractional such as 11/10, or American such as +110), convert them first; our odds formats guide shows how.
The margin in a 1X2 market
The margin (also called overround or vig) tells you how much the bookmaker keeps on average. With a total of 104.81%, the payout ratio is 1 ÷ 1.0481 = 95.4%: across all outcomes, the bookmaker returns about €95.40 for every €100 bet, and keeps about €4.60.
- Major leagues at competitive bookmakers often run at 2-5% margin on 1X2.
- Smaller leagues and less competitive bookmakers can be at 6-10% or more.
- The draw is often where bookmakers put a slightly bigger share of the margin.
For a single bettor, the margin is the reason why betting on 1X2 at one bookmaker loses money on average over time. Our guide to bookmaker margin explains how to compare it.
Related markets
- Double chance (1X, X2, 12). Two of the three outcomes in one bet, at lower odds.
- Draw no bet. Home or away; the stake is returned if the match is drawn.
- Half-time 1X2 and half-time/full-time. The same idea for the first half, or both together.
See draw no bet and double chance for worked examples.
How a 3-way sure bet uses 1X2
Each bookmaker's own 1X2 adds up to more than 100%. But different bookmakers rarely agree exactly. If you take the best price for each outcome from different bookmakers, the total can occasionally drop below 100%. Then staking on all three outcomes in the right proportions returns more than the total stake whatever happens: a three-way sure bet.
Home at A 2.30, draw at B 3.70, away at C 3.90. 1/2.30 + 1/3.70 + 1/3.90 = 0.4348 + 0.2703 + 0.2564 = 0.9615, about 3.85% below 1.
| Leg | Odds | Stake | Return if it wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 at A | 2.30 | €45.22 | €104.01 |
| X at B | 3.70 | €28.11 | €104.01 |
| 2 at C | 3.90 | €26.67 | €104.01 |
Total stake €100; every result returns about €104.01. Real differences are usually smaller (mostly 0.5–2%, many below 1%) and disappear quickly, and all three legs must be accepted at those prices.
The full method, including the risks of three legs, is in three-way arbitrage.
Frequently asked questions
What does 1X2 mean in betting?
1 means the home team wins, X means a draw and 2 means the away team wins. You pick one of the three outcomes; if it happens, you are paid your stake times the odds.
Does extra time count in a 1X2 bet?
No. A football 1X2 bet is settled after 90 minutes plus stoppage time. Extra time and penalty shoot-outs do not count; markets such as to qualify include them.
How do I turn 1X2 odds into probabilities?
Divide 1 by each decimal odd. With 2.10, 3.40 and 3.60 you get 47.62%, 29.41% and 27.78%. They add up to 104.81%; dividing each by 1.0481 removes the margin and gives roughly 45%, 28% and 27%.
What is a normal margin on 1X2?
In major football leagues at competitive bookmakers, often around 2-5%. Smaller leagues and less competitive bookmakers can be at 6-10% or more. You calculate it by adding 1 ÷ odds for all three outcomes and subtracting 100%.
Sources
- IFAB: Laws of the Game, Law 7 (the duration of the match)
- IFAB: Laws of the Game, Law 10 (determining the outcome of a match)
- Štrumbelj, E. (2014): On determining probability forecasts from betting odds. International Journal of Forecasting 30(4)
- Forrest, D., Goddard, J. and Simmons, R. (2005): Odds-setters as forecasters: the case of English football. International Journal of Forecasting 21(3)
As of October 2026. Bookmakers' rules, odds and offers change; their current terms and betting rules always apply.
Betting involves risk, even with sure bets: prices move, bets get voided, accounts get limited. Only use money you can do without. Our responsible gambling page lists free help in Austria and Germany.
Information, not betting, legal or tax advice. 18+.