Meaning of 1X2 in Betting: Guide and Examples

1×2 betting means you are betting on the result of a match, being one of the three possible outcomes. Selecting 1 means you are betting on the home team to win, X means you are betting on a draw, and 2 means you are betting on the away team to win.

In Nigeria, when bettors mention this market, they're usually talking about football. However, it also applies to other sports, such as boxing, basketball, rugby, hockey, and many more.

For this guide, though, we'll focus on the meaning of 1X2 in football betting, explain it with real-world examples and tips, and show you the best places to bet on it.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents

Meaning of 1×2 in Football Betting

1X2 is one of the most popular football betting markets that is only about the result of the match after 90 minutes. It covers the three possible scenarios from a football game. You can bet on the home team to win the game (1), a draw (X) or the away team to win the game (2).

Here's a breakdown of this betting market:

• 1 – Home team to win: E.g. 2-1, 4-3, 2-0, etc. The scoreline doesn't matter, as long as they outscore the opposition, you win your bet.
• X – Draw (game ends without a winner): E.g. 0-0, 1-1, 3-3, etc.
• 2 – Away team to win: E.g. 1-2, 3-4, 0-2, etc. Similar to the 1 option, all that's needed for your bet to win is for the away side to score more goals than the home team inside 90 minutes plus injury time.

The 1×2 bet in football is also called the “match result”, “full-time result” or the “straight win” market. This market is ONLY about the result after 90 minutes of regulation time, which is the standard for any football game.

If it is a game in which there must be a winner, such as the knockout stage of a competition like the UEFA Champions League, AFCON or FIFA World Cup, everything after regulation time (extra time and penalties) will not count for this bet. If both teams are level after the standard 90 minutes are over, the bet is settled as a draw.

1×2 Meaning: Examples of 1×2 Bet

Let’s use a Premier League match between Manchester City and West Ham at the Etihad as an example of a 1X2 football bet: Since Manchester City are the home team, their odds will be placed on the left side (1), while the odds for West Ham United, the away team, are placed on the right side (2).

So, on the betting site where you are to make the selection, you will see the 1×2 market looking like this:

TEAMS	1	X	2
MANCHESTER CITY WEST HAM	1.72	3.60	5.20

Manchester City (1) have been given 1.72 Odds to win the game. West Ham (2) have been given 5.20 odds to win. The odds for a draw (x) are 3.60.

From the above, the home team are favourites because their odds of 1.72 are the lowest of the three. The least likely outcome is the away team to win, because it has the highest odds of the three (5.20). In 1×2 football betting, you can only select one outcome.

Here's how the payout is calculated for the 1×2 betting market:

• Payout = Stake × Odds

If you bet ₦10,000 on Manchester City to win (1) @ 1.72 Odds, your payout if they win is:

• ₦10,000 x 1.72 = ₦17,200

If you bet ₦10,000 on a draw (x) @ 3.60 Odds, your payout if the match ends in a draw is:

• ₦10,000 x 3.60 = ₦36,000

If you bet ₦10,000 on West Ham to win (2) @ 5.20 Odds, your payout if they win is:

• ₦10,000 x 5.20 = ₦52,000

Meaning of 2UP in 1X2 Betting: Early Payouts

Given how popular 1X2 bets are in football, many betting sites now offer you the option of winning your matchwinner bet early, before the game ends, and regardless of the final result.

This option is popularly known as 2UP in Nigeria, named after Betano‘s early payout feature, which was one of the first of its kind in the country. Most of the best betting sites in Nigeria now offer a similar feature under different names.

The 2UP option pays out your 1X2 football bet as a win if the team you back takes a 2-goal lead at any point during the match, regardless of the final outcome.

Once you secure your payout, it doesn't matter what happens after, even if the game later ends in a draw or defeat for your team.

While this market offers slightly lower odds than the main 1×2 market, it is an excellent option if you want to reduce your risk. It especially matters if you are backing a team known to blow leads (we're looking at you, Manchester United). Once they go 2 goals up, you win your 1×2 bet.

Plus, the difference between the odds for the 2UP market and the main 1×2 market is usually small. Unless you are betting a huge amount, you won't give up much if you opt for the 2UP option. Personally, I always take this option, and it's worked out very well for me thus far.

Let's illustrate how 2Up works using our example from above. Imagine if you bet Manchester City to win in the 2UP market. The odds will likely be around 1.69. If they lead 2-0 by the 20th minute, your bet is won, even if West Ham later come back to draw the game 2-2.

That means that if you bet ₦10,000 Naira on Manchester City to win in the 2UP market, your payout will be:

• ₦10,000 x 1.69 = ₦16,900.

Compared to the other bet with the main 1×2 market, you win only ₦300 less. If you had bet ₦1,000,000, the difference in payout would look like this:

• Main 1×2 market: ₦1,000,000 x 1.72 = ₦1,720,000
• 2UP market: ₦1,000,000 x 1.69 = ₦1,690,000
• ₦1,720,000 – ₦1,690,000 = ₦30,000

So, you'd win ₦30,000 less, but that's a small price to pay for the added security this option provides.

Advantages of 1X2 Bet

Football 1×2 bets offer many advantages such as;

• Popularity: It is the most popular football betting market, meaning you will find many bet codes with this option. If you prefer to edit codes curated by others, you will never miss out on this market.
• Simplicity: It is the simplest market to understand. Even new bettors can get it quickly.
• Availability: All Nigerian betting sites and football matches have it. No matter how obscure the league or competition is, you will always find this market.
• Win Potential: It is very easy to win, especially when you are backing the favourites. This is one of the main reasons why it is so popular. If it wasn’t profitable, people wouldn’t be betting so much on it.
• Flexibility: It is ideal for both single bets and as part of accumulator bets.
• Payout Potential: 1×2 bets have good payout potential, so you could rake in some big profits from this market.

1X2 Betting Tips: Strategies to Win 1×2 Bets

Now that you have a good understanding of the meaning of 1X2 in betting, the next step is to have a winning strategy to guide you when placing straight win bets. Here are some tips I have prepared for you:

1. Analyse the stats: Data is king. In football betting, stats always matter. Pay attention to team form, trends, past performances, head-to-head records, and home-and-away records.
2. Check for team updates: 1X2 outcomes are heavily reliant on who is available for a game. Some players directly impact results, so be sure to check for injuries, suspensions, and the availability of key players.
3. Consider match context and conditions: Match contexts impact results heavily. For instance, if a game is a must-win game for one team, it can determine how they approach the game. This could be different from what you typically know of them. Also, the weather can give one team an edge over the other or completely change the dynamics of games (think rainy midweek matches at Burnley under Sean Dyche). Even the type of pitch can alter things.
4. Avoid betting blindly: There is always the temptation to back all the favourites or the team you support. Avoid blindly backing them, as surprise results happen quite often. Some big teams also have bogey teams. Make sure your selections are backed by extensive research and data.
5. Compare odds across betting sites: Some betting sites offer better odds than others. It makes sense to place your bets with the ones that give you the potential for higher payouts.

Best Betting Sites in Nigeria for 1X2 Bets

Here are three betting sites I recommend for this market. As mentioned earlier, every bookmaker in Nigeria offers the 1X2 option. But I’ve chosen these three because they consistently offer some of the biggest odds on the top football leagues most people bet on, and two of them also offer early payouts on match winner bets if your team goes 2 goals up.

• Betano: They payout 1×2 2UP bets faster than any other bookmaker. That means you get the opportunity to rebet live with some of your winnings.
• Bet9ja: They offer some of the best odds among Nigerian betting sites for this market. With their newly introduced 1UP feature, Bet9ja will settle your straight win bet as a win if your chosen team goes 1-goal ahead at any point in the match, while most other bookies still require a 2-goal lead for early payout.
• Nairabet: Their 1×2 odds are very high, and you'll typically get boosted odds on important football matches.

Common Questions About 1×2 Betting