What Does Draw No Bet Mean in Betting?
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Last Updated: 1 August, 2025
Draw No Bet is a type of sports bet that removes the draw as an outcome.
You’re only betting on one team to win.
If that team wins, you win the bet.
If the match ends in a draw, your stake is refunded.
If the team loses, your bet loses.
This betting option is popular with cautious bettors.
It gives some protection in matches where a draw feels likely.
Instead of risking a full loss, you get your money back if neither side wins.
In standard three-way betting (also called the 1X2 market), you can bet on the home team (1), the away team (2), or a draw (X).
Draw No Bet simplifies that.
You choose one team, and the draw becomes a “no bet” situation, meaning it doesn’t count.
How does Draw No Bet work?
With a Draw No Bet, you're only backing a team to win.
If that team wins, you get paid.
If the match ends in a draw, your stake comes back.
If the team loses, you lose the bet.
Let’s say you place a Draw No Bet on Team A:
Team A wins: You win the bet and get your profit.
The game is a draw: You get your original stake back. No win, no loss.
Team A loses: You lose the bet.
This type of bet removes the risk of a draw hurting your pick.
That makes it a solid option when you like a team but think a draw is also possible.
Unlike traditional bets, where a draw can spoil your ticket, this market gives you a safety net.
Real example of Draw No Bet
Imagine a soccer match between Liverpool and Hoffenheim.
You think Liverpool has the edge, but Hoffenheim could grind out a draw.
With Draw No Bet, you back Liverpool to win, and if the game ends in a draw, your stake is refunded.
Let’s say Liverpool Draw No Bet is priced at -150, and you bet $150.
Here’s what happens:
Liverpool wins: You win the bet and earn $100 profit.
The game ends in a draw: Your $150 stake is refunded.
Hoffenheim wins: You lose your $150 bet.
This type of bet is useful when you’re confident a team won’t lose, but want insurance against a draw.
When to use Draw No Bet: The best Draw No Bet strategy
A Draw No Bet strategy helps when you're confident a team won’t lose, but not sure they’ll win.
It's a smart option for reducing risk without walking away from value.
When it works best:
Backing an underdog: Betting on the underdog can pay well. But if they draw, your bet normally loses. With Draw No Bet, a tie gives you a refund. You keep the upside with less downside.
Tight matchups: When teams are closely matched, a draw is more likely. If you still want to pick a side, Draw No Bet softens the risk.
Tournament play: In two-leg formats (like the Champions League), teams with a lead on aggregate often settle for a draw. If you’re betting on the trailing team to win at home, Draw No Bet protects you in case the match ends level.
Strong home-field advantage: Some leagues are tough on road teams. MLS is a good example; home teams win more often. A Draw No Bet on a home team gives you a better chance of a refund than a full loss.
Late betting or in-play: If a favorite is underperforming but still likely to turn it around, backing them Draw No Bet during live betting adds safety. You avoid a full loss if they only manage a draw.
This bet type doesn’t guarantee a win.
But it protects your stake in matchups where a draw is a real threat.
For many bettors, that edge is worth it.
Using Draw No Bet in live betting
Draw No Bet can be a smart tool during live betting, especially when a favorite falls behind early.
Let’s say a top team concedes a surprise goal in the first half.
You still believe they’ll fight back and possibly win, but a draw is now more likely.
Instead of betting them outright, a live Draw No Bet gives you upside if they recover and a refund if they fall just short.
In fast-moving matches where momentum shifts, this bet gives you a safer way to back comebacks without risking a total loss.
Draw No Bet meaning in soccer
Draw No Bet is especially popular in soccer because draws happen often, around 25% of matches end without a winner.
That makes it harder to pick a clear result in standard 1X2 betting.
In soccer, the Draw No Bet meaning is simple: you’re choosing one team to win.
If the match ends in a draw after 90 minutes (plus stoppage time), your stake is refunded.
Extra time or penalties don’t count unless stated.
This bet is useful in league play and knockout tournaments.
In league games, you may want to bet on a strong team that's likely to win, but could be held to a draw by a well-organized opponent.
In cup ties, it’s often the safer option when teams are protecting a lead from a first-leg win.
Soccer bettors like Draw No Bet because it gives more control in unpredictable matches.
It removes one of the most frustrating outcomes, losing on a draw when your team didn’t lose the game.
Why draws matter in Soccer
In soccer, draws are far more common than in many other sports.
Over five Premier League seasons (2012/13 to 2016/17), about 25% of matches ended in a draw.
That means one out of every four games could cancel out a winning bet in a standard 1X2 market.
This makes Draw No Bet especially valuable; it removes that risk completely.
Instead of losing your full stake on a tie, you get it back and live to bet another day.
Understanding the “90 Minutes Only” rule in soccer
In soccer betting, most wagers, including Draw No Bet, are settled based on 90 minutes of play plus stoppage time.
That means extra time and penalty shootouts do not count unless the market specifically says so.
If a knockout match is tied after 90 minutes and goes to extra time, a Draw No Bet wager would be refunded.
Always check the bet rules, but unless it says “including extra time,” your bet ends with the final whistle of regulation.
This rule is important, especially in tournament settings, so you know exactly when your bet is live and when it’s settled.
Draw No Bet meaning in cricket
The Draw No Bet meaning in cricket is similar to other sports: you bet on one team to win, and if the match ends in a draw, your stake is refunded.
Draw No Bet markets are usually offered in Test matches, where draws are more common due to weather delays or slow scoring.
In limited-overs formats like T20 or One-Day Internationals, draws are rare and usually handled by tie-breakers like Super Overs.
Let’s say you back Australia in a Test match with Draw No Bet.
If they win, you get paid. If the match ends in a draw, often because time runs out, your stake is returned.
If they lose, the bet is lost.
Because of the longer format and slower pace of Test cricket, this market gives you added protection against weather interruptions and drawn-out games where no result is reached.
While it’s not as common as in soccer, cricket bettors still use Draw No Bet to reduce exposure when conditions make a draw more likely.
How to calculate your Own Draw No Bet odds
If an online sports betting site doesn’t offer a Draw No Bet market, you can create one yourself using 1X2 odds.
This means combining bets on a team to win and the draw, in a way that gives you the same effect: profit if your team wins, and a refund if it’s a draw.
Why do this?
Sometimes, creating your own Draw No Bet gives better payouts than using the sportsbook’s listed odds.
But always compare both before betting.
Also, if you're using a betting exchange, remember to factor in commission when calculating returns.
Building your own Draw No Bet
Sometimes, sportsbooks don’t offer the best odds on Draw No Bet markets.
By using the 1X2 odds and calculating your own stakes, you can build the same bet manually, often with a better payout.
In one example, calculating a Draw No Bet manually gave a 6.5% higher profit compared to using the bookmaker’s listed odds.
This extra edge can make a real difference over time, especially for high-stakes or frequent bettors.
Before placing a DNB, check the 1X2 market.
If you can match the same result on your own, you might come out ahead.
Where to find Draw No Bet markets
Most major sports betting sites offer Draw No Bet betting, but they may list it under different names or in different sections.
It’s usually available for soccer and sometimes for Test cricket.
Here’s where to look:
DraftKings: Listed under the “Popular” tab or under “Game Lines” as Draw No Bet (Regular Time).
FanDuel: Found as Tie No Bet in the “Popular” tab.
BetMGM: Listed under the “Team” tab.
Caesars: Look under the “Team Props” tab.
If you can’t find it, check for Asian Handicap markets with a 0 handicap; these act the same way.
You can also create your own Draw No Bet using the 1X2 odds, as explained earlier.
Keep in mind: only two outcomes will appear, one for each team.
The draw will be removed from the options, since a tie results in a refund.
Using draw No Bet on betting exchanges
If you’re placing bets through a betting exchange instead of a traditional sportsbook, you can still use Draw No Bet by building it manually.
But there’s one key difference, commission.
Betting exchanges charge a small fee on your winnings.
When calculating your own Draw No Bet using 1X2 odds, you need to adjust for this commission to get an accurate return.
For example, if the exchange takes 5%, your real profit will be slightly lower than the listed odds suggest.
If you’re doing the math yourself, always subtract the commission from the payout before comparing it to a standard sportsbook’s DNB odds.
Draw No Bet vs similar bet types
Draw No Bet is part of a group of bet types that reduce risk in close games.
It’s important to understand how it compares to similar options like Asian Handicap (0) and Pick’em bets, especially if you’re choosing between them.
Draw No Bet vs Asian Handicap (0)
These two are functionally identical in most cases.
Draw No Bet: You choose a team to win. If it ends in a draw, your stake is refunded.
Asian Handicap 0: You’re giving no advantage or disadvantage to either team. If your team wins, you win. If it’s a draw, you get a refund.
The difference? Presentation and placement.
Some sportsbooks list Draw No Bet under game props or team markets.
Asian Handicap (0) is found in the handicap section, usually among lines like +0.5 or -1.
They both offer protection in case of a draw.
The odds are often the same or very close.
But with Asian Handicap, you may sometimes find better odds or different formatting based on the bookmaker.
Draw No Bet vs. Pick’em Bets
A Pick’em (or PK) bet is used mainly in American sports like football, basketball, or hockey, where draws are rare.
In a Pick’em:
You’re choosing one side with no point spread.
If the game ends in a tie (which is rare), the bet is usually a push, and your stake is refunded.
This is nearly the same as a Draw No Bet, but applied to sports that rarely end in draws.
Think of Pick’em as the American version of Draw No Bet, just adapted to leagues where tie games almost never happen.
Using the right version depends on the sport, bookmaker, and how the market is labeled.
But the core idea stays the same: protect your bet from a draw.
Draw No Bet Parlay
You can include Draw No Bet selections in a parlay, also known as an accumulator or multi-bet.
This lets you combine multiple picks into one wager for a bigger payout.
But there are some important things to know.
How it works
A Draw No Bet parlay follows the same logic as any parlay; every leg must win for the bet to pay out.
But if one leg ends in a draw, and you used Draw No Bet on that selection, that leg is treated as a push.
The sportsbook removes it from the parlay, and the rest of the bet continues.
Example
Let’s say you build a 3-leg parlay:
Team A (Draw No Bet) – Wins ✅
Team B (Draw No Bet) – Draw ➖
Team C (Draw No Bet) – Wins ✅
If Team B’s match ends in a draw, that leg is voided.
Your bet becomes a 2-leg parlay with Teams A and C.
You still win as long as those two win.
Learn more about parlay bets here for a greater understanding of sports betting.
Pros and cons of Draw No Bet Parlays
Pros
- ✅ Reduces risk in low-scoring or even matchups
- ✅ Keeps parlays alive if one leg ends in a draw
- ✅ Adds flexibility for cautious bettors
Cons
- ❌ Lower odds than traditional moneyline parlays.
- ❌ Refunds, not wins, on tied matches reduce total payout.
Tip: Use Draw No Bet in parlays when you're betting on close games or slight underdogs. If one leg pushes, you still have a shot at a payout without a full loss.
Key takeaways on Draw No Bet betting
Draw No Bet betting is a smart option for reducing risk without giving up too much value.
It’s especially useful in soccer and cricket, where draws happen often.
Here’s what to remember:
Draw No Bet means you’re backing a team to win. If they lose, you lose. If it’s a draw, your stake is refunded.
It’s ideal for tight matchups, underdogs, or games with a high chance of a draw.
You can find it under various names like Tie No Bet or Asian Handicap (0).
You can build your own Draw No Bet using 1X2 odds if the sportsbook doesn’t offer it.
You can use it in parlays, where a draw simply voids that leg instead of killing the entire bet.
This bet type won’t guarantee profits, but it offers a balanced strategy for bettors who want to stay aggressive while managing risk.
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Josh Miller
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Josh Miller, Sporting Post’s Sports & Casino Editor, brings over five years of experience in feature writing, blogging, and SEO.
With a strong background in football coverage and sports betting, his work has been featured in VAVEL.
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Bradley Gibbs
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With over 12 years of experience, Bradley Gibbs is a seasoned sports betting writer and analyst specializing in uncovering value bets across football, horse racing, tennis, and golf.
His extensive coverage of these sports has been featured on numerous websites and in The Racing & Football Outlook, a renowned UK betting publication.
Bradley's expertise lies in identifying betting edges and delivering insightful, data-driven content for informed wagering.