The popularity of sports betting in Nigeria is growing fast and has reached an all-time high in recent years. Several sportsbooks have entered the nation’s gambling industry, and millions of Nigerians actively participate in sports betting every day. Interestingly, there are many thrilling options for Nigerian punters today, with so many different sporting events to bet on and betting options to use.
Whether you are a casual punter, an experienced one, or a beginner, the 1X2 bet is a betting option that you will undoubtedly want to explore. It is a straightforward bet that involves betting on one of three possible outcomes for a team: a win, a draw, or a loss. It is an option that is prevalent in the sports betting industry across many sports and on most sites.
This guide to 1X2 betting will cover everything you need to know about placing 1X2 bets on betting sites in Nigeria.
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What is 1X2 Betting?
Typically, there is one of three outcomes for any participating team or individual in most sporting events. A team will either win, draw, or lose a sports match. The sports betting market that capitalises on these three outcomes is the 1X2 betting market. 1X2 betting is simply betting on the eventual outcome of a match and is often referred to as three-way betting.
The “1” in this market signifies a home win, the “X” represents a draw, and the “2” means an away win in a game. As a punter, you can choose any of these three outcomes, and you will get paid based on the odds of your selection should your team win. The 1X2 betting option applies to various sports, but football remains the most common market.
When using the 1X2 betting market, you are going all-in, and there is no room for a push. For example, if you back the home team (1) to win a game, the team must outscore their opponent by the end of the match. An away win (2) or a draw (X) will see you lose your entire stake.
It is worth noting that 1X2 bets usually count for the end of a match and don’t regard overtime. For example, the winner will be determined at the end of the official 90 minutes of a football match. And if the game goes to overtime, it is regarded as a tie/draw for the bet.
It is also worth noting that aside from the typical full-time results, 1X2 betting has various bet types that you can utilise to make your wins. This includes 1X2 First Half, 1X2 Second Half, and 1X2 Handicap.
Why Should Punters Place 1X2 Bets?
As soon as you start sports betting online, you will notice that 1X2 bets are the go-to option available at all sportsbooks for most sports. This is because it is one of the simplest bet types you will find online, making it the perfect choice for experienced and newbie punters alike.
Also, the fact that it is a 3-way betting market means that the 1X2 bets feature better odds than Moneyline match bets.
Maximise Your Advantages with 1X2 Betting
Many betting enthusiasts, especially newbies, fail to understand that there is no way to 100% guarantee which way a sports game or tournament will go. Thus, placing bets, especially 1X2 bets, can go anyway than expected. However, there are a few steps that experienced punters take to maximise their winning chances when placing 1X2 bets that you can learn from. Here are some helpful tips:
Find the best odds
When you go online to place 1X2 bets, you are bound to notice that the odds offered on any market usually vary from one bookmaker to another. As a result, some sites feature bigger and better odds than others. Thus, finding the best odds will help you maximise your 1X2 betting experience.
Do your Research
For any sports betting market, be it 1X2 betting or others, you need to understand the sport and game you are betting on. It would be best to dedicate time and energy to research the match you are betting on thoroughly. Check out the statistics of each of the participating teams to come up with a logical conclusion on the most probable outcome.
Bonuses and Promotions
You should also learn to use free bets, enhanced odds, bonus cash, cashback, and other sports bonuses and promotions provided by sportsbooks to maximise your 1X2 betting.
Use Multibets
Instead of placing 1X2 bets as a single bet, you can select multiple games into a multi-bet and place a single wager on it. Aside from costing less to bet, a multi-1X2 wager will bring bigger rewards if it wins. However, the downside is that to win it, all the sections in the multi-bet must win without any exception.
It is noteworthy that all the points discussed will not necessarily guarantee a win when you place 1X2 bets. However, they will undoubtedly improve your winning chances and payout if your prediction is accurate.
1X2 Bet Example
So far, it should be clear to you that 1X2 bets are the simplest form of bets you can place on sporting events at bookie sites online. If you don’t already understand how the bet works, we will look at an example in this section.
Let’s say there is a match between Manchester City and Real Madrid and a sportsbook offers this market:
- Manchester City (Home, i.e.“1”): 1.50
- Draw (Draw, i.e., “X”): 4.50
- Real Madrid (Away, i.e., “2”): 6.20
From these odds, it is clear that Manchester City is the clear favourite to win as it features the lowest odds, while Real Madrid is the underdog as it has the biggest odds. The draw bet also has great odds. That said, returns are calculated based on the odds and the money wagered. Thus, potential returns/winnings = Odds x Stake
If you were to place a #1,000 wager on Manchester City to win, the profit would be #1,500 should your prediction come to pass. If you bet the same amount on a draw, you will win #4,500 if the match ends in a draw. On the other hand, should you bet on Real Madrid to win, you stand a chance to win a whopping #6,500 if your wager wins.
Pros and Cons of 1X2 Betting
From what we have discussed so far in this article, you can see that there are many benefits to placing 1X2 bets compared to some other bet types. However, nothing is perfect, and this is the same for 1X2 bets. There are some drawbacks to using this bet type on sporting events. So, to balance the scale, we will be looking at some of the pros and cons of 1X2 betting.
Pros
- Simple: One of the biggest perks of 1X2 bets is that it is the simplest form of wager you can place. All you need to do is place a bet on a team to win a game or bet on the match ending in a tie. Unlike most other bet markets you will find online, this is quite simple and easy to understand, making it perfect for newbies.
- Availability: Due to the straightforward nature of this bet, it is a go-to option for most sports betting sites. Thus, almost every online sportsbook offers 1X2 betting, unlike other bet types that usually vary from one sportsbook to another.
- Wide Range of Sports: 1X2 bets essentially involve 3-way betting; Home win, Draw, and Away win. Most sports like football, hockey, rugby, cricket, and others are set up to allow this 3-way betting. As a result, you will find that this bet type applies to many sports.
- Live betting: Due to the unique nature of live betting, not all bet types and markets are available for it, and the available ones usually vary from one betting site to another. That said, one bet type you are sure to find in the live betting section of every sportsbook is 1X2 bets.
Cons
- 3 Possible Outcomes: Unlike what you will find with many bet types, you will be betting on three possible outcomes when you place 1X2 bets. This means there are multiple expected outcomes and a lower probability of making an accurate prediction – making the bet type a bit risky.
- Lower Odds: The odds on 1X2 bets are usually lower when compared to handicap bets and some other bet types. This is especially more so for the favourite teams. Thus, finding good value with 1X2 stakes can sometimes be challenging.
- No Possibility of a Push: With 1X2 bets, there is usually no possibility of a push, which means you can only win if you make an accurate prediction. Otherwise, you lose.
Odds in 1X2 Betting
Understanding how odds work is essential to succeed in sports betting. Odds refer to the likelihood of an event happening and help you calculate how much you can cash out with a successful bet, as seen in the example above. It is often provided by the sportsbook you are betting on. In Nigerian sportsbooks, decimal odds are the most commonly used odds format.
As we have mentioned earlier, 1X2 bets are a 3-way market, which means that punters will be presented with three different odds: one for the home team to win, one for the away team to win, and the third for a tie. The team that a sportsbook deems to have the biggest chance of winning will be the favourite and will have the lowest odds. The team they believe will lose the game will be the underdog and have much bigger odds than the favourite. On the other hand, the draw/tie bet often represents the best value. However, depending on the type of sport, sportsbook, and the opposing teams in a game, the odds for draw bets can be bigger or smaller than the underdogs, but it is usually much bigger than that of the favourite team.
It is worth noting that the odds offered on any sport or game often vary from one sports betting site to another. As a result, the odds at a sportsbook might be bigger and better than that of others. So, you might want to shop around for the best prices for your 1X2 bets.
1X2 Bets Offers and Promotions
One of the major advantages and attractions of placing wagers on sports online instead of going to land-based bookmakers is the availability of bonuses and promotions. Needless to say, taking advantage of any incentive you can find when placing bets on sports will significantly increase your chances of success, and this is precisely what bonuses and promotions give players.
While you will rarely find bonuses and promotions dedicated to 1X2 betting, most sports betting sites are known to offer generous bonuses and promotional offers to their new and regular customers. It can be a deposit bonus, no deposit bonus, or promotional offers. You can usually use these bonuses to get maximum value out of your 1X2 bets.
It is also worth noting that many sports betting sites come with excellent and rewarding VIP and loyalty programs, where punters will get access to even more free bets, bonus cash, cashback, and other attractive offers.
All these being said, you should also remember that while bonuses will usually seem attractive and juicy, not all of them are worthwhile. So, before opting for any bonus offer at your preferred sportsbook, you should check its terms and conditions to ensure it is worth your while.
What are the Alternatives to 1X2 Bets?
We will admit that 1X2 betting is a fantastic betting option for sports betting. It is primarily a good start for newbies with little to no experience placing bets on sporting events. However, you should note that 1X2 betting is only just one of many alternatives as far as sports betting goes. Thus, you might want to have a look at some other great alternatives that you can use to place bets on sports online:
Over/Under
Also known as Totals, the Over/Under market is another simple alternative that you can use to place bets on sports. Instead of betting on which team will win a game, Totals allow you to bet on the total scores that both teams will get in a game. Sportsbook will have a benchmark on what they feel the game will end in, and you will have to bet on whether the eventual total scores in the game will go over this total or stay under it.
Winning Margins
Another exciting alternative with which you can have fun placing bets is the winning margin market. Here, you will be placing bets on how many scores/goals a team will win or lose a game by. While these bets are not straightforward to predict, they are usually lucrative.
FAQ: 1×2 Betting
To place a 1X2 bet on any sporting event, you need first to find and sign up with a suitable sportsbook that offers excellent odds. Once you are done with that, you need to find the sporting event you want to wager on and select the 1X2 option you wish to make. This will automatically add the selection to your bet ticket, where you will add the stake amount before you submit it.
Yes, it is possible. A multi-bet combines a series of bets into one wager. All you need to do is add your 1X2 bets selections to the bet slip until you have every wager you want. You can then enter the amount you wish to stake on the multi-bet and submit the ticket.
This largely depends on the sportsbook you use to place your 1X2 bets. While many online sports betting sites allow punters to cash out on wagers early, others do not. So, before you sign up to place bets at a site, make sure it has the cash-out feature if this is something you are interested in.
Yes. Almost every sports betting site has a mobile-optimised website, a native app, or both in today’s digital age. You can access any site’s features, including placing 1X2 bets right on your mobile device.
Most definitely not. Like any form of sports betting, no matter how much research you do on the opposing teams during any sports match, there are no guarantees that your prediction will be accurate when you place 1X2 bets.
Responsible gambling
With our explanation so far, you will agree that 1×2 bets are incredibly straightforward and can be quite profitable if you play your cards right. As a result, getting carried away while engaging in 1X2 betting is very easy, which can naturally lead to undesirable consequences like addiction or debt.
Thus, it is essential to gamble responsibly whenever you place 1X2 bets on sporting events. You need to set a budget for your gambling activity and, most importantly, stick to it. Never wager money that you cannot afford to lose, and don’t chase losses or take unnecessary risks, as these can lead you into a downward spiral financially and emotionally.
Thankfully, most top-tier gambling sites in Nigeria provide various tools to help players stay in control of their betting activities and gamble responsibly. You can use these tools to set limits on how much money and time you can spend at a site.
Most importantly, if you think you are getting out of control with your gambling activities, do not hesitate to take time off for a cooling period or completely exclude yourself if necessary.
Recap of 1X2 Betting
1X2 betting is undoubtedly one of the simplest betting markets in Nigeria’s sports betting industry. Due to its simple nature, 1X2 bets is a perfect market that accommodates both experienced and beginning punters alike. The odds are decent, and the betting process is simple. All you need to do is place a bet on one of the two opposing teams to win a game or on the match ending in a tie. If your prediction wins, you win. Otherwise, you lose.
If you are interested in serious sports betting, this is a great place to start. Do remember to compare the odds in different betting sites to find the best option, and practice responsible gambling when you start betting.
