What Is a ‘Double Chance’ Bet in Sports Betting?
In sports betting, “DC” is a common abbreviation for “Double Chance.”
The Double Chance is a popular betting market, especially in soccer, that allows you to cover two of the three possible outcomes in a match with a single bet. This significantly increases your probability of winning compared to a standard three-way (Win/Draw/Loss) bet.
How Double Chance Works
In a typical soccer match, there are three possible results:
- Team A wins
- Team B wins
- The match is a draw
A Double Chance bet combines two of these possibilities into one wager. The three available Double Chance options are:
- 1X (Home Team and Draw): Your bet wins if the home team wins OR the match is a draw. You only lose if the away team wins.
- X2 (Away Team and Draw): Your bet wins if the away team wins OR the match is a draw. You only lose if the home team wins.
- 12 (Home Team and Away Team): Your bet wins if either the home team or the away team wins. You only lose if the match is a draw.
Example:
Let’s say Manchester United is playing Liverpool at home (Old Trafford).
| Bet Type | You Win If… | You Lose If… |
| 1X (Man Utd DC) | Manchester United wins OR the game is a draw. | Liverpool wins. |
| X2 (Liverpool DC) | Liverpool wins OR the game is a draw. | Manchester United wins. |
| 12 (No Draw) | Manchester United wins OR Liverpool wins. | The game is a draw. |
The Trade-Off: Lower Odds
The primary advantage of a Double Chance bet is the increased safety and higher chance of winning. However, this comes at a cost: the odds for DC bets are significantly lower than for a standard single outcome bet.
It’s a conservative betting strategy often used by bettors who want to minimize risk, especially when they feel a clear underdog has a strong chance of avoiding defeat, or when two teams are so evenly matched that a draw is a very likely outcome.