Sports Betting
Sports Betting
Guide
Gambling

What is Draw No Bet?

We explain what a draw no bet is, when to use it, and provide you with some concrete examples.

Ollie Ring
Ollie Ring

Last Updated: 2024-05-22

A. Tzamantanis

5 minutes read

A chess board and a man playing chess

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If you’ve ever dived deep into sports betting markets, you will have noticed the option to back ‘draw no bet’.  A popular betting selection, draw no bet offers a way to narrow the outcomes from three to two and prevent that last minute equalizer from scuppering your parlay bet. 

This guide will help you understand the full meaning of draw no bet, how it impacts the odds and put you in the best possible position to start incorporating draw no bet markets into your overall sports betting strategy. 

What Does Draw No Bet Mean?

If you find yourself asking “what does draw no bet mean?” look no further. The name is almost self-explanatory, should a match end in a draw, the wager becomes ‘no bet’ and the stake is refunded.

In the case that you’ve included a series of draw no bet selections in a parlay, then the matches that end in a tie will be voided in the parlay, and as such the size of the parlay will be reduced. 

When to Use Draw No Bet

There are certain scenarios in which a draw no bet selection could be preferable, and you should consider betting draw no bet.

Evenly matched sides

Where two teams are evenly matched, and the contest is expect to be closely fought, a draw becomes a more likely outcome.

If you anticipate a closely run game, where you think one team might steal a win by a single goal, then backing draw no bet could gives you something to fall back on. 

Lower risk appetite

If you’re a more risk averse better who prefers to back outcomes at shorter odds then DNB markets could become one of your favorites. 

Reducing the number of outcomes where you lose your entire stake from two to one clearly has its benefit. If your long-term online sports betting strategy is shorter odds, low risk, then draw no bet should be an intrinsic part of your armory. 

Draw No Bet in Soccer Betting

The most popular sport for DNB betting is soccer. The world’s most popular sport will always have home win, draw and away win as betting options so each tie will have draw no bet available. Draws are common after a regular 90 minutes of soccer so the DNB market lends itself particularly well to the sport.

Draw No Bet Odds Difference

As to be expected, the draw no bet odds are lower than if you bet on the moneyline. Given the odds are calculated simply by stripping out the odds of a draw, you won’t receive the biggest odds. However, if the match ends in a draw you will receive your wager back. 

How are These Lines Calculated?

It is possible to calculate what the effective odds should be for a draw no bet, based on the moneyline odds provided.

The equation is as follows:

Draw No Bet Odds = (1 – 1/Draw Odds) x Winning Team Odds

However, it is unlikely that on any bookmaker you’ll get these odds. Given the house also incorporates an extra margin, the effective odds will rarely meet the odds you’re provided. 

Examples of Draw No Bet Wagers and Outcomes

To define draw no bet, it’s best to use an illustrative example. Let’s take Tottenham versus Manchester City in the English Premier League as an example.

Moneyline bet outcome

  • Tottenham: 6.50
  • Draw: 6.00
  • Manchester City: 1.37

With a moneyline bet, if Tottenham are your preferred pick, a $10 wager on Tottenham to win would return $65 (including stake) should Spurs win. If the match is a draw, or Manchester City win, $10 will be lost.

Draw No Bet outcome

  • Tottenham: 5.00
  • Manchester City: 1.17 

With Draw No Bet, if you place the same wager, you will receive $50 (including stake) if Tottenham win, your $10 stake back if the match is a draw, and you will lose your $10 only if Manchester City win. 

As you can see, the DNB wager offers smaller return should Tottenham win but does reduce the overall risk, providing a refunded stake should the match end a draw.

Which Sports Can Draw No Bet Be Used For?

Draw No Bet markets are generally offered on any sport where a draw is a potential outcome. Clearly, soccer is the most popular for DNB markets, but there are a few other sports where a draw could happen: 

  1. Cricket (especially Test Matches) 

  2. Rugby Union/League

  3. Boxing

    Although American Football matches can theoretically end in a draw, these are extremely rare. Basketball and Baseball do not feature draws given there are mechanics in place to prevent a game ending all-square. 

Similar Betting Markets

The most similar betting market to draw no bet is the double chance bet. This is a betting market where you can back two selections out of three.

  1. Home team or away team to win

  2. Home team to win or draw

  3. Away team to win or draw

    These are similar in that you are eliminating the outcomes upon which you lose. However, with double chance bets, you’ll receive profit on two outcomes. This is, of course, reflected in the odds. 

FAQs

What does 10 minute draw no bet mean?

A 10-minute draw no bet is simply a DNB wager that concludes at the 10 minute mark in a game. Imagine the full-time whistle is at 10 minutes instead of 90. 

What are the disadvantages of draw no bet?

When you bet with draw no bet, the odds are lower and with bookmaker margin included you could be receiving lower than the effective odds.

What are the advantages of draw no bet?

The advantage of draw no bet wagering is that it provides insurance for if the match ends as a draw, given you’ll receive your stake back.

Is draw no bet the same as double chance?

No, double chance bets will provide profit should either of the outcomes occur. Draw no bet will simply return your stake as a ‘void’ bet should the match end in a draw.

What is the draw no bet alternative?

Although the odds will be different, the closest alternative to draw no bet is double chance. Double chance offers broader coverage, whereas draw no bet simply offers protection against the potential outcome being a draw.

Ollie Ring
Ollie Ring Sports Betting Writer

Ollie Ring is an experienced sports-writer, having produced gambling and sports content for well over 5 years. An avid Watford fan, Ollie has been to over 55 of the football grounds in England and has also held a season ticket at the home of Surrey Cricket Club, The Kia Oval.