Soccer Betting Markets Explained Australia
Soccer adds a third outcome to the main market. How the draw works through 1X2, draw no bet, double chance, handicaps, totals and multi legs.
Visit TopSport →Soccer differs from the Australian codes in one structural way: the main market has three outcomes, so a draw is not a technicality but a result that beats both sides of a head-to-head selection. That market is settled on regular time - two halves of 45 minutes plus added time - and ignores extra time and a shoot-out, which is why a knockout tie won on penalties still settles as a draw. Draw no bet, double chance and handicap markets exist to change how that third outcome is handled, while totals sidestep it entirely by counting goals instead of the winner. This page sets out the mechanics on an independent guide site and quotes no odds.
How the draw shapes soccer betting markets
- Soccer is the football code with a three-way main market: home win, draw and away win. Under the Laws of the Game a match is two halves of 45 minutes plus added time, and that regular-time score is what the three-way market is settled on - extra time and a shoot-out sit outside it.
- Because the draw is an outcome in its own right, derived markets exist to work around it. Draw no bet returns the stake when the match finishes level, double chance covers two of the three results in one selection, and a handicap moves the line so the adjusted score rather than the raw one decides the bet.
- Totals are usually posted on a half-goal, such as over or under 2.5 goals, so the market cannot land on the number; a whole-number total can finish exactly level and be void. Both teams to score, correct score and half-time/full-time divide the same 90 minutes a different way.
- Competition structure sets what futures exist. The Premier League runs 20 clubs playing 38 matches each, the UEFA Champions League has used a 36-club league phase of eight matches per club since 2024-25, and the 2026 World Cup was expanded to 48 teams.
Soccer markets and the role of the draw
| Market | How the draw is treated |
|---|---|
| Three-way (1X2) | The draw is a separate winning outcome, so backers of either team lose |
| Draw no bet | A level score voids the bet and the stake is returned |
| Double chance | Two of the three results are covered at once, so a draw can be part of the win |
| Handicap (Asian line) | A goal start is applied first; the draw only matters after the adjustment |
| Totals and both teams to score | The winner is irrelevant - only goals count, which is why half-goal lines are used |
Where to check this
The rule that in-play sports bets cannot be placed online in Australia comes from the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, administered by the Australian Communications and Media Authority, which publishes what may be offered online here. Read on 24 September 2026.
Settlement details — deductions, voids and late scratchings — are set by the operator and change, so this page explains the mechanism rather than printing figures. If betting stops being enjoyable, Gambling Help Online is on 1800 858 858 and BetStop is the national self-exclusion register.