Jake Boul Once upon a time this could only be done with exchange betting, an area in which Betfair is the world’s leading reference. Over time, many bookmakers have incorporated this option where we bet against an outcome and cover 66.66% of the odds. As we said above, it is natural that the fact that we benefit from two out of three possible alternatives reduces the odds. Even so, there are situations and circumstances that are very conducive to applying the ‘Double Chance’.
One of them lies in taking advantage of when the top teams visit other teams that, while not at the top of the standings, are not the ones fighting for relegation either. In the case of the Spanish league, if we see that Barcelona, Real Madrid or even Atletico Madrid have a risky visit and we believe that things are going to get complicated for them, we have a good opportunity. In that case you could bet on the home side to win and the draw, in other words, against the strongest team. This way of applying the ‘Double Chance’ is interesting because it usually goes hand in hand with very attractive odds, but it is also the riskiest.
Other examples and practice
If we have the idea of meticulous, responsible and careful bankroll management, or if we are not yet very experienced, the best thing to do is to play it safe, even if the dividends will be really low. It is always better to add little and slowly than not at all, some say. For example, for a match between two teams like Athletic Bilbao and Alaves at San Mames, the odds for the ‘1X’ option are unlikely to go over 1.15 or 1.20. This means that playing it safe reduces the returns considerably. In conclusion, using the ‘Double Chance’ betting on favourites is advisable if we do it on a massive scale, with several matches in the same league or even simultaneously in several leagues.
Those who opt for the more daring method will have to pay more attention when making decisions. Let’s look at an example. Let’s assume that Atletico Madrid, in second place and with a very good season, host a Villarreal team motivated to enter the Champions League, irregular but with interesting and dangerous players. Aleti, who also had Champions League football during the week, will be favourites, but the alternative of a draw will not sound far-fetched. So we have a very good chance to play against the Colchonero, without the need to risk too much betting on Villarreal.
Useful tips
In order to put the ‘Double Chance’ into practice with intelligence and precision, it is essential to analyse each situation. Beyond what we always mention about the importance of information and statistics, betting against a big team or a favourite is not something simple. History and numbers show that these teams win more than they lose, so we must have a very good eye to detect when they could be in trouble in advance.
In that sense, it is essential to be able to watch the games, to know the players, to know how each team is playing, how the top individuals are coming in. Likewise, the mood factor also plays a decisive role in these matters. And although the hunch is never advisable in betting, it does not get along too badly with the ‘Double Chance’, usually suitable for close games, without a clear favourite. By the latter, we allude to doubt, which is key in this kind of betting: if we have doubts regarding the outcome, the ‘Double Chance’ is our choice.
It is worth noting that we refer to football because it is the sport in which this type of bet is most used and this happens basically because it is the one that has the draw as the most repeated option. The truth is that it can be applied to any event that has three possible outcomes: thus we rule out tennis and basketball but we can include handball and hockey.
