Draw No Bet
Draw No Bet (DNB) is a football betting market where your stake is fully refunded if the match ends in a draw. You only win if your selected team wins outright, and only lose if the other team wins — removing the draw as a losing outcome.
Definition
Draw No Bet (DNB) removes the draw from a match, leaving two possible outcomes for your bet: the team you backed wins (your bet wins), or the other team wins (your bet loses). If the match ends in a draw, your stake is returned in full — no profit, no loss. This makes DNB a lower-risk alternative to a standard 1X2 win bet when you are confident in one side but the draw represents meaningful risk. DNB offers lower odds than a straight win bet but significantly better odds than Double Chance, sitting neatly between the two in both risk and reward.
Example
Manchester City vs Newcastle (DNB example):
City are priced at 1X2 odds of 1.28 to win outright. DNB odds for City are 1.42. You stake £100 on City DNB.
• City win (e.g. 2-0): you collect £142 — a £42 profit.
• Match drawn (e.g. 1-1): your £100 stake is returned. No gain, no loss.
• Newcastle win: you lose £100.
Compared to the 1X2 at 1.28: a draw would have cost you £100 on 1X2, but only £0 on DNB. The trade-off is the lower return (£42 vs £28) — DNB gives you draw protection at a slight cost to your win payout.
Edge calculation example:
Our model gives City a 65% win probability and Newcastle a 12% win probability. Draw probability = 23%. DNB implied probability = City wins ÷ (City wins + Newcastle wins) = 65% ÷ (65% + 12%) = 84.4%. If DNB odds of 1.42 imply only 70.4%, the edge is +14% — a strong value signal.
When to Use Draw No Bet
Draw No Bet is the right choice when:
- You are confident in one team but the draw probability is 20–30% — DNB removes the main risk without sacrificing as much payout as Double Chance 1X.
- The 1X2 win odds are very short (below 1.40) — At these prices the draw risk is disproportionately large relative to the win payout. DNB improves the risk/reward significantly.
- You want protection in a tight rivalry match — Historically draw-heavy matchups (derbies, top-4 clashes) are ideal for DNB if you lean toward one side.
- The AH 0.0 line offers better odds for the same protection — AH 0.0 and DNB are equivalent; always check both labels at your bookmaker and take the better price.
Avoid DNB when the draw probability is below 15% — at that point a straight 1X2 win bet offers nearly identical risk with better returns.
Common Mistakes with Draw No Bet
- Using DNB when the draw is very unlikely — If the draw probability is under 15%, you are paying for protection you barely need. A straight 1X2 win bet gives better odds and nearly the same risk profile.
- Not comparing DNB vs AH 0.0 odds — These markets are identical in payout rules but bookmakers sometimes price them differently. Checking both can add 0.03–0.08 to your effective odds.
- Treating DNB as "safe" on short-priced favourites — DNB at 1.10 still loses if the underdog wins. It is not a no-lose bet; it is a draw-protection bet. The underdog win risk remains fully active.
- Confusing DNB with Double Chance 1X — Double Chance 1X covers Home win OR Draw. DNB refunds on a draw but loses on the away win. They are not the same: Double Chance protects in both directions, DNB only neutralises the draw.
- Ignoring that DNB settles at 90 minutes — In cup matches, if the score is level at 90 minutes and goes to extra time, DNB refunds at that point. Extra-time results do not affect DNB settlement.
How CalibrSports Predicts This
We flag Draw No Bet when our model assigns a strong win probability to one side (typically above 55%) but the draw probability is high enough (above 20%) to carry meaningful downside on a standard 1X2 bet. We calculate DNB expected value explicitly rather than inferring it from 1X2 probabilities, because bookmakers sometimes price DNB and AH 0.0 differently. The AI advisor confirms the selection against team news and draw-rate history for the specific league.
See live picks using this market on our performance page.
Key Facts
Draw result
Full stake refunded
Outcomes
Win or Refund (draw), Lose (other team wins)
Equivalent to
Asian Handicap 0.0
Best use case
Strong favourite, draw probability 20–30%
Settles at
90 minutes only
Odds vs 1X2
Better than 1X2 win, lower than Double Chance
Related Terms
Browse all terms in the Football Betting Glossary.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Draw No Bet?
Draw No Bet (DNB) is a football betting market where the draw outcome is removed. You back either the home or away team to win. If that team wins, your bet pays out at the DNB odds. If the match ends in a draw, your full stake is refunded. You only lose if the team you did not back wins. It is a lower-risk alternative to a standard win bet when the draw is a meaningful possibility.
What does DNB mean in football predictions?
In football predictions, DNB means Draw No Bet — a pick that backs a specific team to win while being protected against the draw. When a prediction is labelled DNB, it means the forecaster is confident in a win for that team but considers the draw a real enough risk to warrant draw protection. A DNB prediction loses only if the other team wins.
Is Draw No Bet the same as Asian Handicap 0.0?
Yes, they are functionally identical. Both markets refund your stake if the match ends in a draw and settle as a standard win or loss on any other result. The difference is purely presentation — bookmakers sometimes offer slightly different odds under each label, so it is worth comparing AH 0.0 and DNB prices before placing your bet.
Does Draw No Bet apply to 90 minutes only?
Yes. Like all standard markets, DNB settles at full-time (90 minutes plus injury time). Extra time and penalty shoot-outs are not included. In a cup knockout match, if the score is level at 90 minutes and the match goes to extra time, the DNB market settles as a push — your stake is refunded.
When should I use Draw No Bet instead of Double Chance?
Use DNB when you are backing one side to win outright and want protection only against the draw. Double Chance 1X covers both the home win and the draw, so it protects against both adverse results — but the odds are much lower. DNB is better when you lean strongly toward one team winning and just want the draw safety net without sacrificing as much on the payout.