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When betting on football matches, finding the right market for your selection is everything. The right choice for your next bet could influence the available odds, the probability of winning or losing, and your ongoing staking plans in one fell swoop.

While there are many football betting markets to choose from, the Draw No Bet option is among the most popular.

Whether you are a casual punter or a professional sports bettor, this market can be used to achieve fantastic ROIs, which is ultimately the primary goal of any modern punter.

Here’s all you need to know before placing your first Draw No Bet selection.

How does Draw No Bet work?

Generally speaking, football is a low-scoring game with fine margins. In fact, it is the one sport where draws are commonplace. Even in the English Premier League, commonly accepted as the most exciting league in the world, 23% of matches played across the 2021-22 season ended in stalemates.

Meanwhile, the results from the Championship 25% draws, League One 26% and League Two 27% highlight that those high percentages aren’t limited to the EPL.

From a football betting perspective, this means that somewhere around one in four bets on the straight match result market will lose due to a draw. If that doesn’t encourage you to think about using the Draw No Bet market, nothing will.

What is an Example of Draw No Bet?

The Draw No Bet market, otherwise known as DNB, is relatively similar to the classic 1×2 match outcome coupon. When selecting a team on this coupon, you are essentially backing them to win the match. Whether it’s by a 1-0 scoreline or a 6-0 scoreline is irrelevant; a victory for the team means profit for you.

However, unlike the regular 1×2 market, a drawn match, results in a push (refund) rather than a loss. So, this changes the potential outcomes as follows:

Betting on the 1×2 market

  • The team you bet on wins = Your bet wins and is paid out by the bookmaker.
  • The game ends in a draw = Your bet is lost, and the bookies keep your stake.
  • The team you bet on loses = Your bet is lost, and the bookies keep your stake.

Betting on the Draw No Bet market

  • The team you bet on wins = Your bet wins, and you are paid out by the bookmaker.
  • The team you bet on loses = Your bet is lost, and the bookies keep your stake.
  • The game ends in a draw = Your bet is pushed, and the stake is returned.

The biggest benefit gained from betting on this market is that only one result (a loss) will see you lose any money.

Given that you are backing a team to win the game, your prediction has to be at least two goals out. For any punter conducting their research to find great selections, the DNB market is very attractive.

Of course, backing a team on the Draw No Bet market rather than the straight match result outcome will mean that the odds are a little tighter. This does mean that there will be situations where taking the slightly riskier approach of the 1×2 coupon makes more sense.

Still, when utilised properly, there is no doubt that the DNB can open the door to far greater stability in pursuing continued profits.

It’s also worth noting that the Draw No Bet option is ordinarily only found as a 90-minute market and unavailable for first-half betting. The best alternative for first-half punters is to look at the 0 first-half Asian handicap line.

Can I use the Draw No Bet Market In-play?

When betting on different football markets, simply understanding the rules of the chosen bet isn’t enough. You also need to appreciate the possibilities and limitations.

Many questions need to be asked about the DNB market, but “can I bet on in-play events?’ is probably the most pertinent.

The good news is that, as a rule of thumb, the answer is yes. It won’t always be possible, especially as not all bookmakers offer in-play betting in the first place. Likewise, some minor football events may only allow you to bet on a small number of markets.

If it’s a match in one of the big European leagues, though, it’s almost certain that DNB will be available during the game. This naturally opens up a whole host of new possibilities.

Just remember that this market often closes a few minutes before full-time. This may limit your options for a late bet, as well as your cash-out opportunities.

Draw No Bet football betting

Which Bookies Provide DNB Selections?

The Draw No Bet market has become one of the most popular options for punters of varying experience levels, so it’s no surprise to learn that many of the biggest bookmakers and exchange platforms facilitate bets on this market.

Here are a dozen of the best places to place your Draw No Bet selections:

Bet365
Betfair
BetVictor
Betway
Boylesports
Coral
Ladbrokes
Paddy Power
SkyBet
SunBets
William Hill
888sport

So, if you’re looking to capitalise on the opportunities posed by the Draw No Bet coupon, finding a suitable bookmaker is the easiest of tasks.

How do I find the DNB Market?

Each bookmaker is slightly different in how it presents its events and football betting markets. Fortunately, the Draw No Bet market is often one of the easiest to locate.

Firstly, you’ll need to locate the match you wish to bet on. This is done by navigating to:

  • Football → desired league/tournament → the chosen match.

Once you’ve opened the match markets, the DNB is usually on the list of main markets. Some bookies present this close to the 1×2 market, while others position it towards the bottom of the page. Get acclimatised to your chosen bookmaker, and you’ll have no problems.

As for in-play selections, the DNB market will often be planted towards the bottom. However, this will depend on several factors, including the chosen platform and the number of markets offered on the match. Again, after a couple of bets, locating the market will become second nature.

When to Bet on the Draw No Bet Market?

Understanding the DNB market is one thing, but knowing how to utilise it for increased ROIs is another altogether.

There are several occasions when you want to avoid this market. For example, backing heavy favourites on the Draw No Bet market will result in very low odds.

While the risks will seem low, the nature and variables involved in football mean that you’ll eventually come unstuck when a team like Manchester City unexpectedly loses at home to Spurs despite being 1/8 on the DNB coupon.

Sometimes, taking the occasional loss but getting better returns on winning bets will provide a better outcome in the long haul.

Conversely, there are several occasions when the Draw No Bet market can work wonders. Let’s take a look at just three successful methods now.

Draw No Bet Strategy #1: Backing Underdogs

Throughout a football season, there will be various times when you might fancy an underdog to sneak an unexpected result.

For example, you may fancy a mid-table Premier League team to beat one of the elite teams on the weekend after a tough Champions League fixture. But while you suspect a positive result for the underdog, backing them to win can be risky.

Opting for the DNB might lower the odds but still provide a very pleasing return while giving yourself the safety net of a refund.

When the team wins, you may have a slight feeling of wishing you’d just backed the team to win. However, that’s a small price to pay, considering all the refunded stakes you’ll claim over the season.

Those sentiments can extend to various other situations, such as when a strong lower-league team is distracted by a big upcoming cup match. Again, you might not be confident enough to back the underdog on the 1×2 market, so this provides a fantastic compromise.

Alternatively, you could use the DNB market when backing a slightly stronger team in an away game. After all, it’s not uncommon to see matches where the weaker team is at home and ends in a draw.

Draw No Bet Strategy #2: Backing Turnarounds

As mentioned, the Draw No Bet market isn’t exclusive to the pre-match markets. For many punters, in-play betting opportunities are where the biggest profits are secured.

In fact, many professionals actively seek out those possibilities. So, if you have the patience to wait for the perfect timing, you’ll have great results.

It’s the oldest cliché in the book, but it only takes a second to score a goal. As such, we regularly see favourites fall behind. This is when you may get good odds on a team like Manchester City or Manchester United to win against a mid-table side.

The fact that they need to attack should give you confidence when backing them to score.

Still, when time is running out, you may not want to take the risk of them definitely winning, even if you’re confident that they’ll salvage a result of some kind.

Using the DNB option here will result in a high percentage of refunds, but the games that do win will bring returns nearly as high as if you’d back them to win.

On a separate note, their odds on the DNB market will become very slim once they draw level. This may give you a fantastic cash-out opportunity.

Draw No Bet Strategy #3: Building Accumulators

What does Draw No Bet mean in accumulator? The Draw No Bet market is great for betting on singles, especially when working the odds in your favour with the two ideas mentioned above.

However, you can also use this to great effect when building your weekend football accumulators. While only available with some bookmakers, most will allow you to include DNB selections in your accumulators, which can be used to achieve great results.

Any regular punter will confirm that missing out on the big weekend winner due to one team on your seven-fold conceding a late equaliser is the most frustrating moment in any gambler’s life.

If you had that selection as a DNB, the seven would become a six. The winnings will be reduced, but it will still be a good return.

You won’t want to build an accumulator made up entirely of DNB selections, as it would take a lot of teams to create big odds. However, adding a couple of DNBs to the dead certs can boost your success rates.

While individual winners may be slightly lower, the increased frequency will lead to greater long-term profits.

With the help of an online bet calculator, you can quickly work out the various permutations and possible outcomes.

Is there anything else I should know about DNB Markets?

The above information should set you on your way to profit from what is one of the best markets out there.

However, here are some final reminders that you must take on board.

  • Even when placed in-play, Draw No Bet markets count from 0-0. They are not like the Asian handicaps that count from the moment you’ve placed the bet.
  • If a DNB selection is included in an accumulator, a pushed outcome will influence your payout. To calculate the new winnings, simply add up the remaining selections as though the DNB was never included.
  • Using the Draw No Bet is designed to minimise losses rather than increase winnings. After all, every bet you win could have been taken at higher odds on the 1×2 market. If you tend to chase big wins rather than steady profits, it’s probably not for you.
  • Not all bookies allow you to cash out on the DNB market. Always take this into account before placing your bets.
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