Last Updated on 29/03/2026 by Andy Clark
Draw no bet (DNB) is a football betting market where your stake is refunded if the match ends in a draw. Back a team to win and they win – your bet pays out as normal. Back a team to win and they lose – your bet loses. Back a team to win and the match is drawn – your stake comes back in full.
That is the entire concept. The draw is removed as a losing outcome, turning a three-way market into a two-way bet.
Draw No Bet – Three Possible Outcomes
| Result | What happens to your bet |
|---|---|
| Your team wins | Bet wins – paid at DNB odds |
| Your team loses | Bet loses – stake gone |
| Match is a draw | Bet void – full stake refunded |
Draw No Bet Examples
Example 1 – Favourite wins
Liverpool are playing Everton. You back Liverpool to win on the draw no bet market at 4/7. Liverpool wins 2-0. Your bet wins, and you are paid at 4/7 odds.
Example 2 – Favourite loses
Same game, same bet. Everton wins 1-0. Your bet loses, and your stake is gone.
Example 3 – The draw protection kicks in
Same game, same bet. The match ends 1-1. Without draw no bet, you would have lost your stake. With a draw no bet, your full stake is refunded. You are back where you started.
Example 3 is why punters use this market. In a tight game where you fancy one team but are worried about a draw, DNB gives you insurance against the result that would otherwise cost you money.
Why Are the Odds Lower on Draw No Bet?
Draw no bet odds are always shorter than the standard match winner (1X2) odds on the same team. This is because one of the three possible outcomes – the draw – has been removed as a risk for you. The bookmaker compensates for giving you that protection by reducing the odds.
Example comparison:
| Market | Chelsea to win odds |
|---|---|
| Match result (1X2) | 8/11 |
| Draw no bet | 4/9 |
The DNB price is shorter because you are getting more protection. Whether that trade-off is worth it depends on how likely you think a draw is in the specific match.
If you are very confident there will be a result either way and a draw is unlikely, the standard match result market gives better value. If the draw is a real possibility and you want protection, DNB makes sense despite the shorter odds.
Draw No Bet in Accumulators
Draw no bet works in accumulators as well as single bets. If you include a DNB selection in an acca and that leg ends in a draw, the leg is voided and removed from the accumulator. The rest of your selections continue as normal.
Example – 4-fold acca with one DNB leg:
You have four selections. Three are standard match result bets; one is draw no bet. Three of the four win. The DNB leg ends in a draw and is voided. Your accumulator becomes a 3-fold, with reduced odds but still live. If the other three legs had won, you would be paid on the 3-fold.
Without the DNB, a draw on any leg would kill the entire accumulator. With it, you at least stay in the game.
This is one of the most practical uses of draw no bet – adding it to legs in an accumulator where a draw is a real risk rather than taking the full standard odds and hoping for a result.
Best Bookmakers for Draw No Bet
The bookmakers below all offer competitive odds on draw no bet markets across the Premier League and European football, along with current sign-up offers for new customers.
Draw No Bet vs Double Chance
These two markets are often confused. Here is the difference.
Draw no bet – you back one team to win. If they win, you win. If it is a draw, the stake is refunded. If they lose, the bet loses.
Double chance – you back two of the three possible outcomes simultaneously. For example, backing Arsenal to win or draw (1X) covers both the win and the draw. You lose only if Arsenal lose.
Double chance offers more protection than draw no bet – you cannot lose on two of the three outcomes. But the odds are even shorter because of that additional cover.
| Market | Covers | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Match result (1X2) | One outcome | Lose on two outcomes |
| Draw no bet | Win only, draw refunded | Lose only if the team loses, draw refunded |
| Double chance | Win + draw | Lose only if the team loses |
Draw No Bet vs Asian Handicap 0
Asian Handicap 0 (also written as AH 0) operates identically to a draw no bet. If the match ends in a draw, your stake is refunded. If your team wins, you win. If your team loses, you lose.
The practical difference is in where you find the market and how it is priced. Asian Handicap markets – particularly on betting exchanges like Betfair – often offer marginally better value on the same outcome because the exchange format carries less built-in margin than a standard sportsbook. If your bookmaker does not offer draw no bet on a specific match, AH 0 on an exchange is the direct equivalent. See our each-way betting guide for more on how different bet types affect your returns.
When Should You Use Draw No Bet?
DNB is most valuable in specific situations. Using it in every match, regardless of context, just reduces your returns for no good reason.
Use draw no bet when:
A draw is genuinely likely. If two evenly matched sides are meeting – a mid-table derby, a tight relegation six-pointer, a Champions League knockout second leg – draws are a real possibility. DNB protection is worth the reduced odds in these scenarios.
You fancy an underdog. If you think an underdog has a realistic chance of causing an upset, DNB is a sensible way to back them. Even if they do not quite win and only draw, you get your stake back rather than losing everything.
You are uncertain about a team’s form. A team with a strong home record but inconsistent recent results is a classic DNB candidate. You believe they are likely to win but are not confident enough to back them at full match result odds without protection.
Do not use draw no bet when:
A draw is very unlikely. Backing a heavy favourite to beat a significantly weaker opposition on DNB just gives you shorter odds for no meaningful protection – a draw in that scenario was unlikely anyway.
You want maximum value. If you are confident in the result either way, standard match result odds will always pay better than DNB on the same selection.
Can You Replicate Draw No Bet Without the Market?
Yes – if a bookmaker does not offer draw no bet on a specific match, you can achieve the same result manually by splitting your stake across the win and the draw.
How it works:
Take your total stake and divide it by the decimal odds on the draw. Bet that amount on the draw at standard odds, and the remainder on your team to win. If the draw lands, your draw winnings cover your loss on the win bet, effectively returning your stake. If your team wins, your win bet profit covers your small stake on the draw.
This is more complicated than simply using the DNB market and requires precise calculation – it is easier to use the draw no bet market directly when it is available.
Draw No Bet FAQs
What does draw no bet mean?
Draw no bet (DNB) is a football betting market where your stake is refunded if the match ends in a draw. If your selected team wins, your bet pays out. If they lose, your bet loses. The draw is the only result that triggers a refund.
What does DNB stand for in betting?
DNB stands for Draw No Bet. It is a standard abbreviation used by all UK bookmakers on the draw no bet market.
Does draw no bet include extra time?
No. Draw no bet is settled on 90 minutes of normal time plus injury time only. If a match goes to extra time or penalties in a cup competition, the result after 90 minutes is what counts for DNB purposes. A match level after 90 minutes is settled as a draw, so your stake is refunded.
Can you use draw no bet in an accumulator?
Yes. If a DNB leg in an accumulator ends in a draw, that leg is voided and removed. The accumulator continues with the remaining selections at adjusted odds.
Is draw no bet the same as Asian handicap 0?
Yes, in terms of settlement rules they are identical. Both refund your stake if the match ends level. Asian Handicap 0 may be found at different odds, particularly on betting exchanges.
When is draw no bet not available?
DNB is only available on sports where a draw is a possible outcome – primarily football. It is not available on tennis, basketball or other sports where there must always be a winner.
Is draw no bet worth it?
It depends on the match. In tight games where a draw is likely, the protection is worth the shorter odds. In mismatched games where a draw is unlikely, standard match result odds offer better value.
Use Draw No Bet With Our Football Tips
Our daily football tips include match result predictions, accumulator selections and bet builder tips across the Premier League, Championship and European football. Check today’s selections below.
- Football Accumulator Tips
- Both Teams to Score Tips
- Correct Score Tips
- Bet Builder Tips
- Anytime Goalscorer Tips
- Expected Goals Guide
- Each-Way Betting Explained
- Free Bets Hub
- Betting Offers
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Andy is the founder, owner and editor of thatsagoal.com, with over 20 years of experience in betting on sports. He has a keen eye for stats, particularly when looking at players to be carded, and these form a large part of the bet builder tips you see on the site. As well as creating daily football tips, Andy also keeps thatsagoal updated with all the best bookmaker promotions and offers for our readers.