Three-Way Moneyline Betting

Moneyline betting is usually straightforward—just pick the straight-up winner of an event, and if you choose correctly, you win your wager.

In certain sports, such as soccer, ties are so common that an additional betting option that supersedes the classic two-way moneyline is needed.

That’s why betting sites offer these betting options, which include team A to win, team B to win, or a tie.

However, there are certain rules to keep in mind if you want to bet on the three-way line.

Read on to discover the rules associated with three-way moneyline betting, especially if you want to take advantage of the added value the three-way line offers.

We’ll also show you how to place these bets depending on the sportsbook, where to find the specific market for certain leagues, and explain important profit-booster such as odds shopping.

Why I Bet 3-Way Moneyline

In a three-way moneyline, you are given the option of selecting a tie since three possibilities are involved.

For example, if team A is playing team B, you can bet on the following options:

• Team A to win the game.
• Team B to win the game.
• Team A and Team B to end the game in a tie—this is also commonly known as a draw in many sports.

A three-way moneyline is often referred to as a 1X2 wager, meaning that you can bet on the home team to win (1), away team to win (2), or a tie/draw (X).

The odds are usually higher since more possibilities are involved, and that’s one reason why many bettors prefer this option.

However, there is no possibility of a push in three-way moneyline betting. So if you were to select team A to win the game and the game ended up being a tie, you wouldn’t get your money back.

You’ll find it’s mostly employed in sports where ties are extremely common during regular game time.

For this reason, betting sites mostly offer three-way moneyline bets in sports like soccer and hockey.

A scenario in which bettors can take advantage of the “draw” is during major international soccer tournaments such as the Euro or World Cup.

In group stage or knockout stage matches different scenarios present themselves where a tie can help both teams go through.

Two defensive teams might play each other and are afraid to get knocked out (they attack less and play more cautiously), thus offering excellent three-way betting opportunities for a tie.

Three-Way Moneyline Betting Pros

• These wagers can often be made live and have cashout potential.
• The market is commonly available across most sportsbooks. 
• Offers larger payouts than standard moneyline bets.

Three-Way Moneyline Betting Cons

• It can be more difficult to bet three-way moneylines compared to two-way moneylines.
• Three-way moneyline bets are riskier and have a lower percentage of successfully hitting vs. just two options.

What Sports Can You Bet 3-Way Moneyline?

Let’s get into popular sports with three-way moneyline markets and detail how you can bet on a tie for competitions that don’t offer it.

Soccer

By default, most sportsbooks settle soccer bets in regular time—90 minutes—which also includes any potential injury time.

This applies to league games, which don’t allow extra time, and playoff/elimination matches where there is a possibility of overtime and penalties.

If a sportsbook includes extra time and/or penalties when settling soccer bets, the book will almost always exclusively state that.

So always keep in mind that unless stated, all bets in soccer will be based on the 90 minutes of play during regular time. If you’re unsure, you can ask a sportsbook customer representative.

Since soccer is famous for being a low-scoring sport, ties are so common that three-way moneyline betting is the default and most popular way to bet on soccer matches for many punters.

It may sound complicated, especially if you’re new to soccer betting, but, essentially, betting on a draw is the same as choosing a specific side.

The only difference is you’re betting on neither team to win the match, and your bet will be paid out based on that prediction.

So, when you select a draw, neither team is supposed to win the game. Scores like 0-0, 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, and so on, are enough to win you your wager if you select a tie.

Here’s an example of a three-way moneyline bet for an MLS match:

CF Montréal (+137)

Draw/Tie (+260)

New York Red Bulls (+175)

The draw is listed as one of the betting options, so you can just select it like any of the other two options.

If you bet $100 on the option of a tie, you’ll win $260 if neither team manages to triumph.

Hockey (NHL)

There are various hockey leagues around the world, but the NHL is the undisputed favorite when it comes to betting on the sport.

In NHL betting, you have the option of choosing the more common, two-way moneyline, but since the sport is low scoring, some games end up being tied after the three 20-minute periods.

Therefore, three-way moneylines are also offered by NHL betting sites and are also referred to as “60-minute lines”.

When you bet on the two-way moneyline, you pick who’s going to win, regardless of whether it happens in regular time, overtime or after an eventual shootout.

When you bet, only the result of the three twenty-minute periods matters. The odds for both will always be different.

Here’s how a standard, two-way moneyline wager would appear on a sportsbook:

New York Islanders (-200)

Tampa Bay Lightning (+170)

New York is the favorite while Tampa Bay is the underdog.

Whichever team you pick, your bet will be determined by the final result, and since overtime and shootouts eliminate the possibility of a draw, only two results are possible.

In contrast, let’s look at a three-way moneyline option for the same game:

New York Islanders (-125)

Tie (+310)

Tampa Bay Lightning (+280)

Apart from the additional option of picking a tie, there is another obvious difference—both teams have increased value.

If you were to bet $100 on Tampa Bay Lightning with the odds of the two-way moneyline, your winnings would be $170.

However, If you were to bet $100 on the same team but with the odds from the three-way moneyline option, you’d win $280.

It’s up to you whether you want to take the riskier option of a three-way moneyline, which pays more, or a safer pick with the two-way moneyline.

Basketball (NBA)

Three-way moneyline betting isn’t available for betting on the NBA since ties are so rare. Bettors will have the opportunity to wager on either team A or team B to win.

Some sportsbooks offer the option to bet on the game reaching overtime which will feature much higher odds with a potentially high payout since overtime has an extremely low probability of occurring.

For example, at the 2024 Olympics, Serbia is facing Australia in the men’s basketball competition.

FanDuel sportsbook only lists two-way moneyline options for each team.

The book offers a separate prop called “Will there be overtime?” with yes being +1700 and the “no” option not even being selectable because it is so unlikely to happen.

Football (NFL)

While ties are more frequent in the NFL than the NBA, they still are a rarity.

Therefore, sportsbooks only offer moneyline betting between two teams. Like the NBA, some bookmakers allow you to bet on overtime occurring as a prop.

Baseball (MLB)

Since baseball is lower scoring than both football and basketball, ties happen more often but are still uncommon, so bookmakers only offer moneyline betting options for two teams.

Like football and basketball, betting on the game to reach extra innings is offered as a prop.

We’ll use DraftKings Sportsbook offering a matchup between the San Diego Padres (-175) and Pittsburgh Pirates (+145) as an example.

Punters can pick one of the two teams to win for a moneyline wager or scroll over to the game props section and select yes for extra innings at +700 or no at -1400.

How To Profit From 3-Way Moneyline Bets

Odds widely differ at various sportsbooks. The best way to make a profit isn’t necessarily to place winning bets but to wager with the best odds available.

Finding the best available odds for a market is referred to as odds shopping.

BestOdds offers an odds hub that displays the best lines across different online bookmakers.

Let’s say you wanted to bet on the Cleveland Guardians to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The odds hub shows that FanDuel is offering the best line of -112 to take the Guardians moneyline.

Other operators such as BetRivers and DraftKings offer the Guardians at -115.

If you wanted to win $100 by taking the Guardians, you’d pay $112 to win $100 on FanDuel whereas on the other two sites, you’d have to pay $115 to win $100.

Odds shopping provides better value and allows you to preserve your bankroll in the long run.

Note: The ddds pictured above were accurate at the time of writing.

Three-Way Moneyline vs. Three-Way Parlay

Three-way moneyline wagers are different than three-way parlays.

Aspect	Three-Way Moneyline Wager	Three-Way Parlay
Definition	A single bet on either Team A to win, Team B to win, or a draw.	A bet combining three separate outcomes into one wager. All three must occur to win.
Number of Selections	One selection (Team A, Team B, or Draw for one match).	Three selections from different matches, player props, or futures.
Bet Type	Straight bet.	Combined bet (parlay).
Outcome Required to Win	The selected team wins or the match ends in a draw (depending on your selection).	All three outcomes must occur as predicted.
Potential Payout	Based on the odds of the selected option for a single match.	Higher payout due to the combined odds of all three selections.
Risk	Lower risk, as only one outcome needs to be predicted correctly.	Higher risk, as all three outcomes must be predicted correctly.
Example	Bet on Liverpool to win against Ipswich. If Liverpool wins, you win the bet.	Parlay: Miami Marlins ML (+134), Liverpool ML (-290), Man City ML (-125). All must win to cash the bet.
Usage	Common for individual matches with a possibility of a draw.	Used when bettors want to combine multiple outcomes for a higher potential payout.

As mentioned earlier, a three-way moneyline bet consists of betting on either team A to win, team B to win, or the result ending in a draw.

It is a straight bet for one match. If the option you select occurs. You win the bet. If it doesn’t, you lose.

A three-way parlay is a wager with three separate outcomes combined onto one bet slip needing to be met in order to successfully cash the wager.

Different matches, player props, or futures can be combined from multiple dates.

If you placed a parlay on FanDuel with the following bet slip:

• Miami Marlins moneyline (+134) @ Cincinnati Reds
• Liverpool moneyline (-290) @ Ipswich
• Manchester City moneyline (-125) @ Chelsea
• 3-leg parlay odds: +466

You would need Miami, Liverpool, and Manchester City to all win in order to win the parlay. If any of the three lose, the parlay would fail.

The provided parlay example is random. I’m not recommending placing that specific parlay.

Placing 3-Way Moneyline Bets At A Sportsbook

Make sure you conduct in-depth research regarding the team you want to bet on. It’s important to be well-informed.

Also, odds shop around for the best line. Never bet more than you can afford and wager responsibly.

Regulated U.S. sportsbooks such as FanDuel, Caesars, BetMGM and DraftKings are some of the top options for placing three-way moneyline bets.

All four of them are straightforward and easy to use.

How To Place A Three-Way Moneyline Bet At A Sportsbook

1. Visit the sportsbook and create an account or sign in to an existing one.

2. If you wanted to place a soccer bet on Bayer Leverkusen. Click on the “Soccer” tab on the left side of the screen under “Popular”.

3. Next click on Bayer Leverkusen moneyline at -170. A bet slip will appear, and you can type in the amount you wish to wager.

4. Review the bet and click place bet.

Finding Three-Way Moneyline Bets At Sportsbooks

Most bookmakers offer three-way moneyline wagers, although not every operator calls them the same thing or has them located in the same section.

After clicking on the league you want to stake, you’ll have to navigate a few more windows for sports such as hockey. We’ll explain how to do it below.

DraftKings

At DraftKings, three-way moneyline bets for soccer are featured for every game. After you find the match you wish to stake, the three-way moneyline option can immediately be selected.

For hockey bets at DraftKings, you have to find the match and click on it to see more markets and then find the three-way moneyline option. This is due to the two-way moneyline initially being displayed.

FanDuel

The format on FanDuel is the same as DraftKings for soccer and hockey. Soccer games showcase three-way moneylines before expanding into more markets.

For hockey, you can click “more wagers” on the bottom right of the match you want to wager on. You’ll be sent to the “popular” bets tab, where “60 Min Moneyline (3 Way)” appears below the featured game line.

BetMGM

BetMGM also showcases three-way moneylines for soccer without having to explore more markets.

When you first find the hockey game lines, two-way money lines appear. To bet on the three-way moneyline, click on the match to open a new window where you’ll encounter it.

Caesars

Soccer bets are shown as three-way moneylines on Caesars like on most online betting sites.

It takes a bit longer for hockey. After clicking on NHL, you’ll need to select “All Hockey”, from there featured matches will be displayed. You’ll proceed to click on the match and then find the three-way moneyline.