If you have ever looked at a sportsbook and seen the letters DNB pop up, you might have wondered what it means or how it actually works. With so many terms and options, betting can feel a bit confusing if you are just getting started.
Understanding even one bet type might make everything feel clearer, and it could even help you feel more confident if you place a stake, whether online or in a high street bookies.
Keen to cut through the jargon? Here is what Draw No Bet means and why many football fans like using it.
Draw No Bet, usually written as DNB, is a football market where you back either team to win, and if the match ends in a draw your stake is refunded. You still lose your stake if your chosen team is beaten, but the draw no longer counts against you.
For example, imagine you back Arsenal to beat Manchester United on the DNB market. If Arsenal win, the bet pays out at the stated odds. If the match finishes level after 90 minutes plus injury time, your original stake is returned. If Arsenal lose, the stake is settled as a loss.
You will usually see DNB listed alongside the main match result market, with odds adjusted because the draw is taken out of the risk. Settlement is based on the standard 90-minute result unless stated otherwise, so extra time and penalties do not apply.
If you decide to try your hand at football betting, remember to do so responsibly and within your means; never wager more than you can afford to lose.
A DNB wager keeps the decision simple. Instead of choosing between home win, draw, or away win, you back one side to win and remove the draw from your exposure. As noted above, a level score at full time results in a stake refund.
Because one losing outcome has been taken away, DNB odds are usually shorter than the regular win-draw-win prices. You trade a lower potential return for the safety of getting your stake back if neither team edges it. For instance, if the main match market shows a team at 2.10 to win, the DNB price on the same team might be closer to 1.70, reflecting the refund on a draw.
If a fixture is postponed or abandoned, bookmakers explain how they settle those bets in their rules. It might be worth checking your site’s policy so you know what happens in less typical situations.
Many punters turn to DNB when they rate one team as the stronger side but see a realistic chance of a draw. It suits matches that look tight on recent form, derbies where the intensity can level things out, or fixtures where team news could swing the balance late on. It also fits games with solid defences and low scoring averages, where one goal either way feels decisive.
Home advantage can be another factor. If you like the home side but think the visitors have enough to nick a point, DNB lets you back the home win while limiting the downside. Equally, if a favourite has a few injuries or is managing a busy schedule, DNB can offer a sensible middle ground between backing them outright and staying out of the market.
Remember, football markets such as DNB usually settle on the result after 90 minutes plus injury time. If a competition allows extra time, that period is a separate market unless your bookmaker states otherwise.
Both Draw No Bet and Double Chance reduce exposure compared with a straight match result, but they do it in different ways.
With Draw No Bet, you back one team to win and get your stake back if the game ends level. With Double Chance, your selection wins if either of two outcomes happen. For example, Home or Draw covers a home win and the draw, and Away or Draw covers an away win and the draw. That wider cover makes Double Chance more forgiving, so the price is usually lower than DNB on the same team.
Think of it as a trade-off. Double Chance gives broader protection but smaller returns. DNB offers a better price, with the safety net limited to a refund on a draw. Which you prefer depends on how confident you are that a particular team will win rather than simply avoid defeat.
Yes, most bookmakers allow DNB selections in accumulators. You can add several matches to one bet slip using the DNB market for each leg.
If one leg ends as a draw, that selection is treated as void and drops out of the multiple. The accumulator then continues with the remaining legs, and the overall price adjusts accordingly. For example, if you have a four-leg DNB acca and one match finishes level, the bet settles as though it was a three-leg acca with the other results.
Bookmakers show these changes clearly on your bet slip once results are confirmed. If you want to know the exact settlement rules for postponements or abandoned matches, you might want to check your site’s terms before you potentially confirm the bet.
At Mr Luck, you will find football options such as Draw No Bet alongside match result, Double Chance and many more, as well as a wide range of casino titles and live tables if you want to explore beyond sport.
We are licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), and our site is designed to make it easy to compare prices, manage your account and view your bet history on mobile or desktop. If you need a hand, our support team is available to help.
Set your own limits, use the responsible gambling tools available, and enjoy a straightforward way to back a team with a clear safety net on the draw. Always keep responsible gambling practises in mind.
**The information provided in this blog is intended for educational purposes and should not be construed as betting advice or a guarantee of success. Always gamble responsibly.
*All values (Bet Levels, Maximum Wins etc.) mentioned in relation to these games are subject to change at any time. Game features mentioned may not be available in some jurisdictions.