Either Team to Win Bet Meaning: What This Market Covers
An either team to win bet means the match must produce a winner. Learn how the market is settled, how it differs from double chance and draw no bet, and what rules to check before placing it.
An “either team to win” bet sounds simple, but its wording matters: you are backing a match to finish with a winner, without choosing which side that will be. If the game ends level, the bet normally loses.
This market is often used as an alternative to a standard match-winner selection. It focuses on the result being decisive rather than on identifying the winning team.
What does either team to win mean?
The meaning of either team to win is that Team A or Team B must win the match. A draw is the only result that defeats the selection.
- Team A wins: the bet wins.
- Team B wins: the bet wins.
- The match is drawn: the bet loses.
For example, imagine a football match between North United and City Athletic. An either team to win wager is successful if North United wins 2–1 or City Athletic wins 1–0. A 0–0 or 2–2 draw would normally make the bet unsuccessful.
Bookmakers may display this option under names such as match winner excluding draw, no draw, or draw not included. The exact label varies, so the market rules should always be checked before confirming a bet.
How the bet differs from similar markets
Either team to win versus double chance
These markets are not the same. A double chance bet covers two of the three possible results: a home win or draw, an away win or draw, or either team to win. The third option, often shown as 12, is the double chance market that covers both teams winning but excludes a draw.
In practical terms, “either team to win” and “12 double chance” often describe the same result coverage. The wording and price may differ depending on the bookmaker, so compare the settlement terms rather than relying only on the market name.
Either team to win versus draw no bet
Draw no bet requires you to choose one team. If that team wins, the wager wins; if the match is drawn, the stake is usually returned. If the selected team loses, the bet loses.
An either-team-to-win selection does not identify a side and does not protect the stake on a draw. A draw is normally a losing result, which is why its odds can differ from those of a one-team draw-no-bet selection.
Either team to win versus both teams to score
Both teams to score is a goals market. It asks whether both sides will score at least once and does not require a winner. A 1–1 draw can therefore win a “both teams to score” bet while losing an either-team-to-win bet.
How bookmakers settle the market
For football, the market usually refers to the result after 90 minutes plus stoppage time. Extra time and penalties may not count unless the bookmaker specifically says that the market includes them.
This distinction matters in knockout competitions. A match that is level after regulation time may later be decided in extra time, but an either-team-to-win market settled on regular time would still be a losing selection because the score was drawn at the stated settlement point.
Other rules can affect settlement too. Postponed matches may be void or rescheduled under the bookmaker’s terms, while abandoned matches can have special conditions. A goal later overturned by an official decision may also change the result used for settlement.
What to check before placing the bet
Read the market title and rules together. Look for the following details:
- Whether the selection covers regulation time only.
- Whether extra time and penalty shootouts count.
- How postponed, abandoned, or shortened matches are handled.
- Whether the displayed price refers to a particular competition or match format.
- Whether the market is available for singles, accumulators, or both.
The bet can look attractive when a match is expected to be competitive, but a close contest also has a meaningful chance of ending in a draw. The central risk is not picking the wrong team; it is assuming that an evenly matched game will produce a winner.
As with any sports betting market, odds are not a guarantee of an outcome. Only wager money you can afford to lose, and check the rules of the specific bookmaker because market names and settlement policies are not identical everywhere.
