What is a Three Way Line and is There a Betting Strategy Associated With One?
A three-way line is a market on an event that has three possible outcomes: Team A wins, Team B wins, or a draw. The odds on a three-way line will always be higher than odds on a two-way line because there is an additional outcome. When a customer places a wager on a three-way line there is only one way to win and two ways to lose.
We offer a run-through of the best strategies for three-way line betting AND a full explanation of what they actually are!
Remember! Sportsmemo offers predictions on games with 3 way lines in our free picks and premium expert betting predictions sections all year long.
Three-Way Lines Explained
When speaking about three-way lines, the two most prevalent sports they are utilized in is soccer, then hockey. Soccer has '90 Minutes Betting' where the action that takes place after regulation is not included in the wager. Any goals in extra periods or a penalty shootout do not count towards the wager, and the wager is settled when regulation ends.
This is also true for hockey and the '60 Minutes Betting' market. Because the extra market of a draw is introduced to the betting odds, these odds are more in favor than two-way lines. If a customer has a hunch for a selection about a certain soccer or hockey team, wagering on a three-way line will bring back more profit.
Two-Way Lines Explained
Two-way odds are used in sports where there are only two possible outcomes, as seen in American football, basketball, and baseball. Along with spread betting, these two-way money line markets are the most popular betting options available, as the goal is to just pick the winner between the two teams.
The money line odds with a two-way line will not pay out as much as a three-way line, as there is one less result possible. Not all sports have the options to be wagered on with a three-way line and a two-way line. Technically there can be ties in American football, but because of their rarity, they are often offered as a prop and are not considered a realistic line that would affect money line odds daily.
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Let's Compare – Two-Way Line To A Three-Way Line
| Two-Way Money Line | Money Line Odds | Risk To Win | Result If Tied After Regulation |
| Torino | +270 | $100 Wins $270 | Void, Stake Wagered Return |
| Juventus | -350 | $350 Wins $100 | Void, Stake Wagered Return |
| Three-Way Money Line | Money Line Odds | Draw Odds | Risk To Win | Result If Tied After Regulation |
| Torino | +460 | +240 | $100 Wins $460 | Loss |
| Juventus | -145 | +240 | $145 Wins $100 | Loss |
As the example shows, the addition of an extra possibility affects the pricing of winning wagers. In a match between Juventus and Torino, an underdog Torino win in a three-way line and an underdog Torino win in a two-way line is a $190 difference on a $100 wager.
These are not small differences between markets and truly throws the percentage probabilities for a loop.
The difference in stake a Juventus bettor must put up compared to a three-way line and a two-way line is also substantial. This is due to a draw returning the customer's money in a two-way line, where that same result in a three-way line is graded as a loser.
With the effective insurance policy of the draw in a two-way line, a customer must risk $350 compared to $145 where a draw is graded a losing wager.
Three-Way Line Betting Strategy – Commit To The Pick
So, this is more words of advice than a strategy when discussing three-way lines and two-way lines….
Although the insurance policy of getting the stake back is nice to have, customers should stick to their picks on which teams are going to win a matchup. According to this source, for a five-year span of English soccer matches, about 1 in every 4 results in a draw. The data is below:
Draws in the Premier League & English Championship from 2015-2022
| Season | Premier League | Championship | Combined |
| 2015-16 | 107 (28.16%) | 172 (31.16%) | 279 (29.94%) |
| 2016-17 | 84 (22.11%) | 130 (23.55%) | 214 (22.96%) |
| 2017-18 | 99 (26.05%) | 148 (26.81%) | 247 (26.50%) |
| 2018-19 | 71 (18.68%) | 162 (29.35%) | 233 (25.00%) |
| 2019-20 | 92 (24.21%) | 149 (26.99%) | 241 (25.85%) |
Predicting when the draw will happen will be less fruitful than sticking with a team on a three-way line. A customer will often get a result on the game they're wagering on, so planning for the event that only happens around 25% of the time is not a successful long-term play!
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Remember! Sportsmemo offers predictions on games with 3 way lines in our free picks and premium expert betting predictions sections all year long.
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