2 of 3 system bet

A math betting strategy to secure your bet

Sports betting is based on an element of luck, that's undeniable... It is nevertheless possible to implement betting strategies which also allow bad luck to be taken into account, that is to say, to secure your bets, and therefore to increase your chances of winning (or reduce your chances of lose…).
The 2 of 3 system is a math strategy that increases the probability of winning, simply by betting not only on a single outcome but two outcomes out of three, hence its name of course.
The probability of winning is therefore increased and bad luck is avoided a little more.
However, it is not a question of simply betting twice, independently and without thinking too much about it: preliminary calculations show the interest (or not!) of betting twice on the three possible results and above all what are the optimal stakes to bet.

2 of 3 system calculator

We consider a 3-outcome betting (for example 1x2), with the following 3 odds, and where we wager on 1st and 2nd outcomes:

Stakes distribution

Net profit with these odds and wagers:
Overall odds =

Note: When we only focus on outcomes #1 and #2, we are often in a surebet configuration which is the case here because: 1/c₁ + 1/c₂ = 1/3.5 + 1/3.2 =
Method 2 out of 3 is therefore wise to use here.

In which cases to make a bet 2 out of 3

The main advantage lies in its simplicity. The calculator above automatically computes the bets and the resulting winnings. In particular it is thus easy to predict whether the method is relevant or not in a given betting configuration.
The probability of winning is clearly and mathematically increased, since there remains only one losing outcome out of the three.
For example if the winner of a match is quite uncertain, but it is certain that there will be no draw! then we can bet independently on the victory of one and the victory of the other. Whatever the winner of the match, we win!

Another example: I have great confidence in my favorite team: they can't lose! on the other hand, if the other team manages to snatch a draw would certainly be surprising, but I don't want to lose if this eventuality happens... My 2 of 3 system strategy is then made for me! I just fill in the odds #1 for victory and a draw at odds #2 in the calculator above and I find the exact wagers on the win and the draw and the corresponding optimal profit.
In this case, we can also think of the "refunded if" strategy (also "draw no bet") which is quite similar and does not aim for winning 2 of 3, but for winning in one case (the victory here of my favorite team) and getting my stack back (no loss therefore) in case of the 2nd outcome (draw here).

Finally, why not bet on the same event but two different outcomes with two bookmakers? thus benefiting from the best odds of each outcome for everyone. This is the "bookmakers' method" variant of the 2 of 3 system formula...

How the 2 of 3 system calculator works

The above 2 of 3 betting system calculator is a very simple and easy to use tool: you just need to fill in the odds of the 3 outcomes in order: the two on which you bet first and the 3rd afterwards. Youa then fill in the a particular stake: total amount, or only the wager on outcome #1 or #2. The other two wagers are automatically calculated and updated as well as the corresponding gain and the equivalent overall odds.

A complet example: Calculating stakes for a 2 of 3 bet

For example, in a match with a clear favorite but where a draw could be achieved:

victory: odds of c_v = 1.38
draw: ods of c_n = 3.9
defeat: odds of c_d = 6.2

There is no surebet opportunity here (use the 3-way surebet calculator 1x2 to check).
However, if we only focus on the two outcomes: victory and draw, yes, here is a surebet configuration! (this time use the 2-way surebet calculator with the two odds 1.38 and 3.9)
The calculator at the top of this page then computes the corresponding bets for a total bet, for example, of 100 euros:

73.86 euros on victory for an expected gain of 73.86×1.38 = 101.92
26.13 euros on the draw for an expected gain of 26.13×3.9 = 101.91
in the 3rd case, case of defeat, I lose my bets

I therefore have a 2 in 3 chance of winning, in the event of a victory and a draw. I limit my losses even more, with a smaller gain in the event of a victory (but much more frequent, because the draw has also become a winning outcome for me!).

Mathematical calculations to detect an advantageous 2 of 3 system

By betting on any two outcomes, you can end up losing every time. So you have to be careful.
Even if the calculator at the top of the page does all the calculations automatically, knowing whether the situation is definitely beneficial or not is essential for any bettor who wants to master his field: this is here about recycling knowledge and calculations on the surebet.
We saw that to earn any profit by betting on two results, we must ensure that (math surebet configuration formula)

1/c_₁ + 1/c_₂ < 1

and after some mathematical and algebraic calculations we arrived at the simplified formula:

t₁ × t₂ > 1

with t₁ and t₂ the net odds (if c₁ = 1.3 is the odds, then net odds of t₁ = 0.30).
This formula is much simpler to use, because it requires only a simple multiplication to calculate.

The calculator above allows you to automatically determine whether by betting twice, out of three, the situation is advantageous or not: it's simple, if the situation is not advantageous, the calculated gain is negative!
This calculator goes further, because it also automatically calculates the optimal distribution of bets.

An advantageous "2 out of 3" formula?

The previous mathematical aspect only concerns pure games of chance (dice, roulette, etc.), which is not the case for sports betting.
Indeed, with a little attention, knowledge, sport, match history and statistics, etc. it is possible to make somewhat informed pronostics, and reduce the chances of loss.
Well, even a good, professional forecaster can blame the twist of fate by predicting a victory when a draw is ultimately snatched... The 2 of 3 system, combined with good predictions, can therefore become infallible by erasing hazardous events residuals and small prognostic errors.

Limitations and drawbacks of method 2 of 3

First of all, you have to have clear ideas: you don't win every time with a 2 of 3 system, but only in 2 out of 3 outcomes, that is to say that there remains 1 outcome out of 3 where you lose. This is not the ultimate method for winning every time... and you can, even with this method, simply lose your investment.
Then, the clearest limitation is that if the probability of winning is obviously increased (we now win in 2 out of 3 outcomes), this is a counterpart of a decreased gain itself: the gain is less important, which is also measured on the overall odds which is lower.
This is, in fact, a very general mathematical rule: the different betting strategies do not change the math expectation (no more for martingales, refunded if (or draw no bet) , trixie , etc.)
Expectated value remains a purely mathematical probabilistic calculation, considering that the results only happen by chance. This 2 of 3 system, combined with a good study of the situation and therefore good predictions, reveals strong potential.

Other articles:

≡Sports betting strategies and formulas
2 of 3 system with bookmaker method: also putting bookmakers in competition
After the "2 of 3 system", why not the more juicy "1 of 3", or "1 of 4"…: accumulator betting methods
3-way surebet calculator 1x2 to automatically calculate if there is a surebet, and the optimal distribution betting strategy
Surebet explained and mathematically proven: fundamental mathematical calculations to fully understand how sports betting works
Secure your bets using the Refunded if, also Draw no bet, formula: math details and a calculator