What Is 3-Way Moneyline Betting?

Even if you’re absolutely new to the hobby of using sports betting apps, one of the bets you’ve likely heard of (and maybe participated in at some point) is the moneyline.

It’s a straightforward wager that asks you to choose the winner of a certain game. For example, if you bet on the New England Patriots to beat the Miami Dolphins and they do, then you win your bet. Simple as that. Some sports, however, offer more than just that two-way choice by including the possibility of a tie as a third option. You may find these 3-way moneylines in soccer, hockey, and other sports.

This page will cover more information about 3-way moneylines, so you can try betting them in Massachusetts.

What are 3-way moneyline bets?

In Massachusetts sports betting, a typical moneyline wager asks you to pick which side will win the game. A three-way moneyline asks you to pick one of the two sides as the winner OR if the game will end in a tie or draw.

So, if you’re wagering on a sport that doesn’t have ties, like college basketball or the NBA, you generally would pick between Team A and Team B to walk away as the winners. However, in sports where a tie is possible, most commonly soccer, you would have the option to choose Team A, Team B, or a tie, which some sportsbooks refer to as a draw.

For the most part, here in the US, soccer is the standard example of a sport where the games can end in ties. Additionally, while other sports and leagues may not have games that end in ties (like MLB and the NHL), many sportsbooks will allow you to bet on the result at the end of regulation time.

This again gives you three choices on which to bet: Team A to win, Team B to win, or the game to be a draw.

What is a 3-way moneyline bet in football?

When it comes to NFL betting, preseason and regular season games can end in ties at the end of the overtime period. However, it’s important to note that NFL playoff games can’t end in ties, so the overtime rules are slightly different in the postseason.

Prior to the 2017 NFL season, the league shortened overtime from 15 minutes to 10 minutes for preseason and regular season games in hopes of reducing injuries. During this time period (2017-present), only seven games have ended in a tie following overtime under the current rules.

If you do decide to bet on a draw during the preseason and regular season, here’s an example of a potential three-way moneyline bet that is offered at most sportsbooks if you’re betting on the New England Patriots:

• New England Patriots -450
• Draw +6500
• Green Bay Packers +380

As you can see, the Patriots are the favorite at -450 moneyline odds, which means that a $450 bet can bring you $100 in profit if New England wins.

The Packers are the underdog at +380 odds, which means that a $100 bet can bring you $380 in profit if Green Bay wins.

And finally, a draw — which is listed at +6500 — means a $100 bet can bring you $6,500 in profit if the preseason or regular season game ends in a tie.

The potential payout for a draw in NFL preseason and regular season games is massive, but the odds of it actually happening are slim to none. As a result, three-way football moneylines aren’t as beneficial as other sports like soccer and hockey.

What is a 3-way moneyline bet in soccer?

While rules may vary from sportsbook to sportsbook, it’s most common to have the outcome in a soccer game decided after full-time. For those who are new to the sport, full-time requires the entire 90 minutes, plus any additional time for stoppages, injuries, or other reasons. Once all of that time is done, then the outcome will be either a winner or a draw.

Say you wager on a three-way soccer moneyline at BetMGM Massachusetts. If you pick one of the teams, that side has to win the game outright in order for your bet to win. If you do decide to bet on a draw, then that’s what you’ll be rooting for.

Here’s an example of a potential three-way moneyline:

• Chelsea +125
• Draw +225
• Arsenal +240

As you can see, the odds appear in a similar format as they would for a traditional moneyline. Let’s say Arsenal wins the game above. With +240 odds, a bet of $100 would pay out $240 in profit. Of course, you can wager any amount you like and those payouts will still be based on the +240.

There are some situations where soccer games won’t end in draws, such as some tournaments. You might still have the option for a three-way moneyline. However, in that case, the bet will use the results at the end of full-time and not include any extra time or shootouts.

In that case, you might have picked Arsenal to win, and the game was tied at the end of full-time and Arsenal went on to win in the shootout. If the bet you chose was on the result at the end of regulation, then you would lose your bet, since Arsenal didn’t win until the shootout.

What is a 3-way moneyline bet in hockey?

Many sportsbooks may still allow you to bet on the result at the end of regulation even if that sport doesn’t ever end a game in a tie, and that generally allows you to bet on the possibility of a draw.

NHL betting, for instance, instituted an overtime shootout rule starting in the 2005-06 season. This means that one of the teams will always win. However, many books will let you bet on 60-minute lines — aka the result at the end of 60 minutes of regulation play. Such wagers will look like three-way moneylines.

Here’s what a two-way traditional moneyline bet might look like for an NHL game if you’re betting on the Boston Bruins:

• Boston Bruins -200
• New York Rangers +170

Now, let’s throw in the option of a draw with a 60-minute moneyline bet:

• Boston Bruins -125
• Draw +310
• New York Rangers +130

The Bruins are still the favorites to win the game, though the odds are different. As you can see, however, the addition of the tie as a possible outcome adjusts the odds for both teams, even with a draw being the least likely in the minds of the oddsmaker.

This three-way bet, however, doesn’t depend on the absolute outcome of the game. If it goes into overtime and shootouts, it’s not going to matter because your three-way bet will have been completed at the end of the three periods of regulation play.

As you can see, there is more potential for a larger payout with the three-way moneyline bet in hockey. So that might be enough to pique your interest and get you wagering on this option. Just remember to check the terms and conditions of your sportsbook so you’re aware of how it makes its decisions.

What is a 3-way moneyline bet in baseball?

Baseball is another sport that doesn’t have any ties. Heck, an MLB game could go 24 innings until a team wins the game.

So, like with hockey, a 3-way moneyline bet for baseball involves the outcome after nine innings — so before any extra innings.

If you’re betting on the Boston Red Sox, here’s what odds on a 3-way moneyline wager may look like:

• Boston Red Sox -200
• Tie +400
• New York Yankees +180

What is a 3-way moneyline bet in basketball?

Again, just like hockey and baseball, a basketball game cannot end in a tie. Whether it’s the NBA, WNBA, or men’s or women’s college basketball, games that end regulation in a tie head to overtime.

There are 48 minutes of regulation of 5 minutes of overtime in the NBA. There are 40 minutes of regulation and 5 minutes of overtime in the WNBA and men’s and women’s college basketball.

If you’re betting on the Boston Celtics, here’s what you might see if you’re looking to make a 3-way moneyline bet:

• Boston Celtics -500
• Tie +750
• Oklahoma City Thunder +450

Other sports with 3-way moneyline bets

Other sports can have ties, too, of course. But it’s rare. Far, far rarer than in soccer.

Because of how scarce those outcomes are in most other sports (like the NFL), it generally isn’t worth the effort for sportsbooks to offer Massachusetts betting odds on ties — either overall or at the end of regulation.

What happens if you bet and it’s a tie in other sports?

Well, that’s a push, which leads to the sportsbook returning your bet.

Because there was no winner, the book will void all bets on either team to win and return all such wagers. There are other reasons for pushes, as well, which you can find in a sportsbook’s terms and conditions.