Three-way total is a traditional type of bet most commonly used in football, though it can also apply to other sports. Today, online bookmakers offer various types of bets on quantitative match indicators. European and Asian totals are generally more popular than three-way totals. Let’s take a closer look at what a three-way total means in betting, and analyze its pros and cons through examples.
How it is displayed in bookmaker lines
The name itself implies that the player is offered three possible outcomes. In European and Asian Over/Under (O/U) markets, the bettor chooses between “over” and “under,” but here the third option — “exactly” — is added.
In bookmaker lines, this market is labeled as a three-way total (or 3Way in English). The player can choose between:
- fewer than N goals scored in the match;
- exactly N goals scored in the match;
- more than N goals scored in the match.
In integer European and Asian O/U bets, partial or full refunds of the stake are possible.
The three-way total can be applied not only to the total number of goals scored in a match. Some bookmakers also offer it for other indicators:
- individual totals for each team;
- totals per half in football or per period in hockey;
- statistical markets such as corners, yellow cards, offsides, etc.
Most online bookmakers include this market in their football lines. However, due to its relatively low popularity, it’s usually not placed at the top of the list. Therefore, use the search bar, filters, or keyword lookup to find it.
Settlement rules
When understanding what a three-way total means in betting, note that the calculation is straightforward — the bettor either wins or loses. With no refund option, it’s easier to grasp how to make a choice: the player selects one of three mutually exclusive outcomes.
Betting example
Let’s illustrate what a three-way total is using a specific match example. Consider the UEFA Nations League match between Italy and England. The bookmaker offers the following options with corresponding odds:
- under 2 goals – 2.73;
- exactly 2 goals – 3.40;
- over 2 goals – 2.40.
Suppose you place 10 USD on “over 2 goals.”
The possible outcomes are:
- Scores of 0:0, 1:0, 0:1, 1:1, 2:0, 0:2 – the bet loses because fewer than or exactly two goals were scored.
- Any other result means the bet wins since, starting from 2:1 or 1:2, there are more than two goals in the game.
Important! Beginners often confuse the three-way O/U (2) with the European integer total. In the latter, two goals result in a refund, while in the 3Way market, it’s a loss.
Comparison with other total formats
To assess whether three-way totals are profitable, let’s compare odds with similar markets using the same match as an example.
| Market | Selection and Odds | Bookmaker Margin | ||
| 3Way (2) | Over – 2.40 | Exactly – 3.40 | Under – 2.73 | 7.71% |
| European Integer (2) | Over – 1.71 | Under – 2.09 | 6.33% | |
| European Fractional (2.5) | Over – 2.40 | Under – 1.67 | 1.55% | |
| Asian (2.25) | Over – 2.08 | Under – 1.87 | 1.55% | |
| Asian (1.75) | Over – 1.54 | Under – 2.42 | 6.26% | |
Notice that after factoring in the bookmaker’s margin, the most profitable options are those linked to the 2.5 total, which is also part of the Asian 2.25 line. This is unsurprising since that numerical threshold is extremely popular among bettors.
The margin on a three-way market is similar to that of an integer O/U (2), though significantly higher. While the odds on 3Way outcomes are greater, the bettor must choose from three options instead of two, reducing the probability of winning. Moreover, there is no refund possibility at all.
Pros ans Cons
The key downside of three-way total bets is the higher bookmaker margin. This is because this type of quantitative betting is less popular than European and Asian O/U markets.
Another drawback is stricter settlement conditions compared to integer European and Asian totals, which allow full or partial refunds — providing an element of insurance. In the 3Way format, the outcome is binary: a win or a loss.
Some argue that higher odds compensate for this, but that’s misleading. In the same match, you can bet on a standard Over (2.5) at 2.40 or Under (1.5) at 2.73. Thus, the extreme choices of the 3Way are easily replaceable with standard European totals.
The only real advantage is the ability to bet on an exact number of goals at decent odds. However, even this benefit is marginal since most bookmakers already offer a separate “Exact Goals – 2” market with the same 3.40 odds.
