In this guide
- How the 2026-II Liga BetPlay works
- Result markets: 1X2, double chance and draw no bet
- Goal markets: over/under and both teams to score
- Handicap markets explained
- Other markets you'll see on Liga BetPlay
- One scoreline, many markets: a settlement walkthrough
- A beginner's checklist before placing any bet
- Frequently asked questions
Key takeaways
- The 2026-II Liga BetPlay has 20 clubs playing a 19-round todos contra todos. The top eight go to two home-and-away cuadrangulares (groups of four), and the group winners meet in the final.
- Most football markets settle on regular time, meaning 90 minutes plus stoppage time. Extra time and penalties usually don't count unless the market says so.
- 1X2, double chance and draw no bet are about the result. Over/under and BTTS are about goals. Handicaps shift the scoreline to even out a mismatch.
- Lower-risk markets pay less. Nothing in the market menu changes the house margin, and no market is a "safe" bet.
- This is an education guide. It contains no picks or predictions for any match.
Colombia's top division, the Liga BetPlay DIMAYOR, is offered by every licensed sportsbook in the country, often with 50 or more markets per match. If you're new, that menu can be overwhelming. Our existing Liga BetPlay guide covers the clubs and rivalries. This one is purely about markets: what each one means, exactly how it settles, and how the league's tournament format changes the bets on offer. We use simple hypothetical scorelines, never real fixtures or tips.
Betting is for adults of legal age in their country (18+ in Colombia). It is entertainment with a cost, not a way to make money. If betting stops being fun, see our responsible gambling tools and help guide.
How the 2026-II Liga BetPlay works
Colombia plays two league tournaments a year. The format has changed recently, so check it before you bet on any knockout market.
| Phase | 2026-II (current) | 2026-I (for comparison) |
|---|---|---|
| Regular phase | 20 clubs, 19-round todos contra todos (everyone plays everyone once) | 19-round todos contra todos |
| Who advances | Top 8 | Top 8 |
| Knockout stage | Two cuadrangulares (groups of four), played home and away | Direct playoffs: quarterfinals, semifinals and final, each over two legs |
| Final | The two group winners | Winners of the semifinals |
DIMAYOR dropped the cuadrangulares for the first half of 2026 to shorten the calendar around the World Cup, then brought them back for the second half. After the August 10 earthquake forced several postponements, league leaders discussed switching 2026-II to playoffs. According to press reports, the clubs voted to keep the cuadrangulares, and the season is now expected to run into late December. Rescheduled games are common, so always confirm the date and venue on the sportsbook and on DIMAYOR's channels.
In a single league match, only the result of that game counts. In two-legged ties and group stages, a team may be happy with a draw, or may need goals. That changes how teams play, and it adds markets like "to qualify" that settle on something other than the 90 minutes in front of you.
Result markets: 1X2, double chance and draw no bet
1X2 (match result)
The most basic football market has three outcomes: 1 = home win, X = draw, 2 = away win. It settles on regular time, so a game level after 90 minutes is a draw even if a knockout tie goes to penalties afterward.
Double chance
You cover two of the three outcomes with one bet:
- 1X: home win or draw
- X2: away win or draw
- 12: either team wins (no draw)
You win more often, but the price is lower to match. Covering more outcomes doesn't remove the house margin.
Draw no bet
You back a team to win, and if the match is drawn your stake is refunded. If your team loses, you lose. It sits between 1X2 and double chance in both risk and price.
Every market has rules, usually under an "i" icon or in the sportsbook's house rules. Before you bet, look for "90 minutes" or "regular time" versus "including extra time" or "to qualify."
Goal markets: over/under and both teams to score
Over/under (total goals)
You bet on whether the total goals scored by both teams will be over or under a line. Half-goal lines can't push (end level):
| Line | Over wins if… | Under wins if… |
|---|---|---|
| Over/Under 1.5 | 2 or more goals | 0 or 1 goal |
| Over/Under 2.5 | 3 or more goals | 0, 1 or 2 goals |
| Over/Under 3.5 | 4 or more goals | 0 to 3 goals |
Whole-number lines (such as 2.0) refund your stake if the total lands exactly on the line. Quarter lines (2.25, 2.75) split your stake across the two nearest lines, explained in the handicap section below. You'll also find team totals, first-half totals, corners and cards, which all work the same way.
BTTS (both teams to score)
A simple yes/no market. Yes wins if each team scores at least once, so 1-1, 2-1 and 3-2 all count. No wins if at least one team fails to score, so 0-0, 1-0 and 3-0 all count. Own goals count for the team credited with the goal.
Combined markets
Sportsbooks also offer combinations like "home win and over 2.5" or "BTTS and over 2.5." Both conditions must happen, so these pay more and lose more often. The margin applies to both parts.
Handicap markets explained
Handicaps give one team a head start, or a deficit, so that a mismatch becomes something closer to a coin flip in pricing terms. You apply the handicap to the final regular-time score.
Asian handicap
Asian handicaps remove the draw. Here's how the common lines work for a bet on the home team (hypothetical scores):
| Home handicap | Home wins by 2+ | Home wins by 1 | Draw | Home loses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| −0.5 | Win | Win | Lose | Lose |
| 0 (level) | Win | Win | Refund | Lose |
| −1.0 | Win | Refund | Lose | Lose |
| −1.5 | Win | Lose | Lose | Lose |
| +0.5 | Win | Win | Win | Lose |
Quarter lines split your stake in half. A bet at −0.75 is half on −0.5 and half on −1.0. If the home team wins by exactly one goal, the −0.5 half wins and the −1.0 half is refunded, so you collect a "half win." If the score is level, both halves lose.
European (3-way) handicap
This version keeps the draw as a separate outcome. With a home −1 European handicap, a 2-1 home win becomes 1-1 after the handicap, so the "handicap draw" option wins and home −1 loses. Read which version you're looking at, because the two settle differently.
Other markets you'll see on Liga BetPlay
- Correct score: you pick the exact final score. It's very hard to hit, so the prices are high and the margin is usually high too.
- Half-time/full-time: you predict the result at half-time and at full-time (for example, draw/home). There are nine combinations.
- Goalscorer markets: first, last or anytime scorer. Check how the sportsbook treats a player who doesn't start or comes on late.
- To qualify / to advance: available on two-legged ties. Unlike 1X2, it includes extra time and penalties where the competition uses them. In the cuadrangulares format, look for "to win group" instead.
- Outright (futures): you bet on who wins the tournament or finishes top eight. Your money is tied up for weeks, and postponements can stretch that.
- Live (in-play) betting: prices move during the match. It's fast, which makes it easy to overspend. Set a limit before kickoff.
Sportsbooks have specific rules for matches that are postponed, moved or abandoned. Many void bets if the match isn't played within a set window, but the details vary by operator. Read the house rules, especially this season with so many rescheduled games.
One scoreline, many markets: a settlement walkthrough
The fastest way to learn how markets settle is to run one imaginary result through all of them. Say a regular-season league match finishes Home 2–1 Away, with the away team leading 1–0 at half-time. This is a made-up score, not a real fixture.
| Market and selection | Result | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1X2: Home (1) | Win | The home team won in regular time |
| Double chance: X2 | Lose | Neither a draw nor an away win |
| Draw no bet: Home | Win | Home won, so no refund is needed |
| Over 2.5 goals | Win | Three goals in total |
| Under 3.5 goals | Win | Three is fewer than 3.5 |
| BTTS: Yes | Win | Both teams scored |
| Asian handicap Home −1.0 | Refund | 2–1 becomes 1–1 after the handicap |
| Asian handicap Home −0.75 | Half win | The −0.5 half wins, the −1.0 half is refunded |
| European handicap Home −1 | Lose | The "handicap draw" option wins instead |
| Half-time/full-time: Away/Home | Win | Away led at the break, home won at the end |
| Correct score 1–1 | Lose | Only the exact final score counts |
Notice how a single goal changes everything. Had the match ended 1–1, the home 1X2 and both home handicaps would lose, the X2 double chance would win, draw no bet would refund, Over 2.5 would lose and BTTS Yes would still win. Before you bet, write down which scorelines win, lose or push for your selection.
A beginner's checklist before placing any bet
- The sportsbook is on Coljuegos' official list of authorized operators. See our step-by-step check.
- You know exactly how the market settles: regular time, extra time, or to qualify.
- You've converted the price into implied probability. Our odds conversion guide shows how.
- You've confirmed the match date and venue, since rescheduling is common this season.
- The stake fits a budget you set in advance, as covered in our bankroll guide.
- You're betting for entertainment, not to recover losses or to earn money.
Frequently asked questions
What does 1X2 mean in football betting?
1X2 is the match result market. 1 is a home win, X is a draw and 2 is an away win. It normally settles on regular time, which is 90 minutes plus stoppage time.
How does double chance work?
Double chance covers two of the three results in one bet: home or draw (1X), away or draw (X2), or either team to win (12). It wins more often than 1X2 but pays less.
What is the Liga BetPlay 2026-II format?
Twenty clubs play a 19-round all-play-all phase. The top eight are split into two groups of four that play home and away, and the two group winners meet in the final.
Do extra time and penalties count in betting markets?
Usually not. Most markets settle on regular time only. To qualify or to advance markets are the main exception, and the sportsbook's rules for each market state which applies.
What does Asian handicap -0.75 mean?
Your stake is split in half between -0.5 and -1.0. If your team wins by two or more goals, both halves win. A one-goal win gives a half win and half refund. A draw or loss loses the full stake.
Is there a safe market to bet on?
No. Lower-risk markets pay less, and every market includes the bookmaker's margin. Treat betting as paid entertainment and only stake what you can afford to lose.
Explore more Colombian football guides
Read our guides to Liga BetPlay, Copa Libertadores and other Latin American competitions before you place your first bet.
Read more guides →Sources
- Todo lo que debe saber de la Liga BetPlay II-2026: nuevas reglas y regreso de cuadrangulares — Noticias Caracol
- No habrá playoffs en la Liga BetPlay 2026-II: clubes votaron por mantener los cuadrangulares — Publimetro Colombia
- Dimayor contempla hasta cambiar el formato de la Liga 2026-II por el terremoto — Publimetro Colombia
- Playoffs Liga BetPlay 2026: así quedaron los cruces de cuartos — Canal Trece
- Dimayor confirma nuevo formato para la Liga BetPlay 2026 — Minuto30
18+ only. This article is general information for adults and is not legal, financial or tax advice. Betting involves real risk of loss; never bet money you cannot afford to lose, and no bet, system or tip can guarantee a win. Rules and listings change, so confirm details with the official sources linked above. This article contains no affiliate links. If gambling is causing you harm, stop and reach out for support.