Beat, win or draw? That's the question.

BEAT - WIN - DRAW

"Beat" refers to the opponent in a game (Real Madrid beat Barcelona 2-0)  whereas "win" refers to the game in itself (Real Madrid won the match). Grammatically "beat" is always followed by an object but that's not the case with "win" (Real Madrid won).

win past tense and past participle won, present participle winning

1. competition/race [intransitive and transitive] to be the best or most successful in a competition, game, election etc [≠ lose]

win a race/a game/an election etc

Who do you think will win the next election?

 He won the Tour de France last year.

win a war/battle

The young pilots who won the Battle of Britain

 Who's winning (=who is most successful at this point in the game)?

win at

I never win at cards.

win by 10 points/70 metres etc

We won by just one point.

 He predicted the French would win hands down(=win very easily) in the play-offs.

beat past tense beat, past participle beaten 1.competition/election [transitive] to get the most points, votes etc in a game, race, or competition [= defeat]:

Brazil were beaten, 2-1.

Labour easily beat the Conservatives in the last election.

beat somebody at/in something

I beat him more often at pool than he beats me.

draw past tense drew past participle drawn 

      1. game [intransitive and transitive]

      especially British English

       to finish without either side winning in a game such as football [= tie]:

They drew 3-3.

draw with

Liverpool drew with Juventus.