Many sports fans also enjoy betting while watching their favourite sports. Placing a bet on your sport of choice can add an extra layer of excitement to the event you are watching and add to the overall enjoyment. The accumulator is one of the most common and popular types of bet, especially for sports such as football, as accumulators are a type of multiple bet. Accumulators have gained popularity due to the potential high rewards available; the caveat is that due to all predictions having to come true to win, your odds are greatly reduced.
As previously mentioned, football has become synonymous with accumulator betting, as bettors will often bet on multiple teams on the weekend. This is a great way for players to test their football knowledge and luck.
With accumulators being multiple bets, they can seem quite confusing to new players. This is why we have set out to help you understand exactly how they work. In this article, we will take a look at accumulator bets and figure out how they work, how to place them, how to figure out the odds and much more.
How Does Accumulator Betting Work
An accumulator bet is a bet made up of multiple sections, otherwise known as legs. To win, all of these predictions need to come true. The potential return is much higher because the bet includes all of the individual selections to win and the odds on all of the selections to win.
Accumulators can be placed on almost every sport, including football, rugby, horse racing and much more. Your multiple sections can be different games or different statistics from within the same game. Multiple sections from the same game will not always be an accumulator, and most sportsbooks do not allow a combination of different sports.
You may be able to find an accumulator calculator online to help with this type of bet, we’ll go into more detail on this further in the piece.
Example Of An Accumulator Bet
Here is an example of a four-fold accumulator. We will then go through the outcome of each bet and the odds for each of them to show you how you can calculate the odds.
| Selection | Result | Odds | Best Outcome |
| Brazil to win | Brazil 1 Argentina 0 | 2/1 | Won |
| Norway to win | Norway 1 Denmark 0 | 3/1 | Won |
| Italy to win | Italy 2 England 1 | 2/1 | Won |
| Croatia to win | Croatia 3 Spain 0 | 4/1 | Won |
The accumulator returns are based on the total multiplication of the odds. The fractional odds are turned into decimals and multiplied. Then those odds are multiplied by the stake. The following are the odds if you place a £1 stake.
| Selection | Original Odds (decimal) |
| 1 | 2/1 (3) |
| 2 | 3/1 (4) |
| 3 | 2/1 (3) |
| 4 | 4/1 (5) |
| Acca total | 179/1 (180) |
This means that if you place a £1 stake on this 179/1 accumulator, your total win would be £180 as you also earn your stake back.
As you can see, the odds take a dramatic increase due to the multiple sections on the bet. However, if one section of the bet fails, then the entire bet fails. So, for example, if Croatia drew, even though all the other 3 teams won, the bet would still fail, and you would win nothing. Accumulator bets can provide good potential prizes however are very risky due to this fact.
Accumulator Bet Calculator
An accumulator bet calculator is a calculator which can help predict the outcomes and profits of a bet. The accumulator bet is very simple to use. Simply enter your stake, odds format, number of selections, selection odds and the result of selections. After placing all of the information surrounding your bet, the calculator will then present you with the profits you can expect to receive, given all selections are predicted correctly. Bet calculators are very useful as they allow bettors to see how much they can expect to return from their bets which can help players determine if their bet is worth it, changes that can be made and also help them refine their betting strategy.
How To Place an Accumulator Bet
Placing an accumulator bet is very simple and can be done at any bookies within minutes. Here is a simple step-by-step to help you place your first accumulator bet:
- Select your chosen sport
- Select the type of bet, e.g. team to win, and so on
- Make your selections for your bet
- Select accumulator
- Enter your stake
- Double-check your selections and click ‘place bets.’’
Where To Place The Bet
You can place an accumulator bet at any online or physical bookmaker. You should always shop around for the best odds as well as any welcome bonuses and offers available before placing bets. Finding the best odds can help maximise potential profits, and bonuses can minimise risk because you will potentially be given credits and will not have to play with your own money.
Why Should I Play With Accumulators
Accumulators are one of the most popular forms of betting for a reason due to their ability to increase the odds without having to increase your stake. This betting strategy can certainly lead to some much bigger potential returns, but it is very important to remember the increased risk that accumulators bring. The chance of getting one prediction correct is very low, never mind making 3,4 or sometimes more predictions.
Before placing an accumulator, you should thoroughly research every selection to ensure you give yourself the best chance of winning. You should also keep in mind the individual odds of each bet, as some selections may not increase the overall profit by much but will still increase your risks of losing.
Summary
Betting is one of the most popular forms of entertainment out there, and accumulators are among one of the most common ways to bet. If you are going to partake in accumulator betting, we recommend you do your research around each individual selection and use an accumulator betting calculator to figure out your expected profits and adjust the bet accordingly. Hopefully, this article has helped you understand the basics of accumulator betting so you can give it a go today,
