Football accumulators are bets on a single game where you have to predict the outcome of at least two or more results. The idea is that if you choose more than one bet, there’s a greater chance you’ll win some money even if some of your predictions are wrong.
In this guide, we will look at the basics of football accumulators and how to win them.
So, what are football accumulators?
Football accumulators are bets on a single game where two or more possible results are predicted with an agreed stake placed on each prediction. The idea is that there’s a greater chance of winning some money, on sites such as fun 88, even if some of your predictions are wrong.
If there is a draw or one of your teams loses, though, then you get no money back from the bet. The two-leg accumulator is where you predict the outcome of 2 or more matches on one day. For example, you might predict that Manchester United will beat West Brom and that Chelsea will beat Everton.
You do not need to predict all of the results, so you could just pick 2 out of 3 and still have a chance of winning an accumulator bet. However, if both Manchester United and Chelsea draw, your whole bet is lost – so be careful! The multiples are where you choose more than 1 team, but they all play each other.
Example of an Accumulator Bet
For example, for an accumulator which predicts Manchester City will beat Mansfield Town 4-0 and Arsenal will beat Liverpool 2-1, if Manchester City wins 3-1 instead, then the bet would be graded as a loss because only one result was correct.
However, if both games end up with predicted outcomes, then the bet pays out at huge odds – generally around 100/1. That means that every £100 staked could make you £10,000 if you win.
The Different Types of Accumulator Bet
Football accumulators come in a few different types:
The two-leg accumulator
This is where you predict the outcome of 2 or more matches on one day. For example, you might predict that Manchester United will beat West Brom and that Chelsea will beat Everton.
You do not need to predict all of the results, so you could just pick 2 out of 3 and still have a chance of winning an accumulator bet. However, if both Manchester United and Chelsea draw, your whole bet is lost – so be careful!
The multiples
These are where you choose more than 1 team, but they all play each other. For example, you could predict that Manchester United will beat Arsenal, Liverpool will beat Cardiff, and Chelsea will beat West Ham to create a multiples accumulator. If all 3 matches end in wins for the teams you choose, then your accumulator would be successful.
If there is a draw or one of your teams loses, then you get no money back from the accumulator bet.
The Yankee
This is where you predict 2 or more possible results of an individual result. When betting on the Yankee, it’s important to remember that one of your predictions must come true for this particular bet type to payout. For example:
Manchester United beats West Brom (1), and Aston Villa beats Newcastle (2). You could also bet that West Brom will beat Manchester United (3), while Newcastle will beat Aston Villa.
If you get any of these results correct, your accumulator will payout at the normal odds. However, if one of the results is wrong, then this bet type won’t payout.
The Lucky 15
This is actually just a special form of multiples where you have to predict the outcome of 15 different games. Again, one result must come true for your bet to win.
Advantages of Football Accumulators
Accumulators allow you to bet on a wide range of games from all around the world, as opposed to betting on just one team to win. It also means that if you do pick a loser or two, your balance isn’t going to be completely wiped out because there’s a chance that several bets will come off – even if it is only by one goal.
Another advantage is the fact that football accumulators are generally offered with much bigger odds than single bets. This means that, depending on the size of your stake, making an accumulator could give you a far greater chance at winning some money back – or even making a profit – from your losing bet.
Disadvantages of Football Accumulators
If one of your predictions is wrong, you’ll lose whatever money you’ve staked on that particular outcome.
The odds are so long that they represent incredibly poor value for the bettors’ stake. For example, if each selection in an accumulator offer 100/1 and you have £10 staked per selection, even if every single prediction comes off it will still be a loss because £100 isn’t anywhere near enough to win back anything close to £100,000.
Often the prices offered by bookmakers only make sense when you consider all possible outcomes: like 1-0 or 2-1 – not 3-2 or 4-3 (unless both teams score the same of goals). If specific results go against you and you lose your accumulator, it can be difficult to pinpoint where things went wrong.
Some bookmakers limit the number of selections they offer on an accumulator, and some will exclude specific matches and competitions altogether (especially if the odds are particularly long).
How do I pick a football accumulator bet?
The number one rule of any betting is to back what you actually think will happen rather than trying to second guess the outcome. If you’ve got a good feeling about how a particular match or competition might finish, go with that.
It’s also generally accepted as good practice not to make lots of small five- or six-fold accumulators – no matter how confident you are in each prediction. Smaller accumulators mean you’ll make less money if you get it right but also lose more if one or two results go against you. It’s often better to combine your selections into fewer, larger accumulators where the odds are much bigger.
However, when making an accumulator bet, it’s best not to try and predict everything because the longer the odds-on offer, the greater chance something will come up to scupper your predictions. If in doubt – keep things simple with shorter-priced accumulators where each result is more straightforward.
Do bookmakers offer good value for football accumulators?
Not really – especially if they’re offering long-odds accumulators that require several correct outcomes. For example, many online bookmakers offer 100/1 accumulators with five selections in this weekend’s Premier League action. A successful £10 accumulator would therefore earn you just £100, but it would cost you £500 to make the bet – which leaves a massive loss of £400 even if everything does come off.
However, there are often better offers available elsewhere for customers who know where to look. For example, some bookmakers offer more competitive odds on larger accumulators, while others allow you to get free bets or money-back specials simply by making more predictions on their site – rather than having to go elsewhere.
Don’t forget that no matter how confident you are about your ability to predict results, it’s always important to bet responsibly.
