Combination Bets: Complete Guide

Combination bets (or "accumulators") are one of the most popular but also riskiest forms of betting. Discover how they work and how to use them wisely.

What Is a Combination Bet?

A combination bet involves grouping several single bets into one bet slip. To win, all selections must be correct.

Simple Example

You combine 3 matches:

Manchester City to win (odds 1.50)
Liverpool to win (odds 2.00)
Arsenal to win (odds 1.80) Total odds for the accumulator: 1.50 × 2.00 × 1.80 = 5.40 If you bet £10 and all 3 teams win: £54 total return

How to Calculate the Odds of a Combination Bet

Simple Formula

Total Odds = Odds 1 × Odds 2 × Odds 3 × ... × Odds N

Detailed Example

Selections:

Manchester City to win: 1.40
Bayern Munich to win: 1.60
Real Madrid to win: 1.70 Calculation: 1.40 × 1.60 × 1.70 = 3.808 Bet of £20:
Total return: £20 × 3.808 = £76.16
Net profit: £76.16 - £20 = £56.16

Types of Combination Bets

1. Double (2 selections)

The simplest form of combination bet. Example:

Manchester United to win: 2.10
Chelsea to win: 1.95 Final odds: 2.10 × 1.95 = 4.10

2. Treble (3 selections)

A very popular format, offering a good balance between risk and reward. Example:

Manchester City to win: 1.50
Liverpool to win: 1.85
Arsenal to draw: 3.20 Final odds: 1.50 × 1.85 × 3.20 = 8.88

3. Fourfold and More

More selections = explosive odds, but maximum risk. Example with 5 matches:

1.60 × 1.75 × 1.90 × 2.00 × 1.50 = 15.96 Bet of £5 = £79.80 potential profit!

Advantages of Combination Bets

✅ 1. High Potential Winnings

With a small stake, you can win big. Example:

Single bet: £10 at 1.80 = £18 (net profit: £8)
3-match accumulator: £10 at 5.40 = £54 (net profit: £44)

✅ 2. More Exciting

You follow multiple matches with a single bet.

✅ 3. Diversification

You don't depend on a single result.

Risks and Disadvantages

❌ 1. All or Nothing

One wrong result = Lost bet Disastrous example: You have 4 correct predictions out of 5, but the 5th is wrong → You lose everything!

❌ 2. Very Low Probability

The more selections you add, the lower the probability of winning. Probability calculation:

3 matches at 60% chance each: 0.60 × 0.60 × 0.60 = 21.6% chance of winning
5 matches at 70% chance each: 0.70⁵ = 16.8% chance of winning

❌ 3. Temptation to Overload

The ease of adding matches can make you lose control.

Strategies for Successful Combination Bets

1. Limit the Number of Selections

Recommendation: Maximum 3-4 selections The more matches you add, the higher the risk increases exponentially.

2. Prioritize Quality Over Quantity

Don't look for the highest odds. Look for the best predictions. Better to have:

3 solid selections at odds of 6.00
Than 6 risky selections at odds of 20.00

3. Mix Bet Types

Don't just bet on "home wins". Example of diversification:

Manchester City to win (1X2)
Liverpool vs Chelsea: Over 2.5 goals
Arsenal vs Tottenham: Both Teams to Score (BTTS)

4. Avoid Matches from the Same League

Results can be correlated (e.g., favorites all losing on the same weekend). Better:

1 Premier League match
1 Serie A match
1 La Liga match

5. Bet Only a Small Part of Your Bankroll

Golden rule: Maximum 2-5% of your total bankroll on a combination bet.

Combination Bets vs Single Bets

Comparison on 3 Matches

Option 1: Accumulator

Total stake: £10
Odds: 1.80 × 2.00 × 1.60 = 5.76
Potential return if all win: £57.60
Estimated probability (60% each): 21.6%

Option 2: 3 Single Bets

Stake per bet: £3.33
Possible returns:
- If 1 wins: £3.33 × 1.80 = £6
- If 2 win: £6 + £6.66 = £12.66
- If 3 win: £6 + £6.66 + £5.33 = £17.99

Verdict:

Accumulator = High risk, high reward
Singles = Moderate risk, moderate but more frequent reward

Systems: Alternative to Classic Accumulators

Systems allow you to lose 1 or 2 selections and still win (partially).

Trixie System (3 selections)

4 bets: 3 doubles + 1 treble
You win if at least 2 selections are correct

Yankee System (4 selections)

11 bets: 6 doubles + 4 trebles + 1 fourfold
You win if at least 2 selections are correct

Advantage: More security Disadvantage: Higher total stake

Fatal Mistakes to Avoid

❌ 1. Adding a Match "for the Odds"

Never sacrifice quality to increase the odds. Bad example: "I have 3 good predictions, I'll add this 4th uncertain match to go from 5.00 to 8.00"

❌ 2. Betting on Too Many Matches

Beyond 5 selections, the probability of winning becomes negligible.

❌ 3. Ignoring Correlations

Avoid combining related bets. Example to avoid:

Manchester City to win
Manchester City to score over 2.5 goals (If Manchester City loses, both bets are lost)

❌ 4. Betting Too Much

An accumulator is NOT a "sure thing". Never bet more than 5% of your bankroll.

❌ 5. Trusting Only the Odds

High odds do not mean a good bet.

Example of a Smart Accumulator

Thoughtful Selection

Match 1: Manchester City vs Bournemouth

Bet: Manchester City to win
Odds: 1.25
Analysis: City at home against a struggling team, 80% chance

Match 2: Bayern Munich vs Union Berlin

Bet: Over 2.5 goals
Odds: 1.65
Analysis: Bayern scores a lot, Union concedes a lot, 70% chance

Match 3: Liverpool vs Arsenal

Bet: Both Teams to Score (BTTS)
Odds: 1.70
Analysis: Two strong attacks, open match expected, 65% chance

Final odds: 1.25 × 1.65 × 1.70 = 3.51 Stake: £10 on a £200 bankroll (5%) Estimated probability: 0.80 × 0.70 × 0.65 = 36.4% Potential profit: £35.10 (net profit: £25.10)

When to Avoid Combination Bets

🚫 Do NOT place a combination bet if:

You are a beginner (master single bets first)
You haven't analyzed each selection
You are trying to "recover" losses
The total odds exceed 15-20
You are betting more than 5% of your bankroll

Calculating Expected Value

Formula

Expected Value = (Probability × Profit) - (1 - Probability) × Stake

Example

Stake: £10
Odds: 5.00
Estimated probability: 25% Expected Value: (0.25 × £50) - (0.75 × £10) = £12.50 - £7.50 = +£5 If the expected value is positive, the bet is mathematically interesting.

Conclusion

Combination bets can be very profitable but remain very risky. Keys to success: ✅ Limit yourself to 3-4 selections maximum

✅ Bet only 2-5% of your bankroll

✅ Analyze each selection individually

✅ Prioritize quality over high odds

✅ Diversify your bet types Golden rule: If you're not sure about a selection, don't include it in your accumulator!

Next recommended reading: Bankroll Management to learn how to manage your betting budget.