An accumulator, commonly known as an acca, is one of the most popular types of sports bets. Instead of placing separate wagers on several events, an accumulator combines multiple selections into one wager. The key is to remember that every selection must be correct for the accumulator to win.
Accumulators are popular because they can turn several markets with small odds into one much larger potential return. You can build an accumulator around football, horse racing, rugby, tennis, or almost any other sport available at a sportsbook.
However, adding more selections also makes your bet harder to win, as one incorrect prediction is enough to lose the entire wager. Below, we explain exactly what an accumulator is, how accumulator betting works, how to calculate potential returns, and some tips to consider when building an acca.
What is Accumulator Betting?
An accumulator is a single bet made up of two or more selections. Technically, a two-fold, three-fold, or four-fold are all types of accumulators. What they all have in common is that they combine your selections rather than placing a stake on each individual market. The bookmaker will multiply the odds of each leg to create one overall price.
For example, imagine you want to back four football teams to win. You could place four separate bets, or combine all four into an accumulator. If Team A is 2/1, Team B is 4/5, Team C is 6/4, and Team D is 1/1, the four modest prices turn into 26/1 when used in an acca.
The important part is that all four selections must win. If Team A and Team B win but Team C and Team D lose, the accumulator is unsuccessful, and your stake is lost. This is what separates an accumulator from wagers that offer more cover, such as Trixie bets, where some combinations can still pay out if one selection fails.
How Does an Accumulator Bet Work?
Creating an accumulator is straightforward at Novibet. You simply need to choose two or more selections that you believe will win and add them to your bet slip. Once you have selected your events, choose the accumulator option. We will automatically combine the odds and show the potential return based on your stake.
The more selections you add, the higher the potential payout becomes. However, the probability of winning also decreases because every selection has to be correct. An accumulator containing 10 selections might offer a huge potential return, but one losing leg means the entire bet fails.
Accumulator Bet Example
Football betting is one of the most popular ways to use accumulator bets. It’s a popular way to combine several relatively short-priced selections into one bet with a higher potential return. Let’s say you want to place a €10 accumulator on four football matches:
- Arsenal to win: 1/2 (1.50)
- Liverpool to win: 4/5 (1.80)
- Barcelona to win: 4/6 (1.66)
- Bayern Munich to win: 1/2 (1.50)
To calculate the total accumulator odds, multiply the four prices: 1.50 × 1.80 × 1.66 × 1.50 = 6.75. A €10 stake would therefore return approximately €67.50, including your original stake, if all four teams win.
However, if Arsenal, Liverpool and Barcelona all win but Bayern Munich draws or loses, the accumulator fails. You do not receive a return from the three winning selections because all four legs were part of the same wager.
Why Use an Accumulator Bet?
The main attraction of an accumulator is the potential return. Combining several selections allows you to turn relatively short individual odds into a much larger overall price. Accumulators can also be a convenient way to bet on several events in one day or weekend. You can also combine selections on different days, provided the bookmaker allows them to be included in the same accumulator.
Instead of placing five separate wagers, you can combine your predictions into one bet and let our sportsbook calculate the overall odds and potential return. However, the potential reward comes with increased risk. Every selection needs to be successful, so adding more legs can quickly make an accumulator difficult to land.
Pros and Cons of Accumulator Bets
| Pros | Cons |
| Higher potential returns | One losing selection loses the bet |
| Easy way to combine and calculate multiple selections | More selections mean lower chances of winning |
| Can include different sports and markets in one bet | More selections can make it tempting to overcomplicate your bet |
| Simple to place using a bet slip | Even short-priced selections can still make an acca difficult to land |
Accumulator Bet vs Trixie Bet
The biggest difference between an accumulator and a Trixie is the level of cover. A three-selection accumulator contains one bet, with all three selections needing to win. A Trixie contains four separate bets: three doubles and one treble.
This means a Trixie can still return if two of the three selections win. The trade-off is that a Trixie costs more because you are effectively placing four bets. An accumulator is cheaper for the same selections but offers no protection if one leg fails.
Accumulator Bet vs Yankee Bet
A Yankee is another type of cover bet, but it requires exactly four selections and creates 11 individual bets. These consist of six doubles, four trebles, and one four-fold accumulator. Unlike a standard accumulator, you can therefore receive a payout even if one or two selections fail, provided enough of your picks are successful.
However, a Yankee requires a larger overall stake because you are placing 11 bets. An accumulator is much simpler: choose your selections, enter your stake and all of your picks are combined into one wager.
What Sports Can You Use Accumulators On?
You can use accumulators across a wide range of sports and markets. Football is particularly popular, with bettors combining match winners, goals markets, handicap betting and other selections. You can also build accumulators around horse racing, rugby, tennis, basketball, GAA and many more. Our betting platform also allows players to combine wagers from different events. For example, you can have an accumulator with football, American football, and golf at the same time.
Accumulator Betting Tips
- Don’t add selections for the sake of it: More legs mean higher potential returns, but they also make the accumulator harder to win. Only include selections you genuinely believe offer value.
- Compare the odds: Check the individual odds before combining your selections. A large accumulator does not automatically represent good value simply because the potential return is high.
- Research each selection: Look at recent form, injuries, team news, head-to-head records and home or away performance before making your picks. One weak selection can ruin an otherwise strong accumulator.
- Consider the stake: The potential return on a large acca can be tempting, but remember that the entire stake is at risk if just one selection loses.
- Don’t chase losses: An accumulator should be treated as a form of entertainment rather than a way to recover previous losses. Set a budget and stick to it.
Accumulator betting can be an exciting way to combine several sports predictions into one wager and potentially increase your returns. The trade-off is that every selection needs to be correct, making an accumulator significantly harder to win as you add more legs.
Accumulators offer higher potential returns but lower probability of success, and bettors should understand the risk before placing one. If you want more protection against one incorrect prediction, cover wagers such as Trixies, Yankees, or Patent bets may be more suitable. The most important thing is to understand how the bet works before placing it and only wager an amount you are comfortable losing.
Acca FAQ
What happens if one selection loses?
If one selection of your accumulator bet loses, the entire bet is settled as lost. Every selection must win for your accumulator to be settled as a winning bet.
What happens if one selection is void or a match is postponed?
If a selection is declared void, it will usually be removed from the accumulator, and the remaining selections will be recalculated. A postponed event may remain part of the bet until it is played, depending on the applicable sportsbook rules.
How many selections can an acca have?
The maximum number of selections varies between sportsbooks and markets. At Novibet, certain accumulator options allow more than 30 selections, with a booster available for qualifying accas.
Can you combine different sports?
Yes, you can combine selections from different sports in the same accumulator. For example, you could combine football, tennis, rugby and horse racing selections, depending on the sportsbook and available markets.
What is an each-way accumulator?
An each-way accumulator combines multiple each-way selections into one bet. Each selection has a win and place element, with the applicable place terms determined by the bookmaker and market. Because each-way accumulators can be more complex than standard win accumulators, check the applicable terms before placing one.
How do you calculate accumulator odds?
To calculate an accumulator, convert the fractional odds of each selection into decimal odds and multiply them together. For example, odds of 2.00, 1.50 and 2.50 give combined odds of 7.50. Multiply the combined odds by your stake to calculate the potential return. Your potential profit is the return minus your original stake.
