Betting Guides
Acca Tips: Guide
Commonly referred to as an “acca”, an accumulator bet combines multiple selections into a single wager. While the term can apply to any multi-bet, accumulators typically involve more selections than a simple double or treble.
Accumulator betting is popular because the odds for each selection are multiplied together, creating the potential for significantly higher returns. While these large payouts are appealing, they usually come with long odds, which naturally increases the risk.
For this reason, some punters choose to avoid accas altogether, but that doesn’t mean you have to. Our football accumulator tips aim to guide you on how to place accumulator bets more effectively across a range of wager types.
By approaching accas in the right way, you can improve your chances of success. Just remember unless stated otherwise, every selection must win for an accumulator bet to pay out.
Building an accumulator bet
Accumulators are typically built from a range of selections, for example, backing teams F, G, H and I to win, while tipping teams J and K to lose, but in reality, accas can be constructed from almost any market.
This flexibility allows you to tailor your betting approach and include different types of wagers you feel most confident in. In recent years, Both Teams to Score (BTTS) accumulators and Over 2.5 Goals accas have grown in popularity. William Hill allows customers to build accumulators from a wide variety of bets, across multiple sports and events, all combined into a single wager.
Accumulator betting tips
- Reduce your stake if the accumulator looks like a long shot.
- Stick to top leagues you know well. While it may be tempting to bet blindly on Veracruz U20 vs Monarcas Morelia U20 in Mexico, it’s definitely wiser to focus on competitions you understand.
- Vary your bets based on your sporting knowledge. You can include multiple sports in one accumulator, so instead of adding another football match, consider an outright tennis championship if that’s where your confidence lies.
There are also accumulator options that move beyond the traditional win/draw/win format. A BTTS (Both Teams to Score) bet, for example, is an appealing market because it remains live until the final whistle. With BTTS, you’re simply backing both teams to score at least once — once that happens, your selection is settled.
If you’re looking to get involved this week, be sure to check out our weekly football betting tips article.
Potential Results
In simple terms, an accumulator involves selecting multiple events and combining them into one bet. For example:
- Tottenham to beat Manchester United at 3/1
- Everton to defeat Liverpool at 4/1
- Fulham to beat Chelsea at 3/1
- Wolves to defeat Leicester at 7/2
Let’s assume you place a £10 stake on an accumulator using the selections above. For the bet to win, every prediction must be correct.
Your potential returns would be calculated as follows:
- Your £10 stake returns £40 from Tottenham beating Manchester United (£30 profit plus your £10 stake).
- That £40 is then rolled onto Everton vs Liverpool, returning £200 (£160 profit plus £40 stake).
- The £200 is placed on Fulham to beat Chelsea, increasing the return to £800.
- Finally, Wolves defeat Leicester in the Midlands derby and you’ve won with the accumulator paying out £3,600.
Different Types of Accumulators
Accumulators can be highly appealing, but one losing selection means the entire bet fails. However, there are several types of accumulator and multiple bets that offer a safety net, providing returns even when not every selection wins.
Standard Accumulators
- Double: A wager involving two selections.
- Treble: A wager involving three selections.
- Four-fold Accumulator: A wager involving four selections.
- Five-fold Accumulator: A wager involving five selections.
- Six-fold Accumulator: A wager involving six selections.
- Seven-fold Accumulator: A wager involving seven selections.
- Eight-fold Accumulator: A wager involving eight selections.
Multiple & System Bets
- Trixie: A three-selection bet consisting of four wagers (three doubles and one treble). Unlike a standard accumulator, a Trixie guarantees a return even if one selection loses, making it a popular option for lower stakes with strong potential returns.
- Yankee: A four-selection wager covering all doubles, trebles and a four-fold accumulator, resulting in 11 separate bets. A £5 Yankee would cost £55 in total.
- Super Yankee: A five-selection wager made up of 26 bets: 10 doubles, 10 trebles, five four-folds and one five-fold accumulator. A return is achieved when at least two selections win.
- Patent: A three-selection multiple consisting of seven bets: three singles, three doubles and one treble. This structure ensures a return even if only one selection is successful.
Click here for a detailed Patent bet guide.
Lucky Bets
- Lucky 15: A four-selection bet containing 15 wagers: four singles, six doubles, four trebles and one four-fold accumulator. Often referred to as “lucky” due to bookmaker bonuses. A £5 Lucky 15 costs £75 in total.
- Lucky 31: A five-selection wager consisting of 31 bets: five singles, 10 doubles, 10 trebles, five four-folds and one five-fold accumulator. A £5 Lucky 31 costs £155.
- Lucky 63: A six-selection wager made up of 63 bets: six singles, 15 doubles, 20 trebles, 15 four-folds, six five-folds and one six-fold accumulator. A £5 Lucky 63 costs £315.
Large Combination Bets
- Canadian: A five-selection wager comprising 26 separate bets.
- Heinz: A six-selection wager made up of 57 individual bets.
- Super Heinz: A seven-selection wager consisting of 120 bets: 21 doubles, 35 trebles, 35 four-folds, 21 five-folds, seven six-folds and one seven-fold accumulator. At least two selections must win to generate a return.
- Goliath: An eight-selection wager made up of 247 separate bets.
- Alphabet: A six-selection wager containing 26 bets, made up of two Patents (14 bets), one Yankee (11 bets) and one six-fold accumulator. A £5 stake would require a total outlay of £130, as the stake is multiplied across all 26 bets.
