What is an Accumulator? Acca Betting Guide
Last updated: by Leon Marshal
An accumulator is a type of bet combining multiple individual wagers into one. The critical aspect is that all the selections included must win for the bet to pay out. The odds of each selection in the acca are multiplied, increasing the potential returns. Our guide will delve into more details, explaining essentials like potential risks, how to place such bets, and the available types.
Written by Leon Marshall Chief Editor at bestbettingsites.co.uk| Position | Bookmaker | Rating | Bonus | Info | Website | T&C’s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | bet365 | 5/5 | Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets | Outstanding acca odds | Visit Site | Full T&Cs Apply! For new customers at bet365. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. Registration required. 18+ Begambleaware.org |
| 2 | BetTarget | 4.9/5 | £10 When You Bet £15 | Easy to use with flexible acca options | Visit Site | Full T&Cs Apply! New customers only. Max one £10 free bet. Qualifying bets must be placed at odds of 1/1 or greater. Paid as bonus token with min 4/5 odds req. Skrill, Neteller, & PayPal not eligible. |
| 3 | betvictor | 4.8/5 | £30 in Free Bets | Known for generous acca payouts | Visit Site | Full T&Cs Apply! 18+ New customers only. Opt in, bet £10 at odds 2.00+ within 7 days, no cashout. Get 6x £5 Free Bets, set events at odds 2.00+. 7 day bonus expiry. Debit Card / Apple Pay payments only. Click for T&Cs. Please Gamble Responsibly. |
| 4 | Betiton | 4.7/5 | Get a £10 Free Bet | Great odds for new bettors | Visit Site | Full T&Cs Apply! 18+, Welcome Bonus: New Players only, 1st Deposit, Min Deposit,: £10, max £10 free bet valid for 14 days, bets must be placed at odds of 1/1 or greater and be settled within 14 days of placement. System bets not eligible. Neteller,Skrill and Paypal not eligible. |
| 5 | 10bet | 4.6/5 | £50 100% Deposit Match | Rich selection of accumulator bets | Visit Site | Full T&Cs Apply! 18+ begambleaware.org; New bettors get 50% of deposit up to £50; Once per household; Min deposit £15 (no Skrill/Neteller); Wager a total of 8 times deposit + bonus, with max qualifying bet stake equal to your initial bonus amount; Bonus expires after 60 days; Min odds of 4/5 on singles, or 2/5 per leg for acca; Some bet types excluded. |
We further explain what does acca mean in betting and share some success stories plus occasions it didn’t go as planned. If you are new to acca betting, don’t worry we have your back and soon you’ll be placing accumulators like a pro.
What Does an Acca Mean?
An acca bet, which is short for an accumulator bet, is a single wager that brings together multiple stakes. It offers you the chance for substantial payouts from relatively small stakes and is a great option at the top football betting sites. It is also often used for other sports like horse racing, tennis, basketball, cricket, eSports, etc. For an accumulator to be successful, each of your predictions must be correct.
On an accumulator, your winnings are multiplied, due to the number of selections you make (e.g. 5 games together). That means your winnings are much higher than if you placed a series of single bets.
Example of an Accumulator
Now, let’s have a look at an example acca bet. We will use one accumulator bet and will track how the winning amount changes with more selections added.
| Game | Odds | Cumulative total |
|---|---|---|
| Liverpool v Everton | 8/13 | £8.07 |
| Burnley v Tottenham Hotspur | 9/2 | £44.38 |
| Chelsea v Crystal Palace | 2/7 | £57.06 |
| Hull City v West Ham United | 6/4 | £142.65 |
| Leicester City v Stoke City | 1/1 | £285.30 |
| Manchester United v West Bromwich Albion | 1/4 | £356.62 |
| Watford v Sunderland | 4/5 | £641.91 |
| Southampton v Bournemouth | 4/7 | £1008.71 |
On an 8-fold acca, the odds are 201.74/1, which means for £5, you would see a return of £1,008.71. Even by this simple example, you can see why acca bets are extremely popular among players. That has even greater value for players who understand odds and value betting.
For a relatively small outlay, you can win a substantial amount of money. The downside of acca betting is that there is no margin for error. Get one result wrong and you don’t see a return.
Below, you can see the difference between placing the bet as eight singles, or one acca, in terms of cost and potential winnings.
| Types of bet | Number of bets | Cost of bet at £5 | Potential return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single | 8 | £40 | £87.59 |
| Eight-fold | 1 | £5 | £1008.71 |
Types of Accumulator Bets
The first acca bet consists of two predictions, this is called a double. As with all accumulator bets, both selections need to be correct to see a return. An acca containing three selections is called a treble. After that, the names correspond to the number of selections, as seen in the following table:
| Number of selections | Name of accumulator | Description of bet |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Double | A double consists of 1 bet involving 2 selections |
| 3 | Treble | A treble consists of 1 bet involving 3 selections |
| 4 | Four-fold | A Four-fold consists of 1 bet involving 4 selections |
| 5 | Five-fold | A Five-fold consists of 1 bet involving 5 selections |
| 6 | Six-fold | A Six-fold consists of 1 bet involving 6 selections |
| 7 | Seven-fold | A Seven-fold consists of 1 bet involving 7 selections |
| 8 | Eight-fold | An Eight-fold consists of 1 bet involving 8 selections |
| 9 | Nine-fold | A Nine-fold consists of 1 bet involving 9 selections |
| 10 | Ten-fold | A Ten-fold consists of 1 bet involving 10 selections |
| 11 | Eleven-fold | An Eleven-fold consists of 1 bet involving 11 selections |
| 12 | Twelve-fold | A Twelve-fold consists of 1 bet involving 12 selections |
| 13 | Thirteen-fold | A Thirteen-fold consists of 1 bet involving 13 selections |
| 14 | Fourteen-fold | A Fourteen-fold consists of 1 bet involving 14 selections |
| 15 | Fifteen-fold | A Fifteen-fold consists of 1 bet involving 15 selections |
| 16 | Sixteen-fold | A Sixteen-fold consists of 1 bet involving 16 selections |
| 17 | Seventeen-fold | A Seventeen-fold consists of 1 bet involving 17 selections |
| 18 | Eighteen-fold | An Eighteen-fold consists of 1 bet involving 18 selections |
| 19 | Nineteen-fold | A Nineteen-fold consists of 1 bet involving 19 selections |
| 20 | Twenty-fold | A Twenty-fold consists of 1 bet involving 20 selections |
What is Acca Insurance?
Acca insurance is a type of betting offer that adds a level of protection to your accumulator bets. If one leg fails but all the others win, you get your stake back in the form of a free wager. That makes accumulator betting slightly less risky, especially for bets with many selections that are usually made at the leading horse racing betting sites, for example. Keep in mind that such acca incurance offers carry certain terms and conditions, such as minimum total odds, minimum selections, maximum free bet, and more.
Pros and Cons of Accumulator Betting
Acca bets combine multiple selections into a single wager to boost payouts from small stakes and make watching sports more thrilling. It delivers an exciting way to engage with sports betting, with the lure of substantial returns from small bets. While the appeal of significant returns is strong, weighing both advantages and disadvantages before diving in is essential.
Pros of Acca Betting
- Increased winnings: You can create big winnings from a single small wager.
- Spread the excitement: You will need to keep tabs on multipe games/matches.
- Use Knowledge: If you are well-informed on a league, you can use it to your advantage.
The complexity and increased risk require a cautious approach and a strategy. Sometimes, the combined odds may lead to emotionally driven decisions. They also may not offer the best value or be restricted by some bookmakers in terms of included markets. Those can include some wagers and markets at the top tennis betting sites, rugby platforms, ice hockey websites, etc.
Cons of Acca Betting
- Higher risk of failure: Only one leg needs to fail, for the whole acca bet to.
- Research: You need to do more research to win.
- Less predictable: With so many games – unpredictable events will happen.
How to Place an Accumulator Bet?
We have discussed why accumulator bets are so popular, let’s now look at how easy acca betting is. All you need to do is follow the same process as placing a single bet. Instead of confirming your wager, you continue to pick more selections. That involves many outcomes within one bet, where the odds multiply with each addition.
Step 1: Pick as many selections as you like then click on “Bet Slip” 
Step 2: A summary is shown, click on “Multiple Options” 
Step 3: A List of possible bets is shown 
Step 4: In the stake box, enter the bet amount and press “Place Bet”
It really is that easy. The screenshots are taken from bet365 but the process is almost identical at all the best betting sites. They are licensed, with a great reputation and offer accumulator bets with favourable terms.
Accumulator Betting Tips
One of the biggest challenges with betting with accumulators is managing your expectations. It’s important to understand that the likelihood of all your selections coming in is low. The more selections you make, the higher the potential payout gets. But with more selections, the possibility for at least one of them to lose also gets higher. Our top acca betting tips are:
- Research: Know who you are placing bets on, don’t just pick a random leg.
- Risk v Reward: Don’t just chase the big payout, the higher the number of selections the lower the chance it hits.
- Keep Selections Reasonable: Don’t always pick the underdogs, as they will most likely lose.
- Partial Cash Outs: If you need one leg to hit, this could be an option to use and secure some profit.
- Use Acca Insurance: Use acca insurance on your bet if it is available, you’ll get your stake back if one leg fails.
- Consider In-Play Accas: Monitor matches, and place an acca if you can see value/games changing.
Moreover, looking at team form and stats when making accumulator bets is crucial. Taking the time to research and apply a strategic approach can significantly enhance your success rate. Analysing injuries, suspensions, motivation, previous games, performance, and external factors like weather is helpful. If you are new to accumulator betting online, you can try an accumulator calculator to help you calculate the potential winnings.
Puttting Our Advice to the Test
We’ve had some great wins from not a lot of money. We recently had a double on Lincoln City and Sutton Utd in the FA Cup. What made this bet so satisfying was that it was placed in-play at half-time.
Enjoying one game on the radio and monitoring the other on TV made us feel like we could have a double shock. Wimbledon, who were playing Sutton, had been reduced to 10 men, with both games at 0-0. This bet was so memorable because the winning goals in both games were scored in the last few minutes.
That’s why we recommend you always consider in-play accumulators, as betting after the games have started would help you make a better prediction and take advantage of higher odds.
Another useful tip is to consider cashing out if several of your legs have already won. It allows you to settle your bet before all events finish. Many see it as a safeguard against last-minute goals and turnarounds and securing partial profits. Here, timing and judgement play vital roles.. Many betting sites also offer Partial Cash Out, so you can cash in part of your profits and let the rest play out.
So Near…. Yet So Far 
Close seven-fold 
Luckily, a covering six-fold
Above is a good example of how a Partial Cash Out would have helped. We had a £3 Seven-fold, and one by one, they came in. We were being offered more money to cash out. Six of the selections had already won, and we needed West Ham to beat Watford.
Alas, it was not meant to be. The game ended 1-1, and even to the last second there was a chance the bet would win. We did have a Six-fold on another bet that came in. However, the total cost of our bets was meagre.
Best Sites for Football Accumulators
Now that you know how easy acca betting is, you’re aware of the benefits. So, it’s time for us to share what we feel are the best online betting sites for placing football accumulator bets. Some platforms are better for specific games and markets, like the Premier League betting sites.
- bet365 – Best for Footie Accas
- YetiBet – Top Acca Odds Boost
- 10bet – Great Bet Slip
Other Types of Bets Available at Online Bookies
Online bookmakers offer a vast range of wagering options beyond accumulators. They cater to many different preferences and strategies. A popular type of bet is the System bet. Some of the most played System wagers include Yankee, Heinz and Trixie.
Of course, accumulators are widely preferred at online betting sites. Still, if you are interested in finding out more about the other bets, there are several helpful articles. You can start by reviewing the detailed football betting guide and horse racing betting guide. We wish you all the best in your upcoming online betting adventures.
FAQs
Accumulator betting, a popular form of sports wagering, offers the potential for increased returns from a small stake. It has a high-risk high-reward nature compared to single bets. Given its popularity and complexity, the following FAQ section provides insights and guidance to both new and experienced bettors.
What does acca mean in betting?
It is short for an accumulator bet and involves combining multiple selections into one stake. All the included choices must win for the bet to pay out. That significantly increases the potential return at any of the top accumulator betting sites because the odds are multiplied.
What sports can I bet on with an accumulator?
You can place acca bets on a wide range of sports, including football, basketball, tennis, horse racing, American football, baseball, golf, darts, and more. Still, the football accumulators are the most common due to the popularity of the sport and the numerous leagues, tournaments, and teams. Regardless of your choice, you have a unique set of opportunities.
Is there a maximum payout on an accumulator?
Yes, most betting sites impose maximum payout limitations on accumulator bets. These limits can vary between different sports and leagues to restrict the financial risk to the bookie. Furthermore, many operators also offer the so-called acca insurance offers, which can help you reduce the risk and get your stake back as a free bet.
What happens if one of the bets loses?
Even if one game doesn't turn out how you predicted, the entire acca bet is lost. That is a fundamental rule of accumulator betting: all selections must win for the bet to payout. It is advisable to consider the pros and cons of this high-risk wagering option.