An Accumulator, more commonly referred to as ‘an acca’ is a bet placed on four or more horses in one bet and all horses must win to yield a return.
How do accumulator bets work? The winnings from your first bet rolls on to the next horse and the maximum number of horses you can have in an accumulator is twenty, also known as a twenty-fold accumulator.
Only one selection must lose for the bet to be void. A €1 accumulator costs €1 and the return depends on the winning odds of the horses in the accumulator.
The accumulator along with the Lucky 15 and Lucky 31 bets are among the most popular bets with horse racing punters.
Placing an accumulator bet is very straightforward. You can follow the steps below to ensure it is a smooth process.
Accumulators require a minimum of four selections although you can add up to twenty horses if you are feeling confident!
Total returns would be €359 plus €1 stake = €360
If you have a few strong fancies and the odds are fairly short, it is always worth a go at an accumulator as the returns for a small stake can be very rewarding. It is worth remembering though, that due to the increased number of selections, risk is higher as it only takes one bet to lose for the bet to be void.
A safer option for an acca is to choose an each-way accumulator bet if your fancies are decent prices. The chances of your horses being placed is higher although it means your stake will be higher. Returns on an each-way acca can still be very good for a modest stake.
An each-way accumulator is the choice of many punters as the risk is lowered. This bet comprises two bets - for your chosen horses to win and to be placed. As a result your stake is doubled. Using the example above your stake would be €2 instead of €1.
The win part of the bet would need all four horses to win to make a return on that although if one horse loses, you will not receive the full return.
If three horses win and one horse places, you will receive an each-way payout on all your selections.
Your total winnings can be calculated by taking the original odds for each selection and applying the each-way fraction, which is usually 1/5 of the odds.
In the 359/1 accumulator example above, divide the original odds by 1/5, then multiply them together you will get the odds for your ‘place’ part of the bet.
If you have four fancies which are strong favourites, it makes much more sense to add the horses to an accumulator bet than to place a bet on each horse separately. This is because you are able to yield a profitable return from one winner.
There are different types of multiple bets - a Lucky 15 or a yankee are alternative options. Ensure that you choose the bookmaker with the best odds to maximise your chances of a decent return.
As mentioned above if your fancies are big prices and warrant an each way bet, then it is well worth placing an easy way accumulator.
We have a whole host of betting information to keep you informed on horse racing and betting - you will be an expert in no time if you follow the information below on types of bets and handicapping.
