You’re out: Paris Saint-Germain will win its next league match by force. However, as you enter your prediction in your bet slip, your doubts grow. Because do you really want to settle for the low odds that now appear on your screen? To increase the value of your bet, you can easily convert this single bet into a combination bet. But yes, such a combination bet is not always the wisest choice. To make a good decision, you first need to know exactly what the difference is between single bets and combination bets. After reading this article, single and combination bets will no longer have any secrets for you.
Single and combination bets are not normal football bets
Even if you are just taking your first steps into the world of football betting, you know you have options. And you can hardly ignore them either. Because every time you want to bet on a match, you will see that long list of bets. At the top, by default, is the 1×2 bet, followed by over/under bets, tie/no bets, half/full time bets, Asian lines and many more football bets. It doesn’t matter how far you scroll down, in that long list of bets you never come across the terms single bet and accumulator bet. And yet, every bookmaker offers these options.
There is a logical explanation why single bets and combination bets do not appear in the regular list of football bets. This is because they have a completely different function than 1×2 bets and all the other standard bets. They are not a type of bet, but rather a way of betting. You can choose to add single bets to your bet slip or make a combination of several bets. Whether you stick with a single bet or go for a combination is up to you.
Single bets: the easiest way to bet on football
You don’t have to be a great linguist to know that the term single bet translates as “single bet”. Bookmakers like to use these terms side by side. For one, the term single bet appears on your betting slip as standard, while for another, you will always see the term single bet. It makes no difference to you what the bookmaker chooses, because it is always one and the same type of betting.
A single bet is the simplest way to bet on football. This means that you consider each prediction as a single bet. You put your money on a Paris Saint-Germain win and determine your stake. Additionally, you can also choose an over/under bet on the Bayern Munich – Borussia Dortmund match. Then it’s a matter of waiting to see how the games turn out. If a convincing win for PSG actually appears on the scoreboard, the winnings of this prediction are yours. What happens between Bayern and Borussia has no further influence. Although of course it would be nice if you won this bet too.
The bookmakers simply allow you to bet on several games at the same time, but since you are choosing two single bets, the bets are completely independent of each other. You could lose your over/under bet, but of course the winnings from the Paris Saint-Germain game will remain. So you will get paid out by the bookmaker. Most bookmakers do not require you to fill out a separate bet slip for each individual bet. As long as you make sure you stay in the single bet category. Otherwise, you will automatically end up in the accumulator bet area.
A first introduction to combination bets
You bet 10 euros on a PSG win. At odds of 1.50, you get a payout of 15 euros. You also bet 10 euros on the Bayern – Borussia game. At odds of 1.78, you get a payout of 17.80 euros. If both individual bets are profitable, you get 32.80 euros from the bookmaker. If you deduct the 20 euro bet, you are left with a net profit of 12.80 euros.
Do you feel like you can get more out of those 20 euros? That’s right! Then a combination bet (or as some bookmakers call it: a combo bet) is a good idea. With a combination bet, you no longer approach the bets as separate elements. Instead, you link them together. This has two important consequences:
You must get all the predictions of the combination bet correct to win
The odds skyrocket thanks to the multiplier system
Combination bets are closely intertwined
Let’s go back to the Ligue 1 and Bundesliga football matches for a moment. With two single bets, these games were worth a payout of 32.80 euros. It is certainly not an exaggeration to say that the odds shoot up with a combination bet. The same total stake of 20 euros can now suddenly bring a payout of 53.40 euros. This increases the pure profit from 12.80 euros to 33.40 euros. In other words: almost a tripling!
This particularly high profit comes about because the multiplier system comes into play. In the combination bet, all individual odds are multiplied together. For a PSG win, there are odds of 1.50, and for a bet on “less than 2.5 goals” in the game between Bayern and Borussia, there are odds of 1.78. Together, these two bets result in odds of (1.50 * 1.78) 2.67. No wonder that this €20 bet can suddenly bring in so much more money.
Before you get excited about multiple bets, you should consider the risks. Of course, these higher odds come at a price. In a multiple bet, the bets are so intertwined that one cannot be separated from the other. This means that all of the predictions in your multiple bet must come true. All it takes is one wrong prediction and you will come away empty-handed.
Risk versus odds: what compromise do you have to make?
Two or three single bets will give you significantly lower odds than if you put the same predictions together in a combination bet. But if one prediction doesn’t come true, you won’t get a penny out of a combination bet. With three single bets, you will at least get a reward for the two bets where you ticked the right box. But… how much money is this safer way of gambling worth to you? The difference between the profit you make from a combination bet and that from several single bets is very big, so it’s important to think carefully about what the smartest choice is each time.
When choosing between a single bet and an accumulator, you should carefully consider the risk involved in each bet. Odds play an important role in this. Let’s say you find three bets that each have odds between 1.20 and 1.40. As individual football bets, they pay very little. Perhaps too little in your opinion. An accumulator bet is a smart alternative. There is a real chance that you will win each of the three bets and still benefit from a higher return. Have you considered a bet that will instantly quadruple your stake if you win? Then put that accumulator out of your mind! You are already taking a risk, and that risk will only increase if you make it an accumulator. Think of an accumulator bet as a convenient way to increase low odds. If the bookmaker has set the odds at 2.00 or higher, that bet does not belong in an accumulator anyway.
How to keep control of your single and combination bets
With single bets, you have to think less than with accumulator bets. You only have to think about the one prediction that appears on your bet slip. Even if you place several single bets at the same time, you don’t have to pay much attention to other than the statistics and the latest football news. With an accumulator bet, there is another element. You always have to ask yourself exactly how many and which bets you are combining.
A combination of two bets already leads to higher odds, but five, six or seven bets will really increase your match balance. Nevertheless, we advise you to be cautious. Even a top club like Paris Saint-Germain has its bad days. What happens if you confidently bet on a PSG win AND combine that bet with five other predictions? The Parisians have a bad night and can’t get beyond a draw. Suddenly that profitable combination bet evaporates. Our tip is to combine a maximum of three bets. This way you stay in control in the ever uncertain world of football betting.