Yet many accumulators crash and burn due to a lack of strategy, so it pays to do your homework before taking the plunge.

When Should You Use An Accumulator?

An accumulator combines several selections into a single bet and it only pays out if all of your predictions prove to be correct. It is often abbreviated to acca, while Americans refer to this type of bet as a parlay. Each selection you add is known as a leg, and the more you add, the greater the potential payout you stand to make.

For example, you could bet on Liverpool, Crystal Palace, Juventus and Atletico Madrid to all win on a single weekend. If just one team lets you down, your bet will be settled as a loser. However, if all four win then you will earn a far greater payout than you would have done if you had simply divided your stake in four and backed each team individually.

Some of our recommended bookmakers offer acca insurance which means you can get your stake back as a free bet should one team let you down.

You should use an accumulator when you want to risk a small amount of money in a bid to win a large sum. You can also use an acca when you are convinced that a few favourites will win and you want to earn more value by rolling them into one bet.

Stick To What You Know

It can be tempting to beef up your accumulator by throwing in all sorts of games from across the world or scouring the lower leagues. However, you should always stick to competitions you are familiar with, while avoiding exotic betting markets that have the potential to scupper your bet. Stick to outright winner selections and other classic markets like “draw no bet” or “both teams to score” when building an accumulator.

Avoid Low And High-Risk Bets

Constructing an accumulator is a delicate balancing act, and it is advisable to avoid adding overwhelming favourites or massive underdogs into it. A huge favourite will not significantly boost your potential payout, as the odds are too low. The team could still let you down, so they are worth ignoring. Adding in Norwich to beat Chelsea at 8/1 might do wonders for your potential profit, but it could easily sink your acca. Aim for the sweet spot in between by picking several selections that offer reasonably strong value and combine for a handsome potential payout.

Draw No Bet Market

You might have heard this term and wondered, what does draw no bet mean? It essentially covers you in case the team you bet on ends up drawing a particular match. You might fancy Chelsea to beat West Ham at Stamford Bridge, but you fear the possibility of the Hammers nicking a point. If you are prepared to accept a less attractive set of odds on Chelsea winning, you will get your money back in the event of a draw.

You might find odds of 10/11 on a straight Chelsea win. If you bet £10 and they secure victory, you earn a profit of £9.10. If Chelsea fail to win, your bet is a loser. If you are wary of Man Utd’s attacking threat, you might go for Chelsea draw no bet, meaning you accept odds of around 4/11 instead. If Chelsea win, your payout is just £3.63. However, if it is a draw, you get your money back.

We have established what is draw no bet, but how can it help you construct an accumulator? Many punters have had that sinking feeling that comes when one team lets you down and your acca crumbles, snatching a large profit away from you. If you throw draw no bet selections into your accumulator, you mitigate the risk of this happening. In the event of a draw, that leg of the accumulator will be struck off and your stake simply rolls over to the next selection. It reduces the potential final payout, but it prevents one drawn game from torpedoing your acca.

Both Teams To Score Market

The both teams to score market is a great option if you feel like a particular game will be open and entertaining, or a tight and cagey affair. If both teams like taking risks and leave gaps at the back, you might go for ‘yes’. If it is a clash between two mean defences, you might opt for ‘no’ in this market. You can find both teams to score tips, and even both teams to score in both halves tips for even greater value, while it is also easy to research how often both teams score when a particular side is playing.

This can be a great addition to an accumulator, as it allows you to find value on a match in which you are unsure who will win. You should never confine yourself to simply including outright winner selections when building accas, because that seriously limits your chances of success.