Introduction
- On a busy day of sporting action it’s quite likely that you will have more than one fancy, and possibly across a range of different sports.
You can back them all individually, but if you would rather avoid laying out several stakes, you can combine your selections into a multiple bet. The simplest, and easiest to win, form of multiple bet is the Double, which involves combining two selections into a single bet.
- Essentially a Double is one bet on two selections. If the first selection is successful, the winnings are automatically placed onto the second. This must also then win for the double to pay out
- While Accumulators – generally bets involving four or more selections – are a popular way to combine multiple fancies, a Double is a good alternative for those wanting to maximise returns without the added risk that comes with adding numerous selections.
What is a double bet?
- A Double bet involves placing a single stake on two outcomes in two different events. While it is possible to place two bets on the same event, those two outcomes are related and so this would fall under the umbrella of a BetBuilder – a different type of bet in which the odds are calculated differently.
- In a Double bet, if your first selection wins then the winnings are automatically placed onto your second, effectively giving you a bigger stake on the second selection.
- For this reason, both selections must win in order to return any profit.
- If the first selection loses, then there is no stake to roll on to the second and therefore no return even if the second fancy is successful. Similarly, if the first pick wins but the second loses, then the original stake plus winnings which were placed onto the second selection are all lost.
- This is what separates a Double from placing two single bets, in which case you would return some winnings if only one selection is successful, but you would also have to lay out two separate stakes.
Real example of a double bet
- To use a real world example, say on Saturday you fancied Forest Green to beat Hartlepool in the National League, and Charles Leclerc to qualify fastest for the Italian Grand Prix. You can combine these two selections into a Double for a single stake as follows:
- Bet £10 on Forest Green to win at 1.67 and Charles Leclerc to qualify fastest at 9.00
- First leg wins: return £16.67 → automatically staked on second leg
- Second leg wins: £16.67 x 9 = £150 total return (£140 profit)
- Bet £10 on Forest Green to win at 1.67 and Charles Leclerc to qualify fastest at 9.00
- You can calculate a potential return from a Double bet by taking your stake, multiplying it by the decimal odds of your first selection and then multiplying the result by the odds of the second selection. Minus your original stake to see your potential profit.
- If both selections start at the same time, the same formula applies – it does not matter which selection you designate as “first” or “second”, the calculation will return the same answer. Once again, it is worth remembering that if only one or neither selection wins, your return will be zero and you lose your original stake.
When to use a double bet
- Obviously the attraction of picking two outsiders and earning a hefty return for a small outlay is the dream of all punters, but there is a risk in such a strategy. A popular way to use the Double bet is to boost odds if you have a number of fancies at short odds.
- Or, if you have a confident pick at short odds, that selection can be combined with bigger priced fancies to boost the potential returns.
- Football matches, or the early stages of tennis tournaments, can often provide markets that feature a strong favourite. That can make them unattractive as single bets due to the low potential reward for backing them, but combining two short-priced selections as a Double can make it worthwhile. Two 4/9 shots combined as a Double bet, if both successful, returns more than backing a single Even-money chance.
- This demonstrates how the Double bet can make backing short-price favourites – or any two fancies for that matter – a more potentially profitable way to bet, while also reducing outlay as you only need a single stake rather than two individual single bets.
- However, it is worth another reminder that increased potential reward comes with increased risk, and both selections must be successful in order to produce a return.
Pros and cons of double bets
Pros:
- Higher returns than single bets
- Easy to understand compared to larger multiples
- Works well for combining low-odds favourites
Cons:
- Increased risk: one loss means no payout
- No flexibility – no partial win or consolation
- Not ideal for unpredictable markets