Football Accumulators Explained
| Updated: November 6, 2025
Accumulator bets, also known as parlays, are among the most popular ways to wager on football. In essence, any knowledgeable soccer bettor will tell you that you should learn the ins and outs of this type of gambling, mainly because of the payouts these bets can deliver.
Still, football devotees should keep in mind that making these bets correctly can be quite challenging. Of course, this does not mean that soccer fans should steer clear of them just because they require more expertise and luck.
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Thus, if you want to add extra thrill to your betting session, accumulator bets might be the best way to go. Now, if you wish to learn the ropes of this type of soccer multi-betting, just keep on reading below.
What Are Football Accumulators
It is fair to say that accumulator bets are fan favorites not only because of the value they can bring but also because they work in a very simple way. One of the first things football devotees should remember is that accumulator and parlay are terms that refer to the same type of football wager. The term “accumulator” is used by gamblers in almost every part of the world, with the only major exception being the United States, where the term “parlay” is preferred.
With that clarified, let’s look at what an accumulator bet actually is. Although these bets might seem intimidating at first, in practice they simply combine two or more selections into a single stake. In other words, football bettors are simply making several predictions concurrently. Because you combine several selections, the odds are multiplied, giving you the chance to land substantial wins.
However, you win only if every selection in the accumulator is correct. This is why such bets are considered risky in football wagering. Although you can include almost any bet type in an accumulator, for the most part punters usually focus on the final result of several soccer matches.
As noted above, the biggest challenge with accumulator bets is making every pick correctly. Even if you include only two selections, your chance of predicting both correctly is lower than it would be if you placed two single bets on the same events. Thus, your chances of making correct picks will diminish with every additional selection you decide to include.
You may wonder why bettors still place these tricky wagers. The answer is straightforward: accumulator or parlay bets can yield far larger payouts than most other betting options.
Creating a Football Accumulator Bet
Now that you know what an accumulator is, you might be eager to find out more about the manner in which such bets are created. The good news is that creating a football accumulator could not be easier.
After you open an account with an online bookmaker that meets your needs, simply log in and navigate to the soccer section. There you will see all the events available for your accumulator. Remember, you do not have to stick to one tournament or league; you can spread your predictions across several individual competitions. Also, the matches in your accumulator do not have to be played on the same day.
Let’s assume you wager on a match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace, where Liverpool’s odds to win are 1.85. Next, you select Manchester United vs. Arsenal, where United’s odds to win are 2.10. Finally, you pick Stoke City vs. Manchester City, where Stoke City’s odds are 2.30.
Besides the traditional win-draw-loss market, you can also include selections such as the first or last goalscorer, the total number of goals, and many others. When you view your bet slip, the selections will first appear as singles. You then need to choose the accumulator option and enter the amount you want to stake.
Estimating Your Potential Returns
Now let’s look at the example above in more detail. Your accumulator will win only if Liverpool, Manchester United, and Stoke City all win their matches. If even one match ends in a draw, your accumulator loses. Hence, your chance of getting all three selections right is much lower than if you placed three single bets.
So why take the risk when you could play it safe with three singles? Although it might look unwise at first, the way the odds are calculated in each case has a huge impact on your potential profit.
If you play it safe and place three $10 single bets, a winning stake on Liverpool returns $18.50, giving you a profit of $8.50. A winning $10 bet on Manchester United returns $21, so your profit is $11. If Stoke City wins, your $10 bet returns $23, meaning a profit of $13. Overall, you risk $30 to make a potential profit of $32.50.
Now assume you take the other approach and place an accumulator. This time, you simply multiply the odds for all individual soccer matchups. In other words, the equation will look like this 2.3 x 2.1 x 1.8 = 8.694. Next, multiply this figure by your stake, which in our case is $30. Thus, your potential return will be $260.82, meaning that a winning accumulator bet will bring you $230.82 profit.
As you can see, the values differ greatly, which is precisely the reason why so many football lovers choose accumulator bets. However, some punters feel these bets are not worthwhile because it is quite hard to get every prediction right. Still, as you can see, the risk can be worth taking, especially when the value is this good.
That being said, bettors should strive to strike a balance, because it is tempting to keep adding selections in search of a bigger profit. You can already see why that approach can backfire.