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Acca Bet Explained
An acca, short for accumulator, is one bet that links several selections, usually four or more. Every selection has to win for the bet to pay, and the return from each leg rolls into the next, so the odds multiply together.
How an acca works
Two linked selections make a double and three make a treble; four or more is an accumulator, named by its size: fourfold, fivefold and so on. Say you put £5 on a fourfold with every selection at evens (2.0 in decimal odds). The return is £5 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 = £80. If any one of the four loses, the whole bet loses.
Why the chances fall so fast
Each extra leg multiplies the odds, and it also multiplies the chance of something going wrong. If every selection had a true 50% chance, a fourfold would land about 1 time in 16 and an eightfold about 1 time in 256. Each price also carries the bookmaker’s margin, and those margins multiply too, so a long acca usually pays less than its true chance deserves.
Void legs and non-runners
If one of your selections is made void, for example a match that is postponed or a horse that does not run, that leg is normally removed and the rest of the bet stands: a fourfold becomes a treble at the remaining odds. Rules on postponements differ between bookmakers, so the terms on your slip decide.
Accas and full-cover bets
Because one loser sinks an acca, some bettors cover the combinations instead. A Yankee is 11 bets on four selections (six doubles, four trebles and a fourfold), and a Lucky 15 adds the four singles. They cost more, since every combination has its own stake, but one loser does not wipe out the whole bet.
Sports bets and instant games: the difference
A sports bet waits for the result, and the bookmaker settles it at the odds you took. Scratchcards, slots and Slingo are instant games with an immediate result, and every game lists its rules and return to player (RTP) before you play.
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Frequently asked questions
What does acca mean?
It is short for accumulator: one bet on several selections that all have to win.
How many selections are in an acca?
Usually four or more. Two linked selections are a double and three are a treble.
What happens if one leg of my acca loses?
The whole bet loses, unless the bookmaker has a specific offer that covers it.
What happens if a match in my acca is postponed?
Usually that leg is made void and the rest of the bet stands with one fewer selection, under the bookmaker’s rules.
Related guides: the Lucky 15 explained, each way bets explained and the Grand National 2027.