A Double Bet is the very simplest form of multiple or accumulator.
It is a bet that combines two different selections, both of which have to win. If either of the selections loses, so does the double.
But the advantage is that a Double also combines the odds. That means when you win, the payout is much greater.
In this guide we’ll look at Double Bets in more detail. Step by step, I’ll show you exactly how to place a Double online, how to fill in the betslip, and how to calculate the odds.
How To Place A Double Bet
It’s actually quite straightforward to create a Double bet, and the same process applies whether you’re using an online bookie, a betting app or in a real world betting shop.
A double is a combination of two separate bets, usually on different events. In this example, I’ll keep it simple and show you how to create a double bet using two football matches.
Looking at the football coupon below, let’s say I fancy Leeds United to beat Southampton, and Derby County to beat Huddersfield. There’s no particular reason for these selections, I’m just using them as an example.
To make a double, I first need to add two single bets to my bet slip. To do that, just click or tap on each selection.
The stake boxes under Leeds and Derby are for single bets. But today I’m only interested in placing the Double, so I will leave those blank.
What I want is the third box, marked Double. This only appears once two or more selections have been added to a betslip.
When I enter a stake into that box, the site tells me in advance what my return will be if my Double wins.
I can adjust the stake if I like, or use the crosses to remove a selection from my bet slip and then go back and add different one instead.
Once happy, I can click the Bet Now button and my bet is placed.
How To Calculate The Odds
I’m going to show you how to work out the odds in a double bet, but first of all I should point out something very important: you don’t have to!
As you’ll have seen from the example above, when you bet online or on your mobile, the betting site or app will do the calculations for you. So if the maths seems confusing, don’t worry about it. This is not something you need to remember or do for yourself.
But if you’re interested in the numbers, here’s how they work.
Double odds are calculated by taking the full return from the first bet, and putting it on the second (or vice versa, since multiplication is commutative). So let’s look again at the example above and figure out why the return is £49.45 (meaning the odds are just less than 4/1).
The bet on Leeds is at odds of 13/10. If we bet £10 on that as a single, we would make £13 profit, plus get our stake back, meaning a return of £23.
Then that full £23 would be placed on the second selection, Derby to win at 23/20.
(£23 Stake / 20 (denominator)) * 23 (numerator) = (23/20)*23 = 26.45
And we also get our £23 stake back, making the total return £26.45 + £23 = £49.45
So that’s how to calculate a double bet. But remember, don’t worry if maths isn’t your thing. Whichever betting app or site you choose, the calculations will always be done automatically.
What Sports Can You Include In Double Bets?
You can make a double out of any combination of bets that you like, on any sport, providing they’re on different events.
I used a double bet in football betting in the example earlier, but I could just as easily have used a horse racing double, or tennis, greyhounds, golf, cricket or anything else I wanted.
You can also combine sports in the same double. For example, England to win the test match and Djokovic to win the tennis would be perfectly acceptable.
Include whatever you like, or whichever two outcomes you think are most likely to win.
FAQ
Where Can I Place Doubles?
Any bookmaker, sportsbook or sports betting website accepts doubles. This isn’t a specialist bet, it’s standard and universally accepted.
Although some sites have different designs and layouts, the method to place a double bet will always be identical or very similar to what I showed you earlier.
What Is The Advantage Of Placing A Double Bet
The main advantage of a double over a single bet is that you get better odds, by combining and multiplying the odds from your two selections. A double always pays more than two singles. So if you have two selections that you’re very confident in, it’s a great way to max out your profits.
Do Double Bets Offer Better Value?
No. Some people (and other, shall we say, less knowledgeable websites) will tell you that a double offers better value, but that isn’t true. The value of a bet is based upon how the odds relate to the chances of something happening, and those don’t change just because you combine them.
So a double bet offers the same value as two singles, but because you’re reinvesting the full returns of the first part of the double on the second, it does provide a larger payout than if you split your stake on two singles.
When Do Double Bets Pay Out?
A double will be settled as soon as the results of both of the individual single bets are known. In my example, the Derby match kicked off an hour later, so I would need to wait until full time in that match before I was paid my winnings.
Of course, if Leeds didn’t win, I would know already that my double bet had lost and the second result would not matter.
What’s The Difference Between Doubles and Double Chance Bets?
A Double is NOT the same thing as a Double Chance Bet. Doubles are two independent bets combined into one. Double Chance is a single bet in a completely different type of market.
Last Updated on February 23, 2021
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