What are Combinations Bets?
Combinations bets are a type of bet that contains at least two unique, unrelated wagers. When placing a combination bet, you only win if ALL the individual bets in the bet slip are accurate.
Combinations bets usually have higher potential returns compared to a singles bet due to the fact that the final odds for the bet are calculated by multiplying all the individual odds. Sometimes, combinations bet are refereed to as parlays, accumulators or multi bets. For the sake of consistency, we will use Combination because is the name that you will find on most operators bet slip.
How do Esports Combinations Bets look?
In esports betting, you can use combinations bets for all types of matches as long as they are not related. Here’s an example of a bet slip with seven wagers placed into a Sevenfold combination.
In combinations betting, the bet slip only allows you to place one wager, on the entire selection. That means that for our €7 bet we stand to make €57.12 if all the results are accurate in all our 7 predictions.
The returns is considerably higher than if we would have place separate €1 bets on Singles because the risk associated is also considerably higher – we need to be right in all seven situations. Here’s how the potential wins would look like if we chose Singles bets instead of combinations.
As you can see, we would only make €9.50 (2.50 more over our wager) for the same selections and the same odds. Quite a huge difference, but remember, you only get paid if you’re right 7 times out of 7.
Types of Combinations bets
This number may vary, but most of the time sports books will allow a player to place a combination bet with up to 20 individual selections. The number of selection also help name the type of combination bet. Here’s some examples:
- A Double: a combination of two wagers
- A Treble: a combination of three individual wagers
- A Fourfold: a combination of four separate wagers
- A Fivefold: a combination of five wagers
And so on and so forth until you reach a Twentyfold. As mentioned before, regardless of the number of bets in the selection, in a combination bet all of them must be successful in order for you to be able to cash out.
If you’re planning to try your luck with Combinations bet you should be aware that the more selections you add to it, the higher the chances that you will lose your wager. If people tell you that a combination bet is safe or “recommended”, they’re lying.
Combinations bet are indeed very attractive from an odds point of view but the reason why is that is that you are actually not betting on one thing to happen, you are betting on 4, 5 or even 6 things to happen simultaneously. In our experience we learned that’s hardly the case.
Nevertheless, there are unique opportunities when a combination bet might stand for a good idea. Take for instance the early stages of a Major esports tournaments.
At this point you will have a selection of very strong teams and newcomers. If teams such as PSG.LGD, Liquid or OG face some really inexperienced rooster, the idea of placing a Treble on all three to win might not look that crazy. Always remember though, any combination with more than three wagers is asking for trouble.
Pros:
Multiplying odds means considerably higher potential returns than if the bets were placed as singles bet.
Cons:
It’s an all or nothing type of situation with the more wagers you add, the more chances of ending up with NOTHING.
Hopefully this short guide on combinations bets for esports helped you understand why, if you’re new, it’s probably better to keep it simple. Nonetheless, you should also know that there’s also a third options – called a System. Learn about it in System bets guide.
