Although losing a football accumulator is often a bitter pill to swallow, the medicine does not have to taste as bad these days and this comes courtesy of the insurance that bookmakers offer. Insurance that comes in the shape of betting funds or free bets being returned.
While for asking how exactly does acca insurance work, it can be a rather murky playing field at times and if you do not know your edges from your bet boosts, confusion is usually just around the corner.
However, we are now going to demystify that same murkiness, as we look to make sense of the world of acca insurance and in doing so, it should make the battle between you and the bookmaker that little more interesting.
1. Place Your Bets
A bacon sandwich, a cup of tea or perhaps something stronger and a quick peruse through the form guides. That is the typical Saturday morning for many punters and the construction of a football accumulator is not far away either.
Whether it be a measured four-fold that has a healthy return or the gargantuan coupon containing ten different selections, the thrill of crossing off each pick at full time and almost counting the winnings is second to none.
Then again, those who set the odds love a flurry of acca’s coming their way and although they are a rather thrilling bet to place, they are not usually the type that will deliver a stream of regular winners.
Which means, the profit margins of the biggest bookmakers in town are usually swelled by the time another Saturday afternoon comes around and although they keep on winning, they are prepared to give a little back in return.
Of course, the bookmakers are not simply going to return any stake that has been wagered, if only because they are simply not that forgiving. Instead, this insurance is paid out if certain criteria has been previously met.
A Late Penalty Save Can Make All The Difference
2. Why Get Insured
For those who are ask why use acca insurance, the answer should really be why not. With that losing feeling by one that no punter wants to feel, they may as well soften blow if lady luck fails to shine in their direction.
While this type of insurance can come in a number of different forms and although free bets or the return of your stake are the most common inducements, there are other options when it comes to minimising your losses.
If we take the most standard form of insurance first – this being the one leg short variety, this kind of policy is rather self-explanatory. If your accumulator of at least four selections has all correct picks bar one, commiserations will usually come in the shape of your stake being placed in your account.
No win, but no loss either and as long as your stake meets the necessary qualifying criteria – for example a £10, three correct results from your four-fold will mean a break-even outcome as far as your and your bookmaker are concerned.
Although this is the most popular kind of acca insurance meaning, it can also come in the form of a free bet and with the same rules applying, the same £10 stake may be credited in this manner. Which means you have been given another attempt to come out on top the following weekend.
Taking Out Acca Insurance Is A Rather Wise Move
However, some sportsbooks will operate in a slightly different manner, and this comes in the shape of acca edge. Not insurance in the manner above, but the offer of slightly lesser odds and the return of your stake should one leg fall short.
Admittedly it is not the best of offers that are available and if you are aiming for acca insurance, you would probably opt for the free bet or stake return as the consolation prize. Then again, any offer that comes your way is not one to be sniffed at.
Another offer that has grabbed the interest of the betting community in recent years, is the acca bonus and this comes in the form of percentage boosts to your overall winnings. As before, four legs is usually enough to start the ball rolling.
3. Get Your Coupons Ready
From here, it is not about falling short at the last but getting all your results over the line and if this proves to be the case, a boost of 10% is added to your winnings. For example, if your four-fold looked as follows:
Tottenham to beat Arsenal 23/10
Bournemouth to beat Brentford 23/10
Chelsea to beat Crystal Palace 5/6
Fulham to beat Newcastle 21/10
A £10 stake would offer up a return of £61.90
Although with an acca bonus of 10% also added on for good measure, it would mean the prize pot would swell to £68.08 and as long as the four teams above did the business, this would mean additional money for nothing.
While the final element of acca insurance now allows you to edit your betting slip and this means you can switch your accumulator selections, should you have second thoughts about a particular match.
Let’s take the same four-fold above:
Tottenham to beat Arsenal 23/10
Bournemouth to beat Brentford 23/10
Chelsea to beat Crystal Palace 5/6
Fulham to beat Newcastle 21/10
Which Teams Will You Select?
Although this time we want to switch the Fulham game to Leicester getting the better of Nottingham Forest. With acca editing abilities being afforded to you, your four-fold would now look as follows:
Tottenham to beat Arsenal 23/10
Bournemouth to beat Brentford 23/10
Chelsea to beat Crystal Palace 5/6
Leicester to beat Nottngham Forest ¾
A £10 stake would offer up a return of £34.94 and if you were really lucky, you may even get an accumulator bonus of 10% to go with it.
Ultimately, the placing of any footy accumulator comes with an element of risk and in fairness, it is a rather substantial one. Which means it is up to punters to try and bring that element down and the best way to do that is by taking out some form of acca insurance.
