Bet types explained with worked examples
The bet slip offers more than one way to back the same opinion, and each format changes both the potential return and the risk. This page walks through the main bet types with simple calculations in neutral units. All prices are illustrative examples, not Boomerang's odds or terms — whether the operator offers sports betting for your account is something to check on its own website.
Single
A single is one selection with one stake. Return = stake × odds. A 10-unit single at 1.90 returns 19 units if it wins, a profit of 9. Singles are the easiest bets to judge, because you only need to compare one price with your own estimate of the probability.
Accumulator
An accumulator combines several selections into one bet; all of them must win. The odds multiply. Illustrative example: three legs at 1.80, 2.00 and 1.50 give combined odds of 1.80 × 2.00 × 1.50 = 5.40. A 10-unit stake returns 54 units if all three win. The implied probability, though, is 1 ÷ 5.40 ≈ 18.5%, and the bookmaker's margin is applied on every leg, so the true value of the bet shrinks as you add legs. Accumulators are popular in bonus terms because many sports offers count only multi-leg bets above a minimum price.
System bet
A system bet places every combination of a chosen size from your selections. A "2 from 3" system on the legs above creates three doubles: 1.80 × 2.00 = 3.60, 1.80 × 1.50 = 2.70 and 2.00 × 1.50 = 3.00. With 5 units on each double, the total stake is 15 units. If all three win, the return is 18 + 13.5 + 15 = 46.5 units. If only the first two win, just the 3.60 double pays: 18 units, still above the 15 staked. The system costs more than a single accumulator but survives one loser.
Handicap
A handicap gives one side a virtual head start or deficit to balance an uneven contest. With a −1 handicap on the favourite, they must win by two or more for the bet to win; a one-goal win is a loss (or a push in some formats). Asian handicaps add quarter and half lines that split the stake or remove the draw entirely. Always read how the specific line settles before betting.
Over/under (totals)
Totals ask whether the combined score will be above or below a line, such as 2.5 goals. Half-point lines cannot push; whole-number lines can return the stake if the total lands exactly on the line. Totals are useful when you have a view on the pace of a match but not on its winner.
Comparison table
| Type | Example stake | Example return if it wins | Can it survive a losing pick? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single at 1.90 | 10 | 19 | No (only one pick) |
| Treble at 5.40 | 10 | 54 | No |
| 2-from-3 system | 15 (3 × 5) | up to 46.5 | Yes, one loser |
Bet types and bonus rules
Sports bonuses often specify which bet types count: a minimum number of legs, a minimum price per leg, or exclusion of system bets and cashed-out bets. A free bet used on an accumulator usually pays only the net winnings. Read the qualifying-bet clause before building a slip around an offer; the general method is in our bonus terms guide, and sport-specific markets are on the football and tennis pages.