Combination bets are nothing new to the world of sports betting. These complex bets usually placed by seasoned punters. They provide high payoffs while also covering more potential outcomes. They come with higher stakes and can be more complicated to newer bettors. But, the total payout you can win if you place your bets right are truly outstanding.
One unique variation of the standard combination bet is the Alphabet bet. This wager offers a unique approach to combo betting. It involves many permutations and does cover as many eventualities as traditional bets. But, this can be an advantage if you know what you’re doing.
Not sure how an Alphabet bet works? We have you covered. In this guide, we’ll break down how this wager works and what it can bring to the sports betting table.
What is an Alphabet Bet?
Like all combination bets, the Alphabet bet contains several wagers built into one. However, what’s unique about the Alphabet is that it covers a large number of selections. Yet, it still limits the total number of bets you’re placing. You’re making 26 individual wagers. The name of the bet comes from the number of letters in the alphabet, which is 26.
These 26 bets involve six selections. That’s pretty high compared to other combination bets. The closest thing to an Alphabet bet would be a Super Heinz bet. Super Heinz bets also use 6 selections. But, it includes 57 bets.
With an Alphabet bet, you’re able to put your money on those six selections. But, you’re limiting your total stake to almost half of a Super Heinz.
How Does an Alphabet Bet Work?
The Alphabet bet is a bit more complicated than some other wagering options. That said, it’s relatively easy to understand if you have a good grasp on the individual wagers. Alphabet bets consist of:
2 Patent bets
1 Yankee Bet
1 six-fold accumulator
The interesting thing about the Alphabet bet is that your selections are not chosen at random. Each individual combination bet is used with specific selections to cover more permutations.
Patent Bets
A Patent bet is a combination bet that involves three selections. Within each Patent bet is seven individual wagers. These include:
3 singles
3 doubles
1 treble
Your singles are basic win/lose bets that involve one selection. Because you have three of those singles in a Patent bet, you can plan your bet slip to cover all potential outcomes.
A double bet is a bit more challenging because it involves two selections. To win, both selections must come out victorious. There are no dead heats or partial wins allowed.
Then, there is the treble. As you can guess from its name, this bet involves all three of your singles. Like the double, all three of those selections must be victorious for this wager to win.
The Alphabet bet includes two Patent bets in total, bringing the total number of wagers from these combinations up to 14 total bets. Your first Patent bet will include selection 1, selection 2, and selection 3. The second Patent Bet involves selection 4, selection 5, and selection 6.
Yankee Bet
The second type of combination bet included in the Alphabet bet is the Yankee. This is a very popular beginner’s combination bet. It’s a favorite among punters because of its approachability. In total, a Yankee bet includes a total of 11 individual bets involving four selections. The types of bets include
6 doubles
4 trebles
1 four-fold accumulator
The doubles and trebles in the Yankee bet work exactly the same as those in the Patent bet. The final type of bet you’re placing is the four-fold accumulator. While these sound different from the doubles and trebles, they’re not much different.
The term “accumulator” is used to describe a bet that involves several selections that must all win. Four-fold accas involve four selections.
You only get one Yankee bet with the Alphabet bet. The bet must involve selections 2, 3, 4, and 5.
Six-Fold Accumulator
Finally, the last bet of the Alphabet bet is a simple six-fold accumulator. The six-fold is the toughest of the bunch to win. That’s because it involves all six of your selections! To earn a return on this wager, every last one of your selections must be victorious. The odds of this happening are low. However, you can earn some handsome returns if you’re lucky enough to make the right choices.
How to Calculate Your Winnings on an Alphabet Bet
Calculating your potential total profit from an Alphabet bet is difficult to do on your own. This is a complicated wager with tons of possible outcomes and several permutations. The best way to understand how much you could earn is to use a bet calculator.
An Alphabet bet calculator is programmed to provide you with the information you’re after. All you have to do is input the parameters on your bet slip. After that, you can input the winning selections and losing selections to see just how much your bookmaker owes. It’s as easy that that! The best part is that you can update those parameters on the fly as things change.
Betting Tips: Potential Results Prediction
One of the biggest reasons why punters place Alphabet bets is because of how much it covers your bases. Across those six events, you have a lot of chances to win. As long as one of your selections comes out victorious, you’re able to win a return. You don’t have to win all six or even win a specific selection to earn some type of return.
Let’s take a look at a horse racing example. Say that you’ve made your six selections and divvied up your wagers accordingly. At the end of the day, only selection 1 and selection 6 come out on top. Well, those selections are both covered. Selection 1 is covered by the first Patent bet while selection 6 is covered by the second.
Now, you won’t get the highest return with only one or two selection wins. It will take at least three or four to break even or earn a profit. Furthermore, selections 1 and 6 offer the lowest return. As a result, many seasoned bettors will place the selections they are most confident in as selections 2 through 5.
Why Make an Alphabet Bet?
Ultimately, the advantage of the Alphabet bet is more coverage and the potential to win big. Many newer bettors like to avoid complicated combination bets because they are deemed as a higher risk. While they do come with higher stakes, these bets can actually be a bit safer.
They cover more eventualities, which increases your odds of seeing some type of return versus seeing none at all. Statistically speaking, your chances of experiencing a win are greater.
These bets do cost more upfront. Even if you have a relatively low unit stake of £1, you’re going to have to put up £26 as your total stake. Remember, an Alphabet bet contains 26 total wagers.
While that might seem like a lot, think about how much you could potentially earn. With a selection price of 4 and a total stake of £26, you can earn nearly £5,000 if all of your selections win. Not bad for only £26 up front!
What’s the Difference Between an Alphabet Bet and Other Combination Bets?
There are several combination bets that you can place. On the simpler side of things, you can go for low-stakes options like the Trixie or the Lucky 15. Alternatively, you can raise the stakes by doing bigger bets like the Goliath or Super Heinz.
Ultimately, these bets all work the same way. The difference comes down to the bet types included, the number of selections involved, and the potential for a higher total return.
What Sports Work Well with Alphabet Bets?
Alphabet betting works fine with virtually any sport. The only caveat is that the sport must encompass smaller events or matches. For example, you wouldn’t use an Alphabet bet on a single football match because you don’t have six selections to make. However, you could place an Alphabet bet on six games of the Premier League.
It’s most popular with racing events. You’ll often see punters placing the bet on horse races and greyhound races.
Best Sites to Place an Alphabet Bet On
Online bookies accept Alphabet bets just like brick-and-mortar establishments. In fact, you may be able to find more betting options with an online bookie. That’s because most sites cover worldwide events!
There’s no shortage of sites to choose from. Some even offer free bets and other perks to new members, so make sure to shop around! Here’s a small collection of bookies to try out:
Bet365
William Hill
Paddy Power
LadBrokes
Betfair
Betfred
Unibet
Summary
Alphabet bets can bring a lot of excitement to the game. While they seem complex at first, they’re not too difficult to understand once you get a good grasp of how they work. Thanks to the strategic wagers included in the Alphabet bet, you’re able to risk your money safely and increase your chances of earning a return.