Single bet explained

The single bet is the simplest form of sports bet: one match, one market, one selection. If the selection is right, the stake is multiplied by the odds. If it is wrong, the stake is lost. Other bets on your account play no part.

Why professionals mainly bet singles

The main reason is the margin. With a single bet, you pay the bookmaker's mark-up exactly once. In an accumulator it multiplies with every selection. With a 5 per cent margin per selection, a fivefold accumulator costs over 22 per cent of stakes on average, while the same five selections played as singles cost only 5 per cent.

Then there is control: each single bet can be assessed, recorded and analysed separately. You see more quickly which markets and leagues work and which do not.

Variance remains

Single bets also fluctuate heavily. With a 50 per cent strike rate, five, six or seven defeats in a row over a season are entirely normal. That is why the success of single bets is closely tied to bankroll management: fixed, small stakes relative to your betting budget.

Single bets and Kicktipp

The same principle applies in prediction leagues such as Kicktipp, a platform popular in Germany: each match is scored separately. The Kicktipp calculator looks for the prediction with the most expected points for each match – independently of the other matches on the matchday.