Fourfold bet explained: What it means and how payouts work

A fourfold is a bet that combines four separate selections into one wager. In order for the bet to payout fully, all four selections will need to win.These types of multiple bets are popular among bettors, who can potentially secure a sizeable return on a small wager due to the odds of each selection being multiplied together to work out the total payout.The Standard’s betting experts have put together a guide to cover how fourfolds work across UK betting sites, with examples of how fourfold accumulators work, and how they compare with other types of accumulators.Read MoreWhat is a fourfold bet and how does it work?A fourfold puts four separate selections together into one bet. Commonly, these are wagers of the same bet type but from different events, such as four different match results. However, punters can put together fourfolds with a combination of market types.The betting odds of each selection are multiplied together to produce the overall price. This comes with a natural trade-off - even if just one of the four selections loses, the entire bet loses, with no partial return for three out of four winning picks if bettors have only wagered on the outcome of the fourfold.Bettors can mitigate some of the risk by placing trebles, doubles, and singles as part of a fourfold. However, this would increase the size of the stake significantly due to the number of bets involved, rather than just placing a single wager on the fourfold.The all-or-nothing structure of fourfolds makes them higher risk than a single bet or a smaller accumulator, such as a double or treble, but it also means there is greater potential for a significant payout from a relatively small stake.Fourfold bet payout exampleLet’s take a look at an example, sticking to one bet type - match results (1x2). In this example, we are selecting four home teams in four different games to win their match on football betting sites. For the sake of simplicity, they are all priced at 1/1 to win, and we are wagering £10.A good way to think of fourfolds and similar accumulators is that the returns from each leg roll into the stake for the next.So the initial £10 stake becomes £20, then £40, before a final £80 on the last 1/1 selection if the three previous legs win.Thanks to the quick compounding odds, a £10 wager would return £160 - providing £150 in total profit, which is the total payout minus the original stake.Fourfolds compared to other accumulatorsFourfolds are just one of many types of accumulators available on betting apps. Of course, the more selections mean higher risk but also a bigger potential return.Doubles and trebles are similar multiple bet types, but with smaller returns and lower risk levels because they feature fewer selections, while accas can go beyond four legs, with fivefolds, sixfolds, sevenfolds, and eightfolds common sports betting terms among punters who like to place multiples.Remember, every added leg must also win. A fourfold is often seen as the middle ground, a realistic number of teams or horses that could potentially win on a single day, while still offering a meaningfully bigger payout than a treble.Certain bookmakers run betting offers for accumulators, including insurance, acca boosts and acca clubs. Read MoreResponsible gamblingBettors are reminded to always gamble responsibly by using the safer gambling tools available on betting sites.We also recommend setting a budget, taking regular breaks, and not chasing losses when gambling.Betting should only be viewed as a source of entertainment, never as a reliable income.Fourfold betting - frequently asked questionsHow does a fourfold bet win?A fourfold bet wins when all four legs of the accumulator land. Usually, even if just one leg loses, there are no returns - such as a refunded stake. However, bettors can include trebles, doubles, or singles to mitigate the potential of all four selections not winning.Can a fourfold bet have different sports?Just as they do not need to be built with picks from the same market, the four selections don't need to come from the same sport or event.As long as the outcomes are unrelated to each other, they can be combined - for example, you could pick both horse racing and football bets in the same fourfold.