Betting on sport – whether it be horse racing, football, or anything else – can be as simple or as complicated as you like. Some punters go to ridiculous extremes to create complicate bets and squeeze as much value of odds as they can.
But if you’re new to betting on sport then a single bet is probably the best place to start. In this guide we’ll explain what is a single bet, how to use them effectively, and which sports they’re best for.
What is a single bet?
A single bet is a wager on only one outcome in sport. This might be on a football team to win a match, a horse to win a race, or perhaps a politician to win an election.
The bet is not affected by any other bets.
The vast majority of bets placed in the Paddy Power sportsbook are single bets. Who will win the Premier League? Which horse will win the Grand National? Will there be a 147 at snooker’s Masters this year? All of these are single bets.
Single bets use fixed odds, which means your potential profit is relative to your stake. If you bet £10 on England to beat Germany at odds of 2.50 then this single bet will pay out £25 should the Three Lions emerge victorious.
Likewise, if you back a horse to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup and they cross the post first, you win your single bet.
Difference between single bet and double bet
You might hear about the term Double, Treble, Accas and other bet types, especially when you bet on horse racing. These are what are known as multiple bets. Effectively, they’re any bet structure that relies on more than one bet winning in order to pay out.
A single bet doesn’t have any connection to any other outcome. If it wins, you win. If it loses, you lose. But with a Double, for example, you need both of your picks to win in order to win the wager.
Single bets generally carry less risk, which is why they’re ideal for new sports bettors. However, Doubles, Trebles and the like are where many fans target bigger profits. The odds on a double are usually higher than a single, so depending on your risk level you might prefer more intricate bet types.
Is each way a single bet?
Each way bets are not single bets but they are different to standard multiple bets like Doubles and Trebles. An each way bet spits your stake in half. The first half backs your pick to win, the second half for it to place. In horse racing, the ‘place’ is usually a finish within the top three to five of a particular race.
There are two bets here but they are not completely reliant on the other. If your pick wins then both sides pay out. If it places, then only the second half of your bet pays out – often at 1/4 odds.
Best sports for single bets
As we’ve mentioned above, single bets are perfect options for those just starting out in sports betting. Here are the best sports for single bets to get you going:
Horse racing – If you’re new to horse racing odds then single bets are the ideal starting point. Bet on horses to win and keep things simple. Once you’ve become more accustomed to horse racing betting then you can advance to Doubles, Trebles and even more complex wagers.
Football – Football is the home of accumulators and bet builders but there’s still nothing quite like a single bet. Most football betting fans place just one bet per game, and that’s on the match market. A single bet on either a Home Win (1), Draw (X), or Away Win (2) is common. If you’re new to football betting then this is where you can start, before going on to exploring accas and bet builders.
Golf – Betting on golf is an ideal home for single bets because of how fans follow players through tournaments. Most golf odds focus on where players will finish – either they’ll win a tournament, or perhaps they will place, or even miss the cut. A single bet on these sorts of outcomes then gives you freedom to sit back and enjoy the action, following the player you’ve backed.
Calculating a single bet
Being able to calculate a single bet is as straightforward as it comes in sports betting but it does require you to understand how odds work.
Effectively, the single odds show you how much you win relative to your wager. This is the case whether you use decimal, fractional or American odds.
If you want a quick answer to how much profit you can win from a single bet then use our single bet calculator here!
