A round robin bet takes your selections and builds every possible parlay (accumulator) combination of a chosen size. Instead of placing one large acca, you place multiple smaller ones -- giving you coverage if one or two picks fail.
How Round Robins Work
Choose your selections and a combination size. The round robin generates every possible combination:
Example: 4 selections, round robin of doubles
| Double | Selections |
|---|---|
| 1 | A + B |
| 2 | A + C |
| 3 | A + D |
| 4 | B + C |
| 5 | B + D |
| 6 | C + D |
That produces 6 bets. At £5 per bet, total outlay is £30.
Worked Return
Suppose odds are: A = 2.00, B = 1.80, C = 2.50, D = 1.60. Selection D loses. Your five winning doubles return:
- AB: 2.00 x 1.80 = 3.60 → £18.00
- AC: 2.00 x 2.50 = 5.00 → £25.00
- BC: 1.80 x 2.50 = 4.50 → £22.50
Three winning doubles return £65.50 against a £30 outlay = £35.50 profit.
A straight four-fold acca at the same odds would have returned nothing because D lost.
Round Robin vs Straight Accumulator
| Factor | Round Robin (doubles) | Four-Fold Acca |
|---|---|---|
| Bets placed | 6 | 1 |
| Cost (£5 unit) | £30 | £5 |
| Return if all win | Higher total but lower per-£ | Maximum return per-£ |
| Return if 1 loses | Still pays on 3 doubles | £0 |
The round robin trades maximum upside for protection. You will never hit the jackpot payout of a large acca, but you are far less likely to walk away empty-handed.
Choosing the Right Combination Size
Doubles
Best for 3-5 selections. Low cost, good coverage. Even with one loser, most doubles still pay.
Trebles
Best for 5-7 selections. Higher returns per bet but more combinations. Five selections in trebles = 10 bets.
When to Use Round Robins
Round robins work best when you have several selections you rate strongly but want to manage downside risk. They are particularly useful for horse racing cards where confident picks can still be beaten by unforeseen track conditions, and for football weekends where fixture congestion introduces uncertainty.