Doubles Betting Term Meaning
Doubles is a common word in sports. There are plenty of games such as tennis, badminton, squash, darts and snooker that have doubles matches. In this context, it means two players playing for each side, but what does the betting term doubles mean?
A double is a single-stake bet consisting of two selections, both of which must win for you to see a return. If the first selection is correct, then the winnings from that are used as the stake for the second selection. Free Tips has a daily double that features tips from a range of sports.
How To Place a Double Bet
To illustrate how a double works, we’re going to use an example from the English Premier League. You can use any sport you prefer. Doubles are particularly popular for football and horse racing bets.
The first thing you have to do is choose your two selections:
Selections | Odds |
|---|---|
| West Ham to win vs Everton | 2.40 |
| Brighton to win vs Southampton | 2.40 |
Once your selections are added to your bet slip, the doubles option will be under the ‘multiples’ header. Using the field for the double bet, insert your stake, we have chosen £10.
Selections | Odds |
|---|---|
| West Ham to win vs Everton | 2.40 |
| Brighton to win vs Southampton | 2.40 |
| Stake: £10 |
Calculating a Double Bet Payout
Online sports betting platforms do all the necessary calculations for you which makes betting easier, so the potential return on the bet will be displayed before you confirm this wager.
Selections | Odds |
|---|---|
| West Ham to win vs Everton | 2.40 |
| Brighton to win vs Southampton | 2.40 |
| Stake: £10 | |
| Return: £57.60 |
To calculate a double bet with decimal odds, just multiply the prices: 2.40 x 2.40 = 5.76. Then, multiply this number with the stake amount: 5.76 x £10 = £57.60 return. From this, you must deduct the £10 stake to show the actual profit of £47.60.
Why Place a Double Bet?
A double is a popular type of bet because it can generate a much larger return than a regular single bet. Even if your selections are two heavy favourites, at odds of 1.11 and 1.36 for example, placing a double bet of £100 would see a £52 profit if they both win. There is an increased element of risk involved; if either of your selections loses, you won’t see any return.
The double bet is also an integral part of larger combination bets such as the patent, the Heinz, and the Goliath, among many others. If you’d like more information about how those wagers work and how to place them, please check out our comprehensive guides in which we cover each one in detail.
