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NBA Accumulators vs Single Bets

Written by Glenn Roberts
Glenn is a sports lover and writes about Soccer and American Football. He also covers reviews of bookmakers, betting apps and deposit or withdrawal methods that players can use at online sportsbooks.
, | Updated: September 12, 2024

NBA Accumulators vs Single BetsIt is safe to say that not all NBA betting novices are familiar with the multifarious bet types they have available at hand. Although wagering on the outcome of the matches remains the most preferred option punters have at their disposal, they should definitely make sure that they are aware not only of some of the rather rudimentary bet types but also some of the more advanced types of wagers.

Even if NBA bettors might not find it hard to tell the difference between accumulator and single bets, the hardest thing remains to make up your mind which of the options is better. Notwithstanding that there are many knowledgeable NBA bettors who will tell you to steer clear from accumulator bets, such stakes might bring you some massive returns. Single bets are rather straightforward, but at the same time, making a correct prediction might be harder on some occasions. If you are on the fence too, keep on reading so as to decide which manner of NBA betting is better for you and which can help you attain the goals you have set.

Single NBA Bets Explained

Red arrow pointing to green poker chip.As likely as not, the appeal single bets have can be easily attributed to the fact that this is the most straightforward way of making stakes on NBA and on a variety of other sports. The simplicity of such stakes is brought forth by the fact that gambling aficionados need to settle on the team which in their view stands a better chance to end up victorious. Still, the fact that single bets work in an extremely simple manner should not make you think that such bets are preferred only by gamblers who are making their first steps at basketball betting. In fact, it is just the other way around as such stakes are quite popular among old hands at NBA betting as well. Best of all, gambling aficionados are highly unlikely to encounter any troubles when estimating their potential returns as they simply need to multiply the value of the odds at which they have made their stake by the amount of money they have put on the line.

One of the best things about single bets remains the fact that newbies also stand a good chance to get it right about their predictions, regardless of the fact that their command of the National Basketball League might be slightly limited at the moment. Best of all, basketball lovers are allowed to make as many such wagers as they wish, without being anxious that any of their picks might not turn out to be winning ones. In other words, every single bet you make will be independent of the rest of the picks you have made, thus guaranteeing that the individual winning bets will grant you a payout.

Making a single bet involves casting a stake on a single market or a selection, meaning that such wagers will pay out if you manage to get it right about this particular basketball game you have punted on. Therefore, if you have managed to make a winning stake, you will be allowed to retrieve your prize right away which is definitely not the case with accumulator bets.

Let’s presume that you have decided to back the Golden State Warriors in a match with Denver Nuggets. If we assume that the odds of the team to become victorious are 1.24, and you have decided to put on the line as much as $10, a winning stake will grant you $12.40.

Pros and Cons of NBA Single Bets

Two hands holding plus and minus signs.Perhaps, you have already come to the conclusion that single bets list among some of the most understandable NBA bet types as gambling aficionados are punting on a certain outcome of an event. Still, it is advised to make sure that you are conversant with the pros and cons of such stakes so as to ensure that you will be able to settle on the option which fits in your style of play.

It goes without saying that the most obvious advantage of this manner of NBA betting remains its inherent simplicity. This renders single bets suitable for seasoned NBA bettors and total novices alike. In essence, such stakes are a great alternative for punters who are endeavoring to learn the ropes of basketball betting due to the fact that they are highly unlikely to end up bewildered which might be the case with some of the other bet types. What further adds to the merits of single bets is that such stakes are more likely to turn out to be winning ones when compared to accumulator bets due to the fact that you need to get it right about a single selection so as to have a winning single bet.

On the downside, there are also basketball lovers who take a dim view when it comes to such stakes. Although such bets feature a relatively high winning percentage, many punters steer clear of them due to the fact that the payout they might potentially get will not be that generous.

Although some of you might say that this is not a disadvantage, many punters consider that making a single bet is not exciting enough. Those of you who are seeking to add an extra thrill to their NBA betting session might not be fully satisfied with single bets simply because they do not have such a high entertainment value.

NBA Accumulator Bets

Three green arrows directed at red poker chip.As far as accumulator bets are concerned, basketball lovers need to know that making such a bet is not only exciting but also risky. If you are not conversant with these stakes, you should commit to your mind that in practice, accumulator bets are combo bets which are made up of several selections which are linked together into one stake. Although accumulator bets come in all shapes and forms, they are also known as multiple or parlay bets.

The main reason why many gambling aficionados disapprove of accumulator bets is that such wagers are riskier when compared to the other bet types they are allowed to select from. This is so due to the fact that your parlay bet will grant you a payout on condition that you have got it right about all the individual selections. Even if you have made only one incorrect pick, this would automatically render your NBA accumulator bet a losing one.

Even though accumulator bets come with greater risk, many gambling aficionados prefer them to the other bet types because of the massive payouts such stakes might grant. Although these wagers are popular predominantly with soccer lovers, accumulator bets have already started to gain momentum among basketball fans, especially when it comes to wagering on the National Basketball League.

As it turns out, hitting an accumulator bet has turned into a goal for many basketball devotees due to the fact that thanks to such wagers, gamblers stand a good chance to turn a small stake into some serious cash. Still, if you are on the fence whether making a parlay bet will bring you the dreamed profit, you should undoubtedly take into account the fact that with such bets, bookies enjoy a larger edge in comparison with the edge they have when you decide in favor of single bets. In other words, the more selections you decide to incorporate into your accumulator bet, the larger the edge of the bookie will be.

NBA lovers should also take into account the fact that there are bookmakers that have imposed certain limits which have to do with the number of the selections gamblers are allowed to add to their parlay bets. Other than that, punters may also stumble upon interactive sportsbooks which have implemented restrictions on the payouts from such stakes. That is the reason why it is advised to check this in advance so as to make sure that you will not end up on a tight spot.

Although accumulator bets are tougher to win, many gamblers would say that the payouts should not be disregarded. It is worth noting that parlay bets can be made up of point spreads, totals, or moneylines.

So as to make sure that you will gain proper knowledge about NBA accumulator bets, we will provide you with an example. Let’s assume that you have decided to add three selections to your accumulator bet. Let’s presume that you have resolved to back Washington Wizards in a match with Chicago Bulls at odds of 1.13. The next game which has taken your fancy is a match between New York Knicks and Orlando Magic, and the odds of Orlando Magic to win are 1.09. The last selection you have added to your parlay bet is a match between San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets in which the chances of Denver Nuggets to become victorious are 1.48.

Once you have settled on the matches you wish to include in your NBA accumulator bet, you will need to calculate the odds of all the above-mentioned events to come about. In order to do so, you will need to multiply the value of the odds you are offered on every event you have incorporated into your parlay bet. In our case, we will get 1.13 x 1.09 x 1.48 or in other words, 1.822. Supposing that you have decided to put on the line as much as $60 and all the three matches have panned out favorably for you, you will get as much as $109.50. Now, if we imagine that you have decided to play it safe and to cast these wagers separately and once again, you have staked $20 per match, your returns would amount to $73.99. As you can see, the difference is quite overwhelming which explains why accumulator bets are such a preferred way of NBA betting.

Pros and Cons of NBA Accumulator Bets

Two hands holding plus and minus signs.Needless to say, accumulator bets also have their positive and negative sides you should pay attention to so as to be able to draw your own conclusions which option will be your cup of tea.

When it comes to the benefits of NBA accumulator bets, the larger payouts are one of the most obvious reasons why gambling enthusiasts prefer them to single bets. Perhaps, you have already noticed that the value of the odds will keep on increasing with every new selection you add to your parlay bet. On the other hand, your chances to score a win over will decrease with every additional pick you incorporate.

As it turns out, many basketball lovers find accumulator bets extremely exciting. Thus, since your chances to make a winning parlay bet are relatively small, if all the selections come off, this will undoubtedly give you bragging rights.

On the contrary, NBA accumulator bets are inherently risky due to the fact that the chances of basketball lovers to get it right about all their predictions are quite humble. This is precisely the reason why a good deal of the knowledgeable punters will endeavor to talk you out of relying solely on such wagers when you wish to make a profit. Still, if you are determined to cast such a stake, you should make sure that the value you are offered will justify the risk you need to take. Other than that, the margin bookmakers will enjoy with multiple bets is also greater which is a fact that should not be neglected as well.

Other than that, so as to make a winning accumulator bet, you will need much more knowledge and skills. In other words, this renders parlay bets ill-suited for total novices at NBA betting.

Last but not least, we should also highlight that for their most part, bookmakers tend to impose limits when it comes to the value of the odds of such stakes. Other than that, on some occasions, the choice of punters about the selections they can incorporate might be overly limited.

Which Option to Go for

Green and red poker chips with connecting arrows.If you are intrigued by the idea to give NBA accumulator bets a try, you should commit to your mind that you will need to make your stakes at one and the same interactive sportsbook. For some of you this might not turn out to be an issue, whereas, for others, this might turn out to be a major problem. The main reason why many NBA bettors frown upon this idea is that they will not be able to tap on the promotional incentives the other bookies boast. Other than that, sometimes, gambling aficionados might also notice that the value of the odds on one and the same game varies across the different bookmakers. In other words, punters will not be able to capitalize on the dissimilarity between the value of the odds as well.

This is definitely not the case with single bets as basketball lovers will have the freedom to cast their bets with the bookie which in their view supplies the best lines.

As it was already stated, the value of the odds will be inflated by every additional selection you decide to include. Single bets are a far more favorable option due to the fact that with such stakes, the risk you will need to take will be smaller and your chances to score a win over will be much better.

The next thing we should pay special attention to is the profit accumulator and single stakes might award. Needless to say, with parlay bets, NBA bettors will stand a chance to pocket some whopping prizes. Unfortunately, even one incorrect pick will make your accumulator bet a losing one. When it comes to placing the same bets individually, the returns you might enjoy will be much smaller, but at the same time, you will be more likely to enjoy a win.

To sum up, we will say that if you wish to have better chances to enjoy a payout, single bets might be the way to go. Still, if you are looking for a way to diversify your NBA betting session and to add an extra thrill to it, it might be a good idea to place an accumulator bet.

Conclusion

ConclusionAs you can see, both single and accumulator bets have their advantages and shortcomings. Despite the fact that NBA accumulator bets are inherently riskier, the rewards they might bring are really nice. Single bets, on the other hand, are more likely to become winning ones, but the profit they will bring you will not be that eye-watering. In other words, basketball lovers should decide which of the two options will work best for them so as to realize their goals.

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