What is a double bet?
A double is an accumulator of exactly two selections. Both must win for the bet to pay. The combined odds are the product of the two individual decimal odds: a selection at 2.00 and another at 3.00 gives double odds of 6.00. A €10 double returns €60.00 if both win. If either loses, the stake is lost entirely. The double is the simplest accumulator and the most commonly placed by casual Irish punters.
Doubles vs two singles
With €20 to bet, you could place a €10 double (both must win for any return) or two €10 singles (each pays independently). Two singles give you two chances to return a profit — either, both, or neither might win. The double gives you one shot. The double offers a larger combined return if both win; the two singles protect against the case where only one wins. For a punter with two strong opinions, two singles are mathematically more efficient.
When a double might make sense
A double makes most sense when you have two selections you believe are closely correlated — for example, two horses from the same stable running on the same afternoon with similar going conditions — because you view the events as a package. It also makes sense if you genuinely cannot afford to bet the events separately at meaningful stakes. It makes least sense as a strategy to ‘boost’ returns when two independent singles would serve you better.
Double margins in practice
If each leg has a 6% bookmaker margin, a double carries a combined margin of approximately 11-12% (1 minus 0.94^2). Still much lower than a 5-fold or 6-fold accumulator, but noticeably higher than a single. For punters serious about returns, the case for singles over doubles is consistent with the mathematics, though small doubles remain one of the most popular bet types in Ireland. 18+ — Gambling Awareness Trust: 1800 753 753.
Frequently Asked Questions
Multiply the decimal odds of both selections together and then multiply by your stake. A €10 double at 2.50 and 2.00 gives 2.50 × 2.00 = 5.00 combined odds, returning €50.00 if both win.
A double is a single bet on two selections (both must win). A patent is seven bets on three selections: three singles, three doubles and one treble. The patent covers all combinations so you can win something if only one selection wins, at the cost of seven times your unit stake.
Yes. Many bookmakers allow you to combine selections from different sports in a double — for example, a horse racing selection and a football match result. Each selection is priced independently, and the double combines them. Cross-sport doubles are subject to the same compounded margin as any two-leg accumulator.
18+ only. Gambling can be addictive. Play responsibly. Gambling Awareness Trust — 1800 753 753 — gamblingcare.ie. GRAI licence: GRAI-0191-RB-26-0001.