Football
Tennis
Darts
Cricket
Golf
Horse Racing
F1
Boxing
MMA
Any
Yes
No
Cash Out
Not Needed
Debit card
Paypal
Neteller
Skrill
Apple Pay
PaysafeCard
Trustly
MuchBetter
Deposit match
Enhanced odds
Free Bets
Don't want a bonus
We independently review betting sites. Sign-ups through our links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you, this never influences our listings’ order.
Double bets are extremely popular among sports bettors in the UK. They allow you to combine two events into one single bet. By doing so, you get greater odds and therefore a greater potential payout than you would if you placed two singles. Of course, both ‘singles’ have to win for your overall double bet to win. You can work out the potential value of any double bet with our double bet calculator.
Calculating wins from a double bet is not too difficult, but it’s not as easy as calculating returns from a single bet. For a start you have to remember it’s your return from your first bet that you use as a stake for your second, not your winnings. For this reason, mistakes can happen.
You can eradicate the possibility of mistakes by using our free double bet calculator, which can also function as an e/w double bet calculator. Just input the values as you need, click calculate and allow our free tool to crunch the numbers!
As explained previously, a double bet is two single bets combined. If the first bet wins, then the returns from that bet are used as the stake for the second. If that bet then also wins, then your payout is greater than what it would have been if you’d placed two singles. If only one of your bets wins, then your double bet will fail.
Let’s look at a football betting example using two EPL matches, Newcastle v Arsenal and Fulham v Leicester. You think that Newcastle and Fulham will win the games. Newcastle are priced at 29/20, and Fulham at 13/8. You decide to place two singles £1 and work out your potential winnings:
Total profit: £3.08, total returns: £5.08
However, an alternative would be to place a £2 double bet instead. Here are the potential winnings.
Total profit: £10.86, total returns: £12.86
Therefore it is potentially better to place a double bet at a UK online bookmaker, as opposed to two singles as you’ll get back over double if both Newcastle and Fulham win. The downside is with a double bet, if only one of Newcastle and Fulham win, then you don’t get anything back from double bet, although you would if you’d placed two singles. Of course if both teams lose you get back zip, no matter which bet you placed!
Some people confuse a double bet with a cross bet (also known as a vice versa or up-and-down bet). A cross bet is an ‘any to come’ bet that some bookies (not all) will allow you to place. Like a double bet, it consists of two selections with a set bet unit for each. If Selection A wins, then the bet unit amount is taken from the returns and placed on Selection B. If Selection B wins, then the bet unit amount is taken from the returns and placed on Selection A.
A cross bet allows you to gain a return if only one of your selections win, however at a reduced return (less one bet unit) than the returns from a single bet. Our double bet calculator does not function as a cross and double bet calculator.
Using our free double bet calculator is very, very easy. Here is what you need to do.
That’s all you need to do! Your stake, return and total profit will be shown to you in the boxes at the bottom of the calculator. Easy as pizza pie!
For horse racing and a few other sports, each way betting is possible. An each way bet is a double bet in itself, with half of your stake going on a win bet, and half on a place bet.
You can place an each-way double bet. Here half of your stake will be placed on a double win bet, and half on a double place bet. We have an example of this below to illustrate.
We placed a £2 double each way bet on two horse running at Goodwood – Dubai Hills at 4/1 in the 1.30pm, and Sergeant Tibbs at 8/1 in the 3.10pm. Odds for a place are a quarter of the starting price for both horses.
If both horses win:
If Dubai Hills wins, and Sergeant Tibbs places, or Sergeant Tibbs wins and Dubai Hills places, or if both horses place:
If either horse or both horses place, then your double bet loses.
There are plenty of different outcomes with any double each way bet, as follows:
To save yourself the stress of working all eventualities out, use our free each way double bet calculator instead, or our horse racing double bet calculator for ‘to win’ horse racing bets.
Our free double bet calculator can be used in a number of ways, including as an e/w double bet calculator, a double chance bet calculator and forecast double bet calculator. We have outlined most of the common ways that our free bet calculator can be used, and you can see all these options listed below.
When placing a double bet or indeed any bet, it is always a good idea to look for the best free bet offers available to UK bettors. It’s the ideal way to win money – by using money that is not yours! Here is a table of the best free bet offers that we currently recommend that are available in the UK.
Bet £10 And Get £40 In Free Bets New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. <a class="c-link" href="https://www.betmgm.co.uk/promotions/sports/welcome-offer" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://www.betmgm.co.uk/promotions/sports/welcome-offer" data-sk="tooltip_parent">T&Cs apply</a>. 18+ <a class="c-link" href="http://begambleaware.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BeGambleAware.org" data-sk="tooltip_parent">BeGambleAware.org</a>. Bet £10 Get £30 Free Bet New players only. Minimum stake £ 10, minimum odds 2, stake not returned. 1X wagering the winnings from the free bet. Wagering occurs from real balance first. Wagering requirement is calculated on bonus bets only, wagering starts from real funds. Free bet is valid for 7 days from issue. Max conversion: £ 200. Excluded Skrill deposits. Withdrawal requests voids all active/pending bonuses. Full Terms Apply Bet £10, Get £30 in Free Bets <a href="https://www.betuk.com/promotional-terms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">T&Cs apply</a>. New cust only. Deposit & Place a Bet within 7 days, and settle a £10 minimum bet at odds of 4/5 (1.8) or greater, to be credited with 3x £10 Free Bets: 1 x £10 Horse Racing, 1 x £10 Free Bet Builder and 1 x £10 Football. 7 day expiry. Stake not returned. 18+ <a href="http://begambleaware.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">begambleaware.org</a> Regular price boosts on big events *New members. Offer not available 15/04/23. £10 min deposit & bet on sportsbook, placed & settled at 1.5 min odds within 14 days of sign-up. Win part of E/W bets. 2 non-withdrawable £10 Free Bet Tokens: accept in 7 days, valid for 7 days from crediting (ex. E/Ws & Multiples), stakes not returned. Click here for Rules & Exclusions. Bet Responsibly. BeGambleAware.org. 18+ Bet £10 Get £20 In Free Bets *New UK customers (Excluding NI) mobile only. £20 in FREE Bets (FB) as £10 in sports bets & a £10 casino bonus (CB). Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. FB applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. FB 7 day expiry. 1 FB offer per customer, household & IP address only. Payment restrictions. 14 days to accept £10 CB, then active for 3 days. CB 5x wagering & max redeemable £100. Game restrictions apply. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. 30 days to qualify. 18+. T&Cs apply Bet £5, Get £20 in Free Bets New customers online only. Place your first bet on racing pools for a minimum of £5 and win or lose you will receive £20 Tote Credit. £20 Tote Credit rewarded as £10 redeemable against racing bets only and £10 redeemable against UK and Irish placepot bets only. Tote Credit cannot be withdrawn, exchanged, or substituted and expires after 7 days. Qualifying bet is the first racing pool bet added to the bet-slip. Ten to Follow, virtual and football bets do not qualify. Totewin will be the qualifying bet when a Totewin and a Toteplace bet are struck at the same time. UK & ROI customers only. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleaware.orgFull T&Cs apply. 100% First Deposit Bonus Up To £50 New bettors; Code SPORT; Wager deposit & bonus 8x; Max qualifying bet stake=initial bonus; Valid 60 days; Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply; T&C apply; 18+ Bet £10 Get £30 Surprise Bet New customers & 18+ only. Min. deposit of £10. Qualifying real money bet of £10. Min odds greater than or equal to 1.5 required. E/W bets excluded. Offer awarded immediately but could be issued the next working day in exceptional circumstances such as technical fault. Additional T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly Bet £10 Get £20 in Free Bets *New members. Offer not available 15/04/23 £10 min deposit & bet on sportsbook, placed & settled at 1.5 min odds within 14 days of sign-up. Win part of E/W bets. 2 non-withdrawable £10 Free Bet Tokens: accept in 7 days, valid for 7 days from acceptance (ex. E/Ws & Multiples), stakes not returned. Rules & Exclusions apply. Bet Responsibly. BeGambleAware.org. T&Cs apply, 18+ Bet £25 or More And Get A £5 Free Bet Customer must turn over at least £25 on any sport with minimum odds of 1/2 (1.5) per selection. Free bet will be awarded once £25 has been turned over and settled. Available once per week (Mon-Sun). Bet £10 Get £40 In Bonuses New 18+ UK customers only. Register using the promo code WELCOME40, deposit and place first bet of £10+ on Sports (cumulative Evens+) within 7 days of registration. First bet must be on Sports. £30 in Free Bets and £10 in Free Spins (50x20p) credited within 10 hours of bet settlement. Free Bet stakes are not included in any returns. Bonuses have a 7-day expiry. Payment restrictions apply. SMS verification and/or Proof of I.D and address may be required. Full T&Cs apply. £35 Free Bet + 10 Free Spins If your account has Sportsbook losses at the end of your first day's betting, QuinnBet will refund 50% of your losses as a Free Bet up to £35 (min 3 bets) Plus 10 Free online casino spins at QuinnCasino. Even if your account is up, you're guaranteed a £5 Free Bet Plus 10 Free Spins provided you place at least 1 bet of £10 or greater at the minimum odds. T&Cs apply | 18+ New UK Customers Only | BeGambleAware.org | Gamble Responsibly Bet £15 Get £15 Free Bet 18+, Welcome Bonus: New Players only, 1st Deposit, Min Deposit,: £10, max £15 free bet valid for 14 days, bets must be placed at odds of 1/1 or greater and be settled within 14 days of placement. System bets not eligible. Neteller,Skrill and Paypal not eligible. T&Cs apply Bet£10 Get £20 in free bets New UK & Eire clients only. Place a qualifying £10 fixed odds bet at odds of 1/2 or greater. Qualifying bet cannot be placed in-play or cashed out early. A first free £10 fixed odds bet will be credited upon settlement of the qualifying bet; the second free £10 fixed odds bets will be added to your account on the following day. Free bets must be claimed within 28 days of opening and is not included in any winnings. Ts & Cs Apply. 18+ begambleaware.org £30 Matched Free Bet if your first Acca loses *New UK customers only. This offer is valid for 7 days from your new account being registered. Min Deposit: £5. Maximum Free Bet: £30. First bet on a Football or Horse Racing multiple with 3+ selections. Overall odds: 3.00 (2/1) or higher. Free Bets available upon settlement of the qualifying bet. Debit card deposits only (exclusions apply). Free Bet expires 7 days after credited. 18+. BeGambleAware.org. Bet The Responsible Way. Full terms apply. Bet £10, Get £30 Free Bet + £10 Casino Bonus #ad • 18+ • New customer offer • Min deposit £10 with promo code: GET40 • A qualifying bet is a ‘real money’ stake of at least £10 using Bet Builder • Min odds 2/1 (3.0) • Free Bets credited upon qualifying bet settlement, expire after 3 days and valid for football markets only • Free Bet stakes not included in returns • Withdrawal restrictions, payment methods, country & <a href="https://www.888sport.com/spt/betbuilder_cl.htm?utm_campaign=100136622_1867994_nodescription&utm_content=100136622&utm_medium=casap&utm_source=aff/#fullTerms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">full T&C’s apply</a>.• <a href="http://www.begambleaware.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BeGambleAware</a> 50% of First Day Losses Back As a Free Bet Up To £25 New customer offer only. Must have a minimum of 3 bets of £10 at odds of evens (2.0) or bigger on first day. First day losses equals all settled stakes less all returns. Free bets must be used in their entirety and stakes are deducted from returns. If this promotion is withdrawn it will not impact any qualifying bet you have placed during promotional period Bet £10, get £30 in free bets New UK, IE & Malta customers only. Min £10/€10 first deposit using Debit Card. Place a bet of £10 at min odds of 1.5 and get £10. Further £10 credited after 7 days and a further £10 credited after 14 days. Full T&Cs apply.18+. BeGambleAware.org. Bet £10, Get £15 in Free Bets 18+, Welcome Bonus: New Players only, 1st Deposit, Min Deposit: £10, max £15 bonus, valid for 14 days, bets must be placed at a min. odds of 1/1 (2.00) or greater and be settled within 14 days of placement. System bets no eligible. Full T&C's apply. Double The Odds On Your 1st Bet New customers. Max £10. 100% Odds Boost Token. Keep it fun - set your deposit limit.T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org. 18+ 100% Profit Boost of Up To £100 of Winnings on 1st Bet - Mobile Only 18+ <a href="http://begambleaware.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">begambleaware.org</a>. New reg only. Claim by placing a min deposit £10 via "My Offers" page within 30 days. Skrill/Neteller deposits excl. 7 days to stake max £10 in-play. Max. extra winnings £100. Full <a href="https://www.leovegas.com/en-gb/promotions/terms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">T&C’s</a> apply. Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets + 100 Free Spins 18+ New customers only. Opt in, bet £10 at odds 2.00+ within 7 days, no cashout. Get 3x £10 Free Bets, set events at odds 2.00+. Plus 100 Free Spins on Fishin’ Frenzy, no wagering. Free Bets and Spins expire in 7 days. Card payments only. T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. Deposit & Stake £10, Get £20 In Free Bets 18+, UK only. Deposit and place a minimum £10 cash bet at single or accumulated odds of 1/1 or greater and we will give you 2 x £5 in free bets plus an extra 2 x £5 Free Bets and a £10 Casino Bonus with no wagering requirements the following day. Applies to first cash bet only. Free bets credited as 4 x £5 bets to use on 3x Any sport & 1x Virtuals. £10 Casino Bonus eligible to play on any Casino games. Cashed Out, Void or Draw No Bet wagers do not qualify for this promotion. 2 x £5 Free Bets are credited upon qualifying first bet settlement, other free bets and Casino Bonus credited by midday the day after your first bet settles. 7-day free bet and Casino Bonus expiry. Available once per customer. This offer cannot be combined with any other promotion. Full T&C's apply. Bet £10 Get £30 In Free Bets #ad. 18+. Play Safe. 3x £10 free bets. Free bets expire after 30 days. New customers signing up through mobile or tablet device only. Minimum £10 stake on odds of 1/2 (1.5) or greater on sportsbook (excluding Virtual markets). <a href="https://promotion.williamhill.com/uk/sports/multisports/aff/r30?btag=a_192749b_793c_&utm_source=incomeaccess&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_campaign=793&utm_term=192749&utm_content=1740158&siteid=192749&WilliamHill=WilliamHillSBSUK&tgclid=0c01003d-6a58-4db5-a700-06a465b9073f#TermsAndConditions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Further terms apply</a>. <a href="https://www.begambleaware.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">begambleaware.org</a> Bet £10 And Get £15 Free Bet NEW CUSTOMERS ONLY. MAX ONE £20 FREE BET. QUALIFYING BETS MUST BE PLACED AT ODDS OF 1/1 (2.00) OR GREATER. PAID AS BONUS TOKEN WITH MIN 4/5 (1.80) ODDS REQ. SKRILL, NETELLER & PAYPAL NOT ELIGIBLE. T&CS APPLY. 18+ Up To £60 in FreE-Sports Bets & Up to 50 Free Casino Spins To welcome all new Betzone customers we are offering three welcome bonuses of up to £60 in freE-Sports bets together with free casino spins and the opportunity to join the Betzone Reward Zone. Bonus 1: £10 worth of freE-Sports bets after first five settled sports bets placed of £10 or over. Bonus 2: Up to £50 worth of freE-Sports bets. Bet £10 Get £40 in Free Bets 18+ <a href="http://begambleaware.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">begambleaware.org</a>. Spread betting losses can exceed deposit. Place a qualifying £10 fixed odds bet at odds of 1/2 or greater. Qualifying bet cannot be placed in-play or cashed out early. Free bet stakes not included in any winnings from the free fixed odds bets. Free bets expire in 28 days if unused. Welcome Offer Bet £15 Get £15 18+, Welcome Bonus: New Players only, 1st Deposit, Min Deposit,: £15, max £15 free bet valid for 14 days, bets must be placed at odds of 1/1 or greater and be settled within 14 days of placement. System bets not eligible. Neteller,Skrill and Paypal not eligible. T&Cs apply Bet £10 Get £30 Free Bet New Players Only. Min £10 qualifying bets stake not returned. Free bet - one-time stake of £10, min odds 1.5, stake not returned. 1X wager the winnings. Wager from real balance first. Wager calculated on bonus bets only. Max conversion: £200. Valid for 7 Days from issue. Withdrawal requests void all active/pending bonuses. Excluded Skrill and Neteller deposits
Not quite. A double bet is just two single bets combined - the returns from one act as the stake of the other. A cross bet takes the same stake from the winnings of each winning bet to place a second single bet on each outcome. With a cross bet you get more back if both bets win. You may not be able to place a cross bet at your online bookie of choice.
You can, but a forecast bet is not a true double bet. You are betting on two competitors, but you are predicting which of them will win, and which of them will come second. You will be offered single odds for this bet. A reverse forecast allows you to pick the two competitors to finish first and second, but in any order. Using our forecast double bet calculator is very easy.
Not at all! You can place your double bet on any sport, as it is just a combination of two singles. Indeed, you can combine any two singles from multiple markets for a double bet.
It's up to you. You win more with straight double bets, but you are more likely to get a return with an each way double bet. Why not use our double bet calculator (which also functions as an each way double bet calculator) to compare the potential winnings from each on the same two selections?
Yes, our tool can be used as a double chance bet calculator, but a double chance bet is not the same as a double bet. A double chance bet combines two outcomes on the same event. For a football match it could be for the home team to win or draw, or for the home team or away team to win (so, no draw). Despite the name, a double chance bet is in fact a single bet.
Peter joined the BettingSites.co.uk team in 2023, having previously worked for many high-profile gambling-related sites such as RightCasino, JustSlots, WhichBingo and Gambling.com. An experienced head when it comes to all aspects of iGaming, Peter is a fanatic fan of sport, including football and US sports such as baseball and American football. He is also a multi-published fiction writer, although sadly, not a wealthy one.
Best Free Bet Offers
Unsure which bookmaker is the best for you?
Easily find your perfect bookmaker in under a minute, no sign up necessary.
Football
Tennis
Darts
Cricket
Golf
Horse Racing
F1
Boxing
MMA
Any
Yes
No
Cash Out
Not Needed
Debit card
Paypal
Neteller
Skrill
Apple Pay
PaysafeCard
Trustly
MuchBetter
Deposit match
Enhanced odds
Free Bets
Don't want a bonus