What is a super flag bet?
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Containing 5 selections, the 'Super Flag' bet contains the maximum variation of doubles, trebles, four-fold and five-fold accumulators bets with single-stakes-about bets. Within this specified bet type, there are 46 invidiual bets, and as such a £1 Super Flag would result in a total stake of £46.
A super flag bet brings together a number of different bets in one overarching bet. It is an advanced version of the flag bet (in which 23 bets are placed from four selections). As part of the super flag bet, this total is doubled and 46 bets are placed from five selections.
Super flag bets can be placed on a wide range of sports, such as football and horse racing. However, the five selections must be made within five different events. For example, a bettor could not back five horses in the same race. Instead, they would have to select five horses from five different races.
This kind of bet can be very complex to place. While the range of bets available within a super flag bet means that it is more likely that a bettor will make a return of some kind, it also means that the cost of placing the bet is higher. This is because a stake must be placed for each and every bet that’s made. So if a bettor were to place a stake of £5, the super flag bet would actually cost £230 as an additional £5 is placed for each bet.
Super flag bet
As the super flag bet can be so costly, it is vital for anyone wanting to place one to understand exactly what they are betting on. As mentioned, a super flag bet is comprised of 46 bets. These 46 bets are: 10 single stakes abouts, 10 double bets, 10 treble bets, 5 four-selection accumulators and one five-selection accumulator.
Under the conditions of a double bet, the bettor picks two selections from two different events. A weekend of Premier League football can be taken as an example. The bettor may believe that Brighton and Hove Albion will beat Huddersfield Town and Newcastle United will beat West Ham United. The bettor would need both of these things to happen to win the double bet. If one or both of these teams were to fail to win, no return would be made.
Under the conditions of a treble bet, a further selection is added to the double bet and the bettor makes three selections from three different events. This means that the bettor could predict that Manchester City will beat Leicester City, Tottenham Hotspur will beat Manchester United and Everton will beat Cardiff City. Again, for the bettor to make a return, all of these three predictions would have to take place. If one, two or all three of the selections were to fail to win then the bettor would make no return.
Accumulators are essentially the same as double and treble bets, but there are more selections open to the bettor. Some of the most popular accumulators are four-folds, five-folds and six folds. Under the conditions of these bets, the bettor can make four, five and six selections respectively. All of these selections would have to win for the bet to be successful and the bettor to make a return. Even if only one of the selections fails to win then no return is earned.
The super flag bet becomes a little more complicated by the addition of the single stakes about bets. These are two-part bets that each contain two selections.
The initial part takes the form of two single bets, and as such, also requires two stakes. If either selection wins or breaks even, the stake is returned on that selection – just like you would normally get with two single bets.
The difference with this type of bet is that those returned stakes are then wagered again on the other selection. So if you win on one selection, you get double the stake on the other selection, and therefore double profit if that also wins. If only one selection wins, you lose your entire stake. This is because though one of your selections won, your returned stake on the winning selection was automatically reinvested in the losing one. However, you would still retain any profit from the selection you got correct.
This is why it is also referred to as an 'any-to-come if-cash' bet: the second part only takes place if there is cash from the first bet. The 'single stakes about' part of the description means that the stake on the second bet is equal in value to that placed on the first bet. So in a 'double stakes about' bet, the original stake is doubled when placed on the second part of the bet.
By applying a real world example to the super flag bet, we can get a clearer understanding of how it works. In this scenario, a round of Champions League matches are being bet upon and the bettor makes the following selections: Paris Saint Germain will beat Liverpool, Nantes will beat Young Boys, Inter Milan will beat Valencia, AC Milan will beat Barcelona and Bayern Munich will beat Ajax.
The bettor would be able to make a return even if some of these selections failed to win. If, for example, Paris Saint Germain and Bayern Munich won, but the other teams did not, a return would be made because of the double bets. If Nantes, AC Milan and Inter Milan won, but the other teams did not, a return would be made because of the treble bets. Likewise if only four selections won: the four-fold accumulator would ensure a return. Of course, if all of the selections won then a return is made and if none of the selections won no return at all is made.
Other forms of bets
A super flag bet is an example of a combination bet. Heinz bets and yankee bets are other examples of combination bets. The combination bet is different from a multiple bet as it requires a different stake. As part of a multiple bet, the bettor places one stake on a number of different selections and the winnings from each selection is essentially rolled over into the next selection if the selection wins.
Bettors also make a number of selections under a combination bet, but here they are essentially making a wide range of bets so the stake is very high. If a bettor were to place a Lucky 31 bet and wanted a stake of £10, the overall cost would not just be £10, but rather £310. This is because a fresh £10 stake needs to be placed for each and every bet.
Combination bets come in all shapes and sizes. With some combination bets, bettors only make a handful of bets: the yankee bet features just 11 bets and the Lucky 15 features just 15. However, some feature many, many more. For example, the goliath bet includes eight selections and from them, bettors are asked to place 247 bets. This means that a goliath bet is incredibly expensive as the stake is multiplied by 247.
New or inexperienced bettors should therefore be very careful as it is easy to lose money on combination bets if those making the bets lack in-depth knowledge about the sport and the participants that are being bet upon.
Plus, don't forget to check out our bet calculator, where you can calculate your winnings.