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A round-robin bet is a system wager that combines multiple bets across three or more selections. It's pricier but less risky than an accumulator because you can still win even if some picks donā€™t come through. In this guide, we will explain how round-robin bets woāœ¤rk with real-life examples from bookies, and provide handy tips for using them effectively.

A round robin can be a bit of a head-scratcher at first, but itā€™s a valuable addition to your betting arsenal once you get the hang of it. The complexity comes from the format, where multiple selections are lumped together in various combinations. Plus, with different versions of round-robin bets floating around, you might find conflicting definitions online about what a “true” round robin is.

A round-robin bet takes its name from the tournament style, where everyone plays the other. In betting, it means taking all your picks and combining them in every possible way. This way, you can win with ā™Œany mix of your selections, giving you more chances for a payout than if you lined up your picks in one big accumulator.

So, what is a round-robin bet? It's a system bet made up of a bunch of mini accas.

The basic form of a round robin includes three selections. Once you add your three picks, the bookmaker will work out a robin bet for you: three combinations with two legs each. This way, you can still secure some profit even if one of your picks loses.

round robin bet infographic

The great thing about round-robin bets is you can aim for bigger payouts with smaller stakes (like you do with a regular acca), and you don't need to get every pick right to win. You can play combo bets and still come away with something, even if onlyā˜‚ some of your picksš’€° come through.

Round-robin bets cost more than a standard accumulator with the same picks because youā€™re paying for each combination. However, they give you that extra bit of ā™“security.

There are many ways to make a round-robin bet, aź¦¬nd it's essential to thoroughly familiarise yourself with the concept before you start betting with your bookie.

Hereā€™s how a round-robin bet works with a real-life example. Let's start with the simplest version: a three-selection round-robin. Weā€™ll use Parimatch, one of the best UK bookies, because it has competitive odds and offers more significant returns on round-robiā›¦n bets than most other betting sites.

We've picked three football matches and backed the home team to win in the next three Champions LeaguešŸ’« qualifiers matches:

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    Maccabi Tel Aviv vs FCSB: 11/8

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    Partizan Belgrade vs Dynamo Kiev: 16/5

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    Jagiellonia Bialystok vs FK Panevezys: 2/13

The round robin breaks these thrš’…Œee matchups into three smallš„¹er accumulators with two legs each, with Ā£10 on each combination:

  1. Ā£10 on Maccabi Tel Aviv to beat FCSBź¦”+ Partizan Belgrade to beat Dynamo Kiev

  2. šŸ…ŗ Ā£10 on Maccabi Tel Aviv to beat FCSB + Jagiellź¦›onia Bialystok to beat FK Panevezys

  3. Ā£10 on Partizan Belgrade to beat Dynamo Kiev ź§‘+ Jagiellonia Bialystok to beat FK šŸ€…Panevezys

screenshot of parimatch round robin
(Source: Parimatch)

This three-pick round-robin betąµ© covers all possible combos of these three football selections, with two teams per accumulator, costing us Ā£30 in total. If all three of our mini accas win, weā€™ll pocket Ā£175.62.

If we crunch the numbers, we can still profit even if one of our picks flops. For example, if Jagielonnia loses butš“° the other two picks win, our acca combinations one and three fail, but combo two wins. In this case, our payout wošŸ§”uld be Ā£99.96. So, weā€™d make a small profit of Ā£69.96 from the first winning acca.

Of course, with lower odds, you might end up with a sā›„lšŸ”Æight loss on that one winning combo, but itā€™s still better than getting nothing, which is what would happen if youā€™d only played a single treble.

You can upgrade your three-pick round robin to increasešŸŽ the number of winning combinations and bump up the required stake. For example, in addition to the previous acca combos, you can toss in an extra Ā£10 for a treble, ā™‹effectively creating a Trixie. In this case, youā€™d have four acca combinations:

  1. Ā£10 on Maccabi Tel Aviv to beat FCSB+ Partizan Belgrade to beat Dynamš’‰°š”o Kiev

  2. Ā£10 on ź¦”Maccabi Tel Aviv to beat FCSB + Jagiellonia Bialystoš’†™k to beat FK Panevezys

  3. Ā£10 on Partizan Belgrade to beat Dynamo Kiev ź¦š+ Jagiellonia Bialystok to beat FK Panevezys

  4. Ā£10 on Partizan Belgrade to beat Dynamo Kiev + Jagiellonia Bialystok to bešŸ”Æat FK Panevezys + Maccabi Tel Aviv to beat FCSB

For that last treble, the potential payout would be Ā£115.10. Sš”o, if all three of your picks win, youā€™d bag that amount (Ā£1ź¦¬15.10) plus Ā£175.62 from the two-leg acca combos in your round-robin, giving you a total of Ā£290.72.

screenshot of parimatch round robin
(Source: Parimatch)

4-Leg Round Robin Example

Letā€™s crank it up by adding another selection to our round-robin. So, along with the three previous matches, we'll throw in Dinamo Minsk to beat Ludogorets. Now, weā€™ve got these fšŸ§øour matchups:

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    Maccabi Tel Aviv vs FCSB: 11/8

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    Partizan Belgrade vs Dynamo Kiev: 16/5

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    Jagiellonia Bialystok vs FK Panevezys: 2/13

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    Dinamo Minsk vs Ludogorets: 3/1

šŸ”“ The round robin splits these into six smaller accumulators with two legs each, with Ā£10 on each combo:

  1. Maccabi Tel Avivā™Š to beat FCSB + Partizan Belgrade to beat Dź¦ynamo Kiev

  2. Maccabi TšŸ—¹el Aviv to beat FCSB +ź¦‰ Jagiellonia Bialystok to beat FK Panevezys

  3. Maccabi Tel Aviv to beat FCSB + Dinamo Minsk to beat ļ·½Ludogorets

  4. Partizan Belgrade to beat Dynamo Kiev + Jagiellonia Bialystok to beat FK PšŸ¦¹anevezys

  5. Partizan BelgradšŸŒ e to beat Dynamo Kiev + Dinamo Minsk to beat Ludš“†‰ogorets

  6. Dinamo Minsk to beat Ludogorets + Dinamo Mināœ¤sk to beatź§ƒ Ludogorets

This four-pick round-robin bet coveršŸŽƒs all possible combos of these four football selections, with two teams šŸ·per accumulator, costing us Ā£60. If all six of our mini accas win, weā€™ll pocket Ā£484.77.

At least two pairs must hit to profit with a four-pick round-robin. In that case, one of your combos will win, and youā€™ll return about half your stake. If three out of fšŸˆour picks win, you'll have three winning combos, and your total return will be about three times your stake. Youā€™ll earn around four times your stake if all four come throuā™”gh.

screenshot of parimatch round robin
(Source: Parimatch)

Round-robin bets in horse racing are different because you can use eachą½§-way bets, which give you extra cover by letting your horse win or place.

Let's kick off with a straightforward three-pick RR bet involving three different winners in three races to give you an idea of how round-robin betting works in horse racing. Weā€™ll again use Parimatch since itā€™s one of the top horse race betting sites in the U.K.

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    Metaverse to win at Goodwood: 13/2

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    Shark Two One to win at Leicester: 9/2

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    Deboraā€™s Dream to win at Sandown: 11/8

The round robin splits these into tš’ˆ”hree smaller doubles, with Ā£10 on each combination:

  1. Ā£10 on Metaverse to win šŸ„‚at Goodwood + Shark Two OnšŸ’Æe to win at Leicester

  2. Ā£10 on Metaverse to win at GoodšŸøwood + Deboraā€™s Dream to win at Sandown

  3. Ā£10 on Shark Two Onź§Ÿe to win at Leicester + Deborā–Øaā€™s Dream to win at Sandown

This three-leg round-robin bet covers all possible doubles ošŸŒŗf these threāœ…e horses, costing us Ā£30. If all three of our doubles come in, weā€™ll win Ā£721.25.

screenshot of parimatch round robin
(Source: Parimatch)

If Deboraā€™s Dream doesnā€™t come through but our other two picks do, weā€™ll still win the first combo and come out slightly ahead due to the strošŸ—¹ng odds.

You can also go for an each-way round robšŸ’«in with these same three horses to boost your chances even more. This way, youā€™re covered whether your horse wins or places. Just remembešŸ’™r, this will bump up your stake and increase your potential payout if you accurately predict all winners.

screenshot of parimatch round robin
(Source: Parimatch)

 Since each-way bets double your stakes, youā€™ll need Ā£60 for a three-picš’Ŗk round-robin each-way bet. Hereā€™s how it breaks downā™”:

  1. ļ·½ Ā£10 on Metaverse to win or place at Goodwood + Shark Two One to win or place at LeicestešŸ¦„r

  2. ā–Ø Ā£10 on Metaverse to win or place at Goodwood + Deboraā€™s Dream to win or place at Sandown

  3. Ā£10 on Shā™Žark Two š“°One to win or place at Leicester + Deboraā€™s Dream to win or place at Sandown

If all three horses place, youā€™ll collecšŸ·t Ā£108.34, giving you a tidy profit of Ā£48.34 over your total stake. But if all three horses win, youā€™ll see a payout of Ā£829.59.

Round-robin betting isnā€™t exclusive to football šŸŒ³or horse racing ā€” itā€™s a flexible option you can use in any sport. Letā€™s take a look at how this betting strategy can be effectively applied across different sports.

Round-Robin Betting in Tennis

Below is how tennis round-robin betting works in practice with four matches from the Cincinnati Masters 1000 tournament.

For this, weā€™ll be placing our bets on ą¼’Betā™‰way ā€” one of the top UK sites for tennis betting:

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    Adrian Mannarino to beat Nuno Borges: 11/5

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    Fabian Marozsan to beat Corentin Moutet: 1/1

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    Felix Auger Aliassime to beat Aleksandar Kovacevic: 2/7

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    Jan-Lennard Struff to beat Stefanos Tsitsipas: 8/5

Now, instead of just throwing all four into a single accumulator and hoping for the best, weā€™ll split theāœ…se into a round-robin bet and give ourselves a little breathing room. That means weā€™re creating six different two-leg combos, with Ā£10 on each:

  1. Adrian Mannarino to beat Nuno Borges + Fabian Marozsan šŸ”Æto beat Corentš’‰°in Moutet = Ā£10 x 3.2 x 2.0 = Ā£64.00

  2. Adrian Mannarino to beat Nuno Borges + Felix Auger Aliassime to beat Aleksandar KovacešŸ¼vic = Ā£10 x 3.2 x 1.29 = Ā£41.28

  3. Adrian Mannarino to beat Nuno Borges + Jan-Lennard Struff to beat Stefanos Tsiź¦”tsipas = Ā£10 x 3.2 x 2.6 = Ā£83.20

  4. Fabian Marozsan to beat Corentin Moutet + Felix Auger Aliassime to beat Aleksandar Kovacevic = Ā£10 x 2.0 xź¦• 1.29 = Ā£25.80

  5. Fabian Marozsan to beat Corentin Moutet + Jan-Lennard Struff to š’‰°beat Stefanos Tsitsipas = Ā£10 x 2ź¦‡.0 x 2.6 = Ā£52.00

  6. Felix Auger Aliassime to beat Aleksandar Kovacevic + Jan-Lennard Struff to beat Stefanos ź¦•Tsitsipas = Ā£10 x 1.29 x 2.6 = Ā£33.54

With this four-fold round-robin, youā€™re covering all possible combinations of these four tennis selections. The total stake for these six cšŸ·ombos is Ā£60, and if all matchesą²Œ go your way, you could walk away with a payout of Ā£299.82.

Now,šŸŒ letā€™s consider different scenarios. What if, say, Marozsan has an off day and loses? No worries ā€” youā€™re still in the game with the other combos, and you could still end up in profit if Mannarino and Struff pull through.

Tennis, particularly at the Cincinnati Masters, is ripe for round-robin betting. Top seedsšŸ¼ can have off days, and upsets happen more often than you think ā€” especially on the hard courts, where anyone can beat anyone on a given day.

Moreover, the tournament kicks off right after the Montreš„¹al (or Toronto) Masters, so players whļæ½ļæ½o went deep in Montreal might be dealing with fatigue or trying to adjust to different conditions.

By using a round robin, youā€™re hedging against those uncertainties while still giving yāœ±ourself a shot at a decent payout.

Round-Robin Betting in Cricket

Letā€™s now check out how round robin works in one of the UK's favourite sports, cricket. This time, weā€™re switching things up by focusing on outright bets instead of match winners. The great thing about a šŸ§øround robin is that you can mix and match any singles markets you like. Weā€™ve chosen outrights because they often come with better odds and keep yšŸØour bets alive over a longer period.

Weā€™ll get šŸ¤”our bet down at BetVictor, since itā€™s known to haą·“ve competitive cricket odds.

Here are our outright selections:

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    Surrey to šŸ”œwin the Vitality T2š“°0 Blast: 7/2 (4.50 in decimal odds)

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    India to win the T20 World Cup 2026: 7/4 (2.75 in deciź¦mal odds)

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    Mumbai Indians to ź§‚win the Indian Premier League: 9/š†2 (5.50 in decimal odds)

With these selections, letā€™s build our round-robin bet. HerešŸ‘ā€™s how it shašŸŒpes up:

  1. Surrey (7/2) + India (7/4) = Ā£10 stake x 4.50 x 2.75 = Ā£123.75

  2. Surrey (7/2) + Mumbai Indians (9/2) = Ā£10 stake x 4.50 x 5.50 = Ā£247.50

  3. India (7/4) + Mumbai Indians (9/2) = Ā£10 stake x 2.75 x 5.50 = Ā£151.25

Total potential return: Ā£522.50

The combo of Surrey anāœƒd Mumbai Indians is the most profitable, offering a potential return of Ā£247.50. But no matter which duo lands, youā€™re alreadyš”‰ sitting on a tidy profit.

Hereā€™s where you really see the benefits of a round-robin bet. The Vitality T20 Blast and IPL wrap up first. Now, had you played a standard accumulator, youā€™d be on edge, wondering whether to hedge your bet on India winning the World Cup or thinking about cashing out if the bookie offered it. But wišŸ’Žth a round rą± obin, youā€™re already counting your winnings at this stage.

Because those earlier legs have already paid out, youā€™re free to let that final leg ride. Whether you hedge your India bet or not, youā€™re in a great spot. If youā€™re confident in Indiaā€™s chances, you can just sit back,ā™Ž enjoy the rš’ƒide, and potentially rake in even more.

The round-robin bet gives you the freedom to manage youź¦Ær strategy without the usual stress, knowing šŸ²youā€™ve locked in profit before the final showdown.

Since bookies donā€™t show the payout for each acca combo on your round-robin bet slip ā€” just the max potential if all come in ā€” youā€™ll need to figure it out yourself. Weā€™ll show you how to calcuź¦‰late round-robin bet payouts.

Your total payout depends on the odds for each selection aąµ²nd how many cš“€ombos you hit.

First, use our odds calculator to convert all your odds from fractional to decimal. Then, calculate the payšŸ…·out for each acca combo.šŸ¦©

Letā€™s go back to our round-robin bet example with three footbaļ·½ll matches from the Irish Cup and convert the odds to decimal:

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    Maccabi Tel Aviv vs FCSB: 11/8 = 2.38

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    Partizan Belgrade vs Dynamo Kiev: 16/5 = 4.2

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    Jagiellonia Bialystok vs FK Panevezys: 2/š’‰°13 = 1.15

Imagine placing a Ā£10 šŸ”Æbet on a three-pick round robin, creating three acca combos with two legs each. To calculate the potential payout for one acca combo, multiply the stake by the odds for each leg. Hereā€™s how it would look:

  1. Ā£10 on Maccabi Tel Aviv to beat FCSB+ Partizan Belgrade to beat Dynamo Kiev = Ā£10 x 2.38 x 4.2 = Ā£99.96

  2. Ā£10 on Maccabi Tel Aviv to beat FCSB + Jagiellonia Bialystok to beat FK Panevezys = Ā£10 x 2.38 x 1.15 = Ā£27.37

  3. Ā£10 on Partizan Belgrade to beat Dynamo Kiev + Jagiellonia Bialystok to beat FK Panevezys = Ā£10 x 4.2 x 1.15 = Ā£48.3

So, your potential payouts for each combo would be Ā£102, Ā£36.60, and Ā£41.48 respectively. Add these to seešŸ’™ your totš”‰al potential return if all your combos win.

To detšŸŽermine your payouts, you can also use a free bet calculator for round robin.

Since most UK bookies donā€™t have a direct option for a round robin on the bet slip, hereā€™s a steš’p-by-step guide to help you set one up. Letā€™s use 10bet as an example:

  1. Head to your chosen bookie: Pick one from our top list.

  2. Sign up for an account: Fill in your detaā›¦ils, including your name, address, and login credentials.

  3. Deposit funds: Click tšŸŽƒhe plus icon in the top right to add funds to your account.

  4. Make your selections: Head to the sports lobby and pick at leš’…Œast three horses.

  5. Open the ā€œSystemā€ tab: Go to your bet slip and find the ā€œSystemā€ tab.

  6. Enter your stake: Under ā€œDoubles,ā€ input how much you want to stake on eachšŸƒ round of the Robin Acca combination.

  7. Place your bet: š“†‰Double-check your selections and stakes, then hit submit.

Round-robin betting is an advanced strategy. Here are some savvy tips to help you get the best out of your ršŸŒ ound-robin bets:

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Pick strong favourites

Always include a couple of favourites in your roušŸ’œnd robin ā€” they tend to have better odds of winning and provide a stable base for your bet combinations.

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Mix up markets & sports

Donā€™t put all your eggs in one basket and focus on one sport or market. Cast your net wide across different events and sports. Football is one of the best sports for round-robin betting due to the many options available, but you should also consider other sports. This cushions your bešŸŽƒts and opens up more chances to catch a winner.

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Implement full coverage

Make sure you're covering all possible combinations among your picks. It's more of a ą²žpunt, but ramps up your chances of scoring some returns.

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Opt for limited coverage

If you're watching your pennies, focus on covering only the most prź©²omising bets. This strategy keeps your spending down but ź§‚keeps you in the game for a decent win.

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Balance risk & reward

Balance your selections between the low-risk favourites and those cheeky long shots. If the long shots pull through, you coš”‰uld be laughing all the way to the bank while the favourites keep your bet grounded.

Round robin is just one of many system bets you can explore. Other variations tend to build on the round-robin concept, which mešŸŒƒans a bit more outlay but also the chance for a bigger payout.

Here are some great alternatives, dependinź¦æg on ą± how much youā€™re ready to spend and the kind of return youā€™re pursuing.

Trixie

A Trixie bet is like a three-leg round-robin šŸ­but with an added treble on top of the doubles. The level of risk is on par with a round robin, but the potential payout is higher since you also win on the treble if all three picks come through. However, itā€™s a bit more expensive because youā€™re covering the stake for that extra treble. Itā€™s a smart wź¦°ay to push for bigger returns without taking on more risk.

Check out our dedicated article to learn more about Trixie bets.

Patent

A Patent bet covers three selections with seven bets: three singles, three doubles, and a treble. This means you can still get a return even if only one of your picks comes through. Itā€™s a goodchoice if youā€™re looking for a bit more security whilā›„e keeping the potential for a decent return if all your selections win.

Yankee

A Yankee bet involves foušŸŽr selections and 11 bets: six doubles, four trebles, and a four-fold accumulator. Unlike Trixie and Patent, Yankee doesnā€™t include singles, so youā€™ll need at least two picks to win to see a return. Itā€™s a well-balanced bet for those who want to spread their risk but are also aiming for a larger payout, especially if three or four of your selections come through.

Canadian

A Canadian bet, also known as a Super Yankee, is a massive ā˜‚wager that involves five selections broken down into 26 different combinations: 10 doubles, 10 trebles, five four-folds, and a five-fold accumulator. To see any returns, you need at least two of youršŸ¦© selections to come through.

Keep in mind that this is a pricier option since youā€™re coveringšŸ’® the stake for each of those 26 bets, but the upside is the broader coverage. The good news is that most bookies have a Canadian option built in, so you donā€™t have to manuallź¦¬y sort out each combination ā€” just choose your stake (which is per combo), and the slip will work it out for you.

Here's a quick overview of the advantages and disaą¼’dvantages of round-ź¦‰robin betting to give you a clear picture of what to expect.

Pros:
  • Increases chances of winning by covering various bet combinations.
  • Lowers the blow of losses by diversifying stakes across several bets.
  • Provides a bigger maximum payout than betting singles.
Cons:
  • It can be tricky for new punters to grasp.
  • Higher upfront cost due to multiple bets being placed.
  • Not all winning combinations may recover the total staked amount.

Round-robin bets can be a valuable addition to your betting toolkit. Is the added safety net worth the extra outlay? That depends on your risk tolerance and betting style. These bets offer a safer, more balanced approach with a higher chance of getting some return, but donā€™t necessarily increaseš’…Œ the expected value compared to a standard accumulator.

Yes, you can šŸ’™win all combinations in a round-robin bet if every one of your selections wins. This results in all your doubles, trebles, and any higher accumulators coming through, leading to maximum returns. Itā€™s the dream scenario for round-robā™in punters.

A three-pick round-robin bet involves three selections, creating three doubles andšŸŽ€ one treble. For example, if you pick horses A, B, and C, youā€™ll have bets on A+B, A+C, B+C, and A+B+C. It gives multiple chances to win, even if not all selections come through.

The cost of a round-robin bet depends on the number of selections and your stake per bet. A three-selection round-robin has three bets (three doubles). So, if yšŸ—¹ou stake Ā£10 per bet, it will cost you Ā£30 in total.

In a round-robin bet, you can afford tšŸŒƒo lose some legs and still win on other combinations. For example, with a three-selectšŸ­ion round robin, losing one selection still leaves you with potential wins on one acca combination.

Yes, you can use free bets for round-robin bets if your bookmaker allows it (they usually donā€™t, though). Check the terms and condiąµ©tions,ā™‹ as some bookies have restrictions on how free bets can be used, including whether they cover all types of multiple bets.

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šŸ”Æ ā™“ WRITTEN BY David Camilleri  View all posts by DavÜ«id Camilleri

David is a sports fanatic with a particular interest in stats and figures. When not writing about sports, you would probably find him playing or watching football, researching stats or sharing the latest nešŸ¬ws with anyone willing to ź©²listen.

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