The current ordinary shotcrete has problems such as a large rebound rate, high economic loss, and low early strength, resulting in serious impacts on construction efficiency and engineering safety. The key to reducing losses of wet shotcrete in tunnel construction is to enhance their viscosity and early strength. This study conducted a series of compression tests to explore the influences of viscosifying and hardening accelerator dosage, water-cement ratio and early curing time on the compressive strength of wet shotcrete. The optimum dosage and the failure characteristics of wet shotcretes adding the accelerator were explored. The results show that the compressive strength of wet shotcrete increased first and then decreased with the accelerator. The optimal compressive performance of wet shotcrete was achieved when they added 7.5 kg of accelerator per cubic meter. The compressive strength of wet shotcrete adding the accelerator showed an increasing and then decreasing trend with the water-cement ratio, and approximately linearly increased with the early curing time. The minimum time requirements for the next cycling blasting operation could be shortened to 8 h. The application of the accelerator in wet shotcrete could also result in less crack propagation when failed. The results of this study can provide a theoretical basis for the application of the accelerator in wet shotcrete in tunnel construction practices.