In the world of online sports betting, you will find betting strategies for both beginners and advanced players. With countless options to wager, it can be overwhelming for you, whether you are a novice or an experienced bettor.
Among the various betting options available, system bets stand out as an intriguing, profitable, and smart betting strategy. Let's take a closer look at system bets and see how you can use them to your advantage.
If the system bet sounds too advanced, you may want to check out our beginners betting guide to get you started.
What Is a System Bet?
System bets are a sophisticated betting strategy allowing you to place multiple bets at once. System bets, unlike regular bets, are constructed of multiple selections combined into different bets.
Instead of placing a bet on a single game or event, with system bets, you wager on a series of predictions. In a system bet you combine single bets with doubles, treble and accumulators, making different combinations within one ticket.
The main advantage of system bets is that not all your selections have to win in order for you to win money.
The Components of a System Bet
A system bet is composed of various smaller bets, including singles, doubles, trebles, and accumulators (four-fold bets and upwards). Understanding these individual components is crucial in mastering the art of system betting.
Below you will see the most common components of a system bet and what they mean.
- Singles: A single bet is a wager placed on one selection. It is the simplest form of betting, requiring only one correct prediction to win.
- Doubles: A double is a single bet on two outcomes in different events. Both selections must be successful to win the bet.
- Trebles: A treble is similar to a double, but it involves three selections in different events. All three predictions must be correct to win the bet.
- Accumulator (ACCA): An accumulator bet involves four or more selections in different events. Like the above-mentioned bet types, all predictions must be accurate to win.
Popular System Bets
There are various system bets to explore, each with its unique appeal. Here are some of the most popular system bets to consider:
- Trixie: A Trixie bet consists of four bets on three selections in different events. This includes three doubles and one treble.
- Yankee: A Yankee includes 11 bets on four selections. It consists of six doubles, four trebles, and a four-fold accumulator.
- 4 Folds from 5: In this bet type, you select 5 betting markets and will still go on to win when 4 of them are correct.
- Canadian (Super Yankee): A Canadian, or Super Yankee, has 26 bets on five selections. It comprises ten doubles, ten trebles, five four-folds, and a five-fold accumulator.
- Heinz: A Heinz system bet contains 57 bets on six selections. This includes 15 doubles, 20 trebles, 15 four-folds, six five-folds, and a six-fold accumulator.
- Super Heinz: The Super Heinz system bet incorporates 120 bets on seven selections. It is made up of 21 doubles, 35 trebles, 35 four-folds, 21 five-folds, seven six-folds, and a seven-fold accumulator.
- Goliath: A Goliath system bet is the largest, with 247 bets on eight selections. It consists of 28 doubles, 56 trebles, 70 four-folds, 56 five-folds, 28 six-folds, eight seven-folds, and an eight-fold accumulator.
Real Life Example of a System Bet
In order to give you a better understanding of how a system bet works and what the potential payouts can be, we will give you a real life example below.
For this example, let's consider 4 football matches:
- Match 1: Manchester City (1.50) vs. Manchester United (2.60), Draw (3.40)
- Match 2: Real Madrid (1.70) vs. Barcelona (2.80), Draw (3.50)
- Match 3: Liverpool (1.60) vs. Arsenal (2.90), Draw (3.60)
- Match 4: Tottenham (1.80) vs. Chelsea (3.00), Draw (3.70)
Let's assume you are placing a Yankee system bet on these matches, meaning you're making 11 bets: six doubles, four trebles, and a four-fold accumulator. Here's how the calculations could work.
You will predict the following outcomes to happen:
- Match 1: Manchester City to win
- Match 2: Draw
- Match 3: Liverpool to win
- Match 4: Tottenham to win
When creating this System Bet, the odds for each selection are multiplied. For example, combining the outcomes of Match 1 and Match 2 will give you odds of 1.50 * 3.50 = 5.25.
In the table below, you can see the odds and potential pay out for all the selections you will make in this Yankee System Bet. In the example, we considered a stake of ₹100 on each selection, meaning a total stake of ₹1,100.
| Bet Type | Selections | Odds | Potential payout |
| Double | Match 1 & 2 | 5.25 | INR 525 |
| Double | Match 1 & 3 | 2.40 | INR 240 |
| Double | Match 1 & 4 | 2.70 | INR 270 |
| Double | Match 2 & 3 | 5.60 | INR 560 |
| Double | Match 2 & 4 | 6.30 | INR 630 |
| Double | Match 3 & 4 | 2.88 | INR 288 |
| Treble | Match 1, 2 & 3 | 8.40 | INR 840 |
| Treble | Match 1, 2 & 4 | 9.45 | INR 945 |
| Treble | Match 1, 3 & 4 | 4.32 | INR 432 |
| Treble | Match 2, 3 & 4 | 10.08 | INR 1,008 |
| Accumulator | Match 1, 2, 3 & 4 | 15.12 | INR 1,512 |
| Total | INR 7,240 |
With all the bets won, the potential payout would be ₹7240.00. This amount, minus the total stake of ₹1,100, leads to a total potential profit of ₹6,140.
As stated earlier, a Yankee bet can still yield returns even if not all selections are won, depending on which predictions were correct.
Let's consider that you have only predicted the outcome of match 2, 3 and 4 correctly, in that case you would still win the following bets:
- Match 2 & 3 = ₹270
- Match 2 & 4 = ₹630
- Match 3 & 4 = ₹288
- Match 2, 3 & 4 = ₹1,008
Your total winnings would be ₹2,196 in this case. After deducting your initial stake of ₹1,100, you would walk away with a profit of ₹1,096 even though you did not predict all the outcomes correctly.
Advantages of System Bets
System bets offer several distinct advantages that can greatly enhance your sports betting experience.
One of the main benefits is the potential for higher returns. By combining multiple selections, you can significantly increase your potential payout, especially if all your selections win. This allows you to leverage higher odds and capitalize on correct predictions.
Another advantage of system bets is the margin of error they afford. Unlike an accumulator bet where all selections must win for you to see a return, system bets allow for some of your choices to be incorrect. This can lower the risk of losing your entire stake and ensures that a single incorrect prediction doesn't necessarily mean a complete loss.
Furthermore, system bets offer a strategic approach to betting, allowing for more flexibility and control over your betting strategy. They provide a wider spectrum of possibilities and outcomes compared to single bets, adding a layer of excitement to your betting journey.
System bets can also be customized to your risk tolerance, with various types of system bets catering to different risk and reward balances.
