A system bet is an exciting way of betting on multiple legs without needing to guess all of them correctly to get something in return. Depending on the size of your stake and the odds in question, you might be able to land some handsome winnings! In our in-depth sports betting tutorial, we explore the different types of system bets alongside their pros and cons.
- 1 Best Betting Sites We Recommend for System Bets in 2025
- 2 What Is a System Bet?
- 3 How Does a System Bet Work?
- 4 System Bet Example
- 5 Betting Systems Overview
- 6 Types of System Bets
- 7 How To Win With System Bets
- 8 Our Favorite Bookie for Placing System Bets
- 9 What Is a System Bet in Horse Racing?
- 10 What's the Difference Between a System Bet & a Parlay?
- 11 Top 4 System Bet Strategies
- 12 Advantages & Disadvantages of System Bets
- 13 Popular Sports for System Bets
- 14 Useful Tools for System Bets
- 15 ThePuntersPage Final Say
- 16 System Bets FAQs
Best Betting Sites We Recommend for System Bets in 2025
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Founded:
2000
UK Gambling Commission
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
Payment methods(11):
Bet £10 & Get £30 18+. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad
Good to know:
Min. stake: £0.10
Max. withdrawal: £100,000
Min. deposit: £5
24/7 Customer Support:
Mobile-App:
Android
iOS
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Founded:
1946
UK Gambling Commission
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
Payment methods(6):
Bet £10 & Get £30 in Football Free Bets 18+ New customers only. Opt in, bet £10 or more on any football market at minimum 1/1 odds within 7 days of registration. No cash out. Get £30 in Free Football Bets, selected markets. Free Bets expire in 7 days. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad
Good to know:
Min. stake: £0.05
Max. withdrawal: £50,000
Min. deposit: £5
24/7 Customer Support:
Mobile-App:
Android
iOS
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Founded:
2006
UK Gambling Commission
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
Payment methods(7):
Up to £30 Matched Free Bet if your First Acca Loses + 100 Free Spins + £30 Uber Eats Voucher 18+ New UK customers only. Min Stake: £5. Maximum Free Bet: £30. First bet on a Football, Horse Racing, Tennis, Cricket or Basketball multiple with 3+ selections. Overall odds: 3.00 (2/1) or higher. Free Bets available upon settlement of the qualifying bet. 100 Free Spins on More Unusual Suspects (£0.10 per spin) credited on settlement of qualifying Acca bet. No wagering requirements on free spin winnings. Earn a £30 Uber Eats Voucher on successful Acca qualification. Debit Card deposit only (exclusions apply). This offer is valid 7 days from the new account being registered. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad
Good to know:
Min. stake: £0.20
Max. withdrawal: £100,000,000
Min. deposit: £5
24/7 Customer Support:
Mobile-App:
Android
iOS
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|
Founded:
2003
UK Gambling Commission
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
Payment methods(10):
100% up to £50 Welcome Bonus 18+ 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; Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad
Good to know:
Min. stake: £0.10
Max. withdrawal: £50,000
Min. deposit: £10
24/7 Customer Support:
Mobile-App:
Android
iOS
|
|
Founded:
1997
UK Gambling Commission
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
Payment methods(7):
£20 Backup Bet 18+ New UK players only | Min deposit req. £10 | Certain deposit methods excluded | Place 1 sport bet (3+ selections) | Excl Horse Racing | Min stake £10 | Max stake £20 | Min Odds 2/1 (3.0) | Max FreeBet £20 for football only | FreeBet valid for 7 days | FreeBet stake not returned | Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad
Good to know:
Min. stake: £0.02
Max. withdrawal: £100,000,000
Min. deposit: £5
24/7 Customer Support:
Mobile-App:
Android
iOS
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What Is a System Bet?
A system bet can be seen as an upgrade on accumulator bets. You must place your stake on a minimum of three events; however, unlike with an accumulator, you do not need every selection to win. This is because a system bet takes different combinations of the legs you have chosen, creating several ‘smaller bets’ within the bet slip.
Even if you do not make a profit, you may still win a considerable percentage of your stake back; unlike what happens with an accumulator, which automatically voids your entire bet slip if one of the bets is unsuccessful. System betting allows you to bet on up to eight events at a time (some betting sites allow even more).
In the next few sections of this article, we include a practical example, as well as an explanation on each type of system bet.
How Does a System Bet Work?
Here are the steps to placing a system bet:
Select a number of multiple events, which is pegged at a minimum of three.
The bets must be from separate sports events, up to a maximum of eight (or, in some cases, nine).
Finally, click on the system tab at the top of the bet slip.
To show you how system bets work, we've selected below the simplest form as an example: the Trixie.
System Bet Example
First, select the three events that you want to wager on for the Trixie bet.
For this example, we went with three matches from the Premier League. When placing system bets on football, bets should ideally be chosen from a single game week. If you fancy victories for Arsenal (odds 6/5), Manchester United (odds 3/2), and Chelsea (odds 9/10), the system gives you all the possible two-bet combinations and three betting series.
Assuming the matches have been played, and both Arsenal and Manchester United win but Chelsea loses, the results from the three individual bets will result in the following outcome. If you wager £10 on the system bet, which would amount to a total stake of £40 (stake x number of bets), the winnings would be £55 (6/5 × 3/2 × 10). There will be a profit of £15 when you subtract the total amount wagered (£40) on the system bet from the winnings.
While all other betting systems work the same way, they vary depending on the odds available and the number of legs chosen. With this example, however, you'll have discovered that system bets are just a way of making the most of your stake.
See another relevant example below.
Betting Systems Overview
There are various types of system bets to choose from — let's take a look at how they work.
System Bet 2/3
This is a kind of stake that enables you to triumph even if one of your guesses is incorrect. First, you pick three independent wagers. The system bet makes every possible combination of two out of the three wagers. Therefore, with three initial punts, you practically lay three separate two-way parlay bets.
Essentially, you're allowing yourself some leeway. To successfully cash the wager, only two out of the three have to be correct.
System Bet 2/4
This one operates like a system bet 2/3, except with four starting selections rather than three. Once you select four specific events (wagers), the system bet generates every conceivable combination of two out of the four picks. This corresponds to six two-way parlay plays.
It also allows you a degree of freedom, since you’ll win the wager if at least two of your first four guesses are correct.
System Bet 3/4
A 3/4 system bet is comparable to the previous two examples above; however, you stake on four events first. You’re going to pick those four games to wager on. The system bet then generates every possible pairing of three of the four picks. This produces four three-way parlay plays.
At least three of your four guesses must be right to win the bet.
System Bet 3/5
A 3/5 system bet can be viewed as a multiple-chance mixture of five outcomes. Select five separate wagers you believe will transpire. The system bet will manufacture ten three-way parlays, encompassing every potential way to choose three of those five options.
To win, you simply have to hit no less than three of your selections.
System Bet With Banks
A system bet with banks is a type of system betting technique in which one or more "secure" bets are included in your entire stake. It involves picking a wager you think is extremely likely to succeed. This is known as your “bank”, and will be incorporated into all system bet combinations.
Alongside your bank bet, you can make extra bets. These could be riskier investments that you still trust in, but possess less confidence than your bank. The system bet subsequently creates every possible combo of your other choices, just like a typical system bet. The main distinction is that your bank choice is incorporated in every grouping.
It’s important to remember that no matter how favored a team is, it isn’t guaranteed to win — meaning no bank is completely safe.
Types of System Bets
System bets aren't only limited to betting combinations. There's a whole range of options, each larger than the last. To help broaden your understanding, we explain what each of them entails below.
Double Bet
The double bet is an easy one. As you might have guessed, it's a combination of two different selections in a single wager, both of which must win for you to get a return. Available for all sports, this is another popular bet type because of its potential for larger returns.
Treble Bet
A treble bet is essentially an accumulator made from the combination of three different selections. It follows the same principle as the double bet, but this wager type consists of three events instead of two. All of the selections have to win to get a payout.
For instance, if you fancy a Liverpool, Everton, and Wolves win, all three teams would have to win their respective games for you to win your bet.
Trixie Bet
The Trixie bet is our first system bet — it’s a three-selection bet consisting of four bets, namely one treble and three doubles combined from the three separate events.
We suggest starting your system betting journey with a Trixie as it is relatively simple and will give you a good understanding of what’s to come.
Patent Bet
A patent bet is a method where seven bets are placed on three events. It's used to cover all possible outcomes (including singles) — thus, you'll land some winnings even if only a single leg is won.
Yankee Bet
Conceived in the United States, the Yankee bet is made up of 11 combinations from four events. These combinations comprise six doubles, four trebles, and a final accumulator with all four legs.
Lucky 15
The Lucky 15 bet functions in much the same way as a Yankee bet. The key difference is that four single bets are added, giving you a better chance of making a profit or at least recouping some of your original stake.
Canadian Bet
Sometimes referred to as a Super Yankee bet since it's considered an upgrade on the Yankee bet, in a Canadian bet, there are 26 bets on five events. This wager type consists of 10 double bets, 10 trebles, five four-fold, and a five-fold accumulator bet.
Alphabet Bet
The Alphabet bet, is made up of 26 bets from six separate events. There are two patents (which contribute 14 bets), one Yankee (11 bets), plus a six-fold accumulator (one bet).
Don’t forget that, as systems get bigger, so do the stakes. So, if you're looking to place a stake of £1 on an alphabet bet, you would end up with a total stake of £26. This is because the stake is multiplied by the number of bets to cover all 26 bets.
Lucky 31 Bet
A Lucky 31 bet is made up of selections from five different events. As the name suggests, it consists of 31 bets, including five singles, 10 doubles, 10 trebles, five four-fold accas, and one five-fold accumulator. A win on any of the selections guarantees you a return on your bet.
It's not too different to a Canadian bet, with the only variation being that the Canadian bet includes five singles.
Heinz Bet
The Heinz bet is made up of 57 bets across six events. It includes 15 doubles, 20 trebles, 15 four-folds, six five-folds, and one six-fold.
With this bet type, remember that if you place a £1 bet, it will be multiplied by 57, adding up to a total stake of £57.
Lucky 63 Bet
The Lucky 63 bet is very similar to a Heinz bet, with the main difference being that Lucky 63 is a complete coverage bet, including singles. This six-selection wager consists of six singles, 15 doubles, 20 trebles, 15 four-folds, six five-folds, and one six-fold.
Super Heinz Bet
A Super Heinz bet comprises 120 bets across seven selections. There are 21 doubles, 35 trebles, 35 four-fold accumulators, 21 five-fold accumulators, seven six-fold accumulators, and one seven-fold accumulator.
Goliath Bet
This is one of the more complicated wager types. As the name 'Goliath' implies, the numbers here are quite staggering, consisting of 247 possible combined bets from eight events. These are 56 trebles, 70 four-folds, 56 five-folds, 28 six-folds, eight seven-folds, and one eight-fold.
It's possible to make a huge return with a small stake using this system. While this sounds like a very appealing proposition, be wary, as every line requires a stake. Even at £1, your total stake will cost you £247.
UNION JACK BET
The Union Jack bet is a cracking system bet that sets up 9 selections in a 3×3 grid, creating 8 trebles across horizontal, vertical, and diagonal lines. It’s a savvy alternative to an acca, giving you multiple shots at a win — even if not all your picks land.
With just 8 bets, it keeps things simple while offering solid returns. Fancy more coverage? Variations like Union Jack Trixie (32 bets) or Union Jack Patent (56 bets) ramp up the potential. It's perfect for football, horse racing, and more, it’s a low-risk, high-reward bet that lets you spread your chances smartly.
How To Win With System Bets
So, how do you put each system bet into practice? The table below shows how many corrects bets you need to predict correctly within a system bet to ensure you make a profit. The last column displays your potential winnings if you manage to get all your bets correct.
For the sake of the below examples, the odds for all events were set at 18/10 and the stake was set at £2 per bet.
| System | events to break even or make profit | stake | if all are correct | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Double bet | |||||
| Treble bet | |||||
| Trixie bet | |||||
| Patent bet | |||||
| Yankee bet | |||||
| Lucky 15 | |||||
| Canadian bet | |||||
| Alphabet bet | |||||
| Lucky 31 | |||||
| Heinz bet | |||||
| Lucky 63 | |||||
| Super Heinze bet | |||||
| Goliath bet |
Our Favorite Bookie for Placing System Bets
10bet is an excellent bookmaker for placing system bets. As you can see in the screenshot above, it allows you to click on “system” after making your selections. It shows you the potential payouts with the option to turn bankers on or off. Plus, it showcases the different kinds of bets such as treble, doubles, trixie, or patent, and features the total stake and possible returns for each.
The other four operators mentioned in this article are also great for placing system bets with.
What Is a System Bet in Horse Racing?
A system bet in horse racing is a strategy that permits you to cash in regardless of whether one of your selected horses (or more, based on the specific system bet) does not prevail. It operates by generating many smaller parlay bets dependent on your original choices.
Here's an example. You select a particular amount of horses in various races (it can be three to five) — these are your initial options. The system bet then calculates every possible set of winning picks.
What's the Difference Between a System Bet & a Parlay?
In a parlay, every single leg must be correct in order to win the bet, whereas in a system bet (depending on which one you choose), not every leg has to win for you to cash in. Parlay bets can have high payouts, but pose a risk since they are generally harder to hit.
Top 4 System Bet Strategies
For a new punter, the thought of having to learn or fashion a strategy for system bets (or full cover bets) can be intimidating. Fret not! We explain the most popular system betting strategies below:
1. The X-Factor Strategy
Predicated on the draw forecast in football, this strategy can be highly effective, as the odds of a draw in football never fall below 2/1. All you have to do is look for matches that will most likely end in an equal score. With the individual odds being relatively high, there’s a higher chance of you making a positive gain if a small number of your selections fail to land.
2. The Each-Way Strategy
We recommend employing this strategy for smaller bets like the Trixie (three doubles and a treble). It’s also available for each-way betting, meaning you can make each-way full cover bets. However, the number of wagers will be doubled.
3. The High-Risk Strategy
This strategy is a risky one as it involves including some underdogs in your selection — this would add some high odds into the mix. Due to this, we advise that you focus on events where upsets happen regularly. It's always good to take the usual favorites into account, but a few risky selections could return considerable winnings should they be successful.
4. When To Use a System Bet
While there are no restrictions on when to use system bets, they're often used by bettors in markets with extremely high odds, such as those for popular sports on the best betting sites for football, horse racing, and tennis. Additionally, it's always advisable to select favorites with high odds in order to maximise the margin of profit.
Advantages & Disadvantages of System Bets
- A higher winning percentage
- Various betting types to suit different betting styles
- Higher maximum limits than other bet types
- Many different betting strategies can be adopted
- Winnings still possible even if you get one of the bets wrong
- An extensive wagering budget is required
- Not suitable for new bettors due to the complexity involved
- Welcome bonus can't be used to wager in most cases
Popular Sports for System Bets
There isn’t a clear-cut sport that is best for system bets. They can be useful for a number of sports, such as soccer, tennis, football, basketball, cricket, or horse racing. What’s important is to use the system with sports and bet types you’re extremely knowledgeable about. It’s also vital to use odds for each leg that you deem valuable.
Useful Tools for System Bets
If you aren't an experienced punter, it's understandable that you'll find the whole concept of system bets challenging. However, there are tools online you can use to help you plan your wagers.
System bet calculators are particularly handy in this regard to help you determine how much return you could win, so you’ll have an idea whether placing a wager is worth it or not. In fact, we have an extensive list of system bet calculators of our own to help you work out your combinations. With these at hand, you won't have to worry about what bets to combine and when to do so.
Don't forget about our odds converter tool, which is particularly useful if you don't have a solid understanding of how odds work, given that there are different odd systems. With this, you can convert from one odd type to another.
ThePuntersPage Final Say
System bets are an attractive proposition if you're looking to maximise your stake. Although they may seem a little confusing in the beginning, it's just a matter of understanding how they work and gaining more experience. Don’t hesitate to try them out as another alternative to spice up your betting experience!
System Bets FAQs
The best betting sites for system bets are included in this article, and include bet365, BetVictor, 10bet, bwin, and Betway.
You can combine as many sports as you want! However, if you’re looking to place each-way bets, only a few sports allow this.
No, they’re not. ‘Full cover bet’ is just another term for a system bet.
No system bet can guarantee winnings. Results are totally dependent on the outcomes and odds of whatever you wager on.
Since they are a little more complicated than other types, system bets are recommended for experienced bettors.
There are no restrictions with system bets, but we recommend trying them out on football at first.
Yes, you can. Our recommended betting sites listed above all have excellent mobile platforms.
Despite them sounding the same, they have two different definitions. Bet systems are strategies for wagering involving various techniques such as the Kelly Criterion. On the other hand, system bets are considered a type of bet with at least three legs, where one can potentially lose.