How to Place a System Bet Updated for September 2025

Updated: 8th September 2025

Punters nowadays have a nearly endless choice of betting markets. They’re different in structure and the way you use them, with each type of bet having its advantages and disadvantages.

When mixed with an accumulator, a system bet offers quite the coverage on your bet.

They also have a higher winning percentage, and that’s exactly the reason why punters love them.

What is a System Bet?

By definition, a system bet is a combination of picks.

Place 3 or more selections on your slip at Betfred, and you automatically have a system bet.

Of course, the system varies depending on your selections.

While this sounds pretty close to accumulators, a system bet gives you a chance to win even if one of your selections fails.

Let’s take the minimum number of selections as a placeholder.

• You’ve just put 3 events on your bet slip, for example a pair of doubles and a treble.
• If all three selections win, you win the maximum amount. Even if one fails, you can win the other portion of your bet.

Of course, you don’t have to stick to only 3 selections. That’s the beauty of system bets.

Types of System Bets

Explanation of System Bet Variations

System bets like the Trixie and Yankee are popular for their ease of use.

A Trixie includes three selections, forming four bets: three doubles and a treble. All selections must be placed, but not all must win for a return.

A Yankee features four selections, making 11 bets: six doubles, four trebles, and a four-fold accumulator. Unlike an accumulator, not all must win for you to profit.

The Super Yankee, or Canadian, increases to five selections. These bets include 26 combinations, offering better chances if several selections come through.

There are various types of system bets called with different names depending on the number of selections.

Trixie is the simplest one and contains only 3 selections.

Then you have:

• Yankee
• Super Yankee
• Heinz
• Super Heinz
• Goliath
• Lucky 15
• Patent
• Alphabet

These system bets are a combination of more picks than the regular 3.

They work in the same way, but the more options you put on your slip, the higher your wager will be.

That’s because each line has a correlating stake, so you need to be mindful of your bets.

Risks and Rewards of System Bets

System bets come with both risks and rewards.

One common risk is overestimating potential returns, as not all must win for a payout. Betting more selections lowers the overall stake per line, but ups the initial investment.

The reward lies in having a chance when not every selection succeeds.

It offers an opportunity to win back a part of your bet, which can be a relief to punters.

How Does System Betting Work?

One of the most popular UK bookies at the moment, Betfred, gives players a chance to bet on highly popular markets and types of bets.

System bets are one of them.

It’s very easy to place your money on a system bet at Betfred, since the software does everything by itself.

Before you put your money on a system bet, you have to determine the number of events you want to bet on.

Take a close look at the markets and the odds, then add the selections to your slip.

Betbull’s software will instantly calculate the return as soon as you decide how much money to put on it.

Once you see the potential returns, you’ll know if the bet is worth it.

We suggest not going overboard with the bet – instead, put a reasonable cash amount and see if the returns work for you.

All that remains is to confirm the system bet and cross your fingers for the selections to win.

Even if one fails, you will still hit a solid return. Of course, you’re hoping that all your selections come through so you can collect a bigger win.

How to Calculate System Bet Winnings

Calculating system bet winnings starts with understanding the possible combinations.

Take, for example, a Trixie: it includes three doubles and one treble.

To find potential returns, multiply each selection's odds by your stake.

Then, add results for each winning combination. If one selection wins, you miss the treble but could get returns from the other bets.

Utilising a betting calculator can simplify the process, showing possible outcomes instantly.

Football System Bets

Football is one of the premier sports at Betbull. The popular betting site offers markets on the Premier League, Champions League, and all major and minor football competitions.

Once the leagues and tournaments are underway, you’re welcome to place your first system bet.

There are plenty of Betfred markets on offer, and creating a system bet at the site is a piece of cake.

To be honest, football is a perfect sport for system bets. The unpredictability of events and great odds make it a great choice for system bettors.

High odds can result in multiplied doubles and trebles, which are integral parts of a system.

Of course, you can also place system bets on other sports. Betfred also allows you to mix things up and put different sports markets on your slip.

By mixing sports with higher and lower odds, you’ll be able to optimize your profits.

Popular Sports for System Bets

Beyond football, system bets suit horse racing and tennis well.

These sports have varied outcomes and enticing odds. In horse racing, punters often use Heinz and Goliath systems to cover multiple races.

In tennis, unusual outcomes can lead to higher returns, especially in tournaments with unpredictable matches.

Having multiple bets increases your chance of getting winning lines, making system bets appealing for these sports too.

System Betting Strategies

Just like with any other type of sports bet, there’s no ideal winning strategy with system bets.

Betting is unpredictable, and there’s no formula that guarantees 100% returns. The best you can do is reading expert tips and predictions which are usually available on bookies’ blogs.

In order to optimize your profits, you will also need to use a strategy.

A strategy will help you get the most out of a system bet. Since you’re playing 3 or more selections, a Betfred system bet strategy will allow you to reap the rewards without breaking the bank.

One of the most popular strategies offers a high risk-high reward kind of approach to Betfred’s system bets. It means adding a few underdogs to the mix, which could elevate your profits nicely.

You need to choose a league or tournament where surprises are not unheard of, which will boost your odds and greatly increase returns.

Of course, it’s a much riskier approach than betting on the faves, but it minimizes risk while boosting profit.

Another strategy is to pick only draw selections with high odds, which is even riskier than the previously mentioned strategy. In this way, you’re guaranteed solid profits, although draws are the most random result.

The potential returns when using this strategy are pretty high, so even if one of the selections fails, you’re still guaranteed a solid profit.

Why Choose Betfred’s System Bets?

Betfred is one of the best UK betting sites online, offering a great number of markets with excellent odds and a decent Betfred free bet offer.

You can read our in-depth Betfred review to find out more.

Placing a system bet is a popular option at Betfred giving you a chance to win a nice amount of profit.

Since the bookie is known to offer sky-high odds on a variety of markets, it’s a good idea to try a system betting strategy.

System bets are not that complicated once you learn the basics. With a bit of luck, you can hit all the selections on your slip and bring back a dream of a return.

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