Round Robin Meaning: How Round Robin Bets Work

A round robin turns a handful of selections into a bundle of smaller multis, so one bad leg doesn't automatically sink the lot.

Four legs in a straight multi means one loser and you're done, which is exactly the problem a round robin is built to get around.

Instead of putting everything on a single all-or-nothing multi, a round robin splits your selections into every possible doubles, trebles and bigger combination, each one its own bet.

The catch is that every one of those combinations costs a stake, so the coverage comes with a bigger total outlay. Here's how it all fits together, plus the other round robin you'll hear about in sport.

Round Robin Meaning in Betting

In betting, a round robin is a group of multis built from the same pool of selections. Pick three teams and a round robin can give you all three doubles (A and B, A and C, B and C) alongside the treble (A, B and C), with each combination settled on its own.

The term gets used two slightly different ways. In the UK it's a specific bet on three selections made up of ten bets, while in the US it's a looser label for any set of parlays built from a list of picks, usually described as "by 2s" or "by 3s".

In Australia the same idea usually turns up as combo multis, and you may also come across the old British names like Trixie and Yankee, which are simply round robins of a fixed size.

How a Round Robin Bet Works

Every combination in a round robin is its own bet with its own unit stake. When results come in, each combination is settled separately, so a double can win even if the treble it sits beside goes down.

The Three Selection Round Robin

Take three NBA teams you fancy on the head to head. Covering every double and the treble gives you four bets:

• Team A and Team B double
• Team A and Team C double
• Team B and Team C double
• Team A, Team B and Team C treble

If all three win, all four bets land. If two of the three win, one double pays and the other three bets lose, which means the return may or may not cover the outlay depending on the prices involved. If only one wins, nothing pays at all.

The strict UK version adds an "up and down" bet (known as a single stakes about) on each of the three pairs, and because each of those counts as two bets, it takes the total to ten.

Those are rarely seen outside British racing, so most punters treat the four-bet version above, known as a Trixie, as the everyday round robin.

Round Robins by 2s and by 3s

The US style lets you choose the size of the multis. Four selections "by 2s" gives you six doubles, while the same four "by 3s" gives you four trebles. You're not obliged to include every size, which keeps the bet count down if you only want doubles.

Round Robin Bet Types by Number of Selections

The traditional full cover bets are round robins with set names. The number of bets climbs quickly as you add legs:

• Trixie (3 selections): 3 doubles and 1 treble, 4 bets
• Patent (3 selections): A Trixie plus 3 singles, 7 bets
• Yankee (4 selections): 6 doubles, 4 trebles and 1 four-leg multi, 11 bets
• Lucky 15 (4 selections): A Yankee plus 4 singles, 15 bets
• Canadian or Super Yankee (5 selections): 10 doubles, 10 trebles, 5 four-leg multis and 1 five-leg multi, 26 bets
• Lucky 31 (5 selections): A Canadian plus 5 singles, 31 bets
• Heinz (6 selections): every combination from doubles up to the six-leg multi, 57 bets

The ones with singles included (Patent and the Lucky bets) mean a lone winner still returns something, although a single winning leg rarely covers the full outlay.

Working Out the Total Outlay on a Round Robin

This is where plenty of punters get caught out. The stake you enter is usually per combination, so the total cost is the unit stake multiplied by the number of bets.

• A Trixie at a $2 unit stake is 4 bets, so $8 all up
• A Yankee at a $1 unit stake is 11 bets, so $11 all up
• A Lucky 31 at a $1 unit stake is 31 bets, so $31 all up

Compare that with a single four-leg multi at $1, which costs exactly $1. The round robin gives you more ways to collect, but it costs more to get on, and each individual double or treble pays less than the big multi would if everything salutes. Set your budget around the total outlay rather than the unit stake.

Round Robin Pros and Limits

The main appeal is coverage. One loser in a straight multi ends the bet, while a round robin keeps the combinations without that leg alive.

It also suits punters who like a group of selections but aren't sure which one might slip up, which is common with a weekend of NBA or a Saturday card at the races.

The limits are just as real. More bets means a bigger outlay, and if only a couple of legs win the returns can fall short of what you put in. The combinations also share the same selections, so a bad read on the overall slate hurts every bet at once.

A round robin spreads your money across more outcomes, but it doesn't make the result any more predictable, so it pays to treat it as a different shape of bet rather than a safer one.

Placing Combo Multis at Sportsbet

At Sportsbet, combination bets built from a group of selections sit under the exotic and combo multis covered in the help centre.

You add your selections to the bet slip as you would for a normal multi, then choose the combinations you want, and it's worth checking the number of bets and total outlay on the bet slip before you confirm.

If you're new to how legs combine in the first place, the help centre's guide to single, multi and same game multi basics is the place to start before stacking up a bigger set of combinations.

Round Robin Meaning in Sport

Outside betting, a round robin is a competition format where every team or player meets every other entrant in their group. Results go on a ladder or table, and the top finishers usually progress to knockout rounds.

You'll see it in the World Cup group stage, where each nation plays the other three in its group, and at the ATP Finals, where the eight qualifiers are split into two groups of four before the semi finals.

Plenty of local cricket, tennis and pickleball competitions run the same way, since it guarantees everyone a fair number of matches.

The naming overlap with betting isn't a coincidence either, because both versions are about every member of a group being paired with every other.

Round Robin FAQs

How many bets are in a round robin?

It depends on the number of selections and which combinations you include. Three selections covering doubles and the treble is four bets, while four selections covering everything from doubles up is 11 bets.

Do all my selections need to win?

No. Each combination is settled on its own, so you can collect on a double even if other legs lose. You still need at least two winners for a doubles combination to pay.

Is the stake for the whole bet or each combination?

Generally each combination, so the total cost is your unit stake multiplied by the number of bets. Always check the total outlay on the bet slip before confirming.

Can I mix sports in a round robin?

Combo multis can generally be built across different events, but the legs usually need to be separate events rather than related outcomes in the same game. Check the bet slip for any restrictions on your selections.