What is a Yankee bet? - Betting Types Explained

What is a Yankee Bet?

Yankee bets consist of 11 wagers – six doubles, four trebles, and one four-fold accumulator – on four market selections. To receive a return, bettors must make at least two correct selections. Backing two correct outcomes out of four is enough to win one of six doubles markets.

This contrasts with traditional accumulator markets, where bettors are required to win each leg of their bet to yield a return.

However, Yankee bets only become lucrative when punters make three of four correct selections. Users place equal stakes on each of their 11 wagers, so losing multiple bets can incur considerable costs.

Those who back three selections correctly win four bets, while those who win every leg of their Yankee bet win all 11 bets.

Backing four winners and receiving payouts on 11 bets is challenging. Our guide delivers the strategies that experts use to win Yankee bets.

Understand Yankee Betting with Real Examples

The combo option is available with most major British bookmakers, and is particularly popular on horse racing events.

Bettors can place Yankee wagers on numerous sports, including tennis, rugby, cricket, and, of course, football.

Four selections can be made from different events, leagues, or sports. However, bettors who select all their picks from a sport or league they’re familiar with tend to do better.

A bettor adamant on winning four out of four selections might back Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, and Arsenal to beat lower-ranked opposition in the same matchweek.

If the Premier League-dominating quartet is victorious, the user wins all 11 bets.

If Manchester City falls to an unlikely defeat, the bet won’t be ruined. The punter still wins the following bets:

• 1 Treble: Liverpool, Arsenal, and Chelsea
• 3 Doubles: Liverpool and Arsenal; Liverpool and Chelsea; Arsenal and Chelsea

If Arsenal also lose, the bettor still receives a payout on their Liverpool & Chelsea double selection.

Selecting one of four outcomes correctly isn’t enough to secure a return. In this scenario, the bettor loses all 11 bets.

That mix of risk and reward is why Yankees are so popular — they give punters more chances to win than traditional accumulators.

Different Types of Yankee Bets Explained

Given the popularity of alternative accumulator options, major British bookmakers offer a plethora of options that allow bettors to place multiple bets on a handful of market selections.

These are some of the most well-known and lucrative accumulator alternatives.

• Lucky 31: A Lucky 31 is a 31-bet wager on five selections, including singles, doubles, trebles, four-folds, and a five-fold accumulator.
• Heinz: A Heinz is a 57-bet wager on six selections, covering all doubles, trebles, four-folds, five-folds, and the six-fold accumulator.
• Patent: A Patent is a 7-bet wager on three selections, featuring three singles, three doubles, and a treble.
• Trixie: A Trixie is a 4-bet on three selections, covering three doubles and a treble.

While the opportunities to receive large payouts are alluring, it must be emphasised that all accumulator alternatives can be costly.

While accumulators feature a single stake that covers all selections, those who bet on Yankee, Lucky 31, Heinz, and Trixie markets must place between 4 and 57 equal bets, depending on the market.

Yankee Betting Strategies

Strategic bettors often place lower totals per bet, often ranging from £0.20 to £1, to manage the potentially high costs of placing 11 equal stakes.

More risk-averse bettors can place stakes as low as £0.05 with the British sportsbook, BetVictor.

Preventing substantial losses is sensible, but learning how to win – not just how to avoid failure – is exhilarating. These are the techniques used by Yankee betting experts to succeed on the combo options. 

Back a variety of outcomes: It might seem tempting to back Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Chelsea to all beat lesser opposition in a Yankee bet – but will it really secure considerable returns? Adding a selection with higher odds alongside three favourites can solve this problem.

Make sure selections are researched: However, speculatively selecting a higher odds pick, like Sunderland to beat a heavyweight, is inadvisable, unless prior research has been made. Head-to-head records, line-ups, form guides, and underlying game data can reveal unexpected trends that make certain picks good value.

Aim to win all four picks: Despite adding in an underdog or two, the intention of Yankee betting should be to win each leg of the wager. Winning two selections is unlikely to secure returns that will cover the initial stake. Three correct selections can be valuable, but the real winnings are found when outcomes are backed correctly.

What is a Yankee Bet FAQs

What is a Yankee bet?

A Yankee is an 11-bet wager on four selections, covering all doubles, trebles, and a four-fold.

How many selections do you need to win to win a Yankee?

At least two selections must win for a Yankee bet to return anything.

How much does a Yankee bet cost?

The total cost is 11 times your unit stake, since each of the 11 bets carries an equal stake.