What is a Round Robin Bet? Round Robin Bets Explained

If you want to place a multiple bet on three selections that offers comprehensive coverage and built-in insurance, the Round Robin is an excellent choice. So, what is a round robin bet? It is a specialized multiple bet consisting of three selections combined into 10 individual bets.

A Round Robin essentially takes a standard Trixie bet (which covers doubles and a treble) and bolts on three Up-And-Down Single Stakes About (SSA) pairs. Because of these 'Any To Come' SSA pairs, you only need one of your three selections to win in order to generate a return, providing a fantastic safety net.

As a Round Robin consists of 10 intersecting bets, working out your potential profit manually can be a mathematical headache, particularly when dealing with fractional odds or each-way places. To completely eliminate the guesswork, you can use the free AceOdds Round Robin Bet Calculator to instantly and accurately work out your potential returns based on your stakes and odds.

How Round Robin Bets Work

With round robin bets explained by their individual parts, the structure becomes much easier to understand. As you are placing 10 individual bets on a single slip, your base unit stake is multiplied by 10. For example, if you place a £2 unit stake Round Robin, your total outlay will be £20.

The 10 bets that make up a Round Robin are distributed as follows:

• 3 Doubles
• 1 Treble
• 3 Single Stakes About (SSA) Pairs (Each pair consists of 2 bets, meaning 6 bets in total).

In an Up-And-Down SSA pair, if your first selection is successful, your original unit stake is returned, and a new single bet of the exact same stake is automatically placed on the second selection in that pair. This cross-betting mechanic ensures that even if only a single selection wins its event, the SSA portion of the bet will earn a return though a single winner usually results in a net loss on your overall stake.

When to Use a Round Robin

The Round Robin is an advanced strategy, but it is highly effective in specific scenarios where you have three strong picks but want to guard against an unexpected upset.

• Horse Racing: This is the most common home for the Round Robin. Punters frequently use it when backing three horses at mid-to-high odds. The SSA pairs provide small consolation returns if only one horse runs well, while the doubles and trebles yield massive payouts if all three horses cross the finish line first.
• Football Betting: Advanced football bettors utilize Round Robins for high-odds markets, such as picking three matches to end in a Draw, or selecting three 'First Goalscorer' outcomes. The high odds justify the 10-unit stake, and landing just two selections usually results in a very healthy profit.

Round Robin Betting Examples

To clearly demonstrate the maths behind this bet, let's look at one of our practical round robin examples. Imagine you place a £1 unit stake Round Robin bet on three horses racing at Cheltenham.

As it is 10 bets, your total stake is £10. Two of your horses win, but one lets you down:

The Winning Returns Breakdown:

Horse C lost so, any double, treble, or SSA pair involving Horse C is a losing bet. However, because Horses A and B won, you generate a return from both the multiple component and the Up-And-Down component:

• The Winning Multiple Bet (1 Double):
  • Double (Horse A & Horse B): £1 × 3.00 × 4.00 = £12.00
• The Winning Up-And-Down Bet (1 SSA Pair):
  • Part 1 (A onto B): £1 on Horse A wins £3. £1 of that is automatically staked on Horse B, which wins £4. (£2 remaining from A + £4 won from B = £6.00)
  • Part 2 (B onto A): £1 on Horse B wins £4. £1 of that is automatically staked on Horse A, which wins £3. (£3 remaining from B + £3 won from A = £6.00)
  • Total SSA Return: £12.00

Total Return: £12.00 (Double) + £12.00 (SSA Pair) = £24.00 Total Return. You staked £10 in total, meaning landing two winners at those specific prices secured a £14 net profit.

How to Use the AceOdds Calculator for a Round Robin

Manually calculating returns for 10 overlapping bets is tedious, especially if you want to test out different stakes or factor in dead heats and non-runners. Using our digital tool is the fastest and most accurate approach.

How to calculate your Round Robin:

1. Navigate to the free AceOdds Bet Calculator.
2. Select Round Robin from the 'Bet Type' dropdown menu at the top of the interface.
3. Choose your preferred odds format (Fractional or Decimal) and enter your unit stake (the calculator will automatically multiply this by 10 for your total total outlay).
4. Enter the odds for your 3 selections.
5. Toggle the 'Outcome' buttons (Win, Lose, Place, Void) for each selection. You can simulate various scenarios to see exactly how your profit fluctuates if one or two selections fail to win.

How to Place a Round Robin Bet with bet365

Placing a Round Robin online is incredibly straightforward once you have made your selections. Here is a brief step-by-step guide on how to place this bet using bet365:

1. Log In: Open the bet365 app or website and log into your active account.
2. Make Your Picks: Navigate to your chosen sport and click on the odds to add exactly three selections to your bet slip.
3. Open Multiples: Open your bet slip and scroll to the bottom. Click or tap the 'Show More Multiples' link to reveal the advanced betting options.
4. Locate the Round Robin: Look through the expanded list for the box labelled Round Robin.
5. Enter Your Stake: Type your chosen unit stake into the Round Robin box. Make sure you check the total stake displayed at the bottom of the slip, as your unit stake will be multiplied by 10.
6. Confirm: Review your potential returns and click Place Bet to lock in your wager.