What Is a Round Robin Bet? How It Works, How to Calculate Returns, and Examples
Last updated: April 2026
A round robin bet generates all possible accumulators of a chosen size from a group of selections. Instead of picking one specific combination, you cover every combination — systematic coverage that gives you returns from any subset of winners. If you've ever wanted to know how to work out a round robin bet or how many bets are in a round robin, this guide covers the concept, the maths, and when a round robin beats a named bet like a Yankee or Heinz.
Try the Round Robin Calculator → Work out your returns instantly with our free round robin calculator.
How does a round robin bet work?
Choose your selections and pick a combination size — doubles, trebles, or larger. The round robin creates every possible accumulator of that size from your selections.
Example: 4 selections into doubles
You pick 4 horses. A round robin into doubles generates every possible pair:
| Bet | Selections |
|---|---|
| 1 | A + B |
| 2 | A + C |
| 3 | A + D |
| 4 | B + C |
| 5 | B + D |
| 6 | C + D |
| Total | 6 doubles |
If any 2 of your 4 selections win, at least 1 double pays out.
Bets in a round robin — the full reference table
The number of bets follows the mathematical combination formula ("N choose K"):
| Selections | Into Doubles | Into Trebles | Into Four-folds | Into Five-folds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — |
| 4 | 6 | 4 | 1 | — |
| 5 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 1 |
| 6 | 15 | 20 | 15 | 6 |
| 7 | 21 | 35 | 35 | 21 |
| 8 | 28 | 56 | 70 | 56 |
| 10 | 45 | 120 | 210 | 252 |
The numbers grow fast. A round robin of 8 selections into four-folds is 70 bets — £70 at £1 per unit. Understanding the table matters before you place: the cost can surprise you.
Round robin worked example
Five Saturday afternoon horse racing picks:
| Selection | Horse | Odds | Race |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Northern Star | 4/1 (5.00) | 2:00 |
| B | Silver Bridge | 3/1 (4.00) | 2:35 |
| C | Storm Chaser | 5/1 (6.00) | 3:10 |
| D | Dark Horizon | 7/2 (4.50) | 3:45 |
| E | Golden Mile | 4/1 (5.00) | 4:20 |
£1 round robin into doubles = 10 bets = £10 stake
All 5 win
All 10 doubles pay:
| Double | Odds | Returns |
|---|---|---|
| A+B | 5×4 = 20 | £20.00 |
| A+C | 5×6 = 30 | £30.00 |
| A+D | 5×4.5 = 22.5 | £22.50 |
| A+E | 5×5 = 25 | £25.00 |
| B+C | 4×6 = 24 | £24.00 |
| B+D | 4×4.5 = 18 | £18.00 |
| B+E | 4×5 = 20 | £20.00 |
| C+D | 6×4.5 = 27 | £27.00 |
| C+E | 6×5 = 30 | £30.00 |
| D+E | 4.5×5 = 22.5 | £22.50 |
| Total | £239.00 |
Profit: £229.00 on a £10 stake.
3 of 5 win (A, B, C)
3 winning doubles: AB (£20), AC (£30), BC (£24) = £74.00. Profit: £64.00.
2 of 5 win (A and C)
1 winning double: AC = £30.00. Profit: £20.00.
Our round robin calculator handles any number of selections and combination sizes.
How to work out a round robin bet
Step 1: Count the bets
Use the combination formula or the reference table. For N selections into groups of K:
Number of bets = N! / (K! × (N−K)!)
5 selections into doubles: 5! / (2! × 3!) = 120 / (2 × 6) = 10 bets
Step 2: Calculate each winning bet
For each winning combination, multiply the decimal odds together, then by your stake:
Bet return = stake × odds_1 × odds_2 × ... × odds_K
How to calculate a round robin bet quickly
You don't need to calculate all combinations by hand. Identify which selections won, count the winning combinations (using the formula), and calculate only those. With 4 winners from 6 selections in doubles, you have 4-choose-2 = 6 winning doubles. Calculate those 6, ignore the rest.
Round robin vs named bets
Every named full-cover bet is essentially a pre-packaged round robin:
| Named Bet | What It Really Is | Bets |
|---|---|---|
| Yankee | 4 selections: doubles + trebles + four-fold | 11 |
| Canadian | 5 selections: doubles through five-fold | 26 |
| Heinz | 6 selections: doubles through six-fold | 57 |
A Yankee is a round robin of 4 selections across all combination sizes (2, 3, and 4). A round robin gives you flexibility to choose specific sizes — maybe you only want doubles from 6 selections (15 bets at £15) instead of a full Heinz (57 bets at £57).
The advantage of round robins: you control the cost by choosing the combination size. A full Heinz is £57, but a round robin of the same 6 selections into doubles only is £15. You decide how much coverage you want.
When to use a round robin
Large fields in horse racing
You've studied an 8-race card and have picks in every race, but you're not equally confident in all 8. A round robin into doubles (28 bets) costs £28 and pays from any 2 winners — much more targeted than a Goliath (247 bets at £247).
Football fixture lists
A Saturday with 10 Premier League matches. You fancy 6 results but a full Heinz is £57. A round robin of 6 into trebles is 20 bets (£20) — cheaper and you still get paid when any 3 land.
When you want to control cost
The biggest advantage of round robins over named bets is cost control. You choose the combination size, which determines the number of bets. More combinations = more coverage = higher cost. Fewer combinations = less coverage = lower cost. You find the level that matches your budget, and our bankroll management guide covers how to set that budget sustainably.
The UK betting context
Round robins are one of the most popular multi-bet formats in UK horse racing — particularly at major festivals where bettors have 6-8 selections across a full card. According to our UK gambling statistics, horse racing accounts for a significant share of UK betting turnover, and combination bets like round robins make up a large portion of racing bets.
The maths — returns by combination size
Using 5 selections all at 4/1 (5.00), £1 per unit:
| Combination Size | Bets | Cost | 2 Winners | 3 Winners | 5 Winners |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doubles | 10 | £10 | +£15 (1 double) | +£65 (3 doubles) | +£239 |
| Trebles | 10 | £10 | −£10 (0 trebles) | +£115 (1 treble) | +£3,115 |
| Four-folds | 5 | £5 | −£5 | −£5 | +£3,120 |
| All (Canadian) | 26 | £26 | −£1 | +£169 | +£6,474 |
Doubles provide the earliest returns — 2 winners is enough. Trebles need 3. Four-folds need 4. Higher combination sizes produce bigger returns but require more winners.
Frequently asked questions
Written by
David Burke
David is a gambling industry analyst and poker player based between London, Spain, and Malta. He has spent over a decade observing the European betting and casino landscape, with particular expertise in odds, probability, game strategy, and how the bookmaking industry works. At WiseStaker, David writes guides on bet types, game rules, and the mathematics behind gambling.
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