What Is a ‘Trio Bet’ in Sports Betting?

In some betting markets, particularly in Australian horse racing (e.g., via TAB), a Trio is a specific bet type.

1. What it is: You select three or more horses to finish in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in any order.
2. How it works: As long as your selected horses fill the top three spots, you win. This is a single bet.
3. Example: You place a Trio bet on horses #5, #8, and #2. You win if the final finishing order is 8-5-2, 5-2-8, 2-8-5, or any other combination of those three horses finishing in the top three.

This is different from a Boxed Trifecta, which also covers all combinations but is technically multiple separate bets combined onto one ticket. The Trio simplifies this into a single wager, often with a merged betting pool.

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Common Points of Confusion

The term “Trio” is often confused with several other bets involving the number three.

Trio vs. Trifecta

• Trio: Your three horses must finish 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in ANY order.
• Trifecta: You must predict the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishers in the EXACT order. This is a much more difficult bet to win but offers a significantly higher payout.

Trio vs. Triple Trio

• Trio: A bet on the top three finishers in a single race.
• Triple Trio: A complex “exotic” bet, popular in markets like Hong Kong, where you must pick the top three finishers (in any order) in three different, nominated races. This is an extremely difficult bet with a massive, often jackpot-sized, payout.

Trio vs. Treble (or 3-Leg Parlay)

• Trio: A bet on three outcomes within a single race.
• Treble: A multiple bet (also called a parlay or accumulator) that combines three selections from different events (e.g., three different soccer matches or horse races). To win a Treble, all three of your selections must be correct.

Trio vs. 3-Way Bet (1X2 Bet)

• Trio: A horse racing bet.
• 3-Way Bet: This is most common in sports like soccer or hockey. It is a single bet on one of three possible outcomes of a game (at the end of regulation time):
  • Team A wins
  • Team B wins
  • The game ends in a Draw (Tie)