What Does ‘Trixie’ Mean in Sports Betting?
A Trixie is a popular type of “cover bet” used in sports betting, most commonly in horse racing and football. It is a wager that involves three selections in different events, which are combined to make four separate bets.
The core idea of a Trixie is to provide some insurance. Unlike a standard 3-leg parlay (or accumulator) where all three selections must win, a Trixie gives you a payout even if only two of your selections are correct.
How a Trixie Bet Works
When you place a Trixie, your stake is split equally across four bets:
- 3x Doubles (Bet 1: Selections A+B, Bet 2: Selections A+C, Bet 3: Selections B+C)
- 1x Treble (Bet 4: Selections A+B+C)
Because it’s four bets in one, your total stake is four times your unit stake. For example, a “£1 Trixie” would cost a total of £4 (£1 for each of the four bets).
Trixie Bet Example (Football)
Let’s say you’ve made three selections for the weekend’s football matches:
- Selection A: Manchester United to win
- Selection B: Liverpool to win
- Selection C: Arsenal to win
You place a £1 Trixie, costing you £4. Here are your four bets and the possible outcomes:
- Double: Man United (A) + Liverpool (B)
- Double: Man United (A) + Arsenal (C)
- Double: Liverpool (B) + Arsenal (C)
- Treble: Man United (A) + Liverpool (B) + Arsenal (C)
How You Get Paid:
- If 0 or 1 selection wins: All four of your bets lose. You lose your £4 stake.
- If 2 selections win (e.g., A and B): You get a return!
- Bet 1 (Double A+B) WINS.
- Bet 2 (Double A+C) loses.
- Bet 3 (Double B+C) loses.
- Bet 4 (Treble A+B+C) loses.
- You are paid out on the one winning double. Depending on the odds, this may or may not cover your initial £4 stake, but it’s a better outcome than losing everything.
- If all 3 selections win: This is the best-case scenario. All four of your bets are winners!
- Bet 1 (Double A+B) WINS.
- Bet 2 (Double A+C) WINS.
- Bet 3 (Double B+C) WINS.
- Bet 4 (Treble A+B+C) WINS.
- You receive a significant payout from all four bets.
Trixie vs. Patent Bet: What’s the Difference?
A Trixie is often confused with a Patent bet. The only difference is that a Patent also includes three single bets.
- Trixie (3 Selections): 4 bets total (3 doubles, 1 treble). You need at least 2 winners to get a return.
- Patent (3 Selections): 7 bets total (3 singles, 3 doubles, 1 treble). You need only 1 winner to get a return (from the single bet).