What is a Trixie in Betting? – The Trixie Bet Explained
Written by Dan Fitch
Updated: 05:30 am EST, 01/08/2024
A trixie is a type of combination bet that features three picks, which combine together to create four bets in total, consisting of three doubles and a treble. We’re going to fully explore the topic of what is a trixie in betting, so that you know everything needed to confidently place such a wager yourself.
How Does a Trixie Bet Work?
A trixie is a combination bet that features three selections and a total of four bets. These four bets break down as three doubles and one treble.
With four bets in total, your single betting unit stake will be multiplied by four. So a $1 trixie will cost you a total of $4.
Let’s give you an example to further illustrate the trixie bet meaning. Imagine our three picks are priced as as follows:
- Team A: +150
- Team B: -125
- Team C: +220
We place a $1 trixie, which is comprised of three $1 doubles and one $1 treble, creating a $4 total stake.
Say all three selections were successful. The three $1 doubles and the one $1 single would return the following sums.
Doubles
- Team A and Team B: +150 x -125 = $4.50 ($3.50 winnings + $1 stake)
- Team A and Team C: +150 x +220 = $8.00 ($7.00 winnings + $1 stake)
- Team B and Team C: -125 x +220 = $5.76 ($4.76 winnings + $1 stake)
Treble
- Team A, Team B and Team C: +150 x -125 x +220 = £14.40 (£13.40 winnings + $1 stake)
So a $1 trixie with this odds would cost you $4 and return a total of $32.60 ($28.60 winnings + $4 stake).
Let’s take a look at what the returns would be if only two of your picks win.
- Only Team A and Team B Win: $4.50 return – $4 stake = $0.50 profit
- Only Team A and Team C Win: $8.00 return – $4 stake = $3.00 profit
- Only Team B and Team C Win: $5.76 return – $4 stake = $1.76 profit
As you will noticed, when only two of the selections were successful, a profit was still made. You can hopefully see that if the odds were shorter, then it would be possible to make a loss if only two of the three picks were winners.
How to Place a Trixie Bet
Now that you have more of an idea of what is a trixie in betting, you may be wondering how you would go about placing one. Follow these step-by-step instructions to place your first trixie.
1. Choose a Sportsbook
Take a look at our rankings of recommended sportsbooks and choose the one that best fits your requirements.
2. Register Your Account
Once you have clicked through to your chosen sportsbook, there will be a button marked ‘join now’, ‘register’, or something similar. Click on this button and add your personal details to register your account.
3. Add Some Funds
With your account open, you will now need to add some money. Go to the banking section, choose your preferred payment method and the amount of money that you want to add to your account.
4. Make Your Picks
Now it’s time to pick the three selections that will form your trixie. Just click on the betting odds of the picks, as you come across the ones that you want to include in your bet.
5. Place the Trixie
The three selections will now be on your bet slip. With some sportsbooks there will be an option to place a trixie and you just have to enter the stake. Some others will instead have a space for you to enter your stake for the doubles and then the treble. Once your staking is decided, check that all the details are right and place the bet.
Most Popular Sports for Trixie Betting
Let’s take a look at some of the most popular sports on which you can make a trixie bet.
Horse Racing
If there’s one sport where a trixie is particularly popular, it’s horse racing. Even the horses which lead the betting tend to be available at reasonably chunky odds, so if you can get at least two winners, you’re likely to see a nice profit. In the UK, the each-way trixie is a popular choice, which sees each horse covered for both a win and a place, combining to make eight different bets.
NFL / Football
NFL and college football present plenty of opportunities for a trixie. Bet on the moneyline, or if you want bigger prices, go for one of the spreads. Then there are the various player props and totals markets. There are plenty of options that give you the chance of coming up with a profitable trixie, even if only two of your football picks are winners.
Soccer
Soccer is another sport where a trixie is a popular choice. Sportsbooks cover a huge amount of different markets for soccer games. Some, like the moneyline or over/under 2.5 goals, feature relatively short-priced selections, while other markets like first goalscorer or correct scores, feature big odds. With soccer, there is scope to play it safe, go for a big win, or mix it up.
NBA / Basketball
The NBA has an absolutely packed schedule, with a huge total of 1230 games taking place during each regular season. When you add the plethora of college basketball games and there various leagues and competitions from around the world, you will never run out of bets to include in your trixie. Basketball is a sport that is covered in great depth by sportsbooks, with the statistical elements creating the possibility of a large number of player prop bets.
Pros & Cons of the Trixie Bet Explained
Like most types of bets, there are pros and cons to a trixie. Here are the advantages and disadvantages, as we see them.
Pros:
- Win big if all three picks successful
- Can still turn profit with two winners
- Place small stakes trixie with high odds
- Brings interest to a number of sporting events
Cons:
- Get nothing if only one pick wins
- Can lose money with two winners if odds too low
- Need to balance prices with staking
Variants of the Trixie in Betting
We’re now going to go through some of the other combination bets that are available at sportsbooks.
As mentioned earlier, this bet includes the option of your pick placing, as well as winning. The win bets form one trixie, while the place bets form another trixie. This doubles the amount of bets, meaning that an each way trixie is eight times the unit stake.
A patent is basically a trixie but with singles included. So your three picks not only give you three doubles and a treble, but also three singles, bringing about a total of seven bets.
A yankee is a bet like a trixie, but with four picks. They create six doubles, four trebles and a four-way parlay, totalling 11 bets.
This is a yankee but with singles added. So there are four picks, which create four singles, six doubles, four trebles and a four-way parlay bet, totalling 15 bets.
If you want to pick five selections, a Canadian has you covered for 26 different bets, which break down as ten doubles, ten trebles, five four-way parlays and a five-way parlay.
Betting Strategy for Trixies
If you’re going to place a trixie off the back of reading this article, here are some strategies that you should keep in mind.
Balance Your Stake and Odds
If you’re going to put picks in your trixie with big odds, then make sure that the stake is relatively small, as there’s a high chance that you might not see a return. If the odds are smaller, ensure that they’re not so small that you’ll make a loss, even if two of your three picks wins. Betting the balance right between stake and odds, is a key component in making profits with combination bets like a trixie.
Include a Hot Favorite
With a trixie you are looking to get at least two of your picks right and preferably three. That is made easier if one of your selections is something of a certainty to win. Again, balance is key. Including an odd-on favorite that is likely to win, is a smart move when paired with underdogs at bigger odds. Picking one that one hot favorite might make the rewards, not worth the risk.
Be Prepared
Like most things in life, the harder you work when betting, the luckier you will get. If you hit the stats and research hard, then it will increase your chances of picking out a winning bet. Be disciplined with your staking so that any losses, won’t wipe out too much of your bankroll. After any trixie has been settled, record the results, including the details of the picks you made, so you can identify what made winning bets successful and learn from any mistakes.
Calculating Trixie Odds & Payouts
We’re reaching the end of our guide to what is a trixie in betting. Before we go, let’s show you how to calculate one.
It can be complicated when using the American odds. Far easier are decimal odds, which are more common in Europe.
Here’s an example. The odds of the three picks in our trixie are as follows.
- Pick A: 2.00 (+100)
- Pick B: 3.50 (+250)
- Pick C: 4.20 (+320)
These three picks form four bets. Let’s start with working out the three doubles. We’re going to place a $10 unit stake, making our total stake $40.
- Double 1 – Pick A and Pick B: $10 (Stake) x 2.00 (odds of Pick A) x 3.50 (odds of Pick B) = 7.00 = $70
- Double 2 – Pick A and Pick C: $10 (Stake) x 2.00 (odds of Pick A) x 4.20 (odds of Pick C) = 8.40 = $84
- Double 3 – Pick B and Pick C: $10 (Stake) x 3.50 (odds of Pick B) x 4.20 (odds of Pick C) = 14.7 = $147.00
Now let’s calculate the treble.
- Treble – Pick A, Pick B and Pick C: $10 (Stake) x 2.00 (odds of Pick A) x 3.50 (odds of Pick B) x 4.20 (odds of Pick C) = 29.4 = $294.00
All that is left to do is to add up the profits from the successful parts of the trixie.
- Double 1 ($70) + Double 2 ($84) + Double 3 ($147) + Treble ($294) = $595 Total Return ($540 profit – $40 stake)
What is a Trixie in Betting? – The Last Word
By now the trixie betting meaning has been well and truly explained. We hope that you have enjoyed this guide and now feel confident to place a trixie of your own.
Why not give it a try right now? Visit one of our recommended sportsbooks, pick out three selections and place your first trixie. Good luck!