The Yankee Bet in Horse Racing and Other Sports

Jamie Clark

Equine expert

Fact Checked by

Lee Astley

Updated: 9 August 2023

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A Yankee bet in horse racing is one of the popular combination and system wagers available to you based on four selections in different events put together. These are six doubles, four trebles and a fourfold accumulator all on the smae betslip. This is our expert guide to what is a Yankee bet in horse racing and other sports.

Once you have read this, you’ll not only know what’s a Yankee bet and how it compares to other similar wagers, but details of the Super Yankee too. Discover all you could ever possibly need to know about this topic. From the Yankee bet meaning to how the wager works, we reveal all.

What is a Yankee Bet?

A Yankee bet is where you wager on four selections in different events or races across 11 bets in total. In short, it’s one of the system and combination wagers like a trixie bet but with more an additional selection. This is what the official Yankee bet definition contains in clear bets:

When someone asks you what is Yankee bet all about, you have the answer now. We are also looking at this wager in more detail, so you fully understand how it works.

How Does a Yankee Bet Work?

This is how to work out a Yankee bet – with an illustrative example. All of the best betting sites in the UK should give you the option, and if not – you can easily make a combination bet on your own using the above specs. This is how to place a Yankee bet with Betfred, though:

First, find four horses that you want to back and include in this wager. Add these to the betslip just like our Yankee bet example as above. You will need to scroll down it and find this options from among the accumulator, system and combination wagers.

Where it says Yankee, enter your unit stake. In our example, we have put just £1 on. Should all legs win, then there return is over just £190 from an £11 total stake. Tick the each way box if you wish to go that way with the wager. Once you are happy with the Yankee, then place the bet and you’re on!

The Yankee Bet Explained

You may still be wondering how does a Yankee bet work in horse racing? Well, you can go each way with it but that doubles the total stake. Instead of 11 times the unit stake, you would put 22 bets on. That is how an each way bet works with Yankees – there is a win part to each double and treble and the fourfold accumulator but also separate place parts.

Just one double winning is enough for a return on any Yankee you place. A successful treble also means two doubles win. Three of the 11 bets comprising Yankees may even be enough for profit. Should all four selections win, then this wagers pays out the maximum return.

The table below shows all 11 combinations with the four selections that make up a straight horse racing Yankee wager:

What is a Yankee Bet in Horse Racing – Pros and Cons

Part of understanding what’s a Yankee bet involves looking at the wager from both sides. Any gamble has pluses and minuses. We’re not talking about the risk inherent in betting here but the mechanics of it. Yankees are no different to any other combination or system wager in this regard.

Getting your head around the pros and cons of the Yankee horse bet can only help matters. It may even make your mind up as to whether this wager is for you. We asked the SafeBettingSites experts for the main upsides and drawbacks of Yankees. This is the balanced approach we like to take on all gambling matters. See their conclusions for yourself below:

Yankee Bet Calculator

Help is at hand for Yankee bet horse racing wagers when it comes to figuring out what you stand to gain. Most of the UK bookies have tools that support wagering and aid you in understanding them. This allows you to input information relating to that wager and other combination and system bets:

The image above shows William Hill’s Yankee bet calculator in all its glory. Toggle between each way or win only Yankees, different betting odds formats and whether you look at the unit stake or total amount wagered. This Yankee calculator also has a neat Bet Breakdown on the right-hand side.

View returns and profit once you have  entered all the details and results. This sets a standard that other major players in the industry do well to follow. Everything is so clear that you’re left in doubt about how to work out a Yankee bet at all. Other bookies have similar bet calculators but this is best in class.

Yankee Bet Offers

There are some Yankee bet horse racing offers you should be aware of and even a deal that can be used on other sports. These could be to your advantage, so it is always worth having a second look in the offer section if  you are about to place a bet.

Have in mind that most of the offers are seasonal, and so will change at the drop of a hat so if you don’t find something today do come back just when Ascott or Cheltham starts off. And always check the terms and conditions to see that Yankee bet is not excluded from the offer.

What is a Yankee Bet in Football & Other Sports?

When it comes to what is a Yankee bet in football and other sports, the answer is the same as horse racing. Yankees work in just the same way as they do with horses but there may not be an each way option. The Yankee bet definition doesn’t change.  From top Premier League betting sites to Yankee bet football wagers on other competitions, the same applies to any sport.

We mean any sport too. From team events like cricket and rugby to the best tennis betting sites, the Yankee should be among your options. Sports where players compete as individuals are no different. Putting on a cross-sport Yankee with legs from different disciplines should also be available to you.

The Top 3 Yankee Bet Tips

Now that you know there’s more than just a Yankee horse bet in the offing, what about gambling strategy? Sound advice can be hard to find with so many so-called experts out there online. That is where we come in at SafeBettingSites. We asked our industry pros for their top three Yankee bet tips so you can read them below:

Each Way an Attractive Option

You know whats a Yankee bet by now, but there could be value in going each way. If each leg of the wager has odds over a certain threshold – 4/1 (5.00) where place terms are a quarter and 5/1 (6.00) when they are a fifth – then you could still make profit from horses placing. Yankees aren’t immune from Rule 4 deductions or non-runners voiding selections, but this does mitigate some of the risk.

Be Wary of Too Many Favourites

The favourite in horse racing loses on average around two-thirds of the time. You should be wary of them, then, especially including too many in a Yankee. Try and make a case against including the market leader. If there really is no negatives in their form, race conditions or the stable strike rate, then by all means include a favourite in a Yankee. Just don’t put four all in, as chances are only one will win. You don’t get anything for that in Yankees!

Avoid Permed Yankees 

As you may have read on the patent bet page, perming combination and system wagers like Yankees is possible. The option comes with spiralling unit costs and total stakes, however. If these can get out of hand on a patent, then the danger is even large with Yankees. Steer clear of perming as the more selections you make, the more difficult it is to turn a profit.

On Where to Bet Place a Yankee Bet

You may still have many more questions, which is fine – no one is a master in one fell swoop, or one guide read. As a start, familiarize yourself with what bookmakers are available in the UK and what they offer. If you go to the first page of Safebettingsites.com you can find many useful links and reviews that will be a good start at finding the best betting sites and their offering.

The Last Word

You know now how to place a Yankee bet and more besides. If asked what is Yankee bet by others, you can answer fully. The wager has its uses, pros and cons like any other. It doesn’t just apply to horse racing either, even though that is where the bet became most popular. The Yankee bet football wager is becoming ever more popular, and it’s available on other sports too.

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Jamie Clark

Equine expert

Horse racing expert Jamie Clark joined the SafeBettingSites team in 2021 after a decade working in related industries. Hailing from a strong gambling background, he is now the master behind our Academy, breaking down and explaining betting jargon and key terms. Jamie can aid you in better understanding what they all mean. He uses his vast knowledge of horse racing and other popular betting sports to pull the curtain back on popular wagers by providing advice and strategy on how to make these work best for punters. After honing his skills as the sports editor of major betting brand Coral, Jamie forged a successful freelance career working with bookmakers to provide informative content just like that in the Betting Academy.

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