System Betting in 2024

What is a System Bet?

System bets, also known as combination bets or round robins, are a series of parlays within a parlay. For those who are new to sports betting and sports betting vernacular, a parlay is a string of single bets that are placed on a single ticket. For example, you could create a parlay with the following selections:

• Denver Broncos ML @ 2.20
• Toronto Blue Jays -1.5 @ 2.35
• Edmonton Oilers ML @ 1.90
• LA Chargers -6.5 @ 1.91

You can easily calculate the potential winnings of this ticket by multiplying the individual odds together and then multiplying that number by the wager amount. To illustrate, we’ll say that you want to wager $10 on the parlay. The potential payout would be:

(2.20 x 2.35 x 1.90 x 1.91) x $10

= 18.762 x $10

= $187.62

As you can see, your $10 wager on this parlay would earn a return of $187.62 if everything went your way. However, you don’t win anything if one of those selections falls through. This is what makes parlays so risky and system bets so attractive.

Applying these four selections to a system bet, you would have five unique combinations of selections. In this case, the combinations would be:

Combination 1

• Denver Broncos ML
• Toronto Blue Jays -1.5
• Edmonton Oilers ML
• LA Chargers -6.5

Combination 2

• Denver Broncos ML
• Toronto Blue Jays -1.5
• Edmonton Oilers ML

Combination 3

• Denver Broncos ML
• Toronto Blue Jays -1.5
• LA Chargers -6.5

Combination 4

• Denver Broncos ML
• Edmonton Oilers ML
• LA Chargers -6.5

Combination 5

• Toronto Blue Jays -1.5
• Edmonton Oilers ML
• LA Chargers -6.5

One thing that you need to understand is that you need to stake each one of these combinations. So, instead of placing $10 on a single four-team parlay, you would need to wager $10 on each combination in this system bet. That would mean you need to stake a total of $50 assuming you want to stick with the $10 per combo wager. The best scenario would have this system bet hitting all of the selections for a maximum payout. You would win with all 5 combinations.

Now, let’s say that the Chargers soiled the bedsheets as they often do. You would at least salvage the second system bet on our list. That would result in a return of $98.23. Seeing how this system bet cost a total of $50 to place, this leaves you with a $48.23 profit. A worst-case scenario would have you missing out on two or more selections which, in this case, would completely snuff out the ticket. We should mention that a lot of bookmakers would allow you to add six double selections to this fictitious ticket. Again, that would add $60 to the total stake amount bringing the total wager amount to $110 for 11 combinations.

Why Punters Should Try System Betting

One of the most attractive things about system bets is that they offer several different ways to win even if one or more of your selections fails to materialize. This is a lot safer than the all-or-nothing approach that parlay bettors use. Those who wager on system bets don’t need to be so hesitant about adding a long shot selection. If a high-odds selection comes through, then those winnings can really add up. If it loses, then you can still win something if the other picks hold up.

Maximize Your Advantages with System Bets

Sports bettors don’t have many advantages over their bookmakers. However, they often have at least a couple and they should leverage those edges as much as possible. A strong system betting strategy involves getting the best odds. Having access to the best odds ensures that your winning wagers pay more.

One key edge that system betting enthusiasts can take advantage of is Cash Out. This is a standard feature at modern online sports betting sites which allows punters to close their bets before the game they bet on is over. Going back to our imaginary 4-selection combination bet above, let’s say you nailed the first three picks. All you need is the Chargers to beat the -6.5 spread. Now let’s also pretend that the game has been very tight, but LA takes a 7-point lead midway through the fourth quarter. Not wanting to risk a Chargers collapse like they are so prone to doing, you could cash out the bet. You might not end up getting the same odds, but you’ve just locked in a very tidy profit.

We also recommend that you take full advantage of things like enhanced odds and other bookmaker features that can boost your profits.

System Betting Example

We used a very basic system bet earlier to explain the fundamental concept of system bets. Let’s kick our system betting up a notch by adding another selection to our combination bet. In this example, we will use the same combination bet as above, but we’ll throw a big dog into the mix. So, we now have:

• Denver Broncos ML @ 2.20
• Toronto Blue Jays -1.5 @ 2.35
• Edmonton Oilers ML @ 1.90
• LA Chargers -6.5 @ 1.91
• Colorado Rockies ML @ 4.50

The plan is to wager on the one combination of five, 5 combinations of four, and 10 combinations of three selections. That’s a total of 16 combinations. To keep it simple, we will continue to wager $10 on each selection which means we’re staking a total of $160. Being eternal optimists, let’s see how much you’d win if you hit all of your selections. First, that one combination of five selections would win $844.29. The five combinations of 4 selections would bring in $1,817.05, and our 10 combinations of three picks earn a return of $1,538.15. That’s a grand total of $4,199.49. That’s quite the haul!!

What if it didn’t go so smoothly? What if the Rockies took it on the chin causing us to miss the big dog? Where does that put us? Well, we can say adios to the lone 5-teamer. However, we still have a bunch of winning combinations in our hands. We’ve got one of the five 4-teamers along with four 3-teamers. That winning 4-teamer would bring in $187.62 on its own. The four winning 3-teamers would rake in a combined total of $362.10. That’s a total return of $549.72. Even though we risked $160 on this system betting venture, we ended up making $389.72 in pure profit despite missing one pick.

We’ll go over one more system betting scenario using the same five predictions as our example. In this version of the story, both the Denver Broncos and the Colorado Rockies lose. Now you’ve missed two selections. While this isn’t the ideal situation, it’s not all sour lemons. We immediately know that our one 5-teamer and the five 4-teamers are out the window. We are now left with just a single winning 3-teamer that will net an $85.28 return. While losing about $75 might sting, it’s a far more comfortable outcome than losing everything. After all, you did miss two selections.

Pros and Cons of System Betting

Odds

Getting the best odds is one of the key facets of successful sports betting. Even a minute discrepancy can have a significant impact on your bottom line. For example, you create the following combination at Sportsbook A:

• Seattle Seahawks +3.5 @ 1.90
• Dallas Cowboys ML @ 2.15
• Cincinnati Reds -1.5 @ 2.50
• San Jose Sharks ML @ 1.75

The combined odds for this combination of bets is 17.872. Assuming we stick to our $10 wagers, this equates to a potential payout of $178.72. We then head over to Sportsbook B and build the same multi-bet. However, the odds are a mere penny better here so our wager looks like:

• Seattle Seahawks +3.5 @ 1.91
• Dallas Cowboys ML @ 2.16
• Cincinnati Reds -1.5 @ 2.51
• San Jose Sharks ML @ 1.76

So, how much does getting negligibly better odds impact our potential profits? Well, our ticket at Sportsbook B would return $182.25 as opposed to the $178.72 at Sportsbook A. True, a difference of $3.53 doesn’t seem like much, but why settle for the lower payout? Getting an extra $3.53 each time you place system bets will quickly add up. Seeing how tough it is to eke out a profit through sports betting, this would be just another edge that you should be sure to use to your advantage. Don’t forget that getting enhanced odds can pay off quite handsomely too.

System Betting Bonuses and Promotions

One of if not the biggest drawbacks to system betting is that bookmakers seldom offer bonuses and promotions geared toward system betting. In fact, most bookmakers specifically exclude the use of system bets for the purposes of meeting bonus wagering requirements. You can still make them; it’s just that the wager won’t contribute to the rollover.

With that said, we have already gone over a couple of sportsbook features and offers that can help make your system betting more profitable. While there are exceptions, most online sports betting sites allow you to use the Cash Out feature with system bets. On top of that, a lot of bookies allow punters to take advantage of enhanced odds. Both of these can have a massive effect on your account balance.

What are the Alternatives to System Betting?

As mentioned at the beginning of this system betting guide, a system bet is basically a series of parlays within a parlay. When we created our sample 5-selection system bet, we really just wagered on 16 different multi-bets as to cover all of our bases. This included:

• One 5-team parlay
• Five 4-team parlays
• Ten 3-team parlays

The obvious alternative to this system bet would be to simply place 16 separate parlays. It’s the same thing. Taking this approach would have certain benefits such as enabling a punter to use a free bet or bonus cash. While bookmakers tend to exclude system bets from their bonuses, they usually allow you to make parlays.

FAQ: System Bets

How do I place a system bet?

While the exact steps may vary from site to site, placing a system bet normally follows the same flow. Start by adding your selections to the betslip. You can then select the “Combo Bet”, “Round Robin” or “System Bet” option on the betslip. They all mean the same thing. Next, choose the types of combinations you want. For example, you can create 2-teamers, 3-teamers, 4-teamers, and so on. You then enter a stake amount and submit the bet.

Is it possible to make multi-bets using system bets?

It’s actually the other way around. You use a series of multi-bets to create a system bet.

Can I cash out a still to be settled selection on a system bet?

This depends on the bookmaker, but most top-tier online sportsbooks allow you to use Cash Out on system bet selections. Of course, that’s assuming that those individual picks are eligible for Cash Out.

Can I use my mobile device for placing system bets?

Almost all online sportsbooks have a mobile platform, a native app, or both. This makes it possible for punters to place their system bets using a mobile device when they are on the go.

Should I expect to win every bet I make?

Well, you can expect to win every bet you make, but you’re in for a huge letdown. The reality is that sports betting is a tough, long grind in which you will endure plenty of losing streaks.

Responsible Gambling

System betting is an incredibly fun way to wager on sports. It’s in your best interest to keep it that way. Gambling is a form of entertainment, but some people lose sight of that. They get a little, let’s say, compulsive. This can lead to all sorts of trouble. Not just for the punter, but for their family and friends too.

We need to stress the importance of keeping your sports betting safe. You need to keep a level head regardless of whether you’re running hot or cold. Recklessly giving in to the temptation to chase losses or dramatically increase bet sizes when you’re streaking can easily and quickly lead to bad things.

Fortunately, the best online sportsbooks offer customers a variety of tools to help keep their gambling safe. We suggest that you use your bookie’s responsible gambling tools to keep yourself in check. You can set limits on your deposits, wagers, or the amount of time you spend on the site. It only takes a minute or so to do a self-assessment test to find out if you may be showing troubling signs. If so, it’s a good idea to enter a time-out or self-exclusion period. Hopefully, it never gets to the point where you need to use the permanent self-exclusion option.

If you think you may be heading down a dark road, the best bookmakers also have plenty of contact information so you can get in touch with the various organizations that can help you.