Canadian Bet (Super Yankee) Explained: What It Is and How Does It Work?
A Canadian bet, also known as a Super Yankee, is a 5-selection wager consisting of 26 bets across different events: 10 doubles, 10 trebles, 5 four-folds, and one five-fold accumulator. At least two selections must win for the bet to return, which makes the Canadian a popular full-coverage option among horse racing bettors who want broader insurance than a Yankee or Lucky 15.
The total stake is 26 times the unit stake, so a £1 Canadian costs £26 and a £2 Canadian costs £52. The structure rewards multiple winners heavily; three or more correct selections can produce significant returns thanks to the trebles, four-folds, and five-folds included in the bet.
The name's origin is rooted in folklore. The story goes that a U.S. soldier stationed in the UK once used a 26-bet system to outsmart the bookmakers with a modest stake, and that's how the "Super Yankee" name is said to have come about. Why it's more often called a Canadian, no one really knows, but the name stuck.
Table of Contents
What Is a Canadian Bet?
A Canadian bet is a wager comprising 26 bets across five selections: 10 doubles, 10 trebles, 5 four-folds, and 1 five-fold accumulator. It is a full-coverage multiple designed to deliver a return as long as at least two of your five selections win.
Key features of a Canadian bet:
- Selections: 5 different events (e.g. five horses across five separate races)
- Composition: 10 doubles + 10 trebles + 5 four-folds + 1 five-fold = 26 total bets
- Total stake: 26 times your unit stake (e.g. £1 unit stake = £26 total cost)
- Minimum to return: At least two of the five selections must win
- No singles: A Canadian does not include single bets, so one winner alone returns nothing
- Also known as: Super Yankee — the two names refer to the same bet type
Because the Canadian includes trebles, four-folds, and a five-fold, payout scales sharply with each additional winner. Two winners trigger a single double; three winners pay out three doubles plus a treble; and five winners land all 26 bets for the maximum return.
How Does a Canadian Bet Work Best in Practice
To begin with, let us examine the total cost of the bet slip. Imagine, for instance, that you would like to place a £2 bet on each horse in a Canadian bet. Here's a breakdown of pricing:
Canadian bets comprise 26 individual bets, ten doubles, ten trebles, five four-folds, and one five-fold bet. The total cost of the Canadian bet is £52 because each bet costs £2 (26 x £2 = £52).
Next, let's look at the potential payouts:
You can calculate a Canadian bet's potential winnings by adding the odds for each selection. Using the following Canadian bet calculator, if you make five selections at odds of 1/1 (2.00) with a stake of £2, the potential winnings for each choice are calculated as follows.
Imagine you place a £2 Canadian on five horses (A, B, C, D, E), each at odds of 2.00 (1/1).
- Total cost: 26 × £2 = £52.
The 26 bets break down as follows:
| Bet type | Number and combinations | Payout per winning bet (at 2.00 odds) |
|---|---|---|
| Doubles | 10 (AB, AC, AD, AE, BC, BD, BE, CD, CE, DE) | £8 each |
| Trebles | 10 (ABC, ABD, ABE, ACD, ACE, ADE, BCD, BCE, BDE, CDE) | £16 each |
| Four-folds | 5 (ABCD, ABCE, ABDE, ACDE, BCDE) | £32 each |
| Five-fold | 1 (ABCDE) | £64 |
- Maximum payout (all five winners): (10 × £8) + (10 × £16) + (5 × £32) + £64 = £464
- Profit: £464 − £52 stake = £412
Of course, this is only an example. Real returns depend on the specific odds offered by your bookmaker at the time of the bet.
Pros and Cons
A Canadian bet offers wide coverage across five selections and the chance for substantial returns when multiple picks land. The trade-off is the higher stake, 26 bets per slip, and the fact that two winners are the absolute minimum required to see any return at all.
These are the major pros and cons of Canadian Bets that our experts pointed out.
| Advantages | Drawbacks |
|---|---|
| Potential for Higher Returns: With 26 bets included in a Canadian bet, there is potential for big wins. Taking the correct picks can lead to large payouts. | Risk: Increasing the number of betting options increases the risk of losing. The more bets you place, the higher the likelihood that at least one will be incorrect. |
| Diversification: You can diversify your betting portfolio by placing multiple bets on horses. In this way, you have numerous chances to win, which can reduce the impact of losses. | Cost: Canadian bets can be expensive. It can be difficult for some bettors to justify the price, especially if they're not used to placing high-stakes bets. |
| Excitement: Placing a Canadian bet adds an extra layer of excitement to horse racing. With 26 chances to win, you can keep your excitement high throughout race day. | Required Knowledge: To be successful, you must understand horse racing and the horses involved. It can be challenging for the inexperienced, as you need access to up-to-date information and knowledge of how to analyse it. |
The 4-Step Guide to Placing a Canadian Bet
By following these steps, you can place your bet.
- Pick your sportsbook: Locate a trustworthy online sportsbook that offers Canadian betting options and sign up or log in. You can also look at our recommended Canadian betting sites list to find the ideal bookie.
- Decide which bets you wish to place: Choose five races, horses, or teams that you would like to bet on. Consider the odds, performance, and other relevant information before deciding.
- Determine your wager: Decide how much you want to wager on each selection.
- Place the bet: Find the bet slip on the bookmaker's website and select the "Canadian" option. Fill in your five selections and the amount you want to bet. Estimate the potential returns using our Canadian bet calculator, then place your wager.
On These Bookies, You Can Place a Super Yankee Bet
Horse racing betting is a big market in the UK, with plenty of British bookmakers offering betting opportunities. It isn't easy to specify which bookmaker would be the best for each type of bet, but we can say with 100% certainty that the five sites below are great options for playing Super Yankee bets.
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Fitzdares betting review » Sign up offer Acca boost up to 30% Minimum deposit for bonus £10 Wagering requirements 1x (D) Return to player % 93% Live streams Yes Fitzdares is a high-quality betting site that we can confidently recommend to UK bettor. There is a big emphasis at Fitzdares on horse racing and other British favourite pastime... Fitzdares betting review »
All selections in the accumulator must be football matches. You’ll receive a bonus of 5–30% to your winnings, depending on the number of selections in your accumulator. Pre-match, match winner selections only. In-play or cashed-out bets do not apply to this promotion. If a selection is void then the bonus will still apply, but the percentage bonus added will reflect the actual number of winning selections. All legs must be at odds of a minimum of 1/10 (1.1) in order to qualify for the percentage bonus winnings. The maximum bonus winnings in line with this promotion is capped at £5,000. Full terms and Bonus terms apply. GambleAware.org.
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10Bet betting review » Sign up offer 100%/£50 Minimum deposit for bonus £10 Wagering requirements 8x (D+B) Return to player % 94% Live streams No 10bet is one of the most well-known betting sites in the UK. It was launched already in 2003 and has over a million registered users. The brand has a stylish but simplistic o... 10Bet betting review »
New players. Choose bonus at signup. Wager bonus 10x. Deposit used 1st. Any withdrawals void bonus. Valid 30 days. Odds, bet & payment limits. T&Cs apply. 18+. Full terms and Bonus terms apply. GambleAware.org.
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Unibet betting review » Sign up offer £30 in free bets Minimum deposit for bonus £10 Wagering requirements 1x (D) Return to player % 96% Live streams Yes Unibet is a Nordic bookmaker with more than a quarter of a century of experience in providing betting online. The popular Scandinavians who provide some of the best odds for hor... Unibet betting review »
18+| New GB customers only. Opt in. Deposit and Bet £10+ on sports at min odds of 2.0+ (1/1) for £30 in Free Bets within 7 days. Debit cards or instant bank transfers only. Free bets expire within 7 days of issue.Geographical restrictions apply. Full terms and Bonus terms apply. GambleAware.org.
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Quinnbet betting review » Sign up offer 50% back as free bets up to £25 Minimum deposit for bonus £10 Wagering requirements 1x (D) Return to player % 93% Live streams Yes Quinnbet is a sleek betting site that caters to punters with competitive odds and a variety of promotions. The customer service is smooth, and live streams are also available. W... Quinnbet betting review »
Available to new UK customers aged 18+. Place bets totalling £10 or more on sports at odds of 2.00+ on your first day. If you finish the day with net losses, you’ll receive 50% back as a free bet, up to £25. Full terms and Bonus terms apply. GambleAware.org.
Learn More About Horse Racing Betting
Want to learn more about horse racing betting and the different betting types often related to horse racing? We at Bojoko have written a comprehensive article presenting the best horse racing betting sites. We also offer betting guides for the following popular bet types:
Canadian Bet / Super Yankee Explained / FAQ
