What is a Canadian Bet? Canadian Betting Explained

Sports betting veterans are skilled in navigating the different types of bets, odds, and the various ways in which these betting variations can be utilised to maximise their chances of winning. To newcomers, however, all of these complications and the multitude of options may seem intimidating. Some of them may even find that it outright prohibits them from enjoying betting to the fullest.

Of course, simplifying the betting mechanisms and “dumbing down” some of the more complicated bets and possibilities to accommodate newbies is not the answer. After all, the fact that players are presented with so many choices greatly benefits them when it comes to the ultimate amount of money they stand to win on each bet. Instead of changing the rules, the burden of educating aspiring bettors should fall on their experienced peers. With proper clarifications and explanations of the different types of bets available out there, even the most clueless of players should be able to place well-thought-out, educated bets on the upcoming sporting events, provided that they’re knowledgeable about the discipline they’re betting on.

This is why at Betting Apps, we go the extra mile in order to explain the intricacies of sports betting to players who may feel intimidated by the seemingly high barrier of entry. In this article, we’ll give you a basic rundown of Canadian bets (a.k.a. “Super Yankee” bets), and how you can use them to place low-risk, high-reward accumulator bets on your favourite sports!

Accumulator Bets 101

Before diving deeper into Canadian bets and how exactly they work, it might be worthwhile to take a minute to understand accumulator bets, commonly known as “accas”. They form the basis of the standard Canadian bet, and despite offering very high returns, most accumulator bets placed worldwide fail to materialise.

When placing an accumulator on their betting slip, gamblers bet on the outcomes of multiple sporting events. The odds for each event get accumulated (hence the name of the bet), leading to incredibly attractive odds for the entire slip. When you hear about people putting down £1 on a coupon and walking away with tens of thousands of pounds, they have most likely placed an accumulator bet to get this sort of a return.

The catch? Every single one of the events needs to result in the exact outcome specified by the player. For example, if you bet on five football matches, get the score correctly in four of them, but in the very last minute of the last match, a team you bet on concedes an extra time equaliser, your entire accumulator will be lost. This can be incredibly frustrating, as evidenced by the sheer number of YouTube compilations depicting gamblers experiencing the situation we just described.

Beginners who are just getting started with sports betting often get hooked on accumulator bets, as they provide much more excitement than single bets, not to mention the infinitely larger potential winnings. This can be a dangerous road to follow, though, as players can get stuck in a loop of trying to “win back” their lost money by placing increasingly outrageous accas.

How then can one take advantage of accumulator bets while retaining favourable chances of winning? This is where Canadian bets come in. In the section below, we’ll take you through the definition of a Canadian bet, as well as provide an outline of the basic structure of the popular “Super Yankee”.

What is a Canadian Bet?

Also known as a Super Yankee, a Canadian bet is a big accumulator bet that allows players to get a few of the outcomes wrong while still retaining some of their winnings. It involves five selections, each one consisting of a specific accumulator bet. We will outline the structure below, but in the most basic of terms, a Canadian bet consists of twenty-six individual bets, grouped into five accas. In order to turn a profit, you need to win on at least two of these accas.

Structure of a Canadian Bet

Every Canadian bet follows the same structure. You can’t just place any five accumulators and call it a Canadian bet – that would not make sense for the bookmakers, who count on you to miss out on even the minimal win. Therefore, while placing five doubles would theoretically be the safest option to get at least two of them correctly, it will not qualify as a Canadian bet. Here are the five selections that make up the Super Yankee, starting with the most difficult one:

• A single, five-fold accumulator
• 5 four-fold accumulators
• 10 trebles (accumulator bet with three outcomes)
• 10 doubles (two outcomes).

As stated earlier, you need to get two of them right in order to turn a profit.

How to Place a Canadian Bet?

First of all, you will need to choose five events to bet on. Most bookies allow Canadian bets on every single market they have available, and you can even bet on five different disciplines as part of a single Canadian bet slip. It is completely up to you which events you’d like to put your money on.

Once you have made the five selections, you should be able to click on the Multiples tab directly on your betting slip. There, you will be presented with a few options, one of which should be “Canadian” or “Super Yankee” (the terminology varies from bookie to bookie).

Finally, you should fill up the field asking for the amount you wish to bet. Afterwards, you’ll be presented with your potential winnings. Keep in mind that this figure is representative of your yield if all of your five selections win. The minimum possible amount you can gain (i.e. when two of your predictions come true) will be much lower, although if you place your bets smartly, you’ll still make a return on your initial investment.

Remember, a Canadian bet consists of 26 individual bets, so placing a £1 bet will actually cost you £26! Keep that in mind when filling out the betting slip.

Strategise Your Super Yankee Bet

Placing a Canadian bet sounds very good in theory, but as with all things gambling, the practical side of things is much different. It’s not all about the odds and potential winnings. Your betting strategy also factors into your chances of succeeding. Have a coherent betting strategy in place when you gamble. Otherwise, you’ll lose money much more often than not.

Stick to the disciplines you’re comfortable with. Sure, hockey games often have great odds on any outcome, but if you’re clueless about the game, you’re likely to place a bunch of blind bets that true hockey experts would laugh off. There is nothing wrong with a wild bet here and there, but they cannot form the bulk of your betting plan.

If you’re betting on football matches, for example, it would be worth it to familiarise yourself with the form of the teams you’re betting on (and against). Things like their last five results, xG statistics, or in-form players can tell you a lot about the shape they will be in for the upcoming match, directly influencing the outcome. 

Advantages of Canadian Betting

• Risk spread. As opposed to betting on a single outcome, or multiple ones on a single slip, the Canadian bet gives you a unique chance to spread your risk, and if you’re truly knowledgeable about your preferred sport, you can hold a degree of certainty that you’ll get at least two of the five selections right.
• Decent odds. Due to the fact that you only need two of your five selections to get a payout, the odds in Canadian betting are much better than in terms of other types of bets.
• Much safer than accas. Despite being an acca in and of itself, your multiple bet is much safer on a Super Yankee slip than a classic acca. You still stand to lose all of your money, but you’re at least allowed to miss some of your predictions.

Disadvantages of Canadian Betting

• It’s still a form of accumulator betting. The fact that the main disadvantage of a Canadian bet is the fact that it’s a “safer” form of an acca slip is already saying a lot. While it does provide you with greater chances of winning, you should remember that all of the disadvantages of playing accumulators still apply in the case of the Super Yankee.

The Bottom Line

Regardless of whether you’re a complete newcomer to the world of betting apps and bookmaking and want to find options that go beyond the simple single bet, or a seasoned veteran looking to brush up on the rules of the Canadian bet in order to win more money, we hope this guide helped you out. Keep in mind that despite its relatively “tame” nature when it comes to risk, it is still a form of gambling. The Super Yankee is a good way to enjoy sports betting for people with a lower risk tolerance, but it is also easy to get carried away when playing Canadian bets all the time.

Betting is a great way to increase the excitement you get out of watching your favourite sports, not as a means of generating extra income. Always remember to gamble responsibly, and if you feel like it is starting to negatively impact your financial or personal life, don’t forget that there are plenty of places to turn to for help, such as the National Gambling Helpline.

FAQ

Can I place a Canadian bet on things other than sports?

While it is true that many bookies have started branching out into different areas of life you can put your money on, such as election results, celebrity news, or even the weather, you may have trouble finding enough quality selections to fill out the betting slip. It’s not advised to place Canadian bets on these events, as they are too random and there is simply no way to make educated guesses when compared to betting on sports.

Is there a Canadian bet calculator?

There is a lot of math at play when you place a Canadian bet. In order to make sure that you got everything right, it may be wise to make use of a Canadian bet calculator. Most of the modern betting apps offer them for free, but you can also find one online, where you’ll have to put in all of the key information, such as the odds on the bets you’re planning to put down, as well as the amount of money you want to deposit. It’s usually better to use the calculator provided by the bookmaker you’ll use to place a Canadian bet, as they will provide you with the most accurate results.

Why are Canadian bets so popular in horse racing?

Although you can make some serious Canadian bet winnings with just about any discipline, most seasoned bettors will tell you that horse racing is the best sport to do it with. This is because of its simplicity, and the ease with which you can turn your Canadian bet into an each-way Canadian bet.

In a horse-racing, each-way Super Yankee, players typically bet on five different horses to win or place in the top 4 in five different races. It turns your 26-way bet into a 52-way, but it also gives you a much higher chance of winning, as you get some leeway in terms of the final outcome of each race.