Although considered an old-school wager, the Union Jack has experienced a revival in recent years. But what is a Union Jack bet and where did it come from?
A Union Jack bet is a type of multiple bet based on nine selections arranged in a 3×3 grid. The number of bets range from 8 and 80 – depending on the type (four different variations are available) – and are determined by drawing lines vertically, horizontally and diagonally to find eight groups of three bets. The bet encompasses various combinations including Trebles, Trixies, Patents and Round Robins.
In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into Union Jack bets, exploring all the different types and how they work. We’ll then move on to a step-by-step of how to place a Union Jack, and explain the importance of strategic Union Jack betting.
How Does a Union Jack Bet Work?
The Union Jack bet follows the layout of the Union Jack and uses a 3×3 grid system with nine selections.
Combinations are then created using patterns in the grid. Lines are formed horizontally, vertically, and diagonally to create different bet combinations. The table below provides a basic example of a Union Jack layout.
| Bet A | Bet B | Bet C |
| Bet D | Bet E | Bet F |
| Bet G | Bet H | Bet I |
Depending on the type of Union Jack Bet selected (Treble, Trixie, Patent or Round Robin), the grid can be used to create between 8 and 80 different bets under one wager.
What are the Different Types of Union Jack Bet?
The four different types of Jack Bets are the Union Jack Treble, Trixie, Patent and Round Robin.
| Union Jack Bet Type | Total Number Of Bet | Bet Types |
| Union Jack Treble | 8 | 8 Trebles |
| Union Jack Trixie | 32 | 8 Trixies (8 Trebles, 24 Doubles) |
| Union Jack Patent | 56 | 8 Patents (8 trebles, 24 doubles & 24 singles) |
| Union Jack Round Robin | 80 | 8 Round Robins (8 trebles, 24 doubles, 24 singles & 24 SSA pairs) |
Each of the different Union Jack bets uses the 3×3 grid system to form any winning combination numbers. Whether it’s a full or partial win, bettors can expect a return when three or more selections settle as a win.
Union Jack Trebles
A Union Jack Treble is the simplest form of Union Jack bet and contains a total of 8 different wagers (trebles) within the multiple.
If you take another look at the 3×3 grid we provided earlier, the eight Union Jack Trebles bets would be as follows:
- ABC (Bet A, Bet B & Bet C)
- DEF (Bet D, Bet E & Bet F)
- GHI (Bet G, Bet H & Bet I)
- ADG (Bet A, Bet D & Bet G)
- BEH (Bet B, Bet E & Bet H)
- CFI (Bet C, Bet F & Bet I)
- AEI (Bet A, Bet E &Bet I)
- CEG (Bet C, Bet E & Bet G)
Any winning combination of these ABC, DEF, etc. will result in a return for the bettor. A free bet calculator is often the best way to understand the specifics (all bets apart from G, H and E settle as a win, for example).
Example of a Union Jack Trebles Bet With Possible Outcomes
To explain the intricacies of a Union Jack Bet, it can be beneficial to use a real-world example. In the example below, we have chosen nine different horses from an upcoming day of racing.
| Inspiral (5/1) | Ranko Express (9/2) | See Me Through (4/1) |
| Bad Desire (4/7) | Nostringsattached (9/4) | Our Lil (10/3) |
| Settlement (6/5) | Ocean Of Dreams (2/1) | Hanoi (5/2) |
To simplify the numbers, we are using £1 per bet (or £8 in total staked).
- ABC (Inspiral, Ranko Express & See Me Through) = 5/1 x 9/2 x 4/1 = £165.00
- DEF (Bad Desire, Nostringsattached & Our Lil) = 4/7 x 9/4 x 10/3 = £22.13
- GHI (Settlement, Ocean Of Dreams & Hanoi) = 6/5 x 2/1 x 5/2 = £23.10
- ADG (Inspiral, Bad Desire & Settlement) = 5/1 x 4/7 x 6/5 = £20.74
- BEH (Ranko Express, Nostringsattached & Ocean Of Dreams) = 9/2 x 9/4 x 2/1 = £53.63
- CFI (See Me Through, Our Lil & Hanoi) = 4/1 x 10/3 x 5/2 = £20.68
- AEI (Inspiral, Nostringsattached & Hanoi) = 5/1 x 9/4 x 5/2 = £68.25
- CEG (Settlement, Nostringsattached & See Me Through) = 6/5 x 9/4 x 4/1 = £35.75
If all nine individual selections settle as a win, you would return £409.28 from an £8 total stake.
Understandably, this format becomes confusing once one or several horses fail to win or place. To accurately calculate all different outcomes, we recommend using a Union Jack Trebles free bet calculator – available online.
Union Jack Trixie
The Union Jack Trixie bet amplifies the standard Union Jack Treble by including the maximum number of doubles (hence the Trixie name).
| Bet A | Bet B | Bet C |
|---|---|---|
| Bet D | Bet E | Bet F |
| Bet G | Bet H | Bet I |
In addition to the eight Union Jack Trebles bets, as highlighted above, each Treble is then broken down into an additional three doubles. For example:
- ABC (Bet A, Bet B & Bet C), AB (Bet A & Bet B), BC (Bet B & Bet C) & AC (Bet A & Bet C)
This is continued for all other combinations, leading to a total of 8 trebles and 24 doubles.
Example of a Union Jack Trixie Bet With Possible Outcomes
Using the same example of an upcoming day of the races, we can analyse the top row (ABC), to illustrate the power of the Union Jack Trixie. We’ll start by analysing the outcome when each selection wins.
| Inspiral (5/1) – Won | Ranko Express (9/2) – Won | See Me Through (4/1) – Won |
Again, for simplification, we are using £1 per bet (or £4 in total staked for the row).
- ABC (Inspiral, Ranko Express & See Me Through) = 5/1 x 9/2 x 4/1 = £165
- AB (Inspiral & Ranko Express) = 5/1 x 9/2 = £33
- BC (Ranko Express & See Me Through) = 9/2 x 4/1= £27.50
- AC (Inspiral & See Me Through) = 5/1 x 4/1= £30
Total winnings are £255.50 from a £4 total stake for this row.
Next, we’ll take a look at the outcomes when just one selection of the three settles as a loss.
| Inspiral (5/1) – Won | Ranko Express (9/2) – Won | See Me Through (4/1) – Lost |
With £1 per bet:
- ABC (Inspiral, Ranko Express & See Me Through) = 5/1 x 9/2 x 4/1 (Lost) = £0
- AB (Inspiral & Ranko Express) = 5/1 x 9/2 = £33
- BC (Ranko Express & See Me Through) = 9/2 x 4/1 (Lost) = £0
- AC (Inspiral & See Me Through) = 5/1 x 4/1(Lost) = £0
Total winnings are just £33 from a £4 total stake for this row.
The Union Jack bet gets more complex with each additional level, so again we recommend that you use a Union Jack Trixie free bet calculator.
Union Jack Patent
The Union Jack Patent consists of the same nine selections, only this time there are 56 individual bets included – eight trebles, 24 doubles and 24 singles. It takes the Union Jack Trixie and elevates it once more.
| Bet A | Bet B | Bet C |
|---|---|---|
| Bet D | Bet E | Bet F |
| Bet G | Bet H | Bet I |
Each line of the Union Jack, as highlighted above, is then broken down into a patent bet comprised of three single bets, three doubles and one treble. For example:
- ABC (Bet A, Bet B & Bet C)
- AB (Bet A & Bet B), BC (Bet B & Bet C) & AC (Bet A & Bet C)
- A (Bet A), B (Bet B) & C (Bet C)
Using a Union Jack Patent calculator is invaluable at this level – with 56 individual bets, manually calculating the outcome becomes time-consuming.
Example of a Union Jack Patent Bet With Possible Outcomes
Using the same example as above, we can analyse the top row (ABC), to illustrate the power of Union Jack Patent. We’ll start by analysing the outcome when each selection wins.
| Inspiral (5/1) – Won | Ranko Express (9/2) – Won | See Me Through (4/1) – Won |
To simplify the numbers, we are using £1 per bet (or £7 in total staked for this row).
- ABC (Inspiral, Ranko Express & See Me Through) = 5/1 x 9/2 x 4/1 = £165
- AB (Inspiral & Ranko Express) = 5/1 x 9/2 = £33
- BC (Ranko Express & See Me Through) = 9/2 x 4/1= £27.50
- AC (Inspiral & See Me Through) = 5/1 x 4/1= £30
- A (Inspiral) = 5/1 = £6
- B (Ranko Express) = 9/2 = £5.50
- C (See Me Through) = 4/1 = £5
Total winnings are £272.00 from a £7 total stake for this row.
Next, we’ll take a look at the outcomes when just one selection of the three settles as a loss, again using £1 per bet.
| Inspiral (5/1) – Won | Ranko Express (9/2) – Won | See Me Through (4/1) – Lost |
- ABC (Inspiral, Ranko Express & See Me Through) = 5/1 x 9/2 x 4/1 (Lost) = £0
- AB (Inspiral & Ranko Express) = 5/1 x 9/2 = £33
- BC (Ranko Express & See Me Through) = 9/2 x 4/1 (Lost) = £0
- AC (Inspiral & See Me Through) = 5/1 x 4/1(Lost) = £0
- A (Inspiral) = 5/1 = £6
- B (Ranko Express) = 9/2 = £5.50
- C (See Me Through) = 4/1 (Lost) = £5
Total winnings are just £44.50 from a £7 total stake for this row.
A Union Jack patent bet calculator is simply a must at this point.
Union Jack Round Robin
The final and most powerful Union Jack is the Round Robin – a multiple bet which contains a huge 80 different bet combinations. The Round Robin takes the Union Jack Patent example and elevates it again, adding 24 Up-And-Down SSA (Single Stakes About) Pairs.
The Up-And-Down SSA (Single Stakes About) Pairs are the only difference between the Union Jack Round Robin and the Union Jack Patent bet. Consisting of two bets, each SSA is split into two components:
- Bet 1:
- Part 1: Bet on selection A.
- Part 2: Bet on selection B if sufficient cash is left from part A.
- Bet 2:
- Part 1: Bet on selection B.
- Bet on selection A if sufficient cash is left from part A.
Example of a Jack Round Robin Bet With Possible Outcomes
Using the same example as above, we can analyze the top row (ABC), to illustrate the power of Union Jack Patent. We’ll start by analyzing the outcome when each selection wins.
| Inspiral (5/1) – Won | Ranko Express (9/2) – Won | See Me Through (4/1) – Won |
| Bad Desire (4/7) – Lost | Nostringsattached (9/4) – Lost | Our Lil (10/3) – Lost |
| Settlement (6/5) – Lost | Ocean Of Dreams (2/1) – Lost | Hanoi (5/2) – Lost |
With a Round Robin Union Jack bet with the above configuration, the total return from the £80 outlay (£1 per bet) would be £543.00.
The mathematics required is too lengthy to denote by hand. Use a free Union Jack Round Robin calculator to calculate the outcome.
Why is the Placement Crucial?
The placement of a Union Jack Bet is crucial as this is what permits the available combinations and determines the chances of winning. Losing bets in GEC will cause much more damage to a Union Jack Bet than ABC. Ensure that the strongest selection forms the centre of the bet and workaround for the best chance of a quality return.
How Do You Calculate the Returns?
The returns of a Union Jack bet can be calculated by hand using the above methods – although this is often a laborious task.
To save time, effort and brain power, A Union Jack bet calculator or payout calculator can be used to calculate your potential winnings.
What Can You Bet On with a Union Jack?
Union Jack bets are popular across a wide range of sports – from horse racing and football to golf and tennis. The following breakdown highlights some of the most popular Union Jack wagers:
- Horse Racing: Frequently used by bettors for overall race winners, particularly popular in Trebles and Patents.
- Football: Frequently used by bettors for overall match outcomes, particularly popular in Trixies and Round Robins.
- Tennis: Frequently used by bettors for overall match outcomes, particularly popular in Patents.
- Golf: Frequently used by bettors for overall tournament predictions, particularly popular in Union Jack Round Robins.
Many UK bookmakers will allow Union Jack betting for most sports.
How to Place a Union Jack Bet With a Bookmaker?
Unsure of how to place a Union Jack Bet? Follow the below step-by-step guide to placing your first.
- Select your sport of choice.
- Choose and make a note of all nine of your selections (A-I).
- Place all eight of the trebles, trixies or patents required for a basic Union Jack Bet, these must be placed one at a time.
- Watch and wait for your bets to finish to see your returns.
Why Should You Consider Making a Union Jack Bet
A Union Jack bet offers several unique benefits that bettors should consider before opting for the multiple bet. Below are just some of the reasons that a Union Jack bet is a noteworthy choice:
- Increased Winning Opportunities: A unique combination of bet types without a huge number of different selections.
- Strategic Flexibility: The option to arrange and carefully select bets for the best possible chance of a return.
- Variety of Bet Types: With the number of bets ranging from 8 to 80, there’s the opportunity to choose a Union Jack bet to suit your preferred risk level.
Responsible Gambling Features on Bookmakers Where Union Jack Is Available
Responsible gambling is one of the most important areas to consider when placing any sports bet. Every player should use specially designed tools.
Deposit Limits
Deposit limits help bettors take control of one of the most difficult areas of sports betting – budget management. It’s vital that players only bet what they can afford to lose. A deposit limit helps keep the bankroll in check and prevents problem gambling.
Reality Checks
A reality check is a valuable tool that alerts players how long they have spent at a bookmaker within a specified period. Often available every 30 to 60 minutes, an on-screen notification can help bettors keep track of the time spent in the betting markets and avoid problem gambling.
Time Out and Self-Exclusion
Bettors who are in fear of or have developed a problem gambling can take breaks of various lengths with the time out and self-exclusion options available. Ranging from 24 hours to a lifetime exclusion, bettors can take the break that’s right for them and their current situation.
Summary of Union Jack Bets
Union Jack bets are high-risk, high-reward bets with plenty of available customization. With only nine selections to make and up to 80 bets to place, there’s the option to place a highly complex bet with multiple outcomes to maximise the potential profit. Choose the Union Jack bet that’s right for your level of risk and make your selections.