pick-six

noun

ˈpik-ˈsiks 

1

: a system of betting (as on horse races) in which the bettor must pick the winners of six consecutive races

… is one of 42 individuals holding the 78 tickets that legitimately had five out of six winners in the Breeders' Cup pick-six wager.

—Bill Finley

2

American football : an interception returned by the intercepting team for a touchdown

By halftime he had thrown two interceptions—the second a 69-yard pick-six to outside linebacker and Most Valuable Player Malcolm Smith …

—S. L. Price

Examples of pick-six in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Trotter ranks third among rookies with 62 tackles and has a pick-six against the Cincinnati Bengals’ Joe Burrow along with one sack and three pass breakups. — Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 8 Nov. 2026

Backup Cole Ballard, who battled Marshall for KU’s starting quarterback position during the preseason completed 20 of 38 passes for 285 yards, a touchdown and a pick-six interception in a 22-16 road defeat. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 5 Nov. 2026

While everybody will focus on the pick-six, Carroll said the goal-line stand is really what changed the tone of the game. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Nov. 2026

Dunnigan is second on the team with 28 tackles and has one sack, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one interception — a pick-six against Clemson. — Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 29 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1980, in the meaning defined at sense 1