An each-way bet is a bet made up of two parts: a ‘win bet’ and a ‘place bet’. For example, if you’re placing an each-way bet on a horse race, two bets of equal amounts are made on the same horse. One bet is for the horse to win (win bet) and the second bet is for the horse to place (place bet).
- Win Bet: If the horse wins the race, this bet is won
- Place Bet: If the horse finishes in the top three (position may vary), this bet is won
So if you were to bet £5 each way on a horse to win, your total stake would be £10. £5 would be on the horse to win, and then £5 would be on the horse to finish in the places, typically the first three.
What is an Each-Way bet?
An each-way bet is a bet made up of two parts: a WIN bet and a PLACE bet. Two bets of equal amounts are made; the first on a selection (horse) to win and the second on the same selection to place. A ‘win’ obviously means that the horse finishes the race first.When you bet each way, you have two bets; one for the horse to finish first, and a second bet for the horse to finish in the top four or five (varies according to by race). The winnings for the latter bet are calculated by applying the fraction (usually 1/4) to the original odds available.
Each-way betting is a good way to bet as it gives you a bigger chance of coming away with some winnings. It is used primarily in horse racing, but can also be used for other sports as well.
How to make an Each-Way bet
To make the bet, there are three things you need to know.
- Betting odds
- Number of places
- Each-way fraction
All three can be found in this example screenshot from Ladbrokes. We explain each in more depth below.
1) Betting odds
These are shown for each horse on the right. For the purpose of this article, we’re going to assume you know how betting odds work. If you don’t, we have a dedicated article for learning how betting odds work.
2) Number of places
These are shown in the top right (1-2-3). This refers to the position the horse needs to finish in for the place bet to win. In the screenshot, this is three (i.e. the horse must finish in the top three) but varies according to how many runners are in the race. A race such as the Grand National with more runners will often have more places.
3) Each-Way fraction
These are shown in the top right (EW 1/5). This will be represented as a fraction. Because the chances of the horse finishing in the top three are greater than finishing first, the odds for the place part of the bet is reduced by the fraction provided. This is usually 1/4 or 1/5.
How are each way bets calculated?
Each-way bets are primarily used in horse racing, but can be used in other sports as well. They are not as easy to calculate as normal single bets; however, once you understand the process, it will be easy to remember. In order to work out an each-way bet, you have to take multiple things into account. This includes how much you could get if your bet wins, as well as how much you could get if your selection doesn’t win but instead places in the sports event you are betting on. Should one of your selections fail to win, but place, you will still be in with the chance of winning money, but not the full amount.
Remember that when you make your each-way bet, you effectively have two different bets. There are three possible outcomes of an each-way bet: the horse wins the race, the horse places, or the horse doesn’t place. Here are some examples of each-way bets to emphasise how they work and are calculated. Here is an example below also showing how that works and how much money you could receive.
How are each way bets calculated – an example
In the example below, you backed a horse at odds of £10/1. Your stake is £5 each-way and the places pay 1/5th odds 1-2-3.
| Scenario | Win part of bet | Place part of bet | Total return |
| 1st | £55 (£50 profit + £5 stake) | £15 (£10 profit + £5 stake) | £70 (£60 profit + £10 stake) |
| 2nd or 3rd | Bet loses | £15 (£10 profit + £5 stake) | £15 (£10 profit + £5 stake) |
| 4th or worse | Bet loses | Bet loses | £0 |
Still unsure? Work out your winnings with our each-way bet calculator.
Each Way Bet Calculator
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| # | Outcome | Odds | Place Odds | Rule 4 |
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Each Way betting in horse racing
An each-way bet on horse racing means that you’re covering both the ‘win’ and ‘place’ part of the bet you place. It’s one of the easiest bets to place and can be done so at the majority of sporting events.
If your horse didn’t win the race, but placed, then your ‘win’ part of the bet would be settled as a loss, but the ‘place’ part would be settled as a win. The amount of places that each betting site pays out at on each-way bets depends on the bookie and the amount of runners in a race.
Each Way horse racing example
Our example of an each-way horse racing bet is from Sky Bet. As you can see, by placing an each way bet on Ashford Hill, we are in fact placing a £20 bet and not a £10 one. Your stake gets doubled when you want to bet each way. The most winnings you can receive is £60, but that is only if the horse wins. if they do not, then you will get 1/4 depending on where your horse places.
Each Way betting at the Grand National
An each-way bet on the Grand National isn’t any different to that of an each-way bet on horse racing. For example, if you use the bet365 welcome offer (one of our recommended betting offers), log in and pick a horse, there’s an option to make it each way on the betting slip:
In previous years, some betting sites have offered to payout more places on each-way bets on the Grand National than they typically would on other meetings throughout the year. It’s the same format though, as an each-way bet on the Grand National would cover both the ‘win’ and ‘place’ part of the betting selections included in your bet.
Find all the information you need for betting on the event on our Grand National betting offers page.
Football Each Way Betting
Each-way betting on football isn’t as common as it is on sports such as horse racing, as you can’t cover the ‘place’ part of an each-way bet on matches that take place in the football calendar.
However, you can place each-way football bets on outright betting markets within the sport. This can include betting on tournaments or league winners in a certain competition. An example of this could be if you predict England to win the 2026 World Cup on bet365. If the betting site you placed the bet on is offering two places on each-way bets, you would see a return of some funds if England finished second in the 2026 World Cup. However, if they won the tournament, then you’d see a full payout of the funds.
Can you do Each Way Bets on first goalscorer?
Different betting sites have different rules in place for each-way bets placed on a first goalscorer within football, so it’s important to read through the terms and conditions listed on the bookmaker’s website.
An example of a bookie that has you covered on each-way bets on the first goalscorer is bet365. As stated on their site, they’ll pay you out for unlimited places if that player scores during 90 minutes.
Golf Each Way Betting
Golf betting is becoming increasingly popular, especially with tournaments taking place throughout the year. It’s worth remembering that you can only place an each-way golf bet on outright betting markets on tournaments. An each-way bet runs similar to how any other each-way bet on another sport would though, as you’re covering both the ‘win’ and ‘place’ part of the bet.
If your selection doesn’t win, but places within the places being offered by the bookmaker, then you’ll still see a return of some funds, although the amount can depend on the amount wagered on the bet and the odds being offered by the betting site.
Golf Each Way Bet example
On a 10-1 selection £5 each-way single and paying 1⁄5 the odds to place 1, 2, 3, or 4 would cost £10.
- Returns on the win would be £5 × (10/1 × 1) + stake = £55 (£50 winnings + £5 stake)
- Returns on the place would be £5 × (10/5 × 1) + stake = £10 (£5 winnings + £5 stake)
- Total returns would be £55 + £10 = £65 if the selected player win, but just £10 if the player only finished second, third, or fourth
Below is an example of how to place an each-way golf bet on Betfair.
Each Way Accumulator
An each-way accumulator is a popular bet for punters, as they look to provide themselves with insurance on some of their betting selections, whilst also giving themselves a chance of a potentially sizeable payout, although this does depend on the stake wagered and the odds being offered by the bookmaker.
An each-way accumulator covers both the ‘win’ and ‘place’ part of an each-way bet. If you’ve wagered funds on an each-way accumulator and some of your selections win and some place, then your overall payout will be adjusted accordingly. If all of your selections in the each-way accumulator were to win, then you’d see a full payout based on the odds of the selections in your bet.
Each Way Accumulator example
Below, we’ve provided an example of an each-way accumulator on William Hill, which is a great bookie to use, as they’re well-established within the betting industry.
Advantages of Each Way Betting
Each way betting is popular as it increases your chances of winning.
For some sporting events, there are no strong favourites and each selection is priced long. In such a market, it is much harder to predict who will win, but the long odds results in favourable odds even after the fraction has been applied.
Some would, therefore, consider each way betting to be lower risk, lower gain approach to betting.
Disadvantages of Each Way Betting
When betting each way, your stake is effectively doubled which may mean that you’re risking a greater amount of money.
A second consideration is the odds after the fraction has been applied. If the odds are low to start with, once the fraction has been applied the potential winnings might be not so attractive. Some may perceive the lower risk, lower gains as a potential drawback.
Win or Each Way? Which is best?
There isn’t technically a correct answer as to whether a win is the best bet, or an each-way one is. Each punter will have their own preference as to what they prefer, and this is entirely up to them, as you should only gamble with funds that you can afford to lose.
One of the positives of a ‘Win’ bet is that it’s half the cost to that of an each-way bet, and could see you earn a sizeable payout if all the betting selections win. However, the main disadvantage of a ‘Win’ bet compared to an each-way bet is that if one selection loses, then your bet will be settled as a loss. Whereas with an each-way bet, you’re covered if a selection places, and although it’s double the stake of a win bet, you’re providing yourself with more insurance in case the selection doesn’t win.
Each Way Betting rules and terms
Each betting site will have their terms and conditions for each-way betting. Betfair are a betting site that are well worth considering for each-way betting, especially with their betting exchange accessible to punters.
Below, we’ve listed their terms and conditions for each-way betting.
- If you place a bet which is EW (1/5, 3 places) and your horse finishes in the top 3, you’ll win your bet.
- The place portion of your bet will pay out at 1/5 of the odds that you took that horse for.
- Should the horse come first you’ll receive the payout on both the Win and Place portions of your bet.
- If your horse finished 2nd or 3rd you’ll only receive the payout on the place section, the win part of your bet will be a loser.
Each Way Betting FAQs
An each way bet is a bet made up of two parts: a ‘win bet’ and a ‘place bet’. If you’re placing an each way bet on a horse race, two bets of equal amounts are made on the same horse.
There are multiple sports where the each way bet can be used. It’s primarily used in horse racing but can be used on outright markets in football, golf and tennis.
Yes, it is possible to bet each way on an accumulator. When you place an each way multiple, you again have two different multiples. One multiple is for all of the win bets to come in, and the second accumulator is for all of the place bets to come in. They are hard to pull off but the potential winnings are likely to be huge depending on the odds involved in the bet.
Each way bets can be worth it as you could still receive a sizeable amount of profit from your stake if the horse places. However, if the amount of places a bookmaker is paying out on is only 3 and there are 10 horses running in the race, then it makes the bet a little harder and there is a bigger chance of you losing more money than originally planned if you do an each way bet.
The amount of places paid out in an each way bet varies from race-to-race and depends on the bookmaker you are using. There is a minimum amount of places that an each-way bet can offer and that is 2. They can offer 2 places if there are a minimum of 5-7 horses running. For big horse racing events like the Grand National, we can see betting sites be very generous and offer 5 or 6 places for each way bets.