Betting on horse racing: Glossary of bets

Individual race bets

Win: A single bet on your selection to win is the most common wager.

Each-way: This is two bets, the first part a win bet, the second a place bet. So if your selection passes the post first you collect on both elements. If it is placed, you collect on the second part only. As this is two bets, your stake is doubled i.e. £1 each-way costs £2.

The basic each-way terms with the major bookmakers are below although most firms offer enhanced versions for the major meetings.

Fewer than 5 runners: Win only

5-7 runners: 2 places at 1/4 odds

8-11 runners 3 places at 1/5 odds or 3 places at 1/5 odds

12-15 runners 3 places at 1/4 odds or 3 places at 1/5 odds

16 or more runners 4 places at 1/4 odds or 3 places at 1/5 odds

Forecast

You can place a straight forecast (1 bet) or reverse forecast (2 bets), selecting horses to finish first and second in a race. A combination is more than two selections (significantly more bets) and again the horses need to be first and second to trigger winnings.

Tricast

Same as above, but selections need to finish first, second and third. As a result, reverse tricasts aren’t available but combinations are.

Multiple bets

Below is a full list of what’s available. These are often used by punters to small stakes looking to increase their return.

Double – One bet covering two sections. If both of the selections win, your bet will be settled as a winner. You can have an each-way double which counts as two bets (as per the singles above).

Treble – A treble – three selections with the same rules as a double.

Accumulator – For more than three selections . Four-timers, five-timers, six-timers etc. all come under the umbrella of accumulator. Again all need to win for pay out – or all placed for each-way.

There are various other multiple bets available which are named. Details are below.

Three selections

Patent: 7 bets - 1 treble, 3 doubles, 3 singles

Trixie: 4 bets - 1 treble, 3 doubles

Four selections

Yankee: 11 bets - 1 accumulator, 4 trebles, 6 doubles

Lucky 15: 15 bets - 1 accumulator, 4 trebles, 6 double, 4 singles = 15 bets

Five selections

Canadian/Super Yankee: 26 bets - 1 accumulator, 5 four-folds, 10 trebles, 10 doubles = 26 bets

Lucky 31: 31 bets - 1 accumulator, 5 four-folds, 10 trebles, 10 doubles, 5 singles

Six selections

Heinz: 57 bets - 1 accumulator, 6 five-folds, 15 four-folds, 20 trebles, 15 doubles

Lucky 63: 63 bets - 1 accumulator, 6 five-folds, 15 four-folds, 20 trebles, 15 doubles, 6 singles

Seven selections

Super Heinz: 120 bets - 1 accumulator, 7 six-folds, 21 five-folds, 35 four-folds, 35 trebles, 21 doubles

Eight selections

Goliath: 247 bets - 1 accumulator, 8 seven-folds, 28 six-folds, 56 five-folds, 70 four-folds, 56 trebles, 28 doubles

Tote betting

A pool-based betting system available both on and off course. Every bet placed goes into the pool and pay-out is determined by stakes on the selection.

The tote offer win, place and exactas (1st and second in the correct order) on every race.

The two most popular Tote bets are...

Placepot: Covers the first six races of a meeting. You need to select a horse to be placed in every race to win. You can have more than one selection but this increases the cost of the bet. The winning amount is again determined by the number of winning tickets and the size of the pool.

Jackpot: For the main meeting each day – and covers the first six races. Works exactly the same way as the Placepot but selections need to win every race.