This each way calculator shows what an each-way bet pays if your selection wins, places or loses. Enter your stake, the odds and the each-way terms, and it works out both the win part and the place part for singles, accumulators and full-cover bets.
- An each-way bet is two bets: one on your selection to win and one to place, so it costs double your stake.
- The place part pays a fraction of the odds, usually 1/4 or 1/5, if your selection finishes in the places.
- The stake you enter is per part. A €10 each-way single costs €20.
Pick a bet type, enter the odds for each selection, choose the place fraction and set each selection to win, place only or lose. Selections that are non-runners can be set to void.
What does each way mean?
An each-way bet is really two bets of equal size. The win part pays at the full odds if your selection wins. The place part pays at a fraction of the odds if your selection finishes in one of the paying places. If your selection wins, both parts win. If it places but does not win, only the place part wins. If it finishes outside the places, both parts lose.
Each-way betting is mainly used for horse racing and golf outrights, where there are many runners and a winner can be hard to find. Read our horse racing betting guide for how it works on Irish and UK racing.
Each-way terms: places and fractions
The terms decide how many places pay and what fraction of the odds the place part gets. They depend on the race type and the number of runners, and bookmakers can differ, so check the terms shown on your bet slip. Typical terms for a horse race are:
- 2 to 4 runners: usually win only, with no each-way betting
- 5 to 7 runners: the first 2 places at 1/4 of the odds
- 8 or more runners: the first 3 places at 1/5 of the odds
- Handicaps with 12 to 15 runners: the first 3 places at 1/4 of the odds
- Handicaps with 16 or more runners: the first 4 places at 1/4 of the odds
Golf outright markets commonly pay the top five or six places at 1/5 or 1/4 of the odds, and some bookmakers offer extra places on big events. Extra-place offers change the number of places, not the way the place part is calculated, so use the fraction shown on the slip.
How does an each way calculator work out your return?
Work out the win part and the place part separately, then add them together.
- Win part: stake × decimal odds
- Place part: stake × (1 + (decimal odds − 1) × place fraction)
- Total stake: stake × 2
Take €10 each way at 5/2 (decimal 3.5) with place terms of 1/4 odds. The total stake is €20.
- Wins: the win part returns €35.00 and the place part returns €16.25 (10 × (1 + 2.5 × 0.25)). That is €51.25 in total, a profit of €31.25.
- Places but does not win: only the place part pays, so you get €16.25 back. That is a loss of €3.75.
- Finishes outside the places: you lose the full €20.
Each way doubles, trebles and Lucky 15s
Each-way multiples are two separate bets: a win multiple and a place multiple. In the win multiple every selection must win. In the place multiple every selection must place, which includes winning. An each-way Lucky 15 has 30 bets because each of the 15 bets is split into a win part and a place part.
Take a €10 each-way double on selections at 4/1 (decimal 5.0) and 5/2 (decimal 3.5) with 1/4 place terms. The total stake is €40.
- Both win: the win double returns €175.00 (10 × 5.0 × 3.5) and the place double returns €32.50 (10 × 2.0 × 1.625). That is €207.50 in total.
- One wins, the other only places, or both place: the win double loses and the place double returns €32.50. That is a loss of €7.50.
- Either one finishes outside the places: both parts lose.
What does this each way calculator not include?
- Dead heats, where your stake on the affected part is divided between the tied runners
- Rule 4 deductions after a late non-runner, which can reduce winnings considerably on short-priced withdrawals
- Extra-place offers or bonuses beyond the fraction you choose
- Different terms applied by your bookmaker for a specific race or event
For more on offers that change each-way terms, see our guide to best odds and each-way explained. You can also try the general bet calculator for win-only bets, the Lucky 15 calculator for full-cover bets, or the odds converter to switch price formats.
Each-way or win only: which pays more?
A €10 win bet and a €5 each-way bet cost the same, but they pay differently. Say the horse is 10/1 and the place terms are a quarter of the odds for three places. The €10 win bet returns €110 if the horse wins and nothing otherwise. The €5 each-way bet returns €72.50 if it wins and €17.50 if it only places. So each way pays out more often, but returns less when the horse wins. It also costs double per unit, so a €10 each-way bet is €20 in total.
Each-way golf example
Golf outrights work the same way, with more places. Say a golfer is 40/1 and the terms are one fifth of the odds for the first five places. A €5 each-way bet costs €10. If the golfer wins, the win part returns €205 (5 × 41) and the place part returns €45 (5 × (1 + 40 × 0.2)), a total of €250. If the golfer finishes in the top five but does not win, you receive €45. Ties for a place can trigger dead-heat rules, which reduce the place return. Our golf betting guide explains the market.
Each-way, Rule 4 and dead heats
This calculator does not apply Rule 4 deductions or dead heats, so work them out separately. A Rule 4 deduction cuts the winnings on both the win and place parts when a horse is withdrawn. In a dead heat for a place, your place stake is divided between the tied runners. Both are explained with worked sums on our bet calculator page, and the best odds guaranteed and each-way guide covers extra-place offers.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate an each way bet?
Work out the win part as stake × decimal odds and the place part as stake × (1 + (decimal odds − 1) × place fraction). Add them together if your selection wins. If it only places, you are paid the place part only.
How much does an each way bet cost?
Double your stake. A €10 each-way bet is two €10 bets, so €20 in total. Each-way multiples cost double the stake times the number of bets.
What happens if my horse places but does not win?
The win part loses and the place part wins at the fraction of the odds. For €10 each way at 5/2 and 1/4 odds, the place part returns €16.25 on a €20 total stake.
What is the difference between 1/4 and 1/5 each-way terms?
It is the fraction of the odds the place part is paid at. 1/4 pays a quarter of the odds and 1/5 pays a fifth, so 1/4 pays more. Races with more places often use the smaller fraction.
Can I bet each way on football?
Each-way betting is mainly for markets with many possible results such as horse racing, golf and some outright winner markets. It is not normally offered on standard football match markets.
Is the place part always a profit?
No. At short odds the place part can return less than your total stake. In the example above a place-only result returns €16.25 against a €20 stake. At longer odds the place part can cover your total stake.
How many places do golf each-way bets pay?
Golf outrights commonly pay the top five or six places at one fifth or one quarter of the odds, and some bookmakers offer extra places on big events. Check the terms on your bet slip, because they vary by bookmaker and tournament.
What is an extra-place offer?
An extra-place offer pays an additional place on an each-way bet, such as five places instead of four. The place fraction stays the same, so you use the fraction shown on your slip with the extra place included.
Is each way worth it?
Each way costs double per unit and pays out more often than a win bet, but returns less when the selection wins. It suits longer-priced selections in big fields, where the place part gives you a return more often. There is no guaranteed profit either way.
Last updated: 11 October 2026.
18+. Please play responsibly. Free, confidential support is available from GamblingCare.ie on 1800 936 725. Calculators are a guide only and do not guarantee what a bookmaker will pay.
