When you’re exploring the world of sports betting, you’ll often come across the betting term "each way betting." Commonly used in horse racing, golf, and other sports with multiple competitors, each way betting can seem a bit complex at first. But once you understand how it works, it opens up new ways to bet with reduced risk and potential for decent returns.
In this article, we’ll break down each way betting in simple terms — explaining its meaning, rules, how it works, strategy, and providing a practical example.
What Is Each Way Betting?
Each way betting is essentially two bets in one:
Win Bet – Your selection must win the event.
Place Bet – Your selection must finish in one of the predetermined "places" (for example, 1st to 4th depending on the event and bookmaker’s terms).
You’re staking equal amounts on both the win and the place. So, if you place a $10 each way bet, it will cost you $20 — $10 on the win, and $10 on the place.
Each Way Betting Meaning
In simple terms:
"Each way" means you're covering two outcomes — a win and a place.
It is most useful in events with a large number of participants, where the chances of winning are lower, but placing is more realistic.
You still win something if your selection doesn’t win but finishes in a paying position (e.g., 2nd, 3rd, or 4th).
How Does Each Way Betting Work?
Let’s say you're betting on a golf tournament or a horse race with 16 participants, and your chosen player/horse has odds of 20/1 (21.0 in decimal).
You place a $10 each way bet = $10 on the win + $10 on the place = $20 total stake.
Bookmaker terms are 1/4 odds for the place and paying the top 4 places.
Outcomes:
If your selection wins:
You win both the win and place parts of the bet.
Win returns = $10 × 20 = $200 + stake ($10) = $210
Place returns = $10 × (20/4) = $50 + stake ($10) = $60
Total return = $270
If your selection finishes 2nd, 3rd or 4th:
Win bet loses.
Place bet wins.
Return = $10 × (20/4) = $50 + stake = $60
If your selection finishes outside top 4:
You lose both bets.
Each Way Betting Rules
Each way betting rules depend on the type of sport and number of participants. Here’s a typical guide (may vary slightly by bookmaker):
Number of Runners | Places Paid | Fraction of Odds |
1–4 | Win Only | N/A |
5–7 | Top 2 | 1/4 |
8+ (non-handicap) | Top 3 | 1/5 |
12–15 (handicap) | Top 3 | 1/4 |
16+ (handicap) | Top 4 | 1/4 |
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