What Does ‘Each Way’ Mean in Betting?
If you’ve placed a few bets, and horse racing bet in particular, then you’ve very probably come across the term each way betting. But what does each way mean in betting? Does it only apply to horse racing, or do other sports have each way betting opportunities? Can you, for example, place an each way bet on a football match?
This page will fully explain what does each way mean in betting, how does an each way bet work, and what does each way mean in horse betting in particular.
Each Way Betting Explained
By and large, each way betting applies to horse racing and greyhounds. When you place an each way bet, you split your stake in half. Half of your bet goes on a ‘win’ bet, and half of your bet goes on a ‘place’ bet. If your chosen selection wins, then both your win bet and your place bet wins. If your chosen selection places, then your win bet does not win, but your place bet does. Naturally, if your chosen selection fails to win or place, then this type of wager won’t return you a single cent!
‘Win’
The win side of your each way bet is easy to understand. If you place a £2 horse racing each way bet on a horse at Evens and it wins, then you will get back £2 – your £1 stake (remember that your stake for an each way bet is split in half) and your £1 winnings at Evens.
‘Place’
A place bet is usually a bet on a selection placing, i.e. finishing within the accepted place positions. In horse racing, this is usually first, second, third or fourth, but it can vary depending upon the number of runners (see below). In greyhounds a place position is always first or second, because there are six dogs in every greyhound race.
A place bet also usually pays out at one quarter of the odds. In our example bet above, the £1 side of your each way bet would give you back £1 as your stake, and £0.25 as your winnings if your selection places, for a total of £1.25.
Therefore, if your selection wins you will get bet a total of £3.25 for your £2 each way bet using our each way bet example. If, however your selection only places, then you will get back £1.25. If your selection does not win or place, then you will lose your £2 stake.
The Number of ‘Places’ Depends on the Size of the Field
Horse Racing
- Handicaps where there are more than 15 runners have four places at 1/4 the odds
- Handicaps of 12 to 15 runners have three places at 1/4 the odds
- All other races with more then seven runners have three places at 1/5 the odds
- All races with five to seven runners has two places at 1/4 the odds
- All races with less than five runners are not eligible for each way bets
NOTE: A handicap race, like the Grand National, is one whether horses are allocated to carry extra weight in order to even the playing field a little.
Greyhounds
- All races have two places at one 1/4 the odds
What Does Each Way Mean in Football Betting?
Each way betting mainly applies to horse racing and greyhounds, but you may be able to place an each way football bet on outrights. Very few online betting sites in the UK offer each way betting on football, but you can always construct your own ‘each way’ bet if you want.
For example, most bookies will offers odds on a side to win the EPL, and they will also offers odds on a side to finish in the top four. You can therefore create your own each way bet by betting on the same team in both outrights using the same stake.
You can also do the same for cup competitions by betting on a side to win, and betting on the same side to reach the semi-finals of the competition. For some major cup competitions such as the FIFA World Cup, specific bookies may offer you specific each way bets on certain teams.
What Does Each Way Mean in Golf Betting?
Continuing our explanation of what does each way mean in betting, after horse racing and greyhounds, golf is the most likely sport in which a bookie may offer each way betting. Golfing tournaments have leaderboards, and the player at the top of the leaderboard at the end of a tournament is declared the winner. Players close to the top of the leaderboard also win prizes, so in effect they ‘place’.
Specific bookmakers in the UK might offer a golf each bet opportunity at the start of a major tournament, however there are no specific rules about what constitutes a place, and the fraction of the odds that are paid out. If you are going to place an each way on golf, then check the terms and conditions related to the event and at the bookies you are placing the bet at.
What Does Each Way Mean in Tennis Betting?
Again, bookies offering each way bets on tennis tournaments are rare. You may, for a big tournament such as a major, find a bookie that offers each way bets on competitors. This will usually mean that half your bet goes on the competitor winning the competition, and half on them reaching the semi-finals at least.
Just as with football betting, you can make your own each way bets in tennis too. Just place half your stake on a player winning a tournament, and half on the same player at least reaching the semi-finals.
How to Place an Each Way Bet
Placing an each way bet is super easy, but just in case you’ve never placed an each way bet before, we are going to walk you through the process.
Here, we have signed up for and signed into our account at bet365. We have perused the day’s horse racing listings, and have decided our best bet for an each way bet is Miss Wachit in the 2.45 at Southwell.
As you can see, Miss Wachit is at 9.00 (10.1) in an 11-horse racing. As this is not a handicap race, then the odds for a horse racing each way bet are one-fifth of the odds for three places – however thanks to bet365’s ‘Enhanced E/W’ deal, this betting site will actually pay for four places as opposed to the normal three.
To add Miss Wachit to our betting slip all we need to do is click on the odds.
Here is our bet slip. We have checked the E/W check box to make sure that bet365 accepts our bet as an each way bet, and not a win bet. Our stake is ‘per unit’ and as we are placing two bets with an each way bet (both win and place), our total stake (£4) is twice our unit stake (£2).
To place our each way bet, we just need to hit the ‘Place Bet’ button. You can see that our potential returns from our each way bet are £23.20. We’ll explain how this has been calculated by bet365 below.
Calculating Each Way Bet Payouts
It is relatively simple to calculate each way bet payouts. You just have to split your overall stake in two, and calculate using the odds and each way fraction provided.
Let’s look at our Miss Wachit bet. Our win part is easy to calculate:
- Win £2 at 9.00 = £18
The place part is just as easy. We just take our win return and apply the ‘each way’ fraction that’s indicated by the sports betting site at which we placed our bet. With our example bet, a place bet pays out at a fifth of the odds of a win bet.
- Place £2 at 9.00 / 5 = £2 at 2.60 = £5.20
Those that are good at maths will notice an anomaly here – how can 9.00 divided by five equal 2.6? The answer is we are not dividing a decimal – we are dividing decimals odds. When dividing decimal odds, the maths is as follows:
- Place Odds = 1 + (Win Odds – 1) / Fraction
Therefore, the calculation from our example is as follows:
- Place Odds = 1 + (9.00 – 1) / 5
- Place Odds = 1 + 8 / 5
- Place Odds = 1 + 1.60
- Place Odds = 2.60
To get our potential place winnings, we just multiple our stake by the place odds, as we have done above.
As working out place odds can be a little tricky as it involves knowing the ‘formula’ as opposed to simply doing the maths, it might be better to use our each way bet calculator.
Each Way Extra Meaning
While at an online bookie you may across each way extra meaning that the specific bookie will offer each way extra betting opportunities. This is where you can select your own number of places for your own bet, albeit for reduced odds. You can, for example improve the odds for your place selection greatly if you declare you are happy to accept only first and second as place bet payout finishes.
To see if your bookie offers each way extra, check the racecard of any race at the site. You will be able to see each way extra prices if they are offered.
Advantages of Each Way Betting
So, what are the main advantages of each way betting? Here we've picked up five points that make each way betting more advantageous than simple 'to win' betting. Now you know what does each way mean in betting, you can digest these advantages and consider whether to add each way bets to your normal betting system.
Increased chances of winning
Each-way betting provides an opportunity to win even if your selection doesn’t finish first. With each-way bets, you effectively place two bets: one on your selection to win and another on your selection to place (usually in the top two, three, or four, depending on the number of runners). This increases your chances of a return on your bet.Risk reduction
By placing an each-way bet, you reduce the risk of losing your entire stake. If your selection doesn’t win but finishes in the specified place positions (e.g., second or third), you still receive a payout on the place portion of your bet. This mitigates the impact of a narrow defeat and can provide a handy safety net if your chosen runner doesn’t perform as expected.Potential for larger payouts
If your selection wins the race, you receive payouts for both the win and place portions of your bet. This means that if your chosen horse has relatively long odds and wins, you can potentially earn a significant return. This aspect of each-way betting can be appealing to bettors looking for larger payouts while still maintaining some insurance.Flexibility
Each-way betting allows you to adopt different strategies depending on your confidence in your selection. If you’re highly confident in your chosen runner, you can stake more on the win portion of the bet. On the other hand, if you’re less certain but believe your selection has a good chance of placing, you can allocate more of your stake to the place portion of the bet.Multiple Payouts
With each-way betting, you have the potential to receive multiple payouts. If your selection finishes first, you win both the win and place portions of the bet. If your selection finishes in the specified place positions, you still receive a payout on the place portion of the bet. This provides more opportunities to profit from your wager.
Each Way Betting Tips
Know you know what the each way meaning is, and how you can place each way bets, you’re probably keen to get your each way bets on. Before you do so, here are a few each way betting tips from our site betting experts that you ought to take notice of.
Research!
Before placing an each-way bet, it’s essential to research the runners (or competitors) in the race. Take into account factors such as recent form, track conditions, jockey and trainer performance, and any other relevant information. The more informed you are about the contenders, the better equipped you’ll be to back a winner,
Assess the terms
Each-way bets have specific place terms set by the bookmaker. Pay attention to the number of places being offered and the fraction of the odds being paid for a place finish. Sometimes bookmakers offer more generous place terms, particularly in large field races. Look for opportunities where the place terms provide good value.
Analyze the odds
Evaluate the odds of the runners and compare them to their perceived chances of winning or placing. Look for selections where the odds are higher than you believe they should be. This can indicate value betting in both the win and place portions of the bet. It’s important to strike a balance between odds and the likelihood of success.
Consider multiples
Instead of placing a single each-way bet on one selection, you can also consider each-way multiples, such as an each-way double or treble. This involves combining multiple selections in separate races, increasing the potential payout if all selections win or place. However, it also increases the complexity and risk of the bet.
Adapt your stake
Based on your confidence in a particular selection, adjust the allocation of your stake between the win and place portions of the bet. If you’re highly confident in a horse’s chances of winning, allocate more of your stake to the win portion. Conversely, if you believe the selection is more likely to place, allocate a larger portion to the place bet. If a site does not allow you to do this when placing an each way bet, place separate win and place bets.
Be selective
Each-way betting can be an appealing option, but it’s important to be selective with your bets. Not every race or runner will provide value or suitable conditions for each-way betting. Focus on races where there are enough runners to offer good place terms and where you have confidence in your analysis.
Manage your bankroll
As with any form of betting, it’s crucial to manage your bankroll effectively. Set a budget for your each-way betting and stick to it. Avoid chasing losses or placing bets beyond your means. It’s also advisable to consider using a staking plan, such as betting a consistent percentage of your bankroll on each bet, to help control your wagering.
Each Way vs. Win Bets
So, when should you bet each way, and when should you bet to win? The advantage of betting to win is that your payouts are bigger. The advantage of betting each way is there’s more chance of a return from a bet. It really is up to you whether, for a specific bet, it is better to bet to win, or bet each way meaning your betting to win and place at the same time.
One tactic you can use is to bet on a low-priced runner to win, and then bet on a selection that has higher odds but still has a chance of winning each way in the same race. That way you are covering your bet twice – once with a different selection and again with a place bet on that second selection. Alternatively, you could just place a win bet and a place bet on different selections in the same race.
If you new to horse racing (or greyhound betting) you may want to start off with each way betting, especially if – initially at least – you’re not expert enough to pick winners on a regular basis. If you are a seasoned bettor but are currently on a losing streak, then switching to each way betting for a while may pay you a greater level of success.
Top UK Online Bookmakers that offer Each Way Betting
All UK bookies will allow you to place each way bets, but we’ve selected five for you that are especially effective sites for each way betting, with enhanced deals and extra places offers frequently available.
- All
Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets
Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets
Bet £10, Get £30 in Free Bets
Bet £10, Get £30 in Free Bets
Bet £10 Get £40 In Bonuses
Bet £10 Get £40 In Bonuses
Bet £10 Get £30 In Free Bets
Bet £10 Get £30 In Free Bets
Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets + 100 Free Spins
Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets + 100 Free Spins
Wrapping Up
Now you know what does each way mean in betting on horse racing, greyhounds and other sports, you’ll probably be keen to place your first each way bet, or to continue placing each way bets if you already do so. We’ve explained how does an each way bet work, and told you how to work out potential each way bet winnings (or just use our each way bet calculator).
Betting each way gives you more chance of getting returns back from your bets, even if you suck at picking out winners! Choose one of our highest-rated UK online betting sites and start placing your each way bets today.
FAQs
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Peter joined the BettingSites.co.uk team in 2023, having previously worked for many high-profile gambling-related sites such as RightCasino, JustSlots, WhichBingo and Gambling.com. An experienced head when it comes to all aspects of iGaming, Peter is a fanatic fan of sport, including football and US sports such as baseball and American football. He is also a multi-published fiction writer, although sadly, not a wealthy one.
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