                  |
|
This bet is just what it says. A bet to win on a single selection. It is the least complicated bet. You select one horse in one event and back it to win. If it wins you win at the odds backed. If it loses you lose. And that's all there is to it. Most bookmakers will allow you to "take the price" (that is back at the odds) offered at the time you place the bet or to bet at starting price (the price returned as the odds generally on offer at "the off"). Some will let you take the price but then settle with you at starting price if the odds lengthen. It's worth checking out the terms offered by the various bookmakers. From our links page you can easily click through to several of those offering an online service.
A place bet is a bet that your selection will finish in the first three, four or sometimes five or more depending on the type of race, the number of runners and the terms offered by the bookmaker. The bet is settled at a fraction of the odds, whether you back at those odds available at the time or at starting price. It is unusual for bookmakers to offer place only bets. A win bet of at least equivalent stake has to be made too - see each way betting below. It is possible to bet place only in the Tote pool and the online betting exchanges place markets are not related to the win markets so enable place only betting. 
An each way bet is where you bet on the selection to win and to be placed as described above. The win bet is settled as a win single above. The generally applied fractions on the place element of each way bets are:
With combination bets (see below) place odds are calculated on the terms applicable for each individual race or leg of the bet. A double is where you make selections in two different races or events and back them both. A double can be a win double or an each way double. Both selections need to win or be placed for you to win. The bet is then settled at the cumulative odds. For instance, if you placed a £10 win double on horse A at 4-1 and horse B at 2-1, if horse A wins you then have £50 (£40 winnings plus your stake) rolling onto horse B. If horse B then wins the return is £150 (the £50 rolled on from horse A plus the £100 winnings at 2-1 on horse B). The £50 return includes your £10 stake so the true odds of the double are 14-1. If your bet is an each way bet the place element would be settled at the fraction of the odds depending on the type of race and number of runners (see each way bet above). 
A treble is similar to a double but with three selections in different events or races. All three need to win (or be placed if an each way bet is made) to give you return. 
You can bet on accumulators of a greater number of selections in different races or events - in fact as many as you like to name - and the odds are multiplied up in the same way as for doubles and trebles but for each of your selections. However many selections you make they all need to win (or be placed as far as an each way bet is concerned) to give you a return. An accumulator can dramatically multiply the returns to your stake which we can best illustrate by way of an example. For this we'll take a bet of four selections in different races or events - all to win. We'll assume odds of 3 - 1, 4 - 1, 5 - 1 and 6 - 1. If we place a £1 win accumulator on these selections - and they all win - our return would be calculated as follows:
For a stake of only £1 we therefore receive £840. This includes our £1 stake so the cumulative odds are 839 - 1 !!!!!! 
A perm (properly: "permutation") is a combination of bets from a number of selections - that is a permutation (perm). For instance, if you make four selections in different races or events a full perm of doubles would include six bets. For the four selections 1, 2, 3 and 4 the full cover or perm of doubles would be:
giving six bets. You could also perm four trebles from the same selections and there is a fourfold accumulator. From four selections there is therefore a possible eleven combination bets - 6 doubles, 4 trebles and 1 fourfold - see yankee below. 
A trixie is a full perm of three doubles and a treble. That is four bets in all so a £1 win trixie would cost £4 and a £1 each way trixie would cost £8. At least two of your selections must win - or be placed with regard to the place element of an each way bet - to give you a return. 
A patent is a "full cover" bet. You make three selections in different races or events. With a patent you are backing each of them as singles as well as the full perm of three doubles and a treble - either to win or each way. It's seven bets in all so a £1 win patent would cost you £7 and a £1 each way patent would cost you £14. With a patent one of your selections must win to give you a return - or be placed to give you a return on the place element of an each way bet. 
A yankee involves four selections and there is then a full perm of doubles and trebles with a fourfold accumulator. From our explanation of a perm above you can see that this involves eleven bets - so a £1 win yankee costs £11 and a £1 each way yankee costs £22. At least two of your selections have to win (or be placed if an each way bet) to give you a return. 
A lucky 15 is a yankee (four selections as above) but also includes single bets on the individual selections. As well as the full perm cover of the yankee there are therefore four single bets making 15 bets in all. A £1 win lucky 15 would cost £15 and a £1 each way lucky 15 would cost £30. At least one of your selections has to win (or be placed if an each way bet) to give you a return. 
If you make a forecast you predict that the outcome will be in a certain order, e.g. horse X to finish first with horse Y second. This is generally known simply as a forecast or in some cases a straight forecast. There is a single stake on the one wagered outcome. There are refinements to this which we deal with below.
A reverse forecast is a straight forecast but for the selections to finish in either order. That is in effect two forecasts, i.e. X to beat Y or Y to beat X. In this case there are two bets so a £1 reverse forecast involves staking £2 - £1 on each outcome.
|
|
On this page we've provided what we believe to be the most widely used interpretation of the vast number of bets on offer. The list does not include every bet that is on offer but covers the most popular. The rules may vary from bookmaker to bookmaker and we recommend that you establish how each bet is operated by any you place bets with. We've listed the various bets at the top of the page and you can click on them to go directly to each for a brief explanation of how they operate. There is a sort of logic to the order in which we've listed them. The bets involving the lowest number of selections and combinations are listed first, building up to those with the highest number of selections and combinations. There is, of course, no limit to the number of selections and permutations you can include in a bet. Just take care that you write or explain the details clearly. |