What Does Each-Way Mean? A guide to types of betting

• Each-Way Betting Explained
• How to Place Each-Way Bets
• Example of Each-Way Betting in Football
• Are Each-Way Bets Worth It?
• Combination Forecast Bet
• Each-Way Betting Summary

You’ll often find each-way options with several bookmakers. However, what does each-way mean? Let’s find out.

Each-Way Betting Explained

Each-way betting describes a bet split in two parts - a win bet and a place bet.

Both the win bet and the place bet are of equal value, therefore a £4 each-way bet will total £8, representing a £4 win and a £4 place bet. The punter is betting on, for example, a horse to win (the win bet) and a horse to finish within a certain number of places (often up to fifth).

If your selection wins, then both parts of your each-way bet are returned. If your selection places, then only the place part of the bet will pay a return.

Bettors can choose to bet each way in horse racing (where it’s most common) as well as using them for sports such as football, golf, and tennis betting.

Let's look each-way bets in more detail and describe what they are, how they’re used, and what the benefits of using them really are.

How to Place Each-Way Bets

Before you explore the possibilities of each-way betting, you must first decide your stake amount. If you decide to bet £25 each-way, then remember that your overall bet is £50, as you’ll need to split this money across two bets.

A lot of punters make the mistake of forgetting that their each-way bets are essentially divided in half. Therefore, when they state ‘£20 each way’ to their bookies, they’re actually betting £10 on each bet instead of £20. Remember, you can check your betslip on your betting app of choice or on the actual slip of paper at the bookies if you’re unsure.

The next step is to look at the odds for your ‘win’ bet. On events like the Grand National, you’ll see the odds for an outright winner and your return, if your win is successful, will be based on those odds.

The ‘place’ bet will only come in if your chosen bet finishes within a predetermined amount of places. Different sports will have different places, but if we stick with the Grand National example, you’ll find some bookmakers offer place bets up to 5th place or higher. Odds for the place bet are a fraction of the win bet as you’re betting on multiple places instead of one. Usually these range from one quarter to one fifth of the ‘to win’ odds.

If your selection finishes within those places, then you’ll be rewarded with the ‘place’ odds. However, if your bet is unsuccessful, then your bet will lose and you will not win anything.

Each-way betting is relatively simple to understand, and they’re great options for events like horse racing. You can use them in football, too, but each-way bets are less common here.

Example of Each-Way Betting in Football

The simplest example of a football each-way bet would be if you were betting on the Premier League title winners - or similar outright markets.

If you place a £10 each-way bet on Chelsea to win the league title with odds at 12/1 then our total bet is £20 overall. Several football bookmakers will offer places in the top two, with ‘place’ odds of a 2nd place finish often a quarter of the outright odds, which in this example would be odds of 3/1.

Should Chelsea romp to the league title and finish 1st, then you’ll be rewarded on the win bet (£10x12) and win £120, plus your place odds of 3/1 (£10x3) for a total of £150 in winnings.

If Chelsea finish 2nd, then the bet still comes in, however you will only be paid on the agreed ‘place’ odds of 3/1 which would be your £10x3, for a total of £30, plus the stake.

However, if Chelsea finish 3rd or 4th, then the bet loses completely and you will win nothing.

Each-way bets are less common in football, and you’ll often find fans opting for accumulators instead.

Are Each-Way Bets Worth It?

Like all betting markets, each-way bets are only worth it if you’re certain you’ll generate an overall profit. Always check the odds offered by your bookmaker.

Some bookies offer extra place specials for certain sporting events, so it’s worthwhile looking out for these if you want to be certain your place bet will come in.

Combination Forecast Bet

A combination forecast bet is when a punter aims to pick 1st and 2nd place finishes in any order from a set total of selections.

They’re most common in the world of horse racing or greyhounds where bettors can pick two or more selections to finish in the top places in the correct order. To win a payout, two of your picks must finish in the correct order.

There are three types of forecast bets, combination, straight, and reverse. Straight forecasts involve picking two selections; the winner and the runner-up. For your bet to come in, you’ll need to predict this in the correct order.

Reverse forecasts involve picking two selections to finish in any order. Since you’re not forecasting direct winners and runners-up, the odds for reverse forecasts are often less favourable.

Forecast bets are ideal for events like the Grand National, and are not best suited to sports like football and rugby. This is because horseracing has a larger field of competitors and you face a greater chance of your selections being successful.

Each-Way Betting Summary

Hopefully this helps answer the question “What does each-way mean?”. Each-way bets encompass a bet split in two parts, with the punter making both winning and place bets. They’re ideal for events like horse racing, but you can also use them in tennis, golf, and football.

As is the case with any bet, the best way to make worthwhile each-way bets is to do your research and make intelligent, pragmatic selections based on research rather than pure gut feeling.

Each-way bets are most worthwhile if you’re certain you’ll make a profit, and are a common sight in horse racing events like the Grand National.