Each-Way AtlasEach-way betting explained
How many bets are in an each-way Lucky 15 or Yankee?
A Yankee holds 11 bets on four selections, a Lucky 15 holds 15 bets on four, and a Lucky 31 holds 31 bets on five. Betting each way doubles the count to 22, 30 and 62 bets. At a £1 unit stake, that costs £22, £30 and £62.
Editorial team of Each-Way Atlas · Checked
Facts: how many bets each type contains
| Bet | Selections | Singles | Doubles | Trebles | Fourfolds | Fivefold | Bets | Each-way bets | Cost at £1 each way |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yankee | 4 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 22 | £22.00 |
| Lucky 15 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 30 | £30.00 |
| Lucky 31 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 31 | 62 | £62.00 |
The short version: the number in the name is the number of bets, and each way doubles it.
Why are there so many bets?
These types back every combination of your selections, so one winner can still pay. The number of k-selection combinations from n selections is n! ÷ (k! × (n − k)!).
For four selections, that gives 4 singles, 6 doubles, 4 trebles and 1 fourfold. A Yankee leaves out the singles, which is why it holds 11 bets and a Lucky 15 holds 15.
The short version: count the combinations with n choose k, and add them up.
How does each way change the cost?
Each bet in the type becomes a win bet and a place bet, so the number of bets doubles. The total stake is the number of bets times the unit stake.
Our glossary entry on unit stake defines the figure that the multiplication starts from. The place bets follow the place terms of each race, as in each-way multiples.
The short version: cost equals the number of bets, doubled, times the unit stake.
Example: a £1 unit stake and a 50p unit stake
A £1 each-way Lucky 15 holds 30 bets, so it costs 30 × £1 = £30.00. At a 50p unit stake the same bet costs 30 × £0.50 = £15.00.
The quoted unit stake is the amount on each line, not the total, and this is why a bet slip total can surprise a reader. Check the total on the slip before you confirm. The stakes are invented to show the multiplication.
The short version: halve the unit stake and the total halves, but the number of bets stays the same.
What if a horse is withdrawn?
A withdrawn selection leaves fewer combinations in play, and a Rule 4 deduction may reduce winnings on the others. The mechanics, with a worked deduction, are on non-runners and Rule 4.
We have not yet recorded how any operator re-prices a package bet after a withdrawal, so we do not describe that here.
The short version: a withdrawal changes the bet, and the operator's rules say how.
How we checked
The counts come from the combinations formula and can be verified by hand.
The definitions of each bet type in the rules of at least three operators are Not verified as of 7 November 2026, and we add them with URL and date. See how we check and how to work out each-way returns.
18+ only. Gambling can be harmful.
The short version: the maths is checked, and the operator definitions are still to be read.
What changed
7 November 2026: first version. Return to the each-way hub.
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