How an each way acca works
An each way accumulator is two bets of the same stake, so a £2 each way acca costs £4:
- The win acca needs every selection to win. It is paid at the full odds of all of them multiplied together.
- The place acca needs every selection to win or place. Each leg is paid at its place fraction (1/4 or 1/5 of the odds), and those place prices are multiplied together.
A winner counts in both. A horse that only places kills the win acca but keeps the place acca alive. One unplaced horse loses both parts. That is the trade: the place acca gives cover against near misses, at the cost of doubling the stake.
Working out the place part, step by step
The place price of each leg is 1 + (fractional odds × place fraction). At 1/4 odds:
| Leg | Odds | Win price | Place price (1/4) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2/1 | 3.0 | 1.5 |
| 2 | 3/1 | 4.0 | 1.75 |
| 3 | 5/2 | 3.5 | 1.625 |
| 4 | 4/1 | 5.0 | 2.0 |
| Multiplied | 210 | 8.53125 |
At £2 each way, all four winning returns £2 × 210 = £420 from the win acca plus £2 × 8.53125 = £17.06 from the place acca: £437.06 for £4. If the 5/2 shot only places, the win acca is lost and the place acca still returns £17.06, a £13.06 profit. If any horse finishes outside the places, both parts lose.
Place terms in each way accas
Bookmakers pay places by race type and number of runners, so the legs of a real acca can have different terms: one race at 1/5 odds for three places, a big handicap at 1/4 for four. This calculator uses one set of terms for every leg. When yours differ, set the terms of the race that matters most, or work the place price of each leg by hand with the formula above and type the result as decimal odds with the place fraction set to the same for all.
Our guide to each way bets lists the standard terms, and the each way calculator covers singles and full-cover bets.
Each way doubles and trebles
The same logic runs on two or three legs. A £5 each way treble at 1/5 odds with two horses placed at 5/1 and 6/1 and a 4/1 winner loses the win part and pays the place treble: 2.0 × 2.2 × 1.8 = 7.92, so £39.60 back for £10. Choose Double or Treble in the calculator to settle them; our treble calculator and double bet calculator have more on each.
Non-runners are settled at odds of 1.0 in both parts, so a void leg turns a four-fold into a treble. Rule 4 and dead heats are applied leg by leg under Rule 4 / dead heat.
Is an each way acca worth it?
It costs twice as much as a win-only acca, and the place acca pays far less: in the example above, £17.06 against £420. Its job is to soften the most common way accas fail, one horse running well but not winning. Every leg still has to finish in the places, and each extra leg multiplies in another bookmaker margin. If you want a return from fewer winners, full-cover bets such as the Lucky 15 spread the stake over singles, doubles and trebles instead.