Lucky 15 Bet Explained [Definition, How It Works, Types]

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Combination bets are lucrative, and the Lucky 15 is one of the most attractive of this kind. If you’ve ever found yourself wondering what a Lucky 15 is, how it works, or how you can calculate how much you win, you’ve come to the right place! This article holds the answers to all the questions you may have regarding Lucky 15 bets. Stick around and continue reading. 

What Is a Lucky 15 Bet?

A Lucky 15 is a full-coverage multiple bet that covers all possible combinations on four different selections. The Lucky 15 bet consists of 15 separate bets of equal value on four types of selections – four singles, six doubles, four trebles, and one four-fold accumulator.

The large number of bets included in a Lucky 15 make the return of a bet very substantial if all four selections win, although you’ll receive a payout even if only one wins. Keep in mind that the larger the number of bets, the larger the stake – multiply your initial stake by 15 to get 15 equal bets. 

Now that we’ve explained how many bets are in a Lucky 15, you can start to work out winnings and see if this type of bet is beneficial. The amount you win isn’t determined only by the number of winning selections – it also depends on the individual odds for each selection. If only one of the selections wins, it doesn’t mean that the payout will cover the initial stake – a £1 win-only Lucky 15 requires an initial stake of £15. 

Even though we’ve had Lucky 15 explained, it may still feel complicated. That’s okay! Luckily, technological advancements in betting make the process of placing a Lucky 15 no different from placing any other type of bet.

DID YOU KNOW? The Lucky 15 bet got its name after the 15 constituent bets, and the ‘Lucky’ part is due to bookmaker bonuses offered, like the winner bonus, loser bonus, and one-winner consolation bonus. These bonuses are a percentage increase on the winnings, making this a very attractive bet. 

How Does a Lucky 15 Work?

To reiterate, a Lucky 15 consists of 15 bets on four selections in different events. That being said, how exactly does this bet work?

It’s best to demonstrate how it operates with an example. Since horse racing is the most popular sport for placing a Lucky 15, let’s say we’re betting on four horses: Horse A, Horse B, Horse C, and Horse D

The bets would look like this:

Bet Type Selections Total Number of Bets
Single A, B, C, D 4
Double A+B, A+C, A+D, B+C, B+D, C+D 6
Treble A+B+C, A+C+D, A+B+D, B+C+D,  4
Four-fold A+B+C+D 1

When you work out a Lucky 15, you’ll see that it covers all possible combinations for four selections.

  • If one horse comes through, the punter will receive a payout for the single bet covering it.
  • If two of the horses win, the punter gets a payout for two single bets and one double bet
  • If three horses win, punters receive a payout for three single bets, three doubles, and one treble
  • If all four horses win, punters receive a payout for all the bets in the Lucky 15 – the four singles, six doubles, four trebles, and the four-fold

Once you’ve learned how to work out a Lucky 15 bet, you’ll see that there are plenty of advantages to this bet; the chance of winning is high. However, there is a catch: all bets are of equal value, so you can’t adjust the stake to be higher for a preferred bet. 

Each-Way Lucky 15 Bet

Each-way betting is a popular form of combination betting. With each-way bets, you’re not betting only on a selection to win, but you’re also betting on a selection to place.

You can place a Lucky 15 each way and ensure that you’ll receive a return if all horses fail to finish in first. Each way bets double the number of total bets, so an each-way Lucky 15 consists of 30 bets of equal value. A £1 stake per selection produces a total stake of £30. Most bookmakers allow you to select an ‘each way’ option on your betting slip.

DID YOU KNOW? A Trixie bet is a spin on the treble bet; it contains three double bets and one treble across three different selections. The punter receives a payout if two out of the three selections win, but the potential winnings are not as high as a Lucky 15.

How to Work Out a Lucky 15 Bet

The easiest and most accurate way to calculate the potential winnings of a Lucky 15 bet is by using a Lucky 15 calculator. Just be careful to put in all the information correctly!

  • Choose the odds format. 
  • Input the desired outcomes for the four races, then add the odds for each horse.
  • Check for bookmaker bonuses.
  • Choose your stake carefully (whether it’s per single bet or all bets combined).
  • Enter the values to get your automated calculated winnings.

However, if you want to know how to work out a Lucky 15 without a calculator, here’s a step-by-step guide.

  1. Convert fractional odds to decimals. Divide the top number with the bottom number and add 1. 
  2. For single bets, decimal odds x stake = return.
  3. For double bets, selection 1 odds x selection 2 odds = return.
  4. For treble bets, selection 1 odds x selection 2 odds x selection 3 odds = return.
  5. For the four-fold, selection 1 odds x selection 2 odds x selection 3 odds x selection 4 odds = return.

*All calculated returns include the initial stake.

Asking yourself, ‘How do I work out my Lucky 15?’ You’re not the only one. Here’s an example using horse betting so you can see how to practically implement a calculation. 

For the sake of this instance, the initial stake is £1 per bet (£15 total) with the commonly encountered odds of the four selections

  • Horse A – odds 10/1 or 11.0
  • Horse B – odds 8/1 or 9.0
  • Horse C – odds 3/1 or 4.0
  • Horse D – odds 4/1 or 5.0

Now let’s look at the payouts:

  • One horse wins – 11 x 1 = £11 payout
  • Two horses win (A & B) – 11 x 9 = £119 payout
  • Three horses win (A, B, & C) – 11 x 9 x 4 = £599 payout
  • All horses win – 11 x 9 x 4 x 5 = £3599 payout

What is a Lucky 15? With the right tools, the potential payouts can be quite substantial, so consider placing one for sure!

DID YOU KNOW? Most gambling and horse betting websites let you choose your preferred odds format. The most popular format in the UK is fractional, while for the rest of Europe it’s the decimal. If you don’t know the difference between the different odds’ formats, time to read up!

Key Takeaways

A Lucky 15 bet consists of 15 bets of equal value. 
The Lucky 15 contains four singles, six doubles, four trebles, and one four-fold accumulator.
The most popular sport for placing a Lucky 15 is horse racing.
The Lucky 15 and the Yankee bet are the most popular and profitable combination bets.

How Does a Lucky 15 Work in Horse Racing?

You can place a Lucky 15 bet on a wide variety of sports; the possibilities are endless! You can even choose selections from different sporting events and combine them into one Lucky 15 bet, increasing your chances of getting a return. Football, tennis, golf, greyhound racing, and any other sport that allows you to choose multiple winners is an excellent choice for a Lucky 15.

What Is a Lucky 15 Best For?

The answer to this is horse racing, and here’s why: odds for horse races fluctuate and can be quite low, so placing a single bet on a horse is not very profitable. Due to that, punters choose multiple horses and combine bets in a Lucky 15 instead.

How Does a Lucky 15 Work in Horse Betting?

If you want to bet a Lucky 15 on horses, you need to choose four horses from four different races. Consider the odds, and combine the horses into one bet. Since a Lucky 15 covers every possible outcome, just wait for one of the horses to win to see a return. It’s that easy!

DID YOU KNOW? The Lucky 15 and its meaning become especially prominent in live betting; if you bet live on horse racing, you’ll notice that the odds are constantly changing. You can monitor these odds to see potential winnings getting larger!

Lucky 15 vs Yankee – What’s the Difference?

We’ve established that Lucky 15 bets are attractive and can be profitable, but other bets can also give significant returns. Now that we’ve detailed what is a Lucky 15 bet, other popular combinations bets are the Yankee bet and the Patent bet. Since the Yankee bet is more similar to a Lucky 15, here’s a short guide to their differences.

Lucky 15 and Yankee Bet – Similarities and Differences

The Lucky 15 is a sort of full-coverage version of the Yankee, which contains 11 bets on four selections – six double bets, four trebles, and one four-fold accumulator bet. There is one key difference, though.

If you’ve had a Lucky 15 bet explained before, you’ll know it contains four single bets, which the Yankee lacks. Even though the Yankee spreads bets over four selections, if only one selection finishes victorious, you won’t receive a return; with the Lucky 15, you will. The total stake for a Lucky 15 is higher, but so are the potential winnings!

Oh, and a word of advice: if the odds are smaller, it’s better if you go for a Yankee bet. If the odds are higher, focus on learning how to do a Lucky 15.

DID YOU KNOW? For a certain time before online betting, bookmakers stopped accepting Lucky 15 bets! They were annoyed with the large sums they were losing, but when they started losing customers to independent bookies, they reinstated them.

Conclusion

Experienced and inexperienced individuals are showing interest in Lucky 15 bets and for a good reason. Whether you’ve been betting for a while or you’re a first-timer in sports betting, consider how to work out a Lucky 15 bet to get the biggest possible return. Good luck!

Disclaimer: Enjoy betting, but always practice betting responsibly.

FAQ

How much does a 50p Lucky 15 cost?

If you put down 50p on a Lucky 15 bet, the total amount you’ll need to wager comes up to £7.50.

How many winners do you need on a Lucky 15?

To get a return from a Lucky 15, you need only one winner to get a return. Even if this doesn’t cover the initial stake, at least you’ll cut your losses short.

How many horses do you need for a Lucky 15?

What is a Lucky 15 bet? A combination bet you need four horses to place. Try taking four horses from different races and combining them into one large Lucky 15!

18+ Gambling

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ABOUT AUTHOR

Alex is an IT wizz gone SEO gone fire-juggler. We’re not even joking. When he isn’t researching why one personal loan is better than the other and which piece of hardware you should buy next, he’s rollerblading or selling homes (because he does that, too, the smarty-pants).

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