When it comes to working out what payout you’re likely to get from a bookmaker for a certain bet, there are few wagers that are as ‘easy’ to figure out as a bet with odds of 2/1. Elsewhere on this site you can read about Evens, which is probably the only bet type that is even easier than this one when it comes to the mathematics.
Of course, maths isn’t necessarily everyone’s favourite subject and if you fit into that category then there is no reason to be annoyed or ashamed. It is a tricky thing to master and it’s why this site exists, to make life easier for you.
Payout
There are some bets that are more common than others when it comes to the sorts of stakes that people play. Whilst there are unquestionably plenty of bettors who choose to engage in high stakes, much higher than the average punter would consider, most people will opt for a stake amount that is on the lower, more sensible side.
As a result, we’ve come up with a table that lets you know what your payout would be on a 2/1 bet, including the stake amount and therefore how much profit you’d win if your wager was a successful one:
| Stake Amount | Payout | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| £1 | £3 | £2 |
| £2 | £6 | £4 |
| £5 | £15 | £10 |
| £10 | £30 | £20 |
| £25 | £75 | £50 |
| £50 | £150 | £100 |
| £100 | £300 | £200 |
In essence, then, you’re going to double your stake to make your profit, with your payout being that plus the original stake.
Each-Way Payouts
Straight bets will always be easier to understand than Each-Way ones, simple because there are more variables involved in an Each-Way wager. Each-Way bets, as you will no doubt be aware, actually amount to two different bets: one on the Straight win and one on the Place. The Place bet is paid out at reduced odds, with each bookmaker or betting company choosing their own payout amount, which can often vary for the big events or meetings. Similarly, the number of places paid out on an Each-Way wager will differ from place to place.
Obviously you don’t need to do the maths on Each-Way wagers, given that bookmakers will sort it out for you automatically. Even so, it is always good to have at least some idea what it is that a bookie is going to give you back for your Each-Way bet on a 2/1 selection, depending on your stake. This will allow you to ensure that you’re not being short-changed by the bookmaker, whether accidentally or otherwise. Here, then, is a look at what you’ll be owed for each bet you place at odds of 2/1, depending on how much you’ve staked, presuming the payout is 1/4:
| Each-Way Stake Amount | Total Bet | Win Payout | Place Payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| £1 | £2 | £4.50 | £1.50 |
| £2 | £4 | £9 | £3 |
| £5 | £10 | £22.50 | £7.50 |
| £10 | £20 | £45 | £15 |
| £25 | £50 | £112.50 | £37.50 |
| £50 | £100 | £225 | £75 |
| £100 | £200 | £450 | £150 |
Examples
It would be untrue to suggest that a wager with odds of 2/1 is in the long-shot territory, but there is certainly an argument to suggest that the bookmaker is relatively confident that it isn’t going to win. That doesn’t mean that it couldn’t possible do so, of course, as anyone that has placed bets on a regularly basis will know. Indeed, a 2/1 wager is the sort of thing that a lot of people will include in their accumulator because it will lengthen the odds without being the most unrealistic selection of all time, which then makes an acca more appealing to win when possible.
At the French racecourse of Chantilly in 2023, for example, a horse named Hillarante began the Dunette Handicap as the 2/1 favourite of the race. Given the fact that there were 15 horses taking part, there was certainly a feeling that it could be anyone’s event, which reflected Hillarante’s price. It was the best horse in the race, but the open nature of it meant that there was no desire to make the horse’s odds too long hence the bookmakers opted for 2/1. Here is a look at how things finished:
- 1st: Hillarante (2/1f)
- 2nd: Manne (13/2)
- 3rd: Wildwood (9/2)
- 4th: Imperial Beauty (18/1)
- 5th: Creative (18/1)
- 6th: Zilya (16/1)
- 7th=: Honguemare (10/1)
- 7th=: Oser (33/1)
- 9th: Olympic Dream (25/1)
- 10th: La Javanaise (9/1)
- 11th: Ipparock (20/1)
- 12th: Kennocha (22/1)
- 13th: Myrka (20/1)
- 14th: Radiant Sky (8/1)
- 15th: Southwest Harbor (28/1)
With a 25/1 horse finishing well above an 8/1 offering, you can see why the bookies were reluctant to offer Hillarante with odds of any higher than 2/1.