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Extra Places Betting: How Extra Place Races Work and Who Pays Them
Standard each-way terms pay three or four places in most races. Extra place offers pay one or more beyond that. Here is how they work, what the small print says, and which UK bookmakers run them.
By Horse.bet Team · Updated 23 October 2026
The starting point
Standard Each-Way Place Terms by Field Size
Every extra place offer is measured against the standard terms, so start there. An each-way bet is two bets of equal stake: one to win and one to place. The place half pays a fraction of the win odds if your horse finishes within the places, and both the fraction and the number of places depend on the size of the field and whether the race is a handicap.
These are the industry standard terms used by UK bookmakers such as William Hill and Sky Bet for British and Irish racing:
Runners
Non-handicap
Handicap
2–4
Win only
Win only
5–7
1/4 odds, 2 places
1/4 odds, 2 places
8–11
1/5 odds, 3 places
1/5 odds, 3 places
12–15
1/5 odds, 3 places
1/4 odds, 3 places
16 or more
1/5 odds, 3 places
1/4 odds, 4 places
Place terms are set by the number of horses that actually come under starter's orders, not the number declared. That matters more than most punters realise, as the section on non-runners shows.
The concession
How Extra Place Races Work
An extra place race is one where a bookmaker pays more places than the standard terms, usually at the same fraction. A 16-runner handicap that would normally pay four places at a quarter of the odds might pay five; an eight-runner race that would pay three might pay four. If your horse finishes in the extra place, the place half of your bet is paid in full.
Bookmakers choose the races, typically the day's most competitive handicaps and the big festival races, and publish them on their racing pages. The number of places paid is shown on the race card or the bet slip. If it is not displayed, assume standard terms apply.
Worked example (illustrative)
You bet £10 each way (£20 total) at 12/1 (13.0) in a 16-runner handicap. One bookmaker pays the standard four places at a quarter of the odds; another is paying five places at a quarter. Your horse finishes fifth.
With standard terms, both halves lose: you are £20 down.
With the extra place, the place half pays 12/1 ÷ 4 = 3/1 (4.0), so £10 × 4.0 = £40 comes back. The win half loses, leaving you £20 up instead of £20 down.
The value of an extra place grows with the price of the horse. On a 5/2 shot the place half returns little more than the place stake whatever the terms; on a 20/1 shot in a big handicap, fifth place at a quarter of the odds is worth six times the place stake.
Two different products
Extra Place Races vs Choose-Your-Own Place Terms
Bookmakers sell extra places in two ways, and they are not the same thing.
Extra place races are a promotion. The bookmaker adds a place on selected races at the normal price and fraction, and you take the improved terms automatically when you bet each way on the race. Coral, Betfred, Paddy Power, Sky Bet and Unibet all run versions of this.
Each Way Extra is a separate market. At bet365 it lets you add places and take a reduced price, or remove places for a bigger one, with the places on offer shown on the Each Way Extra coupon. William Hill lets you add one or two places beyond the standard terms on selected UK and Irish races with four or more runners, from 8am for British racing and 10am for Irish racing, at a reduced place fraction; its own example shows a fifth of the odds becoming a sixth.
The trade-off is that you pay for choose-your-own terms. The win price or the place fraction is cut to fund the extra places, and both bet365 and William Hill exclude Each Way Extra bets from Best Odds Guaranteed. William Hill also excludes them from Cash Out and voids the market if the field falls below the number of places offered.
Read before you bet
Non-Runners, Best Odds Guaranteed and the Small Print
Extra places are not a free extra. The terms differ from one bookmaker to the next, and four points catch people out.
Non-runners can take the extra place away
Because place terms follow the number of runners, a withdrawal can cut the places paid. Coral reverts to standard terms on its extra place races if the field drops to a stated limit, and Betfred sets fallbacks for each tier: its four-place races return to standard terms with fewer than 12 runners, and its five-place races pay four with fewer than 16. Sky Bet and Unibet both state that the concession can be reduced or withdrawn after non-runners.
Worked example (illustrative)
Eight are declared for a non-handicap, so standard terms are a fifth of the odds for three places. You bet £5 each way at 6/1 (7.0) and your horse finishes third.
With eight runners, the place half pays 6/1 ÷ 5 = 6/5 (2.2): £5 × 2.2 = £11 back from £10 staked.
If one horse is withdrawn and seven run, the terms become a quarter of the odds for two places. Third is no longer a place, and the whole £10 is lost. A Rule 4 deduction may also apply to the winners; see our Rule 4 guide.
Best Odds Guaranteed may not apply
Several bookmakers switch off BOG on their extra place races. Sky Bet's BOG terms exclude Extra Place races, and Unibet states that races with extra each-way places applied do not qualify. If you are backing a horse you expect to drift, the guaranteed SP may be worth more than the extra place.
Not every bet type qualifies
Coral's extra places apply to single bets on the listed races; place-only, ante-post and Tote bets are excluded. Betfred's apply to each-way singles and multiples but not ante-post bets. Paddy Power includes singles and multiples. Sky Bet settles Tote bets on industry standard place terms.
The places on offer are a promotion
Bookmakers reserve the right to change or remove extra place terms. The number of places shown on the race at the time you bet is the one that counts, so check the bet slip before you confirm.
Who pays them
UK Bookmakers Paying Extra Places, Compared
Each of the following sets out its extra place offer on its own help or promotions pages. Terms are summarised from those pages; the race list changes daily.
Races of four or more runners; reduced place fraction; no BOG or Cash Out
The best extra place for a given race depends on the race. Unibet's scale pays four places in any field of eight to 15, which is generous in a ten-runner race; Betfred's top tiers go furthest in the biggest fields, paying six places with 20 or more runners and seven with 26 or more; Coral's daily list typically pays four places at a fifth of the odds. Compare the terms race by race rather than picking one bookmaker for everything.
Big-field handicaps. The Stewards' Cup, which drew 27 runners in both 2025 and 2026, and the Grand National, with up to 34, are where an extra place does most work. Our handicaps guide explains why these races are so open.
Horses who stay on for a place. A consistent horse who rarely wins but often finishes fourth or fifth is exactly what an extra place is for.
Bigger prices. The longer the odds, the more each extra place is worth, as the worked example above shows.
Fields near a threshold. An extra place in a race with 16 declared is fragile; one non-runner and the terms can drop. Check the fallback rules.
Weigh it against BOG. If the bookmaker switches off Best Odds Guaranteed on extra place races, a horse likely to drift may be better backed elsewhere.
Each-way betting with extra places improves your chances of a return, but it does not change the fact that most bets lose. Keep stakes within a budget; betting is for over-18s, and free support is available at GambleAware.org.
★ Racing offers
Bookmakers paying extra places
UK Gambling Commission-licensed bookmakers, offers checked . New customers, 18+. Significant terms under each offer.
New bet365 customers only. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Registration required. The bonus code 365GMBLR can be used during registration but does not change the offer amount in any way. Time limits and T&Cs apply. 18+. GambleAware.org
New UK+ROI customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first £/€10 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 to get 5 x £/€10 free bets. Free bets available to use on selected sportsbook markets only. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions + T&Cs apply. 18+. GambleAware.org
New GB customers only. Opt in. Deposit and Bet £10+ on sports at min odds of 2.0+ (1/1) for £30 in Free Bets within 7 days. Debit cards or instant bank transfers only. Free Bets not valid for racing, greyhound racing, trotting or virtual sports. Free bets expire within 7 days of issue. Geographical restrictions and T&Cs apply. 18+. GambleAware.org
New customers only. Register, deposit with Debit Card, and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. Full T&Cs apply. Min deposit £10. 18+. GambleAware.org
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What are extra places in horse racing?
Extra places are a bookmaker concession that pays more places on an each-way bet than the standard terms, usually at the same fraction of the odds. If your horse finishes in the extra place, the place half of your bet is paid.
How many places are paid on an each-way bet?
Under standard terms: win only with two to four runners; two places at a quarter of the odds with five to seven; three places at a fifth with eight or more in non-handicaps and eight to eleven in handicaps; three at a quarter in handicaps of twelve to fifteen; and four at a quarter in handicaps of sixteen or more.
Which bookmakers pay extra places?
Coral, Betfred, Paddy Power, Sky Bet and Unibet all run extra place races on selected races, while bet365 and William Hill offer Each Way Extra markets where you choose your own place terms at a reduced price. The races and terms change daily.
Do non-runners affect extra places?
Yes. Place terms follow the number of runners, so a withdrawal can reduce the places paid. Several bookmakers, including Coral, Betfred, Sky Bet and Unibet, state that extra place terms can revert or be reduced if the field shrinks.
Does Best Odds Guaranteed apply to extra place races?
Not always. Sky Bet and Unibet exclude extra place races from BOG, and bet365 and William Hill exclude Each Way Extra bets. Check the terms before choosing between BOG and an extra place.
What is the difference between Each Way Extra and extra place races?
Extra place races are a promotion that adds places at the normal price. Each Way Extra is a separate market where you pick more places and accept a shorter price or smaller place fraction in return.
Can I use extra places on multiples?
It depends on the bookmaker. Betfred and Paddy Power include multiples in their extra place offers, while Coral's applies to single bets only.
