What Is a Goliath Bet? 247 Bets Explained With Costs, Examples, and Honest Advice
Last updated: April 2026
A Goliath bet is the largest standard named full-cover bet — 247 bets across 8 selections. It covers every possible combination from doubles through to the eight-fold accumulator, but no singles. Named after the biblical giant, a £1 Goliath costs £247. That makes it one of the most expensive standard bets in existence, and one that's only worth placing under very specific circumstances. This is the Goliath bet explained honestly — not just the structure, but whether it's actually a sensible use of money.
Try the Goliath Calculator → Work out your returns instantly with our free goliath calculator.
Goliath bet explained — all 247 bets
| Bet Type | Count |
|---|---|
| Doubles | 28 |
| Trebles | 56 |
| Four-folds | 70 |
| Five-folds | 56 |
| Six-folds | 28 |
| Seven-folds | 8 |
| Eight-fold | 1 |
| Total | 247 bets |
No singles. Minimum 2 winners for any return. The four-folds (70 bets) are the largest single component.
What does a Goliath bet cost?
| Unit Stake | Total Cost | Each Way Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 10p | £24.70 | £49.40 |
| 20p | £49.40 | £98.80 |
| 50p | £123.50 | £247.00 |
| £1 | £247.00 | £494.00 |
| £2 | £494.00 | £988.00 |
Most Goliath bets are placed at 10p or 20p per unit. Even at 10p, it's a £24.70 bet — more than most recreational bettors spend on an entire afternoon.
Goliath worked example
Eight selections across a Saturday racing card at Cheltenham. All at typical competitive handicap odds:
| Selection | Odds | Selection | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 4/1 (5.00) | E | 4/1 (5.00) |
| B | 5/1 (6.00) | F | 9/2 (5.50) |
| C | 3/1 (4.00) | G | 3/1 (4.00) |
| D | 7/2 (4.50) | H | 5/1 (6.00) |
20p Goliath = £49.40 total stake
All 8 win
The eight-fold alone: 5×6×4×4.5×5×5.5×4×6 = 71,280. At 20p = £14,256. Add the seven-folds, six-folds, five-folds, four-folds, trebles, and doubles — total returns exceed £40,000 on a £49.40 stake. That's the dream.
4 of 8 win
With 4 winners from 8, you collect on 6 winning doubles, 4 winning trebles, and 1 winning four-fold — 11 winning bets from 247. At the odds above, approximate returns: £150-£250, giving profit of £100-£200 on the £49.40 stake. Four from 8 is a good day — and the Goliath makes it worthwhile.
3 of 8 win
3 winning doubles + 1 winning treble. Returns typically £30-£80 depending on odds — which may or may not cover the £49.40 stake. At shorter odds, 3 winners barely breaks even. At 5/1+, modest profit.
2 of 8 win
1 winning double. At typical odds, returns about £5-£15 on a 20p stake. Against a £49.40 outlay, that's a significant loss.
Our Goliath calculator models every scenario — input your 8 odds and toggle winners.
Is a Goliath bet worth it?
The honest answer: rarely
At £49.40 (20p units), you need 4+ winners at 3/1+ to break even. That means picking winners in half your races — a very good day, not an average one.
When it can make sense
Major racing festivals. Cheltenham Festival, Royal Ascot, York Ebor — days with 7-8 competitive races on the same card where you have strong opinions on each. These are the Goliath's natural habitat. Our horse racing guide covers how to assess fields at major meetings.
At very small stakes. A 10p Goliath costs £24.70. If you view it as the price of a day's entertainment with the dream of a massive payout, the cost is comparable to a cinema trip with snacks.
When you have genuine conviction across 8 selections. The key word is genuine. If you're stretching to find 8 picks, a Heinz on your best 6 at roughly a quarter of the cost offers better value.
When it doesn't make sense
When you're forcing selections. Adding weak 7th and 8th picks just to fill a Goliath is the worst possible strategy. Those weak picks appear in every combination, dragging down the whole bet.
At £1+ per unit. £247+ on a single bet structure is not recreational. If you're regularly staking at this level on single bet types and it's causing financial stress, it's worth checking in with yourself. Our PGSI self-assessment takes 2 minutes and gives you an honest picture of where your gambling sits.
Goliath vs smaller full-cover bets
| Goliath | Heinz | Canadian | Yankee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selections | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| Bets | 247 | 57 | 26 | 11 |
| Cost (20p) | £49.40 | £11.40 | £5.20 | £2.20 |
| Winners to break even (~4/1) | 4+ | 3 | 3 | 2 |
The Goliath costs 4.3× more than a Heinz but only adds 2 selections. For most bettors, the Heinz or Canadian offers better value per pound. If you want flexibility on 8 selections at lower cost, a round robin into doubles or trebles gives you control over the outlay.
Each way Goliath
An each way Goliath doubles every bet to 494. At 20p per unit, that's £98.80. The place portion adds significant protection — even selections that place without winning contribute to place combinations. Each way Goliaths are the standard format in horse racing.
Frequently asked questions
Written by
David Burke
David is a gambling industry analyst and poker player based between London, Spain, and Malta. He has spent over a decade observing the European betting and casino landscape, with particular expertise in odds, probability, game strategy, and how the bookmaking industry works. At WiseStaker, David writes guides on bet types, game rules, and the mathematics behind gambling.
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