Key Takeaways

- A Goliath bet combines 8 selections into 247 bets: 28 doubles, 56 trebles, 70 four-folds, 56 five-folds, 28 six-folds, 8 seven-folds and 1 eight-fold. - Only two winners are needed to get a return, making it heavy insurance for punters backing many selections. - A Goliath calculator is essential because manually settling 247 combinations is practically impossible. - Total stake equals 247 times the unit stake, so bankroll management and bookmaker bonuses matter a lot.

What Is a Goliath Bet?

A Goliath is one of the biggest full-cover bets in bookmaking, built from 8 selections. It contains 247 separate bets covering every possible combination of 2 or more selections: 28 doubles, 56 trebles, 70 four-folds, 56 five-folds, 28 six-folds, 8 seven-folds and one eight-fold accumulator. Your total stake is 247 times your unit stake, so even a modest 50p Goliath costs £123.50. The bet is popular on big racing days like Cheltenham or Royal Ascot, where punters fancy several horses across different races and want coverage against the inevitable losers. Only two of the eight selections need to win for you to see some return — the winning double pays out while the other combinations lose. Many bookmakers also add a bonus of 10-20% when all eight selections win. Because the number of combinations is so large, working out returns by hand is unrealistic, which is why the Goliath calculator is effectively mandatory for anyone placing this bet.

How Does a Goliath Bet Calculator Work?

You enter the odds for all 8 selections, your unit stake (the calculator multiplies it by 247 to show your total outlay), and any each-way or bonus terms. Then you mark each selection as won, placed or lost. The calculator enumerates all 247 combinations and settles each one: a won double multiplies the two decimal odds by the stake, a won treble multiplies three, and so on up to the eight-fold. Losing combinations return nothing. Each-way versions split every combination into win and place parts, settling placed selections at the each-way fraction of the odds. The calculator then totals everything and applies bookmaker bonuses — for example, a percentage boost if all 8 win, or a consolation multiplier if only one wins. What would take an hour with a spreadsheet happens instantly. Most calculators also show your total stake, total return and net profit or loss, so you can judge at a glance whether the bet performed.

A Worked Example: How Goliath Returns Add Up

Take a 50p Goliath (£123.50 total) on eight selections with average odds of 4/1 (decimal 5.0). Suppose 4 of the 8 win. The 28 doubles include 6 winning doubles (4 choose 2 = 6), each returning £12.50 (5.0 x 5.0 x £0.50), for £75 total. The 4 winning trebles (4 choose 3 = 4) each return £62.50 (5.0 x 5.0 x 5.0 x £0.50), totalling £250. The single winning four-fold returns £312.50 (5.0^4 x £0.50). Add the 4 winning singles-style coverage — note the Goliath has no singles, so a selection winning alone pays nothing. Gross return: £637.50 against £123.50 staked, a profit of £514. If all 8 win, the eight-fold alone returns £195,312.50 (5.0^8 x £0.50) — though in practice odds vary and such an outcome is extremely rare. This example shows the Goliath's character: it needs multiple winners at decent odds to overcome the large total stake, which is why it's a fun speculative bet rather than a value strategy.

When Should You Place a Goliath Bet?

A Goliath is best treated as an entertainment bet for big occasions: a day at the races with eight fancies, or a full Saturday football coupon where you like eight teams. The insurance structure means you're rarely left completely empty-handed, which keeps it enjoyable. However, the maths is unforgiving for value-seekers: you need several winners at reasonable odds just to break even on 247 stakes, and bookmaker margins compound across hundreds of combinations. Practical tips: keep the unit stake small (50p or £1 is plenty), look for bookmakers offering the strongest all-winners bonus, and consider each-way terms carefully on horse racing — an each-way Goliath doubles the stake to 494 bets and is a serious outlay. Never chase losses by doubling up on a Goliath, and always set a fixed staking budget for the day. As with all betting, only wager money you can afford to lose, and use a calculator before placing the bet so the true cost is never a surprise.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many bets are in a Goliath? 247 bets: 28 doubles, 56 trebles, 70 four-folds, 56 five-folds, 28 six-folds, 8 seven-folds and 1 eight-fold. There are no singles in a standard Goliath. How much does a Goliath cost? Total stake is 247 times your unit stake. A £1 Goliath costs £247; a 50p Goliath costs £123.50. Each-way doubles everything again. How many winners do I need for a return? Just two. Two winners produce one paying double. With only one winner, a standard Goliath returns nothing (unless the bookmaker pays a single-winner consolation). What is the difference between a Goliath and a Super Heinz? A Super Heinz covers 7 selections with 120 bets, while a Goliath covers 8 selections with 247 bets. Both are full-cover multiple bets without singles. Do bookmakers pay bonuses on Goliath bets? Many offer a percentage bonus (commonly 10-20%) on all-winners, plus occasional consolations for near misses. Always check the specific bookmaker's terms, as they differ.