Extra places explained
Extra-place offers are the biggest source of each-way value in British and Irish racing. Here's how they work, where they pay, and where they don't.
How an extra place works
An each-way bet is two bets: one to win and one to place. Standard place terms depend on the number of runners and the race type. When a bookmaker runs an extra-place offer, it pays one more place at the same fraction of the odds. If your horse finishes in that extra place, the place half of your bet wins.
Example: in an 8-runner race, standard terms are 3 places at 1/5 the odds. With an extra place, a horse that finishes 4th at 10/1 returns the place half at 2/1 instead of losing. Use the each-way calculator to work out any return.
Where extra places paid in testing
RaceBot tested extra-place bets on every UK and Irish race from 2020 to May 2026, settled at starting price, betting only where the value was at least 10%:
| Race | Extra-place terms | Return, 2020-22 | Return, 2023-26 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 runners | 3 places at 1/4 | +24.6% | +26.9% |
| 6 runners | 3 places at 1/4 | +17.5% | +19.5% |
| 7 runners | 3 places at 1/4 | +19.5% | +26.4% |
| 8+ runners (not 12-15 runner handicaps) | 4 places at 1/5 | +15.3% | +11.5% |
| Handicaps, 16+ runners | 5 places at 1/4 | +12.5% | +14.0% |
| Handicaps, 12-15 runners | 4 places at 1/4 | +5.2% | +24.5% |
Simulated test results, value above 10% only, 20/1 or shorter, no debut runners. 12 to 15 runner handicaps were weak in the 2020-22 period the rules were chosen on, so RaceBot leaves them out. Tested results don't guarantee future returns.
Why the terms do most of the work
Using only the starting prices, with no form at all, extra-place bets with more than 10% value were still profitable in both periods. The value comes from the terms themselves. That's why RaceBot values every extra-place bet two ways, by its form model and by the prices alone, and bets when the average is at least 10%.
Getting the most from extra places
- Bet with the bookmaker running the offer: only they pay the extra place.
- Take best odds guaranteed where you can.
- Check for non-runners. A non-runner can change the field size, and with it the terms.
- Mix extra-place bets with standard each-way bets rather than only ever taking offers.
Extra places: questions
What is an extra place offer?
An extra place offer is when a bookmaker pays one more place than the standard each-way terms, for example 4 places instead of 3 in an 8-runner race, usually at the normal fraction of the odds.
Are extra places always value?
Not on every horse. An extra place adds value to every each-way bet in the race, but whether a bet is good value still depends on the price and the horse's chance of finishing in the places.
Which races give the most each-way value with an extra place?
In RaceBot's testing on 2020 to 2026 races, extra places were profitable in 5 to 7 runner races paying 3 places, races with 8 or more runners paying 4 places, and handicaps with 16 or more runners paying 5 places. 12 to 15 runner handicaps were the exception.
Where do I find today's extra places?
Bookmakers publish their extra-place races each morning, and odds-comparison sites list them in one place. RaceBot's morning run also lists the races where an extra place would create a value bet.