Last Updated on 08/04/2026 by Andy Clark
A Lucky 31 is a multiple bet covering 5 selections across 31 separate bets. It is the five-selection equivalent of the Lucky 15, and like its smaller counterpart it includes singles – meaning you only need one winner to get a return. The 31 bets cover 5 singles, 10 doubles, 10 trebles, 5 fourfolds and 1 fivefold accumulator.
What Is a Lucky 31 Bet?
A Lucky 31 covers every possible combination of bets across your 5 selections:
- 5 singles – one bet on each individual selection
- 10 doubles – every possible 2-selection combination from 5
- 10 trebles – every possible 3-selection combination from 5
- 5 fourfolds – every possible 4-selection combination from 5
- 1 fivefold accumulator – all 5 selections combined
That is 5 + 10 + 10 + 5 + 1 = 31 bets in total.
Because singles are included, you get a return from just one winner. A standard 5-fold accumulator requires all five selections to win – one loser means a complete loss of your stake. The Lucky 31 structure means partial wins are rewarded throughout.
How Much Does a Lucky 31 Cost?
Your stake is multiplied by 31 because there are 31 individual bets.
| Stake per bet | Total Lucky 31 cost |
|---|---|
| 50p | £15.50 |
| £1 | £31.00 |
| £2 | £62.00 |
| £5 | £155.00 |
An each-way Lucky 31 doubles both the number of bets (to 62) and the total cost, because each of the 31 bets is placed as both a win and a place bet.
Lucky 31 Worked Example
Say you place a £1 Lucky 31 (total stake £31) on five horse racing selections:
| Horse | Odds | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Horse 1 | 4/1 | Won |
| Horse 2 | 6/1 | Won |
| Horse 3 | 3/1 | Won |
| Horse 4 | 5/1 | Lost |
| Horse 5 | 8/1 | Lost |
With three winners, the winning bets are:
Singles: Horse 1 (£5) + Horse 2 (£7) + Horse 3 (£4) = £16
Doubles: Three winning doubles from H1+H2, H1+H3 and H2+H3
- H1+H2: 5 × 7 = £35
- H1+H3: 5 × 4 = £20
- H2+H3: 7 × 4 = £28 Total doubles: £83
Trebles: One winning treble (H1+H2+H3): 5 × 7 × 4 = £140
Fourfolds and fivefold: None – need 4 or 5 winners
Total return: £239. Total stake: £31. Profit: £208.
Compare that to a standard 5-fold accumulator on the same five horses at the same odds – two losers means a complete loss of your £1 stake.
Use our Lucky 15 calculator as a reference for working out returns – the same calculation principles apply to a Lucky 31.
Lucky 31 Returns by Number of Winners
To illustrate how returns scale with winners, here is an approximate guide at typical odds of 4/1 per selection on a £1 Lucky 31:
| Winners | Approximate return |
|---|---|
| 0 | £0 |
| 1 | £5 |
| 2 | ~£30 |
| 3 | ~£155 |
| 4 | ~£780 |
| 5 (all) | ~£3,905 |
The exponential growth in returns with each additional winner is what makes the Lucky 31 – like all full cover bets – so attractive when things go well.
Best Bookmakers for Lucky 31 Bets
The bookmakers below all offer Lucky 31 bets with competitive odds on horse racing and strong existing customer bonuses.
Lucky 31 Bonuses – One Winner Bonuses
Several bookmakers offer a bonus if only one of your five Lucky 31 selections wins.
Betfred offer a one-winner bonus on Lucky bets across the board. If only one of your five Lucky 31 selections wins, Betfred pay double the odds on that winning selection. So a 5/1 winner becomes 10/1 for your single bet return.
This compares to the Betfred Lucky 15 bonus (triple odds for one winner) and Lucky 63 bonus (quadruple odds for one winner). See our Betfred Lucky 15 bonus guide for full details of the Betfred lucky bet promotion range.
William Hill and Boylesports also offer one-winner bonuses on Lucky 31 bets – check their current promotions pages for terms.
Lucky 31 Each Way
An each-way Lucky 31 doubles your bets to 62 – 31 bets on your selections to win and 31 bets on your selections to place. The total cost doubles too. A £1 each-way Lucky 31 costs £62.
The advantage is that placed selections contribute returns across all the place combinations. In big-field handicap races where a horse might finish second or third at a good price, the place returns from an each-way Lucky 31 can be substantial even without a winner.
Place terms vary by bookmaker and race conditions – typically 1/4 the win odds for a standard each-way bet. See our each-way betting guide for a full explanation.
Lucky 31 Non-Runners
If one of your Lucky 31 selections is a non-runner, all bets involving that selection are void. The remaining active selections continue as a reduced combination:
- 4 active selections = 15 bets (Lucky 15 structure)
- 3 active selections = 7 bets (3 singles, 3 doubles, 1 treble)
- 2 active selections = 3 bets (2 singles, 1 double)
Your total stake is adjusted accordingly – the cost of voided bets is refunded to your account.
For ante-post Lucky 31 bets, always use a bookmaker offering Non-Runner No Bet terms. See our NRNB guide for full details.
Lucky 31 vs Lucky 15 and Lucky 63
The Lucky 31 sits in the middle of the three most popular full cover multiple bets. The key difference is the number of selections and, therefore, the cost and potential return.
| Bet type | Selections | Total bets | Singles included | Min winners for return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lucky 15 | 4 | 15 | Yes | 1 |
| Lucky 31 | 5 | 31 | Yes | 1 |
| Lucky 63 | 6 | 63 | Yes | 1 |
| Yankee | 4 | 11 | No | 2 |
| Super Yankee | 5 | 26 | No | 2 |
The Lucky 31 is the Super Yankee plus 5 singles. The extra 5 bets cost more but provide the safety net of getting something back from a single winner, which the Super Yankee does not.
Lucky 31 vs Super Yankee
A Super Yankee (also called a Canadian) covers 5 selections across 26 bets – 10 doubles, 10 trebles, 5 fourfolds and 1 fivefold. No singles are included, meaning you need at least two winners for any return.
A Lucky 31 adds 5 singles to the Super Yankee’s 26 bets, giving you a return from just one winner at a higher total cost.
The choice comes down to your confidence level. If you are confident at least two of your five selections will win, the Super Yankee saves you 5 bets’ worth of stake. If you want the safety net of singles, the Lucky 31 is the better structure.
Where to Place a Lucky 31 Bet
Lucky 31 bets are available at all major UK bookmakers. To place one:
- Add your 5 selections to your bet slip
- Scroll down to the multiples section
- Find Lucky 31 in the list of available bet types
- Enter your unit stake – remember this is multiplied by 31
- Select each way if you want win and place coverage
- Place the bet
Lucky 31 FAQs
What is a Lucky 31 bet? A Lucky 31 is a multiple bet on 5 selections covering 31 bets: 5 singles, 10 doubles, 10 trebles, 5 fourfolds and a fivefold accumulator. You need just one winner to get a return because singles are included.
How much does a Lucky 31 cost? Your unit stake multiplied by 31. A £1 Lucky 31 costs £31. A 50p Lucky 31 costs £15.50. An each-way Lucky 31 doubles the cost.
How many winners do you need for a Lucky 31 to be profitable? It depends on the odds, but as a rough guide at typical horse racing odds of around 4/1 you generally need three winners to show a profit on a Lucky 31. Two winners at shorter odds will often recover a significant portion of your stake.
What is the best bookmaker for Lucky 31 bets? Betfred are widely considered the best for Lucky 31 bets because of their one-winner bonus – if only one selection wins, they pay double the odds on that winner.
What is the difference between a Lucky 31 and a Super Yankee? A Super Yankee covers 5 selections across 26 bets with no singles, requiring at least 2 winners for any return. A Lucky 31 adds 5 singles to the Super Yankee’s 26 bets, meaning you get a return from just 1 winner at a slightly higher total cost.
What is the difference between a Lucky 31 and a Lucky 15? A Lucky 15 covers 4 selections across 15 bets. A Lucky 31 covers 5 selections across 31 bets. Both include singles and both return something from one winner.
Can you do a Lucky 31 each way? Yes. An each-way Lucky 31 doubles your bets to 62 and doubles your total cost.
What happens if a Lucky 31 selection is a non-runner? Bets involving the non-runner are void and the cost of those bets is refunded. Four remaining active selections continue as a 15-bet (Lucky 15) combination.
More Betting Guides
- Lucky 15 Bet Explained
- Lucky 15 Calculator
- Lucky 15 Tips
- Betfred Lucky 15 Bonus
- Each-Way Betting Explained
- Non-Runner No Bet Explained
- Best Odds Guaranteed Guide
- Betting Odds Explained
- Horse Racing Tips
- NAP of the Day
- Free Bets Hub
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Andy is the founder, owner and editor of thatsagoal.com, with over 20 years of experience in betting on sports. He has a keen eye for stats, particularly when looking at players to be carded, and these form a large part of the bet builder tips you see on the site. As well as creating daily football tips, Andy also keeps thatsagoal updated with all the best bookmaker promotions and offers for our readers.