Is a Lucky 15 a Good Bet?

OK, so Lucky 15’s are amongst the most popular bets in UK horse racing. Many punters swear by it because it gives you more ways to win, while still letting you chase a decent payout.

But is a Lucky 15 actually a good bet? Well, if you want a bet type that has a degree of safety whilst giving you a chance at a huge payout like an ACCA, then yes a Lucky 15 is great option.

Let’s explore what it is, why it’s so popular and whether it’s actually as good as it seems.

What Exactly is a Lucky 15?

A Lucky 15 is a multiple bet made up of 15 separate bets across four selections. Here’s the breakdown:

• 4 singles (one on each selection)
• 6 doubles (every pair of selections combined)
• 4 trebles (every three combined)
• 1 fourfold accumulator (all four together)

If you put £1 on each line, your total stake is £15. That’s why it’s called a Lucky 15.

The main attraction is that you don’t need all four selections to win to get a payout. Even a single winner will bring back something. And in many cases, bookmakers offer bonuses like:

• One winner consolation: If only one selection wins, the odds are often doubled.
• All winners bonus: If all four win, you get a percentage boost (often 10%).

This means that you potentially have a huge number of variables in your bet and this can be a good thing and a bad thing, especially for beginners learning about Lucky 15s for the first time. It’s often why Lucky 15 calculators are so widely used!

Why Do Bettors Use Lucky 15s?

Punters like the Lucky 15 because it strikes a balance between safety and excitement. Here’s a list of reasons why the Lucky 15 is so popular in the UK:

1. Chance of a return with one winner: This is the biggest selling point. An accumulator pays nothing if one horse loses. With a Lucky 15, you’re still alive.
2. Multiple payouts possible: Even if you only get two or three winners, you’ll be collecting from singles, doubles, and trebles.
3. Bookmaker bonuses sweeten the deal: Those boosts make the Lucky 15 more rewarding than it first appears.
4. Keeps you engaged: With four selections in play, you’re involved in more races and have multiple reasons to cheer.

In fact just a simple Google shows you exactly how popular Lucky 15’s are! Check out the graph below and you’ll see what we mean.

The Downsides of a Lucky 15

No bet is perfect. Here’s the other side:

• Larger stake required: At £1 per line, you’re staking £15 in one go. That’s no smal bet! For small-stakes punters, that’s more than they might usually risk.
• Smaller top-end payout compared to an accumulator: If all four horses win, the payout is big, but not as astronomical as if you had put £15 on a fourfold accumulator.
• Complexity: Without a dedicated Lucky 15 calculator, working out returns (especially each-way Lucky 15s with Rule 4 deductions) is difficult.

Comparing a Lucky 15 with Other Bets

We actually have an entire article dedicated to this is you are interested in how Lucky 15’s stack up against other bets types. But here’s the short version.

Lucky 15 vs Fourfold ACCA

• Lucky 15: More forgiving, pays on one winner, but dilutes maximum payout.
• Accumulator: All-or-nothing, no payout unless all four win, but maximum return is far higher.

Lucky 15 vs Yankee

• Lucky 15: Has singles, so you can get paid with one winner.
• Yankee: Cheaper (11 bets instead of 15) but you need at least two winners.

Lucky 15 vs Lucky 31

• Lucky 15: Four selections, smaller stake, 15 bets.
• Lucky 31: Five selections, bigger stake, 31 bets, higher potential but more expensive.

There are of course many different bet types but there are some of the most popular alternatives to a Lucky 15 bet.

Some Example Lucky 15 Bets with Results

Let’s look at what actually happens with Lucky 15 bets based on different outcomes.

Example Setup

You pick four horses:

• Horse A at 2/1
• Horse B at 5/2
• Horse C at 3/1
• Horse D at 4/1

You place a £1 Lucky 15 (total stake £15).

Scenario 1: Only One Winner

Let’s say only Horse D (4/1) wins.

• You win £5 (stake £1 + £4 profit) for the single on Horse D.
• If your bookmaker has a “one winner double odds” bonus, it’s paid at 8/1 instead of 4/1, so you’d collect £9 (stake + £8).
• All other bets lose.

Total return: £9

Profit/loss: -£6 (without bonus it would be -£10).

This shows why the Lucky 15 is safer than a Yankee or accumulator. You’re not left empty-handed.

Scenario 2: Two Winners

Say Horses B (5/2) and C (3/1) both win.

• Two singles:
  • B wins £3.50
  • C wins £4
• One double (B × C): odds 5/2 × 3/1 = 8.5/1, return £9.50

Total return: £17

Profit: +£2

With two winners, your stake is usually covered, sometimes with a small profit.

Scenario 3: Three Winners

Now Horses A (2/1), B (5/2), and D (4/1) all win.

• Three singles: £3, £3.50, £5 = £11.50
• Three doubles:
  • A × B: £8.50
  • A × D: £10
  • B × D: £12.50
• One treble (A × B × D): odds = 2/1 × 5/2 × 4/1 = 29/1, return £30

Total return: £72.50

Profit: +£57.50

This is where a Lucky 15 becomes exciting. You’ve turned £15 into over £70 with three winners.

Scenario 4: All Four Winners

The dream scenario. All four horses land.

• Four singles: £15.50
• Six doubles: around £71 in total
• Four trebles: around £94 in total
• One fourfold: 2/1 × 5/2 × 3/1 × 4/1 = 119/1, return £120
• All winners bonus: many bookmakers add 10%, so an extra £30.

Total return: £330+

Profit: Over £315

It’s not as much as a £15 fourfold accumulator (which would pay £1,800+), but it’s still a fantastic return, with less risk.

Each-Way Lucky 15s

You can also place an each-way Lucky 15, which doubles the stake (30 bets in total). This covers both win and place terms.

The attraction is that even placed horses keep the bet alive, though the cost is double. These are particularly popular in horse racing when you have selections at bigger odds.

Is a Lucky 15 a Good Bet?

A Lucky 15 is a good bet if you:

• Prefer a safety net instead of all-or-nothing.
• Enjoy having multiple chances to collect from the same set of picks.
• Are happy with a higher stake for better coverage.

It may not suit you if:

• You only bet for maximum payout (accumulators are better for that).
• You prefer simple bets like singles.
• You don’t want to risk £15 on one set of selections.

My Two Cents…

So, is a Lucky 15 a good bet? For many UK horse racing fans, the answer is yes. It offers a rare combination of safety and excitement.

You don’t need all four winners, and with bookmaker bonuses, it often pays better than expected. It may not be as lucrative as a 4-fold accumulator, but it gives you more reasons to cheer across your selections and a better chance of walking away with something.

If you want a balanced multiple that rewards partial success and still offers big returns when everything lands, the Lucky 15 is one of the best bets you can place.