If you are looking at some of the popular multiple-selection wagers you can find at many betting sites, the Heinz bet is one of the most recognisable. It’s somewhat unusual name means that while some punters may not fully comprehend the nuances and details of the bet, they will have heard its name.
In this post, we will explore everything you need to know about the Heinz bet, giving you a full breakdown of the bet, and examples of it in practice. We will also tell you how it got its somewhat peculiar name!
So, let’s begin with the most obvious question:
What is a Heinz Bet?
A Heinz bet is a multiple-selection type of bet known as a full-cover bet. It comprises six selections and the wager covers every possible combination of two or more of the selections in a series of double, treble, fourfold, fivefold and one six-fold accumulator.
Each of the possible two or more selection combinations from the six selections must be covered by a unit stake. When all possible combinations of bets are covered there are a total of 57 bets in a Heinz wager.
How does a Heinz Bet break down?
We now know there are 57 lines to be covered in a Heinz bet. Here is how they break down.
- 15 Doubles
- 20 Trebles
- 15 four-folds
- 6 five-folds
- 1 six-fold accumulator
The table below will show you each of the combination of selections for all 57 bets in a Heinz Bet. We will use the generic selection numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 to represent each of the individual selections on the Heinz bet.
| Bet Type | Selections Covered |
| Doubles (15) | 1&2, 1&3, 1&4, 1&5, 1&6, 2&3, 2&4, 2&5, 2&6, 3&4, 3&5, 3&6, 4&5, 4&6, 5&6 |
| Trebles (20) | 1,2&3, 1,2&4, 1,2&5, 1,2&6, 1,3&4, 1,3&5, 1,3&6, 1,4&5, 1,4&6, 1,5&6, 2,3&4, 2,3&5, 2,3&6, 2,4&5, 2,4&6, 2,5&6, 3,4&5, 3,4&6, 3,5&6, 4,5&6 |
| Four-folds (15) | 1,2,3&4, 1,2,3&5, 1,2,3&6, 1,2,4&5, 1,2,4&6, 1,2,5&6, 1,3,4&5, 1,3,4&6, 1,3,5&6, 1,4,5&6, 2,3,4&5, 2,3,4&6,, 2,3,5&6, 2,4,5&6, 3,4,5&6 |
| Five-folds (6) | 1,2,3,4&5, 1,2,3,4&6, 1,2,4,5&6, 1,2,3,5 &6, 1,3,4,5&6, 2,3,4,5&6 |
| Six-fold (1) | 1,2,3,4,5 and 6 |
Calculating the Stake.
A heinz bet has 57 individual lines all of which must be covered by the same unit stake. Therefore the total bet cost is:
- 57 x Unit Stake.
So if the Unit Stake is £1, then the total bet cost will be 57 x £1 = £57.
Some punters opt to use an online Heinz bet calculator, or check their bet slip to see the full cost of their bet, especially if they are not dealing in whole unit stakes such as £1 or £10.
Potential Winning Return Combinations.
As a full-cover bet, not all selections on a Heinz bet need to win to generate a return. You only need to land two selections to win from the six to earn a return. However, it is likely you won’t make a profit on the bet if just two selections win.
- For example: Punter A places a Heinz bet of £57 (£1 unit stake) two of his six selections (selections 1 and 4) win, one at even money, the other at odds of 2/1.
- Therefore the only combination bet that wins is the 1&4 double. With a £1 stake on this bet, that would return £6, a loss of £51 on the bet.
The more of your selections that win, the more of the individual 57 bets you placed as part of the Heinz bet will win. These winnings are then added together to give you the total win for the bet.
- For example: Punter B places a Heinz bet of £57 (£1 unit stake) and four of his six selections (selections 1, 2, 4 and 6) win. At odds of even money, 2/1, 4/1 and 9/2 respectively.
- With four winners, there are several lines of the bet that win. Namely – Doubles: 1&2, 1&4, 1&6, 2&4, 2&6, 4&6; Trebles: 1,2&4, 1,2&6, 1,4&6, 2,4&6 and the Fourfold: 1,2,4&6.
- Those winning bets would generate the following returns individually and then the total return outlined in the section below.
| Winning Combo | Odds for each selection | Unit Stake | Winnings |
| 1&2 | Evens, 2/1 | £1 | £6 |
| 1&4 | Evens, 4/1 | £1 | £10 |
| 1&6 | Evens, 9/2 | £1 | £11 |
| 2&4 | 2/1, 4/1 | £1 | £15 |
| 2&6 | 2/1, 9/2 | £1 | £16.50 |
| 4&6 | 4/1, 9/2 | £1 | £27.50 |
| 1,2&4 | Evens. 2/1, 4/1 | £1 | £30 |
| 1,2&6 | Evens, 2/1, 9/2 | £1 | £33 |
| 1,4&6 | Evens, 4/1, 9/2 | £1 | £55 |
| 2,4&6 | 2/1, 4/1, 9/2 | £1 | £82.50 |
| 1,2,4&6 | Evens, 2/1, 4/1, 9/2 | £1 | £165 |
| Total Return on Bet | £451.50 | ||
| Profit/Loss based on £57 Heinz stake. | +£394.50 | ||
The more winners you land in a Heinz bet, the more bets that win and the greater your return is likely to be.
How did the Heinz Bet get its unusual name?
Now that we know about the Heinz bet, let’s address how it got its unusual name.
The answer is simple. As a heinz bet has 57 lines to be covered, this tallied up with famous Heinz 57 varieties. Heinz 57 became popular due to it being used in advertising from the late 1890s and beyond. So much so that the number 57 has become strongly linked with the Heinz company in other fields (the bingo call for number 57 is “Heinz”.
As such, with this six-selection full-cover bet having 57 lines, it was linked strongly to Heinz as a result and became known as a Heinz bet.
The Advantages and Disadvantages of a Heinz Bet.
Advantages
- Only require two of six selections to win to generate a return.
- All possible combinations of winners are covered.
- Widely available bet across all betting sites.
- Significant returns compared to stake are possible. Especially for four, five and six winners.
- A good option to mix lower odds and higher odds bets.
- Some betting sites offer the option to back just doubles, trebles, fourfolds, fivefolds or sixfold accumulators individually to reduce the overall cost (but this is then not a true Heinz bet).
- With certain markets (such as horse racing or greyhound racing to win selections), it may be possible to place an Each-Way Heinz bet (see section below).
Disadvantages
- Bet requires 57x your unit stake to place fully, making it expensive. A £1 Heinz bet would cost £57.
- You are unlikely to generate a profit on your bet if just two or three lower-odds selections win.
Can I Place an Each-Way Heinz Bet?
Yes, each-way Heinz bets are available, but only if your six selections are compatible with an each way bet. For example, backing six selections to win from six different horse and greyhound races are compatible with an each-way Heinz bet.
However, if you mix in bets from markets, such as backing the winner of a football match, then this type of bet is not each-way compatible, so you won’t be able to place an each-way Heinz bet.
How much does an Each-Way Heinz Bet cost?
As is the case with all each-way bets, you are placing two bets on each selection. Half of the stake for that selection goes on the win bet, half on the each-way bet. So an Each-Way Heinz bet is 57 lines to cover the win portion of the bet and a further 57 lines to cover the each-way portion of the bet.
That makes a total of 114 bets to be covered with an each-way Heinz bet, so a £1 each-way Heinz would cost you £114.
However, the benefit of this bet is that any of your selections would generate a return if they win or finish in the each-way places for the purposes of the bet. This increases your chances of generating a return.
It is advisable to use a Heinz bet calculator to investigate the possible combinations of winners and each way places will generate in returns for this bet as the calculation can be very complicated.
Heinz Bet Variations and Alternatives
There are some alternatives available to you if you want to place a bet with six selections that are similar to a Heinz bet.
- Six-fold accumulator – A single-line straight-up bet which only pays if all six selections win.
- Lucky 63 bet – This bet offers the same coverage as a Heinz bet but also includes backing each of the six selections as an individual single bet too, thus creating 63 lines to be covered.
- Alphabet – A six-selection bet usually available on horse or greyhound racing. It comprises two patent bets on selections 1,2 & 3 and selections 4,5 & 6, a Yankee on selections 2,3,4 & 5 and a sixfold accumulator. It includes 26 bets in total.
- 1 Six-fold Accumulator – 1 bet
- 11 bets in a Yankee – 11 bets
- 7 bets in each Patent – 14 bets
Heinz Betting Tips
Outlined below are some useful tips to help you when Heinz betting:
- Bet sensibly – Remember a standard Heinz is 57x your unit stake and an each way Heinz is 114x your unit stake. If your max bet is usually £25 to win, then reduce your unit stake accordingly (down to £0.50 for a Heinz Bet, or £0.25 for an each way Heinz bet) so that your total stake for your Heinz Bet is within or near to your usual bet budget.
- Combine lower odds selections with higher odds picks – One winner in a Heinz bet that is of higher value odds can really ramp up the potential winnings, even when combined with lower odds winners. Try and combine these odds in your bet to offer a nice balance between generating a return or landing a big profit.
- Thoroughly research your selections – A Heinz bet is flexible, in that not all selections must win to generate a return. Researching your picks for the bet is a must to help you identify high value, likely winners which can have a huge impact on long-term profitability (or a lack of it) using this bet.
FAQs about Heinz Betting
Q. What happens if one selection loses in a Heinz Bet?
A. If one selection loses on a Heinz bet, then any combination bets with that selection as one of its component bets will lose. However, any other combination bet that does not have that selection as a component part of the bet will still have the potential to be a winner.
Q. Can I place a Heinz Bet on any sport?
A. Heinz bets can be placed on a number of different sports. They are especially popular when betting on horse or greyhound racing, as well as the likes of soccer, tennis, basketball, American Football and rugby.
Q. What is the difference between a Heinz Bet and a Six-fold Accumulator?
A. A six-fold Accumulator only covers a single line, which must see all selections win in order to generate a return. A Heinz bet covers the six-fold accumulator and all combinations of double, treble, four-fold and five-fold bets. Another key difference is that an accumulator only requires 1x the Unit Stake, whereas a Heinz bet requires 57x the Unit Stake.
Q. Are there betting sites that offer Heinz Bet promotions?
A. Betting sites may offer Heinz bet promotions, but they are generally challenging to find. However, some bookmakers allow punters to back specific bets from a Heinz bet, such as betting on just the doubles or the doubles and trebles, as well as four-folds, five-folds and the six-fold accumulator. These sites can offer more flexible betting than covering all options for a Heinz bet.
